Gary Semics Andrew Short Shaun Simpson Joël Smets Jeff Smith
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Breakfast Buffet: Tennessee loses another Bruce Pearl recruit
1. In addition to guard Kevin Ware backing out of his letter of intent to Tennessee in favor of Central Florida earlier this month, the Vols will apparently lose another member of Bruce Pearl's final recruiting class. The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports Chris Jones will play�for former Vols assistant coach Steve Forbes at Northwest Florida State College next season.
2. Pac-10 fans hoping to earn more national respect next season will not be pleased with Gary Parrish's latest column at CBSSports.com. He correctly points out that the conference could again be the worst of the Big Six next season as a result of a rash of early departures from last year's top underclassmen.
3. The field for the fifth annual Puerto Rico Tip-Off will include a pair of second-round NCAA tournament teams and three of this past season's four NIT finalists. Purdue, Temple, Alabama, Colorado and Wichita State will be joined in Puerto Rico by Iona, Western Michigan and Maryland.
4. The Arizona Republic's Doug Haller notes that Pac-10 schools have signed 16 junior college players the past two years, the most during a two-year span since 2002-03. That number could increase to 17 if Washington lands Erie Community College forward God's Gift Achiuwa, who is slated to decide Thursday between the Huskies, St. John's and Cincinnati.
5. Two Winthrop players made headlines for all the wrong reasons on Wednesday. Robbie Dreher and Julius Francis have been suspended indefinitely after they were charged with two counts of sexual misconduct stemming from an April 17 incident involving a 19-year-old woman.
This space typically is reserved for college basketball clips, but the above video of a frighteningly huge tornado passing right by Alabama's Bryant Denny Stadium is too horrifyingly amazing to pass up. Best wishes to everyone in Tuscaloosa and other cities impacted by Wednesday's wave of storms.
"I feel like (Tyler) Honeycutt didn't perform like he could have. On the defensive end they really needed him on some plays but he seemed lost." -- UCLA signee Norman Powell assessing what went wrong for the Bruins in their second-round NCAA tournament loss to Florida. (ESPN Los Angeles)
Jonathan Barragan Andrea Bartolini Willy Bauer Jean Michel Bayle Pit Beirer
Tommy Tuberville successfully forces release of president’s birth certificate
Well, yeah, of course Donald Trump is taking credit for it, because that's what Donald Trump does. But look at the facts here, people.
First, Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville makes a live appearance Tuesday night as the celebrity guest on conservative television host Sean Hannity's "Great American Panel" on FOX News, where Tubs joins in criticism of the church where Barack Obama attended Easter services last weekend. Then he draws on his decades of public service experience to openly call for the president to release his long-form birth certificate to the American public:
Hannity: What do you think about this? The certificate of live birth exists. The birth announcement eight days later exists. So I think that's in the president's favor. But he could just go get the birth certificate and it would all be over, and I'm just curious why he wouldn't do that.
Tuberville: Well, we've got enough controversy going on in this country. I don't know why he wouldn't just step up and say, you know, 'Here it is.' Obviously there's gotta be something on there that he doesn't want anybody to see. I don't understand it. You know, as a common American, I just don't understand why we just go through this and I think it's continued to divide the country.
Hannity: By the way, for the record, I think he's probably born in the United States. Otherwise that birth announcement wouldn't be there. But it is odd.
Tuberville: Obviously there's got to be something on there that he doesn't want anybody to see. I just don't understand it.
(See video of Tuberville's appearance here.)
What happens next? What else: On Wednesday morning ? years after the "birther" issue began to smolder on the political fringes but mere hours after the man who led the Auburn Tigers to a perfect 13-0 record in 2004 went on national television to force the issue ? the President of the United States releases his long-form birth certificate to the American public. Oh, but I suppose that's just a coincidence, huh?
