ISML 2010: Mio chases Mikoto to the top after Aquamarine 5

ISML 2010: Mio chases Mikoto to the top after Aquamarine 5


March 30, 2010

The chase for the 2010 International Saimoe League Aquamarine necklace continued on Match Day 5, and Mikoto Misaka stayed at the top of the table once again. The Railgun blasted her way to a 2855-1262 blowout of Minori Kushieda.

Chasing her at the top is Mio Akiyama. Known around Sakuragaoka High School as the "Dangerous Queen" for her long black hair and slanted eyebrows that imply a mysterious countenance, she slashed Illyasviel von Einzbern 2717-1547 to move up to second on the table.

Yuki Nagato remained third with a decisive 2800-1345 trouncing of Rika Furude. Fourth-place Taiga Aisaka kept her spot with an easy 2676-1456 walkover of Isumi Saginomiya. Saber kept her fifth-place spot with a 2575-1584 slashing of Fuuko Ibuki.

Others with an outside chance of winning the necklace include defending champion Hinagiku Katsura and Shana. Katsura was all over Mikuru Asahina, storming the gates 2764-1495 while Shana torched an overmatched Ami Kawashima 3067-1223.

The news of the seven remaining in the hunt sparked massive debate in the campus squads, co-ops classrooms and halls on who deserves the "Necklace that Controls the Oceans" across Hakuoh Academy in Nerima, Nishinomiya's East Senior High, Sakuragaoka and Tokiwadai Junior High in Academy City.

"I never thought that Mio-chan was going to be this serious of a contender for the necklace," said a beaming Yui Hirasawa, a few hours removed from a routine 2558-1511 domination of Nymph. "But it's looking real good. This is exciting!"

"I would think," Haruhi Suzumiya said after her 2653-1464 pounding of Ushio Okazaki, "that Mikoto has more to lose from the next two matches than anyone else in this tournament. But when Nagato has an outside shot, the ball will always be in her court."

It was made painfully clear that Saki was not going to get the love it earned from its Japanese voting constituents last year. Azusa Nakano destroyed Mihoko Fukuji 3052-922 while Nadeko Sengoku made cream puffs out of Nodoka Haramura 2815-911.

In other action, Rin Tosaka laid the whooping stick on Ikaros 2404-1638, Kyou Fujibayashi defeated Maria 2419-1765, Fate Testarossa cruised by Mei Sunohara 2444-1578, Nanoha Takamachi won a 2063-1976 classic against C.C. and the Shiina sisters chalked up victories: MInatsu with a 2051-1917 upset of Kotomi Ichinose and Mafuyu with a 2310-1682 thumping of Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere.

Nagi Sanzen'in did a demolition job on Hanyuu Furude 2655-1383, Nagisa Furukawa prevailed over Chizuru Akaba 2137-1850, Konata Izumi crushed Chiaki Minami 2358-1553, Horo chomped up Ui Hirasawa 2300-1809 and Tomoyo Sakagami delivered a 2518-1495 beatdown on Konjiki no Yami.

In the special match, Maetel of Galaxy Empress 999 defeated Nausicaä 1413-1080.

Aquamarine Match Day 6 (and this is no joke) will take place on April Fools Day, April 1, 2010. Vote for your favorite candidates online at InternationalSaimoe.com.

BoBA 2010 ISML Predictions: Aquamarine Match Day 5

ARENA 01: [Tōsaka Rin] Ikaros by >=1000
Over/Under: 5400
Under

ARENA 02: [Fujibayashi Kyō] Maria by >=500
Over/Under: 4700
Over

ARENA 03: [Sakurano Kurimu] Fujibayashi Ryō by <=900
Over/Under: 5000
Under

ARENA 04: Sunohara Mei [Fate Testarossa] by >=900
Over/Under: 5000
Over
ARENA 05: Fukuji Mihoko [Nakano Azusa] by >=1000
Over/Under: 4800
Over
ARENA 06: [Takamachi Nanoha] C.C. by <=1000
Over/Under: 4800
Over

ARENA 07: Furude Rika [Nagato Yuki] by >=1000
Over/Under: 4900
Over
ARENA 08: [Hiiragi Kagami] Saten Ruiko by <=900
Over/Under: 5000
Over

ARENA 09: Louise Vallière [Shiina Mafuyu] by >=700
Over/Under: 5100
Under
ARENA 10: Shiina Minatsu [Ichinose Kotomi] by <=1000
Over/Under: 5100
Under
ARENA 11: [Senjōgahara Hitagi] Hiiragi Tsukasa by >=700
Over/Under: 4800
Over

ARENA 12: [Sanzen'in Nagi] Furude Hanyū by >=1000
Over/Under: 4900
Over

ARENA 13: [Akaba Chizuru] Furukawa Nagisa by >=750
Over/Under: 5000
Under

ARENA 14: [Suzumiya Haruhi] Okazaki Ushio by >=1100
Over/Under: 5300
Under

ARENA 15: [Aisaka Taiga] Saginomiya Isumi by >=900
Over/Under: 4900
Over

ARENA 16: [Shana] Kawashima Ami >=950
Over/Under: 5000
Over

ARENA 17: Asahina Mikuru [Katsura Hinagiku] by <=1000
Over/Under: 4900
Over

ARENA 18: Ibuki Fūko [Saber] by >=1000
Over/Under: 5000
Over

ARENA 19: [Sengoku Nadeko] Haramura Nodoka by >=1000
Over/Under: 5300
Under

ARENA 20: [Misaka Mikoto] Kushieda Minori by >=1000
Over/Under: 5000
Over

ARENA 21: Minami Chiaki [Izumi Konata] by <=1000
Over/Under: 5200
Under
ARENA 22: Hirasawa Ui [Holo] by >=800
Over/Under: 5100
Under
ARENA 23: [Akiyama Mio] Illyasviel von Einzbern by >=1050
Over/Under: 5100
Over
ARENA 24: Konjiki no Yami [Sakagami Tomoyo] by >=800
Over/Under: 5200
Under
ARENA 25: [Hirasawa Yui] Nymph by >=1200
Over/Under: 5100
Over

Special Matchj:
ARENA 26: [Maetel] Nausicaä by <=1000
Over/Under: 5300
Under

ISML 2010: All the right moves for Mikoto Misaka in Aquamarine

ISML 2010: All the right moves for Mikoto Misaka in Aquamarine

March 29, 2010

The song "All The Right Moves" by the band OneRepublic may be seen as defeatist by those who acknowledge it. Or it can be seen the acknowledgement of a true necklace contender.

If you were to ask Mikoto Misaka, you wouldn't exactly get a clear answer. In fact, she probably would not be obliged to give you one.

"I keep my emotions to myself when it's battle time," said Misaka after her 3191-1945 victory over Konata Izumi in the fourth match day of the 2010 International Saimoe League Aquamarine phase. "When I keep my emotions to myself, I can perform and let fate chart its course. Whether or not I win a necklace has nothing to do with the intention to win. I can go perfect and not win a necklace. We have seen this many times. A necklace is just something on the side for me."

Chasing her are six others still in the hunt for the necklace. Taiga Aisaka kept her dominance over Azusa Nakano going with a 2912-2231 victory to stay in second. Yuki Nagato was never tested much by Kurimu Sakurano, winning 3146-1917 to stay in third.

In a battle of first-time entrants, Mio Akiyama stayed in the hunt for the Aquamarine with a 2910-2194 victory over Nadeko Sengoku. Her compatriot, Yui Hirasawa, was not as successful, falling 2797-2451 to Saber, who is in fifth place.

Defending champion Hinagiku Katsura remains unbeaten with a 3070-1985 decision over Rin Tosaka, while Shana rounds out the unbeatens with a 3120-2109 rout of Holo.

The first special match to draw a significant turnout of voters came on Aquamarine 4. Hecate defeated Charlotte Helene Tabitha D'Orleans 2819-1650.

"To think that I am the only new face that has yet to suffer a defeat, that has to say a lot of things," said Akiyama. "I plan to ride this wave as far as it will go."

"Misaka is going to be a problem for anyone she faces, even myself," said Aisaka after her win. "She is still recovering from not getting the respect she deserved last season and she is making a lot of people pay dearly. Anyone who stops her, I'm going to stop anoint them now as legit."

"We have to be very cautious about jumping to any conclusions," said Nagato. "However, I look forward to evaluating Ms. Misaka's fighting ability myself."

In a battle between mother and daughter, Ushio Okazaki chose to let Nagisa Furukawa win the contest. "I think Mama will do better than me," she said. "But when it's someone else, I want to win." While it was a mere formality, the vote count read, 3004-1205 in favor of Furukawa.

In other ISML action...Mikuru Asahina kept Ikaros winless with a 2867-2135 thumping, C.C. bounced back with a 2718-2267 win over Tsukasa Hiiragi, Maria scored a 2587-2157 decision over Konjiki no Yami, Mihoko Fukuji was shut out 3043-1386 by Izumi Saginomiya, Haruhi Suzumiya cruised to a 2763-2389 win over Fate Testarossa and Tomoyo Sakagami prevailed yet again over KYou Fujibayashi, this time by the score of 2280-2093.

Nanoha Takamachi scored a nailbiting 2420-2335 thriller over Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere, Minatsu Shiina got on the win column with a 2670-1957 blowout over Mei Sunohara, Kagami Hiiragi just got past Nagi Sanzen'in 2548-2467, Ami Kawashima punched out Chiaki Minami 2488-2169, Hitagi Senjougahara chalked up a 2491-2313 victory over Mafuyu Shiina and Kotomi Ichinose was all business in a 2726-1866 beatdown of Hanyuu Furude.

Minori Kushieda annihilated Nodoka Haramura 3083-1380, Rika Furude skated by Ryou Fujibayashi 2325-2267, Illyasviel von Einzbern dusted off Ui Hirasawa 2745-2299, Chizuru Akaba prevailed over Ruiko Saten 2430-2330 and Fuuko Ibuki trounced Nymph 2524-2062.

