Andy Murray vs Sam Groth Highlights ᴴᴰ Australian Open 2016
His reply was unambiguous and could just present the tournaments organisers and sponsors with a huge headache should it come to pass.
Murray said: I"m going to fly home. I"d be way more disappointed winning the Australian Open and not being at the birth of the child.
For me, my child is more important to me, and my wife is more important to me than a tennis match.
Last week the former Wimbledon champion was convinced that Kim had gone into labour when he was woken by his hotel room phone, ahead of his first match at the Open.
He said at the time This morning I ordered room service and I got a phone call to my room that woke me up and I completely panicked.
Following the match, against the German player Alexander Zverev - which he won in straight sets - Murray said: There were no messages from Kim when I got off court, thankfully. I hope it stays that way as well. But Im more excited than nervous. A few weeks ago I was nervous.
Of course getting on a plane after a court side phone call from Kim, saying her waters have broken, could turn out to be a pointless gesture.
It is a 23 hour flight from Melbourne after all, so it could all be over by the time he jumps into a cab at Heathrow Airport.
But who would want to tell Mrs Murray that?
"For me, my child is more important to me, and my wife is more important to me than a tennis match"
The 2016 Republican polls show that Donald Trump continues to hold a commanding lead and could be on his way to the biggest primary victory of all time, but would still have big problems come November.
Trump has been the Republican frontrunner since just after his official entry into the race last year. As the Iowa caucus and the official start of the 2016 Republican primary draw ever closer, it seems that no candidate will be able to put him off that lead.
Republican polls show that Donald Trump holds a steady lead over Ted Cruz in Iowa and a more commanding lead in New Hampshire, the second state to vote.
Poll: Trump holds commanding lead in New Hampshire https://t.co/qb3jJ91bMt pic.twitter.com/54VXKnvbXt
The Hill (@thehill) January 29, 2016
For New Hampshire, Trump holds 27 percent while the next closest Ted Cruz, John Kasich, and Jeb Bush hover around 12 percent.
Donald Trumps loyal 27 percent continues to stand tall in New Hampshire, David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center in Boston, told the Boston Globe. The 27 percent isnt a skyscraper, but it towers over the four candidates vying for second place. One of those four candidates needs a big Iowa surprise to create momentum so that he can break into the 20 percent range in New Hampshire.
Donald Trump is dominating polls despite what is normally a losing attribute for Republican candidates. Because Iowa is a heavily religious state, candidates with a strong faith-based background are traditionally the ones to lead, even when they are weaker nationally. But Trump ranks last when voters are asked which candidate they believe is a religious person.
The Daily Caller reported on a recent poll.
A Pew Research Poll released Wednesday found that only 30 percent of American adults say Trump is a religious person behind all other presidential candidates from both sides of the aisle. Out of those polled, 37 percent say they believe Trump is Not at all religious, a higher number than any candidate.
Republicans, more than Democrats, think Trump is religious. About 44 percent of Republicans say Trump is a very or somewhat religious person.
By contrast, fully eight-in-10 Republicans say they think Ben Carson is a religious person, three-quarters view Ted Cruz as a religious person, and seven-in-10 say the same about Marco Rubio, Pew states.
Some believe the Republican polls point to what could be a historic victory for Donald Trump. Noah Millman of The Week predicted that if Trump wins in Iowa and New Hamphire as expected, he may end up winning all 50 states, the biggest victory ever for a non-incumbent.
If Trump wins both Iowa and New Hampshire, and then goes on to win South Carolina and Nevada as he is favored to do he could very conceivably win every contest, or at worst lose a favored son state or two like Cruzs Texas. Nobody has run the table like that not Nixon in 1968, nor Reagan in 1980, nor Bush in 2000, he wrote.
It may get considerably harder after that. While Trump dominates Republican polls, it appears that is not translating to a strong performance in the general election.
Roughly half (52%) think Trump would make a poor or terrible president, with 38% saying he would be terrible. https://t.co/TSDsrU5qHW
Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) January 24, 2016
Donald Trump continues to struggle bringing in voters outside his base, with half of Republicans not supporting Trump now saying they wont vote for him, The Hill reported. And a new ABC News/Washington Post poll found that a majority of Americans believe either Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders would defeat Trump in the general election.
