NBA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NHL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MLB

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NFL

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

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

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

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

WWE

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

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

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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WWE

– Randy Orton suffered a dislocated right shoulder during his match with Edge tonight at Over The Limit. There were a swarm of medics checking him out backstage immediately following the bout.

As Orton was pounding the mat teasing the RKO, he could be seen noticeably wincing in pain. The referee then motioned the “X” signal and both wrestlers went outside the ring. Edge continued the bout by kicking Orton, avoiding working over his upper torso. Edge then tried spearing Orton, but Orton moved out of the way and Edge crashed into the barricade. The bout was ruled a double count-out. Following the ruling, Jerry Lawler speculated that Orton had suffered a shoulder injury, given that Orton has a history of shoulder problems.

Jim Ross wrote following on his Twitter account regarding Orton’s injury:

“Looks like WWE may have lost another huge star as Orton’s got an arm injury which was obvious from watching ppv. Bad deal.”

Orton’s separated shoulder apparently happened during the neck snap while making a comeback against Edge. Orton punching the mat like he does furthered the injury. His injury caused a great deal of panic backstage. There was fear that Orton’s arm was broken, which would keep him out of action for up to two-to-three months.

Commenting on Orton’s injury, TNA star Ken Anderson, formerly known as Mr. Kennedy in WWE, wrote the following on his Twitter account:

“I have one thing to say: Kharma is a M**********R!!

“And it couldn’t have happened… To a NICER GUY!!

Orton reportedly had WWE officials release Anderson after dropping him on his shoulder last year during a match on Raw.

– TNA star Ric Flair recently spoke to Minnesota’s Duluth News Tribune to promote an upcoming TNA live event in the region. Here are some highlights of what the Nature Boy said about:

Retiring At WrestleMania 24: “I don’t know what I thought at the time. Remember that it was WWE that decided to retire Ric Flair. Obviously it was very emotional for myself, Shawn, and my fans. It is not easy to do this for as long as I have and then all of a sudden quit because the company you work for tells you to. I’m not bashing WWE as I have great respect for the group. I believe that the whole set up was beautiful and they did a great job with the hall of fame ceremony and the goodbye on Raw afterward. But I am not ready to sit at home and build a garden. I feel great, I work hard, and I am ready to keep going.”

Coming Out Of Retirement: “The athlete in question is the only person that truly knows if they are ready to retire. No one else .. The only one that truly will know the right time to stop is myself .. I was provided a unique opportunity and had a blast going to Australia. I feel I have a lot more to offer and that is what I am doing. I love TNA and feel that they have the right tools to be something huge. I am having just as much fun now as I did in the ’80s and that is saying something.”

Shawn Michaels’ Retirement: “I think Shawn definitely wants to be a family man and be home with his wife. I do, however, feel that he will have a return match at a pay per view sometime down the line.”

How Much He Is Like His On-Air Character: “Enough to give my attorney a few sleepless nights.”

– During his match with Rey Mysterio, CM Punk’s head was busted open the hard way by Rey Mysterio’s knee brace – not the ringside barrier, as reported elsewhere. Punk received 13 staples in his head to close the wound. After getting most of his head shaved in the ring by Rey Mysterio, Punk had the rest of his head shaved backstage and was said to be in good spirits, walking around bald and bloody.

– WWE has issued a press release announcing “The Chaperone,” a new WWE Studios film project set to star Triple H.

NBA

– Last season’s coach of the year, Mike Brown, has been fired as head coach of the Cavaliers. Rest assured that F LeBron James had some say in this matter, as it became clear that Brown was being outcoached in the playoffs. He’s a defensive specialist, but had some issues orchestrating an offense around the skills of LeBron. Who will coach the team next remains anyone’s guess, but you can bet that LeBron will have the final say, unless he tells the Cavs he’s not coming back regardless. The Cavs had a midnight Sunday deadline to fire Brown, or they would have had to pay him next year’s $4.5M salary.

– Suns’ G Steve Nash (broken nose) collided with Derek Fisher’s head in Game 3 and suffered a broken nose on the play. He was seen trying to pop his nose back into place, and X-rays revealed that it was broken. You can bet that it won’t keep him out of Game 4 and Nash had a big night, finishing with 17 points and 15 dimes. He also stayed in the game after suffering the injury.

NFL

– The Saints will lock up unsigned RFA RB Pierre Thomas with a long-term extension before training camp begins, hears SI’s Peter King. There have been multiple reports about a Thomas extension over the last month, making it likely that a deal is close. The PT Cruiser is an explosive playmaker in the screen game and running around the edge. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry last season despite knee, hamstring, and rib injuries. Thomas only got 13.2 touches per game, but that number that stands to rise if he can stay at 100%, particularly with RB Mike Bell out of the picture.

– The Dolphins were reportedly recently contacted about their potential interest in WR Patrick Crayton. It makes sense that the Cowboys would gauge Miami’s interest considering the coaching staff’s history with Crayton, but the Fins were “noncommittal” when asked about the player. Crayton is a slot receiver with some punt return value. The Dolphins have a better, cheaper version of him in Davone Bess.

MLB

– Mariners’ LHP Erik Bedard (shoulder) felt more discomfort in his shoulder when trying to play catch on both Saturday and Sunday, the Tacoma Tribune reports. Bedard will meet again with the Mariners’ team doctor to get his shoulder examined. He’s nowhere near returning.

– The Nationals have placed C Ivan Rodriguez (lower back strain) on the 15-day DL.

VoV

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I can’t believe the Cavs are gone. Totally did not see that coming. Nor did I see the Mavs getting swept by the Spurs. The Spurs and Celtics, two of the oldest teams in the league, have advanced. The real story is the side-story of LeBron James’ contract and where he’s headed. Knicks? Clippers? Bulls? Re-signing with the Cavs? Be prepared for almost daily updates from now until July 1.

I went 2-2 last round, bringing me to 9-3. Here are my conference picks:

Eastern Conference

(2) Orlando Magic vs. (4) Boston Celtics

The Magic come into this series not only undefeated in the playoffs, but well rested. The Celts are coming off an emotional win over the Cavs. The C’s look rejuvenated and reborn this postseason, and Doc Rivers has made some key adjustments that got them by the Cavs. Someone needs to stop Dwight Howard, but the Celtics appear capable of doing so. It’s going right down to the wire. It’s a coinflip, with the Magic edging them out.

Pick: Magic in 7

Western Conference

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Phoenix Suns

The Suns are white hot now, but I think the ride ends here. I’m surprised they’ve made it this far, but the Lakers are too well-rounded, and with a healthy Kobe Bryant, I don’t see the Suns advancing. Andrew Bynum is going to have a tough time adjusting to the Suns run-and-gun offence, but Gasol will make up for it. This is easily the best Suns team that has been assembled since Steve Nash signed with them – they’re finally showing what they’re capable of, but the Lakers are just too strong and too deep. Will be fun to watch, just like the Celts/Magic.

Pick: Lakers in 6

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

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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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NFL

– ESPN’s Ed Werder reports that QB Brett Favre (left ankle) will need surgery to play for the Vikings in 2010. Per Werder’s report, Favre is still conflicted about the decision. The 40-year-old is notorious for his desire to avoid surgery, though he did undergo a procedure on his biceps last year to continue playing. As of yet, the potential recovery time is not known. Favre believes he can win a Super Bowl with this Vikings team, so expect him to opt for surgery.

Favre later clarified the status of his ankle on his personal website Friday, insisting that the injury “is not debilitating.”

“I don’t believe major surgery on the ankle would be required for me to return in 2010. I’ve consulted with Dr. (James) Andrews on the phone, and a relatively minor procedure could be done to improve the dexterity of the ankle, and to relieve the pain.”

Favre didn’t offer any answers as to whether he’ll play this season, but the fact that he went public with this information should be an indication that he intends to play next season.

