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2015 ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament Quarter Finals Recap

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2015 ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament Quarter Finals Recap

The quarterfinal results are in from the 2015 ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament (ATP Rotterdam). Friday’s matches saw what is considered a significant upset as the top seed in the tournament suffered a surprise loss. The ATP Rotterdam event, part of the 500-series on tour, will feature a couple semifinals this weekend that are of moderate importance.

Below are all the results from the quarters:

[8] Gilles Simon d. [1] Andy Murray 64 62

[2] Milos Raonic d. Sergiy Stakhovsky 26 63 64

[3] Tomas Berdych d. Gael Monfils 61 64

[4] Stan Wawrinka d. Gilles Muller 76(3) 63

andy murray loses to gilles simon in rotterdam quarter finals 2015

The major news of the day is Murray’s loss. His defeat, though considered a major upset because he had beaten Simon twelve straight times, is perhaps not surprising from another point of view.

The Scot has often played poorly in the events following a loss in the Australian Open final. For example, in 2011 Murray lost to Marcos Baghdatis in Rotterdam ahead of losing to Donald Young in Indian Wells and to Alex Bogomolov Jr. in Miami. In 2010, after losing to Roger Federer in the Aussie final, Murray dropped matches to Janko Tipsarevic, Robin Soderling, and Mardy Fish in successive tournaments.

gilles simon france beats andy murray abn amro tennis tour 2015

Simon made the following comments following his victory over Murray:

“It was a great match for me,” the World No. 19 claimed. “I lost 12 times against him, so it was almost an unexpected win. I had a better feeling against him the last two matches I had to play. I was twice one set and a break up, I really felt I was close to win, and I think it helped me to be more confident today.”

Murray commented on his loss after exiting the tournament:

“I struggled with most of the shots, to be honest,” Murray claimed. “At the beginning of the match my backhand, at the end of the match my forehand. It was tough. I felt I was hitting the ball too early. I felt my timing was a bit off.”

The results from Friday will see Simon face Berdych in the top half of the draw while Raonic will face Wawrinka in the bottom half.

tomas berdych vs gilles simon abn amro tennis 2015

Berdych, though he is higher ranked than Simon, is certainly no lock for the final. The Czech, not adept at closing out tournaments, is just 3-6 against his French counterpart. That series includes a hard court loss in the latter half of 2014 as Berdych lost to Simon in the quarters of ATP Shanghai. It is perhaps a telling trend that Simon is 4-1 in their last five matches, all of which took place on the hard court surface.

However the World No. 19 still hinted at pessimism regarding his upcoming match:

“Tomas looked brilliant today,” said Simon. “He played a perfect match against Gael. I watched it all and it was really impressive. We know that Tomas is a really good player, and he’s an even better player indoor. He’s defending champion, so it’s going to be a tough match. I have a good record against him and I just hope I’m going to play a very nice match. If I play my best tennis I know I have a chance.”

milos raonic top bare seeder tennis back abn amro tournament 2015

Raonic, now the highest seeded player remaining in the Rotterdam draw, cannot like his draw to the final. The Canadian is 0-3 against Wawrinka although Raonic is playing better tennis now than he has at points in the past.

The semifinals are on the order of play for Saturday with the Simon/Berdych contest up first.

Centre Court

Stadium Starts at 2pm

[8] G. Simon (FRA) vs [3] T. Berdych (CZE)

Not Before 7:30 pm

[4] S. Wawrinka (SUI) vs [2] M. Raonic (CAN)

NFL Season Recap & 2015 Draft Needs: Cleveland Browns

For the first time in what seems like years the Cleveland Browns were almost a playoff team. The Browns finished this season 7-9—last place in the AFC North division; however, they did much better than their record might indicate. The AFC North was the toughest division in the league this season with the Pittsburgh Steelers winning it at 11-5, the Cincinnati Bengals earning the top Wild Card slot at 10-5-1, and the Baltimore Ravens slipping into the 6th seed of the playoff bracket at 10-6. The Browns certainly would have had an easier path to the playoffs in any other division.

brian hoyer cleveland browns hurt 2015 season images

The main issue the Browns faced in 2014 was the quarterback situation. After drafting Johnny Manziel in the 2014 NFL Draft, Mike Pettine announced that Brian Hoyer would retain the starting position that he had in 2013 before his season-ending knee injury. Pettine also made it clear that he did not like Manziel. Well, Hoyer started to decline rapidly; and Pettine was forced to start Manziel in a situation and offensive style which seemed set up to watch the rookie fail.

johnny manziel blown down by bengals on cleveland browns 2015

Well, needless to say Manziel did fail. But so did Hoyer. Now, with Hoyer’s contract up the Browns have to decide which quarterback they want to be the future of their franchise. Or maybe they’ll trade up from the 12th pick in the draft and grab a big name rookie. With that in mind, here’s the Cleveland Browns top needs heading into the 2015 NFL Draft:

mitchell schwartz big bottom for cleveland browns 2015 images

Offensive Tackle: The Browns current right tackle Mitchell Schwartz has done little of anything this season. Sure, Cleveland allowed only 1.9 sacks per game over the season as a whole; but the average jumped up to 3.3 in the last three games of the season including sacks in the season finale. The Browns quarterbacks seem to struggle enough on their own, so having a solid offensive line is crucial. The Browns should have no problem finding a starting caliber lineman with the amount of talent available, so it may be time they start looking for a replacement for Schwartz.

alex mack great cleveland browns bulge to hold for 2015 images

Center: This may come as a surprise to Browns fans, as Alex Mack is arguably the best center in the NFL. The problem the Browns ran into this season, however, is that they have no talent behind him. When Mack was injured, the entire line struggled immensely. This is an easy spot to fill. The Browns simply need to use a late round pick on a solid backup for Mack, and this will hopefully prevent the line from collapsing if anything happens to Mack.

