Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Bobby Petrino Former Atlanta Falcons Coach Takes Job In Arkansas
He had only left Louisville in January, agreeing to become Falcons coach for a US$24-million, five-year contract handed out by a team that felt he could help star quarterback Michael Vick reach his full potential.
A few months later, Vick came under investigation for a grisly dogfighting operation that eventually led him to plead guilty to federal charges. He was sentenced Monday to 23 months in prison without ever taking a snap for Petrino.
A source familiar with Patrino's decision, speaking on condition of anonymity because the school had not made an official announcement, said he was going to Arkansas. The Razorbacks have been looking for a coach for two weeks to replace Houston Nutt, who resigned after a tumultuous season and took the Mississippi job.
The school had no immediate comment on its coaching search, but called a 11:30 ET news conference for a "major announcement."
The Falcons declined further comment beyond a terse, two-paragraph statement released Tuesday night. Owner Arthur Blank and general manager Rich McKay were scheduled to hold a news conference Wednesday.
There was no immediate word who would take over as head coach for the final three games, though defensive co-ordinator Mike Zimmer and offensive co-ordinator Hue Jackson would be the most logical candidates.
Petrino did not answer his cell phone or a call placed to his Atlanta-area home. His brother, Falcons receivers coach Paul Petrino, declined comment when reached on his cell phone.
"I don't think I can say anything about it right now," he said. "I'm sorry."
After losing Vick, Bobby Petrino tried three starting quarterbacks without success. The Falcons are 3-10 and assured of the 32nd season of .500 or worse in their 42-year history.
"Anytime you're without of the best athletes in the National Football League, it's going to be tough," Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall said earlier in the season. "Take Peyton Manning from the Colts, and they'll go through a little slump."
The resignation of Petrino was another jarring blow in a surreal year for the Falcons, who had dealt with Vick's legal troubles since the first day of training camp. A plane flew over the team's practice facility pulling a sign that said: "New team name? Dog Killers?"
That was a far cry from Petrino's introductory news conference, when he talked of his reasons for leaving Louisville.
"I was able to see the commitment that has been made here," he said. "I believe this is truly the best football job in the NFL. It was an easy decision for me."
Of course, he had no idea what Vick was doing in his spare time.
Petrino's stint was one of the shortest for a non-interim coach since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger. Pete McCulley was fired after starting out 1-8 with San Francisco in 1978, and Sid Gillman lasted only 10 games in his second stint as San Diego coach, going 4-6 in 1971 before quitting.
In an interesting twist, Lou Holtz coached the New York Jets for 13 games in 1976. He went 3-10, then left the team with one game remaining to become Arkansas' coach.
Petrino leaves with the third-worst winning percentage among Atlanta coaches. Only Norb Hecker, who was 4-26-1, and Marion Campbell, who went 17-51 in two stints as head coach, rank below Petrino's .231 mark.
In four years as Louisville's coach, Petrino produced a 41-9 record and some of the highest-scoring teams in the country. But the Falcons were anemic without Vick, ranking 24th in total yards and 30th in scoring.
Atlanta also was plagued by injuries on the offensive line, which forced Petrino to start two players who weren't even drafted out of college.
Just hours after Vick's sentencing in Richmond, Va., Atlanta took its fourth straight double-digit loss, 34-14 to the New Orleans Saints.
"Not a good day," Petrino said afterward.
The resignation had to be a major surprise to Blank, who fired Jim Mora just two seasons after he led the Falcons to the NFC championship game, and lured Petrino with a lucrative contract.
Before Monday's game, Blank said he felt better than ever about his decision to hire Petrino given all the adversity the team faced this season.
"I feel real fortunate we have a terrific guy leading our team, our CEO, in Bobby Petrino," Blank said. "I think he's proven to me he's a better head coach than we thought he was going to be, dealing with a set of cards we didn't see unfold this year, which probably never in the history of the NFL has anything like this happened. Bobby has done a wonderful job dealing with all of these issues. He's kept the players focused."
But there were signs of dissension, especially in the way Petrino dealt with his players.
He ran the team with an aloof style, feeling no reason to share his decisions on personnel with the affected players. He could walk through the locker room without speaking to anyone and was openly criticized by two of the team's stars, Pro Bowlers Hall and Alge Crumpler.
