And So It Begins

"The only thing I actually know is that Ray Shero is looking into this far more expansively than me or any other hockey "expert". Whatever he decides to do I am sure it will cause a major stir throughout the league." - Bromer Sports


That is the last thing I said about the Pittsburgh Penguins potential trade deadline moves. Boy, did Ray Shero prove that to be true? Today he traded Alex Goligoski to the Dallas Stars for LW James Neal and D Matt Niskanen. Both player's contracts expire at the end of next season. James Neal was a mentioned name by some "experts" in the last few days, but it was not really expected to happen. Neal immediately becomes the Penguins best winger. He has a lot of potential. Not too many players score 20+ goals in each of their first three seasons, he is on pace for over 30 this season. Hopefully the Penguins can work out a long term deal with him and he can become Sid's left wing for many years to come.

Matt Niskanen on the other hand is not so exciting. He showed a lot of promise early on, with being a first round pick and being a +22 his rookie season. Since then his numbers have gotten worse each season, last season he was a -15. Niskanen does provide a very solid fifth defenceman. He is a strong physical defender that will do well paired with Engelland. Niskanen is best known in Pittsburgh for fighting Sidney Crosby.



Overall this is a great deal for the Penguins. They added a very strong goal scorer and solid defender. While at the same time they managed to remove their greatest liabilty on defense. My only worry is if they are short on offensive defenceman now. I still believe Shero is going to make at least one more trade. A lot of people are starting take the Kovalev rumor very seriously. It is expected that all it will take a deal very similar to the one they made for Bill Guerin a couple seasons ago. If that is the case, the trade is a no brainer. This is why I love the trade deadline. 

Lee Da Hae

 

Lee Da Hae (born Byun Da-hye, April 19, 1984), is a South Korean actress who has appeared in a number of Korean television series and dramas such as My Girl and Green Rose.

Lee Da Hae and her family moved to Sydney, Australia, for five years, and she graduated from Burwood Girls High School before debuting as an actress in Korea. She now lives with her mother in Seoul while her father and brother still reside in Sydney, Australia. Besides acting, Lee Da Hae's other passion is traditional Korean dance. She has performed many times in front of small audiences in Australia.

In 2008, following Yoon Eun Hye’s signing event for Zipel refrigerator, Samsung continues to hold another signing event for those who buy Kimchi Hauzen freezer. She was also later cast in the 2008 hit action drama East of Eden along side Yun Jung Hoon and Song Seung Hun. Not much later Lee went to the emergency room. She had collapsed because her busy schedule along with her excessive workouts at the gym resulted in severe fatigue.But Lee Da Hye had shockingly announced her departure from the drama due to health reasons and decided to leave in Episode 40, which was aired January 14. Lee's character, Min Hye Rin, will embark for overseas studies in America, effectively marking the exit of Lee Da Hye in a natural manner and was eventually replaced by Hwang Jung Eum.

In 2009, Lee Da Hae accomplished a number of things. She went on vacation with her mother in January, moved to J. Tune Entertainment where she worked under the same roof with Rain and modelled for Swarovski Spring/Summer Collection. She also filmed the scandalous love-themed music video "Dance For Two" with Taiwanese singer, rapper, actor, Wilber Pan.

Lee Da Hae is set to make her film debut in a 3D Korean movie titled 'Song of Spring', she will star alongside Lee Sung Jae and Ahn Sung Ki. She plays the role of the female lead named Ara, a dancer.

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Nanako Matsushima

Date of Birth: 13 October 1973, Kanagawa, Japan
Nickname: Queen of Japanese Drama
Height: 5' 8" (1.73 m)
Spouse: Takashi Sorimachi (21 February 2001 - present) 2 children
Mini Biography
Like most beautiful Japanese actresses, she started out her career as a swim suit model. She was discovered in high school and landed her first job when she was nineteen. Over the next five years she would become one of the most famous models in Japan. Her first big role was when she was twenty-four in Kon'na koi no hanashi (1997) (TV) opposite Hiroyuki Sanada and Koji Tamaki. Thanks to this amazing job, both she and Sanada would go on to star in Ringu (1998), considered to be the greatest Eastern horror film made. She is married to Takashi Sorimachi and is the mother of a little daughter, born May 2004.
Trivia
Gave birth to a baby girl on May 31st, 2004.
Was a famous model before she started acting.
She is considered the 'Queen Bee of J-dorama' (Japanese TV Drama)
Recommended to play "Reiko Asakawa" in Ringu (1998) by Hiroyuki Sanada.

