NHL

– The Devils have re-signed F Ilya Kovalchuk. The financial terms of the deal are not yet known, but the Devils reportedly offered Kovalchuk a 7-year/$60M deal this summer. Kovalchuk is the best player available, but his asking price was astronomically high. It is believed he initially wanted a 10-year/$100M contract, but he appears to have settled for far less than that. Kovalchuk has reached the 40-goal milestone in each of his last six seasons.

– The Flyers have traded F Simon Gagne to the Lightning for D Matt Walker and a 4th-round draft pick in 2011. Gagne officially waived his NTC earlier this month. In the 2009-10 season, Gagne had 17 goals and 23 assists in 58 games, missing the other 24 games with a sports hernia. The addition of Gagne gives the Bolts an “electric” top-6 (ha!). He returned in time for the post-season, adding nine goals and three assists in 19 playoff appearances. It’s a great low-risk/high-reward deal because Gagne is a UFA following the 2010-11 season. He’s set to make $5.25M this year.

– The Predators have signed F Jamie Lundmark to a 1-year/$600K deal.

– The Oilers have signed F Ryan O’Marra to a 1-year deal. The 23-year-old played three games with the Oilers, recording one assist.

– The Hurricanes have signed F Riley Nash to a 3-year, entry-level contract. The deal will pay Nash $550K in 2010-11, $600K in 2011-12 and $700K in 2012-13 at the NHL level.

NFL

– WDAM TV in Hattiesburg reports that Vikings’ coach Brad Childress is in Mississippi Monday to visit with QB Brett Favre. Childress arrived in Hattiesburg on Sunday night. When asked his reasons for the trip, Childress replied “You can fill in the blanks.” Childress will likely ask Favre about his surgically-repaired ankle, while reconfirming his plans for 2010. Favre will presumably report to the Vikes’ training camp in mid-to-late August.

NBA

– The Nets have hired former coach Sam Mitchell as their assistant coach.

– The Blazers have hired former Thunder assistant GM Rich Cho as their new GM. Cho is replacing Kevin Pritchard, who was fired just before the draft this summer.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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NBA

– The Cavaliers are scheduled to meet with F LeBron James at 11 a.m. on Saturday, meaning the Bulls will have the last chance to make their pitch. This is an interesting development, as the Cavs appeared to have an edge all along by going last. He could end up in Cleveland, but that could change if LeBron’s people intentionally switched things around to meet with the Bulls last. On a side note, Byron Scott said in his presser today that he wants to employ a running offense and referred to “Showtime,” from his Lakers’ days. And our guess is that will make LeBron happy.

– G Dwyane Wade is scheduled to meet with the Heat in Chicago on Saturday. This could be an interesting meeting after all the time he’s spent with the Bulls, although the Bulls were not able to get a commitment from Wade. He’s reportedly hedging on a return to Miami after they depleted their roster, but could still easily be back in Miami next year.

– F Chris Bosh met for more than two hours each Friday with the Knicks and Bulls, the latest suitors for the busy free agent forward. Bosh showed up at the same hotel where Wade met with the Knicks earlier Friday. In a tweet, Bosh called the Knicks’ presentation during a meeting that lasted 2 hours and 40 minutes “another impressive one.” Late Friday, Bosh spent more than two hours meeting with Bulls executives at the United Center. Chicago also met with Wade—twice—and was scheduled to meet with F LeBron James on Saturday. Henry Thomas, the agent for both Bosh and Wade, said no deals had been reached but that he was encouraged by presentations to his clients.

– F Amare Stoudemire is exected to arrive in New York on Saturday to finalize a 5-year/$99M contract with the Knicks. Amare has a history of injuries and his acquisition is widely seen as a fallback plan after the Knicks reportedly failed to impress LeBron. Stoudemire is expected to finalize the deal on Sunday, though he’ll need to pass a physical and no deal would become official until Thursday. His arrival would almost guarantee that F David Lee won’t be retained by New York.

– G Joe Johnson is “intrigued” by the idea of playing for the Bulls or Knicks, but he would have to accept over $25M less or engineer a sign-and-trade with the Hawks. Atlanta has offered him a lucrative 6-year max deal, but JJ doesn’t seem to be in any rush. He could team up with Amare in New York, or any combination of LeBron, Wade, and Bosh in Chicago. The Hawks have been patient thus far, “but at some piont the team will need an answer so it can pursue a viable replacement,” according to CBSSports.com.

– Nuggets’ F Carmelo Anthony is “strongly considering declining” the Nuggets’ 3-year/$65M contract offer, according to Newsday. If he does decline, the Knicks may try to pry him from Denver with a trade offer. The Nuggets could be forced to trade him to ensure he won’t walk for nothing as a free agent, though at this point it’s all speculation. Stoking the fires is the fact that Melo and his wife were both born in Brooklyn, and they recently listed their Denver-area mansion for sale.

– The Celtics have officially signed G Paul Pierce, although the details are not official. The Boston Herald, which first reported on the deal, says Pierce would get a 4-year/$61M deal with a mutual option for the fourth year.

– The Suns have reportedly signed F Hakim Warrick to a 4-year/$18M contract. Warrick’s arrival in Phoenix officially ends F Amare Stoudemire’s stint with the Suns, as he’s likely to sign with the Knicks.

– Mavericks’ president Donnie Nelson said he made a “significant” contract offer to F Dirk Nowitzki’s adviser during a meeting Friday. Nowitzki could respond as soon as Saturday, when the sides are expected to meet again. The most Nowitzki could re-sign for is a 4-year/$96M deal with a no-trade clause.

– The Bucks have re-signed G John Salmons to a 5-year/$40M deal.

– The Lakers have signed G Steve Blake to a 4-year/$16M deal. This probably ends the Lakers’ discussions about F Mike Miller, although there’s a slim chance he could come over in a sign-and-trade from the Wizards. As it stands, Blake was a top point guard in this free agent class, so not only did the Lakers get him to help replace G Jordan Farmar, they kept another team from signing him.

MLB

– Major league sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com that the Phillies are interested in re-acquiring LHP Cliff Lee. A source tells Rosenthal that Phillies GMr Ruben Amaro Jr. “will not cut off his nose to spite his face” by refusing to consider a trade for Lee. In other words, there’s a chance. Still, the the Phillies view the possibility as “a longshot.” Besides, the team’s most pressing need is to find an infielder who can play either second or third base.

– The Blue Jays have placed RHP Shaun Marcum (right elbow inflammation) on the 15-day DL. Marcum underwent Tommy John surgery in September of 2008, so there’s obviously reason to be concerned here. It’s too bad, as the 28-year-old right-hander has been excellent this season, posting a 3.44 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over his first 17 starts. His control hasn’t been quite as sharp lately, so perhaps he has been dealing with some discomfort over his last few starts. Hopefully the rest will do him well.

– Three sources told the LA Times that Dodgers’ OF Manny Ramirez (strained hamstring) will likely land on the DL. The Dodgers had been making it sound like the injury wasn’t so significant, but with the All-Star break coming up anyway, this is probably the smart move.

NHL

– The Leafs have re-signed F Nikolai Kulemin to a 2-year/$4.7M deal and F John Mitchell to a 1-year/$725K deal.

– The Panthers have signed F Chris Higgins to a 1-year/$1.6M contract. Higgins made $2.25M last season, but he’ll take a sizable pay cut after scoring just eight goals and 17 points in 67 games between the Rangers and Flames. He’ll almost certainly be given a chance to play on one of Florida’s top two lines and he has the potential to score about 50 points next season.

