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Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: Who has a better weaker foot?

Luka Alario
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Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: Who has a better weaker foot?

lionel messi vs cristiano ronaldo 2015 soccer imagesMost footballers have a preferred foot. Take Arjen Robben, for example, the Dutchman has an almost unmatched left foot, which he makes full use of as he cuts from his customary right wing position and takes a swing at goal with his preferred foot. His dexterity with his left foot is unparalleled and when he lets one rip with his preferred foot the opposition are left gasping.

Similarly, Barcelona frontman Luis Suarez possesses a lethal right foot. The Uruguay international rarely misses a goal scoring opportunity when he has a chance to shoot with his preferred foot. Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski is equally devastating with his right foot and this year he has especially been at his imperious best when it comes to scoring goals.

Lionel Messi also possesses an incredible left foot and prefers to get the ball to his preferred foot. Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other hand, has a lethal right foot. The Argentina international prefers to use his left foot while taking set-pieces and other dead ball situations like taking a free-kick or a spot-kick. The Portugal national team captain invariably prefers to use his right foot in dead ball situations and is more often than not deadly in his execution.

However, it doesn’t mean that the players are one-footed. In fact, the two are more than capable of making a difference while using their “weaker foot.”

Last season, Messi was often scoring goals with his right foot, as if proving that he is equally capable no matter which foot he uses during the course of a match. The forward went on to score 62 goals through the course of the 2014/15 season for club and country. His goals helped Barcelona clinch their second treble – of the league title, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey – in six years. Under his leadership, the Argentina national team made it to the final of the Copa America held in Chile in the summer – although they finished runners-up behind Chile after losing in a penalty shootout.

Of the 62 goals, 39 came off his favored left foot, while 17 were scored with his right foot. He headed in six goals. While taking dead ball situations, Messi slotted in seven penalties and a solitary free-kick, all of which were put past the goalkeepers using his left foot.

A total of 27.5% of the Argentine’s goals came off his left foot, not bad for any player on his “wrong foot.”

Ronaldo scored 60 goals in the 2014/15 season for club and country. His strikes enabled Real Madrid to win the European Super Cup as well as the Club World Cup. They also finished runners-up in the Spanish title race and narrowly lost in the semi-final of the Champions League to Italian champions Juventus.

The Portuguese international scored 34 goals with his right foot, while 12 of his goals came off his left foot. He scored 11 spot-kicks with his right and also headed in 14 goals.

A total of 20% of his goals with his “weaker foot”, i.e., one in five, which is not bad by any yardstick.

One thing is clear: opposition cannot afford to relax when the ball is with Messi or Ronaldo, no matter the foot.

Lyman Good Recovering & Bellator Shocks Fans: MMA Weekly Recap

Max Smith
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Lyman Good Recovering & Bellator Shocks Fans: MMA Weekly Recap

Lyman Good Recovering bellator shocks fans mma weekly recap 2015 imagesThis Week in MMA

Although the major MMA promotions of today found it too “haunting” to hold an event on Halloween weekend, the week still contained a good deal of news for fans to digest.

The Injury Bug Starches Several UFC Fights

Perhaps the most notable of the week’s offerings were the unusually large number of fighter injuries.

Bellator veteran Lyman Good (1-0 UFC, 8-3 BMMA) was forced to pull out of his scheduled fight against Omari Akhmedov (3-1 UFC) due to an injury. An exciting bout at the outset, this unfortunate occurrence would still be trumped by several other, big-name fights being altered due to injury. Nevertheless, the theme found in this fight’s replacement—as well as the others of the week—is that a solid bout was once again booked. Sérgio Moraes (4-1 UFC) is now scheduled to fight Omari Akhmedov at UFC Fight Night 80 on December 10th.

The injury bug struck again when Joanne Calderwood (2-1 UFC) was forced to withdraw from her scheduled strawweight bout against the ultra-popular Paige VanZant (3-0 UFC) due to a (relatively minor) knee ailment. Although it’s a painful injury, Calderwood reports that she will be ready to resume training again in a couple of weeks. In what was going to perhaps be the largest test of VanZant’s career, many fans were disappointed to hear about Calderwood’s injury. Nevertheless, an ultra-exciting and high-profile replacement was found in Rose Namajunas (1-1 UFC)—resulting in a bout which is just as good (or even better) than the one which was initially planned. This fight is also scheduled for December 10th, at UFC Fight Night 80.

Finally, the ever-unfortunate Khabib Nurmagomedov (6-0 UFC) suffered a rib injury, and was forced to pull out of his fight against Tony Ferguson (9-1 UFC). This is the third scheduled bout in a row that the undefeated Dagestani product has been forced out of—and by his own admission, he isn’t sure if he’ll compete professionally again. This statement was likely made in the heat of the moment, and there’s an excellent chance that the highly touted contender will make an appearance back inside the Octagon; no doubt, the injuries have been frustrating, though.

Nevertheless, a solid replacement was found in Edson Barboza (10-3 UFC). Although the injury was difficult for Khabib—and, to a much smaller extent, the fans—this is really a best-case scenario replacement on about five weeks’ notice (in terms of fight importance and intrigue, as Barboza is elite). The bout will go down on December 11th at The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale (during the UFC’s annual Fight Week).

World Series of Fighting and Bellator Make some Interesting Announcements

Outside of the Octagon, the two other leading US promotions—Bellator and the World Series of Fighting—made some interesting announcements, in a much more positive light than those of the UFC (for the most part).

