After his rivals had faltered, Jeremy Abbott turned what was expected to be a close competition into a rout, winning his second straight national men's figure skating title with a tour de force in today's free skate at the U.S. Championships in Spokane, Wash.

Abbott opened with a quadruple jump and followed it with more than four minutes of technical mastery and poised presentation to win the title by 25.03 points over reigning world champion Evan Lysacek.

Lysacek, whose performance was described as "labored" by his coach, Frank Carroll, and third finisher Johnny Weir probably will earn the three men's spots on the U.S. Olympic team. That decision was to be announced today.

After his rivals had faltered, Jeremy Abbott turned what was expected to be a close competition into a rout, winning his second straight national men's figure skating title with a tour de force in today's free skate at the U.S. Championships in Spokane, Wash.

Abbott opened with a quadruple jump and followed it with more than four minutes of technical mastery and poised presentation to win the title by 25.03 points over reigning world champion Evan Lysacek.

Lysacek, whose performance was described as "labored" by his coach, Frank Carroll, and third finisher Johnny Weir probably will earn the three men's spots on the U.S. Olympic team. That decision was to be announced today.

Lee Thompson Young is an American actor, known for starring in the Disney television series, The Famous Jett Jackson.
Young moved to New York that June, but it was not until the next year that he auditioned for the part of Jett Jackson in The Famous Jett Jackson. Lee filmed the pilot and found out in June 1998 from The Disney Channel that the show had been picked up. It later went on to become a Disney movie in June 2001. In 1999, Lee starred in Johnny Tsunami, another Disney Channel Original Movie, as Sam Sterling (a major character). The movie was successful, but Lee did not reprise the role in the sequel, Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board.
After the cancellation of The Famous Jett Jackson, Young had guest spots in CBS's The Guardian. He had a part in the movie Friday Night Lights portraying Chris Comer and a part in the Jamie Foxx movie Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story. Lee appeared on UPN's TV drama South Beach. He portrayed Victor Stone (known in DC Comics as Cyborg) in a fifth season episode of the television series Smallville in 2006. He reprised his character in the Season Six episode "Justice", which aired on January 18, 2007.
Young appeared in the feature film Akeelah and the Bee, playing Akeelah's brother Devon. He played National Guard rookie, Delmar, in The Hills Have Eyes 2.
In 2009, Young played a cocky surgical intern in the hit comedy show, Scrubs. It is revealed that his character was an overweight child. The character becomes involved in a romance with one of the medical interns.
Young played the role of Al Gough an FBI agent, in the new ABC Television Drama FlashForward. He was written off the show in episode 7, when his character committed suicide to prevent the death of an innocent civilian.
Young also starred in Sugababes video for their 2009 single "About A Girl".
Here are some photos of Lee Thompson Young

Lee Thompson Young is an American actor, known for starring in the Disney television series, The Famous Jett Jackson.
Young moved to New York that June, but it was not until the next year that he auditioned for the part of Jett Jackson in The Famous Jett Jackson. Lee filmed the pilot and found out in June 1998 from The Disney Channel that the show had been picked up. It later went on to become a Disney movie in June 2001. In 1999, Lee starred in Johnny Tsunami, another Disney Channel Original Movie, as Sam Sterling (a major character). The movie was successful, but Lee did not reprise the role in the sequel, Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board.
After the cancellation of The Famous Jett Jackson, Young had guest spots in CBS's The Guardian. He had a part in the movie Friday Night Lights portraying Chris Comer and a part in the Jamie Foxx movie Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story. Lee appeared on UPN's TV drama South Beach. He portrayed Victor Stone (known in DC Comics as Cyborg) in a fifth season episode of the television series Smallville in 2006. He reprised his character in the Season Six episode "Justice", which aired on January 18, 2007.
Young appeared in the feature film Akeelah and the Bee, playing Akeelah's brother Devon. He played National Guard rookie, Delmar, in The Hills Have Eyes 2.
In 2009, Young played a cocky surgical intern in the hit comedy show, Scrubs. It is revealed that his character was an overweight child. The character becomes involved in a romance with one of the medical interns.
Young played the role of Al Gough an FBI agent, in the new ABC Television Drama FlashForward. He was written off the show in episode 7, when his character committed suicide to prevent the death of an innocent civilian.
Young also starred in Sugababes video for their 2009 single "About A Girl".
Here are some photos of Lee Thompson Young

Ke$ha, pronounced Kesh-ah, is the pop star of the moment and Scott Simon managed to pin her down, not literally, this week and talk to her about her debut album, "Animal." An album that Rolling Stone magazine called "repulsive, obnoxious and ridiculously catchy." I have to admit that after I watched the video to Ke$ha's song, "Tik Tok" and listened to some of her CD, I thought that maybe she would have a bit of an "animalistic" side.

