'How I Met Your Mother' Season 6, Episode 18

Filed under: Reality-Free, Recaps

['How I Met Your Mother' - 'A Change of Heart']

A repeated mantra in my reviews over the years is that I feel that certain episodes "should have been funnier" than they were. What does that mean? Well, it means that the stories in the episode sounded like they'd be fun to watch and were told in a clever way, but the laughs just didn't land. It's a frustrating state to be in as a viewer, because the episode doesn't stink, it's just not providing the belly laughs that it should have.

That's what we got tonight. Barney's behavior with Nora, and all the hits he took from Lily, should have generated more than a chuckle. Even the silly story of Robin's new boyfriend "Scooby," who acts more dog than human, could have had the potential to be funny. But neither really was.

That doesn't mean, though, that the episode wasn't satisfying. And you can thank Barney and his repressiveness for that.

 

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Houston Dynamo to Move East in MLS Realignment

Filed under: FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Kansas City Wizards, Portland Timbers, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Major League Soccer's love of conferences will be tested in 2011 by a balanced 34-game schedule, which makes the separate standings pointless, and the addition of two clubs in the Pacific Northwest.

It addressed the second problem on Friday, announcing that the Houston Dynamo will shift to the Eastern Conference after five years in the West.

Each conference will have nine clubs, thanks to the arrival of the Portland Timbers and the Vancouver Whitecaps.

The league's reasoning? Houston was the eastern-most club in the Western Conference. Done and dusted.

The move splits the Dynamo with in-state rival FC Dallas (mostly to the north, but slightly to the west), but it won't affect the number of times they'll play each other this season.

Houston's Eastern sojourn may be short. With Montreal entering the league in 2012, MLS will be forced to have one conference with 10 teams and another with nine. Houston easily could return next year, or wait until the 20th club (MLS is targeting New York City), joins the league. At that point, conferences will matter because the schedule will be unbalanced.

Either way, the Dynamo likely won't be spending too much time in the East, and they may not mind. Although the new conference offers shorter flights, it hasn't been as kind on the field. Houston has earned just 1.357 points per game against Eastern foes over the course of its five regular seasons, compared to 1.646 points per game vs. Western teams.

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The most recent existing team to switch conferences was Sporting Kansas City, which moved east in 2005.

The problem created by the balanced schedule, unfortunately, remains one that fans will have to live with in 2011. MLS has committed to determining its playoff participants based on conference standings, in part to avoid the embarrassment of seeing a Western team win the Eastern title for a third straight year.

That means the sixth place team in one conference might stay home this fall while the fifth place club in the other moves on, even if it boasts a better record playing the exact same schedule.

It's unfortunate, but it should be temporary. Unless MLS finds a way to add a 13th month to the calendar, it will return to an unbalanced schedule in 2012. At that point, conference standings will be meaningful once again.

Here's the new MLS alignment:

Eastern Conference	Western Conference
Chicago Fire	Chivas USA
Columbus Crew	Colorado Rapids
D.C. United	FC Dallas
Houston Dynamo	Los Angeles Galaxy
Sporting Kansas City	Portland Timbers
New England Revolution	Real Salt Lake
New York Red Bulls	San Jose Earthquakes
Philadelphia Union	Seattle Sounders
Toronto FC	Vancouver Whitecaps

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Matthew Morrison Releases Solo Single and More Celebrity News

Filed under: Celebrities and Gossip

Want to know what's going on with your favorite TV stars when the cameras aren't rolling? Check out the latest celebrity news from our friends around the Web and at PopEater.

o. Matthew Morrison, whose dulcet tones have previously made Sisqo's 'The Thong Song' sound like children's music on 'Glee,' has just introduced fans to a very, very different side of Mr. Schuester with his first solo single, 'Summer Rain.'

o. As you take in the wild new Ke$ha video, 'Blow,' you may be witnessing a career comeback. Her video co-star is none other than former 'Dawson's Creek' heartthrob James Van Der Beek.

o. After Grammer settled his divorce with Camille Donatacci Grammer earlier this month, the newlyweds tied the knot on a rainy Friday in New York City. More details have emerged this weekend about the Feb. 25 wedding of Kelsey Grammer and his fourth wife, Kayte Walsh.

 

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Oscars 2011: In Memoriam Segment Leaves Out Corey Haim And More

Now that the big show is behind us, it?s time to highlight a lesser-publicized tradition of each year?s Academy Awards: the fudging of the ?In Memoriam.? Oscar producers usually explain away this not-so-glamorous custom as being a result of time constraints, honoree career technicalities, or ? at times ? simple forgetfulness.
We?re still scratching our [...]

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Angry Driving and Husband Mischief Among This Weekend's New Releases

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Farewell Predictions and Advice for 2011 Fantasy Baseball Season

Filed under: MLB Sleepers, MLB Value Machine, Draft Advice

Thank you wholeheartedly to all readers of Fantasy FanHouse over the years. Interacting with you in our chats and on comment boards has always been one of my favorite parts of managing the section. Another big one was getting to work with such talented fantasy sports writers. I really hope that all of you will continue to follow their work in their next stops on the 'net.

We'll go out the best way possible: predictions and more advice for the 2011 fantasy baseball season from R.J. White and Knox Bardeen.

Kick butt in your drafts this year!

