MLB

– Jays’ C J.P. Arencibia was 4-for-5 with two homers, three RBI and three runs in his major league debut against the Rays on Saturday afternoon. Arencibia made an epic first impression Saturday, smashing a two-run homer on the very first pitch he saw in the big leagues. He is the first Jays player to homer in his first major league at-bat since Junior Felix did it on May 4, 1989, and incredibly, is the first major leaguer in the modern era (1900-present day) to record 2 homers and 4 hits in their MLB debut. The 24-year-old also singled and doubled, finishing a triple short of the cycle. He hit 31 homers with Triple-A Las Vegas this season, so while his batting average isn’t likely to stick, the power will. Arencibia has been talked about for a number of years, and with C John Buck (thumb) out, it looks like Arencibia could be here to stay.

– Angels’ OF Torii Hunter has been suspended 4 games for his actions following Friday’s ejection. Hunter bumped into home plate umpire Ron Kulpa after a called third strike and threw a bag of baseballs onto the field. The outfielder will not appeal and will start serving the suspension immediately.

NBA

– Celtics’ F Shaquille O’Neal believes that teammate F Rasheed Wallace “is thinking about coming back,” despite his expected retirement. “Rasheed, go on and come back for one or two more years,” he said. G Paul Pierce has also made a public plea for his return, as the paleolithic Celtics gear up for another run at a championship.

NFL

– Chiefs’ unsigned RFA S Jarrad Page “no longer has a residence in Missouri or Kansas and has moved to California.” His agents have sent an email to PFT and other media outlets saying that the Chiefs have been “Vindictive”  in their treatment of Page. Page is represented by his older brother, who has no other clients. This situation has the potential to escalate, with Page continuing to push the Chiefs until he receives a trade or his release.

TNA

– Jeff Hardy announced Saturday via YouTube that he and his longtime girlfriend Beth are expecting their first child. He did not provide the date or gender of the baby.

VoV

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– Yankees’ 3B Alex Rodriguez has finally hit homerun #600. He became the youngest player to reach the milestone, driving a pitch into Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park in centre field exactly three years to the day after his 500th homer. The two-run homer came off of Jays’ RHP Shaun Marcum, ending a 3-game losing streak. A-Rod reached the milestone after a 12-game drought, connecting with a 2-0 pitch over the middle of the plate for his 17th home run of the season. Because Rodriguez homered into Monument Park, a stadium worker could retrieve the ball for him. A-Rod sits in 7th on the all time list, 9 behind Sammy Sosa.

NFL

– The player rep for QB Brett Favre released a statement Wednesday, indicating that no final decision will be made on his playing status until he feels he’s ready to play at “a level that he expects of himself.” Favre is working daily to rehab the surgically repaired ankle. He’s scheduled to visit Dr. James Andrews next week, at which point he hopes to have a better read on his playing status. The statement emphasizes that Favre’s decision has nothing to do with money and solely hinges on his health. The bottom line is that Favre will play if or when his ankle allows him to play.

The Vikings’ revised contract offer to Favre could reportedly pay him as much as $20M in 2010. Favre’s $16M salary would be guaranteed, and he’d be eligible for $4M more via incentives based on postseason goals. Favre, though, insists money is not the issue standing in the way of his return. His agent, Bus Cook said, “It’s definitely not about the money. If they want to reward him, nobody’s going to walk away from that. But it’s not a factor in his decision.”

– John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports that the Texans are close to signing WR Andre Johnson to a deal that will make him the highest paid wide receiver in the NFL. McClain doesn’t have specifics, but it sounds like Johnson’s contract will surpass Larry Fitzgerald’s. The 4-year/$40M deal Fitz signed in 2008 still stands as the biggest receiver pact in the game. A.J. is currently under control through 2014, so he’ll presumably get a new, upgraded five-year contract with a hefty signing bonus and $35M or so guaranteed.

– The attorney for WR Plaxico Burress says that reports of his client’s imminent release from prison are “certainly premature.” The NY Post took hearsay and turned it into a report. “There’s a very wide range of possible outcomes here, and I do not want to get too ahead of myself. I don’t see (a return to football) happening in the short term. He still has a year left on his sentence.” Plaxico won’t be playing in the NFL before the 2011 season.

– Commissioner Roger Goodell strongly suggested Wednesday that Steelers’ QB Ben Roethlisberger has done enough to have his suspension reduced from six games to four. “He is doing what he’s been asked to do, and frankly more.” Roethlisberger was greeted with a rousing ovation from the Pittsburgh faithful at the start of camp, and he’s been spending extra time with fans after practices. He’s also adhered to all stipulations put forth by Goodell.

MLB

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that Red Sox’ RHP Jonathan Papelbon has been claimed on waivers by an AL team. The Red Sox will almost certainly pull him back and retain him. Most players are placed on waivers in August and Papelbon is under team control through next season via salary arbitration. If he is going to be dealt, and if the Red Sox are going to hand ninth-inning duties to RHP Daniel Bard, it probably won’t happen until mid-2011.

– 1B Carlos Delgado (hip) could be a hot commodity this August, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. Delgado, who has not played since May of last year, has been rehabbing his hip, and his agent has said he still wants to play this season. The White Sox, Rockies and Mariners are rumoured to be interested. Delgado wants to play for someone that’s in a pennant race, which would rule out the M’s.

– Mets’ OF Jason Bay (concussion) is “not close” to returning from the disabled list, according to a Mets team official. Bay said Tuesday that he was feeling a bit better, but he has not begun baseball-related activities and there’s been no indication of when he might be able to do so, as he’ll need to be symptom-free before that happens. Bay is eligible to return from the DL on Tuesday, but that’s not going to happen.

– A group led by Nolan Ryan and Chuck Greenberg won a bankruptcy auction for ownership of the Rangers early Thursday morning. The group beat out Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban with a massive $385M cash bid. Cuban would have been a fun character in the baseball world, but Ryan has been an excellent leader since taking over front-office duties for Texas and his financial backers just put some serious faith in the franchise. If they back it up in payroll, the Rangers are going to have a great decade.

NBA

– The Celtics have officially signed F Shaquille O’Neal to a 2-year/$2.8M deal. Terms of the deal haven’t been disclosed, but it’s possible that Shaq managed to coax more than the $1.4 veteran’s minimum out of the Celtics before signing. Either way, he’s expected to come off the bench for his new team as he embarks on his 19th NBA season.

WWE

– Chris Jericho appeared on The LAW Live Audio Wrestling Sunday night. Here are some of the highlights:

On problems getting time off to perform with Fozzy such as next weekend and the U.K tour in the fall: “In some ways yes but it’s an interesting case in how it is for me. Obviously I have many years and experience and am one of the higher names on the totem pole but more importantly I never get hurt for whatever reason maybe too stupid. I’ve never been hurt so everyone else on the roster takes time off from being hurt or to make a WWE movie. I don’t get hurt and I don’t make WWE movies, I go on tour with my band so it’s kind of a no hassle situation because it’s kind of an underlying acceptance that I’m going to do this from time to time and there’s a little resistance but when it comes to the bottom line they know I need to do this keep myself sane and explore these other possibilities and not get hurt.”

What time period his second book will cover?: “It starts right when I walk to the ring for my debut against The Rock and ends about seven years later when I walk out to face Randy Orton when I returned in 2007. It’s great because it’s my whole WWE experience but also very involved with starting a band with Fozzy and the trials and tribulations of that which are just as ridiculous as some of the things I went through in the first book when I was trying to make my name in wrestling. It’s a great dichotomy of a guy who is at the top of one profession and trying to make it in another one with all of the ridiculous stories you have come to expect from Chris Jericho’s life.”

One of the cool parts of his upcoming DVD that comes out in September: “Back in the early part of the decade you would go in the ring and do improv comedy it would be me and Steve, me and Rock or Rock and Steve or whatever and I found this one 15-minute piece of tape from Tucson, Arizona of Steve and I doing 15 minutes of improv comedy and it’s brilliant, it’s some of the funniest stuff I have ever done in my career and Steve’s career and no one has ever seen it. It never aired, it was after the show and we always record everything that happens and as soon as it ended I said that has to be on my DVD if I ever get one so I got a tape of it and kept it in my house. It really is a great comprehensive package of not just my career but of a great time in the business when it had a lot more experienced guys and a lot less strict rules and stuff like that.”

