WWE

– We are sad to report that former WWE superstar Lance Cade (Lance McNaught) was found dead today. He was 29 years old and leaves behind two young daughters. The cause of death is believed to be heart failure.

Cade was trained by former WWE superstar Shawn Michaels in late 1990’s at Michaels’ wrestling academy in San Antonio, Texas. He held WWE tag team gold with his partner Trevor Murdoch and had a brief run as Chris Jericho’s protege during Jericho’s feud with Shawn Michaels a few years ago. During that program, he was released from WWE after an incident on an airplane where Cade took too many painkillers and went into a seizure. He was brought back to WWE developmental last year but was never used on television and was released again earlier this year. He officially worked with WWE from 2003-2008 and was trained by Shawn Michaels at his Texas Wrestling Academy when he was 18.

Cade spoke openly in several interviews about his struggle with sleeping pills.  He had been working for independent promotions and in Japan over the past year. VoV extends our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Lance McNaught.

Here are some quotes from Shawn Michaels via his twitter account:

“5 min aft my morning tweet I got the call about Lance. No words will b good enuff. 1 of my boys is gone. My prayers & thoughts have already been given 2 his family & will continue. Goodbye Lance I Love You.” There are many other of his wrestling friends sharing similar thoughts via twitter today.

WWE has also confirmed the death of former superstar Lance Cade.

“World Wrestling Entertainment was informed Friday morning by Lance McNaught’s father that he has passed away of apparent heart failure. WWE extends its deepest condolences to the McNaught family.”

“Mr. McNaught was under contract from March 2003 to October 2008 and performed under the name “Lance Cade.” He returned to FCW, WWE’s developmental territory, in September 2009, and was released in April 2010.”

– There’s been talk of a major heel turn taking place at Sunday’s SummerSlam PPV and the WWE superstar moving to the “dark side” may surprise you. According to sources who have been a part of recent WWE creative meetings, the idea has been brought up several times of John Cena turning heel on Team Raw during the main event. Cena turning heel is not confirmed, but its 1 of 3 possible scenarios being discussed for the finish of the main event. Cena turning heel has been brought up in the past, but it has not gotten this much consideration before.

– Several ideas are being talked about for the Kane vs. Rey Mysterio match at SummerSlam. WWE plans to have  The Undertaker appear on the show in some capacity. One idea under discussion was for a casket to be brought to ringside and at the end of the match when either Kane or Rey was about to be thrown in, Undertaker would come out and attack Kane to kick off their feud. There are plans for The Undertaker and Kane to wrestle at Night of Champions in September and then again at Hell in a Cell in October.

MLB

– The Giants have acquired OF Jose Guillen and cash considerations from the Royals for a PTBNL. Financial details have not been disclosed, but the Royals are expected to pick up a a significant portion of the $3M+ remaining on Guillen’s contract for this season.

NFL

– The Chargers have re-signed RFA Shawne Merriman to a 1-year/$3.269M tender. We’re still trying to figure out what Merriman was trying to accomplish by staying away from camp. He wasn’t going to land a long-term deal from the Chargers, and skipping practices wasn’t helping him to prepare for a make-or-break contract push this year. He’ll have to hold off Larry English to retain his starting job.

– The Vikings have sent a “five-day letter” to WR Percy Harvin as a warning to rejoin the team, according to a report from PFT. The letter means Harvin has 5 days to report to the team or risk suspension and/or fines. Harvin has been dealing with migraines, but there’s also been speculation that he and WR Sidney Rice are purposely avoiding the rigors of camp as long as QB Brett Favre is out of action. Stay tuned.

TNA

– As we saw on Thursday’s “Whole F’N Show” iMPACT! special, TNA Champion Rob Van Dam was brutally attacked by Abyss and left bloody backstage. Without spoiling too much for next week’s iMPACT!, we can confirm that Rob Van Dam will be taking some time off in the near future.

According to the Wrestling Observer, the main reason for Rob Van Dam taking time off is his TNA contract. Van Dam signed a deal with TNA for a specific number of dates per year – and TNA has been burning through those dates much faster than they originally planned. TNA has booked Van Dam for most television, PPVs and live events and are running low on the number of available dates.

TNA has run into similar issues in the past with stars like Ric Flair, Sting and Mick Foley in the past. It’s possible that TNA could renegotiate the terms of Van Dam’s contract in order to get him back on television sooner, but for now, he’ll be taking some time off in order to conserve what’s left of his remaining appearances.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
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***UPDATE***

With the arbitrator’s decision to rule in favour of the NHL in the dispute of Ilya Kovalchuk’s contract (on the grounds that it circumvents the salary cap), the NHL has begun investigating the contracts of Canucks’ G Roberto Luongo, Bruins’ F Marc Savard, Blackhawks’ F Marian Hossa and Flyers’ D Chris Pronger, as said contracts may have been approved under “similar structures.” Stay tuned.

NFL

– NFL Network’s Scott Hanson confirms that QB Brett Favre (right ankle) indeed flew to Florida Thursday to for a recheck of his surgically repaired ankle. Multiple outlets have joined in on NFL Network’s report, which confirms Favre’s stated intentions to play “if he’s healthy.” Details of the recheck aren’t available, but Dr. James Andrews’ patients routinely see him for rechecks and are sent away with medical clearance. That may not be the case here, but if it is, Favre’s next step may be to report to the Vikes. Stay tuned.

– Disputing earlier reports from ESPN and the San Diego Union-Tribune, Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network states that unsigned RFA DE Shawne Merriman will “not necessarily” report to the Chargers this weekend. “He hasn’t made up his mind. Nothing has been resolved with the Chargers to the point where he’s to come back in, sign that tender, and report right away.” LaCanfora does say that Merriman will “definitely” report at some point because he has to earn his $3M+ and prove his worth for a long-term deal.

– Barring a setback in his rehab, beat writer Mike Klis reports that Broncos’ DE Elvis Dumervil (pectoral tear) will play this season. Klis says that “nearly everything” he’s been hearing points toward the star sack artist returning. It’s still tough to see Dumervil returning before the end of December – the early end of his original prognosis was 4 months.

– Free agent QB Jamarcus Russell admitted in an on camera ESPN interview that he used codeine without a prescription in the past. Russell said that tested positive for codeine shortly after the Raiders made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft. However, he says that he has not used codeine in 3 years even though rumours persist that he took “Purple Drank” throughout his time in Oakland. Russell was arrested in July for alleged possession of codeine but a friend is claiming the substance belonged to him.

MLB

– ESPN’s Enrique Rojas reports that the Giants are close to acquiring OF Jose Guillen from the Royals. Guillen was designated for assignment by the Royals last week. He still has a little over $3M owed to him for the rest of the season, but it isn’t known if the Giants are willing to pay any of that salary. Rojas speculates that Guillen could be with the Giants as soon as tonight’s game, so it sounds like this one is pretty close. Stay tuned.

– According to Mark Bowman of MLB.com, Braves’ 3B Chipper Jones (torn ligament in left knee) has informed some close friends that he has a torn ligament in his left knee and will miss the rest of the season. Jones learned of the tear after an MRI exam Thursday morning. When asked if it was a complete tear, the veteran third baseman revealed that it was “stretched” and that he would likely need surgery. Jones has hinted at retirement already, so it’s likely the end for him. If so, he’ll go down as one of the most underrated switch-hitters and best third basemen to ever play the game.

– Reds’ RHP Johnny Cueto was suspended for 7 games for his actions in Tuesday’s melee with the Cardinals. Reds’ manager Dusty Baker and Cardinals’ manager Tony La Russa were also suspended for 2 games each. Meanwhile, Yadier Molina, Brandon Phillips, Chris Carpenter and Russ Springer were issued fines. No word on if the suspensions will be appealed.

– The Mets have placed RHP Francisco Rodriguez on the restricted list. He’ll remain on the restricted list for two days without pay. The team is citing disciplinary reasons, but there’s always the chance further action could be taken.

– Jays’ 1B Lyle Overbay has cleared waivers. He’s batting .250 with 13 homers, 45 RBIs and a .329 OBP in 112 games. He’s in the final year of a 4-year/$24M deal and is due about $2M for the remainder of the season. Despite the potential for a trade, Overbay, 33, is happy in T.O.

“I honestly thought I would be done after this year. I know Alex (Anthopoulos, the Blue Jays GM) has been a big fan of me, so that’s good, but Brett Wallace was there. Then all of a sudden, since the Wallace trade, it’s kind of opened up an opportunity to come back here.”

“I’m happy here, last year wasn’t the best situation for me (platoon with Kevin Millar) but this year is completely different and I’m completely happy here. We’ve got a great clubhouse so it’s tough, you don’t want to leave, but obviously if you have a playoff chance, that’s something you want to be a part of…I’m comfortable here, my family is comfortable, the pieces are there, it’s just got to be wanted on both sides,” he said. “I haven’t gotten any indication of what they want to do, and I don’t know if they even know what they want to do.

– The Brewers have placed RHP LaTroy Hawkins (strained right shoulder) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 11 and have transferred C Gregg Zaun to the 60-day DL.

– The Red Sox have placed C Kevin Cash (strained left hamstring) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 9.

– The Cardinals have placed RHP Jeff Suppan (right groin soreness) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 1.

– The Rays have placed RHP Wade Davis (strained right shoulder) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 6.

