Look up Brian in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Brian is a male given name of Irish and Breton origin,^[1] as well as a surname of Occitan origin.^[2] It is common in the English-speaking world. It is possible that the name is derived from an Old Celtic word meaning "high" or "noble".^[1] For example the element bre means "hill"; which could be transferred to mean "eminence" or "exalted one".^[2] The name is quite popular in Ireland, on account of Brian Boru, a 10th century king of Ireland. The name was also quite popular in East Anglia during the Middle Ages. This is because the name was introduced to England by Bretons following the Norman Conquest.^[1] Bretons also settled in Ireland along with the Normans in the 12th century, and 'their' name was mingled with the 'Irish' version.^[2] Also, in the north-west of England, the 'Irish' name was introduced by Scandinavian settlers from Ireland. Within the Gaelic speaking areas of Scotland, the name was at first only used by professional families of Irish origin.^[1] It was the fourth most popular male name in the United Kingdom in 1934, but a sharp decline followed over the remainder of the 20th century and by 1994 it had fallen out of the top 100.^[3]

The surname Brian is sometimes an English and Irish variant spelling of the surname Bryan. The English and French surname Brian is sometimes derived from the personal Celtic personal name shown above. The surname Brian can also sometimes be a French surname; derived from the Old Occitan word brian, meaning "maggot" and used as a nickname.^[2]

Variants of the name include Briant, Brien, Bran, Brion, Bryan, Bryant, Brjánn (in Icelandic) and Bryon.^[4]

Selected people with this name[link]

• Brian (mythology), Celtic mythological figure

Surname

• Donald Brian (1877-1948), Canadian-American actor, dancer, and singer
• Havergal Brian (1876–1972), British classical composer
• Mary Brian (1906–2002), American actress and movie star

Given name

• Brian Alderson (1950–1997), Scottish footballer
• Brian Bell (musician) (born 1968), member of American rock group Weezer
• Brian Blessed (born 1937), English actor
• Brian Boitano (born 1963), American figure skater
• Brian Boru (941-1014), Irish king who overthrew the centuries-long domination of the Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill
• Brian Clough (1935–2004), British football manager
• Brian Cowen (born 1960), former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of the Republic of Ireland
• Brian de la Puente (born 1985), NFL football player
• Brian De Palma (born 1940), American film director
• Brian Eno (born 1948), English electronic musician, music theorist and record producer
• Brian Epstein (1934–1967), English businessperson, manager of The Beatles
• Brian Horwitz (nickamed "The Rabbi"; born 1982), American major league baseball outfielder
• Brian Johnson (born 1947), member and lead vocalist of the hard rock band AC/DC
• Brian Johnston (1912–1994), British cricket commentator
• Brian Jones (1942–1969), founding member, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist in the English rock group The Rolling Stones
• Brian Joo (born 1981), American-born Korean singer, former member of the R&B duo Fly to the Sky
• Brian Jossie (born 1977), American professional wrestler performing under the ring name of Abraham Washington
• Brian Joubert (born 1984), French figure skater and 2007 World Champion
• Brian Lara (born 1969), former West Indian cricketer
• Brian Laudrup (born 1969), former Danish international soccer player
• Brian Littrell (born 1975), member of the boy band, The Backstreet Boys
• Brian May (born 1947), famous guitarist from the band, Queen
• Brian McKnight (born 1969), R&B singer
• Brian Molko (born 1972), lead vocalist of the band Placebo
• Brian Moore (disambiguation)
• Brian Moorman (born 1976), American football player for the Buffalo Bills
• Brian Mulroney (born 1939), former Canadian prime minister (1984–1993)
• Brian O'Driscoll (born 1979), Irish rugby player
• Brian Paddick (born 1958), British politician
• Brian Peaker (born 1959), Canadian rower
• Brian Piccolo (1943–1970), American football player for the Chicago Bears and subject of TV movie Brian's Song
• Brian Retterer (born 1972), American swimmer
• Brian Smith (disambiguation)
• Brian Urlacher (born 1978), American football player for the Chicago Bears
• Brian Viloria (born 1980), American boxer
• Brian Warner (born 1969), American singer, better known by his stage name Marilyn Manson
• Brian Westbrook (born 1979), American football player for the Philadelphia Eagles
• Brian Wilson (born 1942), member of American music group, The Beach Boys
• Brian Wilson (baseball) (born 1982), pitcher for the San Francisco Giants

Fictional characters

• Brian Griffin on Family Guy, voiced by Seth MacFarlane
• Brian Kinney on Queer as Folk (US), played by Gale Harold

Media titles[link]

Some films and television shows which contain the name Brian include:

• Brian's Song (1971, 2001)
• Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
• What About Brian, television series that began in 2006
• Burying Brian, mini New Zealand TV series

See also[link]

• All pages beginning with "Brian"
• Brian (disambiguation)
• Bryan (given name)
• List of Irish-language given names

References[link]

This page or section lists people that share the same given name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.