Petrino drew the ire of the veterans with his decision to cut nose tackle Grady Jackson, one of the team's most productive defensive linemen, during the bye week. Quarterback Joey Harrington was noticeably perturbed a few weeks ago when, after leading the Falcons to two straight wins, he heard from the media that Petrino still considered injury prone Byron Leftwich the starter.
Against the Saints, the Falcons made another change at the most crucial offensive position, giving Chris Redman his first start since 2002. While Redman threw for 298 yards and two touchdowns, the Falcons lost again.
They have been outscored by an average of 18.5 points in their last four defeats.
After the latest loss, Petrino sounded as though he was still committed to getting the Falcons turned around.
"We'll come back on Wednesday to take a look at it, and then we'll get back to work," he said. "We have to find something to rally around."
But clearly, Petrino already had decided to abandon the sinking ship.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Tim Tebow Heisman Trophy Winner
Tim Tebow needed only two years of college to graduate to Heisman Trophy winner, putting the sophomore in a class by himself.
Florida’s folk-hero quarterback with the rugged running style and magnetic personality won the Heisman on Saturday night to become the first sophomore or freshman to take college football’s most prestigious award.
Since 1935, when Jay Berwanger of Chicago won the first Heisman, every winner had been a junior or senior — until Tebow.
Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan was third, and Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel fourth.
A year after Tebow helped Florida win a national title, and in his first season as the Gators’ starter, the chiseled 235-pound quarterback in a fullback’s body put together a historic campaign. He’s the first major college player to run for 20 touchdowns and throw 20 TD passes in the same season.
In an unpredictable college football season, the Heisman race was as unsettled as the national title chase. Tebow emerged as the front-runner even though Florida (9-3) stumbled early.
Six of the last seven Heisman winners picked up their bronze statues on the way to playing in the national championship game. Tebow won’t get that chance this season, but Heisman voters didn’t hold Florida’s failure to defend its national title against him.
McFadden slumped in October before finishing with a huge November, capping his season with a spectacular performance — 206 yards rushing, three touchdowns and a TD pass — in the Razorbacks’ 50-48 triple-overtime win over No. 1 LSU. It seems doubtful the junior with sprinter’s speed will return to Arkansas next year to make another run at the Heisman. Not with some NFL team likely to make him a top-10 draft pick.
Brennan and Daniel each passed for over 4,000 yards and led their teams to breakout seasons.
Homeschooled by missionary parents who run an orphanage in the Philippines, Tebow took advantage of a Florida state law to play for Nease, about 90 miles from the University of Florida campus.
Tebow has worked and preached at his parents’ orphanage since he was 15. He regularly speaks at schools and delivered his message of faith at a prison in Florida earlier this year.
He arrived in Gainesville with superstar status, and Gators fans could hardly wait to see their quarterback of the future.
In a part-time role as a complement to Chris Leak, Tebow played with a fiery passion. He bowled over defenders and bounced around the field, fists pumping and arms waving.
He ran for 469 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman, throwing only enough to take advantage of defenses stacked to stop him from running.
This season, the Gators became Tebow’s team and at times he was a one-man offense.
He completed 68 percent of his attempts for 3,132 yards and 29 touchdowns and continued to run with reckless abandon, even while playing the second half of the season with a very sore shoulder.
Compensating for the Gators’ lack of a reliable tailback, Tebow led Florida with 838 yards rushing and set a Southeastern Conference record with 22 touchdowns. With speed and a strong arm to go with his power and grit, Tebow is part throwback to the days of single-wing football and part 21st century prototype for the position.
Add winning the Heisman as a sophomore, and Tebow is truly one of a kind.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Wayne Dumond Issue Surrounding Huckabee
The Wayne Dumond case is the big news of the day in the Huckabee camp, followed closely by Huckabee not knowing anything about yesterday's NIE Report. The Dumond thing has the potential to be devastating because it is only a matter of time before Dumond's victim's mother appears in a television commercial attacking Huckabee, using Huckabee's own words against him.
Huckabee wrote a letter to Dumond writing, “My desire is that you be released from prison. I feel that parole is the best way for your reintroduction to society to take place.” That there is more to the story will be inconsequential in the coming 30 second ad (oh, you know one is coming).
