Wednesday’s Morning Mashup: Michael Sam ‘looking forward to being a Cowboy’

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:
MLB: Red Sox at Yankees, 7:05 p.m. (NESN, ESPN; WEEI-FM)
Basketball: FIFA World Cup, United States vs. Dominican Republic, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Soccer: Exhibition, United States vs. Czech Republic, 2 p.m. (NBCSN)
Tennis: US Open, noon (ESPN), 6 p.m. (ESPN)

AROUND THE WEB:

Michael Sam

— Michael Sam acknowledged he is close to joining the practice squad of the Cowboys, four days after being released by the Rams. The openly gay defensive end was slated to take a physical Wednesday after flying into Dallas on Tuesday night.

“None of that matters,” the Texas native told the Daily Mail of being released by the Rams. “I’m excited to be joining Dallas. I just want to play football. It’s great to heading back to my home state.

“It’s been a roller coaster this past week but I’m happy where I’m at now. I’m just looking forward to being a Cowboy, my focus is on making the team.”

Sam, selected in the seventh round by St. Louis, was among the Rams’ final cuts Saturday. He cleared waivers Sunday, and the Rams filled their practice squad Monday. The Cowboys also filled their practice squad, but rookie defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence was placed on injured reserve with a designated to return tag on Tuesday. Dallas signed former Raiders DE Jack Crawford to replace him and apparently plans to add Sam for depth at the position.

“It has all happened so quickly, but it’s exciting, I just want to get back to playing football, you know,” Sam said Tuesday night when spotted waiting for his flight to Dallas. “I haven’t had a chance to speak to any of my family yet, not even my mom, but I will.”

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Sam, who was the SEC co-Defensive Player of the Year at Missouri in 2013, grew up in Galveston, Texas, where his father still lives.

“I never followed the Cowboys growing up because I never had a team,” Sam said. “I am a fan of defenses and Dallas needs some help, that’s why I’m going. It’s funny, Missouri is where my college career ended, and now I’m heading back home to Texas where hopefully my NFL career will start.”

— In other news out of Dallas, former Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent, who received a 180-day jail sentence last year for the intoxication manslaughter death of teammate and close friend Jerry Brown, got the OK to return to the NFL after he serves a 10-game suspension.

The league said Brent can’t participate in team activities for the first six weeks and must have “no further adverse involvement with law enforcement.”

Brent, who was mostly a backup in his three seasons with Dallas, had moved into a starting role when he crashed his Mercedes sedan on a suburban Dallas highway while returning home from a nightclub in December 2012. His blood-alcohol level of 0.18 percent was more than twice the legal limit for drivers in Texas.

Brent, 26, faced up to 20 years in prison and prosecutors pushed for prison time, but Brown’s mother testified that she had forgiven him.

— Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander finally answered questions about the celebrity hacking scandal that led to nude photos of him and girlfriend Kate Upton being posted on the Internet. However, Verlander’s response only served to make it clear that he would not share his feelings about the matter.

“I’m not going to comment on my personal life,” Verlander told reporters before Tuesday’s game in Cleveland. “I never have and I never plan on it. I keep my personal life personal. The focus for me is on the Detroit Tigers. I don’t want to take any focus away from this team and what we’re trying to accomplish. We’re in the middle of a pennant race. We’re trying to win a pennant and all of my focus currently is on doing whatever I can to help our team win our division.”

Added Verlander: “I know a couple of guys wanted to get some questions from me yesterday. Instead of everybody kind of sneaking around and getting questions at specific times, it’s just easier to say, ‘I’m not commenting on that. I’m trying to win a pennant.’ I know some guys are probably getting a lot of pressure from other people to get quotes or whatever. I knew I’d be getting a lot of questions. This is it.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On Sept. 3, 2005, which Red Sox reliever picked up the save in a 7-6 victory over the Orioles and in the process became the first pitcher in team history to appear in at least 70 games three years in a row?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I love playing for this team and I love representing this team. Hopefully I can do that for as long as I can. When I suck, I’ll retire. I don’t plan on sucking for a long time.” — Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, during his weekly appearance on Dennis & Callahan on Tuesday, discussing how much longer he wants to play

STAT OF THE DAY: 4 – Games Broncos receiver Wes Welker was suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s PED policy

‘NET RESULTS (mobile users, check the website to see the videos): Pinch-hitter Cory Spangenberg hits his first career home run, and it gives the Padres a walkoff win over the Diamondbacks in the ninth inning.

Little League star Mon’e David throws out an impressive first pitch at Dodgers Stadium before Tuesday’s Dodgers-Nationals game.

New Zealand’s national basketball team does the haka dance in front of mesmerized United States players prior to Tuesday’s game (a 27-point win for the Americans).