This page or section lists people with the surname Brian. If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (September 2011)

Brian Roberts
Roberts with the Baltimore Orioles on September 8, 2006.
Baltimore Orioles – No. 1
Second baseman
Born: (1977-10-09) October 9, 1977 (age 34) Durham, North Carolina, United States
Bats: Switch	Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 14, 2001 for the Baltimore Orioles
Career statistics (through 2011 season)
Batting average	.281
Home runs	84
Runs batted in	477
Doubles	339
Stolen bases	274
Teams
Baltimore Orioles (2001–present)
Career highlights and awards
2× All-Star selection (2005, 2007) AL Player of the Month: April 2005

Brian Michael Roberts (born October 9, 1977) is an American Major League Baseball All Star second baseman, nicknamed B-Rob.

He made his Major League debut in 2001 and has spent his entire professional career with the Baltimore Orioles organization, located in Baltimore, Maryland.

Early life, education and college-baseball career[link]

Born in Durham, North Carolina, Roberts lived in Chapel Hill,, North Carolina, as his father was the baseball coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). He graduated from Chapel Hill High School.

College-baseball career[link]

During his freshman year in 1997 at UNC, Roberts hit .427, with 102 hits, 24 doubles, 47 SB and was named to the NCBWA Second Team and the Collegiate Baseball Third Team. His sophomore year, he hit .353, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 21 doubles, 63 SB and was named to the NCBWA 1st Team, The Sporting News 2nd Team and the Collegiate Baseball 2nd Team.

His 63 stolen bases were more than any player in college baseball that year. He became the first Tar Heel to be named ACC player of the year, and was a first team All-America.

Mike Roberts, Brian's father and coach at UNC, was fired by athletic director Dick Baddour after the 1998 season. After the firing, Brian opted to transfer to play for coach Ray Tanner at the University of South Carolina. Roberts started at shortstop for the South Carolina Gamecocks and was named the best defensive college player by Baseball America. Playing in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), he batted .353, hit 12 home runs, and collected 36 RBI. He still owns the school and SEC record for stolen bases in a season with 67. He again was named an All-America and was a member of the All-SEC team.

Professional baseball career[link]

Minor League baseball career[link]

Roberts was drafted by the Orioles in the first round of the 1999 MLB draft. He played Single A baseball with Delmarva in 1999 where he appeared in 47 games and hit .240.

In 2000 he started with the Gulf Coast League Orioles, hitting .310 in nine games. He also played 48 games with Single A Club Frederick hitting .301.

Roberts also spent time with the Rochester Red Wings and Ottawa Lynx.

Major League Baseball career[link]

Breaking into the Majors (2001–02)[link]

He made his Major League debut in 2001 and played 75 games for Baltimore, batting .253. He also played for AAA Rochester and AA Bowie that year.

In 2002, he played 38 games with the Orioles and batted .227. He stole 22 bases on 26 attempts. He also played 78 games with the Orioles AAA affiliate in Rochester.

2003[link]

In 2003, he started for AAA Ottawa, playing 44 games and hitting .315. In late May he was called up for injured second baseman Jerry Hairston, Jr. He hit his first Major League grand slam in his second game (and his first in any sort of professional play) in the 9th inning against the Anaheim Angels to win that game. He finished with a .270 average in 112 games and stole 23 bases on 29 attempts (tied for eighth in American League).

2004[link]

The Orioles season started spring training in 2004 with both Hairston and Roberts on the roster. Hairston fractured his finger in spring training, however, and Roberts became the opening day starter. After Hairston returned from the disabled list, he was moved to right field, leaving Roberts at second base. In August Roberts batted .347 with ten doubles in 107 at-bats. During the second week of August, Roberts was named the American League Player of the Week for hitting .531 over a span of six games. He finished 2004 with a .273 average, collecting 175 hits in 159 games. He also hit 50 doubles, which led the American League and was third-best in the majors. His 50 doubles also broke the Orioles single-season record for doubles (originally set by Cal Ripken, Jr.) and the single-season AL record for doubles by switch hitters.

2005[link]

Prior to the 2005 season, Hairston was traded to the Chicago Cubs (along with Oriole prospects Mike Fontenot and David Crouthers) for Sammy Sosa, thereby cementing Roberts's position as the Orioles' starting second baseman.

In 2005, Roberts rewarded Orioles management for their faith in him by beginning the season red-hot, leading the AL in batting average for the first several months of the season. In addition, he showed an incredible increase in power; prior to the 2005 season, he had only 12 career home runs, but by late June, he had already outmatched that total. Fans awarded Roberts explosive offensive first half by voting him the starting second baseman in the 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It was Roberts' first appearance in the All-Star game. As the season wore on Roberts slumped heavily as the Orioles slipped in the standings.

On September 20, 2005, Roberts dislocated his elbow in a game against the New York Yankees. The injury occurred in a collision with New York's Bubba Crosby at first base in the bottom of the second inning. The injury prevented Roberts from playing the rest of the season.

2006[link]

Roberts rebounded from his 2005 injury with a strong 2006 campaign. He played in 138 games scoring 85 runs with 55 RBI. He stole 36 bases in 43 attempts and finished the season with a .286 average, hitting seven home runs in the last two months of the season. He spent the early part of May on the 15-day DL.

