– The Avalanche have announced an agreement in principle with Patrick Roy to become the franchise’s head coach and VP of hockey operations, according to the Denver Post. Due to the Memorial Day weekend, the Avalanche will hold a press conference next week in Denver to formally introduce Roy. Roy, 47, becomes the sixth head coach in Avalanche history and the 14th in franchise history. He takes over the coaching duties from Joe Sacco, who was let go after Colorado finished this season last in the Western Conference with a 16-25 record.

“This is an unbelievable day for me. It’s a new and exciting challenge that I am really looking forward to. I would like to thank Stan and Josh Kroenke for this opportunity as well as Joe Sakic for the trust they are putting in me. Almost 10 years to the day that I announced my retirement as a player I am back in Denver and hope the fans are as excited as I am.”

Roy played in Colorado for eight seasons before retiring in 2003. He won a Stanley Cup with the Avs in 1996 and 2001. After retiring, the 47-year-old bought into the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, becoming vice president of hockey operations and then their head coach in 2005. Roy led the Remparts to a Memorial Cup victory the following season.

Roy has spent the last eight seasons as head coach and GM of the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts, guiding them to a 348-196 record (.640) in 544 regular season games. He also led Quebec to the 2006 Memorial Cup title as the CHL champions. A 2006 NHL Hall of Famer, Roy retired with the most regular season wins in NHL?history (551), ranking second all-time. The four-time Stanley Cup champion (1986, 1993, 1996, 2001) is still the winningest goaltender in Stanley Cup Playoff history with 151 postseason wins. Roy is the only player in league?history to win three Conn Smythe Trophies as the playoff MVP (1986, ’93, 2001). He is the only goaltender in NHL?history to win 200 or more games with two different teams. Roy also won three Vezina Trophies (1989, 1990, 1992) and five William Jennings Trophies (1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 2002). He participated in 11 NHL All-Star Games and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1985-86. Roy’s #33 was retired by the organization on October 28, 2003.

– Redskins’ WR Pierre Garcon (labrum) underwent “minor” surgery in January. Garcon is healthy right now, according to the Washington Times, butisn’t participating in team drills at OTAs as a “precaution.”

– Redskins’ head coach Mike Shanahan said Thursday that WR Pierre Garcon (chest) recently underwent surgery. Shanahan says that Garcon is “working back quickly” and is at about “90%.” He’s also still dealing with the toe injury from last season, and Garcon recently said that he may not be 100% at all in 2013.

NHL

– After it was reported that Rangers’ F Brad Richards would be a healthy scratch for Game 4 against the Bruins tonight, NHL legend Brett Hull took a shot at head coach John Tortorella on Twitter, saying:

Coach T has lost his mind Richards has ability to change a gamesoutcome #90%offlcoachesaredumbthatswhytheyarecoaches

— Brett hull (@2ndBestHull) May 23, 2013

– Following the Penguins’ 7-3 win over the Senators on Wednesday, in which they took a 3-1 series lead, F Daniel Alfredsson told reporters after the game that he didn’t believe his team could win three in a row and win the series.

“Probably not. Their depth and power play right now, it doesn’t look too good (for us).”

Alfredsson tried to clarify his comments Thursday, saying:

“There’s no denying we’re in tough. Was it taken out of context? Probably, but that’s fine. I can handle that.”

“It’s behind us and over and we’re going to Pittsburgh to play.”

Canucks’ G Roberto Luongo chimed in on Twitter. Luongo’s Canucks were swept in four games in the opening round by the Sharks:

In Alfie’s defense I also thought it wouldbe almost impossible to come back in the series against the Sharks after losing game 4……….

—Strombone (@strombone1) May 23, 2013

NBA

– F LeBron James was named to the All-NBA First Team Thursday. Joining him on the first team will be Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Kevin Durant, while the second team will be comprised of Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin, Marc Gasol, Tony Parker and Russell Westbrook. The Third team is James Harden, Dwyane Wade, David Lee, Paul George and Dwight Howard.

MLB

– D’Backs’ OF Adam Eaton (left elbow) had an MRI Wednesday, revealing no structural damage, however, he won’t throw for 2-3 weeks. Eaton suffered a sprained UCL in March, and has been experiencing renewed discomfort. He’ll spend 2-3 weeks doing strength and conditioning work before attempting to resume a throwing program.

– Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman said Thursday that 3B Kevin Youkilis (back) is “maybe a week” away from being activated from the DL. Youk has been out since April 27 with a lumbar spine strain.

– Check out Pirates’ 3B Brandon Inge decked out in full Penguins’ gear:

OHL

– Saskatoon Blades’ D Dalton Thrower has been suspended for the remainder of the MasterCard Memorial Cup for his check to the head of Portland Winterhawks’ F Taylor Leier. Thrower hit Leier as he cut into the Blades’ zone in the first period of Portland’s 4-2 win on Wednesday night. A bloodied Leier lay motionless before being helped off the ice. There was no penalty called on the play.

NASCAR

– NASCAR honoured a pair of its most famous and successful families with inductions into the Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Past champion Dale Jarrett joined father Ned in the hall and master mechanic Maurice “Chief” Petty became the fourth member of one of NASCAR’s most royal families to be selected for enshrinement. Maurice joins older brother, “King” Richard Petty; their father, championship driver Lee Petty; and cousin Dale Inman, Richard’s longtime crew chief in the hall. Tim Flock, a two-time premier series champion, also was selected along with Jack Ingram, who drove to success on what became NASCAR’s Nationwide Series; and Fireball Roberts, the flashy showman from the 1950s who raced to 33 victories before his death in 1964. The group will be inducted into the hall during ceremonies here next January.

WWE

– Today, May 23rd, marks 14 years since the tragic passing of Owen Hart. Owen’s big brother, Bret, tweeted the following message about what life has been like since his passing:

my life has forever changed after losing you Owen, it’s been an incredibly sad and lonesome world without you and it surely can’t be fair ..

— Bret Hart (@BretHart) May 23, 2013

that heaven is echoing in laughter at all the pranks being pulled on the rest of the Angels ….

— Bret Hart (@BretHart) May 23, 2013

… and all of us here on earth are left with justour memories.

— Bret Hart (@BretHart) May 23, 2013

– “Stone Cold” Steve Austin is recording his latest podcast today and will be taking live calls from fans during the show. Austin tweeted the following, telling fans he won’t be commenting on WrestleMania 30, a return to the ring or The Shield:

Headed to studio to do a #steveaustinshow. Will tweet out phone number to studio for you to call in and ask questions.

— Steve Austin (@steveaustinBSR) May 23, 2013

I will not be answering WM30, comeback, or the Shield questions. Focus on current events or advice type questions.

— Steve Austin (@steveaustinBSR) May 23, 2013

– Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will begin filming the big-budgeted comic-book adaptation/war film Hercules: The Thracian Wars next month. The movie, which is being directed by Bret Ratner, is based on the graphic novel by Steve Moore and Cris Bolsin of the same name and is believed to be a similar account of the wars Hercules participated in.

Hyping his role in the film on Twitter, Johnson wrote Wednesday,

“2 weeks away from shooting HERCULES. Intense workouts w/ my strength coach Dave Rienzi (future IFBB Pro). Lets Shoot. #UpperBodyViolence.”

Johnson revealed last month in an interview with Access Hollywood that he is getting lean for the role, stating,

“It is not about getting big as much as it is about having really lean, dense muscle. Because anybody can get just big. You see actors and athletes out there, they just get big but there’s also a difference between getting big and having really defined, deeply grainy muscle. And that only comes, by the way, with muscle maturity.”

– Former WWE Women’s and Cruiserweight Champion Jacqueline is this week’s addition to the Alumni section on WWE.com. The website says of the Dallas, Texas native, “Jacqueline was, perhaps, the toughest woman to ever step foot in the ring. Unafraid to stand up to woman, or man for that matter, in the squared circle, the tenacious Diva had no problem breaking down both opponents and barriers.”

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross tweeted today:

Toured the new, WWE PERFORMANCE CENTER today. It’s due to open in a few weeks but will be a difference maker. Absolutely spectacular!@wwe

— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) May 23, 2013

– Here’s the latest installment of WWE Inbox:

– Kevin Kleinrock (Masked Republic, Wrestling Society X), Sean “X-Pac” Waltman and Konnan are looking to launch a new online lucha libre series, Viva L.A. Lucha. They’ve created a Kickstarter campaign in order to raise $60,000 by July 2nd

– Red Sox’ GM Ben Cherington confirmed Thursday that he hasn’t begun long-term contract extension talks with OF Jacoby Ellsbury. “Because Ellsbury has gone through arbitration the last three years, there’s been an opportunity to talk to [agent Scott Boras] and Jacoby each of those years in the winter before spring training or early in spring training about his status. And each of those years we’ve signed a one-year deal.” Ellsbury, 29, is set to become a free agent after the 2013 season.

NBA

– Lakers’ GM Mitch Kupchak reiterated that head coach Mike D’Antoni “did not come up” in his meeting with impending free agent F Dwight Howard following Howard’s exit interview. ESPN LA reported that Howard specifically complained about D’Antoni. “Criticism of a coach did not come up. Our coach did not come up. I think in general they all felt that there are ways to utilize their talent better going forward. That would include Dwight in that group.” Kupchak added that “players don’t have to like coaches. They just have to play hard.”

NFL

– 49ers’ head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed Thursday that WR Michael Crabtree’s (torn Achilles’ tendon) right Achilles’ tendon was “completely torn” during Tuesday’s OTA practice. Crabtree had surgery Wednesday. Per Harbaugh, the full Achilles’ tear occurred when Crabtree was “coming in motion and just planted and started a route, and it felt like someone kicked him in the Achilles’.” The team hopes to have him back for Week 12.

– Redskins’ QB Robert Griffin III (knee) threw passes at the opening OTAs Thursday. RG3 reportedly dropped back, planted his leg and didn’t have any issues moving or throwing. Less than five months removed from reconstructive surgery, he appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery.

– Steelers’ WR Emmanuel Sanders said he is engaged in contract conversations with the team “right now,” according to CBS Pittsburgh. Sanders is on a 1-year/$2.5M RFA contract that the team matched from the Patriots. Sanders has totaled just 94 catches, 1,290 yards and five touchdowns through three NFL seasons.

