It's Sunday! Bacon, eggs, coffee, church and the Johnny blog. Here's what's happening....
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Hockey Playoff Roundup ----
NHL:
Stanley Cup Finals
Last night --
No games
Tonight --
Philadelphia at Chicago 8:00pm EDT on NBC (Series tied 2-2)
Next game --
Chicago at Philadelphia Wednesday, June 9th 8:00pm EDT on NBC (Game six)
AHL
Calder Cup Finals
Last night --
Texas 4, Hershey 3 (Texas leads series 2-0)
Tonight --
No games)
Next game --
Hershey at Texas Monday, June 7th 8:30pm EDT(Game Three)
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From http://www.indycar.com
By Dave Lewandowski
Briscoe holds off Patrick for Texas win
FORT WORTH, Texas – Roger Penske, wearing a tan Stetson in Texas Motor Speedway’s Victory Circle, hugged Ryan Briscoe about as long and as close as he did in 2008 when the Aussie driver gave Team Penske its 200th victory at The Milwaukee Mile.
After an Indianapolis 500 that started with promise but ended in the SAFER Barrier, Briscoe appreciated the show of support. He definitely earned it on the fast and furious 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval.
Briscoe, who started from the pole, overtook Danica Patrick on Lap 193 and held off the Andretti Autosport veteran over the remaining 35 laps to win the Firestone 550K on a heated night when sparks and tempers flared.
Marco Andretti finished third for the second consecutive race and Scott Dixon, the 2008 race winner, finished fourth. Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Dario Franchitti was fifth, ending the two-year streak of the Indianapolis 500 winner repeating the feat at Texas the same year.
Franchitti, though, moved to the front of the IZOD IndyCar Series championship standings by three points over Will Power, who finished 14th because of a late splash for fuel. Dixon is 11 points back.
Patrick, running second to Briscoe between Laps 170 and 189, took the point as the top half of the field cycled through the final round of pit stops.
Teammate Tony Kanaan, who charged from 33rd to 11th at Indianapolis, advanced from his 13th starting position to finish sixth in the Team 7-Eleven car. Ryan Hunter-Reay, the fourth Andretti Autosport car, also was a big gainer – 17 positions to seventh in the No. 37 IZOD entry. Alex Lloyd, who surprised quite a few with a fourth place at Indianapolis in the No. 19 Boy Scouts of America car for Dale Coyne Racing, had another strong race in finishing eighth. He started sixth, fell to 21st after a pit stop miscue and then sliced through the field.
Dan Wheldon, the Indy 500 runner-up, was ninth in the No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing car, and Vitor Meira finished 10th after starting 19th in the No. 14 ABC Supply car for A.J. Foyt Racing.
Next up is the Iowa Corn Indy 250 at Newton, Iowa's Speedway, on Sunday, June 20th. Race coverage begins at 1:30pm on Versus and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network.
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From http://www.tampabaystorm.com
TAMPA BAY - The Tampa Bay Storm (5-3) has put together its longest winning streak of the season, earning its third straight victory with a 50-48 win over the visiting Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (3-6) in front of a season-high crowd of 16,200 at the St. Pete Times Forum.
Brandon Hefflin’s game-ending interception following a tremendous stop on a potential-tying two point conversion sealed the win for the Storm, who received large contributions from its defense throughout the entire game.
Storm quarterback Brett Dietz, despite throwing two interceptions and completing only half of his passes, still managed to find the endzone six times, while throwing for 226 yards. Hank Edwards led all Tampa Bay receivers, registering four scores and amassing 102 yards. He was countered by Oklahoma City’s Timon Marshall, who reeled in six catches for 87 yards and two scores. Anthony Hines also gathered a pair of touchdowns for Oklahoma City.
Tampa Bay came out at the start with a relentless offensive effort, complimented by an equally impressive defensive stand. Despite falling to an early 7-0 deficit after signal caller Tommy Grady found Marshall in the endzone. Dietz led Tampa Bay as they stormed back to score two unanswered touchdowns to take a 14-7 lead into the second quarter. Edwards reeled in the first of two touchdown passes, while Rubin doubled the lead to cap a 22-yard, five-play drive that spanned 4:27. On the other side of the ball, the Storm created heavy pressure up the middle, sacking Grady and keeping Oklahoma City out of the endzone. Grady, who completed 18 of 36 passes for 192 yards, finished the night by throwing three additional touchdown passes.
