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Articles by Sam Blazer
The Blue Jackets Fall to the Lightning in OT 3-2, As Pierre-Luc Dubois Gets Benched.
Aaron Doster - USA Today Sports A spark was needed in this game and the benching of Pierre-Luc Dubois was only a small part of it. Regardless, the Blue Jackets would fall to the Tampa Bay Lightning by a score of 3-2 although the game would go to overtime. 1 2 3 OT F BLUE JACKETS 1 0 1 0 2 LIGHTNING 0 2 0 1 3 The first period of the game was a nice change for the Blue Jackets. While they have scored first in a game before, this time they scored just over 20 seconds into the period.
Another RFA Negotiation, Another Ominous Sign As the Pierre-Luc Dubois Saga Drags On
John E. Sokolowski - USA Today Sports Happy New Year, everyone. While the days and dates may change, a lot will stay the same. Per a report from TSN's Pierre LeBrun, talks between the Columbus Blue Jackets and franchise center Pierre-Luc Dubois have cooled considerably since the last report. We've seen this movie before, folks. Pierre-Luc Dubois is not in Columbus as camp approaches and remains unsigned.
John Tortorella Lays into Officials During Post-game Rant After Shootout Loss
The Blue Jackets fell to the Chicago Blackhawks in the shootout, but if you talk to head coach John Tortorella, he believes the result is an error on the part of a referee. Here is Tortorella post-game, first posted in a transcription from The Athletic's Alison Lukan (and you can watch in the video above): "The whistle is blown at 19.2 on the clock.
Bruins Defenseman Charlie McAvoy Suspended for Game 6 Hit on Josh Anderson
Aaron Doster-USA Today Sports The NHL's Department of Player Safety caught up with Charlie McAvoy. The Bruins defenseman got off light with a two-minute minor penalty for a vicious shoulder to the head of Blue Jackets forward Josh Anderson in the second period of the teams' Game 6 Monday night. He'll now be out for the first game of Boston's Eastern Conference Finals series against the Carolina Hurricanes following a review and additional punishment from the league.
My Word Is Good: Thanks to the Blue Jackets, I'm Inking 1st Ohio Battery's Logo On My Ass
I'm thrilled about the Blue Jackets' Game 1 win. We've got a series. We've got some excitement. We've got a competitive series (which isn't what I expected before the game). So let's wind it back to when the Blue Jackets went down 3-0 in the first period on Wednesday... I sent a tweet. If the Blue Jackets come back to win this game, I will tattoo the @1stOhioBattery emblem on my ass. #CBJ — SB (@Sam_Blazer) April 11, 2019 At the time, I thought nothing of it.
The Anaheim Ducks are having a season from hell and have no one to blame but themselves
NHLBy Sam Blazer on February 14, 2019February 14, 2019 Only four points off the very bottom of the league standings, the Anaheim Ducks are in deep trouble. The signs were there, but they ignored them. How does that happen in today’s game? It all begins with archaic management and poor planning. From the top down, this was a season that could’ve been prevented. Bob Murray — the Ducks’ GM since 2008 — holds the keys to this runaway train and is the one to blame.
Battery Life Episode 18: Life After Sergei Bobrovsky and "The State of Goaltending" With Cat Silverman
Aaron Doster – USA TODAY Sports The Blue Jackets have had a rough go in the goaltending department this season. After years of stability, it appears that it is all up in the air. Cat Silverman of InGoalMedia and The Athletic joins the podcast to discuss the state of goaltending for the Blue Jackets. She also discusses the Arizona Coyotes great season thus far and what we can expect from Thursday's game in Glendale.
John Tortorella Switches Brad Shaw and Brad Larsen Back to Their Original Roles
The Columbus Blue Jackets have been their own worst enemy on some nights. They have looked like one of the best teams in the league and one of the worst. They are hoping to add some stability by moving two of their bench coaches into their original roles. Brad Shaw, who had been coaching the forwards is moving back to coaching the defense. Prior to this season he had been coaching the defense for the Blue Jackets but had moved roles during this past offseason.
Bradley Cooper proves to be a stellar triple-threat in directorial debut for "A Star Is Born"
When your original trailer comes out, and it turns into a meme, it generally doesn’t bode well for that movie. Time and time again, the trailers that we poke fun at are the movies that end up getting Razzies instead of Oscars. A Star Is Born bucked that trend by putting out a sneaky compelling story about fame and opportunity.
Is "Assassination Nation" unique and original enough to be a good film?
