Well, that was exciting. Going into yesterdays Oscars, most prognosticators were predicting and expecting The Revenant to win Best Picture it was a huge hit, took the BAFTA and the DGA (the guild that most often lines up with Best Picture), and was widely expected to win Best Actor and Best Director, which it did. Those that werent backing Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritus film tended, like ourselves, to predict that The Big Short was best placed for the big prize, having taken the PGA Award.
But instead, in one of the more pleasing curveballs in recent Oscar memory, the Best Picture trophy went home to the makers of Spotlight, Tom McCarthys sober, understated drama about the Boston Globe reporters who helped reveal systematic cover-ups of child abuse in the Catholic Church in the city (and elsewhere). A few astute prognosticators had backed it (aided by its wins with the SAG), but not many, and given that before it won Best Picture last night, the film had only won one other award, even they must have been feeling shaky. So what happened? How did the dark horse triumph over its bigger competitors?
READ MORE: Oscars 2016: "Spotlight" Wins Best Picture, "The Revenant" Takes Best Director & Actor, "Mad Max: Fury Road" Wins 6
Its a complicated question, but the simplest answer is: the preferential ballot. Introduced in 2009, the new system asked voters not just to pick their favorites, but to rank all of the Best Picture nominees (this year, from 1-8). If a movie gets over half of the first-choice votes, it wins, simply enough. But if no film has a majority, the movie with the least number of first choice picks (lets say for sake of argument this year that it was Bridge Of Spies) is eliminated.
The accountants then take all the ballots that had Bridge Of Spies in first, and redistribute them according to the second-place votes. Assuming no movie is now over the 50% barrier, the movie with the next fewest votes (Brooklyn, say) is eliminated, and their votes redistributed (If a Brooklyn ballot had Bridge Of Spies in second, they go by their third place vote). And so on and so forth. This video by The Wraps Steve Pond probably helps explain things better with some visual aids.
In general, it means that unless theres a runaway favorite and thats increasingly unlikely in an extended Best Picture field the system is skewed against divisive fare, and favors those that are consensus favorites, movies that might not have got the most first place votes, but stacked up plenty of second and third place ones as well.
READ MORE: Interview: Tom McCarthy Talks "Spotlight," State Of Journalism, "The Wire" & More
It was the logic that saw me predicting The Big Short the PGA are the only guilds who use the preferential ballot system but in the end it was Spotlight that benefited. And its not difficult to wonder why. The Revenant turned off as many as it turned on: for every person that found it bravura and powerful, there was another that saw empty showboating and b****y violence. Some loved flippant, fleet-footed take on a dense subject presented in "The Big Short," while others found it labored and uneven. But Spotlight felt widely loved, or at least widely liked: even those who didnt find it the best of the year respected the films understated tone and quiet emotion.
There were likely other things that helped it build up the broadest group of support. Actors are the largest branch of the Academy, and Spotlight is a movie with a large ensemble cast full of actors actors, long-serving, oft-undervalued character actor types. That factor also helped win it the SAG ensemble prize, and likely this that helped it vault over The Revenant (mostly a one-man show), and The Big Short, which also deploys a large cast, but one arguably more driven by big-name movie stars.
Oscar voters also often like a subject that makes them feel good for voting about it, and Spotlight tackles an important one. Whereas Room might have felt too bleak for some voters, for instance, McCarthys film has the right amount of uplift at the end, showing a shocking conspiracy but ultimately seeing it bested, and demonstrating the change that came from it. Like Schindlers List or 12 Years A Slave, which also grapple with difficult subject matter, theyre also stories of hope amidst inhumanity, and that plays well with voters. And thus, the quiet triumph of "Spotlight" resonated more than the revenge driven narrative of The Revenant (however much its filmmakers talk about climate change and highlighting indigenous peoples, they felt attached to the story rather than inherently part of it), or the more ambivalent conclusion of The Big Short, which ends with the corrupt institution essentially prevailing, and our "heroes" getting very rich off the misery of others.
All this presumably saw Spotlight topping plenty of ballots, but also crucially coming second, third or fourth on those that preferred other nominees. Its the same thing that ultimately benefited Argo, The Kings Speech, The Artist and more: the important thing to remember is that the Best Picture winner isnt the most liked film, but the film thats liked the most.
This article is related to: Features, Features, Feature, Awards, Awards, Academy Awards, Academy Awards, Oscars, Spotlight, The Big Short, The Revenant
"The Big Short" should have seen its stock rise higher.
As deserving as best picture winner "Spotlight" is for the honor, a good case could have been made to honor the dramedy about the 2008 financial crisis.
"SPOTLIGHT" WINS BEST PICTURE, LEO TAKES HOME FIRST OSCAR
Oscar-winning screenwriters Adam McKay and Charles Randolph managed to turn complex economic jargon and potentially unlikeable characters into an engaging, funny film. Academy voters should have invested themselves more heavily in a film that stands out for its originality.
Sylvester Stallone had been the heavy favorite going into the night for the best supporting actor nomination. But instead he was knocked out by underdog Mark Rylance"s witty, understated turn as a Russian spy in "Bridge of Spies."
10 BEST OSCAR MOMENTS
That"s a shame, because "Creed" works so well thanks to Stallone"s willingness to play his signature character, Rocky Balboa, with more vulnerability than we ever knew he could manage.
Actually, the biggest snub in the category happened a month and a half ago - back when the Oscar nominations first revealed that Idris Elba didn"t make the cut for his turn as a brutal African warlord in "Beasts of No Nation."
His omission may have been the most glaring example of the lack of diversity in the film business that inspired the #OscarsSoWhite movement. But just as likely it was a result of a different bias: industry insiders refusing to recognize a Netflix film when the streaming site is vexing traditional exhibitors.
CHRIS ROCKS BEST JOKES FROM OSCARS NIGHT
For the few who bothered to watch all five nominees in the live action short category, it"s (ahem) shocking that "Shok" didn"t win. It"s an emotionally devastating saga of two kids struggling to survive the Kosovo War that haunts viewers long past its 20-minute run time.
Not even this light-saber wielding nerd can argue that "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" deserved a best picture nomination, but it"s glaring that the biggest box office hit in North American history couldn"t even get one measly statuette.
JOE BIDEN PLEADS FOR END OF RAPE CULTURE AT OSCARS BEFORE INTRODUCING LADY GAGA
With all due respect to the artisans who fueled "Mad Max: Fury Road," wasn"t there at least a sound mixing or sound editing Oscar to be shared? And did the clever indie "Ex Machina" really have better visual effects than the ones produced by the programmers who piloted the Millennium Falcon back to the big screen?
It"s another sign that the Academy doesn"t always appreciate the popcorn-flavored tastes of the ticket-buyers who subsidize their movies.
Disney and director J.J. Abrams, however, can console themselves by counting every dollar of the $2 billion the latest installment of the most powerful sci-fi franchise in the universe has grossed worldwide to date.
Tags: oscars , the big short , sylvester stallone , star wars , star wars: the force awakens , mark rylance
NEW Raspberry Pi 3 - Quad-Core 1.2GHz, WiFi + Bluetooth!
Do you use the Raspberry Pi for a headless project, such as a media player, NAS server, seed box or security camera? If you do, then your Raspberry Pi is probably tucked away somewhere that"s not that easily accessible.
You can always log in to it remotely but how do you monitor it in real time? How do you know whether it"s overheating? Or running out of disk space? In this project, we"ll play G*d and make your Raspberry Pi self-aware, and give it the ability to communicate.
In more earthly terms, we"ll install the sendxmpp tool on the Raspberry Pi, which allows it to communicate via the popular XMPP messaging protocol. We will use this to send notifications to us via instant messages whenever a predetermined event is triggered.
First up, you"ll need to get a XMPP IM account for the Raspberry Pi. If you aren"t using a XMPP server already, you can register with any of the publicly listed XMPP servers. We"re using the Hot Chilli service, which gets a top-notch security rating from xmpp.net and allows you to register an account on the website itself.
Once you"ve registered an account for your Raspberry Pi, make sure you add it as a friend on your regular account, on which you want to receive notifications. Now log into the Raspberry Pi, update the repos and then download the sendxmpp tool with sudo apt-get install sendxmpp.
