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Tag: Vince McMahon
Let's talk about the aging of the Winnipeg Jets…to Tokyo in denim…Aaron Rodgers' sticky notes…MLB grappling with lack of sizzle…old friend Big Jim takes a paddywhacking…Canadian Football Hall of Fame gets it right…what about Tricky Dick Thornton?…nightmare on TSN…and other things on my mind
Another Sunday smorgas-bored…and still no word on the if and when of a CFL season, but here's something else that's real iffy…
Stop me if you've heard this before:
"I believe we're close to having a team that has a chance to challenge for the Stanley Cup, and I'm really looking forward to that…we're a lot closer than some people will give us credit for…I look forward to these next five years."
Sound familiar? It should.
Blake Wheeler said much the same as Adam Lowry scant seconds after scratching his John Hancock on a six-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets.
"I believe in people like (owner) Mark Chipman and Chevy, what everyone stands for and especially in my teammates. I have believed since I got here that we have what it takes to get to the next level, so this is just a part of that process. I truly believe that great things are in store for this group," the then-future captain told news snoops.
Wheels was 26 at the time. There will be 35 candles on his birthday cake in August.
Lend an ear to Rink Rat Scheifele who, upon agreeing to an eight-year contract in 2016, expressed a robust belief in "the organization, in the players on the team, in the future prospects."
The Rink Rat was 23. He's now 28.
Connor Hellebuyck, the Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender, locked in for six years and said, "The tools are in this locker room to be a championship team. I love it here and I want to be here and I really believe this team has what it takes."
Hellebuyck was 25. He turns 28 next month.
Adam Lowry
And now we have another long-hauler, Lowry, parroting his teammates' faith in a process that began in 2011 and has delivered the grand sum of two post-season series victories, both in the spring of 2018.
Lowry is 28. The freshly minted contract he signed on Friday will take him to 33.
So what's my point? Just this: Unless your name is Evander Kane, Jacob Trouba, Dustin Byfuglien, Patrik Laine or Jack Roslovic, the Jets have all gulped down the Kool-Aid in a cultish-like obedience. They believe. And that's the reason what went down at last week's National Hockey League shop-and-swap deadline rankles.
We know Kevin Cheveldayoff kicked some tires on top-four defencemen, and we know the sticker price sent the Jets general manager running like a guy trying to stay two steps ahead of a loan shark.
We can assume his contemporaries were eager to fleece him and take Ville Heinola, Cole Perfetti and other shiny objects off his hands in exchange for their lame, halting and hard of seeing, but that was never going to happen because Chevy places premium value on his young studs. You might have a better chance of prying his bride, Janet, and their two kids away from him.
So it was no sale. Chevy allowed the NHL trade window to close with a whimper, and the Jets are no closer to the Stanley Cup today than a week ago, unless you consider a bottom-end, plug-in blueliner (hello, Jordie Benn) a shiny object.
Oddly enough, many among the rabble, also some news snoops, have given Chevy a tip of the chapeau and a slap on the back for his do-little day, because he "protected assets," meaning he clung to young wannabes Heinola, Perfetti and others like gum to the bottom of a shoe.
Well let me tell you something about assets: They don't stay forever young.
Chevy is protecting the future when most of the parts are in place for today's Jets team. Add the right top-four defender and we might be talking about a parade route. But the Jets GM chose to stand still, even as time refuses to stand still for his significant core workers.
Wheeler's prime years have been wasted. Scheifele and Hellebuyck are into prime time. Same with Lowry, Andrew Copp and Dylan DeMelo. And don't look now, but Josh Morrissey is 26.
Which begs this question: If the Jets GM was unwilling to go all-in now, when?
This was the time for derring-do, an opportunity for Chevy to orchestrate what could have become his signature moment, lifting the Jets to that "next level" Wheeler spoke of all those years ago.
Well, here's something else the captain said, when he re-upped in September 2018: "It kind of looks like that (Stanley Cup) window is opening up."
Apparently Chevy missed the memo.
I don't know if the GM will reflect on this crusade five years from now and view it as the one that got away, but Blake Wheeler might. Rink Rat Scheifele, Connor Hellebuyck and others like Lowry who've committed long term might, as well.
Chevy should be kicking himself. Right in the assets.
Something Bryan Little said when the Jets' playoff aspirations had been dashed in March 2017 is haunting: "It's another year of your career that you can't get back. Some of the best players in this room are the youngest. There's definitely a bright future, but some guys are older and want to do something right now. That's the thinking going into next year." Little was 29. He's now 33, wounded beyond repair, and there is no next year. Not for him. But why must it always be "next year" for Scheifele, Hellebuyck, Lowry et al?
As I was saying last week, I don't buy into the Jack Campbell hype that news snoops in the Republic of Tranna have been spreading like thick, gooey peanut butter. He's been a career backup goaltender for a reason, and Maple Leafs loyalists are beginning to see why. For all their talent, the Leafs are vulnerable in the blue paint, whereas Hellebuyck gives the Jets the best puck stopping in the Hoser Division (yes, including Carey Price). And we all know what that means when the boys begin to play for keeps, which is the very reason Chevy shouldn't have dithered last week.
I don't know about you, but I'm digging the threads our Canadian athletes will be wearing for the closing ceremonies at the Tokyo Olympics this summer, if there is a Tokyo Olympics, that is. Ya, sure, you can say the denim jacket looks like a teenage graffiti artist had a moment of madness, but I look at it more as a stroke of genius. There's a youth-cool vibe to the kit, something you might wear on a pub crawl, or wherever it is that our young people go these days. It's totally boffo compared to the get-ups that noted needle-and-thread guy Ralph Lauren designed for our American friends. I can't tell if he's dressed the U.S. team for the next space shuttle mission or an expedition to the South Pole.
I'll take nose-pickers for $2,000, Alex. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has completed his gig as guest host on Jeopardy!, and he let us in on a little secret about the sticky notes he used to aid his performance. One of them read: "Don't pick your butt/nose." Seriously. He needs a sticky note to remind himself not to pick his nose on camera? And the Packers trust Rodgers to call audibles in the red zone?
Curt, Terry, Howie, Michael and Jimmy.
Apparently, producers of Fox NFL Sunday were so impressed with Rodgers' work on Jeopardy! that they plan to equip Terry Bradshaw with sticky notes to improve his work:
1. "Remember, this ain't Hee Haw."
2. "Powder shiny head during every commercial break."
3. "Do not mention gap in Michael's teeth."
4. "Do not laugh at Howie's 1950s haircut because at least he has hair."
5. "Resist all urges to muss up Jimmy's hair."
6. "Do not tell Rob Riggle he isn't as funny as Frank Caliendo."
7. "Remember, guy sitting beside you is Curt, not James."
8. "Jay Glazer is human, he just looks like a garden gnome."
9. "Mention four Super Bowl rings whenever Jimmy mentions two Super Bowl rings."
10. "When in doubt, always refer to sticky note No. 1."
Favorite headline of the week was delivered by the New York Post: "How Yankees can address their crappiness." Anything that combines New York Yankees and "crappiness" is right by me, although I'm sure George Steinbrenner's son Hal wouldn't agree.
If your product needs to add some sizzle and pizzazz, who you gonna call? Well, Major League Baseball has called Brian Stedman, now responsible for strategy and development. That would be the same Brian Stedman who, for the past seven years, carried the sizzle-and-pizzazz portfolio for Vince McMahon's cast of characters in World Wrestling Entertainment. That will be quite an adjustment for Stedman. I mean, the play actors in wrestling are allowed to hit each other with everything including the kitchen sink, but the Yankees can't hit anything.
Old friend Big Jim Bender took a bit of a paddywhacking on Twitter last week, after he made a flippant remark about the Brendan Bottcher foursome failing to win a trinket at the world curling championship but securing an Olympic berth for Canada. "Was the very least they could do," Big Jim wrote. The Pebble People pounced. Darren Moulding, third on the Bottcher team, called the former Winnipeg Sun scribe "a joke," adding, "You're a stain on our country, not me." Harsh. Olympian and TSN talking head Cheryl Bernard weighed in, describing Bender's comment as "crap." Oh my. Who knew the delightful Cheryl could be so undelightful? Anyway, not that he plans to call me to the stand as a character witness, but let the record show that Big Jim is a friend of curler's everywhere. He's spent more time in chilly two-sheeters than most people I know, so, as Strother Martin told Cool Hand Luke, "What we've got here is failure to communicate."
Rachel Homan
Speaking of Pebble People, Rachel Homan played in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts title match on the final day of February while eight months pregnant. She then went home to bring daughter Bowyn into the world, and now the former Canadian/world champ has returned to the fray, skipping her team in the Humpty's Champions Cup just three weeks after giving birth. Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard won't be available to the L.A. Clippers today because he needs a rest—after sitting the last four games. I swear, if men could get pregnant and give birth, there would be no male sports.
Nobody asked me, but I'd say the selection committee for the Canadian Football Hall of Fame got it right when they chose Marv Levy, Nik Lewis, Will Johnson, Mike Walker, Orlondo Steinauer, Don Wilson and Doug Mitchell as this year's inductees. These things are always ripe for debate, of course, and we usually hear some squawking whenever a sports body salutes the best of the best, but I don't hear any arguments about the class of 2021, nor should there be.
And that's not to ignore broadcasters Bernie Pascall and Bob Hooper, who got the nod from the Football Reporters of Canada and will go into the CFHF media wing. Hooper was a long-time Hamilton Tabbies play-by-play voice, and Pascall's career chatting about Rouge Football on radio and TV spans decades. Unfortunately, Bob's not around to enjoy the honor, but Bernie's still with us, so he has something fresh to talk about with the neighbors on beautiful Vancouver Island.
Ashley Prest
The CFHF media wing is the ultimate boys' club. By my scorecard, there are now 101 members, all men. Yup, 101-0. I realize there haven't been a lot of women on the beat, but in my 19 years covering the Canadian Football League in three cities (Winnipeg, Calgary, Republic of Tranna), I can recall sharing a press box at Grey Cup games with Ashley Prest of the Drab Slab and Joanne Ireland of the Edmonton Journal. Ashley also knew her way around the University of Manitoba campus to cover coach Brian Dobie's Bisons, and there might be some high school grid in her resumé, too, because that's what most of us did back in the day. We started at the bottom and worked our way up. So it seems to me that the boys on the beat should find room for trailblazers like Ashley or Joanne.
