It's Sunday!

It's Sunday. Here's what's happening....

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Today is August 15th, the 227th day of 2010. There are 138 days left in the year.

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Panthers aim to end 10-year playoff drought.

Top remaining free agents.

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Here's one we can all get behind: Today is Relaxation Day.

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U.S. Under-18 Select Team Falls to Canada, 1-0,
in Championship Game of 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament


Team USA Posts Best Finish since 2006

PIESTANY, Slovakia - Stephen Michalek (Glastonbury, Conn.) stopped 23 of 24 shots faced, but the U.S. Under-18 Select Team fell just short against Canada, 1-0, here today in the championship game of the 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. The second-place Team USA posted its best finish at the tournament since 2006, compiling a 3-0-1-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) overall record.

"Our guys gave it everything they had today," said Tim Army, head coach of the U.S. Under-18 Select Team. "We couldn't have asked for anything more from these players, who really came together in a short period of time and played well against tough international competition all week."

Canada's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored the lone goal of the game less than two minutes into the opening period. Michalek and the U.S. defense settled in from that point on, however, keeping Team USA within striking distance throughout.

But the U.S. failed to find the back of the net, and finished second at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament for the seventh time (1993, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2010) since the event's inception in 1991.

NOTES: Cason Hohmann (Plymouth, Mich.) led Team USA with six points (3-3) in five games at the tournament ... The U.S. has finished in the top three of the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament 10 times, including a first-place finish in 2003 and two third-place finishes (1991, 1995) ... The 22 players on the 2010 U.S. Under-18 Select Team represented 13 states, with three players coming from Ohio ... Six of the players were members of the 2009 U.S. Under-17 Select Team that competed at the 2009 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament in Fussen, Germany, including goaltender Jay Williams (McLean, Va.); forwards Cason Hohmann, Alex Racino (Merrill, Wis.) and Lukas Sutter; and defensemen Brian Cooper (Anchorage, Alaska) and Connor Murphy ... Five members of the U.S. Under-18 Select Team competed in the United States Hockey League in 2009-10, including forwards Seth Ambroz (Omaha Lancers), Theo Di Pauli (Chicago Steel) and Hohmann (Cedar Rapids Roughriders), as well as defensemen Cooper (Fargo Force) and Murphy (U.S. National Under-17 Team). The USHL is the only Tier I junior hockey league in the United States ... The 2010 U.S. Under-18 Select Team was coached by Tim Army, head men's ice hockey coach at Providence College. Army has twice served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Men's National Team (1994, 1996), and was an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey ... Jay Varady, associate head coach with the Western Hockey League's Everett Silvertips, and Chadd Cassidy, assistant coach at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, were the assistant coaches ... Army, Varady and Cassidy are all Level 4 USA Hockey certified coaches ... The U.S. Under-18 Select Team was selected following the annual USA Hockey Boys' Select 17 Player Development Camp that took place July 7-13, at The Sports Centre at MCC in Rochester, N.Y. The camp provides top young players with concentrated on- and off-ice training and instruction, as well as the opportunity to compete at a national level against other players from their age group.

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

USA 0- 0 - 0 - 0
CAN 1 - 0- 0 - 1

First Period - Scoring: 1, CAN, Nugent-Hopkings (unassisted), 1:42. Penalties: USA, Sorenson (cross-checking), 6:07; USA, Team (too-many-men), 9:59; CAN, Danault (high-sticking), 11:53.

Second Period - Scoring: None. Penalties: USA, Cooper (cross-checking), 6:04; USA, Cooper (slashing), 10:36; CAN, Harrington (roughing), 10:36; CAN, Lessio (holding), 13:08; USA, Cooper (boarding), 17:15; CAN, Catenacci (charging), 17:15; USA, Team (too-many-men), 19:45.

Third Period - Scoring: None. Penalties: CAN, Siemens (slashing), 3:19.

