Having heard the controversy surrounding Kick-Ass due to its depiction of graphic violence involving a minor, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I first sat down to watch it. In fact, I delayed seeing him at Christmas with the family, as my father-in-law is particularly squeamish when it comes to spilling blood and guts. Not surprisingly, the outcry from the film’s few naysayers is quite unfounded when you consider the highly stylized violence in the larger context of the film, which clearly has a moral compass attempting to tell the strange story of Dave, a geeky teenager. harassed and wannabe. “Good Samaritan” who takes on the role of a vigilante in disguise to protect the innocent and take revenge on those whose lives have been destroyed by an evil drug dealer.

Kick-Ass is based on an 8-volume graphic novel written by Mark Millar and drawn by John Romita Jr., it was adapted for the screen by film director Matthew Vaughan and Jane Goldman, who also co-wrote Vaughan’s previous film, the Stardust fantasy, which was based on Neil Gaiman’s book of the same name. Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) is a typical comic book superhero fan who is regularly mugged for his lunch money. He ponders the question why no one has ever tried to be a superhero in real life and becomes convinced that his destiny is to become a masked crusader. Having ordered a wetsuit online and armed with just 2 batons, he takes to the streets as a “Kick-Ass” and attempts to fight crime to no avail after an assailant stabs him and then is hit by a car requiring implants. metal to repair their numerous. broken bones.

Undeterred by his hospitalization, Dave returns to being a superhero and with little skill but a lot of courage he manages to defend himself against a group of 3 heavyweights who beat an individual while the crowd watches, one of them records the incident in his phone. and uploads it to the internet, making Kick-Ass an overnight sensation and catching the eye of a former cop who was framed by the drug dealer he had been investigating; While in prison, his devastated pregnant wife goes overboard, but doctors can deliver the fetus before she dies. On his release, the former cop takes custody of his now 5-year-old daughter and vows revenge by adopting the secret identities of “Big Daddy” and “Hit Girl” and taking down the gangsters one at a time.

As Big Daddy Nicolas Cage imitates Adam West’s legendary Batman, but outside of costume, he is a doting father to Mindy (Chloë Moretz) and his on-screen chemistry and dialogue provide the film’s weirdest comedic moments, but also provide the heart. and the soul needed. to contextualize the devastating intensity of his violent actions. These are desperate acts driven by loss and illustrate the fact that crime victims are not always compensated by an indifferent legal system and it seems only the action of vigilantes will deliver the justice they deserve as Frank D’Amico, played by the incredibly supporter Mark Strong.

Kick-Ass is a very funny and sometimes moving take on society’s “superhero” notion, it is also a visual tour de force and for my money, hands down the best Matthew Vaughan film to date. The Blu-ray edition looks beautiful in 1080p complete with an oversaturated color palette that suits a comic book-based movie, blacks are deep and inky, and the large amount of scarlet never fades. The audio is also exemplary with a DTS-HD 7.1 mix showcasing the film’s eclectic soundtrack, one of the highlights for me was the truly inspired use of the Elvis Presley recording from the 1970s, An American Trilogy. , which reworked the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” as a signal. The arrival of Kick-Ass in jetpack to save Hit Girl creating a priceless and sublime cinematic moment that really gave me goosebumps! I’m not sure if there’s much more ground to cover in the sequel, but I’m looking forward to seeing Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall next year.

The St. Louis Rams struggled last season at 6-10. They closed the 2005 season 1-4 in their last five games. The only victory was against Dallas (20-10) in a pointless game. This season, the Rams have a new coach: Scott Linehan. Have the problems also disappeared? Linehan is not only entering the Rams coaching job for the first time, but also as the head coach of the NFL.

Attack player

Marc Bulger will be the guy from St. Louis again. The main question surrounding Bulger isn’t his ability, it’s his health. You have had arm problems in the past. However, QB’s position is one of the strongest on offense. Waiting in the backrest is the competent Gus Frerotte. They also have Ryan Fitzpatrick. He has had a limited duty, but was impressed.

