BoBA Predictions: ISML Tiara 2008 Loser's Bracket Round 2

BoBA Predictions:
ISML Tiara 2008 Loser's Bracket Round 2
The Cleansing of the Avalanching Mountains

#9 Hinagiku Katsura vs. #2 Tomoyo Sakagami

The mystique of the Loser's Bracket of this phase is this: You lose, you are eliminated from the tournament with the other 48 who failed to make the cut. You win, you get to fight another day, against someone who has been relegated to this bracket from the Winner's Bracket. For Hinagiku Katsura, she had to fend off a valiant last stand from Tsukasa Hiiragi. But the big question lies: can she be able to fend off a second attack from Tomoyo Sakagami, an opponent that has dogged her on their first meeting? The Bedlam is confident that the road ends at the top of the mountains, and for Hinagiku, that means getting off the mountain...and out of the tournament. At least she will be back next year...

BoBA Predicts: Tomoyo by less than 100 votes

#12 Konata Izumi vs. #3 Haruhi Suzumiya

A a young Michigonian by the name of Marshall Mathers said it, "If you had one shot, one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted...one moment... would you capture it or just let it slip?" For Konata Izumi, this is a great opportunity to outwit the Master after losing a hotly contested match between Haruhi and her esteemed student, at the footside of the mountains. But can you stop someone who was, once again, on the losing end against an opponent that had an undefeated streak against?

As the Bedlam sees it, the clear answer is no.

BoBA Predicts: Haruhi by less than 100 votes.

#11 C.C. vs. #5 Kyou Fujibayashi

For the likes of Kyou Fujibayashi, it was unfortunate that she suffered defeat at the hands of Shana in the first round of the wimmer's bracket. But even so, things won't get any easier, as she faces off against a determined C.C.. For the pizza girl, the witch of legend from Code Geass, she hopes to get her payback as the rocks come tumbling down nearby. While her fighting spirit has won the respect of the field, this is where the road ends for C.C.

BoBA Predicts: Kyou by more than 100 votes

#15 Rika Furude vs. #8 Kotomi Ichinose

Rika Furude is one of the more underrated opponents of this tournament. While she was trounced by Tomoyo (an opponent she could likely face again in this bracket), she turned things around with a prediction-busting win over Nanoha Takamachi. The question for the Drunken Master is this: Can she do it against against an unassuming bookworm with a violin as a weapon of mass destruction (for the ears, at least)?

While Rika raised a number of eyebrows with her payback win over the White Devil, the Bedlam believes that it will be difficult for her to pull a second straight upset against Kotomi.

BoBa Predicts: Kotomi by more than 100 votes.

BoBA Predictions: ISML 2008 Tiara Loser's Bracket Round 1

BoBA Predictions: ISML 2008 Tiara
Loser's Bracket Round 1
The Cleansing of the Shifting Deserts

We say farewell to four competitors this round, as the field is dwindled to 12.

#16 Tsukasa Hiiragi vs. #9 Hinagiku Katsura

Hina had no trouble disposing of Tsukasa in their previous meeting, so it will be a surprise if the balsamic vinegar patron, the younger sister of Kagami, is able to pull off a surprise upset. This has been a great campaign for Tsukasa, but this is where it ends for her.

BoBA Predicts: Hinagiku by at least 100 votes

#12 Konata Izumi vs #13 Suigintou

The advantage in this match goes to Konata, who defeated the junk doll in their regular season meeting. For the only Rozen Maiden representatative, these are the types of matches she feasts on, the "all-or-nothing" loser's bracket contests. The winner gets to fight another day. The loser is eliminated. In this match, the Legendary Girl A will survive.

BoBA Predicts: Konata by less than 100 votes

#14 Mai Kawasumi vs #11 C.C.

Here is one of the more tantalizing matches for voters to keep an eye on. C.C., the Pizza Hut-fueled witch from Code Geass vs the sword-wielding Mai Kawasumi from Kanon. This contest will be a battle worth rubbing your hands on. With C.C. winning the previous battle, this is a chance for her to make it two in a row...and survive.

BoBA Predicts: CC by less than 100 votes

#10 Nanoha Takamachi vs. #15 Rika Furude

"Hide the women and children, if they are still awake," says Larry Merchant, a veteran boxing commentator for HBO. Nanoha, a veteran of many battles over the years, holds an advantage over the defending 2chan Saimoe Champion. It's Raging Heart vs. Kimchi. White Devil vs. Drunken Master. And it will be Nanoha that gets the ascendancy.

