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Ranking the Summer Moves
Chad Ford
You have to love summer in the NBA, when almost every team in the league can be a winner.
You know the feeling: If my team can just make a big trade or a huge free agent acquisition or hit a home run in the lottery, maybe next season will be different.
Keep track of which players each team added and lost this offseason. Chart
To that end, we have already seen one of the most active summers in NBA history, with Shaq, Vince Carter, Ron Artest, Hedo Turkoglu, Richard Jefferson, Rasheed Wallace, Trevor Ariza, Ben Gordon, Charlie Villaneuva, Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph changing addresses and the NBA draft also reshaping rosters -- and we're not done yet.
Here's my first take on how each team in the league has performed so far in remaking its roster, considering the situation it faced and the moves it's made. This isn't a ranking of who the best teams in the league are, just a device to track which teams have improved and which teams haven't.
The teams are ranked 1 to 30, and we'll update the rankings as more signings and trades take place:
Key: (U) = Unrestricted Free Agent; (R) = Restricted Free Agent
1. San Antonio Spurs
Key additions: Richard Jefferson, DeJuan Blair
Key subtractions: Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto, Kurt Thomas
In limbo: Drew Gooden (U), Ime Udoka (U), Jacque Vaughn (U)
The Spurs always seem to find a way to turn a little into a lot. They turned three aging players past their primes into Richard Jefferson -- an athletic forward at the peak of his game. And even without a first-round pick in this year's draft, they were still able to come away with some terrific players in the second round. Specifically, Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair, who was the best rebounder in college basketball and is a beast in the paint. If his knees stay sturdy, he'll go down as the steal of the draft.
Now it sounds like the Spurs also have the inside track on signing free agent Antonio McDyess. But even if they don't land him, they have dramatically improved their team and are, once again, serious contenders for an NBA title.
2. Los Angeles Clippers
Key additions: Blake Griffin, Quentin Richardson
Key subtractions: Zach Randolph
In limbo: Fred Jones (U), Brian Skinner (U)
For the Clippers faithful looking for a glimmer of hope, this has been your summer. Not only did the Clips beat the lottery odds and land the best pick in the draft -- Blake Griffin -- they also were able to unload Zach Randolph for the expiring contract of Quentin Richardson.
The Clippers now have a nice, young core of Griffin, Eric Gordon and Al Thornton, with seasoned veterans like Baron Davis, Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman. I'm not ready to declare the Clippers playoff-bound, but they made major strides in improving their talent and chemistry this summer.
3. Detroit Pistons
Key additions: Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Austin Daye
Key subtractions: Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace, Amir Johnson
In limbo: Antonio McDyess (U)
The Pistons' moves this summer have been a little underwhelming. Since Detroit traded away Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson and his expiring contract, Pistons fans have patiently watched their team struggle for the first time in years. The silver lining the whole season was "Don't worry, great free agents are coming this summer to upgrade the team."
On one hand, Pistons GM Joe Dumars delivered. He signed Ben Gordon, arguably the best free agent on the market, and quickly followed that up by signing Villanueva, probably the best free-agent power forward he could get with the money he had left. The combination of Gordon and Villanueva is an upgrade over Iverson and Wallace.
On the other hand, the Pistons are far from a lock to return to the Eastern Conference finals. They are in serious danger of losing free agent Antonio McDyess, they don't have enough cash to sign another significant free agent and they still need help in the frontcourt, especially at center. Their first-round draft pick is 6-foot-11 and weighs 191 pounds -- meaning he's a few years away. And they are bringing in yet another head coach -- the fifth in Dumars' tenure as GM.
I've learned over the years not to second-guess Dumars -- he's usually right whenever everyone else thinks he's wrong -- but does anyone think this Pistons squad, as currently constructed, is good enough to win a title now or even in two or three years? If the answer is no, can Pistons fans live with being just plain old good?
4. Washington Wizards
Key additions: Randy Foye, Mike Miller
Key subtractions: Oleksiy Pecherov, Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila
In limbo: Juan Dixon (U)
The Wizards traded the No. 5 pick in the draft -- along with Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila and Oleksiy Pecherov -- to the Wolves for Randy Foye and Mike Miller two days before the draft. Wanting to be serious contenders in the East next season, they didn't think they'd get a player with their first-round pick that would crack their rotation.
Meanwhile, Foye gives them an athletic, dynamic scorer who can play both backcourt positions. And Miller gives them a shooter with deep range -- something the Wizards have been missing. If Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood both come back healthy and motivated, the Wizards could be a serious threat in the East.
5. Boston Celtics
Key additions: Rasheed Wallace
Key subtractions: None
In limbo: Glen Davis (R), Leon Powe (U), Stephon Marbury (U), Mikki Moore (U)
GM Danny Ainge pulled off a coup of sorts by getting Wallace to accept a two-year deal. Sheed can be a pain to deal with at times but he still has a lot of talent and gives the Celtics some much-needed depth on the front line.
All of the talk about trading Rajon Rondo seems to have cooled considerably, and that's probably a good thing for Boston. Rondo was its best player in the playoffs this past season and I'm not sure how trading him would improve the team.
6. Orlando Magic
Key additions: Vince Carter Ryan Anderson
Key subtractions: Hedo Turkoglu, Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston, Tony Battie
In limbo: Marcin Gortat (R), Adonal Foyle (U), Tyronn Lue (U)
The Magic made a gamble I think they'll be happy with in the future. They essentially swapped Hedo Turkoglu and Lee for Vince Carter and Anderson. The gamble was that Turkoglu wasn't worth the $50 million he was looking for in the free-agent market and that Carter, whose contract has only two years of guaranteed money remaining, can do as good a job (or better) as Turkoglu.
The team will be hurting a little more if it can't match Marcin Gortat's offer sheet from the Mavs: Without Gortat, the Magic have virtually no frontcourt depth. So while I think the Magic did get better this summer, their losses could also end up lessening the impact of the Carter trade.
7. Toronto Raptors
Key additions: Hedo Turkoglu, DeMar DeRozan, Reggie Evans
Key subtractions: Shawn Marion, Jason Kapono
In limbo: Carlos Delfino (R), Anthony Parker (U), Joey Graham (U)
The Raptors made a nice free-agent addition in Turkoglu. While they definitely overpaid to get him, he's a great fit on a Raptors team that values spacing, shooting and skilled forwards. They also swung for the fences in the draft, landing DeRozan, who has as much athletic upside as any rookie.
The losses of Parker and Marion will hurt a little, but I think the Raptors are poised to rebound from an awful 2008-09 campaign.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers
Key additions: Shaquille O'Neal
Key subtractions: Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic
In limbo: Anderson Varejao (U), Joe Smith (U), Wally Szczerbiak (U)
I thought the future was now in Cleveland, but if it is, GM Danny Ferry has his work cut out for him. Trading for Shaq was a good deal and made a big splash in the media, but does anyone really believe Shaq has enough left to put the Cavs over the top?
The Cavs have been spurned by a number of free-agent targets, including Charlie Villanueva, Ron Artest and Trevor Ariza. They still haven't locked up their two key free-agent forwards -- Anderson Varejao and Joe Smith. And they had a really odd draft, passing on proven college players like Sam Young and DeJuan Blair for a virtual unknown in Christian Eyenga. If the Cavs want to be the favorites to win it all in 2010 -- and convince LeBron James to stay -- they have a lot more work to do.
9. Dallas Mavericks
Key additions: Marcin Gortat
Key subtractions: None
In limbo: Brandon Bass (U), Gerald Green (U)
Re-signing Jason Kidd was huge to the Mavs' effort to stay relevant in the West. Adding Marcin Gortat will also help their front line (if the Magic don't match the offer in the next seven days). But the Mavs need to do a lot more if they want to be back in the mix for a championship.
10. Atlanta Hawks
Key additions: Jamal Crawford, Jeff Teague
Key subtractions: Speedy Claxton, Acie Law
In limbo: Marvin Williams (R), Josh Childress (R), Zaza Pachulia (U), Ronald Murray (U)
The Hawks are still, by and large, a team in limbo. GM Rick Sund has solidified his backcourt by re-signing free agent Mike Bibby, trading for combo guard Jamal Crawford and drafting the uber-athletic combo guard Jeff Teague. But the frontcourt still has lots of questions.
Williams, Childress and Pachulia are all free agents. And there continue to be rumblings that Josh Smith can be had for the right price. I think it's going to be a few more weeks until we know for sure which direction the Hawks are really heading. But for now it looks like they're maintaining the status quo.
11. New York Knicks
Key additions: Jordan Hill, Toney Douglas, Darko Milicic
Key subtractions: Quentin Richardson
In limbo: David Lee (R), Nate Robinson (R), Chris Wilcox (U)
The Knicks didn't get what they wanted in the draft -- a point guard of the future in either Ricky Rubio or Stephen Curry -- but they did draft the best available players with their two first-round picks. Add in the trade of Darko Milicic for Quentin Richardson, and the Knicks upgraded their front line.
But the truth is we won't know how to grade the Knicks' summer for a while. Lee and Robinson are still out there as restricted free agents, and we have no idea whether they will get offer sheets and, if they do, whether the Knicks will match. If the Knicks match, they'll have to trade Eddy Curry or Jared Jeffries to clear more cap room in the summer of 2010. But with the cap number likely falling into the $53 million area next summer, will they even have enough cash to lure a top-flight free agent?
Based on what the Knicks have done so far this summer, their roster has gotten a little better. But Knicks fans are expecting more.
12. Golden State Warriors
Key additions: Stephen Curry, Acie Law, Speedy Claxton
Key subtractions: Jamal Crawford
In limbo: Rob Kurz (U)
It's hard to grade the Warriors right now because we're still waiting to see if they can pull off the rumored Amare Stoudemire trade. The proposed deal on draft night had them sending Andris Biedrins, Brandan Wright, Marco Belinelli and the No. 7 pick for Stoudemire. But since then the Warriors have been balking at including Curry, whom they drafted with the seventh pick, in the deal.
As it turns out, they think Curry will be perfect in a backcourt with Monta Ellis. I'm not sure I can argue with that. I thought Curry was a great pick on draft night. If the Warriors find a way to pull off the deal without including Curry or Anthony Randolph, they will rocket up this list. If they do include one of them, they'd be giving up a lot for Stoudemire -- maybe too much for them to be a true contender.
13. Oklahoma City Thunder
Key additions: James Harden, B.J. Mullens
Key subtractions: None
In limbo: Desmond Mason (U), Robert Swift (U)
The Thunder are the "it" team among NBA junkies, who have a crush on Sam Presti for quickly turning a bad team into the best young team in the league. Kevin Durant is a superstar in the making. Russell Westbrook could be special. And Harden is a nice addition -- a savvy guard with an old-school game who will be fine playing third fiddle to Durant and Westbrook. If you factor in that last year's other draft pick, Serge Ibaka, has been looking pretty good in summer league, and that Mullens has enormous potential, the Thunder appear to be bursting at the seams with talent.
However, their reticence to make a play in the free-agent market and their voiding of the Tyson Chandler deal in February mean that the Thunder won't be much better than the squad that suited up last season. Eventually, the Thunder will have to take some risks and add some veterans into the mix. I don't blame Presti for being patient, but next year he's probably going to have to make a big move.
14. Sacramento Kings
Key additions: Tyreke Evans, Omri Casspi, Sergio Rodriguez
Key subtractions: None
In limbo: Bobby Jackson (U), Rashad McCants (U), Ike Diogu (U)
The Kings are clearly in rebuilding mode and they aren't spending any money. However, they did make a few nice moves on draft night. Tyreke Evans is a terrific, physical slasher who knows how to score. Omri Casspi is tough as nails and has a high-energy game.
Put them together with the acquisition of Andres Nocioni in February and you can no longer call the Kings soft. On the other hand, you also can't call the Kings good. While the additions of Evans and Casspi help Sacramento's future, it's going to be a long time before you see the Kings in the playoffs again.
15. Utah Jazz
Key additions: Eric Maynor
Key subtractions: None
In limbo: Paul Millsap (R), Jarron Collins (U), Ronnie Price (U), Morris Almond (U), Brevin Knight (U)
