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.

WHAT’S HAPPENING LOCALLY MONDAY:
No games scheduled

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ After Ilya Kovalchuk signed a $100 million contract with the Devils, big things were expected in New Jersey. It hasn’t started out so well. The team is off to its worst start in two decades at 2-6-1, first-year coach John MacLean can’t find the right linemates for his star winger, and Kovalchuk was benched Saturday night for an undisclosed reason. Speculation centers around a missed team meeting.

♦ With the Yankees’ season over, Joel Sherman in the New York Post looks at the upcoming contract negotiations with Derek Jeter., who is coming off his worst season ever. By the way, the Yankees again had thousands of unsold playoff tickets.

♦ Los Angeles’ bid to get another NFL team continues, and a recent rumor has the Vikings as a target. In the Los Angeles Daily News, Vincent Bonsignore looks at the efforts to return NFL football to LA.

♦ University of Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl has been taking a pounding in the media since the news of his flaunting of NCAA rules came to light. Dana O’Neil at ESPN.com looks at the school’s curious manner of dealing with the situation.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Oct. 25, 1986, the Red Sox suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Mets in Game 6 of the World Series, surrounding three runs in the bottom of the 10th inning to lose 6-5. The Sox had taken a two-run lead in the top of the 10th on a home run by Dave Henderson and an RBI single by Marty Barrett. Which Mets pitcher — who later in his career would play for the Sox — gave up the 10th-inning runs?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “The refs called a wonderful game — for the Steelers.” — Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder, after a controversial call in the finals minutes helped Pittsburgh take a 23-22 victory

STAT OF THE DAY: 38 — Yards of offense for the Patriots in the first half of Sunday’s game in San Diego, at which point they led the Chargers 13-3

‘NET RESULTS: Lithuanian basketball player Augusto Peciukeviciciaus nails a shot from the free throw line — to the basket at the other end of the court.

A soccer player gets checked past the goal line and slides down a flight of stairs to an access tunnel.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Rick Aguilera, who recorded 20 saves for the Red Sox after being traded to Boston by the Twins in the 1995 season (he then returned to Minnesota in 1996)

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Taffy Nivert Danoff of Starland Vocal Band is 66 Monday. She’s the one with the blue scarf.

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.

WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY:
NFL preseason: Patriots at Giants, 7 p.m. (WBZ-TV Ch.4)
MLB: Red Sox at Orioles, 7:05 p.m. (NESN, WEEI)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Flamethrowing Cuban left-hander Aroldis Chapman, called up from the minors on Tuesday, picked up his first win after pitching a perfect inning in relief during the Reds’ victory over the Brewers on Wednesday night. In the process, he threw a pitch registered at 103.9 mph, the fastest pitch in the majors in the last three seasons. The Cincinnati Enquirer reports on how Chapman electrified the audience with his appearance.

♦ In the Chicago Sun-Times, Rick Morrissey joins the legion of people chiding the White Sox for their acquisition of Manny Ramirez, calling the September playoff push “Guilty Pleasure Month.”

♦ Andy Roddick was bounced by Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic in the second round of the U.S. Open on Wednesday, and he didn’t go quietly. The ninth-seeded American berated an official for calling a foot fault and telling him the wrong foot was the one that faulted.

♦ At Yahoo! Sports, Jason Cole looks at how free agency may be a bargaining chip for NFL players in the CBA talks.

♦ Larry Brooks in the New York Post looks at the NHL’s hard-line stance on the Ilya Kovalchuk-Devils deal and reports that two other contracts are being contested.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Sept. 2, 2001, which Red Sox player broke up a no-hit bid by Yankees starter Mike Mussina with two outs (and two strikes) in the bottom of the ninth inning?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It’s definitely different right now … I don’t think we’ve completely folded up the tent.” — Red Sox starter Josh Beckett, on his team’s playoff chances

STAT OF THE DAY: 13-0 — Jon Lester‘s career record against the Orioles, following Wednesday night’s Red Sox win in Baltimore

‘NET RESULTS: Basketball juggling trick shots.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Carl Everett

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Sam Gooden of the Impressions is 71 today.

