The Carson Civil War of 2008 - Battle 4: The Cathedral Catholic Crusade

The Carson Civil War of 2008
Battle 4
The Cathedral Catholic Crusade

vs.

St. Mary's (Stockton) vs. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego)

34 37

The second of three games I watched yesterday, the Dons from San Diego came from behind to win the Division II bowl game over a tenacious St. Mary's side. After this game concluded, this victory made the South 4 for 4 heading into the Open Division match.

From the San Diego Union Tribune and the Stockton Record.

Gaffney's 329 yards rushing, 5 TDs lead Dons

By Kevin Gemmell

UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

9:23 a.m. December 21, 2008

CARSON – In Tyler, Cathedral trusts.

Tyler Gaffney, the Dons' beyond-prolific running back, turned in a performance for the ages last night, leading Cathedral Catholic to a come-from-behind, 37-34 win over Stockton St. Mary's in the Division II State Championship Bowl at the Home Depot Center.

Gaffney rushed for 329 yards and five touchdowns – both state bowl game records – and he set the San Diego Section season rushing record with 2,866 yards.

“It's amazingly perfect – 14-0 this season. A (section Division III) championship. League champs. State champs. There's nothing more you can ask for as a senior,” Gaffney said.

It was a night for defense to take a back seat to the stars on offense. The teams combined for 1,051 yards and 44 first downs. While Gaffney thrilled on the ground, St. Mary's quarterback Cody Vaz was equally impressive in the air. He dissected the Cathedral secondary, completing 31-of-46 passes for 336 yards and four touchdowns.

“That kid is unreal,” Cathedral coach Sean Doyle said of Vaz. “Luckily our guy was just as good as their guy was tonight because he kept bringing them back.”

It's the second time a San Diego Section team has won the Division II bowl game. Last year Oceanside defeated Novato 28-14.

Last night's back-and-forth contest featured one big play after another. Gaffney would break a long run, Vaz would convert a critical third-down pass. The Dons would score, the Rams would answer.

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“I figured it would be an offensive shootout,” Gaffney said. “Our defense is good, but Vaz has been tearing it up.

“This means everything,” Gaffney said. “Any good team goes to (section). But it takes a real team to win state. That's what we wanted to come out and prove.”

Ultimately, it was an incomplete pass from Vaz on fourth down that turned the ball over to the Dons with 1:59 to play. Needing to convert a third down to run out the clock, Dons' quarterback Parker Hipp looked to – who else? – Gaffney. A 16-yard completion, followed by a victory formation kneel-down, and the win was secured.

“I've never been a part of anything that crazy,” Hipp said. “It's a storybook ending to a perfect season. I couldn't love my teammates any more than I do right now.”

Of the 10 plays that went for 20 yards or more, three came in a breathtaking, two-minute span in the fourth quarter.

Trailing 27-23, the Dons converted a fourth-and-9 at the Rams 32 when Hipp handed off to Gaffney, who passed to Hipp for a 31-yard gain. Gaffney walked in for a 1-yard score on the next play.

“We ran it twice (this season),” Hipp said. “But it never worked that perfectly. It was the perfect call by the coaches.”

On the ensuing kickoff, St. Mary's Chad West put the Rams back on top with a 96-yard touchdown return.

Two plays after the kickoff, Gaffney broke loose on a 51-yard touchdown run, putting the Dons ahead for good.

While it was a watershed night for Gaffney, the offensive line reveled in opening up holes for him.

“That was the best D-line we've seen,” Cathedral tackle Everett Benyard said. “We love the competition. That's what we dream of, a defensive line that comes in and thinks they can hang with us.”

St. Mary's coach Tony Franks, whose team finished 12-3, said Gaffney was as advertised.

“He lived up to the hype,” Franks said. “We weren't real familiar up in our neck of the woods with the kinds of things he'd accomplished this year. But we sure are now.”

---

Kevin Gemmell: (619) 718-5304; kevin.gemmell@uniontrib.com

St. Mary's brilliant in defeat

St. Mary's leaves it all on the field in Division II championship game

By Stephen Roberson

Record Staff Writer

December 21, 2008 6:00 AM

CARSON - St. Mary's will be remembered for playing in perhaps the best game in the three-year history of the CIF State Championship Bowl Games, but the Rams won't be remembered as Division II champions.

Cathedral Catholic running back Tyler Gaffney rushed for 329 yards on 33 carries with five touchdowns to lead the Dons to a dramatic 37-34 win over the Rams on Saturday in the Division II title game at the Home Depot Center.

St. Mary's, led by quarterback Cody Vaz and receiver Louie Lechich, stayed with Cathedral the entire game.

A potential game-winning drive ended when Vaz's fourth-and-3 pass to Louie Lechich from the Dons' 33-yard line fell incomplete with less than two minutes remaining.

"I knew it was going to come down to a few plays at the end of the game, and that's what happened," St. Mary's coach Tony Franks said. "Our kids are absolute, 100 percent champions. ... I couldn't be more proud of the team and the staff and the effort we put forth tonight."

Vaz finished with a bowl-record 336 yards on 31-of-46 passing with four touchdown passes. Lechich, who had 157 yards receiving and two touchdowns, set a new bowl game record for catches with 15.

The teams combined for more than 1,000 yards of total offense.

Cathedral Catholic set a bowl game record with 590 yards, and St. Mary's had 451, 125 rushing and 326 passing.

St. Mary's took its first lead, 27-23, with 9:38 remaining when Vaz connected with Alex Michaels for the second time.

Cathedral Catholic countered with an eight-play, 70-yard drive that Gaffney capped with a 1-yard touchdown run, his fourth, putting the Dons in front, 30-27.

The Rams took the lead right back when Chad West returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown.

But Gaffney gave the Dons the lead for good with a 51-yard touchdown run with 4:45 remaining.

Contact reporter Stephen Roberson at (209) 546-8272 or sroberson@recordnet.com.

The Carson Civil War of 2008 - Battle 3: The St. Bonaventure Blitzkrieg

The Carson Civil War of 2008
Battle 3
The St. Bonaventure Blitzkrieg

vs.

Cardinal-Newman (Santa Rosa) vs. St. Bonaventure (Ventura)

6 28

The first of three games I attended last night, St. Bonaventure was a team my Lakewood Lancers faced a few years ago. We won that game, but this year's team would have given us fits. Nonetheless, this was a third straight victory for the South.

From the Ventura County Star and Santa Rosa Press-Democrat.

Secondary delivers first-rate performance

By Loren Ledin (Contact)
Sunday, December 21, 2008

CARSON — St. Bonaventure High defensive backfield coach Andy Gibson has a special nickname for his guys in the secondary.

"I call them the jet fighters," said Gibson. "With their speed, the way they attack and hang with anybody, that's what they are."

Amidst the postgame celebration on the football field at the Home Depot Center, he offered visual representation. Gibson extended his arms horizontally to simulate a flying aircraft.

"They even do this in the pregame warmups to get ready," Gibson said with a broad smile. "They get ready to attack."

On Saturday, with the Seraphs seeking the perfect ending to another stellar season, the secondary shot holes in Cardinal Newman's vaunted pass offense.

The Seraphs limited the high-flying Cardinals to just a pair of field goals, sacked quarterback Randy Wright five times and yielded just 127 passing yards en route to a 28-6 victory in the CIF State Division III championship bowl game.