2007[link]

Roberts played in over 150 games for the Orioles. Along with teammate Nick Markakis, he finished in the AL top 10 for at-bats, batting .290 with a .377 OBP on the way to his second All-Star berth. His 50 stolen bases, a career high, was tied with Carl Crawford for the AL lead; Roberts also set career marks in hits and walks. He was rumored in trade talks in the offseason to the Chicago Cubs, but nothing occurred.

2008[link]

On June 24, Roberts went 3 for 5 against the Cubs in a 7–5 victory. His third hit of the game was his 1,000th career base hit. He collected the 250th double of his career on July 28 against the New York Yankees. On September 21, 2008, Roberts grounded into the final out in the history of Old Yankee Stadium.

2009[link]

During home game in April 2009 against the Tampa Bay Rays

The Orioles and Roberts agreed to a contract extension on February 20, 2009. The contract secures Roberts through the 2014 season.^[1]

Following an injury to Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, Roberts was added to Team USA's roster for the World Baseball Classic. Roberts batted .438 with one home run, two runs batted in and one stolen base in four games as the United States lost in the semifinals to Japan.

On August 4, in a game against the Detroit Tigers, Roberts hit his 300th career double in the first inning off of Jarrod Washburn. On September 15, he broke his own Orioles franchise record by hitting his 52nd double of the season. According to Spencer Fordin, "the two-time All-Star became one of four players all-time – along with Hall of Famers Tris Speaker, Paul Waner, and Stan Musial – to amass three 50-double seasons in his career." ^[2]

On September 29, Roberts hit his 56th double of the season against the Tampa Bay Rays, setting the all-time single season mark for doubles in a season by a switch-hitter. His 56 doubles led the majors in 2009.^[3]

On October 3, Roberts was named "Most Valuable Oriole" for 2009 and awarded an engraved lead trophy for his accomplishments.

2010[link]

Roberts missed much of training camp with a herniated disc in his lower back. He recovered in time for Opening Day, but started the season 2–14 before suffering an abdominal strain stealing second base and being forced onto the 15-day disabled list, effective as of April 10. On July 12, Roberts began to play in rehab games without having a setback, as it is the first time he has been on the field since April 10. On July 23, Roberts returned to the Orioles' lead off spot for the first time since April 9.

2011[link]

Roberts was injured on May 16 at Fenway Park when he slid into first base headfirst and hit the back of his head. He did not return for the remainder of the season.

2012[link]

Due to Roberts' injury, he has not played any games as of May 2012. However, he travels with the team, and is an active member of the Orioles' dugout. On May 22, Buck Showalter announced Roberts' would be starting his rehab stint with the Double A Bowie Baysox and would use all 20 rehab games.

Steroid allegations[link]

On September 30, 2006, the Los Angeles Times reported that during a June 6, 2006, federal raid, former relief pitcher Jason Grimsley named Roberts as a user of anabolic steroids. The Times reported that Roberts was one of five names blacked out in an affidavit filed in federal court.^[4] However, on October 3, 2006, The Washington Post reported that San Francisco United States attorney Kevin Ryan said that the Los Angeles Times report contained "significant inaccuracies."^[5] On December 20, 2007, the actual names in the Grimsley search warrant affidavit were revealed to the public. Roberts, Jay Gibbons, Andy Petitte and Roger Clemens were not actually named in the report and Miguel Tejada was named only for having a conversation about amphetamines.^[6] Roberts, along with the other four players named, denounced the story.^[5] Roberts was subsequently named in George Mitchell's report on performance enhancing drugs. According to page 158 of the Mitchell Report, Roberts lived with then-teammate Larry Bigbie in David Segui's house near the end of the 2001 season. Bigbie and Segui were regular steroid users; while they were using the performance enhancing drugs and Roberts was present, he asserted that he did not participate. According to Bigbie's testimony, Roberts told him in 2004 that he had injected himself with steroids "once or twice" in 2003.^[7]

On December 17, 2007, Roberts released a statement in which he admits to using steroids on a single occasion.

“In 2003, when I took one shot of steroids,” he said. “I immediately realized that this was not what I stood for or anything that I wanted to continue doing. I never used steroids, human growth hormone or any other performance-enhancing drugs prior to or since that single incident. “I can honestly say before God, myself, my family and all of my fans, that steroids or any performance-enhancing drugs have never had any effect on what I have worked so hard to accomplish in the game of baseball.”

