A year after Betty White received the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement award, she was back, taking home another statuette.
The 89-year-old White was honored Sunday for outstanding actress in a comedy series for her performance on TV Land’s “Hot in Cleveland.”
“I cannot believe this,” said a genuinely shocked White, after being helped to the stage by presenter Jon Hamm. “They got the old broad up those stairs — and that’s not easy.”
She added that the award was “the biggest surprise I’ve ever had in this business.”
It was a fitting win for White, whose recent comeback began at the SAG Awards. Her speech a year ago — in which she exhibited great comic timing and playful quips with presenter Sandra Bullock — was a huge hit. Afterward, a Facebook campaign was launched urging that she host “Saturday Night Live.”
She eventually did, in May, leading to an audience of 12.1 million for “SNL” and, later, an Emmy award for White. In December, Associated Press members voted her the AP Entertainer of the Year.
Back at the same podium that helped launch her unlikely late resurgence, White proved that another year hadn’t dulled her sharp wit. While speaking, she slyly ran her hand over the (particularly revealing) statuette, cooing, “ooh.”
The crowd roared.
Showing posts with label Win. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Win. Show all posts
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Clarke Lauds Team Effort in Series Win
Michael Clarke has praised his players for their sudden turnaround following the Ashes after their comprehensive win over England at the Gabba secured an unassailable 4-1 lead. Instead of being overwhelmed by the scale of the Test losses, the limited-overs players have regrouped so quickly that the final two games will be dead rubbers.
"After a pretty tough start to the summer, losing the Ashes, I think it shows a lot of courage for us to come back and play well throughout the series," Clarke said. "I think it was a great performance from the whole group, everyone contributed."
Clarke's 54, his highest score of the series, set up Australia's 249, a total which seemed small until the attack knocked over the tourists' main men by the 26th over. Clarke said the bowling of John Hastings (2 for 35) and Steven Smith (1 for 29) effectively shut down England's chase.
The pair was responsible for ruining England's middle order when the visitors lost Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan and Ian Bell for eight runs and fell to 6 for 105. "John Hastings and Steve Smith probably won us the game with that partnership," Clarke said. "They worked together, certain guys wanted to bowl to certain batters, so they communicated really well and did a great job."
Brett Lee was also impressive early, taking two wickets as England fell to 3 for 22. "Brett has been a wonderful bowler for a long time," Clarke said. "His execution throughout this series has been spot-on, but I think he feels he can get better. He probably feels he's bowling okay at the moment but has work to do before the World Cup - as we all do."
Australia are now in a relatively healthy position heading towards the tournament, which starts in three weeks. The only setback for them came with another hamstring injury to Shaun Marsh, who suffered badly with similar problems last summer.
Clarke said the injury was minor, but Marsh is due to undergo a scan on Monday to determine whether the side requires a replacement for Wednesday's sixth game in Sydney. Marsh is not in the World Cup squad but is the leading contender to replace Michael Hussey if he fails to recover from hamstring surgery.
"After a pretty tough start to the summer, losing the Ashes, I think it shows a lot of courage for us to come back and play well throughout the series," Clarke said. "I think it was a great performance from the whole group, everyone contributed."
Clarke's 54, his highest score of the series, set up Australia's 249, a total which seemed small until the attack knocked over the tourists' main men by the 26th over. Clarke said the bowling of John Hastings (2 for 35) and Steven Smith (1 for 29) effectively shut down England's chase.
The pair was responsible for ruining England's middle order when the visitors lost Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan and Ian Bell for eight runs and fell to 6 for 105. "John Hastings and Steve Smith probably won us the game with that partnership," Clarke said. "They worked together, certain guys wanted to bowl to certain batters, so they communicated really well and did a great job."
Brett Lee was also impressive early, taking two wickets as England fell to 3 for 22. "Brett has been a wonderful bowler for a long time," Clarke said. "His execution throughout this series has been spot-on, but I think he feels he can get better. He probably feels he's bowling okay at the moment but has work to do before the World Cup - as we all do."
Australia are now in a relatively healthy position heading towards the tournament, which starts in three weeks. The only setback for them came with another hamstring injury to Shaun Marsh, who suffered badly with similar problems last summer.
Clarke said the injury was minor, but Marsh is due to undergo a scan on Monday to determine whether the side requires a replacement for Wednesday's sixth game in Sydney. Marsh is not in the World Cup squad but is the leading contender to replace Michael Hussey if he fails to recover from hamstring surgery.
Boucher Powers Warriors to Last-Ball Win
The first three matches of this season's Standard Bank Pro20 were all decided on the last ball.
On Friday night, the Cobras beat the Titans by five wickets in Cape Town. The Titans chose to bat and their innings started in inauspicious fashion when Blake Snijman was bowled by Charl Langeveldt with the first ball of the match. It didn't affect the batting though because Jacques Rudolph and Roelof van der Merwe repaired the innings with 45 and 65 respectively. Albie Morkel also contributed, his unbeaten 50 off 25 balls, was another statement directed at the national selectors who excluded him from the World Cup squad. The Cobras bowlers were all punished, bar Justin Kemp who took one for 15 in this three overs as the Titans ended on 175 for 4.
The Cobras response started gingerly as Andrew Puttick and Herschelle Gibbs departed for 3 and 26 respectively. Owais Shah helped to stabilise matters with 28 and Richard Levi's 68 set the chase up for a grand finale. Pierre Joubert was the most economical bowler, conceding just 29 runs in his four overs. The Cobras needed 22 runs off the last two overs and 14 off the last one and it was up to big-hitting Justin Kemp to finish the Titans off. He smacked a six and a four off the last two balls to hand the Cobras a nail-biting win.
The Cobras lived by the sword on Friday, and died by it on Sunday where they lost by four wickets to the Lions in Johannesburg. The Lions opted to bowl and did an excellent job in the Powerplay, giving away just 27 runs in seven overs. Levi and Gibbs were both dismissed for ducks while Ethan O'Reilly was the man responsible for keeping it tight and conceded just 22 runs in his four overs. Owais Shah hit three gigantic sixes in his 42, one of which went out of the ground. Justin Ontong was the Cobras' unlikely hero, scoring 56 off 30 and adding much-needed impetus to their line-up. They finished on 155 for 6.
The Lions chase started disastrously and they found themselves on 31 for four after six overs, with Alviro Petersen, Jonathan Vandiar, Neil McKenzie and new signing Gulam Bodi back in the hut. Jean Symes and Zander de Bruyn spent some time rebuilding which meant the Lions innings hit comatose levels. After 12 overs, they were 62 for 4, needing to score at almost 12 runs to the over to win. Symes broke the shackles with a six, the first boundary in 42 balls, and then de Bruyn cashed in and reached his half century. de Bruyn laid the platform but the Lions still needed 19 off the last over. Frylinck, who will play for the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL, hit two sixes and a four off the last three balls to end the match in thrilling fashion for the Lions.
In East London, the Warriors began their title defence with a tense, two-wicket win over the Titans. The Titans were off to a rollicking start and brought up their 50 inside five overs. Rudolph's 58 off 44 balls was the top score of their innings. Justin Kreusch, who took 2 for 23 and Rusty Theron, who took 2 for 31, pegged the Titans back but Henry Davids' unbeaten 50 off 30 balls took them to a competitive 163 for 5.
The Warriors chase looked dead and buried at 65 for 6 in the 10th over. Their big names were out with Ashwell Prince being dismissed for 1, Davy Jacobs for 19 and Nicky Boje for 26. There was one big name left - Mark Boucher. The South African keeper put some serious doubts in the national selectors' minds when he took the Warriors over the line with an unbeaten 60 of 33 balls. Lyall Meyer's 36 off 28 balls was crucial and does not deserve to get overshadowed but will pale in comparison to Boucher's heroics.
Batsmen of the week: Three, sensational finishes that could not be valued any differently means that this week's award goes to the three men who effectively won the matches for their teams. Justin Kemp, Mark Boucher and Robbie Frylinck share this week's title.