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Jessica Alba

Jessica Marie Alba (born April 28, 1981)[1] is an American television and film actress. She began her television and movie appearances at age 13 in Camp Nowhere and The Secret World of Alex Mack (1994). Alba rose to prominence as the lead actress in the television series Dark Angel (2000–2002).Alba later appeared in various films including Honey (2003), Sin City (2005), Fantastic Four (2005), Into the Blue (2005), Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and Good Luck Chuck both in 2007.

Alba is considered a sex symbol and often generates media attention for her looks. She appears frequently on the "Hot 100" section of Maxim and was voted number one on AskMen.com's list of "99 Most Desirable Women" in 2006, as well as "Sexiest Woman in the World" by FHM in 2007.The use of her image on the cover of the March 2006 Playboy sparked a lawsuit by her, which was later dropped.She has also won various awards for her acting, including the Choice Actress Teen Choice Award and Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television, and a Golden Globe nomination for her lead role in the television series Dark Angel.
Alba was born in Pomona, California to Catherine (née Jensen) and Mark Alba. Her mother is of Danish and French Canadian descent and her father is Mexican American.She has a younger brother, Joshua. Her father's Air Force career took the family to Biloxi, Mississippi and Del Rio, Texas, before settling back in California when she was nine years old.[3][10] Alba described her family as being a "very conservative family—a traditional, Catholic, Latin American family" and herself as very liberal; she says she had identified herself as a "feminist" as early as age five.

Alba's early life was marked by a multitude of physical maladies. During childhood, she suffered from collapsed lungs twice, had pneumonia 4-5 times a year, as well as a ruptured appendix and a tonsillar cyst. Alba became isolated from other children at school, because she was in the hospital so often due to her illnesses that no one knew her well enough to befriend her.Alba has also had asthma since she was a child.[3] Alba has said that her family's frequent moving also contributed to her isolation from her peers. She has also acknowledged that she has suffered from obsessive–compulsive disorder during her childhood. Alba graduated from high school at age 16,and she subsequently attended the Atlantic Theater Company.
Alba was raised as a Catholic throughout her teenage years,but left the church after four years because she felt she was being judged for her appearance, explaining: "Older men would hit on me, and my youth pastor said it was because I was wearing provocative clothing, when I wasn't. It just made me feel like if I was in any way desirable to the opposite sex that it was my fault, and it made me ashamed of my body and being a woman".

Alba also had objections to the church's condemnations of premarital sex and homosexuality, and the lack of strong female role models in the Bible, explaining "I thought it was a nice guide, but it certainly wasn't how I was going to live my life." Her "religious devotion [began] to wane" at the age of 15 when she guest-starred as a teenager with gonorrhea in the throat in a 1996 episode of the television series Chicago Hope. Her friends at church reacted negatively to her role, making her lose faith in the church. However, she has stated that she still holds her belief in God despite leaving the church.
While filming Dark Angel in January 2000, Alba began a three year relationship with her co-star Michael Weatherly, which caused controversy due to their twelve year age gap. Weatherly proposed to Alba on her twentieth birthday, which she accepted.In August 2003, Alba and Weatherly announced that they'd ended their relationship. In July 2007, Alba spoke out about the break up, saying "I don't know [why I got engaged]. I was a virgin. He was 12 years older than me. I thought he knew better. My parents weren't happy. They're really religious. They believe God wouldn't allow the Bible to be written if it wasn't what they are supposed to believe. I'm completely different."Alba had at one time said she envisioned a much older man as her ideal partner, making references to Morgan Freeman, Sean Connery, Robert Redford, and Michael Caine. She said, "I have this thing for older men. They've been around and know so much."

