It's Thursday

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

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Today is September 4th, the 246th day of 2014. There are 119 days left in the year.

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Over the Boards: Red Wings add 'coach concierge.'

No. 1 pick Ekblad signs, believes he'll make Panthers.

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

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Romulus Augustulus, the last emperor of the western Roman Empire, was deposed when Odoacer proclaimed himself King of Italy on this date in 0486.

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Tampa, FL. -- The Tampa Bay Lightning have entered into a partnership with Amalie Oil Co., and as part of that agreement have renamed their home Amalie Arena.

Read the rest here.

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On this date in 1609, English navigator Henry Hudson began exploring the island of Manhattan.

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Grier, Olczyk to Serve as Head Coaches at CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game in Buffalo Buffalo's First Niagara Center to Host 42 2015 NHL Draft-Eligible Players COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Mike Grier (Holliston, Mass.), who played 15 years in the National Hockey League, including two stints with the Buffalo Sabres, and Eddie Olczyk(Chicago, Ill.), the current lead analyst for the NHL on NBC/NBC Sports Network who played 16 years in the NHL and is a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, will serve as head coaches for the third annual CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game on Sept. 25 in Buffalo, New York, it was announced today by USA Hockey.  The event, which will feature 42 of the top American-born prospects eligible for the 2015 National Hockey League Entry Draft, will be staged at First Niagara Center, home of the National Hockey League’s Buffalo Sabres. Grier played in the NHL from 1996-2011, suiting up for the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, San Jose Sharks and, on two occasions, the Buffalo Sabres. He posted 162 goals and 383 points over 1,060 career games. Internationally, Grier represented Team USA at the 1995 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship and won a bronze medal with the U.S. at the 2004 IIHF Men’s World Championship. Since retiring, Grier has become a youth hockey coach. This past July he served as an on-ice instructor at USA Hockey’s Boys’ Select 17 Player Development Camp. Olczyk skated for six teams over 16 NHL seasons, including the Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins. He notched 342 goals and 794 points in 1,031 career games. In 1994, he helped the Rangers win the Stanley Cup. Olczyk represented the U.S. at nine international events, including the 1984 Olympic Winter Games. He also helped Team USA to a second-place finish in the 1991 Canada Cup. Olczyk is the current lead game analyst for NHL on NBC and NHL on NBC Sports Network. Additionally, he spent parts of two seasons as head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2003-05. Notes: Tickets for the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game are on sale now atAllAmericanProspectsGame.com … Players selected to compete in the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game were chosen by USA Hockey in conjunction with NHL Central Scouting ... CCM-designed uniforms will be unveiled in mid September … The Buffalo Sabres and First Niagara Center are hosting the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game for the second time. They put on the inaugural event Sept. 29, 2012, when Team McClanahan beat Team Housley, 5-2.

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Watch this space for future developements.