It"s a Perl script and will pull in the required Perl dependencies. When it"s installed, create a file named .sendxmpprc under your home directory with the credentials of the Raspberry Pi"s XMPP account, such as:
$ nano /.sendxmpprc
rpibot@jabber.hot-chilli.net my-secret-password
Remember to replace the username and password with the credentials for the account you registered for the Raspberry Pi. After saving the file, you can send a message with:
$ echo "Hi, this is Pi!" | sendxmpp -t geekybodhi@jabber.hotchilli.net
The above command sends a message from the Raspberry Pi to the XMPP ID specified with the -t option. Swap out the ID in the example above with your own XMPP ID. If you"re signed into your regular IM account, you"ll receive the greeting as a regular message from the Raspberry Pi"s XMPP account.
You can also pass output of Bash commands, such as:
This command queries the temperature sensors on the Raspberry Pi using the utilities installed by the raspberrypi-firmwaretools package, which we then pipe to our regular IM user.
You can use this statement to monitor the Raspberry Pi and send you an alert over IM when the temperature crosses a preset threshold. Copy the contents of file called status.sh (click the link to see the code). Then set a crontab entry by running crontab -e and entering the following line:
*/5 * * * * /status.sh
Here we are asking the Raspberry Pi to run the status.sh script every five minutes. Remember to change the location of the status.sh file to the location on your Raspberry Pi.
So what"s in the status.sh script? The script stores the temperature of the Raspberry Pi in a variable named "temp" after stripping out the verbose text and the decimal, because Bash can only handle integers.
The script then checks whether the value is greater than 40C, and if it is, alerts us with a message. You can extend this script to keep track of the goings-on in the Raspberry Pi. eg you can ask it to send you alerts whenever it finds a particular message in a log file, or whenever the status of a daemon changes.
The sendxmpp script helps you keep track of the activities on the Raspberry Pi however, you can"t act on them without logging in to the Raspberry Pi. But what if this isn"t possible?
What if you get a temperature warning from the Raspberry Pi monitoring your home while you"re away at work? Wouldn"t it be great if you could control the Raspberry Pi via messages as well?
The critically acclaimed, now Oscar-winning film The Big Short has helped form the impression among the American people that the private sector caused the financial crisis. But does this impression align with the facts? Is the 2008 crisis a relatively straightforward, moralistic tale of Wall Street greed and human foibles run amok? Or are government institutions and policies equally or more to blame?
I lay it all out for you in the below video, reThink The Big Short and the 2008 Financial Crisis. Take a look.
Severina - Brad Pitt Does Mike Tyson have a grudgeagainst Brad Pitt? Thirty years after Mike caughtBrad with his ex, Robin Givens, the boxer dishedthe juicy story about the awkward encounter. Watch Miketell ithere and see what he thinks of Brad!
Brad Pitt, 52, made quite the interesting first impression on Mike Tyson, and the 49-year-old boxer is finally opening up about it. When Mike was in the midst of his divorce from Robin Givens in the 80s, he ran into Bradright before the actor and his ex were about to hook up! So is Mike still bitter about catching Brad withRobin? Let him tell you!
Mike was asked to spill the beans on his awkward run-in with Brad when he appeared on The Real, and he was clearly not prepared to do so. After some deep breaths, he gathered exactly what he wanted to say while still keeping his dignity!I didnt really catch them in the act, maybe right before the act, he admitted. Ironically, Mike was trying toget some with Robin when the whole thing went down, which couldnt have made things any easier to take in!
The pro boxerexplained that he stopped by the house he and Robin shared for one last rump session before they finalized things with their divorce lawyers. But apparently, Robin wasnt on the same page as Mike, because she already had Brad lined up for her booty call!
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AlthoughMike was probably pretty disturbed in the moment, hes clearly over it now.He was practically like a comedian while he was telling the story! Plus, Mikecouldnt help admitting that while Brad was a little loopy during their encounter, hes actually a really nice guy. He didnt mention whether hes seen Brad since, but he holds no grudges against the star so Bradcan rest assured thatMikedoesnt want to take him down!
What do you think of Mikes story, HollywoodLifers? Are you surprised he still likes Brad after catching him with Robin? Tell us below!
Olivia Wilde"s Toddler Son Is Already a Drummer Feb 29th 2016 8:00AM Comments
Consider it brung, Oscar watchers.
Olivia Wilde simply killed it in super-sexy Valentino on Sunday night.
"The dress is always the inspiration. That"s where we draw our inspiration," says her makeup artist, Melanie Inglessis, who used all Revlon on the actress, who"s a spokeswoman for the brand.
Wilde attended the ceremony with her partner, Jason Sudeikis. "We just wanted to go for a soft, beautiful, ethereal look. Olivia is just really cool. She"s modern. That"s always what you have to take into consideration," says Inglessis.
In person, Wilde is attentive, quick-witted and deeply interested in the world around her. She"s the same with her glam squad. "With her, it"s easy, because she"s my friend. It"s not stressful. It"s super chill. It"s about two hours before she walks out. i like to prepare her skin and do an eye mask. We play a little music. We have some nibbles," says Inglessis.
See more:OnlyOnAOL: Why Amy Poehler always has a blast on red carpetsOnlyOnAOL: Christian Bale loves himself a little Oscar pampering
And she gets her client ready to do her own touch ups. But how is that possible, given the tiny clutches all actresses carry? "It"s a problem. I can"t lie," says Inglessis, who puts key products into a small baggie. "I leave pressed powder, lip liner, lip balm and a concealer. They can leave their bag in their car. It depends on the size of the clutch but they can put lipstick in there."
Key products used:ColorStay 2-In-1 CompactRevlon ColorStay 16 Hour Eye Shadow, DecadentRevlon Super Lustrous - Pearl Lipstick, Champagne On Ice
Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt Discuss Marriage, New Film, Cancer Fight | TODAY
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitts marriage has been subject of manyrumors lately, with some reports claiming that the popular Hollywood couple is headed for a divorce. Now, a latest report by OK! magazine says that Pitt is moving into a bachelor pad in London without telling Jolie a claim that Gossip Cop debunked.
A source reportedly told OK! that Pitt, who is currently in the U.K. to shoot his upcoming movie, is tired of staying in hotels, Gossip Cop reported, citing the magazines article. The insider reportedly added that the Moneyball actor tried to convince [Jolie] that moving there together would be good for their marriage, but she refused to rearrange her schedule.
The magazines source reportedly went to say that the 52-year-old actor is secretly shopping for his own house in England without informing Jolie. Brads thinking time apart is exactly what they need, the insider reportedly said.
However, the gossip debunking websitedismissed the report as false. A Jolie-Pitt source told Gossip Cop that the OK! magazines report was ridiculous.
Gossip Cop also debunked another Jolie-Pitt rumor, which claimed that the couple was on the brink of a divorce over the 40-year-olds alleged s*x and drugs diary confessions. A National Enquirer report said that Pitt has been bothered by reminders of his wifes past problems, including heroin binges and kinky s*x games. A source reportedly told the tabloid that the 52-year-old is fed up with hearing the extent of her debauchery, many forays into s*x with both men and women, and the drugs.
The celebrity couple, who has been together for over 10 years, has been battling divorce rumors for some time now. However, they have been spotted togetheron several occasions,dismissing reports about their marriage troubles.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt arrive at the World Premiere Of Disney"s "Maleficent" at the El Capitan Theater on May 28, 2014, in Hollywood, California. Photo: Getty Images/Frazer Harrison
Alicia Vikander Thrilled Over Oscars 2016 Win | Live from the Red Carpet | E! News
Alicia Vikander won the Oscar for best supporting actress for her work in The Danish Girl. This is her first Oscar nomination.
PhotoAlicia VikanderCredit Patrick T. Fallon for The New York Times
Read our review of The Danish Girl.
PhotoAlicia Vikander in The Danish Girl.Credit Focus Features
Congratulations to Alicia Vikander for best actress-ing her way into the supporting actress category. Of all the changes the academy is looking to correct, can it include some rules to prevent more of that?
The studios campaign people in whatever category they think they have the best chance to win, but academy members are free to write people in, too so she could have been nominated as best actress if enough write-ins went that way. Or, if her awards marketing was less successful.
Saoirse Ronan Dazzles in Green on Oscars 2016 Red Carpet | Live from the Red Carpet | E! News
Video: By DEBORAH ACOSTA and CARA BUCKLEY
Just about everyone being asked about the #OscarsSoWhite uproar has prepared an answer. That included Saoirse Ronan, the best actress nominee for Brooklyn; Rooney Mara, the supporting-actress nominee for Carol; and Sacha Baron Cohen, who is, um, not nominated for anything.
