Denver Broncos Replace Peyton Manning With Trevor Siemian

NFL Kickoff 2016 - Carolina Panthers vs Denver Broncos
Photo Trevor Siemian was named the Denver Broncos starting quarterback on Monday, beating out Mark Sanchez and Paxton Lynch. Credit David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Trevor Siemian is Peyton Mannings successor.

Denver Broncos Coach Gary Kubiak told the team Monday that Siemian would be the starting quarterback in the season opener against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 8. Siemian will be the first quarterback with zero passing attempts to take over a defending Super Bowl champion in Week 1.

Kubiak informed Siemian, Mark Sanchez and Paxton Lynch of his decision before telling their teammates at their morning meeting.

Siemian, a seventh-round selection out of Northwestern last year, has just one N.F.L. snap on his rsum, a kneel-down when he was the No. 3 quarterback last year behind Manning and his longtime backup Brock Osweiler. Manning retired a month after Denvers 24-10 win over the Panthers in Super Bowl 50, and Osweiler left for Houston 48 hours later.

General Manager John Elway quickly acquired Sanchez from the Eagles and drafted Lynch in the first round. The Broncos are expected to cut Sanchez.

JETS HARRIS UNCERTAIN FOR OPENER Jets Coach Todd Bowles said it was too early to know whether linebacker David Harris (shoulder) would be available for the Sept. 11 season opener against Cincinnati. Harris sustained a bad bruise, Bowles said, on the final defensive snap before halftime in the Jets preseason game against the Giants.

Harris, who did not practice Monday, has not missed a game since 2008. BEN SHPIGEL

CHARGERS TOP PICK REACHES ACCORD Defensive end Joey Bosa, San Diegos top pick, ended his monthlong holdout when he signed a four-year contract.

The team announced the signing five days after the two sides went public in their spat over payment of Bosas $17 million signing bonus and whether the contract would have offset language. Bosa, the No. 3 overall pick out of Ohio State, was the last rookie to sign. The deal came a day after San Diegos defense played poorly in a 23-10 exhibition loss at Minnesota.

BASEBALLPorcello Wins His 18th for the Red Sox

Rick Porcello became the majors first 18-game winner and the first Red Sox pitcher in 70 years to open a season 13-0 in Fenway Park, going seven solid innings in Bostons 9-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. Porcello (18-3) allowed three runs and six hits, striking out seven.

Mookie Betts hit his 30th homer, a solo shot, and drove in two runs for the Red Sox.

BLUE JAYS TOP ORIOLES Josh Donaldson hit his fourth homer in two days and Jose Bautista also went deep in support of Marco Estrada, leading the Toronto Blue Jays over the Orioles, 5-1.

Toronto leads Boston by two games and third-place Baltimore by four games in the American League East.

OLYMPICSPolice Seize Sports Offices in Kuwait

The authorities in Kuwait ordered the police to seize the states Olympic committee offices and the soccer association in the latest round of a sporting power struggle.

The action on Sunday heightened a standoff that has led to Kuwaits being suspended by the International Olympic Committee and by FIFA, soccers governing body, since October. Kuwait did not take part in this years Rio Olympics and will not contest the qualifiers for soccers 2018 World Cup.

The move came after the governments sports commission ousted Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Sabah as head of the Kuwait Football Association and the national Olympic committee. (AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE)

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Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/30/sports/denver-broncos-trevor-siemian-starting-quarterback.html

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Cleveland Browns Scribbles: Nice moments for Nassib, Schobert and Ogbah, Coleman rusty -- Terry Pluto

REBUILDING THE CLEVELAND BROWNS! MADDEN 17 CONNECTED FRANCHISE

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scribbles in my Cleveland Browns notebook as they face the Chicago Bears in the final preseason game on Thursday at FirstEnergy Stadium:

1. It"s really hard to develop any grand themes from the final preseason game. For the Browns, the good news is Robert Griffin III didn"t get hurt. He didn"t look bad. I have been guardedly optimistic about Griffin for much of the preseason. Nothing in this game changes that opinion.