Alba met Cash Warren, son of actor Michael Warren, while making Fantastic Four in 2004.On December 27, 2007, Alba and Warren announced that they were engaged.Alba married Warren in Los Angeles on Monday, May 19, 2008. On June 7, 2008, Alba gave birth to a baby girl, Honor Marie Warren,at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.The first pictures of Honor Marie appeared in OK! magazine, which paid a reported $1.5 million for them.[78] Alba has said that she would like to have more children.

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Song Hye-kyo

Song Hye-kyo (Korean: 송혜교, born February 26, 1982) is a South Korean model and actress. She has starred in a number of hit dramas including Autumn in My Heart, All In, and Full House. Her expertise are play ice skate, swimming, and play piano. Due to her popularity she can be seen frequently on advertisements when she is not acting. She is currently signed to talent agency Eden 9.
Song debuted in the entertainment industry in 1996 when she won the Grand Prize in SunKyung Smart (a school uniform company) when she was finishing her third year in junior high school. It was not long until she starred in her first drama, Happy Morning. Since then, she would continue to star in a string of various dramas and sitcoms but it wasn't until the KBS drama Autumn in My Heart in 2000 with Song Seung Hun and Won Bin that Song rose to fame throughout Asia. The show became famous for depicting a tragic love story between three people.

Song's popularity continued to climb when she played a leading role in the poker drama All In, alongside Lee Byung Hun. She was also in a highly publicized relationship with Lee during this time (they broke up in 2004).

Song costarred with pop star Rain in the popular romantic comedy series Full House. After the pan-Asian success of Full House, Song starred in the movie My Girl and I, which was panned by audiences and critics alike. Song went on a 2-year hiatus, returning to acting as the kisaeng Hwang Jin-i in the movie version of Hwang Jin-i, which was released in South Korea in 2007. She then made her American debut in the Hollywood indie film Make Yourself At Home (originally titled Fetish) in 2008.

In late 2008, Song starred in the KBS2 drama The World That They Live In opposite Hyun Bin. Not romantically involved during filming, the two had kept in touch after the drama ended and they started dating in June 2009. Hyun Bin's being away for the filming of Friend, Our Legend in Busan reportedly made the two realize they were in love. Song Hye Kyo has been considered Korea's most beautiful woman. In 2010 she was ranked #18 in TC Candler's list of "Most Beautiful Faces", along with January Jones as #17 and Emily Blunt as #19.

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Emily Blunt

Emily Olivia Leah Blunt (born 23 February 1983) is an English actress. Blunt's first major film role came in the British drama My Summer of Love (2004). She then appeared in The Devil Wears Prada (2006) for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. She has since appeared in a number of American and British productions, including Charlie Wilson's War (2007), The Young Victoria (2009), and The Wolfman (2010).
In 2007, Blunt won a Golden Globe Award for her performance in the 2005 BBC television film, Gideon's Daughter.

Blunt was born in Roehampton, London, England. She is the second of four children born to Joanna Mackie, an English teacher and former actress, and barrister Oliver Blunt, QC.Her paternal uncle is Crispin Blunt, Conservative MP for Reigate.

Blunt previously shared a home with her ex-boyfriend, Canadian singer, Michael Bublé, whom she first met in Melbourne backstage at the Australian television Logie Awards in 2005. She later provided background vocals on his cover of "Me and Mrs. Jones" on his album Call Me Irresponsible.In November 2008, Blunt began dating actor John Krasinski, after the pair were set up by Blunt's The Devil Wears Prada co-star Anne Hathaway. On 28 August 2009, Blunt and Krasinski announced their engagement.The couple married on 10 July 2010 in Italy. They live in the United States.

At the age of 16, Blunt moved to Hurtwood House, a sixth-form college known for its performing arts programme. There, she was discovered by an agent. Blunt made her professional debut in Bliss, a new musical written by Paul Sellar, at the 2000 Edinburgh Fringe while she was still an A-level student. She went on to perform at the National Theatre and at Chichester Festival Theatre. In 2003, she made her screen debut in the British television drama Boudica, about the life of the ancient British warrior-queen who fought the Romans. She also won considerable praise for her performance as the 16th-century queen Catherine Howard in the two-part British television drama Henry VIII.
Blunt's breakout role was as Tamsin in the dark British movie, My Summer of Love in 2004, which depicted a story of deception and lesbian love in the English countryside. She shared an Evening Standard British Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer with co-star Natalie Press.
In 2005, she co-starred with Bill Nighy and Miranda Richardson in the British TV drama Gideon's Daughter, an original screenplay written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff, in which she played the troubled only child of New Labour spin doctor Gideon Warner, played by Nighy. Blunt won a Golden Globe for her performance.