-- Tom Herrera

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Kevin Johnson, Maloofs Lacking Communication Over Kings Relocation

Filed under: Kings

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - With so many signs continuing to point toward a Kings exodus to Anaheim, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson on Thursday admonished the owners of his city's only professional sports team for the way in which they've handled the ongoing process.

Johnson, the former NBA player who is so uniquely positioned in this attempt to retain the Capital City's basketball team, was reacting to an announcement from the NBA that Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof had requested an extension on the March 1 deadline to file for relocation. Johnson, who said he learned of the news through a Google alert in his e-mail account, wasted no time in responding.

"Today's news is very disappointing in my opinion for the city of Sacramento," Johnson said early in his news conference that lasted nearly 20 minutes and much of which can be seen here. "As you know, the Kings have asked the NBA for an extension of March 1 in terms of relocation, that deadline. I don't think you can mince words. It means one thing: they're looking for a deal elsewhere, and they're going to take the next few weeks or so to see if they can pull off something in another city, and I just think, in my opinion, Sacramento deserves better than this."

 

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Is Cee Lo Green Covering 'Arthur's Theme' For Russell Brand's Remake?

FROM MTV MOVIES: You've seen him at the NBA All-Star Game. You've seen him at the Grammys. You might have even seen him in concert. But the next place you see Cee Lo Green could be the craziest, most-unlikely place of all: "Between the moon and New York City"?
The crooner has possibly been tapped to [...]

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NHL Trade Rumors: Jason Arnott, Brad Richards and the NHL Trade Deadline Buzz

The NHL trade rumors continue to swirl at a feverish pace, as names like Brad Richards, Jason Arnott, Paul Stastny and Dustin Penner have continued to pop up in deals that would see them shoot off to new teams. 

With just hours until the league's 3 p.m. ET deadline, we're bringing you all the latest news, rumor and analysis of every potential deadline deal right up until the wire. 

So, stick with us, grab some popcorn, and let's get started, shall we? 

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Heat Look Forward to Facing New Look Knicks in Renewed Rivalry

Filed under: Heat, Knicks

LeBron James isn't ready to call it a rivalry. Most of the media have already declared it so, especially once Carmelo Anthony came into the picture. But with only a few teams in the East with realistic chances of making a deep playoff run, the Miami Heat may have no choice but to embrace a reunion between two teams with plenty of shared history.

"We know the Heat and Knicks rivalry is way beyond our years," said James, who was only 16 the last time these two teams faced each other in the postseason with the likes of Alonzo Mourning, Patrick Ewing, Tim Hardaway and Allan Houston battling it out. "It basically started with the departure of the man upstairs coming down here and leaving New York."

The path James and that man upstairs, Pat Riley, took to Miami are quite similar in both the abrupt manner they left their former teams and the subsequent firestorm of controversy it set off. While James is aware of the bad blood between the two franchises, he hasn't forgotten that it's also been a decade since they faced off in meaningful games.

"First of all, rivalries don't start until you have a playoff series or two," said James. "But we'll welcome it back, we have no problem with bringing that old rivalry back and making it fun like it has been in the past."

Dwyane Wade arrived in Miami a few years after the Knicks began their decline into perennial lottery team status but has had his fair share of battles with them in the regular season, including a 55 point performance on April 12, 2009. Though the Knicks haven't won in Miami for almost three years, Wade is excited to see if they are truly a competitive adversary.

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Fallout From Tragic Car Accident Lingers as Charlie Davies Returns to D.C.

WASHINGTON -- The siren from a passing emergency vehicle could be heard as D.C. United general manager Dave Kasper introduced Charlie Davies to the media at RFK Stadium on Wednesday, the sort of blare that surrounded the striker as he lay critically injured after a single-car accident not far from here in October 2009.

Not that Davies recalls much about that tragic night that left a fellow passenger dead and derailed his soccer career.

"The only thing I remember was getting in the car, eventually putting on my seat belt and waking up in the hospital," Davies said. "I didn't know how I got there. The only thing I could do was panic. I started taking the staples out of my stomach until a nurse ran over and stopped me."

Davies broke curfew to meet up with Maria Espinoza and Ashley Roberta, college friends from the University of Maryland that Davies met on a prior trip to the Washington area. The three were headed back to the hotel where the U.S. national team was staying in advance of a World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica, when Espinoza lost control of her Infiniti SUV on the George Washington Parkway in Arlington, Va.

The high-speed wreck split the vehicle in half, killing Roberta instantly. Davies suffered multiple injuries, including bleeding on the brain, a ruptured bladder, breaks to his femur, tibia and elbow and several facial fractures. Espinoza, who was not seriously injured, eventually pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and driving while intoxicated. She isn't scheduled to be sentenced until March 23, but was ordered to court next week after federal probation officials issued an order that alleged she had violated terms of her pretrial release by consuming alcohol.

"I think it's a good thing I don't remember too much from the accident," Davies said. "That's maybe why I'm not too emotional about the whole thing."

Davies, in fact, wasn't hesitant about visiting the site of the crash a couple months afterward with U.S. teammate Oguchi Onyewu, who's from Washington.

"He wanted to see his father who was having back surgery in the same hospital I was in," Davies said. "He said, 'Do you want to come?' I said I wanted to. He asked if I wanted to go down the GW Parkway. I said, 'Yeah, I do.' He drove down and showed me. As weird as it sounds, it was interesting to see all of it again from a different perspective. I felt so thankful for my life. I felt relieved."

