The 2012 NFL Draft is just hours away and while some picks have already been locked up (or are just about at that point,) who will the other top three teams pick? Here’s who we think.
1.) Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
While it’s been highly rumored for months that the Colts would be taking Andrew Luck as their first-round pick, GM Ryan Grigson confirmed it earlier this week. This one’s as good as locked up.
2.) Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
This is another one that’s in the bag, as Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said that the only reason Griffin wouldn’t be picked by his team was if the Colts scooped him up first — and that’s not going to happen. Also keep in mind that Redskins traded with St. Louis for this pick, specifically so they could go after Griffin.
3.) Minnesota Vikings: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
While the top two teams may be very open about who they’re going to pick, the same cannot be said for the Vikings, who are going to keep people guessing right up to the last minute. There’s a lot of trade talk going on, so they may not even have this pick when the time comes; but if they do, taking Claiborne would be their best move. They are desperate for defense, and Claiborne was the best left tackle in the NCAA.
4.) Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
With the exception of those that are already pretty much a guarantee, this is one of the easiest picks in the draft to call. When asked what the team would do with their fourth overall pick, Browns GM Tom Heckert said that they wanted “guys who can score points.” That’s Trent Richardson, hands down.
5.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Matt Kalil, OT, USC
Lots of people think that Kalil will go to the Vikings and while it did look that way for a little while, all the trade talk the Vikings has been doing seems to suggest that they’re looking elsewhere — mostly in the way of Claiborne. Kalil is an elite player and if he’s still left at this stage, Tampa Bay will pick him — if they haven’t traded down to Buffalo, something that’s heavily rumored could happen.
What can possibly go wrong when you’re the worst team in the NBA? You certainly won’t disappoint anyone next year! For the Charlotte Bobcats, being last place is strong motivation to make a change. No wonder then that the team decided to let Paul Silas go, after a disastrous 7-59 season. In fact, it went down in the record books as the least winning percentage in history. Silas, a 68-year-old veteran of the sport, did seem oddly matched with one of the youngest rosters in the league.
Silas later told the press that he found the release acceptable. “I have had a very successful career coaching and playing and it’s time to move on.” Team owner Michael Jordan promised Silas a job somewhere in the organization and for that, the retired coach is happy. The question is, now who is going to come in and restore the Bobcats to at least some degree of competitiveness?
Of course, this is not exactly a dream job, given that a newly hired coach would have to thanklessly bring the team up from the dust, rebounding from a history-making low. Not only is the losing record intimidating, but the fact that the team is inexperienced and lacks at least one major asset, is also a de-motivator. Many players on the team actually tried to keep Paul Silas when rumors of his replacement went public, noting that circumstances, not the ability of Silas, is what ruined the season. For example, notable team members like Corey Maggette, D.J. Augustin and Gerald Henderson were injured this past season. Corey Maggette later said, “[We were] shooting under 30 percent from the field. You just can’t win any games that way.” Was a string of poor luck responsible for the team’s descent into oblivion?
Nevertheless, maybe a major shakeup is just what the team needs to get back on track. The momentum will certainly be there next season, as the Bobcats’ last place status gives them the right to choose one of the top four picks in the next NBA draft. Could this be the year of the Bobcats’ comeback?
While this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs are one of the most unpredictable yet, one thing’s for certain: there will be no repeat of last year’s Finals. The Boston Bruins, the defending champs of the Cup from last year, were knocked out of the running by the Washington Capitals last night, in a heartbreaking 2-1 loss for the Bruins.
In a post-season that’s so far largely made up of underdogs what’s most surprising (or not) in this win isn’t that the defending champs lost in the first round, but that they lost to Washington, who played fairly terribly during the regular season, and just barely made it into the playoffs. But defenseman Karl Alzner says that they’re “over the hump,” and that “it’s nice to turn the page, and maybe we’re writing a new script.”
And they just might be, too. The series victory didn’t come because Boston had terrible performances, or lost their groove on the ice. All the games were incredibly close, with each being decided by only one goal and all with only minutes left in the game, if not in overtime. And that’s just how it was decided last night.
Just into a minute into OT, Boston had a great chance but couldn’t get it past rookie goalie Braden Holtby. Then Brian Knuble, who played for Boston several years ago, got a great chance to take it into the Bruins’ zone. That he did and while his shot at the net didn’t make it through, but the rebound picked up by Joel Ward with 2:57 left on the clock, did. That was all that was needed.
