Olympic Basketball Preview.

Happy Thanksgiving sports fans.  Are you ready for that turkey?  Don’t forget, we got three football games for you.  Watch the games with your families and root for whomever you please.  Here are the games with my picks:

Green Bay at Detroit

Oakland at Dallas

NY Giants at Denver

That’s it for today.  Stay tuned this Saturday for the rest of your football picks.  Gobble Gobble!!!

There are a number of players who are on a lot of free agent lists in the world of Fantasy Hockey that would make great additions to any team. Let’s have a look at Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Hockey…  there are a lot of players who, in my mind, would make good pickups at this point.

First off is Christopher Higgins of the NY Rangers. Although Higgins has put up less than impressive numbers to begin the season (5 points in 21 games), he’s being given a shot on the team’s top line. He also currently ranks second on the team with 24 scoring chances. Look for him to pick up his game in the coming weeks. 

Another guy I like right now is Jonathan Ericsson of the Detroit Red Wings. Although he’s a defenceman and won’t put up Mike Green numbers, he is sure to get at least a shot on Detroits power play with the injury to Niklas Kronwall. If Saturday’s performance was any indication (1 goal on 10 shots), Ericsson should be a solid pick up for your hockey team.

Ryane Clowe of the San Jose Sharks is another solid pick up. After a slow start, Clowe now has points in 10 of his last 12 games. He’s playing with more confidence and shooting the puck more than he did in the early going when he put one or fewer pucks on net in six of his first eight games.

As the game progressed the Egyptians looked more sullen and spoke even less.

I poked my Canadian coworker.

This is strange. It’s like the Egyptians are bottling their anger and disappointment.

Though no sports fan, I enjoy sitting back and socializing over games with enthusiastic friends, sharing their excitement and learning a thing or two about the complicated world of sports so many swear by. (It’s similar to my fascination with religion…)

Yet, this game,the outcome of which would determine whether Egypt or Algeria would compete in the World Cup in South Africa, was different. No one talked, snacked or drank and tension filled the air. Though all day Egyptians had laughed, dawned flags and face-paint, now few looked like they were actually enjoying the action.

When Algeria scored the single goal toward the beginning of the match, there was complete silence. Did that really, happen? I squinted at the new “1” marking Algeria’s score, the replays and those around me. Though I was at an extremely crowded outdoor cafe, with tons more surrounding, there were no boos, or any other insults yelled at the offending goal.

Maybe they’re collectively not optimists? I wondered. During the previous game, which led them to this tie breaker, they scored in the first moment and last. They had needed to win by at least two points to advance and they had done it. After such a victory, the lack of optimism throughout the entire game surprised me. Rather than being a fun, social experience, the game seemed intensely personal to the Egyptian viewers.

The game ended and spectators rose and dispersed. The loudest noise was employers at the cafe forcefully stacking the cheap plastic chairs. We hurried out of their way.

Leaving the game my Egyptian friend confided he was relieved Egypt had lost.

The people can’t handle it, he explained. They’d go crazy. There’d be riots.

He also thought it would lead to less opposition toward Mubarak because as the primary supporters of the football team, Egyptians would environ the regime with their nationalistic aspirations for the team. Driving away from the cafe, our cab driver shared his views.

The next evening, another Egyptian friend and I sat in traffic in Zamalek. A natural occurrence in Cairo, we didn’t think much of it until we encountered riot police blocking entire streets and gangs of screaming boys dawning Egypt flags and loud words.

In the past days, what seemed like it was going to be a losing M3lesh (whoops) for Egypt, quickly blocked from memory, has turned into a national and international attention steeling  debacle. Though security concerns were present from the beginning, (BBC reported 15,000 security forces were at attention at the game in Sudan) because of pre-game violence, including Egypt attacking and injuring Algerian players in their bus and Algerians ransacking Egyptian businesses in Algeria, the level has quickly escalated and gained international attention.

