Expendables 2

On the two-year anniversary of the first “Expendables” we were given the gift of a sequel. The original was a moderately well received box office success, mostly due to a cast of aging action stars cashing on a viewing audience eager to see those stars on the screen again. Sylvester Stallone lead the helm, followed closely by Hollywood heroes Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Dolph Lundgren. The rest of the cast is filled out with a ragtag group of ex-wrestlers andretirees, much like the eponymous team of mercenaries.
In the newest installment, Stallone and his group of misfits are united again by Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) to go on a dangerous mission. This time around South America is replaced with Eastern Europe, and a ruthless dictator is replaced with a roundhouse-kicking Jean-Claude Van Damme. And while the first film tried to come up with a plot that had some espionage and intrigue, this new film (to its benefit) didn’t bother. While back-stabbing and redemption are a crucial part of most action films today, “Expendables 2” knows why you’re there to see it and gives you what you want: Stallone, Statham, Lundgren and the rest blowing stuff up and killing people very violently. And it does those things beautifully. While the first “Expendables” merely dangles Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis in front of our faces, its sequel finally gives us some action from the two men. I’m not sure there’s anything better than seeing Rambo, the Terminator, and John McClane gunning down a dozen baddies side-by-side.

The most rewarding moment of the film comes early on, where Jean-Claude Van Damme gives us exactly what we want: a roundhouse kick that stabs a man in the heart. His 360º spinning kick is one of his hallmark moves, and we get it within the first act of the film. And his kickboxing duel with Stallone at the end is actually pretty gruesome and fun to watch. But here, again, plot doesn’t matter. The stolen plutonium was a total afterthought. All that mattered was seeing Van Damme be Van Damme.

Newcomers Liam Hemsworth and Nan Yu are exactly that: newcomers. Their roles are laid out very clearly and their stories are pretty easy to figure out. Yet what I found the most refreshing was that Yu’s character, Maggie, was never demeaned into a girl-in-danger role one might expect. She becomes a legitimate part of the team. And while there is affection between Maggie and Stallone’s Barney Ross, there is never a move to make her into a romantic object. She’s treated with a surprising amount of care that I found refreshing and somewhat rewarding.

Ultimately, if you head to the theater prepared for what you’re about to see (a low-plot, high action explosion fest staring your favorite 80s/90s action icons), you will enjoy this flick. While the stars of the film just barely spit out their lines intelligibly (especially Stallone, whose lines are a mumbled mess), you can tell they all love what they’re doing. Expect maybe Chuck Norris in his cameo, which is really only worth being in the film for his highly self-aware Chuck Norris joke. “Expendables 2” knows the plot doesn’t matter so it doesn’t really bother pretending to have one. It’s suitably self-deprecating, incredibly violent and a lot of fun to watch.

Kings sign new talent

Whether it was Ilya Kovalchuck or Brad Richards, the Kings have managed to find a way to get in the picture for the flavor of the month, a means to get in the door.

Of course, literally getting in the door at the Toronto agency that represents Richards was a struggle last year for the Kings' brain trust, live on national cable TV in Canada. But they did eventually get in after it was unlocked.

These forays were always interesting. The Kings were runners-up in the free-agent bidding for Kovalchuk two years ago and among the invited teams to pitch for Richards last July 1.

But that all was long before the Kings came armed with a certain shiny new recruiting accessory: The Stanley Cub.

The ramifications of their Stanley Cup championship and its impact on the free-agent market will be tested for the first time starting Sunday. NHL free agency starts at 9 a.m. (PDT) and the courtship of New Jersey Devils captain Zach Parise is expected to be at the top of the Kings' list.

Making a hard push for the telegenic leader makes sense on many levels. The Kings' governor, AEGS's Tim Leiweke, the man who brought soccer icon id Beckham Dav to Los Angeles, has a history of going after the big names in the bright lights.

The Kings have just enough cap room and a pressing need for scoring on the left side. New Jersey has the past and the loyalty factor working in its favor to keep Parise in the fold. Minnesota has the home-state appeal — Parise's father, J.P. Parise, played for the North Stars, scoring a career-high 75 points in the 1972-73 season.

