Anzhi Makhachkala defender Roberto Carlos says Jose Mourinho confessed to him that he will stay at Real Madrid after the end of the season.
Mourinho stated in December that he wished to return to the Premier League in 'a couple of years' and admitted that England was his 'passion' in football.
Reports in Spain have suggested that Mourinho is keen to cut short his stay at Madrid after receiving whistles from the club's fans in the wake of the Copa del Rey exit at the hands of Barcelona.
However, Roberto Carlos, whose club Anzhi has long been credited with an interest in Mourinho, says the Portuguese coach will not step down in the summer.
"He told me he has a running contract and that he will stay," Roberto Carlos told Canal Plus. "I told him that if he changed his mind, Anzhi would be waiting for him with open arms.
"He is the best coach in the world."
The 38-year-old left back stepped onto the Santiago Bernabeu pitch ahead of Madrid's 4-2 victory against Levante to receive an award for his 11-year spell at the club.
"It is always a pride to return to the Bernabeu," Roberto Carlos continued.
"Everything seems to be in place in La Liga and in the Champions League: let us forget about Barca and we will win important titles again.
"I like this team's character, no matter how hard things get, and its winning spirit. This team will make history."
2012年2月13日星期一
Cavs center Varejao breaks right wrist
For the second time this week, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been hit with an injury to a key player.
Center Anderson Varejao, who is having the best season of his eight-year career, will be out indefinitely with a broken right wrist.
Rookie point guard Kyrie Irving missed his third straight game Saturday night against Philadelphia with a concussion. While it’s hoped Irving will return in the near future, possibly as early as next week, it’s unclear how long Varejao will be sidelined.
The latest injury will be a major blow to the Cavaliers.
Not only is Varejao averaging 10.8 points with 11.5 rebounds, his hustling style of play both inspires his teammates and aggravates opponents as well.
“It’s going to be hard to make up for everything that Andy does,” Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said. “He gives us so much on both ends of floor. There’s not a whole lot of guys in the league that play with the energy and intensity Andy plays with. That’s what makes him special.”
Varejao, who leads the league in offensive rebounds per game, was injured in the third quarter of Friday night’s 113-112 overtime loss to Milwaukee and did not return.
The injury occurred while he grabbed a rebound and was slapped on the wrist by a defender.
The results of an MRI performed Saturday revealed a non-displaced fracture of the wrist. Scott said Varejao will be evaluated again Sunday.
A timeline for his return will be established next week after further testing.
Semih Erden started at center Saturday. Scott said Ryan Hollins and Samardo Samuels will also get minutes there. Rookie power forward Tristan Thompson may be another option.
Scott said Irving rode the stationary bike Saturday, but it’s uncertain when he will be cleared to take part in practice drills.
The Cavaliers are following the NBA’s new guidelines on treating head injuries with Irving, who was injured in Tuesday’s game against Miami. He was knocked down in the foul lane while driving to the basket and his head struck Heat guard Dwyane Wade’s knee.
Irving complained of a headache on Wednesday and was diagnosed with the concussion shortly before Cleveland hosted the Los Angeles Clippers that night.
Center Anderson Varejao, who is having the best season of his eight-year career, will be out indefinitely with a broken right wrist.
Rookie point guard Kyrie Irving missed his third straight game Saturday night against Philadelphia with a concussion. While it’s hoped Irving will return in the near future, possibly as early as next week, it’s unclear how long Varejao will be sidelined.
The latest injury will be a major blow to the Cavaliers.
Not only is Varejao averaging 10.8 points with 11.5 rebounds, his hustling style of play both inspires his teammates and aggravates opponents as well.
“It’s going to be hard to make up for everything that Andy does,” Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said. “He gives us so much on both ends of floor. There’s not a whole lot of guys in the league that play with the energy and intensity Andy plays with. That’s what makes him special.”
Varejao, who leads the league in offensive rebounds per game, was injured in the third quarter of Friday night’s 113-112 overtime loss to Milwaukee and did not return.
The injury occurred while he grabbed a rebound and was slapped on the wrist by a defender.
The results of an MRI performed Saturday revealed a non-displaced fracture of the wrist. Scott said Varejao will be evaluated again Sunday.
A timeline for his return will be established next week after further testing.
Semih Erden started at center Saturday. Scott said Ryan Hollins and Samardo Samuels will also get minutes there. Rookie power forward Tristan Thompson may be another option.