TNA

– Following yesterday’s Hogan-Bischoff-Twitter debacle where a Hogan impostor claimed he and Bischoff were leaving TNA, Eric Bischoff (the real one) is setting the record straight. In comments made exclusively to Slam.Canoe.Ca, Bischoff confirmed that he and Hulk Hogan are still with TNA and will be until 2012.

“I am with TNA. Hulk Hogan is still with TNA. We have a contract for two years, and we plan on fulfilling our contract.”

After Twitter user realhulk_hogan admitted to not being the real Hulk Hogan – the user claimed to be a disgruntled TNA employee upset with Bischoff’s performance and said TNA’s top stars were planning a walk-out if Bischoff isn’t removed from power. Bischoff, however, does not believe the fake Hogan is a TNA employee at all.

“It is probably a 16-year-old dweeb that doesn’t have anything better to do. I am 99% sure that there is no validity behind it and the person does not work for TNA.”

The owner of the fake Hogan account, who has over 4,000 followers, now claims to be Christopher Daniels and is urging people to “Unfollow @TNADixie if you don’t agree with the current direction in TNA.”

MMA

– Strikeforce fighter Bobby Lashley was the special guest on this week’s live edition (08/09/10) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem. The highlights:

Why we may see Lashley vs. Dave Batista in Strikeforce sooner vs. later (potentially as early as this fall): “I have a lot of respect for Dave, I like Dave. For me, what I’m trying to do in my career is trying to build and build up into bigger & better competition. As far as fighting Dave after this fight, I’ll do the fight right away. If he’s serious about doing this, then let’s do it. I think they might have a show in October or November sometime around there; if he wants to do it, let’s do it then. I’m not really willing to wait ’till next year or anytime after that; I’m moving forward in my career. After this fight, I’m looking at the Arlovski’s, the Fedor’s, the Brett Rogers’. That’s who I set my targets on, so when you talk about that Dave, that fight needs to be done right away, so I could keep moving forward.”

How he was “torn” between leaving TNA Wrestling & transitioning into a full-time MMA career with Strikeforce: “At first when I wanted to do it, I talked to all the higher-ups in TNA, and we tried to put together a plan where I could still wrestle, because when you’re a wrestler, it’s in your blood. So I wanted to wrestle, but I also wanted to fight, and I was torn between the two, and with the TNA schedule, I could do both. We had a couple of things that weren’t going together right, and like I said before, I’m trying to build up my competition, and I’m trying to get tougher & tougher opponents as I go, so at one point in time I had to make a decision on which one I was gonna do. I was either gonna be a full-time wrestler, or I was going to fight full-time. That window of fighting is only open for a short amount of time, because it requires so much dedication, training, sparring, & everything else, so I had to step away from TNA and just focus on training.”

Why it wouldn’t make sense for Bautista to fight anyone else but him for his first MMA fight & who he thinks has the potential to put together a “dream fight” between himself and Brock Lesnar: “I’m gonna say the fight that you want me to say first. I wanna have that fight with Batitsta. Nothing against him or anything, but I think for him to take any other fight would be a waste of his time. If he really wants to get into fighting, I think it wouldn’t make any sense for him to get in there and fight anyone else. I don’t think it would make any sense. As far as other fights, I would love to fight Fedor before he retires. I think he is pound for pound the best fighter in the world. I think another fight would be Brock. I’ve been asked that every single day by someone. ‘When are you gonna fight Brock? When you gonna take down Brock?’ I would love to see that fight with Brock happen. If Dana White won’t let it happen, or Scott Coker won’t let it happen, maybe Vince would let it happen…”

What professional wrestling & MMA fans can expect in his August 21st fight against Chad Griggs at “Strikeforce: Houston” on Showtime: “There are a lot of good fights on that card, and unless you’re real hardcore MMA fans, you may not know some of the guys, but if you go check them out, there are some great fighters. My fight: You’re gonna see a side of me that you saw in wrestler, but now you’re going to see it in the cage, and I’m going after this guy, and I’m going to suck the life out of this guy and pound him.”

WWE

– Live events in Winnipeg, Manitoba are advertising Sheamus & Kane as WWE and WHC’s respectively.

– Former WWE star Shawn Michaels and his wife Rebecca have opened a Family Fun & Entertainment Center deep in the heart of Texas. According to the center’s official website, the former WWE Champion is accepting bookings for birthday parties. For a mere $5,000, “The Heartbreak Kid” will visit your birthday party and take photos with guests, as well as sign autographs. Appearance is limited to 30 minutes and must be held at the Emerald Rainbow Family Fun Center. It is also subject to Michaels’ availability.

VoV

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

– Yesterday, reports surfaced that Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff were leaving TNA Wrestling.

A Twitter account that claimed to be Hulk Hogan (and was verified & linked to on Eric Bischoff’s Twitter page) announced that he and Eric Bischoff were parting ways with TNA Wrestling. The person claiming to be Hulk Hogan eventually admitted that he was a fake – but had ‘worked’ Eric Bischoff, Dixie Carter, Bubba The Love Sponge.

The fake Hogan wrote:

“I know you’ve heard the rumors brothers and they are true. Eric and I are leaving TNA on a mutual basis. I just got out of meetings now.” TNA has a new leadership coming in. Make sure you Hulkamaniacs still support them. TNA needs the power of Hulkamania to live on brothers.”

“Thank you Dixie and Bob Carter for the wonderful and positive experiences in TNA. Nothing but the best to you guys. Brothers, this isn’t the last of me though. You’ll be able to see me at “Hulk Hogan & Friends” events on tour soon.”

Eric Bischoff has posted on his Twitter page that the Hulk Hogan Twitter page saying that he and Bischoff were leaving TNA is a fake.He wrote:  “The Hogan twitter site that I posted is a fake one. Hulk IS getting a Twitter page up, but the most recent post is a fake. I will post the REAL page info as soon as we get it. Sorry for the confusion. The Hulk Hogan twitter posts are fake. Hulk IS in the process of setting up a page, but has not as yet. The rumors of us leaving TNA are bogus. ”

Oddly enough, Bischoff himself is the one who announced “Hulk Hogan joins Twitter” on his own Twitter page, with a link to the fake Hogan’s page.

Dixie Carter wrote: “Recent twitter of Hulk Hogan leaving TNA is bogus. To what extreme people will go.”

The guy who is running the fake Hulk Hogan Twitter is now claiming to be a disgruntled TNA employee upset with the Hogan-Bischoff regime, writing:

“I am not Hulk Hogan, but I am a TNA wrestler who got Eric, BTLS, Jarrett, and Dixie to think I was Hogan.. I rallied everyone in to get my true message out in anonymous fashion, b/c any other way on any media platform there would be consequences. ”

“@EBischoff GOT WORKED BROTHERS! He publishes information before even verifying its accuracy. How can someone like this even try to run TNA?!” and “That piece of s*** @BTLSRadio GOT WORKED TOO!”

On the basis of Eric Bischoff’s original announcement that Hulk Hogan’s Twitter account was “realhulkhogan” VoV temporarily published the story that Hogan & Bischoff were leaving TNA. We apologize for the confusion. This story, however, is far from over – stay tuned.

– According to the PWInsider, Hulk Hogan (back) is scheduled to undergo another back surgery today.

– Jeff Wilen of The Daytona Beach News-Journal interviewed Eric Bischoff in his latest JAWBreaker column. Among the topics discussed include the latest going-ons in TNA Wrestling, the big names working together, the tag-team division, Bound for Glory in Daytona Beach, Tommy Dreamer playing a bigger role in the organization, Linda McMahon running for a Senate seat, Paul Heyman and Rob Van Dam.

Bischoff claimed during the interview that he pitched the EV2 storyline back in February and suggested that Dixie Carter reach out to Paul Heyman.

“The whole EV2 story line was something I pitched in February of this year. It wasn’t a Tommy Dreamer idea. Tommy’s a great guy and has great experience. I called Paul and suggested to Dixie (Carter) and Vince Russo that we should reach out to Paul and see if he was interested in coming in. I don’t think it will happen with Paul. He is looking for something different. I don’t think Dreamer will be involved in creative. We have a solid team, with great chemistry. We’ve had great success the last couple weeks and months.”

When asked if he and Hulk Hogan plan on sticking around for a while, Bischoff replied, “We have a couple of years left on our contracts.

MLB

– According to the NY Post, Mets’ RHP Francisco Rodriguez was arrested and charged with 3rd-degree assault on Wednesday at Citi Field for beating his father-in-law. The altercation took place inside Citi Field’s Family Lounge and spilled out into the hallway. K-Rod’s father-in-law apparently suffered “facial bruises and minor head injuries,” and had to be hospitalized. K-Rod could be in real trouble and may be in danger of missing games.

– 790 The Zone in Atlanta is reporting that Braves’ 3B Chipper Jones (knee) has a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season. We’re still awaiting confirmation from the team, so take this with a grain of salt for now, but if true, not only would this be a tough blow for the Braves’ playoff chances, it would be a very difficult injury to come back from at age 38. Stay tuned.

– The Giants have acquired 2B Mike Fontenot from the Cubs for OF Evan Crawford. Fontenot has posted a mediocre .284/.332/.402 batting line in 169 at-bats for the Cubs this season.

– Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports that the Orioles have placed INF Ty Wigginton on waivers. Wigginton, 32, has posted a .261/.335/.458 batting line, 18 home runs and 60 RBI in 391 at-bats this season while playing almost everywhere for the O’s. He’ll probably get claimed, but we’ll see if a trade can be worked out. Every AL team will get a shot at him before the NL does.

