49ers back Brandon Jacobs plans to get down to 255 pounds this season. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Newly acquired San Francisco 49ers running back Brandon Jacobs wants to add more explosiveness to his game by losing weight.

Jacobs told the San Jose Mercury News that he plans to play this season at this college weight of 255 pounds. Right now, Jacobs is 10 pounds shy of that goal and hopes to get to the weight with dieting.

Jacobs said he ballooned up to 285 pounds after the New York Giants Super Bowl victory in 2008.

“We just relaxed, ate, took trips, had fun,” Jacobs said. “My body wasn’t meant to be that big. But I still looked good.”

Jacobs, 29, is entering his eighth season. Jacobs rushed for 571 yards and eight touchdowns for the Super Bowl Champion Giants in 2011.

“My legs weren’t as strong, my balance wasn’t as good as it needed to be,” Jacobs said. “I want to play down in the (250s) for basically the first time in my career. I don’t think it’s far fetched.”

Vikings cornerback Asher Allen decides to retire after three seasons. (Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Asher Allen has decided to retire only after three seasons, Vikings coach Leslie Frazier announced at a press conference at Wednesday.

No reason was given for the sudden retirement and was not health-related according to Frazier.

The Vikings are attempting to upgrade their secondary by adding Chris Carr and Zackary Bowman in free agency, and with Antoine Winfield and Chris Cook as probable starters. The Vikings defense was next to last in points given up, surrendering 28 points a game and ranked 26th in the league in pass defense last season.

Asher recorded 49 tackles and one interception while starting nine games for the 3-13 Vikings in 2011.

A week after being acquitted of rape and kidnapping charges stemming from a 2003 incident that resulted in the alleged victim recanting her testimony, Brian Banks, a high school linebacker set to play for USC at the time of his charges,  is now scheduled to try out with four NFL teams. Rick Reilly of ESPN.com reported on Wednesday that the Redskins, Chiefs, Dolphins and Seahawks will look at Banks for a spot on an NFL roster:

A judge in Long Beach, Calif., threw out his kidnapping and rape conviction last week after looking at a videotape of his accuser admitting she lied. After 10 years, he was suddenly a free and innocent man.

“My mouth hurts from smiling so much,” Banks told me Tuesday night. “Unbelievable.”

In 4 days, Brian Banks went from a convicted rapist to an innocent man with 4 NFL teams after him. My column: espn.go.com/espn/story/_/i…—
Rick Reilly (@ReillyRick) May 30, 2012

The Washington Wizards will reportedly cut ties with Rashard Lewis, who will become the second highest paid player in the league next season (Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Washington Wizards will look to buy out small-forward Rashard Lewis for $13.7 million and amnesty power-forward Andray Blatche before July 1, according to Michael Lee of The Washington Post:

[A]ccording to multiple league sources, the team will look to move Lewis and Blatche prior to the draft before paying them not to play for the organization. Grunfeld intimated last month that Blatche could return.

At 19.9-percent, the Wizards have the second best chance of getting the number one pick in Wednesdays draft and will pick no lower than number five. The team will look to clear up cap space to sign Kentucky Wildcats center Anthony Davis, projected to be the number one pick, or another marquee player. The team already has $59 million dollars allotted for 10 players on the roster, not including whoever they select from this years draft.

Rashard Lewis had the second worst year of his career last season,  averaging 7.8 points and 3.7 rebounds, the lowest since his rookie year in 1998. He appeared in only 28 games last season because of injury yet with nearly $23 million owed to him next season, Lewis is set to become the second highest paid player in the league.

Deron Williams, the Nets franchise point guard, reportedly wants out of Brooklyn unless the team trades for Orlando’s Dwight Howard this summer. (Chris Chambers/Getty Images)

Deron Williams, the Brooklyn Nets franchise point guard, will reportedly leave the team and not even a 7.5-percent chance of drafting Anthony Davis, the Kentucky Wildcats star widely regarded as the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, can stop him, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday morning:

All-Star point guard Deron Williams has made one decision about his free agency: If the Brooklyn Nets win the No. 1 pick in the NBA’s draft lottery on Wednesday night – and the chance to secure Kentucky center Anthony Davis – it won’t be enough for Williams to sign a contract extension, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

“It’s Dwight Howard or bust,” said a league source who has spoken to Williams.

