Source: http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/2010/11/voob.html
Shayne King Heinz Kinigadner Dusty Klatt Arne Kring Brad Lackey
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Without a major fight on the horizon, Couture done fighting for now
Things are going well for Randy Couture. He dominated his last two MMA fights and he's making waves in Hollywood. Sylvester Stallone is pretty good guy to have as a pal.
Stallone's movie "The Expendables" did well at the box office and was just released on DVD. Couture's work on that project helped him land two more roles which should lock up his schedule through the spring of 2011.
"I'm really excited about the movie career and all the other business stuff I've got going on with the supplements, the clothing line, the action figures, the training centers are doing fantastic," Couture told ESPNRadio1100 in Las Vegas. "So I want to focus on those things and enjoy life a little bit. And focus on playing some more characters."
Couture's got three fights left on his UFC deal. He said that's not really an issue. The point of the last seven-fight deal with the UFC was to make sure Couture finished his career with the promotion and wouldn't have to fight somewhere else.
In what turned out to be the most important note to emerge from this interview (3:55 mark), Couture admitted he has not seen the Arianny Celeste spread in Playboy and he never wants to!
Chuck Sun Torao Suzuki Gareth Swanepoel Ivan Tedesco David Thorpe
Auburn stakes its claims as college football's latest, greatest comeback kid
You can preach "never say never," and you can argue that every championship team has to "steal" a game or two against long odds to survive the grueling season. This is true. But there are long odds, and there's a 24-0 deficit against the defending national champion, on the road. By storming out of that hole for a thrilling, 28-27 win Friday over hated Alabama to complete a 12-0 regular season, Auburn established itself as a steel-hearted, icy-veined survivor even among the steeliest and iciest in recent memory.
The comeback in Tuscaloosa was the Tigers' fourth this year in a game they trailed at some point in the second half, and the third in which they rallied from behind in the fourth quarter – a number that doesn't include their overtime escape against Clemson, or their 19-play, 86-yard march for the game-winning field goal on the last snap at Kentucky, an epic journey that drained the final 7:25 from the clock with the game tied at 31 apiece. They trailed entering the fourth quarter against South Carolina, and won, 35-27. They fell behind early in the fourth quarter against Arkansas, and won, 65-43. This time, they trailed Alabama at the start of the fourth, 27-21, and won again.
It was also the fourth time this year the Tigers have rallied from at least 10 points down, on the heels of double-digit holes against Clemson (17-0), South Carolina (20-7) and Georgia (21-7). No other team that's ever played for the BCS championship has needed more than two rallies from a double-digit deficit to get there. And if Auburn punches its ticket to this year's title game, it will be the first to come from as far back as three touchdowns against anyone, much less one of the most feared defenses in the country.
The largest comeback by a team that's actually appeared in a BCS title game to date was Texas' rally from a 28-9 deficit at Oklahoma State in 2005, a comeback sparked by Vince Young's 80-yard touchdown run to cut the Cowboy lead to 28-19 in the opening minute of the second half. The Longhorns ripped off four more unanswered touchdowns in a 47-28 blowout, then went on to win their last four by an average of 48 points en route to the Rose Bowl.
The best claim on the title of "Comeback King," though, may belong to their opponent in Pasadena, USC, which uncorked its explosive offense to turn a 21-3 halftime hole at Arizona State into a 38-28 win, just two weeks before driving for the game-winning touchdown on the final play at Notre Dame in the famous "Bush Push" game that kept the Trojans' staggering winning streak intact. A month after that, they stormed back from 21-10 down against Fresno State behind a spectacular second half by Reggie Bush, only to fall behind again, 42-41, after a pair of Fresno touchdowns in the fourth quarter. It took yet another SC rally in the final seven minutes to put the Bulldogs away, 50-42.
LSU never had to come from that far back in 2007, but it was only by virtue of dramatic fourth quarter comebacks to put away Florida, Auburn, Alabama and finally Tennessee in the SEC Championship Game that the golden ticket to the BCS title game fell in its lap, thanks to eleventh-hour losses by the No.1 and No. 2 teams in the BCS, Missouri and West Virginia, on the final Saturday of the season. On the other hand, those same Tigers also let a 13-point second half lead slip away in an eventual triple overtime loss at Kentucky, and couldn't finish off a late rally against Arkansas, another triple-OT defeat. They escaped the fire, but not without a couple of nasty burns.
Back in the present, with only an SEC Championship rematch against South Carolina left between Auburn and its BCS destiny in Glendale, Ariz., it's looking increasingly like the only scars the Tigers will carry into the title game in January will come from the simmering pay-for-play allegations against their spectacular quarterback, Cam Newton, without whom they'd likely be another 7-5/8-4 outfit jockeying for a return trip to the Outback Bowl. After Friday's instantly legendary escape against the Tide, the long, endlessly patient arm of the NCAA may be the only opponent they can't outlast.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Mickael Maschio Connor McGechan Jeremy McGrath Andrew McFarlane Brett Metcalfe
PlayStation Move Sells 4.1 Million Worldwide
While Microsoft may have the momentum on their side, Sony is definitely not showing any signs of stepping out of the motion-based gaming market any time soon. Especially with the number of PlayStation Move units the company sold since its release, back in September. While Microsoft’s Kinect’s numbers may be impressive, Sony’s are, too. However, [...]
