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:
NBA Finals: Spurs at Heat, 9 p.m. (ABC; WEEI-AM)
MLB: Rays at Red Sox, Game 1, 1:05 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Rays at Red Sox, Game 2, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Dodgers at Yankees, 7:05 p.m. (MLB Network)
College baseball: World Series, Louisville vs. Oregon State, 3 p.m. (ESPN)
College baseball: World Series, Mississippi State vs. Indiana, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)
Soccer: World Cup qualifier, Honduras vs. United States, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

AROUND THE WEB:

It’s been a frustrating and painful year for Kevin Youkilis in New York. (AP)

♦ Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis, who went on the disabled list Friday with a lumbar strain after playing all 18 innings of Thursday’s loss to the Athletics and waking up the following morning with numbness in his foot and calf, visited a back specialist on Monday, and general manager Brian Cashman was not optimistic.

“Back issues usually don’t get better,” Cashman said in a conference call. “They can, but they’re very debilitating and hard to get a handle on. It’s definitely a concern. As of right now, I’m not planning on him until they tell me I can plan on him.”

Added Cashman: “I just know he’s not the player that he can be because of the back right now. Are we going to be in a position to get that player back at some point throughout this season? It would be nice, but I just don’t know what the issue is and what’s possible.”

Youkilis, who spent eight-plus seasons in Boston before a 2012 trade to the White Sox, is hitting .219/.305/.343 with two home runs and eight RBIs in 28 games for the Yankees.

Meanwhile, Mark Teixeira, who missed the first two months of the season with a torn tendon sheath in his wrist, appears headed back to the disabled list after having a cortisone injection Sunday.

Teixeira is hitting .151/.270/.340 with three home runs and 12 RBIs in 15 games since returning. He was just 3-for-31 in his last nine games before sitting with weakness in his wrist.

“I’m leaning personally toward the disabled list there,” said Cashman, who added that he had not ruled out season-ending surgery.

♦ The hosts of a morning show on Atlanta sports radio station 790 The Zone were fired Monday after making fun of former Saints safety Steve Gleason, who is battling ALS.

In the offending skit, two hosts took a call from the third, who was pretending to be Gleason by using a voice that sound like it was computer-generated (Gleason has lost the ability to speak). The man portraying Gleason told some jokes then asked the hosts to “smother me, do me a favor.”

The three personalities — Nick Cellini, Steak Shapiro and Chris Dimino — apologized on Twitter Monday evening. They initially were suspended, but following a barrage of complaints, they were fired.

“We suspended the three individuals involved immediately following their comments and have since terminated their employment,” the station said in a statement. “790 The Zone, our owners, sponsors and partners in no way endorse or support this kind of content. We sincerely apologize to Mr. Gleason, his family and all those touched by ALS.”

♦ HBO confirmed Monday that the Bengals will be featured in this season’s “Hard Knocks” documentary. It’s the second appearance in five years for the Bengals, who were selected in 2009, before they won the AFC North.

“Hard Knocks” will have five episodes on Tuesday nights, from Aug. 6 through Sept. 3.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On June 18, 1953, the Red Sox scored 17 runs in the bottom of the seventh inning of a 23-3 victory over the Tigers. Which Sox outfielder had three hits in the inning?

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During his nine major league seasons (8½ with the Red Sox), Kevin Youkilis said he’s never been tempted to use performance-enhancing drugs.

Kevin Youkilis

“I never even thought about it,” he said from Yankees spring training (via the New York Daily News). “I was always secure with myself. I was just trying to make it to the major leagues, and if I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t do it. I take more pride in the fact that I’ve done what I’ve done without all that stuff.

“I’ve always been of the mindset that you have to be secure within yourself about about what you’ve done in your career. You have to live with what you do for the rest of your life. You have to live with it. I know I’ve been clean my whole life, and I feel fortunate that I never felt like I had to go that route.”

