Online Pretty News

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Patrick Willis: 'I am here to do the work that my father sent me to do!'

Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle

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Linebacker Patrick Willis, (52) talks with the news media as the San Francisco 49ers' veteran players reported to training camp today to prepare for the 2014 season at their practice facility in Santa Clara, Calif., as seen on Wednesday July 23, 2014.

Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis (52) warms up before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis (52) breaks up a pass meant for Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez (88) in the 2nd quarter of Monday night's game on Dec. 23, 2013 in San Francisco, Calif.

Photo: Beck Diefenbach, For The Chronicle

ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 07: Patrick Willis #52 of the San Francisco 49ers intercepts a pass intended for Jason Witten #82 of the Dallas Cowboys in the first half at AT&T Stadium on September 7, 2014 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Photo: Christian Petersen, Getty Images

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis warms up before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014.

Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press

Patrick Willis: 'I am here to do the work that my father sent me to do!

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Niners linebacker Patrick Willis penned what could be viewed as a retirement message on his social-media accounts Monday night.

One notable part of his post: Willis, 30, didnt mention football.

Today is my Future, Past, and Present all in one, he wrote, in part. ... It's bigger than me, it always has been and it always will be ... I thank you guys for everything, it has been an absolute pleasure.

Willis post included references to 11 Bible scriptures, which have been a staple of his recent social-media messages. Among them was Proverbs 19:21, which seemed appropriate given his reported decision to end an eight-year career that included seven Pro Bowl berth and five first-team All-Pro honors: Many are the plans in a persons heart, but it is the Lords purpose that prevails.

Willis is retiring partly because surgery didnt completely correct a chronic toe issue that limited him to six games last year, but also because he wants to spend his time working with youth, ESPN reported. Willis was raised in poverty by an abusive father in Bruceton, Tenn., and he and three younger siblings were taken in by foster parents when Willis was 17. His background has inspired much of his community service during his career.

Willis concluded his message by referencing the listed scriptures.

I'm in love with these words, he wrote. I am here to do the work that my father sent me to do!

Twitter: @Eric_Branch

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/Patrick-Willis-I-am-here-to-do-the-work-that-my-6124798.php

49ers' Patrick Willis retiring after injury-shortened season

SANTA CLARA His eyelids swollen from tears, seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis bid farewell to football and called it one of his happiest days yet because he is leaving on his own terms.

His tender, size-13 feet "12 when they're bent" can no longer handle the grind of NFL practices let alone the demands of game day.

Willis announced Tuesday he will retire after his 2014 season was cut short by a toe injury that required surgery and sore feet that make everything more of a challenge.

"In my head, I'm already a Hall of Famer," Willis said. "I am leaving this with closure. I'm happy today, more happy today than the day I was drafted."

San Francisco is losing its defensive captain and locker room leader, the player who often addressed the team before games with inspirational pep talks.

Willis isn't saying exactly what's next, perhaps a vacation, some speaking gigs, a day of fishing, slow mornings with a cup of coffee instead of an intense workout.

"I have no regrets. I've had the most amazing eight years of football of my life. I am so humbled to have had this opportunity. I've been so humbled to have played this game.

Willis and friend NaVorro Bowman had made up one of the best 1-2 linebacker punches in the NFL until both missed time last season, the entire season for Bowman as he recovered from reconstructive knee surgery.

The 30-year-old Willis was sidelined with a strained muscle in his left big toe. He was placed on the season-ending injured reserve Nov. 11 after getting hurt in the third quarter at St. Louis on Oct. 13.

"These feet, boy, boy, boy, I've made no excuses," said Willis, who notes his feet "spoke" to him. "When you don't have no feet, that's what has made me what I am. I no longer have in these feet to give you guys that kind of 'Wow.'"

Source: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/sports/niners/3641355-181/story.html

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Hillary Clinton To Meet The Press, But Likely To Avoid The Circus

NEW YORK -- Hillary Clinton is expected to take questions from reporters Tuesday afternoon, more than a week since revelations surfaced that she exclusively used a private email account while conducting State Department business and amid continued questions about the Clinton Foundation accepting millions of dollars from foreign countries.