Scott said Irving rode the stationary bike Saturday, but it’s uncertain when he will be cleared to take part in practice drills.
The Cavaliers are following the NBA’s new guidelines on treating head injuries with Irving, who was injured in Tuesday’s game against Miami. He was knocked down in the foul lane while driving to the basket and his head struck Heat guard Dwyane Wade’s knee.
Irving complained of a headache on Wednesday and was diagnosed with the concussion shortly before Cleveland hosted the Los Angeles Clippers that night.
Officials vow loyalty at Kim's supposed birthplace
North Korea's top military and party officials have visited the supposed birthplace of late leader Kim Jong-Il to mark his upcoming birthday and pledge loyalty to the dynasty, state media said on Monday.
The North is planning an elaborate commemoration of Thursday's birthday, dubbed "The Day of the Shining Star", after the longtime leader died of a heart attack on December 17 at the age of 69.
In the ceremony Sunday at Mount Paekdu near the border with China, senior military and ruling party officials as well as workers and troops from "all walks of life" mourned Kim, the Korean Central News Agency said (KCNA) said.
Among those attending were military chief Ri Yong-Ho, leading party officials Kim Ki-Nam and Choe Thae-Bok, and Kim Jong-Gak, who is in charge of military administration and organisation, it said.
They were among eight people -- including Kim's youngest son and successor, Jong-Un -- who walked beside the leader's hearse at the funeral on December 28.
Jong-Un, believed to be in his late 20s, was swiftly proclaimed the "great successor" to his father and has been officially appointed as military commander.
Kim Jong-Il ruled the impoverished but nuclear-armed state for 17 years after his own father and founding president Kim Il-Sung died in 1994.
Ri, in a speech at the event, called Kim's birth "a global milestone" while senior ruling party official Ri Yong-Chol urged young people to "firmly unite" behind Jong-Un in line with Kim's last wishes.
The event ended with fireworks and cheers by participants, it said.
State media has earlier said groups of workers across the nation began trips to the mountain to pay respects to the Kim family, whose "Paekdu bloodline" is trumpeted in official propaganda.
The mountain, the highest on the peninsula, is sacred to both Koreas as the place where, according to legend, their ancestors originated.
Official accounts say Kim was born there. But independent experts say his birthplace was actually a guerrilla camp in Russia, from where his father was fighting Japanese forces who had colonised the Korean peninsula.
The North is planning an elaborate commemoration of Thursday's birthday, dubbed "The Day of the Shining Star", after the longtime leader died of a heart attack on December 17 at the age of 69.
In the ceremony Sunday at Mount Paekdu near the border with China, senior military and ruling party officials as well as workers and troops from "all walks of life" mourned Kim, the Korean Central News Agency said (KCNA) said.
Among those attending were military chief Ri Yong-Ho, leading party officials Kim Ki-Nam and Choe Thae-Bok, and Kim Jong-Gak, who is in charge of military administration and organisation, it said.
They were among eight people -- including Kim's youngest son and successor, Jong-Un -- who walked beside the leader's hearse at the funeral on December 28.
Jong-Un, believed to be in his late 20s, was swiftly proclaimed the "great successor" to his father and has been officially appointed as military commander.
Kim Jong-Il ruled the impoverished but nuclear-armed state for 17 years after his own father and founding president Kim Il-Sung died in 1994.
Ri, in a speech at the event, called Kim's birth "a global milestone" while senior ruling party official Ri Yong-Chol urged young people to "firmly unite" behind Jong-Un in line with Kim's last wishes.
The event ended with fireworks and cheers by participants, it said.
State media has earlier said groups of workers across the nation began trips to the mountain to pay respects to the Kim family, whose "Paekdu bloodline" is trumpeted in official propaganda.
The mountain, the highest on the peninsula, is sacred to both Koreas as the place where, according to legend, their ancestors originated.
Official accounts say Kim was born there. But independent experts say his birthplace was actually a guerrilla camp in Russia, from where his father was fighting Japanese forces who had colonised the Korean peninsula.
Zambia wins African Cup after penalty shootout
In a game of relentless drama and high emotion, the most significant moment was perhaps when Kalusha Bwalya, a member of the tragic team who was not on the ill-fated aircraft in 1993 and is now Zambia’s football federation president, lifted the Cup of Nations trophy up in one hand on the pitch, almost defiantly.
It was Zambia’s first game in Libreville since that the plane crash.
