Dwyane Wade and LeBron James said they want Peyton Manning to join them in Miami. (AP)

The Manning to Miami movement gained more support Thursday when two of the Miami Heat’s star players voiced their desire for Peyton Manning to take his talents to South Beach.

Heat star LeBron James knows about moving south from the Midwest in a spotlight, as he left the Cavaliers after the 2010 season and announced he would sign with the Heat in a live ESPN special, The Decision. James now wants Manning to do the same, as he told the media after Wednesday night’s win over the Hawks that Manning would fill a void for the Dolphins.

“I’m just sayin’,” James said. “Dolphins need a quarterback, and Peyton’s available. … I gave my pitch, my one and only pitch. We’ll see what happens. … I want Miami sports to be great: The U, the Dolphins, the Marlins, the Heat, of course.”

James’s teammate, Dwyane Wade, was also on board with the idea. On Wednesday night, Wade (@dwyanewade) tweeted: I’m just gonna put it out thr..peyton that number 18 wld look gr8 in a dolphins uniform..steve ross let’s go.. marlins & heat style..All in.

Wade proceeded to reply to tweets suggesting other cities for Manning such as Baltimore and New York with a definitive: that’s OUT. An Illinois native, Wade responded to a tweet wondering about Chicago as a destination for Manning by saying he likes Jay Cutler as a quarterback and that the Bears have other problems.

James, Wade and the rest of the Dolphins fans may get a response from Manning soon. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Manning will make a decision on where he plans to play within a week. Schefter also reported Manning prefers to stay in the AFC, and one of the 12 teams to reach out to Manning was the Dolphins.

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:
College basketball: Notre Dame at Georgetown, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Kansas at Oklahoma State, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Texas Tech at Baylor, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
NHL: Devils at Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Kevin Durant scored 34 points and was the MVP of the All-Star Game as the West held off the East in Orlando Sunday night, 152-149, but the lasting image was that of Kobe Bryant suffering a nasal fracture after a hard foul from Dwyane Wade in the third quarter.

Bryant, who scored 27 points to become the All-Star Game’s career leader in points with 271 (passing Michael Jordan), finished the game after wiping away some blood. He skipped the postgame press conference after reportedly experiencing headaches and is expected to see a specialist.

The game almost turned into a blowout, but the East rallied from an 18-point deficit to make it an exciting finish. With a chance for the East to tie in the final seconds, LeBron James‘ pass was picked off by Blake Griffin. “Definitely wish I could have that one back,” said James, who scored 36 points to lead the East while Wade recorded a triple-double.

For the Celtics, Paul Pierce played 11 minutes and scored three points on 1-for-8 shooting. Rajon Rondo had two points in 15 1/2 minutes.

♦ Mavericks guard Delonte West has become a punch line since rumors that he had an affair with LeBron James’ mother when both players were members of the Cavaliers in 2010. During a long interview with Dallas Morning News writer Brad Townsend, West talked about how much respect he has for Gloria James and how disappointed he has been to hear the joking about something he said never took place.

“If we want to continue to grow as a human race, what are we teaching our kids if we try to make humor and fun out of stuff like that?” he said. “Number one, something like that never happened. I don’t know where they got that from.

“For a strong black woman like that, for people to try to tear her down, that’s terrible. That’s terrible in so many ways.”

♦ Tim Tebow had his coming-out party in Hollywood over the weekend, and he was a hit with the Academy Awards crowd. Tebow signed with the William Morris agency for personal endorsements and charity dealings, and the company put the Broncos quarterback front and center at its pre-Oscars party, where he was greeted by stars of the big screen, TV and music.

♦ When Canucks pest Alex Burrows ended the Red Wings’ 23-game home winning streak Thursday by scoring a shootout goal, he mimicked breaking his stick over his knee in celebration. Asked about Burrows’ antics, Wings goalie Jimmy Howard wasn’t very complimentary.

“I don’t even pay attention,” he said. “They’ve got a bunch of idiots over there. There are only several good guys on that team, and they know who they are.”

The Canucks acknowledged the win meant a lot, not just because the two teams are in a race for the best record in the league.

“Yeah, it was [special],” goalie Roberto Luongo said. “The Boston one was nice, too. Those are emotional games and we’re used to those. They’re always fun to be a part of.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: 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?