On Friday night, the Cobras beat the Titans by five wickets in Cape Town. The Titans chose to bat and their innings started in inauspicious fashion when Blake Snijman was bowled by Charl Langeveldt with the first ball of the match. It didn't affect the batting though because Jacques Rudolph and Roelof van der Merwe repaired the innings with 45 and 65 respectively. Albie Morkel also contributed, his unbeaten 50 off 25 balls, was another statement directed at the national selectors who excluded him from the World Cup squad. The Cobras bowlers were all punished, bar Justin Kemp who took one for 15 in this three overs as the Titans ended on 175 for 4.
The Cobras response started gingerly as Andrew Puttick and Herschelle Gibbs departed for 3 and 26 respectively. Owais Shah helped to stabilise matters with 28 and Richard Levi's 68 set the chase up for a grand finale. Pierre Joubert was the most economical bowler, conceding just 29 runs in his four overs. The Cobras needed 22 runs off the last two overs and 14 off the last one and it was up to big-hitting Justin Kemp to finish the Titans off. He smacked a six and a four off the last two balls to hand the Cobras a nail-biting win.
The Cobras lived by the sword on Friday, and died by it on Sunday where they lost by four wickets to the Lions in Johannesburg. The Lions opted to bowl and did an excellent job in the Powerplay, giving away just 27 runs in seven overs. Levi and Gibbs were both dismissed for ducks while Ethan O'Reilly was the man responsible for keeping it tight and conceded just 22 runs in his four overs. Owais Shah hit three gigantic sixes in his 42, one of which went out of the ground. Justin Ontong was the Cobras' unlikely hero, scoring 56 off 30 and adding much-needed impetus to their line-up. They finished on 155 for 6.
The Lions chase started disastrously and they found themselves on 31 for four after six overs, with Alviro Petersen, Jonathan Vandiar, Neil McKenzie and new signing Gulam Bodi back in the hut. Jean Symes and Zander de Bruyn spent some time rebuilding which meant the Lions innings hit comatose levels. After 12 overs, they were 62 for 4, needing to score at almost 12 runs to the over to win. Symes broke the shackles with a six, the first boundary in 42 balls, and then de Bruyn cashed in and reached his half century. de Bruyn laid the platform but the Lions still needed 19 off the last over. Frylinck, who will play for the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL, hit two sixes and a four off the last three balls to end the match in thrilling fashion for the Lions.
In East London, the Warriors began their title defence with a tense, two-wicket win over the Titans. The Titans were off to a rollicking start and brought up their 50 inside five overs. Rudolph's 58 off 44 balls was the top score of their innings. Justin Kreusch, who took 2 for 23 and Rusty Theron, who took 2 for 31, pegged the Titans back but Henry Davids' unbeaten 50 off 30 balls took them to a competitive 163 for 5.
The Warriors chase looked dead and buried at 65 for 6 in the 10th over. Their big names were out with Ashwell Prince being dismissed for 1, Davy Jacobs for 19 and Nicky Boje for 26. There was one big name left - Mark Boucher. The South African keeper put some serious doubts in the national selectors' minds when he took the Warriors over the line with an unbeaten 60 of 33 balls. Lyall Meyer's 36 off 28 balls was crucial and does not deserve to get overshadowed but will pale in comparison to Boucher's heroics.
Batsmen of the week: Three, sensational finishes that could not be valued any differently means that this week's award goes to the three men who effectively won the matches for their teams. Justin Kemp, Mark Boucher and Robbie Frylinck share this week's title.
Kaneria Spins HBL to Second Win
Group A
Habib Bank Limited maintained their perfect start with their second successive win, a 155-run thumping of Karachi Dolphins in Rawalpindi. The match started badly for them as opener Imran Farhat fell for 1, but solid contributions from the rest of the top order and half-centuries from Aftab Alam and Hasan Raza pushed them to what looked a competitive 262. It proved much more than sufficient as Dolphins collapsed to 107 all out. Medium-pacer Fahad Masood did the early damage, taking three top-order wickets, before legspinner Danish Kaneria ripped out four wickets for 28 to confirm a big victory.
In another one-sided match, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines crushed Islamabad Leopards by 109 runs at the Diamond Club ground in Islamabad. Opener Sohail Ahmed's half-century guided SNGPL to a solid start but a slew of wickets left them wobbling at 157 for 5. The experienced Saleem Mughal stabilised the innings with a 55 that took them to 271. In response, Islamabad's batsmen flopped with only opener Zeeshan Ali making it past 16. He went on to make 63, but hardly had any support as Islamabad subsided to 162 all out.
The most competitive match in the group was the one between the table-toppers and the team at the bottom. Pakistan International Airlines kept a spotless record by picking up their third win in three matches, beating Rawalpindi Rams by 45 runs in Islamabad. Faisal Iqbal's century was the centerpiece of PIA's innings, with support from opener Agha Sabir's 53 before a flurry of late hitting lifted PIA to 290. They seemed set for a huge victory when Rawalpindi slid to 61 for 4 but Rawalpindi's middle-order put up some resistance, with Zahid Mansoor and Jamal Anwar helping them to 245 limiting the margin of defeat.
Group B
It was a match that was decided by the how the lower orders batted. Water and Power Development Authority's bowlers added some crucial runs while Multan Tigers' last five wickets collapsed for six runs to hand WAPDA a comfortable 77-run win at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. Both innings had followed a similar pattern after Multan opted to field. WAPDA were struggling at 52 for 4 but Sohaib Maqsood launched a counter-attack, smashing 77 at more than a run-a-ball. After Maqsood fell caught behind, each of WAPDA's last four batsmen made more than 10 to carry their side well past 200. Multan began poorly as well in their chase of 224, Kashif Raza ripping through the top order to leave them tottering at 39 for 3. Waqas Sharif did what Maqsood had done earlier, slamming eight fours in his 61 as Multan fought back. But Zulfiqar Babar nipped the recovery with three wickets, including that of Sharif. And Raza returned to clean up the tail as Multan were dismissed for 147 after having been 141 for 5 at one stage.
Majid Jahangir's maiden List A century was not enough to save Sialkot Stallions from losing to National Bank of Pakistan by 46 runs at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot. Jahangir and Shehzad Malik (67) had lifted Sialkot from a precarious position, almost doubling the score after they had slumped to 113 for 5 chasing a stiff 312. But their dismissals took the wind out of Sialkot's sails, and they were soon bowled out for 265. National Bank's Uzair-ul-Haq was the best bowler on both sides, taking 4 for 46. Half-centuries from Hammad Azam, Nasir Jamshed and Qaiser Abbas had earlier set up National Bank's huge total. After opener Jamshed (75) had provided a solid platform, Azam (76 off 54) and Abbas (56 off 34) took the score beyond 300 in an unbeaten 114-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Half-centuries from Babar Azam and Shahid Yousuf and left-arm spinner Raza Hasan's four wickets took Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited to an emphatic 81-run victory against Faisalabad Wolves at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. The 158-run stand between 16-year old Azam (78) and Yousuf (76) formed the bulk of ZTBL's score after they were inserted by Faisalabad. ZTBL were 219 for 2 at one stage, but left-arm spinner Hasan Mahmood took his best List A figures of 5 for 40 to restrict them to 269. It was young Raza's turn to respond, and he grabbed 4 for 46 as Faisalabad lost regular wickets. All but two Faisalabad batsmen made double-digit scores, but none more than 33 as they limped to 188.
Habib Bank Limited maintained their perfect start with their second successive win, a 155-run thumping of Karachi Dolphins in Rawalpindi. The match started badly for them as opener Imran Farhat fell for 1, but solid contributions from the rest of the top order and half-centuries from Aftab Alam and Hasan Raza pushed them to what looked a competitive 262. It proved much more than sufficient as Dolphins collapsed to 107 all out. Medium-pacer Fahad Masood did the early damage, taking three top-order wickets, before legspinner Danish Kaneria ripped out four wickets for 28 to confirm a big victory.
In another one-sided match, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines crushed Islamabad Leopards by 109 runs at the Diamond Club ground in Islamabad. Opener Sohail Ahmed's half-century guided SNGPL to a solid start but a slew of wickets left them wobbling at 157 for 5. The experienced Saleem Mughal stabilised the innings with a 55 that took them to 271. In response, Islamabad's batsmen flopped with only opener Zeeshan Ali making it past 16. He went on to make 63, but hardly had any support as Islamabad subsided to 162 all out.
