Roman Reigns Could Be Yanked From "WWE Battleground" Following Suspension

Roman Reigns Suspended By WWE ...Violated Wellness Policy

Roman Reigns Could Be Yanked From WWE Battleground Following Suspension

Roman Reigns was suspended Tuesdayforviolating the WWEs wellness policy and while the 30-day math allows for it, the superstarmay still not participate in the next big Pay-Per-View.

Real nameJoe Anoa`i, the wrestler will take his medicine for one monthas this incident was just a first offense, but that still places the current WWE Battleground main event in a bit of jeopardy or at least, some controversy.

Reignsis technically suspended from June 20 to July 20, meaning he is eligible to return to action on July 21. Battleground is set for Sunday, July 24, when Reigns was meantto scrap with both ex-Shield teammates Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose in a Triple Threat match for the covetedWWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Also Read: Roman Reigns Suspended By WWE

However, TheWrap has learned that WWE will weigh all creative options surrounding the booking. Though we received no further detail from our source, that clearly means the three-wayfight could go on as planned, or it might get changed over the next few weeks.

Perhaps itll simply end up as a straight Rollins-Ambrose one-on-one. After all, if Reigns cant wrestle, he cant promote the product between now and then. Plus, it might just be bad public relations optics if he did.

That said, Reigns was handpicked to be the next face of the company by owner Vince McMahon, who has a clear affinity for the former pro football player. Unfortunately for Reigns, despite being a three-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, a loud faction of fans dont share McMahons love, and hes been booed loudly at live events for months now.

Also Read: WWE Suspends Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler After Domestic Assault Arrest

Ambrose currently owns the companys top belt, which washeld at one point or another by all three former friends on Sunday evening. Reigns began the weekends pay-per-view as champ, before losing it to the returned Seth Rollins, who actually had to forfeit the same title last year due to injury.Immediately after their match, Ambrose cashed in his newly won title-shot contract, beating Rollins and take the strap. To get that guarantee, Ambrose won a Money in the Bank ladder match earlier the sameevening.

Last night, on USA Networks Monday Night Raw, Reigns and Rollins headlined with a No. 1 contenders match. A double count-out meant there was no winner, which is how the Triple Threat came about.

The WWE did not immediately respond to TheWraps request for clarification on when the company first found out about the Reigns violation.

Read original story Roman Reigns Could Be Yanked From WWE Battleground Following Suspension At TheWrap

Source: http://www.chron.com/entertainment/the-wrap/article/Roman-Reigns-Could-Be-Pulled-From-WWE-8316014.php

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17-year-old Christian Pulisic proves his USMNT future is more than hype

Get to know Christian Pulisic

It was a tough evening for everyone on the U.S. national team in a 4-0 loss to Argentina on Tuesday in the Copa America Centenario. The Americans had exactly zero shots all night and overall played pretty poorly in the semifinal.

But even despite that, there were glimpses -- ever so briefly -- of why 17-year-old Christian Pulisic has been called the Next Big Thing of American soccer. In a match with few positives, Pulisic offered at least one: There"s no reason to think Pulisic won"t succeed with the USMNT and make the team better, and USMNT fans may not need to wait very long either.

While the Americans looked shaky and scared for stretches of Tuesday"s match, particularly at the beginning, Pulisic never looked out of his depth. He came on at the half and played without the fear that probably caused the American to concede an early third-minute goal from striker Ezequiel Lavezzi. Within his first few minutes, Pulisic was going shoulder-to-shoulder with Argentine defenders, trying to launch crosses into the box.

He earned the Americans their only corner kick of the evening in the 67th minute, collecting a slip-pass in the box and holding up play, dribbling with calm composure as he looked for options. He attempted a cross that was knocked out, one of a few attempted crosses he would see blocked, but it was a rare moment where the U.S. actually threatened Argentina.

On an American team that played badly across the board, Pulisic played a little less badly than many of his teammates. That"s not exactly a ringing endorsement, but the teenager looked like a player mature beyond his years in a match the U.S. were destined to lose.

