Compare hotel prices and find the best deal - HotelsCombined.com

Small in Stature Only Robinson Scores 23 in the Fourth to Ignite the Bulls

Robinson lay on the floor facedown for several moments. But he soon shook his head steadied himself and rose. He then delivered a memorable and improbable playoff performance.

The Bulls trailed by 109 95 with three minutes to play in regulation when Robinson took over. He scored 12 straight points and led the Bulls on a 16 2 run to the delight of the United Center crowd.

He sank a 3 pointer then made a driving layup a jumper and all three free throws after he was fouled on a 3 point attempt. He capped his stretch with an acrobatic floater. Robinson scored 23 points in the fourth quarter his off balance runners sometimes finding the basket as if by tracking device.

Kind of like the old school game NBA Jam Robinson said referring to a video game. You make a couple and the rim s on fire or the ball s on fire. I feel like that at times.

When the Bulls had finally secured a 142 134 triple overtime victory and a 3 1 series lead over the Nets Robinson was on the bench having fouled out in the second overtime. But as he and his exhausted teammates celebrated and the crowd rocked there was no mistaking that the game belonged to Robinson the unlikely hero of a memorable battle.

Robinson arrived in Chicago last off season as a stopgap backup point guard with the superstar Derrick Rose recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Robinson s shoot first style can be seen as refreshing or headache inducing. Fans and reporters around Chicago have taken to describing him as Good Nate when the shots fall and Bad Nate when they do not.

He s a character said Bulls Coach Tom Thibodeau who also coached Robinson when both were members of the Boston Celtics. You got to take the whole package. The good outweighs the bad.

Robinson said I tease Coach a lot because it seems like every shot I shoot he s mad regardless. You got to hope to make them and then he really can t say too much.

Robinson 28 does not shy away from the spotlight or big moments and relishes his lightning rod status. A Seattle native he was a first round draft pick of the Phoenix Suns out of Washington in 2005 but a draft day trade sent him to the Knicks. He played four plus seasons with the Knicks and he bounced from Boston to Oklahoma City to Golden State before arriving in Chicago.

Because he is only 5 9 he is by default the ultimate underdog and has been a fan favorite wherever he has played. His flair and colorful personality sometimes appear to overflow from his small frame.

In the first half Saturday Robinson revved up the home crowd when he became tangled with C. J. Watson after guarding him aggressively. Robinson kept fighting for the ball after the whistle and drove Watson into the scorer s table. A few shoves were exchanged. Robinson and Watson had to be separated. Each was given a technical foul.

Those plays will get you fired up Robinson said.

The unbridled exuberance has always come with the potential for big time offense. For his career Robinson has averaged 11.5 points a game in only 23.4 minutes. This year he scored 35 points against the Knicks in an April game and 34 against Denver in March. Playing mostly off the bench he surpassed 20 points 12 times during the season.

In Game 4 his final line was 14 for 23 from the field 3 for 7 on 3 point attempts and 3 for 3 from the free throw line. He scored 34 points.

That s what Nate s capable of Nets Coach P. J. Carlesimo said. Nate s one of those guys who can change a game. Whether you want to call him an X factor or whatever there s nights when he gets it going that he s very very difficult to defend.

As Robinson heated up in the fourth quarter he asked Thibodeau a noted disciplinarian not to run any plays. He said he preferred the spontaneity of a free flowing game.

Just let the ball find me he said he told his coach. It worked.

Articles Source here

Teen Mom Farrah Abraham says shes happy with sex tape sale looks forward ...

a78

Articles Source here

Tim Tebow wont be a starter in CFL Montreal Alouettes GM says

With Tim Tebow now out of a job as an NFL quarterback many people seem to think that the Canadian Football League would be an ideal place for the former Heisman Trophy winner to resurrect his football career.

All three Tribune Co. writers who responded to the question Where will Tim Tebow play next on Monday the day Tebow was released by the New York Jets said the CFL would be his best bet.

Turns out that might not be much of an option either. The Montreal Alouettes own Tebow's exclusive CFL negotiating rights and their general manager seems to be in no hurry to make room on his roster for the popular American quarterback.

We have quarterbacks under contract Jim Popp told the Montreal Gazette. We re going to camp in a month. We ve got a starting quarterback. I m not out there enticing or trying to convince Tebow to come to Montreal because he s not going to be a starting quarterback. He would be coming to Montreal to be a backup player ... to learn the game and maybe in the future he ll be able to compete for a starting job.