Source: http://feeds.slashgear.com/~r/slashgear/~3/wSbPgH1wCJc/
Mike LaRocco Jason Lawrence Ron Lechien Jeff Leisk Victor Leloup
Bo Pelini's boss would like a word with him about his anger
Nebraska's Raging Pelinis (Bo at head coach, Carl on the defense) have cranked out more than their share of angry hits from the 'Husker sideline, but their performance in Saturday night's 9-6 loss at Texas A&M was an all-time masterpiece of rage. Bo Pelini was flagged in the fourth quarter for berating officials with a flurry of carefully preserved epithets. Carl Pelini apparently attacked a reporter after the game. At one point in the first half, Bo directed an over-the-top tongue-lashing at his quarterback, Taylor Martinez, a good half-hour after Martinez had left the game with a foot injury.
Whatever he'd done to trigger his coach's familiar fury, Martinez didn't seem deterred: He hobbled gamely (albeit ineffectually) through the second half despite the obvious injury and – despite rampant reports to the contrary on Sunday night – remains on the team Monday morning. But considering all of the above was captured in spittle-flecked detail by various cameras – especially the ones beaming the game to most of the nation on ABC – Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman wasn't so forgiving:
Perlman told The Associated Press on Sunday that Pelini’s verbal assault of officials during Saturday’s game at Texas A&M did not reflect well on the university or the football program.
"I think it was very unfortunate," Perlman said, "and I think it’s something we'll have to address with Bo."
The game was televised on ABC, and Perlman said he felt uneasy about the numerous camera shots of Pelini's outbursts. Perlman spoke Sunday morning with athletic director Tom Osborne about Pelini's conduct, and the chancellor said he, Osborne or both would talk to Pelini about his decorum.
[...]"Bo has a lot of passion for his football team," Perlman said, "and there is a strong upside to that. But again, overall, the conduct was unfortunate last night. [...]
"There is a part of the culture of intercollegiate athletics that involves coaches talking strongly to players. That's unfortunate it had to happen on national television."
When the cameras are off? Rage away, coach – just watch the choking and the sheds.
To his credit, Bo Pelini refused to discuss the officials after they flagged the Cornhuskers 16 times for 145 yards – including four personal fouls – compared to two penalties for 10 yards against A&M. He held his tongue after officials restored a second to the clock to allow Texas' game-winning field goal in last year's Big 12 Championship Game, too, despite obvious anger in the immediate aftermath. Bo knows restraint. Now it's just a matter of applying it more ... consistently.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Andrea Bartolini Willy Bauer Jean Michel Bayle Pit Beirer Christian Beggi
Drew Brees Named 'Sports Illustrated' Sportsman of the Year
Filed under: Saints
Drew Brees is the 2010 Sportsman of the Year, the annual honor given by "Sports Illustrated" to the "athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement."Brees is the 57th recipient of the award and will be honored at a ceremony Tuesday.
The Saints, of course, beat the Colts in the Super Bowl for the first championship in the team's history, less than five years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast region and forced the Saints to play an entire season away from the Superdome.
Brees was the primary catalyst in the team's turnaround, recovering from a bad shoulder injury when he joined the listless Saints in 2006. Since then, he's been one of the league's best quarterbacks. He's been a charitable force in the region, as well.
"I had a chance to see it with my own eyes when I came in on my visit to New Orleans in March of 2006, six months post-Katrina, and you sit there and look around and say, 'I had no idea it was this bad,'" Brees said in response to the honor. "You feel a sense of responsibility and a sense that this is a calling. This is an opportunity that most people don't get in a lifetime, and yet it's staring me in the face right now. I have this opportunity."
Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/30/drew-brees-wins-sports-illustrated-sportsman-of-the-year-award/
Heatley on Ottawa rumors: ?You just realize it's all BS basically'
"The Aristocrats" is a lewd joke told among comedians (and immortalized in a 2005 documentary) that starts with a basic premise involving a family auditioning a new vaudeville act and then adds layers of depraved, perverted and offensive details with the aim to shock and titillate.
The rumors and innuendo regarding Dany Heatley's departure from the Ottawa Senators are, for anyone within earshot of an NHL locker room in 2009, the hockey version of "The Aristocrats": Outrageous, tawdry tales that usually recycled the best urban legends from minor league hockey and then simply changed the names. Stuff that you'd get arrested for downloading in a public library. Stuff that makes Delonte West/Gloria James read like a children's novel.
Publishing them is pointless, because there's only one editor for this story and the most he'll say is that it was "time for a change." But on those rumors, Dany Heatley, days away from his return to Ottawa with the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 2, told Sportsnet that he's not bothered by the gossip that still festers long after he left for California.
Here's Heatley, from an interview airing this evening:
"You just realize it's all BS basically," Heatley told Rogers Sportsnet. "A lot of people come up with things and come up with theories, but that's kind of the new world with technology and blogs and things like that. It seems like people come up with all sorts of stories. But the bottom line is it was a very simple thing: I needed a hockey change and that's what I felt was best for me."
In the summer of 2009, Heatley told reporters that a "diminished role" under then new head coach Cory Clouston was the catalyst for his trade request. But the speculation was that Heatley left town for another reason, which was never disclosed. When asked directly if there were reasons, other than Clouston, that he wanted to leave, Heatley reiterated his original stance.
"I think the main thing is a change. I just needed a change. Some people can't accept that," explained Heatley. "I know there's been a lot of stuff speculated and lot of stories told. But the main thing is I felt like it was time for me to change and get a fresh start somewhere and I've enjoyed my time in San Jose."
Expect to hear a lot about The Trade That Happened and The Trade That Didn't Happen in the next 72 hours. Don't expect to hear a hell of a lot more than what Heatley's offering Sportsnet tonight and has offered everyone but the Ottawa media since the deal.
He said he'll face the local press -- "I'm not going to be frosty. I'm going to come in and answer questions," said Heatley -- but does anyone expect insight beyond "it was time for a change" and "I loved my time here in Ottawa"?
