Look up ken or Ken in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Ken or KEN may refer to:

• Ken (県) meaning "prefecture" in Japanese - see Prefectures of Japan
• Ken (film), 1964 Japanese film
• Kèn (musical instrument) from Vietnam
• Komisja Edukacji Narodowej, Polish National Board of Education
• In the Scots Language, "ken" means "know".
• Ken River in India
• Ken (doll), a product by Mattel

Technology[link]

• Kernel Event Notification, functionality of the Unix operating system
• KEN!, e-mail server and web-proxy software by AVM GmbH
• Ken (architecture) (間), Japanese unit of measurement and proportion

People[link]

• Ken (given name), list of people named Ken
• Thomas Ken, 17th century English cleric and hymnwriter
• Ken Thompson, hacker, often known as "ken"

See also[link]

• Kenneth, includes a list of people named Kenneth or Ken
• Kenny, includes a list of people named Kenny
• Kendall, includes a list of people named Kendall

References[link]

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Ken Block
Ken Block in 2008.
Nationality	American
Born	(1967-11-21) 21 November 1967 (age 44) Long Beach, California
2012 Rally America
Debut season	2005
Current team	Monster World Rally Team
Best finish	2nd Overall in Rally America in 2006 and 2008
Awards
2004[1] 2005[1] 2009	• One of the most influential people (#17) in Sports Business Journal • Ad Age's Marketing 50 • One of the Fast 50 in Fast Company Magazine • 40 Under 40 Awards, Sports Business Journal • Rally America's Rookie of the Year • Gymkhana 2 was 2009's #4 most viewed viral video

Ken Block (born November 21, 1967, in Long Beach, California)^[2] is a professional rally driver with the Monster World Rally Team. Block is also one of the co-founders and recently appointed Chief Brand Officer of DC Shoes.^[1] Block has also competed in many action sports events including skateboarding, snowboarding, and motocross.

Rallying[link]

2005[link]

In 2005, Ken Block began his national rallying career with the Vermont SportsCar team.^[3] Vermont SportsCar prepared a 2005 Subaru WRX STi for Block to compete. His first event of the rallying season was Sno*Drift, where he ended up finishing seventh overall and fifth in the Group N class.^[4] During the 2005 season, Block had five top five finishes and placed third overall in the Group N class and fourth overall in the Rally America National Championship.^[3] At the end of his first rallying year, Ken Block had won the Rally America Rookie of the Year award.^[5]

2006[link]

In 2006, Ken Block along with his DC rally teammate Travis Pastrana signed a new sponsorship deal with Subaru.^[3] Through this deal with Subaru, the teammates became known as "Subaru Rally Team USA."^[3] With the new rally season, Block also got a brand new Vermont SportsCar prepped 2006 Subaru WRX STi.^[3] He competed in the first ever X Games rally event at X Games XII.^[3] In the competition, Block ended up finishing third to take the bronze.^[3] He went on to compete in the 2006 Rally America National Championship, where he finished second overall.^[3]

2007[link]

In 2007, Ken Block competed in the X Games XIII rally event, where he placed second overall and won a silver medal.^[5] In the 2007 Rally America National Championship, Block finished third overall.^[5] During this season, Block also entered in a few rounds of the World Rally Championship; Rally Mexico and Rally New Zealand.^[4] In Rally New Zealand, Block recorded two top-five stage times in the Group N class.^[4] At the end of 2007, Block had achieved 19 podiums and 8 overall victories in rally events.^[1]

2008[link]

In 2008, Block was provided with a brand new rally prepped 2008 Subaru WRX STi to compete. Block decided to compete in the Rallye Baie-des Chaleurs of the Canadian Rally Championship to gain some experience with his new 2008 rally car and prepare for the World Rally Championships later this year.^[6] Block gained his first Canadian rally win at the event.^[6] This was only the second event for the new car.^[6] Block and his co-driver were unable to get any championship points at the event due to not having a Canadian competition license.^[6] Block competed in the Rally New York USA competition and finished in first place.^[7] In the X Games XIV rally competition, Block finished tied for third place with Dave Mirra.^[8] This occurrence was due to both competitors having issues with their car. Block, who made it to the semi-finals of the event, had a radiator problem after landing the car awkwardly on a jump. With both bronze place competitors in damaged cars unable to compete, the medals were awarded to both of them.^[8]

