News America

Sports Authority files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 2 Mar 2016 11:48:00 -0800

NEW YORK — Sports Authority is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The retailer said Wednesday that it plans to close or sell about 140 stores and two distribution centers, in Denver and Chicago. The Englewood, Colorado, company has 463 stores in 41 states and Puerto Rico. The store closings are expected to take up to three months.

Sports Authority stores will remain open and run on normal schedules during the Chapter 11 process. The company's website will continue to function, and the chain plans to honor warranties on items purchased at its stores or online.

"We are taking this action so that we can continue to adapt our business to meet the changing dynamics in the retail industry," CEO Michael Foss said in a written statement. The executive said that it needs fewer stores as consumers are increasingly shifting to online shopping.

The retail industry as a whole has struggled with the consumer move to online shopping, trying to find ways to lure customers to brick-and-mortar stores instead. Macy's Inc. has opened Macy's Backstage, in order to go head to head with discount retailer T.J. Maxx. And J.C. Penney Co. is using store-label offerings to fight against pricing pressures from online rivals and recently launched a new campaign called "Get Your Penney's Worth," which offers certain store-label items for pennies.

In a letter to customers posted on the company's website, Foss said that Sports Authority's long-term plan includes upgrading stores and improving its website.

Foss said that The Sports Authority Inc., which is privately-held, has received interest from third parties that may want to invest in or buy some or all of the business. The company plans to continue evaluating all of its options, he added.

Sports Authority said that it expects to have sufficient liquidity during the Chapter 11 process when factoring in cash from operations and anticipated access to up to $595 million in debtor-in-possession financing.

Sports Authority made its Chapter 11 filing in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware

Link : http://www.bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2016/03/sports_authority_files_for_chapter_11_bankruptcy_protection

Class 1A boys' hockey quarterfinal preview: Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato vs. Hermantown

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 2 Mar 2016 11:42:00 -0800

Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato (20-8) vs. Hermantown (No. 1, 24-2-1), 6 p.m. Wednesday

Scouting the Dragons: Senior power forward David Raisanen, at 6-6, 215 pounds, has scored 41 goals this season, 10 more than Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato's No. 2 goal-scorer Jared Pedersen, also a senior. Yet another senior, defenseman Ben Haugo, has 15 goals, including the winner in overtime against Luverne in the Section 3 championship. The team, which hadn't advanced from the section quarterfinals in each of the three previous seasons, defeated all three of this year's playoff opponents — Marshall, Hutchinson and Luverne — by one goal. The Dragons last reached the state tournament in 2008, when they lost 4-0 to Warroad and 7-0 to Mankato West.

Scouting the Hawks: Hermantown's mind-boggling run of runner-up state tournament finishes in each of the past six seasons is unprecedented in Minnesota high school sports. All those championship game losses serve as "a big cloud hanging over us," coach Bruce Plante said. The 67-year-old Plante, in his 27th season guiding the Hawks, earned his 500th career victory this season. The Hawks have two potent scoring lines, a defensive corps led by Mr. Hockey award finalist Wyatt Aamodt, wo has five goals, 33 assists and dozens of bone-crunching hits. Battle-tested senior goaltender Luke Olson has a 1.36 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.

Worth knowing: Hermantown junior forward Ryan Sandelin, who has 23 goals and 30 assists and plays on the Hawks' top line, is the son of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey coach Scott Sandelin.

LOREN NELSON

Link : http://www.startribune.com/class-1a-boys-hockey-quarterfinal-preview-litchfield-dassel-cokato-vs-hermantown/370739711/

'Nina' trailer debuts, reignites controversy over casting of Zoe Saldana as darker-skinned blues great Nina Simone

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 2 Mar 2016 11:34:00 -0800

The first trailer for a controversial Nina Simone biopic debuted Wednesday, but the movie is still hitting a sour note with detractors on social media.

"Nina," which hits theaters and VOD on April 22, stars Zoe Saldana as the blues legend who was a major figure during the civil rights movement. And the idea that a light-skinned Latina actress was cast over a black counterpart has gotten a big thumbs-down on Twitter.

"Don't get me Wrong Zoe Saldana is a great actress! But you mean NO black singing actresses could play the part of Nina Simone? #Disappointed," tweeted one commentator.

Judging from the trailer, which debuted on the "Today" show, Saldana brings the dramatic chops to the project. She's joined by an impressive backup band in front of and behind the camera, including co-star David Oyelowo ("Selma") and director Cynthia Mort ("The Brave One.")

Saldana had signed on for the project in 2012 — and faced uproar over the choice ever since.

"In the case of Simone, much of her legacy is tied to her appearance," Marc Lamont Hill wrote in 2013 for Ebony. "In the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s when blacks were straightening their hair and bleaching their skin, Simone had the courage to fully embrace her beautiful dark skin, kinky hair, full lips and wide nose without apology.

"Simone's mind, body and spirit were a fierce challenge to the logic of white supremacy."

Simone is an important figure in American history for the black community, with the High Priestess of Soul having provided a soundtrack for the late 60s with racially-affirming anthems like "Ain't Got No/I Got Life" and "Mississippi Goddam."

The "Feelin' Good" crooner, who died in 2003, has made a comeback in the past year. She was the subject of the Netflix documentary, "What Happened, Miss Simone?," which was nominated for an Oscar.

Link : http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/nina-trailer-debuts-sparks-flap-zoe-saldana-casting-article-1.2550435

Adam Johnson child sex shame: Footballer facing 'significant' jail sentence after being convicted of sexual activity with schoolgirl

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 2 Mar 2016 11:25:00 -0800

FORMER England footballer Adam Johnson has been told there is a "very high probability" he will be jailed for a "significant" length of time after being convicted of one count of sexual activity with a child.

Jurors at Bradford Crown Court found the former Sunderland FC winger guilty by a majority of 10-2 after Judge Jonathan Rose said he would accept a majority verdict.

The disgraced star was cleared by the jury on a second count - oral sex with a child - after the trial, which last more than two weeks.

Live updates from court

Johnson, 28, admitted grooming a 15-year-old girl and sexual activity with the teenager, relating to kissing her in his Range Rover, but denied the two more serious charges of sexual activity with a child - one involving oral sex and another involving digital penetration. He was found guilty of the latter charge.

The charges against him arose from a meeting between Johnson and the girl in his car in County Durham on January 30 last year.