Here's to you, coach Tuberville, for daring to stand up where so many other decidedly non-political figures would not and singlehandedly resolving a critical issue that has threatened to split America at the seams. Where opportunists race to take credit, we know the truth: Thanks to your leadership, all doubts about Barack Obama's origin, background and legitimacy have finally been convincingly resolved forever, never to be questioned by anyone of any political persuasion again, and the American public can again look forward to years of a united citizenry standing resolutely behind its president. I guess all we needed all along was a "common American" to show those fat cats the light.
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Screencap via AlreadyTV.com
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Jake Weimer Jimmy Weinert Nick Wey Blake Wharton Jeremy Whatley
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
iPad 2, HARMAN OnBeat, Upgrade Bracket Free Promo Code
Free stuff is always nice. We just got this tip that you can get an upgrade bracket that will allow you to fit your iPad2 into your HARMAN OnBeat. The old model was too loose to accomadate the slimmer tablet. If you have been running into this problem, JBL has your back. They’re offering to ship free brackets to anyone who has this problem. All of the details are after the break.
All you have to do is browse on over to JBL’s webstore here. There you’ll find the product numbers you need, just use the promo code BRACKET and you’ll be able to get a new bracket shipped to you at no cost. Thanks JBL! It’s always nice when a company actually goes out of their way to support a product like this. I snapped a quick screenshot confirming that the code actually works. Here you go.
You should also know that if you’re shopping around for docking stations, JBL is already shipping all new purchases with this bracket. So don’t let this deter you, you’re already covered. We wrote a bit more about it and have an image gallery posted here.
Relevant Entries on SlashGear
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- Harman Kardon shown confidence in Blu-Ray
Source: http://feeds.slashgear.com/~r/slashgear/~3/gTPhgUvbXN0/
Wyman Priddy Alessandro Puzar Gaston Rahier Steve Ramon Tyla Rattray
Five thoughts on end of Chicago Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup reign
The champions went out last night, and but they went out like champions.
There's no getting around the fact that the Chicago Blackhawks' title defense was a disappointment, from their Cup hangover to backing into the playoffs to going down 3-0 to the Vancouver Canucks in the conference quarterfinals. The roster was dotted with underachievers and lineup holes. The elation of 2010 became the frustration of 2011.
But that all became secondary to their near-miracle in Game 7, in which they were one goal away from becoming the fourth team ever to rally from 3-0 hole. They showed the swagger and talent that made them champions; you could hear it in Jonathan Toews's voice after the 2-1 overtime loss:
"We've had some good series in the past, but I have to say that's been the best one," he said. "We never gave up. You have to feel like it's meant to be when you get to that point. You have to think it's going to go your way and when it doesn't … I can't believe what just happened. There was no doubt in my mind we were going to win this game coming into it."
A few thoughts on the end of the Blackhawks' season:
It Wasn't About Roberto. The Blackhawks failed to create chaos in front of Roberto Luongo for one simple reason: The Canucks were protecting their keeper like the Tri-Lambs protected the Nerds from the jocks. It's hard to set screens and get in his face when Vancouver is collapsing five in the zone.
Was Luongo good? Sure, but outside of a couple saves in the third period his performance was workmanlike and occasionally worrisome; which, considering his broken psyche entering the game, naturally garnered overpraise. It was the goaltending equivalent of seeing a stroke victim slowly regain his motor skills.
Why the Blackhawks lost Game 7: Because the Canucks got back to the style they played from Games 1-3. Forechecking well to prevent breakout passes. Clearing their own zone quickly. Protecting Luongo. Some of these things fell by the wayside when the Blackhawks came charging in the third, but for the most part they didn't give Chicago the same breathing room they had in the last three losses. You could see where the seams were breaking in previous games; the Canucks stitched them up in Seven.
We feel good for Luongo -- honestly, we have no idea how the guy could continue playing hockey if Toews Parise'd him in the third and then he lost at home, in overtime, in a cruel variation of the gold medal game -- but it was his team that secured the win for him.
The Bickell Factor. Losing Bryan Bickell to wrist surgery turned out to be a significant loss, even if it wasn't a surprise. Dave Bolland, Michael Frolik and Troy Brouwer were off the score sheet in Game 7, and the Bolland line wasn't as effective on the other end of the ice either, considering how the Canucks crashed the zone for two periods. Bickell had a point in four straight playoff games, and his speed was a factor for the Canucks' defense. It doesn't have to be a superstar to be a significant loss, and this absence hurt the Blackhawks.