Making a non-formulaic movie in 2018 is a tough ask. If it isn’t a reboot or a large movie property, it is tough to get your film in front of the masses. Assassination Nation is on its own plane right now. It is pulpy and has a lot of modern references that put it into this weird time capsule. Does that make it into a gimmicky movie, or a movie that is taking advantage of the current zeitgeist? The film is supposedly based off of a true story.
Is "White Boy Rick" Oscar fodder, or is it just a September also-ran?
Set in Detroit in the mid-1980’s and dealing with all sorts of drug crimes, White Boy Rick is the perfect movie for Oscar-bait. Add in Matthew McConaughey and other well-known actors like Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bruce Dern, and Brian Tyree Henry, and you have a cast that can stack up with anyone. So why does it feel like this movie is just a couple cents short of a full dollar? The film centers around the FBI and local police recruiting and using the titular Rick as a pawn in their drug game.
"The Predator" is perplexing and shockingly incompetent
Having an excellent cast can only get you so far. The Predator is proof of that very fact. The action film franchise has been through a lot, and it has numerous successful movies in its history, but the newest edition of the series just doesn’t feel like it is up to the task. Having Olivia Munn, Thomas Jane, Keegan-Michael Key, Sterling K. Brown, Jacob Tremblay, and many more prominent stars in its cast is nice in theory, but if you waste their talents, it makes for a messy movie.
"Mandy" is Nicholas Cage at his most batshit insane
Those were the first words that came out of my mouth after seeing Mandy. It felt like a giant fever dream was presented in front of me, and everyone in the theater needed a second or two to compose themselves. The film centers around a man who is wholly overtaken by rage confronting and trying to take down a religious sect that has taken everything from him. Taking place in the early 80s in the Pacific Northwest you barely get a sniff of civilization in the movie.
'Searching' is a refreshingly original twist on the suspense genre
A story about loss that takes place entirely through a computer screen doesn’t feel like it would be particularly good. Searching completely turns that thought on its head and is able to produce an above average popcorn movie that makes you happy you went to the theater. The film centers around David Kim (played by John Cho) and his daughter Margot Kim (played by Michelle La).
Barstool Sports' Twitch account suspended after threatening streamer
Rough N’ Rowdy is supposed to be a piece of cornerstone content for Barstool Sports. Barstool has successfully held four shows, but it appears they don’t know how to deal with illegal streaming just yet. LikeButta, a Twitch streamer, uploaded the 4th edition of Rough N’ Rowdy onto his stream for the world to see. Once it was posted to the Barstool Sports subreddit, it appears that the powers that be became aware of it.
Eighth Grade is a triumph that perfectly encapsulates our modern era
Trying to capture the essence of our current times is difficult. It is hard to do. Try to explain a meme to anyone, and you look or sound like an idiot. Eighth Grade does it so well, and it makes for one of the better coming-of-age movies in recent memory. The movie centers on Kayla Day (played by Elsie Fisher) and her father Mark Day (played by Josh Hamilton).
Hereditary is an unsettling thrill of a ride with a side of horror
Making horror only gets more and more difficult as the styles derive from one another. In the case of Hereditary, they take from a couple of classics while making it their very own. The result makes it a modern horror classic on par with The Babadook and The VVitch. The film follows the Graham family, led by passe father Steve (Gabriel Byrne) and hard working mother Annie (Toni Collette) as they prepare for her own mother’s funeral.
Former Carolina Hurricane Rod Brind'Amour named head coach continuing series of head-scratching moves
After former Carolina Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters left for the Calgary Flames, it felt like another in a long line of internal moves for the team. Owner Tom Dundon acquired the team and let it be known that he would be more hands-on with his approach. With many open positions within the organization, there were more questions than answers. It appears a spot has been filled as former team captain Rod Brind’Amour has been named head coach after serving as assistant coach for seven years.
Ten must-watch players during the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 82-game regular season of the National Hockey League has come to a close. It has produced plenty of storylines and raised a lot of eyebrows. The Vegas Golden Knights, New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche have all taken the league by surprise. All have been led by amazing performances that will impact both the NHL awards and the impending playoffs.
Blue Jackets Assistant GM Bill Zito Named USA Hockey's GM For the 2018 World Championship
The Blue Jackets are in the middle of their 10-game winning streak and it appears everyone in the organization is winning. Current Blue Jackets assistant GM Bill Zito has been named GM for USA Hockey's roster at the upcoming men's World Championships. This role will be in addition to his current title with the Blue Jackets. He also holds the title of GM of the Cleveland Monsters. His first project will be putting together the American roster for the Men's World Championship that takes place in May.