So, consider this your homework today. First, Byron York is a must read. He captures, very fairly, the issue.
Second, Governor Huckabee's campaign was kind enough to provide a transcript of Governor Huckabee's own remarks on the matter.
Model In A Bottle, Must Have Item!
Peter Davi Surfer Dies at Age of 45
On Tuesday Davi had been surfing off the coast of Northern California near Pebble Beach in waters known to local surfers as "Ghost Tree." According to various accounts, Davi lost his board and attempted to swim back to shore through the swells. He was knocked unconscious, and his body was found floating in the water by local surfers mid-day on Tuesday. He was pronounced dead at 1:30pm PST.
Dangerously high surf charged by storms in the Pacific Northwest exhausted both surfers and rescuers, as 20-foot swells crashed off the Monterey Bay coastline on Tuesday. Not only did Davi lose his life, but dozens of other surfers were also forced from the water due to the inherently dangerous conditions.
The dangerous conditions brought out the biggest daredevils and experts to the waves, and even larger crowds to watch, but it also brought in extra State Park lifeguards, the city's marine rescue crew, firefighters, and paramedics. Nine lifeguards and firefighters were on the lookout for surfers in distress, watching from a cliff at the 2pm high tide. The National Weather Service cancelled the high-surf warning earlier this morning, however have extended a high-surf advisory until 4pm this afternoon.
Davi was on 60 to 70-foot waves when he lost his board, and ultimately died.
Anna Rawson, Golfer and Model Enters LPGA
Rawson ended the Final Round of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament this past Sunday, carding three birdies, which made her first on the conditional status list of the LPGA.
"I am very excited to be apart of this elite and diverse group of athletes," said Rawson, "My continuous goal is to raise the profile of women's golf, and this new phase in my career will allow me to make more strides to do so."
Having already made a global impact on golf followers and drawn in many new fans to the sport, Rawson's experienced a flood of attention throughout the year due to her fashionable style on the course, from her signature wide-brim hats to Tom Ford Sunglasses.
The multi-talented 26 year-old had a very fruitful year from placing second at the Swiss Open on the Ladies European Tour to participating in major fashion photoshoots in a myriad of magazines all over the world, such as GQ Spain, Vogue Japan, Cosmopolitan Finland, and GQ UK.
She was also named "The Most Popular Golfer" on the Ladies European Tour by GOLF Weekly readers and earned the "Golf Babe of the Year 2007" award at Eindhovensche Golf in the Netherlands, before playing in the KLM Ladies Open.
As GQ writer Benjie Goodhart said about Rawson, "They say Tiger Woods made golf popular with people who previously felt excluded from the game. This player could make golf popular with people who hate golf."
ABOUT ANNA RAWSON
Anna has been a stellar golf talent since she was 13, as well as a much sought-after model. After winning the National Dolly Magazine Cover Girl Contest, Anna began her modeling career, making her a rarity in sports, with an impactful mix of femininity, raw athletic talent, and intelligence . Anna graduated from USC before turning pro in golf and is noted for her fashion on the golf course. She lives in Los Angeles, CA.
GE Microwave Oven Recall Information
The company is recalling 92,000 built-in combination wall and microwave ovens.
GE says there have been 35 reports of minor property damage and one incident in which a fire spread to nearby kitchen cabinets. No injuries have been reported.
The brand names affected are sold under the brand names GE, GE Profile, and Kenmore. It's believed the door switch can overheat and ignite.
If you have one of these microwaves, you can call GE (888) 240-2745
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Karen Zerby of The Family International, Child Suicide Due To Cult Practices
Ricky Rodriguez made this video before killing his former nanny and then taking his own life.
Also disturbing, former members who spoke to CNN say they witnessed Ricky Rodriguez having sex with his mother, Karen Zerby, the leader of the sect now known as "The Family International."
The sect's activities and history are detailed in a newly released book, "Jesus Freaks." The sect was founded in California in the 1960s by David Berg, who referred to himself as "Mo," short for Moses. Berg was a self-proclaimed prophet.
Former sect members tell CNN Berg encouraged adult-child sex. More often than not, they say, the chosen child was Rodriguez, the son of Karen Zerby, who Berg called his queen. Zerby became the leader of the sect when Berg died in 1994.