Discussing the Nexus angle heading into SummerSlam: “I think it’s been a stroke of genius. I think it’s something that has got people talking and of course there are critics in everything and it’s your job to do that. I think the fact you took seven guys that no one had heard prior to February of this year and made them into the main event of SummerSlam with a viable, interesting, money making match I don’t think that’s ever been done in the history of the business. It worked, it’s worked better than anything we’ve done in awhile and I’m very excited to be a part of it, originally I wasn’t supposed to be a part of it and was supposed to be involved with someone else but that didn’t work so we started working on this. It’s great because you’re taking lighting in a bottle and more importantly now you have this cool dichotomy with this Cena team or Jericho team whatever you want to call it and Nexus is a well oiled pack of wolves and then you have a bunch of ego maniacs fighting it out to see who will be the leader of a team. It really is a great story with a lot of levels and that’s the best things we do in the WWE is have very involved and layered stories and this is one of those real cool ones that’s been going in for months and I don’t know if SummerSlam will be the culmination, it wouldn’t surprise me to see it go further but it’s a lot of fun to be a part of it, I’m enjoying it. Plus it’s really passing the torch and helping these guys and I keep telling them this could be the biggest angle of your careers and some of you won’t make it out alive and that’s really the truth some of these guys won’t ever be as over as they are right now so enjoy it and learn as much as you can and run with as much as you can because it might never happen again.”

TNA

– According to the PWTorch, many within TNA were surprised at how removed Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff appeared to be at last week’s set of Impact elevision tapings. While both were on hand for the production meetings they would normally attend, neither individual appeared as engaged as they have in the past. “They are as far removed from this as I’ve seen yet,” stated one company source. Though Hogan won’t publicly say anything negative regarding the ECW concept, he has been shaking his head behind closed doors. Observers say he looked uncomfortable while in the ring with the ECW crew in a segment that will air during tomorrow night’s iMPACT! broadcast.

– In addition, in recent comments made to ProWrestling.net, Bischoff gave an update on the condition of Hulk Hogan’s health following recent back surgery.  “I don’t know for sure. I don’t even ask him anymore because I know what his reaction would be. He’d say he’s feeling perfect.” Bischoff said Hogan feels that if he verbalizes something positively, it will come true, which is why he takes that approach with his back. When asked whether Hogan’s in-ring career is over, Bischoff said, “I don’t see him wrestling again. I’d be disappointed and there would probably be a physical moment backstage because I would try to stop him.”

– With TNA’s HardCORE Justice pay-per-view just a few days away, sources in TNA say there’s little to no buzz backstage about Paul Heyman appearing at the show. While Heyman has met with TNA management in recent months, things seem to have died down as of late.

– Team 3D is currently negotiating new TNA contracts, as the current deals are set to expire in the next few months. For what it’s worth, neither Brother Ray or Devon are happy about the latest ECW revival in TNA.

VoV

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NFL

– QB Brett Favre (ankle) has told ESPN’s Ed Werder that he will play for the Vikings this season as long as he’s healthy. To be clear, no final decision has been made yet. Favre is still testing his surgically repaired ankle. Favre denies sending a retirement text message to any Vikings personnel.

Favre was seen on a high school football field in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, according to NFL Network’s Scott Hanson. That said, there is no confirmation or any visual proof of this report just yet. Favre supposedly “retired” yesterday, but is caught throwing with high school kids, just as he did last season when preparing to start the season. This saga is far from over.

– ESPN reports that the Bills will be releasing OLB/DE Aaron Schobel today. The Bills had said earlier that they weren’t going to give up their best pass-rusher for nothing, but plans appear to have changed. ESPN reports that Schobel still wants to play in the NFL, and the Texans and Patriots are expected to be interested.

NBA

– The Celtics have reportedly come to terms with F Shaquille O’Neal on a 1-year/$1.4M, the league’s veteran minimum. Shaq will be coming off the bench while F Kendrick Perkins (knee) is out for several more months, and with F Jermaine O’Neal’s injury frequency, don’t be surprised if Shaq ends up starting some games.

NHL

– The Red Wings have signed F Mike Modano to a 1-year/$1.25M deal. “It was a lot of back and forth internally, but I ultimately decided I wasn’t ready to hang up the skates so I’m going to Detroit,” Modano said. Modano is slated to centre the third line, but may also get some time on the powerplay. The Red Wings beat out the Wild and Sharks for his services.

– The Sharks are close to signing F Jamal Mayers. GM Doug Wilson said, “Jamal is a fast, physical, team-first player who brings the ingredients we were looking for to this role. He is an extremely fit athlete who can kill penalties and we think he will mesh well with our group of forwards.” Mayers had 14 points and 131 penalty minutes in 71 games between the Leafs and Flames last season.

MLB

– Phillies’ 2B Chase Utley (thumb) could have the splint from his surgically repaired thumb removed in the next 2-to-3 days. Utley can begin doing exercises to strengthen the thumb once the splint in removed. GM Ruben Amaro says the original timetable remains in effect, meaning a return around September 1 can be expected.

– Marlins’ 3B Chris Coghlan (knee) should find out soon when he will be able to begin taking ground balls and batting practice, a sign that he will be putting off knee surgery until after the season. He was slated to see a doctor Tuesday night and find out when he can begin intense workouts. Assuming there isn’t a setback, Coghlan will be sent out for a rehab assignment soon, where he will play third base, the position he’ll be at when he does return to the Marlins.

WWE

– There is a rumour going around that WWE is planning to unveil a new logo for their 900th episode of Raw later this month. Speculation is that the created logo is a fake, but as always, there’s an outside chance that it’s real.

– According to F4WOnline, John Cena has gotten a lot of praise backstage lately for his work with the Nexus crew, both on television and at WWE live events. While most of the Nexus stars are seen as “green” (except Wade Barrett, who management is happy with), Cena has helped them look like legitimate stars.

– WWE is working on a big angle for Monday’s RAW, the final show before SummerSlam on August 15th. Monday’s RAW will be headlined by John Cena and Bret Hart vs.  Edge and Chris Jericho.

– Monday’s episode of Raw scored a 3.3 cable rating and averaged 4,660,000 for the 2-hour taped broadcast. The show did hours of 3.17 and 3.39.

– There is talk of having the Undertaker wrestle Kane at Night of Champions on September 19 and then a rematch at October’s Hell in a Cell PPV. The Undertaker has been out of action for several weeks and is expected to appear at SummerSlam next weekend.

– A source in WWE says plans for a John Morrison and Melina vs. Ted DiBiase and Maryse feud have been put on hold and might be resumed after the summer.

– Former WWE executive Shane McMahon has been named the new CEO of China Broadband, Inc.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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NFL

– Speaking to the press Tuesday afternoon, Vikings’ coach Brad Childress insisted that he was not told that QB Brett Favre is retiring. Childress has spoken to Favre within the last 24 hours, and he still considers the situation “fluid.” Vikings players also told beat writers Tuesday that nothing has changed regarding Favre’s status with the team. As is always the case, the Vikings are not pressing Favre for a decision.

In addition, a “family source” tells the Biloxi (MS) Sun Herald that Favre has not decided whether to play football in 2010. The report comes from the Herald’s Al Jones, who often breaks the most crucial Favre news. “Brett has not made a commitment to play or a decision to return at this point,” said the source, presumably a close family member. Meanwhile, rumours continue to circulate that Favre is making a power play for more money. Favre’s former Packers teammate LeRoy Butler told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that he recently heard Favre wanted a new 3-year contract from the Vikings worth $13M annually. If Butler’s story is true, Favre not only wants to play in 2010. He wants to play in 2011 and 2012, too.

– The Eagles are initially calling the injury suffered by WR Jeremy Maclin on Tuesday “a hyperextended left knee.” This doesn’t sound so bad, but an MRI could always reveal a more serious injury. Maclin looked to be in serious pain on the field, and the Eagles huddled for prayer after practice. Expect Maclin to at least miss the rest of the week.

– Saints’ WR Marques Colston’s offseason arthroscopic surgery was to his right knee, not the same one that was repaired with a microfracture procedure the previous year. Colston had already undergone two procedures to the left knee. He came off the active/PUP list as expected Tuesday and participated in a full practice. Though Colston feels 100% physically, the Saints are expected to ease him back in slowly over the next couple of weeks.

– The Lions have signed DT Ndamukong Suh to a 5-year/$60M contract with $40M guaranteed. He can make another $8M in incentives, but the $40M guaranteed is the key part of the contract. It’s just $1M less than Redskins’ DE Albert Haynesworth’s deal, and $2M less than 2009 No. 1 pick QB Matthew Stafford’s.

NBA

– Nuggets’ F Carmelo Anthony is not expected to sign an extension with the team this summer, a source tells Hoopsworld’s Alex Kennedy. The Nuggets were hoping that Melo would sign a 3-year/$65M extension before this season. But for now, it looks like he’s going to test the market next season, tossing concerns about a potential lockout to the side. There have already been rumours that Knicks’ F Amare Stoudemire is trying to organize his own “Big 3″ in New York, made up of himself, Anthony and Spurs’ G Tony Parker.

– The Celtics appear close to signing F Shaquille O’Neal, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast Sportsnet. The move makes sense as the Celtics are going to be without F Kendrick Perkins (knee) for a significant period of the season and F Jermaine O’Neal is a constant injury risk. Shaq would have to be willing to accept a minor offensive role and a salary near the veteran’s minimum to make it work. He’s unable to log significant minutes anymore and would be the fifth or sixth scoring option at best. Still, Shaq’s size is something that the Heat can’t match up with as we look way down the road toward next year’s playoffs. Shaq has never come off the bench in his career, and reportedly disturbed the chemistry in Cleveland last year when he started over Zydrunas Ilgauskas and J.J. Hickson. The deal isn’t done yet, but is reportedly “close.”