cleveland browns armonty bryant problems hurt 2015 imagesw

Defensive End: Cleveland certainly has a talented defense, but they could use a little bit of help getting to opposing quarterbacks. Desmond Bryant is a decent player, but the Browns could definitely do better. Armonty Bryant on the other hand is a bit of a concern both on and off the field. The 2015 Draft class features a lot of talent on the defensive line, so the Browns would be foolish to not take advantage of it with an early to mid-round pick

josh gordon cleveland browns loves football like pot 2015 images

Wide Receiver: The Browns need to face the face that Josh Gordon does not love football enough to stay clean. Gordon failed yet another drug test recently, and as a result he will most likely be suspended for at least the entire 2015 NFL season. It’s a shame to see such talent go to waste. But, for the Browns it’s time to move on. Andrew Hawkins has been effective, especially at the slot receiver position; but with Gordon out the Browns will need someone who can really stretch the field on every down. Hoyer and/or Manziel could certainly use the extra help as well. The Browns claim that they would like to trade up to draft quarterback Marcus Mariota out of Oregon; however, they might be better off sticking with Manziel and drafting wide receiver Amari Cooper out of Alabama instead.

Serie A Soccer Game Week 22 Review: Juventus Still On Top

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Serie A Soccer Game Week 22 Review Juventus Still On Top 2015

Serie A champions, Juventus are comfortable at the top of the table with 53 points. The Old Lady defeated AC Milan 3 – , while Roma picked up their first victory in five Serie A matches.

juventus defeats ac milan serie a soccer 2015 images

Seven points behind the league leaders, Rudi Garcia’s side has faltered in the recent weeks. AS Roma were chasing their first win since January 6th, when they defeated Udinese 1 – 0.  At Stadio Sant’Elia, La Maggica grabbed all three points against Cagliari. Ljajic drew the first blood in the 37th minute and the lead was doubled by Paredes in the 85th minute. For Cagliari, M’Poku got on the score sheet in the fifth minute of the injury time but it was too little too late for his side.

as roma defeats udinese series a soccer 2015 images

Despite the win, Roma have a huge mountain to climb as Juve look set to claim their fourth title in a row. Juventus were the hosts for Inzaghi’s Milan on Saturday. Carlos Tevez got the first goal of the match, 14 minutes after the first whistle. Antonelli snatched an equalizer fourteen minutes later, but after that Allegri’s team took hold of the proceedings. Just three minutes after Milan’s goal, Juventus again went ahead with Bonucci getting on the score sheet. After the break, Morata’s goal in the 65th minute sealed three points for the Italian champions.

icardi scores against palermo serie a soccer 2015 images

Milan’s city rivals registered an impressive victory against Palermo at San Siro. Guarin opened the scoring, while Icardi scored a brace as Inter won 3 – 0 at home. Intermilan are currently tenth in the Serie A table. It is hard to believe that a few years ago, they were the crowned the kings of Europe after defeating LVG’s Bayern Munich in 2010. Milan, on the other hand, are 11th in the rankings with 29 points (same as Inter).

Rafael Benitez’s Napoli have now won four league games in a row and are not very far away the top two after winning 3-1 at home against Udinese. Mertens netted the first, while Gabbiadini ran onto a through-ball to score the second goal of the night. Udinese’s Thereau scored at both the ends, thereby nullifying the effect his goal gave in the 27th minute. Udinese dwell at the 12th spot on the Serie A table while the Naples based team are only four points adrift of Roma. Napoli have a genuine chance of finishing second this season.

fiorentina beats serie a atalanta soccer 2015 images

Fiorentina got one better of their opponents in a five-goal thriller at home against Atalanta. The match ended with Fiorentina winning 3-2. Sampdoria men were held in a 1-1 stalemate against Sassuolo. After eleven draws this season, Sampdoria have now slipped to the fifth spot on the Serie A table.

napoli jose maria callejon wins serie a soccer point against udinese 2015

Fiorentina, Sampdoria and Lazio seem to be the genuine contenders for the fourth spot, with only a three point difference between the three sides. With 16 games to go in Serie A, we can’t rule out the other teams who are not very far behind.

Empoli chances of survival in the top division of Italy were boosted with a 2-0 win over lowly Cesena. In Monday’s kick off, Genoa got an away win against Lazio with Perotti’s penalty separating the two sides. The game at Lazio ended 1 – 0.

2015 Brasil Tennis Open Quarter Finals Recap

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2015 Brasil Tennis Open Quarter Finals Recap

The quarterfinal round from the Brasil Open 2015 (ATP Sau Paulo) is complete. Action on Friday saw two seeded players fall in the round of eight, while another major clay court threat was eliminated from the tournament.

Fabio Fognini wins quarter finals brasil atp tennis open 2015 images

Heading into the quarterfinals, Fabio Fognini was the top seeded player remaining in the Brasil Open draw. However he fell to Columbia’s Santiago Giraldo in straight sets. Leonardo Mayer of Argentina was the second highest seed remaining in the draw however he met the same fate as Fognini, losing to a lower ranked player in Joao Souza.

pablo cuevas wins to semi finals brasil atp tennis open 2015 images

Other players that advanced to the semifinal were Pablo Cuevas, a proven tour-level champion, and fringe player Luca Vanni of Italy.

All of the results from Friday are below:

Quarter-Finals from Brasil Open 2015

[6] Santiago Giraldo d. [3] Fabio Fognini 76(4) 75

[WC] Joao Souza d. [4] Leonardo Mayer (ARG) 64 36 63

[5] Pablo Cuevas d. Nicolas Almagro 76(6) 36 62

[Q] Luca Vanni d. Dusan Lajovic 76(5) 76(4)

luca vanni goes to semi finals brasil atp tennis open 2015 images

Luca Vanni, currently ranked just 149th in the world, is the feel-good Cinderella story in Sau Paulo. At the age of 29 years he has never been ranked higher than 145th. However even if he loses in the semifinals in Sau Paulo, he will surely jump up with next Monday’s updates.

