Iowa's Airborne Hunting Act Violation Slapped On Low-Flying Pilots

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors hope to use a rarely enforced federal law to punish two Iowa pilots whose low flying disturbed thousands of resting migratory birds in a case that centers on this question: Is it a crime to harass animals?
In a case drawing attention from bird lovers, two Des Moines men have been charged with violating a federal law that prohibits using aircraft to harass animals. A judge is expected to decide soon whether the Airborne Hunting Act is constitutional. Attorneys for the two men, Paul Austin and Craig Martin, say it's not.
Among the questions being debated: Are birds capable of feeling harassment? And if harassing birds is a crime, wouldn't Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger have violated the law when he accidentally struck a flock of geese before famously landing his plane safely on the Hudson River?
Both sides agree Austin and Martin were flying low on Nov. 16 as they passed over Saylorville Lake, a reservoir north of Des Moines known for birdwatching. Tens of thousands of pelicans, ducks, geese and other birds stop there every fall to rest and feed before continuing south.
A natural resources specialist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the lake, saw the two planes pass about 20 feet above the water, disrupting thousands of white pelicans and other birds. Once the birds settled on another part of the lake, the planes passed by again, sending them back into flight, prosecutors said.
Natural resources specialist Jonathan Wuebker snapped photographs and eventually cited Austin and Martin for flying "in a careless, negligent or reckless manner" over protected land.
Then in February, a grand jury indicted the men on charges of violating the Airborne Hunting Act, which carries up to one year in jail. Prosecutors also aim to seize their small planes — a 1974 Magnus Bowers Fly Baby and a 1946 Aeronca.

Prosecutors say the law applies even though the pilots weren't hunting because its ban on harassment makes it a crime "to disturb, worry, molest, rally, concentrate, harry, chase, drive, herd, or torment" animals with a plane. Wuebker compared it to using a car to chase deer through a field.

"When it is intentional or blatantly obvious, I would definitely consider that harassment. But that's not my decision," he said, noting trial is scheduled for May 30.
Austin and Martin have asked a judge to dismiss the case, arguing the law is unconstitutionally vague. In a court filing, defense attorneys said it "seems doubtful" that animals experience the kind of human emotional response necessary to feel harassed. And how can pilots know?
"Flying is what birds do. Who can say if the bird is pleased or annoyed to have taken flight? Indeed, who can say whether the bird's flight was the result of any cognition and not just impulse?" they asked.
Austin's attorney, William Ortman, said Monday that the law doesn't draw a clear line between legal and illegal behavior.
In court documents, defense attorneys noted that planes routinely strike birds on accident. They cited the 2009 incident in which Sullenberger successfully ditched US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River after a flock of geese hit it following takeoff. Under the government's theory, they argued, Sullenberger "likely 'harassed' the flock of birds that downed his plane, and he probably 'harassed' fish when he arrived in the Hudson."
Martin's attorney and a spokesman for the prosecution did not immediately return phone messages.
In a filing last week, assistant U.S. Attorney Cliff Wendel rejected the idea that Congress meant to punish pilots for something "so common and unavoidable" as bird strikes. But he said reasonable pilots know that flying planes at a low altitude above thousands of resting birds would be considered harassment. It's like one famous legal definition of pornography, he said: you know it when you see it.
People know when they're harassing someone, "whether it's an older brother picking on his little sister; a baseball pitcher intending to hit the batter; or two pilots, flying their airplanes 20 feet above the ground, while making two passes that both times cause 6,000 migratory birds to flee from their resting place," Wendel wrote. Robert Johns, a spokesman for the American Bird Conservancy, said Saylorville Lake was an important resting spot for migrating white pelicans and "this sort of behavior should not be tolerated."

Delmon Young suspended 7 games

DETROIT -- Delmon Young was suspended by Major League Baseball on Monday for seven days without pay following his arrest on a hate crime harassment charge last week in New York.

Young

The commissioner's office said the suspension is retroactive to Friday, when Young was arrested after a late-night tussle at his hotel during which police say he yelled anti-Semitic epithets.
"Those associated with our game should meet the responsibilities and standards that stem from our game's stature as a social institution," commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. "An incident like this cannot and will not be tolerated. I understand that Mr. Young is regretful, and it is my expectation that he will learn from this unfortunate episode."
The statement from the commissioner's office also said that Young would be required to participate in a treatment program.
Young is eligible for reinstatement from the restricted list May 4.
The suspension will cost Young approximately $257,240 of his $6,725,000 salary.
Speaking before the Tigers game against the Kansas City Royals was postponed by rain, Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski said Young will not appeal the ruling and that he will not face additional discipline by the team when he comes off the restricted list Friday.
"Under the (collective bargaining agreement), there's no dual discipline," he said. "He'll be activated and ready to play on Friday. If he's not in the lineup, that will be the manager's decision. He's been working out over the weekend, and took batting practice today, so he'll be physically ready on Friday."

“ Those associated with our game should meet the responsibilities and standards that stem from our game's stature as a social institution. An incident like this cannot and will not be tolerated. I understand that Mr. Young is regretful, and it is my expectation that he will learn from this unfortunate episode.

Around 2:30 a.m. Friday, Young was standing outside the team hotel in New York. Nearby, a group of about four Chicago tourists staying at the hotel were approached by a panhandler wearing a yarmulke and a Star of David around his neck, according to police.
Afterward, as the group walked up to the hotel doors, Young started yelling anti-Semitic epithets, police said.
It was not clear whom Young was yelling at, but he got into a scuffle with the Chicago group, and a 32-year-old man was tackled and sustained scratches to his elbows, according to police and the criminal complaint.
Both Young and the group went inside the hotel, and at some point, police were called, and Young was arrested, police said. Young was first taken to a hospital because he was believed to be intoxicated, police said.
Young apologized to his teammates and fans in a statement before being arraigned hours after his arrest.
Dombrowski did not know any of the details of the treatment program. It is not known if Young would undergo sensitivity training, treatment for alcohol and anger issues or some combination.
"We have not been told those details, and we might never know all of them," he said. "When Miguel (Cabrera) was in a similar program last spring, I never saw the entire treatment program. The team is just told what they need to know to facilitate the player's work in the program."