Those around Davies said the near-death experience and the months of grueling rehab changed the 24-year-old Boston College product.

"This experience has made him mature," Nina Stavris, Davies' fiancée, told FanHouse. "He's a better person now. He's more compassionate. He's more sensitive. The (crash) has had an impact on him, but in a good way."

Not unusual for somebody attempting to come back from such serious injuries, there were setbacks.

"There was time in rehab when a shard (of his femur) would puncture his muscle every time he tried to do something," said Stavris, whom Davies credited as being vital to his comeback effort. "He never knew if that would go away. It's totally rounded off now and doesn't affect him anymore."

Then there was the emotional torment of being left off the U.S. roster for last summer's World Cup.

"That was the first big low point," said Lyle Yorks, Davies' agent and a former D.C. United player. "Emotionally, that was very difficult for him for about a 24-hour period. Then it was on to having the best season he could with (his French club) Sochaux."

Davies, however, languished as a reserve at Sochaux, and Yorks began to explore Davies' options stateside. After weeks of negotiations, United acquired Davies on a one-season loan.

Even though he will be only a few miles away from the Alexandria, Va., courtroom where Espinoza will be sentenced next month, Davies has declined to participate in person. He had the option to give a victim impact statement in court, but his lawyer, Jon Pels, told FanHouse that Davies has opted to instead submit a written statement. Peter Carr, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, declined to comment on Davies' decision not to participate more in the penalty phase of the case.

"We just made the decision that it was best to focus on soccer," Davies said. "I want to leave that to the (U.S.) Attorney and the lawyers. My focus now is getting back to where I was and help (D.C. United) win games."

As Davies moves on, Espinoza faces as many as 13 years in prison and the Roberta family -- some members of which were still nearly inconsolable during Espinoza's plea hearing in November -- still haven't fully come to terms with the loss of a daughter and a sister.

 

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Madison Rayne: The Queen of TNA's Hogan-Bischoff Regime

Let me start of by saying that I am not the biggest fan of TNA.

As a matter of fact, I'm hardly a fan at all. Not only do I find the current product of Total NonStop Action Wrestling to be, for the most part, far inferior to World Wrestling Entertainment, but I also believe that the company itself is a sinking ship that cannot be saved.

In midist of that sinking ship, however, are two well-peserved lifeboats that have kept the company from meeting its eventual demise on a much sooner date. The two lifeboats I'm talking about are TNA's tag team division and, more specifically, their Knockouts division.

Despite TNA becoming an absolute train wreck in the past two years, these are the two divisions that TNA has the upper hand on over WWE, and they are also what's keeping the company alive. You'll find absolutely no criticism from me when it comes to its tag teams and female talent.

Unlike WWE Divas, who are mostly models that can barely cut a promo or know what to do inside a ring,  TNA Knockouts are not only beautiful, but they can also talk and wrestle as well. That fact alone makes TNA the company with the superior female talent.

And over the past two years, one female talent in particular has risen through the ranks to become the queen of the Hogan-Bischoff regime -  the current Women's Knockout Champion, and my personal favorite TNA Knockout - Madison Rayne.

Madison Rayne made her TNA debut back in January 2009 and quickly became the third member of The Beautiful People.

Rayne initially started off as a memeber-in-training that assisted Angelina Love and Velvet Sky in their matches. After several months, she was kicked out of the stable and subsequently humiliated by her former partners.

But shortly after Rayne's exile, Love was temporarily released from her contract due to Visa issues. This not only allowed Rayne to rejoin the stable to fill in the space, but slowly take control of it as well. When Love finally returned a few months later, she became a face and attacked the group. This allowed Rayne to become the new de-facto leader of The Beautiful People.

After assuming leadership, Madison Rayne became the new Knockout Tag Team Champion with TBF on the March 8th, 2010 edition of TNA Impact!, and would also win the Women's Knockout Championship at Lockdown on April 18th, 2010.

Rayne held both titles for several months, before losing them in mid-2010 to Love at Victory Road and the team of Hamada and Taylor Wilde respectively. She would later win back the Women's Knockout Championship from Love just 48 hours after her defeat, only to drop the title back to Love again on The Whole F'n Show the following month.

It was around this time that Rayne had become increasingly power-hungry, which caused Sky to turn face and reunite with Love. By reforming the original Beautiful People, Rayne was left to fend for herself...or so the fans thought...

After being permanently kicked out of the now-face Beautiful People, Rayne became a brunette and formed an alliance with returning TNA Knockout Tara. Tara, who had previously been forced to retire, became a bodyguard of sorts to the same Knockout that had "retired" her.

Tara's loyalty to Rayne proved to be so strong that after she defeated Love for the Knockouts title at Bound for Glory, she would deliberately lay down for Rayne the following week on Impact!, making Rayne a three-time Knockout Champion in the process.

Rayne has since proven her dominace over the Knockouts division, particularly against her newest rival, former WWE Diva Mickie James. She defeated James at both Genesis in January and Against All Odds this past month.

As I write this, is still the current Knockouts Champion. With her third singles title run clocking in at 140 days so far, Rayne has become the second-longest reigning Women's Knockout Champion in TNA history; her 250 day record is beaten only by Awesome Kong, who was champion for a total of 347 days.

Taking things one step further, if Rayne were to hold the title for another two months, her current reign would become the longest in TNA history. As The Miz would say...awesome.