BoBA Predicts: Nanoha by at least 100 votes

The importance of clericality cannot be stressed any more.

"When one person makes a small error, that ripple can turn into a tsunami if it isn't stopped."

-J.R. Salazar

I work as an administrative assistant at the Long Beach Bar Foundation, and after seeing this news, I cannot stress further the importance of paying attention to detail. One of the staff members at Lakewood High (my alma mater) made the poor decision to let one of the players on the varsity side play, though he was ineligible.

Here, an ethical choice had to be made: do you ignore the situation, or do you take action and forfeit the four victories, while taking corrective measures regarding the player and (most importantly) the person who screwed thousands of alums who watched the team blaze through their non-leeague games?

They chose the latter, and the end results are at least two scapegoats who now are going to be reviled among the Lancer faithful: the player and the person who made the error. I'm already sharpening my meat cleaver as we speak.

===

Clerical error costs Lancers
FOOTBALL: Lakewood forfeits wins for unknowingly using ineligible player.
By Dave Werstine, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 09/30/2008 10:23:13 PM PDT


LAKEWOOD - Upon finding it had unknowingly played the first month of the 2008 season with an ineligible player, the Lakewood High football team Tuesday forfeited all four of its victories as a corrective measure.

According to Lakewood officials, the mistake was of a clerical nature. They also refrained from naming the player in question, citing "respect" for him.

"We want to do the right thing," Lakewood co-principal Charles Acosta said after calling those schools affected by the forfeits and apologizing for the error. "We have to own up to it. We don't want to sacrifice our integrity, as painful as it might be."

The Lancers gave back wins over Crenshaw, Peninsula, Mayfair and Verbum Dei, and will now go into Friday night's Moore League showdown against Poly with an 0-4 record. Giving the 24-7 decision over crosstown rival Mayfair also means giving up the Milk Bucket.

"It's not rightfully ours," Acosta said. "It needs to be returned."

Coach Thadd MacNeal said he was "shocked" when he heard the news about lunchtime Tuesday.

"I'm sick," he said. "I feel bad. I'm embarrassed."

MacNeal added even though the incident is a distraction going into the Lancers' biggest game of the season, he believes it won't change his team's lofty goals.

Despite surrendering the victories, Lakewood can still reach the CIF Southern Section playoffs if it can clinch one of the top four spots in the Moore League.

"Our goal is to win the Moore League and be CIF champion - that's not going to change," MacNeal said. "We've got to focus on the Moore League, on our first game against Poly. You always have adversity. ... It's like a guy who gets hurt - you got to move on. The trains keeps going."

MacNeal said the player in question has the chance to right his grades by the next grading period, which will take place in about three weeks, and rejoin the team.

The eligibility mistake is one that Lakewood officials say won't happen again.

BoBA Predictions - ISL 2008 Tiara

BoBA Predictions:
International Saimoe League 2008 Tiara
Winner's Bracket 1st Round
The Revelation of the Sun and the Moon

#1 Fate Testarossa Harlaown vs. #8 Kotomi Ichinose

For both Fate and Kotomi, it was business as usual, with both candidates making turkey stuffing out of Tsukasa Hiiragi and Hinagiku Katsura. However, as both are now in the winner's bracket, the business end of the matter comes into play. Here, Fate holds an advantage, with a prior victory over her. There can't be any issues here for Fate, as she will roll on to the Winner's Bracket semis.

BoBA predicts: Fate by at least 100 votes

#2 Tomoyo Sakagami vs. #7 Kagami Hiiragi

Kagami's prior meeting with the student council president of Hikarizaka Senior High with the legs and feet of a star was a 444-367 thumping. However, the highest ranked seed from Clannad is keen to turn the tables this time around against the best from Lucky Star. The margin will be close, but this will be an upset in the raking circles for Kagami.