Notes from the backstretch: Decision on Mark Valeski's status won't come until Wednesday

LOUISVILLE — For plenty of people in the Thoroughbred business, simply getting their horse into the Kentucky Derby would be reason enough to pay the entry fee.
Despite decades of trying to raise a horse with classic potential, Airdrie Stud owner and former Kentucky Governor Brereton Jones does not want to be one of those people.
With $260,000 in graded earnings to his credit, Jones' colt Mark Valeski has earned a spot in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. Still, trainer Larry Jones said Sunday he and his owner would need to see something special from the Louisiana Derby runner-up in his final serious work to ensure the son of Proud Citizen would be entered on Wednesday.
Mark Valeski was one of five Derby hopefuls on the Churchill Downs work tab Monday morning. Even after the bay colt covered 5 furlongs in 1:00.20 under former jockey Larry Melancon, both Joneses remained non-committal, saying they would probably wait until Wednesday to make a final call.
"I'm not going to guarantee that we're in or out," Larry Jones said. "Tomorrow will tell more and we'll know, really, on Wednesday morning when I get on him. Especially if he tries to buck me off coming off that track, then he's in the gate."
Mark Valeski is not known for being a strong work horse by himself, so Melancon got after him early, working through fractions of :11.60, :23.40, :35.20 and :47.60. The 6-furlong gallop-out was caught in 1:14.60.
"You have to pay $50,000 to run against 19 other horses. So you better think you're loaded for bear," said Brereton Jones, who has never had a Derby starter. "This is a really good horse and he's getting better all the time but you better be at your best for the Derby.
"He's not drinking water after the work so that shows he wasn't really exerting himself."
Grade I winner Creative Cause, who arrived on Saturday, put in just the right amount of effort trainer Mike Harrington was hoping for Monday, breezing 4 furlongs in :47.80. The son of Giant's Causeway, third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs last November, ticked off splits of :12.60, :24.60, and :36 with a gallop-out 1:01.20.
"I couldn't ask him to work any better than he worked, and I think he did it fairly easily," Harrington said. "It wasn't like my rider was asking him for his life. The best thing is the way he handled the racetrack, so I'm just hoping Saturday the track is like it was today."
While Creative Cause and Mark Valeski came out following the renovation break, trainer Steve Asmussen sent his duo of Sabercat and Daddy Nose Best out shortly after the track opened. Sabercat, winner of last year's Delta Jackpot, went first, breezing 4 furlongs in :48.40 with Sunland Derby winner Daddy Nose Best covering the same distance in :49.40.
"It's amazing how similar these two horses are," Asmussen said. "At every stage, both of them. They showed up on the same van ride, they worked together six to ten times last spring and fall and both of them had two starts at Churchill in the Spring.
"When you look at where they're at here, I like the confidence level of Daddy Nose Best, the spacing of his races. And I like the experience that Sabercat has gotten with the travel and the dirt that he's taken. I think they both have a lot of positives going for them."
One day after his stablemate Bodemeister put in his final drill, the Bob Baffert-trained Liaison covered 5 furlongs in 1:00.80 working in company with Mile High Magic. The son of Indian Charlie put in splits of :24.80, :37.20, and :48.80 with a gallop-out in 1:13.20, finishing on even terms with his workmate.
After winning the Grade I CashCall Futurity in December, Liaison has had a rough sophomore campaign, clipping heels and losing his rider in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, finishing fourth in the San Felipe and coming home sixth in the Santa Anita Derby.
"Today, he looked more like a Derby horse than he has in the last couple of months. I was pretty excited with the way he went," Baffert said. "He still has a ways to go, but the way he went today I think definitely he deserves a chance to run in the Kentucky Derby. All systems are go."
Dorochenko eyeing Oaks
Milania, fourth in the 7 -furlong Grade II Beaumont at Keeneland, worked a half-mile in :48.20 over the all-weather surface at Arlington Park on Monday. The Bernardini filly, out of 1998 Kentucky Oaks winner Keeper Hill, remains under consideration for the Kentucky Oaks, trainer Gennadi Dorochenko said.
"We'll see tomorrow," Dorochenko told reporters. "You ask so many questions, like FBI agent."

New York's Freedom Tower Hits Milestone

NEW YORK—One World Trade Center, the giant monolith being built to replace the twin towers destroyed in the Sept. 11 attacks, will lay claim to the title of New York City's tallest skyscraper on Monday.

Photos: One WTC's Rise

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Ramin Talaie for The Wall Street Journal

One World Trade Center, built to replace the towers destroyed Sept. 11, 2001, on Monday gets steel columns to make it New York City's tallest building. Once finished, it will be one of the world's highest.

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• Metropolis: Why New York's Tallest Doesn't Measure Up

Workers will erect steel columns that will make its unfinished skeleton a little over 1,250 feet high, just enough to peak over the roof of the observation deck on the Empire State Building.
The milestone is a preliminary one. Workers are still adding floors to the so-called Freedom Tower and it isn't expected to reach its full height for at least another year, at which point it is likely to be declared the tallest building in the U.S., and third tallest in the world.
Those bragging rights, though, will carry an asterisk.
Crowning the world's tallest buildings is a little like picking the heavyweight champion in boxing. There is often disagreement about who deserves the belt.
In this case, the issue involves the 408-foot-tall needle that will sit on the tower's roof. Count it, and the World Trade Center is back on top. Otherwise, it will have to settle for No. 2, after the Willis Tower in Chicago.
"Height is complicated," said Nathaniel Hollister, a spokesman for the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats, a Chicago-based organization considered an authority on such records.
Experts and architects have long disagreed about where to stop measuring super-tall buildings outfitted with masts, spires and antennas that extend far above the roof.
Consider the case of the Empire State Building: Measured from the sidewalk to the tip of its needle-like antenna, the granddaddy of all super-tall skyscrapers actually stands 1,454 feet high, well above the mark being surpassed by One World Trade Center on Monday.
Purists, though, say antennas shouldn't count when determining building height.
An antenna, they say, is more like furniture than a piece of architecture. Like a chair sitting on a rooftop, an antenna can be attached or removed. The Empire State Building didn't even get its distinctive antenna until 1952. The record books, as the argument goes, shouldn't change every time someone installs a new satellite dish.
Excluding the antenna brings the Empire State Building's total height to 1,250 feet. That was still high enough to make the skyscraper the world's tallest from 1931 until 1972.
From that height, the Empire State seems to tower over the second tallest completed building in New York, the Bank of America Tower. Yet, in many record books, the two skyscrapers are separated by just 50 feet.
That's because the tall, thin mast on top of the Bank of America building isn't an antenna, but a decorative spire.
Unlike antennas, record-keepers like spires. It's a tradition that harkens back to a time when the tallest buildings in many European cities were cathedrals. Groups like the Council on Tall Buildings, and Emporis, a building data provider in Germany, both count spires when measuring the total height of a building, even if that spire happens to look exactly like an antenna.
This quirk in the record books has benefited buildings like Chicago's recently opened Trump International Hotel and Tower. It is routinely listed as being between 119 to 139 feet taller than the Empire State Building, thanks to the antenna-like mast that sits on its roof, even though the average person, looking at the two buildings side by side, would probably judge the New York skyscraper to be taller.
The same factors apply to measuring the height of One World Trade Center.
Designs call for the tower's roof to stand at 1,368 feet—the same height as the north tower of the original World Trade Center. The building's roof will be topped with a 408-foot, cable-stayed mast, making the total height of the structure a symbolic 1,776 feet.
So is that needle an antenna or a spire?
"Not sure," wrote Steve Coleman, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the building.
The needle will, indeed, function as a broadcast antenna. It is described on the Port Authority's web site as an antenna. On the other hand, the structure will have more meat to it than your average antenna, with external cladding encasing the broadcast mast.
Without that spire, One World Trade Center would still be smaller than the Willis Tower in Chicago, formerly known as the Sears Tower, which tops out at 1,451 feet (not including its own antennas).
Neither of the Willis Tower nor One World Trade are as high as the CN Tower, in Toronto, which stands at 1,815 feet. That structure, however, isn't considered a building at all by most record-keepers, because it is predominantly a television broadcast antenna and observation platform with very little interior space.
The tallest manmade structure in the Western Hemisphere will continue to be the 2,063-foot-tall KVLY-TV antenna in Blanchard, N.D.

