Welcome to Friday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

FRIDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NHL playoffs: Maple Leafs at Bruins, 7 p.m. (NESN, NHL Network)
NHL playoffs: Rangers at Capitals, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Ducks at Red Wings, 8 p.m. (CNBC)
NHL playoffs: Blues at Kings, 10 p.m. (NBCSN)
NBA playoffs: Heat at Bulls, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
NBA playoffs: Spurs at Warriors, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
MLB: Blue Jays at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN Plus; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Cubs at Nationals, 7 p.m. (WGN)
MLB: Yankees at Royals, 8 p.m. (MLB Network)

AROUND THE WEB:

Former Jets quarterback Tim Tebow has offered no clue as to where he might end up next season. (AP)

♦ Free agent quarterback Tim Tebow, in his first public comments since being cut by the Jets, offered no information about where he might play in 2013 as he spoke to students at Lake Michigan College on Thursday.

“I don’t know what the future holds,” Tebow told a crowd of about 3,000 at the school in Benton Harbor, Mich., “but at the end of the day I know who holds my future.”

The Patriots were rumored to be a possible landing spot for Tebow, but a Thursday story by Yahoo! Sports’ Michael Silver indicated that, according to an organizational source, Bill Belichick “hates” Tebow as a player despite his outward affinity for the individual. The source said about the possibility of Tebow landing in New England: “No chance. Plus they wouldn’t like the circus that comes with it.”

Despite his lack of success in New York last year, Tebow this week was named America’s most influential athlete in a Forbes magazine poll.

“That’s a huge honor,” Tebow said Thursday. “I see it as a great responsibility to be a role model for future generations. That’s something I care about more than winning football games. If I can take the game of football and can transcend football, go to hospitals and make kids smile, I’ll be doing things that matter.”

Added Tebow: “What I want to do with my life is impact lives. When a kid in a hospital is fighting for his life and I’m trying to win a football game, what really matters? This game isn’t as important as a lot of us make it out to be. If I can give him a little bit of hope, I can do something that matters. That’s what I want my legacy to be about. That’s how I want to be remembered.”

♦ Redskins owner Dan Snyder made it clear that he has not softened his opposition to changing the name of his team, despite growing criticism.

“We will never change the name of the team,” Snyder told USA Today. “As a lifelong Redskins fan, and I think that the Redskins fans understand the great tradition and what it’s all about and what it means, so we feel pretty fortunate to be just working on next season.”

Amanda Blackhorse, a Native American who has filed a federal trademark suit in an attempt to force a name change, told USA Today that she would dare Snyder to call her a redskin to her face.

“I think the best way is to just not comment on that type of stuff,” Snyder responded. “I don’t know her.”

♦ With NBC announcing this week that Carrie Underwood is replacing Faith Hill as the singer for the “Sunday Night Football” theme song, Real Clear Sports has a list of the top 10 sports broadcast theme songs.

No. 1 is the Olympics theme music, followed by “Monday Night Football” and the NBA on NBC.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On May 10, 1999, which Red Sox player hit three home runs — including two grand slams — and collected 10 RBIs in a 12-4 rout of the Mariners at Fenway Park?

Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to Thursday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

THURSDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
MLB: Twins at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Braves at Giants, 10 p.m. (MLB Network)
NHL playoffs: Senators at Canadiens, 7 p.m. (CNBC)
NHL playoffs: Islanders at Penguins, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Wild at Blackhawks, 9:30 p.m. (NBCSN)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ The umpires in Cleveland are coming under fire after missing a home run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning of the Athletics’ 4-3 loss to the Indians. Oakland’s Adam Rosales struck a ball that hit off the railing a few feet above the left-field wall, but somehow the umpires could not see it when they went to watch the replay.

“Probably the only four people in the ballpark,” said A’s manager Bob Melvin, who was ejected for arguing after the botched call.

“Our whole team thought it was the wrong call,” Rosales said. “The replays showed it hit the railing. With six eyes on it [the three umps that went to review it], you would have thought they’d make the right call.”

Second-base umpire Angel Hernandez insisted the review did not offer anything conclusive.

“It wasn’t evident on the TV we had it was a home run,” Hernandez told a pool reporter. “I don’t know what kind of replay you had, but you can’t reverse a call unless there is 100 percent evidence and there wasn’t 100 percent evidence.”