Running backwards

Marshal Faulk is gone. He had knee problems and will miss the entire 2006 season. Technically he is retiring, but there is a chance he will return for a final season in 2007. The Rams man is Steven Jackson. Although Jackson gained more than 1,000 yards last season, he was not a “great” running back. He has the potential, but he will have to go one step further this season.

Receivers

Rams’ receiving unit is above average. Any unit with Tory Holt and Isaac Bruce would be. In the 2006 draft, the Rams selected TE Joe Klopfenstein of Colorado in the second round and TE Dominique Byrd in the third round. Both will fight for playing time and could help improve the offense. If either TE performs well early on, the Rams will have a very complete offensive attack.

Defense and special teams

This is where it goes downhill for the Rams. Up to this point, the Rams have sounded like a competent team. Defense is average. The defensive line was weakened by the loss of NT Ryan Pickett. This season, there have been some changes with the line and the Rams hope it is for the better. One thing that affects bad defense is a bad tackle and the Rams got their share and fell back for a few seconds. They brought in LB Will Witherspoon to help solidify the linebacker unit.

The biggest question mark in this Rams defense is the secondary. Will they be able to cover teams with solid receivers? The answer, as it is, is probably not. The Rams are hopeful new additions like S Jerametrius Butler will help instill leadership in the secondary and put it on the right track. Special teams need some work, but they should do a proper job.

Prediction 2006

The St. Louis Rams are really in the bubble this season. His schedule is not that difficult. They have 6-7 games that are probable losses, 2-3 that are games that can be won and the rest should be games that win. Depending on how they go, the Rams could finish between 6-10 and 9-7. A 9-7 finish could be enough to sneak into the NFC playoffs. Two critical games come to the end of the season when they play Washington and Minnesota. The first five games are very soft, with the exception of the Denver game. After Denver, the Rams play San Francisco, Arizona, Detroit and Green Bay. They could be 4-1 at that point, but that’s where their schedule starts to get tough.

In a sport famous for its colorful characters, Casey Stengel was one of a kind. Stengel was an imaginative storyteller who had one of the greatest minds in baseball ever. Stengel was just as likely to fake a faint at a referee’s call as to declare a squeeze play in a critical situation to win a ball game.

From his teens to his final days as manager of the New York Mets, Stengel lived his entire life in baseball. Along the way, he was an above-average Major League Baseball player for 12 seasons and the most successful coach to complete a scorecard. However, it wasn’t just his success that won the adoration of millions, it was his lovable personality that won them over. His warmth, toughness and unforgettable monologues that made him the most beloved character since Babe Ruth. Some of the expressions that became part of baseball lore include “worm killers,” which means low balls, “plumber,” which means a good outfielder, and “block of the road,” which means, a lousy baseball player. . A true legend, like Casey Stengel, the wise baseball clown, will never be seen in sports again.

How good was Stengel? In a 12-year career with the New York Yankees, Casey won 1,149 games (compared to just 696 losses), won 10 pennants and 7 world series championships. Hall of Fame manager Connie Mack once said of Stengel: “I have never seen a man interpret so many hunches with such success.”

Not only was Casey Stengel known as an eccentric yet lovable coach, he was also known as a coach who supported his players. Elston Howard (the first black player hired by the Yankees) credited Stengel with helping him overcome racial barriers. Casey Stengel would tell hotel managers that if Howard was not welcome in his establishments, then he would not allow any of the Yankees players to stay there as well.

Most endocrinologists and other physicians consider Graves’ disease to be an incurable condition. However, many holistic practitioners have a different view of this condition. Being a holistic healthcare professional, it’s no wonder I was open to a natural treatment protocol for Graves’ disease when I was first diagnosed with this condition. This doesn’t mean that I wasn’t skeptical though, as while I wasn’t really concerned about the safety of natural treatment methods, I was honestly not sure how effective they would be.

While I wouldn’t label my symptoms as too severe, it was still difficult to deal with the increased pulse rate and the palpitations made it difficult to fall asleep at times. Add to this the tremors, weight loss, and increased appetite, and like many others with Graves’ disease, I was considering taking antithyroid medications to help control symptoms. As for radioactive iodine, the endocrinologist I saw did not present it to me as an initial option, although I am sure it would have changed in a few months or years after taking the antithyroid medications. After all, antithyroid medications do nothing more than control symptoms, although they sometimes put a person in a temporary state of remission.