Williams doesn’t want to stay with the Nets unless they become an instant Eastern Conference contender and wouldn’t accept waiting for Davis’ development.

Wojnarowski also reported that the Nets would cater to Williams’ wishes to win now and would be willing to trade the draft rights to Davis, if in fact they are lucky enough to acquire such rights, for Orlando’s Dwight Howard. Wojnarowski said the league source confirmed that Howard regrets forgoing the early termination option on his contact next season and wants a trade before next season gets underway, and that a deal could be put in place to send Howard to the Nets once the Magic name a new general manager.

But Williams tweeted Wednesday afternoon that he wants to know who Wojnarowski’s source is in the hopes of helping him make a decision.

I would love to know who Adrian Wojnarowski source is bc he knows more about what I'm thinking then I do😏 maybe they can help me decide?—
Deron Williams (@DeronWilliams) May 30, 2012

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra confirmed Wednesday morning that Chris Bosh is still not ready to return from his abdominal strain and will miss tonight’s Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics, according to multiple tweets by media members.

Erik Spoelstra says everybody but Chris Bosh ready to play tonight.

—
Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) May 30, 2012

"Chris [Bosh] is not ready." -- Erik Spoelstra

—
Ben Golliver (@blazersedge) May 30, 2012

Bosh has been out since Game 1 of Miami’s previous series with the Indiana Pacers. The Heat initially struggled in his absence, but the team has adjusted in recent games.

In Game 1 against the Celtics, Miami dominated for stretches. NBA analyst Charles Barkley was impressed enough that he said, ”I picked the Heat in five (games). I may have to change that to Heat in four. Boston has got no chance of beating those guys.”

Patrick Ewing is no longer in the running to be the new head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats. (Fernando Medina/Getty Images)

Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan called Patrick Ewing to let him know that he is no longer being considered for the team’s head coaching job, reports Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski.

Ewing, an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic for the past five years, had interviewed for the Bobcats’ position earlier this month. Wojnarowski reports that Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan, former Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan and Warriors assistant Mike Malone are among the remaining candidates for the job.

The Bobcats finished this season with the lowest winning percentage in league history. Charlotte went only 7-59.

The attractiveness of the coaching position would grow if Charlotte can win the NBA Draft Lottery tonight. The Bobcats have a 25 percent chance of winning, thanks to their league-worst record. The presumed first pick, Kentucky star Anthony Davis, would go a long way toward helping the team move in the right direction.

Carolina Panther quarterback Cam Newton says he was a “bad teammate” as a rookie. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton had a statistically stellar season as a rookie in 2011, but the former Heisman Trophy winner felt he was a “bad teammate” at times, reports Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports.

“I was very immature,” Newton said in his interview with Cole. “I’ll be the first one to tell you, the pouting and the moping, I kind of overdid it. I know that. I was a bad teammate. I shut off to some people who gave unbelievable effort. … That’s where I have to mature.”

Newton talked mostly about his actions late in losses. Coming off of an undefeated, national championship season with Auburn, he was unused to the losing. Newton also struggled at times to deal with his personal failures on the field. He wants to work at moving on from bad plays and not letting his demeanor be affected.

“It’s like [quarterbacks] coach [Mike] Shula says to me, ‘Water off a duck’s back, you can’t let it bother you,’ ” Newton said. “If you let little things affect you, it’s going to stay with you the next time you have to go out on the field. So I have to do a better job of controlling my emotions during the good and the bad. Just be a better teammate. My position requires that I show leadership and people are looking at me. If I’m pouty and grumpy, that’s how they react to me.

“Half the time it wasn’t me shutting people down because I was thinking they weren’t giving the same effort as me, it was me knowing there were things I could do that could have changed the outcome of the game. … I put a lot on me to be able to respond. When things are going wrong, I wanted to have the ball in my hand, just like any warrior, any competitor who has played this game. When you don’t get the results you want, I didn’t go about it the right way.”

