Thursday, January 6, 2011

Dwayne Roloson Records Shutout in Tampa Bay Debut

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Over the past three years the NHL's Southeast Division has been a boring and predictable one horse race dominated by the Washington Capitals. They've owned the division, winning it in each of the past three seasons by an average margin of 11 points, including a 38-point gap a season ago. The only other club from the Southeast to qualify for the playoffs over that period has been the 2008-09 Carolina Hurricanes, who finished in second place that year and made an unexpected run to the Eastern Conference Finals before being quickly swept in four straight games.

This year, however, the Capitals appear to have some real competition.

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Atlanta Thrashers have turned themselves into playoff contenders, while Carolina and Florida are also hanging around the playoff pack currently occupying the No's 9 and 10 seeds. On Tuesday, the Capitals and Lightning faced off in Washington tied for the top spot in the division, which the Tampa Bay eventually captured thanks to its 1-0 overtime win.

 

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Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2011/01/04/dwayne-roloson-records-shutout-in-tampa-bay-debut/

Malia Jones Malin Akerman Mandy Moore

Eighteen Sprint Cup Teams Set for Tire Test at Repaved Daytona

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The fresh asphalt laid at NASCAR's Mecca -- all 50,000 tons of it -- will get its first big workout next week.

At least 18 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers are scheduled to test the new surface of the high banks of the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway Dec. 15 and 16 as part of a Goodyear tire test, the track said Wednesday.

It will mark the first time NASCAR drivers will have driven on a new surface at the Florida superspeedway since the last time it was repaved in 1978.

"This place is going to have a totally new look to the drivers and the teams," two-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart said in October. "We're going to fill every square inch of the race track because the surface is so even now."

Goodyear will utilize the test to develop appropriate tire compounds for the preseason Sprint Cup Series test to be held in the middle of January.

The track was faced with repaving after a pot hole opened up in turn two during this year's Daytona 500, forcing substantial, hours-long delays to the race. Essentially, the force of the cars began to tear an ever-widening gouge into the typically smooth surface.

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/12/08/eighteen-sprint-cup-teams-set-for-tire-test-at-repaved-daytona/

Katie Holmes Katy Perry Keira Knightley

On 10-Day Contract Opening Day: D-League Call-Up Candidates

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Today, more than any other, is the day NBA D-League players have been waiting for since their season began as it's the first day NBA teams can sign players to 10-day contracts.

These 10-day contracts, worth as much, if not more, than a D-League player's salary for the entire season, are the reason players choose to play for less money in America rather than the lucrative overseas offers most NBA-caliber players receive.

So, with the 10-days now becoming a possibility, FanHouse has polled a group of NBA scouts and D-League personnel to narrow the 160 players currently plying their trade from Springfield to Bakersfield in the NBA's official minor league to a more palatable list of the 10 players most likely to earn the first call-up of the season.

As a primer, 15 of the teams in the NBA -- Chicago, Denver, Golden State, the Clippers, the Lakers, Memphis, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio and Utah -- have an open roster spot that could be used for a short-term looksee.

Nets' coach Avery Johnson told the media after practice that his team will "absolutely" sign someone, though didn't narrow it other than to note that the signee wouldn't be a power forward.

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/01/05/on-10-day-contract-opening-day-d-league-call-up-candidates/

Molly Sims Monet Mazur Monica Bellucci

Lakers, Suns Approach Critical Turning Points in Season

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Steve NashNot saying the Knicks should completely abandon that whole Steve Nash idea, but ...

The notion that New York needs an upgrade at point guard looked entirely off base Tuesday night, when Raymond Felton was fantastic once again and his teammates followed suit in a 128-115 drubbing of San Antonio.

Veteran scribe/New York-based Chris Sheridan of ESPN.com said it might have been the Knicks' most impressive victory in a decade, and their point guard's 28-point, seven-assist, no turnover outing certainly played a huge part. Still, the Knicks' intrigue with Phoenix's seven-time All-Star and two-time MVP will remain, and the Suns' play in the next month could determine whether they're willing to trade him before the Feb. 24 deadline.

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/01/05/lakers-suns-approach-critical-turning-points-in-season/

Moon Bloodgood Mýa Nadine Velazquez

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Ted Williams, Homeless Internet Sensation, Offered Job by Cavaliers

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Ted WilliamsTed Williams, the homeless man with a "golden radio voice" that became an internet sensation overnight, was offered a job as full-time voiceover man and a free house by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"The Cleveland Cavaliers just offered me a full-time job and a house! A house! A house!," Williams exclaimed on radio station WNCI.

A rep for the team called into the radio show to make the job offer. The Cavs have confirmed the offer to FanHouse.

Williams quickly became a hit when the Columbus Dispatch posted a video on Monday morning of Williams panhandling on the side of a road. In the video, Williams showed off his impressive vocal skills.

Williams, a Brooklyn native, then explained how he trained to be a radio announcer before getting involved with drugs and alcohol, leaving him in his current situation.

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/01/05/ted-williams-homeless-internet-sensation-offered-job-by-cavali/

Busy Philipps Cameron Diaz Cameron Richardson

Golf Year in Review: Season's Memories

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Arnold Palmer(AP) -- Framed photographs large and small hang in every room and adorn the walls of every corridor inside the Bay Hill Club & Lodge, memories of Arnold Palmer and more than a half-century he devoted to golf.

He is flinging his visor after winning the Masters. He is posing with one of his best friends, Dow Finsterwald, and his longtime rival, Jack Nicklaus. In one picture, he is wearing a Chinese hat during his first trip to China to design a golf course.

Unmistakable in nearly every photograph is a smile.

In his design company office one day in December, he was asked why he was always seemed happy.

"I loved what I was doing," he said. "I got to play a great game. I have a great life, a great family, all the things you could want. I love the feeling of getting out of bed each morning."

Golf featured its share of unpleasant moments this year -- Tiger Woods, leaning back against his locker at Sawgrass with his eyes closed after pulling out of The Players Championship, perhaps the low point on the golf course in a year filled with them; Dustin Johnson, erasing his scorecard to change a 5 to a 7 after being told he was in a bunker on the last hole of the PGA Championship; Paul Casey, facing reporters who wanted answers he didn't have as to why he was left off the Ryder Cup team.

The photos of Palmer are a reminder that it's a great game, and a great life. As always, there were plenty of poignant moments from a year on the PGA Tour that go beyond birdies and bogeys and bunkers:

 

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Source: http://golf.fanhouse.com/2010/12/29/golf-year-in-review-seasons-memories/

Eva Mendes Evangeline Lilly Eve

MLSsoccer.com introduces "Pro Soccer Picks" fantasy game

Ready to get your fantasy on?Just in time for the MLS Cup Playoffs, MLSsoccer.com introduces our first fantasy game, Pro Soccer Picks.Playing Pro Soccer Picks is as easy as side-footing in a sitter. All you have to do is make your picks and you?re automatically in contention for some great prizes,...

Source: http://dcunited.com/node/14024

Yamila Diaz Yvonne Strzechowski Zhang Ziyi