Shooting clay pigeons is usually reserved for those hunting enthusiasts who'd like to work on improving their accuracy. Who says an NFL quarterback prospect can't benefit from the same thing?
Former Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden gave it a try attempting to knock out a few clay pigeons which were moving through air at about 43 MPH. They also happen to be a bit smaller than your average NFL wide receiver.
Weeden tweeted that it took him seven tries before he hit his first one, but after he got warmed up, he hit 4 out of 5 at one point?
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Sunday, April 22, 2012
Los Angeles Lakers: Does Metta World Peace Deserve the Chance to Play?
Today is the 42nd Anniversary of Earth Day here in the States, and it is also the day that Metta World Peace relapsed and transformed himself back into the Ron Artest that we all hated so very much.
Instead of maintaining his one step forward-type process, World Peace took 100 steps backward, and with his infamous past, this incident isn't going to blow over easy.
Just before the half, World Peace had Euro-stepped his way past multiple Thunder defenders and ended with a vintage Artest left-handed dunk that not only left Laker fans stunned, but World Peace himself. As he pounded his chest, acting like a gorilla during mating season, he caught James Harden with an ill-advised elbow that could have caused an earthquake. Ironically, we saw the good vintage Artest with the dunk, and at the same time, we saw the bad side of the vintage Artest as he nailed Harden with that elbow.
It was as if we could all hear, "Down goes Harden! Down goes Harden!"
After watching the replay in slow-mo one too many times, it became obvious that Artest, I mean World Peace, had purposely hit Harden with his elbow. With the reputation that World Peace has, it was clear to the referees and everyone that had seen the play that an ejection was in order, and with the severity of the situation, it wouldn't be a surprise if we don't see World Peace for the remainder of the regular season heading into the playoffs.
As World Peace headed to the locker room, hopefully comprehending what he had just done not only to himself, but to the playoff hopes of his teammates, one question came to mind.
Does Metta World Peace deserve to play for the remainder of the season/playoffs?
The man has come so far, and to see him break down in a matter of seconds was not easy to see. But optimism won't be of any help today or tomorrow. World Peace was way out of line, and when a player's safety comes into play, no player should be allowed to play in a sport that has done nothing but give him more chances.
As the buzzer went off to start the second half, everyone's eyes were on James Harden. Lisa Salters calmly came out and reported that he was good to go and that he had passed all baseline tests for a concussion. This sounded great and all at the moment, but it all became irrelevant once Harden headed back into the locker room after experiencing a headache early in the third quarter.
But why did World Peace lose control of actions right now? The Lakers had been playing solid in the later portions of the season, and this was strongly due to the fact that World Peace had been playing like his old self as of late. Now the momentum has come to a halt, and so has the Lakers' chance to compete for another title.
World Peace is in an unwinnable situation, and he would need more than a miracle to come back and play in the playoffs. Even if World Peace comes back in time for the playoffs, the Lakers would have a tough time competing even in the first round without World Peace's defensive presence and solid outside shooting that he has showcased in recent games. There is no guarantee, especially with World Peace in an unstable mental state, that he will play the way he has in this stretch of good play and that will be the biggest concern heading forward.
We all remember how hard it was for Ron Artest to climb the Palace of Auburn Hills; just imagine how hard it will be for Metta World Peace to reach the top of Beverly Hills. It is a confusing situation for all involved, and all we can do is just wait and see if we will see Ron Artest in these coming weeks or if we will see the Metta World Peace we all love to root for.
This situation will go based on what World Peace decides to do. Hopefully, it will at least be sensible.
Arkansas hints at naming in-house interim coach
Arkansas athletics director Jeff Long is leaning toward naming someone on the current Arkansas Razorbacks staff as an interim coach very soon.
“I'm hoping to make this decision in days rather than weeks at this point,” Long said.
Long fired head coach Bobby Petrino on Apr. 10, after Petrino hired his ex-mistress to work for him and gave her $20,000 to buy a car. That much needed firing created a cloud of uncertainty over who would lead one of the best college football programs in the country.
“I'm hoping to make this decision in days rather than weeks at this point,” Long said.
Long fired head coach Bobby Petrino on Apr. 10, after Petrino hired his ex-mistress to work for him and gave her $20,000 to buy a car. That much needed firing created a cloud of uncertainty over who would lead one of the best college football programs in the country.
Patriots host RBs Joseph Addai, Tim Hightower and Ryan Grant
The Patriots have been quite busy in the past few days, bringing in three free agent running backs in for visits.
Former Colt Joseph Addai is going on his seventh season. However, his last two have been hampered by various injuries, only playing in 20 games in that span.
Tim Hightower suffered a torn ACL last October while playing with the Washington Redskins.
Former Colt Joseph Addai is going on his seventh season. However, his last two have been hampered by various injuries, only playing in 20 games in that span.
Tim Hightower suffered a torn ACL last October while playing with the Washington Redskins.