GM Kevin O'Connor has had his hands full the past few weeks. Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur both opted into their contracts, eschewing free agency and giving the Jazz some serious financial issues. It was both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, the Jazz are clearly better with both Boozer and Okur. On the other hand, if they re-sign Millsap, they will likely incur the luxury tax -- a big no-no in past years in Utah. Ultimately, I think O'Connor will find a way to move Boozer or Andrei Kirilenko for some cap relief.
The addition of Maynor was the most underrated move of the draft. He'll be a perfect backup for Deron Williams. Overall the Jazz are on pace to be really good again next season -- just at a much higher price tag.
16. Indiana Pacers
Key additions: Tyler Hansbrough
Key subtractions: None
In limbo: Jarrett Jack (R), Marquis Daniels (U), Rasho Nesterovic (U), Maceo Baston (U)
I like the strategy Larry Bird and David Morway are employing in Indiana. They aren't swinging for the fences with their transactions. Instead, they are going for singles and doubles and they've been converting over the past two years. No, Hansbrough isn't a sexy addition, but he should be in the league for 10 years, maybe even as a starter. And he brings the toughness and energy that the Pacers really need.
The good news is that if the Pacers can re-sign Jack and Daniels on the cheap, and if Mike Dunleavy comes back healthy, they could make a run at the playoffs next season. The bad news is that even if all of those things happen, the Pacers are still one more star player away from being a serious threat in the East. At some point Bird and Morway are going to have to do something bold if they want to contend like they did before things went downhill after the Palace Brawl.
17. Charlotte Bobcats
Key additions: Gerald Henderson, Derrick Brown
Key subtractions: None
In limbo: Raymond Felton (R), Sean May (U)
After Larry Brown traded half his roster last season, one would expect he'd trade the other half this summer for sure. While the Bobcats have talent, they aren't the playoff contender he wants them to be. However, the Bobcats have been pretty quiet.
Henderson was a solid addition in the draft and, if they can re-up Felton at a reasonable number, they should be set at guard. But rumors are cropping up again that Gerald Wallace is back on the block, so the Bobcats may not be done reshaping their roster just yet.
18. Portland Trail Blazers
Key additions: None
Key subtractions: Sergio Rodriguez
In limbo: Channing Frye (U), Raef LaFrentz (U)
Kevin Pritchard is the most active GM in the league. That's why it's such a shock to be wondering what he's up to on July 8. The team made a huge pitch to Hedo Turkoglu but was left at the altar for the more cosmopolitan Raptors. The Blazers' draft was a disappointment, as well. Pritchard tried to move up high in the draft but couldn't. He ended up taking Spanish forward Victor Claver, who won't play in the league for at least the next two years.
The Blazers are saying they'll be patient. They have cap room and could make a run at David Lee. Or they could sit back and try to be a trade partner for a team trying to clear room. But for a team that came out of the gates saying it had the green light to "go for it" and make a major upgrade, the early results are disappointing.
19. Miami Heat
Key additions: None
Key subtractions: None
In limbo: Jamario Moon (R), Luther Head (U), Jamaal Magloire (U)
The Heat have done virtually nothing this summer, much to the chagrin of soon-to-be free agent Dwyane Wade. The team is wisely trying to save its money for next summer when it should have room to add another great player, like Chris Bosh, to the roster. But in the meantime, Wade and Heat fans are wont to be a little frustrated.
20. Denver Nuggets
Key additions: Ty Lawson
Key subtractions: None
In limbo: Linas Kleiza (R), Dahntay Jones (U), Johan Petro (U), Anthony Carter (U)
The Nuggets have some serious cap issues that could cause them to slide even further in these rankings. The pickup of Lawson was a nice draft-night move, and they were quick to re-sign Chris Andersen. But they really need to re-sign Kleiza and Jones if they are going to repeat what they did last season. Right now, given the financial straitjacket they're in, I'm not sure they can pull it off.
21. New Orleans Hornets
Key additions: Darren Collison
Key subtractions: None
In limbo: Melvin Ely (U), Ryan Bowen (U)
The Hornets are another team with financial problems that may end up having to trade away good players for cap relief. They almost did it at the trade deadline with Tyson Chandler and his name has surfaced again in trade rumors this summer. With the team unwilling or unable to spend, Hornets fans have to just hold their breath that the damage won't be too bad.
22. Chicago Bulls
Key additions: James Johnson, Taj Gibson
Key subtractions: Ben Gordon
In limbo: Aaron Gray (R)
The Bulls made a big, bold move at the trade deadline in February and gave the Celtics all they could handle in the first round of the playoffs. But since then, things haven't gone well. They lost their best scorer, Gordon, to the Pistons. The word is they're shopping their starting power forward, Tyrus Thomas. And I'm still scratching my head a little concerning their draft.
The Bulls still have lots of talent, but losing Gordon means they've taken a step back.
23. Los Angeles Lakers
Key additions: Ron Artest
Key subtractions: Trevor Ariza
In limbo: Lamar Odom (U)
The Lakers ended the season on the ultimate high of winning a championship. But I haven't liked anything they've done since then.
On draft night they traded away the rights to Toney Douglas and Patrick Beverley for cash and future second-round picks, the argument being they needed to save every penny when trying to re-sign Ariza and Odom. Then they turned around and low-balled Ariza and then replaced him with Artest, one of the most unpredictable players in the history of the game. And now the team is struggling to get Odom re-signed.
I know Artest is a talent, but he's unreliable. Why the Lakers would pass the torch from Ariza, who was just coming into his own, to Artest is a risk I just don't understand. And if somehow Odom decides to bolt for a team like Cleveland for the midlevel exception, the Lakers will have taken a big step backward.
Don't get me wrong: Even with Artest and without Odom, the Lakers would have a shot at winning it all again next year, but they would be much less of a sure thing.
24. Houston Rockets
Key additions: Trevor Ariza
Key subtractions: Ron Artest, Dikembe Mutombo
In limbo: Von Wafer (R)
It's tough to be a Rockets fan right now. Yao Ming might have to miss the entire season with a foot injury. Tracy McGrady is rehabbing again, but you have to wonder if he'll ever be healthy. Ron Artest, who did such a great job of harassing Kobe Bryant in the playoffs, decided that if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
And so far the best the Rockets have been able to do is sign Ariza. While he's a talented, athletic wing who in the long run will be an upgrade over Artest, in the short run it's not clear exactly how he'll fit. Put all that together and it looks like the Rockets could be a team in free fall in the West next season.
25. Philadelphia 76ers
Key additions: Jrue Holiday, Jason Kapono
Key subtractions: Reggie Evans
In limbo: Andre Miller (U), Donyell Marshall (U), Royal Ivey (U), Theo Ratliff (U), Kareem Rush (U)
The 76ers made the first trade of the offseason, swapping Evans for Kapono. Philly needed the shooting, so that works. And I really liked the Sixers' draft pick, Holiday, a great value at No. 17 in the draft.
But Holiday is not ready to be a big contributor at the point, and the Sixers don't seem close to a deal to re-sign incumbent point guard Miller. If they lose him, the Sixers may take a step back next year, even if Elton Brand is healthy. Miller was the glue and a driving force for that team, and I don't think a combo of Lou Williams and Holiday can replace him.
26. New Jersey Nets
Key additions: Courtney Lee, Terrence Williams, Rafer Alston, Tony Battie
Key subtractions: Vince Carter, Ryan Anderson
In limbo: Maurice Ager (U)
The Nets' draft day was pretty eventful, as for the second straight year they made a major trade to cut payroll. Last year they shipped out Richard Jefferson (for Yi Jianlian and future cap space), and this year it was Carter (for Lee and future cap space).
After the Carter trade, the Nets are going to take a pretty big step backward this season, but they'll take solace in the additions of Lee and Williams, the No. 11 pick. Lee showed a lot of promise as a "Rip Hamilton Jr." in the playoffs, and while he's no Vince Carter, he should be a solid partner in the backcourt with Devin Harris. Williams has the talent of a top-five pick, with great size and athleticism -- he can do just about everything but shoot.
The ultimate success of the Nets' long-range plan won't be known until next summer, when the Nets will have a lot of cap room. If they sign LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, or another star, New Jersey honchos Rod Thorn and Kiki Vandeweghe will look like geniuses. If they don't, their plan takes a major setback.
27. Phoenix Suns
Key additions: Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, Earl Clark
Key subtractions: Shaquille O'Neal
In limbo: Grant Hill (U), Matt Barnes (U), Stromile Swift (U)
Phoenix GM Steve Kerr broke up one of the most enjoyable teams in NBA history to get O'Neal, and in about a year's time the Suns went from leading the Western Conference to drafting in the lottery. Last month, the Suns gave Shaq away for cap relief, a clear signal the team is rebuilding. Another sign: The Suns have discussed trading away Amare Stoudemire. And while the team is trying to sign 35-year-old point guard Steve Nash to an extension, and might succeed, his long-term future with the franchise is in doubt. On the other hand, the draft addition of Clark was a solid one -- he's super talented and a great fit in the Suns' run-and-gun offense, though he needs to overcome some questions about his character.
The Suns still have talent, but they missed the playoffs in the tough West, and it's not clear how soon they'll be back during this rebuilding period.
28. Milwaukee Bucks
Key additions: Brandon Jennings, Amir Johnson
Key subtractions: Richard Jefferson, Charlie Villanueva
In limbo: Ramon Sessions (R), Keith Bogans (U)
The Bucks took a serious step back when they shipped off Jefferson to the Spurs for nonguaranteed contracts and then didn't give Villanueva a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted, instead of a restricted, free agent. That move essentially handed him over to the Pistons for nothing.
In the place of Jefferson, Villanueva and possibly starting point guard Sessions, a restricted free agent the Bucks may not be willing to pay, the Bucks are banking on young, unproven talents. Their lottery pick, Jennings, is a terrific athlete who can score like crazy. He needs to get stronger, work on his jump shot and settle down a bit, but he has the tools to be great. Last year's lottery pick, Joe Alexander, will step into Jefferson's shoes -- he's another super athlete, but he looked lost for most of his rookie campaign. And replacing Villanueva will be Johnson, a long, athletic big man who was a disappointment last season for the Pistons but might benefit from a change of scenery.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves
Key additions: Jonny Flynn, Wayne Ellington, Oleksiy Pecherov, Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila
Key subtractions: Randy Foye, Mike Miller
In limbo: Ricky Rubio (???), Rodney Carney (U), Shelden Williams (U)
The Timberwolves had one of the weirdest drafts in NBA history, including the selection of point guards with both of their lottery picks. Two weeks later, we keep waiting to hear about a trade that explains where one of the two -- Rubio or Flynn -- is really going to land, but instead we have Minnesota GM David Kahn saying he wants to keep both of them. Meanwhile, Rubio is threatening to sign with a European team for the next two or three years.
So, to recap: The Wolves sent away two key players on their roster, Foye and Miller, in exchange for some undesirable contracts and a player -- Rubio -- who is threatening that he won't play for the Wolves. If Kahn sorts all of this out, either via trade or by persuading Rubio to come and try his mad experiment, the Wolves will move up in these rankings and I may even call Kahn a genius.
But for now, the team appears to be in disarray and considerably worse off than it was going into the draft. Not a great start for Kahn.
30. Memphis Grizzlies
Key additions: Zach Randolph, Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll, Sam Young
Key subtractions: Darko Milicic
In limbo: Hakim Warrick (R), Quinton Ross (U)
Though I'm not a huge fan of Thabeet, I understand why the Grizzlies went that way on draft night -- Rubio wasn't cooperating and Thabeet filled a need as an athletic shot blocker. And I really liked their other two picks, Carroll and Young, who will provide some of the toughness the Grizz have lacked.
So why are they all the way at the bottom of the list? Because I'm still trying to make sense of the acquisition of Randolph.
The Grizzlies had lots of spending room under the salary cap, and it appeared they had free agent David Lee ready to be the tough, athletic rebounder they need to complement scorers like Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo. Then suddenly, a day into free agency, they passed on Lee and took on the last two years and $33 million of Randolph's contract instead. Randolph is a talented offensive player, but he has a terrible track record of seldom passing the ball and often getting into trouble, making him perhaps the worst possible fit for a franchise trying to build around some talented young players.
I don't blame Memphis GM Chris Wallace, as a number of sources have told me that it was owner Michael Heisley who pushed for Randolph over Lee. But I don't think it's hyperbole to call this move devastating to the franchise.
Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.