Youkilis signed a one-year deal with the Yankees to fill in for injured third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who has admitted past steroid use and this year was linked to a reputed PED-peddler in South Florida. Youkilis also played in Boston with Manny Ramirez, who has been suspended twice by Major League Baseball since departing the Sox.

“If guys are going to cheat, they’re going to cheat,” Youkilis said. “They’re also going to get caught now more than ever. Some guys believe in stricter rules, some believe that what’s working is working. I never really think about it other than when guys get caught. It’s crazy to think guys are still trying to get away with it, because the testing is unbelievable.”

Seven players were suspended last year, which Youkilis said shows that the league is having success monitoring the situation.

“With the testing now, if you do it, you’re getting caught,” Youkilis said. “If you think about how many guys are in the big leagues, that’s a very small percentage. Less than 1 percent? That’s not bad. I don’t think any sport will ever be 100 percent clean. It’s life. Everywhere you go, there’s a flaw. If less than 1 percent are doing it, that’s a great thing.

Youkilis expressed no anger toward offenders, although he said he doesn’t like the lack of honesty after they’ve been caught.

“It never bothered me that other guys were taking it,” Youkilis said. “The only thing that bothered me is when people deny it over and over, then finally come out and say they did it. We live in a forgiving society. If you come out and say you made a mistake, so be it.”

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: Warriors at Knicks, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
NBA: Nuggets at Trail Blazers, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Boston College at NC State, 8 p.m. (MyTV; WEEI-AM)
College basketball: Michigan at Penn State, 6:30 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
College basketball: Georgetown at UConn, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Oklahoma at TCU, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Saint Joseph’s at Saint Louis, 8 p.m. (CBSSN)
College basketball: Purdue at Iowa, 8:30 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
College basketball: Oklahoma State at Texas, 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Louisville at DePaul, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: San Diego State at New Mexico, 10:15 p.m. (CBSSN)
College basketball: Colorado at Stanford, 11 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Saint Mary’s at Pepperdine, 11 p.m. (ESPNU)
NHL: Capitals at Flyers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL: Red Wings at Kings, 10 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB preseason: Red Sox at Orioles, 7:05 p.m. (NESN)
MLB preseason: Cardinals at Mets, 1 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLB preseason: Giants at Angels, 4 p.m. (MLB Network)

AROUND THE WEB:

Manny Ramirez has not been able to find a major league team willing to give him an opportunity. (AP)

♦ Former Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez reportedly has an agreement to play with the EDA Rhinos of Taiwan in the China Professional League if he can’t find a major league team willing to give him a look by March 7. Ramirez told ESPN Deportes that his agents have called almost every American League team in an attempt to land a spot as a designated hitter, but he’s found no takers.

The Chinese league, in existence since 1989, consists of four teams that play in front of crowds averaging 3,000. Foreign-born players reportedly earn up to $12,000 per month.

Ramirez, who turns 41 in May, last played in the majors with the Rays in 2011, going 1-for-17 before quitting and then receiving his second PED-related suspension. He signed with the Athletics last spring but was released after a brief stint in the minors.

A 12-time All-Star, Ramirez has a career batting line of .312/.411/.585 with 555 home runs. He was the World Series MVP for the Red Sox in 2004.

♦ In other news involving former Red Sox stars, new Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis was scratched from the lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Phillies in Clearwater, Fla., after feeling discomfort on the left side. The Yankees announced that Youkilis had a sore left oblique muscle, although Youkilis said it was a hydration issue.

“Just one of those things where after I swung [Monday]. It was hot, I was dehydrated. I got water, and I was fine. Being a month away from games, they want to take it precautionary. I wanted to play [Tuesday], and I was perfectly fine to play. I didn’t feel like there was any risk,” Youkilis said. “The doctor said very, very mild. Just a little thing that happens. I think I learned my lesson, too. Don’t say you’re tight.”

Added Youkilis: “I’ve had an oblique before. It didn’t feel anything like that. It’s basically like you get a cramp in your side.”

Manager Joe Girardi said he will talk to Youkilis about being honest with the training staff, and he said he’ll need to be convinced Youkilis is healthy before putting him in the lineup for Wednesday’s game.

