It's Friday

It's Friday. Here's what's happening....

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Today is November 8th, the 312th day of 2013. There are 53 days left in the year.

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Hull: Shanahan finally where he belongs.

Panthers' Winchester to have hearing Friday.

Visit the official league website, http://www.nhl.com/.

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Today's Birthdays: Courtney Thorne-Smith (90210, Two and a Half Men) is 46; Tara Reid (American Pie) is 38; TV personality Jack Osbourne is 28; Lauren Alaina (American Idol) is 19.

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Tampa, FL. -- There has been a number of times this season when netminder Ben Bishop has made the saves he should along with the saves he shouldn’t for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Read the rest here.

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Edmond Halley was born on this date in 1656. Halley, an astronomer-mathmatician, was the first to calculate the orbit that was named after him. The comet makes an appearance every 76 years.

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Try Hockey for Free Day Draws Record Numbers More Rinks and Children Participated in the Event Than Ever Before COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - A record 12,602 boys and girls participated in USA Hockey's Try Hockey for Free Day last Saturday (Nov. 2). A total of 486 locations, representing 48 states, put on events that provided free equipment and a chance to experience youth hockey for the very first time. “We’re thrilled with the record turnout during last weekend’s Try Hockey for Free Day,” saidPat Kelleher, USA Hockey's assistant executive director of development. “We greatly appreciate the energy from our volunteers who introduced our sport to the next generation of hockey players, and the support from all levels of the game, particularly the NHL and its member clubs.” Among the hundreds of rinks that participated in Try Hockey For Free Day, which is supported by Total Hockey and Liberty Mutual Insurance, highlights included: Many NHL franchises promoted local Try Hockey for Free opportunities and several sponsored their own events. Across the state of Minnesota, nearly 2,000 kids participated at 74 different events to lead the nation. Over two sessions, Bay County (Mich.) Hockey Association put 150 youngsters on the ice at Bay County Civic Arena. The Richmond (Va.) Generals Hockey League drew 51 children to SkateNation Plus. The Oshkosh (Wis.) Youth Hockey Association had 114 first-timers. Fifty-seven kids flocked to the Taos (N.M.) Youth Hockey Association event at Taos Youth & Family Center. The Portland Jr. Hawks had 63 players at the Winterhawks Skating Center in Beaverton, Ore. Complete information for rinks that participated in the event can be found at TryHockeyForFree.com. The next opportunity will be March 1, 2014, as part of Hockey Weekend Across America, presented by CCM. NOTES: Try Hockey For Free Day is designed to provide youth hockey associations a national platform to introduce new kids to the sport. It is part of Come Play Hockey Month, a joint‐effort between USA Hockey, the National Hockey League, and NHL member clubs. Total Hockey and Liberty Mutual Insurance are the official sponsors of Try Hockey For Free Day. U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team Training in St. Louis This Weekend Gateway to Gold Paralympic Identification Initiative Set for Saturday COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The 2014 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team will train this weekend (Nov. 7-9) at Lindenwood University Ice Arena in Wentzville, Mo. Team USA will conduct four practices during its stay as it continues its preparation for the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, March 7-16.Practices are open to the public and are scheduled for Thursday (Nov. 7) from 7-8:30 p.m., Friday (Nov. 8) from 9-10:30 a.m. and 3:30-5 p.m., and Saturday (Nov. 9) from 3:30-5 p.m. Also on Saturday, Team USA is scheduled to visit the National Football League's St. Louis Rams training facility and take in the NHL's St. Louis Blues vs. Pittsburgh Penguins game. Immediately following Saturday's practice, Team USA will contribute to the United States Olympic Committee's Gateway to Gold initiative. The new talent identification program will introduce people with physical and visual disabilities to Paralympic sport and lead them to the athlete pipeline for the U.S. Paralympic Team. Those interested in participating in the Gateway to Gold program should contact Kelly Behlmann (kellyb@dasasports.org). Next up for Team USA is the 2013 World Sledge Hockey Challenge in Toronto, Ontario, Dec. 1-7. The U.S. is the defending champion of the four-team tournament, which also includes Canada, Japan and Russia. NOTES: Team USA won the gold medal at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C. Last April, the U.S. earned the silver medal at the International Paralympic Committee Sled Hockey World Championship in Goyang, South Korea ... The 2013-14 schedule for the 2014 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team is available here ... Eighteen players were named to the2014 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team on July 24. Team USA's roster will be trimmed to 17 players by Jan. 1, 2014, to conform to the Paralympic Games roster limit … Nine players return from the 2010 U.S. squad that captured the gold medal at the 2010 Paralympic Games in Vancouver, B.C., including goaltender Steve Cash (Overland, Mo.); defensemen Taylor Chace (Hampton Falls, N.H.), Nikko Landeros (Johnstown, Colo.), Josh Pauls (Green Brook, N.J.) and Andy Yohe (Bettendorf, Iowa); and forwards Taylor Lipsett (Plano, Texas), Adam Page (Lancaster, N.Y.), Alexi Salamone (Buffalo, N.Y.) and Greg Shaw (Merritt Island, Fla.). Cash, Chace, Lipsett, Salamone and Yohe also received bronze medals at the 2006 Paralympic Games in Torino, Italy … Dan Brennan (Colorado Springs, Colo.), director of sled and inline national teams for USA Hockey, is serving as the general manager of the 2014 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team ... Guy Gosselin (Grafton, Wis.), American Development Model regional manager for USA Hockey, is in his third season as an assistant coach for the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team.

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The Louvre Museum, in Paris, opened to the public for the first time on this date in 1793.

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ESF: Als Have Trust in Troy.