Judge Rose said a custodial sentence is "the almost inevitable outcome" but granted Johnson bail until the hearing, which will be held at a later date.

Just before he left the dock, Judge Rose told Johnson that being released on bail meant he could get his "affairs in order".

He said: "You can say goodbye to your daughter. A prison sentence will mean you will not see her for some time."

Explaining his bail conditions, the judge said Johnson would be "well advised to stay well aware from social media".

There was no obvious reaction to the verdict from Johnson, who was sitting in the dock with two security guards.

The judge said his preliminary view was that the case falls into the category of a five year prison sentence with a range of four to 10 years.

He said: "The defendant must understand there is a very high probability of a significant custodial sentence."

In a statement issued after the case, Sunderland FC said it "refuted" any suggestion the club knew all along that Johnson was intending to change his plea just before his trial so he could continue to play for them, and that the club may have been involved in tactical discussions about the plea.

The club said it was not advised in advance that Johnson would plead guilty to any offence.

"Had the club known that Mr Johnson intended to plead guilty to any of these charges, then his employment would have been terminated immediately," the statement said.

"Indeed, upon learning of the guilty plea on 11 February 2016, the club acted quickly and decisively in terminating Adam Johnson's contract without notice.

"The club did not give evidence either for the prosecution or the defence in this case.

"It was therefore not present in court when it is understood that a suggestion was made that the club knew all along that Mr Johnson was intending to change his plea just before trial to enable him to continue to play football for the club and that the club may also have been involved in tactical discussions about the plea.

"This is utterly without foundation and is refuted in the strongest possible terms.

"The club never placed any pressure or demands on Mr Johnson to play football during this process."

Link : http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/adam-johnson-child-sex-shame-7480394#oe1A1WckEEtX7Irs.97

Former CIA Director Sees Military Refusing To Follow Some Of Trump's Orders If He Becomes President

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 01:53:00 -0800

Former CIA director Michael Hayden believes there is a legitimate possibility that the US military would refuse to follow orders given by Donald Trump if the Republican front-runner becomes president and decides to make good on certain campaign pledges.

Hayden, who also headed the National Security Agency from 1999 to 2005, made the provocative statement on Friday during an appearance on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher." Trump, fresh off a string of primary victories, has yet to secure his party's nomination, but Hayden said the candidate's rhetoric already raises troubling questions.

"I would be incredibly concerned if a President Trump governed in a way that was consistent with the language that candidate Trump expressed during the campaign," Hayden said during the interview with Maher.

Earlier this month, Trump told a South Carolina retirement community that he supports waterboarding and similar interrogation techniques because "torture works" when it comes to extracting vital information from terrorists.

Deeming waterboarding "torture," President Barack Obama's administration discontinued its use during his first term in office. Proponents of the controversial practice, as The Washington Post's Jenna Johnson noted, avoid labeling it as torture, which would violate various international laws and treaties. Trump, meanwhile, has not only pledged to reinstate waterboarding, but also introduce other methods of interrogation that are "so much worse" and "much stronger."

"Don't tell me it doesn't work - torture works," Trump told the Sun City retirement community. "Okay, folks? Torture - you know, half these guys (say): 'Torture doesn't work.' Believe me, it works. Okay?"

Trump has also said on multiple occasions that the United States should kill the family members of terrorists.

"That will make people think. Because they do not care very much about their lives, but they do care, believe it or not, about their family's lives," Trump said during a debate of Republican presidential candidates in December.

Politifact has pointed out that targeting terrorists' family members is barred by the Geneva Conventions.

During his appearance on "Real Time," Hayden cited Trump's pledge to kill family members as being among his most troubling campaign statements.

"That never even occurred to you, right?" Maher asked.

"God, no!" Hayden replied. "Let me give you a punchline: If he were to order that once in government, the American armed forces would refuse to act."

"That's quite a statement, sir," Maher said.

"You are required not to follow an unlawful order," Hayden added. "That would be in violation of all the international laws of armed conflict."

"You've given us a great reason not to support Trump. There would be a coup in this country," Maher joked.

Hayden said he didn't mean to imply that the military would provoke "a coup."

Link : http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/former-cia-director-sees-military-refusing-to-follow-some-of-trumps-orders-if-he-becomes-president-1282289

Long space stay set to end - with eye to Mars

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 01:45:00 -0800

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - As soon as he returns from the International Space Station, NASA's first and only yearlong spaceman, Scott Kelly, will try to pop up from a lying position and stand still for three minutes. He'll take a crack at a mini-obstacle course and attempt to walk a straight line, heel to toe - all so researchers can see whether he would hit the ground running if this were Mars instead of Earth.
NASA considers it crucial prep work for future Mars explorers who will have to spend much longer in space. In fact, this mission - which began with a launch last March - is all about Mars.

"I think we'll learn a lot about longer-duration spaceflight and how that will take us to Mars someday," Kelly said Thursday in his final news conference from orbit.

Kelly's 340-day mission - the longest by 125 days for NASA - comes to a dramatic end Wednesday on the steppes of Kazakhstan. (It will be Tuesday night in the U.S.) The astronaut will ride a Soyuz spacecraft back with two Russians, including Mikhail Kornienko, his roommate for the past year.

Once out of the capsule, the two will submit to a multitude of field tests.
What could new arrivals do on Mars, asks Stevan Gilmore, the lead flight surgeon who will be at the landing site to receive Kelly. Could they jump up and down? Could they open a hatch? Could they do an immediate spacewalk?

The tests on Kelly and Kornienko should provide some answers. There will also be blood draws, heart monitoring, and other medical exams. The testing will continue for weeks if not months.

Checkups will also continue for Kelly's identical twin, retired astronaut Mark Kelly. The 52-year-old brothers joined forces to provide NASA with a potential gold mine of scientific data: one twin studied for a year in orbit - twice the usual space station stay - while his genetic double underwent similar tests on the ground.

While a handful of Russians have spent longer in space, the record being a 438-day flight, those expeditions date back to the 1980s and 1990s aboard the Mir space station, rustic if not rickety compared with the current space station. Medical testing was spotty back then, and the data weren't always widely shared.

As of Thursday - Day 335 - Kelly professed to feeling pretty good. Indeed, flight surgeon Gilmore doesn't expect any alarming results at touchdown.

The real question mark - and Kelly's biggest concern - is the possible lingering effects of space radiation. "Hopefully, I'll never find out what the true effects are of that," Kelly said. NASA will need to tackle the problem for Mars trips because of the increased level of exposure.

