Cavs Add Last Piece, Timofey Mozgov from Nuggets; We Pick Him Apart

The Cavaliers' long pursuit of a big man has come to fruition. The trade for Russian-born Denver Nuggets center Timofey Mozgov is something the Cavs have been pursuing since the summer, GM David Griffin confirmed last night. They got him for two first round draft picks, a very high ransom indeed in a market where its become rare to surrender even one. (Notice all the second round picks trading hands.)

Of course both the pick the Cavaliers picked up from Oklahoma City in the Dion Waiters trade and the one they secured in the Memphis trade are a lock to be in the bottom third of the draft, even if the OKC pick could be as high as 19. Its not like theyre surrendering lottery picks, but its still a lot to pay for a soon-to-be backup center. Yet Griffin felt this was the guy they had to have. The price says as much. So, why Mozgov?

Unlike Samuel Dalembert, Mozgov is a solid basketball player. Hes definitely not as good a shot-blocker or rim protector as the recently waived Knicks center, who its worth noting could be had for nothing. Mozgov played for Coach David Blatt on the Russian National team in the 2012 Olympics, and Blatt recommended him to Griffin, who already had the 28-year old big man on his radar.

Most importantly, perhaps: Mozgov is a legitimate space-eater at 7-1, 260 pounds, but he runs the floor and moves like a, well, like a European basketball player. That alone is high praise if we are to listen to Kobe Bryant who bemoaned the lack of fundamentals of AAU-playing U.S. teens. He helps explain his fluidity on the floor, though, clearly, hes just a good athlete who does not mind getting out and running.

We assembled a montage to highlight his skills.

Among the things you can see is that he will run and beat other smaller players down the floor.Last year he averaged 1.44 points per possession in transition, tenth best in the NBA, according to Synergy Sports, and shot 75.9 percent (41-of-54) in those situations.

The other thing you can see is that he knows how to run the pick and roll game. Hes a willing screener and cutter. Coach David Blatt noted as much in the post-game press conference, noting his ability to set multiple screens. This may not seem big, but we have at least two guys who drive to the basket a lot. Having a big body to throw in front of their men whos then able to dive to the hole himself is a valuable thing.

In the Denver Posts post-season breakdown in May they noted that Mozgov would often set a screen and move, receive a pass, move it and set another screen. He was rarely seen standing still. They complimented his feel for when to roll to the hole and when to pop out, as well as when when to return the rock to the ballhandler.

His major weaknesses as they saw it was a lack of lower body strength that forced him into more of a finesse game in the post-up (where he also has a hook shot with his off/left hand) on offense, and easier to back down on defense. They also noted a predilection toward bad passes and other turnovers.

Yet hes cut his turnovers by a third this year and proven to be a pretty good rebounder, grabbing nearly 5 offensive rebounds and 10 defensive rebounds per 48 minutes. For comparison, Tristans numbers are 6.4/7.0, Varejao 4.3/8.0 and Love 2.7/11.2.

On the negative side, Mozgov only shot about 60% around the hoop the past year and a half, putting him in company of such mediocre finishers as Tiago Splitter, Samuel Dalembert, Kris Humphries, Brook Lopez and Omer Asik.

Though hes averaging the same 1.2 blocks he did last year, hes not shown the same rim protection. Last year he was among the (bottom of the) top 20 defenders inside 5 feet amidst names like Omer Asik, Robin Lopez, Taj Gibson and Joachim Noah. (In any case hed be better than a healthy Varejao or Thompson.)

Griffin described it as the last part of the three-way deal that sent Dion Waiters to the Oklahoma City Thunder and secured them the draft choice to send to the Nuggets. That trade filled their need for a perimeter defender (Iman Shumpert), and replaced Waiters bench scoring spark with J.R. Smith, whos excelled in that role as recently as two year ago. Smith also worked out with LeBron during the summers when he was in high school and James was playing for Cleveland, possibly mitigating his knucklehead reputation.

The Nuggets drafted Jusuf Nurkic, aka the Bosnian Beast, at 16th this year and the 6-11, 280 pound center has been scintillating in the past five games, during which hes averaged 12 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.2 blocks and 1.4 steals in 23 minutes/game. So they had reason to deal Mozgov, but as hes signed to a very reasonable contract ($4.65 million this year, $4.95 million next) the Nuggets didnt feel any need to deal him, forcing the Cavaliers hand.

The fact that Mozgov has a decent offensive game and can run the floor are key. LeBrons teams always run, and getting fastbreak points is the easiest way to win ballgames. h**l improve the defense but not to the extent that it needs. Mostly how he fits is by not mucking up the offense the way another big man might, mitigating the gain on defense. He has size, hes apparently coachable, and even at 28, he appears to have some upside. Hes not Brad Daugherty, but under the circumstances h**l have to do.

Overall, Griffin did a pretty amazing job of turning one discontent square peg and a 1st round pick into three rotation players including, in all likelihood, two starters. Its not caviar and champagne, but all the guys they acquired have some toughness about them, which the Cavs could use a little more of.

When everyone finally returns it will also have the domino effect of improving the teams lackluster bench. Mike Miller, Shawn Marion, Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith all players who started last year make a fine bench. Add Joe Harris and Dellavedova to that and youre in pretty good shape. They could probably still use another point or combo guard, and they have an open roster slot after waiving A.J. Price, so well see what happens.

As weve been saying all season, its a process, but at least weve got the right pieces on hand. Now we can see if theyll go together better than what weve seen since Anderson Varejao went down. The team lost to Houston after taking a lead into the fourth quarter. Theyd not lost a game that they had a lead going into the fourth quarter before losing to the 76ers on Monday, so this is two straight games.