BoBA predicts: Kagami by less than 100 votes

#3 Haruhi Suzumiya vs. #6 Yuki Nagato

Yuki Nagato has had a history of having the advantage over her SOS Brigade superior, and even in the prior meeting she came out on top. For the patron of fun and slaughterer of boredom, Haruhi gets another shot at turning the tables against the indestructible computer wizard of legend. But can she stop a losing streak that goes all the way back to their clash in 2chan Saimoe 2006? The rankings here will indicate an upset, but for voters who understand the one-sided history between these two comrades in arms...it's business as usual for Ms. Nagato.

BoBA predicts: Yuki by less than 100 votes

#4 Shana vs. #5 Kyou Fujibayashi

Kyou was spared Clannadian blushes with a narrow win over Konata Izumi in the ISL 2008 Tiara Preliminary Round of Judgement. Meanwhile, Shana schooled Suigintou on what makes a Tiara contender a Tiara contender. The flame-eyed hunter edged Kyou by 40 votes in their first match in the Aquamarine phase. For the book-throwing slam dunker, Kyou Fujibayashi must uphold the belief that anything is possible...even a narrow payback win over Shana. The Bedlam, however, believes that won't be the case, with her luck running out against one of the most celebrated, battle-tested veterans in the ISL.

BoBA predicts: Shana by less than 100 votes

"I guess the retard had a point..."

Aside from at least one co-worker making the ill-advised choice to take my clerical abilities for granted at work, I had the opportunity to talk with some naive young African-American women who, in spite of their clothing, afros and heavy make-up, decided to smoke in my face by the bus stop after my class. I told them, "Hey, can you move aside. You're smoking, and I would like to see some courtesy from you." One of these two, presumably twins (which bring up the question of how they were raised, et al.), said, "No, you step aside." "This is America. Everybody smokes," said the other. "Not everyone wastes away from lung cancer, ladies," I replied tersely. So as I got on the bus, flabbergasted from their ignorace and naiveness of the situation, they come out yappering about, "This guys is mentally ill," and all that sort of stuff. It's shocking to know that these undergrads (presumably freshman) from DeVry (or wherever, maybe even high schoolers or dropouts) have the courage to paint an MBA student from Keller with the "mentally ill" brush. This is a stigma that I have had to deal with, so I found it refreshing to know that they are talking out of their arses, and they don't even know it. "Your wombs will be garbage cans," I said. "Just let the local gangs come and blast you." I was referring to the health risks they put in from smoking cigarettes, and the gangs of carcinogens that come from it. Obviously they haven't a clue of what I'm talking about, because they think they can try to outtalk somebody who actually has common sense to know that quitting would be the best option for them, and that they place health risks on themselves and the people around them. Or rather, they choose to tune out this mentally ill guy wearing a orange polo with a green and blue sweatshirt, a black cap from his alma mater, Long Beach State, and olive slacks, not knowing that this unassuming fellow has a point. The bus driver has to come over to the back and let them know that there are others on the bus (me included) who would do better without their conversations. I don't wish the worst upon them; I am a person that doesn't see anything bad about them, except for their image and the fact that people who breathe secondhand smoke are ignored by these two girls. But at thre same time, I don't feel the least bit sorry for them if a situation like this occurs: years down the road, one of them finds out she has cancer, and they are trying to start a fund to pay for something that wouldn't have happened if they didn't smoke, or if they did, started quitting. And they are in the hospital dying of cancer, and they recall the day a long time ago, when they mocked the advice that this mentally ill MBA student wearing a orange polo with a green and blue sweatshirt, a black cap from his alma mater Long Beach State, and olive slacks, and they find out, that here they are, dying of cancer, and they start to wonder, "That guy we made fun of...I think he had a point." At this point in my life, I am putting my MBA to use, having swithced jobs to something that pays better, and maybe in spirit I'll say, "I told you so." But I probably won't. As far as I know, those two girls don't exist, and most likely, they won't if they follow the path they are walking. And there are millions of chain smokers out there who don't believe in the facts about smoking, and these two are part of that long line of people who follow that same wrong path. And while that brings closure, that becomes an afterthought with a snap of the fingers, and a click of the mouse. === Other stuff going on. Whoa. This day was just flat-out crap. Not only do I not get any raise in pay, but the Dodgers win while the Angels lose. Even things up, Ervin Santana.

"Is that all you can do!? TWELVE pushups? That's it? Man, get the hell outta here!"