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With Linsanity extending into its third week, Jeremy Lin continues to impress. (AP)

It has been three weeks since the start of Linsanity, and the phenomenon is showing no signs of fading. On Wednesday night, Jeremy Lin‘s 17 points and nine assists helped the Knicks to a 99-82 win over the Hawks. Since Lin’s emergence three weeks ago, the 23-year-old has played big minutes in his last 11 games and is averaging 23.9 points over that span. Meanwhile, the Knicks have gone 9-2, rising past the Celtics into second place in the Atlantic Division.

Once Lin became a national sensation, it was only a matter of time before a big company signed him to a multimillion dollar endorsement deal. Nike plans to do just that, multiple news outlets reported. The international sportswear company — which signed Lin before last season but is said to be negotiating a much bigger deal — reportedly will release a shoe in Knicks’ colors that has “Lin” printed on the back of the heel. Nike also plans to launch a promotional campaign for Lin that would help the company grow in China and Taiwan.

“You can expect he’s going to be their No. 2 poster endorser to LeBron James in China, and they may promote him as the top guy [there],” Marc Ganis, owner of sports consulting firm SportsCorp Ltd., told the New York Daily News.

Ganis estimates Lin’s new deal could earn him between $2 million and $4 million.

♦ Lin’s value extends well beyond a deal with Nike. A Lin rookie card was running for over $21,000 on eBay Thursday. Yair Rozmaryn, the card’s seller, bought it a week ago on eBay for $1,000.

“I got lucky,” Rozmaryn told The New York Times. “I bought it a week and half ago from another collector who had it before the Linsanity really began. I bought it right after the Jazz game. At the time, Lin cards were selling for $180 and now they are over $2,000.” Read the rest of this entry »

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:
NHL: Bruins at Jets, 8 p.m. (NESN)
NBA: Mavericks at 76ers, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
NBA: Suns at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Columbia at Princeton, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Valparaiso at Loyola Marymount, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)

SATURDAY:
NBA: Hawks at Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. (NBA TV)
College basketball: Drexel at Cleveland State, 11 a.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Marquette at UConn, noon (ESPN)
College basketball: UCLA at St. John’s, 1 p.m. (CBS)
College basketball: Florida State at NC State, 1 p.m. (WSBK)
College basketball: Wake Forest at Miami (NESN)
College basketball: Missouri at Texas A&M, 2 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech, 3 p.m. (NESN)
College basketball: Clemson at North Carolina, 4 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: St. Mary’s at Murray State, 6 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Florida at Arkansas, 6 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Ohio State at Michigan, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Notre Dame at Villanova, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
NHL: Penguins at Flyers, 1 p.m. (NHL Network)
NHL: Capitals at Lightning, 7 p.m. (NHL Network)

SUNDAY:
NBA: Celtics at Pistons, 6 p.m. (CSNNE; WEEI)
NBA: Mavericks at Knicks, 1 p.m. (ABC)
NBA: Magic at Heat, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
NBA: Nuggets at Thunder, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Duke at Boston College (ESPNU; WRKO)
College basketball: Syracuse at Rutgers, 1 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: South Florida at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
NHL: Bruins at Wild, 3:30 p.m. (NBC)
NHL: Penguins at Sabres, 12:30 p.m. (NBC)
NHL: Devils at Canadiens, 6 p.m. (NBCSN)

AROUND THE WEB:

LeBron James said he is not holding a grudge against Cleveland. (AP)

♦ LeBron James, back in his home state for Friday’s game against the Cavaliers, said he would not rule out returning to Cleveland later in his career, despite the messy breakup two years ago.

“I don’t know. I think it would be great,” he said. “It would be fun to play in front of these fans again. I had a lot fun times in my seven years here. You can’t predict the future and hopefully I continue to stay healthy. I’m here as a Miami Heat player, and I’m happy where I am now, but I don’t rule that out in no sense.

“And if I decide to come back, hopefully the fans will accept me.”

James said he has no bitterness toward Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, but he said he has not spoken to Gilbert since James last met with the team’s management before he made his decision to sign a six-year contract with Miami as a free agent. Gilbert famously went on a rant after James’ announcement and blasted the star forward.

“I don’t have any hard feelings. He said what he said and I’ve moved on,” James said. “But there’s been no attempt to patch things up.”

Added James: “I don’t hold grudges. I hold them a little bit, but I don’t hold them that long. He said what he said out of anger and he would probably want to take that back. But I made a mistake, too, and there are some things I would want to take back as well.

“You make mistakes and move on.”

