Wednesday News Links - Trouble in Boston?
NFL
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has taken the next step in his recovery from reconstructive knee surgery. Peterson is taking part in his first full-pads practice. [ESPN]
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison could miss the start of the regular season if he requires arthroscopic knee surgery. [Beaver County Times]
The Seattle Seahawks plan to shop quarterback Tarvaris Jackson for a trade. Jackson threw 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 15 games with the Seahawks last season. [CBS Sports]
Firm mattresses in the New York Giants' training camp dorm rooms have caused multiple players to suffer back ailments. [Newark Star-Ledger]
Matt Flynn is the leading contender to win the Seattle Seahawks' starting quarterback job. [ESPN]
Chad Johnson's wife of 41 days, Evelyn Lozada, has filed for divorce from the veteran wide receiver after he allegedly head-butted her. "I will continue to be positive and stay training hard for another opportunity in the NFL," Johnson said in a statement regarding his release from the Miami Dolphins and subsequent divorce. [ESPN]
NBA
FIBA is considering adding 3-on-3 basketball to the Summer Olympics. If approved, the competition could be added as early as the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. [USA Today]
Team USA assistant and long-time Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim says that LeBron James could challenge Michael Jordan as the greatest player of all time. [Syracuse Post-Standard]
Steve Nash, the general manager for Canada's men's basketball team, is expected to bring 20 to 25 of Canada's top prospects together for a camp in Toronto next week. Jay Triano is expected to be named the team's head coach. [Toronto Star]
The Los Angeles Lakers could be facing a significant luxury tax bill heading into the 2013-14 season. Currently the Lakers' payroll is north of $99 million. With the luxury tax no longer running at a dollar-for-dollar rate beyond next season, the Lakers could be forced to pay a tax bill upwards of $85 million. [ProBasketballTalk]
MLB
Several Boston Red Sox players reportedly blasted manager Bobby Valentine at a meeting with team ownership in late July. [Yahoo! Sports]
The pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona, now Roberto Hernandez, will make his 2012 MLB debut tonight with the Cleveland Indians. Hernandez was arrested in Dominican Republic for fraud, and was forced to re-negotiate his contract with the Indians after it was revealed that he is three years older than he had previously been listed. [CBS Sports]
Several Washington Nationals players are questioning management's decision to shut down Stephen Strasburg before the end of the regular season. "You take the best pitchers off any team that has a chance to make it to the postseason and it's devastating," Nationals outfielder Mark DeRosa said. [ESPN]
NHL
The NHLPA's CBA counter proposal includes the opportunity for teams to trade salary cap space. [NY Post]