Bruins’ defenseman and captain Zdeno Chara said after the game, “It was very close. We shouldn’t be disappointed in what we did this season. We just came up short.”
The Stanley Cup Playoffs are turning out to be one of the most surprising in years. During Sunday’s afternoon game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers, Crosby and Company had their season come to an end after the Flyers eliminated them from the playoffs. Later that day, the Canucks, who went into the playoffs just after winning the President’s Trophy for the most points in the league this year, were knocked out of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Kings in just five games. With two of the frontrunners out of the race to the Cup, it’s anyone’s guess as to what’s coming next.
After the puck dropped in Sunday’s matchup between the Penguins and the Flyers, it took only five seconds for Claude Giroux to hit Sidney Crosby with a smash that would set the tone for the rest of the game: this one was going to be all Flyers. Crosby was most likely still collecting himself when Giroux scored the first goal of the game just 27 seconds after that hit, putting the Flyers up 1-0 in a very early lead. Within the next two following periods, the Flyers took the lead 3-0 and sent the Pittsburgh Penguins home early, with no Game 7 to follow.
The Penguins had a surprising shot at the series, after being down 3-0 and then putting the series back on track 3-2. Power forward for the Penguins, Jordan Staal said, “Being down 3-0, we were confident and we remained confident. But we just ran out.”
Later in the day, the Vancouver Canucks seemed to fight a little harder to keep their series alive, but still couldn’t seem to pull it out. Henrik Sedin gave Vancouver the lead of 1-0 early in the game, seeming to breathe hope in a series in which they were down 3-1. They kept that hope alive for most of the game, but it was dashed shortly into the third period when Brad Richardson put one past Cory Schneider and tied it for the Los Angeles Kings. With both teams fighting desperately throughout the third, the game was still tied at the end of regulation, sending it into overtime. When both teams emerged back onto the ice twenty minutes later, it took Jarret Stoll only 4:27 to knock the puck into the Canucks’ net, sending them onto Round 2 and sending the Canucks home to an early off-season.
So what exactly went wrong for the Canucks, who were not only the top-seeded team in the league going into the playoffs, but also Cup finalists last year? According to Canucks’ defenseman Sami Salo, “The first two games we made a lot of mistakes that were not common for us. We took a lot of undisciplined penalties and gave them unnecessary momentum.”
Place Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning side by side and, aside from a slight age difference, you may think that you’re looking at the same quarterback story. Archie Manning, Peyton’s father, played in the NHL from 1971 — 1984, ending his career with the Minnesota Vikings. Oliver Luck, Andrew’s father, played for the Houston Oilers for four years. Although Peyton and Andrew played for different schools in college, both extended their college stay by one year; and both were nominated for a Heisman trophy, but did not win. Now, it looks as though they’re going to have one more thing in common: playing quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts.
Although the Colts haven’t officially announced what they’re going to do in the draft this week, it’s widely believed that they’re going to take Andrew Luck, one of the best quarterbacks in the NCAA last year. ESPN is reporting that a league source has confirmed that Luck will be chosen by the Colts, and that the team has known for some time that Luck was going to be the choice. The owner of the team, Jim Irsay, has never been shy in saying how much the teams wants to have Luck playing for them, and general manager, Ryan Grigson, also confirmed that the team has an action plan, although he wouldn’t say who that included picking. “We’ve known for a little while,” said Grigson. “Unless there’s an unforeseen problem or something like that, we know what we’re doing.”
Grigson wasn’t the only one keeping mum on the situation. Luck’s agent, Will Wilson, also wouldn’t comment on any decision that’s been made, and Andrew’s father, Oliver, also said that he would like to “stay out of all that,” preferring to “keep my conversations with Andrew private.”
The Colts have kept everyone guessing, sending far more scouts to check out Griffin on his pro day than they sent to Luck’s pro day. However, they haven’t exactly been ignoring Luck either. Luck has traveled to Indianapolis for both a personal workout and a personal interview, while Griffin has done neither. Now, it’s almost all but certain that Luck will be playing for the Colts.
This will be the first time the Colts have had the Number One choice in the draft in 14 years, and there’s no doubt the decision has weighed heavily on them. Robert Griffin III, the other star quarterback in the NCAA last year and the winner of the Heisman Trophy, is thought will be picked by the Washington Redskins, who have the second choice in the draft.