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I just got my 5 practice wizards order and am pretty sure that my putter/approach will not change again. I love them, I have 5 to practice with, they are just a fantastic mold, etc. etc. etc. If you want a putter/approach disc, get a wizard, and if you want to be good with them, get the GDS special and get five of them for $35.
GDS threw in an Element in with the putters! I love it, great disk and quickly becoming one of my favorites. If you have not thrown and Element, get one of those too.
All that made me really interested in Gateway discs. Then I realized that I had one, the illusion, that I never throw, so I tried it again.
I can throw most of the high speed drivers about 340' or so, only rarely way further when I hit it right. I have only been playing for about 4 months. But I can't seem to do much of anything with the Illusion. It seems way way overstable and just crashes and burns. Am I just to slow with this disc, or is there something specific to this disc that I need to be trying to do?

subset: commoncrawl


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Located in downtown Los Altos, Bumble serves local and organic food in a venue that appears to be more like a children's and parents' wonderland than a restaurant: from the sandbox in the front yard to the 25-foot-long salt-water fish tank bordering the children's playroom.
Mary Heffernan, a Menlo Park native, designed her restaurant and playroom with her own children in mind. Now 34, she has three girls under the age of 5 and one more baby on the way.
"I wanted somewhere where parents could feel a sense of community," she said. "I kind of got into the restaurant part of the business by accident."
At first glance, Bumble looks like a modern cafe. Tables and cushioned benches line the entrance, facing a bar and grill-style kitchen. But venture farther into Bumble, and a whole new world is revealed.
In the back of Bumble, there is a playroom, where parents pay per half-hour for a fully stocked and staffed childcare facility. Grown-ups who need some time to themselves, or just want to sip on a San Francisco brew, can head for the adults-only outdoor patio, which is lined with cabin-in-the-woods-style furniture and heat lamps.
Not only does the playroom provide a staff with child-development degrees, but it is stocked with some of the entertainment world's newest technology: Night Bright. The technology was designed with Bumble in mind and features a virtual forest all along the playroom's back wall. Kids can interact with the forest's animals, trees and glowing butterflies as they move around the room.
Heffernan, who also founded the Menlo Park tutoring center Academic Trainers a decade ago, opened Bumble last year. But getting to opening day was no easy task. Her choice of location was a 100-year-old house, which needed a loving mother of its own. "It was pretty dilapidated," she said. "When we took the windows out to restore them, the whole porch fell down."
But Heffernan persevered through collapsing porches and building regulations. Fourteen months later, Bumble was born with a brand-new white picket fence and a bee-yellow front door.
Beyond its services for families and children, Bumble also serves locally grown and raised organic food. "It's quite a challenge," Heffernan said, since the menu is constantly changing to provide customers with the best seasonal ingredients.
Some highlights are the Bumble Burger, which is topped with bacon marmalade, and the fresh salads. "The quinoa salad has like a cult following," Heffernan said, laughing.
Of course, the honey is always in fresh supply from Golden Harvest Beekeeping in Redwood City.
Bumble's executive chef, Marc Frias, said his dishes are inspired in part by his family and friends. "I am open to listening and talking about my food," he said. "I get some great ideas just listening to what people like and don't like. Then I take those ideas and put my twist on them."
Frias said his flavors are always changing, but that currently his favorite dish is the linguini pasta tossed with garlic, tomatoes and arugula. "It is super simple and just clean flavor," he said.
With a constantly changing menu and a devotion to local and organic foods, one thing Bumble cannot provide is a bargain meal.
"Our prices are probably not the cheapest in town," Heffernan said. "But people who understand the value of (locally sourced organic food) will (go) for it. It's like night and day."
Though Bumble has barely been open for a year, Heffernan said it already feels like a local joint. "I love the community feel," she said. "At least half of the people who walk in the door we know on a first-name basis."
And she has already started expanding. Soon, Heffernan will be opening an arcade next door to Bumble. Area 151 will be a place where older kids can blow off some steam with classic arcade games along with some high-end technologies.
Bumble also hosts events, including birthday parties and corporate gatherings.
"We've done some really fun events," Heffernan said, recalling a conversation she had with one customer after a party at Bumble. "They said, 'This is the most fun party we've ever had, and I thought this was a kids' place!'"
Frias said he too benefits from the family-friendly atmosphere. "I get the feeling that I am cooking for my friends and family and that takes so much pressure off me that I can just create, or, as I always say, play."
Bumble Los Altos
145 First St., Los Altos
Hours: Daily 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Playroom: 9 a.m.-8 p.m.


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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Eye and Vision Care
Watery Eyes When Exposed to Cold Air
My eyes water when cold air hits them. I am a young man aged 33 years old. The left eye waters more than the right eye. I had an eye test and the optician who does it said I passed the test. My GP prescribed me some allergy medicine, but didn't help.
I feel embarrassed as tears drain down my face and that makes me look like i am crying, mainly in winter when I am outdoors. I am starting to lose my confidence and self-esteem. What should I do?
Firstly, and most importantly, you should seek a comprehensive eye exam from a licensed eye professional (optometrist or ophthalmologist). There is a long list of possibilities, but it would be impossible to find the culprit without evaluating your eyes.
Possibilities include, but are not limited to:
-dry eye: seems counterintuitive, but deficiencies in a layer of the tear film can cause excessive watering
-blockage in the drainage system of the eye
-infection (bacterial or viral)
-other disruption in the tear film.
All of these diagnosis call for vastly different treatment regimes, so the best advice is to schedule a full eye exam!
Marta Fabrykowski, Optometry Intern at the OSU College of Optometry, contributed to this response.
Andrew J Toole, OD, PhD, FAAO
Clinical Assistant Professor of Optometry
College of Optometry
The Ohio State University


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Posts Tagged 'Ray of sunshine'
London Fashion Week A/W 2011 Catwalk Review: Paul Costelloe (by Matt)
Paul Costelloe opened London Fashion Week A/W 2011 yesterday, as per usual. It was a riot of colour and a bloody wonderful start to the day - with illustrations by Lesley Barnes and Maria Papadimitriou!
Written by Matt Bramford
Illustration by Maria Papadimitriou
I'll never say a bad word about Mr Paul Costelloe. His was the first on-schedule show I ever saw, back in 2008. It was a disaster - you can read my review here (my have we come a long way with our fashion week reviews). Despite that particular experience being pretty traumatic, I always look forward to what he'll present us each season, and I genuinely believe he's the most underrated designer on the schedule - AND he always gets that hideous graveyard 9.30am opening slot. Anyway, enough of the pity, I'm sure he gets along just fine.
Paul Costelloe chatting outside the tent, post-show. All photography by Matt Bramford
Of course, this wouldn't be fashion… read more


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|Assistant Coach
|Previous College:
|Concordia University Wisconsin, '10
Kelsey Barth joined the Concordia University Wisconsin volleyball program in August 2012, as an assistant coach after playing for head coach Joe Cawley for four seasons.
The All-Northern Athletics Conference performer in 2010, as a libero, was a part of the highest win total (73) during a four-year stretch in school history. Twice during her playing career, the team won a program-best 23 victories.
The Pipestone, Minn., native concluded her career with 1,510 digs and 66 services aces. She helped the Falcons to a NAC regular season title in 2010 after finishing with an 11-1 record. During Barth's four year's CUW had a 38-10 league record.
The Pipestone Area High School (Minn.) graduate was an all-conference player in volleyball. She also helped the basketball team win a state title and was a member of the volleyball team that advanced to the state tournament.
Barth (maiden name Lorenzen) is the daughter of Lowell and Betsy. She has two brothers, Lucas and Micah, and one sister, Erin. Barth earned her bachelor's degree from CUW in photography and minored in business. She is married to Kyle Barth and the couple lives in Cedarburg, Wis.