Jennifer Pascua and WZZM 11:15 AM. EST January 22, 2016
West Michigan woman pitches sports bra on Shark Tank(Photo: Jennifer Pascua)
GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM)-Sara Moylan, owner and inventor of the Shefit will appear on an upcoming episode of "Shark Tank" on ABC.
Moylan, along with her husband Bob, appeared in front of SharksMark Cuban, Daymond John, Kevin O"Leary, LoriGreiner& Robert Herjavec with the hopes of striking a deal and forming a partnershipfor herShefit Sports Bra. It is designed to give women the ability to securely adjust both their bust band and shoulder straps for the most personalized and comfortable fit, with the level of support they choose.
Moylan can"t reveal the outcome of her experience, which was recorded in September, 2015, for this month"s broadcast, but says the pitch session was priceless. Each year tens of thousands of businesses apply to be on the show - this year over 100,000 ideas were submitted - only 200 are chosen to film segments, and just over half of those who film make it on-air.
The episode will airon January 29th, 9:00 p.m., ET/PT on ABC. The recipient of the 2014 and 2015 Emmy Award for Outstanding Structured Reality Program, Shark Tank, features "The Sharks" tough, self-made, millionaire and billionaire tycoons -- as they invest in America"s best businesses and products.
For more information on Shefit go towww.shefit.com.
Wideman made waves throughout the world of hockey last night as he cross-checked a linesman from behind after taking a hit against the boards. From concussion talk to intention, there"s no lack of drama in this incident.
Dennis Wideman was the topic of discussion throughout the hockey world last night because of the incident in the second period of the Calgary Flames game against the Nashville Predators.
During the game, it was shown that Wideman was hit into the boards awkwardly as the play continued down to the other end of the ice. As Wideman made his way towards the Flames bench, he was keeled over, not looking up. As he approached the Predators bench, his head came up but we couldn"t see if he noticed linesman, Don Henderson, or not. And then Wideman"s arms came up and he cross-checked Henderson from behind. The linesman fell to the ice as Wideman continued to make his way onto the Flames bench.
Here"s a short clip from SBNation"s twitter feed (vid via @JayGold85).
What you don"t see in that clip is that Wideman sat on the bench with his head down afterwards, unaware of the incident. He didn"t seem fazed at all about what had happened. It makes me wonder if he even understood the severity of the situation. In his post-game interview in the locker room, he looked sincere in his explanation of the events.
Here"s avideo of the post-game interview from the National Post. In the interview, Wideman states, "I took a pretty hard hit...pain in my shoulder and neck...I was just trying to get off the ice." I think this is what leads people to believe that Wideman may have been suffering from concussion issues at that time, but Wideman would not comment either way whether or not he felt any concussion symptoms. He only said he felt some pain. But, my question is, if it was concussion symptoms, why did he continue to play in the third period?
Wideman also stated, "at the last second, I looked up and saw him and I couldn"t avoid it...I didn"t know how to get out of the way of him." Considering the angle of the camera, there"s no way for us to tell if he did or did not look at Henderson before he cross-checked him. So we"re left to take Wideman"s word on this.
He also made it very clear that he apologized to Henderson and added, "I would never intentionally try to hit a linesman or ref." I believe this in every way because I"ve seen Wideman in some near misses in the past and he"s done everything to try and avoid a collision.
Wideman closed by stating, "it was an accident and I feel really bad about it."
Regardless, rules are rules and Wideman clearly broke the rules. Last night, after the game, Darren Haynes tweeted out the rules governing this type of incident.
You can also view the entire NHL rulebook onlinehere.
Now, for the sake of arguement, let"s assume that Wideman didn"t have intent to injure, as he has clearly stated in his post-game interview. If that"s the case, rule 40.2 would be thrown out as it applies only to situations where there is intent. Which leaves rule 40.1 and 40.3 for us to debate. Rule 40.1 doesn"t apply to Wideman because it refers to moments when officials get involved in an altercation and there was no altercation at that time.
