It's Thursday

It's Thursday. Here's what's happening.

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Today is January 31st, the 31st day of 2013. There are 334 days left in the year.

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Islanders' McDonald suspended for two games.

Coyotes hope to have Smith back by weekend.

Visit the official league website, http://www.nhl.com/.

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Today's Birthdays: Baseball Hall of Famer Ernie Banks (Mr. Cub) is 82; Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan is 66; Portia de Rossi (Arrested Development) is 40; Kerry Washington (Django's wife in Django Unchained.) is 36; Justin Timberlake is 32; Marcus Mumford of Mumford and Sons is 26.

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Tampa, FL. -- The National Hockey League’s most interesting stat line just might belong to Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Eric Brewer.

Read the rest here.

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The first Super Bowl ad released by Mercedes was a snooze, despite the pretty girl. This one's better.

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University of Minnesota Stays at No. 1 in USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Women's College Hockey Poll USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine 2012-13 Women's College Hockey Poll - #16(first-place votes in parentheses) Rank School Last Week's Ranking 2012-13 Record (W-L-T) Weeks in Top 10 1 University of Minnesota, 190 (19) 1 26-0-0 17 2 Boston College, 167 3 19-4-2 17 3 Boston University, 135 5 17-3-3 17 4 Harvard University, 125 2 17-2-1 14 5 Cornell University, 120 4 16-4-0 17 6 Clarkson University, 97 7 20-6-0 13 7 Mercyhurst University, 84 6 19-4-1 17 8 University of Wisconsin, 48 8 15-9-2 11 9 University of North Dakota, 44 9 16-10-0 15 10 University of Minnesota Duluth, 26 NR 13-8-3 4 Others receiving votes: Northeastern University, 9. NOTES: The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are the defending NCAA national champions and earned their 17th straight week as the unanimous No. 1 ... The Western Collegiate Hockey Association leads with four ranked schools, ECAC Hockey boasts three ranked teams while the Hockey East Association has two ranked teams and College Hockey America has one ranked program ... A total of 11 teams received votes. ABOUT THE POLL: The 16th annual USA Today/USA Hockey MagazineWomen’s College Hockey Poll is conducted each week in conjunction with the American Hockey Coaches Association. The poll includes input from coaches and journalists representing each of the four NCAA Division I ice hockey conferences, as well as composite votes from officers of the AHCA and USA Hockey.

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According to a new study, rich people pay less for car insurance than poor people. [Nationwide is on your side... as long as your side is the right side of town.]

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Ottawa tabs Desjardins as first General Manager.

Ottawa Returning to the Canadian Football League.

Visit the league's official website at cfl.ca.

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The Labrador retriever keeps its 22-year reign as America's top dog. The American Kennel Club's annual ranking of most popular dog breeds shows Labradors in the lead, followed by the German Shepherd and the Golden Retriever.

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Tampa, FL. — Brian A. Ford, entering his seventh year with the Buccaneers, will continue to oversee all of the organization's day-to-day business operations.

Read the rest here.

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A 49-year-old woman was stopped for speeding four times in about 2½ hours on a southern Minnesota interstate while on a mission to make it to her granddaughter's school event. Her first of four tickets came at about 2:30 Friday. The fourth at about 5 PM. She did not make it to her granddaughter's school event.

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I love my Jimmy!

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You're reading the Johnny Blog. Almost as much fun as watching Super Bowl press conferences, isn't it?

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Today in Elvis History

1959 - Elvis Presley's song "I Got Stung/One Night" hit #1 in the U.K. where it remained for 3 weeks.

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House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Salma Hayek and Ice-T guest star in tonight's (8p ET, NBC) 30 Rock series finale.

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Today in Beatles History:

1967 - John Lennon purchased an 1843 circus poster that read "For the Benefit of Mr. Kite."

2010 - "All Together Now" won a Grammy for Best Long Form Music Video. The film documents the story behind the partnership between the Beatles and Cirque de Soleil that resulted in the creation of "LOVE."

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Country music legend Johnny Cash will grace a special stamp issued this year as part of its new music icons series.

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Today in Sports History:

1920 - Joe Malone (Quebec Bullldogs) set an NHL record with 7 goals in a game.

1961 - In Houston, TX, voters approved financing for a domed stadium.

1988 - Herb Alpert performed the U.S. national anthem at Super Bowl XXII. The Washington Redskins beat the Denver Broncos 42-10.

1999 - The Denver Broncos won Super Bowl XXXIII. It was their second consecutive Super Bowl win.

