| Hockey coach/inventor rolls out portable white board Every entrepreneur could use a lucky break or two. For Robert Budryk, a sometime-hockey coach who dreamed up a better version of the white board, that break was an investment from Richard Reidy, president and CEO of Progress Software Inc. (Nasdaq: PRGS). feeds.bizjournals.com |
NFL Talkboard: Have your say on week three Have your say on all the week's big stories in the NFL, plus take part in our Pick Six predictions gameWelcome back to the NFL Talkboard. Most of you will know the drill by now, but for those that don't, this is a dedicated space where people can talk solely about American football. Every week I will post the games for our Pick Six predictions competition and if there's time one or two talking points as well. The blog will then stay open over the weekend, allowing everyone – myself included – to keep chatting about the games as they happen and afterwards on Sunday and Monday.Nobody picked all six games correctly last week, but superbarnsley – the only person to make five correct predictions – still deserves a hefty pat on the back. I shall post the overall standings below the line as last week (in a few weeks' time I'll start posting the top 10 above the line but right now everyone's still a bit too closely packed together). But before we get started with the Pick Six – here's a little something you may have missed during the week: the Philadelphia Daily News having some fun with the story that Michael Vick is the Eagles' new starter.Right then, away we go:Philadelphia Eagles @ Jacksonville JaguarsYou can call it kneejerk, or you can try to justify it, but the bottom line is that Vick is now the starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles. On one level it looks like a no-brainer – Vick has completed 63.8% of his passes so far for 459 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions – but don't assume he will always be this good. The Detroit Lions' pass defence is poor and in week one the Green Bay Packers had spent all week preparing to face Kevin Kolb. Back when Vick was at the Falcons the good teams worked out how to scheme against him and they will do so again. Just maybe not quite yet.Eagles to winPittsburgh Steelers @ Tampa Bay BuccaneersWhat to make of Tampa and their 2-0 start? This was supposed to be the one "gimme" in the Steelers' early-season schedule, the one game that they would definitely win despite Ben Roethlisberger's suspension, but instead it has become a match-up between two unbeaten teams. The Buccaneers are better than advertised, while Pittsburgh's offence has rarely looked fluid without Big Ben. But with Cadillac Williams averaging just 2.6 yards a carry, Tampa Bay's own offence already risks becoming one-dimensional. The Steelers have shut down better passers than Josh Freeman.Steelers to winSan Francisco 49ers @ Kansas City ChiefsIf there is any one division in which an 0-3 start might not preclude a play-off appearance it is the NFC West, but from a morale standpoint the 49ers desperately need a win after starting the season with such high expectations. The Chiefs are no world-beaters but their new co-ordinators Charlie Weis on offence and Romeo Crennel are getting the best out of what they have and running backs Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles are more than capable of exploiting the holes in a defence deprived of the injured middle linebacker Takeo Spikes. By beating the San Diego Chargers in week one, the Chiefs have already shown they can beat better teams than San Francisco, especially when the latter are on a short week.Chiefs to winDallas Cowboys @ Houston TexansThe Cowboys need a win even more than than the 49ers, but the "other" Texas team are better than both the teams who have beaten them already. Houston would like us to believe they have turned a corner after digging themselves out of a pretty deep hole in Washington last week, but the only way to prove it is to keep winning. They have had plenty of false dawns before and this is another big test, especially if their star receiver Andre Johnson is playing with an ankle injury. I think they will come through it.Texans to win New York Jets @ Miami DolphinsDarrelle Revis is out but that may not be such a big concern for New York against a Miami team whose passing offence is ranked 28th in the league. The Jets' own passing offence is ranked 29th and if this one goes according to script it could be one for the purists. Both teams run the ball well, both play great defence. Neither is geared towards the big play, though the Jets looked willing to take at least the odd chance last week against New England. This is the sort of game that could be decided by one big turnover, and with the margins as thin as they am I'm minded to side with the home team.Dolphins to winGreen Bay Packers @ Chicago BearsChicago have started better than I expected and winning in Dallas last week was impressive. But I said before the season that Green Bay were my pick to win the NFC and I have seen nothing to alter my belief that they are the best in their division.Packers to winNFLUS sportPaolo Bandiniguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson lead off U.S. Ryder Cup defense Masters champion Phil Mickelson and rookie Dustin Johnson will tee off the USA's defense of the Ryder Cup on Friday in the first match of the ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