– The Giants have placed SS Edgar Renteria (left biceps strain) on the 15-day DL. Renteria underwent an MRI on Wednesday that revealed the strain. He told reporters that he’s aiming to return in September to aid the Giants’ playoff push, but this is his third stint on the DL this year and it’s hard to guess whether he will accomplish that goal. The 35-year-old is batting .278/.342/.364 with two homers and 21 RBI in 209 at-bats this season.

– Phillies’ 2B Chase Utley (thumb) was given clearance to swing a bat on Wednesday. No rehab assignment has been planned at this point, and Utley’s still on track to return to the Phillies in early September. Utley was examined in New York Wednesday by hand specialist Dr. Andrew Weiland. Utley had an .849 OPS and 11 homers in 72 games before the injury.

NBA

– The Bobcats wanted to get involved in Wednesday’s massive trade, according to David Aldridge on NBA.com, using F Erick Dampier’s non-guaranteed contract to acquire a point guard. Aldridge writes that “Under one scenario, Dampier would have gone to Indiana … with T.J. Ford going to Toronto and the Raptors sending guard Jose Calderon to Charlotte.” This is somewhat irrelevant, since it didn’t happen, but clearly the Bobcats want a PG, the Pacers want to dump Ford, and the Raptors are ready to keep overhauling their roster.

– Blazers’ G Rudy Fernandez said in a recent interview that he is “50-50″ between playing in Europe or the NBA. “If I could decide my future and some NBA team could assure me some minutes and the team played a way that fits my game, then I’d like to continue playing in the States.” He even said that he was “pretty f***** up psychologically” because of the role the Blazers wanted him to play.

– After days of speculation surrounding the possibility that the much-maligned Isiah Thomas would be returning to an advisory capacity for the Knicks, it is being reported that he will not be allowed to do so by the NBA. “It has become apparent that my new agreement violates certain NBA bylaws,” said Thomas about the rules prohibiting NBA employees from having contact with college or high school players. He also expressed regret about how things turned out during his tenure in New York, though we’re guessing the fans regret things just a little bit more.

– Heat’ F Chris Bosh said Wednesday that he was “playing with people’s emotions” in the days and weeks before he made his decision to join the Heat. “If you think about how many times somebody asks you, ‘How are you,’ that’s how many times I was asked, ‘Where you going?” said Bosh. “So it’s like, well, in my case, I’m going to have fun with it. I’m going to play with people’s emotions. I’m going to be high and low.”

NHL

– Flyers’ D Chris Pronger (knee surgery) said he may not be 100% in time for training camp and might miss the start of the season. Pronger underwent minor knee surgery on July 27 after injuring it in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against Boston. “I do not have a time frame. The team knows that. I spoke to the doctor and trainer and it is really just about when my knee feels good and strong again. I don’t want to come back early and play a couple of games and then be out of the lineup and then play a few more and be out. I want to come back when the knee is as close to 100% as possible so I can play every single game from then on.”

NFL

– ESPN’s Chris Mortensen predicts that free agent RB Brian Westbrook will sign with a team by Monday. He names the Rams, Redskins, and Broncos as the likeliest suitors, but leaves open the possibility of a surprise team. The three teams have shown interest in the 30-year-old all along, but he’s been holding out for a better offer from a contender.

– ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that DE Shawne Merriman plans to report to Chargers camp this weekend. He’ll sign his $3.269M tender, confirming his intent to immediately resume practicing. Merriman is coming off a bad season in which he had just four sacks, and went sack-less in 14-of-16 games. After a two-week training camp holdout and an offseason-long absence, it’ll be interesting to see if he gets thrown in the starting rotation.

– Browns’ ILB D’Qwell Jackson (strained right pectoral) will miss 4-to-8 weeks. He’s also getting a second opinion. Eight weeks would sideline Jackson until about October 10, the Browns’ Week 5 game against Atlanta.

WWE

– Regarding Ricky Steamboat’s health, he is expected to make a full physical recovery but will never wrestle again. The WWE Hall of Famer has been able to work out on an elliptical machine, but is prohibited from lifting anything heavier than five pounds.

– Former WWE Women’s Champion Mickie James weighed in on a number of topics in an interview with The Baltimore Sun including her recent departure from World Wrestling Entertainment, the Piggy James storyline, her music career, and more.

James says she hasn’t watched wrestling on television since being released in April, noting it’s much too difficult.

“I didn’t watch wrestling. I still haven’t seen a wrestling show and it’s been three months. The only show I’ve watched was right after I was released and they were chanting, ‘We want Mickie, we want Mickie.’ And I started bawling. It just really broke me, so I didn’t know what I wanted to do. So, I started doing some dates. It’s definitely a different feel. Once you’ve wrestled in front of 90,000 people, where do you go from there?”

Regarding her release, she feels the company wanted to go in a different direction with the women’s division. She also says she didn’t understand their decision at the time, but now recognizes the writing on the wall.

“I just think it was the different direction of the Divas. No one can give 100 percent all the time and they can surely try. Looking back, if I take myself from the picture, there was writing on the wall and if I wasn’t so indulged in the business, I would have seen it. I never would have shut that chapter on my own. I never would have cut that string on my own, so maybe they had to shut that door on me for to fully focus on my music, so maybe it was a blessing in disguise.”

On the topic of the Piggy James storyline, she noted being more upset with its conclusion than the angle itself. She also remains unsure whether company officials were poking fun at her weight.

“I don’t know where it came from. Were they ribbing me or just poking fun? I sat back and prayed about it. There’s still not one female that can go out there and get a reaction I can. And maybe they were trying to pull the fanbase away from me, but I got the championship, then they took it away. After six months of embarrassment and ridicule, that’s the payoff? I had to swallow my pride.”

– Among the topics discussed in Chris Jericho’s upcoming autobiography, Undisputed: How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 Steps, is that of Chris Benoit. He offers insight into the man he previously considered a friend.

Regarding Benoit’s peculiar sense of humor, the rough draft states: “Not a giggle, not a chuckle, not a tee-hee…never went ‘Ha.’ But when somebody threw up or fell down the stairs, he would laugh out loud for hours on end.”

On being his friend, Jericho said while they were close, it wasn’t easy.

The rough draft states: “I considered Chris to be one of my closest companions, but it wasn’t always easy to be his friend. You had to take the good with the bad when it came to his friendship.”

Upon learning of the Benoit family death, Jericho notes: “My gut feeling was Chris had killed them.”

The book also features discussion of his arrival to WWE, the highs and lows, his relationship with Vince McMahon, the creation of Fozzy, and more. The book is set for release on February 16, 2011.

VoV

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

– The Broncos have signed the No. 25 overall pick QB Tim Tebow to a 5-year/$33M deal with $8.7M guaranteed. Tebow was believed to be holding out for more money than Cowboys’ No. 24 pick Dez Bryant, and it turns out that he did receive the “quarterback premium.” His guaranteed portion comes in at $400K above Bryant’s total. Tebow signed in plenty of time to get comfortable with Josh McDaniels’ offense throughout camp. Though he’ll spend his rookie season developing behind Kyle Orton, there’s a decent chance the offense will be his as soon as 2011.

– UFA DE Shawne Merriman does not plan to show for the beginning of training camp. Merriman, who wants assurances that he will not be traded, is in denial about the current state of his career. “I’m only coming back to be the guy on the defense. I’m not coming back to be a guy. I want to be on a team where someone is going to be building a defense around me.” Teams don’t build defenses around pass rushers with four sacks in two seasons. Merriman has no leverage right now.

– Super Bowl XLII hero WR David Tyree will retire after signing a one-day contract with the Giants. Tyree played five seasons with the Giants, mostly as a special teamer, but his career will always be defined by his “helmet catch” that led directly to one of the greatest Super Bowl upsets of all time. Along with the “Immaculate Reception,” Tyree’s catch will go down as perhaps the most memorable playoff moment in NFL history.

– The Eagles have signed the No. 13 overall pick DE Brandon Graham to a 5-year contract. The Eagles gave up the No. 24 pick and two 3rd-rounders to trade up for Graham, a former Michigan star who was named MVP of the Senior Bowl. Graham is a solid pass-rusher.

– Redskins’ DE Albert Haynesworth failed his conditioning test Thursday, according to FoxSports.com’s Jay Glazer. Haynesworth reportedly “killed” the first portion of the test before walking through the second portion. According to the Washington Post, Haynesworth “apparently” needed a bathroom break during the second portion of his conditioning test Thursday, explaining his failure to finish. The test consisted of two grueling 300-yard shuttle runs – he aced the first, but walked through the second, in apparent need of a bowel movement. Haynesworth will not be allowed to practice until he completes both runs. By all accounts, he’s in good shape, so he should be fine on Friday’s retake.

– The Texans have signed No. 58 overall pick RB Ben Tate to a multi-year deal. His stock flew with a stellar performance at the Combine in February. He also missed the majority of OTAs with a hamstring injury. While he’s the future in Houston’s backfield, he’ll enter training camp behind Arian Foster and Steve Slaton. He’s expected to fill the void on early-down and short-yardage situations.

NBA

– The death of Lorenzen Wright is being investigated as a homicide by police, and the Shelby County medical examiner’s office reported that he died of a gunshot wound. Details are hard to come by, but it is known that a 911 hangup call was made from his cell phone on July 19 near the place his body was found. Wright had a 13-year NBA career that included stints with the Grizzlies, Hawks, Kings, Cavs, and the Clippers, who made him the No. 7 overall pick in 1996.

