Selasa, 30 April 2019
Oprah announces 5-stop Canadian speaking tour in June - CBC.ca
Oprah Winfrey has announced a five-city speaking tour through Canada in June.
The famed media executive and former talk show host will embark on the "Oprah Winfrey Presents: Your Path Made Clear'' tour starting at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena on June 14.
She'll follow with stops in Montreal (June 16), Calgary (June 19), Edmonton (June 20) and Vancouver (June 24).
Winfrey will reflect on life moments that helped "direct her on her path," promoter Live Nation said in the announcement. She'll also be joined by a special guest who influenced her for a one-on-one conversation.
The names of her guests will be announced at a later date.
Winfrey's tour is inspired by her most recent book, The Path Made Clear, which was published in March.
Tickets go on sale Friday 10 a.m. ET through Live Nation, and Evenko for the Montreal show.
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April 30, 2019 at 11:37PM
The Results Are In! These 2019 Tony Snubs Upset Fans the Most - Broadway.com
We've definitely had too much coffee today, and we're definitely still talking about the 2019 Tony Award nominations. (Trust us—we will be until June 9.) We're excited for this year's nominees, but in a season packed with talent, not everyone heard their name on the morning of April 30. Which 2019 Tony snubs have left the fans feeling upset? Check out the top five below, and be sure to vote for your faves in this year's Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards!
5. George Salazar, Be More Chill
4. Reeve Carney, Hadestown
3. Bonnie Milligan, Head Over Heels
2. Be More Chill
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May 01, 2019 at 04:29AM
Rockets' least favorite referee working Game 2 - ESPN
Scott Foster, the referee most reviled by the Houston Rockets, has been assigned to call Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Golden State Warriors Tuesday.
Foster, a 25-year NBA veteran, has not worked a Rockets game since James Harden publicly criticized him after the superstar fouled out of Houston's Feb. 21 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Harden, who was fined $25,000 by the NBA the next day, declared then that Foster should not be assigned any more Rockets games because of his personal issues with them.
"It's lingering, and it's something that has to be looked at for sure," said Harden, who described Foster as "just rude and arrogant" when interacting with players. "For sure, it's personal. For sure. I don't think he should be able to even officiate our games anymore, honestly."
There was already an intense focus on officiating in the Rockets-Warriors series, due primarily to Houston's complaints about missed foul calls on several Harden 3-point attempts during Golden State's 104-100 win in Game 1.
As Harden mentioned in February, Foster officiated two of the Rockets' losses to the Warriors in last season's West finals. That includes a 101-92 loss in Game 7, the subject of a report by the Rockets later sent to the league office and obtained by ESPN that argues that incorrect calls and no-calls cost the Rockets an estimated 18.6 points.
Foster also officiated the Rockets' lone loss to the Utah Jazz in last season's West semifinals.
Harden isn't the only Rockets star who has gone public regarding his problems with Foster. Chris Paul mockingly referred to Foster as "the man" and "who they pay to see" after being called for a technical foul by him in a January 2018 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Paul also complained then about Foster's unwillingness to communicate with players. The league office did not announce a fine for those comments.
Paul, who also fouled out of the Feb. 21 loss to the Lakers and was assessed a technical foul by Foster for arguing a call with 33 seconds remaining in the game, said then that he had met with the league regarding his issues with the referee.
"I don't know what else to do," Paul said.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Foster issued 18 fouls (personal or technical) in the Feb. 21 game -- 12 against the Rockets and six against the Lakers. Seven of the fouls against the Rockets, who blew a 19-point lead in the second half, occurred in the fourth quarter. Houston did not attempt a free throw in the final 20 minutes of the game, compared to 17 free throws for the Lakers during that span.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26639280/rockets-least-favorite-referee-working-game-2
2019-04-30 13:32:52Z
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You Can Count on Playoff Kawhi. But What About the Rest of the Raptors? - The Ringer
Kawhi Leonard’s been the best player in the Eastern Conference playoffs so far. (Especially after what happened to Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee on Sunday.) He annihilated the Orlando Magic in five games, averaging 27.8 points per game on 56/54/89 shooting splits—and that includes the game where he went 5-for-19 while sick with the flu. He opened the second round with a flourish, pouring in a career playoff-high 45 points and making the Philadelphia 76ers look powerless to stop him. And even after the Sixers proved that wasn’t entirely true, switching up their defensive looks to limit Leonard to just three field goal attempts in the first quarter of Game 2, the All-Star forward charged back to produce another monster performance. Nearly two years after the Zaza Pachulia closeout that changed everything, Leonard is back in the opposition-wrecking, MVP-caliber form of his last days in San Antonio, or damn close to it, at least.
But despite Leonard finishing with an efficient 35 points and six assists, his Toronto Raptors lost Game 2 on Monday night, as the Sixers slugged out an it-wasn’t-pretty-but-we’ll-take-it 94-89 win. Against top-flight competition, even the greatest players need help, and with Philly now holding home-court advantage as the scene shifts south for Game 3 on Thursday, a big question looms. You can count on Playoff Kawhi to come through. But can he count on the rest of the Raptors?
Brett Brown did indeed shake up his team’s defensive assignments after Game 1. The Sixers coach slid the 6-foot-10 Ben Simmons off of point guard Kyle Lowry and onto Leonard, in place of the smaller Jimmy Butler. He also moved center Joel Embiid—who needed IV fluids before the game to battle through, um, intestinal issues—off of Marc Gasol and onto his fellow Cameroon native, forward Pascal Siakam, with Tobias Harris picking up the Raptors big man. The switch paid off handsomely in the early going.
Simmons (and his alert help-defending teammates) did an excellent job of fighting through screens and working to deny Leonard easy catches, which disrupted Toronto’s flow and forced the Raptors to look elsewhere for early offense. At the same time, Embiid sagging on defense effectively dared Siakam to either shoot from distance or drive into and finish over a giant roadblock in the paint. The combination led the Siakam bandwagon to hit a speed bump. The Most Improved Player front-runner went from pirouetting to the rim for layups to trying to find the range on some awkward floaters, leading to a 3-for-11 start from the field for a player who went 12-for-15 in Game 1.
With Siakam scuffling, Kawhi quiet, and Lowry trying to find the flow of the game, the Raptors offense stalled out in a hail of forced resets, low-percentage attempts late in the shot clock, and shots taken by secondary and tertiary threats. The result: The Raptors missed two-thirds of their shots through two quarters, staking Philly to a 13-point halftime lead that could’ve been twice as large had the Sixers not coughed the ball up 13 times, leading to 18 Toronto points.
The Raptors later made runs to get back into the game, including a 22-10 third-quarter burst and a 19-7 jolt in the fourth, both of which cut the deficit to one. But on Monday, those ultimately mattered less than how they got behind the eight ball in the first place. With Siakam, who has come so far so fast, stumbling as Leonard’s supporting scoring threat. With Lowry, still Toronto’s highest-priced talent and backcourt bellwether, looking more complementary than commanding. And with Leonard, doing it all in the face of near-constant Philadelphia double- and triple-teams, often left to fend for himself.