'Octomom' Files for Bankruptcy, Owes $30K in Rent

"Octomom" Nadya Suleman filed for bankruptcy Monday, saying in a court filing that she has as much as $1 million in debt.
Suleman wants a fresh start and said in a statement that filing for bankruptcy is what's best for her children, according to the Orange County Register
"I have had to make some very difficult decisions this year, and filing Chapter 7 was one of them," Suleman said.
The La Habra mother of 14 reports up to $50,000 in assets in federal court filings, which means she owes more than 20 times her net worth.
Suleman is filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which means a court-appointed trustee would liquidate her assets to pay off creditors before she is discharged from most of her debts.
Among others, Suleman owes money to her father, the city's water department, DirecTV and Whittier Christian School, where at least some of her children are students
Suleman also owes more than $30,000 in rent payments on her four-bedroom house.
The home's owner, Amer Haddadin, says his own credit has suffered as he allowed the home to go into foreclosure proceedings by not making the mortgage payments.
A foreclosure auction that was scheduled for Monday has been postponed for a week.
Suleman was in financial dire straits before the January 2009 birth of her octuplets brought her notoriety.
She lived with her mother in a three-bedroom house in Whittier that was in foreclosure proceedings at the time of the octuplets' birth.
The unemployed single mother had been supporting her six other children with the aid of food stamps and Social Security disability payments — sources of income that she continues to rely on.
Since the birth, she has cut deals with media outlets and posed in tabloid photo spreads to get by, touting a book and exercise videos that never materialized.
She earned $5,000 for promoting spaying and neutering for an animal rights group and was paid to take a beating in celebrity boxing matches.
In 2009, Suleman declined a million-dollar offer to appear in pornography.
Last month, semi-nude photos of Suleman ran alongside a paid interview in a British publication — a photo spread she defended in the tabloids, saying she wasn't ashamed of it.

Mayday! Mayday! "Mayday!" Bankers Panic Over May Day Demonstrations

"Mayday," which is used as a distress signal and derives from the French "m'aider ("come help me"), is being given new meaning by Wall Street and its Bankers in response to the upcoming "May Day" Occupy national protests.
This May Day demonstration will be the largest of its kind in a half-century and will take place in cities across the U.S. On May 1, 2012, tens of thousands of people throughout the U.S. and the world -- workers, students, immigrants, professionals, houseworkers -- employed and unemployed alike - will take to the streets to unite in a General Strike against "a system that does not work for us."
May Day is a holiday for the 99 percent. It is a day for people to come together, across all those lines which too often divide us -- race, class, gender, religion -- and challenge the systems that create these divisions.

The expected response from the City? Don't expect ticker-tape.
Being aware of the financial community's alarm and Mayor Bloomberg's mindset, I sought out one of New York City's most active volunteers (I was told she was "awesome" - and she is), Jackie DiSalvo, to determine the legitimacy of this hand-wringing and get a better idea of the "Occupy" side of this story.
I described to Jackie a recent Bloomberg Businessweek article titled "Wall Street Tracks 'Wolves' as May 1 Protests Loom" in which Brian McNary, a Pinkerton Global Risk director describes both Occupiers and the threat that "May Day" has for his banking clients and the need for "surveillance" of wild-eyed radicals.
"Banks cooperating on surveillance are like elk fending off wolves in Yellowstone National Park," he was quoted as saying... "While other animals try in vain to sprint away alone, elk survive attacks by forming a ring together," he declared.
As a spokesperson for the OWS Labor Outreach committee and member of the planning committee for the Mayday Solidarity March Coalition, she could only shake her head and sigh. "May Day, and Occupy, are both examples and manifestations of non-violent civil protest."
Pointedly, the extent to which Wall Street (and city government) will use their near-military police force to corral and subdue protestors will be the likely determiner as to how peaceful the protests will be.
(When I visited Union Square the other day for the student rally against $1 trillion in educational debt, there were close to 50 - FIFTY! - police cars surrounding the Park. If that is their response to several hundred people at a Student demonstration, what is in store for May 1?)

Are New York's Finest the "Hessians" of today?
Britain, in the American Revolutionary War, found it easier to go to German States to hire their armed military than to recruit their own citizens to fight an unpopular war. Wall Street must have taken note and put a more modern spin to this practice.
In 2010, JPMorgan gave the New York City Police Foundation the largest donation it has ever received -- $4.6 million. They outfitted over 1,000 officers with state-of-the-art laptops and communications tools. Donations are large and ongoing from Wall Street to the cops to this day... and one has to ask -- Is this not turning New York City's police department into the largest de-facto privately funded anti-protest army in the United States?
Will justification for police violence be concocted, as exampled by the police and the military actions taking place even today against protestors in Greece, Spain and the Middle East? Will the suppression of the "American Spring" begin on May Day?
Planning for exactly that possibility, New York City's Occupy has organized neighborhoods and sites into what it terms "Green, Yellow and Red" zones. The safest for protestors (from arrest and harassment) are designated green, the more problematical as yellow, and the more risky as red.
Is Green, Yellow, Red the New Red, White and Blue?
What will be your choice on that day? Green? Yellow? Red? Will you even be on the streets? Will you choose not to go to work or to school? Will you take a day off from shopping? Or, will you wisely (?) stay above the fray and come home to turn on the news to watch your more committed fellow citizen exercising for you the right to free speech and assembly?

Lakers' Jordan Hill charged

HOUSTON -- Los Angeles Lakers forward Jordan Hill faces a felony assault charge after an incident with his girlfriend in Houston.
Hill is charged with allegedly shoving and choking 28-year-old Darlene Luna, about 1 p.m. on Feb. 29 at his Houston apartment. Luna told police that the two had been dating for about two years. He was charged by Harris County prosecutors in March.
Hill will have to make an appearance in Houston to face the charge -- third-degree felony for assault on a family member by choking -- the Houston district attorney's office said.
The district attorney's office said that Hill faces a sentence of two to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. After paperwork is complete, a warrant for his arrest will be issued.
The Lakers have an off day in their first-round playoff series against the Nuggets before hosting Denver Tuesday.