♦ Basketball Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman took his involvement in U.S.-North Korea relations to a new level Wednesday, as he tweeted to his friend, Kim Jong Un, asking him to release Korean-American Kenneth Bae. The 44-year-old Bae, a tour operator who was in North Korea with some Chinese businessmen, was sentenced last week to 15 years of hard labor for undisclosed “hostile acts” against the country.

I’m calling on the Supreme Leader of North Korea or as I call him “Kim”, to do me a solid and cut Kenneth Bae loose.

— Dennis Rodman (@dennisrodman) May 7, 2013

Rodman, who visited with the basketball-loving Kim in February, explained that he was responding to a challenge from the Seattle Times to prove his friendship with Kim by intervening in this dispute.

♦ A 28-year-old woman died Tuesday after choking on a hot dog at a Cubs game two days earlier. Maureen Oleskiewicz, an Illinois junior high school teacher, was at Wrigley Field on Sunday when she collapsed and was taken out in an ambulance.

“They were watching the action on the field, sitting next to each other, and all of a sudden [younger brother] Martin said she was on the floor,” Oleskiewicz’ mother explained. “And he said, ‘What are you doing? Get up!’ And she was totally out of it. She had no pulse.”

The family kept her alive until Tuesday so that her organs could be donated.

“The Chicago Cubs are saddened to hear news of the untimely death of Maureen Oleskiewicz,” the team said in a statement Wednesday. “We express our deepest sympathy to her family and friends. We will continue to keep her family in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On May 9, 1989, which Red Sox catcher dropped a foul popup, ending his major league-record errorless streak of 159 games?

Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to Wednesday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

WEDNESDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NHL playoffs: Bruins at Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. (NESN, CNBC)
NHL playoffs: Capitals at Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Kings at Blues, 9 p.m. (NHL Network)
NHL playoffs: Red Wings at Ducks, 10 p.m. (NBCSN)
Hockey World Championships: United States vs. Finland, 1 p.m. (NBCSN)
NBA playoffs: Bulls at Heat, 7 p.m. (TNT)
NBA playoffs: Warriors at Spurs, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
MLB: Twins at Red Sox, 7 p.m. (NESN Plus, ESPN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Braves at Reds, 12:30 p.m. (MLB Network)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks to a rout of the Pacers in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series, and then he took a moment to thank Boston Globe writer Gary Washburn for giving him a first-place vote in the NBA MVP balloting.

“As far as the guy in Boston, I don’t know any he catches so much flak for that,” Anthony said, referring to the controversy after LeBron James fell one vote shy of a unanimous MVP. “He has the right to vote for whoever he wants. LeBron won the MVP. Why is everybody so mad that he didn’t win it unanimously? … Thank you.”

Anthony also addressed a tweet from the account of MSG Network Knicks analyst Bernard King that criticized Anthony following New York’s Game 1 loss. King has claimed an associate was responsible for the tweet, which has since been removed.

The tweet read: If Carmelo’s shoulder is hurting that bad — work the paint — drive and dish — become a facilitator — it’s a TEAM game.

Responded Anthony: “I found out about the alleged Bernard King tweet this morning. I didn’t think too much about it. I know Bernard very well and I heard he was trying to reach out to me to let me know it wasn’t something that he said. He just wanted to apologize. I didn’t really pay too much any mind to that at all.”

Knicks coach Mike Woodson defended Anthony earlier Tuesday.

“Melo’s had a hell of a season,” Woodson said. “He’s struggling a little bit. But we’re right in the thick of things. We’re still in the hunt. That’s all you can ask for.”

♦ During Tuesday night’s Blue Jays-Rays game in St. Petersburg, Fla., Toronto starting pitcher J.A. Happ took a line drive from Desmond Jennings off the side of his head. He was alert as he was wheeled off on a stretcher and taken to an area hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.

Jennings got a triple as the ball deflected down the right-field line. Happ fell to the ground next to the mound and covered his head with his glove.

“It’s devastating. … I could barely watch it,” Jays pitcher R.A. Dickey said. “You just don’t know what to think, really. It paralyzes you a little bit. And when it sounds like two bats, when you hear the sound off the bat and it sounds like it hits another bat, it’s scary. It’s really, really scary. I just started praying in the spot. That’s all I knew to do.”

Said Tampa Bay’s Ryan Roberts, who was in the on-deck circle at the time: “I just saw it come off the bat hot, and when it hit him I knew it hit him hard. I instantly started praying for him. That’s a situation you never want to see. It’s unfortunate. I hope he recovers and hope he’s back pitching as soon as possible. That’s something in a game you hate to see.”