In 2006, she appeared opposite Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway in the box-office success The Devil Wears Prada. Streep and Hathaway received most of the critical attention initially, but Blunt proved to be equally memorable with Entertainment Weekly naming her the Best Female Scene-Stealer in their end-of-summer special issue. She appeared at the 79th Academy Awards where she co-presented the award for best costume design with her Prada co-star Hathaway. Blunt and Hathaway lost weight for their roles in the film. In an interview with Us Weekly, Hathaway said “I basically stuck with fruit, vegetables and fish (to slim down for the movie). I wouldn't recommend that. Emily Blunt and I would clutch at each other and cry because we were so hungry." Blunt also spoke about the weight loss, claiming she had to go "painfully thin".
Blunt co-starred with Susan Sarandon in the independent drama Irresistible. When Sarandon became attached to starring in another movie, The Girl In The Park, she strongly suggested that director David Auburn should cast Blunt. In 2007, she appeared in the film Charlie Wilson's War.

In 2009, she played Queen Victoria in The Young Victoria, directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and written by Julian Fellowes. The movie co-starred Miranda Richardson and Rupert Friend as the queen's husband, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She also starred in the Toby Spanton-directed short film Curiosity. She was director Jon Favreau's first choice to play the Black Widow in Iron Man 2 but scheduling conflicts with Gulliver's Travels forced her to cede the role to Scarlett Johansson. In 2010, Blunt co-starred with Academy Award winners Benicio del Toro and Anthony Hopkins in the big-budget movie The Wolfman, which was released on 12 February. She also is set to star in Gulliver's Travels and in The Adjustment Bureau alongside Matt Damon as a ballet dancer "being mysteriously kept apart" from Damon's character.Blunt was offered the female lead in the forthcoming Captain America movie but turned it down. Her next film project is Lasse Hallström's Salmon Fishing in the Yemen alongside Kristin Scott Thomas and Ewan McGregor.

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Trade Deadline = Happy Time

Well here it is the most wonderful time of the year. I honestly like the NHL trade deadline more than Christmas or the Super Bowl, especially this year. Deadline day makes or more often breaks every team in the league. This season will be the most involved Penguins GM Ray Shero has ever been on deadline day. Which is saying a lot because Shero has made a big deal every year that he has been the Penguins GM. With Malkin's season over Shero now has $8 million in cap space to play with at the deadline. The Penguins have plenty of offensive holes to fill with that money. There are two questions that Shero needs to answer. First, what position do you want to fill center or wing? Then which player do you want? Well here is a list of all the players I have heard mentioned. So lets try to figure this out by process of elimination.

Andrew Ladd - 1 year left
Tim Connolly - 1 year left
Jarome Iginla - 3 years left
Alex Tanguay - 1 year left
Sergei Samsonov - 1 year left
Milan Hejduk - 1 year left
Mike Fisher - 3 years left
Jamie McGinn - 1 year left
Cory Stillman - 1 year left
Dustin Penner - 2 years left
Ales Hemsky  - 2 years left
Alex Kovalev - 1 year left
Jakub Voracek - 1 yearleft
Kris Versteeg - 2 years left
Jason Arnott - 1 year left

Lets keep in mind Malkin's $8.7 million contract will be back on the books next season so whoever they get needs to have an expiring contract or the Penguins will need to make another big trade in the offseason. So lets just eliminate any player with contracts past this season. Which knocks off the most intriguing name on the list. Sidney Crosby's 2010 Olympic linemate Jarome Iginla is the name I have heard talked about the most from Pens fans. Obviously because he is the most talented name available. However, there is no way the Penguins are giving up the players necessary to get him, such as Eric Tangradi.

Next Shero loves to trade for veterans with good playoff experience. So young guys like Jakub Voracek and Jamie McGinn won't be in Pittsburgh uniforms. Ray Shero learned his lesson last season about trading for guys without much playoff experience. Remember how bad Ponikarovsky looked in last year's playoffs.