“We will make him go through hoops,” Girardi said.

♦ The soccer team Inter Milan was fined 50,000 Euros ($66,500) by the Serie A league for its fans’ racist behavior toward AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli during Sunday night’s game, in the latest embarrassing display of racism involving an Italian club.

A section of fans hurled “racially discriminatory chants” toward Balotelli — the son of Ghanian parents who was born and raised in Italy — and some Inter supporters were waving inflatable bananas, insulting another AC Milan black player, displaying offensive banners and shining lasers toward the eyes of players.

The 22-year-old Balotelli, who played for Inter from 2006-10, was fined 10,000 Euros ($13,300) for making an insulting gesture toward the Inter fans on his way off the field at the end of the 1-1 tie — although it’s not clear what he did other than hold a finger to his lips in an apparent sign of quieting the fans.

Inter was fined earlier this month after fans sang racist chants about Balotelli during a victory over Chievo. Balotelli was acquired by AC Milan from Manchester City in January.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On Feb. 27, 1983, which Bruin recorded two goals and an assist in a 4-3 victory over the Whalers in Hartford and in the process became the sixth player to score 250 goals in a Bruins uniform?

Read the rest of this entry »

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:
NHL: Bruins at Canadiens, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NBA: Celtics at Raptors, 7 p.m. (CSNNE; WEEI-FM)
NBA: Spurs at Timberwolves, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: UConn at St. John’s, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Marquette at South Florida, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Minnesota at Michigan State, 7 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
College basketball: Baylor at Oklahoma State, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Saint Louis at Fordham, 8 p.m. (CBSSN)
College basketball: Iowa at Wisconsin, 9 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
College basketball: Kansas at TCU, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Stanford at Arizona, 9 p.m. (ESPNews)
College basketball: Colorado State at Nevada, 10 p.m. (CBSSN)

AROUND THE WEB:

Kevin Youkilis

♦ Joba Chamberlain said Tuesday that new Yankees teammate Kevin Youkilis finally responded to the pitcher’s December voicemail, answering with a text message, although Chamberlain wouldn’t reveal what the message said, indicating he wants to minimize the issue.

“I don’t want him to have to talk about [the feud],” Chamberlain said. “He’s going to have enough to worry about over here. He’s really the only acquisition we’ve made as of now.”

Added Chamberlain: “We’re two grown men. We’re playing on the same team and our one goal is to win. I hope he came over here for that, and I would assume he came over here for that. … I’m glad to have him on our side.”

Chamberlain and Youkilis famously feuded when they were on opposite sides of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, with Chamberlain making a habit out of throwing pitches in the direction of Youk’s head.

Chamberlain reached out to Youkilis after the free agent agreed to a one-year deal to fill in for Alex Rodriguez at third base, and the pitcher seemed annoyed when Youk was slow in responding. Now Chamberlain seems ready to move forward when they meet up at spring training.

“We’ll hug it out,” Chamberlain said.

♦ Baltimore held a parade Tuesday to welcome home the Super Bowl champion Ravens, and an estimated 200,000 purple-clad fans turned out for the event.

“The city of Baltimore — I love you for ever and ever and ever and ever,” the retiring Ray Lewis told fans in front of City Hall, where the players loaded into military vehicles for a ride to M&T Bank Stadium to greet a capacity crowd.

At the stadium, the team held a short ceremony that was highlighted by Lewis doing his “Squirrel” dance.

♦ Ray Lewis might have been the star Tuesday, but he was a bit player in the Super Bowl, according to an ex-teammate.

Trevor Pryce, who was a defensive lineman for the Ravens from 2006 until 2010, questioned Lewis’ play during a radio interview with Jim Rome.

“I think he played with a case of the nerves. I think he had the yips. I really do,” Pryce said. “He had it bad. He didn’t look like himself, even his new self. That guy’s gone, that guy’s named Patrick Willis. But even the guy he was last week, he wasn’t that guy. He had a case of it bad, badly. It was almost like he was just hoping, ‘Let’s get this over with.’ ”

Although Lewis led all players with 51 tackles in the postseason, he struggled in coverage on 49ers tight end Vernon Davis on Sunday.