Link : http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20160229_Long_space_stay_set_to_end_-_with_eye_to_Mars.html

China's central bank fixes yuan at four-week low despite pledge

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 01:36:00 -0800

China's central bank on Monday fixed its central rate for the yuan currency at a four-week low, data showed, despite comments by chief Zhou Xiaochuan that there was no basis for further depreciation.

The People's Bank of China (PBOC) set the yuan at 6.5452 to $1.0, down 0.17% from Friday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System. The fix was the weakest since February 3, previous figures showed.

The weaker currency hurt the sentiment on the stock market, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index dropping as much as 4.44% on Monday morning.

PBOC Governor Zhou Xiaochuan on Friday told a seminar on the sidelines of the G20 finance ministers' meeting in Shanghai that the yuan -- also known as the renminbi (RMB) --- would be stable.

"There is no basis for persistent renminbi depreciation from the perspective of fundamentals," he said.

Authorities only allow the yuan to rise or fall 2% on either side of the daily fix, to prevent volatility and maintain control over the currency.

But a shock currency devaluation in August, which saw the normally stable unit guided down nearly 5% in a week followed by another drop in January, raised suspicions that Beijing is pursuing a currency war to make its exports cheaper. The Central bank chief Xiaochuan had denied those accusations on Friday.

In a communique, G20 countries on Saturday had pledged to avoid "competitive devaluations", though the document made no direct mention of China.

Xiaochuan and other Chinese officials have repeatedly pledged to move towards a more flexible exchange rate.

The US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, who is visiting China, on Monday has urged the country's premier Li Keqiang to implement economic reforms.

"It is also critical that China continues to move toward a more market-determined exchange rate in an orderly manner," he said in Beijing.

The yuan was quoted at 6.5480 to $1.0 around midday on Monday, weakening slightly from Friday's close of 6.5372.

The central bank said it has pumped 230 billion yuan (nearly $35 billion) into the financial system on Monday, bringing total fund injections over the past week to over 1.0 trillion yuan, according to state media.

Link : http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-china-fixes-yuan-at-four-week-low-despite-pledge-2183751

nthony Davis repaid 2015 bonus; will he get it back if he returns?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 01:29:00 -0800

The news that 49ers tackle Anthony Davis plans to unretire after a year away from the game gives rise to what apparently is an unprecedented question for the NFL: What happens when a guy who has paid back signing bonus for a missed season returns?

Per a league source, Davis has indeed refunded to the 49ers the portion of his previously-paid signing bonus money that applied to the 2015 season. That’s a standard requirement of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. What’s not in the CBA, as PFT explained last year, are terms that would apply to a guy who sits out for a year, pays back bonus money, and then returns.

His contract was tolled for a year, with Davis due to earn in 2016 the salary he would have earned in 2015. So can the 49ers simply pay his salary but keep the bonus money that applied to 2015?

It’s not known how it will all play out. The NFL Players Association could take the position that the 49ers can’t have it both ways; either they should refund the bonus money for 2015 or cut Davis. They may cut him anyway, which would absolve him of any remaining bonus money, if he retires again.

However it plays out, it’s an issue the player, the team, and the union will have to confront if, as it seems, Davis will be returning.

Link : http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/02/26/anthony-davis-repaid-2015-bonus-will-he-get-it-back-if-he-returns/

Trump defends ‘Trump University’ from Rubio, Cruz attacks

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 01:23:00 -0800

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump is trying to deflect attention from a class-action civil lawsuit involving the former Trump University by pointing to the ethnic background of the judge in the case.

Asked on ‘‘Fox News Sunday’’ what U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel’s ethnicity has to do with the lawsuit against him, Trump replied:

‘‘I think is has to do perhaps with the fact that I'm very, very strong on the border, very, very strong at the border, and he has been extremely hostile to me.’’

According to the California class-action complaint in front of Curiel, a one-year apprenticeship that Trump University students were promised ended after students paid for a three-day seminar. Attendees who were promised a personal photo with Trump received only the chance to take a photo with a cardboard cutout. And many instructors were bankrupt real estate investors.

Trump University emerged as a campaign issue at Thursday’s GOP debate, raised by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

‘‘There are people who borrowed $36,000 to go to Trump University, and they’re suing now — $36,000 to go to a university that’s a fake school,’’ Rubio said. ‘‘And you know what they got? They got to take a picture with a cardboard cutout of Donald Trump.’’

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz jumped in, adding: ‘‘It’s a fraud case. ... I want you to think about, if this man is the nominee, having the Republican nominee on the stand in court, being cross-examined about whether he committed fraud.’’

At a rally in Arkansas on Saturday, Trump took a break from his standard campaign speech to downplay the lawsuit pending against the business, which was founded by Trump and offered students instruction on real estate investments.

‘‘It’s a small deal, very small,’’ Trump said of the suit, which could force him to take the stand this summer.

Trump specifically railed against the judge in the case, and at one point noted the judge’s Hispanic ethnicity.

Trump claimed the case should have been thrown out years ago, ‘‘but because it was me and because there’s a hostility toward me by the judge — tremendous hostility — beyond belief.’’ He then noted, as an aside: ‘‘I believe he happens to be Spanish, which is fine. He’s Hispanic — which is fine.’’

A message left for Curiel, was not immediately returned. Curiel is a judge in the Southern District of California and based in San Diego.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, whose office has filed a separate civil $40 million complaint against Trump University in state court, accused Trump of ‘‘racial demagoguery.’’ Schneiderman sued Trump University in 2013 alleging it committed fraud and fleeced 5,000 people out of millions of dollars.

‘‘I will not engage in a debate about ongoing litigation,’’ Schneiderman said in a statement issued after Trump made his comments. ‘‘But there is no place in this process for racial demagoguery directed at respected members of the judiciary.’’

Schneiderman noted that New York’s state Supreme Court ruled that Trump University operated illegally in New York as an unlicensed educational institution.

Schneiderman’s suit alleges that Trump University falsely promoted itself as an educational institution even after the state education department warned it to stop. The complaint accuses Trump of falsely promising that Trump University students would receive intense training from experts hand-picked by Trump himself.

During breaks in the seminars, Schneiderman’s complaint alleges, participants were urged to call their credit card companies and ask to increase their credit limits. Once the credit lines were secured, Trump University staff tried to persuade students to pay for additional services.

