R.O.I. Records

2012-02-14T13:19:00.001-08:00

<p>&amp;lt;a href="http://sonnyblaq.bandcamp.com/album/standing-ovation"&amp;gt;Standing Ovation by Sonny Blaq&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;</p>

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Whitney Houston, Pop Superstar, Dies at 48

2012-02-13T14:07:00.001-08:00

David Corio

Whitney Houston in 1988. More Photos »

By JON PARELES and ADAM NAGOURNEY

Published: February 11, 2012

Whitney Houston, the multimillion-selling singer who emerged in the 1980s as one of her generation’s greatest R & B voices, only to deteriorate through years of cocaine use and an abusive marriage, died on Saturday in Beverly Hills, Calif. She was 48.

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Ms. Houston performing with Stevie Wonder in 2003. More Photos »

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Her death came as the music industry descended on Los Angeles for the annual celebration of the Grammy Awards, and Ms. Houston was — for all her difficulties over the years — one of its queens. She was staying at the Beverly Hilton hotel on Saturday to attend a pre-Grammy party being hosted by Clive Davis, the founder of Arista Records, who had been her pop mentor.

Ms. Houston was found in her room at 3:55 p.m., and paramedics spent close to 20 minutes trying to revive her, the authorities said. There was no immediate word on the cause of her death, but the authorities said there were no signs of foul play.

From the start of her career more than two decades ago, Ms. Houston had the talent, looks and pedigree of a pop superstar. She was the daughter of Cissy Houston, a gospel and pop singer who had backed up Aretha Franklin, and the cousin of Dionne Warwick. (Ms. Franklin is Ms. Houston’s godmother.)

Ms. Houston’s range spanned three octaves, and her voice was plush, vibrant and often spectacular. She could pour on the exuberant flourishes of gospel or peal a simple pop chorus; she could sing sweetly or unleash a sultry rasp.

Dressed in everything from formal gowns to T-shirts, she cultivated the image of a fun-loving but ardent good girl, the voice behind songs as perky as “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and as torchy as what became her signature song, a version of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.”

But by the mid-1990s, even as she was moving into acting with films like “The Bodyguard” and “The Preacher’s Wife,” she became what she described, in a 2009 interview with Oprah Winfrey, as a “heavy” user of marijuana and cocaine. By the 2000s she was struggling; her voice grew smaller, scratchier and less secure, and her performances grew erratic.

All of Ms. Houston’s studio albums were million-sellers, and two have sold more than 10 million copies in the United States alone: her 1985 debut album and the 1992 soundtrack to “The Bodyguard,” which includes “I Will Always Love You.”

But her marriage to the singer Bobby Brown — which was, at one point, documented in a Bravo reality television series, “Being Bobby Brown” — grew miserable, and in the 2000s, her singles slipped from the top 10. Ms. Houston became a tabloid subject: the National Enquirer ran a photo of her bathroom showing drug paraphernalia. And each new album — “Just Whitney” in 2002 and “I Look to You” in 2009 — became a comeback.

At Central Park in 2009, singing for “Good Morning America,” her voice was frayed, and on the world tour that followed the release of the album “I Look to You” that year, she was often shaky.

Whitney Houston was born on Aug. 9, 1963, in Newark. She sang in church, and as a teenager in the 1970s and early 1980s, she worked as a backup studio singer and featured vocalist with acts including Chaka Khan, the Neville Brothers and Bill Laswell’s Material.

Mr. Davis signed her after hearing her perform in a New York City nightclub, and spent two years supervising production of the album “Whitney Houston,” which was released in 1985. It placed her remarkable voice in polished, catchy songs that straddled pop and R & B, and it included three No. 1 singles: “Saving All My Love for You,” “How Will I Know” and “The Greatest Love of All.”

Because Ms. Houston had been credited on previous recordings, including a 1984 duet with Teddy Pendergrass, she was ruled ineligible for the best new artist category of the Grammy Awards; the eligibility criteria have since been changed. But with “Saving All My Love for You,” she won her first Grammy award, for best female pop vocal performance, an award she would win twice more.

Her popularity soared for the next decade. Her second album, “Whitney,” in 1987, became the first album by a woman to enter the Billboard charts at No. 1, and it included four No. 1 singles. She shifted her pop slightly toward R & B on her third album, “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” in 1990, which had two more No. 1 singles.

For much of the 1990s, she turned to acting, bolstered by her music. She played a pop diva in “The Bodyguard,” and its soundtrack album — including the hits “I Will Always Love You,” “I’m Every Woman,” “I Have Nothing” and “Run to You” — went on to sell 17 million copies in the United States. It won the Grammy for album of the year, and “I Will Always Love You” won record of the year (for a single). After making the films “Waiting To Exhale” in 1995 and “The Preacher’s Wife” in 1996 — which gave her the occasion to make a gospel album — Ms. Houston resumed her pop career with “My Love Is Your Love” in 1998.

Ms. Houston married Mr. Brown in 1992, and in 1993 they had a daughter, Bobbi Kristina, who survives her. Ms. Houston’s 2009 interview with Ms. Winfrey portrayed it as a passionate and then turbulent marriage, marred by drug use and by his professional jealousy, psychological abuse and physical confrontations. They divorced in 2007.

Her albums in the 2000s advanced a new persona for Ms. Houston. “Just Whitney,” in 2002, was defensive and scrappy, lashing out at the media and insisting on her loyalty to her man. Her most recent studio album, “I Look to You,” appeared in 2009, and it, too, reached No. 1. The album included a hard-headed breakup song, “Salute,” and a hymnlike anthem, “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength.” Ms. Houston sang, “I crashed down and I tumbled, but I did not crumble/I got through all the pain,” in a voice that showed scars.

