Monday, June 30, 2014

TV Tonight 6.30.14


MLB
Rays @ Yankees (ESPN, 7 PM)
Indians @ Dodgers (STO, 10 PM)

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WWE Raw (USA, 8 PM)
Harry Potter: The Making of Diagon Alley (NBC, 8 PM)
The Bachelorette (ABC, 8 PM)
MasterChef (FOX, 8 PM)

24: Live Another Day (FOX, 9 PM)
American Ninja Warrior: USA vs. Japan (NBC, 9 PM)
Beauty And The Beast (The CW, 9 PM)
Major Crimes (TNT, 9 PM)

Teen Wolf (MTV, 10 PM)
Under The Dome, SEASON PREMIERE (CBS, 10 PM)
Murder In The First (TNT, 10 PM)
Mistresses (ABC, 10 PM)
CeeLo Green's The Good Life (TBS, 10:30 PM)

Wrestling Lockup with Brandon, 6.30.14: WWE Money In The Bank


Cue the Donald Trump theme music..."Money, Money, Money Money......Mooonnnneeeyyy!"

It's a special pay per view Monday edition of Wrestling Lockup with Brandon. Last night, live from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts the WWE held Money In The Bank. A new WWE World Heavyweight Champion was crowned along with a current Money in the Bank briefcase case holder.

- The Money In The Bank preshow was on first with Daniel Bryan, who's still on the shelf with his neck injury. Bryan says that he is not sure when he'll be back, as he might need to have more surgery done. Bo Dallas interrupts Bryan and gives him his inspirational "Bo-Lieve" shtick. Bryan calls Dallas a "Bo-ner" which starts a chant from the crowd. Bryan's music plays and he exits to the "Yes-Movement" chants.
The "special event" begins as we have the tag titles on the line to kick off this year's Money in the Bank!

- "WWE World Tag Team Championship": The Usos (c) vs The Wyatt Family. The Wyatt's get a near fall on a seated power bomb. Match closes out with The Usos delivering a double superplex off the top rope on Rowan, then connect with a double splash for the pinfall. The Usos retain their tag team titles.

- "WWE Divas Championship": Paige (c) vs Naomi (w/Cameron). Naomi comes close to a near fall as she hit the "Rearview". Naomi comes up short in the end as Paige hits her finisher for the pinfall and retains her Divas Championship.

- Adam Rose vs Damian Sandow. Sandow is dressed as Paul Revere, basically mocking the Boston fans.
No one told Paul Revere that the "Party Foul" was coming as Rose hits it in the end for the pinfall. Rose is still undefeated.

- "Traditional Money in the Bank Match": Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Jack Swagger vs. Kofi Kingston.

- Match Highlights: Kofi connects with a dive over the ropes bowling over all the other superstars on the floor. Major spots from all of the superstars in the match. The giant size ladder makes an appearance as RVD and Rollins fight atop it. Swagger climbs up and power bombs RVD off the ladder. Ambrose gets his hands on Rollins on top of the giant sized ladder and super plexes Rollins off of it. Later in the match Rollins and Ambrose take another bump off the ladder, Ambrose holding his shoulder this time. WWE medics force Ambrose out of the match due to the injury and escort him to the back stage area. Another huge spot takes place as we have a ladder set up like a bridge across another ladder. Kofi puts Rollins through the bridged ladder as both men fought on top of it. Swagger with a "Patriot Lock" on Ziggler while he climbed the ladder. Rollins climbs the ladder as Ambrose runs back out and blasts Rollins with a chair. Ambrose all alone, climbs the ladder to the briefcase and is about to win it when.......Kane's pyro explodes and out comes Kane. Kane choke slammed then tombstoned Ambrose as Rollins climbed the ladder and grabbed the briefcase winning Money In The Bank.

- Goldust and Stardust vs Curtis Axel and Ryback. Match closes with Stardust getting the hot tag and getting the pinfall on Ryback. Axel has a fit after the match but gets laid out by the Rhodes Brothers.

- Layla and Summer Rae are backstage arguing over Fandango again.

- Rusev vs Big E. Big E gets near falls a few times on Rusev in this match. Match closes out with Rusev connecting with a kick and locking in "The Accolade". Big E almost fights out of it but eventually taps out.

- Stephanie McMahon finds Daniel Bryan's wife, Brie Bella, backstage. Brie mentions she loved when Vickie Guerrero threw Steph in the mud on RAW. Steph calls for security to escort Brie out of the building because she no longer is a WWE employee.

- Summer Rae vs Layla (Guest Referee: Fandango). Match closes with Layla scoring the pinfall from Fandango. Layla and Fandango make out as Summer lays in the ring. Fandango and Layla leave together.

- "Money In The Bank, WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match":

- John Cena vs. Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton vs. Cesaro vs. Kane vs. Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio.

Match Highlights: Triple H and Stephanie McMahon are present for the match. Sheamus and Cesaro hang from the loop holding the titles at one point in the match without a ladder under them. Sheamus and Cesaro trade punches in mid air until Sheamus falls to the mat. Cesaro eventually falls as well. Orton gets busted open in the match as WWE medical work on him. A ladder is bridged from the ring to the announcers table, where we see Sheamus fall onto the bridged ladder. Orton grabs the giant sized ladder and everyone takes turns climbing it only to get pushed off. Sheamus comes close to grabbing the titles but Kane stops him. Orton and Kane are alone at one point until Reigns spears Kane but then Reigns catches a ladder shot by Orton. Cena and Reigns are alone at one point and we see a trading of punches. Cena goes for "AA" but Reigns counters with a spear. Reigns and Orton end up climbing the ladder and trade punches. Reigns and Orton take turns slamming each other's faces into the ladder, Orton is busted open. Reigns knocks Orton off the ladder, Kane knocks Reigns off. Cena hits "AA" on Orton and Kane both, climbs the ladder and grabs the titles. John Cena is the NEW World Heavyweight Champion!
John Cena is now a 15 time World Champion. One reign away from tying Ric Flair's all time record of 16.
And that closes out this year's Money in the Bank. Sadly both ladder matches were predictable. Seth Rollins is the next rising star so it made sense to give him the briefcase. WWE leaked the SummerSlam poster showing John Cena vs Brock Lesnar which kinda made it obvious that Lesnar was finally getting his title shot and Cena was going to be the one with the title.

That about wraps up the recap, I'll be back Tuesday for RAW recap, till then, tap or snap!

Sunday, June 29, 2014

TV Tonight 6.29.14


MLB
Cardinals @ Dodgers OR Reds @ Giants (MLB Network, 4 PM)
Red Sox @ Yankees (ESPN, 8 PM)

GOLF
Quicken Loans National, Final Round (CBS, 3 PM)
LPGA Tour: Walmart NW Arkansas Championship (Golf Channel, 5 PM)

FIFA WORLD CUP SOCCER
Round of 16, Costa Rica vs Greece (ESPN, 4 PM)

OTHER SPORTS
Track and Field: U.S. Outdoor Championships (NBC, 4 PM)
NHRA Drag Racing: O'Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 Nationals (ESPN 2, 3 PM)
WNBA: Connecticut Sun @ New York Liberty (NBA TV, 3 PM)
WNBA: Atlanta Dream @ Indiana Fever (NBA TV, 6 PM)
IndyCar Racing: Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston, Race 2 (NBC Sports, 3 PM)
United SportsCar Series Racing: Watkins Glen (FOX Sports 1, 11 AM- 6 PM)

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The BET Awards 2014 Preshow (BET, 6 PM)

American Ninja Warrior (NBC, 7 PM)

The BET Awards 2014 (BET, 8 PM)
Wipeout (ABC, 8 PM)
Big Brother (CBS, 8 PM)

True Blood (HBO, 9 PM)
America's Got Talent (NBC, 9 PM)
Rising Star (ABC, 9 PM)
Reckless, SERIES PREMIERE (CBS, 9 PM)
The Last Ship (TNT, 9 PM)
Nurse Jackie (Showtime, 9 PM)
Californication (Showtime, 9:30 PM)

The Leftovers, SERIES PREMIERE (HBO, 10 PM)
Unforgettable, SEASON PREMIERE (CBS, 10 PM)
Falling Skies (TNT, 10 PM)
Penny Dreadful (Showtime, 10 PM)
Salem, SEASON FINALE (WGN, 10 PM)
Halt And Catch Fire (AMC, 10 PM)

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO, 11:30 PM)

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Wrestling Lockup with Brandon, 6.28.14: WWE Smackdown


It's the last Smackdown event before this Sunday's "special event", Money in the Bank. We will see a new WWE World Heavyweight Champion crowned, finally, and we will have a new Money in the Bank briefcase holder. The briefcase holding a contract for a future WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match anytime, anyplace. Let's get this week's Smackdown recap started.

- Smackdown kicked off with Triple H, Randy Orton and Seth Rollins cutting a promo. Triple H talks about the different eras in WWE history and calls this the Authority Era. Triple H claims that Orton will win the title and Rollins will win the briefcase because that is what's best for business. Orton and Rollins both agree. Rollins mentions winning the briefcase will be a "Plan B" in case Orton can't get the job done, which Orton takes offence to. Orton tells Rollins that he can't win without The Shield. Triple H finally steps in and ends the bickering and tells them that they need to trust each other.

- Bad News Barrett vs Dean Ambrose. Match closes with Barrett going for a pumphandle slam that Ambrose counters into "Dirty Deeds" for the pinfall. After the match Jack Swagger hits the ring and attacks Barrett. Ambrose suicide dives into Swagger and then hits him with a ladder. Seth Rollins hits the ring and throws Ambrose into the ring steps then delivers the "Curb Stomp".