Steve Simmons of Postmedia Tranna has made his annual plea for Dick Thornton's induction to the CFHF, and I can't disagree with Sy. Tricky Dick certainly has the bona fides, including two Grey Cup victories with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and multiple all-star salutes, and he also happens to be one of the more colorful characters in CFL lore. Legendary Bombers coach Bud Grant once said this of his defensive back/wannabe quarterback/kick returner/kicker: "When most players arrive in a new town, the first thing they do is phone a girl. When Dick Thornton arrives, he phones a sports writer."
Tricky Dick had an ego the size of a football field, and here's how the great columnist Jack Matheson once described him in the Winnipeg Tribune: "The writers and broadcasters treat No. 14 with considerable respect because he's hot copy, in or out of uniform. His eccentricities are always guaranteed to liven a dull scene and for conversation Thornton holds all records for Blue Bombers of the modern era. The conversation always seems to revolve around Dick Thornton, but he has a magnetism and I've never seen anybody walk away from Dick Thornton when his mouth was open." Another time, Matty wrote this of Thornton: "An incurable extrovert who played harder with his larynx than his limbs."
Final note on Dick Thornton: The Bombers traded him to the Toronto Argos the same day the Maple Leafs cleared the track and sent Eddie Shack to the Boston Bruins. I guess the Republic of Tranna just wasn't big enough for two clown acts.
Gino Button and James McKenzie, or is it Craig Reda and Bob Duthie? Either way, it's scary, kids.
Still getting creepy vibes from those face mashups TSN featured on its NHL trade deadline coverage. It's clever work by Matty Go Sens, but morphing the faces of Gino Reda and Craig Button into one is the kind of stuff that will keep kids awake at night. Ditto the James Duthie/Bob McKenzie blending. I haven't been so frightened since Alfred Hitchcock had all those nasty birds attack Tippi Hedren.
This from Steve Simmons: "The top four goaltenders in all-time wins are Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy, Roberto Luongo and now Marc-Andre Fleury. All of them Quebecois. And there's not a single Quebec goalie of consequence (apologies to Jonathan Bernier) playing in today's NHL." Hmmm. Last time I checked, Marc-Andre Fleury was still a Quebecois and leading the NHL in shutouts.
Patrick Marleau will lace 'em up for his 1,768th NHL skirmish on Monday night, moving past Gordie Howe for most games played. It's a terrific achievement. Worth noting, however, are their birth certificates. Howe was 52 when he finally shut down, Marleau is 41. And, at 52, Howe was a significant contributor for the Hartford Whalers, scoring 15 goals and 41 points in 80 games, plus another two points in three playoff jousts. Marleau is 4-4-8 in what looks to be another lost season for the San Jose Sharks.
And, finally, on the subject of legendary performers, I discovered a DVD of Tony Bennett: An American Classic at a local video story the other day, and I snapped it up immediately. Fan-freaking-tastic. Tony's duets with Barbra Streisand and our Canadian songbird k.d. lang brought on the water works (sheer brilliance renders me very emotional), and there was only one sour note struck—the November 2006 TV special was far too short, just 42 minutes. I wanted at least an hour more.
Author pattidawnswanssonPosted on April 18, 2021 April 18, 2021 Categories SportsTags Aaron Rodgers, Adam Lowry, Alfred Hitchcock, Andrew Copp, Ashley Prest, Barbra Streisand, Bernie Pascall, Blake Wheeler, Bob Hooper, Bob McKenzie, Brendan Bottcher, Brian Dobie, Brian Stedman, Bryan Little, Bud Grant, Canadian Football Hall of Fame, Carey Price, Cheryl Bernard, Cole Perfetti, Connor Hellebuyck, Cool Hand Luke, Craig Button, Curt Menefee, Darren Moulding, Dick Thornton, Don Wilson, Doug Mitchell, Dustin Byfuglien, Dylan DeMelo, Eddie Shack, Edmonton Journal, Evander Kane, Football Reporters of Canada, Fox NFL Sunday, Frank Caliendo, George Steinbrenner, Gino Reda, Gordie Howe, Green Bay Packers, Grey Cup, Hal Steinbrenner, Hartford Whalers, Howie Long, Humpty's Champions Cup, Jack Campbell, Jack Matheson, Jack Roslovic, Jacob Trouba, James Duthie, Jay Glazer, Jim Bender, Jimmy Johnson, Joanne Ireland, Jonathan Bernier, Jordie Benn, Josh Morrissey, k.d. lang, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Cheveldayoff, L.A. Clippers, Major League Baseball, Marc-Andre Fleury, Mark Chipman, Mark Scheifele, Martin Brodeur, Marv Levy, Michael Strahan, Mike Walker, National Hockey League, New York Post, New York Yankees, Nik Lewis, Orlondo Steinauer, Patrick Marleau, Patrick Roy, Patrik Laine, Quebec, Rachel Homan, Ralph Lauren, Rob Riggle, Roberto Luongo, San Jose Sharks, Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Stanley Cup, Steve Simmons, Strother Martin, Super Bowl, Terry Bradshaw, The Birds, Tippi Hedren, Tokyo Olympics, Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett: An American Classic, Toronto Maple Leafs, TSN, University of Manitoba Bisons, Vezina Trophy, Ville Heinola, Vince McMahon, Will Johnson, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg Jets, Winnipeg Sun, Winnipeg Tribune, world curling championships, WWE2 Comments on Let's talk about the aging of the Winnipeg Jets…to Tokyo in denim…Aaron Rodgers' sticky notes…MLB grappling with lack of sizzle…old friend Big Jim takes a paddywhacking…Canadian Football Hall of Fame gets it right…what about Tricky Dick Thornton?…nightmare on TSN…and other things on my mind
About a Barracuda on the judge's bench…those surprising Winnipeg Jets…same old, same old from Grapes…a pot calling a kettle white…kid stuff in Vegas…Box Car Willie Belichick…grappling with the idea of a new football league…women's tennis…Roger Federer's arms…and other things on my mind
I can't help but weep when I hear the many victims/survivors of diabolical Larry Nassar tell their stories of sexual abuse at the hands of the predator doctor when they were sweet, innocent little girls with dreams of Olympic Games gymnastics glory.
Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, the Barracuda.
So it's damn straight that I gave a fist pump and let loose a mighty "hell ya!" when Judge Rosemarie Aquilina booted Nassar's sorry ass back to a jail cell on Wednesday, saying, "I just signed your death warrant" as she tacked 40-175 years onto the 60-year sentence the defrocked doctor is already serving on a child pornography conviction.
The lady judge rocks. Assistant Attorney General Angela Povilaitis rocks. Investigative journalists Marisa Kwiatowski, Tim Evans and Mark Alesia at the Indianapolis Star rock. The 156 women who appeared in a Michigan courtroom to confront Nassar with victim-impact statements rock.
And now Nassar can pound rocks. Or whatever it is that sexual predators pound behind bars.
Judge Lance Ito
Watching Judge Aquilina sentence former U.S. Olympic gymnastics/Michigan State University doctor Nassar, I couldn't help but think the outcomes of the original O.J. Simpson (Judge Ito) and Oscar Pistorius (Judge Thokozile Masipa) murder trials would have been different had she been on the bench. It's little wonder Judge Aquilina's nickname while serving in the Michigan Army National Guard was Barricuda. She's a nasty bit of business, in a good way.
Quick question for those who insist that we keep sports and the real world separate: How is that possible when the real world refuses to stay out of sports? Nassar was the top medic for USA Gymnastics and the MSU women's gymnastics teams. He sexually abused the girls. Sports, meet real world.
I woke up to a tsunami warning (true story) in the small hours of Tuesday morning, after a 7.9 shaker rocked and rolled offshore of Alaska, and I had visions of my high-and-dry, eighth-floor home in downtown Victoria being swamped and swallowed by the Pacific Ocean. Turns out the 'quake had all the bite of a Jimmy Fallon monologue. Yup, that tame. There's more oomph in American beer. So, after review, the tsunami warning was overturned due to goaltender interference. Just like every goal scored in the National Hockey League this week.
Moving on to more pleasant matters, it seems that most times I look up the Winnipeg Jets are winning another game. Who saw that coming? I mean, okay, at the commencement of their current crusade I figured Team Draft & Develop for a wild-card playoff spot. At best. But first place? In the NHL's toughest division? There was a better chance of the Paid Pinocchio in the White House, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, dissing her boss Donald Trump for his take on immigration.
Here's what I wrote re the Jets on Sept. 14: "It appears that the Western Conference road to the Stanley Cup is likely to go through Northern Alberta. If not, it'll be Southern Alberta, where the Calgary Flames are shaping up to be a force, even as ownership squabbles with politicos and beats the drums about relocation should the city refuse to pony up substantial coin for a new shinny palace. The trouble with the Jets—aside from the people behind the bench—is geography. Until they prove otherwise, they're still the third best outfit on the Canadian prairies." D'oh! D'oh! D'oh!
I note that two members of the San Jose Sharks—Tomas Hertl and Justin Braun—have issued an apology for calling Winnipeg a "dark and cold" locale with no smart phones, WiFi or any other 21st-century gadgetry. Apparently, the mea culpa should arrive by Pony Express, carrier pigeon or Western Union telegraph in time for the NHL playoffs.
This just in—Don Cherry doesn't like Europeans. Who knew? In related news, dogs don't like cats, Donald Trump doesn't like the FBI, and Taylor Swift isn't fond of Kim, Kanye or Katy. Seriously. Grapes needs a new script writer. Once again he's dredged up his antiquated Cold War-era lament about Euros taking jobs away from homebrews, in this case on the rosters of Major Junior outfits across our vast land. "What happens is, if you look at it, there's a Canadian kid not playing," says the resident curmudgeon/blowhard on the Hockey Night in Canada intermission feature Coachless Corner. "You're asking me, 'Do I believe in Europeans playing in (the) Canadian Hockey League?' No. I don't." Fine, Grapes, and while we're at it let's keep all those French kids in Quebec.
Paul Wiecek offers some interesting thoughts on the NHL misreading the climate of the day by hiring Kid Rock as the intermission act for its all-star frolic this afternoon in Tampa.