Veteran Anthony Calvillo is the established starter for the Alouettes and John Neiswander and Quinton Porter already are in line to compete for the backup position in training camp.

The notion out there is that the CFL with its wider fields may be more suited for a quarterback like Tebow who is a great runner but struggles passing. But Popp said Tebow might not fit in the CFL.

With the field wider and his ability to run it gives him an advantage he said. But you still have to be able to throw the ball to have the best chance to win. Until we ever have him I don t know what he s capable of doing or if he can play in the CFL.

Popp added that the Alouettes have no plans to try to contact Tebow at this time and that the quarterback has not reached out to them either.

Tebow's only public comment since being released came via Twitter

Proverbs 3 5 6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding...

Tim Tebow ( TimTebow) April 29 2013

...in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

Tim Tebow ( TimTebow) April 29 2013

Now it just looks like that path probably won't be leading to Canada.

ALSO

Jets release Tim Tebow

Where will Tim Tebow play next

Tim Tebow gets job offer from arena football's Orlando Predators

Articles Source here

Amanda Knox Calls Court Ruling...

Amanda Knox's freedom is once again on the line.

After the Supreme Court of Italy annulled her acquittal last month Knox now waits to go back on trial.

In an exclusive interview with ABC News' Diane Sawyer Knox said of the decision It was incredibly painful.

Knox spent four years in prison before an Italian appeals court threw out her murder conviction in 2011 and she had been hoping the Italian Supreme Court would uphold the appeals court ruling and end her six year ordeal.

I felt like after crawling through a field of barbed wire and finally reaching what I thought was the end it just turned out that it was the horizon Knox said. And I had another field of barbed wire that I had ahead of me to crawl through.

Watch Amanda Knox in an exclusive interview with Diane Sawyer set to air Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET.

The marathon legal battle will continue for Knox and for her ex boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito who had been convicted along with her.

The court also refused to vacate her conviction for slander over her identifying her employer Patrick Lumumba as the person who killed Kercher. It was a statement she claimed she made under police duress.

Knox already served the three year prison sentence for the slander conviction.

Knox's lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova told ABC News he expects a new trial to begin in the next year. The trial is at the appellate level and will take place in Florence Italy.

FULL COVERAGE The Amanda Knox Case

Right after the ruling came down Knox told ABC News I was so convinced that it was finally going to be over but it just means that it's all the more important that I say what happened and keep fighting for what's right.

Knox does not have to return to Italy for the trial and extradition is not currently on the table.

If she is convicted again that ruling would be appealed up to the Italian Supreme Court.

Only if the supreme court upheld a guilty verdict could extradition even begin.

More legal proceedings would be necessary to extradite Knox to Italy. Many experts ABC News contacted did not believe such an effort would be successful.

There is a treaty about cooperation on extradition between America and Italy with the possibility to extradite a citizen said Dalla Vedoca Knox's lawyer. But an American citizen would be subject to authorization from the United States government.

Knox said she is ready to fight again.

If there needs to be a re evaluation of looking into the facts that's fine she said. Because facts are facts and I'm not afraid of them.

Knox's memoir Waiting to Be Heard is being released on today. The book reveals details about Knox's ordeal and a letter she had written to the victim's family but she said her lawyers asked her not to mail it.

It's not fair that there is not a satisfactory answer for what happened to Meredith and the attention that's been taken away from her and what happened to her is not fair Knox said.

Kercher's family which had been clearly disappointed when Knox and Sollecito were freed said it was happy with the Italian Supreme Court's ruling the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

The court's judges have 90 days to write their motivation explaining in detail why they overturned the acquittal.

Image credit Ida Astute/ABC News

Articles Source here

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Dating For Real

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are reportedly dating. For real this time.

According to reports Depp 49 and Heard 27 have rekindled the fledgling romance that was quietly but repeatedly speculated about last year.

Now it's more open. The duo was seen holding hands and cozying up to one another at the Rolling Stones concert in Hollywood Sunday night.

Last summer Depp had recently split from his partner of 14 years French model/singer Vanessa Paradis. Depp has two children with Paradis.

Heard who is openly bisexual last dated photographer Tasya van Ree. After their respective breakups The Rum Diary co stars were quickly linked.

Looks like real romance in the works now. Think they make a cute couple

Articles Source here

Farrah Abrahams Mom Debra Danielson Ends Their Feud in Emotional Letter

Things are looking up for Farrah Abraham and her relationship with mom Debra Danielson. The estranged mother daughter duo hit yet another rough patch after Danielson realized that the rumors about Abraham's sex tape with porn star James Deen were in fact true. But in a recent heartfelt exchange with her reality show daughter she appears to be extending an olive branch.

