It's Thursday

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

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Today is October 2nd, the 274th day of 2014. There are 91 days left in the year.

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NBC crew sees obstacles in Kings' quest to repeat.

Emrick: Devils without Brodeur will 'seem strange'.

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

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Today's Birthdays: Avery Brooks (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) is 66. Sting is 63. Lorraine Bracco (The Sopranos) is 60. Kelly Ripa is 44.

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Tampa, FL. -- Tampa Bay Lightning rookie forward Jonathan Drouin saying, as he did Tuesday according to the Tampa Bay Times, that he hopes to be ready to play in the season-opener next week isn't enough to convince coach Jon Cooper that he should rush him into action.

Read the rest here.

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"The National Farm and Home Hour" debuted on NBC radio on this date in 1929.

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Mike O'Connor Named Director of Major Giving for USA Hockey Foundation O'Connor Brings 25 Years of Financial and Fundraising Experience to Organization COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. — Mike O'Connor (Wayzata, Minn.) has been named director of major giving for The USA Hockey Foundation it was announced today. O’Connor, who has more than 25 years of experience in finance management and fundraising, will lead efforts to raise major gifts to support all Foundation efforts, including growing the game, safety research, as well as varied education initiatives. “We're extremely pleased to welcome Mike and excited to have someone with his background lead our major giving efforts,” said Pat Kelleher, assistant executive director of development for USA Hockey. “Our focus is on increasing gifts so we can support the growing number of important initiatives related to advancing the sport." Most recently, O’Connor founded and served as president of Midwest Recovery Fund, LLC., a debt trading company funded through high net worth investor capital. He began his career with Investment Advisers, Inc., ascending the ladder from marketing as sociate to vice president. O'Connor holds a degree in business management from the University of Vermont where he was a member of the men's ice hockey team from 1981-85 and earned team most valuable player honors his senior campaign. He represented the United States on one occasion, that as a member of the 1982 U.S. National Junior Team that competed in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. O'Connor and his wife Tracy are the parents of four children — sons Keegan and Jack and daughters Shannon and Riley. All four played youth hockey in the Orono (Minn.) Hockey Association where Mike coached for 12 seasons. U.S. National Sled Hockey Team Training in Arlington, Virginia This Weekend Kettler Capitals Iceplex to Host Camp Oct. 2-4 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The 2014-15 U.S. National Sled Hockey Team will train this weekend (Oct. 2-4) at Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Virginia. Team USA will play an intersquad exhibition game with the USA Warriors Saturday (Oct. 4) at 6:00 p.m. Head Coach Jeff Sauer (Madison, Wis.) is in his fourth season behind the bench for Team USA. In addition to the game, Team USA will have practices Friday (Oct. 3) from 9:10-10:30 a.m., and 3:50-5 p.m., and Saturday (Oct. 4) from 9:10 a.m.-10:30 a.m. The game and practices are free to the public. Surrounding the training camp is the 2014 USA Hockey Disabled Hockey Workshop, which is being held jointly at the Residence Inn Arlington Ballston and Kettler Capitals Iceplex Friday-Sunday (Oct. 3-5). Coaches and administrators will receive on- and off-ice training, including how to create and manage sled and special hockey programs. The keynote speaker on Saturday (Oct. 4) is Warren Lockette, M.D., deputy assistant secretary of defense for health services policy and oversight. Members of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team will also be attending select workshop events. Those interested in attending the workshop should contact Jeremy Kennedy (jeremyk@usahockey.org). NOTES: The USA Warriors team is comprised entirely of military veterans out of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Two alumni – Josh Misiewicz (La Grange, Ill.) and Paul Schaus (Buffalo, N.Y.) – are current members of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team … Yesterday, Team USA announced its captains for the 2014-15 season. Forward Josh Sweeney (Phoenix, Ariz.) will wear the ‘C.’ Defensemen Nikko Landeros (Johnstown, Colo.) and Josh Pauls (Green Brook, N.J.) will serve as alternate captains … Click here for the complete roster, which includes 11 returnees from the 2014 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team that won gold in Sochi, Russia … Over the last five major International Paralympic Committee events, Team USA has won four gold medals (2010 and 2014 Paralympics, 2009 and 2012 World Championships) and one silver medal (2013 World Championship) … Dan Brennan (Colorado Springs, Colo.), director of sled and inline national teams for USA Hockey, is serving as the general manager of the 2014-15 U.S. National Sled Hockey Team … Additional staff members include team physician Mike Uihlein (Grafton, Wis.), athletic trainer Mike Cortese (Boynton Beach, Fla.) and equipment manager Joel Isaacson (Houghton, Mich.).

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"Red Adams" debuted on NBC radio on this date in 1933.

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Regina, SK. -- Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver/returner Weston Dressler has been named a CFL Player of the Month.

Read the rest here.