Last week both nations recalled their ambassadors, leading the debate to switch from football to Arab unity and the secretary general of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, used the opening of the World Economic Forum to call for peace between the two Arab nations. BBC has also reported that Amr Moussa asked Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi to mediate. So practical…

Verdict of the moment? Seems like Egypt might as have well won the match for all the trouble and politics being squeezed out of the plays.

Some links I referred to–though I’m in no way saying they’re all reliable news sources–part of the fun is the rumors. Part of the interest is the unverified facts and motives of the reports.

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSGEE5AL0EV

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8366739.stm

http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2009/11/24/feature-02

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8377211.stm

http://www.echoroukonline.com/eng/index.php?news=8489

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091120/wl_africa_afp/egyptalgeriaunrest

Devin DiDiomete has been recalled by the Wolf Pack from the Charlotte Checkers. DiDiomete plays much the same role for the Pack that Sean Avery plays for the Rangers. When he gets going and is doing his job, he raises the play of the guys around him. He will likely go to the Pack’s fourth line in place of Chris Chappell or possibly Andres Ambϋhl since DiDiomete can play either side. For the Pack to get to where they want to, they need DiDiomete to be a key player in that plan.

Here’s the official release:

FORWARD DEVIN DiDIOMETE REJOINS WOLF PACK FROM ECHL CHARLOTTE

*           *           *           *

Had Three Points and 46 Penalty Minutes in Six Games with Checkers    

HARTFORD, November 24, 2009:  Hartford Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the parent New York Rangers have reassigned forward Devin DiDiomete to the Wolf Pack from the team’s ECHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers.

Since being assigned to Charlotte November 3, DiDiomete, a second-year pro, had skated in six ECHL games, notching two goals and an assist for three points, along with 46 penalty minutes.  That penalty-minute total ranked him third on the Checkers’ squad.  Prior to heading to Charlotte, DiDiomete had missed the Wolf Pack’s first 12 games of the season, after being injured in the Wolf Pack’s last preseason game, September 27 vs. Worcester. 

Last season the 5-11, 200-pound DiDiomete skated in 73 games with the Pack, registering four goals and five assists for nine points, along with a team-leading 239 penalty minutes.

The 21-year-old DiDiomete was signed to a free-agent contract by the Rangers October 20, 2008, out of the Ontario Hockey League.

The Wolf Pack return to the ice tomorrow night, Wednesday, November 25, as they travel to Lowell to take on the Devils at 7:00 (WTIC HD-2, www.hartfordwolfpack.com, www.wtic.com).  The Pack are back on home ice this Friday, November 27, hosting Kevin Dineen and the Portland Pirates on Guida’s Family Value Night (7:00).  Family Value Night packages start as low as $45 and include three tickets, three hot dogs or pizza slices, three sodas and a Wolf Pack souvenir. Guida’s Family Value Night packs can be purchased through the XL Center box office and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

Single-game tickets for 2009-10 Hartford Wolf Pack regular season home games are on sale now at the XL Center box office, through Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at 1-800-745-3000 and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

For information on all the Wolf Pack’s many ticketing options, including terrific discounts for groups of 15 or more, visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com, or call the Wolf Pack ticket office at (860) 548-2000 to talk with an account executive today.

The last episode of Complex`s Best 100 series features The 50 Best NBA Slam Dunks.

“A dunk is worth only two points. A dunk in somebody’s face? Also two points, but that’s just because NBA puppeteers haven’t figured out how to award points based on how badly a player was emasculated. (Obviously, the formula is the victim’s height in inches minus his opponent’s height, divided by how many years the vic’s been in the league, multiplied by the number of viewers who witnessed the bruising of his ego.) While facializations are not technically worth any more than lame-ass layups, they are why we tune in nightly to see which multi-millionaire freak of nature will get cut down to size so we can laugh at him. With that in mind, check out Complex’s list of the 50 Best NBA Slam Dunks, a collection of humiliating, in-your-face jams that should be worth at least an additional two points—one for each testicle that was crushed.”