"Jesus Freaks" author Don Lattin says Berg "wanted his child to embrace sexuality, to be a sexual being as an infant and growing up."
Former members say Berg and Zerby wrote about their beliefs in papers distributed to members. It was Berg's how-to guide for raising sexual children. The Family International now says all "questionable publications were officially renounced and expunged between the late 1980s and early 1990s."
In Berg and Zerby's manifesto, Rodriguez was the main character.
Former member Davida Kelley told CNN, "I actually witnessed Karen Zerby having intercourse with her own son, Rick Rodriguez, at age 11." Kelley says she, too, had been abused by Berg, starting at age 5. "You were only required to have actual intimate intercourse with David Berg once you were, like, the mature age of, like, 12," she says sarcastically.
Berg was apparently so obsessed with sex he used it to expand his group around the world. Lattin says Berg sent women out to seduce men and lure them in to accept his gospel of Jesus. Lattin says Berg called the practice "Flirty Fishing."
CNN made several attempts to interview The Family International, but it refused. In a statement, the group acknowledged Berg taught sexual liberty without "instituting safeguards for the protection of minors." But it says that was corrected in 1986 and any infractions are an "excommunicable offense." The group also told CNN all of Davida Kelley's allegations are false and Zerby never abused her son.
Rodriguez, who escaped from "The Family International" in 2001, apparently was so deeply scarred that he was making plans to kill his mother. CNN has obtained a copy of a videotape he made two years ago, in which he warned, "She's gonna pay dearly, one way or the other," while brandishing a knife and loading guns at his kitchen table.
Within hours of finishing the tape, in January 2005, Rodriguez tracked down his childhood nanny, Angela Smith. Former member Kelley says "she was one of the many female adults that had intercourse with Rick Rodriguez."
In his first bloody act of revenge, Rodriguez murdered his nanny. He cut her throat and left her body in his Arizona apartment. But he was still on the hunt for his mother. Lattin says Rodriguez felt the need to take justice into his own hands because "most of the abuse was, like, 20 years ago, so the statute of limitations had expired. Most of it happened outside the U.S., so it's very difficult to prosecute."
A spokesman for the group told CNN its "policy for the protection of minors was adopted in 1986. We regret that prior to the adoption of this policy, cases occurred where minors were exposed to sexually inappropriate behavior between 1978 and 1986."
Some of those exposed to the alleged abuse may have chosen suicide to escape the pain. A Web site set up by people who grew up as children in the cult says at least 30 of them have committed suicide, though CNN has no way of verifying that.
Rodriguez became a part of that group. He failed to find his mother, something his wife says he couldn't live with. Elixcia Munumel remembers their last phone call: "He's like 'Baby, I love you.' He said, 'Come die with me.' "
Rodriguez died alone at age 29 in January 2005 on a deserted road, four years after he fled the sect. A single shot to the head ended the misery he fought so hard to escape. His mother is still the leader of the family. She has not been charged with a crime and lives in seclusion.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Nelson Chai Named CFO For Merrill Lynch
Mr. Chai will start his new position new week.
The previous CFO Jeffrey Edwards will remain on with Merrill Lynch in a new executive position which is still unknown.
Most of these decision are directly related to management changes due to a reported almost $8 billion in credit costs only a few weeks after estimating them at $4.5 billion.
Former CEO Stan O'Neal was fired in November on the heels of many other Wall Street executive cuts due to the subprime mortgage debacle.
Thain expressed with confidence that Mr. Chai will be successful at Merrill Lynch.
Sean Taylor Funeral, The Loss of a Hero
Thousands were at the wake and vigil on Sunday during a large funeral for the murdered NFL star.
On the other side of the state, four men were taken into custody for killing the Redskins playeril cells on the other side of the state.
"We lost one of our best. The whole community feels it," said Khary Pestaina a former neighbor. A freshman in highschool Josh Persad said, "He's like my hero."
Taylor's jersey bearing the number 26 along with a photo of him in his Hurricanes uniform were on display.
His father Pedro Taylor said that he believes Sean is in heaven with God now. The family huddled together in prayer trying to stick to their faith.