Aquamarine Match day 5 is scheduled for Tuesday, MAtch 30, 2010. Vote online for your favorite candidates at InternationalSaimoe.com.

Duke 78, Baylor 71

Duke punches another Final Four ticket

By Ken Tysiac
ktysiac@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Sunday, Mar. 28, 2010

HOUSTON -- Duke senior guard Jon Scheyer fiddled absently Sunday evening with the loop he'd cut from the net at Reliant Stadium that represented a lifetime goal fulfilled.

A baseball cap that proclaimed Duke regional champions sat on Scheyer's left knee as the last few reporters hung around the locker room. Scheyer and junior backcourt partner Nolan Smith had just shredded Baylor's zone defense, combining for 49 points to lift Duke to a 78-71 win in the NCAA tournament's South Regional final.

The win propelled top-seeded Duke (33-5) into its first Final Four in six years. The Blue Devils will meet West Virginia, the No. 2 seed out of the East Regional, at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday in the NCAA semifinals in Indianapolis.

"It's a dream come true," Scheyer said. "It just is. To get that win, we had to work our butts off for it, and it felt great."

Smith and Scheyer carried the Blue Devils, combining for nine of Duke's 11 3-pointers against a Baylor zone defense that held Duke to 11-for-38 shooting from two-point range.

With a career-high 29 points, Smith kept talented, No. 3 seed Baylor (28-8) from running away with the win early. He also put Duke ahead to stay after going to the free throw line with the Bears leading by a point with 3 minutes, 36 seconds remaining.

Smith made the first free throw to tie the game, but missed the second. Teammate Lance Thomas tipped the rebound free and dug the ball off the floor. He passed quickly to Kyle Singler, who found Smith open in front of the Duke bench.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski immediately yelled for Smith to shoot it. He did, sinking a 3-pointer that gave Duke the lead, and then shot Krzyzewski a smile.

On Duke's next possession, Brian Zoubek passed out to Scheyer in the short corner opposite the Blue Devils' bench. Scheyer, who's struggled with his shooting for most of the postseason, drilled a 3-pointer and ran back down the court pumping his fist.

Duke led 67-61 with 2:38 remaining, and Indianapolis was coming into focus.

"That kind of took the wind out of them a little bit," Zoubek said. ". . .I think it was a little bit of a dagger."

For much of the game it appeared that Baylor might put the dagger into Duke because of Blue Devil forward Singler's struggles. Singler was held to five points – all on free throws – as he missed all 10 of his field goal attempts.

He spent much of the game chasing around shooting guard LaceDarius Dunn, who led Baylor with 22 points but missed six of his eight 3-point attempts against Singler, who's 6-foot-8.

But Singler, who usually scores easily inside against smaller defenders, couldn't get a shot to fall against a defense that started players measuring 7-foot, 6-10 and 6-10.

"It was frustrating," Singler said. "But the good sign for our team was we played through it. . . .It didn't bother us at all. We were able to keep playing, and it shows the closeness of our group."

Krzyzewski, too, mentioned the closeness and character of Duke's players as a factor that helped a good team that's not a great team get to the Final Four.

This will be Krzyzewski's 11th Final Four trip in 30 seasons at Duke. It comes after four years of steady improvement in Duke's won-loss record and NCAA tournament results over the careers of seniors Scheyer, Zoubek and Thomas.

"It's as close a team as I've had," Krzyzewski said. "You want great things to happen for people who are great with us. I mean, they've been spectacular to coach. . . .I'm ecstatic about it."

As the buzzer sounded, Krzyzewski walked immediately over to Baylor coach Scott Drew to shake his hand. Duke's players jumped in the air, bumped chests and met at halfcourt, their shouting piercing the quiet of the mostly pro-Baylor crowd of 47,492 exiting into the Texas evening.

For Scheyer it was the culmination of a steady climb over four years. For Smith, it's a chance to return to the site of the 1980 Final Four, where his father, the late Derek Smith, won the NCAA title with Louisville.

Now it's Nolan's turn, and he can't wait.

"This team from the beginning of this tournament has been living in the moment, really enjoying every single game, and you know, just playing hard," Smith said. "And it just feels great right now."

ktysiac@charlotteobserver.com or 919-829-8942

Michigan State 70, Tennessee 69

Michigan State returns to Final Four...again

By NANCY ARMOUR (AP) – 25 minutes ago

ST. LOUIS — Don't bet against Tom Izzo and Michigan State this time of year.

Raymar Morgan's free throw with less than 2 seconds left gave the Spartans a 70-69 victory over Tennessee in the Midwest Regional final Sunday, sending Michigan State to its sixth Final Four in 12 years and second in a row.

No team in the country — not North Carolina, not Kentucky, not UCLA — has done it better during that span. And all six trips have come under Izzo, the hard-nosed coach who preaches defense, rebounding and physical play.

"I like it more than I used to," Izzo said of playing in March. "It's even better than I thought."

Oh, and how's this for some symmetry? This happens to be the 10th anniversary of the "Flintstones," the team that gave Michigan State its second national title. Highlights from that run were included in the video montage of past championships that played on the Edward Jones Dome's massive Jumbotron during halftime.

The fifth-seeded Spartans, last year's national runner-up, will be looking for championship No. 3 next weekend in Indianapolis. They play Butler, also a No. 5 seed and sure to be the hometown favorite, in the semifinals Saturday night.

The Spartans (28-8) led by as many as eight in the second half, but Brian Williams pulled sixth-seeded Tennessee (28-9) within 69-68 on a putback with 2:10 left. Korie Lucious, who took over as point guard after 2009 Big Ten player of the year Kalin Lucas ruptured his Achilles' tendon last weekend, missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 29 seconds left and Scotty Hopson got the rebound.

Hopson was fouled at the other end, and made the first. But after a Michigan State timeout, he missed the second and Lucious — generously listed at 5-foot-11 — ended up with the rebound.

Draymond Green fed the ball inside to Morgan, who got hacked by J.P. Prince with 1.8 seconds left. Morgan made the first and, after timeouts by both teams, missed the second — on purpose. Williams came up with the rebound but Prince fumbled the inbounds pass and had to heave up a prayer just before the buzzer.

"It's just tough, 1 second," Prince said. "You want to shoot it perfect but you've got to rush. You don't want it to come down to a half-court shot, but that's what it came down to."

Prince wasn't even close, and Michigan State and its fans — led by Spartan-in-chief Magic Johnson — began what's become a traditional postgame celebration.

"I'm not surprised," Johnson said. "Tom Izzo does his best in the NCAA tournament."

Hard to argue with that.

Izzo, who took over from longtime mentor Jud Heathcote for the 1995-96 season, is 6-1 in the regional finals. The only loss was to top-seeded Texas in 2003.

Michigan State is the only team from last year's Final Four to make it back. Heck, North Carolina, which demolished the Spartans in the title game, didn't even make the NCAA tournament. Neither did Connecticut, and Villanova was knocked out in the second round.

"There is nothing greater than going to a Final Four that I know of," Izzo said, "except winning it."

And while it's hard to beat that title in 2000, this might be the finest coaching job Izzo has done. In addition to losing Lucas, Delvon Roe is playing on a torn meniscus and Chris Allen has an aching foot. The Spartans have been forced to go to an offense-by-committee, led by Durrell Summers.

Summers, who played just 9 minutes in the first half because of foul trouble, finished with 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Morgan and Green added 13 each, and Morgan also had 10 rebounds.

Tennessee, meanwhile, will have to take comfort in knowing it got further than any other Volunteers team. This was their first appearance in the regional finals, and there is no question they belonged. They made their first six shots of the game — going 4 for 4 from 3-point range, shot 51 percent overall and had four players in double figures, led by senior Wayne Chism's 13 points.

Prince finished with 12 on 5-of-5 shooting, and Williams had 11.

Tennessee has long been a basketball powerhouse — in women's hoops. But coach Bruce Pearl has energized the men's program, as evidenced by the orange-hued dome and the Vols' first appearance in the regional final. Few would have thought the Tennessee men would last longer than the top-seeded women, who were beaten by No. 4 Baylor on Saturday in the regional semifinals.

"We came to St. Louis expecting to win two games and we played pretty well both nights," Pearl said. "We saw all that orange out there. This isn't close to home, either. They got in their car and they drove here. I think they enjoyed this group tremendously."

Though they were going against a program that oozes experience — "Final Fours are a big thing in this program," Green said Saturday — the Vols came in with swagger and strut.

Chism's 3-pointer put them up 50-45 with 15:46 left and prompted another roar from the thousands of Tennessee fans who had made the trek north. But come tournament time, the Spartans simply find a way to get it done. Cranking up the in-your-jersey defense that makes Big Ten opponents shudder, they held the Vols without a field goal for the next 7 1/2 minutes while ripping off a 14-1 run.

Chris Allen made a 3, and Summers converted a three-point play after being fouled on a jumper just inside the line. After Williams' free throw, Morgan scored on a layup and Lucious hit a 3-pointer to put the Spartans up 56-51 with 12:25 to play.

As a timeout was called, Lucious held up his right hand toward the Michigan State section as if to say, "Bring it on."

Green then converted another three-point play, giving the Spartans a 59-51 lead, the largest of the game, with 11:42 to play.

But the Volunteers had one more run in them. Bobby Maze scored on a layup — Tennessee's first field goal since 15:46 — and Williams followed with two jumpers to put the Vols back on top, 62-61, setting up the frenetic finish.

