First off, I’d like to take this time to personally thank you for hiring me. Paul and Katie have been some of the best human beings on the planet, and I couldn’t have asked for better bosses.
Thank you for taking a chance on me and allowing myself to grow as a journalist in a professional setting handling the Center for Community Arts Partnerships social media accounts.
I was a bit nervous when I started, but after working with you, I quickly learned that they were in my best interest in helping me anyway possible.
I had the best of times covering various events under CCAP’s umbrella. It’s a shame that our time was cut short, but I wouldn’t trade the experience and friendships I acquired during my time there.
I wish you both the best of luck in your future endeavors, and I’ll always be there to talk about music (specifically heavy metal), pop culture, sports and anything you’d like.
Once again, from the bottom of my heart: thank you.
ESPN’s Adam Caplan reports that the Seattle Seahawks have signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Bradley McDougald to a one-year, $2 million contract with $750,000 guaranteed, according to a league source on Wednesday.
McDougald, 26, played with Tampa Bay for four seasons after being signed by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013 as an unrestricted free agent.
Last season, McDougald set career highs in tackles (91), passes defended (10) and interceptions (2) before signing a one-year extension prior to the 2016 NFL season.
Seattle looks to bolster their secondary coverage with Earl Thomas looking to return from injury last season after suffering a season-ending broken leg in Week 13. When Thomas went down, the Legion of Boom took a step back in defensive production allowing 12 offensive touchdowns and only registering one interception during his eight-game absence.
The Seahawks have announced Thomas looks to be ready for the start of the upcoming season, and signing McDougald gives defensive coordinator Kris Richard depth at a position they sorely missed.
Signing McDougald gives an an extra boost to the Seahawks after ranking seventh in run defense giving up 1,487 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns to opposing teams.
Seahawks fans might remember his interception of Russell Wilson which sealed a 14-5 victory for the Bucs last season and hope his defensive prowess can help return the dominance to one of the league’s stingiest defenses in 2017.
With recent talks of Seattle looking to trade Richard Sherman, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense in trading away one of their star players. Since losing Super Bowl 49 to the New England Patriots, the Seahawks on both sides of the ball have yet to recover from that loss.
Throw in the retirement of Marshawn Lynch and losing several key defensive players, the Seahawks are not the team coaches use to fear. They’re slowly being dismantled and teams are taking advantages of their lackluster defense and major issues against their offensive line.
However, the Seahawks finished 10-5-1 en route to defeating the Lions in the Wild Card round before they were thrashed by Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, 36-20, during the NFC Divisional round against the Falcons.
NSAC announces settlement agreement with Conor McGregor
David Fitzgerald -- Getty Images
The Nevada State Athletic Commission announced on Wednesday that they have approved a settlement agreement with UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor. McGregor was punished for his actions when he purposely threw a water bottle and energy drink at Nate Diaz prior to their UFC 202 news conference last August.
Originally, the NSAC had penalized the Irishman $150,000 and 50 hours of community service for his unsportsmanlike actions. The agreement reduces McGregor’s penalty to $25,000 and 25 hours of community service with additional court costs.
McGregor’s attorney, Jennifer Goldstein, was present for the NSAC’s decision on Wednesday when reaching an unanimous decision to re-open the case. Goldstein said “the line was a little broken,” and McGregor repeatedly apologized for his display.
Nevada deputy attorney general, Caroline Bateman, said that McGregor’s community service will target anti-bullying issues and is to make an appearance at a gym of his choice to talk to kids about the subject matter.
UFC is no stranger to prized fighters having outrageous antics during press conferences before a huge fight. The McGregor-Diaz incident was compared to former champion Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier’s press conference brawl which sparked the NSAC to hand out a severe penalty on McGregor.
Since this debut, fans and non-fans of the MMA universe were instantly introduced to the loudmouth, cocky brash that is Conor McGregor. Popping up in headlines across the sports universe of his claims of being an unstoppable force, it was pretty hard not to know who he was in some capacity.
Now ahead of his megafight with undefeated Floyd Mayweather, the settlement with the NSAC does allow him to pursuit his boxing license and proceed with the fight later this year. However, Dana White needs to regain control of his fighters when incidents like this occur. People want to watch their best athletes competing and not have their matches hindered due to unprofessional actions the company has experienced before.
It’s best to have the beatings occur in the octagon and not handed down by the NSAC.