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Hill was part of the trade that sent Derek Fisher to Houston March 15. The Rockets had a game the date of the incident but Hill did not dress for that game.
As word of the charge began to spread, two messages were posted on Hill's Twitter account: "Wowwwww," and "Unbelievable!!!!!!!!"
Hill later issued a statement.
"I'm saddened to learn of the accusations that were filed against me today," he said. "At this time I cannot comment further other than to say that my attorneys are working to gather all of the facts and evidence and I plan to cooperate completely with the authorities.
"I'd like to apologize to the Lakers organization and to all of their fans for the untimeliness of these accusations. I promise to keep my focus and attention on the playoffs during this time and to helping my team win another championship."
The Lakers also issued a statement later Monday.
"We are aware of the media reports alleging an incident involving Jordan Hill from two months ago when he was a member of the Houston Rockets," the statement read. "We do not have any details regarding these reports and therefore, as well as due to the personal and legal aspects, it would not be appropriate for us to comment. Any further inquiries regarding this should be directed to Jordan's representative."
Hill participated in Lakers practice Monday after meeting with Lakers coach Mike Brown and Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak to discuss the allegations.
"It's not that we were worried about his mental focus, we just told him we're behind him and let the legal process handle it however it needs to be handled," Brown said.
Brown said that, from his understanding, Hill would be available to play in Game 2 and did not anticipate Hill's role as the first big man off the bench in the Lakers' rotation changing moving forward.
Both Hill and Brown said they did not expect Hill to be absent from any games or practices as the case unfolds.
"But again, it's something that's not in my control and if he has to miss, then he has to miss," Brown said.
Hill is in his third year in the league out of Arizona. He has career averages of 5.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per

Cinco de Mayo Food, Drink and Events In Connecticut

It's a day for potent margaritas, flavorful Mexican fare and revelry. Here's a sampling of what's going on in the region.
Agave Grill, 100 Allyn Street, Hartford, will have specials on Dos Equis drafts and Avion tequila (silver, reposado and anejo.) The restaurant will also feature an ice luge Saturday. 860-882-1557, agavehartford.com.
At Besito, 46 South Main Street, West Hartford, the party starts early with two-for-one margaritas from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. through Thursday, May 3. On Friday, dining guests can enter to win a dinner for 8 people.

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On Saturday, specials include tiacoyo de pollo ($10; queso fresco filled fresh tortilla topped with chicken in a poblano cream,) lobster empanadas with mango salsa verde ($12) and pescado enfrijolado ($26; seared mahi mahi over mashed boniato and a black bean jalapeno salsa.)

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And on Sunday, the Cinco de Mayo brunch starts at 11 a.m., with 2-for-1 margaritas from noon to 2 p.m. and live music. 860-233-2500, besitomex.com.

Geronimo Tequila Bar & Southwest Grill, 271 Crown Street, New Haven, offers a weeklong menu of $5 food and tequila specials, including "buffalo nickels" (mini bison burgers); goat, pork belly and brisket tacos. On Saturday, Cuco the Donkey makes an appearance from noon to 5 p.m., with photo opportunities and T-shirt giveaways. 203-777-7700, geronimobarandgrill.com.

Haight-Brown Vineyard, 29 Chestnut Hill Road, Litchfield, adds sangria (made from the winery's Picnic Red,) chips and salsa to its Saturday offerings. Get all 3 for 10 (or a glass of sangria for $6.) 860-567-4045, haightvineyards.com. 

Litchfield Saltwater Grille, 26 Commons Drive (Rt. 202) Litchfield, runs a three-course themed lunch Saturday for $20 ($15 for seniors.) The menu includes choice of soup (chilled melon cilantro or black bean) entree (grilled salmon with chimichurri sauce or chicken sopes) and dessert (dulce de leche bananas and cream or mango sorbet.) Margarita and beer specials are available all day. 860-567-4900, litchfieldsaltwatergrille.org.

Margaritas, 350 Roberts Street, East Hartford, marks the holiday with several pre-Cinco promotions. On Friday at midnight, the restaurant hosts a special toast to Cinco at midnight. Saturday's event, the restaurant's 25th annual Cinco celebration, features an all-day party. 860-289-7212, margs.com.

The Russian Lady, 191 Ann Uccello Street, Hartford, hosts a Cinco de Mayo party Saturday, kicking off at noon. Specials include "lime bowling" in the billiards room, a taco bar, $3 Coronas and a pub crawl (within the rooms of the building) starting at 9 p.m. 860-247-LADY, russianladyhartford.com.

Oaxaca Kitchen, with two locations in New Haven and Westport, features all-day happy hour specials, a DJ starting at 11 am and giveaways and freebies. oaxacakitchen.com.

SolToro Tequila Grill at Mohegan Sun crowns the winner of its Perfect Margarita contest Saturday. The winners of each semi-final competition are invited back to mix their drinks, and the grand-prize winner will be awarded $1,000 in prizes. The winning drink will be on SolToro's menu for a full year.

During the event, Coronas are on special for $4. Also, guests with a May birthday receive a free margarita Saturday, with ID/proof of birthdate. 860-862-4800, soltororestaurant.com.

The patio is open at Taqueria Tavern, 140 Park Road, West Hartford, which will run Cinco de Mayo specials all day Saturday. 860-899-1981, taqueriatavern.com.

Bring friends to share TD Homer's "Monster Margarita," a 54-ounce drink with white tequila, house margarita mix and triple sec topped off with flaming Bacardi 151. 461 Queen Street, Southington. 860-329-0387, tdhomers.com.

Amare Stoudemire lacerates hand after New York Knicks’ loss to Miami Heat

The sad reality for the Knicks: Amare Stoudemire administered far more damage to his hand — and an AmericanAirlines fire extinguisher — than his Knicks have done to the Heat so far in this playoff series.
As if falling down 0-2 against the Heat wasn’t discouraging enough, Stoudemire made matters worse after the game when he sustained a lacerated left hand when he took out his frustrations on a glass enclosure around a fire extinguisher in the hallway outside the visitors’ locker room.
Doctors and paramedics were summoned, but Stoudemire was not taken to the hospital, according to the Knicks. J.R. Smith said Stoudemire required stitches. Stoudemire was seen leaving the arena with his hand bandaged and his arm in a sling.
When reporters were allowed into the locker room after a much longer than usual 35-minute wait, there were drops of blood on a hallway inside.
Knicks coach Mike Woodson and players would not say how Stoudemire was injured, and Woodson said he’s not sure how serious the injury is.
But center Tyson Chandler said, “I just know he has a laceration and he is probably going to be out.
“You can’t fault anybody because Amare is a good person that has high emotions at times. One quick decision-making mistake, and now you’ve got to deal with repercussions.’’
Stoudemire said on Twitter after the game: "I am so mad at myself right now. I want to apologize to the fans and my team. Not proud of my actions, headed home for a fresh start."
New York forward Carmelo Anthony — who said he knew nothing about Stoudemire’s injury — did his part Monday, rebounding from a brutal Game 1 (11 points, 3-for-15 shooting) to produce 30 points and nine rebounds in Game 2.
Anthony was brilliant offensively in a 21-point first half but couldn’t replicate that in the second half, mustering only nine points after intermission.
He didn’t get nearly enough support from many of his teammates, as New York suffering the ignominious feat of equaling the NBA record for consecutive playoff losses, with 12.
The Memphis Grizzlies set the record from 2004 to 2006.
The Heat flummoxed Anthony in Game 1 by often fronting him, denying him the ball at times, and sometimes sending over a second defender.
New York countered that in Game 2 by running more pick-and-rolls (some involving Stoudemire) and by having Anthony often initiate offense on the perimeter. Unlike in Game 1, many of Anthony’s shots came off the dribble.
That approach worked in the first half, with Anthony shooting 9 of 18 from the field. At one point, Anthony nailed three consecutive jumpers over Shane Battier.
Anthony shot 1 for 5 in the third quarter, missing three jumpers. In the fourth quarter, he shot 2 for 3 and scored six points.
“I missed some shots,” Anthony said. “They weren’t going to allow me to score 40 or 50.”
Anthony insisted “the series is still up in the air. It’s their home court. It’s our turn now. We can’t wait to get back and protect home court. We’ve got to keep everybody positive. It’s far from over.”
• Chandler told Woodson he was feeling “great” after being hindered by the flu in Game 1. “I was just like a zombie out there [Saturday].”
Chandler, who went scoreless in 21 minutes Saturday, was more energetic in Game 2, closing with 13 points and seven rebounds. But in the center matchup, Chris Bosh had the better offensive game (21 points) Tuesday.
• Point guard Baron Davis (stiff back) started but said he wasn’t close to 100 percent. He had 12 points and six assists.
• Landry Fields replaced injured Iman Shumpert as New York’s starting shooting guard and could neither slow Dwyane Wade nor contribute much offensively. Wade called Fields one of the best cutters in the league. Fields scored two points, missing four of five shots.