Now you have to look at each guys style of play. Do you need grinders or goal scorers? Obviously this team is looking for goal scorers. This is a team that has a plethora of third line type forwards and are in serious need of a first line caliber guy. Andrew Ladd and Tim Connolly just do not foot the bill.

So here is the short list:
Alex Tanguay - W - Calgary Flames
Sergei Samsonov - W - Carolina Hurricanes
Milan Hejduk - W - Colorado Avalanche
Cory Stillman - W - Florida Panthers
Alex Kovalev - W - Ottawa Senators
Jason Arnott - C - New Jersey Devils

I personally believe the Penguins will get two players at the deadline. There is no telling what Shero's going to do. If I were making the decision I would like to see Alex Kovalev and Sergei Samsonov. I feel Kovalev is the sniper that Crosby has always needed. I know Kovalev is nowhere near the player he was ten years ago, but neither was Bill Guerin and the Penguins won a cup with him on Crosby's wing. Sergei Samsonov is a great player for Bylsma's system. He brings a lot of speed and scoring touch. I look at him as a really good Tyler Kennedy. Which would make him an excellent wing on the second line with Jordan Staal.

So there you have it my opinion on the trade deadline. Now it is not certain and probably will not happen. The only thing I actually know is that Ray Shero is looking into this far more expansively than me or any other hockey "expert". Whatever he decides to do I am sure it will cause a major stir throughout the league.

Rank... 10 Best Super Bowls

Well in the spirit of the Super Bowl season the latest edition of "Rank" is a review of the ten best Super Bowl games to date.

10. Super Bowl I - Packers 35, Chiefs 10

The first one belonged on the list if only because it started it all. Although the game was not close it still set the stage for the greatest event in sports today. The Packers were led to a victory by Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr and relative nobody receiver Max McGee. One of the most interesting stories I have ever heard about a Super Bowl player involves Max McGee. Apparently the night before the game McGee got tanked and was out till 2 in the morning because he figured he wasn't going to play considering he only had 4 catches all season. He found out just before game time he was going to start. He went on to catch 7 passes for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns. Not bad for a hangover.

9. Super Bowl XXXVI - Patriots 20, Rams 17

This was the Super Bowl that started the Patriots dynasty and launched Brady to stardom. It was also the first Super Bowl to be won on the last play of the game. The Rams nearly doubled the Pats in total yards, 427 to 267. The last 5 minutes of that game were captivating. Kurt Warner drove "The Greatest Show on Turf" to tie the game on a Ricky Proehl 26 yard touchdown reception with 1:30 left in the 4th quarter. The remaining minute and a half gave Brady a legacy. With no timeouts on the clock Brady drove the Pats down to the Rams 30 yard line and spiked the ball with 7 seconds left. Adam Vinatieri drilled a 48 yard field goal to win Super Bowl 36.

8. Super Bowl X - Steelers 21, Cowboys17

Super Bowl 10 was the game of Lynn Swann. He had 161 yards on 4 catches, including a 64 yard touchdown. It was not not the prettiest game ever. It was full of turnovers, a safety, and the Steelers coming up short on a 4th down with 1:22 remaining. What makes this game great was that it ended with a Roger Staubach interception in the end zone.

7. Super Bowl XXXVIII - Patriots 32, Panthers 29

This was the greatest offensive Super Bowl of all time. The teams combined for 868 total yards, and both quarterbacks passed for over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns. Brady earned his second Super Bowl MVP. He also guided his team on another last minute drive to set up a 41 yard game winning field goal by Vinatieri as time expired. Did I forget to mention Miss Jackson's boob?

6. Super Bowl XXV - Giants 20, Bills 19

This was the first of the Bills 4 consecutive Super Bowl losses and probably the only one they should have won. This game was all about ball control. That is what the Giants did by setting a Super Bowl record by possessing the ball for over 40 minutes. Their first drive of the second half was nine and a half minutes and led to to a touchdown. The memory of this Super Bowl is definitely Scott Norwood. With just seconds left and an opportunity to put his team up 22-20, the Bills kicker Scott Norwood missed a 47 yard field goal wide right.