Ilya Kovalchuk is officially back on the market after an arbitrator Monday ruled that the NHL was correct to void his 17-year, $102 million contract with the Devils because it violated the rules of the salary cap. The NHL Players Association filed a grievance against the league. A hearing was held last week and arbiter Richard Bloch sided with the league when he issued his ruling.

Kovalchuk and the Devils are back at the negotiating table.

“While we do not currently have a contract with Ilya Kovalchuk, discussions have resumed and we are hopeful that a contract will be reached that meets with the principles in arbitrator Bloch’s award and the NHL’s approval,” New Jersey president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said.

The Devils are expected to hear if the front-loaded contact they signed Ilya Kovalchuk to is excepted by an arbitrator, according to the New York Post. The 17-year deal had been rejected by the NHL because it was believed to circumvent the salary cap. If the arbitrator does not rule in the team’s favor, other teams that had previously pursued Kovalchuk like the Rangers and Kings could be right back in the running.

The National Hockey League Player’s Association is challenging the league’s rejection of the 17-year, $102 million contract between Ilya Kovalchuk and the Devils, according to the Associated Press.

Last week, the league rejected the longest deal in NHL history, saying it violated the salary cap.

The union debated the NHPLA’s filed grievance Monday, saying Kovalchuk and the union are entitled to a quick resolution under the collective bargaining agreement.

The NHL said they received a copy of the NHLPA’s grievance and deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement, “Although there is no defined timetable at this point, we intend to work with the Players’ Association to ensure an expeditious resolution of this dispute. The league looks forward to the opportunity to establish its position before the arbitrator.”

Kovalchuk’s deal would have run through the 2026-27 season, at which time he would be 44 years old, earning him $550,000 in each of the last five seasons of the contract — a likely reason for its denial. Kovalchuk would earn  $98.5 million in the first 11 years of the contract.

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 TODAY:
MLB: Red Sox at Athletics, 10:05 p.m. (NESN, WEEI)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Umpire Phil Cuzzi is taking some heat for blowing a key call at home in Sunday’s Mets-Giants game that cost San Francisco a win. He also yelled at some Mets players, who didn’t like the way Cuzzi was calling pitches. The New York Daily News reports that some disciplinary action from Major League Baseball is expected for Cuzzi. This is the same umpire who missed the foul-line call in last year’s Twins-Yankees playoff game, and he also made some news last month when he ejected a Dodgers player AFTER the game.

♦ The New York Times has a report on the final resting place for George Steinbrenner. It’s an unmarked mausoleum in a quiet Florida community.

♦ Helene Elliott in The Los Angeles Times writes that the Kings were stunned to lose out on Ilya Kovalchuk, who re-signed a front-loaded, 17-year, $100 million deal with the Devils.

♦ John Schuhmann at NBA.com analyzes the candidates for the new-look U.S. national team and predicts that Celtics guard Rajon Rondo will not make the squad.

♦ Alberto Contador took the lead at the Tour de France, but he’s coming under sharp criticism for pulling ahead of former leader Andy Schleck while Schleck was stopped because of a mechanical problem. Ned Burton in England’s Telegraph looks at Contador’s history and has the video of Contador apologizing after Monday’s stage, which ended with the Spaniard being booed on the winner’s podium. Meanwhile, Rachel Blount in the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes that Lance Armstrong‘s denials of performance-enhancing drugs are sounding weaker, and the cycling legend should welcome the federal investigation if he is indeed clean.

♦ Ed Graney in the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes about former NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham, now a Nevada pastor, returning to the pulpit on Sunday for the first time since his 2-year-old son died after drowning in the family’s backyard hot tub.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On July 20, 1955, which Red Sox rookie allowed a single to the first batter he faced and then allowed no hits the rest of the game?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “There are countless small improvements that I would want to make throughout my outing. But this is the type of pitching I really want to continue to do as the season goes on.” — Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, after Monday night’s efficient 2-1 win over the A’s

STAT OF THE DAY: 17 — Years of the contract between the Devils and free agent forward Ilya Kovalchuk announced Monday

‘NET RESULTS: Celtics forward Glen Davis thought it would be a good idea to make a video of himself dancing alone.