2003 - The Chicago White Sox announced a deal that would change the of Comiskey Park after a 93-year association with the Comiskey name.    

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Around $55 million was spent on food for last year's Super Bowl. If the amount's the same this year, it will take ten million man hours to prepare.

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Coming Up:

Tonight --

Nothin' Doin'

Friday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Winnipeg Jets 7:30pm EST

Saturday --

Empire South Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors at Florida Eels 3:00pm EST

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Rangers 7:00pm EST

EJHL South Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors at Florida Eels 9:00pm EST

Sunday --

Nothin' Doin'

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

It's Wednesday

It's Wednesday. Here's what's happening.

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Today is January 30th, the 30th day of 2013. There are 335 days left in the year.

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Isles' McDonald faces supplemental discipline hearing.

After signing, Subban will need to fit in on Canadiens.

Visit the official league website, http://www.nhl.com/.

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Today's Birthdays: Gene Hackman (Oscars for The French Connection and Unforgiven) is 83; Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney is 72; Musician Phil Collins is 62; Christian Bale (Batman films) is 39; Wilmer Valderrama (Awake, That '70s Show) is 33.

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Tampa, FL. -- Six games into the new season, the Tampa Bay Lightning are still perfect on home ice.

Tom Pyatt's goal at 3:18 of the second period stood up as the game-winner, as the Bolts cruised past the division-rival Florida Panthers 5-2 at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on Tuesday night.

Read the rest here.

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The U.S. Nationals Snow Sculpting Competition begins today (through February 3) in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

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USA Hockey Names Pittsburgh Penguins, CONSOL Energy Center As Host of 2nd Annual CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game Forty of the Top American Prospects to Descend Upon Pittsburgh in September COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The second annual CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game will be staged Thursday, Sept. 26, at the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pa., home of the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins, it was announced today by USA Hockey. "We're excited to bring this game to Pittsburgh," said Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey. "We know fans will enjoy seeing the very best young hockey talent our country has to offer and we look forward to working with the Penguins and CONSOL Energy Center staff in what will be a terrific showcase for our game." The game will include 40 of the top American-born prospects eligible for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft squaring off in a display of the top hockey talent from across the country. Players will be chosen by USA Hockey, in conjunction with NHL Central Scouting, with the final rosters expected to be announced in August. "Pittsburgh is a city filled with passionate hockey fans and we're extremely pleased to work with USA Hockey in bringing the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game to the CONSOL Energy Center this fall," said David Morehouse, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Penguins. "It will be a unique opportunity for our fans to see the future American stars of the NHL -- some which will undoubtedly play in Pittsburgh -- all on the same sheet of ice." Ticket information will be released at a later date. NOTES: USA Hockey will unveil the CCM-designed uniforms for the game later this year. In addition, the coaches for the game are likely to be announced sometime prior to the 2013 NHL Entry Draft ... The first-ever CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game was hosted by the Buffalo Sabres at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, N.Y., on Sept. 29, 2012 ... Teams at the inaugural CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game were coached by Rob McClanahan, a member of the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team and Phil Housley, who led the U.S. National Junior Team to a gold medal at the 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia. Team McClanahan prevailed by a 5-2 count over Team Housley ... Ryan Fitzgerald (North Reading, Mass.) was named the Most Valuable Player of the inaugural CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game … Of the 40 players that competed in the inaugural CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game, 30 were from the United States Hockey League, the top junior league in America, including 21 from USA Hockey's National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich. Players also came from NCAA Division I hockey as well as the Canadian Hockey League.

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The Osgood family, from Hayward, California, found some Super Bowl tickets on Craigslist at 'only' double the face value. The seller seemed legit, so they wired him the money. When they opened the FedEx envelope it read: "Enjoy the game!!!! Go Ravens!!! LOL."

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Different uniform, same Geroy Simon in Riderville.

Als GM Popp continues search for new head coach.

Visit the league's official website at cfl.ca.

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WACKY-BUT-TRUE: PLANNING THE BEST SUPER BOWL PARTY EVER - Two men in Atlanta were busted for allegedly stealing $65,000 worth of chicken wings from a warehouse.

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Tampa, FL. — No move in free agency is a completely sure thing, but the Bucs believed WR Vincent Jackson would be worth his sizeable contract thanks to an uncompromising work ethic, and that belief paid off in 2012.

Read the rest here.

