An electron micrograph of rotavirus, the cause of nearly 40% of hospitalizations from diarrhea in children under 5[1]
ICD-10	A09, K59.1
ICD-9	787.91
DiseasesDB	3742
eMedicine	ped/583
MeSH	D003967

Diarrhea (from the Greek διάρροια meaning "flowing through"[2]), also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day.[3] It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. In 2009 diarrhea was estimated to have caused 1.1 million deaths in people aged 5 and over[4] and 1.5 million deaths in children under the age of 5.[1] Oral rehydration solutions (ORS) with modest amounts of electrolytes and zinc tablets are the treatment of choice and have been estimated to have saved 50 million children in the past 25 years.[1] ORS should be begun at early as possible. Vomiting does often occurs during the first hour or two of treatment with ORS, but this seldom prevents successful rehydration as most of the fluid is still absorbed. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that if a child vomits, to wait five or ten minutes and then start again more slowly. Homemade solutions recommended by WHO include salted drinks (e.g. salted rice water or a salted yoghurt drink) and vegetable or chicken soup with salt. If available, supplemental potassium, as well as supplemental zinc, can be added to or given with this homemade solution. It's also recommended that persons with diarrhea, if able, continue or resume eating as this speeds recovery of normal intestinal function and generally leads to diarrhea of shorter duration. Clean plain water can be one of several fluids given.[5] There are commercial solutions such as Pedialyte, and relief agencies such as UNICEF widely distribute packets of salts and sugar. A homemade solution can be made by adding between one-half to one teaspoon of salt (about 2-3 grams) and six teaspoons sugar (about 18 grams) to one liter of water[5][6]. If the person drinks solutions with too much sugar or too much salt, these can draw fluid from the body to the bowel, cause osmotic diarrhea, and make dehydration worse.[5] In a WHO publication, it's stated that a homemade Oral rehydration solution (ORS) should approximately have the "taste of tears."[7]

The $10,000 Pyramid, with host Dick Clark, made its network debut on March 26, 1973 and was a ratings hit, sustaining its ratings even when episodes were delayed or preempted by the Watergate hearings. A year later, the ratings temporarily declined (against the original version of Jeopardy! on NBC) and CBS canceled it. The show was quickly picked up by ABC, and began airing on that network on May 6, 1974. As per CBS custom at the time with celebrity game shows, three weeks of episodes for CBS were taped in Hollywood. (Pyramid returned to California for good beginning with the 1982 revival.)

The first thirty episodes (six weeks) which aired on ABC were taped at CBS' Ed Sullivan Theater while a replica set was built at ABC's smaller Elysee Theater, known also as Studio TV-15. One reason may have been the size of the set (including the giant Pyramid board itself); also, and Pyramid historian William Padron had said that the CBS union staff objected to seeing their creations moved to an ABC studio. The first episode taped at ABC was broadcast on June 17, 1974 with June Lockhartand William Shatner.

A weekly syndicated nighttime version, known as The $25,000 Pyramid and hosted by Bill Cullen, made its debut in September 1974, seen mostly on network-affiliated stations during the prime access time slot. This edition lasted until September 1979.

The network daytime version was a ratings success for ABC, usually ranked #3 among daytime game shows. On January 19, 1976, the show increased its top prize and was renamed The $20,000 Pyramid. However, ratings later began to slide, and ABC canceled the show on June 27, 1980.

For a six-week period from October 1 to November 9, 1979, the series became Junior Partner Pyramid, with the traditional celebrity-contestant pairings scrapped in favor of children teamed with their parents or other adult relatives.

From January 26 to September 4, 1981, the program returned to daily first-run syndication as The $50,000 Pyramid, with Clark as host. It was the final edition of the program to originate in New York City. This version included the first tournament structure and was later integrated into The $100,000 Pyramid.

