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: Celtics at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. (CSNNE, ESPN; WEEI-FM)
NBA: Hornets at Cavaliers, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: James Madison at Northeastern, 7 p.m. (CSNNE)
College basketball: UMass at St. Bonaventure, 7 p.m. (NESN)
College basketball: Providence at Syracuse, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Minnesota at Ohio State, 7 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
College basketball: Oklahoma at Texas Tech, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Iowa State at Baylor, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Kansas at Oklahoma State, 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Wisconsin at Northwestern, 9 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
College basketball: Colorado State at UNLV, 10:15 p.m. (CBSSN)
College basketball: Santa Clara at Gonzaga, 11 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Washington at Arizona, 11 p.m. (ESPN2)
NHL: Flyers at Penguins, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL: Blues at Avalanche, 10 p.m. (NBCSN)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ The Blackhawks dislike the Canucks even more than the Bruins do, and this elbow to the back of Marian Hossa‘s head by Jannik Hansen in Tuesday’s game won’t help the situation. Chicago went on to a 4-3 shootout win, extending its season-opening undefeated streak to an NHL record-tying 16 games, but much of the talk afterward was about Hossa, who scored two goals but did not return after the hit.

Hossa was knocked out of last season’s Stanley Cup playoffs on a concussion-causing hit by Coyotes forward (and former Canuck) Raffi Torres and was not cleared to return until November (Torres was suspended 25 games).

Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said he expects no discipline for Hansen.

“It wasn’t even a penalty,” Vigneault said. “Both referees looked at the play, and until [Hawks captain Jonathan] Toews went out to talk to them it wasn’t even a penalty. … He’s trying to grab a puck in the air. It’s unfortunate if a young man is hurt. He’s trying to jump to get the puck. Stuff happens.”

Said Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville: “I think everybody saw it, everybody can have their own opinion. I’ll let the people that do that stuff do their job.”

♦ Amid reports that the relationship between Lakers teammates Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard is at an all-time low, Phil Jackson weighed in on the team’s struggles and said Howard is not being used properly.

“They just don’t put the ball in the post,” the former Lakers coach told Sports Illustrated. “They’ll use a screen-roll to get the guy in the post. But there’s no consistent plan to do it. Yes, Kobe will go in there. But Dwight just doesn’t get any touches. They’ve basically eliminated his assets.”

Jackson reiterated that he’s done coaching, although he made it clear that he’s interested in running the basketball operations for a team.

“I do hold out the idea that there’s still influence in the game I could have,” he said. “Red Auerbach, Pete Newell, Wayne Embry, guys like that have had … a number of people have had considerable influence and haven’t been coaches per se.”

♦ The Jets made official what had been speculated for weeks, parting ways with some key players in a cost-cutting move. Tuesday’s cuts included linebackers Bart Scott and Calvin Pace, safety Eric Smith, offensive tackle Jason Smith and tight end/fullback Josh Baker. The purge clears about $31 million from the books and gets the Jets under the projected 2013 salary cap.

“Every one of these players was a major contributor to our football team,” coach Rex Ryan said in a team statement. “They have the work ethic and attitude that you look for in players and they will always be New York Jets. It was an honor to coach each of these men. They are tremendous people, as well as outstanding football players.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Feb. 20, 1997, which Bruin extended his point-scoring streak to 20 games with an assist in a 5-3 loss to the Blackhawks in Chicago?

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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: Mavericks at 76ers, 7 p.m. (NBA TV)
College basketball: Vermont at Harvard, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)
College basketball: Minnesota at Florida State, 7:15 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Iowa at Virginia Tech, 7:15 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: NC State at Michigan, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Maryland at Northwestern, 9:15 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Nebraska at Wake Forest, 9:15 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: North Carolina at Indiana, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)

AROUND THE WEB:

Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who three weeks ago predicted a playoff berth, said he isn't sure what he believes now following the team's 49-19 loss to the Patriots. (AP)

♦ Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who three weeks ago was positive the Jets would rally and make the playoffs, was not as confident on Monday, as his team returned to practice following the 49-19 embarrassment vs. the Patriots on Thanksgiving night that dropped New York to 4-7.

“I don’t even know what I believe right now, the way we’ve been playing,” he said. “We’ve still got five games left. Anything can happen. My biggest focus right now is this one important game. I can’t worry about the playoffs right now.”