Click the image for The 50 Best NBA Slam Dunks.

Info: Complex

So I was one game behind Cousin D in the overall standings. And Cousin D decided to go 9-7 this week.

Too bad for him.

12-4 this week for your boy! 12-4!

Kudos also to Jay Jack, Mr. Jones and Mike L. for posting double digit victories.

This  is how we did for Week 11 (correct pick in bold.)

And here are the standings for Week 11, and overall, of which I am king. Feels good to be at the top.

Sports Illustrated knows that when Bama is on the cover, magazines sell.  Jinx or no jinx, it’s still cool in my book!  RTR!

source: Hoops Encyclopedia

This is Masterpiece`s 2Player Jacket which faetures Gore Tex fabric, as well.
And someone should say again that camo pattern are gone/dead… The woodland camo like pattern is printed all over this mountain parka style jacket and accented with wide silver reflective strip on the zipper cover.

500 × 752

More images after the jump.

Info: Freshnessmag

This week’s fantasy task was no small feat.

Battling against my esteemed colleague Evan Wyloge meant that that the two teams tied for the last playoffs spot were going head-to-head.

In our previous match up, he had smoked me by 30 points, with one of the most mediocre performances I have ever turned in… I believe my players averaged 6 points a piece that week.

Pre-game projections had me up by a few, but then I made (once again) the wrong decision and started OchoCinco.. What a fantasy waste that toolbox is.

At the end of Sunday night, Robbie Gould’s 68 field goals had put Evan two points ahead of me, and he still had a RB to play Monday night.  All I had was my kicker, Rob Bironas…  Projected to bring me 3 points.  I was scared.

Then of course, Robbie B came through with his golden foot.  Also, Ryan Moats, for some reason or another, didn’t even touch the ball.

Final score: Me 123 – Him 114.

The kick is up and it is good.

source: HOOPMIXTAPE

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Everyone who isn’t a flaming Liberal is thankful for the obvious things: democracy, family, bacon, etc.  That’s why, this Thanksgiving, Claire and I are concentrating on the meaningless, trivial things that help get us from one day to the next.  Because THAT, my friends, is what the holidays are all about.

1. TV on DVD, Hulu, Netflix, On Demand…basically TV anywhere other than actual TV
2. When friends stay logged into Facebook on our computers
3. Compressed gas spray cans for your keyboard
4. Ridiculous PR pitches
5. White wine
6. Inanimate object Halloween costumes
7. Red wine
8. Three-way Gmail Chat
9. Screw cap wine bottles
10. Lemon Drops
11. Drinking at work or during the day (or both)
12. Gingerbread Shacks
13. Lady Gaga
14. Internet access at work
15. Novelty rap songs like “New York” that we play over and over until we barf
16. SNL Digital Shorts, especially those you don’t hear about until years after their original airdate
17. Russia
18. Dan’s bracelets
19. The music video for Beyonce’s “All the Single Ladies”
20. Gmail status fights
21. Direct deposit
22. A few Fridays with Evan
23. Some E-cards
24. Taylor Swift (just Molly)
25. Kanye West’s Caps Lock key (just Claire)
26. Mazall’s Mormon past
27. YANKEES!
28. Being able to use Drewpreme as a “source”
29. Spanx
30. Unlocking all the songs on Guitar Hero
31. Advil
32. The fake David Blaine
33. Impromptu late-night dress up parties with accompanying photo shoots
34. Don Draper
35. That thing you can do on Macs where it will change the webcam background and you look like you are riding on a roller coaster or walking on the Moon.  Even though it never works.
36. Taking Mene to more baseball games than his Dad did.  And winning them.
37. This Photo
38. The Sports Guy
39. People who still read our blog, even though we never post
40. Lists

committing to louisville

source: HOOPMIXTAPE BLOG