Online Pretty News: May 2015

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Publix Children's Miracle Network campaign kicks off

Monday, May 25, 2015

(WRDW) -- Publix is teaming up with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals to raise money for life-saving equipment and training programs.

The annual Miracle Balloon fundraiser kicked off on Monday and will run through June 12. Balloon coupons can be purchased for $1, $3, and $5.

The money will go towards the children's hospital medical equipment, research, education, and outreach programs.

It is the 23rd year Publix has partnered with Children's Miracle Hospital for the fundraiser.

Have information or an opinion about this story? Click here to contact the newsroom.

Source: http://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/Publix--304924021.html

Facing Elimination, the Rangers Expect to Go Home, for Game 7

Photo Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman shooting against Henrik Lundqvist during Tampa Bays 2-0 win in Game 5 on Sunday. Game 6 will be Tuesday night. Credit Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

The Rangers are all too familiar with their predicament against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference finals. They are facing elimination again, trailing a series by three games to two for the sixth time over the last four postseasons.

But four times in those series, the Rangers emerged victorious. Their belief is strong that they can win Game 6 at Tampa Bay on Tuesday and take the series back to Madison Square Garden for Game 7 on Friday.

We just have to go down there and play confident, play our best game and try to get a win, said defenseman Marc Staal, who has been through the teams many playoff battles since 2008. Everyone believes in here that we can do it, so we just have to go down there, step up, give our best effort and try to get one.

The Rangers, who finished the regular season with an N.H.L.-best 113 points, will have to counter the numerous weapons of the speedy and opportunistic Lightning, who have beaten the Rangers with offensive wizardry and stifling defense.

Photo Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has a 14-3 record in games in which the Rangers have faced elimination. Credit Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

But after Tampa Bays 2-0 victory in Game 5 on Sunday at the Garden, the second playoff shutout for goaltender Ben Bishop, the captain Steven Stamkos emphasized how difficult it would be for his team to win the clincher.

We understand the magnitude of the next game, and were going to get their best game there is no doubt about it, said Stamkos, who scored for the fourth straight game Sunday and assisted on Valtteri Filppulas game-winner. We need to find a way as a group to not just match that but give even more.

The Rangers, as always, will be counting on goaltender Henrik Lundqvist to lead them. Since the 2012 playoffs began, he has a 14-3 record in games in which the Rangers have faced playoff elimination, including an 8-1 mark the past two seasons.

The Rangers rallied from a 3-1 series deficit against the Washington Capitals in the last round.

But this showdown against the Lightning has been peculiar, with vastly different styles and outcomes in each game. The Rangers won a tight-checking opener, 2-1, and were bombarded, 6-2, in Game 2. They lost a topsy-turvy Game 3, 6-5 in overtime, but grabbed a surprising 5-1 win in Game 4. The Lightning rebounded with their best defensive effort in Game 5.

Usually it happens as you get closer to the end of a series; its more thinking behind the plays, more than just go-go-go, Lundqvist said. Thats what we saw in the first four games. Im not really sure what to expect down in Tampa in the next one, but we just have to prepare.

At stake is a trip to the Stanley Cup finals, where the Rangers lost in five games last June to the Los Angeles Kings. The Lightning have been to the finals only once, in 2004, when they won the Cup.

The will is there for the Rangers, who are set to play their 75th playoff game in the last four years, the most in the league. If physical or mental fatigue is a factor the Rangers have played 14 games decided by one goal in these playoffs the players are not letting on.

Its a race to four; it doesnt matter how many games the other team wins, said Derek Stepan, who scored the overtime winner in Game 7 to oust the Capitals in the second round. We have to beat them to four games. We have to go into their building and find a way to get it done.

The Rangers also rallied from a 3-2 series deficit against the Ottawa Senators in the first round in 2012, and they came back from the same deficit with back-to-back shutouts to beat Washington in the first round the next year. In 2014, the Rangers overcame a 3-1 deficit in the second round against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Their elimination-game moxie has become a team trademark. The only three losses when they have faced elimination have been an overtime crusher against the Devils in Game 6 of the 2012 conference finals, a Game 5 defeat against the Boston Bruins in 2013 in the second round, and last Junes Game 5 two-overtime loss on the night the Kings raised the Stanley Cup. All three of those losses were on the road.

Lundqvist, who is seeking to add a Stanley Cup to his career accomplishments, relentlessly preaches the importance of winning one game at a time.

We just have to go out there, leave everything out there, and see how far it takes us, he said.

Lundqvist also credited the Lightning for their undeniable skill at both ends of the ice.

Its a big part of their game, how they move the puck, he said. They made it tough for us to just be in good position, and thats what they do. We played well; we had good speed. It was just hard to create chances.

The Rangers have already played seven postseason series under the second-year coach Alain Vigneault, and he lauds their mental toughness.

I have a lot of faith and trust in my players, he said. They know how to prepare, and they know how to get ready for games. There is going to be no bigger game than the next one. Im confident were going to be ready for it.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/26/sports/hockey/from-a-deep-hole-the-rangers-summon-a-familiar-moxie.html

Monday, May 25, 2015

Taya Kyle Honored at NASCAR Event

By Alex Heigl

@alex_heigl

05/25/2015 AT 03:00 PM EDT

Taya Kyle was honored Sunday before the Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, where she became the first woman to receive the racetrack's annual Stonewall Jackson Award (awarded to "those individuals who demonstrate the highest standards of patriotism").

Before the race, Taya spoke about her late husband, Chris Kyle's love for NASCAR, and how it got started. Initially, she says, when she met Chris, he wasn't a fan, claiming he "never got into it," according to Fox Sports.

But after attending one of the organization's military-appreciation events, Chris developed a new appreciation for the sport.

"He got to go behind the scenes and he saw the pit crew, and he thought they were such bad-a***s because one of the guys broke his finger during the change and didn't even stop and just kept going," Kyle said. "Everything was so precise, and then he got to see the strategy behind the race and all that, and he was in love with NASCAR from then on. He was just like a ridiculous fan after that."

And, she added, his admiration of top driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. came from meeting Earnhardt at the same event.

"Meeting Dale Jr. was really cool to him because there were some high-ranking officials who were in the tent, and he remembered Dale saying, 'You know, what? They can wait. I'm talking to these guys; these are guys on the ground,' " Kyle said. "And he spent some time laughing with them and talking with them, and that really endeared him to Chris."

The Chris Kyle Frog Foundation, which Taya founded after her husband's death, aims to help "the marriages of first responders and veterans," she said. "They both are facing things that we will never see."

Source: http://www.people.com/article/taya-kyle-honored-nascar-chris-american-sniper

Cleveland Cavaliers NBA 2015 news, rumors: Do the Cavs really need Kevin ...

Reuters

Kevin Love

Many believe that the Cleveland Cavaliers were done for when Kevin Love went down with a dislocated shoulder during the team's first-round match-up with the Boston Celtics. The Cavs did make adjustments and it looks like David Blatt and the coaching staff were able to do the necessary tweaks.

Add to the fact that Lebron James and Kyrie Irving are also hurting and yet are playing less than 100%. So how are the Cavs doing it?

After disposing the Celtics in the first round, many believe that they would find the going tough against the Derrick Rose-led Chicago Bulls. But alas, they were able to pull it out despite some tense moments within (remember that controversial scene where James allegedly scratched Blatt's final play in game four?)

It seems that healthy or not, Lebron James has stepped up his game and the rest are following. And right now, the Cavs are enjoying a 2-0 edge over the Atlanta Hawks with no Kevin Love in sight.

Love has of course been the subject of criticism since he seemed to have struggled co-existing with Irving and James. And that leads many to ask, do the Cavs really need Love?

Love is by no means a player any team would want to have. He wanted to be in the playoffs and that was accomplished until that unfortunate shoulder injury. So would it be fulfilling if the Cavs went all the way to win the title without his help.

A player of his capacity may very well consider it half-heartedly. With no effort, being part of a champion team and not sweating for it due to injury may not necessarily be something he wants. So what happens after this season? Will he stay or jump ship?

Love is another free agent many will be trying to lure once the current NBA season ends and like last year, Love has been silent on his plans.

Teams like Boston (Celtics) and Los Angeles (Lakers) will be making pitches but there is nothing clear right now on whether Love is interested.

The Cavs could opt to retain him but it may all depend on how their campaign ends up, not to mention the available talent in the NBA free agent market this coming July.

Source: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/cleveland.cavaliers.nba.2015.news.rumors.do.the.cavs.really.need.kevin.love/54506.htm

Monaco Grand Prix 2015: Winners and Losers from Monte Carlo Race

Mark Thompson/Getty Images Verstappen threw away a brilliant performance late in the race.

In his first Monaco Grand Prix, Max Verstappen wasthisclose to being a big winner. Instead, thanks to a late-race crash with Grosjean, he ends up in the loser column.

For a while on Sunday afternoon, the 17-year-old Dutchman was putting on a passing clinic at the Circuit de Monaco, where it is notoriously difficult to overtake. Particularly brilliant was his manoeuvre of tucking in behind Vettel after being lapped by the Ferrari and then following the German through as he lapped other cars.