“I have to have the same mentality, but I have to go about it in a different way,” Newton said of his emotions. “It’s an overall maturity level that has to kick in. It’s saying, ‘OK, that was two plays ago that you threw that interception, now you have to let that go and get past that.’ I can’t be moping and crying about making a bonehead play when it was three series ago. That’s the thing that I did that has to change.”

Veteran Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen, who is battling an ankle injury and has struggled recently with his shooting, confirmed Wednesday morning that he would not sit out Game 2, according to a tweet by the New York Times‘ Howard Beck.

Ray Allen, when asked about Doc Rivers' suggestion that he might rest him a game: "Hell no."

—
Howard Beck (@HowardBeckNYT) May 30, 2012

Celtics coach Doc Rivers told reporters on Tuesday that he wasn’t prepared to go forward with a plan to rest Allen for a game, according to a report by ESPNBoston.com‘s Chris Forsberg.

Rivers had previously considered having Allen sit out Game 2. But after talking with the shooting guard and the team’s trainers, he decided to let the veteran play.

“We’re going to just keep rolling him out there and see what we can get,” Rivers told reporters. “When we feel like he can’t give it to us, we’ll go with someone else. But I think right now, you have to give Ray a fighting chance.”

Allen moved back into a starting role when Avery Bradley was lost for the season with a shoulder injury. Allen, one of the best shooters in NBA history, has struggled to find his stroke while dealing with a sore right ankle.

Allen, a nearly 90 percent free-throw shooter in his career, went 3-for-7 from the line in Monday’s Game 1 loss to the Miami Heat. He scored only six points and made only one of his seven field-goal attempts.

On Wednesday morning, multiple media members tweeted photos of Allen in the gym, working on his free-throw and three-point shooting.

The NFL’s best-selling jersey during May belonged to Washington Redskins rookie Robert Griffin III. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

The best-selling jersey in the NFL during the month of May belongs to a player who has yet to play a game. Washington Redskins rookie QB Robert Griffin III, the No. 2 pick in April’s draft, topped all other players in NFLShop.com jersey sales, reports the Washington Post‘s Dan Steinberg.

Over the period from April 1 to May 28, RGIII ranked third, even though rookie jerseys did not go on sale until April 26. Peyton Manning topped Tim Tebow for the best-selling jersey during that period.

In May, its first full month of sales, RGIII’s jersey sold better than any other jersey.

Griffin III also beat out fellow rookie quarterback Andrew Luck, the No. 1 overall pick, whose jersey ranked fourth on both lists.

Washington sports fans have a history of buying jerseys in mass. Steinberg reports that when quarterback Donovan McNabb arrived in Washington, his jersey ranked second in sales. Alexander Ovechkin of the Capitals and Stephen Strasburg of the Nationals have also led their leagues in jersey sales.

The Cleveland Indians on Wednesday put designated hitter Travis Hafner on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his right knee, according to multiple reports.

Hafner told MLB.com‘s Jordan Bastian that he will likely be out for more than a month.

Hafner, on knee: "There's a good chance I'm having it scoped." Likely out 4-6 weeks. Will have more info on MLB.com soon.

—
Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) May 30, 2012

Hafner has struggled some this season. He’s hitting a career-worst .242 in 39 games.

The 34-year-old is in the final season of a six-year, $66-million deal. The Indians have a $13-million option for next year.

CBS Sports reports the Indians now have seven players on the disabled list, including outfielder Grady Sizemore.

Left-handed pitcher Scott Barnes was recalled from Triple-A Columbus to take Hafner’s roster spot.

Former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel spoke about his time at the school on the one-year anniversary of his resignation. (Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

On the one-year anniversary of his resignation from Ohio State, former Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel told The Plain Dealer‘s Doug Lesmerises that he has no regrets about his tenure in Columbus.

His 10-year run as coach ended on Memorial Day 2011 because of major NCAA violations.

“It was going to end one day, in one way or another, and that wasn’t the way we wanted to end it,” Tressel said.

“Wow, a lot happens in a year, a lot that you don’t know is going to happen. But I don’t feel scarred or disappointed or mad. I just don’t feel that way. The people at Ohio State have always been great to me, and things end up the way they do, and you go on to the next play or the next day, and that’s always been the way I look at things.”