In any case, I never considered receiving radioactive iodine, but who knows what would have happened if I had decided to take the antithyroid medications. But I didn’t, as I made the decision to follow a natural Graves disease protocol, and it really helped restore my health to normal. It only took a few weeks for the increased heart rate, palpitations, and tremor symptoms to subside. And in a few months all my symptoms were gone, the blood tests and adrenal tests improved dramatically and finally normalized, and overall I felt great.

How can a Natural Graves disease treatment protocol be so effective?

Before answering this question, let me be frank and inform you that not everyone responds to natural methods of treating Graves’ disease. However, when you think about it, there is really nothing to lose by following this protocol, as the worst case scenario is that it does not work and you will have to resort to antithyroid medications or RAI. However, the reason that a natural treatment protocol for Graves’ disease has a great chance of restoring your health to normal is because, unlike conventional medical treatment methods, natural treatment methods attempt to achieve the underlying cause of the condition.

What you need to understand is that in most cases of Graves’ disease, the problematic thyroid gland is not the underlying cause of the disorder. So while prescription drugs can do a good job of managing symptoms, they will do absolutely nothing for the actual cause of the disorder. On the other hand, the goal of any natural treatment protocol for Graves’ disease is to cure the cause of the disorder. Here are some of the things that can lead to the development of Graves’ disease:

• Weak adrenal acorns

• A compromised immune system

• Poor digestion

• Hormonal imbalances

• Nutritional deficiencies

• Exposure to environmental toxins

• Problems with other areas of the body

Usually it is a combination of some of these factors that leads to the development of an autoimmune thyroid condition. So when someone with Graves disease consults with a natural endocrine physician, they will not only look at thyroid blood tests that other healthcare professionals evaluate, but will most likely recommend one or more additional tests to determine if the person has one or more of these problems.

For example, all people with Graves disease have a compromised immune system. However, not everyone has the same factors that cause the immune system to weaken. Many people who eat a lot of refined foods and sugars and / or do a poor job of managing stress develop weak adrenal glands, which in turn can cause autoimmune response and thyroid malfunction and lead to an autoimmune thyroid disorder. Another person may have an imbalance with the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which can wreak havoc on the body and lead to problems with the immune system.

The point is, just focusing on the thyroid gland is a big mistake. And this is the reason why most doctors think that Graves’ disease is incurable, since they focus all their efforts on stopping the excessive production of thyroid hormone and never think about what is causing the gland to malfunction. thyroid first. So the reason why natural Graves disease treatment methods can be so effective is because they not only try to cover up the symptoms, but they try to find and then eliminate the cause of the actual condition.

Find a doctor who specializes in Natural Graves disease treatment methods

While there are many naturopaths, holistic physicians, and other health professionals who could help restore your health to normal, it is a good idea to consult with a natural endocrine practitioner in my opinion. The reason for this is that such a doctor will focus on endocrine disorders and therefore have more experience caring for people with Graves’ disease compared to a natural doctor who cares for many different types of conditions.

Regardless of what you decide to do, try to keep an open mind. I realize that it can be difficult not to be skeptical about natural methods of treating Graves’ disease, especially when almost all endocrinologists and general practitioners recommend drugs or RAIs. And don’t get me wrong, as some people really do need these conventional treatment methods. However, in most cases, it does not make sense to temporarily control symptoms with antithyroid drugs or to damage the thyroid gland with radioactive iodine.

Most people just don’t realize there are other options, and now that you’ve learned this information, hopefully you will try natural methods of treating Graves’ disease. If you are like most people who follow a natural treatment protocol, not only will you feel healthy and energetic, but you will regret not taking action sooner.

Separated by 70 interstate miles between Atlanta and Athens Georgia, and founded 100 years apart, the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and the University of Georgia (UGA) have been rivals since 1893 in more than just soccer. Competing for everything in the state of Georgia, from students and potential fans to government grants and academic recognition (Georgia Tech is an engineering research university, while UGA is a liberal arts research university). However, it is on the playing field where this rivalry excels.