These Raptors differ from their predecessors because they have Leonard, exactly the sort of defensive destroyer on the perimeter, high-value shot creator, and source of efficient late-game offense that Toronto lacked during the DeMar DeRozan–Dwane Casey era. And yet, a favored Raptors team still clanged away an opportunity to seize control of a series on Monday, inviting doubt where none needed to exist.
Perhaps that’s not entirely fair. After all, they lost Game 1 to the Magic before blowing Orlando’s doors off for the next four, and we’re just two days removed from the Raptors’ formula clicking to the tune of a decisive victory over these same Sixers. And while Lowry’s checkered postseason past will always be a talking point when the Raptors struggle, he did finish Game 2 with 20 points on 7-for-17 shooting, five rebounds, five assists, a steal, and only two turnovers in 42 minutes of work, and drilled two huge late 3-pointers to keep Toronto within striking distance into the final minute.
But then: the final minute. That’s when Lowry’s second potential nutmegging of Game 2 went awry, sending him to the deck in pursuit of the ball and the Raptors scrambling for a would-be game-tying look rather than generating one with sharp execution:
Either Lowry was trying to dribble the ball through Tobias Harris’s legs with 16 seconds left in a three-point playoff game, or he just egregiously lost his handle on the ball at the most inopportune moment of the contest. Neither option is ideal. Even still, the Raptors had a chance, but Danny Green—a 45.5 percent shooter from long range during the regular season—came up empty. (Due in part, perhaps, to the humongous human hauling his gastroenteritis-afflicted ass in Green’s direction.)
You can make your peace with Green’s errant attempt; it’s a make-or-miss league, and all that. But things are different until they aren’t, and you’d forgive a fan base that has been here before for feeling that familiar brand of anxiety once again while watching that dismal 17-point first quarter and Lowry’s late unforced error—especially considering everything the Raptors have riding on the outcome of this playoff run.
Leonard holds a player option for the 2019-20 season. He’s all but certain to opt out and enter unrestricted free agency, where multiple teams with max-salary cap space—most notably the Los Angeles Clippers—are expected to put on a full-court press for his services. His choice of where to play next stands as one of the league’s most compelling questions in 2019; at this stage, everything the Raptors do or don’t do has to be viewed through the prism of what impact it might have on that choice.
A team that already features Siakam—a hard-charging grinder with an emerging offensive game who can also stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Kawhi against the toughest defensive matchups—plus steady veteran hands and the future financial flexibility to construct a championship-caliber roster around them could present a pretty enticing pitch. A trip to the NBA Finals likely wouldn’t hurt, either … but for a franchise both competing for a title and continuing a season-long audition for Leonard’s favor in free agency, spotty performances and in-game decisions that make advancing harder or less likely just might.
After a pair of Gasol free throws cut the Sixers lead to 61-60 with 2:50 to go in the third, it felt like the Raptors had figured things out—like they’d weathered the storm of Philly’s adjustments, restored order, and put themselves back on the path to a 2-0 lead. They hadn’t, though. You don’t have much margin for error after coughing away a first half. Thanks to some curious rotational calls by coach Nick Nurse late in the third and early in the fourth—Jodie Meeks, seemingly out of nowhere? Sticking with Serge Ibaka against Embiid rather than matching Gasol’s minutes to his, despite Ibaka struggling mightily in that matchup?—and some stellar late-game playmaking by Butler and Embiid, the Sixers were able to keep the Raptors from getting over the hump, and to get even in the series.
That’s how you lose a game in which your best player puts up 35-7-6 on 54 percent shooting while the other team turns it over 20 times. You miss 27 3-pointers. You get nothing from your bench—Philly’s Greg Monroe and James Ennis III badly outperformed the likes of Ibaka, Fred VanVleet, and Norman Powell. And your mad-genius head coach, the one who spent all season praising fluidity and experimenting with lineup combinations, gets flummoxed into mismatch-hunting and letting shaky lineups roll for too long. You lose on the margins. The small things matter. They always do.
Those matchups on the margins might tilt Toronto’s way come Thursday. Nurse could re-evaluate his rotations, consider shifting his substitution patterns, and come up with more creative ways of attacking the Embiid-Siakam matchup or getting Kawhi the ball in advantageous positions earlier and more often. The open 3s might fall, and the battle of the bench could favor the Raptors. (Especially if Monroe’s left ankle sprain lands him in street clothes, and if Mike Scott’s either unable to re-enter the lineup or out of sorts in his return.) Even if they do, though, you wonder whether moments like the ones that decided things on Monday night will stick in Leonard’s mind. You don’t have to wonder about what you’re getting from Kawhi anymore; load management is over, the real hunt is underway, and he’s about as sure as things get in the NBA right now. Past him, though, pretty much everything could be up for grabs—both in this series and beyond.
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/4/30/18523645/kawhi-leonard-toronto-raptors-philadelphia-76ers-game-2
2019-04-30 12:11:09Z
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13 NFL veterans who have been put on notice after NFL draft - USA TODAY
The 2019 NFL draft now complete, the roster-building process for the league's 32 teams is basically complete heading into next season.
Sure, clubs will tinker — prominent free agents like Ndamukong Suh, Eric Berry, Michael Crabtree and Ziggy Ansah remain unsigned. But even with the writing on the wall for veterans like the Giants' Eli Manning, Broncos' Joe Flacco and Bengals' Andy Dalton — each of their teams just selected a quarterback — their starting jobs appear safe for Week 1, at minimum, and probably all year.
However other established players could find themselves on the move. For example, with first-round ILB Devin Bush in the fold, the Steelers cut Jon Bostic, who started 14 games last season, after the draft ended Saturday evening.
Here are a few others whose jobs suddenly look tenuous given the rookies headed in their direction:
Eagles WR Nelson Agholor: For a guy who's never topped 800 receiving yards in a season, the $9.4 million on his fifth-year option might be more cheddar than Philly wants to swallow — especially with second-round WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside entering the mix alongside veterans Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson.
Patriots P Ryan Allen: One of the unsung heroes of Super Bowl LIII, it appears that will be his final game for New England. Bill Belichick didn't spend a fifth-rounder on Stanford's Jacob Bailey with the intent of keeping two punters — especially since only $100,000 of Allen's $1.5 million salary for 2019 is guaranteed.
Dolphins QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: Hope you had plenty of cake during your honeymoon as Miami's starter given the new coaching staff has every incentive to take a long look at newly acquired Josh Rosen in order to determine how he fits into this franchise's future. Fitzpatrick could be an instant trade asset if another team's quarterback goes down in the months ahead.
Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill: There's no performance issue here, Hill garnering Pro Bowl honors in all three of his NFL seasons and named an all-pro receiver for the first time in 2018. But after the Johnson County (Kan.) District Attorney's office reopened an investigation into whether he abused his 3-year-old son — four years after Hill pleaded guilty to domestic assault and battery of his current fiancée — it appears increasingly likely he won't be a member of this team. How else to explain Kansas City's decision to spend its first pick (56th overall) on WR Mecole Hardman, whose game is similar to Hill's even if the talent level isn't the same, despite the club's defensive issues and fact WR Sammy Watkins signed a three-year, $48 million contract just last year?
NFL DRAFT: 32 things we learned in 2019
STEALS: D.K. Metcalf, Greedy Williams among best value picks
2020 NFL DRAFT: Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert headline class
Eagles RB Jordan Howard: Acquired from the Bears in a March trade, he's only under contract for 2019 and may find himself fighting for snaps behind second-rounder Miles Sanders, who might be the most explosive and versatile back on a jumbled depth chart. Howard could be another guy who gets moved if another team's starting back goes down this summer.
Patriots QB Brian Hoyer: Tom Brady's 33-year-old backup is under contract for one more year. And though it might make sense to carry three passers, given Auburn's Jarrett Stidham arrived in the fourth round, New England was comfortable keeping only Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo in 2014, the latter's rookie season.
Giants CB Janoris Jenkins: He hasn't lived up to the five-year, $62.5 million contract he signed in 2016, and his name was floating around at the trade deadline last October. More telling, the Giants just added two corners (Deandre Baker and Julian Love) after taking Sam Beal in the 2018 supplemental draft. Could this be an odd man out situation given Jenkins' money and performance?
Raiders S Karl Joseph: Over the past six weeks, Oakland signed Lamarcus Joyner to a four-year, $42 million deal, then chose hard-hitting Johnathan Abram in the first round. Where does that leave Joseph, whose fifth-year option has not yet been picked up? "I think that's a conversation we'll have with Karl," GM Mike Mayock said when asked about the former first-rounder's future.
Bills RB LeSean McCoy: He did wonders in a limited offense for several years before suffering a sharp decline in production in 2018 (514 rushing yards in 14 games). With fellow vet Frank Gore now aboard, along with third-rounder Devin Singletary and his fresh legs, it's worth wondering if McCoy might wind up as trade bait or a cap casualty.
Cardinals DL Robert Nkemdiche: He's been a massive disappointment since being taken in Round 1 three years ago. Arizona has yet to pick up his fifth-year option and, after securing Boston College's Zach Allen in Round 3, could decide they don't need Nkemdiche much longer.
Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph: He's owed $7.6 million heading into the final year of his contract and didn't play up to that kind of salary last season. Multi-dimensional second-rounder Irv Smith Jr. will take Rudolph's targets (and job) at some point, it's just a matter of when.
Redskins QB Alex Smith: His ongoing recovery from last year's horrible leg injury casts his NFL future in serious doubt. But with Washington taking Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins in the first round — and journeymen Case Keenum and Colt McCoy under contract for 2019 — it's worth wondering if Smith has played his final snap in the nation's capital, or if he and the team are comfortable with the thought of him potentially returning to a backup role in 2020.
49ers DL Solomon Thomas: Even after picking DE Nick Bosa second overall, GM John Lynch said Thursday that Thomas, the heretofore underperforming No. 3 overall pick in 2017, was "absolutely" part of the team's plans going forward despite a glut of high-priced players on San Francisco's D-line. Lynch is a pretty straight shooter, but it wouldn't be shocking if things changed — especially if he gets an offer in, say, training camp and decides the team and Thomas could both benefit from a change of scenery.
***
Follow Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/draft/2019/04/30/nfl-draft-2019-veterans-notice-ryan-fitzpatrick/3615899002/
2019-04-30 10:32:00Z
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Nikola Jokic & Damian Lillard Square Off in Game 1 | April 29, 2019 - NBA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D9q-4SY43Q
2019-04-30 05:50:35Z
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Senin, 29 April 2019
Warriors vs. Rockets: James Harden complains about officiating after Game 1 loss in second round of NBA playoffs - CBS Sports
The Houston Rockets suffered a familiar loss on Sunday afternoon, as they once again came up just a little bit short against the mighty Golden State Warriors, losing 104-100 in Game 1, as the Warriors took a 1-0 series lead.
After the final buzzer sounded, a frustrated James Harden let off some steam in the postgame press conference by complaining about the officiating. Specifically, Harden was upset about the Warriors encroaching on his landing space after he takes jump shots.
"I just want a fair chance," Harden said. "We all know what happened a couple years back with Kawhi. Call the game the way it's supposed to be called and we'll live with the results."
Harden was referencing the infamous moment from the 2017 Western Conference finals, when Zaza Pachulia undercut Kawhi Leonard, leaving him with an ankle injury that kept him out for the rest of the series. That one moment not only swung the series in the Warriors' favor, but opened up a wider discussion about protecting jump shooters.
This season, in particular, the league made an emphasis to call fouls on defenders when they didn't give a shooter any space to land. As we've seen time and again, it can be a dangerous play, and that's why fouls are called even if there's no contact on the shot. In Game 1 of this series, the Rockets felt the refs let a number of those plays go.
In the first half, there were multiple times where Klay Thompson infringed on Harden's landing space but wasn't called for a foul. It was such a theme that the TV broadcast even brought it up.
Towards the end of the third quarter, there was another play where Chris Paul actually made a wild, flailing 3 but didn't get the call, then complained to the ref and was given a technical. A few moments later, head coach Mike D'Antoni got a "T" of his own.
Finally, in the waning seconds, with the Warriors clinging to a three-point lead, Harden believed he was fouled by Draymond Green on a potential game-tying shot.
There has been and will continue to be plenty of debate about the last play, as a foul call would have given Harden a chance to go to the line and tie the game. On that one though, it's pretty clear that Harden jumps forward, which makes it a very difficult call for the referee. How far does the area around a shooter's feet extend? It's not clear, and is often left to the referee's judgment.
But after a number of missed calls on similar plays throughout the game -- D'Antoni told the press that referees admitted missing four such calls in the first half alone -- it's easy to see why Harden and the Rockets were upset.
Draymond Green wasn't having it though. After being informed of Harden's comments, a dismissive Green joked, "I've been fouled by James on a James 3-pointer before."
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/warriors-vs-rockets-james-harden-complains-about-officiating-after-game-1-loss-in-second-round-of-nba-playoffs/
2019-04-29 15:46:00Z
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NBA Playoffs: The Boston Celtics' blueprint is working ... finally - WEEI
As we sit here basking in the glow of the hottest team in basketball -- (a classification I believe is fair considering the Celtics' sweep of Indiana and Sunday's blowout over the top-seeded Bucks on their home court) -- it seems like a productive exercise to learn from the roller coaster that led us to this point.
So many twists and turns. So many definitive statements. So many doom and gloom scenarios. And now, this.
