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:
MLB: Indians at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Yankees at Rays, 7 p.m. (MLB NEtwork)
MLB: Cubs at Reds, 7:10 p.m. (WGN)
NHL playoffs: Senators at Penguins, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NBA playoffs: Pacers at Heat, 8:30 p.m. (TNT)

AROUND THE WEB:

Heat forward Shane Battier was called for an offensive foul for this knee to Pacers center Roy Hibbert in Wednesday's Game 1. (AP)

♦ The Pacers were frustrated after their Game 1 of their series vs. the Heat on Wednesday and it wasn’t just because they lost in overtime. Indiana players weren’t happy with some aggressive/dirty play by Miami, and they let their feelings be known.

Shane Battier was the primary target of the complaints, in part due to one play on which he drove on Roy Hibbert and kneed the Pacers center in the groin area, earning an offensive foul.

Tweeted Hibbert: U can knee or kick me every time u drive 2the rim. I’ll be there 2protect the rim. That wasn’t inadvertent. Battier knew what he was doing.

Battier also scuffled with Tyler Hansbrough, at one point appearing to throw an elbow while the two were battling for a rebound.

Meanwhile, Pacers coach Frank Vogel insisted his team took plenty of positives from the heartbreaking loss as they prepare for Friday night’s Game 2.

“Very encouraged,” he said. “Our belief in our ability to beat this team has strengthened after Game 1. Our familiarity in the playoffs, in the playoff series grows with each day, grows with each game, and there’s a lot of things we can definitely do better.”

♦ Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez didn’t impress much with his three-interception effort at Wednesday’s OTAs, and now comes a report from CBS Sports’ Mike Freeman that Sanchez’ teammates are ready to move on. An unidentified Jet estimated that 80-90 percent of the team wants someone else taking snaps.

“Everyone on the team likes Mark personally, but there’s a general feeling among some of the players that maybe it’s time to give someone else a chance,” the player said.

♦ Retired Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis announced plans to climb Mount Kilimanjaro — the world’s tallest freestanding mountain at more than 19,000 feet above sea level — next month to raise awareness for clean water projects in East Africa.

“I am so FIRED UP for this adventure, but until then, I need your help to bring clean water wells to thousands of children and families,” Lewis said in a statement.

The 38-year-old Lewis will be an NFL analyst for ESPN this season.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On May 24, 1988, a power outage forced the suspension of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals between the Bruins and Oilers at 16:37 of the second period with the score tied at 3. Which Oilers player set a record when he opened the game by scoring the quickest goal in finals history, 10 seconds into the game?

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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:
NHL playoffs: Bruins at Rangers, 7 p.m. (CNBC)
NHL playoffs: Blackhawks at Red Wings, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Sharks at Kings, 10:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB: Indians at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Twins at Tigers, 7 p.m. (MLB Network)

AROUND THE WEB:

Jets quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (6) and Geno Smith (7) had some problems at Wednesday's OTA practice. (AP)

♦ Mark Sanchez‘ 2013 vindication tour got off to a rocky start Wednesday, as the Jets quarterback threw three interceptions in the team’s OTA practice, something coach Rex Ryan called “disappointing” and “unacceptable.”

“This is OTAs and things, but yeah, that’s going to be the pressure that we’re putting on him,” Ryan said, via the New York Daily News. “He did a lot of great things. It’s not that you try to cover up the fact you had some bad plays — no, no, no you flat tell him. We can’t have these and all that type of stuff. He knows.”

Added Ryan: “He did a lot of great things, and then those negative things, at the end of the day, that’s what gets you beat. And so we’ve got to to do a better job of eliminating those turnovers.”

Said Sanchez: “I’m shaking the rust off a little bit.”

Meanwhile, rookie QB Geno Smith, who fired his agents after his draft slide, announced that he will be represented by Jay-Z‘s Roc Nation Sports.

“When you talk about being in New York from a standpoint of what they can do in the city, the connections that they have, I think it’s a good move. My mother and my family were comfortable with it. I’m comfortable with it,” Smith said. “I’m just going to move on from there. It’s not going to be a big deal and just remain humble and keep focusing on football.”

♦ Knicks star Carmelo Anthony has a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder and might need surgery, according to multiple reports. Anthony will be reevaluated after resting the shoulder for the next 3-4 weeks.