In lieu of risking getting caught in friendly fire between some Bloods and Crips (and others) in the lovefest (as well as a lack of itinerary), I eschewed the historic first meeting between Lakewood High and Verbum Dei High at Centennial High in Compton to watch the Long Beach City College football team take on West L.A. College at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Little did I know that I got more than I bargained for.

To be honest, I had to sit out watching Viking football games last season because I was disgusted with losing my press credentials (leading to the self-imposed shutdown of my blog covering them and the other teams in the now-defunct Mission Football Conference). I didn't attend a single game. The only game I even went to at any level was the Lancers taking on the Tesoro Titans, and I wasn't quite pleased with the 2nd half effort from them.

It was good thing I didn;'t come, because they had a crappy final season for Jerry Jaso, who stepped down. In his place was a man named Mike Reisbig, the brother of Larry Reisbig, the LBCC Men's Athletic Director. He was an assistant for 16 seasons. He now had his chance to prove himself. After paying $8.00 for admission and media guide ($6.00 + $2.00), I took my seat behind the 50-yard line. In the background, the Oilers were doing some pregame ritual that was comparable (or maybe not) to Long Beach Poly. I just thought, "They have the bark, but we got the bite. And we're gonna keep chomping till the clock reads 0:00."

The first half was all my guys as they climbed to a 21-0 halftime lead. The first touchdown I did 7, the second 14, and so on. All of the first-half push-ups were in the wheelchair-accessible section where I had lots of space to do it correctly.

Interestingly, it was in front of the West L.A. supporters. Buy the time I completed 21, some irresponsible African-American mother of an at-risk youth just waiting to pay the price for being affiliated with the wrong people tried to break my back. Luckily, she failed, and I shoved her off. Now, she's trying to be a CSC Event Staffer, but she didn't do a good job at it (first off, she isn't donning her Event Staff garb, and she would have been best not to be in my way. Some mother she grew up to be in. Puts my dealings with my mom in perspective, when I think about it. My mom's issues arean't as bad as this woman's issues.) As I shoved her off, I got into a scuffle, with the brat rabbit-punching me. He said, "You hit my mom!" I said, "She deserved it. If she wasn't on my back, I wouldn't have defended myself! And is that your best punch, you son-of-a-bitch? My dad can hit harder than you. Weak! Pathetic! You're wasting your time here! I don't fear you lot, and I never will, scum!" Truth.

After discussions regarding the altercation (and the lack of security thereof) with an old friend from the Long Beach Union Weekly (now a writer for the Long Beach Post), as well as another old friend, Dr. John Fylpaa, and cooler heads from the West L.A. parents, I proceeded to do more pushups in the 2nd half. In total, I did 147.

I was shaking my head at the West L.A. kids trying to do pushups the way I did them. Note that they didn't score until 3 quarters and four seconds into the game (and a personal foul by one of my guys made that touchdown a gift). When they tried to do 7, I was not pleased. When you do a pushup, your back, legs, and head have to be straight. You push your weight at an agle. You don't bend your body like an asymptote, and risk straining your back. I had to school these kids in how it should be done. When they hit 14, they did a little bit better, but they only did 7. When they reached 21, the best they could do individually was 12. I said to they guy who did 12, "That's it? You scored 21 points, not 12. Get back here and do nine more!" He didn't, I said, "I can see why you attend West L.A., and not LBCC. Here, such half-assing will not cut the mustard." During my Tong days, failing to finish my pushups was something I couldn't do. The quality was what I was looking for, but the quality wasn't. And when we got the last touchdown, a fumble recovery by David Sausau after Lawrence Alai punished Oiler QB Ryan Rosenvall, I did 42, and I yelled across the bleachers, "NOw THAT'S how you do a push-up, West LA! Quality and quantity! Let's see if you can impress me on your next score."

Sure enough, they had a consolation touchdown, and I said, "All right kids, 28 pushups. Go!"
None of them went down.
"I said GO!"
Still none of them went down.
Now I was a little peeved, "Oh come on. Not a single one of you bother to try to do even one push-up. Of 28. Now we all know why you attend West Los Angeles College, and not LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE! Because out here, even if we are losing, we'd still do those push-ups, as a morale boost at least. And all y'all gave up. Quitters. After this game is over, get the hell outta our stadium. For all your feistyness, you need to get in shape."