***Recap Note***
Bad News Barrett was reportedly injured during this match so his status in the MITB ladder match Sunday is unknown as of yet.

- Paige vs Cameron. Match closes with Paige getting the win with the "Paige Turner". After the match Naomi gets in Paige's face then Cameron attacks Paige. Naomi tries to seperate the two. Paige shoves both girls and stares them down.

- Bray Wyatt vs Sheamus. The whole Wyatt Family is at ringside which brings The Usos out in Sheamus' corner. Sheamus wins by DQ as The Wyatt Family start a six man brawl which Sheamus and The Usos win.

- Dolph Ziggler and Rob Van Dam vs Alberto Del Rio and Cesaro. Match closes with RVD going for the "5 Star Frog Splash" but catches Alberto's knees on the landing. Alberto locks in the cross arm breaker and RVD taps. After the match Paul Heyman raises Cesaro's hand and Alberto demands his be raised too. Cesaro kicks Alberto in the gut and lays him out with "The Neutralizer".

- Roman Reigns vs Kane. Reigns wins by DQ when Randy Orton runs in and attacks Reigns. Orton gets a "Superman Punch" from Reigns then Reigns gets choke slammed by Kane. Kane sets a ladder up and let's Orton climb it to the titles that are hanging from the rafters. After celebrating with the titles Orton climbs down and stops Kane from choke slamming Reigns and instead goes for the punt kick to the head. Reigns jumps up and spears both Orton and Kane as Smackdown comes to an end.

And that wraps up the Smackdown recap for this week. As always I'll be back next Saturday afternoon with another Smackdown recap.

The following is the updated card for tomorrow night's Money in the Bank special event, live on WWE Network. I will be back on Monday afternoon with the recap of the special event.

- "MITB for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship": John Cena vs Randy Orton vs Sheamus vs Bray Wyatt vs Roman Reigns vs Alberto Del Rio vs Cesaro vs Kane.
- "Traditional MITB": Seth Rollins vs Jack Swagger vs Rob Van Dam vs Dean Ambrose vs Dolph Ziggler vs ??Bad News Barrett?? vs Kofi Kingston.
- "WWE Divas Championship Match": Paige (c) vs. Naomi
- "WWE World Tag Team Championship Match": The Usos (c) vs. Luke Harper & Erick Rowan
- Goldust & Stardust vs. Ryback & Curtis Axel
- Rusev vs. Big E
- Summer Rae vs. Layla (Guest Referee: Fandango)

Tap or Snap!

Friday, June 27, 2014

TV Weekend 6.27.14 - 6.28.14


FIFA WORLD CUP SOCCER
Round of 16: Brazil vs Chile (Saturday, ABC, 11:30 AM)
Round of 16: Colombia vs Uruguay (Saturday, ABC, 3:30 PM)

MLB
Indians @ Mariners (Friday, STO, 10 PM)
Red Sox @ Yankees OR Rays @ Orioles (Friday, MLB Network, 7 PM)

White Sox @ Blue Jays (Saturday, MLB Network, 1 PM)
Red Sox @ Yankees (Saturday, FOX, 7 PM)
Indians @ Mariners (Saturday, STO, 10 PM)
Reds @ Giants OR Diamondbacks @ Padres (Saturday, MLB Network, 10 PM)

GOLF
Quicken Loans National, Third Round (Saturday, CBS, 3 PM)

NBA
2014 Eastern Conference Draft Review (Friday, NBA TV, 7 PM)
2014 Western Conference Draft Review (Friday, NBA Tv, 8 PM)

NHL
2014 NHL Entry Draft (Friday, NBC Sports, 7 PM)

TENNIS
2014 Wimbledon Championships, Early Round, Day 6 (Saturday, ESPN, 8 AM- 4PM)

OTHER SPORTS
NASCAR: Nationwide Series, John R. Elliott HERO Campaign 300 (Friday, ESPN, 7:30 PM)
Boxing: Friday Night Fights, Ivan Redkach vs. Sergey Gulyakevich (Friday, ESPN 2, 9 PM)
Track and Field: U.S. Outdoor Championships (Friday, NBC Sports, 10 PM)


Dew Tour: Beach Championships, Day 1 (Saturday, NBC, 1 PM)
Cheerleading: UCA National High School Championship (Saturday, ESPN 2, 1 PM)
Cheerleading: World Championship of All-Stars (Saturday, ESPN 2, 2 PM)
Motorcycle Racing (Saturday, NBC, 3 PM)
Track and Field: U.S. Outdoor Championships (Saturday, NBC, 4 PM)
Arena Football: Pittsburgh Power @ Jacksonville Sharks (Saturday, CBS SportsNet, 7 PM)
NASCAR: Sprint Cup Series, Quaker State 400 (Saturday, TNT, 7:30 PM)
UFC Fight Night (Saturday, FOX Sports 1, 8 PM)
NHRA Drag Racing (Saturday, ESPN 2, 8 PM)
Arena Football: Spokane Shock @ Los Angeles KISS (Saturday, ESPN 2, 10 PM)

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WWE Friday Night Smackdown (Friday, SyFy, 8 PM)
Building Better Neighborhoods Special (Friday, ABC, 8 PM)

Primetime: What Would You Do? (Friday, ABC, 9 PM)
Girl Meets World, SERIES PREMIERE (Friday, Disney Channel, 9:45 PM)

Crossbones (Friday, NBC, 10 PM)


Bet On Your Baby (Saturday, ABC, 8 PM)

Power (Saturday, STARZ, 9 PM)
The Assets (Saturday, ABC, 9 PM)

Wrestling Lockup with Brandon, 6.27.14: TNA Impact


Happy Friday everyone! Welcome to Wrestling Lockup with Brandon. This edition of Wrestling Lockup is the TNA recap edition. Last week on Impact, we saw a new TNA World Champion crowned and his name is Bobby Lashley! Tommy Dreamer answered Dixie Carter's invite to the show but was beat down by Rockstar Spud and Dixie's nephew Ethan Carter III. MVP abused his power and kicked everyone and their uncle out of the building. Magnus and Bram were paid off to beat up The Wolves. And Bobby Roode who has been sitting on the sidelines with a permanent suspension from MVP, arrived from the crowd and drew the line for the power trio to cross. What would this week have in store for us? Read on my friends.

The show kicks off with some Knockouts Tag Team action.

- Angelina Love and Velvet Sky vs Gail Kim and Taryn Terrell. Match closes out with Terrell climbing the ropes and hitting a cross body block on The Beautiful People. Gail Kim scores with "Eat Defeat" and the pinfall.

- MVP congratulates Bobby Lashley on his title win. MVP expects Eric Young to ask for his release now, however, Eric Young comes out and announces he's extended his contract with TNA so he can help take out the trash. EY hits the ring and we have a 3 on 1 brawl as MVP, Kenny King and Bobby Lashley attack EY. Bobby Roode jumps the guardrail and makes the save for EY, using MVP's crutches as a weapon.
Bobby Roode cuts a very good promo afterwards on he and EY helping build TNA as a company, MVP handing him a BS suspension, EY bringing respect and honor back to TNA, how he's going to help get the company back suspended or not and do it for the fans. MVP gets in Roode's face and is ready to fire him when a man named Earl Sullivan Armstrong steps into the ring and interrupts. Armstrong is apart of the TNA Board of Directors and announces that MVP has been relieved of his duties and his replacement will be here later. A now powerless MVP gets knocked out by Bobby Roode after this huge announcement.

- "Four Way, X-Division Title Match": Sanada (c) vs DJ Z vs Manik vs Crazy Steve. Match closes with Sanada hitting a double underhook suplex on DJ Z for the pinfall to retain the title.

- Dixie Carter is celebrating, thinking she has full control of TNA now with MVP out of the picture. Earl Sullivan Armstrong arrives to tell Dixie that there is a new person in charge but it's not her. Dixie is livid as Bully Ray appears. Dixie tries to bribe Bully with money but Bully isn't having it because he wants to put Dixie through a table. Ethan Carter III hits the ring but gets taken out by Bully. Bully grabs Dixie and puts her on his shoulders. Rockstar Spud runs in and moves the table. Dixie manages to escape with ECIII and avoids the table again.

- James Storm vs Mr. Anderson. Match closes out with Storm blocking the "Mic Check" and hitting the "Last Call" to score the pinfall.

- Gunner tells Samuel Shaw he is getting him released from his cell. Shaw has to have supervision and therapy, Gunner will be Shaw's sponsor.

- Tommy Dreamer shows up unannounced and attacks Ethan Carter III backstage. Dreamer and ECIII brawl throughout the backstage area and all the way out to the ring. Both men try to destroy each other until TNA Security rush the ring and separate both men.

- "Monster's Ball Match": Jeff "Willow" Hardy and Abyss vs Magnus and Bram. Match Highlights: Bram and Magnus beat down Hardy and Abyss with trash cans and kendo sticks. Hardy connects with a corner drop kick and chair shot on Bram, then places a trash can on Bram's head and drop kicks the can. Magnus connects with chair shots to Abyss. Abyss brings out "Janice" but gets the weapon stuck in the turn buckle while swinging it. Abyss gets handcuffed to the barricade by Bram allowing a 2 on 1 on Hardy. Abyss eventually breaks free and is back in the match. Hardy takes a chair shot to the head and crashes through a barbed wire board. The match closes out with Abyss laying out thumbtacks and choke slamming Magnus right on the tacks. Bram has "Janice" and hits Abyss right in the gut with the weapon and scores the pinfall.