Roberts further stated that he had no ill-will against former Oriole Larry Bigbie whose testimony to the Mitchell Committee was responsible for his inclusion in the report.^[8]

Personal life[link]

In January 2009, he married his long-time girlfriend Diana Chiafair.^{[citation needed]}

See also[link]

	Baseball portal
	Biography portal

List of Baltimore Orioles Opening Day Starting Lineups List of Major League Baseball doubles champions List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases

List of Major League Baseball players named in the Mitchell Report List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions

References[link]

1. ^ [1]. The Sports Network.
2. ^ [2]. MLB.com.
3. ^ Database (undated). "MLB Player Batting Stats – 2009". ESPN. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
4. ^ ^{[dead link]} Pugmire, Lance (October 1, 2006). "Clemens Is Named in Drug Affidavit". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-clemens1oct01,0,6499528.story?coll=la-home-headlines. Retrieved October 1, 2006. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "U.S. Attorney Says Report Alleging Drug Use Contains 'Inaccuracies'". The Washington Post: p. E02. October 3, 2006. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/02/AR2006100201054.html. Retrieved October 4, 2006. 
6. ^ ^{[dead link]} "Grimsley Affidavit Unsealed". The Baltimore Sun. December 20, 2007. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-grimsley1220,0,2757225.story. Retrieved December 20, 2007. 
7. ^ ^{[dead link]} "Roberts, Tejada Named in Mitchell Report". The Baltimore Sun. December 13, 2007. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-mitchellfront1213,0,5678929.story?coll=bal_sports_highschool_util. Retrieved December 13, 2007. 
8. ^ ^{[dead link]} "Roberts Admits He Used Steroids". The Baltimore Sun. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-te.sp.roberts18dec18,0,163568.story. Retrieved December 18, 2007. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Brian Roberts

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• brianroberts1.com (requires Adobe Flash Player), Brian Roberts website^{[clarification needed]}

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Vladimir Guerrero	American League Player of the Month April 2005	Succeeded by Alex Rodriguez
Preceded by Carl Crawford	American League Stolen Base Champion 2007 (with Carl Crawford)	Succeeded by Jacoby Ellsbury
Preceded by Dustin Pedroia	American League Doubles Champion 2009	Succeeded by Adrian Beltre

v t e Baltimore Orioles first-round draft picks 1965: McDonald 1966: Parks 1967: Grich 1968: Kennedy 1969: Hood 1970: West 1971: Stein 1972: Thomas 1973: Parrott 1974: Dauer 1975: Ford 1976: D. Williams 1977: Hazewood 1978: Boyce 1979: No first round pick 1980: J. Williams 1981: No first round pick 1982: Kucharski 1983: Wilson 1984: Hoover 1985: No first round pick 1986: No first round pick 1987: Myers, DuVall, Harnisch 1988: Olson, Gutiérrez 1989: B. McDonald 1990: Mussina 1991: M. Smith 1992: Hammonds 1993: Powell 1994: No first round pick 1995: Shepherd 1996: No first round pick 1997: Werth, D. McDonald, Ndungidi 1998: Elder, Tucker 1999: Paradis, Stahl, Bigbie, Reed, Cenate, Rice, Roberts 2000: Hale, Johnson 2001: C. Smith, Fontenot, Bass 2002: Loewen 2003: Markakis 2004: Townsend 2005: Snyder, Olson 2006: Rowell, Beato 2007: Wieters 2008: Matusz 2009: Hobgood 2010: Machado 2011: Bundy

v t e United States 2009 World Baseball Classic roster 1 Jimmy Rollins 2 Derek Jeter 4 David Wright 6 Brian Roberts 7 Mark DeRosa 10 Chipper Jones 13 Evan Longoria 15 Dustin Pedroia 16 Brian McCann 17 Adam Dunn 18 Ryan Braun 21 Kevin Youkilis 22 Jake Peavy 23 J. J. Putz 26 Chris Iannetta 28 Curtis Granderson 29 Matt Lindstrom 31 Brad Ziegler 33 Ted Lilly 34 John Grabow 37 Matt Thornton 38 Joel Hanrahan 39 J. P. Howell 42 LaTroy Hawkins 44 Roy Oswalt 46 Jeremy Guthrie 50 Shane Victorino 51 Jonathan Broxton 62 Scot Shields 99 Heath Bell Manager 5 Davey Johnson Batting Coach 8 Reggie Smith Pitching Coach 27 Marcel Lachemann Coach 11 Barry Larkin Coach 3 Billy Ripken Coach 20 Mike Schmidt Bullpen Coach 30 Mel Stottlemyre

v t e Baltimore Orioles current roster Active roster 2 J. J. Hardy 3 Ryan Flaherty 6 Steve Tolleson 9 Endy Chávez 10 Adam Jones 11 Robert Andino 12 Mark Reynolds 16 Wei-Yin Chen 17 Brian Matusz 19 Chris Davis 21 Nick Markakis 24 Wilson Betemit 28 Ronny Paulino 32 Matt Wieters 34 Jake Arrieta 36 Nick Johnson 37 Dana Eveland 38 Luis Ayala 39 Jason Hammel 40 Troy Patton 43 Jim Johnson 47 Pedro Strop 50 Miguel Gonzalez 56 Darren O'Day 63 Kevin Gregg Inactive roster 6 Ryan Adams 13 Xavier Avery 29 Tommy Hunter 30 Chris Tillman 49 Jason Berken 51 Joe Mahoney 58 Zach Phillips 61 Oliver Drake 82 Dylan Bundy Disabled list 1 Brian Roberts 14 Nolan Reimold 18 Tsuyoshi Wada 27 Matt Lindstrom 31 Taylor Teagarden 53 Zach Britton 55 Stuart Pomeranz Coaching staff Manager 26 Buck Showalter Bench Coach 77 John Russell First Base Coach 23 Wayne Kirby Third Base Coach 45 DeMarlo Hale Hitting Coach 15 Jim Presley Pitching Coach 41 Rick Adair Bullpen Coach 57 Bill Castro Bullpen Catcher 62 Rudy Árias Bullpen Catcher 67 Ronnie Deck

