http://stuffnoonetoldme.blogspot.com/

p.s. I just read that you can play fantasy football on Facebook. Yahtzee!!!

God, I’m a Geek!!

Want Want Want !!!!

Quoted from http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/03/the-magic-of-adobes-photoshop-cs5/?src=busln:

The Magic of Adobe’s Photoshop CS5 – Gadgetwise Blog – NYTimes.com

May 3, 2010, 7:05 pm

The Magic of Adobe’s Photoshop CS5

By RIK FAIRLIE

Adobe’s Photoshop CS5 recently became available, and as usual, there’s plenty of magic for photographers under.

The star of the new Photoshop is without a doubt Content-Aware Fill. This technology takes Content-Aware Scaling, which first appeared in CS4, to the next logical level by enabling you to select an object — a stranger who wandered into your photo shoot, for instance — and then delete him from the photo. Content-Aware Fill will then examine the background surroundings and fill in the white space where your object formerly resided. It’s fun and often amazingly accurate. Here’s a video that shows how it works.

Also in the realm of magic is the Puppet Warp feature. Puppet Warp lets you recompose part of an object to achieve specific design goals. For instance, you can select an elephant’s trunk and change the curve of the trunk. Puppet Warp isn’t as easy to use as Content-Aware Fill and you won’t use it as much, but it’s cool nonetheless.

Adobe also has made it easier to select and mask intricate images with improvements to its Refine Edge tool, an enhancement that is less fanciful that Puppet Warp but will certainly be much more widely used. The software enables you to more accurately isolate an object from its background, and it’s particularly helpful with complicated edges like human hair.

Fans of high-dynamic range (HDR) photography will appreciate the HDR enhancements. The HDR Pro tool enables you to merge identical images taken at different exposures and combine the exposures to create a single shot with a very wide dynamic range. The tool also includes a Remove Ghosts feature that automatically removes artifacts that often occur when merging overlapping shots.

If you’re working with a single shot, however, the HDR filter is a fun addition that enables you to easily adjust the toning of the image to mimic the effects of HDR photos.

The Camera Raw 6 plug-in, which ships with CS5, has been updated to support new camera models; in all, 275 models are supported. Camera Raw 6 also has improved sharpening and noise removal, and lets you apply film grain when editing a RAW image.

Adobe also added a lens-correction feature that corrects the three most common lens-based errors: geometric distortion, chromatic aberration, and vignetting. You can also create custom profiles of your lenses.

NFL: The Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns are among the teams that have made the best first-round draft picks ever. – ESPN

Originally Published: April 16, 2010

First Round: Best of the best

Cleveland’s Brown, Dallas’ Smith, Pittsburgh’s Bradshaw form first-choice backfield

By Sheldon Spencer
ESPN.com
Getty Images, US Presswire, US PresswireOur first-round NFL regular draft all-star backfield: Brown (left), Bradshaw (center) and Smith (right).Even though the debates never will end, ESPN.com’s round-by-round NFL draft all-stars survey finishes with a take on some of the best first-round picks. How can we select just one quarterback from among the likes of Troy Aikman (1989, Dallas Cowboys), Bob Griese (1967, Miami Dolphins) and Peyton Manning (1998, Indianapolis Colts)?

Round-by-Round All-Stars

ESPN.com this week unveils the best of the NFL draft, round by round. The series breakdown:

• Tuesday: How we did it
• Tuesday: Round 6 | Round 7, beyond
• Wednesday: Round 4 | Round 5
• Thursday: Round 2 | Round 3
• Friday: Round 1

