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:
NBA playoffs: 76ers at Celtics, 7 p.m. (TNT; WEEI)
NBA playoffs: Lakers at Thunder, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Rangers at Devils, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB: Red Sox at Orioles, 7:05 p.m. (NESN; WRKO)
MLB: Braves at Reds, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Rangers coach John Tortorella is not happy with what he perceives to be embellishing on the part of the Devils in the Eastern Conference finals. Tortorella was attempting to defend Rangers forward Brandon Prust, who received a one-game suspension for his elbow to the head of Anton Volchenkov during New York’s 3-0 victory in Saturday’s Game 3. The Devils defenseman went down the ice clutching his head but eventually got up and did not miss a shift.

“We tell our players, ‘Don’t stay down on the ice. Get up,” Tortorella said during a Sunday press conference. “I’ll leave it at that. If we want to start discussing officials with the media, I have a long list here.”

Tortorella then went on to complain about picks he said the Devils are running during power players as well as two questionable hits from Devils players in Game 3.

Informed of Tortorella’s comments, Devils coach Pete DeBoer responded: “Comical.”

♦ Indians closer Chris Perez is not happy with the fans — or lack thereof — at Jacobs Field, and he let out his anger after being booed by a sparse crowd Thursday for allowing two Mariners to reach base before finishing off a save.

On Saturday, he said the Indians are having trouble luring free agents because, “Nobody wants to play in front of 5,000 fans. We know the weather stinks, but people see that [low attendance]. Other players know that.”

On Sunday, he toned down his anger but still got in a dig at the fans.

“The fans are going to come, I know that,” Perez said. “It’s just a slap in the face when you’re in first place and last in attendance. Last. Not 25th or 26th. Last.”

♦ Dodgers second baseman Mark Ellis will be out about six weeks after injuring his left leg when hit by a sliding Tyler Greene during Friday’s game against the Cardinals. According to manager Don Mattingly, Ellis is lucky to still have a leg.

Ellis stayed in the game for the rest of the inning and led off the bottom of the inning before being removed and taken for X-rays, which were negative. When he arrived at the park the next day, his knee had swelled up and he went to the hospital. There he had an emergency fasciotomy just below the knee to drain blood and fluid that was causing dangerous pressure to the muscle. Mattingly said Sunday that doctors told him if Ellis’ trip to the hospital had been delayed by a few hours, he was in danger of losing his lower leg because the muscle might have died. As is, Ellis is expected to make a full recovery.

“He was in as good spirits as he could be,” Mattingly said of visiting Ellis after Saturday’s game. “He had a little medication in him.”

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

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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: Celtics at 76ers, 8 p.m. (ESPN; WEEI)
NBA playoffs: Thunder at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
MLB: Red Sox at Phillies, 7:05 p.m. (Fox; WRKO)
MLB: White Sox at Cubs, 2:10 p.m. (WGN)
MLB: Reds at Yankees, 7 p.m. (MLB)

SATURDAY:
MLB: Red Sox at Phillies, 7:15 p.m. (Fox; WEEI)
MLB: Reds at Yankees, 1 p.m. (MLB Network)
NBA playoffs: Spurs at Clippers, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
NBA playoffs: Thunder at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Rangers at Devils, 1 p.m. (NBC)
MLS: Dynamo at Revolution, 7:30 p.m. (CSNNE)

SUNDAY:
MLB: Red Sox at Phillies, 1:35 p.m. (NESN, TBS; WEEI)
MLB: White Sox at Cubs, 2 p.m. (WGN)
MLB: Cardinals at Dodgers, 8 p.m. (ESPN; WEEI)
NBA playoffs: Heat at Pacers, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
NBA playoffs: Spurs at Clippers, 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
NBA playoffs: Coyotes at Kings, 3 p.m. (NBC)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Controversial former major leaguer Jose Canseco made his debut with the Worcester Tornadoes of the independent Can-Am League, going 0-for-2 with two strikeouts and two walks in Thursday night’s 9-2 loss to the Newark Bears in New Jersey.