♦ Former All-Star Allen Iverson reportedly would consider playing in the minor leagues in an attempt to return to the NBA. Iverson, who recently had some legal and financial issues in Georgia, is said to have ignored offers from the Lakers’ D-League affiliate, but now he would entertain the option if it leads to an NBA opportunity. Iverson also apparently has been in contact with representatives from leagues in Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

♦ Seattle native Christopher Hansen announced on Thursday a proposal for $290 million in private investments to build an arena in the city, in the hopes of luring an NBA and NHL team. The plan calls for $200 million in contributions from the city and county.

Seattle lost the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008, and the lack of a new arena was a key reason.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Feb. 17, 1972, Phil Esposito recorded a hat trick in a 4-1 victory over the Flyers in Philadelphia and became the second player in team history with 250 goals. Who was the first?

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Thunder center Kendrick Perkins was posterized by Blake Griffin last week on a dunk that quickly went viral. Apparently, being dunked on by the Clippers star wasn’t as bothersome to Perkins as was a tweet by LeBron James.

Tweeted James: Dunk of the Year! @blakegriffin just dunked on Kendrick Perkins so hard!!! Wow! I guess I’m No. 2 now. Move over #6.

On Tuesday, Perkins told Yahoo! Sports‘ Marc Spears what he thought about James’ reaction.

“You don’t see Kobe [Bryant] tweeting,” Perkins said. “You don’t see Michael Jordan tweeting. If you’re an elite player, plays like that don’t excite you. At the end of the day, the guys who are playing for the right reasons who are trying to win championships are not worrying about one play.

“They also are not tweeting about themselves talking about going down to No. 2. I just feel [James] is always looking for attention and he wants the world to like him.”

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:
NHL: Flames at Bruins, 7 p.m. (NESN)
NBA: Heat at Hawks, 8 p.m. (TNT)
NBA: Lakers at Trail Blazers, 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
College basketball: Pittsburgh at DePaul, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Michigan at Indiana, 9 p.m. (ESPN2)

AROUND THE WEB:

Red Sox owners (from left) Tom Werner, John Henry and Larry Lucchino are very concerned with media perception, according to a former PR adviser. (AP)

♦ A former media strategist for the Red Sox ownership group spilled some secrets to Boston Magazine and is getting some attention for his claims. Doug Bailey, who was a senior vice president for Rasky Baerlein, shines a little light on the Theo Epstein-Larry Lucchino feud and claims John Henry is “distant and aloof” — although his explanation makes Henry sound more senile than anything else.

He told of a day he spent with Henry at a Lowell Spinners game, when he bonded with Henry and talked about a range of topics.

Writes Bailey: It was a really enjoyable day, and my impression of Henry changed dramatically because of it.

Two weeks later I ran into my new friend at an event at Fenway Park. Walking toward me, he extended his hand and offered a limp handshake. “Hi,” he said, introducing himself, “I’m John Henry.”

Bailey also revealed an anecdote about Nomar Garciaparra and his interaction with an astronaut who was at Fenway to throw out the first pitch. The shortstop questioned the astronaut if the moon landing was faked during an arrogant exchange in the dugout.

♦ LeBron James can’t seem to avoid controversy. This time, it’s over a birthday cake. A Boca Raton baker was asked by the Shelborne South Beach hotel to produce a five-tiered cake for James’ 27th birthday party, for which the Passion for Pastry bakery would receive publicity instead of financial compensation. However, the cake was replaced by one from another bakery at the last minute.

Bakery owner Alethea Hickman went online and only discovered the switch when she saw photos of the other cake.

“I don’t even know where my cake went,” she said. “I was mortified. They had me do it in the middle of the holiday crush and I hired additional people. Someone needs to pay.”

Hotel official Jared Galbut did not appear to be very sympathetic.

“It just wasn’t was expected,” he said. “When LeBron’s people saw it, they just didn’t want to use and decided to bring their own cake. I can’t tell LeBron James what birthday cake to eat. It’s LeBron James, for Christ’s sake.”

♦ Cavaliers center Samardo Samuels missed Wednesday night’s game against the Raptors in Toronto because he lost his passport. The Jamaican actually misplaced the document a few weeks ago and was unable to get a new passport in time.

“I’m going to chalk it up to youth and inexperience,” Cavs coach Byron Scott said. “Hopefully, he learned his lesson and it never happens again.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Jan. 5, 1974, which Bruin became the oldest NHL player to score four goals in a game when he recorded his ninth career hat trick in a 6-2 victory over the Islanders?