The way the Winnipeg Free Press sports columnist has it figured, the two of them deserve each other because the NHL is whiter than a virgin bride's wedding gown and Kid Rock's neck is redder than a rooster's wattles.
"If the Confederacy had won the U.S. Civil War, America today would look a whole lot like an NHL hockey game," Wiecek writes. "The NHL is not only the whitest professional sports league in North America—by a mile—it also has the whitest fans of any of this continent's four major pro sports. Again, by a mile. If you're anything other than white and heterosexual, you're every bit as much of a minority sitting in the stands at an NHL game as Dustin Byfuglien is skating out on the ice. Hockey is played by white people, for white people."
Canada's newspaper sports writers are white, white, white.
This is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle white. I mean, has Wiecek taken a look at press row in Canada (newspaper sports division)? Nothing but white, heterosexual, mostly male faces.
Full marks to the Freep scribe for calling out the NHL on the Kid Rock hire, because the guy has a fondness for the Confederate flag and a history of anti-gay/anti-transgender spewings. But Wiecek's own business has all the diversity of…well, the white NHL.
Ask Wiecek to name all the black sports writers with whom he's worked. Ask him to name all the openly gay sports scribes. None and none. Ask him to name all the women. Two. I worked at five different dailies. I recall one non-Caucasian colleague. Just one. In 30 years. I worked with only four females scribes. In 30 years. I worked with zero openly gay sports scribes. In 30 years.
At least the NHL has some African-American players. But blacks and gays can't even be called a minority in Canadian newspaper sports writing, because they simply don't exist.
So, signature scrawl is now restricted to kids in Sin City. That's right, only kids 14 and under are allowed access to Vegas Golden Knights players for autographs at the NHL club's practice facility, City National Arena. Adults need not apply. Seems it's a safety measure, because grown-ups were "pushing kids out of the way" and kids were "running into the street." My question: Why would a grown man want another grown man's autograph? Except, of course, to profit. In which case, he should get a life.
Box Car Belichick
Yes, kids, you can grow up to look like Box Car Willie after spending a night sleeping on a slow-moving freight train and still become a five-time (do I hear six?) Super Bowl-winning head coach. Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots remains the ultimate example of a man not letting success go to his clothes, so the next time a cynic takes a cheap shot at Winnipeg Blue Bombers sideline steward Mike O'Shea for his "goofy shorts," show him this pic of Belichick, taken scant seconds after his Patriots had won their eighth American Football Conference title on his watch.
Grappling guru Vince McMahon made it official last week, advising us that his aborted and gimmicky XFL from 2001 will reboot in 2020, sans the WWE-scripted shtick and the up-the-skirt cheerleader cams. Vince is going legit—from sleazy to squeaky clean—and he vows to hire only boy scouts ("Even if you have a DUI, you will not play in the XFL."). He'll order players to stand during the national anthem. He wants games to be completed in two hours or less. He wants us to "reimagine" football. Okay, I reimagine football in 2020 without Vince McMahon.
McMahon's no-bad boys statute seemingly rules out Johnny Manziel, the former Cleveland Browns quarterback who likes to brawl in bars when he isn't beating up women. So let's see…the National Football League has washed its hands of Manziel and the not-ready-for-prime-time XFL wants no part of him, yet the Canadian Football League is eager to welcome him with open arms. What part of embarrassing does CFL commish Randy Ambrosie not understand? (For the record, if Manziel shows serious interest in the XFL, bet the mortgage money that McMahon will turn a blind eye to his rap sheet.)
For those who insist that there's no depth in women's tennis, the past five Grand Slam events have produced five different champions—Serena Williams (Australian Open), Jelena Ostapenko (French Open), Garbine Muguruza (Wimbledon), Sloane Stephens (U.S. Open) and Caroline Wozniacki (Aussie Open). Five events, 13 months, five different champions. The men, meanwhile, have produced two different champions in that time frame—Roger Federer (three titles) and Rafael Nadal (two). I suppose an argument can be made that the universe would have unfolded differently for the women had mama Serena not been away having a baby, but that isn't necessarily so. After all, she won just one Slam in 2016. Might have been the same last year. The point is, there's intrigue on the women's side.
Is there anything more cruel in sports than what Simona Halep and Marin Cilic were forced to endure after losing their respective Aussie Open singles championship matches this weekend? She battled Wozniacki for three hours less 11 minutes, he 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer for three hours and three minutes. Then, after being vanquished, they likely just wanted to crawl into a hole and cry. Alas, they were required to loiter on court for the parting-gifts ceremony and boring speeches that seemingly droned on longer than the matches…then make a speech and smile…then listen to the victor's speech and smile…then pose for photos and smile. Half an hour later, they were permitted to depart and lick their wounds (which, in Halep's case, meant a retreat to the hospital for IV treatment). Like I said, cruel.
This week's notable quotable: Before meeting his Waterloo vs. Marin Cilic, Rafael Nadal was rocking the sleeveless look at the Aussie Open. The guy's got guns. Serious guns. Which did not escape the notice of commentator Jim Courier, who, during a courtside gab session about Rafa's fashion statement, asked Swiss maestro Federer if he'd be following Nadal's lead and show us his pipes. "That's not gonna happen," a laughing Federer said, glancing quickly at his chicken arms. "You know why? My arms are not like his arms. It's pretty simple."
This week's Stevie-ism from Steve Simmons of Postmedia Tranna, taking a cheap shot at the XFL: "Did anybody out there ask for another football league? Anyone?" I have a better question, Stevie: Does anybody in the Republic of Tranna know they have a professional football team? Anyone?
Author pattidawnswanssonPosted on January 28, 2018 January 30, 2018 Categories SportsTags American Beer, American Civil War, American Football Conference, Australian Open, Bill Belichick, Box Car Willie, Canadian Football League, Canadian Hockey League, Caroline Wozniacki, Caucasian, City National Arena, Confederacy, Don Cherry, Donald Trump, Dustin Byfuglien, Europeans, FBI, Hockey Night in Canada, homophobia, Indianapolis Star, Jim Courier, Jimmy Fallon, Johnn Manziel, Judge Ito, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, Judge Thokozile Masipa, Justin Braun, Kid Rock, Larry Nassar, Marin Cilic, Michigan State University, Mike O'Shea, National Football League, National Hockey League, New England Patriots, O.J. Simpson, Olympic Games, Oscar Pistorius, Pacific Ocean, Paul Wiecek, Pinocchio, Postmedia, Rafael Nadal, Randy Ambrosie, Roger Rederer, San Jose Sharks, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Simona Halep, Sin City, Stanley Cup, Steve Simmons, Super Bowl, Taylor Swift, tennis Grand Slam, Tomas Hertl, transphobia, tsunami, USA Gymnastics, Vegas Golden Knights, Victoria, Vince McMahon, White House, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg Jets, XFLLeave a comment on About a Barracuda on the judge's bench…those surprising Winnipeg Jets…same old, same old from Grapes…a pot calling a kettle white…kid stuff in Vegas…Box Car Willie Belichick…grappling with the idea of a new football league…women's tennis…Roger Federer's arms…and other things on my mind
About a tone deaf NHL and Kid Rock…Birchard curling with royalty…the CFL QB carousel…Aaron Rodgers' new main squeeze…the XFL part II…an unfunny Farrell…Freddy calling 'em out in Tranna…media coaching the Maple Leafs…a "brazenly" gay figure skater…so long Red…and a few other things on my mind
Kid Rock isn't feeling the love.
Except, of course, from Jeremy Roenick, whose unfiltered voice and scatter-gun twaddle have increased in volume and mockability, if not temperament, since the end of his days as a National Hockey League worker who once informed disgruntled fans that they can "kiss my ass."
"Kid Rock," says Roenick, "is the most talented musician, I think ever, on the planet."
He didn't say which planet, but one could posit that, as a music critic, Roenick makes a swell hockey analyst, although the latter would be a matter of viewer appetite.
The point is, amidst the hurried and harsh pooh-poohing of the NHL for its hiring of rapper/rocker/rockabilly/country guy Kid Rock for the intermission gig at the Jan. 28 all-star frolic in Tampa, Roenick's is the voice of a lone wolf howling amidst the din of dissent.
"I'm a huge Kid Rock fan. I love his music," confessed the NBC gab guy. "It's a great get."
Perhaps not such a "great get" if it's about more than the music, which, based on the intense social and mainstream media screeching that his appointment has inspired, it seems to be with Robert/Bob/Bobby Ritchie.
Here's what I know about Kid Rock:
Kid Rock and Pam Anderson
He's filthy rich (about $80 million worth); he fancies himself as a beer-swilling, crap-kicking, womanizing American badass who's been known to wrap himself in a Confederate flag; he likes to play with guns; he tosses out F-bombs like confetti at a wedding; he wears hats and sunglasses and is street chic scruffy; if there existed a period when he held relevance as a musician it surely ended about 10 years ago, basically the same time he and his ex-bride, Pamela Anderson, established some sort of record by exchanging wedding vows three times in one summer and filing for divorce 122 days later; he professes to have no problem with same-sex marriage but there's a history of anti-gay/transgender diatribe that includes this nugget he once delivered to The New Yorker: "I don't love anybody who acts like a fuckin' faggot." (The New York Times is "a little bit gay," Twitter is "gay" and rap-rock is "pretty gay.")
Much of which flies in the face of the NHL's alliance with the You Can Play Project and the league's Declaration of Principles, baring them both as so much window dressing.
"Most of the time, our acts are passionate hockey fans," says Steve Mayer, an NHL suit who must carry considerable corporate heft since he has an 11-word job title. "It's all about the entertainment at the end of the day for us, and this selection was purely based on that, and the fact that Kid Rock is a hockey lover."
That is, as many have submitted, so very tone deaf on the NHL's part. But, hey, isn't that what you have to be to enjoy Kid Rock's music? Tone deaf?
Shannon Birchard
Talk about winning the lottery. Shannon Birchard didn't even have to buy a ticket and she hit the jackpot when Jennifer Jones and her Manitoba champions sent out an SOS asking the young curler to sub for third Kaitlyn Lawes at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, which slides from the hack next weekend in Penticton. We're talking curling royalty here. Jones, Jill Officer and Dawn McEwen are Canadian, world and Olympic champions. It's like being asked to sing with Adele, Pink and Lady Gaga. Tough gig. Nerve-inducing gig. May Shannon's butterflies flutter in perfect formation.