However, the efforts been there for both games for about three quarters after which they ran down. It may just be the circumstances of a busy couple days where four of their mates were sent packing. While Alex Kirk, Lou Amundson and A.J. Price were bit players, theyd been here since training camp. Obviously Dion had friends in the locker room as well. (One didnt get the impression at any point or even from his comments that LeBron will miss him, just that he wont enjoy playing against him.)

Given the turmoil and the incipient West Coast road trip, all without LeBron James to fall back on, its perhaps not surprising their play has been so spotty. But there are bits of sunshine. The teams moving the ball better and playing scrappier on D. Last night they played an explosive Rockets team very tight before losing their focus and the lead as the fourth got going.

These reinforcements, added at the cost of one player who didnt fit, will make a difference for the team. When and how much will decide how far this team goes this summer. Consider the next three and a half months rehearsal time for the big show, and as such well try to be forgiving knowing that the real curtain doesnt come up until the end of April when the playoffs start. Whatever the naysayers suggest, thats the only real metric for this team, and as San Antonio showed in the West, seedings arent everything.

The Cavaliers kick off a 5-game West Coast road trip with a game against the NBA's best team, Golden State, on Friday night. Follow the action though my live tweets with video on twitter @CRS_1ne, and read the analysis on Saturday in the Scene blog.

Source: http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2015/01/08/cavs-add-last-piece-timofey-mozgov-from-nuggets-we-pick-him-apart

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American Horror Story: Freak Show: �Magical Thinking�

With only three episodes left in the season, its hard to imagine a satisfying resolution to all the remaining stories of American Horror Story: Freak Show. Introducing more characters at this point doesnt encourage viewers to invest emotionallyor even voyeuristicallyin the stories already established. American Horror Story: Freak Show doesnt need more plotlines. It needs fewer.

But heck, the show was never going to wrap up those stories anyhow, so if Ryan Murphy is going to fritter away the last few episodes (and previous seasons indicate that he will), shoehorning in a Neil Patrick Harris arc is a fine way to fritter.

Or it would be, if it werent so heavy-handed. Just seconds into the episode, Stanley announces with hammy significance that there are two sides to show business. Not surprisinglyfor there are few surprises left in American Horror Story: Freak Showthat becomes the theme of the episode. Two sisters joined together, in their bodies, in their minds, and in their quest for a lover. Two specialists in feats of strength, united to free their jailed comrade. Two police officers beaten to death. Two hands taken, not the one promised. Two women grudgingly allowing an estranged husband to watch their lovemaking. Two madmen longing to saw a woman in half. And, of course, Marjorie and Chester locked in Chesters narrow frame, scheming and battling for supremacy.

In case the doubling isnt enough symbolism, Magical Thinking hammers home the idea of Marjorie as the true personality and Chester as her wooden puppet. Alice objects to him sitting there like a dummy with that puppet. Chester blurts to Marjorie, Stop putting words in my mouth! Paul says Chesters stage makeup makes him look like a wooden soldier from The Nutcracker Suite. Chester, tempted and distraught by their request to deflower them, is calmed only by Dot and Bettes reassurance that you are real, conjuring up Pinocchios desire to become a real boy. Get it? Hes a puppet.

Thats not the end of the over-elaborated narrative. Dells reminiscence of his own youth illuminates his absent fatherhood. He abandoned wife and son not merely as a burden, but as a reminder of his miserable childhood as the black sheep of the famed Toledo lobster-claw clan, an outcast among outcasts. But the scene, ending with Dell tending to Jimmy in the hospital, would have been stronger without his capping line, Im almost 50 years old and Im feeding my son for the first time. The symbolism of the act was clear, even facile. It didnt need to be spoken aloud.

Despite its irrelevance and its overburdened writing, Magical Thinking is laced through with the kind of clever touches that keep me glued to AHS no matter how tangled and unsatisfying its seasonal arcs become. Jamie Brewer is inspired casting for Marjorie. Her voice, so distinctive with its wry mirth, tickled my memory before I placed it, and and the twinkle of her eyes and knowing smile make her a canny choice for a ventriloquists mannequin come to life. She portrays the imagined Marjorie with a balance of menace and matter-of-fact humor that makes the story feel more developed than it is.

Harris carries most of the episode on his shoulders, bringing brightness and depth to a sketched-out part and making the episodes unnecessary departure from the main story a diversion rather than an impediment. As Chester, he moves gracefully from smarmy salesmanship to anxiety to l**t to a childlike yearning, and the agony on his chalky face as he pleads with Marjorie in the big tent is touching.

Chesters longing to be realto be included, to belongis not only an allusion to Pinocchio. It harkens back to Orphans, in which Desiree read The Velveteen Rabbit to Pepper. The performers of Frulein Elsas Cabinet Of Curiosities often reject the banality of the rabbles life, but they also hanker for the inclusion they see as the birthright of the physically normative. (Dandy, Penny, Maggie, and Stanley should be proof enough that genetic ordinariness guarantees nothing, especially not acceptance or love.) But the relative subtlety of the refrain is surprising amid the blaring, blatant excess of the season.

These grace notes notwithstanding, Magical Thinking continues AHSs course as a disjointed collection of incidents rather than a coherent narrative leading to a rewarding end point. The show has enough panache, enough presence and magic and sparkle, that I keep expecting it to deliver something meaningful along with its weekly dose of lurid moments and images.

American Horror Story banks on its standing as an anthology, resetting every year with a stable of gifted actors. But this season is even less substantial than its predecessors. The series resets every season, but AHS: Freak Show feels like it resets every few episodes. Shifting focus, never letting itself unwind a tale or examine a character for more than an hour, introducing and discarding romances and alliances w***y-nilly, killing off characters as soon as their inner self is revealed, this season of AHS: Freak Show never allows anything or anyone to become important or resonant.

