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Saturday, April 30, 2011
Tommy Tuberville successfully forces release of president’s birth certificate
Well, yeah, of course Donald Trump is taking credit for it, because that's what Donald Trump does. But look at the facts here, people.
First, Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville makes a live appearance Tuesday night as the celebrity guest on conservative television host Sean Hannity's "Great American Panel" on FOX News, where Tubs joins in criticism of the church where Barack Obama attended Easter services last weekend. Then he draws on his decades of public service experience to openly call for the president to release his long-form birth certificate to the American public:
Hannity: What do you think about this? The certificate of live birth exists. The birth announcement eight days later exists. So I think that's in the president's favor. But he could just go get the birth certificate and it would all be over, and I'm just curious why he wouldn't do that.
Tuberville: Well, we've got enough controversy going on in this country. I don't know why he wouldn't just step up and say, you know, 'Here it is.' Obviously there's gotta be something on there that he doesn't want anybody to see. I don't understand it. You know, as a common American, I just don't understand why we just go through this and I think it's continued to divide the country.
Hannity: By the way, for the record, I think he's probably born in the United States. Otherwise that birth announcement wouldn't be there. But it is odd.
Tuberville: Obviously there's got to be something on there that he doesn't want anybody to see. I just don't understand it.
(See video of Tuberville's appearance here.)
What happens next? What else: On Wednesday morning ? years after the "birther" issue began to smolder on the political fringes but mere hours after the man who led the Auburn Tigers to a perfect 13-0 record in 2004 went on national television to force the issue ? the President of the United States releases his long-form birth certificate to the American public. Oh, but I suppose that's just a coincidence, huh?
Here's to you, coach Tuberville, for daring to stand up where so many other decidedly non-political figures would not and singlehandedly resolving a critical issue that has threatened to split America at the seams. Where opportunists race to take credit, we know the truth: Thanks to your leadership, all doubts about Barack Obama's origin, background and legitimacy have finally been convincingly resolved forever, never to be questioned by anyone of any political persuasion again, and the American public can again look forward to years of a united citizenry standing resolutely behind its president. I guess all we needed all along was a "common American" to show those fat cats the light.
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Screencap via AlreadyTV.com
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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This guy’s tornado-wracked Mustang still drives … for now
This week's tornadoes that swept across the Southeast have been the most brutal natural disasters to befall the country since Hurricane Katrina, with a staggering loss of life and property. But this guy wasn't going to let his beloved Mustang convertible go without one last drive. It's probably completely toast, but hey ... it still runs for now.
The tornadoes hit right in the middle of NASCAR country, coming close to tracks in Talladega, Atlanta and Bristol. Many charities, including Denny Hamlin's foundation, have been set up to help the victims. The Salvation Army makes a donation on your behalf if you just text them. If you know of others, leave them in the comments below.
[Via Jalopnik]
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Gene Chizik vouches for Cam Newton, and the complexity of Auburn’s offense
If you want the cool, detailed, brainy analysis on Cam Newton's transition from a "one-read" offense to the NFL, check out Smart Football's take on the reads and progressions Newton was asked to make at Auburn, or maybe to one of those draft guides cluttering up the newsstands lately. For the fiery, emotional version, look no further than Newton's coach, Gene Chizik, who informed CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd and all the haters out there that his star player is 100 percent quarterback, man:
"Cam is one of those competitive guys," [Chizik] said recently. "… NFL stuff, I'll make this really clear: Somebody's going to take him really high and have a great player. Don't let that other stuff in between fool you."
[…]
"I've heard different people talk about the quarterback in this spread system," Chizik said. "I would just like somebody to define to me what they consider to be a spread. What I hear are a lot people talking out of both sides of their mouths that aren't really sure what a spread is."Is a spread based on five wideouts, four wideouts? Is it a spread based on tempo of the offense? Our offense, it's a power, counter, inside zone, two-back, play-action team. If that's what we're considering a spread, more power to them. He [Newton] had the exact same reads in our offense that he will in the NFL."
I'm going to guess he doesn't really mean "exact," exactly (note that Chizik has never played or coached in the NFL or any other professional league),� and that Gus Malzahn is readying a public statement, just in case. With a little more than a week to go until the first round, though, it's looking less and less like Newton needs the backup.
The general consensus since the start of the month seems to have shifted from the curious Blaine Gabbert love fest that dominated the draft conversation in March to a reluctant acceptance that Newton's potential is too much for the Carolina Panthers to pass up with the No. 1 pick: The vast majority of mock drafts from all corners of the web have consistently broken for Newton over the last three weeks, and the ones that don't have tended to cite vague "character issues," not his single year as a starter in a shotgun-based, screen and misdirection-heavy passing game that relied on his threat as a runner to an extent most of the NFL has almost adamantly refused to copy for other athletic passers. (Michael� Vick in Philadelphia being a notable exception.) Unless something truly bizarre happens over the next nine days, there seem to be very few people left who think Newton somehow won't end up in Carolina.