“Half of his check should go to [fellow Ravens linebacker] Dannell Ellerbe for making that last play on that last fade route,” Pryce said. “The other half to Greg Roman, the 49ers offensive coordinator.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On Feb. 6, 1988, Larry Bird won the 3-point competition during All-Star Weekend in Chicago, famously holding his right index finger in the air before his final shot went through the net to clinch the victory. Which player did Bird beat for the title?

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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:
NBA: Lakers at Nets, 7:30 p.m. (NBATV)
College basketball: Boston College at Miami, 7 p.m. (NESN, WEEI-AM)
College basketball: Wake Forest at North Carolina, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Villanova at DePaul, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Purdue at Penn State, 7 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
College basketball: Florida at Arkansas, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Florida State at Georgia Tech, 9 p.m. (NESN)
College basketball: South Carolina at Kentucky, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Ohio State at Michigan, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
NHL: Lightning at Flyers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)

AROUND THE WEB:

Former Red Sox infielder Kevin Youkilis sought out brother-in-law Tom Brady's opinion before joining the Yankees. (AP)

♦ Former Red Sox stalwart Kevin Youkilis, who is married to Tom Brady‘s sister, Julie, revealed that he asked the Patriots quarterback for advice before signing with the Yankees as a free agent in December.

During an interview with the Yankees’ YES Network that is scheduled to air Tuesday, Youkilis said he picked Brady’s brain about playing for a rival.

“I even asked a question about coming to New York: ‘Could you ever be a Jet or a Giant?’ ” Youkilis said. “And he’s like, ‘I don’t know. Luckily I’m not in your shoes.’ And I’m like, ‘Thanks for your advice, buddy!’ ”

Youkilis, who will demonstrate his new batting stance during the program, also talked about what’s like being related to Brady.

“Well, I can say I’m his only brother right now, so that’s a cool thing,” Youkilis said. “We always joke about that: the brother you always wanted, and I’m like, ‘I don’t know if you wanted me as a brother, but you didn’t have a choice in this matter now.’ He’s great. It’s pretty fun.”

♦ Following last week’s story detailing Alex Rodriguez‘ alleged PED use, the Yankees are doing their best to keep the infielder out of the public eye while he rehabilitates after offseason hip surgery. General manager Brian Cashman told the media Monday that he’s not going to reveal where A-Rod is working out.

“I’m not going to say to try and keep away the extra, whatever you want to call it, paparazzi, whatever it is, the stakeout, wherever he is working out,” Cashman said. “That’s the only reason I’m not going to say where he is going to be on a given day.”

Manager Joe Girardi said he’s not worried that the latest controversy will be a major issue for the team.

“I think our club is used to handling distractions,” Girardi said at a team fundraiser in Manhattan. “The city we play in, there’s a lot of news always surrounding our club. A lot of times, it’s a lot of good news. Our club will handle it. A club like ours is going to go through adversity all the time. Going through a season is never easy. Why would this year be any different?”

Meanwhile, a New York Daily News story quotes a source as saying Rodriguez is concerned that his team and Major League Baseball are trying to set him up in an attempt to end his career.

“He’s scared, because he thinks this is so unbelievably false, and he’s wondering who could be behind this,” the source told the paper. “He thinks something could be going on larger than anyone might think.”

♦ The European Union police agency Europol announced Monday that an 18-month review has revealed that organized crime groups fixed or tried to fix hundreds of soccer matches around the world in recent years, including World Cup qualifiers.

Europol did not give details about the games or suspects, citing an ongoing investigation, although it did mention that a Singapore-based crime syndicate was involved in some match-fixing. It said 425 individuals — game officials, team officials, players and criminals — from at least 15 countries were involved in fixing European soccer games dating back to 2008.