Stray observations:

• In Chesters mind, Marjorie speaks with Jamie Brewers voice, but its not clear what Chesters audience hears or what we, the television audience, are to infer. Does Chester provide her voice? Does he stand by, mute, as onlookers puzzle over his silence?
• After all those allusions to Pinocchio, wooden soldiers, and ventriloquists dummies, I cant be the only one who braced for a joke about (ahem) wood when the twins reached for Chesters groin.
• Stanley pretends his plan to sell Jimmys hands is a sudden inspiration, then whips out the emetic necessary to speed it along and ushers in a decoy ambulance attendant. Even Jimmy doesnt seem fool enough to fall for that.
• Emilys speculation corner, with all the potential spoilers that implies: Tonights next week on AHS reveals the return of Danny Huston, which suggests the easiest path to tie up several story lines. He crafted Elsas wooden legs, making him her Geppeto. He will no doubt be pressed into service to create prosthetic hands for Jimmy Darling. And unless Im mistaken, hes the voice of Dandys unseen psychiatrist, so lets hope theres a confrontation coming between our two saw-happy gentlemen and Dr. Feinblum.

Source: http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/american-horror-story-freak-show-magical-thinking-213537

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Jameis Winston still facing legal crosshairs as he preps for NFL Draft

Jameis Winston's amicable divorce from FSU is official.

He's set to enter the NFL Draft, committed to chasing millions instead of staying in school and pursuing a redemption run after the Rose Bowl fiasco.

It's a free choice deal. His call. As a likely Top 5 pick, Winston is making the right one.

But legally, he has issues. Inescapable ones.

The woman who accused Winston of rape has filed a federal civil lawsuit against FSU trustees. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Orlando on Wednesday, argues that FSU violated the woman's Title IX rights by refusing to investigate the incident properly. The alleged victim is seeking an unspecified amount of damages.

But there's another legal crosshair for Winston that's more personal. A civil suit against him looms. And unlike the school's recent code of conduct hearing when Winston read a prepared statement and offered minimal testimony his silence during a civil suit will offer no legal privileges.

"In a criminal case silence cannot be used against a person," said Nancy Hogshead-Makar, a prominent advocate for women in sport. "In a civil case, that's not true. You can be silent but that can be used against you."

In other words, Winston might have some explaining to do.

Hogshead-Makar has been working as a consultant with the legal team of the alleged victim in the case. It's both a personal and professional cause for Hogshead-Makar, a rape survivor who was attacked on campus in Duke during her sophomore year in college.

Nearly 34 years later, her convictions comes with a price. Not surprisingly, she's been torched on Facebook and Twitter. It's the usual juvenile dynamic: If you bring up anything "negative," you must be a "hater."

Maybe you're just trying to get to the truth. Maybe like a lot of other objective voices, you see the procedural flaws in the police investigation. Maybe you're concerned, just like prosecutor William Meggs, that there were a number of shortcomings in the police investigation that factored into his decision not to press criminal charges. Here's a bit of logic for the pom-pom wavers:

"There's nothing wrong with holding the idea that FSU is a great academic institution that has developed a great football program and think the way the Jameis Winston case has not been investigated by the school and police is problematic," Hogshead-Makar said. "You can hold those thoughts at the same time."

But no, the Us vs. Them shtick continues. The federal and civil suits will add a few incendiary pieces to the fire. "s**t shaming," as she appropriately calls it.

It can work the other way, as Winston found out at the Rose Bowl as several Oregon players taunted him with a "no means no" tomahawk-chop chant.

Hogshead-Makar didn't have a problem with that, even as others called for apologies from the players. "They were using something that would be embarrassing to him but nonetheless sending a positive message," she said.

Whether you love or despise Winston, this much is true:

The rape allegations are part of his permanent record. Will personal conduct perceptions factor into a potential drop in the draft? It's happened before, once infamously to former UM standout Warren Sapp.

Considered a top-five selection in 1995, Sapp dropped to No. 12 (Tampa Bay) after reports indicated he had tested positive for cocaine and marijuana.

Sapp has called it "the biggest lie ever told."

Perhaps it's impossible given the he-said, she-said dynamics of a rape allegation, but the truth would certainly eliminate the lies and misconceptions in Winston's case.

This may be a good thing or a bad thing for him.

But this much we know: Jameis Winston is out at FSU.

But Game Over?

No. Far from it.

In many ways, it's just beginning.

gdiaz@tribune.com Read George Diaz's blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/enfuego

Copyright 2015, Orlando Sentinel

Source: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/florida-state-seminoles/os-fsu-jameis-winston-george-diaz-0108-20150107-column.html

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Dana White: Jon Jones 'had the right to fight' regardless of positive test

Updated JAN 07, 2015 8:56p ET

Reverberations continued Wednesday from news that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones tested positive for a substance found in cocaine, as UFC president Dana White made his first public appearance since a statement released just after the athlete was admitted into a recovery center for treatment.

Jones' positive test for metabolites found in cocaine came as a result of a pre-fight screening done by the Nevada State Athletic Commission that was administered on Dec. 4. The results were returned Dec. 23, and the UFC was notified of the positive test.

"I was shocked obviously and it's one of those situations where it's so different than if a guy gets busted for performance enhancing drugs. You worry about the person first," White said during an appearance on "America's Pregame." "You forget about the fighting, the work side of it, and you worry about the person. Jon Jones is a person.

"So he got checked into rehab, they're going to evaluate him and then we'll go from there."

White confirmed that the promotion was informed about the test just after the results were returned to the Nevada State Athletic Commission from a testing facility in Salt Lake City, Utah.

He was evaluated by doctors. If you look at how shocked everybody was by this, nothing you saw in Jon Jones leading up to that fight would make you think that he used drugs

The test conducted by the commission was actually supposed to just check for performance enhancing drugs, but through what Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Bob Bennett called an "administrative oversight,"the additional testing was requested for drugs of abuse -- including cocaine.