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

BoBA 2010 ISML Predictions: Aquamarine Match Day 4

ARENA 01: [Asahina Mikuru] Ikaros by >= 700
Over/Under: 4900
Over

ARENA 02: [Hirasawa Yui] Saber by <= 800
Over/Under: 5500
Under

ARENA 03: [C.C.] Hiiragi Tsukasa by >=600
Over/Under: 5400
Under

ARENA 04: [Furukawa Nagisa] Okazaki Ushio by >=1000
Over/Under: 4700
Over

ARENA 05: [Aisaka Taiga] Nakano Azusa by >=800
Over/Under: 4900
Over

ARENA 06: [Akiyama Mio] Sengoku Nadeko by <=900
Over/Under: 5000
Over

ARENA 07: Holo [Shana] by >=900
Over/Under: 4900
Over

ARENA 08: [Maria] Konjiki no Yami by >=900
Over/Under:  5300
Under

ARENA 09: Fukuji Mihoko [Saginomiya Isumi] by >=1000
Over/Under:  5300
Under

ARENA 10: [Nagato Yuki] Sakurano Kurimu by <=1000
Over/Under: 4900
Over

ARENA 11: [Suzumiya Haruhi] Fate Testarossa by >=700
Over/Under: 4900
Over

ARENA 12: [Fujibayashi Kyō] Sakagami Tomoyo by <=800
Over/Under: 5100
Over

ARENA 13: Louise Vallière [Takamachi Nanoha] by >=1000
Over/Under: 5400
Under

ARENA 14: [Hiiragi Kagami] Sanzen'in Nagi by <=900
Over/Under: 5100
Over

ARENA 15: [Sunohara Mei] Shiina Minatsu by >=800
Over/Under: 5300
Under

ARENA 16: [Senjōgahara Hitagi] Shiina Mafuyu by >=900
Over/Under: 5400
Under

ARENA 17: [Kawashima Ami] Minami Chiaki by >=800
Over/Under: 4900
Over

ARENA 18: [Ichinose Kotomi] Furude Hanyū by <=1000
Over/Under: 4900
Over

ARENA 19: Tōsaka Rin [Katsura Hinagiku] by <=1000
Over/Under: 4900
Over

ARENA 20: Haramura Nodoka [Kushieda Minori] by >=1000
Over/Under: 5000
Over

ARENA 21: [Furude Rika] Fujibayashi Ryō by <=900
Over/Under: 5200
Under

ARENA 22: [Hirasawa Ui] Illyasviel von Einzbern by >=1000
Over/Under: 5300
Under

ARENA 23: Akaba Chizuru [Saten Ruiko] by <=1000
Over/Under: 5400
Under

ARENA 24: [Ibuki Fūko] Nymph by >=700
Over/Under: 5100
Over

ARENA 25: [Misaka Mikoto] Izumi Konata by >=1000
Over/Under: 5000
Over

Special Match

ARENA 26: Tabitha [Hecate] by <=500
Over/Under: 3500
Under

West Virginia 73, Kentucky 66

WVU headed to Final Four
Mountaineers methodically conquer Kentucky, 73-66
by Mike Casazza
Daily Mail sports writer
The Associated Press

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - West Virginia's basketball players were ready for biggest game of their still young lives Saturday night when they began the short jog from the tunnel inside the Carrier Dome to the floor. The pep band played their song. The fans sprang suddenly to their feet and cheered. Jonnie West was first to squeak his sneakers across the floor. Then came Cam Payne.

And that was it.

"Once we saw Jonnie and Cam go out there, we stopped to see how far they'd go before they noticed," said point guard Joe Mazzulla, who with teammate Cam Thoroughman orchestrated this Elite Eight prank.

West and Payne eventually realized it and Mazzulla and Thoroughman led the rest of the laughing Mountaineers toward tipoff against Kentucky.

"That wasn't very nice," West would say later, "but that shows who we are. We're loose. Everyone stays loose before the game and even during it, but when we get in the games, we have a killer mentality and it's going to wear you down."

After wondering for most of the season if they'd ever figure out who they are, the Mountaineers have for the entire month mastered their identity, cemented an approach and insisted their way would cut it.

And now they're cutting down nets.

In the only matchup of a region's top two seeds in this NCAA Tournament, No. 2 seed WVU defeated No. 1 seed Kentucky, 73-66, before a crowd of 22,497. The Mountaineers advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 1959 when West's father, Jerry, was a junior.

WVU (31-6) plays the winner of the South Region championship game between No. 1 seed Duke and No. 3 Seed Baylor Saturday in Indianapolis.

"We win games because of our tempo," senior Da'Sean Butler said. "We don't do well going up and down the court with other people. We're not a fast break team. If we control the tempo, nine times out of 10 we win that game."

Ten times in the past 10 games, WVU been funny before and then ferocious within and won each with discipline on offense and determination on defense. Noted for man-to-man throughout the season, the Mountaineers played a 1-3-1 zone for the majority of the game. The Wildcats (35-3) shot 34.3 percent for the game, missed their first 20 3-point attempts on the way to 4-for-32 shooting and had 16 turnovers that led to 19 WVU points.

"It was pretty tough," said Kentucky freshman point guard John Wall. "They're a long, athletic team. They did a great job denying us getting to the wings and we weren't making shots. I think if we would have made shots, it would have spread them out. Hats off for them. Their defense did a great job on us."

Wall was 7-for-18 and banked in a 3-pointer after missing four others. He added five assists, but also five turnovers and five fouls in what is likely his last college game. Shooting guard Eric Bledsoe, who was 8-for-9 from 3-point range in the first round, was 0-for-5 and had seven points. Guard Darnell Dodson was 2-for-9 from 3-point range.

WVU caused problems inside, too, and center DeMarcus Cousins had 15 points and eight rebounds, but also five turnovers. He was often made to deal with Mazzulla at the bottom of the zone.

"At one point he looked and me and said, 'Are you serious?'" Mazzulla said. "I said, 'Yeah, I'm serious. You're going to have to punch me in the face to get me off you.'"

The Mountaineers turned a two-point halftime lead into a nine-point advantage early in the second half and built it to 11 points when Mazzulla drove for an open layup when Cousins walked back up the court on defense. The margin grew to be as large as 16 points and WVU felt they had the Wildcats, who start three freshmen and a sophomore and have two sophomores and a freshman in their rotation.

"They outplayed us," Kentucky Coach John Calipari said. "I think there were times that the inexperience hurt us. Understanding you're not going to catch it all at once. Knowing that this is the guy we have to stop and then you lose him. There were things that happened. And I think their veterans - especially Mazzulla - were good. He got some layups that were back-breaking. He just played so well and ran their team."

Mazzulla played a season-high 30 minutes and scored a career-high 17 points. He also made his first 3-pointer since Nov. 28, 2008. Butler had 18 points and made four 3-pointers. Kevin Jones added 13 points and eight rebounds and Devin Ebanks had 12 points and seven rebounds.

The Mountaineers were 10-for-23 from 3-point range and 8-for-15 in the first half. They were also 0-for-16 from 2-point range and outrebounded 29-16. WVU shot 57.1 percent in the second half and outrebounded the Wildcats by one.

"We're not as good in the first half as we are in the second because people get tired of chasing it," said Coach Bob Huggins, who returns to the Final Four after appearing there in 1992. "They get tired of chasing it. They get tired of being screened. They get tired of chasing those curls. We got nothing at the rim in the first half. We got a lot of things at the rim in the second half."

The game unfolded not only in the fashion predicted by the Mountaineers, who believed their grinding style could trump Kentucky's talent, but also by Cornell Coach Steve Donahue.

"I think there are a lot of positives about Kentucky," Donahue said after Thursday's Sweet Sixteen loss to the Wildcats. "My concern is that I don't necessarily think for 40 minutes that they may be able to handle this against a team like us that's a little more longer and athletic with experience the next game. West Virginia is terrific."

The Mountaineers were in their third regional final and first since 2005, when they lost in overtime to Louisville. The team has broken every huddle in practice and before games this season by reminding one another they want to be national champs. Not since WVU lost to Cal 71-70 in the final in 1959 has the school been as close. The team that's 8-0 in this state this year will play Saturday in Hoosier State, where WVU is 0-2 with losses to Purdue and Notre Dame.

"The first day I was there I told them I came back to win a national championship," Huggins said. "I came back to win it for the university, having played there and for the great people in our state. And it's going to take a lot of work. And I said this many times, the wonderful thing about these guys is they never doubt. They never ask why. They never kind of bucked it. They just said, 'OK, that's what we have to do. We're going to go do it.' And they've done it and done with it great enthusiasm and great vigor. And they deserve all the credit for it. They're really good guys."

Butler 63, Kansas State 56

THE ROAD WINDS HOME
Bulldogs shock Kansas State as their miracle run continues
By David Woods, Indianapolis Star
Posted: March 28, 2010


SALT LAKE CITY -- Restrained and corporate-looking as he is, Brad Stevens finally let his guard down.

On the bus ride home from the airport a week ago, Butler's basketball team passed Lucas Oil Stadium. Wouldn't it be something, the coach told wife Tracy, if the Bulldogs played there in the Final Four?

"That hit a little bit," he said. "That was the first time I even thought about it."

Now, that's almost all anyone in Indianapolis will be thinking about. Home-grown Gordon Hayward, who led Brownsburg High School to a state title, has taken his act to a larger stage.

Hayward scored eight of his 22 points in the closing six minutes, and Butler knocked off Kansas State 63-56 Saturday in the NCAA West Regional final.

No. 5 seed Butler (32-4) will play in a national semifinal next Saturday against the winner of today's Midwest Regional final between Michigan State and Tennessee at St. Louis.

In running its winning streak to 24 and going farther in the NCAA Tournament than ever before, Butler became the smallest school (enrollment: 4,200) in the Final Four since seeding was introduced in 1979. Butler will be the first team to play in a Final Four in its home city since champion UCLA in 1972.

By the way, Butler is 15-0 in Indy.

"Our dreams definitely didn't stop at getting to the Final Four," said Hayward, voted outstanding player of the West Regional. "We want to win the whole thing."

The Bulldogs' defense was so suffocating that they held No. 1 seed Syracuse and No. 2 seed Kansas State (29-8) to season lows and a collective 46 points under their averages. Butler is 19-0 when holding opponents under 60 points, and Kansas State fell to 2-5 when scoring fewer than 70.