A Chilean soccer player makes a dirty play, assaults the referee and is tackled by his teammates. At least he didn’t flop.

A fan gets tased at a minor league game in Daytona.

TRIVIA ANSWER: George Susce Jr., in a 6-0 victory over the Kansas City Athletics

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Carlos Santana turns 63 today.

Slowly, details of the new Ilya Kovalchuk contract are coming out and the effects of it are widespread throughout the league.

According to NHL insider Dmitry Chesnokov, Kovalchuk’s new deal with the Devils will be north of $100 million over 17 years, the longest contract in NHL history. This contract beats out the 15-year deal that former Boston University goalie Rick DiPietro signed with the Islanders in 2006.

Because of Kovalchuk re-signing with New Jersey, the Kings were agressively persuing Flyers forward Simon Gagne according to Hockey Buzz Ekland. That deal fell through and the Flyers have traded Gagne to the Lightning for Matt Walker and a fourth-round pick, according to Anthony SanFhilippo.

Ilya Kovalchuk, seen by many as the cream of the NHL free agency crop, has finally decided that he will re-sign with the New Jersey Devils, according to the team’s official Twitter page. Kovalchuk had 27 points (10 G, 17 A) in 27 games for New Jersey last season after being traded to the squad in a deadline deal with Atlanta. Between the two clubs, he totaled 85 points. Kovalchuk has scored at least 41 goals in every season he’s played since he entered the league in 2005. Terms of the signing were not immediately disclosed. A press conference to announce the signing is scheduled for Tuesday.

Mark Everson of NYpost.com says a source close to Ilya Kovalchuk indicated the Russian free agent is, again, close to making a decision about where he’ll lace up his skates next season.

The Kings, Devils, St. Petersburg of the KHL and a silent NHL bidder have shown interest in the left winger, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2001 NHL draft by the Thrashers — the first Russian to be drafted first overall.

Kovalchuk, considered by some as the best NHL unrestricted free agent ever, was nominated for Rookie of the Year in his 2001-02 season (51 points in 65 games) in Atlanta and played eight seasons there before being traded to New Jersey, choosing free agency at the end of his 2009-10 season.

He was the first Thrashers player to ever score 50 goals in a season when he returned to Atlanta from Russia following the 2004-05 lockout and finished the season scoring 52. In 2007-08 he completed his second 52-goal season in three years.

Last season, in the final year of Kovalchuk’s contract with the Thrashers, the two parties could not make an agreement over a contract extension, as Kovalchuk reportedly denied 12-year, $101 million and seven-year $70 million proposals. The Thrashers traded him to the Devils on Feb. 4 with Anssi Salmela for Niclas Bergfors, Johnny Oduya and Patrice Cormier plus a first-round pick and a swap of second-rounders.

The Kings say they believe their chances of scoring Kovalchuk are 50-50. On July 5, Kovalchuk appeared ready to sign with New Jersey when he reverted back to talks with Los Angeles unexpectedly.

The Devils have offered him $60 million over seven years, $100 million over 17 — to revitalize their left wing where Patrik Elias will take over with Jason Arnott available for the center spot. Zach Parise, up for restricted free agency next summer and unrestricted the summer after that, and Brian Rolston and Dainius Zubrus, are also available to play wing in New Jersey.

NYpost.com reported July 5 that the Devils had $6 million in cap space available, with 16 certain roster players, but would have to cover six roster sports with $4 million, turning $2 million over to Kovalchuk, spilling over the $59.4 million cap by $5.94 million until the regular season starts.

Kovalchuk made $7.5 million last season, and recorded 27 points in 27 games with the Devils.

Referring to Kovalchuk as the NHL’s “Jamesian free agent,” the New York Post wrote that one of Canada’s national outlets officially proposed a one-hour prime-time special announcing his decision after LeBron James‘ “Decision” on ESPN.