- Kurt Angle is announced as the new Director of Operations. Angle gets interrupted by MVP who's mad about being replaced by Angle. MVP, Kenny King and Bobby Lashley threaten Angle but Angle threatens to fire them if they lay one finger on him. Kurt Angle announces that Eric Young will get his TNA World Title rematch against Bobby Lashley and he is officially reinstating Bobby Roode. Eric Young and Bobby Roode hit the ring and brawl with Kenny King and Bobby Lashley as Kurt Angle looks on as Impact comes to an end.

And that closes out this week's Impact recap. I will be back next Friday afternoon for another TNA Impact recap. Until then, tap or snap.

The Raven Report, 6.27.14: NBA Draft Review


"And with the first pick…"

The Cleveland Cavaliers made history last night, selecting Kansas Jayhawks guard Andrew Wiggins with the first pick of the 2014 NBA Draft. In Wiggins freshman season at Kansas, he set a freshman-record scoring 17.1 points per game. The pick was met with all around excitement in the city of Cleveland. While "some" fans may have preferred to draft Jabari Parker or Joel Embiid, Wiggins appears to be the better fit for Cavs GM David Griffin and new head coach David Blatt.

In Round 2, the Cavs selected 6'6" shooting guard Joe Harris from Virginia. Harris,22, averaged 12 points per game in his senior season while shooting 40% from 3-point range. Later, the Cavs made a trade with the newly renamed Charlotte Hornets for the 45th overall pick Dwight Powell of Stanford, and the contract of Brendan Haywood. While not official yet, it is said that the Cavs will be sending Alonzo Gee to Charlotte in return. Wiggins and Harris to go along with Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson and the upcoming free agency period can make the Cavs and VERY good team in the 2014-2015 Eastern Conference.

Other notable picks seen Duke forward Jabari Parker going 2nd to Milwaukee, Joel Embiid taken 3rd by Philadelphia, Arizona power forward Aaron Gordon to Orlando at 4, Australian point guard Dante Exum to Utah at 5, Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart to Boston 6th, Kentucky forward Julius Randle to the Lakers at 7 and Creighton small forward Doug McDermott taken by Denver at 11, then traded along with Anthony Randolph to Chicago.

On a side note, the classiest, most emotional moment of the NBA Draft was Commissioner Adam Silver coming out to honorarily select Baylor center Isaiah Austin. Austin was said to be one of the top centers in the draft, but will not be able to play basketball again due to having a genetic disorder called Marfan Syndrome, which was just found days ago. Marfan Syndrome is a disorder of connective tissue that affects the skeletal system, cardiovascular system, eyes, and skin. Great job by Adam Silver and the NBA to give this kid his spotlight moment.



The U.S. Men's National Team will continue on in the World Cup! They lost to Germany 1-0 in awful, soggy conditions Thursday. But with the blessings of the points system and Portugal's defeat of Ghana, the team will advance on to play Belgium Tuesday afternoon.

The Indians will open up their weekend series late tonight on the West Coast, against the Seattle Mariners. Trevor Bauer will get the start Friday night versus the M's Chris Young. Start time is at 10 PM.

Lastly, opening in theaters this weekend is Transformers: Age of Extinction. A great way to close out the month of June with a BIG Summer blockbuster action movie.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

TV Tonight 6.26.14


NBA
2014 NBA Draft (ESPN, 7 PM)

MLB
Cardinals @ Dodgers OR Reds @ Giants (MLB Network, 10 PM)

NFL
A Football Life: Derrick Thomas (NFL Network, 9 PM)
A Football Life: Randall Cunningham (NFL Network, 10 PM)

OTHER SPORTS
NASCAR: Camping World Truck Series: Kentucky (FOX Sports 1, 8 PM)

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Hollywood Game Night (NBC, 8 PM)
Black Box (ABC, 8 PM)
Hell's Kitchen (FOX, 8 PM)
Defiance (SyFy, 8 PM)

TNA iMPACT Wrestling (SPIKE, 9 PM)
Undateable (NBC, 9 & 9:30 PM)
Gang Related (FOX, 9 PM)
Dominion (SyFy, 9 PM)

Last Comic Standing (NBC, 10 PM)
NY Med (ABC, 10 PM)
The Challenge: Free Agents (MTV, 10 PM)
Party Down South (CMT, 10 PM)

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

TV Tonight 6.25.14


MLB
Indians @ Diamondbacks
Reds @ Cubs (WGN, 7 PM)
Tigers @ Rangers (ESPN 2, 8 PM)

NBA
NBA Draft Preview (ESPN 2, 7 PM)
NBA TV's Mock Draft 2014 (NBA TV, 9 PM)

NFL
The Top 100 Players of 2014, 30-21 (NFL Network, 9 PM)

OTHER SPORTS
College Baseball: NCAA World Series,Game 3, Vanderbilt vs. Virginia

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America's Got Talent (NBC, 8 PM)
So You Think You Can Dance (FOX, 8 PM)

Suits (USA, 9 PM)

Wilfred, SEASON PREMIERE (FXX, 10 & 10:30 PM)
Graceland (USA, 10 PM)
Taxi Brooklyn, SERIES PREMIERE (NBC, 10 PM)
Motive (ABC, 10 PM)
Catfish: The TV Show (MTV, 10 PM)

Guy Code, SEASON FINALE (MTV 2, 11 & 11:30 PM)

Woman Crush Wednesday 6.25.14: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley #wcw


PREVIOUS
Woman Crush Wednesday: Emily Ratajkowski
Hottie Thursday: Alicia Whitten
Hottie Thursday: Hannah Rogers
Hottie Thursday: Kate Upton
Hottie Thursday: Scarlett Johannson
Hottie Thursday: Emma

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

TV Tonight 6.24.14


MLB
Indians @ Diamondbacks (STO, 9:30 PM)
Tigers @ Rangers OR Dodgers @ Royals (MLB Network, 8 PM)

NHL
2014 NHL Awards Show (NBC Sports, 7 PM)

OTHER SPORTS
College Baseball: NCAA World Series, Game 2, Virginia vs Vanderbilt (ESPN, 8 PM)

======

America's Got Talent (NBC, 8 PM)
Extreme Weight Loss (ABC, 8 PM)

The Wil Wheaton Project (SyFy, 9 PM)
Royal Pains (USA, 9 PM)
Rizzoli & Isles (TNT, 9 PM)

Tyrant, SERIES PREMIERE (10 PM)
Covert Affairs, SEASON PREMIERE (USA Network, 10 PM)
The Night Shift (NBC, 10 PM)
Celebrity Wife Swap (ABC, 10 PM)
Heroes Of Cosplay (SyFy, 10 PM)
Perception (TNT, 10 PM)

2014 NBA Draft Preview: Western Conference


All credit goes to guest writer, Nick Schwalbach. Follow him at @Lookin4Strage and visit his site Brew City Breakdown for more.

Click here for the 2014 Eastern Conference Draft Preview

Utah Jazz (25-57) SF, PF, 3 Pt Shooting (5, 23, 35)
The Jazz have a roster filled with good young pieces, but therein lies the problem, they don't have any players on their roster who should be the #1 option on a playoff team.  The Jazz also seem rather unsure about the futures of both C Enes Kanter and PG Trey Burke, both of whom have shown flashes of being above average starters but have been far too inconsistent thus far.  Going into the lottery, the Jazz would have loved to land a top 3 pick to draft SF Jabari Parker who is a Mormon.  Unfortunately for them they fell to #5 and will likely end up choosing either PG Dante Exum or PF Noah Vonleh, whichever the Magic pass on at pick #4.  With their 2nd selection, #23 overall, the Jazz will likely look to draft a wing shooter/scorer like SF TJ Warren or SG PJ Hairston.  With their 3rd and final selection in the 2014 draft, I look for the Jazz to draft either a PG or C that they can either stash over in Europe or in the NBDL for a few years to futher develop.

Los Angeles Lakers (27-55)- PG, SF, C (7)
The Lakers, like seemingly every other NBA team, are in on the Kevin Love sweepstakes.  Unfortunately for them, they don't seem to have the firepower (other than pick #7) to pull off such a deal and may be better off just waiting for him to become a FA following the 2014-15 season.  What the Lakers do have going for them is the return of SG Kobe Bryant and the #7 overall pick in this year's draft.  With the 7th pick in the draft could go in many directions.  They could trade down a few spots to draft a young SF like Kentucky's James Young or Duke's Rodney Hood to play alongside Kobe Bryant.  They could look to draft a PF like Kentucky's Julius Randle or Arizona's Aaron Gordon that they can play alongside Paul Gasol.  But what i ultimately think they decide to do, is to draft OK St PG Marcus Smart.  Kobe Bryant would seem to be the perfect mentor to the aggressive but sometimes ill tempered Smart.

Sacramento Kings (28-54)- SF, PF, 3 Pt Shooting (8)       
The Kings have 1 pick in the 2014 draft and a rather important one at that.  Sacramento seems to be running the risk of wasting C Demarcus Cousins prime years if they dont start hitting on some of their top picks.  That being said, the jury is still out on 2013 1st Rdr Ben Mclemore, whom I still think has All Star potential.  With their lone pick in 2014, #8 overall I think the Kings need to address 1 of 2 things: Wing Shooting or Low Post Scoring.  Some names to keep an eye on for the Kings are Creighton SF Doug McDermott, Kentucky PF Julius Randle, and Arizona PF Aaron Gordon.

New Orleans Pelicans (34-48)- 3 Pt Shooting, SF (N/A)
The Pelicans lost their 1st Rd pick, #10 overall, to the 76ers in the trade that landed them PG Jrue Holiday.  Unless they can somehow unload the contract of either SG Eric Gordon or SF Tyreke Evans, the Pelicans will likely not be making any picks in this year's draft.