Dream matchup of Conor McGregor versus Floyd Mayweather becomes closer to reality
Brandon Magnus - Getty Images
The dream matchup of UFC's latest superstar Conor McGregor and boxing icon Floyd "Money" Mayweather is inking closer and closer to a reality this year.
On Friday, March 17, McGregor announced that a date in September will showcase the super fight between the two combatants.
"[September] is what I'm thinking. That's that the word is. That's what we're close to doing," McGregor said on when the boxing match is taking place. "I've tried to talk to Floyd. I flew to Las Vegas to have talks with Floyd and then he retired. He just doesn't want to see me. He's petrified. Wouldn't you be? No one knows what to expect with me, and they shouldn't. Because I don't know what to expect either."
McGregor first burst onto the UFC scene in 2013 as a 24-year-old established fighter from Dublin, Ireland. The Irishman posted a 15-match winning streak in his professional career before suffering his first career loss to Nate Diaz at UFC 196. It's no doubt that McGregor's antics and outlandish claims have made him larger than life within the sports world recently, and the pairing with an equally dominant fighter only has fans salivating for a tilt that'll shake the very heavens itself.
However, the September date goes against Mayweather's potential matchup in June after announcing he was ending his retirement for this special occasion.
"Today, I'm officially out of retirement for Conor McGregor," Mayweather said. "We don't need to waste no time. We need to make this s--- happen quickly. Let's get it on in June."
Whenever and wherever the fight ends up, it'll be interesting to see how the two styles will collide in the squared circle versus the octagon. McGregor has shown the ability to be a pure striker, but the reckless abandon that the UFC employs doesn't mean it'll transfer correctly into a boxing match. Anyone who has watched Mayweather box this decade knows that his style is more of a peekaboo style. Meaning Mayweather will let McGregor come to him instead of being the more aggressive one.
Will McGregor's patience cost him the match against the forty-year-old who is 49-0 in his boxing career? Or can he shock the professional boxing world and score a victory? Whether its in June or September, the world will eventually find out which fighter will reign supreme after months of buildup.
Ben Roethlisberger after suffering defeat to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game. (Patrick Smith - Getty Inages)
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he was "leaning" towards playing in the upcoming 2017 NFL season last Friday, per the Observer-Reporter (Washington, Pennsylvania).
Roethlisberger, 35, and the Steelers lost to the New England Patriots, 36-17, in the AFC Championship game in which Roethlisberger played through a torn meniscus for most of the 2016 season.
Injuries are nothing new for Roethlisberger throughout his career as he has been plagued by notable injuries seemingly every season. And injuries are a suitable argument for why retirement is a strong possibility for the two-time Super Bowl champion.
However, the other side of that argument is the offense Pittsburgh currently owns in the AFC. Led by wide receiver Antonio Brown with 1,284 yards and 12 receiving touchdowns and Le'Veon Bell -- who was suspended for the first three games of the season -- with 1,278 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Not to mention Pittsburgh will welcome back Martavis Bryant after being suspended for a year after violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
The Steelers have plenty of weapons to give opposing teams headaches on defense. And remain one of the few teams to give the Patriots a legitimate threat come playoff time. Where the weak link becomes exposed is in their defense.
The once-feared "Steel Curtain" has taken a huge backseat as Pittsburgh's offense became one of the most exciting displays in the league. Pittsburgh's defense ranked 10th in points per game at 20.4, but only had a combined total of five takeaways. Two of which were interceptions by Ryan Shazier.
Second-year defensive coordinator Keith Butler failed to put constant pressure on Tom Brady back in January giving up 36 points as they were being routed. In fact, they only registered two sacks. Their defense has been suspect leading up into the final years of Dick LeBeau's tenure with Pittsburgh and is a area Pittsburgh needs to address in the upcoming draft.
One way for Pittsburgh to contend for the #1 seed is to avoid losing streaks after starting strong. In 2016, the Steelers jumped out to a 4-1 record before losing their next four games giving the Baltimore Ravens a chance at winning the AFC North. The Steelers then won their next seven games en route to a division title and playoff wins over the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs.
With Brady serving his four-game suspension, teams had an ideal situation to steal home-field advantage away from the Patriots, but failed to do so.