Anthony hurt the shoulder last month in a game against the Pacers and then re-aggravated it when Celtics forward Kevin Garnett tugged on his arm during Game 5 of their playoff series. Anthony shot 40 percent in 12 postseason games, including a 39-point effort on 15-of-29 shooting in New York’s elimination Game 6 vs. Indiana.

“It was bothering me since it happened,” Anthony said Monday, before an MRI revealed the extent of the damage. “To be able to play with that and get through the pain, it just came to a point where you just try not to think about it. That’s where I was at mentally.”

If Anthony needs surgery, he is expected to need 3-5 months of recovery time, meaning he might not be ready in time for training camp.

♦ The Nationals squandered a 2-1 lead in the ninth inning Tuesday and lost to the Giants. Closer Rafael Soriano, in his first season in Washington after opting out of his contract with the Yankees in the offseason, placed part of the blame on young star Bryce Harper, who saw the game-trying triple go just over his head in right field with two outs.

“With two outs and the tying run at first, you have to play the outfield so the ball doesn’t go over your head,” Soriano said in a Spanish language interview, according to USA Today. “It may not have been a catchable ball, but if we’re positioned the right way, there might have been a different outcome. With two outs, I could tell my 4-year-old son, ‘You know where you need to play,’ and he would go to the right spot to make the play. It’s not an excuse, and I’m not speaking badly about anybody, but I think that’s how you play the game.”

Harper, who needed 11 stitches after running into the wall at Dodger Stadium last week, said he hesitated because he thought he was running out of room.

“Absolutely, of course it crosses your mind after you jam into a wall, and it doesn’t really feel very good,” Harper said. “It sucks not making the play. I totally put that loss on me.”

On Wednesday, Soriano downplayed the incident, insisting he was joking to the USA Today reporter. He also said he cleared the air with Harper and insisted, “It’s all good.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On May 23, 1976, the Celtics beat the Suns, 98-87, in Game 1 of the NBA finals. Which Celtic led the way with 25 points and 21 rebounds?

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Vinny Del Negro

The Clippers parted ways with coach Vinny Del Negro Tuesday, deciding not to renew his contract after the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Del Negro led the Clippers to a 56-26 record this season and helped the organization to its first division title.

“This was a difficult decision, but we feel this is the best decision for our franchise moving forward,” said Gary Sacks, vice president of basketball operations.

Now, the Clippers are focused on finding someone to replace Del Negro. According to the Los Angeles Times, former Cavaliers coach Byron Scott, Warriors assistant Mike Malone and Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer are top candidates for the job.

Scott, who was just fired from Cleveland after a 24-58 season, was the coach of the Hornets when they drafted current Clippers point guard Chris Paul in 2005. Scott and Paul reportedly had a “father-son” type of relationship and Scott’s presence could help keep Paul — who is a free agent this offseason — in Los Angeles.

Malone is another candidate who Paul holds in high regard from his days in New Orleans, according to CBS Sports writer Ken Berger. Malone has spent time with the Cavaliers and Hornets before most recently helped the Warriors to a trip to the Western Conference semifinals.

Budenholzer has spent his entire NBA coaching career with the Spurs organization, as he started as a video coordinator there in 1994. From there, he worked his way up to assistant coach in 1996 and was named top assistant in 2007. He already has interviewed with the Hawks for their coaching vacancy.

Another popular name that has been mentioned has been Lionel Hollins, who is coaching the Grizzlies in the Western Conference finals. Hollins is No. 1 on the Clippers’ list according to Huffington Post writer Mark Heisler.

Brian Urlacher

Former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher announced his retirement Wednesday, ending a 13-year NFL career.

“After spending a lot of time this spring thinking about my NFL future, I have made a decision to retire,” Urlacher wrote. “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. I want to thank all of the people in my life that have helped me along the way. I will miss my teammates, my coaches, and the great Bears fans. I’m proud to say that I have all of you everything I had every time I took the field. I will miss this great game, but I leave it with no regrets.”

The eight-time Pro Bowler played his entire career in Chicago, and was the face of the organization for many years. He and the Bears were unable to reach an agreement on a contract this offseason and he became a free agent.

Urlacher recorded a franchise-record 1,779 tackles in 182 games between 2000 and 2012. He also had 41.5 sacks, 22 interceptions, 16 fumble recoveries and 11 forced fumbles in his career.

