Showing posts with label Preseason. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Preseason. Show all posts

January 18, 2013

Washington Capitals 2012-2013
NHL Season Preview - Part 2

Happiness returns, when the puck finally drops on Saturday - January 19, 2013.
Photo via a tweet from Capitals' Twitter -> @washcaps .

The hollow existence, the seemingly eternal void of so-called life without NHL hockey, it's finally over. We get just over half a season of our beloved sport, but at least we don't have to wait any longer.

For those team owners and players thinking the negative connotations should go away, now that -2012--2013 is under way, it's not going to happen. If you didn't want any reminders included in conversations about this season, you should have gotten the deal done last summer.

In Part 1 of my season preview, I summarized the challenges of the shortened preseason situation. Links to important and informative blog posts from local independent new media legends and mainstream media outlets were also included.

In Part 2 of my season preview, I'll concentrate on the offerings from the talented media members within the Washington Capitals organization itself.

Caps senior writer and media host Mike Vogel, along with radio voice John Walton, watched camp and conducted lots of interviews. Tons of videos (Thanks to James Heuser and Chris Liotta) have been posted at the Washington Capitals website since training camp started (video) last Sunday morning - January 13, 2013. Those conversations and observations are well documented in video, blog and twitter posts. Here is a small sampling.


01-13-13 Adam Oates: Caps head coach Adam Oates addresses the media after the first day of training camp at Kettler Capitals Iceplex.


01-13-13 George McPhee: Caps vice president and general manager George McPhee addresses the media after the first day of training camp at Kettler Capitals Iceplex.


01-13-13 Rinkside Update: John Walton and Mike Vogel with the Sunday Rinkside Update after the first day of Caps training camp at Kettler Capitals Iceplex.


Of Curves And Lies
By Mike Vogel at Dump 'N Chase

There were many attributes that made Adam Oates an attractive hire as the Capitals’ next head coach last summer. During a 19-year Hall of Fame career as a player, Oates was known as a cerebral player who made his linemates better. He was a top-notch offensive player throughout his career, but he also became a noted defensive specialist, penalty-killer and face-off man during his latter years. Oates’ broad based knowledge of the game and experience in it as well as his thinking man’s approach enabled him to stand out among other candidates...


01-15-13 Rinkside Update: John Walton and Mike Vogel with the Tuesday Rinkside Update after the Caps scrimmaged against the Reading Royals on the third day of training camp at KCI.


01-16-13 Capitals Report: Check out this week's Capitals Report with John Walton and Mike Vogel answering your fan questions.


01-18-13 Rinkside Update: Mike Vogel with the Friday Rinkside Update after the Caps final day of training camp before opening up the 2012-13 season tomorrow in Tampa Bay.


Well, I think that will do it, for now. There is so much more that could be added, but I suggest you go to the Capitals web site and the blogs linked above for more. Otherwise, catch me on Twitter, where I may add a couple more links.

Washington Capitals 2012-2013
NHL Season Preview - Part 1

Alex Ovechkin and other Capitals players at training camp on January 15, 2013.
Photo by Kevin Lamarque / Reuters via The Washington Post.

After enduring months of anxiety, frustration, anger and unfairness, relief is on it's way for hockey fans. The 2012-2013 NHL Season is finally about to start, well after it's originally scheduled premier date of October 11, 2012.

Due to a lengthy CBA negotiation period, which included a lockout that wiped the entire 2012 part, we get just over half a season of our beloved sport. With a new agreement in place, it will be several years before we worry about that situation happening again.

Happiness returns when the puck finally drops on Saturday - January 19, 2013. It's hard to say what a 48 game season will bring. Teams organized incredibly short training camps, for players of widely varied readiness. Some played in other leagues, and some skated in informal practices, while a few others might be far less prepared.

For a large portion of their shortened season, many players will be learning new systems, possibly from new coaches. The Washington Capitals will be one of the teams dealing with these challenges. Former Caps superstar center Adam Oates was hired as the new head coach in the off-season, and he selected new assistant coaches Calle Johansson and Tim Hunter. They got some practice helping to guide the AHL affiliate Hershey Bears for the first several games of their season, but now they have to quickly force-feed new systems and new plays into the minds and bodies of all the Capitals players.

Thankfully, we have some elite writers and media talent covering the Washington, DC based Capitals. These people have stacked up a bunch of detailed previews and overviews to send us into the season well informed.

The Peerless, at The Peerless Prognosticator, broke things down on goalies, defensemen, and a few forwards in this past September. In October, he continued on with the balance of forwards. If you're pressed for time, he has posted updated summaries over the past couple weeks. Check out Just Get In...It's Not Just a Tag Line This Year, Questions, Questions...Then and Now: The Forwards, and Questions, Questions... Then and Now: The Defense and Goaltenders.

The folks at Japers' Rink published their third annual preseason look at individual expectations and job security assesments for players and management, Capitals On the Hot Seat: 2012-13 Edition, in September. More recently, with Caps Questions: Does the Short Season Hurt or Help?, they pondered whether or not the abbreviated season could be beneficial to the Caps.

Locally, online mainstream media coverage has been thorough as well. Katie Carrera has kept on top of things at Capitals Insider, for The Washington Post. Chuck Gormley, of CSN Washington (DC), has been amazingly relentless in his online output.

It's a shame CSN didn't give the team, or even the lockout situation, more than a comparatively (vs football, basketball off-season and stoppages) inadequate few seconds of occasional TV time before this week. After all, they are the game carrier for the Capitals.

In the upcoming Part 2 of my season preview, I'll concentrate on the offerings from the media members within the Washington Capitals organization itself.