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Regina, SK. -- Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive lineman John Chick and receiver Rob Bagg have each been named a CFL Player of the Month for August. Read the rest here. Next up for the 7-2 Riders is a week 11 away game at the 6-4 Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sunday, September 7th. Kickoff for the Banjo Bowl at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg is set for 4:00pm EDT. Catch all the action with Rod Pedersen and Carm Carteri on 620 CKRM, the Rider Radio Network and 620ckrm.com. The game can be seen in Canada on TSN and in the U.S. on ESPN. ************************************************ New York Governor Clinton ceremoniously emptied a barrel of Lake Erie water in the Atlantic Ocean on this date in 1825 to consummate the "Marriage of the Waters" of the Great Lakes and the Atlantic. ************************************************ . Report: Gaydosh set to return to Hamilton. Staying home: Argos extended Toronto native Gabriel. Please visit the league's official website, cfl.ca. ************************************************ Barney Flaherty answered an ad in "The New York Sun" and became the first newsboy/paperboy at the age of 10 on this date in 1833. ************************************************ Tampa, FL. -- Wednesday notes: Just over a week after becoming a Buccaneer, G Logan Mankins is proving to be a quick study in the team's playbook...Plus, injury notes and some possible kick-return options. Read the rest here. ************************************************ Thomas Edison's Pearl Street electric power station began operations in New York City on this date in 1882. It was the first display of a practical electrical lighting system. ************************************************ St. Petersburg, FL. -- The Rays just didn't have No. 23 in them. They hadn't dropped a series to the Blue Jays at home in 22 straight meetings -- winning 20 of the series and splitting two -- but with their 7-4 loss on Wednesday night, that run came to an abrupt end. Read the rest here. ************************************************ On this date in 1885, the Exchange Buffet opened in New York City. It was the first self-service cafeteria in the U.S. ************************************************ Denver, CO. -- Enduring the type of outing that traditionally has haunted pitchers at Coors Field, Ryan Vogelsong surrendered a career-high four home runs, including back-to-back drives by Nolan Arenado and Corey Dickerson in the fifth inning, as the Giants dropped Wednesday's series finale to the Colorado Rockies, 9-2. Read the rest here. ************************************************ George Eastman registered the name "Kodak" and patented his roll-film camera on this date in 1888. The camera took 100 exposures per roll. ************************************************ Let's go Daddy! ************************************************ You're reading the Johnny Blog. Almost as much fun as all-day quarterback talk on Sportscenter again, isn't it? ************************************************ Today in Elvis History: 1964 - Elvis Presley's single "Such A Night" hit #13 in the U.K.  1982 - The album "Romantic Elvis/Rockin' Elvis" hit #62 in the U.S.  ************************************************ The first police broadcast was made by radio station WIL in St. Louis, MO on this date in 1921. ************************************************ Today in Beatles History: 1962 - The Beatles began recording at EMI's Abbey Road for the first time. They reluctantly record Mitch Murray's "How Do You Do It." "Love Me Do" was also recorded.  1970 - George Harrison released "My Sweet Lord."  ************************************************ The first live, coast-to-coast TV broadcast took place in the U.S. on this date in 1951. The event took place in San Francisco, CA, from the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference. It was seen all the way to New York City, NY. ************************************************ Today in Sports History: 1949 - The longest pro tennis match in history was played when Pancho Gonzales and Ted Schroeder played 67 games in five sets. The record was broken in 2010.  1953 - The New York Yankees became the first baseball team to win five consecutive American League championships.  1972 - Swimmer Mark Spitz captured his seventh Olympic gold medal in the 400-meter medley relay event at Munich, Germany. Spitz was the first Olympian to win seven gold medals. World records were set in his seven events.  1993 - Jim Abbott, pitcher for the New York Yankees, pitched a no-hitter. Abbott had been born without a right hand.  2002 - The Oakland Athletics won their AL-record 20th straight game. The A's gave up an 11-run lead during the game and then won the game on a Scott Hatteberg home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. The game hosted the largest crowd (55,528) ever for a regular season game at the Coliseum.  2002 - St. Louis manager Tony La Russa got his 1,905th major league win. He tied Casey Stengal for eighth place. ************************************************ "Gilligan's Island" aired for the last time on CBS-TV on this date in 1967. It ran for 98 shows. ************************************************ Coming Up: Tonight -- MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs Toronto Blue Jays 7:10pm EDT Friday -- MLB -- San Francisco Giants at Detroit Tigers 7:08pm EDT MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs Baltimore Orioles 7:10pm EDT Nascar Nationwide Series -- Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway 7:30pm EDT Saturday -- MLB -- San Francisco Giants at Detroit Tigers 1:08pm EDT MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs Baltimore Orioles 1:10pm EDT Nascar Sprint Cup Series -- Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway 7:30pm EDT College Football -- Oregon State Beavers at Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors 10:30pm EDT Sunday -- MLB -- Tampa Bay Rays vs Baltimore Orioles 1:40pm EDT CFL Football -- Saskatchewan Roughriders at Winnipeg Blue Bombers 4:00pm EDT NFL Football -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Carolina Panthers 4:25pm EDT MLB -- San Francisco Giants at Detroit Tigers 8:00pm EDT ************************************************ That's all for today. Thanks for stopping by, see you tomorrow.