Projecting When Rob Van Dam Will Return to WWE Programming

Rob Van Dam was backstage at Monday's Raw, apparently to inquire about his future in the company. The show took place in Los Angeles, where he resides.

As Dave Meltzer notes in this week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter (subscription required), the situation between the parties is slightly strained right now due to the circumstances surrounding his departure back in October:

 Van Dam was at the 2/10 Raw show backstage. He came for a meeting with HHH. He wrote on twitter that he’s interested in coming back. Not sure how WWE views it. We know they weren’t happy about him leaving, even though his deal he signed over the summer was a 90-day contract, he fulfilled it, didn’t complain about being buried at the end, but WWE wasn’t happy that he wouldn’t sign a new deal at the time.

So, when will the former WWE champion be back on our screens? Or perhaps the better question will be, is he even coming back?

It seems rather petty if WWE is holding his refusal to sign an extension against him. As Meltzer mentions, he was wholly professional and fulfilled the terms of his contract.

However, I could forgive the company if its reluctance to bring back Van Dam had more to do with his lackluster performances in the summer and autumn of last year.

While Van Dam was hugely over in his first night back with the company at July's Money in the Bank pay-per-view and continued getting decent reactions from the crowd throughout his run, it's hard to say that his promos and in-ring work were all that great.

Did anyone in the world care about his program with Alberto Del Rio?

Oh, he wasn't embarrassingly bad, but it was obvious that the dynamic, super-athletic young man who thrilled audiences in the early 2000's was long gone.

Though aging undoubtedly played its part, it's possible that his lengthy and wholly unremarkable TNA run played its role too.

No matter how hard people work in wrestling’s troubled No. 2 promotion, it rarely makes a difference to the bigger picture. Van Dam, who started out well enough but just looked like a man phoning it in for a paycheck by the end, seemed to have figured this out too.

Is Van Dam now a wrestler who struggles to get motivated?

Even taking out the issues with his contract, in-ring work and interviews, WWE is probably not in any rush to bring back the former ECW wrestler.

As the company heads into WrestleMania, it has more than enough stars: Batista is back. So is Brock Lesnar. The Undertaker will be returning soon. Daniel Bryan is as beloved as ever.

Even if WWE does want to use Van Dam at WrestleMania, what would it have him do? All the top spots are locked up anyway.

Of course, come April 7 the night after WrestleMania the company may feel differently. At that point, the bigger names will be gone and Vince McMahon may realize he’ll need newer guys like Van Dam to help carry the promotion in its post-WrestleMania lull.

Or maybe McMahon will continue to feel he’s not important to the company. It just depends on the state of the roster.

It’s hard to see WWE keeping the 43-year-old out in the cold forever. Management will surely come around and “forgive” his reluctance to sign an extension last year.

Whether or not that and thus his return happens any time soon is another matter entirely.

Source: Bleacherreport
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Dwyane Wade Injury: Updates on Heat Star's Foot and Return

It's been clear that Dwyane Wade has been dealing with ailing knees throughout this season, but now his foot is giving him problems.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported the Miami Heat star has a nerve issue that restricting the movement in his foot.

All season long, Erik Spoelstra has sporadically rested his shooting guard in an effort to ensure that he's 100 percent for the games that matter. Wade has played in 36 of the team's 51 regular season games this year, averaging 18.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists a game.

The only concern for the Heat is whether or not Wade will be healthy for the playoffs. There's almost no chance Miami isn't one of the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference, so there's no reason to risk him too much in the regular season.

The fact that he's suffering from a nerve issue is a bit worrying, but the team is at least in a position where it can wait for him to get back to full health.

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How Henrik Lundqvist's Return to Form Affects New York Rangers 2013-14 Outlook

