Two Australian radio announcers who made a prank call to a British hospital treating Prince William's pregnant wife Kate broke a three-day silence on Monday to speak of their distress at the apparent suicide of the nurse who took their call.
The 2DayFM Sydney-based announcers, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, said the tragedy had left them "shattered, gutted, heartbroken".
Greig and fellow presenter and prank mastermind Christian have been in hiding since nurse Jacintha Saldanha's death and the subsequent social media outrage at their prank.
Their show, "Hot 30," has been terminated, the station's parent company, Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), said in a statement on Monday. SCA also announced a company-wide suspension of prank calls.
Greig told Australian television her first thought when told of Saldanha's death was for her family.
"Unfortunately I remember that moment very well, because I haven't stopped thinking about it since it happened," she said, amid tears, her voice quavering with emotion. "I remember my first question was 'was she a mother?'"
"I've wanted to just reach out to them and just give them a big hug and say sorry. I hope they're okay, I really do. I hope they get through this," said Greig when asked about Saldanha's two children, left with their father Ben Barboza.
Saldanha, 46, was found dead in staff accommodation near London's King Edward VII hospital on Friday after putting the hoax call through to a colleague who unwittingly disclosed details of Kate's morning sickness to 2DayFM's presenters.
The nurse's family travelled from their home in the western English city of Bristol to meet with politician Keith Vaz in London on Monday.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said news of the Saldanha's death was "shocking".
"I just feel incredibly sorry for her and her family. It's an absolute tragedy this has happened, and I'm sure everyone will want to reflect on how it was allowed to happen," he said.
The hospital at which Saldanha worked told the BBC it had not disciplined her for taking the prank call. On Monday, it announced the launch of a memorial fund in Saldanha's memory to benefit her family.
A post-mortem examination would be conducted on Tuesday, police said.
FIRESTORM
A recording of the call, broadcast repeatedly by the station, rapidly became an Internet hit and was reprinted as a transcript in many newspapers. But news of Saldanha's death sparked a firestorm of vitriolic comments towards the DJs on Facebook and Twitter.
Christian said his only wish was that Saldanha's grief-stricken family received proper support.
"I hope that they get the love, the support, the care that they need, you know," said Christian, who like Greig struggled to talk about the tragedy.
Both Greig, 30, and Christian were relatively new to the station, with Greig joining in March and Christian having been in the job only a few days before the prank call after a career in regional radio.
Greig said she did not think their prank would work.
"We thought a hundred people before us would've tried it. We thought it was such a silly idea and the accents were terrible and not for a second did we expect to speak to Kate, let alone have a conversation with anyone at the hospital. We wanted to be hung up on," she said.
SCA, 2Day's parent company, has received more than 1,000 complaints from Australians over the actions of the popular presenters, who have both been taken off air during an broadcasting watchdog investigation.
"SCA and the hosts of the radio program have also decided that they will not return to the airwaves until further notice," SCA said in a statement.
Shares in SCA fell 5 percent on Monday after two major Australian companies pulled their advertising with the radio station in protest and other advertising was suspended.
The station said it had tried to contact hospital staff five times over the recordings.
"It is absolutely true to say that we actually did attempt to contact those people on multiple occasions," said SCA chief executive Rhys Holleran. "No one could have reasonably foreseen what has happened. I can only say the prank call is not unusual around the world."
Australia's Communications Minister Stephen Conroy sought to deflect calls for more media regulation, telling journalists that a looming investigation by Australia's independent regulator should be allowed to happen without political interference.
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McDonald's Canada Reveals How They Make Famous Fries
Labels: BusinessMcDonald's Canada is at it again, demystifying their french fry recipe "from the farm to all the way to the fryer."
In their new behind-the-scenes video, Scott Gibson, manager of the company's supply chain, takes customer questions on their world-famous fries.
Gibson addresses the first question asking whether or not the potatoes used by the fast food restaurant are real. Standing in the middle of the Levesque farm with farmer Angelo Levesque, the two discuss how the potatoes are harvested and sorted at the farm. Then they are then brought to McCain, the company's fries supplier, to be prepped before heading to stores.
SLIDESHOW: Fast Food Ads vs. Reality: How Do They Size Up?
Mario Dupuis, production manager at McCain, describes how they prepare the fries by washing the potatoes to remove the rocks and the dirt and put them through a "peeling system."
Afterwards, they are cut and blanched "to remove the natural sugars from the strips, this will prevent some variation in the color once we cook the product," said McCain.
Next they are washed in a textural solution to give it the "nice even coat we see in the restaurants," said McCain, adding they also use an ingredient on the strips to prevent the fries from greying or oxidizing. Afterwards, they are then dried and fried for 45 to 60 seconds. Finally, they are frozen, packaged and shipped to stores.
Once in stores, the fries are deep-fried in 100 percent vegetable oil. They are salted with about 1 tablespoon of salt per four orders of medium fries. For those concerned about salt intake, Gibson suggests that customers can order their fries without the salt.