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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: Wizards at Celtics, 7:30 p.m. (CSNNE; WEEI)
NBA: Thunder at Mavericks, 8:30 p.m. (NBA TV)
College basketball: Rhode Island at Boston College, 1 p.m. (WEEI)
College basketball: Texas A&M at Baylor, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
NHL: Winter Classic, Rangers at Flyers, 3 p.m. (NBC)
NHL: Sharks at Canucks, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
College football: Ticketcity Bowl, Houston vs. Penn State, noon (ESPNU)
College football: Outback Bowl, Michigan State vs. Georgia, 1 p.m. (ABC)
College football: Rose Bowl, Wisconsin vs. Oregon, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
College football: Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Stanford vs. Oklahoma State, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

AROUND THE WEB:

Jets receiver Santionio Holmes watch the closing minutes of Sunday's loss to the Dolphins after being benched. (AP)

♦ Not only did the Jets lose the Dolphins on Sunday to surrender any hope of making the playoffs, there was some internal trouble as receiver Santonio Holmes was benched for the final drive after being held without a catch all game and getting into a dispute with his teammates.

Holmes could be seen screaming in the huddle before leaving the field.

“There were guys in the huddle not happy with Santonio’s demeanor throughout the game and in the two-minute drill,” Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson said. “And they said something to him about it.”

Explained left guard Matt Slauson: “It started off between Holmes and another guy. Then everybody came at each other. It was bad. It was breaking down. That’s how it goes when you’re not doing well and you’re in a must-win. Tempers get flared.”

Coach Rex Ryan said he didn’t know why Holmes was not on the field, as it was offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer who made the call — with backing from some players who said Holmes did not appear to be giving his best effort.

Said Tomlinson: “It’s tough for guys to follow a captain that kind of behaves in that manner. You’ve got to lead by example, and you’ve got to play your tail off until the last play.”

Meanwhile, Ryan is denying reports that the Jets will make major changes to its offensive staff, and there’s a rumor that they will cut veteran linebacker Bart Scott.

♦ Panthers enforcer Krys Barch was ejected from Saturday night’s game for using “racially charged language” toward Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban. While Subban said neither he nor any of his teammates heard what was said, linesman Darren Gibbs did, and he ejected Barch.

Barch’s teammates did their best to defend him, as did his agent, Scott Norton, who insisted Barch’s comment was misconstrued and “didn’t have any racial overtones nor was it a slur. It may have been a misunderstanding or taken out of context.”

Added Norton: “He hopes there is an understanding that there was no ill intent on his part. It was a misunderstanding. He wants his record to be clean when all this is over.”

♦ After last season’s misery, it’s been a strong start this season for LeBron James, whose Heat are undefeated through five games. And on Saturday night it became even better when he got engaged to longtime girlfriend Savannah Brinson, proposing in front of some teammates and friends at his 27th birthday party. The couple already have two sons together.

“It’s very nice,” said teammate Dwyane Wade, who got the assist by holding the ring until the right time. “Very nice. They have good taste. … To me, it felt like he was on his knee for an hour. It was probably like 35 seconds. It was great. I feel so happy for them and their entire family.”

♦ The wife of Braves trainer Jeff Porter was killed Saturday when the car Porter was driving was hit by a Georgia State Patrol cruiser. Kathy Porter was one of four people in the car that was hit by a trooper speeding to a call.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Jan. 2, 1994, which Patriots player recorded his 100th and final career sack when he tackled Dolphins quarterback Scott Mitchell during New England’s 33-27 overtime victory?

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Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals ended with Tim Thomas and the Bruins celebrating a championship. (AP)

Even though 2011 wasn’t the most successful year for all of Boston’s teams, it certainly was a memorable one. Playoff rivalries were renewed for the Celtics, Bruins and Patriots, while the Red Sox added another chapter to their legacy of heartbreak.

Picking out the 10 most memorable games of the year was not an easy task. The Bruins easily could have dominated this list, with all of their dramatic playoff victories en route to winning the Stanley Cup. But we’ve attempted to include fair representation from all four of Boston’s major pro sports squads, featuring games that were memorable for the local teams’ success or failure.

10. April 8: Red Sox 9, Yankees 6

The Red Sox’ season started much the way it ended, with a sense of impending doom around the corner. After the Sox started the season 0-6, swept by both Cleveland and Texas, the offense finally clicked when the Yankees paid a visit to Fenway for the home opener. Dustin Pedroia hit his first home run of the season and the Red Sox erupted for 12 hits, giving them — and John Lackey – their first win of the season.

