Evander Holyfield has raised the prospect of a rematch of his infamous world heavyweight title fight with Mike Tyson despite both men being into their 40s.
read more | digg story
Brian McNamee, the former strength trainer for Roger Clemens and a primary figure in Major League Baseball's doping scandal, was close to becoming a member of the Mets' coaching staff last season, according to the New York Post.
read more | digg story
ACU began exploring uses for mobile devices in the summer of 2007 and ran a pilot study with faculty and and educational technology developers to determine how the iPhone could be used by students. The group came up with quite a few uses for the devices, devising more than 15 iPhone applications that they hoped will be useful to students.
read more | digg story
Ever brought in a Wifi enabled desktop someplace that offers free wifi?
read more | digg story
The photograph shows Mr Obama wearing a white turban and a white robe presented to him by elders in north-eastern Kenya.
read more | digg story
Trade bait? Something's fishy
Did Kyle Kendrick get sent packing to Japan? Nah, he just got punked.
By Todd Zolecki
Inquirer Staff Writer
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Phillies traded Kyle Kendrick yesterday.
To the Yomiuri Giants. In Japan. For Kobayashi Iwamura.
"Do they have good food in Japan?" a stunned Kendrick asked reporters, who circled his locker inside the clubhouse at Bright House Networks Field. "I don't know what to think right now."
Unbelievable, huh?
Indeed. The Phillies executed an elaborate prank on Kendrick, one so believable that it had their 23-year-old starting pitcher convinced that he needed to be on a 7:05 a.m. Delta Airlines flight today, connecting in Atlanta for the 14-hour, 30-minute trip to Tokyo. The accomplices in the ruse included assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.; manager Charlie Manuel; Frank Coppenbarger, director of team travel and clubhouse service; Kendrick's agent, Joe Urbon; pitcher Brett Myers; and pretty much everybody else in the clubhouse.
"They got me," Kendrick said later. "I thought it was a done deal. I thought it really happened. Gosh, good thing it didn't."
Think these Phillies are a loose bunch?
The idea developed early last week, but those involved were borrowing an old idea. Phillies broadcaster Larry Andersen once pulled the same prank on former pitcher Wayne Gomes.
Amaro created an official-looking document on Phillies letterhead, spelling out the trade details, which Kendrick had to sign in triplicate. Coppenbarger also created a detailed itinerary for Kendrick's trip overseas.
After yesterday's workout, Kendrick went into the weight room, as usual, when Amaro pulled him out. He and Kendrick walked through the clubhouse together.
(Keep in mind, any time the assistant GM or GM pulls a player out of the weight room or clubhouse and walks him into the manager's office, something almost always is up.)
"Contract signed," J.D. Durbin said from across the room.
"What'd you do, Kendrick?" Myers asked.
Comcast, which had been in on the scheme from the start, had Manuel and Myers miked for the prank.
Kendrick took a seat in Manuel's office. The manager and Amaro explained that he had just been traded to Japan. (Major leaguers can't be traded to Japan, by the way.) Kendrick didn't seem to notice or care that a TV camera was filming the event because he had been told earlier that Comcast was following Manuel around for the day.
Then Coppenbarger handed Kendrick his flight schedule.
He explained to Kendrick that he tried to get him a layover for a night in Seattle (Kendrick is from Washington), but couldn't because his Japanese team needed him to arrive immediately.
Stunned, Kendrick left Manuel's office and staggered to his locker. He grabbed his cell phone and walked outside to call his agent.
"It happens," Urbon told Kendrick. "It's a chance for you to make some more money. This is going to be a big deal. This really never happens. The media over there is going to be big."
"All right," Kendrick said.
He hung up.
Kendrick returned to his locker, where Amaro brought over reporters, who didn't expect to be part of the gag. Amaro announced the trade.
"It was a deal we felt was important for us to make," he told reporters. "The fact of the matter is we're trying to get to the next level."
Then the questions started.
Did Manuel, who played in Japan, give you some tips?
"No, not at all," Kendrick said. "Um, I don't know what to think right now."
Have you had all your shots? Seriously, you need shots to go over there.
"Uh, no," Kendrick said. "I haven't. Um, I don't know. This is going to be a new little chapter I guess, huh?"
Are you upset?
Is your passport in order?
Have you talked to your agent?
Are you shocked?
"You know what I say?" Myers said, stepping in next to Kendrick. "You just got punked!"
The clubhouse erupted in laughter. Everybody could see the relief wash over Kendrick.
"I've never been so happy. Seriously," he said. "I was not getting on that flight in the morning. They got me."
And Kobayashi Iwamura? He's relieved, too.
If he only existed.
Pentagon to shoot down broken spy satelliteBroken satellite expected to hit Earth in early MarchBREAKING NEWSThe Associated Pressupdated 12:10 p.m. ET, Thurs., Feb. 14, 2008WASHINGTON - U.S. officials say the Pentagon is planning to shoot down a broken spy satellite expected to hit the Earth in early March.