Farrah Sophia I miss you both so much Danielson wrote in an Apr. 25 letter that Abraham tweeted out the following day. Love you and pray God will bless and keep you safe. Want our family to heal and grow. I will NEVER leave you or forsake you. You are a priority in my life.

PHOTOS Biggest Teen Mom moments

She then signed the note with a few hearts and an XOXO Mom Grandma.

The Teen Mom star seemed to be touched by the letter tweeting out a photo of the letter with the caption Awh look my 1st letter from my Mom after moving ) BIGDEAL xo.

Earlier this month 21 year old Abraham opted to move out of her mother's home after the two got into a major disagreement. When news of the sex tape first surfaced Danielson had previously claimed to be blissfully ignorant of its existence. We have religious beliefs she said at the time.

When the pair was questioned about their knowledge of the sex tape after landing at the airport on Apr. 13 Danielson even ventured so far as to slam Deen for trying to exploit her young daughter.

PHOTOS Teen Mom Where are they now

How would you feel Somebody's trying to exploit your daughter ruin her reputation ruin her life she demanded angrily when asked about her take on the situation. It's really upsetting and then I have to hear about this from the media that's how I found out when I was at work.

It was later revealed that Abraham had actually masterminded the tape however and Danielson summarily kicked her daughter out though the Teen Mom star countered that she was leaving of her own volition.

PHOTOS Biggest sex tape scandals

After meeting with my counselor today I've packed up everything and I'm not talking to my mom anymore she told TMZ. My mother will never be a good mother to me and it is too hurtful to deal with let alone have my daughter Sophie around it.

On Monday Apr. 29 porn company Vivid Entertainment confirmed that a deal had been made with Abraham to release the X rated footage in a film titled Farrah Superstar Backdoor Teen Mom.

Farrah is gorgeous sexy and absolutely uninhibited Vivid's founder Steve Hirsch said in a statement. Farrah's look reminds me of a young Kim Kardashian and we all know how her story turned out.

Articles Source here

Tim Tebow reportedly attracted interest as tight end

New York Jets general manager John Idzik revealed Tuesday that NFL teams called to kick the tires on Tim Tebow before he was waived but nothing materialize on the trade front.

As it turns out the tire kicking was an exercise in due diligence to gauge Tebow's willingness to switch positions.

League sources told the New York Post on Monday that the few teams interested in Tebow would only consider a trade if he was open to playing tight end as his primary position. According to the Post Tebow isn't ready to entertain the possibility of switching positions.

Tebow can't be blamed for the Jets' circus last season but another potential high profile quarterback controversy has teams leery of bringing him in at the position.

Tim Tebow's rough tenure with the New York Jets has come to an end. Will he get another shot in the NFL Our analysts debate. More ...

I have to think he's radioactive to everybody as a quarterback an NFC general manager opined to the Post. Even if you were thinking about grooming him as a backup the Jets thing showed he is this huge distraction. There isn't enough talent there as a passer to put up with all that.

Perhaps Tebow would be amendable to a tight end/fullback/read option specialist role with a team of his choosing. We continue to believe the New England Patriots are a logical landing spot. Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is Tebow's biggest booster in the NFL having traded up in the 2010 draft to pick him in the first round.

Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter ChrisWesseling.

Articles Source here

RATINGS RAT RACE Bones The Following Finales Up The Voice ...

It was a full house on all the networks as we re now in the first full week of the May sweep. On Fox there also were finales for Bones (2.1/6) and The Following. The Season 8 finale of the crime comedy drama Bones was up both from last year and last week besting its previous season ender from May 14 2012 by 11%. Bones was also up 5% in adults 18 49 from its April 22 show. In terms of viewers the 7.1 million who watched last night was almost even with the 7.2 million of last year s closer and matched the number who tuned in last week. After a season of ups and downs freshman The Following (2.6/7) ended high. The Kevin Bacon starrer was up 8% from last week s show to hit its best 18 49 rating since March 11. In terms of network rivalry last night saw The Following beat NBC s Revolution in the key demo for a second week in a row.

