BLUE

I'll take RB Ahmad Bradshaw and TE Marcedes Lewis.

I need to quit smokin'.... **goes outside for a smoke**

Tourney made for 10 PM Eastern.

March 18th, 2011 | Author: Khaled Elsayed We’re taking a risk on our next secret superstar. There’s every chance he could be playing his football somewhere new next season, and even if he stays in Dallas, he’ll be working under a new defensive coordinator. What issues that would present, we’re yet to know. Rob Ryan had defensive ends in Cleveland that were run stuffers. Our guy has a bit more burst and penetration to his game, and initially made a name for himself in defensive sub packages. So, it could be a case that his skill set isn’t a good fit. Though, to be honest, if he can perform the way he did in his nine starts in 2010, there aren’t many defenses he couldn’t fit into. Cowboys, you’re going to want to hold onto your Secret Superstar, Stephen Bowen. Becoming Relevant When you think of Hofstra and football, you’re more likely to think of Marques Colston. He was one pick away from being the Mr. Irrelevant of the 2006 NFL draft and has gone onto become one of the league’s better receivers. But, if you want a really ‘irrelevant’ player, how about a guy who left Hofstra at the same time as Colston and went undrafted … a guy like Stephen Bowen. While Colston was getting all manner of praise (rightfully,) Bowen was biding his time on Dallas’ practice squad. He eventually got his call up and even saw some game time as a rookie, picking up a sack in a week 17 encounter with Detroit. That, coupled with an impressive off season, earned Bowen a spot as a back-up in 2007; a role that he kept heading into our first year of existence and when we started thinking the Cowboys could be on to something. Though he hadn’t had a sack since his 2006 debut, Bowen did get a decent amount of pressure for the action he saw in 2008. 10 QB disruptions in 103 pass rushes represented a good return, and he’d managed to grade positively in run defense as well. He was still way down on the depth chart, but his performance was such that he was going to get more snaps in 2009. Climbing the ladder Two hundred and one more snaps to be precise. Though Bowen wasn’t getting a great deal of action in base defenses, his role had grown to see him alongside Jay Ratliff in the nickel. The Cowboys had obviously picked up on his ability to put pressure on the QB, and he wasn’t letting them down. Getting 346 opportunities to rush the passer, the Cowboys’ #72 produced 25 total quarterback disruptions (one less than Jay Ratliff who rushed the passer 137 more times.) It was such an impressive performance that we were a little disappointed when 2010 rolled around and Marcus Spears was still in the starting lineup. Granted, Spears would go on to have one of his better years, but it had long been established that Spears had a limited upside. Why not get a possible diamond in the rough into the lineup when he had shown he warranted an opportunity? As fate would have it, injury forced the Cowboys to bring Bowen into the starting defense in Week 9. Before this, he had continued in his ‘09 role of package duty and infrequent appearances in the base. The outcome was similar – he had picked up 13 quarterback pressures prior to his first start – but there was a sense of excitement (over in the PFF offices at least) when he started against Green Bay. He couldn’t have chosen a worse game to start. Read more: ProFootballFocus

Yeah, they are different animals. I tend to play tighter and more aware of my position in tourney's as opposed to the cash games that we were doing before. I can make another game for tonight at around the same time, if you guys want.