The most competitive match in the group was the one between the table-toppers and the team at the bottom. Pakistan International Airlines kept a spotless record by picking up their third win in three matches, beating Rawalpindi Rams by 45 runs in Islamabad. Faisal Iqbal's century was the centerpiece of PIA's innings, with support from opener Agha Sabir's 53 before a flurry of late hitting lifted PIA to 290. They seemed set for a huge victory when Rawalpindi slid to 61 for 4 but Rawalpindi's middle-order put up some resistance, with Zahid Mansoor and Jamal Anwar helping them to 245 limiting the margin of defeat.
Group B
It was a match that was decided by the how the lower orders batted. Water and Power Development Authority's bowlers added some crucial runs while Multan Tigers' last five wickets collapsed for six runs to hand WAPDA a comfortable 77-run win at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. Both innings had followed a similar pattern after Multan opted to field. WAPDA were struggling at 52 for 4 but Sohaib Maqsood launched a counter-attack, smashing 77 at more than a run-a-ball. After Maqsood fell caught behind, each of WAPDA's last four batsmen made more than 10 to carry their side well past 200. Multan began poorly as well in their chase of 224, Kashif Raza ripping through the top order to leave them tottering at 39 for 3. Waqas Sharif did what Maqsood had done earlier, slamming eight fours in his 61 as Multan fought back. But Zulfiqar Babar nipped the recovery with three wickets, including that of Sharif. And Raza returned to clean up the tail as Multan were dismissed for 147 after having been 141 for 5 at one stage.
Majid Jahangir's maiden List A century was not enough to save Sialkot Stallions from losing to National Bank of Pakistan by 46 runs at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot. Jahangir and Shehzad Malik (67) had lifted Sialkot from a precarious position, almost doubling the score after they had slumped to 113 for 5 chasing a stiff 312. But their dismissals took the wind out of Sialkot's sails, and they were soon bowled out for 265. National Bank's Uzair-ul-Haq was the best bowler on both sides, taking 4 for 46. Half-centuries from Hammad Azam, Nasir Jamshed and Qaiser Abbas had earlier set up National Bank's huge total. After opener Jamshed (75) had provided a solid platform, Azam (76 off 54) and Abbas (56 off 34) took the score beyond 300 in an unbeaten 114-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Half-centuries from Babar Azam and Shahid Yousuf and left-arm spinner Raza Hasan's four wickets took Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited to an emphatic 81-run victory against Faisalabad Wolves at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. The 158-run stand between 16-year old Azam (78) and Yousuf (76) formed the bulk of ZTBL's score after they were inserted by Faisalabad. ZTBL were 219 for 2 at one stage, but left-arm spinner Hasan Mahmood took his best List A figures of 5 for 40 to restrict them to 269. It was young Raza's turn to respond, and he grabbed 4 for 46 as Faisalabad lost regular wickets. All but two Faisalabad batsmen made double-digit scores, but none more than 33 as they limped to 188.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
An Oscar Win for Natalie Portman Could Make Her One of the Highest Paid Actresses in Hollywood
Oscar watchers are all but guaranteeing that Natalie Portman will take home a little gold man for her work in 'Black Swan.' That $400 statuette may be the ultimate vanity prize in Hollywood, but it also carries some substantial clout in generating future value for an actor or an actress.
See, a little gold man tomorrow is actually worth more than a little gold man today.
Hollywood agents and managers estimate their clients get a 20 percent bump in their asking price for the next film they negotiate immediately following an Academy Award win for best actor or best actress.
An Oscar raises a performer's monetary quote, but also makes a difference in the types of material they are considered for. Directors and producers start to look at newer-to-the-scene actors, like last year's nominee Jeremy Renner, in a new light. It solidifies their brand as the gold standard of acting and, ideally, box office returns.
The Hollywood Reporter's Stephen Galloway predicts that a win for Portman will put her in the same circle as Reese Witherspoon and allow her to command one of the top salaries in Hollywood.
"For Portman, a best actress victory could propel her into the Reese Witherspoon stratosphere of $10 million-plus a picture, a lot more than the high-six figures she made on the $13 million 'Swan' -- just as Halle Berry's asking price shot up to more than $10 million after her win for 'Monster's Ball,'" Galloway writes in this week's issue of THR. Granted, Portman typically commands a salary in the millions and took a pay cut for 'Black Swan' because it was a passion project.
Her increased price tag will be worth it for whatever project opts to pay it. The Academy Award provides an external validation in the consumer's mind, akin to an FDA stamp of approval. The voters, who are aspirational to start with, offer a similar screening function of sorting through the year's winners and losers albeit without the drastic downside -- if someone sees a crappy movie they won't die.
If Portman wins, from here on out, "Academy Award Winner" will be attached to her name and every project she is associated with, and the entertainment consumer will feel validated buying Portman products.
This nomination alone, and the fact that she has been anointed the chosen front-runner, will no doubt boost Portman's asking price. The issue is how long she plans to take off following the birth of her first child this summer. Her window of opportunity is wide, but it doesn't stay open forever, and the longer she waits after this possible win could diminish her value in the marketplace.
See, a little gold man tomorrow is actually worth more than a little gold man today.
Hollywood agents and managers estimate their clients get a 20 percent bump in their asking price for the next film they negotiate immediately following an Academy Award win for best actor or best actress.
An Oscar raises a performer's monetary quote, but also makes a difference in the types of material they are considered for. Directors and producers start to look at newer-to-the-scene actors, like last year's nominee Jeremy Renner, in a new light. It solidifies their brand as the gold standard of acting and, ideally, box office returns.
The Hollywood Reporter's Stephen Galloway predicts that a win for Portman will put her in the same circle as Reese Witherspoon and allow her to command one of the top salaries in Hollywood.
"For Portman, a best actress victory could propel her into the Reese Witherspoon stratosphere of $10 million-plus a picture, a lot more than the high-six figures she made on the $13 million 'Swan' -- just as Halle Berry's asking price shot up to more than $10 million after her win for 'Monster's Ball,'" Galloway writes in this week's issue of THR. Granted, Portman typically commands a salary in the millions and took a pay cut for 'Black Swan' because it was a passion project.
Her increased price tag will be worth it for whatever project opts to pay it. The Academy Award provides an external validation in the consumer's mind, akin to an FDA stamp of approval. The voters, who are aspirational to start with, offer a similar screening function of sorting through the year's winners and losers albeit without the drastic downside -- if someone sees a crappy movie they won't die.
If Portman wins, from here on out, "Academy Award Winner" will be attached to her name and every project she is associated with, and the entertainment consumer will feel validated buying Portman products.
This nomination alone, and the fact that she has been anointed the chosen front-runner, will no doubt boost Portman's asking price. The issue is how long she plans to take off following the birth of her first child this summer. Her window of opportunity is wide, but it doesn't stay open forever, and the longer she waits after this possible win could diminish her value in the marketplace.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Ganga Dedicates Win to Joey Carew
Trinidad & Tobago's team has returned home to a warm welcome after emerging champions in the Caribbean T20. Their captain Daren Ganga dedicated the victory to former West Indies opener, Joey Carew, who died earlier this month.
"When we heard about the passing of Joey Carew, we felt it was very important to pay respect to a man who changed the face of local cricket," Ganga said. "There's no better way that we could have done it than to give him this send off and dedicate this Caribbean T20 victory to him."
Carew played 19 Tests in a decade-long career that ended in 1972, and also served as a selector for West Indies cricket for 20 years, on and off, retiring from the post in 2006.
T&T were without their two biggest stars, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo, for the entire tournament but still came out on top. They caught the imagination with their brand of attacking cricket during their run to the final of the inaugural Champions League in 2009, and Ganga targeted the title this time.
"The journey has now begun. I urge every single supporter of T&T cricket to step forward and ensure that Champions League 2011 is one step better than Champions League 2009. This time around, we're not first-timers."
Two players pivotal to T&T's title win in the Caribbean T20 were batsmen Lendl Simmons and Darren Bravo. Simmons was the second-highest run-getter in the tournament, making 249 including three half-centuries to be Player of the Series.
