Cicely Tyson wins Leading Actress in a Play at 2013 Tony Awards
December 16, 2015, 8:40 AM|Cicely Tyson got kicked out of her home by her mother after announcing she was pursuing a career in modeling and acting. Tyson refused to give up and carved out a nearly six-decade career that"s now being celebrated with a Kennedy Center Honor. Gayle King met with Tyson in her old Harlem neighborhood to learn about some of her other passions.
Anderson East - Find ‘Em, Fool ‘Em and Forget ‘Em [Live from Fame Studios]
Rumor has it Miranda Lambert has moved on from Blake Shelton and is now dating fellow country crooner, Anderson East.
If you"re a big country music fan, you may already know all about her new beau, but we figured we"d give some extra insight on the 27-year-old cutie.
Here are 7 things you should know about Mr. East:
1. His real name is not Anderson East: Let"s start with the basics. It"s important to note that his actual name is Michael Cameron Anderson. After releasing his first album under the name Mike Anderson in 2009, he decided to officially change his stage name to Anderson East in 2010 with the release of his EP titled Fire Demos.
WATCH: Miranda Lambert"s new view on marriage
2. He"s a Nashville man: Born and raised in Athens, Alabama, he later attended college at the Middle Tennessee State University where he studied music engineering. He moved to Nashville a few years after that. "It was where music was being made," he told Paste magazine about Music City. "And at the time, you could still afford to be a musician and be broke and have cheap rent and know there"s such a great community of people that were doing the same thing. It was a really inspiring placeI mean it still is."
3. Music has been his passion since he was a kid: His parents bought him his first four-track recorder when he was 13. "I kind of tried my hand at sports and school, and I wasn"t very apt at either one of those things," he told the publication. "Anything that was keeping me mostly out of trouble, something that they could obviously see I had passion for, they were incredibly supportive in it."
4. His family is also heavily into music: His mother played the piano and his father sang in the choir at their church. He told Paste, "It wasn"t like the most soulful music, but it was incredibly spiritual and very moving music, and I think just that the essence of it was the commonalitylike those songs are meant for the congregationThat kind of attitude has definitely popped its head back into my mind. It just comes out because that"s what was put into me for so long, and they"re beautiful!"
5. He has a vast collection of musical inspiration: He tells Sing365.com that it was hard to get music in his small, southern town and thus his inspiration ranged from Snoop Dogg to Led Zeppelin. He credit Michael Jackson"s Black or White as the spark that encouraged him to study musical production.
6. He plays both the guitar and the piano: He also told the website that he got his first guitar at 8 years old and later followed in this mom"s footsteps by learning the piano.
7. He is currently about to head out on his first headlining tour: He took to Instagram to share his excitement, writing, "Time for me to get up and do my thing. Excited to announce our first headlining tour."
CNN Anchor Poppy Harlow passes out during broadcast
Not even gravity can be trusted! Indeed, nothing in the woods is as it seems in the new movie The Forest, as seen in Us Weekly"s exclusive sneak peek.
The horror film, out January 8, stars Natalie Dormer (Hunger Games: Mockingjay) and Taylor Kinney (Chicago Fire). The plot centers on Sara (Dormer) searching for her twin sister in Japan"s spooky Aokigahara Forest, known for its high incidence of suicide.
Celebs" Horror Movie Pasts
In the clip, Aiden (Kinney) tries to help Sara make her way out of the wilderness. Sara freaks out after noticing a dead body floating along in the mysterious river below, and then she butts heads with Aiden over which direction they should take.
The Forest Gramercy Pictures
"Two minutes ago, we were walking that way, and now you"re leading me back the way we came," Sara says, realizing that the river"s flow has somehow switched directions.
Horror Movie Stars: Then and Now
To hear his snarky response, watch the clip above.
The Forest hits theaters on January 8.
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BOSTON -- When Isaiah Thomas joined the Boston Celtics after being acquired at February"s trade deadline, he did so in Los Angeles, where he sheepishly admitted his father was a die-hard fan of the Lakers, the team that Thomas would make his Boston debut against later that night.
And while Thomas was raised 1,000 miles north of Los Angeles in Tacoma, Washington, he was subject to a steady diet of purple and gold during his formative basketball years. Noted Thomas, "I was brainwashed to be a Lakers fan when I was young, so I grew up on Kobe Bryant and he was my favorite player."
Bryant is scheduled to make the final visit of his 20-year career to TD Garden on Wednesday night when the Celtics host the Lakers. Raised on Kobe, Thomas was asked what he thinks it will mean for Bryant to play his final game in Boston.
"He"s the best player to ever play the game of basketball in my era. Its going to be probably a little emotional for him. This is one of the most famous arenas," Thomas said. "Its going to suck to see him go. But, at the same time, if it was the other way around, he wouldnt care if it was your last game, so we gotta try to get the win and dont let him have a big game."
For the Celtics, there are no remaining players from either the 2008 or 2010 teams that danced with Bryant and the Lakers in the NBA Finals. The last of those players, Rajon Rondo, was shipped out last December, a short time after a much-publicized breakfast with Bryant in Boston.
Now, the Celtics" locker room is filled with players in their early-20s, many of whom were barely old enough to dribble a basketball when Bryant made his NBA debut. Like Thomas, they grew up watching Bryant and likely mimicked him on their local playgrounds.
Kobe Bryant will play his final game in Boston on Wednesday night.Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports
"Hes probably the best player in my era, so it speaks for itself what the NBA is going to miss," said Jae Crowder, who will be part of the group tasked with defending the 37-year-old Bryant. "Im sure the TD Garden will give him a good welcome. I think hes going to play well. I think hes going to come out and try to play his best and remember a lot of tough battles here in his career, so were prepared for him. Were prepared for the Lakers."
Marcus Smart, another of Boston"s perimeter defenders likely to draw time on Bryant, was 3 years old when Bryant made his NBA debut in 1997.
"It was crazy watching Kobe and the things that he accomplished," Smart said. "He took a beating day in and day out, night after night. It"s definitely going to be a fun night Wednesday."
Evan Turner playfully barked when asked if he was a fan of Bryant growing up.
That"s the stupidest question you could have asked," Turner said. "I"m joking. Of course, man. I remember being 8 years old watching [Bryant win] the [1997] dunk contest. I pretty much spent my whole life watching him play. Kobes always a bright spot of my adolescence and the game in general."
Celtics coach Brad Stevens, who is less than two years older than Bryant, has a deep appreciation for Bryant despite coaching against him only once. Bryant scored 22 points in Boston"s 113-96 triumph at TD Garden last December.
"Obviously, Im a basketball fan so I have a great deal of respect for him," Stevens said. "I hear the players talk about him as a guy theyve looked up to and that theyve studied and that theyve tried to learn as much as they can from. Hats off to him for having a great career and for going out the way that he wants to. h**l certainly get a lot of applause along the way over the next couple of months. And deservedly so."
It will be interesting to see exactly how Boston fans respond to Bryant"s final visit. New England sports fans typically have a deep appreciation for those that transcended the game, but Bryant is also a villain who denied the Celtics another banner in 2010. The guess here is that fans will salute Bryant for his contributions, but probably spend most of the night booing him.
As Thomas noted, the Celtics can"t get too sentimental about Bryant"s visit. Boston is riding a season-high four-game winning streak, and the focus must be on continuing to play well. The Lakers sit in the basement of the Western Conference and own the second-worst record in basketball.
While aware of the significance of Bryant"s final game in Boston, these Celtics would prefer this just be another quiet night on the farewell tour.
Are the Miranda Lambert, Anderson East dating rumors true? It certainly looks like it!
They are really enjoying each others company, a source told Us. And things are moving quickly in Lambert and Easts relationship. In fact, Lambert, 32, and East, 27, are so close theyre reportedly planning on spending New Years together.
MIRANDA LAMBERT AND SAM HUNT FACE RELATIONSHIP RUMORS ...
Anderson East is reportedly dating Miranda Lambert.
She couldnt have picked a better dude to have fun with, another source told Us. Anderson is the coolest guy. Lambert and East even share a love of hunting.
If the rumors are true, this would be Lambert"s first relationship since her split with Shelton. The two announced their divorce in July after being married since 2011.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE 10 MOST SHOCKING SPLITS OF 2015
"We were together for 10 years, married for four, were very quickly divorced, and are friends. Im still processing everything and figuring out where to go and what happened,"Lambert previously toldCosmopolitan.
"[Marriage is] a tough business, and we gave it our best college try If I ever were to get married again which is completely not on my radar at all right now I feel like its not about it being a step in life. Its not about a piece of paper or a diamond. Its the way you feel about somebody and the commitment in your heart."
Miranda Lambert is reportedly moving on from Blake Shelton with Anderson East.
Lambert"s ex-husband is, of course, dating his fellow The Voice coach Gwen Stefani, 46. Shelton and Stefani first confirmed their relationship just before the CMAs. And theyve been packing on the PDA.
ARE GWEN STEFANI AND CHRISTINA AGUILERA FEUDING? HERE"S THE LATEST ...
Shelton and Stefani recently went on an adorable date to the Arizona Cardinals vs. Green Bay Packers game. And they were all smiles as they cheered on the Cardinals.
Do you think Miranda Lambert and Anderson East make a cute couple? Let us know your take in the comments section below!