MLB

– The Nationals have placed 1B Adam Dunn on waivers. As Olney notes, teams now have 48 hours to claim the slugger. The Giants were somewhat interested in Dunn before the trade deadline and are likely to at least put a claim out. If a trade can’t be worked out from there, so be it, but they’ll block other contending teams from snatching him up. Dunn has a .933 OPS and 26 home runs over 377 at-bats this year for the Nats.

– Cardinals’ 3B David Freese (right ankle) will have season-ending surgery to repair tendon damage. Freese suffered a setback during the first game of his rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield on Monday night. The 27-year-old was very impressive in his first taste of extended action in the big leagues, batting .296/.361/.404 with four homers and 36 RBI in 240 at-bats.

– The Phillies have placed 1B Ryan Howard (left ankle sprain) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 2. The injury is apparently more serious than first thought. It’s yet another tough blow to a ballclub that finally looked to be taking off.

– The Red Sox have placed 1B Kevin Youkilis (torn right thumb muscle) on the 15-day DL. Youkilis was scheduled to undergo an MRI Tuesday after X-rays on the thumb came back negative Monday. The BoSox were concerned that if he continued to play, the muscle might tear away from the bone. The team plans to seek a second opinion on the injury. If it doesn’t respond to rest, surgery is a very real possibility. The clock is ticking on their season.

– The Indians have placed DH Travis Hafner (sore righ shoulder) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 29 and C Carlos Santana (sprained left knee) on the 15-day DL. Another shoulder injury for Pronk. He’s been sidelined since last Wednesday and will probably need more than two weeks of rest and rehab if this injury is anything like his previous ones. Hafner, 33, is batting .267/.368/.430 with nine home runs and 33 RBI in 270 at-bats this season. The Indians might not fully know the extent of Santana’s knee injury, but it looked pretty ugly on Monday night and it just makes sense to give the youngster the next two weeks off. He’s been fantastic since his early-June promotion to the big leagues and will play a major part in the club’s rebuilding process moving forward.

– The Reds have placed SS Orlando Cabrera (strained left oblique) on the 15-day DL.

NHL

– The Bruins have signed F Tyler Seguin to a 3-year entry-level deal. Boston selected Seguin with the second overall pick in the 2010 NHL entry draft. The financial terms are not yet known, but Seguin can’t exceed a base salary of $900K per season on an entry-level contract but can potentially earn up to $3.75M in bonuses.

WWE

– Former six-time World Heavyweight Champion, WWE superstar, the lead singer of Fozzy, & the host of ABC’s Downfall, Chris Jericho, was one of the special guests on this week’s live edition (08/02/10) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem. The highlights:

What has been the most rewarding part of the release of Fozzy’s fourth album, Chasing the Grail and what it has been like for the band to be embraced band by their peers within the rock/metal scene & the music industry: “I think how the band started, it was a fun thing playing a lot of covers, and that’s how we were signed by the guy that signed Metallica & Anthrax. We really didn’t understand it, but we did it, and then to morph out of that into a “real band,” playing all original stuff, especially our last two records. Just to see the shift in attitudes from people who understands the band, it has become a viable, kick-ass rock n’ roll band with great songs. I think an example of the most rewarding part was when we played in BB Kings in New York; we had four-fifths of Anthrax there, Avenged Sevenfold joined us on stage, Vinnie Paul from Pantera was there. Just a huge cavalcade of guys from the business there, and it was just cool to say that we have respect from our peers, which is so important.”

His upcoming seven-on-seven Elimination Tag Team Match at SummerSlam (Team WWE vs. The Nexus), why the angle with The Nexus has generated so much positive buzz, & why he believes the fans have been intrigued thus far: “This match is cool, because obviously they created a great angle using guys who have never had matches on TV before basically, which I don’t think has ever been done before, and to have such a talked about storyline. Seven guys who have proved nothing as far as being main-event draws, but it goes to show that when you have a good storyline, a good idea, and promote it the right way. I’m just excited about it, and I’m happy about the storyline leading up to it. I think people are really intrigued by the whole situation, and that’s the best thing you could do, and to me, that’s the most important thing has always been the story. The match is important, but it’s the story that gets you there.”

The evolution & growth of Jericho’s rookie from NXT Season I Wade Barrett, why Chris knew that he saw himself with “the winner” as soon as they were paired up together, & why he would have been a great star in the WWE whether The Nexus was created or not: “There really hasn’t been much growth…he was good from the moment that he appeared. You could see his presence & his promo ability right off the bat was tremendous, his whole look & ambiance, so he was a star right off the bat, and as soon as I was paired up with him, I knew I was with the winner, because he’s got it more than these other guys do. Work wise, we really haven’t seen much from him. Is he a great worker? Is he a good worker? Does he suck? I don’t know, I think he’s a good worker and has room for improvement, and that’s because he doesn’t have a lot of experience in WWE arenas. But he, by far, is the most talented of the group, the biggest star of the group. Whether they created Nexus or not, he would have been a great star in the WWE. The only thing we need to work on with him is his actual matches, because we haven’t gotten to see much, except for a couple of three-minute matches. But other than that, I think he’s the total package of what we are looking for in the WWE at this point.”

The comparisons of The Nexus to the original NWO, along with the recycling of old angles in professional wrestling & sports-entertainment: “There’s only so many ideas you could think of, and there’s only so much talent out there. The bottom line is there’s so many new guys on the shows nowadays, so you have to use that to your advantage, or you have to go back to your old faithful. I don’t see this being the NWO, because the NWO wasn’t like this. The NWO began with three guys that were all World Champions and big huge stars. So you have Hall, Nash, & Hogan who everyone had known & seen before, and that was part of the shock. The Nexus, we don’t know any of these guys or seen any of them before. They have never drawn a dime anywhere, and that’s the difference. This pack that are working as a well-oiled machine that’s done nothing before…that’s the real surprise. As far as what TNA is doing with ECW, why not?

Why he sees TNA as being a “vanity project that’s been treading water for the last four years,” why he sees their booking being “horrendous,” why the HardCORE Justice could spike their PPV buyrates, & why bringing in Tommy Dreamer could be just what the company needs: “They got nothing else going on, their booking is horrendous, and I say that with the utmost respect for those guys and I most desire to see them succeed, but it’s crap. You know it’s crap, they throw stuff up against the wall, and it’s so hard to watch when it doesn’t have to be. They’re doing 10,000 buys on Pay-Per-View, so let’s bring back The Sandman & Sabu, and maybe they could do 30,000 buys. Go for it; maybe they can do something out of it. Having a guy like Tommy Dreamer involved behind the scenes might be what they need. Get rid of the same old stuff that they have been doing over & over, and bring in someone with a new perspective, and maybe that will help them get their heads out of there asses and just making some money instead of doing this as sort of a vanity project that’s been treading water for the last four years.”

How Chris stays in shape with all of his WWE commitments, his duties as the host of ABC’s Downfall, Fozzy, & other projects: “Crystal Meth. No, I have a lot of drive & passion for the things that I do, and I don’t take on stuff that I can’t completely nail. I’m not as busy as I could be, I still turn down quite a lot of things. Obviously with the band I’ve been playing music a lot longer than I have been wrestling, so this is something I have always wanted to do. As far as the other things, Downfall was a huge opportunity for me, and I would be crazy not to do that. Am I busy sometimes? Yeah, but it all balances out, and when it’s my time off, it’s my time off.”

What does Chris have left to give to the wrestling industry if he decides to stay with the WWE when his contract expires this fall & his response to the Internet rumors that foresee him leaving World Wrestling Entertainmeny being a mere certainty: “Just keep giving what I’ve been giving for the last 20 years, which is performing at the highest level that I can, and I think the stuff I have been doing over the last three years is the best work of my career. So there’s no reason for me to walk away from the WWE at this point, because I think I could perform at the level I have been doing for the last three years because you can’t teach experience. The company has a great future ahead of it, and guys are starting to break through that I’m really proud of. A guy like me, who has been doing this for 20 (and I’m only 39 years old), I could keep doing this another five or six years if I want to, so when it’s time for me to walk away, I’ll know, but as for now, I still enjoy it. I love speculation…that’s what I love about the Internet. Somebody writes something, so it becomes the gospel truth and written in stone.”

TNA

– According to the PWInsider, Samoa Joe has been suspended from TNA indefinitely due to an apparent bad attitude at a July 13 taping. There is also speculation that the company hasn’t been happy with Joe’s weight. Following the former World Heavyweight Champion’s match with Jeff Hardy, he reportedly yelled at TNA production members because he felt the finish was telegraphed due to ring announcer Jeremy Borash counting down its conclusion. Company brass instructed Borash to make the announcement, going against Joe’s request. What triggered the suspension is that he entered the production truck while the broadcast was ongoing to complain, which is considered a breach of etiquette. Joe was reportedly suspended for one month. He was not at last week’s Impact TV tapings in Orlando. He is also not listed for any upcoming live events.