After passing Sainz and Valtteri Bottas, television viewers heard Grosjean's race engineer say to watch out for Verstappen's Toro Rosso behind Vettel. When Verstappen tried to follow Vettel through on the entrance to the hairpin, Grosjean cut him off.

A few laps later, on the run to the first corner, Verstappen hit the back of Grosjean's car and went flying into the crash barrier. Thankfully, neither driver was hurtGrosjean even finished the race.

Afterwards, Verstappen accused Grosjean of causing the accident. Per ESPN F1's Nate Saunders, he said:

The lap before I braked on exactly the same spot but clearly in the lap we crashed, he braked 10 to 15 metres earlier, and if you are that close to each other and going to 80 from 290 there is no room and you can't go anywhere. I really tried to avoid it and maybe it looked like an overtake but he braked way earlier than the lap before, normally the whole race you are braking within five metres.

Unsurprisingly, Grosjean did not agree. In a team press release, he said, "Unfortunately, I think he forgot the braking point. The move was a bit optimistic, fortunately neither of us were hurt but it cost us a point today. He is learning, of course I have made some mistakes in the past so I can understand."

The stewards agreed with Grosjean, issuing Verstappen a five-place grid penalty at the next race and two penalty points on his Super Licence.

Follow me on Twitter for updates when I publish new articles and for other (mostly) F1-related news and banter:

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2475251-monaco-grand-prix-2015-winners-and-losers-from-monte-carlo-race

Golden State Warriors 1 win away from NBA Finals

AP 6:11 p.m. EDT May 24, 2015

(Photo: The Associated Press)

HOUSTON (AP) Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors aren't worried about a letdown in Game 4 after taking a 3-0 lead over the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference finals.

"It's easy for us to stay hungry because none of us have really experienced this before or accomplished really anything," Curry said.

The Warriors are one win away from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since they won the 1975 title after Curry poured in 40 points in a 115-80 win in Game 3 on Saturday night. The MVP made seven 3-pointers in the victory to set an NBA record for most 3s in a postseason with 64.

Coach Steve Kerr doesn't believe anything will change for his team now that the Warriors are on the cusp of advancing heading into Monday night's game in Houston.

"They know that the most important thing is just the next play," Kerr said. "Keying in on competing and paying attention to all the little details, focusing on the mission and not the result, that's always been our mantra and it's especially true in moments like these. Just keep going, keep pushing."

The Rockets are hoping to turn the page after an embarrassing showing in front of their home crowd that came after playing well in two close losses to start the series in Oakland. The Warriors controlled Game 3 from beginning to end and Houston looked listless and overmatched in the blowout.

"We've got to stay positive," Houston center Dwight Howard said. "It's that negative energy that can go from one person to the next, and we just seemed to fold. We don't want to be the team that folded under pressure."

Houston has experience in rebounding from a series deficit this postseason after falling behind 3-1 to the Clippers in the conference semifinals before reeling off three straight victories to advance. They're undaunted by the fact that no team in NBA history has won a series after trailing 3-0.

"The rest of the series is about pride," Houston point guard Jason Terry said. "It's about coming out and establishing that you are a tough team, and we've been doing that throughout this postseason. There's no doubt in my mind that will be the case (Monday) night."

Some things to know heading into Game 4.

HOWARD THE LEADER

Howard has emerged as Houston's leader in its playoff run and discussed the team's plight at length on Sunday when fellow star James Harden was unavailable to the media. Howard, who missed half of the regular- season games with injuries and who is playing through a knee injury suffered in Game 1, was upset about how the Rockets responded when they got down early Saturday night.

He was asked if he saw quit from his teammates in that game.

"I saw quit from everybody in the arena," he said. "We can't have that ... no matter how far you fall you're never out of the fight. That's the way you've got to look at it. We may be down 3-0, but we've got to continue to fight. That's the only way. If we don't believe, then who else will?"

CURRY'S REBOUND

For all of his great attributes, Curry isn't known for his rebounding. But the 6-foot-3 point guard got some love for that skill after jumping in front of the almost-7-foot tall Howard on Saturday to grab an offensive rebound. Curry shook his head when told it was one of the top 10 plays on ESPN's SportsCenter on Saturday night and said it was a stretch for that play to make the list.

"It's probably unexpected and surprising for most people," he said. "Right place, right time."

Howard, who led the Rockets with 14 rebounds, downplayed the moment.

"I didn't even see Curry," he said. "My man was out on the perimeter, so I just thought nobody was there, and I turned around, and Steph Curry ... got a rebound. It happens. It's basketball."

INSIDE GAME

The Warriors dominated inside Saturday night, grabbing 21 more rebounds than Houston and outscoring the Rockets 58-42 in the paint. Houston coach Kevin McHale was particularly unhappy with his team's offensive rebounding as they had just nine to 17 by Golden State.

"If we don't win the points in the paint, don't win the rebound battle, we don't win a lot of games," McHale said. "You can look at our record throughout the course of the year. We've got to win at least one of those, and if we win both of those, we do pretty well."

THE WOW FACTOR

Kerr has had a front row seat to Curry's heroics all season, but said there are still times he is wowed by the things the superstar can do.

"(Saturday) night I had a few of those moments," Kerr said. "Third quarter when we're kind of sputtering and he makes a few 3s in transition. He's a special player. He's the MVP for a reason and guys like that they sort of lift you up when you most need it and he continues to do it."

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2015/05/24/golden-state-warriors-1-win-away-from-nba-finals/27893061/

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Poltergeist review: The only thing scary is that they made such a mess of this ...

By Aditya Kundalkar

Horror movies have a way of tapping into your biggest fears. Shadows. Clowns. Flickering TV screens. But heres a helpful spoiler alert: You can watch all the scariest bits of the new Poltergeist on YouTube.

You dont need a review to ruin Poltergeist for you. The filmmakers have done it themselves. And it wouldnt hurt as much if their names werent producer Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Oz the Great and Powerful), director Gil Kenan (Monster House) and David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole, Inkheart). Individually, theyve done some good work, but the team effort hasnt quite worked.

Even if the story isnt new, the real joy or in this case, the real horror lies in the telling. Every good yarn has to have a build-up that eventually leads to the big reveal, even if it is a remake of a story that everyone already knows. The trouble with this new Poltergeist is that the big reveal comes too soon, much before the halfway mark.

Wheres the slow burn? Why didnt you let me even try to figure it out by myself first? And now whats the point of the rest of the film? Its just a light-and-sound show that says, Look at what my CGI team can do!

Sure the special effects are slicker than the original and suitably terrifying. For instance, gone is the 21-inch CRT television set, replaced by a big, hi-definition flat screen. Not only does this mean more PPI (pixels-per-inch) but also more PPI (palms-per-inch).

Other modern trappings like iPhones and drones become carriers and deliverers of clingy, spooky stuff. But somehow, its all far less horrific than the melted-cheese-and-ketchup variety of special FX in the 1982 original.

So while in 2015 we get a deftly woven, undulating, wall-to-wall corpse carpet (#win), we only get a few seconds of black, maggoty vomit (#fail). Considering the quantity and the quality of gore thats become par for the course these days, #WhatAreYouAfraidOf Mr Filmmakers?

There are parts of the film that made us feel they should have just gone and made a spoof. As it is, the ghost hunters reality show hashtag (#thishouseisclean) feels more like a comical parody of this iconic moment than a modern-day update of that classic line. Or maybe weve come to expect only spoofs because of Ace Ventura, Family Guy, and this French flick.

Through it all, we were glad that Poltergeist 2015 is a whole 20 minutes shorter than the original. In hindsight, though, maybe they should have kept those 20 minutes and spent them doing what the original does so well: build up not only the tension, but also each character so that we feel something for them.

For instance, in 1982, the little girl has a bird that dies. She stops her mother from flushing it down the toilet and insists on giving the dead bird a proper burial, which ties in nicely with the whole cemetery theme. In 2015, all we know is she has a favourite stuffed toy, prefers pizza for breakfast, and echoes her siblings choicest insults. What does she feel about birds and animals? And does she notice the dead flowers in the lawn?

Its the same for the little boy. In 1982, we saw his roller skates, Star Wars bedspread and Chewbacca jacket and in a matter of seconds, we knew enough about him to care. In 2015, we see the boy playing an iPad game and although were shown he owns big boxes of comic books, were never shown which titles. Is he a Marvel fan or dedicated to DC? Superman or Wonderwoman? Why should we care about this kid?

To be fair, there is one scene in this movie thats been successfully updated for the 21st century. The little girls disappeared and the parents are struggling with the decision of calling the police. Their reasons for deciding not to are probably the scariest thing in this movie because those reasons are very real, not supernatural.

And therein lies the worst rub, as far as the horror element in Poltergeist is concerned. The real scares come from reality at its least supernatural. If you enjoy watching the kind of torture p**n that shows people suffering the shock and horror of cancelled credit cards, the terror of discovering your new neighbourhood has no malls, and the claustrophobia of trite and awkward dinner conversations this ones for you.

Source: http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/poltergeist-review-thing-scary-made-mess-remake-2259276.html

This Blackhawks dad and son are exhausted by overtime playoff hockey

Forgot password?

We'll email you a reset link.