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On CBS tonight (8p ET) Boomer Esiason and Aisha Tyler host this special as viewers votes determine the greatest ads that have aired during the Super Bowls.

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Jimmy is ready to go home.

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You're reading the Johnny Blog. Almost as much fun as taking your dogs to the vet, isn't it?

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Today in Elvis History

1956 - Elvis Presley recorded "Blue Suede Shoes."

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25 Super Bowl Party Questions (for People Who Don't Care About Football)

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Today in Beatles History:

1967 - The Beatles recorded a promotional clip for "Strawberry Fields Forever."

1969 - The Beatles made their last-ever public appearance as a group. The performance of "Get Back" was filmed for the movie "Let It Be." The performance took place on the roof of London's Apple Records.

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Kid President pep talk video is an Internet hit.

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Today in Sports History:

1910 - Work began on the first board-track automobile speedway. The track was built in Playa del Ray, CA. 

1920 - Joe Malone (Quebec Nordiques) scored seven goals against the Toronto St. Patricks in a 10-6 win.

1960 - The women’s singles U.S. figure skating championship was won by Carol Heiss.

1994 - Natalie Cole sang the U.S. national anthem at Super Bowl XXVIII. The Dallas Cowboys won 30-13 over the Buffalo Bills.

1994 - Dan Jansen of the United States set a world record of 35.76 when he became the first to skate 500 meters in less than 36 seconds.

2000 - The New York Mets announced that Garth Brooks would begin training with the team on February 20.

2000 - John Rocker (Atlanta Braves) was suspended from major league baseball for disparaging foreigners, homosexuals and minorities in an interview published by Sports Illustrated.    

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"The Lone Ranger" was heard on radio for the first time on this date in 1933. The program ran for 2,956 episodes and ended in 1955.

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Coming Up:

Tonight --

Nothin' Doin'

Thursday --

Nothin' Doin'

Friday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Winnipeg Jets 7:30pm EST

Saturday --

Empire South Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors at Florida Eels 3:00pm EST

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Rangers 7:00pm EST

EJHL South Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors at Florida Eels 9:00pm EST

Sunday --

Nothin' Doin'

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

It's Tuesday

It's Tuesday. Here's what's happening.

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Today is January 29th, the 29th day of 2013. There are 336 days left in the year.

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Canadiens sign P.K. Subban to a two-year contract.

Gretzky happy these days just being an NHL fan.

Visit the official league website, http://www.nhl.com/.

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Today's Birthdays: Tom Selleck (Blue Bloods, Magnum P.I.) is 68; Oprah Winfrey is 59; Nicholas Turturro (Blue Bloods, NYPD Blue) is 51; Heather Graham (Lost in Space, Boogie Nights) is 43; Adam Lambert is 31.

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Tampa, FL. -- The Tampa Bay Lightning held practice on Monday at the Tampa Bay Times Forum following a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday night on home ice.

The win helped improve the Bolts to 4-1-0 on the year, while the club remained unbeaten on home ice.

Read the rest here.

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ON DVD TODAY

Hotel Transylvania
Seven Psychopaths (Colin Farrell, Woody Harrelson, Christopher Walken)
The Cold Light of Day (Bruce Willis, Henry Cavill, Sigourney Weaver)
Paranormal Activity 4
Downton Abbey Season 3
Pan Am - Season 01

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University of Minnesota Comes in at No. 1 in USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey Poll USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine 2012-13 Men's College Hockey Poll - #16(first-place votes in parentheses) Rank School Last Week's Ranking 2012-13 Record Weeks in Top 15 1 University of Minnesota, 497 (23) 1 18-4-4 17 2 Quinnipiac University, 485 (11) 2 18-3-3 8 3 Miami University, 420 6 15-6-5 17 4 University of New Hampshire, 417 4 15-6-2 14 5 Boston College, 369 3 14-7-2 17 6 Western Michigan University, 330 9 16-6-4 17 7 Yale University, 290 7 12-5-3 8 8 University of North Dakota, 239 5 13-8-5 17 9 Boston University, 182 10 13-9-1 17 10 University of Denver, 174 11 13-8-4 17 11 University of Notre Dame, 169 8 16-10-0 17 12 UMass-Lowell, 145 12 14-7-2 9 13 St. Cloud State University, 141 15 15-10-1 5 14 University of Nebraska-Omaha, 77 14 15-9-2 10 15 Minnesota State University, 65 NR 16-9-3 4 Others receiving votes: Dartmouth College, 43; Niagara University, 17; University of Alaska, 10; Union College, 6; University of Wisconsin, 3; Ferris State University, 1. NOTES: Minnesota extends its streak at No. 1 for the fifth straight week ... Minnesota shared the preseason No. 1 with Boston College ... The Western Collegiate Hockey Association leads all conferences with six ranked programs this week. The Hockey East Association has four ranked teams, while the Central Collegiate Hockey Association boasts three ranked programs and ECAC Hockey has two ranked squads ... A total of 21 teams received votes. ABOUT THE POLL: The 18th annual USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men’s College Hockey Poll is conducted each week in conjunction with the American Hockey Coaches Association. The poll includes input from coaches and journalists representing each of the five NCAA Division I ice hockey conferences, as well as composite votes from officers of the AHCA and USA Hockey Magazine, the most widely distributed hockey magazine in the world.

