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: Jazz at Celtics, 7:30 p.m. (CSNNE; WEEI)
NBA: Magic at Knicks, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
NBA: Spurs at Kings, 10 p.m. (NBA TV)
NHL: Red Wings at Blue Jackets, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB preseason: Yankees at Braves, 1 p.m. (ESPN)

AROUND THE WEB:

Joba Chamberlain leaves a press conference Tuesday in Tampa after discussing his foot injury. (AP)

♦ Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain met the media Tuesday for the first time since suffering an open dislocation of the subtalar join in the heel area in a trampoline accident last week. Chamberlain claimed the injury was not as bad as reported, and he said he plans to return later this season.

“One of those things that bothered me, people calling me asking me if it was life-threatening and that I was going to lose my foot,” Chamberlain said. “There was no bone out of my ankle. It bothered me to have my family go through that. I broke no bones. I didn’t dislocate my ankle. Nothing was out of the skin. I didn’t lose a lot of blood, contrary to what people wrote. It wasn’t life-threatening and I wasn’t planning on losing my foot. Basically, when you rolled your ankle the skin just went.”

Chamberlain, who has been rehabbing after Tommy John surgery last year, was jumping on trampolines at a facility with his 5-year-old son when he was hurt. He insisted he was only trying to be a good father.

“I would never do anything considered reckless with my son,” he said. “There are certain elements of everyday life you do. I don’t second-guess anything.”

♦ Mets knuckleball pitcher R.A. Dickey reveals in a forthcoming autobiography that he was sexually abused as an 8-year-old, a secret he kept even from his wife until they were married for eight years. An excerpt from “Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball” in this week’s Sports Illustrated detailed Dickey’s challenge to overcome the anger and shame he felt after the abuse at the hands of two teenagers.

“I have spent so much of my life running and hiding, and I wasn’t going to continue doing that in the book,” Dickey told the press Tuesday at spring training in Port St. Lucie, Fla. “What would be the point in doing that — perpetuating untruth. It was important to me to tell the truth, to be completely authentic. Sharing the pain I went through is part of the healing for me, a catharsis in many ways.”

Dickey also wrote about finding a syringe in the clubhouse when he played for the Rangers in 2001, although he did not accuse any players of using performance-enhancing drugs.

♦ A representative for Dennis Rodman said in a court filing that the former NBA star is broke and cannot afford to pay more than $800,000 he owes in back child support for two children he had with his third wife, Michelle. Rodman also owes $51,000 in spousal support.

Rodman appeared in court Tuesday in Orange, Calif., to face charges that he has not paid the support in four months. His sentencing was moved to May 29.

Rodman’s financial adviser, Peggy Williams, told the court that the Hall of Famer is an alcoholic.

“His sickness impacts his ability to get work,” Williams said in the court documents, according to the Daily Pilot newspaper in Costa Mesa, Calif. “This case, especially his wife filling for divorce, has put him on a binge that I have never seen before. He is extremely hurt and extremely sick. He is often unable to obtain work because of this sickness. And his sickness is getting increasingly worse.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On March 28, 1986, the Red Sox made a trade with the Yankees to acquire designated hitter Don Baylor, who helped the Red Sox win the 1986 American League pennant. Which player did the Sox trade to New York?

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Tuesday it was learned that Dennis Rodman‘s clothes from this Friday’s Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will be put on display in Springfield. It is also being reported that Rodman will arrive at the ceremonies via helicopter.

Speaking with The Miami Herald, Rodman said he wanted to enter on a colorful float, “but they wouldn’t let me block off the street.” He also said he will hire a few acrobats to perform and “a couple of my outfits will be ‘out there.’ Whatever might be too zany is not too zany.”

Rodman’s marketing agent, Floyd Ragland, said Rodman is spending $60,000 to fly in Penny Marshall, Howard Stern and other friends for his induction. Phil Jackson will be Rodman’s presenter.

Some will remember Dennis Rodman for his defensive and rebounding prowess as well as his five championships in the NBA, two with the Pistons and three with the Bulls. Most will remember him for his off-the-court antics that include wearing a wedding dress, his short-lived marriage to Carmen Electra and even his recent appearance on “Celebrity Apprentice.”

Now the Basketball Hall of Fame has found a way to combine the best of both worlds.

According to successive tweets from NBA.com’s Scott Howard Cooper, Rodman, who will be inducted into the game’s hallowed Hall on Friday in Springfield, has promised Hall of Fame officials that there will be “no antics” during his enshrinement speech. The Hall of Fame reciprocated the offer by saying that it will keep Rodman’s Friday outfit on display because Cooper notes, “It’s worth seeing.”

Love him or hate him, Michael Jackson was an icon. From his days as a child star to his tremendous success with Quincy Jones to questionable surgical procedures to accusations that eventually proved to be false, the King of Pop always seemed to be caught up in headlines. A day after his death, nothing has changed.

Coverage of Jackson’s death has been inescapable since the news broke yesterday afternoon. In addition to undoubtedly being an inspiration to his fans — “Black or White” — MJ had an impact on athletes all over the world. Many have sent their condolences through the media and Twitter.

“rip micheal jackson. wut a sad day. my homies gone,” said Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard via Twitter on the same day his team acquired Vince Carter from the Nets. “y are people so controversial on here. i am very shocked about mj. i have every song he ever put out. i am shocked and sad … today isnt a good day to talk about trades. really not. im sorry.”

Meanwhile, Chad Ocho Cinco did the unthinkable by taking it a little too far, something he had never, ever, done before. Check out some of these tweets from 85:

“Okay, first Mrs. Fawcett now Mr. Jackson, please tell me that this is a mistaken rumor, if not this is just as sad as 9/11 …”

“okay not as bad as 911, its sad period, both situations my goodness people, they just said he is okay in the hospital …”

“The 9/11 was a bit over the top, i am just in an emotional state right now, bare with me while i regroup people, be back in 10 minutes …”

“Sorry 85 million times, today sucks man, i still have my jacket with the zippers on it, wow”

Surprisingly enough, Dennis Rodman had the sincerest (and best-written) tweet of the trio:

“Mourning the loss of the greatest pop star and icon of my lifetime. Michael Jackson was truly the best. I wish his family well.”

In a chat during yesterday’s Red Sox game on the the Full Count Blog, former Sox ace Curt Schilling gave his two cents on the death of the pop star.

 ”I am not sure how to react to that other than to feel sad he is gone,” said Schilling. ”[The] last half of his life I felt incredibly sorry for him.”

Athletes didn’t just wait for his death to pay tribute to the King. Who could forget Donovan McNabb turning to the following dance for inspiration on his touchdown celebration? 

And Carmello Anthony felt he had to tell everyone just how much Allen Iverson loved Jackson last year.

Chris Rock famously said America’s love for MJ was apparent when his child molestation accusations weren’t taken seriously. As is usually the case with Rock, the video contains explicit language.

Here’s a glimpse at what some of his fellow pop stars had to say in Jackson’s memory. Note that Paul McCartney still spoke highly of Jackson despite the fact that MJ screwed him over in an auction for the rights to Beatles songs. Apparently Jackson made all things right again in his will.

Despite the accusations, skin transformations and which babies Jackson may or may not have endangered on a certain balcony, the King of Pop is gone. Clearly, he will be remembered.