But there's more to this girl than raunchy clothes and, at times, explicit lyrics. Ke$ha is not the type of girl who will let a bad word or two get her down. In fact, she doesn't seem to let much get her down, not failed relationships or even "backstabbers." If she's ever feeling vulnerable she says she writes a song about it, calling it, "the best revenge."

What was also very revealing about this 22-year-old pop-rapper-singer is that she will be performing at this year's resurrection of Lilith Fair, a music festival that celebrates women in music. And who would have thought that one of Ke$ha's favorite albums is Bob Dylan's "Nashville Skyline."

This girl who grew up in Nashville not only has musical talent but has brains and brashness, and you could say a somewhat mischievous side. She admits to sneaking into the house of Prince himself. She says the house wasn't hard to find because the driveway is lined with "purple velvet." She snuck under the gate but got stuck and had to be helped by the gardener, but even after that, she managed to navigate her way into the house. She says she saw Prince rehearsing. Before she was discovered and booted out of the house, she dropped off her CD for him and even tied a purple ribbon - purple being Prince's favorite color - around it. But Prince never called her. Ke$ha has a great defense for her actions. She says it's advice that comes from her mother: "If you want something, then you go take it. You can't depend on anybody else."

If there's one thing that I've learned this week, it's that I should never judge a girl by her cover. Have a listen below to find out what Ke$ha listens to in her spare time.

Ke$ha, pronounced Kesh-ah, is the pop star of the moment and Scott Simon managed to pin her down, not literally, this week and talk to her about her debut album, "Animal." An album that Rolling Stone magazine called "repulsive, obnoxious and ridiculously catchy." I have to admit that after I watched the video to Ke$ha's song, "Tik Tok" and listened to some of her CD, I thought that maybe she would have a bit of an "animalistic" side.

But there's more to this girl than raunchy clothes and, at times, explicit lyrics. Ke$ha is not the type of girl who will let a bad word or two get her down. In fact, she doesn't seem to let much get her down, not failed relationships or even "backstabbers." If she's ever feeling vulnerable she says she writes a song about it, calling it, "the best revenge."

What was also very revealing about this 22-year-old pop-rapper-singer is that she will be performing at this year's resurrection of Lilith Fair, a music festival that celebrates women in music. And who would have thought that one of Ke$ha's favorite albums is Bob Dylan's "Nashville Skyline."

This girl who grew up in Nashville not only has musical talent but has brains and brashness, and you could say a somewhat mischievous side. She admits to sneaking into the house of Prince himself. She says the house wasn't hard to find because the driveway is lined with "purple velvet." She snuck under the gate but got stuck and had to be helped by the gardener, but even after that, she managed to navigate her way into the house. She says she saw Prince rehearsing. Before she was discovered and booted out of the house, she dropped off her CD for him and even tied a purple ribbon - purple being Prince's favorite color - around it. But Prince never called her. Ke$ha has a great defense for her actions. She says it's advice that comes from her mother: "If you want something, then you go take it. You can't depend on anybody else."

If there's one thing that I've learned this week, it's that I should never judge a girl by her cover. Have a listen below to find out what Ke$ha listens to in her spare time.

All’s almost quiet on the Tech and Georgia defensive coordinator fronts, but probably not as quiet as the Jackets would like.

A couple of blogs back, I told you that Al Groh was suddenly being presented with job options other than Georgia Tech and I even threw out a few potential backup choice for the team’s defensive coordinator vacancy.

Well, with every passing day, this whole Groh-to-Tech scenario looks more fantasy than reality. At the very least, it’s getting crowded.
The New England Patriots are looking for a new defensive coordinator, after Dean Pees stepped down for health reasons. Media speculation immediately began that the Patriots may get into a bidding war for Groh with the Miami Dolphins.

