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Robert Rector: Worst national anthem screech, ever

by on February 3, 2012

AH, yes. Super Bowl week. that seven-day period when the hype reaches warp speed, when the media swarm descends on everyone from tackles and tailbacks to towel boys, ankle tapers and under assistant equipment managers.

It’s the only time when you’ll hear the complete life story of the back-up long snapper. Everybody’s fair game during Super Bowl week.

The steady drumbeat of analysis and adulation is followed by a game which, more often than not, becomes a yawn-inducing play-not-to-lose contest.

Go easy on the beer and bean dip. You might sleep through the whole thing.

For me, the real edge-of-seat excitement comes during the singing of the national anthem. will it be a moving tribute to the land of the free or an embarrassing flop by a performer whose marquee value exceeds his or her talent?

Just this past week, for example, we saw both extremes.

Before the Baltimore-New England game, the anthem was attempted by Steven Tyler, the legendary rock singer from Aerosmith. he sounded like a screech owl in heat.

Meaning no disrespect. Mr. Tyler made his name singing the likes of “Dude Looks Like a Lady” and “Janie’s Got a Gun.” Nobody ever mistook him for Pavarotti. Asking him to tackle “The Star-Spangled Banner,” a work that could bring an Irish tenor to tears, is an invitation to disaster. which is exactly what we got.

For a guy who judges talent on “American Idol,” he should know better and offer to recite the Pledge of Allegiance instead. Judge not lest ye be judged, as the good book says.

On the other side of the country, actress and Broadway performer Kristin Chenoweth offered a stirring and heartfelt version of the national anthem before the 49ers-Giants game while singing in the pouring rain. It was grace under pressure.

The next person or persons who hire Steven Tyler to sing the anthem should be arrested on charges of felony bad taste. because this is not his first foray into failure.

He famously butchered it in 2001 at the Indy 500, first by kicking it off with a blues harmonica solo, then forgetting some of the lyrics and concluding by changing “home of the brave” to “home of the Indianapolis 500.” I’m surprised he got out of town alive.

Later, an Indiana state legislator proposed a bill that would set specific “performance standards” for singing and playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and fine those who fail to meet the standards.

So who started this whole free-form interpretation of the anthem? why are we subjected to versions that sound like they were conceived in a blues bar at 2 a.m.?

Do a little research on the Internet and the blame seems to fall squarely at the feet of popular singer/guitarist Jose Feliciano. His version before Game5 of the 1968 World Series between Detroit and St. Louis shocked the crowd. Worse, it started a trend.

It was the ’60s, after all, not a good time for traditionalism.

That begat Jimi Hendrix, who did an instrumental version in 1968 that actually got air play. which begat Marvin Gaye, whose soul version before the 1983 NBA All-Star game became popular.

Then, there were the lowlights.

Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis in 1993 performed a version that was so bad, he apologized in the middle of the song. Christina Aguilera’s version at a Super Bowl was pretentious and bizarre (“What so proudly we watched at the twilight’s last reaming.”) Michael Bolton forgot the lyrics halfway through his version even though he had them written on his hand. Kat DeLuna got booed out of Texas stadium after her rendition.

But the hands-down worst version ever was by Roseanne Barr before a San Diego Padres baseball game. after screeching and grunting through the song, she finished by grabbing her crotch and spitting as the boos rained down on her. Who in the world thought this would be a good idea?

(For the record, I listened and watched each and every one of these performances on YouTube. It was a four-aspirin experience.)

The gold standard is Whitney Houston’s flawless and mostly traditional anthem before the Super Bowl in 1991 that became so popular it was released as a single and made the Billboard Top 100. once you’ve heard it, you’ll want to enlist.

Next Sunday, the anthem will be sung by Kelly Clarkson, the “American Idol” winner who had a recent hit entitled “My Life would Suck Without You.”

Stay tuned.

Robert Rector is a former editor with the Pasadena Star-News and Los Angeles Times.

Robert Rector: Worst national anthem screech, ever

Scottish opposition leaders back equal marriage

by on February 3, 2012

The leaders of Scotland’s four opposition parties pledged their support for equal marriage rights for gay couples yesterday.

