Come back/Good bye Biggest Loser

The show starts off by bringing three contestants that were voted off back to the ranch: Estella, Nicole and David. The one that lost the highest percentage of weight loss gets to stay. Nicole gets to stay because she lost 87 pounds for a percentage of %32.34. She looks very good, and her being back on the ranch could change the dimension of the game and add competition for the annoying bitch known as Tara.

Nicole had immunity because this was her first week back as long as she didn't gain any weight. She gained five pounds, so she lost immunity.

The other person to be under the yellow line was Ron, who gained three pounds.

Well it was a short return for Nicole as she leaves the ranch for the second time. She will get back in her routine at home and continue to lose weight. She will be hard to beat for the consolation Biggest Loser prize.

She started as a size 24 wedding dress and she is now a size 12. She has lost 105 pounds since the beginning of the show.

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American Idol Final 9 Review

It is Itunes week on Idol. I am pumped for this week because we finally get to hear the contestants sing some modern songs. Here is how the night went:

Anoop Desai - Caught Up by Usher

What were you thinking Anoop? This is complete garbage. This was worse than a drunk frat guy at a honkey tonk bar singing karaoke. This is a horrible way to start the show and Anoop is back in the danger zone.

Megan Joy - Turn Your Lights Down Low by Bob Marley/Lauren Hill

You know I liked this performance. Mainly because this was a great song for Megan to choose. It is her kind of music and when she can sing this kind of music, she is damn good. This was a good week for Megan. *Note all the judges thought Megan picked the wrong song, I think this is the perfect song for Megan.

Danny Gokey - What Hurts The Most by Rascal Flatts

Let me be the first to say Danny that is an awesome shirt. I wish I could have borrowed it when my company had an 80's dress day last week. Danny is back to his boring ass depressing self again. Danny did decent, but you can't really do a Rascal Flatts song without being a copy cat performer. Danny, you still need to shave the pubes off your chin because yes, you still look like a douche. Danny show some energy, for real man, have a little fun - you are boring as hell.

*On a side note, the judges are killing me tonight with a special emphasis on Kara.

Allison Iraheta - Don't Speak by No Doubt

This girl is on fire. Allison is freaking awesome. It sounds like a broken record, but this girl does not seem like she is 16. She can control a stage and she looks very comfortable up there. She sings like one of the most mature contestants in the competition. It was a good week for Allison minus the outfit - pretty bad there.

Scott MacIntyre - Just The Way You Are by Billy Joel

It is time for Scott to go home. This performance was pretty good, but it is just the same old crap with Scott. It was one of his better performances, but I am just sick of him and I think America is too.

Matt Giraud - You Found Me by The Fray

This was very Coldplayish for me. The performance was very good minus the beginning, The beginning was a little rough for me. He turned it on though for the rest of the song. I liked the choice of placement with the keyboard in the middle of the crowd. It wasn't Matt's best performance, but it's okay because he is the man.

Lil Rounds - I Surrender by Celine Dion

This was okay, I'm not a real big fan of this song. Lil' is okay, but I don't think she is as good as people think she is. I wouldn't be upset if she went home.

Adam Lambert - Play That Funky Music by Wild Cherry

Adam is really good. He may be weird and a bit fluffy, but the guy is good. He is the best this season and he is very good every week - minus the Johnny Cash week. He did his thing tonight, and it was very good. It was a very strong performance.

Kris Allen - Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers

This was the performance of the night. Kris takes old songs and makes them modern and bad ass. This could be a hit today on the radio. Awesome performance.

Knox Animal Bubble Watch: Lil' Rounds, Scott MacIntyre, Anoop Desai

Knox Animal Performance of the Night: Kris Allen

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Allman Bros & Widespread Panic Coming to Knoxville!

The Allman Brothers Band and Widespread Panic will be performing shows in Knoxville at World's Fair Park on Oct. 13 and Nashville's Riverfront Park on Oct. 14 - both shows go on sale Friday, April 17th.

This is awesome news for fans of both bands and I expect tickets to sell out fast.

Concertwire

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Kentucky To Gain A Slimeball

Word is the Memphis coach John Calipari will take the vacant head coaching job at the University of Kentucky. The rumored deal is for 8 years, $35 million. Calipari has coached at Memphis since 2000, and has a 251-68 record while at the school for a winning percentage of .787. Before Memphis, Calipari coached at the University of Massachusetts from 1988 - 1996, with a record of 189-70 (.730).

There is no denying what Coach Calipari has done in his career in making his team a winner. He is a tireless recruiter and a great teacher of the game. With that being said, I cannot stand the guy. I would love for him to go to Kentucky because I hate that school as much as I hate Calipari. It is a perfect match and would love to cheer against Kentucky and Calipari in the future. However, a little note to the rest of the SEC: You guys better get ready because with a school like Kentucky and a coach like Calipari, you are going to be losing a lot of recruits to the big blue.

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March Madness Is Crazy!!

Well, it's that time of the year where the majority of people look at their brackets in complete disgust and eagerly anticipate the Final Four match up to determine who will be the NCAA Men's Basketball Champion. The bittersweet moment of discovering who the champion is only outweighed by the fact that the college basketball season is also coming to an end.

As I look at this year's Final Four, I can't help but think what the hell I was thinking as Connecticut is the only team remaining in my bracket. As the petty anger overtakes my body, it is made apparent that this is the reason everybody loves March Madness. The unpredictability and unique match-ups throughout this tournament make every conclusion to the college basketball season an majestic experience. As I watch Connecticut vs. Michigan State and North Carolina vs. Villanova next Saturday, it will be the same thrilling experience as every year. The following Monday, where the winners of the two games play in the Championship - It will also be as awesome as it always is. There is nothing like the NCAA Tournament - no matter how shitty my picks were this year.

For the hell of it, I will predict the outcome of the Final Four:

No. 1 Connecticut vs. No. 2 Michigan State

Connecticut is playing really well right now, and I don't think Michigan State has enough firepower left after they pissed me off and beat Louisville. UConn dominates.

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 3 Villanova

UNC is a much better team than Villanova. The big story entering the tournament was Ty Lawson's injured toe and whether he would be able to play. Lawson has proved that he is plenty healthy enough during the tourney as he has led UNC to this point. UNC rolls.

National Championship

UConn vs. UNC

This should turn out to be a hell of a game. It's hard to give the edge to either team. I would give the experience edge to UNC, but I would say UConn has all the tools to handle the Heels. I'm going to go with UNC knocking off UConn to win the championship. This game was kind of a toss-up for me, but the leadership of Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough is unmatchable.

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Movie Review: I Love You, Man

After seeing I Love You, Man on opening night (3/20/09) and seeing it again last night, I decided to venture into the world of movie reviews. I have read some pretty terrible movie reviews in my lifetime, so I am confident that I can do better than most when it comes to rating a movie. I have also seen some really good movie reviews that have actually persuaded me to see the reviewed movie. Whether I persuade you to see a movie or not is not really my concern, because frankly I don't give a shit what movies you go see in your spare time. What I will do is give you a bad ass, to the point movie review - the only way Knox Animal know how to. So here is my review of I Love You, Man.

I Love You, Man starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel and Rashida Jones

I saw the previews for this movie a few weeks before its release and I knew that I had to see it on opening night. There aren't many previews that captivate me enough to make me want to deal with the hassle of going to a theater on a movie's release date - but for whatever reason this one did.

Maybe it was the fact that Jason Segal is funny as shit and Paul Rudd is an extremely underrated actor, I don't know, but this movie did not disappoint.

The movie starts with Peter Klavin (Rudd) proposing to his girlfriend Zooey (Jones). As the wedding excitement grows, it becomes apparent that Peter doesn't have any guy friends - creating a problem at the wedding because Zooey has tons of girlfriends to stand behind her at the wedding and Peter doesn't have any.