Was it at Lecoq that you learned to squeal like a pig? - The Graham Norton Show: preview - BBC One
Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen and his wife actress Isla Fisher have donated more than 670,000 to charity, it has been reported.
The generous couple have given $500,000 (336,000) to The Sunday Times Christmas appeal to help protect 250,000 children against a threatened measles outbreak in Syria, the newspaper said.
Sacha Baron Cohen and wife Isla Fisher (John Shearer/AP/PA)
Their donation will go towards vaccinations administered by Save the Children.
Sacha, 44, and Isla, 39 are also giving a separate sum of $500,000 to the New York-based International Rescue Committee which is run byformer foreignsecretary David Miliband.
Sacha in character as his alter-ego Ali G (STEVEN SENNE/AP/PA)
Hes best known for creating characters including Borat and Ali G, while Isla has appeared in Australian soap Home and Away and films including Wedding Crashers.
They have three children: two daughters, Olive and Elula, and Isla gave birth to a son, Montgomery, earlier this year.
Drew Brees (foot) is expected to start Sunday against the Jaguars, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Brees is dealing with a torn plantar fascia, an injury that has sidelined plenty of players, but Brees has said throughout the week that he will play through the ailment. He"ll have tight end Ben Watson (knee) available to him, so while he will be physically hobbled, he"ll have nearly all of his receivers available.
Duke survived a wild finish at Yankee Stadium for its first bowl victory in 54 years.
Ross Martin kicked a 36-yard field in overtime, and Duke held off Indiana 44-41 on Saturday night in the Pinstripe Bowl in New York.
"Absolutely ecstatic," Martin said. "It couldn"t have happened in a better way, overtime. I think we"re four for four for the most exciting bowl games every year. So it"s finally good to jump around the locker room and celebrate up on stage. That"s incredible for the entire program."
After Martin made his kick on the first possession of the extra period, the Hoosiers" Griffin Oakes missed a 38-yard attempt to hand the Blue Devils (8-5) their first bowl victory since the 1961 Cotton Bowl.
Oakes" try sailed above the right upright and was ruled wide. Oakes protested that it was good, but the kick could not be reviewed and Duke"s players poured onto the field to celebrate.
"The ball went beyond the end line over the top of the upright and when that occurs, the play is not reviewable," crew chief Chris Coyte told a pool reporter.
"I actually thought he made it," Duke running back Shaquille Powell said. "When I saw the team celebrating that"s when the emotions came out. That"s when I got so excited because it"s just a relief when you see something like that.
Indiana finished the season 6-7.
Duke appeared in its fourth straight bowl game, losing the previous three seasons to Cincinnati, Texas A&M and Arizona State.
"We"ve been hearing 1961 since my freshman year," Duke senior center Matt Skura said. "It"s been a goal for a long time. It"s just not senior class that"s been a part of this, it"s the senior classes before me."
"We"ve talked about it a lot," Blue Devils coach David Cutcliffe said. "Because of the four-year streak of playing in bowl games, why wouldn"t you mention it?"
The dramatic finish capped a game that featured 1,203 combined yards and 56 first downs. The teams combined to establish nine offensive records in the six-year history of the game.
Shaun Wilson had 282 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns for the Blue Devils, including a 98-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter.
Before getting hurt in overtime, quarterback Thomas Sirk accounted for 318 yards and three touchdowns. Cuttliffe said he would have not been able to continue if Indiana tied it.
Sirk had a 73-yard touchdown run in the first half and his 5-yard scoring run tied it with 41 seconds left.
After Sirk"s second TD, Oakes missed a 55-yard attempt at the end of regulation.
Sirk was 17 of 37 for 163 yards and a touchdown. He also had 155 yards on the ground.
Indiana"s Nate Sudfeld was 28 for 51 for 389 yards and three touchdowns. Devine Redding filled in for the injured Jordan Howard (knee) and rushed for 227 yards, but it was not enough for the Hoosiers, who have not won a bowl since the 1991 Copper Bowl.
"They made enough plays to win the game," Indiana coach Kevin Wilson said. "We had enough errors."
Duke led 10-0 in the first quarter of what quickly became a back-and-forth game.
Indiana took a 24-20 lead midway through the third when Nick Westbrook caught a 3-yard touchdown pass. But three plays after the Hoosiers" Mitchell Paige fumbled at his 19 on a punt return, Sirk connected with Braxton Deaver for a 10-yard touchdown, giving the Blue Devils a 27-24 lead.
Just over 4 minutes later, Alex Rodriguez the Indiana running back, not the Yankees slugger put the Hoosiers up 31-27 with a 10-yard touchdown run. The lead grew to 34-27 when Oakes kicked a 27-yard field goal with 11:12 left, but Wilson returned the ensuing kickoff to tie it.
Indiana took a 41-34 lead with 4:03 remaining when Sudfeld found Paige wide open in the back of the end zone on second-and-15 for a 25-yard scoring play.
Independence Bowl: Virginia Tech 55, Tulsa 52
Frank Beamer built a powerhouse at Virginia Tech over nearly three decades thanks to a ferocious defense and terrific special teams.
In an unexpected twist, his final game with the Hokies was all about offense.
But the 69-year-old coach wasn"t complaining, only laughing and smiling in the aftermath of Virginia Tech"s 55-52 victory over Tulsa in the Independence Bowl on Saturday night.
"It was different," Beamer said. "But all I know is we won the football game."
Michael Brewer threw for 344 yards, Isaiah Ford had 227 yards receiving and Virginia Tech held off a Tulsa rally in the final minutes to send Beamer out a winner.
The coach announced in November he would retire following the season and the team won three of its last four regular season games to become bowl eligible. He finished with a 238-121-2 record at Virginia Tech over 29 seasons.
Virginia Tech (7-6) was playing in a bowl for the 23rd straight season. The first game of that streak also was in the Independence Bowl in 1993, when the Hokies beat Indiana 45-20.
"The first time I came to Shreveport I left here a happy guy," Beamer said. "The last time I come to Shreveport I"ll leave here a happy guy."
"I may come back to Shreveport just for the h**l of it."
This trip was filled with plenty of offense just like in 1993, but had much more drama.
Tulsa (6-7) rallied from a three-touchdown deficit in the second half to pull to 55-52 with 3:47 left. Virginia Tech"s Dadi L"homme Nicolas ended Tulsa"s final drive with a sack of Dane Evans on fourth down.
The 107 points were the most in Independence Bowl history. Ford"s 227 yards receiving on 12 catches set an Independence Bowl record.
Tulsa"s Evans completed 27 of 44 passes for 374 yards and three touchdowns. D"Angelo Brewer ran for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
A relaxed Beamer strolled onto the field about an hour before the game, smiling and waving to fans as the Hokies went through warmups.
Tulsa jumped out to a 14-7 lead, but Virginia Tech responded with 38 points over the next 19 minutes for the 45-21 advantage.
The Hokies" final touchdown during that stunning run came on a 67-yard punt return by Greg Stroman which was fitting considering the phrase "Beamer Ball" became common during the coach"s long tenure because of Virginia Tech"s reputation for game-changing special teams plays.
Tulsa has had a tough time on defense all season, giving up 38.6 points per game, including 66 in a loss to Memphis on Oct. 23.
But the brutal performance in the first half was bad even by the Golden Hurricane"s standards. Virginia Tech controlled the line of scrimmage gaining 370 total yards in the first two quarters by capitalizing on Tulsa"s missed tackles, blown assignments and shoddy special teams play.
Tulsa scored the final 10 points of the second quarter to pull to 45-31. The 76 combined points easily set the Independence Bowl first-half record.
The Hokies controlled most of the second half, but the Golden Hurricane scored on a 21-yard touchdown from Evans to Josh Atkinson and made the 2-point conversion to pull within 55-45 with 7:35 remaining. A 36-yard touchdown from Evans to Keyarris Garrett with 3:47 left made it 55-52.
But Tulsa"s last gasp drive ended on Nicolas" sack. The 223-pound defensive end broke through the line and enveloped Evans before slamming him to the turf.
"We just ran out of time," Tulsa first-year coach Philip Montgomery said. "If we had a few more ticks on the clock, maybe it changes it a little bit. But I"m proud of our football team."
The win gives Virginia Tech some momentum heading into its coaching transition. The Hokies hired Memphis coach Justin Fuente in late November to replace Beamer.
But on Saturday, it was all about Beamer, who praised his players and Virginia Tech"s administration for sticking with him for 29 seasons and 238 victories.
"I realize how fortunate I"ve been to last this long at Virginia Tech," Beamer said. "All I am is grateful and looking forward to the next step."
Foster Farms Bowl: Nebraska 37, UCLA 29
Tommy Armstrong Jr. threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score to help Nebraska cap a losing season by beating UCLA 37-29 in the Foster Farms Bowl on Saturday night in Santa Clara, Calif.
The Cornhuskers (6-7) scored 30 straight points after falling behind 21-7 early to overpower the Bruins (8-5) and provide a happy ending to coach Mike Riley"s first season.
Stanley Morgan Jr. gave Nebraska the lead for good with a one-handed, 22-yard catch in the third quarter and Imani Cross, Terrell Newby and Andy Janovich all ran for scores for the Cornhuskers.