Because cocaine is not a drug that's deemed illegal out-of-competition by the World Anti-Doping Agency, the commission was unable to punish Jones for the infraction under the strictest letter of the law. The information was then turned over to the UFC, which then allowed Jones to continue with his training camp and preparation for the Jan. 3 bout with Daniel Cormier.

"So what happens is, they do these tests leading up to a fight, these random drug tests, and he tested positive. (The fight was allowed to go on) because, No. 1, he was healthy. No. 2, the reason you would stop the fight and drop the hammer on a guy is if he tested for performance enhancing drugs," White explained.

"He was evaluated by doctors. If you look at how shocked everybody was by this, nothing you saw in Jon Jones leading up to that fight would make you think that he used drugs."

White also said that because Jones had a contract to fight and by commission standards he did nothing wrong by using cocaine four weeks out from his bout against Cormier at UFC 182, the UFC's hands were tied in terms of pulling him. The UFC does hold broad powers under the athlete code-of-conduct policy that would have allowed them to stop Jones from competing, but it doesn't appear the promotion wanted to exercise that option.

"Jon Jones was contracted to fight. We have a contract with him. Everybody thinks we can just say, 'Hey, the fight's off, fight's not happening,'" White said. "d**n right he had the right to fight."

Jones defeated Cormier by unanimous decision in a fight that will likely stand as one of the UFC's biggest and most lucrative cards in 2015. Three days later, the UFC's reigning and defending light heavyweight champion checked into rehab, where he'll stay until his course of treatment is determined.

White did get a chance to speak with Jones briefly before he checked into the facility, and he hopes to speak with him again in the coming days.

"I talked to him yesterday before he went in. He was in a good place going in there. I'm sure he's in an even better place today," White said.

The fight was allowed to happen regardless of the test results, but there remains a question about the potential punishment that could rain down on Jones for abusing cocaine while under UFC contract. The policy that allows the UFC to suspend athletes for infractions is similar to the NFL, where anything deemed detrimental to the league or the league's image could result in a penalty.

It seems as of now, Jones' only punishment will remain the black eye he received in the public spotlight for testing positive in the first place, although the UFC reserves the right to enact a penalty under the code-of-conduct policy at some point in the future.

"In a situation like this, the last thing you worry about is his image right now. You worry about getting the guy healthy and he'll come back and whether you like him or you don't like him, he's the baddest dude in the world. What's even crazier, you do these tests to look for performance enhancing drugs -- the stuff he was doing hurts you, it doesn't help you in any way," White said.

"We're worried about Jon Jones, the human being, the person. We're not worried about the image of the sport or any of that right now."

Source: http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/story/jon-jones-tested-positive-for-cocaine-dana-white-says-he-still-had-the-right-to-fight-010715

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Jimmy Fallon Just Found Out He Blew A Chance To Date Nicole Kidman

Before Tom had to reportedly audition ladies for the part, Cher was his main squeeze. Back in the mid '80s and before he became a huge star, the two were going strong. "He was so wonderful. And I was so crazy about him," said the iconic singer in 2008. "And he was so, like, different. He was a shy boy. He didn't have any money."

Helen Hunt and Matthew Broderick gave love a shot in 1987 and although happily every after wasn't in the cards for the pair, the couple did forge a lifelong friendship. Hunt and Broderick are even comfortable enough with their relationship that they filmed a s*x scene together for 2008's "Then She Found Me."

Back in 2008, Jacko was rumored to be dating "Baywatch" bombshell Pamela Anderson. "It was all arranged by their people in total secrecy, very cloak and dagger," a source told the Mirror back in the day. "They are such a strange couple but they seemed to really hit it off."

Though by now Wood is married to British actor Jamie Bell and is expecting their first child, we cannot forget her wild streak: the actress was once engaged to shock rocker Marilyn Manson.

Legend Frank Sinatra wed iconic actress Mia Farrow in 1966, despite a three decade age difference. But that age difference is also what tore them apart, after 16 months as husband and wife.

Before Brad Pitt and even before Billy Bob Thornton came Jonny Lee Miller, Angie's first husband. The two actors married in 1996, separated in 1997, and divorced in 1999, but are to this day good friends. Some pesky rumors recently hinted maybe a little too good, even.

In 1991, Roberts broke off her engagement to Sutherland after more than a year together. The wedding cake was ready to go and so were the bridesmaids dresses, but rumors of the actor's infidelity (with a go-go girl, no less) sent Roberts flying into another man's arms.

They made us swoon in "The Notebook" and swoon even harder when they took their love off-screen. These two Hollywood hotties dated from 2004 to 2007, then rekindled their romance a bit in 2008.

Lovett and Roberts were married for almost two years back when she was America's sweetheart, nearly two decades ago. The 27-year-old actress fell hard for the 37-year-old country crooner and they were married just three weeks after they met.

Not much is known about their relationship, but somewhere in the late '80s, Shields and Cage dated for about a year.

Winona Ryder and Jimmy Fallon were reportedly linked in 2002, though she denied a relationship in W magazine that same year: "I do date once in a while, and I've gone out with wonderful people in the past. Although not with Jimmy Fallon, who everyone thinks is my boyfriend. We're just great friends."

In 2007, then 21-year-old Olsen was spotted making out with Armstrong, 15 years her senior, at Rose Bar in New York. Yeah, we don't really get it either.

Roger Ebert and Oprah went on two dates way back when the two were just starting out in Chicago -- and Ebert counts himself as her mentor. "Yes, it is true, I persuaded Oprah to become the most successful and famous woman in the world," Ebert wrote in 2005.

