BallHyped.com Presents the Super Sucky Sweepstakes

Super Bowl Week is here and it’s time to kick off our next giveaway: the Super Sucky Sweepstakes, sponsored by RefYouSuck.com.

Our first BallHyped giveaway was such a success, with @JustinDOY and @philrsquared winning an NHL Guardian jersey and a Guardian Project Graphic Novel, respectively, we've decided to go even bigger for the Super Bowl.

15 yards for a sucky contest!

This week, BallHyped will be giving away RefYouSuck swag to the BallHyped.com members who:

• Pick the winning team and score of Sunday’s Super Bowl between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers.
• Hype the best blog post to the new “Super Bowl” category on BallHyped.com.
• Write the best guest post leading up to the Super Bowl for the Straight Ballin’ Blog. If you have a unique guest post you’d like featured on the official BallHyped blog, email us at editor@ballhyped.com.
• Have the best takes during BallHyped.com’s live Super Bowl blog, which we’ll be posting a link to this weekend.

So start submitting your Super Bowl posts, scores and takes, and be sure to check back at BallHyped.com all week for more on the Super Sucky Sweepstakes.

BallHyped will also be producing unique Super Bowl content, including Q&As with bloggers who cover the Packers and Steelers throughout the year, so stay tuned for those …

- The BallHyped Team

NHL Ref Chris Rooney Voice Fail video

This was too good to pass up. Major voice fail (the one time the mic actually works)

USDA: Super Bowl party tips

official press release by the U.S.D.A.

Look out folks, the government has a few things to say about your grill, your food, and how to eat it at your Super Bowl Party. Oh yeah, they even used words that you sports people can understand. Nice!

Release No. 0034.11 Contact: Donna Karlsons (301) 344-4764 Catherine Cochran (202) 720-9113
	USDA: "Referee a Safe Super Bowl Party"
	WASHINGTON—Jan. 27, 2011— When it comes to the Super Bowl, defense matters. When it comes to planning a Super Bowl XLV party, a good defense against foodborne illness matters even more. "This year, we're urging fans to follow the food safety play book at the Super Bowl parties they host," USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elisabeth Hagen said. "Large gatherings can increase the chance of becoming ill, but by following these rules all fans can enjoy the game and their food, safely." Illegal use of hands Avoid penalties for "illegal use of hands." Unclean hands are one of the biggest culprits for spreading bacteria, and finger foods at parties are especially vulnerable. Chefs and guests should wash their hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling food. Also, be sure to clean eating surfaces often, and wash serving platters before replenishing them with fresh food. Offsides Think of your party fare as two different teams—uncooked versus ready-to-eat foods. Prevent "encroachment" at all costs and keep each team in its own zone. The juices from raw meat can contain harmful bacteria that cross-contaminate other food. Use one cutting board for raw meat and poultry and another one for cutting veggies or foods that will not be cooked. If you use only one cutting board, wash it with hot soapy water after preparing each food item. Equipment violations and holding Call a "time out" and use a food thermometer to be sure meat and poultry are safely cooked. Remember that internal temperature, not meat color, indicates doneness. Steaks should be cooked to 145 °F, ground beef should be cooked to 160 °F, and all poultry should be cooked to 165 °F. "Holding" may be one of the most likely offenses your referee encounters if your party lasts late into the night. Never hold foods for more than two hours at room temperature. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers promptly to block offensive bacteria from multiplying. The same rules apply for cold foods. If cold food has been sitting out for more than two hours, do not eat it. When in doubt, throw it out of the game—and your party. False start When it comes to foodborne illness, there is no opportunity for an instant replay. To avoid these infractions, make sure you understand the rules completely. One of the best resources available before kickoff is USDA's virtual representative, "Ask Karen," available at AskKaren.gov. Food safety coaches are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET on the "Ask Karen Chat" and by phone at the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854). Recorded messages are available 24 hours a day.

Goonies meet Jody Shelley (sloth)

Philly fans have a love/hate relationship with Shelley. His goon qualities seem to fit right in to the Flyers reputation but it seems like modern day goonery has a hard time staying in Bettman's NHL.

Enjoy our version of Jody Shelly.

NHL fines Lombardi $50K for outburst

refyousuck.com admin comment:
I think just about any sports fan could tell you the same thing on this "good goal". Even an honest Coyotes fan would take this one back if they could. The picture says it all folks, The stick obviously makes contact with the puck above the crossbar. The NHL should be explaining how their review team in Toronto could miss this on the replay. Instead they are fining LA Kings GM $50K for his comments.
That's how it goes in Gary Bettman's NHL. Don't worry, more bad calls to come.

THE CANADIAN PRESS

(with sportsnet.ca files)

NEW YORK -- Los Angeles Kings general manager Dean Lombardi was fined $50,000 by the NHL on Friday for his comments about league vice-president Mike Murphy.

Upset that a disputed goal was allowed to stand in a 2-0 loss to Phoenix on Thursday, Lombardi told a reporter who works for the team's website that Murphy wouldn't give the Kings a favourable call because he once lost out on the GM job in Los Angeles.

That earned Lombardi both a hefty fine, plus a sharp rebuke from commissioner Gary Bettman.

"There is no acceptable explanation or excuse for commentary challenging the integrity of the league's hockey operations department in general or Mike Murphy, in particular," Bettman said in a release.

"People can disagree with a call by an official on the ice or an official in the situation room in Toronto, but even in instances of the utmost frustration there is no justification for speaking as inappropriately and irresponsibly as Mr. Lombardi did."

The Kings GM accepted full responsibility for his actions, phoning Murphy on Friday to offer a personal apology.

"I spoke to the commissioner today and he made it very clear to me that my actions last night were inappropriate and detrimental to the game," Lombardi said in a statement. "There is no question that his assessment is correct and the punishment fits the crime. Just as important, I apologized to Mike Murphy this morning and I sincerely appreciate his willingness to accept my apology.

"Like the team must learn from its mistakes, the GM has to learn from his mistakes as well."

Murphy played for the Kings during his NHL career and is a former coach of the team. He is currently in charge of goal reviews for the league.

"Mike Murphy is a devoted caretaker of the game," said Bettman. "His commitment to the National Hockey League, all 30 of its clubs -- and to the game -- is beyond challenge, question or debate.

read entire article here