It probably hasnt been talked about enough, Ms. Ronan said in the video above, adding, We need to kind of snap out of it and when it comes to gender, race, culture, background, represent everyone and everything.
Video: By DEBORAH ACOSTA and CARA BUCKLEY
Ms. Mara, in the video above, said Beasts of No Nation was one of my favorite films this year and there were two performances in that film that were two of the best performances Ive ever seen, let alone this year, so I think its an important conversation to be having.
And Mr. Baron Cohen said, There arent enough African-Americans in any layer or level of the entertainment industry, and added, Latinos need to be represented more as well.
He noted that his next film, The Brothers Grimsby, has a diverse cast that includes himself; his wife, Isla Fisher; Penlope Cruz; and Gabourey Sidibe. Then again, he said, Theres no danger for my new movie to win an Academy Award.
Actors on Actors: Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan – Full Video
Saoirse Ronan broke out when she was just 13 years-old inAtonement,and went from zero to sixty in no time at all. In fact, her first award show was the Oscars in 2008, where she was nominated for best supporting actress."When Iwas here before that was my very first awards show, which is incredible for it to be your first awards show, she said on the red carpet for THIS year"s Oscars(where she"snominated for best actress forBrooklyn, thank you very much).
And not only is she back,she is repeating her original Oscar look, but it isverygrown up. See the then/now:
QUITE a transformation.(Photo: Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY)
Don"t worry, it"s all totally intentional. Her emerald green Calvin Klein Collection look is a mirror of her first look and meant to represent her home country of Ireland (which plays a big role inBrooklyn, so it brings the whole thing full circle).
Good luck tonight, Saoirse. You already won our hearts.
Tulsi Gabbard disinvited from Democratic debate, interview with Wolf Blitzer (October 12, 2015) PhotoRepresentative Tulsi Gabbard, Democrat of Hawaii, in her Capitol Hill office in November. Ms Gabbard resigned as a vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee on Sunday.Credit Doug Mills/The New York Times
Representative Tulsi Gabbard, Democrat of Hawaii, resigned as a vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee on Sunday in order to endorse Senator Bernie Sanders for president.
The endorsement came a day after Hillary Clinton won the Democratic primary in South Carolina by a huge margin she captured nearly 74 percent of the vote in a signal of her support in the South right before several other Southern states vote in Tuesdays primaries.
Ms. Gabbard explained her decision in a video on YouTube in which she said that, as a military veteran, she wanted the United States to avoid interventionist wars of regime change.
As a veteran of two Middle East deployments, I know first hand the cost of war, said Ms. Gabbard, one of the first female combat veterans to serve in Congress. I know how important it is that our commander-in-chief has the sound judgment required to know when to use Americas military power and when not to use that power.
As a vice chair of the D.N.C., I am required to stay neutral in democratic primaries, but I cannot remain neutral any longer, she added. The stakes are just too high. Thats why today Im endorsing Senator Bernie Sanders to be our next president and commander in chief of the United States.
Ms. Gabbard, while not mentioning Mrs. Clinton by name, went on to cast Mr. Sanders as being more interested in peace and as someone who would be better trusted with the lives of American troops. She also implied that Mr. Sanders had better foreign policy judgment than his rival.
We need a commander in chief who has foresight, who exercises good judgment, and who understands the need for a robust foreign policy which defends the safety and security of the American people, and who will not waste precious lives and money on interventionist wars of regime change, Ms. Gabbard said. We can elect a president who will lead us into more interventionist wars of regime change, or we can elect a president who will usher in a new era of peace and prosperity.
Ms. Gabbard, who was born in American Samoa and is the first Hindu elected to Congress, is seen as a young, rising star of the party but has publicly battled Democratic leadership. In October, Ms. Gabbard said she was uninvited from the first Democratic presidential primary debate by the chief of staff to Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, the chairwoman of the national committee, after Ms. Gabbard appeared on television and called for more debates.
At the time, the partys leadership had been criticized for allowing only a limited number of debates, which some viewed as an effort to deny Mr. Sanders more time to confront Mrs. Clinton when she was ahead in polls. Ms. Wasserman Schultz has denied that Ms. Gabbard was uninvited from the debate.
Mr. Sanders welcomed Ms. Gabbards endorsement Sunday.
Congresswoman Gabbard is one of the important voices of a new generation of leaders, Mr. Sanders said in a statement. As a veteran of the Iraq War she understands the cost of war and is fighting to create a foreign policy that not only protects America but keeps us out of perpetual wars that we should not be in.
Ms. Wasserman Schultz praised Ms. Gabbard with a statement of her own. As one of the first female combat veterans to serve in Congress and the first American Samoan and Hindu member of Congress, Congresswoman Gabbard is a role model who embodies the American ideal that anyone can dream big and make a difference, Ms. Wasserman Schultz said. She is also a colleague in Congress and a friend, and I look forward to continuing to work alongside her when our Party unites behind whoever emerges as our nominee.
UFC 196: Holly Holm - Ready to Defend Championship
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The Fight: Conor McGregor vs. Nate DiazThe Real Fight: Nate Diaz vs. The UFC"s Best Interest
The Stakes
A massive fight between UFC lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos and UFC featherweight champ Conor McGregor fell apart when Dos Anjos pulled out due to a foot injury. Now, all involved parties are rolling the dice by putting McGregor opposite the always-dangerous Nate Diaz. If McGregor stays the course, the UFC, Dos Anjos and McGregor are poised for a huge payday. If Diaz wins, though, the UFC"s 2016 would suddenly become much less profitable.
The Question
Can the McGregor train keep a"rollin"?
Analysis
McGregor"s drawing power is second to none right now, and it"s approaching the point where he could, potentially, start breaking UFC gate and pay-per-view records. That, of course, is contingent on him winning.
If McGregor drops this fight to Diaz, the big super title fight is taken off the table. The potential welterweight title fight with Robbie Lawler after that? Gone. Add to that the fact that McGregor is seemingly done at 145 pounds, and this fight with Diaz, suddenly, becomes a high-stakes affair instead of a "fun fight for the fans."
Of course, fans should just kick back and enjoy the ride. UFC brass, however, are probably going to have at least one or two sleepless nights this week.
LONDON The last time UFC lightweight Rustam Khabilov walked out of the octagon, he was on a two-fight skid. Then he sat out for one year.
The threat of unemployment motivated Khabilov (18-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC) to get back in the UFCs good graces. Thankfully for him, he was able to do so by outpointing Norman Parke (21-5-1 MMA, 5-3-1 UFC) on the UFC Fight Pass-streamed prelims of UFC Fight Night 84 at TheO2in London.
After two losses, if you lose the third fight, everybody knows what can happen, he said through atranslator backstage. So Im very happy, and Im ready to start my new road to the top of the lightweight division.
Khabilov, part of a wave of Dagestan-born fighters competing in the UFC, earned three straight wins in the octagon before losses to ex-champ Benson Henderson and Adriano Martins. A win over Parke, another prospect who fell on hard times after a turn on The Ultimate Fighter: Smashes, brings his first win since a decision over Jorge Masvidal in November 2013.
Check out the above video to get Khabilovs thoughts on his fight and whats next for his career.
For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 84, check out the UFC Events section of the site.
Rustam Khabilov, UFC Fight Night 84, Featured Videos, News, UFC, Videos
Manchester United vs Arsenal 3-2 All Goals And Highlights 28/02/2016
11.05am EST11:05
Sir Alex is smiling in the stands, Glory, glory Man United is ringing out lustily. Could that match be a turning point for Louis van Gaal and his team? United were superb there wholehearted, sharp, fresh, creative, gutsy. A skeleton side grew into the game, deserved the remarkable Rashfords early pair and second-half strike from Herrera, and perhaps most impressive of all was the way in which they responded each time Arsenal pulled a goal back. They never looked cowed or flustered, and it has to be said that senior players such as Carrick, Mata and Blind were superb in marshalling the likes of Rashford and Varela through proceedings. This was light years from the United weve seen this season, in more ways than one.
And Arsenal? Oh, Arsenal. Lets not beat about the bush it was so, so disappointing from them. We should probably know what to expect by now, but this was a huge opportunity and they blew it. They were flat, sluggish and second best throughout, rarely threatening even after clawing themselves back into the game. You cant rule them out of the title race, of course you cant but can you really see this team forcing it home? Those false dawns must be absolutely exasperating for their fans.
