Dallas Cowboys to cut Marion Barber, Roy Williams, Leonard Davis and Marc Colombo

Marion Barber is one of several Dallas veterans looking for a new team

The first day of NFL team transactions has been marked by big-name veterans getting the boot from their respective teams.


Tuesday morning it was the Baltimore Ravens who announced their intention to unload franchise stalwarts Willis McGahee, Todd Heap, Derrick Mason and Kelly Gregg.

The Dallas Cowboys are following suit.

According to ESPNDallas.com reporter Calvin Watkins, running back Marion Barber, wide receiver Roy Williams, right guard Leonard Davis, tackle Marc Colombo and place kicker Kris Brown will all get their walking papers in Big D.

With all the money they’re saving, the Cowboys may now make a stronger push to wrench coveted free agent CB Nnamdi Asomugha from the Houston Texans.

‘Weeds,’ Season 7, Episode 5, ‘Fingers Only Meat Banquet’: TV Recap

Mary Louise Parker and Kevin Nealon on “Weeds”

With a steaming platter full of cooked meat, we’re back to “Weeds.” That’s some creative crediting sequencing there, what with the artfully-bordered, pot-plant covered paper plates.

It’s a zoom in on on Doug’s fancy New York City financial group office, where his pompous new boss is announcing the third quarter earnings for the hedge fund. They made a ton of money, and there’s some sort of beefsteak celebration at hand. Nancy pushes in a platter of beef and then veers off to call the Sarge.

“Dimitri, this is Nancy,” she says. “I’ve got a lot of dry soldiers who need rations.” Dimitri may not have any pot for her, but her lawyer, Seward Havens, does have some news. Nancy’s sister Jill has requested a formal custody hearing for Stevie, and Nancy has to attend said hearing in order to maintain custody of her youngest son. The hearing is the next day in Oakland, California.

Despite his creepy and increasingly sexual suggestions, Seward Havens is a decent lawyer, and he’s secured a 48-hour furlough so that Nancy — and her as of yet undetermined character witness — can fly to California and win the fight for Stevie.

Back at the still messy Botwin loft, Nancy chooses Silas, which comes as a bit of a surprise, since Shane is the son who worships his pot-dealing mother and Silas seems to care very little about Nancy’s criminal history.

“You can testify next time,” Nancy tells a disappointed Shane. With his seemingly limitless college loans, Shane pays for the red-eye flights to Oakland, and our heroes take off.

Andy is playing house with his artist girlfriend, Maxine, and her cancer-stricken husband, Charles. As Andy lights up a bong, Charles passes out from low blood sugar, causing the high and paranoid Andy to panic. But Andy manages to pull it together and perform CPR on the diminishing Charles, saving his life and also probably his romance.

On the plane, Nancy is looking — and sounding — increasingly tired and strained. She’s got one card to play, and that’s Silas, and he seems to be rather unwilling top tell a happy tale of the Widow Botwin’s parenting skills. Remember, friends, she sold pot to make money for her children, married a drug enforcement agent and then had him killed, married a drug lord and took her children on a cross-country road trip to avoid arrest and certain death. Also, she went to jail for three years.

At work, Doug is at a loss without Nancy. He’s got no food, no clue how to use his computer and no way of solving either problem. He might just do his accounting job for once, so he opens up the third quarter finance report and gets moving.

In the Oakland, California courtroom, Seward Havens gravely informs Nancy that the hearing for custody has been postponed for two months. Jill is trying to trick Nancy out of the custody fight by pulling favors and changing schedules in the court docket. Nancy is furious, of course, and she quickly disappears.

Silas corners the Judge, and Nancy goes to corner her sister.

“I want to see my son,” she tells the silent gate intercom at her sister’s California McMansion. Jill’s not biting, but her henpecked husband, Scott comes out to send Nancy off.

He tries to reason with his sister-in-law, but Nancy only gets angrier. She climbs the fence as a hapless local security guard arrives in a go-cart and tries to pull Nancy off the gate. It’s an awkward and unusual scene, but the security guard manages to cuff Nancy and lock her to his golf cart.

“Great to see you Nancy, have a safe flight!” the always awful Jill calls from the intercom.

Silas is taking matters into his own unprofessional hands, as he confronts the judge during his lunch break.
“Look, she loves us and I’m pretty sure she loves her youngest, Stevie, even more,” he says in the midst of a timid and rather uninspiring speech attesting to Nancy’s motherly prowess. The judge agrees to take a second look at the file, but he also scolds Silas for his lame speech. It was a pretty lame speech, we have to say.

Having done his job as an accounting for a change, Doug has uncovered some pretty questionable business practices at the offices of Vehement financial partners. Looks like the killer third quarter earnings were really just the result of some cooked books. The CEO doesn’t care, and he’s got somewhere to take Doug before he reports anything. We wonder if he might kill Doug.

In a brief but probably telling moment, Shane enrolls in a criminal justice course at a City College branch in New York. In true Botwin fashion, he sweet talks and bribes the professor to let him in the class. We imagine this might be a major source of plot development as season seven continues.

Out in the Oakland hills, Nancy’s still sitting in front of her sister’s house, handcuffed to the stalled out golf cart. It’s an electric vehicle, and it lost all charge on the drive over to the Price-Grey home.

Scott, who we suddenly remember as being a bit less of a terrible person than Jill, comes to comfort Nancy.
“I’ll make sure that you get to video chat with Stevie,” he tells her, but he also encourages her to back off of Jill for a bit. We’re reminded that Jill slept with Andy in a earlier season, and during their brief split, Jill wouldn’t let Scott see his daughters. Point being, Scott understands how desperate Nancy is feeling.

Seward and Silas arrive to liberate Nancy and bring her to the judge’s chambers. The custody battle isn’t over quite yet.

The Vehement CEO is treating Doug to a free sensual — read: prostitution-style — massage, and he urges Doug to forget about the cooked books as a pair of semi-nude women rub the two men down with oils. Doug agrees, but it’s probably got more to do with his sensual massage than with his moral compass.

Maxine reads to an incapacitated Charles, and Andy finally realizes that he can’t handle all this any more. Charles’s favorite story is Edgar Allen Poe’s “Tell-Tale Heart,” and Andy doesn’t do death. He might be starting to fall for Maxine, but he doesn’t to wait around for Charles to croak.

Judge Franklin wants to wait, too. He tells Nancy that he thinks putting children with their mothers is a good thing, but that Nancy has a long way to go until she’ll be stable enough to support Stevie again.
He’s willing to wait, but he’s got some suggestions for Nancy in the interim.

“Do not concoct some grand plan to change yourself,” he says, as we see Nancy and Silas drive down a scenic California road.

“Don’t reinvent yourself. The wheel was spinning just fine once, so be the Nancy who raised Silas.”

Maybe we’re headed back to Agrestic! Maybe we’ll see the old neighborhood where all of this started, and catch up with Celia and her family and remember all the values and characters that made this show so quirkily different in the fist place.

Wait a second, this cottage in the California brush is not Agrestic. And that is not Nancy’s old house.

“Maybe we should have called ahead,” Silas says.

“They grow weed, we have money, we’ll be fine,” Nancy tells him. So we’re on a drug run. Makes sense. But who lives here?

The door opens to reveal an angry older woman with a gun and an unpleasant scowl on her face.

“Oh hell no,” the legendary Heylia James says as she cradles her rifle.

Nancy’s first (and our personal favorite) drug dealer is back.

Will Heylia become another recurring character? Will Nancy and Silas really be able to set up a major pot operation in New York? And who will win the custody fight?

“Haywire” Movie Trailer Showcases MMA Star Gina Carano’s Talent

Screenshot from "Haywire" traile

The trailer has just gone viral for mixed martial arts fighter Gina Carano’s new movie “Haywire.”The trailer shows a pretty and pretty aggressive Carano taking on several fights with her male costars.

This past week, both Carano and Academy Award winning director Steven Soderbergh sat on a panel at the San Diego Comic Con convention to discuss the upcoming movie. Soderbergh, who won an Academy Award in 2000 for “Traffic,” saw Carano in a televised MMA fight and decided to base an action movie on her. “I’ve never seen someone like her fight – in a cage,” Soderbergh has said about the fighter, who is also a successful model, reported USA Today.

According to Carano, Soderbergh told her at a meeting that he wanted “to make this realistic thriller action movie with a female lead,” and he wanted to base it around the MMA star, reported Fox.

Carano went undefeated in MMA until 2009, when she lost to Christiane “Cyborg” Santos and has not been in a fight since. But, Carano does not plan on giving up fighting for good. USA Today reports that the 29-year-old’s “first love is fighting,” and she plans to be back in the ring after “Haywire” is released this January.

In “Haywire,” Carano plays special operative and former Marine who is framed for a murder she didn’t commit. She stars alongside Michael Douglas, Bill Paxton, Ewan MacGregor, Antonio Banderas and Channing Tatum.

From what the trailer has shown so far, Soderbergh utilizes Carano’s athletic ability to enhance the grittiness of the fight scenes, making them seem more realistic because Carano is reportedly taking and giving punches herself instead of using a stunt double.

USA Today has called her the “female Jason Statham” and Fox News has already crowned her the “newest female action star.”

Kristin Cavallari, Jay Cutler end their engagement

Kristin Cavallari and Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler have called off their engagement, multiple sources said Sunday and Monday.

OK, one source told it more specifically: "She got dumped," People heard. "She's absolutely devastated. She can't believe this is happening."

Meanwhile, in Cutler's circles, folks couldn't believe the end of the NFL lockout was happening. But that's another story.

