Andrew Jones' Media Portfolio

The Raw Story Reporting Clips

 Romney Campaign Meets Equal Pay With Silence (article featured on news network MSNBC's coverage of the RNC)

 Sanders Skewers The Class Warfare of America's ‘economic royalists’

 House Dems introduce bill recognizing low income mothers raising their kids as work

Scahill: Obama has ‘murdered’ people with drone strikes

Bush: ‘I wish they weren’t called the Bush tax cuts’

Washington state to legalize same sex marriage

Rep. Walsh: Obama 'Like a teenage boy who had a big party'

Dallas teenager found after being mistakenly deported to Colombia

Employers discriminate against long-term unemployed: reports

Private prison company offers to buy 48 states’ prisons

Talking Points Memo clips

Rumsfeld: Still No Apologies For Iraq 

California GOPer On Wisconsin Senate Dems: ‘Fire Them!’

Huckabee: Poverty Will Fall If Single Parents Just Get Married

Karl Rove: Birtherism Is A ‘White House Strategy’

Appearances on HuffPost Live: 






Anchor Broadcast Reel:

 

The S-Thread For 2/13/12: 2012-13 Champions League Round of 16 Day 2 (Halftime Version)

Halfitme: Both games tied at 1-1

The pros and cons of Angel Di Maria summed up into that first half. 

The two major moments of the first half represented Angel Di Maria at his best and worst. Him leaving his far post responsibilities lead to Danny Welbeck's vital away goal. But his energetic playing style and tremendous offensive class shown in his latest perfect left footed delivery for Ronaldo's magical header. 

 Halftime adjustments 

Michael Carrick has got to step up for United and help them have some sound possession in the midfield to combat Madrid's determined effort to try and score at least two goals in half #2. 

The keys to tonight's mega clash:

1) Although Johnny Evans has had his best season by far in a United uniform, he still is a liability against top class sides. Him and Ferdinand are easily drawn out by aggressive midfielders and sophisticated center forwards who make smart runs. Benzema has to take advantage of that today to turnaround what has so far been a disappointing campaign for him.

2) Though a quality goalkeeper in his own right, Diego Lopez is not Iker Casillias, and it will be vital that he makes sound decisions today.

3) Fabio Coentrao has to be discipline and smart with his decision making to go forward to assist young Varane on the right side today in defense.

4) Michael Carrick must show that he is class enough to handle a game like this with a strong two-way performance. Thought of as good but not great, Carrick has to take his game to another level in order to the likes of Alonso and Khedira to not completely boss the game in the middle of the park.

5) United's Rafael and Madrid's Arbeloa will have to be called on today not to be anything less than exceptional. It's likely that despite them not getting much attention that their performances today could decide the game.

Madrid has placed all their eggs in the basket to win this Champions league this season and will build off their good performance from Saturday in hammering Sevilla. United have too many backline problems that have been covered up the last few weeks, but will be fortunate to nick a goal. 2-1 Madrid. 

Halftime review and tactical changes will come after the first 45 minutes. 

Donetsk-Dortmund

Meanwhile, in the night's other match, it was suppose to be a great 50/50 slick passing tie between Shaktar Donetsk and Borussia Dortmund, and that still could be the case.

However, with the shock departure of Willian and their three month winter break, it will be very tough for Shaktar to hold off Dortmund, even with talented fellow Brazilian Taison replacing him.

Still, they are difficult at home and will be as competitive as possible. The lineups for their first leg tie:

The S-Thread For 2/12/13: 2012-2013 The Champions League Round of 16 Day 1

The lineups, first for Celtic/Juventus 

And Valencia/PSG 

Really do predict home victories today actually for the underdog sides, as Valencia has enough quality in their squad and Celtic just seem to play with terrific fervor at home. But we'll see what happens. 

TWD Super Bowl XLVII Thread For 2/3/13: The Unsung Key Players

The following players likely won't be at the centerpiece of the DisneyWorld ad, but they need to be instrumental in order for their team to have glory at around 11 PM tonight.

49ers 

Bruce Miller- The most unrecognized member of the Pistol formation, Miller springs the key last block for either Frank Gore or Colin Kaepernick that is just as essential to the formation's success as a great O-line and its dynamic skills players. Him getting the key seal on Suggs, Ellerbe, or Lewis will be vital to the success.

Delanie Walker- While Vernon Davis gets all the deserved praise, Walker is crucial to this offense, especially with both Kyle WIlliams and Mario Manningham being out for the season. His ability to line up properly at both TE and FB positions, and be a reliable safety net option underneath has given San Francisco another weapon.

Navarro Bowman- Although a Pro-Bowler himself, Bowman has not been given as much superstar attention as his righthand man Willis. But make no mistake, he is one of the game's best at his position. His knockdown of Matt Ryan's pass to Tony Gonzales to seal the 49ers trip to New Orleans displayed his great ability to play in coverage just like Willis. Ravens TE's Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson had success exposing the Patriots' inability for their linebackers to cover, but they will have to run the crisps of routes and hope they catch Bowman and Willis surprisingly unfocus.  

