Getting my Mint Julep on at the Derby

That’s right…I figured I  best be coming back. Reasons I fell into a black hole include the following:

1. I moved back to Dallas. And no one has warned Miles Austin…yet.

2. I started a job where I actually have to work. For a company I worked for before. They moved me back and all, I’m THAT important.

3. I tried to be a girl. Didn’t work out too well.

4. Had to recover from trying to be a girl again. At least this time it didn’t involve of month of living on Chinese food and chocolate chip cookies and reading the Twilight books twice.

So get your popcorn and cocktails ready, Readers.

You think this post is going to be about football now, don’t you? No, no…think again, Readers, THINK AGAIN. This is more or less a conversation between me and the BFF last weekend:

Me: I found me a cowboy!!!

Her: Like a real live one?

Me: Um, yes. Not the kind the plays football on my TV. The kind that wears hats, buckles and…BOOTS! Not, you know, helmets and spandex.

So basically, CLSL has gone country. Not that it was THAT much of a stretch, really. I already have someone telling me I sound like the talking pothole on the Geico commercial. Whatevs, he’s from Jersey and likes the Eagles. Therefore, doesn’t count. A little background (as if you don’t already know enough about me), I grew up in a hardcore farming, ranching and rodeo family. Bull riders, barrel racers, team ropers. Lots of cows. Mainly bull riders. I flirted with the idea of barrel racing when I was much, much younger. But I’ve not been on a horse in probably 20 years. About as country as I’ve gotten over those years is attending Eli Young Band shows at Gilley’s in Dallas and helping my mom feed horses the last time I was home. The year I grew out of my rodeo phase is coincidentally around the same time I grew ginormously into hockey. Much to the chagrin of my mother. Having said that…apparently there’s still hope she’ll get the daughter she’s always wanted.

Fireworks! Confetti! Big shiny trucks!

Readers you know I went to Vegas this past weekend. I failed to mention (quite possibly on purpose) is it was actually for the PBR World Finals. That would be pro bull riding, not Pabst Blue Ribbon…seriously. Let me rephrase that, I went to Vegas to see my family…my family went to Vegas for The PBR. My dad is totally a bull rider groupie. It’s awesome. I had no intention of actually attending any of the rounds. I just wanted to drink. A lot. Then sleep that off and go drink some more. (I did that too, don’t you worry…apparently I like Jack now?). After arriving on Thursday I found out there are AFTER PARTIES each night. My dad goes “would you be interested in going to that?” Silly father, have we met? Where do you think I got my drinking gene from!?

So the rest of the story goes something like this: Girl goes to the first after party. Girl drinks. Girl meets hot cowboy (again, the real kind!). Girl drinks more. Girl really likes hot cowboy. Hot cowboy seems to like girl and is ridiculously charming (though her Mama taught her better about them cowboys). Girl all of the sudden decides to go to bull riding next night. Girl drinks some more. Girl finds out that YES, she does like bull riding. Now she is HOOKED. The end.

Not really.

They don't need no stinking red cape

But seriously, bull riding is the shit. I was tremendously entertained that Sean Willingham comes out of the chute to “Ice Cream Paint Job” (I’ll forgive him the fact it was stuck in my head for FOUR DAYS…PS I love him). The PBR calls bull riding “the toughest sport on earth”. That ain’t no lie. I grew up around this crap and still tend to forget how ridiculously dangerous it is. As if the bull rider himself isn’t cookoo panties enough, the bullfighters are downright masochists. And I’m not talking about the kind that come in red capes and gold get-ups. You know them as rodeo clowns. Ain’t gonna lie to you…IT’S ALL KINDA HOT. These boys have grown up doing this, rodeo is TRULY a way of life. They probably mounted (haha, mounted) their first bull before their voices changed. Their fathers did it. Their grandfathers did it. And trust me, rodeo wives put up with massive bullshit (no pun intended). Not only do they suffer WEEKS of separation, but also? Buckle bunnies are much worse than any puck bunny I’ve ever met.

Million dollar cowboy

So I guess you can take the girl out of the country and she can do EVERYTHING in her power for two decades to rid herself of the country, but…it don’t work. Can’t take the country out of the girl and it might just slap her in the face one night wearing a black felt hat and Southern smile.

Poor Miles Austin, he’s gotta make room for “the real live kind” now. Bless his heart.

