WATCH: Tim Tebow belts second professional home run
By: Charles Curtis| April 7, 2017 2:39 pmFollow @bycharlescurtis
We keep doubting Tim Tebow, and somehow, he keeps delivering.
One day after he hit a home run in his first minor league at-bat, we were wondering where that feat lands on a list of all the miraculous things hes done in the sports world.
Heres the answer: A ranking of his miracles over the years:
8. Being really good ontelevision
Look, hes no Hall of Famer on the air, but its okay to admit that hes much better than you thought hed be, with an ability to offer insights, hold a conversation and look relaxed.
7. Making the Florida-Ole Miss speech come true
He backed up the emotional promise he gave the world after a loss to the Rebels in 2008, winning every game after he delivered it, including the BCS Championship against Oklahoma. No wonder Florida turned the speech into a plaque outside of the Gators facility.
6. Becoming the first college sophomore to win the Heisman trophy
for 23 more in 2007 and beat Darren McFadden, Colt Brennan and Chase Daniel. Oh, and he finished third in the 2008 vote.5. Overcoming a 10-0 deficit and coming back to beat the Chicago Bears in the final 2:08 in 2011
This was also the infamous game in which Marion Barber went out of bounds instead of staying in and letting the clock run. Tebow took advantage and aided a comeback that ended with a win in overtime.
4. Convincing a Major League team to sign him to a minor league deal
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
A reminder: He hadnt played competitive baseball since high school before the New York Mets inked him.
3. Hitting a minor league home run
Id argue smacking a dinger off a minor league pitcher is actually easier than attempting to get a hit off a pitcher whos on a Major League roster (see below).
2. Getting a hit off a major league pitcher
It doesnt matter that Kyle Lobstein is the proud owner of a 5.06 ERA. Tebow got a hit off a guy whos thrown in 34 games.
1. Defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Wild Card game
Did you expect anything else?
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Denver Broncos, Lists, Miracles, New York Mets, Tim Tebow, NFL
Louis C.K. kicked off hisSaturday Night Livemonologue this weekend with a well-known joke setup: Why did the chicken cross the road? he asked the audience. The punchline? A lengthy explanation about how this chicken was racist for being afraid of a black man behind him.
He thought, Maybe if I crossed the road, then if he crossed the road, then hes definitely following me," C.K. said. So he crossed the road, and the black guy went home. Hes living his life. And the chicken was like, Im such a racist. And he felt bad.
C.K. went on to point out that chickens are very closed down, suspicious, and prejudiced, partly because their species murder rate is 100 percent. After doing his impression of a chicken looking paranoid, he made even more animal jokes Every moose looks like a dude who just got turned into a moose right before you looked at him, he said, referring to the constant surprised look on a mooses face and later, touched on how his life has changed now that hes a successful comic who can stay at five-star hotels.
I was always happy when I was strugglingbecause when your life sucks, it just sucks, he said before recalling sleeping at run-down highway motels. You dont expect anything. But when your life gets good, you start expecting it to, so you get unhappy. Examples include becoming annoyed at fancy hotels elaborate customer service and then becoming annoyed when fancy hotelsdonthave elaborate customer service.
Given the state of the world in 2017, it"s almost unbelievable that this week marked only the seventh episode of Saturday Night Live this calendar year. Whatever momentum and ratings that it has gathered in that time, it"s still constantly playing catch-up with its schedule as is. As popular as it"s been (and ratings suggest it"s insanely popular right now), it"s still been hamstrung by the paucity of new episodes. That makes every one that it does that much more important.
Louis C.K."s fourth episode was in line with his first three: A wildly inconsistent one in which there were times in which he was vastly more interested in the material than the audience and vice versa. Curiously, he disappeared for some long stretches, especially during the middle of the episode in which a musical performance, "Weekend Update," and a dual-performance by Alec Baldwin offered the host time to go out and have dinner mid-show.
Almost without fail, Trump-centric material is featured here, as it"s content that has put the show on the map this season. And yet, both the cold open and "The O"Reilly Factor" fell flat in the comedy department tonight. I don"t know if it"s a case of a bad week or the world"s reality making the buffoonery more difficult to swallow at this point. Either way, the best sketches this week looked at what it"s like to live in Trump"s America rather than about Trump himself.
Thank You, Scott
The irony of this most likely going viral will be lost on most who share it, which is probably the point. In an episode shockingly light on direct political commentary, this catchy musical short satirized those who substitute tweets for actual actions, Facebook stories for political activism, and hashtags for helping hands.
The trio of Cecily Strong, Kenan Thompson, and Sasheer Zamata served as a solid core here, but what this sketch really did was highlight just how central Mike Day is to the cast in his first season. Already a solid writer for the show before joining the Not Ready For Primetime Players, Day has probably had more average screen time per episode besides anyone than Kate McKinnon or Thompson at this point in the season. It feels as if he"s been on the show for years at this point, which I mean as a compliment: He"s so integrated that it feels like he"s just always been there.