The breakup news first came via Access Hollywood, which also reported the dumpage angle. The 24-year-old TV personality known for "The Hills" and "Laguna Beach" was celebrating her engagement a week ago with a party, shortly after the couple's gift registries went public.

Then Saturday night, People said, Cavallari was seen out at a club in L.A. sans ring, telling the likes of Nicky Hilton and Alessandra Ambrosio that it was all over with the 28-year-old jock.

Cavallari and Cutler had been dating since last fall, and got engaged in April.

Friends with Benefits? It’s too complicated!

I think this is a scene from Friends With Benefits, but these things blur together... (Dale Robinette)

In case you'd forgotten what it sounded like when other people wrote things, here's a perspective from my colleague Lisa Bonos, as part of a two-part Friends-With-Benefits-themed Friday! My take follows!

-Alexandra Petri

It’s Too Complicated
Have you seen the movie about two platonic friends who decide to get physical without getting emotional? "Wait, which one?" you ask.

Well, there’s “Friends With Benefits,” opening today, which pairs Mila Kunis with Justin Timberlake, but you could be forgiven for thinking of “No Strings Attached,” which hit theaters a mere six months ago and cast Natalie Portman in bed with Ashton Kutcher.

In case you haven’t had enough — on the big screen or in your own life — NBC is unveiling its own “Friends With Benefits” sitcom next month.

It’s no secret that Hollywood loves the romantic comedy. And let’s be honest, so do I. But why the obsession with the “friends with benefits” arrangement? Well, for one thing they’re just feeding off a zeitgeist that viewers/consumers have helped create.

It’s as if Hollywood has tapped into our inner-psyches and knows that after about six months of celibacy, even the closest “platonic” friend, or the most cliche rom-com, suddenly starts looking attractive. Filmmakers reckon that we can be enticed to see a movie we’ve seen — and lived — before. We know how the deja delusional storyline ends: Strings be damned, someone gets attached. Try as we might to resist mistakes we’ve made before, fashion a somewhat funny two-minute trailer and a good portion of us hopeless romantics will be hooked.

Back in real life, we may scoff at our parents, and the media, for labeling us the Hookup Generation. “Hey, we do get married!” we scream. “Haven’t you seen ‘Bridesmaids’?”
Caution us against running toward romantic red flags and define us by these undefined relationships — perhaps another symptom of not wanting to grow up! — and we’ll quote a defining mid-’90s rom-com from our youth: “As if!”

“Friends sleep together all the time without getting attached,” we reason, leaning on Hollywood's reenactments so as not to invade the privacy of our actual friends, whose pairing off we have determined by following the bread crumbs of their social media profiles. How long till Google+ labels one of its circles Friends With Benefits? And the self-fulfilling prophecy continues...

Which brings us back to the silver screen. Let’s recap what happens when good friends who are, say, opposites, attract an audience. Put the casual sex rom-com and an Oscar winner in the same movie-cycle attention span and you get four actors, four movies, three (as of yet!) match-ups.

Imagine “Glee” on a Josh Schwartz rewrite. Ashton and Natalie got it on in “No Strings Attached” last winter, while Natalie and Mila were appearing as frenemies — and more — in “Black Swan,” during the making of which real-life Natalie met her now-husband, director Benjamin Millepied. Now, in “Friends With Benefits,” Mila is pairing up with Justin. Not only do these actors’ characters resemble our friends who’ve slept with friends, but, even if we’ve been friend-celibate, they’re at least a reminder of the overlapping nature of our own social circles.

In another six months, could Ashton and Justin be bringing sexy back to the “Brokeback Mountain” franchise, directed by Millepied, perhaps?

Or, for the next “friends with benefits” flick, Hollywood could save a few bucks and hire some former News of the World reporters to hack into moviegoers’ FWB tweets and texts to string together the next take on this familiar story line.

Since “It’s Complicated” has been done, call it “Whatever I Can Get.”

Government says youth camp shooter is Norwegian

OSLO, Norway — Norway's Justice Minister Knut Storberget has said the man who opened fire at a youth camp is Norwegian.

Storberget says the death toll from the shooting is unclear.

But he says seven people were killed and 10 wounded when a bomb exploded at the prime minister's office in downtown Oslo earlier Friday.

Police have linked the suspect to both attacks.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

OSLO, Norway (AP) — A bomb ripped open buildings in the heart of Norway's government Friday, and a man dressed as a police officer opened fire at an island youth camp connected to the ruling party. At least seven people were killed in the blast and nine more in the camp shootings, the peaceful nation's worst violence since World War II.

Oslo police said 9 or 10 people were killed at the camp on Utoya island, where the youth wing of the Labor Party was holding a summer camp for hundreds of youths. Acting Police Chief Sveinung Sponheim says a man was arrested in the shooting, and the suspect had been observed in Oslo before the explosion there.

Sponheim said police were still trying to get an overview of the camp shooting and could not say whether there was more than one shooter.

Aerial images broadcast by Norway's TV2 showed members of a SWAT team dressed in black arriving at the island in boats and running up the dock. Behind them, people stripped down to their underwear swam away from the island toward shore, some using flotation devices.

In Oslo, the capital and the city where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded, the bombing left a square covered in twisted metal, shattered glass and documents expelled from surrounding buildings.

Most of the windows in the 20-floor high-rise where Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and his administration work were shattered. Other buildings damaged house government offices and the headquarters of some of Norway's leading newspapers.

Stoltenberg was working at home Friday and was unharmed, according to senior adviser Oivind Ostang.

Oslo University Hospital said 12 people were admitted for treatment following the Utoya shooting, and 11 people were taken there from the explosion in Oslo. The hospital asked people to donate blood.

The attacks formed the deadliest day of terror in Western Europe since the 2005 London bombings, which killed 52 people.

Sponheim wouldn't give any details about the shooting suspect, who he said was dressed in a police uniform when he opened fire into a crowd of youths.

A spokesman for Stoltenberg's Labor Party, Per Gunnar Dahl, said he couldn't confirm that there were fatalities at Utoya, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of Oslo. The party's youth wing organizes an annual summer camp on the island, and Stoltenberg had been scheduled to speak there Saturday.

"There are at least five people who have been seriously wounded and have been transported to a local hospital," Dahl said. He said the shooting "created a panic situation where people started to swim from the island" to escape.

Police blocked off roads leading to the lake around Utoya. An AP reporter was turned away by police about 5-6 kilometers from the lake, as eight ambulances with sirens blaring entered the area.

In Oslo, police said the explosion was caused by "one or more" bombs, but declined to speculate on who was behind the attack. They later sealed off the nearby offices of broadcaster TV 2 after discovering a suspicious package.

Ian Dutton, who was in a nearby hotel, said the building "shook as if it had been struck by lightning or an earthquake." He looked outside and saw "a wall of debris and smoke."

Dutton, who is from New York, said the scene reminded him of Sept. 11 — people "just covered in rubble" walking through "a fog of debris."

"It wasn't any sort of a panic," he said, "It was really just people in disbelief and shock, especially in a such as safe and open country as Norway, you don't even think something like that is possible."

Public broadcaster NRK showed video of a blackened car lying on its side amid the debris. An AP reporter who was in the office of Norwegian news agency NTB said the building shook from the blast and all employees were evacuated. Down in the street, he saw one person with a bleeding leg being led away from the area.

The explosion occurred at 3:30 p.m. (1330 GMT), as Ole Tommy Pedersen stood at a bus stop 100 meters (yards) away.

"I saw three or four injured people being carried out of the building a few minutes later," Pedersen told AP.

At Utoya, Emilie Bersaas, identified by Sky News television as one of the youths on the island, said she ran inside a school building and hid under a bed when the shooting broke out.

"At one point the shooting was very, very close (to) the building, I think actually it actually hit the building one time, and the people in the next room screamed very loud," she said.

"I laid under the bed for two hours and then the police smashed a window and came in," Bersaas said. "It seems kind of unreal, especially in Norway. This is not something that could happen here, this is something you hear about happening in the U.S."

Another youth at the camp, Niclas Tokerud, stayed in touch with his sister through the attack through text messages.

"He sent me a text saying 'there's been gunshots. I am scared (expletive). But I am hiding and safe. I love you,'" said Nadia Tokerud, a 25-year-old graphic designer in Hokksund, Norway.

As he boarded a boat from the island after the danger had passed he sent one more text: "I'm safe."

The United States, European Union, NATO and the U.K., all quickly condemned the bombing, which Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague called "horrific" and NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen deemed a "heinous act."

"It's a reminder that the entire international community has a stake in preventing this kind of terror from occurring," President Barack Obama said.

Obama extended his condolences to Norway's people and offered U.S. assistance with the investigation. He said he remembered how warmly Norwegians treated him in Oslo when he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.

The U.S. Embassy in Norway warned Americans to avoid downtown Oslo.

The attacks come as Norway grapples with a homegrown terror plot linked to al-Qaida. Two suspects are in jail awaiting charges.

Last week, a Norwegian prosecutor filed terror charges against an Iraqi-born cleric for threatening Norwegian politicians with death if he is deported from the Scandinavian country. The indictment centered on statements that Mullah Krekar — the founder of the Kurdish Islamist group Ansar al-Islam — made to various news media, including American network NBC.

Terrorism has also been a concern in neighboring Denmark since an uproar over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad six years ago. Danish authorities say they have foiled several terror plots linked to the 2005 newspaper cartoons that triggered protests in Muslim countries. Last month, a Danish appeals court on Wednesday sentenced a Somali man to 10 years in prison for breaking into the home of the cartoonist.