Even for a program that has piled up eight CIF-Southern Section crowns in the past 10 years, including the last two in the Northern Division, there are more worlds to conquer.

St. Bonaventure, on the heels of last year's victory in the same Division III game, becomes the first California high school team in the modern era to win two bowl games.

"I never would have believed," said Troy Hill, a junior cornerback and two-year starter. "To win two bowl games is an amazing feeling."

Fellow cornerback J.B. Dock happily concurred.

"It was our goal to go back to back in bowl victories," the senior said. "I can't imagine a better way to go out as a high school player than to win another bowl game."

Hill and Dock, the starting cornerbacks, and safeties Tim Bennett and Joe Luna played a vital role in the happy finale.

Entering Saturday's matchup, Cardinal Newman's spread offense had amassed 544 points en route to a 13-0 record, including the North Coast Section Division II championship. Wright, the 6-foot-2 senior quarterback, had completed an impressive 70 percent of his passes while piling up 2,571 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Against the Seraphs, the Cardinals hit a stone wall.

"We knew they were going to test us, and come after us often," said Dock. "What we wanted to do was give up nothing behind us. We really didn't want to give up anything.

"We really played with a lot of confidence, because we've really done the job all season."

Hill said the Seraphs' big asset — prohibitive team speed — proved to be the difference.

"With our speed, we feel like we can make all the plays and get to the ball just as well as any receiver," he said. "We feel like we can stop anybody."

Dylan Davis, the Seraphs' junior linebacker and top tackler, said he is surrounded by playmakers.

"Our defensive line gives such a great push," he said. "They deserve a lot of the credit. But our secondary guys can cover anybody. Not many guys are going to get open."

Cardinal Newman running back Jeff Badger was impressed.

"That's the best defense we have played against all year," he said. "They have so much team speed."

The secondary proved indomitable in the first half, helping the Seraphs overcome two fumbles and one interception.

The Seraphs' five sacks were all "coverage" sacks, or the fact Wright could find no receivers open.

Cardinal Newman's one long sustained drive covered 76 yards in the first half and reached the St. Bonaventure 5-yard line. But incompletions on second and third down forced the Cardinals to settle for a 22-yard field goal.

At game's end, after turning in a stellar day's work on defense, Dock got his chance for two "carries." He helped carry the ice bucket in the waning seconds that first doused head coach Todd Therrien, and then splashed assistant coach Gibson.

"There is a lot to celebrate," Dock said with a laugh.

St. Bonaventure 28, Cardinal Newman 6

At Home Depot Center, Carson

Cardinal Newman 0 6 0 0— 6

St. Bonaventure 14 0 7 7—28

First quarter

SB — Hall 53 run (Kirk kick), 2:56.

SB — Langkilde 2 run (Kirk kick), 0:21.

Second quarter

CN — FG Wright 22, 7:19.

CN — FG Wright 36, 0:00.

Third quarter

SB — Blackledge 25 run (Kirk kick), 4:18.

Fourth quarter

SB — Gibson 14 pass from Lo. Meyer (Kirk kick), 10:15.

FB Teams Stats: CN SB

First downs 19 17

Rushes-yards 40-127 26-196

Passing yards 127 147

Total yards 254 343

Comp-Att-Int 19-31-0 11-16-1

Punts-avg. 3-22.7 1-49.0

Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-2

Penalties-yards 2-10 5-40

Sacked-yards lost 5-28 0-0

RUSHING — Cardinal Newman: Badger 16-79, Ferguson 13-57, Wright 11-(—9). St. Bonaventure: Blackledge 10-89, Hall 7-78, Schouder 3-25, Langkilde 3-9, Rodarte 2-1, team 1-(—2).

PASSING — Cardinal Newman: Wright 19-31-0-127. St. Bonaventure: Lo. Meyer 10-15-1-140, Kirk 1-1-0-7.

RECEIVING — Cardinal Newman: Amaral 10-69, Miller 3-32, North 2-19, Badger 2-9, Ferguson 2-(—2). St. Bonaventure: Rodarte 4-58, Gibson 3-51, Z. Meyer 1-19, Ledesma 1-9, Langkilde 1-7, Hall .

MISSED FIELD GOALS — None.

TEAM RECORDS — Cardinal Newman 13-1, St. Bonaventure 14-1.

===

Newman loses in state final 28-6 to St. Bonaventure


By RICH RUPPRECHT
PRESS DEMOCRAT

Published: Saturday, December 20, 2008 at 3:17 p.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, December 20, 2008 at 7:39 p.m.

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

CARSON — There was no exciting ending, no overtime like the last time. St. Bonaventure of Ventura was that good.

Cardinal Newman stayed close for a half, but failed to score an offensive touchdown for the first time in three years and St. Bonaventure showed off a big-play offense that ended with a 28-6 Seraphs win in the Division III state football championship game Saturday afternoon at the Home Depot Center.

Cardinal Newman started out good, Jonathan Steele causing a fumble on St. Bonaventure’s first possession, but even after putting together long, time-consuming first half drives, the Cardinals were unable to punch the ball into the endzone. Despite dominating the first half clock and running 40 plays to St. Bonaventure’s 19, Newman trailed 14-6 at intermission.

“At halftime I really thought we could win the game,” Newman coach Paul Cronin said. “They were just so fast and we had a small margin of error.”

Newman wide receiver Wade Amaral had a game-high 10 receptions, but for only 69 yards and he was never able to get away from St. Bonaventure’s lightning quick secondary.

“We came out and thought we could hang with them, but that is a really good team,” Amaral said. “We tried to mix it up.”

Newman quarterback Randy Wright didn’t have time to look for second and third receivers. He was sacked five times and hurried his throws frequently. He was 19-of-31 passing for a season-low 127 yards.

“They blitzed a lot and they were all pretty fast,” Wright said.

Jeff Badger, who led all rushers with 81 yards on 16 carries, said he was exhausted at the end of the game, having to play both offense and defense.

“We just got tired,” Badger said. “By far that was the best team we’ve played this season.”

St. Bonaventure game-breaker, back Patrick Hall, who was used sparingly by coach Todd Therrien, scored on the Seraphs’ third possession, looking like a USC tailback, running 53 yards for a touchdown. Actually, Hall has committed to USC as a defensive back.

A poor punt of only five yards by Wright, set up another St. Bonaventure score at the end of the first quarter.

Starting at Newman’s 20, it only took three running plays for the Seraphs to score, ending with a two-yard burst up the middle by fullback Marcus Langkilde.

Newman’s best quarter was easily the second, but the Cardinals could manage just two field goals by Wright.

A 16-play, 81-yard drive ended with Wright kicking a 22-yard field goal.

The next time Newman got the ball, Joe Ferguson rushed for 11 yards and Badger for 16 as the Cardinals drove to St. Bonaventure’s 35. But the next four plays resulted in minus yardage as Wright was sacked on fourth down for a 10-yard loss.

Teyo Green then intercepted Seraphs junior quarterback Logan Meyer and Newman had yet another scoring chance at the end of the first half.

Wright threw two passes to Amaral for 14 yards and Ferguson ran for 11, putting the ball on the 19, but with under 20 seconds to go. Wright threw incomplete and then kicked a 36-yard field goal as time expired.

Cronin said he told the players at the half to keep doing what they did in the first half and try and score on its first possession. It nearly happened.