It"s not a surprise to see Pulisic hold up under the pressure of an occasion such as the Copa America semifinal. For Borussia Dortmund, he plays in one of the most intense professional environments in the world. Since working his way into BVB"s first team earlier this year, his job has been to face some of the best players in the world at a home stadium that boasts Europe"s highest average attendance at 80,000-plus fans.

It"s in that environment where he has excelled and caught the eye of USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Take for instance his first goal for BVB. It started with him and ended with him on a clever run, composed cut around a defender and well-placed shot -- the kind of cool finish befitting of a more senior player:

The USMNT hype around Pulisic leading into Copa America, of course, was always too much. It dwarfed anything the still-developing player could possibly achieve for the national team at the tournament -- and his confident but ultimately unproductive appearance against Argentina may put that into perspective. But it"s also not difficult to see where the hype came from or why so many fans were clamoring for more of him at this Copa America.

As a kid who attended his senior prom before becoming the USMNT"s youngest-ever goal-scorer of the modern era, he represents a rare breed in American soccer: A young prospect who has already proven himself at a high level in big games. Players like Freddy Adu and even Julian Green were hyped as the Next Big Thing, but neither had achieved nearly what Pulisic has already.

But how soon could Pulisic be pushing for a spot on the USMNT?

Before answering that, it"s worth pointing out: While the Pulisic hype train driven by fans and pundits alike has been moving at full speed, his rise through the USMNT has been just as fast.

Just six months ago, most American fans had never heard of Pulisic. But in January, he earned his first start for Borussia Dortmund and the next month he earned first cap for the U.S. national team. Then came the goals -- in April, he scored his first goal in the Bundesliga and in May, he became the USMNT"s youngest goal-scorer in the modern era.

Pulisic"s rise has been quick, but there should be an immediate place for him on the USMNT"s flanks. The U.S. lacks depth on the wings, where Pulisic can make a case as a dynamic, creative player who can find the right angles to cut inside. Although his speed is a powerful tool for breaking in behind defenses, he has proven he can be physical and battle body-to-body with opponents, a skill that should only improve as he matures.

Just look at what he did against Ecuador in a pre-Copa America friendly. He stole the ball, bodied off a defender, turned, and threaded a pass under pressure up the field. That isn"t the play of an anxious teenager, but a multi-faceted attacker who can read the game well:

Though Klinsmann talks about proactive attacking soccer, it is Pulisic"s skillset and his creativity that can help the USMNT actually get there. With Copa America now over, except for a relatively inconsequential third-place game left to be played, Klinsmann may be ready to prime Pulisic for the 2018 World Cup in Russia now.

Pulisic won"t be an overnight star and he will have quieter outings like he had against Argentina, but it would be foolish to ignore the ability he shows. Though he is still developing, he has proven himself to be one of the most dynamic and creative attackers in the U.S. ranks -- regardless of age. But his age is also part of what makes him such an exciting prospect: He has years ahead of him and he should only get better.

Pulisic is indeed young, but as his composure against Argentina and for BVB has shown, he is as ready as any other American to lead the way. And that"s not hype -- that"s what Pulisic has proven for club and, now, country.

Source: http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/17-year-old-christian-pulisic-proves-his-usmnt-future-is-more-than-hype-062216

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Oaklawn"s John Kay & Steppenwolf concert cancelled

Steppenwolf - Magic Carpet Ride

Oaklawn Press Release , KTHV11:37 PM. EDT June 13, 2016

Oaklawn entrance (Photo: Custom)

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Monday, June 13, 2016) Oaklawn has been forced to cancel the John Kay and Steppenwolf Concert Friday, June 17 due to the illness of lead singer John Kay. The concert will not be rescheduled and all tickets will be refunded.

This is just one of those things that was out of our control, Assistant Director of Marketing Brandon Scott said. This is the first time in the history of the Finish Line Theater that we"ve ever had to cancel a performance. We wish John Kay a speedy recovery and we"re looking forward to the rest of the acts on our schedule.

The next scheduled performance is the Monkees Friday, July 22 as part of their 50th Anniversary Tour. Tickets for the show go on sale Tuesday, July 5 at 9 a.m. and are $55 or $65.