MLB

– Rangers’ GM Jon Daniels said 2B Ian Kinsler (groin) will likely return in “mid-to-late-August.” He’s been limited to just 76 of the team’s 101 games this season and hasn’t lived up to expectations when he’s been on the field.

– Phillies’ LHP Jamie Moyer (left elbow) will not require surgery but is expected to miss the rest of the season. Moyer met with Dr. Lewis Yocum in LA on Wednesday after being diagnosed with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament and a strained tendon in his elbow. He has not announced if he will pitch next season.

VoV

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NHL

– Former NHL defenseman and current Kings assistant coach Mark Hardy was arrested this morning for allegedly sexually abusing a woman in her 20′s at the Mayflower Hotel. TMZ reports that the woman who issued the complaint is Hardy’s 21-year old daughter. Hardy will face a judge later today on the charge of misdemeanor sexual abuse. A 15-year NHL veteran, Hardy played with the Kings, Wild and Rangers, and has been an assistant coach with the team since the 1999-00 season with a stop in Chicago in between.

Pressed for comment, the Kings released the following statement on the matter:

“We are aware of the charge. Due to the legal nature of this matter, we will not have any additional comments at this time.”

NFL

– DE Shawne Merriman’s new agent met for two hours on Thursday afternoon with Chargers GM A.J. Smith and chief negotiator Ed McGuire, sources tell the San Diego Union-Tribune. Merriman, a UFA, is seeking a mammoth long-term deal. His previous agent, Tom Condon, had a notoriously poor working relationship with Smith, so this meeting is noteworthy. Merriman still doesn’t know if he’ll show up for minicamps as he continues to exaggerate his value. The Bolts would be making a huge mistake if they committed to him long term. We suspect he’ll end up playing out his one-year tender in San Diego.

– Vikings’ DTs Kevin and Pat Williams are not expected to face suspension during the 2010 season after a Minnesota judge extended them a temporary injunction Friday. The injunction prevents the Williamses from being banned four games, “until their appeal is resolved.” In order for the appeal to be resolved, the case would have to pass through both the Minnesota Court of Appeals and Minnesota Supreme Court — a process sure to last into 2011. Saints DE Will Smith, who ranked fifth in the NFL in sacks last year, is also in the clear.

– Dolphins’ DE Zach Taylor has retired.

NBA

– Nets’ president Rod Thorn will also serve as the team’s GM next season. Former GM Kiki Vandeweghe won’t be retained and new owner Mikhail Prokhorov seems to have complete faith in Thorn, who came with glowing recommendations. The Associated Press notes that “In 2001, [Thorn] traded Stephon Marbury to the Suns for Jason Kidd, who led the Nets to consecutive NBA finals appearances.”

WWE

– According to the PWTorch, Rey Mysterio is once again complaining about his pay. Though some feel he’s had legitimate gripes in the past, he’s developed a reputation within WWE for being overly paranoid over his pay. He feels he’s being short-changed compared to some of the other top performers in the company.

– RAW superstar Ted DiBiase spoke to IGN.com this week to hype Sunday’s WWE Over The Limit pay-per-view. Here are some highlights of what DiBiase said about:

Working With Virgil on RAW: “That was really cool. It was a big surprise and I don’t think anyone expected it. Me walking out there and then just turning around with a smile and there’s Virgil. The guy who used to pick me up from school. The guy I used to monkey around with and jump on. I guess he’s kind of gotten smaller in his older age, but I used to grab onto his arms –he had these huge pipes, you know, these 24-inch arms back in the day and he’d just lift me up off the ground. I’d make him do it all the time. I used to bug the crap out of that guy. And now he’s carrying around the belt, pulling the ropes down, opening doors and carrying my bags. It’s a great feeling.”

Sunday Being His First Singles PPV Match: “It feels really good. I had a good run with Cody Rhodes and I wish him all the best on Smackdown. We had a great tag team and I learned a lot and it was fine while it lasted, but it was time. It’s great to be on my own and forging my own career now. I’m excited.”

Living In His Father’s Shadow: “No, I’m not worried at all. My dad was who he was and I am who I am. This is just me being me. Life gives you lemons and you make lemonade. This is who I am. I’m a DiBiase. I didn’t ask for it, but this is who I’ll be. The biggest differences between me and my dad is, well, A: I think I’m more talented than he was and B; I’m definitely better looking than my dad was. And on top of that, I’m a movie star. He never made a movie so I’ve got one up on him already. So, I’m not worried because I think my actions will speak louder than words and I’ll start this Sunday, at Over the Limit, when I beat R-Truth.”

MLB

– Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that the Rockies will have interest in 2B Kaz Matsui once he clears waivers. INF Clint Barmes continues to struggle, so the Rockies are going to consider all options. Matsui, 34, was released by the Astros earlier this week after batting .141/.197/.155 over his first 71 at-bats. Of course, Matsui played an important role in the Rockies’ World Series run in 2007. He could be looked at as organizational depth in the minor leagues.

– A source tells Troy Renck of the Denver Post that the Red Sox are keeping an eye on Rockies’ C Chris Iannetta. There’s no indication that he’s actually available at this time, but there’s no question that he would be an improvement defensively over Victor Martinez and Jason Varitek. Under team control through 2012, he could also be a long-term solution at the position. Iannetta, 27, is batting .362/.449/.741 with five homers and 21 RBI since being demoted to Triple-A Colorado Springs last month.

– OF Pat Burrell is currently weighing offers from the Padres and Giants. Stay tuned.

– The Pirates have placed LHP Jack Taschner (left hamstring) on the 15-Day DL retroactive to May 18.

– The Yankees have placed C Jorge Posada (hairline fracture in right foot) on the 15-Day DL retroactive to May 17.

TNA

– TNA President wrote on Twitter she attended Mickie James’ album release party last night in Nashville, TN and was invited by Mickie herself. Dixie wrote:

“Just left my first music showcase in a while. Wanna guess the artist? Mickie James. Thanks for the invite girl.

– To follow up on the news that TNA is looking to slash their budget by releasing talent, TNA sources have confirmed that talent cuts are indeed on the way. There were rumors at the recent TV tapings that some of the top stars in TNA are open to taking less money than what’s in their contracts just to keep their spots on the roster. TNA wants to get rid of all bad contracts, mainly those that guarantee a talent money whether or not they are being used.

– There are several people within TNA who want Orlando Jordan’s controversial bi-sexual character to be removed from television.

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NFL

– According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press’ Charley Walters, there is a “hot rumour” that QB Brett Favre (left ankle) will opt against undergoing surgery. “What that means for his future with the Vikings is unclear,” Walters adds. It was previously reported by ESPN that Favre would not be able to play in 2010 barring an operation on the ankle. Walters has a history of unreliability, so take this with a grain of salt. The window of opportunity for him to have the surgery and report to training camp, though, is beginning to close.

– Jets’ All-Pro CB Darrelle Revis said talks with the Jets regarding a contract extension are underway. Revis is slated to earn $1M this season, the fourth year of his rookie deal that is set to void after this season. The best corner, and arguably best defender in the NFL, will likely command a historic contract. The CBA situation clouds things a little, but it sounds like the Jets are serious about getting this done before the season starts.

– The San Diego Union-Tribune suggests that DE Shawne Merriman’s recent agent switch to David Dunn could expedite a trade out of San Diego. Former agent Tom Condon reportedly had exorbitantly high demands for a contract extension during draft weekend, nixing at least three possible trades. Merriman is expected to stay on the block “through the October trading deadline.” The Saints were among many interested late last month. It’s believed that the Chargers wanted a first-round pick in return.

– The Eagles are expected to run a more traditional West Coast offense this season with QB Kevin Kolb at the helm. As Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News points out, QB Donovan McNabb had tremendous arm strength and poor accuracy, but Kolb is the the opposite – the Eagles will run more short slants and curls to give explosive WR DeSean Jackson and WR Jeremy Maclin chances for big yards after the catch. Kolb’s great accuracy allows receivers to catch the ball in stride.

– Texans SLB Brian Cushing has retained his Defensive Rookie of the Year award after a re-vote by 50 voters for the AP. The outcome is surprising, but over the last two days it became increasingly evident that voters were bothered by the idea of a re-vote. The re-vote count, though, was much closer. Cushing received 39 first-place votes on the January 5 ballot. He got 18 first-place votes this time. Bills’ S Jairus Byrd again finished second with 13 votes (he received six in January).

MLB

– Mets’ OF Carlos Beltran (knee) told NY Newsday that he is running without pain. “Thank God there’s no pain. It’s a learning process for me to start running again, so right now I’m thinking about how to make it perfect. Today was the first day I ran and didn’t have to think about it. I was happy with today. Today was a pretty good day.” He began a running program at the team’s minor league complex on Monday. Beltran also took batting off a machine on Wednesday and launched several balls over the fence. He hopes to begin sprinting by the end of next week, but declined to offer a timeline on his potential return.

– The Nationals confirmed Wednesday that RHP Jason Marquis (elbow) will undergo surgery on Friday and is likely to miss two months. Marquis was diagnosed with bone chips in his throwing elbow after a disastrous rehab start Tuesday for Single-A Potomac. The righty was 0-3 with an ERA of 20.52 and a WHIP of 2.88 in his first three starts.

– The Giants will decide by Friday whether to place 3B Mark DeRosa (wrist, hand) on the DL. DeRosa underwent more tests on Wednesday relating to the aggravated nerve in his left wrist and numbness in the bottom part of his hand.

