NHL

– The Devils have submitted a re-worked deal to the NHL for F Ilya Kovalchuk. According to the CBA, the league has a 5-day window to approve or reject the contract. TSN is reporting that the deal is approximately 15-years/$100M, which would give Kovalchuk an ironic cap hit of $6.66M per season. Stay tuned.

– F Paul Kariya will not play in the 2010-11 season due to post-concussion syndrome. The 35-year-old veteran is still a UFA. He had been attracting interest from the Ducks, but this news will certainly bring those talks to an end.

– The Leafs have acquired D Matt Lashoff from the Lightning for F Alex Berry and F Stefano Giliati. Lashoff played the majority of last season with the Tampa’s AHL affiliate in Norfolk, scoring eight goals, 24 points and 105 penalty minutes in 68 games. Lashoff will likely begin the 2010-11 campaign in the minors with the Marlies.

– The Leafs have signed F Clarke MacArthur to a 1-year/$1.1M deal. MacArthur scored 16 goals and 19 assists in 81 games between Buffalo and Atlanta last season. He will contend for a top-6 forward spot with the Buds.

– Oilers’ G Nikolai Khabibulin has been found guilty of drunk driving. He was convicted on 3 counts, including driving with a BAC that is twice the legal limit in Arizona and excessive speeding, but had 1 count tossed out. Khabibulin’s sentencing will be handed down at a date TBD, but he could spend a minimum of 30 days or a maximum of 6 months in jail. Stay tuned.

MLB

– According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, the Twins have acquired LHP Brian Fuentes from the Angels. Rosenthal isn’t sure if the Twins worked out a trade with the Angels or he was simply let go. Fuentes has a 3.52 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 39 games this season, posting a 39/18 K/BB ratio over 38 1/3 innings. He’ll provide the Twinkies with another late-game option. Since he’s nowhere close to his $9M option vesting for next season, the team can happily cut ties with him at the end of the year. RHP Fernando Rodney assumes the closer’s role with the Halos.

– Astros’ RHP Matt Lindstrom (back spasms) is still not 100%. The Astros closer was expected to begin a rehab assignment on Monday, but that seems unlikely to happen. Lindstrom was scratched from a bullpen session Saturday and likely won’t be ready until mid-September.

NFL

– NFL Network’s Mike Lombardi reports that there is a real chance Cardinals’ QB Matt Leinart will be released at final cuts. The report is similar to a recent suggestion Lombardi made in an NFL.com column, but he sounds more confident now. “They aren’t going to carry four quarterbacks,” said Lombardi, who said Leinart will be released if the Cards see a QB they want reach waivers in September. They could also opt to keep both rookies Max Hall and John Skelton behind Derek Anderson.

– The 49ers have re-signed franchise player NT Aubrayo Franklin to a 1-year/$7.003zm contract. Franklin, 30, the key to the Niners’ run defense, skipped offseason workouts and training camp as a protest against not receiving a long-term contract.

– Interviewed by NFL Network on Friday, Chargers’ RFA WR Vincent Jackson reiterated that he is prepared to sit out the entire 2010 season. Jackson says he’d “above all else” want to be a Charger for life, but will do whatever is necessary to get his desired long-term contract. V-Jax told NFLN that he never asked for a trade out of San Diego. He also guaranteed that he’ll never get another DUI after being charged with 2 as a 5th-year pro.

– Jets’ coach Rex Ryan revealed following Friday’s preseason loss that OLB Calvin Pace (foot) will miss “a couple weeks.” It sounds like a sprain. Pace will be in a race to get back for the regular season opener, as he’s the team’s best pass rusher.

– The Rams have announced that WR Donnie Avery (torn ACL) is done for the 2010 season after tearing his right ACL in Thursday night’s preseason game. Not good news for the Rams.

– The agent for Jaugars’ RB Maurice Jones-Drew (knee) disputes a report that his client underwent surgery recently, calling the story “absolutely false.” Agents often deny stories such as this immediately after they come out, but this one looks legit. According to the Florida Times-Union, MJD will not play in the Jags’ third preseason game, but it sounds like it’s simply precautionary. It does look like the reason MJD is missing practice and games is a knee injury, but the extent of the injury is unknown.

WWE

– As reported earlier, former WWE performer Gertrude Vachon (aka Luna Vachon) died this morning at her mother’s home in Florida. She was staying with her mother after her own home was recently burned down in a fire. In an update on the situation, TMZ.com reports that Vachon was found dead by her mother at approximately 10 a.m. this morning, according to law enforcement officials. Her cause of death has not been determined yet. Authorities currently do not believe there was any foul play involved in her passing. An autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow.

– WWE announced exactly at 10:00 p.m. this evening that Serena has been released from the organization.  “WWE has come to terms on the release of WWE Diva Serena. We wish Serena the best in all future endeavors,” they wrote. It is believed that she was released from her contract last weekend, but due to her appearance on tonight’s taped episode of Friday Night SmackDown, WWE waited until the conclusion of the broadcast to make an official announcement. As reported Monday, she was released for disciplinary reasons.

– WWE Superstars from both Raw and SmackDown will be on hand for the record-breaking 900th edition of the longest running, weekly episodic television program in history: Monday Night Raw. According to a report on www.f4wonline.com, names from the past will also be appearing to give the show a nostalgic feel, though no names were specified.

TNA

– Scott Hall’s publicist issued a cryptic statement on MySpace.com this afternoon asking that fans keep “The Bad Guy” in their thoughts and prayers. She added, “Will update as soon as I know.” She then clarified her remarks with the following statement:

Well once again I come to put an end to the BS and Assumptions of others..

Why in heavens name, would anyone think Scott is seriously ill.. just because.. I said keep him in your thoughts and prayers…

He is in a place he is getting help.. doesn’t mean the road will be easy.. he is dealing with much.. He is making life changeing changes.. old habits are hard to break..

I said.. when I know ,you will.. but until then I wish people wouldn not take things out of context and assume the worse..

I still ask that you keep him in your thoughts and prayers.. that he will come out of this healthy and happy.. After all.. we just want The Bad Guy to be ok…

Maggie

It was noted earlier this week by longtime friend Kevin Nash that Hall had checked into a rehabilitation center on behalf of WWE’s Talent Wellness Program. He was scratched from an independent wrestling show tour of the East Coast, including a heavily promoted event in New York City. Hall’s publicist said last week: “Recovery for Scott has been very slow process; he was trying to get better and was looking forward to his appearances on the East Coast.” Hall had been in the hospital recently as he came down with double pneumonia, affecting both of his lungs.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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NBA

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

TNA

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

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

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

WWE

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

WWE RAISES CREDIBILITY ISSUES FOR CHRIS NOWINSKI

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

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

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

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

Mr. Nowinski states, “They have an environment where it’s absolutely unsafe to work in that ring.” “They have no oversight into what actually happens in the ring.” If so, then why would Mr. Nowinski have ever wanted to be a part of such an environment?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NHL

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

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

NFL

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

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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A lot of people are asking me about Lance Cade’s passing last week (August 13). I’m not going to do a big piece on steroids in pro wrestling since I just wrote a thesis on steroids in professional sports. Nonetheless, I’ll comment on my thoughts surrounding steroids in pro wrestling since it remains a topic that continues to come to the forefront of the industry.

So as we all know, last week, Lance McNaught (aka Lance Cade) died what appeared to be heart failure. He was just 29 years of age. McNaught’s wife, Tanya, had noticed that Lance was not looking well in the week prior to his death, and was taken to hospital on August 10 with difficulty breathing. The next day, however, he discharged himself. The next day, McNaught went to visit his father’s workplace on August 12, still looking unwell. His father insisted that Lance stay the night with his parents, during which he passed away in the early hours of August 13.

Unfortunately, McNaught has a history of addictions with pain and sleeping pills. During his first tenure in the WWE, he was fired in 2008 after having a seizure on an airplane. Former commentator Jim Ross said that it was “a major league mistake while utilizing bad judgment,” leading many to logically believe that the seizure stemmed from another drug-related issue. To this day, however, details of the firing have not been released.