A Detroit Red Wings' player tried to toss a puck to a fan in the stands, instead he nails his coach in the head
The Detroit Red Wings’ season has not gone as planned. They are way out of the playoff race, and they are going to likely be big sellers at the NHL trade deadline. Their problems went from bad to worse when the team had a little incident on the bench. It wasn’t against the other team either; it was between two people on the same side. Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson went to toss a puck over to a fan, and the puck did not make it entirely over the glass.
Morning Skate: Blue Jackets Take On Red-Hot Devils in a Battle for First Place
This is a big one, folks. The New Jersey Devils travel to Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets in a Metropolitan Division matchup. The game will have short-term effects on the standings and could put either team in a position to pull away long-term. Look for it to be a fantastic goaltending matchup as Cory Schneider and Sergei Bobrovsky take the respective nets. Schneider is one of the best in the division and is a big reason why the Devils have been successful.
Blue Jackets Forward Matt Calvert Will Miss Up to a Month With an Upper Body Injury
As cliche as it sounds, a moment may have flipped the Columbus Blue Jackets' game against the Tampa Bay Lightning last weekend. The moment resulted in an injury to Matt Calvert, one of their most consistent players so far, and he will miss 3-to-4 weeks of action. Calvert took a bone-crunching hit from Lightning defenseman Dan Girardi during the game. Calvert immediately went back to the dressing room and didn't return.
Report: Josh Anderson Has Requested A Trade From the Columbus Blue Jackets
It looks like we are past the boiling point. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, forward Josh Anderson has requested to be traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anderson and the Blue Jackets have negotiated all summer with little movement. Anderson is currently a restricted free agent. Ferris has said he would send Anderson to Switzerland to practice with a team there while he waits for a new contract, but, at this time, I don’t know if that’s going to happen.
Report: Columbus Blue Jackets Among Many Teams Linked to Center Joe Thornton
Silly season is about to begin for the National Hockey League (NHL) and it looks like the Columbus Blue Jackets may be at the center of it all. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman in his most recent "30 Thoughts" column, the Blue Jackets are one of a few suitors for center Joe Thornton's services. 5. He’s staying low profile — and there is serious doubt he actually wants to leave San Jose — but there is a list of teams who want to peer inside Joe Thornton’s head.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will officially pick 17th in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft
It is officially, official. After the St. Louis Blues were eliminated by the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference Semifinals, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be selecting 17th in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. The first round elimination at the hands of the Washington Capitals may still sting but this placement in the draft is still, very good. Just outside the lottery, you can find difference making players to fill out your roster.
Jarome Iginla has old-time hockey fight as Flames-Kings spirals out of control
The Los Angeles Kings season is slipping away from them as they try to hold onto some hope that they’ll make it into the postseason. One of the team’s big trade acquisitions to boost their playoff chances was the aging Jarome Iginla from the Colorado Avalanche. Iginla is a player who is definitively over the hill but able to contribute from time to time. Wednesday night was one of his times to shine, with Iginla finding a little spark to go off of as his banner career continues on despite the odds.
A Chick-Fil-A wedding cake is out in the world, and we are better for it
Cakes are the best. This is an indisputable fact. Wedding cake is one of the best iterations. One SB Nation writer, Richard Johnson, went to the wedding of Jake and Paige Farmer and witnessed one of the most amazing cakes ever made. We’re talking about a Chick-Fil-A inspired cake. While personally I’d love a Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich cake, I can support a Chick-Fil-A cake. Even one that includes defined pickles as part of the cake. The level of detail on this is basically Cake Boss level.
Former Lions CB Stanley Wilson II arrested while naked for the third time in eight months
Former Detroit Lions cornerback Stanley Wilson II has been arrested while naked for the third time since last June, according to the Associated Press. In the June incident, Wilson — a member of the Lions from 2005-2007 — was shot while not wearing any clothes as he was an intruder in a home. In January, he was found outside of a Portland home without wearing any clothing.
Here's a crazy Alaskan moose fight in someone's suburban driveway
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a moose fighting expert. Just don’t have the time or the patience to seek it out. But it doesn’t take an expert to know when you’ve seen a good ol’ scrap. And we had one of those recently in the Anchorage, Alaska ‘burbs. Check out this MOOSE FIGHT in a driveway: The person telling them to get away from them now was a nice touch to the video. Also the person driving away as they get close to the vehicle is as big of a “nope” as you’re going to get.