"I am really working hard to get better and better at my game," said Simmons, who has been out of the West Indies side for nearly a year now. "I am more relaxed as a cricketer and I am happy I got some runs under my name. I am now looking forward to the WICB Four Day Tournament. I will be looking to get some more runs in that and some more big performances and get back into the picture."
Darren Bravo was Man of the Match in the final after top scoring with 41, and also starred in a league phase win over Barbados. "I really enjoyed batting in the Caribbean T20," he said. "I was feeling good at the crease and the ball was coming off the bat quite nicely. I have been doing a lot of work on my game and it was really a continuation from the way I started my Test career in Sri Lanka."
"When we heard about the passing of Joey Carew, we felt it was very important to pay respect to a man who changed the face of local cricket," Ganga said. "There's no better way that we could have done it than to give him this send off and dedicate this Caribbean T20 victory to him."
Carew played 19 Tests in a decade-long career that ended in 1972, and also served as a selector for West Indies cricket for 20 years, on and off, retiring from the post in 2006.
T&T were without their two biggest stars, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo, for the entire tournament but still came out on top. They caught the imagination with their brand of attacking cricket during their run to the final of the inaugural Champions League in 2009, and Ganga targeted the title this time.
"The journey has now begun. I urge every single supporter of T&T cricket to step forward and ensure that Champions League 2011 is one step better than Champions League 2009. This time around, we're not first-timers."
Two players pivotal to T&T's title win in the Caribbean T20 were batsmen Lendl Simmons and Darren Bravo. Simmons was the second-highest run-getter in the tournament, making 249 including three half-centuries to be Player of the Series.
"I am really working hard to get better and better at my game," said Simmons, who has been out of the West Indies side for nearly a year now. "I am more relaxed as a cricketer and I am happy I got some runs under my name. I am now looking forward to the WICB Four Day Tournament. I will be looking to get some more runs in that and some more big performances and get back into the picture."
Darren Bravo was Man of the Match in the final after top scoring with 41, and also starred in a league phase win over Barbados. "I really enjoyed batting in the Caribbean T20," he said. "I was feeling good at the crease and the ball was coming off the bat quite nicely. I have been doing a lot of work on my game and it was really a continuation from the way I started my Test career in Sri Lanka."
Monday, January 17, 2011
Walker Saves No. 8 UConn in Win Vs. No. 7 Villanova
Alex Oriakhi has been telling Kemba Walker since the preseason that he is the best player in the country. After Walker's latest effort, there will be a lot more believers.
Walker went by his man and drove through the lane for a 10-foot floater with 2.5 seconds left that gave No. 8 Connecticut a 61-59 victory over No. 7 Villanova on Monday.
The winning shot capped Walker's worst shooting performance of the season (6 of 18), but he still finished with 24 points, just off his 25.6 average that is second in the nation.
"I want the ball in my hands being the leader of this team," Walker said. "I wanted Shabazz (Napier) to run down some time so we would get the last shot. I got it and I knew another guy was going to come and I tried to go before he came, get by my man and get the shot off."
He made it sound a lot easier than it was.
"They ran two guys at him, so Kemba did what Kemba does," Huskies coach Jim Calhoun said. "He split the two, and got to where he wanted to be. That's an amazing play."
Villanova, and all 10,167 people in Gampel Pavilion, knew who was going to get the ball for the last play. It didn't matter.
"We wanted to double him but he's so fast we couldn't catch him," Villanova coach Jay Wright said.
"He's fast but he's really fast with the ball and he stops on a dime to get space for those shots."
Corey Fisher, who led Villanova (16-2, 4-1 Big East) with 28 points, tied the game at 59 with two free throws with 22 seconds left.
After a timeout, the Huskies (15-2, 4-2) ran down the clock before Walker started his winning drive inside halfcourt. Fisher's long shot from around halfcourt was off at the buzzer.
Does Walker agree with Oriakhi about him being the best player in the country?
"I'm good for my team. That's it," he said. "All I want to do is win."
This was the sixth time Villanova and Connecticut played while both were in the top 10 and the Huskies have won four of them.
Oriakhi had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Connecticut, while Jeremy Lamb added 14 points and eight rebounds.
Mouphtaou Yarou had eight points and 10 rebounds for the Wildcats, who played without forward Dominic Cheek, who injured his left knee in the last game against Maryland and did not make the trip to Connecticut.
Fisher finished 10 of 22 from the field while the Wildcats were 22 of 60 (36.7 percent).
The Huskies shot 35.7 percent (20 of 56), including 5 of 16 from 3-point range.
Fisher scored Villanova's final 11 points of the game. His reverse, scoop layup with 1:45 left tied the game at 54. Walker hit a 3 with Corey Stokes right in his face to make it a three-point game with 1:10 to go.
After a Villanova miss, Walker made two free throws with 45 seconds to go. Fisher brought Villanova within 59-57 with 35 seconds left with a 3-pointer. And after Walker missed two free throws, Fisher tied it for the last time with two foul shots with 22 seconds to go.
Stokes, Villanova's leading scorer at 16.5 points per game, was 0 for 6 from the field and finished with three points.
"They are a very good defensive team," Wright said of the Huskies. "They did a great job on Stokes so we had to spread them out and get Corey Fisher to make some plays and he did a great job. Thank God for him."
Calhoun felt the same way about Walker.
"It was one of those games somebody was going to win and as I said to the kids in the huddle, 'It might as well be us,"' Calhoun said. "Kemba made sure that we did win the game."
Walker and Fisher are both from the Bronx, N.Y., and remain friendly competitors.
"He's like an older brother. We grew up together," Walker said of Fisher. "Going head to head and giving full effort is fun."
As exciting as the final minutes were, the first half was tough to watch.
Two stats bear that out: Villanova opened the game 3 of 20 from the field. The Huskies closed the half by missing 19 of 22 field goals. Villanova led 22-21 at halftime.
"We couldn't score on each other. It was a typical old-school bloodbath," Wright said. "The first half was horrible. We were just banging each other and getting into foul trouble."
Calhoun referred to the old days about the opening 20 minutes.
"It was a hard-fought, almost a little more old-fashioned Big East game where both teams really went after each other," he said.
Walker went by his man and drove through the lane for a 10-foot floater with 2.5 seconds left that gave No. 8 Connecticut a 61-59 victory over No. 7 Villanova on Monday.
The winning shot capped Walker's worst shooting performance of the season (6 of 18), but he still finished with 24 points, just off his 25.6 average that is second in the nation.
"I want the ball in my hands being the leader of this team," Walker said. "I wanted Shabazz (Napier) to run down some time so we would get the last shot. I got it and I knew another guy was going to come and I tried to go before he came, get by my man and get the shot off."
He made it sound a lot easier than it was.
"They ran two guys at him, so Kemba did what Kemba does," Huskies coach Jim Calhoun said. "He split the two, and got to where he wanted to be. That's an amazing play."
Villanova, and all 10,167 people in Gampel Pavilion, knew who was going to get the ball for the last play. It didn't matter.
"We wanted to double him but he's so fast we couldn't catch him," Villanova coach Jay Wright said.
"He's fast but he's really fast with the ball and he stops on a dime to get space for those shots."
Corey Fisher, who led Villanova (16-2, 4-1 Big East) with 28 points, tied the game at 59 with two free throws with 22 seconds left.
After a timeout, the Huskies (15-2, 4-2) ran down the clock before Walker started his winning drive inside halfcourt. Fisher's long shot from around halfcourt was off at the buzzer.
Does Walker agree with Oriakhi about him being the best player in the country?
"I'm good for my team. That's it," he said. "All I want to do is win."
This was the sixth time Villanova and Connecticut played while both were in the top 10 and the Huskies have won four of them.
Oriakhi had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Connecticut, while Jeremy Lamb added 14 points and eight rebounds.
Mouphtaou Yarou had eight points and 10 rebounds for the Wildcats, who played without forward Dominic Cheek, who injured his left knee in the last game against Maryland and did not make the trip to Connecticut.
Fisher finished 10 of 22 from the field while the Wildcats were 22 of 60 (36.7 percent).