After 12- and nine-yard completions to Amaral, yet another Newman drive stalled and St. Bonaventure took over on its own 40 as Newman failed to convert on fourth-and long.

“It’s one thing to be third-and-three against that defense and it’s another to be third-and-long all the time,” Cronin said.

St. Bonaventure made it an uphill climb for Newman by scoring again on its first possession of the second half. Big plays were a 24-yard pass from Meyer to Drew Gibson and a 25-yard touchdown run by Devon Blackledge.

St. Bonaventure made it 28-6 early in the fourth quarter on a 14-yard TD pass from Meyer to Gibson.

Newman put together one more impressive drive, Badger having a 10-yard run and Casey Miller a 16-yard reception to highlight it, but Wright was stopped on a hard hit at the seven on third-and-long and Ferguson was thrown for a three-yard loss on fourth down.

Of Newman’s offense, Therrien said, “They were dinking and dunking us (with short passes), but you can only go so far down the field doing that. I thought we played hard and played together. This is one of the best secondaries in the history of St. Bonaventure.”

Newman came here two years ago and lost in overtime to Oaks Christian.

There were tears and plenty of hugs in Newman’s locker room.

“That’s a great team,” Ferguson said. “We were prepared. It was two great teams and someone had to lose. This hurts. We worked hard together for 11½ months and then it just ends.”

“We had to play a near perfect game to win and we didn’t,” said Newman defensive coordinator Dennis Bruno. “It hurts now, it will hurt a little less in a week and a little less in a month. This season there was a lot of pain and a lot of memories.”

The Carson Civil War of 2008: Battle 2 - The Husky Revenge Tour

The Carson Civil War of 2008:

Battle 2

The Husky Revenge Tour

vs.

De La Salle (Concord) vs. Centennial (Corona)

16 21

Centennial had a bad taste in their mouths after losing last season to Concord De La Salle at the Home Depot Center. So, they decided to make amends by becoming the first-ever team in their history to go undefeated, getting some hard-earned revenge. They will be keen to see what happens between St. Thomas Aquinas and Long Beach Poly. IF both of them fall, the bling is theirs.

Hallmark victory for program
Gregg Patton
01:21 AM PST on Saturday, December 20, 2008
By GREGG PATTON

The Press-Enterprise

CARSON - As prep football legends go, none is bigger than Concord De La Salle.
Friday night, however, no legend was too big for Corona Centennial. The Huskies took one more giant step in their own impressive rise as a powerhouse by winning the school's first state title.
Centennial's exuberant, wide-open offense and its tough-guy defense outlasted De La Salle at the Home Depot Center, as the Huskies avenged a loss to the Spartans in this same venue one year ago to capture the CIF-State Division 1 championship.

"It's great because it's the team that beat us last year, and it's the team that has the best record of all time," said Huskies senior running back Arthur Burns as his teammates celebrated around him.
It was the 21-16 cherry on top that Centennial has been seeking for at least a year.
The school has already found an identity.
Under Coach Matt Logan, the Huskies have ascended to the upper echelons of prep football. They are a regionally renowned program, serving as a magnet for talented players looking for a place to show off and test their own skills.
In the 951 and the 909, Centennial rules. But the Huskies have expanded their brand.
They are celebrated as a CIF power, certified by five division titles in this decade, and sitting on two consecutive appearances in state championship bowl games.
They are ranked in national prep polls, as high as No. 2 on the USA Today chart this past week.
The Huskies routinely send their best players to college football programs you've heard of. Centennial just needed one more pretty bauble for its trophy case.

The Carson Civil War of 2008: Battle 1 - The Tartan Massacre

The Carson Civil War of 2008:

Battle 1

The Tartan Massacre

vs.

Hamilton Union (Hamilton City) vs. St. Margaret's (San Juan Capistrano)

7 59

The first battle of the Carson Civil War was a massacre, to say the least. If there is a special by ESPN on the Braves' season, don't be surprised.

From the Orange County Register:

By STEVE FRYER
OCVarsity.com

The Tartans played very well, taking that big 52-0 lead at halftime, then just running out the clock in the second half. St. Margaret's finished 15-0, the first county football team to do so. And this is the second state championship team in county history.There used to be football state championships in the early part of the 20th century. Fullerton lost to Bakersfield in the 1927 state game – there was only one at the time. Orange Lutheran beat Palo Alto in the 2006 Division II game.St. Margaret's made a lot of history this year, setting county records for winning streak, single-season victories and single-season scoring. The Tartans ended it with an exclamation point on their 15-0 run, with a CIF-Southern Section and CIF state championship.

OCVarsity.com
dalbano@ocregister.com

CARSON – Maybe there was a bit of gamesmanship in Harry Welch earlier in the week when he said he would take a two-point victory against Hamilton Union.

Or maybe Welch really was being conservative out of respect for the Northern Section champion.

Either way, the Tartans still exceeded their coach’s expectations Friday night in the inaugural CIF state small schools bowl game.

In a victory that was anything but small, the Tartans posted a 59-7 victory at the Home Depot Center to complete their third consecutive undefeated season and extend their Orange County winning streak to 43 games.

“I never expected this whatsoever,” Welch said. “Tonight, we executed. … That’s a very good football team. They’re not very big but they’re quite good. I’m very proud of (my team).”

Looking back on 2008: Michael Phelps

From The Hindu:

Extraordinary Phelps proves well-equipped for return to normality

Making his exploits seem commonplace is the latest achievement of the world’s most successful Olympian. By Donald McRae.

AP

“I was pretty terrible,” Michael Phelps says with a low laugh as he relives the moment when he slipped back into the pool for the first time since winning his eighth gold medal at the Beijing Olympics almost four months ago. “I went out quietly, on my own, and I swam a couple of miles. I didn’t quite know what to expect because this is the longest time I’ve ever been out in the pool — but I was not very good.”

Phelps, typically, manages to sound less like the greatest Olympian of all time than just a normal human being lamenting the state of his body after a long and indulgent break. He may have produced the most extraordinary sporting feat of this year, or any other, by winning 17 consecutive Olympic races in nine days but Phelps remains so refreshingly low-key that it becomes easy to understand why he is well-equipped to deal with the surreal aftermath of his epic achievement.

This is what you notice most when talking to Phelps: his apparent ordinariness is more compelling than all the gold medals or even the fact that his arms, when he spreads them wide, span a staggering six feet seven inches. He may be currently consumed by a whirlwind of American stardom and nationwide appearances, but Phelps is more interesting when he looks ahead to his strangely chaotic return to training at home in Baltimore.

“I spent most of my time training for Beijing at the University of Michigan because that’s where (his coach) Bob Bowman was based. At Michigan I trained alongside swimmers on the university team. But I’m more excited about me and Bob returning for good to our old pool at Meadowbrook in Baltimore. You get a whole range of people there. It’s quite likely that, once I’m back training, in one lane next to me you might have a baby in swimmer-diapers and in the adjoining lane you’ll have a little old lady taking her daily exercise.”

The very idea of the “superhuman” Phelps churning through the water while a nappy-wearing baby and a pensioner bob about in his mighty wake, gives a new slant to the concept of elite training. Phelps earned a $1m (about £674,000) Beijing bonus from Speedo for breaking Mark Spitz’s record of winning seven gold medals — and he and Bowman will use the money to transform Meadowbrook into a “world-class” facility. But, for the moment, he seems happy to be training alongside such unlikely swimming partners.

