Braves 9 – Mets 3 August 30, 2010

It’s really become sad to watch the Mets season dissipate like this. Pat Misch got rocked by the Braves tonight to the tune of 5 runs in 3 innings. The big blow was a 3-run homer by Jason Heyward in the second inning. Oliver Perez made a rare appearance in a game tonight and Brian ... Continue Reading

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What's the harm?

There's a dreadful little website that takes things way too far by the same name as this blog entry... It has topics like "What's the harm in believing in psychics?" and then goes on to list major news stories about victims of fraudulent psychics and the like... Now, I say the site in question is "dreadful" because in making it's point, it often makes some leaps and tries to connect dots... for example, "Belief in Ghosts" is apparently tantamount to wishing for an exorcism and so the site lists a lot of rather horrible bad exorcism stories... Now, this is valid information and I agree there should be caveats to folks who wish to dive into any belief (especially if they wish to act on it,) to do some homework... but that's not why I'm writing this post. My point is the other "What's the harm?" things... things I've either heard people ask about or must assume people ask about... because indeed these things happen, and one has to assume the people that acted on them felt there'd be no harm... and yet... For example... ~~~~ What's the harm in fibbing a little to make a ghost story more interesting? I mean, after all, it might even put a few coins in the "fibber's" wallet and entertain the kids, right? Well, I did cover some aspects off in this blog post a few days back... about how lying once taints everything the "fibbers" then produce no matter how valid it might be... and how their "fibs" then cast everyone in a bad light because, indeed, we all do get painted with the same brush by the masses (one "ghost hunter" is another "ghost investigator" is another "paranormal researcher" with no big differences between them all to most people...) and that ends up hurting us all... ...but what about the ethics of that "fib"? Historical inaccuracies is one thing (and usually the most common event when "ghost hunters" fib,) but what happens when their new tales of haunts (and usually the darker aspects of a history that lead to the "haunting",) contain problems for those who are a little more attached to things then the story tellers is? What if it stigmatizes a home, a parcel of land, or worse yet, a family's good name? We've even had complaints (I know, like we're a complaints department!!! ...but such is life...) when ghost stories told by guides take a decidedly nastier and historically inaccurate tone in terms of the people (post mortem,) supposedly involved... with everything from racism, sexism, implied murders, backroom abortions, and various other treacherous acts all desperately chucked into a "good ghost story" to thrill and chill... with zero proof, zero evidence, and zero substance. Such acts of modern folklore have closed off more than twenty sites to us (even though we were not involved with the "new" stories,) and other ghost enthusiasts... just so a handful could have a sexy story to light up their cold lives. ...and what was the harm? Ask us... who are now shut out of possibly valuable investigative research. Ask the families involved... who now live with the stigma of lies about their ancestors. Ask anyone with a sense of decency... who has to hear someone mock their ancestry... or lifestyle... ...just because someone needed a "good story". Not just "ghost hunters" can be blamed for this, however... look how deftly things of this nature are handled by the mainstream media by reading this old post. ~~~~ What's the harm in watching a lot of reality paranormal television programs? Nothing... provided you understand that a good 75% (or more) of what you're seeing is not all that real. No, I don't mean they're "faking stuff" that's ghostly or demonic and offering it to you, the viewing audience, as absolute evidence of weird stuff... ...not only that... They're faking most conversations, story lines, and a lot more in most cases. The minute you see a creative person in the credits... or a "story editor"... or anything involving a script, it stopped being "real". There is no "best time" to see or experience things, as an