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Wandy Fools Around on Monday
April 2, 2013
Quite a stir was caused on Monday when Wanderlei Silva tweeted that he had been contacted by the UFC about filling in to fight Gegard Mousasi at UFC on Fuel TV 9. While many picked up on it as true, Silva was playing an April Fool's Day prank.
As many reported and confirmed on Tuesday, Alexsander Gustafsson had an injury and was required to pull out of the fight. No opponent was announced by the UFC until Dana White named Gustafsson's training partner as the new opponent.
UFC news my guys fight Saturday agains Musasi!!! What you think? UFC just contact me about Saturday,UFC acabeu de me ligar o que acha?
— Wanderlei Silva (@wandfc) April 1, 2013
Before confirmation of the injury, Silva took to twitter stating that he was going to fight Mousasi. Even Mousasi tweeted that he was not sure if he had an opponent on Monday. Silva revealed that it was all a part of April Fool's Day.
H/T via Cagewriter
Payout Perspective:
The power of social media. Without it, Silva probably would not have caused such a stir. Silva made a statement, followers took the statement as true and others picked up on it. It shows how people consume their news and its a cautionary tale for media (including us) to ensure what we report is true. Even looking through MMA tweets about Silva possibly fighting on Saturday there was little verification on whether the report was true. Further, there was no mention that it was April 1st…and the possibility that the story might be a hoax. What Silva's ruse did amounted to was a stealth PR campaign to get some attention. Its something that happens on twitter all the time.
A recent post on StiffJab outlines the problem through the example of false reports of boxer LaMont Peterson failing a drug test. There is a need to be first, get page views and followers. Many times the sacrifice comes with a cost. While Silva's "prank" was relatively harmless, it did highlight an issue with social media and reporting.
Zuffa Copyright Claim Correct Action Under DMCA
March 28, 2013
Can Zuffa have YouTube take down a video of Nick Diaz being told by a UFC official that the Quebec Athletic Commission would grant the fighters a 0.9 pound allowance of the mandatory 170 pound weight limit? Short Answer: Yes.
The UFC's decision to take down the video of UFC Senior Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs and Assistant General Counsel (what a title) Michael Mersch has sparked controversy as many have questioned whether its legal. It is.
Bloody Elbow took issue with the UFC making a copyright claim:
The video was of a conversation, the UFC does not own a copyright on conversations that take place in the stadium seats. Nor does it own a copyright on anything actually shown in the video. The video doesn't even show something like the Octagon which the UFC could try to make some sort of (wrong) claim that violated their copyright. It is strictly a conversation in the stadium seats.
But the issue is not the substance of the video but where the video was taken. It was taken backstage at the weigh-ins. In order to get there, one must obtain access from the UFC. And while we do not have definitive information on this, it's likely that the UFC made each person sign something and/or wear a pass to get to the back. We also assume that the UFC limits its liability as well as has language which states that it owns rights to videos, images, sounds, etc. for those entering the backstage area. Its not a public area although we might think it is. Certainly, we all would want to hang out before weigh-ins if we could. But we cannot. Why? We don't have the necessary access.
If we may infer from the UFC fighter contracts, the UFC has contemplated the control of pre and post-bout access. One can look to the Eddie Alvarez contract which was produced in the Bellator litigation to take note that pre and post bout happenings are covered by the UFC.
The Alvarez Promotional and Ancillary Rights Agreement is a section entitled, Ancillary Rights. The section provides an exhaustive list of rights that the fighter agrees to grant Zuffa. Among the rights is Section 2.3(b) which states:
2.3. The Rights include the following:
b. All media, including, but not limited to, motion picture, radio, television (which term whenever referred to herein shall include, without limitation, live or delayed, interactive, home or theater, over-the-air broadcast, pay, pay-per-view, satellite, closed circuit, cable, subscription, Video On Demand, Near Video On Demand, Subscription Video On Demand, multi-point, master antenna, or other), telephone, wireless, computer, CD-ROM, DVD, any and all Internet applications (including,without limitation, netcasting, podcasting, direct download, streamed webcasting, internet channels (e.g., Youtube) or any other form of digital media download or web syndication), films and tapes for exhibition in any and all media and all gauges, including but not limited to video and audio cassettes and disks, home video and computer games, arcade video games, hand-held versions of video games, video slot machines, photographs (including raw footage, out-takes and negatives), merchandising and program rights, in connection with or based upon the UFC brand, the Bouts or activities pertaining to the Bouts, including but not limited to, training, interviews, press conferences, weigh-ins and behind-the-scenes footage for the Bouts (the "Pre-Bout Events"), post-fight interviews and press conferences (the "Post Bout Events") and any parts thereof on a commercial, sustaining, theatrical or other basis, and by any and all means, methods and devices whatsoever, now existing or hereafter devised. (our emphasis)
An interesting note about the Ancillary Rights that Zuffa will retain from the fighter. It lasts in perpetuity – even after the fighter dies. Yes, its repetitive but emphasizes that Zuffa owns the rights forever.
Based on this particular language, it means that someone like Nick Diaz probably signed over his rights to any "Pre-Bout Events" such as a "behind-the-scenes footage." Even if the video was shot by someone else, it still features a UFC official and Diaz talking backstage at a UFC weigh-in. Thus, the UFC could make the copyright claim.
There are steps that an individual can do to reclaim their video. The first is to send a counter-notification.
Via YouTube re counter-notification:
A counter notification is a legal request for YouTube to reinstate a video that has been removed for alleged copyright infringement. The process may only be pursued in instances where the upload was removed or disabled as a result of a mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled, such fair use. It should not be pursued under any other circumstances.
Bloody Elbow via MMA Junkie's Stephen Marocco states that the person that uploaded the video has filed a counter-notification.
If the video does reappear as a result of the counter-notification, the UFC could file suit.
The Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) is the center of this copyright claim controversy as all of the claims to take down videos online are based on this law. It is used by media companies to protect its intellectual property. It can be a confusing law as to what rights an individual may have to upload videos to sites like YouTube.
This issue of a spectator's rights at a sporting event came up with NASCAR this past February. NASCAR has flipped on its stance on the reasons for taking down spectator videos of the crash but the fact remains that NASCAR had licensed its rights to the images. Poynter.org has an interesting recap of the NASCAR event as well as arguing whether NASCAR had a legit claim to take down a video of the crash. One of the arguments made is that facts cannot be copyrighted. One of the commenters (with a legal background) noted a case, NBA v. Motorola, which found in favor of a pager service that would provide live scores and stats of NBA games. The Court held that while the official recordings of the NBA may be protected by copyright law, actual athletic events are not copyrightable. The commenter believed that the holding in the case was premised on the logic that the NBA could assert protections over its official recordings, but not over every recording in the arena.
Certainly this rationale goes against the UFC's copyright claim here and our argument that it is valid. But the contractual issue probably would hold the day here. If Diaz and other contracted UFC fighters in the video signed Zuffa fight contracts, they likely signed over their Ancillary Rights as well. Thus, the UFC would have a strong case to stake its claim to have YouTube take down the video.
Chris Camozzi takes stand against lowball fight sponsor offers
March 23, 2013
Chris Camozzi made some headlines pre-UFC 158 with a blog post which outlined a pattern of low offers made by sponsors. Camozzi called out the fighters and managers that take low offers which lower the standard for everyone.
Camozzi wrote that despite UFC 158 being a big card it did not mean a windfall when it comes to sponsorship. His blog post, found on his web page, did not request the UFC do something about the lowball sponsors offers or the sponsors to cease its tactics but the fighters to turn down such low offers. As an example, he cited that a couple years ago a walkout shirt could make $10K if a fighter appeared on the main card of a PPV. He stated that for UFC 158 he was offered $3K.
In the same post, Camozzi indicated that he is against a union as that is a "lazy" way for allowing another to set a baseline. He called for up and coming fighters not to take low offers from sponsors. He states that he turned down more money at UFC 158 to make the point. He also reminded fighters that the sponsors paid between 5 and 7 figures for "permission" from the UFC to have ads displayed on fighters and its the sponsors that need the fighters not the other way around.
Payout Perspective:
Camozzi's post is interesting as he's requesting other fighters to "leave money on the table" in order to take a stand. This sounds good but for the present conditions in the UFC, it's a hard proposition to follow. In a crowded fighter roster, one loss could spell the end of your UFC career. From an up and coming fighter's perspective, if you do not capitalize now, you may never have that chance. If you are a manager, one would hope you are trying to get as many sponsors as you can for your fighter. But, if you are on the prelims, one can imagine it being harder to find sponsors. So, if posed with an offer that is less, do you take it or turn it down waiting for a better offer? An offer that may never come.
Camozzi does make a point. At times, the UFC will be making more money from its sponsor fee than the fighters will from the sponsors. Sponsors need fighters to advertise their brand and fighters should be compensated accordingly.
One of the problems is that UFC production has cut walkouts which curbs the amount of time a walkout shirt is seen on television. On FX, Fuel and Fox shows, some fights are cut to where the fight banner is barely seen and the fighter doesn't have his shirt on. From this perspective, the amount of time seen by a viewing audience has gone down.
It will be interesting to see if anyone takes Camozzi's call for fighter solidarity on this issue. It would be a hard thing to do for a young fighter with an uncertain future. But, Camozzi is bringing up issues that will affect a fighter's future.
Media Relations 101 – Nick Diaz
March 16, 2013
Most media and fans think pre-fight press/teleconferences are pretty boring with media asking formulated questions and the fighters answering with formulaic answers. This goes out the window with Nick Diaz.
Diaz went on a verbal tirade last week at the teleconference at no one and everyone at the same time. While he expressed disdain for GSP, he also claimed he respected where the champ was at in his career. He also lobbied for change in the sport which would make the sport more entertaining.
At this week's press conference, Diaz told us who sold "wolf tickets" and inferred that GSP was taking steroids. Stuff like that could get you sued (ask Floyd Mayweather).