“It’s a special environment and people in Baltimore are very down to earth. These last months have been nuts and that’s why I’m looking forward to things calming down so, back home, I might reflect on the Olympics.”

Phelps reveals a grittier edge when considering how he might continue to motivate himself after the glittering fulfilment of Beijing. When he began swimming with Bowman at the age of 11, he was driven by anger, as he thrashed through the water seething over the break-up of his parents’ marriage. He also used swimming to transform himself from a geeky kid who was bullied and on Ritalin to control his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. By the time he was an Olympic champion he had found new ways to inspire himself. “In my locker for a while before Beijing I had a photo of Ian Crocker (the last swimmer to defeat Phelps when he beat him in the 100m butterfly in July 2005). And then I stuck up an article where (the great Australian swimmer) Ian Thorpe said eight golds were impossible. I saw that every morning before training and that made me work harder.”

What can he do now to rekindle that brutal competitiveness? “I can go online and see what my competitors have been saying about me. When someone doubts me that really fires me up.”

It seems curious that Phelps should still care what his rivals might say about him. “I’ve always done it. I go online with the specific intention of finding motivation for myself. I’m sure I’ll find some comments which will intensify my desire to compete.”

Will his disdain for losing remain just as searing? “Definitely. That’s not going to change over the next four years.”

When they started working together, Phelps used to scrawl his aims for a new year on a scruffy sheet of paper he handed to Bowman. Does he now feel ready to email his latest new year goals to his old coach? “I have some ideas but it’s only when I get properly back in the water that I’ll really be sure of these new goals. But it’s likely I will swim some different events that I haven’t done much of at international level. That diversity will keep it interesting.”

The four-yearly peak of the Olympics, however, remains paramount. When I last interviewed Phelps, before the 2004 Games, where he won six gold and two bronze medals, he told me how he had stitched the letters A-T-H-E-N-S into his swimming cap, which he left on his bedside table at night so it was the first thing he saw when the alarm went off at 5.30 a.m. for training.

Did he stitch “Beijing” into his cap? “We didn’t do that in Michigan but now that we’re back in Baltimore we already have ‘London’ stitched into the cap. It reminds me how excited I am about 2012.”

Will he again try to win eight gold medals? “I definitely won’t go for eight,” Phelps stresses. “I won’t repeat that kind of schedule. It will be a little calmer and more relaxed in London.” But, presumably, he will chase six or even seven golds in 2012? “We have no idea at this stage. But I won’t rule that out.”

Phelps sounds as sincere as he is diplomatic when praising British swimmers like Rebecca Adlington, who won two gold medals in Beijing and ruined the Olympic dream of his Baltimore colleague Katie Hoff. “(Adlington) did amazingly well. I definitely noticed that the British team were getting faster and faster. They’re one of the teams we’re going to be watching these next few years.”

Phelps visited London for the first time immediately after Beijing. “It was great. We walked around and did some shopping. And we also got to play tennis at Wimbledon — which was very cool.”

In the Olympic village in Beijing Phelps insists that “I was thrilled to see guys like Nadal and Federer in close-up. I loved seeing those great athletes. It also meant the world to me, as an NBA fan, when great (basketball) players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James told me they were pulling for me. That was exciting because I’m the sort of guy who switches on (ESPN’s) Sports Center as soon as I wake up so I can see what Kobe and LeBron, or Nadal and Federer, did the night before.”

Phelps presumably also revelled in dining out with Rio and Anton Ferdinand. “I met the Ferdinand brothers through a friend of mine, a real soccer guy, and we hung out together one night in London. Since then, so I’ve read, Anton got traded. How’s that going?”

I wish I had the time to explain the younger Ferdinand’s “trade” to Sunderland, and the mysteries of Roy Keane’s mind. But even discussing Keane’s beard would probably set Phelps off again on the wonders of facial hair — for he has extolled the “excellent Fu Manchu moustache” he likes to grow when out of the public eye.

But we’re soon caught up in a different anecdote which symbolises his strange new life outside the pool. “Oh man,” he exclaims, “the Lindsay Lohan thing summed up the craziness. There were all these stories she was bombarding me with texts but I never talked to her. I never even got a text from her. It’s weird how these stories get invented and then blown up.”

Other more tangible celebrity encounters have meant much to Phelps. As a large chunk of our past interview had been spent with him telling me how he was consumed by hip-hop, and how he spent his daily five hours in the pool humming various gangsta rap ditties to himself, it’s inevitable that Phelps should be most proud of the fact that ‘Lil’ Wayne now numbers among his millions of fans. The rapper hunted down Phelps at the MTV awards and, amid the bedlam, "Lil’ Wayne presented me with this iPod which contained 40 unreleased songs he had recorded — and one was called ‘Michael Phelps’.

In that song he just keeps rapping ‘Michael Phelps, Michael Phelps, swimming through the water ...’ I like all the songs he gave me but obviously that means the most.”

Phelps seems to have transfixed the world, from George Bush to Lil’ Wayne to the Ferdinand brothers, with his Olympic exploits.

But, personally, I most like the image of him returning to work in Baltimore early next year. I can see the greatest of all swimmers tearing up and down a crowded pool as, alongside a little old lady and a bemused baby watching him in adjacent lanes, he hums Lil’ Wayne’s rap to himself — “Michael Phelps, Michael Phelps, swimming through the water ...”

© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2008

Have mercy, now the Tribune!!?

And they say "No news it's good news." Little did the guy who came up with that maxim know that this isn't always the case.

From the Associated Press (and I hope THEY don't go under...)

Initial hearing held in Tribune bankruptcy

By RANDALL CHASE

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Tribune Co. was authorized Wednesday to make certain payments to employees, vendors and others as it works through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.

Judge Kevin Carey said the company, which owns the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The (Baltimore) Sun and other dailies, could pay $74 million that was owed to employees before Monday's bankruptcy petition was filed. That total includes a cap of $10,950 per person but excludes payments for health care, long-term disability, reimbursable expenses, workers' compensation and retiree medical care.

Carey also approved orders allowing Chicago-based Tribune to use its existing, centralized cash management system during the reorganization and to continue a securitization arrangement with Barclays PLC bank that will allow it to access an additional $75 million, for a total of $300 million.

The judge also authorized Tribune to make payments for a variety of other pre-petition obligations, including some $20 million to critical vendors, $18 million in tax, licensing and similar obligations, and $5.5 million to shippers.

James Conlan, an attorney representing the company, said the nation's largest employee-owned media and entertainment company was forced to seek bankruptcy protection because of dwindling advertising revenues.

"There has been, to say the least, a precipitous decline in the advertising business generally," Conlan said.

Tribune, which also owns 23 television stations and the Chicago Cubs baseball team, is the first major newspaper publisher to file for bankruptcy protection since the Internet plunged the industry into a struggle for survival.

Conlan told the judge that with the exception of two stock pledges, the Tribune operating companies have no secured debt, which leaves the company in "a strikingly good position" to reorganize intelligently.

The bankruptcy case involves 111 of Tribune's 128 entities, with the others, notably the Cubs, not part of the proceedings.

James McMahon, an attorney representing the acting U.S. trustee, expressed concerns about allowing the company to use its existing cash management system during the reorganization, suggesting that cash transfers to or from parts of the company not involved in the bankruptcy could make it difficult to define what issues the court faces.