Dog urinates on desk during sign off of 'Garbage Time'
Animals and live television are always a tricky combination. When animals are on late-night shows, you always feel a sense of terror from the host. In the case of Katie Nolan’s Garbage Time — which was live on FS1 on Friday afternoon from Houston — there wasn’t terror as much as there was urine. All four people on the show’s panel were holding a dog, and Nick Wright picked a dog that apparently had yet to find the proper tree to lift its leg on. Welp.
Lena Dunham isn’t done with ‘Girls', apparently has plans for a movie
One of the most polarizing figures in pop culture currently is Lena Dunham. Being opinionated will always grab headlines, and she has become a master of it. And her off-screen person hasn’t affected her popularity on-screen yet. Dunham is the creator, writer, and star of the HBO series Girls, which has been a success by all standards, and the most recent season drew some of its best reviews to date.
'60 Minutes' does investigative report on hidden motors in pro cycling
60 Minutes correspondent Bill Whitaker went to Hungary and met with former pro cyclist — and now inventor — Stefano Varjas to investigate hidden motors in professional cycling. Varjas shows Whitaker the bike with a motor in it, only being powered by a lithium battery.
Ric Flair wants to know what 'lit' means and Twitter comes through for him
“The Nature Boy” has spanned multiple generations and is one of the best wrestlers to ever enter the ring. He went onto twitter to try and figure out what “lit” means. Luckily he had multiple people help him out with the answer. One of them being the actual twitter account itself! Is lit going to be added to Flair’s vocabulary now? While it is cringeworthy to hear older people trying to use slang terms, Flair could definitely pull it off. From now on, we need Twitter to weigh in on age-old debates.
Stan Mikita's Donuts from 'Wayne's World' is opening in real life for NHL All-Star weekend
If you’re a big Wayne’s World fan, you’re very familiar with Stan Mikita’s Donuts. Well, a real-life version is opening up in Los Angeles for the weekend, and you’re definitely going to want to be there. It was a play on the popular Tim Horton’s that are everywhere in Canada. Whenever nostalgia comes to life, people eat it up. Sports Illustrated and Entertainment Weekly are helping put it on for the NHL.
Video: Player in KHL All-Star shootout challenge bribes goalie to let him score
It is getting harder and harder to score in hockey. Many want to shrink the goalie equipment but it looks like a player in the KHL has found the easiest way to get around a goalie is with some cold, hard cash. Matt Gilroy, a defenseman who used to play for the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning, is now playing for Spartak Moskva and is the player doing the bribing in the video above. Gilroy already has 37 points on the season as a defenseman. How necessary is it to pay off Igor Bobkov?
Woman drives SUV into T-Mobile store because she couldn't get a new phone
For one woman in South Florida, she had enough and was willing to go the extra mile to show her frustration. Shinobia Montoria Wright was caught on a cell phone video plowing her vehicle into a T-Mobile store after they had refused to replace her cracked iPhone. Wright went onto damage display cases and make a mess of the store. One employee was unfortunately injured when a display case injured their knee.
The first down line during the Dolphins-Steelers game was just a bit off
It is an absolute wonder how these types of graphics haven’t made their way into other sports. The first down line is so ingrained in some that people don’t know how to view games without it. But what if you watch the game and the line is wrong? Just how odd does that look? When the Pittsburgh Steelers played the Miami Dolphins, we got a taste of what that might look like. The still image is amazing but watching it live, it looks like the first down marker was running away from the Dolphins.
Billy Joel parody names Browns' QBs since '99
The Browns have been a wreck since they came back into the league in 1999 after the original franchise moved to Baltimore. Whether former Browns’ owner Art Modell is entirely at fault is an another conversation completely, but the new Browns’ team is seemingly cursed. They can’t get a star out of a draft pick to save their life and they consistently remain a cellar-dweller, year in and year out.
XFL to have pop-up Hall of Fame in New York this January
For one day in January, the XFL is going to display some of the most iconic memorabilia at a pop-up Hall of Fame in New York City. This includes the black football, the “He Hate Me” jersey and some of the cheerleaders’ outfits. This Hall of Fame pop-up will be curated by filmmakers from ESPN Films’ forthcoming 30 for 30 documentary about the XFL. The film, titled This was the XFL, plans to show the rise and decline of the league in ways never seen before.