Pittsburgh? There's the presence of someone named Sidney Crosby, whose close friendship with Parise dates to his days at Shattuck-Saint Mary's High in Faribault, Minn., where both played, although not at the same time.

Kings President and General Manager Dean Lombardi has a way of crunching the numbers with his staff but joked a few days ago that he felt with free agency approaching he was "staring at that board in 'Beautiful Mind,' except nothing is calculating."

The financial numbers in free agency undoubtedly will be biggest for Parise and defenseman Ryan Sutter of Nashville. Trade speculation involving Rick Nash of Columbus and the Ducks Bobby Ryan was rampant during the NHL's entry draft. But talks concerning Ryan aren't expected to accelerate for another few days, until the pieces of Parise, Suter and Nash fall into place.

One of the other biggest questions for the Ducks is the playing future of franchise icon Teeme Selani. GM Bob Murray said Saturday night that he and Selanne had exchanged texts and would talk in a few days. By then, a decision could be reached.

The Ducks did get resolution with one player. Defenseman Justin Schultz, whom they drafted in 2008, ended a frenzied period of speculation by announcing he will play in Edmonton. Schultz took advantage of a loophole in the collective bargaining agreement that allowed him to explore unrestricted free agency — he played an extra season of junior hockey in British Columbia before his three years at the University of Wisconsin and did not sign with the Ducks.

Kings extend coaches contract

 Keith Smart is getting the closest thing he's ever had to a long-term deal as an NBA coach.

The Sacramento Kings extended Smart's contract Monday through the 2013-14 season. Smart's deal had been set to expire after the upcoming season.

The 47-year-old Smart took over for the fired Paul Westphal in January after a 2-5 start. The Kings went 20-39 the rest of the way under Smart during the lockout-shortened season.

The Golden State Warriors decided not to extend Smart's contract last year after he hastily replaced Don Nelson before training camp. Smart also had a stint as the Cleveland Cavaliers' interim head coach for the final 40 games in 2003 after taking over for John Lucas.

Devin Ebanks

The Los Angeles Lakers re-signed forward Devin Ebanks on Monday and added free agent guard Jodie Meeks.

Terms of the deals were not released.

Meeks, a three-year veteran, appeared in 66 games last season with the Philadenphia 76ers, averaging 8.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 24.9 minutes.

Meeks has career averages of 8.1 points and 2.2 rebounds in 200 career games.

Ebanks, a second-round pick of the Lakers in 2010, played in 24 games last season and averaged 4.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 16.5 minutes. Ebanks has career averages of 3.6 points and 1.8 rebounds in 44 games.

Chad Johnson released from Dolphins

As the Miami Dolphins took the field for practice Sunday, Chad Johnson was getting out of jail.

Hours later, he was out of work.

The Dolphins terminated the six-time Pro Bowl receiver's contract about 24 hours after he was arrested in a domestic battery case involving his wife.

Johnson was released from jail on $2,500 bond earlier Sunday after his wife accused him of head-butting her during an argument in front of their home. Johnson was charged with simple domestic battery, a misdemeanor.

The confrontation came barely a month after Johnson marriedEvelyn Lozada, who is on the reality TV show "Basketball Wives." The 34-year-old Johnson had been battling for a spot on the team after a disappointing season with the New England Patriots in 2011.

Following Sunday's practice, coach Joe Philbin said he would meet soon with Johnson.

"We're going to deal with this," Philbin said before Johnson was released. "We're not going to waste time. ... We're all in this thing together. Everybody that sets foot in this building, we're all held to a high standard."

Only five days earlier, Philbin said Johnson's roster spot could be in jeopardy if he didn't temper his freewheeling behavior. Johnson annoyed the coach by frequently using profanity during a session with reporters.

Johnson's defense attorney, Adam Swickle, said an order has been issued that prevents Johnson from contacting Lozada. Swickle declined to comment further.

Johnson — who recently changed his name from Chad Ochocinco — was arrested Saturday after Lozada confronted him about a receipt she found for a box of condoms, police said. According to an arrest affidavit, Lozada said she was taking groceries into their home when she found the receipt in the car trunk.