After going on several man dates, Peter has all but given up on finding a best man for his wedding when Sydney Fife (Segel) pops into his life at Lou Ferrigno's open house. The duo become friends and do all kinds of bad ass stuff that guys like to do, and for the first time in his life, Peter had a friend that was a dude.

In the meantime, Zooey gets pissed because Peter is spending all his time with Syndney. As a result, Zooey leaves and Peter is forced to stop hanging out with his best friend.

When the wedding day came, Zooey knew that Peter really wanted Sydney to be at the wedding, so she calls him and tells him to come. Sydney, who happened to be cruising around on his Vespa in a tux happily arrived at the wedding, where him and Peter were reunited.

Overall this movie was funny as shit. It had the entire theatre laughing throughout the whole movie. Rudd and Segel are kings of the one-liners. Peter's social awkwardness and Sydney's cool guy persona make this one of the best comedies in years. If you don't laugh during this movie there might be something wrong with you.

Knox Animal Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Go See This Movie

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Friday Sports Briefs

Happy Friday to all! It's every working person's favorite day of the week and there are plenty of great sports match ups going on this weekend - starting tonight with March Madness. Here are the games through Saturday:

NCAA Basketball

Friday's Games (Sweet 16)

No. 1 Louisville vs. No. 12 Arizona - I like Louisville in this match up. Arizona made a great run - but Louisville is number one for a reason.

No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Syracuse - I like Oklahoma in this game even though I want to go with Syracuse. Blake Griffin will have a monster game on the boards to lead the Sooners.

No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 3 Kansas - I like Kansas to beat Tom Izzo's squad. Kansas in a toss-up.

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 Gonzaga - I really am pulling for the Zags in this one. I think Josh Heytvelt outplays Tyler Hansbrough in what could play out as a very intriguing match up. Overall UNC is the much stronger team, but I am looking for the upset here and I think Gonzaga pulls it out.

Saturday's Games (Elite 8)

No. 1 Connecticut vs. No. 3 Missouri - Both teams are playing well right now. It will be interesting to see if Missouri has enough firepower after knocking off Memphis. What the hell, I say they do as they knock off UConn as well.

No. 1 Pittsburgh vs. No. 3 Villanova - Pitt has been playing like crap all tournament. I think this is the game that pull it together and actually play like a number one seed. I expect them to knock off Nova and avoid the upset.

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Idol Results: And Then There Was 9

It's that time of the week again when we say goodbye to a contestant. The top 10 will become nine. Here's how the results show went down.

The show starts with the usual bullshit group performance as the finalists rocked a few Motown hits into a very forgettable medley. Then it was followed up a bullshit Ford commercial that I have become way too familiar with. It is always incredible to see how much they drag the results show out.

Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard came out and sang a pretty terrible R&B song. It's a wonder he hasn't been dropped from his record label yet - Oh wait, he did.

The next performance was Smokey Robinson and Joss Stone singing You're The One For Me - making for a pretty cool duet.

Stevie Wonder performed live and when Stevie performs, it is always awesome.

The bottom three were: Matt Giraud, Michael Sarver and Scott MacIntyre

It was a bit of a surprise that Matt Giraud was in the bottom three. Matt brought it this week. Scott was the first to be told to sit back down, so it comes down to Matt or Michael - which is even ridiculous to compare the two. In an obvious decision, Michael is going home.

There wasn't much drama here, it was obvious this guy was going home. Michael shouldn't have been in the top 24 - let alone the top 10. He was a likable guy on the show, but plain and simple - he is not that good.

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Bank Robbery Suspect Called 911 - Was Caught

Fifty-nine-year-old David Maksimik of Connecticut reportedly robbed a bank and got away with it. It was only when he called 9-1-1 to report his roomate's suicide that he was caught.

When police came to the house to investigate, they spotted a sack of money on Maksimik's bed. According to police, Maksimik robbed on January 29, in Darien - then crashed his getaway car and escaped via taxi and bus.

If this man was this smart to get away with a bank robbery, don't you think he would be smart enough to hide the money that he stole - especially if you invite police into your home.

WBIR

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American Idol Final 10 Review

It's Motown week on American Idol! Motown always presents an interesting night for the Idol contestants. Here is what Knox Animal thought about their performances:

Matt Giraud - Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye

I'm feelin Matt tonight. He owned the song the entire way through. Matt started playing on piano then he got up and rocked out without the piano. It was a nice touch and a hell of a way to start the night. He did what he needed to do to be safe.

Kris Allen - How Sweet It Is by Marvin Gaye

This was a nice modern take to a great song. Kris has the ability to take old songs and transform them into a current hit. He has a Jason Mraz type feel to his performances and I think he, like Matt has had two very strong weeks in a row.

Scott MacIntyre - You Can't Hurry Love by Diana Ross and the Supremes

I liked Scott this week alright, but he didn't blow me away. He just doesn't feel natural up there. He is the type of artist that you would see playing in a hotel bar. Hell maybe he could get a gig in a good Las Vegas hotel and make some nice money. Hey may make it through this week, but I don't expect him to be on this show much longer.

Megan Joy - For Once In My Life by Stevie Wonder

It was very Amy Winehouse - ish tonight and also very casino-ish. I don't think this was her greatest week, but she did look very hot. It was not a good song for her and it was not a good perfrmance tonight and she might be in some danger tonight.

Anoop Desai - Oo Baby Baby by Smoky Robinson

Such a gentle little Anoop this week. The sensitive Anoop came out and showed a more serious side. It was nice to see, but it was very boring. I think it was alright.

Michael Sarver - Ain't To Proud To Beg by The Temptations

Michael picked an awesome song to sing. The problem was that it was too big for him and he completely jacked it up. It was alright, but Michael just isn't that good. The problem is that people keep voting for this guy. He did the best he could, but man he is not good enough to be on the top ten of Idol right now. For the love of God get rid of this guy.

Lil Rounds - Heat Wave by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas

It was obvious that Lil was going to have a good week this week. Lil didn't dissapoint which was good, because she sucked big time last week during Grand Ole Opry week. She performed well and her vocals were equally as impressive. It was a great week for Lil even though the judges didn't agree.

Adam Lambert - The Tracks of My Tears by Smokey Robinson

This song is awesome. There is no question about it, and Adam actually did it justice. It was a different side of Adam this week and it was great. It was a very emotional performance from Adam and it kicked ass. Especially after last week's massacre of a Johnny Cash song, this was the performance of the night.

Danny Gokey - My Girl by The Temptations

It was a much more upbeat Danny this week. He apparently took my advice from last week and greatly improved his stage presence. It actually looked like he had fun up there. Unfortunately he didn't look comfortable up there at all. Danny is a naturally boring performer so any attempt at excitement looks awkword. It was a decent showing, but nothing to brag about. I made a comment on his chin fuzz last week and it looked like Danny trimmed it up a little bit to make him look a little less douchbag-ish. Good to see you take the advice - it was a better week for you Danny boy.

Allison Iraheta - Papa Was A Rolling Stone by The Temptations

This girl does not look like she is 16 years old. It was a very mature performance and it was awesome. Allison knows what she is doing up there and she has the ability to make everything her own. It was a very soulful and rockin' performance. This girl could be one to watch out for. Rivals Adam for the performance of the night.

Knox Animal Performance of the Night: Tie between Allison Iraheta and Adam Lambert
Knox Animal Bubble Watch: Megan Joy and Michael Sarver

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Bonnaroo Additions Are Lame

The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival broke out a thrilling initial lineup to its 2009 festival in Manchester, TN on June 11-14. With headliners Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band, Phish (2 shows), Beastie Boys, NIN and many other incredible acts everybody knew it couldn't possibly get any better.

However, in typical Bonnaroo fashion, the folks at AC Entertainment and Superfly hyped up some strong additions to the lineup. The much anticipated release of these additions has stirred up many people in the Roo community, possibly adding a little too much excitement for the monumental letdown these additions turned out to be. Personally I do not care for these additions, but I am not upset because the initial lineup was so great. The problem I have however, is the long wait before these additions were announced.

