Not running

No doubt the talk this weekend will be about the death of Apple founder Steve Jobs.  As always on Dinner Topics, we try to give you some details, so regarding Jobs, here are a few things to know:

• He had a liver transplant in 2008 and ultimately died from a form of pancreatic cancer.
• Over 300 million iPods have been sold since inception, or about one for every American.¹
• Over 128 million iPhones have been sold² since the original, and in case you think market saturation is approaching, remember that worldwide, Apple’s iPhone only makes up 5% of the overall mobile phone market³, and the new iPhone 4S is a world phone available to be used anywhere.  Also, Sprint has been added as an additional carrier in the U.S., so as carriers as added and the phones are designed for global use, expect Apple’s market share of the mobile phone market to increase even without Jobs.

Among other news to know for the weekend, Sarah Palin announced that she will NOT be running for president in 2012.

In entertainment, an upbeat cancer movies (if that’s possible) called 50/50 is gaining some traction, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen, while George Clooney’s new move The Ides of March opens today with costar Ryan Gosling.  If you can’t get enough Gosling, he is also starring in Drive, a film still in theaters about Gosling as a stunt driver/getaway car driver.  All three movies above have been favorably reviewed by most.  Lastly, the heavily promoted Real Steel opens today, starring Hugh Jackman and some “rock ‘em sock ‘em” robots involved in underground boxing.  Reviews are mixed according to RottenTomatoes.com, but if you’re going for the robots, you’re probably not concerned with Roger Ebert’s review. 

In sports, the NBA is likely headed toward a cancellation of a portion of the season (or more) with no end to the lockout in sight, while in baseball, the Tigers and Rangers will face off in the ALCS.  The National League matchups are still up for grabs with two series-deciding Game 5 matchups tonight.  One point to note is that in tonight’s game between the Phillies and Cardinals, Roy Halladay will be pitching against Chris Carpenter, former teammates in the Toronto organization and current friends.  Someone will have bragging rights shortly.

Read on:

WashingtonPost.com – Sarah Palin not running for president

RottenTomatoes.com – Real Steel

ESPN.com – Cardinals-Phillies Preview

As for the playoffs, the Philadelphia Phillies are the favorite, but recent history has shown that any team making it to the playoffs is capable of running off a hot month and a World Series title.

Shop MLB at ChampionsOnDisplay.com

Something more to talk about: among the possibilities regarding World Series matchups include a duel between the last two World Series losers (Rangers and Phillies).  Other potential matchups:

• 2009 rematch (Yankees vs Phillies)
• 2008 rematch (Phillies vs Rays)
• terrible 2006 rematch (Cardinals vs Tigers) where the 83-win Cards beat the Tigers whose pitchers made an error in EVERY World Series game
• classic 2001 rematch (Diamondbacks vs Yankees) where Arizona inexplicably beat Mariano Rivera in Game 7 for a thrilling comeback

There are plenty more combinations to be had in the next few weeks, so if you’re a fan, enjoy.  If not, at least now you can join in on the conversation.

Read on:

ESPN.com – 2011 MLB postseason schedule

Through 36 holes, Rory McIlroy set a U.S. Open record, shooting 11-under par, and at one point was a record 13-under, the most by anyone in the 111-year history of the U.S. Open.¹  Does the name McIlroy sound familiar?  The young Rory (22 years old) is the same golfer who led the Masters back in April heading into the final round before posting the worst final round by a leader in the history of that tournament.  McIlroy apparently enjoys setting records of all kinds.

Don’t consider McIlroy a choker, though: despite the Masters falloff, McIlroy’s name is usually associated with phrases like “the youngest to win” this or “the youngest to compete in” that or “the youngest to lead in” this, all while playing after the dominant Tiger Woods made his mark on the golf world at a young age.  In fact, McIlroy already has three 3rd place finishes in major championships in his career, and Rory was just allowed to legally drink about 13 months ago.

Sunday evening and two more rounds of golf is a lifetime away in golf terms, but as it stands right now, Rory McIlroy is on top of the mountain, so you might as well know who he is because there’s a good chance he’s going to be sticking around for a long time.