Groh has worked with Patriots coach Bill Belichick in the past, as well as Dolphins vice president Bill Parcells. It should be noted that whereas Miami has interviewed Groh, there has been no word on whether the Pats will talk to Groh (or already have).

Folks, as I’ve stated before, if money is a factor in the Groh negotiations, Tech has no shot. It’s difficult enough for a college team — outside of some programs in the SEC, any way — to hang with the NFL in salary structure. But Tech is especially hamstrung financially. I don’t know if Jackets coach Paul Johnson gave Groh some sort of deadline to sort things out but I can’t imagine it’s much longer.

About the Georgia search: If you missed it, Tim Tucker had a nice summary of the situation with Dallas Cowboys assistant Todd Grantham. If Grantham is Georgia’s guy, it follows that coach Mark Richt is a huge Minnesota Vikings fan this week

All’s almost quiet on the Tech and Georgia defensive coordinator fronts, but probably not as quiet as the Jackets would like.

A couple of blogs back, I told you that Al Groh was suddenly being presented with job options other than Georgia Tech and I even threw out a few potential backup choice for the team’s defensive coordinator vacancy.

Well, with every passing day, this whole Groh-to-Tech scenario looks more fantasy than reality. At the very least, it’s getting crowded.
The New England Patriots are looking for a new defensive coordinator, after Dean Pees stepped down for health reasons. Media speculation immediately began that the Patriots may get into a bidding war for Groh with the Miami Dolphins.

Groh has worked with Patriots coach Bill Belichick in the past, as well as Dolphins vice president Bill Parcells. It should be noted that whereas Miami has interviewed Groh, there has been no word on whether the Pats will talk to Groh (or already have).

Folks, as I’ve stated before, if money is a factor in the Groh negotiations, Tech has no shot. It’s difficult enough for a college team — outside of some programs in the SEC, any way — to hang with the NFL in salary structure. But Tech is especially hamstrung financially. I don’t know if Jackets coach Paul Johnson gave Groh some sort of deadline to sort things out but I can’t imagine it’s much longer.

About the Georgia search: If you missed it, Tim Tucker had a nice summary of the situation with Dallas Cowboys assistant Todd Grantham. If Grantham is Georgia’s guy, it follows that coach Mark Richt is a huge Minnesota Vikings fan this week

Duke coach David Cutcliffe will be named Tennessee's next head football coach barring any last minute surprises, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports on its website.

Tennessee AD Mike Hamilton declined to confirm an agreement with Cutcliffe, and one issue remaining to be settled between the two parties is Cutcliffe's staff, according to the newspaper. Cutcliffe wants to bring much of his staff from Duke with him to Tennessee, but there are six Vols assistants still left after Lane Kiffin's departure to USC.
Tennessee has reportedly been rebuffed in its search to replace Kiiffin by several coaches, including Jon Gruden, Will Muschamp and Troy Calhoun.
Cutcliffe is a longtime Vols assistant who was the offensive coordinator for the 1998 national championship team.
Cutcliffe has coached the Blue Devils for the past two seasons, going 9-15. He also coached Ole Miss from 1998-2004, going 44-29 and leading the Rebels to a Cotton Bowl victory. He is known for grooming quarterbacks, including Peyton and Eli Manning.

Duke coach David Cutcliffe will be named Tennessee's next head football coach barring any last minute surprises, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports on its website.

Tennessee AD Mike Hamilton declined to confirm an agreement with Cutcliffe, and one issue remaining to be settled between the two parties is Cutcliffe's staff, according to the newspaper. Cutcliffe wants to bring much of his staff from Duke with him to Tennessee, but there are six Vols assistants still left after Lane Kiffin's departure to USC.
Tennessee has reportedly been rebuffed in its search to replace Kiiffin by several coaches, including Jon Gruden, Will Muschamp and Troy Calhoun.
Cutcliffe is a longtime Vols assistant who was the offensive coordinator for the 1998 national championship team.
Cutcliffe has coached the Blue Devils for the past two seasons, going 9-15. He also coached Ole Miss from 1998-2004, going 44-29 and leading the Rebels to a Cotton Bowl victory. He is known for grooming quarterbacks, including Peyton and Eli Manning.

