Weekend Hot Clicks
Oshie Rules Sochi
Weekend Hot Clicks
While you may have been sleeping Saturday morning, the U.S. and Russia hockey teams hooked up in the preliminary round for a playoffs-intensity battle that lived up to its hype, with Team America (F— YEAH) emerging 3-2 winners after an eight-frame shootout. (Full shootout available here.)
Center T.J. Oshie of the St. Louis Blues (NHL career 25-for-46 shootout percentage) took six of the team USA's shots (five straight thanks to rules permitting repeats after the first three), scoring on his first attempt, in two must-make situations, and finally the game winner. No other American scored in the shootout. Thankfully, Crossing Broad made a video combining the "Again" scene from Miracle with Oshie's goals. Just don't call Oshie a hero: "No. The real heroes wear camo," he said. "I'm not one of them."
A funny thing happened on the way to the shootout (unless you're Russian) when Russia's Fedor Tyutin scored what looked like the possible game winner late in the third past U.S. goalie Jonathan Quick, however it was called off after the referees determined that the net had dislodged before the goal (which disqualifies a goal in international competition). Some of the Russians, including Quick's L.A. Kings teammate Slava Voynov, thinks the netminder pulled a quick one on them. “I can tell you myself, because I am his teammate and I play with him," Voynov said. "It is in his style to do something like that. Yes." So, they'll have to hug it out in a couple weeks.
Still more from this instant classic: Here's Oshie reaction videos ... Entertaining fan reactions on Twitter, with an appropriate amount of 'Murica ... The New York Post cover ... Mr. President approves ... Spring your freedom boner with this shot of Team USA's locker room before Sunday's game ... On Sunday the U.S. defeated Slovenia 5-1 and Russia beat Slovakia 1-0 in a shootout. The way the playoffs bracket is set, a U.S.-Russia rematch could only occur in a gold or bronze medal game.
"Selfies With Putin"
Entertaining idea by Canadians who snapped some selfies with Russian president Vladimir Putin, who visited athletes at Canada House. Alas, the gimmick drew elicited a harsh reaction back home from people who considered the photos tantamount to approving Putin's controversial policies.
17 Reasons to Love T.J. Oshie
Oshie's a real American, fights for what's right, fights for your life! I'm just feeling patriotic -- click the link for actual information.
Lovely Lady Of The Day
Weekend Hot Clicks
It's all Oshie, all the time today!! Behold the future Mrs. Oshie, T.J.'s lovely fiancée Lauren Cosgrove who couldn't attend the game live because she's seven months pregnant with the couple's first child. Go check out Next Impulse Sports and Gamedayr for plenty more of Lauren. Meanwhile her Instagram and Twitter followingis in the process of quadrupling at least.
NBA All-Star Dunk Snoozefest
Dunk contest, that is. Though the contest had its moments -- John Wall's double-pump reverse reverse and Ben McLemore's over-the-Shaq jam -- the new East vs. West freestyle and battle formats felt too contrived, and contestants missed too many slams. Add this year's contest to "30 Years of NBA Dunk Contest Tweaks: All the Rule Changes, Gimmicks, and Bad Ideas."
Brave, Drunk, or Stupid?
Or all three: Some UFC fan reached from the stands to snatch former Brazilian light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida's hat from his head as he entered the Octagaon. Machida persuaded the fan to give it back, and by persuaded him I mean he looked at him for a split second.
Snowboard 'Stache
Czech Republic snowboarder Eva Samkova has a quirky tradition of getting a mustache drawn on before she competes in finals. I'm not clear yet on the "why" but Samkova won the snowboardcross, so, yes.
Odds & Ends
Ketchup on last week's best Extra Mustard stories ... Andre Drummond won the BBVA Rising Stars Game MVP, only the presenter dropped and broke the hardware ... Check out some youngster, who is watching the TNT crew play soccer, get drilled in the head but take it like a champ ... Auburn hoops fan sunk a cross-court putt to win a car ... All about the Kiss Cam and American sports ... Secretary of Education Arne Duncan dominated in the All-Star Celebrity Game ... The Reds have a new facial hair policy, meanwhile the Louisville hoops team won't shave until they lose ... Terrifying crash for a Brazilian women's bobsled pair (they're OK) ... LeBron is covering GQ ... Some glass went kaboom after a Andreas Nödl body check ... Study shows “[Internet] trolls and sadists feel sadistic glee at the distress of others" ... ASU players perfectly executed a (Gatorade) dunking after knocking off #2 Arizona.
"The Bobsled Song"
This thing has it all -- a tribute to the Jamaican bobsled team, catch tune and 8-bit graphics. [Mashable]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r71JHunY8rI]
Sounds of Women's Curling
Just what it says. Enjoy.
DeSean Jackson Back to Rapping
D-Jax aka "Jaccpot" joins D-Shep in the "Poundcake Freestyle." [Complex]
Timberwolves + Puppies = Timberpuppies = !!!!
Simply adorable. [Ball Don't Lie]
SPECIAL U.S.A. PATRIOT SECTION