– The Oilers have placed D Sheldon Souray on waivers. The Oilers have been trying to trade Souray, but this move suggests that there weren’t any takers. There’s no question that Souray has the potential to be one of the league’s top offensive defenseman at the start of any given season, but injuries have always held him back. Over the past three seasons, he’s played in just 144 of a possible 246 games. A rumoured destination for Souray is the Blues for 31-year-old, and former Oiler, D Eric Brewer. Souray is making $5.4M per season for two more years, but his no-trade clause expires in July.

– It appears that Flyers’ F Simon Gagne is in play as he has waived his no-trade clause and the Flyers are shopping him around aggressively. The veteran may be dealt for a goalie (to the Kings for G Jonathan Quick) or to another team for a draft pick (to lessen the Flyers’ cap hit by $5.25M). It does not appear that Gagne will be headed to Boston for G Tim Thomas as both players have contracts of $5M or so and Philly wants to reduce its payroll. Stay tuned.

– After this week’s signings and the departure of D Sergei Gonchar, the Penguins still have approximately $2M of cap room. Veteran F Bill Guerin allegedly wants $2M to continue his career with the Penguins and the club seems to have enough funds to satisfy him. That said, GM Ray Shero seems reluctant to max out his clubs’ cap and is hoping that Guerin will play for less in 2010-11. Stay tuned.

– The Dallas Stars remain on budget for the upcoming season. GM Joe Nieuwendyk re-iterated to media that he has enough room to re-sign RFAs James Neal , Nicklas Grossman, Matt Niskanen and Fabian Brunnstrom. The team has done a solid job gathering the pieces they needed in order to remain afloat in the competitive Western Conference. As well, the Stars are thrilled they have the grit and grind players needed to sustain pressure on opponents.

– Look for UFA D Zenon Konopka to sign a contract with the Islanders in the coming days. He was told he was not in Tampa’s plans by Bolts’ new GM Steve Yzerman earlier this week. He should be the same player on the Island as he was in Tampa last season.

– Panthers’ GM Dale Tallon is still looking for a shutdown defenseman. UFAs who are still available that may fit the bill are: Andy Sutton, Aaron Ward and Willie Mitchell (if healthy), to name a few. Stay tuned, as Tallon is always aggressive in pursuing what he thinks his club needs

WWE

– It is being reported that WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon has hereby banned any Ric Flair-style chest chops during matches. Word is that WWE is worried about fans making the “Woooo!” sound whenever the move is done, and the company doesn’t want Flair’s name mentioned or people thinking about him during WWE shows since Flair is currently with TNA.

– As reported earlier, WWE Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat was hospitalized Wednesday night after suffering a brain aneurysm. He is reportedly in stable condition. His son, WWE developmental wrestler Richie Steamboat, recently opened an account on Twitter and has posted numerous messages concerning his father’s health. He wrote yesterday afternoon,

“Please keep my dad in your thoughts & prayers. The issues are worse than expected but he could be worse. God will help him through it!!!” Then added today, “Thanks again everyone for the prayers & msgs. Dad is fine right now. God & you guys have helped us & things will get better as time passes.”

MMA

– Former WWE wrestler Batista created a lot of buzz earlier this month when he announced to TMZ.com that he will be fighting for the Strikeforce MMA promotion and already had his first opponent picked out. The latest is that a deal still has not been reached between Batista and Strikeforce, but Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker confirmed the negotiations and brought up the idea of pitting Batista against fellow former WWE wrestler Bobby Lashley, who is currently under contract with Strikeforce.

When recently asked about facing Bobby Lashley in the cage, Batista said he would do it, but he wants a few fights to build to Lashley. Scott Coker thinks if they can get Lashley vs. Batista on CBS with a good semi-main event then they can do big ratings. Lashley is still recovering from a knee injury that caused his most recent fight to be postponed. Lashley’s recovery is actually behind schedule and he will be out of action a bit longer than initially expected. In training for his MMA debut, Batista has hired a wrestling coach, a boxing coach and a jiu jitsu coach.

NFL

– The Eagles are strongly considering releasing Michael Vick, a source tells the Associated Press. This sounds more realistic than the earlier report that had the Eagles standing behind Vick in the wake of the shooting at his 30th birthday party. Owner Jeffrey Lurie repeatedly said that the Eagles would not be giving Vick a third chance and the quarterback is working under a zero tolerance policy. They are also set to pay Vick $3.75M (they already paid his $1.5M roster bonus) to be a backup, so this could be a way out of that bad contract. If Vick is indeed cut, the Kevin Kolb and LeSean McCoy get a minor fantasy boost because Vick was reportedly slated for some red-zone packages. Vick may also still be facing punishment from the NFL.

TNA

– The “nice surprise” to TNA that Dixie Carter was teasing prior to last month’s TNA’s Slammiversary was supposed to be Paul Heyman, but a deal could not be reached. Tommy Dreamer was ready on standby in case Heyman wasn’t used and wound up appearing on the show. TNA is pushing hard to bring Heyman in by Victory Road. The overall feeling within the company is that Heyman is in fact TNA bound, but no deal has been reached yet. TNA is said to be willing to give Heyman anything he wants. Morale in TNA has been very low in recent weeks and many feel that the company needs a savior to turn things around, with Heyman being looked at as the best chance TNA has to survive.

VoV

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

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

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

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

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

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

NFL

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

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

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

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

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

MLB

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WWE

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

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

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

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

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

NBA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TNA

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

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

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

VoV

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WWE

– According to those close to Batista, it is not 100% certain that he will be leaving WWE, although it is believed that Over the Limit will be his final show. He was said to be furious that a film project initially based around him was taken from him, particularly since it was at the last minute. He is listening to outside offers and it should be noted that there is interest on the part of TNA. The belief is that it’s highly unlikely “The Animal” would jump ship to the competition, though, since they would never be able to offer him anything close to what he’s making in WWE, which is in the neighborhood of several million dollars annually.

– According to the Wrestling Observer, the plan for NXT is for Daniel Bryan to win the show and challenge The Miz for the US title at whatever PPV is up after the show ends. If not, the likely scenario would be Barrett or Slater winning and then going after the tag belts with their pro. They are planning on doing another NXT season after this one ends, although it would be done quicker due to NXT being off Syfy in September.

– Though he’s still listed on the SmackDown roster page on WWE.com, Finlay is no longer listed on the company’s depth chart as an active performer. The reason for this is because he’s not scheduled to wrestle any longer. Vince McMahon decreed removing Finlay from the talent roster because he felt he was too old (52). He will, however, remain with the company as an agent.

NFL

– Ravens’ FS Ed Reed (hip) is currently recovering from offseason surgery. A hip injury cost Reed four games in 2009, though he returned for the regular season finale and two playoff games, recording two interceptions. The surgery indicates that Reed does intend to play this season, despite rumors of his impending retirement. It’s unknown when he’ll be cleared to practice.

– Bengals beat reporter Joe Reedy confirms that the team is currently finalizing a contract with free agent CB Pacman Jones. A deal should be finalized by week’s end. The contract is expected to involve minimum salaries, but include incentives that could boost Pacman’s earnings.

NHL

– Penguins’ F Jordan Staal (foot) skated with his teammates only five days after undergoing surgery to repair a severed tendon in his right foot. Staal skated for about an hour on Wednesday after cutting his foot on the skate of Canadiens’ D P.K. Subban in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series on Friday. Staal was clearly favoring his right foot in practice but said he felt “great” after the session. Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said he was comfortable with how Staal skated but stopped short of saying Staal was a possibility for Game 4 on Thursday night in Montreal. It was the second straight day Staal put on his skates. He skated for about five minutes in a track suit on Tuesday.