The Jets, who have not won consecutive games all season, begin their final stretch with a game against the Cardinals on Sunday as they look to win out.

“Heck, yeah, that’s your goal,” coach Rex Ryan said. “Absolutely, that’s what you’re trying to do. Our goal was to beat New England also, but that never worked out. That’s why you play. You try and win every game that you’re in. I’m saying right now I’m not going to make a guarantee that we’re going to make the playoffs or that deal. We have to get better. It has to start right now.”

Added running back Joe McKnight: “We still are playing for something. We’re playing for our pride and we’ve still got a chance to get in the playoffs. We’ve got five games left. We need some things to happen. [Ryan] just told us to keep playing. The season’s not over. We’ve got five games left and we need to win these five games.”

♦ While the Jets are floundering, the Giants are crediting a 15-year-old cancer patient from Vermont for inspiring them before their 38-10 rout of the Packers on Sunday night. Adam Merchant Jr., who has been winning his battle with Burkitt lymphoma, gave a brief but emotional speech to the team after Friday’s practice, telling the players to “play like world champions.”

“When he said, ‘Play like champions,’ I think we all stopped and thought about it.” offensive lineman Chris Snee said. “We are the champions, and we need to play like that.”

Said defensive end Justin Tuck: “I told him he needs to go into motivational speaking, because he kind of woke us up a little bit.”

Merchant, who visited the team as part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation program, was welcomed back to the locker room following Sunday’s win.

“They didn’t just make a wish come true,” Merchant told the New York Post on Monday, “they made a dream come true.”

♦ Phil Jackson has had a couple of weeks to digest what happened in Los Angeles, where he almost returned to the bench before Mike D’Antoni was chosen to coach the Lakers, and he’s softened somewhat.

“We never discussed any terms, so there was never anything unfair about it,” Jackson told TMZ.com. “It was just a midnight kind of coup. … Yeah, it was kind of weird.”

Jackson, 67, said he has no plans to come out of retirement and coach again.

“The chances are slim and none, probably,” he said. “I wasn’t really looking to coach again, but that one was happenstance and it just came about.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Nov. 27, 1950, the Red Sox signed which future Hall of Famer from the Indians?

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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: Celtics at Nets, 8 p.m. (TNT; WEEI-FM)
College basketball: Boston College vs. Baylor, 3 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Providence vs. UMass, 7:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Oklahoma State vs. Akron, 10:30 a.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: UNC-Asheville vs. Tennessee, 12:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: N.C. State vs. Penn State, 5 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: St. John’s at Charleston, 5 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Alabama vs Oregon State, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Villanova vs. Purdue, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
NFL: Dolphins at Bills, 8:20 p.m. (NFL Network)
College football: North Carolina at Virginia, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN; WEEI-AM)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Manny Ramirez still is trying to get back into baseball, and the former Red Sox slugger made his case on Wednesday when he hit a home run on the first pitch he saw from Escogido Lions right-hander Daniel Cabrera in his debut for the Los Aguilas Eagles of the Dominican winter league.

A packed house estimated at 22,000 turned out to see Ramirez return to play in his home country for the first time since the winter of 1994-95, and the fans went wild when Ramirez drilled a fastball over the right-field fence to give his team a 1-0 lead.

“I’m not thinking about the big leagues now,” Ramirez, 40, said upon joining the team. “Right now, I’m thinking of helping the Eagles to win games and then, if any offer, then I’ll think of baseball.”

♦ Magic Johnson spoke out against his old team Wednesday, saying the Lakers’ decision to hire Mike D’Antoni over Phil Jackson was another error in judgment by executive vice president Jim Buss, son of longtime owner Jerry Buss.

“I love Dr. [Jerry] Buss. I don’t believe in Jim Buss,” Johnson said on ESPN’s “NBA Countdown.” “He’s made two critical mistakes already. To me, they made two critical mistakes. First, hiring Mike Brown — he wasn’t the right coach. He’s a great coach but not the right coach for the Lakers. And I don’t feel Mike D’Antoni is the right coach for the Lakers. Especially when you have Phil Jackson sitting out there, who wanted to be the Laker coach. Jim Buss decided he didn’t want Phil Jackson, he wanted Mike D’Antoni. And that’s OK, but why didn’t you just say that? But the fans were cheering for Phil Jackson two nights in a row.”