A drug-related death is something that the WWE and the pro wrestling industry has gotten used to over the years. Here are a few names of some stars who have gone well before their time;

“Mr. Perfect” Curt Henning (44) via cocaine overdose.

Brian “Crush” Adams (44) via painkiller overdose.

Bam Bam Bigelow (45) via lethal levels of cocaine & anti-anxiety pills.

Mike “Crash Holly” Lockwood (32) via lethal combination of painkillers.

Miss Elizabeth (42) via accidental overdose of alcohol, pain killers, nausea medication & tranquilizers.

Eddie Guerrero (38) via heart disease, complicated by an enlarged heart resulting due to history of anabolic steroids.

Eddie “Umaga” Fatu (36) via acute toxicity from combined effects of hydrocodone, carisoprodol and diazepam.

I just think it’s really unfortunate. Especially in the death of Guerrero, a lot of people are blaming WWE Chairman Vince McMahon or the pro wrestling industry as a result for wrestlers’ deaths, which isn’t fair or correct. WWE has a very strict Wellness Policy in place to ensure that their employees are clean under their bill. Many of these talents are dying while not employeed by the WWE. What they do to their bodies is out of WWE’s control. That’s also why Vince offers drug rehab to any former employees who ask for it, and all costs are covered by the WWE.

To be honest, I don’t believe the problem lies with the WWE or with Vince, but rather, with the wrestler him/herself. WWE is obligated to ensure that their employees have a clean bill of health when performing for them. What they do before or after their WWE careers is entirely uncontrollable. These wrestlers aren’t dying while they’re wrestling, which is often another misconception about pro wrestling. If these talents are dying while employed by WWE, it’s never because of a wrestling accident or mishap – there’s always a trace back to drug abuse. The Wellness Policy has done a very good job of screening talents over the years, and has saved a number of people. Case in point, MVP – in 2007, MVP (aka Alvin Burke Jr.) was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, which is essentially a rare heart condition that causes the heart to work faster than it normally would, which drastically increases the chance of heart attacks, etc.. Where would he be without the Wellness Policy? Who knows. He could be fine, he could be dead. Most likely the latter, since it’s certainly within the realm of possibility that the condition could’ve worsened, he could’ve experienced more severe symptoms and they wouldn’t have been able to do anything in time. This way, WWE has caught the condition early on and can cope with it and treat it as they go along, rather than learning of this during the autopsy.

Wrestling is a profession that wears and tears on the human body like nothing else. I have a few friends who are indy wrestlers, and it’s clear that your bones and muscles take an absolute beating, even without tables, ladders and chairs. Combine that with a schedule like WWE’s where their performers are on the road 300+ days a year, and it’s understandable to see why people turn to bottles of alcohol or prescription drugs to deal with aches, pains and bruises. Not everyone does this, though, and everyone deals with these nagging injuries differently. By looking at the veterans on the roster now, it’s easy to see that drug use is not the only route an individual can take. Guys like The Undertaker, Triple H, Edge, Kane, Christian, etc. have never had issues like these. Hell, WWE’s crash test dummy, Mick Foley, the world’s most glorified stuntman, is a prime example of this theory. Foley has suffered more injuries than anyone, and his career has been made famous by being slammed through tables, slammed onto thumb tacks, being tossed of a Hell in a Cell, and generally taking stupid spills that have made him an icon in the wrestling industry. He has, however, lived a clean life. Chris Jericho is another great example – WWE superstar by day, rockstar by night. The Fozzy frontman has never had a drug abuse issue, but you’d think with the number of drug-related deaths in the WWE mixed with the “typical” rockstar lifestyle, Jericho should’ve died 3 times by now.

Put it this way: if something makes you dependent on it, it’s not good for you. Nothing. I realize that I sound pretty hard on drug users. And I am. I really have very little sympathy for people who lack self control. I don’t have sympathy for people who have ruined their lives by making choices that they know are harmful to their health and well-being. I really don’t see how some people like Jake Roberts can live a life controlled by addiction and drugs. Personally, I have no experience with drugs. I’ve never tried smoking anything, I’ve never snorted anything, I’ve never injected myself with anything, and I’ve never put any kind of non-prescribed pill on my tongue. I don’t see why anyone would want to. I try not to take Robitussin or ColdFX when I’m sick. I try not to take a Tylenol when I have a headache. I wasn’t even a fan of taking Claritin to relieve my allergies in June. Hell, I don’t even take Pepto Bismol when I get the shits. Over the years, I’ve found the best medicine for any illness, pain, discomfort, etc. to be your own body – let it work it’s course – you’ll increase your tolerance for pain, you’ll overcome your illness quicker as well as develop a better immunity for it, and you strengthen your own immune system in the process. In fact, I’m usually sick only once a year, often during the transition from fall to winter, and usually because I still dress summer-y late into the calendar year. A few years ago, I underwent minor dental surgery to have 4 wisdom teeth removed. Immense pain – a dull, grinding, heavy, bland, monotonous pain that maintained its intensity for days. I was prescribed Tylenol 3 – a more powerful version of the regular Tylenol pill – to numb the pain from the surgery. I took it once and I’ll never take it again. I started throwing up black blood, I was dry heaving, my stomach was in knots, and I had zero appetite for the rest of the day. Personally, I don’t like the way it makes me feel, whether it makes you feel like everything is more significant, like you’re happier in general, or if it makes you light-headed like you’re on Cloud #9. I do drink socially (not hard liquor), but within my limits. I don’t see a reason for needing to go above and beyond what your body can handle.

Anyways, back to the matter at hand. McNaught’s death will not be the last we see of ex-WWE drug users. The likes of Jeff Hardy, Sean Waltman, Scott Hall and even Jake Roberts remain active in the wrestling industry, and as destiny will have it, each of them are burying themselves in an early grave because of their addictions. WWE has paid for rehab for all and has tried to do the same for Jeff. But like I said earlier, it’s not WWE’s responsibility to ensure that they all live long and fulfilling lives – it’s up to the individuals to get themselves clean. The help is there, but the next step is in their hands. And it’s especially interesting for Roberts, who continues to wrestle into his mid-50′s and counting. If he wasn’t broke off his ass and needed to live life paycheck-by-paycheck and had a job where he wasn’t being slammed for a living, would he be clean? Of course not. In fact, I don’t think any of those 4 would be. Their wrestling careers are completely and utterly irrelevant to their personal lifestyle and are entirely separate from the choices they make in their life – they’re not clean because he chooses to be. They’ve had countless chances to quit, but they simply don’t want to.

While McNaught was taken well before his time, the real tragedy is that he leaves behind two daughters, who will now grow up without their father, as well as his wife, who will have the task of raising two girls single-handedly, in addition to coping with the loss of her husband because of his addictions problem. Vince McMahon cannot be blamed, nor can the WWE. The fault lies solely on Lance McNaught.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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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

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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NFL

– The Bengals have signed WR Terrell Owens to a 1-year/$2M contract with another $2M available in incentives. T.O. will join forces with WR Chad Ochocinco in the NFL’s in some must-see TV. Marvin Lewis is in for a long season. While T.O. no longer offers game-breaking speed, he’ll provide QB Carson Palmer with a big, physical target as a possession receiver. He probably won’t top 900 yards.

– The Packers have re-signed RFA SS Atari Bigby to a 1-year/$1.759M contract. It will be interesting to see how much ground rookie Morgan Burnett made up in offseason practices. The injury-prone Bigby hasn’t been an asset since 2007, though he’s a strong run defender when healthy. The strong safety battle will be one of the few real competitions in Packers camp next month.

– Bengals’ WR Antonio Bryant (knee) is a “strong candidate” to start training camp on the active/PUP list, reports PFT. Bengals coaches are already said to be “lukewarm” on Bryant, who could be joining Laveranues Coles as a second straight free agent bust for Cincy. He missed time in spring practices with a balky knee, and the injury continues to linger. PFT even passes along “scuttlebutt” that the Bengals could dump Bryant, though that is dependent on contract particulars.