example. Paranormal events happen night or day... it's just hard to freak out teenagers on a couch with a bowl of popcorn in front of their big screen with a show shot at noon. More and more, the truth seems to be there's not much truth in any of these programs... They are entertainment... and the people in them are entertainers... and provided you understand that... and you know that the majority of what they're doing and saying is really for your viewing benefit to make the popcorn extra-tasty, there's no harm at all. ...but you should be aware of how some of them truly see you... like this interview points out from a writer hired by The Warren's to work on a book for them... I found that the accounts of the individual Snedekers didn’t quite mesh. They just couldn’t keep their stories straight. I went to Ed with this problem. "Oh, they’re crazy," he said. "Everybody who comes to us is crazy. Otherwise why would they come to us? You’ve got some of the story – just use what works and make the rest up. And make it scary. You write scary books, right? That’s why we hired you. So just make it up and make it scary." Lorraine Warren is a staple on one of the "reality" TV shows... and there's more about these folks... a LOT more... ...and, off the record, one person involved with the show Mrs. Warren is on admitted to us that, indeed, they don't buy into the "demon" thing... and they want to return to working on strictly ghosts sans "demons". (Good luck with that... I'm sure it'll happen when it's time to renew contracts.) Again, if you realise that these programs are borderline absolute fiction and ONLY for your "scary pleasure", enjoy! ...but it ain't really what happens when those of us who are in the field do our work. What is the harm then? Try working (key word that... "working"...) with anyone who has seen these shows and expects the same "results" and happenings. It's often not pretty. Also, the antics of the teevee paracelebrities are often so embarrassing, it also closes doors for us to places that don't want that sort of thing in, on, or near their site. This sounds like hyperbole... but sadly, experience has taught us it isn't. The only good thing here is that in Canada, the ratings for "paranormal television programs" have slipped rather hard in the last few months... and continue to lose ground. Hopefully, most of the shows will be off the air soon... and the misconceptions will eventually leave with them. ~~~~ What's the harm in hanging out and goofin' around in the haunted places? Lessee... does the person in question have permission to be there? Might they be arrested for trespassing or break-and-enter? ...and if they are, what's the harm there, right? It's ONLY them! ...nope... Again, in this case, one person's thrill seeking criminal is all about ghosts... and therefore is one person's "ghost hunter" is one person's "ghost investigator" is one person's... ...are you starting to see a trend? It really is like this... and can take weeks, months, sometimes years... sometimes never... to regain the trust of an owner, tenant, site manager, or the like to allow someone to do some actual investigation and observation on a site when these things happen. For some recent examples, see ParaResearcher's report on #1 Spadina Cres. in Toronto and more recently, the sad events relayed on The Haunted Hamilton website about the legend of Mary Rutherford. There are many, many, sadly many more similar news items... all sad... and all stupid... I could also list the people that mistake "abandoned" for "haunted" and end up doing poorly planned urban exploration and getting hurt and worse... but hopefully, you get the idea... ~~~~ I could go one with one's like "What's the harm of paying for psychical help?" and talking about the SEVERAL cases where we know people that lost literally thousands to would-be psychics and the like in fees and such... or "What's the harm in knowing (without any other examination,) what's happening and acting on it?" and discuss the deaths of hundreds of people in relatively modern times who were mentally ill, but "cured" (to death) by botched "exorcisms" or worse... ...but I'll stop here. Suffice to say, when doing anything... LITERALLY anything... ask the question... "What IS the worst that can happen?" ...and be honest with your answers. It may save everyone, including yourself, a lot of heart ache and pain.