2. Rookies Carl Nassib and Emmanuel Ogbah are defensive linemen with speed. That"s why there is reason for optimism about these selections. Nassib batted down a pass. The stat sheet said it was only his second of the preseason, but I swear he has more than that. Ogbah was credited with his second sack of the preseason. I thought Nassib also had a hand in that.

3. The main point is Ogbah (a second-round pick) and Nassib (a third-round pick) look like NFL players and have not been overmatched in the preseason.

4. One of the reasons -- not the main one -- the Browns cut Paul Kruger is Joe Schobert. The Browns have been impressed by the rookie from Wisconsin. He has had some nice moments on special teams and you do notice him when he"s playing outside linebacker.

5. Outside linebacker Nate Orchard didn"t start. Not a good sign, given Kruger was cut. The Browns were playing Ogbah and Schobert more. Cam Johnson also saw some action at outside linebacker.

6. The Browns threw a 12-yard pass to Isaiah Crowell. It was the kind of short pass that required a nice touch, and Griffin delivered it just right. Jackson wants to get the backs involved in the passing game. Crowell caught only 28 passes on his first two seasons. Jackson believes he can be a weapon catching b***s out of the backfield.

7. Last season, most of the passes to running backs went to Duke Johnson (61 catches). Jackson has some plays where Johnson lines up as a wide receiver. Once the regular season opens, it will be fun to see how Jackson works his backs into the offense. Josh McCown threw four passes to running back Terrell Watson. The Browns are using some screen passes, and that should help against blitzes. In the first half, running backs caught six passes. Fullback Malcolm Johnson caught a 3-yard pass.

8. Corey Coleman caught his first pass. The Browns first-rounder missed the first two preseason games with a hamstring injury. He has looked rusty, dropping a perfect pass on a crossing route. Coleman was targeted four times and had one catch for 10 yards.

9. It"s been a disappointing preseason for Coleman. The rookie from Baylor has been hampered by the hamstring injury and since coming back, it"s been rocky. He looked very good in the spring minicamps.

10. The Browns anticipate Coleman playing a key role. That means they have to really get him ready in practice.

11. The Browns only threw one pass to Terrelle Pryor. It still appears he will be a starting receiver. I believe Jackson has some plays ready to put the ball in Pryor"s hands once the games count.

12. Josh Gordon caught three passes for 29 yards. He was mauled on a long pass, but no interference was called. Gordon looks sharp as he heads into his four-game suspension. Now, the Browns have to work to keep him that way as he sits out. He can be in the practice facility, but is not allowed to practice. He can take part in individual workouts.

13. Former Browns QB Brian Hoyer was 12-of-16 for 112 yards. He is secure as the Bears backup quarterback.

14. Two really bad things in the first half. Patrick Murray missed a 31-yard field goal ... wide right. No rush. No problems with the snap. Nothing but a lousy kick. The Browns defense was flagged for having 12 men on the field. On the next play, they had only 10 as the Bears scored on a 1-yard touchdown.

15. I thought rookie quarterback Cody Kessler looked a bit overwhelmed in the third quarter.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ssf/2016/09/cleveland_browns_scribbles_som.html

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WATCH: Tennessee football and recruiting Facebook Live talking Appalachian State and 5-star corner Lamont Wade

TENNESSEE FOOTBALL HYPE VIDEO 2016-2017 PLAYOFFS IN SIGHT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Whats the saying? Its (almost) football time in Tennessee.

The Volunteers kickoff their 2016 season on Thursday evening against Appalachian State, so Tennessee beat writer Jesse Simonton held another Facebook Live chat, answering a number of recruiting and team-related questions.

On the docket? 5-star cornerback Lamont Wade, who will unofficially visit UT for the App State game, 3-star wide receiver commit Princeton Fant and his recent injury, coach Larry Scotts impact recruiting South Florida and more. Jesse also discussed a litany of team inquiries, including Tennessees passing game, score predictions for Thursday and UTs schedule strength.

Check it out.

Live chat: Tennessee beat writer @JesseReSimonton discusses all things Vols. recruiting. Oh, Im sure Thursdays game will get brought up, too. Tune in now.