The heads of the Scottish Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Green parties backed the Equal Marriage Pledge, which aims to lift the ban on gay marriage and straight civil partnerships in Scotland.

Johann Lamont MSP, Ruth Davidson MSP, Willie Rennie MSP and Patrick Harvie MSP jointly signed the Equality Network document at Holyrood yesterday afternoon.

The Scottish Parliament of 129 seats is made up of 69 Scottish National Party members and opposition, 59 opposition party members and one independent MSP.

Following the move, over 400 people attended an Equality Network reception in the Scottish Parliament.

Tom French, Policy Coordinator for the Equality Network, said: “We are delighted that leading politicians from across the political spectrum have united for Equal Marriage. we know that a majority of Scots back full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, as highlighted by the huge turnout at tonight’s reception.

“We agree with Alex Salmond’s ambition to make Scotland a progressive beacon. The principles of equality, and freedom of religion, are surely integral to that. with the support of all opposition leaders, and a clear majority of the public, the Scottish Government now have all the backing they need to move forward with legislation.”

Launching the consultation on gay marriage last year, Scotland’s Deputy first Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the SNP government was minded towards equal marriage.

In April, first Minister Alex Salmond, announced his personal support for same-sex marriage, saying: “If a denomination is prepared to accept gay marriage then I’m in favour of it, yes. My personal feeling would be to tend towards it. but we’ll put it out to consultation.”

The Equality Network has said it recognises the government may not be able to sign the pledge until consultation results are announced in the spring.

Johann Lamont MSP, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, said: “I believe that the public witness and celebration of same-sex relationships afforded by civil partnerships and the legal rights created have played an important role in changing attitudes to LGBT people. I support the campaign for Equal Marriage and legislation which would allow religious bodies to conduct same-sex marriages should they wish to do so.”

Ruth Davidson MSP, Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, said: “I support the Equality Network’s Equal Marriage campaign. it seeks a more equal society while recognising that religious organisations which do not wish to carry out ceremonies should not be compelled to do so. The Scottish Government will bring forward legislation on gay marriage in this parliament and I want to ensure we have a workable way of advancing this issue for the people of Scotland.”

Willie Rennie MSP, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, said; “I want Scotland to be one of the most fair and progressive places in the world. Extending marriage equality to all is a really important part of that. The Equality Network should be congratulated on the fantastic job they have done highlighting the importance of this campaign. I am looking forward to working constructively with the all the groups involved who want to see this change in Scotland as we enter the next stage of the debate.”

Patrick Harvie MSP, Leader of the Scottish Green Party, said; “It’s really encouraging to see so much support for Equal Marriage both inside Parliament and outside, and all that’s needed is for the Government to come forward with the legislation.

“I’m convinced that when MSPs have the chance to vote on this, Scotland will once again set the pace of change for the rest of the UK by backing equality for same-sex couples. this is a vital signal about the kind of progressive society that Scotland wants to be in the 21st century.”

The Scottish Government public consultation on same-sex marriage closed on the 9 Dec, attracting over 50,000 responses. The consultation responses are currently being analysed and the Government is expected to make a decision on whether to take forward legislation soon.

Opinion polls suggest most Scots support the move. The Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2010 indicated 61% support and 19% opposition to marriage equality.

Discuss this story: 29 comments

Scottish opposition leaders back equal marriage

David Choe, San Jose Graffiti Artist, Set To Make $200 Million In Facebook IPO …

by on February 3, 2012

February 3rd, 2012 by

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(Also, there was the nugget that a graffiti artist who painted the company headquarters, David Choe, was paid in stock that could be worth as much $200 million.) Users: there are 845 million monthly active users, who swap 250 million photos per day.

According to the NY Times, its just might: the graffiti artist who took Facebook stock instead of cash for painting the walls of the social network's.

So maybe you've heard the news: Facebook has gone public, which means some of the lucky folks holding company stock are now quite wealthy including none other than renegade graffiti artist David Choe. say whaaaat?