Only at Long Beach City College (and perhaps elsewhere) can you see an alum on the home side outdo youthful visitors on the visiting side in terms of push-ups. Personally, that's the first time it happened. I think I got some payback. And I was gonna applaud them for trying just one. I'm not even in shape, and I can still do 147.

Pep Band - Check.
Cheer Team - Check.
Better Football Team - Check.

I should thank my visiting team for having the old "Super Fan" side of me rear its down-and-dirty head again. I got fired up. Also I should thank Pechange for giving me some coffee. Man, I was starved to get my java. I need that. I really, really needed that.

One of the parents from West L.A. said, "You did well in standing your ground. Good job."
"Thanks, Lee." That was his name. "You know, I'll be honest. I didn't come here to fight anybody. I came here to watch a game, and do push-ups for every point we scored. That's it."

Nothing else.

===

Meanwhile, Verbum Dei was shut out by the Lancers, 34-0. It wasn't a good day for most of my teams, thought. LOng Beach State women's volleyball isn't cutting the mustard. While the defeated UC Davis today, they lost to Pacific in a sweep. Thw Angels are in danger of coming into the postseason on a losing note, effectively preventing me from coming to their rally on Monday. The Sparks also dropped a stinker to San Antonio on a buzzer-beater, while my Hawaii Warriors are clearly in a rebuilding phase, losing to San Jose State 20-17. AFc Wimbledon let a FA Cup win slip away against Bedford Town in the 89th minute, forcing a replay. And while AFC Liverpool defeated AFC Blackpool 6-3, it will take time for me to forgive them for failing in grandiose fashion to Waterloo Dock 6-1. The men's water polo team coached by Gavin Arroyo isn't doing themselves favors either, choking against Loyola Marymount in a rally failing short.

Man, what is it with rallies going awry in my neck of the Beach? In the words of Torri Hunter, "Ohhhh man!"

Cheers though to the Mauricio's bridesmaids defeating Arizona, the USD Toreros running down Drake, and even to Duke University making some wise decisions in miving the student section behind the home players, and changing their mascot to a slimmer, menacing and more photogenic character with marketing opportunities abound.

And yes, the Dodgers and Mets winning was good, because the drama can be saved for tomorrow.

===

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The combined length of all the labels must be at most 200 characters.

===

Doesn't it suck to have limits like this? I think so.

BoBA Predictions - Preliminary Round of Judgement

BoBA Predictions:
International Saimoe League 2008 Tiara
Preliminary Round of Judgement

#1 Fate Testarossa Harlaown vs. #16 Tsukasa Hiiragi

Highlight wins for Tsukasa:
4/8 vs. #13 Suigintou 133-99
6/27 vs. Rena Ryuuguu 377-303
6/30 vs. Nagisa Furukawa 306-258

For Tsukasa, the younger sister of #7 ranked Kagami and a patron of balsamic vinegar, she was lucky enough to make it this far. She was very, very close to being nipped by Nagi Sanzenin, who finished just behind her, out of the top 16 in 17th place. For Tsukasa, she has had a very strong run, with her highlight run being an undefeated finish in the Emerald phase. However, her only quality win is against Suigintou of Rozen Maiden.

Highlight wins for Fate:
4/22 vs. #7 Kagami Hiiragi 302-220
6/9 vs. #2 Tomoyo Sakagami 323-238
6/27 vs. #3 Haruhi Suzumiya 375-346

Fate comes into this tournament as the #1 seed due to her wins over Tomoyo and Haruhi, ranked 2nd and 3rd, respectively. She has had only three defeats against a plethora of victories.
In Fate the votes have a battle-tested candidate with a proven track record. Her highest finish was at 2chan Saimoe 2006, finishing runner-up to Suiseiseki. This preliminary round should not have any issues for one of the most influential moekkos that even has an imageboard named in her honor.

BoBA Predicts: Fate by at least 200 votes

#2 Tomoyo Sakagami vs. #15 Rika Furude

Highlight wins for Rika:
4/10 vs. #16 Tsukasa Hiiragi 118-111
5/3 vs. Nagi Sanzenin 289-250
7/11 vs. Nagisa Furukawa 364-301

Rika, the 2007 2chan Saimoe champion, comes into this tournament riding on strong campaigns in Emerald and Ruby after a forgettable Sapphire performance. Like Tsukasa, however, she has odds stacked against her in her match against #2 Tomoyo, but does come into the contest with a win over a top 16 opponent, as well as a perfect Emerald run. Her first meeting with Tomoyo saw her lose by less than 40 votes, but a low turnout may have factored into the result.