♦ Former Lions wide receiver Titus Young was arrested twice in about 14 hours, according to police in Southern California. The 23-year-old was first arrested early Sunday on suspicion of DUI. Later that day, Young allegedly jumped over the fence of a tow company in an attempt to get his impounded car out of the yard. He was booked on suspicion of burglary.

Young, drafted out of Boise State in 2011, was released by Detroit in February.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On May 8, 2004, in a 9-1 victory over the visiting Royals, which Red Sox infielder hit two home runs, one of which was an inside-the-park homer?

Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to Tuesday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

TUESDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NBA playoffs: Pacers at Knicks, 7 p.m. (TNT)
NBA playoffs: Grizzlies at Thunder, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Canadiens at Senators, 7 p.m. (CNBC)
NHL playoffs: Penguins at Islanders, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Canadiens at Senators, 7 p.m. (CNBC)
NHL playoffs: Blackhawks at Wild, 9:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Canucks at Sharks, 10 p.m. (CNBC)
Hockey World Championships: United States vs. Russia, 1 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB: Twins at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Tigers at Nationals, 7 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLB: Cardinals at Cubs, 8 p.m. (WGN)

AROUND THE WEB:

Ryan Clark

♦ Steelers safety Ryan Clark, no stranger to Patriots bulletin boards, offered his analysis of the New England offense during an appearance on ESPN’s “NFL Live” Monday and said Tom Brady‘s job got a lot more difficult this offseason.

“I think what’s really underestimated is Wes Welker’s importance to not only the New England Patriots, but Tom Brady,” Clark said. “A lot of what they do is timing. A lot of what they do is option reads, when you’re working inside against that nickel back or against those linebackers. Losing him is huge.

“I know they think Danny Amendola can come in and have the same type of numbers he had with the Rams, but we also have to remember, he’s fragile. He’s not a guy who has completed a whole season, especially playing inside in what can be a physical AFC East. You also think about [Rob] Gronkowski and the injury; that is going to be bigger than anything for the New England Patriots coming in this year. Also Aaron Hernandez.”

Clark also took a shot at Brady, insisting that the veteran QB can be rattled by pressure.

“In 2010, we saw it start with the Jets in the playoffs. When Tom Brady gets pressure and when you’re man-to-man and bumping those guys and making it hard for him to throw, he sees ghosts,” Clark said. “Even when guys aren’t around him, even when he’s not about to be sacked, when his clock goes off in his head that the ball should be out, we’ll see him duck, we’ll see him flinch. When you get Tom Brady doing that, the whole New England Patriots mystique goes away.”

The Patriots host the Steelers on Nov. 3.

♦ Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez returned to the field Monday for the first time since having surgery on his left hip Jan. 16, working out at the team’s minor league complex in Tampa, Fla.

“It feels good to be back out in uniform,” Rodriguez said. “It’s been a rough stretch with the rehab, obviously. It’s small bites at a time.”

Rodriguez said he’s focused on getting back and redeeming himself for the embarrassing finish to last season, when he was benched during the Yankees’ four-game sweep at the hands of the Tigers in the ALCS.

“I have a lot of unfinished business,” Rodriguez said. “I’m really looking forward to getting back on the field close to 100 percent and being who I am.”

As for the latest controversy — A-Rod reportedly had ties to a since-closed clinic in South Florida that allegedly was dispensing performance-enhancing drugs — Rodriguez offered no insight.

“I can only control what I can control,” Rodriguez said. “I’m really focusing on all the great things that have happened in the game. I’m really focused on getting healthy, and just getting back and helping the Yankees win a championship.”

♦ Forbes magazine released its list of America’s most influential athletes, and Tim Tebow ranks No. 1. The free agent quarterback, who has 2.2 million Twitter followers, was judged as influential by 29 percent of poll respondents.

Tebow is followed on the list by swimmer Michael Phelps, sprinter Usain Bolt, injured Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. The second five consists of Saints quarterback Drew Brees, gymnast Gabby Douglas, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, NBA MVP LeBron James and soccer icon David Beckham.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On May 7, 1997, which Red Sox catcher — who would go on to greater fame as a member of the Athletics’ “Moneyball” team in 2002 — hit his first career home run (along with his second) in an 11-3 rout of the Twins?

Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to Monday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

MONDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NHL playoffs: Bruins at Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. (NESN, NHL Network)
NHL playoffs: Capitals at Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Ducks at Red Wings, 8 p.m. (CNBC)
NHL playoffs: Blues at Kings, 10 p.m. (NBCSN)
NBA playoffs: Bulls at Heat, 7 p.m. (TNT)
NBA playoffs: Warriors at Spurs, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
MLB: Twins at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN Plus; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Braves at Reds, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

AROUND THE WEB:

LeBron James receives his fourth MVP award Sunday during a ceremony in Miami. (AP)

♦ LeBron James received 120 out of a possible 121 first-place votes to win his fourth NBA MVP award, setting off a search to find out who could have considered the Heat star unworthy.

During Sunday’s award ceremony at Miami’s AmericanAirlines Arena, James — the only player this year to lead his team in scoring (26.8), rebounding (8.0) and assists (7.3) — offered his opinion.

“It’s probably a writer out of New York that didn’t give me the vote,” he said. “I know the history between the Heat and the Knicks, So, I get it.”

As it turns out, the renegade writer was Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Washburn voted for Carmelo Anthony first, and in a column Monday he attempted to justify his decision, claiming that Anthony was more valuable to the Knicks than James was to the Heat. Washburn wrote that he was “flabbergasted” to learn that he stood alone in his thinking.

For his part, Anthony agreed with the 120 writers who determined James deserved his fourth MVP in five years (Celtics legend Bill Russell is the only other player to accomplish that feat).

“LeBron gets it, I take my hat off to him, he deserves it,” Anthony said. “They had a hell of a year, to win 27 straight games, a hell of an achievement.”

However, added Anthony: “I’ll take that vote.”

Anthony didn’t even finish second, as he was well behind runner-up Kevin Durant. Nine writers or broadcasters did not include Anthony on their ballots.

♦ A Utah soccer referee who was punched in the head by a 17-year-old player a week ago died Saturday night, according to police. Ricardo Portillo, 46, suffered swelling in his brain after the assault and had been in critical condition for a week.

Portillo had given a yellow card to the teenager, a goalie in a recreational league, when the player started arguing and then threw a punch to Portillo’s head. The referee, who complained of dizziness and vomited blood, was taken to a hospital, where he slipped into a coma.

The teenager was booked into juvenile detention on suspicion of aggravated assault. There could be additional charges following Portillo’s death.

♦ The Shaquille O’Neal-Jose Canseco feud — the two supposedly were going to have a boxing match at one point last year — was reignited over the weekend, after Canseco sent out a simple tweet to to Shaq that read: hey pussy.

Responded O’Neal: ill beat your ass rat boy the whole world saw u run from hung man Choy. Set it up ill break your jaw #snitchesgetstitches

Added Shaq: u gonna need more than steroids to help u when I smack the rat fur off yo ass #snitchesgetstitches pt 2

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On May 6, 2000, Pedro Martinez struck out 17 batters, but the Red Sox were blanked and dropped a 1-0 decision to which team?

Read the rest of this entry »

New Hampshire state Rep. Stella Tremblay has questioned whether Jeff Bauman really was injured in the Boston Marathon bombing, which she has said was perpetrated by the American government. (AP)

New Hampshire state Rep. Stella Tremblay, who has come under fire after claiming the federal government was behind the Boston Marathon bombing and suggesting that bombing victim Jeff Bauman was faking having his legs blown off, joined Dennis & Callahan on Friday for a brief conversation before hanging up on the hosts.

“All I’m asking is for a full investigation,” Tremblay said. “Not the FBI, but some unbiased … someone else removed from the FBI to make a full investigation. … You don’t want the truth, that’s fine. I’m asking for a full investigation.”

Tremblay, a Republican from Auburn, put up a post on conservative commentator Glenn Beck‘s Facebook page stating, “The Boston Marathon was a Black Ops ‘terrorist’ attack,” with a link to a video that allegedly supports her claim.

She told D&C that she only wants the truth to come out.

“I don’t know if it’s an inside job,” she said. “Let’s find out. Let’s bring the suspects into a court and have them do what our constitution — everyone is innocent until proven guilty.”

Added Tremblay: “I’m not saying if there’s a conspiracy. I want a full investigation into this. Innocent people, as Americans, we need to stand up and find out who’s behind this — who was hurt and why didn’t [the government] know the information that they should have known.”

