An independent investigation by famed NCAA attorney Michael Glazier commenced Friday, exonerating the Knights’ football program from improper procedures and excessive training during football practices. The University hired Glazier after the collapse of a UCF player at a practice in December and the death of Freshman Ereck Plancher during one of last season’s pre-season practices. Plancher was found to have died from an exacerbation of his sickle cell trait, which can cause crescent-shaped red blood cells to obstruct blood flow to organs. While the investigation claims UCF’s football practices are no more excessive than other programs at the IA level, Plancher’s family announced several weeks ago they were suing UCF in a wrongful death lawsuit. While my heart goes out to the Plancher family for their loss, unfortunately, this lawsuit in my opinion is nothing more than an attempt to take advantage of an unfortunate tragedy for the sake of financial gain. To read the entire report from the Glazier investigaion, click on the following Orlando Sentinel link: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/media/acrobat/2009-03/45830677.pdf
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Independent Investigation Clears UCF
2 Additional UCF Football Games to be Televised
The UCF Knights football team learned Thursday that 2 more of its football games will be nationally-televised this football season. The Knights match up against the Miami Hurricanes on October 17th at Brighthouse Networks Stadium on UCF’s campus will be nationally-televised by CBS College Sports. Kickoff has been set for 7:30pm. The other game picked-up for television resulted in a schedule change. CBS College Sports picked-up the broadcast for the UAB game, resulting in a move of the game to the Friday after Thanksgiving. Kickoff for UCF @ UAB is now set for 1:00pm with a national broadcast on CBS College Sports. The Knights will also have a nationally-televised game on ESPN when they take on the Thundering Herd of Marshall @ Brighthouse Networks Stadium on November 1st. Kickoff is @ 8:00pm. GO KNIGHTS!!!
HBO Goes Behind the Scenes on Grey Gardens
HBO just released a behind-the-scenes snippet for their forthcoming motion picture Grey Gardens, depicting the story of Jackie O’s eccentric and mentally ill cousins who were once socialites but eventually lived a life of seclusion in a decaying mansion that was virtually uninhabitable. Scroll below for the complete trailer for the movie. Below is the behind-the-scenes snippet featuring interviews with the production team and stars Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange. Grey Gardens premieres at 8:00 pm on Saturday April 18th on HBO.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
21st Century Breakdown
One of my all-time favorite bands, Green Day, has a new album hitting the shelves on May 15th, 2009. The first studio album recorded by the band since American Idiot sold millions of copies and racked-up the Grammy’s 5-years ago, 21st Century Breakdown will be a massive hit if this recently released sample of tracks from the album are any indication. Take a listen below. 21st Century Breakdown will be released nationwide on May 15th, 2009 from Reprise Records.
Gainesville Says No to Discrimination
While news coming out of Gainesville tends to be related to the University of Florida or their beloved Gators (which everyone knows I am NOT a fan of), a heated battle over gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) equality was decided yesterday, with fairness and equality “coming out” on top! Right-wing conservative religious morons tried to repeal the city’s anti-discrimination policy protecting GLBT persons from discrimination in employment, public housing, and the use of public amenities by employing a hate-mongering campaign filled with blatant lies and ignorance that thankfully, the citizens of Gainesville saw through. 58% of voters voted to keep the policy in-place. This is a breath of fresh air given the disgusting anti-marriage amendment passed statewide last November. Education is so important and it can shine a light on hatred and bigotry. Good work by Equality Florida who worked hard to expose the lies and educate the public on why GLBT protections are so important in ending discrimination.
A Beloved Story Comes to the Big Screen
As a child, I was a gigantic fan of the story Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendek. Now, Warner Brothers is bringing the beloved story to the big screen in a major motion picture directed by Spike Jonze. Filming of Where the Wild Things Are was nearing completion last year but test screenings indicated audiences believed the film was too scary, especially for children. So, the studio ordered the production team to practically start over. With the vast majority of the film being refilmed, its trailer has been released and it looks incredible. With stunning visual effects mixing computer-generated images and classic animatronics, Where the Wild Things Are looks to be quite an amazing film and will be released nationwide on October 16, 2009.
Monday, March 23, 2009
UCF Football Ranked #1 in Recruiting
College Football News has ranked all of Conference-USA’s football teams in-terms of their recruiting for 2009. The UCF Knights ranked #1 in their analysis, which follows:
1. UCF: The class is heavy on … defensive backs. After losing the entire starting secondary to graduation, this was an absolute priority for George OLeary and the Knights. The program did a magnificent job a few years ago of taking two-star players, such as CB Joe Burnett, and molding them into defensive stoppers. It may not have to do much coaching up of CB Josh Robinson, an outstanding all-around playmaker, who also drew interest from Michigan, South Carolina, and West Virginia.
The player wholl someday be a really big deal … CB Josh Robinson
The player you might care about this year … LB Jonathan Davis
What it all means to the real world of college football … At this stage of the process, you could argue that six of the Knights top seven recruits are on defense, so dont expect any drop-off in this area. The offense, however, didnt get nearly as much help as it needed. Other than WR Leon Woods, who has a nice blend of size and speed, UCF did little to inject life into one of the countrys most feeble attacks.
A Longer Look at Grey Gardens
Not many know the secret lives of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ cousins, who lived as a reclusive pair and experienced eccentric mental health illnesses. The Kennedy family kept them largely under rug swept from fear of familial embarassment. Now, HBO Films is bringing their story to the small screen in an original motion picture starring Drew Barrymore, Jessica Lange, and Jeanne Tripplehorn. HBO is by-far the best pay cable station available and have proven time and time again with shows with high quality productions like Six Feet Under and True Blood that when it comes to original programming, HBO simply can’t be beat. Here is the extended trailer HBO released last week:
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
More Movement on Love Never Dies
Playbill.com reported today Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to the Phantom of the Opera entitled Love Never Dies got itself a choreographer in Jerry Mitchell. Mitchell is hard at work staging the upcoming musical Catch Me If You Can, based on the true story depicted in the 2002 Steven Spielberg film. Also reported was some “loose” dates for the musical: Rehearsals will begin “approximately [in] August 2009.” Opening night will be “approximately [in] October 2009.” In addition, a unique description of the show was provided giving just a little more insight to the storyline: “In 1907 New York, the mysterious ‘Maestro’ who runs the theatre at Coney Island announces a one-off concert by legendary Parisian soprano Christine Daaé. Her arrival in New York with husband Raoul, Victome de Chagny and son Gustave, and their subsequent meeting with the ‘Maestro,’ bring the cataclysmic events of 10 years earlier at the Paris Opera crashing back into all their lives.” Exciting news, indeed.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Update: Supreme Court Rules GSA MUST be Permitted
A few weeks ago I reported on the case in which a Jacksonville high school was being sued by students and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for refusing to allow the formation of a gay-straight alliance within the school. Thursday, Florida Supreme Court Judge Henry Adams ruled in-favor of the ACLU and the students, forcing the school district to ensure the students’ constitutional right to meet on-campus. Aren’t you glad we taxpayers got to foot the tens of thousands of dollars it cost to bring this case to court? I don’t know about you–but I am sick of my hard-earned tax money going to pay for stupidity, ignorance, and intolerance! We must demand better from all public officials, particularly our school districts which are so strapped for precious resources in this near-depression economy that students and teachers are having to make drastic sacrifices that have major impacts on the quality of education. Having to pay a costly bill defending behavior that is unacceptable is simply that–UNACCEPTABLE!