Soda Shop
One of the most thrilling things that can happen while watching Saturday Night Live is to realize a sketch you thought might be pedestrian and dull take a sharp turn into more dangerous territory. There have been many positive qualities to this season, but I"m not sure I"d ever apply "edgy" to it. That"s not inherently a bad thing: This is populist entertainment first and foremost, and something as dark as this sketch doesn"t fall under the realm of four-quadrant entertainment. But once the switch was flipped here, things got progressively more intense, bizarre, and hilarious as it unfolded.
Having modern actions/conversations inside a historically "wholesome" setting isn"t new for the show by any means. But there"s an energy to this one that transcends any recent iteration I can remember. Part of this comes with the characterization Louis C.K. brings to his soda shop employee, of a piece with the turn-on-a-dime-danger of the bad male feminists depicted in the "Girl At A Bar" sketch in the Octavia Spencer episode last summer. But it mostly comes from the way Strong"s character gives as much as she gets, revealing she was in fact indulging the older man"s advances as a form of her own power play and practice for similar interactions later in life as a dominatrix.
That"s a LOT of plot to unfold in a short sketch, and yet the specificity and economy on display told an entire saga in a short amount of time. By the time Louis C.K."s character was bleeding onstage after smashing his hand through the jukebox, we had witness some of the most subversive sketch comedy the show had produce since the departure of Will Forte.
Birthday Clown
For the majority of this pre-produced segment, it felt like a rejected concept from the first season of FX"s Louie, a funny-dour look into a pathetic man"s life that hewed close enough to real life to keep things grounded. And even if things turned truly sinister in the final moments, there was enough in the interplay between Louis C.K. and Bobby Moynihan until that point to turn this into a cringe classic.
For his 53rd birthday, Ernie (Louis C.K.) hires a clown to recreate any approximation of childhood joy that he can. While not explicitly stated, one gets a fairly clear sense of Ernie"s biography up until that point with just a few grunts and half-formed statements. Moynihan"s clown tries to perform under awkward circumstances, sensing more depression than danger in Ernie"s demeanor. "There"s no protocol for whatever this is!" the clown exclaims when confronted with a mid-performance tip, alarmed but mostly just empathetic to Ernie"s situation.
The clown warns other performers who arrive to save themselves from the awkwardness of the birthday party for one, but ends up saving their lives as Ernie declares his intent to murder the clown in what can only be described as a reverse It scenario. ("We all mope down here" could be its catchphrase.) In an episode in which direct political satire largely failed, sketches that depicted the general malaise felt by many rang much truer.
CNN Live HD - USA News / Fox News Live President Trump Speech 24/7
The bat was sent to the CDC after it was found in a bag of Fresh Express Organic Marketside Spring Mix.
"The deteriorated condition of the bat did not allow for CDC to definitively rule out whether this bat had rabies," the Atlanta-based agency said.
The CDC said the risk of rabies transmission was extremely low but not zero, so the two people who ate salad mix were recommended for treatment as a precaution.
They are fine and show no signs of having rabies, the CDC said.
Fresh Express has recalled packages of the salad mix that were sold at Walmarts in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
The affected product has the production code G089B19 and best-if-used-by date of Apr 14, 2017 on the front label, and UPC code 6 8113132897 5 on the bottom of the container.
"Upon receiving notification, both Walmart and Fresh Express food safety and rapid response teams, in close coordination with regulatory authorities, acted immediately to review all relevant records, launch an intensive investigation and initiate product removal and recall procedures," Fresh Express said.
There have been no other reports of animal matter.
The Florida Department of Health, US Food and Drug Administration and CDC are part of the investigation into the dead bat.
Janet Jackson Took The $500,000,000 Million Dollar Bag and Dipped | Wissam Al Mana Separated
James DeBarge"s mother recently came forward, claiming her son and Janet Jackson had a secret child who"s been hiding from the public for more than three decades.
Today, a woman claiming to be the woman in question has come forward and she"s speaking out about it in a Radar Online exclusive.
"My name isTiffany Whyteand I"m the daughter of janet jackson and james debarge," she said. "she has been denying me for many years. I"ve waited 31 years. I"ve been kept a secret for a very long time and I want people to know the truth that I"m not a liar."
According to Whyte, she and DeBarge"s mother did go get that DNA test done and she says she has the results to prove this is all legit.
"So, now it"s time for me to tell my truth," she said. "Now that I got the DNA from my grandmother, that it is a possibility... No, it is for sure that they are my parents, she"s my grandmother, those [sic] are my family and it"s time for me to tell the truth."
She also has a few words for those who claim she"s seeking fame and fortune.
"I don"t want to get famous off of this," she said. "Trust me. I don"t. I don"t. I just want my mother. I want my father. I want the woman who I could never get a chance to be held by as a child, to sing to me, to tell me that she loves me. I want to know the truth."
Get the latest on the drama with BET Breaks above.
During her iHeart release party in 2014, the mother of two told hostRyan Seacrestthat this was the most personal song she"s ever written. The couple met when the soccer stud was only 23, hence the title of the song.