Right, youve a cup final to get your teeth into now. Thanks for your company as ever and apologies that the live score on the blog got stuck at 2-1 today, technical issue Im told. Cheers, and enjoy the rest of your Sunday.
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10.58am EST10:58
Full-time! Manchester United 3-2 Arsenal
They can! What a victory that is for Manchester United!
Manchester United fans are smiling again. Photograph: John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images
Updatedat 11.08am EST
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10.57am EST10:57
90+5 min: A late change for United, James Weir replacing Herrera. Can they see it out?
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10.56am EST10:56
90+4 min: Arsenal pumping the long b***s forward now. All, so far, met by thumping clearances...
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10.55am EST10:55
90+3 min: Its back in the corner again with Januzaj, who then makes for the box and almost picks out Lingard. No charge of the light brigade from Arsenal yet, although Ozil picks up a booking for bashing Varela into the advertising hoardings.
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10.53am EST10:53
90+1 min: We will have five added minutes. Arsenal dont deserve a draw here. But this will be a long, long period of stoppage time for United.
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10.51am EST10:51
89 min: Probably a bit of a stretch for United to imagine they can hold the ball down there until 90+4, or so. Its given away eventually, but then great work from Fosu-Mensah and Januzaj gets the ball down the other flank to cheers.
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10.50am EST10:50
88 min: Then Sanchez beats Varela to a header and almost slips Ramsey in, but his touch lets him down and De Gea gets out quickly. Nervy times. Elneny, who has played daftly since coming on, then fouls Lingard deep inside the Arsenal half to afford United some respite. The ball goes into the corner and a corner is then won.
Arsenals Alexis Sanchez attacks is challenged by Jesse Lingard. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Updatedat 10.58am EST
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10.48am EST10:48
86 min: Close-ish there though, as another fine Ozil free-kick finds Koscielny at the back stick. His header loops up, and De Gea catches.
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10.47am EST10:47
85 min: Arsenal are probing theres genuine urgency at last but so far finding few spaces. But theres time...
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10.45am EST10:45
83 min: Welbeck now goes off, to a few boos. On comes Alex Iwobi, nephew of Jay Jay Okocha.
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10.44am EST10:44
82 min: Varela concedes a corner after Sanchez, growing in influence now, finds Welbeck. Depay heads away powerfully at the near post.
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10.43am EST10:43
80 min: Just a few signs that the earlier pattern Arsenal probing, United dropping in a little too deep is going to repeat itself now. Giroud heads over, beating Varela to a Sanchez cross, and United wont want much more of that. Now Rashford comes off, to absolutely tumultuous applause. So well deserved! Adnan Januzaj replaces him.
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10.40am EST10:40
78 min: Tottenham now lead against Swansea Danny Rose scores. Arsenal need to win really, dont they?
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10.39am EST10:39
77 min: Wonderful take by Depay, killing a diagonal ball with his heel before it could come over his head. Hes been very bright today.
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10.38am EST10:38
76 min: Herrera, just booked, is told to calm down by Pawson after fouling Sanchez. Van Gaal then ... and this is bizarre ... falls on his backside on the touchline while remonstrating with fourth official Mike Dean! I think he was mimicking a dive! Its all taken a bit of a strange turn here.
Louis Van Gaal makes a bizarre point to the fourth official. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Updatedat 11.04am EST
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10.36am EST10:36
73 min: Elneny is booked for a hack on Depay, his first contribution of the game. The temperature has raised a notch. Might be in for quite a final 20 minutes here.
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10.34am EST10:34
71 min: Fisticuffs as Ramsey, having been clipped by Herrera, pushes him to the floor for no obvious reason. Theres a long delay, howls of Off! Off! Off!, but Craig Pawson eventually shows a yellow card. Herrera is booked too. Was Ramsey lucky?
Arsenals Aaron Ramsey clashes with Manchester Uniteds players. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
Updatedat 10.42am EST
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10.32am EST10:32
Goal! Manchester United 3-2 Arsenal (Ozil 69)Mesut Ozil makes sure of scoring from a rebound to make it two for Arsenal. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
But this aint over! De Gea saves well after Welbeck takes down and shoots from a Sanchez cross. Ozil is first to the rebound, hitting the ball into the ground and into the unguarded goal. Can Arsenal get into gear now? Elneny has replaced Coquelin, another who has been poor today.
Updatedat 10.48am EST
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10.31am EST10:31
69 min: It should be said that United, for all the criticism theyve had, have been as entertaining as you like today.
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10.30am EST10:30
68 min: Nearly four. Depay and Rashford this time do link up to good effect, the former homing in on goal before Bellerin intervenes just in time.
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10.29am EST10:29
67 min: Fair play to United, really. When Arsenal kept possession for the halfs opening minutes you feared for them but they got themselves right back into it and were in the ascendancy before the goal. This, so far, has been desperately half-hearted stuff from Arsenal.
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10.28am EST10:28
Goal! Manchester United 3-1 Arsenal (Herrera 65)Manchester Uniteds Herrera restores their two-goal lead. Photograph: Matt West/Rex/Shutterstock
The two-goal lead is restored! Mata surges into the United half and reverses the ball to the right, where Rashford goes on another run. Gabriel holds him up but he keeps possession, waits maturely and lays across to the onrushing Herrera, inside the D. Well never know if the diving Cech would have saved his shot it takes a bit deflection off Koscielnys chest and gives him no chance at all!
Updatedat 10.35am EST
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10.25am EST10:25
63 min: A cute one-two on the edge of the box between Depay and Rashford doesnt come off, but United are having a good spell at the moment. Here comes Giroud though! He does, indeed, come on for Walcott who Im afraid has been really sub-par.
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10.23am EST10:23
61 min: Depay cuts in and thwacks in another shot. Cech saves well, although cant grab it cleanly.
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10.22am EST10:22
60 min: United have got a grip now after that ominous Arsenal start, although you suspect theyll be confined to counters. Walcott is caught on the ball again; it must be Giroud time soon.
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10.20am EST10:20
58 min: Fosu-Mensah is not, as far as I know, a full back by trade at all but has slotted into Rojos spot.
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10.18am EST10:18
56 min: The free-kick, from the Ozil foul, is finally taken and goes all the way through to Schneiderlin at the back post. His shot is blocked by Sanchez.
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10.18am EST10:18
56 min: Rojo is down, and it doesnt look good. The ex-Ajax youngster Tim Fosu-Mensah replaces him for his debut, and Uniteds team gets yet younger!
Manchester Uniteds Marcos Rojo gets a serious knock. Photograph: Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images
Updatedat 10.27am EST
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10.17am EST10:17
54 min: Better from the home team, with Rashford pulling left and passing infield to Mata, who cant quite play Depay in. Cech and Koscielny then both have some fun dallying on the ball and getting away with it. Then Lingard gets them up the right flank and Ozil rather crudely kicks him down.
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10.15am EST10:15
53 min: Walcott crosses usefully enough from the right after getting on the end of a superb switch, but nobody is there. Then Sanchez runs along the edge of the box but his right-footer is blocked. United are getting sucked right back though.
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10.12am EST10:12
50 min: Rojo gets in sharpish to deny Ramsey, who had got round the back after a fine Ozil touch. United wont want the whole half to play out to this; its been all Arsenal so far.
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10.12am EST10:12
50 min: Having just seen that handball again, at last, Im really not sure where else Rashford could have gone. Would have been harsh, for me.
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10.09am EST10:09
47 min: Replays apparently showed a Rashford handball in that late off-the-line skirmish at the end of the first half. United might have got a bit lucky, but I dont think Arsenal can worry too much about luck here. They need to improve. Meantime, Rashford is down and receiving treatment ...
Updatedat 10.11am EST
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10.07am EST10:07
Peeeeep! Second half underway
United, from right to left, kick off.
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10.03am EST10:03
Do we think Giroud might make hay in the second half, were he to be introduced? Get him on for Walcott? Arsenals goal, and a couple of subsequent flurries, certainly suggested that Uniteds makeshift defence isnt the brightest in the air.
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10.02am EST10:02
From James Bolle: Loved Welbecks reaction to his goal - he wheeled away to celebrate, then seemed to remember where he was and decided against it, opting for a jog to halfway and a couple of muted high fives. But not in a showy Im not celebrating way. The best non-celebration celebration Ive ever seen. #welbz
Thank you for the correct spelling of #welbz.