First, Bellator shocked many fans by releasing some objectively high-level fighters, including, most notably: Alexander Sarnavskiy (5-3 BMMA), Alexander Volkov (6-3 BMMA), and Fabrício Guerreiro (2-3 BMMA). Whether these releases were the results of contractual disputes or legitimate cuts remains to be seen, but one would guess that—based upon the case of Tiger Sarnavskiy, specifically— that they really were legitimate cuts. Tiger trains alongside former middleweight champion Alexander Schlemenko (11-3-1, BMMA), as well as current welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov (0-1 BMMA). During his Bellator tenure, Sarnavskiy was able to (and did, frequently) compete outside of the organization, so there is certainly a bit of mystery here; he was able to fight whenever he wanted, and has some notable teammates also signed with the promotion. Perhaps Shlemenko’s suspension had something to do with his promotional departure (if it wasn’t a legitimate cut).

Bellator, on a more positive note (also depending upon which fan is asked), made a large announcement in signing (or collaborating with) NCAA champion and WWE star Kurt Angle at the upcoming Bellator 145: Vengeance, to make an important announcement. As was made clear by several reports (and a bit of common sense, as Angle is forty-six years old and has likely been taking some sort of PED(s) for a while), Angle won’t be fighting in Bellator.

Spike announced earlier this week that its partnership with Glory Kickboxing would be ending, and Bellator President Scott Coker has been very clear in his desire to promote another Dynamite show (featuring fights from both MMA and another sport); perhaps the promotion is planning a part-MMA/part pro-wrestling show? Time will tell, but that would be an interesting development, to say the least. Angle announcement aside, Bellator 145: Vengeance is a solid free card that airs live on Spike, Friday, November 6th; MMA fans should certainly tune-in.

The World Series of Fighting also had its share of intriguing developments and announcements. Of course, its currently employed welterweight athlete (and former champion), Rousimar Palhares (3-0 WSOF, 8-4 UFC), was suspended for two years by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for failing to release a kimura against Jake Shields (2-1 WSOF, 4-3-1 UFC) at WSOF 22. In addition to this two-year suspension, Palhares was fined forty thousand dollars (his entire fight purse for the title fight against Shields, as the NSAC withheld his win bonus). The entire situation is a shame for the athletes that Palhares has hurt, as well as himself—he’s obviously a talented fighter, and why he couldn’t pull everything together to make some good money towards the end of his career is anyone’s best guess. Palhares will be thirty-seven years old when he is able to fight in the US once again.

In a more positive light, World Series of Fighting announced the rules behinds its upcoming eight-man lightweight tournament—and they’re awesome. Quarterfinal and semifinal bouts will be contested over the course of two rounds—with the option for a third in the case of a draw. Then, the tournament final will be fought over a maximum of three rounds! While likely exciting for most fans, this announcement may be a little bit daunting for some fighters; that’s a lot of potential fighting in one night! Still, one would assume that WSOF is taking care of the participants financially. The awesome tournament goes down on November 20th in Phoenix, Arizona, at WSOF 25. It’s unclear what black magic WSOF used to help the Arizona Athletic Commission decide to allow this many rounds in a single night, but it will certainly make for an exciting card for the fans.

There were some interesting developments in the MMA world this week, and although the weekend was once again void of fight cards, the upcoming weekend’s offerings are pretty awesome. Bellator 145: Vengeance airs live and free on Spike on Friday November 6th, once again, while the UFC heads to Brazil on Saturday the 7th for UFC Fight Night 77, which features a rubber match between seasoned veterans Dan Henderson and Vitor Belfort in the main event (and is an impressively stacked card, for free television).

Frankly, this weekend’s Bellator and UFC events are better than most of the other cards that each promotion airs (the UFC’s cards on free television, that is, but also some pay-per-views!), so fans shouldn’t hesitate to tune in. Enjoy the fights!

One Direction History & Sam Smith Taking Break From Music

Ricki Reay
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One Direction History & Sam Smith Taking Break From Music

one direction history 2015 gossipAs boy band One Direction gears up for their release of their fifth album, Made in the A.M., they put out one more song that is featured on the album. On Friday, One Direction put out a song called “History” as a farewell to their fans.

Back in August, the band announced that they are planning to take a hiatus after releasing their album. The boys are planning to venture into some solo projects. Additionally, band member Louis Tomlinson will be becoming a father in a few months. While they assure fans that this isn’t the last they will hear from the band; the boys are looking forward to a break. Since mentor Simon Cowell on X Factor UK put the boys together back in 2010, they have been non-stop putting out music and touring around the world. In addition, they dealt with the drama of Zayn Malik quitting the band earlier in the year.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Liam explains that “History” is like a modern version of “You’ve Got A Friend in Me.” He went on to say, “More than anything, the song is about the way the fans and everyone have created this massive thing- One Direction – over the past five years.”

Lyrics in the song include, “You and me, we got a whole lot of history / we could be the greatest thing the world has ever seen.” And “So don’t let it go / we can make some more / we can live forever.”

Hopefully this song helps “Directioners” (aka diehard fans of One Direction) get some closure and become more at peace with the band’s decision to take a break.

sam smith taking break from music 2015 gossipMeanwhile, just like One Direction, British singer Sam Smith has also announced that he is planning to take a break from music.

Earlier in the year the singer took a break in order to allow his vocal chords to heal after surgery. However, this didn’t seem to be enough time off for Sam as he revealed on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show that he plans to take a full year off from work.

On Friday’s episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Ellen tries to get some clarification from Sam by asking, “Now you’ve decided to just take a year off and do nothing?”

In which, Sam replied, “It’s actually a really recent decision. This could change. I change my mind all the time, but I decided a few months ago that I need to have a little bit of a break.”