The Olympics are headed to the summer this summer and the city has already been busy celebrating by hosting events and having the Olympic circles drift through the city along the Thames River. But among the celebration the Olympics have some worried, namely the theater community. Of course, London is notorious for its world-class theater, elite performances, and only the best shows running. But with an event that could possibly even be bigger than London theater, the arts community has already had to fight hard in the city to keep its head above water.
The biggest fight came when it was merely suggested that many shows could be shut down altogether during the two weeks the Olympics are in town from July 27 — August 12. While Nica Burns, producer at West End, was very happy that the city decided against that decision, she also says, “There’s a fear factor — you don’t know what it’s going to be like. None of us in London theater have experienced London during the Olympics. Neither have the people who run the transport system or the city as a whole.”
But transportation won’t be a problem, as the theaters are all within close walking distance to each other. And, Stephen Daldry, executive producer of the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies, says that showcasing one of the city’s art won’t be one, either. “We’re here to celebrate the sport, we’re here to celebrate the culture — and to celebrate London. It’s a great stage and it’s going to be all around us.” That should help, as well as the promise from London authorities saying that they’ve already taken steps to ensure that information on all of London’s wonderful tourist attractions — including those not involving sports — are provided for all who will be in the city.
And the theater community is already working their name, sound, and song into many Olympic events. On Wednesday in an event to promote the 100-day countdown to the Olympics, West End performers gathered in Trafalgar Square to dance, perform, and kick off the celebration. Get your Olympics tickets today!
Chicago, Miami, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City were the first four teams to clinch their playoff berths. But those teams saved their spot nearly two weeks ago; so what do the NBA playoffs look like now?
In addition to those four teams, seven more have also clinched their playoff berth. The East makes up four of those teams with Indiana, Boston, Atlanta, and Orlando claiming their spots in the past week and a half. The Eastern conference has also seen six teams drop out of the playoff running altogether – Detroit, New Jersey, Toronto, Cleveland, Washington, and Charlotte have all been eliminated.
The three teams that have saved their spot in Round One in the Western Conference are the L.A. Lakers, the L.A. Clippers, and Memphis. Five teams in the West have seen their playoff hopes die – Portland, Minnesota, Golden State, Sacramento, and New Orleans.
So even with five teams still to claim their own spot, what would the NBA playoffs look like if they were to begin today? Going by rankings alone:
As the playoffs draw closer and fans start picking their favorites to win the NBA Finals, they can’t help but also talk about who will win the prestigious MVP award, which will be handed out at the same time. Here’s our list for who we think should be the top five nominees for this year’s MVP.
5.) Chris Paul
Chris Paul has undoubtedly been one of, if not the, best point guard in the league this season, and considering how he’s turned the Los Angeles Clippers around, he definitely has an MVP title coming his way sometime soon. Paul is the reason the Clippers are even in the playoffs, and why they’ll be sitting so high at the top when they enter the first round. After missing the playoffs for the last four years, the Clippers are actually contenders, and Chris Paul is the reason. For that, he deserves to be mentioned among potential MVPs.
4.) Dwight Howard
Along with those who have carried their team this season is Dwight Howard who’s still playing for the Orlando Magic. Howard is the league’s most dominant player and his stats and reputation alone get him into the MVP conversation this year. But one can’t help remember just a month ago when Howard was playing the whiny-baby game when he couldn’t decide whether or not he wanted to be traded; or just a few days ago when he admitted to wanting his coach, Stan Van Gundy, be fired. With so much drama, it’s hard to say that he’s irreplaceable, or that he’s the most valuable in the league.
3.) Lebron James
Someone from Miami’s Big Three is going to appear on everyone’s list, and we think that Lebron James is the one that deserves it most. His stats rival those of Kobe, who only gets better with every year, and he’s part of the Heat’s Big Three for a reason. He’s definitely a top contender but can’t be one that’s guaranteed. With the Miami Heat continuing on the downward slope they’ve been on lately, it’s all going to come down to how James performs in the playoffs.
2.) Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant on the other hand, has not only supported the Oklahoma City Thunder, he’s the sole reason the Thunder have come so far and are currently the best team in the West. Considering that MVP status is usually determined not just on individual performance, but how that performance has helped the team advance, that fact alone should have Durant standing out as one of the top names for MVP. But, there’s just one more player that we think is slightly more deserving.