McMahon said that if the Cubs' positive cash flow, for example, masked problems with other Tribune entities, "then we've got an issue."

But Bryan Krakauer, an attorney representing Tribune, said it would be unreasonable to set up separate cash management accounts for each of the debtor entities, given the size of the company.

Krakauer said the 14 entities not involved in the bankruptcy are valuable assets of the debtors, and that, in the aggregate, any transfers among them would be cash positive to the debtors. He said Tribune would provide monthly updates on the transfers to other parties in the case.

Carey agreed to issue an interim order allowing the use of transfers under the existing cash managaement system at least until the next court hearing, which is scheduled for Jan. 5.

"I do so based on the understanding that it's a net positive between now and then," the judge said.

The company filed for bankruptcy protection Monday, listing $13 billion in debt and $7.6 billion in assets.

In an interview on CNBC, Tribune Chairman and Chief Executive Sam Zell described the bankruptcy filing as a "pre-emptive" act to preserve the company's assets and allow for a reorganization.

"In the end, my responsibility is to preserve the value of the company and to make sure that it will go on into the future," he said.

Tribune already has made hundreds of layoffs at its papers and reduced the number of pages they publish. Zell said that bankruptcy protection will allow the company to focus on broader issues, including consolidation.

He said the bankruptcy filing should not impede the planned sale of the Chicago Cubs, Chicago's Wrigley Field and other sports properties, which Tribune had been looking to sell to generate cash for a $593 million principal payment due in June.

The company got three final bids, but a tight credit market has made it tougher for potential buyers to obtain loans.

(This version SUBS 19th graf to correct syntax and REMOVE attribution to Zell in first sentence of that graf.)

Curse you Rod Blagojevich!

I called for Mr. Obama to distance himself and the bulk of the Dems from the mess, and it happened.

From the New York Times. Ouch.

===

Obama Calls for Governor Under Siege to Step Down

By MONICA DAVEY and JACK HEALY

CHICAGO — The political fortunes of the besieged governor of Illinois unraveled further on Wednesday, after President-elect Barack Obama joined a near-unanimous chorus of political leaders calling for him to resign.

A day after the governor, Rod R. Blagojevich, was arrested and accused of putting Mr. Obama’s vacant United States Senate seat up for bid, politicians from Washington to Chicago to the plains of Illinois made it clear that they wanted Mr. Blagojevich gone as soon as possible. Robert Gibbs, a spokesman for Mr. Obama, said that “it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois.”

The Illinois legislature, which is currently adjourned, was making plans to reconvene on Monday to try to neutralize Mr. Blagojevich’s authority by stripping him of his appointment authority, or even impeaching him.

The state House is expected to draft a bill that would call for a special election to fill Mr. Obama’s Senate seat, which he resigned last month; state law authorizes the governor to appoint the President-elect’s successor.

More than 50 lawmakers have already signed a draft resolution to create a committee to investigate whether Mr. Blagojevich, a Democrat, should be impeached. And the state’s attorney general is weighing whether to file a legal action on behalf of the people of Illinois seeking to declare the governor unfit to serve.

Cindy Davidsmeyer, a spokeswoman for Emil Jones Jr., the president of the state Senate, said lawmakers could pass a bill on the special election as soon as next Tuesday. It is unclear whether Mr. Blagojevich would sign such legislation; he could veto it or delay it by returning it to the legislature with requests for changes or by taking no action at all for as long as 60 days.

Steve Brown, a spokesman for the state House speaker, Michael Madigan, said the legislature would act quickly “to try and send yet another signal that there is not confidence in the governor’s ability to make this appointment.”

While Mr. Blagojevich still has the power to appoint Mr. Obama’s successor, leading Democrats in the Senate were circulating a letter to the governor on Wednesday warning him not to exercise that authority. The letter from Senators Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, and Richard Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, urges Mr. Blagojevich to step down and “under no circumstance make an appointment to fill the vacant Illinois Senate seat.”

Mr. Blagojevich (pronounced bluh-GOY-uh-vich), a Democrat, has not made any public comments on his arrest. Sheldon Sorosky, his lawyer, told reporters that the governor was “very surprised and certainly feels that he did not do anything wrong.” A hearing in federal court will be held in January to determine whether there is probable cause to go forward with the charges.

On Wednesday morning, Mr. Blagojevich’s 52nd birthday, he went back to work. Briefcase in hand, he emerged from his home on Chicago’s North Side, and ducked into a waiting black sport-utility vehicle.

A spokeswoman for the governor said he spent the day immersed in trying to address the state’s $2 billion budget shortfall.

“We’re not losing focus,” said Kelley Quinn, the spokeswoman. “It is business as usual around here.”

Bob Greenlee, one of three deputy governors in Illinois, resigned on Wednesday, but the governor’s office would not say why. It was unclear whether Mr. Greenlee, 33, had any connection to the “Deputy Governor A” described in the federal affidavit supporting Mr. Blagojevich’s arrest.

Just a day earlier, F.B.I. agents with a warrant for the governor’s arrest had led him from his home while his children slept. The early-morning arrest would become the first in a series of developments on Tuesday that stunned a state that thought it had seen every brand of political corruption, created grave doubt over how or when the Obama seat in the Senate might be filled, and left many wondering who else might yet be implicated in Mr. Blagojevich’s brash negotiations, which were captured in phone calls recorded by federal agents since before Election Day.

“The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave,” Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the United States attorney in Chicago, said in announcing the arrest of Mr. Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris.

Mr. Obama, who Mr. Fitzgerald said was not implicated in the case, sought to put distance between himself and the governor during brief remarks on Tuesday afternoon and later in an interview with The Chicago Tribune, saying he did not discuss his Senate seat with Mr. Blagojevich.

“I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so we were not — I was not aware of what was happening,” Mr. Obama said.

The federal accusations against Mr. Blagojevich go beyond the Senate question into what the authorities here described as a “olitical corruption crime spree.”

The governor is accused of racing to solicit millions of dollars in donations from people with state business before an ethics law bars such behavior in January, and threatening to rescind state money this fall from businesses, including a Chicago hospital for children, whose executives refused to give him money.

He is also accused of putting pressure on The Chicago Tribune to fire members of its editorial board who had criticized him or lose the governor’s help on the possible sale of Wrigley Field, which is owned by the Tribune Company and is home to the Chicago Cubs.

In conversations with advisers that were recorded by the F.B.I., the governor seemed alternately boastful, flippant and spiteful about the Senate appointment, in which he likened his role at one point to that of an agent shopping around a free-agent ballplayer for the steepest price, a federal affidavit showed. At times, he even spoke of appointing himself to the job, the prosecutors said.

“I’ve got this thing,” Mr. Blagojevich is heard saying on one recording, according to the affidavit, later calling the seat “golden” and saying “I’m just not giving it up.” He added: “I can always use it. I can parachute me there.”

According to the affidavit, in more than a month of recorded phone calls at his home and campaign office, Mr. Blagojevich considered numerous ways that he might personally and politically gain from the various Senate candidates, none of whom were identified by name in the court filing. One possible choice might be able to help him secure a post with the new administration as secretary of health and human services or energy; a “three way” deal involving a union and a candidate might win him a union leadership post; or perhaps, he could secure the high-paying helm of a nonprofit organization that could be created for him.