The longer the wait, the more hype and more rumors are grown as to who the possible additions are. With names like My Morning Jacket, Jane's Addiction, John Butler and even Kings of Leon being thrown around as possible additions, the bar is set pretty high. Unfortunately for Bonnaroo goers, the hope of adding one of these artists did not happen on this go around. Instead we got comedic act Jimmy Fallon, who is a good add - but not an awesome music act. The following comedic acts were added today (3/25/09):

Jimmy Fallon, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog Presents Bonnaroo 2009, An Evening (or Afternoon) with the Daily Show featuring John Oliver & Rob Riggle, Michael Ian Black & Michael Showalter, Aziz Ansari, Kristen Schaal, Arj Barker, Todd Barry, Rory Albanese, Wayne Federman, Nick Thune, Nick Kroll, Kurt Braunohler, Amy Schumer, Kumail Nanjiani, and Pete Homes

These acts should make for a pretty good comedic presence at the Roo, however I will probably not make my way over there to see any of them. As for the musical additions - the following were added today (3/25/09):

Public Enemy, Ani DiFranco, Amadou & Mariam, Shadows Fall, Heartless Bastards, Tony Rice Unit, High On Fire, Passion Pit, Dillinger Escape Plan, Wailing Souls, The Itals, MURS, White Rabbits, Janelle Monáe, Hockey, and Pretty Lights

They are fine adds except for the addition of Ani DiFranco (I can't stand the bitch). The problem with these additions are that the expectations were way too high based on the long delay in which they were announced. This announcement does nothing to persuade those who were on the fence about attending Bonnaroo to buy tickets. I'm still holding out for another big artist addition and possibly a few other solid additions, but right now Bonnaroo is not helping itself even though the overall lineup for Bonnaroo 2009 is one of the best ever.

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Biggest Loser Tara Is Annoying

This week's Biggest Loser started with the contestants being put back in their original team colors. They were also given the opportunity to choose which trainer they want to train with for the remainder of the time on the ranch.

For the most part it was pretty obvious which trainer the contestants would choose except for Mike picking Jillian over Bob. It was a stupid decision in my opinion, but hey it's up to him.

Tara had a meltdown because she didn't understand why everybody ganged up on her on the preface challenge to the challenge. Well Tara it's easy for two reasons. 1. You are the strongest contestant on the Biggest Loser. 2. Nobody likes you because you are an arrogant and selfish bitch.

Well when it was time for the challenge of pulling a car around a race track - somehow Tara still beat all the guys. Sione you should be ashamed to lose to Tara. Especially when she had an extra 257 pounds added onto the car because of the pre-challenge-challenge. Tara once again earned immunity.

Tara needed four pounds to be the first woman in Biggest Loser history to lose 100 pounds, unfortunately for her she only lost three pounds. She has lost a total of 99 pounds, which isn't too shabby. Kristen is the other big loser on the girls side and she had a chance to be the first female 100 pound loser as well. All she needed to lose was three pounds and she lost eight. She is down to 255 after coming to the ranch at 360 pounds. I'm rooting for Kristen and she is really kicking ass right now.

This week it comes down to Filipe or Aubrey going home. If it was up to me, I would send Aubrey home based on the simple fact that she doesn't work as hard. The contestants felt the same way as they sent her packing.

She arrived at 249 pounds, she leaves the ranch at 191 pounds. She promises to be 125 pounds at the finale, which would be pretty damn good.

A shocker was shown as they showed that Aubrey has gained nine pounds in the first few weeks of being home. Aubrey however kicked her ass back in gear and promises to still get to 125 pounds. So far she has lost a total of 10 pounds since being home, which puts her at 181. She hopes now to lose another 30 pounds before the finale. Good luck Aubrey.

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Curt Schilling Calls It Quits

The man man known for the infamous bloody sock in the 2004 World Series, has announced on his blog that he is retiring from Major League Baseball.

Curt Schilling had shoulder surgery last season and intended on returning in 2009, but the reality of the matter might have been too much to come back from. Schilling played 20 seasons in the Show and accumulated 216 wins. His win total might have gone up had he not played several seasons with the pitiful Philadelphia Phillies at the time.

I will always remember the righty as a much better pitcher than his numbers suggest. Schilling was a six time all-star and he ends his career 15th on the all-time strikeouts list. He will always be remembered as one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball history. He is always outspoken and never shys away from criticizing other players when they need to be criticized. He could have a bright career as an analyst if he chooses to go in that direction. Curt congratulations on a great career and enjoy your retirement.

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Welcome To The Neighborhood

One of my coworkers is in the process of having a house built. Yesterday, a brand new brick mailbox was built. Needless to say all the hard work that went into building that mailbox was for nothing as the box was completely demolished by her neighbor's truck.

This actually goes along with what I posted yesterday about former UT players and their bad driving skills, but maybe it is that all drivers in Knoxville are bad. I don't know, but this sure makes for plenty of awkward neighborly moments in the future I'm sure.

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Donte Stallworth Is In Trouble

Former University of Tennessee receiver, Donte Stallworth, is in some deep shit. The Cleveland Browns player reportedly was drunk when he hit and killed a pedestrian with his car last weekend.

Stallworth could be charged with DUI manslaughter, a felony that carries a 15 year jail sentence.

Stallworth isn't the only former UT football player to hit and kill somebody with his automobile. In 2003, Dwayne Goodrich hit and killed three pedestrians that were trying to free an unconscious man from a burning car. The former Vols cornerback however, did not stop. When it was all said and done, Goodrich was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Former Vols defensive tackle and current Washington Redskin, Albert Haynesworth, was indicted on a traffic accident that occurred this past December. Haynesworth faces charges of reckless driving and having expired registration. Both charges are misdemeanors, and if convicted Haynesworth could face jail time, however it is unlikely. The maximum sentence on the reckless driving charge is six months in jail and a $500 fine.

I don't know what is wrong with these guys. Is it that they are careless when behind the wheel? Is it that they were drunk? Stallworth's toxicology results come back tomorrow, but the reports coming from Florida state that he blew a 0.12 - the Florida limit is 0.08. Goodrich claims he wasn't drunk despite many reports claiming he came from a strip club where he had consumed alcohol. And Haynesworth - I really just think he is a shitty driver. Haynesworth's accident came when he tried to pass a car, but ended up running another car into the median. Haynesworth was on probation as a result of a speeding ticket where he exceeded 100 mph earlier in the year. In 2006, he was also involved in a traffic accident where charges were filed.

I don't give a shit how much money these guys have in their bank accounts, they should take care when they get on the road. Four people have died as a result of two men and Haynesworth could have easily killed somebody with his horrible driving skills.

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Idol Results

After a great night last night singing Grand Ole Opry songs, it is time to let one loose. This is a very important week for the contestants because the Final 10 will be on the summer tour together.

Allison Iraheta was the first to get called out to the center of the stage tonight and Michael Sarver was right behind her. The third person in the final three was Alexis Grace. Allison was the first to be sent to safety and then it was down to two. It was a rather obvious decision for me, but apparently America felt differently as Michael was safe.

Alexis is given one more chance to sing while the judges contemplated whether to use the one save available this season. Her performance tonight was better than her one last night, but the judges decided it was not good enough to use the save, so Alexis leaves us tonight.

Michael was by far the least talented contestant to make the Final 12, and it is a shame that we have to see more of him. As for Alexis, I really liked this girl. It's a shame she had to go, but that's what happens when you don't bring your best every week.

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Nothin' Like Biggest Loser Home Cookin'

Oh man, what a twist! Everybody gets sent home for a week. The contestants are sent back into the same environment that got them fat, and it was up to them to use what they have learned on the Ranch to help get through the week. The catch is that they have to return in a week and then hit the scales for a weigh in. Will the temptations of being away from the ranch doom the contestants?

I have to admit it was pretty cool to see the reactions from the friend's and families of the contestants.