(Then again, this is the Ottawa media we're talking about; Don Brennan once challenge Georges Laraque for sanity's sake.)
Even if he's candid, what's the point? Heatley wasn't exactly the most believable source during that summer ordeal; why buy his line now?
Meanwhile, in case you were wondering if Senators fans are ready for this Heatley Homecoming: They're booing the Sharks logo whenever it appears on the Jumbotron at Ottawa home games. So yeah, they're ready.
Broc Hepler Rob Herring George Holland Jeremy van Horebeek Kent Howerton
What should you do? Watch Dane Sanzenbacher mock LeBron for a good cause
Immensely rich and famous human being LeBron James made his "Decision" to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers in July, alienating so many people in the process – especially in Ohio – that he was forced to shoot a self-pitying Nike ad in a vain (in every sense of the word) attempt to win back some portion of his adoring public. A noxious turn, all in all.
On the bright side, though, the annoying "Rise" spot did inspire this parody by senior Ohio State receiver Dane Sanzenbacher. And if Sanzenbacher and friends inspire a few more people to sign up as organ donors, well, that's a net win in the end:
OK, so not everyone can have Swoosh-worthy production values. But a little sincerity makes up for a lot.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Andrew McFarlane Brett Metcalfe Heikki Mikkola Auguste Mingels Marty Moates
Monday, November 29, 2010
TRON: Legacy Light Cycle USB Drives Light Up When Connected
If anyone thought that the marketing push for the upcoming movie TRON: Legacy was going to die down, it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen any time soon. Which makes sense, considering the movie is just about to launch on theater screens around the world. And, while perhaps having the “look” of a TRON-themed [...]
Source: http://feeds.slashgear.com/~r/slashgear/~3/sa5LpIq_NsM/
Goat Breker Sven Breugelmans Larry Brooks Mike Brown Rick Burgett
Court Report: Magic Three-ball
A look at the results from a Friday on the courts...
• In what has generally been a down year by their usual standards, the Magic had their best collective team effort of the season from three-point range against the Cavs, hitting on 14-of-31 attempts to extend their winning streak at the Amway Center to four games. J.J. Redick and Quentin Richardson led the way with seven threes between them, a sight for sore eyes with both entering the game with marks well below their career averages (Redick 19.4%, Q-Rich 27.8%). Dwight Howard turned in his fifth straight 20-10 effort with 23 points and 11 rebounds, but it came at a hefty price (13-for-24 FT, 4 TO’s). Jameer Nelson continues to shoot the ball at a high rate (9-of-13 FG), and is at 65.4 percent over his last five games and 49.7 percent for the season. He’s shot over 48 percent twice in the past five seasons so he’s certainly capable of keeping this up. Vince Carter missed his second straight game with a sprained left knee and is questionable for Saturday’s contest.
• It’s good to see Antawn Jamison finally come around after a painfully slow start and get over the 30-minute mark for the first time this year. Jamison led the Cavs with a season-high 22 points and seven rebounds on a rather reasonable 9-of-20 from the field. The steals and percentages are still not where they should be; leaving him out of the top-100 for now, but any progress is good progress at this point. Mo Williams dropped 20+ for the third time in four games while dishing out a season-high eight assists, but it was largely negated by his inefficiency (6-for-14 FG, 4 turnovers).
• Gerald Wallace didn’t have one of his most efficient performances (6-of-21 FG, three turnovers), but more than made up for it but filling out the stat sheet to the tune of 21 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, three steals, two blocks, and two treys. He hasn’t delivered on his mid-second round ADP so far, and a turnaround really hinges on four areas: rebounds, steals, field-goal percentage, and turnovers.
• Teammate Boris Diaw shed the fat suit for a day to post his first double-double of the year (22 points, 10 rebounds, 10-for-15 FG). I’m as surprised as you are that he was able to do this a day after Thanksgiving. Nazr Mohammed got his start since Nov. 23 and made the most of it (15 points, 7 rebounds), but that came at the expense of Tyrus Thomas (16 minutes, 4 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks). Free Kevin Love? No, free Tyrus Thomas. Thomas has easily out-produced Love this season on a per-minute basis.
• It was generally a game to be forgotten for the Rockets, who fell to 4-11 as they shot just 41.8 percent from the field. Chase Budinger was perhaps the lone bright spot in the loss, as he scored a season-best 19 points off the bench to go along with eight rebounds. He’s still fringe material, even in deeper leagues. Chuck Hayes got his third consecutive start at center in place of Yao Ming, who is out for at least another two weeks. Hayes remains reasonable productive in limited minutes, and is averaging 10 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists during that span. Brad Miller and Jordan Hill continue to be inconsistent options as their minutes wildly fluctuate from game to game.
• The Bucks have been a team of two extremes on both ends of the court this season – first in defensive efficiency and last in offensive efficiency. So when the Pistons put seven players in double figures and shot a season-high 56.2 percent from the field, the Bucks didn’t really stand a chance. Detroit did one thing they hadn’t done all season – move the ball and spread it around. They came into the game second-to-last in assists per game at 17.7, but assisted on a season-high 28 of 41 field goals. Tayshaun Prince has scored in double digits in 14 of 16 games this season and got it done once again Friday, delivering an all-around line of 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and two steals. Rodney Stuckey led the team with 18 points, but continues to hover around the 100 spot in the per-game rankings as his value is limited to three categories – points, assists, and free-throw percentage.