Nick Diaz is a person that has a hard time articulating his opinions but it seems like (most) everyone understands. Diaz is the real Stone Cold Steve Austin from WWE fame. Yes, Austin was based on real feelings of the man playing the character, but Diaz is real. At both press happenings for this event, he's brought up the differences in classes; his working class/poverty-stricken background versus GSP's affluent upbringing. To be honest, I'm not sure GSP's childhood can be characterized as affluent. Yet, it works for Diaz as its not the fuel you put in the tank but how you use it.
Diaz is loyal to his Stockton roots. He's proud of where he's from and revealing how he's seen his friends shot is a personal tragedy that goes beyond the UFC. Again, it's what fuels him but not the issue at hand.
As for Diaz's media relations style, it works. The controversial comments had many trying to find Diaz's pressers online. It would be inadvisable to most athletes to use expletives and infer your opponents use steroids, but that's him. For someone to adopt this to get attention would be foolish.
Diaz does his own thing which includes not appearing at mandatory appearances. Of course its unprofessional but "no-showing" events is something that occurs with professional athletes in other sports. Diaz is unrefined and genuine and that's an attribute that makes him popular. It is also could be the problem.
Diaz is a fighter. He's a tortured soul that finds the world always turning its back on him. But, he uses this to make him successful. Many people empathize with Diaz's plight. His working class roots are seen by many and its one of the reasons why he has so many fans. Also, his "do my own thing" attitude also ingratiates him to many wishing they could do the same to their employer. Its what made Stone Cold such a popular figure in pro wrestling.
Its undeniable that Diaz has gotten under GSP's skin for the simple fact that he's pushed GSP over the edge personally. In the end, if Diaz wins Saturday, his world is going to change and he will be asked (read: forced) to play "the game." The irony of the situation is that with a win, Diaz's hard work and dedication to being a martial artist will mean he will become "the man"; which means the money and fame that should come with it. It would be an interesting next chapter in the life of Diaz.
UFC 157: Payout Perspective
February 25, 2013
Welcome to another edition of Payout Perspective. This time we take a look at UFC 157 from The Honda Center in Anaheim, California. In the main event, Ronda Rousey defeated Liz Carmouche in the first ever women's bout in the UFC.
Rousey submits Carmouche, UFC wins
Saturday night's title fight between Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche could not have gone better unless it had gone 5 rounds…or even 2. But, Rousey's trademark armbar with just seconds left in the first round left the crowd and many fans satisfied with the main event.
The fight legitimized women's MMA. Rousey did what she does (i.e., armbar) and Carmouche showed that she was not a tomato can. In the end, the UFC ended up winning as it showed that the women could put on a show. It took a risk in putting this as the main event and the women came through. Now the only issue is where it goes from here.
Machida wins, the fans do not
This fight complemented the main event because it was not an entertaining fight. If Rousey-Carmouche were not on top of the card it would have been this fight. Fortunate for everyone, the UFC went with the women. With that said, it was a tactical fight that was slow paced. Whether it was Machida's in and out or Henderson's constant measuring of the Dragon, the fight lacked any excitement.
Machida will get another shot at Jon Jones but after watching this fight, I'm not sure if that excites anyone.
Faber chokes out Menjivar
The details of jiu jitsu. If you have the fight on DVR, during the finish watch how Urijah Faber uses his non-choking arm to peel back the forehead of Ivan Menjivar which exposed his neck despite Menjivar's attempts to tuck his chin. With the neck exposed, Faber slid in his arm and coupled with the body triangle Menjivar was forced to tap. The peel back of the arm is what Carmouche was unable to do with Rousey when the two were in a similar position.
An impressive win for Faber as he looked fresh and reminiscent of his time in the WEC. However, the rub is that he's in a place where he's better than the mid-card but not good enough to claim a title. We'll see what the UFC does with Faber.
Attendance and Gate
Announced at the post-fight press conference, the Honda Center was sold out with 15,525 for a gate of $1.4 million. There was no confirmation on paid attendance versus comps.
As we detailed here, it was the highest attended event at The Honda Center which included UFC 121: Velasquez versus Lesnar. It also bested the two Affliction events held at The Honda Center although Affliction: Banned earned more ($2.1M gate per MMA Payout's Blue Book).
It seems as though Anaheim is the "go to" venue outside of Vegas. This venue worked for this event. The Honda Center is down the road from Rousey's home in the LA area and up the road from Carmouche's in San Diego. Most fans could travel easily up or down Interstate 5 to support their fighters. Southern California is a hub for MMA and is more progressive than most areas of the country. Sure, it's in Orange County but it's in Anaheim, not Newport Beach.
As reported previously, the bonuses were $50,000 each and were awarded below:
Fight of the Night: Dennis Bermudez v. Matt Grice
Submission of the Night: Kenny Robertson
KO of the Night: Robbie Lawler
Promotion of the Fight
Rousey was on every media outlet imaginable: ESPN, SI, The Jim Rome Show, Time and HBO Sports to name a few. The UFC stated that this event received the most media attention ever and Rousey has received more media than Brock Lesnar. The Rousey media blitz drew support from mainstream notables that gave their support via twitter.
Got daughters. History this wknd. @rondarousey wins 1st women's UFC bout & @danicapatrick just Bcame 1st woman 2lead green lap @daytona 500
— Stuart Scott (@StuartScott) February 24, 2013
Congratulations Mohr Stories veteran @rondarousey . Amazing fight. Brilliant finish.
— Jay Mohr (@jaymohr37) February 24, 2013
Who all is watching Rouzey vs Carmouche?!?! Major night for women!!! Lets entertain the world!!! Who you going for? #fb
— Hope Solo (@hopesolo) February 24, 2013
The UFC pitched gay media to focus on the Liz Carmouche her story. The UFC did a good job in marketing Carmouche as a pioneer for the gay community without exploiting her sexual orientation. It also stressed the fact that she was a U.S. Marine.
With Danica Patrick competing at the Daytona 500, media were eager to jump on the women's weekend. Realistically, it's hard to blame the media focus: it is historical, out of the ordinary and an easy lead that would get readers/page views.
UFC Primetimes
The 3 part UFC Primetimes were especially good this time around. It had more meat to it for the obvious reasons. Both fighters had compelling stories that drew you in. It's what the Primetimes are supposed to do. It seemed more like the good HBO 24/7s especially the last 5 mins of the first and third episodes. Good narration and great writing made the shows.
The night's sponsors in the Octagon included Xyience, MetroPCS, UltimatePoker.com, Toyo Tires, Dodge Dart, TapouT, new sponsor Head and Shoulders and Bud Light in the center. Corn Nuts also sponsored the corner cam.
Rousey was sponsored by the UFC as she donned the UFC-Monster headphones and wore UFC sponsored gear although I believe that Lululemon Athletic made the fight gear. Will double check on that. She also had a Xyience patch on her shorts.
In addition to inside the Octagon, Rousey also has deal with Fuji gis.
Carmouche had several sponsors including VA Home Mortgage (which sponsored several fighters on the card), Salesforce and Torque.
Henderson had his Twitter and Facebook handles on his shorts in addition to Clinchgear.
Machida was sponsored by official UFC sponsors Bony Acai and Head and Shoulders in addition to Venum,
Kenny Robertson won submission of the night and also gets the award for best sponsor: Mason Funeral Home. A funeral home sponsoring a UFC fighter? Everyone dies so it is in the UFC demo.
Josh Koscheck and Lyoto Machida are still sponsored by Lugz. I didn't know that the company was still around. But, these two have had long-term sponsor deals with the company.
Post-UFC 157 Headlines
What's next for women's MMA – It was a good debut for the women in the UFC. It was an exciting, competitive match and no blood. There was the concern of Rousey almost losing her top but the UFC avoided that issue. So, what's next? Rousey will be a draw the next time she fights. But, the bigger issue is what happens when other women fight. The UFC would not be able to get as much buzz for another women's fight if Rousey is not in it. We'll see how the UFC uses women's MMA to complement the male card.
Machida next for Jones – Is anyone excited to see this rematch? Perhaps the UFC hoped for Henderson to win here to get a redo for UFC 151. I'd rather see Alexander Gustafsson get the shot.
Odds and ends
- Kenny Robertson will be teaching class on Monday at his "day" job.
- I was sitting on the tweet that Henderson was going to knock the head off of Machida's shoulders all night. It didn't happen.
- I wonder if there was a proposition bet on whether Carmouche would have gotten out of the 1st round. If so, that would have been exciting.
- It's obvious that the UFC has a working relationship with Invicta as Carmouche's coach wore the shirt and the logo was seen during the UFC Primetimes. Zuffa wouldn't let this happen unless there was a business relationship. If women's MMA starts to take off could we see another Zuffa purchase? More likely I could see the UFC using Invicta like a farm system and call up fighters to fight on a UFC card.
With all of the great media attention the UFC received for Saturday's event, it will be interesting to see how much of the media attention will convert to PPV buys. It reached out to more media than usual in getting attention for this event. Rousey and Carmouche have been great ambassadors for women's MMA. But, I think it will boil down to whether the casual viewer can stomach the possibility of seeing a woman busted open and bleeding like Joe Lauzon at UFC 155. Or, can they watch an arm be broken right in front of their eyes. These are questions that seem silly but will really determine whether women's MMA can succeed with the UFC.
With that being said, a low to mediocre PPV buy rate would be disappointing considering the amount of public relations and press buzz the UFC received for this bout. Yet, how many new viewers can be added for this event? Would the backstory of Rousey and the novelty of the women's fight be enough to convert non-UFC followers to pay for the PPV. Last year's PPV average hovered around 450,000 buys. If UFC 157 hit the average it would be a success.
The marketing of Liz Carmouche
February 22, 2013
UFC 157 will go down as a historical night for the company regardless of the PPV buys. For the first time the UFC has put its faith in women behind Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche. While we all know about Rousey, Carmouche is a compelling story that complements the company's first foray into women's MMA.
The UFC is making a calculated risk by reaching beyond its normal demographics of young males in order to grab some mainstream appeal. Dana White has made a 180 degree reversal from his original stance that women would never fight in the UFC. Rousey was the perfect fighter to be the first woman signed to a UFC contract. Under the radar from the Rousey media storm is the fact that Liz Carmouche is also a pioneer in the sport. Not only is Carmouche participating in the first women's fight in the UFC, she is openly gay.