Trump, at the rally, dismissed the cases as the work of ‘‘a sleazebag law firm’’ and suggested that Schneiderman’s intervention was politically motivated.

‘‘I could've settled this suit numerous times. Could settle it now. But I don’t like settling suits,’’ Trump said.

Horwitz reported from Washington.

Link : https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2016/02/28/trump-defends-trump-university-from-rubio-cruz-attacks/TKvr8HofrAL5SDPH77v8NI/story.html

Rookie police officer shot dead on her first day on the job

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 05:59:00 -0800

A newly sworn-in police officer on her first shift with a US police department was shot and killed after attending a call about an argument.

Officers received a call around 5:30 Saturday evening in Woodbridge, Virginia about a "verbal argument," Sgt. Jonathan Perok, spokesman of the Prince William County Police Department, said. It's not clear how the altercation between the suspect and the police began but the suspect, a military serviceman, is in custody and was not injured, he said. Two other officers were also injured.

The department announced on its Facebook page that Officer Ashley Guindon had died "as a result of her injuries sustained during the incident."

A picture of Guindon was posted to the department's Twitter page on Friday with a tweet that read, "Welcome Officers Steven Kendall & Ashley Guindon who were sworn in today & begin their shifts this weekend. Be Safe!" It is not known if the other officer in the tweet was involved in the shooting incident.

Guindon had been a county police officer a few years ago and had left and returned to the force, Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on Saturday night. He did not know the exact dates of when she started and left, he said.

Another woman was killed in the domestic call, Stewart said, but police declined to confirm that information. Stewart also said there was a child in the house during the incident who was not harmed.

Prince William County Commonwealth Attorney Paul Ebert told The Associated Press Saturday night that he has authorized a capital murder charge, along with other counts, against the suspect, who has not been identified.

The shooting occurred in the Lake Ridge neighborhood, on a curving street with suburban houses, lawns and sidewalks about a five-minute drive from the county office building. The two-story homes approach a half-million dollars in value apiece, according to county tax records, each with brick and siding exteriors, four bedrooms, multiple bathrooms and two-car garages.

Until Saturday evening, the big news in the police department was the planned retirement of Chief Steve Hudson, who announced two weeks ago that he will step down at the end of March, and officers' plans to do a "polar bear" plunge on Saturday morning to raise money for Special Olympics.

Police said the incident is still being investigated.

Link : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/12176527/Rookie-police-officer-shot-dead-on-her-first-day-on-the-job.html

Bernard Tomic goes down to Dominic Thiem in Acapulco Open final

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 05:44:00 -0800

Dominic Thiem has beaten Bernard Tomic in the final of the Acapulco Open, with the world No.15 edging the Australian in a see-sawing three-set battle.

The Austrian looked the fresher of the pair and came home strongly to record a 7-6 (8-6) 4-6 6-3 win.

Tomic, who'll now head to Melbourne to join the Australian Davis Cup team for their tie with the United States on Friday, was not without his chances.

He took a 5-2 lead in the first set and looked ominous on serve, losing just three points in four games.

However, things began to unravel as Thiem, at 22 the youngest player in the top 20, rattled off three consecutive games without losing a point.

The Queenslander also had chances in the tiebreak, going up a mini-break, before Thiem forged ahead to take it 8-6.

Tomic struggled early in the second but an inspired fifth game saw him go up a break which he duly consolidated.

After a few nervous moments and a blistering forehand down the line from out of court he served out the set.

Things began brightly for Tomic in the third when he went up a break but that advantage was quickly squandered as Thiem ripped through the next four games.

He held onto that advantage to take the set and the match, securing his fifth title from as many deciders and first on hard court.

It has been an outstanding month for Thiem, who took out his second tournament in February after winning in Buenos Aires.

Tomic will edge back into the top 20 after making the final.

Link : http://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/bernard-tomic-dominic-thiem-in-acapulco-open-final-20160227-gn5ikt.html

With United manager Louis van Gaal usually adopting a conservative approach to big games, Al Hain-Cole expects the clash against the Gunners to be decided in the second half

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 05:01:00 -0800

After giving their Premier League title bid a boost with a 2-1 win over leaders Leicester City last time out, Arsenal will face another major challenge when they travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United on Sunday.

Currently two points off the top going into the weekend, the Gunners are 7/5 (2.40) favourites with Paddy Power to send out a strong signal by overcoming their rivals in this one.

However, Louis van Gaal’s men have won six and lost none of their last eight home games against this opposition and are on offer at 21/10 (3.10) to maintain that dominance with another victory this time out.

New Paddy Power customers can back Arsenal as part of an enhanced double with their north London rivals Tottenham, they're on offer at 12/1 (13.0) for anyone opening a new account.

The sides shared a 1-1 draw when they last met on this ground in the league, and you can get odds of 9/4 (3.25) on them cancelling each other out once again on this occasion.

As if it were necessary to make matters even more exciting, Paddy Power are offering to reward all pre-match bets of GBP/EUR 20 or more placed on odds of 1/2 (1.50) and over with a free GBP/EUR 10 in-play bet to be used during the game.

Despite seeing their side score eight goals in the last two matches against Shrewsbury Town and Midtjylland, the home fans will not be expecting too many fireworks when they take on rather more imposing opposition on Sunday, especially with plenty of injuries in attack.

Preferring to keep things tight at the back in high-profile encounters, Van Gaal has seen just 13 goals at either end in eight league games against Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Leicester City so far this campaign, with five of those coming in the two encounters with Liverpool alone.

He is likely to pursue similarly conservative tactics against Arsene Wenger’s side and the Red Devils will be looking to hold out for a ninth clean sheet in 13 league games in front of their own fans.

Link : http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2995/betting/2016/02/28/20726712/manchester-united-v-arsenal-betting-expect-a-cagey-first-half-at-

Tennessee I-75 closure could last for weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 04:54:00 -0800

PIONEER, Tenn. — A rock slide Friday on Interstate 75 near here could keep the major north-south artery closed in both directions for weeks, forcing a 33-mile detour, state highway officials said.

While the slide at mile marker 141.5 about 35 miles north of Knoxville primarily affected northbound lanes, Tennessee Department of Transportation officials closed the road in both directions because debris traveled into the median and they need to evaluate the stability of the slope, spokesman Mark Nagi said.

“We won’t allow a roadway to be open to the public if we feel it presents a danger to the motoring public, and right now that roadway is not safe for travel," Nagi said Saturday.