• Jason Maxiell drew another start at the 4, relegating Austin Daye to three garbage-time minutes at the end of the game. Maybe it’s just me, but I’d be expecting more than just two rebounds in 25 minutes from my starting power forward. They’re called standards, John Kuester. And what is with this all or nothing approach by Kuester – either Daye starts or comes off the bench during the garbage time. How is Daye supposed to develop any sort of consistency? Despite a horrendous 6-10 start though, the Pistons are currently ninth in the Eastern Conference standings. Oh, the parity.
• Brandon Jennings led all scorers with 25 points but took 22 shots to get there. Rookie Larry Sanders (season-high 8 points, career-high 10 rebounds, 2 blocks) and Ersan Ilyasova (14 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks) were the only real bright spots on what was an atrocious team shooting display (38..6% FG). Jennings, Drew Gooden (4-of-14 FG), and Corey Maggette (3-for-11 FG) were the primary culprits. John Salmons has shot under 43 percent from the field in his last five games.
• It’s been a huge week for Andre Iguodala, having posted top-20 value during that period with a an extremely balanced line (20 points, 9.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.7 blocks, 1.7 threes, 46.5% FG) since returning from an Achilles injury. All that while drawing the defensive assignment of Dwyane Wade. It’s hard not to be impressed. Jodie Meeks dazzled with a 18-point outburst in a eight-minute span during the second quarter to finish with 21 points, tying a career-high. Collins has been desperately looking to find a regular rotation that is reasonably effective, and Meeks’ recent effort should earn him more consistent minutes moving forward.
• Reggie Evans suffered a fractured right foot and is expected to miss several weeks. Early indications are that Amir Johnson will start in his place. He’s a must add at this point, especially since he has proven to be extremely productive in limited time (11th overall in per-minute value).
• After an underwhelming showing in his first start of the season on Sunday, Jose Calderon has been extremely productive in his last two games (14 points, 12 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 treys), good for second in per-game value this week. Now I don’t expect him to post top-25 numbers like he did in ’08-’09, but his ’07-’08 averages (11.2 points, 8.3 assist, 1.1 steals, 1 trey) seem very attainable with very little standing in his way to 30 minutes a game.
• Linas Kleiza scored 18 points to lead the Raptors, but that was to be expected with him throwing up 15 shots. Even though he led the team in scoring, Kleiza posted a game value of -0.55, good for ninth on his team just ahead of Sonny Weems and his 0-for-9 dud. Not good showings overall from either Kleiza or Weems.
• Ray Allen carried his early momentum (3-of-3 from deep in the first four minutes) to a very well-rounded performance (17 points, 8 assists, 3 threes, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks). Kevin Garnett (26 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals), Paul Pierce (18 points, 4 assists, 3 blocks), and Shaquille O’Neal (16 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks) did their part to carry the load and overcome a massive disparity in bench scoring, as the Raptors’ bench put up 63 points to the Celtics’ 29.
• In what was easily the performance of the night, Russell Westbrook scored a career-high 43 points while flirting with a triple-double (8 assists, 8 rebounds). He’s currently 12th in per-game value, and more importantly, his excellent 17-of-18 effort from the free-throw line at least temporarily puts to rest pressing concerns that his free-throw percentage jump is highly fluky. Deron Williams (29 points, 12 assists, 2 steals, 3 threes), and Chris Paul (16 points, 13 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals) also did their part in the ongoing debate and battle of who the best point guards in the league are. I’ll take Chris Paul in that one every single time. While Deron and Westbrook are great for their time, what Paul has been able to do (see: ’07-’09) is historically great. Many people just lost sight of that because of his injury-riddled ’09-’10 campaign.
• Some other notable performances from the lesser obvious names department: Thabo Sefolosha (13 points, 10 rebounds), Josh McRoberts (13 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks), and James Posey (9 points, 7 rebounds, 3 treys). Sefolosha and McRoberts are both worth speculative adds in standard leagues if you have a roster spot open; Posey is not.
• Dallas crushed San Antonio’s chances at a perfect month (12-0 entering Friday’s game), with strong efforts from Dirk Nowitzki (26 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 threes), Jason Kidd (12 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 threes), and Tyson Chandler (19 points, 8 rebounds, 13-of-16 FT). Caron Butler looked good early on, with six points in the first quarter on 3-of-5 shooting, but still found a way to post a dud (4-for-11 FG, 1 assist, 4 turnovers). It was the second worst performance of the night to Kwame Brown’s 0-for-2 goose egg. I’d be lying if I said my patience wasn’t running awfully thin right now.
• The Spurs guards continued to carry the scoring load, but this time it was George Hill stepping up (21 points, 3 steals, 8-of-8 FT) as Tony Parker struggled big time (4-for-12 FG, 1 assist, 4 turnovers). Manu Ginobili was phenomenal like he has been all season, scoring 16 of his season-high 31 total points in the first quarter alone. Don’t look, but Manu’s currently third in per-game value right now.
• Richard Jefferson shot 57 percent in his first 12 games but has gone 8-of-29 (28%) from the field in his last three games. This is what we call regression to the mean. Did anyone really buy this sudden resurgence in the 10th year of his career at age 30?
• With Derrick Rose out with a neck injury, the Bulls relied on a big three of their own for a large chunk of their production. Joakim Noah posted his fifth straight double-double (17 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists), Luol Deng went for his second straight (24 points, 11 rebounds), and C.J. Watson matched his scoring output from his previous seven games with 33 points. The outlook on Deng remains the same – sure, he scores a lot of points and chips in with rebounds and threes, but his lack of supporting stats will keep him right around 100th in per-game value. Even with his huge week (42.7 minutes, 21 points, 8.3 rebounds), he still came in at just 93rd in per-game value during that span. The assists, steals, and percentages are all severely underwhelming.
