Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Nuggets, WWE rumble over arena scheduling

John Cena and WWE plan to be at Denver’s Pepsi Center next Monday. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
From Staff And Wire Reports

Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are scheduled to be at the Pepsi Center in Denver next Monday night.

Problem is, so are John Cena and a bunch of wrestlers – and they called it first.

World Wrestling Entertainment said it is booked at the arena for an episode of “Monday Night Raw,” the same night the Nuggets are slated to host the Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.

Without a quick resolution, WWE chairman Vince McMahon plans to send his trucks to Denver.

“That’s what we intend to do,” he said. “We’re going to show up.”

WWE spokesman Robert Zimmerman said the organization secured the Pepsi Center last Aug. 15 and has already sold more than 10,000 tickets for the event.

McMahon blamed Kroenke Sports, which owns the Nuggets and the Pepsi Center, for not believing his team was good enough to still be playing in mid-May.

“The fans in Denver had a lot more faith in making the playoffs than the owner,” he said.

Paul Andrews, executive vice president of Kroenke Sports Enterprises, issued a statement Monday night concerning the scheduling conflict, saying, “We are working with the WWE to resolve the situation amicably.”

The league, which handles scheduling during the playoffs, is leaving it up to the team and the WWE to figure things out.

Grant has Parkinson’s: Former NBA forward Brian Grant revealed he has Parkinson’s disease. Grant, 37, told ESPN.com he was diagnosed in January with “young onset Parkinson’s” and began having tremors in his left hand last summer.

NHL

Supporting cast helps Penguins win opener

Miroslav Satan and Philippe Boucher scored their first goals of the playoffs and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury prevented Carolina from getting its offense going, leading the Penguins to a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Pittsburgh in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Evegni Malkin had a goal and an assist on a night Sidney Crosby, the leading scorer in the playoffs with 22 points, was limited to an assist. Satan and Malkin scored less than 90 seconds apart midway through the first period for the Penguins.

Leagues back NHL in Phoenix fight: The NFL, Major League Baseball and the NBA have lined up in support of the NHL’s court fight to block the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes and move to southern Canada.

The other major sports leagues, including the office of baseball commissioner Bud Selig, filed statements in U.S. Bankruptcy Court on Monday in support of the NHL.

All three statements ask the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to “respect the National Hockey League’s rules and procedures regarding ownership transfer and relocation.”

NFL

T.O. on time to camp

No stranger to attention, Terrell Owens drew plenty of it on a Monday that was busy even for the high-profile receiver.

The day began with Owens joining his new Buffalo Bills teammates as the team opened voluntary minicamps in Orchard Park, N.Y., and then segued into Owens filming segments for his VH-1 cable television reality show. Among the stops included being presented the key to the city by Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.

In between, Owens made one outstanding 40-yard catch up the sideline during practice and conducted an entertaining session with more than two dozen reporters, in which the receiver joked about how the media turnout, by his standards, was a little small.

“This is nothing,” Owens said with a smile following practice while standing in front of 12 TV cameras. “I played in Philly, played in Dallas, this is light.”

Whitner confident: Buffalo Bills defensive back Donte Whitner said he has videotaped evidence showing he did nothing wrong during an altercation with police outside a Cleveland nightclub. Whitner added he is confident charges against him could be dropped as early as today, when he is scheduled to appear in Cleveland Municipal Court.

He added his attorney has received a videotape of what happened when police used a stun gun and handcuffed Whitner after he tried to force his way past officers trying to control a crowd outside a nightclub April 11.

Whitner was charged with aggravated disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Miscellany

Armstrong apologizes

Lance Armstrong was apologetic and avoided launching into a verbal war with race organizers following the protest that marred the ninth stage of the Giro d’Italia. He apologized via a video message.

Armstrong played an integral role in a group protest that ended up annulling times in Sunday’s stage because riders considered the city circuit through downtown Milan overly dangerous.

Mine That Bird needs jockey: Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird is in need of yet another jockey.

Mike Smith, who rode the gelding to a second-place finish in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes, won’t ride him in the Belmont Stakes on June 6 because of a previous commitment.

That means Calvin Borel, who rode Mine That Bird to a stunning victory in the Derby, could get back on him for the Belmont if Rachel Alexandra doesn’t run.

Doctor says Mayfield informed: The administrator of NASCAR’s drug-testing program said he personally told Jeremy Mayfield what banned substance was found in his positive test.

Dr. David Black, CEO of Aegis Sciences Corp., which runs the testing program, said he specifically identified the drug in several conversations with the Sprint Cup driver over a three-day period after NASCAR suspended him. Mayfield said Saturday he was never told what drug caused the positive test.

Skaters switch coaches: Two-time U.S. champions Rena Inoue and John Baldwin have switched coaches and are now training with former world silver medalists Jenni Meno and Todd Sand. Inoue and Baldwin had worked with Phillip Mills for the past two seasons.