If you signed up using a 3rd party account like Facebook or Twitter, please login with it instead.

Forgot username?

We'll email it to you.

If you signed up using a 3rd party account like Facebook or Twitter, please login with it instead.

Forgot password?

If you signed up using a 3rd party account like Facebook or Twitter, please login with it instead.

Try another email? Forgot username?

If you signed up using a 3rd party account like Facebook or Twitter, please login with it instead.

Try another email? Join SBNation.com

You must be a member of SBNation.com to participate.

We have our own Community Guidelines at SBNation.com. You should read them.

Join SBNation.com

You must be a member of SBNation.com to participate.

We have our own Community Guidelines at SBNation.com. You should read them.

Great!

Choose an available username to complete sign up.

In order to provide our users with a better overall experience, we ask for more information from Facebook when using it to login so that we can learn more about our audience and provide you with the best possible experience. We do not store specific user data and the sharing of it is not required to login with Facebook.

Source: http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/5/24/8651939/this-blackhawks-dad-and-son-are-exhausted-by-overtime-playoff-hockey

Warriors' Deep Reserve of Veterans Setting Stage for Stephen Curry's Heroics

It wound up feeling like Stephen Curry had done it again, pounding people into submission the way only he can do it with his feathers and cotton b***s.

Yet long before Curry stole the show Saturday night in Houston and finished with 40 pointsscoring system: perfect 10s for artistry, efficiency, showmanship and historical valuethe Golden State Warriors had control of the game and the Western Conference Finals because of his teammates.

As the Warriors savor their 115-80 victory and 3-0 series lead on the Houston Rockets, let's pause to recognize that Golden State's beautiful game isn't just Curry's beautiful game, or the Splash Brothers' sweet shooting, or the rookie runner-up Coach of the Year's sunny disposition.

This is a great team, one that should be heavily favored in the soon-to-be NBA Finals even as LeBron James has the Cleveland Cavaliers cresting in the East.

When you rewind into basketball history, you don't often see occasionally excellent guys such as J.R. Smith or Josh Smith as supporting pillars on championship teams.

You see role players such as Andrew Bogut, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingstonplayers who have had their previous highs also but have settled into jobs that they know they can do and are truly happy to do on a nightly basis.

They were all key in Golden State's powerful start Saturday night, way before Curry floored the Rockets. And guys like Bogut, Iguodala and Livingston are the reason we invariably see proven players (or over-the-hill former stars) hopping on championship-or-bust trains: It just makes sense that they can provide talent-rich teams with stability and professionalism.

The Warriors also happen to have the luxury of Curry's greatness, the scoring and defense of Klay Thompson, the explosiveness of Harrison Barnes and the consummate role player in today's NBA, Draymond Green.

Green is so fantastically good at his plethora of jobs that he should command a max-value contract in restricted free agency this summer. All credit to Green, not just for his defensive tenacity and ability to guard either James Harden or Dwight Howard, but he's a key playmaker who is often the trigger for Golden State's offense finding better shots or delving deeper into its sets after the initial action has failed.

But the likes of Green, Thompson, Barnes (as well as useful backup center Festus Ezeli, injured designated scorer Marreese Speights and unneeded but talented swingman Justin Holiday) are a different kind of role player. They are all still on the rise. Yet they have not fully seen and lived the NBA wars and appreciate the simple value of staying in your lane until there is a void you should fill.

Rarely does the individual attention go to the veteran role players who are willing to do the dirty work.

Bogut's screen-setting and passing are underrated cogs in the offensive machinery, but at least he gets some love (as seen in his All-Defensive second-team selection) as Golden State's valuable rim-protector.

Iguodala is one of the rare players in this league who have pretty much every tool. Despite that, his usage is so low that he was useless in all but the deepest of fantasy basketball leagues this season with 7.8 points per game. That's just not enough scoring glory to impress the simple-minded voters for NBA Sixth Man of the Year, no matter Iguodala's value as a defender and passer.

Livingston turns 30 this year, a long way from the phenom touted to be the next Magic Johnson and infamous for the 2007 knee injury when he heard the word "amputation" in the hospital. He has bounced around the league and bounced back to form a new, steadier identity that the Warriors valued in making him their key free-agent acquisition, committing to him for three years.

Saturday night showed the value in having those types of veterans on the roster.

Despite where he finished the game, Curry actually started the pivotal second quarter Saturday night on the benchand then missed his first two shots, a step-back three-pointer and a driving finger roll in beginning the game 1-of-4 from the field. When Curry got a driving finger roll to fall midway through the second quarter, the Warriors didn't take the lead or begin a comeback.

They simply boosted their lead to 11 points.

They had already received 10 first-quarter points from Bogut. Then timely post-up buckets from Livingston. Iguodala roared in for a dunk and a layup on consecutive possessions, besides throwing a perfect alley-oop pass. Soon enough, he was taking outstanding defensive turns against Harden.

The Warriors led by 12 points after that first quarter. Curry had three points and two assists; he wasn't defending anyone of consequence, either.

The group dynamic was what was working for the Warriors. Then Curry's feathers and cotton b***s fanned the flame to roar out of control.

And Golden State has more veteran production in reserve. There's Leandro Barbosa, whom Steve Kerr will readily tell you is the one guy on the team with deep playoff experience from his days in Phoenix, making plays often enough that the "beep-beep" Road Runner sound effect is regularly played in the arena for him.

And don't forgetDavid Lee, the Warriors' highest-paid player who just two years ago became the team's first All-Star in 16 years. If there's anyone who could be the squeaky wheel, it's the little-used Lee, who capped the Warriors pre-halftime barrage with a nifty layup but otherwise only saw the court for the last 3:31 of the game.

Of course, it's easy to say now that these guys should obviously be buying in because the Warriors are on the cusp of the NBA championship.

That's unfair. The Warriors are on the cusp because these guys bought in.

It's a team game played by individuals.

Sometimes, Curry looks heaven-sent, yes.

Most times, it's just a team game, and that's a credit to all the Warriors.

Kevin Ding covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter@KevinDing.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2474676-warriors-deep-reserve-of-veterans-setting-stage-for-stephen-currys-heroics

How is Klay Thompson guarding James Harden?

Ethan Sherwood Strauss, ESPN Staff Writer

Covers the Golden State Warriors for ESPN.com
Contributes to ESPN's TrueHoop blog
Hosts TrueHoop TV Live

Is Klay Thompson doing a bad job guarding James Harden?

Whats clear is that he has done an ineffective job so far, which isnt necessarily the same as doing a bad one. Were looking at a two-game sample size, where offense can triumph over good defense in a way that might not sustain in the long haul. Still, this is staggering production from Harden: 33 points on 20.5 shots, with 10.5 rebounds and 9 assists.

Before getting to the Thompson-on-Harden aspect, I want to address all those assists the Beard has reaped. His passing has been a testament to perceptiveness and adaptability. The Warriors are forcing him to pass differently than he usually does, and hes thriving despite it.

Hardens tendency in pick-and-roll situations is to kick it out to shooters. This season, 257 of his passes led directly to 3-point makes. The Warriors have countered this tendency by refusing to drift off the 3-point line. Last series, Jamal Crawford undermined the Clippers' efforts to quell the Rockets 3-point barrage by massively helping off the weak side, leaving guys open in the corner. Golden States players have been extreme in the other direction. When Harden drives, Warriors guards arent crashing down to stop his path, instead daring him to make plays in the paint.

Keep track of every NBA playoff seriesall postseason long. NBA playoffs '15

Harden has responded with absolutely brilliant interior passing. His last assist was probably his best: A sailing lob to Dwight Howard that eluded Andrew Boguts grasp like a soccer goal that chips the keeper. In these two games, only one of Hardens passes has resulted in a 3-point make. Those other 17 assists have all been for 2s, many of them close to the hoop. If you told me Houston hits 15 total 3s in the opening two road games, Id assume disaster. Theyve actually done quite well offensively.

There is another component to the Rockets success on offense, and its related to the Thompson-Harden faceoff: Hardens killing it from midrange, as Zach Lowe noted on Grantland. Not only has Harden shot 60 percent on long 2s (he shot 35 percent on such attempts this season), but hes doing it in a roundabout way: Hardens dribbling the leather off the ball.

Just as long 2s are inefficient shots that Harden has made efficient in this series, so, too, are shots taken after many dribbles. For the vast majority of players (i.e., everyone but Stephen Curry), dribbling a lot before your windup usually means shooting off-balance, contested, with tired legs. Its just bad for marksmanship. Theres a reason William Tell didnt jog around and do a massive backward leap before letting the arrow fly.

In this series, Hardens doing the equivalent of splitting the apple while doing backflips. Its a stark contrast from the season, where, according to NBA.com player tracking, Harden managed an effective field goal mark of 46.6 percent on shots taken after seven or more dribbles. In this series, hes at a 72.2 percent eFG on such shots. Also, these shots account for 44 percent of Hardens attempts. Overall, the Warriors are getting the holy grail of shots you want Harden taking: long 2s after many, many dribbles. And overall, Harden is absolutely torching them on such shots. He already has made one midrange jumper more than he did in the entire seven-game Clippers series.