P.S. To your left you will find 2009 World Champion Kody Lostroh. Ladies, I TOLD YOU SO. I fancy myself a Luke Snyder and Willingham girl, though. When the Ladies… are up for a hump day hotties rodeo version (should it not have already been done)…call me. I got this.

All pics are from ESPN.com’s Rodeo and Professional Bull Riding section cause by golly they actually have one…who knew?!

1999 was a good year, Readers. That’s the year the Stars won the Cup and although it was AMAZING, it ended up rather bittersweet. You know how in relationships sex changes everything? In sports, championships change everything. I’ve touched on this before, but to recap..the Stars were rather accessible (a little to accessible at times) before Lord Stanley came to Dallas. Practices were completely open, players were cool, ticket prices were awesome and I knew the ins and outs of Reunion Arena like the back of my hand. The Stanley Cup and American Airlines Center being built changing all that, coupled with me generally growing up, forced my hockey life into the shitter.

Triple, triple, toil and trouble

I honestly never thought I could get my mojo back. Oh me of little faith. In an effort to mentally escape the terror that is work right now, I’ve spent the last couple of days getting hockeyfied. Holy pucks, it feels good. Like the perfect margarita kinda good. I’ve been reading blogs, skimming season previews from all over, watching videos, analyzing Brenden Morrow’s various hairstyles, wondering what moisturizer Modano uses cause his skin looks too good for his age and the life I know he’s led AND I joined a fantasy hockey team – time to get back in the know. In addition, I took advantage of the internet and old hockey friends to find a new player to love on. It’s like online dating, but a very, very Nikki version.

Someone should warn Matt Niskanen. Or at least tell him he’s lucky I’m 1200 miles away. Cause I used to be good at this game and I’m assuming it’s like riding a bike.

Player obsessions aside, I LOVE hockey. I’ve never figured out how and why I took to it as fast and as well as I did back in 1993. I was 13 and not really into anything other than a dwindling fascination with Christian Slater and the kid who played Spot in Newsies. I grew up in Texas in a rodeo family, something I wasn’t ever quite into despite my mother’s numerous attempts. Hockey was foreign where I came from, but new, intriguing and eventually helped shaped my individuality. I was hockey when hockey wasn’t cool. I owe my best high school and college memories to hockey, hockey players and hockey friends. I don’t think I ever really lost that part of my life, it’s still been there, aging like a fine wine perhaps? I sipped a little of it last year. But now it feels like I’m coming home. And I think it’s time for a welcome home party, yes? *cue music from someone getting her sass on in a CW preview here*

Have a happy NHL opening weekend, Readers! For Stars/hockey fans visiting CLSL for the first time, what I refer to as “My Hockey History” can be found here: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. But you’ve been warned, it’s a wicked trip down memory lane.

You probs know by now, I work in the entertainment industry, have for over 13 years and every once in awhile it kinda RULES. Before I moved to Los Angeles and still worked for a movie theatre company, I handled trailer placement, so I constantly had studios kissing my ass. The average movie goer has NO idea what goes into and the politics behind the previews you see before each and every movie. So because of said ass kissing, I met a slew of movie stars, attended premieres here and in New York and even went to the NBC Universal/Focus Features/Cartier Golden Globes party in 2007. Where I won a watch I treasure almost as much as my dogs and told Adrian Grenier I loved him. In my defense, I’d had nothing but Cartier’s own reserve champagne to drink for four hours. (Side note, I’ve no doubt I will never taste another champy that can compare to it for the rest of my life).

Aside from the NFL, also kicking off this week is Paley Fest, which showcases new fall television shows for the major networks. I went Wednesday night for FOX (and will attend CW night Monday). Fox highlighted “Glee”, “Family Guy” spin-off “The Cleveland Show” and “Brothers”, starring Michael Strahan.

Like most of America, I’ve turned into a complete Gleek. Any show that has a goody-goody germophobe joke about eating disorders and oral sex in the same breath gets a thumbs up from this gal right here. “The Cleveland Show” isn’t just as bad as you think it’s going to be…it’s much, much worse. Words can’t do justice to how much worse this show is than you already expect. But maybe my objectiveness was tarnished  due to how disturbed I was to find out Cleveland is voiced by an old, balding white guy. Anyway, kicking off the night was the aforementioned Strahan starrer, “Brothers”.