Jon Pareles reported from New York, and Adam Nagourney from Santa Barbara, Calif. Reporting was contributed by Ian Lovett, Jennifer Medina and Ben Sisario in Los Angeles and Channing Joseph and James C. McKinley Jr. in New York.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
Correction: February 12, 2012

An earlier version misstated the name of Ms. Houston’s third album and the number of No. 1 singles it contained. The album is “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” not “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight,” and it had two No.1 singles, not three.
R.O.I. Records News,

Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48

2012-02-11T20:30:00.001-08:00

Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48

By the CNN Wire Staff

February 12, 2012 -- Updated 0401 GMT (1201 HKT)

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

NEW: Aretha Franklin calls news "stunning"
Houston's bodyguard found her body, boyfriend's publicist says
A tribute is expected at Sunday night's Grammy Awards
The entertainer had struggled with addiction problems

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Legendary pop singer Whitney Houston was found dead Saturday at a Beverly Hills, California, hotel, officials said. She was 48.
The entertainer, whose incredible talent was discovered at an early age, was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. (6:55 p.m. ET) at the Beverly Hilton hotel despite resuscitation efforts, a police spokesman said.
Beverly Hills Police Lt. Mark Rosen said there were "no obvious signs of criminal intent" and that the cause of her death is being investigated.
Houston's bodyguard found her body, said Courtney Barnes, publicist for hip-hop artist Ray J, who was dating the pop diva.
According to her official website, Houston sold more than 170 million albums, singles and videos. But she also struggled with addiction problems over the years.
Houston, whose hits included "The Greatest Love of All," died on the eve of the 54th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. She had performed as late as Thursday night at a pre-Grammy event in the area. A pre-Grammy party was scheduled Saturday night at the Beverly Hilton.

Policía declara muerte Whitney Houston

Clive Davis on Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston seemed 'in good spirits'

Music producer Jimmy Jam, after conversations with those heading up to Sunday's night show, told CNN that he believes the event will change significantly -- including a tribute to the singer.
The entertainer recently returned to a movie set for "Sparkle," a remake of the 1976 hit, which was loosely based on the story of The Supremes. It is scheduled be released nationwide in August, according to Sony Pictures. It was her first movie role since 1996's "The Preacher's Wife."
News of her death elicited a flood of reaction from fans and fellow celebrities alike.
Singer Aretha Franklin said, "I just can't talk about it now. It's so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen. My heart goes out to Cissy (Houston's mother), her daughter Bobbi Kris, her family and Bobby (Brown)."
Dolly Parton, who wrote "I Will Always Love You," said, "mine is only one of the millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston. I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, 'Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed.'"
Another entertainment legend, Quincy Jones, said he was "absolutely heartbroken" by the news. "She was a true original and a talent beyond compare," he said.
Houston's body of work included a string of Billboard No. 1 hits in the 1980s, including "Saving All My Love for You," "How Will I Know," "The Greatest Love of All," "Where Do Broken Hearts Go," and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)."
Billboard put her soundtrack to the 1992 movie "The Bodyguard" as one of the top 10 biggest-selling albums of all time. She also starred in the film with Kevin Costner. The soundtrack included the hit,"I Will Always Love You."
Whitney Houston was born on August 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey.
Famed music producer Clive Davis reportedly spotted Houston 20 years later in a New York nightclub, signing her on the spot, according to her website. Davis steered Houston's career for more than 25 years, also serving as a mentor.
Just Thursday, Davis told CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight" that, with Houston, "I saw a depth and a range and soul ... that rarely ranks at the top level. And that's why we've been working together ever since."
The singer's rendition of the national anthem at the 1991 Super Bowl, days into the first Persian Gulf War, earned raves and cemented her place in the American musical landscape.
After "The Bodyguard," Houston went on to appear in several more films in the 1990s, including "Waiting to Exhale."
In 2000, Houston earned her sixth Grammy for best female R&B performance and, a month later, she was named female artist of the decade at the "Soul Train" Music Awards.
Her career stalled, however, in subsequent years as she entered rehab for addiction problems.
Houston took a hiatus for several years before releasing her first album in seven years, "I Look to You," in 2009.
"I just took a break, which sometimes you have to," said Houston. "You have to know when to slow that train down and kind of just sit back and relax for a minute."
In May 2011, Houston got help for her much-publicized struggle with drugs and alcohol, her representative said at the time.
In a 2009 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Houston recalled how her mother arrived one day at her doorstep at her daughter's house with sheriff's officers and a court order in a drug intervention. She talked about doing cocaine and smoking marijuana.
"(My mother) says, 'I have a court (injunction) here,'" Houston said. "Either you do it my way, or we're just not going to do this at all. We are both going to go on TV, and you're going to retire.'"
Houston had a high-profile and tumultuous marriage to Bobby Brown, a former "New Edition" star who has had multiple brushes with the law.
The couple appeared together in the mid-2000s on the reality show "Being Bobby Brown." They had one child together, Bobbi Kristina.
Houston was the cousin of Dionne Warwick, another acclaimed performer.
Singer Lionel Richie told CNN that Houston was one of the best.
"She had that voice that could just turn a story, a melody into magical notes," Richie said.

R.O.I. Records News,

Sonny Blaq

2012-01-28T13:02:00.000-08:00

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://sonnyblaq.bandcamp.com/track/what-it-takes"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;What It Takes by Sonny Blaq&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

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WILLOW IS ONE BLAZING FIREBALL

2011-11-12T08:51:00.000-08:00

WILLOW IS ONE BLAZING FIREBALL!

POSTED: 11:58PM on 11/10/2011

She’s an actor, singer, role model, and all-around superstar. We’re talking about the sensational 11-year old Willow Smith. She’s accomplished more in her young life than most people have achieved in their entire lives!

We sat down with Willow just a few hours before her live performance tonight!

Of course someone with the X factor would be a fan of THE X FACTOR. “I watch THE X FACTOR almost every night when it comes on," she told us shortly before taking the stage. "I think it’s an amazing show because it gives people space to be who they want to be. Most people have great talent and don’t have anybody to sing to or dance to. I think it’s awesome.”

And of course, we must know where she gets her unique sense of style. “I get my sense of style from a lot of different people, like my aunt who’s also my stylist. I get it from my mom too because she’s stylish. It’s like whatever comes in my mind, they make it into something awesome.”

Judging by the way she rocks her style in all her performances and music videos, we know there’s a lot going on in her mind! As the judges said last night, as an artist you must be creative and original, and Willow is just that.

What advice would she give to the finalists? She told us, “Just have fun because nobody can really go wrong with just being yourself up there. Just be yourself and don’t lose the fun of it!”

Well said, Willow! We couldn’t agree more.

The finalists better pay attention to her performance tonight. Willow plans on bringing it with her performance of “Fireball.” “It’s going to be a lot more upbeat and more loud!” she told us with excitement moments before going to rehearse for tonight.

Like any fireball coming your way, you better step aside. Willow is blazing a path for herself and she ain’t slowing down any time soon. Watch our exclusive pre-performance interviewhere.

Don’t forget to watch Willow Smith and Jessie J perform tonight 8/7C on FOX!

Tags: Live, Episode-14, Willow Smith

R.O.I. Records News,

2011-11-11T08:56:00.000-08:00

To Those Who Have Served or Are Serving in Our Country's Armed Forces:

We remember, and

we thank you.