Armstrong completed 12 of 19 passes for 174 yards and ran for 76 more to lead the way for Nebraska, which had a season high with 326 yards rushing.
Josh Rosen threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns for the Bruins. They ended what had once been a promising season with losses to Southern California and in the bowl game.
Nebraska only got the chance to play in a bowl because there were not enough six-win teams to fill all 80 slots and the Cornhuskers made the most of the opportunity by taking the game over in the third quarter.
After tying the game with two late touchdowns in the second quarter, Nebraska outgained UCLA 196 to 1 in the third quarter behind a dominant running game.
The Cornhuskers gained 151 yards on the ground alone in the third quarter with the run game setting up Morgan"s touchdown catch that made it 27-21 and then leading the way on two more scoring drives that ended in a Drew Brown"s field goal and Armstrong"s 3-yard run in the opening minute of the fourth to make it 37-21.
UCLA responded with a 9-yard TD pass from Rosen to Jordan Payton and a 2-point conversion to get within eight. Ka"imi Fairbairn missed a 46-yard field goal after a botched shotgun snap by the Bruins and Rosen threw an interception in the end zone on fourth down from the 32 with 2:54 to play to end UCLA"s chances at a comeback.
The Bruins broke out to a 21-7 lead when Rosen threw a 60-yard touchdown to Kenneth Walker III and a 26-yarder to Nate Starks. The Other UCLA touchdown came when Paul Perkins ran it in from the 1 a play after Rosen completed a 22-yard pass to Thomas Duarte on fourth-and-1.
Nebraska fought back with back-to-back TD drives to tie it 21 at the half.
Cornhuskers safety Nate Gerry was ejected late in the second quarter for targeting on a swing pass to Perkins. It was the second straight game that Gerry was ejected for targeting.
Sun Bowl: Washington State 20, Miami 14
Luke Falk threw two touchdown passes to lead Washington State to a 20-14 victory over Miami on Saturday in the snowy Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.
Erik Powell added field goals of 30 and 25 yards to help the Cougars (9-4) win a bowl game for the first time since the 2003 Holiday Bowl.
Miami (8-5) lost its sixth consecutive bowl game.
Washington State led 20-7 at the half and looked in total control, limiting Miami to three first downs over the second and third quarters.
The Hurricanes rallied in a blizzard in the fourth. Braxton Berrios" 60-yard end-around run set up Mark Walton" 5-yard scoring run that cut it to 20-14 with 13:10 left.
The Cougars, the top passing team in the nation during the regular season, were shut out in the second half, leaving it to their defense to wrap up the victory.
Miami had a 3-yard touchdown pass from Brad Kaaya to Stacy Coley called back on a penalty with 5:14 to play. Two players later, Washington State"s Marcellus Pippins recovered Walton"s fumble at 5.
After a Cougars punt, the Hurricanes were at the Washington State 28, but an end-over-end halfback pass from Joe Yearby was easily intercepted by Shalom Lunai with 2:58 to play to seal it for Washington State.
Falk, the game"s MVP, was 29 of 53 for 295 yards and no interceptions. He threw touchdown passes of 31 yards to running back Jamal Morrow and 25 yards to receiver Gabe Marks.
The scoring play to Morrow, during which he turned up the right sideline and carried two defenders into the end zone, gave Washington State a 7-0 lead.
Miami tied it at 7 on a 4-yard pass from Brad Kaaya to Coley. The first quarter ended 7-7, but the Cougars ran off 13 straight points in the second.
Kaaya was 17 of 30 for 219 yards with one interception. He appeared to give the Hurricanes a 14-7 lead in the second quarter when he connected in the end zone with receiver Rashawn Scott, but the ball came out of Scott"s hands and was intercepted by Peyton Pelluer.
One of the keys for the Cougars was winning the turnover battle, 3-1. Washington State fumbled in the second quarter, but the defense forced a three-and-out. On the next series, the Cougars used a 14-play drive to get Powell"s first field goal and a 10-7 lead.
Washington State made it 17-7 on Falk"s TD pass to Marks, and Powell made it 20-7.
Heart of Dallas Bowl: Washington 41, Southern Miss 31
Myles Gaskin broke a third-quarter tie with an 86-yard run and finished with a season-high 181 yards and four touchdowns to help Washington beat Southern Mississippi 44-31 on Saturday in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.
The Huskies (7-6) won their last two regular-season games by a combined 97-17 over Oregon State and Washington State to become bowl eligible and then delivered Chris Petersen"s first postseason victory in his two seasons at Washington.
Gaskin"s other scores came on 2- and 1-yard runs in the first quarter and a 13-yarder in the fourth. On the 86-yarder, the freshman took a handoff inside, broke to the left sideline and shook off one final defender at the Southern Miss 35.
Gaskin, the game"s most valuable player, gained 170 yards in the second half on 17 carries after being held to 11 yards on nine rushes in the first half. His previous high was 155 yards against Oregon.
The Golden Eagles (9-5) were seeking their first win over a Power 5 conference team since 2011.
They played without rushing leader Jalen Richard. A Southern Miss official said Richard, one of two Golden Eagles with 1,000 yards rushing this season, was held because of an unspecified injury.
Nick Mullens threw touchdowns passes of 56 and 27 yards by Michael Thomas for the Eagles, and Ito Smith added 1- and 2-yard scoring runs.
The Golden Eagles averaged 519.8 yards during the regular season, including their 45-28 loss to Western Kentucky in the Conference USA championship game. On Saturday, they gained 375. They were held to 22 net rushing yards with Smith, who gained 1,088 during the season, leading the way with 40.
Gaskin"s 86-yard run was the sixth-longest in school history. It came on Washington"s first play from scrimmage after Southern Miss recovered a fumble near midfield to set up Smith"s second touchdown run that tied it at 24.
Tomas set a Southern Miss record with 14 touchdown catches this season.
Receiver Jaydon Mickens scored Washington"s other touchdown on a 29-yard run in the second quarter. Mickens took a handoff on what appeared to be an end around following a fake inside, then cut inside and was virtually untouched. The five-play, 65-yard drive included a 20-yard pass to Mickens that was upheld after a challenge from Southern Miss.
Smith"s 1-yard touchdown plunge through the middle followed a 36-yard catch by Thomas along the left sideline just short of the pylon.
That 80-yard drive was kept alive by punter Tyler Sarrazin"s 22-yard pass to Curtis Mikell on fourth-and-5 at the Golden Eagles 25. In Southern Miss" win at Rice in mid-November, Sarrazin threw for a touchdown off a fake field-goal attempt.
Washington was invited to fill the slot appropriated for the Big 12 Conference, which didn"t have enough bowl-eligible teams.
St.Petersburg Bowl: Marshall 16, UConn 10
Freshman Chase Litton had a helping hand in leading Marshall to a third straight 10-plus win season.
Litton completed 23 of 34 passes for 218 yards and one touchdown as Marshall beat Connecticut 16-10 in the St. Petersburg Bowl on Saturday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
"He"s had some growing pains, but he"ll tell you that," Marshall coach Doc Holliday said of Litton. "He"s not even close to where he"s going to be."
Nick Smith had three field goals for Marshall (10-3), including a 32-yarder with 1:44 left that was part of a 13-play, 80-yard drive that lasted 6:35. The Thundering Herd went 13-1 a year ago and 10-4 in 2013.
"It"s a credit to these guys and to this program and coaching staff," Holliday said. "That"s hard to do. It was one of our goals."
Marshall is 4-0 in bowl games under Holliday, including a 20-10 victory over Florida International in the 2011 St. Petersburg Bowl. The Thundering Herd won the Boca Raton Bowl in 2014 and Military Bowl two years ago.
Holliday is 50-28 at Marshall.
Keion Davis got all of his 73 yards rushing on 10 carries during the Thundering Herd"s final scoring drive.
Bryant Shirreffs completed 10 of 17 passes for 86 yards and gained 75 yards on 19 carries for UConn (6-7), which came up short in a bid to have a winning record for the first time since 2010.
"We just didn"t execute well enough to win the game, and that"s it," UConn coach Bob Diaco said.
UConn stopped Marshall on fourth-and-2 at the 17 on the initial drive of the second half after the Thundering Herd opted to skip a field goal try that could have made it 16-7.
The Thundering Herd also failed to increase a 13-7 lead on their next possession when Smith missed a 43-yard field goal attempt with less than 3 minutes left in the third.
"The defense played their hearts out, and we had every opportunity to win the game and we didn"t," Shirreffs said.
The Huskies got within 13-10 on Bobby Puyol"s 52-yard field goal with 2 seconds left in the third.
Marshall took a 7-0 lead 7 minutes into the game when Litton, who went to high school in nearby Tampa, threw a 16-yard TD pass to Ryan Yurachek. Deandre Reaves" 26-yard punt return set up Marshall at the UConn 20.
Reaves also had nine receptions for 88 yards.
"I was excited to be coming back to the place where I grew up, but I knew the focus was going to be on football and winning the game," Litton said.
Connecticut tied it at 7 late in the first on an 8-yard run by Ron Johnson that completed a 13-play, 75-yard drive.
Marshall responded with a 13-play, 65-yard drive that concluded with Smith"s 21-yard field goal that gave the Thundering Herd a 10-7 advantage 8 minutes before halftime.