MLB

– Andrew Marchand of ESPN NY reports that the Yankees are one of the six teams on Royals’ RHP Joakim Soria’s no-trade list. The Yanks are on an ongoing hunt to bolster their bullpen, but may have to look at options other than Soria. He would probably cost them a little too much in the way of prospects anyway. The 26-year-old Royals closer has a 2.12 ERA and 1.01 WHIP for his career and has converted 99 saves since the start of the 2008 season. He’s 27-for-29 on save opportunities this year.

– Jayson Stark heard from a source Tuesday that the Royals are struggling to find a trade partner for OF Jose Guillen. Guillen is 34, is no longer considered an adequate defender and is batting just .226/.286/.387 in the month of July. Oh, and he’s earning $12M this season. If the Royals want to get rid of him, it will have to be in a straight salary dump move.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Nationals have not offered 1B Adam Dunn a contract extension in any form this summer. Dunn has hit 23 home runs this season while racking up a .935 OPS and he has drawn interest from multiple teams in the AL Central. If the Nationals have no desire to pay him, they might as well move him now. He will be a free agent at the conclusion of this season.

– Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post reports that the Marlins have begun internal discussions about a contract extension for 2B Dan Uggla. Uggla told reporters Monday that he would love to remain with the Marlins, and the franchise would be wise to keep their powerful middle infield intact for the opening of their new ballpark in 2012. Uggla is hitting .277/.360/.482 with 19 home runs this season and is under contract through 2011.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Braves have signed C David Ross to a 2-year extension. The money involved is not yet known, but it’s probably not much given that C Brian McCann is a must-start every night in Atlanta. Ross has hit .269/.374/.346 with zero homers and six extra-base hits in 78 at-bats for the Braves this season.

– Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports that the Red Sox have A’s RHP Michael Wuertz on their trade deadline “wish list.” Wuertz is usually solid in the ‘pen, but he has a 4.50 ERA and 1.41 WHIP this season in Oakland. Maybe he needs a change of scenery, or the BoSox can get him at a bargain. The 31-year-old had a 0.95 WHIP in 78-plus innings last year.

NHL

– The Rangers have signed F Alexander Frolov to a 1-year/$3M deal. Rangers’ GM Glen Sather said, “Alex is a highly skilled player who we feel will play a key role in improving our offense and play in all situations. He is strong competitor and has the ability to play either wing position.” Frolov reportedly rejected a 4-year/$20M deal with a KHL club to stay in the NHL. Frolov fell short of the 20-goal marker in 2009-10 for the first time since his rookie season, but he should bounce back in New York. Look for him to score 25 goals and 60 points next season, but those numbers could go up if he plays alongside Marian Gaborik.

– The Kings have signed F Alex Ponikarovsky to a 1-year/$3M deal. Poni will earn $3M in 2010-11, but the deal also comes with a $200K signing bonus. Ponikarovsky scored 21 goals and 50 points in 77 games between the Leafs and Pens. He’s reached the 20-goal milestone in four of his last five seasons.

– The Oilers have re-signed F Gilbert Brule to a 2-year/$3.7M deal worth $1.85M annually. Brule scored 17 goals and registered 20 assists in 65 games last season.

– The Predators have re-signed D Ryan Parent to a 2-year/$1.85M deal.

WWE

– Former WWE Womens and Divas champion Melina (torn ACL) made her return to WWE television at last night’s WWE RAW tapings from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. The return can be seen on next Monday’s edition of RAW on the USA Network. She returned at the conclusion of Alicia Fox, Jillian & Tamina vs. Eve, Gail Kim & Natalya, taking out Alicia Fox. Melina has been out since December 2009 after suffering a torn ACL. She underwent surgery in January and has been rehabbing for months. She spent last week in FCW in Tampa working out and is back with the company fulltime.

TNA

– TNA’s Hulk Hogan is planning his next career move outside of the wrestling industry – he wants to be “the new Billy Mays” and become the best TV pitchman around. Mays was the king of infomercials before his unfortunate death last year, pitching everything from Oxyclean cleanser to Mighty Putty adhesive putty.

According to RadarOnline.com, Hogan recently linked up with fellow reality star and infomercial king, Kevin Harrington, to promote his latest product, pumMax – a biodegradable pumice-based hand cleanser. But that’s just the beginning, as Hogan’s lawyer David Houston tells Daily Radar.

“Terry brings decades’ worth of charisma and credibility to the marketplace. Billy [Mays'] unfortunate passing kind of left a hole. We all agree that he certainly has some big shoes to fill as far as Billy Mays is concerned, but I don’t think that any of us doubt that he has the ability to do it.”

“He went into a semi-retirement at one point, but after the divorce and settlement of personal injury litigation he’s putting his career back on track.”

Hogan is no stranger to being an product pitchman, having done commercials for Honey Nut Cheerios, Right Guard deodorant, Arbys and more.“I think it’s more of a continuation as opposed to a new beginning,” said Houston.

– TNA’s faction of ECW originals will now be known as “E-V 2.0? – Extreme Version 2.

– Scott Hall’s recent bout with double pneumonia is over and Hall has been released from the hospital after several weeks. Nash wrote on Twitter this week:

“Scott’s home. Clean 20-plus days and sounding great. He’ll outlive us all all. Love you, buddy.”

VoV

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

– According to the Wrestling Observer, the current plan is for a major name to be revealed as the person behind Nexus. The two names being pitched for heel turns are Triple H and John Cena. Hunter has long wanted to turn back heel, and if you go with Cena, how you then explain all of the beatdowns becomes a logic issue, but that’s never stopped them before.

Triple H’s tendon tear, for which he underwent surgery last week, is said to have been a minor tear that will keep him out of action anywhere from 2-t0-4 months. With him likely out of the SummerSlam picture, other ideas being talked about include John Morrison vs. Ted DiBiase, with Melina returning in Morrison’s corner to oppose Maryse, Big Show vs. Jack Swagger, and continuing the Harts-Usos feud for the Unified tag team titles.

– According to the PWInsider, it is not a guarantee that Undertaker will be healthy enough to return for SummerSlam as originally planned. Next week’s television tapings will determine whether or not he’ll be able to return in time for the event.

NHL

– F Nikita Filatov is looking forward to being back in a Columbus uniform for the 2010-11 season. Development coach Tyler Wright traveled to Russia to meet with Filatov who went back to Russia last season in large part because then head coach Ken Hitchcock would not play him. The Blue Jackets loaned him to CSKA Moscow of the KHL in November and he remained there the rest of the season. GM Scott Howson said, “The trip went very well. Tyler worked out with him, saw him working out and had lots of conversations with Nikita. Tyler was extremely impressed – and he’s not easily impressed – with how hard Nikita is working.” Filatov is thought to be the best player outside of the NHL by many so look for a big year this season from the highly-talented Russian.

– The Leafs have signed German F Marcel Mueller to a 2-year entry level contract. Mueller, who turned 22 on Saturday, scored 24 goals and added 32 assists in 53 games for Cologne in the top German league. He also played for Germany at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, garnering two assists in four games. The big German is six-feet, three-inches, and weighs 220 pounds, certainly a size that GM Brian Burke likes. Look for Mueller to acclimate himself to the North American style of hockey with the Marlies of the AHL.

– The Wild have re-signed G Josh Harding to a 1-year/$1.2M deal. The 26-year-oldwent 9-12 with a 3.05 GAA and a .905 SV% with one shutout in 25 games last season.

– The Capitals have signed F Brian Willsie to a 1-year deal.

– The Canadiens signed D Mathieu Carle and F James T. Wyman to 1-year, 2-way contracts. Carle, who was held scoreless in three games with the Canadiens this season, will collect a salary of $660K in the NHL and $62,500 in the AHL. He recorded 5 goals, 10 assists in 31 games with the Hamilton Bulldogs while missing 44 games due to injuries. Wyman was held scoreless in three games with the Canadiens this season, including his first career NHL game on November 24 against the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Bell Centre. The 24-year old also recorded 17 goals and 20 assists in 76 games with the Hamilton Bulldogs in 2009-10, adding 163 shots on goal and 12 penalty minutes.