After Game 2, Thompson said: "I don't let made or missed shots dictate how I play defense as long as I'm in his body and making him take tough shots." There might be something to that. After going through the video, I would say that Thompson isnt doing a bad job, but he is doing a flawed job. Thompson is doing Thompson things, doggedly fighting around screens and chasing Harden with full effort. The issue is that effort can be its own trap against a languid performer like the Beard (See: Thompson fouling Harden on the first possession of Game 2).

Theres a jiu-jitsu to Harden. Defenders are trained to leverage their strengths, and Harden uses that against his opponents. He interprets size and length as merely a bigger strike zone for drawing contact. Aggressive defense gets faked into aggressively pursuing nothing or into fouling its focus.

This is why J.J. Redick did such a counterintuitively good job on Harden last series. Redick isnt long and isnt experienced in pressuring the ball. So, he positioned himself in front of his mark, gave Harden some room and stayed keyed on where his torso moved. When Harden attempted to draw contact, Redick whipped his hands up and away, like he was playing b****y knuckles.

In contrast, Thompson tries to stay glued to Hardens jersey, leaving him vulnerable to fakes and push-offs. Defensively, less might be more for Thompson (note: Id imagine that its much easier to dispense advice on guarding Harden than it is to actually do it).

Can Thompson do better? Sure, but Im not exactly sold on Harden maintaining this shooting stretch. I also think its worth it for Golden State to continue to defend this way, generally. Take out Houstons shooters and force Harden to be a one-man offense. Ive seen suggestions to double-team Harden, which I believe to be a generally bad move. You dont want to create 4-on-3 situations when the other team has Howard, ready to flush the lobs that result.

If there is an adjustment to make, its probably letting one of Golden States many other wings try their luck as the primary defender (Andre Iguodala is the best candidate). I dont think thats necessary -- yet. Thompson has gotten torched by Harden and Thompson has made mistakes guarding Harden. He also has not allowed Harden an easy path to this fantastic run. If the Beard keeps draining midrange shots after dribbling the clock out, Golden State has to live with the results. That much is true regardless of the job Thompson's doing.

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/golden-state-warriors/post/_/id/626/how-is-klay-thompson-guarding-james-harden

Saturday, May 23, 2015

How is Klay Thompson guarding James Harden?

Ethan Sherwood Strauss, ESPN Staff Writer

Covers the Golden State Warriors for ESPN.com
Contributes to ESPN's TrueHoop blog
Hosts TrueHoop TV Live

Is Klay Thompson doing a bad job guarding James Harden?

Keep track of every NBA playoff seriesall postseason long. NBA playoffs '15

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/golden-state-warriors/post/_/id/626/how-is-klay-thompson-guarding-james-harden

Conan O'Brien gives heartfelt farewell to David Letterman (Video)

Conan OBrien gave a send off to late night legend David Letterman forhis last show which aired the same time as Conan.

Conan OBrien took some time out of his monologue to address the elephant in the room: that there were probably no one watchingConanthat nightand those who were should definitely be watching Lettermans last show.

In a heartfelt message to his mentor, OBrien addressed his crowd, diverging from his normal monologue of jokes, to give a touching send off to Letterman. In it, he addressed Lettermans impact on comedy and the state of Conans career as he knows it.

Check it out below.

Conan explains in detail how rough the beginning years of is talk show hosting career was, even revealing that he was in danger of being cancelled.

Way back in 1993, I took over David Lettermans iconic late-night television show. I was a complete unknown with absolutely no experience performing on television. I was utterly and totally unprepared for that enormous job.

I got the s**t kicked out me. Critics despised me, the ratings were bad, my skin broke out.

Just when he thought he was done for good though, Letterman stepped in and changed things.

And then something miraculous happened: After four really dreary months, out of the blue, we got a message at the show that David Letterman wanted to come on the program as a guest.

Dave wasnt just the biggest star on late-night at the time, he was the biggest thing on television. He didnt go on other peoples shows. It was like the Beatles asking Maury Povich if they could stop by and sing a couple of tunes. It was that absurd.

He later revealed that Letterman blew the doors off the place.

Of course, this gave OBrien and his staff their second wind and they came out of it like gangbusters.

OBrien and his guest Patton Oswalt would later go on to tell his viewers to switch over to Lettermans show as soon as it hit its start time.

Just goes to show you, even in the world of late night television, theres still plenty of class to be had.

Source: http://fansided.com/2015/05/22/conan-obrien-gives-heartfelt-farewell-david-letterman-video/

Friday, May 22, 2015

'Lip Sync Battle': Derek Hough Vs. Julianne Hough (Video)

Thursday nights Lip Sync Battle, kept it all in the family, as Derek Hough battled little sis, Julianne Hough. Both professional dancers, the brother and sister are also on Dancing With The Stars together.

At first I was like, Well I know Dancing With The Stars is popular, even though I love So You Think You Can Dance way more so eh. But I should have known that professional dancers, used to choreographing spectacular productions with less than professional dancers, would put on a show.

Watch the videos below.

And what a production it was!

Derek Houghs 1st song was a song his mother used to sing to him as a child, Macklemores Cant Hold Us. And he kept up with the fast lyrics! His movements are crisp, natural in a dancer. His face is intense through the entire song, and he drops to the ground at the end.

Color Commentator Chrissy Teigen: Someone rehearsed.Host LL Cool J: Move over, Ryan Lewis. How do you think you did?D. Hough: Um. Perfect.

Julianne Houghs 1st song was All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor. I knew what her strategy was before she said it to make her brother as uncomfortable as possible. She writhed and gyrated all over that stage, and then

She brought out a special guest.

D. Hough: It was wildly inappropriate.

Derek Houghs Cant Hold Us vs. Julianne Houghs All About That Bass | Lip Sync Battle

We have a sibling rivalry this week with Derek Hough and Julianne Hough. Derek Hough starts the battle out with Cant Hold Us by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton. Julianne Hough appropriately comes back with her own performance of All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor.

D. Hough comes out during the props and backup dancer portion wearing white and a Sia wig to perform Chandelier. He and his dancers look like they are doing a group contemporary production on SYTYCD, and it was fantastic. The lip syncing part was completely passionate. J. Hough declared, Hes never living this down. Ah siblings!

Oh. My. G*d. J. Hough came out with 2 shirtless and very fit male dancers, who were not above humping the floor to I Just Had s*x by Lonely Island. Her brother covered his face, especially during the I did it with my p***s line. She crawled on the floor. She twerked. She rubbed up on a dancer. Im pretty sure a dancer licked up her leg. She was ALL IN.

Julianne Houghs I Just Had s*x vs. Derek Houghs Chandelier | Lip Sync Battle

The sibling rivalry continues with Derek Hough performing a dazzling rendition of Chandelier by Sia. Julianne Hough brings the battle to a traumatizing close with I Just Had s*x by The Lonely Island.

And the winner is

Julianne Hough on her Lip Sync Win

Julianne Hough brought the heat and traumatized her older brother, Derek Hough. What did Julianne think of her win?

Do you agree with the results?

Source: http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2015/05/15/lip-sync-battle-derek-hough-vs-julianne-hough-video

Matthew Lewis strips down for super-hot photoshoot

Matthew Lewis strips down for super-hot photoshootSubscribe Now

Share This Story!Matthew Lewis strips down for super-hot photoshoot

Try Another

Audio CAPTCHA

Image CAPTCHA

Help

{# #}

CancelSend

Sent!Posted!

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

Maeve McDermott , USA TODAY 9:45 a.m. MST May 22, 2015

The little kid who became famous as Neville Longbottom from the 'Harry Potter' films is feeling the magic of a full body-bind curse -- 'cause Matthew Lewis is now a bonafide half-n***d stud.

British actor Matthew Lewis arrives ahead of the BFI film festival showing of "Wasteland" at the Odeon in Leicester Square in central London, England on October 14, 2012.(Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

Neville Longbottom, is that you?! Every time we see Matthew Lewis he looks more like a supermodel, and his latest half-clothed photo for the UK mag Attitude's June coveris a hunky work of art.

In the interview, Lewis talks about his evolution from pudgy tween wizard to a into a total s*x symbol. Turns out, there was a fat suit involved:

"I was excited I guess to go on the red carpet on the release of the last film and be me, and not to have to have the fat suit under my t-shirt. It was quite an exciting buzz."

"I was 21, I was like "yeah, this'll be cool!" It was never meant to be a "hey everyone, look at me!" but it was nice to be able to go and be myself."

"And then obviously a lot of attention focused on it, which I didn't expect at all. I've never considered myself to be good-looking at all. Just average."

Yep, the average guy definitely has six-pack abs and a perfect beard. Is Lewis just being humble, or did all those years on the Harry Potter set totally warp his brain?

J.K Rowling, however, was less than amused by Lewis' half-n***d torso flooding the internet which led to this amazing Twitter interaction. Sorry, mom!

The magazine spread promises shots in "swimwear and underwear," so yeah, we've already pre-ordered a few copies.

Congrats, Neville, for your unbelievably successful transition through puberty. Your parents must be so proud!