The dislike these two schools have for each other probably started right after the Civil War, when it was decided that a new tech school should be founded. Then UGA President Patrick Mell tried to convince lawmakers that the new school should be located on Georgia’s main campus in Athens. Despite his efforts, the Georgia Institute of Technology was established near the Atlanta city limits in 1885.

It did not take long for the first hostilities to begin only a few years later, in 1891, especially the school colors. The UGA school magazine stated that the school colors were gold, black and crimson. The Georgia soccer coach felt that gold was too close to yellow, which he felt symbolized by cowardice. That same year, however, the Tech student body voted white and gold as the official school colors. In their first soccer game against Auburn, Tech would wear gold on their soccer uniforms, some felt like a slap in the face from Georgia. Two years later, after Tech defeated Georgia in their first soccer game, the gold was removed forever from the Georgia school colors.

That first fateful game took place in Athens on November 4, 1893 with Georgia Tech, then known as the Blacksmiths, winning by a score of 28 – 6. But it was who scored those 4 touchdowns that sparked the rivalry. Leonard Wood was a 33-year-old US Army medic who officially registered as a Georgia Tech student just days before the game. However, being a full-time student, he was eligible to play. This fact upset Georgia fans as during and after the game they threw rocks and debris at all Tech players. The next day, an article in the Atlanta Journal, written by a sports journalist from Athens, mocked that the Tech football team was nothing more than a collection of Atlanta residents with some students included.

A rivalry was born.

For the next several years, Georgia Tech’s soccer program would perform very poorly. As a result, they decided to hire a new coach from another rival school, Clemson. In 1904, John Heisman received $ 2,250 and 30% of the attendance dues to be the Georgia Tech football and baseball coach. (NOTE: After retiring as a football coach in 1927, he became part of the Downtown Athletic Club from Manhattan in 1935. After his death in 1936, the club’s trophy for best college footballer was renamed the Heisman Trophy). Heisman immediately changed Tech’s soccer program to 8-1-1 in his freshman year. By 1908, the SIAA (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) was investigating Tech’s recruiting tactics for Georgia students. The allegations were unsubstantiated and the SIAA later ruled in Tech’s favor. In his 16 seasons at Georgia Tech, Heisman led the Golden Tornado (as Tech was known) to three undefeated seasons, including a 32-game winning streak and a major 23-6 win over Georgia. Heisman also led Tech to the highest-scoring soccer game ever played with a 222-0 victory over a totally outclassed Cumberland State in 1916 (too bad it wasn’t Georgia!).

In 1917, with the onset of World War I, UGA dissolved its soccer program as many of its capable students were drafted into the war. Since Atlanta was a military training ground at the time, Tech retained its male students and continued its soccer program throughout the war. When UGA revived their soccer program in 1919, they proudly proclaimed “UGA in Argonne” and “TECH in Atlanta” on parade floats. As a result, Tech severed all athletic ties with UGA, including canceling several Georgia home games at Grant Field in Atlanta (UGA commonly used Grant Field as their home field). It would not be until 1925, by mutual agreement, that regular season competition would resume.

In 1932, Georgia and Georgia Tech would become 2 of the original 13 members of the SEC, of ​​which UGA is still a member. However, Tech would leave the SEC in 1964 after coach Bobby Dodd started a feud with Alabama’s Bear Bryant (the result of a low shot by an Alabama player that ended a Tech player’s career and the refusal of Bryant to discipline the athlete). There were also concerns about scholarship assignments, questionable recruiting tactics, and the treatment of student athletes that led to Tech’s departure from the SEC. However, Dodd understood the importance of a rivalry and would lead the Yellow Jackets to 8 consecutive victories (1946 – 1954) and beat Georgia 176 – 39 in those games. This remains the longest streak of both teams in the rivalry.