Happy Veterans Day!

www.roirecords.blogspot.com

www.sonnyblaq.bandcamp.com

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Who Get Voted Off The X Factor and Who Is Your Favorite

2011-11-10T13:30:00.000-08:00

Astro
(Brian Bradley)

Chris
Rene

Marcus
Canty

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Paterno fired over Penn St. child abuse scandal

2011-11-09T20:55:00.001-08:00

Paterno fired over Penn St. child abuse scandal

Penn State football coach Joe Paterno arrives home Nov. 9, 2011, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo)

The Penn State Scandal

(CBS/AP)

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Penn State trustees fired football coach Joe Paterno and university president Graham Spanier amid the growing furor over how the school handled sex abuse allegations against an assistant coach.

The massive shakeup Wednesday night came hours after Paterno announced that he planned to retire at the end of his 46th season.

But the outcry following the arrest of former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky on molestation charges proved too much for the board to ignore.

CBS News correspondent Armen Keteyian reports that a source with direct knowledge of the situation who asked to remain anonymous said the Paterno family is very upset with how the university handled the firing.

The source claims John Surma, the vice chair of the board of trustees, lied at the press conference announcing Paterno's firing when he said the board had contacted Paterno by phone about their decision. Instead, the source claims the university delivered a letter about the firing to the family home right around the time of the press conference, and that Surma was misleading when he said they had trouble finding him.

The legendary football coach is said to be in seclusion, the source claims, and Paterno allegedly said upon hearing the news: "You give your life to this place and that's how you're treated."

One key question has been why Paterno and other top school officials didn't go to police in 2002 after being told a graduate assistant saw Sandusky assaulting a boy in a school shower.

Paterno says he should have done more. Spanier has said he was not told the details of the attack.

Sandusky has denied the charges.

Complete coverage: The Penn State Scandal
Cops: Sandusky admitted to '98 shower with boy
Paterno's record-setting career by the numbers
Penn St. scandal dwarfs others in college sports

Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley will serve as interim coach while Rodney Erickson will serve as interim school president.

Earlier in the day, Paterno said in a statement he was "absolutely devastated" by the case, in which Sandusky, his onetime heir apparent was charged with molesting eight boys in 15 years, with some of the alleged abuse taking place at the Penn State football complex.

"This is a tragedy," Paterno said. "It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more."

John Surma, the vice chair of the board of trustees said, "these decisions were made after careful deliberations and in the best interests of the university as a whole."

"The past several days have been absolutely terrible for the entire Penn State community. But the outrage that we feel is nothing compared to the physical and psychological suffering that allegedly took place," he added.

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Wilson Ramos Kidnapped From Venezuelan Home

2011-11-09T18:09:00.000-08:00

Wilson Ramos Kidnapped From Venezuelan Home, According To Reports

By Brian Floyd - Editor, SBNation.com

Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was reportedly kidnapped from his home in Venezuela on Wednesday night.

Nov 9, 2011 - Washington Nationals catcherWilson Ramos has been kidnapped from his home in Venezuela, according to multiple reports on Wednesday night. Ramos was in Venezuela for the offseason, playing winter ball with Tigres de Aragua at the time of the reported kidnapping.

The news was reported by Rafael Rojas, who later added confirmation from sources close to the situation and Ramos' Venezuelan team.

#Nationals C Wilson Ramos has been kidnapped at his home in Maracay, Venezuela. Situation developing. The Wilson Ramos situation has been confirmed by personnel from his winterball club and close sources. We are monitoring it

Details are few and far between at this point, other than the initial reports of his kidnapping.According to El Nacional, Ramos was approached by armed men and taken away, but the assailants have yet to make any ransom demands.

According to respondent, 4 gunmen approached the grandeliga Washington Nationals near his home in the Santa Ines, capital of Carabobo, and took him away.

"They are still waiting for the kidnappers contact the family," continued the insider. "At the moment the only thing they have done is to inform the police."

Ramos became the Nationals' starting catcher this past season, during his rookie year with the club, hitting .267 with 15 home runs and 52 RBI.

We'll be back with more on Ramos' kidnapping as it becomes available. For more on Ramos' MLB team, visit our Washington Nationals blog, Federal Baseball, and SB Nation DC.

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Rap legend Heavy D dies at age 44

2011-11-08T15:16:00.001-08:00

Rap legend Heavy D dies at age 44

Image Credit: Ben Rose/WireImage.com
Heavy D, leader of seminal hip-hop group Heavy D & the Boyz and the voice behind such key rise-of-a-genre tracks as “Now That We Found Love,” “Who’s the Man,” and “Somebody For Me,” as well as the iconic theme song to In Living Color, has passed away at the age of 44.
TMZ is reporting that the rapper was rushed to a hospital in Los Angeles after being found unconscious, and passed away shortly after his arrival. No foul play is suspected, though his cause of death is currently unknown.
Heavy D was born Dwight Myers in Jamaica in 1967 but emigrated to Mount Vernon, New York with his parents as a young boy. After discovering rap music in junior high, he teamed up with backing crew the Boyz in high school.
Alongside his cohorts DJ Eddie F, Trouble T-Roy, and G-Wiz, he recorded a demo that found its way to the desk of Def Jam executive Andre Harrell, who alongside Russell Simmons had help launch the careers of LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, and Run-DMC. Harrell signed Heavy D & the Boyz to his newly-launched Uptown Records label, and he released the group’s debut album Living Large in 1987.
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Living Large was not a runaway success, though it was readily embraced by the hip-hop community, thanks in part to the somewhat novelty-ish hit “The Overweight Lover’s In the House.” But the group really hit its stride with 1989′s Big Tyme, which found Heavy D marrying his considerable lyrical skills with a sound that more mirrored contemporary R&B than N.W.A. or Public Enemy.
It was something that hadn’t been heard since the early days of hip-hop: Music that was both party-ready and also accomplished in its delivery and presentation. In short, Heavy D had skills, and he wasn’t afraid to rap about relationships and spit over dance-worthy grooves like “Somebody For Me.
Heavy hit his commercial peak in 1991 with the release of Peaceful Journey, which featured crossover smashes like “Now That We’ve Found Love” and “Is It Good To You,” both of which continued Heavy D & the Boyz’ permanent residence on MTV. That fall, Heavy also rapped on Michael Jackson’s “Jam,” the first single from his massively successful Dangerous album.
“Now That We Found Love” is a particularly impressive accomplishment, bringing together a phenomenally catchy sing-along hook with Heavy’s lightning-quick delivery. In many ways, Heavy D predicted both the hip-hop-inflected R&B of Mary J. Blige and Jennifer Lopez, as well as every rap song that featured a chest-banger crooning the chorus.
Though he was regularly cited as an inspiration by the generation of rappers who followed him (Notorious B.I.G. being the most obvious example; the two dudes even sort of sounded alike), Heavy D wasn’t able to maintain the same level of fame or success after Peaceful Journey. But all of his subsequent albums (especially 1997′s Waterbed Hev and 1999′s Heavy, both of which were released without the Boyz in tow) stayed true to his original innovative sound and continued to mine his considerable talent as a rapper.
Like his contemporary Ice-T, Heavy D found work as an actor as the millennium turned, and only came back to the recording game in 2008 with the reggae-kissed Vibes. He made his return to performing only a few weeks ago with a one-two punch, performing at the Michael Jackson tribute concert (he broke out his verse on “Jam”) and knocking out a set at the BET Hip-Hop Awards, where he ended his 15 year absence from the stage with a medley of some of his signature hits.
Heavy D achieved a great deal of commercial success and respect within the hip-hop community, but he still remained slightly underrated, and he shouldn’t be: D was both a party-starter and a genuine innovator, and he will be missed.