On September 20, 1982, the series returned to the CBS daytime lineup as The $25,000 Pyramid, again with Clark as host, but now taped in Los Angeles at CBS Television City's Studio 33 (currently known as the Bob Barker Studio) and remained there for the entire run and the brief 1988 return.[2] The new Pyramid debuted at 10:00 AM and for its entire run on CBS served as the leadoff program for the network's morning game show block, being paired with three different series as part of the lead-in hour for The Price Is Right. The first series to share the hour with The $25,000 Pyramid was Child's Play, which was hosted by former Pyramid host Bill Cullen and debuted the same day. In September 1983 that was replaced by Press Your Luck, which was replaced by a new version of Card Sharks in January 1986.

Bengals vs. Texans and Lions vs. Saints tonight.

Tebows vs. Steelers and Falcons vs. Giants on Sunday.

RABBBBBBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE

RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE

RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE

ANDY DALTON WOO LET'S GO WOO WOOO WOO YEAH RABBLERABBLERABBLERABBLERABBLERABBLERABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE

DIE JERRY JONES DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE FUCK YOU DAVID FREESE

Well, 2011 is pretty much done, and it's been a pretty awesome year in the world of video games. The OT thread has been full of video game stuff, so I thought it was worth separating it for a little bit.

Here are some questions to get discussion started:

1.) What are your top five (more or less if you want) games this year?

2.) What games have you NOT played that came out this year that you want to get to eventually?

3.) Looking ahead, what game/product are you most excited about for 2012?

4.) With multiple reports coming out about a new Xbox in 2013, what is the thing you want most in a next-gen console?

Continue reading this post »

The TCU Horned Frogs knew they had to come to Boise and score points if they wanted a shot at beating the undefeated Broncos. So far, at least through the air, they’ve done their job. They currently lead the Broncos 20-14 at the half. Using four wide receiver sets, the Horned Frogs have torn apart the Boise State secondary, taking advantage of the aggressive Broncos corners. TCU QB Casey Pachall has thrown for 286 yards on only 18 attempts, and for three touchdowns, the shortest of which was 69 yards.

The TCU defense has also put pressure on Boise QB Kellen Moore, sacking the Heisman candidate twice, and forcing him to hurry what should have been easy completions.

For TCU to pull off the upset, they’ll need to continue to be successful through the air, as Boise has been deadset on stopping the run. The Frogs have rushed for only 13 yards on 12 carries. Pachall will need to pick up where he left off, and will also need some timely stops from his defense.

Overall, TCU fans have to happy with the performance from their team so far.

I was at the Ballpark in Arlington on July 7, as a foul ball was ripped down the left field line. It careemed off the wall, and straight toward Josh Hamilton.

He tosses the ball to a fan in the left field bleachers. The fan caught it, but tumbled over the railing and fell nearly 20 feet. I can still see him falling in my mind. It sickens my stomach.

I couldn't enjoy the rest of that game, what turned out to be a pretty entertaining 6-0 over the Athletics. It was one year ago to the day where another fan fell 30 feet from the upper deck while trying to catch a foul ball.

I was hopeful the man, who was with his son, would be alright. Sadly, once the game ended, the news broke that Shannon Stone, the man who went after the ball, had died.

My heart sank, and I began to cry. I remembered the days with my father in the backyard of my house as he would play catch with me, took me to baseball practice and cheered me on when I played all the way through middle school.

What I remembered most was when my dad took me to Rangers games. We didn't have a whole lot of money, so it was always a big deal when we made the trek to the ballpark. I got to see my favorite players like Pudge Rodriguez, Rusty Greer and Juan Gonzalez IN PERSON. The six-year-old me was nothing short of esctatic.

And knowing that Shannon Stone would never get to have those experiences with his child just gutted me to my core. Without my dad, I probably never become interested in baseball, let alone become a die-hard Rangers fan. Baseball is such an incredible sport to experience and play. There's something inherent in its nature that brings people together and gives us reason to celebrate.

These past two seasons as a Ranger fan have been full of incredible moments for me. It was always depressing knowing your season was over in June. The 2000s were a decade mostly of a team with no clear direction. Last place finishes were commonplace. But they were MY crappy team. Once they hired Jon Daniels at GM, and truly began to rebuild for the future, I knew this team had the potential to do big things.

I'm writing this post in a state of depression. My team had an entire city ready to erupt. It's a minor miracle when the Rangers are the top story. You maybe heard one segment this week on the Cowboys in this city.