Shots by Period 1 2 3 Total
USA 8 8 6 22
CAN 8 10 6 24

Goaltenders (SH/SV) 1 2 3 Total
USA, Michalek, 60:00 8-7 10-10 7-7 24-23
CAN, Teichmann, 60:00 8-8 8-8 5-5 22-22

Power Play: USA 0-3; CAN 0-4
Penalties: USA 6-12; CAN 5-10

2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament • Team USA Schedule
August 9-14 • Breclav, Czech Republic & Piestany, Slovakia

Date Opponent Result
Location
Sat., Aug. 7* Slovakia W, 3-0 Piestany, Slovakia
Mon., Aug. 9 Czech Republic W, 3-2 Breclav, Czech Republic
Tues., Aug. 10 Russia L, 5-6 (SO) Breclav, Czech Republic
Wed., Aug. 11 Finland W, 5-2 Breclav, Czech Republic
Fri., Aug. 13 Sweden (Semifinal Game) W, 5-4 (OT) Piestany, Slovakia
Sat., Aug. 14 Canada (Championship Game) L, 0-1 Piestany, Slovakia
*Exhibition

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Today is the start of National Aviation Week.

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Things going well at St. Lawrence for Flanagan.

Saints start ticket sales.

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Today is the start of Weird Contest Week.

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The Riders enter their bye week 5-2 in the West. Their next action is August 28th at Edmonton, with kickoff at 7:00pm EDT on 620CKRM and the Rider Radio Network. Listen links are to the right on this blog.

Check out Riderville.com for the latest on "Canada's (And Clearwater, Florida's) Team."

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Today is Best Friends Day.

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Today in Sports History:

1970 - Mrs. Pat Palinkas became the first woman to ‘play’ in a pro football game when she held the ball for the Orlando, FL, Panthers.

1984 - Pete Rose returned to become player and manager of the Cincinnati Reds. He had been away from his hometown for six years. Rose had been in Philadelphia and Montreal.

1990 - Mark McGwire hit a grand slam in the 10th inning to become the first major league player to hit 30 or more homers in his first four seasons. The Oakland Athletics beat the Boston Red Sox 6-2.

1993 - Nolan Ryan got his 324th and final victory. The Texas Rangers beat the Indians 4-1.

1997 - Dan Wilson hit the 3,000th Seattle Mariners homerun.

1997 - The Los Angeles Dodgers retired Tommy Lasorda's #2.

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In that "other" football league last night:

Tampa Bay lost at Miami 10-7, Pittsburgh beat the Lions 23-7, Cleveland beat Green Bay 27-24, Arizona beat Houston 19-16, Minnesota beat St. Louis 28-7, San Diego trounced Chicago 25-10 and Seattle edged Tennessee 20-18.

On Sunday: San Francisco at Indianapolis, Denver at Cincinnati and the Giants at the Jets(Nor the Jets at the Giants. BTW: Did they ever find Jimmy Hoffa in the Meadowlands' endzone?)

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Today is Failures Day.

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ST PETERSBURG -- Kelly Shoppach homered twice and drove in five runs last night, as the Tampa Bay Rays pounded the Baltimore Orioles 7-3, in front of 36,189 at Tropicana Field.

Baltimore hung a three-spot in the third. Ty Wigginton and Luke Scott aboard, Adam Jones drilled a liner off the pole in left for a three-run homer and a 3-0 Orioles lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Rays scored five times. Evan Longoria scored on a double to left by Sean Rodriguez, Willy Aybar, Rodriguez and Ben Zobrist scored on Shoppach's grand slam for a 5-3 Tampa Bay lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Aybar singled home Longoria then, in the eighth, Shoppach homered again and the Rays went on to win 7-3.

For Tampa Bay, Andy Sonnanstine allowed 3 runs on 3 hits over 5 innings, with 2 strike outs and 4 walks. The win moves him to 3-1. The Orioles' Brian Matusz went 4 innings, allowing 5 runs on 9 hits, with 2 strike outs and 2 walks. His record drops to 4-12.