RIP.

Heavy D’s last message on Twitter was: “BE INSPIRED!”

R.O.I. Records News,

Things I Told No One !!!

2011-11-08T14:28:00.000-08:00

Everyone has a story, I feel I should tell mine, If not to help myself, maybe to help others... So i start with my story in music and pictures until the release of

"Things I Told No One"

View on YouTube Here

There is a Story in Each of us and if you hold it in, You help no one, Not Even Yourself.

Stay locked in for more of mine!!!

R.O.I. Records News,

Former heavyweight boxing champ Joe Frazier dies

2011-11-08T06:48:00.001-08:00

Former heavyweight boxing champ Joe Frazier dies

By the CNN Wire Staff

updated 9:27 AM EST, Tue November 8, 2011

Joe Frazier and Russian Vadim Yemelyanov fight in a semifinal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964. Frazier went on to win gold.

HIDE CAPTION

Joe Frazier: A Life in Pictures

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

NEW: Frazier was "swarming and unrelenting," columnist says
Floyd Mayweather says he will pay for Frazier's funeral
Frazier was diagnosed with liver cancer only recently
Muhammad Ali says "the world has lost a great champion"

(CNN) -- Joe Frazier, the hard-hitting boxing heavyweight who handed the legendary Muhammad Ali his first defeat, died Monday, shortly after being diagnosed with liver cancer, his family said in a statement.

The former heavyweight champion, who was 67, became a legend in his own right and personified the gritty working-class style of his hard-knuckled hometown, Philadelphia -- a fitting setting for the "Rocky" film series, starring Sylvester Stallone as hardscrabble boxer Rocky Balboa.

"You could hear him coming, snorting and grunting and puffing, like a steam engine climbing a steep grade," Bill Lyon wrote in a Philadelphia Inquirer column about Frazier, nicknamed Smokin' Joe.

"He was swarming and unrelenting, and he prided himself that he never took a backward step, and he reduced the Sweet Science to this brutal bit of elemental math: 'I'll let you hit me five times if you'll let me hit you just once.'"

Frazier's family issued a brief statement about his death.

"We The Family of ... Smokin' Joe Frazier, regret to inform you of his passing," the statement said. "He transitioned from this life as 'One of God's Men,' on the eve of November 7, 2011 at his home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania."

Boxing champion Joe Frazier dies

2009: Joe Frazier reflects on his legacy

Don Lemon takes on Joe Frazier

Muhammad Ali said in a statement that the "world has lost a great champion."

"I will always remember Joe with respect and admiration. My sympathy goes out to his family and loved ones," Ali's statement said.

Star boxer Floyd "Money" Mayweather offered to pay for Frazier's funeral.

"My condolences go out to the family of the late great Joe Frazier," read a post on Mayweather's official Twitter feed. "#TheMoneyTeam will pay for his funeral services."

Fans and well-wishers were encouraged to post their thoughts and prayers on a Facebook page at joefrazierscorner.com.

"RIP Smokin' Joe Frazier you had heavy hands and a big heart you will be missed," read a Facebook post .

Another post said: "One of my childhood heroes has left us ...I'm really sad."

The son of a South Carolina sharecropper, Frazier boxed during the glory days of the heavyweight division, going up against greats George Foreman, Oscar Bonavena, Joe Bugner and Jimmy Ellis. He made his name by winning a gold medal for the United States at the 1964 Summer Games in Tokyo.

He used his devastating left hook with impunity during his professional career, retiring in 1976 with a 32-4-1 record and staging one last comeback fight in 1981.

But it was his three much-hyped fights against Ali that helped seal his legend.

Frazier bested Ali at 1971's "Fight of the Century" at Madison Square Garden. In the 15th round, Frazier landed perhaps the most famous left hook in history, catching Ali on the jaw and dropping the former champ for a four-count, according to Frazier's bio at the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Frazier left the ring as the undisputed champ and handed Ali his first professional loss.

Ali won a 12-round decision in a January 1974 rematch, setting the stage for the classic "Thrilla in Manila" just outside the Philippine capital in 1975.

Ali took the early rounds, but Frazier rebounded before losing the last five rounds. By the end of the 14th, Frazier's eyes were nearly swollen shut, and his corner stopped the bout, according to the biography.

Later, Ali said, "It was the closest I've come to death."

Philadelphia Daily News columnist Stan Hochman noted that Frazier "summoned the skill and courage to battle Ali into the 14th round in Manila."

"He was a fighter, pure and simple, with a style that seemed destined for a short career. Trudge forward, lean on the other guy, take two to land one," Hochman wrote.

"'You've gotta breathe on him,'" Frazier would say, in a rare attempt to define his style. 'No shortcuts' was his mantra. There's a lesson there for all of us," Hochman's column said Tuesday.

Frazier, a two-time heavyweight champion for nearly three years until he lost in January 1973 to George Foreman, ran a well-known gym in Philadelphia for years.

"I don't mind working with the kids," Frazier told CNN's Don Lemon in 2009. "The kids is tomorrow. And if we don't do what we're supposed to do for them now, how are you going (to) expect them to carry on?"

Asked whether he was similar to Rocky Balboa, Frazier replied, "Sure. I worked at the slaughterhouse. I'm the guy that ran in the streets of Philadelphia."