Smith made it 13-7 with a 29-yard field goal on the final play of the first half that finished off a 15-play, 85-yard drive.
Marshall was 11 for 17 on third-down conversions, and out-gained UConn 389-213. The Thundering Herd had the ball 34:42, compared to the Huskies 25:18.
UConn, which went 2-10 in its first season under Diaco, won three of its final four games to rebound from a slow start to reach the St. Petersburg Bowl.
Connecticut sophomore cornerback Jamar Summers got his eighth interception of the season, including six in the last five games, early in the fourth.
Brian Hawkins walks along Quorum Drive, Friday, Feb. 27, 2015, in Addison, Texas. A Texas snowstorm has closed schools, snarled traffic and forced a main highway to Oklahoma to shut down after dozens of vehicles slipped off the road. (The Associated Press/The Dallas Morning News/Smiley N. Pool)
An overnight storm that pelted parts of Texas and Oklahoma with freezing rain has forced the cancellation of nearly 1,000 flights at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, includingseveral to and from Portland International Airport.
Transportation officials and the National Weather Service warned people to stay off the roads until temperatures rise and the ice melts. Forecasters issued a winter weather advisory for the Dallas-Fort Worth area until Saturday night.
Flight tracker Flightaware.com reported 974 flights canceled at DFW airport by late Saturday morning.
Airport spokesman David Magana says about 5,000 stranded passengers were forced to spend the night at the airport after another 600 flights were canceled Friday. The airport provided cots, blankets and toiletries to the passengers.
Area temperatures are expected in the upper 40s Sunday.
One Portlander gets a ride home from Alaska Air.But American Airlines is gracious about it.
It"s snowy at the Sun Bowl.Yes, the Sun Bowl, in El Paso, Texas, is being played in borderline blizzard conditions. So snowy, in fact, that the camera operators can"t quite find the football:
Miami"s kicker was just practicing his kickoff stroke, but CBS" camera crew apparently thought it was the real thing, and then was mystified when they couldn"t find the ball through all the snow.
Get one roundup of college football stories, rumors, game breakdowns, and Jim Harbaugh oddity in your inbox every morning.
It"s snowy, is our point.
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SB Nation presents: All 40 college football bowl games, in one song
In April 2015, the Apple Watch finally became available for sale. It became, simultaneously, one of the finest smartwatches in the land and, at least according to the perception in some quarters, a relative disappointment for the company.
Why the ambivalence? Apple hasn"t released sales figures, but it hardly seems like a flop -- IDC ranks it second in the wearables market, behind only Fitbit, which has sold more than 20 million of its namesake devices. Any other company would be celebrating that as a breakout freshman product. But this is Apple, after all. You know, the company that sold roughly 75 million iPhones in the first quarter of 2015.
Still, wearables appear to be a market poised for big time growth and, as such, sustained attention from Cupertino. In October, Apple updated its Apple Watch software to let apps run on the watch itself instead of working as iPhone extensions, mitigating the absolute interdependence of the initial scenario. The second version of the Watch OS also features new watch faces, improved third-party apps and better overall performance.
But those improvements were ultimately incremental. And in the meantime, the Watch has seen some fairly meaty price cuts at mainstream retailers like Best Buy.
We expect the introduction of the second-generation Apple Watch to come sometime in 2016. In the interim, we will count the minutes, obsessively glancing at our wrists for news, all the while curating the most interesting predictions, best guesses and rumors about what the future holds.
Announcement and release dates
Though no official invitations have been made yet, Apple"s next big event is rumored to be scheduled for this coming March. Given that the original Apple Watch would be coming up on its first birthday in April 2016, it"s likely that such an event would be focused on its successor. (There are murmurs that such an event could include the introduction of a new iPhone -- perhaps the rumored 6c -- as well as a possible iPad Air 3.)
In terms of timing, multiple reports have cited the accidental disclosure made by one of Apple"s suppliers suggesting that the Watch 2 may be slated for a Q2 release; Quanta Computer chairman Brian Lam also remarked that mass production of the device would not start until the third quarter of 2016. Of course, without any official indication one way or another, there are others pointing to a debut later in the year, in the spring or summer.
What"s new and different about the 2016 Apple Watch?
One widely reported rumor out of South Korea, first sourced by gforgames.com, predicts that the Apple Watch 2"s form factor won"t diverge much, if at all, from the original"s rectangular, iPod Nano-ish essence. And perhaps that"s for the best. According to CNET"s Scott Stein, "in terms of craftsmanship, there isn"t a more elegantly made piece of wearable tech" than the Apple Watch.
Certainly, many folks are hoping for better battery life. With the first generation Apple Watch, even moderate use can burn down the battery in less than 24 hours. In fact, one of the earliest Apple Watch 2 rumors to surface, back in July, characterized LG and Samsung as working to produce a thinner OLED display for the second-generation model, which would allow for a larger battery in a similarly sized device.
And though Apple has sometimes sacrificed functionality for best-in-class aesthetics -- the merely adequate battery life of the iPhone 6 and 6S would serve as one example -- it seems unlikely that Apple would want to deliver another Watch equipped with anything less than 24 hours worth of run time. Especially with competitors like the Pebble Time Steel capable of going more than a week between charges.
There is speculation that Apple could add a camera to the Watch 2. According to 9to5mac.com, the company is considering building a camera into the top bezel, ostensibly enabling users to FaceTime via the device. The debut of Watch OS 2 has already made it possible to pick up or hang up calls using the watch"s controls.
Another fertile area for functionality enhancement would be the watch"s capabilities when not connected to an iPhone. Still, today"s Apple Watch independent capabilities -- activity tracking, music playback, and mobile payments -- don"t extend fully into messaging, making it still feel like a tethered product. Though the recent Watch OS 2 update has improved the situation, a second-generation model could include integrated wireless capabilities to enable more functionality independent of an iPhone.
Apple"s Tim Cook
James Martin
Other possibilities being discussed include the ability to track sleep and smart straps that would include extra sensors for tracking fitness. In fact, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted in an interview last month that the company could build "something adjacent to the watch" that would be more medically focused and would require US Food and Drug Administration approval. That could be an app, he said, or "something else."
The original Apple Watch was priced along a rather remarkable spectrum, starting at $349 and soaring to $17,000. But could those aforementioned pre-Christmas price drops be a trial balloon for a new pricing strategy in 2016? Or are retailers merely clearing "old" first-gen inventory in anticipation of a new device in as little as 90 days? Time will tell.
Scroll down for a reverse-chronological look at the latest rumors.
December 16, 2015Apple to add polish, not product lines, in 2016
The tech giant likely will update its current gear, but don"t hold your breath for a car.
December 11, 2015Apple Watch 2 rumors and Apple"s live TV service is put "on hold"
If Apple"s live TV service doesn"t launch in 2016 it will be a major fail. We"ll be as nice as possible when we talk about that iPhone Smart Battery Case, and we talk MacBooks.
December 8, 2015Want an Apple Watch? Try Best Buy to save $100
Best Buy is shaving $100 off the price of an Apple Watch, but only through the holidays.
December 3, 2015Apple hot on Fitbit"s heels as global wearable sales soar
Wearables sales are booming, with Fitbit and Apple leading the way and Chinese companies not far behind.
Merry Christmas! Enjoy our airing of grievances against a frustrating Rockets team.
It"s just over the one-third market of the NBA season. The Rockets now sit at an uninspiring 15-15, and, aswe"ve gone over before, the hard part of their schedule has not even begun.
The trade winds around the league are all swirling around Houston, since no one knows if the Rockets will be buyers, sellers, who they"re willing to part with and what is going on with the Dwight Howard situation. Ty Lawson, Terrence Jones, Corey Brewer and others could very well be on the move. Or none of them.
No one person can make sense of the Rockets this year. For Christmas, the TDS family gathered around the virtual fire to hash it out, just like your dysfunctional family.
What"s been the biggest problem other than the general lack of effort?
AK2themax: A complete lack of offensive sets. As in, if you told me that Houston didn"t have any offensive sets coming into the year, I would believe you. The league continues to prove that there are two ways to run an elite offense. You can either run the system that the Spurs use, which requires years of fine-tuning and the correct personnel in terms of ability and demeanor. Or you can run your offense through one player and surround them with shooters and rim finishers. Houston is firmly in the second camp, but in years pastm there was actually off-ball movement when Harden drove. Now, the offense has turned into: try to do stuff for a few seconds, give up, give the ball to James, and then stare at him unless he passes to you. In which case, you panic.
Darren Yuvan: The problem has been two-fold. Defense is the first major issue, though that is likely a function of lack of effort, being that we know the players on this team are mostly capable defenders when they want to be. We"ve seen it. The Rockets gave up 100.5 points per game last season with largely the same group of players. That"s slipped to 106 points per game this year, which is dead last in the NBA.
The second is the failure to get Dwight Howard more involved. The Rockets have a second superstar for a reason. There"s no excuse for Howard averaging 8 shots per night. The man is getting paid $23 million this year, and the Rockets need to utilize him like it. We saw some great glimpses inSaturdaynight"s come-alive game against the Clippers. More of that, please. Hopefully, the Rockets and Dwight continue to use the current negative rumor talk as a motivator. All of the outside chatter goes away if the team starts winning again. It"s really that simple.