March 18, 2012

2012 Formula One Season Preview


This 2012 Formula One Season preview is your primer for the whole season, which officially starts this weekend in Australia. Use it to get ready for another sure to be exciting year of international racing.

With 2012, we see new rules, new cars and technology, drivers switching teams, the departure of Rubens Barrichello to Indy Car, and the return of former champion, Kimi Räikkönen from World Rally Championship driving competition.

Catch up with this list, which includes a list of links to a four part preview series from Formula1.com. Plus, I've also included a few preseason promo videos.



Six appeal - the 2012 Season Preview Part One
Posted at Formula1.com on March 9, 2012

There have never been six world champions on a Formula One grid. That's how special 2012 will be, with 25 per cent of the field having at one time or other held the crown and accounting for 14 titles between them...


Rules and regulations - the 2012 Season Preview Part Two
Posted at Formula1.com on March 9, 2012

In the second installment of our look ahead to the start of the 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship, we discuss this year's rule book changes...


The potential frontrunners - the 2012 Season Preview Part Three
Posted at Formula1.com on March 9, 2012

In the third installment of our look ahead to the start of the 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship, we examine the prospects of the key contenders in the race for the drivers' and constructors' crowns...


The midfield & more - the 2012 Season Preview Part Four
Posted at Formula1.com on March 9, 2012

In the final installment of our look ahead to the 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship, we consider the midfield teams and those at the back of the grid...



March 9, 2012

Preseason Interview With Mark Webber
At Formula1.com

Mark Webber photo by Paul Gilham / Getty Images

Recently, Australian Formula One racing star Mark Webber was interviewed by the folks at Formula1.com. This Q & A session catches you up with one of the sport's top drivers.

Find out what Webber has been up to, how preparations for the 2012 season have been going, and how Mark views his chances (and Red Bull's) for success this year.

Here's your link to Exclusive Mark Webber Q&A: Still hungry for success.

September 26, 2011

Junior's Reading And Viewing List:
September 11 - 20, 2011


Last Update - September 26, 2011 at 12:04 PM EDT

Junior's 'Reading And Viewing List' for September 11 through September 20, 2011 contains title links, along with snippet teasers, from items published in the middle of September 2011.

A whole lot of news on television shows, films, Washington Capitals hockey, music, Formula One racing and WRC rally events can be found here.


September 20, 2011

Predators 2, Capitals 0
By Associated Press - Posted at WashingtonCaps.com

...It was the first hockey game in the city since the Baltimore Bandits of the American Hockey League left town 14 years ago. The Capitals last played in Baltimore in 1992, against their then-AHL affiliate, the Baltimore Skipjacks.

Dubbed the 2011 Baltimore Hockey Classic, the game drew a near-sellout crowd of 11,082 - even though ticket prices ranged from $34 to $147...


Predators - Capitals game highlights and postgame report
from Baltimore - 9/20

Posted at CSN - Washington, DC



Washington Capitals 2011-2012 Previews: Jeff Halpern
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

...Halpern returns as a role player in the latter stages of his career. But not, perhaps, as just a fourth liner filling out a roster. He did record 11 goals last season for the Montreal Canadiens, and he averaged almost 18 minutes of ice time in the post-season in four games after he returned to the ice from a lower-body injury...


Season premiere review: 'Two and a Half Men' - 'Nice to Meet You, Walden Schmidt': And good riddance, Charlie Harper
By Alan Sepinwall at What's Alan Watching? via HitFix.com

...some of those people may have just sworn the show off altogether after Sheen was canned, but I imagine many of them tuned in last night out of curiosity about how the show will be without their man. (Those big overnight numbers weren't made up entirely of new fans.) And to those people - and people somewhere in between, who maybe think Sheen is a jerk but wish he was still on the show - the funeral scene and many of the scenes that followed must have played out as a big eff-you to them as much as to Sheen...


Washington Capitals 2011-2012 Previews: Jason Chimera
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

Jason Chimera has scored three goals in the post season in his career. Each of them was a game-winning goal. If only he could do that more often…score goals, that is. Chimera is gifted as one of the fastest skaters in the league, capable of beating defensemen wide with speed or jumping into a rush to pressure defenses...


September 19, 2011

Videos From Sunday's The Dark Knight Rises Shoot
Posted at Super Hero Hype

Filming for Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises is still going on in Los Angeles and thanks to 'smokeysify', here are some videos of the action that took place on Sunday. They include a truck crashing from a road to a lower level road as well as explosions on Grand Avenue...



Pirates! Gets It's First Screening
Posted by Jack at David Tennant - Fan News Blog

David's new movie, Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists got it's first public screening yesterday and it went very well.

David voices the character of a young Charles Darwin and the creative director of Aardman, Peter Lord, praised his role saying "David Tennant gives an absolutely fabulous comic performance...



Metallica, Lou Reed Post First Track Clip
By mdome at Classic Rock

...The track is The View, which is to be released as a digital single on September 27. You can hear the clip now...


British heroes shine at Rallyday
Posted at WRC.com

Britain's World Rally Championship stars Kris Meeke and Matthew Wilson wowed several thousand fans at the Rallyday event in the United Kingdom last weekend (17 September)...


Washington Capitals 2011-2012 Previews: Troy Brouwer
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

Last year at this time, Troy Brouwer was coming to camp with the Chicago Blackhawks basking in the glow of a defending Stanley Cup champion. This year, he comes to camp for a team wanting to experience that glow. And he is expected to be one of the bricks-and-mortar pieces to see that that happens...