Money raised from Browns 0-16 parade is now going to those in need
After some Browns fans launched a GoFundMe campaign in hopes to throw a parade for an 0-16 season, they decided the money would best be donated to a local food bank now that the Browns won. Over $5,000 has been raised as of Christmas Day. It is a great way to turn a terrible situation into something philanthropic. These are the kind of movements that people can get behind. The parade itself was in jest of a team that hasn’t been any good this millennia.
Craig Sager immortalized by LA street artist next to Stuart Scott
His story isn’t too different from that of Stuart Scott. While Sager worked at TNT, Scott worked at ESPN, amd their impact on the world around them was incredibly similar. Shortly after Scott’s death, Los Angeles street artist Jonas Never remembered his life with an amazing, sprawling mural. It only makes sense that after Sager’s unfortunate passing, he would join Scott on that same wall. It’s a powerful quote, next to an even more powerful image.
Buffalo Bills fan relishes the fact he gets covered in ketchup and mustard during pregame
If you have had enough of people jumping through tables and people doing alcohol luges off of other human’s bodies, Pinto Ron may be for you. His gimmick? Getting covered in ketchup and mustard to get fellow fans hyped up for the game. No, we are not joking: For many, this is the first time coming into contact with Pinto Ron, and surely you have questions. Does he attend the game covered in those condiments? Does he have a condiment sponsorship deal? Heinz or Hunt’s? Why not mayo or relish?
Jim Harbaugh says rumors he's heading to NFL come from "jive turkey" coaches
As the team preps for their Orange Bowl appearance against Florida State, Ryan Glasgow, defensive tackle for the Wolverines said that Harbaugh put the rumor to rest. The idea of a rival coach spreading these types of ideas isn’t that out of the norm; in fact, it could possibly be used as a recruiting tool. And that’s what Harbaugh insinuated further: Jive turkeys!!! Jim Harbaugh is a weird dude.
Announcer appears to burp on air during Chargers-Panthers
On December Sunday mornings, many are hungover and filled up from holiday Christmas parties, or full of NFL game-day food. Letting out a belch or two is a time-honored tradition. The Fox broadcasting team of Sam Rosen and Brady Quinn (Quinn’s seen above) can relate. While calling the San Diego Chargers-Carolina Panthers game Sunday, it appears either Rosen (who was doing play-by-play) or Quinn (doing color commentary), let out a burp while on the air.
Terrelle Pryor to honor family and Stuart Scott for 'My Cause, My Cleats' campaign
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Terrelle Pryor is one of the players taking advantage of the opportunity, and is honoring a unique group of people. Before Sunday’s Browns game against the Bengals, Pryor will wear cleats that bring awareness to the Special Olympics. And during the game, he will honor his grandma, his father, and the late sportscaster Stuart Scott.
ESPN mistakes Nebraska for Wisconsin during CFP ad
The Big Ten has been one of the better conferences in all of college football this year, and all season it has been hard trying to pinpoint who the best team in the conference has been. There’s been enough jockeying, especially in the Big Ten West, that it could confuse you if you’re not in tune with conference championship race. Or at least that’s what ESPN will tell itself to excuse its latest gaffe.
Report: A plane carrying Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense has crashed in Colombia
A plane carrying 72 passengers, including some from the Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense, has crashed in Medellin, Colombia, multiple media outlets are reporting. The plane, which departed from Bolivia on Monday, crashed on its way to Medellin, Colombia. The charter aircraft was carrying members of the soccer team Chapecoense from Brazil’s Serie A league. The team was scheduled to play in the Copa Sudamerica finals against Atletico Nacional in Medellin on Wednesday.
Buffalo Bills brass catch and ban sex toy throwers
In what may go down as one of the saddest days in NFL history, it looks like Bills officials have caught not one but two of the dildo throwers and they have subsequently been banned for life. The incident immediately went viral and was one of the most memorable moments in a boring first couple months of the NFL season. The addition of a second thrower is an interesting wrinkle. How was this not videotaped as well? Could this have been an inside job? Too many questions and so little time.
WATCH: Woman makes hole-in-one during first ever golf lesson
National Club Golfer uncovered that the woman in question is Becky Marsh. She recently took her first golf lesson from friend and coach Emma Brown at The Academy Course (a six-hole par-3 layout) at Kendleshire Golf Club in Bristol, England. This is a 60 yard hole and she pulled out a seven iron to accomplish one of the harder tasks in all of sports.
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