Last Update - May 4, 2010 at 10:35 PM EDT
This year's fourth month is now gone. Title links along with teaser snippets (reverse chronological order) to items posted around the internet on the last three days of April about Washington Capitals playoff hockey, the current World Rally Championship season and recent Formula One racing news, as well as updates on music and entertainment, are waiting for you below. Check out Junior's 'Reading And Viewing List' for April 28 through April 30, 2010. WARNING: This may be the longest blog entry ever posted anywhere!
April 30, 2010
'Doctor Who' Stars Explain Why Romance Isn't 'Necessary'
In The New Series
By Rick Marshall at MTV's Splash Page
So, in case you aren't aware of it by now, I'm a big (okay, huge) fan of "Doctor Who," the BBC series that's one of the longest-running science-fiction programs in television history. As I've been doing every Friday during the new season, I'm rolling out another segment today from my recent interview with the program's stars, Matt Smith and Karen Gillan.
This time around, the new "Doctor Who" duo discusses the hot-button issue of romance between The Doctor and his companion. As I mention in the interview, "Doctor Who" lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat has indicated that such romance isn't a recent development in the series, but for the series' stars, it's not a "necessary" development, either...
Tom Poti expected to make full recovery
Posted by By Tarik El-Bashir at Capitals Insider
Tom Poti didn't want to do his final interview of the season on camera.
Given the swath of stitches on the right side of his face, his blood-filled eye, and the black-and-blue bruise surrounding it, his request was totally understandable.
Poti, the Caps' best defensive defenseman, suffered the gruesome injury in the second period of Game 6 against the Montreal Canadiens...
Jose Theodore On His Contract & Getting Pulled (Playoffs)
Posted at Comcast SportsNet - Washington, DC
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Nicklas Backstrom On Criticism & What Went Wrong (Playoffs)
Posted at Comcast SportsNet - Washington, DC
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Now What?
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator
That’s going to be the question that haunts Caps Nation until this time next year. When a season of such hope and expectation ends so suddenly and emphatically with a loss in the first round of the playoffs to a team that finished 33 points behind you in the standings, that’s a question that betrays a lack of certainty as to just the “what” is supposed to be.
But out of the wreckage of the bomb that was set off in Verizon Center on Wednesday night, there are still sturdy shoots of hope popping out of the rubble. First, let’s get something out of the way at the start. In our last entry we said...
Latvala: Turkey shunt behind me
Posted at WRC.com
Ford driver Jari-Matti Latvala says the accident he suffered on Rally of Turkey earlier this month has strengthened his approach to the sport.
The Finn feels he has matured considerably since the mistakes he made last season - and he’s been given a vote of confidence from team director Malcolm Wilson ahead of next week’s Rally New Zealand...
‘Bollocks To Blood Sports’ Say Brian May And Friends
By gbarton at Classic Rock
Queen guitarist Brian May and an array of his showbiz pals have filmed a tongue-in-cheek video to highlight the issue of fox-hunting and blood sports in the run-up to next week’s general election. Come inside to watch it – and be sure to check out the star turns from Patrick Moore and Coleen Nolan!
In the video May pokes fun at the three political party leaders’ failure to get to grips with the economy and calls on the public to use their vote to support the fox-hunting ban...
Aborted Sex Pistols Film: Read The Script
By mdome at Classic Rock
The script for the proposed Sex Pistols film Who Killed Bambi has now been put online.
Roger Ebert, now a film critic in America, was commissioned in 1977 by Malcolm McLaren to write the script for the movie, due to be directed by Russ Meyer. However, the project was stopped...
Pirelli to pitch for Formula One tyre supply
Posted at Formula1.com
Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli has announced plans to offer to supply tyres to all Formula One teams next year. Current suppliers Bridgestone are pulling out at the end of this season and a number of alternative makers are under consideration...
Another Final Four Appearance for Hershey
By The OFB Team at On Frozen Blog
Where would we in Hockey D.C. be without the springtime performance of the Hershey Bears as agony-salve? They did it again last night. Mathieu Perreault scored the equalizer with 1:13 to play in game 4 in Albany, then added the series-winner for good measure at the 2:23 mark of OT. Bears 5, River Rats 4, series over in the minimum four games. The Bears move on to the American League Eastern Conference finals — their fourth appearance in the conference finals in the past five seasons...