Oklahoma City managed to match its opponent’s touchdown total from the first quarter, as Grady set up two scores. Marshall punched in his second touchdown of the night, but the tying score was quickly countered on the Storm’s ensuing drive as Edwards found the paint for an additional score. Tampa Bay’s defense maintained its pressure that set the tone from the start of the contest. Hefflin, along with Daryon Brutley, registered numerous pass break-ups, while also preventing the Yard Dawgz from gaining momentum by disallowing them to move the ball down the field despite allowing a late touchdown to Oklahoma City’s Al Hunt near the half.
Tampa Bay suffered a minor setback to open the second half as Edwards lost a fumble, which the Yard Dawgz converted into a score as Grady found Hines in the endzone. Edwards recovered as he battled back throughout the quarter to score twice more, while countering a second touchdown by Hines.
Tampa Bay only mustered one more touchdown on the night in the fourth quarter, but its defense compensated for the scarcity of points by coming up big when it counted the most. After the Yard Dawgz’ Kevin McCullough returned an interception for six points, the Storm defensive pressure forced the Yard Dawgz to muff and snap the went out of the endzone to give Tampa Bay an additional two on a safety. Terrence Royal capped the next possession as he rushed in a score that made it 50-42. The Storm stood tall with a huge defensive stop on a two-point conversion following a rushing touchdown by Oklahoma City’s Chad Cook with nine seconds left to seal the victory against the Yard Dawgz.
Tampa Bay travels to Huntsville, Alabama to take on the Alabama Vipers this Friday, June 11th at 8:00 PM EST in front of a national audience on the NFL Network. The game can be heard in the Tampa Bay area on 1250AM WHNZ.
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Line changes could breath new life into Hawks.
Flyers ready to win one on the road.
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Jimmy enjoys playing in the nursery at the Churchie.
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Texas took a surprising 2-0 lead in the Calder Cup Finals with two wins at Hershey, 2-1 on Thursday and 4-3 last night.
The story from the Austin(Texas) Statesman.
And from the Lebanon(Pennsylvania) Daily News.
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Joseph Heard, 19, of Fleming Island, should not have been driving -- he had a revoked license for a prior drunken driving accident with serious injuries, reports the Palm Beach(Florida) Post. But that didn't stop him from speeding away from deputies, reaching speeds up to 124 mph in a 45-mph zone, after going over the Roosevelt Bridge in Martin County.
Heard was apprehended at 2 a.m. Sunday in the Sunset Bay Marina parking lot and charged with felony fleeing and attempting to elude police officers. He was also cited for reckless driving and driving while his license was revoked for a prior drunken driving accident with serious injuries.
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Sloppy Rays, instead of Joes, were on the Saturday menu at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington yesterday, as Tampa Bay committed baserunning blunders to go with shoddy defense, in losing to Texas 6-1, in front of 25,853.
Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria dropped a first-inning line drive smacked at him by Ian Kinsler in the first inning, allowing Elvis Andrus to score the games' first run. It was followed by a Josh Hamilton two-run homer, giving the Rangers a 3-0 lead. Hank Blaock doubled to start the second for the Rays, but was thrown out trying to steal third with Sean Rodriguez at bat. Rodriguiez then homered, cuttinmg the deficit to 3-1.
Trailing 4-1 in the fourth, Longoria tried to score on a passed ball, but was caught in a rundown when the ball rebounded directly to catcher Max Ramirez. Longoria was tagged out and the Rays threat ended. Texas scored two more in the sixth and won the game 6-1.
Tommy Hunter struck out four and scattered five hits in going the distance to pick up the win for the Rangers, he's now 1-0. James Shields pitched well for Tampa Bay, allowing just three earned runs in seven innings while fanning four. He's now 5-4.
The Rays, still with the best record in the majors at 36-20 and 2 games ahead of the Yankees in the A.L. East, look for a split of their six-game road trip, when they play the finale of their three-game set against Texas. First pitch is scheduled for 3:05pm EDT on 620AM WDAE, the Rays Radio Network and Sun Sports. They open up a six-game home stand Tuesday at 7:10pm EDT against Toronto.