• Carmelo Anthony hit his 14th career game-winner to push the Nuggets ahead of the Bulls, and added a season-high eight assists to go along with his 22 points. While Melo led the team in scoring and hit the game-winner, it was Nene Hilario that posted the most productive line (18 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 8-for-9 FG). Chauncey Billups (wrist) missed his second straight game, but Ty Lawson did an admirable job filling in. Lawson finished with 17 points, and is now averaging 16.7 points and 5.5 assists in 10 career starts. J.R. Smith hit the glass and grabbed nine rebounds, one short of his career-high, but otherwise had another poor showing, going just 3-of-9 from the field.
• When asked what he hoped to see out of Brandon Roy before Friday’s game, Nate McMillan said the “Brandon of old”. Not too far from the truth. Roy came back from a three-game absence with a bang, leading all scorers with 27 points on an efficient 10-for-20 from the field and 3-of-6 from distance. He was more passive than usual, with 13 of his 20 attempts coming on jumpers. Keep in mind that he was in obvious pain during the game, will still be on a minutes cap, and might sit out the second game of back-to-backs. There’s obviously both good and bad here, but still more to be concerned than optimistic about. This is as good a time to start exploring the trade market and sell while you still can, because it doesn’t appear that his knee issues will be cured anytime soon.
• On that note, don’t do anything rash and start dropping Wesley Matthews either. Yes, Roy’s return puts a bit of a damper on his outlook but Roy is still far from healthy and will almost certainly miss some more time in the future. His value is not ruined; it just took a temporary speed bump. His versatility alone and ability to play three positions will ensure that he stays entrenched in the rotation and receives steady minutes.
• Andris Biedrins had the game of his life, torching Marc Gasol and the Grizzlies’ frontcourt for 28 points and a career-high 21 rebounds. Biedrins has been extremely mediocre in the two weeks prior, so let’s not overreact to one career performance now. Also keep in mind that David Lee has been cleared to rejoin the team and may play in Saturday’s game against the Wolves.
• O.J. Mayo finally snapped out of a week-long shooting slump, eclipsing 20 points for the first time since Nov. 5. He will continue to come off the bench in favor or Xavier Henry, which will put up a cap on his minutes at about 28 per game, but it’s certainly a plus just to see him get back on track and to start making the case to Lionel Hollins to give him back his starting job.
Friday's Top-5 performers (per-game value): Russell Westbrook (+1.18), Deron Williams (+0.97), Andris Biedrins (+0.87), Channing Frye (+0.79), Jose Calderon (+0.71)
Friday's Bottom-5 performers (per-game value): Kwame Brown (-0.91), Caron Butler & Leon Powe (-0.89), Louis Williams (-0.87), Andres Nocioni (-0.82)
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Photos via Getty Images
The Daily Slash: November 26 2010
Hello all you shoppers and non-shoppers. Today, like all days surrounding a major US holiday, was a day of mixed news. Not mixed in the way of good and bad, but mixed in the way of one thing being basically nothing like the next! As I said this morning, the tablet wave is really gaining [...]
Source: http://feeds.slashgear.com/~r/slashgear/~3/JvrB4JANtQk/
Vic Eastwood Daryl Ecklund Erik Eggens Richard Eierstedt Jimmy Ellis
Sunday, November 28, 2010
The most pathetic thing in hockey: Florida Panthers' power play
The Florida Panthers enter their game at the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight with a power-play conversion rate of 6.8 percent. Which means there's a better chance you'll win by betting three consecutive numbers on a roulette table than the Panthers scoring a power-play goal this season.
The Panthers have had 74 power-play chances this season and have scored five goals; 36 of those chances have been on home ice, resulting in three goals, and 29 have been on the road, where they scored the other two.
(Oddly, the Panthers are neither the worst power-play team at home nor on the road. The Columbus Blue Jackets are converting at a 5.7 percent rate at home, while the hapless New Jersey Devils are a pathetic 2.3 percent on the road.)
How bad is the Panthers' power play? Let us count the ways ...
Florida was 0-for-3 in its loss to the New York Rangers on Friday night, and The Rat Trick had seen enough futility with the Panthers up a man:
They have now lost five of their last seven, and have scored 5 goals in those seven losses. The powerplay continued its futility with the Panthers unable to capitalize on five chances. Including what started out as a four minute advantage with a high sticking penalty to NHL goofball Sean Avery.
Late in the game head coach Pete DeBoer pulled goaltender Scott Clemmensen with 3:40 left to go and still nothing. To make matters worse, during one of the man advantages the Panthers gave up a short handed goal, and you could feel the air being let out of the building. Current powerplay now stands at zero for 33.
The perpetrators? Here's are the top players on the Panthers in power-play ice time:
And here are the few, the proud, the Panthers with a power-play point:
No mysteries here: David Booth doesn't have a power-play goal in 21 games despite earning the fourth-most ice time. Stephen Weiss doesn't have one in 20 games. Cory Stillman doesn't have a power-play point this year despite getting the fifth-most ice time; and despite being a player two years removed from a 21-power-play-point season.
It's on the Panthers' few offensive weapons up front to get these special teams going, according to Florida Coach Pete DeBoer (via On Frozen Pond):
Florida went 0-3 during its holiday homestand after starting the season 5-2-0 in Sunrise. "You best players have to be your best players,'' coach Pete DeBoer said, "and in all three games, we had trouble scoring. Our best players didn't get on the board and we were out-goaltended in all three. It's tough to win games when that happens.''