“There was a sign of destiny, a force within us. Maybe it was meant to be,” Zambia coach Herve Renard said. “I can’t explain it, honestly I can’t explain it. Something was written in the stars. It was not me.”
Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba also missed a 70th-minute penalty to send the dramatic decider to extra time and then a shootout and boost Zambia’s feeling that they were meant to win the African Cup here.
After both sides made their first seven penalties, Kolo Toure gave Zambia a chance at victory when his effort was saved by Kennedy Mweene. But Kalaba Rainford sent his effort high over the crossbar.
But Arsenal’s Gervinho faltered as well and Sunzu made no mistake when it was his turn, drilling his penalty past Boubacar Barry for the title-clinching moment that capped a compelling, storybook ending.
“It was not the right time,” Renard said of Rainford’s miss, “but Sunzu was strong and he gave us the African Cup.”
The Zambians, who had watched the final few penalties on their knees with arms linked, erupted in joy and chased after Sunzu.
“That’s (the plane crash) the thing that’s been driving us through the tournament,” goalkeeper Mweene said. “We have been thinking about that since we went into camp.
“It’s one of those games. We were playing against big names but … we had to do it. The team spirit and the brotherhood in the team was the key for us.”
Sunzu ran to the team’s fans behind the goal to begin the celebrations. The current players had pledged to return to Libreville and win their first major trophy to honor the 25 Zambian players and officials who died in the crash.
The Gabonese fans at a packed Stade de l’Amitie were also won over and were chanting “Chipolopolo,” the Zambian team’s nickname, at the end. It was more than just a neutral crowd backing the underdog. The home fans seemed to be offering their support after the Zambians lost so many players just off their shores.
Drogba hit his regular-time penalty way over the crossbar after Gervinho was fouled, and then looked up at the sky in frustration. And even though the Chelsea striker scored in the shootout, Ivory Coast still failed to end a 20-year wait for a second African title despite being highly rated and everyone’s pick to win.
It was the Ivorians first loss in six games at this tournament after it also went through qualifying with a perfect six wins from six.
“Zambia really believed in their victory,” Ivory Coast coach Francois Zahoui said. “What else can I tell you? It’s a very big disappointment. We didn’t expect such a difficult game from the Zambians.”
Zambia captain Christopher Katongo hit the post in the opening five minutes of extra time, but the underdogs were hanging on in the latter part of the match, as Max Gradel sent a shot agonizingly wide in the 88th for Ivory Coast and the powerful star-studded favorite surged forward in the final 15 minutes of extra time.
Zambia had already been hampered when Joseph Musonda was forced off with injury after just 10 minutes of what was meant to be a memorable 100th match for him. The veteran defender was in tears as he left the field and was consoled by team mates.
Gervinho won the penalty for Drogba when he was dragged down by midfielder Isaac Chansa just inside the area. But when Drogba missed and looked up helplessly at the sky, the Zambians saw it as a further sign that the win was destined to be theirs.
“We were not the favorites of the final, obviously,” Chansa said, “but we believed in ourselves as players. It was written somewhere, you could see that from the miss of Drogba.”
It was Zambia’s first game in Libreville since that the plane crash.
“There was a sign of destiny, a force within us. Maybe it was meant to be,” Zambia coach Herve Renard said. “I can’t explain it, honestly I can’t explain it. Something was written in the stars. It was not me.”
Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba also missed a 70th-minute penalty to send the dramatic decider to extra time and then a shootout and boost Zambia’s feeling that they were meant to win the African Cup here.
After both sides made their first seven penalties, Kolo Toure gave Zambia a chance at victory when his effort was saved by Kennedy Mweene. But Kalaba Rainford sent his effort high over the crossbar.
But Arsenal’s Gervinho faltered as well and Sunzu made no mistake when it was his turn, drilling his penalty past Boubacar Barry for the title-clinching moment that capped a compelling, storybook ending.
“It was not the right time,” Renard said of Rainford’s miss, “but Sunzu was strong and he gave us the African Cup.”
The Zambians, who had watched the final few penalties on their knees with arms linked, erupted in joy and chased after Sunzu.
“That’s (the plane crash) the thing that’s been driving us through the tournament,” goalkeeper Mweene said. “We have been thinking about that since we went into camp.
“It’s one of those games. We were playing against big names but … we had to do it. The team spirit and the brotherhood in the team was the key for us.”