– Flyers’ F Simon Gagne (toe) is now able walking without crutches. Gagne had surgery on his big right toe on April 23rd. “I’m able to walk on the foot a little bit, trying to walk normal, and it’s getting better every day. I haven’t started skating yet, but it’s getting close.” Gagne might be able to skate this weekend, but first he needs to undergo another MRI on Friday. Stay tuned.

NBA

– Raptors’ F Chris Bosh has changed his Twitter profile to say that he’s from “everywhere” instead of Toronto, and removed information that listed him as the Raptors’ captain. All signs are pointing to Bosh leaving Toronto this summer, and Raptors fans appear to be coming to terms with it. Bosh has also asked his followers what team he should sign with, making it sound as if he will not be back. He’ll become a UFA in July.

– The NBA All-Defensive first team consists of Kobe Bryant, Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard, Gerald Wallace and LeBron James. Bryant is on the first team for the fifth straight year, with Rondo (1), Wallace (1) and James (2). The second team consists of  Tim Duncan, Dwyane Wade, Thabo Sefolosha, Josh Smith and Anderson Varejao.

– Kentucky coach John Calipari is intrigued by the Bulls’ vacant head coaching job. According to Yahoo! Sports, “a combination of roster talent, tradition and market make Chicago one of the few NBA jobs that could pry Calipari out of Kentucky … [but] the Bulls have been hesitant to pay the $4-5M annual packages it would take to lure high-profile coaches.” Bulls’ GM Gar Forman said on Tuesday that money won’t be an issue and NBA experience isn’t mandatory.

MLB

– Rockies’ RHP Huston Street (shoulder) could begin a minor league rehab assignment as soon as Monday. Street is set to throw in a simulated game this weekend at the Rockies’ spring training complex in Tucson, Florida. If all goes well, he will return to Denver for a checkout then hook up with one of the club’s minor league affiliates. It sounds like he is only about a week or two from returning to the bigs.

– According to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times, Mariners’ OF Milton Bradley asked the Mariners for help with his “issues” in an emotional meeting Wednesday. He got into an altercation Tuesday with a home plate umpire and reportedly left the M’s clubhouse in the sixth inning.

– The Braves have placed RHP Jair Jurrjens (strained left hamstring) on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 30. Jurrjens suffered the injury during a start last Thursday and hadn’t made much progress when the Braves’ medical team checked in on him Tuesday morning. Jurrjens was off to a 0-3 start this season with a 6.38 ERA and 15/11 K/BB ratio.

TNA

– TNA star Mick Foley is calling out WWE superstar Triple H for his “shallow” and “mean” joke about Lilian Garcia’s appearance on RAW two weeks ago. Garcia returned to WWE for one night to guest ring announce when the RAW crew was stranded in Europe. During the opening segment of the show, Triple H had a microphone and went over to her and said, “Even Lillian Garcia. If Lillian wants to come back here for night to the WWE just to horse around, she can do it.” After Triple H’s remarks, Jerry Lawler make a horse sound on commentary. Triple H’s “horsing around” comment reportedly a reference to a backstage joke about Lilian that her face resembles that of a horse.

Foley wrote on his MySpace.com blog that Triple H’s joke was the latest incident in a pattern of cruel on-air behavior from Vince McMahon’s son in law:

“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.”

– As reported earlier, Lisa Marie Varon (a.k.a. Tara) has just over two weeks remaining on her TNA contract as her current deal expires on May 21. In a blog post last week, she indicated leaving the promotion as company officials declined her request for a “modest pay increase.” She also expressed her displeasure with unnamed sources claiming she’s difficult to work with and that she has not given her best effort for the promotion.

“My only response is that TNA made an aggressive effort to re-sign me, among other things saying that they want to build the women’s division around me,” Varon wrote in response to an online report. “And I think wrestling fans see, both on TV and at live events, that I always give 100%. I take pride in that. Smearing me on the way out the door is an act of second rate character.”

For what it’s worth, a second party has indicated Varon being difficult to work with as the Wrestling Globe Newsletter reports receiving a number of stories on the multi-time champion burying her peers behind their backs to management. Among the stories cited are reports of Varon complaining about various female wrestlers on house show tours, refusing to work with certain individuals altogether, and squashing numerous storylines — all of which she denies.

Some time ago, management addressed her issues and told talent to handle their personal problems amongst themselves. It’s been said that company president Dixie Carter wants no part of any backstage turmoil and doesn’t want the office to get caught up in political games. She has made it clear that if the problems continued, the solution would be something talent will not like.

– According to FWOnline, Though the stars of TNA Wrestling are famous and appear on a national television show viewed by millions per week, it does not necessarily translate into huge pay checks for a good portion of the roster. This fact especially rings true with the company’s Knockouts as multiple sources have indicated that majority of its female performers earn between $200-400 per appearance. It’s been said that Daffney, SoCal Val and reigning Women’s Knockout Champion Madison Rayne garner slightly more than $200 per appearance. However, they are not the lowest paid members on the roster as that dubious distinction reportedly belongs to Generation Me — Max and Jeremy — both of whom earn $200 per appearance.

– It was announced yesterday on TNA Today that backstage announcer Christy Hemme is getting married this weekend in Hawaii. Hemme and her fiancee , Charley Patterson, got engaged last December.

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NHL

– Flyers’ F Jeff Carter (foot) will have surgery on Friday and is out indefinitely. Carter sustained the injury in Tuesday’s 4-1 win over New Jersey after a Chris Pronger shot hit him in the foot and went into the net. He finished the game with two goals and one assist and looked as though he was finally returning to form for the Flyers. Carter broke his other foot late in the regular season.

In addition, F Simon Gagne (foot) is expected to miss the next three weeks as he’s set to undergo surgery on Friday to repair his foot after a pair of shots from Devils’ F Ilya Kovalchuk and F Brian Rolston in Game 4 on Tuesday night. Gagne had two assists and a plus-1 rating in four games against the Devils.

– There is no timetable set for the return of Bruins’ F Marc Savard (concussion) to Boston’s lineup. He has been cleared to resume practices with his teammates and has skated for the past three days, but the Bruins are not sure when he will be back. Coach Claude Julien said, “For me to stand here and predict he’s going to be back at this stage would be unrealistic, so we’re just going to go day-by-day with him and if he gets better sooner, great. We’re still working on getting him in shape right now and doing the things we’re told to do with him and that’s where we’re at.” Stay tuned.

– Blackhawks’ D Brian Campbell (fractured clavicle and rib) skated again on Tuesday and feels he is close to returning to the Chicago lineup. Campbell participated in full drills during the session and has not ruled himself out of playing as early as Thursday night for Game 4. “There’s always a possibility, I guess. It has been 5 1/2 weeks since I’ve been out. (I’m) definitely chomping to get back. I haven’t been cleared as of yet to play or else I’d be playing.” Stay tuned.

NFL

– The NFL has suspended Steelers’ QB Ben Roethlisberger six games for violating the league’s Personal Conduct Policy. Commissioner Roger Goodell informed Roethlisberger that he’s subject to “comprehensive behavioral evaluation” over the next few months, with the possibility of the ban being reduced to four games should Big Ben meet the league’s conduct standards. Roethlisberger will definitely not be eligible to play before Week 5.

The Steelers have also begun contacting teams to trade Big Ben for a top-10 pick, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Steelers are reportedly being proactive, and there is at least one team currently in the top ten considering a deal. According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, it is not the Rams. A Roethlisberger trade now looks like a real possibility, with the Steelers perhaps targeting QB Jimmy Clausen at the top of the draft. According to Schefter’s Twitter, the following teams have called about Roethlisberger’s availability: the Rams (contrary to Mort), 49ers, Raiders, Bills, Jaguars, Seahawks and Browns.