Denver Nuggets (36-46) SG, PF, C (11, 41, 56)
Heading into the 2014 draft, the Nuggets find themselves in a rather precarious situation.  They have a talented roster but not one that really fits 2nd Yr HC Brian Shaw's triangle offense. (Looking at you Kenneth Faried) The Nuggetts seem to be set at the PG and SF positions, but they don't have a player at the other 3 positions that make you say "We don't need to upgrade there."  The Nuggets hold the #11 overall pick in the first round but may look to trade PF Kenneth Faried on draft night to a pick up another mid 1st rd pick. Regardless of what the Nuggets do with Faried, i'd look for them to target a big man who can spread the floor with pick #11.  Michigan St PF Adreian Payne would seem to be the perfect fit for them at #11.  With their 2 2nd Rd picks, the Nuggets will be sure to target a 3 and D wing like NBDL star SF Thanasis Antetokounmpo and backup big that they can stash in the NBDL or Overseas for a few years.  UWGB C Alec Brown would be a solid get with at #56.

Minnesota Timberwolves (40-42)- SG, SF, 3 Pt Shooting (13, 40, 44, 53)
Everything the Timberwolves do this offseason revolves around one player: PF Kevin Love.  If/when they decide to trade him, the T'Wolves will likely add to their 4 picks that they already have in the 2014 draft.  (Note: The rest of this particular preview assumes Minnesota has traded Love)  Minnesota now has a glaring hole at the PF position and an identity crisis.  Do they build around enigmatic but talented PG Ricky Rubio, or do they blow the whole roster up and start over?  Minnesota will likely choose to build around Rubio, C NIkola Pekovic, and the pieces that they acquire from trading Love.  In that case the T'Wolves should look to add a SG who can shoot the 3 ball to offset Rubio's lack of an outside game.  A quality fit at #13 would be either Kentucky SG James Young or Duke SF Rodney Hood.  With their 3 2nd Rd picks, #'s 40, 44, and 53 overall, I'd look for the T'Wovles to add high upside players in hopes that 1 of the 3 becomes a quality starter in the NBA.  A few players who would fit that particular mold are Int'l SG Bogdan Bogdanovic, Syracuse PF Jerami Grant, and Int'l PF Clint Capela.

Phoenix Suns (48-34)- SF, PF (14, 18, 27, 50)
Coming into the 2013-2014 season, most NBA pundits had the Suns pegged as one of the worst teams in the NBA and a front runner in the Wiggins/Embiid/Parker sweepstakes.  But, career years from PG Goran Dragic, PG Eric Bledsoe, and SG Gerald Green pushed the Suns to 48 wins and a win shy of the 8 seed in the playoffs.  Going forward the Suns have a roster full of young/high upside players at nearly every position.  That isn't to say that the Suns roster is set going forward. Despite Gerald Green's career year at the 2, Phoenix's roster is devoid of a true Wing scorer.  There are a few options at picks #s 14 and 18 who could fill that role for the Suns going forward: Kentucky SF James Young, Duke SF Rodney Hood, NC St SF TJ Warren.  The Suns roster also lacks any sort of post presence on defense. A player like Int'l PF/C Clint Capela would seem to be a perfect fit for the Suns at pick #27.  

Dallas Mavericks (49-33)- SF, C (34, 51)
The Mavs were supposed to take a step back in 2014, but the addition of SG Monta Ellis proved to be much more substantial that anyone expected.  Ellis had his most efficient scoring season in nearly 5 years and took some of the scoring load away from the aging shoulders of future HOF PF Dirk Nowitzski. But it was not all good news in Dallas last season as they would ultimately fall in 6 games to the NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs, primarily due to a lack of front court depth and wing shooting.  Heading into the 2014 draft, the Mavs have just 2 2nd Rd picks, #'s 34 and 51 overall, and would do well to add a big body or 2 to bang in the paint against the likes of Tim Duncan and Dwight Howard.  Some players that the Mavs could be targeting include Michigan C Mitch McGary, Int'l PF Clint Capela, and Missouri SG Jabari Bird.

Memphis Grizzlies (50-32)- SG, SF, 3 Pt Shooting (22)
The Grizzlies have an aging roster that relies on it's team defense.  Outside of post scoring from bigs Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, the Grizzlies lack the necessary scoring punch to get them over the hump come playoff time.  Heading into this year's draft the Grizzlies should focus on adding a SF who can score the basketball and preferably one who can stroke it from deep.  With their 1st round pick, #22 overall, the Grizzlies should keep an eye on NC St. SF TJ Warren, Michigan SF Glenn Robinson III, and Washington SG CJ Wilcox.

Golden State Warriors (51-31)- Post Defense (N/A)
The Warriors traded their 2014 draft picks to the Utah Jazz in a salary dump that helped them clear cap space to sign SF Andre Iguodala.  They likely won't be making any picks in this year's draft and won't be making any significant offseason moves unless they are able to swing a deal for Minnesota Timberwolves PF Kevin Love.

Portland Trail Blazers (54-28)- C (N/A)
The Blazers traded their 2014 draft picks in a deal that brought SF Gerald Wallace (now a member of the Boston Celtics) over from the Charlotte Hornets.  The Blazers don't have any young and cheap players that would net them anything more than a 2nd rd pick.  Don't expect Portland to be making any selections in the 2014 draft.

Houston Rockets (54-28)- PG, PF (25, 42)
When things are going right for the Rockets, they are an offensive juggernaut.  But no matter how well things are going for the Rockets, they likely still aren't playing any defense.  They are particularly bad when the backcourt features PG Jeremy Lin and SG James Harden, who is arguably the worst defender in all of the NBA.  C Dwight Howard is still holding down the paint, but even he can't make up for the ole defense played by the Rockets perimeter players.  That's why with their 1st Rd pick, #25 overall, i look for the Rockets to do 1 of 2 things, draft a defensive minded PG like Missouri's Jordan Clarkson or draft a defensive minded wing like Wichita St. SF Cleanthony Early or Clemson SF KJ McDaniels.  With their 2nd Rd pick I look for the Rockets to draft a Stretch 4 to help spread the floor for Dwight Howard.  Stanford's Dwight Powell and Baylor's Isaiah Austin would be a good fits there.  (Of course this is all moot if the Rockets are able to make a deal for Kevin Love or Carmelo Anthony)

Los Angeles Clippers (57-25)- SF, Backup PG, C (28)
The Clippers are the quiet darkhorse in the potential Lebron James sweepstakes this offseason.  To land Lebron, the Clippers would have to trade both C Deandre Jordan and SG Jamal Crawford and would likely have to trade their 1st Rd pick, #28 overall, in a salary dump of SF Jared Dudley.  But in the likely event that Lebron either accepts his player option or signs elsewhere, the Clippers will look to address one of the few weaknesses on their roster.  Those weaknesses being a lack of a backup PG and C (after expected FA losses) and the lack of a true 3 and D SF.  Players to keep an eye on who would fit those needs respectively: Uconn PG Shabazz Napier, Int'l C Jusuf Nurkic, and Michigan SF Glenn Robinson III.

Oklahoma City Thunder (59-23)- SG, PF (21, 29)
The Thunder came up short yet again, as they fell in six games to the Spurs in the Western Conference finals.  That being said, there are plenty of things for the Thunder to be excited about going forward.  The continued development of Kevin Durant (2013-14 league MVP), Russell Westbrook remaining healthy throughout the playoffs, and the emergence of big man Steven Adams, allowing for the Thunder to finally get rid of C Kendrick Perkins.  Heading into the 2014 NBA draft, the Thunder have very few weaknesses to address.  Those weaknesses being lack of front court depth and wing defense, particularly with SG Thabo Sefolosha being a FA this offseason.  A couple of names to keep an eye on for their 2 1st rd picks in this year's draft, #'s 21 and 29 overall, are Clemson SF KJ McDaniels, Michigan C Mitch McGary, and Michigan SF Glenn Robinson III.

San Antonio Spurs (62-20)- SG, C (30, 58, 60)
Fresh off an NBA Championship, the Spurs don't really have any glaring weaknesses on their roster.  Well, that is of course unless 1 (or 2 or 3) of the Spurs Big 4 chooses to retire this offseason.  But, while not delving more into that hypothetical, the Spurs are sitting pretty heading into the 2014 Draft.  They could use a PG to backup Tony Parker with Patty Mills likely leaving as a FA.  They could also use another big to backup Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter.  But all that being said, don't expect the Spurs to draft purely based on need.  Also, a Spurs draft wouldn't be complete without drafting a Euro playing that they can stash overseas for a few years.  All in all, with their 1st Rd pick, #30 overall, the Spurs will likely target one of Michigan C Mitch McGary, Wichita St. SF Cleanthony Early, or Clemson SF KJ McDaniels.  With their 2 2nd Rd picks, I fully expect the Spurs to draft a stretch 4 like Baylor PF Isaiah Austin and a player that they can stash overseas for further seasoning.

Wrestling Lockup with Brandon, 6.24.14: WWE Raw


The last RAW before Money In The Bank took place last night in our nations capital, Washington D.C.
We now know the seven competitors that will face off in the ladder match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Tonight we will find out who will join Seth Rollins, in the traditional ladder match, for the briefcase containing a contract for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match anytime, anyplace.

- RAW kicked off with Stephanie McMahon calling out Vickie Guerrero. Steph blames Vickie for Roman Reigns getting into the World Title Ladder Match. Vickie promises her screw up won't happen again and apologizes. Stephanie says Vickie has been riding her late husband, Eddie's, coat tails for 9 years and the WWE had pity for her. Stephanie gives Vickie two options, get fired or fight for her job in a match against Steph later. Vickie accepts the match.