The Rays are 70-46, and are second in the A.L. East, 2 games behind the Yankees, while leading Boston by 4 games and the White Sox by 5 1/2 in the Wild Card race. Tampa Bay continues their six-game home stand this afternoon at 1:40pm EDT against Baltimore, then the Texas Rangers come to town for 3 games starting tomorrow, with first pitch at 7:10pm EDT Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday's game starts at 1:10pm EDT. You can follow the Rays on 620AM WDAE and the Rays Radio Network. All games through Friday, September 3rd, can be seen on Sun Sports.

Notes: Jeremy Hellickson(2-0, 1.29) goes to the hill today for the Rays. He'll be opposed by Baltimore's Jake Arrieta(4-3, 5.29)....The Orioles have won three straight series for the first time this season. A win today would give them wins in four straight series, which hasn't happened since August 2004....Carlos Pena is going to Class A Port Charlotte for a one-game rehab assignment. If all goes well, he could be back in the Rays' lineup on Monday....Of the 46 games left for Tampa Bay, 32 will be against teams who are now .500 or better, including 13 against the Yankees and Red Sox.

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On this date in 1945, celebrations marking the end of WWII sparked riots in San Francisco.

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The Yankees lead Tampa Bay by 2 games in the A.L. East, Boston is 6 back(They trail the Rays by 4 games in the Wild Card chase), Toronto is 10 back and Baltimore is 31 1/2 games behind.

In the A.L. Central, Minnesota leads the White Sox by 2 games, they're 10 1/2 games ahead of Detroit, with Cleveland and Kansas City both 19 games behind.

Out in the (not-so)wild A.L. West, Texas leads the Angels by 8, Oakland trails by 9 and Seattle is 21 games behind.

In the N.L. East, Atlanta leads Philadelphia by 2 games, the Mets are 9 behind, Florida trails by 9 1/2 games, Washington is 17 1/2 out.

In the N.L. Central, St. Louis and Cincinnati are once again tied for first, Milwaukee is 12 behind, Houston is 15 back, the Cubs are 17 behind and Pittsburgh is 27 games off the pace.

San Diego leads the N.L. West by 2 1/2 games over San Francisco(The Giants are 1/2 game up on St. Louis and Cincinnati and 1 game over Philadelphia in the N.L. Wild Card chase). Colorado sits in third, 8 games out, with the Dodgers trailing by 9 games and Arizona by 22 1/2.

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Time to clean up.

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SAN FRANCISCO -- One day after Aubrey Huff admitted the difference between the Giants and Padres was the execution of the little things, a big hustle play by Buster Posey gave the Giants a thrilling 3-2 extra-innings win Saturday afternoon at AT&T Park.

Read the rest here.

Notes: The Giants are 67-51, and are 2 1/2 games behind first-place San Diego in the N.L. West(The Padres are 8-2 against the Giants this season). San Francisco currently leads Cincinnati and St. Louis by 1/2 game and Philadelphia by 1 game in the N.L. Wild Card race, is home this afternoon at 4:10pm EDT for the second of a three-game series with San Diego. Madison Bumgarner(4-4, 3.36) will be opposed by Mat Latos(12-5, 2.36). Today's game with the Padres airs on ESPN.

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Today in Elvis History:

1955 - Elvis Presley signed a management contract with "Colonel" Tom Parker.

1959 - Elvis Presley's single "A Big Hunk O' Love" hit #1 in the U.S.

1970 - Elvis Presley's album "On Stage" hit #2 in the U.K.

1987 - On the tenth anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley thousands of people marched past his grave in Memphis, TN.

2003 - On NBC's "Today Show" a segment aired about a special song being planned for inclusion on the "Elvis 2nd To None" CD.

2003 - At Graceland, Ernst Jorgensen and Joe DiMuro from BMG/RCA announced the discovery of a lost Elvis recording, "I'm a Roustabout." The crowd on hand witnessed the premiere of the music video for the new Paul Oakenfold remix of Elvis' 1969 recording of "Rubberneckin'."

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East's new beasts: Argos top Als.

Visit the league's official website: CFL.ca.

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Today in Beatles History

1962 - Pete Best played his last show with the Beatles, at the Carvern Club.