– WPXI in Pittsburgh reported that Jets’ WR Santonio Holmes had to be escorted off a plane Thursday night at Pittsburgh International Airport. Holmes was not arrested, but he had to be pulled off the plane for what investigators termed being a “disruptive passenger.” Earlier this month he issued an apology with a marijuana symbol still present on his official website.

Allegheny County Police have issued a statement clarifying a report that Santonio Holmes was removed from a plane for being “disruptive” at Pittsburgh International Airport Thursday night. “As previously reported, Santonio Holmes was NOT removed from any airplane (4/29/2010). He was asked to remove his Ipod (at one point), in which he complied. There’s no further information to report.” It sounds like WPXI completely botched the report. The already-suspended Holmes will not be subject to further discipline in any capacity.

– Coach Tom Cable revealed Friday that the Raiders are in discussions about a long-term contract with franchise player DE Richard Seymour. Seymour has yet to sign his “exclusive rights” franchise tender and is not participating in minicamp, so this explains his absence. At age 30 and coming off a nondescript season, Seymour shouldn’t be a serious candidate for a long-term commitment. The Raiders, though, appear to be having a hard time admitting the mistake of giving New England a first-round pick for him last summer.

– Seahawks’ WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (sports hernia) underwent surgery last week. He’s got less than three months to be ready for training camp. Sports hernia injuries are unpredictable and often reappear after they’re “fixed” through surgery. Stay tuned.

– Seahawks’ WR Deion Branch (knee) recently underwent arthroscopic surgery. Though the procedure is characterized as “minor” and Branch should be ready for the season, it’s yet another red flag for the 31-year-old. Branch had a similar surgery done last offseason, presumably to the same knee, and tore his ACL at the end of the 2007 season.

NBA

– Raptors’ F Chris Bosh’s Twitter account asked a couple questions on Friday about where he might play next year.

– Cavaliers’ F LeBron James will be named the NBA MVP on Sunday in Akron and receive the award prior to Game 2 against the Celtics on Monday. LeBron will become the 10th player in league history to win back-to-back MVP’s. James averaged 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists this season. The 25-year-old star joins Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan and Steve Nash as players who have won the award in consecutive years. Russell, Chamberlain and Bird won it three times in a row.

– Mavericks’ F Dirk Nowitzki will soon begin deciding on his player option for next season. Nowitzki is due $21.5M in 2010-11. If he leaves, it wouldn’t be for more money, but for a better chance of winning a championship.

“I have to keep my options open at this point, see what’s going on; got to get over this disappointment for a while. I’ll probably drown my sorrows for a bit, then start thinking about stuff like that in a week or two. As of now, I just want to keep my options open and see what happens.”

Speaking of the Mavs, president Donnie Nelson informed media members on Friday that there’s “nothing coming out of the blue” with regard to coach Rick Carlisle’s job situation. It sounds like he will coach the team again next season. Nelson and owner Mark Cuban don’t think Carlisle’s coaching is the reason they lost, and are set to work on upgrading the roster.

– Pacers’ G T.J. Ford has exercised his $8.5M player option for next season.

– Stephen Curry, Tyreke Evans and Brandon Jennings are joined by Darren Collison and Taj Gibson on the All-Rookie Team. The second team is made up of DeJuan Blair, James Harden, Jonas Jerebko, Jonny Flynn and Marcus Thornton. No surprises really, although this is just another example of how ridiculous it was that Blair fell so far into Round 2 in the draft.

– Tactical Operations has sued Wizards’ G Gilbert Arenas last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court in Santa Monica. The firm claims it obtained five Beretta pistols with silencers for Arenas in 2006 and has more than $70K for storing guns he bought and never picked up.

NHL

– Red Wings’ GM Ken Holland confirmed Friday night that F Jiri Hudler has been granted his release from Dynamo Moscow. “Jiri’s agent (Petr Svoboda) called last month and asked if we would be interested in him if he could get released, and I said we would be. We’re excited about getting a player who we know that is coming into the prime of his career.”

The 26-year-old Czech forward was caught in the middle of one of the many disputes between the NHL and the KHL, Russia’s top hockey league. Hudler agreed to go through salary arbitration with the Red Wings after turning down their five-year/$15M last summer. He then signed a two-year/$10M contract with Dynamo. Hudler will play for the Red Wings on a two-year contract worth $5.75M, a deal awarded to him by an arbitrator. He had 99 points his last two seasons, helping Detroit win the Stanley Cup in 2008 and reach Game 7 of the finals last year.

– The Predators have signed F Wade Belak to a one-year/$575K deal.

MLB

– Braves’ LHP Billy Wagner told Braves manager Bobby Cox that he plans to retire at the end of the season.

“I wanted a chance at 400, and that’s great. If it happens this year, great, if not, then so be it. Just try to make this one of those years to really enjoy and have a good time and maybe win a championship along the way. Plus Bobby, he’s always meant a lot to me, growing up. To play my final year and him being his final year – it was the right timing.”

Wagner, who turns 39 in July, has a 2.57 over his first seven appearances this season, notching one save in two chances. He has 386 career saves.

– OF Jermaine Dye told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times that he thinks he can help the scuffling White Sox offense. “I could. You have to play a certain type of baseball in [U.S. Cellular Field], and small ball is nice, but you need a balance.” The White Sox are currently 9-13 while they rank dead last in the league with a .222 team batting average. Dye, 36, said he would be willing to be a designated hitter, outfielder and first baseman for the club, but that the wouldn’t play for $1.5M.

– The Phillies have placed RHP Ryan Madson (broken toe) on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 29. Madson kicked a metal chair after blowing a save Wednesday, breaking the toe.

– Dodgers’ OF Manny Ramirez (calf) is expected to go out on a minor league rehab assignment by the middle of next week. Assuming Ramirez obliges to a rehab assignment, he’ll most likely join Triple-A Albuquerque for a couple days. This would put him on pace to return from the DL as soon as he’s eligible on May 9.

– Rockies’ RHP Huston Street (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Friday or Saturday. Street already tossed a 20-pitch bullpen session earlier this week, so he’s finally beginning to make progress. The Rockies still hope he can return sometime in May.

– Indians’ RHP Kerry Wood (back) could go out on a minor league rehab assignment early as soon as Sunday. Wood’s recent 40-pitch bullpen session went well enough that he won’t need to throw a simulated game before returning to action. It’s fair to assume he could be back with the Indians by the end of next week.

– Brewers’  prospect C Angel Salome will take an extended leave of absence. Salmome originally left Triple-A Nashville to prepare for the birth of a child, but eventually informed the Brewers that he was “struggling mentally” and was not ready to return to action. Assistant GM Gord Ash said, “He will go to Phoenix on Tuesday to work on getting mentally and physically prepared to play baseball again. He said he’s not mentally prepared to play at this time.” Salome, 23, batted .286/.334/.413 with six homers and 44 RBI with Nashville last season.

– An MRI on D’Backs’ Kris Benson’s injured shoulder revealed no structural damage. The plan is for Benson to resume throwing next week, so he could have a chance of rejoining Arizona’s rotation before the end of May.

– The Athletics have placed C Kurt Suzuki (strained intercostal muscle) on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 24. Suzuki will be eligible to return on May 9 and could be ready then.

– The NY Daily News reports that country star Mindy McCready, RHP Roger Clemens’ former mistress, says that Clemens had trouble in bed. Porn giant Vivid Entertainment is apparently set to release a tape on Monday that has an interview with McCready discussing her affair with Clemens in-depth. She confirms that the two met in 1991 when she was 15 and he was a married pitcher for the Red Sox in his late 20s. McCready goes on to say that Clemens suffered some erectile dysfunction issue when they were together, according to the paper, but was good in bed “when he could get it up.”

TNA

– Effective immediately, TNA has terminated the contract of Todd Clem (a.k.a. Bubba the Love Sponge).

WWE

– WWE has released Tony Atlas.

VoV

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NBA

– The Wizards have officially traded F Caron Butler, F Brendan Haywood and G DeShawn Stevenson to the Mavericks for F Josh Howard, F Drew Gooden, G Quinton Ross, and G James Singleton. The deal should solidify the Mavs as championship contenders while cutting the Wizards’ payroll.