The Huskies shot 35.7 percent (20 of 56), including 5 of 16 from 3-point range.
Fisher scored Villanova's final 11 points of the game. His reverse, scoop layup with 1:45 left tied the game at 54. Walker hit a 3 with Corey Stokes right in his face to make it a three-point game with 1:10 to go.
After a Villanova miss, Walker made two free throws with 45 seconds to go. Fisher brought Villanova within 59-57 with 35 seconds left with a 3-pointer. And after Walker missed two free throws, Fisher tied it for the last time with two foul shots with 22 seconds to go.
Stokes, Villanova's leading scorer at 16.5 points per game, was 0 for 6 from the field and finished with three points.
"They are a very good defensive team," Wright said of the Huskies. "They did a great job on Stokes so we had to spread them out and get Corey Fisher to make some plays and he did a great job. Thank God for him."
Calhoun felt the same way about Walker.
"It was one of those games somebody was going to win and as I said to the kids in the huddle, 'It might as well be us,"' Calhoun said. "Kemba made sure that we did win the game."
Walker and Fisher are both from the Bronx, N.Y., and remain friendly competitors.
"He's like an older brother. We grew up together," Walker said of Fisher. "Going head to head and giving full effort is fun."
As exciting as the final minutes were, the first half was tough to watch.
Two stats bear that out: Villanova opened the game 3 of 20 from the field. The Huskies closed the half by missing 19 of 22 field goals. Villanova led 22-21 at halftime.
"We couldn't score on each other. It was a typical old-school bloodbath," Wright said. "The first half was horrible. We were just banging each other and getting into foul trouble."
Calhoun referred to the old days about the opening 20 minutes.
"It was a hard-fought, almost a little more old-fashioned Big East game where both teams really went after each other," he said.
Lee and Tait Win World Cup Berths
Australia will risk both Brett Lee and Shaun Tait at the World Cup after they were chosen in the 15-man squad for the trophy defence beginning in India next month. Peter Siddle and Xavier Doherty were not included while John Hastings, the Victoria allrounder, was named along with the injured duo of Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey.
Hussey picked up a serious hamstring tear in Sunday's ODI win over England, while Ponting is recovering from surgery to his little finger. The pair will not appear in the remainder of the one-day series, with the other 13 members of the World Cup squad selected to finish the seven-match campaign.
Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, did admit some doubt over Hussey getting to the World Cup. "It is a severe injury and we will make a decision closer to departure date," he said.
Hussey and Ponting do have plenty of time to recover before the tournament reaches the knockout stages, with the quarter finals beginning on March 23. Australia's opening match of the campaign is against Zimbabwe in Ahmedabad on February 21.
While Australia are now mid-table in Tests, they remain the No.1 side in the 50-over game and are aiming for their fourth consecutive World Cup win. Seven players who were part of the unbeaten 2007 success in the West Indies will attempt to achieve more glory.
Lee and Tait are returning from long-term elbow injuries but the selectors have kept faith in their speed, bodies and shock value. Lee, 34, captured two wickets on Sunday in his first ODI since October 2009 as he reached 150kph, while Tait missed the game with a back injury. Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger are the other quicks in the unit, with Hastings and Shane Watson enlisted to provide support.
"Hastings has been selected as he adds variety to our bowling options," Hilditch said. "We feel his bowling is well suited to subcontinent conditions and his all-round skills with bat and ball add to the flexibility of the squad."
Nathan Hauritz is the sole recognised spinner but Steven Smith and David Hussey will also be relied on to deliver regular overs. "Nathan is our preferred spin option and his one-day record in India is excellent," Hilditch said. Hauritz has played seven 50-over games in the country, taking four wickets at 70.75. Hilditch's panel did not pick Hauritz during the entire Ashes campaign but now he expects the offspinner to "be an important part of our bid for this fourth World Cup".
David Hussey's mix of hard-hitting batting and part-time offspin have earned him a trip, despite him playing his first one-day game in more than a year on Sunday. "We feel he will play a crucial role for us in sub-continental conditions," Hilditch said. Tim Paine is the back-up wicketkeeper and will also be a standby batsman.
Australia squad Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Cameron White, Tim Paine (wk), Steven Smith, John Hastings, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait, Doug Bollinger.
Hussey picked up a serious hamstring tear in Sunday's ODI win over England, while Ponting is recovering from surgery to his little finger. The pair will not appear in the remainder of the one-day series, with the other 13 members of the World Cup squad selected to finish the seven-match campaign.
Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, did admit some doubt over Hussey getting to the World Cup. "It is a severe injury and we will make a decision closer to departure date," he said.
Hussey and Ponting do have plenty of time to recover before the tournament reaches the knockout stages, with the quarter finals beginning on March 23. Australia's opening match of the campaign is against Zimbabwe in Ahmedabad on February 21.
While Australia are now mid-table in Tests, they remain the No.1 side in the 50-over game and are aiming for their fourth consecutive World Cup win. Seven players who were part of the unbeaten 2007 success in the West Indies will attempt to achieve more glory.
Lee and Tait are returning from long-term elbow injuries but the selectors have kept faith in their speed, bodies and shock value. Lee, 34, captured two wickets on Sunday in his first ODI since October 2009 as he reached 150kph, while Tait missed the game with a back injury. Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger are the other quicks in the unit, with Hastings and Shane Watson enlisted to provide support.
"Hastings has been selected as he adds variety to our bowling options," Hilditch said. "We feel his bowling is well suited to subcontinent conditions and his all-round skills with bat and ball add to the flexibility of the squad."
Nathan Hauritz is the sole recognised spinner but Steven Smith and David Hussey will also be relied on to deliver regular overs. "Nathan is our preferred spin option and his one-day record in India is excellent," Hilditch said. Hauritz has played seven 50-over games in the country, taking four wickets at 70.75. Hilditch's panel did not pick Hauritz during the entire Ashes campaign but now he expects the offspinner to "be an important part of our bid for this fourth World Cup".
David Hussey's mix of hard-hitting batting and part-time offspin have earned him a trip, despite him playing his first one-day game in more than a year on Sunday. "We feel he will play a crucial role for us in sub-continental conditions," Hilditch said. Tim Paine is the back-up wicketkeeper and will also be a standby batsman.
Australia squad Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Cameron White, Tim Paine (wk), Steven Smith, John Hastings, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait, Doug Bollinger.
Mark Wilson Masters-Bound After Win
Mark Wilson barely had time to eat a sandwich, much less keep track of his round, when he arrived at the 17th green Sunday afternoon at the Sony Open and realized he had not made a single bogey during this 36-hole marathon.
His four-shot lead had dwindled to a stroke. Wilson was staring at a 12-foot par putt, and the closing hole was a par 5 that he had not been able to reach all week.
The thought was fleeting. The way his week had gone, the outcome was predictable.
"I thought about that before I hit the putt," Wilson said. "I haven't made a bogey all day, so why start now? It entered my mind, but when I was over the putt, I didn't think about it."
The putt curled in the side, and Wilson started his season with a win to earn his first trip to the Masters.
Wilson shot a 5-under 65 in the morning to take a one-shot lead into the afternoon round. With six minutes between rounds -- enough time to get a chicken sandwich and a fresh box of golf balls from his locker -- he closed with a 3-under 67 and held off late runs by Tim Clark and Steve Marino on different sides of Waialae.
Wilson's last trip to Augusta National was 2001 -- as a spectator.
"I get goose bumps thinking about it," he said.
He nearly got chills watching Marino give himself one last chance with a remarkable shot. Clark had already finished with a 64 and was on the practice range at 14-under par. Marino was 13 under and needed an eagle, which looked improbable when his drive splashed out of the bunker and onto the side of a hill.
With his feet in the sand, and the ball about chest-high on the hill, Marino lashed at it with a fairway metal and watched it hook onto the front of the green and stop 40 feet away.
"I saw the ball, and I thought, 'OK, eagle is going to be pretty tough for him to make.' It was one incredible shot," Wilson said.
Marino's eagle putt narrowly missed, and Wilson pitched to 4 feet and made a birdie he didn't need. He finished at 16-under 264 and earned $990,000 for his third career victory.