But it never hurts to have a little strongly-worded hyperbole in your corner.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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Samsung ?Alex? Chrome OS netbook revealed
The Chrome OS leaks keep coming, with the Acer ZGB netbook and Seaboard tablet being followed by details of Samsung’s offering with Google’s new platform. The Samsung “Alex” is a 1280 x 800 netbook powered by Intel’s dual-core Atom N550 1.5GHz processor, along with a SanDisk SSD P4 and Qualcomm Gobi 2000 3G WWAN connectivity.
Other specs include 2GB of RAM, Bluetooth and WiFi, an integrated webcam and a Synaptics touchpad. That differs a little from Acer’s model, which has a�1366 x 768 display and seemingly uses one of AMD’s Fusion processors instead.
Samsung, Acer and ASUS are all among the company’s namechecked to be producing Chrome OS hardware for launch in the second half of 2011.�However it seems likely that Google will do some sort of presentation of the latest hardware and software at Google I/O early next month.
[via Engadget]
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- Google working with Acer, ASUS, HP and more on Chrome OS netbooks
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Headlinin’: Utah AG renews pledge to sue the BCS (soon, he promises)
Making the morning rounds.
? Haven't seen you here in a while. Welcome back to the blog our old friend Mark Shurtleff, attorney general for the great state of Utah and noted BCS hater, who announced Wednesday he's finally prepared to make good on his longstanding threat to sue the BCS as "illegal monopoly" that violates antirust law. "I think more [states] will get involved," Shurtleff told USA Today, "as they have a chance to look at what we're talking about ? that this isn't about bragging rights, it isn't some kind of frivolous deal, there are serious antitrust violations that are harming taxpayer-funded institutions to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. And the right thing to do, regardless of whether teams in your state benefit, is to go after the antitrust violations." He'll be pursuing action in federal courts "within the next couple of months," which sounds an awful lot like what he was saying two years ago.
If it ever materializes, Shurtleff's effort will include the latest overture to the Justice Department to lead the charge against the shadowy cabal of conference commissioners that stands in the way of a playoff, following closely on the heels of 21 law and economics professors, Senator Orrin Hatch and the official anti-playoff lobby, Playoff PAC, all of whom have formally petitioned the DOJ to take on the BCS on antitrust grounds. So far, though, the Obama administration in general has been dragging its feet on backing up the president's anti-BCS rhetoric, for some reason. [USA Today]
? Dealing Devil. Duke linebacker Tyree Glover was booted from the team Wednesday, officially, for "conduct unbecoming of a member of the program." Specifically, Glover was arrested and charged with cocaine trafficking Tuesday in downtown Durham, and picked up another charge for intent to sell and deliver after police found 29.6 grams of powder cocaine and 72.4 grams of marijuana in his dorm room. Glover, a Florida native, was being held in the Durham County Jail this morning on $750,000 bond. [Durham Herald Sun]
After that, it's only fair to note that offensive lineman Robert Shofner was one of six Blue Devils athletes honored for community service Wednesday by the ACC. [GoDuke.com]
? Desert attrition. Arizona linebacker Jake Fischer, a returning starter who finished fourth on the team in tackles as a sophomore, will miss at least the start of the regular season and possibly more after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL he suffered in Saturday's spring scrimmage. Fischer is the third 'Zona player and second defensive starter (along with safety Adam Hall) to go down with an ACL tear this spring, and comes just a few weeks after a pair of backup linebackers abruptly left the team. [Arizona Daily Star]
? Pike makes right. Coveted 2012 quarterback prospect Zeke Pike, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound slinger out of northern Kentucky, committed to play for Auburn Wednesday over finalists Arkansas, Michigan, Purdue and Tennessee. In the SEC, of course, a "commitment" is just a signal to let the real recruiting begin, but Pike insisted he picked the Plains for mostly non-football reasons and isn't going anywhere. "I'm an Auburn Tiger and that's not going to change," he said. "There are a lot of kids that will make this announcement this time of the year and go back and switch, but that's not what I am. I'm true to my word. I get to sign in February with the national champions." Is that a prediction, Zeke? [al.com, Cincinnati.com]
? We're not going away. The parents of Danroy Henry Jr, a Pace (N.Y.) University football player shot to death last year by a police officer in Pleasantville, N.Y., have filed a wrongful death suit against the officer for an "unconscionable use of force." The officer, Aaron Hess, shot Henry through the windshield of Henry's car on Oct. 17 as he tried to drive away from a disturbance at a bar; Hess claimed he was hit by the car, thrown onto the hood and had no choice but to fire to stop the driver. An autopsy report showed Henry, 20, was above the legal blood-alcohol limit for driving.
