The Hangover [2009]

Angelenos Doug Billings and Tracy Garner are about to get married. Two days before the wedding, the four men in the wedding party - Doug, Doug's two best buddies Phil Wenneck and Stu Price, and Tracy's brother Alan Garner - hop into Tracy's father's beloved Mercedes convertible for a 24-hour stag party to Las Vegas. Phil, a married high school teacher, has the same maturity level as his students when he's with his pals. Stu, a dentist, is worried about everything, especially what his controlling girlfriend Melissa thinks. Because she disapproves of traditional male bonding rituals, Phil has to lie to her about the stag, he telling her that they are going on a wine tasting tour in the Napa Valley. Regardless, he intends on eventually marrying her, against the advice and wishes of his friends. And Alan seems to be unaware of what are considered the social graces of the western world. The morning after their arrival in Las Vegas, they awaken in their hotel suite each with the worst hangover. None remembers what happened in the past twelve or so hours. The suite is in shambles. And certain things are in the suite that shouldn't be, and certain things that should be in the suite are missing. Probably the most important in the latter category is Doug. As Phil, Stu and Alan try to find Doug using only what little pieces of information they have at hand, they go on a journey of discovery of how certain things got into the suite and what happened to the missing items. However they are on a race for time as if they can't find Doug in the next few hours, they are going to have to explain to Tracy why they are not yet back in Los Angeles. And even worse, they may not find Doug at all before the wedding.


The Hangover - Restricted Trailer

There's no slowing down for the LSU Tigers' Trindon Holliday this summer

Now things really speed up for Trindon Holliday. And that's saying plenty.

Next week he's off to Eugene, Ore., to compete in the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. From there, if he runs fast enough at Hayward Field, there will be a spot for him on the Team USA squad in August at the IAAF World Championships.

And some time after that he'll have to decide -- quickly -- if he wants to turn pro and make a living on the track, or head back to LSU for another football season and maybe one last indoor track season.

"Right now it's something to think about, " Holliday said. "I'm just going to take it day by day, and after the USA Trials I'll make a decision about what I'm going to do."

All that barely left him time to celebrate becoming the fastest man in Division I track, and one of the fastest in the world. That's the crown Holliday gets to wear after dusting the field in a time of 10.00 seconds in the 100 meters at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships last week, his time tying for the second-fastest run by an American this year (behind Mike Rodgers' 9.94) and good enough, at long last, for him to become an NCAA champion.

"It was a neat feeling, after chasing that dream for three years, " Holliday said. "It was just an emotional high. It was everything I imagined it would be. Since I was young I dreamed of being a national champion in something, and I felt pretty good about myself."

He should, because everyone knows that track and field is where Holliday is going to earn his money as a professional athlete.

Sure, he has created a handful of highlights as a specialty receiver and running back at LSU, who takes handoffs and zips around the corner on reverses and is a touchdown waiting to happen as a kick and punt returner. Three times, he has been SEC Special Teams Player of the Week.

But even Coach Les Miles acknowledges where the future lies for the 5-foot-5, 164-pound speedster. Miles this spring freed Holliday, a scholarship football player, to emphasize track, and to not worry so much about spring football practice.

There's no debating the result.

"I had done about five days of practice in the spring, but they weren't letting me do much contact because they knew I had track, " Holliday said. "It allowed me to go out there and do some of those things, (then) to go back to the track and run a fast time.

"This is the first year that I can actually say I was injury-free, and I felt pretty good throughout the (track) season."

Good enough to become the national champion, a perch he had approached twice before.

Last year Holliday finished third in the 100, and in 2007 he was the national runner-up. And he advanced to the semifinals of the 100 at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials.

He was a step or two away from making Team USA for the Summer Games in Beijing, perhaps less than that of being a member of the 400-meter relay team.

But the American sprinters were embarrassed, as were the world's other 100-meter sprinters, by Jamaican world record holder Usain Bolt, who ran away from the field en route to becoming the fastest man in history. And the relay team imploded, failing even to get the baton around the track.

Holliday, meanwhile, avoided the stain of either of those results. He was playing football for the Tigers, and later capping his collegiate outdoor career with the prize he most coveted.

"We didn't win the team championship but I accomplished a big goal that I'd been trying to accomplish in three years, " he said.

But he barely has had time to savor it.

The USA outdoor championships beckon and after that, possibly a run at the World Championships. And after that, the decision of whether to join the track circuit or remain a Tiger.