If They Want Him, They've Found Their Goaltender. Had Corey Crawford won that game, it would have stood up as one of the greatest goaltending performances of the season, regular or post-. He was the best player on the ice for Chicago and the only reason Vancouver wasn't in celebration mode by the third period. His sequence against Higgins, Burrows and Kesler with 5:04 left in the game was eye-popping:
He's a restricted free agent this summer, and the team and Crawford agreed to defer contract talks until after the season. He should cash in; and, hopefully, doesn't get Niemi'd out the door if Chicago doesn't like his terms.
The Summer Ahead. In the postmortem of this series, we'll likely hear about nagging injuries (gotta believe Duncan Keith's on that list, based on the optics of his game) and plans for the future. The Blackhawks have 11 free agents, but none from their core; the biggest name outside of Crawford is Troy Brouwer, who's restricted.
According to Capgeek, they have $8,385,331 in projected cap space, which again is not much to fill out a roster that needs to return in 2011-12 with better quality depth. It's a top-heavy roster salary-wise; will Stan Bowman do something about that?
Finally, How Exactly Were The Blackhawks Supposed To Win When Vancouver Was Blessed By a Double Rainbow?
Double rainbow oh my god double rainbow. It's so bright, so vivid.
Andrew McFarlane Brett Metcalfe Heikki Mikkola Auguste Mingels Marty Moates
iPad 2, HARMAN OnBeat, Upgrade Bracket Free Promo Code
Free stuff is always nice. We just got this tip that you can get an upgrade bracket that will allow you to fit your iPad2 into your HARMAN OnBeat. The old model was too loose to accomadate the slimmer tablet. If you have been running into this problem, JBL has your back. They’re offering to ship free brackets to anyone who has this problem. All of the details are after the break.
All you have to do is browse on over to JBL’s webstore here. There you’ll find the product numbers you need, just use the promo code BRACKET and you’ll be able to get a new bracket shipped to you at no cost. Thanks JBL! It’s always nice when a company actually goes out of their way to support a product like this. I snapped a quick screenshot confirming that the code actually works. Here you go.
You should also know that if you’re shopping around for docking stations, JBL is already shipping all new purchases with this bracket. So don’t let this deter you, you’re already covered. We wrote a bit more about it and have an image gallery posted here.
Relevant Entries on SlashGear
- JBL OnBeat speaker dock supports iPad 2
- iPad iOS4 upgrade fee tipped; EULA would seem to suggest otherwise
- Shuttle offers discounts on all SFF Barebones PCs at Newegg
- Apple lift promo-code restrictions on 17+ App Store titles
- Harman Kardon shown confidence in Blu-Ray
Source: http://feeds.slashgear.com/~r/slashgear/~3/gTPhgUvbXN0/
David Thorpe Rich Thorwaldson Rolf Tibblin Sebastien Tortelli Ben Townley
Qik Video Connect lets iPhone and Android users taunt each other by video
Qik has updated its video calling app, Qik Video Connect, to support cross-platform calls between iOS and Android devices. The new version – a free download for both platforms, though the premium Qik Video Connect Plus is also available for iOS – allows the front and rear cameras to be used on the iPhone 4, iPod touch 4G, iPad 2 and Android 2.1+ devices for two-way video chat and video mail.
As well as the broader compatibility, Qik is promising boosted video quality and less of a hit on battery life than in previous versions. If you’ve got a�Samsung Galaxy Tab, Samsung Galaxy Player, Samsung Galaxy S, or Telus Samsung Galaxy S Fascinate 4G, you can have VGA-quality calls over WiFi, too.
Video mail, however, will only be free until June 1, after which time it will be free to receive them but require a subscription in order to send them. Qik for Android can be downloaded here, and for iOS here.