Strahan was there, he’s of course a gigantor compared to me, but the man sure can pull off the color pink. I would’ve (and should’ve) taken my pic with him, but A) he was a Giant, B) a Giant that knocked us out of the playoffs and C) I don’t deal well with, what are they called…people. At least people in that sort of situation. I’d rather just partake of free food (which, kid you not, was provided by Nutrisystem), free booze and watch the crazyspices.

There is a decent sitcom plot lurking under the surface of “Brothers”, don’t get me wrong. But…oof. It’s pretty painful. After stomaching Strahan on Fox NFL Sunday week after week, I went into the show with negative expectations of his acting abilities. Despite the fact all the other cast members are seasoned actors, Strahan is surprisingly the most believable and well played of the bunch. I shit you not. Although the amount of jokes they crack about the father having what is apparently beginning stages of dementia is completely uncalled for, the jokes about Strahan’s gap-tooth-ness are damn funny. Perhaps that’s just my leftover bitterness? Who knows.

I didn’t hate it, but I wouldn’t watch it. It’s loads better than TO’s appearance on that atrocious Flavor Flav show. But just like that show, I don’t expect it to last. Which, color no one surprised.

One thing I’ve been adamant about regarding this blog is that it’s not your typical “come here for up-to-the-minute information and I’m just writing to hear myself talk expert analysis” site. There are plenty of those. Although half the time I DO know what I’m talking about, it’s more a bar hop through the crazy land of being a sports fan-ette. We’re out there, you  just have to dig to find the good ones. It’s like picking out good avocados. The mushy ones are useless and the unripened ones require too much patience.

I had some sports related encounters of the third and fourth kind this weekend. I made the comment a few weeks ago (don’t remember to whom, for all I remember it could’ve been to myself) that I feel like football season is going to be rather interesting. Not only in general and for the Boys, but for me, personally. For serious, had I known shit was actually going to happen I would’ve put something bigger out into the universe. Like, “I feel like Chris Evans is going to come knocking at my door…and my apartment will actually be clean at the time.”

A couple of weeks ago the LA Cowboys group I’m a part of posted a Facebook page. The first couple of days it was live I perused member profiles to seek out anyone I knew from last season. I clicked on this one dude, didn’t remember him from last year at first. When I jumped over to his profile, I  noticed he was friends with someone I sorta kinda knew back in Texas. Strange, but you’ve got my attention. So he pops in this past Friday night while we were all at Yankee Doodle’s for the last pre-season game and I bring it up. He says he went to high school with that one guy. Trust me, this isn’t a good thing, what could make it worse is if graduated in 2000.

Oh but he did.

Somewhat longer story short, this guy in MY Cowboys group (mine, all mine) played baseball and graduated with The Dreaded Ex. AND I actually knew him, as well, but didn’t remember him at first. I move 1,200 miles away from home to a city with over 4 million people and I run into someone like that. I call major shenanigans. It’s like my past is chasing me wielding a leather whip (and not in a good way).

U-C-ELLLLLLE-A

What makes it EVEN funnier (trust me, I’m not really laughing) is this past Saturday, as I’m heading to the UCLA game the person I’m meeting emails me and says there’s a guy in the group tailgating next to us who is a ginormous Cowboys fan and can’t wait to meet me. Excellent I say, just picked up my requisite bottle of Malibu (shouldn’t they be sponsoring this blog by now?) and am a few minutes away. I get to the Rose Bowl, have a few drinks, have some amazing grilled scrimp and over comes the Cowboys fan. Fingers crossed he’s cute, single and employed! And straight!

Swear to god, it’s another guy from the group.

Once we got the OH HOW FUNNY IS THIS outta the way and he went back to his peeps, I looked at my friend and was like okay that’s enough, where are the cameras? I don’t like being on this show anymore. Cause who was next? The guy from the high school hockey team (that I started) who I was redonkulously in love with for years, but I wasn’t good enough for, so he ruined my self-image for a good 10 years? No thanks, man. So then I started in on how true Cowboys fans must have internal magnets and we always attract one another no matter where we go. Trust me, it was a rather intriguing and well thought out theory at the time. Much like Carl’s Jr. chili cheese fries are at 3 a.m. under the same amount of influence.