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9.59am EST09:59
From Scott Stricker: Im concerned that the only Walcott touch I can remember is when he gave the ball away in the buildup to the first goal.
Such potential though.
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9.53am EST09:53
Half-time: Manchester United 2-1 Arsenal
What an absorbing half. United, who grew into things as the game went on, scored twice in a matter of minutes through the irrepressible Rashford, fine finishes both. Welbeck replied for a well out of sorts Arsenal, and we have one heck of a second period awaiting us now.
Manchester Uniteds Marcus Rashford walks off thoughtfully at half time. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
Updatedat 10.10am EST
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9.52am EST09:52
45+2 min: Another Arsenal corner now, and a chance the ball pings off Schneiderlin and someone, not sure who, spirits it away from the line!
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9.51am EST09:51
45+1 min: No dice. Ozils effort hits the wall; Sanchezs follow-up ricochets off Depay for a corner. Rashford clears that the boys put a shift in!
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9.50am EST09:50
45 min: Welbeck is fouled three or four yards outside the box by Blind chance for an equaliser here ...
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9.49am EST09:49
45 min: Rashford, faced with Koscielny, goes on a run but cant beat the centre-back. He had a good option or two to his left. I think well let him off.
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9.47am EST09:47
42 min: Perfect timing, that, for Arsenal who had looked so flat. Now its United who could probably use the whistle.
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9.46am EST09:46
Goal! Manchester United 2-1 Arsenal (Welbeck 41)Danny Welbeck gets a goal back for Arsenal. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
Now then. Free-kick from Ozil in a fairly central position halfway inside the United half. Theres not much of an angle but the delivery, whipped and flat, is outstanding. Welbeck gets across his man, glances a similar header to Rashfords across De Gea, and well find out a lot more about both sides now.
Updatedat 10.03am EST
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9.43am EST09:43
38 min: Sanchez overcooks a ball to Ramsey goal kick. If Arsenal cant come out of this with something it will be hard to take them very seriously. Theyve completely faded from view and will be grateful for the break as things stand.
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9.41am EST09:41
36 min: Now Cech is out swiftly to gather after a mistake by Gabriel. The visitors need to sort themselves out sharpish. They do go on the attack now and Blind does well to block an Ozil cross-shot.
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9.40am EST09:40
36 min: Depay, to screams of shoot, does so and lashes over after receiving a Koscielny clearance. But Old Trafford is bouncing right now. United have been superb; Arsenal, currently, are just invisible.
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9.39am EST09:39
34 min: Rashford is totally the English Mller, writes Alex Flynn. Perfect understanding of space. Nerveless first time finishes. Steady now, this is the first or second time weve seen him play. But ... well ... what a story this is. United are teeming with confidence at the moment; Arsenal cant get a touch.
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9.38am EST09:38
Unbelievable. United put together another move down the right; it seems to have gone a bit loose but Lingard retrieves the ball and d***s a left-footed cross in from the corner of the box. Up goes Rashford, barely challenged, and glances a superb header across Cech! Wow.
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9.36am EST09:36
Goal! Manchester United 2-0 Arsenal (Rashford 32)Manchester Uniteds Marcus Rashford heads their second goal of the match. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
This is actually happening.
Updatedat 9.55am EST
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9.35am EST09:35
Goal! Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal (Rashford 29)Marcus Rashford scores the opening goal for Manchester United. Photograph: Matt West/Rex/Shutterstock
Well, well, well! Herrera tackles a dawdling Walcott midway inside the Arsenal half. The ball is moved slickly out to Varela on the right, who clips in teasing cross. Gabriel cant get much on the clearance and it falls perfectly for Rashford, 10 yards out, who finds the top corner! What composure and what a goal for this under-strength United!
Updatedat 9.55am EST
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9.32am EST09:32
27 min: Carrick, on that booking, is brave enough to make an absolutely *perfect* tackle on Welbeck in the area. Could not afford to go wrong there.
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9.31am EST09:31
26 min: Wholl be the happier so far? Probably United, who have settled down well, although Arsenal have had the best chance. Arsenal need to see a lot more from Walcott, in particular. Hes been invisible since that early run.
Virender Sehwag Part 1: "score a run off every ball" | ESPNcricinfo awards India v Pakistan, Asia Cup, Mirpur
February 27, 2016
Plays of the day from the Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan in Mirpur
Mohammad Amir was swinging the ball in, and the Indian batsmen out AFP
The out-of-control bat
India did not have to wait too long to remove Khurram Manzoor after he survived gloving Ashish Nehra to the wicketkeeper. In the sixth over, he was sold down the river by Shoaib Malik, who, after pushing the ball towards cover, took a few steps and suddenly said no. Manzoor, in his attempt to get back to the non-striker"s end, lost control of his bat and by the time Virat Kohli struck with the direct hit, Manzoor was trying to run back without the bat in his hand.
The beam from the deep
Ravindra Jadeja ran in from deep midwicket in the eighth over and with one swoop he collected the slowly-moving ball and rocketed it to MS Dhoni. The throw was so flat and accurate that the India captain just had to knock down the stumps. Shahid Afridi, who had made the mistake of trying for a second run against one of the quickest Indian fielders with his team in shambles already, was short by quite a distance despite the dive.
The late dip
Ajinkya Rahane, who replaced the injured opener Shikhar Dhawan, saw Rohit Sharma fall to a sharp Mohammad Amir inswinger. Rahane had a chance to get a boundary off the first ball he faced as it was a wide down the leg side. He may have rued missing that because the next one that came his way was another late-moving inswinger that trapped him right in front. He tried to play it on the leg side but Amir"s delivery did not swing so much that it would have alluded the umpire into thinking that it was going down leg. It moved just enough and late enough to give Pakistan a perfect start while defending just 83.
The last shot
Pakistan"s last shot at any chance to put India under more pressure was in Amir"s last over, only the seventh of the innings. But Kohli played out the over with efficiency. He struck him for two fours before keeping him at bay until the last ball, which was bowled at 141 kph. Kohli quietly played it towards point and India had averted their last threat.
The glove
Manzoor was on 10 when he tried to scoop Ashish Nehra. The ball took his glove on the way to Dhoni but the umpire Sharfuddoula did not agree with the long, vociferous and repeated appeals from the bowler. Replays revealed a thickish touch from Manzoor"s glove before it landed in the keeper"s gloves. Kohli expressed his anger but it wasn"t clear towards whom and later Dhoni spoke to Sharfuddoula though it wasn"t clear if he was talking about the touch of the glove or how he had taken the catch, or something else.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo"s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84
I GOT THE HEAT! Air Jordan 12 Master"s! Custom Gold Laces! SneakerHead Shoe Vlog Ep.25
The Air Jordan 12 has a big 2016 in front of it. After a brief cameo in 2015 with a collab that nobody saw coming, there are a handful of 12s are already scheduled to drop with the possibility more to be revealed in the coming weeks. It might not engage the sneaker community like the news of a classic Air Jordan 3 or Air Jordan 11 coming back, but thats quite all right with fans of the 12; they dont following in the shadow of a legend because theyve been doing it for years and its worked out quite nicely for them.
NBA
After the breakthrough hit that was the Air Jordan 11, arguably the most famous sneaker ever made, the Air Jordan 12 had a lot to live up to. Its a Jordan of many firsts, including the first pair to use Zoom Air and the first to launch under Brand Jordan. It might not have the mainstream appeal as the shiny patent leather 11s, but it had an identity that was maybe best exemplified by a pair of ads the commercial below and The Master poster that featured an older, wiser Jordan. He might not be able to fly like it once did, but he could still kick your a*s. And those shoes? Yeah, theyll kick your a*s too.
With this weekends release of the Air Jordan 12 The Master poised to continue that legacy, lets take a look back at our picks of the Top 10 Air Jordan 12 colorways. Dont forget to follow our Air Jordan 12 The Master launch page for more release information, images and videos while youre checking this out.
Sole Collector
The Flint Grey kicks off our list with a no-frills, no-gimmicks needed colorway. Its a recurring theme with the 12; the design is strong enough that it doesnt need bright, shiny colorways to get people to notice. First released in 2004, a retro of these would be greatly appreciated at some point.