September 18, 2011

Washington Capitals 2011-2012 Previews: Nicklas Backstrom
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

...Backstrom’s 2010-2011 season was by no means a disaster, but it was a step backwards. Backstrom finished the 2010-2011 season 18-47-65, plus-24. And it was something of an across the board drop in numbers. In his career year of 2009-2010 Backstrom was 22-42-64 at even strength, but these numbers dropped to 13-29-42 last season. On special teams he dropped from 11-26-37 in 2009-2010 to 5-18-23 in 2010-2011...


Semin Speaks
By Mike Vogel at Dump 'N Chase

...I conducted a short interview in English with Semin on Saturday, the first he has ever granted in English to my knowledge. While there are those who believe Semin can speak English and chooses not to, I can refute that...


September 17, 2011

2011-2012 Capitals Training Camp -- Day 1
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

Day 1, or as the players might call it, “Are You #@$%ing Kidding Me Day”.

All three groups took the ice today in what is the official opening... or un-official... or quasi-official... whatever... of the 2011-2012 season. History will record (if by “history”, you mean “me”) that Brooks Laich was the first Capital to take to the ice for the season...


Review: 'Doctor Who' - 'The God Complex':
The minotaur's labyrinth

By Alan Sepinwall at What's Alan Watching? via HitFix.com

...last week's "The Girl Who Waited" (by Tom MacRae) was one of my favorite episodes of the modern "Who" era, and the Toby Whithouse-penned "The God Complex" was pretty damn splendid as well, both as a creepy iteration of the show's familiar "Ten Little Indians" riff(*) with a random group of characters(**) being hunted and killed while the Doctor tries to save them, and as a character study for Amy and the Doctor...


Quo Making Documentary
By mdome at Classic Rock

To be called Hello Quo!, it’s being directed by Alan G. Parker, but won’t be released for another year...


September 16, 2011

YES Legends Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman To Undertake
Fall U.S. Tour

Posted by Nightwatcher at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock

Music legends and former YES members Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman will be playing a select number of engagements this coming Fall 2011. The legendary duo performed a series of successful concerts in the UK in 2010 in support of their critically acclaimed CD release 'The Living Tree', and are now bringing their highly anticipated show to America...


Hopes of new Ford deal increase
Posted at WRC.com

Hopes that Ford will continue to fight for World Rally Championship glory in 2012 have improved after Gerard Quinn, the company's European motorsport boss, confirmed talks are ongoing over a new five-year commitment to the series...


September 15, 2011

Caps Fall in Philly
By Mike Vogel at Dump 'N Chase

Washington’s complement of rookie camp freshmen piled onto a bus early Thursday afternoon for a trek up I-95 and a date with Philadelphia’s own bunch of kids. The fifth annual Caps-Flyers rookie game was a late afternoon affair played at Wells Fargo Center in Philly. The Caps kids were seeking to do what neither the 2007 nor the 2009 bunch could do, namely come home with a win gained in enemy territory...


Slash To Release Stoke Live Album
By mdome at Classic Rock

Slash is to release a live album in mid-November. Titled Made In Stoke 24/7/11, it was filmed and recorded with Slash returned to his childhood home of Stoke, to play at Victoria Hall on July 24 this year...


Metallica to headline at F1 Rocks™ in India
Posted at Formula1.com

Rock aficionados are in for a treat at next month's 2011 Formula 1 Airtel Grand Prix of India after organisers announced award-winning USA heavy metal band Metallica are to headline the inaugural F1 Rocks™ in India concert...


France the focus for Oliveira
Posted at WRC.com

Daniel Oliveira has refused to get downhearted following his early exit from Rally Australia last week and is instead looking ahead to the upcoming Tarmac round, Rallye de France Alsace...


September 14, 2011

Bad Wilf Podcast: Episode 44
By Martyn Havell and Imran Charles at Bad Wilf

In Which Martyn returns for one last outing. Vodka is drunk. We talk about Fight For The Remote and Doctor Who:The Girl Who Waited.


FILM REVIEW - Fright Night
By Martyn Havell at Bad Wilf

I approached this remake with a lot of trepidation. But, unlike most remakes, this is entirely enjoyable. It’s faithful enough to the fun, of the original, whilst ramping up the tension and putting a modern spin on it. It’s a good, strong cast. Farrell is really intimidating as Jerry. He owns every scene he is in. The dialogue is sharp and witty and the movie is well paced. Dare I say it, but the acting is so much better in this, than the original. In fact, the only thing letting this movie down is the 3D...


West End Bares Auction Back On!
Posted by Jack at David Tennant - Fan News Blog

We could make a joke about the pants being back up, but we're like well classy so we won't...

The Much Ado About Nothing pants signed by the cast for the Make A Difference Trust are back up for auction on eBay. The pants were removed from the site last week after it was noted that David actually hadn't had the chance to sign them yet..but fear not! David has managed to sign them now and you can bid for them here!


David To Co Host Manchester Rocks For Children In Need
Posted by Jack at David Tennant - Fan News Blog

Children In Need Say:

Gary Barlow is bringing together the biggest and brightest stars of the music industry for BBC Children in Need Rocks Manchester, a one-off concert to help change young lives right here in the UK.

Performing live will be an international stellar line-up including Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, JLS, Elbow, N Dubz, Hugh Laurie, Snow Patrol, Michael Buble and the fabulous Lady Gaga!...

*Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes Note: "...sold out within minutes
of going on sale!"



David Wins Best Actor At TV Choice Awards
Posted by Jack at David Tennant - Fan News Blog

David Tennant picked up the award for Best Actor for his role as Dave in the BBC drama Single at last night's TV Choice Awards!

David beat off stiff competition for the award from Colin Morgan (Merlin), Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) and Matt Smith (Doctor Who)...