Morris: Lions getting creative behind closed doors?

Visit the league's official website, http://www.cfl.ca.

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The Today shows's Matt Lauer and Al Roker had prostate exams live on TV.

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Regina, SK. -Lions receiver Nick Moore has had success in 2013 against Saskatchewan. But the Roughriders defenders are looking to limit his production in the Western Semi-Final.

Read the rest here.

Next up for the Riders is the Western Semifinal at home against the BC Lions. Kickoff on 620CKRM, 620ckrm.com, the Rider Radio Network, TSN and ESPN3.com is set for 4:30pm EST.

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The "Corps of Discovery" reached the Pacific Ocean on this date in 1805. The expedition was lead by William Clark and Meriwether Lewis. The journey had begun on May 14, 1804, with the goal of exploring the Louisiana Purchase territory.

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Tampa, FL. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are taking their time on making a decision on whether running back Doug Martin will return this season.

Read the rest here.

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The Duchess of Cambridge is sporting a new hairstyle which reveals a little gray. Out in London on Poppy Day, Kate Middleton had her hair parted in the middle, with her gray hair clearly visible.

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Corvallis, OR. -- Early last week, Oregon State wideout Malik Gilmore received a concise text message from his mentor: I need to talk to you.

Read the rest here.

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Doc Holliday died at the age of 35 on this date in 1887. The gun fighting dentist died from tuberculosis in a sanitarium in Glenwood Springs, CO.

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St. Petersburg, FL. -- Slick-fielding third baseman Evan Longoria was recognized as the Rays' Defensive Player of the Year on Thursday night through the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Awards.

Read the rest here.

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Disney announced Thursday that the next Star Wars movie, Episode VII, will premiere on December 18, 2015. Episode VII will be the sequel to 1983's "Return of the Jedi" and will continue the tale of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and the rest of the gang.

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It's a meeting of the Spidermen.

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You're reading the Johnny Blog. Almost as much fun as watching Wenatchee Wild Hockey, isn't it?

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Today in Elvis History

1948 - Elvis Presley was enrolled in the eighth grade at Humes High School in Memphis, TN.

1957 - The Elvis Presley film "Jailhouse Rock" was released in the U.S.

1958 - The Elvis Presley albums "King Creole" and "Elvis' Golden Records" hit #3 and #4 in the U.K.

1962 - Elvis Presley's father and Memphis Mayor Loeb visted Elvis on the set of "It Happened at the World's Fair". At the meeting the mayor accepted Elvis's annual donation of $50,000 to Memphis charities.

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IN THEATERS THIS WEEKEND - Thor: The Dark World (PG-13); About Time (R, expanding nationwide); 12 Years A Slave (R, expanding nationwide)

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Today in Beatles History:

1967 - John Lennon's "How I Won the War" opened in the U.S. It was the first solo movie by a Beatle.

1968 - Cynthia Powell Lennon was granted a divorce from John Lennon. The two had been married for six years.

1989 - It was reported that all outstanding lawsuits between the Beatles, Apple and EMI/Capitol were resolved.

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NUMBER FOR THE DAY - 352: Weight of America's heaviest president, William Howard Taft.

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Today in Sports History:

1942 - Parker Hall (Cleveland Rams) threw seven interceptions against the Green Bay Packers.

1951 - Yogi Berra (New York Yankees) won his first MVP award. He went on to win 2 more in his career.

1954 - The American League approved the transfer of the Philadelphia Athletics baseball team to Kansas City, MO.

1959 - Elgin Baylor (Minneapolis Lakers) scored 64 points and set a National Basketball Association scoring record.

1963 - Maple Leaf Gardens became the first NHL arena to install separate penalty box doors for each team.

1966 - U.S. President Johnson signed an anti-immunity for the AFL-NFL merger.

1970 - Tom Dempsey (New Orleans Saints) set an NFL record when he kicked a 63-yard field goal against the Detroit Lions. The record stood until October 25, 1998, when Jason Elam (Denver Broncos) tied the record.

1981 - Don Shula, coach of the Miami Dolphins, recorded his 200th NFL victory.

1981 - ESPN covered a NASCAR race from flag-to-flag for the first time.

1990 - Darryl Strawberry signed a five-year contract with the Dodgers. He went to the Mets after 8 years and gaining 252 home runs.

1991 - Magic Johnson appeared on "The Arsenio Hall Show." It was his first appearance after announcing that he was HIV positive.

1997 - Nevada's John Dutton threw for 557 yards and five touchdowns in a victory over Boise State.

1998 - Emmitt Smith (Dallas Cowboys) became the all-time rushing leader for the Cowboys. He also passed 12,000 career yards in the NFL.

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No idea where to take the kids when you visit out-of-town friends and family? The Mom Maps app registers where you are, then lists kid-friendly parks, playgrounds, restaurants, museums, and indoor play areas in more than 28,000 locations. In addition to a comprehensive kids play guide, you'll find contact information, reviews by parents, for parents and directions. | iOS link , Android link

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Coming Up:

Tonight --

Nothin' Doin'

Saturday --

Nascar Nationwide Series -- Servicemaster 200 at Phoenix International Raceway 4:00pm EST

USPHL Empire Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors vs Florida Eels 5:15pm EST

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings 7:00pm EST

USPHL Elite Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors vs Florida Eels 8:00pm EST

Sunday --

Nascar Sprint Cup Series -- Advocare 500 at Phoenix International Raceway 3:00pm EST

CFL Playoff Football -- Saskatchewan Roughriders vs BC Lions 4:30pm EST (Western Semifinal)

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That's all for today. Thanks for stopping by, see you tomorrow!