Europe has been the target of numerous terror plots by Islamist militants. The deadliest was the 2004 Madrid train bombings, when shrapnel-filled bombs exploded, killing 191 people and wounding about 1,800. A year later, suicide bombers killed 52 rush-hour commuters in London aboard three subway trains and a bus. And in 2006, U.S. and British intelligence officials thwarted one of the largest plots yet — a plan to explode nearly a dozen trans-Atlantic airliners.

In October, the U.S. State Department advised American citizens living or traveling in Europe to take more precautions following reports that terrorists may be plotting attacks on a European city. Some countries went on heightened alert after the May 2 killing of Osama bin Laden.

Google Labs Shuts Down to Streamline Operations

Google is shutting down its Google Labs division to streamline operations and focus on more profitable projects

Google Labs was a testing ground for Google's new projects, such as Google+, as well as features for the Mountain View, Calif.-based company's existing products, including Gmail, Google Calendar and its Android mobile OS. It allowed users to try out prototype projects and then offer feedback to engineers before releasing new programs to the public.

Bill Coughran, Google's senior vice president for Research and Systems Infrastructure, said Google Labs has been vital to the company's growth, but said Google needs to shift focus and concentrate more on its already-functional projects. Some of Google Labs' projects are set to end immediately, while others are being shifted to other areas in the company.

The shutdown may have something to do with Google's efforts to rein in spending. The company's second quarter report revealed operating expenses rose almost 50 percent and equaled about a third of its revenue, leading some analysts to worry operating costs and acquisitions may hinder future earnings.

Google CEO Larry Page, who assumed the helm in April, says streamlining the company is a priority. He maintains Google spends most of its money on its core products, and promises it will continue to do so. However, since many investors are worried about Google's recent expensive acquisitions, such as YouTube, the Google Labs shutdown may reassure investors that Google is keeping a closer eye on its operating costs.
By shuttering operations such as Google Labs, which allows product testing but doesn't bring in revenue until it releases the products, the company can concentrate more on proven money makers such as Android and AdSense. The company is already devoting resources to bolstering its Android OS, tackling fragmentation and ensuring a consistent user experience across its various implementations by phone makers.

Google Labs is just one casualty of the company's streamlining plan. Google this year has closed personal health records site Google Health and ended Google PowerMeter, a Web-based monitor for home energy use.

By shutting down Google Labs, a division that has served the company well in the past, Google may be sending a signal that it means to cut back on duplication while concentrating on its more public efforts, which may benefit existing projects such as Google+ and YouTube.

Express Scripts deal to realign pharmacy business

* Walgreen may have to rethink Express Scripts fight

* Pharmacies' negotiating power could diminish

* Investor sees potential for drugstore consolidation

* Walgreen shares fall 5.3 pct, CVS shares rise 2.6 pct

By Jessica Wohl and Phil Wahba

CHICAGO/NEW YORK, July 21 (Reuters) - Drugstore leader Walgreen Co (WAG.N) may need to make amends in its $5 billion contract spat with Express Scripts now that the pharmacy benefits manager looks to be getting much bigger, industry watchers say.

Express Scripts Inc (ESRX.O) said on Thursday it would pay $29.1 billion to buy rival Medco Health Solutions Inc (MHS.N) and become the biggest U.S. pharmacy benefits company, with easily one-third of the market. [ID:nN1E76K024]

The deal could take a year or more to pass through regulatory hurdles, but in the interim it could already have the power to realign the industry, from rival PBM companies to drugstores and pharmaceutical companies.

The Walgreen fight may be the most immediate example. Last month it said it was breaking its relationship with Express Scripts over prescription pricing, risking more than $5 billion in annual sales. But it would not be able to afford to shut out a combined company with Medco. [ID:nN1E75K038]

"It would give Express Scripts a bargaining position with Walgreen that would be somewhat crippling," said Bill Smead, portfolio manager of the Smead Value Fund.

Pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, administer drug benefits for employers and health plans. Express Scripts would gain even more leverage for negotiating drug prices if the deal went through.

Shares of Walgreen, which had no comment on the impact of the deal, fell 5.3 percent to $39.58.

The deal could take some pressure off CVS Caremark Corp (CVS.N), which has struggled to quiet critics who say that the $27 billion merger of CVS with the Caremark PBM in 2007 has not lived up to its promise and has been a drag on profitability.

CVS may also pick up some PBM business in the coming year from clients concerned that Express Scripts and Medco will be too distracted by their merger efforts.

CVS shares rose 2.6 percent to $37.90, while Express Scripts shares rose 6.1 percent to $55.76.

Shares of Rite Aid Corp (RAD.N), a distant No. 3 in the drugstore industry, were up 4.6 percent to $1.36.

While Walgreen may need to take a more conciliatory approach with Express Scripts, it may also become more aggressive in acquiring drugstores to preserve its clout, said Smead. His fund has held Walgreen shares for 3-1/2 years. CVS may take the same tack, he said.

Other retailers with pharmacies, such as Kroger Co (KR.N), Target Corp (TGT.N) and Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) either could not be immediately reached or declined to comment.

WILL WALGREEN RECONSIDER?

Express Scripts has said that Walgreen gives its clients smaller discounts than other drugstores do. Walgreen finds Express Scripts' rates "really, really below standard," but may have little room to play hardball.

"This really hurts Walgreens. It has definitely tipped the scales in that discussion," said Jefferies & Co analyst Arthur Henderson, who covers the PBM industry.

Raymond James analyst John Ransom estimates that losing the business of a combined company would hit Walgreen's annual earnings per share by $1.00. Analysts are expecting the chain to have an EPS of $2.63 this year.

Walgreen has already sold off its PBM to Catalyst Health Solutions Inc (CHSI.O), potentially leaving it further exposed to major PBMs. In 2010, Walgreen fought with rival CVS Caremark, whose PBM stands to be the second-largest after the merger.

Prescriptions make up two-thirds of Walgreen's revenue and draw in shoppers who buy general merchandise such as suntan lotion and food when they come in for their medications.

Jefferies & Co drugstore analyst Scott Mushkin said that the Express Script-Medco deal, which comes at the time of year when PBMs most actively try to land contracts with large employers, could prompt some to chose CVS Caremark rather than the huge combined Express Script-Medco.

After stumbling in 2009 and losing a major contract, CVS Caremark is having a good selling season this year, landing a major contract with the Federal Employee Program. (Additional reporting by Lewis Krauskopf in New York; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Gerald E. McCormick)

US HOT STOCKS: Medco Health, Morgan Stanley, PepsiCo, EBay, Intel

U.S. stocks traded higher Thursday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.3% to 12734, the Standard & Poor's 500 gained 1.5% to 1345 and the Nasdaq Composite added 23 points to 2837. Among the companies whose shares are actively trading in the session are Medco Health Solutions Inc. (MHS), Morgan Stanley (MS) and PepsiCo Inc.'s (PEP).

Express Scripts Inc. (ESRX, $55.80, +$3.26, +6.20%) agreed to buy Medco Health (MHS, $64.58, +$8.80, +15.78%) for $29.1 billion in cash and stock, a deal that combines two of the largest U.S. pharmacy-benefit managers at a time when health-care services companies are searching for new opportunities in the face of sweeping industry changes. Medco holders will receive $28.80 in cash and 0.81 Express Scripts shares for each share, valuing Medco at $71.36, a 28% premium to Wednesday's close. The deal buoyed shares of CVS Caremark Corp. (CVS, $37.94, +$0.99, +2.68%) as the takeover leaves would leave one less pharmacy-benefits manager in the space. But Walgreen Co. (WAG, $40.41, -$1.39, -3.33%) shares fell as it may well lessen the options the largest U.S. drug-store chain has in working with pharmacy-benefits managers.

Morgan Stanley (MS, $23.91, +$2.19, +10.08%) reported a $558 million second-quarter loss attributable to shareholders after a big charge associated with an investment in the firm, though revenue growth beat expectations.

PepsiCo Inc.'s (PEP, $65.43, -$3.06, -4.47%) second-quarter profit jumped 18% on strong snack and beverage sales in emerging markets and a boost from acquisitions, but toned down its outlook due to challenging conditions in developed markets and higher commodity costs.

EBay Inc. (EBAY, $34.27, +$1.10, +3.32%) posted a 25% jump in second-quarter revenue and raised its full-year forecast, as the online market's payments and sales businesses demonstrated strong growth.

Intel Corp.'s (INTC, $22.74, -$0.25, -1.09%) second-quarter profit rose a better-than-expected 2.3% on continued demand from corporate customers and personal-computer buyers in emerging markets, though margins fell. During a conference call, Intel also slightly trimmed its forecast for unit PC shipments for the year.

Other Stocks In Focus: 
 

Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ALXN, $57.07, +$5.03, +9.67%) jumped to a another all-time high in the wake of its better-than-expected second-quarter report that was led by its Soliris blood-disease drug and building business in Australia and Japan, new markets for the company. "Although the market appeared to have expected a good quarter and increased management guidance may not be a complete surprise...we believe the 2Q report is likely still considered outstanding results," says Leerink Swann.

AmerisourceBergen Corp. (ABC, $39.44, -$2.31, -5.53%) slid in the wake of Express Scripts agreeing to buy its largest customer, Medco. AmerisourceBergen is Medco's primary wholesaler, accounting for nearly two-thirds of 2010 drug purchases at the company. The buyout could lead to less volume for AmerisourceBergen and maybe even a complete contract loss. But Baird estimates AmerisourceBergen has no more than 5% of EPS at risk and that it would still "have the best leverage to the industry's growth drivers."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Wednesday approved AstraZeneca PLC's (AZN, $50.63, +$1.18, +2.39%) anticlotting drug Brilinta.