Several years later, Tech would attempt to re-enter the SEC, but its application was denied, in large part due to opposition from Georgia. Without a league to compete in, Tech would found the Metro Conference, for all of its intercollegiate sports except soccer. Like Notre Dame, Tech would compete independently for the next 15 years, until it finally joined the ACC in 1979, the conference in which it is still completed today.

Not content with simply dislike each other on the soccer field, both institutions have also adapted their fight songs to rivalry. Tech’s song Ramblin Wreck contains the line “To Hell with Georgia”, and “Up With the White and Gold” is immediately followed by the lyrics “Down with the Red and Black” and then “Drop the Battle Ax on Georgia’s Head” . Georgia’s wrestling song, “Glory Glory,” which has not technically changed since it was first published in 1909, officially ends with GEORGIA. However, the student body has changed the closing letter to “and to hell with Georgia Tech!”

Don Lyle, the Northern California area scout for the Cleveland Indians, has some unique ideas on how to search for baseball prospects.

In less than 20 years, Lyle has signed more than 50 prospects to major league contracts, eleven of whom have made it to the major leagues. That is a success rate of more than 20 percent. Lyle is best known for signing Sacramento-area native Derrek Lee, who was recently traded from the Cubs to the Braves. Lyle removed Lee from El Camino High School to a contract with the Padres in 1993.

Sitting with Lyle at a mid-summer display sponsored by the El Dorado Hills Hard 90 Baseball Academy, you learn that he is evaluating players just by the way they walk across the field to start practice. “That (athletics) puts me on the radar.”

Next is another intangible: sincerity. Lyle is looking for people who are serious about business in the field. “Geoff Jenkins did that,” the Indians scout recalls of the Cordova High star who recently retired after an official career and a World Series championship with the Phillies.

When players start to throw the ball, Lyle looks for those with good fundamental arm action and strength in their throws. Eventually, when they warm up, he will instinctively know if he got it right. Even if the arm action “… isn’t exactly how I want it, but the speed is there, then I’m buying,” says Lyle.

During a ball game, the Indians scout times runners to first base, the pitcher’s pitch to home plate with a runner on base, and the catcher throws to second to catch a base robber. All standards for the profession. But Lyle is looking at the batter before he even walks into the box. He’s checking out the prospect while he’s in the circle on the deck, his focus, his sincerity, again seeing if the player is “challenging himself to get that pitcher to the mound. You can see it.”

Lyle will also move to the opposite sideline to view the prospect through his binoculars. “I’m watching him on the bench to see how he’s looking at the game. Do you want to come up with the game on the line? No, when he’s at the plate. Once he gets out of that circle, it’s about his set. Up.”

When Don Lyle ultimately scores a player, he is trying to determine if that player is ready to play in the big leagues today. “Only 1 percent (of prospects) want me right now,” he admits, but marks the others with a touchdown to “go on.” He often recommends those players to college scouts, hoping they will have a chance to further develop and be prepared for the major leagues in time.

The main indicator to measure a player’s skill level compared to those now playing in the major leagues is the standard scoring system of 20-80 from scouts, with 20 being the lowest score and 80 reserved for the maximum of players from all over the world. “Even with Barry (Bonds), I would have had to rate him at 70,” laughs Lyle over a fictitious score by one of his all-time favorite players. “Give it an 80 and there are no advantages.”

When evaluating a high school talent, particularly the bat and arm, Lyle will score a rank rather than an exact number. “You’re kidding yourself a bit. If (the prospect) makes it to the majors, and his arm is 50 now, it’ll probably be a 60 in the majors. I’ll put it as a 50-60, as I hope it’s going to be better. The performance it is still what it is. “

Of the four NHL divisions, we took a look at where all the teams stand and how they stack up to where they were at the end of last year’s regular season. We have some unexpected teams in some unexpected positions. Why are they there and will they have a chance to stay there or recover?