- Luke Harper vs. Jimmy Uso. Match closes with Jimmy hitting the ropes but gets distracted by Erick Rowan. Jimmy turns his attention back to Harper and catches a clothesline by Harper for the pinfall. After the match Jey Uso flies over the ropes onto The Wyatt Family and we have match two of The Usos vs The Wyatts.

- Erick Rowan vs. Jey Uso. Match closes with Rowan charging Jey but catches all ring post as Jey moves. Jey then connects with a superkick. Jey climbs the ropes and leaps off the top with a splash for the pinfall. The Wyatts attack The Usos after the match and lay the champs out. The Wyatts pose with the tag titles as Bray Wyatt appears on the titantron and says that he's proud of his boys and this Sunday when it's over The Wyatts will be united and roam the earth as giants.

- Naomi vs Alicia Fox. Naomi connects with her finisher and scores the pinfall. WWE Divas Champion, Paige, shakes Naomi's hand after the match

- Titus O'Neal vs. Bo Dallas. Match closes with Bo getting whipped into the corner. Bo moves as Titus charges and hits the "Bo-Dog" for the pinfall. Bo is now 9 and Bo.

- Triple H arrives to announce who will be joining Seth Rollins in the traditional ladder match for the briefcase containing a contract for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match. The participants are Seth Rollins, Kofi Kingston, Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler, Bad News Barrett and Rob Van Dam. Seth Rollins comes out and talks about turning on The Shield, how he created The Shield, he's moved on and the WWE Universe should thank him. RVD interrupts with his opinion, talks about injuring Triple H at the first Elimination Chamber Match, winning Money in the Bank once and winning the WWE Title afterwards. Triple H sets up a match between Rollins and RVD.

- Seth Rollins vs Rob Van Dam. Match closes out with RVD going for the "5 Star Frog Splash". Rollins moves and connects with his turn buckle power bomb and the "Curb Stomp". Dean Ambrose hits the ring and attacks Rollins. Referees rush the ring to seperate both men. Ambrose tells Triple H to put him in the ladder match and if he doesn't he'll interfere, smash Rollins' face and take the briefcase.

- "Intercontinental Championship Match": Bad News Barrett (c) vs Dolph Ziggler. Match closes with Ziggler leaping at Barrett and taking a "Bull hammer" in mid air. Barrett scores the pinfall and retains the IC Title.

- Vickie Guerrero vs Stephanie McMahon. Stephanie tells Vickie that she will be fighting Alicia Fox, Layla and Rosa in the match and it'll be a match where you win by throwing your opponent into a pool of some substance. Vickie ends up throwing all three in and celebrates. Steph sneaks up behind Vickie and throws her in the pool. Steph fires Vickie. Vickie shoves Steph into the pool and does the Eddie Guerrero strut and salutes her deceased husband.

- Jack Swagger vs Kofi Kingston. Match closes out with Swagger making Kingston tap to the "Patriot Lock".

- Damien Sandow vs Big E. Match closes with Big E hitting the "Big Ending" for the pinfall. After the match Big E says he's sick of Rusev and challenges him. Rusev comes out and attacks Big E, then locks in "The Accolade".

- "4 on 3 Handicap Match": Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt, Alberto Del Rio and Cesaro vs John Cena, Sheamus and Roman Reigns. Match closes with Cena hitting "AA" on Orton and Del Rio, Cesaro hits his tossing uppercut to Cena. Sheamus hits Cesaro with the "Brogue Kick" for the pinfall. After the match Kane arrives and throws Reigns into the barricade, then choke slams Del
Rio, Sheamus and Cena. Triple H arrives and announces that Kane has been added to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match at Money in the Bank. Just as Kane goes to do his pyro he eats a spear by Reigns. Reigns stares down Orton and Triple H to close RAW.

And that wraps up another edition of Wrestling Lockup with Brandon. I will be back Saturday afternoon for the SmackDown recap until then, tap or snap.

Monday, June 23, 2014

TV Tonight 6.23.14


MLB
Nationals @ Brewers (ESPN 2, 8 PM)

NBA
NBA TV Draft HQ (NBA TV, 9 PM)

NFL
A Football Life: Barry Sanders (NFL Network, 9 PM)

OTHER SPORTS
College Baseball: NCAA World Series, Game 1, Virginia vs. Vanderbilt

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WWE Raw (USA, 8 PM)
Last Comic Standing (NBC, 8 PM)
The Bachelorette (ABC, 8 PM)
MasterChef (FOX, 8 PM)
Whose Line Is It Anyway? (The CW, 8 & 8:30 PM)

24: Live Another Day (FOX, 9 PM)
American Ninja Warrior (NBC, 9 PM)
Beauty And The Beast (The CW, 9 PM)
Major Crimes (TNT, 9 PM)

Teen Wolf, SEASON PREMIERE (MTV, 10 PM)
Murder In The First (TNT, 10 PM)
Mistresses (ABC, 10 PM)
CeeLo Green's The Good Life, SERIES PREMIERE (TBS, 10:30 PM)
The Boondocks (Cartoon Network, 10:30 pm)

2014 NBA Draft Preview: Eastern Conference


All credit goes to guest writer, Nick Schwalbach. Follow him at @Lookin4Strage and visit his site Brew City Breakdown for more.

Cleveland Cavaliers (33-49)- SG, SF, C (1, 33)
After a disappointing year in which PG Kyrie Irving seemingly failed to get any better, 2013 #1 overall pick Anthony Bennett ate his way into the D-League, and C Andrew Bynum played like, well, Andrew Bynum, the Cavaliers somehow beat the odds once again and landed the #1 overall pick in the 2014 draft.  The Cavs will likely choose between 1 of 3 players: Kansas C Joel Embiid, Kansas SF Andrew Wiggins, and Duke SF Jabari Parker.  You could argue any of the 3 players without receiving too much flack from anyone, but ultimately I think if Embiid's back clears Cavs medical testing, he will be the pick.  Well, that is unless Cavs Owner Dan Gilbert gets in the way of new Cavs GM David Griffin doing his job.  Gilbert will pound the table for Parker because he is the most NBA ready of the 3.  With their 2nd rd pick, #33 overall, I'd look for the Cavs too add a 3 and D wing like Michigan SF Glenn Robinson III or Oklahoma St SG Markel Brown.

Milwaukee Bucks (15-67) SG, PF, C (2, 31, 36, 48)

Coming into the 2013-14 season, many had pegged the Bucks for yet another year of mediocrity and one of the final playoff spots in the East.  That was hardly the case as the Bucks finished with the leagues worst record and now find themselves with the #2 pick in the draft.  The Bucks have some nice young pieces to build around, most notably SF Giannis Antetokounmpo, combo G Brandon Knight, and C Larry Sanders.  Assuming that Kansas C Joel Embiid goes #1 to the Cavs, the Bucks will likely decide between Duke SF Jabari Parker and Kansas SF Andrew Wiggins.  Either player will be an instant upgrade on the wing, with Parker being the more NBA ready of the 2.  In the 2nd round look for the Bucks to add depth to their front court and International players that they can stash in Europe for a few years.

Philadelphia 76ers (19-63)- SG, SF (3, 10, 32, 39, 52, 54)
The 76ers had no qualms about tanking in the 2013-14 season, even tying the NBA record with 27 consecutive losses.  That is not to say that there isn't any reason for optimism in Philly.  2013 1st rd pick PG Michael Carter-Williams was voted the rookie of the year after a season in which he averaged 17 pts 6 rebounds and 6 assists.  Fellow 2013 1st rdr C Nerlens Noel was hurt all year but figures to be a dominant defensive big man for years too come.  The Sixers have a dearth of picks in this draft, including 2 in the top 10.  I have a hunch that at pick #3, the Sixers have very little interest in Duke SF Jabari Parker.  If Embiid goes to #1 to the Cavs, I expect the Sixers to offer the Bucks picks #3 and #10 for the 2nd overall pick to draft Kansas SF Andrew Wiggins.  If the Sixers can't get a deal done with the Bucks, I could see the Sixers drafting Dante Exum and proceeding to trade MCW.  As far as the 2nd round is concerned, I expect the Sixers to draft high upside and international players that they can stash in both the NBDL and Europe respectively.

Orlando Magic (23-59)- PG, PF (4, 12)

For the 2nd consecutive season, the Magic failed to win 25 games and find themselves with a top 5 pick once again.  The Magic have some nice young pieces to build around including C Nikola Vucevic, SG Aaron Afflalo, SF/PF Tobias Harris, and 2013 #2 overall pick SG Victor Oladipo, who finished 2nd in the Rookie of The Year voting.  Coming into the 2014 draft, the Magic have 2 1st rd picks, #4 and #12.  With the 4th overall pick, I fully expect the Magic to be choose a PG, particularly either Int'l Combo PG Dante Exum or Oklahoma St PG Marcus Smart.  Exum is widely regarded as the better prospect, but it is important to remember that the Magic would likely have take Smart with the 2nd overall pick in the 2013 draft had he kept his name in it.  With the 12th overall pick, I see the Magic targeting a young wing player who can replace Afflalo once his contract expires next season.  Names to watch at #12 would be Kentucky Wing James Young and Duke Wing Rodney Hood.