Posted by Tennessee Volunteers Insiders on Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Jesse Simonton covers Tennessee football and recruiting for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and SECCountry.com

Follow @JesseReSimonton

Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNG1mFIa6G_EKcTrErvxCYQwH4wskg&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ei=t83JV9CaJsXf3AHolazoDQ&url=https://www.seccountry.com/tennessee/watch-tennessee-football-and-recruiting-facebook-live-talking-appalachian-state-and-5-star-corner-lamont-wade

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Tennessee football: Volunteers ready to take major step forward in 2016

Tennessee Football 2016 Pump Up

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. This is the season Tennessee has been pointing to for years.

Tennessee"s revival started with the arrival of consecutive top-five recruiting classes in 2014 and 2015 that restocked the Volunteers" talent base. Tennessee ended a string of four straight losing seasons in 2014 and finished last season with a six-game winning streak and a Top 25 ranking.

The next step is to compete for a Southeastern Conference title and playoff berth. SEC media have picked Tennessee to win its first Eastern Division title since 2007.

"We want expectations high," Tennessee coach Butch Jones said. "That"s why you come to the University of Tennessee. That"s why you coach here. To me, it"s a compliment of your program, no more, no less. Now it"s what you do with it."

The Vols believe they can meet those expectations if they do a better job of protecting leads. Tennessee led in each of its four losses last season and was ahead by at least 13 points in three of them.

Kim Klement | USA TODAY Sports Images

Tennessee returns all but five starters from last years squad, which bodes well for Butch Jones squad.

Only five starters from last season"s 45-6 Outback Bowl blowout of Northwestern aren"t back this year. Depth and experience could help Tennessee produce better in close games this season.

"You"ve just got to go into those situations with confidence, knowing that you"re going to make a play, knowing your teammates got your back," linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin said. "That"s what we started getting toward the end of last year. We played with a lot more confidence at the end of those games."

MORE: Battle of Bristol trophy unveiled for Tennessee-VT winner

Perhaps the biggest challenge is to avoid getting consumed by the preseason hype.

"Honestly, all of that"s just outside noise," defensive end Corey Vereen said. "All we"re focused on is bringing it to work every single day."

Here are some things to watch this year:

RUNNING WILD: Jalen Hurd, Alvin Kamara and quarterback Joshua Dobbs return after combining to rush for 2,657 yards and 30 touchdowns last season. Hurd enters his junior season with 2,187 career yards rushing. He"s well within reach of the school record held by Travis Henry, who rushed for 3,078 yards from 1997-2000.

SPECIAL-TEAMS SKILLS: Tennessee had the nation"s leading kickoff returner (Evan Berry) and punt returner (Cam Sutton) last season. Both are back this year. Tennessee scored a combined six touchdowns on kickoff and punt returns last season. Tennessee also returns its kicker (Aaron Medley) and punter (Trevor Daniel) from a year ago.

NEW COORDINATOR: Bob Shoop takes over as defensive coordinator after previously filling the same role at Vanderbilt and Penn State. Shoop, a Yale alum and former Columbia head coach, said he wants to establish an "in-your-face defense that"s built on relentless pursuit and never-ending pressure." Vereen noted that Shoop is "not real high on the swag-meter" but added that the new coordinator has made a major impact with his philosophy that "how we"re going to be as a defense is going to look better than whatever you have drawn up on paper."

PASSING CONCERNS:Tennessee must upgrade a passing game that struggled with consistency. Dobbs completed 59.6 percent of his passes last season, down from 63.3 in 2014. Tennessee doesn"t return anyone who had more than 405 yards receiving last season.

FRONTLOADED SCHEDULE: Tennessee hosts Florida, visits Georgia and Texas A&M and hosts defending national champion Alabama on four consecutive weekends between Sept. 24 and Oct. 15. But the schedule gets much easier from there. Tennessee"s final five opponents (South Carolina, Tennessee Tech, Kentucky, Missouri and Vanderbilt) had losing records last season.

This article was written bySteve Megargee from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.

Source: http://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2016-08-13/tennessee-football-volunteers-ready-take-major-step-forward-2016

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Predictions and projections for South Carolina football in 2016: GABA"s staff weighs in

SOUTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL || ""It"s My Time"" || Pump-Up 2016-2017 |HD

The saying goes that every journey starts with a single step. For the Gamecocks, the 2016 journey begins tonight in Nashville as they take on Vanderbilt at 8pm ET. The GABA staff got together and gave their picks on how this campaign - the first under new head coach Will Muschamp - will shake out. Feel free to post your response (or shame us endlessly) in the comments!