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Earnings from McDonald's, Microsoft sink stocks
Labels: BusinessNEW YORK (AP) -- Poor earnings reports from three companies in the Dow Jones industrial average — Microsoft, General Electric and McDonalds — sent indexes down sharply Friday, marking a sour end to an otherwise strong week in the stock market.
McDonald's led a broad drop in the Dow, falling 3 percent. The Dow was down 151 points at 13,397 shortly after noon.
"I'm concerned about corporate earnings, but I'm not alarmed yet," said Doug Cote, chief market strategist at ING Investment Management in New York.
Cote cautions that it's still early in reporting season, but what's worrying is that companies have reported an overall drop in earnings so far. "And once you get one quarter of negative earnings, it's a precursor," he said. "It's the cockroach theory: if you find one, there's probably many more."
The Standard & Poor's 500 sank 17 points to 1,440 and the Nasdaq composite dropped 52 points to 3,020. All 10 industry groups in the S&P 500 fell, led by materials and technology stocks.
McDonald's profit sank as a strong dollar hurt international results, which account for two-thirds of its business. The fast-food giant's stock lost $3.51 to $89.35.
Microsoft's income fell 22 percent as PC sales took a dive and as troubles in Europe took their toll. Its stock lost 67 cents to $28.82.
General Electric, another economic bellwether, fell 3 percent. The company reported stronger profits early Friday but its revenue missed Wall Street's expectations. Orders for new equipment and services sank, mainly because wind turbine orders have fallen because a key U.S. federal subsidy for wind power expires at the end of the year.
GE's stock lost 60 cents to $22.21.
Analysts currently expect companies in the S&P 500 to post their worst earnings results since the third quarter of 2009, according to S&P Capital IQ. Banks and consumer discretionary companies are projected to report the best growth. Analysts expect companies dealing in metals and other materials to report the worst results, followed by energy companies.
But it's technology companies like IBM, Intel and Google whose weak results have grabbed the most attention so far.
Weak earnings from Google and a rise in claims for unemployment benefits helped pull the stock market lower Thursday. That snapped a four-day run of gains for the Dow. Google fell again Friday, giving up $14.14 to $680.86.
The Dow is still up 0.6 percent for the week. The S&P 500 up is up 0.8 percent.
In other Friday trading, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note slipped to 1.77 percent from 1.83 percent late Thursday.
Among other stocks making big moves, Chipotle Mexican Grill plunged 14 percent after the burrito chain forecast that revenue growth would slow sharply next year. The stock had been a favorite among investors thanks to super-fast growth in recent years. The stock fell $41.32 to $244.61.
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Who Owns America’s Debt?
Labels: BusinessAs the U.S. continues to rack up more than $1 trillion of new debt every year, Americans are beginning to worry about who we owe this money to and how much power our creditors have over us.
According to Barry P. Bosworth, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, our two biggest foreign creditors are Japan and China.
Although it may seem as though our debt to these countries renders us a puppet on strings, Bosworth says this fear is overblown. The U.S. market is very important to China's economy, so China would be loathe to do anything that might exacerbate tensions or disrupt trade between the two countries. And the same can be said for Japan. China owns $1.15 trillion of U.S. government debt -- more than any other country -- but U.S. taxpayers actually owe less money to China compared to recent years. China holds 10% of U.S. Treasuries, down from 12% two years ago.
Related: China's Slow Growth 'Marks An End of an Era' But No Hard Landing
And what about all the anti-China rhetoric that we hear about on the campaign trail?
Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney has been promising the country that he will declare China a "currency manipulator" on the first day of his presidency--and then enact tariffs as necessary until he forces China to level the trading playing field. Is that something that Romney is actually likely to do if he gets elected?
No, says Bosworth.
Tough talk with respect to China has become standard rhetoric for any presidential challenger. If and when Romney becomes president, his position will likely mellow.
Bosworth also says that the problem with the U.S.-China trade relationship is not, as is commonly believed, that China doesn't play fair. China has actually addressed lots of its unfair practices over the past decade, Bosworth says, while the U.S. is still pursuing the same old self-destructive habits. Until we stop consuming so much and start producing more, Bosworth says, we're in no position to demand anything.
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Google filing error shocks investors, exposes process
Labels: BusinessSAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co handles thousands of securities filings a year for corporate clients in a routine process that is invisible to most investors. On Thursday Google and its shareholders found out just what happens when that process goes wrong.
Google issued a statement blaming Donnelley, its filing agent, after the Internet search company's quarterly results were released by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission hours ahead of schedule.
Earnings were far less than analysts expected and Google shares immediately plunged as much as 10.5 percent, knocking $26 billion off its market capitalization - the equivalent, as it happens, of about 13 R.R. Donnelleys.