The contestants were faced with a temptation at the beginning of their time at home. A can of giant sugar cookies was dropped off at each contestants door step along with a video that announces a challenge. The challenge is to run a half marathon - 13.1 miles, while at home. The contestant with the winning time gets $10,000. The catch with the cookies is that for every cookie that is eaten - you can add five minutes to another contestant's time.

This is one hell of a challenge for anybody, let alone Biggest Loser contestants. Sione and Tara were in the lead by far, then Sione cramps up at the 12.9 mile mark. After stretching it out, Sione finished it out, but he finished second to Tara's 2:24:19 time and finished at 2:25:57. It comes down to cookies! The only contestant that didn't finish was Ron - who finished four miles in under two hours. It was still a personal best for Ron.

It really goes to show you what hard work in the gym and a proper diet can do for somebody - each one of these contestants are awesome for doing this - this is Biggest Loser at its best.

From what we saw on the show, the contestants did a good job with their diets. Were they good when the cameras weren't on them? Who knows, but it sure as hell will show up on the scales when they get back to the ranch.

Back on the Ranch nobody penalized Sione by eating cookies for him, unfortunately for Tara, she was penalized with one cookie eaten by Helen. Thanks to Helen, Sione was the winner.

It was a pretty intense last chance workout for the contestants as Bob and Jillian wanted to make sure that their team's represent well on the scales.

weigh ins:

Black Team = 2.35% fat loss

Mike - weighed 388 at arrival. last weigh in was 278. now 270. lost 8 pounds this week. 118 pounds lost so far.
Laura - weighed 285 at arrival. last weigh in 226. now weighs 220. lost 6 pounds this week. 65 pounds lost so far.
Tara - 294 at arrival. last weigh in 200. now weighs 198. lost 2 pounds this week. 96 pounds lost so far.
Sione - 372 at arrival. last weigh in 277. now weighs 273. lost 4 pounds this week. 99 pounds lost so far.
Filipe - 364 at arrival. last weigh in 274. now weighs 267. lost 7 pounds this week. 97 pounds lost so far.
Helen - 257 at arrival. last weigh in 189. now weighs 182. lost 7 pounds this week. 75 pounds lost so far.

Blue Team needed to lose 24 pounds total to beat the black team - they lost 15.

Aubrey - 249 at arrival. last weigh in 200. now weighs 195. lost 5 pounds this week. 54 pounds lost so far.
Ron - 430 at arrival. last weigh in 337. now weighs 327. lost 10 pounds this week. 103 pounds lost so far.
Kristen - 360 at arrival. last weigh in 263. now weighs 264. gained 1 pound this week. 96 pounds lost so far.
Cathy - 293 at arrival. last weigh in 242. now weighs 241. lost 1 pound this week. 52 pounds lost so far.

Blue team loses again and a blue team member is going home again. After the votes, Cathy is going home. Cathy has her life headed in a much healthier direction because of the Biggest Loser. It has given her the confidence to try new things in order to change her life. Today she weighs 215 pounds. She has picked up spinning and it has helped her shed a lot of pounds. She has also gotten her other two daughters involved in weight loss. Awesome job, Cathy!

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American Idol Final 11 Review

I have been dreading this week's American Idol since I heard the theme was going to be Grand Ole Opry. It's not that I don't like country music - because I do. The problem is that you are either a country singer or you aren't. I don't think many of these contestants are country singers, but we will see if they can prove me wrong. So... I even contemplated skipping this week, but I sucked it up and here is what I thought:

Michael Sarver - Ain't Going Down ('Til the Sun Comes Up) by Garth Brooks

Michael was the one person that I would expect to be good with the country genre mainly because he can't sing anything else and he is from Texas. Unfortunately, he can't sing country either. This was painful and I could not wait for it to end.

Allison Iraheta - Blame It On Your Heart by Patty Lovelace

There is no doubt that this 16 year cold can sing and she had a hell of a good time up there. She had a very good stage presence tonight and she rocked the hell out that song. She turned a country song into a rock song and it kinda worked. I wouldn't say it was the best performance, but it should be more than enough to get her through to the next round.

Kris Allen - To Make You Feel My Love by Garth Brooks

This is a very slow and emotional Garth song. In order to sing a song like that you must have great vocals - and Kris showed he could sing it. This showed a different side of Kris, and I think it will help him in the long run. Great performance and very smart song choice.

Lil' Rounds - Independence Day by Martina McBride

Martina has one hell of a voice so when I heard that Lil' was doing this song - I cringed a little bit. I'm not feeling this performance at all. The positive thing is that Lil' nailed the big notes in this song to make her performance at least bearable. It's okay though because Lil' was a little out of her comfort zone this week. I don't think this will make her vulnerable though at all because her fan base will keep her around.

Adam Lambert - Ring Of Fire by Johnny Cash

What the hell was that? Don't mess with Johnny Cash! EVER! Cash is the man and this was a complete insult to his song. It sounded like it was something from cirque du soleil. What a terrible performance. Adam, most people already knew you were weird - but now everybody does.

Scott MacIntyre - Wild Angels by Martina McBride

Who doesn't like Scott? This guy is one hell of a piano player. If his songwriting skills are as good as his piano skills, he could have a very bright future in the music business. Scott performed Martina's song well. The vocals weren't the greatest, but it worked alright and this guy continues to amaze me.

Alexis Grace - Jolene by Dolly Parton

This is a great song - one of my favorite songs. I was pretty pumped to see somebody do this song and I am glad Alexis chose it. Unfortunately it wasn't a good performance all the way through. It had it's good parts, but there were some very painful parts as well. I was not impressed at all.

Danny Gokey - Jesus Take The Wheel by Carrie Underwood

This is a very sad song. I know Danny is a very sad guy and very rightfully so, but man lighten up a little bit. He sung the hell out of this song, well because he sings the shit out of every song he sings because he is a very good singer. The problem I have with him is that everything he sings is so damn depressing. Oh yea, and shave the pubes off your chin or grow a beard - you look like a douche.

Anoop Desai - Always On My Mind by Willie Nelson

Anoop is back! With the past few weeks of crap performances we forgot this guy could actually sing really well. He proved tonight that he is actually worthy of being here. It was nice to see because one more terrible week from Anoop and he would be gone. Tonight he was very good and it wouldn't be a stretch to say it was one of the best vocals of the night.

Megan Joy Corkrey - Walkin After Midnight by Patsy Cline

I love this girl, but she wasn't very good at all tonight. It was a very old fashioned and boring performance. I was really hoping she was going to do a younger country song, but unfortunately she didn't. It was a complete let down for me. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good either. Apparently she has the flu and you have to give her credit for looking that good while being that sick. She gets the pity votes tonight.

Matt Giraud - So Small by Carrie Underwood

Matt kicked ass tonight! He made the song his own and it really was good. I would actually pay to see this performance. That doesn't happen very often for me on this show. This was the best performance of the night by a mile.

Knox Animal Performance of the Night: Matt Giraud

Knox Animal Bubble Watch: Lil Rounds, Michael Sarver, Alexis Grace

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NCAA Tourney Breakdown: South

The final part of the four part series rests with the South region of the NCAA Tournament bracket.

The top seed North Carolina Tar Heels, like Pitt, are battling a injury to its point guard. Ty Lawson has a nagging toe injury that could seriously hinder UNC's chances of advancing deep into the tourney. The good news is that the Heels open up against Radford, who should give them little trouble. The second round however is a different story as they will face No. 8 LSU after the Tigers beat No. 9 Butler. I think the Tigers are the first to knock off a No. 1 seed this year as they slide by the Heels.

No. 5 Illinois should get by No. 12 Western Kentucky and No. 4 Gonzaga should embarrass No. 13 Akron.

No. 6 Arizona State vs. No. 11 Temple could be a close one, but I expect State to avoid the upset by pulling out the win in the closing minutes.

No. 3 Syracuse will beat No. 14 Stephen F. Austin rather easily.

I expect No. 7 Clemson to beat No. 10 Michigan and then get destroyed in the second round by No. 2 Oklahoma after they beat No. 15 Morgan State.