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Today in Elvis History:
1960 - The album "Elvis Is Back" earned gold certification from the RIAA.
1970 - Elvis Presley recorded the song "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me."
1973 - The movie "Elvis On Tour" opened in the U.S.
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The Tampa Bay Rays are 36-19 and lead the A.L. East by 2 games over the Yankees, 3 1/2 over Boston and Toronto and 21 over Baltimore(The Orioles have lost 10 straight).
In the A.L. Central, Minnesota leads Detroit by 3 1/2 games, the White Sox by 9 1/2, Kansas City by 10 1/2 and Cleveland by 11.
Out in the (not-so)wild A.L. West, Texas leads the Angels by 1 1/2 games, Oakland is 2 back and Seattle trails by 8.
In the N.L. East, Atlanta leads Philadelphia by 2 games. the Mets are 4 games behind, Florida 5 1/2 and Washington trails by 6 1/2.
In the N.L. Central, St. Louis leads Cincinnati by 1 game, the Cubs trail by 7 1/2, Pittsburgh is 9 1/2 behind, Milwaukee trails by 11 and Houston is 12 behind.
San Diego's lead in the N.L. West has shrunk to 1/2 game over the Dodgers. San Francisco is 2 1/2 games behind, Colorado is 4 back and Arizona brings up the rear, 10 1/2 games out of first.
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An early-morning argument over an ashtray ended with a Golden Gate widow behind bars Thursday, accused of gunning down her roommate, reports the Naples(Florida) Daily News. Margaret Johnson-Burton, 62, told Collier County sheriff’s investigators that she took two muscle relaxers pills, then went to bed. But Ronald A. Carrubba, 62, who had been renting a room in her house, awoke her around 1:00 a.m. -- and argued with her about a misplaced an ashtray, according to the arrest report. So Johnson-Burton grabbed the loaded revolver she keeps under her pillow. She found the ashtray, and went into Carrubba’s room -- with a revolver hidden behind her back, according to the arrest report.
Johnson-Burton showed Carrubba the ashtray; he said it was not the one he was upset about. She told the cops that Carrubba threatened to “kill her” if she didn’t leave his room. Then, when he started to get up, it happened: Johnson-Burton fired two shots, striking Carrubba in the chest and left arm, reports the Naples Daily News.
She called 911 -- at Carrubba’s request.
When deputies arrived, according to an arrest report, they asked if there was anyone else inside the home. "No, just him,” she said.
Johnson-Burton was arrested and charged with attempted murder.
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Coming up:
Tonight --
Nascar Sprint Cup Series: Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 presented by Target at Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania 1:00pm EDT
Baseball: Tampa Bay Rays at Texas Rangers 3:05pm EDT
Stanley Cup Finals Hockey Game Five: Philadelphia at Chicago 8:00pm EDT
Monday --
Calder Cup Finals Hockey Game Three: Hershey Bears at Texas Stars 8:30pm EDT
Tuesday --
Baseball: Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT
Wednesday --
Baseball: Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT
Stanley Cup Finals Hockey Game Six: Chicago at Philadelphia 8:00pm EDT
Calder Cup Finals Hockey Game Four: Hershey Bears at Texas Stars 8:30pm EDT
Thursday --
Baseball: Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT
Friday --
Baseball: Florida Marlins at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT
Stanley Cup Finals Hockey Game Seven(If necessary): Philadelphia at Chicago 8:00pm EDT
Calder Cup Finals Hockey Game Five(If necessary): Hershey Bears at Texas Stars 8:30pm EDT
Saturday --
Baseball: Florida Marlins at Tampa Bay Rays 7:10pm EDT
Nascar Nationwide Series: Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway, Sparta, Kentucky 7:30pm EDT
Sunday --
Nascar Sprint Cup Series: Heluva Good! Sour CCream Dips 400 at Michigan International Raceway, Brooklyn, Michigan 1:00pm EDT
Baseball: Florida Marlins at Tampa Bay Rays 1:40pm EDT
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Today is the birthday of my wife Kim's mother, Mary Barrows. If she were still with us(She went to be with Jesus nearly eight years ago), she would be 87 years old.
Kim send happy birthday prayers to you in Heaven!
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That's it for today. Have fun y'all!