RKLawson: For me, South Carolinas season hinges on the first two games: both on the road and in the SEC. If the Gamecocks can find a way to win both, then theyll be well on their way to a seven or eight win season. A split should put them on track for a six or seven win season with a bowl game at the end. Lose both and it could be another long year.

I have the Gamecocks finishing at 7-5, 4-4 in the SEC. Need to take care of business at home against East Carolina, UMass, and Western Carolina. Find a way to take two of three against Vandy, Mississippi State, and Kentucky on the road. Follow that up with an upset win at home over Texas A&M, Georgia, or Tennessee. Win at home against Missouri and put up a strong fight at Clemson to finish the year. Obviously anything can happen, but a six or seven win season should be the benchmark. Even though it isn"t fantastic, it"s certainly better than 3-9 with a loss to the Citadel.

Sydney Hunte: The narrative seems to suggest that this team will underperform miserably and be mired in a rebuild. While this is light years from the program that went 33-6 in three years from 2011-2013, I think that they are a little farther along than people think. From the beginning, Ive held to the fact that six wins and a bowl game is a legitimate expectation for this team, and Im sticking by that prediction - UMass and Western Carolina are games they (should) win, while Vandy is another Im marking them down for. Ill go ahead and say that theyll beat ECU, Mizzou, and either Kentucky or Mississippi State, but not both. Im tempted to throw in either Georgia or Florida in an upset special.

Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports

Stephen Wise: As much as the general media tries to boil down our season to the quarterback battle, I think that the way the defense plays ultimately determines our season. Hopefully the young skill-position players step up offensively, and none of our quarterbacks are truly a BAD option. Defensively, they have talent, as six of our starters were former four-stars. If this group can play to their talent level and the coaching staff can make up for two to three years of limited development, this could be a potentially surprising unit. Our schedule is tough, but having Georgia come into w***y B is a major plus. Realistically, six wins would be a pretty solid expectation, but if this defense can jell and the offense grow up quickly, we could be staring eight wins in the face. I know that may sound crazy to some of the more reality-based fans out there, but this team HAS TALENT. Can the coaching staff make that talent show in just one offseason? Ill get back to you in December.

Richard Avant: Ive got the Gamecocks going 7-5 on the year, after a fantastic 4-0 start to the season. Each week I believe the Gamecocks will get better and the young talent (with a few veterans) can play together at a higher level than in 2015. I dont believe that after a certain number of games, we will know what kind of team weve got. Its going to be a yearly progression and growth for everyone, but there is enough talent here right now to play at a bowl eligible level. On top of that, Brandon McIlwain and Jake Bentley, I believe will be the only two quarterbacks at one point in the season taking snaps for the Gamecock, while being led by a solid Muschamp/Robinson-built defense that will be a top seven defense in the SEC this season.

Daniel Sweeney: Im not buying the national narrative of this team not having talent and it likely taking years for Muschamp to get things back to 2011-2013 level. Recruiting has been Top 25 consistently throughout the Spurrier era - to me, player development due to poor coaching over the last two years is the culprit more than anything. Curious to see what underutilized talent can do under a revitalized, exciting coaching staff? Check out Auburns turnaround from 3-9 in 2012 to 12-2 in 2013 when Gus Malzahn took over for Gene Chizik.

Now, am I expecting a national title run? No, my garnet glasses arent that tinted. However, Im thinking we go 8-4, with losses to UGA, Missouri, Florida and Clemson. Im calling for an upset at home vs. Tennessee and a trademark head-scratching loss at home vs. Mizzou (though, not too head-scratching as the Tigers are on a 2-0 run against the Gamecocks). Oh, and we win the bowl to end the season 9-4.

Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

SMcDowell12: Unlike some of my optimistic colleagues, I am not so sure this team is destined to win eight or nine games. I do think last years team underperformed and, with a competent coaching staff, likely could have hit six or seven wins. But this is a team that lost its leading tackler to injury and its leading receiver to the NFL Draft. While Coach Muschamp and his staff have come in and, so far, done a remarkable job, I am not sure this team has the talent to finish in the upper half of the SEC East.