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NCAA Tourney Breakdown: East

Part three of our four part series brings us to the East. How does the East stack up to the rest of the regions? Well it looks pretty good.

The No. 1 seed Pittsburgh Panthers are arguably the best team in the country. The problem they face is how healthy will their star point guard Levance Fields be for this tournament? If Fields is 100% or close to it, Pitt will be tough for anybody to handle. If Fields cannot go full speed, Pitt's chances decline considerably. Also playing well right now is No. 2 seed Duke. It's hard for me to see them making the Final Four, but it is also hard to count a Coach K team out.

Pitt should be a definite win over ETSU, but what happens next for the Panthers could be interesting. No. 8 Oklahoma State takes on No. 9 Tennessee in what should be one of the most exciting games of the first round. I think Oklahoma State gets by the Vols in a close battle.

No. 5 Florida State should have no problems beating No. 12 Wisconsin and No. 4 Xavier should get by No. 13 Portland State fairly easily.

No. 6 UCLA vs. No. 11 Virginia Commonwealth could be an interesting game. If there is an upset in the first round of this region, I think this is the game to watch out for.

No. 3 Villanova will fly by No. 14 American University and then beat the winner of the above game in the second round.

No. 7 Texas will beat No. 10 Minnesota and then face No. 2 Duke after they destroy No. 15 Binghampton - despite what Tony Kornheiser says.

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R.I.P. 'Popcorn'

One of the most notable East Tennessee moonshine distillers, Marvin 'Popcorn' Sutton, was found dead in his home days before he was set to enter prison for possession of a firearm and distilling spirits.

If you have had moonshine in East Tennessee chances are it originally came from 'Popcorn' as the 61 year old moonshine legend was known nationally for manufacturing corn whiskey.

'Popcorn' will forever be associated with moonshine and I will remember him every time I see or hear about the spirit - and those that don't remember him from alcohol production will always remember him for his sweet beard.

WBIR

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NCAA Tourney Breakdown: West

This is part two of a four part series of breaking down the NCAA Tournament Bracket region by region and the West region is up now.

The West is setup for a very interesting tournament. No. 1 seed Connecticut and No. 2 seed Memphis are near even in many people's eyes. I would give UConn the edge because they are in a real conference where Memphis plays in a conference that would hardly be considered a basketball powerhouse. If everything plays out the way experts predict - it will be a UConn vs. Memphis Elite Eight. Fortunately for you guys - I am not an expert at predicting games.

UConn should blow past UTC in the first round and beat Texas A&M just as easily given the No. 9 Aggies can get past No. 8 BYU - which they should.

No. 5 Purdue should dominate No. 12 UNI even though the 5 vs. 12 seed games are usually interesting.

I'm picking No. 13 Mississippi State to slide by No. 4 Washington in one of the bigger upsets of the first round. The Bulldogs won the SEC Tournament and are playing great basketball and I expect that to continue into the big tourney.

No. 6 Marquette will get by No. 11 Utah State where they will face a talented Missouri team after they destroy No. 14 Cornell. The match up between Marquette and No. 3 Missouri will be one of the best games of the tournament. I give the edge to Missouri, but if Marquette's Dominic James (out for year with a broken foot) was playing, I would lean the other way.

Led by junior guard Greivis Vasquez No. 10 Maryland will get by No. 7 California. Maryland will go as far in this tournament as Vasquez can lead them - the problem is that is Vasquez is bad, he is really bad and the Terps stand no shot at winning.

No. 2 Memphis will get past No. 15 Cal State Northridge rather easily and could face an interesting match up with Maryland - but the Tigers should roll past the Terps as well.

Knox Animal's pick to make it out of the West: Connecticut

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NCAA Tourney Breakdown: Midwest

This is Knox Animal's first of a four part series of breaking down the NCAA Tournament Bracket region by region and the first up is the Midwest.

The Midwest region boasts the top overall seed in the tournament - Louisville. The Cardinals are very deserving of the seed after winning both the Big East regular season and conference tournament. Louisville should fly through the first two rounds and into the Sweet 16 before they face any serious challenge. The team they will face in the Sweet 16 will most likely be Wake Forest, who at one time this season was ranked No. 1 in the country.

I like No. 12 Arizona to beat No. 5 Utah because who can take Utah basketball seriously? I obviously can't.

Going down the bracket, I like West Virginia and Kansas to meet in the Round of 32 - in what will prove to be a great game.

I like No. 10 seeded USC to beat No. 7 Boston College and then face Michigan State in the second round.

While Louisville is the best team coming into the NCAA Tournament, only a matter of weeks will tell if they are the best when it is all said and done. A few teams that could stand in their way are Wake Forest, Kansas, and my sleeper USC. Michigan State could also prove to be a tough team they make it that far, but I see Michigan State going out early.

Knox Animal's pick to make it out of the Midwest: Louisville

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Vols Get Top Recruit: Bryce Brown

It is a good day to be a Tennessee Volunteer as the Vols got a commitment from the No. 1 ranked prospect in the country by Rivals, Bryce Brown.

Brown, a 6'0, 215 lb running back from Wichita, Kansas, will most certainly bolster a Vols backfield that has already signed four-star David Oku - who Rivals rated as the No. 1 all-purpose back.

This is the top signee of the Lane Kiffin era at UT and it was one that not a lot of people expected to happen. Brown can be a dynamic player for the Vols. UT has the backs it needs to compete now, the question is does it have the offensive line to give them running room?

Highlights of Bryce Brown on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW2EUbSFYyk

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Selection Sunday Special

With conference tournaments now over, it's time to begin everybody's favorite time in college basketball - the NCAA Tournament. The first round of games begin Thursday, so you have a few days to fill out your brackets for your school, work, office, family, church or whatever pools you participate in.

The top overall team was the Louisville Cardinals, who finished with a 28-5 overall record while winning both the Big East regular season and conference tourney. The other three one seeds are Pittsburgh, North Carolina and Connecticut. The best thing about the top seeding is that Memphis (31-3) and their slimy coach John Calipari were left out and given a 2-seed. I'm sure Calipari is pissed and feels like his team deserves a 1-seed, but when you are in the Conference USA you don't earn much respect. Instead of lobbying for a 1-seed, Memphis should be lobbying for a new conference.

It's good to see Maryland back into the tourney this year. The Terps played the No. 1 ranked team in the country seven times this season - winning two of those match-ups. That in addition to knocking Wake Forest out of the ACC Tourney was what got Maryland an at-large bid.

There will be plenty more coverage of the NCAA Tourney in the next few weeks, so check daily for updates.

Knox Animal Predictions:

Final Four: Louisville, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Oklahoma
Champion: Pittsburgh

View the 2009 NCAA Tournament Bracket - Courtesy of CBS.Sportsline

2009 Printable NCAA Tournament Bracket - Courtesy of CBS.Sportsline

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Saturday Sports Briefs

• College Hoops - With Selection Sunday tommorow, the NCAA Conference Tournaments are winding down. The Maryland Terrapins knocked off No. 9 Wake Forest last night to keep its NCAA Tourney birth hopes alive. The Terps take on Duke this afternoon in what I feel is a must win game for Gary Williams' squad. Will the Tennessee Volunteers continue to roll? The Vols destroyed Alabama 86-62 last night and take on Auburn today. Can Bruce Pearl keep the Vols rolling into the NCAA Tourney?
• Torry Holt - The Rams released the 7-time Pro Bowler. Holt is 32 years old, but still has a few good years left in him. Look for several teams to be interested in Holt - especially the Tennessee Titans who were closing in on a trade with the Rams for the receiver. Another team to look out for could be the San Francisco 49ers who could be looking to reunite Holt with former Rams teammate Issac Bruce.
• Jay Cutler - After a bunch of crying by the quarterback, Cutler will put his pride aside and report to the Denver Broncos team meeting on Monday. Cutler was made because he was on the trading block a few weeks ago when Matt Cassel was being shopped around. Cutler shut the hell up and do what your boss tells you to do.
• Lebron James - The streak of triple-doubles stopped at three, but the phenom scored 51 points in a win against the Sacramento Kings. Lebron had nine assists, four rebounds, three blocks and two steals in addition to the 51 points scored. Damn Lebron do you think you could step your game up a little bit?