Pittsburgh is primed as Super Bowl contenders in 2017, but needs to avoid major injuries and boneheaded suspensions to key players to have any shot as their window dwindles. With teams like the Oakland Raiders and Houston Texans on the rise, the AFC becomes a crowded bunch that most likely will have to go through New England in the end.
The Green Bay Packers announced they have signed tight end Martellus Bennett on Friday. Details of Bennett's contract have yet to be released. After contract stalls with Jared Cook, the Packers made a rare splash in free agency in which fans are unaccustomed to under general manager Ted Thompson. After winning Super Bowl 51 with the New England Patriots, Bennett will now be receiving passes from Aaron Rodgers, who look to contend for a championship after falling short in last season's NFC Championship game in Atlanta. The Packers have had uncertainty at the tight end position since Jermichael Finley suffered a career-ending injury in 2012. The book is still out on where Cook will end up in 2016, but signing Bennett gives them an instant impact player at the position provided he can stay healthy.
Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Tony Romo will turn 37 before the 2017 NFL season starts and believes he still has enough gas in the tank to guide a team to a Super Bowl championship. The only question that remains is where?
Romo suffered a broken bone in his back against Seattle during the 2016 preseason that sidelined him for majority of the season. Dallas' rookie quarterback, Dak Prescott, took over and appears to be the quarterback of the future for the Cowboys.
Once Romo was cleared to play late in the season, not wanting to force Jerry Jones to make a quarterback controversy, Romo willingly withdrew his hat and became a mentor-like figure to Prescott as the rookie quarterback guided the Cowboys to a #1 seed and a 13-3 record.
NFL free agency begins on March 9 when teams can officially sign players and everyone has their two cents on where Romo will land next season. So let's take a look at some of the scenarios.
Romo stays in Dallas and plays backup to Prescott for the 2017 season
The realm of possibility of Romo staying in Dallas isn't as far fetched as you might think. Jones has publicly admitted his love for Romo over the years and desperately wants to see Romo win a Super Bowl...preferably with the Cowboys.
And who's to say that for as amazing a season Prescott had in 2016 it isn't possible he stumbles? Should Romo leave and the Cowboys have poor quarterback-play from Prescott Dallas would have no choice but to ponder the opportunity Romo could've given them.
Romo in 2014 had a stellar year before he suffered a season-ending collarbone fracture injury against the Panthers in 2015. With Dez Bryant and rookie sensation Ezekiel Elliot, Romo if healthy, has the weapons around him for a deep playoff run.
Romo stays in the state of Texas and joins the Texans
if you've watched the Houston Texans over the years you've probably said, "man if the Texans had a quarterback they'd be a dangerous team." And you'd be right. The Texans have had one of the best defenses this decade, largely in part to J.J. Watt, and posting the number one defense in 2016. With Watt and Jadeveon Clowney anchoring this defense they have a ton of core elements to harass opposing quarterbacks for years to come.
However, on the other side of the ball the Texans have had below than average quarterback-play that no one fears on the gridiron.
Enter Tony Romo. Could you imagine the Romo and DeAndre Hopkins connections? It'd be insane. Throw in Will Fuller, C.J. Fiedorowicz and Lamar Miller, and that is a dangerous team in a weak AFC South division. They would get over the hump and give New England a run for their money come playoff time. It remains to be seen if Brock Osweiler, who signed a $72mil/4yr contract prior to 2016, can be the quarterback of the future for the Texans.
Tony Romo goes to the Rocky Mountains and joins Denver
Romo going to the Denver Broncos is a similar situation as Houston, but with a little more firepower. Romo would take over for first-year starter Trevor Siemian, and contend in a rising AFC West division.
Demaryius Thomas had a less than stellar year with first-time starter Siemian hauling in five touchdowns with 1,083 receiving yards, but by bringing in a seasoned veteran such as Romo would potentially return the firepower that Manning instilled. If the Broncos are going to contend in 2017 and make a deep playoff run, they'll need to compete against their division with a better quarterback. Siemian may be the quarterback of the future, but Romo gives them a chance to compete now.
There are a number of teams who could use Romo's services, but given his recent health issues, which team is going to bite and offer Romo a contract in 2017? Romo would likely favor a team that best gives him a chance at winning a championship and at 37 wouldn't demand a big contract. We'll know soon enough when free agency begins next week and moving into the Summer.
Will the NFL dial down on penalizing players for Touchdown Celebrations?
New reports have surfaced that the NFL is considering toning down its harsh fines and penalties for players celebrating in the end zone.