Rule 40.3 is the one I"d like to focus on. It states,
"40.3 Automatic Suspension - Category II - Any player who deliberatelyapplies physical force to an official in any manner (excluding actionsas set out in Category I), which physical force is applied without intentto injure, or who spits on an official, shall be automatically suspendedfor not less than ten (10) games."
The key words here are, "without intent to inure," and I think this applies to Wideman, based on what he said after the game. If the NHL looks at the post-game interview, when Wideman expressed his regret and his lack of intentions, this will be the only rule that will apply in this situation and, based on rule 40.3, Wideman should get suspended at least 10 games.
I think Wideman honestly believes he did nothing wrong in the collision with Henderson. I believe he thought it was just another bump into a linesman that happens once in a while. I don"t believe he understood how bad the situation looked. Even so, he hit an official and the rules state that he should get disciplined.
What will happen to Dennis Wideman remains to be seen, but we will make sure to have all the updates as they happen here on M&G.
In spite of everything that has happened or might happen, we hope that lineman, Don Henderson, is okay. It"s never a good situation when someone gets hurt in a hockey game.
Chris Pine Plays A Human-Sized Hero In "The Finest Hours" Please enable Javascript to watch this video
KUNG FU PANDA 3
Grade: A-
A nominee for animated pic of the year (Ill bet!)IMDB tells me this has been the longest wait for a sequel to a Dreamworks computer-animated film thus far. But its well worth the wait. I wonder if the villain had anything to do with the time taken to create this third installment to the Kung-Fu Panda franchise. For the original, we had bad kitty Tai Lung voiced by Ian McShane, and he was a great villain, dripping with menace. But Lord Shen, the peacock from KFP2, never quite reached the same threat-level of his villainous predecessor, even though he was voiced by Gary Oldman.
Kung Fu Panda 3 Courtesy: Dreamworks
But Dreamworks brought their A-game for Kung Fu Panda 3, and also brought onboard a more intimidating villainKai, voiced by J.K. Simmons. More IMDB info reads that director Jennifer Yuh made Kai the bull a supernatural entity to make him a more distinct. Making him an old friend of Master Oogway and a peer to Master Shifu (voiced by Dustin Hoffman) make him a threat with intimate knowledge of our heroes and the skill to match. He could take them all down, as he did with the other masters of Kung Fu. And with each victory, he is strengthened by the chi (or life force) of the opponent he defeats.
So the stakes are high in KFP3, as are the laughs. Our fab 5 is back and as underutilized as ever (but then again, the franchise isnt called Furious Five -- thats a whole `nother thing completely): Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), and Crane (David Cross). Along with Dragon Warrior Po (Jack Black), they battle the evil Kai to keep the Valley of Peace safe, and restore the life force to the Masters hes defeated.
Kung Fu Panda 3 Courtesy: Dreamworks
But theyre not alone. Already graced with an incredible voice-cast, KFP3 ups the ante with the aforementioned Oscar-winner Simmons, and Oscar-contender Bryan Cranston as Pos birth father, Li. This new relationship brings an extra dimension to Pos motivation, and also more background to his character, as does a possible love interest in the fat and furry form of fellow panda Mei Mei, voiced by Kate Hudson. Rebel Wilson was the original choice for Mei Mei, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts; she might have been a funnier choice, but Hudson imbues Mei Mei with a sultry style.
Cranstons Li also gives the secret weapon of the franchise more to do, with the great James Hong once again reprising his role as Pos adopted father, Mr. Ping. Im so happy the filmmakers recognized Hongs talent and Pings importance, and didnt allow him to be pushed into the background even with everything else happening onscreen. Indeed, his plotline is central to the story as a whole, and resolves wonderfully, with his every line a joy to hear.
Kung Fu Panda 3 Courtesy: Dreamworks
But thats par for this advanced course, as the filmmakers get so much right in KFP3. Its rated merely PG for martial arts action, and the obligatory and very mild rude humor is kept to a minimum. Its a brisk 95 minutes for parents of fidgety kids, and the usual lessons learned are at least wholesome and entertaining. This is very much a family-oriented affair, and even some of Angelina Jolie"s own children got in on the act, as voice extras. The animation is beyond first rate, and the sore never distracts, only supports.