Eric Nielsen: Chemistry. Many variables have changed from last year"s success: injuries over the summer, the Rockets dumping McHale, the Harden adidas contract, a Kardashian and the integration of Lawson. The Rockets can"t seem to muster the magic of last season. Everything went the Rockets" way last year and this group may have peaked, going to the WCF, last year.
Ethan Rothstein: It"s a mix of lack of preseason preparation and defensive intensity. James Harden has reverted to his ball-watching ways on that end, Corey Brewer has been a train wreck and, until Clint Capela was inserted into the starting lineup, there was no one on the floor to help Dwight Howard who has clearly lost a step at the rim. The defense has stepped up, but it"s not even close to the level it needs to be, or was last year.
Do you want to see a trade?
AK:Not really. This team has everything it needs to contend in terms of talent. Would a dead-eye shooter help? Sure, but where would that hypothetical guy play? If the Rockets acquired Kyle Korver today the team would have to play small-ball almost exclusively to use him. Furthermore, how could he play with James Harden defensively? Before I continue answering this question with a question (or three), I"ll just finish by saying that Houston is 2-deep at every position and obtaining some other player at the expense of one of those guys might not change the team for the better.
Darren: I do think a trade is needed. The Rockets desperately need another shooter, and they have some players of value they can move. Ty Lawson, Terrence Jones and Corey Brewer all have the potential to be traded, either individually or in a package. A top shooter like Ryan Anderson would be a great fit coming off the bench for these Rockets, and with a workable $8.5 million contract, I"d love to see if Daryl Morey could get something done.
I also think, contrary to what we"re hearing inside the Rockets organization, Dwight Howard could be moved near the deadline if the Rockets continue to struggle. There"s no reason to lose him for nothing if the team isn"t going anywhere.
Eric: I"d like to see the Rockets start stockpiling picks again to make a run at a franchise player. Knowing Morey, the number of players in their contract year and the struggles this team has had, I expect some trades. If we don"t make some trades, we"ll get nothing in return for valuable assets. But, I"m pessimistic that any trades made this year will assist in a deep playoff run.
Ethan: No. None of the options out there seem all that appealing. The Rockets have enough chemistry problems without adding Markieff Morris, Ryan Anderson just makes their defense worse, and Hassan Whiteside, Al Horford and Brook Lopez are all free agents after this year, and they"re all worse than Dwight Howard. Maybe dumping Ty Lawson on someone would be addition by subtraction, but considering all trades the Rockets make have to match salary, it just doesn"t seem likely that Rockets fans would be pleased with any deal Morey makes at this point.
How could we have been so wrong about this team?
AK2themax:Because on paper it doesn"t say anything about heart. If you looked at the roster and the success of last season, you would have been a fool to think the Rockets weren"t better than they were last year. And remember, they were REALLY good last season. That was more playoff experience for James Harden as a leader of a team. It was more playoff coaching experience for Kevin McHale. It was more continuity and chemistry that everyone (read: Mark Cuban) said Houston didn"t have last season. They accomplished so much without their starting point guard and power forward so getting them back meant addition by addition.I think we didn"t consider that Corey Brewer couldn"t make any of the crazy lay-ups that he never missed last year. I"m surewe didn"t consider Ty Lawson would be a complete bust. And I know we didn"t think the team would start the season shooting as poorly as they did. The first quarter of the season can be summed up by their general lack of effort and an inability to dothe things that made them great last year, like making timely shots and defending at a high level.
Darren: Well, last season was not a fluke; we know this team has talent. But maybe last year"s postseason run was the peak for this general group of guys? As good as they were last year, even then it seemed they had another possible gear that they weren"t always utilizing. It always felt like we saw glimpses of what this teamcould be, just never for an extended enough period of time, even then. The thought was that they would get there, they just needed more time together. And this was thought to be the season they put it all together. It"s almost time to start considering that maybe last year"s Rockets, as they stood after the epic comeback versus the Clippers a very good, but flawed team was the best version of this group we"d see. The ancillary pieces haven"t meshed like they were supposed to, and it may be time to reconfigure around Harden.
Eric: Our expectations were so high because of last year. Harden had a career year that is proving difficult to match. The Spurs added LaMarcus Aldridge, the Warriors stepped it up even more from last year, the Thunder got Durant back and the Clippers, Grizzlies and Mavericks are playing at their normal levels. The Rockets are more fickle and fragile than these other franchises, so they are annually challenged to show they are a stable and steady front runner.
Ethan: No one was wronger than I, having picked them to win the title and be the No. 2 seed in the West again. It"s clear that James Harden"s eventful summer affected him. He was in almost unbelievable shape last year, playing b***s out on both ends of the court every night. It"s kind of crazy to have assumed he"d do it again, but he lost so much energy for defense. There were warning signs Khloe, the adidas contract and the preseason injury bug but we were too blinded with optimism to see them.
Do the Rockets have a big run in them?
AK2themax: I can see it happening, but there"s no way that run would be big enough to make me go, "The Rockets could totally play with Golden State or San Antonio in a seven-game series where they don"t have homecourt advantage." Because that"s who you"re chasing if you"re the NBA right now. The playoffs are coming down to the Western Conference Finals between the Spurs and Warriors, with Cleveland likely the roadkill that those teams would get in the Finals. Even with a run, I don"t see Houston entering that discussion, especially with the impossibility of homecourt advantage in the second and third rounds. Basically, I think the version of the Rockets were are seeing (winning two-thirds of their games against inferior teams) is as good as this team really is, and so even a "run" wouldn"t make them anything other than first round fodder. Now excuse me while I take a depression questionnaire.
Darren: They have a run in them. How big it actually is is another story. The West isn"t nearly the top-to-bottom juggernaut it"s been in year"s past, so even if the team plays mediocre ball from here on out, it looks like they could still sneak into the playoffs as a low seed this season. But the gap between the Rockets and the Warriors and Spurs is more like a chasm, and I have my serious doubts if this team, as currently assembled, can improve enough to be competitive with either of those squads in a postseason series. It"s certainly not impossible, but it"s a very, very long climb from where they stand right now today.
Eric:There is a good chance. This team proved last year that when it"s all clicking and the ball is going in the hole, they ramp up their effort and defensive intensity. There is a lot of season left, although the schedule getsimmenselymore difficult. D-Mo is providing some stability; J.B.is scratching hard to push the right buttons and find the right rotations; Lawson is relegated to a roleequivalent to his ability to help the team; and momentum does swing heavy in the NBA.They only sit a few games back from the second tier in the West, so it"s still possible to get home court in the first round of the playoffs.
Ethan: Anything is still possible for this team, except beating the Warriors, it seems. James Harden is second in the league in scoring despite his warts. Dwight Howard has looked more lively of late. Donuts is still working his way back into shape and everyone seems to be building to something. Even Ty Lawson! If I had to guess, I would say this 15-15 team gets to 48-34, the No. 6 seed in the west and a hard-fought, first-round loss to the Thunder.
Movies are a holiday tradition for many families, and one that"s making its debut on the big screen this holiday season is "Concussion."
With an A-list actor, and the most popular sports league in the country, "Concussion" is once again shaking up the controversial topic of head trauma and football.
"People are standing up and taking notice that concussions matter," Brad Donaldson, Associate Director of Operations with the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance, said.
Donaldson says members of the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance already screened the film.
"A very powerful movie," Donaldson said.
In the flick, we"re introduced to Dr. Omalu, played by actor Will Smith, as the first to identify CTE, as a major contributor to the death of many professional athletes.
But concussions and sports in general are something Donaldson has been addressing for years. In fact, the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance estimates 50,000 sports-related concussions occur in Minnesota annually.
"Concussions have been a concussion for ages. We"re just now doing better at being aware of what a concussion may mean," Donaldson said.
One of the biggest questions parents face today is do you let your child play sports where concussions are prevalent?
"I"m not sure how it"ll change," Donaldson said when asked if the movie will affect the views of parents. "I"m hoping it creates an informed choice."
Whether it takes a bag of popcorn and Hollywood to have an impact on concussion protocol is to be determined, but Donaldson says one thing"s for sure, our country is taking more steps now to fix the problem.
"Hollywood set up and said there"s a point here, there"s something that matters, let"s tell it," Donaldson said.
Dr. Omalu will be in the Twin Cities at the beginning of next year. He"ll share his story on becoming one of the most talked about doctors with sports and medicine.
For more information on February"s event at the Beth El Synagogue here.
So heres a Christmas story, one in which a young sailor suffers a great disappointment, but after getting a Major Award is encouraged to embark on a new life, one that gives him a way to live Christmas pretty much every day of the year, with the added benefit of having a very good reason to occasionally put on a life-sized pink bunny suit and carry a giant leg lamp the deluxe model with him.
You see, Brian Jones, who now lives in Jacksonville, owns the house in Cleveland where they filmed A Christmas Story, the charmingly ramshackle, nostalgic 1983 movie thats become a Christmas classic . He bought the place on Ebay, for $150,000. Sight unseen.
When he emailed his wife, Beverly, to tell her what hed done, her reply once she figured out he was serious was just one line long.
I dont know whether to laugh or cry.
That was 11 years ago.