The four men charge were all denied bond. One of the attorneys, Sawyer Smith for defendant Jason Mitchell said, "He looks like he's in shock." The other defendants include Eric Rivera, Charles Wardlow, and Venjah Hunte. All 4 are under the age of 20 and have now been charged with unpremeditated murder, home invasion with a deadly weapon, and burglary. It is unknown when they will be brought to Miami for trial.
Two confessed to armed burglary, Mitchell and Rivera. They also said that someone had a gun which was used on Taylor, who was unidentified. Police have also indicated that other confessions were made but had no comment.
Poughkeepsie Tapes
This film is very much like Rosemary’s Baby, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, taking us back to the horror movies which seemed so real that you slept with one eye open for months after watching them.
The thing that makes this film totally different to the run of the mill horrors that have recently graced the silver screen is that it was shot in documentary style. This totally adds to the sheer horror and suspense. It’s a technique I find really exciting and provides a completely different viewing experience.
The film follows the story of the Water Street Butcher, a serial killer from Poughkeepsie for over ten years. The butcher’s slight mistake lead to SWAT team descending on his house only to find that the butcher was long gone. However, what the team found was just as horrific. A catalogued library of VHS tapes which he used to document his murderous career.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Brad Pitt Announcement, See The Video
Brad Pitt will no longer be stripping for the camera, according to a report made by the National Enquirer. The 43 year old actor is no longer interested in baring his body for the camera, as he did in such films as "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" and "Thelma and Louise" for fear it would upset his children. He had a biological child with his wife, Angelina Jolie, and has adopted her adopted son, Maddox, as well as two other children with the actress who also proclaims to be a humanitarian.
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Pitt's announcement that he will no longer "get naked" in front of the cameras is bound to upset his legion of loyal fans. The 43 year old actor is one of the highest paid in Hollywood and a major box office draw. In addition to his previous film nudity, Pitt also appeared in several risqué male modeling magazines before landing his first Hollywood film role. After "Thelma and Louise" shot him to stardom, Pitt became a movie idol of sorts and there are hundreds of fan clubs devoted to him on the Internet.
Who Died On Desperate Housewives, Find Out
The aftermath of a hissy fit by a stressed homemaker or jealous lover? No, it's a tornado that has savaged suburbia -- and series creator Marc Cherry is reveling in the destruction and, of course, the drama.
"Causing all sorts of havoc, that's when I'm at my happiest," a mischievous Cherry said of the two-part episode that brings the ABC drama its cruelest crisis yet, for viewers as well as characters.
The first hour airs Sunday, with a cliffhanger ending (Who died? Who lived?) that won't be resolved anytime soon: The following episode is completed but has yet to be scheduled.
Filming wrapped just as the screenwriters' strike began November 5, shutting down "Desperate Housewives" and other network dramas and comedies. ABC and Cherry want the second hour to kick off a run of new episodes -- which would require the strike to wrap before the season does.
Meanwhile, fans will have to live with agonizing uncertainty. That's something most cast members, aside from stars Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross and Eva Longoria, are accustomed to.
"With the exception of the four women, I don't know that anyone can ever take their job completely for granted," Cherry told The Associated Press. "Good heavens, I killed off Mary Alice in the pilot, Mrs. Huber in episode seven of the first season. My attitude is, that's life. People come and go."
Inspiration for the big-ticket episode came, in part, from the success of last season's hostage crisis, in which Lynette (Huffman) was shot and other characters were killed.
"It taught me the value of doing something exciting," Cherry said. "Very often, if you're just trying to show the lives of ordinary women and trying to make the small events of their lives interesting or big, you get in trouble. Sometimes you can overwrite, sometimes people get too silly."
A natural disaster, on the other hand, provides "a perfect backdrop so that the stakes are high for everyone on every single level," he said.
As they were for production designer Thomas Walsh and the crew, who had the job of pulling off a big-screen sequence with a small-screen budget and time constraints: Although there was an extra $500,000 or so for production (an average hourlong TV episode costs roughly $2 million), the usual nine-day shooting schedule was unchanged.
Organization and planning were key in the transformation of the Universal Studios make-believe neighborhood.