Source: http://www.thv11.com/news/local/oaklawns-john-kay-steppenwolf-concert-cancelled/243091119

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Euro 2016 Bracket: Latest Title Odds, Predictions Before Tuesday Group Fixtures

Sedins #Euro2016 Bracket

Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

Euro 2016 has proven to be a tournament for the underdog thus far, and numerous dark horses will make their last dashes for the knockout stages as Group C and Group D come to a close on Tuesday.

Group C leaders Germany face Northern Ireland in Paris and risk finishing as low as third in the pool if they fail to get a result, while Poland are also in with a chance of clinching first place when they clash against Ukraine.

Germany lead Group C by one point.

In Group D, Spain are looking to cap off their first round with a third win out of three when they take on contenders Croatia, but the Czech Republic can still hope to take second place if they defeat Turkey.

Germany and Spain were each seen as major title favourites coming into the competition, and both teams still sit among the Euro 2016 front-runners despite showing some signs of stumbling.

Wales made a massive jump in the tournament odds after topping Group B with a 3-0 win over Russia on Monday, but England haven"t moved despite drawing 0-0 against Slovakia to finish second in the pool.

We provide the latest look at the title odds for this summer"s European Championships following Monday"s results, complete with a look to Tuesday"s schedule, preview and score predictions for the fixtures to come.

Euro 2016 Updated Title Odds Spain 10-3 France 7-2 Germany 9-2 England 10-1 Italy 11-1 Belgium 12-1 Portugal 20-1 Croatia 22-1 Poland 33-1 Wales 40-1 Switzerland 80-1 Slovakia 125-1 Austria 125-1 Hungary 150-1 Czech Republic 150-1 Iceland 200-1 Sweden 250-1 Northern Ireland 300-1 Republic of Ireland 500-1 Albania 500-1 Turkey 500-1

Oddschecker (As of June 20 at 10 p.m. BST)

Euro 2016: Tuesday"s Group Fixture Schedule, Odds 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET Northern Ireland 1-2 Germany Northern Ireland 14-1, Draw 5-1, Germany 3-10 5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. ET Ukraine 1-2 Poland Ukraine 10-3, Draw 5-2, Poland 21-20 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET Croatia 1-3 Spain Croatia 4-1, Draw 11-5, Spain 21-20 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET Czech Republic 2-2 Turkey Czech Republic 6-4, Draw 45-17, Turkey 25-12

Odds Shark and Oddschecker

Spain Out to Make Statement Against Croatia

Spain didn"t give their fans any boost in confidence after it took them 87 minutes to net a 1-0 winner in their opening match of Euro 2016 against Czech Republic, but a win is a win, and they"ve only provided signs of improvement since.

In contrast, their 3-0 demolition of Turkey was more like one would expect from a defending European champion, andThe Last Word"s Matt Cooper has picked out midfield maestro Andres Iniesta as Spain"s star:

There was an unsettling vibe in the Spanish camp this week, however, after Pedro claimed he was unhappy with a substitute role in the squad. That being said, the winger has since apologised for his comments when he addressed the media on Monday:

I apologise if I offended someone with my comments. I am delighted to be here with Spain. It is a dream to be at the Euros. I have clarified things with my team-mates and they understood what I meant. I have spoken with Del Bosque and with my team-mates. They all understand me. I am very grateful to have their confidence.

It is clear that I would like to play more, just like everyone would like to play.But I can only repeat that I am delighted to be here. I have explained everything to the coach and to the rest of the team. I apologise if I caused problems.

Manager Vicente del Bosque undoubtedly won"t have taken kindly to the slightest notion there was unrest among his team, and it certainly didn"t appear to be the case in their recent stomping of Turkey.

Current Group D runners-up Croatia will be no pushovers in their final first-round encounter, but if they can build again and show form befitting their status, a third successive European title could be on the cards.

Prediction: Croatia 1-3 Spain

World Champs Germany Under Unfamiliar Pressure

Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is yet to concede a goal at Euro 2016.