When the two were seated back in the car, they began talking about the receipt and their marriage. That's when Johnson got upset and head-butted his wife, the report said.

Lozada ran to a neighbor's house and called police. A responding officer said Lozada had a 3-inch cut on her forehead, according to the affidavit, while Johnson did not have any visible marks or bruises. When questioned by police, he confirmed there was an argument over the receipt, but said his wife had head-butted him.

Even before his arrest, Johnson was battling to salvage his career. He was released by the Patriots after totaling only 15 receptions last season. He dropped the lone pass thrown his way Friday night in the Dolphins' first exhibition game.

News of the arrest spread quickly Saturday, an off day for the team.

"I was shocked," tight end Charles Clay said. "Of course, you don't want things like that to happen."

Johnson has long been known for outlandish antics that annoyed his teammates as well as coaches. Philbin, a first-year head coach, talked with his players about Johnson's arrest before the player was released.

"I reminded them that on April 10 in our first team meetings, I said, 'Guys, I'd love to stand up here and tell you we're never going to have a problem here in Miami,'" Philbin said. "Do we want high-character guys? Yes. All 31 other coaches are going to say the same thing. But I specifically told them on April 10 that there will be problems that arise and you have to deal with them honestly and openly and directly. You've got to learn from mistakes and move on, and you can't hide from the problem."

If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. He could also receive community service, probation or anger management classes.

Johnson was known as Ochocinco for the past four seasons but changed his name back to Johnson after his July 4 wedding. The name was a playful reference to his uniform No. 85.

Johnson and Lozada were prominent in the recent first episode of HBO's "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Miami Dolphins."

VH1's "Basketball Wives" is filmed in Miami and also features Shaunie O'Neal, the former wife of former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal. Lozada is the former fiancee of NBA player Antoine Walker.

Chad johnson wife beater.

Chad Johnson's wife Evelyn Lozada had a bleeding gash on her forehead when she ran to her neighbor for help this weekend ... this according to the neighbor -- who begged 911 dispatch to keep the whole situation hush-hush.

As we first reported, Evelyn fled to her neighbor's house following a domestic dispute with Chad Saturday night, during which the NFL star allegedly head-butted her in the forehead.

The neighbor called 911 -- telling the dispatcher, Chad "hit her on the head ... She has a nice cut on the forehead that I believe is going to need stitches."

But the neighbor wasn't just worried about Evelyn's cut, he was also freaking out about an inevitable media firestorm surrounding the domestic dispute ... telling the dispatcher, Chad is a "very high-profile person and we'd like to keep this as quiet as possible."

He pleaded, "We don't need the news here."

So much for that.

Andrew Lucks Manning like debut.

No sooner had the NFL debut of his newest franchise quarterback matched—bettered, actually—that of his previous franchise quarterback, the Indianapolis Colts owner turned to his Twitter account.

“The legend has begun!!!!!!!!’’ Irsay wrote.

Yes, it has.

For at least one half, Andrew Luck was the real deal. The successor to Peyton Manning, Luck directed the Colts to a 21-3 halftime lead by running an efficient offense. He completed 10-of-16 passes for 188 yards with two touchdowns.

Then, the No. 1 overall pick in the April draft found a place on the Colts' sideline and watched a 38-3 blowout unfold. Luck’s work was done, and it had been done very well.

Eerily so.

As was the case with Manning in his exhibition debut in 1998, Luck served immediate notice of his arrival.

Luck’s first pass traveled about 7 yards to running back Donald Brown on a screen. Brown did the rest, weaving through the Rams’ defense for a 63-yard touchdown.

“It was probably the easiest touchdown pass I’ll ever have in my life,’’ Luck said, smiling.

Manning’s first pass in the ’98 preseason opener at Seattle was a 48-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Harrison.

You want comparisons between the present and the past? Take that.

“Luck looked very impressive,’’ Colts cornerback Jerraud Powers said. “What gets me is for him to be so young as a rookie and his decision-making process. It seems like he’s been here before.

