Welcome to Wednesday’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.
WEDNESDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NBA playoffs: Celtics at 76ers, 7 p.m. (TNT)
NBA playoffs: Lakers at Thunder, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Devils at Rangers, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB: Red Sox at Rays, 7:10 p.m. (NESN, ESPN; WRKO)
AROUND THE WEB:
‘¦ Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee revealed Tuesday that he has called the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation to an emergency meeting Wednesday morning to discuss financial problems at former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling‘s video game company.
Two years after relocating from Massachusetts to Rhode Island to take advantage of a $75 million taxpayer-backed loan, Schilling’s company missed a loan-guarantee payment of $1.125 million, setting off red flags.
‘We’re concerned and just doing everything possible to ensure that 38 Studios stays part of the Rhode Island community,’ Chafee told Providence TV station WPRI earlier this week. ‘We’re working on different issues with them.’ Asked whether he thinks 38 Studios can be stabilized, Chafee paused and said: ‘We’re working on it.’
Last June, PriceWaterhouseCoopers audited 38 Studios and expressed “substantial doubt” that the company would be able to stay solvent. The company since released its first game, “Kingdom of Amalur: Reckoning,” to positive reviews and decent sales, but another game, “Project: Copernicus,” appears to be facing delays.
Schilling, who also serves as an ESPN analyst, loaned his company $4 million in 2010, but that money was paid back from the package the company received from Rhode Island.
‘¦ The Giants will receive their Super Bowl rings Wednesday night in a ceremony at Tiffany’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue.
“It will be exciting for everybody, no doubt,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. “That’s the symbol, you know? In your heart it’s already been established. I look forward to it, I think it’s going to be very festive. Let’s face it, now it’s twice in a lifetime. It’s a wonderful thing to do it again.”
The ring is 14k white gold with surrounding diamonds, sapphire band (representing Giants blue) and diamond footballs. It has images of the four Lombardi trophies the franchise has won, plus the team logo and the score of Super Bowl XLVI, a 21-17 victory over the Patriots.
“Big and obnoxious, that’s always the goal,” guard Kevin Boothe joked.
‘¦ Brian McNamee continued to testify in Roger Clemens‘ perjury trial Tuesday in Washington, but the star witness wasn’t enough to keep all the members of the jury awake, as one juror was dismissed for sleeping.
What the sleeping juror missed was McNamee claiming his wife encouraged him to keep evidence that he injected Clemens with steroids. McNamee said he did, putting a needle, swab and cotton ball in an empty beer can to sneak it out of Clemens’ apartment after an injection.
McNamee also talked about injecting Clemens’ wife, Debbie, which he insists was done with the pitcher’s approval.
‘¦ According to police in Oceanside, Calif., someone broke into Junior Seau‘s San Diego-area home last week, five days after Seau committed suicide in the bedroom. Lt. Leonard Mata told the North County Times that the burglar accessed the garage through a doggy door and apparently did not enter the main part of the house. The only item noticed to be missing was a bicycle that belonged to a friend of the former NFL star.
ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On May 16, 1989, Mike Milbury was hired as Bruins coach replacing which man?
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Josh was the king of the hill today. Josh has things that motivate him, and he was certainly motivated today. He’s one of our big boys. He doesn’t need to follow. He can lead, and he wanted to today.” – Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, after Josh Beckett pitched the Red Sox to a 5-0 victory Tuesday over the Mariners
STAT OF THE DAY: 8 – Games in which the Angels have been shut out this season, leading to Tuesday’s firing of hitting coach Mickey Hatcher
‘NET RESULTS: Brett Lawrie of the Blue Jays is called out on two poor strike calls by umpire Bill Miller, then throws his helmet and hits Miller on the bounce. Lawrie was apologetic after the game.
Rangers coach John Tortorella, legendary for his press conferences, gets the mix treatment from DJ Steve Porter.
Philippine Basketball Association All-Stars perform their “Thriller” routine.
TRIVIA ANSWER: Terry O’Reilly
SOOTHING SOUNDS: Janet Jackson turns 46 Wednesday.