Block competed in the 2008 Rally America National championship, which concluded on October 17, 2008. In the event, he finished second overall with a strong victory in the last event. In the Lake Superior Performance Rally stage, Block finished over one minute ahead of his next closest competitor and secured the second overall position.^[9] Next up for Block this rally season is three World Rally Championship events.^[4]

2009[link]

Block appeared in a segment of motoring show Top Gear.^[10]

2010[link]

Ken Block testing Ford Fiesta for the 2010 Rally America season

Block driving a Ford Focus RS WRC at the 2010 Rallye de France

On January 6, 2010 the Monster World Rally Team announced Ken as their driver for selected rounds of the World Rally Championship, in which he will be campaigning the Monster/Ford Racing Focus RS WRC 08. His car will be prepared and run by the North of England based M-Sport, who also prepare the official Ford WRC cars. He will be simultaneously running in his sixth season of the Rally America Championship in an open class Ford Fiesta, as well as his fifth X-games. Ken will also be the first ever American driver to campaign for the World Rally Championship. On February 27, Block won the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood (Rally America) for the 5th consecutive time. This broke the record held by John Buffum.^[11] Ken is currently being trained by former Ford factory driver Markko Märtin. At the Spain rally, he won his first 2 points in World Rally Championship.

2011[link]

On March 23, Block and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino were taken to hospital, having rolled their Ford Fiesta RS WRC during the shakedown stage of the 2011 Rally de Portugal in Faro, Portugal.^[12] A representative of the Monster World Rally team later stated that both men were fine.^[13]

Complete Rally America results[link]

(key)

Complete WRC results[link]

* Season in progress.

PWRC results[link]

Other motorsport activities[link]

On October 15, 2009, it was reported that Block was close to a deal to join the World Rally Championship in a new Ford team. Long time co-driver Alex Gelsomino is also reportedly involved in the deal. Former Subaru WRC driver Chris Atkinson has been reported to be lined up as Block's team-mate in the all-new Monster Energy Drink Ford World Rally Team.^[14]

In 2005, Ken Block along with his DC Shoes associates participated in the Gumball 3000 Rally. For the event they sent out three modified 2004 Subaru WRX STi's sponsored by DC Shoes.^[15][16]

In 2006, Ken Block competed in the One Lap of America competition along with Brian Scotto. They were teamed up in a 2006 Subaru WRX STi and finished forty-fifth overall.^[17]

In 2006, for the Discovery Channel show Stunt Junkies, Ken Block jumped his Subaru WRX STi rally car 171 feet (52 m) and a max height of 25 feet (7.6 m).^[3] The whole episode was dedicated to Ken Block attempting this stunt.

In 2007, Ken Block joined the DC Shoes Snowboarding team at New Zealand's Snow Park.^[3] Block did massive jumps and assisted in snowboarding tricks while driving his rally car on the mountain alongside the snowboarders. The session made the cover of the December 2007 issue of Snowboarder Magazine and closed out the MTN.LAB 1.5 DVD.^[3]

In 2009, for the BBC show Top Gear, Ken took James May out for Gymkhana-style driving at Block's stunt course at Inyokern Airport, an operational California airport, also starring Ricky Carmichael, whom Ken describes as 'a good friend'.

In 2010, for the BBC show Top Gear, Ken took the feature car from the previous episode (a Reliant Robin) for a lap of the Top Gear test track. He rolled the car and was unable to complete a lap but was unhurt.

On January 6, 2010, the announcement is made as Ken joins up with Ford and begins his WRC career driving both a Ford Fiesta and Focus RS WRC.

On August 24, 2010, Block released the first of a three part Gymkhana 3 video release featuring his new Ford Fiesta.^[18]

Ken Block also holds the world record for the world's fastest snow cat, a modified Subaru STI called a Trax STI.^{[citation needed]}

On September 14, 2010, Block's third Gymkhana video, featuring a Ford Fiesta, was released on YouTube.^[19] The video got more than seven million views in its first week.