So what are some realistic goals for this season? Well, I think going 6-6 or 7-5 is certainly attainable and should be the primary goal for this team. Also I think we steal at least one from either Georgia, Tennessee or Texas A&M. A better (read: competent) defensive scheme plus renewed energy should be able to drive us to victory over one of these teams. I dont expect us to be blown out in any games this year, and I certainly dont think we lose to any lower tiered teams.. Pulling one or two upsets, playing with energy and some spirit and getting to bowl game would mark 2016 as a success in my book. Expect the Gamecocks to be a six win team with a bowl appearance in the 2016 campaign.

Cockaboose: Will we have another craptastic season like 2015? No. I dont think so. The team had an identity crisis last year due to the coaching staff. Heres the good news: I predict that we are 5-0 to start the season. The bad news: we lose to UGA, Tennessee, Florida and that other in-state school.

Last year the defense was a mess, but that was last year. We have talent. Fundamental things can be fixed. Coach Boom is defensive minded and has been focused on fixing the problems. Plus, I predict the defensive line will be a lot better compared to last season. Well get into rhythm on offense - I predict AJ Turner and Rico Dowdle (when he returns) will give us the lift we need for the running game. Perry Orth is the starter for the Vandy game, but I see Brandon McIlwain taking over at some point this year. Finally. I predict we win eight games this year. Yep. Im nuts. Eight wins. Ive got faith. Mark it down.

Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

DC3: If the offseason has taught us anything, it"s that not having football in our lives stinks. You know what else stinks? Probably our football team. A much maligned defensive secondary unit will benefit greatly from a new and improved coaching/conditioning staff, but the talent is not much changed from the previous year, and that was before Shameik Blackshear got shot and Skai Moore had season-ending surgery. On the offensive side of the ball, were playing musical chairs with the o-line, running backs, wideouts, and quarterbacks, but otherwise everything is set. The whole we don"t know what we"ve got till we know what we"ve got approach is a bold move, Cotton, so well see how it pays off.

With regard to the upcoming season. Carolina is in a pretty decent position, schedule-wise. The road conference games are just about all you can ask for, but if past experience is an accurate predictor of future success, were gonna probably screw up the easy ones and play great against teams we have no business beating. What will absolutely change this year is that the Gamecocks will be capable of scoring some points that don"t come in threes. There"s some crazy talent at the skill positions, but most of it has never played a down of college football, so don"t be surprised if it takes a couple of weeks (if not more) to acclimate these kids to a completely foreign environment. The tempo helps that process, because there"s no time to think, but the tempo requires your conditioning and coaching to be completely in line.

The upside, at the end of the day, outweighs the sketchy patches.

Prediction: 6-6, and a bowl win to put the Gamecocks over .500.

Key wins: Vandy, TAMU, UGA.

Source: http://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2016/9/1/12628252/south-carolina-gamecocks-football-2016-predictions-will-muschamp

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Television|"Narcos" Season 2 Premiere: One Man"s Town

Narcos | #WhoKilledPablo Trailer [HD] - Season 2 Available September 2 | Netflix
Photo Wagner Moura in Narcos. Credit Juan Pablo Gutierrez/Netflix Season 2, Episode 1: Free at Last

O.K., here we go again.

With that piece of narration, Narcos opens its second season with the same jaundiced tone, anticipating another series of events that will continue the cycle of violence and peel away more layers of corruption. Theres a weariness to the tone that defines the D.E.A. agent Steve Murphy, who has seen enough during his time in Colombia to not be surprised by any of it. Murphy, picking up right where the first season left off, lays out the details of a military operation to snare Pablo Escobar, who has just escaped confinement at his luxury prison complex, La Catedral. He has 4,000 soldiers (including a 250-man elite force team), tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition, seven dogs, four helicopters inadequate for the job.