Coming up next for the 9-4 Riders is a week 15 home match up with the 11-2 Calgary Stampeders. Game time at Regina's Mosaic Stadium is 10:00pm EDT. Catch all the action with Rod Pedersen and Carm Carteri on 620 CKRM, the Rider Radio Network and 620ckrm.com. The game can be seen in Canada on TSN and in the U.S. on ESPN2.

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Warner Bros. released "Love Is on the Air" on this date in 1937. Ronald Reagan made his acting debut in the motion picture. He was 26 years old.

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. Chamblin names Doege starting QB against Stamps. LaPolice says up-tempo short-yardage offence has legs.

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

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"The Aldrich Family" debuted on NBC-TV on this date in 1949.

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Tampa, FL. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers surprisingly have as many wins as the New Orleans Saints after pulling off a come-from-behind road victory last week and will try to make it two in a row Sunday when they visit the Saints in an NFC South divisional matchup.

Read the rest here.

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The Twilight movie series isn't over. A series of short films will appear next year on Facebook. [Team Edward and Team Jacob meet Team Zuckerberg.]

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Corvallis, OR. -- Oregon State University head football coach Mike Riley announced Tuesday that running back Harris Ross has signed a financial aid agreement to attend OSU starting in January and will have five years to complete four seasons of playing eligibility.

Read the rest here.

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Some of New York City's cabbies bared their bellies and chest hair to strike a pose for the 2015 NYC Taxi Drivers Calendar. Some of the pictures include a topless cabbie playing with a bunch of puppies, and another cabbie in a fountain. Creators Philip Kirkman and Shannon McLaughlin started the calendar last year to promote immigrant awareness. The couple said 90 percent of NYC cab drivers are immigrants. image

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St. Petersburg, FL. -- Andrew Friedman isn't exactly sure what happened to the Rays in 2014, but the executive vice president of baseball operations is already looking under the hood to make sure things are right heading into '15.

Read the rest here.

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"Peanuts," the comic strip created by Charles M. Schulz, was published for the first time in seven newspapers on this date in 1950.

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Pittsburgh, PA. -- Madison Bumgarner was named National League Pitcher of the Month for May and August. If the award's distribution extended into the postseason, the Giants left-hander also would have a head start on October, particularly after Wednesday night.

Read the rest here.

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Two ladies had a big birthday celebration in Portland, Oregon. Ruby Harris and Ruth Cox are twins and they turned 102 years old. Ruby offered some simple advice: "Behave yourselves, stay away from the beer joints and don't smoke. And be good kids."

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I can spin in the chair and work on my tan at the same time.

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You're reading the Johnny Blog. Almost as much fun as the Giants beating the Pirates, isn't it?

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Today in Elvis History:

1962 - Elvis Presley's single "Return To Sender" was released with "Where Do You Come From" as the B-side. 

1971 - The Elvis Presley album "Almost In Love" hit #38 in the U.K. 

1977 - The bodies of Elvis Presley and his mother were moved to Graceland. 

2001 - The Elvis Presley movie "Clambake" was released on DVD.

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Former That '70s Show stars Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher welcomed their first child together on Tuesday. The baby girl is the first child for both.

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Today in Beatles History:

1962 - Brian Epstein signed the Beatles to a five-year management contract. 

1998 - Paul McCartney conducted an "incognito" live Internet Q&A session and "music remix" in the guise of the Fireman at www.fire-man.com. 

2006 - The remastered CD version of the 1973 George Harrison album "Living in a Material World" was released. It contained 2 bonus tracks.

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"Person to Person" debuted on CBS-TV on this date in 1953.

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Today in Sports History:

1908 - Addie Joss (Cleveland Indians) pitched the fourth perfect game in major league baseball history. 

1920 - The Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates played the only triple-header in baseball history. The Reds won 2 of the 3 games. 

1947 - The Federatino Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) formally established Formula One racing in Grand Prix competition. 

1948 - The first automobile race to use asphalt, cement and dirt roads took place in Watkins Glen in New York. It was the first road race in the U.S. following World War II. 

1996 - Mark Fuhrman was given three years' probation and fined $200 after he pled no contest to perjury at O.J. Simpson's trial.  

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"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" debuted on CBS-TV on this date in 1955.

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Coming Up:

Tonight --

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers 7:30pm EDT

Friday --

USPHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors Empire and Elite at Raleigh Showcase Time TBA

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at Washington Nationals (NLDS) 3:07pm EDT

CFL Football -- Saskatchewan Roughriders vs Calgary Stampeders 10:00pm EDT

Saturday --

USPHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors Empire and Elite at Raleigh Showcase Time TBA

College Football -- Oregon State Beavers at Colorado Buffaloes 4:00pm EDT

MLB -- San Francisco Giants at Washington Nationals (NLDS) 5:30pm EDT

NHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Florida Panthers 7:00pm EDT

Sunday --

USPHL Hockey -- Tampa Bay Juniors Empire and Elite at Raleigh Showcase Time TBA

NFL Football -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints 1:00pm EDT

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