If it's any consolation, and we know it isn't, the Panthers don't simply have the worst power play in the NHL; they may have the worst power play in the world of hockey. A quick glance at other leagues:
Worst Power-Play Percentage (AHL): Albany Devils, 10.0% (9 goals, 87 chances)
Worst Power-Play Percentage (ECHL): Tie between Toledo Walleye (8-83) and Bakersfield Condors (7-73), 9.6%
Worst Power-Play Percentage (CHL): Bloomington 14.06%
Worst Power-Play Percentage (KHL): Severstal, 12.0% (22-183)
By the way, we completely understand that pointing out the dramatic shortcomings of the Florida power play will result in their scoring five times with the man advantage against the Lightning. So apologies, in advance, to Bolts fans for the hockey karma ...
Arne Kring Brad Lackey Arthur Lampkin Steve Lamson Grant Langston
$500 off-contract Sony Ericsson PlayStation Phone tipped for MWC 2011 reveal
Sony Ericsson’s PlayStation Phone is poised to make its debut at Mobile World Congress in February 2011, according to the latest leaks, with the company likely to use Sony’s BRAVIA branding to describe the high-quality display and internally aiming for a $500 unsubsidized price. That’s the word from MobileCrunch‘s trusted tipster, who suggests the Android-based [...]
Source: http://feeds.slashgear.com/~r/slashgear/~3/erECiWsV1gg/
Tim Ferry Ashley Fiolek Ernesto Fonseca Lauris Freibergs Paul Friedrichs
A Humble Suggestion: The running backs the Doak Walker Award forgot
As a general rule, it's a good idea to take the postseason awards circuit with a grain of salt. They're fun and they're probably the best we can do to formally recognize the best players, but not worth getting worked up over. Among the multitude of culled award lists released Monday, though, I did raise an eyebrow when the Doak Walker Award in Dallas came out with Wisconsin's John Clay as one of three finalists – along with the obvious choices, Oregon's LaMichael James and Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter – as the best running back in the nation.Clay is a fine back with two-thirds of a fine season under his belt, but as of right now, he's only one of three finalists to start for his own team when the Badgers try to lock up a Rose Bowl bid Saturday against Northwestern. After Clay was knocked out of the lineup during the Nov. 6 win at Purdue, backup Montee Ball picked up the torch with a 100-yard romp against the Boilermakers in relief, and has continued rolling with two straight 100-yard efforts in blowouts over Indiana and Michigan. He's been joined in the century club in both of those games by James White, who's averaging seven yards per carry with as many touchdowns (13) and more yards from scrimmage than Clay for the season. If the Badgers have even noticed that Clay hasn't been on the field for two-and-a-half weeks, their opponents certainly haven't.
And neither, apparently, have the voters for the Doak Walker Award. OK, no big deal. (LaMichael James is a shoo-in, anyway.) But as a public service, here are five candidates who would have better served the honor, such as it is, of the final cut:
• Mikel Leshoure, Illinois. Start in the Big Ten, with the conference's leading rusher among actual running backs. (Michigan's Denard Robinson, statistical feats notwithstanding, doesn't play predominantly at the running back position, at least by the current, slightly outdated definition.) Leshoure was already over 1,000 yards on the ground before last weekend, but his 330-yard outburst against Northwestern Saturday was the best individual total of the year, and left him as the owner of school records for rushing yards in a single game and a single season. He's done some damage as a receiver, too, an area where Clay – like all Wisconsin backs from time immemorial – is a nonentity.
• DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma. Murray isn't even remotely close to his stated preseason goal of 2,000 yards rushing – he's a 983 through 11 games – but he has remained healthy, and has affirmed his status as the best all-purpose back in the country. With his receiving totals, he's ninth in the nation in yards from scrimmage, has scored a touchdown in every game and is tied for the national lead with 19 touchdowns on the year.
Plus, he can do this:
So there's that.
• Daniel Thomas, Kansas State. Thomas' star has begun to fade late, along with his team's, but he opened the season with one of the most impressive efforts of the year, a 234-yard, two-touchdown romp over UCLA, and has delivered six more 100-yard games and 12 touchdowns over the last ten. He's already cracked 1,200 yards on the ground for the second year in a row, and with the expected effort Saturday against North Texas, he should leave Manhattan with more than 3,000 total yards and nearly 30 touchdowns in a two-year career.
• Jordan Todman, UConn. Todman has quietly barreled his way to eight 100-yard games in nine starts, including a 33-carry , 113-yard effort against West Virginia and a 37-carry, 222-yard night against Pitt in back-to-back upsets over the Big East frontrunners, keeping the Huskies' heads above water in the murky conference race. Never spectacular, but like 2,000-yard predecessor Donald Brown before, a durable, reliable workhorse: Todman currently ranks second nationally in both yards and carries per game.
• Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina. I know we don't want to ply the freshmen with laurel wreaths before their first bowl game. But if I had a vote in the Walker process (I don't), Lattimore would get that vote, and he may get it before Kendall Hunter. That's partly for the usual reasons: He's the only SEC running back (again, excluding the league's prolific running quarterback, Auburn's Cam Newton) averaging 100 yards per game on the ground, and he's up there with DeMarco Murray in the national lead for total touchdowns.
But it's mainly because of his immediate prowess as the most fierce big-game back in the country. In his first SEC game, Lattimore ran 37 times for 182 yards, scored twice, and broke 29 tackles in a Gamecock win over Georgia. Against Alabama, he came as close as any back in three years to cracking the century mark against the Tide with 93 yards on 23 carries, and also caught a touchdown pass in arguably the biggest win in Gamecock history. With the SEC East crown on the line at Florida, where South Carolina had never won, he ran 40 times for 212 yards and three scores in a Gamecock rout that sent them on to their first SEC Championship Game.