It was quickly obvious that a mistake had been made -- the second paragraph of the filing said "PENDING LARRY QUOTE" instead of an actual quote from Google CEO Larry Page -- but it was not clear why.
Within minutes, though, an unknown prankster set up a "PendingLarry" Twitter feed to hypothesize what the missing quote might be. Among the highlights: "Man, our privacy was WAY violated today."
Donnelley shares lost more than 5 percent after Google started pointing the finger, though they recovered later in the day. The company did not respond to a call for comment, but issued a statement to CNBC in which it said it was investigating the circumstances of the release.
Best known as a provider of printing services, Donnelley is also the top SEC filing agent in the country, handling more than 75,000 submissions this year as of mid-October, according to SECInfo.com.
Filing agents like Donnelley take paper documents and convert them for submission to the SEC in the appropriate format. The company also owns the filing portal EDGAR Online.
WHO GOOFED?
It is far from the first time a company's earnings have somehow gotten out early.
In late 2010 and early 2011, inadvertent releases - usually by a misplaced release on a website - plagued companies like Walt Disney Co (NYS:DIS) and Microsoft Corp (NSQ:MSFT).
The common thread in all of those cases is that investors who are not in the right place at the right time to see the news may suffer for it.
"Some who didn't get a chance to sell will try to, and others will be looking for bargains. I'm sure a lot of Google owners were caught off guard," said Randy Frederick, managing director of active trading and derivatives for Charles Schwab in Austin, Texas.
After the first question of "who goofed?" was sorted out Thursday afternoon, the second one being asked by investors was "can we sue?"
"Everyone is trying to figure out if there's any legal issue with respect to R.R. Donnelley. Google is halted, Donnelley is down big-time on the news since they're allegedly not supposed to have released the information," said Michael Matousek, senior trader at U.S. Global Investors in San Antonio.
But one plaintiffs lawyer who sues companies on behalf of investors said shareholders would not have a claim against either Google or R.R. Donnelley because the earnings disclosure was likely a mistake.
"There's no fraudulent intent here," said Reed Kathrein with Hagens Berman.
R.R. Donnelley may not be entirely off the hook with Google, however. The company could have a negligence claim to recover any additional costs it incurred in responding to the incident, Kathrein said.
Any potential damages against R.R. Donnelley could be limited, though, by the contract between the two companies.
Late Thursday, Google filed an amended press release with the missing quote and a confirmation that the figures in the original were accurate.
R.R. Donnelley shares were up 2 cents at $10.87 in late trading. Google was down 8.1 percent to $693.94 after trading resumed.
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US housing construction up 15 percent in September
Labels: BusinessWASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. builders started construction on single-family homes and apartments in September at the fastest rate since July 2008, a further indication that the housing recovery is strengthening.
The Commerce Department said Wednesday that builders broke ground on homes at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 872,000 in September. That's an increase of 15 percent from the August level.
Applications for building permits, a good sign of future construction, jumped nearly 12 percent to an annual rate of 894,000, also the highest since July 2008.
[Click here to see home loan rates in your area.]
The strength in September came from both single-family construction, which rose 11 percent, and apartments, which increased 25.1 percent.
Construction activity is now 82.5 percent higher than the recession low hit in April 2009. Activity is still well below the roughly 1.5 million rate that is consistent with healthier markets.
Still, the surge in construction suggests builders believe the housing rebound is durable.
Builder confidence reached at a six-year high this month, according to a survey by the National Association of Home Builders. The group's index of builder sentiment rose to a reading of 41. While that's still below the level of 50 that signals a healthy market, it has steadily climbed over the past year from a reading of 17.
Sales of new and previously owned homes have been slowly improving this year, and home prices are starting to show consistent gains.
Record-low mortgage have encouraged more people to buy. And the Federal Reserve's aggressive policies could push long-term interest rates even lower, making home-buying affordable for the foreseeable future.
Housing is expected to keep improving next year. But many economists say economic growth will stay muted until companies step up hiring and consumers start spending more.
Though new homes represent less than 20 percent of the housing sales market, they have an outsize impact on the economy. Each home built creates an average of three jobs for a year and generates about $90,000 in tax revenue, according to data from the home builders group.
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RB Richardson thinks Saban will stay at Alabama
Labels: SportsBEREA, Ohio (AP) — Trent Richardson would be surprised if Nick Saban followed him from Alabama to the Cleveland Browns.
Saban, who will lead the Crimson Tide against Notre Dame in the BCS national championship game in Miami on Jan. 7, has been mentioned as returning to the NFL, perhaps with the Browns if second-year coach Pat Shurmur is fired at season's end.
"I can't see him coming to the NFL," Richardson said Wednesday. "I would be very shocked."
And Richardson knows the coach quite well. After all, he was a standout running back for Saban at Alabama before being selected in the first round by Cleveland in April. Richardson ran for 1,679 yards last season for the Crimson Tide.