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Papelbon Doesn't Like Manny

In a recent interview with Esquire, Boston Red Sox closer Jonathon Papelbon dissed former teammate Manny Ramirez and said it wasn't a hard decision for the Sox to part ways with the perennial all-star.

Paps said, "It just takes one guy to bring an entire team down, and that's exactly what was happening," Papelbon told Esquire. "Once we saw that, we weren't afraid to get rid of him. ... He had to go. It [stunk], but that was the only scenario that was going to work. That was it for us."

Paps was asked to respond to those comments that he made yesterday during spring training, and the closer said that he didn't lie about anything he said to the magazine. It is impossible to play as a team when everybody on the team isn't willing to march to the beat of the same drum. Manny needed to go because the Sox were way to good of a team to let Manny bring them down.

It's obvious that Manny was a pain in the ass and it has always been that way. There is at least one of these players in every sport. A player that thinks he is too big for the team - too big to think about anything but themselves. Manny is a selfish player and a lot of people know that, but they just shrug it off by saying "Oh it's just Manny being Manny." What the hell does that mean? It's really means: Oh it's just Manny being a pain in the ass.

MLB.com

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American Idol Results

After tonight it's down to 11. The show started with Ryan announcing the new "Judge's Save" rule that can be used up until the fifth week to save a contestant. The choice to use the save must be unanimous and it can only be used once this season.

A video showcasing the contestant's mansion was pretty awesome. The palace was insane and the finalists were pretty pumped about it when they saw it too.

Jasmine Murray was the first contestant to be called out to the center of the stage. Then Megan Joy Corkrey was called down to be next to Jasmine. Megan is safe so Jasmine is headed home.

Anoop Desai was the next to get called out and Jorge Nunez was told to stand next to Anoop in the middle of the stage. Jorge is going home and Anoop lives on.

I am very pleased with the results this week and look forward to next week and the final 11.

Headed home this week: Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nunez

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Lane Kiffin Said What?

University of Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin is under criticism again. This time he reportedly told University of South Carolina commitment Alshon Jeffrey that if he went to SC he would spend the rest of his life pumping gas.

My first reaction to this was that it was hilarious. Then it hit me that coaches can't say that to players just because they don't commit to your school. Kiffin admitally denies having said such a thing.

News of this is everywhere, so it can only be assumed that it will be talked about for several days. I don't know who to believe about the comment, but I do know for certain that this will not be the last time we talk about something Kiffin said. He has already been in the news for accusing Urban Meyer of a recruiting violation, commiting a violation of his own, and now reportedly degraded another's school's academic program.

What makes this even more crazy is that the season hasn't even started yet, so don't expect this to be the last time we talk about Kiffin.

ESPN

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Biggest Loser Got Crazy!

What a crazy week on The Biggest Loser. The Black team got hammered and ate whatever they wanted before weigh-ins. Jillian was pissed and it was hilarious. Filipe had enough of her temper tantrum so he flipped out on Jillian. He called Jillian out because she picks favorites - I wonder what was in those chicken tenders and fries he ate. So Filipe and Sione went to Bob and asked to train with Bob. This felt like the old school WWE with people changing alliances - this is crazy. Bob welcomed the Samoan duo even though they are still Black Team members.

The Black team still managed to beat the Blue team in the weigh ins, which means the Blue Team will lose a member. It also means that the Black team is lucky as hell because they completely messed up by taking the day of luxury.

In a bit of a surprise this week, Mandi went home. Mandi was consistently one of the strongest players, but she had a tough week and gained two pounds.

When she arrived she weighed 263, when she left the Biggest Loser campus she weighed 197. Mandi has lost 84 pounds since she started the show. When she arrived on campus she wore a size 26 dress. At the finale she hopes to wear a size 2.

It would be incredible if Mandi can pull that feat off at the finale. I will be pulling for her.

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American Idol Top 13 Review

It's finally down to the finals for American Idol and this year there is 13 finalists. This week two will be sent home, so they better bring it. The theme is Michael Jackson songs, so it should be interesting.

Here is how the top 13 fared in Knox Animal's eyes:

Lil Rounds - The Way You Make Me Feel

A pretty good performance. I'm not crazy about the song, but Lil Rounds is good and she made it her own. A good start to the show. Her outfit was hideous, but who cares.

Scott MacIntyre - Keep The Faith

I can dig this. Scott behind a piano is incredible. He was on his game tonight and it showed. I would assume he is pretty safe with this performance.

Danny Gokey - PYT

Song choice was very good and Danny sung this shit out of it. His vocals were near flawless. His dancing needs some work, but it was a hell of a performance. Danny is arguably the best pure singer on Idol this season.

Michael Sarver - You Are Not Alone

Not my favorite, but it wasn't bad. Michael did a hell of a job to make it this far and he might just plug along and make it another week. He has heart and he is representing every blue collar worker in America. He has a lot of fans that support him, so I think he is safe.

Jasmine Murray - I'll Be There

She was okay, but not spectacular. The performance was very boring and karaoke. She is much better than what she showed tonight. I couldn't wait for it to be over. I'm dissapointed in her and I think America might be too.

Kris Allen - Remember The Time

I like the fact that he tried to add a guitar to the song, but it sounded way out of place. He performed this song really well, but man the guitar was just weird. It's a great song and the vocals were pretty good and he had a good performance.

Allison Iraheta - Give Into Me

Not very good. I like her, but I picture her as the lead singer of an 80's cover band. She was able to get her rock on tonight, but at this stage of the competition her vocals aren't on the same level as most of the other contestants. Her rocker style might keep her around for a while because vocals aren't everything if you can control the stage, which she did.

Anoop Desai - Beat It

Oh yea Anoop, you kick ass! He sang the song really well and his moves were equally impressive. The problem with it is that Michael Jackson made a name for himself with this song and it is hard to out perform MJ. Anoop has fun up there and that makes him very likable. The judges hated it, but I felt like it was a good first round performance. It comes down to whether or not Anoop has the fan support to get him through.

Jorge Nunez - Never Can Say Goodbye

Jorge uses his accent to put his own twist on every song he sings. It makes every recognizable song sound like a new song when he sings it because of this. It is a great advantage to have and he is a pretty good singer. He isn't my favorite, but it was decent.

Megan Joy Corkrey - Rockin Robin

She's hot. She makes it through.

Adam Lambert - Black and White

Great song. Kinda fits Adam and he performed it really well. It was the best performance of the night. I'm not a big Adam fan, but he is pretty damn good. He brought his best tonight.

Matt Giraud - Human Nature

Smooth piano playing Matt did his thing. Matt has a good style about him. He can play piano and is also very chill. I'm a fan of Matt and he didn't let me down tonight.

Alexis Grace - Dirty Diana

One of the best performances of the night. I am a huge fan of Alexis and she kicked ass tonight. This was a great song choice.

Knox Animal Performance Of The Night: Adam Lambert

Knox Animal Worst Performane of the Night: Jasmine Murray

Knox Animal Bubble Watch: Jasmine Murray, Anoop Desai and Jorge Nunez

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Is Kiffin The Vaccine For Vols Football?

The day is finally here. It's officially football time in Tennessee. With a brand new coaching staff in place, this is set to be one of the most anticipated seasons in Tennessee Vols football history. The Vols open up a string of 15 spring practices at 3:30 this afternoon, and it will interesting to see how the players adapt to the new system of Lane Kiffin and his staff. It should be fun, but there are plenty of question marks going into this spring. Some questions Knox Animal has are:

1. The quarterback situation

Lane Kiffin must have seen something that most didn't in Jonathon Crompton, Nick Stephens and B.J. Coleman. Kiffin's staff didn't sign any quarterbacks in this year's class and even turned away a couple. Crompton was horrible a year ago and the other two didn't do anything to make me feel like they were any better. It will be interesting to see what the coaches can do with the trio or it will be a very long year for Vol fans.