Officials will spend the weekend evaluating the hillside that gave way, he said. No injuries or rocks hitting cars were reported in the 3:45 p.m. ET Friday call to Campbell County officials.

Almost 1.5 inches of rain fell in the area four days before the slide followed by a half-inch the next day, according to Weather Underground records. And rain, close to an inch Tuesday and more than an inch Wednesday, is forecast in the coming week.

Northbound traffic is being shifted to U.S. 25W at the Caryville exit, mile marker 134, and returns to I-75 at Jellico, mile marker 160, Nagi said.

Southbound traffic will have less of a detour, about 25 miles. Vehicles must leave the interstate at the Jellico exit and use U.S. 25W to Tennessee 297 to Tennessee 63. Vehicles return to I-75 at Pioneer Exit 141, the Campbell County Sheriff's Office said.

Trucks with wide or heavy loads are being advised to detour almost 150 miles: Northbound, they should leave I-75 in Knoxville, head east on I-40 and I-81, then take U.S. 25E at the Morristown exit and rejoin I-75 in Corbin, Ky. Southbound heavy-truck traffic reverses the route.

Link : http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/regional/tennessee-i-75-closure-could-last-for-weeks/58273641

Elton John and Lady Gaga rock the Sunset Strip with surprise pre-Oscars Show

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 02:12:00 -0800

Sir Elton John and Lady Gaga rock the Sunset Strip with surprise pre-Oscars Show

Sir Elton John has been throwing an Oscar-night party in West Hollywood for years and he decided to say thank you to the city by performing a free concert.
The superstar performed the surprise show on the site of the old Tower Records and was joined by Oscar nominee Lady Gaga, who will perform during Sunday’s Oscar show.

Several Sunset Strip streets were closed for the hour-long show.

The stars teamed up to perform Sir Elton’s 1974 hit Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me, with Sir Elton dedicating the concert to the city of West Hollywood for its support of the Elton John Aids Foundation.
Lady Gaga’s Till It Happens To You, from the film The Hunting Ground, has a best original song Oscar nomination.

Link : http://www.torontosun.com/2016/02/27/elton-john-lady-gaga-give-surprise-concert-day-before-oscars

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 01:47:00 -0800

Nicki Minaj Breaks Silence on Meek Mill Breakup Rumors

Nicki Minaj and Meek Mill have been dealing with breakup rumors almost from the moment they first got together, but the chatter hit a fever pitch today with various news outlets reporting that they got into a huge fight on Saturday over the Philly MC's house arrest.

TMZ reported that there was "friction" between the two after Meek asked Nicki to stay local in Philly during his 90 days of house arrest for violating his probation on drug and gun charges. According to the gossip site's "sources," Nicki told Meek that there was no way she was going to put her life on hold for three months because of his legal drama, and that caused Meek to blow up.

Now, Nicki and Meek are constantly keeping us guessing when it comes to their relationship status (remember all those shots of diamond rings we've seen on their respective Instagram accounts?) so things could still go either way, but at least for now we know Omeeka is still solid.

Link : http://www.bet.com/news/celebrities/2016/02/27/nicki-minaj-breaks-silence-on-meek-mill-breakup-rumors.html

Three stabbed, 13 arrested at KKK rally in California

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 01:27:00 -0800

Of those arrested, six were KKK members and seven were from the rival demonstration.

Three people were stabbed, one of them critically, and 13 others were arrested in California on Saturday when a Ku Klux Klan rally erupted into clashes with counter-protesters, witnesses and police said.

Around midday, half a dozen members of the white hate group, whose ranks still number several thousand in the United States, arrived at the protest site in Anaheim, officials said.

At that point the Klan members were "swarmed" by protesters, who attacked them with at least one wooden plank, witness Brian Levin told AFP.

Local police spokesman Sergeant Daron Wyatt said it appeared that "six KKK people arrived and were immediately attacked by counter-protesters, which led to a counter-protester being stabbed."

The initial clash spawned several separate fights, Wyatt added, noting that the three stabbing victims were all counter-protesters, while another two KKK members were stomped by the crowd.

One of the victims, he said, was stabbed with the decorative end of a flagpole, according to The Orange County Register.

Of those arrested, six were KKK members and seven were from the rival demonstration, Wyatt said. All were men, except for one woman in each group.

The counter-protesters "smashed the side window of the Klan SUV and the front windshield," said Levin, who heads the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University in San Bernardino.

"At that point, the crowd got extremely violent."

Some of the protesters started kicking a man wearing a shirt that read "Grand Dragon," said Levin, describing the KKK members' wounds as ranging from minor to significant.

"He was kicked when he was down" on the ground, he said.

Levin said he had attended the rally as an observer, but ended up standing in between the Klansmen and the crowd of angry protesters to try to stem the violence.

"I helped two Klansmen get out of the way," said Levin as he headed to the police station to give his witness statement.

"I told the crowd: Dr (Martin Luther) King wouldn't approve of this, please don't harm these men."

After pushing a Klansman away from the crowd, Levin said he asked him: "How does it feel that your life was just saved by a Jewish man?"

The man replied "thank you," according to Levin.

The city of Anaheim has a long history of KKK activity. In 1924, four of the five members voted to its City Council belonged to the Klan.

Local media reported that KKK fliers had been distributed at various points over the past year or so on dozens of area lawns.

"I've lived in Anaheim my whole life and I have never heard of anything like this," local resident Joe Castaneda told The Orange County Register after watching the fight break out.

The Klan, which was formed in 1865, had up to four million members in the 1920s, but its membership has dwindled to between 5,000 and 8,000 individuals today, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

link : http://www.khaleejtimes.com/international/americas/three-stabbed-13-arrested-at-kkk-rally-in-california

Anderson Silva, Another Bizarre Night in the Cage and Another Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 01:19:00 -0800

On the surface, Anderson Silva looks the same as he always has. Long and sleek, slick and rangy, the Brazilian still casts a commanding presence in the UFC Octagon. But after Saturday night's UFC Fight Night 84 performance against Michael Bisping, it's clear the cracks we have seen in his recent career have not been and will never be healed. His chin is compromised, his reflexes have slowed a tick, his activity has lessened.

In a sport of milliseconds, that can make all the difference.

Today's version of Silva is good, but far from the all-time great who authored one of the UFC's legendary win streaks. And in today's UFC, being good isn't enough at the top level. It wasn't Saturday night, as he tasted defeat for the third time in his last three official bouts (a fourth was declared a no-contest).