Highlight wins for Tomoyo:

4/26 VS. #4 Shana 263-254
5/20 vs. #3 Haruhi Suzumiya 214-191
8/1 vs. #5 Kyou Fujibayashi 345-285

Tomoyo is one of three at large candidates, and candidates from Clannad, still alive (along with Kyou and Kotomi). The student council president packs a punch as the ultimate kicking combo machine, with a penchant for athleticism and leadership. Her notoriety is so strong that a fan-based game was created in her honor, extending her role as a significant other to Tomoya Okazaki. She should have no issues against Rika, but the margin could be close.

BoBA Predicts: Tomoyo by at least 100 votes

#3 Haruhi Suzumiya vs. #14 Mai Kawasumi

Highlight wins for Haruhi:
5/17 vs. #5 Kyou Fujibayashi 246-226
6/18 vs. #7 Kagami Hiiragi 333-282
7/4 vs. #4 Shana 367-320

Haruhi comes into the ISL Tiara phase on a high, with necklace victories in Ruby and Diamond. She is many things, the leader of her own brigade in the fight against boredom, the crack in the world's space-time continuum, the deity for which a religion of millions of converts practice with a passion...Haruhi is an all-around competitor that should be safe in this preliminary round.

Highlight victories for Mai:
4/17 vs. #13 Suigintou 188-117
4/24 vs. #12 Konata Izumi 256-208
7/25 vs. #6 Yuki Nagato 294-288

Mai, flying the flag for Kanon, comes into this tournament bouncing back from a lamentable effort in the Topaz stage with strong performances in the other phases. Her quality victory is one that Haruhi was unable to get, a win over Yuki Nagato. That isn't to say that she will have an advantage over a foe that ran her over by more than 100 votes. While victories over Yuki, Haruhi's protege Konata and Suigintou are quality wins, she will have a tough time upsetting the franchise character of the series that is rightfully dedicated.

BoBA Predicts: Haruhi by more thasn 150 votes

#4 Shana vs. #13 Suigintou

Highlight wins for Suigintou:
6/30 vs. #11 C.C. 286-267
7/2 vs. Nagisa Furukawa 275-264
8/18 vs. #9 Hinagiku Katsura 460-433

"Who's the junk now?" That's the mantra that Suigintou can brag to her Rozen Maiden sisters. Flying the flag for the Alice Game, she is proof that imperfections can work in you favor, rather than against it. The Mercury Lampe's strongest run came in the summer months, with her strongs wins against C.C. and Hinagiku. She faces a daunting opponent that is more than a match when harnessing fire in Shana.

Highlight wins for Shana:
4/5 vs. #5 Kyou Fujibayashi 145-105
5/29 vs. #8 Kotomi Ichinose 315-273
6/4 vs. #6 Yuki Nagato 283-257

Even though she only has one necklace win to her credit (Aquamarine), Shana has had relative consistency in the seven necklace stages, with a record no worse than 8-1. Like Suigintou (and a number of others in the field of 16), she is the lone representative in her series, and a franchise character that has been battle-tested. The fire in her eyes signifies the competitive spirit that got her here, and got her to perform strong in prior Saimoe Tournaments in Japan and Korea.

BoBA Predicts: Shana by 160 votes

#5 Kyou Fujibayashi vs. #12 Konata Izumi

Highlight wins for Konata:
5/17 vs. #13 Suigintou 254-197
5/23 vs. #10 Nanoha Takamachi 187-172
6/18 vs. #8 Kotomi Ichinose 317-292

The protege of Haruhi Suzumiya and a charisma like no other, Konata Izumi comes into the final 16 with strong finishes in Ruby and Diamond, as well as an undefeated run in the Sapphire stage. She has wins against Nanoha, Kotomi, Suigintou, and Rika to her credit, as well as another top 16 victory against fellow Saitama Prefecture denizen Tsukasa. It's her desire to measure up against the best, and she gets her wish against Kyou.