CBS developing Sherlock Holmes TV pilot! The lame's afoot?
By Dan Owen at Dan's Media Digest

In possibly the most unnecessary development news of recent times, The Hollywood Reporter have revealed that CBS have ordered a script for a modern-day take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. All this despite the fact there already exists Sherlock; a brilliant contemporary version on the BBC starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman...


Father’s praise for Wilson
Posted at WRC.com

...The young Briton’s capture of fourth spot on the New South Wales event means he has now scored points on eight WRC rallies this season at the wheel of the Ford Fiesta RS WRC he shares with co-driver Scott Martin. Only Mikko Hirvonen, Jari-Matti Latvala, Sebastien Loeb and Petter Solberg possess more consistent finishing records in 2011...


September 13, 2011

'Amazing Spider-Man' Villain Describes Transforming
Into The Lizard

By Josh Wigler at MTV's Splash Page

We've known for a while that Spider-Man is fighting the Lizard in his next big-screen battle, but we still don't know what the reptilian menace will look like. Now, courtesy of Rhys Ifans, we have a clearer picture… and it looks a lot like Ifans!...


DVD REVIEW: X-Men: First Class
By Martyn Havell at Bad Wilf

After the abysmal X-Men 3 and the enjoyable, but forgettable Wolverine. I’ll admit that I was skepticle about another trip to the X-Men well.

I was wrong, X-Men:First Class is brilliant...


Whitesnake To Release Major Box Set And Tour
By mdome at Classic Rock

...Titled Box O’Snakes: The Sunburst Years 1978-1982, the box has every studio and live album from the period, two previously unreleased BBC concerts, a limited edition seven inch, a DVD and a 90-page book with new interview and unseen photos...


September 12, 2011

'Dark Knight Rises' Is 'Massive' And 'Beautiful',
Says Nestor Carbonell

By Kara Warner at MTV's Splash Page

Obviously there are many things to be excited about as we inch closer and closer to the release date of "The Dark Knight Rises", chief among them for me, is seeing a cast of the highest quality assembled in order to bring beloved characters, old and new, to life. And while a lot of attention is paid to the high profile roles that Batman newcomers Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy and Marion Cotillard are playing, I'm always intrigued about what Christopher Nolan's equally impressive returning cast will be up to...



Kerrang Magazine
Posted at Home Of Metal

This week's Kerrang Magazine features a great article about our Home of Metal Exhibition at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, which is now into it's final fortnight...


Judas Priest To Release Compilation Chosen By Other Musicians
By mdome at Classic Rock

Judas Priest are to release a new compilation next month, with tracks chosen by other musicians.

Called The Chosen Few, the full track listing is:...


Nicko McBrain To Hold Drum Clinics
By mdome at Classic Rock

...In association with Premier Drums, he will be showcasing his talents on dates being dubbed An Evening With Nicko – A Night Of Drums, Drumming And Entertainment With Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain...


September 11, 2011

REVIEW – The Girl Who Waited
By Martyn Havell at Bad Wilf

The Girl Who Waited heralds something we haven’t seen in a while: three episodes in a row that are good. Let’s think about that – the past three episodes have all been good...

November 20, 2010

Junior's Reading And Viewing List:
October 1 - 10, 2010


Last Update - November 20, 2010 at 8:37 PM EST

Junior's 'Reading And Viewing List' for October 1 through October 10, 2010 offers title links with article snippets from items that were published via the web during the first ten days of October 2010.

The topics covered below include films, hockey (Washington Capitals), music and racing (Formula One and WRC).

Some 2010 F1 Japanese Grand Prix Preview and 2010 WRC Rally Spain Preview posts made it into this list.


October 10, 2010

Atreyu-ocious
By Jeff Hickmott at The World Of Jeff

As you all know by now, I am the sort of person that likes most types of music. I listen to a lot of music of different styles and genres, and it pains me immensely to complain about music, because the last thing I want to happen is to be labelled an old fart. But now I throw in the towel. Go ahead. Call me a geezer. The Sultan of Geez. The Geezmeister.

Why is this, Jeff? I hear you cry in dismay. Because I am officially confused. I can't deal with all the different subgenres and subgenres of subgenres of metal. Can't deal with it...


October 9, 2010

Postgame Notebook: Capitals 7, Devils 2
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Where The Devil Don't Stay – After admitting they had been outworked by an upstart Thrashers team in a 4-2 loss in Atlanta on Friday, the Capitals found themselves on the short end of a 2-1 count after the first 20 minutes of play in Saturday’s home opener against the Devils. As was often the case with the four goals against in Friday’s game, defensive-zone sloppiness was responsible for the first two New Jersey tallies on Saturday...

NYCC: Anthony Bourdain Graphic Novel Confirmed By Vertigo
By Brian Warmoth at MTV's Splash Page

Star of the Travel Channel show "No Reservations," Anthony Bourdain broke out some hard-hitting writing when he released his memoir "Kitchen Confidential" — but he's decided to try his hand at creating a graphic novel as well...


Caps Dance With Devils in Home Opener
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Washington opens its 2010-11 home slate with a Saturday date with the New Jersey Devils. Both teams fell in their season openers on Friday night. The Capitals dropped a 4-2 decision to the Thrashers in Atlanta while New Jersey lost a 4-3 overtime contest to the Dallas Stars on home ice...


October 8, 2010

Postgame Notebook: Thrashers 4, Capitals 2
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Déjà Vu All Over Again – Two years ago, a strong Washington team rolled into Atlanta for its season opener and was humbled in a decisive 7-4 loss to the Thrashers, playing in their first game under a new coach. Tonight, the Caps got their 2010-11 season off to an inauspicious start with a 4-2 setback at the hands of the Thrashers in Atlanta. It was the first game for Craig Ramsay as Atlanta’s bench boss...