We tab the first-round draftee quarterback with four Super Bowl rings — Terry Bradshaw (1970, Pittsburgh Steelers) — and we rest our case. But based on that logic, why wouldn’t Paul Hornung (1957, Green Bay Packers) and Franco Harris (1972, Pittsburgh Steelers) be automatic starters behind Bradshaw, since both Hornung and Harris boast four NFL titles each? We’re just promoting debate here, folks, not providing empirical evidence of any player’s superiority. Hence, we’re picking Jim Brown (1957, Cleveland Browns) and Emmitt Smith (1990, Dallas Cowboys) for the running back slots. Interestingly, while Louisiana Tech’s Bradshaw was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1970 draft, Smith and Brown were available to plenty of takers in their respective drafts. Despite falling to the No. 17 slot in the 1990 draft, former Florida star Smith proved any doubters wrong by winning Offensive Rookie Of The Year honors. Smith retired as the NFL’s career rushing leader (18,355 yards) and has 164 rushing touchdowns, the bulk of which he produced in 13 Cowboys seasons. He was a key part of the Cowboys’ draft trinity — with wide receiver Michael Irvin (1988, Cowboys) and Aikman — to form the foundation Dallas needed to score three Super Bowl victories in the early 1990s. Barry Sanders (1989, Detroit Lions), Marcus Allen (1982, Los Angeles Raiders), Tony Dorsett (1977, Cowboys), Walter Payton (1975, Chicago Bears), Larry Csonka (1968, Dolphins) are among the dozens whose numbers — and in some cases, Super Bowl rings — make compelling arguments to run with Mr. Smith, but there’s one unavoidable backfield mate. Brown’s status as an unparalleled NFL icon grants him the other running back slot on our first-round all-star team. Yes, he won only one NFL title and has fallen to No. 9 on the career rushing list. But Brown is the prototype running back, even though he wasn’t the apple of Cleveland’s eye during the 1957 draft. Apparently Cleveland coveted one of the three top quarterbacks in that draft class, including Notre Dame’s Hornung (who became a halfback in the NFL), Stanford’s John Brodie or Purdue’s Len Dawson. Hailing from Alliance, Ohio, Dawson was particularly coveted by Browns coach and general manager Paul Brown. The Steelers, however, won a coin flip to determine the No. 5 overall pick in that draft and they selected Dawson. With the next pick the Browns settled for Brown, the Syracuse superstar fullback. He won rookie of the year honors in 1957 by leading the NFL in rushing, the first of eight seasons he would pace the league. Six games, 15 touchdowns and 928 rushing yards into his second NFL season, Brown prompted Sports Illustrated to declare him “the greatest running back professional football has ever seen.” Years later, even his modern-day peers don’t want to debate that assertion. LaDainian Tomlinson (2001, San Diego Chargers) probably said it best after supplanting Brown for No. 8 on the all-time career rushing list: “Jim Brown transcended generations.” We can’t top that.

First-Round Offense All-Stars

Here are the best offensive players selected in the first round in the NFL’s regular draft history. Pro Football Hall of Fame members are in bold face. Guards and tackles were not selected position specific.

Position Player Year College NFL Team Comment Among others considered

QB	Terry Bradshaw	1970	Louisiana Tech	Steelers	Bradshaw’s four SB rings give him the edge over fellow HOFers Aikman, Griese, Kelly, Baugh and future inductee Peyton Manning	Troy Aikman (1989, Cowboys), Bob Griese (1967, Dolphins), Jim Kelly (1983, Bills), Dan Marino (1983, Dolphins), Peyton Manning (1998, Colts)
RB	Jim Brown	1957	Syracuse	Browns	It’s hard to argue with the icon voted the greatest player in league history	Paul Hornung (1957, Packers), Walter Payton (1975, Bears), Tony Dorsett (1977, Cowboys), Barry Sanders (1989, Lions)
RB	Emmitt Smith	1990	Florida	Cowboys	The man who broke Walter Payton’s career rushing mark and owns three SB rings gets this berth	Franco Harris (1972, Steelers), Larry Csonka (1968, Dolphins), Marcus Allen (1982, Raiders)
WR	Jerry Rice	1985	Mississippi Valley State	49ers	Rewrote WR record books, gave 49ers sweet 16 seasons, SB victories	Michael Irvin (1988, Cowboys), Art Monk (1980, Redskins)
WR	Lynn Swann	1974	USC	Steelers	His numbers aren’t as glossy as Rice’s, but he has four SB rings and excelled in big moments	Elroy Hirsch (1945, Rams), Marvin Harrison (1996, Colts)
TE	Tony Gonzalez	1997	Cal	Chiefs	In 12 seasons in KC, he established six major NFL records for TE, including career receptions (916) and TD snares (76)	Mike Ditka (1961, Bears), Ozzie Newsome (1978, Browns), Kellen Winslow (1979, Chargers)
Center	Clyde (Bulldog) Turner	1940	Hardin-Simmons	Bears	HOFer won four NFL titles, doubled as a LB, even played RB in emergency situations	Chuck Bednarik (1949, Eagles)
Guard	Bruce Matthews	1983	USC	Oilers	In 19 seasons, HOFer played each of the five O-line positions and never missed a game (296) to injury	Randall McDaniel (1988, Vikings), Mike Munchak (1982, Oilers), John Hannah (1973, Patriots)
Guard	Gene Upshaw	1967	Texas A&I	Raiders	In 15 Raiders seasons, HOFer played guard exclusively, made all-league 11 times, won two SB rings	Joe DeLamielleure (1973, Bills), Tom Mack (1966, Rams), Jim Parker (1957, Colts)
Tackle	Ron Yary	1968	USC	Vikings	First player chosen overall, rewarded Vikings with 14 seasons, four SB showings, seven PBs	Anthony Munoz (1980, Bengals), George Connor (1946, Bears)
Tackle	Jonathan Ogden	1996	UCLA	Ravens	First player selected in franchise history, Ogden was elected to 11 PBs — fourth most in history — and led team to SB victory	Joe Stydahar (Bears, 1936, HOF), Willie Roaf (1993, Saints)