Baxter International Inc.'s (BAX, $62.22, +$1.39, +2.29%) second-quarter earnings rose a better-than-expected 15% as the medical-products company reported double-digit sales growth and benefited from foreign-exchange impacts. For the year, the maker of medical products used in biosurgery as well as various critical therapies and vaccines again raised its per-share earnings forecast.
BB&T Corp.'s (BBT, $26.30, +$0.67, +2.59%) second-quarter profit climbed 46% as credit quality improved and loan growth picked up somewhat.

Blackstone Group LP (BX, $16.96, +$0.70, +4.31%) swung to a strong second-quarter profit, with adjusted results rising due to a strong performance from the company's investments and an increase in management and advisory fees.

Cheesecake Factory Inc.'s (CAKE, $31.26, -$1.43, -4.37%) second-quarter earnings rose 29% as the casual-dining company saw same-store sales keep climbing. But revenue increased less than expected.

Cirrus Logic Inc.'s (CRUS, $16.12, -$1.78, -9.94%) fiscal first-quarter earnings fell 48% as costs from an earlier production problem cut into the semiconductor maker's margins.

Danaher Corp.'s (DHR, $52.34, -$0.77, -1.45%) second-quarter earnings rose 74% as stronger sales, which were boosted by recent acquisitions, offset higher costs. But the diversified toolmaker on its conference call Thursday morning gave third-quarter earnings guidance of 66 cents to 71 cents.

Datalink Corp.'s (DTLK, $9.13, +$1.22, +15.42%) second-quarter profit soared higher than expected as the information-storage company posted higher sales from a growing list of customers. The company also issued an upbeat third-quarter earnings forecast.

Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc.'s (DO, $69.93, -$2.80, -3.85%) second-quarter earnings jumped 19% as the company posted stronger revenue, though day rates fell and utilization rates were mixed.

E*Trade Financial Corp.'s (ETFC, $15.31, +$0.59, +3.97%) second-quarter profit climbed 34% from a year ago as the online brokerage again set aside less money to cover losses from bad loans. But the company posted weaker trading volumes as clients recoiled from volatile markets. The earnings, in line with analysts' estimates, came on the same day E*Trade disclosed that it received a letter from Citadel LLC, its largest shareholder, requesting that it explore a potential sale of the company.

F5 Networks Inc.'s (FFIV, $99.99, -$11.45, -10.27%) fiscal third-quarter profit climbed 54%, thanks to sales in Japan and the Asia Pacific region that the Internet traffic service provider said accounted for a majority of the quarter's strong revenue growth. Shares fell even as earnings handily topped the company's estimate and revenue was in-line with its view. Its fourth-quarter EPS forecast bracketed analysts' average estimate. Revenue from Europe, the Middle East and Africa fell sequentially.

Fifth Third Bancorp's (FITB, $12.78, +$0.45, +3.66%) second-quarter profit soared 76% as the regional lender benefited from improving credit conditions and lower loan-loss provisions than a year earlier.

Freescale Semiconductor Holdings I Ltd.'s (FSL, $16.71, -$0.49, -2.82%) second-quarter loss narrowed but the semiconductor company issued cautious guidance for the current quarter on worries about the impact of the Japan earthquake on the auto sector.

Genworth Financial Inc. (GNW, $8.19, -$1.28, -13.52%) warned Wednesday that it will report a second-quarter loss of $92 million to $112 million as it again bolsters reserves at its troubled mortgage-insurance unit.

Goodrich Corp.'s (GR, $98.48, +$5.37, +5.77%) second-quarter profit rose 11% the company reported sales increases across all segments, particularly in commercial aftermarket sales. The aerospace parts maker boosted its full-year earnings outlook.

Idera Pharmaceuticals Inc. (IDRA, $1.81, -$0.14, -7.08%) said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has told it to freeze a planned midstage trial testing its IMO-3100 candidate for the treatment of psoriasis.

Ingersoll-Rand PLC's (IR, $40.90, -$3.87, -8.64%) second-quarter earnings fell 53% as the diversified manufacturer was hurt by a $215.2 million loss from discontinued operations and a higher effective tax rate. For the year, the company raised its revenue view, while affirming its per-share earnings forecast.

ITT Educational Services Inc.'s (ESI, $86.17, -$6.42, -6.93%) second-quarter earnings fell 18% as the for-profit educational company was hurt by falling revenue and enrollments and rising operating costs.

Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings' (LH, $93.88, -$2.71, -2.81%) second-quarter earnings fell 20% as restructuring charges masked sales growth on higher testing volume.

Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc.'s (LECO, $38.55, +$2.80, +7.83%) second-quarter results handily beat analysts' expectations, as the manufacturing company's sales increased about 36% year-over-year and its net income jumped about 75%.
ManpowerGroup's (MAN, $55.22, +$2.10, +3.94%) second-quarter profit more than doubled on strong world-wide growth, with demand especially strong in Italy, France and the Asia Pacific region.

Meridian Biosciences Inc.'s (VIVO, $22.14, -$5.18, -18.96%) fiscal third-quarter profit grew by 6.4% as the maker of medical diagnostic kits reported a double-digit percentage increase in sales, though margins fell and the company expressed some disappointment with the results.

MetLife Inc. (MET, $41.93, +$1.04, +2.54%) is exploring a possible sale of its MetLife Bank depositary business, saying its bank-holding company structure is no longer appropriate as it focuses on its global insurance and employee-benefits businesses.

MKS Instruments Inc.'s (MKSI, $27.31, +$2.23, +8.89%) second-quarter earnings crept 0.5% lower as margin improvement compensated for weaker sales. Results beat analysts' expectations.

Monro Muffler Brake Inc.'s (MNRO, $38.17, +$1.12, +3.02%) fiscal first-quarter earnings rose 17%, benefiting from price increases, as the undercar-repair and tire retail chain operator also raised its quarterly dividend by 13%.
Activist investor Carl Icahn urged Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. (MMI, $25.35, +$2.94, +13.12%) to explore options for its patent portfolio in the wake of a $4.5 billion deal for Nortel Networks Corp.'s (NT.T) portfolio that attracted multiple bidders.

The New York Times Co. (NYT, $9.31, +$0.34, +3.79%) swung to a second-quarter loss as it wrote down the value of several regional newspapers but showed signs of progress in its strategy to get subscribers to pay for content online.
Penn National Gaming Inc.'s (PENN, $43.49, +$2.38, +5.79%) second-quarter earnings grew faster than expected as increased consumer spending boosted revenue.

Philip Morris International Inc.'s (PM, $71.32, +$3.13, +4.59%) second-quarter profit rose a better-than-expected 22% as strong sales volumes in Asia, particularly Japan, offset declines elsewhere. The company also raised its full-year earnings guidance.

Plexus Corp.'s (PLXS, $30.52, -$2.86, -8.57%) fiscal third-quarter earnings fell as weak customer orders led the company to forecast mostly softer revenue continuing into the current quarter.

Protalix BioTherapeutics Inc. (PLX, $6.80, +$0.16, +2.41%) will file a request for approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its Gaucher's disease treatment Uplyso in "a matter of days," Israeli financial newspaper Globes reports on its website Thursday, citing unnamed industry officials.

RLI Corp.'s (RLI, $65.40, +$3.44, +5.55%) second-quarter earnings jumped 35% as the property-and-casualty insurer reported higher revenue and lower expenses.
Robert Half International Inc.'s (RHI, $29.65, +$3.83, +14.83%) second-quarter earnings tripled for the second straight quarter, as the temporary-staffing company reported particular strength in permanent placements and technology staffing.

Safeway Inc. (SWY, $21.47, -$2.16, -9.14%) cast some blame on the Easter bunny for holding back second-quarter sales, saying consumers spent for the holiday but held off buying for the next three weeks awaiting their next paycheck. "The vast majority of all consumers live paycheck to paycheck," CEO Steve Burd said during a conference call. In a soft economy like this, the difference in sales between the beginning and end of pay periods is exaggerated, he noted, "approaching double digits" percentage-wise. While Safeway did post improved sales, the company, and investors, were still disappointed.

Scholastic Corp.'s (SCHL, $29.48, +$3.13, +11.88%) fiscal fourth-quarter earnings slid 15% as the children's book publisher's costs grew, although educational publishing and international revenue increased.

Seagate Technology Inc.'s (STX, $14.08, -$2.91, -17.13%) fiscal fourth-quarter earnings slumped 69% as the maker of hard drives for personal computers and corporate data centers reported weaker gross margins, although shipments of hard-disk drives grew.

Dutch staffing company Randstad Holding NV (RAND.AE) agreed to pay $709.8 million in cash to acquire SFN Group (SFN, $13.92, +$4.70, +50.98%), a deal that would boost the company's presence in the highly fragmented North American human-resources-services market. The $14-a-share offer is a 52% premium to Wednesday's closing price.

Sherwin-Williams Co.'s (SHW, $81.89, -$2.94, -3.47%) second-quarter earnings fell 1.4% as price increases and sales growth couldn't fully mitigate rising raw material costs. The company also lowered the high end of its full-year guidance.
SLM Corp. (SLM, $16.72, +$0.44, +2.70%) swung to a second-quarter loss as the student lender recorded a large unrealized mark-to-market loss on derivative contracts, but adjusted results improved thanks to higher loan-origination volume and better credit quality.

Sonoco Products Co.'s (SON, $32.64, -$1.05, -3.12%) second-quarter earnings fell a bigger-than-expected 9.4% as the packaging company's consumer and industrial businesses turned in mixed results, hurt by higher costs for commodities and labor.