"How can you get tired of winning," Richardson asked. "He's got so much going there. He has no reason to leave. He gets what he needs and he treats his program like the NFL (anyway). He makes sure his players are prepared for the game and prepared for the next level when the time comes."
Any exit to the NFL wouldn't be foreign to Saban, who led Alabama to national titles in 2009 and 2011. He left his post at LSU, in fact, to become coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2005. After going 15-17 in two seasons there, he went back to the SEC, this time in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
"I can see him staying at Alabama," Richardson said, "and retiring at Alabama."
Saban, who played and coached at Kent State, has Cleveland roots, as well. He was the Browns defensive coordinator from 1991-94, which has helped to spark the speculation.
"I don't believe it," Richardson said. "Rumors are rumors. I don't buy into it and that's one thing he taught me to do — not buy into rumors."
Richardson is more concerned with playing the playoff-bound Denver Broncos (11-3) on Sunday. The No. 3 overall pick is 46 yards shy of surpassing Hall of Fame standout Jim Brown's 55-year-old team rookie rushing record of 942 yards for the Browns (5-9).
"I'm ready for a big day," Richardson said. "Anytime Jim Brown's name is mentioned, it is big for me. Huge."
Richardson, who missed all of training camp after having minor surgery on his left knee in July, has already set a new franchise rookie mark with 11 rushing touchdowns. Overall, he has 258 carries for 897 yards.
"I'm good to go," he said. "No issues with the knee. None. With the ribs, I am not going to stop playing ball. I am going to keep on going no matter what."
All that said, he did reveal for the first time that he occasionally had trouble breathing in his first few games with the injury. He has adjusted his mindset to ignore the pain. He doesn't anticipate difficulty in Denver's mile-high thin air.
"I've never played there, but I'll be OK," he said. "If I need oxygen, I'll take it and go play."
Shurmur has not considered resting Richardson, either.
"He'll play," he said. "None of us are 100 percent right now. I think that's fair to say at this time of year. Guys are playing through things."
___
NOTES: DB Dmitri Patterson, released by Cleveland on Monday, landed with Miami. Shurmur declined to say why Patterson was cut: "I'm not going to talk about the whys or what-fors there. I will say this though, I'm happy for him that he's going to be able to finish out the year in Miami. That will be great for him." ... TE Jordan Cameron (head) and DL Frostee Rucker (groin) did not practice. ... WR Jordan Norwood practiced for the first time since sustaining a foot injury Oct. 7. He's not on the active roster. ... TE George Bryan was signed to the practice squad. He played at N.C. State (2008-11) and was in camp with Dallas last spring. ... The Browns are 3-0 vs. the AFC West, with the first-place Broncos on deck.
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Saban, who will lead the Crimson Tide against Notre Dame in the BCS national championship game in Miami on Jan. 7, has been mentioned as returning to the NFL, perhaps with the Browns if second-year coach Pat Shurmur is fired at season's end.
"I can't see him coming to the NFL," Richardson said Wednesday. "I would be very shocked."
And Richardson knows the coach quite well. After all, he was a standout running back for Saban at Alabama before being selected in the first round by Cleveland in April. Richardson ran for 1,679 yards last season for the Crimson Tide.
"How can you get tired of winning," Richardson asked. "He's got so much going there. He has no reason to leave. He gets what he needs and he treats his program like the NFL (anyway). He makes sure his players are prepared for the game and prepared for the next level when the time comes."
Any exit to the NFL wouldn't be foreign to Saban, who led Alabama to national titles in 2009 and 2011. He left his post at LSU, in fact, to become coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2005. After going 15-17 in two seasons there, he went back to the SEC, this time in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
"I can see him staying at Alabama," Richardson said, "and retiring at Alabama."
Saban, who played and coached at Kent State, has Cleveland roots, as well. He was the Browns defensive coordinator from 1991-94, which has helped to spark the speculation.
"I don't believe it," Richardson said. "Rumors are rumors. I don't buy into it and that's one thing he taught me to do — not buy into rumors."
Richardson is more concerned with playing the playoff-bound Denver Broncos (11-3) on Sunday. The No. 3 overall pick is 46 yards shy of surpassing Hall of Fame standout Jim Brown's 55-year-old team rookie rushing record of 942 yards for the Browns (5-9).
"I'm ready for a big day," Richardson said. "Anytime Jim Brown's name is mentioned, it is big for me. Huge."
Richardson, who missed all of training camp after having minor surgery on his left knee in July, has already set a new franchise rookie mark with 11 rushing touchdowns. Overall, he has 258 carries for 897 yards.
"I'm good to go," he said. "No issues with the knee. None. With the ribs, I am not going to stop playing ball. I am going to keep on going no matter what."
All that said, he did reveal for the first time that he occasionally had trouble breathing in his first few games with the injury. He has adjusted his mindset to ignore the pain. He doesn't anticipate difficulty in Denver's mile-high thin air.
