As many of you know, I am presently stuck in Arizona, taking care of some personal business and suffering from allergies and heat exhaustion.

However, I’ve had the opportunity to catch up with what’s going in Phoenix professional sports.

It’s a mixed bag of mostly bad news: 

• The 39-year-old wife of Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Scott Shoeneweis was found dead by the couple’s 14-year-old daughter in the master bedroom of their Fountain Hills home on Wednesday.  The cause of death is not determined, but there are no signs of foul play.
• The 37-year-old wife of Phil Mickelson (a former Arizona State University golf star, three-time major champion with 36 PGA Tour victorys) has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is about to undergo major surgery and other treatment.  Michelson has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the PGA Tour.
• The Diamondbacks, after splitting a double-header yesterday with the Florida Marlins, are in fourth place in the National League West, with 17 wins and 24 losses.
• Another possible buyer for the Phoenix Coyotes has surfaced – one that would keep the team in Glendale.  Apparently, Las Vegas businessman John Breslow (who presently owns 3% of the Coyotes) has formed a group interested in submitting a bid for the team.  (There are unconfirmed reports that the group includes Coyotes coach, Wayne Gretzky).  The Breslow interest is separate from another potential purchasing group headed by Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of baseball’s Chicago White Sox and the NBA’s Chicago Bulls.  As I reported in an earlier post, BlackBerry co-CEO Jim Balsillie has offered $212.5 million to buy the Coyotes; however, his offer is contingent on moving the team to southern Ontario in Canada – a move which, apparently, is not supported by the league and which would cause significant financial hardship for the City of Glendale which has a huge stake in Jobing.com Arena, a state-of-the-art facility that opened in December 2003. (I’d like to form a group to bring the team to Costa Rica – I just need to find some investors willing to put up something north of $213 million . . . I just know there’d be a lot of interest in NHL hockey in San Jose! But then, I was convinced that what’s his name would beat the other guy on American Idol last night!)
• Phoenix Suns point guard, Steve Nash, will earn $13,125.00 next season . . . and many people believe that he is underpaid, considering the fact that he is the star and the “face” of the Suns (and considering the fact that three teammates will make more money than him, next year:  Shaquille O’Neil ($20 Million), Amaré Soudemire ($16.4 million) and Jason Richardson ($13.3 million).  As I understand it, after playing out the next season, Nash can accept a two-year optional extension with the Suns, which would give him a paltry 10.5% raise to $14.5 million . . . or he can pass on the option and enter free agency.  What to do, what to do?  (I wish I had Nash’s problems).  If he passes on the option, he will be a 36-year-old point guard entering a free market with teams that usually invest long term in young players when they have rare salary-cap space.  However, if Nash has another outstanding season next year, a team such as Toronto or New York (which will have cap space), or another team looking to make a championship run, might be interested in paying top dollar for the instant respect that Nash could bring to the team.  The Suns, of course, want to keep Nash . . . and Nash has indicated that he would like to stay in Phoenix.  I expect the team to look to get rid of a high-salary player (such as O’Neil) in order to make room for a generous extension offer to Nash . . . but what do I know?  (As I said, I was convinced that what’s his name would beat the other guy on American Idol last night!  What’s up with that!)

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• Wayne Gretzky Blamed As Dark Phoenix Saga Continues After Coyotes Bankruptcy (bleacherreport.com)
• NHL Says It Controls Coyotes, Seeks Dismissal (nytimes.com)
• Balsillie’s next battle will be in the courts (nationalpost.com)
• Gretzky probably wouldn’t move with Coyotes (nationalpost.com)
• NHL objects to order requesting details of Reinsdorf offer (cbc.ca)
• Coyotes bid a ruse, NHL says (nationalpost.com)
• Battle Between Bettman and Balsillie Heating to a Boil (bleacherreport.com)
• Balsillie turns on the charm (thestar.com)
• Amy Mickelson, Phil Mickelson’s Wife, diagnosed with Breast Cancer (inquisitr.com)
• Gabrielle Dawn Schoeneweis: Wife of D-Backs Pitcher Found Dead (blippitt.com)