Qik had previously said that it wanted to include FaceTime support, for native compatibility with iOS devices, but Apple’s ongoing tardiness in releasing open APIs for its video calling service has obviously pushed it into this alternative strategy. Google is tipped to be readying a smartphone version of its own Android Gtalk video calling app for debut at Google I/O early next month.
[via Android Community]
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- Nexus One Used as a USB Host, Thanks to Hack [Video]
Source: http://feeds.slashgear.com/~r/slashgear/~3/fQlObIMZCQg/
Daryl Ecklund Erik Eggens Richard Eierstedt Jimmy Ellis Jeff Emig
Those Urban Meyer-to-Ohio State rumors are starting to bother Urban Meyer’s family
Last year, it sounded like wishful thinking. Last month, it sounded like old-fashioned trollin'. Even last week, it sounded like a bout of senility. But as the NCAA noose begins to tighten and Jim Tressel's future at Ohio State looks less and less certain by the day, it's official: The Urban Meyer-to-Ohio State chatter has gone mainstream.
That's in large part because Meyer happens to be available after walking away from another power gig at Florida last December, and in even larger part because there couldn't be a more a more perfect fit in Columbus if Tressel gets the ax: Meyer grew up in Ohio, went to school in Ohio (Cincinnati) and landed his first graduate assistant job at Ohio State, where he picked up a master's degree and a wife. Who also grew up in Ohio. He's made no secret of his admiration of former Buckeye coach Earle Bruce, who served as an important father figure early in Meyer's career. There is no good reason —�if the job happens to come open, and we are not saying it will — that Meyer wouldn't be at the top of the list to fill it, and wouldn't give it a long, serious thought.
In the meantime, his daughter Nicki politely requests that you shut up about it:
Girl, please, like a denial is going to stop anybody. Remember: Your dad said the same thing about those Urban-to-Notre Dame rumors before Charlie Weis was fired in 2009, too. And look how that turned out.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Larry Brooks Mike Brown Rick Burgett Jimmy Button Michael Byrne
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Design concept combines Leica camera with iPhone
We have seen all manner of Leica cameras over the years and they all have a few things in common. These things include great photo quality, cool retro style, and a massive price tag. A new design concept that combines the cool Leica camera design with the high-tech iPhone smartphone has been unveiled. I will admit that the design is a bit weird. I’m not sure why you would want to combine an iPhone with the little digital camera myself.
The concept is called the Leica i9 concept and it is from designers Black Design Associates LLC. The company points out that it is in no way affiliated with either Apple or Leica. That would mean this is no official design concept and the product will never come to market. Combing the iPhone with the little camera is weird to me, but I guess with all the apps to help you take better photos by measuring light and other things perhaps this would be useful.
The designers say that the concept has 12.1MP resolution. Strange as it may be, the design certainly looks cool. The retro style of the Leica line is my favorite things about the cameras. The big downside to Leica for many of us is that the cameras are very expensive. Leica was rumored to be moving into the Micro Four Thirds market earlier this year and then the company came back and said the M9 was as small as Leica cameras would get.
[via Black Design]
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Source: http://feeds.slashgear.com/~r/slashgear/~3/f_mr6I32Y-E/
Maximilian Nagl Kurt Nicoll Bill Nilsson Jorgen Nilsson Graham Noyce
Monday, April 25, 2011
iPhone storing tracking details on users even with location services off
There are a lot of times when you iPhone or other device needs to know your location to give you the service you are looking for. For instance if you are looking for a gas station near you or trying to find your way to a destination the app on your iPhone will need to know where you are right now. There are also times when your iPhone doesn’t need to know where you are and has no need to be storing those details. That is exactly what the iPhone is allegedly doing though, storing location data even when the user has locations services turned off.
We reported last week that both the iPhone and Android devices were storing tracking details on the user of the phone is at set intervals and sending that data home. The iPhone stores the data, that data is sent to Apple intermittently, and Android shoots the location data over the Google. The WSJ says that the iPhone is collecting and storing that data using cellular towers and WiFi access points near the user. The WSJ also notes that over the weekend Rep. Edward Markey (D. Mass.) has called for a congressional investigation into the tracking row.