"I've never played there, but I'll be OK," he said. "If I need oxygen, I'll take it and go play."
Shurmur has not considered resting Richardson, either.
"He'll play," he said. "None of us are 100 percent right now. I think that's fair to say at this time of year. Guys are playing through things."
___
NOTES: DB Dmitri Patterson, released by Cleveland on Monday, landed with Miami. Shurmur declined to say why Patterson was cut: "I'm not going to talk about the whys or what-fors there. I will say this though, I'm happy for him that he's going to be able to finish out the year in Miami. That will be great for him." ... TE Jordan Cameron (head) and DL Frostee Rucker (groin) did not practice. ... WR Jordan Norwood practiced for the first time since sustaining a foot injury Oct. 7. He's not on the active roster. ... TE George Bryan was signed to the practice squad. He played at N.C. State (2008-11) and was in camp with Dallas last spring. ... The Browns are 3-0 vs. the AFC West, with the first-place Broncos on deck.
Football Week 16 Ticket Deals on Whiztix.com
Labels: SportsWeek 16 is the second to last week of the football season. Whiztix.com has all the best deals to get into the games.
Ardsley, New York (PRWEB) December 20, 2012
While the NFL season winds down, the playoff races are starting to get really interesting. Tickets can still be had for even the best games at decent prices. According to Whiztix.com tickets for games are at surprisingly good prices. To see the Steelers at home in a matchup vs their division rival the Bengals, tickets are currently at $95. Games featuring home teams whom are already eliminated from the playoffs can often be purchased for less than $20, for example to see the Colts play the Chiefs in Kansas City, tickets are currently at $14.
Saturday 12/22/12
Atlanta Falcons At Detroit Lions 8:30 PM Est. at Ford Field in Detroit
Tickets Starting at $29
Sunday 12/23/12
New Orleans Saints At Dallas Cowboys 1:00 PM Est. at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas
Tickets Starting at $130
Tennessee Titans At Green Bay Packers 1:00 PM Est. at Lambeau Field in Green Bay
Tickets Starting at $123
Indianapolis Colts @ Kansas City Chiefs 1:00 PM Est. at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City
Tickets Starting at $14
Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins 1:00 PM Est. at Sun Life Stadium in Miami
Tickets Starting at $30
San Diego Chargers @ New York Jets 1:00 PM Est. at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford
Tickets Starting at $34 - Whiztix expects these tickets to fall significantly in price due to the Jets elimination from the playoffs on Monday Night.
Washington Redskins @ Philadelphia Eagles 1:00 PM Est. at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia
Tickets Starting at $60
Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh Steelers 1:00 PM Est. at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh
Tickets Starting at $95
St. Louis Rams @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1:00 PM Est. at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay
Tickets Starting at $30
Oakland Raiders @ Carolina Panthers 1:00 PM Est. at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte
Tickets Starting at $33
New England Patriots @ Jacksonville Jaguars 1:00 PM Est. at EverBank Field in Jacksonville
Tickets Starting at $44
Minnesota Vikings @ Houston Texans 1:00 PM Est. at Reliant Stadium in Houston
Tickets Starting at $176
Cleveland Browns @ Denver Broncos 4:05 PM EST at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver
Tickets Starting at $75
Chicago Bears @ Arizona Cardinals 4:25 PM Est. at University of Phoenix Stadium in Phoenix
Tickets Starting at $71
New York Giants @ Baltimore Ravens 4:25 PM Est. at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore
Tickets Starting at $143
San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks 8:20 PM Est. at CenturyLink Field in San Francisco
Tickets Starting at $212
Adam Taxin
Taxin 376 LLC
9149607261
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Ardsley, New York (PRWEB) December 20, 2012
While the NFL season winds down, the playoff races are starting to get really interesting. Tickets can still be had for even the best games at decent prices. According to Whiztix.com tickets for games are at surprisingly good prices. To see the Steelers at home in a matchup vs their division rival the Bengals, tickets are currently at $95. Games featuring home teams whom are already eliminated from the playoffs can often be purchased for less than $20, for example to see the Colts play the Chiefs in Kansas City, tickets are currently at $14.
Saturday 12/22/12
Atlanta Falcons At Detroit Lions 8:30 PM Est. at Ford Field in Detroit
Tickets Starting at $29
Sunday 12/23/12
New Orleans Saints At Dallas Cowboys 1:00 PM Est. at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas
Tickets Starting at $130
Tennessee Titans At Green Bay Packers 1:00 PM Est. at Lambeau Field in Green Bay
Tickets Starting at $123
Indianapolis Colts @ Kansas City Chiefs 1:00 PM Est. at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City
Tickets Starting at $14
Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins 1:00 PM Est. at Sun Life Stadium in Miami
Tickets Starting at $30
San Diego Chargers @ New York Jets 1:00 PM Est. at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford
Tickets Starting at $34 - Whiztix expects these tickets to fall significantly in price due to the Jets elimination from the playoffs on Monday Night.