View original story : continue+reading+big Feed : Sue St.Clair and Matthew Didier's Paranormal Blog

Bynum & Gasol are expected to miss Friday’s game

Looks like Drew and Pau will both miss tomorrows match up vs. the Memphis Grizzlies. L.A. Times: It was a day of medical terms and injury evaluations, a time for the Lakers to take a breath after two overtime road victories and, of greater importance, take stock of their ailing big men. Andrew Bynum was their latest 7-footer to undergo an MRI exam, the results showing a strained right elbow that left him listed as doubtful for tonights game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Pau Gasol did some work on the practice court Thursday but declared himself out for tonights game, unless his strained right hamstring suddenly felt much, much better today. In other words, DJ Mbenga might start at center. Or if the Lakers go with a small lineup, Lamar Odom might get the call in the middle, with Josh Powell moving into the starting lineup at forward. Whatever it takes, Odom said. Continue reading Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol are expected to miss Fridays game Related posts: Pau Gasol probably wont play Friday Gasol might miss Lakers opener Injury Update: Gasol, Bynum Walton From kb24.com

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Nissan sticks with Lance Armstrong as Leaf's spokesperson despite escalated doping concerns [w/video]

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Nissan, Green Daily Nissan Leaf ad featuring Lance Armstrong - Click above to watch video after the jump Amid escalating concerns over Lance Armstrong's possible violation of cycling's anti-doping policy, Nissan is saying it will stick with the seven-time Tour De France champion as the Leaf's official spokesperson. Speaking with Ad Age, Nissan's new marketing boss, Jon Brancheau, admitted that although Armstrong has received a significant amount of negative press, Nissan will support the cyclist while continuing to keep an eye on things. Ad Age prodded Brancheau with this question: Nissan has made a pretty big bet on Lance Armstrong -- he was featured in the first Leaf commercial, is displayed prominently on your website and you even sponsor one of his cycling teams. Now, there's a ton of scrutiny around him with regards to doping claims. Does that worry you? To which Brancheau responded: This is something we'll continue to monitor, but the claims are all unsubstantiated up to this point. He's iconic, and he's almost the epitome of innovation when you think about athleticism. We're well connected with [Lance] and we continue to support him and the team. He's backing down to some degree from cycling in future years but we expect him to be actively engaged in a lot of different athletic events, especially marathons and things of that nature. So we're staying the course and continue to support him. Let's hope that Lance survives this sticky situation, but if he's dropped by Nissan, we'll gladly step in for him and take delivery of the first Leaf. Hit the jump to watch Nissan's Leaf commercial featuring Lance Armstrong. [Source: Nissan-Leaf, Ad Age] Continue reading Nissan sticks with Lance Armstrong as Leaf's spokesperson despite escalated doping concerns [w/video] Nissan sticks with Lance Armstrong as Leaf's spokesperson despite escalated doping concerns [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Botox maker fined $600 million for health claims; pleads guilty to criminal charge

Filed under: Health, Consumer AllyBotox may ease wrinkles, but a $600 million government fine today of its manufacturer Allergan is making clear it's not a legal remedy for headaches, pains and juvenile cerebral palsy. The Justice Department today came down hard on Allergan for making such claims, announcing a settlement that has Allergan pleading guilty to one misdemeanor criminal count of promoting Botox for off-label use as well as civil charges. Of the $600 million, $375 million is a criminal fine and the rest is a civil settlement that will be split with some state attorneys general, who in 2008 had sued the company. "The FDA had approved therapeutic uses of Botox for only four rare conditions, yet Allergan made it a top corporate priority to maximize sales of far more lucrative off-label uses that were not approved by FDA," Sally Yates, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, said in a statement. The Justice Department and the Food and Drug Administration under the Obama administration have taken a dim view of Big Pharma attempts at maximizing profits by promoting drugs for uses they have not been approved for. The Botox case is the latest example. Continue reading Botox maker fined $600 million for health claims; pleads guilty to criminal charge Botox maker fined $600 million for health claims; pleads guilty to criminal charge originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Experienced Comets looking for close games to go their way