Markey says that the location information could be hacked by predators putting children who use the smartphones at risk. The iPhone stores months worth of tracking information according to security researchers. So far, both Apple and Google claim that the data that the smartphones stores and send in to them is anonymous and that users can turn it off by disabling location services. Apple will surely find itself in more hot water with the discovery that the data is collected even when location services are disabled by the user.
[via WSJ]
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- Apple location tracking raises privacy ire; iAd opt-out unearthed
Source: http://feeds.slashgear.com/~r/slashgear/~3/aH_kipkaQ0g/
David Philippaerts Mickael Pichon Jim Pomeroy Christophe Pourcel Sebastien Pourcel
Headlinin’: Fiesta Bowl asks politicians for its money back, please
Making the morning rounds.
? You kept those receipts, right? Politicians who have accepted thousands of dollars' worth of airfare, lodging, meals and game tickets on the Fiesta Bowl's dime are due to receive invoices soon asking them to fully reimburse the bowl for certain expenses, as the Fiesta shifts into full-on damage-control mode in the wake of the corruption scandal that threatens�its legal nonprofit status, its place in the BCS rotation and possibly its existence, period.
Ousted bowl CEO John Junker, who apparently built a 21-year career largely on wining and dining influential friends, has admitted that junkets and fundraisers were explicitly intended to curry favor with power brokers. At least one politician ? Scottsdale, Ariz., Mayor Jim Lane ?�has already reimbursed the bowl for a 2009 fundraiser it held on his behalf. [Arizona Republic]
? It's worth a shot. Not a scholarship, but a shot. Tennessee hoops player Melvin Goins, who averaged eight points per game and led the team in assists and steals as a starting point guard in 2010-11, is working out with the football team, now that his hardwood eligibility has expired. Goins is trying his hand at cornerback and safety, but coach Derek Dooley said he still sees him "as a point guard" for now: "I can tell you, when we play three-on-three, he's on my team." Dooley said. "We're going to be good when we get into the offseason three-on-three hoops tournament." After four years of basketball, Goins would need a waiver from the NCAA to play this fall, anyway. [Associated Press]
? The Rap Sheet. Boise State defensive tackle John Nisby, a key reserve in the Broncos' rotation on the line, was cited for misdemeanor battery after allegedly choking a familiar nemesis at a downtown bar on April 3. Nisby was reportedly separated from the victim by bystanders, and police issued a ticket after being alerted by the victim later that day. Boise State officials said they're aware of the charge but haven't announced a formal response; Nisby hasn't participated in spring practice because (according to the Idaho Statesman) coach Chris Petersen "wanted him to focus on his responsibilities off the field." So… not so good on that front. [Idaho Statesman]
Elsewhere, Michigan State state tight end Brian Linthicum, one of two Spartans charged for allegedly assaulting an Englishman at a bar in Aspen, Colo., last month, has been sentenced to 12 months probation and 40 hours of public service in Colorado. [The State News]
? 38 Special. Injured linebacker D.T. Shackelford was named Thursday as the first junior to win Ole Miss' Chucky Mullins Courage Award ? and the traditional No. 38 jersey that goes with it ?�even though Shackelford is likely out for the entire 2011 season with a knee injury he suffered earlier this week. The Mullins Award is named for the former Rebel safety who was paralyzed while making a tackle in a 1989 game against Vanderbilt and later died from his injuries. Last year's winner, Kentrell Lockett, also spent most of the season on the sideline after tearing his ACL in September. [Clarion-Ledger]
? A work in progress. Lane Kiffin dubbed USC's injury-plagued offensive line as the "No. 1 question by far on our team" after Thursday's practice, essentially declaring every position except Matt Kalil's left tackle spot up for grabs. "None of those guys have performed like starters would need to for us, outside of Matt," Kiffin said. "Just a long ways away from the whole package. This offseason will be big for them, and obviously this fall, that will be the No. 1 question by far on our team." [Orange County Register]
