It's Thursday

It's Thursday. Here's what's happening....

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Today is February 20th, the 51st day of 2014. There are 314 days left in the year.

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Canada, U.S. face off in anticipated women's final.

Stamkos, Rinne among NHL players back on ice.

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

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Today's Birthdays: Sidney Poitier (Oscar for Lilies of the Field) is 87; Former NBA star Charles Barkley is 51; Cindy Crawford is 48; Rihanna is 26.

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Tampa, FL. --After a short break for the Olympics, the Bolts returned to practice Wednesday refreshed and relaxed.

Read the rest here.

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The U.S. Congress allowed California to build the Oakland Bay Bridge on this date in 1931.

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U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team Advances to Semifinals with 5-2 Victory over Czech Republic at the Olympic Winter Games Team USA will take on Canada Friday at 12 p.m. ET SOCHI, Russia – The U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team received goals from five different players in its 5-2 quarterfinal round win over Czech Republic at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. David Backes (Minneapolis, Minn./St. Louis Blues) posted a goal and an assist, Ryan Suter (Madison, Wis./Minnesota Wild) supplied three assists and Jonathan Quick (Milford, Conn./Los Angeles Kings) made 21 saves. Team USA will play Canada in Friday’s (Feb. 21) semifinals. The U.S. is in the semifinals for the third time in the last four Olympics. "We wanted to jump out in this game and play with pace and play with speed, and I thought we did that," said Dan Bylsma, head coach of the 2014 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team. "Getting out to the lead was exactly where we wanted to be in this game and rode the lead out for the win." Team USA grabbed a 1-0 advantage just 1:39 into the game. Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y./Chicago Blackhawks) and Ryan Kesler (Livonia, Mich./Vancouver Canucks) cycled the puck along the right wall before sliding it to James van Riemsdyk (Middletown, N.J./Toronto Maple Leafs) behind the net. Van Riemsdyk curled around the right side of the crease and wristed the puck short-side between Ondrej Pavelec’s glove and left leg. The Czechs tied the game at 4:31 on a scramble in front of the net that was credited to Ales Hemsky. Dustin Brown (Ithaca, N.Y./Los Angeles Kings) buried a cross-ice feed from Backes at 14:38 to deliver a 2-1 lead. Suter corralled a blocked shot at the right point and sent the puck to Backes. From the lower right circle, Backes lasered a pass through the defense to Brown, who had a gaping net at which to shoot. Backes boosted the U.S. lead to 3-1 with just two seconds left in the opening frame. Suter’s shot deflected wide and caromed hard out to the right goal line. Backes spun to recover the puck and rifled it past a sprawling Pavelec. Zach Parise (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Wild) notched the third sharp-angle goal of the day for Team USA at 9:31 of the second stanza, making it 4-1. Joe Pavelski’s (Plover, Wis./San Jose Sharks) slapshot ricocheted off the end boards to the left edge of the crease, where Parise slid it under Pavelec’s right leg. At 2:01 of the third period, Phil Kessel (Madison, Wis./Toronto Maple Leafs) notched his team-best fifth goal of the tournament. Kesler led a two-on-two opportunity down the left side and found Kessel streaking to the right post for a redirection into the net. Hemsky supplied the second Czech Republic goal with seven minutes left in regulation to close the scoring. The semifinal game vs. Canada will begin at either 7 a.m. ET or noon ET. The game will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network. NOTES: For today's box score, plus video highlights and photos, click here ... The U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team will play Canada in the medal round for the third time since 2002. The previous matchups came in the 2002 and 2010 gold-medal games ... Phil Kessel's five goals are the most by the U.S. Olympian in a tournament since John LeClair scored six during the 2002 Games ... David Backes has goals in three of Team USA's four games ... James van Riemsdyk has points in four straight games ... Joe Pavelski is on a three-game scoring streak (1-4=5) ... Ryan Suter played a team-high 22:10 ... Dustin Brown led Team USA with five shots on goal ... For the compete Team USA roster, click here ... The 25-man roster for the 2014 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team was announced on NBC as part of its coverage of the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 1 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. ... Dan Bylsma, head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, is the head coach of the 2014 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team. Tony Granato, assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Todd Richards, head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Peter Laviolette, serve as assistant coaches ... USA Hockey's International Council, chaired by Gavin Regan, vice president of USA Hockey, has oversight responsibilities for all U.S. National Teams. 2014 Olympic Winter Games Game Schedule for U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team  Feb. 13-23 • Sochi, Russia Date Opponent Venue Time (Local/EST)/Result Thurs., Feb. 13 Slovakia Shayba Arena W, 7-1 Sat., Feb. 15 Russia Bolshoy Ice Dome W, 3-2 (SO) Sun., Feb. 16 Slovenia Shayba Arena W, 5-1 Wed., Feb. 19 Czech Republic (Quarterfinals) Shayba Arena W, 5-2 Fri., Feb. 21 Canada (Semifinals) Bolshoy Ice Dome 9:00 p.m./12:00 p.m. Sat., Feb. 22 Bronze-Medal Game Bolshoy Ice Dome 7:00 p.m./10:00 a.m. Sun., Feb. 23 Gold-Medal Game Bolshoy Ice Dome 4:00 p.m./7:00 a.m.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will unveil today (Thursday) their new helmet logo. [Four words: glow in the dark.]