“This is a sad day for European football,” Europol director Rob Wainwright said, noting that criminals were operating “on a scale and in a way that threatens the very fabric of the game.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Feb. 5, 1978, 76ers guard Doug Collins gave up his starting spot in the NBA All-Star Game in deference to which Celtic?

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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:
NHL: Bruins at Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NBA: Nuggets at Rockets, 8 p.m. (NBATV)
NBA: Thunder at Warriors, 10:30 p.m. (NBATV)
College basketball: Lehigh at Bucknell, 6 p.m. (CBSSN)
College basketball: Duke at Miami, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Penn State at Indiana, 7 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
College basketball: South Florida at Seton Hall, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: TCU at West Virginia, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Colorado State at New Mexico, 8 p.m. (CBSSN)
College basketball: Minnesota at Northwestern, 9 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
College basketball: Georgia Tech at North Carolina, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Iowa State at Texas Tech, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: San Diego State at Nevada, 10 p.m. (CBSSN)
College basketball: Denver at New Mexico State, 11 p.m. (ESPNU)

AROUND THE WEB:

New Yankee Kevin Youkilis said he's moved on from the Joba Chamberlain feud, but he hasn't returned his new teammate's phone call. (AP)

♦ When former Red Sox infielder Kevin Youkilis signed as a free agent with the Yankees in December, he said his feud with reliever Joba Chamberlain was “not a big deal to me,” even though Chamberlain made a habit out of firing fastballs at Youkilis body when they were on opposing teams.

Chamberlain also insisted he was ready to move on, and he said he left a voicemail for Youkilis welcoming him to New York.

However, Chamberlain said Tuesday that Youkilis never returned the call.

“I did everything I can do,” Chamberlain said. “I can’t control what Kevin Youkilis does, I can only control what I do and, you know what, we’ll go on from there.”

Chamberlain said he wasn’t surprised that Youkilis had not called him back.

“No, not really,” he said. “I’m bound to run into him at some point. Sooner rather than later. We’ll see what happens. We’re grown men.”

♦ Six weeks after the accident that killed Cowboys practice squad player Jerry Brown, for which backup nose tackle Josh Brent was charged with involuntary manslaughter for allegedly driving drunk, Cowboys starting nose tackle Jay Ratliff was arrested for DWI early Tuesday after crashing his pickup truck into an 18-wheeler in Grapevine, Texas.

No one was injured in the accident, but police said the 31-year-old Ratliff failed a field sobriety test.

Ratliff, who was released on bond Tuesday morning, was limited to six games in 2012 due to injuries. He underwent a sports hernia surgery in late December.

♦ The woman whose pictures were used as part of the girlfriend hoax involving Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o told NBC’s “Today” show on Tuesday that alleged mastermind Ronaiah Tuiasosopo confessed and apologized to her on Jan. 16, the day Deadspin broke the story.

“I don’t think there’s anything he could say to me that would fix this,” said 23-year-old Diane O’Meara, who was a high school classmate of Tuiasosopo’s in California.

O’Meara said she never had contact with Te’o, and that the pictures were used without her knowledge or consent.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On Jan. 23, 1981, the Red Sox traded Fred Lynn and Steve Renko to the Angels for pitchers Frank Tanana and Jim Dorsey and which outfielder/designated hitter?

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Over the final week of 2012, WEEI.com will count down the top 10 stories of the year in Boston sports. This entry in the countdown is No. 2: Bobby Valentine’s nightmare season as Red Sox manager.

Check out our previous entries:
No. 10: NHL lockout
No. 9: Wes Welker’s up-and-down year
No. 8: Bruins’ early playoff elimination
No. 7: Ray Allen’s departure from Celtics
No. 6: Tim Thomas’ political controversy and sabbatical
No. 5: Celtics’ Eastern Conference finals loss to Heat
No. 4: Red Sox’ megatrade with Dodgers
No. 3: Tom Brady’s MVP-caliber season

Bobby Valentine

In a forgettable season, the 2012 Sox finished 69-93, their worst record since 1965, and in last place in the American League East for the first time since John Henry and Tom Werner bought the team.