The Italian had the following comments following his victory on Friday:

“I feel good. It’s a dream,” said the World No. 149. “I won my second match on the ATP and now I’m here with the top players…I think I will be Top 100 if I play like this.”

Nicolas Almagro tennis career lagging at brasil atp tennis open 2015

The results do show that Vanni is poised for the Top 100. Likewise they show that Spaniard Nicolas Almagro is nowhere near his best tennis at this point in his career.

The former Top Ten player has a dozen titles in his career, all of them earned on the clay court surface. Fans of tennis will remember that there was a time when an event like Sau Paulo would have been Almagro’s to lose. However in falling to Pablo Cuevas, the former French Open quarterfinalist has shown that he has much to work on if he is to regain his best form ahead of the larger clay court events still to be played in the spring.

Santiago Giraldo makes semi finals brasil atp tennis open 2015 images

Looking ahead to the semifinals the matchups with see Cuevas face Giraldo and Souza face Vanni. Among that quartet, Cuevas is the only player with a clay court title to his credit, having won both Umag and Bastad last season. In fact Cuevas is the only player to have won a title period as Vanni, Souza, and Giraldo have a combined zero titles to their credit.

With the upsets in the quarters, the tournament is now on Cuevas’ racket as the Uruguay national looks to crack the Top 25 on tour.

Saturday’s Order of Play from Sau Paulo:

SCHEDULE – SATURDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 2015

Luca Vanni vs Joao Souza brasil atp tennis open 2015 images

1pm: [Q] L. Vanni (ITA) vs [WC] J. Souza (BRA)

Not Before 3:00 pm

Santiago Giraldo vs Pablo Cuevas brasil atp tennis open 2015 images

[6] S. Giraldo (COL) vs [5] P. Cuevas (URU)

LAW & ORDER: SVU Intimidation Game Gamergate Recap

LAW & ORDER SVU Intimidation Game Gamergate Recap

The opening scene of this week’s “Law & Order: SVU” Intimidation Game episode showed Olivia meeting with her therapist to discuss her personal life. She told her therapist her son had a play date with other little girls and that her son Noah caused problems and broke toys during the play date. Olivia then said she was worried about how Noah would grow up, though she still intends to legally adopt her foster son.

rollins finds women beaten at gamergate for law and order svu 2015 images

Finn and Rollins at a video game convention witnessed an argument between a vendor and a convention attendee. After he left Finn and Rollins came across a suspicious individual. The vendor then went to the ladies room and was attacked by two men. Finn and Rollins were then made aware of the incident and Rollins went in to save the female vendor.

finn gets gamergate on for law and order svu 2015 images

At the station the detectives discussed the incident and said that the female vendor was assaulted because women aren’t welcome at video game conventions. Finn and Olivia then questioned the vendor to find out more details on the incident. She said she didn’t personally know the men that assaulted her.

They viewed the security footage and got glimpses of the two men who assaulted the woman. Since she is engaged to a venture capitalist the detectives debated why anyone would attack her instead. Finn and Rollins then discussed the convention with those who were in charge of running it.

masked gamer boy on law and order svu 2015 images

Olivia said that she had been reading articles online and worrying about Noah’s future in the world where female gamers are targeted for being women. Another (male) vendor from the convention was recruited by the detectives to help them get to the bottom of what happened. They then took him to confront the two men that attacked the female vendor. One of the men admitted that the female vendor’s breasts were nice to feel and that at point he was arrested. Though he tried to tell the detectives he was kidding they handcuffed him and carted him off anyway. The victim then viewed a lineup to confirm the man that attacked her. She then asked the detectives to keep the incident quiet for the sake of future gaming conventions.

reyna being held by gun men to head on law and order svu 2015 images

Through a live feed the detectives witnessed another woman being assaulted as part of this unfolding case. This turned out to be a hostage crisis situation. Finn and Rollins showed up at the scene to assist the victim, though she said her assaulters were just trying to scare her. The detectives then found out the woman who had been attacked was sent a threatening note earlier in the day from her attacker. Finn said that they needed the threatening message and that the convention employees they had questioned had to come to the police station for questioning. Then they found out female employees of the convention were threatened with promises that they would be hurt.

olivia suited up for law and order svu 2015 images

The female employee, Reyna, then said she accepted liability for her safety but she refused to have police at the company’s video game conventions. The detectives then discussed having the building shut down so the convention, to be held the next day, could not take place.

At the convention the next day, Reyna introduced herself to the crowd and made a presentation about the game the convention was centered on. Reyna was then targeted with laser pointers shown on her by the men who were harassing her and had previously attacked her.  Seconds later gunshots rang out and an ominous message was played over the building’s loudspeaker. A phony security guard then grabbed Reyna and attempted to take her away. The police intervened and tackled the suspect in order to arrest him. The other man was then arrested as a kidnapper.

reyna with gun taped to hands on law and order svu 2015 images

Back at the station the detectives watched news coverage of the incident and then discussed it with Olivia. Detectives were then sent to a suspicious van. They stumbled upon a secret location for those who were attacking women at the video game convention. Reyna was then shown naked and crying as the men who had assaulted her broadcasted a live feed on the Internet of what they were doing to her. Detectives found this live stream but didn’t know where it was being broadcast from.

During the live stream Reyna was forced to state that women didn’t belong playing video games and they were putting themselves in danger when they did. She was then forced to tell her significant other she didn’t really love him and didn’t actually want to be with him.

gamergate for law and order svu 2015 images

The detectives found the house the live streaming had taken place from. The homeowner was confronted but had no idea what was happening. Detectives scoured the room where the live broadcast had taken place and found guns present. The homeowner happened to be the mother of one of the men who attacked Reyna. She said that her husband passing away had been extremely upsetting to her son but that he would never use it as an excuse to rape or kill a woman. Reyna then called Rollins and begged the detectives for help as a gun was held to her head. She stated she was in a garage in the Manhattan Bridge.

law and order svu finn shooting gamer 2015 images

The detectives went there and confronted Reyna’s attackers. Gunshots were fired and Olivia released Reyna from the restraints her attackers had placed her in. Rollins then arrested one of the attackers and detectives shot the other one because he ran from them. The attackers stated that Reyna took the one thing they had.

ice t finn shooting bulge shots at olivia for law and order svu 2015 images recap

Back at the station Finn and Olivia discussed the fact that he knew video games were different from real life. Olivia had to then suspend Finn and take his gun and badge because he killed one of the attackers. The one who was arrested made the decision to go in front of a jury to decide his fate. The detectives told Reyna she didn’t deserve to endure what happened to her and this brought the story to its conclusion, leaving viewers with needed closure.