In some ways, it reminds me of Major League Baseball spring training. All you have is reactionary takes. Jackie Bradley Jr.'s swing is fixed! Sam Travis will hit 40 home runs! The Red Sox can win 100 games by rolling out of bed! (That last one I may or may not have said at some point in March.)
Of course with the Celtics the games we were reacting to actually counted ... sort of. If they had fixed what ailed them during those uncomfortable regular season ruts than maybe you would be starting this Eastern Conference playoff series in Boston and not Milwaukee. But besides home-court advantage did it really matter? Because as we're finding out now all of the drama was just that, drama.
Danny Ainge had a plan we bought last October, jumped ship on five times since, and is now truly taking root.
The blueprint was seemingly not flawed.
Brad Stevens can coach. Kyrie Irving can lead. Gordon Hayward can play. Al Horford can be much more than average. And the Celtics can be considered the team to beat in the East. A month ago all of that was coming into serious question at a most uncomfortable time.
So, what happened?
The C's found themselves at the right time. Remember that first game against Indiana was still being viewed as a somewhat uneasy proposition considering there didn't seem many offensive options outside Kyrie Irving. But little by little, by the time Stevens' team left for Indianapolis it had seen the fruits of their labor. The idea that Irving could control the ball while getting others involved was becoming a reality, pushing aside talk that team basketball wasn't an option with Kyrie at the controls.
The Celtics were finally adhering to the way Ainge and Stevens were imploring them to play and they were seeing results while doing so. It was as if the likes of Irving, Hayward, Brown, Jayson Tatum and Terry Rozier were smacked in the face with Albert Einstein's words: "Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value."
No more talk of contracts or minutes. The playoffs are non-negotiable, a reality the Celtics have clearly come to grips with.
Now, the switcheroo is undeniably a product of this different kind of world the postseason presents. Rotations are shortened and playoff alphas -- such as Irving -- are always prioritized. But there have been plenty of examples of really talented teams folding in the postseason because it never did click. Over the past two seasons, the Celtics have taken advantage of such messes. This, however, has become the perfect storm Ainge and Co. were banking on and so many thought would most likely fizzle out.
It took seven months but the plan is working out ... just in time.
Set the tone in Game 1 ☘️ pic.twitter.com/Zh2SjMOg6v
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 29, 2019Related:
https://weei.radio.com/articles/column/nba-playoffs-boston-celtics-blueprint-working-finally
2019-04-29 13:19:23Z
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Biggest Losers From The 2019 NFL Draft - The Big Lead
The 2019 NFL Draft is complete and while everyone is focusing on the winners and losers from the weekend, we’re not going to bore you with all that positive mumbo jumbo. So here’s our look at all the losers from the 2019 draft.
New York Giants
I’m starting to think maybe Dave Gettleman doesn’t have any clue what he’s doing. The Giants believe they got their quarterback of the future in Duke’s Daniel Jones, but selected him at No. 6 overall, when no one was ever going to take him that high. The Giants could have probably waited until their second pick (No. 17) to select him. Meanwhile, they passed on Dwayne Haskins to select the player Scouts Inc. ranked as the sixth-best signal-caller available.
Look, if you’re a huge fan of Jones, fine, I’m not going to argue with you. He could wind up being a nice NFL quarterback, but he doesn’t look like a future star. The Giants could have traded down and stockpiled assets, or filled a more valuable need at No. 6.
As for the rest of their high picks, Dexter Lawrence was a solid pick at No. 17 and Deandre Baker (30th pick) is a perfectly fine cornerback. But when a team has three first-round picks, you expect them to do something monumental or somehow franchise-altering. New York didn’t accomplish that.
Third-round pick Oshane Ximines has upside but needs to bulk up and will face a big jump in competition. Fourth-rounder Julian Love is a versatile corner without a lot of upside. New York swung big in the fifth round by snagging Auburn wideout Darius Slayton. He has elite top-end speed, but he needs to develop a lot as a route runner and he doesn’t have great hands.
Despite a ton of picks, I’m not convinced the Giants really got better in this year’s draft. That’s a massive indictment of the front office.
1 2 3 4 …5https://thebiglead.com/2019/04/29/2019-nfl-draft-losers/
2019-04-29 13:03:07Z
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Avengers: Endgame obliterates records with $1.2-billion opening - The Globe and Mail
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The universe belongs to Marvel. Avengers: Endgame shattered the record for biggest opening weekend with an estimated US$350-million in ticket sales domestically and US$1.2-billion globally, reaching a new pinnacle in the blockbuster era that the comic-book studio has come to dominate.
The Avengers finale far exceeded even its own gargantuan expectations, according to studio estimates Sunday. The movie had been forecast to open between US$260-million and US$300-million in U.S. and Canadian theatres, but moviegoers turned out in such droves that Endgame blew past the previous record of US$257.7-million, set last year by Avengers: Infinity War when it narrowly surpassed Star Wars: The Force Awakens (US$266-million in inflation-adjusted dollars.)
Endgame was just as enormous overseas. Worldwide, it obliterated the previous record of US$640.5-million, also set by Infinity War, which didn’t open in China, the world’s second largest movie market, until two weeks after its debut. Endgame set a new weekend record in China, too, where it made US$330.5-million.
In one fell swoop, Endgame has already made more than movies like Skyfall, Aquaman and The Dark Knight Rises grossed in their entire runs, not accounting for inflation.
Alan Horn, Disney chairman, credited Marvel Studios and its president, Kevin Feige, for challenging “notions of what is possible at the movie theatre.”
“This weekend’s monumental success is a testament to the world they’ve envisioned, the talent involved, and their collective passion, matched by the irrepressible enthusiasm of fans around the world,” Horn said in a statement.
To accommodate demand, the Walt Disney Co. released Endgame in more theatres — 4,662 in the U.S. and Canada — than any opening before. Advance ticketing services set new records. Early ticket buyers crashed AMC’s website. And starting Thursday, some theatres even stayed open 72 hours straight.
“We’ve got some really tired staff,” said John Fithian, president and chief executive of the National Association of Theater Owners. “I talked to an exhibitor in Kansas who said, ‘I’ve never sold out a 7 a.m. show on Saturday morning before,’ and they were doing it all across their circuit.”
Not working in the film’s favour was its lengthy running time: 161 minutes. But theatres kept added thousands of showings for “Endgame” to get it on more screens than any movie before to satiate the frenzy around Endgame. Joe and Anthony Russo’s film ties together the Avengers storyline as well as the previous 21 releases of the Marvel “cinematic universe,” begun with 2008’s Iron Man.
For an industry dogged by uncertainty over the growing role of streaming, the weekend was a mammoth display of the movie theatre’s lucrative potency. Fithian called it possibly “the most significant moment in the modern history of the movie business.”
“We’re looking at more than 30-million American and more than 100-million global guests that experienced Endgame on the big screen in one weekend,” Fithian said. “The numbers are just staggering.”