Wildcat guards Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen, who totaled 53 points in a Thursday's double-overtime win over Xavier, were limited to 32 on 11-of-30 shooting. Pullen, shadowed by an omnipresent Ronald Nored, scored 14 points -- 12 under his tourney average.

Hayward's nine rebounds led the outsized Bulldogs to a 41-29 edge in that category, compensating for 20 turnovers. Butler's Shelvin Mack scored 16 points and joined Hayward on the all-regional team.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Restrained and corporate-looking as he is, Brad Stevens finally let his guard down.

On the bus ride home from the airport a week ago, Butler's basketball team passed Lucas Oil Stadium. Wouldn't it be something, the coach told wife Tracy, if the Bulldogs played there in the Final Four?
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"That hit a little bit," he said. "That was the first time I even thought about it."

Now, that's almost all anyone in Indianapolis will be thinking about. Home-grown Gordon Hayward, who led Brownsburg High School to a state title, has taken his act to a larger stage.

Hayward scored eight of his 22 points in the closing six minutes, and Butler knocked off Kansas State 63-56 Saturday in the NCAA West Regional final.

No. 5 seed Butler (32-4) will play in a national semifinal next Saturday against the winner of today's Midwest Regional final between Michigan State and Tennessee at St. Louis.

In running its winning streak to 24 and going farther in the NCAA Tournament than ever before, Butler became the smallest school (enrollment: 4,200) in the Final Four since seeding was introduced in 1979. Butler will be the first team to play in a Final Four in its home city since champion UCLA in 1972.

By the way, Butler is 15-0 in Indy.

"Our dreams definitely didn't stop at getting to the Final Four," said Hayward, voted outstanding player of the West Regional. "We want to win the whole thing."

The Bulldogs' defense was so suffocating that they held No. 1 seed Syracuse and No. 2 seed Kansas State (29-8) to season lows and a collective 46 points under their averages. Butler is 19-0 when holding opponents under 60 points, and Kansas State fell to 2-5 when scoring fewer than 70.

Wildcat guards Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen, who totaled 53 points in a Thursday's double-overtime win over Xavier, were limited to 32 on 11-of-30 shooting. Pullen, shadowed by an omnipresent Ronald Nored, scored 14 points -- 12 under his tourney average.

Hayward's nine rebounds led the outsized Bulldogs to a 41-29 edge in that category, compensating for 20 turnovers. Butler's Shelvin Mack scored 16 points and joined Hayward on the all-regional team.

Although Butler often has been compared to the small-town Milan team that inspired the movie "Hoosiers," the Bulldogs have instead resembled the gritty racehorse from "Seabiscuit." In three tournament games, the Bulldogs lost leads in the closing minutes, only to thunder down the homestretch to finish first.

After leading by 11 points in the first half and 10 in the second, the Bulldogs fell behind 52-51 with less than five minutes left. They trailed for all of 35 seconds.

Clemente scored on a runner to tie it at 54. Then the Bulldogs secured the victory with a 9-0 run beginning with Hayward's layup off Nored's lob. Nored drove for a left-handed layup to make it 58-54 with 2:04 left, and Hayward's drive extended that to 60-54 with 62 seconds on the clock.

Kansas State coach Frank Martin said the Bulldogs "kicked our tails" and "annihilated us" on the glass.

"It's hard to be happy for someone when you lose," Martin said. "But I've got to think it's going to be a great, great week for Butler people and people in the city of Indianapolis to have one of their own in the Final Four."

One of the Bulldogs' unusual features is that three sophomores -- Hayward, Mack and Nored -- are starters and they lack the experience supposedly necessary for a mid-major to make a lengthy tourney run.

Yet national championships have been won by Butler before -- in an AAU Tournament in 1924 and a mythical one from 1929. There are banners at Hinkle Fieldhouse commemorating those titles.

It's a big place, though. There's plenty of room left to hang another.

If you don't believe it, Stevens said, you can't achieve it.

"This is a very special moment in our life," Mack said. "We all believed in each other."

ISML 2010: Misaka still first; Aisaka, Nagato, seven others give chase

ISML 2010: Misaka still first; Aisaka, Nagato, seven others give chase

March 26, 2010

Mikoto Misaka is known as the Railgun in Academy City for one major reason: her namesake attack that involves a silver coin and a large shot of electricity powerful enough to shut down a district or two.

Today, she electrocuted Chiaki Minami 3609-1530 in Match Day 3 of the 2010 International Saimoe League Aquamarine Phase to stay in first.

Among those giving chase, Taiga Aisaka pummeled Mihoko Fukuji 4009-1184 to stay in second. Yuki Nagato kept pace with a 3680-1641 annihilation of Ryou Fujibayashi to move up to third in the standings.

"It's too early in the season to make conclusions," said Mio Akiyama, who scored a 3991-949 walkover of Ui Hirasawa. "But now we have an idea of who's in contention for the first prize of this tournament."

Others in contention for the Aquamarine include Nadeko Sengoku, Azusa Nakano, Saber, defending champion Hinagiku Katsura, Kyou Fujibayashi and Shana.

Sengoku defeated Minori Kushieda 3046-2026, Saber easily dominated Nymph 3515-1662, Nakano cruised past Isumi Saginomiya 3158-2048, Kyou rocked Golden Darkness (Konjiki no Yami) 3020-2004,  Katsura torched Ikaros 3421-1703, and Shana scored a 4186-1160 walkover of Nodoka Haramura.

In other ISML action... Ruiko Saten defeated Mei Sunohara 2744-24146, Holo chomped up Ami Kawashima 3041-2078, Rin Tosaka prevailed over Mikuru Asahina 2865-2519, Illyasviel von Einzbern knocked Konata Izumi from Aquamarine contention with a 2665-2641 thriller, Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere defeated Tsukasa Hiiragi 2632-2493 and Nagi Sanzen'in stomped Kotomi Ichinose 2848-2363.

Once again, the first-timers made some huge gains. Yui Hirasawa rocked Fuuko Ibuki 2938-2197, Ushio Okazaki prevailed over Hanyuu Furude 2397-2297, Hitagi Senjougahara stunned Nanoha Takamachi 2729-2400, Kurimu Sakurano trounced Rika Furude 2757-2190 and Mafuyu Shiina defeated C.C. 2782-2464.

Finally, in other action from today...Kagami Hiiragi cruised past Chizuru Akaba 2889-2307, Fate Testarossa delivered a 2716-2317 defeat to Minatsu Shiina and in a clash of regulars, Haruhi Suzumiya had the upper hand over Nagisa Furukawa, 2893-2376.

In a special match, Niche defeated Excel 1725-1641.

Aquamarine Match Day 4 is scheduled for Sunday, March 28, 2010. As always, you make the call. Vote online for your favorite candidates at InternationalSaimoe.com.

BoBA 2010 ISML Predictions: Aquamarine Match Day 3

ARENA 01: Sunohara Mei [Saten Ruiko]  by >=500
Over/Under: 4900
Under

ARENA 02: Fukuji Mihoko [Aisaka Taiga]  by >=800
Over/Under: 4800
Over

ARENA 03: Maria [Sakagami Tomoyo]  by >=500
Over/Under: 5100
Under

ARENA 04: Haramura Nodoka [Shana]  by >=600
Over/Under: 4600
Over

ARENA 05: [Kawashima Ami] Holo by >=300
Over/Under: 4800
Over

ARENA 06: Tōsaka Rin [Asahina Mikuru]  by <=300
Over/Under: 5000
Under

ARENA 07: [Nagato Yuki] Fujibayashi Ryō  by >=400
Over/Under: 4700
Over

ARENA 08: [Izumi Konata] Illyasviel von Einzbern  by >=500
Over/Under: 4800
Over

ARENA 09: [Sengoku Nadeko] Kushieda Minori  by >=400
Over/Under: 4800
Over

ARENA 10: [Saber] Nymph  by >=500
Over/Under: 5200
Under

ARENA 11: [Hiiragi Tsukasa] Louise Vallière  by <=600
Over/Under: 5100
Under

ARENA 12: [Ichinose Kotomi] Sanzen'in Nagi  by <=600
Over/Under: 5200
Under

ARENA 13: Saginomiya Isumi [Nakano Azusa]  by >=400
Over/Under: 5300
Under

ARENA 14: Minami Chiaki [Misaka Mikoto]  by >=500
Over/Under: 4800
Over

ARENA 15: [Hirasawa Yui] Ibuki Fūko  by >=300
Over/Under: 4800
Over

ARENA 16: [Akiyama Mio] Hirasawa Ui  by >=600
Over/Under: 5300
Under

ARENA 17: Ikaros [Katsura Hinagiku]  by >=500
Over/Under: 5200
Under

ARENA 18: [Fujibayashi Kyō] Konjiki no Yami  by >=300
Over/Under: 5100
Under

ARENA 19: [Furude Hanyū] Okazaki Ushio  by >=300
Over/Under: 4700
Over

ARENA 20: [Takamachi Nanoha] Senjōgahara Hitagi  by >=300
Over/Under: 4900
Over

ARENA 21: Furude Rika [Sakurano Kurimu]  by <=500
Over/Under: 5000
Under

ARENA 22: Shiina Mafuyu [C.C.]  by >=200
Over/Under: 5100
Under

ARENA 23: [Hiiragi Kagami] Akaba Chizuru  by >=400
Over/Under: 5000
Over

ARENA 24: [Fate Testarossa] Shiina Minatsu  by >=500
Over/Under: 5100
Under

ARENA 25: Furukawa Nagisa [Suzumiya Haruhi]  by >=300
Over/Under: 4800
Over

Special Match:

ARENA 26: Excel [Niche] by  by <=400
Over/Under: 3000
Under

A fatwa...

Praise be to the Sheik of America, President Barack Hussein Obama II of the United States of America. Most Gracious, Most Merciful, Most...Cool.