Darian Durant
I note that the Canadian Football League quarterbacks carousel is in full spin. For those of you keeping score at home, James Franklin has gone from Edmonton to Toronto; Zach Collaros wore out his welcome in Hamilton and made tracks for Regina; Kevin Glenn loaded up the U-haul in Regina and pointed it in the direction of Edmonton, his ninth CFL outfit; Josh Freeman, who hasn't taken a snap since January 2016, hauled his hide off the unemployment line and skedaddled to Montreal; Darian Durant replaced Freeman on the unemployment line, then found his way to Winnipeg; and, of course, Johnny Manziel will be heading to a courtroom or rehab facility to be named later.
Let's face it, no Winnipeg Blue Bombers loyalist wants to see Durant behind centre, because that means starter Matt Nichols is in the repair shop. Alas, few QBs get through a complete season in one piece, thus Nichols will be felled by an owie and we'll be seeing Durant. If he can actually throw a pass to his receivers without the football bouncing two or three times, it'll be a useful signing. Just don't count on it.
Danica Patrick: Always in someone's face.
On the subject of quarterbacks, an interesting social note: Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers is no longer dating actor Olivia Munn. His main squeeze now is GoDaddy's in-your-face girl Danica Patrick, NASCAR's departing, hot-headed diva who never knew a fender-bender that she couldn't blame on someone else. Patrick never came close to taking a checkered flag in NASCAR, but she got into more scrapes than any of her fenders. Heaven help Rodgers if he accidentally puts a ding in the family SUV.
So, there are whispers that grappling guru Vince McMahon is toying with the idea of an XFL redux. How much fun would that be? Not much, if it's as woeful and as blatantly sexist as the original go-round. Among other things, XFL Uno featured:
All eight teams were co-owned by McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment (nee Federation) fame and NBC.
They each dropped $35 million in the first and only season.
Former WWF fake fighter Jesse (The Body) Ventura was part of the broadcast crew. He also had a day job at the time—governor of Minnesota.
Play-by-play dude Matt Vasgersian was demoted from the main crew (after the first game) by McMahon for his reluctance to say something suggestive and sexist about cheerleaders' outfits.
Another broadcast team consisted of WWF announcers Jim Ross and Jerry (The King) Lawler, who advised his partner during one game that "You're here for the football, J.R., I'm here for the cheerleaders. Whoa! Check 'em out!"
McMahon once ordered a camerman to invade the Orlando Rage cheerleaders dressing room at halftime to "capture the essence of whatever it is they do" in there.
There was no coin toss to determine the opening kickoff. Instead, two players scrambled for the football.
Players received flat, per-game pay: Quarterbacks $5,000; running backs $4,500; kickers $3,500.
TV Guide listed the XFL as the third worst television show in history, behind only The Jerry Springer Show and My Mother the Car.
The unfunny Will Ferrell and the great Roger Federer.
Speaking of lame humor, actor Will Ferrell continues to be hopelessly unfunny. He hijacked a John McEnroe-Roger Federer courtside interview at the Australian Open tennis tournament last week, asking the following questions of the great Swiss champion:
"Would you describe your game as a silky gazelle?"
"Are you a witch or a vampire?"
"There's a rumor in the men's locker room that you love coming to play in Melbourne and your secret to fitness is that you only eat wombat meat. Is that true?"
"I know how much this crowd means to you, they're an amazing crowd, but does it get annoying when they just scream 'C'mon Roger' over and over again?"
For his part, Federer played along and provided some witty answers, but it was embarrassing.
Frederik Andersen
There was mixed reaction when Tranna Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen called out some of his mates last week, saying, "We've got to figure out who wants to commit to playing for the team."
Among those tsk-tsking the under-siege goaltender was the O Dog, Jeff O'Neill of TSN.
"I wouldn't be happy with it," he said. "We all know who he's talking about…he's talking about Jake Gardiner, William Nylander or Mitch Marner because he screwed up two games in a row. So if you have a problem with one of those two (sic) guys, clear it, clear the air in the dressing room after the game instead of going to the media when nobody's around. If you remember, when Frederik Andersen got here last year, he stunk the joint out in October. This year he was terrible in October and not one person, not Mike Babcock said, 'You know, it'd be nice if our goaltender gave us a save once in a while.' They always said the same thing. They protected him. They said, 'Frederik Anderson is our guy, we believe in him.' And now there's a target."
But wait. Here's Don Cherry:
"He said what had to be said," maintained Hockey Night in Canada's resident blowhard. "If nobody else was saying it, he said it and I don't blame him. I've been waiting for somebody to say something like that. Call them out, get the guys out there. I don't blame Andersen at all."
I'm on Cherry's side of the discussion. This world needs more athletes delivering juicy lip service.
Mike Babcock
Does Leafs bench maestro Mike Babcock appreciate all the coaching help he's been getting from media in the Republic of Tranna? I swear, reading and hearing all the coaching expertise in print and on air makes me wonder how Babs ever won the Stanley Cup, two Olympic gold medals, a world title, a world Junior title, a World Cup title and a college title without tapping into all that shinny brain power sitting in the press box at the Air Canada Centre.
Does anybody really believe the Ottawa Senators will move out Erik Karlsson? The Swede was the best hockey player in the world during last spring's Stanley Cup tournament, but I wouldn't rule out a trade, not with Scrooge McDuck (owner Eugene Melnyk) in charge of the purse strings. If Melnyk does deal Karlsson, he can fold the franchise and ship it to Quebec City.
The Seattle Kraken?
Apparently, there are 13 possible names for a Seattle NHL franchise: Totems, Seals, Cougars, Evergreens, Emeralds, Rainiers, Kraken, Sea Lions, Sockeyes, Whales, Eagles, Firebirds and Renegades. (I Googled Kraken and discovered it's a giant, multi-armed sea monster.) I like Sockeye, as in salmon, even though it isn't among the registered trademark names.
Openly gay figure skater Adam Rippon is off to South Korea with the U.S. Olympic team next month, which inspired this headline on the Kaplan Herald website: "Adam Rippon is U.S.'s first brazenly homosexual man to qualify for Winter Olympics." Hmmm. One of Canada's pairs skater, Eric Radford, is openly gay and he'll also be in PyeongChang. No word on whether he plans to be "brazenly" gay while there or just gay.
Red Fisher
I've admired a number of scribes from what I like to call the golden group of Canadian sports writers, foremost among them being the great wordsmith Trent Frayne, with whom I had the privilege of working in 1980-81. Jim Coleman, Milt Dunnell, Dick Beddoes, Jack Matheson, Scott Young and John Robertson were other giants when the NHL was still a six-team outfit. As was Red Fisher, longtime detailer of all things les Canadiens for the Montreal Star and Gazette. Red was a bit quirky (he refused to interview rookies) and a grump, but no scribe did hockey so well for so long as Fisher, who began working the Habs beat in 1955 and didn't leave the building until 2012. He died at age 91 on Friday and Michael Farber delivered a terrific tribute to him in the Gazette.
This week's Stevie-ism from Steve Simmons of Postmedia Tranna: "Milos Raonic out in first round of Aussie Open. Lost in four sets to somebody named Lukas Lacko." Sigh. Instead of looking up Lack's form chart on the Association of Tennis Professionals website and advise readers that Raonic was beaten by a Slovak ranked 86th in the world, Simmons chooses to insult him. I swear, the more I read Grandpa Simmons the more I'm convinced that someone dropped him on his head when he was a kid.
Author pattidawnswanssonPosted on January 21, 2018 June 9, 2018 Categories SportsTags Aaron Rodgers, Adam Rippon, Adele, Australian Open, Canadian Football League, Confederate flag, Danica Patrick, Darian Durant, Dawn McEwen, Declaration of Pirinciples, Dick Beddoes, Don Cherry, Eric Radford, Erik Karlsson, figure skating, Frederik Andersen, Green Bay Packers, Hockey Night in Canada, James Franklin, Jeff O'Neill, Jennifer Jones, Jeremy Roenick, Jerry Lawler, Jesse Ventura, Jill Officer, Jim Coleman, Jim Ross, John McEntroe, John Robertson, Johnny Manziel, Josh Freeman, Kevin Glenn, Kid Rock, Lady Gaga, Lucas Lacko, Matt Nichols, Matt Vasgersian, Mike Babcock, Milos Raonic, Milt Dunnell, Montreal Gazette, Montreal Star, My Mother the Car, NASCAR, National Hockey League, NBC, NHL all-star game, Ottawa Senators, Pamela Anderson, Pink, Quebec City, Red Fisher, Robert Ritchie, Roger Federer, Scott Young, Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Seattle, Shannon Birchard, Steve Mayer, Steve Simmons, Tampa, The Jerry Springer Show, The New Yorker, Toronto Maple Leafs, Trent Frayne, TV Guide, Vince McMahon, Will Ferrell, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Winter Olympic Games, World Wrestling Entertainment, World Wrestling Federation, XFL, You Can Play Project, Zach CollarosLeave a comment on About a tone deaf NHL and Kid Rock…Birchard curling with royalty…the CFL QB carousel…Aaron Rodgers' new main squeeze…the XFL part II…an unfunny Farrell…Freddy calling 'em out in Tranna…media coaching the Maple Leafs…a "brazenly" gay figure skater…so long Red…and a few other things on my mind
Winnipeg Jets: If I've got Georgia on my mind, Tom McVie's teeth are missing
I cannot think of Atlanta without recalling the night the lights—and Tom McVie's teeth—went out in Georgia.
Yes, it was theatre of the absurd in early November 1979 when a ransacked Winnipeg Jets' roster skated south of the Mason-Dixon Line to do their thing at the Omni Coliseum, a facility that most of the local citizenry avoided whenever the playing surface had been converted from hardwood to ice.
Atlantans embraced hockey like they did Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, who liked to play with matches and took a torch to the town during the American Civil War, leaving it a smouldering mess of burning buildings, dying embers and ashes.
Which, come to think of it, is pretty much what the National Hockey League had done to the Jets.
Kent Nilsson was among the players the Jets lost to the NHL.