R.O.I. Records News,

US: Sect bomb attacks possible in Nigeria capital

2011-11-07T17:22:00.000-08:00

US: Sect bomb attacks possible in Nigeria capital

By JON GAMBRELL - Associated Press | AP – 41 mins ago

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LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — After a weekend of violence and fear, U.S. officials warned Sunday that luxury hotels frequented by foreigners and Nigeria's elite may be bombed by a radical Muslim sect as the death toll from attacks in the country's northeast rose to more than 100.

The warning by the U.S. Embassy shows how seriously diplomats take the threat posed by the outlawed Islamist group known locally as Boko Haram, which previously bombed the United Nationsheadquarters in the capital, Abuja, killing 24.

The unusually specific warning from the U.S. Embassy identified possible targets in Abuja as the Hilton, Nicon Luxury and Sheraton hotels. With popular restaurants and bars, the hotels draw diplomats, politicians and even reformed oil delta militants.

The embassy said an attack may come as Muslims in the oil-rich nation celebrate the Eid al-Adha holiday and that its diplomats and staff had been instructed to avoid those hotels.

Still, Nigerian officials continued to downplay the threat posed by the militants, hoping to reassure Africa's most populous nation that everything remains under control in a country often violently divided by religious and ethnic differences.

"We're all expected to live in peace, but as a nation, we have our own challenges," President Goodluck Jonathan said in a speech televised nationally.

"During this holy period, we still have incidents happening here and there," added Jonathan, a Christian, who appeared wearing a prayer cap and the traditional robes of the country's Muslim north.

U.S. officials offered no other details about how the embassy received the threat information. Deb MacLean, a U.S. Embassy spokeswoman in Abuja, declined to comment Sunday.

It wouldn't be the first time Abuja saw itself targeted by Boko Haram, which has waged an increasingly bloody sectarian fight against Nigeria's weak central government. A suicide bomber claimed by the group attacked the U.N. headquarters in August, while another bomber targeted the federal police headquarters in June.

Still, most attacks have targeted Nigeria's arid and impoverished northeast, so any strike against hotels in Abuja would be an escalation that shows the group's ability to strike at will — even against foreigners and its elite.

The warning came as a Nigerian Red Cross official said more than 100 people were killed in a series of attacks Friday in the northeast.

Ibrahim Bulama said he expected the death toll to rise in Damaturu, the capital of rural Yobe state. He said mourners quickly buried some bodies in line with Muslim tradition, making a precise count difficult.

While the hard-hit city remained calm as its Muslim inhabitants celebrated the religious holiday Sunday, army and police units manned roadblocks and streets remained largely empty, Bulama said. The state government announced a dusk-to-dawn curfew for the entire state.

Meanwhile, a police inspector was killed Sunday in Boko Haram's spiritual home of Maiduguri about 80 miles (130 kilometers) east of Damaturu. Sect gunmen stopped the officer's car at gunpoint as he neared a mosque to pray with his family, police commissioner Simeon Midenda said.

Gunmen ordered the family away, then shot the inspector, Midenda said.

World leaders from the United Nations to Pope Benedict XVI have called for an end to the violence, though Nigerian officials largely have downplayed the threat. Jonathan has repeatedly said that all countries in the world face terrorism, while others have urged local journalists to exercise restraint in their reporting in the name of patriotism.

Despite the bombings and gun battles in northeast Nigeria, Defense Minister Mohammed Bello told journalists Sunday that "a lot of progress" has been made there.

"I believe our security agencies are doing very well in containing the situation," Bello said.

Nigeria's history, however, shows the government often waits until crises escalate out of control before responding with harsh military crackdowns. In 1980, the government suppressed a radical Muslim sect called the Maitatsine only after its members rioted, with the violence and subsequent crackdown leaving 4,000 dead.

Rumors had persisted then that the Maitatsine received aid from Nigeria's elite, but became too much for politicians to control. Similar rumors now surround Boko Haram, which wants the strict implementation of Shariah law across Nigeria, a nation of more than 160 million split largely between a Christian south and Muslim north.

Other analysts suggest Jonathan, a Christian who took power after the 2010 death of an elected Muslim leader, remains unsure of his grip on the nation. The April election that saw Jonathan cement his hold on the presidency also sparked political and religious rioting across Nigeria's north that left 800 people dead.

Boko Haram's name means "Western education is sacrilege" in the local Hausa language. It rejects Western ideals like Nigeria's U.S.-styled democracy. Followers believe that democracy has destroyed the country with corrupt politicians.

The latest attacks occurred ahead of Sunday's celebration of the feast of sacrifice, when Muslims around the world slaughter sheep and cattle in remembrance of Abraham's near-sacrifice of his son.

An Associated Press count shows the group has killed at least 361 people this year alone.

___

Associated Press writer Njadvara Musa in Maiduguri, Nigeria contributed to this report.

___

Jon Gambrell can be reached at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.

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Penn State abuse scandal chilling in details,

2011-11-07T07:11:00.000-08:00

Penn State abuse scandal chilling in details, reach

By Steve Wieberg and Jack Carey, USA TODAY

Updated 1h 5m ago

Comments81

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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Not far — but seemingly an eternity removed — from the bucolic patch of central Pennsylvania known as Happy Valley, Penn State's athletics director and one of the university's senior executives are to report to a Harrisburg judge today to answer to charges that they lied in the investigation of a series of sexual assaults on young boys.

Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General via AP
Police put former Penn State football assistant Jerry Sandusky into a car Saturday on his way to his arraignment.

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Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General via AP

Police put former Penn State football assistant Jerry Sandusky into a car Saturday on his way to his arraignment.

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Accused as the predator: Jerry Sandusky, one of college football's most visible and well-respected assistant coaches before his retirement 12 years ago, a defensive maestro who helped turn the school into Linebacker U. and once was the presumed heir apparent to Nittany Lions icon Joe Paterno.

Even in the sullied world of major-college athletics, the weekend news was stunning.

The past year and half has seen Cam Newton's father found to have shopped his eventual Heisman Trophy-winning son for profit, one of football's most successful coaches fired from Ohio State for his dishonesty withNCAA investigators, an imprisoned booster raining down claims of illicit benefits at Miami (Fla.) and multiple cases of agent and academic malfeasance. Less unseemly are the threats, suits and countersuits accompanying conference realignment.

Now, the colleges have found an even darker corner — at Penn State of all places, an institution untouched by NCAA sanctions and, before this, scarcely a hint of any form of scandal.