On NBC it was Part 1 of the knockout rounds on The Voice (4.1/11) where the judges/coaches have two of their own team compete against each other Monday s episode had Team Adam and Team Shakira in the ring. While easily the highest rated show of the night and the second most watched last night s two hour Voice also took a major hit falling 16% from last week to tie a season low. Lead out Revolution (2.0/5) was flat with its April 22 episode to tie a season low for the recently renewed post apocalyptic drama. NBC won the night in adults 18 49 but ABC took the top viewers spot with 12.377 million.

Even though it was the most watched show of the night with 13.25 million tuning in ABC s Dancing With The Stars (2.0/6) stumbled to a new low. After hitting a low last week the veteran dance competition slipped 5% on Monday to mark the all time lowest rated performance show of its 16 seasons. With that as a lead in Castle (2.0/5) was also down falling 13% from last week s show.

On CBS How I Met Your Mother (2.67/8) was even with its last original April 15 to tie a season low. Following the comedy Rules Of Engagement (2.0/6) was up 25% from last week s series low. 2 Broke Girls (2.5/6) and Mike Molly (2.3/6) were up 4% and 5% respectively from their last originals of two weeks ago. Hawaii Five 0 (1.7/5) on the other hand slipped 6% from its last new show April 15 to hit a series low.

The CW s Oh Sit (0.3/1) was even with last week while 90210 (0.2/1) fell a hard 33% from its April 22 episode.

Deadline's Dominic Patten tip him here.

Get Deadline news and alerts FREE to your inbox...

Your information is safe and secure.

Articles Source here

Collins Country Is Ready To Support

Collins Country Is Ready To SupportNEXT VIDEO Collins Country Is Ready To SupportCollins Country Is Ready To SupportMarketability Of Jason CollinsMarketability Of Jason CollinsJason Collins Announces He Is GayJason Collins Announces He Is GayEmeka Okafor Supports Jason CollinsEmeka Okafor Supports Jason Collins

Jason Collins said he has gotten incredible support since coming out as the first openly gay player in one of the four major U.S. pro sports leagues and he hopes he may have made the path easier for others to follow.

Mike and Mike

International Tennis Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova dishes on the impact of Jason Collins' announcement what life was like after coming out in 1981 and more.

More Podcasts

Collins sat down for an interview that was aired by ABC's Good Morning America on Tuesday one day after the veteran NBA center revealed his sexuality in a first person story posted on Sports Illustrated's website.

I think I know in my personal life I'm ready and I think the country is ready for supporting an openly gay basketball player Collins told ABC's George Stephanopoulos.

ABC aired the interview in two segments with Stephanopoulos asking Collins in the second portion whether he hoped that other players would follow his example.

I hope that every player makes a decision that leads to their own happiness whatever happiness that is in life Collins responded. I know that I right now am the happiest that I've ever been in my life.

Collins said he went through something akin to a 12 step program while deciding to come out dealing with emotions such as anger and denial.

But when you finally get to that point of acceptance there's nothing more beautiful than just allowing yourself to really be happy and be comfortable in your own skin Collins said.

More From ESPN.com

Rick Reilly talks to some of Jason Collins' friends including his ex fianc Carloyn Moos about his recent announcement that he is gay. Story

Maybe the most telling aspect of Jason Collins' revelation is just how pedestrian it all seems. It was the same scene that has played out millions of times in homes across the world Tim Keown writes. Story

A human being simply can't live in fear of their own identity. Jason Collins understood that which fueled his decision to come out as an openly gay man writes Kevin Arnovitz. Blog

Radio Mike Mike Jared Max MacMahon Cuban hopes doors open 5 on 5 Is the NBA ready

Dozens of NBA players sent messages to Collins after the story was posted Monday many doing so through social media. The support didn't stop there with President Barack Obama also calling to offer his support.

It's incredible. Just try to live an honest genuine life and the next thing you know you have the president calling you Collins said. He was incredibly supportive and he was proud of me said this not only affected my life but others going forward.

Collins told Stephanopoulos that he one day hopes to be married and have children but currently describes his relationship status as single. He dated women in the past staying with former Stanford and WNBA basketball player Carolyn Moos for eight years and getting engaged to her before calling it off. Collins called her last weekend to say that he was coming out.

I had to sit down Moos told ESPN.com's Rick Reilly. I was shocked. There's no words to really describe my reaction. ... But this does alleviate some of the pain. ... I'm so happy for him. He deserves to live the life he wants.

Collins tried to explain the conflict that he felt between his private feelings and public persona.

I tried everything in the book as far as trying to convince myself to lead the life that you should Collins told ABC. Calling off the wedding was obviously a tough decision but it was the right one because I knew I wasn't getting married for the right reasons.