Few teams suffered as much heartache in 2009 as the Crestwood Comets. The Comets had quad-A playoff teams Williamsport and Hazleton Area in trouble, only to drop close decisions to the heavily favored Millionaires (24-14) and Cougars (7-0). Crestwood also lost nailbiters to Pittston Area (35-34) and triple-A power Dallas (34-27) en route to a deceiving 4-6 record. A year older, stronger and wiser, Crestwood is hoping to turn those close setbacks into victories and continue its steady climb up the charts in the Wyoming Valley Conference and District 2 Class 3A ranks. "We played a lot of close games with a young team and a tough schedule," stated fifth-year head coach Greg Myers. "But that year's behind us. I think as a team we understand what happened last year and what's at stake this year. We feel we're a better football team than last year, so hopefully some of those games that we lost late in the fourth quarter will sort of go in our favor and we'll get a couple bounces." Graduation claimed the Comets' top three receivers in John Lasko, Matt Krupa and Chris Vega. All three were key members of the secondary, and Krupa was the team's placekicker as well. However, a solid core group returns, giving Myers and the Comets a reason for optimism this fall. "We do have a good number of kids back, but unfortunately we are losing our top three receivers," noted Myers. "Two of the three (Lasko and Krupa) were top-five in the conference, and the third one (Vega) was top-12. They're all playing college football now. But we feel we've got a pretty solid group coming up behind them. "Up front and at the other skill positions, we have just another year of experience and hopefully it pays off." The Comets' strengths begin on offense at quarterback. Quarterbacks - Back for a third season is junior quarterback Nick Aigeldinger, who accounted for 1,975 yards of offense and 19 touchdowns in 2009. He completed 97 of 215 passes for 1,271 yards and 11 scores, while leading all area quarterbacks with 704 rushing yards and eight TDs. "It seems like Nick's been around here a long time. I played him as a freshman, and I've seen Nick become a nice football player," Myers said of the 5-10, 175-pounder. "He got better as a sophomore, but still made some mistakes when it came to reading some defenses. But I think he's taken some huge steps from his sophomore to his junior year. He's developed physically, and most importantly he's developed mentally. Early on he's starting to make good reads, and he's starting to become a leader. He definitely has a stronger throwing arm, and he's stronger, quicker and faster this year. So I think we're going to see a lot of improvement when we're running the football." Aigeldinger will be backed up by junior Nick Powell. Running backs - Although Aigeldinger is a strong thrower and tailback Mark Orloski (94-469, 8 TDs) has graduated, the Comets won't be too quick to abandon the running game. "We're a running football team first," stated Myers, who will feature a tailback by committee in the form of seniors Ethan Slembarski and Jimmy Crablo, and juniors Eric Pickett and Roger Legg. "It will have a lot to do with what scheme we want to run and who's best at running that scheme at the time," Myers said. "This year the variety that we do have is going to allow us to do some different things running the ball." Legg and senior Nico DiSabatino will share duties at fullback. Wide receivers - Pickett will split time at tailback and receiver, helping to soften the loss of the trio of Lasko, Krupa and Vega, who accounted for 70 catches and nine scores a year ago. Also figuring in the mix at receiver is highly-touted sophomore Kota Kishel. "You're going to be hearing a lot about this kid. He's good," Myers said of Kishel. "He's got it all right now, he's just lacking the physical