“I’m in spring training mode out there,” said Canseco, who participated in four of the team’s seven preseason practices. “I’m trying to find my rhythm.”

Canseco received a mix of cheers and boos when he was introduced as the cleanup hitter prior to the game. During batting practice, he hit one home run.

The 47-year-old is being paid $1,000 per month plus housing and use of a rental car, according to a team spokesman.

“It’s not about the money, believe me,” Canseco said.

Jonathan Vilma, who insists that he is innocent in the Saints' bounty scandal, is suing NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. (AP)

♦ Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, suspended for the 2012 season for his role in the team’s bounty scandal, filed a defamation lawsuit against commissioner Roger Goodell.

“Commissioner Goodell opted to make very public and unfortunately erroneous allegations against Jonathan,” said Vilma’s attorney, Peter Ginsberg. “By making these false and public statements, he has significantly harmed Jonathan’s reputation and ability to make a living.

Wrote Vilma on his Twitter account: As I’ve said before..I NEVER PAID, NOR INTENDED TO PAY ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY, TO ANY PLAYER FOR INTENTIONALLY HURTING AN OPPONENT.

Sports Illustrated legal expert Michael McCann writes that Vilma’s “historic challenge” appears to have merit and could threaten Goodell’s ability to hand out punishment as he has done in the past couple of years.

♦ Lakers guard Steve Blake missed a big 3-pointer in the closing seconds of his team’s Game 2 loss to the Thunder on Wednesday. That led to threats against the veteran on his Twitter account and that of his wife.

Kristen Blake retweeted one message that read: I hope your family gets murdered. She blocked more than 500 people from viewing her timeline and quoted a Bible verse with the message: “Pray for those who abuse you.”

Steve Blake, speaking after Thursday’s practice, said he wasn’t planning to check his Twitter account (“That’s why I don’t look at that crap,” he said) but his wife made him aware of it.

“It’s pretty disappointing that there are a lot of hateful people out there, but you move on,” Blake said. “I just don’t appreciate it when it’s toward my family. You can come at me all you want, but when you say things about my wife and my kids, that makes me upset.”

♦ An off-duty New York City police officer was arrested Wednesday night after moving from his seat to a better location at Citi Field and then refusing to leave during the Mets’ 6-3 loss to the Reds. Eduardo Cornejo, 30, was arraigned on criminal trespass charges.

“He was in a section he wasn’t supposed to be,” Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. “They asked him to leave. He wouldn’t. [A] supervisor asked him to leave. He wouldn’t. The uniformed police sergeant asked him to leave. He wouldn’t, and he was arrested as a result.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On May 18, 1973, Bruins defenseman Bobby Orr again won the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman, setting a record by becoming the first player to win an individual NHL award six consecutive seasons. How many years in a row did Orr go on to win the Norris?

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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:
MLB: Red Sox at Rays, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)
MLB: Yankees at Blue Jays, 7 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLB: Phillies at Cubs, 8 p.m. (WGN)
NBA playoffs: Heat at Pacers, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
NBA playoffs: Clippers at Spurs, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
NHL playoffs: Coyotes at Kings, 9 p.m. (NBCSN)

AROUND THE WEB:

Tim Tebow has made a good first impression on his new Jets teammates. (AP)

♦ Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, who we last heard from ripping Bill Belichick and Tom Brady as “disrespectful,” feels quite the opposite about new teammate Tim Tebow.

“He’s a born leader,” Revis said in the Jets locker room after a voluntary team workout. “He really is. Very few athletes have the gift that he has. He tries to lead by example all the time and he tries to be positive, which is awesome. I think that results [in] his success on the field. He came in with Denver and did unbelievable. And now he’s with us. We’re happy. We’re excited for him. We’re happy [that] he’ll bring his leadership qualities to this team.”

Revis added that he’s looking forward to seeing what the team comes up with to utilize Tebow and starting quarterback Mark Sanchez together.