High Voltage Festival: More Bands Added
By gbarton at Classic Rock
Saxon, Cathedral and Hammerfall have joined the line-up at Classic Rock’s High Voltage festival.
All three bands will appear on Saturday, July 24 on the Metal Hammer stage...
April 29, 2010
Ovechkin, Semin and Varlamov will join team Russia in Germany
Posted by tj at Alex Ovetjkin
The head coach of team Russia Vyacheslav Bykov speaks to Sport-Express after the first game of Swedish games tournament in Helsinki, Finland...
Red Cloud, Silver Lining
By Becca H at Japers' Rink
Alfred Lord Tennyson famously said, "'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."
Well...I’m guessing ol’ Alfie wasn’t a Caps fan. Because when summer starts in April and stretched ahead of you are months of questioning what could have been, when yet another year of high expectations ends with a resounding thud, when heartbreak again comes to call in DC…never loving at all sounds pretty good sometimes...
Brooks Laich changes a tire after Game 7
By Dan Steinberg at D.C. Sports Bog
Mary Ann Wangemann and her 14-year-old daughter Lorraine were already in a fairly poor mood Wednesday night. The Washington Capitals -- the first sports team they had rooted for together, the team that prompted 49-year old Mary Ann to begin painting her face before games and to sign up for a season-ticket waiting list -- had been eliminated in Game 7 of the NHL playoffs. The season was over...
Ovechkin named finalist for Hart
Posted by By Tarik El-Bashir at Capitals Insider
No surprise here, but Alex Ovechkin has been named a finalist for the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player, joining Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Vancouver's Henrik Sedin.
From the Caps' release:...
Trying to Take a Step Forward... Without Taking Two Steps Back
By David M. Getz at Japers' Rink
The Washington Capitals did some amazing things this season. Fifty-four wins. More than 120 points. Seven twenty goal scorers. The top five players in League plus-minus. Far and away the best offense in the league, one of the NHL's better defensive squads, and a scoring differential of more than a goal a game. And yet the season, by the team's own standard, was a failure.
The obvious question is: Where does the team go from here?...
Bollocks to the Economy!
By Brian May - Posted at BrianMayCom on YouTube
*Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes Note: Several popular British celebrities in video.
Hawkwind: New Album Details
By mdome at Classic Rock
Hawkwind are about to release their first new studio album in five years.
Titled Blood Of The Earth, it will be on the Earthworld Recordings label. The full track listing is...
Silverstone Arena layout officially unveiled
Posted at Formula1.com
Silverstone officially opened its new Arena track layout on Thursday. Owners claim the revised circuit, which hosts the British Grand Prix in July, will improve the venue for F1 spectators, as well as maintaining a huge challenge for cars and drivers.
The new infield layout juts right at the reworked Abbey bend before heading into the new Arena complex of turns. This takes drivers on to the main straight of Silverstone’s National circuit, before rejoining the previous Grand Prix layout at Brooklands...
Peter Sauber interview: I'd do the same thing again
Posted at Formula1.com
This time last year the team he founded was under BMW control. Then the German auto giant announced its withdrawal, leaving Peter Sauber with no option but to seize the reins once more and return to the role of team principal. Four races into the 2010 season and he has his work cut out, with no major sponsors and no points on the board. Sauber, however, insists he has no regrets...
Caps Season Over; Habs Move On To Take On Pittsburgh
In Round 2
By Usually Frustrated Caps Fan at Mark's Musings
I'd be lying if I said I too wasn't disappointed in the way the Capitals season ended. I am. I, like most Caps fans had higher expectations this year. However, I am also a "glass is half full" guy by nature and I cannot understand when fans get truly depressed after a loss. After all watching hockey or any sport is entertainment to me. Following a team and being a fan of them is an avocation...
'Spider-Man' Reboot Will Be 'Peter Parker Told Differently',
Says Studio President
By Blair Marnell at MTV's Splash Page
With the run up to the release of "Iron Man 2," news about Sony's planned reboot of the "Spider-Man" franchise has been in short supply.
And while there have been indications that the new film may look to Brian Michael Bendis' "Ultimate Spider-Man" comic series as an inspiration, the new "Spider-Man" film will intentionally depart from the visual template established by director Sam Raimi in the first three films, according to Columbia Pictures president Matt Tolmach...