"(The Trials) will be a big factor in determining what I do, " he said. "It'll determine where I see myself and where I go from there."

Whatever decision he makes, he'll have to do it fast. But then, with Holliday, we hardly can expect it any other way.

Top 25 Intel: No. 12 LSU

To find the last time LSU's defense struggled as it did last year, you have to go back to 1998. At the time, Nick Saban was crossing his arms in East Lansing, Les Miles was busy in Dallas trying to groom an heir to Jay Novacek and Gerry DiNardo was stalking the sideline in Tiger Stadium. That season, LSU waltzed into the opener ranked seventh but finished 4-7. Rough year.

But it was a great year for John Chavis.

The Tennessee Volunteers' defensive coordinator at the time, Chavis turned the Florida State war chant into a whisper when his defense led the Vols to a 23-16 win in the first BCS title game. Fast-forward 11 years, and all LSU and Les Miles are asking is for Chavis, the Tigers' new defensive coordinator, to do it again. Say what you want about the history of the program, Tigers fans, but it's fair to say expectations have changed some in Baton Rouge since '98.

Last season, those expectations weren't met. The LSU defense, which had finished first or second in scoring defense in the SEC for the three years prior, gave up 24.2 points a contest, ranking ninth in the league in that department.

"We're not SEC-ready yet," Chavis cautioned this week. He continues to settle into his new surroundings after a brilliant 14-year run in Knoxville. "Right now, the biggest goal for us as a staff is to reinstill that sense of relentlessness that you have to play with to be successful in this league."

Whether because of a talent drain -- LSU lost nine defenders to the NFL from 2006 to 2008 -- or just a season when it didn't come together, which Miles has explained in many ways, LSU fell off hard last year.

So Miles took advantage of the fact that a new administration was heading into Tennessee and got Chavis to come south. "Year in and year out, his defenses at Tennessee have been among the best, not only in our conference, but nationwide," Miles affirmed at the arrival.

Alvarez earns belt, but unlikely to face Cavalcante

Eddie Alvarez has better things to do than ponder a JZ Cavalcante fight, like polish his title belt.

Bellator wrapped its first season Friday by awarding title belts to lightweight Eddie Alvarez -- who defeated an outmatched Toby Imada -- and middleweight judo animal Hector Lombard, who used Jared Hess' head as a percussion instrument. Lombard is quickly becoming a fighter who might pose some very intriguing challenges for the physically diplomatic Anderson Silva.

Alvarez, meanwhile, doesn't appear to pose any sort of problem to JZ Cavalcante. Despite buzz that the fighters had been scheduled for a Dream event in September, Alvarez's manager, Monte Cox, has shot down claims, confirming with ESPN.com that Alvarez has no plans beyond Bellator at present. The fighter has an exclusive contract with the promotion and plans to take the next three months off.

"I think he will fight for Dream again," Cox said, "but it will have to be worked out with Bellator."

Tim Sylvia KO’ed by Ray Mercer! Pulled from ‘Trilogy’ Card

The main event at MMA’s Adrenaline III ‘Bragging Rights’ last Saturday night (June 13) wasn’t without drama. Tim Sylvia was matched up against former WBO World heavyweight boxing champion, and Olympic Gold Medalist, Ray Mercer.

The bout was originally meant to be a boxing match, however the athletic commission changed it’s mind at the last minute and declared the fight illegal. The fight still went ahead as Mercer agreed to fight Sylvia under MMA Rules with a verbal agreement between the two to stand and ‘box’.

Sylvia was quick to break their agreement coming out throwing a leg kick, they measured each other up then Mercer threw with a big right that made Sylvia stop dead for a split second, then fall like a tree! The fight was over in 9 seconds.

Sylvia was supposed to face Paul Buentello on the upcoming Trilogy card however Affliction VP Tom Atencio announced yesterday essentially that he could not take the risk.

In a Interview days before the fight, Sylvia’s former teammate Jens Pulver spoke about boxing being a totally different game to MMA, the threat that Mercer still posed, and that Tim may have got himself into trouble by taking this fight. Pulver’s words proved to be prophetic, I have included this interview below the fight.

Tim Sylvia vs Ray Mercer:

Jens Pulver Interview:



Promo video:



Pre-fight press Conference:

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LSU rallies to topple Texas in 11th in Game 1 of CWS finals

OMAHA, Neb. -- LSU short-circuited Texas' power surge Monday night.