Washington Redskins @ Philadelphia Eagles 1:00 PM Est. at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia
Tickets Starting at $60
Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh Steelers 1:00 PM Est. at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh
Tickets Starting at $95
St. Louis Rams @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1:00 PM Est. at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay
Tickets Starting at $30
Oakland Raiders @ Carolina Panthers 1:00 PM Est. at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte
Tickets Starting at $33
New England Patriots @ Jacksonville Jaguars 1:00 PM Est. at EverBank Field in Jacksonville
Tickets Starting at $44
Minnesota Vikings @ Houston Texans 1:00 PM Est. at Reliant Stadium in Houston
Tickets Starting at $176
Cleveland Browns @ Denver Broncos 4:05 PM EST at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver
Tickets Starting at $75
Chicago Bears @ Arizona Cardinals 4:25 PM Est. at University of Phoenix Stadium in Phoenix
Tickets Starting at $71
New York Giants @ Baltimore Ravens 4:25 PM Est. at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore
Tickets Starting at $143
San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks 8:20 PM Est. at CenturyLink Field in San Francisco
Tickets Starting at $212
Adam Taxin
Taxin 376 LLC
9149607261
Why more NFL teams should start rookie QBs
Labels: SportsAndrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Russell Wilson are on the verge of making playoff history
If the NFL playoffs started today, a record three rookie quarterbacks would be leading their teams into the postseason. With two weeks left to play, Indianapolis' Andrew Luck, Washington's Robert Griffin III, and Seattle's Russell Wilson all have their teams roaring toward unexpected postseason berths.
This is no fluke. It's a reflection of the new approach teams have begun to take with their freshman play-callers.
Teams used to insist that rookie quarterbacks weren't ready to lead a team to victory. When the Cincinnati Bengals selected Carson Palmer with the first overall pick in the 2003 draft, they hailed him as their new franchise player. Yet the following season, Palmer never once left the sidelines. The Bengals benched their prized rookie for the entire year, thinking he would develop faster by first watching a veteran quarterback. This was hardly unusual. Teams had long believed that rookies should be nurtured and eased into the pros. If you threw them right into the deep end, went the conventional wisdom, they would surely sink.
Michael Vick, the first overall pick in 2001, started just two games his rookie year. Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Phillip Rivers, and Aaron Rodgers — all highly-touted first round picks — began their careers as spectators, too.
In recent years, however, teams have been more adventurous with their new talent. In turn, more and more rookies have proven the old watch-and-learn system wrong.
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh surprised everyone by naming rookie Joe Flacco his starting quarterback prior to the 2008 season. Flacco promptly led the Ravens to the AFC championship game, falling one win shy of the Super Bowl. That same year, fellow freshman QB Matt Ryan started every game for the Atlanta Falcons and took his team to the playoffs.
Mark Sanchez followed suit in 2009 with the New York Jets, driving his team to the AFC title game. And last year, Cincinnati's Andy Dalton and Houston's T.J Yates became the first rookie quarterbacks to face each other in a playoff game.
Since the AFL and NFL merged in 1970, just 11 freshman quarterbacks have started a playoff game; six have done so since 2004.
Even QBs whose teams failed to make the postseason have turned in sparkling rookie seasons in recent years. In 2010, Sam Bradford brought the St. Louis Rams, fresh off a one-win season, to the brink of the playoffs. And last year, number one pick Cam Newton obliterated a slew of rookie passing records.
In no season has this new phenomenon been more prominent than the current one. Five rookie quarterbacks started on opening day this year. Never before had more than two rookie quarterbacks done so.
This year's rookies aren't flailing away either. Leading the pack is Griffin, whose 104.2 passer rating — a composite measure of key passing statistics like completions, passing yards, and touchdowns — ranks second in the NFL behind only Rodgers, last year's league MVP. If Griffin keeps up the pace, he would destroy the record for the highest rookie passer rating ever. On top of that, his 6.7 rushing yards per attempt leads the league — not just among quarterbacks, but among all players.
By Total Quarterback Rating — a more nuanced version of passer rating created by ESPN — the big three rookie passers (Luck, Griffin, and Wilson) all rank in the top 11 league-wide. And even lesser-name rookies are enjoying relative success. Ryan Tannehill is turning in a respectable season for the struggling Miami Dolphins. And with Griffin out last week due to injury, rookie teammate Kirk Cousins picked up the win, throwing for 329 yards and two touchdowns.
Perhaps the driving factor behind this surge of rookie success is that college football has transformed in recent years to more closely resemble the pro game. College coaches have placed an increased emphasis on passing, and have adopted more and more NFL-style formations and plays — in some cases, college teams have even developed new tactics later appropriated their pro counterparts. As a result, college passers now enter the league with a built-in knowledge of the playing style, allowing them to more seamlessly transition between the two levels.