Thanks to Facebook's upcoming IPO, David Choe, a graffiti artist from Los Angeles' Koreatown neighborhood is about to become a millionaire hundreds of times over. back in 2005, Choe was invited by then-Facebook

According to the NY Times, its just might: the graffiti artist who took Facebook stock instead of cash for painting the walls of the social network's.

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Chocolate fans come together for Planned Parenthood – The Herald Journal: Cache Magazine

by on February 3, 2012

Twenty-five years ago, Lee Austin had no idea how the first-everValentine Chocolate Festival would pan out.

Little did he know, it would become one of Cache Valley’spremier fundraisers.

“We really had no idea what kind of response we would get and itwas over and above all of our expectations,” Austin said.

A year ago, the festival raised more than $22,000 for thePlanned Parenthood Association of Utah and Logan Health Center. Infact, Nancy Sassano, who is on the Beehive State’s board ofdirectors for Planned Parenthood, said this is the non-profitorganization’s top fundraiser in all of Utah.

“I think the chocolate theme is definitely something that peoplerally around,” Sassano said. “They love the creativity of theentries, the quality of the entries and the people that come to theChocolate Festival are very much supportive of PlannedParenthood.”

As a result, Sassano is very much looking forward to the 25thanniversary of the Valentine Pro-Am Chocolate Festival, which willtake place Saturday evening at Accolade at Hamiltons Steak &Seafood.

The public tasting and silent auction portion of the event willbe held from 6:15 to approximately 8:30, with the live auctionstarting at 8:15. All dessert items – which fall under a range ofcategories, including brownies, cookies, cakes, chocolates, pies,tarts and non-chocolate desserts – will be assessed by a panel ofjudges before the auctions begin.

Simply put, if you’re a fan of a wide array of goodies or arelooking for a Valentine’s gift for that special someone, this is anevent for you, Sassano said.

“There’s really something for everyone,” said Sassano, who isthe chair of the Chocolate Festival organizing committee.

Not only are there a vast array of desserts, other items will beup for bidding. A year ago, a few of those items included a Thaidinner for eight, Spanish tapas and wine tasting for eight, amassage/pedicure package, bread baskets and an interior designconsultation.

Raffle tickets can also be purchased at the Chocolate Festival,with the grand prize generally being a piece of furniture donatedby Edwards Furniture.

Colleen O’Neill, who has helped organize the event since movingto Cache Valley in the mid-2000s, once remembers the grand prizerecipient donating the love seat back to the auction. that act ofgenerosity epitomizes what this festival is all about.

“There’s quite a community in Logan that supports non-profits,”O’Neill said. “I have to say I’ve been very impressed by that, thelevel of community involvement.”

If you plan on purchasing the most popular and delectable items,prepare to spend a handsome amount of money. last year’s Thaidinner for eight – and their were two of them – went for $1,700dollars apiece.

The more pricey purchases are made during the live auction,which features the judges’ favorite items. The first- andsecond-place winners in each category, the Grand Prize and People’sChoice winners and all Professional entries are made availableduring this auction.

Last year’s Grand Prize dessert, a dish of fudge truffles, wentfor $550, and the majority of the live auction items go for morethan $200.

“Another thing I remember was spending way too much money on adessert, but enjoying it to no end,” said Val Grant, who served asthe festival’s auctioneer for 20 years. “Yeah, some of that stuffwas like buying a $1,000 bottle of champagne or something, but goshit was just so good.”

Those who have tighter budgets or are more frugal in theirchoices can purchase much more affordable items during the silentauction. Goody bags are also available for purchase, “so there’s awhole range of possibilities for people to contribute,” O’Neillsaid.

Those patrons who are leery of bidding on items can still enjoythe ambiance of the event and sample the desserts for $10. Adonation of $10 (per person) allows one to sample 10 differenttreats – none of which require refrigeration and none of which aremade with raw eggs.

As for those who construct the desserts, they are divided intofour categories: Amateur, Professional, Parent-Child Teams (under13) and Teen (13-17). According to the entry form, professionalsare classified as caterers, pastry chefs, culinary arts studentsand restaurateurs.

“The one thing that’s kind of cool is the non-professionaldesserts sometimes bring in more (money) at the auctions than theprofessional desserts,” said Sassano, who has been involved inplanning this festival for at least 13 years.