“I expect the No. 1 pick to make every throw in the book, and he does. But how he (handles) the game and how he thinks ... that’s what is going to make him better than what people think.’’

Luck showed good touch on intermediate passes and stood tall in the pocket when his protection held up. On a 23-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Austin Collie, he scanned the field, patted the ball, then found Collie wide open inside the 10-yard line. At least twice Luck spun away from initial pressure and avoided sacks.

While Luck’s 10-of-16 might not appear off-the-charts good, his receivers dropped three passes. Twice, he threw the ball away. Once, he overthrew wide-open guard Joe Reitz in the end zone.

“I feel terrible about that to be honest,’’ Luck said of missing Reitz. “I told him I owe him about 20 steak dinners. Anytime a lineman gets a chance to catch a touchdown, he deserves it and I didn’t hold up my end of the bargain.

“I apologized to him and if the situation presents itself again, I’ll put it in his belly. Or at least give him a chance to catch it.’’

No one ever will forget what Manning did for the city and the franchise.

But the transition to Luck was a needed step into the future. And there’s no down-playing the significance of Luck’s first NFL step.

“It’s great,’’ Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. “I mean, he’d be the first one to tell you that, when it’s live action and he doesn’t have the red jersey on ... he knew he was a target. I know we picked him up off the turf a couple of times, but he’s a big, strong, athletic guy and he can take a hit.

“To see him perform and do the things that he did under pressure ... (the Rams) got after him a little bit and I thought he handled it well.’’

Terrell Owens

Why not?

That has become the prevailing attitude over the Seahawks' decision to sign Terrell Owens.

He's on a one-year deal for the veteran minimum, which constitutes a flier not an investment. He's in great shape, and for all the problems attributed to him, a lack of production has never been among them. Not only that, but receiver is the single biggest bare spot on the team's roster.

So why not?

My question is a little different: Why now?

Because Owens has been available for a while now. He was also on the market two years ago when Seattle had just as many uncertainties about its receivers, and the Seahawks didn't do so much as bring him in for a workout.

And now that Seattle stands on the brink of a season in which it truly hopes to contend for a playoff spot, you parachute a player in on the hope of a short-term boost?

This is fundamentally different than the M.O. the Seahawks used for the first two years under coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider. Back then, moves were made with an eye toward long-term stability.

The Seahawks were trying to get younger, faster and stronger. They weren't trying to catch lightning in a bottle with a recycled veteran. Not usually any way. Of course there were exceptions. They signed former first-round pick Mike Williams and watched him lead the team in receptions. They gave Reggie Williams a look, too. They brought in Tarvaris Jackson to see if a fresh start in a new city would allow him to take the next step and become a viable starting quarterback for a playoff contender.

But what Seattle has down over the past three months has been different, a change that I think began with the acquisition of tight end Kellen Winslow from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Here was a player with an impressive track record, being cast off by his former team, and the Seahawks saw someone who would fit right away. Then came the casting call for wide receivers: Antonio Bryant, Braylon Edwards and now Owens.

These aren't pieces of the foundation, they're finishing touches. A team looking for a player or two to put them over the top, and it's not an accident that it's happening on offense where Seattle ranked No. 28 in the league last year.

Not only that, but receiver is the one position that wasn't addressed in the offseason. Well, not other than the surgeries starting flanker Sidney Rice underwent on both shoulders. He's recovering, but he's also missed more games than he played the past two seasons, and Golden Tate is a strong candidate to start at split end and he has yet to catch more than 35 passes in a season.

So Seattle is looking for veteran help. It's not paying top-shelf prices so much as looking through the bargain bin of players marked: "As is."

Coach Pete Carroll was asked Tuesday if the addition of Owens meant he saw his team in a different position than two years ago when Owens was a free agent.

"Maybe," Carroll said.

Now, Carroll was just making it clear he wasn't engaging in the question, but when you put Owens' arrival in context with the recent moves, I think it makes it pretty clear the Seahawks believe they're on the brink of something, and they're looking for a player or two to get them over the top.

Total Recall

Start with Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel and you have the makings of a solid movie. Throw in a bunch of cool action scenes, slick special effects and you have a pretty decent movie.