One of the world's great soul men, singer Teddy Pendergrass, died at age 59 on Wednesday after a long battle with colon cancer. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Pendergrass, who was paralyzed after a 1982 car accident, died in a Philly hospital eight months after undergoing colon cancer surgery and suffering through a difficult recovery.

In his prime in the 1970s, Pendergrass was one of the premier R&B singers in America, leading Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes to the top of the charts with indelible soul classics such as "If You Don't Know Me by Now" and "I Miss You."

After leaving the Blue Notes in 1976, Pendergrass recorded a series of solo hits for the legendary Philadelphia International label into the 1980s, including his signature between-the-sheets hit, "Love T.K.O." Unlike some of the other velvety Philly-sound singers such as Al Green, Pendergrass' deep baritone had a gritty, masculine edge that he worked out on seductive slow jams like "Feel the Fire, "Close the Door," "Come Go With Me," "Turn off the Lights" and "It's Time for Love." He created a new template for the modern R&B singer with his aggressive brand of soul and his smooth, ladies'-man image on songs that were sexually charged but never coarse or vulgar.

The singer's life was forever altered in 1982 when he crashed his Rolls Royce in Philadelphia, leaving the then-31-year-old singer paralyzed from the waist down. After a year of rehabilitation, he returned in 1983 with the album Love Language and performed from his wheelchair at Live Aid in 1985, but his musical career would never regain its momentum. The powerful, seductive persona that Pendergrass had honed in his peak years had been diminished in the aftermath of the crash, as was the strength of his voice, but Pendergrass was not entirely deterred by his challenge. He continued to record sporadically throughout the 1980s, and in 1998, he formed the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance to benefit victims of spinal cord injuries.

Like many Philly stars, Pendergrass' hits were written and produced by the legendary team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, who recounted Pendergrass' solo debut at a Los Angeles nightclub in an interview with Philly radio station WDAS. "That night I saw the coming of a superstar," Huff said. "When Teddy walked out on the stage, he didn't even open his mouth and the place went crazy with screaming females. He was just so dynamic, and when he started singing, he just blew them away."

Gamble and Huff said in a statement on their Web site that they were "deeply saddened" by the death of the man they called their best friend and "one of the greatest."

"He had about 10 platinum albums in a row, so he was a very, very successful recording artist and as a performing artist," Gamble told The Associated Press. "He had a tremendous career ahead of him, and the accident sort of got in the way of many of those plans. ... He never showed me that he was angry at all about his accident. ... In fact, he was very courageous."

Pendergrass was born in 1950 in North Philadelphia, where he was raised by his mother, Ida Epps. He began singing early, honing his chops at the ripe age of 2 by belting out gospel standards at the Glad Tidings Baptist Church alongside his mother.

Pendergrass got his start as a drummer, working behind the Philly band the Cadillacs and then joining Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes in 1970. He was promoted to lead singer of that group the next year after vocalist John Atkins quit. The act was signed to Gamble and Huff's Philadelphia International label in 1972 and began releasing a string of hit singles that included "Don't Leave Me This Way" and "Bad Luck."

Pendergrass left the Blue Notes at the peak of their success in 1976 to go solo. His first post-crash album in 1984 featured a duet with the then-unknown Whitney Houston on the song "Hold Me." He released his autobiography, "Truly Blessed," in 1998 and retired from music in 2006.

Among those paying tribute to Pendergrass was fellow Philly native ?uestlove of the Roots, who tweeted, "Sad loss. Just heard the immortal Teddy Pendergrass has just gone to a better place. Soul will never be the same."

One of the world's great soul men, singer Teddy Pendergrass, died at age 59 on Wednesday after a long battle with colon cancer. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Pendergrass, who was paralyzed after a 1982 car accident, died in a Philly hospital eight months after undergoing colon cancer surgery and suffering through a difficult recovery.

In his prime in the 1970s, Pendergrass was one of the premier R&B singers in America, leading Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes to the top of the charts with indelible soul classics such as "If You Don't Know Me by Now" and "I Miss You."