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MIAMI, Fla. - Mourners are gathering to remember the man police say chewed off the face of a homeless man on a busy Miami highway.
A funeral was held Saturday for 31-year-old Rudy Eugene. Police shot and killed Eugene during a bizarre attack over Memorial Day weekend. The Miami Herald reported about 150 people attended the service.
The program handed out at the funeral described Eugene as "a boy who aspired to the best, to a man who was focused on enjoying his piece of the American dream" by owning a car-detailing business.
Eugene's brother, Marckenson Eugene, said his brother was always there for him and often helped him pay the bills when money was tight.
It's not clear what led to the attack on Ronald Poppo. The homeless man remains hospitalized.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Corn futures struggled around critical chart levels Tuesday. The corn market obviously responded well to last Friday's supportive USDA data, but futures were under pressure today. Surplus U.S. conditions and recent declines in ethanol and distillers grains seemed to weigh upon prices. The outlook may depend upon nearby futures' ability to hold above critical moving average support. March corn futures slid 3.0 cents to $4.315/bushel at Tuesday's close, while May lost 3.0 to $4.395/bushel.
Argentine weather news appeared to boost the soy complex. Soybeans and meal rallied Monday in response to good export news, but today's follow-through rise reportedly marked a response to talk of minimal weekend rains over Argentina's main soy growing area, as well as current hot temperatures in that region. Asian palm weakness kept pressure on oil values. March soybeans rallied 12.75 cents to $13.07/bushel Tuesday, while March soyoil skidded 0.08 cents to 37.76 cents/pound, whereas March soymeal gained $8.2 to $430.1/ton.
The wheat markets belatedly followed beans higher Tuesday. Although wheat prices rallied modestly Monday, they slipped back toward three-year lows this morning. However, they later followed soybeans higher, especially after traders started talking about emerging dryness across the Southern Plains. March CBOT wheat futures bounced 5.75 cent to $5.7925/bushel at their Tuesday settlement, while March KCBT wheat futures jumped 12.25 cents to $6.32, and March MWE futures gained 3.25 to $6.21.
Cattle futures may have broken out to the upside Tuesday. CME cattle prices seemingly have every reason to surge to fresh highs, because cash cattle and wholesale beef markets have already done so. Indeed, beef prices hit new all-time records at midday. Continued strength seems likely to spark a larger CME advance, but bulls proved unable to make a decisive move before the close. February cattle futures soared 1.05 cents to 137.65 cents/pound as pit trading ended Tuesday, while April futures ran up 0.72 to 137.80. Meanwhile, March feeder cattle futures advanced 0.35 cents to 166.82 cents/pound, while May lifted 0.50 to 168.65.
Wholesale gains also appeared to boost the CME hog market. Although current pork quotes aren't setting any records, they did surge in concert with beef values Tuesday morning. Those may presage larger seasonal gains into mid-February, which is apparently encouraging futures buying. February hogs closed 0.62 cents higher at 86.00 cents/pound Tuesday, while June inched up 0.20 to 100.90.


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SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Jerry Brown has a fight on his hands over his sweeping plan to overhaul the way public education is funded -- and it's coming from fellow Democrats.
A day after Brown warned legislators they would face the "battle of their lives" if they challenged his proposal, Senate Democrats on Thursday offered their own plan, which they characterized as more equitable to all schools.
"The governor, obviously, came out firing yesterday, and we take it all in stride," said Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento.
Brown has called his plan a "civil rights issue" because it would beef up funding for poor and otherwise disadvantaged students. The Senate Democrats say they agree with the governor's principle of pouring more money into the education of those students, but say he's going about it the wrong way.
The battle was sparked by November's passage of Proposition 30, a tax measure that restored education spending to levels California hasn't seen in years.
Of about $49 billion that will go into K-12 spending, Brown wants to direct an additional $2 billion toward school districts with high concentrations of poor students, foster youth and those struggling to learn English. But a bill introduced by the Senate Democrats Thursday would spread the money more evenly by giving higher grants to all districts. The governor argues that doing it that way would dilute the impact the money would have on disadvantaged students.
"If you spread it out to all the districts, it will have a trivial effect," Brown said Wednesday. "If you put it into the districts that have high concentrations of poverty, it will have a very powerful effect."
But Steinberg, surrounded by co-authors of the bill, SB69 -- state Sens. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo; Kevin DeLeon, D-Los Angeles; Carol Liu, D-Glendale; Ricardo Lara, D-Los Angeles; and Mark Leno-D San Francisco -- said that because the additional money would go to districts whose disadvantaged student population is more than 50 percent, many poor students in wealthier districts would remain "invisible."
Senate Democrats propose raising per-pupil grants to all schools. Both plans would give supplemental grants to schools with a majority of educationally disadvantaged students, but the percentage in the Democrats' plan would probably be less than the 35 percent supplemental grants the governor proposes. The Democrats say that would ensure that the extra money follows disadvantaged students, no matter where they go to school.
"We ask the question: Are we concerned about poor school districts, or are we concerned about poor schools and poor kids?" Steinberg said. "The governor's way of doing it -- not his goals or intent -- leaves poor kids who are in nonpoor school districts invisible. This, too, is a civil rights issue."
At the Moreland Elementary District in San Jose, 35 percent of students are lower income, but the district wouldn't qualify for Brown's "concentration grants," a Steinberg spokesman said.
The 33,000-student San Jose Unified School District also falls below the 50 percent threshold. Still, its chief business officer, Stephen McMahon, said Thursday the discussion should not be about "which districts come out ahead and which come out behind."
Instead, he said, it should be about changing the cumbersome school financing system. He said he feared the debate will "deteriorate to the point where nothing happens."
Xavier De La Torre, superintendent of the Santa Clara County Office of Education, said the senators' proposal compromises the governor's commitment to educating California's neediest students.
"I think it's a retreat," he said. "We were so close to doing something significant, something relevant."
Alameda County schools Superintendent Sheila Jordan said county superintendents have tried to work with the governor and Legislature to improve the funding plan, so she's disappointed it has turned into a battle.
"I would hope that the governor would sit down and work together with the Democrats,'' she said. "It is really important to all of us."
The state Senate Democrats also say they want more accountability in a new funding formula. They would require school districts to meet certain curriculum standards that lead to a "pathway to college and/or a high-wage career," Steinberg said.
Those schools that failed to meet the standards would lose flexibility on how they could spend school funds and fall under the authority of the state and counties.
Under the Democrats' proposal, a change in the funding formula wouldn't take effect for more than a year, in fiscal year 2014-15.
"We'd have a couple of extra months during the summer after all the budget work is done to tie up all the loose ends to make sure we get it right," said Leno, the budget chairman. "There's a lot on the governor's plate, and there's a lot on our plate as well. This shouldn't be rushed."
Contact Steven Harmon at 916-441-2101. Follow him at Twitter.com/ssharmon. Read the Political Blotter at IBAbuzz.com/politics.


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Come to our new program room in the Children's department for Open Play Time. Children and their caregivers will be able to play together while visiting the library. Meet others from the community and play with toys and your little ones in this unguided program.
Please keep your children safe by ensuring that they're closely supervised at all times. Thank you!
For all ages
No registration required.


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Daniel Sedin had a goal and an assist, and Cory Schneider made 32 saves in the Vancouver Canucks' 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night.
Jannik Hansen and Dale Weise also scored for Vancouver (14-9-6), which ended a two-game losing streak.
Jaden Schwartz and Patrik Berglund both scored in the third period for the Blues (16-11-2), who lost for only the second time in seven games. St. Louis had won three straight with rookie goalie Jake Allen. He stopped 16 Canucks shots.
The Blues outshot the Canucks 34-19. Vancouver managed only a total of five shots in the first and third periods.
After being badly outshot in the opening frame, the Canucks woke up in the second period and scored three unanswered goals.
Schneider started after watching the previous four games from the bench. He was kept busy in a scoreless first period as the Blues outshot the Canucks 15-3.
He made saves on David Perron from left wing and Alex Pietrangelo from the right point. After retrieving his own rebound, Perron sent the puck to Pietrangelo.
Later in the period, he robbed Pietrangelo from short range with his glove and foiled Andy McDonald, who returned to the Blues lineup after missing 10 games with a knee injury.
Hansen opened the scoring 2:30 into the second period when he took a cross-ice pass from Mason Raymond in the neutral zone, skated over the blue line and beat Allen with a slap shot.
The goal came on Vancouver's sixth shot of the game. Daniel Sedin gave the Canucks a 2-0 lead less than two minutes later when he fired in brother Henrik's angle pass from behind the goal line.
Daniel Sedin ended his scoring drought at eight games.
Weise, known for fisticuffs rather than scoring dexterity, extended Vancouver's lead to 3-0 midway through the second period on a nifty play. He took a spin-around forehand pass from Jordan Schroeder and then deked Allen while skating across the goal mouth.
It was Weise's second goal of the season and first in 11 games.
The Blues got on the scoreboard just over five minutes into the third period when Vladimir Tarasenko's shot bounced in off Schwartz, cutting their deficit to 3-1.
Berglund pulled St. Louis within a goal at 13:38 of the third as Kris Russell's shot bounced to him off the back of Canuck defenseman Chris Tanev's head.
The Canucks received a power play with 3:06 left in the third period as Vladimir Sobotka was called for holding. The whistle finally blew after the Canucks had a prolonged delayed penalty, struggled to get the puck up the ice with an extra attacker. Kevin Bieksa just missed the net as he tried to put in a pass from Raymond.
St. Louis was blanked on three power plays. The Canucks were unsuccessful on two.
NOTES: The Canucks lost forward Zack Kassian to an injury in the first period. He had returned to Vancouver's lineup after missing the previous two games with a sore back. He fought St. Louis forward Chris Stewart, the NHL's first star of the week, less than three minutes in. ... Vancouver forward Andrew Ebbett was scratched, and David Booth remains out indefinitely with a leg injury. ... Stewart played his 300th NHL game. ... Blues forward T.J. Oshie missed his third consecutive game with a rib injury. He is expected to return Saturday in Edmonton.


