Mandatory News

Monday, June 27, 2016

Roman Reigns Suspended, Draft Returning and Top WWE News from Week of June 25

Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose address the Roman Reigns controversy: Raw, June 27, 2016

Todd Williamson/Associated Press

As the WWE brand extension approaches, more information is slowly being released about how the company will be structured once Raw and SmackDown are separate entities.

Splitting up the shows may be the biggest thing on WWE"s plate, but there were still plenty of other headlines from the past week to keep us busy.

Roman Reigns Suspended

In a bit of shocking news, Roman Reigns was on Tuesday suspended for 30 days following a wellness policy violation according to WWE.com.

It"s been a long time since a top star has been suspended for a violation such as this, and it could seriously affect how he is booked when he returns.

Reigns was still mentioned as being part of the Battleground main event on SmackDown, so it appears he still has his top spot.

The former WWEworld heavyweight champion took to Twitter to apologize to his friends and family for letting them down:

WWE Bringing Back WCW Show Concept

WWE.com has a strange listing that seems to indicate a past WCW theme is returning. When you click on the page for Night of Champions, it shows Clash of Champions as the title.

With the brand extension coming up in a few weeks, we still have a lot of unanswered questions about how the pay-per-view schedule will be structured.

It"s possible Clash events will replace NOC moving forward, but there"s always the possibility WWE will use both names and give each one to a different brand.

For those who don"t remember, Clash of the Champions events were like PPVs, but they were aired for free on television instead of being available to purchase through cable and satellite companies.

Over the years, WCW produced 35 Clash events, and all of them are available on the WWE Network for anyone who has never seen one.

CM Punk"s UFC Debut

CM Punk revealed his official UFC debut will take place at UFC 203 in September during a recent interview with UFC Unfiltered.

This means Punk will enter the octagon just under two years after signing with the company. He would have had his first fight already had it not been for a few medical issues along the way.

Punk will be fighting Mickey Gall, who has won his first two professional fights with UFC. If Punk can secure a win, it will silence many of the critics who feel he isn"t cut out for MMA.

We have to remember, Punk is no longer a young man.At almost 38 years old, he is getting into MMA much later than most of his peers, but his years of taking bumps in the ring five nights a week should help him deal with the pain of being punched and kicked for real.

Kurt Angle Returning to WWE?

During an interview with Mark Madden on Monday (h/t Wrestling Inc), Kurt Angle revealed he has had talks with Triple H, and his return to WWE is more a matter of when than if.

Do you want Kurt Angle back in WWE?

He also revealed he has interest in managing Jason Jordan and Chad Gable once he decides to hang up his boots and focus on doing other things.

Jordan and Gable have drawn comparisons to Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haasthanks to their looks and patriotic gimmick.

It will be interesting to see whether anything comes of this. Angle has spent more time working for TNA than he ever did wrestling for WWE, but wanting to end his professional wrestling career where it started is understandable.

We have heard wrestlers go into business for themselves by talking about a possible return, only to see nothing come of it, so we will have to wait to see what happens.

WWE Announces Draft

WWE issued a press release on Monday (h/tWrestling Inc), and the main topic of discussion was the return of the draft.

TheRaw and SmackDown GMs will pick their rosters during the live debut of SmackDown on Tuesday, July 19, marking the first time the draft has taken place outside an episode of Raw.

Despite the issues the original brand extension had, the draft was always one of the best nights of the year because it shook things up for both shows.

This year"s draft is especially important because it will outline what the next year will look like for both Raw and SmackDown.

It"s also reasonable to assume a few NXT Superstars will be brought up to the main roster to add some surprises to the lineup and help fill out the rosters.

Which Superstars do you want to see end up on Raw, and who should go to SmackDown?

Thanks for reading, and follow me on Twitter: @BR_Doctor.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2648453-roman-reigns-suspended-draft-returning-and-top-wwe-news-from-week-of-june-25

Samuel L. Jackson talks "The Legend of Tarzan"

The Legend of Tarzan - #TarzanChallenge Week 6 (FINAL)

LOS ANGELES - The Legend of Tarzan, the latest in a long line of ape-man fantasy tales, is obviously a big Hollywood blockbuster.

But David Yates movie is also surprisingly serious, racially sophisticated and historically based on an actual African genocide. Just ask Samuel L. Jackson, the 67-year-old actor who plays the American character of George Washington Williams in Tarzan.

When I spoke to David and we started to talk about George Washington Williams, it was my first time hearing about it, Jackson tells a Hollywood press conference as the Tarzan movie gears up for its Friday debut. Hes a real guy? So, all of a sudden I realized: Okay, so Im not just playing some adventure guys with a pair of big guns." Im playing a really important person who had a raison detre for being there!

Jackson plunged into researching the unique history of Williams, a veteran of the Civil War as a teenaged soldier on the Union side. Williams later became a mercenary in the Mexican revolutionary war, then a U.S. army soldier in the disgraceful Indian Wars. Jackson found that history fascinating, partly because of the contradictions of Williams career as soldier, priest, historian, journalist and finally as an informal U.S. government representative in Africa in the late 1880s.