Further boosting the results for Endgame were good reviews; it currently ranks as 96% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, the best rating for any Marvel movie aside from Black Panther. Audiences gave the film an A-plus CinemaScore.
Single-handedly, Endgame led the overall weekend at the domestic box office to a record $US400-million in ticket sales, according to Comscore. Endgame accounted for a staggering 88% of those tickets. The film’s grosses were aided by 3-D screenings (a record US$540-million in global ticket sales) and IMAX screenings (a company record US$91.5-million).
“Our partners in exhibition have done a great job with us on this film. As they saw the need, they opened up screens,” said Cathleen Taft, distribution chief for Disney. “While there may have been a concern — Is there going to be enough seats available? — I think that exhibition met that demand and rose to the occasion.”
But if there was any shadow to the weekend for the theatrical business, it was in just how reliant theatres have grown on one studio: Disney.
Disney now holds all but one of the top 12 box-office openings of all time. (Universal’s Jurassic World is the lone exception.) The studio is poised for a record-breaking year, with releases including Aladdin, Toy Story 2, The Lion King, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Frozen 2 on the horizon.
Following its acquisition of 20th Century Fox, Disney is expected to account for at least 40% of domestic box-office revenue in 2019, a new record of market share. The company’s Captain Marvel — positioned as a kind of Marvel lead-in to Endgame — also rose to No. 2 on the weekend, eight weeks after it opened.
But theatre owners regularly speak of a “halo effect” around a movie like Endgame. Such sensations draw in new moviegoers and expose millions to a barrage of movie trailers.
“This has got to be the biggest weekend in popcorn history,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. “Think of the gallons of soda and the hot dogs sold. This is going to continue all week and beyond. This is going to have long-term playability for sure.”
An enormous hit was much needed for a box office that, coming into the weekend, was lagging 16% of the pace of last year’s ticket sales, according to Comscore. Endgame moved the needle to negative 13.3% but the boost was less significant since Infinity War opened on the same weekend in 2018.
No other new wide release dared to open against Endgame. Warner Bros.’ The Curse of La Llorona, last week’s top movie, slid to third with US$7.5-million.
The guessing game will now shift to just how much higher Endgame can go. Given its start, it’s likely to rival the top three worldwide grossers: The Force Awakens (US$2.068-billion in 2015), Titanic (US$2.187 billion in 1997) and Avatar (US$2.788-billion in 2009).
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April 29, 2019 at 12:57AM
What passport will Prince Harry and Meghan's royal baby have? - CNN
But what kind of passport? With a British father and an American mother, will the infant royal be a citizen of one of the two countries, or both.
Do British royals even need passports?
At the moment, the citizenship status of Prince Harry and Meghan's child is unclear.
Dual citizenship questions
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expecting their first child this spring.
Former "Suits" actress Meghan is currently in the process of becoming a UK citizen, but this could take several years.
Last year, a spokesperson for the 37-year-old declared that it was "too early to say" if she would retain dual nationality. So what does this mean for her child?
According to legal experts, while the baby will automatically have UK citizenship, he or she will also be eligible for US citizenship, as Meghan is still an American citizen.
"The royal baby is automatically a dual citizen by virtue of his or her birth in the UK to a British and American parent," a spokesperson for leading UK immigration law firm DavidsonMorris told CNN.
"US immigration law doesn't require the child of a US citizen and an alien [or non-citizen] to be born in the US for the child to acquire US citizenship."
The offspring of an American can acquire US citizenship as long as their parent lived in America "for a minimum five-year period prior to the birth of the child overseas," at least two of which were after the age of 14 -- according to the US Department of State.
Meghan, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, easily meets these requirements.
Historic birth
The couple's impending arrival will be the first British-American baby born into the royal family.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
She moved to Toronto in 2011, before relocating to London in 2017 after confirming her engagement to Harry.
The pair married in May 2018 and announced they were expecting their first child just five months later.
"The automatic nature of the royal baby's birth rights mean, he or she doesn't need to register for either nationality," the spokesperson continued.
"Instead, the royal parents can simply apply for British and US passports on his or her behalf."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will have to report their child's birth to an American consulate in order for he or she to obtain US citizenship.
If the couple choose to do so, their child won't be the first royal family member with dual citizenship.
Savannah and Isla, the two daughters of Peter Phillips, the Queen Elizabeth's oldest grandchild, and his wife Autumn, hold dual Canadian citizenship.
Autumn, who was born in Montreal, retained her Canadian citizenship when she married Princess Anne's son in 2008.
However, the child would certainly be the first royal baby with dual US-UK citizenship.
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April 29, 2019 at 07:02PM
The Simpsons taking fire over seal clubbing, 'stupid Newfie' scene - CBC News
It has been five years since The Simpsons co-creator Sam Simon came to Newfoundland and Labrador and offered sealers a collective $1 million to give up their livelihoods and renounce the hunt.
Simon died in 2015, but reaction to the latest episode shows feelings of ill will still linger towards the cartoon in Canada's most easterly province.
On Sunday, The Simpsons aired an episode set in Canada that featured digs at people, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Here's the full context of last night's Simpsons episode making fun of Newfoundlanders, does it change anything that they were pointing out that Canadians don't always treat Newfoundlanders well? (Video from CityTV) <a href="https://t.co/4uljG1rXVl">pic.twitter.com/4uljG1rXVl</a>
—@PeterCBC
But it's a scene about Newfoundland and Labrador that has some people saying the show went offside.
"I'm sure you treat all peoples equally," says Lisa Simpson near a group of Canadians holding curling brooms.
"Except the Québécois," one replied. "And the Newfies. Stupid Newfies."
That led to Ralph Wiggum exclaiming, "I'm a Newfie!" and clubbing the head off a stuffed, baby seal.
Im not upset about the ‘newfie’ joke <a href="https://twitter.com/mrtimlong?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mrtimlong</a> wrote for tonight’s <a href="https://twitter.com/simpson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Simpson</a>’s episode so much as surprised that in all my 45 years, the lamest, least-interesting ‘Newfie’ joke I’ve heard was on <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSimpsons?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thesimpsons</a>
—@markcritch
At least The Simpsons settled once and for all whether "Newfie" is some term of endearment for a pet or a slur.
—@EdwardLRiche
Easy shot, says local newspaper editor
"It's the lowest possible hanging fruit," said Drew Brown, editor of online provincial news outlet The Independent.
"They probably went and Googled, 'Newfoundland joke,' right? Seal hunt is probably — it's probably the only thing people familiar with the island from international media would know."
Did the Simpsons canadian episode offend me? <a href="https://t.co/nq32l5SvAQ">pic.twitter.com/nq32l5SvAQ</a>
—@NewfieScumbag
Brown said he considers the joke fine, though he hasn't watched The Simpsons in about 15 years.