The UFC marketed Carmouche's sexual orientation smartly. It has promoted the accomplishment while not exploiting it. The UFC Primetimes have detailed Carmouche and coming out as gay even detailing how she met her girlfriend. In its pre-fight press, the UFC targeted gay media outlets to garner coverage for this demographic.
"I think the UFC is not shy about promoting her sexual orientation," said Jim Buzinski of Outsports.com "Having an openly gay fighter is great in terms of showing that gays and lesbians are everywhere, even in the octagon."
"The UFC's inclusion of Liz is fantastic for two reasons," stated Aaron McQuade of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), "First, it introduces their [UFC] fans to an openly gay fighter who's considered one of the best in the world. Second, it shows their [UFC] fans that the world of mixed martial arts is open and accepting of all people, no matter who they are."
The outreach to gay media should get the interest of some readers that may make an impulse buy of the PPV based on their support of a gay fighter. It might also help that it will be the first time women fight in the male-dominated UFC. With respect to Carmouche, she has been steadfast in being comfortable in who she is and what she stands for in the eyes of others. For those fans of Carmouche, she calls her followers "Lizbos," an obvious play on words.
White's opinionated stance on issues helped with the UFC marketing Carmouche. At the recent media scrum for the event, White respected Carmouche for coming out while stating he could care less about her sexual orientation. White's comments imply that he doesn't care whether Carmouche were gay, straight, bisexual or all of the above. When asked how would it be if a male fighter were to come out, White stated that the UFC would not treat them any different. I tend to agree with this comment although it would be clear that the UFC would likely market this individual (as it is doing with Carmouche) to the gay community.
White's stance on the subject can be seen as a progressive look on societal changes. It can also be seen as taking advantage of a situation its been presented. His policy change on women's MMA likely stems from the popularity of Rousey, Zuffa's acquisition of Strikeforce and a need to inject some life into its flat PPV business.
Carmouche's background is relevant because its rare in sports that an athlete comes out. We need only look to the NFL to see that even in the most popular sport in the United States, its players may not embrace an openly gay athlete. Earlier this month, San Francisco 49er Chris Culliver made anti-gay comments during the week preceding the Super Bowl. Interesting for Culliver when he plays for a team that actively markets toward the gay community.
For the UFC's part, there has not been a backlash about Carmouche or homosexuals in the lead up to the fight this Saturday. Of course, it's likely that opponents of homosexual athletes participating in MMA have kept quiet to avoid the ire of White.
Payout Perspective:
Despite the UFC marketing of Carmouche, the fact that Carmouche is openly gay seems to be an afterthought in this fight as Rousey has been the center of attention. Carmouche is articulate, a role model for women and is good for the sport of women's MMA. The only problem is that her best fight was a loss to Marloes Coenen. Ironically, Dan Henderson main evented that night. Carmouche is the overwhelming underdog here. Still, with the shocking KO of King Mo in Bellator, this sport doesn't have gimme fights.
UFC 156: Payout Perspective
February 4, 2013
Welcome to another edition of Payout Perspective. This time we take a look at UFC 156 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center from Las Vegas, Nevada.
Aldo sends Edgar to third straight loss
Thud. The leg kicks of Jose Aldo last night were reminiscent of those he delivered to Urijah Faber at WEC 48 which (IMO) was his coming out party. To Frankie Edgar's credit, he was able to deal with most of those with an effective counter. Aldo's cardio issues were evident in rounds 4 and 5. But, he had done enough to stop Edgar.
For Aldo, the first couple rounds showed his dominance that he had in the WEC. He was quicker, had the counter and snuck in the devastating kicks to Edgar's legs. Will Dana White take the request of Anthony Pettis and give Showtime a shot to fight Jose Aldo. What about Ricardo Lamas? The guy who beat the guy (Erik Koch) that was supposed to fight Aldo for the title shot. What about the Featherweight rankings?
For Edgar, its his third loss in a row. The dip to Featherweight now looks like a waste unless he's willing to take a couple fights before getting another shot at Aldo. For Edgar's benefit, a couple fights to get back some confidence would help. Losing three straight decisions has to be hard on him.
Bigfoot Silva KOs Overeem
And that's why haters are going to hate. Alistair Overeem wore a shirt to the weigh-ins saying, "Haters Going to Hate." The end result was a reason why people hate. A classic case of underestimating your opponent. Overeem had the first two rounds with ease although a couple shots at the end of the second round gave Bigfoot some momentum. And then, Bigfoot laid hands on Overeem and that was all she wrote with Silva talking smack over a prone Overeem.
Overeem's loss messes up the UFC's hope for a Cain-Overeem fight. For Silva, a Velasquez fight will not happen although JDS might be a good matchup to see which heavyweight gets back into the title picture.
Attendance and gate
MMA Junkie reports that the attendance for UFC as released by the Nevada State Athletic Commission was 10,275 for a gate of $2.437 million.
The Bonuses drew some eyebrows as it was only $50K per bonus as opposed to $60-65K which had been the standard in 2012.
The bonuses were as follows:
Fight of the Night: Aldo-Edgar
KO of the Night: Bigfoot Silva
Submission of the Night: Bobby Green
Interested that they did not give sub of the night to Dustin Kimura with a Rear Naked Choke for the sheer fun of announcing Kimura won with a Rear Naked Choke.
Promotion of the Fight
The UFC decided to promote Frankie Edgar's move down to Featherweight as the main sell point for the PPV and touting Edgar-Aldo as a "Superfight." Certainly, the battle of a past and present champion has some juice but the UFC also had a Heavyweight battle between the returning Alistair Overeem and Bigfoot Silva. It also had Rashad Evans, a proven PPV draw go up against a veteran in Little Nog. We also know that Frankie Edgar is not a PPV draw. And, at this point, neither is Aldo.
Notwithstanding what we know now, (that Overeem may be overrated and that while Evans brings a big event feel walking to the Octagon,he showed little in it on Saturday), it gave the lighter weight class the top bill. Strategically, the UFC could be giving its lighter weight classes the opportunity to show what it could do. With Aldo out, the Featherweight title has not been defended since last January. Marketing the PPV around Edgar-Aldo will be a test to see where the fan base is with respect the lighter weight classes.
The octagon featured UltimatePoker.com, Xyience, MetroPCS, Harley Davidson, the movie Dead Man Down, MusclePharm, Tapout and Bud Light in the center. Dodge also sponsored stats during the PPV as well.
Dead Man Down had the corners of the Octagon. One had to wonder if there was hope that a fighter would be knocked out in one of those corners. In fact, Overeem went down up against the Dead Man Down signage. How appropriate.
Based on his wearing his headphones after the fight, Jose Aldo is sponsored by a headphone maker although I could not make out the brand.
Rashad Evans had top level sponsors as always. Notable sponsors included Jaco, Corn Nuts and Bony Acai. The last two are official UFC sponsors.
Little Nog signed a deal with Venum prior to UFC 156. He also was sponsored by Bony Acai.
It appears that the UFC was sponsoring Frankie Edgar last night. He had the UFC brand on his shorts and in a prominent spot on his fight banner. He was also sponsored by FeartheFighter, Alienware, MicroTech, Wild Wing, Virtustream and Gaspari Nutrition.
Buy My Autographs.com was the most intriguing fight sponsor of the night. The website, established in 2012, offers signed MMA memorabilia.
F3 Nutrition was a sponsor with big name fighters (Overeem and Rashad) wearing its logo that did not do so well with their outcomes.
Post-UFC 156 Headlines
Aldo versus ? – We will see if Aldo will take on Anthony Pettis for the Featherweight crown. Pettis just introduced himself to the nation on Fox last month and will have to wait for a lightweight shot after Bendo-Gil fight on Apri 20th. What better way to stay busy than a title fight? It would be an interesting scenario for the UFC to consider.
Cain's next challenger – The UFC had hoped that Overeem would have beat Silva to get it to Cain versus Overeem in a big matchup that it could set for this summer. Now, we will see what is in store for the Heavyweight Champion.
Odds and ends
It was a good night for Brazilian fighters. A lot of Brazilian sponsors on many fighters tonight as well.
Fitch/Maia was a fight that went unnoticed by the media hype for this card but was intriguing from a tactical standpoint. It was not a fight for people liking standup but for those grappling folks, it was outstanding control by Maia over Fitch. Maia could be close to a welterweight title shot soon.
Evans and Little Nog had the best walk in music of the night but the worst fight of the night. In the words of Joe Rogan, "That was not an entertaining fight." To complement that fight, at the end they showed Wilmer Valderrama and JWow. It was as if the UFC wanted to make sure you knew that fight sucked.
Silva was very thoughtful in his post-fight interview when he said knocking out Overeem was the biggest in his career since it was the UFC. Obviously, he was thinking his Fedor knockout as bigger but since it was in Strikeforce and he is now in the UFC, why insult your employer.
Would you check a kick from Jose Aldo?
As I alluded to earlier, this PPV will test to see whether the lighter weight classes can carry a PPV. It will also test again whether Frankie Edgar can be a PPV attraction. Last week's Dodson-Johnson main event on Fox scored 5.2 million viewers. Did the commercials featuring a closeup of Edgar's face do enough to draw people to buy the PPV? Aldo has been out for a while and is still relatively unknown. But there may have been enough buzz for it to get to 500,000 PPV buys.
Rousey to UFC?
October 25, 2012
MMA Fighting reports on Dana White's interview with Sports Illustrated on Tuesday where he indicated that women's MMA will be heading to the UFC. The reason for the move is due to Strikeforce Women's Champ Ronda Rousey.
White was an opponent of women's MMA in the UFC and affirmed his position when Zuffa purchased Strikeforce. However, it appears that White has changed course based upon the popularity of Rousey.
White indicated that there is no time frame for this and Rousey's manager stated that she still has three fights left on her Strikeforce contract.