Read More..
If the NFL playoffs started today, a record three rookie quarterbacks would be leading their teams into the postseason. With two weeks left to play, Indianapolis' Andrew Luck, Washington's Robert Griffin III, and Seattle's Russell Wilson all have their teams roaring toward unexpected postseason berths.
This is no fluke. It's a reflection of the new approach teams have begun to take with their freshman play-callers.
Teams used to insist that rookie quarterbacks weren't ready to lead a team to victory. When the Cincinnati Bengals selected Carson Palmer with the first overall pick in the 2003 draft, they hailed him as their new franchise player. Yet the following season, Palmer never once left the sidelines. The Bengals benched their prized rookie for the entire year, thinking he would develop faster by first watching a veteran quarterback. This was hardly unusual. Teams had long believed that rookies should be nurtured and eased into the pros. If you threw them right into the deep end, went the conventional wisdom, they would surely sink.
Michael Vick, the first overall pick in 2001, started just two games his rookie year. Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Phillip Rivers, and Aaron Rodgers — all highly-touted first round picks — began their careers as spectators, too.
In recent years, however, teams have been more adventurous with their new talent. In turn, more and more rookies have proven the old watch-and-learn system wrong.
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh surprised everyone by naming rookie Joe Flacco his starting quarterback prior to the 2008 season. Flacco promptly led the Ravens to the AFC championship game, falling one win shy of the Super Bowl. That same year, fellow freshman QB Matt Ryan started every game for the Atlanta Falcons and took his team to the playoffs.
Mark Sanchez followed suit in 2009 with the New York Jets, driving his team to the AFC title game. And last year, Cincinnati's Andy Dalton and Houston's T.J Yates became the first rookie quarterbacks to face each other in a playoff game.
Since the AFL and NFL merged in 1970, just 11 freshman quarterbacks have started a playoff game; six have done so since 2004.
Even QBs whose teams failed to make the postseason have turned in sparkling rookie seasons in recent years. In 2010, Sam Bradford brought the St. Louis Rams, fresh off a one-win season, to the brink of the playoffs. And last year, number one pick Cam Newton obliterated a slew of rookie passing records.
In no season has this new phenomenon been more prominent than the current one. Five rookie quarterbacks started on opening day this year. Never before had more than two rookie quarterbacks done so.
This year's rookies aren't flailing away either. Leading the pack is Griffin, whose 104.2 passer rating — a composite measure of key passing statistics like completions, passing yards, and touchdowns — ranks second in the NFL behind only Rodgers, last year's league MVP. If Griffin keeps up the pace, he would destroy the record for the highest rookie passer rating ever. On top of that, his 6.7 rushing yards per attempt leads the league — not just among quarterbacks, but among all players.
By Total Quarterback Rating — a more nuanced version of passer rating created by ESPN — the big three rookie passers (Luck, Griffin, and Wilson) all rank in the top 11 league-wide. And even lesser-name rookies are enjoying relative success. Ryan Tannehill is turning in a respectable season for the struggling Miami Dolphins. And with Griffin out last week due to injury, rookie teammate Kirk Cousins picked up the win, throwing for 329 yards and two touchdowns.
Perhaps the driving factor behind this surge of rookie success is that college football has transformed in recent years to more closely resemble the pro game. College coaches have placed an increased emphasis on passing, and have adopted more and more NFL-style formations and plays — in some cases, college teams have even developed new tactics later appropriated their pro counterparts. As a result, college passers now enter the league with a built-in knowledge of the playing style, allowing them to more seamlessly transition between the two levels.
Kicking Coach Lee McDonald Has Been Selected to Coach at the National Camp Series (NCS) Super Camp VII Being Held February 16-17, 2013, in Orlando, FL, According to NCS Founder Michael Husted
Labels: SportsNew Jersey Kicking Coach Lee McDonald, of Special Teams Solutions, has been selected to coach at the National Camp Series (NCS) Super Camp VII being held February 16-17, 2013, in Orlando, FL, according to kicking coach Michael Husted.
San Diego, CA (PRWEB) December 20, 2012
New Jersey Kicking Coach, of Special Teams Solutions, has been selected to coach at the National Camp Series (NCS) Super Camp VII being held February 16-17, 2013, in Orlando, FL, a two day kicking camp which will feature some of the country’s best high school kickers, punters and snappers.
McDonald says he is looking forward to being at the NCS Super Camp again this year.
"The Super Camp is the ultimate experience for high school specialists looking to compete at the highest level,” says McDonald. “The best of the best specialty coaches provide unmatched instruction while aspiring college kickers, punters and snappers from across the country put their skills to the test on the nation's only standardized, objective platform. It's all about learning to perform when the lights are on!"