The ninth overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft was the 2000 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, the 2005 AP Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-Pro four times. He helped lead the Bears to the Super Bowl in 2007.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed at the NFL spring meetings in Boston on Tuesday that the NFL draft will be moved to May in 2014 due to a scheduling conflict.

Radio City Music Hall, the home for the draft, will be hosting an Easter show in April, which led to the need for the switch. Goodell emphasized that the league is happy with its experiences with Radio City Music Hall.

“We think we have found a location in New York that meets our requirements and where we think we can continue to grow the event,” he said.

Goodell said he expects the draft to remain in May and that adjustments to the NFL’s calendar will be discussed with the players’ union. There could also be adjustments made to the dates for the NFL combine and the start of free agency.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the changes being discussed would have the league year starting before the combine beginning in 2015. The NFLPA is looking to give free agents a chance to find new teams sooner with the change.

While Goodell can set the date of the draft without the NFLPA’s approval, he said he wanted to be sure that the union signed off on any changes to the league schedule or the draft to maintain league harmony.

Charles Woodson

Charles Woodson is going back to where his NFL career started, as the defensive back signed a one-year contract with the Raiders Tuesday.

The contract includes a $700,000 signing bonus and could be worth as much as $4.3 million in 2013. It is a deal that will make Raiders fans happy, as many of them staked out at the team’s facility Tuesday urging him to sign with the team.

The Raiders had a hole at free safety after releasing seven-year veteran Michael Huff. With the signing of Woodson, Oakland has added a player who can fill that hole while working with first-round pick D.J. Hayden at cornerback.

The 36-year-old was the fourth overall pick in the 1998 draft and spent eight seasons with Oakland before signing with the Packers as a free agent. After seven seasons with Green Bay, Woodson was released Feb. 15 with two years remaining on his contract.

Woodson has 55 career interceptions, 17 sacks, 24 forced fumbles and 11 interception returns for touchdowns in 206 career games. He recorded one interception in seven games last season after intercepting seven passes in 15 games in 2011.

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:
MLB: Red Sox at White Sox, 8:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Reds at Mets, 1 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLB: Yankees at Orioles, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
MLB: Cubs at Pirates, 7 p.m. (WGN)
NBA playoffs: Pacers at Heat, 8:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Penguins at Senators, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)

AROUND THE WEB:

Sergio Garcia's joke Tuesday night about Tiger Woods did not go over well. (AP)

♦ The Tiger Woods-Sergio Garcia feud hit a new low Tuesday when Garcia joked that he would invite Woods over for dinner during the U.S. Open and “serve fried chicken.”

Garcia made the comment during the European Tour’s awards dinner, when the subject of his relationship with Woods was introduced. Garcia later released an apology through the European Tour.

“I apologise for any offense that may have been caused by my comment on stage during The European Tour Players’ Awards dinner,” the statement read. “I answered a question that was clearly made towards me as a joke with a silly remark, but in no way was the comment meant in a racist manner.”

UPDATE: Woods responded Wednesday morning via Twitter, writing: The comment that was made wasn’t silly. It was wrong, hurtful and clearly inappropriate. … I’m confident that there is real regret that the remark was made.

Added Woods: The Players ended nearly two weeks ago and it’s long past time to move on and talk about golf.

During The Players Championship at Sawgrass two weeks ago, Garcia accused Woods of disturbing him while Garcia was hitting a shot. Woods went on to win the tournament as Garcia faded, and the two later exchanged insults about the incident.

♦ The Cavaliers won the NBA draft lottery Tuesday night for the second time in three years, and there’s already speculation that they might trade the pick. Cleveland has two first-round picks, two second-round picks and plenty of cap space. Combine that with the fact that this draft is not considered especially strong, and the Cavs are likely to listen to offers while they continue their rebuilding process since losing LeBron James to the Heat three years ago.

“It’s so long already. I know it is only three years, but in NBA years it’s like dog years. It seems like it is 15 or 20 years,” Cavs owner Dan Gilbert said. “We’ve been just so focused on building the team the last few years, I can’t look back. There is nothing you can do. I am just happy about today.”

Everett product Nerlens Noel, still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered during his freshman season at Kentucky, is expected to be the No. 1 pick.

♦ The Yankees and English soccer power Manchester City will join forces to own a Major League Soccer expansion team that will enter the league in 2015. The team, which will be called the New York City Football Club, will be controlled by Manchester City, with the Yankees reportedly holding a stake between 20 and 25 percent.