The perfunctory quality of the shows opening line also indicates that Narcos isnt going to make any significant adjustments from last season. This seasons first episode may as well be the 11th episode of Season 1, stressing the idea that the series is telling one big story with the same ground-level, docudrama style, with its emphasis on straightforward chronology and historical fidelity. As I wrote many times in recapping last season, this is no small achievement: Given the complexity of Escobars operation, the extent of his influence and the compromised efforts to bring him to justice, just telling the Escobar story coherently is accomplishment enough. The meat-and-potatoes quality of the show is, at a minimum, a sensible approach.

After Murphy hears news of Escobars impossible-yet-predictable escape, a key bit of voice-over kicks in: You know what? I was happy about it. The fox was out of the cage and the hunt was on. From this point forward, the chase to find Escobar will lead the authorities into morally dubious terrain, as chronicled superbly in Mark Bowdens book Killing Pablo: The Hunt for the Worlds Greatest Outlaw. Murphy had warned us from the start that he wouldnt be following the letter of the law and therein lies the promise of this second and final half, which will expose the consequences of the single-minded quest to capture Escobar. In winning the battle, theyll lose the drug war.

The major problem with Narcos, however, is that Murphy is more compelling as a narrative device than a human being, and that stands to be the shows most significant obstacle this season. It makes sense to tell the story through him, rather than Escobar, because he has the clearest perspective on Escobars business and the official and unofficial efforts to stop it. Yet theres never been a time when his own personal sacrifices have registered that strongly. And that continues in Free at Last: Who cares that his marriage is in trouble? Who cares that his wife and child have fled to Miami to find safety? Who cares that hes so incensed by two white businessmen snorting cocaine in the bathroom that he beats one of them mercilessly? There doesnt seem to be much hope that Murphy will transcend cop-on-the-edge stereotypes.

Escobar, however, is endlessly fascinating. Free at Last picks up with Escobar reasserting the near-mythical power that had partially evaporated during his time in La Catedral. While he was away, various factions within the Medelln cartel, including operations run by Judy Moncada, Ricardo Prisco and the Galln brothers, had thrived in his absence and werent eager for him to return. Moncada, especially, had not forgotten that Escobar killed her husband and is waiting, along with her brother Jaime and Don Burna, her head of security, for payback. Their assumption is that Escobar had escaped one lavishly appointed prison for another, since a heavy police presence will restrict his movements in Medelln.

Or so they assumed. The episode sharply emphasizes Escobars toughness and ingenuity, as well as the carefully cultivated Robin Hood image that earned him loyalty on the streets. Escobar slips through the city in the trunk of a taxicab, as he reorganizes his business, picks up available cash and identifies the enemies who have been siphoning money while hes been gone. But the most telling moment finds him emerging in broad daylight to the throngs of supporters who revere him. As he peels off bills for the masses, he couldnt look more comfortable out in the open, no matter the extraordinary manhunt thats currently bearing down on him.

This is his town. These are his people. And no scoundrels or lawmen or government leaders are going to change that.

Parting Shots

The show suggests that Escobar avoided capture during the manhunt simply because the rank-and-file soldiers did not want to face the consequences of arresting him. At this point, the myth is bigger than the man. All Escobar has to say is a polite Excuse me and hes on his way to freedom.

Murphys narration makes mention of the Galln brothers, who were responsible for killing Andrs Escobar, the soccer defender whose own goal against the United States led to Colombias ouster in the 1994 World Cup and his subsequent murder outside a bar in Medelln. For more on that fascinating story, its worth seeking out the first-rate 30 for 30 documentary, The Two Escobars.

Wagner Mouras performance as Escobar continues to be a marvel. His eyes when accessing a situation reminded me of Werner Herzogs description of a bear in Grizzly Man, with its half-bored interest in food. Mouras Escobar regards humanity likewise.

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Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/02/arts/television/narcos-netflix-season-2-premiere-recap.html

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PSN Down: Hacker group hits PlayStation Network AGAIN, following PS4 and PS3 outage

Creating a New PlayStation Network (PSN / SEN) Account on the PS4

UPDATE SEVEN: DDOS group Poodlecorp have taken credit for the PSN going down again today.

The collective posted a message on their official Twitter account, revealing that they had targeted the PlayStation Network this morning.

Since then, users in the UK and North America are reporting problems accessing core features.