The ending to this Christmas story is still being written, all this time later. But signs point to it being a happy one. So go ahead: Laugh away.
YOULL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT
Wayne Jones was a Navy pilot, and thats all his son Brian ever wanted to be as well. So he worked to valedictorian of his high school in Southern California, went to the Naval Academy, majored in aerospace engineering, went to flight school in Pensacola. Where he flunked the eye exam.
He would not fly.
He was crushed, but had little time to feel sorry for himself. He was off to Naval Intelligence school in Virginia.
Back in California, his parents came up with a plan to make him feel better. A plan so crazy it just might work.
They built a leg lamp, using a female mannequin leg, a high heel shoe and a lamp shade they found. They put it in a wooden box, marked it FRAGILE, and sent it to their son. Odd, perhaps, unless you knew how much the Jones family liked A Christmas Story, in which the movies Old Man (Darren McGavin) receives a leg lamp in a box just like that, which he talks himself into believing is a Major Award thats to be highly prized.
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The Jones family had longed loved A Christmas Story, which followed young Ralphie Parker as he dreamed of getting a Red Ryder air rifle for Christmas, despite the adults telling him, Youll shoot your eye out. It suited their sense of humor (irreverent) and was much quoted and much watched.
So upon receiving his homemade leg lamp, Jones did indeed feel better. And he realized something else: People kept telling him how much they liked the leg lamp, being fans of the movie themselves, and how they would actually like to have a leg lamp too.
Hmm, thought Jones. So as his six years in the Navy came to an end, he announced he was going to make leg lamps.
Everybody thought I was a lunatic. What, youre leaving a good-paying job in the Navy to go sell leg lamps?
The first year, he made 500 by himself, out his out of his condo in San Diego. He sold them all. The next year he had 1800 made in China and sold them all too.
He still loved the movie. So in December 2004, he bought the old house where A Christmas Storys exterior shots were filmed (most interior house scenes took place on a soundstage in Toronto). Two days after Christmas in 2004, he flew to Cleveland and saw it for the first time in person.
I thought it was an important piece of Americana, he said. I just wanted to see it saved and preserved. If I could make some sort of business connection out of it, well, lets do it.
After all, if leg lamps were this popular, why not the house too?
A PINK NIGHTMARE
Jones wasnt sure what plans he had for the old place, but he knew his first steps getting rid of the vinyl siding that covered the house, painting it yellow and green as it was in the movie, changing the windows back to the old style.
He studied the movie, frame by frame, and gradually the interior came to look just like the film. The furniture, wallpaper and knick-knacks. The kitchen sink under which the little brother in A Christmas Story went to hide. A bar of Life Buoy soap just like the one Ralphie had to put in his mouth after being caught saying the queen-mother of dirty words.
It turns out that many grown-up fans of the movie like to hide under the sink too. Theyll even put soap in their mouths, leaving bite marks behind.
Jones found that out after he opened the house up to tours, which hed guessed was the best business plan.
The first day of business, he knew he had something special when he saw a blocks-long line out front, with people waiting hours to get in.
A Christmas Story House now draws 60,000 people a year, he said, half of that from Thanksgiving to New Years. The next busiest time is July and August. He has 25 full-time employees, more during the holidays, and still sells leg lamps as well as bunny suits, BB guns and figurines from the movie at his website, achristmasstoryhouse.com.
Jones, 39, spends a lot of time in Cleveland, but he has lived in Jacksonville for more than two years with his wife and their two children, aged 9 and 7. He moved after California raised its income-tax rate, deciding that Jacksonville was the right size and speed for him.
Up in Cleveland, he bought another house across the street for A Christmas Story museum costumes, photos and props, including the latest addition, a Red Ryder BB gun built specially for the film (its left-handed, to accommodate actor Peter Billingsley, who played Ralphie). He also bought a house next to the museum to use as a gift shop.
In all, he figures he has $1.5 million in the project, some of that funded by home equity loans and credit cards.
Its clear the movie, and the house where it was filmed, hit some nostalgic, near-universal nerve.
People thank Jones, all the time, for restoring the house. Fans come back every year. Fans drive many hours to see it. Foreign tourists make detours to get there. One fan told him he watches the movie every night before going to sleep every single night of the year.
Jones figures thats because the story is about growing up. About imperfect, loving families. About looking back on it all, decades later.
Jones, soft-spoken and self-deprecating, relishes his role in all this. It all kind of flows for me. I have a degree in aerospace engineering, did Intelligence in the Navy. Yeah, Ill sell leg lamps.
He has a bit of a showman in him. There are even photos of him up in Ohio, throwing out the first pitch at a baseball game while clad head-to-toe in a pink bunny suit, just like the one poor Ralphie got from his Aunt Clara at Christmas.
Jones can imitate Ralphies dad: He looks like a deranged Easter Bunny. He looks like a pink nightmare!
And when Jones showed up for an interview in Jacksonville, he was happy to bring along his own personal leg lamp, as asked. But unbidden, just in case it was needed, he also brought his giant bunny outfit, and was happy to put it on just to get in the holiday spirit.
After all, as A Christmas Story demonstrates, nothing says Christmas like a leg lamp and a pink bunny suit.
Consumers Energy Rep refuses to show badge- part 2
MUSKEGON, MI Muskegon Community College"s downtown applied technology center has received a $25,000 boost from the Consumers Energy Foundation.
In return, the college is naming the main entrance off of Clay Avenue the "Consumers Energy Atrium."
The college plans to use the gift from the Consumers Energy Foundation to pay for equipment and furnishings for the new center, which will be located in the Muskegon Chronicle"s former building at the corner of Clay and Third Street.
The Consumers Energy Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Consumers Energy. It has provided more than $1 million to Muskegon County organizations in the last decade, said David Mengebier, president of the Consumers Energy Foundation.
"We have been part of Muskegon for more than a century and look forward to many more years of continued involvement and investment," he said.
The downtown applied technology centerwill house numerous labs and classrooms, including basic machining, digital fabrication, welding, CNC simulation, automation, foundry, materials testing and electricity labs. There also will be a metrology area, machining area, pattern shop, finishing room and tool crib along with offices and classrooms.
"By providing its financial support, the Consumers Energy Foundation is participating in the economic resurgence of downtown Muskegon, assisting with the development of local talent to fill the pipeline of skilled workers, and bringing awareness to careers in manufacturing and entrepreneurial studies," said MCC President Dale Nesbary.
The college is offering numerous naming opportunities for the downtown center, from the security office to the various labs to elevator lobbies, and there already are the Alcoa Foundation Automation Lab and Canteen Vending Student Lounge, according to MCC"s brochure on naming opportunities.
The name for the downtown center itself can be had for $1.5 million, according to the naming brochure.
The entrepreneurial center, which will be adjacent to the technology center in the former Masonic Temple building, has already been named the Rooks/Sarnicola Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. Jon Rooks donated the building to the college while Nick and Ashley Sarnicola pledged $200,000 for annual grants to institute graduates.
Among the entrepreneurial center"s features will be a makerspace, digital fabrication lab and youth entrepreneurial space.
The $14.8 million downtown center is expected to open in the late summer/fall of 2017.
Lynn Moore covers education for MLive Muskegon Chronicle. Email her at lmoore8@mlive.comand follow her onTwitterandFacebook.
2015 MAC Football Championship: Bowling Green Press Conference
Mobile usually seems to receive high praise for its hospitality from participants in the annual GoDaddy Bowl. To keep that record of congeniality intact, someone please have the sweet tea ready when Alex Huettel arrives with the Bowling Green football team.
The Falcons are scheduled to land in Mobile on Saturday afternoon in advance of their bowl showdown with Georgia Southern at 7 p.m. CST Wednesday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
Huettel already has paid a brief visit to the Port City last week for an introductory press conference. It was there that Bowling Green"s right guard confided what he was looking forward to during his bowl trip -- besides the game, of course and it was what might be expected from a 6-foot-4, 301-pound man from Pickerington, Ohio, making his first trip to the Gulf Coast.
"I"m very excited about the food," Huettel said. "I"m hoping to try some sweet tea."
Huettel got a taste of Coastal Alabama cuisine during his visit last week, taking a meal at Wintzell"s Oyster House in downtown Mobile.
"It was phenomenal," Huettel said. "We had some oysters, some jambalaya. I got the pasta with shrimp."
The GoDaddy Bowl will be the final game of Huettel"s collegiate career. He"s started all 54 of the games that preceded Wednesday"s.
"It"s a blessing," Huettel said. "You have to (play when you"re hurt). It"s part of being an offensive lineman."
Huettel"s streak includes a bowl at the end of each season the Military Bowl in 2012, the Little Caesars Bowl in 2013, the Camellia Bowl last year in Montgomery and now the GoDaddy Bowl.
"It"s great recognition for the school," Huettel said of the bowl appearances. "There could be somebody at home debating whether to come here or to another school, and you see us on TV. It could change your outlook on our school.
"For our team, it"s a big thing because it"s another opportunity to win, and it"s one more week we"re together as a family before us seniors have to head out of here."
The Falcons have compiled a 36-18 record during Huettel"s career. Huettel redshirted in 2011. In the four seasons before he arrived on campus, Bowling Green compiled a 23-27 record.