These Jets who skated into Atlanta were the skeletal remains of an outfit that, only six months earlier, had concluded the final World Hockey Association crusade with a third title. Gone were Kent Nilsson, Terry Ruskowski, Rich Preston, Barry Long, Kim Clackson and Paul MacKinnon, all but Preston the reclaimed spoils of a seven-year conflict between the NHL and WHA.
In their stead were willing and dogged, albeit less-impactful, skaters who, through determination and the demands of their taskmaster coach, McVie, were on a roll, unbeaten in five matches as they arrived in Atlanta.
That's when the lights went out that night in Georgia.
Although not ruffians of the Broad Street Bullies ilk, the Flames, while suitably skilled, were a big and bothersome bunch who didn't require a great deal of prodding before releasing the inner beast. And, after asserting themselves on the scoreboard with an 8-0 advantage, that puck pugnacity went on full display less than nine minutes from time, much to the enjoyment of a sparse gathering that surely numbered less than 10,000 but included a rather striking, blonde lass who sat directly behind the Winnipeg goal during the pregame exercises.
"The boys seem a bit distracted," I joked with Reyn Davis of the Winnipeg Free Press.
"I wonder why?" he replied.
I'm not here to suggest that the fair maiden's presence influenced the Jets' performance that night, but she most assuredly served as a distraction because this southern belle seemingly believed that clothing was optional and she was not at all shy about displaying her ample assets.
Tom McVie, presumably with his teeth in.
At any rate, the Flames continued to give the Jets a different kind of dressing down on the ice and mayhem ruled the night. Phil Russell threw down on Dave Hoyda (twice), Willi Plett and Jimmy Mann went bare knuckles, Brad Marsh rag-dolled a much smaller Morris Lukowich, and two Flames tag-teamed a helpless pacifist, Mike Amodeo. Jets forward Jude Drouin thought that a bit much, thus he vacated the bench in an attempt to rescue his overwhelmed teammate. In scant seconds, the ice was a frozen sea of uncivil activity, with only McVie and his counterpart, Al MacNeil, tethered to the bench area.
If the scoreboard wasn't enough to send McVie off his nut, the uneven brawl served as the trigger, and what ensued was something straight out of the Vince McMahon, WWE playbook. McVie began barking at MacNeil, like a yappy, little dog with his necked bowed. He got louder, his face turned redder and he stepped closer to the glass partition that separated the two coaches. Then he stopped. Calmly, McVie took off his sports coat. He took off his neck tie. He took off his wrist watch. He unbuttoned his shirt. He then—wait for it—took out his teeth! He tucked his tusks into a coat pocket. He now was ready to duke it out.
I turned to Reyn in our press box perch. His jaw had dropped.
"Did you see what I think I just saw?" I asked him.
"If you mean you saw Tommy take his teeth out, you did," he confirmed.
MacNeil, meanwhile, had been barking back at McVie and, seeing the Jets coach disrobe, he also stripped off his neck tie.
McVie attempted to scale the barrier between the benches, but his tiny feet kept sliding on the glass. He gave it another go. And another. Eventually, Drouin returned to the Jets' bench and re-engaged McVie with his better senses.
Once the dust had settled, eight players and McVie were given the remainder of the night off.
Al MacNeil went from Atlanta to Calgary with the Flames.
Reyn and I later found McVie near the Jets changing room. He was subdued, but not full of contrition, noting the disparity in the dimensions of two of the combatants, Brad Marsh of the Flames and the Jets' feisty but pocket-sized Morris Lukowich.
"I can't have my smaller players getting beaten up," he said.
Over on the other side, MacNeil was more inclined to play the victim and make light of the ruckus.
"I told him if he wanted to come over, come over," MacNeil said with a mischievous, impish grin. "He took off his tie and took out his teeth and started shouting obscenities. He was very irrational. I hope they do something about him. You can't be letting people make threats like that, especially when he takes his teeth out."
The NHL flashed a different set of sharp teeth, suspending McVie for three games and docking him $500 in pay.
After leaving Atlanta, the Jets went into a nose dive, winning just three of their next 12 assignments. But, hey, there was a sunny side to all of this: McVie managed to keep his chicklets in his head the remainder of the season.
Author pattidawnswanssonPosted on October 17, 2016 October 17, 2016 Categories Sports, Winnipeg JetsTags Al MacNeil, Atlanta Flames, Barry Long, Brad Marsh, Broad Street Bullies, Dave Hoyda, Jimmy Mann, Jude Drouin, Kent Nilsson, Kim Clackson, Mike Amodeo, Morris Lukowich, National Hockey League, Paul MacKinnon, Phil Russell, Reyn Davis, Rich Preston, Terry Ruskowski, Tom McVie, Vince McMahon, Willi Plett, Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg Jets, World Hockey Association, WWELeave a comment on Winnipeg Jets: If I've got Georgia on my mind, Tom McVie's teeth are missing


While the advent of online education served as a disruptive force to traditional education, what now is disrupting the disrupter?
Reported by Inside Higher Ed, "at-scale" learning from highly reputable institutions at low tuition prices is having a seismic impact – with a handful of these institutions growing faster and faster as less affordable private institutions fight to hold on to their market position.
The takeaway? The higher ed economy is always changing. So how can our institutions survive the newest disrupters and do some disrupting of our own? Anticipating the future of higher ed, and building quickly toward it?


text:
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Man Imported Fentanyl From China to Chicago Area, Prosecutors Say
Published May 25, 2018 • Updated on May 25, 2018 at 11:44 am
A man was charged with federal drug offenses for allegedly importing fentanyl-type drugs from China to the Chicago area.
Rolando Estrada, 42, of west suburban Elmwood Park, fled to Mexico in 2016 shortly after law enforcement officers intercepted a shipment of drugs from a Chinese chemical company to the Chicago area, according to the federal indictment. Estrada and 12 others were charged with working in the drug operation.
Law enforcement seized more than five kilograms of cocaine and $90,000 in cash from Estrada's home, according to the indictment.
Estrada was considered a fugitive, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was taken into custody in April in Querétaro, Mexico, according to prosecutors.
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He was charged with two counts distribution of a controlled substance, two counts of importing a controlled substance from outside the U.S., and one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, according to the indictment.
Even after Estrada fled to Mexico, he continued to coordinate shipments of fentanyl to Chicago, prosecutors said. The fentanyl sold to customers in the Chicago area was mixed with other substances before they were sold.
Estrada allegedly converted some of the drug proceeds into the virtual currency, Bitcoin, prosecutors said.
The charges against Estrada carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Herberger's is back, although not in brick-and-mortar form.
An Indiana-based aggregation that bought the names of Herberger's, Younkers and added Bon-Ton food is operating a web banker at Herbergers.com. A younkers.com exists too.
So far, it hasn't reopened any ed locations, admitting the aggregation says it could accessible real-world food in the future.
"We were aggressive by the befalling to clean an American Icon," the company's president, Jordan Voloshin, said in a letter to barter acquaint on the companies' websites. Voloshin is admiral of Bon-Ton Holdings Inc. It bought the nameplates of the above Bon-Ton stores, which had endemic Younkers and added administration food about the country, including Herbergers.
The aggregation paid $900,000 for the alleged bookish acreage of Bon-Ton, including the companies' names, according to filings with U.S. Defalcation Cloister in Deleware, afterwards Bon-Ton declared defalcation beforehand this year. That agency it now owns Herberger's name, logo and added things associated with its identity. But it isn't the old Herberger's. It's a new aggregation application the Herberger's name.
CSC didn't anon acknowledgment a appeal for animadversion from The Omaha World-Herald, who aboriginal appear the account about the Younkers name.


In this section we present all the projects developed using the pyphoon library.
If you develop a project based on this library, please feel free to make a pull request on Github with your documentation as a .rst file. Make sure to provide the author names, a guideline to generate the dataset specific to your task and which other libraries you used. You may find inspiration in other project's documentation (TODO). Once the pull request is reviewed and accepted, we will update the project documentation to incorporate your project.


SnapTube application is one of the best video downloaders which supports various video streaming websites including YouTube, DailyMotion, LiveLeak and others. Not only you can download videos using SnapTube but also can make full use of its numerous features. For example, with an inbuilt converter, you can convert a video and directly save them in an audio format.
In this article, you will get to know several such marvellous features of this wonderful app. Although we cannot mention all of them in here so we are presenting only the highlighted ones. Moreover, we will tell you the right procedure to download SnapTube for iPhone 6.
As already mentioned you can change the format, and also the resolution of the video according to your choice and preference.
In addition, it supports subtitles in different languages for the video. Hence, you have to add subtitles to your videos and then you can watch them in your native language.
With SnapTube, you can directly download any video with an embedded download icon.
Moreover, you get an ad-free environment so that you can enjoy watching the video with no interruption.
Above all, with the easy-to-use interface of this application, you can smoothly operate the SnapTube and its varied sections.
Currently, SnapTube video downloader is inaccessible for the iPhone 6 users. But there are many video downloader application available in the market that you can use. Among them, the best one is mentioned in the further article.
FvdTube downloader is also a video downloader app which is recommended by many YouTube lovers. This app has a neat framework along with a stunning design because of this it has gained worldwide popularity. With this app, easily you can manage your downloads as you can pause or resume a video. As well as you can even set the location where you want to save your content. In addition, it too has a video converter by which you can change the format of your downloading video. Moreover, it is similar to SnapTube as it also facilitated the selection of resolution of video at the time of downloading.
In the first place, you need to go to the official website of FvdTube downloader. The link is in here you have to search for the apk file of the app.
Next, you have to download this file and tap on it, for once, to run it.
Immediately it will start the installation of the FvdTube downloader.
If you are not able to install it due to any 'Installation Blocked' message then check your device's configuration. In your settings under the Device management, turn on the Unknown Sources.
The app will ask for your permission afterwards, you have to allow it so that it can finish the installation process. For this, click on 'Install'.
Ultimately, FvdTube video downloader will get installed.
Enjoy the unlimited download of music and videos now.


text:
RomanticLoveBooks.com
33 A bloodcurdling cry
Some years earlier
"Master, don't you think it's time you taught me how to wield a weapon?" asked Helial, fed up with the middle aged man's chatter.