A few miles away, a parking lot in an industrial section of Glendale was designated as a collection site for debris -- and the scavenging began. When Steven Spielberg finished with a set for the Indiana Jones sequel also being shot at Universal, "truckload after truckload" of lumber was carried away, Walsh said.
Set dressers raided thrift stores for household goods that were destined to be trashed, while tree cuttings from the studio lot and elsewhere were added to the pile.
"We were good stewards. We actually recycled," Walsh said.
The designer debris ultimately was carted back to the lot and attached to 4-by-8-foot wood pallets to allow for repositioning during filming and quick removal in case of emergency (there was none, Walsh said, and no injuries during filming).
When it came to simulating the tornado and its destructive path, the approach was strictly old school since computer-generated effects would be costly and time-consuming. Wind machines created impressive gusts; cranes lifted and dropped cars and air mortars sent flotsam flying.
The house occupied by Karen McCluskey (Kathryn Joosten) fell victim to an earth excavator. It was the only one destroyed; other damage, such as apparent gashes in roofs, was largely simulated.
There was Hollywood history attached to the demolished house, which was featured in "Father Knows Best," and to others: Gabrielle's (Longoria) home was seen in the movie "Harvey," while "The Munsters," "Marcus Welby, M.D." and "The Hardy Boys" -- "depending on what generation you are," Walsh said -- also used the structures that once occupied another part of the lot.
Was Walsh at all troubled by wiping away a bit of TV's past?
"Sets are amazingly disposable; that's a fact of life," he said. Besides, he said, "we're visual storytellers, not architects."
Cherry admitted to a pang when he saw the tattered set.
"I thought, 'Oh, my God, what have we done?' It really kind of hurt my heart a little bit to see my street so banged up," he said.
But he's more sanguine about erasing remnants of TV tradition.
"To me, it's kind of like my street to destroy at this point," Cherry said. "Even if we shut down production tomorrow, it's Wisteria Lane now. That street is Wisteria Lane."
Don Rickles, Mr. Warmth
Sam Vasquez Last Martial Arts Fight, Dies
A report by The Fight Network cited the Harris County (Texas) medical examiner’s office confirming Vasquez’s death at 8:15 p.m. Friday. The cause of death was not released.
Vasquez had been battling for his life since taking a hard right to the chin from 21-year old Vince Libardi on Oct. 20 during a Renegades Extreme Fighting show at the Toyota Center in Houston. The blow knocked Vasquez out and he was rushed to St. Joseph Medical Center, where he stayed until moving to hospice care on Monday.
The 35-year-old Vasquez was competing in the featherweight division (145 pound weight class) in the third match of a 12-match card promoted by Saul Soliz, the longtime boxing coach of Ultimate Fighting Championship superstar Tito Ortiz. The show was overseen by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Calls to the department on Sunday were not immediately returned.
After taking a flurry of punches from Libardi, Vasquez collapsed in the ring and the fight was waved off at 2:50 of the third round. Emergency medical technicians worked on him in the ring for several minutes until he suffered what appeared to be a seizure and was rushed to the hospital.
Vasquez’s condition worsened from there. On Nov. 4, two weeks after being admitted, he underwent the first of two surgeries to relieve the pressure of a large clot in his brain, then had a massive stroke on Nov. 9 and was placed in a medically induced coma.
Vasquez, who had a seven-year-old son, came into the match with a 1-1 record, and had not fought in 13 months. Libardi, 14 years Vasquez’s junior, entered the match with seven pro fights and 10 rounds of action over three fights in the time since Vasquez had last fought in Sept. 2006.
“There was nothing out of the ordinary,” Paul Erickson, who was at ringside taking photos, said in an interview with The Fight Network. “They scrambled and hit the cage. Sammy stood up and looked a little wobbly. Then he went down and the referee called the doctor in. It didn’t seem like anything was out of the ordinary. Sammy was winded and looked exhausted, but he wasn’t unconscious when they carried him out. Everyone was puzzled at the time because no one could tell when or where he was injured.“
MMA had until recently been considered highly controversial, and a group of critics led by Sen. John McCain caused it to be banned in several states in the mid-to-late 1990s and pressured cable companies to not air its pay-per-view events.
In the past two-and-a-half years, though, the sport exploded in popularity due to television exposure of UFC, the sport’s major league franchise. UFC’s success has spawned hundreds of smaller promotions around North America with many states now holding more MMA events than boxing events.