Sam went on to explain what he plans to do with his time when on break. He joked, “My music is so personal, and I need to live my life. I basically need to kiss some more boys so I can write some songs.”

Ellen responded, “I was gonna say we need to hear more stories,” with Sam answering, “I need to go and make the stories so I can write about them.”

In typical Ellen fashion, the daytime talk show host gifted Sam with an all-in-one La-Z-Boy that had a mini piano and music stand attached to it. She also gave him a miniature version of the chair for his new cat, Henry so they can both enjoy some downtime together for the next while.

Novak Djokovic Takes On Andy Murray: 2015 Paris Masters

Shane Lambert
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Novak Djokovic Takes On Andy Murray: 2015 Paris Masters

novak djokovic takes on andy murray paris masters 2015 tennisThe semifinals for the 2015 Paris Masters, the final Masters Series event of the season, were played on Saturday. Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka, Andy Murray, and David Ferrer were all in action seeking a spot in Sunday’s final from the French capital. With the tour finals just ahead, neither semifinal in Paris produced an upset as the top-seeded players in the tournament advanced to the championship match.

The first match of the day featured the World No. 1 as he took on Wawrinka, one of the few players on tour that has been able to take big matches off of Djokovic. However, Saturday belonged to the Serbinator as he defeated the Swiss No. 2 – somewhat comfortably. After dropping the second set, Djokovic regathered and then cruised in the final set.

He made the following comments after the match:

“I thought in the second, even though I lost the set…there were games that were very close,” the World No.1 claimed. “I had close games and break points and I felt I’m there.”

With the final line score being 63, 36, 60 Djokovic acknowledged Wawrinka’s strong play in the middle set: “Credit to Stan for playing a great second set and coming back, winning five games in a row, obviously serving more accurately, playing more powerfully from the baseline, getting more balls back, and it worked for him. He played very well.”

Djokovic also stated that the third set was his “best set of the tournament so far.”

The Serb will next face Andy Murray in the final, a player that has had a strong week in Paris. Murray defeated Ferrer on Saturday in straight sets, a victory that marked the 11th of the Scot’s career over the Spaniard. The line score in that straight-sets victory was 6-4, 6-3.

Murray has a lot of tennis ahead of him still in 2015, perhaps more than any other player. Besides the Paris final, the UK National will play in the ATP World Tour Finals, and the 2015 Davis Cup final against Belgium. While the latter appears to be his main focus, there’s no reason why he would not go all out in Paris on Sunday.

That said, he is 9-20 heads-up against Djokovic and will be considered an underdog. However, winning roughly a third of their meetings, surely the 2015 Paris Masters final could be an interesting one.

Ben Carson Fesses Up & Gabourey Sidibe’s Shamed ‘Empire’ Sex

The Curvy Girl Diva
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Ben Carson Fesses Up & Gabourey Sidibe’s Shamed ‘Empire’ Sex

Ben Carson admits to some tall tales, Jared Fogel’s victim speaks up, Gabourey Sidibe gets shame tweets about her ‘Empire’ sex scene, and Halle Berry talks divorce.

ben carson fesses up 2015 gossipBen Carson Confesses to Lying

So it was bound to come out sooner or later. Ben Carson’s reps have confirmed that the presidential hopeful lied about being offered a scholarship to Westpoint back in the day.

According to politico.com, he “conceded that he never applied nor was granted admission to West Point and attempted to recast his previous claims of a full scholarship to the military academy.”

After the website confronted him about the fact that West Point had no record of him even applying, Carson’s camp had no choice to tell the truth.

“Dr. Carson was the top ROTC student in the City of Detroit,…In that role he was invited to meet General Westmoreland. He believes it was at a banquet. He can’t remember with specificity their brief conversation, but it centered around Dr. Carson’s performance as ROTC City Executive Officer…He was introduced to folks from West Point by his ROTC Supervisors,” Bennett added. “They told him they could help him get an appointment based on his grades and performance in ROTC. He considered it but in the end did not seek admission.”

Honestly, this is just like someone who has no real qualifications to run a country to fabricate stuff. It speaks to his character and to his ability to make good choices. Another reason I personally will pass on him as president of the U.S.A.

jared fogel victim speaks 2015 gossipJared Fogel’s Victim Speaks for the First Time

Here we go with Jared Fogel’s sexual misconduct situation. The first victim in the disgusting scandal says that she was “brainwashed and manipulated” into having sex with the Subway spokesperson.

The victim, who is being identified as Analissa, was 14 years old at the time of the first encounter and says that she was “groomed” by Russell Taylor, the leader of Fogel’s children’s charity who was also implicated in the child porn ring.

According to an interview she did with Dr. Phill, which is set to air on Thursday, November 12th, she was being prepared to have sex with Fogel.

“[He] had me convinced that when I turned 16 I was going to have sex with him.”

This story really does need more attention as it is dealing with a crime of a sexual nature against children. It always amazes me how the media frames news stories in a certain light which brings one to the forefront over the other.

 

gabourey sidibie shamed sex 2015 gossipGabourey Sidibe Shamed for Sex Scene on Empire

In a world where everyone is having sex on TV, why the hell do people have an issue with a big girl getting hers too?

While Empire is definitely struggling with its storyline and overall appeal, one thing that Lee Daniels is good for is giving shine to people who usually don’t get any. And Gabby’s character is the type of character you would never see on TV have sex. But they showed it and people are pissed?

Thanks to social media, a good majority of people have turned this moment in TV into something disgusting and downright mean. A lot of people cheered Gabby’s character Becky on as she got some from the hot and fine J Poppa, but there were far too many who expressed disgust which is pretty repulsive.