– David Stern said Saturday the NBA is projecting league-wide losses of about $400M this season and has lost hundreds of millions in each previous year of the current CBA.

– Knicks’ G Nate Robinson has won the Dunk Contest and is now a three-time winner. Celtics’ F Paul Pierce won the 3-Point Shootout, while Suns’ G Steve Nash won the Skills Competition, Team Texas won the Shooting Stars competition and the Rookies defeated the Sophomores.

MLB

– Rays’ OF B.J. Upton lost his arbitration hearing and was awarded a $3M salary for 2010. The two sides went over only $300K. Upton batted just .241/.313/.373 with 11 home runs, 55 RBI and 42 stolen bases last season.

– ESPN.com reports that the Tigers will sign OF Johnny Damon to a one-year/$7M deal. The contract would include some deferred money. According to Buster Olney, at least one team which might have extended an offer has no expectation that he would actually take a two-year offer. So, Damon will eventually accept a one-year offer, rather than the two-year for some reason. Hmm…

– Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports that the Marlins don’t have interest in free agents 1B Carlos Delgado or 3B Russell Branyan. Frisaro says that they’ll continue to search for a left-handed bat off their bench, but will search primarily from within the organization.

– The M’s have signed 1B Mark Sweeney.

– The Reds have signed RHP Kip Wells.

– The O’s have signed RHP Jeremy Guthrie to a one-year/$3M deal.

NFL

– Eagles’ RB Brian Westbrook says he’s “100% sure” he won’t retire before this year’s OTAs “unless something crazy happens.” He said, “My goal is to get back out there and play football again. That’s what I’m gonna train this offseason to do.” Westbrook acknowledges that getting “younger and cheaper” is beneficial to the Eagles, and playing for another team is “part of the business.” He’s due $7.25M and would have to take a major paycut to play for Philly.

TNA

– Spike TV Senior Vice President Brian J. Diamond spoke to the Miami Herald about a number of TNA topics. Here are some highlights:

Having Hulk Hogan in TNA: “Hulk Hogan is a name that transcends wrestling into the pop culture. So adding him to the mix was the icing on the cake. Hulk is an amazing guy. He is revered by wrestling fans and people around the world, and it was an incredible acquisition. We are so proud and excited to have him as part of the team.”

January 4: “It was tremendous. Obviously we were going head-to-head with WWE. It was not in our anticipation that we were going to beat them in the ratings, but the fact that we did what we did on that night and basically planted the flag and said, `We’re going to go with this.’ It was a big deal.”

iMPACT! Moving to Mondays Permanently: “It’s something we’re looking at right now. Obviously, the success of Jan. 4 lends itself to that, and after that success, it’s making us take pause and consider that. As to when and how and where, that remains to be seen, but that result on Jan. 4 made us look at it and say, `Maybe we’re onto something.”‘

How Involved Spike TV Is With TNA: “We work very closely with TNA. Ironically, their base of operation for the television production is in Orlando [Universal Studios], and we happen to have a gentleman who works for us – who actually at one time ran the studios where TNA records. So he’s there all the time when TNA taping is going. We’re very actively involved. It’s a collaborative relationship. We work very closely together on how things are going to play out. Having said that, they’re the experts when it comes to wrestling. They know what works and what doesn’t. In combination with our television expertise, it works really well.”

WWE

– The official theme song for WrestleMania 26 is “I Made It” by Kevin Rudolph, Lil Wayne and Birdman, according to the Wrestling Observer. Rudolph’s song “Let It Rock” was also the theme song from the 2009 Royal Rumble.

VoV

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NBA

– The Lakers have made an inquiry into trading for Nets’ G Devin Harris, according to ESPN’s Ric Bucher. This is far from a done deal at this point. There should be a good amount of buzz about this in the next few days.

– The Arizona Republic reports that the Heat and Suns have spoken about a potential deal involving F Amare Stoudemire and F Jermaine O’Neal. O’Neal has an expiring $23M deal. Eight other teams are apparently interested in adding Stoudemire before the February 18 deadline as well. If Stoudemire stays with the Suns, it appears likely that he’ll decide to opt out of his contract and let go of the $17M that he’s guaranteed to make next year if he sticks around.

– The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Rockets and Sixers continue to talk about a deal involving F Tracy McGrady, but the Rockets persist that F Andre Iguodala is part of the return package. T-Mac has an expiring $23M deal, while Iguodala has more than $56M left. The Cavaliers have also contacted the Sixers about A.I.2.

– The A.P. reports that the Wizards are still trying to void G Gilbert Arenas’ contract. Arenas has 4.5 years left on his six-year/$111M contract. Stay tuned.

– The 2010 NBA All-Star rosters have been announced. It will be held February 14 at Cowboys Stadium. This will be the 59th NBA All-Star Game. Here are the rosters:

East Starters – G Allen Iverson (PHI), G Dwyane Wade (MIA), F LeBron James (CLE), F Kevin Garnett (BOS), F Dwight Howard (ORL).

East Reserves – G Joe Johnson (ATL), G Rajon Rondo (BOS), G Derrick Rose (CHI), F Paul Pierce (BOS), F Gerald Wallace (CHA), F Al Horford (ATL) and F Chris Bosh (TOR).

West Starters – G Steve Nash (PHX), G Kobe Bryant (LAL), F Carmelo Anthony (DEN), F Tim Duncan (SA), F Amare Stoudemire (PHX).

West Reserves – G Chris Paul (NO), G Brandon Roy (POR), G Deron Williams (UTA), F Kevin Durant (OKC), F Pau Gasol (LAL), F Dirk Nowitzki (DAL), F Zach Randolph (MEM).

The Rookies will also face the Sophomores during NBA All-Star Weekend. The rosters:

Rookies – F DeJuan Blair (SA), F Omri Casspi (SAC), G Stephan Curry (GSW), G Tyreke Evans (SAC), G Johnny Flynn (MIN), F Taj Gibson (CHI), G James Harden (OKC), G Brandon Jennings (MIL), F Jonas Jerebko (DET).

Sophomores – F Michael Beasley (MIA), F Marc Gasol (MEM), F Danilo Gallinari (NYK), G Eric Gordon (LAC), F Brook Lopez (NJ), F Kevin Love (MIN), G O.J. Mayo (MEM), G Derrick Rose (CHI), G Russell Westbrook (OKC).

The Slam Dunk Contest will also feature the following:

Dunk Contest – G Nate Robinson (NYK) (champion), G Shannon Brown (LAL), F Gerald Wallace (CHA), G DeMar DeRozan (TOR) (Dunk-In), G Eric Gordon (LAC) (Dunk-In).

The 3-Point Shootout, Skills Challenge, Shooting Stars Competitors and H-O-R-S-E Competitors have yet to be announced.

MLB

– Mariners’ head trainer Rick Griffin hinted Thursday that free agent LHP Erik Bedard (shoulder) might not be ready to pitch for another three-to-five months. Bedard underwent exploratory surgery on his left shoulder in August that revealed a torn labrum and inflamed bursa. According to Griffin, he was given a 10-to-12 month recovery timeline and it has only been seven. In other words, he might be ready by late April, but chances are he’ll be out until May. He’s drawn little interest on the open market this winter.

– Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports reports that free agent SS Orlando Cabrera is “choosing between offers” from the Rockies and Reds. The Reds can offer much more playing time, but the 35-year-old Cabrera may prefer to play for a potential contender like the Rockies. He batted .284/.316/.705 last season with nine home runs and 77 RBI in 708 plate appearances between the Athletics and Twins and earned $4M.

– Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports that the Blue Jays have “talked to” the agent for unsigned OF Johnny Damon. The Jays have a need for a leadoff-type hitter and Damon could potentially fill that role. Of course, they’re probably waiting for his price to drop just like a handful of other clubs. Damon, 36, batted .282/.365/.489 with 24 home runs, 82 RBI and 107 runs scored last year.