– The have re-signed RFA MLB Barrett Ruud to a one-year/$3.268M contract. Ruud was hit with a 1st and 3rd-round tender, so there was never a chance that he would go anywhere. The 27-year-old finished 2009 tied for second in the NFL in tackles (142), adding seven pass breakups, a forced fumble, and an interception.

MLB

– Mariners’ manager Don Wakamatsu announced Wednesday that LHP Cliff Lee (abdominal strain) will make his 2010 debut on April 30 against the Rangers. Lee had his five-game suspension dropped on Tuesday, allowing him to reach his goal of pitching in the month of April. The southpaw went 14-13 last season with a 3.22 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and six complete games.

– Angels’ C Jeff Mathis (fractured right wrist) is expected to miss at least six weeks after X-rays on his right wrist revealed a fracture on Tuesday. Mathis was placed on the 15-day DL before Tuesday’s game. Mathis, 27, was batting .324 to begin the year and appeared to be the new everyday catcher. Now Mike Napoli will get a chance to reclaim the position.

– Nationals’ GM Mike Rizzo hinted Wednesday that RHP Stephen Strasburg will not be rushed through the organization, no matter how well he pitches. “I’ve got a tentative plan in my mind, that I’m not going to share with you guys. But we see that he certainly needs more work down in the minor leagues. We’re going to see him in the big leagues, and when we see him in the big leagues, we hope he’s here for good.” The Nats are going to save millions long-term and leave him in the minors until early June. As they should.

– FOXSports reports that Cubs have expressed interest in free agent RHP Braden Looper. The Cubs are looking to better their bullpen, despite Looper giving up 39 home runs in 194.2 innings last season.

– The Jays’ retro powder blues will soon be extinct again. According to Jays brass,the contract with the supplier (Majestic) calls for six more home dates and with no Flashback Fridays scheduled this season, those dates will be used quickly.

– The Athletics have placed 2B Mark Ellis (strained left hamstring) on the 15-day DL. Ellis originally suffered the injury over a week ago and aggravated it during Tuesday evening’s game against the Yankees. He will leave behind a .323/.382/.387 batting line and three RBI through 31 at-bats and should return to action soon after he’s eligible.

NBA

– According to the Oregonian, Blazers’ F Brandon Roy (knee) has a slim chance of returning during this first round of the playoffs. He supposedly took free throws on Monday and moved around a little bit on the knee without too much pain or swelling. Stay tuned.

– The LA Times reports that the Clippers have apparently cut off payments to former coach Mike Dunleavy, and he has filed for arbitration to get what feels he’s due. Dunleavy has a five-year/$22M contract with the team that ends after next season. He’s owed $1.35M for this past season and $5.4M for next.

– Hornets’ coach Scott Brooks has been named the Coach of the Year. A well-deserved honour for the former NBA point guard, who took a young team from 23 wins in 2008-09 to 50 wins and a playoff berth in 2009-10.

– The Houston Chronicle reports that Rockets’ G Aaron Brooks will be named the Most Improved Player. Brooks led the NBA with 209 three-pointers made this season while averaging 19.6 points per game, an increase of 8.4 points on his scoring average from a year ago.

WWE

– As reported earlier, Triple H has replaced Batista in WWE Studios’ latest film, Killing Karma. Though Batista had been publicly announced for the lead role a few months back, a decision was made to pull him from the movie because he is nearing the end of his current contract and has yet to commit to a new deal. He is said to be furious over the company’s decision. Batista has been telling those close to him that he’s pondering retirement from the wrestling industry in order to focus on acting. He’s made similar statements in the past, however, and would ultimately re-sign with the company. Though, there may be more to it this time as WWE was unable to re-sign him quickly enough to feel comfortable basing a movie project around him.

– WWE.com has announced that JTG and Shad Gaspard, formerly known as Cryme Tyme, will go head-to-head in a Strap Match at Extreme Rules.

TNA

– TNA officials could be on the lookout for a new ring announcer soon as David Penzer is considering leaving the organization. His current deal with TNA expires later this year and he has been telling people that he’s burnt out. The 21-year ring announcing veteran has been with the company since 2005 and solely works television and PPV events. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling between 1995 and 2001.

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Can you feel the FEVER!? It’s that time of year again! The 2010 NHL playoffs begin TODAY! We’ve got a bunch of great matchups this year, and hopefully, we’ll be strapped in for an intense 2.5 months of playoff hockey. Is there anything better?

Below, I’ll take a look at the top matchup for each conference, my pick to win the series and why, as well as picking an X-Factor for each time. It’s usually someone that is either underrated, under-the-radar, undervalued, a keyplauyoff performer, or someone needing to step up. They’re players with the potential to rise up in the postseason and win a series for their team, and maybe even a Stanley Cup.

Eastern Conference

All eyes should be on the Penguins and their attempt to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. The Capitals, however, ran away with the Presidents’ Trophy. So, who gets the nod? Sid the Kid or Alexander the Great?

Washington, with a franchise-record 54 wins and 121 points, finished head-and-shoulders above of the East’s next closest pursuer, the Devils, at 103 points.

But, as critics would ask all season long, are they that good? The Caps were one of only four teams in the East to eclipse 100 points. All but one of the West’s eight qualifiers crested the century mark. The Caps are also playing in a brutal Southeast Division, so wins are much easier to come by. The Southeast was the only division that has one playoff team.

There’s no denying that the Caps are the East’s most potent offensive team, having scored nearly 100 more goals than the second-place Devils (318-222), but everyone knows that offence alone will not win you a Stanley Cup. Pittsburgh’s ability to play shutdown hockey was consistently overlooked last season, and that’s the reason why they were able to oust the Red Wings in the Cup Final on their second time around.

The Capitals made good use of the NHL trade deadline to add third- and fourth-line role players who bring playoff savvy and experience into the dressing room and onto the ice. The additions of F Eric Belanger, F Jason Chimera and F Scott Walker will pay dividends, even though it may not show on the scoresheet. Those could be the kind of pieces that make the difference in winning a deciding game this season, as opposed to getting blown out at home against Pittsburgh in Game 7 of the second round last year.

(1) Washington Capitals vs. (8) Montreal Canadiens

Game 1 @ WAS, Thu, Apr 15 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 2 @ WAS, Sat, Apr 17 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 3 @ MON, Mon, Apr 19 7:00pm EDT, TV: TSN
Game 4 @ MON, Wed, Apr 21 7:00pm EDT, TV: TSN
Game 5 @ WAS, Fri, Apr 23 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 6 @ MON, Mon, Apr 26 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 7 @ WAS, Wed, Apr 28, TBS, TV: TSN

The regular-season series was tied, with the teams splitting four games and each winning once at home and once on the road. Three of the four games were decided by a single goal (the other by two), with one by a shootout and another in overtime. Usually, any series involving Montreal would mean the pressure would be on the Habs, who have won a record 24 Stanley Cups, but this year, that’s not happening – The pre-series pressure is squarely on F Alex Ovechkin and the Caps, who haven’t played a meaningful game since last year’s playoffs.

Montreal just barely hung on to make the postseason, while the Capitals are still a finely-tuned machine even when they’re running at less than full capacity. This series will come down to one wild card – goaltending, as both sides have been mediocre at best. The Caps goaltending has been questioned all season long, while G Jaroslav Halak the ability to steal games. And what about G Carey Price? If Halak sutters, can Price do anything to get his trade value back up? Both Halak and G Jose Theodore are in their contract years and playing for their salary next season, so you can expect both to stand on their head in this matchup. Thedore making his return to Montreal will be something fun to watch. You know he’ll be trying extra hard to stick it in Habs fans’ faces for the disappointing end to his Canadiens career.