Mixed martial arts officials and fans have long noted that there had never been a death in a sanctioned MMA match, a statistic no other combat sport could claim.
The only confirmed death prior to government oversight came when 31-year-old Douglas Dedge of Chipley, Fla. passed away on March 18, 1998, from severe brain injuries suffered in a match two days earlier at a non-sanctioned event called World Super Challenge in Russia. Dedge had passed out in a training session leading up to the fight, but went through with the match anyway.
Courtney Kardashian Shocking News Story
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The reality and sex tape star claimed diamonds, a Cartier watch, digital camera and laptop were stolen from her bags on November 8, but she never filed a police report.
Kardashian insists that she was robbed and says she plans to look for her stolen belongings on her reality show.
“I’m pissed. I want my stuff back,” she said.
Pictures of Hollis Woods
Pictures of Hollis Woods, a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie on CBS Sunday, December 2, is that rare film. It stars Sissy Spacek as a retired art teacher whose heart exceeds her abilities, who takes in foster kid Hollis Woods (Jodelle Ferland).
Hollis, named after a section in Queens, N.Y., was left on a street corner when she was but an hour old. Understandably, she has a tough shell. A gifted artist who sketches works of beauty, Hollis is perfectly played by Ferland (Good Luck Chuck). Hollis has bounced around the foster care system and runs away when unhappy, leaving her with a spotty school record and a reputation as difficult. Given that she's 12, she must remain a ward of the state.
As they drive to yet another home, Edna Reilly (Alfre Woodard) says, "I'm a social worker, not a magician. We are running out of options for you."
Finally, it looks as if the right match is made. Josie Cahill (Spacek) continues to sculpt and paint in the warm home she shares with ornery cat Henry.
Jessica Sierra Denied Bond, Facing 11 Years in Jail
Cops say they asked her to leave at which time she crossed the street and began fighting with a friend, pushing and yelling at onlookers. She argued and wrestled with officers before being arrested.
"Obviously the bar scene isn't working out well for you, I would suggest you find another form of entertainment" were the words of the Judge.
Just last month Sierra pled guilty to battery and cocaine possession charges, agreeing to a term of 12 months probation. In April incident where she threw a glass at a patron at the Hyde Park Cafe in South Tampa. Deputies found cocaine on her as she was booked into the jail. Prosecutors warned her any further arrests could negate the terms of her plea deal.
Sierra was a finalist on the 2005 season of Idol. Sierra spent several months in a California rehab facility after her first arrest and was scheduled to appear on VH1's reality show "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" early next year.
Selona Skin Care Products
Currently as of December 2007 Selona skin care products is offering a $100 dollar traveling kit which includes a Selona Leather Travel Bag as well as, Selona Pure Moisture Body Cream, Selona Exfoliating Body Scrub Selona Pure Moisture Body Wash, Selona Pure Moisture Facial Cream, and a Selona $15 Luxury Gift Certificate. Selona skin care products include individual products that you will enjoy as well. If you want to get a top quality product, this is it.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Miss World 2007, Check Her Out
Miss China Zhang Zi Lin was crowned as the new Miss World in a grand ceremony at Sanya China.
The 23 year old Zhang Zi Lin beat 106 other contestants from all around the globe.
The first runner-up was Angola's Micaela Reis, followed by Mexico's Carolina Moran Gordillo as second runner-up. The other two finalists were Valene Maharaj from Trinidad & Tobago and Annie Oliv from Sweden.
India's entry Sarah Jane did not make it into the top ten.
The top ten were Angola, Austria, China PR, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ghana, Grenada, Hong Kong China, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Trinidad & Tobago, United States and Venezuela.
The Miss World Organisation used Saturday's 57th contest to spread the message about HIV/AIDS as it coincides with World AIDS Day.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Evel Knievel, Made His Final Ride Today, Dies
Knievel's death was confirmed by his grand-daughter, Krysten Knievel. He had been in failing health for years, suffering from diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable condition that scarred his lungs.
Knievel had undergone a liver transplant in 1999 after nearly dying of hepatitis C, probably contracted through a blood transfusion after one of his bone-shattering spills.