Persondata
Name	Roberts, Brian
Alternative names	Roberts, Brian Michael
Short description	professional baseball player (second baseman)
Date of birth	October 9, 1977
Place of birth	Durham, North Carolina, United States
Date of death
Place of death

Brian McKnight
Background information
Born	(1969-06-05) June 5, 1969 (age 43)
Origin	Buffalo, New York, United States
Genres	R&B, soul, quiet storm
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, Producer
Instruments	Vocals, Piano, Keyboards, Guitar, Bass guitar, Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Trombone, Tuba, Percussion
Years active	1988–present
Labels	Mercury (1988–1997) Motown (1998–2005) Warner Bros. (2006–2008) E1 Music (2009-Present)
Website	bmcknight.com

Brian McKnight (born June 5, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, producer, and R&B musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays eight instruments including piano, guitar, bass guitar, percussion, trombone, tuba, flugelhorn and trumpet.^[1]. McKnight is perhaps most recognized for his strong falsetto range, and is widely regarded as one of the strongest talents in the adult urban contemporary R&B genre, although his recent efforts have received mixed reviews.

McKnight's work has earned him 16 Grammy Awards nominations, but currently holds the record for having won none.

Biography[link]

1969-1986: Early life and career beginnings[link]

McKnight was born in Buffalo, New York. His musical career began in childhood when he became a member of his church choir and a band leader for his high school, Sweet Home High School.^[2].

1987-1997: Mercury Records[link]

In 1987, McKnight's older brother, Claude McKnight III, and his band, Take 6, signed a record deal with Warner Brothers. This encouraged McKnight to shop his own demo tapes and by the age of 19, he'd signed his first recording deal with Mercury Records subsidiary, Wing Records.^[2] In 1992, Brian McKnight was released, and his self-titled debut peaked at fifty-eight in the Billboard 200 chart, which primarily featured the ballad (and top twenty single) "One Last Cry". It was followed by two more albums for Mercury, 1995's I Remember You and 1997's Anytime. Anytime, McKnight's final album with Mercury, sold over two million copies and was nominated for a Grammy. The video for "Anytime", directed by Darren Grant, was nominated for Best Male Video at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards.

In 1997, McKnight recorded "Remember the Magic" for Disney World's 25th anniversary.

1997-2003: Motown Records[link]

McKnight signed with Motown in 1998 and released the Christmas album Bethlehem. In 1999, McKnight released Back at One, his most successful album at date, which eventually went on to sell over 3 million copies.

2004-2012: Warner Brothers and Television/Radio Career[link]

In 2004, McKnight co-wrote with Australian Soul artist Guy Sebastian the song "Wait", off Sebastian's Beautiful Life album.

In October 2007, McKnight made his Broadway debut in the show Chicago.

From 2006 to 2010 he hosted a radio show, The Brian McKnight Morning Show with Pat Prescott on KTWV The Wave in Los Angeles, CA. The show was briefly simulcast on KHJZ-FM, Smooth Jazz 95.7 The Wave in Houston, TX from 6AM-9AM CST.

On January 26, 2009, McKnight hosted "The Brian McKnight Show" from 7PM-Midnight on 98.7 KISS FM in New York City.

In 2009, he appeared in the second season of Celebrity Apprentice.^[3] Each celebrity played to raise money for the charity of his or her choice; McKnight elected to play for Youthville USA.

From September 2009 to May 2010, McKnight hosted ^[4] The Brian McKnight Show, a late night talk show billed as a combination of talk and variety, aired in syndication. The show was cancelled on May 29, 2010 after one season.

On March 31, 2011 McKnight sang the National Anthem for MLB Opening Day in Cincinnati, Ohio with his sons Brian, Jr. and Niko. He had previously sung the National Anthem for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland, Ohio, Game 6 of the 2002 World Series in Anaheim, California, near his Los Angeles home, and the 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Detroit. McKnight has also made numerous other "National Anthem" appearances throughout his career.

On April 23, 2012 McKnight posted to youtube "If You're Ready To Learn", which has been characterized by Billboard as a "filthy jam." Billboard selected this lyric from the work to quote: "Let me show you how your p---y works/Since you didn't bring it to me first." ^[5] Other media outlets such as MTV and the Toronto Sun have also written about McKnight's recent, more adult-orientated efforts.^[6][7]

Artistry[link]

McKnight's vocal style draws from Stevie Wonder (particularly in his use of melisma), Michael Sembello, Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, and his own brother, Take 6 co-founder Claude V. McKnight. Soul singer James Ingram also strongly influenced McKnight. His music production sensibilities, including his penchant for piano based pop ballads, method of background vocal recording and melismatic voice inflections all draw from Ingram. McKnight also has the uncanny ability to mimic the timbre and style of other singers such as Nat King Cole, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Prince.