– The Oilers have signed D Shawn Belle to a 1-year/2-way deal. Belle had three goals and 16 assists for the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs last season, also playing in two games for the Montreal Canadiens and registering no points.

– The Oilers have signed F J.F. Jacques on a one-year deal on Wednesday. Jacques played in 49 games last year with the Oilers collecting four goals and seven assists and 78 penalty minutes.

– The Penguins have re-signed F Chris Conner to a 1-year/2-way contract. The deal is for $550K at the NHL level. Conner, 26, has spent four seasons in the NHL, the first three with Dallas and last season with Pittsburgh.

– The Stars have signed F Scott Glennie to a 3-year, entry-level contract. The No. 8 overall pick by Dallas in the 2009 draft, Glennie spent last season with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League and in 66 games he totaled 32 goals and 57 assists.

– The Senators signed F Roman Wick and D Derek Smith to 1-year/2-way contracts. Wick recently completed his fourth consecutive season with the EHC Kloten Flyers of the Swiss A Division. In 37 games with Kloten in 2009-10, the 24-year old recorded 15 goals, 16 assists and eight penalty minutes to rank fourth in team scoring. He has finished each of the past three seasons among the top four players in Flyers’ scoring. He had his best season in 2008-09, registering 24 goals, 17 assists and 28 penalty minutes in 45 games.

– The Blue Jackets have re-signed F Tom Sesito to a one-year/2-way contract. Sesito appeared in three games for the Blue Jackets last season and recorded seven penalty minutes. He had 10 goals and seven assists with 138 penalty minutes in 36 games at Syracuse of the American Hockey League.

NBA

– The Jazz have reportedly reached an agreement with free agent G Raja Bell on a 3-year/$10M deal. Bell was being courted heavily by the Lakers, Spurs and Heat. The Lakers had just $1.8M to offer this year. After picking up F Al Jefferson a day earlier, the Jazz suddenly look like one of the biggest winnners in free agency, which was unexpected after losing Carlos Boozer. Ross Siler reports on Twitter that Bell still has to pass a physical before it’s official.

– The AP reports that F Mike Miller is expected to sign a contract with the Heat on Thursday. Reports surfaced on Tuesday that Miller’s deal with the Heat wasn’t secure, but those have since dissipated and Miller is now set to join the the trio in Miami. It’s an excellent basketball acquisition by Miami, but only does bad things for Miller’s fantasy value. He was shy about shooting for the Wizards last season, and he’s only going to be more reluctant to hoist while playing alongside LeBron, Wade and Bosh.

– According to Yahoo!, G Tracy McGrady McGrady has also seen interest from the Clippers, Bulls and Heat. The latter two teams would only pay him the veteran’s minimum. T-Mac averaged 9.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game in the 24 games he played in for the Knicks last year after starting the season with the Rockets.

– Rockets’ GM Daryl Morey announced via Twitter that the Rockets intend to match G Kyle Lowry’s 4-year/$24M offer from the Cavs. Lowry proved himself to be a very valuable piece of the Rockets’ rotation, and should continue to get solid minutes as the backup and part-time shooting guard off the bench.

– The Bobcats have signed G Shaun Livingston to a 2-year/$7M deal. The deal would reportedly include a non-guaranteed year for Livingston, who is expected to vie with D.J. Augustin for the starting PG job. Still just 24 years old, Livingston averaged 15.5 points and 6.3 assists in eight April games for the Wizards last season.

– Cavs’ G Delonte West has pleaded guilty to weapons charges on Thursday, avoiding jail time. He was ordered to psychological counseling, community service and electronic monitoring, and Brian Windhorst guesses he’ll be suspended for three to five games next season. It also appears unlikely he’ll be back with the Cavs.

– Warriors’ owner Chris Cohan is reportedly sitting on an offer of more than $400M to buy the franchise, believe to be submitted by Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corp. Cohan is said to be trying to negotiate an even higher price, despite the fact the highest amount ever paid for an NBA franchise was $401M for the Suns in 2004. The other bidder is Mandalay Entertainment Group chairman Peter Guber, who is joined by Joe Lacob, currently a minority owner with the Celtics. As badly as Warriors fans want to open the book on a new way of life for Golden State, it now sounds like the deal may not get done before the weekend.

MLB

– White Sox’ RHP Jake Peavy (shoulder) had successful surgery Wednesday to repair a detached latissimus dorsi muscle in his right posterior shoulder. He will miss the rest of the season. The surgery at Rush University Medical Center revealed a clean avulsion of the tendon off the bone with little or no muscle damage, doctors said. The procedure was performed by a team of surgeons from Midwest Orthopedics, led by Dr. Tony Romeo and Dr. Greg Nicholson and assisted by Dr. Charles-Bush Joseph. Peavy said last week he hoped to be throwing by spring training in February.

– MLB.com reports that RHP Pedro Martinez will not suit up for the Phillies this season. Pedro hasn’t even thrown off a mound yet, but Phillies’ GM Ruben Amaro Jr. from checking in with Pedro’s agent, Fernando Cuza, recently. “Only Pedro could say when he’d be ready. I’m sure he knows, but I couldn’t tell you.” The Phills are reportedly looking for help outside the organization.

– The LA Times reports that Angels’ OF Torii Hunter is persuading Rays’ OF Carl Crawford, a free agent at season’s end, to sign with the Angels.

“I’ve been playing eight years, so I know how nice it is here,” Crawford told the Times at the All-Star game in Anaheim on Tuesday night. Hunter claims he’s not tampering, but somehow he and Crawford ended up with lockers next to each other for the All-Star game. “He’s just a good friend — I just give him good advice. I was a free agent once. I told him to have fun with it. It’s like being recruited in high school … it’s not tampering, is it? Not for we players… I’m pretty sure he’ll stay in Tampa Bay, but he has the right to flirt with other teams.”

– Major League Baseball’s All-Star game has earned its lowest-ever television rating. The NL’s 3-1 victory Tuesday night on Fox earned a 7.5 fast national rating and 13 share. That’s down 16 percent from the 8.9/15 for last season’s game, a 4-3 win by the AL. The previous low was an 8.1/14 in 2005.

– Cal Ripken Jr. is exploring the possibility of joining the O’s as a part-time adviser, which would ease his transition into a permanent position after his son graduates high school in 2012. Ripken, who turns 50 next month, has been meeting on a regular basis with Orioles owner Peter Angelos and president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail. The conversations have centered on finding the Hall of Fame infielder a position in the front office on the team he played for throughout his 21-year career. Should they come up with a plan that would allow Ripken to remain dedicated to his family while serving the Orioles, he would be willing to get back in the game before his son, Ryan, graduates from Gilman High.

NFL

– Titans’ RB Chris Johnson characterized contract talks as “at a standstill” after taking home the Best Breakthrough Athlete award at the ESPY’s Wednesday night. “I’m just praying right now, hopefully by the time camp comes we’ll have something worked out. If it’s not a long-term deal, just have something to get me to play this year.” In a followup interview, CJ2K put it in simpler terms: “If they pay me, I’m in camp. If they’re not, I’m not in camp.” Expect a resolution before camp and by August 10 at the very latest.

TNA

– Scott Hall remains in the hospital battling a double pneumonia infextion. Hall recently had a falling out with some close friends as a result of his stubbornness in not entering a hospital earlier than he did. In a recent radio interview Hall did with Sean Waltman, he began sobbing on the air when discussing his health, claiming he also suffers from a psychological disorder. His friends are more concerned for his well being now than at any point in the past.

VoV

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

– In a recent interview with ESPN Radio, Stephen A. Smith said that F LeBron James is leaning toward signing with the Knicks “and that this factor played a role in Tom Izzo turning down the Cavs’ head coaching job.” “From what my sources tell me, he still hasn’t made a final decision but he’s higher on New York now than he was a month ago. And the reality is that he is leaning more towards New York than he is towards returning to Cleveland. Izzo knew this.” Apparently James’ camp is making “in-depth” queries about Donnie Walsh and Mike D’Antoni. Stay tuned.