Tressel spent last football season working for the Indianapolis Colts. In February, he was hired by the University of Akron as its Vice President of Strategic Engagement.

Despite the uncertainty over the past year, Tressel said he always knew he and the Ohio State program would be fine.

“We talked a million times to our young people about the fact that Ohio State is bigger than you, or Youngstown State is bigger than you, and it’s going to move forward,” Tressel said. “So do the best you can while you’re there and know that it’s a part of your life forever, but that there’s a moment when it’s not the every day part of your life.

“The people I run into want to talk about the fond memories, and I’m sure that’s not unlike when you lose a loved one and you think back on all those wonderful times, and that’s absolutely the way I feel.

“I suppose it was disappointing to some. They thought we would do that forever, but it took a strange turn. But I think when you step back, at least I do, I think of all the good times and the excellent I people I worked with and got to meet.”

The New York Mets expect to talk with David Wright during the season about a long-term extension. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

The New York Mets and David Wright expect to meet during the season to talk about a long-term deal to keep the star third baseman with the organization, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson told CBS Sports‘ Jon Heyman.

“I would expect sometime before the season’s over, we will have a conversation,” Alderson told Heyman.

The Wall Street Journal had previously reported the Mets and Wright would get together to discuss an extension.

Wright’s next contract is likely to be a big one. He already makes $15 million this season, and the team has a $16 million for next season. Heyman reported that Ryan Zimmerman’s six-year, $100-million deal is a starting point for Wright’s talks.

Wright dealt with a back injury throughout last season and struggled. He hit a career-worst .254 in 102 games.

This year, he has rebounded with the best season of his career. He is currently hitting .370 and leads the league with a .470 on-base percentage. The 29-year-old has more walks than strikeouts.

Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia has a slight tear in the abductor muscle in his right thumb, an MRI revealed on Tuesday, but the team has postponed a decision on whether to put him on the disabled list.

According to Tom Caron of NESN:

Dustin Pedroia just spoke to reporters. No DL for now. You'll hear from him on #NESN coming up.—
Tom Caron (@TomCaron) May 30, 2012

Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com tweets that Pedroia “will try to hit with it tomorrow; if he can’t likely out 3-4 weeks.”

Being the gamer that he is, Pedroia obviously wants to play through the injury. But it’s hard to imagine that an injury that impacts his ability to grip both a ball and a bat would not sideline him.

Corey Dawkins of Baseball Prospectus reminds us that Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis had a similar injury in 2010 that cost him the last two months of the season.

Packers alltime leading receiver (oh, and 2012 Dancing With the Stars champion) Donald Driver apparently will finish his career with the only NFL team he has ever played for.

Tweeps: when I said I will be a Packer for life. It is now true. Packer for life.—
Donald Driver (@Donald_Driver80) May 30, 2012

Lance Allan of WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee has more details, courtesy of Driver’s agent:

The @Donald_Driver80 agent Jordan Woy just emailed: "We have agreed to terms with the Packers but need to review it tomorrow to finalize."—
Lance Allan (@lanceallan) May 30, 2012

Driver will enter his 14th season this fall with career totals of 735 catches and 10,060 receiving yards, both tops in franchise history. He had been due $5 million for 2012, and it’s unclear how much of a pay cut he had to take in order to retire a Packer.

Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas, the fifth pick in the 2011 draft, has begun negotiating his release from his European team, sources told Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com, and is expected to be able to play in North America next season.

Valanciunas has a $2.4 million buyout in his contract with his Lithuanian team, of which the Raptors are only permitted to pay $550,000. Valanciunas had previously said he was willing to pay whatever he had to in order to play in the NBA.

Valanciunas, who just turned 20 on May 6, is listed at 7-foot, 240 pounds and projects as a true center rather than a stretch power forward. His presence should allow Andrea Bargnani, the team’s leading scorer, to move out of the middle to the four or even the three, since Toronto also has Amir Johnson and Ed Davis to play power forward.