Throughout his career, McKnight has collaborated with a variety of musicians including Mariah Carey, Sin Bandera, Mase, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Marcus Cole, Mary J. Blige, Justin Timberlake, Nelly, Vanessa Williams, Ivete Sangalo, Kirk Franklin, For Real, Canibus, Quincy Jones, Boyz II Men, Christina Aguilera, Regine Velasquez, Shoshana Bean, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, Rascal Flatts, Willie Nelson, Talib Kweli, MJG (of the Southern Rap duo Eightball & MJG), Josh Groban (on his 2007 #1 Christmas album Noel Schajris), and CeCe Peniston.

In 1992, he released his self-titled debut album, Brian McKnight, which peaked at fifty-eight in the Billboard 200 chart and features the Billboard Hot 100 top twenty hit single "One Last Cry".

McKnight's work has earned him 16 Grammy Awards nominations but holds the record for having won none.

Personal life[link]

McKnight is divorced and has three sons: Brian Jr., Niko and Clyde. McKnight currently lives in Los Angeles, California.^[8]

Religion[link]

Brian McKnight was previously a Seventh-day Adventist. He grew up attending Emmanuel Temple. He also attended Oakwood University, a Seventh-day Adventist university, in Huntsville, Alabama from 1987-1989. McKnight explains, concerning his musical beginnings in the church^{[citation needed]}:

"I'm the fifth generation of Seventh Day Adventists and the youngest of four brothers. When I was still very small, we formed a gospel quartet. Our models were the great gospel groups, the Swan Silvertones and Mighty Clouds of Joy. The McKnight brothers were serious singers. The reputation went out: these boys could shout. My big brothers—Claude (a part of the gospel group Take 6), Freddie and Michael—man, they were my heroes. Each was a leader in his own right. Outside church, they listened to jazz. Church music thrilled me, but jazz stimulated me."^{[citation needed]}

Discography[link]

Studio

• Brian McKnight (1992)
• I Remember You (1995)
• Anytime (1997)
• Bethlehem (1998)
• Back at One (1999)
• Superhero (2001)
• U Turn (2003)
• Gemini (2005)
• Ten (2006)
• Evolution of a Man (2009)
• Just Me (2011)

Compilation

• From There to Here: 1989-2002 (2002)
• Gold (2007)
• 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection – The Best of Brian McKnight (2007)
• Ultimate Collection (2009)
• Icon: Love Songs (2011)

Awards and nominations[link]

• American Music Awards

• • 1999, Favorite R&B/Soul Album: Anytime (Nominated)

2010

• BET Awards
  • 2007, BET J Cool Like Dat: (Nominated)

• Grammy Awards
  • 2005, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: "What We Do Here" (Nominated)
  • 2004, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: "Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda" (Nominated)
  • 2003, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "All the Way" w/ Kenny G (Nominated)
  • 2002, Outstanding Song Written for a Motion Picture of Television Series: "Win" from Men of Honor (Nominated)
  • 2002, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: "Still" (Nominated)
  • 2002, Best Pop Collaboration w/ Vocals: "My Kind of Girl" w/ Justin Timberlake (Nominated)
  • 2002, Best R&B Song: "Love of My Life" (Nominated)
  • 2002, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: "Love of My Life" (Nominated)
  • 2001, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: "6, 8, 12" (Nominated)
  • 2001, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: "Stay or Let It Go" (Nominated)
  • 2001, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "Coming Back Home" w/ Bebe Winans & Joe (singer) (Nominated)
  • 2000, Best R&B Album: Back at One (Nominated)
  • 2000, Best Short-Form Music Video: "Back at One" (Nominated)
  • 1999, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: "The Only One For Me" (Nominated)
  • 1999, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: "Anytime" (Nominated)
  • 1994, Best Pop Collaboration w/ Vocals: "Love Is" w/ Vanessa L. Williams (Nominated)

McKnight holds a Grammy Awards record having received 16 nominations without a win.

• Image Awards
  • 2002, Outstanding Male Artist: Superhero (Nominated)
  • 2001, Outstanding Male Artist: "Stay or Let It Go" (Nominated)
  • 2000, Outstanding Male Artist: "Back at One" (Winner)

• MTV Video Music Awards
  • 2000, Best R&B Video: "Back at One" (Nominated)
  • 1998, Best R&B Video: "Anytime" (Nominated)

• Soul Train Awards
  • 2002, Best R&B/Soul Male Single: "Love of My Life" (Nominated)
  • 2000, Best R&B/Soul Single Male: "Back at One" (Nominated)
  • 2000, Best R&B/Soul Male Album: Back at One (Nominated)
  • 1999, Best R&B/Soul Male Album: "Anytime" (Winner)

References[link]

• Music.Yahoo.com

External links[link]

• Brian McKnight official website
• Brian McKnight entertainment website
• Brian McKnight's Biography from VH1
• Brian McKnight's Profile from VIBE
• Brian McKnight Fans Website
• Blogs.OrlandoSentinel.com
• Brian McKnight JUST ME 2011 World Tour

This article is an orphan, as few or no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles; suggestions may be available. (February 2009)

Antwuan Willis "Big Kandy" Dixon (born August 19, 1988)^[1] is a professional skateboarder who rides for Baker Skateboards' sister company Deathwish Skateboards. Dixon was alternately featured in their promotional video Baker Has a Deathwish.