TO ALL THOSE WHO CUT GAS PIPES, THROW BRICKS AT GLASS HOUSES AND HURL RACIAL EPITHETS,

TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE POLITICAL SORE LOSERS IN MIND, BODY, AND SOUL,

TO ALL THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF AMERICA AND HAVE DECIDED TO RESORT TO ACTS OF VIOLENCE IN THE STYLE OF AL-QAEDA AND OF THE TALIBAN,

I ISSUE THIS EDICT:

I encourage you to keep them coming. Keep them going. For we will use your sore-losing acts and childish behavior against you in the upcoming elections.

Why desist your violent behavior? After all, destiny has assigned you to the wrong party. Therefore, keep the hate mail and death threats going. Pay the price for everything that will go against you come this November.

-Sheik Bongaboi
The Bedlam on Baltic Avenue

ISML 2010: Railgun to the top as Bakemonogatari, TSAB contestants, veterans roll

ISML 2010: Railgun to the top as Bakemonogatari, TSAB contestants, veterans roll


March 24, 2010

Turnout for the second match day of the 2010 Aquamarine phase was not the flood of voting that defined the regular season opener on Sunday. Nonetheless, Mikoto Misaka took the overall lead in a day that saw Nanoha Takamachi, Fate Testarossa and the Bakemonogatari representatives of Hitagi Senjougahara and Nadeko Sengoku score major victories.

Misaka had no trouble defeating Ruiko Saten in a 3494-1175 walkover. Takamachi was all business in her 2597-2234 win over Ryou Fujibayashi while Testarossa prevailed over Ami Kawashima 2927-2156.

Senjougahara earned her first victory of the season with a 2814-2008 thumping of Rika Furude. Sengoku made a huge statement with a 2677-2412 victory over Yui Hirasawa.

"It has to be quite disappointing that the turnout for this match day was not what it was the last time," Misaka said after her victory. "You would think that we would see over 5,000 votes in each arena after Aquamarine 1. Aside from that, this is a step in the right direction."

A number of veterans also picked up major victories today. Haruhi Suzumiya defeated Minori Kushieda 3179-1944 while Konata Izumi scored a 2542-2390 victory over Kurimu Sakurano. Maria rolled past Ikaros 2571-2180 while C.C. picked up her first victory of the season with a 2728-2054 beatdown of Nymph. Kotomi Ichinose chalked up her first W of the campaign with a 2808-2188 victory over Ui HIrasawa, Nagisa Furukawa pummeled Nodoka Haramura 3318-1366 and Yuki Nagato cruised past Ushio Okazaki 3483-1591.

Match Day 2 featured some impressive victories by the upstarts. Minatsku Shiina crushed Mihoko Fukuji 3246-1266, Chizuru Akaba thrashed Chiaki Minami 2666-1952, Mafuyu Shiina stomped Isumi Saginomiya, Mio Akiyama scored a decisive 3495-1644 victory over Hanyuu FUrude and Azusa Nakano took out Holo 2623-2479.

In other Aquamarine Match Day 2 action, Tomoyo Sakagami routed Mikuru Asahina 2956-2203, Hinagiku Katsura destroyed Golden Darkness (Konjiki no Yami) 3369-1545, Nagi Sanzen'in bowled past Illyasviel von Einzbern 2593-2379 and Shana torched Mei Sunohara 3701-1498.

Kagami Hiiragi scored her first win with a 2853-2035 beatdown of Fuuko Ibuki, Saber slashed past Tsukasa Hiiragi 3126-2012, Kyou Fujibayashi edged Rin Tosaka 2643-2337 and Taiga Aisaka was never out of it in a 3303-1562 trouncing of Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere.

In a special match that took place, Nodoka Miyazaki defeated Tamaki Kousaka in a rematch of 2008 ISML opponents, 1906-1792.

There is sure to be more moving and shaking with Aquamarine Match Day 3, scheduled for Thursday, March 25. Vote for your favorite candidates at InternationalSaimoe.com.

BoBA ISML 2010 Predictions: Aquamarine Match Day 2

ARENA 01: [Shiina Minatsu] Fukuji Mihoko by >=500
Over/Under: 5200
Over

ARENA 02: Asahina Mikuru [Sakagami Tomoyo] by <=500
Over/Under: 5600
Under

ARENA 03: Furude Hanyū [Akiyama Mio] by >=750
Over/Under: 5600
Over

ARENA 04: [Hirasawa Ui] Ichinose Kotomi by <=600
Over/Under: 5500
Under

ARENA 05: [Takamachi Nanoha] Fujibayashi Ryō by >=500
Over/Under: 5500
Under

ARENA 06: [Fate Testarossa] Kawashima Ami by <=500
Over/Under: 5300
Over

ARENA 07: Shiina Mafuyu [Saginomiya Isumi] by <=800
Over/Under: 5700
Under

ARENA 08: [Nagato Yuki] Okazaki Ushio by >=700
Over/Under: 5600
Over

ARENA 09: Suzumiya Haruhi [Kushieda Minori] by >=600
Over/Under: 5500
Under

ARENA 10: Konjiki no Yami [Katsura Hinagiku] by >=500
Over/Under: 5600
Under

ARENA 11: Haramura Nodoka [Furukawa Nagisa] by >=500
Over/Under: 5200
Over

ARENA 12: [Hirasawa Yui] Sengoku Nadeko by >=400
Over/Under: 5400
Over

ARENA 13: [Aisaka Taiga] Louise Vallière by >=600
Over/Under: 5800
Under

ARENA 14: [Akaba Chizuru] Minami Chiaki by <=500
Over/Under: 5400
Over

ARENA 15: [Illyasviel von Einzbern] Sanzen'in Nagi by <=600
Over/Under: 5600
Under

ARENA 16: Holo [Nakano Azusa] by >=500
Over/Under: 5500
Over

ARENA 17: Sunohara Mei [Shana] by >=800
Over/Under: 6000
Under

ARENA 18: Saten Ruiko [Misaka Mikoto] by <=800
Over/Under: 6000
Under

ARENA 19: [C.C.] Nymph by >=400
Over/Under: 5500
Under

ARENA 20: [Ibuki Fūko] Hiiragi Kagami by >=200
Over/Under: 5100
Over

ARENA 21: Hiiragi Tsukasa [Saber] by >=400
Over/Under: 5300
Over

ARENA 22: Tōsaka Rin [Fujibayashi Kyō] by >=500
Over/Under: 5500
Over

ARENA 23: [Sakurano Kurimu] Izumi Konata by >=300
Over/Under: 5500
Over

ARENA 24: [Furude Rika] Senjōgahara Hitagi by >=500
Over/Under: 5600
Under

ARENA 25: [Ikaros] Maria by >=100
Over/Under: 5500
Under

Special Match:

ARENA 26: Kōsaka Tamaki [Miyazaki Nodoka] by >=200
Over/Under: 5400
Over

ISML 2010: A new season begins with the Aquamarine Phase...and upsets?

ISML 2010: A new season begins with the Aquamarine Phase...and upsets?

March 22, 2010

Finally, the moment has arrived. The 2010 International Saimoe League begins in earnest, and we kick things off with the battle for the Aquamarine Necklace, representing the power of the oceans.

Shana is the defending champion, and she went off to a flying start, defeating 2008 ISML Tiara Champion Fate Testarossa 3528-2060 in a record turnout for the first match day of the regular season marked with a number of veterans losing to many new faces in the fold.

Forget the March Madness in the North American collegiate basketball universe; how about some ISML March Madness early on!

"I was stunned by the overall turnout for this one," said Shana after her victory. "The message seems to be brought out loud and clear. This tournament DOES matter in their eyes. We hope it continues."

"I admit it did exceed expectations," said defending champion HInagiku Katsura, who didn't miss a beat with her 3093-2356 victory over Tomoyo Sakagami. "But this adds a lot of good publicity to this tournament."

The K-ON! entries had a perfect day for their first forays of competition outside the preliminary stages. Yui Hirasawa took down C.C., whose star seems to be fading after a 2816-2637 victory.

"Wow, to beat someone like this is huge," Yui said after her win. "This is great. I'm ready to keep this going."

Her younger sister Ui was even more emphatic in her first match, routing Mihoko Fukuji 3067-1800. "I agree with onee-chan, I was lucky to have made it to this field of 50," she said. "And I made up for it in a big way by beating someone who had literally a free pass to the regular season. When I think about it, I wonder if she really deserved to be here."

Mio Akiyama thumped Nagi Sanzen'in 3235-2337 in her first contest. "Hopefully the voters in Japan will note be giving me the middle finger and support some over-the-hill character from a show like The Minami Family or somewhere of that caliber," Akiyama said. "I think the healing process got accelerated a bit. This is great."

Azusa Nakano was all smiles after crushing Kotomi Ichinose 2935-2382. "It feels so great to get a victory over somebody Mio-sempai defeated. I think anything is possible!"

"By golly, it feels good to come out with revenge," said Mikoto Misaka, who ripped apart Kagami Hiiragi 3160-2312. "I will never forgive how I was disrespected last season. Now I am fired up and ready to show the world who Mikoto Misaka is!"

"That's my onee-sama!!!" exclaimed Kuroko Shirai, who was with her after her victory. "I may have been eliminated in the prelims, but I am in onee-sama's corner, and will be to the end."

Making it a perfect day for the Railgun faction was Ruiko Saten, who stunned Rika Furude 2746-2388. "Just about everywhere you go you are seeing somebody familiar get beaten by somebody whose in it for the first time," Saten said after her win. "The voters want change. They want somebody new. If these results hold up, Hina's defense is going to be put to the test early."

Perhaps the biggest upset of the day was Kurimu Sakurano's 2714-2442 win over Nanoha Takamachi. "While I have respect for Nanoha and her legacy," Sakurano said on her win, "the buck stops here."

"Easy for you to say, you're the only one in the Student Council who hasn't loss yet!" said a disgruntled MInatsu Shiina, who lost to Holo 2767-2546.