Brian Babineau/Getty Images 8 Reads 0 Comments The New York Rangers are slowly climbing up the ladder, and they are almost at the rung that is currently occupied by some of the NHL's top contenders. After a tumultuous start, the Broadway Blueshirts are playing like many thought they would under bench boss Alain Vigneault, and once again Henrik Lundqvist is in a marquee role.
Early in the season, many people were down on Lundqvist; some even suggested that the size reduction on goalie gear was responsible for 2011-12 Vezina winner's slump. The Olympic break is upon the NHL, and the Rangers' netminder has a chance to make a run at the Vezina Trophy.
The Rangers are playing their best hockey of the year, but better days are ahead of them because of Lundqvist's return to form.
Before going into the nitty-gritty, here is a table breaking down the splits of Lundqvist's season to date.
Henrik Lundqvist's Performance by Month Month Record GAA Save Percentage October 3-5-0 2.84 .908 November 5-6-0 2.27 .924 December 4-4-2 3.02 .888 January 8-3-0 1.91 .938 February 2-0-0 1.92 .930 ESPN.com
As you can see, the early months are ugly, but the most recent months are rather sexy from a statistical point of view. These numbers are in line with what Lundqvist has achieved since entering the NHL, and the King is on his way to recording his eighth 30-win season.
Thus far, Hank has a 22-18-3 record with a 2.44 GAA and a .918 save percentage, and his numbers are improving after each start.
The bulk of the season is over, but after the Olympic break the Rangers will need to finish strong to make the playoffs. With a record of, 32-24-3 and 67 points, the Rangers occupy second place in the Metropolitan Division.
While this seems like a solid record, the division has become very competitive over the past few weeks, so the Rangers have a small margin for error going forward.
When the Rangers resume NHL action, there will be 24 games left on the schedule. Thirteen of these games will be on the road, including a four-game swing through Western Canada, ending in Colorado with the Rangers vs. the Avalanche.
During the month of March, the Rangers will play 16 games in 31 days, including three back-to-backs with two coming on the road in Minnesota, Winnipeg, Columbus and New Jersey.
Of the 24 games, expect Lundqvist to play at least 16 or 17 of them, leaving five or six starts for Cam Talbot. If the Rangers want to make the playoffs, they will need to capture at least 30 of a possible 48 points.
There is a three-point gap between third and seventh place in the division, so the Blueshirts need to capture as many points as they can. If New York finishes the season with more than 100 points, that should be enough to lock up a playoff spot.
How will Lundqvist fare in the Vezina Trophy voting? Wins Vezina Finishes second Finishes third Finishes fourth Finishes fifth Finishes outside top five Submit Vote vote to see results How will Lundqvist fare in the Vezina Trophy voting? Wins Vezina 0% Finishes second 0% Finishes third 0% Finishes fourth 0% Finishes fifth 0% Finishes outside top five 0% Total votes: 0
With that in mind, is the above scenario achievable? Based on Lundqvist's play over the last 15 games— which includes a 10-3-1 record with a 1.91 GAA and a 0.935 save percentage—it is very doable.
Lundqvist is in the zone right now, and his return to elite form should propel the Rangers to a nice playoff spot.
If the above model is followed and Lundqvist only starts 16 to 17 of the final games, he will finish with a total of either 60 or 61 starts.
Either number would be the second-fewest number of starts in an 82-game season of his career; that ultimately could pay off hugely during the playoffs.
The Rangers have usually found themselves in a Catch-22 because they have needed Lundqvist rested for the playoffs, but they have a bad habit of riding him like a racehorse in order to clinch a playoff spot.
This year Talbot has really played a huge role as Lundqvist's backup, which should enable Lundqvist to end the season strong.
The numbers appear to be in Lundqvist's favor and should dramatically alter the Rangers' outlook. The Rangers still have some serious areas to address if they want to be considered a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, but they certainly have one of the league's best tandems to finish out a hectic and challenging 2013-14 campaign.

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Joel Embiid Strongly Considering Return to Kansas for Sophomore Season

Add Kansas center Joel Embiid to the growing list of up-and-coming stars who like college just enough to make lottery-bound NBA teams sweat.
According to ESPN's Jeff Goodman, who was in Waco for the Jayhawks' 69-52 win over Baylor on Feb. 4, Embiid said he doesn't feel his game is ready for the rigors of the NBA at the moment. While couching his thoughts under the guise that his ultimate decision depends on how the rest of the season goes, the 7-footer was clear that his focus was in Lawrence—not on where the ping-pong balls lie.
"I'm not even thinking about it right now," Embiid said. "I'll make a decision after the season, but I'm definitely considering coming back to school."

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Why Joe Allen's Return to Liverpool Midfield Can Be Key to Premier League Push

Joe Allen returned from injury as a second-half substitute for Liverpool in their 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday and he could be a key player for the Reds in the coming weeks.

The Welsh midfielder divides opinion among supporters, but Brendan Rodgers is a huge fan and the more studious supporters realise the attributes he offers to the team.

Indeed, it's no coincidence that Liverpool's best performances this season came during Allen's best spell of form this season too—tough away games at Tottenham, Manchester City and Chelsea, plus home thrashings of Norwich, West Ham and Cardiff.

Allen picked up a groin injury late on in the defeat at Stamford Bridge and has made two sub appearances against Aston Villa and West Brom as he returns from the injury.

 

Midfield Control

What Liverpool have been struggling to achieve all season is control in midfield—an oddity given Rodgers' desire for such possession football.

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