Participants are judged on taste, texture,appearance/presentation and creative use of chocolate, according tothe entry form. The competition is friendly but fierce, saidSassano, who estimated each entrant invests at least $100 toprepare their items.

The top three in each category are awarded prizes.

“It’s really hard for the judges to pick the best because it’sall really, really good,” Sassano declared.

Approximately 500 people attend the Chocolate Festival eachyear, which ensures the 50 or so volunteers – everyone who investstime in the event is a volunteer – are kept on their toes.

“The thing that’s always struck me the most is how impressive anevent it is – the way it’s organized completely by volunteers andhow well the committee works together,” O’Neill said. “I’ve done alot of volunteer work over the years and this committee works sowell together.”

The first Chocolate Festival was held in 1987 and became areality thanks, in large part, to the efforts of Mary Leavitt andMary Piette. Before moving to Cache Valley, Piette lived in a partof Hawaii where a chocolate-based fundraiser was held.

Grant, who was on the local chapter of Planned Parenthood’sboard at the time, was all for trying something new.

“We were searching diligently of ways to try and earn money forPlanned Parenthood and one of the ways that was used, and not well,was making unsolicited phone calls asking for help,” he said. “Andgosh we all hated it.”

Austin, who was also on the board at the time, was moreskeptical. he wasn’t sure the community would get behind an eventlike this, but Piette was very persuasive and optimistic.

“She thought this would work in Logan because there’s nothingelse like it,” Austin said. “I mean, everyone does dinners andauctions, and now we have fun runs, bike races and golftournaments. But this seemed like an interesting idea, so we kickedit around for a while and decided to go ahead and reserve theWhittier Center.”

Much to Austin’s delight, the place was packed and “I wasworried that we were going to run out quickly.” Austin credits alot of the event’s initial success to the gregarious Grant – “he’sa ham,” Austin asserted – who took over the auctioning duties afterthe bidding had started.

To this day, Austin’s favorite memories of the festival involvethat first year and “trying to make that fairly austere gymnasiumat the Whittier Center look like a place for a big celebration.”Austin still can’t believe how high the bidding went in the event’sinaugural year.

The festival was held at the Whittier Center from 1987-1989 andhas since been held at Aspen Grove (1990-93), the Bullen Center(1994-2010) and now Hamiltons.

Grant, who still volunteers as an auctioneer for an occasionalStokes Nature Center fundraiser, will forever have fond memories ofhis involvement with the Chocolate Festival.

“I loved it. I could just stand up there and make a fool ofmyself and sell chocolate and raise money,” he said. “Yeah, it wasjust a kick … because the type of auctioning that I did wasreally more of a comedy routine than anything else.”

More information on Saturday’s fundraiser can be found atwww.thechocolatefestival.com.

MLB Free Agency: 10 Players Who Need Huge Contract Years

by on February 3, 2012

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Season Stats: .288/.339/.416, 12 HR, 65 RBI, 158 games played

Despite being one of the core players for the Dodgers, Loney is one of those guys who is more or less playing for his job and a new contract.

The glove work on defense has always been there, but the power that was expected to develop on Loney’s frame has never appeared.

His 65 runs batted in last season were his lowest total in the last five years and a good example of the power deficiency.

With inconsistent performance and low power numbers for a corner infielder, it’s not a given that the Dodgers will re-sign Loney. But it is likely, since L.A has no other proven options to put at first base, and he will probably end up costing relatively little for a player of his talent level.

That being said, Loney has one last chance to squeeze a multi-year contract out of the Dodgers.

Jason Miller/Getty Images

Season Stats: .224/.285/.422, 10 HR, 32 RBI, 71 games played

After being released and then re-signed by the Indians, it is apparent that Grady Sizemore is on a short leash in Cleveland.

The talented outfielder’s once quickly rising career has been derailed by perennial injuries, and teams that otherwise would’ve taken a chance on him were scared off.

One of the last true five-tool players before he got hurt, it’s likely that Sizemore would have achieved 40 home runs and 40 steals if he had stayed healthy, having already reached the 30-30 milestone.