Reds’ GM Walt Jocketty shot down the possibility of signing Johnny Damon, reports John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “We called (Boras) about (Xavier) Nady. We asked him about Damon, too. I don’t think it’s going to happen.” Fay adds that he thinks something is brewing, potentially with SS Orlando Cabrera to fill their void at shortstop or OF Jonny Gomes, who was non-tendered by the club in December.

– The Brewers have signed OF Jim Edmonds to a minor league contract. Edmonds, who turns 40 in June, must be added to the major league roster by March 25 or he will be granted his release. He’ll make $850K if he makes the roster, with a chance to make between $2-2.5M with performance incentives. Edmonds hasn’t appeared in the majors since 2008, but still proved pretty valuable, slugging 19 homers with a 937 OPS in 250 at-bats with the Cubs. One of the more underrated players in recent memory, Edmonds is just 18 home runs away from 400. It’s a very nice low-risk acquisition.

– According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, the Rangers, Rockies, Mariners and Reds are among the possible landing spots for free agent IF Melvin Mora. Rosenthal categorizes the Rangers as having “fringe” interest in the veteran. Mora, 37, hit just .260/.321/.358 with eight home runs and 48 RBI last season. He’s clearly not an everyday player anymore and will have to embrace being a complimentary piece in order to extend his career.

– The NY Daily News reports that the Mets are close to re-signing IF Fernando Tatis.

– The Brewers have signed UTIL Joe Inglett.

– The Dodgers have interest in OF Garret Anderson, among others, as a fourth outfielder.

– The Nationals have signed RHP Tyler Walker. He’ll make $650K if he’s in the majors and $120K if he’s in the minors.

NHL

– According to reports, the Kings, Canucks, Bruins, and another unnamed Eastern Conference team are the remaining bidders for Thrashers F Ilya Kovalchuk. He supposedly is asking for a 10-12-year/$100M deal.

WWE

– TMZ.com has released some disturbing new details regarding the Wednesday arrest of WWE superstars Chris Jericho and Gregory Helms. Kentucky police officers say witnesses told them Gregory Helms struck three people, including Jericho, a man named Gary Kelley and a female passenger named Ashley Storer, at a gas station. Helms then allegedly ran from the scene right after the violent incident but returned after where he and Chris Jericho were arrested for public alcohol intoxication. Cops say Helms was not arrested for the assault because the alleged victims have not pressed charges, which in Kentucky if police do not witness the attack.

TMZ is also reporting that WWE star Matt Hardy was also involved in the Wednesday morning incident that led to the arrests of Jericho and Helms, according to law enforcement sources. Witnesses told police that Hardy was in a taxi with Jericho, Helms and several others, when Helms allegedly struck three people (including a female). Hardy allegedly took off on foot with Helms. After they bailed, the cab driver called 911. Helms returned to the scene and was arrested along with Jericho. Police are not pursuing any sort of action against Hardy.

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross posted a blog update on JRsBarBQ.com today regarding Chris Jericho and Gregory Helms being arrested on Wednesday morning for public alcohol intoxication. Ross wrote:

“TMZ making a semi big deal about a situation that Chris Jericho and Gregory Helms found themselves in this week. Both these guys are great people and are credits to the biz and I suggest that this well could be much to do about not much”

Ross thinks we should wait to hear Jericho and Helms’ sides of the story and downplays the significance of the situation.

“No one should rush to judgment about this issue especially since neither individual has addressed there side of this overblown story. This matter definitely deserves a ‘Lighten Up Francis.’ Wrestling needs more hard working, students of the game who are still fans of the biz like Jericho and Helms.”

NFL

– Jets’ QB Mark Sanchez is considering elective surgery on his left knee to fix the patella stabilizing ligament. The surgery would sideline him for two months. Sanchez first injured his left knee at USC in 2008, and it flared up on him at times early in his rookie season. It was his right knee that sustained a sprained PCL late in the season against the Bills. Sanchez is expected to make a decision on the surgery within the next week.

– According to the Denver Post, Broncos’ WR Brandon Marshall is expected to be traded shortly after NFL free agency opens on March 5. The Broncos’ leverage is somewhat damaged after a Week 17 blowout between Marshall and coach Josh McDaniels. Throw in Marshall’s major character concerns, and the team will have trouble getting anywhere close to full value for their RFA. Marshall isn’t talking during this week’s Pro Bowl practices, saying he’s “had enough publicity.”

– Jets’ GM Mike Tannenbaum was noncommittal on RB Thomas Jones’ future Thursday. Tannenbaum said the team “hopes to have him back,” but he also pointed to economic factors that could play into the decision. Jones is due a $2.8M roster bonus in March in addition to a $2.8M salary. The five straight seasons of 290+ carries appeared to finally catch up to him in the playoffs, which likely has the Jets re-thinking their backfield plans for 2010. Jones could be asked to take a paycut befitting his new status as a complementary player.

– Rams’ RB Steven Jackson has been accused of assaulting a former girlfriend who was nine months pregnant at the time. The incident allegedly occurred in March of 2009, with Supriya Harris claiming she was pushed to the ground repeatedly, suffering bleeding wounds in the process. Harris gave birth to her son shortly after the incident, and says she left Jackson after he threatened her again. Jackson, who has a clean record since entering the league in 2004, has not been arrested.

TNA

– Rob Van Dam knows TNA wants a piece of him and said once again the “ridiculous never-ending” WWE schedule will play a factor in which company he decides will wrestle for. Van Dam told Alex Marvez of Scrippsnews:

“I do have some interest right now in what’s going on with the big companies. I know (Hulk) Hogan would like to have me. Eventually, (TNA) may start to wear me down and my ‘no thanks’ will become ‘well, maybe.’ I have some interest, but I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t see myself going back to the full-time, ridiculous never-ending WWE schedule. I couldn’t wait to get away from it before.”

The former WWE and ECW champion says he has been wrestling across the world since leaving the national wrestling but doesn’t have any bookings past this Saturday’s PWG show in Los Angeles. Aside from the brutal WWE schedule, Van Dam still has sour grapes about how WWE handled the “new” ECW:

“WWE destroyed that and made it very symbolic. They wanted everyone to know ECW was dead and this new group happened to be called ECW. That was the last cycle of frustration for me.”

VoV

– Email – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
– Twitter – @VoiceofValeri
– Facebook – facebook.com/thecanadianrage

UFC

– UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar (4-1) will face Shane Carwin (11-0) at UFC 106 on November 21 in Las Vegas. It was originally rumoured that Carwin would fight Cain Velasquez (6-0) at UFC 106 with the winner getting a shot at Lesnar next year. However, Valasquez will now fight an unnamed opponent and there’s talk of him getting a shot at the winner of Lesnar-Carwin. For those unaware, Carwin is almost a mirror image of Brock. Should be a dandy.

MLB

– The Cardinals have signed RHP John Smoltz. Smoltz, 42, is 2-5 with an 8.33 ERA in eight starts for the Red Sox this season. Great add for the playoff run. GM John Mozeliak said Smoltz would likely start Sunday at San Diego, and would probably get at least a few turns in the rotation.

– The Astros have placed SS Miguel Tejada on waivers, but pulled him off when another team made a claim. The Astros did the same thing with former C Ivan Rodriguez, and a similar fate is expected to happen with RHP Jose Valverde. For some reason, owner Drayton McLane and GM Ed Wade continue to state that they are still in it for this year and aren’t building for next year.

– The Mets have released RHP Livan Hernandez. The 34-year-old Hernandez was 7-8 with a 5.47 ERA,  and had allowed 18 earned runs in 14 1-3 innings. He allowed six runs in a 10-1 loss to San Francisco on Monday, and the Mets went 2-10 in his last 12 starts.