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For all of its virtues. classical music doesn't normally conjure up thoughts of Indiana Jones.But when Hasse Borup, associate professor and head of string and chamber music studies at the University of Utah's School of Music, thinks about Vincent Persichetti's so-called Lost Sonata, his memory flashes back to the closing scene of "Raiders of the Lost Ark."In that scene, as the credits begin to scroll, the Ark is sealed in a wooden crate labeled "top secret," and is taken to a giant government warehouse filled with countless similar crates destined to be lost forever.But in the case of Horup and Persichetti, the late American composer's Lost Sonata has been rescued from the dustbin of history and will finally be performed for the first time in public seven decades after it was written."It is a really unique piece of music that deserves to be heard," said Borup.Tonight, Borup and University of Utah faculty pianist Heather Conner will make a rare world premiere of a lost 70-year-old sonata.Though "Sonata No. 1" was composed in 1941, it was never premiered, for reasons that will likely never be learned.Borup discovered the lost sonata in the storage archives of The New York Public Library, and his ground-breaking research led to the recovery of a composition that has only been played once before inside Persichetti's head."[Experts'] best estimate is that he got busy with something else and never got around to publishing it," said Borup, who began researching Pershichetti three years agp. This project will lead to Borup and Conner recording a CD of Pershichetti's sonatas for piano and violin this coming week for the respected NAXOS classical music label.While Persichetti's name is not as immediately recognizable as those of Beethoven or Bach, he is now regarded as one of the most prolific and important American composers of the 20th century. Born in Philadelphia in 1915, he was a pianist, composer, and teacher, training many famed composers including Philip Glass and Robert Witt as the head of composition at The Juilliard. He also wrote one of the most definitive books on modern music theory, Twentieth Century Harmony : Creative Aspects and Practice. He died in 1987."To find an unpublished [composition] is quite unusual for a 20th century composer," Conner said.Tonight's premiere is the culmination of years of work that had almost as many twists and turns than "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom." Here is a brief encapsulation:• With the purpose of recording a CD of Persichetti's sonatas, Borup began comparing lists from Pershichetti's publisher and the New York Public Library of Performing Arts, which holds the musical estate of the composer.• He found a discrepancy, and with some old-fashioned detective work, Borup realized that there was a work in the library's catalog that didn't appear elsewhere.• Borup had to get permission from Pershichetti's daughter to sort through works stored at the Library and elsewhere. After months of looking, the manuscript was finally found inside a largely abandoned library storage archive in New Jersey,• The manuscript was handwritten, with indecipherable notes and scribbles, and was unusable in its state. "It was a very interesting jigsaw puzzle," Conner said. • Borup asked U. of U. graduate student Dexter Drysdale to use his own knowledge, along with music composition and notation software to create a playable score. After months of work and vetting from other musicians and professors, the piece was ready to play."We don't know whether he wanted the music to be performed," Conner said."[Persichetti's] students feel it is a fully complete piece," Borup said. "For him, it was an experiment, but a successful experiment."
Vincent's Persichetti "Sonata No. 1" When • Sunday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.Where • Libby Gardner Concert Hall, 1375 E. Presidents Circle, Salt Lake CityTickets • Free admissionInfo • With University of Utah faculty violinist Hasse Borup and pianist Heather Conner
To see a clip of the performers talking about the piece, go to: http://youtu.be/so88PehGECI


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Highlighting the need for agency preparedness and stronger messaging to influence consumer dietary choices, the Food and Drug Administration has released a strategic plan for the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Science and Research.
The document identifies five goals the agency believes will have the greatest effect for modernizing the nation's food safety system and protecting public health, according to a news release from the FDA.
The goals are:
- Better controlling and preparing for hazards;
- Creating faster and validated methods;
- Influencing consumer behavior toward healthy dietary choices;
- Developing technology to understand and evaluate scientific information; and
- Improving FDA's adaptability and responsiveness.
The document noted that the demand for fresh and minimally processed food is increasing at the same time reliance on imports has increased.
"With food imports doubling in the period between 2002 and 2010, particularly challenging is the need to ensure the safety of imported foods," according to the plan. The plan said that in 2011, 80% of seafood and 50% of fresh fruit consumed in the U.S. was imported. "Traditional methods for sterilizing and disinfecting food must change to accommodate consumer preference for fresh and minimally processed foods," according to the plan.
In coming years, the FDA said that it hopes it can achieve improved preventative controls for reducing or eliminating salmonella and E. coli in fresh produce. The agency also said it wants improved methods for detecting salmonella and E. coli in fresh produce, according to the release. While the first nutrition food labels appeared in the U.S. more than 100 years ago, the strategic plan sees room to improve dietary guidance.
Updates from the FDA are online.