Collins said he does not know of any other gay NBA players. He also told ABC that he was overwhelmed by the reaction of tennis legend Martina Navratilova who came out in 1981 and called him a pioneer after he went public with his story.

I look at her as one of my heroes the dignity and class that she's lived her life and all that she's achieved in her career Collins said. She is my role model. Hopefully going forward I can be someone else's role model.

Navratilova said Tuesday in an interview with ESPN Radio's Mike Mike in the Morning that the fact Obama called Collins to express his support shows how far the fight for gay equality has come. Still she said she doesn't expect a rash of athletes to follow in Collins' footsteps and come out publicly.

I don't think it's going to be like a dam that bursts open but I think players will feel more open about it perhaps feel more free to come out to their teammates ... not have to do it publicly but at least to their teammates and front office friends and family she said.

She went on to explain why she still thought coming out publicly was difficult.

To come out publicly like Jason did or like I did that's difficult because then you get the tag she said. It's 'Martina Navratilova lesbian tennis player.' They don't say 'Chris Evert the heterosexual tennis player.'

While Collins thinks that the world is ready for an openly gay player in basketball former Steelers receiver and current NBC analyst Hines Ward said Tuesday that he doesn't think the NFL is ready.

I don't think football is ready there's too many guys in the locker room and you know guys play around too much he told NBC Sports Radio.

Ward said that he hopes some player has the courage however and added that that person would have his support.

I want people to live their lives for who they are and don't have to hide behind closed doors to do that he said.

Collins averaged 1.1 points this season for the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards. He will be a free agent this offseason and plans to continue his career.

From my teammates I'm expecting support because that's what I would do for my teammates Collins told ABC. A team is like a family. The NBA is like a brotherhood. And I'm looking at it like we all support each other on and off the court.

Asked by Stephanopoulos what his story could mean to youth who play basketball and are worried about their futures because they are gay Collins offered a simple piece of advice.

It doesn't matter that you're gay. The key thing is that it's about basketball Collins said. It's about working hard it's about sacrificing for your team. It's all about dedication. That's what you should focus on.

SportsNation Collins Comes Out

NBA center Jason Collins has become the first athlete in a major American team sport to come out as gay. How did athletes around the sports world react to the news on Twitter Vote What's your take

In the second part of the ABC interview Collins discussed what it was like to come out to his family and people closest to him. In the SI piece Collins said that the first relative he came out to was his aunt Teri Jackson a San Francisco Superior Court judge who he said already knew he was gay so I guess she's good at reading people Collins told ABC.

When you keep telling yourself a lie at some point you buy your own cover story like a CIA spy or something Collins said.

His own twin brother Jarron Collins had no idea about his brother's orientation.

I am really good at playing it straight Jason Collins said laughing at his own joke. Maybe he needs to hang out with my aunt a little more get a discerning eye like she has.

ABC said the interview was taped Monday night in Los Angeles.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Recommend0 Tweet0 Comments0Email Print Subscribe

Articles Source here

CFTC Demands Banks Prove Dodd Frank Act Swaps Compliance

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has given the world s largest banks until May 3 to prove they are complying with a part of the Dodd Frank Act.

The 2010 law requires swaps brokers to accept or reject a trade for clearing in less than 60 seconds. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) Bank of America Corp. Credit Suisse Group AG (CSGN) UBS AG (UBSN) Barclays Plc (BARC) and JPMorgan Chase Co. (JPM) were among the banks that received the April 17 letter a copy of which was given to Bloomberg News. The CFTC in November granted three month delays to at least eight banks for implementing the time standard.

The CFTC is writing and implementing rules mandated by Dodd Frank which overhauled U.S. financial regulation in the wake of the 2008 credit crisis. The act gave regulators oversight of the over the counter swaps market for the first time including requirements that most trades be sent to clearinghouses to reduce systemic risk. To help the market move to electronic trading the CFTC said cleared trades must be accepted as quickly as would be technologically practicable if fully automated systems were used.

The CFTC cited an April 9 article on the website of Risk magazine that quoted unnamed swaps brokers saying some banks are not adhering to the time limits according to the letter in which Ananda Radhakrishnan director of the CFTC s division of clearing and risk asks the banks futures commission merchants to prove they are adhering to the regulations.

DCR requests data from your FCM demonstrating compliance with the rules according to the letter. Please provide data showing how many trades your firm has cleared and how many were accepted or rejected within 60 seconds.