Speaking of the Mets, they have placed LHP Billy Wagner on waivers, and according to ESPN, he is apparently ready to waive his no-trade clause. Anybody who takes Wagner will have to shell our about $2.7M for the rest of this season, in addition to a $1M buyout for next year. Wagner will be in tough for a job, though, as he has an $8M option for next season. It’s unlikely anyone will claim him off waivers, so the Mets will probably try and work out a trade. Wagner is coming off Tommy John surgery and hasn’t pitched in the bigs since last September, so his trade value is rock bottom. Still, Wagner doesn’t want to finish his career this way and apparently would like to get up to the 420-save mark or thereabouts. He’s at 385 now.

Still with the Mets, they had placed OF Gary Sheffield on waivers last week, and pulled him later on. It’s now believed that Sheff won’t last the season with the team. If the Mets place him on waivers again, they lose the ability to pull him off or negotiate a trade. Sheffield, 41, says he wants to go somewhere with a strong lineup, but thus far, only the Marlins and Rangers have shown interest.

According to the NY Post, Sheffield asked for a contract extension from the Mets Thursday and was denied, and is now threatening to leave the team and might soon be released outright. Things had been running smoothly in New York until Sheff made a couple of curious comments on Tuesday night in reaction to trade rumors. “Based on what I know now, no, I do not think I will be here. But if I am sent to a team that I don’t want to play for, I would go home.” He was scratched from the lineup Thursday night.

– The Brewers have traded 3B Bill Hall to the Mariners for P Ruben Flores. Hall hit 35 home runs in 2006 and was rewarded with a four-year/$24M contract, but he was hitting only .201 with six homers and 24 RBIs in 76 games when the Brewers designated him for assignment last week.

– The Orioles have claimed RHP Chris Lambert off of waivers from the Tigers. The 26-year-old Lambert was 0-1 with a 14.85 ERA in two relief appearances with the Tigers this season. He was 6-7 with a 3.55 ERA in 21 starts with Triple-A Toledo.

– D’Backs RHP Jon Garland has cleared waivers. Arizona will likely have to part with some cash to make up for the $4M left between his contract and his 2010 buyout, but there’s a chance that a contender in need of pitching depth may decide to take their chances and deal for him. Stay tuned.

– The Reds have placed RHP Johnny Cueto (arm) on the 15-day DL. Cueto is 8-10 with a 4.61 ERA in 24 starts.

– The Dodgers have signed RHP Vicente Padilla.

– The Nationals have named Mike Rizzo as their next GM. Rizzo was acting in an interim role this season following the firing of Jim Bowden.

– The Rangers have placed RHP “Everyday” Eddie Guardado (knee) on the 15-day DL.

– The Mariners have transferred LHP Erik Bedard to the 60-day DL. His season is over.

– The Reds have placed OF Willy Taveras (quad) on the 15-day DL.

– The Dodgers have placed RHP Hiroki Kuroda (head) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to August 16.

– The Royals have released 3B Travis Metcalf.

– The White Sox have placed OF Dewayne Wise (shoulder) on the 15-day DL.

– The Mets have placed SS Alex Cora (thumbs) on the 60-day DL.

– The Astros have placed LHP Mike Hampton (torn rotator cuff) on the 15-day DL.

– The Rangers have placed 2B Esteban German (groin) on the 15-day DL.

NBA

– According to sources, F Amare Stoudemire is playing his last year with the Suns this season. Amare was reportedly very unhappy when Shaq was dealt to Cleveland, and was unhappy with being put on the trade block last February when he was supposedly in talks with the Warriors. He’s putting his odds of staying with the team after next summer at 50/50, though, as he can decline a $17.6M salary for 2010-11 next summer and become a free agent. Stay tuned.

– Bucks F Andrew Bogut still hasn’t participated in contact drills as he continues to recover from a lower back stress fracture that ended his season early last year. Bogut’s main goal is to be ready for training camp, but he’s been working on a limited schedule since July and the fact he hasn’t had contact drills yet is a concern.

– Nets F Yi Jianlian may be allowed to skip the rest of the Stankovic Cup in China and return to New Jersey earlier than expected in order to prepare for the start of the season. Yi has been playing very well for Team China, but the Chinese media is reporting that team officials are considering his request to return to the states early.

– According to the Arizona Republic, Cavaliers F Shaquille O’Neal’s new reality show, “Shaq Vs.” apparently was an idea that Shaq stole directly from Suns G Steve Nash when Shaq was originally traded there in February of 2008. Nash talked to a lawyer and now he’s listed as executive producer on the show.

– Knicks G Nate Robinson was arrested Tuesday after officers pulled him over in the Bronx at about 5:30 p.m. and discovered he had a suspended license. According to the NY Post, the 25-year-old RFA was apparently a complete jerk to the cop who pulled him over for driving with an unfastened seat belt. He turned up the volume pretty loud when the cop walked back from Robinson’s SUV to the police cruiser to check his license and then kept singing the words to the rap song when the officer returned to the window. As soon as he heard he was being arrested, Robinson apparently pulled out the I’m-A-Celebrity-card and tried to sway the officer to let him go. KryptoNate was taken to the 52nd Precinct and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and issued a summons to return to court at a later date.

– The Magic have signed G Jason Williams. Williams, who sat out last year, will back up G Jameer Nelson and probably immediately move in front of G Anthony Johnson on the depth chart.

– G Desmond Mason will not return to the Thunder next season.

– The Grizzlies continue to look into G Jamaal Tinsley, G Flip Murray and G Tarence Kinsey.

WWE

– Unless things change at the last minute, Jeff Hardy’s last day with WWE will take place at either SummerSlam or the following SmackDown! taping. WWE is still trying to get him to stay, though. As a result, it pretty much goes without saying that he will be dropping the World Heavyweight Championship to CM Punk next week. Matt Hardy tweeted the following message to Jeff Hardy yesterday morning: “The time is near for the Hardy Empire to begin.. Starting with the Charismatic Enigma.. 8/25/09″ Hmm…

Also, WWE released the first-ever “WWE Kids Poster Book” special edition on Tuesday, which features individual posters of practically every male star on the roster. One glaring omission is that of Jeff Hardy, who is not featured on the poster. You can see the giant poster here.

– There is a lot of talk within WWE about having DX vs. Legacy in the main event position at SummerSlam, even though it would go against the tradition of ending with a title match. The feeling is that if CM Punk is going to beat Jeff Hardy for the World Title, which there’s a good chance of that, it’s better to end SummerSlam on a happy note. This would also indicate that John Cena isn’t planned to take the WWE Title from Randy Orton but that’s not confirmed.

– As of last week, there was a rumour that WWE was planning a major swerve at SummerSlam that would involve either Triple H or Shawn Michaels turning heel at SummerSlam. WWE is now advertising DX vs. Legacy in a steel cage match for the SmackDown and ECW tapings on September 1 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. This could be a sign that plan was changed or it could be a way to keep a possible heel turn a surprise.

– WWE.com has announced that ECW Champion Christian will defend the gold against #1 contender William Regal at Summerslam this Sunday.

– Former WWE superstar and Hollywood heavyweight Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently spoke to the UK’s The Sun. Some highlights:

His Troubled Teen Years: “I had a very checkered past. I got into trouble a lot and had multiple arrests. For a lot of years I struggled to stay on the right path. I had multiple arrests by the time that I was 17. The last time I was arrested, my parents came down to the police station to get me. My parents were struggling at that time, even to put food on the table. That was a lot of stress at that time and I was adding to it. When they came to the police station I remember their disappointment. For years the disappointment had never bothered me but for some reason this time the disappointment in their eyes moved me. And that was when I realized that I was causing a lot of pain for my parents and I did not want to continue to do that.”

His father’s reaction to ‘The Wrestler’: “He didn’t take it very well. We lived the life that you saw in the movie, The Wrestler. That essentially was my dad. The character that Mickey Rourke played so wonderfully was my dad. So when I graduated from college and had an opportunity to play pro football, naturally it was easy for my father to say he did not want me to wrestle. He had nothing to show from a wrestling career. We lived in a one-bedroom apartment and he did not want that life for me. But instinctively I thought I had something to offer that world of entertainment. It took a little of convincing him but eventually we worked together. But being a parent I now understand where my dad was coming from.”