One strike away. Twice. When Hamilton hit that home run in the 10th, it seemed so perfect, so fitting. The man playing on one leg, who had fought the demons of drug addiction, who had been indirectly involved in Stone's death, had just put his team ahead after a gut-wrenching 9th inning.

I don't want to recap the whole thing. It makes me want to cry. The beauty of the game is that it can be so cruel. I can look back at the good moments of this season. Things like Mike Napoli going to Anaheim and blasting a home run to center field as Adrian Beltre yells "OH SHIT." Seriously, it's awesome. Watching Derek Holland, perhaps the most frustrating pitcher in Rangers history, pitch one of the greatest games in World Series history in person. Hell, making it to the World Series two straight years after never winning a playoff series. It hurts, but those memories don't become irrelevant just because we didn't win. I hate this notion that my team is full of chokers. It discounts the incredible performance from the Cards, in my opinion.

I'm saddened, but hopeful we have the talent to make it back, and eventually win a World Series. Once we do, it'll be that much sweeter. Congrats to you guys. I lurked at this place during the WS, and you all seem like a pretty awesome community. One strike, man.

Crap. 

It's been a pretty eventful week for the TCU Horned Frogs program in the news, especially considering the Frogs are only 3-2 on the season.

First, head coach Gary Patterson made headlines when he called out the SMU football program and head coach June Jones following a 40-33 overtime loss, TCU's first to the Mustangs since 2005. The loss also dropped them out of the AP and USA Today Coaches polls for the first time since 2008.

Then, the big news came down Thursday that the members of the Big 12 (sans Missouri) voted to invite TCU to be the replacement for Texas A&M, who is leaving for the SEC in 2012.

Fans and alumni have obviously been rejuvinated by the latest news, as some feared the Big East, whom TCU was planning to join, was on the verge of collapse. But while it is a big moment for Frogs fans, there still is a 2011 football season to be played.

The Frogs this week face off against San Diego State (3-1, 0-0) at 9 p.m, whom TCU was able to eek at a 40-35 win at Amon Carter Stadium last season. While former head coach Brady Hoke is now with Michigan (who handed SDSU their first loss of the season, 28-7), much of the talent on offense that gave the Frogs fits last season remains.

Continue reading this post »

TCU head coach Gary Patterson was not happy after the 40-33 loss to cross-town rival SMU Saturday. It's something the reigning coach of the year hasn't really experienced since the 2007 season, where his freshman-heavy team led by some kid named Andy Dalton lost five times. That can't sit well with the man.

To make things worse, there were two questionable pass interference calls early in the game that extended SMU drives and directly led to an early 17-0 deficit. 

One can only imagine Patterson's initial reaction to the comments made by SMU wide receiver Darius Johnson. "I don't really like these TCU people," he said. 

Heck, even SMU head coach June Jones got in on the fun, albeit in a more subtle way. When asked about how they were able to beat TCU by the Dallas Morning News, he had this to say: 

"They don't change, they stay and make people adjust to them," Jones said. "They might do one thing new a game for you, but they're going to do what they do and they're going to beat you. That's their attitude.

Oh boy. Now Patterson, already on edge, most likely lost it at this point after reading what Jones said. He didn't find about the comments until later in the weekend (or else he would have said something in the post-game press conference), but he made sure he let everyone in the media know what he thought about them during his weekly media conference.

Continue reading this post »

The TCU Horned Frogs overcame a slow start this afternoon in Fort Worth to cast away the Portland State Vikings, 55-13, thanks to some big plays on both sides of the ball and a key series of events late in the first half.

There’s no other way to put it: for the first 27 minutes of this game, TCU looked terrible. The defense was making Portland State QB Connor Kavanaugh, who threw for fewer than 50 yards last week against Northern Arizona, look like an All-American. The defensive line was giving up runs of six, seven and eight yards with alarming frequency.

On offense, QB Casey Pachall was in the midst of his worst game as the starting QB. He threw an awful interception that killed a promising drive in the second quarter and was not passing with any sort of consistency or accuracy. The Frogs were staring at a potential halftime score of 3-3 against, essentially, a cupcake opponent.