On August 16, 2011, the fourth Gymkhana video, The Hollywood Megamercial was released on YouTube, featuring Block driving around the Universal Studios backlot.^[20]

Involvement In Colin McRae: Dirt 2 and Dirt 3[link]

Ken Block is featured as a driver in Codemasters Colin McRae: Dirt 2, along with his Subaru Rally Team USA Impreza.
In Dirt 3 he is seen as a driver and Gymkhana teacher, his Monster World Rally Team vehicles are available in the game.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ken Block

• Ken Block's Official site
• Monster World Rally Team
• Rally Results and News
• Subaru Rally Team USA
• Rally America Website
• Ken Block Official Merchandise Store
• Ken Block Interview
• Gymkhana racing improved by Ken Block, Video, ~4min
• dirt2game.com

Ken Hitchcock (born December 17, 1951 in Edmonton, Alberta) also known as "Hitch" is an NHL hockey coach and pro scout, currently coaching the St. Louis Blues.

Early years[link]

Ken Hitchcock was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on December 17, 1951. While growing up in western Canada, Hitchcock played hockey. Hitchcock found he could motivate players. This mind led him to coaching, first at various levels in the Edmonton area, and later a ten-year stint at the helm of the midget AAA Sherwood Park Chain Gang. Hitchcock led Sherwood Park (an Edmonton suburb) to an outstanding record of 575–69. In his spare time, "Hitch" taught hockey fundamentals to girls at a local hockey school.

Taking a chance, Hitchcock submitted his credentials to the new owners of the WHL's Kamloops Blazers, Gary Cooper and Colin Day. Hitchcock assumed his position behind the bench for the 1984–85 season, and had an immediate effect on the Blazers, leading them to four consecutive division titles and two league titles (in 1985–86 and 1989–90). In both of the seasons he guided the Blazers to the league title, Hitchcock was named the WHL Coach of the Year, and he was named the top coach in Canadian major junior hockey in 1990. Hitch's team appeared in the Memorial Cup tournament twice, never advancing beyond the semi-finals. In six seasons in Kamloops, Hitchcock recorded a 291–125–15 record, which stands as the second best in WHL history.

To the NHL[link]

In 1990, Hitchcock left the WHL and joined the Philadelphia Flyers as an assistant coach. Hitchcock spent three seasons with the Flyers organization before leaving to helm the Dallas Stars' IHL franchise, the Kalamazoo Wings, for the 1993–94 season.

In the middle of his third season with the team (then renamed the Michigan K-Wings), he was offered the head coaching position with the Dallas Stars and on January 8, 1996, he was named head coach, replacing Bob Gainey, who remained with the Stars as general manager. In his first full season with the Stars, he led the team to a first-place finish in the Central Division and a playoff berth. In his second full season with the Stars, Hitchcock again led the Stars to the playoffs, losing in the Conference Finals to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings. Also during the 1997–98 season, Hitchcock was named to his first of three consecutive NHL All-Star Game teams as coach.

During the 1998–99 NHL season, Hitchcock led the Stars to a regular season record of 51–19–12 (0.695 winning percentage), a team best. In the playoffs, Hitchcock led the team to a Stanley Cup victory over the Buffalo Sabres, the team's first. The next season, Hitchcock again led the team to the Stanley Cup finals, only to lose to the New Jersey Devils.

In the 2000–01 season, Hitchcock again led the Stars to the playoffs, but exited early. Midway through the following season, after getting off to a mediocre 23–21–6 start and in the midst of strife between the players and management, Hitchcock was fired as head coach.

Hitchcock was quickly picked up in the off-season by his old team, the Philadelphia Flyers, who had just fired their coach, Bill Barber, after an early exit from the playoffs. Hitchcock brought much-needed discipline and direction to the Flyers and led them to a 45–24–13 record in his first season, losing in the Conference Semi-finals.

In Hitchcock's second season with the Flyers, the Flyers finished first in the division with a 40–21–15 record and advanced to the Conference Finals, losing to the eventual champion Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games.