The Falcons" recent success has resulted in coaching turnover. Dave Clawson left Bowling Green for Wake Forest after the 2013 campaign. Dino Babers coached the Falcons the past two seasons, but he"s left to take charge at Syracuse.
Defensive coordinator Brian Ward will be leading Bowling Green for the GoDaddy Bowl.
"There"s a lot of guys on this team, I"d say the majority of the roster, we"ve already gone through a coaching change before," Huettel said. "So we know how to handle it. We have great leadership on this team, so I don"t think we"ll miss a beat. And the coaches, they"re fired up for this game, too."
Georgia Southern has an 8-4 record. One of its losses was a 23-17 overtime setback against Georgia on Nov. 21, a game sandwiched between a 45-10 victory over Troy and a 55-17 victory over South Alabama.
Bowling Green has a 10-3 record. The losses include a season-opening 59-30 setback against Tennessee. The Falcons are coming off a 34-14 victory over Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship Game.
"I think it"s the preparation we"ve had week in and week out," Huettel said of the key to Bowling Green"s season. "With the long college season, you can lose sight of the long-distance goal. We"ve done a great job as player and coaches of staying focused on the goal at hand, and we"ve got to continue that preparation through next week."
Tickets for the GoDaddy Bowl can be purchased onlineor by calling 251-635-0011.
Vic, my grievance: Larry McCarrens left pinky finger. Its a distraction. Can we get him to tape that puppy to his ring finger for Packers Today?
No way! Larry was blessed with a gift. Its perfect for drinking tea with old women, and you can signal for a left turn while youre waving goodbye.
Thomas from Park Falls, WI
Vic, I know you have to tow the company line, but we as fans are not stupid. Ten wins, OK, the team has accomplished that, but its the way they have done that all year that makes fans worry this team wont be able to rise up and make a playoff run. The offense was so boring and predictable against Oakland it was almost embarrassing to barely scratch 200 yards passing. Is it as simple as our tight ends and wide receivers just arent very good, or is Rodgers not having a great year seeing the field and throwing the ball?
I dont know what the answer is. Maybe youve just been conditioned to have unrealistic expectations, because thats what Aaron Rodgers and the Packers passing attack have created in recent years. Rodgers stats are closer to realistic this season, and they are largely the equal of other quarterbacks who are being hailed for having career years. If getting all negative is your way of having fun, then go for it, but Ill tell you what really bothers me: Its that tow the company line stuff. I dont appreciate having my integrity and professionalism questioned. Its an insult I have to accept as a result of my position, but this is Festivus and were airing grievances, and thats my No. 1 grievance. I hope you find a way to enjoy what remains of the season.
Jim from Saginaw, MI
This whole bat thing with Carolina is ridiculous, dont you think? My sons played for a successful high school program and when the playoffs rolled around, one of the captains ran out holding up a maul. The players all gathered around at midfield and the captain buried the maul in the ground. It was used to fire up the team and it worked. No one went out on the field and played dirty.
I dont think the bat thing is worth a whole lot of thought or discussion, but I dont like symbols of violence being used to represent a teams mentality for playing a game. I dont like bats or mauls or spears being tossed into the ground. Its hokey and insulting, and it makes a connection between violence and football that threatens the success of the movement to change the culture of the sport. For the culture to be changed, we must regard football as we do baseball, basketball and other sports, which is to say as a game. Football is not war; it has never been war. Yes, its a physical game, and I dont want that to change, but the line that separates physical activity from violence must be distinct. Bats, mauls, spears and other such props blur that line.
Brian from Green Bay, WI
Vic, here is my specific grievance I wish to air: The season has only a few weeks left in it. The ride is nearly over and I dislike that.
This is the goal. This is the destination. This is why we lifted all those weights, to get to here. This is where the memories are. Enjoy them.
Steve from Bullhead City, AZ
Vic, the team scores 30 points and people are not happy. What do you expect to see from the Arizona defense against the Packers?
Speed and aggressiveness. Watching the Cardinals defense against the Eagles, I was reminded of the Seahawks defense. The Cardinals play NFC West defense. They fly to the ball and they arrive with stunning force. The Cardinals are the best team Ive seen this year.
Adam from Madison, WI
My grievance? Fans thinking they know more about football than the men who have devoted their entire lives to being students of the game instead of critics of it.
My grievance: Fans that demand winning but also demand signing players whose performances are in decline, for no other reason than the fans recognize the name.
Steven from Milwaukee, WI
What is the ratio of fans writing in that seem to appreciate your style and treatment of football to those that cant stand you and wish to actually talk football, Xs and Os, and not stories from your life? Despite the fact the former is heavily represented in the questions you answer, I suspect the actual breakdown skews heavily towards the latter.
I dont have that list in front of me, Steven, but my numbers are really, really good. Which kind of fan are you? Happy Festivus, everyone!
American Football Championship Highlights - Houston 24, Temple 13
PHILADELPHIA Time Magazine recently ranked the teams in the College Football Playoff Top 25 by their academic achievement. Of the 25 teams, Temple ranked seventh overall.
Though the work of players, coaches, and the staff of the Nancy & Donald Resnick Academic Support Center for Student-Athletes, Temple football achieved a record grade-point average in spring of 2015. The current Temple football roster also includes 26 college graduates,second most among all 2015 bowl teams.
Time used rankings compiled by New America, beginning with each school"s football graduation success rate (GSR). The GSR is an NCAA mandated number that schools granting aid to student-athletes are required to report.The GSR, unlike the federal graduation rate, doesn"t penalize schools for having players who transfer or leave for the prosas long as those players depart in good academic standing.Schools drop in the rankings if they graduate football players at different rates than their overall male student body.
#24 Temple will play Toledo in the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl on Tuesday, December 22 at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN.
The Cardinals aren"t the only ones who blasted the Eagles this week.
On Friday, Mayor-elect Jim Kenney criticized the team for having a "very solid and stubborn attitude" in regards to its relationship with Temple University, the Philadelphia Business Journal reported.
Temple paid $1 million in rent to the Eagles this season to play in Lincoln Financial Field, plus a fee for stadium operations. With Temple"s lease ending in 2017, the Eagles said that they want to increase that rent to $2 million plus $12 million up front for the new 30-year lease, Philly.com reported.
That"s one of the reasons that Temple is considering building a new, $100 million stadium on campus. Kenney opposes the plan because it could disrupt "the continuing peace and harmony of the community."
Kenney said in public remarks that he believes the Eagles should give Temple a better deal. He has said before that the Steelers don"t charge rent when the University of Pittsburgh plays. A Pitt official told Philly.com that the university does actually pay rent, but it also receives some revenue from concession sales.
Related story: Kenney criticizes Temple plans for new football stadium
"The Eagles have a point of view and I dont agree with their point of view. Its all about dollars and cents, and I dont know if were going to resolve that or not," said Kenney.
An Eagles spokesperson described Kenney"s remarks as "very discouraging and upsetting."
The mayor-elect met with Temple"s president and board chairman on Thursday to discuss the issue in a meeting that the school described as "cordial."
Morrisville, N.C. AAA has predicted a record 100 million people will be traveling over the Christmas holiday, including thousands flying through Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
RDU officials said an estimated 30,000 travelers would pass through the airport daily on Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday and next Monday 30 to 40 percent more than a typical day. They advised flyers to arrive two hours before their flights to provide enough time to find parking and make it through check-in and security lines.
Francesca Aaron and her husband made a point of getting to the airport early Tuesday, and rainy weather, traffic and long lines haven"t dampened their Christmas spirit as they head to Chicago.
"(We"re going) to see our only daughter and our granddaughter, who just turned 3, and our daughter"s expecting a baby a month from today," Aaron said. "We"re excited. Santa Claus is definitely on the way."
Although many people might want to avoid RDU because of the holiday crowds, a number of volunteers braved the rush to help travelers.
"It"s kind of overwhelming, especially if they"ve never been here before," said Joanie Richards as she helped people navigate Terminal 2, from pointing them to the right check-in area to clueing them in on where to find a restroom or buy a sandwich.
Richards and fellow volunteer Jean Spargur said the travelers they"ve seen have been in a pretty good mood.
"I think people are excited at Christmas time. They"re looking forward to their journeys," Spargur said.
Another group of volunteers was welcoming some special travelers coming in art students from Orange High School brought handmade cards to give to arriving service members.
"I want to say happy holidays and we all care for you and appreciate you for everything. Have a wonderful Christmas and stay strong, and remember, you are always cared for and loved," ninth-grader Brittany Moore said.
Art teacher RaeAnn Daughtry, along with fellow teacher Micki Saad, said her students undertook the project as a way to thank military members for their service. Even though their school is already on holiday break and there are a lot of other places students could be about a dozen went to RDU to hand out their cards personally.
"Students, if you give them an opportunity to give back, that"s all they want to do. They want to make people happy, and the fact that they created these things, they"re so proud to give it to someone, and a lot of them have family in the military, so it means a lot to them as well," Daughtry said.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. In observance of the holidays, Carwash eNewswill not be published again until Tuesday, Jan. 5.
Although we will not be producing Carwash eNews, we have prepared a special e-newsletter, and you can expect to see that next week.
The Top 15 of 2015 e-newsletter will recap the most popular stories our subscribers read this past year. Be sure to check your inbox for this look back in 2015.