Five-Year Engagement Performing Poorly, Should Jason Segel Give Up Writing?

Early box office numbers have started trickling in, and it seems Jason Segel’s newest project The Five-Year Engagement isn’t exactly the biggest hit with fans. The former Freaks And Geeks star’s previous two writing/ starring vehicles Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Muppets both did more than one hundred million dollars in worldwide business, but with projections putting his latest endeavor at barely ten million for its opening weekend, it's unlikely this newest effort will see anywhere close to that.

Unfortunately for Segel, critics, long champions of the actor, weren’t blown away either. The Five-Year Engagement hasn’t exactly been trashed by critics, but most reviews have been tepid at best, nearly all pointing out its runtime drags a bit. While I would somewhat agree with that criticism, I still found the movie endearing and funny, and I’m a bit puzzled by the widespread lack of interest. Segel, both on his television show and in his films, has really had a way of connecting with audiences, and Emily Blunt, a rising star in her own right, projected to be the perfect woman to start opposite him.

Segel may have a habit of trying to fit overly complex stories into longer runtimes, especially for comedies, but I truly think his perspective deserves to be out there. His characters always have a mix of humanity and wit about them. I would be very disappointed if The Five-Year Engagement’s failure to rake in money harms studios’ willingness to give him creative control in the future, but given Segel's talents at acting, it is a fair question to wonder if his time would be better spent in front of the camera rather than starting on new films from scratch.

What do you think? Would Jason Segel be better served by focusing on acting rather than writing, or is he better when he does both? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

Durant's game-winner helps Thunder shake off Mavericks

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Kevin Durant was determined to not let the Oklahoma City Thunder lose another playoff game at home to Dallas.

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He scored 25 points and hit the winning jumper from the foul line with 1.5 seconds left to give the Thunder a 99-98 victory over the Mavericks on Saturday night in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series — a rematch of last year's Western Conference finals.

The Thunder trailed by seven with 2½ minutes left before rallying to take the first step toward avenging a 4-1 series loss a year ago.

• PHOTOS: NBA playoffs first round gallery

"It's the playoffs," Durant said. "No matter how it gets done, you've got to do it."

With his team trailing by one late in the fourth quarter, he forced his way toward the lane and found himself with defenders closing in and the clock winding down.

Durant maneuvered to the free throw line and got off a high-arcing shot over Shawn Marion that hit off the front of the rim and then off the backboard before falling through the net.

The defending NBA champion Mavericks, who were out of timeouts, could not get a shot off before the buzzer.

"If you have a timeout, you can move the ball (to half-court) and maybe have a look at it," said Dirk Nowitzki, who had hit two free throws with 9 seconds left to put Dallas ahead. "But if you don't have a timeout, that's definitely a buzzer-beater."

Nowitzki scored 11 of his 25 points in the final 5 minutes, going on a personal 7-1 run that made it 92-85 with 3:23 to go.

He then answered Russell Westbrook's layup with a foul line jumper to restore the seven-point advantage, but it didn't prove to be enough.

"It's tough. This is definitely as tough of a loss as you can get," Nowitzki said. "But if a team can recover it, it's an experienced one and we definitely have a lot of older guys who have been through a lot."

Westbrook led the Thunder with 28 points and Serge Ibaka had 22 points and five blocks. James Harden scored 19 points in his first game since sustaining a concussion when the Los Angeles Lakers' Metta World Peace hit him with an elbow last Sunday and earned a seven-game suspension.

Dallas' Jason Terry added 20 points — but none in the fourth quarter — and Marion had 17.

"We're going to keep coming at these guys. Trust me, we're going to keep going at 'em," coach Rick Carlisle said. "We have a tough-minded team. We have a locker room full of champions."

The second-seeded Thunder played catch-up most of the night, and Durant led the charge on the final push of seven straight Oklahoma City points before his right-handed slam tied it at 94 with 1:27 remaining.

Dallas went back ahead with an out-of-control possession, with Harden knocking the ball away from Jason Kidd and then Nowitzki losing it, too, before Vince Carter missed a desperation baseline jumper. Ian Mahinmi rebounded the miss and got fouled, stepping to the line to hit two free throws with 1:03 to play.

Durant drove to set up Ibaka's three-point play at the other end, bumping the Thunder ahead 97-96. Nowitzki committed his second turnover of the final 3 minutes and Durant missed along the baseline before the two All-Stars came through in the clutch — with Durant getting the last chance.

"It was a great shot," Harden said. "It saved the game for us. I don't think we played well … but he saved us at the end."

Back in December, Durant hit the third buzzer-beater of his career — and the most recent until Saturday night — on a 3-pointer to beat Dallas 104-102 in the fourth game of the regular season.

"I was all over him. He couldn't even get a look at the rim," Marion said. "He just threw it up there and got a nice little bounce and it went in."

Afterward, Carlisle second-guessed his decision not to double-team Durant but he was more focused on the series of mistakes that allowed the lead to slip away — including Nowitzki's turnovers and the defense that allowed Ibaka's two three-point plays 53 seconds apart.

"We made mistakes you can't make down the stretch. The last shot always gets magnified, but we made some uncharacteristic mistakes that we're not going to make any more in this series," Carlisle said. "We can't."

Nowitzki had dominated last year's West finals, averaging 32.2 points and 11.8 in the fourth quarter. Dallas won both games in Oklahoma City a season ago and overcame fourth-quarter deficits of 15 and eight points in the final two games.

This time, the roles were reversed.

"I thought we had our chances, and we've got to create our own breaks. It felt like all season long, for some reason, the other teams were making one more play, one more bounce," Nowitzki said. "We've got to come up and grab them.

"We were right there. The game was there for the taking. We needed one more play that we didn't come up with."

Notes: A shot originally ruled a 3-pointer by Terry in the final minute of the first quarter was corrected to a 2 when instant replay showed his left foot was on the line. … Oklahoma City won three of the four regular-season games between the teams. … Backup center Nazr Mohammed was dropped from the Thunder rotation. He played in 63 of 66 regular-season games but didn't play in the final two games against Dallas despite being healthy. … Dallas' biggest lead was eight on multiple occasions. Oklahoma City never led by more than four.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Avery's Bucket List Blog Raises Awareness Of The Disease, But What Is It?