Sunzu ran to the team’s fans behind the goal to begin the celebrations. The current players had pledged to return to Libreville and win their first major trophy to honor the 25 Zambian players and officials who died in the crash.
The Gabonese fans at a packed Stade de l’Amitie were also won over and were chanting “Chipolopolo,” the Zambian team’s nickname, at the end. It was more than just a neutral crowd backing the underdog. The home fans seemed to be offering their support after the Zambians lost so many players just off their shores.
Drogba hit his regular-time penalty way over the crossbar after Gervinho was fouled, and then looked up at the sky in frustration. And even though the Chelsea striker scored in the shootout, Ivory Coast still failed to end a 20-year wait for a second African title despite being highly rated and everyone’s pick to win.
It was the Ivorians first loss in six games at this tournament after it also went through qualifying with a perfect six wins from six.
“Zambia really believed in their victory,” Ivory Coast coach Francois Zahoui said. “What else can I tell you? It’s a very big disappointment. We didn’t expect such a difficult game from the Zambians.”
Zambia captain Christopher Katongo hit the post in the opening five minutes of extra time, but the underdogs were hanging on in the latter part of the match, as Max Gradel sent a shot agonizingly wide in the 88th for Ivory Coast and the powerful star-studded favorite surged forward in the final 15 minutes of extra time.
Zambia had already been hampered when Joseph Musonda was forced off with injury after just 10 minutes of what was meant to be a memorable 100th match for him. The veteran defender was in tears as he left the field and was consoled by team mates.
Gervinho won the penalty for Drogba when he was dragged down by midfielder Isaac Chansa just inside the area. But when Drogba missed and looked up helplessly at the sky, the Zambians saw it as a further sign that the win was destined to be theirs.
“We were not the favorites of the final, obviously,” Chansa said, “but we believed in ourselves as players. It was written somewhere, you could see that from the miss of Drogba.”
Glen Campbell brings audience to its feet at Grammys
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Country music veteran Glen Campbell, diagnosed last year with Alzheimer's disease, had no trouble remembering words to his signature song as he gave a rousing performance of "Rhinestone Cowboy" at the Grammy Awards show on Sunday.
The 75-year-old entertainer took the stage with contemporary country stars The Band Perry and Blake Shelton, who preceded him with their own versions of two other Campbell hits, "Gentle on My Mind" and "Southern Nights."
Within moments, he had the celebrity-studded crowd at the Staples Center on their feet and singing along, including former Beatle Paul McCartney and guitarist Joe Walsh, who was seen dancing in the aisle with his wife, Marjorie.
Ever the showman, Campbell pointed his microphone at the audience for each chorus, inviting them to join in on the line, "Like a Rhinestone Cowboy!" and the hall's musical luminaries all joyfully obliged.
The performance, delivered without a hitch, ended in a hail of cheers and applause as Campbell shouted, "Thank y'all so much!" then turned to leave the stage as the lights went down and could be heard gamefully asking, "Where do I go?"
Campbell, a five-time Grammy winner who had been suffering from short-term memory loss for years, revealed in a People magazine article in June that he had been diagnosed six months before as being in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
His wife, Kim, said then that the couple decided to go public with his diagnosis ahead of a final, farewell concert tour that he launched in the fall of 2011.
Campbell started out as a session guitarist for the Beach Boys and producer Phil Spector before rising to fame in the 1960s with hits that included "Wichita Lineman" and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." Perhaps his best-known song, "Rhinestone Cowboy" was a No. 1 hit in 1975.
He hosted his own CBS variety show, the "Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour," from 1969 to 1972, and co-starred with John Wayne in the original 1969 movie version of "True Grit."
The 75-year-old entertainer took the stage with contemporary country stars The Band Perry and Blake Shelton, who preceded him with their own versions of two other Campbell hits, "Gentle on My Mind" and "Southern Nights."
Within moments, he had the celebrity-studded crowd at the Staples Center on their feet and singing along, including former Beatle Paul McCartney and guitarist Joe Walsh, who was seen dancing in the aisle with his wife, Marjorie.
Ever the showman, Campbell pointed his microphone at the audience for each chorus, inviting them to join in on the line, "Like a Rhinestone Cowboy!" and the hall's musical luminaries all joyfully obliged.
The performance, delivered without a hitch, ended in a hail of cheers and applause as Campbell shouted, "Thank y'all so much!" then turned to leave the stage as the lights went down and could be heard gamefully asking, "Where do I go?"