Money affords athletes and entertainers the opportunity to do things that regular folks can only dream about. And in the case of Brooklyn Nets guard DeShawn Stevenson, the millions he has made in his NBA career apparently are readily accessible via the ATM that he has in his kitchen.

Check out the photo that Stevenson posted on Instagram. It certainly looks like a money machine to his right, doesn’t it? But as Dan Wolken of The Daily tweets:

People are surprised the guy who has Abe Lincoln tatooed on his throat has an ATM machine in his kitchen?—
Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) May 30, 2012

Ah, to have so much money that you can’t just carry it around in a clip …

Righthander Jason Marquis is expected to sign a deal with the San Diego Padres, a source tells Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com.

Source: #Padres to sign Jason Marquis. Expected to report to Triple A. Was 2-4 with 8.47 ERA before getting released by #Twins.—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 29, 2012

It’s unclear how many starts Marquis will make in the minors before the Padres give him a chance to return to the big leagues. San Diego’s top three starters, Edinson Volquez, Clayton Richard and Anthony Bass, are a combined 6-16, although with an ERA just under 4.00.

As several folks on Twitter have pointed out, the Padres are scraping the bottom of the RHP barrel by adding Marquis, 33, to a starter pool that also includes longtime journeyman Jeff Suppan (2-3, 5.28 ERA in six starts, his first since 2010). Last season, Marquis went 8-6 with a 4.43 ERA with the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

A strained lower back will sideline Angels ace Jered Weaver for at least two weeks. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Anaheim Angels ace Jered Weaver was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after leaving his Monday start against the New York Yankees in the first inning after throwing just 12 pitches.

The team announced that Weaver was suffering from a lower back strain and spasms, and it’s unclear how long he is expected to be sidelined, according to Adrian Gonzalez of MLB.com. Gonzalez also reported that Weaver had X-rays and underwent an MRI on Tuesday.

“It felt like somebody came up behind me and stabbed me,” Weaver said after Monday’s game. “I couldn’t bend over.”

Weaver is 6-1 with a 2.61 ERA this season, including a May 3 no-hitter. Righthander Garrett Richards, 24, was recalled to take Weaver’s spot in the rotation. Richards was listed as the team’s No. 2 prospect in the off-season but had a 4.31 ERA in 10 starts (5-2 record) at Triple-A Salt Lake. He was 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA in seven appearances for the Angels last season.

Longtime NFL receiver Terrell Owens has been unceremoniously dumped by his Indoor Football League team, the Allen (Texas) Wranglers, reports Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com. Owner Jon Frankel told McMahon in a statement that Owens was waived because he violated his contract.

Frankel cited Owens’ refusal to play in two upcoming road games that are critical to the Wranglers’ playoff hopes and Owens’ no-show for a scheduled appearance at a local children’s hospital as the breaking points in the team’s relationship with the receiver.

“Our fans are amongst the best in the league, and it is impossible to maintain a player when even our fans notice and comment on a player’s lack of effort both on and off the field,” Frankel said. “We need to do what is best for this team, our fans and this community.”

Owens had hoped that playing in the IFL might lead to another shot in the NFL, after he drew no interest during the 2011 season despite being second in league history in receiving yards and fourth in TD catches.

The Texas Rangers have signed Roy Oswalt to a minor-league deal. (Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

The Texas Rangers have signed three-time All-Star pitcher Roy Oswalt to a minor-league contract, according to MLB.com. The move will mostly help the Rangers replace Neftali Feliz. Feliz went on the disabled list last week with a sprained right elbow.

Oswalt, 34, would need at least 2-4 weeks before he is ready to pitch in a game, according to the report. The Red Sox, Orioles, Phillies and Dodgers each showed interest in Oswalt over the past couple of months.

Oswalt went 9-10 with a 3.69 ERA last season with the Phillies. In 11 seasons with the Phillies and Houston Astros, Oswalt hasa a career record of 159-93 with a 3.21 ERA. He has won 20 games twice while with the Astros.

Butler basketball coach Brad Stevens. Butler will join the A-10 in 2012 instead of 2013. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Butler plans to join the Atlantic 10 this fall instead of the original plan to join in 2013, reports CBSSports.com.

Last month, Butler said it was leaving the Horizon League.