A newborn baby's battle with spinal muscular atrophy inspired her parents to start a bucket list blog.
HULIQ reports on Avery's Bucket List blog, a site that aims to spread awareness of Avery's illness, which progressively weakens muscle function. Avery's doctors told her parents that the five-month-old has 18 months to live.
"Imagine you've been diagnosed with an incurable genetic disease and you are told you will not only lose your ability to walk and move your arms, but you will die between now and the next 18 months. What would you do?" Avery's parents write in her voice on the blog.
But what exactly is this rare disease?
Spinal Muscular Atrophy occurs in three different types, according to the National Library of Medicine. The disease attacks nerve cells in the spine, Medline Plus explains, affecting voluntary muscle movement, like walking or crawling. "Infants with SMA type I are born with very little muscle tone, weak muscles, and feeding and breathing problems," the NLM notes.
It's a genetic disease that usually comes from a defective gene in both parents, according to the NLM. SMA affects 4 out of every 100,000 people.
A family history of neuromuscular disease, flaccid muscles and twitches of the tongue muscles could all be signs of the disease, which can also affect children.

10 Weird Cinco De Mayo Sports Videos: Fan's View

Depending on where you live, Cinco de Mayo can be a wonderful day spent with family or out on the town for a city-wide celebration. While most of these festivities are wholesome, others are off the charts -- and somehow manage to add sports. Thankfully, Youtube gives us over 10 chances to view these bizarre Cinco de Mayo homages.

1. Identifying with Cinco de Mayo culture

One of the first steps to having a great Cinco de Mayo is identifying with one of the traditions of the celebrations. Of course, if you are like this man, your idea of contributing to festivities is by smashing something. In this case, the thing that is smashed is a pinata.

2. Pinata baseball fantasy league

It can be difficult figuring out a way to get people on board with your Cinco de Mayo party this year. Although it is just a couple of people with a crutch and a pinata, the idea of pinata baseball may work for you and your friends. Either way, the people in this video make it look like fun.

3. Doing the Cinco de Mayo shuffle

A few years ago, kids started doing a dance called shuffling and uploading the videos to YouTube. Its nice to see kids use free time to do something active, but the Cinco de Mayo shuffling video is intense.

4. Overly fancy softball team

If you like to listen to music while you exercise, understand that there really is a point where you can go too far. A good example is hiring a mariachi band for your informal softball league to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. On the other hand, watching the video may sway you to believe that this is not such a bad idea after all.

5 - 6. Cinco de Mayo exercise inspiration

After attending A Taste of Cinco de Mayo, you may have some extra calories to burn off. For this reason, be on alert that there seems to be an ongoing association between exotic exercise classes and Cinco de Mayo. In particular, the Bel Air Athletic Club Cinco de Mayo Zumba Fitness Party in Maryland had hundreds of attendants. Adding to this is the Bartlesville Jazzercise Club that mixes Cha Cha to their routine in order to make it more Cinco de Mayo oriented.

7. Odd Cinco de Mayo skateboarding trend

One of the strangest trends is for skateboarding videos to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Like so many odd Cinco de Mayo videos, the idea with skateboarding tributes is that you can add one element from Mexico and instantly make it Cinco de Mayo appropriate. For example, this group of kids shows plenty of skateboarding while wearing a luchador mask and eating Mexican food at a visit to Taco Bell.

8. Cinco de Mayo DIY Olympics

One group of kids and adults decided that there needed to be a Cinco de Mayo Olympics. They started filming in 2008 and never stopped. Each of the events includes something weird such as shrub jumping. Even when they look kind of boring, there is some twist (or zip tie) that manages to make it funny.

9. Derby City bartender acrobatics

Kentucky has a strong tradition in distilled spirits and sometimes shares Cinco de Mayo with the Kentucky Derby. On years that the Derby does not fall on Cinco de Mayo, there are still plenty of ways Louisville shows their respects to Mexico's liquor traditions. In particular, the Makers Mark Lounge sponsors a Cinco De Mayo Flair Challenge. To win, bartenders are expected to amaze the crowd with their Margarita mixing juggling acts.

10. Cinco de Mayo fireworks are golf flame throwers

Are you looking for a dangerous way to combine sports and fire? If you are like these people, lighting flammable liquids and using golf clubs to kick a lighter into a fire is your way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. However, this is most likely illegal everywhere in the world -- and therefore the weirdest way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo on the planet.

Cinco de Mayo 2012 strange sporting event

For 2012, if you want to get a weird mix of sports and Cinco de Mayo, you can forego the Kentucky Derby and go fishing instead. Hosted by Playboy's Miss July 2010, Shanna McLaughlin, the 2012 Cinco de Mayo KDW Fishing Tournament is a profitable day for winners. All entry fees benefit Wounded Warriors of South Florida and participants get "$30,000.00 in cash and prizes, as well as a shot at the $100,000.00 IGFA World Record Grand Prize

Barack Obama Shouts Out Young Jeezy At White House Correspondents Dinner

(AllHipHop News) Young Jeezy finally received a well-deserved nod from President Obama at the White House Correspondants Dinner Saturday night.

After being asked what would happen a second term, the president joked to the glee of the audience in attendance.

“In my first term, I sang Al Green; in my second term, I’m going with Young Jeezy,” the president quipped.

“My President” was the fourth single from Young Jeezy’s third album, The Recession. The album was recorded the day Barack Obama was confirmed as the Democratic presidential nominee.

The song also features Nas.

In 2008, Jeezy told MTV that he never expected to be recognized by the president.

“I’m a street cat 100 percent, but there’s certain things I had to distance myself between too if I wanna lead the way for the rest of us, if I wanna spit that game back to the ‘hood,” Jeezy said. ” … I don’t expect Obama to come send me a thank-you letter for the song. I feel like he did his thing, and I did what I could to help.”

Mother's Day 2012 Fashion: Nobis scarves, jackets and hats

Best find for spring 2012 fashion in terms of value hands down is the affordable and chic line of jackets, accessories and more from Nobis, a Canadian retailer that is exceptional in concept and execution of covetable gorgeous gifts for discerning women.

Mother's Day is on Sunday, May 13, 2012, and there is time to seek out the best in under the radar finds that totally rock and make momma look like a million bucks.

Criteria that we love? Always for Monsters and Critics, it is preferable that the items are Canadian or American-made.
Best find for spring 2012 fashion in terms of value hands down is the affordable and chic line of jackets, accessories and more from Nobis, a Canadian retailer that is exceptional in concept and execution of covetable gorgeous gifts for discerning women.
Scarves make an ordinary outfit stylish and can change the whole vibe of what you are wearing. Plus the added bonus of keeping your neck (and rest of body) warm - even in spring - on a plane, in a theater or even grocery store is always welcome.
Nobis scarves were introduced to me by a fashion forward friend in New York who shared the goods. These linen beauties are lightweight, textured and stiff enough to be interesting for the looks you can make without being uncomfortable.