That he lost to Bisping, a longtime Top 10 middleweight, can be understood, believed and accepted, if only it were by a routine method. But things rarely go routinely when Silva is involved, so of course some bizarre moments accompanied the action and clouded the aftermath.

This time, there were multiple things to point to: first, a knockout that wasn't and then a complete lack of urgency to turn up the volume even as it became clear the fight was a close one that could tilt either way. And...

"Sometimes it’s like in Brazil, total corruption," he said in Portuguese following the fight in the cage, according to MMA Fighting's Guilherme Cruz.

Oh, yes, when it comes to Silva events, the bizarre is a regular attendee.

Corruption? No way. According to MMADecisions.com, 16 of 22 polled media sources scored the bout for Bisping with the same 48-47 score that all three judges reached.

It was simply a close fight, and if he looks within, Silva will find his own causes for losing, even if for at least 45 seconds during the bout, it seemed he had snapped his streak.

Instead of talk of triumph, there will be speculation of retirement.

The strange and pivotal moment for Silva came as the third round neared an end. During an exchange, Bisping lost his mouthpiece and pointed it out to the ref. As he did, Silva attacked him. Then, as Bisping broke free from Silva's muay thai clinch, the Brazilian backed off. Bisping looked for his mouthpiece again, pointing it out to referee Herb Dean, and Silva jumped in with a ferocious flying knee that caught Bisping's jaw flush and floored him.

It was a clean strike, if not totally sportsmanlike, and his most vintage moment of the fight, showcasing the killer instinct that drove his lengthy middleweight title reign. In the moment, Silva thought he had just scored a knockout, so as Bisping sat slumped against the cage, Silva promptly walked across the Octagon and jumped atop it to straddle the cage and bask in the adulation of the 16,734 fans at London's sold-out O2 Arena crowd.

However, unbeknownst to him, the bell had rung to end the round just a tick after the knee had landed, and Dean declined to stop the fight, ruling Bisping was fit to continue. As the arena doctors and cornermen poured into the cage as they customarily do between rounds, confusion reigned.

Silva's corner thought the fight was over and celebrated with him, while Bisping's corner worked to motivate him for a second opportunity.

As all of this happened, a commission regulator pleaded with Silva to get off the cage, repeating several times, "The fight's not over." Finally, Silva got the message and had to collect himself with no corner instruction and a possible adrenaline dump.

Round 4 started with Bisping still looking a bit wobbly, but Silva never moved in to take advantage of the situation, failing to throw a strike until 30 seconds or so had passed. A low blow a few seconds later gave Bisping additional time to recover, and with that, Silva's best opportunity of the night slipped away.

Link : http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2620298-for-anderson-silva-another-bizarre-night-in-the-cage-and-another-loss

Arsenel Wenger slams former stars for wanting to leave Arsenal more than winning the Premier League

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 01:09:00 -0800

Arsene Wenger has slammed some of his former players and believes they were more desperate to leave Arsenal than to win the Premier League.

The French coach has had to deal with some of his biggest stars moving on to pastures new and believes that several key members of his squad were distracted by approaches from other teams.

And when asked why it would be different this year than in 2008, 2010 and 2011, when Arsenal were also challenging for the title, Wenger criticised the attitude of some of his former players.

‘The mood of some players was more to get the next contract somewhere else than to win the championship because at the time we had to sell our players,’ he said.

‘When we went into April some of our players were tapped up to go somewhere else and it is difficult to maintain the focus.

‘That’s not the case at the moment. In 2010 I would say we lost it because the spirit was not exactly what it should be because of individual tap ups.’

While Wenger mentioned no names, there have been a host of key Arsenal players who have moved on at their peak.

Cesc Fabregas’ move to Barcelona and Robin van Persie’s move to Manchester United are arguably the most notable but there were many more.

Thierry Henry and Alexander Hleb both joined the Catalan giants, while Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor joined Manchester City at the same time.

Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy followed suit just two years later.

Link : http://metro.co.uk/2016/02/28/arsene-wenger-slams-former-stars-for-wanting-to-leave-arsenal-more-than-winning-the-premier-league-5721967/

Curly Sue's Alisan Porter Nails Her Voice Blind Audition

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 04:01:00 -0800

Curly Sue can sing!

Former child star Alisan Porter starred in the title role of John Hughes' 1991 film, and now over a decade later she's letting her true passion shine on The Voice.

Porter, 34, wowed coaches Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera, Pharrell Williams and Adam Levine with her cover of Roy Orbison's song "Blue Bayou."

After revealing to Aguilera that she's been singing since age 5, even making it onto Star Search, Porter surprised all the coaches by revealing that she starred in Curly Sue.

"I was an actress when I was very young. It’s not my passion. This is my passion," Porter said.

"In life you take risks, walk through fear, do the unthinkable. For what is life without living. I am a singer, that's what I am and what I have always been. I'm letting the world know, I am ready," she wrote on Instagram.

Link : http://www.people.com/article/curly-sue-alisan-porter-the-voice-blind-audition

Marco Rubio teases Donald Trump over Twitter spelling

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 03:55:00 -0800

Marco Rubio teases Donald Trump over Twitter spelling

By Deena Zaru CNN
(CNN) -- Marco Rubio teased Donald Trump on Friday for including spelling mistakes in his tweets that he wrote to insult the Florida senator.

"'He is a chocker. And once a chocker, always a' -- a choker, I guess that's what he meant to say," Rubio said at a rally in Texas, reading Trump tweets from his phone.

Trump misspelled the word "choker" in three tweets Friday, all referencing Rubio after the two had a heated exchange at Thursday's Republican presidential debate.

In one tweet, Trump spelled "choker" both the right way and the wrong way.

"Lightweight Marco Rubio was working hard last night. The problem is, he is a choker, and once a choker, always a chocker! Mr. Meltdown," Trump tweeted earlier Friday morning.

Trump also boasted about his performance at CNN's Republican debate in Houston, tweeting Friday morning, "Wow, every poll said I won the debate last night. Great honer!"

The Republican presidential front-runner misspelled "honor," and his error has spurred both amused and critical responses on Twitter.

Trump later resent the tweets with the corrected spelling.

This is not the first time that Trump, a serial tweeter, has been criticized for his spelling errors online.