Ovie broke out of his late-season goal-scoring slump, which is bad news for the Habs. Montreal will have to try and find a way to slow down Washington’s high-powered attack. But because Montreal is so soft in their style of play, it’s hard to see them doing anything against such a potent offence. They lack offensive punch, they’re slow on defence, and they don’t play a physical game. The Caps offensive dominance will be too much for the Habs to handle, but they’ll still come away with a game or two.

X-Factors: Canadiens’ F Travis Moen and Capitals’ G Jose Theodore. For a team that’s going to need physical play and someone to do the dirty work, not to mentioned being undersized, Moen is key to the Habs’ success. While he only has one goal since December 16, he did score seven playoff goals for the Ducks during their Cup run in 2007. And that’s exactly why Montreal signed the 6’2″, 215 pound forward last summer – for his experience, his grit, his leadership and his size.

Washington’s defence and goaltending are criticized this postseason, and rightfully so. Time and time again, the playoffs have proven the “offence wins games, defence wins championships” phrase right. Washington can score all the goals they want, but if they want to make it deep in the playoffs, they’ll need to learn to keep the puck out of the net and to defend. Last year, Theodore lost Game 1 to the Rangers and never played again. This year, he gets another chance to prove he’s still the same netminder as the one who won the 2002 Hart Trophy. And the fact he goes up against his old team gives him plenty of reason to get back to form.

Pick: Caps in 5

(2) New Jersey Devils vs. (7) Philadelphia Flyers

Game 1 @ NJ, Wed, Apr 14 7:30pm EDT, TV: TSN
Game 2 @ NJ, Fri, Apr 16 7:30pm EDT, TV: TSN
Game 3 @ PHI, Sun, Apr 18 6:00pm EDT, TV: TSN
Game 4 @ PHI, Tue, Apr 20 7:30pm EDT, TV: TSN2
Game 5 @ NJ, Thu, Apr 22 7:00pm EDT, TV: TSN
Game 6 @ PHI, Sun, Apr 25, TBD, TV: TSN
Game 7 @ NJ, Tue, Apr 27 7:30pm EDT, TV: TSN

Philadelphia beat New Jersey in all but one of their six regular-season meetings, so the Flyers at least go into the series as somewhat confident underdogs. Keep a close eye on G Martin Brodeur, who’s recent playoff performances have been sub-par to say the least. He also appeared in 77 of 82 games for the Devils this season, and as usual, Brodeur will be gassed come the second season. The Flyers come in with an odd goalie tandem, set by Brian Boucher and Sebastien Caron, rather than Ray Emery (hip surgery) and Michael Leighton (high ankle sprain, out at least for the first round). Boucher is years removed from his incredible regular-season shutout record with Phoenix, but he is an experienced netminder who plays well under pressure. One thing Boucher will need to watch for is his rebound control.

Philly’s best chance to win is through their style of play – blue collar, physical hockey along the boards. Playing into Jersey’s system won’t do them any good. D Chris Pronger and D Kimmo Timonen will have to set the tone on the blueline, while F Mike Richards, F Simon Gagne, F Danny Briere, F Scott Hartnell and F Jeff Carter will need to produce up front.

While we know what the Devils will do defensively, they’ll need to put the puck in the net. F Zach Parise showed his offensive potential on Team USA, and he’s the first Devil to record back-to-back 80-point seasons. F Ilya Kovalchuk’s playoff psyche is unknown, having only played 4 career postseason games. He’ll need to be the difference maker. The Devils will also need to rectify the powerplay issues that plagued their team towards the end of the season if they want any chance at making a run for the Cup.

On paper, this looks like a blowout. Brodeur vs. Boucher? A structured Devils team vs. an unpredictable Flyers team? All of this means that there’s potential for an upset. Will the Flyers pay the price for not upgrading in net at the Trade Deadline?

X-Factors: Flyers’ F Claude Giroux and Devils’ F David Clarkson. Giroux scored the shootout winner in the final game of the season against the Rangers, which got the Flyers into the playoffs. He’ll need to be that clutch and more in the playoffs. In the ’09 playoffs, Giroux was the Flyers’ best player too, scoring two goals and five points in a six games against the Pens. Carter’s health remains a concern, so expect Giroux to get a lot of ice time.

Clarkson, 26, is the Devils’ version of Bruins’ F Milan Lucic. He hits, fights and plays aggressive, not to mention score. He’s their go-to power forward. He missed nearly half of the 2009-10 season due to injuries, but when healthy, Clarkson has been an impact player, contributing 11 goals and 24 points in 45 games – great numbers for a third-liner on a defensive-structured team.

Pick: Devils in 6

(3) Buffalo Sabres vs. (6) Boston Bruins

Game 1 @ BUF, Thu, Apr 15 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC
Game 2 @ BUF, Sat, Apr 17 1:00pm EDT, TV: NBC, CBC
Game 3 @ BOS, Mon, Apr 19 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 4 @ BOS, Wed, Apr 21 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 5 @ BOS, Wed, Apr 21 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 6 @ BOS, Mon, Apr 26 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC
Game 7 @ BUF, Wed, Apr 28 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC

These two teams have been so surprising this season: who would’ve thought that the B’s would have so much trouble to just make the playoffs, and who thought that the Sabres would dismantle the Northeast? If G Tuukka Rask folds under the pressure, G Tim Thomas has plenty of reason to pick up the slack – he’ll be dueling his fellow Team USA netminder, G Ryan Miller. After a great postseason last year, he lost his starting gig after a terrible first half this year.

This series has the potential to be a great goalie matchup. The Bruins’ total of 206 goals scored is the fewest among the 16 playoff teams.  Miller should be rested for the series. He played in one of the final three games in the regular season, and he will be key to Buffalo’s hopes, along with their great penalty kill that’s been very hot as of late.

The Sabres are getting bitten by the injury bug at the wrong time – currently, the Bruins start the playoffs without No. 1 centre F Marc Savard, and top-six D Dennis Seidenberg, D Mark Stuart and D Andrew Ference – all of whom are great players. The Sabres aren’t fully healthy either, as F Tim Connolly, F Jochen Hecht, F Drew Stafford and F Patrick Kaleta were all out at the end of the regular season with unspecified timetables for return. Rask was 4-1 against the Sabres this season, and I think he steals a first-round victory from Miller. This matchup has the potential for another upset. Even if Boston loses, they’re immediately consoled: they get either F Taylor Hall or F Tyler Seguin at the 2010 Entry Draft, and they have the Leafs’ 1st-rounder in 2011, as another bad season in T.O. could mean another top-5 pick for Boston. Either way, I sense an upset.

X-Factors: Bruins’ F Milan Lucic and Sabres’ F Tomas Vanek. Lucic, 21, is a beast and is the model example of someone who is capable of single-handedly changing a series. He hits, he scores, he fights, and he plays that ‘style’ of playoff hockey – everything needed for postseason success comes naturally to him. Like the rest of the Bruins, however, Lucic has struggled through an injury-plagued season. He broke his finger (14 games) early in the season and suffered a severely twisted ankle (18 games) at mid-season. After an encouraging 17-goal, 42-point effort in 2008-09, Lucic was limited to nine goals and 19 points in 49 games this year, and he hasn’t been the dominating physical presence that had Bruins fans had projected him to be – the next Cam Neely. He does, however, enter the playoffs on a three-game point streak.