“My initial [thought] to the play would be a trick play, something tricky,” Revis said. “Tim is dangerous and Mark is dangerous as well. So, to have them both on the field at the same time, you wouldn’t be able to prepare for it because no one has ever seen it. You’ve just got to be cautious, where maybe on the defensive side, you’re like, ‘Hey, back up,’ and it could be a trick play or a double-reverse trick play or something up their sleeve.”

♦ The Giants held a ceremony Wednesday night at Tiffany and Co. on Fifth Avenue in New York City to receive their Super Bowl rings, and defensive end Justin Tuck said the Giants are aiming for at least one more title.

“The first time you’re in awe,” he said. “You win a second one, you think, ‘Maybe we can do something here.’ Let’s make it a dynasty. We want to make it a dynasty.”

Added safety Antrel Rolle: “This is a great piece of hardware on my hand right now. But we can always have more rings. Just ask Michael Jordan.”

♦ Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee and state economic officials met Wednesday with Curt Schilling, who asked for help to save his video game company.

Schilling’s 38 Studios missed a $1.1 million loan payment on May 1, and the company appears to be in dire straits. The former Red Sox pitcher was brief in addressing the media while leaving the meeting.

“My priority right now is to get back to my company,” Schilling said. “My priority right now is to get back and talk to my team. I will be making a statement at some point in the near future.”

♦ Roger Clemens‘ lawyer did his best to embarrass star witness Brian McNamee on Wednesday, at one point asking the former trainer, “Do you sometimes just make stuff up?”

McNamee, who continued to detail how he injected Clemens with HGH and steroids, was resolute: “I didn’t make it up.”

Meanwhile, prosecutors expressed concern that another juror might have been sleeping during testimony. Two jurors already have been dismissed for falling asleep, leaving 12 jurors and two alternates.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On May 17, 1971, the Red Sox signed which pitcher who was released by the Twins in March and then signed and released by the Braves?

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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 76ers, 7 p.m. (TNT)
NBA playoffs: Lakers at Thunder, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Devils at Rangers, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB: Red Sox at Rays, 7:10 p.m. (NESN, ESPN; WRKO)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee revealed Tuesday that he has called the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation to an emergency meeting Wednesday morning to discuss financial problems at former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling‘s video game company.

Two years after relocating from Massachusetts to Rhode Island to take advantage of a $75 million taxpayer-backed loan, Schilling’s company missed a loan-guarantee payment of $1.125 million, setting off red flags.

“We’re concerned and just doing everything possible to ensure that 38 Studios stays part of the Rhode Island community,” Chafee told Providence TV station WPRI earlier this week. “We’re working on different issues with them.” Asked whether he thinks 38 Studios can be stabilized, Chafee paused and said: “We’re working on it.”

Last June, PriceWaterhouseCoopers audited 38 Studios and expressed “substantial doubt” that the company would be able to stay solvent. The company since released its first game, “Kingdom of Amalur: Reckoning,” to positive reviews and decent sales, but another game, “Project: Copernicus,” appears to be facing delays.

Schilling, who also serves as an ESPN analyst, loaned his company $4 million in 2010, but that money was paid back from the package the company received from Rhode Island.

♦ The Giants will receive their Super Bowl rings Wednesday night in a ceremony at Tiffany’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue.

“It will be exciting for everybody, no doubt,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. “That’s the symbol, you know? In your heart it’s already been established. I look forward to it, I think it’s going to be very festive. Let’s face it, now it’s twice in a lifetime. It’s a wonderful thing to do it again.”

The ring is 14k white gold with surrounding diamonds, sapphire band (representing Giants blue) and diamond footballs. It has images of the four Lombardi trophies the franchise has won, plus the team logo and the score of Super Bowl XLVI, a 21-17 victory over the Patriots.

“Big and obnoxious, that’s always the goal,” guard Kevin Boothe joked.