Terex Corp.'s (TEX, $24.80, -$2.41, -8.86%) second-quarter loss narrowed significantly, and it swung to a profit on a continuing-operations basis on strong sales. But the bottom line was still weaker than expected even after adjustments for one-time items.

Tractor Supply Co.'s (TSCO, $67.15, -$3.52, -4.98%) second-quarter earnings rose 18% as sales were helped by strong demand for animal and pet-related products. The company again boosted its full-year per-share earnings and revenue guidance, but top-line results missed analyst expectations.

Union Pacific Corp.'s (UNP, $104.07, +$4.24, +4.25%) second-quarter profit jumped 10% as the U.S. railroad company posted a double-digit increase in freight revenue across all product categories, again offsetting higher fuel costs.

VF Corp.'s (VFC, $121.20, +$6.76, +5.91%) second-quarter earnings rose 17% as the branded-apparel maker saw double-digit sales growth in all segments, though margins were pressured by higher costs.

Werner Enterprises Inc.'s (WERN, $25.35, +$0.53, +2.14%) second-quarter profit climbed 31% on higher revenue and margins, despite sluggish freight demand in the first two months of the quarter and higher fuel prices.

Whirlpool Corp. (WHR, $72.49, -$3.15, -4.16%) swung to a second-quarter loss on a previously disclosed settlement charge, as margins dropped on slower sales and shipments in North America.

House Democrats Rip GOP Rep. West Over Email to Party Chairwoman

House Democrats lined up to excoriate GOP Rep. Allen West on Wednesday after he sent an incendiary email to the Democratic party chairwoman calling her "vile" and "not a lady."

The head of the Congressional Black Caucus told Fox News on Wednesday that members are "furious" about the incident, saying he's going to speak with the Florida Republican about the matter. Shortly afterward, several female lawmakers held a news conference, at which they called on West to apologize.

"His words were nothing more than personal attacks," Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said, adding that she hopes House Speaker John Boehner "disavows" West's remarks. She said it is "very ladylike to speak up for the values that you believe in."

Rep. Donna Edwards, D-Md., also released a statement saying she was "shocked" by the "disgraceful" email. "Instead of engaging constructively in that debate, Representative West chose to resort to unprofessional, vitriolic and offensive personal attacks -- shame on him," she said.

The lawmakers are urging House leaders to rebuke West, though West told Fox News that GOP leaders are "fine" with his actions.

West fired off the email Tuesday to Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, calling her "vile, despicable and cowardly" for calling into question his stance on Medicare on the House floor.

"It's unfortunate," Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, told Fox News. He could not say whether the CBC would seek to discipline its only Republican member, but claimed lawmakers were upset the incident has brought "undue attention" to the caucus.

The CBC was planning to discuss the email at its weekly meeting Wednesday, but votes got in the way and the caucus now plans to discuss the issue at a later date. In the meantime, Cleaver said, "I'm going to talk to him."

Elsewhere, House Democrats' campaign arm quickly seized on the exchange, blasting out a fundraising pitch Wednesday asking donors to help them raise $100,000 toward defeating West next fall. Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Rep. Steve Israel called West's email "disgraceful" and "hate-filled," urging supporters to make sure Republicans "don't forget this moment."

West, though, stood by the email.

"I think it's important to stake my ground," West told Fox News on Tuesday. "It was about enough is enough, and it's my right to say that. She is the one elevating this."

In her remarks on the House floor, Wasserman Schultz had said: "The gentleman from Florida, who represents thousands of Medicare beneficiaries, as do I, is supportive of this plan that would increase costs for Medicare beneficiaries. Unbelievable from a member from south Florida."

She was alluding to a GOP-backed bill to reduce the debt and amend the Constitution to require a balanced federal budget. The House later approved the bill 234-190, but it is unlikely to pass the Democratic Senate.

West sent his email to numerous lawmakers, as well as Wasserman Schultz and other congressional leaders. The subject line of the email: "Unprofessional and Inappropriate Sophomoric Behavior from Wasserman Schultz."

The e-mail said: "Look, Debbie, I understand that after I departed the House floor you directed your floor speech comments directly towards me. Let me make myself perfectly clear, you want a personal fight, I am happy to oblige. You are the most vile, unprofessional and despicable member of the US House of Representatives. If you have something to say to me, stop being a coward and say it to my face, otherwise, shut the heck up."

West also wrote that Wasserman Schultz has proven "that you are not a Lady" and "shall not be afforded due respect from me!" He said he was alerting House leaders to her "heinous characterless behavior."

A spokesman for Wasserman Schultz, Jonathan Beeton, said in an email of his own: "I don't think that Congressman West is upset at the congresswoman, but rather with the fact that she highlighted that he and other Republicans are once again trying to balance the budget on the backs of seniors, children and the middle class. ... The truth hurts."

West told Fox News that Wasserman Schultz's comments were part of a "pattern" of "hate," and he felt that she "disrespected" him in her House floor speech.

"You don't need to call me out on your time to speak on the floor," West said. "Focus on what is your plan for the debt ceiling."

House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., whom West copied on his email, defended the tea party-backed freshman.

"Tensions are building here sure," McCarthy told Fox News on Tuesday. "Allen is going to defend himself. There's always a way to display that differently."

Comex Gold Hits a New High Above $1,600.00, Silver Above $40.00, on Safe-Haven Demand

Comex gold and silver futures prices closed solidly higher Monday on more safe-haven investment demand amid the debt crises playing out in Europe and the U.S. The debt problems on both sides of the ocean have rattled most of the world’s currency and stock markets. Gold is now viewed by even more investors as a currency and/or the safest asset in a very risky world market place. August gold last traded up $12.30 at $1,602.40 an ounce. Spot gold last traded up $8.10 an ounce at $1,602.75. December Comex silver last traded up $1.159 at $40.25 an ounce.


There is still trader and investor nervousness on the European Union sovereign debt front and on the U.S. debt-ceiling debate. Despite efforts on both sides of the Atlantic to resolve or control those situations, the market place on Monday was still viewing the matters with anxiety. European banks’ stress test results on Friday were about as expected but have failed to assuage traders and investors. EU leaders are scheduled to hold a summit on Thursday, regarding the matter. And the U.S. congress and the President Obama are still at loggerheads over raising the U.S. debt ceiling that will be hit in early August. The wrangling has invited still more buying demand for the precious metals markets.

The U.S. dollar index traded higher morning, on short covering and some safe-haven buying interest on the idea that the U.S. currency is the lesser of evils in the currency markets. Recent price action in the dollar index suggests the index will trade choppy and trendless in the near term. Any further weakening of the dollar index would be a bullish development for the precious metals.

Crude oil prices traded solidly lower Monday. There are presently fears a world economic slowdown is in progress amid the EU debt crisis, which have been a bearish weight on the crude oil market recently. Recent choppy and sideways price action in the crude oil market suggests more of the same in the near term.
The London P.M. gold fixing was $1,599.00 versus the previous P.M. fixing of $1,587.00.

Technically, August Comex gold futures prices closed nearer the session high Monday. Gold bulls have the strong overall near-term technical advantage. There are still no early clues to suggest a market top is close at hand and the path of least resistance for prices remains sideways to higher for gold. Bulls’ next near-term upside technical objective is to produce a close above psychological resistance at $1,625.00. Bears’ next near-term downside price objective is closing prices below solid technical support at the June high of $1,559.30. First resistance is seen at Monday’s record high of $1,607.90 and then at $1,615.00. First support is seen at Monday’s low of $1,591.40 and then at $1,590.00. Wyckoff’s Market Rating: 9.5.

December silver futures prices closed near mid-range and hit a fresh 2.5-month high Monday. The silver bulls have the solid overall technical advantage and gained more power Monday by pushing prices above what was strong psychological resistance at $40.00. Bulls’ next upside price objective is producing a close above solid technical resistance at $42.50 an ounce. The next downside price breakout objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at $38.00. First resistance is seen at Monday’s high of $40.75 and then at $41.00. Next support is seen at $40.00 and then at $39.50. Wyckoff’s Market Rating: 8.0.

December N.Y. copper closed down 90 points 442.30 cents Monday. Prices closed near mid-range and did hit a fresh three-month high early on. Gains were limited by bearish “outside markets” that included a stronger U.S. dollar index and lower crude oil prices. The copper bulls still have the solid overall near-term technical advantage, but bulls are worried about the world’s economies slowing down. Copper bulls’ next upside breakout objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at 450.00 cents. The next downside price breakout objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at 425.00 cents. First resistance is seen at 445.00 cents and then at Monday’s high of 446.75 cents. First support is seen at 440.00 cents and then at 437.50 cents. Wyckoff’s Market Rating: 7.0.

World Series of Poker 2011 Update as Fuzzy Dunlop and Reza Kashani fall

They often say that poker is the hardest way to make an easy living, and it’s been a hard day’s night so far at WSOP 2011 in fabulous Las Vegas. With some big upsets and huge calls, how many are left standing as the field thins.

We’re into the final few days of the greatest poker show on earth and plenty has been won lost and bragged about at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in old Sin City. There was plenty spoken (and written) about the card-mageddon that was supposed to be Black Friday. However nobody seems to have told the sportsmen, and women that have gone on to make WSOP 2011 a record breaking banker humbling all-star spectacular.

Outside the main event.

This far there’s been a slew of winners and sinners at the tables, with notable bracelet heavy stars such as Nick Binger  ($5,000 Pot Limit Omaha Hi-lo) and Brian Rast ($50,000 Poker Player’s Championship)  Matt Matros (£2,500 Mixed Hold’em) and Ben lamb ($10,000 Pot Limit Omaha) being just some of the table winners.