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Born in Victorville, California and raised in Carson, Dixon received his first skateboard from his older brother who had stolen it from a kid, while hanging out at a local recreational park. One of his earliest experiences on a skateboard, include an accident in which he rolled off of a car, subsequently busting his eye open. The incident occurred after he found himself challenged by his brother to do something bold, leaving the top part of the younger Dixon's head permanently scarred.^[2]

On March 22, 2008, Antwuan Dixon was arrested by Tampa police on charges stemming from possession of marijuana (less than 20 grams) and cocaine with the intent to sell, as well as the battery of 3 law enforcement officers. Dixon was irrevocably held on $4,000 dollars bond, which was subsequently paid for his immediate release.^[1]

In an interview for Skateboardermag, Dixon spoke on the incident:

Ah, man, some crazy shit happened at Tampa! I was just over there chilling, smoking, and I'm chilling outside paying for that tatoo dude and this girl to get in. Then, all of a sudden, this girl's like, "Antwuan, you wanna go smoke?" So we go and we're about to smoke these blunts, then this truck rolls up and it's undercover cops. They just jumped out. Then, this lady had seen I had a big-ass bag of weed and shit. She'd seen my money and thought I was a drug dealer from out there. They were talking about seizing my money, and I was like, "I don't know what that means," and they're, like, "We're basically gonna take your money when we leave here," and I'm, like, "Hell no!" I'm sitting there being handcuffed and shit, so I got up and grabbed my wallet and then I held it. Then me and the cops started fighting for a little bit I guess. I don't know, I was pretty faded. I don't remember. Next thing you know, I end up in jail in Florida with all these batteries against police officers. Now I got to go to court and stuff all the time...^[2]

Tattoos[link]

Dixon has extensive tattooing including full sleeves, upper torso, face, head and hands. Several elaborate designs incorporate his birth date (est. 8/19/88), and a reference to his brother's incarceration, (Free Killa Dee)'uu9u99u'.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Baker Skateboards soundboard
• Baker Skateboards bio
• Official Deathwish Skateboards website
• Official KR3W press page
• Official MySpace page
• Antwuan Dixon Subpublic Profile

Brian Billick

Personal information
Date of birth	(1954-02-28) February 28, 1954 (age 58)
Place of birth	Fairborn, Ohio
Career information
Position(s)	Head coach
College	Brigham Young
NFL Draft	1977 / Round 11/ Pick 295
Head coaching record
Regular season	80-64-0
Postseason	5-3
Career record	85-67-0
Super Bowl wins	Super Bowl XXXV
Championships won	2000 AFC Championship
Stats
Coaching stats	Pro Football Reference
Coaching stats	DatabaseFootball
Team(s) as a player
1977 1977	San Francisco 49ers * Dallas Cowboys * *Offseason member only
Team(s) as a coach/administrator
1978 1981-1985 1986-1988 1989-1991 1992-1993 1994-1998 1999-2007	Brigham Young (graduate assistant) San Diego State (tight ends coach) Utah State (offensive coordinator) Stanford (assistant head coach and tight ends coach) Minnesota Vikings (tight ends coach) Minnesota Vikings (offensive coordinator) Baltimore Ravens (head coach)

Brian Harold Billick^[1] (born February 28, 1954) is a National Football League game analyst for Fox, and is also an analyst for the network's Bowl Championship Series coverage. He was previously an NFL coach, most recently with the Baltimore Ravens from January 19, 1999 to December 31, 2007. Billick led the Ravens to a 34–7 victory over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, the franchise's only Super Bowl appearance. He was also notable for being the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings (1992–1998) when they broke the then scoring record in the 1998 season.

Biography[link]

Playing career[link]

Billick, who played football and basketball at Redlands High School in Redlands, California, had his No. 17 jersey retired by the school in March 2001.^[2] He played both quarterback and cornerback in high school and holds the state record with 21 career interceptions.

After spending his freshman season as a linebacker at the United States Air Force Academy,^[3] Billick transferred to Brigham Young University ^[4] and became a tight end. He later told friends that he left the Air Force Academy because he learned, after he'd already enrolled, that his height and size (6-foot-5, 230 lb.) precluded him from ever becoming a fighter pilot. He received All-Western Athletic Conference and honorable mention All-America honours in 1976.

Billick was selected in the 11th round of the 1977 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers but was cut by the 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys, and never played in the NFL.

Coaching career[link]

College[link]

In 1977, after being cut by the San Francisco 49ers, Billick returned to his hometown of Redlands, Calif., and served as a volunteer wide receivers coach for the University of Redlands football team (NAIA), under coach Frank Serrao. That season, he also split time as an assistant coach at Redlands High School. Billick said he coached the high school team's practice from 2 to 4 p.m., then headed over to the university for the college practice.^[5]

Billick worked as a graduate assistant at Brigham Young for one season (1978) before joining the 49ers as the assistant director of public relations for two years (1979–1980).

