It's Friday

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

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Today is August 15th, the 226th day of 2014. There are 139 days left in the year.

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Avalanche view last season's surprise as springboard.

Red Wings GM Holland signs four-year contract.

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

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The dental chair was patented by M. Waldo Hanchett on this date in 1848.

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Tampa, FL. -- ESPN.com has named the Lightning the second best prospect pipeline in the NHL. Last summer, Corey Pronman named the Bolts the No. 1 prospect pipeline and that showed with rookies Ondrej Palat and Tyler Johnson being finalists for the Calder Trophy.

Read the rest here.

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Thomas Edison wrote to the president of the Telegraph Company in Pittsburgh, PA on this date in 1877. The letter stated that the word, "hello" would be a more appropriate greeting than "ahoy" when answering the telephone.

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2014-15 U.S. National Under-18 Team Roster and Schedule Announced Granato to Lead Team USA in Fourth Season as Head Coach ANN ARBOR, Mich. - USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, which enters its 18th season on ice in 2014-15, today announced the roster and schedule for its U.S. National Under-18 Team. The squad, comprised of some of the top American-born players in the 1997 birth year, will compete as a member of the United States Hockey League and also against NCAA Division I and III schools, in addition to participating in three international competitions. The 22-player roster features 18 players who return for their second season with the NTDP. For the complete 2014-15 U.S. National Under-18 Team roster, click here. Don Granato (Downers Grove, Ill.) will guide the U.S. National Under-18 team in 2014-15, after serving behind the bench for the U.S. National Under-17 Team last season. Nick Fohr (Grand Forks, N.D.) will enter his third season as an assistant to Granato. The U.S. National Under-18 Team opens the season on the road at the USHL Atlantic Challenge in East Meadow, New York, with tilts against the Muskegon Lumberjacks (Sept. 5) and Lincoln Stars (Sept. 6). Team USA opens its USHL regular-season schedule Sept. 27 versus Youngstown at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. The team's first collegiate game will come at Miami University Oct. 4. The U.S. National Under-18 Team will compete in the 2014 Four Nations Tournament from Nov. 5-9 in Sweden, and the 2015 Five Nations Tournament from Feb. 4-8 in the Czech Republic. The season culminates with the 2015 International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Men's World Championship April 16-26 in Zug and Lucerne, Switzerland. For the complete schedule, click here. For ticket information, click here. NOTES: The 22 players on the U.S. roster represent 12 different states. New York leads the way with five natives on the roster, while Michigan and Missouri boast four each … A total of 19 members of Team USA have verbally committed to NCAA Division I schools … Of the 18 games against college opponents, 13 are against NCAA Division I schools, including five that finished the 2013-14 season ranked in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey Poll (No. 2 University of Minnesota, No. 4 University of North Dakota, No. 7 University of Wisconsin, No. 10 Providence College, No. 15 Cornell University) … The U.S. National Under-17 and Under-18 Teams utilize The Hockey IntelliGym, a revolutionary software program that trains hockey sense. To learn more, visit USAHockeyIntelliGym.com. ABOUT THE NTDP: In 1996, USA Hockey launched a new initiative called the National Team Development Program, based in Ann Arbor, Mich. Celebrating its 18th season of play in 2014-15, the goal of this full-time development program is to prepare student-athletes under the age of 18 for participation on U.S. National Teams and success in their future hockey careers. Its efforts focus not only on high-caliber participation on the ice, but creating well-rounded individuals off the ice.

************************************************ The product Crisco was introduced by Procter & Gamble Company on this date in 1911. ************************************************

Regina, SK. -- "Bad teams chase problems, good teams chase goals." For an explanation, we are joined by Rod Pedersen. Luc Mullinder also shows what the Riders are doing well in the running game.

Read the rest here.

Next up for the 4-2 Roughriders is a home game versus the 1-5 Montreal Alouettes on Saturday, August 16th. Game time is 7:00pm EDT. Catch all the action with Rod Pedersen and Carm Carteri on 620CKRM, the Rider Radio Network and 620ckrm.com. The game can be seen in Canada on TSN and in the U.S. on ESPN3.com.

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The Panama Canal was officially opened to commercial traffic on this date in 1914 as an American ship sailed from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

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. 2014 CFL.ca Game Notes: A look at Week 8. Stephen: Running back roulette for Stamps. Please visit the league's official website, cfl.ca. ************************************************ On this date in 1935, Will Rogers and Wiley Post were killed in an airplane crash in near Point Barrow, AK. ************************************************ Tampa, FL. -- This week's fan-submitted topics include the high number of rookies in the Bucs' offensive plans, the real meaning of the Bucs' preseason-opening loss and yet another out-of-the-box idea for the O-Line. Read the rest here. ************************************************ "The Wizard of Oz" premiered in Hollywood, CA on this date in 1939. Judy Garland became famous for the movie's song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." ************************************************ Arlington, TX. -- The Rays wrapped up their 10-game road trip on a high note Thursday night with a 6-3 win over the Rangers at Globe Life Park. Read the rest here. ************************************************ Because of his special talent to use food scraps in both unusual and appetizing recipes, the U.S. War Department awarded Sgt. Edward Dzuba the Legion of Merit on this date in 1943. ************************************************ San Francisco, CA. -- If Pablo Sandoval ever is to win a Gold Glove award, now's the time. Read the rest here. ************************************************ On this date in 1947, India became independent from Britain and was divided into the countries of India and Pakistan. India had been under British about 200 years. ************************************************ You did good Jimmy! ************************************************ You're reading the Johnny Blog. Almost as much fun as an early morning thunderstorm, isn't it? ************************************************

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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On this date in 1948, CBS-TV inaugurated the first nightly news broadcast with anchorman Douglas Edwards.

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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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On this date in 1949, in San Francisco, a stunt leap off the Golden Gate Bridge was performed for the first time.

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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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Six-month-old Lisa Harap of Queens Village, NY became the youngest identifiable living person to appear on a cover of "TIME" magazine on this date in 1983.

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Coming Up:

Tonight --

MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees 7:10pm EDT

MLB -- San Francisco Giants vs Philadelphia Phillies 10:15pm EDT

Saturday --

Nascar Nationwide Series -- Nationwide Children's Hospital 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 2:45pm EDT

MLB -- San Francisco Giants vs Philadelphia Phillies 4:05pm EDT

MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees 4:10pm EDT

CFL Football -- Saskatchewan Roughriders vs Montreal Alouettes 7:00pm EDT

NFL Football -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Miami Dolphins 7:30pm EDT

Sunday --

Nascar Sprint Cup Series -- Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway 1:00pm EDT

MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees 1:40pm EDT

Verizon Indy Car Series -- ABC Supply Wisconsin 250 at The Milwakee Mile 3:00pm EDT

MLB -- San Francisco Giants vs Philadelphia Phillies 4:05pm EDT

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