“THAT’S IT!!!!! I have officially had enough of #Empire.”

“They said Becky was throwing dat azz in a circle! I’m logging off bruh. It’s only 4 minutes in. #Empire.”

“Becky leg and thigh look like Churches Chicken when it’s put together #Empire.”

Yes, there are always going to be people who are shallow and nasty but why come for her like that? Folks are just too much sometimes.

Just grow up people.

halle berry talks divorce 2015 gossipHalle Berry Breaks Silence on Divorce

When your love life is as public as Halle Berry’s, you can only go so long before having to address your third Divorce. For the first time since filing paperwork to end her marriage to Olivier Martinez, Halle is doing just that. According to ABCgo, Halle touched on her relationship experience at a benefit at the Jenesee Center.

“I keep pushing, and I’m really happy to be here because whenever you’re going through anything in life when you step outside yourself and focus on others, that’s always the best remedy for any situation that you’d rather not be dealing with,” she said.”

The organization is dedicated to preventing domestic violence which is something close to Halle’s heart as she claims to have been in a few abusive relationships, including her first marriage to athlete David Justice in the 90’s.

NHL Recap Weekend Preview 2015

Shane Lambert
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NHL Recap Weekend Preview 2015

nhl recap weekend preview 2015 imagesTeams in the NHL are 12 to 15 games into their schedules following Friday night’s action. Surprises so far in the 2015/16 season have been plenty.

Most notably both Chicago and Anaheim, two teams that were among the preseason Stanley Cup favorites, have largely struggled through the opening weeks of the season. There have been some pleasant surprises as well and here’s a quick recap of some of the events that have gone on so far this year.

Division leaders:

Atlantic – Montreal
Metropolitan – NY Rangers
Central – Dallas
Pacific – Los Angeles

Currently Chicago, preseason Cup favorites, are toward the bottom of the Central Division with just 15 points in the standings through 14 games. But one major announcement for this team came recently as Patrick Kane, who was a part of an investigation in the preceding months, learned that he would not face rape charges.

According to Attorney Frank A. Sedita III: “The totality of the credible evidence…does not sufficiently substantiate the complainant’s allegation that she was raped by Patrick Kane and this so-called ‘case’ is rife with reasonable doubt. Accordingly the Office of the Erie County District Attorney will not present this matter to an Erie County Grand Jury.”

If Kane felt distracted by the saga, it certainly did not show in his performance. Through 14 games the American has tallied 19 points, and he is second in the league in goals with 9.

The problem in Chicago may very well be that the ‘hawks have played the bulk of their games without Duncan Keith, their best defenseman. Perhaps directly related to Keith’s absence, Corey Crawford is looking like an average goaltender. Heading into the weekend, he is currently 19th in the league in both save percentage and goals against average.

Anaheim, after a horrific start, may be starting to put things together. The Ducks are currently fifth in the Pacific Division, however, they have strung together three straight wins.

But where there are teams underachieving, like Anaheim and Chicago, in respect to pre-season expectations there have to be overachievers. The Dallas Stars are a pleasant surprise for their fans, currently ahead by 3 points in the Central Division standings. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin are the offensive leaders on this club, one that appears to have been misjudged by pre-season analysts that typically put this club toward the bottom of the league.

But the major team news in the NHL so far has been the play of the Montreal Canadiens. With a goal differential of +28, Montreal have tallied 25 points in the standings already. Their lead in the Atlantic Division is already significant, with nine points distancing them from second place Ottawa and third-place Tampa Bay.

Carey Price has to be considered the early front-runner for the Vezina, but Montreal have a top-notch back-up in Mike Condon. In fact, Condon’s numbers are so good that he is the current leader in save percentage. With Price injured, the Habs have not missed a step and Montreal management have to be delighted with their apparent depth in goaltending.

Bad news for hockey fans is that Connor McDavid is out for the long term. The former Rookie of the Year candidate broke his collarbone in an Edmonton win earlier this week. His absence could very well take the Oilers out of the playoff picture, a team that I thought were actually looking alright following a slow start.

Weekend action sees Montreal hosting Boston, St. Louis in Nashville, and Anaheim in San Jose. CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada will feature Toronto in Washington and Pittsburgh in Calgary.

‘Girls’ Season 5 Teases & Pleases

Ricki Reay
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‘Girls’ Season 5 Teases & Pleases

girls season 5 teases 2015 imagesHBO’s hit show Girls is returning for its fifth season in early 2016. The American show is created by and stars actress Lena Dunham. The show has garnered up a large following and is constantly praised for its brutally honest take on humor and the often humiliating and uncomfortable situations it puts its characters through.

New York native Lena Dunham wrote Girls based on her real-life experiences. The show follows an aspiring writer named Hannah Helene Horvatch who lives in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Hannah is shocked when her parents come out to visit her from Michigan, only to tell her they will no longer be financially supporting her. At this time, Hannah had been graduated for two years from Oberlin College and was still heavily reliant on her parent’s financial aid. Hannah decides to give life as a full-on adult a go and tries to navigate the rest of her twenties “one mistake at a time.”

Actors Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, Adam Driver and Alex Karpovsky, who play her close circle of friends, join Lena. The show is actually produced by well-known director/producer Judd Apatow, who claimed he drew on Dunham’s imagination to bring a show that would give insight into “realistic females.”

