Mark Wilson Wins Phoenix Open in Playoff

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Let's hear it for the power of cheese.

One day after his beloved Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl, Wisconsin native Mark Wilson, who briefly wore a plastic Cheesehead as he played Sunday, returned to TPC Scottsdale Monday and won the frost-delayed Waste Management Phoenix Open, beating Jason Dufner in a playoff. Wilson, who in January won the Sony Open, became a four-time career winner by making a nine-foot birdie putt on the second hole of sudden-death.

Wilson has now won two of his last three starts and becomes this season's first multiple winner.

"I think I've been a little bit better practicer," Wilson said. "I've got a new green-reading technique that I learned from Dr. Greg Rose there at (the) Titleist Performance Institute, and then Ping has been really good with me working with my wedges trying to dial in the grooves just right. I spin the ball more than most guys, so the whole groove thing last year was supposed to be good for me, but I still was spinning it back too much from the fairway. So Ping has been working with me good. I've got some good equipment now, and just -- but the putting really has been the big thing.

 

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Source: http://golf.fanhouse.com/2011/02/07/mark-wilson-wins-phoenix-open-in-playoff/

Jean Paul Boinet Javier Arumi Jarno Boesveld

NBA Players, Owners Set Tone for Negotiations in All-Star Weekend Meeting

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David SternLOS ANGELES -- The Friday meeting between NBA owners and players to discuss the dire labor situation will never be remembered as a memorable turning point that led to a new collective bargaining agreement.

It was as basic as gatherings go, with both sides speaking in generalities and basic philosophies about how and why their sides and their stances should be understood. There were, by numerous first-hand accounts, very few details discussed and no issues resolved as the clock continues to tick toward the June 30 expiration and the extended lockout that is expected to follow.

But the very reasons that the meeting was considered a step forward by all involved said everything about the sad state of affairs going in. There was no rhetoric, no contentious tones, no hyper focus on the respective agendas.

With the 15 All-Stars on hand (25 players in all) joined by most of the league's owners in the Beverly Hills meeting that lasted approximately two hours, there was finally the acknowledgment that both sides must be willing to discuss their disagreements no matter how vehement they might be. And that, believe it or not, marked a significant step forward in setting the tone for these crucial discussions.

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/02/19/nba-players-owners-set-tone-for-negotiations-in-all-star-weeken/

Gino Borsoi Gimmi Bosio Gilbert Argo

How to Sharpen a Knife With a Whetstone

If you?ve ever had to use a knife in the outdoors, you likely already know that a dull blade is just about worthless. From whittling kindling to cutting rope and fishing line, outdoor knives take a lot of abuse, and tend to dull quickly. Thus, knowing how to properly sharpen a knife properly pays high dividends to the avid outdoor adventurer. A whetstone is generally considered to be the easiest to use and most immediately effective tool for knife sharpening. Read on to find out how to use one to keep your trusty knives sharp.

Preparation

Before busting out the knife and getting to work, you?ll need to prep your whetstone. Though there is some room for debate on the subject, most people with a lot of knife experience recommend that you soak the whetstone in cold, clean water for about 10 minutes before you begin sharpening. Be To set up your sharpening station, place a towel down on a flat, stable surface, and put the whetstone on top of it. Test it out by applying some directional force with your palm to ensure the stone won?t be sliding around as you sharpen.

The Sharpening Process

Proper knife sharpening is all about angles. If you sharpen the knife unevenly or use too wide of an angle, you?ll likely end up with a nicked, dull blade. To sharpen your knife correctly, start with the coarse side of the whetstone facing upward. Touch the knife to the stone at its base on the lengthwise side of the stone that?s closest to you at a twenty degree angle. This angle width is extremely important. For reference, twenty degrees is about the angle of a book of matches from bottom to top. Next, apply moderate downward pressure with your fingers on the back side of the blade, and push it forward in a diagonal motion. The tip of the knife should be just touching the stone as you reach the stone?s end.

A nice sharp knifeKeep the knife on the stone as you bring it back towards you so as to maintain the angle, but don?t apply any pressure on it. Repeat this process for ten to twenty strokes, then flip the knife over and do it again. When you?ve completed this step, it?s time to wipe the blade off, flip the stone over to the fine side, and repeat again. This will take off any leftover jagged steel on the blade?s edge that the coarse side couldn?t get. After the requisite ten to twenty strokes on each side, your blade is sharp and ready to cut with.

Finishing up

Before putting your knife sharpening setup away, be sure to wipe off the knife blade and check its edge for any nicks or inconsistencies. There?s no need to fret if you see one, as a little more work on the whetstone?s fine side will take care of it in a hurry. And, as with any skill involving knives, it?s important to take your time and be careful the first few times you sharpen. That little extra care will result in a much sharper, safer, and more useful blade.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LoveTheOutdoors/~3/b58hIUBtAHI/

Pier Paolo Bianchi Philippe Bouzanne Peter Balaz

Video: Kobe Bryant and Kanye West Star in Nike's 'The Black Mamba'

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LOS ANGELES -- Nike Basketball debuted its Kobe Bryant short film/sneaker ad early Saturday morning to a worldwide audience on Facebook, and to the people of Los Angeles on the ground for the NBA's All-Star weekend. The mini-movie, which is directed by Robert Rodriguez and has a running time of just under six minutes, features Kanye West and Bruce Willis, along with Bryant of course, and his new Kobe VI basketball shoes.