Speaking of drinks, another virtual round to the Ladies… for the most excellent shout out.

One of my other favorite lady-ran sports blogs is Ladies… They’re on my blogroll (well, will be on it when it have it up and running again) and I follow them on Twitter. Today they had a post regarding pro athletes use of Twitter and the recent social networking crackdown from the NFL. They asked what we think, I almost commented…but realized that my comment was turning into an entire ramble that was more fitting for, well, here.

I’m absolutely fascinated by the tweets of all these football players. Martellus Bennett is on the Cowboys so I love him, but he is batshit crazy. But as long as he catches the ball, fool can be all sorts of crazy. TO’s bible verses were, what’s the right word, uncomfortable? Completely random? I’ll just go with odd. Pics of his recent mani/pedi were kinda like a train wreck, you just had to keep looking (much like the entire TO Show). Chris Cooley is a douche, but he’s on my fantasy team so I have to grin and bear it. OchoCinco…is self explanatory. But like the Ladies pointed out, it’s the little things I find interesting: what a player thought about a movie he just watched…or what song(s) he’s listening to get pumped up for a game. That part is no different than me saying “ugh, stuck in bloody traffic on the 101 AGAIN, but hey I’ve got Bob Schneider to keep me company” They’re multimillion dollar pro athletes, but they’re also varying forms of normal, just like us.

[Let's pause whilst I think about what it would be like to really have Bob to keep me company...]

I can look at this whole sitch as two different versions of me. The Nikki from over 10 years ago and the Nikki of today. Nikki from today is (on paper) mature, grown up, only internet stalks guys she’s actually involved with on some level (or was), is a huge football and hockey fan still, but is all about being a fan instead of going googly for a player. OKAY, aside from that whole Miles Austin thing, which is why I hope blue eyes NEVER gets a damn Twitter. But for the big pros who do have Twitters, Facebooks or official pages, I think it’s absolutely wonderful and in the age of the deteriorating player image, it’s the best thing that could’ve happen. Especially for poor hockey.

If the Twitter bird can make the playoffs in goal, the Stars should sign him

However, high school/college Nikki was bananas for hockey players. More on that can be found here, here and here. I think about what it would’ve been like if Twitter and Facebook existed THEN and my brain partially strokes out. (My college roommate is totes going to have a major *facepalm* moment when she reads that). I would have been absolutely uncontrollable. I already knew enough, I already made a big enough fool out of myself and I already put myself in plenty of a precarious situations. I’m not even talking about the biggies like Mike Modano and Jamie Langenbrunner. I’m talking about the pups, the rookies, the ones who were already way too accessible to me. Sweet Jesus I loved those boys. Petr could’ve been like “boozer25: going to play game now” and I woulda been all “nikkihearts25: @boozer25 OMG I LOVE YOU AND WILL HAVE 10,000 OF YOUR BABIES.” Now given, I’m overestimating Petr’s use of the English language at the time and underestimating what ability I did actually have to control myself and the words that came out of my mouth. But you get my point.

I was a good girl little girl with stars in my eyes (no pun intended) though, despite what it sounds like, and although I was a basket case over at least two players over the years, I handled myself well most of the time. But for every one of me? There were a dozen crazyspices out there who didn’t quite have my boundaries. I knew a few and although I turned in my Official Player Stalking Club card years ago, I’m assuming they still exist in minor league arenas all throughout the country. THAT is why Twitter worries me. For all these little manchildren playing in the minors out there, oy vey for them.

Can’t lie, now my brain is working on would’ve been tweets for some of the other guys. At least the ones it wouldn’t have completely dumbfounded. *cough*Jon*cough*

Update: the blogroll is back. I know you were worried.

*sigh* I could’ve written this article myself.

Dallas Cowboys’ Romo freed up by T.O.’s release

12:13 PM CDT on Thursday, March 12, 2009

IRVING – Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones believes the release of Terrell Owens will allow Tony Romo to spread the ball around more. Sam Hurd said the same thing the day Owens was cut. “I know it takes a lot of pressure off Romo focusing on one main feature, like Terrell,” Hurd said. “As a guy like him, he demands the ball and it made you want to try to get him the ball. With him being released, [Romo] doesn’t have one main guy, so he can look at every one of us and see whichever one is open on any play and get the ball to him.”