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — A defiant Moammar Gadhafi vowed a "long war" after the U.S. and European militaries blasted his forces with airstrikes and over 100 cruise missiles early Sunday, hitting air defenses and at least two major air bases and shaking the Libyan capital with explosions and anti-aircraft fire. Despite the strikes, Gadhafi's troops lashed back, bombarding the rebel-held city of Misrata with artillery and tanks on Sunday, the opposition reported. In the overnight barrage, ship-fired Tomahawk cruise missiles and bombs and missiles from an international arsenal of warplanes including American B-2 stealth bombers and F-15 and F-16 fighter-bombers rained down on Libyan targets — including ground forces — in the widest international military effort since the Iraq war. The air assault came as Gadhafi's overwhelming firepower was threatening to crush the month-old rebellion against his 41-year rule. State television said 48 people were killed in the strikes. The strikes gave immediate, if temporary, relief to the besieged rebel capital, Benghazi, in eastern Libya. Airstrikes, apparently from French aircraft, devastated a Libyan tank force 12 miles (20 kilometers) south of Benghazi. At least seven demolished tanks were still smoldering in a field hours later, five of them with their turrets and treads blown off, alongside two charred armored personnel carriers and around a dozen damaged jeeps and SUVs of the type often used by Gadhafi fighters. Jubilant rebel fighters climbed on the remains on the tanks, shooting assault rifles in the air in celebration. It was not known how many people were killed in the strike — any bodies had been taken away in the morning — but shredded boots and foam mattresses and tomato paste cans strewn around the scene suggested the Gadhafi forces had been camped at the site when they were hit. U.S. and European military officials said the assault was only the first wave in the international operation in Libya. But already there were signs of differences over the goals. France took a more assertive stance, suggesting the allies' intervention must ultimately lead to Gadhafi's downfall. The U.S. military appeared more wary of overtly taking a side and getting pulled deeper into Libya's conflict, with the top American U.S. officer saying Gadhafi's ouster wasn't necessarily the goal. Libya's claims of civilians among the dead from the strikes also appeared to make Arab countries nervous, after the Arab League took the unprecedented step of calling for a no-fly zone. On Sunday, Arab League chief Amr Moussa criticized the allied strikes, saying they went beyond what the Arab body had supported. Read more: Yahoo

I made another one. There is Boxing on tonight, so if I'm not immediately there, don't worry.

I'm taller than Darren Sproles....

And some more from her (click on thumbnails to enlarge): http://thoedrookie.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/rosa-acosta-official-photoshoot-x-lavish-lane/

The New York Giants select Guard William Rackley.

Statik Selektah - The Thrill Is Gone ft Styles P & Talib Kweli

GG, Ben. At least I had this (thanks to Bay for pm'ing me the hand history): PokerStars Home Game #59432251257: {TGP Trolls} Tournament #376466905, 500+30 Hold'em No Limit - Level V (40/80) - 2011/03/18 23:43:51 ET Table '376466905 1' 9-max Seat #2 is the button Seat 1: Sound Event (3630 in chips) Seat 2: PunkPoker75 (896 in chips) Seat 5: SteelCity100 (810 in chips) Seat 7: Axiomatic815 (213 in chips) Seat 9: TheRazorStar (3451 in chips) Sound Event: posts the ante 10 PunkPoker75: posts the ante 10 SteelCity100: posts the ante 10 Axiomatic815: posts the ante 10 TheRazorStar: posts the ante 10 SteelCity100: posts small blind 40 Axiomatic815: posts big blind 80 *** HOLE CARDS *** Dealt to PunkPoker75 [7h Tc] TheRazorStar: calls 80 Sound Event: calls 80 PunkPoker75: folds SteelCity100: folds TheRazorStar said, "you guys were smart, i had a full house of aces" Axiomatic815: checks *** FLOP *** [8s 3c 5s] Axiomatic815: checks TheRazorStar: checks SteelCity100 said, "Razor: I'm not smart I just have s hit hands" Sound Event: bets 123 Axiomatic815: folds TheRazorStar: raises 543 to 666 SteelCity100 said, "666 again" Sound Event: raises 2874 to 3540 and is all-in TheRazorStar: calls 2695 and is all-in Uncalled bet (179) returned to Sound Event PunkPoker75 said, "caught with his **** in his hand!" *** TURN *** [8s 3c 5s] [2c] *** RIVER *** [8s 3c 5s 2c] [4d] Sound Event said, "SPADE" *** SHOW DOWN *** TheRazorStar: shows [8c Qh] (a pair of Eights) Sound Event: shows [As 7s] (a straight, Ace to Five) Sound Event collected 7052 from pot TheRazorStar finished the tournament in 5th place *** SUMMARY *** Total pot 7052 | Rake 0 Board [8s 3c 5s 2c 4d] Seat 1: Sound Event showed [As 7s] and won (7052) with a straight, Ace to Five Seat 2: PunkPoker75 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet) Seat 5: SteelCity100 (small blind) folded before Flop Seat 7: Axiomatic815 (big blind) folded on the Flop Seat 9: TheRazorStar showed [8c Qh] and lost with a pair of Eights