Knievel, whose trademark was his red, white and blue spangled jumpsuit, suffered nearly 40 fractures before retiring in 1980.
Among his notable feats was a failed but spectacular attempt to leap the Snake River Canyon on a rocket-powered motorcycle in 1974, sailing over 13 Mack trucks in 1974 and jumping 13 double-decker buses in London in 1975.
Billy Rundel, a longtime friend and promoter, said Knievel had trouble breathing at his Florida condominium and died before an ambulance could get him to a hospital.
"It's been coming for years, but you just don't expect it. Superman just doesn't die, right?" Mr Rundel said.
Knievel's death came just two days after it was announced he and rapper Kanye West had settled a lawsuit over the use of Knievel's trademarked image in a popular West music video.
In an interview in May last year, Knievel said: "No king or prince has lived a better life. You're looking at a guy who's really done it all. There are things I wish I had done better, not only for me but for the ones I loved."
Immortalised in Washington's Smithsonian Institution as "America's Legendary Daredevil," Knievel was best known for the Snake River Canyon jump and a spectacular crash at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
"They started out watching me bust my ass, and I became part of their lives," Knievel once said. "People wanted to associate with a winner, not a loser. They wanted to associate with someone who kept trying to be a winner."
Born Robert Craig Knievel in the copper mining town of Butte on 17 October, 1938, Knievel worked in the Montana copper mines and served in the army. He claimed to have also been a swindler, a card thief, a safe cracker and a hold-up man.
He began his daredevil career in 1965, forming a troupe called Evel Knievel's Motorcycle Daredevils, performing stunts such as riding through fire walls and jumping over live rattlesnakes and mountain lions.
In 1966, he began touring alone, increasing the length of jumps until, on New Year's Day 1968, he was nearly killed when he jumped 151ft across the fountains in front of Caesar's Palace.
Knievel retired after a stunt in which he was again seriously injured, attempting to jump a tank full of live sharks in the Chicago Amphitheater.
He continued with smaller exhibitions with his son, Robbie.
Knievel married Linda Joan Bork in 1959 but they separated in the early 1990s. They had four children.
He lived with longtime partner, Krystal Kennedy-Knievel. Married in 1999, they divorced, but remained together.
Mary Bach, Wins Toilet Paper Lawsuit
Mary Bach, 63, sued Kmart after its store on Mall Boulevard in Monroeville charged her 7 percent sales tax on two 12-pack rolls of Angel Soft toilet paper — a non-taxable item, according to the state Department of Revenue.
On Thursday, Monroeville District Judge Herbst ruled in Bach’s favor, finding Kmart twice levied the tax improperly. She gets $100, plus court costs.
Sarah Khawad, teacher sentenced 15 days for naming teddy bear.
A defense lawyer says the court sentenced 54-year-old Gillian Gibbons Thursday to 15 days in prison, followed by deportation from Sudan.
Britain's Foreign Secretary, David Miliband says the incident was clearly an "innocent misunderstanding by a dedicated teacher," and he called in the Sudanese ambassador to explain the court's action.
The Muslim Council of Britain echoed the government's comments and said Sudan's handling of the case could damage Islam's image around the world.
The teacher asked her young students to write an imaginary diary for a teddy bear, as a writing exercise. The children decided to name the bear Muhammad, which is a common man's name in Sudan and other majority-Muslim countries.
Gibbons was arrested earlier this week, and court officials say the five days she has been in jail will be deducted from her 15-day sentence. Her trial took just a few hours Thursday, apparently in an effort to conclude the process before Friday prayers, when protests about the case are expected in the streets of Khartoum.
Latasha Norman Found!
The boyfriend, Stanley Dwayne Cole, has been taken into custody and charged with murder.
On November 13th Latasha was last seen leaving class. She was found off of a rural side road next to some old tires and empty beer bottles. It's not clear how long she had been there.
Rumor has it that she had been the target of attacks a few week earlier, and there was an assault charge on her boyfriend for hitting her.
Emily Sander(Zoey Zane) Found
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KSNW-TV, Wichita, Kansas
Katie Holmes New Hair - WOW!!
It's something along the the lines of a don't-call-me-Posh bob. Honestly, we're kind of digging the whole thing, especially how's she's coyly peeking out from under those bangs.