Read or Share this story: http://azc.cc/1SolCBa

0) { %>

Source: http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/people/2015/05/22/matthew-lewis-strips-down-hot-photoshoot/27778461/

Matthew Lewis' Revealing Photoshoot

Now Playing: J.K. Rowling Scolds 'Harry Potter's' Matthew Lewis for Sexy Photo Shoot

Now Playing: Matthew Lewis' Revealing Photoshoot

Now Playing: David Letterman's Final Show

Now Playing: 'Dancing with the Stars' Crowns New Winners

Now Playing: Mitt Romney to Take on Heavyweight Champion

Now Playing: 'Dancing With The Stars' Recap

Now Playing: Prince Plays To Thousands

Now Playing: Surgery For Sam Smith

Now Playing: Family Reacts To Bruce Jenner's Transition

Now Playing: World's Biggest Stars Show Off Their Looks At The Met Gala

Now Playing: Jamie Foxx's National Anthem

Now Playing: Is Dr. Oz's 'Daily Dose' Radio Show Done?

Now Playing: David Letterman Prepares to Sign Off

Now Playing: Meet the New Victoria's Secret Angels

Now Playing: 'Dancing with the Stars' through the Decades

Now Playing: Daytime Emmy Award Winners

Now Playing: Shocking Plot Twist on 'Grey's Anatomy'

Now Playing: Robert Downey Jr. Walks Out of Interview

Now Playing: Derek Hough of 'DWTS' Injured

Now Playing: Dancing With the Stars' Steamiest Number

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/WNN/video/matthew-lewis-revealing-photoshoot-31227191

New on DVD: Clint Eastwood's 'American Sniper' is a marvel of you-are-there ...

After the underrated musical Jersey Boys, Clint Eastwood returns with American Sniper (2014, Warner, PG-13, $30) a deeply involving biopic about Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper), a Navy SEAL who survived four tours of duty in Iraq and was credited with 160 kills.

Even though Cooper isnt totally convincing as a Texas ranchhand-turned-killing machine, Sniper is a marvel of you-are-there filmmaking. Eastwood does such a good job of putting you in Kyles shoes that when Kyle attempts to protect his fellow SEALs from a Syrian sniper, youll feel as if youre on the rooftop alongside him, experiencing the terror and triumph of playing guardian angel to your best friends. Extras: featurettes.

Also New This Week

Black Or White: (2015, Fox, PG-13, $30) After his wife (Jennifer Ehle) dies in an accident, boozy attorney Elliot (Kevin Costner) assumes custody of his mixed-race granddaughter Eloise (Jillian Estell) at least until Eloises other grandmother (Octavia Spencer) decides the youngster belongs with her. If the set-up sounds sudsy, hold on. Writer/director Mike Binder (The Upside of Anger) rarely defaults to heart-tugging goop, preferring instead to probe issues of race, addiction and forgiveness. Even though Black Or White stumbles a bit at the end, Binder directs with skill and compassion while managing to elicit a career-best turn from Costner. Extras: featurettes.

Leviathan: (2014, Sony, R, $30) An Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, this compelling but heavy-handed Russian drama pivots on the battle between car mechanic Kolya (Aleksey Serebryakov) and Vadim (Roman Madyanov), a politician hellbent on taking away Kolyas ancestral home. Kolya calls in a lawyer pal (Vladimir Vdovichenkov) from Moscow to help with the case but Kolya seems to have a black cloud hanging over him. Practically soaked in vodka and sea mist, Leviathan offers up a chilling portrait of life in modern-day Russia. Extras: featurettes and commentary by director Andrey Zvyagintsev.

Lost River: (2015, Warner, R, $30) Ryan Goslings directorial debut might be a mess but its an ambitious mess. Set in an abandoned neighborhood of Detroit, the dark drama follows a family (Christina Hendricks, Iain De Caestecker) struggling to hold on to their ramshackle home. As De Caestecker runs afoul of a gangster , Hendricks finds work at a nightclub where women pretend to mutilate themselves. From scene to scene, the suspense never builds but Gosling does manages to draw sympathetic performances from his cast while unleashing incendiary images that wouldnt be out of place in a David Lynch film. Extras: none.

Little Accidents: (2015, Amplify, unrated, $22) When a teenage boy goes missing in a small West Virginia town already reeling from a mining accident, three strangers are drawn together in unexpected ways. The boys mother (Elizabeth Banks) rejects her husband (Josh Lucas) and finds comfort in the arms of a miner (Boyd Holbrook.) At the same time, a young boy (Jacob Lofland) who lost his father in the disaster finds a friend in Banks. The lushly photographed film occasionally feels tentative but, in the end, writer/director Sara Colangelo offers a moving look at three lost souls haunted by tragedy. Extras: none.

Accidental Love: (2015, Millennium, PG-13, $20) After watching this botched 2008 satire about healthcare reform, you instantly know why director David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook) took his name off the credits. Jessica Biel stars as a waitress with a nail in her head dont ask - who goes to Washington to convince her congressman (Jake Gyllenhaal) to pass a bill providing insurance coverage for all Americans. Standing in the way is a politician (Catherine Keener) angling to open a military base on the moon. None of the performers rise above the dismal script, which is a cringe-worthy disaster. Extras: none.

Before I Disappear: (2015, IFC, unrated, $25) Writer/director Shawn Christensen expands his Oscar-winning 2013 short film Curfew into a feature film with mostly dismal results. Christensen stars as a suicidal janitor whos tasked with caring for his niece (Fatima Ptacek) after his estranged sister (Emmy Rossum) is hauled off to prison. Over the course of a long night, the pair takes a tour through some of Manhattans seedier neighborhoods and comes out the other end as best buddies. Unbelievable from start to finish, Before I Disappear deserves to vanish without a trace. Extras: none.

Maya - The Bee Movie: (2014, Shout Factory, G, $25) In this sweet-as-honey cartoon, a freshly hatched bee named Maya (Coco Jack Gilles) cant help befriending a bevy of bugs, including a violin-playing grasshopper, a dung beetle and a young hornet named Sting. When the Royal Jelly is stolen, Maya is blamed. Can Maya and pals prove their innocence and locate the missing sweets supply? While adults might long for more adult humor, Maya is sure to leave the pre-teen crowd feeling buzzed. Extras: blooper reel, TV episodes featuring Maya and featurettes.

U-Turn: (1997, Twilight Time, R, $30) On the run from gangsters, compulsive gambler Bobby Cooper (Sean Penn) takes a detour into h**l when he pulls into Superior, Arizona, a sweaty hick town populated by an overwhelming number of lowlifes. Almost immediately he finds himself tangled up with the treacherous Mr. and Mrs. McKenna (Jennifer Lopez, Nick Nolte) who each want Bobby to kill the other. Critics eviscerated this desert noir now on Blu-ray - when it hit theaters in 2007 but nearly a decade later, it feels like an elemental tour de force. The incest angle belongs in a different movie. But that flaw aside, U Turn makes for a compelling head trip of a thriller. Extras: commentaries and Stone intro.

The Adventures Of Marco Polo: (1938, Warner Archive, unrated, $20) If youre in the mood for a good, old-fashioned adventure, check out this tribute to Marco Polo (Gary Cooper), the first European explorer to visit China. Set in the 13th Century, the action begins with the medieval daredevil battling raging seas, sandstorms and avalanches in search of Oriental treasures. Once in Peking, Marco finds himself drawn into a romantic triangle with the princess (Sigrid Gurie) and the Emperors scheming minister of state (Basil Rathbone). Unlike a lot of modern epics, Marco Polo doesnt take itself too seriously so expect plenty of romance and comedy in between the duels, stand-offs and calvary charges. Extras: none.

Miami Blues - Collectors Edition: (1989, Shout Factory, R, $25) Long before Quentin Tarantino mastered the art of blending humor and bloodshed, there was this darkly funny crime thriller about a murderous ex-con named Junior (Alec Baldwin) who steals the badge of a homicide detective (Fred Ward) and uses it to wreck havoc all over town. Baldwin makes Junior so charismatic you cant take your eyes off of him. But its Jennifer Jason Leigh who gives this slick little thriller its heart and soul. As a former prostitute eager to settle down in the suburbs, she strikes the truest chords. Extras: new interviews with cast members.

Remember The Day: (1941, Fox, unrated, $38) Need proof that Claudette Colbert was among the most underrated actresses in Hollywood? Consider this slice of Americana, which is enlivened by Colberts turn as an eighth-grade schoolteacher who inspires one of her students to become a presidential hopeful. It doesnt completely skirt sentimentality but you can still bask in the glory of an actress working at the top of her game. Extras: two additional Fox dramas A Life In The Balance and Tonight We Sing.

Orange Is The New Black - Season Two: (2015, Lionsgate, unrated, $40) Yes, the tempestuous affair between Piper (Taylor Schilling) and Alex (Laura Prepon) is on the backburner thanks to Alexs exit from Litchfield but theres more than enough juicy drama to go around, most of it generated by new inmate Vee (Lorraine Toussaint), a shameless schemer whos on a collision course with Red (Kate Mulgrew.) Theres also some great flashbacks, including a lollapalooza explaining how Morello (Yael Stone) wound up behind bars. Orange just keeping better, smarter and more outrageous. Extras: featurettes and commentaries.