Saved the best ‘til last.

It’s 57 (events) down one to go as all bleary and bloodshot eyes turn and focus on the $10,000 No Limit Hold'em Championship, aka The Main Event. The go began on July 7 being the first of four starting days. The prize on offer isn’t the cash or the bracelet (just yet) as the final table of nine players will be decided on July 19, with the final table not actually being played until the 5th  November. What a tease. 

It has been a Main Event that the Chairman of the board, Mr. Frank Sinatra himself would have been proud. It drew 6,865 players (including one Fuzzy Dunlop), generating a prize pool of $64,531,000. If your mercenary to be worried about the money (which to be honest is the easiest way to keep score) it’s the top 693 finishers who will place in the money, with first place paying (hold onto your hat) a whopping $8,711,956. For pedants out there that’s slightly down on last year’s winner Jonathan Duhamel who won $8.94 million and triumphed over 7,318 opponents.

It’s worth mentioning that 9th place get $782,000 and change. Anything this much fun was bound to attract a bunch of celebrities and there’s a handful of non-poker stars still enjoying a seat in the game, Jason Alexander is hanging in, the divine Jenifer Tilly is keeping her end up, and there’s also Nelly, Ray Romano and Shannon Elisabeth on show. The injury list contains already contains two former champions. Former winners Phil Hellmuth (1989) and Berry Johnston (1986), both exited just after the day's first break, with empty pockets.

Friday night is alright for fights!

Players went into the money at the World Series of Poker Main Event on Friday, as each of the 693 top finishers will be getting at least $19,359 for their time and efforts. Famous for all the wrong reason, was Reza Kashani, a 31-year-old flooring company owner (and keen poker player, natch!) from California who busted out in 694th place. His departure caused a veritable feeding frenzy as the remaining players knew that they would be winning some cash from there on in.

There was a flood of all-in bets from players who were short on chips, and had been hanging on in there. Now they knew that they would have something to show for their troubles and were happy just to be able to say they had made money in the tournament. The bloodletting saw 34 players eliminated in roughly 20 minutes of play, after Kashani was excused from the table.

Kashani went all in with a pair of kings (which is debatable, especially with hindsight) and was called by Joseph Cheong, (2010’s third place finisher) who had a set of queens. And then it was adios amigo and money, money, money! "I expected to get first," said Kashani, who was playing in his first major poker tournament as he posed (and smiled) for the cameras.

It’s not all bad news as tournament officials have awarded Kashani a free entry into next year's tournament. After the all-in gale that followed Kashani’s exit, the next five hours of play saw the field thinned by another 299 players. Play will continue and the final table by should be decided on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony: Anatomy of a Split

 

Consider us taken to the floor.
While a split in Hollywood (and other glamorous environs) never really qualifies as a cause for shock, Jennifer Lopez and her husband of seven years, Marc Anthony, appeared very much in love since the day she and Ben Affleck broke up.

Um, anyway...

Both acting and singing double threats with a shared Puerto Rican background, J.Lo and Marc seemed to be the perfect couple on the red carpet and off, their body language always affectionate and their outfits never clashing. They costarred in El Cantante together and collaborated on numerous musical projects, even announcing that they were expecting twins while onstage in Miami.

Elin Nordegren: Investor Jamie Dingman New Boyfriend?

Does Elin Nordegren have a new boyfriend?

Elin Nordegren

Yes, according to the New York Post. The paper reports that Tiger Woods' ex-wife and mom of two has been dating American investor Jamie Dingman, the son of billionaire Michael Dingman, for several months.
Dingman, who works for his father, has previously been linked to model and actress Bridget Moynahan--the mother of John Edward Thomas, her son with Tom Brady--and Princess Madeleine of Sweden. The New York Post reports that Dingman splits his time between China and the Bahamas, and also Florida and Sweden--where Nordegren has homes--as of late.


Swedish newspaper Expressen spotted Nordegren and Dingman kissing outside her Stockholm apartment earlier this week. Nordegren recently put the three-bedroom, two bathroom penthouse on the market for $5 million.


Nordegren was last linked to a 35-year-old South African student whom she met at the Florida college where they both were studying. Since that report, she has largely avoided the limelight, though she made news again when she purchased a $12.2 million Florida mansion last March, 10 miles from Wood's new pad in Jupiter, Fla.


Nordegren and Woods officially divorced last August, nine months after Tiger's Thanksgiving day car accident that eventually exposed the golfer's many indiscretions, costing him millions of dollars in corporate endorsements and forcing him to take time away from the game.


Elin reportedly received $110 million and joint custody of couple's two children in the divorce settlement.

Movie Review: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″

I can be redundant and tell you how many years Harry Potter has impacted the world (14 years), or how much money it has made through books, movies and other merchandise (Billions, with a capital B), or how many books there have been (seven), or how many movies there have been (eight), but I would just be repeating what most people have said in their openings (which I just did). Regardless, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a fitting end to a lengthy series and after the dramatic set up in the first half Part 2 ends with one emotional bang.




Before I get into this review I have to be honest with you and say that I have never read the books. I did watch the movies however, and found them to be an excellent form of magic, mystery, and intrigue. So while it doesn’t pain me to see this franchise come to an end, I can certainly respect the people who have cherished this franchise shed a tear or two watching their beloved franchise turn its last page.

Now if you haven’t seen the first half, I suggest you do so now, otherwise you will not understand the quest or reasoning behind it. Yes, I am giving you homework.

For those who think that WB is just splitting the films into two parts to milk it for what its worth, you need to understand that if the film was shot as a singular entity it would have been difficult to tell the story and it also would have been a disservice to the fans. Those who have been following the franchise who haven’t been reading the books or haven’t watched Part 1 will be confused with some of the relationships that seemingly pop up out of no where, who has survived and who hasn’t, or how Harry and the gang came across Godric Gryffindor’s Sword. That being said, let’s start with this review.



The second half literally starts where it left off with the final scene in the first half. Our hero and his band of merry friends have been forced to run. Dobby has died. Hogwarts is being controlled with an iron fist, and everyone’s most hated snake looking wizard has just acquired the most powerful wand ever created. Now its up to our heroes to save the world and wizardry. Can it be done? According to some, no it can’t. But Harry be damned if he didn’t try.

From there that emotional build up that we saw in the first film is gone and is turned into a full on action movie. Again, if this had been shot as one film, it would not have made as much as an impact for the audience. All the teenage angst is out of the way. Unfortunately the action scenes either move too fast or takes too long get through that it can get confusing at times. But the set pieces in all these action scenes give new meaning to devastation and destruction, as the world of Hogwarts crumble before the students’ eyes. But as visually stunning as these action scenes are, the performances and the quieter moments that happen during the action scenes that are the best.



Watching Ralph Fiennes become the sinister Voldermort is exciting. With every wand wave and slithering vocals, you can tell than Mr. Fiennes has been waiting for this moment and will milk it for what its worth. And I can tell you one thing, every scene he is in is truly frightening, and that’s a good thing. The relationships that are finally established can give out a cheer and a laugh. These long-awaited relationships that have been building up to its dramatic end also mark how long this film has come along.

The lack of color also makes for a whimsy apocalyptic end to the school. Its gray stone color like scheme also adds to the emotional scenes, giving it a cold feeling of dread.



I cannot tell what stays true and what has been modified, but based on the screening reaction, fans will be happy. Despite what Yates may have kept and may have left out, the one question that is on everyone’s mind is why choose to do post-conversion 3D, especially when post-conversion 3D has been widely panned. Sure the effect may be unnecessary and may not work at times, but when it works, it works.

Rarely does a franchise as large as the Harry Potter series stay fluid. From the start we watch the three leads Daniel Radcliff, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint grow up to be strong actors, and it shows in the franchise finale. It must not have been an easy task, but the cast has been able to stay true to the character without skipping a beat. But it is not only our leads that carry the film, but also the supporting cast that help bare the burden of making the franchise what it is today.



As the film comes to a close, we see (this really shouldn’t be a spoiler) how much our beloved characters have gone through, and after eight films that have spanned a decade, the audience is rewarded with a somewhat quick and seemingly unsatisfying ending. But despite its quick action scenes and ending, I feel as though the emotional build up, the performances, and the relationships that are formed redeem all those minor flaws.

As an audience member who has only seen the world of Harry Potter on the big screen as opposed to the text, I found that the movie did tie up all the necessary loose ends. To say that Part 2 is the best of the franchise would be an understatement, because there are no words to describe how spectacular this film really is. Sure there are flaws in it, but every Harry Potter entry had its flaws.

I may not have understood the Hogwarts lingo, but what makes the entire Harry Potter franchise so special that it was about the character struggles, the underdog stories, the romance, the friendships, and the boy who becomes a man.

Clemens Mistrial Declared After U.S. Shows Barred Evidence

The perjury trial of former Major League Baseball pitcher Roger Clemens ended in a mistrial on the second day of witness testimony after prosecutors showed the jury evidence that violated a court order.

U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton in Washington said today that he's considering barring further prosecution of Clemens on double-jeopardy grounds and set a hearing for Sept. 2 on whether to let the case proceed.

Clemens, 48, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, is accused of lying to Congress about his use of steroids and human growth hormone. Prosecutors said that Andy Pettitte, a former teammate, would testify about his close relationship with Clemens and how Clemens told him in 1999 or 2000 that he had used HGH. Clemens told Congress that Pettitte misheard the conversation.