Hess was cleared of wrongdoing by a grand jury in February and recently voted "Officer of the Year" by his colleagues ? an honor that clearly infuriated Henry's family, which is seeking access to more evidence to support its claims that Henry wasn't drunk and didn't represent a threat that justified deadly force. The Henrys have already filed a suit seeking $120 million in damages from the cities of Pleasantville and Mount Pleasant for police misconduct, and four Pace teammates arrested in the same incident ? all of whom saw all charges against them dropped last month ?�said they also plan to sue for police misconduct and aggressive prosecution. [Associated Press, LoHud.com]
Quickly… Nebraska picks up a 250-pound running back transfer from Eastern Michigan. … Ohio State remains never worn red in his life. … Someone actually asked Mel Kiper about Denard Robinson's prospects as an NFL quarterback. … Will Muschamp returns Al Golden's volley with a slight dig at Miami. … Iowa State's getting a giant new video board. … An Oregon beat reporter rocks an awesome beanie after practice. … Bruce Feldman names Alabama defensive tackle Josh Chapman the strongest man in college football. … And you'll never guess who's on the cover of today's Boston Herald.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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White iPhone 4 Thicker Than The Black iPhone 4
The white iPhone 4 officially went on sale today and we had a lovely hands-on time with it this morning. We even went as far as snapping a shot of it next to a Samsung Galaxy S II. The new color on the iPhone 4 certainly makes it look bright and fresh, but more and more folks are noticing that the white color also makes the iPhone look fat.
Apple struggled with the white iPhone 4 production, explaining that the delay was due to the affect of the color on the internal components. The white color filtered light differently from the black, requiring them to devise a way to protect the internal parts from sunlight. Could their solution to the problem be what’s causing the white iPhone 4 to look just a tad thicker than the black one?
The white iPhone 4 appears to be almost 1mm thicker than the black iPhone 4. That doesn’t seem like a huge deal, except when it comes to fitting into certain cases and accessories.
“Just picked up the white iPhone 4 and realized it doesn’t fit into my Incase slider case. It appears that Apple has increased the size of the plastic that borders the glass on both sides by about 1mm,” said one customer. Ryan Cash of Marketcircle felt the same way when he compared his colleague’s new 16GB iPhone 4 in white with his 32GB black version, and offered up several close up comparison photos.
However, Apple has not mentioned anything about the change in thickness and has listed both versions with the exact same specs. Have you picked up a white iPhone 4 and noticed this difference? If so, have you had trouble fitting it into a standard iPhone 4 case?
[via MacRumors]
Relevant Entries on SlashGear
- Best Buy clears shelf space for white iPhone 4
- White iPhone 4 by end of April according to sources
- White iPhone 4 to hit Best Buy on April 27
- Apple iPad 2 To Ship In Both Black And White
- White iPhone 4 delayed until late July 2010
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Friday, April 29, 2011
NCAA formally charges Jim Tressel with lies, coverup of OSU violations
Initially, before coach Jim Tressel was outed for essentially lying to his bosses and the NCAA, it looked like Ohio State was getting off kind of easy. In exchange for OSU's cooperation, the NCAA was willing to play good cop. It could have suspended five ineligible players who allegedly sold and/or bartered memorabilia to a local tattoo shop for the Sugar Bowl, but it didn't. It could have declared all five players retroactively ineligible and stricken all eleven Buckeye wins in 2010 from the books, along with their share of the Big Ten title, but it didn't. It could have gone after Ohio State the way it went after USC, in search of bowl bans and significant scholarship losses, but it didn't. In the wake of the sledgehammer that fell on the Trojans last summer, the punishment for Ohio State ?�a straightforward five-game suspension for four of the offending players to start the 2011 season, games the Buckeyes are likely to win, anyway ?�seemed minimal, perfunctory. Which is one of the reasons it made so many people so angry, or confused, or both.
That, of course, was before Tressel's long-running, deliberate coverup of the violations saw the light of day, and before it became clear that the NCAA ? and possibly the higher-ups at Ohio State themselves ? had been misled by one of the most respected men in the profession. What cooperation will buy you in leniency, deception will buy in retribution, and the NCAA began to extract its pound of flesh Friday with an official notice of allegations to the university.
It makes three allegations of "potential major violations," specifically:
? That, between November 2008 and May 2010, multiple student-athletes received preferential treatment and "sold institutionally issued athletics awards, apparel and equipment to Edward Rife, owner of a local tattoo parlor," adding up to more than $13,000 in cash, free tattoos, a loan and a discount on a used car one of the players bought from Rife.