Vanek’s skill must come through this postseason. He recorded 27 goals after seasons of 43, 36 and 40, and thus, fall well short of expectations. Rather than competing for the ‘Rocket’ Richard trophy every year, he raises questions about his performance. Can he step up? After missing six games with a groin injury, Vanek returned for the season finale and scored four goals – by the end of the second period – against Washington in a 5-2 Buffalo victory. The Sabres hope he’s clicking at the perfect time.

Pick: Bruins in 7

(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) Ottawa Senators

Game 1 @ PIT, Wed, Apr 14 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 2 @ PIT, Fri, Apr 16 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 3 @ OTT, Sun, Apr 18 6:30pm EDT, TV: CBC, VS.
Game 4 @ OTT, Tue, Apr 20 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC, VS.
Game 5 @ PIT, Thu, Apr 22 7:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 6 @ OTT, Sat, Apr 24 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC, VS.
Game 7 @ PIT, Tue, Apr 27 7:00pm EDT, TV: CBC

The Penguins are starting with the same seed they had last year when they won the Stanley Cup. The Pens have been successful in pacing themselves this season – Pittsburgh went 45-28-9 for 99 points last season and went 47-28-7 for 101 points this season. The Penguins appear to be healthy as they begin their title defense. With F Evgeni Malkin healthy, this team is much more dangerous than they have been of late. The goaltending experience alone should be enough for the Pens to come out on top – but, both teams rank 14th and 16th among playoff teams in goals allowed.

The Senators are missing a huge ingredient to their success. F Alex Kovalev (torn ACL in left knee), the team’s fourth-leading scorer, is out of the playoffs. Kovalev scored 18 goals and contributed 31 assists in 77 games. Regardless of Kovalev’s inconsistency, his offensive talent will be missed this postseason.

Usually, the No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchups are close, but not this year. The Penguins, who are much deeper offensively, more experienced on defense and superior in goal. The Pens move across the street to the Consol Energy Center and the NHL’s newest arena next season, so they’ll be looking to shut down Mellon Arena with a second straight Stanley Cup.

The Senators and Penguins meet in the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. The last time the Sens and Pens met, Ottawa was sent packing after four games. An argument can be made for the Sens getting stronger and the Pens getting weaker. There remains a big talent gap, however, and I don’t expect a very different result. The Pens are my team to beat in the East.

X-Factors: Penguins’ wingers and Senators’ F Matt Cullen. Pittsburgh is deep down the middle, with F Sidney Crosby, F Evgeni Malkin and F Jordan Staal on the draw. But the only Penguin to reach the 20-goal plateau this season was F Bill Guerin. F Chris Kunitz, F Ruslan Fedotenko and F Pascal Dupuis continue to look for permanent spots on lines, and with the acquisition of F Alex Ponikarovsky at the Trade Deadline, they wanted to add some production. But not to the tune of two goals, nine points and a minus-6 rating in 16 games. Poni is in a contract year, and with Malkin as his centre, he’s got a prime opportunity to play big.

Cullen, acquired from the ‘Canes at the Trade Deadline, is a scoring, faceoff-winning bigman. He plays the point on the PP, and his big frame is great along the boards fighting for pucks. Cullen will need to produce in the absence of Kovalev if the Sens want any chance of beating the Pens.

Pick: Penguins in 4

Western Conference

In the West, seven of the eight playoff teams reached 100 points. No one would be surprised if a lower seed were to knock off a higher one in the conference quarterfinals, or any round for that matter. The matchups are just that close.

The Sharks won the West for the second straight season after the Blackhawks failed to earn the extra point at home against the Red Wings on Sunday. The Sharks are once again in the drivers’ seat, and while many are counting them out early, this year, that may be a mistake.

While San Jose has a terrible post-season track record, this year could be different. The Sharks better built for playoff success this season, with the additions of F Dany Heatley, F Manny Malholtra, F Scott Nichol and D Niclas Wallin will do for a positive playoff outlook. In addition, the big-three of Heatley, Marleau and Thornton each won Olympic gold medals in 2010, and with the experience of winning on the grandest stage, it might be just enough to will them deep into the playoffs.

That said, Chicago is the most well-rounded team this post-season, finishing 6-0-1 in their last 7. Coming off a conference finals appearance last spring, Chicago didn’t skip a beat in the regular season. The Blackhawks forced opponents to play their style of game by maintaining puck possession, scored goals and showing that they work together as a cohesive unit, ready for a run at the Stanley Cup.

The rest of the field is up in the air. The Canucks are more than a dark horse. They’re often overlooked in the West, and they easily have what it takes to rise above. Detroit’s chances for a three-peat as conference champion are great with a spectacular 17-3-2 run to end the season.

But the real question is how the newcomers will react. Who could have guessed that the Coyotes, Kings, Predators and Avalanche would all make the top eight? The three youngest teams – the Coyotes, Kings and Avalanche – all started fast and were able to maintain their level of play, holding off the likes of the surprisingly disappointing Flames, Ducks, Stars and Blues.

(1) San Jose Sharks vs. (8) Colorado Avalanche

Game 1 @ SJ, Wed, Apr 14 10:30pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 2 @ SJ, Fri, Apr 16 10:30pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 3 @ COL, Sun, Apr 18 9:30pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 4 @ COL, Tue, Apr 20 10:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 5 @ SJ, Thu, Apr 22 10:30pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 6 @ COL, Sat, Apr 24, TBD, TV: CBC
Game 7 @ SJ, Mon, Apr 26, TBD, TV: CBC

San Jose is healthy as it enters the post-season, vastly different from last spring. While G Evgeni Nabokov has been up and down following his disappointing Olympics, he was strong in his last couple appearances and he, like F Patrick Marleau, wants to atone for last year’s early exit.

Denver is a two-hour flight from San Jose, much easier to deal with in terms of jetlag than journeying to Nashville or Detroit. The Avs shouldn’t be able to handle the size and speed of the Sharks’ forwards, and Colorado is very young and lacks postseason experience at key positions. The Avalanche have to be very proud of simply reaching the playoffs. There’s no pressure on them to perform – the exact opposite of what the Sharks will be facing. But Colorado is truly outclassed in almost all facets of this matchup.

Another early exit for San Jose would spell big changes in the Tank. While Marleau isn’t expected back, an opening round loss would also likely spell the end for several other high profile Sharks. The Avs are playing gutsy, aggressive hockey. That leads to at least one win against the Sharks, but it also leads to mistakes. They’ve have cooled down considerably since their early season dominance and are still too young to hang around with the big boys. The Sharks are 5-1 in their last six conference quarterfinals, then the trouble historically starts. The Sharks are squeezing horseshoes and 40leaf clovers that they didn’t draw the Kings or Red Wings in the Quarters.

X-Factors: Sharks’ F Joe Thornton and Avalanche’ G Craig Anderson. Thornton and company have a long reputation of being playoff chokers, and they get a little kid in the form of the Avs to take it out on. Will this give them any momentum heading into the next round? As for Anderson, he’ll need to do everything possible to stop the biscuit. He’s struggled during the second half of the season, and I don’t see that changing now.

As for the Avs, no other team in the NHL has gotten more mileage out of its rookies. They’ll need a big swig from the fountain of youth to get by. Speaking of youth, F Darcy Tucker, 35, hasn’t been in the postseason since 2004, so you know he’ll be psyched. Plus, five of his 10 goals this season came in Colorado ‘s final 13 games; will it carry over?