nature of the game. He's got all the tools to be a very good receiver down the road." Tight ends - Senior Casey Martin and junior Anthony Survilla will share time at tight end. "We may go with some two tight end sets and get them both in there at the same time," noted Myers. Offensive linemen - Plenty of experience returns to the offensive line, led by junior right tackle Tony Morgante (6-3, 280). "Tony had a great offseason, and he's getting some nice looks right now," Myers said. He'll be joined up front by senior guard David Knight (5-10, 210), junior guard Danny Distasio (5-10, 210) and either Ben Ralston (6-2, 250) or Zack Fogleman (6-2, 235) at center. Whichever senior doesn't win that battle will move over to start at left tackle. Look for promising sophomores Dean Gregory (6-2, 220) and Bernie Popson (6-2, 235) to back up that group. Myers is anticipating big things from his defense after bringing in Dan Distasio as his new defensive coordinator. "He's one of the sharpest coaches I've ever been around," Myers said. "He knows the game, his father was a head football coach. He was in our junior high program for a while, and he's just a phenomenal addition. It added a new dimension to our program." Defensive linemen - After delivering some quality time as a sophomore, Legg (5-10, 185) will be the full-time starter at nose guard in the Comets' 5-3 alignment. "Roger's probably our most improved player. We're expecting big things out of him at nose guard. He's special," Myers gushed. "Having a good nose guard just changes an offensive scheme dramatically. If he commands a double team, it just throws a monkey wrench into a lot of offensive schemes." Morgante, Fogleman, Ralston and senior Mitch Hildebrand 6-1, 190) will rotate among the two down tackle positions, while the ends will include either DiSabatino or Nick Forsberg (6-0, 190) on one side, and either Vinny Genoble (5-11, 190), Martin (6-2, 190) or Powell on the other. Linebackers - Survilla, Knight and Distasio figure to start at the three linebackers spots, with junior Eric Bozek (5-10, 200) and senior Rob West (5-10, 200) backing them up. Secondary - Aigeldinger is the free safety, while Pickett, Kishel and Slembarski will see time at the corners. Kicking game - With Krupa (22 extra points) graduated and trying to walk on at Pitt, Aigeldinger will take over the placekicking duties. Myers feels the Comets won't miss a beat in the kicking game. "I think he brings something different to the table than what Matt provided us," Myers said. "I like our kicker this year. I think when it comes to the kicking position, he's going to kind of fly under the radar." Ben Ralston is back at punter, and sophomore Evan Callaghan will back up both positions. With a roster 47 strong, Myers likes where his team is at, but knows the Comets can ill-afford a lot of injuries, especially at key positions. "All the way around, offensively and defensively, this is probably the first time since I've been here we've had competition for a lot of positions," he said. "Beyond that, a big concern I have is depth, so we have to stay healthy. We have 47 kids, which is decent, but not a ton of depth." The Comets scrimmaged West Scranton and Abington Heights as a prelude to tonight's season-opener at Berwick. STRENGTHS: Experience at quarterback and on both the offensive and defensive lines. PROBLEM AREAS: Lack of experience at the wide receiver and running back positions. OUTLOOK: A rough schedule awaits, with the likes of 2009 playoff teams Berwick, Hazleton Area and Williamsport on the road, and home tests with Dallas, Coughlin, and quad-A teams Wyoming Valley West, Pocono Mountain West and East Stroudsburg North. The Comets will need to get a signature win or two early on to build confidence if they hope to make a playoff push come October.

