The New York Knicks announced (via twitter) that point guard Jeremy Lin will be sidelined for approximately six weeks “after an MRI revealed [a] small chronic meniscus tear.”

“I want to be out there helping the team. It’s a six-week rehab process but I heal quickly so we’ll see,” Lin told reporters.

Lin is averaging 14.6 points, 6.1 assists and 3.6 turnovers per game in 35 games in which he’s averaged 27 minutes a night for the Knicks. Of course, since becoming a regular in the Knicks rotation, he has higher numbers across the board, including 18.5 points a night in his last 26 games. Still, the 23-year-old has been limited by the injury, and had not played since March 24.

Former Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel could be on the move again.

Samuel, 31, is due to make $9.4 million in 2012, the fifth season of the six-year contract for roughly $57 million he signed with the Eagles after the 2007 season. The Philadelphia Daily News reports that “the widespread assumption is that Samuel will be traded, although the Eagles certainly have not said so.” The Eagles have both Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie at corner, and so Samuel might represent an unneeded luxury item, in which case the four-time Pro Bowler (who missed the final games of this year due to injuries) could be traded (or, presumably, cut).

Samuel, who spent the first five seasons of his career with the Patriots, recorded 34 tackles and three interceptions in 2011. It was the cornerback’s lowest interception total since 2005.

Tiger Woods (AP)

According to a Forbes magazine poll done by Nielsen and E-Poll Market Research, Michael Vick and Tigers Woods are atop the list of most disliked athletes.

Both Vick and Woods came in with 60 percent of those polls not liking them, although the golfer received fewer “dislike a lot” responses, according to the article.

After Vick and Woods, Jets receiver Plaxico Burress received the most negative responses (56 percent), with Lions defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh coming next at 51 percent.

Others to make the list of most disliked were Nets forward (and former husband of Kim Kardashian) Kris Humphries (50 percent), Heat guard LeBron James (48 percent), Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (45 percent), former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens (45 percent), Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez (44 percent), NASCAR driver Kurt Busch (42 percent).

To read the entire article, click here.

According to the New York Post, the Yankees have agreed to terms with Russell Branyan on a minor league deal with an invitation to major league spring training. The 36-year-old, who can play both first and third base, hit .197 with five homers and 14 RBIs with the Diamondbacks and Angels in 2011. He had been released by Arizona in May before being picked up by Los Angeles.

As the Post points out, Branyan does have eight home runs in 47 at-bats in the new Yankee Stadium.

Branyan was coming off a season in which he hit 25 home runs in 109 games, one year after hitting 31 over 116 games in ’09. (For all of Branyan’s stats, click here.)

Two days after reports emerged that 2011 NL MVP Ryan Braun tested positive for a performance enhancing substance, Major League Baseball Players Association Director Michael Weiner (who was traveling to Latin America on Monday, when news of Braun’s test became public), issued the following statement from Venezuela:

“Our  Joint Drug Agreement is designed to protect a player from a  rush to judgment before he can challenge a reported positive test  result. Fairness dictates that Ryan Braun be treated no differently. I urge all to reserve judgment on this matter until the JDA’s process has played itself out.”

The statement went on to say that, because of the confidential nature of the program and restrictions set forth in the JDA, the Union will have no further public comment on the matter.

Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub is out for the season with a lisfranc injury, according to a report by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Schaub was injured in the first half of Houston’s 37-9 victory over Tampa Bay on Sunday, a win that tied the Texans with Pittsburgh for the best record in the AFC at 7-3.

Houston has never made the playoffs in its brief history in the NFL, but with Indianapolis and Jacksonville struggling, they enjoy a two-game lead over Tennessee in the AFC  South. Former Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart will replace Schaub.

The Texans are already without Mario Williams, who is out for the season with a torn chest muscle and wide receiver Andre Johnson, who has missed six games with a hamstring injury.

The NBA has fined Heat owner Mickey Arison $500,000 after he posted several tweets on Friday that have since been deleted related to the lockout, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

SB Nation saved the tweets before they were taken down that included an exchange with a fan in which Arison replied: “Honestly, u r are barking at the wrong owner.”

Arison has not commented on the exchange, but many interpreted it as a dig at some of his fellow owners who have been more hawkish on the lockout negotiations.

The place? 20 Guest Street, third floor. The competitors? Rory Duyon, Dan Stephen, John Saucier and Jack Levangie. The title? Mr. Flash.

Yup, four of the finest talents in Boston vied for the highest honor in their field on WEEI’s Sports Saturday. It was a grueling event by any standard — sports trivia, a pronunciation test and a “mock flash” — and all four were superb. But it was Stephen who won over the judges — Rob Bradford, Kirk Minihane and John Ryder — and picked up the title coveted by all who give us the updates at the top and bottom of the hour (or at least by the four who actually showed up).

Highlights of the competition can be heard here (to hear the mock flash that clinched the title for Stephen click here).

Rory Duyon was first up in Saturday's "Mr. Flash" competition.

John Saucier: The bilingual breakout star taking it easy.

Mr. Flash 2011, formerly known as Dan Stephen.

Mike Jacobs, the former Met, Marlin and Royal with 100 career home runs, has been suspended for HGH use by Major League Baseball. Jacobs is the first player suspended for HGH. He received a 50-game suspension and was released by the Rockies.

“A few weeks ago, in an attempt to overcome knee and back problems, I made the terrible decision to take HGH,” Jacobs said in a statement released through his representative. “I immediately stopped a couple of days later after being tested. Taking it was one of the worst decisions I could have ever made, one for which I take full responsibility.”

Jacobs had 23 home runs and 97 RBIs with the Rockies’ Triple-A team.

Former Canucks center Rick Rypien was found dead Monday in his Alberta home. Rypien, 27, had signed with the Jets this offseason after playing his entire career in Vancouver.

Rypien missed much of last season due to an undisclosed personal issue, the second such occurrence in the last three years. His death, which Royal Canadian Mounted police call “sudden” is the second untimely death to hit the NHL recently, as veteran enforcer Derek Boogaard died in May.