With just one point separating first from third in Group C, leaders Germany have a bigger test ahead of them than they might have predicted when they lace up against Northern Ireland.

Manager Michael O"Neill"s side can still top the pool if they somehow topple the world champions at Parc des Princes, and centre-back Mats Hummels has even been captured by their run, per Goal"s Niklas Konig:

Northern Ireland sit in third and are hoping Ukraine can defeat Poland to help them finish as high as possible on Tuesday, and theTimes" Tony Barrett provided quotes from O"Neill, who revealed he"s had some insider help on the matter:

Die Mannschaft, of course, dropped to a 1-0 defeat to Martin O"Neill"s Republic of Ireland back in October, and namesake Michael is hoping he can replicate that feat with his side seven months down the line.

However, after Northern Ireland"s impressive 2-0 defeat of Ukraine on Thursday, Germany are all the more aware of their threat, and manager Joachim Low will assuredly have his side better prepared for their final group test.

Prediction: Northern Ireland 1-2 Germany

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2647384-euro-2016-bracket-latest-title-odds-predictions-before-tuesday-group-fixtures

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National Selfie Day 2016: 5 campaigns that demonstrate how selfies empower people of color

Anna Kendrick’s Dating Advice and National Selfie Day | ‘GMA’ Hot List

Selfies are criticized as a symbol of millennial narcissism. But for some marginalized communities, selfies are tools for empowerment that enable people to represent themselves in a world that too easily erases them.

Transgender North Carolinians took selfies to take a stand against the states controversial anti-transgender bathroom law. Following last weeks tragic Orlando shooting, same-s*x couples shared PDA selfies using the hashtag #TwoMenKissing and #TwoWomenKissing as a direct action against the homophobia connected to the attack at Pulse gay nightclub.

Selfies, Syreeta McFadden wrote for the Guardian last year, "are teaching us to see ourselves anew and across multiple situations. While the mainstream may not yet reflect a wide, true and constructed representation of people of color, were creating space for that existence in the cyber world. Were cultivating a vernacular to understand our images beyond stilted paradigms."

On National Selfie Day, here are five selfie campaigns that people of color have used to tell their own stories:

#BlackOutDay

On March 6, 2015, Tumblr users Matthew King-Yarde, Marissa Rei, and Tvon Greene launched the first #BlackOutDay.

The inspiration behind the campaign, according to their Tumblr page, was "the lack of representation and celebration of everyday black people in mainstream spaces such as movies and television, and the need to create a positive space in which black people could feel welcomed and beautiful."

For 24 hours, Tumblr selfies of black people poured in, and the campaign eventually spilled over to both Twitter and Facebook. Since last March, the three curators have taken to organizing the hashtag event every three months.

#IfTheyGunnedMeDown

In August 2014, after unarmed teenager Michael Brown was shot and killed by former Ferguson, Missouri, police officer Darren Wilson, social media users created the hashtag #IfTheyGunnedMeDown to highlight a noticeable racial double standard that became apparent in mainstream media coverage of the case. Brown was portrayed using photos that made him look like a criminal, even though he was the one gunned down, and there were more neutral and positive photos of him available.

In contrast, Browns white peers no matter their innocence are more likely to be portrayed with humanity, even if the subject was proven guilty of a crime. In just one example of the effects of such a disparity, a 2015 study in Communication Research of racial representations of crime on television news and other programming in Los Angeles found that white people were overrepresented as victims of crimes compared to official numbers. In the sample, African Americans were accurately depicted as both perpetrators and victims an anomaly that demanded further study. Latinos were accurately depicted as perpetrators but underrepresented as victims.

#BlackMaleReimagined

This past Fathers Day, people shared photos through the #BlackMaleReimagined hashtag to debunk stereotypes of black fatherhood.

One of the most common myths around black fathers is that they are absent from their childrens lives. However, as Voxs German Lopez pointed out, the myth persists because it is based on misunderstandings of data:

New York Times columnist Charles Blow previously took on this myth. Blow started with the basis for much of the idea: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data that showed 71.5 percent of black, non-Hispanic children in 2013 were born to unmarried women, compared with 29.3 percent of white, non-Hispanic children.