Payout Perspective:
With the addition of events in 2013, its plausible to argue that the UFC will need attractive fights to fill its cards. Rousey is a hot commodity in MMA as she has built an impressive resume in a short timeframe. And she's finished her opponents with an armbar – her signature move. Moreover, and most importantly, she is an outgoing, attractive female that is a good ambassador for the sport. But, the question will be whether viewers will be interested in Rousey. And if so, will they be interested in women's MMA as a whole.
While many MMA enthusiasts are fine with the blood and bruising involved in a men's match, how many casual viewers will be fine seeing a women busted open? Sure, MMA purists will point to the fact that its sport and if you don't like it don't watch it. But, the point of including Rousey in the UFC is that you want to attract viewers.
Will the decision to bring in women's MMA help the UFC? Or, does it mean that Strikeforce is on its way out? While we can argue the overarching question of whether women's MMA would appeal to an audience, the more practical question is whether the move means the demise of Strikeforce?
The argument that Strikeforce may be on life support is buttressed by the fact it has cancelled its last two events due to injuries to its main events. It has pointed to 2013 as its next event but nothing has been made official. Moving Rousey, and women's MMA to the UFC would be a sign that the organization could be sunsetting in the near future. Without Rousey, there is no women's MMA in Strikeforce.
If Rousey headlines or co-main event's a UFC card, would it speak to the advancement of gender equality in MMA or the popularity of one? Invicta FC has shown that there is an audience for women's MMA. Rousey drew the biggest ratings for Strikeforce on Showtime this year. And she has shown a penchant for promoting fights. It will be interesting to see how UFC and Fox handles the issue if and when it happens.
What to learn from the Jeremy Stephens situation
October 10, 2012
Does the UFC need a crisis communications department? Last Friday showed that the UFC has not learned from its mistakes when it comes to addressing an emergent situation.
Friday night's UFC on FX 5's event was marred by Jeremy Stephens as he was arrested the morning of his fight on an outstanding warrant. Despite his incarceration, Dana White maintained that his fight with Yves Edwards was still on despite the fact that Stephens had not been released from custody.
White made his obligatory "blame the media" argument as he told his twitter followers not to believe the media that were claiming the fight was presumably off. Of course, we come to learn that while White was trying to get Stephens out of jail for the fight, he did not know at the time of his tweet whether the fight was going to happen. Even if he thought it was going to happen, it didn't happen.
Is this a problem?
We are again presented with the UFC asserting a point before it actually knew it as fact. Recall the UFC 151 press conference when Dana White stated that Lyoto Machida would face Jon Jones next. Except, the UFC did not confirm that Machida would take the fight.
White sent out via his official spokesperson, his twitter handle, that the fight was still on and not to listen to the media.
Don't listen to the media! Nobody ever told them Jeremy isn't fighting. He is fighting!!
— Dana White (@danawhite) October 5, 2012
OMFG!!! YES Jeremy Stephens is fighting tonight! At no point did ANYONE from UFC say he wasn't. Some media jackasses said he wasn't
— Dana White (@danawhite) October 5, 2012
Likely, not the most professional way to address the situation.
A more professional representation of the unfortunate (for the UFC) facts could have been to give the "no comment" or the "we are still gathering facts and we will let you know." Certainly, the UFC could have let Edwards, its own contracted fighter, know the status without leaking it to the public/media. In a post-fight interview on Fuel it was apparent that he was kept in the dark as much as the media that tried to uncover facts. Edwards looked visibly shaken…as if all of his sacrifice, training and hard work went for nothing. Well, it did.
If there's any justice for Edwards, he should have been paid his show and win money. He did make it to the arena without being arrested whereas his opponent did not. If nothing else, put Edwards at the top of the injury replacement list. We all know someone is going to get injured on a card sometime soon. UPDATE: Edwards will be on the UFC on Fox card this December per MMA Junkie.
The issue with the Jeremy Stephens situation is how it was handled. It was done poorly and it was obvious that the only plan was to try to negotiate with the police to get Stephens out in time to fight. The lack of a plan only magnified the situation. Remember, the Stephens-Edwards bout wasn't even on the main card. It was a Fuel prelim. Realistically, only the hard core UFC fans would have noticed the absence of this bout. Moreover, what would have been the real fallout if the UFC announced that the fight was off due to a legal issue involving Stephens.
How bad would it look if the UFC would have let media members know about the Stephens legal issue and that it was "working with authorities (not negotiating) at this time and details would be released once it they were made known by the authorities"? Probably not that bad. While the spiel is formulaic and "PR" speak for Stephens got arrested and we don't know what's going on its better than what happened.
What's worse about this latest misstep is that it happened so soon after the UFC 151 fallout. And it was the same issue: releasing information without knowing the truth of the information.
Crisis communications does not always mean that a company must respond to issues at a moment's notice but it can. The role is to protect the company and its reputation when faced with a public challenge. Here, one of the UFC's fighters was arrested. Not an unusual situation except for the fact that it occurred on the day of his fight. This issue could have been addressed from the start without the confrontation of the media. While we understand that the UFC wants to stand by its fighters, it does not help to provide further misinformation (i.e., that the bout was still on) and then blame Iowa authorities for not letting Stephens out. What were to happen if this was one of the main event fighters was detained? How would the UFC adjust? By calling out the media?
It's easy to Monday Morning Quarterback the situation here, but the UFC is a professional organization that should have policies in place to deal with these issues.
White interview explains UFC 151 cancellation
September 9, 2012
Dana White's recent appearance on Fuel TV to explain the UFC 151 cancellation gave some perspective on his comments toward Jon Jones. Without truly admitting fault, he indicated that he was not mad at Jones and attributed some level of fault toward Henderson.
In his interview with Ariel Helwani, a toned down White stated that he had "no regrets" with how the UFC 151 press conference was handled. He said that there was nothing he would take back from his comments at the press conference.
Give Helwani some credit in this interview. Although one might argue he's feeding pre-planned questions to White, he does illicit the information about whether Henderson was to blame for the cancellation of UFC 151. It appears that the blame shifts to Henderson but White does stand by his comments about Jones not stepping up to take a fight.
Payout Perspective:
White's interview takes on the form of a non-apology apology. While he does not take back anything said at the press conference, he does appear to step back from his initial comments and comes out to address the fact that Henderson is also at fault for not letting him know that he may not be able to fight September 1.
I am interested as to why this interview did not take place earlier with White. Maybe it was White's travel schedule, maybe White needed perspective, but it would seem that White would want to get out in front of his press conference to explain his comments toward Jones. Aside from helping the ratings for UFC Tonight on Fuel, White's interview was a way to (calmly) explain his side of the story to fans. While most of us get the new from the internet, White made it known his thought process behind the cancellation and the Machida booking.
What are we to make of White's "no regrets" with the handling of UFC 151. While we understand his brand of administration of the UFC, the strong words he had for Jones and Jackson seemed harsh. What about the UFC's press release sent out shortly after the press conference entitled, "UFC 151 Cancelled, Champ Refuses New Opponent"? Also, and maybe as bad, was the press conference announcement that Lyoto Machida would face Jones when it was never confirmed that Machida would accept the fight. From the UFC perspective, the lack of a contingency plan was surprising. Basically, the UFC believed that two fighters wouldn't turn down fights, but it happened and the fallout had to embarrass the UFC. For an organization that prided itself on having its fighters step in when called upon, the UFC faced two fighters that declined fights in less than two days.
The cancellation of UFC 151 could have been handled with more care. While White admits no wrong in voicing his displeasure with Jon Jones and Greg Jackson he did say Jackson was a "sport killer". White had every right to voice his disappointment that Jones was not taking another fight, but he should have indicated the same to Henderson for not at least putting him notice about his injury so that White could have planned a contingency.


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Greg Maddux on Strikeouts
Never try explicitly for the SO, he says: "[Maddux] was telling me, 'Don't every [sic] try to throw guys out. We want to try to get ground balls,'" [Scott] Feldman said. "He told me that's what he did. I was trying to throw as many strikes as I could, get ahead of guys. He told me strikeouts happen pretty much by accident, and that's what happened [Monday]. I guess there's a reason he won a lot of games." I hope Dave Eiland makes this one of his Eilandisms. - TL

subset: commoncrawl


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Heathland home to rare wildlife protected after fundraisers reach target for £2.7m grant (From Bournemouth Echo)
When news happens text pix and video to 80360. Start your message with BE then leave a space.
Heathland home to rare wildlife protected after fundraisers reach target for £2.7m grant
2:00pm Wednesday 28th May 2014 in News
A FINAL push of £5,000 has completed the match-funding target for a grant of £2.7million, ensuring the protection of Dorset heathland.
The generous £5,000 donation from Haskins Garden Centres Ltd has enabled Dorset Wildlife Trust and its partners to gain the Heritage Lottery Fund grant for its Great Heath Living Landscape project.
The aim is to protect and manage land which provides a wildlife-rich habitat for rare and threatened species, including the Dartford Warbler and all six UK reptiles, such as the nationally rare smooth snake and sand lizard.
Warren Haskins, chairman of Haskins, said: "As a child living in the region I explored many of the local heaths and woodland and enjoyed the variety of wildlife to be seen. I'm delighted that these areas are now to be protected by the trust."
Brian Bleese, the trust's director of operations, added: "We are very grateful to Haskins Garden Centres for this generous donation which has helped DWT to reach its fundraising target for the Great Heath Living Landscape Project.
"We are pleased that so many individuals, schools, local groups and businesses, both large and small have recognised the importance of this project for both people and wildlife and have chosen to support it."
With help from the grant and £2million of local fundraising they have bought nearly 1,500 acres of wildlife-rich land in east Dorset, Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch.
The next phase will create a network of access across the area and there will be events and volunteering activities.
However the project still needs funds for associated projects such as improving access, land management and site interpretation.
For information visit dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk
Comments are closed on this article.


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The Oakland Raiders could be without Jason Campbell for the remainder of the season. The NFL Network reports that Campbell broke his collarbone and his season is done.
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Following the Oakland Raiders' trade on Tuesday for quarterback Carson Palmer, coach Hue Jackson introduced the newest member of his team to the media. Jackson answered several questions about his role in pulling the trade off and backed them up by stating just how much confidence he has in Palmer.