He was a bit of a rogue, too, Jackson says. He wasnt just a straight-up guy. He lied and gave himself titles that he didnt have. He was a black person trying to make it in that particular world at that particular time and he was able to do that through grit and guile.

How exactly does this relate to Tarzan? In the movie, the Tarzan story is spun out against the real-life background of how Belgiums King Leopold II personally organized an invasion force to take over the Congo basin, establishing what was laughably called the Congo Free State in 1885. What Leopolds agents and troops did was murder tens of thousands of Congolese on a program of terror that also subjugated tribal groups and introduced extreme segregation and forced labour, recreating the worst excesses of U.S. slavery.

In the movie, George Washington Williams teams up with Tarzan to expose the genocide and to organize African peoples and wild animals to fight back. In real life, obviously without Tarzan, Williams was the first major voice to sound the alarm in Europe and the U.S.

So Im really proud that David gave me that opportunity, Jackson says of playing Williams opposite Alexander Skarsgards Tarzan.

Jackson later visited Williams burial site in Blackpool, England, while shooting the next Tim Burtons Miss Peregrine"s Home for Peculiar Children. Williams had died of tuberculosis and pleurisy in England in 1891 at the age of 41, after returning from his humanitarian mission.

I actually got to see his grave, Jackson explains, which was kind of profound and moving for me. Hopefully, I have done some justice to this particular character. Hopefully, people will be intrigued enough by him to investigate who he really was, and what he did find out (in the Congo), and the things that he actually stood for.

Twitter: @Bruce_Kirkland

BKirkland@postmedia.com

Source: http://www.torontosun.com/2016/06/27/samuel-l-jackson-talks-the-legend-of-tarzan

Wayne Rooney opens up on playing with Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov

Cristiano Ronaldo vs Croatia HD 720p [25-06-2016]

The England star has had a number of world-class partners up top at the Theatre of Dreams including the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Owen, Carlos Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov.

And the former Everton striker has given an insight as to what it is like to play with those deadly forwards.

He told Four Four Two: "What is it like playing with different types of striker partners? I have to change my style.

Carlos was a lovely fella

Wayne Rooney

"Berba likes to drop in and get touches on the ball so I tend to stay as high as I can and leave the space for him to get on the ball.

"A player like Michael likes to try to get in behind so I have to drop in.

"Luckily, playing in our team you get a lot of possession and a lot of touches so its not too much of a culture shock.

"For two or three seasons I had to play a lot out wide and Ronaldo played through the middle, so that changed straight away.

"For the team, when Ronaldo was out wide, you knew he would come inside and shoot, do a few tricks.

"Now with [Antonio] Valencia, youve got to be on your toes more in the box because he will move in and cross it more than Ronaldo did.

"Carlos was a lovely fella, an honest player who ran for 90 minutes every week and you cant ask for any more from a team-mate.

"I think he realised early on that Im quite an unselfish player, that if he was in a better position I would give him the ball and that if he stayed up I would drop back to cover.

"Wed work for each other and because we lived round the corner from one another, wed drive each other to training, drive to the airport together for away games.

"It was a bit easier to communicate with him on the pitch his English wasnt too good and sometimes wed have these long car journeys in silence!"

Source: http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/525830/Wayne-Rooney-Cristiano-Ronaldo-Carlos-Tevez-Dimitar-Berbatov

Wimbledon Purse Takes Hit After British Pound Implodes

Live@Wimbledon 2016 – Day 1

The economic fallout from the United Kingdoms decision to leave the European Union has reached the 2016 Wimbledon Championships. The record prize money payments intended for the male and female winners of the London-based tennis tournament have lost a significant chunk of their value, thanks to the plunging worth of the British pound.

The All England Club, which hosts Wimbledon, will award a total of 28.1 million in prize money to this years top performers, with 2 million tabbed for the winners of the mens and womens tournament. The 2 million prize was worth $3,003,200 at 5 p.m. ET on June 23, just before the U.K. held its Brexit referendum.

The same prize money is worth about $2,644,383 as of Monday morning, as the British pounds value fell to its lowest level in more than three decades, relative to the U.S. dollar. In other words, the Wimbledon prize has depreciated more than $358,000 in a matter of days.

Sunday, June 26, 2016

PGA-Tour: Billy Hurley III schnappt sich Fhrung

Billy Hurley III"s incredible chip-in birdie at Quicken Loans

Billy Hurley III spielte eine starke Runde mit vier unter Par

Billy Hurley III hat beim Quick Loans National nach der dritten Runde die alleinige Fhrung bernommen. Der US-Amerikaner berzeugte mit einer 67 auf dem Par-71-Kurs und sicherte sich mit 198 Schlgen die Spitze. John Rahm aus Spanien konnte seine starke Form der Vortage nicht halten und rutschte mit 201 Versuchen ab. Auf Rang zwei platzierte sich Ernie Els aus Sdafrika mit 200 Schlgen.