Those were South Carolina's three biggest games at the kickoff, and Lattimore played a central, usually dominating role in all three. Not coincidentally, Carolina is about to play for its first conference championship in 50 years. He doesn't have the jaw-dropping numbers on the national leader boards, and he was MIA in the losses to Auburn and Arkansas (in the latter case, because of injury). But no back anywhere has done more this year to lift his team to a level it couldn't reach without him.
- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Joël Robert Ken Roczen Stephane Roncada Gerard Rond Jean Sebastien Roy
Game day live blog: War of the Roses
Today is a proxy war for the Big Ten championship, but really, it's all very simple. If Wisconsin beats Northwestern, the Badgers go to the Rose Bowl. Unless, that is, Ohio State somehow loses to Michigan, in which case Michigan State would go to the Rose Bowl. Unless the Spartans also lose to Penn State, in which case we're back to the Badgers – you know, probably. But if Wisconsin loses, it's the Buckeyes all the way. Unless of course their patented slow-down strategy leaves the door open for Michigan State to leap them in the polls with a surprising blowout in Happy Valley. A close shave for Wisconsin could also leave room for Ohio State to make a move if things get ugly in Columbus.
See? Simple.
Essentially, it's this: If everything happens the way we think it's going to happen, Wisconsin is going to Pasadena via a) Its position in the BCS standings, and/or b) Its head-to-head win over Ohio State in October. And we're always right when it comes to this sort of thing, aren't we?
• What: Game day live blog, all games in play, all day long. All comments welcome.
• When: First kickoffs are at noon; blog kicks simultaneously, running through at least the colossal primetime tilts in Athens, Los Angeles and Stillwater. Come as you please.
• Who: You, of course. And your arch nemesis, just to get into the spirit.
• How: Hit "Watch Now," enter comments into the available box and do your part to accelerate the slow, agonizing death of conventional journalism.
• Why: It is the final regular season Saturday of 2010, blessed be its soul. Get your kicks in while you still can.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Brian Myerscough Maximilian Nagl Kurt Nicoll Bill Nilsson Jorgen Nilsson
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Acer?s Clear.fi is Media Sharing Made Easy
Acer’s press event today started with hardware, and ended with software. Throughout their announcements this morning, the company made sure to focus on the fact that interactivity between their devices was paramount. They wanted to feature the same User Interface, the same elements, amongst their devices, no matter the software powering it, or the hardware [...]
Source: http://feeds.slashgear.com/~r/slashgear/~3/96XMTCkS96E/
Les Archer Nicolas Aubin Rene Baeten David Bailey John Banks
There is definitely going to be an NBA lockout
It's worth remembering that "NBA lockout" doesn't have to mean "the NBA will cancel games." Or even exhibition games, or parts of training camp. All a "lockout" means is that the NBA will shut down business, all business, for an indefinite amount of time once the league's collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with its players expires in July. It means the players will not be paid, which is kind of weird considering they signed legal contracts to be paid by the owners, and it also means the players will not be on strike. The players will want to play. It will be owners taking their ball, and going home.
Which is probably a good thing, because it will stop them from that annual rite of passage we see every July, the one that allows for NBA owners to bid against themselves and ignore the provisions already in the CBA designed to save them money, and sign player after player to terrible deals. Not because players have them over a barrel, not because players have untold leverage, but because ownership (like the fans that they are, giddy at the thought of getting it right this year, or putting themselves over the top) will be making bad decisions.
This is also why Billy Hunter is wrong when he tells Howard Beck of the New York Times that he is "99 percent sure as of today that there will be a lockout," because there is a one hundred percent chance there will be a lockout next July. If even for a day, a week, a month, or (as was the case during the 1995 lockout) until school starts again.
Beck has the lowdown:
According to the union, league revenues will grow this season by 3 to 5 percent, or about $100 million to $200 million. Meanwhile, negotiated player salaries will decline for the third year in a row and will fall below the 57 percent threshold for the first time, according to union projections. As a result, the players will receive a full refund on the 8 percent escrow tax taken from their paychecks.
The decline in player salaries is due in part to conservative spending by owners during a poor economy. It also reflects the changes made in the 2005 labor deal, which reduced annual raises and the length of contracts.
"Our contention is that the system that was put in place delivered everything it was supposed to deliver," Hunter said, referring to the initial framework adopted in 1999. "The players never got a cent more than they were supposed to get. And ironically, if you review the press clippings from that era, you will see that the deals that were struck were lauded by the N.B.A. as having been major successes for the owners. So why now at this stage are we now saying that the system doesn't work and it's got to be overhauled?"
Once again, all the framework is in place for owners to spend their money judiciously, without having to collude against the players. Restricted free agency continues to be ignored by management, as does the burgeoning advanced statistical movements that could tell you why, exactly, it might not be the best idea to send an average of eight figures a year at a guy in his 30s, just because he was on a very good team the year before.
To their credit, the players are preparing for the inevitable. A great piece from David Biderman of the Wall Street Journal has the insight:
In the meantime, Mr. Hunter has been sending flyers to players' homes for two years to make sure they know to cut expenses. Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers, who is the president of the players' union, has been recording lockout-themed podcasts that are emailed out to players, and the union is issuing an instruction manual that explains tips for saving money, like renting houses instead of buying them and trying to keep a strict limit on fancy cars.
New Jersey Nets guard Jordan Farmar said every penny he spends is part of a long-term budget he prepares for himself to make sure he doesn't end up like "the players who make millions of dollars and still somehow end up living paycheck to paycheck."