Quickly… NBC is also in the running for the apparently coveted Pac-12 television contract. … The NCAA may be inadvertently creating an active postgraduate transfer market. … Barrett Jones may be sticking as Alabama's new left tackle. … Bronco Mendenhall calls this spring the best of his seven spring sessions at BYU. … Nebraska fans are looking forward to a glimpse at another quarterback candidate in Saturday's spring game. … The graven images of Pat Sullivan and Bo Jackson are already in Auburn. … Justin Blackmon remains Justin Blackmon. … JayPa snaps a shot of Penn State's bold new uniform change. … Texas A&M could probably use another set of eyes on its recruiting letters before they go out in the mail. … And I never knew Florida State girls were so smart.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Andrea Bartolini Willy Bauer Jean Michel Bayle Pit Beirer Christian Beggi
Nick O’Leary is the Masters’ first five-star caddie
If the scouts are right, top-ranked tight end recruit Nick O'Leary is well on his way to making his own name over the next three-to-five years at Florida State. In the meantime, the 6-foot-4, 235-pound titan is still introduced to people as "Jack Nicklaus' grandson," which obviously has its advantages — for example, a free trek through Augusta National during Masters week as his grandfather's caddie in this afternoon's Par 3 Contest, on the 50th anniversary of Nicklaus' first Masters in 1961, and 25th anniversary of his final Masters win in 1986.
Of course, like outings with your grandfather, playing a round with the great Golden Bear is largely an opportunity for him to wax nostalgic about the olden days and reference long-forgotten cultural artifacts*:
[Nicklaus, to an interviewer on Tuesday:] I've said many times, I drove down Magnolia Lane the first time in 1959 and I thought that was pretty neat. We drove down here again today and my grandson, Nick is over here, Nick O'Leary. He's my caddie tomorrow. We have Mutt and Jeff on the Par 3 tomorrow.
I told him I said, look at these trees. These trees look exactly the same, I don't know how many years ago is that, that's 52 years ago ?? that's not 62, is it? 52. (Laughter.) They look the same to me now.
I'm sure they have lost one or two trees. I don't think they have ever replaced any.
Wow, that is a really cool story, Pop Pop. (*For the whippersnappers, "Mutt and Jeff" is a syndicated comic strip featuring one very tall character and one very short one, created in 1907 and taken out of circulation in 1982, a decade before Nick O'Leary was born.) As long as Nick keeps his emotions in check and doesn't act like he knows everything about the 3-iron, though, I bet his tip at the end of the day is going to be awesome.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Stephane Roncada Gerard Rond Jean Sebastien Roy Alex Salvini Donny Schmit
Friday, April 22, 2011
Video: How a Nick Saban statue is born, from the top
It took sculptors well over a year to successfully render the face and hair of Alabama coach Nick Saban to the satisfaction of both the university and Mrs. Saban, who finally gave the go-ahead on the version of the statue that arrived in Tuscaloosa last month to join the graven images of Saban's title-winning predecessors in the "Walk of Champions" outside of Bryant-Denny Stadium. But via TideSports.com, you can watch the whole thing come together in a little over two-and-a-half minutes:
I'm assuming that's just a scale model for the actual, life-size statue, although frankly, Jadeveon Clowney doesn't see the difference. The statue is set to be unveiled before the spring A-Day game on April 16.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Neil Hudson Ryan Hughes Georges Jobe Gunnar Johansson Peter Johansson
Thursday, April 21, 2011
AT&T Officially Pitches To FCC Its Acquisition Of T-Mobile
It’s been a month since AT&T first announced plans to acquire T-Mobile, a move that made sense to analysts but got consumers concerned about future pricing options. Today, AT&T filed its official application to the FCC detailing why their acquisition should be approved.
AT&T emphasized that the acquisition would help speed up the expansion of their 4G network, which would benefit consumers with improved voice and data service as well as coverage.
“In just the first five-to-seven weeks of 2015, AT&T expects to carry all of the mobile traffic volume it carried during 2010,” the carrier said in its filing. “This merger provides by far the surest, fastest and most efficient solution to that challenge. The network synergies of this transaction will free up new capacity – the functional equivalent of new spectrum – in the many urban, suburban and rural wireless markets where escalating broadband usage is fast consuming existing capacity.”