♦ Brian McNamee continued to testify in Roger Clemens‘ perjury trial Tuesday in Washington, but the star witness wasn’t enough to keep all the members of the jury awake, as one juror was dismissed for sleeping.

What the sleeping juror missed was McNamee claiming his wife encouraged him to keep evidence that he injected Clemens with steroids. McNamee said he did, putting a needle, swab and cotton ball in an empty beer can to sneak it out of Clemens’ apartment after an injection.

McNamee also talked about injecting Clemens’ wife, Debbie, which he insists was done with the pitcher’s approval.

♦ According to police in Oceanside, Calif., someone broke into Junior Seau‘s San Diego-area home last week, five days after Seau committed suicide in the bedroom. Lt. Leonard Mata told the North County Times that the burglar accessed the garage through a doggy door and apparently did not enter the main part of the house. The only item noticed to be missing was a bicycle that belonged to a friend of the former NFL star.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On May 16, 1989, Mike Milbury was hired as Bruins coach replacing which man?

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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:
MLB: Mariners at Red Sox, 4:05 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)
MLB: Tigers at White Sox, 2 p.m. (WGN)
MLB: Yankees at Orioles, 7 p.m. (MLB)
NBA playoffs: Pacers at Heat, 7 p.m. (TNT)
NBA playoffs: Clippers at Spurs, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Kings at Coyotes, 9 p.m. (NBCSN)

AROUND THE WEB:

Dale Hunter quit as Capitals coach after leading the team to a first-round upset of the Bruins. (AP)

♦ Dale Hunter, who was lured to Washington in November to take over the Capitals and then led them to a first-round upset of the Bruins last month, quit as the team’s coach to return to his home and junior hockey team he owns in Canada.

“I’m going back to the farm, the team and family,” Hunter said, insisting that there’s no scenario in which he would return to the NHL.

Hunter met with general manager George McPhee two days after the Capitals lost in seven games to the top-seeded Rangers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and McPhee said he knew he wouldn’t be able to change Hunter’s mind.

“I’d rather have him for six months than not at all, because he had quite an impact on this club,” McPhee said. “He really taught this club the ‘how’ of how to win. They all wanted to win. They just didn’t know how. The ‘how’ is being a team and sacrificing, and he sure got that out of this club.”

♦ Former trainer Brian McNamee, testifying in Roger Clemens‘ trial in Washington on Monday, detailed how he first injected Clemens with steroids in Toronto in 1998, when the pitcher was resuscitating his career with the Blue Jays and McNamee was the team’s strength and conditioning coach.

McNamee went on to describe the pair’s decade-long relationship, and he needed a moment to compose himself when he was asked about what it was like to work with such an icon.

“It was great working with the best,” he said after a long pause.

♦ Former Bengals wide receiver and current NBC Sports NFL analyst Cris Collinsworth has a daughter who is running track at Harvard. The Harvard Crimson has the story of freshman sprinter Ashley Collinsworth and her close relationship with her famous father.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On May 15, 1990, the Baseball Hall of Fame inducted four former stars: Elvin Hayes, Neil Johnston, Earl Monroe and which seven-time All-Star guard who ended his NBA career by playing one season with the Celtics in 1977-78?

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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:
NBA playoffs: 76ers at Celtics, 7 p.m. (TNT; WEEI)
NBA playoffs: Lakers at Thunder, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Devils at Rangers, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB: Mariners at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WRKO)
MLB: Cubs at Cardinals, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

AROUND THE WEB:

Mark Sanchez's 2011 season might serve as a wake-up call to the beleaguered Jets quarterback. (AP)

♦ Another day, another controversy from Jets headquarters. Quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh (a former Patriots QB) talked to the New York Daily News about Mark Sanchez‘ inconsistent 2011 season and questioned Sanchez’ “decision-making.”

“There were turnovers that were not his fault that were credited to him,” Cavanaugh said. “But there were enough that playing that position he needs to cut some of those down. Most of them came from just poor decision-making.