The entire staff of Professional Carwashing & Detailingwishes all our readers and their families a safe and happy holidays.
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And visit us online anytime at www.carwash.com for the latest news and trends impacting the carwash and detailing industry.
Race to Redemption Official Trailer 1 (2015) - Danielle Campbell, Aiden Flowers Movie HD
Published 16/12/2015 | 11:16
Louis Tomlinson has reportedly been "secretly meeting up" with an American actress in recent months.
The One Direction singer (23) is expecting a child with LA-based stylish Briana Jungwirth, whom he is not in a relationship with, and is said to be wooing Danielle Campbell for the last two months.
The Originals star (20) was pictured joining Louis and friends at the Jingle Ball in LA earlier this month and later, they were spotted grabbing a milkshake together, according to heat magazine.
In November, Louis reportedly flew to Atlanta, Georgia, where she films her hit show, and is said to be spending more and more time in LA, where Louis has a home, recently.
Read more: Louis Tomlinsons ex Eleanor Calder "sick to her stomach" over baby news
After meeting her on a night out in LA at young Hollywood hotspot Bootsy Bellows,
The British superstar split with his long-term girlfriend Eleanor Calder in March and in August, it was revealed he"s expecting a child with Jungwirth.
He isn"t the only 1D band member enjoying a romance with a young actress as Niall Horan is dating Disney star Selena Gomez and former member Zayn Malik is seeing her friend, model Gigi Hadid.
Respuesta de Ariadna Gutierrez - Colombia Miss Universo 2015 | MISS UNIVERSE 2015 - 2016
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
La edicin 2015 del certamen de belleza ms importante del mundo quedar marcado en la historia debido a varios hechos polmicos que sern dificil de olvidar.
El pasado 6 de diciembre, dos participantes causaron controversia por una fotografa en Instagram donde aparecan besndose.
La candidata de Rusia, Vladislava Evtushenko, y la de Austria, Amina Dagi, fueron las protagonistas de estas imgenes que provocaron gran revuelo en las redes sociales.
Otro de los incidentes que marcaron esta edicin fue la suspesin de Destiny Vlez, Miss Puerto Rico 2015, por sus comentarios en redes contra los musulmanes.
Los musulmanes no han hecho nada por Estados Unidos, sino que todo lo que han hecho es proveer de petrleo y aterrorizar este pas y muchos otros, public Velez, segn reportaron medios internacionales.
La hondurea Iroshka Elvir, tambin tuvo una participacin muy polmica en Miss Universo 2015.
Pues la joven aprovech una de sus participaciones previo al certamen para pedir la instalacin de una Comisin Internacional Contra la Impunidad en Honduras (CICIH).
Siempre mi apoyo para la instalacin de la #CICIH, escribi la joven en su cuenta de Facebook.
Pero quien se llev el premio al error del ao fue Steve Harvey, probablemente el hombre ms odiado por los colombianos por haber hecho pasar un incmodo momento a la Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutirrez.
The Vikings continue to get huge production from one of the best rookie classes of 2015.
Receiver Stefon Diggs caught three passes for 55 yards and two touchdowns. His first score came on a beautiful throw from Teddy Bridgewater, who lofted a perfect ball into the waiting arms of Diggs in the end zone. On the second, Diggs caught an underneath crosser and bullied his way into the end zone from 33 yards out.
Defensive end Danielle Hunter was once again impressive, tallying 1.5 sacks for a defense that produced five against Jay Cutler. A third-round pick, Hunter now has five sacks, which leads all rookies.
Linebacker Eric Kendricks had seven tackles, cornerback Trae Waynes saved a kickoff return for a touchdown, right tackle T.J. Clemmings had a quiet afternoon and safety Anthony Harris knocked away a deep ball intended for Alshon Jeffery.
The Vikings count on several rookies in big roles. The young players are producing in big ways for head coach Mike Zimmer.
Ben Roethlisberger-Pittsburgh Steelers Career Highlights
In anticipation of the GoDaddy Bowlbetween Bowling Green and Georgia Southern at 7 p.m. CST Dec. 23 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, AL.com is counting down the bowl through the years, with the fifth game today:
Before leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to two Super Bowl victories, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger looked NFL-ready in leading Miami (Ohio) to a 49-28 win over Louisville in the GMAC Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on Dec. 18, 2003.
Roethlisberger completed 16-of-20 passes for 291 yards and four touchdowns in the first half to send the RedHawks to a 35-7 lead on their way to their 13th consecutive victory. He finished 21 of 33 for 376 yards.
After the game, "Big Ben" said he was leaving school early for the NFL Draft, and the Steelers took him with the 11th pick about four months later.
"The Big 12 officials were officiating this game. They said they think we should have a revote," Miami coach Terry Hoeppner said, referring to the 2003 Heisman Trophy awarded to Oklahoma QB Jason White.
Roethlisberger even got off a punt that pinned Louisville at its 2 in the last minute of the first half.
The game featured 1,089 yards of offense.
Cal Murray rushed 15 times for 142 yards and a touchdown and Martin Nance had nine catches for 169 yards for Miami.
Louisville QB Stefan LeFors was 17 of 26 for 224 yards. Wide receiver J.R. Russell caught seven passes for 144 yards and three touchdowns. Lionel Gates rushed 12 times for 128 yards, including an 88-yarder, for the Cardinals, who lost in Mobile for the second straight season.
Miami (13-1) got two key defensive plays in the fourth quarter after Louisville (9-4) rallied to make a game of it. Matt Pusateri returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown, and linebacker Terna Nande picked off another pass in the end zone.
Miami had five future NFL Draft picks Roethlisberger, guard Jacob Bell, defensive back Alphonso Hodge, Nance and wide receiver Ryne Robinson. Louisville had 14 -- running back Eric Shelton, LeFors, defensive back Kerry Rhodes, linebacker Robert McCune (from LeFlore High School), Gates, Russell, center Jason Spitz, defensive end Elvis Dumervil, linebacker Brandon Johnson, defensive tackle Montavious Stanley, defensive tackle Amobi Okoye (from Lee High School in Huntsville), running back Michael Bush, running back Kolby Smith and defensive back William Gay.
Appalachian State University campus walk around 2014
BOONEAppalachian State University juniors and seniors who were enrolled in Principles of Fund Raising, an upper-level class offered in the universitys Department of Communication, raised almost $5,000 for area nonprofits this fall.
Teams made up of four or five students partnered with nine local organizations in a mutually beneficial arrangement that allowed the students to learn industry best practices by conducting a fund-raising campaign from start to finish. The organizations which offered service-learning to the classes and received funds were Horse Helpers of the High Country, Hunger and Health Coalition, The Childrens Playhouse, High Country Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, F.A.R.M. Cafe, Womens Fund of the Blue Ridge, Watauga Arts Council, Blue Ridge Conservancy and Two Rivers Community School.
After research and assessment of their community partners fund-raising history, constituency, strengths and weaknesses, media usage and case for support, most of the teams determined that a special event was the appropriate campaign to undertake. One team held an email campaign, and two teams conducted membership campaigns, which will result in on-going donations for years to come. Students working with the Watauga Arts Council designed and implemented a new sustaining membership program with creatively named giving levels: Apprentice ($10 a month), Artisan ($20 a month) and Master ($30 a month).
Course professor Dr. Christina May expressed gratitude to the nonprofit board and staff members who collaborated with the classes. This is another great example of how Appalachian and the Boone community are working together to improve lives in the High Country, May said. The students got a lot out of this assignment because it put them up close and personal with the needs our nonprofits address. Some of them were moved and changed by the project and by the realization that they made a measurable difference.
Senior public relations major Kristen Terry stated that Principles of Fund Raising was the first class that gave her the opportunity to partner with an actual client. Although Im just a student, she said, I was able to take on the role of a working professional. This experience allowed me to apply everything I was learning inside the classroom to a real-world setting. Terry was the leader of the team that raised money for Two Rivers Community School by coordinating an eat-a-thon at Boone restaurants five nights in a row. The restaurants that supported the team were Chilis, Menchies, Chick-fil-A, Five Guys and Chipotle. Businesses that hosted other teams campaign events were Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Boone Bowling Center, Lowes Home Improvement, Sweet Frog and Bojangles.
Senior Katie Cronin, who is majoring in electronic media/broadcasting, was a member of the team paired with Hunger and Health Coalition. The team collected pocket change on campus. Cronin explained, When we were creating our campaign, we decided to call it a Week of Change to play on the idea of small acts of change in the community. The Hunger and Health Coalition has changed the impact of poverty in the High Country through small assistance such as food, clothing, fire wood and such, that many of us take for granted. At the end of the week, we raised over $400, the equivalent of 1,800 pounds of food. That just goes to show that there really is no small act of change. It adds up and it changes lives.
Bob Gibbard, president of the High Country Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, provided feedback to the students who raised money for his organization. He told them, I believe the real judge of success is when someone asks, Would you work with this team again on a future project? My answer would be a resounding Yes, in a heartbeat. The $1,700 raised will fund an ROTC scholarship at Appalachian.
The Principles of Fund Raising course is taught every fall and spring. Different nonprofit organizations are asked to partner with the class each semester. To inquire about the possibility of serving as a community partner, contact Dr. Christina May at maycm@appstate.edu.