They also reassured that T-Mobile customers could continue to enjoy their current rate plans and that the acquisition would actually give them an even greater array of plan options. Customers would also benefit from free mobile-to-mobile calling with the expanded customer base.
“With this acquisition, T-Mobile USA consumers will be able to keep their current rate plans,” said AT&T. “AT&T will map T-Mobile USA?s rate plans into AT&T?s billing systems as we have done in the case of prior acquisitions, so that if a T-Mobile USA consumer wishes to change her existing smartphone to a comparable smartphone from AT&T?s device portfolio, she will be able to keep her existing data plan.”
“The bottom line is that our merger with T-Mobile USA will offer significant benefits to American consumers. It will address capacity constraints that both of our companies face, which will enable the combined company to provide improved services in the many urban, suburban, and rural markets where the enormous surge in broadband usage is fast consuming available capacity,” said AT&T.
[via PC Mag]
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Source: http://feeds.slashgear.com/~r/slashgear/~3/Vza_N_tPNXQ/
Mark Barnett Jonathan Barragan Andrea Bartolini Willy Bauer Jean Michel Bayle
Prospecting: Eric Hosmer on fire at Omaha
Royals first base prospect Eric Hosmer went 2-for-3 on Wednesday, scoring three runs and drawing a pair of walks for Triple-A Omaha. In the process, the lefty slugger raised his batting average to .415 and his on-base percentage to .492. Hosmer has a nine-game hitting streak at the moment, he's 10-for-20 against left-handed pitching, and, like last season, he's walking as often as he's striking out.
Hosmer began the year ranked as a top-10 prospect on everyone's board, so the early success isn't exactly a surprise. Still, we're talking about a 21-year-old player who'd made only 211 plate appearances above Single-A entering the season. It's nice to see that he's adjusted well to the degree of difficulty in the PCL. Last year, he hit .338/.406/.571 across two lower levels, with 20 homers, 43 doubles and 14 steals.
As we've mentioned before, there's little chance that we'll see Hosmer in Kansas City anytime soon ? perhaps not until September. Third base prospect Mike Moustakas, 22, will almost certainly arrive in the bigs before Hosmer, as his path is less cluttered. But if Kila Ka'aihue continues to struggle in KC, we may need to tweak Hosmer's ETA.
Kila is an odd case, a hitter in his prime who's been nearly unstoppable in the high minors over multiple seasons (stats here). Yet he's really only had two great weeks in the majors, in late-September 2010. His present situation was neatly summarized by Will McDonald at Royals Review on Tuesday:
Despite recent assurances from Ned Yost that the Royals would continue to play Kila, I'm no longer sure. He's batting just .160 thus far. He's now a guy that nobody believed in, who is confirming that bias. He could hit respectably well for a month, and his season stat line is still going to look terrible.
As a longtime Ka'aihue apologist/investor, I'd like to see Kila succeed … and it probably needs to happen soon. Not a great sign when your manager has to issue a vote of confidence in mid-April.
Meanwhile, Hosmer lurks in Omaha, hitting everything, reaching base at a ridiculous clip. Whenever he's promoted (and again, it probably won't be soon), mixed league fantasy owners won't need to reach for him ? he's a kid playing a talent-rich position, after all. Just track his progress, admire the Triple-A numbers, keep him in your plans for 2012.
---
Photo via AP Images
Guy Cooper Paul Cooper Josh Coppins Cody Copper Gordon Crockard
Friday, April 1, 2011
Fiesta Bowl Confidential: CEO sunk by politics, lies, strippers and a $33,000 birthday party
Anyone paying attention could hear the firing squad warming up when the Fiesta Bowl placed CEO John Junker on administrative leave back in February, so it's no surprise that the bowl�officially fired Junker on Tuesday amid multiple investigations for alleged abuse of the bowl's legal nonprofit status over the last decade. One of those investigations was an internal audit led by a three-man committee, whose official findings ?�released Tuesday afternoon ?�charge Junker with a handful of offenses, including:
? An "apparent scheme" to reimburse at least $46,539 in illegal campaign contributions by Fiesta Bowl employees to various politicians, including Arizona senator and former presidential candidate John McCain.