Sandusky's alleged actions, and charges that Penn State athletics director Tim Curley and Senior Vice President Gary Schultz perjured themselves before a grand jury, might represent the most damaging hit to college sports since Baylor basketball player Carlton Dotson killed teammate Patrick Dennehy in 2003. Then-coach Dave Bliss attempted a cover-up, urging players and assistants to depict the victim as a drug dealer.

Late Sunday, the Penn State board of trustees announced that Curley had requested administrative leave and Schultz had stepped down to devote time to defending themselves.

In a statement Sunday, Paterno called the charges against Sandusky shocking. "If this is true, we were all fooled, along with scores of professionals trained in such things, and we grieve for the victims and their families," he said. "They are in our prayers."

The 12th-ranked Nittany Lions didn't play Saturday, and in the place of familiar game images were shots of Sandusky, 67, being escorted to and from his arraignment by two lawmen, his eyes down and hands cuffed.

Shocking allegations

Authorities handed down 40 counts, 21 of them felonies, that Sandusky abused eight boys over a 15-year period starting in 1994. A two-year grand jury investigation found that Sandusky encountered each of the victims through The Second Mile, the youth services foundation he established in 1977 and remained associated with until a little more than a year ago.

Punishment for each of the felonies ranges from seven to 20 years in prison and $15,000-$25,000 in fines. For the 19 misdemeanors, it's two to five years' imprisonment and $5,000-$10,000 in fines.

"There were whispers about it," said Alex Ricker, a former Penn State student and current football season ticketholder who has worked several Second Mile camps in State College and Reading, Pa. "But when it came out, I don't think anybody expected that big of a hit or that serious of an indictment, as well as that many charges. It was sad.

"He was a very public figure that a lot of people viewed as a very strong charitable figure, and his organization did a lot of good. It could impact the university, and unfortunately it will probably impact The Second Mile. It's hard to say if it will have an impact on how much longer Coach Paterno stays."

Paterno, who a week earlier collected the 409th victory of his 46-year Hall of Fame tenure, breaking the NCAA Division I record, has not been implicated in the scandal. The 23-page grand jury report, in fact, credits him with going to Curley with one of the most serious charges against Sandusky — brought by a graduate assistant coach who in March 2002 told Paterno he'd seen the older assistant sexually assaulting a naked boy who appeared to be about 10 years old in the shower in Penn State's Lasch Football Building.

The former grad assistant told the grand jury that he'd caught Sandusky subjecting the boy to anal intercourse and said he reported what he'd seen to Paterno during a meeting at Paterno's home the next day. Paterno then met with Curley and, according to the grand jury summary, told the AD that the assistant had seen Sandusky "fondling or doing something of a sexual nature to a young boy."

The assistant later met with Curley and Schultz, saying he'd witnessed what he thought to be anal sex.

In his statement Sunday, Paterno said the assistant "was distraught … but he at no time related to me the very specific actions contained in the grand jury report."

There still are questions about why Paterno went no further with the report when Curley and Schultz didn't take action beyond reporting the incident to The Second Mile and barring Sandusky from bringing children in The Second Mile program into the football building. Schultz's duties include oversight of university police. Neither administrator notified law enforcement or child protection officers as required by law.

Paterno, 84, also can't escape the fact that 20 of the charges against Sandusky date to the period from 1995 to 1998, when Sandusky was Paterno's defensive coordinator. He retired at the end of the 1999 season.

"I understand that people are upset and angry, but let's be fair and let the legal process unfold," Paterno said in his statement. "In the meantime, I would ask all Penn Staters to continue to trust in what that name represents, continue to pursue their lives every day with high ideals and not let these events shake their beliefs nor who they are."

The Harrisburg Patriot-News, citing people with knowledge of the investigation, has identified the former grad assistant who witnessed the shower incident 9½ years ago asMike McQueary, now Penn State's receivers coach and recruiting coordinator. He was unavailable Sunday. His father was reached at his State College home .

"There's going to be a lot of stuff that comes out," said John McQueary, wearing a gray Penn State sweatshirt while cleaning his garage, "and until then I really don't want to say much."

Pointing to Saturday's game against Nebraska, he said, "Nobody cares as much about the game now because of this and because Nebraska lost . It's completely different."

Support from Spanier

Implications in the case stretch well beyond football.

Both Curley, a former grad assistant and recruiting coordinator for Paterno who has run Penn State's athletics department since 1993, and Schultz face one felony count of perjury related to their testimony to the grand jury in January and a misdemeanor charge of failure to report abuse. They're scheduled to turn themselves in this afternoon in Harrisburg.

Penn State President Graham Spanier called the allegations against Sandusky troubling but expressed "unconditional support" for Curley and Schultz and said in a statement, "I am confident the record will show that these charges are groundless and that they conducted themselves professionally and appropriately."

Spanier's fortunes could be tied to theirs. Authorities say he "reviewed and approved" their handling of the shower episode; he denied to the grand jury that it was depicted to him as sexual in nature.

Sandusky, who spent 32 years at Paterno's side, 23 as defensive coordinator, was released Saturday on $100,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing in his case is scheduled for Wednesday, though his attorney, Joe Amendola, told Johnstown, Pa.-based television station WJAC it probably would be delayed.

Penn State on Sunday barred Sandusky from its campus.

"He's shaky, as you can expect," Amendola told the TV station. "Being 67, never having faced criminal charges in his life and having the distinguished career that he's had, these are very serious allegations."

Sandusky was a three-year starter at defensive end (1963-65) for Penn State. He graduated in 1966 — first in his class — with a degree in health and physical education and earned a master's degree there five years later. He and his wife, Dottie, have six children, all adopted.

One son, Jon, is the director of player personnel with the NFL's Cleveland Browns. Another, E.J., is the running backs coach at Division III West Chester (Pa.).

A native of Washington, Pa., Sandusky was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1999 and once was so popular among Penn State fans that an ice cream flavor was named for him at State College's landmark Berkey Creamery. "Sandusky Blitz" hasn't been offered for some two years, assistant manager James Brown said.

"The Creamery has nothing to do with the person and the allegations," Brown said. "It's an ice cream flavor.There's no attachment."

Contributing: Audrey Snyder from State College. Carey also reported from State College.

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City In The Dark! Unable To Pay Bill, Michigan City Turns Off Lights

2011-11-06T09:48:00.000-08:00

City In The Dark! Unable To Pay Bill, Michigan City Turns Off Lights.

HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. — As the sun dips below the rooftops each evening, parts of this Detroit enclave turn to pitch black, the only illumination coming from a few streetlights at the end of the block or from glowing yellow yard globes.

It wasn’t always this way. But when the debt-ridden community could no longer afford its monthly electric bill, elected officials not only turned off 1,000 streetlights. They had them ripped out — bulbs, poles and all. Now nightfall cloaks most neighborhoods in inky darkness.

“How can you darken any city?” asked Victoria Dowdell, standing in the halo of a light in her front yard. “I think that was a disgrace. She said the decision endangers everyone, especially people who have to walk around at night or catch the bus.

Highland Park’s decision is one of the nation’s most extreme austerity measures, even among the scores of communities that can no longer afford to provide basic services.

Other towns have postponed roadwork, cut back on trash collection and closed libraries, for example. But to people left in the dark night after night, removing streetlights seems more drastic. And unlike many other cutbacks that can easily be reversed, this one appears to be permanent.

The city is $58 million in debt and has many more people than jobs, plus dozens of burned-out or vacant houses and buildings. With fewer than 12,000 residents, its population has dwindled to half the level from 20 years ago.

Faced with a $4 million electric bill that required $60,000 monthly payments, Mayor Hubert Yopp asked the City Council to consider reducing lighting. Council members reluctantly approved it, even in an election year.

“We knew it was going to hurt,” Councilman Christopher Woodard said. “We’re all hurting.”

In late August, contractors from DTE Energy began rolling through the streets, taking out two-thirds of the light poles.

“It is a winning proposition, but that doesn’t make it a winner with the citizens who find themselves in the dark,” Woodard added. “We had to watch our backs when we got out of our cars before. Now we have to watch them even more closely.”

Unless the government gets an unexpected infusion of cash or sees an uptick in its dying tax base, many parts of Highland Park will remain beneath a shroud every night.

The city’s monthly electric bill has been cut by 80 percent. The amount owed DTE Energy goes back about a decade, but utility executives hesitated to turn off the juice.

“We are extremely concerned with public safety,” said Trevor Lauer, vice president of marketing and renewables for the Detroit-based utility. “We recognize that street lighting is something that contributes to public safety.”

Now, he said, the company has “a municipal lighting customer I’m confident can pay its monthly bill.”

Most of the 500 streetlights still shining in Highland Park are along major streets and on corners in residential areas. DTE Energy has listed the city’s overdue bill as an uncollectable expense.

The leader of a nonprofit group that works to reduce energy costs for low-income families said he’s not heard of any other communities becoming so desperate to save money that they turned off streetlights. It might be a sign of things to come.

“If it works in Highland Park, I could not imagine other cities not looking at that as one option,” said David Fox, executive director of the National Low Income Energy Consortium in Alexandria, Va.

In its heyday, Highland Park was one of Michigan’s urban jewels, with large yards, spacious homes and tree-lined streets.

Henry Ford put his first moving assembly line here, and his factory eventually churned out a car every minute. By 1930, the city had grown to 50,000 people.

Ford later moved his primary manufacturing operations to River Rouge, southwest of Detroit, in search of room to expand. Highland Park survived that loss. But it never recovered from Chrysler’s decision in the 1990s to move its world headquarters 50 miles north to Oakland County.

“That took away $6 million” in taxes, Woodard said. “That was a lot of money to not have anymore. It was a major industrial operation moving out of here. When Chrysler moved out, things started to happen.”

Small businesses catering to Chrysler workers began to fail, and the city struggled to pay its bills. And like Detroit, which lost 250,000 residents from 2000 to 2010, people moved out, leaving hundreds of abandoned houses.

In 1980, the census counted 27,000 people living in Highland Park. By 2010, that number had fallen to 11,776.

The median household income is $18,700, compared with $48,700 statewide. And 42 percent of the city’s residents live in poverty.

“It’s pretty ghetto,” Cassandra Cabil said from her front yard. Voices drift in the darkness from down the street, but the speakers can’t be seen.

The 31-year-old short-order cook works odd hours and sometimes makes it home late at night. She watched recently as crews removed the streetlight and pole from in front of her rented home.

“It’s really dark unless people have their lights on,” she said. “There’s a lot of vandalism going on, people breaking into these houses.”

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This Week in College Football History: Nov. 7 - Nov. 13

2011-11-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

NEWS RELEASE

This Week in College Football History:
Nov. 7 - Nov. 13

As part of an ongoing series throughout the fall, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame posts This Week in College Football History, which takes a look back at some of college football's landmark moments over the last 143 years.

If you choose to use this content in whole or in part, as a courtesy, please credit The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame.

FEATURED MOMENT:

November 12, 2005- With William V. Campbell Trophy winner Rudy Niswanger and NFF National Scholar-Athlete DeMeco Ryans on opposing sides of the ball, No. 5 LSU defeated No. 3 Alabama 16-13 in overtime in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Crimson Tide, who came into the game at 9-0 for the first time since 1994, jumped to a 10-0 halftime edge but achieved just four first downs in the second half. The Bayou Bengals pulled within three on a one-yard plunge on fourth down by tailback Justin Vincent, and tied the game on a 42-yard field goal by Chris Jackson. Alabama opened the overtime period with a 34-yard Jamie Christensen field goal, and LSU finally gained the upper hand when quarterback JaMarcus Russell hit wide receiver Dwayne Bowe with an 11-yard touchdown pass to win the game. CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO OF THIS GAME.

OTHER NOTABLE DATES:

November 7, 1987- Paul Hewitt of San Diego State became the first player in college football history to rush for three touchdowns in five consecutive games. Hewitt's three scores were not enough to push the Aztecs past BYU as San Diego State fell 38-21 in Provo, Utah. Hewitt set a school record with 18 rushing touchdowns during the 1987 campaign. His feat was matched one year later by College Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders of Oklahoma State, and has not been equaled since.

November 8, 1997- College Football Hall of Fame inductee Lloyd Carr led No. 4 Michigan into Happy Valley to face College Football Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno and No. 3 Penn State. The Wolverines dominated from the first play of the game when Michigan defensive lineman Glen Steele sacked Mike McQueary. 1997 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Brian Griese led the Michigan offense, connecting on 14-of-22 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns. The dagger came when Griese found Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson for a 37-yard touchdown pass to give Michigan a 17-0 edge en route to a 34-8 victory. Michigan would defeat No. 4 Ohio State two weeks later, clearing the way for Carr to bring the first national championship to Ann Arbor since 1948.