Broadchurch - The Complete Second Season: (2014, E1, unrated, $40) Instead of trying to replicate the haunting first season, this show wisely goes for something fresh. The main action involves the prosecution of 11-year-old Daniel Lattimers killer while a subplot deals with the re-opening of the botched Sandbrook case, the investigation which derailed Hardys (David Tennant) career. The Sandbrook subplot gets a bit convoluted but the courtroom drama crackles thanks to the addition of Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Charlotte Rampling as opposing counsel. Extras: featurettes and deleted scenes.

Source: http://www.thereporteronline.com/arts-and-entertainment/20150521/new-on-dvd-clint-eastwoods-american-sniper-is-a-marvel-of-you-are-there-filmmaking

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Bill Passed: Texas Highway to be Named in Honor of 'American Sniper' Chris Kyle

The Texas Senate passed House Bill 1187 designating a segment of U.S. Hwy 287 in Midlothian, as the Chris Kyle Memorial Highway. The Texas House passed the bill earlier this month. The bill will now go to Governor Greg Abbott for signing and making the bill law.

Midlothian is 25 miles southwest of Dallas, Texas.

Chris Kyle, was a Navy SEAL and author of the New York Times bestseller American Sniper.

On February 2, 2013, Kyle was shot at point-blank range and killed at a Texas gun range. He and a friend where attempting to help a fellow veteran who was suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. His friend, Chad Littlefield, was also shot and killed.

The veteran who shot them, Eddie Ray Routh, was found guilty of capital murder in February of this year.

Funeral procession for Chris Kyle in Midlothian, Texas. YouTube Video Kevin Kelly

Kyle is reported to have achieved 150 kills as a Navy SEAL sniper, the most of any sniper in U.S. military history.

The movie American Sniper has been a block-buster success but it has not been without controversy.

Breitbart Texas reported that the slain hero and the movie honoring him, has been attacked by left-of-center celebrities. They have called him a coward who went on killing sprees despite his having saved countless numbers of U.S. soldiers.

SEAL Team 3 Chief Chris Kyle served four combat tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom and elsewhere.

Following his combat deployments, he became chief instructor for training Naval Special Warfare Sniper and Counter-Sniper teams, and he authored the Naval Special Warfare Sniper Doctrine, the first Navy SEAL sniper manual.

Kyle was awarded two Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars with Valor, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and one Navy and Marine Corps Commendation.

He also received the Grateful Nation Award, given by the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs.

Thousands attended Kyles memorial service held in Dallas at Cowboys Stadium. The crowd was estimated to have been between 6,500 and 7,000 attendees.

Governor Greg Abbott declared it Chris Kyle Day in Texas on February 2, 2015.

Lana Shadwick is a contributing writer and legal analyst at Breitbart Texas. Follow her on Twitter @LanaShadwick2

Source: http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2015/05/21/bill-passed-texas-highway-to-be-named-in-honor-of-american-sniper-chris-kyle/

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker review: total package

Game Info Platform DS, 3DS Publisher Atlus Developer Atlus Release Date 2012-02-28

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker is one of the most inspired and successful blending of multiple genres that I've ever seen come out of Japan.

As a developer, Atlus' strength is largely in fairly traditional turn-based role-playing games, andRecord Breaker definitely takes advantage of that. But that's only the bottom-most layer of gameplay. The turn-based battles are wrapped in a cloak of strategy gameplay, which is then clothed in a heavy narrative coat of choice-based visual novel stylings.

What's especially impressive about Devil Survivor 2 is not just how it draws on these various, disparate styles of gameplay. Rather, I was thrilled by the way it ties them so tightly together and finds ways for each to interact with each other in a way that feels natural.

Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker begins like a deliciously evil urban legend: The player-created protagonist and his friend Daichi download a new smartphone app called Nicaea. The rumor going around school is that this app will send you videos of your friends dying before it happens. Sure enough, within minutes of our heroes signing up, they receive videos of each other dying in a horrible subway accident.

Devil Survivor 2 builds on one of the strengths of Shin Megami Tensei: It's not another fantasy RPG

While the main characters are (of course) able to avoid their deaths, things only get worse from there as a mysterious disaster strikes Tokyo and demons appear all over the city. The story follows the protagonist, Daichi, and a ragtag group of friends they assemble as they explore a post-apocalyptic Japan and try to figure out what exactly happened.

This fun setup builds on one of the long-running strengths of the Shin Megami Tensei franchise: It's not another generic fantasy RPG. Sure, there are some anime tropes at play here particularly with the protagonists being "chosen ones" of a sort with a special power that allows them to battle the forces of evil but generally the characters are all regular teenagers with regular teenager attitudes and issues. The extraordinary situation they're thrust into lends the game an air of mystery and suspense, but it never feels like it totally overrides the simple human drama of young people confronting their own mortality in the wake of a huge disaster.

Of course, they're also given some agency in how they respond to the disaster, which comes in two forms. First, narratively: Record Breaker's story progresses via lengthy, fully-voiced cutscenes. Players are usually given anywhere from two-to-five options of which area to visit next, and depending on the path, you may recruit new characters, save lives or lose allies whose cries for help you ignored. The penalties can feel harsh, but they never feel arbitrary; I was given plenty of warning and time to prepare for battles where a character's survival in the plot was on the line.

To save these characters, you'll need to master the second form of agency for our heroes: Record Breaker's excellent combat system. Every time you enter a combat scenario, you can bring a party of up to four human characters. Each human can be flanked by two different demon companions, essentially giving you four groups of three characters each. Those groups move around individually on an overhead, grid-based map a classic strategy game setup.

It's not that simple, though. In an interesting twist on genre norms, when one group clashes with another on the battlefield, the view switches to a traditional turn-based RPG combat screen. Both the player and enemy teams go through a single round of combat and then are placed back out on the battlefield screen.

I always felt on the verge of failure but with all the necessary information to how to improve What's new

Record Breaker is technically a 3DS re-release of the original Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2, which came out on the original Nintendo DS in 2012. But rather than a straight port, Atlus has gone back and added quite a bit to the game.

Most notably, Record Breaker includes a complete second campaign that picks up where the original game's story ended. Though it's not quite as long, this add-on is still meaty, easily packing an extra 30 hours onto the already lengthy original campaign. It also twists the story in some fun new directions that fans of the original game will probably want to see for themselves.

The other big addition to Record Breaker is full voice acting, including in the original campaign. Atlus has returned to the original script and recording new voiceovers for every human character demons and other enemies remain unvoiced, but that eerie silence fits the bizarre creations of this series.

Beyond those two changes, Record Breaker is full of tiny quality of life improvements, such as the ability to fast-forward past events to improve replays of the game. It also includes an easier difficulty setting, a godsend for less hardcore fans who still want to experience this excellent game.

In a worse game, this extra layer to combat could have felt unnecessary. After all, many strategy RPGs have had plenty of depth with just strategy combat with two sides clashing and taking turns on the map alone. But Record Breaker builds something wonderfully complex yet not overwhelming out of its multi-level battles. I found myself pulled in by the process of putting together the perfect team of demons, picking the best spells to cast on any given turn of a battle, optimizing my chances for critical hits which grant bonus attacks. I always felt on the verge of failure but with all the necessary information to how to improve when I failed a tension that made my successes feel outstanding.

As with other Shin Megami Tensei games, Record Breaker also throws a Pokemon-style demon collection meta-game on top of everything. By purchasing demons at an auction house, you can bring them to your side. From there, you can fuse demons together to form new monstrosities that carry over some of the skills of the previous generation.

There is a frankly absurd amount of depth to this formula, though much of it is blessedly optional. If you want to spend hours grinding for cash and extra levels to put together the most incredible, overpowered team of demons possible, you're allowed to do so via "Free Battles" on the map screen. As someone who's not as obsessed with min-maxing, I was able to keep moving on with the story with a limited but enjoyable amount of time spent messing around with the make-up of my demon army.

Source: http://www.polygon.com/2015/5/20/8632353/shin-megami-tensei-devil-survivor-2-record-breaker-review-smt-persona

Ed Sheeran At Mohegan Sun

British singer-songwriter and teen idol Ed Sheeran can't stay evergreen forever, unlike the love he proclaims on his mega-selling hit "Thinking Out Loud." But even if listeners are currently buzzing about who'll be "the next Ed Sheeran," the original article remains relevant; although it never hit number one, "Thinking Out Loud" is still a top-10 single, a ridiculous 31 weeks after landing in the Billboard Hot 100.

Sheeran brings his charm and youthful charisma to Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville on Saturday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m.; tickets are $49-$69. Mustachioed Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance opens. For more information, visit mohegansun.com.

Source: http://www.courant.com/entertainment/music/hc-ed-sheeran-at-mohegan-sun-arena-0521-20150521-story.html

Stephen Curry, Steve Kerr 'morally object' to flopping fine

OAKLAND, Calif. -- On Wednesday, the NBA issued a flop warning. The league began issuing fines in 2013 for flops found on film. While less common in the playoffs where there's more contact and further scrutiny, it's not uncommon for it to happen. What was interesting was who it was issued to: MVP and league darling Stephen Curry, on a 3-point make ... on which there was no foul called.

Here's the play.