The remake of the 1990 sci-fi Arnold Schwarzenneger action movie "Total Recall" starring the two aforementioned brunettes plus Colin Ferrell is an upgrade, and very likely more true to the Philip K. Dick book. It's not a great movie, but it's better than the first one.

The story: In a very dark future where there is no hope, the workers are treated like garbage and the leaders keep all the money and power, Farrell is a blue-collar worker who descends each day into a hole to make giant robots for the Godless company.
Or, is he?
Farrell is tired of his life, even if it includes Kate Beckinsale, and goes to something called "Recall" where he can have good memories pumped into his life. Then all hell breaks loose, and Farrell is actually the leader of a resistance movement who fights the power.

The people: Farrell is fine, and physically convincing. Beckinsale is really more fun as the villain who just so happens to be smokin' hot, and can kick a lot of butt no different than her role in Underworld. Biel looks great, and that's about it.
Brian Cranston from Breaking Bad is good as the bad guy.

Fight scenes: Lots of quick, slick action and gun play between a group of "soldiers" dressed as storm troopers from Return of the Jedi.

Scenery: The movie looks very little like the first recall. This version looks more like a cross between Blade Runner and Minority Report, both of which also happen to Phillip K. Dick books.

Eye candy: Beckinsale and Biel. Not sure I can buy Beckinsale as being able to beat the living tar out of just so many people, but ... I appreciate the effort. Solid work.

Is it any good?: It's OK. It takes itself very seriously, offers very little to no humor and is a very dark look at the future. BTW - Can any movie about the future be made without drab, cold looking buildings and constant rain?

Should you see it: Don't pay anything more than matinee price, or wait for it on DVD

Read more here: http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/mac-engel/2012/08/movie-review-total-recall-12-is-an-upgrade.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/mac-engel/2012/08/movie-review-total-recall-12-is-an-upgrade.html#storylink=cpy

Tiger stumbles on first day of firestone.

Through 11 holes on Thursday afternoon it looked like Tiger Woods had found something at Firestone -- a course that's been his personal playground over the years.

Cruising along at 3-under, Woods was doing everything right: hitting fairways and greens and making a couple putts, including back-to-back birdies to start the back-nine. But as quickly as the good vibes came in, they disappeared just two holes later on the par-4 13th.

After missing the green on his approach, Woods failed to convert a four-footer for par for his first bogey of the day. A cold putter continued to plague him for the rest of his round, as he missed a makeable birdie on the par-4 17th, and a par putt from just outside two feet on the 18th to shoot 70.

"Well, I hit it good today," Woods said after his round. "Unfortunately once I got to the greens, probably I think I averaged about four putts per hole, so it was a great day on the greens. …

"I just hit bad putts today. I hit bad putts. My speed was off. The putts that I pured, I didn't make. And then the bad putts didn't have a chance."

Woods was joking about the "four putts per hole," but for a portion of the day it felt like he couldn't make a thing on Firestone's greens. If Woods has aspirations of winning at Firestone for the eight time in his career, he's going to have to improve on the 33 putts he had in the first round.

The silver lining for Woods was that his tee-to-green play was on point for pretty much the entire day. He hit 14 fairways and 14 of 18 green during the round, which is about as solid as it gets, but when you fail to wedge it close and convert birdie/par opportunities, you're not going to have a lot of success.

While the final six holes of the round were disappointing, Woods opening with a round of 70 or worse is pretty typical these days. This season he's managed to break 70 in the opening round only four times in 13 events, and two of them ended with wins.

When you've had as much success as Woods has had at Firestone over the years -- this was only the second time in 11 starts at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational where Woods failed to break 70 in the first round -- struggling down the stretch would lead many to believe something is amiss.

But honestly, this is the way Woods has played for much of the year. He's looked good for stretches before hitting a rough patch. On Thursday the rough just happened to come with six holes left in the round.

Which Tiger will show up tomorrow? It's tough to say at this point. If it's the guy who was in contention for 12 holes, Woods could find himself in the mix come tomorrow evening. But if it's the Tiger who looked lost on the greens over his final six holes ... he could be in for a long week.