Clark, who started the final round five shots behind, birdied three of his last four holes. He had a 10-foot birdie putt on No. 8 slide by on the left, and he narrowly missed a 15-foot eagle putt on the last hole.
"It's a relief to get it in," Wilson said. "I'm just thrilled to be the champion."
Wilson played his final 40 holes at Waialae without a bogey. That proved significant twice during his final round, starting on No. 8. He hit a tree with his drive and had to punch out to the fairway, leaving him 150 yards away with his third shot and his lead at two shots. But he stuffed it to 7 feet for par, then birdied the ninth to expand his lead to four.
Jimmy Walker closed with a 68 to finish alone in fourth, while Matt Kuchar and Matt Bettencourt were another shot back. Stuart Appleby and Shigeki Maruyama, who started Sunday tied for the 36-hole lead, never got going. Maruyama had rounds of 70-69 to tie for seventh, his first top 10 on the PGA Tour in two years. Appleby had a third-round 69, then didn't make a birdie until the final hole of the last round and shot 72.
From top to bottom, 56 players were separated by only seven shots going into the final 36 holes, a recipe for anyone winning from anywhere. But on a quiet day near the shores of Waikiki, there was little movement.
Wilson chipped in from behind the third green for birdie and kept bogeys off his card at 65, the best score of the third round. It gave him a one-shot lead over Marino, who had a 66, but certainly not much room for error.
Kuchar pulled within one shot early in the fourth round, then dropped out with two straight bogeys. Marino stayed in the picture until a bogey on the eighth, failing to birdie the easy par-5 ninth, and hitting two poor wedges for a bogey on the short 10th.
The big move came from Clark, and he was on the other side of the course.
Because of the 36-hole final -- forced by a washout in the first round Thursday -- players did not change groups for the afternoon. Clark started the day six shots out of the lead, shot 66 in the morning and made his move on the front nine -- his last nine holes. His birdie on No. 6 took him to 12 under, then he nearly made an ace on the par-3 seventh for a tap-in birdie and gave himself two good looks at the end.
"I kind of figured if you could get it going around here, I might still have a chance, even though we were on different nines," Clark said. "This back nine, I kind of got it going there with some iron shots. A few putts would have helped, but very pleased."
With the runner-up finish, Clark should move to No. 20 in the world. With Charl Schwartzel winning the Joburg Open earlier Sunday, that means South Africans will occupy the first five spots in the Presidents Cup standings.
Wilson won the Honda Classic in 2007, and a month later Augusta National changed its criteria to invite most PGA Tour winners. He won in Mexico two years later, but that doesn't count toward the Masters because it is an opposite-field tournament.
Wilson finally returns to Augusta as a player, and he can only hope his celebration ends by April.
"From what I've learned over the years is the more you succeed out here, the more people expect of you," Wilson said. "But I'm going to enjoy this like crazy."
His four-shot lead had dwindled to a stroke. Wilson was staring at a 12-foot par putt, and the closing hole was a par 5 that he had not been able to reach all week.
The thought was fleeting. The way his week had gone, the outcome was predictable.
"I thought about that before I hit the putt," Wilson said. "I haven't made a bogey all day, so why start now? It entered my mind, but when I was over the putt, I didn't think about it."
The putt curled in the side, and Wilson started his season with a win to earn his first trip to the Masters.
Wilson shot a 5-under 65 in the morning to take a one-shot lead into the afternoon round. With six minutes between rounds -- enough time to get a chicken sandwich and a fresh box of golf balls from his locker -- he closed with a 3-under 67 and held off late runs by Tim Clark and Steve Marino on different sides of Waialae.
Wilson's last trip to Augusta National was 2001 -- as a spectator.
"I get goose bumps thinking about it," he said.
He nearly got chills watching Marino give himself one last chance with a remarkable shot. Clark had already finished with a 64 and was on the practice range at 14-under par. Marino was 13 under and needed an eagle, which looked improbable when his drive splashed out of the bunker and onto the side of a hill.
With his feet in the sand, and the ball about chest-high on the hill, Marino lashed at it with a fairway metal and watched it hook onto the front of the green and stop 40 feet away.
"I saw the ball, and I thought, 'OK, eagle is going to be pretty tough for him to make.' It was one incredible shot," Wilson said.
Marino's eagle putt narrowly missed, and Wilson pitched to 4 feet and made a birdie he didn't need. He finished at 16-under 264 and earned $990,000 for his third career victory.
Clark, who started the final round five shots behind, birdied three of his last four holes. He had a 10-foot birdie putt on No. 8 slide by on the left, and he narrowly missed a 15-foot eagle putt on the last hole.
"It's a relief to get it in," Wilson said. "I'm just thrilled to be the champion."
Wilson played his final 40 holes at Waialae without a bogey. That proved significant twice during his final round, starting on No. 8. He hit a tree with his drive and had to punch out to the fairway, leaving him 150 yards away with his third shot and his lead at two shots. But he stuffed it to 7 feet for par, then birdied the ninth to expand his lead to four.
Jimmy Walker closed with a 68 to finish alone in fourth, while Matt Kuchar and Matt Bettencourt were another shot back. Stuart Appleby and Shigeki Maruyama, who started Sunday tied for the 36-hole lead, never got going. Maruyama had rounds of 70-69 to tie for seventh, his first top 10 on the PGA Tour in two years. Appleby had a third-round 69, then didn't make a birdie until the final hole of the last round and shot 72.
From top to bottom, 56 players were separated by only seven shots going into the final 36 holes, a recipe for anyone winning from anywhere. But on a quiet day near the shores of Waikiki, there was little movement.
Wilson chipped in from behind the third green for birdie and kept bogeys off his card at 65, the best score of the third round. It gave him a one-shot lead over Marino, who had a 66, but certainly not much room for error.
Kuchar pulled within one shot early in the fourth round, then dropped out with two straight bogeys. Marino stayed in the picture until a bogey on the eighth, failing to birdie the easy par-5 ninth, and hitting two poor wedges for a bogey on the short 10th.
The big move came from Clark, and he was on the other side of the course.
Because of the 36-hole final -- forced by a washout in the first round Thursday -- players did not change groups for the afternoon. Clark started the day six shots out of the lead, shot 66 in the morning and made his move on the front nine -- his last nine holes. His birdie on No. 6 took him to 12 under, then he nearly made an ace on the par-3 seventh for a tap-in birdie and gave himself two good looks at the end.
"I kind of figured if you could get it going around here, I might still have a chance, even though we were on different nines," Clark said. "This back nine, I kind of got it going there with some iron shots. A few putts would have helped, but very pleased."
With the runner-up finish, Clark should move to No. 20 in the world. With Charl Schwartzel winning the Joburg Open earlier Sunday, that means South Africans will occupy the first five spots in the Presidents Cup standings.
Wilson won the Honda Classic in 2007, and a month later Augusta National changed its criteria to invite most PGA Tour winners. He won in Mexico two years later, but that doesn't count toward the Masters because it is an opposite-field tournament.
Wilson finally returns to Augusta as a player, and he can only hope his celebration ends by April.
"From what I've learned over the years is the more you succeed out here, the more people expect of you," Wilson said. "But I'm going to enjoy this like crazy."
Chris Colfer Emotional Over Globes Win
A Golden Globe win means a lot to the winners, but to “Glee’s” Chris Colfer, who picked up the statute for Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role, it was a the culmination of a childhood dream.
“It’s insane. I hate to say that I am a ‘Cinderfellow’ but I really kind of feel like it tonight,” Chris told reporters backstage at the ceremony following his win for playing Kurt Hummel. “Literally, I have been watching the Globes since I was an embryo. I actually got a message via Facebook from a friend and he said, ‘One of my elementary school memories is you standing up in front of the class and telling everyone to watch the Golden Globes,’ and now I am here.”
The actor said he expects himself to have only few memories from Sunday night, because it was so emotional.
“I won’t remember this. I kind of blacked out when I heard my name,” he said.
There is someone who might be able to help him recall things later – his mom, whom he called backstage.
“I was on the phone with my mom. And I was trying to say, ‘I can’t talk right now because I am in the pressroom.’ [She said], ‘You’re in the rest room?’ [I responded], ‘No, the press room!’”