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Hollywood says the recent cold snap kept people from going to the theaters. [Have you ever tried to eat popcorn with mittens?]

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Roughriders Introduce Geroy Simon.

Hunt offers fans glimpse into Ottawa's future.

Visit the league's official website at cfl.ca.

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Is putting your Super Bowl ad on YouTube before the big game a good idea? It is if you want to get more views for your video. According to YouTube's research, ads that ran online before the Super Bowl last year got 9 million views, on average. Those that waited? 1.3 million.

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Tampa, FL. — The team's new long-term partnership with the industry-leading company will deliver a new food, beverage and retail experience for fans at the Buccaneers' home stadium.

Read the rest here.

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Here's something to keep in mind as we approach Valentines Day. A simple hug can save your life. Experts say oxytocin, or what they call the 'love hormone', increases during a hug, causing a calming effect. In fact, the effects from one hug in the morning lasted throughout a tough work day.

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Jimmy eats his cheesy omelette.

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You're reading the Johnny Blog. Almost as much fun as watching your schnauzer snoozing on the arm of the couch, isn't it?

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Today in Elvis History

1966 - Elvis Presley's "Tell Me Why" reached #33 in the U.S.

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A postgraduate psychology student out of New Zealand discovered that we are at our happiest while playing with our own children. Just kidding. That's actually fifth on the list. Sex is our favorite activity. In fact, sex and drinking rank ahead of childcare.

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Today in Beatles History:

1992 - George Harrison's "Dark Horse" was released on compact disc. The album was originally released on December 9, 1974.

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Because the Puppy Bowl is Sunday... It's estimated that the family dog is the cause of at least 150 family arguments a year. Of all the money they spend on their dog, 56% is for food and treats. 2001 was the first year that pet cats out numbered pet dogs in the U.S. Every president since Harry Truman has owned a dog at some point while living in the White House. Police dogs have been used since the early 1800s.

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Today in Sports History:

1936 - The first members of major league baseball's Hall of Fame were named in Cooperstown, NY. They were Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson. 

1963 - The first members to the NFL's Hall of Fame were named in Canton, OH. The list included Sammy Baugh, Johnny Blood, Dutch Clark, Red Grange, Mel Hein, Pete Henry, Cal Hubbard, Don Hutson, Bronko Nagurski, Ernie Nevers, Jim Thorpe, Bert Bell, Joe Carr, George Halas, Curly Lambeau, Tim Mara, and George Preston Marshall.

1985 - Jari Kurri (Edmonton Oilers) set an NHL record when he scored his 100th point in the 39th game of the season.

1989 - Billy Joel sang the U.S. national anthem at Super Bowl XXIII.

1995 - The San Francisco 49ers became the first team in National Football League (NFL) history to win five Super Bowl titles. The 49ers defeated the San Diego Chargers 49-26 in Super Bowl XXIX. San Francisco quarterback Steve Young threw six touchdown passes in the game.

2004 - Major League Baseball owners approved the $430 million sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers from News Corp. to Frank McCourt.    

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A man is recovering from surgery when the surgical nurse appears and asks how he's feeling. "I'm OK," the man tells her. "But I didn't like the four letter word the doctor used in surgery." The nurse asks, "What did he say?" The man replies, "Oops!"

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Coming Up:

Tonight --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Florida Panthers 7:30pm EST

Wednesday --

Nothin' Doin'

Thursday --

Nothin' Doin'

Friday --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Winnipeg Jets 7:30pm EST

Saturday --

Empire South Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors at Florida Eels 3:00pm EST

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Rangers 7:00pm EST

EJHL South Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors at Florida Eels 9:00pm EST

Sunday --

Nothin' Doin'

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