Regarding her accusation that Bauman and other bombing victims could have been faking, Tremblay implied that she might have been mistaken.

“I would love to go and visit Jeff. I would like to go and apologize to him,” she said. “If he was hurt, the fact is I did not understand everything that was going on. Please get off all these things. There’s too many questions.”

However, she then said, “I don’t know,” when asked if she now understood that Bauman was indeed injured.

“Do you see the bone sticking out [from Bauman's leg]? If it was me, I cut something little on my hand, I would be screaming in agony. I would be screaming in agony with that pain.

“My heart goes out to him. I would like to go visit him at the hospital or at the rehab center, wherever he is, and speak with him.”

Welcome to Friday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

FRIDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NBA playoffs: Knicks at Celtics, 7 p.m. (CSNNE, ESPN; WEEI-FM)
NBA playoffs: Pacers at Hawks, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
NBA playoffs: Thunder at Rockets, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
NBA playoffs: Clippers at Grizzlies, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
NHL playoffs: Senators at Canadiens, 7 p.m. (CNBC)
NHL playoffs: Islanders at Penguins, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Wild at Blackhawks, 9:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Sharks at Canucks, 10 p.m. (CNBC)
MLB: Red Sox at Rangers, 8:05 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-AM)
MLB: Cardinals at Brewers, 8 p.m. (MLB Network)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ An Associated Press-GfK poll of more than 1,000 adults conducted in mid-April shows that despite recent attempts to pressure the Redskins to change their name, the majority of Americans do not think the team should be forced to give in to the politically correct movement. Only 11 percent said the name should be changed, with 8 percent unsure and 2 percent not answering.

A national poll in 1992 showed the name had 89 percent support, so this poll indicates a 10 percent drop.

The team made reference to the poll on its website.

“While much of the world has changed over the last three decades, the loyal support for the Washington Redskins remains unwavering,” the website said. “It is also suspected that at least 50 percent of those in dissent are Dallas Cowboys fans.”

Responded Susan Shown Harjo, one of five Native American petitioners who is trying to get the courts to take away the team’s federal trademark protection: “This is a really good example of why you never put racism up to a popular vote, because racism will win every time. It’s not up to the offending class to say what offends the offended.”

♦ Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez met the media Thursday, less than a week after the team drafted West Virginia QB Geno Smith early in the second round, and said he still considers himself the starter and future of the franchise.

“If we’re competing for the job, I’m going to do my very best to compete,” Sanchez said. “I expect to play. That’s just the way I am.”

Sanchez said new offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg called him after Smith was selected and told Sanchez to to “go win the job.”

There’s a little fire going and that’s good,” Sanchez said. “I’m cool with that. I think it’s good for everybody.”

Added Sanchez: “It’s an exciting time. I’m thrilled to compete. It will bring out the very best that I have, and that will help the team.”

♦ Major League Baseball handed out fines to umpire Tom Hallion and the Rays players who were involved in a public dispute earlier this week.

Pitchers David Price, Jeremy Hellickson and Matt Moore were fined $1,000 each after tweeting comments questioning Hallion’s integrity. Hallion was fined an undisclosed amount after he called Price a “liar” for saying Hallion swore at him during Sunday’s game.

Price, who had said he only wanted an apology from Hallion, said Thursday he had no more comments on the matter.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On May 3, 1999, which Red Sox catcher made his first major league hit count, hitting a grand slam in the first inning against the A’s in a game the Sox would lose in the 10th despite have a 7-0 lead after two innings?

Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to Thursday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

THURSDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NBA playoffs: Nets at Bulls, 8 p.m. (TNT)
NBA playoffs: Nuggets at Warriors, 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Senators at Canadiens, 7 p.m. (CNBC)
NHL playoffs: Rangers at Capitals, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Kings at Blues, 9:30 p.m. (CNBC)
NHL playoffs: Red Wings at Ducks, 10 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB: Red Sox at Blue Jays, 7:07 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Nationals at Braves, 7:10 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLS: Revolution at Timbers, 10:30 p.m. (CSNNE)

AROUND THE WEB:

The Cubs have called Wrigley Field home for 99 years. (AP)

♦ The Cubs are threatening to leave Wrigley Field if the team is not allowed to add a big video scoreboard in left field. Chairman Tom Ricketts said the club needs the advertising revenue to help fund the 99-year-old park’s $500 million renovation.