Default Protection

Steve Adamske a CFTC spokesman and representatives of the banks declined to comment.

Clearinghouses which are capitalized by their bank and brokerage members are meant to lessen the effect of default by requiring collateral and marking positions daily so losses don t build.

The CFTC set three phases for the clearing mandate to begin. The first became effective March 11 requiring dealer banks major swaps participants and so called active traders to clear their transactions. The CFTC defined active traders as any firm trading 200 or more swaps per month.

The second clearing deadline is June 10 when hedge funds insurance companies regional brokers and other swaps users will have to begin clearing trades. The third phase of the clearing rule takes effect in September.

The delay granted by the CFTC in November was intended to help banks comply with time limits a person familiar with the decision said at the time. The banks receiving the reprieve were JPMorgan Barclays Citigroup Inc. (C) Credit Suisse Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) Goldman Sachs Morgan Stanley (MS) and UBS the person said.

To contact the reporters on this story Matthew Leising in New York at mleising bloomberg.net Silla Brush in Washington at sbrush bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story Alan Goldstein at agoldstein5 bloomberg.net.

Articles Source here

Farrah Abraham Happy With Porn Deal

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

The Following season finale Rewriting the final chapter

Image Credit Barbara Nitke/Fox

Spoiler Alert Do not read any further if you haven t already watched the season finale of The Following.

I don t know which was more of a surprise that Ryan s sidekick Agent Mike is actually alive at the end of the season or that Claire very possibly isn t. The last scene of the night shouldn t have truly been a surprise what with the tension ratcheted so far up after the big confrontation between Joe and Ryan but I had managed to forget all about Ryan s sleeper agent neighbor/ex girlfriend until she popped up in the kitchen. (I was however yelling at the TV for Ryan not to leave the knife on the table to answer the door because that just seemed like a bad idea.)

For a show that specializes in violence last night felt particularly horrific. Maybe it was because in his desire to save Agent Parker Ryan just lost it. He dug his fingers into that cult member s eye to get him to talk And then very deliberately put a bullet into the culty s head once they realized Parker was dead. Even for Ryan that was crossing a line. Meanwhile we witnessed one of Joe s rare murders as he coldly repeatedly stabbed a hostage just to prove a point to Claire.

For all of us who were wondering how they could plausibly set up a second season this is how we ve yet to confirm that the remains found in the debris of that most excellent explosion are actually Joe s (I m not trusting that bit about the dental records and early DNA). There s a distraught crazypants Emma running around in a red wig. And we need to find out what happens to Ryan and Claire after they re attacked in the kitchen. Now that s a cliffhanger. And for a show that hooked me from the first episode and stayed overall strong throughout despite some bumps it was a satisfying finale.

How about you Did you like the fake out ending Did you enjoy watching Joe unravel at the end Was it a good payoff

Articles Source here

Whats The Probability Your Team Wins Its First Round Matchup In The NHL ...

Gamblin'NHL

The 2013 NHL Playoffs schedule is out. So are the betting odds on each series. And by looking at the odds you can gauge the probability each team has of advancing. I did this with the NBA Playoffs but most odds were absurdly high because the first round of the NBA playoffs is awful and predictable. The NHL playoffs are not. Last year s champions the Los Angeles Kings were an 8 seed. You are dumb if you don t watch the NHL playoffs. They re awesome.

Here are the odds for each series courtesy of BetOnline.ag.

(Note For astute readers realize this math doesn t account for the book s vigorish. This is technically the break even price the percentage of bets you need to win at that price to break even. Also there s some rounding and stuff so this isn t 100% precise. And the prices are fluid as the market reacts.)

First Round

1) Blackhawks vs. 8) Wild

Series Price Blackhawks ( 475) Wild ( 390) Implied Probability Blackhawks 82.6% Wild 20.4%

Non expert analysis Is this inflated

Maybe slightly towards the hyped up Blackhawks but not much. Chicago is legit and Minnesota is not. Minnesota is probably the worst team in the playoffs and they limped in. Their only chance is Niklas B ckstr m standing on his Finnish head which is vaguely conceivable but unlikely. He s struggling too.

Verdict Don t bet on this. You re stupid to bet on a team that has an implied 82.6% chance in an NHL playoff series. But you re also stupid to bet on the worst team in a 16 team tournament that is best of seven.