As the show began to gain success, Lena commented that she saw Girls as a reflection of a part of the population that was not portrayed in other female-centric TV series, such as 1998’s Sex and the City. Lena went on to explain, “Gossip Girl was teens duking it out on the Upper East Side and Sex and the City was women who [had] figured out work and friends and now want to nail romance and family life. There was this ‘hole-in-between’ space that hadn’t really been addressed.”

The show’s first season was highly praised; Time magazine claimed the series to be “raw, audacious, nuanced and richly, often excruciatingly funny.” While New York Times compared it to previous hit shows saying, “Girls may be the millennial generation’s rebuttal to Sex and the City, but the first season was at times as cruelly insightful and bleakly funny as Louie on FX or Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO.” The three season’s following continued to get high ratings amongst viewers, as many claimed the show was able to mature while still remaining sharp, shocking and innovative with its raw humor.

Since the show premiered, it has been nominated for numerous awards – including Primetime Emmys, Writers Guild Of America Awards, and Golden Globes. Back in 2012, Girls ended up winning an Emmy for “Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series” and a Writers Guild Award for best “New Series.” Evidently, Lena was onto something when she decided to create her own genre of comedic drama.

Lena’s outspoken personality should also be credited for some of the show’s success. Lena continues to publicly speak about her strong stance on feminism and clearly incorporates her views within the show. Girls has dived into numerous hot topic issues – including body image, abortion, street harassment and relationships within the new age of social media.

So as fans gear up for the fifth season, HBO has released a very brief teaser of what to expect. In the 26-second teaser, we see Dunham’s character Hannah in the midst of an intense, collaborative dance work out to 2008’s “Get Up On It” by Empire ISIS. The screen boldly reads, “dance like no one is watching,” which is precisely what Hannah is trying to do until she is interrupted by her mother’s hips grooving to the same song.

It is assumed that the story will continue to unfold as Loreen (played by Freak and Geeks’ Becky Ann Baker), Hannah’s mom, tries to move forward from finding out that her husband Tad was gay. In addition, fans will most likely get to see what happens with Hannah since the last season ended off with her uncharacteristically content and coupled up.

From the short teaser, it is clear that Lena is not letting any of Hollywood’s “rules” get in her or the show’s way. She continues to embrace her quirky self and shows off an enviable confidence; both of which seem to be winning ingredients when it comes to women in comedy these days (refer to Amy Schumer). Therefore, it looks like season 5 of Girls will something worth tuning in for come February 2016.

You can catch the season premiere of Girls’ fifth season on HBO on February 21, 2016.

‘Shark Tank’ 707 Wink Saavy Jimmy Kimmel

Ricki Reay
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‘Shark Tank’ 707 Wink Saavy Jimmy Kimmel

shark tank 707 wink savvy jimmy kimmel 2015 imagesThe Sharks were once again circling their newest batch of prey in tonight’s episode of ABC’s Shark Tank. Season 7 of the hit show continued with business moguls Robert Herjavec, Lori Greiner, Kevin O’Leary, Barbara Corcoran and Mark Cuban looking to invest in the latest up-and-coming companies.

In addition, the Sharks were once again visited by late night show host Jimmy Kimmel and his sidekick Guillermo, who brought yet another “pitch” to the tank. You may recall last season Jimmy and Guillermo tried to get an investment for their “business” Horse Pants – which was exactly that…pants for horses. Unfortunately, the comedian and his partner-in-crime were unable to sway any Sharks into investing, so we will see if things are different this time around.

So here are the pitches from tonight!

Wink Frozen Desserts

Asking: $300,000 for 15%

Couple Ani Blinova and Gabe Wolff founded their company, Wink Frozen Deserts, which offers non-dairy, sugar-free and gluten-free dessert options that are relatively low calorie (coming in at 100 calories a pint). The company spawned from Gabe’s own allergies to dairy and gluten. He decided to venture into creating an all-natural, clean dessert option, as he was having difficulties finding anything suitable on the market.

First, the two entrepreneurs give samples of each of their 6 flavors to the sharks. Robert claims he is an ice cream expert. However, he doesn’t seem too impressed with Wink’s product and even calls it bland.

Gabe explains that the company has garnered just over $534,000 in sales over three years. It is mainly sold in local retail stores and a few Whole Foods.

Barbara was the first to drop out, as she wasn’t impressed by their sales and the lack of flavor in the treat. Mark, Robert and Lori also drop out based on the taste.

Kevin is the last to criticize their taste but advises the couple to increase slightly the calorie content in order to enhance the flavor, as it will still be a better alternative to other high-fat ice creams on the market.

Thus, Wink Frozen Desserts walks out without an investment.

Saavy Naturals

Asking: $200,000 for 10%

Next in the tank are soul mates Hugo and Debra Saavedra, who created a line of all-natural health and beauty products. Saavy Naturals offers food-grade, organic personal care products that incorporate the owners’ chef abilities with their passion for clean products. The line includes lotion, soaps, and scrubs that you are encouraged to take a taste of.

The owners hand out samples of their different products to the sharks. Several of the sharks give the products a taste and refer to it as fragrant and sugary. Lori clarifies that they aren’t actually marketing the products for consumption, but rather they are just trying to prove how pure their goods are.

Their line is currently being sold in a few regions of Whole Foods. The company has sold about $750,000 in the first year. At this point, they are not selling online.

Unfortunately, the company is $400,000 in debt, which triggers Mr. Wonderful to call their valuation insane. Shortly after, Mark drops out as he explains he is invested in a competitive company (Recall: Simple Sugars from the previous season of Shark Tank).

Barbara offers $200,000 for 50%. However, the couple asks her to reconsider for a “less than majority” slice of equity, which causes Barbara to drop out. Then, Robert offers them $200,000 for 45%. Barbara jumps back in at 40% but offers $100,000 in cash and $100,000 to fund purchase orders.

