Olympics

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2011-02-27

A young ski fan watch Norway's gold medalist Petter Northug on the podium during a ceremony after the 30km cross country skiing men's pursuit in the Nordic Skiing World Championships in Oslo, on February 27, 2011. (Photo by Odd Andersen /AFP/Getty Images)

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Utah State superfan 'Wild Bill' has become college hoops celebrity

By Jim Weber

LostLettermen.com, the college sports online magazine and former player database, regularly contributes to The Dagger. Here's the story behind Utah State super fan “Wild Bill.”
Only a few super fans are wild and crazy enough to become as famous as the athletes they cheer for, such as the New York Jets' "Fireman Ed" and Duke's "Speedo Guy."
"Wild Bill" can now be added to that list, and perhaps no fan has ever captured our imagination quite like him.

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You probably don't know which team he roots for and you certainly don't know his real name, but if you're a sports fan, you've undoubtedly seen a clip of Utah State fanatic Bill Sproat on TV or YouTube in the last year.
He's the large, often shirtless student that stands behind the basket at Aggie home games and distracts opposing free-throw shooters with his ridiculous costumes that look like he's come straight from trick-or-treating.
"I love to be as close to naked as possible without going to jail," Sproat said.
Sproat draws most of his inspiration from Disney movies, Jack Black and Chris Farley, dressing as everything from the Little Mermaid, to Nacho Libre, to Peter Pan to Tigger. He was even going to dress like a showgirl for a Nevada game before Utah State put its foot down (he's also not allowed to wear a Speedo or do pelvic thrusts).
The publicity he's received has grown beyond his expectations. He's already been mentioned on ESPN's "Pardon The Interruption," interviewed on "First Take," profiled by Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis, turned into a YouTube sensation and even visited ESPNU's offices in Charlotte -- which he described as being a "kid in a candy store."
Most recently Sproat made headlines by dressing up as the teapot from the "Beauty and the Beast" during a Feb. 2 game against Nevada. It's one of the many Disney characters he's portrayed in the last two seasons. The Utah State student section followed Sproat's lead by serenading Nevada guard Malik Story with "I'm a little teapot" as he attempted his foul shots.

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8 Reasons to Watch the 83rd Academy Awards

by: Matt Whitfield

Natalie Portman and Helena Bonham Carter
Steve Granitz& Jeff Vespa/Wireimage.com


Yes, it’s typically snooze-inducing. Yes, it tends to run
over its three allotted hours. Yes, seeing stars constantly celebrating
themselves becomes a bit annoying after awhile. But, there’s no doubt about it:
The annual Academy Awards telecast is must-see TV. Here are eight reasons why
you shouldn’t miss this year’s show:


1. Fashion, Fashion, Fashion!

Will Natalie Portman accentuate her growing baby bump in a
skintight Herve Leger bandage dress or keep it hidden under a bedazzled
Marchesa muumuu? Will Oprah -- who’s handing out the Best Documentary prize --
look regal or ridiculous? She’s either hit or miss. And more importantly, what
in God’s name will Best Supporting Actress nominee Helena Bonham Carter be
wearing?! (Hopefully something that puts Bjork’s infamous swan dress to shame!)


Related: Award Show's Best-Dressed

2. The Return of Sandra Bullock

Last year, she was the belle of the ball and won Best
Actress for her career-changing role in “The Blind Side.” A few weeks later,
her entire world fell apart when it was revealed that her hubby -- “Monster
Garage” host Jesse James -- had been cheating on her. We’ve seen Sandra on the
red carpet since (she was smoking hot at Spike TV’s Guys Choice Awards), but
all eyes will be on America’s sweetheart come Sunday evening even though she’s not
nominated.


Photos: Most Surprising Celeb Splits


3. Co-Hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco


The producers of the show are taking a huge risk by having
Hathaway and Franco at the helm of TV’s second-biggest show of the year. At
first, I was perplexed. The star of “The Princess Diaries” and that dude who
moonlights on “General
Hospital”? But the more I
think about it, the more I’m excited to see what the dynamic duo can pull off.
Comedy bits (that could very well fall flat), costume changes, choreographed
dance routines… it’s either going to be a triumph or a train wreck.
Translation: great TV.



4. In Memoriam


Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion will serenade us with “Smile”
as the faces of some of our favorite film stars who’ve recently passed away
flash across the big screen. But what I’m dying (pun intended) to find out: Who
won’t make the final cut? Dennis Hopper and Leslie Nielsen are gimmes, but will
Corey Haim be snubbed, again?


5. Best Supporting Actress


Colin Firth, Natalie Portman, and Christian Bale are locks
to win their respective categories, but Supporting Actress is up for grabs.
Well, “Animal Kingdom’s” Jacki Weaver doesn’t stand a chance, but Amy Adams,
Melissa Leo, Helena Bonham Carter, and Hailee Steinfeld all do. My money’s on
Hailee (because “True Grit” won’t win anything else and the Academy will want
to give the film a little love), but my guess is as good as yours.


6. Banksy

Everyone, including myself, is wondering if the British
graffiti artist/political activist/star of Best Documentary nominee “Exit
Through the Gift Shop” will show up. Why? His real identity has never been
confirmed and he’s also known for donning a monkey mask for public appearances.
Can you imagine a man in a monkey suit accepting an Oscar? I can, despite the
fact that “Inside Job” will likely take home the trophy.

Photos: Top 10 Bizarre Oscar Moments




7. A-List Presenters

Halle Berry, Robert Downey Jr., Cate Blanchett,
Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Jude Law, Helen
Mirren, Russell Brand, Marisa Tomei, Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon,
Josh Brolin, Oprah Winfrey, and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman)!


8. The Uninvited


Perhaps it’s just me, but I’m looking forward to an awards
show that doesn’t feature any of the following: Meryl Streep (love her, but I
need a break), the “Twilight” kids (good luck at the Razzies), Ricky Gervais
(Anne and James can’t possibly be worse than the obnoxious host of the Globes),
Lady Gaga/the cast of “Glee”/Justin Bieber (I’m way more excited to hear
Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine perform “If I Rise” from “127 Hours”
than any of those overexposed musical acts).

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