Butler and VCU will replace Temple which is joining the Big East as a football member this season and a all-sports member in 2013, and Charlotte who is leaving to join Conference USA. VCU wanted to join this year because their basketball team would not be eligible for the conference tournament.

The Atlantic 10 will have 16 league members in 2012 and 14 members next year when Temple and Charlotte depart.

Clippers Vinny Del Negro will return next season. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBA/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Clippers announced they will retain coach Vinny Del Negro after guiding the team to the second round of the NBA playoffs this season, reports ESPN.com. The Clippers exercised the final year of his contract option and had until June 1 to make a decision.

Del Negro is 154-158 in four seasons as an NBA coach, including the last two seasons with Clippers.

The Clippers went 40-26 this season before being swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals, making the playoffs for the first time since the 2005-2006 season.

The Clippers also had a six-game winning streak this season, their longest in 20 years.

NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman was sentenced 104 hours of community service in family court. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Former NBA star and Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman was sentenced to 104 hours of community service in family court stemming from four counts of contempt for failure to pay child support.

“My suggestion is to use your talents as a motivator, as a fine, fine athlete and as a fine person to assist others in need,” Court Commissioner Barry Michaelson told Rodman.

Rodman still has contempt charges against him and ex-wife Michelle Rodman’s attorneys say he still owes more than $800,000 in back child support, reports the Associated Press.

“It’s all about the kids,” Rodman told the court. “It does suck the fact that it had to come to this.”

Rodman, 51, won five NBA championships and last played with the Dallas Mavericks in 2000.

Ray Allen may be benched for a game in the Eastern Conference Finals to recover from various ankle injuries. (Mike Ehrmann, Getty Images)

Among the biggest pieces of news from the Miami Heat’s win over the Boston Celtics in game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals Monday was the ineffectiveness of Ray Allen. The future hall-of-fame shooting guard shot 1-for-7 including a 1-for-4 mark from three point range, scoring six points and struggling to deal with Miami’s high-powered offense.

Allen has been dealing with bone spurs in both ankles throughout the playoffs, and Celtics coach Doc Rivers told ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan that he may rest Allen to give him a chance to get healthier.

“It’s a tough call with him,” Rivers said Tuesday afternoon. “We’re trying to figure out a different minute rotation for him, maybe that will help him. We’re even considering sitting him for a game, getting him a longer rest and then playing him, and then sitting him for a game. We don’t know what the right thing is.”

One of the most prolific shooters in NBA history, Allen owns the records for most regular season three-pointers made and attempted. He won an NBA Championship with the Celtics in 2008.

Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals takes place Wednesday in Miami at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Derek Fisher will turn 38 this year and is in the twilight of his career. Still, according to a tweet from the Oklahoman’s Darnell Mayberry, Fisher plans to stick around the NBA for a little bit longer.

Derek Fisher, who will turn 38 in August, tells me he plans on continuing his career beyond this season. No plans to retire.—
Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) May 29, 2012

A five-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, Fisher was traded to the Houston Rockets earlier this season in exchange for forward Jordan Hill. The Rockets then waived Fisher, who subsequently signed for the Thunder. Fisher has helped the Thunder to the Western Conference Finals as the backup to starting point guard Russel Westbrook, and has been praised for his role as a veteran presence on an otherwise young team.

Former World Series MVP Hideki Matsui will join the Tampa Bay Rays today. (Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images)

Former World Series MVP and two-time American League All-Star Hideki Matsui will join the Tampa Bay Rays for tonight’s game against the Chicago White Sox after being called up from Triple-A Durham.

Matsui, 37, has played nine seasons in the majors with the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels, and Oakland Athletics. He won the World Series MVP in 2009 after the Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in six games.

The Rays made room on the roster by optioning outfielder-designated hitter Stephen Vogt to Durham and transferred outfielder Brandon Guyer from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.

Matsui played in 141 games for Oakland in 2011. He batted .251 with 12 home runs and 72 RBIs, mostly as a designated hitter.  Matsui has 173 HR and 753 RBI with a lifetime .285 average in the majors.