Pick: Sharks in 5

(2) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (7) Nashville Predators

Game 1 @ CHI, Fri, Apr 16 8:30pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN2
Game 2 @ CHI, Sun, Apr 18 8:30pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 3 @ NSH, Tue, Apr 20 9:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 4 @ NSH, Thu, Apr 22 8:30pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN2
Game 5 @ CHI, Sat, Apr 24 3:00pm EDT, TV: NBC, TSN
Game 6 @ NSH, Mon, Apr 26, TBD, TV: TSN
Game 7 @ CHI, Wed, Apr 28, TBD, TV: TSN

The Preds will rely on D Shea Weber, D Ryan Suter and D Dan Hamuis to not only stop the ‘Hawks’ balanced attack, but to generate offense in transition. G Pekka Rinne is a young goalie getting his first taste of the big game, and he’ll need to be stellar to give Nashville a shot at making this a competitive series. The big question is in the other net – G Antti Niemi. If he falters, they go to G Cristobal Huet, also unproven in the playoffs. This is a big series for unproven G Antti Niemi, who started only one of six against the Preds this year. Will the decision not to trade for a goalie come back and haunt the Hawks?

The Blackhawks are very deep, an understatement for a team that’s been so finely tuned, even with D Brian Campbell out. He’s expected to remain out until early next month. The Predators are healthy with the exception of D Denis Grebeshkov.

The Predators finally get someone other than Detroit or San Jose in a playoff matchup, but they still won’t win a game on the road and they still won’t advance. The Predators have failed to break through for even a single road win in 10 tries. That has to change if they want to entertain thoughts of a major first-round upset. It’ll be the Predators’ underrated defence against the Blackhawks’ pressure and puck possession. Only once during the six-game regular-season series between them did a game feature more than five goals combined. Nashville is underrated in just about every facet of the game. They’re also very physical, but Chicago’s offensive firepower will be too much to handle.

The Hawks are nearly perfect – offensively and defensively, the team is sound. Despite the huge question marks between the pipes, they are my team to beat in the West.

X-Factors: Blackhawks’ G Antti Niemi and Predators’ G Pekka Rinne.

They’re going with first-year NHLer Niemi over the veteran Huet. Niemi started Chicago ‘s final nine games of the regular season and finished the year with an impressive 26-8-3 record and a 2.25 GAA that was among the top five in the league. The 26-year-old Finnish native, who’s about a month too old to qualify as an NHL rookie, had a six-game win streak snapped when Chicago lost to Detroit in overtime on the final day of the season. The ‘Hawks have a stacked team up front and on the blueline, but their Stanley Cup hopes will hinge on whether Niemi can carry over his regular season success into the spring. As for Rinne, he’ll have to stand on his head. Playoff hockey starts from the net out, and he’ll have to stop every puck his way if the Preds want to stand a chance.

Pick: Blackhawks in 5

(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (6) Los Angeles Kings

Game 1 @ VAN, Thu, Apr 15 10:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 2 @ VAN, Sat, Apr 17 10:00pm EDT , TV: CBC, VS.
Game 3 @ LA, Mon, Apr 19 10:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 4 @ LA, Wed, Apr 21 10:00pm EDT, TV: VS., CBC
Game 5 @ VAN, Fri, Apr 23 10:00pm EDT, TV: CBC
Game 6 @ LA, Sun, Apr 25, TBD, TV: VS., CBC
Game 7 @ VAN, Tue, Apr 27, TBD, TV: CBC

Easily the best series of the Quarters. This matchup has the potential for a long, hard-fought battle – just the way it should be. Both teams should like the easy travel and consistent schedule in this series – simple flights up and down the coast without having to cross any time zones and games set up for every other night.

The major question remains how the Kings’ young talent will adjust to playoff hockey. F Anze Kopitar, D Drew Doughty and G Jonathan Quick are all inexperienced, but with F Ryan Smyth and D Rob Scuderi being playoff vets, they should be able to make the adjustments.

Los Angeles didn’t play as well after the Olympics, but the Kings are still a dangerous opponent because, like the Avs, Preds and Coyotes, they don’t have any expectations or pressure.

The Canucks will be looking to F Daniel and Henrik Sedin, F Ryan Kesler, and of course, G Roberto Luongo to be difference makers. And while the Kings are healthy, the Canucks hope to have several defensemen back in time to start the playoffs. D Sami Salo, D Shane O’Brien and D Aaron Rome all suffered injuries in the final two games of the regular season, but all are expected to be back in time for Game 1. The Canucks, defensively deep, will be tested.

Quick had a great season in L.A.’s net, but he went cold in the final weeks. I think the Kings will adapt quickly to the postseason style of play and force the Canucks to a seventh game. With Luongo’s gold medal win, he’s finally gotten a taste of what a big win feels like. Will it help him in the playoffs?

X-Factors: Kings’ F Justin Williams and Canucks’ F Kyle Wellwood. Williams, 28, is a two-time 30-goal scorer with Carolina in 2005-06 and ’06-07 (seven goals and 18 points in 25 playoff games during Carolina ‘s ’06 Cup championship). Since those days in Carolina, Williams has had a bad run of injuries, including missing 28 games with a broken right leg this season. He returned from that setback on March 12 and was slow to regain his form, collecting just one assist in his first 10 games. Come April, Williams started to pick it up, with two goals and four points in six contests. The Kings are a young team playing in the postseason for the first time since 2002; they need their veterans, like Williams and Smyth, to lead the way.

Wellwood is a head-scratcher. He’s not big, he’s not physical, and is often criticized for disappearing for long stretches. He’s also very skilled near the net, and he proved in last year’s playoffs that he can elevate his play and be a two-way player. After coming to camp in the best shape of his career, the undersized Wellwood had a rough first half, not scoring his first goal of the season until Game 20. He’s woken up and has collected seven goals since the Olympics. Vancouver gets another offensive weapon if Wellwood continues his scoring success.

Pick: Canucks in 7

(4) Phoenix Coyotes vs. (5) Detroit Red Wings

Game 1 @ PHO, Wed, Apr 14 10:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 2 @ PHO, Fri, Apr 16 10:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 3 @ DET, Sun, Apr 18 3:00pm EDT, TV: NBC, TSN
Game 4 @ DET, Tue, Apr 20 6:30pm EDT, TV: TSN, FSAZ
Game 5 @ PHO, Fri, Apr 23 10:00pm EDT, TV: VS., TSN
Game 6 @ DET, Sat, Apr 24 2:00pm EDT
Game 7 @ PHO, Tue, Apr 27, TBD, TV: TSN, FSAZ

The Coyotes are in their first playoff appearance since 2002, but how much do the Wings have left after a wicked run to fifth in the West coming off of back-to-back Stanley Cup Final showings? Phoenix management look like geniuses after adding F Lee Stempniak, F Wojtek Wolski, D Derek Morris and D Mathieu Schneider. Coach Dave Tippett has turned the ‘Yotes into a feared competitor.

So what does Phoenix’ great season get them? A date with Detroit, who has been to back-to-back Cup finals, winning in 2008. The Coyotes have the speed and skill to compete with the Wings. The Wings are still recovering from injuries, and haven’t had much time to gel – their late-season streak was the team that they expected to have on opening night. Who knows what spot they’d be in had they been healthy all season.

I think it’ll come down to goaltending, although I’m not sold on rookie G Jimmy Howard, despite the solid numbers. If he falters, how short is the leash before G Chris Osgood comes in? Coach Mike Babcock only hoped he could get his injured troops back on the ice to make a run at it, and that has happened since the start of the calendar year. Detroit’s top players came through as they have so many times, and Howard finally lived up to the expectations of management. At the other end, the Vezina Trophy favourite G Ilya Bryzgalov gives his teammates plenty of confidence going into this best-of-seven series.