But as Josh Levs pointed out in his new book All In, 2.5 million of 4.2 million black fathers or about 59.5 percent live with their children. Levs"s numbers suggest that it"s not true, as the CDC figures suggests, that 71.5 percent of black dads are absent from their homes but rather that many of them are simply unmarried.

#FlexinMyComplexion

Last August, black women used the hashtag #FlexinMyComplexion to celebrate darker-skinned black women based on a concept created by Brooklyn-based artist and activist Kameelah Rasheed to draw attention to the ways colorism impacts black people.

Colorism, a term coined by writer Alice Walker in her 1982 book In Search of Our Mothers Gardens, refers to the different ways people experience racial prejudice based on the hue of their skin tone.

#BlackOutEid

At the end of last years Ramadan, Black Muslims used selfies to commemorate the end of the Muslim holy month, a period also known as Eid, while calling attention to the experience of being a minority within a minority: Muslim and black.

#BlackOutEid was inspired by both #BlackOutDay and #BlackMuslimRamadan.

Nearly 60 percent of American Muslims are immigrants. And despite Donald Trumps calls to ban Muslim immigrants, the first Muslim Americans arrived to the colonies against their will as African slaves. These days, nearly one-third of all American Muslims are African Americans.

So while some people treat smartphones like mirrors, for communities who lack adequate representation in mainstream media, using a phone to create their own reflection in the world can be a powerful, radical act.

Source: http://www.vox.com/2016/6/21/11988606/national-selfie-day-2016

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Poetic masterpiece "Constellations" lights up Steppenwolf sky

STEPPENWOLF - 16 ORIGINAL HITS COLLECTION

Poetry is not a thing that can easily be explained, nor is quantum physics, whose concepts rattled even Albert Einstein. And both forms of describing existence have their very particular entryways into abstract thought, complexity and magic.

CONSTELLATIONSHighly recommendedWhen: Through July 3Where: Steppenwolf Theater, 1650 N. HalstedTickets: $20 $89Info: http://www.steppenwolf.orgRun time: 1 hour and 25 minutes, with no intermission

The sheer brilliance and beauty of British playwright Nick Paynes Constellations now in an altogether awe-inspiring production at Steppenwolf Theatre is that he has not only found a way to intertwine these two forms but, simultaneously, he has been able to bring them down to earth in the most comprehensible way through the relationship between a man and a woman.

Constellations is a dramatic miracle all its own a precision-tooled rumination about everything of importance in this universe, to the extent that we can conceive it. And while it could not be more fiendishly difficult the discipline and focus of actors Jessie Fisher and Jon Michael Hill, under the masterful direction of Jonathan Berry, are beyond imagining it also is immediate, visceral and comprehensible. Yes, there is more than a touch of genius to be found here.

Marianne (Fisher), a theoretical physicist, and Roland (Hill), a beekeeper a most unlikely pair Meet Cute/Eccentric at a party, but nothing is certain in their encounter as it is played out in a number of radically different ways. Is one or another of them already married, or otherwise involved, or just not interested in getting involved, or recovering from a broken relationship? Will they go home with each other, or never meet again, or engage in an awkward temporary parting and future encounter? And if they do marry, what will happen? The possibilities are infinite. But life, as we are told by the supremely brainy Marianne, is not meant to continue on forever, at least in the way we generally think about it.

And yet, as Payne reminds us by the end of his play which is as laugh-filled as it is profoundly poignant in its mediation on mortality this universe is composed of atoms and molecules that never really die. We are part of an eternal loop. And Constellations allows Marianne and Roland to move through that loop in wondrous ways that are never less than entirely real. For while the play is cosmic in its speculations, it is entirely specific in its human connections, right down to a very funny series of interactions as the pair encounters each other at a ballroom dancing class.