Clinton will be giving the keynote address at a women's conference, but her choice of venue, the United Nations, may help the former Secretary of State avoid a media circus because of how difficult it is for reporters to quickly get U.N. accreditation.

Politico reported Monday that Clinton was expected to hold a news conference this week, but it wasn't until Tuesday morning that reporters began tweeting news that her much-anticipated availability to the press likely would be that afternoon.

Reporters now frantically trying to get accreditation Tuesday morning to an event several hours later could be out of luck, as applications for credentials needed to be made 24 hours in advance, according to MSNBCs Alex Seitz-Wald. A Clinton spokesman said Tuesday that they are trying to get additional access for reporters not already credentialed to cover the conference.

Still, a reporter would first need to apply for a U.N. media credential by submitting a letter from a manager on company letterhead. If a reporter has current U.N. media credentials and is accredited to cover Tuesdays conference, he or she would also need to wait in line at a nearby office Tuesday morning to receive a pass, which along with a passport, is needed to gain access.

The process could prevent not only political reporters who don't normally cover the U.N. from getting inside, but also, say, a Howard Stern regular who may lob oddball questions.

Clinton has so far bypassed the media filter by speaking directly through Twitter and stating late Wednesday night that she wanted the public to see her emails.

But that tweet didn't answer questions such as why she exclusively used a private email that could prevent transparency and accountability, how her staff determined which emails to recently provide to the State Department, and how secure her communications were on a private email server.

Clinton has avoided answer questions when approached in public. An enterprising TMZ reporter, though somewhat mangling the question, asked Clinton last week about the emails and didn't get a response. On Monday, Clinton didn't respond to reporters' questions at the Clinton Foundation's "No Ceilings" event.

While Republican 2016 hopefuls are frequently doing interviews, Clinton, the presumptive Democratic frontrunner, has engaged little with the media in the run-up to an expected campaign launch in April.

Clinton sat down last month with Re/codes Kara Swisher at the Watermark Lead On conference after giving a speech. That was Clintons first interview with a reporter since August, when she spoke with The Atlantics Jeffrey Goldberg.

She also appears to have last taken questions at a news conference in July 2014 at an event to encourage reading to children.

This story has been updated to include comment from a Clinton spokesperson.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/10/hillary-clinton-media-circus_n_6838898.html

Which NHL players would be absolutely awesome on 'The Bachelor'?

Chris Soules quest to find true love ended Monday evening with his decision to choose [spoiler] and [spoiler] her.

Now America can go back to its daily routine and not worry about how some random farmer in Iowa got engaged after close to two months of dating someone he had never met before in his life.

But watching The Bachelor the guiltiest of all guilty television pleasures got me thinking. Would an NHL player work with this show? It would be tough. After all, taping is done in the fall, generally. But if someone was picked early enough, maybe scheduling adjustments could be made? You only need like a month to make out with the entire cast of women, as Farmer Chris showed us.

A North American pro athlete hasnt done the show since former New York Giants quarterback Jesse Palmer in 2004. And that brought a much broader appeal to the dating show that bizarrely draws scorn and declarations that male watchers to give back their man card. (Ill have you know mine is in my wallet next to that spa gift card.)

Regardless, with another season over, we pondered: Which NHL player would make the best Bachelor or would have made the best Bachelor?

We left out players that are married for obvious reasons, those reasons being that Patrick Sharp would have been a stone-cold lock No. 1. Keep in mind we dont know the official relationship statuses of guys on every team. Some of these guys may not officially be single. Then again, neither are many of the contestants

Here are the eight NHL players we feel would make for great television, from the limo arrival to the final rose:

1. Michael Del Zotto, Philadelphia Flyers

AsLisa Ann pointed out earlier in the year, Del Zotto is looking for love.But hes doing it in all the wrong places. Plus, it would be great to see him address his dating past on television. If nothing else, we know he cant get defensive.

2. Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Hes swinging single again folks, and hes having a blast. Plus, watching Ovi go to middle America for someones hometown would be priceless. Watching a contestant meet his folks in Moscow? Even better. And hey, if Ovechkin cant win a ring, might as well give one to someone else, right?

3. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Make all the women Canadian and then watch them play six degrees of knowing him.