If Howard remains stabilized, the Wings take it in 6. Phoenix wins two at home. Detroit’s depth and experience prevails against Phoenix’ youth. Detroit is too experienced, too healthy and too hot. They closed with a 17-3-2 run and put the fear in everyone’s head that the Red Wings were the one lower-seeded team to try and avoid in the first round.

X-Factors: Coyotes’ F Lee Stempniak and Red Wings’ G Jimmy Howard. 14 goals in 18 games after being moved from Toronto, Stempniak has found his niche as a go-to scorer on a team that was desperate for offense. Only four full-time Phoenix players scored more than Stempniak’s 14 goals as a Coyote.

Like their Original Six opponent in the Central Division, Chicago, the Wings are riding a 26-year-old goalie into the postseason. Howard, unlike Niemi, is eligible for the Calder Trophy and figures to be one of the three finalists. He was in the minors for a long time before finally getting his chance this season. After a slow start in October, he stepped into in when Osgood fell apart and hasn’t looked back since. The fact remains, though, that Osgood was a stellar performer for the Wings in the past two postseasons as Detroit advanced to back-to-back Cup finals, winning in 2008. It’s a lot to ask of Howard to deliver the same calibre of play in his first postseason appearance, but thus far, he’s shown the ability to succeed under Red Wings franchise pressure, as well as against difficult Western Conference opponents. This year, Hockeytown’s playoff expectations remain the same – anything less than the Cup is considered a disappointment.

Pick: Red Wings 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
- FB Group
- FB Fan ap

NHL

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

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

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

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

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

NBA

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

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

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

MLB

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

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

TNA

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

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

UFC

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WWE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NFL

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

VoV

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MLB

– Fox is reporting that the Braves are very close to signing RHP Tim Hudson to a three-year/$9M extension. Hudson could have made more than that in free agency, but apparently would like to stay in Atlanta so much that he’s willing to take a discount. The deal is supposedly going to get done before week’s end. He spent most of 2009 recovering from Tommy John surgery and going 2-1 with a 3.61 ERA. The team is also expected to trade either RHP Javier Vazquez or RHP Derek Lowe for a bat.

NHL

– Penguins F Evgeni Malkin (strained shoulder) is out two-to-three weeks.

– According to the Cherry Hill Courier Post, the Flyers could be interested in F Brendan Shanahan to fill the void left by injured F Simon Gagne.

– The Kings have claimed D Randy Jones off re-entry waivers from the Flyers. Jones was sent to the minors before the start of the season because of salary cap reasons by the Flyers. The Flyers are now responsible for paying half of Jones’ salary.

TNA

– Hulk Hogan’job role in TNA could be more than just appearing on television and the occasional match. Radio personality Bubba The Love Sponge has posted some comments on Twitter.com that stating that Hulk Hogan will have more power than virtually anybody in TNA.

“[Hogan] is the boss. Period. Him and Eric biscoff will run the show. Things are going to get interesting. Vince is going to have a shit fit.”

“The boss boss. No work. He wouldn’t go back to only be the work boss. He is the boss boss. Promise”

When asked by one of his Twitter follows what he meant by Hogan being the “boss”, he clarified by saying, “He is the Booker. Period. Saw it in his contract. Terry and Eric won’t make the same mistakes that they made at wcw.”

WWE

– In an interview with Iconvslcon.com, WWE Hall of Famer Rowdy Roddy Piper says that he’ll be hosting an upcoming edition of WWE Raw. While Piper hosting WWE Raw seems to be an indication that everything is  fine between the two parties, that’s far from the case. Piper says he wasn’t happy with his involvement at WrestleMania 25 this April and wants to close his career on a better note.

“I wasn’t very happy with Wrestlemania XXV. In my mind, I want to put a cap on it as you say, with one more match, an extraordinary performance. Ya know the clock is tickin’, let’s be honest, so sooner rather then later. So, I think if you saw me in Raw that it would be leading into that match. I don’t know what it is yet. But yeah, you are correct.”

Since WrestleMania back in April, Piper has been outspoken against WWE for booking him in a three-on-one handicap match with Ricky Steamboat and Jimmy Snuka against Chris Jericho.

“I wasn’t wild about WrestleMania 25 to put it mildly. There’s not a chance in hell that that’s the last way you’re gonna see me. There will definitely be a return of Roddy Piper…and sooner than later. How many more fights I have in me, I don’t know.”

Piper knows that his days in the ring are virtually over, but he’s got an idea for one more high profile match that he’d like to see take place at WrestleMania 26 next year.

“You got Vince McMahon who’s done a great job of promoting, who became a bodybuilder, and the last I saw him, I think he’s convinced himself he could fight now. I say this…why don’t you just put Roddy Piper and Vince McMahon in the ring.”

NBA

– According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the Wolves could be looking to deal the rights to G Ricky Rubio before next year’s draft. It isn’t expected that the team would get much in return on such a deal since most teams that have any interest in Rubio don’t want to get involved in any long-term contract negotiations before the free-agent signing period starts next summer.

VoV

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

TNA

– According to the PWInsider, TNA sources have indicated there have been at least preliminary discussions between the company and the legendary Ric Flair as part of the same deal that brought Hulk Hogan and Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment into the company.

– As expected, Booker T is through with TNA. His profile was removed the roster section of the company website over the weekend. It’s interesting to note, though, that his wife Sharmell’s profile still remains on the website.

NHL

– According to the Ottawa Sun, the Panthers are still being offered deals for F Nathan Horton. GM Randy Sexton continues to refute these rumours, but a deal is likely by, at the latest, the trade deadline. Horton has $4M left on his contract, which has apparently been the roadblock in any potential deal. Horton has told the team that he prefers to play in a hockey-dominate market, meaning just about anywhere outside of Florida.

– Flyers F Simon Gagne has two small hernias in his right groin that may require surgery to repair. The problem was discovered in an ultra-sound that was taken on Monday. Gagne will have a discussion with the Flyers’ medical staff on Wednesday to plan out a course of action. Stay tuned.

MLB

– Angels OF Gary Matthews Jr. indicated Tuesday that he expects to begin the 2010 season with a team other than the Angels. Matthews is in the midst of a five-year/$50M deal, so it will be tough for the Halos to move him. He hit .248/.325/.383 in the 2009 regular season with just four homers in 316 at-bats. But, he’s now gone public with his desire to leave Anaheim and GM Tony Reagins is likely to shop around for trade partners. Matthews said, “I don’t expect to be back; it’s time to move on. I’m ready to play for an organization that wants me to play every day. This organization has other plans, and that’s OK.”

– According to the Arizona Republic, the D’Backs could be shopping OF Eric Byrnes this offseason. Byrnes has one-year/$11M left on his deal. “I would prefer to be here. But if they don’t see me in a role that’s going to contribute, then it’s not a great situation for either of us.” He’s got a no-trade clause so he has control over where he ends up. Byrnes noted that he would be disappointed to end the relationship and that he regrets trying play through a hamstring injury last year.

– The Dallas Morning News is reporting that former Rangers OF Rusty Greer is the lead candidate to take over as the team’s hitting coach.

NBA

– According to ESPN, negotiations are still underway regarding a contract extension between the Celtics and G Rajon Rondo. If Rondo doesn’t sign by October 31, he will be a restricted free agent next summer.

– The Grizzlies are interested in Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, who serves as the special assistant to head coach Phil Jackson with the Lakers. Stay tuned.

– Mavericks G Josh Howard (ankle) is out at least two more weeks.