Sweetbob’s Hipster Music Playlist: May 2016

I apologize that it has been a few months since I posted a Hipster Music Playlist. I’ve been finding a lot of good music lately, but not quite enough to put out a list of 15 to 20 songs every month. I hope to keep churning these out every month from now on.

I always keep an ear out for new music. I love discovering new bands/songs, it’s a habit from my days as a music journalist. Even though this is mostly a sports blog, I still add quite a bit of music and pop culture content. Keep sending me tracks via email or Twitter. I love checking out all the recommendations you send. Keep them comin’!

I feel like this month’s list is fantastic. We super-sized the list once again with 20 tracks for your ears to drool over (also, don’t forget to check out our Spotify playlist).

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Favorite Songbird Ruled out of Kentucky Oaks

Unbeaten Songbird, who had been the overwhelming favorite for the Kentucky Oaks at the start of May, will now miss the race as the result of suffering from a fever. The Jerry Hollendorfer trained horse had previously been as low as 1/4 in the odds for the famous race, having made an unbeaten start to her career which includes victories at the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies and three other grade 1 races. Owners at Fox Hill Farm have now revealed however that she will miss the upcoming meeting, allowing an opportunity for others to claim what would be an unexpected win.

Songbird has come out victorious in all of her three races so far this year, but will be given time off to make a fully recovery. With the loss of Songbird, Breeders Cup runner up Rachel’s Valentina is set to take over as the favourite for the race, with bookmakers Coral offering her horse racing odds of 7/4.

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Chyna Passes Away, Legacy Lives On

I really hate adding wrestler names to my Dead Wrestler List post that I have updated the last few years. We have lost many in 2016 and we are only a few months into the year.

Chyna, whose real name was Joanie Laurer, was found unconscious last night and was pronounced dead. A friend couldn’t contact her and the police found her in her bed at her home in California.

She’s had her fair share of issues with both performance-enhancing and recreational drugs. It was documented in the reality television series ‘Celebrity Rehab’ a few years ago.

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Kawhi Leonard Named the Top Defensive Player In the NBA

The San Antonio Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard won the 2015-16 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. The forward is the first non-center to win this award in consecutive seasons since Dennis Rodman did so in 1990 and 1991. Leonard was critical to helping give the Spurs some of the best odds in online NBA sportsbook reports.

Leonard won with a majority of the first-place votes from 130 writers and broadcasters. He head out the Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green and the Miami Heat’s Hassan Whiteside for the award. All three have been important for online NAB sportsbook odds but Leonard’s efforts have especially be more all-around. This comes as he has been strong from an offensive and defensive standpoint alike. His work has proven to be essential to the success of the Spurs in that he has been extremely productive and effective.

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It’s Time for Sports Leagues to Allow Marijuana

It looks like Pro Bowl wide receiver Josh Gordon’s NFL career could be over…all because of marijuana. It could cost him tens of millions of dollars in future earnings.

Gordon was busted by the NFL for having a diluted urine sample, which the NFL considers as a failed drug test. He missed a portion of the 2014 season and the entire 2015 season due to marijuana-related suspensions. He also had issues in college stemming from his marijuana use, like falling asleep in a Taco Bell drive-through lane as a sophomore.

Many will look at Gordon as someone without self-control or someone that has shown signs of being an addict. It’s a fair assumption since he’s been disciplined numerous times since college for smoking weed.

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Toy Crazy: Mattel’s WWE Elite Series 42

I’m a self-confessed vintage toy nerd. I collect vintage wrestling action figures from the 80’s & 90’s. I started purchasing some vintage toys out of nostalgia. Well, WWE and Mattel sucked me into their new stuff. I now buy a few figures a month. You can view photos of my collection on my Instagram account.

Mattel has been including more flashback figures, which I love. I think it’s largely due to the success of the Target exclusive Hall of Fame series (by the way, series four should be in stores later this year).

Elite 42 is in the unfortunate position to follow the stacked lineups from Elite 40 & 41. The lineup in Elite 42 isn’t bad, but the last two series have been all-time greats. The WWE Superstars included in Elite 42 are Xavier Woods, Neville, Kalisto, Triple H and the Nasty Boys.

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MLB Committee Approves Players Using Wearables During Games

Major League Baseball seems to be adjusting with the times as the rules committee approved two wearable devices for use during regular season games. The news will not affect online MLB sports betting odds, but it does make MLB a pioneer in terms of new technology while their counterparts like the NBA recently banned players from wearing such devices during games.

According to the Associated Press, the two devices that were approved are the Motus Baseball Sleeve, which measures stress on elbows, and the Zephyr Bioharness, which is used to monitor heart and breathing rates.

The rules committee also approved the use of a pair of bat sensors during workouts.

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2016 MLB Season Preview: Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals had a forgettable 2015 season. They were one of the favorites to win the National League pennant, but they didn’t even end up making the postseason.

Bryce Harper had his best season as a pro last year. He took home the National League MVP award and it was the first time since his rookie season that he stayed healthy enough to have 500+ at-bats. If he avoids running into outfield walls, this could be a yearly occurrence for the 23-year-old.

Can Dusty Baker push the Nationals to an NL East crown?

Here is the 2016 MLB season preview for the Washington Nationals.

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2016 MLB Season Preview: Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays had an impressive season in 2015. They made some of the best trades in baseball and won the AL East.

The Blue Jays arguably have the best offense in baseball. Their lineup is loaded with power hitters who have contended for homer run titles. They also have speed and defense. One underwhelming aspect of their game is pitching. They lost David Price and Mark Buehrle this offseason and replaced them with J.A. Happ and Jesse Chavez. Their rotation needs to step up if they want to repeat as AL East champions.

Can Josh Donaldson win another MVP award?

Here is the 2016 MLB season preview for the Toronto Blue Jays.

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2016 MLB Season Preview: Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers went from worst to first in the AL West last season. Jeff Banister had one hell of a first season as manager in Arlington, Texas.

The Rangers are a team built to have a decent championship window. The Rangers are built around a mix of young players like Elvis Andrus and Yu Darvish, and veterans like Adrian Beltre and Cole Hamels to shoulder the load during a long season. The Astros also have a long window since their team is mostly built from their impressive farm system. The Rangers and Astros will be battling for the division for many years to come.

Can the Rangers repeat as AL West champions?

Here is the 2016 MLB season preview for the Texas Rangers.

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2016 MLB Season Preview: Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays flew under the radar last season after losing their general manager and manager to other teams before last season.

The Rays made some small moves this offseason to shore up some areas in which they lost players due to free agency. They acquired Logan Morrison, infielder Brad Miller and reliever Danny Farquhar in a deal with Seattle. All three will play vital roles for the team this season.

The AL East is full of teams with a lot of offense. Can the Rays hang with only average offense, but really good defense?

Here is the 2016 MLB season preview for the Tampa Bay Rays.

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2016 MLB Season Preview: St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals had an interesting offseason. They saw their rivals steal away two big free agents they hoped to re-sign.

The Cardinals didn’t pout and lick their wounds from losing John Lackey and Jason Heyward to the Cubs. They signed one of the top starting pitchers in free agency, Mike Leake. Also, let’s not forget that they get ace Adam Wainwright back this year.

The NL Central race will be cutthroat this season. Do the Cardinals veterans like Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina and Matt Holliday have enough left in the tank for another run?

Here is the 2016 MLB season preview for the St Louis Cardinals.

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