Personal Items Of Jimi Hendrix To Go On Exhibit
At The Smithsonian
Posted by Nightwatcher at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock
According to UPI, some of late rock icon Jimi Hendrix's personal items have been loaned by his sister to the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian for an exhibit...
EXCLUSIVE: Robert Downey Jr. On Chris Evans Playing
Captain America And Who Will Lead 'The Avengers'
By Blair Marnell at MTV's Splash Page
Last month, Marvel Studios finished an exhaustive casting search when Chris Evans landed the title role in "The First Avenger: Captain America". While the difficulties of casting the part for two franchises — "Captain America" and "The Avengers" — simultaneously has been previously noted, some observers questioned Evans' casting by raising concerns about his age, his body type and even his seeming lack of knowledge regarding the history of "Captain America".
However, Evans has already received the endorsement of Samuel L. Jackson, one of his co-stars in "The Avengers". During a recent press event for "Iron Man 2", Robert Downey Jr. also weighed in on Evans' new role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe...
Morning After: Game 7 Heartache Still Fresh
By Hockey Mom at Musings of A Hockey Mom
As I watched the final seconds of Game 7 tick off the clock last night, my heart along with those of all the others who've so faithfully followed the Capitals for seasons past, fell to my stomach with that all-too-familiar pain. The pain of coming "this close" once again - only this year was supposed to be the year for the team that broke countless franchise records and earned their first President's Trophy. And this morning, well the pain is still just as fresh...
A Plea for Piss-’n-Vinegar Hockey
By pucksandbooks at On Frozen Blog
Turns out, R.J. Umberger was right.
Really right.
This is what Umberger said after his Columbus Bluejackets lost a close game at home to the Caps just a couple of weeks ago, right before the start of the NHL postseason:...
It's Over
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator
It is an old clich̩ in sports Рin life, actually Рthat you never know if the opportunity presented to you now Рtoday Рis the only chance you will get to catch the dream you chase.
Tonight, the Capitals' chance for a Stanley Cup passed them by in the form of the Montreal Canadiens, who brought their lunch pails and their hard hats to Verizon Center, while the Caps seemed content with dressing up like a collection of swells. The result was a 2-1 loss that eliminated the Capitals from this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs and set off what promises to be a summer of serious reflection on the matter of whether this team – as currently configured – has the guts, the grit, and the heart of a champion...
April 28, 2010
Postgame Notebook: Canadiens 2, Capitals 1
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com
Caught Short in the Long Run – The Montreal Canadiens completed an historic comeback with a 2-1 shaving of the Washington Capitals in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Series at Verizon Center on Wednesday night.
In doing so, the Canadiens abruptly put an end to what was the best regular season in Capitals history. The Habs also became the first No. 8 seeded team in NHL history to stage a comeback from 3-1 down in a series against a No. 1 seeded team...
Washington Capitals Stanley Cup Playoff Notebook: An Abrupt End
By Eric McErlain at Off Wing Opinion
What else is there really left to say at this point? Everyone who has been paying attention for the past two weeks knows the score: the Washington Capitals, the best team in hockey over the 2009-10 NHL regular season is going home, vanquished in seven games by the weakest team in the entire draw, the Montreal Canadiens.
At the start of this month, no one would have dared predict that it could happen. At the start of this month, no one would have dared believe it could happen. Hell, most of us sitting here in the press lounge still can't quite believe it happened...
State Of Shock
By Joe Beninati - Washington Capitals Play-by-Play
at Comcast SportsNet - Washington, DC
As I write this I must admit that I am in a state of shock. Even though the Capitals only gave us a glimpse of their powerful selves in this series, I remained convinced that they would break through at the opportune moment and advance in these playoffs by the skin of their teeth. With a great deal of sadness, a record setting season has come to an end far too soon.
There will be much hand wringing and soul searching done in the next few weeks and months until the puck is dropped again in Washington...