"That's not the point!" she whined. "The point is that the big names can be felled in this tournament! Nothing is sacred. Nothing, I say! Mou! >_< "

Adding to Hekiyou's woes were Taiga Aisaka's 2980-2448 victory over Mafuyu Shiina and KOnata Izumi's 2768-2572 victory over Chizuru Akaba. Izumi won on a day where the Hiiragi sisters suffered their first defeats early. Along with Kagami's defeat, Tsukasa fell to Fuuko Ibuki 2645-2409.

Other noteworthy victories by the first-timers include Nadeko Sengoku's 2804-2458 win over Nagisa Furukawa and Nymph's thrilling 2425-2412 win over Chiaki Minami.

"Man, that was a d-o-o-z-y with a capital D," said Nymph after her win. "I hope I am able to survive this phase, this sure won't any easier for me!" she said with a giggle.

Indeed there were a number familiar contenders that withstood the firestorm that was Aquamarine Match Day 1. The Toradora! trio were among the veterans that stayed intact. Aside from Aisaka, Ami Kawashima defeated Mei Sunohara 2631-2506 and Minori Kushieda took out Ushio Okazaki 2717-2343.

Kyou Fujibayashi clipped Ikaros's wings 3144-2180, Yuki Nagato defeated Hitagi Senjougahara 2977-2454, Ryou Fujibayashi cruised past Nodoka Haramura 2964-1797 and Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere won 2638-2480 over Isumi Saginomiya.

Finally, the first match day featured some "You Again" duels. Rin Tosaka triumphed over Maria 2795-2588, Mikuru Asahina rolled past Golden Darkness (Konjiki no Yami) 2811-2528, Illyasviel von Einzbern trounced Hanyuu Furude 3144-1914 and Saber completed an initial Fate/Stay Night Sweep with a 2768-2698 victory over Haruhi Suzumiya.

In a special match for this day, Mihoshi Akeno of Sora no Manimani defeated Nodome Cantabile's Megumi Noda 2630-1050.

Aquamarine Match Day 2 is scheduled for Tuesday, March 23, 2010. Vote on your favorite candidates on InternationalSaimoe.com.

BoBA ISML 2010 Predictions: Aquamarine Match Day 1

The 2010 International Saimoe League has started, and the Bedlam on Baltic Avenue will be providing you with extensive coverage of the action. We begin with the Aquamarine phase. During each match, the Bedlam will provide a predicted margin, an over/under, and if the Bedlam will be calling for the over or the under. Some fun stuff.

Here we go!


ARENA 01: [Shana] Fate Testarossa by <100
Over/Under: 1800
Over

ARENA 02: [Fujibayashi Kyō] Ikaros by >100
Over/Under: 1800
Under

ARENA 03: [Shiina Minatsu] Holo by <100
Over/Under: 1800
Over

ARENA 04: Sakurano Kurimu [Takamachi Nanoha]  by >100
Over/Under: 1800
Over

ARENA 05: [Asahina Mikuru] Konjiki no Yami by >100
Over/Under: 1700
Under

ARENA 06: Shiina Mafuyu [Aisaka Taiga] by >100
Over/Under: 1800
Over

ARENA 07: [Sakagami Tomoyo] Katsura Hinagiku by <100
Over/Under: 1800
Over

ARENA 08: [Tōsaka Rin] Maria by ><150
Over/Under: 1800
Over

ARENA 09: [Izumi Konata] Akaba Chizuru by >100
Over/Under: 1800
Under

ARENA 10: C.C. [Hirasawa Yui] by <100
Over/Under: 1700
Over

ARENA 11: [Nagato Yuki] Senjōgahara Hitagi by >100
Over/Under: 1800
Over

ARENA 12: [Akiyama Mio] Sanzen'in Nagi by >150
Over/Under: 1800
Over

ARENA 13: Illyasviel von Einzbern [Furude Hanyū] by >100
Over/Under: 1700
Over

ARENA 14: [Suzumiya Haruhi] Saber by >100
Over/Under: 1800
Over

ARENA 15: [Haramura Nodoka] Fujibayashi Ryō by <100
Over/Under: 1800
Under

ARENA 16: [Kushieda Minori] Okazaki Ushio by <100
Over/Under: 1900
Under

ARENA 17: Sengoku Nadeko [Furukawa Nagisa] by <100
Over/Under: 1800
Under

ARENA 18: [Hirasawa Ui] Fukuji Mihoko by >100
Over/Under: 1800
Over

ARENA 19: [Hiiragi Tsukasa] Ibuki Fūko by >100
Over/Under: 1700
Over

ARENA 20: Nymph [Minami Chiaki]by <100
Over/Under: 1700
Over

ARENA 21: [Furude Rika] Saten Ruiko by >100
Over/Under: 1700
Over

ARENA 22: [Nakano Azusa] Ichinose Kotomi by <100
Over/Under: 1800
Over

ARENA 23: Misaka Mikoto [Hiiragi Kagami] by <100
Over/Under: 1750
Over

ARENA 24: [Kawashima Ami] Sunohara Mei by >100
Over/Under: 1800
Over

ARENA 25: Saginomiya Isumi [Louise Vallière] by <100
Over/Under: 1700
Over

Special Match:

ARENA 26: [Akeno Mihoshi] Noda Megumi by <100
Over/Under: 1800
Under

Pacquiao marches on as true star of boxing

Pacquiao marches on as true star of boxing

By Tim Dahlberg, AP Sports Columnist
ARLINGTON, Texas — The fight was long over and most of the biggest crowd to see a fight in the U.S. in 17 years had found their way out of massive Cowboys Stadium. Manny Pacquiao was in the shower, where one member of his entourage surely was in charge of selecting his shampoo while another had the task of making sure the towels were just right.

Pacquiao had easily disposed of a timid Joshua Clottey, and now he had a concert to perform. He finally emerged in an argyle sweater that would have looked better on the golf course and sunglasses more suited for the beach, with the entourage swelling about him, each jockeying for position in case he could be the lucky one chosen to fluff Pacman's rice for him.

There was only a few minutes to talk about Floyd Mayweather Jr. and next month's run for congress in the Philippines. The postfight party awaited, and once more the star was ready to perform.

"The first song I'm going to sing is "La Bamba,"' Pacquiao said.

It's a good time to be Manny Pacquiao, and Texas proved to be a good host to the hottest fighter around. Nearly 51,000 made their way into the edifice built by Jerry Jones to watch him fight Saturday night and few seemed to leave disappointed, even if Clottey's reluctance to mix it up deprived them of a spectacular fight.

The win was about as easy as they come, with Pacquiao capturing every round on one judge's scorecard and all but one on the other two. By the time they count all the pay-per-view receipts he'll probably head home at least $15 million richer, and he didn't have to put up with Mayweather's antics to make another huge payday.

The fight that never was may still happen, perhaps in November, perhaps at Cowboys Stadium. Pacquiao made it clear he still wants it, and both his trainer and promoter seem to want it even more badly than the fighter himself.

"We will crush him," trainer Freddie Roach said.

It wasn't an idle boast, and it wasn't a way to hype the fight because it doesn't need hyping. Before it fell apart over Mayweather's insistence on blood testing, the bout was supposed to have taken place Saturday night and likely would have been the richest ever in boxing.

But Mayweather must first now get past a fight of his own, a May 1 bout against Shane Mosley that may be his toughest yet. And promoter Bob Arum made it clear that there will be no negotiations this time around about any sort of blood testing no matter how much Mayweather might try to raise the point.

"That was a stupid mistake I made by playing Neville Chamberlain and negotiating this issue," Arum said, drawing an analogy that only a boxing promoter could. "You don't negotiate. You don't appease. Chamberlain negotiated with Hitler on Munich and look what happened."

History lesson aside, there clearly isn't any need for Pacquiao's camp to bend on the issue. Any thought that Mayweather diminished his popularity when he insinuated Pacquiao must be juiced to have won titles from 112 to 147 pounds evaporated when they opened the doors at Cowboys Stadium and throngs of people poured in hours early for the party.

And a party was what it was, despite Clottey's attempt to preserve his boxing future by spending long stretches of time in the ring holding his gloves in a peek-a-boo style to avoid getting hit. Pacquiao did the best he could to force the issue, throwing punch after punch after punch -- more than 1,200 in all -- but if a fighter goes into the ring just to survive the odds are good he will do just that.

Someone who managed to get a microphone at the postfight press conference congratulated Clottey for making it through 12 rounds, and asked him what his secret for success was.

"Manny Pacquiao is beating everybody," Clottey said. "He's knocking them out. I have to do what I can and I think I did my best."

Arum didn't seem to mind that he had just paid someone $2 million to go into a shell. This was a party, after all, and the fight was secondary.

"What was he supposed to do?" Arum said. "If he played offense he'd get knocked out."

This was a freebie for Pacquiao, and one he had probably earned. It's hard to blame him for having an opponent just trying to stay upright, not after what he did to Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto in his previous three fights.

This, apparently, is what it has come to with Pacman. No longer just content to beat fighters he's now a 145 3/4 pounds of sheer intimidation, kind of a junior Mike Tyson who takes on his business with a smile instead of a scowl.

He's so good that a very good and veteran practicer of the sweet science decided that it was better to survive intact than go down in a blaze of glory. So good that there wouldn't be any question about his place on boxing's hierarchy if there wasn't this annoyance named Floyd Mayweather.

So good that the only worry in his camp is that he will actually win a seat in congress back home and not fight anymore.

"He's probably going to win the election," Arum said. "But that's all right because if their congress is anything like ours, they don't do anything anyway."

The glow of his latest win had even his tough guy trainer speaking fondly about the fighter he has helped transform a tough sport.

"I'm just happy to be a part of Manny Pacquiao's life," Roach said.

He's not alone. Just ask the guy lucky enough to be chosen to fluff his rice.

___--

Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg(at)ap.org

Grammy winners abound...