What's even more bizarre than Oprah and Roger Ebert? Oprah and musician/television host John Tesh. Tesh allegedly left Oprah broken-hearted in the 1970s when he bolted in the middle of the night from the apartment they shared in Nashville, Tenn.

How did we miss this? Gary Oldman and Uma Thurman were married from 1990 to 1992.

George Clooney may be the ultimate bachelor, but he did get married, just once, to actress Talia Balsam. (Balsam is now married to John Slattery of "Mad Men"). "I was married, so I gave it a shot," Clooney told Piers Morgan in 2011. "I've proven how good I was at it, and I just...I'm allowed one."

Before Blake, before Scarlett, there was Alanis: Reynolds dated fellow Canadian Morissette from 2002 until 2007, when they called off their engagement. Morissette later admitted that her album "Flavors of Entanglement" was about their breakup.

These two funny people dated when he was a writer for "Saturday Night Live" and she was working as a comedian in Los Angeles. "He was really smart, really funny and he thought I was funny, but found we were better as friends," Kudrow said of their brief romance.

Before his two-year relationship with Kate Moss, Johnny Depp briefly dated Ellen Barkin in 1994.

The "Friends" star and "Batman" actor dated from 1989 to 1995.

The hunky heartthrob and funny girl were together from 2002 to 2003. "I had two of the greatest girlfriends of all time. I haven't met anybody who could top them," Gosling told Us Weeklyin 2011 (about Bullock and Rachel McAdams, whom he dated afterward). We wonder what current amour Eva Mendes might have to say about that?

These two Hollywood staples were briefly linked in 1991 -- eight years before they starred together in 1999's "Never Been Kissed."

In 2001, the Canadian comedian filed for divorce less than six months after marrying the then 26-year-old Barrymore, saying: "Drew is a wonderful woman, I love her very much. I wish our marriage could have worked out, I wish her much happiness."

By his own admission, Robert Downey Jr. was less than a model boyfriend to Sarah Jessica Parker, whom he dated from 1984 to 1991. "I liked to drink, and I had a drug problem, and that didn't jibe with Sarah Jessica, because it is the furthest thing from what she is," Downey Jr. said of their relationship.

According to Moby, his fling with Portman caused a lot of nerd wrath. "You don't date Luke Skywalker's mom and not have them hate your guts," he said about their romance.

Long before Ashton Kutcher married and divorced Demi Moore and January Jones gave to her baby boy (whose father she refuses to reveal), these two gave it a go in the romance department.

The romance between the Smashing Pumpkins frontman and reality star came out of nowhere, and left just as quickly as it arrived.

The couple broke up in 2002, but there were no hard feelings. "I love Owen. He's so talented, and a great, great person," Crow said about the actor the same year.

Keaton dated her "Godfather" co-star Al Pacino in the '80s; the relationship dissolved after Keaton pushed a marriage ultimatum on Pacino. She told People: "He's charming, hilarious, a nonstop talker. There was an aspect of him that was like a lost orphan, like this kind of crazy idiot savant. And oh, gorgeous! I was mad for him. I worked hard on that one."

Ah, live television. The "Hunger Games" star and Hudgens shared an awkward moment on an Australian morning show when an interviewer asked the pair how long they had been going out. "We're not," Hutcherson said. "We were at one point, but she broke my heart. No, I'm just kidding. That was a while ago. We're really good friends now."

The unlikely couple had an on-again, off-again relationship from 1999-2006.

Jennifer Love Hewitt and Joey Lawrence were a match made in teen icon heaven from 1995 - 1996.

Scott Baio and Pamela Anderson called each other sweetheart in the late '80s and early '90s.

Emilio Estevez and Demi Moore were romantically tangled from 1985 - 1987. After starring in 1985's "St. Elmo's Fire," the pair became engaged but never made it to the church.

Nowadays, it's hard to imagine that one of the most high-profile couples in the '90s was tennis star Andre Agassi and actress Brooke Shields. The couple dated for six years before marrying in 1999; they divorced just two years later.

The telegenic "There's Something About Mary" co-stars dated for three years before splitting in 1998 -- the same year the hit comedy hit the big screen.

It's strange to think of now, but Vergara was once more commonly referred to as Iglesias' ex before hitting it big with the ABC sitcom "Modern Family."

It seems like ages ago, but Kunis split from rumored fiance Culkin only in September 2011. They began dating in 2002.

LaBeouf and Duff, who just gave birth to her first child, went on an epically bad date -- according to LaBeouf himself. "Probably the worst date either of us have ever had," the "Transformers" star told Details of their failed connection.

It's crazy to think about now, but Lohan and Carter were once a hot item, albeit not without some controversy. Carter had previously been dating that other teen star Hilary Duff, and cheated on her with LiLo.

After meeting on the set of 2009's "Paper Man," Stone and Culkin were rumored to be dating . Stone is now currently dating "Spiderman" co-star Andrew Garfield.

Johan Stamos and Marlee Matlin reportedly dated in 1989 -- but romantic or platonic, the pair remain good friends and at least carry on a Twitter relationship.

Seal sure has a thing for telegenic supermodels! Seal and Tyra confirmed their budding romance when they stepped out to the Essence Awards in 1996, but broke up shortly thereafter.

You better believe it: In 1992, Danson was apparently so smitten with Goldberg during the filming of "Made in America" that it led to a divorce with his then wife-of-16-years, Casey, the next year. "I'd walk in Whoopi's shadow for the rest of my life--I adore the woman," Danson said about Goldberg.

John Lennon's son and Sobieski were spotted canoodling during a Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction in 2004, when the former teen star was just 20 years old.

These teen stars were linked twice: first, in 2006 (pictured, strolling in New York); and in 2008, shortly before co-starring in "Brothers." Gyllenhaal and Portman remain pals -- the latter offered a friendly roast of Portman in January 2011, when he said: "She is elegant, graceful, has amazing eyebrows ... is talented, really short, funny, smart, dedicated, incredibly kind."