Celebrity Gossip Roundup: North West Temper, Nicki Gets Meek & Tame Fifty Shades Of Grey

Celebrity Gossip Roundup North West Temper Nicki Gets Meek Tame Fifty Shades Of Grey

This weeks, it’s all about crying babies, happy ladies and steamless sex; mixed in with some really good gossip of course.

north west temper tantrum with anna wintour kim kardashians 2015 images

It seems like Kanye and Kim K. are not the only Wests making headlines this week. For whatever reason, North West’s temper tantrum during the introduction of her daddy’s Adidas line at New York Fashion Week has made the rounds of the gossip sites (including this one). But we are going to look at it for what it is. While people may say that this is an example of the Wests’ poor parenting skills, let’s be real here, Nori was just being a baby and babies cry and throw tantrums at the most in opportune times. The real question is why did Kimye have her there in the first place?

kanye west used grammys beck for addidas line launch 2015

Speaking of Kanye West, it kills me how “self-aware” this dude tries to present himself to be. Considering his Grammy rant about “real artists” being gipped by the Academy (Beck won for Album of the Year over Beyoncé), it may have all been for attention to be drawn to his new Adidas “creative collaboration.” He is just too damn much. We all remember how he went on and on about Nike not wanting to work with him (or something like that) right? Well I mean damn, way he acts and draws attention to himself can you really blame them? Of course I checked out his line and it pretty much looks like the stuff is made from tarp, scratchy wool and potato sacks. There is nothing artistically expressive about it and it just shows how fucking delusion Ye, Jay, Bey, Ri, Kim and the rest of their crew are.

fifty shades of grey box office hot but sucks 2015

For the movie lovers, if you were excited about going to see Fifty Shades of Grey, you might want to tone that excitement down a little bit. From the looks of things, it is not that great. I know many people were anticipating it, especially those who have read the books. I personally haven’t but was looking forward to seeing what the hype was all about. Well I guess if nothing else, the movie’s sound track is sexy as hell. My favorite track so far is The Weekend’s “Earned It.” Talk about hot.

meek mill with nicki minaj heating up romance 2015 images

And since I mentioned hot, it looks like Meek Mill and Nicki Minaj are really warming up. Nicki gushes about him often and recently did an interview where she gave us some insight to their friendship (in air quotations). “People think for some strange reason that we just started becoming friends recently. We’ve been friends for a very, very long time, and he’s been around for a lot of things that I’ve gone through.” I hear that Nicki! Aint nothing like a nigga that’s down for you. Do you (and him).

young money drake lovers 2015 images

Now you know that since Nicki has had a string of rap’s finest bachelors (well maybe not finest but defiantly richest) Drake has been reported to be all up in his feelings over his fellow Young Money rumored romance. I love Drizzy I do and he has really grown on my over the years, but he has got to get out of his feelings. I mean he be catching them like he plays for the damn Los Angeles Dodgers. If they are, they are. Get a grip. Meek Mill is a real nigga anyway.

bobbi kristina brown with nick gordon taboo love 2015

What a love triangle right? Speaking of love, Nick Gordon, the so called husband/boyfriend/play brother of Bobbi Kristina could not have really loved her. This is what BK’s family is saying. They claim that he has not even tried to see her since she has been in the hospital. Gordon has apparently been complaining about not being able to get inside. This is a tricky situation because if he knows the hostility they have toward him, should he really try to see her knowing that they will more than likely just shoo him away? IDK… I think, if he really cares for her the way that he says (I mean damn you called her your wife) then despite what he feels the family will say, he should make every effort to get to her bedside. But maybe that is just me.

will smith closet case actors 2015 images

Finally, I am ending this week with a little something about my boo… I mean Will Smith. First of all for the record, I have loved him since my youth so really to me he can do no wrong and I will support him no matter what (ride or die chick here). This week, he revealed how his movie After Earth, and its poor performance nearly broke him (emotionally). The movie starred his son Jaden Smith as well as Will himself. According to him, AF is the “most painful failure of my career.” The critics really panned it and I will admit, I didn’t make it through all the entire thing (sorry babe) but come on… it’s fucking Will Smith. His candor in the interview with Esquire made me fall in love with him all over again (yes I know this is not about me). He pushed to be better at everything he did. “…I was a guy who, when I was 15, my girlfriend cheated on me, and I decided that if I was number one, no woman would ever cheat on me…All I have to do is make sure that no one’s ever better than me, and I’ll have the love that my heart yearns for. And I never released that and moved into a mature way of looking at the world and my artistry and love until the failure of ‘After Earth,’ when I had to accept that it’s not a good source of creation.”

So deep, so true. Let us all learn take a lesson from one of the most bankable men in Hollywood.