– The 76ers official website briefly displayed a page on Friday that said “Sixers draft G Evan Turner.” The page appears to be pre-fabricated for the moment Philly drafts Turner #2 overall, and the fact that it went live was obviously an error. No doubt that Turner goes second, as G John Wall will be taken by the Wizards.

– The Suns have picked up their 2011-12 option for head coach Alvin Gentry. However, half of that year’s $2.2M salary hinges on whether there is a lockout when the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in July 2011. Gentry is the league’s second-lowest paid coach and will make less than Terry Porter, whom the Suns fired last year.

– According to his personal trainer, G Allen Iverson is preparing for a comeback next season. AI took a leave of absence in March because of an undisclosed illness to his 4-year-old daughter, Messiah.

– Former F Manute Bol passed away yesterday. He was 47. Bol was Sudan 7’7″ centre, the tallest player in NBA history, spent 10 seasons in the NBA and was dedicated to humanitarian work in Africa. Bol died at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, where he was being treated for severe kidney trouble and a painful skin condition. Bol recorded more career blocks than points.

– The Indianapolis Star reports that the Pacers will use the #10 overall pick to select F Daniel Orton. The 19-year-old who declared himself ready for the NBA after his freshman year worked out for the team on June 1. The team is setting up a second workout, according to the paper. The 6’10″, 260-pound Oklahoma native averaged 3.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for Kentucky.

MLB

– T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports that the Rangers have inquired about acquiring a starting pitcher, including Mariners’ LHP Cliff Lee and Astros’ RHP Roy Oswalt. The club has not confirmed their interest in any single player, but acknowledge that they have been active in trade talks. Rangers’ assistant GM Thad Levine said, “We’ve had some preliminary discussions with clubs. But to compel teams to move this far ahead of the [July 31] Trade Deadline, it would take a very attractive package. We’re still in the inventory stage and the information-gathering stage rather than the execution phase.” There are some obvious financial constraints in the way of a potential deal right now, but there’s little doubt that the Rangers have all the pieces necessary to acquire a front-line starting pitcher at the deadline.

– Cardinals’ RHP Ryan Franklin believes that he will retire when his contract expires after the 2011 season. Franklin will be 38 at that point and told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “I think I owe it to my family. I’ve missed a lot of things that have been going on. I don’t want to miss a lot more.” With the current spate of midseason will-he-or-won’t-he retirement stories, it’s a nice change of pace to see a player who has his plan in place in advance.

– Padres’ OF Kyle Blanks (elbow), who has been on the DL since May 18, will miss another 3-to-4 more weeks after an MRI showed more damage than had previously been thought. The San Diego Union Tribune reports that it will be another two weeks before Blanks even picks up a ball, which makes three weeks seems like an awfully optimistic timetable. While Blanks won’t need to recover his arm strength to the degree that a pitcher in rehab would, he can’t exactly be two-hopping the cut-off man either. Blanks was off to a slow start before he landed on the DL, as he’d produced a line of just .157/.283/.324.

– According to Tracy Ringolsby, Rockies’ SS Troy Tulowitzki (broken left wrist) will miss 6-to-8 weeks. A huge blow to the Rockies’ hopes.

– Phillies’ first base coach Davey Lopes said that 2B Chase Utley (knee) has been dealing with “a little bit of a knee injury.” There have been whispers about an injury for a few weeks now and Lopes finally spoke up to Baseball Prospectus. We’ll probably hear some confirmation or denial from the team in the days to come, but there’s no question that Utley hasn’t looked the same for quite some time. While his .377 OBP is excellent, he is batting just .257 with a .451 SLG%.

– The Dodgers have placed RHP Carlos Monasterios (blister on index finger) on the 15-day DL and have placed SS Rafael Furcal on the bereavement list.

– The Rockies have placed SS Troy Tulowitzki (fractured left wrist) on the 15-day DL.

– The Marlins have placed RHP Clay Hensley (left neck strain) on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 12, and transferred C John Baker to the 60-day DL.

– The Phillies have placed LHP Antonio Bastardo (left elbow ulnar neuritis) on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 16.

NHL

– The Devils have re-acquired F Jason Arnott from the Predators for F Matt Halischuk and a 2nd-round draft pick in the 2011. Arnott scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal for the Devils in 2000. He had 19 goals and 27 assists in 63 games last season, and waived his no-trade clause in his contract to make the deal happen. After the season, he had given the Predators’ management a list of teams he would approve, with the Devils topping his list. “They kind of explained what the situation was and it just didn’t seem like I was in their (plans) for long term. So I decided I’d rather move my family now and we both kind of came to the agreement that it was time for the young guys to step in and do their thing, and for me to move on. So it was kind of a mutual thing.”

– The Predators have re-acquired D Ryan Parent from the Flyers for D Dan Hamhuis and a conditional pick in the 2011 draft.  Parent was Nashville’s first pick in the 2005 draft and was sent to Philadelphia in 2007 in a trade that brought F Peter Forsberg to Nashville. The 23-year-old blueliner played his first full NHL season last year and appeared in 17 playoff games during the Flyers’ run to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals.

– According to the Ottawa Sun, the Capitals are shopping F Alexander Semin. He has one year left on his mulit-year contract that pays him $6M annually and may be a prime candidate to move on as a free agent after the 2010-11 season. Stay tuned.

– The Daily News reports that the Flyers could be offering F Jeff Carter in exchange for a proven #1 goalie. One rumour that keeps popping up is Carter to Boston for G Tim Thomas. Carter is the sniper that F Marc Savard has been missing on his wing since the trade of F Phil Kessel to Toronto. There would likely be more involved in a Carter for Thomas deal, but it is worth keeping an eye on. The Kings, who are set to add former Flyer head coach John Stevens to their coaching staff, may also be interested in moving a goalie for Carter.

Thomas is still a first-line goalie, but he’s making $5M as a backup to G Tuukka Rask. Boston needs to shed some salary in order to make some other changes to its roster and still be within the cap. Despite his substantial salary, there should be a number of contending teams vying for Thomas’ services. Philadelphia, Washington, San Jose and possibly Tampa will likely be calling Bruin GM Peter Chiarelli about Thomas. Stay tuned.

– Despite rumors that the Panthers are going to completely re-tool and trade both F Nathan Horton and F Stephen Weiss, don’t count on Weiss moving anywhere. Although Horton may be in play, Weiss is signed for three years at a modest $3.1M per season. That’s pretty reasonable for a 27-year-old center who has registered 121 points in his last 158 games and has the capacity to be even better in 2010-11. Plus, Florida coach Peter DeBour who coached Weiss in the OHL, loves him.

– The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Penguins will not bring back F Alex Ponikarovsky. The soon-to-be UFA is seeking a longer-term deal than the Penguiuns seem willing to give. Ponikarovsky was a disappointment last season after being acquired from the Leafs and the Pens do not seem willing to make a substantial investment in him.

– Lightning’ F Vincent Lecavalier is very happy with the hiring of Steve Yzerman as GM and Guy Boucher as head coach. “I’m very, very excited about what is happening with this organization from new ownership, to a guy like Steve Yzerman, who knows where he is going. He’s got a plan, he’s an honest person and comes from an organization of winners over the past 20 years and he will bring that mentality. And for him to bring on somebody like Guy Boucher, somebody who I’ve heard great things about over the past couple of years, I think it’s just going to be a great chemistry with those guys and with the players.”

– The AP reports that the Wild will not be big players in this year’s free agent frenzy.

– The owners of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers say they continue to look for minority partners and have no plans to sell or move either team. There have been persistent reports that the Atlanta Spirit ownership group is strapped financially and may be looking to sell one or both teams. The latest report was in Friday’s New York Post. The group also owns the operating rights to Philips Arena. Atlanta Spirit principals Bruce Levenson and Michael Gearon released a statement saying they have hired a firm to help in the search for minority investors but remain committed to both teams, the arena and the city of Atlanta. Their statement says “we have no plans to move either team.”