While he can spend the next few days, trying to tap into his Sunday night memories, Chris said he considers his win as a win for young children, who see him as the openly gay Mckinley High School student character, Kurt.
“Now I am really going to cry — I think one of the best things for all the kids that are watching tonight who don’t quite understand that Kurt is a character and that we are actors — they just saw Kurt [Hummel] get an award for being him. I think that’s a great thing they are seeing right now,” Chris said.
“It’s insane. I hate to say that I am a ‘Cinderfellow’ but I really kind of feel like it tonight,” Chris told reporters backstage at the ceremony following his win for playing Kurt Hummel. “Literally, I have been watching the Globes since I was an embryo. I actually got a message via Facebook from a friend and he said, ‘One of my elementary school memories is you standing up in front of the class and telling everyone to watch the Golden Globes,’ and now I am here.”
The actor said he expects himself to have only few memories from Sunday night, because it was so emotional.
“I won’t remember this. I kind of blacked out when I heard my name,” he said.
There is someone who might be able to help him recall things later – his mom, whom he called backstage.
“I was on the phone with my mom. And I was trying to say, ‘I can’t talk right now because I am in the pressroom.’ [She said], ‘You’re in the rest room?’ [I responded], ‘No, the press room!’”
While he can spend the next few days, trying to tap into his Sunday night memories, Chris said he considers his win as a win for young children, who see him as the openly gay Mckinley High School student character, Kurt.
“Now I am really going to cry — I think one of the best things for all the kids that are watching tonight who don’t quite understand that Kurt is a character and that we are actors — they just saw Kurt [Hummel] get an award for being him. I think that’s a great thing they are seeing right now,” Chris said.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Avalanche Snap Wings’ Win Streak at Three
The Colorado Avalanche chased one of the top goaltenders from the game early and still had to hang on at the end.
Nothing comes easy for them these days.
Matt Duchene scored twice in Colorado's four-goal first period and Peter Budaj turned back a late flurry of shots, helping the Avalanche halt the Detroit Red Wings' three-game winning streak with a 5-4 victory on Monday night.
"We got some opportunities and we jumped on them," Duchene said. "When you are able to do that, things go very well."
Things also got a little dicey before the Avalanche snapped their two-game skid.
Colorado got off to a roaring start, sending goalie Jimmy Howard to the bench 14:15 in after he surrendered four goals on 10 shots.
Comfortably up 5-2 late in the second period, the Avs watched as the Red Wings stormed back, making it a 5-4 game midway through the third period when Tomas Holmstrom deflected in a shot.
But that would be as close as the Red Wings would get as Budaj thwarted one scoring chance after another, especially late when Detroit relentlessly pressured the Avalanche.
"They're a team that has great skill and they're a team that is really hard to shut down," said Duchene, who turns 20 on Sunday. "But we were able to do it."
Paul Stastny, Kevin Porter and David Jones added goals for the Avalanche in a game that featured two of the NHL's highest-scoring teams.
Jan Mursak netted his first NHL goal. Brian Rafalski and Henrik Zetterberg also scored for the Red Wings, 3-1 on a five-game road swing that ends Friday at Columbus.
"We let Howie down big time," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said of his goalie. "We had every opportunity to win this game. We were unable to get it done."
That was due in part to Duchene, who was all over the ice. He also set up Jones' backhanded goal in the second period, which gave the Avs a 5-2 lead and turned out to be the game-winner.
"Duchene is obviously comfortable against us," Babcock said. "I didn't think it was an issue in the past. Obviously, it is."
Duchene's first goal came when he corralled a loose puck between the blue lines, skated in on Howard and put a shot between his pads.
He knocked in another on a give-and-go play with Tomas Fleischmann, who assisted on both of Duchene's goals.
That would be the end of Howard's night as he gave way to Joey MacDonald, who allowed only one goal the rest of the way on 16 shots.
"I don't want to get pulled," said Howard, who leads the league with 22 wins. "But I'm just going to put it behind me and move on. It's the only thing you can do."
Duchene nearly added a third, but his backhanded shot with 32.4 seconds remaining in the first period clanged off the right post.
That was about the only blemish on his stellar night.
"Matty's line had some good jump. They skated very well," Avalanche coach Joe Sacco said. "He had some good speed and he was difficult to contain at times."
Stastny started the scoring when he knocked in a shot after the puck squirted out to him near the left circle. The goal moved Stastny to within one of becoming the eighth Avalanche player to score 100.
Porter also got into the act when he bounced in a puck off the stick of Detroit defenseman Jonathan Ericsson.
The dinged-up Red Wings have done a remarkable job of weathering a string of injuries. They are second in the Western Conference despite missing Mike Modano (wrist), Pavel Datsyuk (wrist/hand) and Dan Cleary (ankle) for chunks of time.
Detroit will be without defenseman Brad Stuart (broken jaw) for six-to-eight weeks, and backup goalie Chris Osgood is out because of a lingering groin injury.
Notes:
Nothing comes easy for them these days.
Matt Duchene scored twice in Colorado's four-goal first period and Peter Budaj turned back a late flurry of shots, helping the Avalanche halt the Detroit Red Wings' three-game winning streak with a 5-4 victory on Monday night.
"We got some opportunities and we jumped on them," Duchene said. "When you are able to do that, things go very well."
Things also got a little dicey before the Avalanche snapped their two-game skid.
Colorado got off to a roaring start, sending goalie Jimmy Howard to the bench 14:15 in after he surrendered four goals on 10 shots.
Comfortably up 5-2 late in the second period, the Avs watched as the Red Wings stormed back, making it a 5-4 game midway through the third period when Tomas Holmstrom deflected in a shot.
But that would be as close as the Red Wings would get as Budaj thwarted one scoring chance after another, especially late when Detroit relentlessly pressured the Avalanche.
"They're a team that has great skill and they're a team that is really hard to shut down," said Duchene, who turns 20 on Sunday. "But we were able to do it."
Paul Stastny, Kevin Porter and David Jones added goals for the Avalanche in a game that featured two of the NHL's highest-scoring teams.
Jan Mursak netted his first NHL goal. Brian Rafalski and Henrik Zetterberg also scored for the Red Wings, 3-1 on a five-game road swing that ends Friday at Columbus.
"We let Howie down big time," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said of his goalie. "We had every opportunity to win this game. We were unable to get it done."
That was due in part to Duchene, who was all over the ice. He also set up Jones' backhanded goal in the second period, which gave the Avs a 5-2 lead and turned out to be the game-winner.
"Duchene is obviously comfortable against us," Babcock said. "I didn't think it was an issue in the past. Obviously, it is."
Duchene's first goal came when he corralled a loose puck between the blue lines, skated in on Howard and put a shot between his pads.
He knocked in another on a give-and-go play with Tomas Fleischmann, who assisted on both of Duchene's goals.
That would be the end of Howard's night as he gave way to Joey MacDonald, who allowed only one goal the rest of the way on 16 shots.
"I don't want to get pulled," said Howard, who leads the league with 22 wins. "But I'm just going to put it behind me and move on. It's the only thing you can do."
Duchene nearly added a third, but his backhanded shot with 32.4 seconds remaining in the first period clanged off the right post.
That was about the only blemish on his stellar night.
"Matty's line had some good jump. They skated very well," Avalanche coach Joe Sacco said. "He had some good speed and he was difficult to contain at times."
Stastny started the scoring when he knocked in a shot after the puck squirted out to him near the left circle. The goal moved Stastny to within one of becoming the eighth Avalanche player to score 100.
Porter also got into the act when he bounced in a puck off the stick of Detroit defenseman Jonathan Ericsson.
The dinged-up Red Wings have done a remarkable job of weathering a string of injuries. They are second in the Western Conference despite missing Mike Modano (wrist), Pavel Datsyuk (wrist/hand) and Dan Cleary (ankle) for chunks of time.
Detroit will be without defenseman Brad Stuart (broken jaw) for six-to-eight weeks, and backup goalie Chris Osgood is out because of a lingering groin injury.