Campbell, a five-time Grammy winner who had been suffering from short-term memory loss for years, revealed in a People magazine article in June that he had been diagnosed six months before as being in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
His wife, Kim, said then that the couple decided to go public with his diagnosis ahead of a final, farewell concert tour that he launched in the fall of 2011.
Campbell started out as a session guitarist for the Beach Boys and producer Phil Spector before rising to fame in the 1960s with hits that included "Wichita Lineman" and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." Perhaps his best-known song, "Rhinestone Cowboy" was a No. 1 hit in 1975.
He hosted his own CBS variety show, the "Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour," from 1969 to 1972, and co-starred with John Wayne in the original 1969 movie version of "True Grit."
Adele top winner with 6 Grammys
Adele, who captured the world's heart with an album about a broken romance, emerged as the top winner at Sunday's Grammy Awards, winning six trophies including the prestigious trifecta of record, song and album of the year.
The singer, who also made a triumphant comeback from vocal cord surgery on the Grammy stage, sobbed as she won the night's final award, album of the year, for "21." It was last year's top-selling album with more than six million copies sold and remains lodged at the No. 1 spot on this year's charts.
Her victories tied her with Beyonce as the most wins by a woman in one evening.
"Mom, gold is good!" Adele shouted as she took the album of the year trophy.
The celebration of Adele, a big-voiced, soulful singer, came on a night where the Grammys marked the loss of one of music's great female voices — and one of its most prized talents overall. Whitney Houston died the night before the Grammys, casting a shadow over music's biggest night.
But while her death lent a somber overtone to the evening's show, it did not overwhelm it, perhaps best proved by the show's closing number, a rollicking jam session featuring Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Dave Grohl among others.
The night's other big winners were Grohl's Foo Fighters, who won five Grammys. They noted that they made their album "Wasting Light" in a garage.
"To me this award means a lot because it shows that the human element of making music is what's most important. Singing into a microphone, learning to play an instrument and learning to do your craft, that's the most important thing for people to do," Grohl said as the band accepted their best rock performance trophy for "Walk." ''It's not about being perfect. It's not about sounding absolutely correct. It's not about what goes on in a computer. It's about what goes on in here (your heart) and what goes on here (your head). ... Long live rock 'n' roll!"
Among the evening's performances was a dance-heavy number by Chris Brown, and performances by McCartney and Springsteen, who kicked off the show by performing his new song "We Take Care of Our Own," a rousing song that references the troubles of the nation.
But the evening's most moving moment came as Jennifer Hudson — who has called Houston an inspiration and one of her biggest idols — emerged to sing one of Houston's signature songs, "I Will Always Love You." Dressed in black, with only the accompaniment of a piano, Hudson appeared to fight back tears as she sang the song, ending with the line, "Whitney, we will always love you."
The show started off on a somber note, as host LL Cool J appeared in black, and told the audience: "There is no way around this. We've had a death in our family."
He then led the audience in prayer to "our fallen sister."
"Heavenly father, we thank you for sharing our sister Whitney with us," he said, as celebrities like Lady Gaga and Miranda Lambert bowed their heads in prayer. "Though she is gone too soon, we remain truly blessed to have been touched by her beautiful spirit."
He then introduced a clip of a glowing Houston singing "I Will Always Love You." In his performance of "Runaway Baby," Bruno Mars also mentioned the death: "Tonight we're celebrating. Tonight we're celebrating the beautiful Miss Whitney Houston."
And Stevie Wonder said: "To Whitney up in heaven, we all love you."
The show, as usual, was heavy on performances more than awards. Among those was Chris Brown, who was performing on the stage for the first time since he dropped out of 2009's broadcast; his attack on Rihanna the night before led to both of their absences, an assault charge for Brown and a career low.
But 2011 marked an amazing comeback for Brown and he was rewarded with two planned performances during the show, the first time he and Rihanna performed at the same event since the attack (she sang solo and with Coldplay during the ceremony).
Brown also won best R&B album: "First and foremost, I gotta thank God, and thank the Grammys for letting me get on this stage and do my thing," he said "All my fans, I love you. We got one. Thank you."
Justin Vernon, whose band Bon Iver beat Nicki Minaj, The Band Perry, J. Cole and Skrillex for best new artist, accepted the award with admittedly mixed emotions.