Nike Basketball had an event at the W Hotel in Hollywood on Friday night, and showed the film to a star-studded audience that included Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Amar'e Stoudemire and Paul Pierce -- all members of the Nike family. They were then treated to a performance from Kanye West.

As for the film itself, the best part about it is that it doesn't take itself too seriously, or even seriously at all. Kobe is easily the most polarizing figure in the game, and any attempt at trying to turn a sneaker ad into some kind of Oscar-winning feature film would have undoubtedly been met with an insane amount of criticism.

There are a couple of moments of unintentional comedy, and the Kobe-haters out there will likely chuckle when he takes the court and plays all by himself against a team of villains (hey, just like he does every night on the Lakers!). But overall it's a pretty entertaining way to sell basketball shoes, even if the product itself doesn't see a ton of time on the screen.

Check out the full video below, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/02/19/video-kobe-bryant-and-kanye-west-star-in-nikes-the-black-mamb/

Wilf Billington Takeishi Araoka Takashi Akita

The Works: Midseason Matters

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Today in The Works: Who will win the awards?

Who Gets The Gold?

Eric Freeman: It seems like the voters often decide on their MVP several months before the season ends, so this is as good a time as any. LeBron James has the Heat riding high after a shaky start, and he could end up the winner. But it seems like Derrick Rose's year -- he's stepped his game up and the Bulls are looking like contenders. Sometimes, that's enough to win this award.

Bethlehem Shoals:
It seems like everybody is riding high, the way you talk about it. Look, I'm going to give it to you straight: LeBron James is the best player in the game. And after that shaky start, he's really made that Heat team his own, or at least found a way to assert himself so that every lesser player -- including that dynamo Dwyane Wade -- ends up following his rhythms. And that's not a bad thing. James, contrary to popular belief, isn't a selfish jerk, he does a lot of things on the court and only really takes over when it's execution time. Derrick Rose? You've lost it. Nice year, nice team, but they aren't there yet. It's called Most Valuable, not Most Improved.

Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/02/17/the-works-midseason-matters/

Gianfranco Bonera Giacomo Agostini Gert Bender

NASCAR 2011 Sprint Cup Live&Stream Racing Of Daytona, FL

MotoGP

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Source: http://www.zimbio.com/MotoGP/articles/DzF-WwmMmYA/NASCAR+2011+Sprint+Cup+Live+Stream+Racing

Artie Bell Arciso Artesiani Werner Bergold

Cross Country Skiing, Frisco Nordic Center, CO

Goofball Sighting in Frisco! Frisco in Winter

I met Dan, Marcia, and Mike for a windy, snowy day of cross country skiing up in Frisco, CO. The Rocky Mountain Orienteering Club was also there, hosting a competition.

Bob President of Rocky Mountain Orienteering Club
Throughout our day, we were greeted by the competetors as they whizzed by us with maps in hand. It looked like a lot of fun, but quite the challenge! It?s tricky enough reading maps and navigating in nice weather, let alone the blizzard we were currently surrounded by!

Dan, Mike, and Marcia Skiing in Frisco
When we started, they had not yet groomed all the trails. By accident, we veered off the trail and I ended up in waist deep powder. Dan helped me figure out how to turn around, but it was exausting. Marcia helped us get back on track, and soon we were trucking right along.

Mike, Marcia, and Dan Enjoy the Powder
Even though it was snowing & windy, we managed to have a nice day out on our skis. Can?t wait to get out again!

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Source: http://blog.climbergirl.com/2011/01/22/cross-country-skiing-frisco-nordic-center-co/

Gert Bender Gerhard Boll Gerhard Bauer

Lakers Beat Celtics for First Signature Win of the Season

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As the Celtics and Lakers prepared to battle for the second time in 11 days this season, all eyes were on Ray Allen early, as he began the night with his sight set on breaking Reggie Miller's all-time record for three-pointers. But with the game in the balance late, the focus shifted to Kobe Bryant, who delivered by scoring eight of his 20 second-half points in the fourth quarter to lead L.A. to an important 92-86 win over Boston.

Allen started off hot for the Celtics, scoring 12 first-quarter points while connecting on the two three-pointers he needed to break Miller's career mark of 2,560. The team and the crowd seemed to feed off of Allen's aggressiveness, and Boston was able to jump out to a seven-point lead at the end of one before increasing the margin to as many as 15 in the second quarter.