Album of the Year: Fearless — Taylor Swift

Song of the Year: “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” — Thaddis Harrell, Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash & Christopher Stewart, songwriters (Beyoncé)

Best Solo Rock Performance: “Working on a Dream” — Bruce Springsteen

Record of the Year: “Use Somebody” — Kings of Leon

Best Country Album: Fearless — Taylor Swift

Best Rock Album: 21st Century Breakdown — Green Day

Best Hard Rock Performance: “War Machine” — AC/DC

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: “Run This Town” — Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West

Best Dance Recording: “Poker Face” — Lady Gaga

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: “Halo” — Beyoncé

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: “Use Somebody” — Kings of Leon

Best New Artist: Zac Brown Band

Best Electronic/Dance Album: The Fame — Lady Gaga

Best Alternative Music Album: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix — Phoenix

Best Contemporary R&B Album: I Am… Sasha Fierce — Beyoncé

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” — Beyoncé

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: “I Gotta Feeling” — The Black Eyed Peas

Best Rock Song: “Use Somebody” — Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill & Nathan Followill, songwriters (Kings Of Leon)

Best Pop Vocal Album: The E.N.D. — The Black Eyed Peas

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: “Pretty Wings” — Maxwell

Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: “Blame It” — Jamie Foxx & T-Pain

Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: “At Last” — Beyoncé

Best Rock Instrumental Performance: “A Day in the Life” — Jeff Beck

Best Urban/Alternative Performance: “Pearls” — India.Arie & Dobet Gnahore

Best R&B Song: “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” — Thaddis Harrell, Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash & Christopher Stewart, songwriters (Beyoncé)

Best Rap Solo Performance: “D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)” — Jay-Z

Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group: “Crack a Bottle” — Eminem, Dr. Dre & 50 Cent

Best Rap Song: “Run This Town” — Jeff Bhasker, Shawn Carter, Robyn Fenty, Kanye West & Ernest Wilson, songwriters (Athanasios Alatas, songwriter) (Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West)

Best Rap Album: Relapse — Eminem

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: “Make It Mine” — Jason Mraz

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals: “Lucky” — Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat

Best Female Country Vocal Performance: “White Horse” — Taylor Swift

Best Male Country Vocal Performance: “Sweet Thing” — Keith Urban

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album — Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden — Michael Bublé

Best Metal Performance: “Dissident Aggressor” — Judas Priest

Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: “I Run to You” — Lady Antebellum

Best Country Collaboration With Vocals: “I Told You So” — Carrie Underwood & Randy Travis

Best Country Song: “White Horse” — Liz Rose & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)

Best Americana Album: Electric Dirt — Levon Helm

Best Contemporary Blues Album: Already Free — The Derek Trucks Band

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media: Slumdog Millionaire — Various Artists, A.R. Rahman, producer

Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media: “Jai Ho” (From Slumdog Millionaire) — Gulzar, A.R. Rahman & Tanvi Shah, songwriters (A.R. Rahman, Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah, Mahalaxmi Iyer & Vijay Prakash)

Best Recording Package: Everything That Happens Will Happen Today — Stefan Sagmeister, art director (David Byrne & Brian Eno)

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: Neil Young Archives Vol. I (1963-1972) — Gary Burden, Jenice Heo & Neil Young, art directors (Neil Young)

Best Short Form Music Video: “Boom Boom Pow” — The Black Eyed Peas

Best Long Form Music Video: “The Beatles Love – All Together Now” — (Various Artists)

Best Comedy Album: A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift Of All! — Stephen Colbert

Ava-WHO?

Honorary Academy Awards
• Lauren Bacall
• Roger Corman
• Gordon Willis
Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award
• John Calley

Major awards

Best Picture

• The Hurt Locker
o Avatar
o The Blind Side
o District 9
o An Education
o Inglourious Basterds
o Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
o A Serious Man
o Up
o Up in the Air

Best Director
• Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker
o James Cameron – Avatar
o Lee Daniels – Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
o Jason Reitman – Up in the Air
o Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds

Best Actor
• Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart as Otis "Bad" Blake
o George Clooney – Up in the Air as Ryan Bingham
o Colin Firth – A Single Man as George Falconer
o Morgan Freeman – Invictus as Nelson Mandela
o Jeremy Renner – The Hurt Locker as Sgt. William James

Best Actress
• Sandra Bullock – The Blind Side as Leigh Anne Tuohy
o Helen Mirren – The Last Station as Sofya Tolstoy
o Carey Mulligan – An Education as Jenny Miller
o Gabourey Sidibe – Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire as Claireece "Precious" Jones
o Meryl Streep – Julie & Julia as Julia Child

Best Supporting Actor
• Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds as Col. Hans Landa
o Matt Damon – Invictus as François Pienaar
o Woody Harrelson – The Messenger as Capt. Tony Stone
o Christopher Plummer – The Last Station as Leo Tolstoy
o Stanley Tucci – The Lovely Bones as George Harvey

Best Supporting Actress

• Mo'Nique – Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire as Mary Lee Johnston
o Penélope Cruz – Nine as Carla Albanese
o Vera Farmiga – Up in the Air as Alex Goran
o Maggie Gyllenhaal – Crazy Heart as Jean Craddock
o Anna Kendrick – Up in the Air as Natalie Keener

Best Original Screenplay
• The Hurt Locker – Mark Boal
o Inglourious Basterds – Quentin Tarantino
o The Messenger – Alessandro Camon and Oren Moverman
o A Serious Man – Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
o Up – Tom McCarthy, Bob Peterson and Pete Docter


Best Adapted Screenplay




• Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire – Geoffrey Fletcher from Push by Sapphire
o District 9 – Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell from Alive in Joburg by Blomkamp
o An Education – Nick Hornby from An Education by Lynn Barber
o In the Loop – Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci and Tony Roche from The Thick of It created by Iannucci
o Up in the Air – Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner from Up in the Air by Walter Kirn

Best Animated Feature
• Up – Pete Docter
o Coraline – Henry Selick
o Fantastic Mr. Fox – Wes Anderson
o The Princess and the Frog – Ron Clements and John Musker
o The Secret of Kells – Tomm Moore


Best Foreign Language Film

• El Secreto de Sus Ojos (Argentina) in Spanish – Juan José Campanella
o Ajami (Israel) in Arabic and Hebrew – Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani
o The Milk of Sorrow (Peru) in Spanish and Quechua – Claudia Llosa
o A Prophet (France) in French, Corsican and Arabic – Jacques Audiard
o The White Ribbon (Germany) in German – Michael Haneke

Other awards

Best Documentary Feature
• The Cove – Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens
o Burma VJ – Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
o Food, Inc. – Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
o The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers – Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
o Which Way Home – Rebecca Cammisa '

Best Documentary Short



• Music by Prudence – Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
o China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province – Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill
o The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner – Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
o The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant – Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
o Rabbit à la Berlin – Bartosz Konopka and Anna Wydra

Best Live Action Short

• The New Tenants – Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson
o The Door – Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
o Instead of Abracadabra – Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
o Kavi – Gregg Helvey
o Miracle Fish – Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey


Best Animated Short
• Logorama – Nicolas Schmerkin
o French Roast – Fabrice O. Joubert
o Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty – Nicky Phelan and Darragh O'Connell
o The Lady and the Reaper – Javier Recio Gracia
o A Matter of Loaf and Death – Nick Park

Best Original Score
• Up – Michael Giacchino
o Avatar – James Horner
o Fantastic Mr. Fox – Alexandre Desplat
o The Hurt Locker – Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
o Sherlock Holmes – Hans Zimmer


Best Original Song
• "The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)" from Crazy Heart – Ryan Bingham and T-Bone Burnett
o "Almost There" from The Princess and the Frog – Randy Newman
o "Down in New Orleans" from The Princess and the Frog – Randy Newman
o "Loin de Paname" from Paris 36 – Reinhardt Wagner and Frank Thomas
o "Take it All" from Nine – Maury Yeston



Best Sound Editing
• The Hurt Locker – Paul N.J. Ottosson
o Avatar – Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
o Inglourious Basterds – Wylie Stateman
o Star Trek – Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
o Up – Michael Silvers and Tom Myers


Best Sound Mixing




• The Hurt Locker – Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
o Avatar – Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
o Inglourious Basterds – Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
o Star Trek – Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
o Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson


Best Art Direction

• Avatar – Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
o The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus – Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
o Nine – Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
o Sherlock Holmes – Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
o The Young Victoria – Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray


Best Cinematography




• Avatar – Mauro Fiore
o Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – Bruno Delbonnel
o The Hurt Locker – Barry Ackroyd
o Inglourious Basterds – Robert Richardson
o The White Ribbon – Christian Berger


Best Makeup

• Star Trek – Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
o Il Divo – Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
o The Young Victoria – Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore


Best Costume Design




• The Young Victoria – Sandy Powell
o Bright Star – Janet Patterson
o Coco Before Chanel – Catherine Leterrier
o The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus – Monique Prudhomme
o Nine – Colleen Atwood


Best Film Editing


• The Hurt Locker – Chris Innis and Bob Murawski
o Avatar – James Cameron, John Refoua and Stephen E. Rivkin
o District 9 – Julian Clarke
o Inglourious Basterds – Sally Menke
o Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire – Joe Klotz


Best Visual Effects
• Avatar – Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
o District 9 – Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros, and Matt Aitken
o Star Trek – Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton

Multiple nominations and wins

The following films received multiple nominations.
• 9 nominations: Avatar and The Hurt Locker
• 8 nominations: Inglourious Basterds
• 6 nominations: Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire and Up in the Air
• 5 nominations: Up
• 4 nominations: District 9, Nine and Star Trek
• 3 nominations: An Education, Crazy Heart, The Princess and the Frog and The Young Victoria
• 2 nominations: A Serious Man, The Blind Side, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Invictus, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, The Last Station, The Messenger, Sherlock Holmes and The White Ribbon

The following films received multiple awards.
• 6 wins: The Hurt Locker
• 3 wins: Avatar
• 2 wins: Crazy Heart, Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire and Up

On Spring Sing 2010, tortellini and red wine



DSCN1932, originally uploaded by bedlamonbalticavenue.
I decided on Friday that I was going to head down to Long Beach City College's Liberal Arts Campus for Spring Sing 2010. And the catch was this: no need for me to go ahead and use the bus to get there. I decided I will use both feet to get over there.