The Frogs needed a spark, something to get the crowd and sideline back into the game. It’s not a stretch to say the game depended on it. Luckily for TCU, they got one from Josh Boyce, hands down the most electrifying playmaker in the state of Texas not named Robert Griffin III.

With a little over two minutes remaining in the first half, Boyce took a quick slant from Pachall 66 yards to the house, and gave the Frogs their first touchdown of the game, along with their first lead. That play awoke the team and fans from their slumber, and helped propel them to two more touchdowns  in the final two minutes. Tank Carder, the linebacker who broke up the two point conversion in the Rose Bowl, intercepted Kavanaugh’s pass and returned it for the first touchdown, extending the lead to 17-3.

After holding the Vikings to a quick three-and-out following the score, WR Skye Dawson returned a punt deep into Portland State territory, and capped it off with a 10-yard strike from Pachall to Skye Dawson. What had looked like a potential upset in the making become a three score game in a span of minutes, all thanks to Boyce.

The Frogs started off the second half much like they ended the first, with a 65-yard scamper from Waymon James, who also had a nice kick return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. By the end of the third quarter, the Frogs had put most of their backups in on offense, and it ended up in a blowout like most expected.

The most important thing to come out of this game was the way the Frogs overcame a terrible start and avoided any thoughts of an upset by the end of the first half. Games like this are a reminder that this is very much a different TCU team than the one we’ve seen over the past few years. It’s full of young, inexperienced yet talented players, a team currently in search of an identity.

Even the best programs in the country have to rebuild when players graduate. Building a BCS team takes time. While it can be frustrating to watch at times, the team has the talent to become an elite level squad. My advice: enjoy the ride (even when you want to pull your hair out).

Notes:

• Waymon James, even though he’s not the starter, is the most talented running back for the Frogs. He’s got the combination of power and speed that offensive coordinators dream of. His 65-yard TD to open up the second half was most impressive. Both Skye Dawson and Waymon James finished the game with two touchdowns each.
• After a slow start from the TCU defense, the line finally began to put pressure on Kavanaugh and Portland State. While the secondary for TCU has been bad, the defensive line has to do their part and put more consistent pressure on the quarterback. Too many times the line has allowed teams to have ample time to check their third and sometimes fourth receivers. Getting that pressure will make the job of the secondary much easier.
• Casey Pachall has become the unquestioned leader of the offense after only four games as a starter. When the team was struggling in the first half, he was trying to encourage teammates, and was paying close attention to the game at hand. He’s got the potential to be just as good, maybe even better, than Andy Dalton.
• TCU can’t afford to have a slow start like this against SMU, a big rival. The Frogs nearly lost to SMU on the road last season, and the Mustangs always bring their "A" game against TCU. Should be a fun one next Saturday.

After taking a 41-3 lead late in the third quarter, TCU subbed in backup quarterback Matt Brown and running back Aundre Dean. Most of the student section has made their way to the exits. Overall, it was a pretty nice comeback from a terrible opening by the Frogs.

Breaking news: Skye Dawson is fast. The football and track star just caught a tipped pass and blew by the two Portland State defenders who had the tackling angle on him. He runs the 100 in a blistering 10.2 seconds. You can’t teach speed. The Frogs now lead 41-3 in the third quarter.

Wow. It’s hard to put into words just how much this game has changed since a little over two minutes in the first half. TCU needed only one play, a 65-yard TD run from Waymon James, to get back onto the scoreboard in the second half. Whatever Gary Patterson said in the locker room, it certainly has worked.

Following a nice punt return from Skye Dawson late in the first half, Casey Pachall hooked up with Josh Boyce for the second time today, extending their lead to 24-3 to finish the first half. Head coach Gary Patterson did not pleased seem with the team’s effort, despite the strong finish to the second quarter.

What a crazy turn of events. It looked like TCU was going to go into the locker room after two being tied with FCS opponent Portland State 3-3. But a long TD pass to Josh Boyce and an interception return for a touchdown by Rose Bowl hero Tank Carder has brought the Frogs back to life. This is the team that we saw almost pull off one of the greatest comebacks in college football history.