Boston Celtics (25-57)- SG, PF, C (6, 17)
The Celtics had one of there worst seasons in recent memory in 2013-14, winning fewer than 30 games for only the 2nd times in the last 15 yrs.  Further problems lay ahead for the Celtics including bad the bad contracts of SF's Gerald Wallace and Jeff Green, and PF Brandon Bass combining for roughly $27 million next season and $20 million the season after that.  Despite these problems, their are plenty of reasons to be optimistic moving forward if you are a Celtics fan.  First off is Minnesota Twolve's PF Kevin Love's apparent interest in playing in Boston.  Packaging their 2 first round picks this year with future picks,  SF Gerald Wallace, and PF Jared Sullinger would likely be enough to get a trade done to land the superstar PF.  Combine him with Rajon Rondo and you have the makings of a solid young team in Boston.  If the Celtics were unable to make a deal for Love, I would look for the Celtics to draft one of the 2 young/mature PF's who would likely be available at #6 overall: Kentucky PF Julius Randle or Arizona PF Aaron Gordon.  Rumors have been floating around that Celtics GM Danny Ainge prefers the uber athletic Gordon.  With their 2nd pick in the 1st rd, #17 overall, I would look for the Celtics to upgrade their wing scoring, particularly at the 2 guard.  The Celtics would like it if one of Michigan SG Nik Stauskas or Michigan St SG Gary Harris would slip to them, but they would likely settle for a SF like Kentucky's James Young or Duke's Rodney Hood.

Atlanta Hawks (38-44)- SG, SF (15, 43)
Despite losing their best player, C Al Horford, to a season ending injury just 29 games into the season, the Hawks were able to hold off the Knicks and land the 8th seed in the East.  The Hawks were able to parlay career yr's from players like PG Jeff Teague, SF Demare Carroll, and newly acquired PF Paul Millsap into a 6 gm series loss to eventual Eastern Conference finalist Indiana Pacers.  Unfortunately for the Hawks, because they made the playoffs their 2014 draft position suffered, settling for the #15 and #43 picks in the 1st and 2nd rds respectively.  With the 15th overall pick, I'd look for the Hawks to address their #1 area of weakness: Wing legnth and Scoring.  Look for them to target players like Kentucky's SF James Young,  Duke's SF Rodney Hood, or draft wildcard UCLA's SF Kyle Anderson.  With their 2nd rd pick, I'd look for the Hawks to add size and length to their frontcourt (particularly at the 4).  A player like Stanford PF Dwight Powell or Tennessee PF Jarnell Stokes would be ideal fits in Atlanta. 


Chicago Bulls (48-34)- PG, SF, C (16, 19, 49)
         
Another season brought yet another knee injury to former MVP PG Derrick Rose, but Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau worked another miracle to get the Bulls back into the playoffs once again.  The Bulls front office may decide to draft a PG with one of their 2 1st round selections to  hedge their bets against yet another Rose injury.  If this is the case look for Bulls to take a hard look at Syracuse PG Tyer Ennis or UL-Lafayette PG Elfrid Payton at #16.  At pick #19 the Bulls could look to address weakness on their roster, the ability to score the basketball.  A player like Duke SF Rodney Hood or NC State SF TJ Warren would help solve that problem.

Toronto Raptors (48-34)- PG, PF (20, 37, 59)
        
Most pundits had the Raptors winning 38-40 games and fighting for the one of the final playoff spots in the East.  But career yrs from PG Kyle Lowry and SG Demar Derozan pushed the Raptors forward to 48 wins and the 3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.  The Raptors would ultimately fall in 7 games to the Nets in the 1st rd of the playoffs.  Despite all of this, the Raptors have a roster that's in flux this offseason.  Superstar Kyle Lowry, PG Greivis Vasquez, and PF Amir Johnson are free agents that may be hard to retain. (particularly lowry).  That being said, with their 1st Rd pick, #20 overall, I would look for the Raptors to draft a PG like Syracuse's Tyler Ennis or UL-Lafayette's Elfrid Payton to hedge their bets against Lowry leaving in Free Agency.  With their 2 picks in the 2nd Rd, I would look for the Raptors to draft a defensive minded PF like UNLV's Khem Birch and a backup C like Int'l big man, 7'3" 260 lbs, Walter Tavares.  Both players would add size and length to a Raptors roster that currently lacks it.

Detroit Pistons (29-53) SF, Stretch PF, 3 Pt Shooting
The Pistons took a big risk by signing SF/PF Josh Smith to a 4 yr $52 million last offseason, but that move backfired as he was a poor fit with the young Detroit front line of PF Greg Monroe and C Andre Drummond.  Heading into the 2014 draft, the Pistons may be best off trading Monroe for a high draft pick that they can turn into a Stretch PF that would compliment the interior play of both Smith and Drummond.  The backcourt of the future seems to be set with both PG Brandon Jennings and 2013 #8 overall pick SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.  As it stands the Pistons only have a 2nd Rd pick, #38 overall, with which I would look for the Pistons to draft a SF or PF who can shoot the 3 ball and stretch the floor for both Smith and Drummond.

New York Knicks (37-45)- PG, PF (N/A)
After a year in which the Knicks failed to come close to their preseason expectations, the Knicks are in rough shape this offseason.  The Knicks lack any sort of cap flexibility to make any additions to upgrade the teams roster.  Furthermore the Knicks do not have any picks in this year's draft and have no valuable/affordable trade pieces to acquire picks to add to a lacksluster and aging roster.  Unless they are willing to trade a future 1st rd pick for a late first rd or early 2nd rd pick, the Knicks will be quiet on draft night.

Brooklyn Nets (44-38)- SF, Youth (N/A)

Last years trade to acquire Paul Piece, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry from the Celtics has stripped the Nets of their picks in this year’s draft.  With no valuable/affordable trade pieces at their disposal, the Nets will not be making any picks in this year’s draft.

Washington Wizards (44-38)- PF, Post Defense (46)
The Wizards had a breakthrough season in 2013-14, winning 44 games en route to a 5 seed in the playoffs.  They would win their opening round series against the Bulls, but fall to the Pacers in the 2nd round.  The backcourt of PG John Wall and SG Bradley Beal proved to be one of the best young backcourts in the league and should have Wizard fans excited for the future.  The jury is still out on the 3rd overall pick in the 2013 draft, SF Otto Porter, who hardly looked like an NBA player in the few minutes he played last season.  The Wizards only have their 2nd rd pick (#46 overall) this year, after trading their 1st rd pick to the Suns in the deal that brought Marcin Gortat to Washington.  Look for the Wizards to address their lack of front depth, particularly a defensive big man.

Indiana Pacers (56-26)- PG, Wing (57)       
It was an odd year for the Indiana Pacers.  For much of the first 50 games, the Pacers were regarded as the best team in the NBA.  For reasons unknown to most, things went downhill fast for the Pacers in the 2nd half eventually leading them to be ousted in 6 games in the Eastern Conference finals by the Miami Heat.  It's going to be hard for the Pacers to drastically improve this offseason as they are cash strapped (resigning Lance Stephenson being the #1 priority) and do not have any 1st rd picks to speak of.  With their only pick being in the 2nd rd, #57 overall, id look for the Pacers to draft a wing who can shoot it from deep or add a European player who they can stash in Europe for a few years to develop.

Miami Heat (54-28)- SG, PF, Post defense (26, 55)
As of this writing, the Heat are matched up with the Spurs in the NBA finals for the 2nd consecutive yr.   They still have the best player in the world in SF Lebron James and surround him with 2 strong veterans in SG Dwayne Wade and C Chris Bosh.  The rest of the Heat roster is filled mostly with solid role players whom are on short term contracts, so they will be looking for cheap players to fill those roster spots.  One area of concern heading into the 2014-15 season will likely be the backup SG role that has largely been filled by future HOF'er Ray Allen.  He is on the last yr of his contract and will likely retire at the end of this season.  With their 1st rd pick, #26 overall, the Heat could look to address this weakness by adding a SG like NBDL star PJ Hairston, UCLA's Jordan Adams, or even Washington's CJ Wilcox.  The other area of concern heading into next yr will be post defense.  With backup C Chris "Birdman" Anderson being the only big with a contract next season, (other than Bosh) the Heat could look to add a big body to bang in the paint, particularly against C Roy Hibbert and the Indiana Pacers.   A name to look out for at pick #26 is Croatian Jusuf Nurkic and and at #55 overall a player like LSU PF/C Johnny O'Bryant would seem to be a solid fit.

Leadoff with Lee 6.23.14


Y'all been waiting for the return? A new Leadoff With Lee? Well, here we go!

-Carmelo Anthony is leaving New York, he ain't coming back. Anthony, 30, has informed the New York Knicks that he will opt out of his contract and become a free agent. There are many rumors saying that LeBron James will stay in Miami and the big 3 will take a pay cut to take on Carmelo. We shall see how this one plays out, as Chicago, Dallas and Houston are also in play.

-There have been new teams, but not much movement on the Kevin Love trade front. Denver, Golden State and the Los Angeles Lakers have suggested offers, and even a 3 way trade in the Lakers case to acquire the All-Star power forward. Perhaps he gets traded on draft night this Thursday? Perhaps during the start of free agency in July? Or maybe not until the trade deadline in February. Who knows at this point what Minnesota will settle for.

-Kyrie Irving will still be in C-Town...I have been told he will take his this city and draft pick to get some free agents on the budget ,

-Bitter and short. The Indians blew an opportunity to inch closer to the Detroit Tigers this weekend by getting swept. Shameful.

I don't want to talk Tribe or Browns at this point because I have more about the Browns, Tribe to come this week. More info and updates when news breaks to me.

-The United States Men's National Team ended up in a draw Sunday afternoon against Portugal at 2-2. The U.S. gave up the game tying goal with less than 30 seconds left in stoppage time. For the U.S. to advance in the World Cup, they will need to win or draw vs Germany on Thursday morning (11:30 AM). But if they lose to Germany, they can advance with a Ghana/Portugal draw or have the goal differential tiebreaker over the Ghana/Portugal winner.