Last June, in a tweet slamming one of his favorite Twitter targets, MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell, Trump tweeted, "I hear that dopey political pundit Lawrence O'Donnell, one of the dummer people on television is about to lose his show- no ratings? Too bad."

CNN's Julia Manchester and Tal Kopan contributed to this report.

TM & © 2016 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

Link : http://www.kxlf.com/story/31325411/donald-trump-misspells-honor-choker-on-twitter

Say hello to Juno, the furriest new recruit for the Canadian Forces.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 03:42:00 -0800

In a ceremony Thursday morning, the Toronto Zoo and Brig.-Gen. David Patterson of the Canadian Forces unveiled the new cub’s name and announced her promotion — to the rank of private.
“Personally, I’ve never been to a polar bear adoption ceremony before, so this is a first for me as well,” said Patterson.
He said Juno was named in honour of Juno Beach — the code name given to Canadian soldiers’ designated landing area on D-Day — because she was born on Remembrance Day 2015. The Toronto Zoo has regularly hosted Remembrance Day ceremonies.

“Officials with the Toronto Zoo decided that Juno would be an appropriate name for the young bear,” Patterson said. They then contacted the Forces to ask if they’d adopt her as an official mascot.
Juno has had a tumultuous life. Her twin sister did not survive her first 24 hours, despite their mother Aurora’s “perfect maternal instincts,” according to the Toronto Zoo, so Juno was moved to the intensive care unit of the Zoo’s Wildlife Health Centre. Nonetheless, she is currently in excellent health and weighs more than 10 kilograms.

Like babies of any species, Juno still needs plenty of sleep, say zoo officials. The cub’s schedule usually involves a nap after each meal, with a good measure of play time squeezed in, too.

Juno has been moved to the Polar Bear House at the zoo and will now be visible to the public at select times on weekends starting this Saturday at 10 a.m.
The zoo’s Tundra Trek exhibit, which includes the polar bear enclosure, is geared toward educating visitors about environmental threats to Arctic animal habitats.
“One of the Toronto Zoo's main missions is to bring awareness of the plight of polar bears in the wild,” said zoo CEO John Tracogna. “[The] Tundra Trek area focuses on climate change and its effects on species conservation within this region.”

Link : http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/02/25/toronto-zoo-reveals-new-polar-bear-cubs-name.html

Kelly Clarkson's return to American Idol

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 03:12:00 -0800

It was no surprise that Kelly Clarkson gave an emotional performance on American Idol last night. That ability to connect with an audience is what allowed her to win the first season of the groundbreaking show, now in its final season, in 2002. Her tears while singing her single, Piece by Piece, actually caused her to stop and apologize to the audience. That is Kelly Clarkson, and if there is one thing she knows how to do, it is how to not mess up on American Idol.

American Idol: a final farewell to the 'Death Star' of reality TV
Read more
When she was done she explained to host Ryan Seacrest that she was very emotional because she’s pregnant with her second child, and that her performance was “so nostalgic and I can’t believe it’s the last season”. That’s what made Kelly’s performance so emotional for all of us – it’s the end of an era after 14 years.

Remember when the country elected Clarkson as its first American Idol? Things were so different back then. We used to call in and vote on a phone, sometimes even a landline. You had to dial actual numbers to place your vote. What universe were we living in? The democracy of the show was novel too, a concept since copied by plenty of other reality shows that have come and gone.

What makes us all tear up when watching this video is the good kind of nostalgia. (Not the bad kind of nostalgia that leads to shows like Vinyl and Fuller House.) We’re thinking about 14 years ago, when Clarkson was just an unknown with an incredible voice. Now she’s a wife and mother with one child and another on the way – oh and a bajillion hit singles under her belt.

Part of that nostalgia isn’t just about a former number-one show ending, but about missing an era gone by. There will be nothing like American Idol again. It is no longer the ratings juggernaut that it once was. There will never be something that unites the whole country to sit around and watch it at the same time, at least not on the scale of Idol in its prime. Now events like Grease: Live get half as many viewers, and people react not by voting but by sending mean tweets.

So many of us grew up with Clarkson – watching her on TV, listening to her songs, secretly hoping that we could also be plucked out of obscurity and launched to instant fame. She grew up right there on that set. That’s what brings tears to our eyes – a longing for the past and a grasping to understand the future. And, like always, no one can deliver that better than Kelly Clarkson.

Link : http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/feb/26/kelly-clarkson-return-american-idol-final-season-show

The Backstreet Boys rose from the dead to help Gigi Hadid in 'Lip Sync Battle'

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 02:54:00 -0800

The Gigi Hadid vs. Tyler Posey "Lip Sync Battle" delivered a series low ratings performance.

Facing competition from the Republican presidential debate, Thursday’s “Lip Sync Battle” fell to season lows in adults 18-49 and total viewership.

Per Nielsen L+SD cable data, the episode drew a 0.48 adults 18-49 rating and 1.020 million total viewers. The numbers trail the 0.67 and 1.350 million posted by last week’s episode.

This week’s edition of the Spike series featured a battle between Gigi Hadid and Tyler Posey. Backstreet Boys Nick Carter and AJ McLean made cameo appearances.

While this was not the season’s first “Lip Sync Battle” to face competition from a Republican debate, this week’s debate drew a particularly strong rating. Thursday’s debate posted a 2.70 adults 18-49 rating from 8:42PM-10:53PM, besting the 2.27 drawn on 1/28 and 1.85 drawn on 1/14.

The extent to which a presidential debate audience overlaps with : the “Lip Sync Battle” audience is unclear, but competition of that magnitude could not have helped matters.

Link : http://headlineplanet.com/home/2016/02/26/ratings-lip-sync-battle-falls-to-season-low-for-gigi-hadid-vs-tyler-posey/

Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow Virtual Console review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 02:41:00 -0800

The Pokémon franchise is 20 years old this month. We’ve got a retrospective of the series as a whole here, but as part of the anniversary celebrations Nintendo is also releasing the original three games on the 3DS Virtual Console. The games are actually only around 16 and a half years old as far as UK gamers are concerned though, with the games having taken an enormously long time to arrive here – even by normal Nintendo standards. Playing them again today they look even older than they actually are, and yet playing them is just as fun as ever.

Since Pokémon Blue is the version I played back in the day (as an American import, in what must’ve been 1998) that’s the one I’ve gone back to here. Although we’ve also had a quick play around with Pokémon Yellow as well. For those that don’t know, the mainline Pokémon games are always released in pairs, which are more or less identical except for some minor story details and a few pokémon that are exclusive to each. You’re not supposed to buy both, but instead the differences are intended to encourage trading between players – which we’ll get into later.