1.) Kobe Bryant
Kobe’s L.A. Lakers might only be the third-ranked team in the West, but Kobe only gets better with age. Being a league icon for over a decade now, Kobe’s had his best season of the year, scoring an average of 28.1 points per game. Despite the fact that he’s been playing through pain for most of the season, there’s a very good chance Kobe could take his team all the way yet again this year. An MVP title only seems appropriate.
Garth Brooks, even to non-country fans, the name is famous, as this country star is one of the best entertainers in the industry in any genre. While the singer has flirted with retirement on and off again, he finally found a compromise between family and work by playing weekend shows in Las Vegas. Brooks’ shows at the Encore Theatre at Wynn Las Vegas have received positive reviews, and many fans make the trek out just to see the legendary singer. What is the latest news on Garth and what does the future hold for this country super star?
The Calgary Stampede in Canada is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, and thanks to Garth Brooks, it is guaranteed a big crowd. Tickets to the show in July sold out in a record 58 seconds! That is 15,300 tickets sold and gone in less than a minute. Garth Brooks is still a megastar and fans are still super eager to see his shows. Of course, who doesn’t want to see the singer perform his hits like “Friends in Low Places” or “The Thunder Rolls” live and in person?
The year keeps looking up for Brooks, as it was recently announced that he will be one of the Country Music Hall of Fame’s newest inductees. Many fans are surprised to learn he wasn’t already in the Hall of Fame, as he has sold more than 128 million records, and is the second best selling solo artist in the States, only behind the king himself, Elvis Presley. Brooks has had a mighty impressive run, with six different albums reaching diamond status, so it does seem about time that his name be added to other country legends such as Reba McEntire and George Strait in the Hall of Fame.
The 50-year-old singer has no intention of stopping any time soon either, as at some recent events he has mentioned tours as soon as his youngest daughter is off to college. Will this big name star be touring in a town near you? Only time will tell, so be sure to keep up with the latest Garth Brooks news. In the meantime, you can still catch the singer live in Las Vegas!
The ballet Swan Lake as certainly had quite a history so far. From its origins all the way back in 1875, to the shocking psychological thriller starring Natalie Portman entitled Black Swan, the production is truly iconic. Indeed, the popular film (and countless others) pays tribute to this ballet production, a magical semblance of emotion, artistry and expression. Watching a performance of this ballet is something everyone should experience at least once in his or her life!
Tchaikovsky composed the ballet in 1875 and based it off well-known Russian folktales of the time. The story goes like this: there was a princess named Odette who was very beautiful. An evil sorcerer named Von Rothbart cast a spell on her so he could keep her for himself. During the day, she was a white swan. and only at night would she return to her human form. The spell can only be broken if a young man fell in love with her, and remains faithful to her with a vow of eternal love. If the vow is given and broken, she will remain a swan for all time. That is the start of the ballet, and the story gets very engrossing from there as all good fairytales and folklore do!
Some may be intimidated by attending the ballet if they have never gone before, but there is no need to be. It can be an exhilarating experience to watch the dancers glide through the air while listening to the live orchestra play the masterful music. You don’t need to know anything about ballet to enjoy your first time, or your 20th time. Music and dance are simply beautiful events to watch live, and when you combine them with a captivating story, it is hard not to be enthralled!
Today, you can catch this ballet in various cities across the U.S. The Saint Louis Ballet at the Touhill Performing Arts Center in MO will be performing this ballet, as will the American Ballet Theater in New York at the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center. Catch Swan Lake coming to a town near you!
April 28th, 2012 
Stub.com 
The 2012 NFL Draft is just hours away and while some picks have already been locked up (or are just about at that point,) who will the other top three teams pick? Here’s who we think.
What can possibly go wrong when you’re the worst team in the NBA? You certainly won’t disappoint anyone next year! For the 
The Stanley Cup Playoffs are turning out to be one of the most surprising in years. During Sunday’s afternoon game between the 
Place Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning side by side and, aside from a slight age difference, you may think that you’re looking at the same quarterback story. Archie Manning, Peyton’s father, played in the 
The 
Chicago, Miami, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City were the first four teams to clinch their playoff berths. But those teams saved their spot nearly two weeks ago; so what do the NBA playoffs look like now?
As the playoffs draw closer and fans start picking their favorites to win the 