“They’ll be running all the soccer. We know our way around New York, how to get things done,” Yankees president Randy Levine said.

The main issue for now appears to be where the team will play. The city has been pushing Flushing as a site for a stadium, although that might require some cooperation from the Mets, who could be ask to share the parking lots for Citi Field.

The team will need a temporary home until its stadium is constructed. New Yankee Stadium hosted two soccer matches last summer and is the site for an exhibition Saturday between Manchester City and Chelsea.

“Yankee Stadium is an option, as are many places,” Levine said.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On May 22, 1988, the Celtics and Hawks staged one of the most memorable playoff games in history, with Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins trading baskets in the fourth quarter of a 118-116 Boston victory in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Lost in the performance of Wilkins (47 points) and Bird (34), a guard for each team finished with a double-double. Which Hawk had 16 points and 18 assists, and which Celtic had 13 points and 10 assists?

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Thunder star Kevin Durant has donated $1 million to aid victims of the tornado that struck the Oklahoma City area Monday, the Red Cross of Oklahoma announced via a tweet. The city of Moore, Okla., which was hardest hit Monday, is about 11 miles south of Oklahoma City.

Durant, who made $17 million this season, was one of a number of athletes who expressed their concern for victims Monday.

Praying for the victims of the Tornadoes in OKC these last few days..Everybody stay safe!

— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) May 20, 2013

Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, a native of Midwest City, Okla., promised a donation based on his power numbers for the next couple of months.

I’m giving $1000 for tonight’s HR and every HR until the All-Star break for the victims of my hometown in OKC. #PrayforOklahoma — Matt Kemp (@TheRealMattKemp) May 21, 2013

Mets pitcher Jeremy Hefner grew up one mile from where the tornado struck hardest and attended Briarwood Elementary School, where children survived despite the roof of the building being torn off.

“When I heard it was in Moore, I was freaking out,” Hefner said, via the New York Daily News. “It was probably two and a half hours before I knew everyone [Hefer knows] was OK and everyone’s house was OK.”

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone back home.. I attended one of the schools that was hit.. Wish I was there to help.

— Jeremy Hefner (@jeremy_hefner53) May 20, 2013

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:
NHL playoffs: Bruins at Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Kings at Sharks, 10 p.m. (NBCSN)
NBA playoffs: Grizzlies at Spurs, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
NBA: Draft lottery, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
MLB: Red Sox at White Sox, 8:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Yankees at Orioles, 7:05 p.m. (MLB Network)

AROUND THE WEB:

Carmelo Anthony couldn't lift the Knicks past the Pacers in the second round of the playoffs. (AP)

♦ The Knicks are regrouping after their second-round flameout vs. the Pacers, but at least one person is convinced that the finger-pointing at Carmelo Anthony is unfair.

Jim Boeheim, who coached Anthony at Syracuse, expressed his disappointment with the rest of the Knicks and said Anthony can’t win a title with that lineup.

“Not on that team,” Boeheim told the Syracuse Post-Standard. “He did what he can do. He played very well the final game. Everybody’s killing him, but Tyson Chandler just didn’t try to catch the ball. He threw him the ball and Tyson Chandler went like this [dodging]. [Chandler] was wide open. He should have been looking for the ball right here. Kenyon Martin should have been looking for the ball. They both went like this [dodging]. Carmelo gets turnovers and the announcers aren’t smart enough to even think, ‘Well, the guy should try to catch the ball.’ ”

Speaking from his office at the Carmelo K. Anthony Center (which the Knicks star helped fund), Boeheim, who coached Anthony and Chandler on the 2012 U.S. Olympic team, also took shots at other Knicks players.

“Tyson Chandler claims he never gets the ball. He doesn’t try to get the ball. He had two points, and [Pacers center Roy] Hibbert had [21],” Boeheim said. “What was the difference in the series? Raymond Felton was 0-for-7. [Pacers guard] Lance Stephenson had [25] points. They’re going to blame it on Carmelo? I told him when he went to New York, ‘They’re going to blame it on you.’

“They have no chance to win. Pablo Prigioni has never scored against [Team USA]. We played Argentina six or seven times in different events. He hasn’t scored against us. You have to have players to win in the NBA.”