Friday analysis - the calm before the storm?
Posted at Formula1.com

A track that was still relatively green, and a drop in its temperature in the second session, gave teams plenty to think about on the first day of practice for the Japanese Grand Prix. Red Bull team mates Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber came out on top, but Renault's Robert Kubica displayed some impressive speed behind the RB6s. However, with the weather forecast suggesting that heavy rain might enliven proceedings on Saturday, there's still everything to play for. We take a team-by-team look at the early progress at Suzuka...

Pre-Japan analysis - Don't rule out McLaren say rivals
Posted at Formula1.com

Everybody expects that Ferrari and Red Bull will be massively strong this weekend at Suzuka, the wonderful figure-of-eight track that places such a premium on aerodynamic efficiency and the ability for a car to change direction faithfully and cleanly...


October 7, 2010

Caps Open Up in Atlanta
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

The Washington Capitals break the seal on the 2010-11 season – the 36th in the franchise’s history – when they visit Atlanta to take on the Thrashers on Friday night at Philips Arena. This year’s season opener marks the fifth straight season in which Washington has opened up on the road and the third time in the last four seasons that it has done so in Atlanta...

Mark Webber Q&A: I am the title leader, but I'm not the favourite
Posted at Formula1.com

In comparison to his title rivals, at 34 years-old Red Bull's Mark Webber is the 'old man' of this year's championship fight. But with age comes experience, and the relaxed way in which Webber is wandering around the Suzuka paddock ahead of Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix suggests his maturity could make the difference...

FIA Thursday press conference - Japan
Posted at Formula1.com

Drivers: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber), Michael Schumacher (Mercedes), Adrian Sutil (Force India), Sakon Yamamoto (HRT)

Q: Kamui, your home race but I don't think you have raced here for a long, long time. Since you were 17, I think?Kamui Kobayashi: Yes, I think the last race at Suzuka was seven years ago. Quite a long time. I am very excited to drive at Suzuka again...

Japan Preview - Vettel and Alonso the favoured two?
Posted at Formula1.com

Last year Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel walked the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. And the time before that, Fernando Alonso won the last race here, to clinch his second world championship. Both plan to repeat those feats...


October 6, 2010

Slash Starts Horror Film Company
By mdome at Classic Rock

Slash has started his own film production company, and is getting involved with horror movies. The company’s called, appropriately enough, Slasher Films, and the first project is titled Nothing To Fear...


2010-2011 Previews: Your Washington Capitals
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

It was quite a season for the Washington Capitals last season. Wherever you turned, at just about any point on the calendar, you saw achievement after achievement:...

Sordo confident of finding a 2011 seat
Posted at WRC.com

Spaniard will sort his future after his home round of the series in October...

Dio Photo Book To Be Published
By mdome at Classic Rock

...Titled Ronnie James Dio – A photographic Memoir, it features photos from P.G. Brunelli, who worked closely with the great singer for over 20 years. Apart form his photos, there are also contributions from Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, Doug Aldrich among others...


October 5, 2010

Money money money...
By Kameron at I May Have Been Born Yesterday
But I Stayed Up All Night


...A bumper sticker recently caught my eye:

"Driver carries no cash – HE'S MARRIED."...

2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- Alex Ovechkin
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

Last year was a “might have been” season for Alex Ovechkin. The two-time reigning Hart Trophy winner had the stars in his sky aligned for what might have been a season for the ages. The most compelling force in the NHL and perhaps its most market-friendly would see his Washington Capitals mentioned often as contenders for the Stanley Cup. He would be named the 14th captain in Capitals history...

The Who Release Deluxe Live At Leeds
By mdome at Classic Rock

The Who are to release a deluxe 40th anniversary edition of the classic Live At Leeds album on November 15.

Not only does this now feature the whole of the legendary Leeds performance, but also the complete show from Hull the following night...

The Secret Life of Kamui Kobayashi
Posted at Formula1.com

BMW Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi will be the subject of intense media scrutiny at his home Grand Prix this weekend. But before he gets hit with a barrage of predictable pre-race questions, we thought we'd get in there with a few less predictable ones. Want an F1 driver who can cook anything, except maybe carrots? Or one who fears the world might end in two years' time? Then Kobayashi is your man...

2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- Nicklas Backstrom
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

Since the NHL returned from its lockout for the 2005-2006 season, 14 different players have reached the 100-point mark. Of that group, only four reached it at a younger age than Nicklas Backstrom – Eric Staal, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Alex Ovechkin. Not bad company. Getting there for Backstrom has been an example of steady progress...

Jethro Tull To Reissue Deluxe Three Disc Edition
Of 1969 Classic 'Stand Up' October 25

Posted by Nightwatcher at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock

...The brand new deluxe reissue is a 2CD/DVD collection that contains both a remastered edition of the original album replete with a handful of bonus tracks along with a live recording from Carnegie Hall and a live film from that same concert.

The reissue is scheduled for release on October 25th...


Lotus to use Red Bull gearboxes next season
Posted at Formula1.com

Lotus have confirmed on Tuesday that Red Bull Technology will supply the team with gearboxes and hydraulic systems from 2011. “The announcement is obviously a massive step forward for us, both in engineering terms, and as an expression of our ambitions for next year and for future championships,” said Mike Gascoyne, Lotus's chief technical officer. “The gearbox / hydraulics package obviously plays a critical role in the performance of the car, not just on track but in design and packaging terms, and this deal gives our design and aero teams a very exciting platform to work with...