4) Blues vs. 5) Kings

Series Price Blues ( 110) Kings ( 110) Implied Probability Blues 52.4% Kings 52.4%

Non expert analysis Is this inflated

Yes. These teams are very evenly matched but St. Louis nabbed home ice advantage and LA has had the biggest home away discrepancy in the league. Many will argue that s a Stanley Cup hangover thing but I m unsure why it persisted the entire year. I have written previously on how bad Kings goalie Jonathan Quick has been on the road this year but I m not sure people realize. It s entirely possible he ll turn things around in the playoffs and the Kings are talented but what signs has he shown None. (The blame obviously falls on his defense especially for the shots allowed too.)

Via ESPN

Oh yeah St. Louis is really good too.

Verdict I need to look a little bit more into this but at first glance I think there s a lot of value on the Blues.

2) Ducks vs. 7) Red Wings

Series Price Ducks ( 140) Red Wings ( 120) Implied Probability Ducks 58.3% Red Wings 45.5%

Non expert analysis Is this inflated

I think so. Nobody has bought the Ducks all year and that s reflected in this price. The Wings were garbage all year and then came on strong in the final few weeks. But they re an 7 seed for a reason and the Ducks dominated everyone until letting up a bit late in the year. They could do that though since they were basically locked into the No. 2 seed for a long long time. The Red Wings can t score and their main advantage is goalie Jimmy Howard. But I don t think he s better than Anaheim s Jonas Hiller and he may not even be better than Hiller s backup/platoon mate Viktor Fasth.

The Ducks are better than the Wings. And while home ice doesn t mean much in the NHL the Red Wings historically have one of the biggest home road discrepancies in the league. They are the 7 seed and they don t have home ice.

Verdict I like the Ducks.

4) Bruins vs. 5) Maple Leafs

Series Price Bruins ( 220) Maple Leafs ( 190) Implied Probability Bruins 68.8% Maple Leafs 34.5%

Non expert analysis Is this inflated

A little bit. I don t think the Bruins should be 220 favorites and I think that number will decrease as people bet the Maple Leafs. But the goalie/defense edge is vastly in the B s favor and I think they should win. I was hoping to bet Boston as slight favorites but that didn t happen. The Leafs aren t built like a playoff team they score a ton of goals but their peripherals suggest that some of that may be luck. They don t play good defense and goalie James Reimer isn t on the same level as Tuukka Rask.

Verdict For now no bet. Maybe a bit of value on Toronto. Hopefully it drops a lot so Boston is in play.

1) Penguins vs. 8) Islanders

Series Price Penguins ( 560) Islanders ( 455) Implied Probability Penguins 84.8% Islanders 18%

Non expert analysis Is this inflated

Yes. No NHL team with potential goaltending issues should have an implied 84.8% chance of winning a best of seven series against a high scoring talented squad. We don t know if Sidney Crosby will play either.

Pittsburgh is better all around. By a lot. I don t think the Islanders will win. But these odds are certainly a bit too high. Like I said this isn t the NBA. The Penguins aren t the Spurs the Islanders aren t the Kobe less Lakers.

The bet to watch for in this series will be the over. Two mercurial goalies two elite power plays two bad penalty kills and only one good defense (Pittsburgh). Goals galore unless Pitt s defense really steps up.

Verdict Not sure it s worth a bet but the Isles aren t a horrible flier to take. If you must indulge.

3) Canucks vs. 6) Sharks

Series Price Canucks ( 140) Sharks ( 120) Implied Probability Canucks 58.3% Sharks 45.5%

Non expert analysis Is this inflated

Maybe a tiny bit. I don t think the Sharks are especially good. But they made some nice additions at the trading deadline and they ve improved. They may have the best goalie in the NHL right now in Antti Niemi. If he plays his best they can beat anyone. I m not sure they can score enough but it s rarely a good idea to bet against a goalie this good in the playoffs. I think the Canucks are better (and that the Sharks struggle on the road) but I m not all that confident betting this.

Verdict There might be some value on Vancouver but I ll probably stay away. If you wait you may see a better price too.

2) Canadiens vs. 7) Senators

Series Price Canadiens ( 160) Senators ( 140) Implied Probability Canadiens 61.5% Senators 41.7%

Non expert analysis Is this inflated

Probably not. But I do like the Senators a bit. They have Craig Anderson in net who was out much of the season but has probably been better than anyone in the NHL when healthy. They are superior on defense. Also Montreal has one of the worst penalty kills in the league (OTT has one of the best). The Senators biggest weakness is scoring and an opponent with a poor penalty kill is a perfect matchup for them.

Montreal s Carey Price gets a lot of hype but he hasn t been great this year. He s capable of outplaying Anderson but in his current form he s much worse.