The couple accepts Barbara’s offer.

The Clean Cube

Ask: $300,000 for 10%

The Clean Cube is a portable laundry service created by Arthur Shmulevsky and Ryan Agran. The company offers a variety of services including package delivery, wash and fold, dry cleaning, grocery deliveries, mini storage and more. The business owners call the cube a “digital doorman.” The unit allows landowners to attract people to their real estate by offering a doorman like service.

Currently, the cube is in about 40 locations in New York City. They are charging landlords $7,000 for installation (which costs them $3,000).

Robert feels that the service will be too hard to get people to use and drops out. Lori, Kevin and Mark all have similar concerns and drop out.

Barbara is left, who understands the problem they are trying to solve but believes the market is too niche to be very profitable. Thus, The Clean Cube does not get an investment.

Simply Fit Board

Asking: $125,000 for 15%

The last (actual) pitch of the night was from mother-daughter duo Linda Clark and Gloria Hoffman, the creators behind the Simply Fit Board. The board is a balance platform that allows users to get a full body workout. While there are hundreds of exercises you can do on the board, the ladies tell the sharks that twisting on the board is one of the most beneficial moves as it works out every muscle in your core.

The board not only burns fat but also increases your overall balance.

Unfortunately, the duo does not have a patent on the board itself, and rather just has one for the system of placing the board on its customized placement mat. However, they impress the sharks with their revenue of $500,000, with a profit of $260,000.

First, Kevin offers them $250,000 for 30%. Robert expresses concern about the lack of patents and drops out. Barbara and Mark drop out, as they felt it was perfect for an infomercial (i.e. Lori’s space).

Thus, Lori “Queen of QVC” offers $125,000 for 20% and also offers to help fund purchases orders in the future. Linda and Gloria ask Lori and Kevin to join in together. However, Lori declines and says she won’t go any lower than 20%.

Linda and Gloria end up accepting Lori’s offer.

Bonus: Kimmel Clip

Jimmy and Guillermo come into the tank with their latest gimmick, “The Kid Cone.” The joke “product” is a giant, wearable safety cone that ensures kids safety when playing around busy streets. However, you will have to tune into Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday at 11:35 pm on ABC to see whether any of the sharks “invest” or not.

Next Week:

On next week’s episode of Shark Tank, young entrepreneurs present their innovations, such as a college dorm room essential and a formula to fix shrunken sweaters. In addition, the Sharks meet President Barack Obama. You can catch this episode on November 13 at 9 pm on ABC.

Fantasy Football Tight End Sleepers for NFL Week 9: Benjamin Watson & Vernon Davis

Chris Maurice
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Fantasy Football Tight End Sleepers for NFL Week 9: Benjamin Watson & Vernon Davis

fantasy football tight end sleepers week 9 benjamin watson 2015 nflFor everyone not lucky enough to have a man named Rob Gronkowski on their team, the tight end slot can be one of the most difficult to fill. Finding the right fit is never easy, especially in one-day leagues. So with you Draft Kings in mind, here’s a little help picking a cheap tight end for Week 9:

Benjamin Watson, New Orleans Saints: Watson has been an absolute beast in the absence of Jimmy Graham, especially over the past four game. Over that span, Watson has three touchdowns and twice been tackled at the one-yard line. Brees has also thrown his way more than ten times twice at home over that stretch.

This week, Watson and the Saints are in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome against the weak Tennessee Titans—the same Titans who gave up double-digit points to Dion Sims, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, and Cameron Jordan. So basically, any tight end can do really well against Miami.

Based on Watson’s current hot streak, he’s worth a start in each and every league you’re participating in.

Vernon Davis, Denver Broncos: I am going out on a limb here, but Vernon Davis may be worth a shot. I don’t know to be perfectly honest. Jordan Reed, Heath Miller, and Charles Clay are all safer bets, but Davis does have a very high ceiling.

Davis hasn’t been doing much of anything this season. In fact, through six games with the San Francisco 49ers this season, Davis only managed 194 yards on 18 receptions. No touchdowns. Playing with Colin Kaepernick is the definition of the struggle.

Now he has Peyton Manning, and after Peyton shut everyone up last week, he’ll most likely come out firing on Sunday against his former team, the Indianapolis Colts.

Tight end Julius Thomas did absolutely fantastic under Manning with 24 touchdowns over the past two seasons, so provided head coach Gary Kubiak allows Davis to see the field for more than one or two downs, a touchdown isn’t completely out of the question.

That’s a big if. I honestly couldn’t tell you how much the Broncos will utilize Davis this week. After all, they just got him. Up to you, big guy. Should be pretty cheap in Draft King Leagues if you like to consider yourself a risk taker.

‘Step It Up’ 107 Beware of Bat Woman Recap

The Curvy Girl Diva
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‘Step It Up’ 107 Beware of Bat Woman Recap

step it up 107 beware bat woman 2015 imagesThis week on Step It Up, the ante is pretty high as the dancers in both groups of YCDT will have the chance to audition for Icon Talent Agency, one of the most successful agencies in Miami. Traci’s dancers will also walk and dance in a fashion show of one of Traci’s designer friends.

Company dancers and Reps are very excited because having an agent is everything for a dancer and Traci is giving them both the chance to show her they are good enough to audition for Icon. She has the first round of cuts as she only plans to take the best five dancers to the talent agency. She teaches them a routine, auditions them and from how well they dance, determines if they move on to Icon. Janae has already obtained a place with the agency from the last time Traci took them to Icon, but she still rehearses with them because she wants to show her support. Jakriah, who does not have an agent yet, has a hard time getting the routine down, which makes her nervous because she really wants the chance to audition. Diaunte is also planning to take advantage of this time because “having an agent can definitely change your life.”

