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Weekend Sports News – Gossip – Headlines

Sports water cooler headlines and sports gossip for Friday May 20th 2011. Shea Matthews weighs in with his analysis and opinions on today’s sports action…

Weekend Water Cooler – May 20th, 2011

Here we go with today’s sports water cooler talk. Here, you won’t just find the straight news; you’ll find the stuff everyone is talking about – the ice breakers, the Twitter Sports Picks and topics…well, basically all the stuff you discuss at the water cooler.

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Sports News – NHL news: Atlanta move to Winnipeg official? Nik Zherdev arrested; Blackhawks extend Corey Crawford; Fredrik Modin retires

Blackhawks extend Corey Crawford

Is the Atlanta Thrashers’ sale and move to Winnipeg a done deal? The Globe and Mail reported so yesterday and the news seemed sturdy enough that Jets fans rejoiced in the streets of Winnipeg. However, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly have denied that the news is true. A spokesman for True North, the group rumored to be buying the Thrashers, also said the report wasn’t true.

Enigmatic Philadelphia Flyers winger Nikolay Zherdev was arrested in his native Russia last Friday. He was detained after smashing his wife’s car and threatening to kill her. The Flyers won’t comment until they speak with Zherdev, who will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and is not expected to be re-signed. He had 16 goals in 56 games this season.

After letting Anti Niemi walk when he led them to the Stanley Cup last season, the Chicago Blackhawks weren’t about to lose another rookie goaltender. They extended Corey Crawford with a three-year, $8-million deal. He was 33-18-6 with a 2.30 goals against average and .917 save percentage as a rookie.

Veteran winger Fredrik Modin is calling it a career. The 36-year-old played in just 157 games over the last four years, largely due to injuries, and leaves behind 232 goals in 898 career games with Toronto, Tampa Bay, Columbus, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Calgary. Modin hit the 30-goal mark twice in his career and won a Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay in 2003-04.

NBA news: Jerry West joining Warriors; Derrick Williams insists he’s a small forward; Kyrie Irving skips on-court workouts at combine

You’d think that the legendary Jerry West is done with basketball at age 73 – but he isn’t. The man who built the Lakers dynasty of the 1980s and early 2000s is reportedly joining the Golden State Warriors as a special advisor. He hasn’t worked in the NBA since he was general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies in 2007.

The projected top two picks in the upcoming NBA draft, Derrick Williams and Kyrie Irving, both have some scouts scratching their heads this week. Williams, the Arizona standout, is 6’8”, 241 pounds and averaged 8.3 rebounds to go with his 19.5 points in his final college season – yet insists that he’ll be a small forward, not a power forward, in the NBA.

“I’m not a 4, I’m a 3,” he said this week. “Whoever picks me will find that out. I’m just a lot more skilled than most people think I am.” Williams is expected to go second overall in the draft.

The projected No.1 pick, Kyrie Irving, is skipping all on-court drills at the scouting combine. He said he’ll undergo medical tests but won’t take the court. He gave no reason. His agent, Jeffrey Wechleser, said Irving is working out for two hours a day and that he has no injuries.

MLB news: Red Sox acquire Franklin Morales; Epic night for Jason Giambi; Orioles place Roberts, Lee on DL

Tired of their pitching woes, the Boston Red Sox acquired reliever Franklin Morales from the Colorado Rockies for a player to be named later on Thursday night. The 25-year-old Morales has been so-so this season, posting a 3.86 ERA with eight walks and 11 strikeouts in 14 innings.

What a night for Jason Giambi! The 40-year-old bench player turned back the clock last night, homering three straight times and tying a career high with seven RBI.

The Baltimore Orioles placed two of their key veterans, Derek Lee and Brian Roberts, in the 15-day DL yesterday. Derek Lee is out with a left oblique strain and Roberts is sidelined with a concussion, suffered during a headfirst slide on Monday.

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Comments are welcome below!

By Shea Matthews

Shea Matthews the Senior Writer at CP. Lives and breathes sports. He made the transition from athlete to sports journalist at a young age, writing in TV & national papers. Shea applies his knowledge to sports betting + handicapping daily, and shares winning picks with the world.