Freshman Mikie Mahtook singled in the winning run in the top of the 11th inning after DJ LeMahieu tied the game in the ninth, and LSU survived Texas' five home runs to beat the Longhorns 7-6 in Game 1 of the College World Series finals.

"I've been fortunate to be around some kids who have played some great games through the years, and I savor all the victories, but this one was really sweet," LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. "On the biggest stage, with their backs against the wall, to come up with that kind of an effort is one for the ages."

LSU (55-16) would win its sixth national title with a victory over the Longhorns (49-15-1) on Tuesday night.

LeMahieu walked leading off the 11th against Brandon Workman (3-4), stole second with two outs and took third when catcher Cameron Rupp's throw went into center field.

Mahtook delivered after struggling his first four at-bats. He required intravenous fluids to treat cramps in the sixth inning, and he struck out three times and hit into a double play. He punched a single into right field in the 10th before facing Workman in the 11th.

"My first three at-bats, it wasn't like I just struck out. It was three terrible at-bats. I was chasing balls in the dirt," Mahtook said. "I stayed back on a change-up and bounced into a double play. When I got into the dugout, guys were telling me to make sure I keep my head straight. Jared Mitchell told me I was going to come back up again with a big at-bat, and you're going to come through for us. That helped me out a lot."

-- Fast Facts

• LSU scored two runs on a DJ LeMahieu double in the ninth to force extra innings, then beat Texas 7-6 when Mikie Mahtook singled in the winning run in the 11th.

• The game was the longest by innings and time in the seven-year history of the CWS finals.

• This was the first game Texas lost in 40 games this season when it led heading into the ninth.

• LSU has won nine times this season when it trailed in the seventh inning or later.

• The teams combined for a CWS-record seven solo home runs.

• Texas ace Chance Ruffin tied a season-high with 10 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings, while LSU starter Louis Coleman struggled and gave up five homers in six innings.

• LSU's last six runs were scored with two outs.

• The Tigers improved to 44-6 when they score first.

-- End Fast Facts

Matty Ott (4-2) struck out Brandon Loy and Tim Maitland and got Connor Rowe to ground out to finish off Texas, which had walkoff wins in two of its first three CWS games.

"It has to happen some time. We can't have all the glorious game-ending victories," said Russell Moldenhauer, who hit two of Texas' homers. "We've got to throw that aside and come back with the same feeling we had at the beginning of this game."

The Tigers, who won their 14th straight, came back from deficits of 3-1 and 6-4. LeMahieu hit the tying, two-out double in the top of the ninth off Austin Dicharry. LeMahieu and Ryan Schimpf also homered for the Tigers.

Texas, trying to become the first No. 1 national seed since Miami in 1999 to win the championship, continued its show of power. The Longhorns came to Omaha with 39 homers in 61 games, but have 11 in four games here.

Texas is better known for playing small ball: The Longhorns are only the fifth team to record more than 100 sacrifice bunts in a season.

But the wind has been blowing out at hitter-friendly Rosenblatt Stadium.

All three of Moldenhauer's homers this season have come in the CWS. He was one of three Longhorns to go deep in the fourth inning, and he broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth with his opposite-field shot to left.

Travis Tucker and Kevin Keyes also homered in the fourth, and Rowe did it in the seventh.

"How do I explain it? We're not playing at Disch-Falk. That field just swallows the ball," Moldenhauer said of Texas' home stadium. "We're at a little bit smaller ballpark, and that has helped out the offense."

Over a span of 6 1/3 innings, from their previous game against Arizona State to Monday's matchup with LSU, seven of the Longhorns' 11 hits were home runs.

Texas is the first team since LSU in 1998 to homer three times in an inning at the CWS. All five Texas homers were solo shots off LSU starter Louis Coleman.

"It was great to see the rest of the team pick up Coleman," Mainieri said. "He felt he let his team down. The balls were flying out of the ballpark. I'm not saying they were cheap. But if you got the ball up in the air today, it had a chance to go out."

In the LSU ninth, Sean Ochinko singled off Austin Wood and Derek Helenihi was walked by Taylor Jungmann. Dicharry came on and struck out Tyler Hanover before LeMahieu doubled into the left-field corner to tie it.

LSU's bullpen held the Longhorns hitless over the last five innings. Ott worked the last three, striking out three.

Texas coach Augie Garrido said his players only need to look back at last year's finals to see it's possible to come back after losing Game 1.

"Georgia wiped out Fresno State in the first game last year and was ahead in the second game," Garrido said. "Fresno came back and waltzed off with the national championship on the third day."