– Eagles’ TE/H-back James Casey (right knee) underwent arthroscopic surgery to clean out loose cartilage. Casey, who signed a 3-year/$12M contract in March, will miss the rest of spring workouts, but is expected to be ready for training camp.

NHL

– Jets’ D Zach Bogosian (concussion) missed the last 3 games of the regular season due to the injury, according to the Winnipeg Free Press. Bogosian, 22, sustained “an upper-body injury” when he took to a hit the head from Islanders’ F Kyle Okposo on April 20.

– According to the Winnipeg Free Press, Jets’ D Tobias Enstrom (back) had a back injury at the end of the regular season. He missed the final seven games of the season as a result, but it won’t require off-season surgery.

WWE

– According to F4WOnline, with CM Punk expected to be back with WWE this summer, the writing team is currently working on different storyline plans for his return. One scenario being discussed is for Punk to be paired with Brock Lesnar upon his return, with Heyman and Lesnar eventually turning on him. Punk would then turn babyface, and feud with a heel Lesnar this fall.

– Monday’s WWE RAW from the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada has been billed as “Bret Hart Appreciation Night” – however, it now appears that only fan in Canada will get to see the festivities.

– Updating a previous item, Tammy Sytch (aka Sunny) was released from a Connecticut prison after serving a four-month sentence for repeatedly violating terms of a restraining order filed by her former boyfriend. While in jail, it was determined that Sytch had developed cervical cancer. Sytch contracted HPV before entering prison and discovered during her sentence that it had developed into cervical cancer. However, she is now cancer-free after undergoing a hysterectomy at a hospital a few weeks ago. Addressing the traumatic events via Facebook, she stated,

“I’m free. Free from prison. Free from cancer. Free from my nightmare. I thank God for the lessons he has taught me and the blessings bestowed upon me. I have only good things ahead in my life.”

Sytch, who plans to make a fresh start in New Mexico, says she also used her time in prison to write an autobiography.

“OK , time to go type up my book…. there are 480 handwritten pages to work on! talk to you all through out the night!”

– WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler returns to the ring this weekend for the first time since suffering a heart attack on Monday Night RAW last year. Lawler has been medically cleared to compete, and will be participating in an 8-person inter-gender tag team match at the !BANG! TV Sound Stage in Ocala, Florida. Here are the participants for the match: Jerry “The King” Lawler, Dory Funk Jr., Johnny Magnum and Jessica Power-House Hill vs. Cory “Wild” Weston, Quinton “Drop-Back” Hitchcock, Romero Youngblood and Hollywood Heather

Lawler spoke to Ocala.com said this about his decision to get back in the ring:

“[My doctor] said everything looked great, that I was good to go. I asked if I can go back to doing what I’ve always done, and he said it wouldn’t be a problem, that it actually should be good because it will be cardio work, which is good for me. Anything to get my heart rate up. I asked if taking a body slam would be an issue. He said nothing like that would affect my heart.”

Lawler revealed that he is still dealing with a memory loss issues stemming from the heart attack.

– The WWE Studios film The Marine 3 starring The Miz is selling very well and is on track to be one of the company’s most successful straight-to-DVD projects. Released just a month ago, The Marine 3 has already sold over 153,000 units and has grossed approximately $2.3M. The only other DVD that will do more could possibly be Wrestlemania 29, which is always the highest selling DVD for the company.

– WWE announcer JBL recently did an interview with Wrestling101.com. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

Teaming With Barry Windham In WWE & Vince Russo: “That to me was what I thought was my big break, and it turned out it wasn’t for a lot of reasons. The head of creative at the time Vince Russo didn’t think much of me or Barry I believe, he’s selling comic books or whatever he’s doing right now so that tells you what you need to know about Vince Russo.

I thought that was my big break, I idolised Barry and a still do to this day, he still had a lot of gas left in the tank, and for whatever reason they didn’t want to use him. The tag team never went anywhere but for me it was a big deal.”

His WWE Career Highlights: “Eddie Guerrero, he was the biggest influence on my singles career. I’m not sure the JBL character would be alive if not for Eddie, he really made the career that I had. The Undertaker feud that I had was huge for me, but I got to wrestle every top star during that era, I got to wrestle, Booker T, Dave Batista, John Cena, I really had a fun and incredible run, the run came later in my life so I really had the opportunity to enjoy it.”

“One of the greatest things that I got to do was pass the torch to John Cena, which I absolutely take zero credit for, he would have gone to the top anyway but I was lucky enough to be the guy that passed the torch and I was very honoured to be able to do that.”

– During a recent interview with The National, R-Truth revealed how he got into wrestling:

“I originally wanted to be a rapper and musician. But a guy called Jackie Crockett, who was a senior cameraman for WWE, saw me and convinced me I had a lot more talent than this. He said: ‘You do music, you rap and dance, and you love wrestling. You … have all this athletic ability. I think you’d be a great, great wrestler.’ For once in my life, I actually listened to this guy and the rest is history.”

– In WWE’s latest edition of Outside the Ring, Randy Orton and the cast of 12 Rounds 2 Reloaded reveal twelve facts about the action thriller—set for release on DVD and Blu-Ray on June 4.

– WWE has signed two new bikini models / bodybuilders to developmental contracts: Alexis Kaufman (21) and Christina Vargas (28). Kaufman recently placed 14th at the Arnold Classic and is well known in the bodybuilding and fitness magazine circles.

– The Hangover Part III, which hits theaters beginning today, features a brief scene where one of characters is watching a match pitting John Cena against CM Punk on a television screen. Last summer, a Facebook page was launched in support of the legendary Ric Flair appearing in the flick with nearly 5,000 likes in a matter of days. The campaign was not fruitful as he does not appear in the movie.

– WWE Hall of Famer Drew Carey turns 55-years-old today.

– WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley was recently spoke to RingSideCollectibles.com about his new Mattel WWE Figure, his promo with Ryback on Raw and more:

– Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth spoke about his ties to pro wrestling on a recent episode of his “The Roth Show” Youtube series. In the following video, Roth tells stories about Bruno Sammartino, Sheamus, The Undertaker and more:

– The Canucks have fired head coach Alain Vigneault. Assistant coaches Rick Bowness and Newell Browne will also been let go. GM Mike Gillis cited the Canucks’ lack of playoff success as the primary reason they decided to make a change. Vigneault coached the team for seven seasons, compiling a 313-170-57 regular season record. The 52-year-old won the Jack Adams Award in 2007 and helped guide Vancouver to back-to-back Presidents’ trophies in 2010–11 and 2011–12. Vigneault said in a statement,

“I am proud of many of the things we accomplished as a group these past seven seasons in Vancouver and only wish we were able to win the Canucks’ first Stanley Cup. I am a career coach, and it is what I love to do. I hope to coach again in this league and will always have good memories of my time and the fans in Vancouver.”

Luongo also commented on Vigneault’s firing on Twitter, saying:

Since our 1st year when we arrived together, AV would always tell me that he’d be gone before I would. I guess he was right. Very ironic….

—Strombone (@strombone1) May 22, 2013

After quick playoff exits in consecutive seasons, and a 2-12 record in the team’s last 14 playoff games, there could be massive turnover in Vancouver. Stay tuned.

– The Pirates will wear Penguins’ jerseys on their upcoming road trips to Milwaukee and Detroit in support of the Pens’ playoff run. Manager Clint Hurdle said,

“It’s a special time of year. It’s hard to beat playoff hockey. The last few nights, I’ve stayed up later than I anticipated, watching games. It’s a wonderful time of the year, and our team’s in.”

NFL

– 49ers’ WR Michael Crabtree (torn Achilles’ tendon) underwent surgery Wednesday, and is expected to be sidelined a minimum of 6 months.

– Yahoo! Sports’ Jason Cole reports that Giants’ WR Hakeem Nicks is unhappy with his contract, which was why he didn’t show up to OTAs Wednesday. Nicks joins RFA WR Victor Cruz as disgruntled stars on the team. With Cruz seeking $8-10M annually on a long-term contract, Cole expects Nicks to seek “closer to the range” of $10M per year or more.

– Ravens’ 2nd-round LB Arthur Brown (sports hernia surgery) will be sidelined 4-6 weeks.

– Seahawks’ RB Marshawn Lynch’s motion to suppress evidence hearing stemming from his 2012 DUI has been delayed until July 5. The motion was originally expected to be heard yesterday and a jury trial was scheduled for June 21.

MLB

– Phillies’ RHP Roy Halladay (shoulder) could rejoin the rotation in late August, barring setbacks. Doc, who had surgery last week to remove a bone spur in his shoulder and repair his torn rotator cuff, reported to extended spring training Monday to begin his rehab.

– Marlins’ OF Giancarlo Stanton (strained right hamstring) took live batting practice Wednesday for the first time since his injury. Manager Mike Redmond said, “He looked good. I’m just going off the results. He was hitting them out. It’s another encouraging sign that he’s a little closer to being back on the field.” Stanton has been on the DL since April 30 and is still without a timetable.

– Cardinals’ LHP Jaime Garcia (left shoulder) will undergo surgery. It’s unclear what the exact nature of the procedure is.

– White Sox’ LHP John Danks (shoulder) will be activated from the DL Friday for his season debut against the Marlins. Danks posted a 3.18 ERA during his four rehab starts, but also had a 15/13 K/BB ratio and is still dealing with diminished velocity.

– Angels’ RHP Ryan Madson (right elbow) has suffered another setback recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery. Madson felt renewed soreness in his arm while trying to throw this week, and has been shut down indefinitely.

– Yankees’ LHP Andy Pettitte (trapezius) will play catch on Thursday or Friday. It will be the first time he’s thrown since landing on the DL last week with a strained trapezius muscle. He’s expected back on June 1.

– Padres’ OF Cameron Maybin (right wrist) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tucson Friday. He’s expected to return next week. Maybin has been sidelined since mid-April.

– Orioles’ 2B Jonathan Schoop (stress fracture in back) will be sidelined 6-8 weeks. Schoop will meet with another doctor later this week for a second opinion. The 21-year-old was batting .268/.331/.386 with three homers and 18 RBI in 34 games at the Triple-A level.

NBA

– According to Bourbon Street Shots, Hornets’ G Greivis Vasquez (ankles) will undergo offseason surgery, and could need 12-16 weeks to recover.

– Knicks’ F Carmelo Anthony (left shoulder) was diagnosed with a small tear. ‘Melo will be to let the injury heal on its own for 3-4 weeks, and if there’s no improvement, surgery will become an option. He shot just 29.8% from the field in the playoffs.