Joe hasn’t worked for the company since the outburst. He wasn’t on hand for last week’s iMPACT! television tapings in Orlando. One source claims Joe yelled at production team members David Sahadi and Keith Mitchell, while others say it was Vince Russo — who reportedly instructed Borash.

Meanwhile, another source felt that Joe was right about the finish being given away, but added that he handled the situation poorly.

– Former two-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, Tommy Dreamer, was one of the special guests on this week’s edition (08/02/10) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem radio show. The highlights:

Hogan & Bischoff in the ECW revival in TNA/the concept of the Hardcore Justice PPV & the Hardcore Originals getting “the rub” from “The Hulkster” in the ring on last Thursday night’s iMPACT: “I was at WrestleMania with my dad. I was at WrestleMania II. For anyone to say anything about Hulk Hogan, he walks slowly and has a bit of a limp from all the surgeries. He has given so much to this business. To be in the ring with him, and the fan in me & the kid in me, they kept showing me & D-Von, and we were flexing, almost doing the Hulk Hogan pose as Hulk was coming to the ring. In regards to Dixie Carter giving us her 100% blessing, I don’t really know the guys’ personal feelings towards it, but I don’t think if Hulk Hogan didn’t like what he saw, I don’t think he would be out there. He has that stroke to say ‘No, I don’t wanna do something.’ I don’t know Eric Bischoff’s personal feelings towards it. Obviously, they are going forward and giving whatever Pay-Per-View matches they were gonna do for Hard Justice; they are gonna do the following Thursday, which is great.”

The Paul Heyman/TNA rumours & the “invitation” being extended to Paul for this Sunday night’s Pay-Per-View: “I have spoken to Paul, and there is an invitation out there. I would love for him to be there, but I understand if he’s not. He’s also doing stuff for Brock Lesnar. Paul is Paul, and if he does come in, I think he could definitely help. If he doesn’t, the business moves on without him. He’s very, very talented, and I think it would be cool to get people to drink his Kool-Aid again. If he does come to terms, I think it would be a good deal for Paul, and hopefully it would be a good deal for TNA as well.”

His thoughts on the refusal of several former ECW stars (such as “The Franchise” Shane Douglas, Mikey Whipwreck, & Lance Storm) choosing not to appear at HardCORE Justice: “Number one, there are only so many matches that you can truly have. I also don’t wanna throw a bunch of people into Battle Royals just for the sake of throwing people into the show. Yes, I did reach out to Lance Storm, and he said ‘Thanks for thinking of me, but I had my closure in 2005, and it was the perfect scenario for me.’ He had some personal issues with TNA, but that didn’t affect our friendship. Mikey Whipwreck has some serious health issues, and talking to Mikey he said ‘Hey, when I sneeze, my fingers go numb, and I gotta get my neck worked on.’ He also did not want to go out there and embarrass himself, and to me, if you can’t go out to that ring, you shouldn’t go out there anymore. If you’re there, you’re there. If you’re not there, I respect that.”

His reaction to the critics who think this PPV is being done to only make money for TNA & those that feel that the ECW legacy is being bastardized/prostituted yet again and the response he has received from World Wrestling Entertainment (including his long-time friends & colleagues who still work there): “I’ve gotten so many texts & phone calls from people who do work in the WWE congratulating me and wishing me tons of success. This was never about bashing the WWE, or we’re better…that’s not the case. My plan was to create a buzz for TNA. I’ve done that, and created some ratings for TNA, and we’ve done that too. After this, my goal is to help all that in TNA. I do have a different perspective, not saying that it’s 100% right, but these are ways I could prove to other people that if this is a success, that we are on the right track here. Bastardizing it and all that stuff, no. Bottom line, this is a television show. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to watch it. Everything I have tried to do in my short time I’ve been in TNA, and trust me when I tell you: this is for TNA & for the future of this business. I wish I could have Joey Styles call the Pay-Per-View, but I can’t, because he’s under contract. If Chris Jericho was available, I would have Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio, but I can’t. The surprises I have in store I hope are good surprises for people, and I look at this as a celebration of guys who are getting another shot, and you’ll never see us together again.”

What can the fans can expect from him in TNA (both inside the squared circle and/or behind the scenes) after his “Final Showdown” with Raven at HardCORE Justice: “My goal is to contribute to TNA in any role given to me and to continue to contribute in the wrestling business that I love so much. I have a list of men & women that I have seen on the indies that are television ready, and I have a list of people that should go to a developmental system that I’ve seen them work live, and if I have the opportunity to introduce these new people to the world, I would love to do that. It’s going out there and having to wrestle AJ Styles, finding a partner and wrestling Beer Money, wrestling Samoa Joe, or helping with a promo in the background behind the scenes, or helping on creative. Giving my experiences that I learned to show what I feel to help you take it to the next level. Just continue to contribute to the TNA product, as well as contribute to the business that I love.”

VoV

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

– Suns’ F Hedo Turkoglu ripped into the Raptors’ organization in statements released Sunday, and also defended Heat’ F Chris Bosh, who was recently criticized by Raptors’ GM Bryan Colangelo for not playing down the stretch of last season. He later criticized Colangelo for his comments about Bosh, and said he didn’t think Bosh would quit on his teammates. Colangelo would not respond to Hedo’s statements, instead calling him “a friend” and wishing him well. Turkoglu’s remarks were sparked by Colangelo’s allegations that Bosh “checked out” late last season and chose not to play some of the Raptors’ final games.

“People have to realize something is wrong with that organization and nobody wants to go there any more. It’s not just the players who see this.”

”I just don’t understand why you would say these things. Like I said, that organization has problems.”

”It’s funny that people will talk behind your back. If he was feeling this way, why not have the guts to say it during the season? Why not say it to Chris? Now that Chris has left, it’s not nice to say those things.

”Chris has been a franchise player and he did a lot of good things for the Raptors. I don’t think Chris is the type of player to quit on his teammates.”

”I don’t have to talk any more about it for me because it’s past now. I don’t care any more what people say about me because I’ve got other things to worry about.”

– F Shaquille O’Neal has “tested the market in Europe trying to land one last $10M payday,” according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Shaq likely won’t sign overseas, but his priority seems to be making as much money as possible next season. The Cavaliers could still re-sign Shaq for around $6M, says beat writer Brian Windhorst, “and wait for a contender to get desperate to match up with the Lakers or Magic.”

– The Wizards have re-signed F Josh Howard to a 1-year deal worth up to $4M in incentives.

– According to CW30 Eyewitness News out of Memphis, the ex-wife of slain former NBA player Lorenzen Wright, Sherra Wright, is currently in police custody in connection with his murder. Detectives spent most of Sunday at her house assessing, among other things, a grill and fire pit that neighbors reported was used after his disappearance. According to them the fire was large and unusual because it occurred on the hottest night of the year. Sherra claimed to be the last one to see him since he was found murdered on Wednesday.

– The Heat have signed G Eddie House to a 2-year/$2.8M deal.

– The Hawks have re-signed F Jason Collins. In 24 games last season, the 31-year-old Collins posted averages of 0.7 points and 0.6 rebounds in 4.8 minutes per contest.

NFL

– Patriots’ WR Wes Welker (knee/shoulder) will come off the active/PUP list and practice on Sunday. Coming off camp/PUP is key for being ready for Week 1. Welker has passed his physical just over six months after ACL surgery. He’s reportedly looked awesome in side work at camp so far. Expect Welker to start on Opening Day.

– Manish Mehta of the NY Daily News reports that Jets’ CB Darrelle Revis has decided to follow through on his training camp holdout. The Revis camp released a statement: “We waited until last possible minute with hope of getting something done. Darrelle won’t be there.” Revis’ holdout becomes official when he fails to report to Cortland at 5:30ET after previously opting to not show for his conditioning test Sunday. According to Mehta, “(Revis) is not coming back without a new deal. Next move belongs to (the Jets).”

– The Denver Post reports that Broncos’ RB Knowshon Moreno (right hamstring) will miss three weeks due to “minor fraying” in his right hamstring. Moreno should be ready for Week 1. Citing a league source, the Post’s report seconds CBS 4 Denver’s story that Moreno’s hamstring is “slightly,” but not completely torn.

– The Jaguars have signed DT Tyson Alualu, the No. 10 overall pick, on a 5-year contract.

– The Chargers have signed RB Ryan Mathews, the No. 12 overall pick, to a 5-year/$25.65M deal with $15.083M guaranteed. He only missed a few days, and will return to the field as San Diego’s first-team tailback, a position manned by FB Mike Tolbert (not Darren Sproles) to this point in camp. Though Mathews should flirt with 300 touches if he stays healthy, he’s being drafted too early for our tastes. His current ADP is squarely in the second round, and we’ve often seen him in the first. Mathews will lose a lot of receptions to Sproles, and possibly goal-line carries to Tolbert.