But with significant injuries the last four years, he is lucky that the Indians were willing to take him back.

Anything approaching his first few years in the league would be a boon for Grady. If he can stay healthy and perform, it would probably be enough for at least a two- or three-year deal, and more importantly, save his career.

J. Meric/Getty Images

Season Stats: .243/.331/.429, 23 HR, 81 RBI, 153 games played

B.J. Upton has been continually linked to trade rumors the last several years, and that probably will not change this season.

Although .243 is a low average for a player of Upton’s caliber, 2011 was a good year for him.

Strong power numbers and 36 stolen bases went a good ways to demonstrating the potential that Upton has, and that younger brother Justin has been showcasing.

The character concerns about lack of hustle are still present, but it would seem that B.J. is maturing, and with Desmond Jennings ready to take over in center field, Upton would do well to impress in 2012, increasing his stock for a multi-year contract in free agency or a potential trade.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Season Stats: .254/.340/.499, 24 HR, 77 RBI, 118 games played

The former White Sox slugger is headed to a year full of deflating power numbers as he moves to cavernous Petco Park.

Combine the change in scenery with a relative lack of protection in the lineup besides fellow newcomer Yonder Alonso, and you can see why Quentin is perhaps the guy most in need of a contract year before he starts to languish away in San Diego.

Petco is a notoriously pitcher-oriented park, but the saving grace for the 29-year-old Quentin may be that he is a right-handed hitter with power to left, shown by the fact that all of the home runs he hit last year in Chicago were to left field.

Quentin is looking for one last lengthy contract before his power starts to go downhill, but San Diego is the worst place he could have started looking.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Season Stats: .298/.346/.536, 25 HR, 94 RBI, 121 games played

We could see a contract to rival those of Pujols and Fielder when Josh Hamilton becomes eligible for free agency next offseason.

We could also see a similarity develop between Pujols and Hamilton in terms of their contract situations.

The Texas slugger has said that he will discuss an extension right up to spring training, and this could create difficulties for the Rangers, as they envision a much more conservative deal than Hamilton’s camp is said to believe in.

I could see this playing out just like the Pujols situation, with Josh leaving Texas to go to the highest bidder.

Despite the injuries and addiction problems, Hamilton has been a premier player his whole career, and his stat line each season only adds weight to that.

There is no doubt that he will be a $100-million man with his next contract, but a full, healthy year played with comparable stats to last year could push his price closer to $200 million.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Season Stats: .292/.368/.421, 11 HR, 62 RBI, 135 games played

Andre Ethier isn’t in the best of situations.

With the McCourt bankruptcy and divorce fiasco and the team in the process of being sold, there isn’t a lot of money to go around.

A knee injury, poor second-half performance and what amounts to career lows in home runs and RBI don’t help Ethier’s case in aiming for a new contract with L.A .

Whoever becomes the new owner of the Dodgers will probably be throwing ample amounts of money around, and Ethier, along with James Loney, are playing for their continued stays in Los Angeles.

Ethier has a long way to rebound after last season, notably hitting only .220 against left-handed pitching.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Season Stats: 12-11, 1.08 WHIP, .217 BAA, 2.88 ERA, 221.2 innings pitched

It’s shocking that after all the years he has been with the Giants, all the games with no run support and win-worthy gems tossed out the window, Matt Cain wants to come back!

There is a good chance that the Giants will be able to get Cain on a long-term deal and for less than $20 million a year.

It would be wise to lock up the workhorse of a top rotation, especially when Lincecum seems to want to test the waters of free agency.

On the other hand, if Cain were to hit the market, it’s expected that he would get much more than the $77.5 million contract of C.J Wilson.

Cain has received Cy Young votes in previous years. an improvement to 15 wins total, which is significant considering the state of the San Francisco offense in the past, would make a big payday virtually assured, regardless of whether Cain chooses an extension or free agency.

Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images

Season Stats: .254/.345/.427, 14 HR, 61 RBI, 102 games played

With the Mets in the middle of a historic salary dump and financial disaster like the Dodgers, David Wright has been a hot name mentioned as the next to leave new York.