1965 - The Beatles set a record for having the largest single crowd at a concert at Shea Stadium in New York. Attendance was 56,000.

1980 - George Harrison's book "I Me Mine" went on sale.

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The Spokane Shock defeated the Milwaukee Iron 60-57 in front of 8,151 Thursday night and will advance to the ArenaBowl as the National Conference Champions.

Last night, the Tampa Bay Storm beat the Orlando Predators 63-62, to win the American Conference title.

Go to arenafootball.com to download the nifty-tv player to watch the games.

ArenaBowl XXIII will be held on Spokane Tribe Field at the Spokane Arena on Friday, August 20th, kicking off at 8:00pn EDT. Tickets for the Championship game are on sale through TicketsWest and can be purchased by calling 1-800-325-SEAT.

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On this date in 1984, IBM introduces the Personal Computer AT (Advanced Technologies). It is approximately three to five times faster than the IBM XT.

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From http://www.arenafootball.com

The Tampa Bay Storm (12-5, 1-0) punched their ticket to Arena Bowl XXIII next Friday in Spokane, claiming victory in the third installment of the “War On I-4” by defeating the Orlando Predators (8-9, 1-1) by a score of 63-62 in a barnburner of the AFL American Conference Championship game. The trip to next week’s championship contest marks the eighth ArenaBowl appearance by the franchise.

A series of Orlando penalties proved to determine the game’s outcome, forcing Predators kicker Carlos Martinez to re-try an extra point that initially had tied the game at 63 after Orlando roared back from a 21-point deficit at the start of the second half. Rather than tying the game, however, Martinez’s kick sailed and hit the right goalpost, allowing the Storm to maintain a one-point lead. Martinez later received another opportunity to win the game with a 49-yard field goal attempt with two seconds remaining, but the try fell short, deeming the Storm the 2010 American Conference champs.

Both teams dueled in the fourth quarter, trading score-for-score and matching each other’s touchdown production, but solid special teams play by Michael Hawthorne, clever play calling, and clutch execution on two-point conversion attempts allowed the Storm to prevail as the final buzzer sounded.

Brett Dietz led the Storm, throwing for 260 yards and seven touchdowns. Tyrone Timmons led all Tampa Bay receivers with three scores, while DeAndrew Rubin and Terrence Royal also cashed in a pair of touchdowns. Orlando quarterback Nick Hill countered Dietz, passing for 265 yards. T.T. Toliver led all receivers from both clubs, bringing in seven of Hill’s nine touchdown passes on the night. Tampa Bay was equally as impressive on the other side of the ball as well, forcing and recovering two fumbles in the first quarter alone.

Tampa Bay’s defense set the tone early, dictating play for the majority of the first quarter. The Storm registered numerous pass break-ups and applied heavy pressure to Predators quarterback Nick Hill, while forcing Orlando to turn the ball over on downs on its first offensive possession. Cliff Dukes provided Tampa Bay with its first true scoring chance after he recovered an Orlando fumble, but Dietz failed to convert. The Storm signal caller, however, redeemed himself by throwing a nine-yard touchdown pass to DeAndrew Rubin to even the score after Orlando took a 7-0 lead. Tampa Bay maintained its high-tempo for the remainder of the period following the initial score, finding the endzone once more courtesy of Terrence Royal after defensive end Jermaine Smith recovered Orlando’s second fumble of the night.

Tampa Bay padded its first quarter lead in the following period, going up 35-21 at halftime. Much like in the game’s opening period, Orlando struck first on a touchdown pass from Hill to receiver T.T. Toliver. Dietz, however, remained poised in the pocket, spread the ball around, and threw three scores each to different receivers including DeAndrew Rubin, Tyrone Timmons and Hank Edwards. Tampa Bay’s last score of the first half was aided by solid special teams play, as Drew Weatherford recovered an onside kick that allowed the Storm an additional opportunity to put points on the board.