– The Titans have signed the No. 16 overall DE Derrick Morgan to a 5-year contract. The ACC sack leader and first-team All American will enter camp third on the depth chart at right defensive end.

NHL

– The Sharks have re-signed RFA F Devin Setoguchi to a 1-year/$1.8M deal. GM Doug Wilson said “We’re happy to have Devin under contract for next season…he is an important part of our team and we are looking forward to his on-going growth as a player. We have very high expectations for him.”

– According to reports, an arbitrator awarded Blackhawks’ G Antti Niemi $2.75M for next season. The figure appears to be just below the Blackhawks threshold to retain their goalie. If true, the Hawks would now have 48 hours to accept the award or walk away. It was previously believed that the Hawks asked for $2M per season while Niemi was seeking $3M.

– The Lightning have signed F Dominic Moore to a 2-year deal. Moore, a defensive, 2-way forward, split last season between the Panthers and Canadiens, recording 10 goals and 28 points in 69 games.

– The Oilers have re-signed G Jeff Deslauriers to a 1-year/$1.05M contract. Deslauriers was 16-28-4 last season with a 3.26 GAA and .901 SV%.

– The Canadiens have signed D Alexandre Picard to a 1-year/2-way deal, F Louis Leblanc to a 3-year deal and D Alex Henry to a 2-year/2-way contract. Picard, 25, scored four goals and added 11 assists in 54 games with Ottawa and Carolina last season. Leblanc was the 18th overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.  He is eligible to be sent to AHL, but he has signed with the Montreal Juniors of the QMJHL. The current plan is to have him play in the QMJHL, but it depends on what happens in Canadiens camp. The 6-foot-1, 184-pound forward led Harvard in goals (11), assists (12), and points (23) as a freshman during the 2009-10 seasons.  Leblanc was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year. Henry did not appear in the NHL last season, but over 68 games with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL, he had 13 assists and a plus-17 rating and ranked second on the team with 154 penalty minutes.

– The Blackhawks have signed D Nick Leddy to a 3-year contract. The 19-year-old registered three goals and eight assists during his freshmen season at the University of Minnesota in 2009-10.

– Green Party leader Elizabeth May named former Canadiens’ F Georges Laraque as a deputy leader of the party on Saturday. The 260-pound fighter will focus on promoting the link between physical health and the environment. He maintains he has no intention of seeking a seat in the next federal election. He joined the Green party last February but his role had remained undefined until now.

MLB

– The Astros have re-signed RHP Brett Myers to a 2-year extension. The deal will keep Myers in Houston through the 2012 season and carries a club option for 2013. The starting pitcher is guaranteed $21M and could reach $29.5M if he lasts through 2013 and reaches performance bonuses. He’s in the midst of a 1-year/$3.1M deal.

– Royals’ RHP Gil Meche (shoulder) has decided against season-ending surgery and will instead head to the bullpen for the remainder of the year. Meche, who Royals manager Ned Yost said last Tuesday was headed to go under the knife, apparently sought an opinion from surgeon Dr. David Altchek on Thursday in New York. Altchek advised Meche that he’d be unable to pitch in 2011 if he underwent a procedure. However, after consulting with his fiancee, a team physical therapist, Royals GM Dayton Moore and Meche’s agent, the plan was formulated to keep him active by throwing in the ‘pen. Meche will continue rehab on his pitching shoulder, start tossing short sessions and otherwise prepare for a role as a reliever.

– The Royals have placed RHP Robinson Tejeda (right biceps tendon strain) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 30.

– The Cardinals have placed SS Tyler Greene (right hand contusion) on the 15-day DL.

– The Padres have placed OF Oscar Salazar (strained right Achilles tendon) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 30.

WWE

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog at JRsBarBQ.com with a reaction to Randy Savage working with WWE again after so many years, rumors that Sid is returning to WWE and the possibility of NXT War Games match:

Randy Savage On Good Terms with WWE? “I do not know any more than most fans about WWE’s updated relationship with Randy Savage or what the future holds for WWE/Savage, if any thing. It seems that a marketing arrangement has or is being established and one could always speculate that could eventually morph into more. Yes, Randy Savage is deserving of the WWE HOF and perhaps one day he will be inducted which would be a great moment for his many, loyal fans. Until then, let’s just sit back, be patient and wait.”

Sid Returning to WWE? “We’re getting a great deal of questions regarding Sid returning to WWE. I’m not in the loop nor do I know WWE’s plans or Sid’s physical status. Does Sid even want to get back on the road to any degree? I have no idea but if I had to make a random guess I would suggest that WWE and Sid will likely never do any thing together in a significant way again. I certainly could be wrong because as I said I don’t know WWE’s plans other than they are definitely trying to get their roster ‘younger.’”

NXT War Games: “Is the War Games a concept suited for The Nexus? It certainly might work but it adds yet another steel cage into the PPV equation. Steel cages, in any form, and frequent title changes seem to be over utilized from my personal perspective in general within the biz. Plus, although I like Nexus very much, they all have a long way to go and need significant ring time to hone their skills to a perennial main event level and there is no guarantee that all 7 can or will succeed in such. I do feel that Nexus is the freshest thing to come along in WWE in a good while so I am more than happy as a fan to watch this faction grow and develop and and to wait and see what happens down the road.”

VoV

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NHL

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

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

NHL

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

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

NFL

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

WWE

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

TNA

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

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

VoV

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

– The Knicks have signed F Amare Stoudemire to a 5-year/$100M deal. The deal can’t be signed until Thursday, after the salary cap for next season has been set. Stoudemire made an unofficial announcement at MSG, and the marquee showed him wearing a #1 jersey. This deal was essentially done days ago, and it’s the reason Knicks officials made one more pitch to LeBron’s representatives on Saturday. It remains to be seen whether the last-ditch effort made a difference.

– F Chris Bosh is expected to wait for F LeBron James’ decision before finalizing his next move. When Bosh does announce his decision, it will likely involve a sign-and-trade so that he can make the maximum amount of money. The Raptors are willing to facilitate such a deal as long as they’re getting back worthwhile assets.

– Nuggets’ F Carmelo Anthony is expected to acccept team’s 3-year/$65M contract extension, but he is still waiting to hear about the team’s attempts to improve the frontcourt. He’s also getting married this Saturday and “doesn’t have a timetable” to sign the deal, but until then, there’s always time for him to change his mind. Denver has trouble matching up with big frontcourts (think L.A.) even fully healthy, and neither F Nene nor F Kenyon Martin is a picture of health. There aren’t many available big men this summer, but the Nuggets’ brass better scheme a way to acquire one soon if they don’t want to risk losing Carmelo as a FA next summer. In other news, Melo will not play in the World Championships this summer.

Anthony will not be traded next season regardless of whether he accepts Denver’s contract extension, according to a “high-ranking Nuggets official.” “There is no way we are trading Carmelo Anthony. We’re 100% certain of that.” Melo is said to be “very serious” about accepting the offer, not least of all because he could lose millions under a new CBA.

– Multiple sources confirmed that the Warriors are looking into acquiring free agent F David Lee, a move that could require them to give up G Monta Ellis. Not sure why Golden State wants a high-priced big man when they already have F Anthony Randolph, F Brandan Wright and F Ekpe Udoh. Lee would have to agree to their terms and be part of a sign-and-trade, while the Knicks still haven’t ruled out pairing F Amare Stoudemire and Lee (a frontcourt that wouldn’t stop anyone defensively).

– ESPN reports that F Shaquille O’Neal, 38, has been contacted by the Hawks, Mavericks and Celtics. None of the conversations have gone too far and “no financial terms have been broached,” the site reports. Those three teams are all over the salary cap already so the most he can be offered, according to ESPN, is a mid-level exception at $5.8M annually.

Shaq currently has a 2-year deal on the table from the Hawks, starting at the mid-level exception of $5.8M, and would fulfill Shaq’s desire to play two more years on a championship contender. His presence would be huge for the Hawks, who have struggled against Dwight Howard in the playoffs, and could set off a chain reaction — Al Horford could move to PF and Josh Smith could be on the trading block.

The Hawks have been exploring the possibility of trading F Josh Smith as part of their summertime makeover, according to sources around the league. It’s not clear what the Hawks want in return, but they could try to package G Mike Bibby or G Marvin Williams with Smoove to bring back a top-notch PG.

– Yahoo! reports that Suns’ G Steve Nash will not ask for a trade out of Phoenix. A source tells Spears, “(Nash) likes the team chemistry in Phoenix and he is a confident guy no matter who he plays with. He’s looking forward to the challenge.” The Suns are still trying to tradeG  Leandro Barboso in order to save some money. Barboso makes $7.1M this coming season and then has a player option for $7.6M for the following year. The team has also replaced Amare with newly-acquired F Hakim Warrick.