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Continuing in our series of pieces on each country's ODI history, we move towards Australia. From 1971 to 2012 (before the current series in England), Australia played 793 matches and won 490 with a win loss ratio of 1.82 – making them easily the most successful country in ODI cricket history. Their highest score is 434, lowest 70. They won the World Cup four times, in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007 and finished as runners-up in 1975 and 1996.
We present three lists – of players, batsmen and bowlers. The minimum qualification to be on these lists is to have played 75 matches. A match is considered in this system only when there is a result, and if the player has bowled or batted, as the case may be.
Here are the highest impact ODI players in Australia's history.
So, there are 8 specialist bowlers, 5 specialist batsmen and 7 all-rounders amidst the highest impact 20 players in Australian ODI cricket history. An example of why great bowlers and (especially) all-rounders have an advantage over batsmen on a career level, because the failure rate of batsmen is always the highest for obvious reasons.
14 of these 20 players are also from the Waugh-Ponting generation – the period of Australia's greatest dominance. The Border and Taylor generations are represented too (with both of them also present here personally). 4 of these players are in the current ODI side – which is indicative of both - their relative decline but also their promise.
Brett Lee as the highest impact Australian ODI player would surprise many – they would only be looking at his bowling performances on a match level then. No mean achiever on a match level, Lee also has 8 SDs (Series/Tournament-defining performances) to his credit – the joint-highest with 3 others. In one of those, he actually contributed with the bat as well; even though his Batting IMPACT is not that high on a career level, his ability to perform in crunch situations cumulatively gives him the highest impact as a player.
Shane Watson's
impact as an all-rounder should hardly be surprising as should the presence of Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist and Glenn McGrath at the top of the list. McGrath and Lee are the highest impact pace bowlers, Warne the highest impact spinner and Gilchrist the highest impact wicketkeeper-batsman in all of ODI cricket history – an apt reminder of what made Australia the force it has been in recent years.
Dean Jones is perhaps the most underrated player in ODI cricket history – his impact as a batsman second to only Viv Richards' – only those who saw his dominance first-hand in the 1980s will probably recognize this. For the rest, the scorecards of the matches he played in have to be invoked and his dominance measured (which is exactly what Impact Index does); more about that with the batting list.
Andrew Symonds' conventional numbers do not seem quite as stratospheric; it is his 8 SDs that give him such a high impact eventually, which means that he was one of the biggest big match players in Australian ODI cricket history – something not quite attributed to him.
Ricky Ponting's greatness as an ODI player is bared graphically here. He is Australia's highest impact captain, highest impact fielder and third-highest impact batsman. His Bowling IMPACT of 0.75 does not affect his Career IMPACT because he bowled only in 5 matches (and took 3 wickets; maybe he should have bowled a bit more). He too has 8 SDs – making him as much of a big match player as any other.
Michael Clarke's presence here is reassuring – besides carrying on the tradition of fine Aussie captains, his impact as a batsman is second to none in the current Australian ODI team – on top of that, he is pretty much an all-rounder (just 0.01 away from an IMPACT of 1 as a bowler, though he has bowled in less than half the matches he has played in). They should not look beyond him till the 2015 World Cup unless he significantly declines as a player.
When it comes to batsmen, Michael Clarke is the only all-time great in the current side.
Dean Jones tops this list with almost as big a gap as Viv Richards tops the list of highest impact West Indian batsmen. In the 1980s, Jones revolutionised ODI cricket by attacking from the start and lofting balls over the infield - new concepts at that time. There are several reasons why he is Australia's highest impact batsman – his Runs Tally IMPACT the highest by a distance (showing that he scored the highest proportion of runs in matches in his entire career), his failure rates joint-lowest in Australian ODI cricket history (suggesting remarkable consistency), his ability to absorb pressure third only to Bevan and Ponting and most interestingly, his Strike Rate IMPACT the highest after Gilchrist's (his conventional strike-rate of 73 would not reveal that, but when you compare it with the standards of his era, which Strike Rate IMPACT does, he goes right up). His tally of 6 SDs in just 162 completed matches makes him a veritable legend – in fact, the second-highest impact ODI batsman of all time after Viv Richards.
Ricky Ponting's tally of 8 SDs is the second-highest in ODI cricket history by a batsman (after only Sachin Tendulkar). Interestingly, he came under pressure the most number of times in Australian ODI cricket history (160 times) which he successfully absorbed a remarkable 53% of the time – an important indicator that the world's best side overcame enough setbacks during its successful campaigns too.
But it is Michael Bevan who absorbed the most pressure in Australian ODI cricket (in fact, the third-highest in ODI cricket history after New Zealanders Twose and Coney) and combined with his 6 SDs – his impact reflects his true place in ODI cricket history, which conventional statistics have never been able to do.
Australia's dominance in the world cricket can also be judged from the fact that 6 of their batsmen from this list are also amongst the 10 highest impact batsmen in ODI cricket history.
NOTE: If the cut-off is redefined as a minimum of 50 ODIs (from 75), Greg Chappell becomes the third highest impact ODI batsman for Australia. His Batting IMPACT of 2.46 (in 74 matches) with 2 SDs also places him as the 7th highest impact batsman in ODI cricket history then. In fact, if his all-round performances are also considered (Bowling IMPACT 1.44), his Career IMPACT of 3.88 becomes the second best in the history of ODI cricket (after Viv Richards).
The stories that unfold on various batting parameters are revealing.
When it comes to Runs Tally IMPACT (proportion of match runs made through career), the highest impact batsmen are Dean Jones, Geoff Marsh and Matthew Hayden.
The highest Strike Rate IMPACT batsmen (highest strike rates relative to all the matches in their careers) are Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds and Michael Hussey.
The best Pressure IMPACT batsmen (those who absorbed the most pressure that came about due to fall of wickets) are Michael Bevan, Ricky Ponting and Dean Jones.
The batsmen with the highest Partnership Building IMPACT (who built the most partnerships in the middle) are Geoff Marsh, Dean Jones and Michael Clarke.
The best Chasing IMPACT batsmen (who registered the highest impact while chasing a target) are Shane Watson, Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting. This would suggest the current Australian ODI side clearly has chasing as a palpable strength.
The batsmen with the lowest failure rates (a failure is seen in this system as an inability to register an IMPACT of even 1 in a match) are Dean Jones, Geoff Marsh and Matthew Hayden.
The Highest Impact Batting Performances in Australia's ODI history
1. DM Jones – 102 not out off 91 v New Zealand, Auckland, 1990 – Batting IMPACT 12.83
Chasing a modest 164 against New Zealand under tough conditions (though improved from when the Kiwis had lost 5 wickets for 33 runs), Australia lost David Boon very early to Danny Morrison. The initial hostile spells of Morrison and Richard Hadlee meant that the match was very much open for both the sides. However, Dean Jones came in and in his unabashed manner took the attack to the New Zealanders. His dominating innings turned what could have been a tricky chase into an easy one. Dean Jones' superiority can be judged by the fact that the other three Australian batsmen together scored only 52 runs out off 152 balls. Without Jones, the match would have been an even contest.
2. SR Watson – 105 not out off 129 v New Zealand, Centurion, 2009 – Batting IMPACT 9.65
In reply to New Zealand's fighting total of 200, Australia started on the worst note possible. They lost Paine and Ponting in the first two overs, with the Australian score at 6. Shane Bond, along with Kyle Mills, dominated the proceedings so much that Australia faced 73 dot balls in the first 15 overs. Watson, though, bid his time (he was 7 off 28 at one stage); as soon as the comparatively 'weaker' bowlers came on, he started off in his characteristic bludgeoning manner and made a mockery of the Kiwi bowling. By the time he finished, Australia had won the match along with the ICC Champions Trophy for the second consecutive time.
3. AR Border – 127 not out off 140 v West Indies, Sydney, 1985 – Batting IMPACT 8.72
Against a bowling attack comprising the likes of Garner, Holding, Marshall and Davis, Australia collapsed to 7-2, batting first in the Benson & Hedges World Series Final. Allan Border stepping in at number four stopped the slide from one end even as wickets continued to fall around him. At 64-4 off 18 overs, Border needed a partner and he got one in Wayne Phillips. Together, they forged a partnership of 105 runs which saw Australia reach a competitive total; Border capitalised in the end to change it into a match-winning one. His opposition captain, Clive Lloyd rated this as one of the best innings ever in ODI history.
The above performances are all within the series/tournament context. Even when it comes to match context, the above mentioned innings of Dean Jones is still the highest. Michael Bevan's unbeaten 78 off 88 v West Indies (Sydney, 1996) and Shane Watson's 105 not out off 129 v New Zealand (Centurion, 2009) are the second and the third highest impact innings within a match context, respectively (the last is on both series and match lists – that's how high impact it was).
And these are the bowlers who made Australia's fortunes sparkle in ODI cricket.
Given that (lower-order) batting plays no part on this list, Glenn McGrath edges out Brett Lee as the highest impact bowler in ODIs for Australia (and in world cricket). His remarkable Economy IMPACT (4th highest in world cricket, after Joel Garner, Shaun Pollock and Curtly Ambrose), 8 SDs (the joint-highest by a specialist bowler in ODI history, with Wasim Akram) and a 24% failure rate (the second-lowest amongst specialist bowlers, after Joel Garner) puts him right on top here.
Brett Lee has the second-highest Wickets IMPACT in ODI history (after Shane Bond) and his 7 SDs to combine with this takes him straight up. After McGrath, he is the second-highest impact bowler in ODI history as well.
Shane Warne is the only spinner on this list – his 4 SDs make him the highest impact spinner in ODI world cricket history as well. Damien Fleming's high Wickets IMPACT with a low failure rate and Geoff Lawson's Economy IMPACT with reasonably low failure rate puts them on this list.
Nathan Bracken and Paul Reiffel find their place on this list primarily because of their 3 SDs (Bracken also showed remarkable consistency – as evidenced through his low failure rate – which also made him the 7th highest impact bowler in ODI history – a remarkable place in cricket history for a somewhat unheralded bowler).
Mitchell Johnson's high Wickets IMPACT and low failure rate suggests he should always be picked – that SD column should fill up shortly too, which should send him going up these charts too.
As was the story with the batting chart, 4 of the Australian bowlers from this list are also amongst the ten highest impact bowlers in ODI cricket history. Australia's dominance can again be judged from the fact that at one point of time, three of these bowlers (McGrath, Lee and Warne - amongst the 5 highest impact bowlers in history) constituted their bowling attack – a wet dream for any side.
NOTE: If the cut-off is lowered to 50 matches (from 75), Dennis Lillee becomes the highest impact bowler for Australia in their history of ODI cricket. His Bowling IMPACT of 3.47 (in 63 matches) with 3 SDs would then also make him the highest impact bowler in the history of ODI cricket, amongst all countries. Not many would be too surprised.
The highest impact players in all bowling parameters are quite revealing.
When it comes to Top/Middle-order Wickets Tally IMPACT (wickets taken from nos. 1-7 in most cases), the highest impact bowlers are Brett Lee, Shane Warne and Mitchell Johnson.
Lower-order Wickets Tally IMPACT (batsmen nos. 8-11) – highest impact bowlers are Nathan Bracken, Brad Hogg and Glenn McGrath.
The highest Economy IMPACT bowlers (lowest economy rates relative to all the matches in their careers) are Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Geoff Lawson.
The highest impact Partnership-breaking bowlers are Shane Warne, Brad Hogg and Simon O'Donnell.
The bowlers with the highest Pressure Building IMPACT (taking quick wickets to put opposition under pressure) are Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath and Mitchell Johnson.
The bowlers with the lowest failure rate (a failure is seen in this system as an inability to register an IMPACT of even 1 in a match) are Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee.
The Highest Impact Bowling Performances in Australia's ODI history
1. TM Alderman – 5 for 17 in 10 overs v New Zealand, Wellington, 1982 – Bowling IMPACT 8.79
After being put into bat by the Australians, the New Zealanders were soon left short of answers as Lillee and Alderman ripped through their batting line-up. If Lillee was fast and furious, Alderman was accurate and nagging - he kept pitching the ball up and getting wickets. The combined 20 overs from both of them saw New Zealand lose 8 wickets for 31 runs. Even though the pitch was tailor-made for the seamers, the Australians had no trouble in chasing down the required 75 runs to win the Rothmans Cup.
2. GJ Gilmour (Only Big Match, no SD) – 6 for 14 in 12 overs v England, Leeds, 1975 – Bowling IMPACT 10.31
The brilliance of this performance can be gauged from the fact that this is the second-highest match impact performance ever in the history of ODI cricket. In this 1975 World Cup semi-final, England were put into bat on a green Headingley track by the Australians. The heavy cloud cover meant seam and swing movement for the bowlers and no one used it better than Gary Gilmour. He bowled his entire quota of 12 overs in a single spell and by the time he had finished, England were all but gone. Out of the top7 batsmen, Gilmour accounted for 6. The story was not finished though. Chasing 94, Australia were themselves struggling at 39-6, when Gilmour stepped in, this time with the bat. He scored an unbeaten 28 off 28 and completed an astonishing feat.
3. SK Warne – 4 for 29 in 10 overs v South Africa, Birmingham, 1999 – Bowling IMPACT 6.10
Often, it happens in a cricket match that people get too absorbed in the romance and the result of the match but fail to recognise the individual behind it. This is one such instance. Chasing 214 to win in this classic World Cup semi-final, South Africa were 48-0 after 12 overs. It took a moment of brilliance from Warne, a delivery reminiscent of the Gatting dismissal to get rid of Gibbs. Shane Warne again had started a collapse. In a span of 8 balls he took 3 wickets, his victims being Gibbs, Kirsten and Cronje. When he came back for his last spell, South Africa needed 39 runs to win off 5 overs. Promptly, he got rid of Jacques Kallis and provided another twist in the tale; it was not going to be the last one. Fortunately for him, the match ended in their favour and Australia found their way to the World Cup finals, which they eventually won.
The above performances are all within the series/tournament context. When it comes to a match context, Gary Gilmour's 6-14 v England (Leeds, 1975) registers above Alderman's 5-17 v New Zealand (Wellington, 1982) as the highest impact bowling performance. Andy Bichel's 7-20 v England (Port Elizabeth, 2003) and Alderman's above mentioned performance are the second and the third highest impact bowling performance in a match context, respectively.
For more information, please go to www.impactindexcricket.com
More In The Series:
1) West Indies' highest Impact ODI players
2) Pakistan's highest Impact ODI players


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Groupon (GRPN) is one of the most vilified stocks out there right now. Consensus is that it's a sham business at best and a fraud at worst.
A stock that is 80% below all-time highs and 70% below its November 2011 IPO price invites a lot of pile-on criticism.
But the bottom appears to be in for the stock, and now there's a chance the stock could be on the cusp of a big breakout. The company will report earnings on Feb. 27.
Even today, the stock has punched through $6 on another upgrade by Evercore to (irony alert) a $5 price target. Yesterday, a Sterne Agee upgrade to $9 sparked a rally.
I am long Groupon, and I believe we could have a spike in the shares after the earnings report.
Similar to Zynga (ZNGA), things have been going badly for so long at Groupon that they're now looking up. Amid such washed-out expectations for the company, it now has a chance to finally beat those expectations.
There were also many hints of positive results in last November's earnings report, even though that report hammered the stock down into the $2s.
- Europe is a mess, but it is now following the North American playbook (which is working), and if Europe's results are just stable, it will be a big plus for the company overall.
- North America is really working well, and that looks to continue.
- According to Groupon on the last call, its business firmed up as the summer transitioned to fall, and there were indications that the fourth quarter had started well. All signs are there for a big fourth quarter.
- It is now starting to utilize search as a way of pulling in traffic. This is an untapped opportunity.
- It is better at personalizing emails to get better lift from them.
- Groupon's Goods business looks to keep growing like a weed. It was at a run rate of $1.5 billion last quarter, and it will probably be a lot more now. Critics say it's a lower-margin business. Who cares, if it delivers a gangbuster quarter in two weeks?
- It's strongly likely that Groupon will get back to accelerating its revenue this quarter -- possibly with some "profits." Look at how a healthy quarter was a shot in the arm to Zynga. Some of the same mojo could flow back into Groupon.
We're already at $6, and the earnings report is still two weeks out.
With a good report, Groupon could see $8 by early March and start getting people dreaming again about the stock heading back toward its IPO price.
That's still a long ways away, but you still have time to get constructive on Groupon.