Walton said that prosecutors violated a court order today when they showed the jury of 10 women and two men a video clip of the 2008 hearing where Pettitte's wife was discussed. Walton ruled earlier that any reference to an affidavit given to Congress by Laura Pettitte couldn't be admitted into evidence in the government's presentation of its main case.

"Mr. Pettitte's testimony is critical as to whether this man goes to prison," Walton said, noting that the video improperly bolstered Pettitte's credibility with the jury. "I don't see how to unring the bell."

'Better Not'

Clemens's defense attorney, Rusty Hardin, when asked to comment after today's proceeding, said, "I'd love to, but I better not."

Bill Miller, the spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Washington, said in a statement that Walton's order barring anyone involved in the case from discussing it precluded comment.

Clemens's mistrial is the second federal perjury trial of a former Major League Baseball player in three months to end inconclusively. Barry Bonds, the home-run record holder, was convicted in federal court in San Francisco in April of obstructing justice for statements he made to a grand jury in 2003 when asked whether his trainer ever gave him anything that required a syringe injection.

Jurors in the Bonds trial couldn't agree on whether he lied in saying he didn't knowingly take steroids and take human growth hormone or receive injections by his trainer. A mistrial was declared on those counts.

The U.S. has yet to say whether he will be retried.

Thirty Years

Clemens was charged with one count of obstructing a congressional investigation, three counts of making false statements and two counts of perjury in connection with a congressional probe of ballplayers use of performance-enhancing drugs. If convicted on all charges, he faces as long as 30 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine.

The charges stem from statements Clemens made to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in February 2008, in an interview with committee staff and later at a public hearing. Clemens, under oath, denied ever using anabolic steroids or human growth hormone, according to the indictment.

During the public hearing on Feb. 13, Clemens testified while a few feet away from the government's main witness in the trial, his former trainer Brian McNamee, who said he injected Clemens with both drugs while Clemens pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees.

Opening Statement Stopped

Walton stopped Durham during his opening statement as the prosecutor told jurors that Clemens's former Yankee teammates Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch and Mike Stanton would be called to testify how they used HGH. Walton ordered jurors to disregard the reference to the other players, which violated a pre-trial order.

Walton also ruled July 6 that the government was barred from using or referring to any part of an affidavit by Pettitte's wife, Laura, who swore her husband had told her about a conversation with Clemens in which Clemens acknowledged using the drugs.

Laura Pettitte could only be brought up in the trial to rebut information from the defense, Walton ruled.

The trial was stopped as Durham took testimony from the government's third witness, Phil Barnett, the House staffer who deposed Clemens.

Durham played a clip of Representative Elijah Cummings questioning Clemens during the Feb. 13, 2008 hearing. As the video played, a transcript of what was being said was highlighted on the lower portion of the screen.

Pettitte's Wife

Cummings mentioned an affidavit the committee received from Pettitte's wife.

Walton stopped the trial and ordered the lawyers to the bench. After a few minutes, he sent the jurors out of the courtroom.

"I clearly ruled that Mr. Pettitte's wife and what Mr. Pettitte said to his wife could not come in," Walton said. "This clearly runs afoul of my pretrial rulings."

Walton said that he was "perplexed" that the government's exhibits hadn't been altered after his ruling.

"A first-year law student knows you can't bolster the credibility of one witness with clearly inadmissible evidence from another witness," Walton said.

A half hour later he declared the mistrial.

Normally, a criminal defendant can't be tried twice for the same crime. Exceptions include when a jury fails to reach a unanimous verdict, said Stanford University criminal law professor Robert Weisberg.

'Procedural Goof-Up'

"A procedural goof-up shouldn't preclude a retrial, unless the judge believes it involves intentional, egregious misconduct by the prosecutor," said Weisberg, citing a Supreme Court ruling.

A mistrial so early in a case is "almost unheard of," Weisberg said.

The government's last high-profile loss in a Washington courtroom was the case against the now-deceased Alaska Republican Senator Ted Stevens. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan threw out Stevens' 2008 conviction for corruption the following year because federal prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense. Sullivan ordered an investigation into whether the government's "shocking" conduct was criminal.

During the course of a Justice Department probe of the matter, one of the prosecutors, Nicholas Marsh, killed himself. Unlike the Clemens case, Stevens prosecution was handled by the Justice Department's public corruption unit, not by the U.S. Attorney's office in Washington.

The case is U.S. v. Clemens, 10-cr-00223, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia (Washington).

--With assistance from Greg Farrell in New York. Editors: Fred Strasser, Andrew Dunn

Callie Thorne: Wrapping Rescue Me was 'Terrible!'

Callie Thorne

Jim Spellman/WireImage

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After seven seasons with the Rescue Me "boys club," Callie Thorne says she can more than hold her own with the guys.

"I developed my own truck driver mouth," the actress tells PEOPLE with a laugh. But when the cast filmed the final season – which will air Wednesdays (10 p.m. ET) on FX – the gang of tough guys softened up.

"The final days of Rescue Me were terrible," she says. "There were a lot of tears. Especially when people heard, 'That's a series wrap on Denis Leary.' A lot of the guys got really choked up."

Even the man who helmed the series?

"Denis didn't cry, but he was very quiet," says Thorne. "Which is a big deal for Denis Leary."

Still, Thorne says the reaction made her feel good because, "the show touched everybody that deeply," she explains. "This was a family – seven years together. The set of Rescue Me was our playground and our home."

Luckily, she's got a new project to keep her busy: Thorne stars on the new USA series Necessary Roughness, which also airs Wednesdays (10 p.m. ET).

"It's the millennium," she jokes of having two shows on at the same time. "You can TiVo!"

Tommy faces the backdraft on ‘Rescue Me’

Every hero’s journey comes to an end.

What Tommy Gavin has to hope is that his upcoming finish is more reflective of his good intentions than his bad decisions — because seldom in the annals of TV has a hero stepped more outrageously, hilariously and at times tragically wrong. Which is precisely what has made Rescue Me such a treasure, a groundbreaking, under-appreciated series that, like its firefighter hero, is willing to risk it all, even if that occasionally has meant going down in flames.

Born in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks and out of star and co-creator Denis Leary’s fascination with firefighters, Rescue Me now begins a nine-episode final run that will conclude, fittingly enough, close to the 10th anniversary of that national catastrophe.

A complex, often darkly funny rumination of the nature of heroism, the cost of survivor guilt, and the joys and limitations of firehouse camaraderie, Rescue Me now prepares to answer its last, crucial question: Is redemption possible for a man like Tommy Gavin, a selfish, alcoholic philanderer who, thanks to Leary’s fully formed and insufficiently rewarded performance, is one of TV’s most fascinating characters?

After years of bizarre battles and reconciliations, his wife, Janet (Andrea Roth), is simply looking for something resembling a normal life.

But Tommy makes it clear tonight that what she wants may be beyond him: “Normal’s dead and buried underneath Ground Zero. I’m just trying to make sense of what’s left above ground.”

And in that speech, you have one of the factors that makes RescueMe an important, and yet for some, off-putting, work of art: its characters’ steadfast refusal to put 9/11 behind them. In a nation that prefers to move on, Rescue Me‘s firefighters are stuck.

Leary is working with a fabulous cast, which is why he and co-creator Peter Tolan can dance so nimbly between realism and surrealism, drama and comedy. This is a show that can make you laugh at the crew’s attempts to help John Scurti’s Lou pass his physical without letting you forget that someone may die, or Tommy may explode, at any moment.

The journey is ending. Surely you don’t want to jump off the firetruck before it does.

Copyright © 2010 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Triple-A Home Run Derby thrills fans, gets festivities off to good start

SALT LAKE CITY — While many of the game's biggest sluggers were busy bashing the ball at the major league all-star gathering in Arizona, those at the next level and a few notches below put on quite a show at Spring Mobile Ballpark.

Monday's Triple-A All-Star Game Home Run Derby came down to a showdown between Stefan Gartrell of the Gwinnett Braves and Spanish Fork High School standout Kayden Porter.

Tom Smart, Deseret News

Salt Lake Bees player Jeff Baisley swings away at the Triple-A All-Star Game Home Run Derby on Monday.

And the duo didn't disappoint the 9,183 fans in attendance, who saw Gartrell edge Porter 7-5 in a thrilling finale.

The 27-year-old outfielder in the Atlanta Braves organization acknowledged it was a great way to start off the all-star festivities.

"Just being able to come out here to win it and have my family and my fiancee here, everybody and a few Braves fans cheering for me over on the other side, too, that was really fun," Gartrell said.

Porter, who was able to a metal bat, drew praise from the champion. Gartrell said the high school senior-to-be is a "future star in the making" and wished him well.
The experience was something special for Porter.

"It was the loudest baseball experience I've ever had in my life," he said. "Everybody was going crazy. I'm still shaking but it was an awesome thing."

Salt Lake Bees third baseman Jeff Baisley reached the second round after hitting four homers in the first. The blasts were his first in an all-star derby. He came up empty in the Single-A event in 2006.

"It's a little extra pressure but it's fun," Baisley said of being the hometown guy before the competition. "It's your own park, you get your own (batting practice) thrower. So it's a little bit of an advantage."

Unfortunately for Baisley, it wasn't enough. He failed to clear the fence in the second round and was eliminated. Gwinnett Braves infielder Mauro Gomez, who led the derby with five homers in the first round, also failed to make the cut. He hit only two in the second.

Former Ogden Raptors outfielder Trayvon Robinson of the Albuquerque Isotopes and Bonneville High slugger Sam Hall were eliminated after the first round.8

Former major league star and Utah resident Dale Murphy opened the derby with a ceremonial hit. He later presented a retro jersey from his playing days with the Atlanta Braves to Gartrell, who is a step away from getting his own uniform from the organization.