– Knicks’ G J.R. Smith (left knee) played through the playoffs with a swollen left knee “that contained fluid buildup,” according to the NY Post. Smith is “likely” to have his knee drained within the next two weeks.

– The Mavs are looking to trade their 1st-round pick (13th overall) to try and create cap room for impending UFA F Dwight Howard, according to ESPN.com’s Chad Ford. As previously noted, F Dirk Nowitzki said he’s willing to be part of the sales pitch to Howard and G Chris Paul, and is open to taking a substantial paycut next summer to sign both stars. Both Howard and Paul would have to leave a year and several million dollars on the table to sign with Dallas.

– Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski will return as head coach of Team USA for the 2016 Rio Olympics, according to SI’s Pete Thamel. Coach K had previously said that he was finished with international basketball after winning back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012. Krzyzewski is 62-1 with USA Basketball. He’ll also coach Team USA at the 2014 FIBA World Championship in Madrid.

WWE

– CM Punk tweeted the following on Wednesday afternoon about his current hiatus away from WWE:

I am exactly where I belong. No desire to be anywhere else. #thankyouverymuch

— CM Punk (@CMPunk) May 22, 2013

As previously reported, Punk has been dealing with knee issues in recent months, and was burned out from years on the road.

– Injured WWE superstar Evan Bourne tweeted the following photo of his latest foot x-ray:

Is there a doctor on the plane?? yfrog.com/hwyy4zij

— airbourne(@findevan) May 21, 2013

– Paul Heyman’s newest client, Curtis Axel, has changed his twitter handle to @RealCurtisAxel. He tweeted the following after RAW:

Do you see me now??? Curtis Axel has arrived! I am the GAMEchanger!

— Curtis Axel (@RealCurtisAxel) May 21, 2013

A star has risen! Curtis Axel has arrived and the NEW Paul Heyman Guy will continue to build his brand! We are taking over the world!

— Curtis Axel (@RealCurtisAxel) May 22, 2013

As seen by his entrance video on RAW, Axel was originally supposed to go by the name “Curt Axel,” however, there were people in WWE who felt the name was too similar to Kurt Angle, so they went with Curtis as his first name instead. Whatever you call him – Curtis Axel has strong allies in WWE, with Triple H and The Rock both supporting him behind the scenes.

– Former multi-time WWF Tag Team Champion and multi-time WWE/F Hardcore Champion “Hardcore” Bob Holly joined Kayfabe Wrestling Radio Tuesday Night. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

Writing his book: “It never occurred to me that it was a bad idea. The only thing that occurred to me, the whole 18 months it took to write this, is nobody’s gonna want to read my book; nobody’s gonna want it. I mean, I was just a midcard guy, you know, and it was like ‘Who is going to want to read my story? I mean, there’s nothing exciting about me.’ So, that’s what ran through my mind, and then after we edited it over and over because we’d send it back to ECW Press and then they’d send it back and we’d have to edit and do this and do that to it and after reading it many times over; every time we read it over, it was still interesting. So that’s when it occurred to me, ‘Hey, maybe people will find this interesting.’ Because, every time a read a chapter, it still captivated me and it still does; when I pick up my book and see what somebody had read and they talk about it and I go back and look at it, I end up reading the whole chapter again. And that’s what made me think that maybe people will want to buy this and read it. So, it was a lot of work too, but it was fun and it had its times where it reminded me of certain bad times and stuff like that. But, it was a good experience, it really was.”

His pre-WWF/E days and his bar fighting past for money: “You know, it’s funny because when I was writing that part, it was like it brought back; you’re not going to believe this, and you’re going to think I’m full of it, but it was fun to me. Those were exciting times to me because I’m the kind of guy that likes a challenge and I would go into bars and it’s like; ok, I find the toughest guy in there and I’d want to put up money to fight the guy. I just found it, the thrill of the fight, exciting to me and to this day I still do because I won’t turn down a challenge to anybody and I find myself. When the whole MMA/UFC thing came along and it’s like if that came around when I was a little bit younger, I think I would have ended up going that direction because I love the thrill of the fight; I love the challenge, no matter who it is I end up fighting with. So, when I look back on that, those were fun times for me; I had really enjoyed that and I made money doing that. It’s an odd way to make money, but it was what I had to do to survive. And that’s why I look at it like ‘Yeah, that was exciting to me’.”

His experience with Auto Racing: (6:45) “Well, the thing about auto racing is you gotta know all the right people. I raced at a local level and then, when I got into the WWE and I got to know the right people and I got connected with Hermie and Elliot Sadler, who are involved with NASCAR to this day; I was too far into my (wrestling) career to just say ‘You know what, I’m going to go. I’m going to start racing instead of wrestling.’ Because racing, it’s based on performance; I mean, if you’re not performing, you’re gone. You have to have a lot of money behind you and a good team behind you. So, it’s a very tough business to make it in. And like I said, when I was doing the local stuff, I know all the right people or anything and I was just enjoying what I was doing at the local level, and then when the WWF called me to come up and start wrestling for them and, of course, when you work for them you meet all kinds of people all over the world. Then, of course, when I met Hermie and Elliot, I got back into racing part-time, just once or twice a month on my days off.

It could have escalated into more, but I was too far into my WWE career and that’s when we were into the Attitude Era when things were really good; the money was really good, so it was hard to say ‘Ok, I’m going to stop doing this, take a chance and start racing and see if I can make it there because if I hadn’t made it in racing, then I would have lost out on the Attitude Era, if you understand what I’m saying. I didn’t want to take that chance because I was having too much fun during the Attitude Era wrestling and making great money. Of course, it didn’t matter where you were on the card; if you were opening match, mid card; of course Main Event makes big money, but even when you were the opening match, you still made great money. So, that would have been really hard to give up to go take a chance in auto racing, where there is no money unless you get to the Cup Level. So, I think I did the best for my career, I did what I wanted to do and I still got to race and stuff like that, so I enjoyed that and I didn’t have the stress, the pressure to perform in auto racing. We just did it at the fun level; went to different tracks around the Southeast and there was no pressure or whatever; we just went out there, had a great time and raced and then got on a plane and flew to wherever I had to go wrestle. I did what I wanted to do and I never considered going full-time racing; you gotta be damn good you better have the right people backing you.”

His “Sparky” Plugg gimmick: “I had graciously bowed out of Smokey Mountain and, like I said, I appreciate Cornette using me and giving me an opportunity to wrestle there. So, I went back to work, and I thought ‘You know what? I’m just going to focus on my job; I’ve got a great job, I make really good money, I’ve got insurance so I’m set.’ And I got my weekends off so I could go race wherever I want to because I had a race car at the time. So, I came home from work one day a couple months down the road and of course there was a message on the machine from J.J. Dillon wanting to talk to me. So, of course, I call him back and I was pretty damn excited, so they arraigned for me to fly up to Connecticut, to meet with him and Vince (McMahon).

So, I flew up there, met with them and everything; met with them for about an hour and they said ‘Ok, we’ll send you a contract in the mail within the next week or so.’ And I’m like ‘Ok, Cool’; I had no idea what my name was going to be, I just though, you know, I was going to be Bob Holly something or whatever, cause that’s the name I’ve always had And so, I get my contract in the mail and I open it up and the first thing I see is “Thurman ‘Sparky’ Plugg”, and I’m like ‘You’ve GOT to be freaking kidding me!’ I’m like ‘Wow’ but then it sunk in and it’s like ‘Ok, you know what, it doesn’t matter what they call me; I’ve finally made it to the top, so you just roll with it. A lot of people have made fun of that “Thurman ‘Sparky’ Plugg” but they were in the same position, they would not have turned WWE down because of the name, I guarantee that! I thought you know, because everything back then was cartoon characters-type gimmicks and I just thought well, this is just something of that or whatever because I was a race car driver that they wanted to go with that. And J.J. Dillon was the one who actually came up with the name. But again, I’m also thankful for that name; yeah, I didn’t like it but it gave me my start to a long career in WWE. So, it’s kinda embarrassing but then again I’m kinda thankful for that, also. And then I thought, well, let me get my foot in the door and hopefully I’ll get comfortable in stuff where I can approach Vince and say ‘Hey, can we do something about this?’

So, probably about six months down the road, I went to Vince and I’s like, ‘Vince, is there anything we can do to change my name?’ And I was scared to death to go in there and ask him; I thought, here I am six months in the company, I’m new, and this guy is asking Vince to change my name. I thought for sure, he’s going to let me go. But that was the chance I had to take, so when I went into the office and said ‘Hey Vince. I appreciate you’ve given me this opportunity here, and I’m really grateful to you for that, but can we change my name?’ and he’s like ‘Fine. What do you want to change it to?’ And now I’m like ‘Oh, wow. Ok, this is pretty easy.’ So, I said how about Bob Holly. He said ‘Ok, that’s fine. What we’ll do, to make the transition, we’ll call you Bob “Spark Plug’ Holly.’ And I said ‘Hey, that’s better than nothing. I’ll take it.’ So, we went from there and then, of course, eventually we got to drop the ‘Spark Plug’ and I was just Bob Holly after that. So, that’s how all that came about.”

His laundry list of injuries and if it’s just part of being a wrestler: “Another day in the office. You know, to me, it was my job and the mindset I’ve always lived by is ‘If I’m still walking, that’s no reason why I can’t finish what I have to do.’ That’s always been my mindset; I don’t go on TV and cry over a black eye and a bloody lip and cry on national television and want to quit because I got a black eye or bloody lip or I got my arm broken or my neck broke or my back slashed. I never went on TV and cried ‘I’m going to quit; it’s just too rough for me’, I’ve always had the old adage ‘If I can walk, I’m going to finish what I have to do in this ring, no matter what’. No matter how bad it hurts, I’ve got a job to do. If I’ve got to get somebody over, I’m not going to cheat them out of getting their win or help getting them over because that was my job. That’s my job: to help this guy look good and no matter what, that’s what I’m going to do. If I can walk, I‘m going to finish my match.”