Vidio seemed to consider it for a while, then replied: "Kid, which Mastery would you like to learn? What about the Staff? Because you know, I know a legend about a man that once…"
"NO, I BEG YOU, NO", cried Helial exasperated.
"You see…"
Helial put his hands over his ears and began screaming: "BLABLABLABLA."
Vidio did not show the slightest hint of annoyance at that and kept going: "The Staff is one of the most well-rounded weapons. The legends tell of Immortals able to wield this weapon that can…"
"I doubt you're good at wielding your staff, seeing how the women of the tavern react when they see you", sneered Helial.
Vidio looked puzzled for some seconds, before understanding the not-so-subtle banter. "Damn brat, today's going to be the day I have you scrub the floor with your tongue!"
"Easy, easy." Helial raised his hands in surrender, still with a sneering grin. When he managed to pull a straight face again, he added: "The Sword, Master. I want to learn the Mastery of the Sword. I'm not interested in any other weapon."
Vidio raised an eyebrow.
Helial rolled his eyes, then after a few moments of silence he looked again at Vidio and said: "Master, shall we get started?"
"Eh-ehm", Vidio cleared his throat.
"I'd like to learn to use Skills to attack both at melee and long range. I don't like neither bows nor spears. The Staff that you mentioned before… I don't care for that either. I don't want a well-rounded weapon. I want to wield a sword; I don't know why but I feel it's the right weapon for me."
Vidio looked a little taken aback by Helial's determination. It seemed that the little brat had a clear idea about what weapon to use…
In the present, Outpost of Alabard
"Master, what kind of weapon do you use? Only the Staff?" asked one of the generals.
"Hehehe, you know, I'm very good with the staff", Vidio winked at him.
The general, who clearly didn't get the joke, stared at him with a puzzled look on his face.
Vidio sighed. These boorish military people…
"Well, I became a Master when I was still very young", Vidio scratched his head, "I didn't have a chance to master many other weapons. I know how to wield a sword, of course, and even a bow, but both Masteries are at a very low level. I'm still stuck at the Beginner stage, so I think I'll stick to my beloved Staff."
The general nodded. It was nothing unheard of. When a Mana Warrior or someone belonging to a different class chooses to master a weapon, this will accompany them for the rest of their lives. That was why choosing the right fighting tool was so important. Besides, making the Mastery of a weapon level up was not at all easy.
A Mastery is similar to a Skill, but varies depending on the ability with a single weapon and allows not only to get Bonuses on attacks and Skill, but these Skills also usually require the Mastery to be at a certain level to be learned.
Vidio clenched his fists and looked at the window he had opened while talking to the general.
Passive Skill:
Mastery of the Sword
Lv: 3
Vidio sighed; that was one of the reasons why he could never teach anything to Helial. Plus, hard training with a weapon or magic was required to learn these passive Skills. There are Masteries both for weapons and elemental magic, but they are very special and mysterious Skills.
Every Skill has levels, secondary levels and stages. While a Skill is at Beginner stage, the stage is not displayed together with the level. The three most common stages are: Beginner, Master and Grandmaster. The remaining stages were mostly unknown, since they belonged more to the legends than in the real world.
In order to pass from Beginner to Master stage, the Skill had to reach level 20 of the Beginner stage. Then, between Master and Grandmaster stage there were other 10 levels, each as difficult to surpass as a mountain and so far from each other as the distance between heaven and earth.
In general, the Effects of a Skill change only based on increases of level or secondary levels, and in some cases based on efficiency. But the Passive Skills of Masteries were a totally different thing. It required a lot of time to level up but, even at the same level, they could differ greatly one from the other.
Mastery of the Sword level 3 could vary in strength based on someone's Affinity with the weapon. Just like with elements, every person shows an inclination towards some kinds of Magic or weapons.
For example, there are people whose constitution is more suited for Fire Magic and others for Light Magic. But no one knows for sure on what these parameters are based. Common folks think that these are totally random values. But it seems that the high echelons of the Mana Congregation are in possession of information on the matter. However, the information is so secret that no one knows what position is necessary to reach to obtain it.
Anyway, to gain access to these Passives, the first step is reaching the First Phase, in which Meridians undergo all necessary changes to learn new Skills and to clearly define the Elemental Affinity.
You entered Dungeon 'Wolf Lair'.
Helial looked at the notification window in front of him. It seems like I'm not the first one to discover this Dungeon…
The first person to find a Dungeon earns special Bonuses for ten days, including double the Experience and money earned, and the chance to find objects created from the killing of Monsters.
Wolves, uh?
Helial was standing inside the cave, in a vast circular space, and only one path opened in front of him.
Many Dungeons were huge mazes full of deadly traps, but this was a low-level one. Probably it had just the one path.
We'll see…
Helial took a couple of steps forward, his right hand tightly grasping Curse of the Demon. The veins on his arms were pulsating because of the incredible weight of the weapon.
A wolf in the First Phase could have weighed 2000 pounds at most, but Curse of the Demon alone must have weighed 2500 pounds. A dead weight…
Helial's relationship with that weapon was not great. Before going in, he had tried to check the window of Information of the Longsword one more time, but could not do it even with Mana Scan. It was a lost cause. He would have to find someone with Mana Scan at least at the Master stage.
Despite all his attempts made after coming back from Kirin's dimension, it seemed like the Longsword was unwilling to show him anything more. He could only give up and look for someone more knowledgable than him.
He warily stepped forward.
Skill Activated:
He began condensing Mana on his left hand, a frown on his face.
Raaawr!
Suddenly, a wolf leaped from behind a rocky spur, pouncing on Helial with his open maw.
Mana Pistol
Helial did not lose time. He reached for the head of the beast with his left hand and…
The head of the monster exploded in a pink mist.
Helial spun around immediately, ignoring the notification windows.
Flame of the Qilin
He let the flaming tongues engulf the sword and slashed at another boulder.
Fwoosh!
The boulder was hacked in two and with it also the Black Wolf that was hiding behind it.
Black Wolf lost 5432 HP!
You killed Black Wolf!
"Lumia, stay close. Let's go."
The little girl walked on carefree, following her big brother as if she were going on a picnic with her boyfriend.
This Aura… There is such a creature on this planet… Is it possible?
Helial looked around. Thanks to Perception he had sensed a very powerful Aura, probably a Black Wolf over level 60 in the First Phase.
He began condensing Mana once more, getting ready to use Mana Pistol.
He had reached a round room in the Dungeon. The room had stone walls and rocky spurs all around it.
The Black Wolf was 100 feet from him but did not try to show itself.
"What's happening, why is it not attacking?" muttered Helial.
It seemed that the monster was not planning on coming out in the open, so Helial kept getting closer very slowly, after bekoning Lumia to keep at a distance.
When he got very close to the spur where the Black Wolf was hiding, Helial jumped in the air and, when he flew above the rocky spur, he activated the Skill.
The monster, even before getting hit, yelped and put its muzzle to the ground, as if it were terrifyied by something.
The Mana bullet hit it right in the back where it left a deep wound, so deep that the bones were showing.
Black Wolf has suffered a Malus: Serious Bleeding!
Effects: the opponent loses 40 HP per second until the bleeding stops!
Why didn't it try to react?
After getting hit, the monster seemed to get out from a kind of trance and achieve a new state of consciousness.
RAAAWR
It growled and its eyes turned crimson.
A bloody Aura surrounded the shiny black fur of the wolf. The eyes of the monster flashed with fierceness. It was as if the wound just inflicted were strengthening more than weakening it.
Helial did not loose his cool not even for a second. While he was still midair, he used Flame of the Qilin to turn the wolf into ash. He had a cold look on his face; he wanted to kill it fast.
A ring of flames surrounded the monster, but it managed to escape death leaping to the side.
The tongues of fire melted the stone where the four paws of the wolf were a moment before. Witnessing that scene, the creature felt intimidated but it had made up its mind to tear that stupid kid to pieces, one way or another.
Having dodged the attack, the wolf seized the moment Helial landed on the ground to jump on him.
Its jaws snapped shut around Helial's left arm, which the kid had used to protect his neck.
Stupid human, you might as well say goodbye to your arm!
A sparkle of joy lightened up in the wolf's crazy eyes, but it lasted only a second.
It was like biting down on a steel plate.
Helial glanced at a notification.
You lost 8 HP
The look on the wolf's face changed immediately, when he realized he had just barely scrached the skin of the brat.
"Dead."
Helial mercilessly lowered Curse of the Demon against the side of the wolf, completely shattering its ribcage.
You earned 7435 Exp!
This time he had earned a lot more experience than the previous wolves.
Helial clenched his fist and the air all around him crackled.
Could he be considered strong now?
"Helial!" Lumia ran towards him.
No, kept thinking Helial, maybe he possessed the same strength as a mediocre monster.
He picked up the fur…
Helial spotted something pearly white, while the carcass of the Black Wolf dissolved in a beam of gray light. He took the object with his thumb and forefinger to give it a better look. It was a fang.
Mana Scan
Name: Black Wolf Fang
Consumption: 6/10
Can be used to forge weapons and armors.
Value: ???
Is he picking up also that kind of crap? Shithead…
Well, this should make me at least a couple of silver pieces. It wouldn't be a bad idea to stay here killing wolves and picking up objects to sell in the town markets… Besides, I could even stay he-
His train of thought was cut short by a bloodcurdling cry…
MIAAAAAAOWWWW
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Over the near term, our forecast is informed by high-frequency survey indicators, which we use to determine the current degree of 'momentum' in the economy.
Beyond the near term, it is informed by our estimate of the output gap and the rate at which that output gap is expected to close. This 'top-down' approach is also informed and supplemented by the outlook for the individual expenditure components of GDP.
If the output gap is expected to close within the forecast period, we would generally assume that GDP grows in line with potential output over the remainder of the forecast.
In the very short term, we generate a forecast for real GDP growth from which we infer whether the output gap will narrow or widen. We use high-frequency data and survey indicators to produce that forecast. It usually covers the quarter that is currently in progress (and will therefore not be covered by outturn data) and the next quarter ahead. In our March 2019 forecast , it covered the first and second quarter of 2019. These high-frequency indicators allow us to make an assessment of how much 'momentum' there is in the economy and, therefore, whether we expect quarterly GDP growth to pick up, slow or stabilise.