It remains to be seen whether the club will pick up Wright’s option for 2013, but the signs point to him being a Met for the foreseeable future.

After an injury-plagued season and with the Mets in a fire sale, Wright’s value is at an all-time low.

Teams don’t want to give anything for him in a trade, despite five seasons of 25-plus HR and 100-plus RBI.

New York wants to keep Wright, and he wants to stay in new York. If Wright can produce anywhere near his ’06-’08 levels, he will reestablish himself as one of the premier third basemen in the game and prove worthy of a $100 million contract

Harry How/Getty Images

Season Stats: .279/.322/.421, 10 HR, 59 RBI, 143 games played

Aybar already had a career year in 2011, but he may need something similar this season.

His job status may be up in the air with the rise of Jean Segura through the Angels’ minor league system.

The value is there—the fifth-year shortstop posted career highs in home runs, runs batted in and stolen bases, and he continued a career trend of great contact hitting.

And the addition of Albert Pujols will make the entire lineup better. Up-and-down production throughout Aybar’s time in the majors is a significant concern, however, and an encore of his 2011 performance would be just the thing needed to lock up an extension and a starting job.

MLB Free Agency: 10 Players Who Need Huge Contract Years

Hey Gunner Kiel Les Miles Just Lit Your Ass Up!

by on February 3, 2012

USA Today – Les Miles isn’t pulling any punches about the decision of Gunner Kiel to renege on his commitment from LSU. The Tigers coach was speaking about his recruiting class Wednesday and touched on the subject of Kiel, a quarterback from Columbus, Ind., who enrolled early last month at Notre Dame after being pledged to LSU in December. “we needed a quarterback in this class,” Miles said. “there was a gentleman from Indiana that thought about coming to the Bayou State. he did not necessarily have the chest and the ability to lead a program. just so you know.”

Burn! Nice small chest pussy. Back to the farm scumbag. Genius recruiting move from Les Miles. Let all the recruits coming next year and in the future lodge this in their brain. You consider LSU as one of your options when you’re not really 100% positive yet prepare to be eviscerated in front of the entire LSU fan base if you end up going somewhere else. That’s just how we roll. Hey they don’t call him the Mad Hatter for nothing!

PS- I don’t know anything about Gunner Kiel outside of this story and I’ve never even seen a picture of his face but I would be willing to bet my life’s saving he’s the biggest asshole on the planet. just a gut feeling. You don’t go to Notre Dame and have a name like Gunner Kiel without being a mega asshole.

Hey Gunner Kiel Les Miles Just Lit Your Ass Up!

Gronkowski practices for Patriots

by on February 3, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 2 (UPI) — New England tight end Rob Gronkowski took part in a Super Bowl practice for the first time Thursday, although his status for Sunday’s game remained in doubt.

“He did some things,” Patriots Coach Bill Belichick said. “He didn’t do everything. We’ll see how he is tomorrow. I think that will be the big key, how he responds to this today.”

Gronkowski, coming off the most productive season for a tight end in the history of the NFL, had not practiced since suffering a sprained left ankle in New England’s victory over Baltimore in the AFC title game Jan. 22.

He caught 90 passes for 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns during the regular season and his potential absence would be a significant loss for the Patriots when they meet the New York Giants in the 46th Super Bowl.

Gronkowski participated in the second half of a 2-hour workout Thursday.

The Giants worked for 90 minutes and running back Ahmad Bradshaw took part in practice for the second straight day.

Bradshaw has been slowed by a foot injury this season and New York Coach Tom Coughlin said he thought this was the first time the running back had worked out two days in a row since the start of the campaign.

“We did fine,” Coughlin said of the workout. “The energy level, the enthusiasm, the excitement is all there, as it should be, as it was yesterday. They’re really excited to practice for the game. I think they’ve done very well. this was a good day of preparation.”