2. The Offensive Line

The Vols lost Ramon Foster and Anthony Parker to the NFL Draft. There is a serious need at OT this season for the Vols. They have moved former tight end Aaron Douglas to tackle this season in hope to create some depth at the position. Chris Scott is a returning starter and will most likely start at tackle even though he is a natural guard. The other three starters: center Josh McNeal and guards Vladimir Richard and Jacques McClendon could have a monster year this season. The one weak spot is at tackle and it could be a serious problem if the Vols can't get somebody in there to protect the already lousy quarterbacks.

3. The Defensive Line

The Vols have to be ecstatic that Dan Williams decided to stay for his senior season because there are literally no other capable defensive tackles worthy of starting on this team. There has been talk of moving Wes Brown in to tackle, which is their best bet right now. Ben Martin at defensive end should have a breakout year and Chris Walker should start opposite him to have a very productive year. Rae Sykes is another player that I would look at possibly transferring from end to tackle. The undersized line however could have a problem against the run this season if they don't find a run-stopper on the d-line other than Williams.

4. Will the fans give Kiffin a chance?

Everybody knows that the UT fans demand a winner. The problem is that Phil Fulmer and his staff drove this program into the ground. Even though some fans may not realize this, the talent level on the Vols is not as deep as it usually is - especially at quarterback and the other skill positions. Even though Kiffin has come into this job wanting to win now, it may take a little time. The fans expecting the Vols to compete for an SEC Championship with Georgia and Florida are insane. If Kiffin can win a SEC Championship in his first season with this team, he will have to be one hell of a coach. Seven or maybe eight wins seem like a reasonable number of wins for the first campaign under Kiffin and company. Any more that that will be a huge plus for UT.

5. Calling all wideouts

It may be hard to realize the potential of most of the receivers on the team because of the horrid quarterback play. However, this team needs for a few receivers to step up big time this season. Keep an eye on Ahmad Paige, who was once recruited by Kiffin when he was at USC. Paige had a monster JV game last season and has tons of potential. The knock on his is his attitude. If the staff can screw this kid's head on straight, he could be a very productive player. The other player that needs to step up is Brandon Warren. The converted tight end will play receiver this season. The question is - does he have the speed to be a play making receiver?

Overall

This spring should give a good indication of what the new coaching staff has to work with. It will be very interesting to see what kind of hidden potential these players had under the Fulmer regime. The Vols will be one of the most talked about teams this preseason and it will be fun to see how everybody adjusts to change.

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Can Haynesworth Save The Redskins?

The first $100 million dollar man on defense, Albert Haynesworth, feels pressure - but it doesn't come from anybody but himself. The self-driven defensive tackle is ready to prove that he is worth every penny of his 7 year, $100 million contract he signed this offseason with the Washington Redskins.

The gigantic lineman has played his entire pro and college career in Tennessee, but the big man says he is ready for a change - a new chapter.

Haynesworth joins a Redskins team with a lot of potential. He joins a defensive line that before Haynesworth joined, desperately needed help. With the release of overpaid Jason Taylor, the 'Skins are again in need of help at defensive end. It could be a spot the Redskins hope to fill via the NFL Draft. Washington has Andre Carter returning at defensive end, who will benefit greatly from the aquisition of Haynesworth. Other defensive tackles include Kedric Golston, Anthony Montgomery and the highly overrated and big time free agent bust Cornelius Griffin. There is also Lorenzo Alexander, but he is definitely not ready for big time playing time yet. The other end spot would go to Chris Wilson, Alex Buzbee or Rob Jackson - none of which are ready for a starting role. Wilson is the most ready right now, but it would be a bumpy road if he was put in a full time starting role right now.

The 'Skins could benefit from another outside linebacker after the release of Marcus Washington, but the rest of the defense should be solid - but we already knew that as the main problem with the Redskins is on the other side of the ball.

The Redskins offense has a lot to prove this season and it starts at the quarterback position. Jason Campbell has been a project for the Redskins ever since he was drafted in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He needs to prove he is capable of leading the team this season or the four year veteran will find himself out of a starting job. The running game rolls when Clinton Portis is healthy - but the question is how long can he stay healthy before he gets another nagging injury? The offensive line is aging and other than Santana Moss and Antwann Randle El at reciever and Chris Cooley at tight end there isn't much depth at either position. There is upside though as receivers Malcom Kelly, Devin Thomas and tight end Fred Davis are only in their second season.

The question is can Haynesworth be the missing piece to the 'Skins puzzle? There is no question that he fills a void on the defensive line - but the real weakness is on the other side of the ball. Unless the 'Skins do something to get the ball in the endzone - it's going to be a long road. Haynesworth no doubt scares the hell out of opponents - and that is what the 'Skins defense needs. The answer is Haynesworth is a missing piece to the 'Skins puzzle, but he is not the last piece needed. Depth on the offensive line is a must need and either Malcolm Kelly or Devin Thomas are going to emerge as playmakers. Jason Campbell is going to have to prove he can lead a team when their backs are against the wall and holy hell get the ball to my man Chris Cooley in the red zone!

Knoxville News Sentinel

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Facebook Costs Eagles Employee Job

Because of Facebook, Dan Leone, a stadium operations worker for the Philadelphia Eagles doesn't have a job anymore. Leone criticized the Eagles through his facebook status because he was upset they let Brian Dawkins sign with the Broncos.

On Facebook Leone said: "Dan is [expletive] devastated about
Dawkins signing with Denver ... Dam Eagles R Retarted!!"

After learning of this - the Eagles fired the part-time employee. Leone deleted the comment, but the Eagles still decided to part ways with Leone, who worked with the organization for six years.

Well Dan has a right to be pissed off. Dawkins has been the heart and sole of the Eagles for a long time. I personally was shocked that they let Dawkins get away and I'm not even an Eagles fan. I'm sure a lot of fans were pissed about the move, and there has been a lot of criticism from many people in Philadelphia about the move. I'm sure the majority of the organization feels the same way Dan does. Why can't Dan criticize the move? Dan is a pioneer who said what he believed in and he didn't even single out anybody with the post. I agree with Dan because "The Dam Eagles R Retarded" because they fired Dan and it became national news.

ESPN

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Dumb Criminal Report

Last week, dumb criminal, Harry Jackson (pictured) was playing with the other inmates outside in the exercise yard, when he realized he needed a smoke. He then opened a door to the exercise yard of the Georgia jail and hopped the outer fence and escaped. A few hours later guards spotted Harry trying to break back into jail the same way he escaped. When the guards captured him, he had 14 packs of cigarettes on him, which were reportedly stolen from a nearby convenience store. Jackson now faces new charges of breaking out of jail and burglary.

Oh man, this is as dumb as a criminal we might find on this planet. He had to have known that the guards would notice if he was gone. Even they didn't notice, there was no way in hell that they wouldn't notice him trying to break back in. Harry would have been better off just trying to escape and stay escaped. But then again, apparently it's easy to escape from this prison, so maybe he will do it better next time and not try to come back. The real question is if this moron can escape from jail that easily, what are the guards doing? I'm pretty sure there is one main responsibility in the job description of a jail guard - don't let the inmates escape. I don't know who does the hiring down there, but it's pretty bad when our friend Harry looks smarter than the security guards.

WBIR

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UFC 96 Results: Rampage Romps

UFC 96 turned out to be a pretty good night of fights. We saw Quinton "Rampage" Jackson prove that he is once again a dominant force in the Light Heavyweight division. We saw a terrible referee mistake. We saw a fighter named Pete Sell disappoint everybody who watched the event with his piss poor effort in the octagon. 

The Knox Animal Predictions are in Caps below. Actual winner is in RED. 