But the filmmakers also continue to enrich each installment with something new. Po not only grows more powerful with each movie, but his world more enriched, this time with a new, extended family, and a rich history.Who knew so much could be said about a panda who learns kung fu?---95 minutesRated PG for martial arts action and some mild rude humorDirectors: Alessandro Carloni, Jennifer YuhWriters: Jonathan Aibel, Glenn BergerStarring: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, Kate Hudson, J.K. Simmons
THE FINEST HOURS
GRADE: B
Director Craig Gillespie is a bit of a chameleon. His films run the gamut of quality and genre. Hes helmed such lowbrow stuff as 2007s Mr. Woodcock, horror like the Fright Night remake in 2011, family-friendly fare such as 2014s Million Dollar Arm, and the wonderful Lars and the Real Girl, also in 2007.
With such a mixed pedigree, you may not expect him to be able to shift back into quality family film mode, but he does so with The Finest Hours, based on the book The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard"s Most Daring Sea Rescue by Casey Sherman and Michael J. Tougias.
Although creative license was taken to keep it well under the PG-13 bar (indeed, its so more for intense sequences of peril than salty language), the guts of the story are there, and depicted with much more gusto than you might expect from a somewhat sanitized version of what was no doubt a very severe experience.
In the winter of 1952, New England was hammered by violent weather. Two oil tankers were severely damaged in the storm, miles from shore and also miles apart. Crews were immediately dispatched to the closer and more easily reached tanker, the Fort Mercer. But a 3rd ranked crew was sent in the other direction, and on February 18, these 4 members of the Coast Guard rescued an astounding 32 of the 33 men stranded at sea in the wreckage of the Pendleton. And although the film is cleaned-up to be more presentable, care was taken to stick to the facts of story itself.
And its quite a story. Chris Pine plays Bernie Webber, a young man whos not so green, having been down the harsh road to rescue before, but sadly, has come up empty handed. There are folks in town who dont like him, since he couldnt save some of their own in previous years rescue attempts. Hes a humbled man, who cant even bring himself to ask his lady friend Miriam (Holliday Grainger) to marry him.
But hes also dedicated, and maybe wanting to prove himself in the face of his past trails. So when the storm hits and the Pendleton is in trouble, he obeys his questionable superior officer (Eric Bana), who orders him out on the 70 waves to mount a rescue. But due to Webbers past, he cant get any of the experienced shipmates to accompany him, and so he picks the least among them for a suicide attempt of rescue. Amazingly they succeed, but they probably would not have save for the efforts of the men onboard the Pendleton, led by an understated Casey Affleck playing Ray Sybert.
Syberts not too popular, either, preferring to stay below maintaining the engines, rather than on the deck forming relationships. But he convinces the men to follow through with his wild scheme to keep the beleaguered Pendleton afloat long enough for the crew to be rescued.
And so its a twin tale of redemption for two men who unknowingly team up to save the day. Pine does a great job not swaggering as a sea-swept James T. Kirk, and instead being quite convincing as an underdog whos just trying to do the right thing. And although reserved in his portrayal, such reserve ties into the introverted nature of Sybert, and Affleck nails every scene.
The action sequences are surprisingly well-done, and again really earned the -13 aspect of the PG-13 rating. Im not sure the 3D was necessary, but the might of the waves, the violent nature of the storm, and the catastrophic effect they took on the Pendleton make the peril to the crew convincing, even if they whistle and literally sing (a bit) while they work. It is a Disney film after all, but it doesnt pull its punches when it needs to hit hard. And considering the S.O.P. of films these days, I certainly didnt miss the admittedly more authentic harsh language.---117 minutesRated PG-13 for intense sequences of perilDirected by: Craig GillespieWriting Credits: Scott Silver (screenplay) and Paul Tamasy (screenplay) & Eric Johnson (screenplay), Casey Sherman (book) and Michael J. Tougias (book)Starring: Chris Pine, Holliday Grainger, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Eric Bana