From Philadelphia to Columbus[link]

The 2006–07 NHL season would see the Flyers get off to a horrible 1–6–1 start over their first eight games. It was their worst start in 15 years. After a 9–1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, management promised there would be some major changes to the organization. On October 22, 2006, the Flyers fired Hitchcock and General Manager Bobby Clarke stepped down.^[1]

On November 1, 2006, the Flyers assigned Ken Hitchcock to be a pro scout for the club. On November 22, 2006, Hitchcock and the Columbus Blue Jackets agreed to a three-year contract to become their new head coach. He coached his first game for the Blue Jackets on November 24 against his former team, the Philadelphia Flyers, a game the team lost, 3–2.^[2]

On July 9, 2008, the Blue Jackets announced they signed Hitchcock to a three-year extension to remain as head coach.^[3]

On February 19, 2009 the Blue Jackets earned Ken Hitchcock his 500th career NHL win as a head coach, by defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs, in Toronto.

On April 8, 2009 Hitchcock secured the Blue Jackets' first ever post season appearance with a 4–3 shootout win over the Chicago Blackhawks, only to be swept in the conference quarterfinals by the Detroit Red Wings.

On November 11, 2009, in Columbus, in a 9–1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, Hitchcock became the sixteenth NHL coach to reach the 1,000 game milestone.^[4]

On February 3, 2010, the Columbus Blue Jackets relieved head coach Ken Hitchcock of his duties behind the bench and named assistant coach Claude Noel as the club's interim head coach.

On November 6, 2011 the St. Louis Blues fired coach Davis Payne, and hired Ken Hitchcock in his place.

Coaching record[link]

References[link]

Philadelphia Flyers – http://www.philadelphiaflyers.com/team/roster/RosterDetail.asp?PlayerID=59 NHL Official Guide & Record Book 2001 The Dallas Stars History – http://www.dallasstars.com/history/index.cfm "Shakeup in Dallas," CNNSI.com – http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/news/2002/01/25/stars_hitchcock_ap/ "Great pitch, Hitch," SLAM! Sports – http://www.canoe.ca/Slam020519/nhl_phi-sun.html "Stars' Hitchcock grows as coach after becoming husband, stepfather," Abeline Reporter-News (December 15, 1997) – http://www.reporter-news.com/texsports97/hitch121597.html

External links[link]

• Ken Hitchcock's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database

Jim Nantz
Jim Nantz by set of The NFL Today, 2001.
Background information
Birth name	James William Nantz, III
Born	(1959-05-17) May 17, 1959 (age 53) Charlotte, North Carolina
Genre(s)	Play-by-play
Sports	Lead Play-by-Play Announcer, NFL on CBS Play-By-Play Broadcaster, College Basketball; Golf

James William Nantz, III (born May 17, 1959) is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his work with CBS Sports television.

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Nantz grew up in Colts Neck, New Jersey^[1] and attended Marlboro High School.^[2] In high school, he was co-captain of the basketball team and co-captain and number one player on the golf team. He was a member of Bamm Hollow Country Club.

Nantz then went to the University of Houston in Texas, where he majored in broadcasting and played briefly on the Houston Cougars men's golf team, rooming with future professional golfers Fred Couples and Blaine McCallister.^[3]

Before CBS Sports[link]

Nantz worked as an anchor and sportscaster for KSL TV in Salt Lake City.^[4]

At CBS[link]

Nantz joined CBS in 1985, initially working as a studio host for the network's college football and basketball coverage, and as an on-course reporter for PGA Tour golf, as well as calling NFL games on Westwood One. Nantz has anchored CBS' coverage of the Masters tournament since 1989. He has teamed with Billy Packer to call the NCAA Final Four men's basketball finals continuously since 1991. Since the 2008-09 season, Clark Kellogg has been his analyst.^[5]

[edit] The NFL on CBS

After hosting CBS's pre-game program The NFL Today from 1998-2003, he became The NFL on CBS's top play-by-play announcer in 2004. That move sent Greg Gumbel to the studio, and Nantz to the stadium booth with Phil Simms.

On February 4, 2007, Nantz called the play-by-play of Super Bowl XLI. He joins Curt Gowdy and Dick Enberg as the only play-by-play announcers to ever call both a Super Bowl and an NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Game. (Greg Gumbel called CBS' previous Super Bowl, Super Bowl XXXVIII.)

