This Week's Trivia Question

Time to get my act together and make this trivia thing a regular deal, so this week's question is displayed down near the bottom.

As you ponder the answer, I invite you to visit this link I came across when I was researching the question:

http://www.startrekcruise.com/

At first I was excited by the idea... then I saw the "celebrities." The actress who played Tasha Yar, the crew member who perhaps creeps me out the most (and that's saying something, Reginald Barclay); some rando guy who played a Vulcan once; Gene Roddenberry's son, who as far as I know has little to do with the franchise; and former Dabo girl Leeta, who evidently is now a bleached burlap sack. Time is seriously unkind to the Star Trek actor.

Bruins Win!

The Stanley Cup is heading back to Boston after an absence of almost 40 years! I haven't been this happy to see a second-favorite team win since the Atlanta Braves won the World Series in 1995. Truly, this is becoming the golden century of sports in Boston!

My only regret is that I ever doubted Tim Thomas would post a shutout in the deciding game. Oh me of little faith! Brad Marchand ended up being the key to victory too, but what an incredible team effort all around. Congrats to the team and the fans, and a special thanks to Nathan Horton for honorarily spilling a bit of that dirty water before the game. Party on Boylston Street!

I doth declare, Lord Stanley's Cup runneth over!

Tonight is the final game of a thrilling Stanley Cup playoffs. I would argue, however, that this series has been entertainingly predictable: Vancouver wins a tough, hard-fought game at home by 1 goal, Boston blows out Vancouver in Beantown. I can't even imagine how panicked Vancouver fans are right now. Boston has been backed by the best (and, by default, most consistent) goalie in the league, while Roberto Luongo's confidence has to be shattered after 3 embarassing meltdowns on the road. Then again who wouldn't be creeped out by 6'9" Zdeno Chara's bearded visage.

I've seen the other side...

For more keys to victory and prognosticatory plop, click to read more.

Ian Mahinmi: NBA CHAMPION!

There were a lot of story lines going on in the NBA Finals. Dirk Nowitzki hit Larry Bird-style shots all playoffs long and finally cast off the choker label. Jason Kidd got a championship ring after 17 years in the league. And the 4th quarter travails of LeBron James will be analyzed for another year as he came up short, playing 2nd and sometimes even 3rd fiddle in the Heat's Big 3.

But who wants to hear about those stories when the lamestream sports media will be covering them ad nauseam. That's not why you come to The Danger Zone! You want to hear about the story within the story, behind another story, lurking sketchy-like in the shadows, its grotesqueness cowering from the light!

Every foul increased their chances of victory.

In that spirit, I continue my coverage of Mavericks center Ian Mahinmi and his mercurial rise to the top of the NBA.

Mas Copa Oro!

American fans' worst fears became reality Saturday as they lost their first ever group stage Gold Cup game 2-1 to Panama.

It's not the end of the world - to be honest it's like a tree falling in the forest for most people - but it confirms suspicions that this Bob Bradley-run squad is on the decline. Including their World Cup elimination by Ghana, the U.S. has won only 2 of their last 11 games.

What can we expect next? To advance, the U.S. has to beat Guadeloupe, an island of 450,000 people. From what I saw of Guadeloupe playing Canada at the Hispanic laundromat I was at Saturday, they play a physical, scrappy brand of soccer but aren't as skilled as the U.S. From what I've read, their skilled players tend to play in Europe and for France nationally.

If I was a betting man I'd be hard-pressed to bet against my team, but I wouldn't be shocked to see a low-scoring or goalless tie. Part of me also sees this tough situation as a win-win scenario. If the U.S. loses, that might be just the kick in the pants the USSF needs to get rid of Bradley, which could be great for the long-term. On the other hand the U.S. could win... which is also a win, technically speaking. It should be interesting to see if they rise to the occasion like they did against another physical team, Algeria, or collapse into an ineffective heap like they did against Ghana.


In lol-worthy news: a Cuban player defected from his team. This news is about as shocking as hearing a DC weather forecast with humidity over 80%. I'm sweating like Bruce Pearl here.

Gold Cup 2011 - Ole's and Lol's

From sea to shining sea - and from the arctic circle to the Panama Canal - a continent descends into a soccer-crazed furor. Nations clash in blood-boiling zealotry. Hark, as drums pound relentlessly and vuvuzelas overwhelm the senses and drive the citizenry to madness. The earth is torn asunder by spiked footmen with canons for legs. What team will reign over the inevitable post-apocalyptic blight that will remain?

Damn soccer players, ruining my DC.

These are the questions that need answering for a niche (but not as small as you think) of sports fans who follow the Gold Cup. What they lack in numbers, however, they make up for in fanaticism. Here's a look at the competing countries and their chances for continental conquest!

Ian Mahinmi Update!

TDZ regular Ian Mahinmi was recently unleashed by Mavs coach Rick Carlisle, receiving some substantial playing time. With only 8 minutes played he accomplished a stat line of 0-1 FG, 2-2 FT, 1 big offensive rebound, and 5 beastly fouls.

Not reflected in the stats is one knee to the groin of Udonis Haslem. Just goes to show you that with the best players in the game, it's not all about the numbers. Best of luck to Mahinmi and the Mavs against those durn Heat.


No one got the past month's trivia question correct! The shortest of the 4 guards is Chris Paul.