"They had to make a tradeoff probably, between a joke that actually said something intelligent and cutting, and a joke that people would recognize as a joke, so I guess that's probably what they went with," he said.
The episode was written by Tim Long, a staff writer with The Simpsons who grew up in Ontario.
'Newfie' a no-no for many Newfoundlanders
While some people took outright offence to the joke, others, like Brown, passed it off as a trite jab.
"Newfie" is considered by many to be a derogatory label in Newfoundland and Labrador, and the seal hunt has long been staunchly defended in the province against outsiders who oppose the practice.
The protests often take aim at the killing of baby seals, even though it has been illegal in Newfoundland and Labrador for decades.
Simon's visit in 2013 drew ire. He appeared alongside actor Canadian entertainer Pamela Anderson, holding a cheque for $1 million. Anderson was quoted as saying, "A million dollars is a lot of money in Newfoundland."
That led to comedian Mark Critch offering her $1 million to give up acting.
Tips for a good Newfoundland joke?
Sunday evening's episode also made jabs at upstate New York, prompting a spokesperson for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to call it "dumb cheap shots."
Brown says in the fuller context of the joke the show is ribbing on the idea that Canadians are nice to everybody, which isn't necessarily the case.
"If we're trying to be generous, I think it's a pretty good shot across the port for everybody," he said.
Meanwhile, he has advice for anyone wanting to take a dig at the province, or the people living in it.
"If you want a good Newfie joke done properly, you need to hire a Newfoundlander to tell it."
Read more stories from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
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April 29, 2019 at 08:18PM
Biggest Losers From The 2019 NFL Draft - The Big Lead
The 2019 NFL Draft is complete and while everyone is focusing on the winners and losers from the weekend, we’re not going to bore you with all that positive mumbo jumbo. So here’s our look at all the losers from the 2019 draft.
New York Giants
I’m starting to think maybe Dave Gettleman doesn’t have any clue what he’s doing. The Giants believe they got their quarterback of the future in Duke’s Daniel Jones, but selected him at No. 6 overall, when no one was ever going to take him that high. The Giants could have probably waited until their second pick (No. 17) to select him. Meanwhile, they passed on Dwayne Haskins to select the player Scouts Inc. ranked as the sixth-best signal-caller available.
Look, if you’re a huge fan of Jones, fine, I’m not going to argue with you. He could wind up being a nice NFL quarterback, but he doesn’t look like a future star. The Giants could have traded down and stockpiled assets, or filled a more valuable need at No. 6.
As for the rest of their high picks, Dexter Lawrence was a solid pick at No. 17 and Deandre Baker (30th pick) is a perfectly fine cornerback. But when a team has three first-round picks, you expect them to do something monumental or somehow franchise-altering. New York didn’t accomplish that.
Third-round pick Oshane Ximines has upside but needs to bulk up and will face a big jump in competition. Fourth-rounder Julian Love is a versatile corner without a lot of upside. New York swung big in the fifth round by snagging Auburn wideout Darius Slayton. He has elite top-end speed, but he needs to develop a lot as a route runner and he doesn’t have great hands.
Despite a ton of picks, I’m not convinced the Giants really got better in this year’s draft. That’s a massive indictment of the front office.
1 2 3 4 …5https://thebiglead.com/2019/04/29/2019-nfl-draft-losers/
2019-04-29 13:00:23Z
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New England Patriots draft rumors: Team inquired on quarterback Josh Rosen before he was dealt to Miami - WEEI
The Patriots drafted Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham in the fourth round of the NFL draft, but perhaps they had their eyes on another QB beforehand -- Josh Rosen.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Patriots were among the teams who explored a trade for the Arizona quarterback before he was traded to Miami on Friday night. The Dolphins gave up a second-round selection (No. 62 overall) this year and a fifth-rounder in 2020.
It's unclear what the Patriots were willing to give up, but with six selections in the top 101, they certainly could have beat what Miami offered.
Rosen was dealt following Arizona selecting Kyler Murray No. 1 overall.
But, it doesn't matter now as the Patriots took Stidham, and now they will face Rosen twice a year since he's now in the AFC East.
Related: 10 thoughts wrapping up what was solid draft for Patriots
https://weei.radio.com/blogs/ryan-hannable/new-england-patriots-draft-rumors-team-inquired-quarterback-josh-rosen-he-was
2019-04-29 12:26:30Z
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The Five Most Revealing NFL Draft Strategies - The Ringer
Deciding which teams “won” or “lost” the NFL draft in its immediate aftermath can be difficult, but no matter how each individual pick pans out, it’s still possible to glean information about teams’ respective plans based on their selections. With the 2019 draft in the books, we picked five teams whose decisions this weekend reveal some interesting long-term strategies.
Arizona Cardinals
The team that picks no. 1 overall in the draft often becomes a fascinating case study, but the intrigue around the Cardinals this year goes beyond their draft slot. Kyler Murray aside, the logic behind many of Arizona’s picks offers clues into the type of team general manager Steve Keim is trying to build under first-year head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
In 2018, then-Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen was pressured on 40.4 percent of his dropbacks, the fifth highest total among QBs who took at least 20 percent of their teams’ dropbacks last season. Despite those struggles up front, the Cardinals didn’t draft an offensive lineman until the sixth round, which indicates that the staff is willing to lean on offseason acquisitions like guard J.R. Sweezy and right tackle Marcus Gilbert to solve its issues. The plan does have some merit; injuries up front were the Cardinals’ worst problem last season, and if presumptive starting left tackle D.J. Humphries and high-priced free-agent guard addition Justin Pugh can stay healthy, Murray could have adequate protection in his rookie season.
In lieu of adding any potential starters along the OL, the Cardinals decided to stockpile playmakers throughout their roster. Arizona had arguably the least-talented pass-catching group of any team in the NFL last season. (This is where I’d like to mention that blaming Josh Rosen for the team’s 2018 struggles is laughable.) To offset that lack of ability, Arizona drafted UMass speedster Andy Isabella (with the pick they got from Miami in exchange for Rosen), polarizing 6-foot-5 receiver Hakeem Butler in the fourth round, and productive Fresno St. receiver KeeSean Johnson in the sixth round. In the early stages of Kingsbury’s tenure, Arizona is prioritizing the players catching passes over the ones tasked with protecting its new franchise quarterback. That may work out fine, but the direction indicates what sort of approach Kingsbury favors: an offense that leans on quick throws and the talent of its skill players while marginalizing the importance of the offensive line.
It’s also worth mentioning the value Arizona snagged on defense. The Cardinals took cornerback Byron Murphy, long considered a first-round talent, 33rd overall and brought him into a position room that includes Patrick Peterson. Alabama safety Deionte Thompson was a star in college and fell to Arizona in the fifth round. At first glance, both of those selections—and the Cardinals’ draft as a whole—appear to be home runs, though the value of those picks will take years to ascertain. Still, the immediate takeaway from their approach is that Arizona seems ready to lean on Murray, Kingsbury, and some new weapons to revamp its offense.