Notes:
- Avs rookie D Kevin Shattenkirk missed the game because of a foot injury sustained Saturday while blocking a shot.
- Detroit F Valtteri Filppula returned after missing two games with a groin injury, logging nearly 13 minutes of ice time.
- Duchene and Jones tied career highs with three points each.
- Zetterberg's goal ran his point streak to 11 games. He has six goals and 10 assists over that span.
Leafs Rally Past Kings for Fourth Straight Road Win
Never mind the surging Maple Leafs. Even the Toronto Marlies were too much for the spiraling Los Angeles Kings.
Nikolai Kulemin scored the tiebreaking goal with 15:02 to play, James Reimer made 30 saves and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Kings 3-2 on Monday night for their fourth straight road victory.
With Reimer leading a late defensive stand, the long-struggling Maple Leafs reached the midway point of their season with three straight wins for the first time since their 4-0 start. Toronto coach Ron Wilson and captain Dion Phaneuf partly credit this minor surge to major contributions from three players who were with the AHL's Marlies in mid-December.
"They've earned the right to keep on playing, and they've all done an excellent job," Wilson said.
Darryl Boyce scored in his seventh NHL game during the second period, 34 seconds before Phil Kessel put the Leafs ahead on an assist by Joey Crabb, another recent callup.
"Those guys have all come in and helped us out when we needed it," Phaneuf said. "We've been playing some great hockey for the last 10 days, two weeks. We weren't getting results for a bit ... but we're all getting it done together now."
And then there's Reimer, who has won three of his first four NHL starts -- beginning with a victory at Ottawa on New Year's Day -- while filling in for injured Jean-Sebastien Giguere. The 22-year-old goalie stopped all 17 Los Angeles shots in the third period and survived a 6-on-4 disadvantage for the final 1:42.
"He was outstanding all night," Wilson said. "Every time we needed a whistle, he was cool and calm - coolly and calmly settles stuff down when the other team is all over us."
Kulemin put the Leafs ahead with a nifty spin and a short shot past Jonathan Quick after the Kings broke down defensively. With an assist from linemate Mikhail Grabovski, the goal was the third in two games for Kulemin, who leads the Leafs with four game-winners.
After Phaneuf took a slashing penalty, Los Angeles got the puck behind Reimer with 35 seconds left, but video review confirmed it didn't cross the goal line. Toronto hasn't lost on the road since Dec. 18.
"They came hard with a lot of pressure, dumping pucks in, but kudos to the guys," Reimer said. "The team that's down is always going to push hard. I just tried to take it shot by shot and not look at the clock."
Wayne Simmonds and Michal Handzus scored for the Kings, who have lost six of seven -- including five of six on their current eight-game homestand. Quick stopped 25 shots, but the Kings missed several chances to tie it in the final minutes, including that fruitless two-man advantage.
Staples Center was filled with mostly nervous fans - except for those hundreds of blue-jerseyed Leafs supporters at Toronto's first visit to Los Angeles since December 2008.
"When you're playing a team that you don't see a lot, you try to focus on the things that you have to do," Kings defenseman Rob Scuderi said. "I think we did a good job of that in the first period and in the last 15 minutes, but it's not enough. We find a way to do just enough to lose by one goal. That's been the case since Christmas, and it's got to turn around for us."
The Kings began the second half of their season in a tie for ninth place in the Western Conference -- not exactly where they hoped to be after leading the overall NHL standings earlier this fall. Los Angeles held a brief players-only meeting after the game.
"It's something that needs to be changed with our attitude," captain Dustin Brown said. "That's all it is, really -- playing the game right. We're halfway through the year, this is a big homestand for us, and the playoffs are at stake, so we've got to find a way to get it going. We need to look each other in the face and get this thing turned around. I'm not sure what we need to do, but we'll figure it out as players."
After a slow start, Toronto evened it early in the second period when Boyce got a 1-on-1 break against Kings defenseman Alec Martinez. Boyce's exceptional shot went between Martinez's legs and into the glove-side corner of Los Angeles' net for his second goal in six games since joining the Leafs on Dec. 30.
One shift later, Crabb's pass slithered through the slot past Kings defensemen Rob Scuderi and Drew Doughty to Kessel, who scored his team-leading 18th goal.
Notes
Colby Armstrong had an assist while starting at center for the Maple Leafs just three days after the cornea in his right eye was scratched by a sucker-punch from Atlanta's Ben Eager.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman attended the game during his swing through California. He reiterated the league's reluctance to host a Winter Classic in Los Angeles, but suggested the Kings could get a shot to be the visiting team in an upcoming outdoor game, perhaps in New York.
Nikolai Kulemin scored the tiebreaking goal with 15:02 to play, James Reimer made 30 saves and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Kings 3-2 on Monday night for their fourth straight road victory.
With Reimer leading a late defensive stand, the long-struggling Maple Leafs reached the midway point of their season with three straight wins for the first time since their 4-0 start. Toronto coach Ron Wilson and captain Dion Phaneuf partly credit this minor surge to major contributions from three players who were with the AHL's Marlies in mid-December.
"They've earned the right to keep on playing, and they've all done an excellent job," Wilson said.
Darryl Boyce scored in his seventh NHL game during the second period, 34 seconds before Phil Kessel put the Leafs ahead on an assist by Joey Crabb, another recent callup.
"Those guys have all come in and helped us out when we needed it," Phaneuf said. "We've been playing some great hockey for the last 10 days, two weeks. We weren't getting results for a bit ... but we're all getting it done together now."
And then there's Reimer, who has won three of his first four NHL starts -- beginning with a victory at Ottawa on New Year's Day -- while filling in for injured Jean-Sebastien Giguere. The 22-year-old goalie stopped all 17 Los Angeles shots in the third period and survived a 6-on-4 disadvantage for the final 1:42.
"He was outstanding all night," Wilson said. "Every time we needed a whistle, he was cool and calm - coolly and calmly settles stuff down when the other team is all over us."
Kulemin put the Leafs ahead with a nifty spin and a short shot past Jonathan Quick after the Kings broke down defensively. With an assist from linemate Mikhail Grabovski, the goal was the third in two games for Kulemin, who leads the Leafs with four game-winners.
After Phaneuf took a slashing penalty, Los Angeles got the puck behind Reimer with 35 seconds left, but video review confirmed it didn't cross the goal line. Toronto hasn't lost on the road since Dec. 18.
"They came hard with a lot of pressure, dumping pucks in, but kudos to the guys," Reimer said. "The team that's down is always going to push hard. I just tried to take it shot by shot and not look at the clock."
Wayne Simmonds and Michal Handzus scored for the Kings, who have lost six of seven -- including five of six on their current eight-game homestand. Quick stopped 25 shots, but the Kings missed several chances to tie it in the final minutes, including that fruitless two-man advantage.
Staples Center was filled with mostly nervous fans - except for those hundreds of blue-jerseyed Leafs supporters at Toronto's first visit to Los Angeles since December 2008.
"When you're playing a team that you don't see a lot, you try to focus on the things that you have to do," Kings defenseman Rob Scuderi said. "I think we did a good job of that in the first period and in the last 15 minutes, but it's not enough. We find a way to do just enough to lose by one goal. That's been the case since Christmas, and it's got to turn around for us."
The Kings began the second half of their season in a tie for ninth place in the Western Conference -- not exactly where they hoped to be after leading the overall NHL standings earlier this fall. Los Angeles held a brief players-only meeting after the game.
"It's something that needs to be changed with our attitude," captain Dustin Brown said. "That's all it is, really -- playing the game right. We're halfway through the year, this is a big homestand for us, and the playoffs are at stake, so we've got to find a way to get it going. We need to look each other in the face and get this thing turned around. I'm not sure what we need to do, but we'll figure it out as players."
After a slow start, Toronto evened it early in the second period when Boyce got a 1-on-1 break against Kings defenseman Alec Martinez. Boyce's exceptional shot went between Martinez's legs and into the glove-side corner of Los Angeles' net for his second goal in six games since joining the Leafs on Dec. 30.
One shift later, Crabb's pass slithered through the slot past Kings defensemen Rob Scuderi and Drew Doughty to Kessel, who scored his team-leading 18th goal.
Notes
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