5. Super Bowl XXIII - 49ers 20, Bengals 16

This Super Bowl solidified Joe Montana as the greatest Super Bowl quarterback ever. The Bengals took a 16-13 lead with 3:20 remaining in the 4th quarter. The 49ers drive started at their own 8 yard line. Over the next 3 minutes Montana carved up the Bengals defense. He lead an 11 play 92 yard drive that ended with a ten yard touchdown pass to John Taylor with 34 seconds remaining. Jerry Rice was named MVP after setting a Super Bowl record with 215 receiving yards.

4. Super Bowl XLIII - Steelers 27, Cardinals 23

It may have been the most entertaining Super Bowl ever. It was truly entertaining from start to finish. It is almost impossible to pick your favorite play, between the James Harrison interception, the Larry Fitzgerald parting of the seas touchdown, or the Santonio Holmes touchdown to cap it. Not to mention all the great head coach story lines involving Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm's history with the Steelers. Also this game gave the Steelers their sixth Super Bowl title which set a new NFL record.

3. Super Bowl III - Jets 16, Colts 7

The game may not have been as great as the hype, but this game has had a lasting effect on the NFL. Going into the Super Bowl Joe Namath guaranteed a victory over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts, a team that lost only one game all season. The Jets played a perfect style of game. They used a ball control offense as Matt Snell ran for 121 yards. The defense played outstanding, they intercepted Earl Morrall 3 times in the first half. The Colts only score came late in the fourth quarter when Johnny Unitas came off the bench. The impact of this game was astronomical. Most people forget that the event known as the Super Bowl was not expected to last. This was the first time an AFL team beat an NFL team. This game legitimized the AFL and the the Super Bowl. Had the Colts blown out the Jets it probably would have been the last Super Bowl.


2. Super Bowl XXXIV - Rams 23, Titans 16

"The Greatest Show on Turf" really earned their name in this game. In the first half the Rams put a beating on the Titans everywhere but the scoreboard. At halftime the Rams were only up 9-0. They outgained the Titans 294 to 89 in total yards. Their first six drives of the game were taken inside the Titans 20 yard line. The Rams scored early in the second half to make it 16-0, then the titans came roaring back. Two Eddie George touchdown runs made it 16-13 and a a field goal tied the game at 16 with 2:12 left in the game. On the very next play Kurt Warner threw a touchdown pass to Isaac Bruce that put the Rams up 23-16 with 1:54 remaining. The Titans used that remaining time to drive down field and put the Titans in position to win the game. With no timeouts left Steve Mcnair hit Kevin Dyson for a 16 yard completion to the Rams 10 yard line. With 6 seconds left Mcnair took the snap and hit Dyson on a short slant at the 3 yard line. Linebacker Mike Jones wrapped up Dyson and dragged him down just one yard short of the end zone and Super Bowl glory. This capped off the greatest ending to a Super Bowl ever. 

1. Super Bowl XLII - Giants 17, Patriots 14

The game that coined the phrase 18 and 1. The Patriots entered this game with an undefeated record and were on the verge being recognized as the greatest team of all time. Then they found out about the Giants. Lets face it the Giants were not a great team that season, but all the stars aligned for them in the playoffs and they made it to the big show. This was bad news for the Patriots. If there was one team in the NFL that was built to beat the Pats it was the Giants. They had great pass rushing defensive ends that haunted Brady the whole game. A running attack that kept the Patriots offense off the field helped the Giants stay in the game. At halftime the Patriots were ahead 7-3. In the fourth quarter both offenses came alive. Manning threw an touchdown pass to David Tyree, which turned out to be only his second biggest catch of the day. The Patriots responded with a Brady touchdown toss to Randy Moss. The following drive may have been the most heart pounding drive in NFL history. Three super plays stand out:
1. The Asante Samuel drop of a sure game sealing interception.
2. The insane Eli Manning scramble as he shook off three Patriot defenders and planted a pass on David Tyree's helmet for a 32 yard completion.
3. Finally the lob to Plaxico Burress in the corner of the end zone for a game winning touchdown.
All these moments led to this being the greatest Super Bowl ever played.