We’ve seen Antonio Brown twerk, Odell Beckham Jr. moonwalk and a number of absurd touchdown celebrations over the past few years. The NFL has been fining players for overly celebrating and its been a bizarre concept to understand.
Yes, the NFL has a gajillion players that young fans -- and older fans -- look up to. And people of all ages, myself included, have imitated their favorite player dancing after scoring a touchdown. It happens. It’s an aspect of being a fan for one of the most popular sports on the planet.
But the NFL practically censoring their players after a big play just doesn’t make sense. Think back to when you were in school taking an exam. When you found out that you did well, didn’t you celebrate in some way? A fist pump? A high-five? A jingle? I’d be willing to bet my bank account that a good percent of people have.
It’s human nature to celebrate your accomplishments.
But I hear you saying, “these are grown men playing with a ball!” And you’re not wrong. We watch athletes playing with a ball for more than three hours a plethora of times a week. But what people fail to realize at times, is that this is their job.
So it’s their right to let loose and have a bit of fun after scoring a touchdown. We’re asking hundreds of men to go at war with one another for our entertainment. Let them have some fun dancing and acting like buffoons.
The NFL has been under attack for its representation of players, but reducing this extreme limitation is a step in bringing fun back to Sunday’s during football season.
Marvel Studios' "Dr. Strange" is a fantastic addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe through its titular character, awe-inspiring visuals and connection to future films. Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game) makes his superhero debut as the self-centered, arrogant neurosurgeon doctor Stephen Strange, who is quick to remind people that he's the best at what he does.
An unfortunate event through driving and texting see's Strange suffer an horrific accident that damages his skilled hands to the point of no return. Strange's quest to restore his hands to their former glory brings him to Nepal in search of Karmar-Taj and meeting with the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) in hopes of healing his hands.
Strange's character is a new take on heroes seen in the MCU, in which his character serves as a pompous, cold individual that you wouldn't see in Captain America or Iron Man as a protagonist. While Strange ultimately does go through his rite of passage in owning up to his ways of old, it takes the character longer to realize this revelation than most.
"Dr. Strange" is the first movie to truly introduce the world of magic into the MCU. While we've seen glimpses of it with Loki in other films, it's on full display as sorcerers conjure spells that create beautiful imagery and special effects. The opening scene of buildings folding and bending in ways you couldn't comprehend takes scenes from "Inception" and ups the impressive visuals tenfold.
To see Strange and others battling on moving skyscrapers with sorcery is not only impressive by today's standards in how far cinematography has come, but director Scott Dickerson's (Deliver Us From Evil, The Day the Earth Stood Still) attention to details in lifting comic book panels and executing them on the big screen is nearly flawless. Proof that MCU directors take their inspiration from source material and apply it accurately is a testament to one of the reasons why the MCU has been so successful.
If there is one fault that the MCU hasn't been successful with, it's their handling of villains and antagonists throughout their connected universe. The films acting villain, Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), does a well-enough job in creating an opposition for Strange, but it's the lead up to Dormammu in the background of the story that gives "Dr. Strange" its main bad guy. Which is fine, but it takes a little too long to get there as we learn how Kaecilius betrayed the Ancient One and wants to bring destruction to Earth.
It's through Kaeceilius' plan of opening the Dark Dimension that we learn how the Ancient One has lived for centuries of years. And how the notion of using the Dark Dimension jeopardizes everything Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) believes he knows about the Ancient One and sorcery.
Ultimately it's this knowledge that leads him down a dark path by the movie's end and sets up a future storyline for the sequel. "Dr. Strange" is the second film of Marvel Studios' Phase Three plan following 2016's "Captain America: Civil War" and preceding "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" in 2017. It's through "Dr. Strange" that we learn that the Eye of Agamotto, an ancient artifact Strange used against Dormammu in the climax of the movie, contains an infinity stone that will eventually tie in the rest of the movies leading up to "Avengers: Infinity War" and their battle against the Mad Titan, Thanos.
"Dr. Strange" is an outstanding addition to the MCU that displays a wide-range of characters while giving audiences a front seat into the world of magic and its celestial beings. It's not a perfect comic book movie, but Cumberbatch's portrayal of Strange in this new world he's thrown into shows that Marvel Studios is willing to bring Marvel Comics' characters from all reaches of their library to life.