Premier League Soccer Game Week 25 Review: United Back To Third

Premier League Soccer Game Week 25 Review United Back To Third

Southampton are back to fourth and United have climbed back to the third. Going by the recent results, we can assume that these positions will have tentative occupants.

sergio aguero banging balls for manchester city 2015 images

Manchester City survived the cold rainy night in Stoke and they did it in style too. Sergio Aguero has started banging in goals again and he is now only one goal behind the top goal scorer, Diego Costa (17). The Argentine scored a brace at the Britannia Stadium and the match ended 1 – 4. For Stoke City, Peter Crouch scored an header and he is now only two headers behind Alan Shearer, who holds the record for the most headed goals in the Premier League history.

chelsea beats everton soccer premier league 2015 images

The favorites for the title, Chelsea also earned three points in these midweek matches. Everton were the visitors at the Stamford Bridge and it was impossible to separate these two sides until the 89th minute mainly because of the commendable performances of the goal keepers on either end. Willian broke the deadlock in the dying minutes of the game. Branislav Ivanovic wasn’t booked during the match but the Serb could now be in trouble following the alleged head butt on an Everton player.

chris smalling scores for manchester united soccer 2015 images

Louis van Gaal’s blushes were saved by Chris Smalling, who came off the bench and scored twice. Robin van Persie slotted a perfect penalty for the Red Devils as they won 3 – 1 at Old Trafford. Burnley were very impressive in the first half, but they couldn’t keep up with the English giants after the break. United’s closest rival for the third spot is Ronald Koeman’s Southampton. Sam Allardyce’s West Ham were able to hold the Saints in a goalless draw at the St. Mary’s Stadium. Last weekend, the Hammers shared points with Manchester United.

hull city soccer beats aston villa premier league 2015 images

Steve Bruce’s Hull City won 2 – 0 against the Villas. After the loss, Aston Villa sacked Paul Lambert and are now in the relegation zone with 22 points in 25 games. Burnley and Leicester are the only two teams below them on the table. Leicester didn’t pick up any points at the Emirates this week. Koscielny and Walcott got on the score sheet for the North Londoners and the final score at the end of the match was 2 – 1.

tottenham vs arsenal spurs soccer premier leagues 2015 images

The most interesting clash this week was at Anfield. Spurs traveled to face off with the 18-time English champions. It was an end to end game between the two sides on Tuesday. Gerrard and Markovic scored the first two goals for Liverpool, while for Tottenham, Dembele and the unstoppable striker Harry Kane netted a goal each. The winning goal came from a very unlikely source. Mario Balotelli scored his first Premier League goal for Liverpool and what an occasion he picked to score it. Liverpool are now edging closer to compete with the other contenders of the Champions League spot.

newcastle united ayoze perez bulge for crystal palace soccer draw 2015 images

Alan Pardew faced his former club at the Selhurst Park and the match ended in a stalemate. Cisse headed the ball and put the Toons ahead before the half time break, but Campbell equalized in the 71st minute to earn a point for the Eagles. The final result after ninety minutes: Crystal Palace 1 – 1 Newcastle United.

qpr beats sunderland premier league soccer 2015 images

QPR and West Brom won with the same score line against Sunderland and QPR respectively. The only difference was that QPR won 2 – 0 away from home, whereas West Brom were the winners at the Hawthorns.

NFL Season Recap & 2015 Draft Needs: Chicago Bears

NFL Season Recap 2015 Draft Needs Chicago BearsThose Chicago Bears were one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL this season. After being knocked out of the 2013 NFL playoff race in the final minute of the 4th quarter of their Week 17 matchup with the Green Bay Packers, the Bears were supposed to do great things in 2014. Spoiler alert: they didn’t.

The Bears finished 5-11 this past season, dead last in the NFC North. Even the Adrian Peterson-less Minnesota Vikings were 7-9. The Bears had high hopes going into this season, but they made two fatal mistakes:

chicago bears problem of letting josh mccown go 2015 images

First, they let Josh McCown go. McCown was fantastic in 2013 in the absence of their regular starting quarterback Jay Cutler. In fact, he was better than Cutler. The Bears, for whatever reason, decided to cut McCown after the season and stick with Cutler.

Second, the Bears signed Cutler to a multi-million dollar contract, making him one of the highest paid players in the NFL. No one knows why, but it did cost the General Manager his job at the end of the season.

Chicago is really in a tough spot now. They have a lot of slots that need to be filled with young talent, but only seven rounds to fill them in. At this point, the Bears are in a rebuilding stage; and it may be a few years before we see them back in the playoff hunt. With that being said, here are some of the Bears top needs heading into the 2015 NFL Draft:

jared allen defensive line sucks for chicago bears 2015 images

Defensive Line: After the 2013 season Julius Peppers tested the free agency market and ended up with the Green Bay Packers. The Bears tried to fill the void he left by bringing in former Vikings superstar Jared Allen, but he just wasn’t the same. Allen is past his prime at this point, and he doesn’t bring the explosive play that the team needs on the defensive line. The Bears of all teams are in desperate need of an above-average guy on the line who can command the line of scrimmage and bring down the quarterback a good 10-15 times a season. These linemen aren’t easy to find, but if the Bears trade up for a second first round pick they just might be able to find the right guy for the job.

shea mcclelling rough time with chicago bears balls 205 images nfl

Linebacker: The Bears have not been able to fill this position appropriately since the great Brian Urlacher retired a few years back. At the same time, Bears fans are way too tough on the current linebackers because they keep comparing them to Urlacher. Shea McClellin isn’t a bust like he’s made out to be, but he’s not what the Bears are looking for. Bringing in someone to play well alongside of McClellin could help this defense improve drastically. Good linebackers are hard to come by, and the Bears might actually be better off trading draft picks for an experience veteran here. They really need someone who is able to rush the passer effectively all while managing slot coverage. The Bears play the Packers twice a season, so the sooner the Bears can find a solid linebacker the better.

chicago bears problems with jay cutler 2015 images

Quarterback: This is the most pressing need by far. The Bears have the 7th pick in the draft this season, so trading up or even finding a solid option in the first round is not out of the question. Jay Cutler has been absolutely disastrous; however, he’s making $20 million a season. No team can afford to pay $20 million a season for a player that’s sitting on the sideline every Sunday. If the Bears want to get anywhere in the next five seasons they need to find a team dumb enough to trade for him. There was a rumor earlier in the season that the Tennessee Titans were interested, so maybe the Bears can save their future by unloading Cutler onto the Titans.

