As the NCAA continues to investigate the corruption within Jim Tressel‘s Ohio State football program, the organization has turned its attention to quarterback Terrelle Pryor and his succession of used cars.

NCAA officials have now begun investigating Aaron Kniffin, who sold a series of expensive cars to the Buckeyes quarterback. In a statement released by Ohio State on Tuesday, Kniffin denied any allegations of improper benefits or special discounts, saying, “The deals that I did for Ohio State student-athletes were no different than any of the other 10,000-plus deals that I’ve done for all my customers.”

Tressel was forced to resign for on Monday.

Although LeBron James was preparing for the NBA finals at Tuesday afternoon’s shootaround, he found time to share his thoughts on former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel. The coach ended his 10-year reign amidst accusations of improper player benefits, but the Heat superstar and Ohio native is still sticking behind him.

“He’s done some great things for that university. It’s unfortunate all the allegations and things that have come out in the past year,” James said. “Everyone in Columbus and Ohio knows how important, how great he was for the team and university.”

The 2011 MLB All-Star Game is still a couple of months away, but the National League roster is slowly starting to take shape.

In the early voting results released Tuesday, Albert Pujols is the lead vote-getter with 988,784 followed closely by the Rockies’ Troy Tulowitzki (975,777), the Brewers’ Ryan Braun (971,809), and the Cardinals’ Matt Holiday (927,778).

If the voting ended today, the NL would have the Giants’ Buster Posey at catcher, Pujols at first, the Reds’ Brandon Phillips at second, Tulowitzki at shortstop, the Phillies’ Placido Polanco at third, and Braun, Holliday, and the Cardinals’ Lance Berkman in the outfield.

The voting will continue until June 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

The road-rage assault charge against Redskins defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth was dismissed on Tuesday after the 10-year pro reached a settlement with the alleged victim, who accused Haynesworth of punching him over a traffic dispute.

The victim told police he made a gesture at the 335-pound Haynesworth for tailgating. The two men pulled over, and Haynesworth allegedly got out of his pickup truck and attacked the other driver.

According to Haynesworth’s lawyer, “[His] mistake was he got out of his car, and most judges don’t like that.”

Viktor Troicki nearly upset fourth-seeded Andy Murray in the French Open quarterfinals Tuesday, but he certainly didn’t get any help from the ball boy. In the fifth set, Troicki’s overhand smash sent Murray scrambling to his right, and Murray barely managed return the shot. Apparently thinking the point was over, a 12-year-old ball boy ran onto the court, within inches of Troicki as he blasted another shot past Murray.

Despite Troicki’s would-be winner, the point had to be replayed because of the youngster’s interference. Troiki went on to lose the point and the match (4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5).

“I haven’t ever seen it on TV. Not since I’ve been watching and playing tennis have I ever seen such a situation,” Troicki said. “The kid just jumped in and messed up my point. I can’t blame him but still, I was a little bit disappointed.”

Here’s video of the point:

Panthers offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz tweeted Tuesday that over 50 members of the Panthers attended the team’s first player-run workout since the start of the NFL lockout. The team reportedly hired a police officer to keep reporters away from the practice facility.

After weeks of rumors about the potential move, the news was finally confirmed in a Tuesday press conference. The Thrashers have been sold to the True North Sports and Entertainment group and will be relocated from Atlanta to Winnipeg, Manitoba. The deal was reportedly worth $170 million and includes a relocation fee.

The city had a hockey team, the Winnipeg Jets, from 1980-1996 before that team was relocated to Phoenix and renamed the Coyotes. The Thrashers were in Atlanta since the league created an expansion franchise there back in 2000.

The new ownership group said a new name for the franchise had yet to be chosen, although the Jets are still considered to be the favorite. The deal must still be approved by the NHL board of governors, although if NHL commissioner Gary Bettman‘s inclusion in Tuesday’s press conference was any indication, that won’t be a problem.

It’s not only NFL players who will be without jobs if a potential lockout cancels the regular season.

NBC color commentator Cris Collinsworth, who works alongside Al Michaels on the network’s Sunday Night Football broadcasts, wrote in a blog post that he will be a wide receivers coach for Highlands High School (Fort Thomas, Ky.) where his son Jac plays until the lockout is lifted. “I am going to get my football fix this fall even if the lockout cancels the NFL season,” Collinsworth wrote in the post before adding later, “Maybe the NFL will save me and actually play football, but if not, you will know where to find me on Friday nights.”

Collinsworth played eight seasons as a wideout for the Bengals from 1981-88 and was a three-time Pro Bowler. The current NFL lockout has already become the longest work stoppage in the history of professional football.

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.

WHAT’S HAPPENING LOCALLY TUESDAY:
MLB: White Sox at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ The discussion about the safety of catchers continues to be a hot-button topic in the wake of Giants backstop Buster Posey suffering a season-ending injury in a collision with Marlins baserunner Scott Cousins last week. On Monday, former major league catcher Mike Matheny weighed in, criticizing Cousins for unnecessarily targeting Posey.

“[Cousins] could have gone straight, let alone go around and sweep the plate,” said Matheny, now a TV analyst on Cardinals broadcasts. “It wasn’t a dirty play. He didn’t come [in with] high spikes. He didn’t come [in with a] high elbow. But it was an unnecessary play.

“I love the play at the plate. I loved it as a catcher. But when guys go out of their way to get you, I’m not a big fan of it.”

♦ Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel resigned Monday after allegations continued to surface about improper behavior by players under his watch. At Sports Illustrated, George Dohrmann and David Epstein did some investigating and uncovered what the magazine calls an “eight-year pattern of violations.”

♦ Real Clear Sports looks at the top 10 most unusual jobs for locked-out NFL players. No. 1 is Patriots punter Zoltan Mesko interning as an investment banker for a Philadelphia firm.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On May 31, 1980, which Red Sox rookie tied an American League record by hitting a home run in his first two games?

(more…)

After practicing Sunday without any contact, Heat guard Dwyane Wade was able to practice fully Monday, the day before Game 1 of the NBA finals against the Mavericks.

After receiving many questions regarding his health the past few days Wade said: “I’m not hurt.”

The Heat cut practice short Monday because according to coach Eric Spoelstra the practice was getting too physical.

“Guys were hitting a little too hard,” Spoelstra said. “A little bit too amped up.”