After sputtering most of the first half, the TCU offense finally got things going with a 66-yard touchdown pass from Casey Pachall to WR Josh Boyce. Most of the throws Pachall was making were quick, safe screens or slants, perhaps because of the interception Pachall threw on the previous drive. That touchdown was huge for TCU, who’d looked mostly awful this afternoon.

After the TCU defense finally stopped the Portland State Vikings thanks to a nice sack by Stansly Maponga, Frogs QB Casey Pachall threw a careless interception, ending any sort of momentum the team was building. So far, on family weekend, the Frogs have been letting the parents down this afternoon. It’s still 3-3, with 6:10 left in the second quarter.

TCU started the second quarter with a 35-yard field goal to even the score at 3-3 with Portland State. Waymon James led the way on the drive, with two carries totaling 36 yards. A blocking in the back penalty stopped momentum on what looked to be a drive that would result in a touchdown. Head coach Gary Patterson thought about going for it on fourth down, but decided to take the points.

TCU’s defense has not really been able to stop either the run or the pass of Portland State. It’s early in the second quarter, and Portland State has already gotten seven first downs.

Portland State got off to a strong start on their opening possession, going on a 14-play, 71-yard drive that resulted in a 22-yard field goal. Portland State QB Connor Kavanaugh, who only threw for 66 yards last week against the vaunted Northern Arizona Lumberjacks, is 4-5 with 46 yards. The Frogs, on their opening drive, sputtered on offense and had to punt after three plays.

I’ve been a baseball fan since I could remember. It was a sport I excelled in as a child, and I loved to spend the summer afternoons playing catch with my dad. We started in t-ball, playing for the Astros. I don’t remember much, but I do remember him being there to cheer me on, win or lose.

After t-ball came coaches pitch. That move was a drastic one. Now the ball was actually coming towards you, like actual baseball. I accepted the challenge, and wanted to get better. I would often ask my dad to help me before and after practice, and he always obliged. Later I would find out the man worked 50 hour work weeks, and could have used some time to relax. But he was there, throwing batting practice, taking me to the cages, and just being a great father.

I remember one practice where I was really struggling to get a hit, and some of the players started to make fun of me. No big deal at first. Then the coaches got in on it. I’d never seen my dad so angry in his life. This calm, kind man asked to talk to the coach after practice (to make sure the other kids wouldn’t hear it) and proceeded to lay into this assistant who thought it was funny I wasn’t playing well. Some may think he was hovering, but I was six years old at the time. Adults making fun of someone like that can really mess with a kid, especially when he’s truly trying.

My dad’s passion for watching me play continued through kids pitch. That meant practices twice a week, two games (one on Saturday and Sunday), and the chauffeuring duties that came along with it. Let’s not forget the financial commitment. My parents probably spent a couple thousand dollars on equipment, league fees, uniforms, and any other expenses in the years I played baseball.

Not once did he complain. And win or lose, great game or poor showing, he’d always be there. One moment I think I’ll always remember was at our 10 year old league playoff tournament. A few days before the game, my dad told me he had to go on a business trip. I got angry at him. He said he was sorry, and there was nothing he could do, but I didn’t care. I ran up my stairs and began to cry. Later, my mom would tell me he did the same, because he felt he had let me down. 

I didn’t know any better, but it still pains me to know my father, felt like he had not done enough, when it couldn’t be further from the truth.

By the time middle school rolled around, we had become a select baseball team, which meant a 25 game schedule, practices almost every day, and games on weeknights. I had been with this team, the Braves, for five years, when we were just in the Plano Sports Authority league. After getting hit in the neck and helmet one game on a pitch that seemed like it was 65 mph, I became nervous in the batters box. I pulled away when I would swing, afraid of being hit once again. I tried to fix the problem, but the worry of getting hit became too great. 