The Storm opened the third quarter with its largest lead of the game, going up 21 points after Tyrone Timmons hauled in his second score of the night. Although Tampa Bay scored a second time in the quarter, Orlando slowly began to chip away at the deficit, scoring twice on a pair of unanswered touchdown receptions by T. T. Toliver. Toliver then brought the Predators to within just one touchdown after teammate Josh Bush recovered an onside kick to give Orlando an extra possession that set up the score.

Both teams traded a score each before Orlando’s Dion Bynum intercepted a Dietz pass with four minutes left, leading to the tying touchdown on a fourth-and-one play in which Hill overthrew intended receiver Bobby Sippio and instead found a wide-open T.T. Toliver who caught the ball off of the netting to make the score 56-55 following the extra point. Each team would find the paint once more, but Michael Hawthorne sealed the game with an onside kick recovery, allowing the Storm to burn time off the clock and capture the win. The Predators gave a last ditch effort to win the game with two seconds remaining on the clock, but a 49-yard, potential game-winning field goal by Orlando kicker Carlos Martinez fell short.

The Storm will travel to Spokane next Friday for the Arena Bowl XXIII Championship game at the Spokane Arena, with game time set for 8:00pm EDT, on 1250 AM WHNZ in Tampa Bay and 700 AM KXLY Radio in Spokane..

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The 19th NFL all-star game was played in Chicago on this date in 1952. Los Angeles beat the All-Stars 10-7 in a game watched by 88,316.

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From http://www.nascar.com

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Despite clutch problems that plagued him on pit road, Brad Keselowski dominated Saturday's Carfax 250 Nationwide Series race at Michigan International Speedway.

"I don't need no stinking clutch," Keselowski said shortly after crossing the finish line 3.179 seconds ahead of second-place Carl Edwards.

No, he didn't. Clutch or no clutch, Keselowski's No. 22 Penske Racing Dodge was the class of the field, starting from the pole and leading 89 of the 125 laps in the first race for NASCAR's new Nationwide car on a downforce track.

Keselowski pulled away from Edwards after a Lap 117 restart, necessitated by the second caution of the race. Slow leaving the pits after a green-flag stop on Lap 105, Keselowski was running second, 3.4 seconds behind Edwards and closing, when the caution flag flew.

The caution bunched the field and gave Keselowski the opportunity to pass Edwards on the restart. Keselowski now leads second-place Edwards by 347 points in the series standings.

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This is National Homeless Animals Day and Candelight Vigils.

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Coming up:

Tonight --

Nascar Sprint Cup Series: Carfax 400 at Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Michigan 1:00pm EDT

Baseball: Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays 1:40pm EDT

Baseball: San Diego Padres at San Francisco Giants 4:10pm EDT

Monday --

Baseball: Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT

Tuesday --

Baseball: San Francisco Giants at Philadelphia Phillies 7:05pm EDT

Baseball: Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT

Wednesday --

Baseball: Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays 1:10pm EDT

Baseball: San Francisco Giants at Philadelphia Phillies 7:05pm EDT

Thursday --

Baseball: San Francisco Giants at Philadelphia Phillies 7:05pm EDT

Baseball: Tampa Bay Rays at Oakland Athletics 10:07pm EDT

Friday --

Nascar Nationwide Series: Food City 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tennessee 7:00pm EDT

Arena Football Arena XXIII Championship Game: Tampa Bay Storm at Spokane Shock 8:00pm EDT

Baseball: San Francisco Giants at St. Louis Cardinals 8:15pm EDT

Baseball: Tampa Bay Rays at Oakland Athletics 10:07pm EDT

Saturday --

Baseball: San Francisco Giants at St. Louis Cardinals 7:15pm EDT

Nascar Sprint Cup Series: Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol Tennessee 7:30pm EDT

NFL Football: Kansas City Chiefs at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7:30pm EDT

Baseball: Tampa Bay Rays at Oakland Athletics 9:07pm EDT

Sunday --

Baseball: San Francisco Giants at St. Louis Cardinals 2:15pm EDT

Baseball: Tampa Bay Rays at Oakland Athletics 4:07pm EDT

Indy Car: Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, California 5:00pm EDT

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That's it for today. See you tomorrow!