Lots of Lulz in Toronto right now (Getty Images)

On Saturday morning Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Toronto Raptors were hot to trot for Denver Nuggets personnel chief Masai Ujiri, which is a smart trot to be hot for, considering that Ujiri once worked for the Raptors, and the reigning NBA Executive of the Year. Prior to that news, though, the team was leaning on stranger outfits to guide their search.

The Toronto Raptors had been rumored to be hot on Phil Jackson’s trail, not as a head coach, but for a job running the team’s front office. They’re also trying to figure out the direction of the franchise after yet another year lost to the middling depths of the low lottery, while sussing out a payroll that currently is set to send them into luxury tax territory next season. They also have until Monday, because of a contract deadline, to determine whether or not current general manager Bryan Colangelo will be the man to lead them out of the mess that, um, Bryan Colangelo just made.

It’s clear that Tim Leiweke (the new CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment) needs some help in figuring out what to do with the team his company owns, and any outside help is appreciated. Instead of going with a basketball mind, someone who has been there before or someone who is willing to think in hoop-related terms while minding this mess, MLSE has gone elsewhere. They’ve hired a head-hunting firm, weirdly. From the great Doug Smith at the Toronto Star:

While not officially on the job yet, Leiweke has been given all responsibility to determine Colangelo’s fate. The two men have met and discussed plans for the Raptors future but neither has spoken publicly about their feelings.

(@DanMcfcJones)

On the same day that the Daily Mail carried a story about how much the Man City players disliked now ex-manager Roberto Mancini, the Italian who wasn't even kept until the final match of the season took out a full page ad in the Manchester Evening News to say goodbye to the fans. "Manchester City supporters 3 UNFORGETTABLE YEARS," the ad reads above a picture of a waving Mancini with the FA Cup, Community Shield and Premier League trophy superimposed beneath him. "You will always be in my heart. Ciao. Roberto Mancini."

Mancini enjoyed great support from the fans despite finishing a distant second to Man United and losing the FA Cup final to Wigan this season. Though the club nor his players had the same faith in him, it seems he's looking to keep the fans on his side even after departing. One last way of thumbing his nose up at those who undermined him.

If only the next page was addressed to Carlos Tevez with a picture of Mancini giving the finger.

(Getty)

"This has been my worst season because it's the first season in which I have not won an important title." That is what you said after losing Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey final, Jose. I am already having this stitched onto a pillow to put in my hotel room. It makes me very happy. Like Batman movies and funny hats.

While you were getting sent off and having Real Madrid lose to Atletico for the first time in 13 years, I was just sitting here in my beanbag chair with my new Europa League trophy. You only won the Spanish Super Cup with Real Madrid, but I wasn't even at Chelsea a full season and I still won a better trophy. I have named it Albert. Albert and I were discussing how you have said many rude things about me over the years and how you even got lying liar Marco Materazzi to lie lies about me. Lie. Liar. Lie lie. Anyways, maybe now you and Materazzi can cry together. Oh wait, you've already done that. Rafa burn!

But seriously, I must congratulate you, Jose, because you have done many things this season that I never thought was possible. You beat Barcelona, but you still lost the league by 10 points. You have also maintained a feud with Iker Casillas. Iker Casillas! Who has eyes like puppy dogs hugging unicorn kitten in a river of baby giggles. Here is a picture of him...

The Hornets might not be gone from the NBA after all.

According to a CBSSports.com report, the Charlotte Bobcats are in the process of claiming the name that resided in the city with the Charlotte Hornets from 1988-2002.

The name traveled to New Orleans when the franchise relocated, but recently became available when the Crescent City's NBA team ditched the Hornets moniker for the more apropos Pelicans.

It's a move that, if it comes to fruition, will be a hit in the Queen City. Between a terrible on-court product, a bitter taste from the loss of the Hornets and a general malaise toward the Bobcats franchise narcissistically named after founder and previous majority owner Bob Johnson, Charlotteans have had a tepid-at-best relationship with their current NBA team.

Since arriving in Charlotte, the Bobcats have made one playoff appearance and have a short but profound record of making poor personnel decisions.

But the Hornets – man, the Hornets. Now that's a different story. The

Nerlens Noel (Stephen Lovekin/ Getty)This June's draft class is typically considered a fairly weak crop, with seemingly no top-level stars among the best players available and the typical concerns over prospect readiness standing more paramount than usual. Yet, as with any year, there are many intriguing players worthy of in-depth consideration.

There's perhaps no one more intriguing than Kentucky forward Nerlens Noel, once considered the player most likely to become the top pick in the draft. That changed after Noel tore his ACL in mid-February. Yet, with only Kansas shooting guard Ben McLemore making a reasonable case for himself in the interim, Noel is still among the contenders for the top pick. The question is when he'll be ready and what his team can expect from him once he returns.

There is good news on the former issue. From the Associated Press:

Ken Venturi enjoys the spoils of winning the U.S. Open in 1964. (Getty Images)Ken Venturi, winner of the 1964 U.S. Open and a longtime commentator for CBS, has died at the age of 82.

To one generation, Venturi is best known for the major he won as well as the major he didn't. To later ones, he was the voice of golf for decades. In recent years, Venturi had suffered from numerous health problems, including prostate cancer in 2000, quintuple bypass surgery in 2006, and heart issues in 2011. He had spent the last few weeks in the hospital in Southern California, and developed infections in his back and intestine as well as pneumonia. His son Matt revealed the news of his father's death.

Venturi won the U.S. Open at Congressional in triple-digit heat; at that time, the final of the U.S. Open featured 36 holes of golf. Venturi was advised to quit, but did not, proceeding onward through dizziness and heatstroke. That year, he won Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year and the PGA Player of the Year honors.

That would be the only major that Venturi would win,

Gabi lifts the cup. (Getty)

Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo were both sent off as Atletico Madrid beat Real Madrid for the first time since 1999 to win the Copa del Rey final 2-1 in extra time. Real Madrid fell victim to the woodwork and Atletico keeper Thibault Courtois, who made a couple of tremendous saves to thoroughly frustrate Real.

Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 14th minute and it seemed Real Madrid would stroll to yet another win against their local rivals. But Atletico kept their focus. Diego Costa equalized in the 35th minute and the longer circumstances conspired against Real, preventing them from finishing off the game, the testier the atmosphere became. Mourinho was sent to the dressing room in the 75th minute in a bizarre incident that even he didn't seem to understand and the bookings began to pile up.

The Dalai Lama notes that Eric Gordon may be unhappy in New Orleans (Oli Scarff/ Getty).

When the news broke that the New Orleans Hornets would change their name to the Pelicans for the 2013-14 season and beyond, opinions were mixed between those who thought it a fun change of pace reminiscent of the ABA and those who considered it a really dumb choice for pretty much all the same reasons. Whatever the case, it's different and will require some getting used to. Fans can be forgiven for not warming to "Pelicans" immediately after decades of being told that only the most immediately fearsome animals are suitable for mascot status.

Clearly, the franchise has some work to do. Luckily for them, they have received one very high profile endorsement of their new name. That's right — HIs Holiness the Dalai Lama, metaphorical manifestation of the bodhisattva of compassion, has worn a Pelicans hat to express his support. Check out the photo below for proof (via Jason Gallagher of Ballerball):