– OF Eric Byrnes, who was released by the Mariners earlier this month, told Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle that he is done playing baseball. “People keep asking me, ‘Are you really done’ ” with baseball? I’m beyond OK with (retirement). This is awesome for me.” Byrnes, 34, is currently playing every Wednesday in a slow-pitch softball league in Menlo Park, California and figures to find a career in broadcasting once he’s ready.

– Mariners’ manager Don Wakamatsu said Wednesday that OF Milton Bradley isn’t likely to rejoin the club until late next week. Bradley is not traveling with the Mariners at the moment and the team doesn’t return to Seattle until next Wednesday. The disgruntled outfielder was placed on the restricted list on May 6 in order to provide him some time to work out some of his emotional issues. “I think everything is going well,” Wakamatsu said. “Tentatively, we’re hoping that at some point in the [next] homestand, he’ll be able to rejoin the team.”

– Phillies’ bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer pulled out some binoculars Monday night during a game against the Rockies to supposedly take a gander at Coors Field and see how C Carlos Ruiz was setting himself up, but the Rockies are saying that Philadelphia must have been stealing signs when Billmeyer had his binocs trained on their catcher, C Miguel Olivo, according to ESPN. OF Shane Victorino also spent a little time on the bullpen phone around the same time the binocs were out, leading some to speculate that the Flying Hawaiian was getting info to help him at his next at-bat. (Not that he needed it; he tripled to start off the game.)

The Mets said the Phillies were stealing signs back in 2007 and former Phils’ manager Larry Bowa brought up the rumored sign-stealing when the Phillies were in the World Series last year, facing the Yankees Manager Charlie Manuel emphatically denies stealing signs via the bullpen and said that no team stealing signs would ever have someone so obviously in the bullpen with binocs. “We were not trying to steal signs. Would we try to steal somebody’s signs? Yeah, if we can. But we don’t do that. We’re not going to let a guy stand up there in the bullpen with binoculars looking in. We’re smarter than that.”

– Mariners’ LHP Erik Bedard (shoulder) threw a simulated game on Wednesday. He said he didn’t feel great after the 30-pitch session, but it’s a step in the right direction. There’s still no timetable for Bedard’s return, but a lengthy minor league rehab assignment should be expected before he makes a start for the Mariners.

– The Rockies have placed 3B Melvin Mora (strained right glut) and LHP Franklin Morales (shoulder) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 6 and OF Carlos Gonzalez on bereavement.

– The Orioles have transferred 2B Brian Roberts to the 60-day DL.

– The Rangers have placed LHP Matt Harrison (left bicep tendinitis) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 7.

– The Yankees have placed RHP Alfredo Aceves (bulging disc in lower back) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 9.

– The Mariners have placed SS Jack Wilson (strained right hamstring) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 6.

– The Twins have placed SS J.J. Hardy (left wrist contusion) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 5.

– The Angels have placed RHP Brian Stokes on the 15-Day disabled list retroactive to May 10, 2010. Right shoulder fatigue.

– The Padres have placed RHP Kevin Correia on the bereavement list and RHP Tim Stauffer (appendicitis) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 10.

– The Brewers have placed OF Carlos Gomez (strained left rotator cuff) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 6.

– The Dodgers have placed RHP Charlie Haeger (plantar fasciitis in right foot) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 9.

– The Rockies have released RHP Tim Redding, and the Yankees have signed him and optioned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Redding, 32, even fielded offers from the Dodgers and a few Korean teams before settling with Yankees. He had a 4.32 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP in 25 innings at Triple-A Colorado Springs this season before his release and, barring something unforeseen, is unlikely to climb his way onto the Yanks’ 25-man roster.

NBA

– Cavaliers’ F LeBron James (elbow sprain) may be hurt worse than expected, as he said yesterday that the elbow is “an issue I’ll deal with in the offseason.” Not good for a guy heading into the biggest free agent pool in NBA history.

– Heat’ G Dwyane Wade faces trial in a $25M lawsuit filed by his former partners in a failed restaurant venture. Wade’s former partners claim he broke a contract by demanding higher compensation and then abandoning the deal in 2008. Wade contends in court documents he had every right to end the business relationship. His lawyer says the all-NBA guard plans to attend the two-week trial and is likely to testify. He’s also involved in a divorce and faces two other lawsuits over business dealings. One of them involves Miami-based charter schools that were supposed to bear his name.

– Thunder’ F Nick Collison (knee) underwent successful arthroscopic surgery. Collison will begin rehabilitating the knee immediately and should resume offseason training this summer.

– According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Hawks may let coach Mike Woodson walk this summer. “They will call me whenever they want to talk. Monday I will become a free agent, so I’ll just see what goes from there.” Stay tuned.

– Nets’ team president Rod Thorn has asked the rep for former Mavericks head coach Avery Johnson if he would have any interest in coaching the team in New Jersey, according to FanHouse. Johnson has already interviewed for the same job with the Sixers and Hornets. The rumour is that Johnson does have interest and an interview is being scheduled. Thorn supposedly wants a new coach in place before the draft.

WWE

– In an interview with the UK Sun, RAW superstar Chris Jericho spoke about his love of music and what let to him perusing a full time career in wrestling over music. The most newsworthy item of the interview came when Jericho was asked about his future in WWE and whether he’s be leaving the ring for the stage any time soon. Good news for Jericho fans, as he responded, “I think now is the time to stay for a couple of years to help those around me. I want to help the young talent.”

- WWE champion John Cena has been answering fan questions on his new Twitter page and fired back at people who criticize his on-air character and WWE’s family-friendly PG programming. Cena wrote:

“Guys, I am sorry to disappoint but what u see on TV is what u get. That’s pretty close to me in real life. I’m sorry if u think I’m watered down, I’ve been called worse.”

Cena also responded to a fan who asked whether he’d considering bringing back his old “rapper” gimimck. Cena said it’s unlikely,

“Guys, I really appreciate the respect for the freestyle. It would have no home in today’s environment. It would be a weak, watered down, rehash of something that was very fun to be a part of while it lasted. I still freestyle all the time, it just wouldn’t be right for me right now, I really like the place where I am, and where WWE is.”

– WWE Hall of Famer Bret “Hit Man” Hart has posted a new blog on Facebook talking about his United States title match with The Miz next week on RAW, becoming a grandfather this week and what it’s been like working with WWE since WrestleMania. Here are some highlights of what Bret said about:

Wrestling The Miz Next Week: “My son, Blade, just told me I’ve got a U.S. title shot next week in Toronto. News to me. The Hartbeat goes on.”

Working With WWE Since WrestleMania: “Sometimes I can barely remember this stuff. Being stuck in Europe, the volcanic ash, Joe Legend, Monday Night Raw in London, touring both Smackdown and Raw, and before that, WrestleMania 26. Did all that stuff really happen? What an adventure. Life is good.”

Becoming a Grandfather: “I finally became a proud grandfather yesterday when my oldest, Jade, gave birth to a 8lbs., 11oz. beautiful baby girl named Kyra Beans Hart. To be a grandpop is such an important role in a child’s life and I look forward to being a big part of her life and the best grandpa ever. Like all proud grandfathers, I truly feel blessed at this time and I also congratulate her mother, Julie, on a job well done from the very beginning.”

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

Tuesday’s NXT Broadcast:“NXT was a surprising show Tuesday night. I am a reality show fan by and large and have always thought that NXT would be more effective it we fans could see the NXT rookies outside the arena environment to be able to get to know them better. Perhaps the 2nd version of NXT will provide that. ”

Bryan Danielson’s Future: “Daniel Bryan aka Bryan Danielson is by far the best pure wrestler of the NXT group, eliminated or not, and no matter what his name may or may not be today.”

Comparing Randy Orton to Steve Austin: “Randy is merely being his TV persona but it does have some Austin-esque qualities. Randy just has to continue to put his own, individual touches on his fan favorite persona of which I have very high hopes for as time goes on.”

Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin on 7/3: “No…Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin won’t go 5 rounds on July 3 in Las Vegas. I hope to secure a pair of decent seats to this one and enjoy a few days in ‘Lost Wages’ with the Mrs.”

TNA

– Last Wednesday, Mick Foley published a blog on his MySpace account criticizing Triple H for mocking Lilian Garcia during her appearance on Raw last month. Garcia was back on Raw to fill in as a ring announcer with most of the Raw crew grounded overseas.

The event in question occurred during Hunter’s show-opening monologue on the April 19 Raw in which he made a crack about Garcia “horsing around.” The comment stems from those in the WWE’s “inner circle” often joking that Lilian has a horse-shaped face. Foley wrote:

“Why does someone like Triple H, one of the most talented, well paid guys in the business, do something so shallow and mean? Why would a multi-millionaire, with millions of fans around the world, feel the need (several times over the years) to say something that is only meant to hurt? I don’t get it. I don’t get why it’s done, I don’t get why it’s condoned, I don’t get what possible satisfaction anyone involved gets from demeaning someone like Lillian Garcia. I just don’t get it.”

Breaking her silence on the matter, Garcia wrote the following message to Foley on her Twitter account today,

“Mick Foley, this tweet’s for you!! I really appreciate your kind words and the compassion you showed in your blog. Your care for my feelings proves what a loving, caring and wonderful human being you are. This is why I truly miss working with you. You are one of a kind!! Thank you, love you!!”