Proof that once again the Bulls’ front office is a constant disappointment for fans.
Another year and another NBA trade deadline has come and gone, and this year the Chicago Bulls has made another questionable transaction in what appears to be another disappointing season.
Chicago has agreed to send Taj Gibson, Doug McDermott and a 2018 second-round draft pick to Oklahoma City in exchange for Cameron Payne, Joffrey Lauvergne and Anthony Morrow.
Remember when Chicago signed Dwyane Wade before the season started in an attempt to rebuild while reloading their roster?
Gibson, who is arguably the last instantly recognizable player from the start of the decade, was a mainstay for Bulls fans. Even after seeing Chicago’s front office ship Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, Gibson was there.
It’s an absolute embarrassment to be a Bulls fan these days knowing that nothing is on the horizon. Their star player in Jimmy Butler, who has had numerous trade talks the past few weeks, isn’t a certain moving forward either. Knowing that Butler is your biggest trade chip, it’s highly likely that a trade will be dealt in the not-to-distant future.
Throw in the fact that Chicago didn’t receive a draft pick is also mindboggling. If Gar Foreman and John Paxson are gearing up for the future, then ensuring Oklahoma City would at least throw in a draft pick makes sense.
It didn’t happen. It doesn’t make sense.
Oklahoma City got the better end of this deal. In acquiring Gibson(7 rebounds per game), they’ll ramp up their power forward position knowing that Gibson is a great defender and a decent scoring (11.6 points per game this year) when called upon. Adding in McDermott’s shooting ability from beyond the arc (39.8 percent three-point shooter, per NBA.com), the two will definitely give an added boost on offense.
Not to mention Oklahoma CIty is led by Russell Westbrook. Westbrook will get his two newly acquired teammates into the fray. There’s a reason the man averages a triple-double.
Moving past the notion of the trade itself, what did Chicago actually receive? Payne is averaging 5.3 points per game. Lauvergne is averaging 5.7 points per game. And Morrow is averaging 5.8 points per game. Add them up and you get a whopping 16.8 points per game between three players.
What this also does is give Fred Hoiberg the chance to plug in some of his younger bench players and give them an opportunity play more minutes. Players like Denzel Valentine and Bobby Portis, who have at times shown their ability to be key players in the future, will have more time to develop their game and contribute to this team.
The trade deadline has come and gone, and it was a bit of shock to see anyone but Butler be moved. Will this become a building block towards the future? Time will tell. But questionable moves that don’t seem to improve the team as a whole continue to be a disappointment for fans who don red and black.
CHICAGO – Two seasons ago the New York Mets were in the World Series in which they lost to the Kansas City Royals in five games. Led by one of the league’s best pitching staffs, the Mets will try to contend in 2017 after losing to the San Francisco Giants in the Wild Card Game.
Sluggers Yoenis Cespedes and Neil Walker return to the Mets’ lineup with Cespedes signing a $110 million contract for four years making him the second highest paid athlete in franchise history.
Last season the 31-year-old posted a .280 batting average, a .530 slugging average and knocked in 86 RBIs. Walker, who’s coming back after avoiding arbitration, hit for .282 and 55 RBIs in 2016.
The Mets will rely on their starting rotation of Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz, Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom to get them where they want to go. Adding in Jeurys Familia and Addison Reed coming out of the bullpen, will at least on paper, give the Mets arguably the strongest pitching staff in the MLB this upcoming season.
The Mets finished 87-75 and in second place behind the Washington Nationals last season. If they’re going to overtake Washington for the division this season, they’re going to have play much better against their divisional opponents. The NL East which in addition contains the Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies, the Mets went for a combined 33-23 against those teams. Against the Nationals, New York went 7-12.
The Braves (68-93), Marlins (79-82) and Phillies (71-91) were some of the worst teams last season and the Mets lost to these teams 23 times throughout the season.
Terry Collins will attempt to get his team back to its winning ways when the club hosts the Braves on April 3 to start the season.
Collins looks to get Harvey back after suffering from “symptoms consistent with thoracic outlet syndrome” that ended his season last year.
“The ball is coming out really good right now. Obviously I don’t have a crystal ball,” Harvey said. “The way things are feeling now, the way the body feels, I’m feeling great.“
Before going on injured reserve, Harvey posted a 4-10 record in 17 games with a 4.86 ERA while striking out 76 batters over 92.2 innings pitched.