Traci is “very, very selective” and after everyone auditions for her, she lets them know that she doesn’t feel they gave their all. Some of them did well, but a lot didn’t, which is not good because she plans to have all five of her dancers signed this time around. Her reputation is also on the line, and she does not take that lightly.

“Do ya’ll really understand the severity of how crucial this is?” As she does cuts, Jakirah doesn’t make it but Diaunte does, so yay for him. The final five, including him, are Andrew, Armani, Tia, and Domuniuqe. When Traci dismisses everyone, Jakriah breaks down in Janae’s arms because she is most disappointed in herself.

The next day, as Traci makes her way to the salon, she talks about the fact that she is a trademark and when she walks out the door, she has to always “be on point.” So she pays a visit to her stylist Quietta, who has been doing her hair for over ten years.

Quietta offers her a color that is out of the norm for Traci, and she is not feeling it. “No.” Traci is all about her signature purple, pink and black. So as she tells her what she wants, they talk about Traci’s house situation and having her 13-year-old sister Sunshine living with them. Traci expresses how much her husband Jean is her everything. “I don’t know what I would do without him,” and Quietta agrees.

The day of the Icon audition comes, and the five dancers put it all on the floor, each showing “what they are made of.” Out of all of them, Armani is the strongest to me, but we’ll see what the three judges say.

When they finish, the judges “deliberate” and decide to bring only one into the Icon family. And that one person is Armani! The girl deserves it; she’s really good. Next up is the fashion show.

Traci heads back to the studio to whip the kids into shape, and they go right along with their coach. I have to say that you can tell she wants the best for her kids, and she makes opportunities for them to learn and put their best foot forward.

During her down time, she spends some QT with Jean, who has done a lot in the past few weeks with getting the studio ready. “I just want to salute and celebrate you.” He’s a super cutie, and they seem to have a good relationship, which is refreshing. She tells him that she wants to make more time for him, and the dinner doesn’t even add up to what he’s done for the family. Awww.

It’s time for the fashion show, and Traci is very excited for her dancers. “I just want them to be their most authentic selves.” She wants her dancers to step it up and to not embarrass her, which is understandable.

The fashion show they are walking in is for designer Tebo, who is having her first show ever in Miami. She has designed for A-list celebrities, so it’s super important for the dancers to “act right” and listen. Which seems to be a little hard for some of them as things are hectic, and a lot of them are on their phones. At one point, as Tebo tries to get them in line, while asking one of the YCDT dancers why she changed her make up, she naturally puts her hand in her face, and the girl moves her hand. “Okay, but don’t put her hand in my face.” Wow. The girl has an attitude, but whatever. Tebo tells her it was not intentional and told her to change her make up.

In the end, they get it together, and the show starts. Overall everyone from the dancers to those who walked the catwalk does a great job. Tebo is pleased, and so is Traci.

Next week is rehearsals for the Company and as always the stakes are major.

Rafael Nadal Knocked Out of Paris Masters By Stan Wawrinka

Shane Lambert
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Rafael Nadal Knocked Out of Paris Masters By Stan Wawrinka

rafael nadal knocked out of paris masters by stan wawrinka 2015 tennisRafael Nadal and Tomas Berdych were the highest ranked casualties in the quarterfinal round of the 2015 Paris Masters. Those two players lost to Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic respectively. As the final in Paris starts to shape up, here’s a look at the scoring lines from all four matches that were played on Friday, all of which were competitive.

Stan Wawrinka defeats Rafael Nadal 7-6, 7-6
Novak Djokovic defeats Tomas Berdych 7-6, 7-6
Andy Murray defeats Richard Gasquet 7-6, 3-6, 6-3
David Ferrer defeats John Isner 6-3, 6-7, 6-2

Wawrinka’s victory over Nadal represents the Swiss No. 2’s first win over a Top Ten player since winning the 2015 French Open several months ago. However Nadal, who had played in the Basel final this past weekend, was likely not at 100% in terms of energy levels this week.

The former World No. 1 still managed to make the sets competitive, and that does attest his play right now. However I still think Wawrinka’s victory can be belittled due to the fact that Nadal had to be facing fatigue issues. I think Isner’s victory over Federer a round earlier can be belittled for the same reason as Federer was busy in Basel last week too. Accordingly, when the ATP World Tour Finals come around later this month, I expect both Nadal and Federer to be very tough outs.

As far as the draw goes it will now be Andy Murray against David Ferrer on the bottom half of the draw. On the top half, Novak Djokovic will face Wawrinka. In several ways, the semifinal match-ups do point to a Murray/Djokovic final.

For instance, Wawrinka is just 4-18 against the current World No. 1. While his quartet of wins does include one this season, from the French Open, Djokovic has since avenged the loss with a hard court win in Cincinnati. I don’t think Wawrinka’s victory over Nadal proves that the Swiss No. 2 is regaining his former touch, and it would be a shocking upset to see Djokovic fail to make the Paris final.

Andy Murray does not own all that big of an edge against David Ferrer heads up. However, the Scot is 10-6 against the Spaniard, a series that includes a three-match winning streak over Ferrer. Three of Ferrer’s wins over Murray are on clay while only one of the remaining ones came both indoors and on the hard court surface.

With Federer and Nadal meeting in Basel last weekend to cap the 500-series tournaments for the year, a Murray/Djokovic final would be a great cap to the 1000-series for 2015.

