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National Football League
Sunday night’s Super Bowl ad for Time Warner Cable’s new online streaming service included a brief appearance of some Duck Dynasty cast members: Willie Robertson, Si Robertson and Jase Robertson.
However, Phil Robertson, who caused a firestorm last December with his controversial anti-gay comments, was the missing one.
Super Bowl ad for Time Warner Cable’s new online streaming service included a brief appearance of some Duck Dynasty cast members
The commercial features such celebrities as P.Diddy, Jimmy Fallon, Drake, and True Blood‘s Stephen Moyer and Anna Paquin welcoming customers “to the new world of Time Warner Cable,” which features “super-fast internet” and television streaming options for tablets, phones, and computers.
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Super Bowl XLVIII, which saw the Seattle Seahawks triumph over the Denver Broncos, was the most-watched television event in US history, the Fox TV network has said.
The event drew 111.5 million viewers on Sunday night, it said.
It is the fourth time in five years that a Super Bowl game has set a viewership record, correspondents say.
Super Bowl XLVIII half-time show also set a record with 115.3 million viewers watching Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers perform live.
Super Bowl XLVIII was the most-watched television event in US history
Those figures beat the 110.8 million delivered by Beyonce last year and the prior record of 114.0 million set by Madonna two years ago.
Initially it was feared that the one-sided nature of the 43-8 Seahawks victory might have drained some suspense from the annual telecast, but the final numbers showed that once again the Super Bowl set a new benchmark for viewing figures.
Experts say that the previous five Super Bowls are now the five most watched TV programmes in US history, eclipsing the long-running record holder for most-watched TV programme – the M*A*S*H finale in 1983 – which now ranks sixth.
Fox said that about 2.3 million people watched its webcast of the game, peaking at the end of the third quarter.
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Super Bowl XLVIII has been dominated by the Seattle Seahawks which thrashed a badly misfiring Denver Broncos 43-8.
Marshawn Lynch’s one-yard touchdown run and Malcolm Smith’s 69-yard interception return helped Seattle into a deserved 22-0 lead at the break.
Percy Harvin returned the second-half kick-off 87 yards for another touchdown to all but end a horribly one-sided affair in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Super Bowl XLVIII has been dominated by the Seattle Seahawks which thrashed a badly misfiring Denver Broncos 43-8
It was the first Super Bowl staged outdoors in a cold-weather state.
Pre-match fears of an 82,500-strong crowd having to endure sub-zero conditions proved groundless, with the temperature at the roofless MetLife Stadium just outside New York hovering around 7C (44F).
The week leading up to biggest annual event in the US sporting calendar was also dominated by talk of whether Denver’s top-rated offence – led by veteran quarterback Peyton Manning – could be contained by Seattle’s number one-ranked defence.
Denver found their answer when they ran into a hard-hitting, rampant Seattle defense hoping to win the club’s first NFL championship title.
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Cheerios is creating a huge controversy with its first ever Super Bowl commercial.
General Mills, which owns the cereal brand, got a lot of racial backlash for portraying an interracial family in the commercial.
Cheerios first Super Bowl ad got a lot of racial backlash for portraying an interracial family
“Cheerios is about families and love and connections – and breakfast,” said Camille Gibson, vice president of marketing for Big G cereals.
“Our new Cheerios ad celebrates one of those special moments with a family that America fell in love with.”
The racial comments have been deactivated on the YouTube video.
NFL Super Bowl XLVIII
Monday, February 3, 1:30 AM
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
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Miami Dolphins tackle Jonathan Martin endured harassment from teammates that went far beyond the traditional locker room hazing, including a malicious physical attack and daily vulgar comments, his new attorney David Cornwell has said.
The allegations were made in a statement Thursday night by David Cornwell, hired this week as Jonathan Martin’s attorney.
“These facts are not in dispute,” David Cornwell said.
Jonathan Martin, upset by treatment he considered abusive, left the Dolphins last week. His agent then complained to the Dolphins, who suspended guard Richie Incognito.
The NFL is investigating whether Richie Incognito harassed or bullied Jonathan Martin, and whether their teammates and the organization mishandled the matter.
David Cornwell is a lawyer who has represented the NFL and several prominent players, including Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He was a candidate in 2009 to become executive director of the NFL Players Association, a job that went to DeMaurice Smith.
“For the entire season and a half that he was with the Dolphins, he attempted to befriend the same teammates who subjected him to the abuse with the hope that doing so would end the harassment,” the statement said.
“This is a textbook reaction of victims of bullying. Despite these efforts, the taunting continued. …
“Eventually, Jonathan made a difficult choice. Despite his love for football, Jonathan left the Dolphins. Jonathan looks forward to getting back to playing football. In the meantime, he will cooperate fully with the NFL investigation.”
Miami Dolphins tackle Jonathan Martin endured harassment from teammates that went far beyond the traditional locker room hazing
The Dolphins and Richie Incognito’s agent didn’t respond to requests for comment on David Cornwell’s statement.
Some say Jonathan Martin, a Stanford graduate who went about his business quietly, handled the situation well. But pro football is a macho world, and some players believe Jonathan Martin should have responded more firmly.