There are many things wrong with TNA's current product today. Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff have done more harm than good to the company, and their presence alone may very well make TNA go the way of WCW and ECW before it. Even the most hardcore of fans would agree with me when I say that Impact! was a much better show to watch before Hogan and company arrived.

There's no doubt that in the past year, TNA has destroyed many of the things that made me watch the show in the first place. The X Division is now known as Jay Lethal and Robbie E. The Global Championship division is non-existent. Don't even get me started on the main-event. And I'll admit, even the tag team division is starting to fade.

But I've still got the Knockouts division to look forward to. If the Hogan-Bischoff regime has given me anything to be optimistic about, then the rise of Rayne is one of the only things I can think of. Being a fan of her's is one of the only reasons I watch TNA anymore, and that's definitely not on a weekly basis.

It's funny how when everything else is falling into a downward spiral, a select few stars manage to work hard and rise to the top.

Rayne is one of those few.

Long live the queen.

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Oscar Nominee Amy Adams Shares Her Scenes With Kristen Stewart In 'On The Road'

There are very few reasons not to get excited about "On the Road." Director Walter Salles' adaptation of the classic Jack Kerouac novel is easily one of the most awaited book-to-film projects currently in development, and to say that the expectations for the Garrett Hedlund-starring flick are high ? at least in our neck of [...]

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Thumbs-Up Cat Just Wants You to Chill Out, Bro

Filed under: Humor, Videos, Animals

Jimmy the cat is just hanging out on the couch minding his own business when you get all up in his face with the baby talk.

And it's like, listen lady, I love you -- truly -- you bring the food, you scratch my tummy, but lay off and let a dude nap, ya know?

I feel you, Jimmy. Thumbs up and nap for life.

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Houston Dynamo to Move East in MLS Realignment

Filed under: FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Kansas City Wizards, Portland Timbers, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Major League Soccer's love of conferences will be tested in 2011 by a balanced 34-game schedule, which makes the separate standings pointless, and the addition of two clubs in the Pacific Northwest.

It addressed the second problem on Friday, announcing that the Houston Dynamo will shift to the Eastern Conference after five years in the West.

Each conference will have nine clubs, thanks to the arrival of the Portland Timbers and the Vancouver Whitecaps.

The league's reasoning? Houston was the eastern-most club in the Western Conference. Done and dusted.

The move splits the Dynamo with in-state rival FC Dallas (mostly to the north, but slightly to the west), but it won't affect the number of times they'll play each other this season.

Houston's Eastern sojourn may be short. With Montreal entering the league in 2012, MLS will be forced to have one conference with 10 teams and another with nine. Houston easily could return next year, or wait until the 20th club (MLS is targeting New York City), joins the league. At that point, conferences will matter because the schedule will be unbalanced.

Either way, the Dynamo likely won't be spending too much time in the East, and they may not mind. Although the new conference offers shorter flights, it hasn't been as kind on the field. Houston has earned just 1.357 points per game against Eastern foes over the course of its five regular seasons, compared to 1.646 points per game vs. Western teams.

Follow Brian Straus on Twitter Follow FH Soccer on Twitter

The most recent existing team to switch conferences was Sporting Kansas City, which moved east in 2005.

The problem created by the balanced schedule, unfortunately, remains one that fans will have to live with in 2011. MLS has committed to determining its playoff participants based on conference standings, in part to avoid the embarrassment of seeing a Western team win the Eastern title for a third straight year.

That means the sixth place team in one conference might stay home this fall while the fifth place club in the other moves on, even if it boasts a better record playing the exact same schedule.

It's unfortunate, but it should be temporary. Unless MLS finds a way to add a 13th month to the calendar, it will return to an unbalanced schedule in 2012. At that point, conference standings will be meaningful once again.

Here's the new MLS alignment:

Eastern Conference	Western Conference
Chicago Fire	Chivas USA
Columbus Crew	Colorado Rapids
D.C. United	FC Dallas
Houston Dynamo	Los Angeles Galaxy
Sporting Kansas City	Portland Timbers
New England Revolution	Real Salt Lake
New York Red Bulls	San Jose Earthquakes
Philadelphia Union	Seattle Sounders
Toronto FC	Vancouver Whitecaps

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Arsenal 1 Birmingham 2: A Triumph for True Grit as Johnson Shows British Is Best

I used to hate Birmingham City when the club was owned by the seedy David Sullivan, but their Carling Cup Final victory over Arsenal had me cheering.

That’s because Alex McLeish’s glory boys proved at Wembley that British footballers can compete with the best in the business. It also proved that Premier League clubs do NOT need to spend a fortune on continental imports rather than buy the finest young talent from England’s lower divisions.

Anyway, as a lifelong footy fan I thought Birmingham fully deserved their win, even if I could have scored Obafemi Martins’ winning goal myself. I said could have, not would have!

To me it was a special occasion as the British bulldog spirit conquered supposedly one of the best club teams in the world. The experts predicted an easy win for Arsenal and instead saw them sunk by a Churchillian effort from the boys from the Midlands.

The Wembley war was won by the true grit of a Birmingham team whose starting line-up included EIGHT players from the UK and Ireland. And that is rare indeed for a Premier League team, the majority of which are packed with megabucks signings from overseas.

Please don’t label me a racist, because that is the last thing I am. While I love the way Arsenal play—indeed I think they are the best side in the Premier League—they are not an English team. They are a World XI that just happen to be based in London.