“So I spent a lot of time with him talking about ‘Let’s get focused on managing the game,’ ” Cavanaugh added. “Taking the big plays when they’re there [and] understanding that … even though it’s drawn up to be a touchdown, not every play has to be a touchdown. Not every play has to be a completion. Sometimes throwing it away is a good thing. Sometimes taking a sack is better than throwing an interception.”

Cavanaugh suggested that the Jets’ success the previous two seasons might have made is more difficult for Sanchez to be more introspective.

“Sometimes when you have quote-unquote the success that he had the first two years, maybe it doesn’t hit home,” Cavanaugh said. “Maybe it’s like, ‘Hey, I thought I was playing pretty good. Yeah, I threw some picks and some of them were bad decisions, but we still got to the AFC championship game.’ [Last] year, I think he became much more aware [that] it’s a fragile business.”

♦ Metta World Peace is back after his seven-game suspension for elbowing Thunder guard James Harden in the head, but the controversial Laker already is stirring up trouble heading into Monday’s Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against Oklahoma City.

World Peace said Saturday night, after a first-round Game 7 victory over the Nuggets, that he won’t shake Harden’s hand because, “I don’t shake substitutes’ hands.” World Peace, who never apologized directly to Harden, went on to complain about some Thunder players’ lack of pregame courtesy, mainly targeting former Celtic Kendrick Perkins.

“I’ve been playing against Kendrick forever,” World Peace said. “Kendrick, he’ll never shake your hand, so I’d have to go and find Kendrick and shake his hand. In Boston, every game I’d have to go to him and say, ‘Hey,’ and then tap him on the butt. He don’t touch my hand. But I’m getting tired of making that walk.”

♦ Prior to Monday’s Celtics game, Boston Mayor Tom Menino will announce the winning artist who will get to design the long-awaited Bill Russell statue planned for the city. In Beijing, they move much more quickly. Less than two months after leading the Beijing Ducks to their first Chinese Basketball Association championship, Marbury was on hand Sunday outside the team’s MasterCard Center for the unveiling of a life-sized statue of the one-time Celtic.

“I don’t have words to describe this,” Marbury said, according to news accounts from China. “Beijing has given me so much, I want to return the favor to the people here. I love Beijing, I love Beijingers.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On May 14, 1981, the Celtics captured their 14th NBA title with a 102-91 victory over the Rockets in Game 6. Who was named finals MVP?

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According to Ken Rosenthal at FoxSports, Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos has been busy trying to improve his team. A day after the Jays reportedly signed Vladimir Guerrero to a minor league contract, Rosenthal wrote that Anthopoulos has “engaged in dialogue” with the Phillies about their top potential free agents, left-handed starter Cole Hamels and outfielder Shane Victorino.

“My job is to keep all lines of communication open, for the good of the club today and tomorrow,” Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said Thursday, not specifically addressing the Blue Jays rumor. “I can’t shut any doors down. You try to be creative. And there are a lot of creative GMs out there who have different goals.”

Guerrero’s deal is said to be worth $1.3 million, prorated for his time in the majors. The 16-year veteran who hit 13 home runs for the Orioles in 2011 will report to extended spring training.

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: Grizzlies at Clippers, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
MLB: Indians at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)
MLB: Angels at Rangers 8:05 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLB: Cubs at Brewers, 8 pm. (WGN)

SATURDAY:
NBA playoffs: 76ers at Celtics, 8 p.m. (TNT; WEEI)
NBA playoffs: Nuggets at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Capitals at Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB: Indians at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WRKO)
MLB: Angels at Rangers, 1 p.m. (Fox)
MLB: Royals at White Sox, 7 p.m. (WGN)
MLB: Braves at Cardinals, 7 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLS: Whitecaps at Revolution, 7:30 p.m. (CSNNE)