October 4, 2010

Here's Some Books For Ya! : Limited Edition Ronnie James Dio, Whitesnake Books Forthcoming
Posted by Nightwatcher at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock

Rufus Stone Limited Editions, who specialize in expensive, limited edition rock books have announced the forthcoming release of two "coffee table" sized books tracing the history of Whitesnake and also the late Ronnie James Dio...

Renault wow Korean crowds on streets of Seoul
Posted at Formula1.com

The residents of Seoul enjoyed a taste of Formula One action on Sunday as the Renault team took to the streets of the South Korean capital to stage a spectacular series of demonstrations. Test driver Jerome D'Ambrosio drove last year's Renault, the R29, on a specially constructed 0.5km circuit along Se Jong Road in central Seoul. A huge crowd lined the streets to watch the show and witness the unique sight and sound of a Formula One car up close...


October 3, 2010

Postgame Notebook: Predators 3, Capitals 0
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Nobody’s Perfect – Washington put its perfect 5-0 pre-season mark on the line against Nashville on Sunday at Verizon Center, bidding for the first perfect exhibition slate in franchise history. The Capitals closed out the pre-season on the short end of a 3-0 whitewashing at the hands of the Predators...

Convention Sights
By The OFB Team at On Frozen Blog

Here are a few sights from yesterday’s Capitals Convention...

'Wonder Woman' Television Series In Development With
'Ally McBeal' Creator Attached

By Josh Wigler at MTV's Splash Page

...Deadline reports that DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television are collaborating on an all new "Wonder Woman" television series...

Raikkonen explains retirement decision
Posted at WRC.com

Kimi Raikkonen has elected not to re-start the final day of the Rallye de France-Alsace in order to save his car for the Catalunya Rally in three weeks' time.

The former Grand Prix Champion had a torrid time yesterday, sliding off the road on two occasions and dropping just out of the top 50 overall...


October 2, 2010

2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- Alexander Semin
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

...Alexander Semin took something of a beating in the press after last spring’s seven-game loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs. After finishing the regular season with career highs in total goals (40), even strength goals (30), shorthanded goals (two), road goals (17), and home goals...

2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- Mike Knuble
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

Mike Knuble works in a violent world. That semi-circle with a radius of a dozen feet from the center of the goal line are the equivalent of a Class IV or V rapids on a river – difficult to negotiate, heavily obstructed, dangerous, requiring the best effort and greatest knowledge. Working in that world over the past 13 seasons has imparted upon Knuble a certain wisdom on how to survive (he has played in fewer than 64 games in a season only once in the last 11 seasons) and how to flourish...

2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- Tomas Fleischmann
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

...Tomas Fleischmann has been quietly working toward this season, making steady progress while enduring the slings and arrows cast his way for not fitting a certain mold of player that fans seem to expect. Step back for a moment and try not to associate the player with the name...

2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- David Steckel
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

On a team that has offense in spades, the Caps are a club that is perceived as being somewhat lacking in the defensive arts. That notion seems to apply to forwards as well as defensemen. A team that finished 16th in goals allowed per game – sixth among the eight teams in the Eastern Conference that made the playoffs last spring – has not really done much to alter that perception. And that brings us to David Steckel...


October 1, 2010

Postgame Notebook: Capitals 5, Blue Jackets 3
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Five For Five – Washington ran its exhibition record to a perfect 5-0 with a 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Verizon Center on Friday night. Eric Fehr had two goals – including the game-winner – and an assist to pace the attack...

Japan preview quotes - Virgin, HRT, Bridgestone, Williams & more
Posted at Formula1.com

With just four rounds remaining and both titles far from decided, the championship heads to the legendary Suzuka circuit for next weekend's Japanese Grand Prix. The fans are fanatical, in the truest sense of the word; the track is widely considered one of the best on the calendar; and it even has its own theme park. No wonder everyone in the paddock is itching to get there. The drivers and senior team members look ahead to the race and discuss their prospects...

October 30, 2010

Junior's Reading And Viewing List:
September 21 - 25, 2010


Last Update - October 30, 2010 at 8:40 PM EDT

Junior's 'Reading And Viewing List' for September 21 through September 25, 2010 contains title links with article snippets from items posted to the web during that period of time. I think there are plenty of things here that are worth checking out, as we get into the Fall of 2010.

The topics covered below include films, music, hockey (Washington Capitals) and racing (Formula One and WRC).

Some 2010 F1 Singapore Grand Prix Preview and 2010 WRC Rally France Preview posts made it into this list.


September 25, 2010

Postgame Notebook: Capitals 2, Predators 1
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Two For The Road – Washington won its second road pre-season game in as many outings when it shaved the Predators 2-1 in Nashville on Saturday night.

After a 6-2 win over the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Wednesday, the Caps tightened up defensively, allowing the Preds just 25 shots on goal. That’s 14 fewer than the Blue Jackets registered...

Final practice - Vettel stays ahead at Marina Bay
Posted at Formula1.com

Red Bull continued to hold sway after the final free practice session this evening at Singapore's Marina Bay Circuit. Sebastian Vettel was the quickest man on a track that was still damp in places after lunchtime rain. Vettel finished over half a second clear of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, who was separated from team mate Felipe Massa in the times by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton...

Notes from a Subdued Friday After Thursday’s High Drama
By pucksandbooks at On Frozen Blog

Friday at camp offered a striking contrast in atmosphere relative to Thursday. No big-news presser, no buzz over a free agent’s hat trick from a game the night before, and when Gabby met the media near 2:00 there was only the Washington Post’s Katie Carrera and yours truly there with questions for the coach. The exchange lasted all of about 5 minutes...