-US Women's soccer star Hope Solo was arrested over the weekend after an alleged domestic disturbance at her home involving her sister and 17 year old nephew. She's currently being held without bail, pending charges of domestic assault. In 2012, her husband, former Seattle Seahawks player Jerramy Stevans, was arrested on domestic violence the day before the couple's wedding.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

TV Tonight 6.22.14


FIFA WORLD CUP SOCCER
South Korea vs. Algeria (ABC, 3 PM)
United States vs. Portugal (ESPN, 5:30 PM)
World Cup Tonight (ESPN 2, 9 PM)

MLB
Rangers @ Angels (ESPN, 8 PM)

GOLF
2014 U.S. Women's Open, Final Round (NBC, 3 PM)
PGA Tour: Travelers Championship, Final Round (CBS, 3 PM)

OTHER SPORTS
WNBA: San Antonio Stars @ Los Angeles Sparks (NBA TV, 3:30 PM)
WNBA: Indiana Fever @ Minnesota Lynx (NBA TV, 7 PM)
WNBA: Washington Mystics @ Seattle Storm (NBA TV, 9 PM)
Racing: GP2 Series - Austria, Race 2 (NBC Sports, 7 PM)

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American Ninja Warrior (NBC, 7 PM)
Wipeout (ABC, 7 PM)
Enlisted (FOX, 7 PM)

True Blood, SEASON PREMIERE (HBO, 9 PM)
America's Got Talent (NBC, 9 PM)
Rising Star, SERIES PREMIERE (ABC, 9 PM)
The Last Ship, SERIES PREMIERE (TNT, 9 PM)
Nurse Jackie (Showtime, 9 PM)
Californication (Showtime, 9:30 PM)

Falling Skies, SEASON PREMIERE (TNT, 10 PM)
Penny Dreadful (Showtime, 10 PM)
Salem (WGN, 10 PM)
Halt And Catch Fire (AMC, 10 PM)

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO, 11:30 PM)

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Wrestling Lockup with Brandon, 6.21.14: WWE Smackdown


Money in the Bank's main event is now set in stone. The WWE World Heavyweight Championship will be hung from the rafters of the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The first superstar to climb the ladder and bring down the title will be the new face of the WWE. The Money in the Bank World Heavyweight Championship Match will feature, Boston native John Cena, Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt, Sheamus, Cesaro, Alberto Del Rio and Roman Reigns.

This past week on WWE Main Event, Seth Rollins, made it known that there will also be a second traditional Money in the Bank ladder match.

This one with the first superstar to climb the ladder and bring down the briefcase will be the winner. Now what is in the briefcase? Long time fans know but for any noobies of wrestling I will answer that for you. The briefcase contains a contract to have a WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match anytime, anyplace. Many superstars of the past have capitalized off this and have gone on to be main eventers in the company after winning this prestigious ladder match.
Now on to this week's Smackdown recap. More build up to the Money in the Bank event as Smackdown aired last night.

- Smackdown kicked off with John Cena, Randy Orton, Cesaro, Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio and Roman Reigns all talking about them being the ones that will win Money in the Bank. A brawl breaks out between the six of the seven competitors in the ladder match which ends with Cena standing alone.

- Seth Rollins vs Kofi Kingston. Match closes with Kofi going for "Trouble in Paradise" but Rollins ducks. Rollins hits the turn buckle power bomb then a "Curb Stomp" for the pinfall. After the match Dean Ambrose interrupts Rollins after Rollins guarantees victory at Money In The Bank. Ambrose tells Rollins he should worry about Ambrose getting his hands on him any night. Rollins says Ambrose needs to worry about Kane tonight. Ambrose says he plans on sending Rollins and Kane both to hell.

- Bad News Barrett vs Dolph Ziggler. Match closes with Barrett going for a power bomb on Ziggler. Ziggler counters and rolls Barrett up for the pinfall.

- Titus O'Neil vs Adam Rose #1. Match closes with O'Neil going for a clothesline and Rose ducking. Rose with the pinfall rollup.

- Titus O'Neil vs Adam Rose #2. O'Neil says he wasn't ready and talks Rose into giving him a rematch. Match closes with Rose ducking another O'Neil charge and scoring another pinfall rollup.

- Dean Ambrose vs Kane. Match closes with Ambrose suicide diving onto Kane on the floor then attacks Seth Rollins who's at ringside. Ambrose is distracted by Rollins long enough for Kane to regroup and choke slam Ambrose for the pinfall. After the match Rollins attacks Ambrose and hits a "Curb Stomp".

- Jack Swagger vs Big E. Match closes with Big E dodging a Swagger splash and hitting the "Big Ending" for the pinfall.

- Bo Dallas vs Fandango. Match closes with Fandango getting caught in between Layla and Summer Rae's fighting. Fandango gets hit with the "Bo-Dog" by Dallas for the pinfall.

- "4 on 3 Handicap Match": Randy Orton, Cesaro, Alberto Del Rio and Bray Wyatt vs Sheamus, John Cena and Roman Reigns. Match closes with Del Rio going for the cross arm breaker on Reigns but Reigns shoves him off. Reigns nails the spear on Del Rio afterwards for the pinfall.
Reigns, Cena and Sheamus celebrate as Smackdown closes out.

And that closes out this edition of Wrestling Lockup. I will return Tuesday with RAW recap. Till then, tap or snap

Friday, June 20, 2014

TV Weekend 6.20.14 - 6.21.14


FIFA WORLD CUP SOCCER
Honduras vs. Ecuador (Friday, ESPN, 6 PM)
World Cup Tonight (Friday, ESPN 2, 9:30 PM)

Argentina vs. Iran (Saturday, ESPN, 12 PM)
Germany vs. Ghana (Saturday, ESPN, 3 PM)
Nigeria vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina (Saturday, ESPN, 6 PM)
World Cup Tonight (Saturday, ESPN 2, 9:30 PM)

MLB
Tigers @ Indians (Friday, WKYC/NBC, STO, 7 PM)
Orioles @ Yankees (Friday, MLB Network, 7:00 PM)

Tigers @ Indians OR Pirates @ Cubs OR Braves @ Nationals (Saturday, FOX, 7 PM)

GOLF
2014 U.S. Women's Open, Second Round (Friday, ESPN, 3 PM)

2014 U.S. Women's Open, Third Round (Saturday, NBC, 3 PM)
PGA Tour: Travelers Championship, Third Round (Saturday, CBS, 3 PM)

NBA
Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals (Friday, NBA TV, 9 PM)

NBA Inside Stuff (Saturday, NBA TV, 12 PM)
The Dream Team (Saturday, NBA TV, 8 PM)

OTHER SPORTS
College Baseball: NCAA World Series (Friday, ESPN, 8 PM)
MLL Lacrosse: Rochester Rattlers @ Florida Launch (Friday, CBS SportsNet, 7:30 PM)
Volleyball: FIVB World League (Friday, NBC Sports, 8 PM)

NASCAR: Nationwide Series, Gardner Denver 200, Qualifying (Saturday, ESPN 2, 11:30 AM)
College Baseball: NCAA World Series (Saturday, ESPN 2, 3 PM)
Arena Football: Cleveland Gladiators @ Philadelphia Soul (Saturday, CBS SportsNet, 6 PM)
NHRA Drag Racing: Auto-Plus New England Nationals, Qualifying (Saturday, ESPN 2, 7 PM)
MMA: GLORY 17: Los Angeles, Mirko Cro Cop vs. Sergei Kharitonov (Saturday, SPIKE, 8 PM)
College Baseball: NCAA World Series (Saturday, ESPN, 8 PM)
Boxing: Anatolly Dudchenko vs. Nadjib Mohammedi (Saturday, NBC Sports, 8 PM)
ARCA Series Racing: Akona 250 (Saturday, CBS SportsNet, 9 PM)
Boxing: Robert Guerrero vs. Yoshihiro Kamegai (Saturday, Showtime, 10 PM)

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WWE Friday Night Smackdown (Friday, SyFy, 8 PM)

I Love The 2000s, 2006 (Friday, VH1, 9 PM)
Primetime: What Would You Do? (Friday, ABC, 9 PM)

I Love The 2000s, 2007 (Friday, VH1, 10 PM)
Crossbones (Friday, NBC, 10 PM)


Crisis (Saturday, NBC, 8 PM)
Bet On Your Baby (Saturday, ABC, 8 PM)

I Love The 2000s, 2008 (Saturday, VH1, 9 PM)
Power (Saturday, STARZ, 9 PM)
Orphan Black, SEASON FINALE (Saturday, BBC America, 9 PM)
Crisis (Saturday, NBC, 9 PM)
The Assets (Saturday, ABC, 9 PM)

I Love The 2000s, 2009 (Saturday, VH1, 10 PM)

Wrestling Lockup with Brandon, 6.20.14: TNA Impact


Wrestling Lockup with Brandon is upon us again with the TNA Impact recap. One of the top stories going into tonight's show is the angle that has currently started on Twitter at the beginning of the week. ECW Hardcore Legend, Tommy Dreamer, made comments toward
Dixie Carter, running Dixie down, due to Dixie not letting Bully Ray compete at Dreamer's House of Hardcore show this past weekend. Dreamer and Bully Ray told fans to harrass Dixie on Twitter about the whole ordeal. Bully even offered to pose for pictures with anyone who had a House of Hardcore ticket at TNA live events.