The Lakers didn't let things get out of hand, though, and put together a 10-0 run to close the gap and keep the game within reach at the half. Bryant was passive to start, and had just three points and three assists at the break, while Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum led the way offensively for L.A. with 12 points apiece.

That would all change in the second half. Bryant was measured, efficient, and calculating in the final two periods, going 8 of 14 from the field in that stretch and playing in a way that would, for the most part, silence even his staunchest of critics. Especially in the fourth quarter.

With the Lakers clinging to an 82-79 lead with 5:04 remaining in the game, Bryant was reinserted into the lineup (along with Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, and Gasol) to finish the job. He immediately began to do exactly that, hitting a turnaround jumper over Allen to push the lead to five. The Lakers got a stop, and Bryant delivered again on the next possession, this time by draining an uncontested 20-footer to increase the lead to seven. And after Paul Pierce turned it over in traffic on the other end, Bryant got into the paint and finished at the rim to push the lead out to nine with 3:11 remaining, which forced a Celtics timeout.

Boston had its chance to get back into it, but trailing by five with two minutes to play, Pierce overthrew Rajon Rondo on a fast break opportunity that should have resulted in an easy two, which would have made it a one-possession game. Instead, Bryant drew a triple-team along the baseline at the other end, and found Gasol all alone at the rim to put the L.A. lead back to seven.

Rondo then hit a free throw on Boston's ensuing possession to trim it back to six. Bryant tried to put the final nail in Boston's coffin with a long three-point attempt, but he couldn't convert. Odom was there, however, and fought off Kevin Garnett for the offensive rebound, giving the Lakers one more chance to put the game in the win the win column for good. Bryant took advantage this time, and hit a step-back 13-footer to put L.A. back up by eight with 48.8 seconds remaining, which all but sealed it.

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/02/11/lakers-beat-celtics-for-first-signature-win-of-the-season/

Ismael Bonilla Ingemar Bengtsson Hugh Anderson

FanHouse 15: No. 13 Evan Longoria

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It may seem like just weeks ago that the baseball season ended, but the calendar has turned to 2011 and spring training is right around the corner. If you're like the rest of us at FanHouse, you can't wait, and we've got just what you need to get through the cold months.

It's the FanHouse 15, a countdown of the 15 most talked about, blogged about, tweeted about, sensational stars of America's pastime. Who will be No. 1?

The list continues with No. 13, Rays third baseman Evan Longoria.

 

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Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2011/02/05/fanhouse-15-no-13-evan-longoria/

Sadao Asami Rudy Allison Roy Boughey

Houston Dynamo to Move East in MLS Realignment

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Major League Soccer's love of conferences will be tested in 2011 by a balanced 34-game schedule, which makes the separate standings pointless, and the addition of two clubs in the Pacific Northwest.

It addressed the second problem on Friday, announcing that the Houston Dynamo will shift to the Eastern Conference after five years in the West.

Each conference will have nine clubs, thanks to the arrival of the Portland Timbers and the Vancouver Whitecaps.

The league's reasoning? Houston was the eastern-most club in the Western Conference. Done and dusted.

The move splits the Dynamo with in-state rival FC Dallas (mostly to the north, but slightly to the west), but it won't affect the number of times they'll play each other this season.

Houston's Eastern sojourn may be short. With Montreal entering the league in 2012, MLS will be forced to have one conference with 10 teams and another with nine. Houston easily could return next year, or wait until the 20th club (MLS is targeting New York City), joins the league. At that point, conferences will matter because the schedule will be unbalanced.

Either way, the Dynamo likely won't be spending too much time in the East, and they may not mind. Although the new conference offers shorter flights, it hasn't been as kind on the field. Houston has earned just 1.357 points per game against Eastern foes over the course of its five regular seasons, compared to 1.646 points per game vs. Western teams.

The most recent existing team to switch conferences was Sporting Kansas City, which moved east in 2005.

The problem created by the balanced schedule, unfortunately, remains one that fans will have to live with in 2011. MLS has committed to determining its playoff participants based on conference standings, in part to avoid the embarrassment of seeing a Western team win the Eastern title for a third straight year.

That means the sixth place team in one conference might stay home this fall while the fifth place club in the other moves on, even if it boasts a better record playing the exact same schedule.

It's unfortunate, but it should be temporary. Unless MLS finds a way to add a 13th month to the calendar, it will return to an unbalanced schedule in 2012. At that point, conference standings will be meaningful once again.

Here's the new MLS alignment:


Eastern Conference Western Conference
Chicago Fire Chivas USA
Columbus Crew Colorado Rapids
D.C. United FC Dallas
Houston Dynamo Los Angeles Galaxy
Sporting Kansas City Portland Timbers
New England Revolution Real Salt Lake
New York Red Bulls San Jose Earthquakes
Philadelphia Union Seattle Sounders
Toronto FC Vancouver Whitecaps

 

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Source: http://soccer.fanhouse.com/2011/01/28/houston-dynamo-to-move-east-in-mls-realignment/

Gerhard Boll Gerhard Bauer George Andrews