– D Rob Blake has officially retired from the NHL. Blake will be remembered as one of the greatest offensive defenceman of his generation. He scored 240 goals and 777 points in 1,270 games with the Kings, Avalanche and Sharks. He won the Norris Trophy in 1998 and the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2001.

NFL

– According to PFT, RFA LT Jammal Brown will not require a contract extension as a condition of Saturday’s trade to the Redskins. Brown did his RFA tender of $3.619M as part of the trade, and extension talks may begin down the line. The Saints’ compensation hinges on the QB Donovan McNabb trade. If McNabb makes the Pro Bowl, or the Redskins win nine games or make the playoffs, the Eagles receive a 3rd-round pick and the Saints get a fourth. If none of those happen, the Eagles will get the fourth-round pick and the Saints get the third-rounder. New Orleans will also send a conditional late-round pick back to the Washington while the Redskins owe the Saints a 2012 6th-rounder if Brown makes the Pro Bowl plays 90 percent of the snaps in 2010.

– The Raiders have re-signed “exclusive rights” franchise player DE Richard Seymour to a one-year/$12.398M contract. Seymour skipped out on OTAs in an attempt to get the Raiders to pay him even more money than he’s worth. Coming off a subpar season with 47 tackles, 4 sacks, and a forced fumble, Seymour isn’t worth anywhere near $12M — much less the 2011 1st-round pick that Al Davis surrendered to get him last year.

– PFT reports that Chiefs’ unsigned RFA S Jarrad Page has requested a trade. Page let PFT know of the trade demand via a press release that noted, “Entering the 2009 season, Jarrad Page had more interceptions than any other safety selected in the 2006 draft class.” Page is coming off a poor season, but has shown playmaking ability, is cheap, and is only 25 years old. The Chiefs should be able to get a late-round pick for him.

– Titans’ RB Chris Johnson told ESPN’s Michael Smith in a recent E:60 interview that he is asking the Titans for $30-40M guaranteed. Johnson hinted earlier in the offseason that he wanted to be the highest paid offensive player in the game – he wasn’t kidding. Johnson probably won’t old out of training camp beyond August 10 because of the monetary penalties he’d incur.

– The Seahawks have released WR Reggie Williams. He lasted just two months on the roster. He as out-practiced by fellow former top-ten bust Mike Williams. Williams’ NFL career might be finished.

– The have Ravens signed S Ken Hamlin to a one-year contract. The team still has some concern than S Ed Reed (hip surgery) won’t be back up to full speed for the early part of the season. Hamlin has lost his playmaking ability the last two seasons, so he was never going to land more than a one-year “prove it” deal as an insurance policy.

WWE

– Though Triple H’s current absence from television is in due part to filming the upcoming WWE Films project The Chaperone, the word is that he is more hurt than first thought. The extent to which the injuries will delay his planned return to the squared circle are unclear, but sources indicate a rumored SummerSlam feud between him and Edge has been scrapped. Meanwhile, Edge is expected to miss some house shows during the month of August as he films WWE’s action-oriented comedy Chasing the Hawk.

TNA

– Eric Bischoff opened Thursdays TNA iMPACT broadcast and announced that due to personal reasons, Scott Hall was no longer with the company and The Band were stripped of the TNA Tag Team Titles. A tournament is being held to determine who will face The Motor City Machineguns for the vacant belts at Victory Road. TNA President Dixie Carter wrote the following on her Twitter about Hall’s release:

“Scott Hall and I talked and together decided he needed time to focus on some personal issues. I am proud of the action he is taking.”

VoV

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

– Raptors’ F Chris Bosh has narrowed in on a list of five preferred NBA teams, and his agent has relayed that list to the Raptors, according to a report on ESPN.com. The list of teams included the Raptors, Bulls, Lakers, Heat and Knicks. Sources said that list was given to Toronto management in case the Raptors want to construct a sign-and-trade deal if Bosh doesn’t re-sign with Toronto.

Sources said the Raptors prefer a sign-and-trade if Bosh is intent on leaving Toronto. Bosh reportedly likes that option as well. The Raptors likely would want a big man to replace the 6-10, 230-pound Bosh in the lineup. One source said that Bosh’s decision hinges on where LeBron James signs. If James leaves the Cleveland Cavaliers and opts sign with either the Knicks or the Bulls, Bosh may also land there along with James. Suns’ president Steve Kerr also was fined $10K for comments he made in a radio interview.

Bosh, 26, is a UFA. He averaged 24 points per game last season and has averaged 20.2 points per game for his career.

– Grizzlies’ owner Michael Heisley was adamant that the team will re-sign RFA F Rudy Gay this summer. “Here’s the No. 1 thing: The option on what we pay him is mine. So when I say we’re going to have Rudy next year, that’s a pretty good indication that we’re going to have him.” He said he’s not interested in sign-and-trade deals, and the Nets’ interest in Gay might all come to naught if Heisley is true to his word.

– Suns’ F Amare Stoudemire doesn’t know if he would re-sign with the Suns this summer even if they offered him a maximum contract. “I’m not sure only because I want to win a championship. Cash is one thing, but winning is the ultimate goal.” It sounds like he’s conceding that the Suns, down 0-2 in the Western Conference finals, aren’t built for a championship. According to a source close to Amare, he also feels “disrespected” by the Suns after they dangled him in trades for the past two seasons.

– The Nuggets and F Carmelo Anthony have scheduled a meeting to discuss a possible three-year contract extension. Denver is understandably eager to lock up their franchise player, who would otherwise become a free agent after the 2010-11 season.

– The AP reports that the Mavericks are willing to explore a sign-and-trade to try and acquire Cavaliers’ F LeBron James since the team his very little cap room.

– Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban has been fined $100K for his comments about Cavaliers’ F LeBron James’ impending free agency.

– Mavericks’ F Dirk Nowitzki will opt out of his contract in hopes of signing a bigger deal this summer. Stay tuned.

– The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that Avery Johnson is interested in the VP of basketball operations for the Hornets, in addition to filling the vacant head coaching position. He also will supposedly only join the team if minority owner Gary Chouest becomes the man with majority ownership and buys George Shinn’s 75% share of the team.

– The Wizards continue to search for options to rid themselves of G Gilbert Arenas, including a massive buyout. Stay tuned.

WWE

– WWE has released Carlito (Carlos Colon) as of today May 21, 2010. According to WWE, “Carlito’s termination was due to his first violation of the WWE Wellness Program and his subsequent refusal to attend a rehabilitation facility.” According to 4FWOnline, company sources indicate Carlito did not actually fail a drug test. Rather, management felt he was unfit to perform after arriving to the Air Canada Centre on Monday for the evening’s Raw taping. He was told he needed to go to rehab, but refused, resulting in his termination from the company. As the story goes, Carlito denied he had a problem, forcing WWE to pull the trigger on his release.

Carlito, who had been under contract to WWE since 2004, developed a reputation of being a talented performer whose lack of motivation prevented him from rising above mid-card status. For years, he was rumoured to have been on the verge of leaving the company due to frustration over the direction of his character. The Puerto Rican native was most recently used as a mentor to NXT Rookie Michael Tarver, who was ousted in the first round of eliminations. He had also teamed up once again with brother Primo, helping Ted DiBiase beat-down R-Truth on last week’s Raw.

– WWE champion John Cena commented on Twitter about WWE’s decision to release Carlito this week:

“I am sad to hear the wwe has decided to release Carlito. I always thought he could, and should have accomplished more than he did. I wish him the best.”

WWE Hall of Famer also commented on Carlito’s release in his latest blog at JRsBarBQ.com. Ross wrote:

“I was disappointed to hear of Carlito being released from WWE for apparent wellness issues. I don’t know all the details of this situation by any means but it seems apparent WWE felt that Carlito needed some help and Carlito didn’t agree. It’s back to the old adage that if one can’t solve a problem one has no choice but to eliminate it. I’m one that certainly believes that Carlito has the ability to be a main event level performer but no one’s professional life should ever be prioritized over their personal life and I sincerely hope that Carlito adjusts to these recent challenges and takes the necessary steps to put these negative issues behind him.”