The Mets posted a team batting average of .246 without accounting for pitchers that was good for 12th in the National League and 25th overall. Their team ERA was third best in the National League at 3.57 and third overall finishing behind Washington and the Chicago Cubs.
The Mets are certainly capable of making a Wild Card berth if the team can stay healthy in 2017. The focus will be surpassing the Nationals in the NL East to avoid powerhouse teams like the World Series Champion Cubs or the Los Angeles Dodgers if possible.
While they have the pitching to carry them for most of the season, but if other contributors can’t add on offense, the Mets will be playing catchup to other teams.
Atlanta has loaded up on the front end of their pitching staff, including fan favorite Bartolo “Big Sexy” Colon and Miami looks to get their star slugger Giancarlo Stanton back from injury after falling out of Wild Card contention late last season. And then NL East Champion Nationals acquired Adam Eaton from the Chicago White Sox through trade that’ll add one of the best defensive outfielders alongside Bryce Harper.
So the talent level is there for the Mets, but with other teams improving in the division they’ll have a tough schedule ahead of them in 2017 if they’re going to get back to the World Series.
Iron Maiden, “The Book of Souls” (Parlophone, 2015)
Iron Maiden’s follow up to 2010’s “The Final Frontier” is a return to form for the legendary heavy metal band. “The Book of Souls” clocks in at 92 minutes making it the longest studio album and is the band’s first studio double album in their coveted history.
Fans of Iron Maiden will resonate with a familiar tone of epics from the 1980s with songs like “If Eternity Should Fail," which features the bands first usage of drop D tuning, and title track “The Book of Souls” gives the album memorable riffs that the band has been known for throughout the years.
From Steve Harris’ thumping bass lines in "The Red and the Black" to Bruce Dickinson’s wailing vocals, it’s clear that Iron Maiden in 2015 hasn’t lost a step.
Dickinson, who has made a full recovery since being diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on the back of his tongue in 2015, displays a wide range of vocalization from song to song maintaining true to his “Air Raid Siren” nickname.
Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers’ guitar mastery on “The Book of Souls” is experienced throughout the album. Songs such as “Speed of Light,” “The Great Unknown” and “Tears of a Clown,” the latter is a tribute to the late Robin Williams about depression and suicide, displays their heavy chords and instant gratification that Iron Maiden fans have experienced in their over 30-year career.
Nicko McBrain's solid drumming gives “The Book of Souls” a complete musical experience that the average air-instrument-playing fan can indulge. This is an album that may have you listening to it over and over to appreciate the scope of music that will embrace your ears.
One of the differences fans will notice immediately is the overall tone to the album. “The Final Frontier” had a lighter touch to it and while Iron Maiden isn’t as heavy sounding as other notable bands in the genre, Say Metallica or Megadeth, “The Book of Souls” is by far the band’s heaviest sounding album to date.
Capping off the album is the band's longest song to date, "Empire of the Clouds," at 18 minutes, surpassing "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" from their "Powerslave" album and "Where thenWild Wind Blows" from their "The Final Frontier" album at 13 minutes and 11 minutes respectively.
"Empire of the Clouds" features Dickinson on piano for the first time while singing about the events of the R101 airship crashing in Northern France on October 5th, 1930. Through Dickinson's lyrical prowess, the song makes all nineteen minutes memorable through Iron Maiden's band collaboration as each member brings melodic harmony throughout the verses and bridge of "Empire of the Clouds."
Overall, Iron Maiden's "The Book of Souls" album reinsures long time fans that as the band progresses towards their fortieth year as heavy metal band legends, they can still produce high quality heavy metal. A welcome entry for newcomers and seasoned fans of heavy metal. Fans will continue to Up The Irons until their next great epic.
MINNESOTA – The Minnesota Wild rallied from a 2-0 deficit early in third to tie the game at three-all and force overtime in a matchup of Stanley Cup contenders. However, Jonathan Toews had other plans in the extra period.
Toews was able to locate the puck after Patrick Kane’s shot was stopped and fired it past Darcy Kuemper for his 11th goal on the season at 3:09 into overtime for the 4-3 victory Wednesday night.
“That’s a team that works pretty hard and they didn’t go away,” Toews said after his overtime goal. “Nice for us to find that resiliency and find a way to get a power play goal late in the game.”