Andy Lee- Arguably the best punters in the NFL, Lee has continued to show why punters sometimes are invited into the defensive unit meetings. No matter the elements, Lee has excelled in making sure opponents don't get either great field position on the field or placed them deep inside their own 10 yard line.  Although Jim Harbaugh certainly doesn't want to call on him at all this evening, Lee will always be ready to make Joe Flacco and company go the distance in order to score.

Ravens

Dannelle Ellerbe- The unsung member of this defense, he's been the lynchpin keeping them as much afloat while standouts Lewis and Suggs were hurt. Key with the run and adapt in coverage, Ellerbe will have to make vital reads today and do it all to handle Miller's blocking in the pistol, and Davis/Walker's ability to get open in the intermediate flats.

Paul Kruger- Every player on the Ravens defensive will have to focus on their specific keys today, and Kruger has to be near the top of the list. From a pass rushing specialist to start his career, the 4th year man has been given more responsibility as the season has progressed. He must stay discipline and deny Kaepernick the edge and trust his inside men to make the plays on Gore and get off the blocks.

Ed Dickson- While Dennis Pitta receivers most of the tight end billing, Dickson will be another vital option underneath for Joe Flacco against the versatile aggressive coverage of Vic Fangio's linebackers. Him making plays underneath could make Donte Whitner and Dashon Goldson play up, and allow Joe Flacco to go up top one on one with Torrey Smith versus Carlos Rogers.

Bryant McKinnie- Ever since Jai Read went down for the season, McKinnie has been arguably the most vital replacement of any offensive lineman in the league. McKinnie allowed Michael Oher to move back to the rightside and has given Flacco the protection that has allowed him to be terrific in the postseason. As Justin Smith's return has allowed Aldon Smith those one-on-one matches he desires, McKinnie will have to be as outstanding with his size today as he has been the last month and a half if Baltimore wants to get their 2nd ring.

Small diversity tidbit: 

More significant in this game in terms of the whole minority element than Colin Kapernick potentially coming the 2nd black quarterback to win this game is Jim Caldwell becoming the first offensive coordinator to win a Super Bowl.

Prediction: 

Nevertheless, even with the Lewis story and momentum along with the Ravens appearing as a team of destiny, the 49ers just have too much versatility and weapons in this game for Baltimore to overcome this time. It's 24-20 to the 49ers in this one. 

TWD Sunday Sports Thread For 1/27/13: Down Under Wonder (2nd Version)

From USAToday.com

Game, Set, Match: Djokovic defeats Murray 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2

It was the calm that carried Novak Djokovic to his 4th Australian Open title and 3rd straight championship in Melbourne, while it was the body that failed Andy Murray in the end. 

The Serbian showed how he is the best in the world again, while the extra day of rest and much easier semifinal played a significant role in Murray's physical ailments revealing themselves as the match began slipping away from him. 

Djokovic did so well to avoid going down a crucial early break in the 2nd set, down 0-40 and seemingly letting the frustration from a poor 1st set tiebreaker grip him. That hold down three break points was the turning point in this match and one of three defining moments, as Djokovic began to settle down on the forehand side. 

If Murray gets the break there, with his forehand at its optimum level and his serve firmly locked in, Djokovic would have likely had to comeback from two sets down. Instead, the Scot's missed backhand by inches proved to be one of the shots he will be thinking about in the "what if" column. 

Those little margins between victory and defeat in these Big 4 matches were then magnified again in the 2nd set tiebreak. With Djokovic getting his own forehand back in order, he stayed with Murray and got help from a bird's feather in the 2nd set tiebreak. That sudden, minute distraction from the sky lead to Murray costly double faulting and giving Djokovic the mini-break he needed to propel and win the 2nd set. 

Murray had lost the clear advantage, deserving of a two sets lead and beginning to feel the elements of pain from his semifinal win over Roger Federer. In the last few years in Melbourne, the extra day of rest for one of the men's finalists over the other turned out not to be a distinct advantage. But it certainly was the situation this time, as both men's trajectory in the match went in different ways in the 8th game of the third set. 

Djokovic finally found his way through a Murray service game since the 1st set to go up 0-40. A valiant effort to comeback by Murray ended three points later, as he placed his shot into the net, and the match's momentum would stay with Djokovic until the very end. 

Murray's much harder semifinal and less day of rest proved to be vital, as his limp became noticeable throughout the final set. But it was Djokovic's ability to stay strong and focused on his service games, combined with his ability to settle down on his forehand side that was the reason for his win. 

It was fitting that Andre Agassi was at Rod Laver Arena to witness Djokovic equaling his total of Australian Open titles. The old king of Melbourne had to be front and center for the new king of Melbourne. 

(That's it for The Whole Delivery's live coverage of the 2013 Australian Open. A full recap of the tournament will be soon in the pipeline. Thanks for reading and Peace for now.)