– The Magic have signed G Chris Duhon to a 4-year/$15M contract on Tuesday. Duhon had three or four great months with the Knicks a couple years ago, but broke down after they ran him into the ground. He’s clearly not cut out to be a full-time starting point guard, but has proven to be a solid backup.

– Free agent G Raymond Felton is expected to meet with the Knicks and Heat this week, according to Fanhouse.com. Felton headlines a weak crop of free agent PGs, and has also drawn interest from the Pacers, Nets, Mavericks and Grizzlies. He’s not a pure passer and he shoots a low percentage, which made him something of a question mark with Charlotte, and explains why they’re not even trying to re-sign him.

– Yahoo! reports that the Nets “could get a frontloaded offer sheet” that the Bobcats wouldn’t match. The Nets will wait to see where LeBron, Wade and Bosh end up before going after the fallback plan. Thomas averaged 10.1 points and 6.1 rebounds for the Bobcats after getting traded at the deadline by the Bulls.

– Joe Dumars says he is not a candidate for a job with the Nets. Responding to reports that he could be a replacement for Rod Thorn, the Detroit president insisted Monday he doesn’t have “any interest in a basketball operations position with the Nets.” Dumars adds his priority is putting together a team to get the Pistons back on track next season. Thorn is leaving next week after 10 years as Nets president. GMs Jeff Bower of New Orleans and Sam Presti of Oklahoma City, and Nets vice president Bobby Marks are among the leading candidates to replace Thorn.

NHL

– According to a report, F Ilya Kovalchuk may be on the verge of re-signing with the Devils. The NY Post is saying that the UFA sniper is going to sign a 7-year/$60M contract with the Devils as soon as Tuesday. Kovalchuk’s agent, Jay Grossman, also announced on his Twitter account Monday that his client is “looking to make decision on his future today.”

– Retired hockey enforcer Bob Probert, as adept with his fists as with a stick in a 16-season career with the Red Wings and Blackhawks, died Monday after suffering chest pains while boating with his family. He was 45. “Bob lost the fight of his life this afternoon,” said Probert’s father-in-law, Dan Parkinson, a police officer who performed CPR before Probert was rushed to Ontario’s Windsor Regional Medical Center. Probert was on a boat in Lake St. Clair with his wife, children and in-laws when he “developed severe chest pains” Monday, family friend Rich Rogow told a Monday evening news conference at the medical center.

– The Blues have re-signed UFA D Carlo Colaiacovo to a 2-year/$4.25M contract. Colaiacovo collected seven goals, 32 points and a plus-8 rating in 67 games with the Blues last season. He wanted to stay in St. Louis despite receiving a few offers from other NHL teams.

– F Mike Modano is scheduled to be in Detroit on Tuesday to meet with the Red Wings’ brass. Modano is still contemplating retirement, but the Wings have displayed considerable interest in bringing him into their organization. “It’s a big decision, and I know it would be for them too, so we’ll talk about it and see if this works for both sides. I’m excited. I’m looking forward to hearing what they think.” Stay tuned.

– The Lightning have signed D Brett Clark to a 2-year/$6M deal worth $3M annually. Clark appeared in 63 games with the Avalanche in 2009-10, while posting 20 points and a plus-6 rating.

– F Nikolai Zherdev is reportedly interested in returning to the NHL. The Leafs were rumoured to have an interest in the enigmatic Russian winger, but they have denied that claim. The Sabres are another possible destination for Zherdev. He is looking for a multi-year deal worth a reported $4M per season. Zherdev posted 13 goals and 26 assists in 52 games with Atlant Mytischi in the KHL last season. Stay tuned.

– The Oilers have signed the #1 overall pick in the 2010 Draft, F Taylor Hall, to a three-year, entry-level deal. The deal is expected to be similar to the one that the New York Islanders gave to 2009 top pick F John Tavares. The deal is projected to have a base salary of $900K and bonuses could knock up his earnings to $3.75M per season.

– Jacques Demers is in hospital after undergoing surgery. A report says the former hockey coach has been bed-ridden for about a week with a stomach ailment. Demers’ office told Corus News that he is in an Ottawa hospital, where he is in stable condition and where he will be recovering for an unspecified period of time.

MLB

– Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reports that the Phillies sent a scout to Mariners’ LHP Cliff Lee’s last start. Lee impressed, too, striking out 11 Tigers and allowing only one run in eight innings on Sunday afternoon. Fellow FOXSports.com writer Ken Rosenthal reported this weekend that the Phillies have legitimate interest in re-acquiring the left-handed Lee, and Morosi’s report only backs that up. Lee has a gorgeous 89/6 K/BB ratio, 2.34 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 13 starts this season.

A source tells Jeff Fletcher of AOL Fanhouse that the Twins have offered prospect OF Aaron Hicks and prospect C Wilson Ramos to the M’s for Lee. That’s a pretty serious bid. In fact, it might be too much of a price to pay. Hicks, 20, was selected No. 14 overall in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. He has a 792 OPS over parts of three seasons in the minor leagues. Ramos is perhaps the most expendable trade chip for the club thanks to the presence of C Joe Mauer. The 22-year-old catcher is batting just .208 with Triple-A Rochester this season, but has a .281 batting average over five seasons in the minors with decent pop and a fine reputation behind the plate. Sending Ramos makes good sense, especially if the M’s value a catcher as much as we hear they do. Adding Hicks to sweeten the pot would probably get the deal done, but it’s an awful lot for a rental.

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Reds have spoken to the M’s about acquiring Lee. Meanwhile, SI reports that the Twins are having “interesting” talks that “have possibilities” with the Mariners about Lee. “Close to 15 teams” have asked about Lee, including the Rays, Phillies, Yankees, and Mets. The Enquirer reports that Cincinnati would probably need to give up Cuban prospect 1B Yonder Alonso and others in a package to get Lee. FOXSports reports that the Yankees, Twins, Mets, and Texas Rangers are the most actively involved in conversations with the folks in Seattle about Lee.

– FOXSports is reporting that the Phillies are considering trading OF Jayson Werth if it can’t perform well in these two series (Braves, Reds). If the Phils show that they can bring it, FOXSports sources say the team has already looked into getting O’s 1B Ty Wigginton or 3B Miguel Tejada. The site also reports that the team will pursue two big-name pitchers: M’s LHP Cliff Lee and D’Backs RHP Dan Haren.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Tigers have shown interest in D’Backs’ SS Stephen Drew. The question is will they fork over the prospects that it is going to take to land him. Drew is 27, under control through 2012 and boasts a strong bat at a position where such a thing is rare, and the Tigers are looking to upgrade.

– MLB.com reports that Orioles’ RHP Kevin Millwood is officially off the trade block. Millwood now has a 2-8 record and a 5.77 ERA. He’s earning $12M this season, the last of a 5-year/$60M deal.

– FOXSports reports that Buck Showalter is the leading candidate to take over the O’s managerial position. Former Indians manager Eric Wedge got a second interview with Baltimore on Friday, but the 54-year-old Showalter is thought to be the man for the job, the site reports. Bobby Valentine’s name was also in the hat early on but then he withdrew it when it seemed like he had the chance to go work with the Marlins.

– Tigers’ RHP Joel Zumaya (broken right elbow) is scheduled to undergo season-ending surgery to repair the fracture in his throwing elbow next Monday. The Tigers were hoping that Zumaya would be able to avoid going under the knife, but it’s no surprise given the gruesomeness of his injury. He was diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture at the tip of his elbow in late June and will have a screw inserted next week to stabilize the bone.

– Cardinals’ 3B David Freese (ankle) is aiming to return for the first game after the All-Star break. Freese hit the DL in late June with a sprained right ankle and should be great given another 10 days of rest. The rookie third baseman was batting .296/.361/.404 with four home runs and 36 RBI before the injury.

– Orioles’ LHP Mike Gonzalez (shoulder) is not expected to return until after the All-Star break. Gonzalez is scheduled to make three minor league rehab appearances this week, which will take him right up to the major league Midsummer Classic. He’s shown an improvement on the velocity of his fastball in recent outings and should resume his role as Baltimore’s closer within a week of activation.

– The Red Sox have placed RHP Clay Buchholz (hamstring) on the 15-day DL. He will miss the All-Star Game and will be replaced by Yankees’ LHP Andy Pettitte

– Brewers’ manager Ken Macha said Monday that RHP Yovani Gallardo (oblique) will not pitch in the All-Star Game. Gallardo was lifted from his start against the Cardinals on Sunday with a right oblique strain and the Brewers aren’t going to risk him in the Midsummer Classic. “Throwing in the All-Star Game? No. I’m saying that, best case scenario, he’s probably going to be doing no baseball activities for at least 10 days.” Sounds like he is headed for the DL.

– The A’s have placed OF Conor Jackson (strained right hamstring) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 1.

– The Mets have placed INF Fernando Tatis (right shoulder AC joint sprain) on the 15-day DL. Tatis is to undergo further testing at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery on Tuesday.