When asked about Palmer and his relatively disappointing numbers over the past few seasons, Jackson responded: "This isn't about numbers. This is about the person because I know his heart. I know his passion. I know his dedication to the game."
Jackson backed his support of Palmer up by addressing concerns about the two high draft picks that the Raiders gave up in this trade: "I know a lot of people think we've mortgaged the future of the organization. I don't see it that way." Jackson sounds very confident in the trade, a trait that should serve him well as he helps Palmer transition into the Raiders offense.
The media also asked Jackson about late Raiders owner Al Davis and how he would view the trade. Jackson responded by including the entire Davis family: "One thing I know about Coach he loved tall, athletic quarterbacks from USC, that's for sure...I think he'd be very excited, very happy. His son's very happy and very excited."
On Palmer's end, the former Bengals QB admitted that he isn't where he needs to be right now to start a game but that he will get there: "(I haven't thrown) enough footballs. It's tough to round up guys that are NFL caliber guys to throw to, it's obviously difficult to replicate."
Despite his lack of readiness right now, Palmer is ready to work hard: "I'm going to do whatever they ask me to do, I'm going to learn as fast as I can, and when they want me to contribute I'll be ready." This entire trade must be a liberating experience for Palmer, who thought of himself as essentially retired after tense relations with the Bengals and the organization's decision to start Andy Dalton at quarterback this seaso.
Now, Palmer has a second chance. He's very well aware of the responsibilities that come with that: "You got a fan base you're trying to please and keep happy so that they can brag about (you). You've got teammates you're trying to play good for, to win for, and especially at the quarterback position, spread the ball around."
Both Jackson and Palmer will work together over the next few weeks to incorporate Palmer into the offense and get him into good football shape. If Jackson decides that Palmer isn't ready to play by Sunday, quarterback Kyle Boller (who filled in well after Jason Campbell went out with an injury on Sunday, throwing 100 yards on 8-of-14 passing) will likely get the starting job against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Boy do I feel bad for Jason Campbell. I already felt terrible for Campbell when he got injured in the Oakland Raiders' win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Campbell's entire career has been stifled by coaching changes, system changes and being surrounded by below average talent (until he came to the Raiders that is).
This season, Campbell had the opportunity to show what he could do after being in the same system with the same players for two years. And until he got injured, Campbell was starting to show that he could be a very good quarterback. He still made mistakes like the unbelievable interception he threw in the end zone during the New England Patriots team, but he was looking like a quarterback that could lead the Raiders to the playoffs.
Now, not only did his break out season come to an early end, it looks as though his tenure with the Raiders has come to an early end as well. With the Raiders trading a first round pick along with another conditional first round pick, it is clear that Palmer will be the starting quarterback in Oakland for a number of years. That means Campbell, whose contract is up at the end of this season, will be looking for another job next year.
While I am excited for the potential that Carson Palmer brings to the Raiders, I truly feel bad for Jason Campbell and wish him the best wherever his career takes him next.
Right before the start of the 2009 season, Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders shocked the league by trading away their first round pick for an aging veteran. Everyone thought this was a bad move on the part of the Raiders. It was seen as giving up a first round pick with potential for future success in order to take a shot at present success with a player who was over the hill.
Fast forward three years and Richard Seymour is one of the most dominant defensive lineman in the league and is a major reason why the Raiders are sitting at 4-2 and are a serious playoff contender.
Just over a week after the infamous leader of the Raiders passed away, whoever is calling the shots in Oakland, is doing so as if they were Al Davis themselves. First, in typical Raider fashion, Oakland traded for a first round reclamation project in Aaron Curry. Much like many of the great Raiders in history, Curry is a former first round pick with incredible athletic abilities, a true Al Davis player.
Now, the Raiders make another Seymour-esque trade by going out and getting Carson Palmer. The rumor is that the Raiders will be giving up a first round pick this season, along with a conditional first round pick in 2013. That is a lot to give for a 31 year old quarterback that will be turning 32 in December. But then again, that is what everyone said about the Seymour trade and in hindsight, that trade was brilliant.
The Oakland Raiders may have found their replacement for Jason Campbell. Jay Glazer is reporting that the Raiders are close to having a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals to trade for quarterback Carson Palmer.
If the trade does in fact occur, the Raiders would essentially be going all in this season. It is rumored that in order for the Raiders to get Palmer, they will be giving up a first round pick, along with a conditional pick (also rumored to be a first rounder) in 2013. That means the Raiders would be giving up two first round picks for an older quarterback that has not been playing at all this season. It is a risky move to be sure.
While Carson Palmer has shown that he is capable of being one of the best quarterbacks in the league, there is no telling how soon he will be ready to lead the Raiders. He did not go to training camp, nor has he played this season. In addition, he will need to learn the Raiders playbook quickly. And that is not to mention the fact that Palmer is not exactly a spring chicken. He is 31 years old and will turn 32 in December.
Here is to hoping Carson Palmer can lead Oakland to the promise land because this is a lot for the Raiders to give up for one player when you consider that nothing in the NFL comes with a guarantee.
The Oakland Raiders might have some good news courtesy of their quarterback. Jason Campbell doesn't believe his season is over yet because of his broken collarbone. Vittorio Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle got these upbeat quotes.
"It was a tough break," he said. "I'm going to stay positive. If everything goes right, I could be back in six weeks."
Campbell, who got hurt in the second quarter of Sunday's win over Cleveland, has to be positive. Because the alternative is admitting that, since he is in the last year of his contract, he may have played his last game with the Raiders.
If Campbell can return, it makes the situation a little bit dicier for the Raiders on whether they should pursue a quarterback--what do you do when Campbell comes back? It could create a controversy Oakland doesn't need at the moment. Perhaps Oakland should keep on rolling with who they've got.
Can Oakland go with Kyle Boller at quarterback for five games (one bye week)? They host the Bears and Broncos (winnable games regardless of who the QB is), and road trips to the Chargers (likely loss), Dolphins (likely win) and hapless Vikings (winnable). So the Raiders could probably survive with a 3-2 stretch if they roll with Boller for a few weeks until Campbell returns and still stay right in the thick of things for the AFC West wild-card.
For more thoughts on Campbell and his injury, head to Silver and Black Pride.
One day into the mad dash to replace Jason Campbell and one of the early favorites looks like he has already been taken out of the race. David Garrard, who was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars just before the start of the season, was thought by many to be the most likely replacement for Jason Campbell in Oakland. However, Jay Glazer of Fox sports has reported that Garrard will undergo a sugery to fix a herniated disc in his back.
That effectively takes away the biggest and best free agent option for the Raiders to replace their starting quarterback. It was questionable as to whether or not the Raiders would have been able to get Garrard to sign anyway. Garrard refused to sign with the Miami Dolphins earlier this season due to the fact that he wanted to sign with a team who was ready to make a commitment to him as the starter. Since the Raiders like Jason Campbell and drafter Terrelly Pryor in the supplemental draft, any quarterback obtained by the Raiders this season will likely be nothing more than a stop gap replacement.
That is of course, unless that replacement goes Tom Brady or Kurt Warner and takes them to the Super Bowl. Hey, a guy can dream right?
At any rate, it looks as though if the Raiders want to find a starting caliber replacement for Jason Campbell, they will have to do so before the trade deadline on Tuesday. With Garrard being the only legitimate starter available on the free agent market, the Raiders will need to either convince Mike Brown to trade away Carson Palmer, or deal with having a guy in Kyle Orton, who is not a good fit for the vertical offense.
If the Raiders opt to stick to the free agent market, it will likely be in order to find a veteran back up to sit in the second spot behind Kyle Boller.
In one of my earlier updates, I finished by saying that I was thankful that no one had mentioned the idea of the Oakland Raiders going out and signing Brett Favre as a replacement for injured starter Jason Campbell. Too bad I was not able to be thankful for very long.
Mike Florio of profootballtalk.com has thrown Brett Favre's name in the hat even if no one else has. Florio states that a source close to the situation has said that the Raiders are not interested in Favre as a replacement and that the possibility of signing him has not been discussed.
For the most part, Florio's article is just doing the inevitable, taking a look at the idea of Favre making his five hundredth return to the NFL, this time mid season a la Roger Clemens. I knew it was only a matter of time before Favre's name was mentioned as a potential replacement for Jason Campbell. Thankfully, it does not at all seem like a serious consideration for either side and is nothing more than the media unnecessarily feeding Favre's ego.
I must say, even though I am not entirely sure who is calling the shots in Oakland since Al Davis passed away, but I am incredibly happy with the work they have done so far, if for no other reason than for the fact that they are not seriously considering the possibility of Brett Favre.
The names being tied to the Oakland Raiders as a result of Jason Campbell's season ending injury are coming fast now. We have already heard all of the obvious names like David Garrard, Kyle Orton and Carson Palmer, mentioned as potential replacements for Campbell this season. There has even been talk about the Raiders re-signing former back up Trent Edwards and allowing Kyle Boller to keep the starting job.
However, this morning yet another name surfaced, and this time, it was one that I had yet to hear or even consider. Mike Florio of profootballtalk.com is reporting that along with contacting David Garrard, the Raiders have contacted former Raider quarterback Josh McCown about possibly coming back to the Raiders.
McCown played one season in Oakland back in 2007. That season, McCown got into 9 games for the Raiders, completed 111 of 190 passes for a 58.4 completion percentage while puttin up 1,151 yards, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Those stats are far from being stellar and the fact that the Raiders are talking to McCown symbolizes the fact that coach Hue Jackson may not have simply been playing politician when he said that he was confident in Kyle Boller as the Raiders starter.
Josh McCown is not an obvious upgrade over Kyle Boller at the quarterback position. Bringing in McCown would likely mean that they are going to hand Kyle Boller the reigns, but want to have a veteran presence as a back up should Boller not be able to capitalize on his starting opportunity. The Raiders likely do not want to rush Terrelle Pryor into a position where the team needs to rely on him in his rookie season.