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A full 79 percent of today's car buyers are using the Internet to conduct new car research when buying a car, and a full half of them do not have any brand loyalty at the outset of their search, according to a new survey. The J.D. Power 2013 New Autoshopper Study found that 50 percent of the car shoppers who are using digital devices -- including computers, smartphones and tablets -- to conduct Internet research are open to any brand initially.
The study found that while auto shoppers most often use a desktop or laptop computer for their research, tablet and smartphone use has increased year over year. For the first time, car shoppers also reported using tablets more often than smartphones -- 25 percent versus 23 percent. As a result, 34 percent of car shoppers now report researching their next car purchase using multiple digital devices, including desktop and laptop computers, smartphones, tablets and gaming consoles.
In addition, Gen Y shoppers, who now comprise more than 20 percent of all retail sales, are the biggest Internet researchers and the most open to any car brand. J.D. Power found that 54 percent of Gen Y shoppers had no particular brand loyalty at the beginning of their new-car search, and 47 percent used smartphones in their car-shopping process, more than any other demographic.
The J.D. Power 2013 New Autoshopper Study is based on responses from 17,012 car buyers and lessees of 2011 to 2013 model-year cars who used information gathered digitally in the car-shopping process.
Have you used a digital device to shop for a car?
Tara Baukus Mello writes the cars blog as well as the weekly Driving for Dollars column, providing both practical financial advice for consumers as well as insight into the latest developments in the automotive world. Follow her on Facebook here or on Twitter @SheDrives.


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Jan. 9, 2006
Flat Out Fishing Offers Tips for Novice and Expert Anglers
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will host a very special event to help Coastal Bend anglers start the new year with an edge. The third annual Flat Out Fishing event kicks off at 8 a.m., Sat., Jan. 28, at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The event will be held at the university's Science and Technology Building in Room 104.
The day-long event includes seminars and presentations from noted guides and experts and covers everything from the life histories of popular sport fish to fishing the flats and landing trophy trout.
"Flat Out Fishing offers anyone from beginning to experienced fishermen a variety of opportunities to increase their knowledge of the sport," said TPWD Coastal Fisheries Outreach Specialist Art Morris. Morris added that the event benefits the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation's abandoned crab trap removal program fund. That program has removed more than 18,000 abandoned crab traps from coastal waters since 2002.
Flat Out Fishing begins with a boating safety presentation at and continues through 5 p.m. with the conclusion of "Lefty Ray" Chapa's photography seminar. Participants will be eligible for door prizes and "goody bags."
The cost is $20 per person or $30 per couple, payable by cash, check or money order at the door. Registration fees are tax-deductible. Children under 17 may attend free.
Seating is limited to the first 100 participants. To register, contact Art Morris at 361-825-3356 or by e-mail at email@example.com.
Flat Out Fishing is sponsored by Anheuser-Busch, CCA Texas, the Corpus Christi Convention & Visitors Bureau, Daiichi, Saltwater Conservation Association Texas and the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program.
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(5.4.16 i)


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Ariad Pharmaceuticals Plummets 70% as Drug Trial Held
Leonard Cohen once sang of stumbling out of bed and getting ready for the struggle. Well, Ariad Pharmaceuticals (ARIA) can sympathize, as it has fallen out of bed today, and has a struggle on its hands.
Ariad has dropped 69% to $5.24 today after the FDA placed a partial hold on its trial for Iclusig. Bloomberg has the details:
Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc. tumbled the most ever after U.S. regulators placed a hold on enrollment in all trials of the company's approved cancer drug Iclusig because of blood clots among participants...
Iclusig, approved last year for two rare forms of leukemia, will continue to be given to people already in the trials, with some doses being reduced, Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Ariad said in a statement today. The Food and Drug Administration placed a partial hold on the trials after results from one study found serious arterial thrombosis occurred in 11.8 percent of Iclusig-treated patients and cardiovascular events in 6.2 percent.
William Blair's Y. Katherine Xu and Filippo Petti explain what it means for Iclusig's sales--and it's devastating:
...we are lowering our worldwide peak sales for Iclusig to $700 million from $2.0 billion, and lowering our projection for the probability of Iclusig's success in the frontline CML setting to 70% from 95%. Consequently, we are lowering our price target from $26.00 to $7.00 but maintaining our Outperform rating due to valuation. We now assume peak worldwide sales for Iclusig in the second- and third-line settings of CML at $425 million versus our previous estimate of $780 million. In the frontline setting, we now estimate Iclusig will reach peak penetration of 5% with peak worldwide sales of $270 million, compared with our previous estimate of 10% and $1.1 billion, respectively. Our probability-adjusted NPV now assumes $3 per share for Iclusig compared with our previous estimate of $23 per share; we note that less than 5% of our valuation for Iclusig is attributed to the frontline CML setting.
RBC's Michael J. Yee and team ponder what comes next for Ariad:
We think ARIAD stock will be in the penalty box pending better clarity on how this increased safety risk will affect current utilization and the likelihood of EPIC in front-line working. Timelines are now likely to all be pushed out which further (ie EPIC readout probably not going to be at least until YE:14 at earliest, from Q3:14 previously) makes it unlikely the stock will meaningfully recover anytime soon since this is the biggest catalyst for the stock. ..
Our prior valuation work published said downside scenario is Iclusig worth $11 if an $800M drug which is a 3rd line niche drug and some front-line use (this is possible if EPIC still succeeds down the line and is used in healthy pts). We think more bearish downside scenario is if one only gives it credit as a T315i and last line only drug as a floor, which is $350-500M drug worldwide which is more in high single digits value.
Ariad is only the latest stock to plunge on hold-related woes. Achillion Pharmaceuticals (ACHN) fell 58% on Sept. 30 when its Hepatitis C-drug trial was kept on hold. Achillion's shares have dropped 11% to $2.45 today, as weakness in the sector has caused the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology Index ETF (IBB) to drop 2.2% to $194.43.


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3 Reviews
Wilderness Trails Ranch Vacations
23486 County Rd 501
Bayfield, CO
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Our children haven't stopped talking about their trip to the ranch and about "their horses." Phil says it was the best vacation he has ever had with the family and is ready to do it again next year! And that's saying a lot, considering he has bad allergies to just about anything with 4 legs, and I was the one who planned the vacation this year!
By: Anonymous
June 27, 2012
Your staff is wonderful—polite, well-trained, efficient, and enjoyable to be around.
My week at WTR was wonderful beyond my dreams!! Full of horses and great horsemanship, new friends, great food, spectacular scenery and most of all GREAT hospitality!! Thank you for sharing your world of horses and life in "God's Country."
Tellzea gives businesses a turnkey web presence to interact and connect with customers in Alamogordo, New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Durango, Colorado, El Paso, Texas, Farmington, New Mexico, Gallup, New Mexico, Grand Junction, Colorado, Grants, New Mexico, Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Ruidoso, New Mexico.
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Did You Know?
A female lemur carries her newborn to a new nest site in her mouth.
Autumn in Michigan means leaves changing colors, college football games, and, of course, pumpkins! What do we do with pumpkins? We paint them. We carve them. We make pies out of them. But what if you give a tiger a pumpkin…
We do just that here at the Potter Park Zoo as part of our Animal Enrichment Program. What is animal enrichment? It is when zoo staff places novel items in the animals' exhibits that stimulate mental and physical activity and promote natural behaviors. Why? Because our animals have some extra time on their "hands" since they do not have to provide for themselves as they would in the wild. It is good for the animals, and it provides visitors with opportunities to see some fascinating behaviors.
Tigers and other animals in the zoo have different ideas about what to do with a pumpkin than we humans do. Some might eat them. Others might bat them around or shred them. One of our rhinos has been known to end up with a pumpkin on her horn.
In the coming weekends you will have a chance to find out firsthand just what our animals do with pumpkins and other Halloween-themed enrichments. Join us for daily enrichments at our Boo at the Zoo Events on October 19 & 20 and 26 & 27 and our Pumpkinfest Enrichment Event on November 3. Check out our events page for details.


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I have found myself increasingly needing to hit 20-50ft straddle putts. The situation I end up need to straddle most often is if my lie is blocked from behind, IE, in bushes, near a tree, etc. Also, obviously, I try and use it to get a clean line at the basket around obstacles. I am pretty comfortable inside 20ft but anything more than that, I can't figure out how to get more distance on my straddle putts. I use a 175g D Magnet for my putting duties. I'm guessing I just need a better wrist and better timing. If I could watch someone who tosses 30+ft straddles that would help a ton, but I can't think of anyone off the top of my head.
Talking points:
- Who are the pro's with a good straddle?
- Your techniques for getting around trees while putting?
- Dealing with uneven ground and bad footing.
- Jump putts from a straddle?