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Apple's Stealth Plan to Conquer the Media Industry

Poor Apple. Steve Jobs and Co. have lined up all the pieces to take over the media industry, but the big music labels and movie studios keep standing in its way. So Apple has been forced to build its media empire in a stealthy, piecemeal fashion. It may just work. Continue reading Apple's Stealth Plan to Conquer the Media Industry Apple's Stealth Plan to Conquer the Media Industry originally appeared on DailyFinance on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:32:00. Filed Under: Apple Permalink | Tweet this! | Comments

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My Epic Wedding Recap

My day started early. I was having trouble sleeping, due to how excited I was. I quietly crept out of bed about an hour before the alarm went off, called room service, and had breakfast delivered. Or's alarm went off in time for him to sit and have a quiet, delicious breakfast with me before our crazy day began. Yes, bacon was involved. Are you surprised? After breakfast, Or headed back to our house to continue getting things ready. I had an hour to myself. I read over the words I had prepared for Or. Reading them out loud made me tear up, which is how I knew they were done. Then I watched some TV to clear my head. Then, my ladies started arriving. First, Sara and Julie, two of my amazing bridesmaids. Then Colleen, my AWESOME hairdresser and a dear friend of mine. Then, the make up artist. And my day began. Hair. Make up. More hair. The photographers arrived. Pictures of more hair and make up. I up on my thigh high rainbow socks. I was fed a bacon and turkey sandwich (yes, bacon again). I know we were running late, but I knew it would all work out. There are no stress on my end. I put my dress on, had my veil tucked in to my hair, and went off to frolic with the photographer. We took a bunch of solo pictures. I tried to make sure to stand up straight and not tuck my chin in. I was having a good time. Then, we did the first look. Or looked so handsome. It was nice to be spending a part of the day with him again. We took some fun pictures of the two of us, and then it was time to queue up. Holy crap! So, we make out way to where we needed to be. And there was my dad, looking all dashing and handsome. And a few guests were running late, so they got a sneak peak as I scolded them. I was hidden out a little behind the rest of the bridal party so the guests couldn't see me. I couldn't really hear the music, but I snuck up to the wall we were behind to sneak a peak over as the moms and the flower girl walked down the aisle. They looked so good. Then, it was Or's turn. The aisle is abnormally long, with trees and turns and such, so I lost sight of him as soon as he started running out to the Superman theme. It seemed to take him a while to get down the aisle, but then I saw him running up and taking his place next to Sky. Next was the bridal party, dancing out. And they looked like they were having so much fun! My ring bearer was next. Then, I heard the kazoos. The whole audience was playing "Here Comes The Bride" on the kazoo (we had put a kazoo on every chair). Holy crap! And we were walking. Oh my god. I was walking down the aisle at my own wedding. OH MY GOD. We round the corner and there are our guests. All my favorite people. There was my trainer, looking dashing. And my dear friend Rob. And my family. And then I looked up, and there was Or, the man who would only be my fiance for a few moments longer. He looks so handsome. And so nervous. And there's blood on his upper lip. What happened? Did he get a bloody nose? Did someone punch him? Why would someone punch him?? I tried to wipe it off, and he flinched. And then he smiled. And oh, his two front teeth. They had this u-shaped chip out of them. He was smiling, but his eyes weren't. He must have tripped. But he was here, and he was okay. My thoughts weren't really coming. I just reacted. I started laughing. Because here we were, on our wedding day, and, I mean, how could you plan for something like this? So, I laughed. And then Sky started talking. He was quoting The Princess Bride, and hte audiance was laughing along with me. And we were getting MARRIED. Sky said some amazing things, and then it was our turn to talk to each other. We did rock-paper-scissors to decide who was going first. Or won, explained to the audience he had fallen and chipped his tooth, then said amazing lovely things to me. Then, he sang a modified version of the Rubber Duckie Song, with his groomsmen accompanying him on the kazoo. I'll admit, I teared up a whole bunch. It was amazing. And then it was my turn. I read my heart to him. I couldn't help choking up. And then Or rick rolled the audience. And then, we were married. MARRIED! HUSBAND AND WIFE. The next chunk is more of a blur. The guests all headed to the reception. The hotel manager talked to us about Or's fall. I laughed some more. Or iced his face. We took some group shots, with Or hiding the holes in his pants. We took some time, just the two of us, in our hotel room, and then we headed out to the reception. Our back yard was decorated beautifully. Our friends and family, and our amazing wedding coordinator did a FANTASTIC job. Our favors, on top of the kazoos, were rubber duckies (for obvious reasons), and See's Candy lollipops. The bar where we met had been shut down, and a See's candy shop was up in its place. The next 5 hours or so were filled with talking to all these people I love and adore. I danced, took photobooth pictures, hugged dozens of people, ate some food, chugged diet coke, talked to so many people, felt so loved, laughed and laughed, tried to hook up my single friends. The food! Was a big hit. Delicious. Plentiful. People are still asking me where we got specific dishes. My bridal party got me wedding apron, so I wouldn't have to worry about dripping BBQ sauce all over my dress. The cake! It was amazing. Our friend Meg did such an awesome job. It looked stunning. The vegan cake I tried was amazing. The photobooth Sky built for us was AMAZING. My flowers Marla made for the whole wedding were STUNNING. I could not have asked for a better florist. We did the typical garter and bouquet toss. Our friend Skan caught the garter, and my new friend Kristy caught the bouquet. Our first dance was to "Happy Together," the wedding theme song. At some point, after most of the people had left, I changed into my pajamas and took a nap. Or and I finally headed back to the hotel room around 2am. The day was memorable and amazing and hilarious and wonderful, and a day I will never, ever forget. PS: Or's teeth are now fixed. YAY.

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What Will Companies Do With Their Big Earnings?

Cash has always been king, but in this market it is also becoming king maker. You see, big corporations are flush with cash right now and they're using all their money to buy up small, rival companies. For many of the small-cap companies that I follow this could spell huge profits if a big company in their industry takes notice of them. The bidding war that's happening now between Dell and HP over 3Par could potentially play out for many other small companies on the market. However to reap the benefits of such a merger, you have to know where all this cash is headed. That's precisely what I want to talk about in today's issue of What's Working on Wall Street Now. Continue reading.

