Hockey

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Wednesday Link-Off: The Medium is the Message

cintia-dicker-si13-08I know updates have been a little random lately but I hope to have things back to normal by next week. Granted, sometimes I’m not sure what normal is around these parts but I’m sure we’ll all sort it out eventually. In the meantime, here’s my favourite SI Swimsuit model Cintia Dicker.

Just to prove that I’m very fair and balanced with my dissemination of political links, here’s a not at all right-leaning article about how the Obama White House is able to control the message out of 1600 Penn. (Politico)

You thought the possibility of Ashley Judd running for the Senate was all a big laugh didn’t you? Well, the GOP is taking it seriously. They’ve already created an attack ad against her. (New York Times)

A recent Gallup poll says that only 3.5% of Americans are gay. Could that number possibly be accurate? (The Atlantic Wire)

After the jump, the evil of Bleacher Report, trolling the Beliebers and Vanna White on The Price is Right. Continue reading →

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Sunday Link-Off: What If…

nina-agdal-aerie13-11Well, it’s official. I was wrong about this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover. I thought SI would pass on Kate Upton for the second-straight time because she might have been overexposed and they could make waves and bigger headlines with a fresh face like Nina Agdal. Turns out that I was wrong and they think that Kate will sell more copies than the other options. So, for no particular reason, including bitterness, here’s Nina Agdal.

We’re less than a year from the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and it sure looks like the Russians have been taking some liberties with their workforce while trying to get venues ready. (The Economist)

One of the most unexpected big topics in American politics this week was who the President can order to be killed. If Nixon was alive, he would certainly be an expert on that. (The New Yorker)

Speaking of Presidents of the United States, in his retirement, George W. Bush has become a bit of an artist. (Gawker)

After the jump, the what ifs of sports, a look at the greatness of Community and the President does Pokemon. Continue reading →

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Wednesday Link-Off: Baby, It’s Cold Outside

alyssa-miller-manor13-04Welcome to another set of the middle of the week links. I almost didn’t get this post out. I had epic car troubles on Monday. That’s what happens when the temperature dips below -20° C. Not only did I need a boost but I needed a new battery. That was a fun day. Anyway, let’s start this post with Alyssa Miller. It’s been too long since we’ve seen her.

We’re gearing up for another fight over government spending and the debt ceiling. The question is if the government spending is out of control. Nate Silver uses math to figure out the truth. (FiveThirtyEight)

Whether you’re a fan of President Obama or not, you have to like his first term comparables. His first term stats looks a lot like Clinton’s. (Washington Post)

Vitamin Water isn’t actually very good for you. Coca-Cola says that people couldn’t have believed it was because nobody believes any sort of advertising anymore. (Mother Jones)

After the jump, the Batmobile gets sold, leaked Xbox 720 specs and a line brawl. Continue reading →

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Join The 2013 Lowdown Blog Fantasy Hockey Pool

It’s time once again for the annual Lowdown Blog Fantasy Hockey Pool. We’ve created our fantasy hockey league over on the TSN/ESPN fantasy website. It’s a public pool so anyone can join. As with last year, if we run out of space in the first pool, we’ll create a second one. It’s a head-to-head league with the winner of each match-up based on winning the most of the nine categories (G, A, +/-, PIM, SOG, STP [Special Teams Points], Wins, GAA, SV%) in play kinda like the old Yahoo pools we all used to play. Each team has 20 roster spots with nine forwards, four defensemen and two goalies starting each night.

The autopick draft takes place at 5:00 AM Thursday, January 17, so sign up now and set your picks.

Click here to go to The Lowdown Blog Fantasy Hockey League.

The first league has filled up. We’ve added a second pool which is a points pool. It’s draft is at 5:00 AM on Friday.

Click here to go to the second Lowdown Blog Fantasy Hockey Pool.

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Wednesday Link-Off: Choose Your Own Reality

The first US Presidential campaign debate is tonight. I won’t be watching because I’m starting to get electioned out and we’re still a month away from voting day. Remember, folks, voter fatigue is part of the Romney plan so make sure to vote Obama on November 6th. In the meantime, let’s start today’s links with Candice Swanepoel.

The Republicans consider the Affordable Care Act (AKA Obamacare) the root of all evil. However, seeing as President Obama didn’t switch the health care system to single-payer, an op-ed suggests that maybe Obamacare is something the Tea Party should be happy about. (New York Times)

“Choose your own” is a genre usually limited to books and video games. However, conservative political pundits are living in a world of choose you own political reality. (Politico)

Let’s take a short break from politics. This is a great story by a man who was tormented off the internet before finally meeting and confronting his troll. (The Guardian)

After the jump, unskewing the polls (by skewing them in favour of your candidate), more insight on the BioWare resignations and The Simpsons’ take on the election. Continue reading →

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There Is No Right Side In The 2012 NHL Lockout

In 2004, it was clear to the fans that the NHL wasn’t going to survive as it was without a decrease in spending on player salaries. After locking out the year for a league, the NHL got a salary cap that gave players a maximum of 57% of hockey-related revenues which resulted in a salary rollback of 24%.

Seven years after the first lockout ended, we’re basically back where we started. The owners say they are losing money and need to cut spending. The players aren’t willing to rollback their salaries again given that the NHL is going through a period of record revenues.

With both sides claiming that the other side is plenty rich enough, we’ve reached another impasse and another lockout. Unlike the last lockout, no one side is right and no one side is wrong. Everyone has played a part in arriving at the latest NHL lockout. Continue reading →

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The Bear and the Gang – Episode 2 – Date Night

It’s episode two of the Boston Bruins’ webseries The Bear And The Gang. The Bear has a date night with one of the Bruin’s Ice Girls but it doesn’t go to plan. Also starring Claude Julien and Ice Girl Holly.

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The Bear and the Gang – Episode 1 – Video Games

It’s Episode One of the hotly anticipated Boston Bruins’ webseries The Bear And The Gang. In this episode, The Bear does battle with Brad Marchand in some video game hockey. Also starring Rene Rancourt and Jack Edwards.

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Calgary Flames’ Twitter Account Doesn’t Think Much Of Hemsky

The Calgary Flames official twitter account (@NHLFlames) thinks 2 years at $5 million per season for Ales Hemsky is a bit too big a contract.

 

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Steve’s Ridiculous 2012 NHL Trade Deadline Predictions

Every year, I like to play the unique role of outside insider slash prognosticator slash comedian with my annual ridiculous predictions series of posts. This time out, I’m making my ridiculous predictions for the NHL Trade Deadline. After all, when experts and reporters talk about deals at the trade deadline, they always think that teams will make deals that make sense for all involved. In reality, the NHL doesn’t work that way. Players have no-trade clauses in their contracts and some GMs have no sense whatsoever. So let’s take a fun look at this year’s NHL trade deadline. Continue reading →