? Under the same heading, that Tressel "knew or should have known" that at least two players had made inappropriate transactions with Rife, per a credible email tipster, but "he failed to report information to athletics administration and, as a result, permitted football student-athletes to participate in intercollegiate athletics competition while ineligible."
? That, as reported by the university, Tressel "failed to deport himself in accordance with the honest and integrity normally associated with the conduct and administration of intercollegiate athletics as required by NCAA legislation and violated ethical-conduct legislation" by failing to report emails alerting him to violations, withholding the information for months, allowing possibly ineligible players to play for the entire season and "falsely attest[ing] that he reported to the institution any knowledge of NCAA violations" when he signed a compliance form last September.
So the other shoe falls, and the shoe is a bomb. Collateral damage TBA.
Per standard procedure, Ohio State has 90 days to reply to the allegations by substantially agreeing or disagreeing with the findings (with copious documentation either way), after which it will appear in front of the NCAA's Committee on Infractions, which will hand down a verdict and sentencing, which will then be appealed, etc. The NCAA is moving fast on this, for the NCAA, but it almost certainly isn't going to get around to additional sanctions before the start of the season in September, and ?�assuming Ohio State appeals anything that threatens to inflict real pain ?�certainly won't get around to enforcement until well into 2012. The scenario for 2011 is the same: Tressel and four offensive starters remain sidelined for the first five games, and will return in mid-October with another Big Ten championship squarely in their sights. A full recruiting class will sign on next February.
Beyond that, though, whatever spoils the Buckeyes take in 2011 may be their last in a long while: Vacated wins, a postseason ban and possible scholarship restrictions are very much on the table, as is Tressel's job, arguably the safest seat in college football at the start of the year.� It certainly doesn't help the case that Tressel seems to have informed everyone except Ohio State or the NCAA about what he knew as early as last April: New documents obtained by the Columbus Dispatch show that Tressel ? in addition to his extended correspondence with tipster Christopher Cicero and quarterback Terrelle Pryor's hometown "mentor" back in Pennsylvania, which we already knew ?�Tressel also called an FBI agent within days of Cicero's first email alerting him to players' involvement in a federal drug investigation. Altogether, Tressel sent dozens of emails, phone calls and text messages to Cicero and the "mentor," Ted Sarniak, whom he called within hours of Cicero's first email.
Among the people Tressel appears to have had no contact with about the violations, according to the records: Athletic director Gene Smith, OSU president Gordon Gee or anyone in the Ohio State compliance office. I'm just guessing, but that doesn't seem like the kind of commitment to "confidentiality" that's going to hold up in front of the Infractions Committee. Not this time.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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This guy’s tornado-wracked Mustang still drives … for now
This week's tornadoes that swept across the Southeast have been the most brutal natural disasters to befall the country since Hurricane Katrina, with a staggering loss of life and property. But this guy wasn't going to let his beloved Mustang convertible go without one last drive. It's probably completely toast, but hey ... it still runs for now.
The tornadoes hit right in the middle of NASCAR country, coming close to tracks in Talladega, Atlanta and Bristol. Many charities, including Denny Hamlin's foundation, have been set up to help the victims. The Salvation Army makes a donation on your behalf if you just text them. If you know of others, leave them in the comments below.
[Via Jalopnik]
For six games, Kentucky star never made an out
Forget Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak. Bath County (Ky.) baseball star Cable Wright recently finished a different kind of streak that might be just as difficult to duplicate: He reached base in 25 consecutive plate appearances.
According to the Lexington Herald-Leader's Mike Fields, Wright spent six consecutive games reaching base every single time he came to the plate. While he couldn't get a hit every time his name came up, Wright's selective eye and ability to make contact helped him gather 17 hits and seven walks during the string. The other time he reached base came after being hit by a pitch.
"It was one of those things in baseball, like a no-hitter, that when it's going on you don't want to bring attention to it," Bath County coach Brock Baber told the Herald-Leader. "Cable's kind of superstitious, so we knew not to say anything to him. But we knew he was on a pretty impressive tear. It was an unreal streak."
The sophomore slugger was finally retired in a game against Fleming County, though that hardly puts a damper on his accomplishment. The 25 straight plate appearances to reach base streak is longer than the best such stretch in Major League Baseball; outfielder Frank Gray "Piggy" Ward of the 1893 Baltimore Orioles and Cincinnati Reds reached base 17 straight times via hit, walk or being hit by a pitch.