You can't tell if that's a flop or not. No, stop it Rockets fan. No, I don't want to hear it, Warriors fan. Unless you were seated on that side of the arena in the lower bowl and have great eyesight (and were sober!) you have no concept of what occurred on that play.

Curry was fined $5,000 for the play.

Let's pause for a moment and consider this. Curry made $10.6 million this year from his NBA salary alone. That doesn't factor in playoff share, nor his considerable-but-as-yet-unreported Under Armour sponsorship money, his State Farm sponsorship money, or any of the other bazillion ways he has access to funds -- and oh by the way, his dad was an NBA player. Curry probably had $5,000 on him at practice Wednesday, like in his sock. That adorable little girl of his, Riley, probably has a $5,000 per week allowance. You can probably find five grand in Curry's couch cushion. You know, the one in his second den. So it's not like this is hurting him in any meaningful way.

But on Wednesday, Curry and Steve Kerr raised sizable objections to the fine, not on practical grounds of course, but based on the principle.

"I don't agree with it," Curry said. I watched the play over, and it was a transition play, so obviously balance is not very good in that situation. I take a little contact, got some space off. I didn't even see, whoever it was, I didn't see him, and then when I shoot it, I see somebody coming and hit me in my arm. And when you're up in the air, it was obviously a reaction to that. That play happens countless times.

"I wasn't even looking for a foul. I just reacted to the contract that was on my arm and what have you. So I don't agree with it at all."

Curry was annoyed. It was a head-shake type situation. But for his coach, Steve Kerr? Kerr took it a little more seriously, saying (deadpan) he was "morally outraged" at the fine (after being prompted by a reporter; ask and ye shall receive).

"Well, these plays happen every day," Kerr said. "I don't think a game goes by where Jamal Crawford doesn't flop six times on his 3-point shots. It's part of the game, and I don't blame him for doing it because a lot of times the refs call it. Russell Westbrook does it. Everybody does it. So all of a sudden just randomly to fine Steph just seems kind of strange. Are we just choosing one time to do this? You can pick out flops every single game from half the guys out on the floor, so it just seems kind of random."

Hey, shots fired at Jamal Crawford despite Crawford having just been eliminated. Solid continuance of the Warriors-Clippers feud, coach. (Though he's right, Crawford tries to sell that call like he's in The Wolf of Wall Street.)

There does seem to be contact. Was it enough to warrant a call? Does it matter? Furthermore, here's what Curry said about when officials warn you about these kinds of calls (emphasis mine):

"The refs will tell you in a game if you kick your leg out trying to get contact on the closeout, or if you argue the call in the middle of a game. They'll tell you, 'No, the ball was already gone.' or you didn't get hit, or you fell without contact, and stuff like that. But I've never gotten a call from the league about it."

Something like ... this?

But maybe the contact spun him around. You can make the call.

There's also the belief that you can't flop if there's not a call made, but that's crazy. The whole point is to try and elicit a call where there isn't one. This is in every way the definition of a flop, if he in fact fell without contact. Anyway, there is a level of amusement in that the Rockets who are constantly criticized for flopping -- particularly Curry's MVP runner-up and series star counterpart James Harden -- find themselves with their opponent receiving a fine on a call they were not assessed.

Maybe we'll get lucky and neither team will try and elicit a call by exaggerating contact through the rest of this series.

... Yeah, I don't think so, either.

Source: http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25191407/stephen-curry-steve-kerr-morally-object-to-flopping-fine

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

The Flash Holds Steady In Ratings, As iZombie Rises

While The Flashs season finale sped past most critics and fans expectations last night, it held a fairly steady pace in the ratings race.

The dramatic season finale, Fast Enough, earned 3.71 million viewers in the Live & SD category last night. Of those viewers, 1.4 million were in the key demographic of 18-49 year-olds. The 1.4 score was a slight 7% drop from last weeks episode, Rogue Air.

While the Flash held firm, The CWs other DC series, iZombie, saw a decent spike in viewership. The new series scored 1.76 million viewers overall last night, 0.7 of which were in the 18-49 year-old demographic. Thats a nice 17% uptick in the demo from last weeks episode.

The Flash returns to the CW this Fall, while iZombie airs on Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. on The CW.

- - -

Want a chance to win a Batman Arkham Knight Playstation 4 Bundle? Click here or the image below to enter!

Good luck!

Source: http://comicbook.com/2015/05/20/the-flash-holds-steady-in-ratings-as-izombie-rises/

Taylor Swift's Failed Stunt for 'Bad Blood' Video

Comments

The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use. KCCI offers readers the ability to comment on stories with the understanding that these comments may be reprinted elsewhere on the site or used on KCCI newscasts. We ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, comments that don't relate to the story and any personal remarks. THIS IS IMPORTANT: KCCI does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not, at times, find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in this area. If you find a comment that is objectionable or offensive, click the flag that appears in the upper right corner when you hover over a comment. Flagged comments may be automatically hidden from comment threads. For comments to appear on the website and/or the mobile app, email addresses must be verified through Disqus. We ask the community to monitor this forum with the knowledge that KCCI does not regularly monitor these comments.

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. blog comments powered by Disqus

Source: http://www.kcci.com/video/prime-time-what-just-happened/taylor-swifts-failed-stunt-for-bad-blood-video/33120468

Laverne c*x praises Bruce Jenner for speaking the truth about his transition ...

Laverne c*x has praised Bruce Jenner for speaking out about his transition as "powerful".

The Orange is the New Black actress said following the two-part special of Keeping Up With The Kardashians that she was thrilled with how his story is being told.

Laverne said: "I think it's always powerful when another transgender person comes forward and speaks the truth of their experience authentically and lives visibly is revolutionary in a world that tells us we shouldn't exist."

Laverne c*x at the Emmys in 2014

She thinks that the way he told his journey on Diane Sawyer was 'handled beautifully' and said she spoke with Bruce who said he just wanted to help other people.

Laverne previously congratulated the former Olympian on his brave decision to come out on Diane Sawyer's 20/20 show.

"Sending lots of love and support of #BruceJenner and their family tonight," Laverne, who became the first transgender person to be nominated for an Emmy.

Laverne c*x won a SAG award for part of a cast in OITNB

Laverne, who recently met Bruce's stepdaughter Kim Kardashian, spoke at the TIME/People party in Washington where she said that while last year was great in terms of visibility for the transgender community there needs to be more because of the discrimination that is faced everyday.

"We need more of whats happening in the media in terms of visibility to affect policies and how we treat transgender folks, she said.

Bruce was recently seen in the latest episodes of KUWTK telling his daughters about his transition to become a woman.

Kendall, Khloe, Kim, Kylie and Kourtney were all seen in tears on the episodes as Bruce broke the news that he would no longer be a man.

VIEW GALLERY

Source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/laverne-c*x-praises-bruce-jenner-5726450

No school dominates the NBA Draft lottery more than the University of Kansas

The State of North Carolina is the home of college basketball but Kansas is the home of lottery picks.

Over the last 15 drafts, 13 players from the University of Kansas were selected among the top 14 picks in the draft, three more than other school. North Carolina, Duke, and Connecticut have each had ten players taken amongst the lottery picks.

The run by Kansas is even more impressive if you consider that they have had eight players taken among the top 14 picks over the last five years alone including last year's top pick, Andrew Wiggins.

BusinessInsider.com

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/nba-draft-lottery-2015-5

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

In Music News: Taylor Swift and Kanye's Billboard Debacles, Nicki Minaj's ...

Who watched the Billboard Music Awards last night? (Yeah, me neither.) Apparently, Taylor Swift's budding relationship with Calvin Highest Paid DJ in the World Harris was on full display before she debuted the video for "Bad Blood"a promotional opportunity she's been shilling non-stop for two weeks.

I've got to say it was a disappointment on all levels. To Pimp a Butterfly has been on constant rotation in my household since its surprise release, so watching Kendrick Lamar hop aboard the Taylor train to spit a few weak verses was disheartening. The reprise of "Backseat Freestyle," intended as a cute nod to Swift's Instagram account, was a little nauseating.

And look, I don't necessarily begrudge Lamar this association, I just hope the paycheck was worth it. After all, the salad days can't last forever. It's a fairly common financial strategy, particularly when it comes down to well-known rappers teaming up with chart-topping pop stars. Remember "E.T."? (Shudder.) It's funny that Lamar's misstep got me thinking about the time Kanye guested on a Katy Perry track, because there were whispers that "Bad Blood" is about the California girl herself. Since Perry is one of the only women who does not turn up in the video for at least .5 seconds, we may deduce the rumor's got some credibility. But hey, nothing says feminism like gathering a bunch of supermodels together in one place to gang up on another woman. Do you wear pink on Wednesdays, Swift?

Speaking of Kanye, you know what they say: another award show, another debacle. During his performance of "All Day" and "Black Skinhead," ABC censored over 60 seconds of West's five minutes total on stage.

He also went so pyrotechnic-heavy that apparently Kim Kardashian was the only one who could still see him. There's a decent case to be made that it was all part of West's subversive plan, though it's getting hard to tell who's subverting what anymore.