Earlier in the day, Johnson ended two days of Twitter silence, writing:

The reason I haven’t tweeted in 2 days is because I’ve been mourning Phil Jackson not being hired as the Lakers head coach. My mother always taught me that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

A day earlier, general manager Mitch Kupchak insisted the decision to go with D’Antoni over Jackson was a unanimous one between he and the Busses, insisting that D’Antoni is a better fit for this roster.

“Without going into great detail, some of our guys I don’t think would be very successful in the triangle [offense],” Kupchak said Tuesday. “Some of our newer players might take a long time to learn the triangle.”

♦ The Texas A&M football team is coming off an upset of No. 1-ranked Alabama on Saturday, but the team’s excitement was tempered when freshman wide receiver Thomas Johnson went missing Monday night. Johnson, who has 30 receptions for 339 yards and a touchdown in 10 games this season, was found safe Thursday morning, with more details expected later in the day.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Nov. 15, 1967, Carl Yastrzemski, winner of the American League’s Triple Crown, was named MVP. However, the vote was not unanimous. Which Twins player received one vote?

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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: Spurs at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. (NBA TV)
College basketball: Northern Illinois at Valparaiso, 8 a.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Harvard at UMass, 10 a.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Temple at Kent State, noon (ESPN)
College basketball: Detroit at St. John’s, 2 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Butler at Xavier, 4 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Michigan State vs, Kansas, at Atlanta, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Wichita State at Virginia Commonwealth, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Georgia Southern at Charlotte, 9 p.m. (NBCSN)
College basketball: Duke vs. Kentucky, at Atlanta, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)

AROUND THE WEB:

Phil Jackson will not be back coaching the Lakers, and he's not happy with the lack of respect the team showed after reaching out to him. (AP)

♦ The Lakers reportedly had an abrupt change of heart when they hired former Suns and Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni to replace Mike Brown, and the news did not sit well with the legendary Phil Jackson, who many thought was headed back to the bench.

Lakers fans were chanting “We want Phil” at home games Friday and Sunday, and it appeared that the team agreed after general manager Mitch Kupchak and team vice president Jim Buss met with Jackson on Saturday. Jackson told The Los Angeles Times that he thought he was going to give the team his decision on Monday, but then he got a phone call late Sunday night, after the Lakers agreed on a three-year, $12 million deal with D’Antoni.

“I wish it would have been a little bit cleaner,” Jackson told the Times. “It would have been much more circumspect and respectful of everybody that’s involved. It seemed slimy to be awoken with this kind of news. It’s just weird.”

Kupchak explained his stance this way in a statement: “After speaking with several excellent and well-respected coaching candidates, Dr. [Jerry] Buss, Jim and I all agreed that Mike was the right person at this time to lead the Lakers forward.”

♦ Some Jets continue to tell the media that they’re confident they can rebound from their 3-6 start and make the playoffs, but behind closed doors the pressure is getting to them.

According to an ESPN report that cited several players, coach Rex Ryan got so emotional during Sunday’s postgame talk to the team that he cried and frustratedly asked the team, “When are you guys going to believe?”

Ryan’s eyes were red and glassy when he met the media minutes later, calling the 28-7 defeat to the Seahawks “a brutal loss.”

Said veteran linebacker Bryan Thomas: “We’re all emotional. If this doesn’t affect everybody, you don’t have a [expletive] heart.”

Added Thomas: “We’re all pissed. We can’t let games slip away. We don’t have much time left. We have only seven damn games to go. Time is slipping.”

Ryan continues to insist he will stick with beleaguered quarterback Mark Sanchez, with Tim Tebow getting spot duty as he did in Seattle. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who coached Sanchez at USC, indicated he’s not sure it’s the best situation.

“It’s just a distraction,” Carroll told Seattle’s ESPN Radio station Monday. “It’s mixed signals that go out. Their fans are torn up. If they didn’t have a situation like this, they wouldn’t be hooting and hollering probably the way they do at [Sanchez], so it wouldn’t be as difficult. That’s just part of it. I do feel for Mark and anybody that would be in that situation.”

♦ Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher took some heat from Chicago fans for congratulating Texans safety Danieal Manning (a former Bear) after Manning intercepted Jay Cutler in Sunday night’s Houston victory. On Monday, Urlacher made it clear he has no plans to change his ways.