Main Card

• QUINTON JACKSON vs. Keith Jardine
  

Rampage was dominant the entire fight, but Jardine hung in there tough. It was a good fight even though it ended in a unanimous decision. One suggestion for the future would be to never have a fighter's training partner, Rashad Evans (trains with Jardine), doing commentary during the main event. It was obvious that it was going to be biased and the UFC was probably going for that to get an actual perspective of the gameplan Jardine had, but seriously - it was annoying as hell. 

After the fight Evans and Jackson entered a staredown complete with trash talk to promote their upcoming fight. I gotta give Jackson the edge in the staredown.

• MATT HAMILL vs. Mark Munoz
  

Hamill dominated the fight and ended it with a kick to the head. Munoz dropped and we never saw him get up. Kicks to the head are pretty sweet. I would give Hamill the KO of the night.

• Matt Brown vs. PETE SELL
  

Pete Sell sucks. That's about all I can say about that. Brown dominated him from the beginning in this quick fight. The real story in this fight was the fake stoppage by Yves Lavigne. Yves really jacked this one up as he pulled Brown off Sell, and Sell got up and the fight resumed. It didn't continue much longer because Sell was completely rocked, but what a huge error by Yves.

• SHANE CARWIN vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
  

Carwin is a flat out monster. He dominated Gonzaga. I'm starting to feel like Gonzaga is a one-kick-wonder. Ever since his KO kick to the head of CroCop - the dude has not been impressive. Carwin could be a name to look for in the future as he will continue to improve and should become a force in the Heavyweight division.

• GRAY MAYNARD vs. Jim Miller

This was a good fight to start the main card off with. Gray proved to be too tough as he won the unanimous decision over the battered Miller. 

Undercard

• Ryan Madigan vs. TAMDAN MCCRORY
  
• Jason Day vs. KENDALL GROVE
  
• TIM BOETSCH vs. Jason Brilz
  
• Mike Patt vs. BRANDON VERA
  
• SHANE NELSON vs. Aaron Riley

Knox Animal was 8-2 in his picks for UFC 96. It doesn't really matter for anything other than the fact I like predicting things. 

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Knox Animal UFC 96 Predictions

Tonight's Ultimate Fighting Championship 96 should be full of highlights as the stellar card is highlighted by the main event of Keith "The Dean of Mean" Jardine vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Some other fights that should be pretty good are Matt Brown vs. Pete Sell and Shane Carwin vs. Gabriel Gonzaga. A couple notables on the undercard are Kendall Grove and Brandon Vera. Grove takes on Jason Day, while Vera takes on Mike Patt. Both Vera and Grove could have found themselves on the Main Card, but due to the strong lineup of fights tonight, they didn't. 

It should be a good night of fights - I will post my official Knox Animal UFC Performance Review sometime tomorrow.

Here are the official Knox Animal predictions (winners in CAPS):

Main Card

• QUINTON JACKSON vs. Keith Jardine
  
• MATT HAMILL vs. Mark Munoz
  
• Matt Brown vs. PETE SELL
  
• SHANE CARWIN vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
  
• GRAY MAYNARD vs. Jim Miller

Undercard

• Ryan Madigan vs. TAMDAN MCCRORY
  
• Jason Day vs. KENDALL GROVE
  
• TIM BOETSCH vs. Jason Brilz
  
• Mike Patt vs. BRANDON VERA
  
• SHANE NELSON vs. Aaron Riley
  

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T.O. signs with the Bills

Terrell Owens has signed a one year deal worth $6.5 million to join the Buffalo Bills and their pathetic offense. If T.O. couldn't get along with Donavon McNabb in Philly and then Tony Romo in Dallas, it makes perfect sense that he is going to mesh well with the horribly unproductive Trent Edwards right? 

Owens will be starting opposite Lee Evans to give the Bills much needed help at receiver. This move looks fantastic on paper, but it's only a matter of time before T.O. becomes T.O. and rips apart any chemistry this already unproductive offense has. 

The Bills were very smart to sign Owens to a one year deal, so if he doesn't perform or becomes a pain in the ass, getting rid of him won't be an issue at the end of the year. T.O. is very talented, so this could turn out to be a great move for both sides. Who knows, the smaller market of Buffalo may help, but given his track record - it is very unlikely. 

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Is A-Rod's Injury a Cover Up?

The way this season has panned out for Alex Rodriguez has been very interesting. When A-Rod first announced he was on Roids, I asked myself if I thought he was still on them. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt since I like to think people aren't lying to me when I hear a statement. I remember thinking to myself that if he was still on Roids, he will have some sort of injury before the season to possibly avoid any testing for illegal substances.

Now that A-Rod is injured with an apparent torn labrum in his hip, I am really starting to question whether or not he is still on the Juice. Barry Bonds developed an injury when it was discovered he was on Roids, so it makes this injury even more suspicious. I remember having dinner with some people several years ago before Jason Giambi's Roid scandal broke. It was around the time when he had the mysterious disease where he lost 20 pounds. I remember at the dinner, which was with several Yankees fans, I said that he was probably on Roids and when he finished the cycle, he lost the 20 pounds of bulk he had put on. Everybody thought that I was crazy, but it turns out that was exactly what happened.

This is a little different, because it seems like this is a legit injury, but at the same time it was reported that A-Rod suffered through this injury last season. It seems awfully ironic that he is addressing the injury now when he played last season with it. He had all off season to deal with it, but he waits until after it was discovered he was on Roids?

A-Rod has dug himself in a hole that I don't think he will ever be able to come close to getting out of. As this story has progressed, it looks worse and worse for the former MVP. It's hard to believe anything the guy says. It is pretty bad when the one guy that comes out of the steroid scandal looking like a hero is Jose Canseco.

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American Idol Wild Card Results

The Wild Card round was a very interesting show. With the decision of who stays completely in the four judge's hands, there was no telling what was going to happen. Here's how it broke down in Knox Animal's eyes and ears:

Jesse Langsmith - Tell Me Something Good by Rufus

Not a good start to the show. It's already hard to get people to remember you when you are the first to perform on the night, but when you suck - it is really hard.

Matt Giraud - Who's Loving You by Jackson 5

I was digging it. Matt can be a good addition to the finals. 

Megan Joy Corkrey - Black Horse and The Cherry Tree by KT Tunstall

Simply awesome. This girl is hot and she chooses good songs to sing. She is one of Knox Animal's sleepers in this competition.

Von Smith - Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word by Elton John

Not a very good performance and something about this guy still bugs the shit out of me. Not a fan. I would rather watch a rock bake in the sun.

Jasmine Murray - Reflection by Christina Aguilera

Great song choice for her and she sung it really well. She stepped up big time.

Ricky Braddy - Superstition by Stevie Wonder

I'm a big Ricky fan, but I don't think he did a good job tonight at all. He had fun up there and I still like the guy, but I don't think he was one of the best three tonight.

Tatiana Del Toro - Saving All My Love You by Whitney Houston

Good God I hate this girl more than anybody in the world. I am so glad she sucked so bad tonight that there was no way that she could possibly make it through. It would have really been horrific if she was actually good tonight and the judges were forced to let her through. But she chose to sing Whitney Houston and nobody can sing Whitney Houston but Whitney.

Anoop Desai - My Prerogative by Bobby Brown

Damnit Anoop! Why did you have to suck? You were by far my favorite before the Wild Card round started. He was so bad that I feel like the judges felt bad for him and let him through based on potential.

The Three Wild Card's Are: Jasmine Murray, Megan Joy Corkrey, Anoop Desai and Matt Giraud

The 12 Finalists Are wait what? A top 13:

1. Alexis Grace
2. Danny Gokey
3. Michael Sarver
4. Allison Iraheta
5. Kris Allen
6. Adam Lambert
7. Lil Rounds
8. Scott MacIntyre
9. Jorge Nuñez

10. Jasmine Murray

11. Megan Joy Corkrey

12. Anoop Desai

13. Matt Giraud

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