In other news, something good finally came out of TIDAL. If you've ever wondered what Beyonc and Nicki Minaj look like when they're chowing down on junk food, your wait is over. The video for "Feeling Myself," off MInaj's most recent album The Pinkprint, dropped this afternoon as a TIDAL exclusive, moments before being leaked everywhere else. (World, stop. Carry on.)

Knowles and Minaj can also be seen also wearing fur coats while frolicking in a kiddie pool and guiding viewers on a behind-the-scenes sneak peak of their time at Coachella. They're just like everyone else, as the saying goes.

Janet Jackson is releasing a new album this year. (With all the excitement, let's not forget the most important news of the weekend.) Late Friday evening, a few hours before Jackson's 49th birthday, she released a video announcing that new music and a new tour are forthcoming sometime before the end of 2015. CNN pointed out that the singer has been using the hashtag #ConversationInACafe throughout the year, but it's still unclear if that is the album's title. Word on the street is that we could be seeing the new LP as early as July 10. About time, too!

Announcement from Janet Jackson on Vimeo.

Source: http://www.thestranger.com/blogs/slog/2015/05/18/22239289/in-music-newstaylor-swift-and-kanyes-billboard-debacles-nicki-minajs-tidal-exclusive-and-janet-jacksons-new-album

'Destiny' House of Wolves Release Time Revealed

Fans of Destiny have been greatly anticipated the House of Wolves expansion for months now, and for good reason. Simply put, the add-on promises to be the most ambitious and largest expansion for Bungies popular shooter to-date.

In anticipation of such a significant addition to the game, Bungie has recently released a sizable update, which was initially delayed due to technical problems. Unfortunately for Bungie, when they did finally release the update, it caused a major bug, so it hasnt exactly been smooth sailing on the path to House of Wolves.

That being said, House of Wolves itself should be ready to go and release on time. Some fans have been worried that, due to the recent issues with the update and the like, that the expansion would be impacted. However, Bungie has taken to Twitter to ensure Destiny fans that House of Wolves will be ready to go tomorrow on May 19th.

Bungies Twitter post is more than just reassurance, however. It also reveals the exact time that House of Wolves will be available to play. According to the post, House of Wolves will go live tomorrow at 10am Pacific time, simultaneously across PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

Don't panic. House of Wolves still comes out tomorrow: 5/19, 10AM Pacific.

Bungie (@Bungie) May 18, 2015

With the date and time set for House of Wolves, fans have a lot to look forward to when it comes to Destiny. The expansion is adding a plethora of content to the base game, and those Destiny naysayers that may have abandoned the game months ago may just be enticed to resume their Guardians adventures.

House of Wolves is bringing with it new multiplayer maps and tweaks to the Crucible, along with a brand new multiplayer event called the Trials of Osiris. Those that are successful in this event will have an opportunity to unlock exclusive new gear by playing the new Elimination match type.

Besides PvP, House of Wolves is building on the cooperative experience (arguably the games most important component) of Destiny as well. The add-on is bringing to the table new story missions that can be tackled solo or cooperatively, as well as a new Strike. However, House of Wolves will not be including a new Raid, even though the Raids have proven to be some of the most popular Destiny co-op experiences.

In lieu of a Raid is a new co-op experience called the Prison of Elders. Think of Prison of Elders as sort of Destinys answer to Horde Mode. Players battle waves of randomized enemies in round-based matches, and also have to deal with powerful boss opponents as well. Like the Trials of Osiris, Prison of Elders will offer opportunities to unlock special gear.

Finally, House of Wolves is adding a new social space, the first new social space since the Tower including in the base game. This new social area is known as The Reef, and it will be the main hub for those that are in-between exploring the House of Wolves content, offering players a chance to accept new bounties and more.

Destiny is currently available on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. The House of Wolves expansion for the game is set to launch tomorrow, May 19th, at 10am Pacific time.

Source: Twitter

GET EMAIL ALERTS FOR ONLY THE TOPICS YOU WANT TO FOLLOW!

Source: http://gamerant.com/destiny-house-of-wolves-release-time/

The Bruce Jenner Story and the Crisis of Identity at Work

As I watched the Diane Sawyer interview with Bruce Jenner a few weeks ago, my heart hurt. As he described the torment and insecurity he went through, I began to think of how many others in the workplace feel the same thing every single day. I remember the Bruce Jenner who was an incredible Olympic athlete. He even inspired me to pursue many years as a semi-pro bodybuilder in the 1980s. To hear that at that time he struggled with an identity that was different from what we saw is astounding to me and as a writer who focuses on faith at work, social media and impacting culture, it inspired me even more to make a difference.

As I watched the responses from people I was appalled and reminded that many people seem to think that just because someone is different, we have a license to shame, ridicule or humiliate. As I study culture, patterns of behavior and the realms of influence social media covers, I am reminded that the free speech of America is not practiced in other countries. We need a revival of grace and wisdom in our land!

For the record, I am a conservative Christian, with very conservative views on gender identity, marriage and the family. I do believe marriage is biblically taught as being between a man and a woman. But this doesnt mean I have a license to shame, humiliate or ridicule someone who believes or practices the contrary. Listening to Bruce describe how this dual-identity has been a war within for most of his life, it made me want to encourage him of Gods great love for him. I also wanted to apologize on behalf of millions of people who were judging, ridiculing and shaming him.

Prior to watching the Bruce Jenner interview I had watched Madame Secretary, one of my favorite shows. In this episode there was a man who was going to be stoned for being gay in Iran. As the characters were told of the horrific details of the stoning -- they bury you in dirt up to your knees and then hurl at you for hours, stones that have been carefully created for this torture -- I began to weep just thinking about it. The stones are made to bring physical harm and a slow gruesome death, where the liver and spleen explode, the lungs collapse, and the person suffers a horrific two- to four-hour death. I began to see the correlation with stoning and what was happening on social media. Bruce Jenner has been stoning himself emotionally and psychologically for years. He makes a public announcement of his position and intent and he is virtually stoned by the comments, judgements and shame of people who disagree with him, and feel threatened by his pronouncements.

Related:Finding the Missing Link Between Your Brain and Your Business

Its obvious that anything done against the norm will typically attract criticism. Heck, I have radical hair and get judged all the time by people. Ive had people say they couldnt take me serious in business because of my hair, which is not only ridiculous, but a reflection of the society we live in (and the mirror that person looks into every single day). Does the color of my hair prove my ability to write award-winning sales copy or to create a successful direct-response marketing campaign? Absolutely not! Nor does Mr. Jenners sexual orientation prove or disprove his ability to win an Olympic medal, or work as a credible person in the workplace.

I do not believe he was born this way, but it's not my place to tell him how to live. It is my personal conviction that pain, torment and trauma tend to create such horrible pains that make us question our identity. As someone who was sexually abused from the time I was a little girl, and later gang raped in my twenties, it took a lot of healing for me to be confident enough to be pretty, feminine and free to be who G*d made me to be. When our soul is fractured like that, its common to be given to depression, questioning ones worth and even suicide. Ive lived through all three.

G*d has given us all a freewill to believe however we want. While Bruce might be going in a way that to me is contrary to what I believe, it is not my place to judge, criticize and shame him. In reality, its a wonderful door for me to accept, love and honor him. This door of love might allow me to help. Or, it might not. Thats where free will comes in. But that is where the real war is, isnt it?

I recently saw Monica Lewinsky give a TED Talk that really struck a chord with me. Here she was apologizing for her horrific mistake of 20 years ago. When she had that extramarital affair with President Bill Clinton, she subjected herself to judgment, criticism and, sadly, shame. This shame nearly destroyed Monica, as suicidal thoughts came in. I thank G*d for the people who spoke life to her, restoration and healing. Because of this, she is powerfully making a difference, giving her story and calling others to BE MORE.

Related:Faith at Work Is About the Practice, Not the Preaching

This happens in the workplace, not just in the public sphere, which is why it's important for business leaders to recognize and address.We have a crisis in the workplace, when people who are different from us provoke us to rage, judgment and shame. Do we help anyone with these verbal stonings that are leading to suicides, depression and horrific trauma? My answer is a resounding no. Judgement over dress, prayer, tattoos, piercings, sexual preference, gender and more sadly exists at an epidemic proportion in a society that claims to be "tolerant" and changing with the times. How often do people in the workplace suffer quietly, or worse yet, conform to the expectations of others around them to avoid public shame or humiliation?

Its going to take a movement of people who are willing to stand against this mainstream view of judgment and ridicule, in a way that is peaceful and powerful. Martin Luther KingJr. is our example, and one we can look to as a modern-day abolitionist, striving to see people set free from such judgments. Some might argue that the color of your skin is a moral right to fight for, but sexual orientation that is contrary to what the Bible teaches is not. Id argue that freedom is for all.

The crisis in our workplace is whether or not we can live and work with people who are different than us. It's not our duty or mission to shove our beliefs, lifestyle or preferences down people's throats. We are called to love our neighbor as ourselves. It's time for us to change culture, and to be the first ones to love and care about people like Bruce Jenner. If we have an opportunity to share our views with him, thats an honor. And if we do not, it is our call to honor, love and be the one with the influence of grace.

Faith works, at work!

Related:Why Faith Belongs in Your Workplace

Source: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/246030