Even before Mr. Obama was elected president, Mr. Blagojevich was recorded telling an adviser on Oct. 31 that he was giving greater consideration to one candidate described as Senate Candidate 5 after an approach by “an associate” of that candidate who offered to raise $500,000 for Mr. Blagojevich, while another emissary of the Senate hopeful offered to raise $1 million. “We were approached ‘ay to play,’ “ Mr. Blagojevich said on a recording.

On Wednesday, a lawyer for Representative Jesse L. Jackson Jr. said Mr. Jackson was the person identified as Candidate 5, but denied any wrongdoing on Mr. Jackson’s part.

Mr. Obama’s advisers made the decision on Tuesday essentially to remain silent and ignored criticism for doing so from Republicans, a strategy reminiscent of how the Bush administration reacted to the last high-profile case of Mr. Fitzgerald, who was the special prosecutor in the C.I.A. leak case. Still, David Axelrod, a senior adviser to Mr. Obama, issued a statement late Tuesday saying he had misspoken in comments he made in November that now seemed to contradict Mr. Obama’s assertions that he had no contact with Mr. Blagojevich in the conversations over a replacement.

“I know he’s talked to the governor,” Mr. Axelrod said in an interview with “Fox News Sunday” on Nov. 23. “And there are a whole range of names, many of which have surfaced.”

On Tuesday, Mr. Axelrod said he had been wrong. “They did not then or at any time discuss the subject,” according to his statement.

On Monday, Mr. Blagojevich, who was visiting a factory sit-in here in Chicago, said he was unconcerned about reports of the corruption investigations that have swirled around his administration since at least 2005 and have swept up 14 other people.

“I don’t believe there’s any cloud that hangs over me,” he told reporters at the factory. “I think there’s nothing but sunshine hanging over me.”

Mr. Blagojevich seemed not to mind earlier news reports that his conversations had been recorded. “I should say if anybody wants to tape my conversations, go right ahead, feel free to do it,” he said, though he added that those who carried out such recordings sneakily, “I would remind them that it kind of smells like Nixon and Watergate.”

Steven Greenhouse, Susan Saulny, Jeff Zeleny and Carl Hulse contributed reporting.

===

I think the GOP just got some new fuel in its tank for '09.

USA vs. North Korea: The seeds of a new women's football rivalry are born

It was only less than a month ago that the inaugural FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup was decided with an extra-time goal by Jang Hyon Sun of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, one of Asia's rising powerhouses, in Auckland. On Saturday, December 7, on the 67th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks, the USA's Under-20 team returned the favor by dethroning the defending champions, 2 goals to 1.

The USA's women's association football team, acknowledged as one of the pioneers and flagbearers of the women's game internationally, has had historic rivalries with squads from Brazil, Germany, Sweden, China, Norway, Australia, and Englandm among others. But what can arguably be the rivalry gaining the most steam is that of the USA vs. North Korea, a country that has been reviled for many reasons, and, as a country, is in trouble.

North Korea's men's national team was known for their effort in England in 1966, but their star has faded. "Chollima," as they are called, have taken a back seat to their female counterparts, ranked 5th in the world (as of the September 2008 FIFA Rankings).

At the senior level, North Korea and the USA have met only twice since 1995, with the USA winning their first-ever match at Crew Stadium 3-0 at the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup in Columbus, Ohio and a 2-2 draw at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in Chengdu, China. Overall, if the results from the youth national teams are added, the USA holds a 2-1-1 advantage over

Due to travel restrictions placed by its government, North Korea's national team has been unable to face off against the USA on a regular basis unlike its counterparts from the South.

But if the fact that North Korea winning the Under-17 Women's World Cup at the expense of Kazbek Tambi and his American counterparts isn't enough to convince that a new rivalry in women's football emerging out of its shell, then perhaps hosting an annual series of friendly matches between both countries may confirm that the seeds have been sown.

Looking back on 2008: The Election

Here is Barack Obama's speech from Chicago.

Hello, Chicago.

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history^[1] and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America ^[2].

A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Senator McCain.

Senator McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.

I congratulate him; I congratulate Governor Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in [[w:Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia|this journey]], a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton … and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years … the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady … Michelle Obama.

Sasha and Malia … I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us … to the White House.

And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother's watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my sister Maya, my sister Auma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them.

And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe … the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best — the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.

To my chief strategist David Axelrod … who's been a partner with me every step of the way.

To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics … you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.^[3]

It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy … who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

This is your victory.

And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me.

You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.

There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.

But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years — block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.

In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.

Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

To those — to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons — because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America — the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed:

Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach out for the ballot.

Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose.

Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved.

Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that we shall overcome.

Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves — if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes, we can.

Thank you; God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

A poor FDR imitation.

Yesterday, December 6, 2008, a date which will live somewhat in infamy, the Hawaii Warriors football team failed to secure a 24-10 lead to Cincinatti, squandering it late in the fourth quarter. A day before, the Lakewood High School (CA) Lancers football team fell into doing the same thing against Long Beach Poly after having a halftime lead.

I regret to inform you that any hopes for magic were lost when it mattered most. This deviant has nothing but commiserations for Lakewood not getting players that could run over Concord De La Salle, as well as stern remarks for Greg McMackin, head coach of the Warriors, for failing to keep his players focused during the final quarter of play.

I also regret to inform you that other teams from Long Beach State (men's basketball, women's volleyball) and Australia (Melbourne Victory) also failed to deliver.

This day will live somewhat in infamy, but it will also live in the memory of the others teams Bonga follows. USC blanked UCLA, 28-7, and a couple deviations were posted as a tribute. AFC Wimbledon went back to their winning ways over Team Bath, while the Chelsea Football Club followed suit. Finally, Manny Pacquiao defeated Oscar De La Hoya at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, thus keeping the day balanced.

Looking back on 2008: Some smack attacks on the Bedlam

As I look back on 2008 (we got about 30 days to go before this year is put to bed), I take a look back at some of the more interesting things that have happened. While I have had some encounters with people in my town who would be best to be shot, or are at risk to be shot (and some have), this part will discuss some of the colorful quotes from my detractors. You know, I feel that in America, everyone can agree to disagree, but I find it interesting to see the degree in which they disagree. If they posted this in North Korea or Singapore they would be hung or shot, depending on your fancy.

So, here we go. Note: the names have been kept anonymous.

"Super Fan, you are such a fickle sell out. Turn in your Go Beach gear, Sr. Salazar. You've done nothing but chastise the coach and holler 'bridesmaids' since you were a student. Get a life and root for the DeVry sports teams, chummmmmmmmp!."

"I agree with [user name] J.R. has been nothing but a vile replicant of what a true Beach fan should be. It's too bad his wall is covered with the free regalia from the university that carried his sorry ass. Take a knee, J.R. We don't need your sissy crapola."

"Super Fan was a leach on Long Beach State sports. This 'tard did nothing but grab free admission and slam our teams when he was part of the sidelines crew. When he tossed his cookies on the volleyball floor, he should have been permanently expelled from all venues. This vermin is not a true alumnus, he's a pretender with a big fricking mouth. "Ladies" this and "Bridesmaids" that was his mantra. Go hang with the UCSB crew you little sell out weasel. Paint USC on your chest and know that you will never be one of us."

"That's the whole point, Salazar, it is very characteristic of you. We've all seen it. Coach Mauricio has done one hell of a job, not only in recruiting this team, but in developing them into the mature competitors they are. Coaches can't get out there and play on the field with the team. Your constant deriding has been vile. Much like the apology you made for your temper tantrum in the 'Mid, you once again put both feet in your mouth. Do us all a favor and keep your immature, childish, petty criticisms to yourself. The well-deserved backlash from The Beach fans was brought on by YOU!!!"