Sometimes Arsene Wenger’s team take the field without a single Brit but on Sunday the Frenchman’s World XI did at least have Jack Wilshere in the line-up. (OK Gunners fans, I accept that if Theo Walcott had not been injured, there may have been two Englishmen in the side).

I believe England’s flop in last year’s World Cup was largely due to the fact so few homegrown players feature in the top club sides. And I am convinced things would improve if Premier League bosses stopped buying abroad and started investing in the Championship—the second tier of the English game—which is packed with talented youngsters.

Birmingham centre-back Roger Johnson, one of Sunday’s bruised and battered Carling Cup heroes, is an example of what I mean.

Not because he was my hero before my beloved Cardiff City sold him for £5million a couple of years ago—and not because of the 6'3" defender’s special courage in the face of giant odds at Wembley.

Unable to train all week, he hobbled defiantly through the last half-hour after taking a knock that would have seen many lesser players carried off.

The fact is that Johnson turned in consistently brilliant performances for Cardiff week after week—yet until Birmingham came in for him, he might as well have been playing on the moon.

Not that we Bluebirds fans were complaining at the lack of interest, of course.

While the big boys were looking abroad to strengthen their defences, Roger was lifting us towards the Premier League. Now, after less than two seasons strutting his stuff at St Andrews, he is probably rated at £20 million and being touted as a future England centre-back.

What I want to know is why was Johnson not poached by any of the Premier League giants much earlier when he was turning in consistently brilliant performances week after week for Cardiff?

Ironically, a few months before Roger’s move to Birmingham, Wenger had forked out £5 million himself for Cardiff teenager Aaron Ramsey. Yet the names of the players that have since moved in at the Emirates continue to be as unspellable as ever.

At least Arsenal’s sorry losers still have something to celebrate after their Carling Cup misery. European Union law is apparently standing in the way of the desire by FIFA President Sepp Blatter and his UEFA counterpart Michel Platini to impose limits on the number of foreign players in a team.

Perhaps the solution would be a friendly agreement between the Football Association and Premier League clubs to field no more than five or maybe six overseas players in the team at any given time.

But I’m a woman. What do I know about football?

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Nicolas Cage Says 'Drive Angry' Is Made For Midnight Audiences

Anyone who has been following the campaign for Nicolas Cage's new action-adrenaline thriller "Drive Angry" should know by now that while the film is not a likely awards contender, the trailers give enough away for filmgoers to know what they're getting themselves into.
This is Cage at his absolute "Cage-iest," supported by pretty Amber Heard and [...]

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Stringer Bell and Others Might Be in 'Prometheus'

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Thumbs-Up Cat Just Wants You to Chill Out, Bro

Filed under: Humor, Videos, Animals

Jimmy the cat is just hanging out on the couch minding his own business when you get all up in his face with the baby talk.

And it's like, listen lady, I love you -- truly -- you bring the food, you scratch my tummy, but lay off and let a dude nap, ya know?

I feel you, Jimmy. Thumbs up and nap for life.

Tweet

• via:// Blame It on the Voices
• related:// Smokey the Cat Has the World's Loudest Purr -- As Loud as a 737!

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NFL Players Association Threatening Decertification Before Current CBA Expires

As we inch closer to the March 4 deadline for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in the National Football League, the NFL Players Association is reportedly planning to decertify if a new deal can't be reached before that time.

And with talks between the NFL's owners and the union at an apparent standstill after seven consecutive days of negotiations last week, that appears to be a very likely possibility.

The process of decertification for the NFLPA would block NFL ownership from locking the players out, thus allowing the usual offseason football schedule to resume while the two sides attempt to settle their disputes through the legal system.

It would also essentially dissolve the union as we know it, forcing the league to undoubtedly deal with a slew of antitrust lawsuits from individual players.

It's a headache the NFL doesn't want, and they've already prepared by charging the union's threat as an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board.

If the NFLPA does decertify before March 4, that's a worst-best case for the union as any individual suits against the league would still be under the jurisdiction of U.S. District Judge David Doty, who has, in the past, favored the NFLPA in any legal proceedings.

Talk of decertification might just be leverage for the union to protect a business as usual NFL schedule. But with less than a week to go before the current CBA expires, their options are limited.

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LeBron James calls for patience after Miami Heat lose season opener

? Expensively assembled side go down 88-80 to Boston Celtics
? Coach Erik Spoelstra: 'There's no reason to panic right now'

LeBron James has asked for patience after the Boston Celtics spoiled the opening act of his latest NBA title challenge by beating the Miami Heat 88-80 in their much-anticipated season opener last night.

"It's a feel-out process," said James, who scored 31 points but had eight turnovers in the game, played in front of a sold-out raucous crowd. "When you have so many options it's something I'm not accustomed to, having that many threats out on the court at the same time."

The two-times league MVP, who played seven seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and his fellow free agent Chris Bosh signed for Miami in the off-season, joining the perennial All-Star Dwyane Wade in southern Florida. With so much talent, they will be loved at home, vilified on the road, and on television as much as possible.

"We've played in hostile environments before, so that's respect," said Wade, who misfired on 12 of 16 shots against the Celtics and had six turnovers. The seven-year NBA veteran said the Heat have to "get used to playing with each other and get used to the attention this team is going to have on them".