Former NFL star Warren Sapp blasts former coaches and teammates in new book. (Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)

Former NFL star Warren Sapp has always been a person who isn’t afraid to speak his mind. So when given the chance to write a book, fans should know what to expect.

The Tampa Bay Times reported that new Sapp’s 314-page book, Sapp Attack, goes on the offensive and attacks several former coaches and teammates.

Here is what he had to say about former defensive corridnator Monte Kiffin: “I always believed Kiffin (blitzed) so much because he wanted the glory; it made him feel like a great defensive coordinator.”

Sapp, who retired in 2007 and is now an analyst on the NFL Network, said that former coach “Tony Dungy put the damn cake in the oven, and then Jon Gruden came in and put the icing on it,” when referring to the success of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs won the Super Bowl after the 2002 season, Gruden’s first season with the team after Dungy was fired.

Former quarterback Trent Dilfer got his share of criticism as well.

“Dilfer … basically was an interception waiting to happen,” Sapp wrote. “There were times we practically pleaded with him, ‘We know you’re not going to score a touchdown, but please, just don’t turn it over.”

No word on when the book will be released.

Serena Williams lost in the first round of the French Open to Virginie Razzano (Patrick Kovarick, Getty Images)

Serena Williams is out of the French Open in shocking fashion. The American had been one of the favorites to win the singles title this year, but was knocked out by  Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, an epic match that lasted over four hours.

Williams lost the second set after giving up a 5-1 lead, and her poor form continued into the third set as she lost the first five games. On the cusp of elimination, Williams battled back to close to 5-3, but succumbed to Razzano after a lengthy tiebreaker that saw seven match points and five break points come and go without a victor.

Finally, on the eighth match point, the 111th-ranked Razzano completed her victory after Williams over-hit a shot over the baseline.

The loss is Williams’ first in the first round of a major tournament. Williams last won the French Open singles title in 2002.

Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy will be out for 4-6 weeks with a broken hand. (Mike McGinnis, Getty Images)

One of Major League Baseball’s best catchers this season is now on the 15-day disabled list. The culprit? A suitcase.

In a bizarre addition to the Milwaukee Brewers’ injury problems, catcher Jonathan Lucroy was ruled out after a suitcase fell on his hand in his hotel room, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Lucroy was searching for a lost sock under the bed when his wife moved the piece of baggage, which fell on his hand. Lucroy is expected to miss 4-6 weeks of action because of the injury.

Lucroy has been on a hitting hot streak as of late, owning a .388 batting average in the month of May.

Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin announced today that the team will be profiled in this season of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” documentary series (Joel Auerbach, Getty Images)

The Miami Dolphins have agreed to be featured on the HBO documentary show “Hard Knocks,” head coach Joe Philbin announced today.

This will be the seventh season of the all-access documentary show, which takes an in-depth look at one NFL team’s training camp and preparations for the upcoming season. The first season of the show was broadcast in 2001 featuring the then-defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. The show did not air prior to last season due to uncertainty over the NFL labor situation.

The Dolphins certainly have plenty of storylines to display in the show. The team has a three-way battle at quarterback, with returning team MVP Matt Moore, veteran David Garrard, and highly-touted rookie Ryan Tannehill all heading into training camp in a battle for the starting spot.

The team also has a first-year head coach in Philbin, who served as offensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers last season. There will be star power as well, in the form of running back Reggie Bush.

Previous teams that have let “Hard Knocks” into their training camp have gone on to varying fortunes in the season itself. In 2001, the Ravens went 10-6, losing in the divisional playoffs to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Dallas Cowboys went 5-11 and missed the playoffs in 2002 after doing the show, after which no team took part until the Kansas City Chiefs signed on for the 2007 edition. That Chiefs team went 4-12 and missed the playoffs as well.

“Hard Knocks” teams have fared better as of late. In 2008 the Cowboys were profiled again, and went on to a 9-7 record (though they missed the playoffs). The Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets were the last two teams to be profiled, and both made the playoffs with double-digit regular season wins. The 2009-2010 Jets had the best season of any “Hard Knocks” team, reaching the AFC Championship game before losing to the Steelers.

The first episode of “Hard Knocks” featuring the Dolphins will air on Tuesday, August 7 at 10 p.m. ET.

Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz said Tuesday that he is unhappy with the actions of some members of his team in recent weeks.

There have been five arrests this year of members of the team’s 2011 draft class, according to Pro Football Talk.

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press detailed some of Schwartz’s comments about the offseason in a series of tweets Tuesday morning.

Schwartz on Fairley incident/this offseason: "I think what we have here is a case of a few guys tainting the reputations of a lot of others"

—
Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) May 29, 2012

Schwartz: "What we have here is a situation that it appears that a couple guys haven’t learned and that is a concern but ...

—
Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) May 29, 2012

Schwart cont: "they are still young and there's still a lot in front of them and we are hopeful that they can ... put this behind them."

—
Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) May 29, 2012

Former first-round pick Nick Fairley was arrested Sunday morning for driving under the influence and trying to elude police. Fairley was also arrested April 3 for possession of marijuana. Another member of the 2011 draft class, running back Mikel Leshoure, plead guilty this offseason for marijuana possession.

Another recent incident to receive attention featured wide receiver Titus Young allegedly sucker punching teammate Louis Delmas during voluntary workouts earlier this month.

Neither Fairley nor Young spoke with the media after practice. Veteran receiver Nate Burleson said that Young had apologized for his actions during a meeting, according to Birkett.

The 2012 NBA Draft Lottery is a day away, but the Portland Trail Blazers are still searching for the person to determine their strategy in the draft itself. However, things might be getting closer, according to a tweet from CBS Sports’ Ken Berger.

Also, league sources say Clippers GM Neil Olshey met with Portland owner Paul Allen in London recently about the Blazers' GM opening.—
Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) May 29, 2012

Olshey is believed to be the Blazers’ top choice, after heading a complete turnaround of the Clippers franchise in the past two seasons. The team finished 29-53 in the last season before Olshey’s hiring as General Manager, and have steadily improved since, making the playoffs and advancing to the second round this season.

Olshey is also responsible for the drafting of promising young players Blake Griffin and Eric Bledsoe, as well as attracting veterans Chris Paul and Caron Butler to the Clippers.

Sources say the Texas Rangers are the favorite to land free agent pitcher Roy Oswalt. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Free agent starting pitcher Roy Oswalt is receiving interest from a few big-market teams, but sources told ESPN.com‘s Jerry Crasnick that the Texas Rangers are the clear favorite to land his services.

“I would be shocked if he doesn’t go to Texas,” a baseball official told Crasnick. “A team is going to have to greatly outbid Texas to keep him from going there.”

Crasnick reports that Oswalt is close with Rangers president Nolan Ryan.

Besides Texas, Oswalt has worked out for the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers. Each has a need for starting pitching.

The Rangers lost starting pitcher Neftali Feliz to a shoulder injury. The Dodgers placed Ted Lilly on the DL yesterday with shoulder inflammation. Philadelphia ace Roy Halladay has a sore shoulder. The Red Sox are in last place in the AL East but still are only 4.5 games back.

Oswalt went 9-10 with a 3.69 ERA last season with the Phillies. After Oswalt failed to land with a team by spring training, he announced he would wait until midseason to sign.

New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith is reportedly dating pop star Rihanna. (Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

Pop star Rihanna has been linked to entertainers including Chris Brown and Drake in the past, but the singer has reportedly returned to the sports world to find her latest love interest. Rihanna, who formerly dated Los Angeles Dodgers star Matt Kemp, is now dating New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith, sources tell the New York Daily News.

A source told the newspaper that the pair were “definitely hanging out” in Miami over the holiday weekend. Smith was arrested on Thursday over an outstanding bench warrant, but he reportedly paid his bond and was released on Friday.

In Touch magazine reported earlier this month that the pair were dating.

Smith joined the Knicks midway through this season after he played in China during the lockout. He averaged 12.5 points per game off the bench with New York.

Rihanna had recently been linked to actors Shia LeBeouf and Ashton Kutcher.

Athletes and celebrities dating is not new. Some celebrities, such as Kim Kardashian, have been linked to multiple athletes. For more athlete-celebrity couples, check out this photo gallery.