Joe Johnson Drops 30 On the Celtics
 | Joe Johnson scores 30 points, dishes six dimes and grabs five boards in the Hawks 97-92 win over the Celtics. Visit www.nba.com for more highlights. | From: NBA Views: 10306    110 ratings |
| Time: 00:33 | More in Sports |
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lck6Xl1SH6g&feature=youtube_gdata
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Fleury the difference for Pens in Game 5
The Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury had a career-best season with 42 wins, just one shy of most in the NHL. He's the owner of a Stanley Cup ring, robbing the Detroit Red Wings in the final seconds of Game 7 in 2009 to preserve his team's place in hockey history.
Outside of Pittsburgh, however, the 27-year-old who is nicknamed "Flower" doesn't often get mentioned among the NHL's elite netminders. And, in the first few games of this first-round playoff series between the Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers, he didn't particularly look like one.
But things started to change for Fleury Wednesday in Philadelphia, when he showed signs of regaining his confidence as the Penguins romped to a 10-3 win to stave off elimination in Game 4. And, back home in Pittsburgh for Friday's Game 5, he was the difference between the Penguins starting an early, disappointing offseason and living to fight another day.
On the backs of Fleury and a gritty, energetic third line centered by Jordan Staal, the Penguins pulled out a second consecutive win, edging the Flyers 3-2 and sending the series back east for Game 6 Sunday.
Both of Philadelphia's goals came in the first period on its lethal power play, which has now racked up 11 goals in the series. But Pittsburgh held the Flyers without an even-strength goal for the second consecutive game, and the Penguins' penalty kill came through when it mattered most - in the second and third periods as they held that slender, one-goal lead.
And their best penalty killer was the man between the pipes, who turned aside 24 of the 26 shots he faced, including 14 in a third period where the ice was largely tilted in the Flyers' favor. Seven of those stops came on a Flyers power play at 7:37 of the final frame that might have been the turning point of the game.
"He was on, and he made some huge ones," said Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. "It's this time of year when you need those, and he came up big for us."
"Flower played an unbelievable game," Staal said. "Our bench has always been confident in him, and he came up with a huge effort for our team. He was on the ball, you could tell right away, and it's a good feeling when you have a guy with that talent backing you up. It makes you feel you can play a lot more confident."
Staal is playing with plenty of confidence. With a goal in Game 5, he now has six in the playoffs to lead the NHL. His line also combined on what proved to be the game-winning goal, with Staal and Matt Cooke setting up Tyler Kennedy's second-period blast.
"A big goal for us; the old boy knows how to shoot," Staal said. "That's what you need in the playoffs; you need the whole team. As cliche as it sounds, you need everyone on board and playing their best if you want to win. A lot of guys in the last few games have really stepped up for our team."
The 3-2 final was the lowest score so far in a series that set an NHL record with 45 combined goals through its first four games. And, in the waning minutes of the contest, the Penguins transitioned into their most defensive-minded posture yet, protecting the one-goal lead by keeping things simple and chipping pucks out of danger.
"I think, in the first few games, we've been playing to try to outscore the other team," Staal said. "[Tonight] we knew we were up and were just trying to play as solid of a game as we could. I don't think we went back into a [defensive] shell, but we were definitely more aware of their speed."
The Penguins think they can do an even better job of taking the burden off of their defense and goaltender, as Game 5 saw the Flyers get plenty of sustained offensive pressure in the final 10 minutes as they tried frantically to tie it up.
"I think we're at our best when we're attacking," said Flyers coach Peter Laviolette. "We'd like to play all 60 minutes like that, but sometimes the opponent dictates [that] as well."
"[In Games] 1, 2 and 3, we had spurts when we were playing well, but it wasn't 60 minutes," Cooke said. "I don't think tonight was 60 minutes; I think we can push a little harder. They pushed hard the last 10 minutes, and we need to push back a little to play in the offensive zone and not spend so much time in their end."
Because they started the series by putting themselves in an 0-3 hole, the Penguins continue to face elimination in every game. Given that, they said, they can't afford to think about whether the momentum has started to shift in their favor.
"We're in the same situation going to Philadelphia," Crosby said. "Our story doesn't change; it's still desperation mode."
"It's still do or die for us," Staal said. "It's our mentality of playing it one game at a time, just five minutes at a time. Just keep chipping away."
With Fleury returning to form, they've got a better chance of doing just that.
"He won them the game," the Flyers' Scott Hartnell said. "Plain and simple."
Outside of Pittsburgh, however, the 27-year-old who is nicknamed "Flower" doesn't often get mentioned among the NHL's elite netminders. And, in the first few games of this first-round playoff series between the Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers, he didn't particularly look like one.
But things started to change for Fleury Wednesday in Philadelphia, when he showed signs of regaining his confidence as the Penguins romped to a 10-3 win to stave off elimination in Game 4. And, back home in Pittsburgh for Friday's Game 5, he was the difference between the Penguins starting an early, disappointing offseason and living to fight another day.
On the backs of Fleury and a gritty, energetic third line centered by Jordan Staal, the Penguins pulled out a second consecutive win, edging the Flyers 3-2 and sending the series back east for Game 6 Sunday.