"I looked into those blue eyes, and I was like, "This is right,"" the singer said to the audience.
f"d around and got blown out by the suns (Russell Westbrook Lowlights)
With eight assists against the Phoenix Suns on Friday, Russell Westbrook clinched the holy trinity of NBA stats: averaging a triple-double for a season. It"s been done only once before in NBA history, and that was before it even had a name -- 55 years ago by Oscar Robertson in the 1961-62 season. Since then, a few players gave reason to believe it was doable again -- Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd, LeBron James -- but the 6-foot-3 Westbrook is the one who broke through.
Here"s a look at how Westbrook"s season stacks up in the NBA"s historical context.
RUSS & OSCAR: THE EXCLUSIVE CLUB
When the Thunder"s season started, the front office, coaching staff, trainers and medical team all got together and developed a plan that coach Billy Donovan would rigidly follow throughout the season. Knowing Westbrook -- and knowing the responsibility he would eagerly shoulder -- they were going to monitor his workload and diligently manage his minutes. He played more than 40 minutes in a game only five times -- all in overtime contests -- and his season-high was 45 minutes. In putting up his 30-10-10 averages, he did it in nearly 10 fewer minutes per game and 25 fewer possessions per game than Robertson. Increase Westbrook"s workload to the 44.3 minutes per game Robertson played in 1961-62, and Westbrook would be at 39.9 points, 14.6 rebounds and 13.3 assists per game.
TWO AT THE TOP: MOST TRIPLE-DOUBLES IN A SEASON
Averaging a triple-double or catching Robertson"s single-season mark: Which is a more impressive feat? Each seemed untouchable before the season started, but as the stats kept piling up, it became clear that Westbrook was on an unstoppable path to both marks. Now, Russ and the Big O share the spotlight.
WESTBROOK CLIMBS THE LADDER
Early in the season, westbrook caught lebron James on the career list at 44 triple-doubles, and he did it in 395 fewer career games. Westbrook now has 24 more triple-doubles than James. Most wondered at the time whether Westbrook could realistically catch Larry Bird at 59. Russ passed Bird in January. It was downright nonsensical to think he could get to Wilt Chamberlain at 78, fourth all-time. But Westbrook recorded his 78th career triple-double Tuesday night, his 41st of this season.
Here"s a look at where Westbrook checks in on the all-time list, and how his triple-double frequency measures up to the greats. Hint: Both are impressive.
A TRIPLE-DOUBLE REVOLUTION
There has been a remarkable triple-double boom -- the previous NBA record of 78 leaguewide in a single season has been shattered -- and there doesn"t seem to be a great explanation as to why. Some point to better offenses, more spacing or friendlier rules. But in reality, maybe the easiest way to understand it is that one transcendent player is doing transcendent things: Of the NBA"s 111 this season, roughly 37 percent have come from Westbrook.
Most triple-doubles in a single season, NBA historyTOTALSEASONLEADERPCT. OF TOTAL1112016-17Russell Westbrook (41) 36.9% 781988-89Magic Johnson (17)21.8%752015-16Russell Westbrook (18)24%651961-62Oscar Robertson (41)63.1%621986-87Fat Lever (16)25.8%TRIPLE-DOUBLES = WINS FOR OKC
Westbrook has been asked a number of times why he thinks the Thunder typically win when he hits the triple-double bar. The truth might be in the assists -- when Westbrook records 10 dimes, the Thunder are 36-12. When he shoots 25 or more times, they"re 17-18. The Thunder are often at their best when Westbrook lets his distribution lead and his scoring follow.
(ALMOST) NO TEAM WAS SAFE
It"s unknown whether Westbrook had a list on his refrigerator at home and crossed off victims as he went, but few teams were safe this season. The two teams Westbrook didn"t get -- the Blazers and Bulls -- were spared by only a handful of rebounds and assists. Westbrook hasn"t posted a triple-double against only two teams in his career: the Bulls and, of course, the Thunder, who hope he never does. The numbers in the chart are for this season:
Most opponents faced in one season, while recording triple-doubleSEASONPLAYEROPPONENTS2016-17Russell Westbrook272016-17James Harden162015-16Russell Westbrook141986-87Fat Lever131990-91Magic Johnson121988-89Michael Jordan121981-82Magic Johnson12THE EXPANSION OF THE TRIPLE-DOUBLE!PLAYERTRIPLE-DOUBLESRussell Westbrook41James Harden20LeBron James12Nikola Jokic6Draymond Green5Elfrid Payton5Julius Randle3G. Antetokounmpo2Jimmy Butler2DeMarcus Cousins2Marc Gasol211 Players1
Westbrook, Harden and James have combined for 73 triple-doubles. The rest of the NBA: 38. But even with the lopsided distribution, the NBA saw an overall revolution -- and a diversity in where they were coming from and how they were achieved.
Overall, 22 players have recorded triple-doubles this season. Nikola Jokic has had six, showcasing his flashy passing ability as a 6-foot-11 big man. Draymond Green had the first triple-double without 10 points, substituting 10 steals instead. Giannis Antetokounmpo used his length, athleticism and versatility to pick up two. Harden and Westbrook each had two 50-point triple-doubles, something that hadn"t been done since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1970s. Not all triple-doubles, or triple-doublers, are created equal, and this season showcased the variety.
All stats through April 7. Stats courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information and Elias Sports Bureau.