The two I fell in love with were the Savita, a large connected circle of salmon colored linen that can be arranged a hundred ways to cocoon or pop the neckline of your ensemble. 
Contrast french seam detailing with self-binding edges and Nobis branding on left side. One Size for the scarves, as the Savita is pretty neck candy and perfect for springing up any outfit. Have a look at Savita (http://nobis.ca/S12/products/Savita-red-1.html), the linen wrap scarf comes in a stunning salmon pink, and also olive and black.

The second scarf I loved was the Scout, a linen four panel stitched together like a regular scarf, but has that awesome Nobis linen body to it for a fabulous look to arrange.
Sandstone is the color of the season and works with darn near everything but black tie. The Scout (http://nobis.ca/S12/products/Scout-sandstone-2.html)  is shorter in length and not connected like Savita scarf.
Nobis' 2012 seasonal inspiration was built upon influences from big city energy to winding down weekend getaways and the wilderness. Their products are quality, functional, stylish premium collection of outerwear built to stand up to nature's elements.
Look for attention to details that make Nobis' 2012 collection stand apart, in designs that are timeless, authentic and unique. Their hats and headwear collection are distinct, classic styling and hip new shapes in soft, lightweight cotton/linen fabrics mixed with handcrafted straw weaves and textures.

Recommended for mom is the Nobis Wide Brim Sun Hat, handcrafted textured paper braid. Super wide brim for optimal shade plus speckled feather detailing with cork banding and trim. Nobis branding on left side with custom adjustable cotton sweatband for comfortable fit.

Also for cooler climates, please check out Justice classic Trench in Tan. Everyone needs a great trench coat that is modern in her wardrobe. This is it.
Polyurethane coated, DWR treated Cotton/Nylon outer shell, this is perfect for the Seattle and Portland moms with its maximum weather resistance, and the custom Nobis mesh liner for enhanced comfort features an interior zip stash pocket.
Add to that sharp welt hip pockets and pocket flaps and mouldable in-collar framing wire, functional shoulder epaulets, dustsheet front and back gunflap and sleeve detail and a beautifully made self fabric buckle belt on waist and cuff. It's super flattering on too.
Bonus for those not familiar with Nobis, the company offers a full warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. In the rare event the product has failed due to a manufacturing defect or component failure, they will repair the product without charge or replace if they feel it's necessary. (This warranty does not include repairs due to accidents, improper care, negligence, or normal wear and tear).

NFL draft: New Lion Riley Reiff, from small town, proves dreams do come true

On the morning of the biggest day of his life, Riley Reiff stopped by his old high school in Parkston, S.D., population 1,508, to remind himself where he came from and tell a couple of hundred students who look up to him where they can go.

Quiet and introverted, Reiff spoke for about 10 minutes to the entire Parkston school district student body, encouraging students to pursue their dreams in a speech counselor Jim Akre said resonated with everyone who heard it.

"It just means so much to our kids," Akre said. "When you grow up in a place like this, it's hard to connect to celebrity and to that level of success, and so I think it gives them all a little bit of hope inside."

When he was done, Reiff autographed some of the apparel he got at the NFL combine and handed it out to special-needs kids in the audience, then retreated nervously to his home where he couldn't bring himself to watch the draft.

• Related: More NFL draft coverage

A projected high first-round pick, Reiff slipped to 23 -- where the Lions jumped at the chance to take a potential cornerstone of future offensive lines, casting him into the spotlight again.

Reiff left the small family get-together at his Parkston home and dropped by his uncle's tavern, Boog's Bar, where he did a couple of interviews with the local TV stations and said thanks to the more than 200 people who crammed into the restaurant, some staking out tables as early as 2 p.m. to celebrate his big day.

"I take pride coming from South Dakota," Reiff said Friday at his introductory news conference in Detroit. "The people there, Parkston, S.D., I decided to celebrate this moment with them, with my family. And I had a blast. It was a great time (Thursday) night, and I'm very thankful the Detroit Lions drafted me."

Full speed ahead

The videotape came unsolicited and somehow made its way to Reese Morgan's hands, and when the former Iowa offensive line coach popped it in six years ago he was intrigued by what he saw.

Reiff was a little-known, big-bodied sophomore from South Dakota then who moved well enough and played physical enough to get on the Hawkeyes' recruiting radar.

Morgan made a few phone calls, and when he learned Reiff doubled as a state-championship wrestler, he figured it was time to visit Parkston High.

"I remember the first time going to wrestling practice and they didn't have enough guys to wrestle, so he's kind of wrestling the coach or whoever," said Morgan, who now coaches Iowa's defensive line. "Then they're doing conditioning at the end and the guy is outrunning everybody there in a little bitty wrestling room, and he's just running back and forth, just he won't lose. These younger guys are probably faster than him and quicker, and he just finds a way to win.

"The thing I liked about him, he's so tough, he's so competitive, and he's such a hard worker."

Reiff eventually signed with the Hawkeyes after a protracted recruiting battle -- he was set to go to Nebraska, but reconsidered when Bill Callahan was fired -- and four years later is the next in a long line of pro-ready Iowa linemen.

Like Bryan Bulaga, Marshal Yanda, Eric Steinbach and others before him, Reiff has the potential to start as a rookie even though he joins a Lions offensive line that returns all five of its starters for a third season together.

Where he'll play remains to be seen -- Lions coach Jim Schwartz called him a left tackle; some scouts think he's better suited for the right side -- but Reiff started games for Iowa at both tackle spots and left guard, and he manned the crucial left-tackle position the past two years.

He still has some rawness to his game. He was a tight end and defensive lineman in high school, and Bulaga, now the starting right tackle for the Packers, was stronger at the same stage of their careers.

But Reiff is more athletic and competitive than most of his Hawkeye predecessors, and driven to succeed.

"We do the same drills year-round during his career, and he would go as hard as he possibly could every drill," Morgan said. "He doesn't know any other way to go. Usually you think, 'OK, this guy's getting towards the end of his career, maybe he's going to (slow down).' But he just goes as absolute hard as he can.

"He never wants to be outworked. He's extremely tough. You watch tape of him, he likes to finish in the run game. ... He still has a lot of work to do with his pass pro and some other things, but just a great, great young man."

Reiff's parents, Tom, a retired teacher and coach who still drives a grain truck around town, and Jo, a hairstylist, and others who know him from Parkston said Reiff always has been self-motivated.

Tom Reiff said Riley sometimes writes words of wisdom to himself in tiny type on sheets of paper his wife finds around the house.

"Just, 'Do your best. Don't ever look back,' " Tom Reiff said. "He's had these steps in mind."

Video of Reiff

Reading this story on a mobile device? Click here to watch the video.

Akre said the two spent a lot of time talking about the responsibilities that come with success once college recruiters started descending on the school.

One day, Akre went to school to get some work in on a snow day and wound up fielding calls from Notre Dame, Stanford and Florida.

"I remember him saying to me one time, he said, 'Do you think I can play at that level?' " Akre said. "So I think there was some watershed moments there when all of a sudden maybe the things you dream about as a little kid, they become a possibility."

As a wrestler, Reiff went 121-1 with three state championships and would have won a fourth if he hadn't suffered a wrist injury and undergone surgery as a senior. Reiff said his only loss came as a freshman against a good friend who moved up a weight class to wrestle him.