Both of Philadelphia's goals came in the first period on its lethal power play, which has now racked up 11 goals in the series. But Pittsburgh held the Flyers without an even-strength goal for the second consecutive game, and the Penguins' penalty kill came through when it mattered most - in the second and third periods as they held that slender, one-goal lead.
And their best penalty killer was the man between the pipes, who turned aside 24 of the 26 shots he faced, including 14 in a third period where the ice was largely tilted in the Flyers' favor. Seven of those stops came on a Flyers power play at 7:37 of the final frame that might have been the turning point of the game.
"He was on, and he made some huge ones," said Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. "It's this time of year when you need those, and he came up big for us."
"Flower played an unbelievable game," Staal said. "Our bench has always been confident in him, and he came up with a huge effort for our team. He was on the ball, you could tell right away, and it's a good feeling when you have a guy with that talent backing you up. It makes you feel you can play a lot more confident."
Staal is playing with plenty of confidence. With a goal in Game 5, he now has six in the playoffs to lead the NHL. His line also combined on what proved to be the game-winning goal, with Staal and Matt Cooke setting up Tyler Kennedy's second-period blast.
"A big goal for us; the old boy knows how to shoot," Staal said. "That's what you need in the playoffs; you need the whole team. As cliche as it sounds, you need everyone on board and playing their best if you want to win. A lot of guys in the last few games have really stepped up for our team."
The 3-2 final was the lowest score so far in a series that set an NHL record with 45 combined goals through its first four games. And, in the waning minutes of the contest, the Penguins transitioned into their most defensive-minded posture yet, protecting the one-goal lead by keeping things simple and chipping pucks out of danger.
"I think, in the first few games, we've been playing to try to outscore the other team," Staal said. "[Tonight] we knew we were up and were just trying to play as solid of a game as we could. I don't think we went back into a [defensive] shell, but we were definitely more aware of their speed."
The Penguins think they can do an even better job of taking the burden off of their defense and goaltender, as Game 5 saw the Flyers get plenty of sustained offensive pressure in the final 10 minutes as they tried frantically to tie it up.
"I think we're at our best when we're attacking," said Flyers coach Peter Laviolette. "We'd like to play all 60 minutes like that, but sometimes the opponent dictates [that] as well."
"[In Games] 1, 2 and 3, we had spurts when we were playing well, but it wasn't 60 minutes," Cooke said. "I don't think tonight was 60 minutes; I think we can push a little harder. They pushed hard the last 10 minutes, and we need to push back a little to play in the offensive zone and not spend so much time in their end."
Because they started the series by putting themselves in an 0-3 hole, the Penguins continue to face elimination in every game. Given that, they said, they can't afford to think about whether the momentum has started to shift in their favor.
"We're in the same situation going to Philadelphia," Crosby said. "Our story doesn't change; it's still desperation mode."
"It's still do or die for us," Staal said. "It's our mentality of playing it one game at a time, just five minutes at a time. Just keep chipping away."
With Fleury returning to form, they've got a better chance of doing just that.
"He won them the game," the Flyers' Scott Hartnell said. "Plain and simple."
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/fleury_the_difference_for_pens_in_game_5/10607932
Shoulder issue lands D-backs' Hudson on DL
The Diamondbacks, already playing without star outfielders Justin Upton and Chris Young, announced Saturday that right-hander Daniel Hudson has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with an "impingement" in his pitching shoulder. The move was made retroactive to Thursday, when Hudson made his last start.
The D-backs recalled right-hander Jonathan Albaladejo from Triple-A Reno to take Hudson's spot on the roster. Albaladejo, 29, was 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA and seven strikeouts in eight relief appearances with Reno. He limited opponents to an .087 average (2 for 23).
The 6-foot-5 right-hander spent the entire 2011 season with the Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese Central League, going 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA and two saves in 46 games. Albaladejo is 6-3 with a 4.15 ERA in 63 career MLB relief appearances with the Nationals (2007) and Yankees (2008-10).
Hudson, 25, is 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA in three starts this year. He was hit hard in a loss in Colorado last week before bouncing back on Thursday at home against the Pirates, allowing two runs on six hits in 7 23 innings but taking the loss. He made no mention of shoulder pain after that start or any of his previous outings this year, including during a strong spring training.
Hudson will be eligible to come off the DL on May 4.
The D-backs recalled right-hander Jonathan Albaladejo from Triple-A Reno to take Hudson's spot on the roster. Albaladejo, 29, was 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA and seven strikeouts in eight relief appearances with Reno. He limited opponents to an .087 average (2 for 23).
The 6-foot-5 right-hander spent the entire 2011 season with the Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese Central League, going 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA and two saves in 46 games. Albaladejo is 6-3 with a 4.15 ERA in 63 career MLB relief appearances with the Nationals (2007) and Yankees (2008-10).
Hudson, 25, is 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA in three starts this year. He was hit hard in a loss in Colorado last week before bouncing back on Thursday at home against the Pirates, allowing two runs on six hits in 7 23 innings but taking the loss. He made no mention of shoulder pain after that start or any of his previous outings this year, including during a strong spring training.
Hudson will be eligible to come off the DL on May 4.
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