Foley acknowledged feedback he’s received since last week for chastising Triple H for his dig towards Garcia in a follow-up blog. He acknowledged that he may have cost himself professionally down the road, not to mention that some people may see him as a hypocrite, but felt he had to stand for certain principles in this situation. Foley explained further:

“I could go into great detail about why some of the issues raised (it was innocent joking around on Triple H’s part, I’m a hypocrite because I made fun of Al Snow, Test, etc., where was I during the Mickie James angle?) but I think it would be far more productive for readers to try to figure out the differences for themselves.”

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NHL

– Maple Leafs’ D Tomas Kaberle has denied reports that he “can’t stand playing for (head coach Ron) Wilson” and downplayed rumours that he is prepared to make the move from Toronto to a different team.

The Toronto Sun had reported that Kaberle told friends he “can’t stand playing for Wilson…he’s had enough…he’s at his wit’s end with the guy.”

Kaberle addressed the media before Thursday’s game against the Sabres to dismiss the talk of a rift with Wilson.

“I’m here over 10 years in the league and I’ve never (had an) issue with the coach and I hopefully never will. I would like to know who said that, obviously. But it’s fun sometimes to read stuff like that in the papers…if that is the case, I would probably ask for a trade at the deadline, right?”

Wilson also spoke on Thursday and addressed the reports of trouble behind the scenes.

“I’m here to try and make guys better so you have to be a boss. There’s kind of a way you turn it on and turn it off but in your casual conversations you’re not a friend — you’re friendly.

Wilson added that “you still have tough decisions you have to make and there’s lot of situations where you have to come down hard on people if they’re not getting the job done within the team structures.”

He said he had “no issue” with Kaberle.

Following Tuesday’s defeat at the hands of the Atlanta Thrashers, Wilson hinted strongly about the veteran defenceman when describing the loss.

“We talk about how solid our defence is and how well we’re playing and we’ve still got guys who are minus-16 or whatever,” Wilson said on Tuesday, referencing Kaberle’s plus-minus. “They’re supposed to be guys who get the job done defensively and they haven’t improved their plus-minus over the past month when just about everybody else has.”

The Leafs have missed the playoffs for five straight seasons, but according to the paper, the main motivating factor in Kaberle’s desire to leave is the way Wilson coaches the team and treats his players.

Kaberle has one year left in his contract and speculation is that he’ll be on the market when his no-trade clause is lifted for a short time this summer.

WWE

– Former WWE Champion Batista has been telling people within WWE that he’s looking to take an extended break from WWE following WrestleMania 26. Those within the company expect Batista to take his leave of absence following the Extreme Rules PPV later this month. Batista is scheduled to begin filming for the upcoming WWE Studio’s film “Killing Karma” this spring and the general consensus within the locker room is that Batista will not wrestler while he is filming.

– Vince McMahon’s heel “Mr. McMahon” character is said to be finished, according to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The character was spawned back in 1997 following the infamous Montreal Screwjob. McMahon’s on-air character turned heel for the first time and it became the antagonist to the company’s top star “Stone Cold” Steve Austin in arguably the best run in the history of the company.

With Bret Hart’s return to WWE after 13 years, McMahon felt WrestleMania would be the perfect chance for Bret Hart to get his ultimate revenge and wipe out Mr. McMahon once and for all. The over-the-top beatdown he sustained at the hands (and feet) of the Hart family signified the end of the character. McMahon is a firm believer in pushing younger acts and is not blind to the fact that he’s in his 60’s and the character more than ran its course.

–  Former World Heavyweight champion Chris Jericho posted a message on Twitter today saying that he’ll be out of action for six weeks.

“Just got selected for sequestered jury duty. Six weeks minimum. Won’t be able to work or tweet. See u in May WWE Universe…”

It’s worth noting that today is April Fool’s Day — so there’s a good chance that this is a gag on Jericho’s part.

– WWE NXT rookie Daniel Bryan has updated his WWE Universe blog with his thoughts on Shawn Michaels’ retirement, as well as people backstage in WWE who do not think he’s got what it takes to be a star.

Bryan on speaking with HBK, his teacher, at WM26: “I was able to speak with him briefly Sunday night, and he told me that it was my time now and if I ever needed anything to just let him know. Words cannot express my gratitude for the great training he gave me, and for his support. I’m sure he will miss wrestling, but wrestling will miss him even more.”

Bryan, who broke into wrestling through Shawn Michaels’s TWA training school ten years ago, also talked about not being liked by “some backstage” and continued to play up the TV storyline where his perceived lack of charisma and size is an issue.

“I know I’m not what WWE usually looks for in a Superstar. It’s quite obvious by Michael Cole’s commentary that he doesn’t think I have what it takes and I know there are even more people in the back who think the same thing. They doubt my mic skills and they doubt whether the WWE Universe can get behind someone who looks as plain as I do…but none of them doubt my in ring ability.”

“I may not be what the WWE looks for when they’re recruiting, but most of the people they recruit don’t have the passion for this business that people like Shawn Michaels have. I do, and I’ve proven it over the last ten years. I will outwork, outsmart and outclass 99.9% of the muscleheads and pretty boys that they think have the right ‘look.’”

– WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart updated his Facebook blog with his thoughts about his match with Vince McMahon at WrestleMania XXVI.

“I can’t begin to describe the flood of excitement that pulsated through me at seeing the sight of that massive stadium filled with fans. Although I know it was far from my greatest performance, I can proudly say it was one of my most glorious victories I’ve ever had. Once upon a time in my wheelchair after suffering my stroke in 2002, thinking how impossible it was to even conceive of such a moment makes me as proud as ever of anything I ever did in a ring. It was sweet seeing the entire Hart Family play a part in giving Vince McMahon the beating of his lifetime.”

Bret also described a run-in he had with Linda McMahon shortly after his match.

“When I briefly saw Linda McMahon afterwards in the hallway, I confessed with a smile that I’d secretly given him a couple of choice chair shots just for her. This drew a burst of laughter and a smile.”

Finally, he thanked the entire McMahons family for allowing him to write the final chapter in his career.

“In truth, I’d like to thank all the McMahons (and that includes Triple H) for their kindness, hospitality, and for a fantastic three-month ride I’ll never forget.”

– WWE Magazine interviewed Dolph Ziggler regarding HBK’s retirement. He said,

“You don’t want it to end, and no matter how amazing and mindblowing it is, you don’t want it to end. It still doesn’t seem like he’s gone, WWE has lost the greatest superstar ever, and a lot of guys, including me, have lost a great mind. I went out into the arena floor for that match, and it was amazing! He went out like no one else could or ever will!”

– In an interview with Alex Marvez, Maria Kanellis said WWE wanting more control over her projects led to her departure from the organization. The former WWE Diva also noted her unhappiness with WWE for quickly posting news of her release on their website before she had time to tell her family she had been let go.

“People are saying it was about money or this and that. It wasn’t. It had to do with my other passions and things I wanted to do alongside WWE. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for them.”

“I didn’t want to leave when I did. Who knows where the road is going to lead me? Maybe a good cause will come up for me to go to TNA or even visit with Ring of Honor. I’ve always said some of the great talent is on the independent (circuit).”

NFL

– According to beat writer Kevin Acee, Chargers’ RFA OLB Shawne Merriman could be had “for the right price” this offseason. Per Acee, it’s a price only GM A.J. Smith knows at this point. The Chargers have been reluctant to lock up Merriman ever since his torn LCL and PCL two summers ago. Smith drafted Merriman’s replacement in Larry English last April, so he’ll be open to draft-weekend offers from interested teams.

– The Bears have released DE Alex Brown after being unable to trade him. Brown was deemed no longer worthy of his $5M salary when Lovie Smith announced that Israel Idonije would move from tackle to end. The team also wants to get youngsters Jarron Gilbert and Henry Melton into the rotation. Expect Brown to draw plenty of interest.

– Free agent RB Jamal Lewis reportedly visited with the Saints earlier this week. It’s safe to assume the 30-year-old is not retiring after all, at least not if he can find the right fit. Despite his 245-pound frame, Lewis’ lack of explosion have made him one of the worst short-yardage backs in the league the past couple of seasons.

NBA

– Grizzlies’ F Marc Gasol (neck) will miss the rest of the season with a partially torn neck muscle. He aggravated it in Wednesday’s game and couldn’t reach for rebounds or attempt shots, and with the Grizzlies basically out of playoff contention, the move makes sense.

– Kings’ F Spencer Hawes (knee) is out for the rest of the season. The official injury is a “deep bone contusion and an irregular signal in the joint line in left knee.”

– Knicks’ F Al Harrington (ankle) has a “severely” sprained ankle and “could be” the next Knick to shut it down, according to beat writer Marc Berman. With just eight games left in the season, any kind of high ankle sprain would likely put Harrington on the shelf. He’s also dealing with a shoulder injury that will likely require surgery after the season.

MLB

– D’Backs ace RHP Brandon Webb (shoulder) was given a cortisone shot in his right shoulder Wednesday. Webb was given a “positive report” after meeting with team doctors Wednesday, but they recommended a cortisone injection to help with some of the swelling he’s developed over the course of the spring. “It never hurt. It doesn’t feel great, but it doesn’t hurt bad. I still feel like I can’t let it go. I still feel like I’m not ready to get on the mound yet.” He’s unlikely to pitch in a major league game during the month of April.

– Rangers’ GM Jon Daniels confirmed Thursday that 2B Ian Kinsler (ankle) will open the 2010 season on the 15-day DL. “We haven’t made the roster move yet, but the plan is for him to open on the DL,” Daniels said. Kinsler has been out of action since mid-March with a high ankle sprain and has not resumed running or agility drills. He’ll likely miss the first two or three weeks of the season.