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News Roundup
Avian Influenza
Information on avian influenza is available from a variety of sources on the World Wide Web. Check the resources linked below, and use the Web search engine of your choice to find out more.
Information Sources
U.S. Government
The official U.S. government Web site for information on pandemic flu and avian influenza (http://www.pandemicflu.gov/) is a one-stop source for links to all leading U.S. authorities on wildlife, agriculture and human health concerns.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The USFWS site includes links to information from state wildlife agencies.
Texas Department of State Health Services
In Texas, the Department of State Health Services is responsible for human health planning and response. The department has prepared a Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Plan (http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/influenza/pandemic/default.asp).
Texas Animal Health Commission
The Texas Animal Health Commission is responsible for agriculture and poultry disease planning and response (http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/animal_health/poultry/ai.html).
TPWD Resources
Questions and Answers
Fact Sheet
TPWD News Releases
- Oct. 30, 2006 — Texas Waterfowlers Can Expect Good Hunting
AUSTIN, Texas — With lots of ducks on the way and plenty of new water to greet them, conditions are shaping up for an above average waterfowl season in Texas, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists.
Read the news release.
- Oct. 24, 2005 — Wildlife Experts Advise Hunters About Avian Flu
AUSTIN, Texas — State and federal wildlife experts say the chance of people in Texas encountering wild migratory birds with HPAI H5N1 avian influenza this year is remote. However, authorities are launching proactive efforts to detect the disease if it comes to North America and they're advising hunters about game bird handling to reduce general disease risks.
Read the news release.


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MIAMI - September is the peak month for tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic. During the satellite era starting in 1966, the Atlantic has averaged 3.7 tropical storms and 2.4 hurricanes during the month of September.
South Florida residents breathed a sigh of relief after Isaac recently passed through without strengthening to a hurricane until it got into the Gulf of Mexico. Now we wonder where the next tropical storm will form.
There is a low pressure system currently located over the Gulf of Mexico just off the western Florida panhandle. The National Hurricane Center is giving this disturbance a low chance of developing into a tropical cyclone over the next couple of days. Regardless of whether it develops or not, it has the potential to bring additional rains to portions of Florida.
In addition, the global models are nearly unanimous in developing a tropical wave forecast to come off the coast of Africa later this week. It is obviously way too early to predict where this disturbance will go.
The formation point graphic shows where all the tropical storms (a total of 496) have formed in the Atlantic Basin during the month of September from 1851 through 2011. A lot of them formed in the deep tropics between Africa and the Caribbean similar to recent Hurricane Isaac and Tropical Storm Leslie that is currently headed in the general direction of Bermuda.
The historical record shows a couple of the most memorable September hurricanes to strike South Florida: the costliest United States hurricane on record after adjusting for inflation, population and wealth – the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926; and the second deadliest United States hurricane on record – the Lake Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928. Both the 1926 and 1928 hurricanes formed in the deep tropical Atlantic.
The formation point graphic shows many storms forming elsewhere over the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico as well as a fair number over the Caribbean. No one can tell you at the moment where the next storm will form, but it is a sure bet that other tropical cyclones will develop before the season ends. We are still in the peak of the hurricane season.
- Download: Hurricane Survival Guide
- Hurricane Tracker
- JustWeather: Hurricane
- Max Mayfield's Blog
- Hurricane Andrew: 20th Anniversary
- Hurricane Headquarters
Copyright 2012 by Post Newsweek. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Moderators: Timko, Fritz, Solty, Booter, Blake_T, Frank Delicious
Thatdirtykid wrote:Im wondering why innova is coming out with these slower floaty midranges lately (coyote for example). They are great approach discs, but with people throwing challengers, bangers and of course wizards as far and accuate as they are when do you need a midrange that is similar to a putter for that range?
I fell for the whole devil hawk thing.
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Living Image Arts Presents CHARLES WINN SPEAKS 9/15-10/1
Living Image Arts presents CHARLES WINN SPEAKS written by C. S. HANSON and directed by Lynn M. Thomson
SEPTEMBER 15-OCTOBER 1 @ CHERRY LANE Studio Theatre
Set against the backdrop of the current financial crisis, CHARLES WINN SPEAKS by C.S. Hanson follows a lovesick stockbroker as he struggles to find ... and keep the woman of his dreams. Juggling the economy, love affairs and his pursuit of the American Dream might just turn out to be more than he can handle!
LIA first produced Charles Winn Speaks as a short play, in their 2009 One Act Festival, Americanize. Since then, the play has been in development and has emerged as a full-length play, which has become a defining work for playwright C.S. Hanson.
"Easily the most successful one-act is C.S. Hanson's Charles Winn Speaks, in which a successful Russian hedge-fund manager (the excellent Christopher Kipiniak) videotapes a response to the American girlfriend who just dumped him. It's an American dream gone wrong, the aggressive yet tender and appealing businessman left with everything but the girl, and it's blessed with some up-to-the-minute hedge-fund jokes milked to the max by Kipiniak." Backstage
Featuring Lindsay Gates* and Chris Kipiniak* (Metamorphoses with Second Stage; Kit Marlowe at The Public) with Scenic Design by Tijana Bjelak, Costume Design by Lisa Loen, Sound Design by Geoffrey Roecker, and Lighting Design by Heather Smaha.
The production, presented by Living Image Arts will play a three-week engagement at the Cherry Lane Studio Theatre (38 Commerce Street between 7th Ave and Hudson Street), September 15-October 1; Wednesday through Saturday at 7pm and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets ($18/$15 students) may be purchased online at www.livingimagearts.org or by calling Telecharge at 212-239-6200.
C.S. HANSON (Playwright) has had plays developed at LaMaMa (recent reading: Etruscan Lovers & Other Fools), Ensemble Studio Theatre, Theater for the New City, New Jersey Rep, The Barrow Group, and Naked Angels. Recent productions: Apologies to Vietnam (Metropolitan Playhouse), Falutin (3Graces), The Sabbatical (Little Theatre of Little Rock; Pittsburgh New Works), and Stalk Me, Baby (At Hand Theatre). Actors Theatre of Louisville Heideman finalist for Extremes and for Falutin. Associate Artist, America-in-Play. Member, Dramatists Guild of America. Currently working on full-length drama: Dakota du Nord (Or, I Could Never Live Here). Actors Theatre of Louisville just recently announced the finalists for the 2011 Heideman Award. Out of 1,300 entries, C.S. Hanson's play The Art of the Interview is a finalist in the National Ten-Minute Play Contest.
Lynn M. Thomson (Director) is a dramaturg, director, teacher, and arts advocate. She has directed more than 100 productions and innumerable readings and workshops of new plays for theatres around the country. For the last twenty years, she has devoted herself almost exclusively to the development and production of new American plays. As Associate Artistic Director of the Philadelphia Theatre Company, she created and administrated "Stages," a yearly new play festival. She inaugurated there many programs to support writers, including the "Mentor Project." For four years, she was Dramaturg at Circle Repertory Company. There, she worked with many contemporary playwrights and directors, including Craig Lucas, Joyce Carol Oates, ReGina Taylor, Paul Zindel, William Hoffman, Lanford Wilson, Han Ong, Darrah Cloud, Kia Corthron, Paula Vogel, Anne Bogart, Lynn Nottage, among many others. She has been Dramaturg on numerous productions in New York and regionally, including Rent (Off-Broadway and Broadway), Missing Persons at the Atlantic Theatre Company, Desdemona and many others at Circle Repertory Company. She is the founder and Artistic Director of America-in-Play, a dramaturg driven theatre (www.americaninplay.org). For the 2004-05 season, she was a director-in-residence at New Dramatists. She has been an artist-in-residence at Tribeca Performing Arts Center since 2001, where she created America-in-Play.
LIVING IMAGE ARTS (LIA) has been produced plays since 2004 and is proud to be able to bring outstanding new voices in American Theater to New York's Off-Broadway. Over the past 7 years LIA has developed and produced 25 new plays for the New York stage and given life to over 50 more new theatrical works through development, laboratories, readings and workshops. We are proud of our high production value, thought-provoking presentation and innovative storytelling. LIA is changing the face of New York theatre by presenting provocative new plays that emerge from a supportive environment.
In 2009 Living Image Arts was the first Theater Company to be invited into The Fund For the City of New York's (FCNY) incubator program and to become a FCNY Partner Organization.
Living Image Arts' distinctive mission is to:
• Create compelling, innovative new work for the theater
• Foster the development of diverse and distinctive voices
• Provide a supportive, sustainable artistic home for professional artists
• Strengthen and expand the collaboration of artists and the public we serve
• Contribute to the growth of theater as a living and relevant art form


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Not All Dogs Turn Good
Being an investment contrarian can have a huge payoff. Buying at the end of 2008 and 2009, investing in financials, and most recently betting on housing, have all been contrarian moves that have paid off well for patient investors. But like all things in investing, simply pursuing an investment angle because it sounds like a winning move is very foolish and often costly.
Each January, one of the most popular contrarian strategy kicks into gear and is known as the Dogs of the Dow trade. Basically the bet involves investing in the 10 worst performers of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (or S&P, or whatever index you choose) of the preceding year. Similar to a coin flip, over time the Dogs of the Dow theory has worked and, in some cases, worked very well. As a value investor, I can attest to the intrigue of investing in a business that has seen it share price drop by 50% or more in a year or less. In 2011, one of the Dow's worst dogs was Bank of America (BAC), which was down over 50% in 2011. BofA was top pick in 2012 as a result of the incredibly attractive stock price that was created by the 2011 decline. As it turned out, BofA took top honors in 2012, climbing 104%....323 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
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A STORMING run of four birdies in six holes helped David Howell charge into contention at the Hong Kong Open this morning.
The Broome Manor pro, who is on the brink of qualifying for the end-of-season World Tour Championship in Dubai, did his hopes no harm whatsoever with a two-under-par round of 68.
Following the opening 18 holes, Howell was four shots off the lead held by Spaniard Javier Colomo ahead of tonight's second outing, due to begin at 11.50pm GMT (7.50am local time).
Starting at the 10th, the opening nine holes were relatively uneventful for the Swindon star, who bogeyed the par-five 13th before picking up a shot with a three on the 18th.
A bogey at the first followed but then Howell made gains with a two at the second and a four at the third.
One par later, the Wiltshire man rattled in two more birdies at six and seven, before finishing off with a dropped shot on nine.
Colomo, whose caddy is his wife, was a shock leader given that he is ranked 507th and does not have a European card at present.
But the Asian Tour member's six-under-par 64 left him one ahead of compatriot Miguel Angel Jimenez and Australian Andrew Dodt.
"The first six months it was very hard for me and for my wife, but now we are more comfortable and more happy," he said.
"I think this is very good for us - we feel more strong mentally."
Jimenez is trying to become the circuit's oldest-ever winner on the same course where he triumphed in 2005 and 2008, and he would have led on his own but for two closing bogeys.
"I'm putting very well and it's a pity I missed a fairway on the ninth and then on the last got a big flyer," said Jimenez.
"It's an old-fashioned course - not very long, but you need to be very precise."