The coach I thought cared about me cut me via email after my struggles at the plate. My dad was the one who had to tell me. I can still see the pain in his eyes when he had to tell me himself that my dream, my favorite hobby, was most likely over. That was one of the toughest moments in my life. I don’t remember doing this, perhaps because I was so upset and enraged, but I called my former coach and told him he was a jerk and he should have had the guts to tell me himself. I also said he was a terrible father (he was, would hit his kid in the parking lot).

After the coach called my dad back, I thought for sure I’d be in huge trouble. He told me not to do that again, but told me what I said was 100% correct. He knew what I was going through, because he’d been along through my baseball journey.

Sure, I played another half season back in the non-select league, and did okay even. But I knew I wasn’t good enough to play high school ball. It was before the start of seventh grade when I officially quit the sport.

The relationship I had with my father was one that was incredibly important to me. It was one that Shannon Stone probably wanted to have with his son as well. Stone was a firefighter from Brownwood who was taking his four-year-old son to his first ever big league game. In the second inning against the Oakland A’s, Connor Jackson hit a foul ball that careened off the left field wall, and right towards Josh Hamilton. Stone, most likely eager to give his son a souvenir that he’d remember for the rest of his life, yelled at Hamilton to toss him the ball.

Stone leaned over after the red railing after Hamilton lobbed it underhand, and was able to snag the ball. Stone however lost his balance, and flipped over the left field railing, falling around 20 feet to the ground. Stone landed head-first on the concrete floor, and was apparently bleeding from the head. Paramedics were quick to put Stone on a stretcher, all the while his son watched as the man who he looked up to most lay in a helpless position.

Brad Ziegler, a reliever for the athletics, recalled the situation to reporters.

“They had him on a stretcher. He said, ‘Please check on my son. My son was up there by himself.’ The people who carried him out reassured him. ‘Sir, we’ll get your son, we’ll make sure he’s OK,’” Ziegler said. “He had his arms swinging. He talked and was conscious. 

I watched the game, remembering that it was a year and one day earlier that a fan fell from the upper deck during a Rangers game against the Indians. Hearing then play-by-play man Josh Lewin’s call coupled with the reactions of horrors from the players who witnessed the man fall 30 feet onto empty seats, I thought for sure the man had died.

This time, we didn’t know what to think. It should have been a clue to myself that the Rangers broadcast was saying absolutely nothing about the incident, while the media was keeping everyone updated on a frequent basis.

The team released a statement saying the man would be fine, but near the end of the game, a tweet from a weekend Ticket employee informed the public he had heard some grumblings from Rangers personnel that the man had died. He quickly backed away from the assertions, but we began to wonder.

It was after the game had ended, where we got to see Derek Holland have a great recovery from his worst performance of the season, when he heard the news. Shannon Stone was dead.

I had a flashback to all the memories I experienced with my father and how much he meant to me. And to know this boy will never get to have these moments with his old man makes me sick to my stomach. I don’t know what kind of man I am today without my father. My mom was damn good at her job, but there’s a special bond between father and son that is different, one that’s deeper.

Not only that, but to watch your own father die in front of you, at such a young age? I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.

It’s moments like these that sometimes make sports and the act of following a team feels so trivial. It was just a few hours earlier I was cursing out Derek Holland for a four pitch walk.

But that means nothing. What does matter is that there’s a young kid sleeping right now, and will wake up without a father in his life. I hope the Rangers do the right thing and donate a large sum of money to this family. But that can’t replace Shannon Stone. I only hope someone good in the kid’s life can act as a father figure to him. Someone who will take him to games and cheer him on as he runs the base paths. Someone who will give him a pat on the back after a bad game.

Someone who will just be there.

So, the two big news items of the day were the release of the SI article that found (gasp!) that many players on college football teams have a criminal past. Here's the link to the article. It's a really good read. And while TCU doesn't habe any players charged right now, they are in the midst of a messy legal battle over  an alleged sexual assault back in 2006 and whether the school had a relaxed policy towards athletes, so it's not like the program is very clean, either. Note: the only reason why I'm making note of this is because other outlets have done the whole "See! TCU does it the right way!" herp derp, which is a bunch of crap.

And while I'm hesitant to even bring it up, Cowherd said yesterday that Oregon is about to have the reign of fire of the NCAA come down on them.