Montreal Canadiens at Washington Capitals
EC Quarterfinal Game 7 Highlights
Posted at Comcast SportsNet - Washington, DC
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Coach Bruce Boudreau After EC Quarterfinal Game 7 Loss
At Home Vs Montreal Canadiens
Posted on Caps365 at WashingtonCaps.com
Eric Fehr After EC Quarterfinal Game 7 Loss
At Home Vs Montreal Canadiens
Posted on Caps365 at WashingtonCaps.com
Mike Knuble After EC Quarterfinal Game 7 Loss
At Home Vs Montreal Canadiens
Posted on Caps365 at WashingtonCaps.com
Alex Ovechkin After EC Quarterfinal Game 7 Loss
At Home Vs Montreal Canadiens
Posted on Caps365 at WashingtonCaps.com
Montreal Canadiens at Washington Capitals EC Quarterfinal
Game 7 Analysis - Arena
By Joe Beninati And Craig Laughlin
at Comcast SportsNet - Washington, DC
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Right click on video to choose full screen option.
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EXCLUSIVE: Robert Downey Jr. Explains Where He Stands On 'Avengers', 'Thor' And Joss Whedon
By Rick Marshall at MTV's Splash Page
Sure, we know "Iron Man 2" star Robert Downey Jr. will blast into theaters next week as Tony Stark, but what about "The Avengers"? And what does he think about "Thor"? And while we're at it, is he a fan of rumored "Avengers" director Joss Whedon?
These are the questions on many fans' minds when it comes to the most prominent face in Marvel's movie future, and they were some of the questions we posed to Downey when he caught up with him this weekend at the "Iron Man 2" junket. And while the actor stopped short of revealing any big spoilers, he did offer some great insight regarding his new role as a spokesman for the Marvel movie universe and the rest of the films that might get a cameo from Tony Stark down the road...
Karl and Carly
By Mike Vogel at Dump 'N Chase
Heading into the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs the Washington Capitals featured the third least-experienced defense corps among the 16 playoff entrants. Only the Nashville Predators (1,985 career regular season games) and the Boston Bruins (2,012) had fewer games worth of NHL experience than did Washington (2,277).
With defenseman Tom Poti out of the lineup for tonight’s Game 7 match-up with Montreal, the Caps now become the youngest team on the blueline in the postseason. Poti, who had arguably been Washington’s best blueliner this spring, will be sidelined indefinitely after taking a puck to the eye late in the second period of Monday’s Game 6 loss to the Canadiens in Montreal...
Barry Melrose tells Caps to get to the net
Posted by Dan Steinberg at D.C. Sports Bog
..."You watch Detroit play with Holmstrom, you watch Philly play, you watch Vancouver play, you watch Pittsburgh play, you watch Boston play. Boston, not nearly as talented a team as Washington, but they just put a man in front of the net and they made [Ryan] Miller's life tough every time he sees the puck or wants to see the puck."
"Washington's got to get to that mentality. It's not gonna be pretty goals that beat the Montreal Canadiens. It's gonna be tip-in goals, deflection goals, rebound goals that beat the Montreal Canadiens."...
What A Difference A Week Makes.... Tonight - Caps/Canadiens Game 7 @ Verizon Center
By Usually Frustrated Caps Fan at Mark's Musings
Well last week this time I was getting off a plane in Fort Lauderdale and preparing for a week of sun, fishing and camaraderie with 4 of my college buds in the Bahamas. At that point in time the Caps led the Canadiens 3-1 and the series looked well in hand. Wow what a difference a week makes. I'm now home, at work, tanned, happy with the large amount of fish we've caught, and the Capitals, or should I say - the Cardiac Caps, are warming up for a do or die, winner take all Game 7 with those same Canadiens...
Clark Gregg's 'Iron Man 2' S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent
Will 'Do Some Exciting Things' In 'Thor'
By Blair Marnell at MTV's Splash Page
Back in January, it was confirmed that Clark Gregg will reprise his role as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson in director Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of "Thor" in addition to his return in "Iron Man 2".
And while Gregg's role in the first "Iron Man" film was relatively small, it appears that his character will be playing a much bigger role in "Thor"...
Unseen Beatles Photos Go On Display After Almost Five Decades
Posted by Nightwatcher at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock
A collection of never-before-seen photos of the Beatles just before they made it big is to go on display - after languishing in an attic for almost 50 years.
The 37 shots of the Fab Four on a U.K. tour with Helen Shapiro in 1963 were unearthed by photographer/journalist Paul Berriff at his home in north England...
Iron Man 2: Is The Movie Any Good?