– Former WWE developmental diva Ivelisse Velez was recently interviewed by Wrestling Smash Radio. Here are some highlights of what she said about:

Her Release from WWE: “The release … the rumors, they’re just rumors … no matter what I say, I could say it 100 times: no I don’t have a bad attitude … I know for sure that since day one since I started my career I always seek to approach my work as professional as possible. I’ve heard it all. … People close to me, people that work with me can testify to that … my work is everything to me, it’s all I know. I gave up scholarships from school and I was an honor student and I gave up all of it to go on this voyage with complete odds against me … Of course I’m going to approach it with all my heart.”

“I am a very assertive person … in a man’s world they’re not very used to that. … A woman being assertive and not being walked over. … Maybe it came from that, I don’t know.”

How She Was Portrayed on Tough Enough: “It was a very hard experience in the sense that a lot of the things that were on TV or things that didn’t make TV that probably should have. … I’m very grateful that opportunity, but I feel, honestly, that it could have portrayed in a little bit more realistic way of how things really happened. … they never showed the diagnosis of my leg, then I ended up looking like a wimp. … Nobody ended up knowing the gravity of the injury to my leg. … I was going to continue … Doctor [had to tell me] that I can’t continue or they have to tear my leg off. … You tell them because I am not going to, because I’ll rip my leg off and then I can’t have a career.”

Her Time at WWE Developmental: “It’s really frustrating to hear that [that you’re ready to be on television] and then you don’t [get used on television]. … That was mostly the hardest part. … You feel so ready but it’s a whole different ballgame—it’s not just having the skills or the talent or the look. You can have I all but there’s so much more to it there. … We’re all human and sometimes people make mistakes, and people sometimes mix personal with business and you get the backlash of that. It took me a long time to register what happened. … It’s tough.”

Her TNA Gut Check Tryout: “Definitely it was a surprise to me as well. … In my head I thought there was no reason for me not to. I felt that Lei D’Tapa was great, too, and she has a lot of potential. At least I thought I was ready now. … They would have benefited from signing us both. … I’m happy for Lei D’Tapa, she’s a great girl, she’s humble. … I’m sure everyone felt like TNA could’ve benefited from both of us. … The whole thing, they were really good at that—at all moments, we never knew. … I had no clue what was going to happen at any moment. … Everyone knows both of these girls should be here. … That was my real reaction, I was just speechless. … When I heard that crowd…I feel like, equally, we both created that with our hard work into the match. … It wasn’t just her! … And then I didn’t even make it to the ring. … I was like “damn, really?” … From wrestlers and fans, it was a big reaction. A lot of people agreed that both of us had a lot to bring to the table. The only difference is I could bring it now. … I’m ready now.”

– Daniel Bryan turns 32 years old today.

TNA

– TNA Knockout Mickie James joined TJRWrestling Radio to talk about her country music career, her wrestling career and her Knockout Title match against Velvet Sky this Thursday on TNA Impact Wrestling. Here are some comments from the interview.

On her new country album “Somebody’s Gonna Pay” that was released on May 7th: “It took about a year to complete this album. I’m grateful that it did because we really took our time with it. We had a chance to make it right, make it really flow and make it a reflection of who I am. We had some of the best musicians in the world in the studio in Nashville – at least I felt like it – they were incredible. Hopefully people can connect with the album and love it. If they don’t then that’s okay too.”

On the upcoming CMA Fest in Nashville: “I get in town on June 4th and leave on the 9th. I’m performing on the Hard Rock stage outside on the 7th in the afternoon. I’ve done it before and had a blast. I’m also doing something at the kickoff party and something on the Saturday night as well. There will be other shows that I will be a part of too. There’s live music all over the place and Broadway Street is shut down. You never know who you might see performing in a bar. It’s so much fun. Come out and have a great time if you’re in Nashville that week.”

On her next challenge in wrestling: “Continuing to raise the bar for myself, to have better matches and do stuff that is fresh in terms of storylines. I think you want to be able to be a part of a story that takes the fans on an emotional roller coaster ride. That’s what made my storyline with Trish Stratus (at WrestleMania 22) so special because once you reach that point people are so enveloped in the storyline itself. It just worked. It’s really hard to get that kind of moment without that beautiful story behind it.”

On the differences of a heel and a babyface: “It’s been so long since I’ve been a heel (2006) that it’s really hard to judge. You can have a lot of fun playing a bad girl. You do get a chance to say a lot of things that you can’t when you’re a face. It’s a completely different kind of character. The babyface character is kind of close to who I am in real life except the volume is turned up all the way. As a heel you get to make twists and turns that really sell that character so that you can get that genuine kind of heat from people that want to hate you. I really think that some of the best heels are also those people that can really get reactions as babyfaces too. As a babyface you often think about what a heel might do to react to you too so that when you finally turn heel you visualize all that stuff.”

On her match against Velvet Sky for the Knockouts Title this Thursday on TNA Impact Wrestling: “Because we’ve been partners and worked together so much in the past I feel like we know each other’s stuff so well. It won’t be one of my easiest matches. I’m really hoping she feels up to par to go out there to wrestle because she has a knee injury and she was given the ringpost figure four by Gail Kim last week too.”

On growing up as a fan of the wresting business and helping others: “I grew up as a wrestling fan. It kills me to watch bad wrestling; I can’t do it. I want to be the best and I watch matches because I want to see what other people are doing to see what’s new and fresh. You have to keep up with what’s hot. If at any point I can help somebody along the way and maybe try to keep them from making the same mistakes that I made along the way then that’s great. I think that’s a cool thing because I had people do that for me.”

– Free agent MLB Brian Urlacher has announced his retirement. Urlacher, 35 in three days, spent his entire 13-year career with the Bears. “Although I could continue playing, I’m not sure I would bring a level of performance or passion that’s up to my standards. When considering this, along with the fact that I could retire after a 13-year career wearing only one jersey for such a storied franchise, my decision became pretty clear.” Urlacher finishes with 1,229 tackles, 41.5 sacks, 22 interceptions, 12 forced fumbles and eight Pro Bowl selections. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

NBA

– Phil Jackson told ESPN that there’s “zero” chance of him coaching again, but did say he wants to be in a GM/team president role. Stay tuned.

– According to CSN Washington, Wizards’ G Bradley Beal (leg) is “weeks away” from returning to basketball activities. “I still haven’t been cleared. It’s been six weeks since I’ve done any basketball-related activities. In the next couple weeks or so I’m going to get another X-Ray and see if the fracture actually started closing and see if can get back out there. Until then I’m still rehabbing, lifting weights and refraining from any basketball activity.”

NHL

– Canadiens’ D Alexei Emelin (left ACL/MCL) underwent reconstructive surgery Tuesday and will miss 6 months. Emelin was injured in the Habs’ 2-1 victory over Boston on April 6, when he checked Bruins’ F Milan Lucic and bounced back hard onto the ice. He missed the rest of the season. In 38 games for Montreal before being injured this season, Emelin tallied three goals and nine assists along with 33 penalty minutes.

– D Andy Sutton has announced his retirement. Sutton missed the entire 2013 season with to a knee injury. “My NHL career enabled me to not only play the game I love, but to also be a part of something that so many kids dream about growing up. Throughout my 15 years in the league, I have played for some exceptional hockey teams and have met quality people and friends along the way. None of what I accomplished on the ice would have been possible without the unwavering support of my family, friends, teammates and fans who made playing hockey even more enjoyable.” Sutton, 38, finishes with 38 goals and 150 points in 676 games with the Sharks, Wild, Thrashers, Islanders, Senators, Ducks and Oilers.

– Flyers’ F Jakub Voracek was involved in a car accident  in his hometown of Kladno at 11:30 a.m., local time. Voracek was not injured in the accident, however, his Ferrari was totaled. According to a translated report by Sport.cz, Voracek was speeding, and attempted to avoid a head-on collision with a truck. He was not under the influence of alcohol, took responsibility for the accident and paid fines. GM Paul Holmgren issued the following statement:

“I spoke with Jake this morning. He was involved in a car accident in the Czech Republic. Although his car did suffer damage, there were no injuries. Jake is fine.”

– In an interview with Russian news agency RIA Novosti, translated by Dmitry Chesnokov of Yahoo! Sports, Maple Leafs’ RFA F Leo Komarov has already spoken to his former KHL club Moscow Dynamo about a possible return overseas.

“(I) won’t hide it – I’ve held negotiations with Dynamo. But I’m waiting for an offer from Toronto.”

Komarov, 26, scored four goals and tallied nine points in 42 games with the Leafs this past season and had nine points in 14 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. He signed a 1-year/$1.2M contract with the Maple Leafs last season.

– According to the CP, the Blue Jackets have seen a 13% improvement in season-ticket renewals from one year ago, when they were coming off their worst season in the NHL and sold around 7,000 season tickets. The team has sold almost 1,000 new season-ticket plans including fans who upgraded to larger packages.

– Canucks’ G Roberto Luongo tweeted this about the infamous Miguel leg drop:

Spent the last 2 days trying to figure if I’d rather be……the girl receiving the leg drop or the one getting kicked in the face? #miguel

—Strombone (@strombone1) May 21, 2013

– The Canadiens have signed D Magnus Nygren to a 2-year contract and F Sebastian Collberg to a 3-year contract. Nygren, 22, won the Salming Trophy as the top defenceman in the Swedish league this season. He led the circuit’s rearguards with 13 goals and was fourth in points with 32 for the Farjestad club. Nygren was drafted 113th overall by Montreal in 2011. Collberg, 19, had six goals and three assists in 35 games for Frolunda this season.

PGA

– Sergio Garcia issued an apology to Tiger Woods Wednesday for saying he would have “fried chicken” at dinner with his rival, a comment that Woods described as hurtful and inappropriate.

“I want to send an unreserved apology. I did not want to offend anyone. My answer was totally stupid and out of place.”

Garcia was at a European Tour awards dinner Tuesday night when he was jokingly asked if he would have Woods over for dinner during the U.S. Open. The two players had been verbally sparring since The Players Championship nearly two weeks ago.

“We’ll have him round every night. We will serve fried chicken.”

Woods replied to the initial remark, tweeting:

“The comment that was made wasn’t silly. It was wrong, hurtful and clearly inappropriate. I’m confident that there is real regret the remark was made. The Players ended nearly two weeks ago and it’s long past time to move and talk about golf.”

Garcia held an impromptu news conference at the BMW PGA Championship to elaborate on a statement he sent out Tuesday night through the European Tour.

“I want to also apologize to my Ryder Cup teammates who were there last night for taking the shine away from a wonderful event, and finally and foremost, I want to apologize to Tiger to anyone I could have offended. I felt very sick about it and feel really bad, and just hope to settle things down and move on.”