Pokémon Yellow is essentially a director’s cut, that at the time was released a couple of years later and includes some minor enhancements and changes. It has a slightly different story, that incorporates elements from the cartoon – including Jessie and James from Team Rocket. It was also designed to work with the Game Boy Color console, so had an increased colour palette instead of the stark black and white of the original Game Boy.

(As a special feature on the 3DS keep the ‘Start’ button held down as you load the game and you’ll get a display that mimics the original resolution and look of the Game Boy. Hold the ‘L’ and ‘R‘ shoulder buttons and press ‘Y’ and it’ll even switch to the original black and green).

But despite how low tech the game is the charm of the visuals is as strong as it ever was, and the mix of a top-down overworld and third person, turn-based battles hasn’t changed in all the sequels. Nor has the very open-ended premise of the game, which works as a Japanese style role-player mixed with elements of what are essentially open world gaming. There’s very little real story, and instead your main goal is to simply fill up a pokédex with details of all 150 pokémon (we’re not sure how they’re going to handle Mew yet).

You do this by capturing each of the critters in a pokéball. But first you have to get them weak enough so they don’t resist, by making one of your existing pokémon battle them. (That sounds a little macabre on paper but none of them ever die, they just ‘faint’.) This is achieved by a deceptively complex turn-based battle where each pokémon has access to up to four moves. New moves are earned by levelling up, and many of the pokémon can evolve into one or two new forms at certain points.

Each pokémon you capture and train has a type (anything from grass to ghost) and that means they’re vulnerable to different moves which have opposing types (i.e. grass pokémon are vulnerable to fire attacks). On top of this there are also many other move types that do things like poison or stun an opponent. This means you have to be very careful about what pokémon you field, and creating specialised pokémon for specific situations quickly becomes an obsession.

All this, we should remind you, is in a game that most people that haven’t played it probably assume was made for undemanding six-year-olds. But it’s not. It’s one of the most flexible and interesting role-playing games ever made, and the best testament to the quality of these original versions is how little the formula, or even presentation, has changed in the last 20 years.

At least In terms of the mainline games Pokémon has always deserved every penny of its success. It’s not the size of the marketing campaign that made these originals a hit but the quality and uniqueness of the experience. Even today, with dozens of clones and almost as many sequels, the first generation of Pokémon games are still hugely enjoyable to play. And it seems more of a miracle than ever that such a disarmingly complex game was ever made to work on such a low tech device as the humble Game Boy.

It now looks very likely that the next generation of Pokémon games will be revealed this week, and after playing the originals again we couldn’t be more excited. Which makes this re-release super effective for both nostalgic fans and those brand new to the franchise.

Link : http://metro.co.uk/2016/02/26/pokemon-red-blue-and-yellow-virtual-console-review-pikachu-i-still-choose-you-5718656/

Michael Bisping has harsh words for Anderson Silva

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 01:57:00 -0800

There was a time when a fight between Michael Bisping and Anderson Silva would have been one of the biggest headliners the UFC could possibly book.

Silva’s widely considered to be the greatest fighter in UFC history, while Bisping is a world-class trash-talker and possibly the best fighter to never get a title shot in the organization.

But while Saturday’s main event in London, England, is sure to draw plenty of eyeballs, there’s a sense that it’s a fight that exists in a vacuum.

Yes, Bisping will call for a title shot if he wins, but he’s unlikely to receive a groundswell of support from fans. Nobody really thinks the Englishman has any shot at dethroning middleweight champion Luke Rockhold.

As for Silva, he’s coming off a year-long suspension after he tested positive for performance enhancing drugs last year. His last three fights are a no contest against Nick Diaz at UFC 183, and then two straight losses to Chris Weidman.

The Brazilian simply doesn’t carry the same air of immortality that he once did.

“The man is a cheat,” Bisping said at weigh-ins on Friday. “This man is a fraud, and I will make you pay for your mistakes tomorrow, my friend. All the needles in you a--, all the steroids will not help you.”

It’s seemed as if the steroid issue has come up every time Bisping has opened his mouth in the past couple weeks. In part, that’s gamesmanship on the part of the Englishman, who is constantly forcing Silva to address the one topic of conversation he’d surely like to avoid.

But Bisping has also had his career directly affected by performance enhancing drugs, especially the now-banned testosterone replacement therapy that saw a number of his opponents extend their careers.

Prior to 2014, Bisping’s highest profile losses have come to Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen, Wanderlei Silva and Dan Henderson. Each of them has been associated with either TRT or positive PED-tests at one point or another.

For Silva, it’s an issue that clearly still weighs on him. When he presented his case to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Silva’s attorney said the failed test was the result of a contaminated sexual stimulant.

“The biggest part is I wasn’t able to express what really happened,” Silva told ESPN. “I walked away from that hearing looking like a liar, but I was telling the truth the whole time.”

That line of thinking doesn’t sit well with Bisping, and it’s hard to hold it against him if he wants to hold Silva accountable. Throughout his career, Bisping’s long spoken out against PED-use in the sport, and would understandably have loved to be facing off with a Silva who hadn’t done so much damage to his own legacy.

“I am absolutely gobsmacked by this guy,” Bisping told ESPN. “Listen, you’re as guilty as sin, it’s as simple as that.

“Unfortunately, turns out he was a fraud. He was a coward. He was a cheat. He was taking steroids his whole career. He was found out and sentenced to a suspension and still denies it to this day. He pretends it didn’t happen. Well, shame on you.”

JONES RESPONDS

With their rematch scheduled for next month at UFC 197, former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and current 205 lbs. king Daniel Cormier have been getting into it again.

Strangely, though, it’s Jones’ war of words with the retired Chuck Liddell that seems to be making the most headlines.

Liddell recently went on The Fighter & The Kid podcast and claimed he’d still be able to give Jones ‘a lot of trouble’ if they stepped into the octagon together.

“(At) this point Chuck Norris would be the bigger challenge,” Jones wrote on Twitter.

“Maybe he should’ve fought smarter and saved some chin.”

While there’s absolutely no way any of this goes anywhere, it’s a reminder that the UFC’s always a little more interesting when Jones is around.

Link : http://www.torontosun.com/2016/02/26/bisping-bashes-silvas-ped-use-ahead-of-ufc-match