Nantz is also one of two men to host a Super Bowl, announce an NCAA Men's Basketball Championship game, and host coverage of the Masters from Butler Cabin with Brent Musburger being the other. Musburger also accomplished all three feats with CBS.

Media appearances[link]

Nantz has appeared on episodes of The Price Is Right to present a Showcase prize that involves CBS Sports properties, one to with the 2009 Final Four in Detroit and another in 2010 for Super Bowl XLIV (with Phil Simms), as part of changes to the long-time game show to use product placement models and CBS crossovers, including sports packages.

Nantz appeared as himself in the 1996 film Tin Cup, and has appeared in episodes of several television series including Arliss, Yes, Dear, Criminal Minds, and How I Met Your Mother. He portrayed the announcer for the fictional baseball team in the short-lived series Clubhouse, and his voice can be heard in the 1998 film Scrapple.

Since 2009, Nantz has guest commentated on the final round of The Open Championship for the BBC.

Nantz teamed with Gary McCord to provide extensive commentary in the 1990s PC golf game Jack Nicklaus 6 - Golden Bear Challenge, and his commentary is featured in the Golden Tee golf arcade game series.

Career timeline[link]

• 1985–1988; 1997–1998: NCAA Football on CBS - Studio host
• 1986–present: PGA Tour on CBS (since 1994 as host)
• 1986–1990: College Basketball on CBS - Studio host
• 1986–1989: NBA on CBS - Play-by-play
• 1987–1990: NFL on CBS Radio - Play by play
• 1987–1995: US Open (tennis) - Play-by-play
• 1989–present: The Masters host
• 1989–1991; 1996–1997: NCAA Football on CBS - Lead play-by-play
• 1990–present: College Basketball on CBS - Lead play-by-play
• 1988–1993: NFL on CBS - Play-by-play (1993 as #2)
• 1992 and 1994: Winter Olympics - Weekend daytime co-host
• 1994–1995; 2000–2001: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
• 1998–2003: The NFL Today host
• 1998: Olympic Winter Games - Primetime host
• 2004–present: NFL on CBS - Lead play-by-play

Awards[link]

Nantz won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Personality, Play-by-Play in both 2008 and 2009.^[4]

Nantz has been honored with the NSSA’s National Sportscaster of the Year award five times (1998, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009).^[6] In 2011, Nantz was named as a recipient of the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.^[7]

Nantz received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Houston in 2001. He also is one of the youngest recipients of the Basketball Hall of Fame's Curt Gowdy award for broadcasting.

Broadcasting Partners[link]

• Phill Simms
• Nick Faldo
• Clark Kellog
• Steve Kerr
• Billy Packer
• Peter Kostas

Personal[link]

Nantz's first book, Always By My Side – A Father’s Grace and a Sports Journey Unlike Any Other, was released in May 2008. Nantz tells personal stories from football, basketball, and golf, and how he has met people along the way who remind him of the virtues his father instilled in him. The foreword to the book was written by one of his father figures, friend and frequent golf partner, former President George H.W. Bush. Nantz’s father, Jim Nantz Jr., died in 2008 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease; he was treated at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas. In January 2011, Jim Nantz and The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas launched the Nantz National Alzheimer Center. The mission of the Center is to improve care and treatment for patients with Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research and the investigation of its causes, including the role of concussions and other past neurological trauma.

Nantz was married to Ann-Lorraine "Lorrie" Carlsen Nantz for 26 years before divorcing in 2009. The couple lived in Westport, Connecticut and had one child, daughter Caroline.^[8]

In November 2009, Jim Nantz was ordered to pay his ex-wife $916,000 a year in child support and alimony. Nantz acknowledged dating a 29-year-old woman before the divorce was final, although the judge concluded the marriage deteriorated years earlier and "this remote event in no way contributed to the breakdown of the marriage." Nantz earns $7 million a year.^[9]

Quotes[link]

This section is a candidate to be copied to Wikiquote using the Transwiki process.

1980s[link]

1990s[link]

2000s[link]

2010s[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• CBS Sports Team - CBS SportsLine.com
• Jim Nantz named 2005 "National Sportscaster of the Year"