Verdict Probably a fair price but I do lean towards the Senators. Not sure if they re worth a bet yet but I ll look into it.

3) Capitals vs. 6) Rangers

Series Price Capitals ( 110) Rangers ( 110) Implied Probability Capitals 52.4% Rangers 52.4%

Non expert analysis Is this inflated

Yes. It pains me to say this as a Devils fan but the Rangers are probably your best value bet in the playoffs. They re worth a hard look at 26/1 to win the Stanley Cup. Henrik Lundqvist gives them a massive edge in net against the Caps. Their offense has struggled on the road but they ve come on late in the season and their defense is very good.

I only have one worry here the Rangers are ranked 22nd in 4 on 5 plus/minus per 60 minutes (penalty kill). The Capitals are first in 5 on 4 (power play). Goals are tough to come by on Lundqvist but special teams could be the difference.

Verdict There s definitely value on the Rangers but special teams could be their undoing.

Photo via

Articles Source here

Move Over Siri Google Now Comes to iPhone iPad

Watch out Siri Google's own personal assistant service is coming to your home town. Today Google is releasing its Google Now service for the iPhone and iPad. It will be available in Google's Search app in the Apple App Store.

Similar to the Android version the iOS version will provide information tailored to your life. For instance it will show you the weather when you start your day remind you of your next appointment and show you the fastest way to get to work complete with different routes based on traffic. The service learns your habits and your routines and provides you the information you need without having to go search for it.

Our goal is to get you the right information at just the right time Google CEO Larry Page said of the service on the company's earnings call last week.

Focus on Design Unlike the Android version which is integrated into Google's operating system the iPhone and iPad version are parts of the Google Search app. However Google has brought the same look and feel of the Android version over to the iOS app focusing on clean design and presenting those alerts or information on cards.

One of the things you have started to see is that Google is finding a mature design language across all of its products Matias Duarte Google's Director of Android User Experience told ABC News. When we started working on Google Now last year we had people from all over the company from Search to Google Labs to Android come help design it.

RELATED Galaxy S4 Review An Android Phone Commitment You Won't Regret

Similar to the new Maps YouTube and Gmail apps for the iPhone the Google Now app uses a fresh modern font and balances it with a good amount of white space. Duarte says that while the Now app for iOS has many of the same design elements as the Android version some changes were made.

We don't want to just uniformly force one experience on to anyone regardless of the platform he explained. It has to be a good visitor in the country it lives in while still retaining its unique identity. You need to accommodate the environment your experience lives in.

Aiming at Apple Of course that environment already has a similar personal assistant app Siri. Apple introduced the voice controlled personal assistant in iOS in 2010 and has been improving it ever since.

Google Now also supports voice control. You can tap the microphone icon and ask the service what the weather is or if your flight is on time.

RELATED Android Design Chief Facebook Home Is Polished

When the iPhone was introduced Google services including Maps and YouTube came preloaded on Apple's device. However as Google's Android has surged in popularity Apple has begun to focus on its own apps removing Google's preloaded services. Google Maps and YouTube were not included in Apple's latest iOS 6.

When Google Maps was released for the iPhone many quickly replaced Apple Maps app with Google's more accurate solution. People replacing Apple's apps with Google's iOS apps even though they are no longer preloaded is becoming a trend analysts say.

Even though Apple has been pursuing Cloud services Google has placed a stronger emphasis on tying more of those services to apps. A lot of Apple's Cloud services are more of a background infrastructure Ross Rubin principal analyst of Reticle Research told ABC News. Google is either stronger or there is no real significant competition with many of its Cloud apps. Google Now is just the latest example.

Google's Search app including Google Now can be downloaded now from the App Store here.

Articles Source here

Church burglar caught in the act at Mt. Zion in southeast Houston

HOUSTON Police apprehended a suspect who was caught breaking into a church in southeast Houston early Tuesday.

A man tripped the alarm when he broke into the administration building of Mt. Zion Baptist Church located on Nagle at Hadley just before 5 a.m. HPD arrived quickly and caught him in the act.

The first officer on the scene was holding the suspect at gunpoint when he heard more glass breaking so he called for additional backup fearing there may be accomplices. But when officers arrived they found it was just leftover glass falling from the window that was originally broken.

The suspect was then hauled off to jail.

Previous article Soccer player gunned down in drive by shooting

Next article FM 1960 smash and grab leads to police chase crash

Articles Source here

Pages