"Die Runde war schon recht gut, vor allem sehr solide. Ich schlug nicht die geradesten Blle vom Tee, aber ich habe sie gut ins Spiel gebracht und vor allem war der Putter richtig hei. Das hat natrlich auf dem Weg zur 65 geholfen", sagte Els, der mit einer fehlerlosen 65er-Runde an Rahm (70) vorbeiziehen konnte.

Rahm muss sich vor dem Schlusstag bei seinem Debt als Profi mit Rang drei begngen, hat allerdings mit nur drei Schlgen Rckstand noch immer die Chance auf den Sieg beim PGA-Tour-Event in Bethesda.

zu "PGA-Tour: Billy Hurley III schnappt sich Fhrung "

0 Kommentare

Tony Stewart Chase Watch

Tony Stewart confronts heckler in grandstands at Chili Bowl

RELATED: Coverage of Stewart"s accident, comeback| Updated Chase Grid

TonyStewartreturned from a back injury in April and the three-time champion is in pursuit of one of the 16 spots in the Chase for the NASCARSprintCupin his final season. Here"s a look at where the driver of the No. 14 Chevrolet stands in his pursuit after the season"s 14thof 26 regular-season races.

WHAT JUST HAPPENEDStewart started Monday"s rain-postponed race in sixth, his best starting position of the season. And the No. 14 Chevrolet was firmly esconced in the top 10 until misfortune hit on Lap 92. Following a restart in which cars went up to five wide at PoconoRaceway, Stewart"s car got shuffled to the middle line and got loose, causing him to slow. Stewart-HaasRacing driver DanicaPatrick, who had reported brake issues all day, couldn"t get the No. 10 slowed down fast enough to avoid hitting Stewart from behind. Stewart spun.

Patrick and Stewart both took their cars to the garage eventually, and both returned to the race. Stewart re-entered the race in 38th place and finished 34th. Stewart entered the Pocono race 35th in the points standings and lost one place, finishing the day at 36th.

WHAT HE NEEDSStewart received a waiver from NASCAR for Chase eligibility. The surest way into the Chase is by winning before the end of regular season (at RichmondInternationalRacewayon Sept. 10) and climb into the top 30 in the points standings. En route to his 2015 championship,KyleBuschfaced a similar path after missing the first 11 races with a leg injury. Currently, Stewart is 36th in the standings, 71 points behind DavidRagan for 30th place.

WHAT"S NEXT"Smoke" heads to Michigan (June 12 at 1 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio), where he has one win in the Irish Hills, in his third race there in 2000. In his 32 starts there, he also has 12 top fives and 20 top-10 results.

RELATED: See all of Stewart"s wins | "Smoke" granted Chase waiver

Source: http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2016/6/6/tony-stewart-chase-for-the-nascar-sprint-cup-pocono-raceway-axalta-400.html

Tony Stewart had plenty of one-liners in his post-race presser

Tony Stewart 1-on-1 with Kenny Wallace - "NASCAR RaceDay"

Tony Stewart toasts the victory lane revelers as he celebrates his first win since June 2, 2013.(Photo: Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports)

SONOMA, Calif. Tony Stewart was in a jubilant mood following his win Sunday at Sonoma Raceway, and it resulted in a wide-open and oft-hilarious post-race news conference.

Heres a sampling of some of the best moments:

--On how much he roughed up Denny Hamlin in the final turn: If it hadbeen a street fight, he"d have had two black eyes after that.

--On his enjoyment of Saturday nights fight in the Camping World Truck Series race involving John Wes Townley: I"m going to go to Zaxby"s and eat chicken all week just in support of John Wes. Hey, I"m all for it. I"m glad to see somebody had some emotion and actually did something with it. That made my whole day last night was watching the Truck race. I had no idea that John Wes Townley was going to make my top five hero list of all time. I"m following him on social media now.

--On future Stewart-Haas Racing driver Clint Bowyers electrical fire in the car: Glad he got out of that. It would be really hard to listen to him next year (does Bowyer impression). He"s hard enough to hear on the radio as it is because he"s ADD anyway. It takes five people, and it"s like every breath, somebody picks a different part of the sentence to understand. It"s like a game show. It"s like Clint Bowyer for $600, please!

--On social media critics: One thing that I did think about is in this day of social media where a lot of people are crickets. On social media, they sit there and chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp until they"ve got to be in front of you and then they don"t say a d**n word.

--On whether hes happy racing Sprint Cup cars: Today.Check with me. Most likely when Daytona starts on Friday, not so much. We all know how I feel about restrictor-plate racing.

--On NASCAR CEO Brian France: Brian France, I got in trouble -- well, I started to say I got in trouble once with Brian France. That"s a lie. I got in trouble a lot with Brian France.

--On how fans will remember Stewart and Jeff Gordon: Ten years down the road, the new people watching the sport are going to be like, Who are these old guys? I"m going to go, This is the guy who took me to the sand dunes and broke my back.

--On getting mad at other drivers: I can"t whip them all at once. I can take them one at a time. There"s a couple of them I might be able to take at the same time. You can pick which ones they are.

Follow Gluck on Twitter @jeff_gluck

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2016/06/26/tony-stewart-had-plenty-one-liners-his-post-race-presser/86417606/