4. Jack Eichel, Boston University

OK, hes not an NHL player yet. And hes 18 years old, so he cant legally drink. Buthe clearly likes to have a good time. And hes not afraid to voice hisum opinions on social life.

5. Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings

As we saw on EPIX Presents Road to the NHL Stadium Series hes just a bro. Would he wear a hat on his dates? Based on ice time alone, he should be able to handle the dating volume.

6. Jamie Benn and/or Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars

Just so they could make their mothers happy afterthat prank they pulled on those two poor ladies.

7.P.K. Subban, Montreal Canadiens

Hes one of the games most entertaining personalities, and would no doubt have a ton of fun on the show. In that were pretty sure hed wear a GoPro camera in the fantasy suite. Worth it just to see him meet his one true love and then find out shes from Boston.

8. Phil Kessel, Toronto Maple Leafs

While we cant imagine hed be down with cameras following him around for two months, the world needs to see Kessel in romance mode. We imagine it entails offering her the last beer while they play Xbox.

***

So those are our picks for NHL player on The Bachelor. Who are yours?

Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy and legitimately likes "The Bachelor" this much.Have a tip for the next Bachelor? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

5 Reasons Stephen Curry Is Criminally Underrated

Mar 4, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) points to a teammate during the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L c*x-USA TODAY Sports

Mondaynight against the Phoenix Suns, Stephen Curry put up 36 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals in a road victory that gave his team its 50th win of the season. It was an impressive stat line to be sure, but not his best of the season and not even the best stat line of the night.

Why then, was Mondaynights win for the Golden State Warriors such an eye-opening event that would lead me to create such an outlandish headline?

Well, aside from being able to observe Steph Curry in person for the first time, it became blatantly obvious just how criminally underrated he is.

It seems ludicrous to make a statement like that about one of the NBAs top MVP candidates, a guy who just so happens to be averaging 23.8 points, 7.7 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game while flirting with joining the 50-40-90 club. But even his status as quite possibly the leagues best point guard and most enjoyable heat check doesnt quite do him justice.

Its been a rough couple of weeks for the Suns, who traded the face of the franchise in Goran Dragic and handed the reins over to Eric Bledsoe. With the team floundering and in clear need of leadership, Currys dominant 25-point second half served as a painful reminder to everyone in the building that not every franchise is lucky enough to have a star player capable of putting his team on his back.

To be honest, watching Curry go to work was probably one of the most enjoyable aspects of the 98-80 rout for Suns fans. With each jaw-dropping three-point bomb, the US Airways Center crowd swayed closer and closer to cheering for himout of sheer respect for the high level of basketball on display.

Players like that in the NBA are rare, and when someone of that caliber has grown men in media row sitting there with eyes popping out of their skulls like five-year-olds hearing their parents swear for the first time, you know youre witnessingsomething special.

Steph Curry isnt just a great basketball player who generates a lot of highlight reel plays. Hes an NBA deity whose MVP argument of best player on the leagues best team criminally underscores all that he brings to the table for his team and for the league in general.

Source: http://hoopshabit.com/2015/03/10/5-reasons-stephen-curry-criminally-underrated/

Monday, March 9, 2015

'Simpsons' co-creator, philanthropist Sam Simon dies at 59

Click photo to enlarge

FILE - This Aug. 12, 2013 file photo shows Sam Simon, co-creator of "The Simpsons," at his home in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Simon, who made a midlife career shift into philanthropy and channeled much of his personal fortune into social causes including animal welfare, has died Sunday, March 8, 2015, after a long bout with cancer. He was 59. (AP Photo/Frazier Moore, File)

Sam Simon, a co-creator of "The Simpsons" and animal-rights advocate who made a midlife career shift into philanthropy and channeled much of his personal fortune into social causes, has died.

Simon died Sunday at his home in Pacific Palisades, Calif., his agent, Andy Patman said. He was 59.

He was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer in 2011.

After stints writing for "Taxi," ''Cheers" and "The Tracey Ullman Show," Simon helped launch "The Simpsons." During his writing and producing career, he collected nine prime-time Emmy awards.

He left "The Simpsons" after its fourth season under a deal that rewarded him with ongoing royalties from the show, which is now in its 26th season.

