Manny Ramirez Steroid Update, Roger Clemens Speaks, Mats Sundin Update, Chris Benoit's Doc Sentenced

– RHP Roger Clemens has again denied that Brian McNamee injected him
with performance-enhancing drugs in his first public comments in more
than a year.

The seven-time Cy Young Award winner spoke by phone on ESPN Radio’s
“Mike & Mike in the Morning” on Tuesday. Clemens said he chose to
defend himself on the day a book about his alleged drug use was
officially released. He said he’s “just trying to live my life.”

Clemens said it would have been “suicidal” for him to use steroids
because of a history of heart problems in his family. He repeated his
much-lampooned use of the word “misremembers” about former teammate LHP
Andy Pettitte’s statement that Clemens told him he used HGH.

– Rockies’ manager Clint Hurdle will remain with the team, at least until season’s end.

WWE

— Dr. Phil Astin III, the personal physician of Chris Benoit, who
killed his wife and 7-year-old son, has been sentenced to 10 years in
prison for illegally distributing prescription drugs to patients. Dr.
Phil Astin was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty January 29 to a
175-count federal indictment.

Benoit killed his family and then himself in 2007 in their suburban
Atlanta home. A medical examiner couldn’t say whether the steroids
Astin prescribed for Benoit played a role in the deaths.

U.S. District Judge Jack Camp said there was no doubt the
54-year-old Astin tried to help hundreds of patients at his western
Georgia clinic. But the judge said he could not overlook the fact that
at least two patients died as a result of Astin’s misconduct.

— Jim Ross posted a blog on his official website largely discussing why he still works for World Wrestling Entertainment:

"I have never understood how some, vocal fans feel
that they have "lost all respect for J.R." for doing such things as
kissing Mr. McMahon’s ass or being a pawn in the Backlash/Santina skit.
Many have declared that I should have quit my job and "walked off." I
can only imagine that many of these fans are young and have never held
regular jobs or have a family to care for."

"These uncomfortable moments on TV are just that
and are intended to elicit a reaction. These matters are entertainment
based and are fictional. It’s like playing a Native American, of which
I am one, on a TV western and being scripted to be killed by the
Calvary. Can you imagine any actor portraying a Native American
refusing to follow the script? Me neither. Certainly they could refuse
out of misguided principles but they might find themselves having a
hard time finding work."

"Others have suggested that I will "be kicked to
the curb" as soon as WWE can find someone to replace me. Interesting
thought process. I have an entirely different perspective of my work
and feel I can still carry my share of the water. When I can’t do so
any longer then I need to be "kicked to the curb." The good news is no
one will have to have a benefit for me and my departure won’t be like
many in the wrestling business where I won’t have a pot to p*** in or a
window of which to throw it out."

"After dedicating 35 years of my life to the
wrestling business, one would think that some fans would have a
different perspective but that is simply the world we live in. I know
my style of work isn’t for everyone. I know that some people who hide
behind phony names enjoy making fun of my issues with Bells palsy or
the fact that I have far from a body builders physique. Poor me, as
Tony Soprano used to say."

"For the record I am still having a blast at work
because I love "calling" wrestling matches and being around the
business I have followed, at times too passionately, since I was a
young kid and, yes, believe it or not I was a young kid at one time."

"Is today’s business my personal cup of tea, not
always. But when a guy like me gets to broadcast a HBK-Undertaker match
at an event like Wrestlemania that’s pretty much Heaven on Earth for an
old school guy like me."

— For the record, WWE Women’s Champion Melina actually broke down
twice at work in light of her departure from RAW, both when she was in
the ring and drafted, and the next week when they were in the UK. If
you recall, Melina had a farewell match the week following the draft as
she pinned Beth Phoenix.

NHL

– With the Canucks elimination last night at the hands of the
Blackhawks, F Mats Sundin should be a hot button topic again as we near
July 1. Will the Canucks re-sign him? Will he retire? Will he play
elsewhere? The answers to these questions probably will surely not come
soon, as we all know Mats likes to take his time, but if he decides to
hang up his skates, a decision could come much earlier than expected.
Stay tuned for The Sundin Saga Part II. On an aside, Sundin scored
eight points in eight games.

– Canucks’ F Taylor Pyatt is scheduled to hit unrestricted free
agency this summer. His future with the Canucks is currently in doubt,
and it’s believed that the team may decide to let him walk. Pyatt
notched just 10 goals and 19 points in 69 games during the regular
season, and he was held pointless in four playoff contests.

– Canucks’ D Mattias Ohlund may too have played his last game with
the Canucks. Ohlund contributed two assists and logged 22:41 of ice
time in the Canucks’ elimination last night. He is set to become an
unrestricted free agent on July 1 and may demand too steep of a price
tag for a soon to be 33-year-old defender. Stay tuned.

– Stars co-GM Les Jackson said that talks with pending unrestricted
free agents D Sergei Zubov and F Jere Lehtinen will not take place
until later in the summer. The team is currently preparing for the NHL
Entry Draft on June 26, and they still have to decide on a budget for
their club.

– Red Wings’ F Tomas Kopecky underwent facial surgery to repair a
fractured cheekbone on Monday. The surgery was a success, but he’s out
indefinitely. Kopecky was injured after fighting with Ducks’ D Francois
Beauchemin late in Game 4.

NBA

— Pacers’ F Danny Granger has officially been named the NBA’s Most
Improved Player for 2008-2009, earning 4% more votes than the
second-place finisher, Nets’ G Devin Harris. Granger finished fifth in
the league with 25.8 points per game, and became the first player in
league history to raise his scoring average at least five points a game
for three straight seasons. The Pacers have to be thrilled that they
were able to sign him to a five-year/$60M extension last October.

– The Warriors have fired GM Chris Mullin. He is expected to sign on with the Knicks shortly.

NFL

– The Jets have re-signed TE Bubba Franks.

TNA

— In light of Bobby Lashley’s recent arrival in TNA Wrestling, it’s
interesting to note that a fellow wrestler in the organization once
accused him of being on performance-enhancing drugs.

Coming off the heels and ramifications from the Chris Benoit double murder and suicide, Wade Keller of the Pro Wrestling Torch conducted an interview with Kevin Nash in June of 2007 (Pro Wrestling Torch newsletter #997/998, cover dated November 10-17, 2007) to discuss drugs in professional wrestling.

During the interview, Nash is asked if he believes John Cena and
Bobby Lashley are on any performance-enhancing drugs. Nash feels Cena
is completely clean, but he can’t honestly say the same about Lashley.

"I don’t think Cena’s on anything. I really don’t,
because I’ve seen Cena when he came in and he was the Prototype, and he
was a big jacked up dude. I think Cena is an absolutely physically
gifted guy."

"I don’t know anything about Lashley. Lashley just
looks very synthetic to me. That’s just my opinion and I could be
completely wrong, and if I am, I apologize to him and his family. No, I
don’t apologize to him and his family. God bless him! (laughs). If he’s
clean, Jesus man, you’re absolutely phenomenal, a physical specimen.
But you look at him. Lashley, it would be hard to believe a guy with
that muscle structure is clean."