The Original Thread is down below:

Both Players with Kevin Spacey Before the Match 

It's Act 18 of a professional friendly rivalry that started when they were teenagers. And now, with Rafael Nadal out and Roger Federer dispatched, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray's battle become the highlighted rivalry on the men's side to kick off 2013. 

With Murray's confidence growing in Grand Slam best of five matches, the mental advantage that Djokovic used to have on Murray up to 5 months ago has continued to close. Always a tight nip-and-tuck rivalry, the world #1 had the supreme edge when it came between the ears. Now, that has since diminished, as their matchups are now legitimate pick ups decided only by who is the superior player on the day. 

And that result is decided by only the margins. Dramatic turnaround points for vital momentum will be vital again for both of these guys. 

Keys to the Match

For Murray 

1) Keep on establishing the forehand as the biggest shot

2) You have more versatility, keep on using it 

3) Protect the 2nd serve

4) Close out the points

5) This is your time to take over. 

For Djokovic

1) Mix up the serve and get the full extension 

2) Be aggressive and don't be afraid of the net 

3) Hit to the middle of the court more to set up the angles before he does 

4) Test his fitness all the way since you got the extra day of rest

5) You are still the mentally stronger player. Have the best defense

Predictions: I picked Djokovic before the start of the tournament, and though Murray has made this an even match with his continued physical presence, Djokovic just shows still that crisp form to win this contest in, of course, 5 dramatic sets. 

TWD Saturday Sports Thread For 1/26/13: The 2013 Australian Open Women's Final- Azarenka/Li (Preview Version)

From AustralianOpen.com

Similar players, similar games, similar real, similar temperament. The similar tactics for these all court, forehand stable or unstable elite baseliners.

For Li:

1) Keep believing in your forehand. 

2) Attack Azarenka's 2nd serve relentlessly. 

3) Win the backhand battle.

4) Be a survivor to a closer. 

5) The crowd is behind you. Use them.

For Azarenka:

1) Believe in your forehand as well, get consistent depth.  

2) Be strong on your serve, placement is key. 

3) Be sound with your defense and get your backhand to her FH.

4) Use a drop shot at times, use it.

5) Win the backhand battle, dealing with the adversity. 

With both players playing in the night time conditions for the first time this tournament on Laver, it could take both of them a while to get accumulated. With that being said, Azarenka's game is just a little bit more stable when it comes to having to alter novel conditions, despite Li finding her best form right now. 

With having to usher in a "Me vs the world" mentality, I think Azarenka will do this in a 3-set terrific match and defend her title.  

The 1st Thread/S-Thread For 1/25/13: The 2013 Australian Open Thread- Men's Semifinal #2 (Murray/Federer Pre-Match Runthrough)

Photo from Australian Open

Even without all members of the Big 4 in Melbourne this year, the Big 4 matches still live on with the men, as the Australian Open men's title will be determined as expected by Rafael Nadal's elite quartet brethren. 

Novak Djokovic is patiently awaiting, with the major advantage of thrashing David Ferrer once more in no time while having the crucial extra day rest that Roger Federer and Andy Murray won't have. In short, the world #1 would not feel bad at all if both men played a titanic 4-5 hour long epic. 

Although Federer claimed victory in their last match at the ultra fast ATP World Your Finals indoor court, their last standout contest really was the victory that changed Murray's career, the Olympic Final. Regardless of how much fatigue Federer had from surviving Juan Martin del Petro the round prior or if his back was truly ailing him, the Swiss legend still showed signs of winning that big match if Murray wasn't ready again.

As we all know, Murray was more than ready, and that amazing performance sprung to him now being an Olympic and Grand Slam champion. 

With full confidence to crush his forehand and belief in his 2nd serve, Murray is now sound enough in his offense to beat Federer in this match. But with his form a little unconvincing despite an easy draw, that could come back to haunt the Scot. However, Federer was extended to five sets by Jo Wilfred Tsonga in the quarterfinals. Even with his terrific conditions at his age, that battle with Tsonga could be the difference in him having enough energy to win in another encounter going the distance. 

The Keys to the Match: 

For Murray: 

1) Establish the forehand by having it be the biggest shot on the court 

2) Dominated with the first serve 

3) Be the aggressive closer at the beginning, may Roger press into mediocre approach shots. 

4) No dipage in form like first five rounds. 

5) Remember the Olympics. The rivalry has changed in best of 5. 

For Federer: 

1) Your conditioning is still world class, keep on believing in your movement. 

2) Stretch Murray to his backhand crosscourt to set up the inside-out forehand 

3) See if Murray can hit through you on his forehand

4) Be aggressive on Murray's 2nd serve to apply pressure 

5) Win this first set and get off to a fast start 

For the longest, I thought Murray would suffer from his shaky form while Federer impressive through a tough draw. But now, with the margins so thin amongst the Top 4, I favor Murray to get through this in four thrilling sets.