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08/20 Quickie: Tillman, Spiller, Lilly

Names to Know: Pat Tillman, Roger Clemens, Ted Lilly, CJ Spiller, Wes Welker, Percy Harvin, Kyle Orton, Brian Cushing, Rudy Fernandez, Ryan Lochte, BlogPoll and More. "The Tillman Story" releases today: I have said this before -- the Pat Tillman story is one of the most defining of this era. Everything about this movie screams "must-see." But don't expect it to be anything but painful, frustrating, maddening. The cover-up -- at so many levels, it is excruciating -- and disinformation campaign is staggering. Everyone involved in abusing and distorting and shaming Tillman's intentions, actions and legacy should live their lives with an ongoing sense of shame. A few years ago, I called Pat Tillman's story -- and, really, the story of his parents' search for the truth -- one of the Top 5 most powerful and important sports stories of the last century. I stand by that. Roger Clemens indicted: Far more interesting was the debut of his Twitter feed, which was greeted with general mockery. Why don't the handlers of these rich athletes hire a decent ghostwriter? Ted Lilly, post-trade to Dodgers, is quickly becoming one of my favorite stories in baseball. Last night was arguably Lilly's best start ever: A 2-hit complete-game shut-out, with 11Ks. NFL Preseason: CJ Spiller... CJ Spiller... CJ Spiller. (I was shut out of getting Spiller in my morning draft yesterday -- yoinked 3 picks ahead of where I was going to snag him -- but I got him in my evening draft. (BTW: What happened to enthusiasm in Toronto for the NFL? Crowd was 15,000 less than capacity.) Wes "Welkah" makes 2 catches: Speaking of fantasy drafts, I went long on Tom Brady, taking him in the 2nd round of both of yesterday's drafts. Typically, I wait on drafting QBs until later; then again, typically I stink in fantasy leagues. Trying a new tactic this year. Percy Harvin hospitalized: Let's hope he's OK. When healthy, one of the most dynamic talents in the league. But rarely healthy. To be competitive, the Vikings need him. Full weekend of NFL preseason games: As always, the focus is on watching if any key starters get injured, how bad the injury is and what the impact on the fantasy season might be. Plus: Will Big Ben play? Oh, and seeing if Sam Bradford can take a hit. (Yes, I recognize the irony that Tim Tebow was injured on his first big hit in the pros. He will miss this weekend's game; I take solace knowing that Sam Bradford can't even attempt that kind of play, because he would crumple.) Obligatory Tebow item: The Broncos extended Kyle Orton's deal into 2011. Does that mean that they expect Orton to continue to be the starter next season (implicitly, that Tebow will NOT be the starter next season?) Interesting -- I think most Broncos fans did not see that coming. (I did NOT draft Tebow in my P&G fantasy league -- certainly not with the No. 1 overall pick, although I joked about it. I was planning to take him in the final, 15th round but KSK's Josh Zerkle took him in the 12th round, apparently to spite me. In my other draft yesterday, I did take Tebow with my final pick, in the 16th round.) Brian Cushing 4-game suspension upheld by NFL: Didn't expect otherwise. NBA fines Rudy Fernandez for dissing the NBA: That isn't likely to inspire Rudy to want to stay in the NBA. (Why can't the Blazers trade him to a team that will give him more of a role? I'd love to have him on the Wiz, pairing in the backcourt with Wall. Fernandez is like a less-idiotic version of Nick Young.) Michael Phelps Watch: Has Ryan Lochte passed him? BlogPoll Top 25: Last chance for comments and input. I will try to have my first pass at a ballot by the end of the day (tomorrow at the latest -- know it's the weekend, sorry.) In addition to a BlogPoll post, later today is the final day of my Summer Reading Series, including a confession. Should be posted around noon/1. Enjoy your weekend, everyone. I'll be posting the usual "Very" Quickies on Saturday and Sunday mornings. -- D.S.

View original story : continue+reading+big Feed : Dan Shanoff