McDonald has both a strong coaching and playing background as a kicker. He signed a full scholarship to Rutgers University from where he earned a B.A. and M.Ed. The former Scarlet Knight is known for his 1999 game winning overtime field goal that upset the Syracuse Orangemen 24-21.
McDonald also garnered Special Teams Player of the Week honors twice during his career and was twice named to the Big East Conference Academic Team. McDonald then kicked for the Buffalo Destroyers of the Arena Football League and the Norfolk Nighthawks where he set several Arena 2 football kicking records including most field goals in one game (6) that earned him AF2 Player of the Week honors.
Michael Husted, who founded NCS after kicking in the NFL for 9 years, is now a kicking coach in San Diego, CA. He says Super VII is about great coaches, great instructions and great evaluations and he is looking forward to having McDonald coaching at Super Camp VII.
"All of our NCS coaches are eager to get down to Orlando in February to help teach as well as evaluate the top kickers, punters and long snappers from all across the country and outside the US,” says Husted. "This is the only camp where high school specialists will have a chance to work with some of the best kicking coaches in the world."
"The quality of instructors for our Super Camp is outstanding and continues to grow every year,” says Husted. “The NCS Network is committed to helping young athletes learn proper technique as well as to help them navigate through the recruiting process so that they can leverage their sport to get a college education.”
Husted says that by utilizing its Kicking IndeX (KIX) Player Rating System, NCS provides an objective evaluation platform for student-athletes who want to showcase their capabilities to colleges and universities for recruiting purposes.
By sorting through over six years of historical event data, the KIX system determines a kicker’s rankings by cross-referencing player data to determine how the athletes stack up against others, both presently and historically.
"The NCS levels the playing field for those who don't want to get caught up in all of the 'politics' that occurs in the kicking industry,” says Husted. “If you can kick, punt or snap, the NCS KIX system will let a young kicking specialist’s skills speak for themselves. No excuses. No explanations."
Go here for more about Super Camp VII.
Go here for more about Lee McDonald and Special Teams Solutions.
Go here for more about kicking coach Michael Husted.
Michael Husted
National Camp Series
888.702.0682
Read More..
San Diego, CA (PRWEB) December 20, 2012
New Jersey Kicking Coach, of Special Teams Solutions, has been selected to coach at the National Camp Series (NCS) Super Camp VII being held February 16-17, 2013, in Orlando, FL, a two day kicking camp which will feature some of the country’s best high school kickers, punters and snappers.
McDonald says he is looking forward to being at the NCS Super Camp again this year.
"The Super Camp is the ultimate experience for high school specialists looking to compete at the highest level,” says McDonald. “The best of the best specialty coaches provide unmatched instruction while aspiring college kickers, punters and snappers from across the country put their skills to the test on the nation's only standardized, objective platform. It's all about learning to perform when the lights are on!"
McDonald has both a strong coaching and playing background as a kicker. He signed a full scholarship to Rutgers University from where he earned a B.A. and M.Ed. The former Scarlet Knight is known for his 1999 game winning overtime field goal that upset the Syracuse Orangemen 24-21.
McDonald also garnered Special Teams Player of the Week honors twice during his career and was twice named to the Big East Conference Academic Team. McDonald then kicked for the Buffalo Destroyers of the Arena Football League and the Norfolk Nighthawks where he set several Arena 2 football kicking records including most field goals in one game (6) that earned him AF2 Player of the Week honors.
Michael Husted, who founded NCS after kicking in the NFL for 9 years, is now a kicking coach in San Diego, CA. He says Super VII is about great coaches, great instructions and great evaluations and he is looking forward to having McDonald coaching at Super Camp VII.
"All of our NCS coaches are eager to get down to Orlando in February to help teach as well as evaluate the top kickers, punters and long snappers from all across the country and outside the US,” says Husted. "This is the only camp where high school specialists will have a chance to work with some of the best kicking coaches in the world."
"The quality of instructors for our Super Camp is outstanding and continues to grow every year,” says Husted. “The NCS Network is committed to helping young athletes learn proper technique as well as to help them navigate through the recruiting process so that they can leverage their sport to get a college education.”
Husted says that by utilizing its Kicking IndeX (KIX) Player Rating System, NCS provides an objective evaluation platform for student-athletes who want to showcase their capabilities to colleges and universities for recruiting purposes.
By sorting through over six years of historical event data, the KIX system determines a kicker’s rankings by cross-referencing player data to determine how the athletes stack up against others, both presently and historically.
"The NCS levels the playing field for those who don't want to get caught up in all of the 'politics' that occurs in the kicking industry,” says Husted. “If you can kick, punt or snap, the NCS KIX system will let a young kicking specialist’s skills speak for themselves. No excuses. No explanations."
Go here for more about Super Camp VII.
Go here for more about Lee McDonald and Special Teams Solutions.
Go here for more about kicking coach Michael Husted.
Michael Husted
National Camp Series
888.702.0682
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