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CFL.ca's Top 10 free agent signings.

Lions add 17-year veteran Holland to coaching staff.

Please visit the league's official website, cfl.ca.

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A Sarasota, Florida, man says he has the experience necessary to earn a seat in Congress. And so Joe Newman is launching a bid for the U.S. House of Representatives. What makes Joe unique is his age: he's 101.

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Tampa, FL. — Tampa Bay has signed LB Damaso Munoz, who played the last three seasons for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League, recording 243 tackles and seven sacks.

Read the rest here.

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President Barack Obama is moonlighting as a product spokesman in Pakistan, though he may not know it. Obama's face is plastered on packets of Viagara pills, a drug that is technically outlawed in Pakistan. The pills are being smuggled into the country. Sales are reportedly exploding as desperate men are willing to break the law to improve their sexual prowess.

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Happy Holidays from the Meissners.

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You're reading the Johnny Blog. Almost as much fun as watching womens' Olympic hockey, isn't it?

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Today in Elvis History

1955 - Elvis Presley began another Jamboree Attractions tour. This show was billed as a "WSM Grand Ole Opry."

1964 - Vernon Presley wrote to Joe Esposito reprimanding him for sloppy bookkeeping and warning him of the consequences.

1967 - Elvis Presley bought a red chestnut gelding and a palomino mare.

1969 - Elvis Presley bought a microfilm reader from Eastman Kodak. He subsequently had more than 4,000 personal items microfilmed.

1973 - Variety reported that Elvis Presley had been offered $500,000 for six London concerts at the Earl's Court Stadium. The Colonel turned down the offer.

1977 - In Charlotte, North Carolina, Elvis Presley invited Terry Alden, Ginger's sister, on stage to play a short selection of classical music on the piano.

2005 - Broadway previews began for the musical "All Shook Up." 

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NUMBER FOR THE DAY - 20 billion: Amount, in dollars, Americans spend on pet food each year.

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Today in Beatles History:

1969 -  The X-rated film "Candy" premiered. It was Ringo Starr's first non-musical role in a film. 

1970 - John Lennon's "Instant Karma" was released in the U.S.

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"The African Queen" opened at the Capitol Theatre in New York City on this date in 1952.

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Today in Sports History:

1887 - The first minor league baseball association was organized in Pittsburgh. 

1929 - The Boston Red Sox announced that they would begin playing games on Sunday.

1930 - Clint Benedict (Montreal Maroons) became the first goalie to wear a mask in the NHL. Benedict wore the mask temporarily during an injury.

1943 - Phil Wrigley and Branch Rickey chartered the All-American Girls Softball League.

1952 - Emmett L. Ashford became the first black umpire in organized baseball. He was authorized to be a substitute in the Southwestern International League.

1958 - Racing jockey Eddie Arcaro got win number 4,000, as he rode the winner at Santa Anita race track in Southern California.

1971 - Phil Esposito (Boston Bruins) became the quickest NHL player to reach 50 goals in a season.

1974 - Gordie Howe came out of retirement to play for the Houston Aeros with his two sons.

1993 - The New York Islanders retired Billy Smith's #31.

1993 - The Florida Marlins opened their first spring training camp.

1997 - Barry Bonds (San Francisco Giants) signed a contract worth $22.9 million over 2 years.

2000 - Garth Brooks began training with the New York Mets.

2002 - ESPN and the Liberty Bowl signed a contract that extended through 2008.

2004 - Defenseman Sergei Zubov (Dallas Stars) posted his 600th point.

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John Glenn made space history on this date in 1962 when he orbited the world three times in 4 hours, 55 minutes. He was the first American to orbit the Earth. He was aboard the Friendship 7 Mercury capsule.

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Coming Up:

Tonight --

Nothin' Doin'

Friday --

NAHL Hockey -- Wenatchee Wild at Johnstown Tomahawks 7:30pm EST

Saturday --

Nascar Nationwide Series -- Drive4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway 1:15pm EST

NAHL Hockey -- Wenatchee Wild at Johnstown Tomahawks 7:00pm EST

Sunday --

Nascar Sprint Cup Series -- Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway 1:00pm EST

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