– According to the PWTorch, within WWE, Drew McIntyre isn’t the most popular wrestler among certain circles. The Intercontinental Champion been described as “a head case” and some veteran wrestlers have made it known they don’t want to work with him until he improves his in-ring ability. Fans weren’t the only ones questioning whether the angle temporarily stripping him of the Intercontinental title was done as a result of a drug testing violation. Although he doesn’t have the reputation of being a party guy, there was still a lot of speculation within the organization that a legit suspension may have been the cause. Ultimately, though, it was revealed as nothing more than a storyline.

– WWE revealed yesterday guest hosts for three weeks of the longest running weekly episodic television show in history starting with the Memorial Day edition of Raw on May 31.

Actor Ashton Kutcher will guest-host Raw on Memorial Day when it emanates from Austin, Texas. The notorious Punk’d prankster is promoting his upcoming action-comedy film Killers, which is set for release the subsequent Friday. The June 7 Raw from Miami will be guest-hosted by the cast of The A-Team, which includes UFC fighter Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Bradley Cooper and Sharlto Copley. Jackson, one of UFC’s top fighters, battles Rashad Evans the week prior on PPV. When Raw drops by Charlotte in June 14, the show will be guest-hosted by Mark Feuerstein, who stars in USA’s hit medical drama Royal Pains.

Khloe Kardashian,  the elder sister of Kim Kardashian, and Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak are expected to be guest hosts of future episodes of Monday Night Raw.

– A Chris Jericho DVD set is currently in the works and expected to be released this September. This would be the first DVD set produced in honor of Jericho.

NHL

– The city of Glendale and the NHL have come to an agreement to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix for at least the 2010-11 season. Glendale has agreed to cover all losses up to $25 million if the NHL still owns the team, but the league is looking for local ownership. This is great news for Phoenix fans and bad news for the fine folks in Winnipeg.

– Bruins’ G Tim Thomas (torn labrum in left hip) and D Andrew Ference (sports hernia) have undergone successful surgery. F Vladimir Sobotka (left shoulder) will undergo surgery on Tuesday. Thomas will need three-to-four months to recover, while Ference will need two.

TNA

– Scott Hall was arrested last week on charges of disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The Seminole County Sheriff’s office was called at 1:43 a.m. on May 14 with a call saying there was a disturbance at the Hitching Post Bar in Chuluota, Florida, located about 20 minutes outside of Orlando. When a deputy arrived, he found a bartender insisting Hall leave the bar, but the wrestling star cursed at him and other patrons. According to the police report, Hall appeared intoxicated, was slurring his speech and his eyes were bloodshot.

When Hall was told he was being placed in custody for intoxication, he resisted and swore at the officer, but the deputy managed to place handcuffs on him. Due to Hall’s inordinate size, the officer utilized two sets of handcuffs in tandem, and placed him in a patrol car. The bartender told the deputy that Hall had been “drinking heavily” and “became aggressive inside the bar,” the report states. He pushed a customer and argued with the female bartender and called her names, the report says. Hall was told never to return to the bar. When Hall was booked, he claimed he was unemployed.

NFL

– The Minneapolis Star-Tribune agrees thatFavre’s actions since the end of last season, “have made it clear he has every intention of playing a 20th NFL season.” Favre’s Friday morning surgery was designed to create a better range of motion in his ankle. He’ll soon begin a running program with a goal of being ready “either at the beginning of camp or shortly thereafter.” The next step is to see how Favre’s rehab goes. He’s had surgery on the same ankle three times now, and is no sure bet to heal quickly going on age 41.

– Patriots’ WR Wes Welker (knee, shoulder) reiterated Saturday that he doesn’t have a timetable to resume practicing football. “It’s a long process but I feel like I’m making a lot of strides. It’s gone as good as expected so far. Hopefully we stay on that track.” Welker is currently hosting a football camp, and was seen Saturday jogging around in drills and running routes “at a light pace.” For the most part, the Boston media seems to believe Welker will begin 2010 on the PUP list.

– Free agent QB JaMarcus Russell will train in Arizona in an effort to get back into the NFL. According to Yahoo Sports, Russell “apparently” is back up to 300 pounds and plans to drop at least 25 before attempting to latch on with a new team. He does not intend to try the CFL or UFL. “His mechanics are even completely screwed up,” a source close to Russell said. “There’s stuff they go over in high school that he hasn’t worked on the past three years.”

MLB

– Astros’ RHP Roy Oswalt has backed off his request for a trade, but did say that he felt like a deal might be the in the best interest of everyone. It’s certainly in his best interest to move on and a good deal could help the Astros jump start their inevitable rebuilding process, which is to their benefit as well. Still, especially given Oswalt’s contract, a deal could be hard to come by.

– The Cardinals have placed RHP Brad Penny (upper back strain) on the 15-day DL. Penny could recover in 7-10 days. The Cardinals had worried the right-hander might be lost for an extended period after getting pulled before the fourth inning of Friday’s start in which he allowed seven runs on 13 hits in five innings, that something felt wrong.

– Mariners’ LHP Eric Bedard (shoulder) played catch without pain on Saturday and is set to throw a bullpen session on Sunday. Bedard had felt some discomfort after a simulated game recently, which was disconcerting, but he appears to be back on track now. If all goes well for Bedard, he could be headed to Arizona to begin building up endurance for his rehab starts in the minors.

– Mets’ RHP John Maine finally acknowledged Saturday that there is something “not right” with his right shoulder. Maine was upset Friday when the Mets put him on the disabled list, but it was obviously the right decision if he indeed has a shoulder injury. “There’s still something going on back there,” the right-hander said. “Who knows what it is? It’s something that has to be found. But if everything comes back good, I’ll deal with it and pitch like I have been.”

– The Denver Post reports that OF Willy Taveras has been called by the Astros this week for a workout. Houston reportedly offered Taveras a minor-league deal this past winter so the team appears to still be interested in bringing him aboard.

– Astros’ OF Michael Boure has been suspended for one game. The suspension stems from Bourn’s confrontation with first base umpire Alfonso Marquez in the Astros’ 2-1 loss to San Diego on May 8.

– The Phillies have placed SS Jimmy Rollins (right calf strain) on the 15-day DL.

– The Nationals have placed LHP Scott Olsen (shoulder) on the 15-day DL.

– The A’s have placed 3B Eric Chavez (neck spasms) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 21.

– The Yankees have transferred DH Nick Johnson to the 60-day DL.

– The Giants have transferred 2B Emmanuel Burris to the 60-day DL.

– The Brewers have placed C Gregg Zaun (shoulder) on the 15-day DL and have transferred RHP David Riske to the 60-day DL.

– The Giants have placed RHP Brandon Medders (right knee) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 20.

– The Mets have transferred RHP Kelvim Escobar to the 60-day DL.

VoV

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***UPDATE***

– The Undertaker will be on Raw tonight.

WWE

– The UK Flight Ban has been extended to 1am Tuesday morning local time, which means that there is no way the WWE crew make sit back for Raw tonight. This means that tonight’s Raw will be a SmackDown show. They might be back in time for the SmackDown tapings on Tuesday, but at this point, nothing is certain. Also, despite last week’s ultimatum with ShowMiz, Bret Hart will not be at Raw tonight, as he’s also stuck in Europe. Nonetheless, the TV trucks are all in Jersey for Raw, and the show will go on. WWE.com is calling it “Smackdown Invades Raw”, and they mention that Triple H “prepares to share the ring with top Smackdown superstars” as well.

Jim Ross has updated his blog at JRsBarBQ.com with an update on tonight’s RAW and the travel issues surrounding it. Most of the RAW roster is still stranded in Europe due to the travel issues stemming from last week’s volcano, so tonight’s RAW will likely feature mostly SmackDown talent. Ross wrote:

“I am anxiously awaiting Monday Night Raw because it appears that the Raw crew will be unable to make it to New Jersey in time for the event if the Weather Channel is accurate in their report that air space throughout Europe is still closed. One would assume that means nothing is landing and certainly nothing is taking off until weather conditions improve. The good news is that the Smackdown crew arrived in Newark late Saturday night around 2 a.m. Eastern time so there will be plenty of available bodies to produce an entertaining, 2 hour TV show.”