According to multiple reports, Bobby Valentine was not the preferred choice of first-year general manager Ben Cherington, but team president and CEO Larry Lucchino made the hire to replace Terry Francona.

As Valentine was formally introduced to Boston, nobody could have foreseen the outcome of the season.

“I am honored, I’m humbled and I’m pretty damn excited,” Valentine said at his introductory press conference. “This day is a special day, and it’s more than a special day. It’s the beginning of a life that I think is going to extend beyond anything else that I thought of doing. The talent level and the players that we have in this organization, I think, is a gift to anyone. And I’m the receiver of that gift.”

Valentine, 62, would become the first Red Sox manager since 1934 (Bucky Harris) to be fired after just one season with the team.

Read the rest of this entry »

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:
NFL: Bengals at Eagles, 8:20 p.m. (NFL Network; WEEI-FM)
NBA: Lakers at Knicks, 8 p.m. (TNT)
NBA: Spurs at Trail Blazers, 10:30 p.m. (TNT)

AROUND THE WEB:

Joba Chamberlain

♦ There was speculation that former Red Sox infielder Kevin Youkilis would be hesitant to join the Yankees considering the feud he had with Joba Chamberlain. The Yankees hurler was suspended two games in his rookie season of 2007 for firing a fastball over Youkilis’ head, and in 2008 Youkilis started to charge the mound but was stopped after another near-beaning. Chamberlain hit Youkilis with a pitch last season after the infielder had moved on to the White Sox.

After Youkilis accepted New York’s one-year, $12 million offer on Monday, Chamberlain did his part to show there were no hard feelings, leaving a voice message for his new teammate Wednesday morning. It’s not clear if the two have since connected.

Chamberlain’s agent, Jim Murray, offered an assurance that Chamberlain will let bygones be bygones.

“Joba has zero ill will toward him,” Murray insisted.

In other news from the Bronx, legendary reliever Mariano Rivera said he plans to be ready for Opening Day after missing most of last season with a knee injury that required surgery in May. Speaking at the team’s annual food drive at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, Rivera indicated he’s on schedule to be ready for the April 1 opener in New York against the Red Sox.

“I don’t see why not,” said the 43-year-old, who signed a one-year, $10 million deal (a $5 million pay cut). “We have three to four months to that point. I will be ready.”

♦ Giants running back David Wilson says he has been doing backflips since he was 3 years old, but there are members of his team that would prefer he end the tradition. The first-round pick from Virginia Tech has taken to doing the flips after touchdowns.

“I like the backflip, man, but it scares me every time he does it because you never know what can happen,” receiver Victor Cruz said. “You don’t want to see him get hurt.”

Added defensive end Justin Tuck: “I told him several times never to do that again. We’re going to have another talk about not doing it. Everyone knows how athletic he is, but the last thing we need is him having some tweak injury by showing off to the crowd. Let’s just keep him upright and running and leave the backflips for YouTube. They’re already on YouTube. If people want to see them, they can go to YouTube and see them.”

Quarterback Eli Manning took a more positive approach to the flips.

“That means he’s scoring touchdowns,” Manning said. “So, that’s fine by me.”

♦ Winthrop’s Mike Eruzione, captain of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, is selling the jersey he wore during the historic victory over Russia at Lake Placid. Heritage Auctions, which is conducting the sale Feb. 23, estimates that the white No. 21 jersey will fetch more than $1 million.

Eruzione also is selling his stick, which he used to score the winning goal against Russian backup goalie Vladimir Myshkin, and his blue jersey from the gold medal game, a victory over Finland.

Eruzione, 58, works in development and alumni relations at his alma mater, Boston University, and is a motivational speaker.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Dec. 13, 1991, during the Celtics’ 117-97 victory over the visiting SuperSonics, center Robert Parish became the fifth player in NBA history to appear in 1,200 games, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elvin Hayes and which two former Celtics?

