It's Wednesday

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

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Today is September 18th, the 261st day of 2013. There are 104 days left in the year.

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Vigneault gets first win as Rangers coach.

Pulkkinen faces hearing for boarding incident.

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

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Today's Birthdays: James Gandolfini would have been 52. He died June 19; Aisha Tyler (CSI, Talk Soup) is 43; Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong is 42; Jason Sudeikis (SNL, Horrible Bosses, We're the Millers.) is 38.

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University of Minnesota Claims Preseason No. 1 Ranking in USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Women's College Hockey Poll USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine 2013-14 Women's College Hockey Poll - Preseason(First-place votes in parentheses) Rank School 2012-13 Final Ranking 2012-13 Record (W-L-T) Weeks in Top 10 1. University of Minnesota, 179 (18) 1 41-0-0 1 2. Boston College, 160 (1) 3 27-7-3 1 3. Clarkson University, 106 7 28-10-0 1 4. Boston University, 102 2 28-6-3 1 5. University of North Dakota, 100 5 26-12-1 1 6. Cornell University, 96 4 27-6-1 1 7. University of Wisconsin, 94 10 23-10-2 1 8. Mercyhurst University, 70 6 29-7-1 1 9. Harvard University, 41 8 24-7-3 1 10. Northeastern University, 20 9 23-11-2 1 Others receiving votes: University of Minnesota Duluth, 8; Dartmouth College, 4; Ohio State University, 4; St. Lawrence University, 3; Quinnipiac University, 2; Providence College, 1. Notes: The University of Minnesota is the defending NCAA national champion after posting a 41-0-0 record last winter ... The Golden Gophers were the unanimous No. 1 selection each week last season ... ECAC Hockey, Hockey East Association and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association each have three teams in the rankings, while College Hockey America has one ranked program ... A total of 16 teams received votes. About the poll: The 17th annual USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Women'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. Teams Determined for CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game Game Slated for September 26 at Pittsburgh's CONSOL Energy Center COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – While the players for the second annual CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game were previously announced, USA Hockey today revealed the division of players that will comprise Team Johnson and Team Mullen. Former Pittsburgh Penguins Mark Johnson and Joe Mullen will each coach a team in the event, which includes 40 top American-born prospects eligible for the 2014 National Hockey League Entry Draft. The game is slated for Sept. 26 in Pittsburgh, Pa., at the CONSOL Energy Center, home to the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. Twenty-eight players appear on NHL Central Scouting's "Futures List," which highlights players that have potential to be selected in the first three rounds of the draft. The game will feature two players from Pennsylvania, Tony DeAngelo (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Ed Minney (Wind Gap, Pa.). For the complete Team Johnson and Team Mullen rosters, click here. For more information on the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game, or to purchase tickets, visitAllAmericanProspectsGame.com. Notes: Pittsburgh Penguins alumni Mark Johnson and Joe Mullen will be the head coaches for the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game. Danton Cole and John Gruden of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program will serve as assistant coaches ... The CCM-designed jerseys for the event are availablehere ... The officials selected for the event can be found here ... Follow @USAHockey and @USAHockeyScores on Twitter for information regarding the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game and join the conversation by using #AAPG ... Players selected to compete in the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game were chosen by USA Hockey in conjunction with NHL Central Scouting ... Thirteen states are represented on the roster. Minnesota leads the way with nine, while New York is second with five. California, Illinois and Michigan have four apiece. Other states include Colorado, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

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It was reported, by the Boston Gazette on this date in 1763, that the first piano had been built in the United States. The instrument was named the spinet and was made by John Harris.

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Morris: Lions prepping for first encounter with Simon.

Movers and Shakers: Roster moves from a busy Tuesday.

Visit the CFL's official website, cfl.ca.

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U.S. President George Washington laid the actual cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol on this date in 1793.

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Regina, SK. - The Saskatchewan Roughriders will be without arguably their most valuable offensive weapon on Sunday, as tailback Kory Sheets will be out of the lineup with a right knee sprain.

Read the rest here.

Next up for the Riders is a game on Sunday, September 22nd at home against the BC Lions. Kickoff on 620CKRM, 620ckrm.com, the Rider Radio Network, TSN and ESPN3.com is set for 4:30pm EDT.

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Did you see video of them lifting that huge ship off a reef in Italy? [They're now going to see if the same technology can be used to get Mel Gibson's career back on its feet.]