SUNDAY:
NBA playoffs (if necessary): Clippers at Grizzlies, 1 p.m. (ABC)
NBA playoffs: Pacers at Heat, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
NHL playoffs: Kings at Coyotes, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB: Indians at Red Sox, 1:35 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)
MLB: Cubs at Brewers, 2 p.m. (WGN)
MLB: Braves at Cardinals, 2:15 p.m. (TBS)
MLB: Angels at Rangers, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

AROUND THE WEB:

New 49ers receiver Randy Moss catches a pass during Thursday's practice in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP)

♦ Randy Moss began his NFL comeback with his first formal practice for the 49ers Thursday in Santa Clara, Calif., and Niners quarterback Alex Smith said the former Patriot looked smooth.

“It’s tough to tell that he missed a year of football. I certainly don’t see any rust,” Smith said of the 35-year-old. “He’s running well, catching well. No surprise, he’s a pro and already has a good understanding of the playbook.”

Added safety Donte Whitner: “He still looks the same. He never, ever since he’s been playing football has looked like he’s been running fast. But he’s a long strider, and when you actually run against him, he’s really running really fast. He’s running the same as he’s always run. His body looks like a younger Randy Moss, so I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do on the football field.”

Moss also showed he was in midseason form in terms of his dealings with the media, as he has little to say following the hour-long workout.

“Work is over, baby, we’re out of here,” he said as he drove away.

♦ Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, while saying reports of his rift with receiver Santonio Holmes were “ridiculous,” “out of control” and “way overblown,” said he worked out with Holmes last month after two earlier offseason visits to Holmes’ Florida residence, and the pair agreed to put the issue behind them.

“It was good to just kind of talk, away from the building, away from football, and talk about how things didn’t go so well last year, how we can move on and get better,” Sanchez said Thursday. “As soon as we came back [for offseason workouts in New Jersey last month, we said] that we’d never talk about it again and let’s just move forward. That’s exactly what he’s done. That’s what I expect him to do. He expected the same from me. It was important that we had that time, and now we’re back and you would never [think] it happened.”

Added Sanchez: “It gave us something to laugh about and move on. And we’re good.”

♦ Yankees general manager Brian Cashman testified Thursday that Roger Clemens asked for the team to hire Brian McNamee after Clemens was shelled at Fenway Park in a 1999 ALCS loss to the Red Sox. Two year later, the Yankees parted ways with McNamee, after the trainer ruffled feathers in the clubhouse.

“This particular individual, Mr. McNamee, did not get along with people,” Cashman said.

Cashman also acknowledged the Clemens continued to use McNamee — who has claimed he injected the pitcher with steroids and HGH — as his personal trainer at late as 2007.

♦ Nuggets center Chris “Birdman” Andersen missed Thursday night’s playoff win over the Lakers after police searched his home as part of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children unit.

A team-issued statement said Andersen was “excused from all team-related activities indefinitely as he deals with the reported investigation.”

Andersen is in his his seventh season in Denver and 10th in the NBA. In 2006 he was banned for violating the league’s drug policy, and he returned two years later.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On May 11, 1978, in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup semifinals, the Bruins beat the Flyers, 6-3. Which Bruin recorded a goal and four assists to fuel the series-clinching win?

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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:
NBA playoffs: Hawks at Celtics, 8 p.m. (CSNNE, TNT; WEEI)
NBA playoffs: Bulls at 76ers, 7 p.m. (NBA TV)
NBA playoffs: Lakers at Nuggets, 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
MLB: Indians at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WRKO)
MLB: Rays at Yankees, 7 p.m. (MLB Network)

AROUND THE WEB:

Injured Yankees closer Mariano Rivera discussed his future at a Yankee Stadium press conference Wednesday night. (AP)

♦ Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, who suffered a torn ACL shagging fly balls last week, also has a blood clot in his right calf and has been placed on blood-thinning medication.

“I was more concerned about the blood clot than the knee,” Rivera said at a press conference Wednesday. “For a minute I thought, ‘What else is going to happen?’ … I was scared. I never hear good things about blood clots.”