One of the first things Mr. Farmar said he did with his money was purchase several rental properties in Los Angeles, so he could "make my money work for me."
Mr. Jones of the Heat, who is the players union's secretary-treasurer, was a finance major when he was at the University of Miami. He said he tried to keep himself on a 20/80 budget when he joined the league in 2003 --spending 20% of his salary, saving 80%. When he played for the Suns from 2005 to 2007, he rented an apartment in Phoenix while paying off a mortgage and taxes on a home he bought in Miami. If he came into the league now, he said, he would have only had one property at a time.
None of this is quoted to get you to feel sorry for millionaires on either side of this impending battle. But it is important to note that this latest NBA lockout -- as opposed to the much-needed and rightfully one-sided (in the owners' favor) 1998-99 lockout -- will not resemble anything we've seen in the past.
The owners have a lot of work to do to convince us that they're not the biggest part of the problem, and that their solutions are the solution.
Mickael Maschio Connor McGechan Jeremy McGrath Andrew McFarlane Brett Metcalfe
Vince Young Reportedly Asked to Leave Titans Facility
Filed under: Titans
The tense tale of Vince Young and Jeff Fisher has a new chapter, as Young was reportedly asked to leave Titans headquarters Monday.According to the report, Young was in the training room amongst other players when he was asked to leave. Young became visibly upset, although he did so without incident. The report notes that Young hasn't been banned, and that he could be allowed to return at a later date.
Young was placed on IR Monday for a thumb injury suffered in Sunday's game, but that's the least of worries between he and the team. After he was pulled and not allowed to reenter the game Sunday, Young reportedly threw his shoulder pads into the crowd and stormed off after the game, leading to a locker room exchange between he and Fischer in front of the entire team. Fisher declared that Young would not be the team's starter anymore and then backed that stance up Monday, saying he would have lost his job even he wasn't injured.
Owner Bud Adams has told the duo they'll have to learn to live with each other.
Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/23/vince-young-reportedly-asked-to-leave-titans-facility/
Arthur Lampkin Steve Lamson Grant Langston Danny LaPorte Mike LaRocco
Miami Heat Hear Boos During Blowout Loss at Home to Pacers
MIAMI -- The Heat followed up the devastating news that Udonis Haslem would be undergoing surgery on his ailing left foot by playing their worst game of the season in Miami at the hands of the Indiana Pacers, who were 5-6 entering this game.The bizarre final box score showed the Heat with just four bench points, 25 more free throws attempts than the Pacers but with an unheard-of 28 fewer field-goal attempts. Making matters worse, a hobbled Dwyane Wade was a game-time decision for the Heat though his presence on the court was arguably a detriment to the team on 1-for-13 shooting and five turnovers. This was also the first game the Heat lost by double-digits this season.
"We did not play well, we know that," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra afterwards. "Everybody in the locker room understood that right now. Offensively, we didn't get into any kind of rhythm or flow and then from there we just seemed anxious and started to force the action and really weren't moving the ball."
Danny Granger struggled with his shot all night for the Pacers shooting 6 of 21 from the field, but still managed 20 points, as did Brandon Rush, to lead the team in scoring. It was part of a balanced Pacers attack that stood in stark contrast to the Heat's uneven offensive attack with only four bench points, all belonging to Jamaal Magloire.
Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/11/23/miami-heat-hear-boos-during-blowout-loss-at-home-to-pacers/
Andrea Bartolini Willy Bauer Jean Michel Bayle Pit Beirer Christian Beggi
Male field hockey star keys state final win ... against former male player
On Saturday, Cornelius Tietze delivered what every field hockey coach in Pennsylvania hoping to minimize potential controversy had feared: He almost single-handedly led Wyoming Seminary to a state title, keying three different goals in a 5-0 rout of Leighton that handed the Knights the Class AA title.
According to the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, Tietze never scored himself, but his three assists directly set up easy goals for his teammates, and the amount of attention Leighton had to use to focus on the speedy German import helped set the groundwork for a scoreline that tied the most-lopsided state final in state history.
Still, while one might assume the Leighton coach would be crying foul over the final result, that wasn't the case, because of a fascinating coincidence: Leighton's head coach is Shawn Hindy, a former male field hockey player himself who played for the U.S. men's national team from 1997 to 2005 after starting his career at the tender age of 12.
"I would say it's wrong, but I'm not going to cry about it," Hindy told CitizensVoice.com before the game. "If I was the one making up the rules maybe I would say that boys could play during the season, but when it comes to the state tournament they sit out because at this point of the season you want to have an even playing field."
Since that isn't the case, Hindy had to help his team lick the same wounds that all other Wyoming Seminary opponents have dealt with during the playoffs.
"They had a couple of bounces and calls go their way in the first half," Hindy told the Times Leader. "They scored quick in the second half and that took the wind out of our sails a little bit...We weren't trying to stop one player. We were trying to stop them as a team. I still think we're the better team."
With the exception of one player, they may have been. Yet that isn't the way the rosters stacked up, and Wyoming Seminary head coach said that it demeans her team to continue to focus on the impact of one foreign exchange student.
"It gets tiring after a while," Seminary coach Karen Klassner told CitizensVoice.com. "He's a 16-year old kid and as an educator, how can I tell a kid that they can't do something they love to do? That's not my philosophy and it's not the philosophy or mission of our school."
"We knew coming in that we were going to have to play well to win," the coach told the Times Leader after the state title victory. "I'm very proud of this team. This is really special."
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Marty Tripes Vlastimil Valek Julien Vanni Pekka Vehkonen Marc Velkeneers
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