Garcia said his comment about fried chicken was not intended as a racist remark.

“It was a funny question and I wanted it to be a funny answer in reply. I started to get a sick feeling straight after the dinner and I felt so bad I thought my heart was going to come out of my body. I felt bad about (it) all day.”

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Woods was asked if he was going to try and end this feud with Garcia. He simply responded by saying, “No.” Garcia responded, telling Golf.com:

“He called me a whiner. He’s probably right. But that’s also probably the first thing he’s told you guys that’s true in 15 years. I know what he’s like. You guys are finding out.”

WWE

– WrestleMania 30 is still close to a year away, but early planning is already underway for the top matches at the historic anniversary show. Despite WWE running a storyline that Brock Lesnar has fulfilled his contractual obligations, Lesnar is still with the company, and will be featured again in one of top matches at WrestleMania. According to F4WOnline, the two opponents currently being discussed for Lesnar at ‘Mania are The Rock and The Undertaker. The Rock is currently WWE’s top choice for Lesnar, but the injuries he sustained at WrestleMania 29, and the heat he got from Hollywood studio execs, who were already saying he shouldn’t be wrestling, have created some doubt as to his in-ring future. The Rock and WWE are expected to meet after the summer to discuss whether The Rock will wrestle again. If he does, it will most likely be his final run as an active competitor.

– According to F4WOnline, WWE is currently planning Randy Orton vs. Sheamus for SummerSlam in August. There continues to be speculation that Orton is turning heel soon, as seen in the Payback PPV promo. Orton also brought back his skull punt at Extreme Rules during his match against The Big Show. The punt was phased out of Orton’s moveset due to it’s risk of causing legitimate head injuries to his opponents. Orton, however, will not be using the move on a regular basis.

– WWE.com has provided storyline injury updates for WWE Champion John Cena and Triple H following this week’s Extreme Rules and RAW events. Cena, who did not appear on RAW (to sell his “injuries” from Extreme Rules) but did wrestle in the show’s dark match main event, suffered “multiple contusions” during his match against Ryback on Sunday night. He is not expected to miss any ring time and is being advertised for Monday’s RAW. Triple H ‘underwent medical tests’ – which came back normal, but he is going to be further evaluated this week to “get a better idea how he’s doing mentally, as far as reaction time, thought process and so on.”

– According to the PWInsider, at Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings from Omaha, Nebraska, Shield member Roman Reigns appeared to have hurt his ankle during a six-man tag match against Randy Orton, Big Show and Kofi Kingston. The spot occured while Reigns was on the ring apron with Randy Orton. Reigns was seen limping around the ring during the end of the match and was helped to the back by a referee right after the finish. A post-show beatdown by the babyfaces took place but only Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins were involved.

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross appeared on the SiriusXM NFL show on Tuesday night and told hosts Alex Marvez and Jim Miller that WWE is getting serious about recruiting football players. Specifically, JR is meeting with the NFL Players Association in Washington D.C. to discuss a partnership that would send players who don’t make the main NFL teams to tryout for WWE:

“Everybody doesn’t make the 53-man roster. Some guys are going to be looking for work, and we’ve got some job openings. Maybe we can put the synergies of those two entities together and create something wonderful some day.”

– The WWE Studios film “12 Rounds: Reloaded” starring Randy Orton will be released to DVD and Blu-Ray on 6/4.

– The Clippers will not offer head coach Vinny Del Negro a new contract when his current deal expires at season’s end. He’s just the second coach to leave the team with a winning record, following Larry Brown in 1993. Del Negro had a 128-102 regular-season record in three years with the team. This season, the team won a franchise-record 56 games, including a 17-game winning streak. Del Negro had the highest winning percentage (.557) for a coach in the club’s beleaguered history. He is the only coach to have consecutive winning seasons since the Buffalo Braves moved to California and became the Clippers in 1978. The Clippers had just six winning seasons in their first 41 years. Now they’ve put together consecutive winning records and playoff appearances for the first time in 20 years. Meanwhile, umours indicate that impending free agent G Chris Paul and F Dwight Howard will sign together in Atlanta next season.

– According to PerthNow, Warriors’ F Andrew Bogut (ankle) said that the “mental and physical pain” he felt over “the last two or three weeks was getting worse and worse.” “I managed it every day. Every day was a battle, basically, after April. Every day I had to come in early to get treatment, just to get it right just enough to get back on the court. My whole playoff campaign was that. Some days it worked and some days it didn’t.”

– The Raptors are still looking to trade F Andrea Bargnani, according to president Bryan Colangelo. ”I still would say there’s value in Andrea as a player. I get the fact that a change of scenery is probably best for all sides. I’ve publicly acknowledged that but, again, the new guy is going to have to decide how to handle it and there are a few options.” The former No. 1 overall pick’s value is at an all-time low, and Toronto will struggle to get anything substantial for him.

– The Cavaliers won the NBA lottery, and will have the No. 1 pick in this year’s Draft. The Magic, who had the best odds at landing No. 1, fell to No. 2, with the Wizards jumping to No. 3 pick despite having the eighth best odds. The rest of the lottery is as follows: 4. Charlotte, 5. Phoenix, 6. New Orleans Pelicans, 7. Sacramento, 8. Detroit, 9. Minnesota, 10. Portland, 11. Philadelphia, 12. Oklahoma City (via Toronto), 13. Dallas, 14. Utah. Nerlens Noel is the consensus No. 1 pick, while G Ben McLemore is a close No. 2. The Cavs will “investigate trade options” with the the top pick, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Pre Windhorst, Cleveland has two 1st-round picks, “interest in improving fast” and cap space to play with.

– Bobcats’ owner Michael Jordan announced Tuesday that the Bobcats have filed the paperwork to become the Hornets, starting for the 2014-15 NBA season. The New Orleans Hornets, of course, are becoming the Pelicans for next season.

– Wizards’ G Bradley Beal (stress fracture in right fibula) is scheduled for another X-ray next week. Beal is still not cleared for physical activity, and is taking longer than expected to recover from his stress fracture.

NFL

– The Raiders have agreed to terms with DB Charles Woodson on a 1-year/$1.8M contract. The deal includes a $700K signing bonus, and is worth a “maximum” of $4.3M via incentives. Woodson is back with the team that drafted him at No. 4 overall in 1998. He spent the first eight years of his career in Oakland before going to the Packers. Woodson, entering his age-37 season, is not the player he once was, but remains an upgrade over the current options and is still one of the greatest defensive backs in NFL history. The Broncos were also in the mix for his services.

– Bucs’ CB Darrelle Revis (torn ACL) has been cleared to resume cutting. He told NFL Network, “I feel very confident. If (they tell me) to cut, I am cutting. I am not trying to think about (it).” Barring setbacks, Revis should be ready for Week 1.

– The Chargers have agreed to terms with OT Max Starks on a 1-year contract. Starks struggled in 2012 with the Steelers, allowing 40 hurries, per Pro Football Focus.

– Dolphins’ 2nd-round CB Jamar Taylor (sports hernia) underwent surgery Tuesday, but is expected to be ready for the start of training camp. Sports hernia surgeries generally require 4-6 weeks of recovery.

– The NFL has awarded Super Bowl L (50) to San Francisco, and Super Bowl LI (51) to Houston. Super Bowl L will be played in the 49ers’ new stadium in February 2016. It will be the first Super Bowl played in the Bay Area since 1985. Meanwhile, Super Bowl LI will be Houston’s first Super Bowl since 2004. Miami failed to secure public funding for upgrades required for Sun Life Stadium.

– Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft confirmed that TE Rob Gronkowski’s (arm surgery) fourth surgery went “as good as he could have hoped.” Per Kraft, Gronk will be back “as soon as possible.” Gronk is scheduled for “minor” back surgery in the next 3-4 weeks, which will sideline him for roughly 10 weeks. His Week 1 status is unclear.

– Bills’ WR Stevie Johnson (back) has been cleared to resume practicing, and participated in Tuesday’s OTAs session.

MLB

– Angels’ OF Mike Trout hit his first cycle in Tuesday’s 12-0 win over the Mariners. Trout struck out in his first at-bat, but singled, tripled and doubled afterwards before an 8th inning homerun. He drove in five runs in all, and he became the youngest player to hit for the cycle since Mel Ott in 1929. Trout is now batting .293, and is on pace to finish the season with 32 homers, 112 runs scored, 122 RBI and 32 steals.

– The Giants have placed RHP Ryan Vogelsong (fractured right hand) on the 15-day DL. He’ll undergo surgery and miss roughly 6 weeks. Vogelsong was hit by a pitch while swinging the bat in the fifth inning Tuesday and suffered fractures above and below the top knuckle in his pinkie.

– The Twins have placed 3B Trevor Plouffe (concussion) on the 7-day DL. Plouffe took a knee to the head Tuesday while trying to break up a double play at second base.

NHL

– Patrick Roy’s brother Mathieu, told L.A. Lariviere of TVA Sports in Montreal that he was misquoted by the Denver Post, and doesn’t actually know if a deal has been reached for his brother to be head coach of the Avalanche. Mathieu posted on Facebook Monday that Patrick would be named the Avs’ next head coach. Roy then reportedly affirmed those comments in a conversation with Adrian Dater of the Denver Post. The Avs and Patrick Roy are still very likely to come to an agreement.

– According to the Winnipeg Free Press, Jets’ impending RFA F Alexander Burmistrov has no intention of re-signing with the team. Burmistrov reportedly wanted to be traded at the deadline, and was able to have discussions with the Senators, Sabres and Islanders. His agent, Mark Gandler, added that “Alex is not going to sign in the KHL.” Burmistrov, 21, has just 23 goals and 35 assists in 194 career NHL games.

– According to the Denver Post, the Avalanche’s head scout says the No. 1 pick is “open,” and talk of selecting D Seth Jones first overall is premature. Jones remains the consensus No. 1 barring late news. The Avs have plenty of young forwards, and need help on the back end. In addition, Jones, who learned to play hockey in Denver, grew up there while his father, Popeye Jones, played for the Nuggets. Stay tuned.

– The Predators have named Phil Housley as the team’s assistant coach, replacing Peter Horachek. Housley, who coached the U.S. in the 2013 world juniors. Barry Trotz’ scheme is based around a defensive, two-way game, which is in stark contrast to Housley’s playing style.