Rivera, 42, has said he wants to return to baseball after the surgery, but Wednesday he said he’ll only come back if his leg is strong enough.

“That’s what I want,” he said. “I want to do that, but I don’t know what the Lord has for me.”

Rivera said if he does return, he plans to continue shagging fly balls.

“It happened doing something I love,” he said of the injury. “After 22 years of shagging, it happened.”

Meanwhile, Rivera’s replacement had a rough outing Wednesday. Brian Robertson surrendered a three-run home run in the ninth inning and blew a save in a 4-1 loss to the Rays.

♦ Former NFL linebacker Bill Romanowski denied Cris Carter‘s claim that Romanowski once threatened him before a game.

“It is absolute fiction,” Romanowski said. “If he could read my mind in pregame, yeah, maybe he had it right. But I didn’t talk before games. I was in the zone.”

Carter had used Romanowski as an example of a time when the wide receiver placed a bounty on an opposing player so that his teammates would protect him.

“If he put a bounty on me, it wasn’t very good because it didn’t work,” Romanowski said. “I just think this is his way of trying to make himself relevant for what is going on now.”

♦ Oft-injured Trail Blazers center Greg Oden opened up to former Ohio State teammate Mark Titus for an article at ESPN’s Grantland website. Oden said he partied so much during his second year in Portland that he “pretty much became an alcoholic.”

He also talked about the infamous naked picture he sent to a woman. The picture ended up all over the web.

“I wish it wouldn’t have happened,” he said. “But I’m not going to apologize for it. After all, I’m human and there are worse things that 21-year-olds could do. I just caught up with women throwing themselves at me. When a girls sends me 100 pictures, I have to send something back every now and then.”

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

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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 Royals, 8:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)
MLB: Rays at Yankees, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
NBA playoffs: Knicks at Heat, 7 p.m. (TNT)
NBA playoffs: Clippers at Grizzlies, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Rangers at Capitals, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)

AROUND THE WEB:

Cris Carter

♦ Former Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter said that he put bounties on opposing players, offering his teammates money to keep an eye an opponent if he was concerned that player was trying to hurt him.

“I’m guilty of [bounties] — I mean, first time I’ve ever admitted it — but I put a bounty on guys before,” Carter said Tuesday night on ESPN Radio’s “Hill and Schlereth” program. “I put bounties on guys. If a guy tries to take me out, a guy takes a cheap shot on me? I put a bounty on him right now!”

As an example, Carter mentioned former Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski.

“Bill Romanowski — he told me he was going to take me out before the game, warmups,” Carter said. “No problem. [He said,] ‘I’m gonna end your career, Carter.’ No problem. “I put a little change on his head before the game. Protect myself. Protect my family. That’s the league that I grew up in.”

Carter said he wasn’t the only player to offer bounties, but he noted that the bounties he referred to weren’t for injuries.

“You have to realize the league we grew up in, the bounty was based on protection, or a big hit, excitement or for helping your team win. It wasn’t to maim or hurt the dude,” said Carter, who retired from the NFL following the 2002 season. “When a guy said he was going to hurt me, my recourse was to put a bounty on him to make sure.”

♦ Former Mets bat boy Kirk Radomski testified Tuesday that he shipped performance-enhancing drugs to Roger Clemens. Radomski, who admitted supplying steroids to major league players for more than decade, said he shipped HGH to Clemens’ Houston home in 2003, and he said he recognized needles and steroid ampoules that Clemens’ former trainer, Brian McNamee, gave investigators in 2008, saying they were used on the pitcher.

“Those are unique to what I was getting,” Radomski said. “Stuff like this comes in very small quantities into the country.”

♦ A day after Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels was suspended five games for acknowledging that he drilled Nationals rookie Bryce Harper on purpose, Washington general manager Mike RIzzo was disciplined by Major League Baseball for his comments about Hamels. Rizzo called Hamels “classless,” “gutless” and “fake tough.”

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

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