Highlight wins for Kyou:
4/12 vs. #7 Kagami Hiiragi 133-119
4/17 vs. #1 Fate Testarossa Harlaown 185-183
8/20 vs. #6 Yuki Nagato 393-378

Kyou, the naughty-natured, book-throwing, clutch-shooting, deliciously tsundere vixen on a motorbike, comed into the final 16 with a necklance win in the Sapphire stage. Her best moment, however, was in Aquamarine. She is one of only three to win against Fate, and she also has undefeated runs in Topaz and Ruby to go with her breakthrough win. Her escapades in the storage room with Tomoya may have contributed to her rising stock. She was also the first to qualify through the at-large Open Discussion slots, and will try to continue making the most of it with a second-straight win over Konata.

BoBA Predicts: Kyou by more than 70 votes

#6 Yuki Nagato vs. #11 C.C.

Highlight wins for Yuki:
4/19 vs. #8 Kotomi Ichinose 172-142
5/8 vs. #3 Haruhi Suzumiya 395-219
8/6 vs. #7 Kagami Hiiragi 555-533

Yuki has had her fair share of victories, being the strongest of the SOS Brigade members not named Haruhi. Her computer skills and uncanny ability to make Kyon look like Barry Bonds, as well as an ability to heal herself from an apparent impaling, have worked in her favor. Her consistency will be tested by a fellow witch (in the most arcane sense), C.C.

Highlight wins for C.C.:
4/19 vs. #12 Konata Izumi 156-148
7/30 vs. #9 Hinagiku Katsura 307-307 (OT 334-319)
8/18 vs. #4 Shana 531-423

The PIzza Hut-fueled witch flies the banner for Code Geass, with solid runs in the last three necklace phases to go with a perfect Amethyst run. The question of whether of not she could actually count was answered in her match against Hinagiku, and her biggest win came late against Shana in the Diamond stage. She faces her fiercest test, a rematch with Yuki, where she fell by 80 votes in Diamond. C.C.'s legacy as one of the stalwarts in Japan and Korea will give her a determined effort to even things up at the perfect time.

BoBA Predicts: A close race. Take your pick. BoBA will go with Yuki by less than 50 votes.

#7 Kagami Hiiragi vs. #10 Nanoha Takamachi

Highlight wins for Kagami:
5/15 vs. #4 Shana 246-239
6/9 vs. #9 Hinagiku Katsura 281-262
8/16 vs. #2 Tomoyo Sakagami 444-367

Kagami comes into the postseason with two necklace wins to her credit (Amethyst and Emerald), a victory over Tomoyo Sakagami in the Diamond stage, and the upper hand over Nanoha, whom she previously defeated early in Aquamarine. While this plans to be another close encounter, Kagami's determination and perseverance got her to avenge her defeat to Rena Ryuuguu in 2chan Saimoe 2007, and she will not hold anything back in her match with the White Devil.

Highlight wins for Nanoha:
7/16 vs. #11 C.C. 388-377
7/30 vs. #5 Kyou Fujibayashi 323-318
8/4 vs. #8 Kotomi Ichinose 364-362

She is called "The White Devil" for many reasons, namely, her "hellish tactics" that have destroyed many foes through Raising Heart, her weapon of choice. While she is overshadowed by her sidekick, Fate Testarossa Harlaown, Nanoha in her own right isa an opponent worthy of this company of 16, with a strong run in the Amethyst, Sapphire, and Emerals phases. She is set to make things difficult for Kagami to make it two straight against her, and will look to even the score.

BoBA Predicts: Close, but it will be Kagami by less than 50.

#8 Kotomi Ichinose vs. #9 Hinagiku Katsura

Highlight wins for Kotomi:
5/3 vs. #9 Hinagiku Katsura 333-233
5/9 vs. #2 Tomoyo Sakagami 340-235
7/25 vs. #7 Kagami Hiiragi 327-277

Music can not only be an outlet for creativity, it can also be a weapon...for all thw wrong reasons. That's the case with Kotomi's violin. It's so strong, legend has it, that it could smash the Devil's fiddle into golden dust. (However, this can neither be confirmed nor denied.) While she only finished with a record of 8-1, Kotomi's strongest run came in the Topac stage, with a win over Tomoyo to go with perfect runs in the Emerald and Ruby stages.