Commonwealth Games 2010: Tom Daley shows iron nerve to plunder gold • Daley wins second gold of games in 10m dive• Matt Mitcham relegated to second by perfect dive• Follow our Commonwealth Games 2010 live blogBeg, borrow or steal. Whatever it takes to get a ticket for the final of the 10-metre diving at London 2012, do it. Because if it is anything like as good as today's final – and it is likely to be even better – no price is too high to pay for a poolside seat. Tom Daley won the gold in a contest that was as good as anything these Games have seen.There were 11 men in the field, but only two that mattered. Daley was in a showdown with Australia's Olympic champion Matt Mitcham. "It was a duel," Alexei Evangulov, Daley's coach, said. "They both were absolutely excellently prepared for this competition. I watched them both in training. So it was a battle of nerves. It was psychological."In Beijing, Mitcham won the gold in the last round with a dive that scored four perfect 10s. Today he was leading Daley after two of the six rounds. But in the third Daley produced an immaculate inward dive with three and a half somersaults, winning straight 10s from all seven judges. It was only the second time in his career he has managed a flawless dive in competition. Even Mitcham stood and applauded as the scores flashed up on the screen.Daley was still second, just, but he moved into first with his fourth dive and his lead grew with the fifth. After his sixth and final effort, he had an advantage of 95.80 points. Mitcham needed to achieve an average score of 8.9 with the final dive of the competition. Daley stood and watched, waiting. And Mitcham blew it. Even before Mitcham's feet had slipped through the water Daley knew he had won."I knew that if I put the pressure on him it would be very hard him to go up there and do the best dive that he can," Daley said, "because he leaves his hardest dive till last. It is the one he normally struggles with, but with adrenaline he can make it really well. So I had to nail my dive and make sure I put the pressure on." As Evangulov put it, with a rare grin spreading across his face: "Thomas, he turned out to be the stronger." Evangulov had told Daley before the final that he should be happy just so long as he got a medal. "No," Daley shot back, "I need the gold."Watching Mitcham win in Beijing was an inspiration to Daley. "Once you see someone beat the Chinese and come out on top that gives you confidence," he said. "You think: 'Why can't I go out there and perform like that? Why I can't I train hard and be the world champion next year?'" That was exactly what he did, winning the world title in 2009. He has grown only stronger since, despite struggling with injuries this year.Now he and Mitcham, with the two Chinese divers Zhou Luxin and Huo Liang, are in a four-way tussle for supremacy. "For the next two years it is going to be a battle royal between us four," Mitcham said, "all trying to beat each other before London."Mitcham said this result had only made him hungrier. He is going to quit competing in the other diving disciplines to focus on this event. "I am certainly not going to make it as easy for Tom over the coming years as I did this time," Mitcham said. "I feel sorry for the kid. He is going to have so much expectation on him and I will be going to London as the underdog, just like I was in Beijing. And we all know how that went."Daley has different ideas. "I just want to get the taste of it in front of a home crowd, because that is something that I crave." Come Monday Daley will be back at school, but part of his mind will be fixed on a spot two years down the line. Mitcham said: "London 2012 is going to be one of the most spectacular events you will ever see."Tom DaleyCommonwealth Games 2010DivingAndy Bullguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
With husband accused, Deanna Favre relies on faith By 2010-10-21T12:37:27ZNEW YORK (AP) -- Deanna Favre says her religious faith and an outward focus are helping her overcome the allegations of improper behavior that have been leveled against her husband, Brett.... hosted.ap.org |