EMPIRE Ep 6: Courtney Loves Her Cookies

EMPIRE Ep 6 Courtney Loves Her Cookies

This week Empire is explosive. People can say what they want but this show is on fire. The ratings continue to “defy gravity” and I have to admit, it draws you in more and more each week.

terrence howard choking chicken on empire 2015 images

So let’s jump right into it. Cookie mistakes Luscious rose he left at her doorstep last week for something that it was not. He invites her along with the rest of the family to announce that he and Anika are getting married. Cookie sits there listening to “Little Miss Debutante” explain how it all happened. Cook is plucking the pedals from a rose as Anika talks and then lets the cat out of the bag. “So let me get this straight, last Wednesday you come to my house and give me a rose after you propose to this bitch?” Well damn Cookie, just get straight to the point why don’t you.

cookie dolled up for empire ep 6 2015 images

Now the next part, I literally laughed out loud. This chick stands up, throws what’s left of the rose at Luscious (and his “bitch”) and then opens up her mink coat, “You think I came here dressed like this for a friendly get together?” Cookie got the lingerie with the lace and cut outs on. She then proceeds to dismiss herself from the room but not before she slaps her derriere and says, “Anika, this is an ass.”

Next, Cookie and Jamal listen to his new song and vows to her baby that she will get that song on the chart with or without LuciusLyon.” Damn right Mamma Lyon. Michael catches her as she leaves out and asks her if she thinks Jamal is acting “different.” Cookie pretty much tells him to make sure he has his own thing because you never know what can happen when people become famous.

empire cookie wants jamal to have less gay guy time 2015 reca

Michael confronts Jamal about what Cookie told him. Jamal said he would never get big and leave him behind. He assures him that he is his number. Um okay Jamal. We’d all like to say that. They decided to go Fire Island to get away from it all. Awww how sweet.

Then Lucius has an episode with his ALSO as he is watching Hakeem’s video. His security cameras then pop up on his TV and we see the detective investigating Bunkie’s death looking through his trash. He later meets with Vernon who asks Lu if he killed Bunkie. Daddy Lyon comes clean and tells him the truth. I was surprised that he did. Vernon looks at him with disgust but vows to handle it.

empire lucious meeting 2015

Vernon immediately leaves Lucius office and goes to Andre. He chokes him out, asking him if he knew that Lucius killed Bunkie. Andre tells him, “I cover for him even when I don’t know, I’m covering.” That is loyalty. Vernon leaves out and Andre then calls Rhonda and tells her that he was right about Bunkie. Oh this is getting deep.

And Vernon is defiantly taking care of things. He gets in touch with a top PI who finds a guy to… wait for it… take the blame for Lucius. I mean this guy is going to admit, for a hefty price, that he killed Bunkie. Talk about some pull.

courtney love with lucious on empire 2015

Cookie and Lucius meet so that he can introduce her to Elle Dallas (played perfectly by Courtney Love). Anika wants to drop her as Empire has to “trim the fat” in light of the upcoming IPO. But Lucius gives Elle a second chance by letting Cookie take over managing her. When she comes into the meeting, she pretty much tells Lu that she is the one who built Empire with her record sales and she will not be turned over to an ex con.

Love looks horrible by the way and not because that’s how her character is supposed to look. You can tell life has been hard, and casting is perfect for this role with her. But anyway, Cookie visits her after their initial meeting. Elle is at a sleazy hotel with another junkie. Cookie comes in, kicks the dude out and flushes Elle’s stuff down the drain. She then consoles Elle who breaks down in her arms.

Cookie is able to get her back into the studio but it doesn’t matter. Elle’s voice is terrible. They go head to head and Cookie, who must be the artist whisperer or something, gets Elle to strip down (coat, make up, etc.) in order to get to the heart of who she is.

Next, she meets with Jamal, Michael and Portia in a club and has the DJ play Jamal’s song. Everyone rushes the dance floor when it comes on. She then has a famous football player tweet to his five million followers how hot the song is. Hakeem then shows up drunk begging Jamal to help him. Jamal walks away telling him he needs to stop treating Cookie the way that he does. Hakeem doesn’t want to hear it. He goes back to the studio and makes a “mommy diss song” which is sure to “be a hit.” Anika and Lucius want to release it in advance of the album to create buzz.

Jamal’s song continues to take off and he as to cancel Fire Island because Cookie got a satellite radio interview set up. Michael doesn’t get it and is upset. Like for real do Michael, back the hell down and let Jamal make history. During the interview, Jamal is asked if there is a special lady in his life. He hesitates before he tells him no, “there is no one. I am in love with the music.”Whaaaaat? Damn! Jamal get ready for some tension when you get home because Michael was watching the whole thing online.

Lucius adds   to his security team. Malcom Devoe, played by the yummy Derek Luke gets the job and goes right to work. He and Cookie meet when she tries to enter the building after the new security measures are put in place. Let’s just say there’s some chemistry there.

Lucius concierge doctor gets an experimental Russian drug that to treat his ALS. Anika is by his side. Then he meets with a cop and Vernon at the jail to watch the “fall guy” take the rap for Bunkie’s death. Lucius thanks Vernon, V just walks away.

The episode ends with a bang though when a woman named Olivia shows up to Empire with a little girl, Lola. As the whole family is walking out, they all see her and immediately know who she is. She greets Jamal and says… this is your daughter, “she wanted to meet her daddy.” Well hot damn.

Can’t wait to see how cook is going to react to this.

LOVE & HIP HOP NEW YORK Ep8: All Worlds Collide Tonight

LOVE & HIP HOP NEW YORK Ep8 All Worlds Collide Tonight

Things have heated up and we are in full swing of the fire on Love & Hip Hop New York. Picking up from last week, it’s like we didn’t even miss a step. I mean the drama is just seamless.