He then established the Sam Simon Foundation, which rescues dogs from animal shelters and trains them to assist the disabled. He also donated to Mercy for Animals and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, among other groups. In 2013, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' Norfolk, Va., headquarters were christened the Sam Simon Center in recognition of his support for that organization.

Simon also funded a Los Angeles food bank.

In an interview with The Associated Press in 2013, Simon voiced a desire to spend all of his money on charitable causes.

"I'm supporting the charities that I supported during my lifetime," he said, "and I want to continue to do that."

Simon had grown up in Beverly Hills across the street from Groucho Marx, though his father was in the garment industry, not show business.

After turning his drawing talent into a job at an animation studio that made cartoons for kids, Simon submitted a script, on spec, to the ABC comedy "Taxi." His script was bought and produced, and Simon, in his 20s, was hired as a staff writer and soon rose to be the showrunner.

From there he joined a new NBC sitcom called "Cheers," where he was staff writer for its defining first three seasons.

In 1987 he became a writer and executive producer on the Fox sketch-comedy series "The Tracey Ullman Show," where he was teamed alongside James L. Brooks, with whom he had worked on "Cheers" and "Taxi," and cartoonist Matt Groening.

This trio became the founding fathers of "The Simpsons."

On Monday, Groening saluted Simon's "phenomenal talents, sharp intelligence and sly sense of humor," while Brooks called him "truly one of the great ones. He found so much outside the work to give him pleasure and left so much behind for others."

"The Simpsons" began as interstitial cartoon clips aired during the otherwise live-action "Ullman" show until, in 1989, it was spun off as a Fox half-hour of its own. Simon was named creative supervisor, and he hired the first writing staff as well as creating several Springfield citizens, including Mr. Burns, the cadaverous industrialist, and Dr. Hibbert, the buffoonish physician.

The show TV's first successful prime-time animated series since "The Flintstones" nearly three decades before caught the public off-guard with its sassy but perceptive look at the culture and opened the door for a new television genre of animation geared toward adults.

"With 'The Simpsons,' people didn't know what they were gonna see," said Simon. "They didn't have a clue." The show was given time and free reign to flourish by the fledgling Fox network, which desperately needed a hit. "I don't think you get that sort of creative freedom with any broadcast shows today."

Simon left "The Simpsons" in 1994 owing to a strained relationship with Groening. Not only did he not play any subsequent role in the series, he claimed to never have watched it after stepping away, even as his name remained in the weekly credits along with Groening's and Brooks'.

It was a lucrative departure. Simon's exit deal entitled him to royalties from "The Simpsons" that, more than a quarter-century later, annually paid Simon tens of millions of dollars.

That annuity bankrolled the causes and alternative lifestyle (including amateur boxing and high-stakes poker) that increasingly he came to embrace.

"I'm not sad," Simon declared in 2013, as he battled an illness that his doctors were saying might claim him within months. "I'm happy. I don't feel angry and bitter. I want to do whatever I can to survive."

Source: http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/police/ci_27676738/simpsons-co-creator-philanthropist-sam-simon-dies-at

Premier Boxing Champions results: Adrien Broner defeats John Molina via ...

A look at the result of the Premier Boxing Champions result of the bout featuring Adrien Broner taking on John Molina

Saturday night was a historic night in regards to the sport of boxing because it signaled the return of the sport to prime time television with Premier Boxing Champions on NBC. To get this monumental night started off, we were treated to a match up between Adrien The Problem Broner (29-1-1 ND) taking on the slugger John Molina (27-5).

When all was said and done in this one, it was Adrien Broner that got the win via unanimous decision.

For the most part in this one it was all Broner, all expect for maybe the third round where Molina was able to get some serious shots in. Other than that round, though, this was all Broner.

Molina should be given credit for getting some of those shots in, but for the most part he was just doing what he usually does, which is wildly flailing away. Someone like Broner, love him or hate him, is too smart of a fighter to fall into that trap.

This one also got a little on the dirty side.

With the win now, Adrien Broner moves to 30-1-1 in his career, while Molina drops to 27-6.

Source: http://fansided.com/2015/03/07/premier-boxing-champions-results-adrien-broner-defeats-john-molina-via-unanimous-decision-video/