Welcome to Friday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.
FRIDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NBA: Bucks at Celtics, 7:30 p.m. (CSNNE)
NBA: Heat at Nets, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
NBA: Spurs at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
NHL: Capitals at Flyers, 7 p.m. (NHL Network)
College football: USC at Oregon State, 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
College hockey: Northeastern at Boston College, 8 p.m. (NBCSN; WEEI-AM)
AROUND THE WEB:
‘¢ Now that the World Series is over, Alex Rodriguez is ready to turn the attention of the baseball world back to him.
The Yankees third baseman, who is fighting his suspension, continued his attack on Major League Baseball and commissioner Bud Selig, issuing a statement Thursday in which he lambasted MLB for how it conducted its investigation into his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs.
“I am deeply troubled by my team’s investigative findings with respect to MLB’s conduct,” Rodriguez said. “How can the gross, ongoing misconduct of the MLB investigations division not be relevant to my suspension, when my suspension supposedly results directly from that division’s work?”
Added Rodriguez: “It is sad that commissioner Selig once again is turning a blind eye, knowing that crimes are being committed under his regime. I have 100 percent faith in my legal team. To be sure, this fight is necessary to protect me, but it also serves the interests of the next 18-year-old coming into the league, to be sure he doesn’t step into the house of horrors that I am being forced to walk through.”
Responded MLB chief operating officer Rob Manfred: “This latest, sad chapter in Mr. Rodriguez’s tarnished career is yet another example of this player trying to avoid taking responsibility for his poor choices. Given the disappointing acts that Mr. Rodriguez has repeatedly made throughout his career, his expressed concern for young people rings very hollow.
“Mr. Rodriguez’s use of PEDs was longer and more pervasive than any other player, and when this process is complete, the facts will prove that it is Mr. Rodriguez and his representatives who have engaged in ongoing, gross misconduct.”
‘¢ Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov was released on bond and will rejoin the team after being charge with second-degree kidnapping and third-degree assault following an incident with his girlfriend.
Russian model Evgeniya Vavrinyuk, 24, told investigators that Varlamov kicked her in the chest and knocked her down, stomped on her chest and dragged her by her hair before throwing her out of their Denver apartment. Her attorney said they have been dating for a year, and this is the fifth time Varlamov assaulted her.
“She wants the world to know that this famous star is a mean, nasty and hostile individual,” attorney Robert Abrams said.
In a press conference, Vavrinyuk said Varlamov had been drinking for 12 hours before he returned to the apartment and started beating her.
“He was having fun, he was laughing,” she said through an interpreter. “He has no concept of when to stop drinking, and when he drinks he turns into an animal.”
Varlamov, 25, was told that he cannot drink or possess firearms, but he will be allowed to travel with the team. His agent, Paul Theofanous, said Varlamov “is completely innocent of all of these charges.”
The Avalanche offered little other than a statement saying they are aware of the allegations. Varlamov’s lawyer, Jack Rotole, however, told the judge that Varlamov “has the full and total support of the Colorado Avalanche.”
Varlamov, acquired from the Capitals in 2011, is 7-1 with a 1.76 goals-against average for the 10-1 Avalanche.
“He’s a big part of what we’ve been doing so far, a huge part, obviously,” Avs forward P.A. Parenteau said. “So we’re behind him and hopefully it will take care of itself.”
Added forward Matt Duchene: “It’s tough. You’re concerned about your teammate. We all love Varly in here. I can’t say enough great things about him. I think we’re all pretty confident this is going to get resolved pretty quickly.”
‘¢ Coaches for the Assumption College football team are being hailed as heroes for breaking up a robbery Friday night, while on an overnight stopover in Stamford, Conn., en route to Saturday’s game against Pace University in New York.
According to a report at FootballScoop.com, eight assistant coaches were heading out for some pizza when they heard cries from a man who was being mugged. The coaches — Paul McGonagle, Anthony Barese, Chris Gratuski, Todd Parsons, Matt Sidebottom, Jonathan Jean-Louis, Todd Warmington and Mark Ledbetter — not only chased the attackers away, they continued the pursuit until they apprehended all three suspects. The coaches held the suspects until police arrived.
The coaches did not tell head coach Bob Chesney — who had stayed behind for a bedcheck at the team hotel — until after Saturday’s game. Players did not learn of the incident until Tuesday night.
“You hesitate to say they saved someone’s life, but they could have had a gun pulled on them,” Chesney said. “You never know.”
ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On Nov. 1, 2005, Jason Varitek became the first Red Sox player in 14 seasons to win a Gold Glove. Who was the team’s previous recipient, in 1991?
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It’s a sports city, clearly. The crowd here is always awesome. Halloween night, a lot of people might decide to take their kids trick-or-treating. But not in Boston. They’re here.” — Bruins forward Chris Kelly, on the TD Garden crowd for Thursday night’s 3-2 shootout victory over the Ducks
STAT OF THE DAY: 3 — Games in NFL history that have ended with a safety in overtime, as Thursday night’s game did, with the Dolphins sacking Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton in the end zone for a 22-20 victory
‘NET RESULTS (mobile users, check the website to see the videos): The Indiana University football team dances to Michael Jackson‘s “Thriller” after its Halloween practice.
TRIVIA ANSWER: Catcher Tony Pena
SOOTHING SOUNDS: Barry Sadler, who died in 1989, was born on this day in 1940.