Boeheim insisted it’s not Anthony’s fault that the Knicks offense begins and ends with him, and added that Anthony “has to work too hard” because of the lack of support.

“Referring to Felton and J.R. Smith, Boeheim said: “Those guys weren’t great players where they were and now they’re asking them to be second and third options. In Miami the second and third options are Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Your fourth option is Ray Allen, who is still in good shape. Your fifth option is Shane Battier, who is still a good player. The New York Knicks have who?”

♦ Bills defensive end Mario Williams on Monday denied ever considering suicide, despite sending a text to his former fiancee last fall implying that he was. Williams, who is suing Erin Marzouki in an attempt to recover a $785,000 diamond engagement ring, accused her of manipulating his text in an attempt to embarrass him.

“Obviously it’s just a tactic to cover up the point of the whole thing,” Williams said. “It is what it is. I could really care less. All it is [is] allegations and text messages and what not, whatever information blown out of proportion. I mean, it’s completely out of context.”

Williams also texted Marzouki that he had taken three hydrocodone painkillers the morning of a game against the Patriots, and that he planned to take two more on the plane ride back to Buffalo. On Monday he explained that he was playing three weeks after having surgery on his left wrist and insisted the drugs were prescribed by the team.

♦ Bobcats owner Michael Jordan reportedly will announce Tuesday that the team will change its name to the Hornets, as has been speculated for some time. The original Hornets left Charlotte in 2002 for New Orleans but recently changed their name to the Pelicans.

It’s expected to take at least a year before Charlotte’s name change becomes official.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On May 21, 1978, the Bruins beat the Canadiens 4-3 in overtime to even the Stanley Cup finals at two games apiece. Which forward scored the winning goal?

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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:
MLB: Red Sox at White Sox, 8:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Yankees at Orioles, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
NHL playoffs: Blackhawks at Red Wings, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)

AROUND THE WEB:

LeBron James is ready for another physical series against the Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals. (AP)

♦ The Heat and Pacers open the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, and there’s plenty to talk about before then. Pacers coach Frank Vogel got the ball rolling when on Saturday he referred to the defending NBA champion Heat as “just the next team that’s in our way.”

LeBron James didn’t care for that designation — at least the interpretation of Vogel’s comment that was presented to him by the media.

“We’re a great team,” James said Sunday. “We’re very confident. We’ll be ready for them. If we’re just another team, you don’t prepare, you really don’t prepare for just another team. We’re not just another team. You have to prepare for us.”

Added Chris Bosh: “It’s always good to get some motivation from the other side.”

James also predicted a continuation from last year’s Heat-Pacers series, which featured aggressive, physical play.

“They’ll try to put me on the floor, maybe,” James said. “They’ll be physical with me, maybe. … The word is you’ve got to beat up the Heat to beat them. And every team has tried to do that.”

♦ Geno Smith might have thought he would fit right in with the brash Jets when he predicted a playoff berth for the team in his first interview after being drafted last month. However, he said Sunday that he learned a lesson after the New York Post put him on the front page with a headline reading “Broadway Geno” — a reference to the legendary Joe Namath.

“I’ve already gotten in trouble for saying some things about playoffs and things, which I don’t regret,” Smith said in an interview on SiriusXM Radio. “I don’t think I’ll go as far as being bold as Joe was.”

Smith also has come under fire for his alleged immature behavior, including his reported arrogance during pre-draft interviews with teams and his firing of his agents after his draft slide.

“I don’t think I’m a bad guy,” Smith said. “I don’t think I’m some of the things they try to make me out to be. It’s a part of the media. The one thing that I understand is you can’t take it personally. Those guys have jobs and the key to their jobs is to sell papers and to keep the fans looking. So they’re going to spin things and try to make an interesting story out of something that may not be so interesting.”

♦ Sweden completed its run to the title at the world hockey championships Sunday, beating Switzerland, 5-1, in Stockholm behind two goals and an assist from Canucks star Henrik Sedin. With the win, Sweden became the first home team to win the championship in the tournament’s 27-year history.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling. You can’t put it into words,” said Henrik Tallinder, who plays for the Devils. “As soon as we got our legs and got that first goal, I thought we controlled the game pretty well.”

The United States beat Finland, 3-2 in a shootout, for third place and its first medal in nine years.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): Which Red Sox player had a streak of homering on May 20 for five straight years, starting with a three-home run game in a 10-3 victory over the Royals in 2001?

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