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- At the New York Mets' home opener last season, the trainers got booed during the pregame ceremonies. So could you imagine the hostile reaction if Luis Castillo were introduced as the starting second baseman in the April 8 lineup against the Washington Nationals this year -- especially if the Mets limp home after a tough opening trip to Florida and Philadelphia? Well, Castillo will be spared that treatment. After carrying Castillo on the 40-man roster for the entire winter, general manager Sandy Alderson, manager Terry Collins and the rest of the staff concluded Friday what Mets fans could, and did, tell them months ago -- that Castillo ought to be released. They affirmed the decision in an early morning meeting Friday, ownership signed off on eating the $6 million owed this year and Castillo's locker was emptied before noon. Read More: ESPN

If you come back around and I'm still on I'll play a PLO or NLH cash game.

Made a tourney for 11 pm Eastern.

You do realize that the Giants' owners actually DID work hard, don't you? Mara was an attorney for a while before he joined the org: Tisch is an Oscar Award winning producer, IIRC.

I'll take RG Brandon Moore and FS Eric Weddle.

By The Associated Press The NFL will be more aggressive in suspending players next season for illegal hits, and also could make changes to instant replay and kickoffs. Ray Anderson, the league's chief disciplinarian, said today that repeat offenders or players committing flagrant illegal hits will have a much greater chance of being suspended during the 2011 season. No suspensions were handed down in 2010 even after the NFL's crackdown on such hits, in part because "we were operating under the principle unless you have given sufficent advance notice of what the results could be, you need to be more lenient," Anderson said. "Frankly, now that the notice has been given, players and coaches and clubs are very aware of what the emphasis is and we won't have that hesitation," Anderson said. "Everyone will be very clearly on notice now that a suspension is very viable for us and we will exercise it ... when it comes to illegal hits to the head and neck area and to defenseless players." The NFL increased the amount on its fines for such hits last year after a series of fouls on one October weekend. Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison was fined $75,000 for one such tackle, while Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson and New England Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather were docked $50,000 for hits to defenseless opponents that weekend. Many more fines were implemented throughout the remainder of last season but no player was suspended, even though suspensions were considered, Anderson said. "We want to be much more clear on what can be a suspendable incident," Anderson said. "The emphasis is on head and neck hits and what a defenseless player is. And we will work hard that people understand what is a repeat offender and what is a flagrant foul." The league looks at two years worth of plays to determined repeat offenders. Rules defining a defenseless player will be expanded and now will include eight categories: -- A quarterback in the act of throwing; -- A receiver trying to catch a pass; -- A runner already in the grasp of tacklers and having his forward progress stopped; -- A player fielding a punt or a kickoff; -- A kicker or punter during the kick; -- A quarterback at any time after change of possession; -- A receever who receives a blind-side block; -- A player already on the ground. Read more: NJ.com

One of my favorite things to see in the offseason. Keep in mind, they are imperfect, but still interesting to look at: http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2011/best-cornerback-charting-stats-2010

Per Rotoworld.com: Mizzou QB Blaine Gabbert unofficially completed 44-of-49 passes at the Tigers' Pro Day Thursday. Mizzou beat writer Dave Matter attributes "at least three" of the incompletions to drops on catchable balls. Gabbert's Pro Day was not fully televised, but the early returns suggest plenty of arm strength, nice footwork, and a more natural throwing motion than Cam Newton. ESPN 101 St. Louis' Tony Softli, a former NFL exec, is now calling Gabbert a "more athletic Drew Bledsoe" while SI.com's Don Banks suggests the performance will "give Carolina something to think about" at No. 1 overall. Gabbert also scored an impressive 42 on the Wonderlic exam. Mar 17, 3:07 PM Source: Dave Matter on Twitter

Wow....only 41.... R.I.P. http://www.tmz.com/2011/03/16/nate-doggs-death-multiple-strokes-manager-statement-bed-ridden-partially-paralyzed/

I was reading this article at the New York Daily News, and figure I'd put the poll up here. It's kind of odd to me that they put Namath up but left out LT. I know LT is a douche, but that's straight ridiculous, IMO. Anyways, I'm going with Babe Ruth. You?