Wright's streak is also impressive when you stack it up next to DiMaggio's epic consecutive game hits MLB hit streak, which might be the most iconic in all of sports. Across the 56 games in which he had a hit, DiMaggio batted 91-for-223, reaching base via a hit in just more than 40 percent of his at-bats. Of course, Wright was 25-for-25 in his briefer but more consistently successful streak, but he reached base via hit 68 percent of the time he came to the plate.
Amazingly, while Wright's streak is longer than the best put up by a Major Leaguer, it isn't even the record for Kentucky prep players. Former Webster County (Ky.) High star Ike Bridwell reached base 26 straight times in 2001. More incredibly, each one of those Bridwell appearances on base came from a hit.
That past feat won't take away from what Wright accomplished, or how unique such a streak is at any level.
"[Wright is] a really smart baseball player who finds a way to get on," Baber told the Herald-Leader. "He's just a competitor."
Want more on the best stories in high school sports? Visit�RivalsHigh or connect with Prep Rally�on Facebook and follow us�on Twitter.
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This guy’s tornado-wracked Mustang still drives … for now
This week's tornadoes that swept across the Southeast have been the most brutal natural disasters to befall the country since Hurricane Katrina, with a staggering loss of life and property. But this guy wasn't going to let his beloved Mustang convertible go without one last drive. It's probably completely toast, but hey ... it still runs for now.
The tornadoes hit right in the middle of NASCAR country, coming close to tracks in Talladega, Atlanta and Bristol. Many charities, including Denny Hamlin's foundation, have been set up to help the victims. The Salvation Army makes a donation on your behalf if you just text them. If you know of others, leave them in the comments below.
[Via Jalopnik]
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Florida booted its best player for a pot arrest. Are Muschamp’s Gators going to be less 420-friendly?
Welcome, Florida fans, to the first official "Will Muschamp is Not Urban Meyer" moment of the new administration at the expense of your starting defense: Senior cornerback Janoris Jenkins, a three-year starter and All-SEC pick who by all accounts passed on a first-round projection in this week's draft to return to school, has been officially booted from the team in the wake of his second marijuana arrest in four months. The misdemeanor charge Jenkins picked up over the weekend was the third arrest of his college career, and leaves the Gators at the mercy of three new starters in the secondary ? one of whom may now very well be a true freshman. Total buzz kill.
It also marks an apparent shift in weed wariness in Gainesville, which had earned a reputation under Meyer as one of the most weed-friendly programs in the country. Former cornerback Wondy Pierre-Louis told the Orlando Sentinel last year that he guessed 75 percent of the 2008 BCS championship team got high on at least a semi-regular basis, presumably including stars Percy Harvin and Aaron Hernandez, who were both plagued by rumors of multiple failed drug tests going into the draft.
Another future first-round pick, defensive tackle Marcus Thomas, remained in the fold after failing at least two drug tests in 2006. (Thomas was eventually kicked off the team that November, according to him, for breaking curfew, going on an unapproved out-of-town trip and missing a mandatory drug-education class, but said at the time he didn't fail a third test.) Of the four Gators arrested for marijuana possession between 2005 and 2009, none served more than a brief suspension following the arrest, though two of them ? cornerback Jacques Rickerson and lineman Ronnie Wilson ? were later booted for more serious charges. Already this year, two other Gators, Chris Martin and Kedric Johnson, picked up marijuana charges in January, and remain on the team.
As far as I can tell, then, Jenkins is the first of many pot-loving Gators whose indulgence has actually cost him a spot on the team in at least six years. If Muschamp is determined to get that "75 percent" number down, even behind closed doors, booting a first-round draft pick is a good way to get there. It may not be so good for the win column, but you know, everybody has to choose their battles.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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Congratulations Mark Ingram, EA Sports’ newest cover boy. Have they fixed the run blocking yet?
Mark Ingram asked for your vote, and ? shockingly ?�the same fan base that showed up 92,000 strong for a glorified practice over the weekend has put him over the top: The former Heisman winner and soon-to-be first-round draft pick is the official choice to grace the cover of this year's edition of the NCAA Football video game series, following Shaun Alexander as the second Alabama running back turned cover boy. ('Bama follows Florida, Michigan, Texas and USC as the only schools with two stars on the cover; Alexander and former Pitt star Larry Fitzgerald are the only players to make the cover of NCAA Football and its more popular NFL counterpart, Madden.) Ingram's first major marketing triumph comes after he outpolled Washington quarterback Jake Locker, Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray and Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley in an online vote.
Cam Newton? Auburn's reigning Heisman winner/BCS hero was deemed too scandalous for EA Sports' blood. But a Heisman Trophy winner/national champion is a Heisman Trophy winner/national champion, even if he is a year removed from the glory ? in fact, the slightly delayed homage is becoming something of a tradition in this line.