“Is Incognito wrong? Absolutely. He’s 100 percent wrong,” New York Giants safety Antrel Rolle said.
“No individual should have to go through that, especially in their workplace.
“But at the same time, Jonathan Martin is a 6-4, 320-pound man. I mean, at some point and time you need to stand your ground as an individual. Am I saying go attack, go fight him? No. I think we all understand we can stand our ground without anything being physical.”
David Cornwell disagreed.
“Jonathan Martin’s toughness is not at issue,” David Cornwell said.
“The issue is Jonathan’s treatment by his teammates.”
Dolphins players have robustly defended Richie Incognito, long considered among the NFL’s dirtiest players. He’s now a notorious national villain, but teammates praise his leadership and loyalty.
They’ve been less passionate in their support of Jonathan Martin, saying he and Incognito behaved like best friends.
Jonathan Martin is with his family in California to undergo counseling for emotional issues.
A senior partner in a New York law firm was appointed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to investigate possible misconduct and prepare a report.
The alleged bullying saga engulfing the Dolphins has shed a light on how damaging perceptions can be in the violent world of the NFL.
A Pittsburgh native, Jonathan Martin is the son of Harvard graduates and his great grandfather also graduated from the school in 1924. At Stanford, he protected Andrew Luck’s blind side, and also majored in the classics.
Taken in the second round of the 2012 draft, Jonathan Martin has what it takes physically to be an NFL player: size, skill, athleticism, intelligence. He won praise from the Dolphins for his diligent study of game and practice video.
But while he has been a starter since the first game of his rookie season, Jonathan Martin developed a reputation in the NFL for lacking toughness. That impression might have been reinforced by the way he handled his issues with Incognito, current and former teammates acknowledge.
“A lot of people might look at Jonathan Martin and think that he’s soft because he stepped away from the game, and say, <<Why don’t you just fight him?>>” said Seattle Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin, who played with Jonathan Martin at Stanford.
“Well, if you look at it with common sense and being logical, what options did Jonathan Martin have?
“He could fight Richie Incognito. He could go and tell on the players, which we know in the football locker room doesn’t go over too well. Or he could remove himself from the situation and let the proper channels take care of itself. And I think he made the intelligent, smart choice without putting himself or Richie Incognito’s physical abilities in danger.”
Richie Incognito’s harassment of Jonathan Martin included text messages that were racist and threatening, two people familiar with the situation have told The Associated Press. Richie Incognito is white, while Jonathan Martin is biracial.
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The NFL is investigating allegations that Miami Dolphins player Richie Incognito bullied teammate Jonathan Martin.
Richie Incognito, 30, was suspended on Sunday night amid claims by 24-year-old Jonathan Martin’s representatives.
Jonathan Martin, 6ft 5in and 312 lb, left the team last week to seek treatment for an emotional issue after reportedly being the victim of a prank.
The investigation casts a spotlight on a culture of hazing that has long been common in league locker rooms.
Richie Incognito protested his innocence on Twitter before his suspension.
The offensive guard, who was voted the NFL’s Dirtiest Player in a 2009 player poll, is a nine-year professional who is nearing the end of a $13 million contract.
Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin told a news conference on Monday at the team’s training facility: “The NFL is going to conduct a review of the workplace.
The NFL is investigating allegations that Miami Dolphins player Richie Incognito bullied teammate Jonathan Martin
“It’s going to be comprehensive, it’s going to be objective.
“As an organization we are going to give our full and complete co-operation with the NFL.”
Joe Philbin said a decision had been made to suspend Incognito based partly on information from representatives of Jonathan Martin, an offensive tackle in his second NFL season.
The team said in a statement: “We believe in maintaining a culture of respect for one another and as a result we believe this decision is in the best interest of the organization at this time.”
According to ESPN, Richie Incognito’s alleged intimidation of Jonathan Martin included leaving him a voice message with a racial slur as well as threats to kill him and assault his mother. Richie Incognito is white; Jonathan Martin is black.
The sports network also reported that Richie Incognito had persuaded Jonathan Martin to pay $15,000 towards a trip to Las Vegas that the younger man did not even go on.
Speaking of Richie Incognito, an unidentified team source told the Miami Herald on Monday: “From a club perspective, he will never play another game here.”
The nature of the alleged prank that led to Jonathan Martin leaving the team last week is unclear.
But in a stadium programme sold at the Dolphins’ Halloween game, Richie Incognito was asked who was the easiest teammate to scare, and he said: “Jonathan Martin.”
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Texans coach Gary Kubiak was in stable condition after he collapsed as he was running off the field at halftime at Reliant Stadium Sunday night, the team said.
Gary Kubiak, 52, was evaluated for stroke-like symptoms, a person close to the situation said. Kubiak did not suffer a stroke, the person said, but is undergoing further evaluation, including an MRI.
As the Houston Texans trickled into the locker room at halftime and learned that coach Gary Kubiak had collapsed leaving the field, their excitement over a big first half quickly disintegrated into dread.