Read on:

MajorsChampionships.com – 2011 U.S. Open Championship Leaderboard

RoryMcIlroy.com

A few things to know about this baseball season:

• The consensus favorites seem to be the Red Sox in the American League and the Phillies in the National League.
• In case you forgot, the Giants won the World Series last year, and the guy with the beard is Brian Wilson.
• The Pittsburgh Pirates haven’t had a winning season since 1992, and this year will be no different.
• Old standbys like Ichiro, Pujols, and A-Rod can still be found among the league leaders, but watch out for younger types like Joey Votto, Carlos Gonzalez, and Mike Stanton.

Read on:

MLB.com

ESPN.com – A season’s worth of baseball questions

In the NBA, fortunes can change overnight

LeBron James left Cleveland for the sun, beaches, and other talented basketball players of Miami.  Since then, the Cleveland Cavaliers are busy enduring one of the worst season in the history of professional sports.  After a mildly respectable 7-9 start (which should guarantee the prevention of an all-time losingest season in the NBA), the Cavs have lost 36 of their past 37 games, including 26 in a row and counting! Cleveland fans would have a better chance making some dough on internet roulette than on betting on their home team.

Cleveland’s 26 consecutive losses match the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL) in 1976-1977 for the longest losing streak in the four major sports.¹  The Cavs host the LA Clippers on Friday, hoping to end the streak.

If Cleveland loses again and sets the record, they will then play host to the Washington Wizards who have their own futility to worry about.  As of today, the Wizards are an embarrassing 0-25 on the road, so if the Wizards and Cavs meet Sunday with their streaks still intact, it will be an NBA oddity for the ages.  Vegas and internet casinos are more concerned with games like the Lakers vs. Celtics, but it would be interesting to see Cleveland favored in a game against Washington despite losing 27 straight contests.  Keep an eye on the odds if it should happen.

Bonus NBA trivia: the team that Chris Bosh left when he went to Miami, the Toronto Raptors, are mired in their own slump, losing 15 of their past 16 games.  This year in the NBA, it’s been an all-or-nothing season for teams.  Even if you’re not a fan, you can now share in the misery that Cleveland fans have been enduring since LeBron headed for warmer pastures.

Read on:

ESPN.com – Page 2 dissects Cleveland Cavaliers’ losing streak

NBA.com

(image above taken from: www.fox8.com)

Trivia #1: The Metrodome is 28 years old. Desperate talks of “necessary” new stadiums would have you believe that buildings like the Metrodome are 100 years old, but nope, a 30-year mortgage wouldn’t even be completed on the Metrodome as snow falls through the roof and onto the field in 2010.  The fascinating video of the Metrodome’s roof collapsing can be found below.

Trivia #2: The Metrodome’s roof is made of Teflon. Another home game is scheduled for next Monday against the Bears (12/20), and Minnesota officials claim that the Teflon roof should be repaired and ready to go by then.

Trivia #3: The Metrodome’s roof is inflatable. It stays “inflated” thanks to air pressure, which explains why the snow’s weight and any tear in the fabric room would cause it to collapse like in the video below.

Read on:

MSFC.com – history of the Metrodome

(image above taken from sbnation.com)

For 7 minutes, officials couldn't tell the difference

Normally this site tries to give you information or background into something people are or will be talking about, but this time around, we found something interesting that won’t exactly make front page headlines but is worth mentioning.  If anything, YOU can start the conversation out with this trivial anecdote.

Last night, Oakland played Illinois in a men’s college basketball game.  Despite a few complaints from players, it took a full 7 minutes of playing before the referees realized that they were using a women’s basketball!  Officials made the switch to a regulation size ball and Illinois went on to win the game (they were trailing 15-6 before the ball switch).  For those unfamiliar with basketballs, the women’s size is about an inch smaller and two ounces lighter.  Any basketball player can recognize the difference immediately.

We don’t like to just repost stories at Dinner Topics, so to give you a little more understanding of the story, it’s important to note that the inch difference between basketball sizes refers to the circumference, not the diameter. Women’s balls measure close to 28.5 inches in circumference while the men’s ball is closer to 29.5 inches.  I was hoping to find some history about the origin of the smaller women’s ball (I don’t recall it being around forever), but I can find any documented source, so feel free to make it up as you go along!

Read on:

CBSSports.com – Illinois wins, first 7 minutes played with women’s ball

NBCSports.com – The night a men’s game played with a women’s ball

(image above from articlesbase.com)