Less than 24 hours after Oakland Raiders starting quarterback Jason Campbell broke his collarbone in the Raiders' win over the Cleveland Browns, rumors of potential trades have already begun to swirl. The two most common names to be linked to a potential trade with Oakland are former Cincinnati Bengals starting quarterback Carson Palmer and Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton.
While it appears that Campbell could be out for the season, a trade for either of these players simply does not make much sense for the Oakland Raiders.
A trade for Carson Palmer might make sense for the Raiders if not for the fact that it would come at a rather large price. The Raiders have already traded away a large number of draft picks over the next couple of years and cannot afford to trade even more away for what would be nothing more than a stop gap player. The Raiders like Jason Campbell, and before his injury, Campbell was starting to look like he could have a real good season with the Raiders. In addition, the Raiders drafted Terrelle Pyror with a third round pick in the supplemental draft with ideas of him being a starter for the Raiders down the line. Considering the stance the Bengals are taking with Carson Palmer, and the fact that they are currently sitting at 4-2 with Andy Dalton, there does not seem to be a reason for them to trade Palmer unless they get something like a first or second round pick for him.
A trade for Kyle Orton simply does not make any sense for the Raiders. First off, there are the same concerns with the lack of draft picks in upcoming drafts. Second, Orton just does not fit the Raiders vertical passing offense. Third, trades within a division rarely occur, so if the Broncos are willing to trade Orton to the Raiders, either they are stepping up their game in the Suck for Luck sweepstakes, or they really think Orton is not worth their time.
Neither of these trades make much sense for the Raiders, but it really is not surprising that the rumors have begun. If any other team had lost their starting quarterback for the season this past weekend, these two would likely have been tied to that team as a trade possibility just because they are the two best trade options. At this point, I am just happy that the name Brett Favre has not been tied to the Raiders.
Terrelle Pryor watched his first Oakland Raiders game from the sidelines today, and he also watched as
Terrelle Pryor Jason Campbell suffered what is potentially a season-ending injury. The rookie, who just finished serving a five-game suspension levied by the NCAA for selling memorabilia, was a third-round supplementary draft pick for the Raiders. Now, without having taken a snap in an NFL game, he may have found himself holding the backup quarterback role for a team very much in the thick of playoff contention.
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury spoke with Pryor following the game about the situation. When asked if he was the backup QB now, Pryor said that he doesn't expect anything, but that it's certainly within the realm of possibility.
Pryor noted that he's only had two days of practice at this point, but still feels confident that he could perform backup quarterback duties with a limited number of plays. Pryor also verified that, although he was a roster exemption this week, he will be an active roster member next week.
Although at this early hour it's anyone's guess how the Raiders quarterback situation will resolve itself, Pryor made it very clear that if there's one thing he isn't lacking, it's confidence.
The Oakland Raiders are in need of a quarterback, and they might have to turn to free agency. There aren't many noted names out there, but there is one capable veteran out there that could fill in the role Jason Campbell filled.
If the Raiders choose not to start Kyle Boller, David Garrard is the likeliest name on the docket out there. Garrard didn't finish too strongly with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He put up a solid enough passer rating in his final season, but his interception totals rose right along with his touchdown numbers, cancelling out any positive gains he made season-by-season. With a game-changing running back like Darren McFadden though, Garrard would not be asked to do quite as much as he had to with his old team.
Matt Conner of SB Nation Kansas City has a take on why the Raiders should consider Garrard.
That's exactly why the Raiders need to seriously consider bringing in David Garrard as a free agent signing for the rest of the season. While Garrard would have no time to master the playbook in time to play against the Chiefs, the Raiders have a bye week coming in week 8 which would give an offensive mastermind like Jackson the chance to get Garrard up to speed for the second half of the season.
Garrard was ousted unexpectedly by the Jags before the beginning of the season after a career year in 2010. It sunk the Jags season and Garrard has yet to sign, but an opening with the Raiders is the ideal situation for a veteran like Garrard. The pieces are in place in Oakland. The team is playing inspired football. The running game takes pressure off of the passing game and yet the Raiders have talented receivers for Garrard to use.
To talk about Raiders football and their search for a new starting quarterback, head to Silver and Black Pride.
The Oakland Raiders have a lot of interest in available quarterbacks now that Jason Campbell appears to be out for a significant period of time. One potential quarterback that Oakland could be interested in that might be available is a former rival in the conference.
Now that the Denver Broncos seem to have committed to Tim Tebow, it looks as if Kyle Orton is on the outs. Orton has played fairly competently, but has thrown too many interceptions for anyone in the organization to be terribly comfortable going forward with him.
There was a rumor that Orton might want to be traded that Mike Klis denied, but that doesn't mean the Broncos themselves wouldn't want to deal him. It might be a little strange dealing him to a conference rival, but considering they're benching a proven veteran over a project, it's not like they think highly of Orton to begin with. The Raiders would love to have someone who can handle the load, and Orton might be ready for it.
To talk about the Raiders, head to Silver and Black Pride. To talk about the Broncos, head to Mile High Report.
The Cincinnati Bengals have a quarterback languishing on the bench. The Oakland Raiders have a quarterback sidelined to the bench. Sounds like a trade could be useful for both sides, couldn't it?
With Andy Dalton now fully secure in the starting spot for the Bengals, Carson Palmer seems fully ready to either retire or move on. The Raiders make perfect sense for him with Palmer's familiarity with current Oakland head coach Hue Jackson. Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports reports that Oakland has been going hard for the veteran quarterback.
According to a source familiar with the team's thinking, the Raiders were "trying hard" to make a deal for Palmer, although the source highly doubted that Cincinnati owner Mike Brown would deal Palmer.
Unfortunately, just as Cole stated, it's not likely Oakland has the pieces to deal for the Cincinnati quarterback.
In this situation, Davis likely would pull out some serious stops. But the Raiders are in a bit of a quandary right now because they don't have second-, third- or fourth-round picks in 2012 because of a series of moves (they used the third-rounder for Pryor in the supplemental draft, for instance).
In this situation, the Raiders would do well to offer Cincinnati a third-round pick in 2013 that could increase in value to a second- or even first-round pick if Palmer performed well either this year or in 2012.
That's a lot to give up for a quarterback that hasn't played well in awhile, and would pretty much deprive the Raiders of any potential replenishing in upcoming drafts. The NFL trade deadline is coming soon (Tuesday actually), so if the Raiders want to make a move and land Palmer, they're going to have make an aggressive offer quickly.
For more on Bengals football, head to Cincy Jungle. For more on Raiders football, head to Silver and Black Pride.
The Oakland Raiders won the game today. But they might lose a lot more.
On 3rd and 8, Jason Campbell dropped back to pass late in the first half, but then saw an opening up the middle and decided to run for the first down. Campbell managed a decent chunk of yardage before Chris Gocong took him down from behind, but then when Scott Fujita came in for the support, he came on top of Campbell as he tried to leap for the first down. The force of Fujita's body came down hard on Campbell, who hit the natural grass at the Coliseum hard.
Here's the video of the injury.
Jason La Canfora of NFL Network and Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Campbell injury was a broken collarbone, and that his season could very well be over. The Raiders might be looking at the free agent market soon enough for a quarterback.
To discuss the Campbell injury, head to Silver and Black Pride.
The Oakland Raiders are holding onto a 14-7 lead at home against the Cleveland Browns.But they could have lost something more crucial--their starting quarterback.
Jason Campbell went out, scrambled, and ran for seven yards, but when Scott Fujita tackled him, Campbell got injured and had to leave the field. Kyle Boller is now in at quarterback for the Raiders.
There is no official word as to what type of injury Campbell is nursing. There are two early candidates.
Greg Papa said that Campbell suffered a dislocated right shoulder, which might have taken him out for some period of time. Dislocated shoulders take some time to heal, but they usually take weeks rather than months. But it could also be a more serious collarbone injury (which the Raiders are running tests on), particularly a broken collarbone. That type of injury could knock him out for the majority of the season. In any case, we probably won't be seeing him the rest of the afternoon.
For more on Oakland football, head to Silver and Black Pride. For more on Cleveland football, head to Dawgs by Nature.
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- Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
- Release Date: Aug 29, 2008
- Starring: Mélanie Thierry, Michelle Yeoh, Vin Diesel
It is the not-too-distant future, a hardened mercenary known only as Toorop lives by a simple survivor's code: kill...or be killed. His latest assignment has him smuggling a young woman named Aurora from a convent in Kazakhstan to New York City. Toorop, his new young charge Aurora and Aurora's guardian Sister Rebeka embark on a 6,000 mile journey. Facing obstacles at every turn, Toorop, the killer for hire, is tested like never before, in ways he could never have imagined - as he comes to understand that he is the custodian of the only hope for the future of mankind. For the first time in his life, Toorop has to make a choice: to make a difference or walk away and save himself. Too bad it came on the day he died. (20th Century Fox)
… Expand
- Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
- Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
Positive: 1 out of 15
Mixed: 4 out of 15
Negative: 10 out of 15
Rich with atmosphere but too similar to films ranging from "Children of Men" to "Doomsday" to carve out its own distinctive niche.
If nothing else, it's nice to see an action movie that takes Europe, not America, as its grounding point.
As long it sticks to that chase, Babylon A.D. remains a sub-passable lead-footed action film with neat scenery.
When martial arts star Michelle Yeoh shows up as a pious, butt-kicking nun, you have to wonder if Kassovitz isn't accidentally cribbing from Mel Brooks, too.
A towering heap of nihilistic nonsense that plays like a cornball "Children of God."
Score distribution:
Positive: 12 out of 43
Mixed: 13 out of 43
Negative: 18 out of 43
Jan 4, 2013I'm giving this a 10 just to try balance out all the ridiculous low scores it's getting. This movie is great, it's atmospheric, the action is brilliant, sci-fi fans will LOVE this. The acting isn't the best BUT it DEFINITELY isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Watch the movie and decide for yourself. I guarantee you'll enjoy it… Expand
Aug 25, 2014If you like action and Vin Diesel, then this is a movie for you. There are some impressive stunts (though nothing very original), explosions, guns, and fast fights.