Jones said the decision to cut loose Owens had little to do with locker room chemistry, but he admits it had something to do with on-field chemistry.

When you have a receiver like Owens, quarterbacks cater to him whether they know it or not. He was the target of 140 throws last season, tied for ninth in the NFL. He needs, wants, craves the football and even when he was the intended target 20 times against Washington – whether the passes were catchable or not – he wasn’t happy.

The Cowboys will look to replace Owens’ production by spreading the wealth.

The rest is here.

Seriously.

P.S. Whoever got to this blog by searching “marion barber and tony romo gay” – please don’t ever come back.

I heart birthdays

Sunday begins my birthweek. YES, I get a whole week because 1) I am a girl and we get what we want, 2) I call shenanigans on only celebrating one day and 3) I am THAT awesome. Therefore, let’s talk PRESENTS.

1. Thank you to the NHL for sending the Dallas Stars to Los Angeles next Thursday, the day after my birthday. That was generous of you on several levels – not only picking my week of birth, but also avoiding my actual night of birth so I can go drink.

2. Thank you to the NHL Network for hosting a free preview next week. Seriously, you’re spoiling me. You’re already sending me the Stars, but now I get to watch all the hockey games I want for five whole days?! That’s amazing…because not only will I be ABLE to watch hockey on the television set, I might actually do so. Crazy!

3. NFL free agency started today. Being the selfless individual I am, I would actually like to give Terrell Owens away for my birthday. Some might call that too generous…I say no, no it’s the LEAST I can do.

4. As a present to myself, I am going to Tony Parker’s wife’s (I love her) restaurant for my birthday dinner. There will be much tequila, tacos, guacamole and get this – sweet potato tater tots! Can. Not. Wait. I’ve been trying to go there since it damn well opened.

A must have for every Cowboys fangirl

5. My birthday is obviously and unfortunately (or fortunately?!) close to the recently celebrated Valentine’s Day. Most girls love flowers, candy and all of the stereotypical gifts of choice. But we’ve more than established by now I’m not most girls. So someone finally figured out how to woo me properly and got me BOYS WILL BE BOYS for Valentine’s.  Raise your hand if your wife/girlfriend would’ve killed you. Tis a damn shame there’s only one of me to go around, I know.

I just got of air with KARN in Little Rock to discuss our broadcast of the FedEx BCS National Championship Game in LIVE 3-D next week. I was a little nervous because they brought me on to discuss the sports part as opposed to the technical details, which my boss was on the line for. They let me go off about how painful it is to be working on an OU game, that was sweet of them. Hopefully I can get a copy of it to post. This is all RIDICULOUSLY EXCITING!  Here is the trailer for the BCS event:

BCS trailer on YouTube

Anyhow, I can’t avoid talking about it any longer and I’m sure you’ve been waiting on extra painful pins and needles for this…so I shall come to Jesus with what a dismal and disappointing season this has been as a die-hard Cowboys fan. I ain’t gonna lie to you, it f*cking sucks. Back in September, I would’ve put big money on a Cowboys/Chargers Super Bowl. Thank God I’m not actually a betting sorta lady (I stick to the nickel slots if I actually pause the drinking long enough to gamble in The Vegas).

As much as I love them, they disgust me right now and more than deserved to be stripped down and humiliated against the Eagles. I am not going to be a fan who makes excuses or denies how horrific the situation is. They didn’t show up, they have no heart and they have no balls. I sat there and watched every single excruciating moment of that game. A game that hurt me for SO many reasons. I couldn’t even muster up the strength to say out loud “if they show Dawkins doing that wretched Fly Eagles Fly dance one more time, I swear I will fly to Philly and personally shove a football down his throat and pull it out his ass.” (I hope my dad isn’t reading this…) Eric kept asking me why I was still watching, it was because I couldn’t stop. I had to know it was real, that yes, it was possible for them to allow it to get worse and worse. That MB3 fumble for a TD was an extremely sharp knife to my heart, but by that point I’d stopped feeling anything.