“That was a nice play. I could give a crap about what people think on the street. Get mad at me all you want, I could give … I could give a crap about what people say,” Urlacher said on Chicago’s The Waddle & Silvy Show on ESPN 1000. “Danieal Manning is a friend of mine, he was a teammate for five or six years, and that’s the way it is. He made a catch and was running toward the sideline to say something to coach [Lovie Smith], so I walked out there. The guy had a good game, he caused a fumble, had a pick. He’s my friend. I wish he wouldn’t have caught it, but he did, so nice play to you. I don’t give a crap about what fans or people say, they can kiss my butt. I don’t care.”

“When the play is over, it’s over. It’s not like I have to go out there and be a jerk to him because it’s during the game and I’m a tough guy,” Urlacher added. “That’s not the way it is. They’re my friends. Between the whistles I’m going to try and get them, and when the play is over we’ll go back to doing whatever.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Nov. 13, 1978, which player left the Red Sox to sign as a free agent with the Yankees?

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The Trail Blazers have certainly taken some big swings (and misses) in their attempt to fill the team’s head coaching vacancy this offseason.

According to CSNNW’s Chris Haynes, the Blazers made formal offers to, and last week were turned down by, former Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and the Zen Master himself, Phil Jackson.

Blazers GM Neil Olshey confirmed that the organization did chase Jackson, but that, as relayed by Haynes, “he (Jackson) decided it wasn’t time.” Olshey wouldn’t comment further on the matter.

Jackson coached a record 11 NBA championship teams with the Bulls and Lakers before retiring at the end of the 2010-11 season.

Sloan coached the Jazz to 15 consecutive playoff appearances (1989-2003) and ranks third all-time in NBA wins.

While 66-year-old Phil Jackson expressed interest in a possible return to the NBA coaching ranks, the job openings in New York and Orlando didn’t pique his interest.

Jackson told HBO’s “Real Sports” in a interview scheduled to air Tuesday that the Knicks never contacted him. However, if they had offered him, Jackson said, “I wasn’t going to take the job, that’s for sure.”

The former coach of the Bulls and Lakers coach called the Knicks roster “clumsy” and wasn’t interested in changing that.

“They don’t fit together well. [Amar'e] Stoudemire doesn’t fit well with Carmelo [Anthony],” Jackson said. “Stoudemire’s a really good player. But he’s got to play in a certain system and a way. … Carmelo has to be a better passer and the ball can’t stop every time it hits his hands. They need to have someone come in that can kind of blend that group together.”

Jackson, a former Knicks player, was rumored to be a candidate for the job in New York before the team signed interim coach Mike Woodson to a 3-year deal.

He also stated that the Orlando job wasn’t appealing to him because it’s too far from his home in Montana.

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.

TUESDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NHL: Bruins at Capitals, 7 p.m. (NESN)
NHL: Wild at Avalanche, 9 p.m. (NBCSN)
College basketball: Michigan at Purdue, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Kentucky at Georgia, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Miami at Georgia Tech, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)

AROUND THE WEB:

Jim Harbaugh has a beef with the officials after the Niners lost to the Giants in the NFC championship game. (AP)

♦ With 2:29 remaining in Sunday’s NFC championship game, Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw fumbled the ball on the New York 21-yard line and it was recovered by the 49ers. However, the officials ruled that Bradshaw’s forward progress had been stopped, so the Giants retained possession. That doesn’t sit well with 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, who compared the play to the infamous tuck rule call that helped Tom Brady and the Patriots defeat the Raiders in the Snow Bowl 10 years ago.

“In my opinion, that was a fumble,” Harbaugh said Monday. “I’m sure the league will defend it and the officials will defend it. But to me, that play was still going on. There was still struggling by Bradshaw. … I felt like it was analogous with the tuck rule.”

♦ Former Lakers forward Robert Horry offered his take on the Shaquille O’Neal-Kobe Bryant feud, blaming Phil Jackson for inciting the two players.

“I think Phil Jackson started that feud,” Horry told a Russian sports website. “It happened many times that after team practice he would say, “Kobe said this about Shaq, and Shaq said that about Kobe. … We couldn’t believe how could that happen, because just the day before we saw them together, jumping on one another. Phil liked it when there was conflict of some sort.

“I always tell people; if you look at those championships, you’ll see who were the closest players on the team. Normally those are the guys who are the first to hug each other. And when we were winning, it was always Shaq and Kobe who hugged. I think this will answer your question. Later it was blown out of proportion by the media, and both players started doing something that didn’t make sense.”