? A "flawed" initial investigation into the campaign contributions, and an "apparent conspiracy" to conceal the reimbursement scheme from both the Fiesta Bowl Board of Directors and state officials.
? "Unauthorized and excessive compensation, non-business and inappropriate expenditures and inappropriate gifts."
That's the formal version. The New York Times is a little more straightforward on the specifics (the clubhouse leader for Corporate Quote of the Year is in bold):
Junker and other top executives often used bowl money to spend lavishly, investigators found. In 2008, the Fiesta Bowl paid the $1,200 bill at a Phoenix strip club attended by Junker; Shawn Schoeffler, the former vice president for media relations; and Aaron Brown, a Maricopa County sheriff's lieutenant who owns a company that provides security to the Fiesta Bowl.
According to the report, Junker explained to investigators: "We are in the business where big strong athletes are known to attend these types of establishments. It was important for us to visit, and we certainly conducted business."[…]
[The Fiesta Bowl] also appears to have paid $13,000 in connection with the wedding of Junker's assistant, Kelly Keogh, covering her airfare and hotel on her honeymoon to British Columbia. It also paid to fly Junker, his wife, son and at least six Fiesta Bowl employees to her wedding in Kansas City, Mo.
One of the most extreme examples was a 50th birthday celebration given by the Fiesta Bowl for Junker in Pebble Beach, Calif., in 2005. Investigators found the bowl spent more than $33,000 on the party, including airfare for Junker and other top executives, car rentals, meals and lodging. A lawyer for Junker said investigators never asked his client about the party or the flowers. Junker said others gave him the party and he believed the board of directors had approved the expense.
Read the full report here. It runs 276 pages, and you get your money's worth: Besides the obviously salacious stuff, bowl employees used the coffers ? nonprofit coffers ? to ring up an $8,400 diamond pendant, a $1,000 bottle of wine, multiple golf club memberships, thousands in gold coins, iPads, a retreat for a "Hispanic businesswomen's group" in Paris, France (you know, because bowl employees "should get out in the Hispanic community"), all other varieties of travel and pretty much anything else you can think of. Keep in mind, that's a limited accounting, before we get to the zero-interest loans paid back almost entirely by bonuses and the suspiciously lucrative contract with a security company the bowl seems to have initially backed with substantial loans to get the company off the ground.�(And whose owner, the above-mentioned Maricopa sheriff's lieutenant ? one of Junker's strip club companions ? once served as personal driver and bodyguard for Junker's daughter at her high school prom. Yeah, it's a long report.)
The board claims that it is shocked ? shocked! ?�by these findings, and emphasized in its reponse that "the actions taken by John Junker and others were effectively hidden" from board oversight. This is a key point for two reasons.
First, and most importantly, the board acknowledges that it faces an ongoing investigation by the Arizona Attorney General's office into the illegal campaign contributions, which threatens to put its nonprofit status at risk of being revoked. On that front, the board is anxious to put the buck squarely on Junker as a rogue executive acting not only without the knowledge of the board but actually working to deceive the board. According to Tuesday's press releases, "the Fiesta Bowl as an organization has not violated any laws and does not anticipate any charges to be filed against it."
Second, and almost as importantly, for the future of the Fiesta Bowl as a major bowl game, which, yes, is very much in question. Officially, the board says it's "confident that the Fiesta Bowl will continue to be a part of the BCS rotation … because we are doing the right thing and making changes to prevent this type of thing from happening in the future." That will not stop the game the Fiesta impertinently nudged aside when the "Big Four" first came together in the mid-'90s, the Cotton Bowl, which has been positioning itself for a run at BCS status for years and now has ammunition against its main rival. Plus, if there's anything they definitely know in Dallas, it's how to capitalize on a corruption scandal.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Ivan Tedesco David Thorpe Rich Thorwaldson Rolf Tibblin Sebastien Tortelli
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