2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- D.J. King
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

...King performs one of the most difficult jobs in any sport. He fights. In four NHL seasons and 101 games played, King has spent 553 minutes on the ice. He also has spent 135 minutes in the penalty box as a result of having engaged in 27 fights. And it isn’t as if he takes on lesser mortals. Of the five fights he had last year, none of his opponents had fewer than nine fights of their own last season...

John Bonham Remembered
By mdome at Classic Rock

On September 25, 1980 John Bonham, one of the all-time great drummers, died at the age of 32. That’s exactly 30 years ago today!

On December 4, 1980 Led Zeppelin announced they were splitting up, unable to continue without their driving force. And, despite the occasional one-off reunions for special occasions – the last being in December 2007 at the O2 Arena in London – that’s the way...


September 24, 2010

Caps Off To Music City
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Three nights after they opened their 2010-11 pre-season slate with a 6-2 victory over the Blue Jackets in Columbus, the Caps take to the road for the second of their six-game schedule of exhibition tilts. Washington heads to Nashville for a Saturday night date with the Predators...

Friday analysis - normal service resumed at Red Bull?
Posted at Formula1.com

A track that was still damp in places, where it had been resurfaced, kept the times slow in the first Singapore session on Friday, and it remained slippery in the second as oil seeped through that new surface. It was enough to keep most teams guessing through the 180 minutes of running time. One thing that was clear was that Red Bull, back in more comfortable high-downforce territory, seem to have rediscovered some serious speed. We take a team-by-team look at the early running at Marina Bay...

WRC countdown: Rallye de France
Posted at WRC.com


...Next week, the World Rally Championship will visit the banks of the Rhine for the first time, as the Rally de France switches a Corsican base for the mainland city of Strasbourg.

And, with a fairytale storyline in the offing, the event’s switch could coincide with Sebastien Loeb’s finest hour. Victory for the Frenchman at home next week would mean 60 world rally wins and seven world rally titles. And he’d do it all within cheering distance of the streets he was brought up on. And on the banks of the Rhine...


Raikkonen weighs up 2011 options
Posted at WRC.com

...Raikkonen has shown encouraging progress throughout his debut season in the World Rally Championship with Red Bull and the Citroen Junior Team, but his best result of the year so far remains fifth place on the Rally of Turkey back in April.

Now Raikkonen has been linked with other options for next year, both in rallying and Formula One...

2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- Boyd Gordon
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

...You can talk all you want about the goaltender having to be the team’s best penalty killer, but a lot of the heavy lifting is done by the guys in front, too. And this is Boyd Gordon’s workshop. Gordon does not have the offensive punch to make many contributions at that end of the ice, so his ability to play defense, help kill penalties, and win faceoffs is where he is going to earn his salary...


September 23, 2010

Bad Company To Say Goodbye?
Posted by Nightwatcher at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock

The Times Record is reporting that Bad Company might be waving goodbye to U.S. fans in a couple of weeks.

The British rock group's concert on Oct. 7 at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Catoosa, Okla., near Tulsa, will be its last U.S. date on its 2010 reunion tour, and the show could be the band's swan song to American fans, said lead singer and co-founder Paul Rodgers...

Exclusive Nick Heidfeld Q&A: I feel honoured to be back
Posted at Formula1.com

At the recent Italian Grand Prix, Nick Heidfeld was a hot candidate for a 2011 drive because of his recent tyre testing for Pirelli. But just days later, Heidfeld is back racing again, replacing Pedro de la Rosa at BMW Sauber for 2010's remaining five Grands Prix. Even though he doesn't know the C29 at all, and despite having completed very little mileage this year, the German is sure he can deliver in Singapore and keep his rookie team mate Kamui Kobayashi at bay...

FIA Thursday press conference - Singapore
Posted at Formula1.com

Drivers: Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber), Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus), Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), Vitaly Petrov (Renault), Mark Webber (Red Bull).

Q: Vitaly, a lot of new circuits coming up that are new to you. This is the first one. What do you do to prepare for a new circuit like this?
Vitaly Petrov: Play PlayStation. Then I try to watch as much as possible the videos from on-board cameras and the team helps me a lot to prepare. I do some simulator work at home and watch a lot of videos from the on-board camera and bits like this...

100 Club Could Close Down
By mdome at Classic Rock

...Says current owner Jeff Horton: “It makes me so angry. The Government, Westminster council and even some of the commercial landlords say they want to help small businesses, they say they want to preserve London’s uniqueness, they want to help multi-cultural venues.

“Yet we’re all that and all these organisations have all dumped on us from a great height.”

NHL to New Media: Go Fly a Kite
By pucksandbooks at On Frozen Blog

This news, delivered last night by AOL Fanhouse, incensed me. In the epitome of Neanderthal progressivism, the NHL, beginning this season, is going to implement a ban on access by bloggers to visiting locker rooms at all arenas. Because you know, the collective work of hockey bloggers the past five-plus years has been, on the whole, so counterproductive, so destructive for the league, generated so precious little additional interest in the sport...

2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- Eric Fehr
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator


...What Fehr was last year, though, was extremely efficient as a goal scorer. Among forwards dressing for at least 50 games, only three averaged more than Fehr’s 1.48 goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 (behindthenet.ca). And that is a who’s who of scorers – Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, and Sidney Crosby. Among those same forwards dressing for at least 50 games he ranked in the top 20 percent in goals-allowed/on-ice per 60 minutes (behindthenet.ca)...


Singapore preview - time to reveal the true contenders
Posted at Formula1.com

As Formula One returns to high-downforce tracks, the Singapore Grand Prix will reveal what individual team form can be expected over the five remaining rounds as the world championship fight builds to its climax. Spa and Monza were both low-downforce venues, on which the effect of the tightening up of the rules on flexible wings and undertrays was minimised. This weekend will give a much clearer view of any changes on that front, and the likely pecking order from Singapore to Abu Dhabi...