The almost tonal opposite of The Master colorway cracks the top 10 mostly on seniority, but also because its a good colorway of the 12 in its own right. The only problem is that when Jordan decided to release the Rising Sun colorway, they were originally going to do so with a white and red insole that replicated the design of the actual Rising Sun flag, which is considered offensive especially in China and South Korea because they represent Japanese imperialism, particularly during World War II. Yeah, best to downplay that aspect of the 12s design, guys.
Originally meant to be a Washington Wizards-themed pair for Michael Jordan, all of the copper accents were replaced with grey and red when it became clear MJ wasnt going to suit up for the Wiz again. A non-OG colorway that first dropped in 2004, the Air Jordan 12 French Blue was worn by the likes of Richard Hamilton, Ray Allen and one Kobe Bryant. Thats right, prior to the Black Mamba being a full-time Nike guy, he managed to sneak in a Jordan retro or two during the 2003-04 season, including the French Blue 12s. Its coming back this year (check out our Air Jordan 12 French Blue launch page for more information) so you can bet theres going to be a lot of people who cop that remember it more for Kobe (or even John Wall) than for MJ. Oh, thats a gloriously funny thing to me
I vaguely remember the Air Jordan 12 UNC dropping in womens sizes and yearning for a mens version. Only years later would I find out that a Carmelo Anthony PE version would actually become available but only in limited quantities. With a color blocking that is reminiscent of the classic Team Jordan 1 UNC (which is to say minimal as all h**l), I could write a Sneaker Grails post about all of the great player exclusive 12s that have been made through the years. Hey, wait a minute
Social Status
The Taxi might be the most popular version of the Air Jordan 12. That isnt a surprise considering MJ wore it all throughout the 1996-97 NBA regular season, which also happened to be the leagues 50th anniversary, so we definitely have plenty of pics of the Taxi that year. The Taxi has received the retro treatment a handful of times in both its original and low-cut form so its versatility is well-documented as well. It mostly recently came back a few years ago in 2013, but dont be surprised if it makes another go-around to go along with all of the other 12s that are dropping this year.
Another Air Jordan 12 that is also rumored to come back in 2016 is the Air Jordan 12 Cherry or White/Varsity Red. With its bright red hues, its another pair that His Airness wore frequently during the regular season. However, it might as well be called the Iverson 12s because these were the kicks that MJ wore when he got crossed up by a young rookie guard from the Philadelphia 76ers who was creating his own sneaker legacy.
Nike
The Air Jordan 12 Obsidian stood out from the pack of Air Jordans, especially in the 90s when you associate Js as being mostly a red, black and white affair. You knew there was no way Michael Jordan was ever going to wear them on the court, which was crazy to think of at the time, but that also made them special, like they were made for other players to wear. That was the case when the shoe got a retro in 2012 and guys like Nate Robinson, Monta Ellis and Russell Westbrook all wore the dark blue kicks to compliment their attire.
Nike
Yes, theyre that good. They better be considering they come with a $300 price tag and a box that well just say isnt so environmentally conscious. This premium version of the Air Jordan 12 actually succeeds where other 12s have failed miserably in making the nubuck actually work with the shoes design. The monochromatic charcoal look turns the shoe into something more than just a basketball sneaker but something of a work of art. The closest analogue I could make for this is when the Nike used a marble finish on the Nike Kobe 2 Prelude and transformed the entire look of the shoe into a piece that could be displayed in a museum.
Nike
Disclaimer: These are my all-time favorite pair of Air Jordans. If ever there was a shoe that optimized how much of a badass Michael Jordan was during his prime, it was the Playoff 12s. Some of his greatest and most iconic moments took place in the Playoff 12, including the first triple double in an NBA All-Star Game and a game-winner in Game 1 of the 1997 NBA Finals. You know it as the most famous instance of Jordans fist pump victory celebration.
No, the 2009 version with emojis dont count. Im talking about the textured leather black and red version that came out in 1997 and again in 2003 and hopefully will be back this year (to keep up to date with that, follow our Air Jordan 12 Flu Game launch page for more information). Worn by Michael Jordan in maybe his finest moment a Game 5 that could have shifted the momentum of the series to Utah while battling food poisoning the shoe would become a part of the legend as MJ rose to the occasion and put together an amazing effort that would eventually lead the Bulls to their fifth championship.
The Latest on three police officers being shot while responding to a domestic related incident. (all times local):
12:50 p.m.
The Virginia man facing murder charges in the shooting deaths of a police officer and another person has been identified as an Army staff sergeant assigned to the Pentagon.
Ronald Hamilton is being held without bond in the Prince William County Adult Detention Center on charges that include murder of a law enforcement officer. He is accused of shooting and killing Officer Ashley Guindon after she answered a domestic violence call at the Hamilton home Saturday evening. Two other officers are undergoing treatment at a hospital.
Cindy Your, a Defense Information Systems Agency spokeswoman based at Fort Meade, Maryland, said Hamilton is an active duty Army staff sergeant assigned to the Joint Staff Support Center at the Pentagon.
Hamilton faces arraignment on Monday.
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11 a.m.
Authorities have identified a man suspected of killing a Prince William County police officer as Ronald Hamilton of Woodbridge, Virginia.
Officer Brandon Carpenter at the county"s adult detention center says Hamilton is being held without bond at the jail on charges including murder of a law enforcement officer. Hamilton faces other charges, including a separate first-degree murder charge. He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday.
The shooting occurred Saturday evening at Hamilton"s home, where neighbors say he lived with his wife and their 10-year-old son.
Officer Ashley Guindon was fatally shot while responding to a reported domestic dispute at the home that left one other person dead. Authorities have not identified the other victim. Two other police officers were wounded.
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1 a.m.
More than 100 patrol cars lined the roads outside Inova Fairfax Hospital early Sunday morning to stand vigil and provide escort to the medical examiner for the body of slain a slain Prince William County police officer.
Prince William County police say Officer Ashley Guindon was shot and killed Saturday responding to a domestic violence call. Two other officers were also shot and taken to the hospital. Their conditions are not known.
Police say Guindon had been sworn in as an officer on Friday and was on first shift Saturday when she was shot.
Prince William County Commonwealth Attorney Paul Ebert says he has authorized a capital murder charge, along with other counts, against the suspect, who is a military serviceman. He has not been identified.
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11:30 p.m.
Authorities say the suspect accused of killing a police officer and another woman is a military serviceman.
Prince William County Commonwealth Attorney Paul Ebert says he has authorized a capital murder charge, along with other counts, against the suspect, who has not been identified.
Police say Officer Ashley Guindon, who was sworn in Friday and started her first shift Saturday, died from her injuries after responding to a "verbal argument" Saturday. The condition of the two other officers shot is not known.
Virginia law allows for the death penalty for the murder of a police officer.
Ebert said the suspect will make his first court appearance on Monday.
Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on Saturday night that a woman was killed in the dispute but police declined to confirm a woman died in the domestic violence call. Corey also said there was a child in the house who was not injured.
ALBANY In many respects, the 2016 New York State Championships were an extraordinary weekend for Section 1 wrestling.
There were 17 wrestlers from the section who placed in the top six in Division 1 (large schools), shattering the previous high of 12 from 2014. And a total of 22 placed between Division 1 and Division 2 (small schools), eclipsing the highof 18 from 2010 and 2013.
But despite the record-setting depth, there was also disappointment. For just the second time since 2009, there were no individual champions from Section 1. Four reached the finals East Ramapo senior Trey Wardlaw (106 pounds), Fox Lane sophomore Matt Grippi (138), Lakeland/Panas senior Alex Melikian (182) and Mahopac senior Mike DiNardo (195) but each was pitted against a defending state champion.
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DiNardo came the closest to pulling off an upset, but came up on the short end of 3-1 decision against Ward Melvilles Christian Araneo. A two-point takedown from Araneo in the opening seconds turned out to be the difference. DiNardo pushed the pace for the rest of the match, but the equalizing move never came.
After he got that first takedown, I was a little off, DiNardo said. Then I felt like in the second and third period, I kept going after him, but he was pretty sound. After I got in on a shot, I feel like he just waited for a stalemate to get a fresh start.
More coverage from Albany: Videos from the finals and results from the placement matches
DiNardo has been one of the most improved wrestlers in the area in recent years after injuries plagued him earlier in his varsity career.
My sophomore year, I didnt even place (in the top six) at sectionals, he said. Then for my junior year to win sectionals and place fourth in the state, and this year win sectionals and be a state finalist, its pretty cool. It shows that these past two years of working hard really paid off.