Getting Into Acting: “Ten years ago I knew that I wanted to be a good actor as I wound down my wrestling career. There is a great amount of acting in wrestling and wrestling is a great form of entertainment. For me that training ground was really invaluable because I did not go to school for acting. I went to school for football and studied criminology. I knew it was going to take time and 10 years went by pretty quickly.”

– Former WWE star Ken “Mr. Kennedy” Anderson’s no-compete clause with WWE is set to expire within the next 2 weeks. He will therefore be able to work for any wrestling promotion that wants to hire him. He now goes under the name Mr. Anderson and TNA is said to have high interest in signing the former WWE star.

– As announced Friday afternoon on WWE.com, Nick “Eugene” Dinsmore was released from his WWE contract. According to several sources, the feeling is that he showed up at last week’s RAW taping looking terribly out of shape and Vince McMahon made the decision right then and there to cut him loose. He had just been hired back about a month ago. McMahon is pretty big on first impressions. For instance, his first impression of Takeshi Morishima following a tryout match a year ago this week killed any possible interest in signing him.

An issue of Power Slam noted the following: “August 19: Still on the warpath, Vince claims two more victims: he basically says Morishima looks like a giant, fat girl and that Laurinaitis was wasting his time by hyping such a s colourless and podgy wrestler. Vince also sagely notes that because fellow Japanese name Kenzo Suzuki tanked in WWE, obviously Morishima was likely to be a failure as well – solely on the basis of their shared ethnicity.”

Reportedly, the creative team wanted to get Eugene on television very quickly, so the fact that he was released after his first appearance adds further credence to the theory given.

– This week’s edition of WWE Monday Night RAW drew a 3.8 rating, which is down from last week‘s 3.9 rating. The first hour did a 3.58, while the second hour finished off with a 3.99.

NHL

– Blackhawks F Patrick Kane, 20, and his cousin James Kane, 21, pleaded not guilty during a brief arraignment before Buffalo judge Thomas Amodeo. The appearance came a day after the two were indicted by a grand jury. The Kanes are facing misdemeanor assault, theft and harassment charges that he and his cousin beat up a cab driver over a fare. The panel dismissed a more serious felony charge of second-degree robbery.

– The Sharks have removed captaincy from F Patrick Marleau. Yeesh, about time.

– The 2-month-old son of Capitals G Jose Theodore has died. The goalie’s sister-in-law made the announcement Thursday during her show on a Montreal-area radio station. Theodore also has a 3-year-old daughter, Romy. My condolences go out to the Theodore family.

– The Hurricanes have signed F Stephane Yelle to a one-year/$550K deal. The 35-year-old had seven goals and 11 assists with Boston, and has won the Stanley Cup twice with the Avalanche.

– The Sabres have signed F Jeff Cowan to a one-year deal. Cowan is an eight-year NHL veteran but spent last season playing for Peoria of the AHL. He previously played two years with Vancouver, where he combined for seven goals and four assists, and 203 penalty minutes in 88 games.

– The Ducks have re-sogned D Brett Festerling to a two-year contract. Festerling played 40 games with Anaheim as a rookie last season, recording five assists and 18 penalty minutes. He also played extensively for the Ducks’ top minor league affiliate in Iowa.

– Mark Messier was not offered the head coaching job with the Oilers last season when Craig MacTavish was fired.

– Stars owner Tom Hicks is not putting the team up for sale. Forbes says the team is worth about $405M, but one suspects somebody could get the team for less than that. Hicks’ HSG has until August of 2010 to satisfy his debts before any kind of movement by creditors could be made to take over the teams. He dug himself a hole, though, when his HSG defaulted on a $10M interest payment at the end of March on $525M in loans.

NFL

– WR Plaxico Burress pleaded guilty to felony weapons charges in a Manhattan court Thursday and received a two-year prison sentence. This could easily end the 32-year-old’s career. NY State still must approve Burress’ plea deal – if it doesn’t, Plax could stand trial for two counts of second-degree criminal weapons possession and one count of second-degree reckless endangerment, and face even more prison time. Plax has probably played his last NFL down.

– The NFP is reporting that Raiders assistant Randy Hanson will turn over medical records, and he’s expected to cooperate with Napa, California police. Police, as well as NFL Security, have been attempting to get Hanson to talk since the story of his fractured jaw emerged earlier this week. It’s believed that he will now cooperate because the Raiders will not allow him to return to his former position. The next step is likely an investigation and a possible felony charge against head coach Tom Cable. Cable has declined to comment.

– The Chiefs have signed WR Ashley Lelie.

TNA

– TNA World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle spoke with WTAO in Pittsburgh. Here’s what he said: “I don’t like confrontation, so I kind of back away from it. This is really hard for me. I spent nine hours in jail and it was the lowest point of my life,” Angle said as he started to break down crying pleading for his reputation. “I was sitting there in a county jail thinking about why I even started dating this girl. I don’t even know when I’m allowed back in my own home. I just hope that the hearing goes okay and I can move back into my home. I just want my life back.”

F1

– YouTube co-founder and CEO Chad Hurley has confirmed his involvement with the new Team US F1. US F1 will be joined on the 2010 starting grid by Manor Grand Prix and Campos Meta 1.

– F1 teams will go back to qualifying on low-fuel for the final session next season. According to FIA , the final 10 cars involved in the Q3 qualifying session will not have to declare their fuel levels due to the fact there will be a ban on refueling next year.

That should bring back the days of a real qualifying shootout in which the fastest car is actually the one on the pole. That was not always the case under the current system as teams were forced to declare their race day fuel levels before Q3, meaning different strategies forced teams to use different fuel levels.

Other changes to the rules will see eight cars knocked out in both Q1 and Q2 to take into account the expected increase to 26 cars next season on the starting grid. The current point system will also be maintained for at least one more season. There have been recommendations to go to an Olympic-styled medal system in which the driver with the most wins would be declared the world champion. Even though the FOTA-based teams have agreed not to use the KERS system next year, the FIA rules have increased the weight of the cars to 620kg to take into account the additional weight of the energy recovery system. Tire warmers, which were also expected to be banned along with refueling, will remain – at least for one more season.

MMA

– Kim Couture, the wife of UFC legend Randy “The Natural” Couture, has responded to Lisa Marie Varon’s (a.k.a. Victoria) comments about a potential MMA bout. “I think that with my name I have a target on me. That’s fine. I don’t imagine that’s going to go away any time soon I’ll fight whoever they put in front of me. If she can make my weight – she seems from the picture a lot taller, a lot bigger than me. But if she can make 135 pounds, if (Strikeforce CEO Scott) Coker wants to put it together then so be it.”

VoV

– Due to circumstances beyond my control, expect updates for the remainder July and August to be thinner than usual. Deal with it. Either way, once the deadline passes, everything will quiet down a fair bit, so you won’t be missing much other than the expected returns of Shawn Michaels (keep reading) and the Undertaker (a few posts down).

MLB

– The return price for Jays RHP Roy Halladay from the Red Sox would be a package including RHP Clay Buchholz, while RHP Casey Kelly and RHP Daniel Bard are off limits. OF Ryan Westmoreland is also not involved.

The Blue Jays have been given the choice of RHP Justin Masterson, RHP Michael Bowden, or 1B Lars Anderson as the second player in the deal, with lesser prospects from the Red Sox system filling out the Boston offer. The Red Sox, from the beginning, have included Buchholz because the Blue Jays had made it clear he would have to be the starting point of any deal. Rumours indicated that the Red Sox were vying for a third team to be involved in order to give Toronto a prospect shortstop, but that no longer appears to be the case.

The Red Sox remain skeptical of closing a deal for Halladay, which is one reason they continue to pursue other avenues, including a potential trade for Indians C Victor Martinez. Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi has told the Red Sox and Yankees that they will have to pay a premium for the Blue Jays to trade Halladay within the division. Ricciardi also had set a soft deadline of Tuesday for trading Halladay, but he will remain available until the non-waiver deadline on July 31.