NFL

– The Boston Globe is giving Patriots’ WR Wes Welker (ACL, shoulder surgeries) “a good chance” to be ready for Week 1. The Globe’s Albert Breer admits there’s still “a long way to go,” and that Welker is likely — at the very least — to open training camp on active/PUP. Should Welker come off the list before Week 1, he’ll be eligible to play in the season’s first seven games.

– NFL Network’s Mike Lombardi reports that the friction between RB Chris Johnson and the Titans is beginning to “thaw,” and predicts that Johnson will report to training camp in a timely manner. “I hear calmness on both sides,” says Lombardi, adding that “everything is moving in (the) direction” of the sides reaching some form of redone contract before August. This seems to mesh with Johnson’s recent patronage of the Titans’ practice facility.

– Free agent QB JaMarcus Russell was arrested Monday afternoon for possession of a controlled substance, said to be codeine syrup or “Sizzurp.” The arrest took place after an undercover investigation of Russell’s home. Booked at 4:22PM Monday, the former No. 1 overall pick was released “minutes later” after posting $2,500 bail. Already drawing scant interest on the free agent market, Russell won’t latch on with an NFL team anytime soon after this news. He is scheduled to appear in court next on July 20.

– The Chargers are not actively shopping WR Vincent Jackson nor are they interested in dealing him, a source tells ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It’s possible the Chargers are just trying to play hardball in the media here, but GM A.J. Smith isn’t one to mess around and Schefter isn’t a guy that gets played. Despite both a three-game suspension and a nasty holdout looming, the Chargers appear prepared to go down with the ship here. The pressure is now squarely on Jackson to blink first in this poker game.

WWE

– As announced on Raw, the Hart Dynasty will defend their Unified Tag Team titles against Jimmy and Jay Uso.

– Regarding the anonymous Raw GM, it’s not Steve Austin.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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The NBA post-season kicks off Saturday night. We saw Game 82 of the season decide whether the Raptors or Bulls would clinch the 8-spot (and lose to the Cavs in 4 games). Unfortunately for Raptors fans, it was not meant to be. After “securing” the 5th spot, the team fell to 9th. The Raps needed a win over the Knicks (they did), and a Bulls loss to the Bobcats (didn’t happen) to make it. The ‘Cats benched a lot of their starters, with many of them playing half-assed. Many people are arguing that teams shouldn’t be able to bench their players down the stretch after they’ve clinched. This is a long discussion, one that I will hopefully get to soon, but nonetheless, a discussion for another day. For the record, I’m for benching superstars. In any event, it should be a long summer in Toronto. Is Chris Bosh gone? Probably.

“Nobody knows, not even me. So that’s something that only the future holds. You know, everybody keeps looking for answers. There are no answers right now…there will only be answers when it’s time.”

I think it’ll be a sign-and-trade, though. We’ll see. As for the rest of the Association, here are my picks for the Quarters.

Eastern Conference

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Chicago Bulls

Game 1 @ CLE, Sat, Apr 17 3:00pm EDT, TV: ABC
Game 2 @ CLE, Mon, Apr 19 8:00pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 3 @ CHI, Thu, Apr 22 7:00pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 4 @ CHI, Sun, Apr 25 3:30pm EDT, TV: ABC
Game 5 @ CLE, Tue, Apr 27, TBD
Game 6 @ CHI, Thu, Apr 29, TBD
Game 7 @ CLE, Sat, May 1, TBD, TV: TNT

No question who wins this one. The Cavs are focused this season, and the acquisition of F Antawn Jamison may be what puts them over the top. With Shaq coming back, the Cavs will need to re-adjust and re-familiarize themselves with him in the lineup. Other than that, I don’t see the Bulls winning a single game.

Pick: Cavs in 5

(2) Orlando Magic vs. (7) Charlotte Bobcats

Game 1 @ ORL, Sun, Apr 18 5:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 2 @ ORL, Wed, Apr 21 7:00pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 3 @ CHA, Sat, Apr 24 2:00pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 4 @ CHA, Mon, Apr 26, TBD
Game 5 @ ORL, Wed, Apr 28, TBD
Game 6 @ CHA, Fri, Apr 30, TBD
Game 7 @ ORL, Sun, May 2, TBD

The Bobcats are a very underrated team, but I don’t think they’ll have an answer for F Dwight Howard. He’s too big and too strong around the net, and no one can match up with him at either end of the court. F Stephen Jackson will be on F Vince Carter, which should be fun to watch. The deep Magic bench, plus the fact that they can go unconscious from 3 is too much to handle. The ‘Cats will make it a series, but the Magic take it.

Pick: Magic in 6

(3) Atlanta Hawks vs. (6) Milwaukee Bucks

Game 1 @ ATL, Sat, Apr 17 5:30pm EDT, TV: ESPN
Game 2 @ ATL, Tue, Apr 20 7:00pm EDT, TV: NBATV
Game 3 @ MIL, Sat, Apr 24 7:00pm EDT, TV: ESPN
Game 4 @ MIL, Mon, Apr 26, TBD
Game 5 @ ATL, Wed, Apr 28, TBD
Game 6 @ MIL, Fri, Apr 30, TBD
Game 7 @ ATL, Sun, May 2, TBD

With F Andrew Bogut nursing, well, his entire body after that horrific crash, the Bucks will be undermanned. With him in the lineup, I think the Bucks could force a Game 7, but without him, it just isn’t there. The Hawks are going to need to learn to close out games in the latter half of games, as too many teams have been coming back on them – something you can’t allow in the post-season. It’ll be fun to see how G Brandon Jennings reacts in his first taste of playoff action, but I don’t see him doing much against such a strong defensive team. The Hawks are just too talented to not advance. In any event, the Bucks have to feel as if this season was a great success – they took the 5th seed in the East, and the future looks bright.

Pick: Hawks in 5

(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Miami Heat

Game 1 @ BOS, Sat, Apr 17 8:00pm EDT, TV: ESPN
Game 2 @ BOS, Tue, Apr 20 8:00pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 3 @ MIA, Fri, Apr 23 7:00pm EDT, TV: ESPN
Game 4 @ MIA, Sun, Apr 25 1:00pm EDT, TV: ABC
Game 5 @ BOS, Tue, Apr 27, TBD
Game 6 @ MIA, Thu, Apr 29, TBD
Game 7 @ BOS, Sat, May 1, TBD, TV: TNT

This Celtics team is winding down, and they’ll just squeeze by the Heat. After that, they’re gone. G Dwyane Wade will stand on his head, but he’s only one man. The C’s will wear him out at both ends of the floor. We’ll see if the C’s have enough fight left in them, but all signs point to this club fading soon.

Pick: Celtics in 7

Western Conference

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Oklahoma City Thunder

Game 1 @ LAL, Sun, Apr 18 3:00pm EDT, TV: ABC
Game 2 @ LAL, Tue, Apr 20 10:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 3 @ OKC, Thu, Apr 22 9:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 4 @ OKC, Sat, Apr 24 9:30pm EDT, TV: ESPN
Game 5 @ LAL, Tue, Apr 27, TBD
Game 6 @ OKC, Fri, Apr 30, TBD
Game 7 @ LAL, Sun, May 2, TBD

F Kevin Durant and G Russell Westbrook play in their first playoff series. Great story. Too bad it’s against the Lakers. Anyone who hasn’t watched a Thunder game will finally be able to see what this team has been doing this season, and to see what all the hype is. I think F Pau Gasol plays a huge role in this series. OKC’s has weakened defensively down the stretch of the season, and now, especially against the LakeShow in the playoffs, is not the time for it to be questioned. The Thunder’s lack of experience will be too much to overcome this year, but they’ll make each and every game close.

Pick: Lakers in 5

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks

Game 1 @ DAL, Sun, Apr 18 8:00pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 2 @ DAL, Wed, Apr 21 9:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 3 @ SA, Fri, Apr 23 9:30pm EDT, TV: ESPN
Game 4 @ SA, Sun, Apr 25 7:00pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 5 @ DAL, Tue, Apr 27, TBD
Game 6 @ SA, Thu, Apr 29, TBD
Game 7 @ DAL, Sat, May 1, TBD, TV: TNT

Like the Cavs, the acquisition of F Caron Butler and F Brendan Haywood puts them over the top. A lot of the Mavs’ makeup consists of big-game players, and in that, there’s a ton of playoff experience (as the Spurs also have). G George Hill being hurt, or not at 100%, is going to kill them.