While there's a lot to see, the plot, while existing, is a little shady. Perhaps for those who have read the book this movie is based on understand it a bit better, I don't know.
Either way, while I liked this one, and found it entertaining and no doubt worth another watch too, it is still lacking something. The plot isn't solid enough, not sharp enough. The changes of personality, especially Thoorop's, come a little fast, slightly unexplained although you can see where they are coming from.
A cool movie, nonetheless, with some cruelty and questioning of morals.… Expand
Jan 7, 2012Babylon A. D. avait, sur le papier, tout ce qu'il fallait pour être le nouveau Blade Runner, à commencer par un réalisateur de talent (Mathieu Kassovitz), un fond scénaristique intéressant dans le domaine de la science-fiction et quelques pensées philosophiques sur notre société. Mais malheureusement, le film est très loin d'atteindre ce sommet. Surtout qu'au lieu d'être un long-métrage puissant tel Les Fils de l'Homme, Babylon A. D. a les airs d'une série B américaine ou bien d'une production Besson (au choix) qui , en plus, n'explose à aucun moment pour satisfaire les férus d'action (les scènes étant peu nombreuses et inintéressantes). Sans parler d'un scénario à la fois incompréhensible (cette société futuriste est juste survolée et non détaillé) et trop fade (tout comme l'ambiance, rendue énervante par la bande son). Et puis, c'est quoi cette voix française donnée à Vin Diesel? Reste un hônnete casting. Mais l'intérêt du film reste bien mystérieux...… Expand
May 18, 2013Babylon A.D. is Vin Diesel's entire career in microcosm. He starts out as a gritty, amoral, selfish murderer a la Pitch Black, gets in a few car chases, pulls off some X-Games stunts, attempts some dramatic stuff which never really works, gets all sci-fi with confusing futuristic plot exposition, and by the end he's morphed into The Pacifier, a glorified babysitter who has given up his guns for polo shirts and awkwardness with kids. As with every recent Vin Diesel project, when the credits roll, you'll kick yourself for having been suckered into watching yet another one of his crummy movies.
The one thing all bad Vin Diesel movies have in common is that the film's problems are never actually his fault. Vin delivers his usual solid, gruff performance in Babylon A.D., but the movie doesn't deserve him. The film's director Mathieu Kassovitz has already come out and blamed this disaster on studio interference, and that may be the case. I'm not here to assign blame though, simply to review what shows up on screen. What we have here is a mess.
It starts well enough, with Vin wandering around in a near-future Eastern Europe which looks a lot like the 80s near-future Detroit from Robocop. Vin is a mercenary named Toorop, hired to smuggle a girl named Aurora and her nun caretaker Rebeka into America. The set off through Russia, planning to sneak across the Bering Straight into Canada, even though the Bering Straight connects Russia to Alaska. Perhaps in the future Alaska has been conquered by the Canucks, there's no real explanation for that or most of the sillier conceits going on in the movie. Even with its completely inconsistent characters, Babylon A.D. might have been sort of fun. In fact it is, for the first 40 or 50 minutes. There's some mildly entertaining action sequences, done with average stunts and practical effects. It feels like you're watching a particularly well executed episode of post apocalyptic thriller on the Sci Fi channel. At some point though, the fun stops and it becomes such a total mess that all you can do is laugh at it. The movie has no idea how to wrap things up and even worse, no idea how to explain any of what's been going on. There's some mumbo jumbo about virgin births which never amounts to anything, and some vague allusions to a cultish, corporate religion, but not enough explanation to connect the dots between any of it. I still have no idea why we were following around most of the people in this movie, and I don't know that the actors in it do either. If they don't know what they're doing, then it's doubtful you will. Don't bother buying a ticket.… Expand
Mar 27, 2013A mess of a plot line and utterly depressing film with weird and unlikable characters.
- 1:58
- (4 views)


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Как добраться до Short Stay NY
карта и схема проезда
If you are coming from JFK please take the E train to 51st street and then transfer to the 6 train uptown to 116th street.
If you are coming from LaGurdia airport, take M60 bus and get out at 125th street Lexington Avenue.
Your apartment is on 2nd Floor number 2.
Please leave key on the table at your final day. Check out is 10AM.
No smoking please.


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3 comments found
Congratulations! I really like this piece. As always I can feel your classical formation applied to film music. A fundamental requirement of every great composer in Hollywood right?
Thanks. Appreciate your oppinion.
Unfortunately Hollywood for me – is a mystic dream. I live in the other side of the world.And if I want escape this country.I must try it harder. I need another passport. I need american citizenship if i will dirve there. (It is given to me when I live there for five years.This is too long.)
And of cource i need money.Really lot of money.
Because i think – most of problems in Hollywood "dreamworld" of course Solved dy money.Or i myst have the loyal rich friends who will help me. All of this i don`t have.
I've have been worked with actors. Before. In theatre. I saw what was happening. Behind the scenes. False. Swearing. Not always. But almost always. It was just a business for them. For me – the work. Man is not from their midst – will be hard for him to be there.And work there. Now i don`t work there.I`ve resigned.Tired of theirs scandals and cries. I have not signed to this. But i learn one think.I save this for myself.Don`t trust these people.
Even for me hollywood is a dream…. But in 30 years I have learned that in life anything can happen….
Besides, if you move to America, you can marry a beautiful American to become an American …. So maybe it takes less than 5 years
Anyway I wish you good luck!
"Besides, if you move to America, you can marry a beautiful American" .... Do you really think so?
I don`t know why…..but… American`s … so hate russians people…I can`t understand why. I see this in films and videogames. They show our people how terrorists,gangs,mafia people etc…. Terorrists all there are…not only russia.
Even all Italians are all "pizza, spaghetti, mandolino, and mobsters," but movies and games are not a reflection of reality. In fact I have several American friends who absolutely do not think those things about me!
Then, unfortunately, past historical events certainly did not contribute to good relations, but I do not think you should feel neither accused nor directly involved in that situation!
As for me, tuesday evening I met a beautiful girl from Moscow and was one of the most stimulant acquaintance of my whole life, and not because of his physical appearance!


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Local voters choose winner of second presidential debate
Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- At debate viewing parties across the Valley, it seemed as if members of both campaigns were watching a sporting event rather than a presidential debate.
Democrats met at Murphy's Law Irish Pub on the east side of the Valley. Republicans met at Team Nevada headquarters on the west side.
Obama supporter Taj Ainlay said the president did a much better job in his second debate. He said, "This is the kind of environment he's better in, talking to individuals, talking to people as opposed to talking to a camera."
Romney supporter Kurt Hanson felt his candidate delivered a strong performance. He said, "I think he's doing really well. I think expectations were high because he had such a good turnout the last time, good performance last time. So I think he's.. holding his own."
Watching their candidates move across the stage like a couple of prize fighters, both camps claimed victory, praised the town hall format where real people asked questions and both camps got the answers they wanted to hear.
Romney supporter Phil Perine is a retired Naval officer and a local realtor. He looks forward to seeing Mitt Romney becoming the president. He said, "My vision is that he is going to lower taxes He's going to make it a much better environment for small business people. I think large businesses that are holding cash are going to be expanding."
Obama supporter Evelyn White said she doubts the debates will make any difference, this late in the campaign. She said, "Not for me, because I've already made my choice. As far as I'm concerned? Romney's a liar, and I don't trust him to do anything. He changes too much."
Round three of the presidential debates is scheduled for October 22ND in Boca Raton, Florida. It will be return to the first debate format, with a moderator.
- Latest


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As the Mets hit their roughest skid since the opening weeks of the season, they travel to Philadelphia to play a rival team that is cruising into the playoffs. The Phillies have baseball's best pitching staff, and they have it's best record as well. Like the Mets, Philly has had injury problems of it's own, and Jimmy Rollins is the latest star headed for the disabled list. But as they lose one player they seem to be getting another back. Placido Polanco has not played in 2 weeks due to a sports hernia, but he has now been activated from the DL. Despite having some health issues all over the place, the Phils have not skipped a beat, having already clinched a .500 or better season with 81 wins.
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Posts Tagged 'philadelphia phillies'
Tags: Angel Pagan, Cliff Lee, Dillon Gee, Jimmy Rollins, Jon Niese, Jose Reyes, Kyle Kendrick, Mike Pelfrey, New York Mets, philadelphia phillies, Placido Polanco, Vance Worley
Posted in Major League Baseball, NATIONAL LEAGUE, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies | Comments (0)
The All-Star break has come and gone, and so has Francisco Rodriguez. Trading K-R0d was almost certainly the right move for Sandy Alderson to make, but in the short term it makes the Mets a worse team for the rest of THIS season. Now the Amazins will have to find a way to stay above .500 and remain on the outskirts of the wild card race without their star closer. It's a daunting task for an already overachieving team as the second half of the season begins, and with the Phillies coming to town it gets even tougher.
Tags: Bobby Parnell, Cole Hamels, Francisco Rodriguez, Jason Isringhausen, Jon Niese, Kyle Kendrick, Mike Pelfrey, New York Mets, philadelphia phillies, R.A. Dickey, Terry Collins, Vance Worley
Posted in Major League Baseball, NATIONAL LEAGUE, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies | Comments (0)
The Mets have half their team on the disabled list, look more like a Triple-A team than a pro team, have a black cloud over their franchise due to a myriad of ownership issues, are the butt of every joke in New York, and just lost 2 out of 3 to one of the worst teams in the National League. What a great time for the red hot arch-rival Phillies to come to town!
Tags: Angel Pagan, Chris Capuano, Cole Hamels, Jon Niese, Mike Pelfrey, New York Mets, philadelphia phillies, Raul Ibanez, Roy Oswalt, Ryan Howard, Vance Worley
Posted in New York Mets | Comments (0)
It was a strange night Sunday at Citizens Bank Park. The game was just shy of five hours long, Chris Young pitched scoreless innings, and the crowd starting chanting U-S-A! after a certain piece of breaking news spread to the masses. Both benches were out of pinch hitters, which led to some funny sights, most notably was Cole Hamels pinch hitting for Philly.