They were soon informed that he was in stable condition, but the rattled team unraveled in the second half as Indianapolis rallied for a 27-24 victory Sunday night.
Texans coach Gary Kubiak collapsed as he was running off the field at halftime at Reliant Stadium Sunday night
Gary Kubiak hunched over and dropped to his knees at the 24-yard line and was immediately surrounded by medical personnel. He was lifted off the field on a stretcher and taken by cart to the ambulance.
The Texans said Gary Kubiak didn’t have a heart attack. The team said the coach, a former NFL quarterback who calls the team’s plays, was conscious and was with his family as he was taken to the hospital.
“He had an episode; he was light-headed and dizzy,” Houston general manager Rick Smith said in an interview on NBC.
“He was evaluated by a number of specialists . . . he is awake and coherent.
We have to assess . . . obviously, there’s a lot of info. Hopefully, Gary will be back with us tomorrow.”
Up 21-3 when Gary Kubiak collapsed, the Texans struggled after halftime for their sixth straight loss after opening the season 2-0 with Super Bowl hopes.
Gary Kubiak’s collapse came a day after Denver Broncos coach John Fox was hospitalized in North Carolina as he awaits aortic value replacement surgery. The 58-year-old Fox will have surgery in a few days and will miss several weeks while recuperating.
Gary Kubiak has long been known as a top offensive coach, mentoring quarterbacks in Denver under Mike Shanahan and now Matt Schaub — and Case Keenum — in Houston. He has had no publicly known health problems.
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Will certainly Randy Moss retire instead to suit up for a 14th National football league (NFL) season?
Joel Segal, Randy Moss‘ agent, informed NFL Network and ESPN of his client’s choice. He told that the receiver was thinking about offers from several clubs, but decided to retire. Segal declined to comment particularly on the offers, rather declaring his 34 yo client sensed the time was right to step aside. [googlead tip=”lista_mare” aliniat=”dreapta”]
”Randy has weighed his options and considered the offers and has decided to retire,” Segal said.
Randy Moss was typically connected to the New York Jets as a destination for this year, but they signed WR Plaxico Burress yesterday.
Randy Moss performed for three teams in 2010 — he was traded from New England to Minnesota last October, waived by the Vikings in November previous to concluding with Tennessee — and had his minimum successful period (28 catches, 393 yards, 5 touchdowns).
Randy Moss
“I don’t want to say he was the best ever deep threat, because a threat is something you make without doing something. He did it,” Hall-of-Fame WR James Lofton, who knows a lot regarding stretching the field, shared with USA TODAY’s Robert Klemko.
His 153 touchdowns are tied with Terrell Owens for second on the career list, and he’s also fifth in yards (14,858) and tied with Hines Ward for eighth in receptions (954).
These statistics, and his position, as perhaps the greatest strong menace in National Football League (NFL) historical past, is likely to make him a strong candidate for the Hall of Fame.
[googlead tip=”vertical_mare” aliniat=”dreapta”]His career began with 7 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings prior to he went inactive for two years in Oakland. He re-emerged as a force with the New England Patriots in 2007, lifting in a single-season record 23 touchdowns passes from Tom Brady in order to assist the Patriots reach the Super Bowl.
Randy Moss was a first-round choose of Marshall in 1998, obtained twenty-first general. However, worries concerning his off-field habits avoided him from going much sooner. He reacted by winning offensive rookie of the year honorsdeemed the best rookie season at any time by NFL Network.
”Randy has been a great player for a long time,” said Bob Pruett, Randy Moss‘ college coach at Marshall. ”He’s choosing this on his own terms and I think that’s good. If that’s what he wants to do, that’s what he should do.”
In the course of his career, Randy Moss gained the reputation as one of the most dangerous players in the game, when he wanted to be.
His combination of dimensions, velocity and cleverness has hardly ever been seen for a player at his position, and he should get some credit for the increase of two defenses throughout the National Football League that were designed in large part to prevent Randy Moss from burning them down the field.
“His body control, his ability to slow himself, elevate, and position himself is unbelievable, better than anybody I’ve ever seen play the game… He had a phenomenal presence on the football field. He was a player that defenses had to adjust to and really didn’t do a very good job of it” said Lofton.
Vikings supporters were euphoric at the news of his returning last season. Randy Moss caught 13 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns in 4 games back in purple, clashed with Childress in the locker room and turned some co-players off with his inadequate treatment of a team caterer towards the end of his run. He hugged former Patriots teammates after a Vikings loss, and then strangely walked to a podium to fuss over the Patriots, upbraid the Vikings for neglecting his strategic guidance, and declare his strategy to interview himself the rest of the season rather than allowing reporters do it. [googlead tip=”patrat_mare”]
One of Randy Moss‘ former co-player believes he’s got enough of that capability remaining that he will in fact pull back (Brett Favre Randy Moss‘ quarterback shortly in 2010) and unretire.
“He’s as talented a guy as I’ve ever seen play the game. He’s a guy with some pride, and more than anything else in the past few years he’s thinking about his legacy,” said ESPN analyst Robert Smith, who played with Randy Moss on the Vikings from 1998-2000.