Bosh was just as ineffective as Wade, making only three of 11 shots while creating little of the inside presence the Heat are going to need if they are to challenge for the title.

"We know what's going on," Bosh said. "We know that a lot of people are watching. We know a lot of people are really putting us under the microscope. We know that. It's evident. You turn on the TV, you see what's going on, you see what people are talking about. That's a part of the game. That's what it is.

"We knew it was going to be like that. Dealing with it is another thing. But at the end of the day, it's going to be here, it's not going anywhere. We just have to settle down."

The Heat coach, Erik Spoelstra, said over-eagerness by his players had counted against them. "There's no reason to panic right now," he said. "We knew this would be a little bit of a process, and this is the first step."

• LeBron James
• NBA
• US sport

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'A Better Life' Trailer Will Make You Feel Sad About Truck Theft

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Rey Mysterio Talks WWE All-Stars, Hispanic Market, Health and More

Filed under: FanHouse Exclusive, Pro Wrestling

When you watch WWE, the superstars are pushing the action more and more in the ring with innovative, never-seen-before, jaw-dropping moves. Now, THQ is taking them a step further in the new WWE All-Stars video game, which is set to hit stores on March 29.

All-Stars features arcade-style action where your favorite superstars can do even more high-flying, over-the-top moves that can only be done in the gaming world. The sky is the limit whether you're using Rey Mysterio as he flies through the air or you choose the legendary "Macho Man" Randy Savage as he soars off the top rope with a twisting elbow smash.

He's not the only legend in the game either as you can also choose from Bret "The Hitman" Hart, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, or go back a few more years and pick Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, Andre the Giant or even "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka.

And there are plenty of current WWE superstars available as well from Randy Orton to John Cena and The Undertaker. So with All-Stars, you have arguably the greatest roster for a WWE game ever that allows dream matchups of current stars against legends.

Recently, FanHouse spoke with Rey Mysterio while he was checking out All-Stars for the first time to get his thoughts on the game, WrestleMania, his current health and the growth of the Hispanic market for WWE.

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LeBron James and NBA player power | Nicolaus Mills

James's move to the Miami Heat with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade heralds a new era. Now sport stars create their own teams

As someone who grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, I understand the anger of Cleveland fans over the decision of the city's superstar basketball player, LeBron James, to leave Ohio in order to join the Miami Heat. Cleveland's great institutions ? the Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Art Museum, the Cleveland Clinic ? evoke pride but not much joy. Pro-sports are what make the news and unite Clevelanders.

When I was in junior high school, students were allowed to skip class and go to the opening day baseball game of the Cleveland Indians. All we had to do was show our teacher that our parents had bought us a ticket. Supporting the team, like paying local sales taxes, was looked on as a civic duty.

What is hard to understand in the case of LeBron James is the rage of Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert. "As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier," Gilbert wrote in an open letter to Cleveland fans. "This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown 'chosen one' sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn."

All this rage is coming from a man who regularly buys and sells players. On the surface, it seems little more than the hypocrisy of a businessman who had a deal fall through. But behind Gilbert's rage is more than hypocrisy. What infuriated Gilbert was that his money wasn't enough to retain the services of LeBron James. James and two other friends from the American Olympic basketball team, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, decided that they wanted to become the nucleus of the best team in professional basketball.

Driving the three players was a perfectionist's view of the game itself. Their combined salaries ? each will receive more than $100m over the next six years ? were actually $15m less than they might have got through maximum deals with separate teams.

In basketball, as in most professional sports, it is owners working with general managers who are traditionally responsible for assembling a team. James, Bosh and Wade, in remaking the Miami Heat, were, in effect, saying that idea is old hat. Owners are not the only ones who can put together a great team. Talented players can do the same job just as well.

In one of the few businesses in America in which workers have greater name recognition than the executives who pay them, the result has been a sports revolution. Owners such as Dan Gilbert have now been warned: the old formula for making a profit based on fielding mediocre teams and charging high ticket prices is in jeopardy. Players who want to see their sport played at the highest level can create their own teams. The example set by James, Bosh and Wade can be duplicated by others.

• US sport
• NBA
• LeBron James
• United States

Nicolaus Mills

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NBA's New Jersey Nets to play Toronto Raptors in London

? Regular-season games will be played on 4 and 5 March
? NBA looking to expand ahead of 2012 London Games

The NBA announced plans today for its first competitive matches in England when the New Jersey Nets will play Toronto Raptors on 4 and 5 March as the league seeks to expand professional basketball globally ahead of the London 2012 Olympics.

David Stern, the NBA commissioner, said: "To me this is the next step in the progression leading up to the London Olympics, which for us presents an extraordinary opportunity for the continued growth of basketball in Europe and in the UK.

"We consider the UK to be an important market in the NBA's global development. By bringing these two exciting teams to London we are fulfilling our commitment to schedule a regular-season game in the UK prior to the 2012 Olympics ? a natural progression given the overwhelming response to the many [exhibition matches] we have played to sold-out crowds over the years."

Stern also claimed that basketball could yet grow markedly in popularity here. "I think that there's a good possibility that basketball will assume a role that folks in the United Kingdom might never have anticipated. With the Raptors and the Nets [they] are going to have players who might possibly, not certainly, be playing for France, Italy, Spain, Brazil and Lithuania. This is going to demonstrate to us ? based upon the rosters of these two teams as they may even be modified further going into these [Olympic] Games ? the global representation in the sport."