♦ Real Clear Sports has a list of the 10 most hyped foreign players. Daisuke Matsuzaka is No. 5, and Hideo Nomo, another Japanese pitcher who spent some time with the Red Sox, is No. 9. Yao Ming takes the top spot, ahead of Pele and Hideki Matsui.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Jan. 24, 1971, which Bruin was honored in a pregame ceremony before the B’s beat the Canadiens, 4-2, to extend their home winning streak to 15?

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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.

WHAT’S HAPPENING LOCALLY TUESDAY:
MLB: Blue Jays at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Despite increased security at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands Sunday night because of the 9/11 anniversary and the appearance of former President George W. Bush, there was an altercation in the stands in which a man used a Taser gun to injure three people.

According to reports, 59-year-old Cowboys fan Leroy McKelvey and some friends in the upper deck refused to remove their hats or stand during the national anthem, and they would not be quiet during the playing of “Taps” and “Amazing Grace.” That raised the ire of a Marine sitting at the end of the row. When the Marine refused to let McKelvey out of the row at halftime, McKelvey pulled a stun gun from his pocket and shocked the Marine, sending him tumbling down six rows.

McKelvey’s son, a New York radio DJ who goes by the name Charlamagne Tha God, said his father is a devout Jehovah’s Witness who doesn’t believe in standing for the national anthem. “He’s not a violent guy at all,” the son said. “He just likes to have fun.”

The son also blamed Jets coach Rex Ryan, who made a comment last week warning Cowboys fans not to show their colors. “He shouldn’t have had a taser on him,” the DJ said. “But I really feel he took a risk because he felt threatened.”

♦ With Peyton Manning‘s absence leaving the Colts struggling, Real Clear Sports looks at the 10 most devastating quarterback injuries. No. 1 is Steve Young‘s career-ending concussion in 1999 that turned the fortunes of the 49ers around.

♦ The Los Angeles Times has more on the controversy involving the final score of the USC-Utah game Saturday night, which left Las Vegas sports books dealing with angry bettors on both sides.

♦ NBA legend Jerry West is coming out with an autobiography. In the San Jose Mercury News, Tim Kawakami writes about the revealing book, which includes West’s admissions of mental issues and his cold relationship with Phil Jackson when both worked for the Lakers.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Sept. 13, 1982, which pitcher made his major league debut and took the loss in the Red Sox’ 3-1 setback vs. the Indians?

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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.

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:
NHL Playoffs: Bruins at Canucks, 8 p.m. (NBC)
MLB: White Sox at Red Sox, 1:35 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Sports Illustrated polled 185 major leaguers to determined the most overrated players in baseball. Three Yankees topped the list: Alex Rodriguez (18 percent), Joba Chamberlain (12) and Derek Jeter (7). Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon received 4 percent.

“I’ve been on this list before. I think it will be like that for the rest of my career,” Rodriguez told the New York Daily News Tuesday. Asked if he was one of the players who was polled, A-Rod said: “I have so much respect for anyone that wears a major league uniform, I would never answer that.”

Jeter brushed off a question about the poll, but Chamberlain joked that he was “disappointed that I’m not No. 1.” Said the reliever: “My bills are still paid and I still have a job. I could care less as long as I’m still getting outs and doing the things I need to do.”

♦ Two politicians (who are brothers) in Toronto are talking about landing an NFL team for the Canadian city. There has been some speculation that the Jaguars might be moved from Jacksonville after struggling with attendance the past few years. “We’re pretty confident,” said city councilor Doug Ford, brother of mayor Rob Ford. “How can the NFL keep ignoring one of the largest markets in North America? You can’t.”

♦ New Lakers coach Mike Brown is doing his best to make sure he does not offend Kobe Bryant. During his introductory press conference Tuesday, Brown said of the superstar guard: “This is still his team. We’ll make sure that he’ll have the ball in the sweet spots that he likes. He has a great understanding of my vision and he’s on board.” In The Orange County Register, Jeff Miller writes about the challenge Brown faces in following a legend in Phil Jackson.

♦ The Thrashers are set to move from Atlanta to Winnipeg, with the deal announced as official Tuesday. The Globe and Mail writes about Mark Chipman, the man behind the deal to return the NHL to Winnipeg.

♦ The New York Times profiles ESPN columnist Bill Simmons and discusses his new venture, a website called Grantland.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On June 1, 1971, which Red Sox player broke an 0-for-44 slump with a hit against the Royals?

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