WWE

– Former WWE Diva Tammy “Sunny” Sytch has finally been released from a Connecticut prison after four months, and TMZ.com reports that her stay included a cancer diagnosis and a hsterectomy. Sunny was arrested 6 times in less than 5 weeks starting in September 2012, and was charged with, among other things, disorderly conduct, assault and 3rd degree burglary. She reportedly contracted HPV prior to entering prison back in January, and while in jail, found out that she was suffering from cervical cancer. She underwent a hysterectomy at a local hospital several weeks ago and is now cancer free. While in jail, she also wrote an autobiography. She’s now moving to New Mexico and will be on conditional discharge for the next 2 years.

– Adam Rudman, the most recent head writer on the creative team, has already left WWE. Rudman was brought in just 6 weeks ago to replace Eric Pankowski (who left before WrestleMania and now works at CBS) and was let go by Stephanie McMahon late last week. Rudman was reportedly well-liked by talent, spoke with them regularly and was open to their ideas. His lack of wrestling knowledge prior to joining WWE, however, was seen by many as a sign that he wouldn’t last long.

– During a recent interview with PWTorch.com (5/17), former WWE writer Andrew Goldstein named 3MB as the superstars that WWE should cut first during the next round of main roster releases:

“It’s just like, you know, hire locals. Why do we have to trop these guys out? To me, they’re not so entertaining. Apparently, the redhead (Heath Slater), he’s very well-liked backstage.”

“Every week, to see them get crushed by The Shield and then by Brock, and they’re like the new jobbers. They’re main roster guys and they have gimmicks …”

Goldstein was a member of the WWE writing team in 2006.

– BlackburnNews.com reports that city officials from Detroit, Michigan have submitted bids to host WrestleMania 31 (2015) or WrestleMania 32 (2016). Detroit Sports Commission Executive Director Dave Beachnau is quoted in the article, saying:

“It’s appealing because a lot of these international organizations draw from not just the United States or Canada but from around the world so there’s a certain appeal I think with a border that separates us that they can visit two nations in essentially one destination.”

Detroit last hosted Wrestlemania 23 back in 2007 at Ford Field.

– The 5/20 edition of WWE RAW averaged approximately 4.26 million viewers, up 4% from the previous week. The final rating is a 2.96, almost even with last week’s 2.92. In a rare feat for WWE, the show actually gained viewers during each consecutive hour. Here’s the hourly breakdown:

Hour 1: 4.08 million viewers
Hour 2: 4.30 million viewers
Hour 3: 4.31 million viewers

RAW was the highest rated show on cable for the night. This week’s show averaged 4,227,000 viewers, up 4% from last week. By comparison, last year’s post-Extreme Rules RAW drew a 3.33 rating and averaged 4.89 million viewers. Monday’s RAW also had a Trendrr.tv social media score of 267,714, up 18% from last week. RAW was the most socially active show on cable for the night.

– Former WWE Superstar Carlito took a shot at The Shield on Monday, implying that 2 of them are out of shape. He tweeted:

Just watched RAW, two members of the group need to stop believing in THE SHIELD & start believing in THE GYM!

— carlito (@Bodyguylito) May 21, 2013

That third member though…big fan!!!

— carlito (@Bodyguylito) May 21, 2013

Carlito then backtracked his comments by calling out dirt sheets:

Dirt sheets, stop trying to start sh*#% with my tweets! These just f’n jokes! Leave me in the land of irrelevance where Im happy! Thank you

— carlito (@Bodyguylito) May 21, 2013

TNA

– Updating a previous item, WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio was trending on Twitter on Sunday night after singer Miguel accidentally gave a flying legdrop to a female fan at the Billboard Music Awards. Miguel later tweeted that he met up with the fan, Khyati:

“Got caught up in the moment, thank goodness Khyati is okay.”

He later deleted the tweet.

Hulk Hogan tweeted in response to the leg drop:

All MIGUELAMANIA fans are now supposed to be following @hulkhoganbrother HH

— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) May 21, 2013

– TNA President Dixie Carter tweeted the following about James Storm’s injury status:

An update on @cowboy_j_storm. He has a slight abdominal tear but should be back in action soon.

— Dixie Carter (@TNADixie) May 21, 2013

– Velvet Sky and James Storm are making appearances in Atlanta today to promote the launch of the Georgia lottery Impact Wrestling instant game ticket. They will be appearing at a press event promoting the game launch at Central Park at Atlantic Station at 1pm. TNA tweeted the following picture:

If you’re in the Atlanta area today where @georgialottery tix are sold – ya might get lucky and see these two! twitter.com/IMPACTWRESTLIN…

— IMPACT WRESTLING (@IMPACTWRESTLING) May 21, 2013

– According to RDS’ Renaud Lavoie, Patrick Roy has not yet been named the new head coach of the Avalanche, and talk of a deal being done is “premature.” The Denver Post quoted Roy’s brother, Stephane, Monday morning as saying Patrick would be named next head coach. Stephane Matteau said the Avs and his brother were discussing the “final details” of a contract. Roy, 47, remains the frontrunner, but nothing is complete yet.

NBA

– Lakers’ impending free agent F Dwight Howard “voiced frustrations” with head coach Mike D’Antoni at his exit meeting, according to ESPN LA. Per the report, Howard felt “marginalized” after D’Antoni looked to G Kobe Bryant and G Steve Nash to lead the team rather than Howard, and Dwight was one of “several Lakers” to have an “extended separate meeting with the GM after his exit interview.” Howard, currently on vacation, is expected to draw interest from the Rockets, Mavericks, Hawks and Cavs in free agency. Stay tuned.

– The Raptors have removed Bryan Colangelo as GM, but have extended his contract as the team’s president. Colangelo will not have any say on basketball-related decisions. New Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment CEO Time Leiweke is hoping to have a new GM in place in the next 30 days.

“After thorough evaluation and considering all the options, we have concluded that these changes will be in the best interest of the organization. By splitting the roles and having both men report directly to me, we are adding depth to the basketball operations group and giving the Toronto Raptors the best chance of competing for championships in the future. The new GM will inherit a great situation in Toronto, as all of my due diligence around the League indicates that we have a fine, young core and a few key moves will make us a playoff contender next season.”

In addition, ESPN’s Marc Stein reports that Phil Jackson “was in no rush to embrace Toronto’s interest” in bringing him into their front office. Jackson can essentially be crossed off the list. Nuggets’ GM Masai Ujiri appears to be the frontrunner for the job.

– Knicks’ GM Glen Grunwald told Newsday that F Amare Stoudemire could have a minutes restriction next season. Head coach Mike Woodson has said that he hasn’t decided whether Amare will start or come off the bench. Stoudemire planned to talk with Woodson about his role for next year during the offseason.

– Scott Skiles is the frontrunner for the vacant Nets’ head coaching vacancy, according to the Newark Star-Ledger. Skiles was reportedly on the Nets’ radar previously.

– Stan Van Gundy told The David Baumann Show that he will not coach next season. SVG cites it being a family decision.

– Warriors’ GM Bob Myers told CSN Bay Area that he expects F Andrew Bogut (ankle) to be 100% before next season begins, but admits that he “doesn’t know what kind of water that statement holds.” Bogut told reporters he could “hardly move” during the team’s Game 6 loss to the Spurs, and he’s had issues with the ankle since undergoing microfracture surgery. In all likelihood, the ankle will continue to be an issue for the remainder of his career.

MLB

– Giants’ RHP Ryan Vogelsong (fractured right hand) will undergo surgery Tuesday and will miss 6 weeks. Vogelsong threw five scoreless innings Monday against the Nationals before being hit in the hand with a pitch while swinging the bat. Vogelsong’s wife, Nicole, wrote on Twitter that he has a dislocated joint in the pinky finger of his throwing hand, and it’s broken above and below his finger.

– The Phillies have placed C Carlos Ruiz (strained right hamstring) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 20. Ruiz was diagnosed with a Grade 2 strain of his hamstring and is expected to miss 3-4 weeks.

– Check out Rockies’ SS Troy Tulowitzki’s post-game handshake:

NFL

– Cowboys’ QB Tony Romo (back surgery) will miss OTAs after undergoing surgery to have a cyst removed last month. Romo had the procedure done just before the draft. The 33-year-old believes he’ll be cleared in time for mandatory minicamp from June 12-14.

– Dolphins’ SS Reshad Jones will report to OTAs Tuesday in exchange for contract extension talks “eventually,” according to the Miami Herald. Jones was a no-show Monday. His his agent and GM Jeff Ireland spoke “several times” late Monday, and Ireland reportedly promised “eventual” contract talks. The 25-year-old has one year left on his rookie contract at $1.323M.

WWE

– According to F4WOnline, while WWE has written Brock Lesnar off television as having “fulfilled his obligations” to the company, Lesnar is expected to be back on television in time for SummerSlam in August. CM Punk is also expected back before SummerSlam.

– At the end of Monday’s RAW, WWE COO Triple H was unable to finish his match against Curtis Axel and was tended to by WWE doctors after appearing very disoriented. After RAW went off the air, WWE.com ran an angle where Triple H nearly passed out and did not know where he was. Triple H’s condition was part of an angle and will be the start of a concussion storyline, and not a legitimate medical emergency, according to F4WOnline. Triple H will be kept off television for several weeks and when he returns, there is talk that Vince and Stephanie will also return and try to convince Triple H not to wrestle again due to the injury.

– There has been talk of turning Mark Henry babyface in the coming months, according to F4WOnline. Henry stated on the Extreme Rules post-show that he’s “going home” and will be taking time off.

– Michael McGillicutty returned on this week’s RAW as the newest client of Paul Heyman. Heyman hyped the debut as a “YouTube” and “SportsCenter” moment, encouraing fans to set their DVR’s. Hennig’s new ring name is Curtis Axel, which pays homage to his father Curt Hennig and his grandfather Larry “The Ax” Hennig.

Here’s the latest installment of WWE Backstage Fallout, featuring WWE superstars reacting to Paul Heyman announcing Curtis Axel as his newest client:

WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler tweeted the following apology after suggesting that Triple H might have suffered a stroke during his match with Curis Axel on RAW:

I want to apologize to Triple H and his family for insinuating that he may have had a stroke. I know firsthand how upsetting it could be.