LOOKING BACK: When Salt Lake City hosted the Triple-A Home Run Derby in 1996, Tacoma's Greg Pirkl took top honors and a check for $500 — same as this year's prize. He saw limited action in the majors, however, hitting just eight homers in his career at the next level.

NEXT UP: The Triple-A All-Stars are scheduled to work out at the stadium today, beginning at 12:30 p.m. An autograph session with fans is set for 2:45-3:45 p.m. Both events are open to the public, free of charge. The players will be involved with a "Miracle League" game with kids from Shriners Hospital at 4 p.m.

ON DECK: Wednesday's Triple-A All-Star Game between the International and Pacific Coast leagues is scheduled for 7 p.m. Earlier in the day, Hall of Famer Rod Carew will be the guest speaker at an all-star luncheon.

Home Run Derby winner press conference

ROB BUTCHER: By way of introduction, to your left here is Raquelle. She is 14 from the Lehi Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale. Todd Fischer, he's the manager of National Sponsorships for State Farm. And we have Robinson Cano, his father, Jose, and his mother, Claribel. I will turn it over to Todd.
TODD FISCHER: Thanks, Rob. Another incredible evening tonight. First of all, congratulations to Robinson, and a big thank you on behalf of State Farm to everybody for making this night happen, from Major League Baseball to ESPN, Arizona Diamondbacks, the City of Phoenix and so many other folks. It was arguably the most exciting State Farm Home Run Derby in recent memory, and probably a new chapter in the Yankees and Red Sox rivalry although these guys were teammates.
The impact left on fans and everybody watching across the country on the broadcast is probably only matched by what the guys were able to do for great kids like Raquelle and so many others in the donations that were raised tonight.
State Farm is proud to make a donation to worthy charities and the community in the amount of $603,000, and over the course of our five years as a partner of Major League Baseball, we cracked the $2 million barrier in our donations to the Boys & Girls Club of America and other worthy causes.
We could not be happier and prouder of this event and the way that guys like Robinson Cano represent baseball and everything that it stands for, and the way that great folks like Raquelle represent their club and the good that comes with this event cannot be understated. So congratulations to both parties involved.
Q. For Jose, can you just put into words how gratifying that must be to throw, to, do what you did tonight, to throw BP to your son and see him win the Derby like that?
JOSE CANO: That's what I do all the time at home, just throwing BP. When he called me at home, that he wanted me to come to the United States because he's going to be in the Home Run Derby, I said, "I'll be happy to pitch to you, because that's what I do at home," you know. Whenever got the season off, we are working on a lot.
So it's worked today, because sometimes you work and you never know what's going to happen, when he's going to need you. It worked. Thank God it worked.
Q. Robinson, was it more special because of your dad being involved with this whole thing?
ROBINSON CANO: Yeah, 100%. First, I want to thank God, and second, my dad, and my mom. Also want to thank my friends and my family that came with me, because when they find out that I'm going to be in the Derby, they say, you are going to win; wow, we have a lot of guys, we have Ortiz, Fielder, Bautista, we have a lot of power. But even my mom said, you never know. You know, I told her I'm going to go out there and do things the best I can, and good thing is it went my way.
Q. You've been wanting to compete in one of these for a long time. What was the feeling when you hit that last one to win?
ROBINSON CANO: That was a great, great feeling. I mean, it's like when you are in the game, last inning to win the game, you get excited.
As a kid, you dream to be up here with a bunch of guys, that you watched back in the day like Sosa, Griffey, McGwire, Giambi, how much fun they have, and it's the same thing, as a kid, you say, I want to be one day and see how they feel.
So now that I'm here, it's a great feeling. I also want to thank Major League Baseball, the way they put it together, it was a great job. Everything was good and fine. And now I'm looking forward to tomorrow.
Q. When you are hitting, Gonzalez is hitting first, 11 home runs and you need 12 home runs, what did your father tell you when he went to talk to you?
ROBINSON CANO: First thing that goes through my mind is wow, he got 11.
So I say, "Wow, that's a lot." But I was positive. My dad said, "You can do it." The other thing was, he never get nervous.
Q. Would you talk about your relationship with Jordan the barber from the Bronx who was here and what it meant to have him here?
ROBINSON CANO: He was the first guy that said last night, he said, "Don't worry, you're going to win. You've got a chance." I look at him, "A chance?" I said, "I'm going to go out there and have fun, not even try to win it." And it's good. It's always good to have a friend like him that always gives you positive advice, always got you on his side, and he's always been there for me. And we have been friends now for ten years. He's a great person, and it's always great to have a good person around you.
Q. Any added pressure of trying to do this tonight with the absence of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Alex Rodriguez?
ROBINSON CANO: I was sad when I heard they are not coming, because you always like when you're teammates are here, because you feel like you're in the clubhouse. But I know they have their reasons and I hope fans understand that it's not that they don't want to come. There was a reason and I know nobody else wants to be here more than them.
Before I forget, I want to say thanks to C.C. Sabathia, Granderson, Alex, the guys that came to me and says, "You're going to win it, don't worry, be relaxed." Like I say, it's always great to have people around you like that, not like, "Oh, this guy is going to go, don't care if he doesn't win."
Q. Can you just tell us about, it's obviously exciting to win this event, but the way you won it, as you mentioned, breaking the record, hitting the home runs and then those Yankees against Red Sox and the whole drama.
ROBINSON CANO: You know, I never thought that it was Red Sox and Yankees. I know that I was facing Gonzalez, but I don't have that in my mind, because it's like I said, I always focus on winning. But now that I went so far away to the end, now you have to put in your mind that you are going to win. You don't want to waste almost 40 swings to say, wow, congratulations to another person. You want to beat the total, take that trophy, and that's a trophy that you can show to your kids when you retire or one day they grow up.
Q. You displayed a lot of power, and also you were quite consistent, getting off to a good start and you kept it rolling. Was that one of the main keys?
ROBINSON CANO: Well, the main key was every time I done my round, I went in the training room and told the trainer if I can get a stretch, put a heat pad on my back so that way I get loose all the time, and also want to thank the trainer, he did a great job. That's the thing, you've got to be always positive, try to stay loose and stretch yourself.
Like I say, I don't want to say that I win the trophy. I want to say that my dad has won the trophy.
Q. For Raquelle, you are sitting there next to a girl wearing a Red Sox hat, and although he said the rivalry was not that important, what was it like for you two sitting there watching this?
RAQUELLE: It was -- I don't know, it was sort of --
ROBINSON CANO: It's all right. Take your time. Take your time. (Laughter.)
TODD FISCHER: Were you rooting for Robinson all the way?
RAQUELLE: Yeah.
Q. How cool was this for you guys to be able to sit there and watch it?
RAQUELLE: It was cool. I liked it. It was awkward because we were -- I don't know, against each other, I guess, and we were the last two.
Q. For you, in terms of your career and the development of it, winning the Home Run Derby, does it have importance for you in terms of your career overall?
ROBINSON CANO: Yeah, of course. It's like one of the dreams come true, because it's always good to be here, but to win it, like I said before, it don't matter how much money you make, how long you play.
But those are the kind of things, the memories that you can bring home and always share with your family, not only now, but when you retire, you can look, you can look over and say, "Wow, I was good back in the day" (Laughter). Because I got a trophy. But when you don't have anything, you just look, wow, my son made a good play one day, I was at the Derby. But this is a good memory and something that I'm always going to have in my mind and my heart.
Q. From throwing Robby batting practice all those years, did you know where he likes the ball to try to hit home runs?
JOSE CANO: Sure. He asked me to throw it inside and low. I said, that's the way I throw you the whole year, so it's going to be easy for me. ROBINSON CANO: I might bring him to New York. (Smiling broadly).
Q. What was it like for to you have three of your teammates out there? They looked like they were more excited about this than you were. ROBINSON CANO: That was great. That was great the way they support me from the beginning. They said, "Hey, dude, I got you."
I said, "Man, if you don't got me, something must be wrong, because I'm your teammate." And he was laughing about it, Granderson before we left New York, he told me, "I've got Robby to win it." And you know that you're people go down, you can step up and win it.
Q. It looked like he said, "I love you, dad," when he tied Gonzalez; what did that mean to you?
JOSE CANO: We counted every home run he hit today and when Gonzalez got 11 home runs, I'm for sure that we are not going to win, because the way he hit the ball and the way he feel today, every time he hit a home run in the last round, I said, ten more, nine more, eight more, and when he got the last one, I said, "Just one, just give me the one, that's it."
ROBINSON CANO: So can we split the trophy half and half? (Laughter.)
Q. There's a lot of fun things in right field, the pool and --
ROBINSON CANO: Don't forget the Miller Lite sign. (laughter) say that again?
Q. How fun was that?
ROBINSON CANO: It was a lot of fun. I already told you in the beginning that I can hit the ball that far, I can hit it out of the park but not like that. I know for sure that I surprised my dad and everyone, because I know a lot of people, besides my teammates, they told me that I can win this Derby. But it's like I said, you never know, and we are here.
Q. Since you mentioned it, which was the favorite one you hit? Was it the Miller Lite sign?
ROBINSON CANO: Yeah that, was my favorite one. I'm going to have that in my mind for the next two or three weeks.
I wonder how far could it be, that in New York?
Q. It said 472.
ROBINSON CANO: Wow. (Laughter.) That was the longest one I hit, right?
JOSE CANO: Twice.
ROB BUTCHER: Thank you very much.