"I wish I could get that one back," he said. "It pushed me quite a bit. If you lose in a wrestling match, there's not much you can do on the mat without embarrassing yourself, but it motivated me to work harder and put in more time."

Hard work never has been an issue for Reiff, who helped his father build their house when he was 9 and began working as a mason with his uncle in sixth grade.

In high school, Reiff worked for a handful of construction and restoration companies while participating in football, wrestling, golf and track -- he was the state's Gatorade player of the year in football as a senior -- and Morgan said he was one of Iowa's most consistent and dedicated players during his four years there.

"I don't think you'll find anybody that will outwork him," Morgan said. "There might be guys that are better, more talented, but I think he's going to come to work every day with the idea of trying to improve. I don't think he's going to accept ever getting beat or anything like that 'cause that just isn't his makeup."

Reiff agonized over the decision to leave Iowa with a year of eligibility remaining. When he finally opted for the NFL days after the Hawkeyes' Insight Bowl loss to Oklahoma, he hopped in his truck and drove 6 hours to Iowa City, Iowa, to tell coaches and teammates of his decision.

"Riley is not a big emotional guy," Morgan said. "He's a pretty stoic and quiet and humble guy, and he came into my office, and he just broke down 'cause he felt so appreciative of his opportunity to be there. He said, 'Coach, I can't thank you enough.'

"All's he had to do was text or pick up the phone. That's all the coach wanted, but he wanted to come, do it the right way 'cause it was hard for him to say it was over. But that's what makes him special."

And that sincerity always will endear Reiff to the people of Parkston.

On Friday morning with students still buzzing about the draft, Akre tweeted half-jokingly that Parkston was considering changing its school colors from blue and orange to Honolulu blue and orange.

And Parkston mayor Dave Hoffman said the town, which used to be a split between Vikings and Broncos fans, will lean heavily toward Lions now.

"He's going to be an idol figure for these kids," Hoffman said. "Everybody knows him, and everybody looks up to him. He's one of those kids that's going to come back. He's going to come back and visit the community. Let's put it this way, we'll start seeing a lot of Detroit Lions T-shirts, jerseys and stuff like that."

Kevin Durant embracing closer role

OKLAHOMA CITY -- They are a couple of the most freakishly gifted, hard-to-guard scorers in NBA history, but they both had to figure out how to do their job in those moments when the stakes and pressure are maximized.
It took Dirk Nowitzki several years, the Dallas Mavericks superstar acknowledges, but he developed into one of the NBA's elite closers and has a 10-month-old Finals MVP trophy to prove it.

[+] Enlarge

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant, a 23-year-old kid fresh off his third consecutive NBA scoring title, admits he's developing as a go-to guy with the game on the line.
Consider Durant's sky-high-degree-of-difficulty jumper with 1.5 ticks left in Saturday's classic Game 1 a quantum leap in that process.
Durant's off-the-dribble 15-footer gave the young Thunder a 99-98 victory over the Mavericks. Dallas defensive stopper Shawn Marion was all over him, sure that Durant didn't even see the rim, but the ball splashed through to deliver Oklahoma City a 1-0 series lead over the defending NBA champions, who dismissed the Thunder in a five-game West finals last season.
"It was a great shot," Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. "It was contested, but great players make tough shots. That's what he has to do."
That's what Durant has struggled to do throughout his otherwise-spectacular career. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Durant is 4-of-18 on potential go-ahead shots in the final five seconds over the past two years.
Nowitzki readily admits he didn't want the role early in his career, happy to stand in the corner as a floor-spacer while former teammates Michael Finley and Steve Nash took the shots that mattered most. It wasn't until Finley and Nash were gone that Nowitzki embraced the role, and that was because he basically had no choice.
Durant has never shied away from taking those big shots. He just settled for jacking up long jumpers far too often instead of attacking the defense.
"I'm still growing, I'm still growing," Durant said after scoring 25 points on a not-so-efficient 10-of-27 shooting Saturday. "I know that I'll take my bumps and bruises, but it's just a matter of me being confident to just go in there and do it.
"I've been learning ever since I've been in this league. I got thrown into the fire. In fourth quarters, my teammates expect me to make plays, and I just try to do it no matter how the night's gone before that. It takes a lot of misses for me to finally get it."

More on the Mavericks

News, notes and analysis of the Mavericks from ESPNDallas.com's Jeff Caplan, Tim MacMahon and our team.
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This shot, or more specifically, the moments leading up to the game winner, proves that Durant gets it.
The play was designed for Durant to come off a screen and get the ball on the baseline, ideally after a big man switched onto him. He couldn't get open initially, forcing him to catch the ball by the 3-point arc on the left wing. Durant dribbled across the floor before going into attack mode, crossing over Marion to get to one of his favorite spots and then pulling up by the free throw line.
Marion's "great defense," as "The Matrix" called it, didn't matter. Unlike the long 3-pointer Marion blocked to ensure overtime in the toughest loss in Oklahoma City history, Durant got this shot off and watched it go down.
"Durant made a great shot," said Dallas coach Rick Carlisle, whose team lost here in December when Durant hit a 28-footer at the buzzer. "The only other thing we could have done was double-teamed and got the ball out of his hands. And we should have done that, obviously, so that's on me and I take responsibility for that."
Added Brooks, whose team fought back after trailing by seven with 3:23 remaining: "At that point in the game, they're going to crowd you, they're going to put you out of your comfort zone, but he did not stop. He showed some toughness."
Durant showed that the OKC kids are ready to rumble in crunch time against the Mavericks, who ruined the party-like atmosphere at the previous playoff game in Oklahoma by roaring back from a 15-point deficit in the final five minutes of regulation en route to a Game 4 overtime win, a Dirk-dominated rally that was the most critical juncture of that series.
With Marion locking down Durant in that game last year, the Thunder managed to score only two points after Durant prematurely celebrated a 3-pointer that seemed like a dagger with 5:06 remaining by busting out an imaginary championship belt, a la Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Dan Savage Speech Controversy: 'It Gets Better' Creator Offends Christian Students

Dan Savage offended some Christian teens when he told them "We can learn to ignore the bull---t in the Bible about gay people."
Savage made his comments during a speech at the National High School Journalist Conference in Seattle.
After many students walked out of the speech, one of whom appeared to be crying, Savage said, “It’s funny, as someone who’s on the receiving end of beatings that are justified by the bible, how pansy-assed some people react when you push back.”
Fox News reports that Savage's comments upset the executive director of GOProud, a gay conservative group.
"Dan Savage should apologize for his comments and should apologize to the high school students in attendance whom he called ‘pansy-asses,’” Jimmy LaSalvia told Fox. “It is ironic that someone whose claim to fame is fighting bullying would resort to bullying tactics in attacking high school students who were offended by his outrageous remarks.”
Towleroad had a different take:

It's too bad the Christian kids left the hall. They're supposed to be journalists, and we in the journalism biz must often dirty our ears with others' distasteful utterances. While Savage might have profitably avoided the use of profanities (which, when used to describe allegedly sacred documents, tend to make believers less than receptive to whatever might come next), what he said was materially true, and good journalism students of any creed ought to know it.

Pink News reports that Savage said he was sorry if he hurt anyone, but did not apologize for what he said.