So, should someone's past play a role in which players you recruit?

Well, Signing Day is very much upon us. I'm just starting to become more entrenched in the recruiting scene (not that I know anybody, just reading up on it more), and I'm pretty much hooked. It's fun to discuss. With that said, here's the Rivals signing class rankings of schools (and the top player they signed) that people care about here at LSB.

#1: Alabama (Demetrius Hart, RB 5*)

#2: Texas (If Malcolm Brown 5* can't succeed at UT, they've got some problems with RBs)

#4: LSU (for GoET) (Anthony Johnson, DT 5*)

#12: Oklahoma (Brandon Williams, RB 5*)

#17: Texas Tech (Marcus Roberson, DB 4*)

#24: Oklahoma State (J.W. Walsh, QB 4*)

#25: TCU (LaDarius Brown, ATH 4*)

#33: Kansas (HOW DID THEY GET A BETTER CLASS THAN A&M???!?!?!?!?!)

#34: Texas A&M (Howard Matthews, DB 4*)

#39: Utah (Harvey Langi, RB 4*)

#40: Georgia Tech (Jabari Hunt-Days, LB 4*)

#43: Baylor (Spencer Drango, OL 4*)

#47: Missouri (Sheldon Richardson, DT 4*)

#48: SMU (Davon Moreland, DE 4*)

Continue reading this post »

Well, since AC: Brotherhood came out in late November, there's been virtually no new releases worth purchasing for nearly two months. But, thanks to the numerous 2010 delays we had, there's going to be a bunch of good games coming out from January through April of 2011. Here's just a sampling:

January 18: Little Big Planet 2, Mass Effect 2 (for you PS3 owners)

January 24: Dead Space 2 (played the demo for it, and it's pretty awesome. Loved the first game.)

February 15: Marvel vs. Capcom 3

February 22: Bulletstorm, Killzone 3

February 29: Fight Night: Champion (EA Sports first M-rated release, bloody as shit)

March 8: Deus Ex: Human Revolution, MLB 11: The Show (YAY BASEBALL), Dragon Age 2

March 22: Crysis 2

March 31: Team ICO Collection (with improved graphics!)

April 5: LA Noire (Team Bondi is teaming up with Rockstar for a 40s style detective open-world game)

April 19: Portal Fucking 2

April 26: Mortal Combat, Brink (crazy awesome looking FPS)

Fuck, that's a bunch of games. I'm most excited about Deus Ex, LA Noire, and Brink. But what else has everyone been playing?

I just got Vanquish from GameFly, and it's pretty awesome. Just imagine Gears of War, but you had rockets attached to your knees so you could slide around, and a batshit insane story that has Russians using a laser to destroy San Francisco, and you've got 8 hours before they do the same to NYC. 

Man, Kansas and Michigan are awful. Okie State is only up 20-14 in the 3rd quarter over the Jayhawks. Both teams have blown multiple scoring chances. And Michigan can't play defense. A&M fans can't be too happy right now. They need Kansas to win to have a chance at making the Big 12 Championship game. Looking back at that game where Johnson threw that INT late in that game has to be super frustrating.

Holy crap. It looks like this Cam Newton situation got a hell of a lot bigger. This was posted on LSU's fan forum on November 16, and has exploded on the internet. If even half the allegations in this thing are true, Auburn is about to get the Death Penalty.

Here's  the link to the thread, for those interested. And here is the same post, but in an easier to read format.

Here's a quick summary of the exhaustive post, for those involved:

With the help of a few rogue's in the Auburn Board of Trustees and other alumni and associates, Auburn was doing the following:

• Securing guaranteed winning slot machines for Auburn players
• Giving money to players via unmarked ATM cards
• Giving loans to players and families
• Using a Children's Fund charity as the distributor of this money for the players

According to this thread, if the accusations are truthful, Auburn could lose accreditation as a university and would be kicked out of the SEC. Sorry if this is confusing. But holy shit. This is insane.

Oh, and one quick sidenote. Apparently, Tommy Tubberville was removed by the board of directors because he was unwilling to do pay-for-play, especially in the wake of hiring Nick Saban.