After leaving the Blue Notes in 1976, Pendergrass recorded a series of solo hits for the legendary Philadelphia International label into the 1980s, including his signature between-the-sheets hit, "Love T.K.O." Unlike some of the other velvety Philly-sound singers such as Al Green, Pendergrass' deep baritone had a gritty, masculine edge that he worked out on seductive slow jams like "Feel the Fire, "Close the Door," "Come Go With Me," "Turn off the Lights" and "It's Time for Love." He created a new template for the modern R&B singer with his aggressive brand of soul and his smooth, ladies'-man image on songs that were sexually charged but never coarse or vulgar.

The singer's life was forever altered in 1982 when he crashed his Rolls Royce in Philadelphia, leaving the then-31-year-old singer paralyzed from the waist down. After a year of rehabilitation, he returned in 1983 with the album Love Language and performed from his wheelchair at Live Aid in 1985, but his musical career would never regain its momentum. The powerful, seductive persona that Pendergrass had honed in his peak years had been diminished in the aftermath of the crash, as was the strength of his voice, but Pendergrass was not entirely deterred by his challenge. He continued to record sporadically throughout the 1980s, and in 1998, he formed the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance to benefit victims of spinal cord injuries.

Like many Philly stars, Pendergrass' hits were written and produced by the legendary team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, who recounted Pendergrass' solo debut at a Los Angeles nightclub in an interview with Philly radio station WDAS. "That night I saw the coming of a superstar," Huff said. "When Teddy walked out on the stage, he didn't even open his mouth and the place went crazy with screaming females. He was just so dynamic, and when he started singing, he just blew them away."

Gamble and Huff said in a statement on their Web site that they were "deeply saddened" by the death of the man they called their best friend and "one of the greatest."

"He had about 10 platinum albums in a row, so he was a very, very successful recording artist and as a performing artist," Gamble told The Associated Press. "He had a tremendous career ahead of him, and the accident sort of got in the way of many of those plans. ... He never showed me that he was angry at all about his accident. ... In fact, he was very courageous."

Pendergrass was born in 1950 in North Philadelphia, where he was raised by his mother, Ida Epps. He began singing early, honing his chops at the ripe age of 2 by belting out gospel standards at the Glad Tidings Baptist Church alongside his mother.

Pendergrass got his start as a drummer, working behind the Philly band the Cadillacs and then joining Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes in 1970. He was promoted to lead singer of that group the next year after vocalist John Atkins quit. The act was signed to Gamble and Huff's Philadelphia International label in 1972 and began releasing a string of hit singles that included "Don't Leave Me This Way" and "Bad Luck."

Pendergrass left the Blue Notes at the peak of their success in 1976 to go solo. His first post-crash album in 1984 featured a duet with the then-unknown Whitney Houston on the song "Hold Me." He released his autobiography, "Truly Blessed," in 1998 and retired from music in 2006.

Among those paying tribute to Pendergrass was fellow Philly native ?uestlove of the Roots, who tweeted, "Sad loss. Just heard the immortal Teddy Pendergrass has just gone to a better place. Soul will never be the same."

Colt McCoy is making an honest woman out of Rachel Glandorf, according to a report from the Associated Press.

The Texas Longhorns quarterback proposed to his girlfriend Monday night in true romantic fashion.

He brought her to Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and flashed "Will You Marry Me" on the giant scoreboard.

This just bleeds America.

Glandorf, who you may recognize from some previous posts with little-to-no news value, is a bit of a kindred spirit of ours. In addition to her love of McCoy, she seems to have a love of journalism, as evidenced by the following work.

Colt McCoy is making an honest woman out of Rachel Glandorf, according to a report from the Associated Press.

The Texas Longhorns quarterback proposed to his girlfriend Monday night in true romantic fashion.

He brought her to Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and flashed "Will You Marry Me" on the giant scoreboard.

This just bleeds America.

Glandorf, who you may recognize from some previous posts with little-to-no news value, is a bit of a kindred spirit of ours. In addition to her love of McCoy, she seems to have a love of journalism, as evidenced by the following work.

It has been announced that baseball star Derek Jeter is getting married to actress Minka Kelly. The two are set to be married this November after the World Series will be over. The location is a the Oheka Castle on Long Island. Derek Jeter has been denying the rumors of a wedding date since rumors first began surfacing last August, but appears to be on board with the latest announcement.