Cutest -- and weirdest -- double date ever? Carson Daly/Tara Reid and Katie Holmes/Chris Klein are the epitome of the '90s here.

Before Blake, before Scarlett, before Alanis, Reynolds dated yet another famous face: Kristen Johnston, of "Third Rock from the Sun" fame (pictured together here, in 1999).

Bell and Morrison both attended New York University, where they "dated very briefly." Also, Bell calls the "Glee" star "Matty." Everybody say awww.

This unlikely couple dated for three years in the '90s after co-starring in "The People vs. Larry Flynt" together, and was even rumored to be engaged. Years later, in 2010, Love would blast Norton on Twitter over an alleged $300,000 she says the actor owed her.

Before she got together with Yankees star Derek Jeter, Kelly dated the "Clueless" actor for a year, from 2004-2005.

Before Nickelback's frontman (but after Sum 41's), the Canadian songstress dated reality TV hunk Jenner, also known as Kim Kardashian's half-brother. The two reportedly broke up a year ago because Lavigne wasn't ready to settle down.

A pre-fame Brad Pitt dated Givens in 1989, in the midst of a nasty breakup with ex-husband Mike Tyson. In Jan. 2013 Tyson stopped by HuffPost Live and recounted the story of catching the two in a compromising position: "They pulled up in her car, I knew it was her car because I paid for it. She pulled over and I see this little grayish silhouette in the passenger seat. So I'm thinking it's one of her white girlfriends from that whack show the 'Head of the Class.' And as they get closer, I know it's not a white girl from 'Head of the Class,' it's some white guy that she's probably giving head to."

The Brad strikes again: This time, with the "Married with Children" actress in 1988.

Hollywood's sweetheart and the Australian heartthrob enjoyed a jet-setting romance from 1999-2001, to much controversy: Ryan was still married to actor Dennis Quaid when the future lovebirds met on set of "Proof of Life. "Dennis was not faithful to me for a very long time, and that was very painful," Ryan told InStyle. "I found out more about that after I was divorced ... Russell didn't break up the marriage."

Cher was involved with the Bon Jovi guitarist for two years in the early '90s. We bet the glamour-hair contests were awesome.

The "X Factor" judge and '80s pop star were once a power couple in the U.K. Even more surprisingly, Sinitta also dated Brad Pitt in the late '80s.

There are a lot of crazy rumors surrounding this unlikely pair, among them that Madonna desperately wanted to be impregnated by the former basketball star in the early '90s.

Not only did Sheen's relationship with then-fiance Preston end tumultuously, it ended with a bang -- when Preston was accidentally shot with Sheen's gun, in 1990. "There's a beautiful person in there. He really is a great man," Preston would say about her former boyfriend nearly two decades later.

Remember Bennifer? Ben Affleck was with another Jennifer before now-wife Jennifer Garner; the couple dated for 18 months and even got engaged, but split in 2004.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/07/jimmy-fallon-nicole-kidman_n_6428986.html

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'Agent Carter' Series Premiere Recap: Peggy Does Howard Stark's Dirty Work

Treat Her Like a Lady

It's 1946, and World War II is over. Like many woman, Peggy Carter finds herself booted from a world in which she was both capable and valued to one where she is expected to look cute and get married. This does not sit well with her. She's now an agent with the SSR (though she tells her roommate Colleen that she works for the phone company), where she endures Reddit-level misogyny with minimal ability to fight back while maintaining her job. This is the woman who has \"Helped destroy a n**i death cult\" on her resume, so imagine what slackers like female pilots and undercover spies have to deal with.

Luckily, Peggy's old friend Howard Stark is as much of an irresponsible mess as his future son will be. Just for kicks, he made a formula so dangerous that he wouldn't even sell it to his friends. Naturally, someone stole it and he is now being framed for treason. It's hard for Peggy to be appropriately annoyed when Howard is the only person recognizing her considerable skills, so she agrees to help. Howard introduces her to Jarvis the Person, his butler. If a cup of Earl Grey tea could come to life, it would be almost as British as Jarvis.

If You've Never Watched Alias, Sorry for the References (and Your Viewing Habits)

One of the great things about Peggy (and it's a long list of things) is that she purposefully lets her coworkers underestimate her so that she can get more information out of them. Her coworkers, by the way, are thus far exactly what you'd expect them to be. There's average-sexist-with-below-average-intelligence Ray Krzeminski. There's above-average-sexist Jack Thomas, played by Chad Michael \"inexplicably in every WB show from my adolescence\" Murray. There's her boss, Roger Dooley, who doesn't have too many defining characteristics yet. And there's Daniel Sousa. Sousa was seriously injured in the war and now has a crippled leg, meaning he doesn't get the respect he deserves either and thus is more empathetic towards Peggy. It would seem that being a woman in the '40s is at least as debilitating as having your leg blow off.

It's hardly any wonder that Peggy needs an escape. She knows that a man named Spider Raymond bought Stark's formula from whoever stole it, so she visits his nightclub in full Alias regalia. Sydney Bristow issue blonde wig, Sydney Bristow issue drugged lipstick, Sydney Bristow issue safe cracker, the works. The only difference is that somehow Peggy's dress is less dated than the outfits Sydney wore in the early 2000s.

All in a Night's Work

Peggy flirts her way into Spider's office, but her beauty is too overwhelming and he kisses her drugged lipstick before she can get any answers out of him. She does find an ominously glowing ball in his office safe, though, which means that someone has already begun turning Howard's formula into reality. Jarvis lets her know that this is a very dangerous reality, as the glowing ball is actually filled with doom and will implode if not deactivated with common kitchen ingredients.