November 9, 1974- College Football Hall of Fame coach Grant Teaff and Baylor stunned College Football Hall of Fame coach Darrell Royal and No. 12 Texas 34-24 in Waco, Texas. The Longhorns built a 24-7 halftime advantage with touchdown jaunts from future College Football Hall of Fame tailbacks Earl Campbell and Roosevelt Leaks, who combined for 153 yards on the day. Baylor owned the second half, outscoring Texas 27-0, behind quarterback Neal Jeffrey's 351 passing yards and three total touchdowns, a blocked punt deep in Texas territory, and a forced fumble of Texas quarterback Marty Akins to set up the go-ahead score. The win gave Teaff and the Bears their first triumph over Texas since 1956, and ultimately led to their first Southwest Conference title since 1924. After finishing in last place the previous season, Baylor's long-awaited conference championship became known as the "Miracle on the Brazos".

November 10, 1956- In Tempe, Ariz., 7-0 Arizona State hosted 6-1 UTEP with the Border Conference crown on the line. The Miners rushed for 288 yards en route to a 28-0 victory, clinching their first league championship. The game was much closer than the final score, however, as the Sun Devils marched inside the UTEP 30-yard line eight times only to come away empty handed each time, including a lost fumble into the end zone by fullback Joe Belland in the second quarter.

November 11, 1961- Oregon State's "Giant Killers", fresh off a win over No. 2 Purdue and tying No. 2 UCLA, claimed another victim when they stunned No. 1 USC 3-0 in Corvallis, Ore. Future College Football Hall of Fame tailback O.J. Simpson gained 188 yards on 33 carries but the Beavers defense turned away every scoring threat. College Football Hall of Fame inductee Bill Enyart rushed for 135 yards on 24 carries, but Mike Haggard's 30-yard field goal in the second quarter was all Oregon State would need. The Beavers leapt to No. 8 in the AP poll following their impressive three-game stretch and finished the season ranked seventh, which was the highest ranking in school history until 2000.

November 13, 1943 - North Carolina and Penn combined to set an NCAA record that will likely never be approached again. The two squads combined for minus-13 passing yards on the day, the fewest passing yards gained in college football history. North Carolina completed 1-of-7 passes for a loss of seven yards, while Penn connected on 2-of-12 attempts for a loss of six yards. North Carolina won the game 9-6 in Philadelphia.

2005 NFF National Scholar-Athletes DeMeco Ryans (Alabama) and Rudy Niswanger
(LSU) squared off in a battle of top 5 teams this week in college football history.

This report was researched and written by NFF Communications Assistant Zach Barnett. Click here to read this story online.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION AND COLLEGE HALL OF FAME: Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 121 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame, the NFF Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments, Play It Smart, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, and scholarships of more than $1.3 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF presents the MacArthur Bowl, the William V. Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings. For more information, please visit www.footballfoundation.org.

R.O.I. Records News,

2011 Top 25 PEE WEE Football Teams

2011-11-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

2011 Top 25 Pee Wee week 10, Nov 3, 2011

Rank Team League State

Posted: 10:57 AM

Last Updated: 1 hour and 17 minutes ago

By: Patrick Lancaster

This week we're off to Pecos Park for some SEV football action.

The state championship is on the line, a win could mean a trip to Orlando for the national championship!

1. Fredericksburg Bears VAYFA 8-0 bye
2. Mesa Soldiers PAYF 10-0 won
3. Southeast Valley Thunder PAYF 10-0 won
4. Mint Hill GCYAA 7-0 cancel
5. Oak Grove South NorCal 9-0 won
6. Brooklyn Chief ESYFL 7-1 won
7. Sac Cougars Nor Cal 8-1 won Season over
8. Southwest Rams TYFSF 7-1-1 won
9. Parkside TMMD 8-1 won Team MD AYF Championship
10. Lawncrest PEAYF 8-1 won
11. Pax River Silver Metro 10-1 won Metro AYF Championship
12. Southside GHAYF 6-1 n/a
13. Sac Raiders NorCal 8-1 won Season over
14. Forest Park TMMD 8-1 lost Season over
15. Spirit Of Faith Metro 10-1 lost Season over
16. Harlem ESYFL 7-1 lost
17. Vacaville Bengal NorCal 6-2 bye Season over
18. Palo Alto NorCal 7-2 won
19. Norview HRAYFC 5-2 bye
20. Sahuarita 49ers TYFSF 7-1-1 won
21. Fox Rok PEAYF 7-2 won
22. Tucson Falcons TYFSF 7-2 won
23. Manassas VAYFA 6-2 won
24. Lancaster Jets GLY 8-2 won
25. Southwest GCYAA 6-2 won

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Obama Slams Congress For Frivolous Votes

2011-11-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

Obama Slams Congress For Frivolous Votes [VIDEO]

Wed, 11/02/2011 - 4:02pm —

Henry Decker

President Obama ripped Congress on Wednesday for passing a resolution to reaffirm "In God We Trust" as the nation's motto while his jobs bill still sits in limbo.

In a speech calling on Congress to pass legislation to improve the country's faltering infrastructure, Obama mocked Congress for holding frivolous votes instead of considering the American Jobs Act.

"If Congress tells you they don't have time, they've got time to do it. ... In the House of Representatives, what have you guys been debating? ... You've been debating a commemorative coin for baseball? You have legislation reaffirming that 'In God We Trust' is our motto? That's not putting people back to work. I trust in God, but God wants to see us help ourselves by putting people to work."

It's nice that Congress has finally found an issue that both parties can agree on; the "In God We Trust" resolution passed by a 369 to 9 margin. Unfortunately, the resolution doesn't have anything to do with America's sky high unemployment, or its huge budget deficit, or its continuing struggles in Afghanistan, or any other pertinent issue.

No wonder Congress' approval rating sits at a pathetic 9 percent.

Video of Obama's comments is below:

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R.O.I. Records

Whitney Houston, Pop Superstar, Dies at 48

By JON PARELES and ADAM NAGOURNEY

Published: February 11, 2012

Multimedia

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Penn State abuse scandal chilling in details,

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By Steve Wieberg and Jack Carey, USA TODAY

MORE: Second Mile office key in Jerry Sandusky case

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This Week in College Football History: Nov. 7 - Nov. 13

This Week in College Football History:Nov. 7 - Nov. 13

2011 Top 25 PEE WEE Football Teams

Obama Slams Congress For Frivolous Votes

Obama Slams Congress For Frivolous Votes [VIDEO]

This Week in College Football History:
Nov. 7 - Nov. 13