Sports this 'n' that

 In the run-up to tonight's Backlash PLE on the ESPN app (the 1st hour will be simulcast on ESPN2), various WWE personalities have appeared on ESPN programming.

Perhaps the biggest impact on sports outside WWE came from Long Island native Paul Heyman. Heyman, beloved in Philadelphia as the mastermind behind Extreme Championship Wrestling, threw his support behind his hometown Knicks in the NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals, and warned the 76ers that "their season was already over". It might've seemed like typical bluster from Heyman, with the Knicks already up, 2-0, when he made this statement, but, as of today, he might actually be right, after the Knicks won again on Friday to go up, 3-0.

Your move, Philadelphia.

It has not been a good week off the field for the Atlanta Braves.

First, former announcer John Sterling, who later became an icon as the radio voice of the Yankees, had passed away, followed by former owner Ted Turner on Wednesday. Now comes word that Bobby Cox, who served two stints as manager (1977-81, 1985-2010), with a run in Toronto in between, winning 5 National League titles, 14 division titles, and the 1995 World Series, has passed at 84.

MLB has produced this video obituary, narrated by Matt Vasgersian:

There is also mourning in Pittsburgh, as former player & coach Bob Skinner passed away mid-week at 95. I never saw him play, but he served as a coach for managers Bill Virdon & Jim Leyland for several seasons.

Rest in peace, gentlemen.