Ryan Hartman got the Blackhawks on the board in the first period after snapping off a one-timer from Vinnie Hinostroza for his third goal in three games. Nick Schmaltz would double Chicago’s lead with a nifty move in front of the net for his fourth goal of the season.
Minnesota would begin to mount their comeback from a 2-0 goal deficit in the second period. Goals from Jared Spurgeon and Zach Parise knotted the game at two after Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford made some incredible saves to keep his team in it.
“That was a big win for us against one of the best teams in the league right now,” Crawford said. “It’s some good momentum on the road, too. We just have to bring that in the next game."
Crawford finished the game with 35 saves on 38 shots for his 21st win. Minnesota outshot Chicago 38-32.
Minnesota scored to tie the game at 7:15 in the second in what looked to appear as an offside play. The review was upheld as a good goal after being reviewed by Toronto.
“We think it was offside,” Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville said on the lengthy review. “I guess it might not have been conclusive from their vantage point.”
Minnesota had an eight-game win streak versus Chicago prior to Wednesday’s matchup. Minnesota, with two games in hand over Chicago, has a five-point lead in the standings.
“We had to win the game to keep us within striking distance,” Quenneville said. “They’re on such a roll and first game back off a road trip, tough game for them…Certainly getting the two points was important.”
Chicago’s last victory before Minnesota prior to tonight came on January 11, 2015 before losing eight straight. The two teams will meet again on February 21 in Minnesota.
Richard Panik scored his twelfth goal of the season in second period at 17:24 to give Chicago a 3-2 lead. Then Parise’s goal left many players confused on whether the play was onside or not.
“It didn’t really look like there was a chance it was offside,” Toews said on whether Minnesota was offside on Parise’s game-tying goal. “It is what it is. You’re always mad at the rule when it goes against you and you love It when it’s in your favor.
Have you ever ice skated? I have. And without holding on to a person or the wall, I'm pretty much screwed. I consider myself a pretty good athlete without an athletes body. I only consider myself in that light on a solid platform. You want to add ice and ice skates? Forget it. NHL players, in my humble opinion, are some of the most talented people on the planet. Skating forwards and backwards? Haha. Skating with a stick and corralling a puck in motion? Nope. Trying to avoid body checks while accurately pinpointing a goal on net? Not in this lifetime. My point is that when we watch sports we tend to awed by the result of a play. But forget the skill behind the play. Hockey players across the world can do things most people can't. I can dribble -- albeit poorly -- a ball while coming down the court, or kick a soccer ball across the field, but the grace of ice skating is something I'll never master. And that's fine. What I can master is appreciating the sport of hockey and continuing to cheer for the athletes that go through a grueling 82 game schedule and playoffs. So the next time you yourself or hear someone proclaiming "I can do that!" You'd might want to really consider if you can. Till next time.
Scott Darling turned in a masterful 30-save performance against the Boston Bruins Friday night for a 1-0 victory off Marian Hossa's 17th goal of the season.
Hossa's goal came with 1:26 left in the third period after being outshot by Boston 30-22. Tanner Kero and Vincent Hinostroza combined for the assist on Hossa's game-winning goal.
Both teams had opportunities to cash in on the power play, but combined for an 0-5 on the man advantage
Tuuka Rask finished with 22 saves on the night. Darling’s shutout was his fourth of the season. The Blackhawks (29-14-5) have won six of their last eight games.
Westbrook on Pachulia: “I’m gonna get his ass back.”
Photo Credit: For The Win - USA Today
Russell Westbrook had choice words for Zaza Pachulia following the Thunder’s 121-100 loss to Golden State Wednesday night.
Nearing the end of the first half, Pachulia collided into Westbrook dropping him to the floor for a flagrant foul 1. Pachulia then proceeded to stand over Westbrook staring him down.
“I’m going to get his ass back,” Westbrook said after the game.
Golden State has taken the first two matchups against Oklahoma City in a highly emotion series that saw Kevin Durant trade in Royal Blue for California Blue this past offseason.
Pachulia told reporters after the game that he thought it wasn’t a dirty play against Westbrook. “A foul is a foul,” Pachulia said. “There is nothing you can do. So you just move on. If he got hurt, that’s fine, too. It’s part of the game.”
The two teams meet again in Oklahoma City on February 11 which will see Durant make his first trip there as a member of the Warriors.
Journalist David Ruiz @journalistdavidruiz - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