We open up with a very pregnant Yandy meeting with Mendeecees. He tells her what happened with his mom and she can’t believe Judy acted the way that she did throwing her drink on Sam and Kim. Yandy tells  him that he is just going to have to understand that there is about to be a new normal with Sam wanting to have more time with little Mendeecees and so once again, she puts herself in the middle of it, offering to talk to him to calm her down. She’s such a peace maker.

She meets with Kim to try to work it out. Kim tells her Sam wants little Mendeecees from Monday to Thursday. Yandy says no and Kim tells her they will settle it in court if they have to. Kim agrees meet with Judy.

Yandy then meets with Mendeecees mom to hear her side of the story. She tells her what happened and then tells Yandy that she is not being loyal to her she is more committed to Kim. “You are marrying into my family; you need to be loyal to me.” Yandy tells her that she wants her to be a part of the wedding but not if she is going to act this way. To that Judy walks away. And the plot thickens (Muahahaha).

After these two conversations, Yandy meets with the two moms. Judy didn’t know that Kim was coming and the first thing she says when she comes in is, “loyalty.” Judy justifies her throwing her drink because she was agitated. Judy and Kim agree to work it out. It looks like they are all on the same page and they hug it out.

Rich Dollas meets with Chink, Cisco and Mendeecees as the guys give each other updates about what is going on with their lives. Chink expresses that maybe he should try to reach a compromise with Chrissy because he loves her and wants his girl back.

chrissy meeting with chink on love hip hop new york 2015

Chink then meets with Chrissy. They express to each other how they feel and Chink is actually showing a soft side here. He said he really loves her and is willing to give her what she wants. He tells her that they each write a “contract” (pretty much what each wants in the relationship) and if they agree then they sign it and work on it. Chink may be some kind of nigga, but he is a real nigga. I mean he is willing to have another baby (one day).

But then there’s Chink family. They don’t’ really don’t know Chrissy and doesn’t want to know her. His cousin tells him that no one is going to fuck with Chrissy. This is a hard one because his wife is very close to his family and Chink pretty much tells him that they “don’t have to love her but they will respect her.” Damn right Chink!

peter gunz baby time on love hip hop new york 2015

Then there is Amina. This poor girl is so trying to work with Peter Gunz. I wish she would just let it go. They set up a time to meet with the boys at a pizza spot so that they can meet their new little sister and guess who shows up AND stays- Tara. When she sees the, she looks almost dumbfounded. I mean the baby is beautiful with greens eyes. Then Tara does something that is really mature. She actually holds Kory. You can tell that she is really trying which is like the first time throughout this whole thing that I have seen her be an adult. Besides that, Tara doesn’t really say anything. I am proud of her (even though I still think she is delusional). She is making an effort.

After this meeting, Amina finally comes to the realization that Peter is not over Tara and that Tara doesn’t accept her. She then calls Erica, “the only person who lets me be me without judgment.” Erica gives her advice and says that Amina “is a good girl… but needs more of a backbone.”

We then see Cyn and Paris, one of Rich’s other artists, checking out a venue for Cyn to promote her suicide awareness cause. Cyn also uses this as a time to talk about what happened the last time they and Rich were all together where Paris confronted him. She tells her she has to sit down and talk to him and Paris said she’s right.

Then this week, we get another does of the uberly self-centered Erica Mena. She meets up with her friend Albee at Very Polished Salon in Brooklyn. She tells him that she decided that it was over with Cyn and that she needed that closure. She reveals that she and Bow Wow are a thing. Finally! I mean isn’t this like last year’s news? But I digress.

Cisco meets with Tasha, his baby momma, who is in NYC to talk with him. He tells her that he never saw a real future with Diamond and was just messing with her (LI-AR). This fool is just unbelievable. She then breaks down saying, “tell me what to do, let me go… what am I supposed to do without you.” Oh girl pull it together. This nigga knows he has a “creep” issue and says if they are going to move forward, it is going to be on his terms. If there ever were a double standard having egoistical maniac, it’s him. I don’t know who’s worse, Cisco or Peter fucking Gunz. I can’t even deal with this fool.

We end with Rich in the studio with Jhonni. He brings in his boy Star to “take her sexy ass from big to bigger… no one can deny that shorty is actually talented.” So while he is meeting with her, guess who comes to the studio- Paris. She feels that Rich is not giving her the attention she needs as an artist so somehow some way, she tracks him down in the studio with Jhonni. Jhonni is of course, not having it. She tells her to please take it outside but Paris ignores her and continues drilling Rich. Now for the record, Paris is dead ass wrong and deserved to get her butt whooped and that’s exactly what happened. She immediately turned her anger from Rich to Jhonni (who has not a damn thing to do with this) and Jhonni punches the girl in her head. They are pulled off of each other by the show’s crew. Rich is also to blame here. If he is not going to give her the attention she needs as an artist, then he needs to let her move on.

This LHHNY is marching full steam ahead right into the finale which is only a few episodes away.

Emile Hirsch Learns Female Executives Don’t Like Chokeholds

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Emile Hirsch Learns Female Executives Dont Like Chokeholds

It’s always great to let off steam at crowded industry places like the Sundance Film Festival, but most females aren’t that appreciative of being place in a chokehold, even if it from actor Emile Hirsch. Yes, this is the decade of “Fifty Shades of Grey,” but reality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Worse, when you mess with an executive from a studio like Paramount Pictures, you’re definitely on a self-sabotage mission.

Actor Emile Hirsch has now been charged with felony assault after allegedly chocking a female Paramount Pictures executive last month, Variety reported today.

dani bernfeld choked by emile hirsch danielle at sundance 2015

Dani Bernfeld, vice-president of digital entertainment was attending the Sundance Film Festival in Utah when she encountered Hirsh on Jan 25. Court documents state that she was approached by the very intoxicated actor who asked her why she looked “so tough”. He then stated that she was just a “rich kid” who shouldn’t even be at Sundance. After that, he grabbed Berfeld, but she quickly pushed him away and he left the area with friends.