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

STAT OF THE DAY: 52:30 – Time on the floor Wednesday night for Rajon Rondo, a career high, in a 117-115 double-overtime victory over the Mavericks

‘NET RESULTS: There were two-buzzer-beaters in the NBA on Wednesday night that toppled elite teams. First, Warriors forward Draymond Green gets free for a layup with less than a second left to knock off the Heat.

Second, Jazz guard Mo Williams beats the Spurs with a tiebreaking 3-pointer.

Referee Courtney Kirkland attempts to block Nets forward Kris Humphries‘ free throw (the whistle had blown for substitutions to enter).

Lakers star Kobe Bryant and soccer great Lionel Messi appear together in an ad for Turkish Airlines.

Zach Hodskins is a talented junior guard at Georgia’s Milton High School, and he only has one arm. He reportedly hit seven 3-pointers in one game this season and has been getting attention from college scouts.

TRIVIA ANSWER: John Havlicek and Paul Silas

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Morris Day was born on this day in 1957.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmUHGLW7ges

Kevin Youkilis

The White Sox declined the $13 million option on Kevin Youkilis, announcing Tuesday that the former Red Sox third baseman will receive a buyout of $1 million and become a free agent.

Youkilis, who was traded to Chicago in June after eight-plus seasons in Boston, hit .236 with 15 home runs in 80 games with the White Sox.

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn indicated the team has not ruled out re-signing Youkilis or right-handed reliever Brett Myers, who the team bought out for $3 million rather than pick up a $10 million option.

“They’re going to hear from other clubs, likely receive offers and stay in touch with us,” Hahn said.

The White Sox also announced that they agreed to a $29 million, two-year contract with right-hander Jake Peavy, and they are exercising their $9.5 million option to keep right-handed pitcher Gavin Floyd.

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: Rays at Orioles, 12:35 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLB: Nationals at Brewers, 8 p.m. (MLB Network)

AROUND THE WEB:

Kevin Youkilis has been on a roll in Chicago, but on Wednesday he rolled his ankle. (AP)

♦ Kevin Youkilis continues to produce in Chicago, notching an RBI in Wednesday’s 8-2 victory over the Twins, but he departed the game in the fourth inning with a sprained left ankle. The 33-year-old Youkilis struggled with injuries in Boston, missing a month earlier this season with a back problem, but the White Sox insist he only left the game as a precaution.

“He’s fine,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “He probably could’ve continued to play. But [trainer] Herm [Schneider] looked at it and wanted to take him out. We’ll look at it again [Wednesday night] and see how it’s going.”

Said Youkilis, who rolled his foot over the first base bag on his RBI single: “I’ll be good; it’s just mild. I wasn’t moving. It just locked up on me. I had to go get some work on it. It’ll be fine by Friday. I just wasn’t moving too well left and right. You can’t help the team when you’re out at third base if you can’t really move.”

Youkilis is hitting .277 with five home runs and 20 RBIs in 25 games with the White Sox after hitting .233 with four homers and 14 RBIs in 42 games with the Red Sox.

♦ Bill Mastro, who was a big player in the sports memorabilia business as the founder of Mastro Auctions before getting out of the business three years ago, was indicted along with the company’s former president, Doug Allen, on charges of fraud. The pair allegedly defrauded customers, rigged auctions and inflated prices. Mastro also is accused of secretly trimming the sides of the world’s most expensive baseball card — the Honus Wagner T206 that was once owned partly owned by Wayne Gretzky — in an effort to increase its value.

“Bill accepts responsibility for the actions that led to this case,” his attorney, Michael Monico, said, noting that he expects the case to be resolved without a trial. “For many years, Bill has dedicated himself to religious and charitable works.”

♦ The London Olympics are under way, but Jeff Neuman at Real Clear Sports is not buying in. He has a list of 10 things to hate about the Olympics.

Obviously, not everyone feels the same way, as NBCUniversal has passed $1 billion in Olympic ad sales.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On July 26, 1987, which player became just the second Red Sox rookie to hit home runs in his first two major league games?

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