“The fact is that if we don’t have the ability to generate revenue in our own outfield, we’ll have to take a look at moving — no question,” Ricketts said Wednesday.

Owners of rooftop bleachers behind the park would have the most to lose from the new scoreboard, as it would affect fans’ views. Although the Cubs get 17 percent of revenue from rooftop businesses, the team indicated it would take in about $20 million per year from ad revenue from the scoreboard.

Said Ricketts: “All we really need is to be able to run our business like a business and not a museum.”

♦ New Jets quarterback Geno Smith‘s reputation is taking some hits, days after he fired his agents reportedly because he wasn’t happy with where he was drafted.

On Wednesday, Yahoo! Sports’ Jason Cole reported that Smith did not make many friends during his pre-draft meet ins with prospective teams because he sat by himself and focused on his cell phone, texting and checking Twitter instead of engaging team executives and coaches.

“All these other players who were in there were talking to the coaches, trying to get to know people, and he was over there by himself,” a source told Yahoo! “That’s not what you want out of your quarterback.”

Added a league executive: “His biggest problem is that he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. I’m not sure he knows how to take instruction because he pretty much wouldn’t listen or talk to our coaches. … He’s talented. He can sling it, he can fit it into tight spots, he can do a lot of things and I think he wants to be good. But you can’t tell him anything right now. He’s tuned out because he thinks he’s got it all down.”

♦ On the heels of Jason Collins becoming the first active athlete in one of the four major pro American sports to announce he is gay, Real Clear Sports has a list of the top 10 barrier-breaking athletes.

No. 1 is Jackie Robinson, followed by Billie Jean King and Jesse Owens. Others on the list include one-handed major league pitcher Jim Abbott (7), transsexual tennis player Renee Richards (9) and disabled Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius (10).

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On May 2, 1995, the Red Sox posted an 8-0 victory over the Yankees. The runs came on a pair of grand slams by John Valentin and Mo Vaughn, who previously were college teammates at which Big East school?

Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to Wednesday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

WEDNESDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NBA playoffs: Celtics at Knicks, 7 p.m. (CSNNE, TNT; WEEI-FM)
NBA playoffs: Hawks at Pacers, 8 p.m. (NBATV)
NBA playoffs: Rockets at Thunder, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Maple Leafs at Bruins, 7 p.m. (NESN, CNBC)
NHL playoffs: Islanders at Penguins, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Sharks at Canucks, 10:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB: Red Sox at Blue Jays, 7:07 p.m. (NESN Plus; WEEI-AM)
MLB: Nationals at Braves, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

AROUND THE WEB:

Geno Smith says he's happy to be a Jet, but he clearly wasn't happy with how long he had to wait to be drafted. (AP)

♦ New Jets quarterback Geno Smith was disappointed that he lasted until the eighth pick of the second round of last week’s NFL draft. So disappointed, in fact, that he fired his agents.

The former West Virginia star apparently felt he deserved to go No. 1 overall. Instead, he waited in the green room at Radio City Music Hall the entire first day without hearing his name called. He announced plans to go home after Round 1, but he changed his mind and returned Friday.

On Monday, he confirmed a report that he had decided to part ways with his representatives at Select Sports Group.

“I don’t want to shed too much light on it,” he said in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio. “The thing that I can tell you is that it’s not because of the whole draft experience. It’s not because of one particular incident. There are a number of things, and that story, you know, that battle will be fought on a different day. As of right now, I don’t feel too comfortable talking about all the details of it.”

Responded the agency in a statement: “We worked tirelessly for Geno Smith and all of our draft prospects. The NFL draft is unpredictable, and we prepared Geno and all of our draft prospects, as we do every year, about what can happen during the draft. Not only did we tell him that what transpired on the first day of the draft was possible, the question of whether Geno would be a first- or second-round pick was arguably the most talked about subject in the three months leading up to the draft. We wish Geno the best.”

Meanwhile, Jets general manager John Idzik said that the team will have an “open competition” at quarterback, with Smith vying for the starting position along with incumbent Mark Sanchez, Greg McElroy, David Garrard and Matt Simms.

♦ Speaking of Jets quarterback, the recently released Tim Tebow received a job offer from the Omaha Beef of the Champions Professional Indoor Football League. The team called Tebow’s agent’s office with the offer of $75 per game.

The Beef are 5-1 behind quarterback James McNear, who is competing 70 percent of his passes, with 21 touchdowns vs. two interceptions.