— Jerry Lawler (@JerryLawler) May 21, 2013

– The family of “Macho Man” Randy Savage gathered together at an Olive Garden restaurant in Florida on the 2-year anniversary of his passing. Savage’s brother, Lanny Poffo, told TMZ.com:

“I have to be strong for my family now. I’m just glad to have had him as a brother and wanna celebrate his life as much as I can instead of continuing to mourn.”

– PFT reports that Patriots’ TE Rob Gronkowski’s (left forearm) infection has healed, and his new plate was installed during Monday’s surgery. The new plate will hold together the fracture in his left forearm, which was surgically repaired four times due to complications of the infection. Gronk is now expected to undergo back surgery in 3-4 weeks, the recovery timetable for which will last roughly 10 weeks. He’s hoping to be ready for Week 1.

– ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the NFL is close to brokering a deal with the NFLPA that would push the annual NFL draft into May. Per Schefter, the league will also move the new league year (free agency and trades) to before of the Combine, which is typically held in late February. The changes are designed to “keep fans’ attention over a longer period” and “use the events to produce additional revenue.”

– Dolphins’ SS Reshad Jones did not attend the start of OTAs Monday, and the team spent “much of the morning” attempting to locate him, according to the Miami Herald. Reporter Armando Salguero writes that “speculation” among teammates was that Jones, who is entering a contract year, is “unsatisfied” with the progress of long-term extension talks with the team.

– Bucs’ head coach Greg Schiano reiterated Monday that QB Josh Freeman will face competition from 3rd-round QB Mike Glennon. ”I try to tell (the media) the truth that I believe in Josh Freeman and he’s our starting quarterback. But I believe in competition.”

– Broncos’ RB Willis McGahee did not attend the start of OTAs Monday. McGahee is 100% recovered after last year’s torn MCL and broken leg. He comes with a $2.5M salary, and could be released soon. told reporters that there’s “no message” behind his absence.

Sticking with the Broncos, RB Knowshon Moreno (knee surgery) has not been medically cleared for OTAs. 2nd-round RB Montee Ball will take first-team reps while both backs are sidelined. Moreno projects as the team’s third-stringer.

MLB

– Braves’ LHP Eric O’Flaherty (left elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery Tuesday to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament. O’Flaherty will miss the remainder of the 2013 season and likely the first few months of the 2014 season.

– Phillies’ C Carlos Ruiz (strained right hamstring) was diagnosed with a Grade 2 strain and is expected to miss 3-4 weeks.

– Yankees’ 3B Alex Rodriguez (hip) fielded grounders and took 25 swings in an indoor batting cage Monday at the team’s minor league complex in Tampa, Florida. He also ran from pole to pole near the warning track four times. A-Rod is beginning his third week of on-field activities following hip surgery. He’s hoping to return around mid-season.

– Nationals’ OF Jayson Werth (hamstring) could be sidelined for as many as 2 more weeks. Manager Davey Johnson said he received an “alarming” report on Werth Monday. Werth sufferd a setback during a rehab game last week, and has yet to return to game action. He was scheduled to see a specialist over the weekend.

– Mariners’ LHP Danny Hultzen (left shoulder) has begun playing catch. Hultzen was shut down in late April with a left rotator cuff strain and general shoulder tendinitis. He had a 2.78 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 25/6 K/BB ratio through his first 22 2/3 innings (four starts) this season at Triple-A Tacoma.

– The Phillies have placed RHP Mike Adams (strained right back) on the 15-day DL. Adams has been battling the injury for close to 2 weeks.

NBA

– Knicks’ F Tyson Chandler said during his exit interview Monday that he was not fully healthy, after dealing with strep throat and a neck injury during the playoffs. “I wasn’t where I wanted to be (physically). Tried to give the team everything I had.” Chandler had the neck issue near the end of the regular season, while his strep throat caused him to lose weight.

– Knicks’ F Carmelo Anthony (left shoulder) will have his shoulder examined by team doctors to determine the course of treatment. ’Melo has been playing through minor discomfort since injuring his shoulder on April 14. Anthony said his left arm “popped in and out,” and he aggravated it against the Celtics in Round 1 when F Kevin Garnett pulled his arm on a screen. The team also revealed Anthony will not require right knee surgery after dealing with a fluid buildup earlier in the season.

– Celtics’ G Terrence Williams was arrested Sunday after being accused of waving a handgun out of his car window at the mother of his 10-year-old son. His bail has been set at $25K.

NHL

– Rangers’ G Henrik Lundqvist (shoulder) told The Bergen Record that his shoulder issue is “under control.” “Yeah, it’s under control. I landed on the ice awkwardly and hurt it a little bit. It’s under control. Everybody’s sore. It’s the playoffs. You can’t sit out (because) it’s hurting a little bit. it happens and you just have to make sure you do the right things to keep it good.”

– Maple Leafs’ F Mikhail Grabovski spoke to the Toronto Sun about his alleged bite of Canadiens’ F Max Pacioretty:

“The incident? It wasn’t that much. He was choking me and I bit him. Don’t stick your hands where you shouldn’t. To be honest with you he was choking me pretty hard, to the point where I really couldn’t breathe. And I couldn’t pull his hand away at all. I tried to hit him with my other hand, but I couldn’t because he was choking me. There was nothing left to do but bite him.”

– Ducks’ D Francois Beauchemin (torn ACL) underwent successful surgery, according to the team’s website. Beauchemin hopes to be ready for the start of the 2013-14 season.

WWE

– After visiting Dr. James Andrews earlier today, injured WWE superstar Rey Mysterio tweeted the following update on his condition and says he still plans to be back in action this summer:

Great news today with Doc Andrews! Revisit on the 19th of June for a minor procedure and still trying to b back in the ring by late August!

— Rey Mysterio (@reymysterio) May 20, 2013

Speaking of Rey, here’s the massive leg drop by Miguel that got his name trending on Twitter:

– WWE Superstar Kane, who is rumored to be running for United States Senate in his home state of Tennessee, continues to make waves in the political world. Kane (Glenn Jacobs) is listed as the co-founder of the Tennessee Liberty Alliance, an organization that is protesting the Marketplace Fairness Act (related to Internet sales tax). Kane has also challenged Tennessee Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey to “a policy debate on the issue of the Marketplace Fairness Act in a public forum at his convenience.”

– Last week’s episode of WWE SmackDown drew a 1.78 cable rating with 2.44 million viewers, the least watched-watched Friday SmackDown of the year.

– WWE tag team Demolition reunited in the ring on Saturday night in Bay City, Michigan for Ultimate Championship Wrestling. The duo, which still holds the record for the longest WWE tag title reign (478 days), defeated the team Legion by disqualification in the main event. During a recent interview with MLive.com, Barry “Smash” Darsow spoke about his son Dakota breaking into the business, challenges that second generation wrestlers face and the crazy WWE schedule back in the late 80?s and early 90?s. Here are some highlights of what Darsow said about:

His Son Breaking Into The Business: “It’s just my opinion, but I think being a second generation wrestler hurts him a little bit. “Companies can only have so many second or third generation wrestlers on the roster, you have to have different kind of characters. For every Randy Orton, there is a Von Erich, a Neidhart or a Rotunda looking to break out.”

The Crazy WWE Schedule of The Late 80?s: “We wrestled two to three matches at television tapings Monday and Thursday then did doubleheaders on the weekend,” Darsow said. “At one point, we wrestled for 62 straight days, and were on the road for 52 weeks in a row.”

He added that at the height of the crazy schedule, Demolition wrestled upwards of 400 times a year.

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross is back with another blog update, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR wrote about:

The Shield’s Title Wins at Extreme Rules: ”Big night for The Shield as they left St. Louis with Championship Gold and not on fluke victories. WWE obviously has confidence in the three, young men whose best days lie ahead of them if they continue to evolve. Evolution takes effort and hard work and being ready for additional responsibilities. I’ve seen some young talents get a taste of success and then fold like a cheap lawn chair. I don’t see that happening to Ambrose, Rollins or Reigns.

“Nonetheless we will now see how hungry The Shield remain and if they are willing to continue to learn the ropes, prove themselves daily and become locker room leaders that WWE is constantly looking to discover. I know that there are many people involved with WWE Talent Development and at NXT that are keenly interested in their journey.”

Instant Replay in WWE: “Anxious to see the fallout of WWE utilizing the instant replay ala the NBA officials in restarting the Swagger-Del Rio bout. I’ve got mixed feelings about it but lean toward NOT using instant replay. I like the referee’s decision will be final concept but I’m old school, perhaps too much.

John Cena & Ryback’s Match: “Ryback and Cena beat each other up and their bodies were certainly put to the test throughout the Last Man Standing match. One has to hold their breath when action leaves the ring of which, as a former administrator, I am still uncomfortable for the record. Wrestlers are trained to perform inside the ring and when they go beyond the squared circle and aggressively engage as Cena and Ryback did Sunday night it becomes a high stakes crap shoot.

This LMS car wreck was a classic $2 Steak tough affair. I tip my hat to both Cena & Ryback for laying it on the line and visibly showing no apprehension in doing so in St. Louis. How that bout ended was controversial and I’m anxious to hear more info and discussion about the conclusion of the Cena-Ryback Last Man Standing contest tonight on RAW live from Kansas City at 7/8 eastern.”

– Fandango’s dancing partner Summer Rae tweeted the following about The Shield capturing the WWE Tag Team & United States championships at Extreme Rules:

I #BelieveintheShield #CongratulationsBoys #WWE #ExtremeRules #NXTtakeover

— Summer Rae WWE (@RealSummerWWE) May 20, 2013

– WWE referee Charles Robinson tweeted the following about his decision to not count out John Cena and Ryback after their match-ending spot at Extreme Rules:

To those complaining about me not counting i was in shock of what happened and was more concerned about their safety. I did what was right.

— Charles Robinson (@WWERobinson) May 20, 2013

– Brian “Road Dogg” James turns 44 years old today.

TNA

– Next month, TNA will debut a new “Unfinished Business” PPV special, looking at the Jeff Hardy vs. Austin Aries feud.