Dio’s House Up For Sale
By mdome at Classic Rock

...It also has wooden floors form France and a bar brought in from the King’s Arms in Chigwell, Essex. The house is priced at $3.333 million.

You can check out a selection of photos of Dio’s former abode here.


September 22, 2010

Postgame Notebook: Capitals 6, Blue Jackets 2
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

A Sixer – Washington popped the top on its six-pack of pre-season games with a six-goal offensive outburst and a 6-2 road win over the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Wednesday.

Free agent camp invitee Matt Hendricks paced the Washington attack with a hat trick, aiding his uphill bid to crack a deep and diverse group of Capitals forwards. Center Tomas Fleischmann, looking to put a chokehold on the No. 2 pivot job in the District, had a pair of goals and an assist...

Citroen almost reveals its new World Rally Car...
Posted at WRC.com

Citroen has revealed a few tantalising glimpses of its new DS3-based World Rally Car in a pre-launch teaser video...

...Follow this link to see the clip.

The Latest Classic Rock Podcast Is Live!
Posted by gbarton at Classic Rock on September 22, 2010

The Classic Rock Podcast is back with its latest instalment – come inside to have a listen.

The Classic Rock Podcast is back with its fourth, and arguably finest so far, instalment.

Geoff Barton, Malcolm Dome and still-sultry newbie Kylie Olsson discuss Guns N’ Roses’ disastrous Dublin show; Axl Rose “not being up to the job”; the diminishing role of the record company in the modern-day rock world; the deaths of Jimi Hendrix and John Bonham… and a whole lot more besides.

Have a listen here!

*Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes Note: Looking at their podcast page, it seems this was actually from the 17th. Since there are seven in the list, they may have miscounted the number of podcasts as well.


Burns to be honoured by special gathering
Posted at WRC.com


Fans and friends of Richard Burns, who died from brain cancer four years after winning the World Rally Championship in 2001, will remember the British hero during a special gathering at the base of the former Subaru WRC squad on September 25th...


2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- Jason Chimera
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

...Chimera also possesses is speed. So much, in fact, that on a team that has more than a bit of flash he might be the fastest skater among the Capitals. It is a quality that serves him well barreling off the wing to put himself in a position to score. And, it keeps defensemen on their heels and goalies with a watchful eye toward his freight-training through the crease...

Organisers reveal further details about Austin track
Posted at Formula1.com

Race organisers for the forthcoming United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, have released further details about the new circuit, which will stage the event from 2012, when Formula One racing returns to the country for the first time in five years...

Slash Releases Expanded Edition Of Album
By mdome at Classic Rock

Slash is to release a deluxe edition of his self-titled solo album next week.

This has been expanded to three discs. There are to be two CDs, including 13 bonus tracks such as demos, plus a 52-minute DVD with behind the scenes footage on the making of the album, and also live performances from Los Angeles and Australia...


September 21, 2010

Behind The Thunder : An Exclusive Interview With Drummer Jason Bonham Of Black Country Communion
By Nightwatcher at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock

...Recently we had the wonderful opportunity to catch up with Jason to discuss the powerful new album he has recorded with vocalist Glenn Hughes, blues guitar god Joe Bonamassa and keyboardist Derek Sherinian, collectively known as Black Country Communion. In a band filled with masters of their craft, his drumming on the record stands out as a robust example of classic British rock power, and is a performance which would surely make his dad proud.

In part two of our exclusive series of all the members of Black Country Communion, the topics covered include not only his thoughts on the new album, the tour he's embarking on his own next month, The Led Zeppelin Experience - a multimedia tribute to the band, and most of all his late father John, living with the legacy of being the son of one of rock's all time great drummers, and more. Read on as we have a chat with one of rock's true powerhouse drummers, Jason Bonham...

Caps Head to Columbus for Pre-Season Opener
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Goaltender Michal Neuvirth and defensemen John Carlson and Karl Alzner are all virtual locks for the opening night roster in Washington this season. Each of those three players was a member of the consecutive Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears teams of 2008-09 and 2009-10.

Several forwards on those Bears Calder Cup clubs are also trying to crack a deep depth chart of forwards in the District. Starting Tuesday night in Columbus, some of those forward candidates will get their first pre-season showings...

The Constructive Purpose of Anger In Five Steps
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

If there is an early watchword to the eve of a new Capitals season, it is "anger." The Caps are angry over losing early in last spring's playoffs. Fans are angry because, well, that's the natural state of Caps fans (when they're not wallowing in the team's misfortune). The team adopted a "Stay Angry -- Believe in Yourselves" motto. Even getting back to business involves staying angry...

2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- Matt Bradley
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

Matt Bradley has been a Capital for five seasons, during which he has compiled 33 goals and 85 points in 366 regular season games. He also has recorded 37 fights in that time. His win-loss record in those bouts isn’t as important as his willingness to engage in the practice. Bradley is what many might call an “energy” player, the sort who in a 45- second shift might get a couple of good hits, forecheck aggressively, and generally make a nuisance of himself. But he is not, by any definition of the term, an enforcer. But no one in the NHL seems more willing to sacrifice himself by stepping in for a teammate...

Power to survive? 2010 engine usage revealed
Posted at Formula1.com

...One aspect that will play an increasingly important role as we reach the season’s end is engine usage. The 2010 regulations specify that each driver may use no more than eight engines during a championship campaign, and most drivers are getting near the end of their allocation, meaning reliability will become ever more critical as we progress through the final five rounds...

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