"It's really hard to accept this award. Well, there's so much talent out here, like on this stage. There's a lot of talent that's not here tonight. It's also hard to accept because when I started to make songs I did it for the inherent reward of making songs, so I'm a little bit uncomfortable up here," he said. "But with that discomfort I do have a sense of gratitude. I want to say thank you to all the nominees, all the non-nominees that have never been here and never will be here."
The Grammys did their best to keep a tone that balanced the many moods of the night: The Foo Fighters performed in a tent outside the Staples Center, where the awards were being held, amid a throng of bouncing fans; but moments earlier, Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt paid tribute to Etta James, the legend who died last month.
There was also a tribute to the recently reunited Beach Boys that featured Maroon 5, Foster the People and Mike Love, Al Jardine and Brian Wilson, the three remaining members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band, all pitch-perfect as they brought the groups California rock sound and harmonies back to life.
Glen Campbell, who announced his retirement last year after disclosing he had Alzheimer's disease, also performed with The Band Perry and Blake Shelton, singing his classic hit, "Rhinestone Cowboy."
The Foos and Brown also returned for another dance-themed performance, a first for the Grammys. It also featured deadmau5, David Guetta and Lil Wayne.
And with Lady Gaga not performing, Minaj stepped in to give the night's most bizarre/headscratching performance. The rapper-singer's number included a clip that referenced "The Exorcist" and a stage show that had her levitating on stage amid a church-like background, with hooded choir members and religious imagery.
The singer, who also made a triumphant comeback from vocal cord surgery on the Grammy stage, sobbed as she won the night's final award, album of the year, for "21." It was last year's top-selling album with more than six million copies sold and remains lodged at the No. 1 spot on this year's charts.
Her victories tied her with Beyonce as the most wins by a woman in one evening.
"Mom, gold is good!" Adele shouted as she took the album of the year trophy.
The celebration of Adele, a big-voiced, soulful singer, came on a night where the Grammys marked the loss of one of music's great female voices — and one of its most prized talents overall. Whitney Houston died the night before the Grammys, casting a shadow over music's biggest night.
But while her death lent a somber overtone to the evening's show, it did not overwhelm it, perhaps best proved by the show's closing number, a rollicking jam session featuring Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Dave Grohl among others.
The night's other big winners were Grohl's Foo Fighters, who won five Grammys. They noted that they made their album "Wasting Light" in a garage.
"To me this award means a lot because it shows that the human element of making music is what's most important. Singing into a microphone, learning to play an instrument and learning to do your craft, that's the most important thing for people to do," Grohl said as the band accepted their best rock performance trophy for "Walk." ''It's not about being perfect. It's not about sounding absolutely correct. It's not about what goes on in a computer. It's about what goes on in here (your heart) and what goes on here (your head). ... Long live rock 'n' roll!"
Among the evening's performances was a dance-heavy number by Chris Brown, and performances by McCartney and Springsteen, who kicked off the show by performing his new song "We Take Care of Our Own," a rousing song that references the troubles of the nation.
But the evening's most moving moment came as Jennifer Hudson — who has called Houston an inspiration and one of her biggest idols — emerged to sing one of Houston's signature songs, "I Will Always Love You." Dressed in black, with only the accompaniment of a piano, Hudson appeared to fight back tears as she sang the song, ending with the line, "Whitney, we will always love you."
The show started off on a somber note, as host LL Cool J appeared in black, and told the audience: "There is no way around this. We've had a death in our family."
He then led the audience in prayer to "our fallen sister."
"Heavenly father, we thank you for sharing our sister Whitney with us," he said, as celebrities like Lady Gaga and Miranda Lambert bowed their heads in prayer. "Though she is gone too soon, we remain truly blessed to have been touched by her beautiful spirit."
He then introduced a clip of a glowing Houston singing "I Will Always Love You." In his performance of "Runaway Baby," Bruno Mars also mentioned the death: "Tonight we're celebrating. Tonight we're celebrating the beautiful Miss Whitney Houston."
And Stevie Wonder said: "To Whitney up in heaven, we all love you."
The show, as usual, was heavy on performances more than awards. Among those was Chris Brown, who was performing on the stage for the first time since he dropped out of 2009's broadcast; his attack on Rihanna the night before led to both of their absences, an assault charge for Brown and a career low.
But 2011 marked an amazing comeback for Brown and he was rewarded with two planned performances during the show, the first time he and Rihanna performed at the same event since the attack (she sang solo and with Coldplay during the ceremony).