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Tampa, FL. — Controversy continues to swirl around the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during their 0-2 start.

Read the rest here.

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A press release claiming DeQuincy, Louisiana, has made twerking illegal was posted to the Internet Tuesday. It's fake, so if you feel the urge to twerk in DeQuincy, go for it.

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Corvallis, OR. -- Notes from Oregon State's practice session Tuesday at Tommy Prothro Field....

Read the rest here.

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Grumpy Cat has landed an endorsement deal with Friskies. The cat whose real name is Tardar Sauce is famous thanks to endless memes about a grumpy cat who only gives "no" for an answer.

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St. Petersburg, FL. -- It was clear from the first pitch that Tuesday night's game at Tropicana Field between the current owners of American League Wild Card berths belonged to the Texas Rangers.

Read the rest here.

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The "Ed Sullivan Show" began on CBS-TV on this date in 1955. The show had been "The Toast of the Town" since 1948.

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New York, NY. -- Angel Pagan cared little about his personal glory Tuesday night. But he sounded thrilled to perpetuate the legacy of a legend.

Read the rest here.

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"The Patty Duke Show" premiered on ABC-TV on this date in 1963.

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Jimmy helps with treats at Smokey's birthday party.

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You're reading the Johnny Blog. Almost as much fun as listening to rumors about your local football team, isn't it?

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Today in Elvis History

1957 - Hank "Sugarfoot" Garland signed up to be Elvis Presley's guitar player.

2005 - The TV mini-series "Elvis" received nominations in six categories for the 57th Annual Emmy Awards. The categories included Outstanding Casting For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special, Outstanding Lead Actor (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), Outstanding Supporting Actor (Randy Quaid), and Outstanding Supporting Actress (Camryn Manheim). 

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The first episode of "I Dream of Jeannie" was shown on NBC-TV on this date in 1965. The last show was televised on September 1, 1970. 

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Today in Beatles History:

1974 - John Lennon was a guest DJ on WNEW-FM in New York.

1984 - The Beatles shared the Video Vanguard category, with David Bowie, at the inaugural MTV Video Music Awards.

1993 - New Musical Express ranked John Lennon's album "Imagine" #34 on its list of The Greatest Albums of the 70's.

2009 - The George Harrison inspired 2008-built Mini Cooper S Hatchback was sold at auction for £23,000.

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A British wedding ceremony didn't go quite as planned when a trained owl refused to fly down from the rafters of the church and deliver the wedding rings.

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Today in Sports History:

1915 - The first asphalt covered automobile race track was opened in Cranston, RI.

1956 - Mickey Mantle hit his 50th home run.

1962 - Charlie Finley was denied permission to move the Athletics to Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX.

1965 - Mickey Mantle played in his 2,000th game.

1972 - Art Williams became the first black umpire in National League history.

1993 - The Anaheim Mighty Ducks played the Pittsburg Penguins in their first NHL pre-season game.

1997 - Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo were elected to World Golf Hall of Fame.

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TV TONIGHT: SEASON PREMIERE: SURVIVOR BLOOD AND WATER - The twist this season is that the contestants will be competing against their loved ones. (8p ET, CBS)

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Coming Up:

Tonight --

MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs Texas Rangers 7:10pm EDT

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at New York Mets 7:10pm EDT

Thursday --

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at New York Mets 1:10pm EDT

MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs Texas Rangers 7:10pm EDT

Friday --

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at New York Yankees 7:05pm EDT

MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs Baltimore Orioles 7:10pm EDT

USPHL Empire Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors at Palm Beach Hawks 8:45pm EDT

Saturday --

MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs Baltimore Orioles 1:05pm EDT

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at New York Yankees 1:05pm EDT

College Football -- Oregon State Beavers at San Diego State Aztecs 7:30pm EDT

Nascar Nationwide Series -- Kentucky 300 at Kentucky Speedway 7:30pm EDT

USPHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors vs Palm Beach Hawks 8:00pm EDT

Sunday --

USPHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors vs Palm Beach Hawks 12:15pm EDT

NFL Football -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New England Patriots 1:00pm EDT

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at New York Yankees 1:05pm EDT

MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs Baltimore Orioles 1:40pm EDT

Nascar Sprint Cup Series -- Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway 2:00pm EDT

CFL Football -- Saskatchewan Roughriders vs BC Lions 4:30pm EDT

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