The game is in stores July 12. No word on whether they've fixed the blown blocking assignments, or suction blocking, or time-shift blocking, or treadmill jogging, or the warp zone opposing linebackers enter to intercept passes over the middle, or DBs jumping the receivers' routes, or the many, many, many persistent glitches that litter every new version of the game. They did, however, screw around with the lighting and put the Oregon Duck on the back of a motorcycle, though, so there's always that.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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Headlinin’: The first round is still the best round (and we can prove it)
Making the morning rounds.
? Today in Duh Studies. You know that one guy, that guy at the end of the bar who keeps comparing Tom Brady to JaMarcus Russell and going on about how "the experts" don't know jack? Yeah, when he starts up tonight during the first round of the NFL Draft, point him to the Wall Street Journal, which did the math and found that, in general, first rounders are worth the hype. Over the last nine years:
?�85 percent of first-round draft picks are still playing, 20 percent better than the rate for second rounders.
?�First-rounders are 140 percent (!) more likely to make the Pro Bowl over the last decade than second rounders.
? The average first-round pick plays for nine years, nearly triple the league average.
? 40 percent of team captains are former first-round picks.
?�Among players who started at least six games in 2010, first rounders earned 55 percent more than everyone else.
? Of the top 50 NFL players in jersey sales, 32 of them (or 64 percent) were first rounders.
Et cetera. Also note that five of the last six Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks since Brady's last ring in 2004 were first-round picks, and the one that wasn't (Drew Brees) was the first pick in the second round. The scouts are professionals, too, you know. [Wall Street Journal]
? They're sincerely sorry. Killers on the green, too. Fiesta Bowl officials seem to have successfully convinced BCS head Bill Hancock that they're "dead serious" about reforming the culture of corruption that led to the ouster of bowl CEO John Junker, the looming threat of criminal charges and possible expulsion from the BCS, in large part by following all of the recommendations of an attorney the bowl hired to conduct an internal review. "The Fiesta Bowl issue happened, and yes, it was disturbing," Hancock said Wednesday from the annual BCS meetings in New Orleans, where Fiesta officials rehashed a presentation they initially made for a seven-man "task force" last week in Chicago. "But people in Phoenix are as disturbed as we are and … they want to do something about it." [Associated Press]
While we're on the subject, you can also check out the original draft of the extremely detailed talking points crafted by Ari Fleischer's public relations firm and distributed (via Hancock) to "task force" members after the Fiesta Bowl scandal hit the headlines last month. [via Playoff PAC]
? They see me bowlin'. So much for starting the "Cougar Bowl": With privileged BCS status out of the question, newly independent BYU announced bowl tie-ins for the next three seasons Wednesday, beginning this December with a guaranteed invitation (assuming the Cougars are bowl-eligible, etc.) from the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth. Looking ahead, 2012 and 2013 will send the Cougars to the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego and the Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco, respectively. [Salt Lake Tribune]
? Playing time is all you need. Washaun Ealey's status as Georgia's top tailback was already in jeopardy with the arrival of hotshot recruit Isaiah Crowell ?�for whom Mark Richt was not only willing to all but promise the starting position but also to break minor NCAA rules ? but it's never a good sign for your prospects when the head coach calls you out in front of a roomful of boosters. "Washaun has a ways to go still to show me that he deserves to start or even play right now," Richt said Wednesday at a "Bulldog Club" meeting in Augusta. "He has a ways to go in my book. We'll see. I love him, though." When you put it that way, the bench doesn't so bad … as long as there's love. [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]
? Send help. This is what ripped through Tuscaloosa Wednesday afternoon:
4-27-11 Tornado Tuscaloosa, Al from Crimson Tide Productions on Vimeo.
And this is what it looked like when it was done:
The University of Alabama campus was somehow spared, but the rest of the city was not: As of this morning, 32 people are confirmed dead, hundreds more are injured and untold millions are mounting in property damage. Across the South, the death toll from Wednesday's storm is approaching 200 in five states. You can donate to the mid-Alabama chapter of the Red Cross here, or text "REDCROSS" to 90999 to donate $10 to relief. [Tuscaloosa News, Associated Press]
Quickly… Ex-Virginia Tech starter Lyndell Gibson is found guilty of drunk driving, and plans to transfer to Hampton. … Mississippi State unveils plans for expanding Davis-Wade Stadium, complete with ghost people. …
Louisville unveils some new uniforms that look pretty much exactly like the old ones. … The Fiesta Bowl is hiring. … Examining recruiting expenses in the SEC. … A page from Gus Malzahn's playbook. … A Rebel/Black Bear compromise that leaves everyone mad. … And sorry to spoil the magic, but Paul Rhoads didn't really punch a moose.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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Thursday, April 28, 2011
Channel 4?s 4oD Catch Up hits iPad (but it?s not perfect)
UK broadcaster Channel 4 has released a 4oD Catch Up app [iTunes link] for the iPad, offering access to content shown on�Channel 4, E4 and More4 from the past thirty days. Like the BBC iPlayer app, it streams content previously shown on broadcast television.