– Bryan Colangelo’s tenure as president and GM of the Raptors has come to an end, however, he will remain at Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment in a “corporate” role in a non-basketball capacity. Colangelo has guided the Raptors to the playoffs just twice during his tenure. MLSE will continue its search for a new head of the organization,with Nuggets’ GM Masai Ujiri being targeted. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, “Colangelo’s finalizing agreement to move over to business side, leaving basketball ops. Ownership preparing major financial offer for Ujiri.” MLSE, and its new CEO Tim Leiweke, had set today as the deadline to make a decision on whether or not to exercise the option in Colangelo’s contract to bring him back for another year. Ujiri was named the NBA’s Executive of the Year earlier this month after the Nuggets finished third in the Western Conference this season with a 57-25 record. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Golden State. Ujiri worked under Colangelo as assistant GM in Toronto from 2008-10. If Toronto is unsuccessful at luring Ujiri, Pacers’ GM Kevin Pritchard and Thunder’ VP and assistant GM Troy Weaver are also in the mix.

Colangelo joined the Raptors on February 28, 2006 – exactly one day after he had resigned his position as president and general manager with the Phoenix Suns. In his first full season on the job in 2006-07, the Raptors won their only Atlantic division title in franchise history and earned the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Colangelo was named the NBA’s executive of the year following the season. The team again qualified for the playoffs in 2007-08 with a 41-41 record.  However, they have not finished with a record above .500 since. The Raptors finished 34-48 this season and missed the playoffs for a fifth straight year.

NHL

– Hurricanes’ F Eric Staal (right knee) has been diagnosed with a 3rd-degree MCL sprain, and will miss 3 months. Staal will not require surgery to repair the ligament. The 28-year-old was injured by a knee-on-knee hit from Sweden’ D Alexander Edler in the first period of Canada’s quarterfinal game at the IIHF World Championships on Thursday. Edler received a five-minute major kneeing penalty and a game misconduct by the game’s officials, and was later suspended for the remainder of the tournament.

– The Oilers will trade F Alex Hemsky this summer, according to the Edmonton Journal. Hemsky has missed 118 games over the last four seasons. TSN’s Craig Button said, “I don’t think there’s a market for him . . .I shouldn’t say there’s no market. But the salary cap is coming down to $64.3M. He makes $5M for one more year. Would the Oilers pick up half of that to trade him, 50-50 (with another team)? That would still free up $2.5M in cap space for the Oilers. I don’t know if they can get something tangible in return for Hemsky. Andrew Cogliano got the Oilers a second-round draft (pick). I don’t know if they can get that for Hemsky.” Hemsky has struggled the last two seasons, scoring 20 points in 38 games this season and 36 points in 69 games in 2011-12.

– The Sabres have signed F John Scott to a 1-year/$750K contract extension. Scott was pointless with a -1 rating and 69 PIMs in 34 games with the Sabres last season.

NFL

– Lions’ WR Calvin Johnson confirmed Monday that he played through broken fingers last season, and has been “trying to straighten them out.” He will not require surgery to repair the injuries. Reports indicated that Megatron played through as many as three broken fingers, however, that remains unconfirmed. Despite the broken fingers, he posted a record-breaking 1,964-yard season last year.

WWE

– After suffering a “severe” concussion at last Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings, WWE World Heavyweight champion Dolph Ziggler has been advised by doctors not to fly. WWE is taking his condition very seriously.

– Monday marks the two-year death anniversary of Randy Savage.

– WWE debuted a new steel cage for the main event contest between Brock Lesnar and Triple H at Sunday’s Extreme Rules PPV. The cage was made into three seperate sections on each side, as opposed to two. Additionally, the cage was taller and featured platforms in the corners for wrestlers to stand on.

– WWE Hall Of Famer Harley Race was backstage at the Extreme Rules PPV on Sunday night in St. Louis. Race was visiting friends backstage at the show. UFC Hall Of Famer Matt Hughes was also in attendance, seated ringside. The former UFC Welterweight champion was acknowledged during the PPV broadcast.

– WWE Studios’ film “The Marine 3,” starring WWE Superstar The Miz has reportedly shipped 400,000 units to date. Those figures are courtesy of To-The-Numbers.com.

– According to reports, AJ Lee may begin a feud with Kaitlyn tonight on RAW in Kansas City for her official WWE Divas Championship shot.

– The announced attendance for Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, MO was 17,529 fans – a legitimate sellout. Prior to the show, Paul Heyman tweeted a photo of a sign that was hanging backstage that stated the show was sold out and there would be no comped tickets available.

– Shield member Seth Rollins tweeted the following about justice being served at the PPV:

This is what change looks like. #believers twitter.com/WWERollins/sta…

— Seth Rollins (@WWERollins) May 20, 2013

– WWE superstar Rey Mysterio was trending worldwide on Twitter on Sunday night, but it had nothing to do with WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view. During the Billboard Music Awards, singer Migel performed and at one point, lept over a crowd of people during his performance. Migel didn’t leap far enough – and wound up giving a legdrop to one of the female fans in the audience. The incident immediately went viral, with people referencing WWE and Rey Mysterio.

– Sabu appeared at the Hard Rock Cafe in St. Louis last night, the site of WWE’s Extreme Rules show. Sabu appeared just prior to the PPV and was charging $20 per autograph for fans who showed up.

– Kevin Jonas will be the social media ambassador for Monday’s RAW.

– The Boston Herald reports that Patriots’ TE Rob Gronkowski (left forearm) will undergo a fourth surgery Monday at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Jesse Jupiter is expected to perform the procedure. The surgeons will take “cultures” from Gronk’s arm–if they are infection-free, a new plate will replace the one already in his arm, and he’ll begin a 10-11 week recovery timetable. If the cultures show that the infection has not healed, however, “it’s back to square one,” and Gronk will probably not be ready for the start of the season. Stay tuned.

NBA

– Lakers’ impending free agent F Dwight Howard intends to “give strong consideration to multiple teams” as a free agent this summer, according to CBS Sports. Howard re-signing with the Lakers is reportedly “far from a done deal.” LA can offer him to a maximum 5-year contract worth more than other team’s 4-year offers. The Rockets are said to “intrigue him the most,” while the Mavericks are also in the mix. Howard’s free agent frenzy will begin–again–on June 30. Stay tuned.

– Check out Jason Collins’ brother, Jarron, giving Jimmy Kimmell an “I’m the Straight One” shirt:

NHL

– According to the Vancouver Sun, the Canucks are expected to buy out D Keith Ballard this summer. If all goes as planned in Vancouver, with Ballard’s buyout and the team trading G Roberto Luongo, the ‘Nucks will have freed up $9.5M in cap space. Stay tuned.

MLB

– The Rangers have placed 2B Ian Kinsler (intercostal strain) on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 18. Kinsler experienced discomfort during batting practice Sunday. He’s batting .302/.369/.500 with seven home runs through 40 games this season.

– Pirates’ RHP James McDonald (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Altoona on May 27. He’ll first throw bullpen sessions on Tuesday and Friday, and if all goes well, he’ll be given the OK. McDonald is slated to go four innings and/or throw 65 pitches for Altoona.

– Marlins’ 1B Logan Morrison (knee) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with High-A Jupiter Monday. Morrison has been playing in extended spring training games.

– Check out this Yankees’ fan eating cotton candy:

OHL

– Check out this singer butchering the anthem during the Memorial Cup:

WWE

– Former WWE & WCW star Bill Goldberg was recently asked by a fan on Twitter, if he could spear anyone in WWE, who would it be? He replied, “Hunter…..hands down…..RT” The same fan asked Goldberg, “any particular reason or just the overall doucheness and politicking he exhibits?” Goldberg told the fan he was “spot on.” Somebody else asked Goldberg when he will return to WWE. He replied, “When they learn how to run a business.” Finally, Goldberg was asked if he did return to WWE, would he want to wrestle Ryback? Goldberg said, “… if they knew how to do business I’d consider it…”

– During an interview to promote his new Fast & Furious 6 movie, The Rock talked about his various injuries, whether WrestleMania 29 was his final match, which current WWE superstars he enjoys watching and more:

– WWE has released the following promo video for next month’s WWE Payback pay-per-view:

– WWE Diva Naomi and Jimmy Uso are currently dating, according to WWE Diva Layla. It’s been rumoured for quite some time that they were in a relationship. Uso was recently seen in photos with Naomi while she was filming the Total Divas reality show.

– Updating a previous item, the May 27 edition of WWE RAW from Calgary, Alberta, Canada will be a “Bret Hart Appreciation Night” and will feature appearances from Hart as well as Shawn Michaels. Bret is not expected to take part in any physical angles, due to the the knee surgery he had earlier this year.

– WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels is now being advertised for several additional upcoming WWE live events. Here’s a look at his upcoming WWE schedule:

5/24 – WWE Live Event from Salt Lake City, Utah (HBK Appreciation Night)
5/25 – WWE Live Event (Red Deer, Alberta)
5/26 – WWE Live Event (Lethbridge, Alberta)
5/27 – WWE RAW from Calgary (Bret Hart Appreciation Night)

– Updating a previous item, WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler will be returning to the ring later this month for the first time since suffering a heart attack on WWE RAW last year. Lawler will be wrestling in a 8-person inter-gender tag team match.

– Former WWE executive Linda McMahon was at WWE Headquarters on Friday filming interviews for upcoming WWE DVD releases. She tweeted the following over the weekend:

Back at the #WWE studios taping some interviews for future DVDs. Such a talented team and an amazing facility! twitter.com/Linda_McMahon/…

— Linda McMahon (@Linda_McMahon) May 17, 2013

– WWE has published the following video counting down the most unique weapons used during matches:

– John Cena tweeted the following photo of himself working out prior to Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view:

Thanks to #TheLab is St. Louis for an excellent warm up for #ExtremeRules#RTimeIsNowvia.me/-c95u43k

— John Cena (@JohnCena) May 19, 2013

– WWE COO Triple H was recently asked on Twitter what he thinks about The Shield member Dean Ambrose. He replied:

“@mcguire28: @triplehHey Hunter. Whats ur Opinion on Dean ambrose”Bright future

— Triple H (@TripleH) May 19, 2013

– CM Punk was at the Gracie MMA training camp this weekend, along with former WWE Diva Eve Torres. Eve tweeted the following picture of herself, Punk and the rest of the Gracie students. Eve is in the bottom left of the photo, while Punk is in the top right::

Standup Paddle boarding at #GracieImmersionCamp! Who’s the weirdo in the corner? instagram.com/p/Zd0f3VuOkc/

— Eve Torres (@EveMarieTorres) May 18, 2013

– Deadline.com reports that WWE has hired Julie Tustin as a new marketing executive for WWE Studios She previously worked with Paramount and Miramax.