Melikian was a welcomed addition for the Section 1 team. He transferred from Kennedy Catholic for his final season and became the first state finalist to ever come out of Lakeland High.
I started off at the middle school there, and coming back after all of this time, and Ive wanted to see kids get into that program, Melikian said after a 13-4 loss to Shenendehowas Kevin Parker in the finals. Ive wanted to see my friends and peers, kids younger than me, excel and do great things in wrestling. I just really hope that kids are going to say, Hey, look. We have a state finalist. I can get to that point, too.
Wardlaw, who entered the state tournament unseeded at 106 pounds, may have been overlooked by some. But wrestlers from the once-failing East Ramapo program are used to being the underdog.
After nearly folding a few years ago, Wardlaw was one of the keys to reinvigorating the Titans. He made it all the way to the state finals, losing a 6-1 decision to Eastport South Manors Adam Busiello, the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the country at 106 pounds. Wardlaw was the first state finalist from the East Ramapo district since 1975.
Its a big accomplishment, Wardlaw said. I give thanks to (coach Ryan Kearns), his assistant (Rob Preiss), and my other coach (Corey Drummond), who couldnt be with us here. Its thanks to them and my hard work. They built a good program, and hopefully they can strive for more in the future.
Grippi was also up against the top-ranked wrestler in the country in his finals match. Hilton junior Yianni Diakomihalis, who is probably the best pound-for-pound wrestler in the state, became a four-time state champ with a 13-5 major decision over Grippi.
In spite of the loss, Grippi is a strong bet to eventually get to the top of the podium.
It goes both ways, Grippi said. I dont like using it the excuse that, its OK because Im a sophomore and Ill be back next year. Im in the moment now I want to win now. At the same time, its nice knowing that I have 365 more days to train and get back to this spot.
The Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA), governing body of high school sports, is reporting increased demand for National Stadium grandstand tickets from fans of the ISSA-GraceKennedy Boys and Girls" Championships. Colleen Montague, chairperson of the ISSA committee that organises the five-day high school athletics meet, says that orders for grandstand tickets are up by as much as 300 per cent. Montague is also reporting that gate management will improve at this year"s renewal of the meet known widely as "Champs".
In response to a query on ticket sales for the upcoming event, Montague said, "Orders are up by about 300 per cent." Much of the increase is apparently coming from persons who successfully ordered tickets in previous years. "They ordered one last year and they"re ordering 5-10 this year, which we"ll be unable to meet that demand," she related, "so those requests will not be filled because we will simply be going by the numbers we had last year."
The cap on grandstand ticket sales is caused by the number of available seats. Said Montague: "Limited space is our greatest problem, and expansion is impossible at this point."
Opened in 1962 to host the Central American and Caribbean Games, the National Stadium has a grandstand that seats 5,000 patrons.
ISSA"s Champs chairperson said that improvements in gate management are afoot.
"On the Saturday afternoon (last year), we unfortunately had a breakdown because we had ticket holders and non-ticket holders in the same place, so that is something we will avoid this year," she said.
The big event is set for the National Stadium from March 15 to 19.
Education: University of Delaware, B.A., 1984; Seton Hall University, J.D., 1987
Religion: Roman Catholic
Other Facts:While serving as the U.S. attorney for New Jersey, Christie prosecuted over 130 public officials for corruption.
Is a huge fan of Bruce Springsteen and claims to have been to over 100 of his performances.
Timeline:1977 - Volunteers for Republican Tom Kean"s gubernatorial campaign.
1987-2002 - Attorney at the law firm of Dughi and Hewit, later named Dughi, Hewit & Palatucci P.C.
1992 - Co-coordinates President George H.W. Bush"s New Jersey re-election efforts.
1993 - Becomes a partner at Dughi and Hewit.
1995-1997 - Member of the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
1997 - Director of the Freeholder Board.
2002-2008 - U.S. attorney for New Jersey. Earns a reputation for being tough on corruption.
November 3, 2009 - Defeats Democrat Jon Corzine, winning the election for governor.
January 19, 2010-present - Republican Governor of New Jersey.
February 4, 2013 - During an appearance on the "Late Show with David Letterman," Christie pulls a doughnut out of his pocket and begins eating it mid-interview. Christie"s weight has often been commented on in the media and mocked by comedians.
February 6, 2013 - In response to a former White House physician"s comments in a CNN interview the day before that Christie"s weight may cause him to die in office, Christie describes Dr. Connie Mariano as "just another hack who wants five minutes on TV."
May 7, 2013 - Christie reveals to the New York Post that he secretly underwent lap-band surgery for the sake of his wife and kids. A source close to the governor tells CNN that Christie had the procedure on February 16.
November 5, 2013 - Wins re-election.
November 21, 2013 - Becomes 2014 Chairman of the Republican Governors Association.
January 8, 2014 - E-mails emerge from top aides to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie bolstering suggestions that George Washington Bridge lane closures last year that tied up traffic stemmed from a political vendetta and not bureaucratic incompetence as his administration claimed.
March 27, 2014 - A law firm retained by the governor"s office releases a report on the bridge scandal, exonerating Christie.
June 30, 2015 - Formally announces he is running for the Republican presidential nomination during a speech in Livingston, New Jersey.
February 2, 2016 - Announces that he is suspending his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
February 26, 2016 - Endorses Donald Trump for president of the United States.
TM & 2016 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
Former supermodel Cheryl Tiegs says women size 14 or larger are "unhealthy" after plus-size model Ashley Graham appeared on one of three Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2016 covers. "Actually I don"t like it that we"re talking about full-figured women because it"s glamorizing them and your waist should be smaller than 35 [inches]. That"s what Dr. Oz said, and I"m sticking to it," the 68-year-old Tiegs said, though Graham"s waist is listed at 30 inches. "Her face is beautiful. Beautiful. But I don"t think it"s healthy in the long run." Read more at E! News.
Kelly Clarkson returned to "American Idol" Thursday night and brought the audience to tears. The original winner broke down mid-performance, prompting Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez to cry, as she wowed them with recent single "Piece By Piece." The pregnant Clarkson, who"s weeks from her due date, also give the top 10 finalists tips for their singing and props to La"Porsha Renae.
Jimmy Kimmel"s latest installment of celebrity "Mean Tweets" features George Clooney ("that gross ratty old man") and Susan Sarandon ("tired of... having her big fat saggy b***s in my face") reading the worst Twitter criticisms. The special movie edition of the regular late-night feature also features Taraji P. Henson, Christoph Waltz, Jessica Chastain, Kevin Costner, Zach Galifianakis, Kevin Hart, Richard Dreyfuss, Cate Blanchett, Seth Rogen and Oscar Isaac.
Curly Sue can sing? Former child star Alisan Porter auditioned for "The Voice," appearing in a new promo video for season 10 of the singing competition. The 34-year-old actress, who starred in "Curly Sue" and "Parenthood," is now a married mom but she"s ready to return to the spotlight. Her cover of "Blue Bayou" will be on "The Voice" when it returns Monday, Feb. 29 at 8 p.m. on NBC.
And because "Fuller House" is now on Netflix, Carly Rae Jepsen has released her updated version of the theme song in full. Billboard reports writer-producer Butch Walker helped with her cover of "Everywhere You Look," the original theme song for "Full House" by Jesse Frederick. The new series features the original cast as a grown-up DJ, Kimmy and Stephanie live together with kids.
More Buzz: JJ Abrams teases a third "Cloverfield" movie called "G*d Particle" (SlashFilm) Kim Cattrall "shaken" after girl, 16, crashes SUV into front of her house (DM) Listen: Zayn Malik teams with Lil Wayne for "Pillowtalk" remix (Billboard) Louis Tomlinson braces for custody battle with baby mama (NY Daily News) "Penny Dreadful" season 3 trailer makes Showtime series even darker (SF) Jack White to guest-star on "The Muppets" season finale (Rolling Stone) Justin Bieber"s father Jeremy, 41, proposes to girlfriend Chelsey, 28 (DMail) Hear Zedd & Aloe Blacc"s Wonka-worthy "Candyman" remake (Billboard) Emma Watson reveals she signed up for expensive s*x site (Daily News) "The Mist": Spike creating TV series based on Stephen King book (SlashFilm) Travis Barker accuses ex Shanna Moakler of misusing child support $$ (TMZ) Emily Ratajkowski sports bedhead hair & little else in new modeling shots (DM) Don McLean postpones Australia tour after domestic violence charges (BB) Raven-Symon says she"ll move to Canada if Republican wins election (NYDN) Andrew Bird, Fiona Apple duet on love song "Left Handed Kisses" (RStone)
AM Buzz is a weekday morning feature on syracuse.com where we"ll post the latest in viral videos, trending topics, celebrity gossip and entertainment news.