"My PS4 keeps timing out when I"m trying to connect to the PSN in Tennessee," one user wrote.

While another added: "Keeps letting me sign in get ready to play a game and bam signed out. My brother is having same issue."

It follows a flurry of recent DDOS attacks that have affected several prominent gaming networks this week.

Blizzard"s Battle.net was one of the first to be hit, taking down Overwatch and Hearthstone, followed by the PSN.

PS4 users were unable to login for over an hour, before the group moved onto disrupting Rockstar"s GTA Online servers.

UPDATE SIX: Rockstar Support has now confirmed that players can access GTA 5 on all platforms again, following a long outage.

A hacker group has taken credit for the downtime, the studio has not revealed what caused the game to go offline earlier today.

"GTA Online and Social Club connection issues have been resolved," an official Rockstar message confirms.

The Rockstar site is now showing full green lights for every platform.

PoodleCorp, the DDOS group behind earlier network outages today, have hinted at a bigger attack on the PSN, but the PlayStation Network is currently stable according to the Network Service Status page.

There are currently no widespread reports of any other multiplayer issues, Destiny is currently unavailable, although that is due to official scheduled maintenance being carried out by Bungie until 8pm, BST.

UPDATE FIVE:GTA 5 fans trying to sign in to GTA Online are being greeted by error messsages.

Players hoping to try out GTA 5"s online mode are faced with the following alert on Xbox One, PS4, PS3, Xbox 360 and PC: "Files required to play GTA Online could not be downloaded from the Rockstar Games service.

"Please return to Grand Theft Auto V and try again later."

UPDATE FOUR:The GTA 5 servers are now completely down, according to Rockstar.

That includes the Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3 and PC versions of the game, as well as the Rockstar Social Club.

UPDATE THREE:GTA 5 server status is limited according to an update on the Rockstar support page.

The Rockstar support page says that access is limited on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3 and PC.

"Please stay tuned to this page for the latest GTA Online server status updates," the page reads.

"The status boxes above will be updated whenever there are known issues entering or staying connected to GTA Online, so you can keep informed during outages or scheduled maintenance periods."

UPDATE TWO: Hacker group PoodleCorp has also claimed responsibility for causing connectivity issues in GTA 5.

The group tweeted: "We were responsible for the disconnecting on GTA V btw."

While Rockstar is yet to issue an official statement, players have been complaining about being unable to connect on Twitter.

UPDATE ONE: The current outage affecting PS4 and PS3 owners trying to use the PlayStation Network is apparently only "a small test."

Those behind the DDOS attack say they are planning something much larger for later, no time has been given.

"Small test on PSN for a later much bigger attack," a message from DDOS group, Poodlecorp reads.

In a recent interview, a spokeperson from the group confirmed that members from Lizard Squad, those behind the notorious holiday outages, were part of the collective.

Fans should be prepared for further PSN down warnings throughout today, no other network has been threatened as of yet.

While the official PSN status site currently lists the network as being online, many users are reporting that they cannot access many core features.

Some PlayStation 4 owners say they are being hit by "PlayStation Network is currently undergoing maintenance" error messages when they try to login, leaving many without multiplayer options.

"First day of vacation and the psn network is down? Just my luck," one affected user wrote.

A hacker group is claiming responsibility, most likely employing a DDOS attack to overwhelm the servers.

The group"s official Twitter account posted the message: "PSN Down," Poodlecorp are thought to have employed the same tactics against Pokemon Go recently.

Sony have yet to respond to the reports, and it is unclear just how severe this outage could turn out to be.

Both the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live servers were taken offline during a huge holiday blackout in 2014, taking several days for the services to return to normal.

Sony has gone to considerable lengths to combat hackers since PSN was infamously compromised in 2011.

Taking PlayStation services offline for weeks and forcing Sony to dish out free games to everybody affected, hackers famously gained access to millions of PSN usernames, passwords and private information.

But even with regular periods of downtime and maintenance, PS4, PS3 and Playstation Vita owners have still experienced the inconvenience and stress of having their accounts hacked and PSN email addresses changed.

Source: http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/gaming/696455/PSN-down-PlayStation-Network-PS4-Sony-offline

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