– Mets’ OF Carlos Beltran (knee) expects to begin running in the next 10 days. From there, he’ll have a better idea of when he’ll be able to return to the Mets’ lineup. “I am not going to predict anything. Right now I’m following the program and when I get to the stage of running I can see what I need to get to the stage of playing games.” Beltran has already begun playing catch and taking light swings in the batting cage. He’s expected to miss at least the first month of the season.

– The Rangers have claimed 1B Ryan Garko off waivers from the Mariners. With Garko, the Rangers now have the right-handed hitting corner infielder they’ve sought after all winter. Garko figures to share playing time with the lefty-swinging Chris Davis. This likely ends any speculation of the Rangers acquiring Red Sox’ 3B Mike Lowell.

– Mets’ SS Jose Reyes (rest) will start the season on he DL. Reyes said the team told him Thursday he’ll be on the DL because he’s had so little practice in spring training. He returned to camp last week following a three-week absence because of thyroid issues.

FIFA

– Manchester United F Wayne Rooney (ankle) sustained minor ligament damage and did not break a bone in Manchester United’s Champions League loss at Bayern Munich on Tuesday, but will remain out indefinitely. He hurt his ankle in the final minute of Tuesday’s 2-1 loss in Germany.

F1

– Mirror placement on Formula One cars is expected to change after this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix, putting the emphasis back on rear vision rather than aerodynamic advantage. While no official announcement was made by F1 authorities, Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel and Williams’ Rubens Barrichello both said Thursday that mirror placement would be changed for the following race in China. “As far as I’m concerned its agreed that we need better visibility, so the change could come as early as the next race. Everyone is having problems with the mirrors and hopefully we are going to get that changed quite soon.” Drivers have complained that having mirrors on the sidepods of the cars, to aid aerodynamics, makes them vibrate too much and provides poor rear vision. The change would move the mirrors back inward, onto the main body of the chassis, adjacent to the cockpit, where they would be less subject to vibration.

VoV

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WWE

– The involvement of Rey Mysterio’s family in his storyline with CM Punk was proposed to the creative team by Mysterio and was the original idea of a fellow wrestler. Mysterio’s daughter Alliyah is actually a model and actress and has impressed everybody with her performing so far.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the original idea for the storyline with Rey’s family was to be something like the Raven-Sandman angle in the original ECW but a lot of that idea was nixed because of WWE being kid-friendly. Punk would have became friendly with Rey’s children and eventually turn them against their father. Another idea would have had Punk cut Rey’s daughter’s hair but that was nixed as well.

Punk was pushing for a Mask vs. Hair match, but WWE wasn’t interested and didn’t think anybody would believe Mysterio would lose and remove his mask.

Mysterio has been working with a bad knee for several months and it will require surgery after WrestleMania 26. Right nowm the plan is for Rey to stick around and work as long as possible before he needs the procedure. The feud with CM Punk is scheduled to go past WrestleMania 26.

– Former World Heavyweight Champion Bill Goldberg announced on his Twitter account this evening that he’s negotiating with WWE regarding a possible return to the company.

“YES.. I am in negotiations with the WWE. Looks like ‘ole Hogan and TNA missed the boat. Shame for the fans they didn’t even try.”

While Goldberg has been critical of WWE since his departure from the organization in 2004 and repeatedly said he had no interest in returning to wrestle, he acknowledged a change in heart.

“Truth is I never thought I’d even consider it…then came my son. No one said I’d wrestle but the door is open again.”

He also added that if he ever steps foot inside a ring again, it will be alongside San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Shawne Merriman. The three-time Pro Bowler is a huge WWE fan to say the least, so much so that he asked their Twitter account on Monday if he could participate in the live chat on WWE.com.

“Also…. If I ever did step in the ring again, I have a new tag partner. He goes by the name of “Lights Out!!!! the one and only Shawn Merriman…..updating the old Goldberg/Kevin Greene duo,” Goldberg wrote.

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can (and should) check out at JRsBarBQ.com. In this entry, Ross responds to a Twitter post made by former WWE & WCW Champion Bill Goldberg about negotiating with WWE and TNA “dropping the ball” on not signing him first. JR writes:

“Bill Goldberg reports that he is negotiating with WWE but my best guess is that it’s not about a return to the ring. Bill is a smart entrepreneur and the former Tulsa Edison and University of Georgia football star likely is looking at doing a marketing deal with WWE that might include video games, possible WWE HOF Induction next year in Atlanta, and merchandise sales.”

Despite the fact that Ross doesn’t believe Goldberg is negotiating to return to the ring on a full-time basis, he could see Goldberg getting back in the ring one more time if the right situation presented itself.

“After being involved in several of these type deals, I can see where both parties can benefit from an arrangement. Goldberg gets the opportunity to earn additional cash without putting his body through hell and he gets some nice exposure for his various TV vehicles. The WWE could monetize Goldberg’s likeness in a variety of ways. Is it possible for Goldberg to come back and perform in a ‘farewell bout’ in the Georgia Dome next year at WM27? It’s possible one has to assume.”

– During a live chat on the Arizona Republic website, John Morrison was asked how long he thinks it will take before he arrives onto the main event scene. Morrison listed John Cena as the current WWE champion and called him ‘boring’.

“Who’s champion now? Cena? Ugh. Boring. Yeah, I think my time is coming. I’m rounding the corner right now in the main event parking garage, where all the spots have been taken for a really long time. I think some of the cars in the main event parking lot are about to be ticketed and towed after WrestleMania. There should be some spots available.”

When asked which WWE Divas is the best performer on the roster, Morrison adamantly answered Melina. He then criticized the other Divas as he feels the majority of them are unable to convey authentic emotion to the audience.

“Melina is potentially the strongest character on the roster, with even more passion and emotion than a lot of the guys. A lot of the Divas can do some pretty impressive moves, but when I watch them I don’t feel anything, I don’t empathize with a lot of them. I don’t think they understand what they’re doing. But when I watch Melina, I get excited, or I feel sad, or I want to cheer. And I think that’s the key to sports entertainment.”

– In an interview with Acorn-Online to promote Sunday’s WrestleMania 26 PPV, WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon said that after 26 years, WrestleMania remains a very special event for him and his company. Most of the interview is fluff, however McMahon made some rare comments about the company now challenging WWE RAW on Monday nights, TNA Wrestling.

McMahon says that despite TNA’s attempt to “go to war” with his company, it’s a losing battle, as he sees their companies to be in different industries all together. “We’re in different business. We’re in the entertainment business and they’re in the ‘pro wrasslin’ business. It’s different markets.”

McMahon spoke about iMPACT! moving to Monday nights and said that even with all the big stars they’ve sign and their more adult-themed programming, they’re still nowhere near the product that WWE presents. “When they moved to Monday nights they threw the kitchen sink at us and only did a fraction of our audience. It doesn’t speak well for the type of product they’re trying to present with the tawdry, blood-soaked action. I don’t think that’s what the culture wants these days.”

McMahon added that a global entertainment empire like WWE is more similar to a company like Disney than TNA Wrestling. “We’re woven into the fabric of Americana,” Mr. McMahon said.

NHL

– The executive board of the players’ union voted Thursday to accept a new temporary rule that will ban hits to the head against unsuspecting players. The decision takes effect immediately, starting with the league’s 11 games Thursday night. The rule prohibits “lateral, back-pressure or blindside hit to an opponent where the head is targeted and/or the principal point of contact.” The league will have the power to review such hits and apply further discipline.

– Wild’ F Mikko Koivu (arm) will miss the remainder of the week. Koivu suffered the injury on Tuesday against the Sharks when his arm was twisted during a second period hooking penalty. He played in the third but will be unable to go on Thursday and Friday.

NFL

– According to reports, there are three teams seriously interested in Eagles’ QB Donovan McNabb, believed to be the Raiders, Cardinals and Bills. Contrary to earlier reports, the Rams are not in the running. Arizona is supposedly the most attractive to McNabb since he has an offseason home there. McNabb still has one year left on his contract.

– The woman accusing Steelers’ QB Ben Roethlisberger of sexual assault has reportedly scheduled to be re-interviewed by police after all. “Our client is cooperating fully with law enforcement in this matter,” said the woman’s attorneys, emphasizing that their cooperation is to correct recent “misstatements” from the media. According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the alleged victim had a blood alcohol level of over 0.20 at the time of the incident.S ecurity videos weren’t available because the footage was recorded over with new footage.

– The Atlanta police report from last Friday night shows that Dolphins’ RB Ronnie Brown had a blood alcohol level of .158, nearly twice the legal limit, when he was arrested on a DUI charge. Brown failed a field sobriety test as well, so he’s not going to dodging charges from the incident. Since he has no prior record of off-field issues, Brown should at least avoid an NFL suspension. He’s in the final year of his rookie contract after he signs the Dolphins’ $3.969M tender offer.

MLB

– The Giants have signed LHP Jeremy Affeldt to a two-year/$9.5M extension. The 30-year-old had a 1.73 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 62 1/3 innings last year.

NBA

– Contrary to rumours, Spurs’ impending FA G Manu Ginobili will not be playing in Europe next season.

– The two sides negotiating the sale of the Wizards have agreed to value the franchise and the Verizon Center at slightly more than $550M, a significant benchmark in the expected transfer of ownership to Ted Leonsis following the death of longtime owner Abe Pollin.

Still, an agreement on a value of the franchise represents substantial progress in talks that got off to a rough start. The person says Leonsis’ group and Pollin’s estate were “several hundred million dollars” apart when negotiations began in early January.