Not a difficult set of streets to get there: Santa Fe, Willow, Clark. I crossed a bridge, climbed a hill, descended down a freeway overpass, and walked on stilts on my way to the venue. I did make one stopover to Name Your Game to repair my red Tong sweater. All right, it was two if you count rehydration at Subway in Signal Hill.




Normally, I do not walking this long of a path because I am not used to it. But when I had my first physical in a long-ass time, and I saw my results, I thought, "Oh my fucking god, I need to get out and drop some pounds or something!" Now I am eating footlong Veggie Delights washed down with light lemonade and green tea, with a bag of Baked Lays on the side. Totally unlike me.




You know something? Curse whoever came up with the faggotry of a disorder called prediabetes. It's an American epidemic that should never have been conceived or named. Because of that word, I am officially scared as F.U.C.K. (without the "my" in "Amy"). So out of fear, I'm walking long distances now. The hope is that this doesn't become few and far between due to the work load I need to do these next few weeks.




But back to the Spring Sing. So this was my first time at the event since "Olevision '05." I came up with that name, by the way, for all of you wondering. And the logo for that was a blatant spoof of the ABC ident. This year, it was "Poetry In Motion." Cheesy theme, but if that's what they came up with, then, well...that's what we'll have to settle for. It's quite better than "Another Waste Of Time." Or "Another Waste of Your Hard-Earned Financial Aid." Or "We Need Scholarships, we're Fucking Desperate, and we have a College Promise to Fucking Uphold!"




That's what Spring Sing was all about. All the proceeds from the variety show and the art fair and concessions went to upholding the scholarships promised by the College.




Little more background on this: the Men of Aztlan were the defending champions, but they were going to face some tough competition this year. When I was a student, the likes of Junior Exchange hogged up all the Sweepstakes trophies. I still regret having to see the 2003 side win Sweepstakes, while my team from the Order of Tong International settled for Men's Division.




Thankfully, those fuckers are inactive. I hope they stay that way. However, we did redeem ourselves a few years later (and this was after I graduated) with a rendition of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."




But before I went over to the Auditorium for the performance, I took some shots of the backgrounds that would be used. As a matter of fact, if you take a look at my flickr profile (bedlamonbalticavenue) you shall see an extensive gallery of all the action, and bonus coverage.




After some background shots, I went over and looked for the Foundation building. I knew that the place had moved, but to where? I meant to find out.




On the way to the Foundation building, I passed by good old Building E, the College Center. I asked one of the attendants, and she said "Either Building T or O." Before I left, I saw a few of performers from my club. And these were some new, energetic faces.




Putting on my hat, I smiled and left. Suddenly, they found out that I was a Tong alum, but they weren't sure. So they went to find me.




I introduced myself to the current members. "Jo-Ryan Salazar, class of 2005, Tong Pledge 151. So, you guys are getting ready for Spring Sing huh?"

They nodded. "We're just waiting for the wolf costume to come in," one of them said. This year, it was about the Three Little Pigs.

"All right. Now, I want you to keep this in mind. Aztlan are the defending champions. You got no pressure. NO PRESSURE. Leave everything out on the floor, and let the chips fall where they may. Even if you don't win anything, the important thing to take is that you performed with no pressure on you. All the weight is on them. Got it?"

"Thanks, Jo-Ryan!" they all said.

"Good luck!" And so I saw them off. Tong would go on to win the Men's Division at the end of the night. That's what happens when they listen to an alum that's been there and won that. It's an "I Told You So" moment.




The new South Quad Building, also known as Building T, is home to a number of administrative offices. Whether or not it was home to the foundation remained to be seen.




So I asked one of the attendants, "Where's the Foundation building?"

"Building O, on Conant," she said. At that point, my heart sunk.

"You're kidding me."

"I don't know if it will be a walk you can handle..."

"No problem. I'll be fine." And I dragged myself down Clark as if I was walking on stilts.




"Oh god, why? Why do I have to walk a little bit longer for my dinner!?" I screamed to the heavens with a sniffle. "Is this was you planned for me, sir? If so, then let me collapse on these stones!" Okay, maybe I didn't say it that way, but I was quite bummed that I had to walk a little bit longer to Building O, located next to Rosie the Riveter Park, Veterans Stadium's parking lot and the Central Plant.




"Is this where the dinner is?" I asked one of the caterers, bringing in a pot of tortellini.

"You're in the right spot," she said.

"Hallelujah! I am still alive, and I am in Building O!" I was exuberant, but starved. It was a simple dinner on tap: tortellini, salad and bread, with light beverages, Heineken and wine.




"Hello, I am here for the..." I couldn't finish what I was saying because I was slumping on the side of the wall of the second floor.

"Oh my goodness," said Nancy yoho of the LBCC Alumni Association. "How did you get here?"

"I walked all the way from my house without public transportation to here."

"Oh my gosh."

"And this was a day after I walked all the way to my house without public transportation to Long Beach State."

"Oh dear God. well, just sit tight and rest for a bit; dinner will be ready in a bit." For a few fleeting moments, I wondered if I really overdid it.




In between helpings of pasta, salad and sourdough slabs washed down with sips of Cabernet Sauvignon, I took stock at some photos of Spring Sing teams past. And I even took shots of previous editions of the Saga yearbook, which used to be published by the College years back. In the heyday of the college, clubs like Mahabharate, Ramayana, Hammurabi and the Order of Tyr were in existence. Thor also was a club that saw its heyday during those times and only recently made a comeback.




I would love to see all those clubs return: Car Amies, Entre Nous, Amigos...heck, I would love to see those louts from JX return as well, as much as I still despise each and every one of their asses. Every one of those clubs combined with those existing now...hoo hoo, we're talking one of the biggest student life conglomerates one will see at a JC!




I realized that I had to pay by cash for my beverages. I told my old friend Dr. virginia Baxter, "I already made a $5.00 donation to you guys, so now I can get some water and wine."

"How were you able to do that?" she asked.

I pointed to the computer behind me.

"You little devil!"




With my batteries recharged and my resolve renewed, it was back to the auditorium. I met some old fellas from my days gone by at the College: Mitchell and Jorge Cardenas, Mike Arango and my big brother from Tong, Hector Garcia. They were stunned when I told them how I got there, but I explained why. At the same time, they were quite pleased that I finished one of my two master's degrees. I told them, "Pass it on."




It was nice to see the ASB Representative of Arts and the Associated Student Body Cabinet (so they returned to that name, huh?) take part in the show.




The first act, an interpretation of Madeleine by the Ladies of Athena, was unimpressive. They all looked chubby. When I was a student, Athena's girls were lean and hot. Not anymore. Times have changed. Next.




The Goddesses of Venus chose to do "I Rise" by Maya Angelou. I don't think the narrator was compellinmg enough. It was clear from where I was sitting (and, mind you, this was WAAYYYY in the back) that she was reading the lines from a paper. Athena and Venus...out. Next.




The Creative Arts department at LBCC put on a solid rendition of "Stomp Your Feet." Obviously they were not going to be judged because it would be unfair. These were some true performers singing and dancing. wonderful stuff. A little Aaron Copeland.




The American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA), who would win the Co-Ed Division, delivered a rousing rendition of the Battle of the Sexes. Some nice dance moves from the sistahs and real rapping by the mistahs kept things in order. Beautiful stuff.




At last, one of the real heavy hitters of the show arrived. I have a slight affinity for the Lovely Ladies of AKNA. I had some friends who were members. Or course, though, I have respect for TNT. They are the oldest continuously-operating women's social service club (the female version of Tong, in a way). AKNA did a great rendition of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Not only did they have solid choreography, but they had a great balance of acting, and even added a slow-motion celebratory sequence, which segued into the club's strongest value: sisterhood.




It was proper, it was done right, and it was fun to watch.




I do feel that the Men of Thor were shortchanged at this event. They put on a tribute to the Beatles, with complete instruments, outfits and wigs to go with their choreography. The problem here was the instruments proved to be, in my view, against the spirit of a Sweepstakes-winning Spring Sing performance. But Thor should have earned more love from the judges. They really got shafted here.




The Pacific Islanders Club did some nice haka and hula dancing to go with some contemporary island grooves. The audience was feeling the love, hooting and hollering. I joined in just for the heck of it.




I met my old ASB Cabinet friend, Shirley, at the show. She did a nice rendition of "Piggy Sue," a little tale of a farmer and her little swine friend on the farm. Also, Kenji Miyazawa of the International Club serenaded the audiences with a Japanese love song while a DJ from KLBC paid tribute to Patsy Cline with "Crazy."




TNT's take on "Alice In Wonderland" was great to see. But while the dancing was there, I don't think the acting was. And some of the choreography was off. It was not balanced enough to be Sweepstakes-worthy. Nonetheless, they did well enough to win the Women's Division, as well as win the award for most tickets sold.




I liked the Three Little Pigs skit. I don't know if it was the fact that Derek Oriee directed the whole show, or if my advice to themn actually worked. One of the members of that cast actually ended up winning the Drama King Award. Simply put, it exceeded my expectations.




AZtlan's version was "The Cat In the Hat." Actually, it was a tribute to Dr. Seuss. Now, I have my guesses as to why they didn't defend their title, even though I felt they put on a good show.

1. This was done in another form last year by TNT.

2. The judges wanted someone else to take the honors.

3. Possible outside influence from other clubs, and the fact that the spirit heard in the other organizations may have contributed. (I was cheering for my guys, but whether or not that played a factor I will neither confirm nor deny).




And the final act was a poem talking about the issues concerning students at LBCC, and it was a call to action. It put everything in full circle while adhering to the theme.




I had to sacrifice watching Long Beach State edge UC Riverside at the Myd, but I'm glad I returned to something that I myself was a part of. I played the role of the reporter during Tong's Spiderman skit in '03. Amazing how everything just comes full circle.




Maybe I need to make walking all the way up to the college without using the bus every first Friday of March a habit after all.