Dixie Carter went to Twitter herself and made the following announcement: “After the success of #Slammiversary, I want to address @TheTommyDreamer. You ran your mouth to your “horde of hardcore” fans and on Twitter, I’m inviting @THETOMMYDREAMER and his “horde of hardcores” to come to Bethlehem, PA for #ImpactLIVE this Thursday!“
Tommy Dreamer's response?: "Thanks for all your Tweets.See you Thursday @TNADixie @IMPACTWRESTLING @SpikeTV @HouseofHardcore LIVE HARDCORE PIPE BOMBS #RAW"

- Impact was live in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The show kicked off with MVP calling out Eric Young because he felt what happened at Slammiversary was a travesty. Eric Young says he is still a champion to believe in. MVP and EY continue to verbally argue to the point where EY is ready to attack MVP. MVP accuses EY of being that type of guy to attack an injured man instead of fair competition. Kenny King demands a shot at EY. MVP approves as a referee heads to the ring and we have a TNA World Title Match to kick off Impact.

- TNA World Heavyweight Championship: Eric Young (c) vs Kenny King. Samoa Joe, Austin Aries and The Wolves come down to ringside during the match for support for EY, as MVP and Bobby Lashley are present. Match closes with King going for the "Royal Flush" but EY sneaks out and small packages King for the pinfall to retain the TNA World Title.

- MVP flips out after the match. MVP slaps the timekeeper, accusing him of ringing the bell early cause King kicked out at two. Joe, Aries and The Wolves brawl with Lashley and King until TNA officials run out to control the chaos. MVP says everyone accuses him of power abuse so that's what he'll do. MVP announces another TNA World Title Match tonight with Eric Young defending against Bobby Lashley, The Wolves will defend their TNA World Tag Titles against Joe and Aries and a third team in a "Triple Threat Match" and then fires referee Earl Hebner for his actions at Slammiversary.

- "Triple Threat Match", TNA World Tag Team Championship: The Wolves (c) vs Samoa Joe and Austin Aries vs Jeff "Willow" Hardy and Abyss.Match closes with The Wolves hitting Hardy with an elevated backcracker for the pinfall to retain the tag titles.

- MVP abuses more power as he kicks Joe and Aries out of the building, then announces The Wolves will again defend the TNA World Tag Titles later against Magnus and Bram.

- Dixie Carter and Tommy Dreamer meet face to face in the ring. They discuss their Twitter war. Dreamer comments on the bad direction Dixie has taken the company, the family values of wrestling, how he and Dixie met and how Dixie should listen to the fans and do the right thing. Dixie looks like she's seen the light as she hugs Dreamer. Dixie fools everyone as she knees Dreamer in the family jewels and Rockstar Spud and Ethan Carter III attack Dreamer.

- Kurt Angle arrives and tells Lashley and King he wants to talk to MVP.

- TNA World Tag Team Championship: The Wolves (c) vs Magnus and Bram. The match closes with Magnus and Bram attacking The Wolves with chairs until Jeff Hardy and Abyss make the save.

- Backstage, MVP makes Brian Hebner the referee in the world title match later and tells him to count the three on EY. We then find out Magnus and Bram were paid off to attack The Wolves. Hardy and Abyss attack Magnus and Bram from behind.

- Gail Kim welcomes Taryn Terrell back to TNA and they hint at another match against each other. The Beautiful People interrupt and a fight breaks out. Kim and Terrell gain the upper hand and clear BP from the ring.

- MVP confronts Kurt Angle backstage and a verbal argument breaks out. Kenny King gets knocked out by Angle. MVP flips out and kicks Angle, all the backstage crew, the camera men and even Jeremy Borash out of the building.

- TNA World Heavyweight Championship: Eric Young (c) vs Bobby Lashley. Match closes with EY hitting the piledriver, however, Kenny King pulls referee Hebner out of the ring, stopping the pinfall. Lashley accidentally hits King and EY hits Lashley. EY misses the elbow from the top rope then eats a spear from Lashley. Lashley covers for the pinfall and Bobby Lashley is the NEW TNA World Heavyweight Champion. MVP, King and Lashley attack EY after the match until Bobby Roode comes out of the crowd to make the save. Impact closes with Roode daring the trio to fight him.

And that closes out this week's Impact recap. Be here again next Friday afternoon for another recap for TNA Impact. Till then, tap or snap!

Thursday, June 19, 2014

TV Tonight 6.19.14


MLB
Braves @ Nationals OR Mets @ Marlins (MLB Network, 7 PM)

FIFA WORLD CUP SOCCER
Japan vs. Greece (ESPN, 5:30 PM)

OTHER SPORTS
Golf: U.S. Women's Open Championship, First Round (ESPN 2, 3 PM)
College Baseball: NCAA World Series, Mississippi vs. Texas Christian (ESPN, 8 PM)

===

The 4th Annual Critics' Choice Television Awards (The CW, 8 PM)
Hollywood Game Night (NBC, 8 PM)
Black Box (ABC, 8 PM)
Hell's Kitchen (FOX, 8 PM)
Defiance (SyFy, 8 PM)

I Love The 2000s, 2004 (VH1, 9 PM)
TNA iMPACT Wrestling (SPIKE, 9 PM)
Undateable (NBC, 9 & 9:30 PM)
Gang Related (FOX, 9 PM)
Dominion (SyFy, 9 PM)

I Love The 2000s, 2005 (VH1, 10 PM)
Last Comic Standing (NBC, 10 PM)
The Challenge: Free Agents (MTV, 10 PM)
Party Down South (CMT, 10 PM)

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

TV Tonight 6.18.14


MLB
Angels @ Indians (STO/ESPN 2, 7 PM)

FIFA WORLD CUP SOCCER
Cameroon vs Croatia (ESPN, 5:30 PM)

NFL
The Top 100 Players of 2014, 40-31 (NFL Network, 9 PM)

OTHER SPORTS
College Baseball: NCAA World Series, Texas vs. UC Irvine (ESPN, 8 PM)
Racing: World of Outlaws STP Sprint Cars (CBS SportsNet, 7 PM)
Motorcycle Racing: Pro Motocross Championship Series: Glen Helen (NBC Sports, 9 PM)

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So You Think You Can Dance (FOX, 8 PM)

I Love The 2000s, 2002 (VH1, 9 PM)
Suits (USA, 9 PM)

I Love The 2000s, 2003 (VH1, 10 PM)
Graceland (USA, 10 PM)
Motive (ABC, 10 PM)
Catfish: The TV Show (MTV, 10 PM)

Guy Code (MTV 2, 11 PM)

Woman Crush Wednesday 6.18.14: Emily Ratajkowski #WCW





The Raven Report: 6.18.14


Welcome to the first ever Raven Report! This is a new addition to our site where I, Raven or better known as @nevarwilliams will chime in with sports news, entertainment news and whatever tidbits I feel like speaking on. So with the introduction out of the way…..


The power that is Mike Trout bashed the Cleveland Indians last night, as he led the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to a 9-3 win Tuesday night. Trout had 3 hits, two of which were home runs, 4 RBI and scored 2 runs in 5 at bats. The brunt of the punishment was taken by Indians starting pitcher Josh Tomlin. Through 5.1 innings, Tomlin surrendered 11 hits, 6 runs (5 earned), while only having 4 strikeouts. The loss brings the Indians back to .500 at 36-36 on the season. Game 3 of this 4 game series will pickup tonight at 7 PM.

Johnny Manziel agreed to terms with the Browns Tuesday. The rookie agreed to a 4-year contract. Terms were not released, but using the NFL rookie wage scale, it is projected that the deal is to be worth about $8.25 million.

The Browns released wide receiver Earl Bennett yesterday, just one month after signing a one-year, $730K deal. Perhaps the Browns have some good news about Josh Gordon coming soon…?

Former Browns cornerback Eric Wright announced his retirement at age 28. Wright played with Cleveland, the Detroit Lions and the San Francisco 49ers in his career.

Quick FIFA World Cup recap: Belgium beat Algeria 2-1, Brazil tied with Mexico 0-0 and Russia tied with South Korea 1-1. Today's games will see Australia vs. Netherlands (Noon), Spain vs. Chile (3 PM) and Cameroon vs. Croatia (6 PM).

In World news, the United States captured Ahmed Abu Khattala, who is the suspected ringleader of the attack in Benghazi.

Lastly, music group OK Go released a fascinating and highly entertaining video for their song "The Writings On The Wall". Using visual tricks, it reminds people of Salvador Dali and Felice Varini. Check it out below!


Tuesday, June 17, 2014

TV Tonight 6.17.14


MLB
Angels @ Indians (STO, 7 PM)
Royals @ Tigers OR Phillies @ Braves (MLB Network, 7 PM)
Cubs @ Marlins (WGN, 7 PM)

FIFA WORLD CUP SOCCER
Russia vs. Korea Republic (ESPN, 5:30 PM)

OTHER SPORTS
COLLEGE BASEBALL: NCAA World Series, Texas Christian vs Virginia

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America's Got Talent (NBC, 8 PM)
Extreme Weight Loss (ABC, 8 PM)

I Love The 2000s, 2000 (VH1, 9 PM)
The Wil Wheaton Project (SyFy, 9 PM)
Royal Pains (USA, 9 PM)
Rizzoli & Isles, SEASON PREMIERE (TNT, 9 PM)

I Love The 2000s, 2001 (VH!, 10 PM)
The Night Shift (NBC, 10 PM)
Fargo, SEASON FINALE (FX, 10 PM)
Heroes Of Cosplay (SyFy, 10 PM)
Perception (TNT, 10 PM)
Playing House (USA Network, 10 PM)
Awkward (MTV, 10 PM)