Baltimore Ravens
During the first year of the Lamar Jackson era in Baltimore, the Ravens tried to build a middle-of-the-field passing attack. Former GM Ozzie Newsome took tight ends Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews in the first few rounds of the 2018 draft as part of the organization’s plan to build an offense around the running game and play-action. And it seemed as though Baltimore’s success with that approach—a 10-6 record, an AFC North title and the team’s first playoff appearance since the 2014 season—might inform its choices in 2019. That didn’t happen.
Instead, the early rounds of the Ravens’ draft focused heavily on adding explosive offensive playmakers at every level of the field. Baltimore spent its first-round pick on dynamic, undersized receiver Hollywood Brown. By the time the fourth round had ended, first-year GM Eric DeCosta had also added athletic marvel Miles Boykin at wide receiver and combine standout Justice Hill at running back.
Baltimore’s skill position additions indicate that the simplistic approach the team took during Jackson’s first season won’t continue this year. Brown is a gifted underneath receiver that should provide Jackson with some quick, easy receptions, and Hill certainly plays into the high-efficiency approach that the Ravens employed through the air in 2018. But the amount of athleticism that DeCosta added to his offense has given Baltimore the ability to attack defenses at every level of the field, in every imaginable way. Now, it’s just a matter of whether Jackson can effectively jumpstart that system.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins were never supposed to steal headlines in this draft. For years, Miami has been one of the most uninteresting teams in the NFL. In an attempt to stay relevant, it regularly handed out terrible contracts that ignored both value and the tenants of smart roster building. But that approach kept the Dolphins mired in mediocrity for years, with no clear path out of their middling fate.
That all changed this offseason, when the Dolphins decided to sit out free agency, sent high-priced defensive end Robert Quinn to Dallas, and shipped Ryan Tannehill—and his $26.6 million cap hit—to Tennessee in exchange for a fourth-round pick. For the first time in years, Miami seemed to have a plan, one that was predicated on patience and a willingness to wait until 2020 to find its quarterback of the future.
Trading the 62nd overall selection to the Cardinals for Josh Rosen may seem to contradict that approach, but in reality, it’s perfectly aligned with the Dolphins’ strategy. The triumvirate of owner Stephen Ross, GM Chris Grier, and head coach Brian Flores are trying to build a roster from scratch by using value-centric practices. The most important aspect of a winning roster is a quality QB, and the Dolphins just traded a low second-round pick for a guy who was drafted 10th overall a year ago and will cost the franchise less over the next three seasons than nearly every backup in the NFL. The Dolphins didn’t need to get a QB of the future at this point in their trajectory, but in trading for Rosen, they’re taking a low-cost shot at getting the most important asset in all of sports—a quality franchise quarterback—for the same price that most teams would spend on a second edge rusher or divisive receiver prospect.
For the second straight season, Rosen will be forced to brave life as an NFL starter for a team that’s not equipped to help him succeed. The difference is that in Miami, he won’t face the same expectations that come with being a top-10, franchise-altering pick. If the Dolphins lose 12 or more games this year—which seems likely, given the time frame of their rebuild—and the decision-makers conclude that Rosen isn’t the person to shepherd the franchise, Grier will have another chance at drafting his franchise QB next spring while employing a talented backup that cost the Dolphins next to nothing. If Rosen proves worthy of the job, Miami will have found a starter that counts for pennies against the cap, and whose contract gives the franchise absurd flexibility over the next two seasons. Either way, the trade is worth making for a team with a blank slate, and the Dolphins deserve credit for realizing that.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams’ collection of picks doesn’t necessarily indicate a new plan, but the team used its draft capital—more than it’s had in recent years, thanks to trades for Jared Goff in 2016, as well as Brandin Cooks, Marcus Peters, Dante Fowler Jr., and Aqib Talib—to shore up a few key spots.
General manager Les Snead traded the no. 31 overall pick to Atlanta for the nos. 45 and 79 overall picks, and then traded down a few more times. Snead eventually made his first pick at spot no. 61, selecting Washington safety Taylor Rapp. Snagging a potential first-round talent in Rapp late in the second round was deemed a steal by many analysts, and Snead followed that up by grabbing Michigan cornerback David Long with the 79th pick, significantly later than most pundits thought he would come off the board.
The Rams addressed two areas of need with players that slipped down the board, but both of those moves were overshadowed by the pick that Snead made at no. 70 overall. The question of Todd Gurley’s long-term health and its impact on his playoff usage last season has been one of the biggest stories in the NFL this spring. In selecting Memphis running back Darrell Henderson, the Rams did nothing to quell those rumblings. Henderson gained 1,909 rushing yards on just 214 carries in 2018, and his rushing style makes him a perfect fit for the Rams’ outside-zone scheme. No matter what the Rams expect from Gurley, Henderson’s draft slot indicates that he’ll have a significant role in Sean McVay’s offense this fall.
Denver Broncos
John Elway’s recent track record of evaluating quarterbacks has been abysmal. After convincing Peyton Manning to sign with the Broncos in 2012, Elway’s QBs of choice have been Brock Osweiler, Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch, Case Keenum, and Joe Flacco. One common trait among that group is that they’re tall (well, except Keenum); the other is that none of them are very good at playing quarterback.
For reasons that are still unclear, Elway traded a fourth-round pick to Baltimore in February for Joe Flacco, who will carry a cap hit of $18.5 million in 2019. Denver is tied to Flacco this season, but entering the draft, there was no future plan at the position. Enter Drew Lock. The former Mizzou quarterback was considered a potential top-10 pick, but a lack of demand caused him to fall to no. 42 overall. Denver already owned the no. 41 pick, which it used to draft bad-ass Kansas State offensive lineman Dalton Risner, who profiles as a guard in the Broncos’ offense. To land Lock at no. 42, Denver traded the no. 52 pick, which it acquired in a trade with the Steelers on Thursday night. In all, the Broncos got a supremely talented yet flawed passer for little more than the pick they acquired to trade down 10 spots in the first round.
If Lock pans out—after Denver inevitably discovers that Flacco wasn’t worth the investment—then Elway’s trades this weekend amounted to a franchise-saving set of moves. If not, then the Broncos used a found asset to take a risk on the most important position in the NFL. Either way, it’s a prudent choice by a franchise that’s struggled to find much draft value in recent years.
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2019/4/29/18522319/nfl-draft-five-most-interesting-long-term-plans-cardinals-broncos-ravens-rams-dolphins
2019-04-29 12:04:50Z
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Giants’ post-draft depth chart: What it looks like after “roster-building season” - Big Blue View
With the 2019 NFL Draft in the rear-view mirror, what do the offensive and defensive depth charts look like for the New York Giants? Here is an unofficial look, with the team’s 10 draft picks added.
A note: I did not try to “place” any of the picks where they may eventually end up — starters, second team, etc. I just added each player to the list at his position so you can see what the roster looks like in each spot.