Last year, the Oilers were second in their division. They are now at the bottom of their division with a much lower record than expected. Plus, their star player, Connor McDavid, is playing and scoring far less than expected. The Pacific division is off to a dry start to its seasons, all except the new team, the Vegas Golden Knights. The other teams have not shown outstanding matches. The Pacific split has been shaken compared to last year and the expected results have yet to come. There are many games to play and all it takes is a couple of teams to hit a hot streak to change the rankings in the Pacific division. One team that expected to see better participation in its season was the Arizona Coyotes. They had a very tough year last season and now they don’t see much improvement. The only team that has a win less than them right now is the Buffalo Sabers. The Coyotes are 7-18-5 and the Sabers are 6-17-4. They are fighting not to be in last place in the entire NHL. It’s hard to watch these teams fight, I don’t like seeing professional teams look so uncoordinated. I hope their seasons start to produce successes for the players and for the club as a whole!

On a different note, the Blackhawks came first in the central division last year and are now second to last this year. The Blackhawks have a lot of skilled players, but they seem to be underperforming. Another team in the central division that is not doing as well as it was at the end of last season is the Minnesota Wild. The Blackhawks and Wild finished in the top two in the central division last year, but they aren’t playing like they did at the end of the regular season. Right now, these two teams are sitting in two of the bottom three spots. The team that is last in the central division is the Avalanche. They had a horrible season last year and while they are doing much better now, they are still the team that was expected to be in last place. One team that was quiet last year and in first place in the central division is the Winnipeg Jets. Right now the Blues and Jets are vying for first place and it should be interesting to see what the product of more competition should produce.

After the Central division, there is the Metropolitan division. The biggest change we’ve seen in this division so far is the amazing courage the New Jersey Devils have shown. They had a poor season last year coming in last and now rank second in the Metropolitan division just two games away from being tied for first. The other teams in the division are not far from expected. The Pittsburgh Penguins have fared mediocre for being a Stanley Cup team and have had big losses to teams with big deficits. Usually the Stanley Cup team represents a challenge to the rest of the league, but there has been nothing extraordinary yet.

Finally, we have the Atlantic division, which has not surprised us too much. There are two teams in this division that have been a lot of fun to watch. These two teams are ranked first and second in the division and have great players. The Lightning are in first place with the Maple Leafs behind by one game in the win category, but with 3 points to tie. In Lightning, they have Stamkos and Kucherov, who are the dynamic duo. These two players have had great passes, plays and goals that you find yourself watching over and over again. In Maple Leafs, you have Auston Matthews, who is 20 years old and has had an incredible season. He’s a great points contender and has incredible goals. These top two teams, plus the Vegas Golden Knights, are some of the best teams to watch right now. The last teams in the Atlantic division are not very surprised. The only team that is surprised to be low in the rankings are the Ottawa Senators, who are in third to last place but in second place last year. They have had an unfortunate season, but they have the ability to make a strong comeback. The Sabers and Panthers are at the bottom of this division and haven’t been the best contenders for a while.

Well, the new season has finally arrived, and once again we are getting ready to see who the “Cinderella” teams will be. We want to know how the teams are doing compared to last year. We also want to know if the good teams from last year will be able to play well again.

I’m a fan of the Wings so the only way we can improve is if we really win the cup, but here are the top 5 teams you’ll want to see this season.

# 5: Washington capitals

Caps look really good at the beginning of the season. Last year they finished second in the eastern conference and ended up losing to the Penguins in the seventh game of the second round.

This year, they want to do it again. They have a lot of talent that they had last year and they could go further in the playoffs. With the experiences acquired in his last career.

What I like about this team is their offense. They have 3 players that are actually producing for them right now. Ovechkin (duh), Semin and Backstrom (who is giving assists). These players have contributed greatly to making the Capitals one of the highest goal scoring teams in the league.

# 4: Colorado Avalanche

At first, I didn’t think they were going to play well. I didn’t think they had good players that they could trust.

The Avalanche obviously realized this. They have also come up with a very creative and simple solution. Your solution, trust everyone and let’s work together.

It is one of the few good teams that does not have a distinguished scorer, but the offense is widespread. 7 games in the season and only 4 players on the team do not have a point, 3 of them defenders.

If they can keep it up, they’ll get back to where they were at the beginning of the decade, competing in the playoffs.

# 3: Vancouver Canucks

Even before the season started, he was telling people to keep an eye on this team. They really caught my attention during the preseason “nonsense.”