The Office for National Statistics now produces monthly estimates of GDP based on output components (e.g. construction or business services). These provide the most reliable early indicators of quarterly GDP growth and these data are used as the basis for the preliminary estimates of quarterly GDP.
To inform our judgements about the likely near-term path of GDP, we also use models that incorporate other timely indicators. These include business surveys such as the IHS Markit/CIPS Purchasing Managers' Index (PMIs) and surveys from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). If there are specific events that we believe are likely to have affected GDP in a given quarter, we will make any adjustments that we deem necessary. This could be due to unusual weather conditions or specific events – such as the 2012 Olympic Games or the additional bank holiday for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
Our assessment of momentum in the current quarter informs our judgement about GDP growth in the following quarter. This is supplemented by survey data on business expectations which, in general, are less reliable for forecasting than the high-frequency, backward-looking indicators but are, nonetheless, useful.
OBR staff run the various models described above and present the results to the BRC. It is ultimately the BRC's judgement on the most likely path for near-term GDP that is published as our forecast. The BRC decide which data or models they judge to be providing the most reliable indicators at any time, or the extent to which model predictions should be adjusted to reflect one-off factors.
We start with our assessment of the current output gap – the amount of spare capacity in the economy or the extent to which it is overheating. That assessment is discussed further in the output gap section.
We then decide how quickly we expect economic output to return to our assessment of its potential level. This is informed by the outlook for the individual expenditure components of GDP, as well as the conditioning assumptions upon which our economic forecast is based.
Once the output gap is closed, we tend to assume that GDP grows in line with the economy's underlying growth potential over the rest of the forecast.
Our forecast for potential growth – the most important element of our forecast – is determined by forecasts for its components: population, participation, employment, average hours and productivity. The expected path of productivity growth is particularly important in determining the rate of GDP growth in the medium term.
We make adjustments to our GDP forecast to reflect changes in government policy that we consider to be large enough to have a material impact. One important source of adjustment happens when the Government chooses to loosen or tighten fiscal policy (by spending more/less or cutting/raising taxes). To calculate the size of these adjustments, we use fiscal multipliers that are based on external estimates. More detail on the size and application of these multipliers is available in Box 3.2 of the July 2015 EFO.
In our March 2019 forecast, we estimated that output was slightly above trend in the fourth quarter of 2018. We expect growth in 2019 and 2020 to be slightly below potential output growth, pushing the small positive output gap slightly into negative territory, as Brexit uncertainty – including that surrounding the future relationship between the UK and EU – weighs on the economy. From 2021 onwards, we assume that Brexit uncertainty will begin to fade and potential productivity growth will pick up which means we expect GDP growth to rise.
Once we have a forecast for GDP growth we can then make judgements about prices and about the composition of total income and spending in the economy. It is these details – e.g. the split of national income between wages and profits, or of wages into employment and average earnings – that we use to produce our public finances forecasts.


Life is a game and you decide how to play it. It comes down to the responsibilities you have to yourself and others, and your personal priorities, about how you ultimately want to live your life.
When poverty figures were last tabulated in Canada, there were 4.2 million citizens living below the poverty line. In 2014, I was one of them. I lived an experiment to see just how little I could spend and still live a rewarding life, subsisting off of savings I had accumulated from odd jobs and poker winnings over the years. Every month, I wrote myself a fictional cheque of $1,000 from my savings account and I tracked my spending with an intuitive app called YNAB (You Need A Budget). Even with this meagre amount, I was able to save nearly $1,200 by year's end and thrive.
My hope — then and now — is that this experiment can be taken as a proof-of-concept for basic income and community-centric life. Basic Income is an income given to all citizens unconditionally — so that they may each have the basic requirements necessary (food and shelter) to live. This program has been called "a natural extension of medicare" by Dr. Anna Reid, MD, Past President of the Canadian Medical Association (2013—2014) and a way to simplify a complicated (and sometimes degrading) system of social assistance and financial aid programs.
How did I live so well so cheaply? What were my expenses? And what did I learn?
Rent — 51 per cent: $5,500 at an average of $550/month for 10 months. I live in an extraordinary cooperative with 13 roommates. We live in a prime location in the Plateau, which is ideal for proximity but less so for cost savings. A portion of our rent payment goes into the collective pot to pay for our electricity, Internet, telephone, renovations, events, group projects and food staples.
Food — 19 per cent: $2,067.60 at an average of $172.30/month. Eating out cost $1,399.25, whereas personal groceries cost $668.35.
The low cost of groceries is directly related to communal cost sharing and the extensive amount of potentially-wasted food our home gathers through Dumpster diving and brokering exchanges with local grocery stores. This is one aspect of our eco-friendly lifestyle. There is so much food that is thrown away that is perfectly good, you have to experience it to believe it. Because of this, we almost always have an overabundance of food, despite feeding 20 or more people daily, including occasional strangers and community gatherings.
Transportation — 2 per cent: I spent $127.50 in bus tickets and $138 (basic fee plus fees for a moving violation) to renew my driver's license, an unnecessary but useful expense. I walk when I can, and I absolutely love to ride my bike. I learned how to tune it and I realign the gears myself, paying $2 for the use of a bike stand and some expert advice at the non-profit organization Right to Move. I also purchased lights on eBay for $1.89.
Vacation — 10 per cent — $1,092.46: I sublet my room while travelling across Canada and the U.S. over 15,000km with my friend to raise awareness and build connections for JoatU. The Jack of all Trades Universe is a trade/barter exchange system designed to revolutionize the economy and democracy, beginning with the simple trading of goods and services with your closest neighbours. Our greatest expense was fuel. We were able to find most accommodations through Couchsurfing.org and our network of friends.
Fun / Vices — 2 per cent — $239.04: My most expensive vice is coffee. From buying the almond milk to make delicious mochas, to going out and sharing a drink with friends, it adds up. Yet, coffee is a part of my morning ritual that I love and absolutely refuse to change. I fortunately don't smoke cigarettes, which would be a huge financial drain. If you do smoke and you're looking for alternatives, the best would be to quit altogether. I've heard nothing but outstanding reviews for Allen Carr's The Easy Way. You can also try purchasing your own herbs, and rolling your own cigarettes. I don't drink, but I know many people who brew their own beer as a cost-efficient alternative.
Health — 3 per cent — $314.67: A portion of my health expenses went toward dental, another towards travel insurance, and the rest were miscellaneous expenses. I don't buy shampoo, I use soap for everything. Good dental hygiene will keep your dental bills low. There are a lot of ways to stay healthy: regular exercise, meditation, and walking, to name a few. We are fortunate to live in a city where you can take care of your body for next to nothing.
Communications — 5 per cent — $458.68: I bought my phone used through Craigslist for $280. I regularly make use of Fongo, a free wifi phone line in Canada. For standard cellphone plans, you can check out Koodo's Pay-as-you-go plans. $15/month will get you texting, and if you buy the boosters, you get calling at 5c/minute and Internet at $30/gig.
Entrepreneurship — 8% – $831: Building JoatU eats up a significant portion of my life, and my current earning potential, and my existing financial capital. In the past year, I attended conferences, printed flyers, business cards, booklets and bought office supplies to promote it. For the time being, these costs are coming out of my pocket, but fledgling businesses are one of those things that require capital.
Montrealer Jamie Klinger lived off $11,000 in 2014.
Here's what I told myself before I set my own budget of $12,000: "I can do this." Life is a game and you decide how to play it. It comes down to the responsibilities you have to yourself and others, and your personal priorities, about how you ultimately want to live your life. The fact that I have surrounded myself with active individuals striving to build a model for community is incredibly motivating.
If you want to learn to live better for less, the first step is wanting to. When you're ready, create a budget for yourself, and know that it's okay if you overspend. Budgeting is an experiment. Just knowing how you spend your money will help you become more conscious about it. This in itself is the first step on the path toward consuming less.
Jamie Klinger is the founder of JoatU, a Montreal-based alternative economic trading system.


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Where is the Peerblock Software?
Which is the Best VPN For USA?
Long-Training[Malformed Packet] via 10.9.3.8.1 what?
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My local IP displays in source column??? Should I be worried??
by nono5551212 This topic has been moved.
If you download torrents from a university VPN, then can the MPAA/RIAA still find a way to track you down?
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"Hail Satan!" NBC Orders ROSEMARY'S BABY Miniseries
by Matt Goldberg December 10, 2013
There's a reflex cringe factor when a studio wants to bring a classic film to the small screen. But as we've seen in the past, there's the possibility for success. Nothing can surpass the original, but Bates Motel (based on …
Comic-Con: THE X-FILES 20th Anniversary Reunion Panel Recap; Cast and Crew Talk Possibility of a Third Film,…
by Haleigh Foutch July 20, 2013
It's easy to take for granted the wealth of high quality programming on our weekly TV schedule, but back in the 90's it was pretty slim pickings. The X-Files was always a show that stood above its peers, bringing genre …
A&E Orders Supernatural Cop Drama Pilot OCCULT from Michael Bay
by Adam Chitwood September 11, 2012
Michael Bay is expanding his television interests. The explosions feature film director recently set up a pirate drama at Starz called Black Sails, and now THR reports that he'll produce a cop drama at A&E called Occult through his Platinum …
Alloy Entertainment To Develop 2084 Film with 24 Showrunner Howard Gordon and FINAL DESTINATION Writer/Director James Wong
by Bill Graham July 18, 2011
Although Alloy Entertainment may be best known for creating TV shows on the CW network, they are starting to make serious strides to play on the silver screen. According to THR, their latest project finds them partnered with the showrunner …


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Drake Becomes The Fourth Music Artist To Have 100 Hits On Billboard's "Hot 100" Chart
Drizzy Drake has become the fourth music artist to ever score at least 100 hits on the Billboard "Hot 100" chart.
According to Billboard, Drake will have 8 entries in the upcoming week's chart (mainly songs from his joint mixtape with Future called What A Time To Be Alive) that will bring his total from 92 to 100.
The only artists above Drizzy on the chart right now are Elvis Presley with 108 entries, his Young Money boss Lil Wayne with 127 entries, and the cast of Fox's "Glee" with 207 entries.
Congratulations to Drizzy Drake on this amazing achievement! Do you think he can get that #1 spot?