By Xavier Russell at Classic Rock
If you’re an avid AC/DC fan expecting to be blown away by hearing the 15 tracks from AC/DC’s fine new chart-topping Iron Man 2 soundtrack album, as former soaks Robert Downey Jr and Mickey Rourke knock six (hells) bells out of each other, you’ll be sorely disappointed.
Shoot To Thrill opens the film and Highway To Hell comes in almost apologetically just before then end credits. The other 13 songs are sorely missing, and yet there is plenty of scope for their inclusion. Such as during the unimpressive recreation of the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix. Here, Rourke, playing psychotic Russian inventor Ivan Vanko, jumps on to the circuit and literally starts slicing and dicing the cars, with his Whiplash suit consisting of...
AC/DC’s Brian Johnson To Write Songs For Movie
By mdome at Classic Rock
AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson is to write a handful of songs for the movie Doonby.
Starring John Schneider, Robert Davi, Joe Estevez and Jennifer O’Neil, filming is due to start next month in Austin, Texas...
High Voltage Festival: Day Splits Announced
By gbarton at Classic Rock
We are delighted to be able reveal the running order of Classic Rock’s High Voltage Festival on a day-by-day basis.
High Voltage takes place this July in Victoria Park, London.
Day tickets cost £75; a weekend ticket is £135. An extensive range of VIP upgrades is available...
It All Comes Down to This: Game 7
By Hockey Mom at Musings Of A Hockey Mom
All the puckhead pundits are slinging around all kinds of historical stats in anticipation of tonight's do or die Game 7 against the scrappy Montreal Canadiens. None of those statistics means squat at this point. As the legendary Phil Esposito said yesterday, "It all comes down to who shows up."...
“Fate Loves the Fearless”
By pucksandbooks at On Frozen Blog
In the NBA, home teams seem to win game 7s approximately 102 percent of the time, which is partly why life here has seemed so special the past couple of days. We have no idea what will happen in our game 7 tonight. We never do with decisive games in our sport. A good many folks seemed to believe that the Phoenix Coyotes had the upper hand heading into last night’s game 7 in the desert. Final, Wings 6, Desert Dogs 1.
And this is something to cherish and celebrate about our sport. Game 7s in hockey are extraordinary events. We don’t particularly like them when they occur as they have with circumstances such as those in this Caps-Habs series, but once the decisive game arrives, it affords an aura unlike anything else in our sport...
FIA establishes Women & Motor Sport Commission
Posted at Formula1.com
Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, has established a new commission to promote more participation by women in all aspects of motorsport. The Women & Motor Sport Commission (WMC) held its first meeting on Monday under the Presidency of former world rally-winning driver Michele Mouton.
“The FIA’s membership around the world comprises men and women; each has an identical part to play in sport,” said FIA President Jean Todt. “Like many international federations, we will support, promote and help advance the participation of women in motor sport to ensure equal opportunities at all levels.”...
New WRC calendar announced for 2011
Posted at WRC.com
The FIA World Motor Sport Council has announced a 13-round calendar for the 2011 World Rally Championship season, starting in Sweden and ending in Great Britain, following a fax vote of its members.
However, the door is open for a 14th event to join the 2011 series, which would be confirmed by the end of June. “A 14th event could be added to calendar,” stated a press release from the FIA: the governing body of world motor sport. “This would be approved by the WMSC on 23 June at the latest.”...
Best of One
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com
Match-Up
For the fourth time in as many Stanley Cup playoff series, the Washington Capitals will go to a seventh and deciding game to decide the fate of their season. For the fourth time in as many series, the Caps will play that Game 7 on home ice at Verizon Center, this time against the plucky Montreal Canadiens.
The Caps are 1-2 in Game 7s in the previous two springs; they are 2-7 in deciding playoff games during their franchise’s history, a total that includes a Game 5 from back in the day when early playoff series were best-of-five affairs...
The second period started off much like the first, with fourth line center scoring a goal at 4:08. Matt Bradley was in on this one too. He dumped the puck deep into the Flyers end, drawing two defenders along with him as he retrieved the puck. Then, while facing the end wall, Brads sent the puck between his legs and back toward 
During the third period, Washington's defense was doing a much better job of keeping Philadelphia away from the front of the net. The whole team was energized and made more good clean hits. With about 4 1/2 minutes left, Alex Ovechkin got his first playoff goal. Alex poke checked a lazy pass by 
The second period was a little more interesting. Cap's forward 