Gronkowski practices for Patriots

Sources: Josh Hamilton relapsed with alcohol

by on February 3, 2012

jwilson@star-telegram.com

Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton had a relapse with alcohol Monday night at a Dallas-area bar, according to baseball sources, marking his second known slip since returning to baseball after battling addictions to drugs and alcohol early in his career.the Rangers have informed Major League Baseball of the situation, but had little to say Thursday night.”We are aware of a situation but have no further comment at this time,” a club official said.Hamilton also had a relapse in January 2009 in a bar in Tempe, Ariz. Photos surfaced in August while the Rangers were in Anaheim, and he discussed the situation the next day. He said it was the first time he had slipped since Oct. 6, 2005, the day he says he found the strength to battle his addictions through religion.He was the first overall pick in the 1999 draft but started using cocaine as a minor-leaguer in 2001. He failed several drug tests over the next few years and was banned from baseball in 2003. He was allowed back into the game by the commissioner’s office in 2006 after staying sober for more than half a year. Hamilton made the Cincinnati Reds’ Opening Day roster in 2007, and was traded to the Rangers in December 2007.Hamilton, who won the American League MVP in 2010, is tested three times a week for drugs. He had been accompanied on the road by Johnny Narron since his major-league debut in 2007, but Narron left the Rangers after last season to become hitting coach in Milwaukee.the Rangers hired Hamilton’s father-in-law, Michael Dean Chadwick, last month to replace Narron has Hamilton’s accountability partner, but Chadwick backed out shortly after taking the position to tend to his family and business in North Carolina.the Rangers have zeroed in on a replacement and were planning to make an announcement of Chadwick’s replacement perhaps as early as next week.Read more here: http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/foul_territory/2012/02/sources-josh-hamilton-relapsed-with-alcohol.html#storylink=cpy

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Patriots Teammates Do Rob Gronkowski Impressions [VIDEO]

by on February 3, 2012

Most people rip Media Day which precedes the Super Bowl. However, there were a few highlights from Tuesday. Check out some Patriot players doing their best impression of Gronk.

It’s funny to me how Gronkowski’s teammates go straight into caveman mode while doing their best impression of Rob. I like how Shane Vereen, a second-round rookie running back out of California, says, “all the chicks, bro. all the chicks.” It’s not a stretch to envision Gronk saying the same thing.

The “Yo soy fiesta” references are for an interview Gronkowski did with ESPN Deportes. Gronk did the interview right after the Patriots beat the Ravens 23-20 in the AFC Championship Game to earn a trip to Super Bowl XLVI. “Yo soy fiesta” literally translates to, “Yes. I am party.” We’ll roll with it, Gronk. The video of the ESPN Deportes interview with Gronkowski is below. Check out Gronkowski’s face when the reporter begins to ask his first question. Gronk’s face screams, “WTF?”

Brian Noe is the Program Director at 104.5 The Team, ESPN Radio in Albany, NY. Brian also hosts “The Noe Show” each weekday from 1-3pm ET on WTMM.

Famous Graffiti Artists

by on February 3, 2012

The origin of the artistic form of graffiti can be traced back to 30,000 BCE wherein the art has been projected on the caves, walls and other pictographs. in recent times, graffiti symbolizes any image, lettering or decoration inscribed on properties such as walls and rocks with the use of markers or paints. However, this beautiful art form has been grossly misused by many people to damage public property showcasing their false sense of authority.

Graffiti is also used as a medium of communicating social or political viewpoints. such activities have made graffiti a controversial issue. Some respect graffiti as an art form worthy of being part of museums and art galleries, while others regard it as a mode of defacing property.

Most graffiti artists prefer to maintain secrecy about their personal details. Currently, Banksy is a prominent name in this art form. this artist employs graffiti to convey his anti war and social messages to the world. he is now believed to be working in unison with the Bristol Museum of Art.

The French graffiti artist, C215 is quite different in his outlook and approach in comparison to Banksy. neither does he believe in holding back his identity like him nor are his works restricted to any one domain.

David Choe has received world wide acclaim for representing Barack Obama through the medium of graffiti. he is a versatile artist working on varied designs highlighted the art form.

Another prominent graffiti artist Pixnit also likes to keep her identify a secret. her work predominantly features floral designs and is highly appreciated in the cities of Boston and Cambridge. Some of the other important graffiti artists include Judith Supine and Dan Witz.

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