Jon Michael Hill and Jessie Fisher in Nick Paynes Constellations at Steppenwolf Theatre Upstairs. (Photo: Michael Brosilow)

The one crucial plot twist here is that at a certain point Marianne begins to develop difficulty retrieving words and formulating sentences. She is diagnosed with a brain tumor, and her panic, frustration and thoughts of suicide (although that word is never spoken) are explored in the most subtle, heart-wrenching ways. Along the way, the mystery of human consciousness and expression becomes fully palpable, along with the terror of losing those essential signs of being, which are only magnified for someone like Marianne who lives so fully in her head. At the same time,however, the power of love asserts itself. And in one of the most beguiling sequences in the play the two actors suddenly communicate in sign language. It comes out of nowhere, yet feels perfectly right.

To be sure, if ever there were a test of the mechanics of the mind, the two actors in Constellations are subjected to them. Far beyond the nightmarish memory demands of the plays many brief scenes, which are repeated with crucial variations of wording, there are the complete and seamless shifts in tone and intention that involve much the same wording. If Samuel Becketts work long-held the record for incurring mental stress in actors (lose a line and you are truly lost in space), Payne (whose newest play, Incognito, is a hit in New York) has given him a run for his money.

The uncanny performances by Fisher and Hill suggest their musical as well as their acting talents. They play this script like a score. Fishers character is the more radically tuned the more tempestuous and precariously balanced of the two and she is nothing short of astonishing. Hill is droll, understated and sweet in a honeyed way, and his quiet way of listening provides the perfect counter-balance.

Do not miss the chance to bask in the illuminated sky of Constellations.

Source: http://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment/poetic-masterpiece-constellations-lights-up-steppenwolf-sky/

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Cruz"n the Borderland: Haterade on Tap

Fish fire, Reservoir fire burn combined 4,500 acres in San Gabriel Mountains near Azusa, Duarte

Ive had the joy of watching, listening to, and becoming friends with local musicians over the years. As I stated previously, we seriously have some amazing talent here in El Paso. That being said, there is SOMETHING that has been bothering me ever since. And it happens on a local level, unbelievably. It makes me cringe (and then laugh) when I hear someone talk about how they HATE a certain type of music.

Especially when the person talking is ACTUALLY IN a band or are some sort of music expert!

Too much in-fighting within the artists world does nothing for them, and the fans are the ones who suffer. As an example, it always seems (generalize much?) its some sort of metal or rock band that puts down pretty much ANY OTHER MUSIC that isnt their style.

I cant stand Rap music! It sucks! This argument isnt valid, because as a genre its been around for well over 25 years, and has melded with every OTHER music format. Country-Rap, Dance-Rap, Rock-Rapand the fact that the hottest movie of the summer was about *gasp* gangster rap, should show how mainstream and accepted the format is.

Now, Im not here to raise the banner of rap music, what Im saying here is dont knock another style of music, simply because it isnt your cup of tea. Oh, sure.dislike a specific artist or band for the lack of accomplishment of the fact that particular song just didnt do it for youbut not the ENTIRE format. The minute I hear someone start doing that, their credibility as a fan of music goes down a few notches in my eyes.

I DONT KNOW MUCH ABOUT ART, BUT I KNOW WHAT I LIKE

Ive always defined an artist as someone who creates something I cant. Its a broad definition, and it covers so many areas. The talent that oozes from people in whatever field they create is something I respect, admire, and dare I say am a bit jealous of.

snortI coulda painted THAT! Yeah, but you DIDNT. I coulda wrote I AM THE WALRUS, toobut I didnt. An artist did. So who am I to take down an entire area of something I cant do, or maybe dont understand.

Oh, dont get me wrong, there are certain styles of music (and other arts) I dont like, but I learned a while back to never dismiss it as it sucks! Theres way too much negativity in the world as it is, art in any form is is an escape for mosta release if you will. Why disparage and take it ALL away with a blanket statement?

Appreciate the art form, maybe research it. Maybe TRY it yourself. Feed and nature the positivity and creative nature of the human spirit. Of course opinions matter, but to generalize and tear down that which you dont understand or failed to is a sad, hurtful act.

Art is a release, music is passioncreativity is intelligence having fun! (Didnt Einstein say that??)

And really, isnt THAT what makes living fun.? Be creative while we can.

Source: http://elpasoheraldpost.com/cruzin-the-city-haterade-on-tap/

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