This is the first time U.S. military will use a missile to destroy a satellite in space, NBC News reports.
The spy satellite has lost all power and is expected to crash back on Earth in early March, spreading debris and potentially hazardous fuel over several hundred miles.
The Pentagon will rely on part of its Missle Defense System to destroy the satellite while still in orbit over the Pacific. The Navy will fire two or three SM-3 missiles from a cruiser and destroyer off the northwest coast of Hawaii.
The SM-3's, which are more of a medium-range interceptor, had to be modified — more fuel and new software — to reach the disabled spy satellite in orbit. If the intercept is successful and the satellite blown to bits, it appears most of the debris will become orbitting "space junk" and not re-enter the earth's atmopshere.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
This has never been tried before. Lets see if this works.
Rob Riggle hails the return of the striking writers, but predicts only bad things for The Daily Show's host
The cable news talking heads try to drum up nicknames for upcoming primaries while the candidates share their stamina regimens.
Barack Obama, who has been credited with tapping support in unlikely places, is enjoying a groundswell of enthusiasm in a small city in western Japan, which is delighted to share his name.
Obama, Japan, is rooting for candidate Obama, hoping that if he becomes the US president he will put this ancient fishing town of 32,000 people firmly on the tourist map and, just maybe, choose it for an international summit.
Supporters in Obama -- which means "small shore" in Japanese -- have held parties to watch election results, put up posters wishing the senator luck and plan a special batch of the town's "manju" sweets bearing his likeness
Zednik in stable condition after being sliced on neck by skate
Associated Press
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Panthers forward Richard Zednik had blood gushing from a deep cut on the right side of his neck after being struck by a teammate's skate during the third period of Florida's 5-3 loss to Buffalo on Sunday night.
Zednik was behind the play and skating into the right corner of the Sabres' zone, when teammate Olli Jokinen was upended by Sabres defenseman Brian Campbell. Jokinen fell head-first to the ice, and his right leg flew up and struck Zednik directly on the side of the neck.
Clutching his neck, Zednik immediately raced to the Florida bench, leaving a long trail of blood. A Sabres trainer jumped on the ice to apply a towel across the player's neck, and Zednik was immediately escorted to the Panthers' dressing room.
Players and coaches on both benches looked on in shock, and a silent hush fell over the crowd at HSBC Arena. The game was delayed for more than 15 minutes as crews scraped the blood from the ice.
"Richard Zednik is in stable condition and on his way to a Buffalo hospital," was the announcement over the loudspeaker.
The crowd stood in applause during the announcement.
Prior to resuming the game, referee Bill McCreary and Panthers coach Jacques Martin consulted in the tunnel outside the Panthers' dressing room.
Sabres general manager Darcy Regier was also spotted talking with NHL vice president Colin Campbell. Campbell, the league's director of hockey operations, attended the game in part because his son, Gregory Campbell, plays for the Panthers.
Jon Stewart looks at how the 24 hour cable channels tried to fill six hours of airtime covering Super Tuesday. And Amy Holmes says it all.
Holmes: One more thing I would say about that that I think is interesting -is it’s proof that voters like to vote for who they like.
Santana, through his agent, Peter Greenberg, had informed the Mets earlier in the day that he wanted $140 million over six years. The Mets were holding firm at $135 million. Santana flew from his Florida home to New York and joined negotiations in Wilpon's office at about 2 p.m. At 4:55 p.m. -- five minutes before the Major League Baseball-mandated deadline -- Santana told Wilpon that he was leaving and was prepared to pitch one more year for Minnesota before becoming a free agent. Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon, general manager Omar Minaya and vice president Tony Bernazard were among those in attendance."I told you I wasn't backing off my number," Santana told Fred Wilpon. "I appreciate your offer, but I'm passing on it."
Wilpon replied, "I've been in business a long time. That's a lot of money to walk away from."
"No disrespect to you," Santana said. "But I deserve it. I'll just go back and pitch and I'll get it later. Alex Rodriguez is the highest paid player in the game. I'm the best pitcher. I'm not even asking for that [Rodriguez] kind of money."
Santana was about to walk out of the room when Wilpon and Greenberg agreed to ask Major League Baseball to extend their negotiating window by two hours. The two sides eventually agreed to split the $5 million difference, settling at $137.5 million. The deal also includes Cy Young Award bonuses that could trigger an option year. One of the sources said Santana told Minaya, "You get my clause, I'll get my Cy Young."
NEW YORK -- Johan Santana and the New York Mets completed contract negotiations Friday, the last major step needed to finalize the team's blockbuster trade with Minnesota.
After the sides were granted an extra two hours to work on a deal, they finished negotiations before the new 7 p.m. EST deadline. The pitcher is scheduled to take a physical, the Mets said.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