“In essence, Monday Night Raw will take on a different feel for one night which isn’t a crime. My view on these calamities is that they are simply opportunities for talents to step up and turn head’s and the Smackdown nucleus has plenty of issues established to help WWE roll into their next PPV which is Extreme Rules in Baltimore.”

– It appears as though Bret Hart is going to be appearing at Raw in Toronto on May 17, though it isn’t 100% confirmed. Thank God I bought tickets.

NFL

– The Lions have acquired TE Tony Scheffler and a 2010 7th-round pick from the Broncos in a three-team trade that also sent LB Ernie Sims to the Eagles in exchange for a 2010 5th-round pick. Denver gets the 5th-rounder. Scheffler, a pass-catching tight end, will play behind TE Brandon Pettigrew once Detroit’s starter returns from his torn ACL. Scheffler adds a threat to QB Matthew Stafford’s arsenal, which should take pressure off WR Calvin Johnson. The Eagles fill their need at weak-side linebacker and get more physical on the perimeter on the relative cheap. Sims, 26, will immediately start, as injured Omar Gaither could be released shortly. Both Scheffler and Sims are in contract years. This is a low-risk deal all around, with potentially high rewards for Philly and Detroit.

– The Vikings have re-signed RFA QB Tarvaris Jackson to a one-year/$1.176M contract. Though the 27-year-old Jackson is physically gifted and has mediocre career numbers (58.7% completions, 21:18 TDs/INTs), he hasn’t shown the ability to be successful down the stretch. The Vikings also showed that they don’t have much trust in him, as they hit him with the lowest possible RFA tender. With QB Brett Favre seeming unlikely to retire, Jackson will again have to hold off QB Sage Rosenfels to earn primary backup duties.

NHL

– Devils’ G Martin Brodeur, Sabres’ G Ryan Miller and Coyotes’ G Ilya Bryzgalov have been named the finalists for the Vezina Trophy. Brodeur now has nine nominations. The Vezina Trophy is awarded to the league’s best goaltender and is voted on by the 30 general managers, and will be unveiled during the NHL awards show in Las Vegas on June 23.

Brodeur is a four-time Vezina winner and led all goaltenders in games (77), victories (45) and shutouts (nine) this season. Bryzgalov had a breakthrough year, posting career-best totals in victories (42), games (69), shutouts (eight), goals-against average (2.29) and save percentage (.920). He helped the Coyotes set franchise records for wins and points in a season. Miller was second in the league with a 2.22 GAA and .929 SV% while winning 41 games. The American was named MVP of the Olympic tournament and posted a 9-2-1 record after winning a silver medal in Vancouver.

– According to the Dallas Morning News, Stars’ F Mike Modano still hasn’t made up his mind about retirement.

“It’s really hard, I’m really kind of on the fence right now. It’s tough. And then you watch some of the playoffs, watch some of those games and it’s like those are the things that you miss…you hate to end on that type of note. You like to go in the playoffs, make a good run and have some excitement…but then you have a type of run like that and you’re like, ‘Hey, let’s do it again next year.’ “

Some of Modano’s attention this summer will be involved in a group that’s attempting to buy the Stars from Tom Hicks.

– F Paul Kariya still isn’t 100% committed to playing next season. Kariya is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

“I’m going to take some time and evaluate things. As you get older, I think it’s important to really sit back and see where you’re at, and what kind of game you can contribute to a team. I’ve got really high expectations of myself and I’m very disappointed that we’re not in the playoffs, and the way I played. I’m going to make sure I take the time to evaluate it.”

Kariya seemed pleased with how his legs felt in the second half of the season, but he still may end up retiring. Kariya still has some gas left in the tank, scoring 18 goals and 43 points in 75 games this season.

– The KHL team Dynamo Moscow has collapsed and will cease to exist beyond the 2010 season. This is huge news, especially in Russia where this is akin to one of the NHL losing one of it’s treasured Original Six franchises. The team’s players and assets will be merged with another Moscow based team, HK MVD, who are currently competing for the KHL championship. It is currently unclear how much if any of the Dynamo brand will be incorporated by MVD. Dynamo Moscow alumni include Alexander Maltsev, Alexei Kovalev, Alexei Yashin and Alexander Ovechkin. The club was established in 1946 and were originally sponsored by the KGB. They won the Russian/Soviet league titles nine times, as well as the Spengler Cup twice.

MLB

– According to Martin Leclerc of Quebec-based RueFrontenac.com, 34-year-old RHP Eric Gagne has decided to retire from baseball. Gagne spent 10 seasons in the major leagues and will finish with a 3.47 career ERA and 1.16 career WHIP. He won the NL Cy Young Award in 2003, when he saved 55 games and registered a lights-out 15.0 K/9 for the Dodgers. He’ll be remembered as one of the most dominant ninth-inning relievers to ever grace a major league mound – all before his steroid use was brought to light in the Mitchell Report.

– Giants’ OF Aaron Rowand (fractured cheekbones) will not require surgery. The news came after he met with doctors in San Francisco on Sunday. Rowand got three fractures in his cheekbone after taking Dodgers’ RHP Vicente Padilla’s fastball to the head on Friday. His vision is improving and his headaches have subsided, so he can resume baseball activities while he is on the disabled list. He should be able to return in early May.

TNA

– According to the PWInsider, the TNA crew has flown back to Orlando as they prepare for tonights live TNA Impact. No bouts have been announced as of yet, but the TNA Website stated that matches would be announced today.

– Sean Waltman never arrived in St. Louis for Sunday’s Lockdown PPV. He worked an independent date last night for Great Lakes Championship Wrestling in Wisconsion and according to one source, was telling those at the show he wasn’t going to attend the TNA event. Taz said over commentary that Waltman did not show up at the 1:00 p.m. ET arrival time.

“Syxx-Pac no-showed, not here. I guess it’s a case of Syxx-Pac being Syxx-Pac.”

Kevin Nash announced following his Lockdown victory over Eric Young that he would replace Sean Waltman as Scott Hall’s tag team partner against Team 3D later in the show.

In addition, though he was advertised to appear at Saturday’s Lockdown Fan Interaction, Waltman no-showed the event too. Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, however, appeared as advertised.

According to reports, TNA knew that Waltman would not be at the Lockdown PPV as early as Wednesday or Thursday. While he was not at the PPV, he is expected to be at TV this week. Within the company, some were told that Waltman was ill, although he worked for Great Lakes Championship Wrestling in Minnesota on Saturday. Some also believe that there was an issue with him getting licensed in Missouri. This, however, is not 100% confirmed.

On an aside, could you imagine if someone no showed a WWE or UFC PPV? Unacceptable by any standard. It degrades not only the individual, but the company as well. And considering TNA is so indie and poorly done to begin with, this makes them look even worse. I’ve got half-a-mind to think this is a storyline, since it looks like something they’d do. I hope no one ever puts faith in Waltman again. If I’m writing the storylines for TNA, I’d write him out of TV in the most degrading way possible.

– SoCal Val announced during Sunday’s Lockdown pre-show that Doug Williams would not be available to defend the X Division Championship at tonight’s pay-per-view. As a result, he has been stripped of the belt.

The previously scheduled tag match between the Motor City Machine Guns and Brian Kendrick & Homicide has been changed to an Xscape Match between all four participants. The winner of the bout would then qualify to compete in the X Division title match against Kazarian and Shannon Moore.

Williams is presently stranded in his home country of the UK and thus unable to fly to the US. Very unprofessional in my opinion. They could have just waited until Williams became available, not strip him. The 30 day title defence rule is a myth, but they could have at least stuck to that. The unforeseen circumstances of a natural disaster don’t merit stripping him of the belt – the circumstances are entirely beyond his control. And this list of things that piss me off about TNA continues to grow…

VoV

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