Pick: Mavs in 7

(3) Portland Trailblazers vs. (6) Phoenix Suns

Game 1 @ PHO, Sun, Apr 18 10:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 2 @ PHO, Tue, Apr 20 10:00pm EDT, TV: NBATV
Game 3 @ POR, Thu, Apr 22 10:00pm EDT, TV: NBATV
Game 4 @ POR, Sat, Apr 24 4:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 5 @ PHO, Mon, Apr 26, TBD
Game 6 @ POR, Thu, Apr 29, TBD
Game 7 @ PHO, Sat, May 1, TBD, TV: TNT

With F Brandon Roy out, or playing at half-capacity, this team doesn’t stand a chance. Without him, the Blazers are still a good defensive team, but they lack their offensive firepower, something that’ll be in abundance for the Suns. Who’s going to stop F Amare Stoudemire? No one on this team, that’s for sure. His story post-July 1 will be something to keep an eye on. Bottom line, if Roy can’t play, the Blazers can’t win.

Pick: Suns in 6

(4) Utah Jazz vs. (5) Denver Nuggets

Game 1 @ DEN, Sat, Apr 17 10:30pm EDT, TV: ESPN
Game 2 @ DEN, Mon, Apr 19 10:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 3 @ UTA, Fri, Apr 23 10:30pm EDT, TV: ESPN2
Game 4 @ UTA, Sun, Apr 25 9:30pm EDT, TV: TNT
Game 5 @ DEN, Wed, Apr 28, TBD
Game 6 @ UTA, Fri, Apr 30, TBD
Game 7 @ DEN, Sun, May 2, TBD

The Jazz are awful on the road, but the Nuggets have been playing some bad basketball lately. George Karl is the backbone of this team, and without him, I don’t see them winning. Also, F Kenyon Martin is out, and they’ll need big bodies alongside F Chris Anderson to compete down low with F Carlos Boozer and F Paul Millsap. No Karl and no K-Mart means no win.

Pick: Jazz in 6

Since VoV started predictions on the site, I’ve had some good years and some bad years. VoV.com’s predictions record are as follows:

NHL
2008: 12-3 (80%)
2009: 10-5 (67%)
Total: 22/30 = 73%

NBA
2008: 11-4 (73%)
2009: 9-6 (60%)
Total: 20/30 = 67%

MLB
2008: 5-2 (71%)
2009: 4-3 (57%)
Total: 9/14 = 64%

NFL
2008: 9-2 (82%)
2009: 7-4 (64%)
Total: 16/22 = 73%

VoV

- Email – captaincharisma [at] hotmail.com
- Twitter – @VoiceofValeri
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NBA

– According to Yahoo! Sports, a source close to Suns’ F Amare Stoudemire now refutes that he isn’t interested in being traded to the Cavaliers. Amare apparently never said that he won’t play with F Shaquille O’Neal, and his representatives haven’t even spoken with the Cavaliers. He seems most likely to end up in Cleveland, and he’ll have the option of exercising his $17.7M player option for next season.

– According to Yahoo! Sports, the Blazers are working on deals for Bulls’ F Tyrus Thomas and Lakers’ F Sasha Vujacic. The Rockets and Nuggets have also made offers for Thomas. The Nuggets have also made offers for Clippers’ F DeAndre Jordan, Spurs’ F Antonio McDyess and Pistons’ F Ben Wallace.

In a related note, the Rockets were in on the Caron Butler sweepstakes, but since the trade to Dallas, the team has turned its attention to Thomas and Wizards’ F Antawn Jamison.

– The Washington Post reports that the Wizards are closing to moving F Antawn Jamison to the Heat in an effort to keep reducing their payroll. The Cavaliers had previously expressed interest as well. The Wizards have reportedly not ruled out the option of buying out F Drew Gooden.

– Yahoo! Sports reports that the Spurs are shopping G Roger Mason Jr.

– The NY Daily News reports that Jerry Colangelo may come out of retirement to GM the Nets.

MLB

– Red Sox’ C Victor Martinez isn’t open to negotiating a contract extension with the Red Sox during the season. “As soon as the season starts, I don’t want to be talking about numbers or be talking about something that can distract me from the game and distract my teammates. That’s the last thing I want with this great team they’ve put together. Maybe, who knows, they come to me in spring training with something. Honestly, I’m all open now until the season starts. As soon as the season starts, I barely talk to my mom.” Martinez, 31, becomes a free agent after the 2010 season, but has expressed interest in staying in Boston for the remainder of his career. He batted .336/.405/.507 in 56 games after joining the Red Sox at the trade deadline.

– According to FOXSports.com, the Tigers and free agent OF Johnny Damon are very close to finalizing a deal. The Tigers reportedly offered Damon a two-year/$14M not too long ago, but ESPN’s Buster Olney was told by MLB executives this weekend that the 36-year-old outfielder will be lucky to find a one-year/$7M deal. Damon hit .282/.365/.489 with 24 homers and 107 runs scored last year for the Yankees. The Braves and Rays have also expressed interest, in case this deal falls through.

– According to a report by San Francisco Chronicle writer Susan Slusser, Gregg Clifton, LHP Mark Mulder’s agent, is saying reports of his client’s retirement are not correct. “Not accurate. Mark has not made a decision.” The news of Mulder’s retirement was initially reported by Lance Allan of TMJ4 in Milwaukee on Sunday and then confirmed by Brewers pitching coach Rick Peterson. Expect Mulder to sign a minor-league deal and try to work his way back up to the bigs.

– The Diamondbacks and RHP Edwin Jackson avoided arbitration on Sunday by agreeing to a two-year/$13.35M contract. The deal buys out Jackson’s final two years of arbitration. Jackson asked for $6.25M and was offered $4.6M for 2010. The midpoint between those two is just over $5.4M, so the Diamondbacks are essentially buying out Jackson’s last arbitration year for about $8M.

– The Rangers have signed OF Endy Chavez to a minor league contract with a $1.25M club option for 2011. Chavez will earn $1M if he makes the team this season. Chavez, 32, underwent right knee surgery last July and hit .273/.328/.342 last year in 182 plate appearances.

– The Nationals have signed OF Willy Taveras.

– The Marlins have signed 3B Mike Lamb.

– The Reds have signed RHP Kip Wells.

– The Rockies have signed RHP Juan Rincon.

NHL

– Hurricanes’ F Ray Whitney’s trade value has climaxed of late, according to reports. More than half the league has expressed interest.

WWE

– The latest issue of WWE Magazine features a sneak peek at what the University of Phoenix Stadium is going to look like next month for WrestleMania XXVI.

Here are some of the details:

- The dome in the University of Phoenix Stadium will be open, making WrestleMania XXVI an open-air event.
- The stage will be 120′ wide and will be elevated 8 ft above the ground. The entrance ramp and various parts of the set will be surrounded by “cauldrons of fire” that will burn high or low, depending on what the action in the ring calls for. Each cauldron burns at about 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
- There will be a 110′ tall structure built above the ring holding 30 tons of light, sound and video equipment similar to the one we saw at WrestleMania 24.
- Over 1,500 miles of cables and wire will be ran through the stadium to light the ring, stage and entrance way.
- Close to 400,000 pieces of fireworks will be used and shot over 200 ft into the air above Phoenix.
- A $250K four-sided LED big screen with 150 speakers will hang under the ring structure ensuring a great view for everyone.

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his JRsBarBQ.com blog with an update on his health, his WWE status and what the future holds for him. Ross lashes out at fans asking about his return and the future of his WWE career.

His WWE Return: “If I get asked one more time when I’m going back to work at WWE, I think my head will explode. My career will take whatever direction it’s meant to take when contract negotiations commence. One never knows how that process will go until it begins. I do expect it to go well.”

Working From Home: “We have several, viable opportunities that will allow me to do some fun things and rarely leave Oklahoma which is a somewhat popular option with some members of my household. … I would be less than honest if I did not say that being at home, working on projects from Norman and from this region of the country isn’t an intriguing option for me to explore.”

Life After WWE:”I do know that my feelings toward broadcasting, my love of sports and entertainment, and emotionally engaging in whatever I do is alive and well. I’m certainly not burned out or even charred around the edges and sincerely feel that my best days lie ahead.”

NFL

– NFL Network’s Steve Wyche reports that the Saints are expected to place the franchise tag on impending free agent FS Darren Sharper. Sharper, 34, is the NFL’s active interceptions leader by a considerable margin. The Saints may approach Sharper about a two- or three-year deal before the July 15 deadline for franchise players to sign multi-year contracts.

TNA

–TNA iMPACT! is moving to Monday nights on March 8th and will be going head-to-head with WWE RAW every week. TNA President Dixie Carter tells the Hollywood Reporter that moving iMPACT! to Monday nights is a good move for her company and the industry as a whole.

“We feel strongly that Monday nights is where the majority of wrestling viewers have been historically. Having two Monday night wrestling shows with healthy competition between them can make for great TV. Our goal is not to beat ‘Raw’ immediately, but we feel confident this will accelerate our growth and make it fun for wrestling fans,” Carter said.

WWE spokesman Robert Zimmerman said,

“It’s somewhat of a different audience. On Monday nights we’re one of the top cable shows. We’re focusing on our new show for Syfy, “NXT,” and ‘Wrestlemania XXIV’. We’re not too concerned. We’re in good shape.”

VoV

– Email – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
– Twitter – @VoiceofValeri
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