9. April 17, Eastern Conference quarterfinals, Game 1: Celtics 87, Knicks 85

Ray Allen’s 3-pointer with 12 seconds left in the game made sure the Knicks’ return to the playoffs (their first appearance in seven years) was a painful one. The Knicks led for almost the entire game, but the Celtics came up big down the stretch (and yes, a questionable call went their way). “Down the stretch we found a way to win,” Paul Pierce said. “And that was because of our experience.” The Celtics went on to win the series in four straight.

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Heat forward Mike Miller was in a laughing mood last month at a charity basketball game, but he was not so please this week when he found out he'll be sidelined for the next eight weeks following hernia surgery. (AP)

The NBA lockout is all but over, but Heat swingman Mike Miller will have to wait a bit longer before playing basketball again. Miller will miss about eight weeks as he recovers from hernia surgery performed earlier this week. Miller told The Associated Press that he has no idea how the injury occurred.

“It’s unreal with my luck right now,” Miller said. “When it rains, it pours.”

Miller played in just 41 games out of the regular season — exactly half of the season — last year for the Heat. The small forward hasn’t played more than 70 games in a season since his stint with the Timberwolves in 2008-09. Miller averaged 5.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game for Miami last season.

There is also some speculation that Miami will used the new amnesty provision in the still not-finalized new collective bargaining agreement to get rid of Miller, who is set to make $4.35 million this season. Miller also is owed $18.2 million for the three seasons after the shortened 2011-12 season.

While Miller was not able to practice on Thursday, Udonis Haslem, Chris Bosh and Joel Anthony were among a group of Heat players who worked out at the team’s arena. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are expected to join their teammates next week.

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.

WHAT’S HAPPENING LOCALLY WEDNESDAY:
No games scheduled

AROUND THE WEB:

Dwight Gooden was the toast of New York after helping the Mets beat the Red Sox in the 1986 World Series.

♦ Dwight Gooden, ace pitcher on the 1986 Mets, said he missed the team’s World Series parade because he was in a drug-induced haze in the projects on Long Island. In an interview set to air on ESPN’s “E:60″ Wednesday night, Gooden explained that he left a team party following the Mets’ Game 7 victory over the Red Sox for a drug fix and didn’t make it back to the city on time for the celebration. The team had said Gooden simply overslept.

“When the party started winding down, for myself, a lot of times I get to a certain point of using drugs, the paranoia sticks in,” said Gooden, who added that 1986 was the first year he tried cocaine. “So I end up leaving the party with the team, going to these projects, of all places, in Long Island. Hang out there.

“Then you know what time you have to be at the ballpark to go into the city for the parade, but I’m thinking ‘OK, I’ve got time.’ And the clocks, I mean the rooms are spinning. I said, ‘OK, I’ll leave in another hour. OK, maybe in 30 minutes I’ll leave. Well, maybe 15 more minutes I’ll leave. Then the next thing you know, the parade’s on and I’m watching the parade on TV. … Horrible, horrible feeling.”

♦ According to a report in The Miami Herald, Eric Mangini consults regularly with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross to give input on coaching and other areas. However, the report emphatically states that Mangini is not a candidate to take over the team should Tony Sparano be fired.

♦ Magic Johnson joined the chorus of people teasing LeBron James for his lack of clutch play in the NBA finals. During a paid appearance at the University of Albany Saturday, Magic was asked which of his accomplishments meant the most to him.

“That’s easy: Putting people to work in minority communities,” he replied. “There’s going to always be great players in basketball. There’s going to always be guys who win championships in the NBA, except LeBron …”

Added Johnson: “Everybody’s always asking, ‘Who is better between Kobe [Bryant] and LeBron?’ I’m like, Are you kidding me? I’m like you’re kidding me … Kobe, five championships; LeBron, zero. … I love the young man, though. I know he’s going to get better in the fourth quarter this year.”

Perhaps not coincidentally, Johnson this summer became an investor in Detroit Venture Partners, which is run by Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert. Gilbert famously feuded with LeBron following the player’s decision to leave Cleveland for Miami last offseason.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Oct. 19, 2004, the Red Sox evened the American League Championship Series at three games apiece behind Curt Schilling and his bloody sock. The Red Sox scored all four of their runs in the fourth inning for a 4-2 victory. Which Yankees pitcher (who outdueled Pedro Martinez in Game 2) took the loss?

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