He returned to coaching with San Diego State University, serving as the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator for five seasons (1981–1985). After being named the offensive coordinator of Utah State University, Billick improved the second-worst offense in Division I-A into a top-10 offense in only three seasons (1986–1988).

Billick was then hired as the assistant head coach and tight ends coach at Stanford by Dennis Green, serving both roles for three seasons (1989–91).

National Football League[link]

Assistant Coach[link]

The Vikings made the playoffs during six of the seven seasons (1992–1998) that Billick spent with the team, and set several offensive records in the process. In 1998, Minnesota set a then-NFL record for most points scored in a season (556) (which has since been broken by the 2007 Patriots), and set a team record with 41 touchdown passes. His work under Minnesota head coach Dennis Green put Billick in the Bill Walsh coaching tree.

Head Coach[link]

Baltimore Ravens[link]

Billick became the second coach in Baltimore Ravens history on January 19, 1999, when he was hired to replace Ted Marchibroda. He had a 85–67 record in nine seasons (1999–2007) with the team, including 5–3 in the playoffs. He won the championship.

Although Billick had the opportunity to interview for the head coaching job of the reactivated Cleveland Browns and was rumored to be their top candidate, he chose to interview with the Ravens first.^[6] He signed with Baltimore in under 24 hours after his initial interview.

In his first season with the Ravens, Billick led the team to its first non-losing record (8–8) in the franchise's brief four-year history.

The next season, Baltimore finished with a 12–4 record and earned its first playoff berth. Prior to reaching the playoffs, Billick forbade his players from using either the term "playoffs" or the term "Super Bowl," with the idea of keeping them focused on winning each game instead of on their more distant prize. Billick felt this approach would help them reach that prize, and went so far as to fine Tony Siragusa for violating this rule. In response, the players borrowed the term "Festivus" from the television series Seinfeld for the playoffs, and the term Festivus Maximus for the Super Bowl. When they reached the playoffs, Billick lifted this ban. The Ravens took advantage of their vaunted defense, which allowed an NFL record-low 165 points in the regular season (for a point differential of 168; the Ravens also led the league in turnover differential at plus-23), during the playoffs to advance to Super Bowl XXXV against the New York Giants. It was a blowout 34-7 victory, giving Billick his first (and so far only) Super Bowl.

Billick led the Ravens to a 10–6 record and a victory over the Miami Dolphins in a 2001 wild card playoff game before losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional Round. Baltimore finished 7–9 and missed the playoffs in 2002, but bounced back in 2003 with a 10-6 record and the franchise's first division title; the key game of this season was a wild 44–41 overtime win over the Seattle Seahawks in which the Ravens scored 20 unanswered points from the 10:14 mark of the fourth quarter through overtime; the win launched the then 5–5 Ravens into the division title. The Ravens lost to the Titans, 20–17, in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.

The Ravens missed the playoffs in 2004 (9–7) and 2005 (6–10) before bouncing back in the 2006 season. Billick fired offensive coordinator Jim Fassel on October 17, 2006, assuming the role for the remainder of the season, as the Ravens earned a franchise best 13–3 record, won the AFC North and earned the first playoff bye in team history. Baltimore, however, lost to eventual Super Bowl champions, the Indianapolis Colts, 15–6, in the divisional round. In 2007, the Ravens dramatically dropped to 5-11. That prompted team owner Steve Bisciotti to fire Billick. "The team has to move on," he said. He was replaced by John Harbaugh.

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti described the decision to fire Billick as the toughest decision he has ever had to make. Billick, in a short statement, said Bisciotti did what he believed was best for the Ravens, and asserted that the two men are and will remain friends.^[7]

Broadcasting career[link]

When the Ravens were eliminated in the playoffs in 2003, Billick was used as a studio analyst by ABC Sports. After being fired by the Ravens, Billick became a draft analyst for the NFL Network during the 2008 NFL Draft. Billick then became a game analyst for the NFL on Fox during the 2008 NFL season,^[8] working alongside Thom Brennaman. Billick returned with his NFL on Fox broadcasting partner Brennaman as a game analyst for the 2009 NFL Season.^[9] On NFL Network, Billick can be seen alongside Dennis Green on The Coaches Show, as well as Sterling Sharpe and Brian Baldinger on Thursday and Friday editions of Playbook, the ultimate NFL “Xs and Os” program utilizing the same “all 22” game film that coaches and players use to preview all of the upcoming games. He also serves as an analyst on NFL Network’s signature show NFL Total Access and has provided on location analysis for the Network’s coverage of the NFL Scouting Combine and NFL Draft. He often appears on ESPN's Mike and Mike in the Morning to discuss football matchups and news.

Game show contestant[link]

Shortly before beginning his coaching career, Billick appeared as a contestant on TV's Match Game PM in 1977, losing to Marla Marshall.^[10] Panelist Richard Dawson remarked after Billick's loss: "Football: Failed. Game show: Failed." ^[11]

Head coaching record[link]