Said McNear: “I think Tim can learn a lot from me.”

♦ Jason Collins‘ former fiancee said she did not suspect that he was gay during their eight-year relationship that ended when Collins called off their engagement in 2009. Carolyn Moos, who attended Stanford with Collins and went on to play in the WNBA, said Collins contacted her over the weekend, days before Collins’ first-person account in Sports Illustrated hit the web, and revealed that his homosexuality was the reason for their breakup.

“It’s very emotional for me as a woman to have invested eight years in my dream to have a husband, soul mate, and best friend in him. So this is all hard to understand,” Moos told TMZ, adding. “I care about [Jason] tremendously and only want the best for him. I want Jason to be happy for a lifetime and stay true to who he really is, inside and out.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On May 1, 1977, Gerry Cheevers and the Bruins blanked the Flyers, 3-0, to sweep the Stanley Cup semifinals in four games. Which Bruin scored two third-period goals (one an empty-netter)?

Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to Tuesday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

TUESDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NBA playoffs: Warriors at Nuggets, 8 p.m. (TNT)
NBA playoffs: Grizzlies at Clippers, 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Wild at Blackhawks, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Kings at Blues, 8 p.m. (CNBC)
NHL playoffs: Red Wings at Ducks, 10:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB: Red Sox at Blue Jays, 7:07 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Reds at Cardinals, 8 p.m. (MLB Network)

AROUND THE WEB:

Jason Collins

♦ Former Celtics center Jason Collins‘ revelation that he is gay led to overwhelmingly positive responses from people in and around the NBA. However, there was one notable exception.

ESPN NBA analyst Chris Broussard, during an appearance on “Outside the Lines,” offered an objection on religious grounds.

“Personally, I don’t believe that you can live an openly homosexual lifestyle, or an openly premarital sex between heterosexuals,” Broussard said. “If you’re openly living that type of lifestyle, the Bible says you know them by their fruits, it says that’s a sin. … I think that is walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ.”

Broussard said there are others in the NBA who agree with him, but some are hesitant to voice their opinion because they are afraid of the backlash.

“Just because they disagree with that lifestyle, they don’t want to be called bigoted and intolerant and things like that,” Broussard said.

Former NBA star Larry Johnson tweeted a mixed message.

I don’t Jason Collins personally but he seems like a great guy. Me personally gay men in the locked room would make me uncomfortable .

— Larry Johnson (@TheRealLJ2) April 29, 2013

Meanwhile, the Red Sox tweeted their support to Collins, offering to have him throw out the first pitch before a game.

We salute you, @jasoncollins34 for your courage and leadership. Any time you want to throw out a first pitch at Fenway Park, let us know. — Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) April 29, 2013

♦ Tim Tebow‘s release by the Jets not surprisingly was a huge story on ESPN. The network has been criticized in the past for providing coverage disproportionate to Tebow’s accomplishments in the NFL, and that continued Monday. This time, one of ESPN’s own personalities questioned the strategy.

SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt, during his ESPN Radio show Monday, offered his take.

“I vowed when we got up today and saw the news that Tebow’d been released by the Jets we weren’t going to go all in here because he’s a backup quarterback who was responsible for zero touchdowns last year, and if SportsCenter wants to turn it into a carnival in the morning then that’s on them,” Van Pelt said. “I don’t get it, but if you want to talk about that for an hour and not show Golden State highlights, then I would disagree with that and people would be happy I’m not anchoring, ’cause my thing is, show me highlights.”

♦ A Russian soccer official was banned for life for assaulting an 18-year-old player as the final whistle blew during a game in Chechnya. Linesman Musa Kadyrov attacked Ilya Krichmar after a reserves game between Russian Premier League teams Grozny and Amkar Perm. Grozny beat Krichmar’s Amkar Perm team, 2-1.

A Russian Football Association official said the player swore at Kadyrov repeatedly, and then he put the lineman over the edge by insulting his mother. Krichmar was given a retrospective red card.

“Throughout the whole game, the Amkar player was swearing at him, and Kadyrov didn’t signal with his flag once after these actions, instead referring it to the referee,” Russian FA official Lom-Ali Ibragimov said. “Unfortunately, the referee didn’t react.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On April 30, 1956, the Celtics traded Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan to the St. Louis Hawks for the No. 1 second overall pick in the draft. Who was that selection?

Read the rest of this entry »