"Spotlight," the 2015 drama about the Boston Globe team that reported onthe clergy s*x abuse cover-up by the Catholic church, could take home several Oscars during this Sundays 88th Annual Academy Awards. The film is nominated for Best Picture, Actor in a Supporting Role,Mark Ruffalo; Actress in a Supporting Role,Rachel McAdams; Directing; Film Editing; and Writing (Original Screenplay).
National Catholic Reporter has run several articles about the film and its impact. Following are links to "Spotlight" content available on NCRonline.org.
Movie review by Sr. Rose Pacatte:"Spotlight" brings Globe"s investigation of clergy s*x abuse to film
Interview with star Brian d"Arcy James:"Spotlight" film educated Catholic actor Brian d"Arcy James
Blog by Voice of the Faithful:With "Spotlight" movie an award contender, Catholic reform movement assesses scandal
NCR"s sister publication Celebration just released a FREE resource guide on Pope Francis" The Face of Mercy. Get it here.
Archbishop, CDF leader says bishops must watch the film:Abuse expert: Bishops must watch "Spotlight," learn reporting is key
Fr. Peter Daly:Watching and Responding to "Spotlight"
Ken Briggs:The Spotlight and NCR
Bill Tammeus:"Spotlight" shows importance of investigative reporting
Kurtz on "Spotlight": Praise for the media
This date in history: 2002
Trailer debuts for "Spotlight" film on Boston Globe s*x abuse investigation
Jennifer Garner Breaks Silence on Ben Affleck Split, Nanny Scandal: Her Most Revealing Quotes
Jennifer Garner says filming Miracles in Heaven in metro Atlanta inspired her to start going to church again.
MORE: Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Winslet all stayed in this Buckhead estate
Image: Good Morning Texas
PAST COVERAGE
Jennifer Garner movie Miracles from Heaven filmed in Covington
Jennifer Garner, Ben Affleck work and play in Atlanta
I grew up going to church every Sunday of my life, the mom of three said during an interview to promote the film on Good Morning Texas. When I did move to L.A. it wasnt something that was just part of the culture there in the same way. It didnt mean that I lost who I was.There was something about doing this film and talking to my kids about it and realizing that they were looking for the structure of church every Sunday. It was a great gift of this film that it took us back to finding our local Methodist church and going every Sunday. Its really sweet.
The movie, due out March 16, is based on a memoir by Christy Beam. Her daughter Annabel was diagnosed with a rare and debilitating intestinal disorder. Following an accidental fall from a tree, Annabel was found to be free from the disorder, a recovery that baffled doctors. Her mother calls it a miracle.
The movie was set in Texas but filmed here. Heres the trailer:
Theres a beautiful line in the movie that really resonates with me: I dont know where my faith is right now," Garner said. Ive struggled with faith and Ive struggled without it and Ill tell you its a whole lot easier with.
Beam said she was immediately impressed at how Garner embraced her memoir at was at peace with being portrayed by the actress.
Be encouraged that there is a bigger plan, Beam said, asked for the message she hopes the movie will send. Its all mapped out and you dont know the ending.
Garner had inspiring words as well:
Joy comes from the smallest things and if you dont see joy in a perfect avocado or a great conversation or in running into a friend or getting a job .. if you dont see joy in a perfectly beautiful tree in the autumn than you are missing your chance at happiness, she said. If you dont find it in the small things and you only wait for big moments than youll just not be be a happy person.
Jennifer Garner portrays Christy Beam in Miracles From Heaven, which was filmed in metro Atlanta. Image: Good Morning Texas
Gianni Infantino es el nuevo presidente de la FIFA
Gianni Infantino pulled off a stunning victory Friday to take over as FIFA president, and called for a fresh start for soccer"s scandal-wracked world body.
"I am convinced a new era is starting," said Infantino, who became a candidate only when a case of financial wrongdoing removed his own boss at Europe"s soccer body UEFA, Michel Platini, and departing FIFA president Sepp Blatter, from the sport.
Infantino promised to meet quickly with World Cup broadcasters and sponsors, saying they "they need to regain trust and confidence in football and in FIFA."
The 45-year-old former lawyer from Switzerland rose to the top job in the world"s favorite sport after a tense, six hour-plus election process to find Blatter"s replacement.
Infantino got 115 of the 207 eligible votes in the second round to earn a decisive majority over Sheikh Salman of Bahrain, who had been the strong favorite entering the election.
He saluted voters by patting his right hand over his heart, and had to compose himself before starting his acceptance speech.
"We will restore the image of FIFA and the respect of FIFA. And everyone in the world will applaud us," Infantino said, referring to bribery and corruption investigations that have rocked the governing body and forced Blatter out of office after more than 17 years as president.
Sheikh Salman received 88 votes in the second round after being the front-runner during much of the four-month campaign. Prince Ali of Jordan had four votes, and Jerome Champagne of France got zero.
In the first round, Infantino took a surprising lead with 88 votes just three more than Sheikh Salman but key to making him look like a winner with valuable momentum. Prince Ali received 27 votes, and Champagne seven.
Infantino, the general secretary of UEFA, is the second straight FIFA president from the Valais region in the Swiss Alps. Infantino is from Brig and replaces the 79-year-old Blatter, who was born in neighboring Visp.
Infantino will be president until May 2019, completing the remainder of Blatter"s term.
Blatter was forced out by the pressure of American and Swiss investigations of corruption that hit FIFA two days before the previous election in May.
"I congratulate Gianni Infantino sincerely and warmly on his election as the new president," Blatter said in a statement. "With his experience, expertise, strategic and diplomatic skills he has all the qualities to continue my work and to stabilize FIFA again."
There were only four candidates on Friday"s ballot after Tokyo Sexwale withdrew during his campaign speech to voters, and all four went forward to the second round.
Not since 1974 has a second-round vote been held in a FIFA presidential election. Then, Joao Havelange of Brazil beat 13-year incumbent Stanley Rous of England 68-52 after an initial 62-56 ballot in Frankfurt, Germany.
Infantino exceeded most observers" expectations after an impressive 15-minute pitch, only 20 minutes before first-round voting began.
The Swiss-Italian spoke in several languages without notes and portrayed himself as a leader for the world, not just his own wealthy confederation.
"We have to get Europe to do much more," Infantino said.
His campaign promised more of key FIFA gifts to member federations: More guaranteed funding from FIFA"s $5 billion-plus World Cup revenue, more places in an expanded 40-team tournament and more opportunities to stage the World Cup with multi-national regional hosting.
Sheikh Salman was expected to lead the first round with backing from Africa and the Asian soccer confederation he has led since 2013.
Still, he had been the most criticized and scrutinized candidate throughout the four-month campaign. The issue of Bahrain"s human rights record was often cited by Gulf activists but had not seemed to seriously trouble voters outside Europe.
Sheikh Salman has strongly denied claims about his role in the Arab Spring protests of 2011 when he was Bahrain"s soccer federation president.
Infantino takes over a wealthy but vulnerable soccer body whose image and confidence has been shattered by escalating scandals.
Blatter was re-elected for a fifth term in May but bowed to pressure four days later and announced he would resign. Blatter was subsequently banned for six years for financial mismanagement and was absent Friday after 40 years as a fixture at FIFA meetings.
Before electing FIFA"s first new president since 1998, 87 percent of the 207 voting federations passed wide-ranging reforms to protect against corruption and curb the powers of its new president.
Those include preventing presidents from serving more than three four-year terms, reducing their powers and guaranteeing more independent oversight for FIFA"s decision-making and spending. The executive committee will be renamed the FIFA Council with more female members while there will be stricter integrity checks will also control top officials.
FIFA and its lawyers hope the reform will help show U.S. prosecutors the soccer body is serious about changing its culture, and protect its status as a victim in the American investigation. A total of 41 people and marketing agencies have been indicted or made guilty pleas, and Blatter is a target.
Still, the new era FIFA hopes for will not easily escape the fallout from Blatter"s scandal-hit leadership.
