It's Friday

It's Friday. Here's what's happening....

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Today is April 29th, the 119th day of 2011. There are 246 days left in the year.

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Canucks blank Predators in opener.

No suspension for Bruins' Ference.

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Today is the first day of National Dream Hotline Week.

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USHL Clark Cup Playoffs – First Round

Eastern Conference

Indiana Ice (#3) vs. Waterloo Black Hawks (#6)

Indiana wins series 2-0.

Team USA (#4) vs. Muskegon Lumberjacks (#5)

Muskegon wins series 2-0.

Western Conference

Sioux Falls Stampede (#3) vs. Sioux City Musketeers (#6)

Sioux Falls wins series 2-1.

Fargo Force (#4) vs. Lincoln Stars (#5)

Fargo wins series 2-0.

USHL Clark Cup Playoffs – Second Round

Eastern Conference

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (#1) vs. Muskegon Lumberjacks (#5)
Cedar Rapids wins series 3-1.

Green Bay Gamblers (#2) vs. Indiana Ice (#3)
Green Bay wins series 3-0.

Western Conference

Dubuque Fighting Saints (#1) vs. Fargo Force (#4)
Dubuque wins series 3-0.

Omaha Lancers (#2) vs. Sioux Falls Stampede (#3)
Sioux Falls wins series 3-0.

USHL Clark Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference Final
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (#1) vs. Green Bay Gamblers (#2)
Game 1: Friday, April 29th, 7:05 PM – Green Bay @ Cedar Rapids
Game 2: Saturday, April 30th, 7:05 PM – Green Bay @ Cedar Rapids
Game 3: Friday, May 6th, 7:05 PM – Cedar Rapids @ Green Bay
Game 4: Sunday, May 8th, 3:05 PM – Cedar Rapids @ Green Bay**
Game 5: Tuesday, May 10th, 7:05 PM – Green Bay @ Cedar Rapids **
** if necessary
(all times reflect local start time)

USHL Clark Cup Playoffs – Western Conference Final
Dubuque Fighting Saints (#1) vs. Sioux Falls Stampede (#3)
Game 1: Friday, April 29th, 7:00 PM – Sioux Falls @ Dubuque
Game 2: Saturday, April 30th, 7:00 PM – Sioux Falls @ Dubuque
Game 3: Friday, May 6th, 7:05 PM – Dubuque @ Sioux Falls
Game 4: Sunday, May 8th, 6:05 PM – Dubuque @ Sioux Falls**
Game 5: Tuesday, May 10th, 7:00 PM – Sioux Falls @ Dubuque **
** if necessary
(all times reflect local start time)

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Interstate Mullet Toss Days start today.


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Stamps extend promising DB Issac.

Riders profile: Coach Mike Walker.

2011 CFL Schedule is here.

Donate to the Tony Proudfoot Fund.

Visit the leagues' official website, http://www.cfl.ca/.

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Jimmy finds another egg.

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Today is National Dance Day. 

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MINNEAPOLIS -- Ben Zobrist's good week only got better on Thursday afternoon.

Entering Thursday's Game 1, Zobrist had 15 RBIs for the season, eight of which had come in the Rays' previous three games. With four hits, including a three-run home run, Zobrist put up a club-record eight RBIs in the first game of a day-night twin bill as the Rays rolled to a 15-3 victory over the Twins.

Zobrist's eight RBIs broke the previous club record of seven, set by Carlos Pena in 2007.

Read the rest here.


MINNEAPOLIS -- He may not have gotten the no-hitter, or the shutout, but Jeff Niemann pitched his best game of the season Thursday night against the Twins.

Niemann held the Twins hitless through six innings while facing the minimum until Denard Span singled on a soft liner just beyond the reach of Elliot Johnson at shortstop to lead off the seventh. Span would come around to score on a single later in the inning, but those two hits would be the only ones of the night for the Twins as the Rays won, 6-1, at Target Field.

"It was a great game and everything was clicking," Niemann said. "This is a huge confidence boost. It's something that I needed. The team's been playing so well and I felt like I was that guy that was kind of stopping the momentum the whole time.


Read the rest here.

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Today is National Hairball Awareness Day.

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PITTSBURGH -- If Thursday represented Ryan Vogelsong's destiny, he had to wait an extremely long time to reach it.

Vogelsong finally received a chance to fill the role he initially was groomed for as a professional -- starting on the mound for the Giants -- and excelled in it. His 5 2/3 solid innings complemented Aaron Rowand's three RBIs Thursday and helped San Francisco subdue the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-2.

Read the rest here.

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Today in Elvis History:

1957 - Elvis Presley's "Peace In The Valley" hit #39 in the U.S.

1964 - Elvis Presley recorded the vocals to the second version of "Roustabout" after the principal photography was shot. This version of "Roustabout" was written by Bill Giant, Bernie Baum and Florence Kaye.

1976 - Bruce Springsteen climbed the wall of Graceland to meet Elvis Presley. Elvis wasn't home.

2003 - The Elvis Presley album "Live At The Louisiana Hayride" was released.

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Today is Save the Frogs Day. (Linky Link)

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Today in Beatles History:

1970 - George Harrison announced the forthcoming release of his first solo album, "All Things Must Pass." He also said that he expected the Beatles would one day re-form.

2002 - Paul McCartney won a court order to prevent the auction house Christie's from selling his handwritten lyrics to the song "Hey Jude." McCartney claimed that the sheet of note paper had disappeared from his house. The sheet of paper was expected to sell for around $116,000.

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Qala'un, the Sultan of Egypt, captured Tripoli on this date in 1289.

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Today in Sports History:

1941 - The Boston Bees agreed to change their name to the Braves.

1961 - ABC’s "Wide World of Sports" premiered.

1981 - Steve Carlton, of the Philadelphia Phillies, became the first left-handed pitcher in the major leagues to get 3,000 career strikeouts.

1985 - Billy Martin was brought back, for the fourth time, to the position of manager for the New York Yankees.

1986 - Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox set a major-league baseball record by striking out 20 Seattle Mariner batters.

1988 - The Baltimore Orioles set a new major league baseball record by losing their first 21 games of the season.

1997 - Craig MacTavish announced his retirement from the NHL after 17 seasons.

2002 - Darryl Strawberry was sentenced to 18 months in prison for violating his probation on a 1999 conviction on drug and solicitation of prostitution charges.

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The Maryland House of Delegates voted against seceding from Union on this date in 1861.

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Coming Up: 

Tonight --

NHL Playoff Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at Washington Capitals 7:00pm EDT

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at Washington Nationals 7:05pm EDT

MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs Los Angeles Angels 7:10pm EDT

Nascar Nationwide Series -- Bubba Burger 250 at Richmond International Raceway 7:30pm EDT

Saturday --

MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs Los Angeles Angels 1:10pm EDT

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at Washington Nationals 4:05pm EDT

Nascar Sprint Cup Series -- Crown Royal presents the Matthew and Daniel Hansen 400 at Richmond International Raceway 7:30pm EDT

Sunday --

NHL Playoff Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at Washington Capitals Time TBD

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at Washington Nationals 1:35pm EDT

MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs Los Angeles Angels 1:40pm EDT

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That's all for today. Thanks for stopping by, see you tomorrow.