Peggy barely gets out of the nightclub without her coworkers seeing her, as they've also arrived to question Spider. This proves difficult for them, since Spider has since been killed by a mysterious man in a green suit and Peggy introduced his bodyguard's face to a stapler. But get out she does and arrives back at her apartment to say hello to Colleen before heading to her bathroom to deactivate the radioactive weapon in her purse. She is everything that I aspire to be in life.

Unfortunately, while Peggy was saving her entire block from imploding, Green Suit finds the apartment and kills Colleen. He and Peggy fight, since she is the real target, and she sees that he has a scar on his throat. She throws him out her window, but he is either very good at landing on his feet or immortal because he gets away fairly unscathed. Peggy sits by her dead friend and weeps.

This is one of my favorite things about Agent Carter. The show doesn't compromise Peggy's femininity in order to make her appear strong. \"Strong female characters\" are often shown as strong by removing anything considered feminine, which is a whole different kind of wrong. But Peggy shows emotion, saves the world with kitchen supplies, always looks her best and none of this makes her less tough or capable.

Typewriters, Now with Wi-Fi Capacity

Sobbing aside, Peggy doesn't have much time for mourning. She and Jarvis meet with Dr. Vanko, an associate of Howard's who helps them figure out where the glowing ball of death was made. He also lets them know that the ball gave off Vita-Rays, one of the components that went into making Steve Rodgers Captain America. Peggy gets a Vita-Ray detector from Steve's files, allowing herself a brief period of purely missing him before getting back to business. Even through the TV screen, it hurts.

The only feasible production place is Red Hook Refinery, so Peggy and Jarvis head there in the dead of night. This is difficult for Jarvis because his nighttime routine is more warm milk and cookies than espionage and danger, but he's a butler and therefore has no free will. In her wartime a*s-kicking outfit, Peggy infiltrates the refinery by climbing an electric fence. It's like Marvel said, \"Hey, remember how we've never made anything centering on a female character before? We're giving this one the badassery of three billion dollar grossing franchises.\" Possible overcompensation, but I do not care at all.

Inside the refinery, Peggy finds several scientists working with an additional glowing ball. We later find out that their names are Leet Brannis and Miles Van Ert. Peggy knocks Van Ert out and chases Brannis to a milk truck that is entirely filled with glowing orbs of destruction. He too has a scar on his throat. He's had his voice box removed and can only talk with the aid of a device held up to his neck. He's pretty helpful for an evil guy; he says that he knows Green Suit but doesn't like him, and mentions the name Leviathan. The audience already knows about this name because Green Suit gets a message about it through a typewriter that apparently has e-mail capabilities.

Brannis' helpfulness ends there, though, because he activates one of the orbs and drives off with the rest, leaving Peggy only seconds to get away from the refinery. She tells Jarvis to floor the getaway car, which in the '40s means going about 55mph. The car is damaged, but they get away, and the refinery is crushed into nothing via special effects.

Race to the Finish

Normal life goes on, even when you spend your nights outrunning fiery death. Peggy's daytime life involves threatening to kill a rude man with a fork and befriending Angie, the waitress he formerly harassed. But after Colleen and Steve's deaths, Peggy is reluctant to get close to people, a very strong desire that will be gone by the end of this episode's character arc. Since that's a good 40 minutes away, Peggy turns Angie down when she suggests Peggy move into her women-only boarding house. Also, Howard offers to let Peggy stay at his mansion. It's not a hard choice.

From here on out, there are three major groups competing for information in the doom-filled orbs, which are really nitramene bombs. First, there's Peggy and Jarvis, who has gotten a taste for the \"up past 9pm\" lifestyle. Aside from an ominous and completely unsurprising call to Howard about Peggy, he is very much on her side and willing to help. Second, the rest of Peggy's SSR office is trying to find out how an entire refinery ended up as a scrap heap. They also keep hearing of a woman beating them to every clue and are now looking for her as well. Third, we have Green Suit and his magical typewriter.

Both the SSR fraternity and Peggy meet with Mr. Roxxen, who owned the refinery and is convinced that Howard is behind its destruction. He's as gross as 90% of the other males on this show. Pi Sigma SSR are going to scan all of the company's employees for Vita-Rays, and Peggy helps by scanning the one woman who works there. She sees Van Ert and takes him down when he tries to run, which upsets Thomas to the core of his insecure manhood.

What is Leviathan?

One way or another, be it through undercover work, police brutality or straight-up killing, all three teams are pointed to Sheldon McFee. He has the milk truck containing the bombs. Peggy and eternal chauffeur Jarvis get there first, and what follows is my favorite segment of either episode. Throughout \"Bridge and Tunnel,\" a radio show has been playing featuring Captain America heroically rescuing a helpless and oft-kidnapped \"Betty Carver.\" It plays in the background while the real Peggy beats Sheldon into a pulp. Take that, misogynistic re-write of history!

With some unwanted help from Jarvis, Peggy catches Brannis trying to steal the truck of bombs. He appears to be a free agent now and seems willing to talk if he gets protection from the SSR. He also mentions Leviathan, calling it a \"what\" instead of a \"who.\"

Naturally, Green Suit chooses this moment to mess everything up with his existence. He and Peggy get into a fight on top of the truck while Jarvis tries desperately to keep the bombs from detonating. It's a useless endeavor, and they're forced to drive the truck into a lake and jump out before it hits the water. Jarvis and Peggy are only minimally injured, but Brannis is dying. Since his speech device is broken, he can't say anything about Leviathan, but he draws what looks like a heart with a line through it in the sand before he dies. Peggy and Jarvis flee before the SSR bros arrive, leaving them to wonder what woman is constantly foiling them and how an entire lake has suddenly dried up.