"JR you seem to know alot about Lakewood but never have anything positive to say"

"JR, I highly doubt you should be calling anyone, "young man." Your graduation year of 2002 only validates your inexperience and youth. Come back after your ten-year high school reunion."

"J.R. is a fickle fan. He only supports and praises the teams when they win. If they lose, he attacks them and the coach. There's no middle road with him saying "nice try." It's one thing to be disappointed when your team loses. It's another to call the coaches and players nasty names. I'd like to see Salazar actually play a sport so we could ridicule his performance. He deserves every blast he gets. Truly gives the rest of the university's alums a bad rap."

"Super Fan is probably the one who voted twice that the 'Niners would be eliminated in the first round. That's how petty acted over the years, and it would not surprise me."

[NOTE: They were eliminated in the first round, and YES, I admit that I picked them to leave early. But to call me out as a scapegoat is giving "correlation does not imply causation" the middle finger, thus validating the I.Q. of this bunch of runts posting these flames that you see on this post.]

"J.R. you earned the trash talk for all of the trash talk you've dumped on our teams, coaches, fans and alums during the last few years."

"too late.. your BS has already tarnished your rep...
you should check what your say before you say it... "

"Given that statement hichibach you can add hypocritical liar to your resume. You say you will NOT want to read my posts but yet you do--and reply to them on top of that! LOL--youre way too easy."

"LOL hachibutt--You read yet another post and replied to it as well. Another fine example of talking out of both sides of your mouth---As I said, you cant win for screwing yourself...lol...BTW--ooooh man, that troll thing is piercing--NOT--LMFAO"

"If my posts are getting old to you Hachibutt may I suggest NOT reading them? "

"LMAO...all I can say hachibutt is whaaa! Gawd you idiots that think blocking someone is supposed to make them mad or upset them. How weak minded can one be? Keep trying though-I enjoy the humor in this."

"LOL..well then hachibutt you must be the one who is "peeved" as you are the one who sent me the message telling me I was blocked (which by your definition makes you the one doing the blocking). My God where do idiots like you come from? You just fell into your own hypocritical trap-Throw another example of your brilliance out there, youre making me laugh and I love humor."

"Hachibutt you blocked me because you are weak minded and it was a feeble attempt to get rid of me. Your replies to my posts show that you cant so that pretty much proves you cant win for losing. You are a victim of your own stupidity. Btw, self imposed mud slinging would mean Im slinging mud at myself which I am not. Gawd you fell into another of your hypocritical bumbling attempts at a put down. Pretty much makes you 0 for 3 now. Try again you pathetic creature, youre entertaining at least."

"Yeah Hachibutt, youve been down this path before and most likely lost there as well. In your pathetic attempt to block me so that I cant reply to your lame posts your ignorance led you to false hope as it doesnt stop me from posting here. What a pathetic creature you have become as you are oblivious to the fact you keep screwing yourself through your own stupidity. You are now zero for four ya noob, try again."

"Boo fucking hoo- Hakibutt blocked me. LOL--A shame thats all the power you will ever know ya loser."

[Note that these last seven posts were by the same one. I had to go ahead and turn the attention away from this guy to the person who I agreed with regarding Obama as America's next Messiah (so to speak).]

"Are you allowed to post other people's pictures as "Desktop Backgrounds" and take credit for it? Where I come from, that's "ART THEFT"."

[I responded by posting that credit is given where applicable. Pretentious smart-aleck.]

"Is it true that democrats eat babies? Don't vote democrat. They'll outlaw anime!"

[Wishful thinking, GOPrick, but the jackasses blessed with common sense prevailed this year.]

"All the images in your gallery are considered art theft. Please remove them."

[Excuse me? I've got over 500 works on my gallery that are my creation, and you call it art theft? Go blast yourself, you fool.]

And that's a little bit of some of the backlash I've had from some users. I've even had a threat from one other person to ban me from his forum for sticking to my convictions. It goes to show you that there are people out there who won't like you, and that's where the adage "Out of sight, out of mind," counters. People out there can try to kick my ass when it comes to it, but the best these guys would be best advised to do is kiss it.

Seriously.

Quick hits, November 30, 2008

And as November ends with one month to go in 2008, today has been a very interesting day. It wasn't a perfect day, due to Long Beach State men's water polo continuing their role as the Jobbers to the Stars and Cal Poly ending their season on a two-game losing streak as well as the likes of Auckland City and Melbourne Victory losing its winning touch, but it did have more highs than lows.

First off, the Lakewood Lancers are where they were during the days of Luther Brown. Mission Viejo was upset by the Noble Thanes of Thadd, 28-7, on a cool November evening at the John T. Ford Stadium grounds before a standing-room only congregation. I saw the score and thought, "If it's Poly we're facing, they might as well have divine right to win it all, those lucky Jackrabbits." They faced Esperanza tonight.

Grambling State shrugged off its two-year slump of fail against Southern, winning the Bayou Classic, 29-14. Kill Jackson State, Rod Broadway. Get it done and put yourself in a position to be tops in the Sheridan Poll by season's end. Get to it.

Hawaii is going bowling...again. a 24-10 revenge win over Washington State sends them to the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. In a season without Colt Brennan, Davone Bess, Ryan Grice-Mullen and a whole lotta other stars from last year...this had to be a good season under first-year coach Greg McMackin. If he gets WAC Coach of the Year Honors, he should.

And Saturday had shootouts galore. Throw defense out the window, it's time for some Heisman and BCS-stat padding sessions, STAT! #1 ranked Alabama shuts out Auburn, 36-0. Florida and Tim Tebow are set to pull off a season of Archie Griffin proportions with a 45-15 scalping of Florida State. In the Civil War, USC's hopes to be at the Rose Bowl for two straight matches were improved by a 65-38 demolition of Oregon State. Sam Bradford of Oklahoma made his case to be in New York clear with a 61-41 steamroll of Oklahoma State in the Bedlam Bowl (the BoBA Master is pleased with this one). Boise State and Ball State ran over Fresno and Western Michigan, 61-10 and 45-22, respectively. Where they will be bowling remains to be seen. The Georgia Bulldogs got Ramblin' Wreck'd by Georgia Tech Between The Hedges, 45-42, while Charlie Weis could be shown the door after a 38-3 defeat to the Trojans as the cauldron lit through the Coliseum air. Colt McCoy and Texas made their intentions clear with a 49-9 crushing of Texas A&M.

In volleyball, the Long Beach State 49ers took out Colorado State in four games after dropping the first set, and now will find out where they will be heading off to (or whether they will stay home) for first and second round matches.

India. Bloody hell.

And so President Obama's work begins before he is even inaugurated. Have fun, Mr. President.

From the Wall Street Journal.

Mumbai Attack is Obama's First International Challenge

By PRASHANT AGRAWAL

I moved to Mumbai six years ago from New York City, and I have seen India change with each terrorist attack. Wednesday night's attack will prove a defining turning point. India will go from being "resiliently defensive" to "resolutely offensive."