Drake Performs Live At 2015 Landmark Music Festival In Washington, Disses Meek Mill [Video]
On September 26th, Drake headlined the 2015 Landmark Music Festival that took place at the West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C.
Some of the songs that Drizzy performed live during his set included: "Legend", "Trophies", "We Made It", "Headlines", "Over", "Crew Love", "Worst Behavior", "Back To Back", "Know Yourself", "100", and more.
After performing "Back To Back" live, the crowd also started to chant "fuck Meek Mill" in which Drizzy Drake responded: "don't worry, he's dead already".
You can watch a recap of Drake performing live at this year's Landmark Music Festival in Washington after the jump below!
Nicki Minaj Will Be Executive Producing & Starring In An ABC Family Comedy TV Series Based On Her Life
According to Deadline, Nicki Minaj will be executive producing and starring in a scripted comedy television series on the ABC Family channel that will be written by Kate Angelo.
The show, which will start filming in Nicki's hometown this winter, will be based on her life growing up in Queens, New York in the early 1990s and show how she became a big name in music.
You can read the Young Money Barbie's statement on this new project after the jump below! Who is excited?
Lil Twist – Parkin Lot Pimpin
We heard a preview yesterday, and now Lil Twist has released the full version of his "Parkin Lot Pimpin" song that is 1 and a half minutes long.
Twizzy will be dropping his The Golden Child 2 mixtape in October. You can stream and download "Parkin Lot Pimpin" after the jump below!
Future Chats About Building Up His Relationship With Drake & Trusting Each Other
Future graces the front cover of XXL magazine's 2015 Fall issue and in his cover story, he spoke a little bit about his relationship with Drake, which you can read below.
The Astronaut Kid discussed him and Drizzy building their relationship over time, gaining each other's trust even after some things that they have said in interviews have been took out of context, and more.
Click here to read more excerpts from Future Hendrix's interview with XXL. The magazine issue is available on newsstands now!
Cory Gunz Gets A Face Tattoo At Ink Studio In The Bronx [Video]
Over the weekend, Cory Gunz hit up the Ink Studio tattoo parlor in Bronx, New York City to get his face tattooed.
Below, you can check out a small clip of Dan Mountain, who is an artist at Ink Studio, tattooing the Young Money Gunna's face!
Preview Lil Twist's "Parkin Lot Pimpin" Song Off His "The Golden Child 2" Mixtape
Young Money's Youngin' Lil Twist has took to his Instagram page to tease his upcoming "Parkin Lot Pimpin" song that will appear on his forthcoming The Golden Child 2 mixtape.
There is no exact release date for the track, but it will drop "soon". You can check out a preview of Twizzy's "Parkin Lot Pimpin" after the jump below!


Please confirm the absurdity of this trade. 20-team dyanasty rosters, diamond-mind simulation league. Clayton Kershaw traded for Salvador Perez and Jason Grilli. There was a call for the trade to be vetoed, but it ultimately went through.
Oh man I don't veto but I'd veto that.
Does Wieters for 3 years 33 mil sound like a good fit for the Braves? Georgia connection, and Markakis?
Not terrible if they like his health.
what's with the consensus that gonzalez was safe? there's a clear moment where his hand descends to touch the plate, and that moment comes after he took contreras's glove to the face.
Player advocated for himself with a misleading picture afterwards I guess.
Visiting Orange County (Newport Beach Area) this weekend... Any breweries/beer types you'd recommend?
The Bruery in Placentia, Haven Gastropub for burgers and beers in Orange, Bottle Logic and Noble Beer works in Anaheim, Native Son in Santa Ana, Beachwood and El Segundo in El Segundo.
Will you be attending the SABR analytics conference in March? If so, a meet up?
I will try! I had a ton of fun on the panel last year with Dallas Braden and Aaron Boone.
Which prospect this coming year has the greatest chance to cause a Kris Bryant style controversy when the team starts him in AAA in a blatant move to gain an extra year of control?
J.P. Crawford? There's no other top 20 guy that either doesn't have some service time or is super close.
Do you see Arodys Vizcaino bouncing back?
Just always going to be injured.
Thoughts on Maeda starting tonight? Does it matter whether its Maeda/Kershaw or Kershaw/Maeda?
I think I'd give Kershaw more rest and start Maeda at home.
I do know that pitching Kershaw first would allow for Kershaw to possibly relieve in Game Seven, which is interesting. There has to have been a conversation with the pitcher about this that we aren't privvy to.
Arb takes forever to change. They're just now rewarding holds! If you start doing it some in the minor leagues, they'll be used to it at least.
So, I've been looking at some of the Pitch FX data from the AFL on MLBfarm, and trying to compare it to the Pitch FX data reported by Brooks and on the Baseball Prospectus Pitch FX leaderboards ... and clearly there is some adjustment being made by Brooks and BP that is not being made by MLBfarm. For instance, some of the vertical movement averages for four-seamers on MLBfarm are in excess of 15", which is about 3" more than Chris Young's four-seamer, according to Brooks and BP. Can you explain the discrepancy, here?
I know for one that Brooks uses a different starting point, but I also know they clean up the data more than anyone.
Do you think there's a huge advantage to Merritt having NOT pitched much in the majors, by limiting the scouting report?
I think there's always a novelty effect, yes.
Think Bautista takes the QO? It's probably his last chance at getting a 3+ year contract this off-season but there's no way he gets $17m/season.
I don't think he takes the QO, but I do think it's more likely he comes back than Edwin.
Archer to the Braves for Albies, Newcomb, and Allard? Would they do it?
I think they might. I think they're looking for a deal like this.
If the projection system liked the Dodgers over the Cubs because of Kershaw/Hill, it doesn't seem too outlandish to me that the Indians would be heavy dogs - It's Kluber plus a bunch of schlubs starting.
I might be moving to Richmond, VA for work. Any word on the beer scene there? Good places to check out (stores, bars, otherwise)? Thanks!
Don't know enough about the place to do bars and stores, but Hardywood is great. Legend Brewing has some interesting pales.
Odds of Turner resigning with Dodgers? Jensen?
I think Jansen more than Turner, but I'm not sure. Friedman didn't sign a ton of high profile free agents in Tampa, so all we have to go by is the small sample Dodgers work, which actually probably argues more for Turner, or for neither, and for some bargains in the middle of the market.
Tucker is easy, the next one is super hard. I like Santana, but you can probably get him back in the draft. Keep JP.
To Eno! King of the Ludes!
Where would one find spin rates for Touki Touissaint's curveball and fastball?
I was shown it by Braves Reddit, I think, and I believe they got it from Perfect Game or Baseball America .... unsure actually.
Would Yoshio Itoi be a better player next year than Angel Pagan?
He's 34 and could maybe be more Aoki than Pagan, but he might also be super cheap.


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2016 Australian Indigenous Creator Scholarship recipients announced
Photo: 2016 Australian Indigenous Creator Scholarship recipients. Clockwise from top left - Kamsani Bin Salleh, Gregg Dreise, Samantha Fry, Sharon Hughes, Maree Yoelnu (McCarthy), Bruno Starrs, Brenton (Ezra) McKenna, and Enoch Mailangi
Thanks to our generous supporters and the Plus1 Program through Creative Partnerships Australia, Magabala Books awarded a record number of scholarships in 2016.
Our 2016 scholars are:
Kamsani Bin Salleh (WA) is a Noongar and Nimunburr man who lives in Perth. An up and coming artist, designer and illustrator, Kamsani
will receive a mentorship to learn the craft of book illustration. With the support of this mentorship, Kam will have his first children's picture book published in 2017.
Gregg Dreise (QLD) is a Kamilaroi and Yuwalayaay man from south-west Queensland. The author and illustrator of three children's picture books – Silly Birds, Kookoo Kookaburra and Mad Magpie – Gregg has been awarded a specialised mentorship to further develop his next children's picture book.
Samantha Fry (NT) is an artist who lives in Darwin in the Northern Territory. Samantha will receive a mentorship to learn the craft of
illustration and will illustrate her first children's picture book.
Sharon Hughes (VIC) hails from the small town of Wongan Hills in WA. Her passion has always been writing. Through the scholarship program Sharon will participate in a specialised writing workshop.
Enoch Mailangi (QLD) is a poet who lives in Sydney and would like to pursue a career in writing, editing and media. He will receive a mentorship with a poetry specialist to further develop his work.
Brenton (Ezra) McKenna (WA) is Yawuru man from the town of Broome, WA. His scholarship will provide specialist mentoring and training within the graphic novel genre, and enable him to attend the annual Australian Comics Festival to further pursue professional opportunities
in his field.
Bruno Starrs (WA) is an award-winning playwright and novelist and a descendant of the Pitjantjatjara people. His scholarship will support
the manuscript of his fourth novel to be professionally assessed by a manuscript assessor.
Maree Yoelnu (McCarthy) (NT) is a Wadjigan woman from the Western Wagait area of the Top End, who lives in Darwin. Maree will receive mentoring support from a specialised editor to assist her to develop her children's stories.
Congratulations to all the recipients.


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Two and half years ago, comedian Rowan Atkinson and his wife, make-up artist Sunetra Sastry, commissioned Pritzker Prize-winning architect Richard Meier to design a home for them in Oxfordshire. Atkinson saw New York-based Meier as an 'extremely low-risk' option, even though he has never built in the UK, and hired him to design a 'classical modernist' replacement for his 1940s Handsmooth House, set in 6.5ha of land near the village of Ipsden.
Unsurprisingly, given the site's location overlooking the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, things haven't run smoothly. Meier's proposed 9m-high, white steel and glass five-bedroom home, with a two-bedroom guesthouse, had been recommended for refusal by planning officers and branded an 'ugly space-age petrol station' and 'completely inappropriate' by neighbours.
Atkinson is convinced by Meier's approach and his design for the house, which he describes as 'terribly simple and graceful and unpretentious'. 'There's something very odd about some of the reaction to our proposals, the implication of which is that modern design belongs in the town or in the city and not in the countryside,' adds Atkinson.
Finally, at the end of August, the South Oxfordshire District councillors rode roughshod over their official's advice and unanimously approved the application. Atkinson's planning agent, Haydn Morris of Terence O'Rourke, said: 'It's quite incredible we didn't expect anything like this at all. We couldn't have asked for anything better.' Morris estimates the project will be completed in two to three years.