One night after losing a close one to Roy Halladay, the Mets were looking to face another Cy Young winner in Cliff Lee. The Met's answer to Lee? Chris Young, who's stock is continuing to rise as this season progresses. Young was masterful, only having a few shaky moments but getting 7 strikeouts in 7 innings pitched while only allowing 2 hits and 3 walks. It's a shame he couldn't get the decision, as this was clearly his best outing of the season so far.
Tags: Carlos Beltran, Chris Young, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, David Wright, Francisco Rodriguez, Jose Reyes, New York Mets, philadelphia phillies, ronnie paulino
Posted in Major League Baseball, NATIONAL LEAGUE, New York Mets | Comments (0)
Here we go again! Winners of 6 their last 7, the Mets continue their road trip and head to the City of Brotherly Love (misnomer) for a huge three game weekend series with the Fighting Phils. The first place Phillies are off to a great start, but they do have some missing pieces. As we all know, Chase Utley is still on the shelf with a knee injury and there is no timetable for his return. But then this week Philly lost two members of their phenomenal rotation. First, Roy Oswalt left the team indefinitely to be with his family amidst these terrible tornadoes. And yesterday the Phils took another hit when Friday's scheduled starter Joe Blanton went to the 15-day DL. Add Jose Contreras and J.C. Romero going on the disabled list this month, as well as Carlos Ruiz complaining of back problems, and at first glance Philadelphia's roster appears to be decimated at first.
Tags: Chris Young, Cliff Lee, Ike Davis, Jon Niese, Mike Pelfrey, New York Mets, philadelphia phillies, Shane Victorino, Vance Worley
Posted in New York Mets | Comments (0)
I was in Atlanta for a wedding this past weekend, but my DVR was churning hard, slapping down 14 hours of Mets baseball that were patiently waiting for me when I got home Sunday night. After zipping through the roller coaster series with Florida that started low, got lower when K-Rod blew his first save opportunity, and then quickly turned around for the better (and became great once I realized the Mets won AND K-Rod didn't get to finish the game Saturday night), I went to bed very late tired but happy knowing the Mets had a 2-1 record. Before the team comes home and kicks off their third season at Citi Field they have one more road series, as they take on the four-time defending NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies.
Tags: Chris Young, Cole Hamels, Jimmy Rollins, Joe Blanton, Jon Niese, Mike Pelfrey, New York Mets, philadelphia phillies, Roy Halladay, Terry Collins, Willie Harris
Posted in New York Mets | Comments (0)
This post appears in full here: http://atmajors.com/2010-articles/july/trade-deadline-winners-and-losers.html
Alright, I'm finally feeling well enough to be coherent for at least some amount of time longer than 140 characters. And just in time, as there was a pretty busy trading deadline that we just finished up with. Let's take a quick look at the so-called Winners and Losers of the day, because everything in life is immutably binary. NO SHADES OF GREY ALLOWED IN PUNDITRY.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Yeeah! How bout them fellas, pickin up a good catcher in Chris Snyder for essentially nothing useful, and then flipping a couple of middling relievers (Octavio Dotel and Javier Lopez) for a handful of useful prospects in pitchers James McDonald and Joe Martinez and outfielders Andrew Lambo and John Bowker? Kudos to Neal Huntington for adding good pieces and sending away some of the organizational chaff.
Tags: atlanta braves, chicago cubs, chicago white sox, houston astros, kansas city royals, mlb trade deadline, new york yankees, philadelphia phillies, san diego padres, st louis cardinals, tampa bay rays, texas rangers, toronto blue jays, washington nationals
Posted in Major League Baseball | Comments (1)


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Written by Madeline Van Tassel | August 14th, 2013(0)
Has climate change finally had a positive effect on something? We're buzzing about it in today's green news.
Written by Megan Sheehan | July 16th, 2013(4)
How do you fight invasive species when they're good at invading, sneaky and even, on occasion, appealing to the eye?
Written by Darci Palmquist | June 29th, 2010(0)
In today's top 5 green news links: the combined efforts of dogs, honey bees and fig trees could save us.
Written by Darci Palmquist | August 13th, 2009(4)
If you garden, you've probably been tempted once or twice to plant something beautiful, new, exciting… yes, exotic. But you know you shouldn't. Wouldn't it be easier to resist such temptations if it wasn't possible to buy invasives at your local nursery or garden store in the first place? A reader from Michigan saw what […]
We're green. We're nature-lovers. We are Conservancy Talk. Hear Nature Conservancy staff and invited experts share their voices on today's conservation issues — in our uniquely rigorous, science-based way. Learn more


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NEW ORLEANS ― Sean Payton is famous for telling reporters following games that he can't answer questions until he watches the game tape.
Most times, it's a way for him to not overreact to what at the time is deemed as a great play or an absurdly poor play.
Friday night, after the Saints' 36-21 win over San Diego, he truly had a reason to utter the line.
The results of how some players played against the Chargers will make choosing roster difficult, even if it for spots 48 through 53.
"How they performed in the coverage units and return units is going to be critical," Payton said. "We've got a lot of film to cover as coaches to review and grade. This certainly is going to be an important tape to study, as will next week."
Defensive end Junior Galette played both special teams and in nickel, providing a speed rush off the end.
Adrian Arrington caught passes and punts, getting praised for both.
Chip Vaughn played strong safety and on both kick coverage units.
The point is, that's who this coaching staff is looking for right now.
When I made a preliminary roster prior to Friday night's game, I had certain visions for who would be on the team and what it would look like.
The San Diego game changed everything.
Not necessarily because of performance, but because of what players were getting looks on what special teams.
All three mentioned above came across positively.
While Vaughn was the standout in the game, coming up with a team-high three special teams tackles, Galette is the most enticing of the group playing both on the field and on specialty.
Galette knows what making the team would mean. He also knows he has to produce to make it hard on the coaches to cut him.
He played between 20 and 25 snaps against San Diego, Payton said, and he didn't come through with any sacks.
And that's why he was so down on himself in the locker room after the game.
"It's like of death for me," he said. "Making the roster is life or death for me. … It's crucial. Either you do it or you don't. I'm taking it with that approach. I'm just not losing. I refuse to lose."
He, of course, is not the only one with that attitude. That's why Payton will have a hard time figuring out the best 53.
The head coach will just have to keep watching the film.


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Guest Star: "If [Jay-Z] Calls Me For A Cut, I May Have To Drop Everything"
Wednesday, Sep 1, 2010 1:50PM
[Behind-The-Scenes of the Eminem/Jay-Z Tour: Jay-Z's pesonal barber gives the run-down on being the rapper's go-to for fresh cuts.]
I was first discovered by Damon Dash and I flew out to the Hamptons with Damon and when Jay-Z saw me and was like, "Who's this, what's this about? Who'd you fly in?" And now, 12 years later, here I am. I had a friend who worked over at Roc-A-Fella and through that person, I got linked up with Dame and then Jay which has led to [cutting] Pharrell, DJ Clue, and DJ Envy.
With me and Jay, it's always been on a personal level. At the beginning, it was me coming to him getting him ready for a meeting, to have lunch somewhere with somebody; he would always make appearances like that. More or less, he'll come through to my [Englewood, New Jersey barbershop] The Shop, but I mostly go to him.
If he does call me for a cut, I may have to drop everything and make moves but for the most part, he understands I am running a business, I got a family, I have clients [and] he knows he has to fit it on his schedule some how.
I do travel with him, I've gone as far as Africa with him, Japan, so wherever he might want a cut, anywhere, he's gonna get a cut. Summertime, we go a little lower with the cuts, wintertime it's a little thicker, he'll let it grow out and especially when he's working on his albums, he likes to let it grow out. He gets into his rhyming mode. For the most part, he tries to keep it nice and low.
I've done his hair before shows, traveled with him to the shows, it really depends on if he's not around and can't get me before he goes on the road, then he'll have me meet him out there. Right now, we've been playing it by ear. So whatever it is, I'm there.
Being Jay's barber has definitely had a big impact on my career. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have all the clients that I got. Off the strength that I cut him, Jay-Z thinks that I'm nice. Which I am, but I'm sure there's somebody is out there better than me, not to brag, but this has really helped my career.
We usually talk sports. I don't like to go too much into his world from the business side, because that's like somebody asking me to cut their hair when I'm [off-duty]. So I really don't get into it but we mostly talk sports and what single he might put out and the reaction from the barbershop and just the normal stuff. I don't like to get into the business aspect.
Johnny Cake is a professional barber who has become renowned for placing his signature touch on the tops of Jay-Z, Pharrell Williams, DJ Envy, DJ Clue and more from Englewood, New Jersey barbershop "The Shop."


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A collection of news and information related to Uganda published by this site and its partners.
Top Uganda Articles
Displaying items 78-88
'Call Me Kuchu,' 'God Loves Uganda' shed light on gay-rights fight
Laguna gains another festival — for one night
Council delays decision on dismissal of top health officialStory | Jan 12, 2013 | 9:50 AMIn a move that the county attorney and elected officials conceded was highly unusual, the Anne Arundel County Council weighed a measure this week that would have spelled the ouster of the county's top health official, Dr. Angela M. Wakhweya, the first...
W. Kennedy Cromwell III, foreign service officer
Local nonprofit wins $500KStory | Dec 10, 2012 | 3:39 PMA Costa Mesa-based nonprofit that supports women in Uganda and Peru recently won $500,000 from the American Giving Awards. Krochet Kids International co-founders Kohl Crecelius and Stewart Ramsey accepted the cash prize and Community Builders award...
New CEO to lead change microloan non-profit
Burned Ugandan Child Flies to L.A. for Reconstructive Surgery
Cocaine secreted in strawberries and a hefty take for the fedsStory | Nov 27, 2012 | 7:09 AMFederal prosecutors in August 2012 announced that two men, Bryan Eammon Williams and Lawrence Lee Hayes, had been sentenced to 11 years and 15 years respectively for their roles in a cocaine distribution conspiracy. The details of the case are rather...
Wedded: Salmah Rizvi and Imran Akram
Israeli Film Club announces season of films
Man Contracts Ebola From Stolen Cell Phone