‘How to Get Away With Murder’ 206 I Want You To Die Recap

The Curvy Girl Diva
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‘How to Get Away With Murder’ 206 I Want You To Die Recap

how to get away with murder 206 want you to die 2015 imagesHow to Get Awa With Murder is back confusing us, in a good way, though with ‘I Want You To Die.’

Nate cleans out his wife’s hospital room, and while he does, he is served papers. ADA Sinclair is claiming foul play on his part (so that he can be with Annalise she is saying).

Back at the house, Frank tells Annalise and lets her that he can protect them. She tells him, “If you want to protect us kill Emily Sinclair.” Come on Annie, you know Frank is cray, cray.

She leaves to see Eve, who calls a meeting with her and Nate. He confesses that he did give his wife the pills. Eve tells them, “Don’t worry, I got this.”

Bonnie gives Asher the cold shoulder and throws Trotter Lake in his face when he asks what’s wrong as she heads out to join Annie in court. Later he gets a chance to explain himself, but she still does not want to hear it. We find out that Trotter Lake was a party he threw at his parent’s house. Four guys took the victim, Tiffany, upstairs, but Asher was too drunk to know what was happening. His dad is the one who covered it up, but that’s bull to Bonnie because he “didn’t stop him.”

On this week’s case, Annie deals with a man who allegedly killed his ex-wife’s (Sharon Tidwell) husband, Marco. As Annalise leaves the courthouse to prep for trial, she sees ADA Sinclair. Annie confronts her and lets her know,

“You’re messing with the wrong bitch,” Sinclair asks her if that’s a threat. Annie’s reply?

“I guess we’ll see.”

Then she drops the mic on the bitch, or, well she walks away from the bitch.

Frank and Laurel get it on in the house and are caught by Annalise. Bam! She tells them and the rest of the team to get info on this week’s case and gives Laurel a hard time, making her look pretty stupid. The Keating Five get on it and finds that Marco was an alcoholic who attended AA three times a week at a church. During the trial, Annalise badgers the Sharon but that’s okay because the prosecutor has Marco’s 911 call and enters it into evidence.

At the house, Connor is taken aback that sexy ass Frank has asked Oliver to help on the case. Frank tells him to chill, “He’s not my type.”

Annalise meets with Eve in her car who confesses that she’s glad Nate killed his wife because that gave them the chance to see each other again. Um okay. They joke about throwing the case so Nate goes to jail and they live in Paris working their practice. But alas, it’s only a dream.

In court, Eve represents Nate in the pretrial to determine if he should be charged in his wife’s death. It gets heated as the nurse who tended to his wife takes the stand. Sinclair’s line of question leads her to outburst that it should be legal for someone to give their loved one pills to end their life. During Eve’s turn to cross-examine, she hesitates for a second, and when the judge asks her if she wants to, she says “no.” West, who sat in the courtroom, runs home to tell Annie that they are going to test Nate’s wife’s blood, and he thinks Eve threw the case. Guess she was thinking about Paris.

Annalise rushes to meet with Eve, and she tells her that she did not throw the case. She asks her to trust what she is doing and that Nate knows that plan. That’s all that matters.

Laurel gets a hunch that the prosecutor and Sharon Tidwell are sleeping together after seeing their interaction at the courthouse. She investigates by going to his building and claiming to be a friend of Sharon’s or something like that.  The doorman tells her that she doesn’t live in the building but is there all the time, proving Laurel’s hunch.

The next day in court, Annie calls the prosecutor to the stand and questions him about his relationship with his client. At the same time, Laurel talks his doorman into coming with her into the courtroom. Once he’s in, he can’t leave as he can attest to Mrs. Tidwell and the prosecutor’s relationship. Annalise eventually gets the prosecutor to plead the fifth when asked if he is the one who drove Marco to kill himself.  Go Laurel.

Nate and Eve sit in her car as they wait outside his wife’s hospital, and he asks, “What’s your deal with her?” Awkward. She avoids the question, and he goes in to speak to the nurse.

What we ascertain from the fact that Eve wins the case, is that he asked his wife’s nurse to fix the blood results. And she did. West questions Eve afterward and she doesn’t give him anything. But what he does give her suspicion about her homie, lover, friend.

In a quest to make amends with Bonnie, Asher goes to her house, but all he does is tell on Annalise and her showing him Bonnie’s video.

In Eve’s hotel room, she asks Annie about West, and while she doesn’t really give an answer, Annie tells her, “It’s him.” Then, the old “friends” share a drink, a kiss and a night in bed.

At the Keating House, Oliver’s fake online dating profile (he used Connor’s picture) catches the eye of the guy they suspect is the Hapstall killer, and because his boyfriend doesn’t want to lure him in, Ollie offers to, to Connor’s consternation.

Of course, Connor doesn’t let him and goes himself.  Only their plan is foiled because Laurel calls Annalise, who gets a hold of Frank before the guy shows up and shuts it down. We find out he was never going to show up because instead he ambushes Ollie in his apartment.  “Hi, how is your night going?” Psycho!

Annalise makes it home after her sexy night, and Bonnie waits for her. She confronts her about telling Asher about her past. Annie tries to reason with her, but Bonnie does not take it and tells her that she ruined her. They have a shouting match, and Bonnie accuses her of hurting her on purpose and not loving her. Annie tells her she absolutely loves her, but Bonnie is through with her.

“I want you to die; that’s what I want.” Damn Bonnie.

It is clear that there are a lot of people who want to take Annie out and we only a few more episodes to find out before the winter finale.

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