GM J.P. Ricciardi has reiterated that he has a ”gut” feeling Halladay will not be traded. The Jays are still not prepared to lower their asking price. If that remains their philosophy through the July 31 deadline, it’s doubtful Halladay is dealt. “It doesn’t matter if it’s today or tomorrow or Friday or next week. Nothing is close. Nothing is happening.”

Doc has also notified the Jays that he won’t waive his no-trade clause to go to the Twins. Sorry, Minny. From the Rangers, the Jays asked for The Blue Jays reportedly asked for a Derek Holland, Justin Smoak and Julio Borbon. AS for the Phillies, talks have hit a standstill, and the Dodgers and Twins are officially out.

– The Red Sox remain interested in Indians C Victor Martinez, but the asking price is still very high. The Sox are still searching for a big bat at corner infield or behind the plate.

– According to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney, the Phillies and Indians are exploring a trade involving Indians LHP Cliff Lee. “The Phillies are intent on getting a frontline starting pitcher, whether they get Roy Halladay or not, and with the Indians’ Cliff Lee seemingly lined up as the clear No. 2 choice for Philadelphia, officials with both teams are doing extensive background work on some minor leaguers.” The Indians are seeking a major league-ready arm, and RHP Kyle Drabek fits the description.

– The NY Post reports that the Rays called the Mets and Rangers about LHP Scott Kazmir. According to the report, the Rays are currently trying to free up money, even dangling 1B Carlos Pena and OF Carl Crawford in an effort to complete a blockbuster deal. 

– According to FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal, there is a 25-50 percent chance the Indians trade ace LHP Cliff Lee. The Phillies, Dodgers, Angels, Rays and Rangers are among the teams pursuing the 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner. Lee is sporting a 3.14 ERA through 22 starts this season and is owed just $8M for 2010.

– The Yankees and Brewers are looking into Mariners LHP Jarrod Washburn.

– The Angels are looking into Indians LHP Cliff Lee. The Angels still want Halladay, but the return price includes SS Erick Aybar, a young player the Angels are unwilling to part with. A deal is unlikely, though, as the Indians want pitching prospects, something the Angels are thin on.

– After recently rescinding their contract offers to 2B Freddy Sanchez and SS Jack Wilson, the Pirates will offer the double-play combo another deal if they are not traded before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. The current offers, however, would apparently need to drastically changed in order for either of the two to remain in Pittsburgh. The agents for the pair supposedly let the Pirates front office that the deals fell significantly short on both the dollar and year fronts.

The Giants were on the verge of closing a deal for Sanchez on Monday, and are still committed to pulling it off, but want to satisfy lingering health concerns. Sanchez was scratched from Monday’s starting lineup with a sore left knee, the second time in four games he’d sat out with soreness. Pirates manager John Russell said the hard playing surface in Arizona may have caused the discomfort. If the Giants are satisfied he’s OK within the next day or two, Sanchez will need only walk down the hallway to join his new club – the Pirates are in San Francisco.

– The Dodgers and Phillies are among the most motivated of the four or five teams interested in Orioles LHP George Sherrill. The Orioles would like a pitcher and third baseman to replace 3B Melvin Mora next season, which would appear to make them a possible match for the Dodgers, who could package 3B Blake DeWitt and LHP Scott Elbert. The Orioles remain a bit wary of Elbert because of past shoulder issues; DeWitt was just optioned to Triple-A for the fifth time this season. The Dodgers will not include LHP Clayton Kershaw in any proposal, but have talked internally about possibly parting with RHP Chad Billingsley.

– The Angels are not looking into Mariners LHP Jarrod Washburn or Rays LHP Scott Kazmir. The Dodgers are also out of the running for Washburn.

– The Padres are still open to dealing RHP Heath Bell, but the price tag will be very high.

– The Cardinals are shopping for relievers.

– The Tigers are not interested in Nationals OF Adam Dunn.

– The Red Sox have traded OF Mark Kotsay and cash to the White Sox for OF Brian Anderson.

– The Giants have acquired 1B Ryan Garko from the Indians for LHP Scott Barnes.

– The Angels are shopping for relievers.

NHL

– The Leafs have acquired F Wayne Primeau and a second-round draft pick in 2011 from the Flames for D Anton Stralman, F Colin Stuart and a 2012 seventh-round pick.

– The Hurricanes have bought out the contract of D Frank Kaberle. Kabs would have made $2.2M, but will now make almost $1.5M over the next two seasons.

– The Red Wings have signed D Andy Delmore to a one-year deal.

– Former NHL stars F Tony Amonte, G Tom Barrasso, F John LeClair and the 1998 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey team will be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. The 2009 Hall of Fame class announced Tuesday by USA Hockey also includes the late Frank Zamboni, inventor of the storied ice resurfacing machine.

– F Brendan Shanahan will be playing in his 22nd NHL season in 2009-10. Where he ends up, however, is currently anyone’s guess. When asked if Shanahan and the Devils were getting close on a new deal, his agent, Rick Curran, replied, “I have nothing to report at this time. I’m encouraged to the extent that I know Brendan will be playing this year. That’s all I’m prepared to say.” New Jersey GM Lou Lamoriello said he is interested in bringing back the veteran winger at the right price. Stay tuned.

– Thrashers G Kari Lehtonen’s back surgery is not expected to keep him on the sidelines for very long. The Atlanta netminder sustained the injury back on October 30 in a game against the New York Rangers and was sidelined for nearly two months. He underwent the procedure last week to repair the damage. GM Don Waddell said, “An injury like that can often be treated and that’s the end of it,” GM Don Waddell said. “. He started working out [this off-season] and complained of soreness. We got together and talked to him and decided to have surgery.” Lehtonen is projected to take the next couple of weeks off to rest and then begin rehabilitation. He could be all systems go in four weeks time.

NBA

– In a swapping of 26-year-old centres, the Bobcats have dealt F Emeka Okafor to the Hornets for F Tyson Chandler.

– F Lamar Odom will reportedly make a decision between the Heat and Lakers in the next few days.

– The Mavericks have signed F Tim Thomas.

NFL

– NFL Network’s Scott Hanson reports that free agent QB Brett Favre “will continue to throw and work out” despite telling Vikings coach Brad Childress Tuesday that he wanted to stay retired. Hanson reports that Favre said he’s still not totally sure about whether he’ll stay retired or try to play, even after “confirming” he’d re-re-retire to Childress and in an interview with ESPN. It wouldn’t shock anyone one bit if Favre “gets the itch” again and tries to come back late in training camp or even after the regular season kicks off.

– The LA Times reports that free agent QB Michael Vick signing with the Jaguars “is looking more and more real.” Another report had Vick specifically eying the 49ers and Redskins, but both of those teams have denied interest. Jacksonville has made sense all along. At the least, Vick could be an upgrade over QB David Garrard’s current backup, 37-year-old journeyman Todd Bouman.

– WR Drew Bennett has retired from football three days after he signed with the Ravens. An old knee injury was the culprit. Bennett is just 31, but didn’t play in 2008 after breaking his foot for the Rams in Week 1. In 2004, Bennett recorded an 80-catch, 1247-yard, 11-TD season, but faded slowly thereafter. The former UCLA QB and undrafted free agent finishes with 4,412 career yards.

WWE

– After months of bitter accusations and media hoopla, the divorce of Hulk Hogan and Linda Bollea has been finalized. The terms of the divorce settlement have not made public. While the divorce proceedings did get nasty at times, things were much more civil today in the Clearwater, Florida courtroom. After the brief hearing, each said they wanted to move on with their lives.

Linda said, “The war is over. I still love him. He’s the father of my children.” She acknowledged that the very public divorce was embarrassing, admitting, “It just got out of control.” Hogan echoed her sentiments, saying it was time for him, Bollea and their children to start acting like a family again. “When you’re married to someone for 23 years … you hope for the best …. We just got torn apart.”

Hulk added, “I’m a free man.”