I would like to think the hell they’ve got themselves into will force drastic changes. But because Wade is Jerry’s little bitch, it ain’t gonna happen. As discussed with my friends and my father, this just screams too loudly of Cowboys history. Barry ruined the team that Jimmy built. Wade has ruined the team that Bill built. The only difference is at least we brought a trophy home under Barry before it all went to shit. I am not saying Wade is a bad coach, but he belongs on a very different sort of team. We need someone to come in with goddamn whips and chains (and not the fun fuzzy kind). And I call major shenanigans on “Wade is going to toughen up.” Right…and my New Year’s Resolution is to give up alcohol.

As for the men (if that’s what you want to call them) on the field – Pac is a waste of space. He was insignificant on the field for the games he

Let it be.

actually played. But he actually hurt us several times in Philadelphia. Hurt us off the field, shame on you. Hurt us on the field, shame on us and here’s a plane ticket up out of Dallas. TO is a waste of emotional energy. We do not need him. When he’s good he’s good, but when he’s bad he’s awful and takes no responsibility. Kicking his mouth out will be a ginormous first step to fixing that locker room and building an actual TEAM. We have three young wideouts who with more field time have the potential to become amazing (and no, I’m not just saying that because I would have Austin’s babies). In addition, even though I think he has a lot to think about and work on, Romo will be a better QB without TO. Fix the offensive line. You have one of the best running backs in the NFL and he can’t run. That sirs, is a problem. Ditch Flozell. The penalties are out of control and he’s a big reason. This isn’t rocket science. And as much of a beast as he is, as amazing as he is, Ware can’t do it all. But James and Ratliff give us hope on D. And hope of any sort is good. Last but not least, find some passion. We, the fans, never lost it…but you, the players, did. Even though Bradie James may not show up to peoples’ offices and tell them how to do their jobs, you are professional athletes and by all means ARE accountable to us because we pay EVERY PENNY of your salaries.

Many a times I’ve thought to myself, well, we could be the Lions. I’m optimistic enough to know that Jerry will never let us go 0-16. But what’s the difference right now between taking a 13-3 team that was expected to win the Super Bowl (btw, expectations are crap), letting them implode and miss the playoffs versus just being a winless mess? The heartbreak is just the same.

However, I REFUSE to end this sounding like a crybaby, cause it’s now all in the past…it’s 2009, bitches! Happy New Year from CLSL! Hope you brought in the new year as well and as wasted as me.

Finally, I can talk about this. From The Hollywood Reporter:

Turner Sprots, The National Basketball Association and Cinedigm Digital Cinema will team up to broadcast TNT’s coverage of “NBA All-Star Saturday Night” live in 3-D to 80 digitally equipped theatres across the United States. Scheduled for Feb. 14, the broadcast will play on as many as 160 screens in 35 states.

The event represents the first-ever fully marketed deal to deliver an NBA sporting event to the public in live 3-D.

Participating theater chains include Carmike Cinemas, Celebration Cinemas, Cinema West, Emagine, Galaxy Theatres, Marquee Cinemas, MJR, NCG, Rave Motion Pictures, Showcase and UltraStar Cinema.

“NBA All-Star Saturday Night,” which also be broadcast live on TNT at 8 p.m. ET will feature the league’s top-players in such events as: Haeir Shooting Stars, with San Antonio players David Robinson, Tim Duncan and Becky Hammon; PlayStation Skills Challenge, with Utah Jazz guard Deron Williams; Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, with Toronto Raptors forward Jason Kapono; and Sprite Slam Dunk, with Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard.

The event will employ Cinedigm’s CineLive technology, which enables live 2-D and 3-D streaming currently to more than 80 theater complexes with more than 160 3-D screens in the U.S. Cinedigm expects to further expand its CineLive network throughout 2009 to at least 150 locations.

I was at the NFL test in Los Angeles last week, the aforementioned live 3-D broadcast of the Chargers/Raiders game. What I saw I was extremely impressed with, they just need to add more cameras and change a few angles. They dropped signal twice, which isn’t surprising. Cinedigm’s satellite and pipes are bigger (dirty) and they have over 10 years experience in live broadcasts so disappearing signals shouldn’t be an issue.

I’m extremely, retardedly excited about this.

There is actually another event slated for January, as mentioned in my previous post as well. However, the ink isn’t dry on the contract and the announcement won’t be made until next week. However, I will just sneak in this paragraph from Reuter’s coverage of the NBA announcement:

3D system provider RealD 3D previously said the BCS college football championship game will be shown at selected theaters early next year, one of several live 3D sports broadcasts planned for 2009.