Stern was less clear about whether competitive matches would be played annually in the capital. "Right now I'm not looking much further than March."

• NBA
• US sport

Jamie Jackson

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Will this NBA season be a coronation for Miami Heat's three kings?

The arrival of LeBron James and Chris Bosh to a team already boasting Dwyane Wade has raised their championship hopes

The Miami Heat became the most talked-about franchise in basketball in the lead-up to the new NBA season. They tempted "King" LeBron James (frequently regarded as the greatest basketball player in the world) and Chris Bosh (one of the best in the world in his position) from the bleak climbs of Cleveland and Toronto respectively to the scorching warmth of Miami, where they have joined fans favourite Dwyane Wade, who signed a six-year contract extension and is equally regarded as one of the best players in the NBA. These deals are the equivalent of having Pel�, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff in the same side at their peak. The three were introduced to Heat fans in a typically giant American spectacle, one that seemed more suited to the last night of Glastonbury.

Unsurprisingly, great success is expected of the new-look Heat, with James and Bosh having the added incentive to triumph as they are yet to win a championship, with Wade having won only one, back in 2006. But as hope rises in Miami, expectations tumble in Cleveland where following the departure James, the home team are not expected to even reach the play-offs. The Cavaliers had been trying to build a championship-winning team around LeBron since they drafted him into the side as the No1 pick in 2003, but now there will have to be a major re-think regarding tactics and strategy. However, it is hard not to feel a degree of sympathy for James, who was understandably frustrated being regarded as the best player in the NBA but with only one play-off finals appearance to his name ? a 4-0 defeat against the San Antonio Spurs in 2007. Surely he had the right to search for glory after so many disappointing seasons in Ohio?

James's move has upset not only the people of Cleveland, but fans of teams across the league. That was evident on Tuesday night as the Heat kicked-off their season at a sold-out TD Garden in Boston, where the Celtic crowd proceeded to boo the 25-year-old every time he touched the ball. The Heat went on to lose the game 88-80.

As James said himself during pre-season, it may take until January before the team fully gels which is perhaps understandable. Therefore, the fact James and co were less than convincing in Boston is no major shock. Also, it is easy to forget the Heat were up against last season's play-off runners-up, who were only beaten by the LA Lakers in the final game of the finals.

The Celtics are in some ways the opposite to the Heat: they have experience of winning championships and a team in which each player knows his role, and it was this which proved the difference on Tuesday. Miami were particularly poor in the first half, with their "Three Kings" looking more like three peasants, managing between them just 10 turnovers in the entire game.

However, for all the mistakes and disappointments of the three men most people were watching, it is easy to forget how good the Celtics were. Their defence was solid and in Rajon Rondo the hosts had the man who created the third highest number of assists on the opening day of any NBA season.

James, though, still shone and almost brought the Heat back into the game single-handedly in the third quarter as what was a 19-point lead for the Celtics was eventually reduced to three as he went on to finish with 31 points.

The Celtics followed victory over Miami with a surprise 95-87 loss against the Cavaliers 24 hours later. But despite the defeat, Doc Rivers's men are likely to remain a force to be reckoned with throughout this season. Last season's runners-up have added to their already impressive squad with one of the biggest names in sport; the larger-than-life centre Shaquille O'Neal, who also decided to leave Cleveland. Shaq may be reaching the end of his career ? or as he calculated in his first press conference, his "final 730 days" ? but he remains a force to be reckoned with.

With the high expectations surrounding Miami and Boston it is easy to overlook other contenders in the Eastern Conference, such as the Orlando Magic, last season's conference runners-up who boast probably the best centre in the league in Dwight Howard, who, like James and Bosh, has found a championship ring elusive. Also, New York will be hoping for a big season after signing offensive powerhouse Amar'e Stoudemire, a player Knicks fans will hope can push their team into the play-offs for the first time since the 2003-04 season.

Kobe Bryant's LA Lakers, meanwhile, have returned from their excursion to London for the European tour earlier this month and as usual will be expected to lead the running in the Western Conference. They have made few acquisitions over the summer, although having won back-to-back championships they may see no need to tinker with a winning formula. Bryant's play-off success has been somewhat overshadowed by James and his summer move, although with yet another championship ring under his belt, the 32-year-old has further cemented his legacy.

There will be much interest in how Oklahoma City Thunder begin the season as much is expected of the explosive young forward Kevin Durant, whom many pundits consider to be a strong challenger for James's MVP title in the coming years. Little was expected of the Thunder at the beginning of last season yet surprisingly they flourished under the direction of Coach of the Year Scott Brooks off the court and Durant, the NBA's Scoring Champion, on it.

Interest will follow the Washington Wizards as observers caste an eye over how the No1 draft pick John Wall performs under the NBA spotlight, especially after performing well during pre-season. Gilbert Arenas also returns to the side on 27 January after serving his ban for firearms offences. Whether he is still a fan favourite is yet to be seen, but either way Wizards fans will expect a great deal from him this year.

Interest in the new NBA season is, then, enormous. Miami remain favourites to lift the play-off trophy next summer but any of the teams that reach the play-offs are likely to pose a serious threat to the Heat.