– According to PWInsider.com, former WWE Divas champion Maryse is in Birmingham, Alabama right now and will be examined by Dr. James Andrews tomorrow. Maryse is set to undergo knee surgery to repair some ongoing issues. In December of 2008, Maryse suffered a dislocated kneecap in a house show match where she was dropped badly by one of the Bella Twins. She was able to avoid surgery and return to the ring several weeks later, but has had nagging issues with the knee ever since. Stay tuned for updates.

– Shawn Michaels is listed on the SummerSlam page on WWE.com.

– RAW drew a 4.0 cable rating, up from 3.5. It drew hours of 3.89 and 4.0. Shaquille O’Neal posted the following on Twitter after RAW: “wasn’t lookin, but randy orton has da sexiest white man butt ive seen next 2 steve nash”

NFL

– NFL.com is reporting that people close to QB Brett Favre expect him to decide on his playing status by Friday. Favre’s personal deadline is July 30, but it doesn’t look like he’ll wait that long to make an announcement. Practically everyone assumes he will suit up for the Vikings this season. Favre must be convinced his surgically repaired arm is good to go.

– According to ESPN, QB Michael Vick doesn’t want to play in Canada and “hasn’t entertained any thoughts” of joining the UFL. Vick is concentrating on an NFL return, and ESPN reports that commissioner Roger Goodell has received positive reports “from people he trusts.” Vick will likely request reinstatement within the next 24-to-48 hours.

NBA

– Suns G Steve Nash has notified the team over the weekend that he is accepting a two-year/$22M extension. This deal is on top of the $13.1M the 35-year-old will make this season. Nash’s numbers were down last season, but that had at least something to do with F Shaquille O’Neal’s presence and a change in offensive philosophy. His minutes will be limited in order to save him for the postseason – assuming the Suns make it this year.

– The Clippers have traded G Quentin Richardson to the Wolves for G Sebastian Telfair, F Mark Madsen and F Craig Smith. Telfair will backup G Baron Davis, Smith will backup rookie F Blake Griffin, and Madsen will hope for some minutes off the bench. Q-Rich has been dealt three times this summer, and it remains to be seen where (and if) he will settle down in Minny.

MLB

– As reported here earlier, FOXSports.com has confirmed that multiple teams have shown interest in O’s LHP George Sherrill. The Cubs, Marlins, Dodgers, Brewers and Angels are among the clubs that have shown a good amount of interest.

– Phillies RHP Pedro Martinez is scheduled to throw a simulated game against Phillies minor leaguers on Tuesday. Martinez said that from that point on, he will begin his normal pitching routine of throwing in a game every five days. It sounds like Pedro will make his first rehab start as soon as Sunday.

– Astros OF Darin Erstad could be headed for the DL with lingering tightness and discomfort in his strained left hamstring. Erstad was limited to pinch-hitting duties before the All-Star break due to the same injury, and thus far, it hasn’t improved much. Erstad may give it another try Monday or Tuesday before a final decision is made.

– The White Sox have activated OF Carlos Quentin from the 15-day DL. Quentin last played on May 25, when he tore a tendon in his left foot. He is in Chicago’s starting lineup on Monday, batting sixth and playing left field. Quentin hit .229/.325/.458 in 151 plate appearances earlier this year prior to hitting the shelf, but he is coming off a breakthrough .288/.394/.571 2008 campaign.

– The Dodgers have activated RHP Jason Schmidt from the 60-day DL. Schmidt’s return to the rotation comes tonight against the Reds. Schmidt hasn’t pitched in a major league game since 2007 while dealing with shoulder problems.

– The Rangers have placed RHP Frank Francisco (pneumonia) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 11. This is the third time this year that Francisco has needed to spend time on the DL. Francisco hasn’t pitched since July 10, so he will be eligible to return on Sunday.

– The Mets placed RHP Fernando Nieve (right quad) on the 15-day DL. A shame for Nieve, as he was 3-3 with a 2.95 ERA in 36 2/3 innings over seven starts and one relief appearance. Nieve fell to the ground on Sunday after trying to leg out an infield single and was carted off the field. No word yet on how long he will be out.

TNA

– According to ProWrestling.net, Jeff Jarrett was not at last night’s PPV in Orlando with employees being informed that he is taking some personal time away. In an update on the situation, word from the locker room is that Jarrett has been removed from television indefinitely.

It should be noted that Kurt Angle was grumbling about Jarrett to friends over the weekend, and openly said he had been pulled from television. Angle made it clear to people he’s unhappy with Jarrett, with many feeling he’s making a power play for creative control of the company.

Jarrett celebrated his 42nd birthday last Tuesday with his allies telling people that he was simply on vacation when he wasn’t in the office late last week. However, all indications point to Jarrett taking an indefinite leave of absence from the company.

The timing of the situation is interesting because it occurred immediately after a caller who claimed to be an employee of TNA stated on Bubba The Love Sponge’s satellite show last week that Karen Angle is living with Jarrett at his residence in Nashville.

TNA front office employees were told during a company meeting late last week that he is taking some “personal time off.” Jarrett was previously scheduled to at least be involved in some pre-taped backstage segments at last night’s show. He was also going to continue building a program with Eric Young at this week’s Impact tapings.

As a result of his absence, the creative team and several producers ran things backstage last night at Victory Road. It’s interesting to note that Jarrett’s sudden absence coincidentally occurs after an incident on Bubba the Love Sponge’s radio show last week where an “anonymous TNA employee” had their voice distorted and claimed on-air that Jarrett was now involved in a relationship with the ex-wife of Kurt Angle, Karen. The person claimed the two were living together at Jarrett’s residence.

A rumoured relationship between Jarrett and Karen Angle has been bouncing around for several months, so the caller was simply repeating the oft-cited rumour. However, giving the timing of Jarrett deciding to take some personal time off, it does seem rather peculiar. TNA’s public relations official Steve Godfrey declined to comment on the situation this morning when contacted. He said he could not “comment on personnel issues at this time.”

Jarrett’s sudden absence was a large topic of discussion among wrestlers and employees at last night’s pay-per-view. This may have been the first PPV in the company’s seven-year history which he was not running and/or backstage. There is said to be no timetable on when he will return to his duties.

WWE

– Shelton Benjamin’s recent move to ECW was not done as a demotion, but rather in hopes that he’ll once again emerge as a big fish in a small pond. The PWTorch Newsletter reports that the company feels if he heats up on ECW, they can always move him back to RAW or SmackDown!. Shelton’s reputation for years was that he’s a great athlete but lacks the motivation to live up to WWE’s expectations of him, and this caused his SmackDown! push to be scaled back. The feeling of several sources is that he became complacent once he made some money, but has shed that reputation in recent months.

In another report by the PWTorch Newsletter, they state that WWE officials take into account the number of minority wrestlers they have on each brand. More than one source says that race was something taken into account as part of the recent 15-wrestler trade between brands.

– WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes will be on RAW tonight and will appear on camera with celebrity guest hosts ZZ Top.

Regarding the celebrity guest host angle, WWE sources say it will continue for as long as possible. WWE is very happy so far with the guest host gimmick and feels it freshens up the show. WWE is looking to work with celebrities who have attended live WWE events before or are known to be wrestling fans. Snoop Dogg, Cheryl Crow and William are among the names of celebrity wrestling fans who are being considered for future roles on the show.

– Brooke Hogan’s new music album “The Redemption” goes on sale tomorrow, July 21st. Some of the songs have leaked online and there’s one about her mother Linda titled, “Dear Mom“. In the song, 21-year-old Brooke vents about how they’ve grown apart from each other thanks in part to Linda’s divorce from her father, Hulk Hogan. The song opens with the lyric: “It’s such a shame when someone you were born to love isn’t that person anymore.” Ouch.

NHL

– Sabres F Clarke MacArthur has signed a one-year extension with the team. MacArthur had filed for salary arbitration but managed to settle with the club before his hearing. He tallied 17 goals and 31 points in 71 contests for the Sabres last campaign.