To understand the impact on the financial capital of India one needs to know the unique place the Taj Mahal Hotel and the Oberoi Complex (both the Oberoi Trident and the Oberoi) play in the fabric of the city's life, especially for its professionals. The Taj Mahal Hotel and the Oberoi Complex are not just the Four Seasons and Pierre of New York City. They are Mumbai's lifeline and blood.

Prashant Agrawal, CEO of Indipepal.com, says the attacks have change the Indian landscape.

As a consultant and a hedge fund manager, I, like thousands of Mumbai professionals, could count on being at these hotels two to three times a week. In any given week, more than a dozen conferences are being held at either hotel attended by the city's lawyers, bankers, consultants and entrepreneurs. The hotels are the Ellis Island for foreign firms and foreign professionals. Whole floors of these hotels serve as offices. The first outpost office of any major MNC is the Taj or the Oberoi: McKinsey, Blackstone, Texas Pacific Group, the list is endless.

But the hotels are much more than financial destinations; they are cultural centers. The best bookshop in Mumbai is in the Taj. Out of the 10 best restaurants in the city, half are in these two hotels. After a late night out, the 24 hour coffee shops of both hotels are filled with young people using them as late-night diners. Visit these same coffee shops in the day and you might see two families having a cup of tea discussing a matrimonial alliance. For a Mumbaiker, these hotels serve as a second home.

Every Indian is familiar with the Taj, its iconic red brick architecture façade serves as the backdrop for so many stories and Bollywood movies. So when Sonia Gandhi, the President of the ruling Congress Party, says that these are attacks on India's prestige, she means it.

If the attacks on the two hotels were not enough, the CST train terminal was hit. One out of every 10 commuters uses the CST (formerly known as the Victoria Terminus) daily. And after attacking the CST, the terrorists hit the Cama Hospital, a hospital for women and children. The last major target was a Jewish center. Mumbai has housed an Iraqi Jewish community for centuries. Not once have they been targeted. That has changed.

These attacks are going to serve as a tipping point for India. India has had no less than 10 terrorist attacks over the last five years described as India's 9/11. And so now is the latest assault.

As the Indian landscape changed, so has the Indian attitude. The first Bollywood movie on the attacks highlighted the resilience of Mumbai citizens. But in conversations, writings and film, people have shifted from resilience to wanting revenge. One of the most successful movies of 2008 highlights an ordinary citizen taking revenge. The surprise hit of 2008 in India is a low-budget thriller called "Wednesday." "Wednesday" is a taut thriller where the audience is held in suspense. The person the audience believes is a terrorist hell-bent on releasing his jailed compatriots is actually a vigilante. He doesn't secure the release; he blows them up.

The audience cheers as he tells the police, "We (the people) are tired of being resilient. Our hands are not tied, we too can hit back." Audiences around the country clapped and cheered his soliloquy. And now with these attacks, the attitude hardens even more. CNN-IBN, the local English news channel, not known for hyperbole, is calling its coverage not Terror in Mumbai, but "War on Mumbai." Local anchors refer to the rescue operations as urban warfare.

Last week, at an Indian leadership summit, I watched Shashi Tharoor, the former U.N. Undersecretary General and India's candidate to be Secretary General, ask Henry Kissinger how India should react to Pakistani agents attacking the Indian Embassy in Kabul. Mr. Kissinger said it wasn't his place to answer. Fair enough, but the question remains what should India do?

India faces tough decisions over the next few weeks and months. Every time India has been hit, there has be no counter reaction. The vast majority of Indians believe that the attacks emanate from Pakistan. While most Indians don't blame Pakistanis, they do blame instruments and agents of the Pakistani government, specifically the ISI. With the bombing in Kabul, the U.S. confirmed that the ISI was involved adding an independent credible voice to India's charges of Pakistani involvement.

In his first speech on Thursday to the nation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said "It is evident that the group which carried out these attacks, based outside the country, had come with single-minded determination to create havoc in the commercial capital." There is little doubt as to which country Prime Minister Singh has in mind.

The people will demand action against the masterminds of the attacks. And perception in India is that it is the ISI guides and masterminds the attacks. Elections in India are in due in the next six months and pressure will mount on the Indian government to act. Joe Biden was right, Barack Obama will face an international test in the first six months. South Asia looks to be that test.

—Prashant Agrawal is CEO of Indipepal.com, an Indian Social Portal launching in December

The Bedlam's list of thanks.

So I have taken this Thanksgiving Day to refurbish my blog layout, as well as my profile on MiniTokyo, apart from doing regression work and paper compiling, to come up with this [partial] list of thanks. I am thankful for...

* The fact that I am still alive
* The fact that my family is still alive
* My sister being engaged (the wedding is next year)
* I passed my first two grad school classes
* Harvard beating Yale in football...again.
* Working as a staff member at AX three straight years
* Graduating from Cal State Long Beach
* Getting in at Keller
* Still having a house
* Still having food on the table
* Barack Obama winning the election
* DVDs and DVD-burning software
* Torrents
* Kagami Hiiragi winning 2chan Saimoe
* Fate Testarossa Harlaown winning ISML
* Holo winning Anizone Best Moe
* The USA women winning gold at Beijing
* The USA men's volleyball team winning gold at Beijing
* Lee Bodimeade for getting the USA women's field hockey team back to the Olympics
* Michael Phelps' swim towards history
* Manny Pacquiao still showing his stuff against Mexico's finest
* Working at four elections in one year
* The LBSU Athletics Department allowing me to finish attending the rest of the games before paying for them as an alumnus after my one-month layoff.
* The fact that "MBA" exists
* The CSULB Anime Club still existing
* danbooru, gelbooru, moe.imouto.org, deviantART, MiniTokyo, AnimePaper, and all the other image-hosting sites that haul in the good stuff
* TenYardTorrents, for their American/Canadian football stash
* Maxxed Football Forums, for the finest the round ball has to offer
* The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for finally letting the Ventures in
* The Ventures themselves, the best instrumental band on the planet
* Aya Hirano, Rie Kugimiya, Emiri Kato, Rie Tanaka, Ryouko Shiraishi, Saeko Chiba, Mai Kadowaki, Mai Nakahara, Ryo Hirohashi, and all the other cool seiyuu chicks that have dominated the airwaves as of late.
* Nutella
* Special orders from Kinokuniya
* Not joining the military
* Eurovision
* My green-feathered buddy, Peedy the Parrot
* My blog, Bedlam on Baltic Avenue
* Las Vegas
* Everyone out there on the Net visiting this blog, and all the other blogs on Blkogger.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Bedlam.

So long, MySpace.

I am so through with MySpace. I had to cancel my account out of a personal decision. I don't go there as much as I used to, and because of that, I decided to euthanize my account.

It's as if a big weight has been thrown off my shoulders. A really big weight. I feel thousands of pounds lighter now.

Some statistics mumbojumbo

Dr. James Lott, a professor at DeVry University's Keller Graduate School of Management, as well as my stats professor who I allegedly (and unfortunately) annoyed when converting statistical mumbo jumbo into the Ebonics vernacular (i.e., "Yo, I called the BoBA Stat Guy on my Berry, and he told me this bag be the real deal. It cheap too. You in?" "Absolutely, dog! How much that bag?"He told me, '99 cents,' man. And it can hold 50 pounds, too." "Fo' real?" "Yep. It be a good trash bag." "I gotta head on down there. Lates." "All right. See you."), was kind enough to provide an interesting taste of what really goes on Wednesday night during the November 2008 session by the airport. Have a look.