Unfortunately, as you’d expect there are some limitations. The app only works in the UK, and US shows are not currently available to watch; that’s all down to licensing issues, naturally. It will only stream over WiFi, not 3G, and currently requires iOS 4.x, though Channel 4 does say an iOS 3.x compatible version is in the works.
There’s also no archive content – i.e. older shows that you can access via 4oD in your browser, or those shows that were shown outside of the 30-day window – though, again, Channel 4 says it is “looking to bring these programmes to you soon.” It’s currently a free download “for a limited time only.”
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
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After dad’s death, Justin Smoak lets big bat do the talking
When Justin Smoak returned to the Seattle Mariners earlier this week, he asked that the team's beat writers respect his privacy and not ask about the recent death of his father, Keith.
That's quite understandable, as far as anybody's concerned. Everyone grieves differently and the 24-year-old first baseman is choosing to mourn his father privately instead of through the media.
Smoak says he prefers to keep the questions about baseball and, after a week spent on bereavement leave, he's giving the Mariners reporters plenty of on-the-field material to ask about. In his three games since returning to the team, Smoak has gone 4 for 11 with two homers, a double, two walks, three runs and eight RBIs.
During Thursday afternoon's 7-2 win over the Detroit Tigers, Smoak drove in the go-ahead run with a RBI double to deep center in the fourth inning.
Not so coincidentally, Smoak's offensive output helped the Mariners to their first sweep of the season and their first sweep at Detroit Comerica Park since 2003. His eight RBIs were more than the six runs the entire Tigers lineup scored during the series.
"That's something you want to do, just get back into it," Smoak said after the series' second game. "Try to take your mind off other things."
Keith Smoak passed away in South Carolina on April 19 after a battle with lung cancer and there's no question that he died proud of his son and their close relationship. It was Keith who encouraged Justin to try and become a switch-hitter at age 9. It was also Keith who was with him every step of the way to the big leagues ? from growing up alongside Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters in Charleston, S.C., to his college career at the University of South Carolina to being the main reason the Mariners were willing to part with Cliff Lee last summer.
We can't say that his father's memory is the only reason that Justin Smoak is mashing the ball so well this week. He was hitting the ball well before the bereavement leave, too, with a .291/.403/.491 slash line in 67 at-bats through April 18.
But as Smoak works toward becoming the star slugger that many predict him to be, it's clear that his father will always be near the front of his mind ? and his teammates, too.
Indeed, when Smoak hit a home run in his first game back on Tuesday night, Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times reported that Smoak �was greeted at home plate by catcher Miguel Olivo.
"That was for Papa," Olivo said.
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Next on the Famous Spawn of Football Recruiting: Trey Griffey, The Kid’s kid
Hey sports fans! Just in case top running back prospect Barry Sanders Jr. wasn't making you feel quite decrepit enough, the 2012 recruiting class is also introducing the world to one Trey Griffey ? yes, that Griffey, latest of the venerable baseball bloodline that produced his grandfather, three-time All-Star Ken Griffey, his father, soon-to-be Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., and the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. But Trey's not here to talk about the past:
This being the Internet, you can find unconfirmed accounts that claim then-Seattle Mariners manager Woody Woodward sent Griffey a contract dated "2012" with Trey's name on it the day Trey (as in "The Third") was born in 1994, and ESPN's Peter Gammons actually did tab 11-year-old Trey as the first pick in the 2012 MLB draft a few years back. The football scouts have been somewhat less impressed: Griffey's only Division I offer to date is from Florida International, though a few heavier hitters seem to have shown some serious interest, and he hopes a transfer to a more high-profile program ?�Orlando's Dr. Phillips, which produced seven Division I signees in the 2011 class and is headlined this fall by a future D-I quarterback, Nick Patti ?�will bring more, better offers. The wide receiver portions of his junior highlight reel are nothing to sneeze at.
And if all else fails, he can always check to see if his dad kept that Mariners contract in a drawer somewhere.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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Tornado aftermath derails Auburn’s celebratory trip to White House
Auburn's neck of the woods in southeast Alabama narrowly missed the worst of the storm that wreaked havoc and death in Tuscaloosa and much of the rest of the state Wednesday afternoon, but this was probably a no-brainer: The Tiger football team has officially canceled Friday's scheduled visit to the White House to commemorate its perfect season and BCS Championship win in January.