Giants 2019 Depth Chart (Offense)
| Position | First Team | Second Team | Third Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Position | First Team | Second Team | Third Team |
| LT | Nate Solder | Brian Mihalik | Victor Salako |
| LG | Will Hernandez | Chad Slade | |
| C | Jon Halapio | Spencer Pulley | Evan Brown |
| RG | Kevin Zeitler | Nick Gates | |
| RT | Chad Wheeler | Brian Mihalik | Jylan Ware, George Afaso-Adjei |
| TE | Evan Engram, Rhett Ellison | Scott Simonson | Garrett Dickerson |
| QB | Eli Manning | Alex Tanney | Kyle Lauletta, Daniel Jones |
| WR | Sterling Shepard | Corey Coleman | Jawill Davis, Brittan Golden, Darius Slayton |
| WR | Golden Tate | Cody Latimer | Bennie Fowler, Alonzo Russell |
| RB | Saquon Barkley | Wayne Gallman | Robert Martin, Paul Perkins |
| FB | Elijhaa Penny |
It was apparent over the weekend, and is shown again by the offensive depth chart, that the Giants still need to find a veteran right tackle. An experienced guard for depth probably wouldn’t hurt, either.
Giants 2019 Depth Chart (Defense)
| POS | FIRST | SECOND | THIRD |
|---|---|---|---|
| POS | FIRST | SECOND | THIRD |
| DL | B.J. Hill | Jake Ceresna | Chris Slayton |
| DL | R.J. McIntosh | Myles Humphrey | |
| DL | Dalvin Tomlinson | Olsen Pierre | Dexter Lawrence |
| ILB | B.J. Goodson, Alec Ogletree | Tae Davis, Nate Stupar | Jonathan Anderson, Ukeme Ilegwe, Ryan Connelly |
| OLB/Edge | Lorenzo Carter, Markus Golden | Kareem Martin | Avery Moss, Oshane Ximines |
| LCB | Sam Beal | Antonio Hamilton | Michael Hunter, Deandre Baker |
| RCB | Janoris Jenkins | Tony Lippett | Corey Ballentine |
| SCB | Grant Haley | Ronald Zamort | Julian Love |
| SS | Jabrill Peppers | Michael Thomas | Kenny Ladler |
| FS | Antoine Bethea | Sean Chandler | Kamrin Moore |
Defensively, the draft leaves the Giants with youth and competition at cornerback, on the edge and along the defensive interior. It might have been nice to find a young free safety to learn from Antoine Bethea, but perhaps one or more of the young cornerbacks is a conversion candidate.
Every roster, no matter how good a team was the year before, will appear to have a hole or two somewhere. It just isn’t possible to get every player you want of plug every hole in one offseason.
With the main roster of what GM Dave Gettleman calls the “roster-building season” done, how does this look?
https://www.bigblueview.com/2019/4/29/18522301/giants-post-draft-depth-chart-what-it-looks-like-after-roster-building-season
2019-04-29 11:51:28Z
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Celtics Shut Down Giannis In Game 1 - BBALLBREAKDOWN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-s-x3s47MQ
2019-04-29 11:00:06Z
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Rockets’ James Harden calls for ‘fair chance’ after no foul on slide-under - Fox News
Houston Rockets guard James Harden, right, shoots against Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson during the second half of Game 1 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series in Oakland, Calif. (AP)
The Houston Rockets’ James Harden blamed his team’s Sunday night loss against the Golden State Warriors-- at least in part-- on uncalled fouls, which he cautioned could lead to series-altering injuries.
Harden said he would have scored more but Warriors defenders kept sliding underneath him when he attempted three-pointers.
“I just want a fair chance, man,” Harden told reporters after the game. “We all know what happened a couple years back with Kawhi. Call the game how it’s supposed to be called, and that’s it. I’ll live with the results.”
With 11 seconds left on the fourth quarter, Harden attempted a game-tying three-pointer when the Warriors’ Draymond Green slid under him, but no foul was called. Per NBA rules, fouls can be called on defensive players for not giving enough room to shooters to safely land.
Asked to comment on Harden’s complaints, Green said, “I’ve been fouled by James on a James three-pointer before. I ain’t trying to hear that one. Nah, I ain’t going with that.”
The Warriors went home with a 104-100 victory and 1-0 lead in the series.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/rockets-james-harden-calls-for-fair-chance-after-no-foul-on-slide-under
2019-04-29 07:43:45Z
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Draymond says officiating 'isn't an exact science' as Harden rues calls - Rappler
The Rockets star asks for a 'fair chance' from the referees as the Warriors escape with Game 1 of their West semifinals clash
FIRST BLOOD. Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors escape James Harden and the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference semifinals opener. Photo from NBA's Twitter account (@NBA)
LOS ANGELES, USA – Golden State Wariors forward Draymond Green says referees are human and that James Harden should look in the mirror before the criticizing the playoff officiating.
"I have been fouled by James on a James' three-pointer before," Green said. "I think we can all sit here and complain about calls every game."
Green said when it comes to close contests, both teams can usually make the case that they got a raw deal at some time from the officials.
"It is the nature of the game we play. Refereeing isn't an exact science," Green said.
Harden, who has been a vocal critic of the officiating all season, asked for a "fair chance" from the refs after Houston lost 104-100 in Game 1 of the West semifinals on Sunday, April 28 (Monday, April 29, Philippine time).
Harden and the Rockets were specifically upset about what they believed were several non-calls on his three-point attempts.
"I mean, I just want a fair chance, man," said Harden, who scored 35 points but was 4-of-16 from beyond the arc. "Call the game how it's supposed to be called, and that's it. And I'll live with the results."
Harden figured he got fouled on a pair of three-point attempts in the second half, including by Green on a potential game-tying attempt with 7 seconds left.
Green said the Warriors could make the same case.
"They (Rockets) also could have possibly shot 20 less free throws. But if that is the case then we could have shot 20 more free throws," Green said.
Houston coach Mike D'Antoni backed up Harden's criticism on Sunday, but didn't go into detail because he feared a slap on the wrist.
"I'm going to try to be a nice guy because I really don't want to give the charity to them. I'd rather have my charity have the money," D'Antoni said, referring to a potential fine for criticizing officiating.
Second guessing the referees has been a hot topic among players ever since the NBA introduced the "Last Two Minute Report" where they publicly evaluate their officials' performance in games within 5 points in the final two minutes.
The league initiated the report to try and be more transparent.
Kendrick Perkins, a 14-year NBA veteran, wonders what all the fuss is about.
"Everybody is so busy worried about getting fouls called, forget about trying to win the game," Perkins posted on his Twitter account on Sunday. – Rappler.com
https://www.rappler.com/sports/by-sport/basketball/nba/229250-draymond-says-officiating-is-not-exact-science
2019-04-29 05:45:00Z
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