Not long after the incident, Hirsh came up behind Bernfeld and wrapped his arm around her in a chokehold like embrace, the documents state. The actor then pulled the female executive over a table and onto the floor where he fell on top of her. When he was on top of her, the documents continue stating that this is when he wrapped his hands around her neck.

Bernfelt stated that she her vision went dark, and she clearly remembers feeling his hands so tightly on her neck that it felt like “the front and back of her throat were touching.” She claims that she have blacked out, and two nearby people pulled Hirsh off of her.

Hirsch, of Encino, California, told police he didn’t know Bernfeld but was having an argument with her.

He said he had three to four drinks. An officer reported to prosecutors that the actor’s balance was off, he was slurring his words and smelled of alcohol.

Police told prosecutors that two people had to pull Hirsch off Bernfeld.

Hirsh is being charged with aggravated assault, which is a third degree felony. If he is convicted, the actor could face up to five years in the Utah State Prison. His court date is currently set for March 16.

TOP CHEF Boston Finale Recap: Mole Mei

TOP CHEF Boston Finale Recap Mole MeiOn this week’s Top Chef Boston, the final competition is upon us. It’s down to Gregory and Mei in this final showdown of the competition, taking place in Mexico. The show started with Mei and Gregory congratulating each other on making it to the finals.

gregory with mei hot air balloon ride on top chef boston recap 2015 images

As they arrived for their last challenge they were greeted with a hot air balloon that they took a ride on. When they landed in a field Tom and Padma were already there. Skipping the now pointless quickfire challenge the chefs had the entire day to plan for the final four course meal they would serve in the elimination challenge. Gregory then chose Doug to be his sous chef and Mei chose Melissa to be hers. Gregory then took his second choice of George and Mei took Rebecca as her second choice, giving both chefs two sous chefs each. The two were then sent to shop for the ingredients for their dishes, which have to be the best they have ever prepared.

gregory with mei for elimination challenge top chef boston 2015

The two chefs then shopped for their ingredients with the help of their sous chefs. Gregory said he had found a new love for making Mexican dishes. He decided to create two of his dishes completely on a whim, based on the traditional Mexican ingredients he purchased. Gregory stated he was having a hard time finding Mexican chocolate even though they were in Mexico, but that George considered the chocolate his secret weapon.

mei freaking out with gregory on top chef boston 2015 images

As the two discussed the dishes they were making Mei she would have to have the best flavors and textures in her dishes in order to beat Gregory in the competition. Mei announced she was making octopus for the first of her four dishes. A rice porridge named congee was her second dish of the four she had to create.  Rebecca prepared Mei’s yogurt dessert, which involved toasting it and using liquid nitrogen in the cooking process. Mei told Tom she wanted to show that she can make desserts.

mei teams with melissa for top chef boston finale 2015

Gregory posted written instructions on how to prepare each of his four dishes so that his sous chefs would know what he wanted done and how he wanted it done. Octopus and fried shrimp comprised Gregory’s first and second dishes. His third course was a pineapple carrot concoction to accompany his fish.

Tom checked up on Gregory, who felt confident that he was on the right track to win the competition. When Tom asked him if he was nervous he said he was petrified. Gregory said that though he has played it safe before he is going out on a limb now.

gregory making octopus on top chef boston recap 2015 images

Mei expressed her nervousness about getting closer to having to present her dish to the many upscale chefs sampling it. She said that her octopus dish is bold and she thought it would surprise the judges.

As Mei presented her first course Gail said it was one of the most beautiful plates from Mei that she had seen yet. Padma stated that Mei’s first course was slightly overcooked. As Mei plated her soups she said that congee soup is a regular part of her diet. The chefs praised her and said that the soup represented her background and it was delicious. Mei then presented her third course, which was a duck dish. One chef said that there was a misstep in the texture she used but Tom said the dish had an unexpected crunch to it. Mei then presented her yogurt as her fourth course after attempting to make it tangier. The chefs said it was beautiful and remarked that it was still smoking. They enjoyed the texture and flavor of the yogurt.

mei frozen yogurt elimination challenge winner on top chef boston 2015 images

Gregory then presented his grilled octopus as his first course. Padma and other chefs sang the praises of the dish. When he presented his second course, consisting of shrimp broth he said he was proud of it. Tom said though Gregory’s first course was good his second course was better. For his third course Gregory was nervous because he left an ingredient out of his carrot sauce and didn’t realize it till the last minute. He fixed the sauce so that the flavor was more balanced. Tom said Gregory’s dessert was sweeter than Mei’s and that it didn’t work for him. The judges felt that his third course seemed like someone else made it. Gregory then presented his fourth course to the judges. Padma said it was tender and Tom said it smelled very good. Gregory was also praised for the flavor of the dish.

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At the end of the challenge Gregory thanked Doug and George for being his sous chefs. He then talked to Mei and asked her how she thought her dishes went over with the judges.

Tom said that they were impressed with the works of both chefs all season long. Mei said she was nervous, anxious and uneasy. The judges then told Gregory his dishes were strong and Padma said she loved his courses. Gail then praised Mei’s octopus dish and stated that it took her breath away. Padma did say the shrimp heads Gregory used in one of her courses hurt her throat. She then said that Gregory’s fourth course was great and Tom said it turned out perfectly. Padma told Mei her fourth course was beautiful. Tom said Mei’s dessert was one of the best desserts he has ever had on or off of Top Chef.

gregory with mei at top chef boston judges table finale 2015 images

The judges then dismissed Mei and Gregory so they could reach a decision as to who is going to win. They discussed the positives and negatives about both chefs dishes. Gail said Gregory has a global perspective when he cooks but overall Mei was more successful in the competition.

mei wins top chef boston 2015 images

As everyone gathered to find out who this season’s winner is, the eliminated chefs cheered on Mei and Gregory. Padma then announced that Mei won the $125,000 prize and the title of Top Chef. Melissa was the first chef to congratulate Mei on winning the entire season of competition.