During the preseason they were 7-0-2. However, they got off to a really bad start when the actual season started. They lost their first 3 games.

However, I am still going to say that they are a great team because of the work they did in the preseason. They also have some quality players on their team.

With the twins Sedin and Roberto Luongo (one of the top 3 goalkeepers in the league in my opinion) they have some players they can trust.

The other thing they have done is to increase their scouting ability. Because of that, they ended up with some prospects and a much deeper team than last year.

# 2: Buffalo Sabers

This is another team that didn’t make the playoffs last year. However, the playoffs were not missed much. Remember that last year’s playoffs were very close in the Eastern Conference.

This year, they will fight for the same thing.

The biggest difference between the Sabers and the rest of the league is that Buffalo is a very defensive team. In fact, they have allowed the fewest goals of any NHL team.

Much credit must go to goalie Ryan Miller for keeping the puck out of the net. At the start of the season, he has a 1.6 GAA. It will probably increase, but it is still impressive.

# 1: Pittsburgh penguins

When the Pens took Crosby a few years ago, they were one of the worst teams in the NHL. They weren’t making the playoffs and they were pretty much a team you wanted to take on.

Now, they have changed that. Last year he rose from the ashes to win the Stanley Cup. Of course, they did some trades on the trade deadline that really helped them achieve this.

This year, they have the same talent. Crosby, Malkin, Getzlaf and Guerin can score goals.

The last piece of the equation comes in their goalkeeper, Marc-Andre Fleury. He has shown us that he has what it takes to win championships.

I do not mean that the Pens can repeat, it is still too early for that. However, they will definitely be the team to beat when the playoffs hit.

Every week of the college football season, I make at least one college football parlay bet. There is something magical about watching many games at the same time and having action in all of them. If you are new to NCAA college football betting, here is some information to help you.

Let’s start by talking about the difference between bookmakers when a game falls in number. Some bookmakers push ties, which means that your parlay card is reduced to the next number. So imagine you have a 5-team college football parlay and the Ohio State Buckeyes (-3) win by 3. Since it’s a tie, the card would be reduced to the next level. If you are playing a “tie win” card, you would win the bet.

College football parlay cards can have both sides and totals. A side is when you choose sides, like the Michigan Wolverines. And the total is when you bet less or more than the total number of points scored for both teams.

Unsurprisingly, you can increase your pay by adding more equipment. The risk also increases. While most bookmakers tend to have the same payouts, some offer special payout amounts.

Charging for college parlays is fun. Here are some common payment amounts:

Parlay of 3 country teams 6-1

Parlay of 4 country teams 11-1

Parlay of 5 country teams 20-1

Let’s go.

There are also teasers that are somewhat popular with sports bettors. They are easier to win, but pay much less. Many like betting teasers because the lines are more favorable for sports bettors. As an example, you could see the Washington Huskies as a 14-point dog on the royal line and a 21-point dog in a teaser. As you can see, these bets are much easier to win.

Do you know what is the best college football parlay bet you can make? There is a “best” bet and many sports bettors don’t realize it. Whether you’re betting on teasers, semicircles, or straight parlays, you need to know what you’re doing to get ahead.

Trent Reznor, the mastermind behind the industrial rock group Nine Inch Nails, is no stranger to the realm of the best songs in the sexy rock music genre. And if you asked anyone who’s stuck their head into the rock world for an iota of time, they might respond by saying that NIN’s “Closer” definitely deserves a spot on any top 10 list.

But what about Trent’s other bands / projects? What about How To Destroy Angels, the band he shares with his wife, Mariqueen, and his friend / collaborator Atticus Ross? What about your soundtracks, also co-composed by Ross? Their remixes / covers?

How about we dive into less mapped territory?

Here’s an example of a playlist that uses Trent Reznor’s sexy deep cuts:

1. All Time Low (Nine Inch Nails – Hesitation Marks)

Get the ball rolling with this strong mid-tempo funk song, which sounds a lot like “Closer” (Trent even inserts verses from “Closer” when he performs “All Time Low” live). Between Adrian Belew’s dissonant ’70s guitar, Pino Palladino’s staccato bass lines, and the drugged arpeggiator at the end of the song, this song takes you on a drunken sexual journey. Good way to start.