Brown also won best R&B album: "First and foremost, I gotta thank God, and thank the Grammys for letting me get on this stage and do my thing," he said "All my fans, I love you. We got one. Thank you."
Justin Vernon, whose band Bon Iver beat Nicki Minaj, The Band Perry, J. Cole and Skrillex for best new artist, accepted the award with admittedly mixed emotions.
"It's really hard to accept this award. Well, there's so much talent out here, like on this stage. There's a lot of talent that's not here tonight. It's also hard to accept because when I started to make songs I did it for the inherent reward of making songs, so I'm a little bit uncomfortable up here," he said. "But with that discomfort I do have a sense of gratitude. I want to say thank you to all the nominees, all the non-nominees that have never been here and never will be here."
The Grammys did their best to keep a tone that balanced the many moods of the night: The Foo Fighters performed in a tent outside the Staples Center, where the awards were being held, amid a throng of bouncing fans; but moments earlier, Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt paid tribute to Etta James, the legend who died last month.
There was also a tribute to the recently reunited Beach Boys that featured Maroon 5, Foster the People and Mike Love, Al Jardine and Brian Wilson, the three remaining members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band, all pitch-perfect as they brought the groups California rock sound and harmonies back to life.
Glen Campbell, who announced his retirement last year after disclosing he had Alzheimer's disease, also performed with The Band Perry and Blake Shelton, singing his classic hit, "Rhinestone Cowboy."
The Foos and Brown also returned for another dance-themed performance, a first for the Grammys. It also featured deadmau5, David Guetta and Lil Wayne.
And with Lady Gaga not performing, Minaj stepped in to give the night's most bizarre/headscratching performance. The rapper-singer's number included a clip that referenced "The Exorcist" and a stage show that had her levitating on stage amid a church-like background, with hooded choir members and religious imagery.
Stacy Francis Calls Thursday Run-In With Whitney Houston A 'Misunderstanding'
Former "X Factor" hopeful Stacy Francis has called her run in with Whitney Houston on Thursday a "misunderstanding."
"This is a sad time for me. I loved Whitney Houston with all my heart. She was such an amazing musical influence for me," Stacy Tweeted on Sunday night. "I deeply regret the events that led to Thursday's misunderstanding, but I respect and love her more than I can say."
PLAY IT NOW: Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party: Stars React To The Death Of Whitney Houston
According to Radar Online, Whitney became angry when she left the stage at Tru Hollywood on Thursday, after dueting with friend Kelly Price, and saw Ray J talking to Stacy.
"She ran over to them and began screaming, 'This is my man! I'm a cougar!" a source claimed to Radar.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Whitney Houston’s Final Public Appearance — February 9, 2012
Ray J reportedly told Whitney that Stacy was a "longtime family friend" but the superstar singer continued to shout at the reality star.
On Twitter, Stacy shared her condolences to the Houston family.
"Whitney maintained a genuineness in this difficult profession and I will always admire and respect the courage that she lived," she Tweeted. "At this painful time, I would like to express my support and most sincere condolences to Whitney's family in learning of her sudden death...I will always remember her to be a deeply humane person and wish her spirit to rest in peace."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: A Look Back: Whitney Houston — Her Life In Pictures
Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
"This is a sad time for me. I loved Whitney Houston with all my heart. She was such an amazing musical influence for me," Stacy Tweeted on Sunday night. "I deeply regret the events that led to Thursday's misunderstanding, but I respect and love her more than I can say."
PLAY IT NOW: Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party: Stars React To The Death Of Whitney Houston
According to Radar Online, Whitney became angry when she left the stage at Tru Hollywood on Thursday, after dueting with friend Kelly Price, and saw Ray J talking to Stacy.
"She ran over to them and began screaming, 'This is my man! I'm a cougar!" a source claimed to Radar.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Whitney Houston’s Final Public Appearance — February 9, 2012
Ray J reportedly told Whitney that Stacy was a "longtime family friend" but the superstar singer continued to shout at the reality star.
On Twitter, Stacy shared her condolences to the Houston family.
"Whitney maintained a genuineness in this difficult profession and I will always admire and respect the courage that she lived," she Tweeted. "At this painful time, I would like to express my support and most sincere condolences to Whitney's family in learning of her sudden death...I will always remember her to be a deeply humane person and wish her spirit to rest in peace."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: A Look Back: Whitney Houston — Her Life In Pictures
Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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