• LeBron James
• NBA
• US sport

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NFL Draft 2011: Why Cam Newton Should Be Dropping Through the NFL Draft

I've seen the film.  I've seen the workouts.  I've seen the running moves, I've seen the throws.  I've seen the good and the bad, the touchdowns and the inaccurate throws that really should have been on target.  I've seen the wins and I've seen the news.  That's right, I've seen the stolen laptops, I've seen the cheating on tests.  I've seen shopping yourself around (let's face it, that's what happened right?  I mean, I don't care at all, I think he should have the right to sell himself to the highest bidder if he so chooses, but still, that's what happened), I've seen a lot of things.  What I saw out of Cam Newton today however, it outweighed all of that, and confirmed my worst suspicions about him.

You can tell a lot about people through their movements, the way they speak, and the words they choose.  That is to say, you can tell a lot that they're not even saying.  You can tell where they're from, their social status, their education level, their personality.  I mean don't get me wrong, there are certainly exceptions, but when you roll the whole package into one, even if you were blind you could build a picture of the person saying those words.  It can sometimes be as if you know them.  You know what I mean, you've watched something, heard something, or seen someone in passing and you were instantly able to tell certain things about them.  If you don't the next time you're on the bus, subway, or maybe even in the mall or the store give it a try, you'll see what I mean.

Today, when Cam Newton stepped in front of the microphone I expected big things from him.  He's a very impressive athlete on the field, he's got a contagious, Dwight Howard like smile, and he just seems like he's easy to forgive.  Plus, the NCAA found him not guilty (for now, and to be fair the investigation only took like an hour) so that's gotta count for something right?  (Okay, tried to type that with a straight face.)  Anyway, my point is-I came into today as a Cam Newton fan.  I was thinking Carolina might be well served to take him first overall.  Boy was I surprised.

When Cam Newton spoke, the only portion of his speech he seemed comfortable with was the portion prepared for him by a PR firm.  He said all the right things, but he said them like they were talking points.  He sounded like, well, he directly reminded me of Sarah Palin and her campaign a few years back.  I half expected him to wink at the camera a few times.  Any question resulted in the same basic answer "I want to be competitive" or "I want to be the best quarterback I can be".  It was pretty clear Cam has been working on trying to make any question have the same answer.  But the real problem was what slipped out when he wasn't completely filtering himself.

When Cam did relax, was when he got started talking about being the greatest QB he could be.  He loved talking about himself.  He even tried to relate it to other QB's, trying to mask that he loved it so much, but it was only then that his smile relaxed and became very real.  It was like watching someone walk a verbal tightrope.  Like Cam was trying hard to stop thinking about how great he was, and think about what other people wanted to hear so they could know how great he was when he got drafted first.

Newton also talked about competing today.  He talked about loving competition, but for some reason it just strikes me that Newton likes competitions he can win easily.  He talks about having struggled through adversity, but as someone who has struggled through adversity I can tell you-he hasn't really.  I mean yes, there were all those stories, but he brought those on himself.  

Furthermore, his athleticism has always saved him from having to encounter any REAL adversity.  I mean let's go through it-got caught stealing a laptop, got slapped on the wrist.  Got caught cheating and thrown out of Florida, enrolled in a junior college where he was treated like a king no doubt and won the JC national championship.  He then shopped himself around to D1 colleges, got caught for it, and the matter was essentially swept under the rug in an effort to sell his incredible athleticism which continued to allow him to basically dominate his competition easily.  

Face it the kid has never actually encountered a real challenge, or any true adversity.  He didn't get suspended during his senior year during the investigation like anyone else.  And hey-if I could land as national champion after being thrown out of school for cheating (aka being stupid) I'd be reading off your paper right now.

Cam tried to hide it, but when he let his guard down he allowed his true personality to shine through, after all-there's a real big ego in there, it's hard to hide it.  At points Cam even referred to himself in the third person.  There's one thing Randy knows, and Randy knows that when you start referring to yourself in the third person, that's a sign for concern.  Randy's going to stop writing this article now. Let Randy know what you think below.  For more by Randy, please visit www.rhodynews.com

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NBA Trade Deadline Sees Flurry of Deals

Filed under: Bobcats, Cavaliers, Celtics, Clippers, Grizzlies, Hawks, Jazz, Knicks, Lakers, Magic, Mavericks, Nets, Nuggets, Pacers, Rockets, Suns, Trail Blazers, NBA Rumors, Thunder, NBA Transactions

PLANET LOVETRON, NBA UNIVERSE -- Woe to those NBA fans who own an authentic or replica jersey or T-shirt of one of the following players:

Gerald Wallace, Dante Cunningham, Joel Przybilla, Aaron Brooks, Goran Dragic, Nazr Mohammed, D.J. White, Morris Peterson, Shane Battier, Hasheem Thabeet, Semih Erden, Luke Harangody, Kendrick Perkins, Nate Robinson, Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic, Baron Davis, Marquis Daniels, Jamario Moon and Mo Williams.

Those men, including draft picks and canvas sacks of cash were traded in copious amounts at one of the most active NBA trade deadlines in memory. Fans, meanwhile, will need to find cash to buy new merchandise or risk being ridiculed for being ironic in wearing an out-of-date jersey.

One day after the Utah Jazz and New Jersey Nets left jaws agape when the Jazz sent All-Star point guard Deron Williams to the Nets for point guard Devin Harris, rookie forward Derrick Favors, two first round picks and dough, the Celtics stunned many when they sent starting center Perkins and bench energizer Robinson to Oklahoma City for forward Green and center Kristic.

 

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