The two sides also initially disputed the process for selling the team, with Leonsis going public on his blog to state his case in late January. A final deal is not expected until the next couple of weeks.

TNA

– TNA star “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero was interviewed this week by The Dothan Eagle and had some interesting things to say about the differences between WWE & TNA, working with the legends he grew up watching on television and more. Here are some highlights of what Dinero said about:

The Differences Between TNA and WWE: “TNA is a family environment. The same environment that I spoke of earlier that we like to give to fans at a live event, that’s how we are, period. Yes, we all want to be champions and make money, but we all support one another’s efforts in doing so. You’re not gonna find that in the giant known as WWE. It’s too much of a warzone, if you will, among the guys there. If you walk in the TNA locker room and the WWE locker room, in TNA everyone is smiling and happy. It’s a great day to come to work. We have guys that have been wrestling 20, 30 years, guys who have been on top of the business, but everyone is on same page and treats everyone with respect. You don’t get talked down to.”

Working Wrestlemania: “I did two WrestleManias, and of course I had the honor and privilege to do so. But as far as having a lot of memories from it, coming up, I wasn’t a WWF fan, I was an NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) fan and a World Class Championship Wrestling fan. I’m from Florida. My fondest memories are of Flair and “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, the days of the Horsemen and Sting.”

Working with Legends like Ric Flair and Sting: “You have no idea. It’s the biggest honor. I can only hope some of my fellow brethren in TNA have the same respect and admiration and ability to know we have history, these great legends who we can learn from and grow from in the process. I’ve had a chance to work with Flair, which has just been thrilling. I mean, really thrilling. I’ve told many people before I got to TNA, they’d ask if I could have dinner with three people, who would it be? I always said Michael Jackson, Bill Clinton and Sting. I haven’t met the Big Pope upstairs, but I’ve had some encounters, and I don’t want to see him again until I can’t see no more [laughing]. My immediate goal is to get Sting in the ring before he exits for good. This is the last year. Pope’s been known to give some prophetic advice, and I can tell you this year is the last year for Sting. Pope wants to get him in the ring before he retires for good. I know in this business, when retirements happen, it’s not set in stone, but when Sting retires, I truly believe it’ll be for good.”

VoV

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

***UPDATE***

– Jeff Hardy just posted the statements on Twitter:

The media is the media, I wish they would at least report the story correctly & accurately. I will make a statement later.

For the record, Matt didn’t bail me out, loan me money, or is his name on anything.. He’s just learning about today’s situation..

WWE

– Former WWE superstar Jeff Hardy was in the Moore County jail this afternoon after being arrested on charges of trafficking in controlled prescription pills and possession of anabolic steriods.

Hardy, 32, was arrested on Friday after a search of his home yielded 262 Vicodin prescription pills, 180 Soma prescription pills, 555 milliliters of anabolic steroids, powder cocaine and drug paraphernalia. His bail has been set at $125K.

A joint investigation by the Moore County Sheriff’s Office narcotics and select enforcement units and the Fayetteville Police Department led to the arrest.

The charges against Jeff Hardy include:

- Felony trafficking in opium
- Two counts of felony possession with intent to sell or deliver a Schedule III controlled substance
- Felony maintaining a dwelling to keep controlled substance
- Felony possession of cocaine
- Misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Hardy just posted the following on his Twitter: “Alot of exaggerations are out there today, don’t believe everything you read 4 it is not true, I am at home and fine-thanks for your concern.” The name “Jeff Hardy” is already one of the top trending phrases on Twitter.com.

TMZ.com has picked up the story and there are a couple new details to report: Despite the large quantity of drugs seized at Jeff’s home, the street value of the drugs is estimated to be around $2,500. A source at TMZ reports that Jeff’s brother Matt posted his bail, which was set at $125K.

– Earlier this week it was reported that WWE diva Mickie James missed a house show on Sunday in Madison, Wisconsin because one of her breast implants ruptured during a match the night before. The report is accurate and the former women’s champion will undergo a corrective procedure this weekend. She will likely miss this weekend’s house shows as a result.

NFL

– The San Diego DA’s Office will not pursue two felony charges against Chargers LB Shawne Merriman in connection with his alleged domestic abuse of Tila Tequila. “After a thorough review of the investigation into the Sept. 6, 2009 incident at the Poway home of Shawne Merriman, our office has determined there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that any crime was committed. This case is now closed. No further statement will be made.” Merriman will also avoid NFL discipline.

– The Raiders have placed DE Richard Seymour on their reserve/left team list, according to NFL Network’s Mike Lombardi. Reserve/left team means Seymour risks losing his entire $3.685M salary for failing to show after his trade from the Patriots.

MLB

– The Orioles have opted to shut RHP Koji Uehara (elbow) down for the rest of the season. The Orioles were hoping to use him out of the bullpen over the final few weeks of the regular season, but he showed up to Camden Yards Thursday and still had discomfort in his throwing elbow. The Japanese right-hander will finish the 2009 season with a 2-4 record, 4.05 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 48/12 K/BB ratio over 12 starts (66 2/3 innings).

WWE

– Regarding CM Punk’s title defense against Undertaker at this Sunday’s Breaking Point PPV, plans called for Taker to beat Punk and win the title when the match was initially laid out. No word yet if those plans still stand. Punk will be defending his title in a Submission match.

– Mr. Kennedy’s no-compete clause with WWE expired today, thus meaning he is free to negotiate with any wrestling company.“Something about midnight tonight…can’t quite put my finger on it.” Anderson wrote yesterday on his Twitter account.

Likewise, Umaga’s no-compete clause with WWE expired this past week as well. Umaga was released from his WWE contract on June 8, 2009 after violating the company’s drug testing policy a second time and his subsequent refusal to enter a rehabilitation centre. Former WWE developmental wrestlers Dakota Darsow, Jon Cutler, Lupe Viscara, Kafu and Matt Walsh are also to free negotiate with any wrestling organization as all five up-and-comers were released from their respective contracts during the first week of June.

– According to the PWTorch, internally, many feel the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony has developed enough name value as part of WrestleMania weekend that they don’t need to deliver a huge name each and every year. While many within the company would love to see Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson accept the honor one of these years, as well as “Macho Man” Randy Savage, there is no sense of desperation to find a major name.

Instead, the company may take the ensemble approach such as in 2007 when Dusty Rhodes was the biggest name to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Many feel the company can lure enough notable names from the past who may not be mega-stars on the level of Hulk Hogan or Ric Flair, yet would still satisfy viewers as a package deal. Furthermore, WWE can also use big name presenters as they did with Johnson when he inducted his father and grandfather if need be.

– John Graziano, the Iraq War veteran who suffered severe brain damage two years ago after being involved in a car wreck with Nick Hogan, was released from the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, Florida this morning. Debra Graziano said her son was leaving “the best hospital imaginable”, and that he will continue to need 24-hour care and will be assisted by nurses, friends and family. Debra said, “I just thank God this day did happen. I have a strong faith in the Lord. He will get me through it.”

– There was a wardrobe malfuction at Tuesday night’s ECW on SyFy tapings during Zach Ryder’s squash match victory over indy wrestler Rory Fargo. Ryder pulled the front of Fargo’s shorts down while throwing him into the corner, giving the fans in attendance an eyefull to say the least. Luckily for WWE, the show was taped and there was enough time to edit the match and cut to a camera angle that did not show Fargo’s exposed parts.

NHL

– The Blues are not interested in acquiring Senators F Dany Heatley. St. Louis had sparked up as a possible destination for Heatley, but Blues president John Davidson squashed the rumour. “For us to acquire a contract of that magnitude and give up two or three pieces of value that can rebuild a franchise — I don’t think the Blues should rebuild somebody else’s franchise,” Davidson said. Heatley still wants to be traded, but he’ll probably end up starting the season with the Senators.

TNA

– One TNA source said Lauren “Angel” Willams’ (professionally known as Angelina Love) contract was about to expire and there was internal fear because she had not signed a new deal that she would attempt to negotiate with her former employer, WWE. With that being said, WWE sources believe she will be backstage at this Monday’s RAW taping when it emanates in her native Toronto. However, she won’t be there looking for work, but rather, just to be there.

Regarding Williams’ visa situation, there doesn’t appear to be anything new on that front, although the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer corroborated our story over the weekend saying TNA hastily terminated her contract once they realized the amount of trouble they could possibly face due to employing an llegal immigrant for two years without proper working papers. The Observer also noted that TNA never applied for a working visa for Williams.

Regarding Williams being subject to possible deportation, banned from entering the United States for ten years, and having to pay back any money she garnered by working as an illegal immigrant in the United States, it is very much a possibility if the government “wants to stick it to her,” but it is unlikely to occur.

NFL

– The San Diego County D.A. has begun deliberating whether to charge Chargers LB Shawne Merriman for his alleged role in domestic abuse of girlfriend Tila Tequila. Accused of two felonies, Merriman claims he “in no way caused any harm” to Ms. Tequila. “Paramedics were called and she was examined but no injuries were reported,” a statement from Merriman read. We’re guessing he won’t be charged, but if he is a four-game NFL suspension could be forthcoming.

– ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Broncos have opened talks with Broncos RB Brandon Marshall about a contract extension. The report is a surprise considering Marshall’s spring and summer. It’s probably just a show of good faith from the Broncos after Marshall was a good soldier during his team-imposed suspension. It’s also encouraging for Marshall’s chances of resuming an immediate and major role on offense.