2. Get Down Make Love (Nine Inch Nails – Sin)

Heighten the angst a bit with Trent’s industrial version of Queen’s deep theme from “News of the World.” Produced by Ministry’s Al Jourgensen, Trent’s distorted voice makes him sound even more desperate and sexually frustrated, the complete opposite of Freddy Mercury’s confidence: “I’m the provider of all things sexual, now do what I say.” Trent’s opinion is more “Do what I tell you ???

3.27 Ghosts III (Nine Inch Nails – Ghosts I-IV)

Keep the distress and noise high. This super deep cut is an instrumental from a series of instrumental EPs called “Ghosts”. These EPs were the main reason David Fincher asked Trent and Atticus to score his films. Fincher would put “Ghosts” songs on the “The Social Network” soundtrack to test the feel of things, trying to hear what the difference would be between a darker score and a more upbeat Elvis Costello rock score.

4. Solo (El-P Remix) (Nine Inch Nails – Every day is exactly the same)

This halftime version of NIN’s hit single “Only” by hip hop artist El-P turns the original disco feel into a super sexually charged mix of sweaty beats / turntable effects. Technically Trent didn’t, specifically, but shut up. It is part of the Halo canon (Halos is the official Nine Inch Nails catalog system). This will totally work in your favor.

5. The loop closes (How to destroy angels – Welcome to oblivion)

An almost instrumental song, this melody unites electronics and exotic instrumentation, solidified by another “Closer” -like rhythm. A great song that uses upward dynamics throughout, starting soft, steadily climbing its way to the loud (and you should be climbing to your own loud) before unleashing its energy and resolving into blippy electronic pianissimo. It’s also great to hear Trent and his wife riffs together on vocals.

6. Reptile (Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral)

A classic NIN song from a classic album, but a deep cut nonetheless. Trent is totally in his element of sexual loss and frustration. It takes things a little darker (which, considering everything on this playlist is dark, is saying something).

7. Closer (Forerunner) (Nine Inch Nails – Closer to God)

I know I said we would stay in more uncharted territory, so why does “Closer” appear? Play. BUT this is a remix made by Coil. If you’ve seen the opening credits for “Se7en” (from the aforementioned David Fincher, no less), then you’ve heard this great version of NIN’s biggest single. It’s dirty, muddy, long, and has a slightly more haunting feel than the original.

8. A familiar taste (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross – The Social Network)

This song is a revised and modified version of a song from the Nine Inch Nails “Ghosts” collection. But I like this version better. In the movie, “The Social Network,” it is played while Mark Zuckerberg is imagining what happens at all the frat parties he would like to attend when young college girls are invited out for a night of drunken sex revelry. This song is a nice warm top for the next track on the list …

9. Container (Nine Inch Nails – Year Zero)

I love this track. This truly rivals “Closer’s” reign of NIN’s sexiest song of all time. This vibrant, throbbing cartilage is ideal for the most violent sexual rompers out there. The noise, the beeps, the rhythm: it’s perfect.

10. Consummation (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross – Gone Girl)

This is dark. The darkest on the list. And it’s the latter for a reason. I won’t say what happens in the movie “Gone Girl”, but this song takes place during its most moving and violent scene. I would use this song to bring the climax when it comes to your playlist. The slow pulse, the rising cacophony (it looks like your speakers are being smashed) all lend themselves to the perfect ending (read: orgasm) to your ten-song Trent Reznor sex festival.

*** 11. Sugar Storm (Reprise) (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross – Gone Girl)
As a bonus, use this song as you go down. It is short but pleasant to listen to. It also has the perfect leading key ending, a big cherry on top of everything you just heard. ***

If you liked this list, check out another example of a sexy rock music playlist I’ve compiled that doesn’t just use Nine Inch Nails to full effect:

http://www.patchbandmusic.com/sexy-rock-music-top-10-sexy-rock-songs/

But yes, “Closer” might appear near the end.