Say Goodbye to Your Issues

The premiere is nearly finished, but there is just enough time left for some character development. Jarvis tells Peggy that even Steve needed her to support him, so she must allow people to support her as well. He awkwardly strokes her leg as he says this, which makes me wonder if his much talked about wife is real or a weird British guy hallucination. I think his feelings for her are platonic, but that would be a h**l of a twist.

Since this heart to heart has solved Peggy's emotional issues, she decides to move into Angie's boarding house. Miriam, the woman who runs it, seems to think \"ladies boarding house\" means \"adult daycare,\" but it's not like this person is going to stop Peggy from doing whatever she wants. A 10pm curfew can only encourage her. Though she may want the extra sleep, because SSR finds the license plate from the car Jarvis drove among the ruins of the refinery.

Thus ends the long-awaited premiere of Marvel's first female-centered production. It could stand to have a few characters fleshed out more, as I'm sure will happen over the course of the miniseries. Minor faults aside, I am already counting the minutes until next Tuesday.

airs Tuesdays at 9pm on ABC.

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Source: http://www.buddytv.com/articles/marvels-agent-carter/agent-carter-series-premiere-r-55397.aspx

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Dish Networks and Sling TV Could Finally Kill Cable

LAS VEGASWe're going through a big change in how we consume television. It arguably started back when the first home VCRs (ask your parents, kids) came out, but it really got rolling when Netflix started offering content streamed directly over the Internet. Instead of physical media, just click and you can start watching your favorite show or movie. Since then, streaming has exploded into a huge field that includes other heavyweights like Hulu and Amazon.

However, live television remains a strong part of home entertainment, and while streaming services have proven invaluable, there's still a strong desire to watch things as they happen. Dish has introduced what could be the final piece of the streaming service puzzle in Sling TV, and it could finally kill conventional television service.

Sling TV is a subscription service that provides access to live feeds and on-demand libraries of several cable channels, including ESPN, TBS, and Cartoon Network. You load the service on your computer or smartphone just like Netflix or Hulu, select the channel you want to watch, and you start watching. It's satellite service without the satellite dish, or cable without the cable box.

Services like Netflix and Hulu Plus have been steadily digging into live television viewership, thanks to the convenience and affordability they offer compared with cable and satellite subscriptions. However, they've almost always presented some form of lag between when a show or event is broadcast and when it shows up on the service. It might be the day after, like a prime-time television episode on Hulu, or it might be agonizing months, like entire seasons on Netflix. Users are often willing to wait those periods, but the allure of live television and staying up to date on shows remains strong. Sling TV throws that allure out of the window. And Dish knows it.

Enter Sling TVExit Cable?Dish was up-front during its press conference announcing Sling Television on its target audience, intent, and concept. Sling Television is for millennials, younger and more tech-savvy users who grew up through the information revolution and have stood at the forefront of streaming media adoption. People who would much rather spend $20 per month for Netflix and Hulu subscriptions than four times that for cable, and who have become so accustomed to the flexible nature of streaming content that watching everything at the same time as everyone else isn't a huge factor. That focus on millennials means Dish could be very quickly and very thoroughly eating cable providers and even its own satellite service's lunches.

Sling TV is designed to fill a specific hole left by other streaming services. Well, it's less a hole and more a transforming robot animal shape among other transforming robot animals. Choose your generation and giant robot, but Sling Television is set to combine with Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, and other streaming services to become the Voltron, Megazord, or Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann of television watching. It's the armored chestpiece to the other services' limbs.

For prime-time network television, Hulu grants day-after access to most new episodes. For binge-watching shows and movies, Netflix offers a huge back catalog. And now for live-viewing content, Sling Television grants access to live programming for a handful of popular channels. It isn't nearly the full selection of cable or satellite channels available, but it doesn't have to be. It only has to be the most appealing ones, with a price that's scaled down to reflect the smaller selection.

When you have Netflix and Hulu for about $20 per month, spending several times that for subscription television isn't very appealing. You already have lots of content available, much of it up-to-date, so why spend so much more for the few other things you watch? Cut that price down and offer a smaller selection of live channels, though, and you have an easy argument for an "add-on" that merely doubles rather than quadruples your monthly media bill.

That puts watching shows as they're broadcast into a much more appealing form to a generation that doesn't prioritize it nearly as much. It offers users something to watch spontaneously, live, without the active decision to watch something specific. I like sports, I'll see what's on ESPN. I like cartoons, I'll see what's on Cartoon Network. It's a more laid back experience than the conscious selection of Netflix and Hulu, and it provides access to content that isn't quite as easy to find in on-demand streaming form.

Many Obstacles RemainThis doesn't mean Sling TV is guaranteed to succeed. The $20 monthly price tag and $5 add-on packages are much more appealing than cable and satellite subscriptions, but the selection remains a bit light and a few names are notably missing. Comedy Central and FX are significant omissions for any service looking to appeal to millennials, even if a great deal of the content from those channels are available on Netflix and Hulu. If the owners of those channels decide to keep access limited to conventional television services, it presents a hurdle for Sling Television's growth.

Aereo offered access to an over-the-air tuner and DVR service for users in certain regions, but it was brought down by legal battles. NimbleTV goes with a cable-based live television service accessible to users through the Internet, but it's limited to certain regions for local programming and its price structure is more in line with full cable and satellite subscriptions. Sling TV has the backing of Dish behind it, so both the legal and logistical questions pose much less of a problem. It's a much bigger name and much bigger organization already, with major in-roads with networks. That size and scope is shaping up to be exactly what streaming media services needed to not just dig into cable and satellite television, but potentially deal a mortal wound to it.

We'll have to see how widely Sling TV is adopted, and how much it can expand its channel selection. Still, a national service under Dish's brand name that offers live cable channels for $20 a month? Mix it with Netflix and Hulu, and you have a media potion that could prove irresistible to a very big, very important demographic.

Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2474678,00.asp

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