First-Round Defense All-Stars

Here are the best defensive players selected in the first round in NFL regular draft history. Pro Football Hall of Fame members are in bold face. To honor the popularity of the 3-4 defense, we picked four linebackers. Corners, safeties and linebackers were not selected position specific.

Position Player Year College Signed By Comment Among others considered

DT	Joe Greene	1969	North Texas State	Steelers	A No. 4 overall pick, the HOFer won four SB rings, was a two-time DPOY	Alan Page (1967, Vikings), Bob Lilly (1961, Cowboys)
DT	Randy White	1975	Maryland	Cowboys	HOFer played in three SBs, had 4 SB sacks, co-MVP of a SB game, missed one game in 14 seasons	Merlin Olsen (1962, Rams), Warren Sapp (1995, Buccaneers), Leo Nomellini (1950, 49ers),
DE	Bruce Smith	1985	Virginia Tech	Bills	Two-time DPOY paced Bills to four SB appearances; HOFer retired the NFL’s career sacks leader (200)	Jack Youngblood (1971, Rams), Carl Eller (1964, Vikings)
DE	Richard Seymour	2001	Georgia	Patriots	Before joining the Raiders in 2009, Seymour notched 4 SB appearances, 3 rings, 5 PB selections as a Patriot	Dan Hampton (1979, Bears), Lee Roy Selmon (Bucs, 1976)
LB	Lawrence Taylor	1981	North Carolina	Giants	In 13 Giants seasons, Taylor was league DPOY three times and ranked second all time in sacks (132½ officially) at time of his retirement	Derrick Thomas (1989, Chiefs)
LB	Ray Lewis	1996	Miami (Fla.)	Ravens	Selected No. 26 overall in the Ravens’ first draft, Lewis is a 10-time PB selection and two-time league DPOY and has a SB ring	Derrick Brooks (1995, Buccaneers)
LB	Dick Butkus	1965	Illinois	Bears	HOFer played in eight PBs in nine Bears seasons	Chuck Bednarik (1949, Eagles)
LB	Junior Seau	1990	USC	Chargers	Led Chargers in tackles in 8 of 13 seasons in San Diego; one SB appearance as a Bolt	Lee Roy Jordan (1963, Cowboys)
CB	Herb Adderley	1961	Michigan State	Packers	A converted RB, HOFer won five of his six NFL titles as a Packers shutdown corner; starred in the first two SBs	Rod Woodson (1987, Steelers)
CB	Darrell Green	1983	Texas A&I	Redskins	A six-time PBer who played an amazing 20 seasons, HOFer helped Redskins to three SB appearances, winning two.	Ty Law (1995, Patriots)
S	Ronnie Lott	1981	USC	49ers	Versatile HOFer played corner in 49ers’ first two SB victories, safety in Nos. 3 and 4	Ed Reed (Ravens, 2002)
S	Troy Polamalu	2003	USC	Steelers	Five-time PBer has two SB rings in seven seasons.	Steve Atwater (1989, Broncos)

Sheldon Spencer is an NFL editor at ESPN.com. Thanks to ESPN’s Stats & Information crew for their researching efforts, as well as Pro-Football-Reference.com and the Pro Football Hall Of Fame’s Web site.