We were all looking forward to the inevitable rip in the space-time continuum that would occur in the al.com comment threads beneath a picture of Cam Newton shaking hands with Barack Obama, but obviously, no one in Alabama is in any mood to celebrate anything. (For the record, Newton is in New York for the start of the NFL Draft, and took some time today with teammate Nick Fairley for a little outreach of their own in the Big Apple.) Florida Congressman Dennis Ross, an Auburn grad, has also scrapped plans to plant a Toomer's oak sapling on the lawn of the Capitol.
In fact, the travel agendas are reversed: Instead of Auburn coming to Washington, the president will be touring the devastated state himself on Friday. If you want to help but don't have a private jet at your beck and call, you can donate to the mid-Alabama chapter of the Red Cross here, or text "REDCROSS" to 90999 to add $10 for relief to your next phone bill.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up, April 27th 2011
Good morning, or good afternoon to you all, depending on where you abide. It’s been another busy morning at SlashGear, and we have lots of news to wrap up for you. Verizon’s 4G LTE network is down nationwide, relegating those with a 4G hotspot or an HTC Thunderbolt to 1x speeds, but don’t worry, there is a workaround. Also Sony defends its handling of the PSN hack, and the sluggish pace of getting information to customers. Acer comes out with not one but two 3D devices, and Nintendo lets us know that sales of its 3DS are “weaker than expected”. After hearing that sales of the 3DS set records, we wonder if we can ever believe earnings reports. Much more news to wrap up, and A NEW GIVEAWAY after the cut.
The white iPhone is coming, the white iPhone is coming! It will be out tomorrow. Also, you can now use Qik Video Connect to taunt your Android friends by video (or vice versa). Apple also has released a Q&A about tracking to calm your fears. And the iPad 2 will be available in Asia May 6.
We preview the Sony Freestyle Hybrid PC and “Ultimate” ultraportable notebook, so be sure to check that out.
Qualcomm/BSQUARE MDP Giveaway! BSQUARE MDP with 1.5GHz dual-core MSM8660 Snapdragon is any developer’s dream come true, and we are giving one away. Check out the details here.
Amazon’s ad-featuring, cheaper Kindle is now shipping.
AT&T is mad as hell and isn’t going to take it anymore, charging $25 fee for unofficial tethering.
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Google Docs Android App Launched, Uses Phone Camera For OCR Text Capture
It’s surprising how long it has taken for some of Google’s primary products to get an app version for their Android platform. Today, the Google Docs product of services has finally gotten its app launched and will bring easy editing and sharing of documents to your mobile device. Now you really have no excuse for not finishing work while on the go.
The app will make it easy for you to filter and search for your content across any of your Google accounts and jump straight into editing via the online mobile editors. Your documents can also be easily shared with contacts on your phone from within the app. Additionally, content can be uploaded from your phone, documents can be directly opened from Gmail, and shortcut widgets can be added to the home screen for your most common tasks.
But perhaps the standout feature is the integration of OCR (Optical Character Recognition). This feature along with the use of your phone’s camera can convert photos with text into editable documents. The process is as simple as tapping the “Document from Photo” option or selecting the camera icon from the widget. The converted document will appear in your documents list ready for editing. Photos already stored on your camera can also be converted via OCR.
The Google Docs app works for smartphones with Android 2.1 and above. It is available for download at the Android Market.
[via Android Community]
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AT&T warns unofficial tethering will auto-trigger $25 extra fee
AT&T obviously isn’t relying on either honor or guilt to get people to stop unofficially tethering their phones. Having sent out SMS warnings last month to smartphone users caught tethering without a special data plan that they were flouting the carrier’s policies, AT&T has apparently followed up with a second message, reports TiPB, saying they’ll be automatically upgrading users to the appropriate package, an extra $45 $25 per month.
“AT&T Free Msg: We’ve noticed you’re�continuing to enjoy the tethering feature with your smartphone service. Remember, you need a tethering plan ($45/mo, incl. 4GB) to use this feature, so we?re planning to update your line with the required plan soon. Visit att.com/dataplans or call 888-860-6789.”
Many iPhone owners had used unofficial WiFi hotspot apps like MyWi to share the handset’s connection out with their tablets, notebooks and other devices. While AT&T offers this functionality officially, it also charges extra for it: the regular smartphone data plan only covers on-device browsing and messaging.
What will be interesting is how AT&T reacts to the inevitable complaints from subscribers demanding they prove they have been tethering. Automatically subscribing people to a new, expensive add-on is likely to provoke no small amount of vitriol.
Update: AT&T has pointed out that the actual extra fee is $25 per month – on top of the existing $20 on-device data plan. That gets you�an extra 2GB of data for use on any device for a total of 4GB.
[via GottaBeMobile]
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