Highlight wins for Hinagiku:

6/9 vs. #7 Kagami Hiiragi 281-262
6/23 vs. #10 Nanoha Takamachi 288-264
8/12 vs. #5 Kyou Fujibayashi 300-300 (OT 334-323)

Hinagiku flies the flag for Hakuoh Academy and Hayate Ayasaki and the crew, and she had consistent results, including victories over Kyou and Kagami to go with a clean sheet in the Emerald Stage. Her opponent, Kotomi, comes into the match with a 100-vote advantage in the previous meeting. But this is a different game, a new contest, and anyone, including Hinagiku, Must instill a self-belief that anything is possible.

BoBA Predicts: Form following this round, Kotomi by less than 100 votes.

USC football is set for a losing season.

The USC Trojan football team, that pathetic bunch of scoundrels who are playing crappier than *Berman voice* the Raiders *Berman voice off*, can only pray that Jacquizz Rodgers is an ineligible player. Those poor wasted scum have plunged to new depths of futile suckitude with their 21-14 loss to Oregon State.

Nice going, you pricks. I'm gonna return to following my Lancers, Vikings, and Toreros (and the Mustangs from Cal Poly too).

===

I should actually thank my old friends at the CSULB Anime Club for allowing me to visit. Not only was I spared the beginning of a season from hello for USC (hello losing year, 'tis been a while, eh?), but I was also spared watching the Los Angeles Galaxy choke...AGAIN. 3-1 loss to Chicago. Just let the Mars Rover run you guys over and plan for nest year.

===

Even though they clinched the NL West (the weakest division in the Majors this season), the Dodgers lost to San Diego, which I am happy about. Also, the Sparks and Angels won, so the night wasn't totally crap.

But it could have been better. Too bad Pete Carroll and Bruce Arena aren't pulling their weight.
Too heavy for both of you?

The USA sucks at golf and tennis. AGAIN.

Nick going, Nick Faldo. Just let the Mars Rover run your ass over and retire, you fag.

===

Faldo slammed for Ryder Cup loss


LONDON (AP) One headline branded the outcome "Faldo Folly." Another deemed him "Captain Calamity."


Under fire: Europe's Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo is taking heat for his team's surprising loss to the United States over the weekend in Louisville, Ky. AP PHOTO
European Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo was under siege Monday after his team's loss to the United States. Faldo, a six-time major winner, was belittled for his player selections.

"Nick Faldo, not the crowd, was America's 13th Man," the Daily Maily said of his role in Europe's 16 1/2-11 1/2 loss in Louisville, Ky.

The Times of London said that while U.S. captain Paul Azinger instilled belief in his team, "Faldo inspired chaos."

Even without the best player in the world — Tiger Woods' only involvement was text messaging Azinger — and a team comprised of six rookies and three veterans who knew nothing but losing in the Ryder Cup, the captain's messages got through.

The Times assailed Faldo for using his most successful players — Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell — near the end of Sunday's singles matches rather than at the beginning. That meant the overall result was decided by the time they won their matches.

"Buzzing around the 17th green, the United States players extolled the team-bonding skills of Azinger," the Times said.

"Faldo's thin skin, the need to have his sports shrink by his side even out on the course and his grating sense of humor, had confirmed what we knew all along, which is that he is no natural leader," the paper said. "But what we had not expected was that a man who had dedicated himself so much to this job would make such a colossal mistake."

Former European Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher said Faldo got his singles selections wrong.

"I was worried about putting three top players at the bottom of the order," said Gallacher, who lost two Ryder Cup matches and then won his third. "The top players should be at the top to get the points early."

The Daily Mail said Faldo's decision to put Poulter and McDowell near the end of the 12 matches was like "sending an aircraft carrier to a conflict that was already over."

"His list will go down as one of the great leadership howlers and it confirmed the sense we had of Faldo being swept along by instinct and whim," the Mail said.

The Telegraph said Faldo had used the Ryder Cup to feed his ego.

"Faldo's gamble on the big finish . . . left Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Padraig Harrington, thrashing at thin air, their legs amputated by a hopelessly incontinent ego," it said.

The Telegraph said the Valhalla fallout would leave Faldo "about to pay the price of a lifetime of self serving, of devotion to the cult of the individual."

The Japan Times: Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008
(C) All rights reserved


===

And as long as we have Rafa Nadal playing for Spain...and we face them...we will always be screwed.

US out of Davis Cup

Written By:BBC , Posted: Mon, Sep 22, 2008


Caption: Rafael Nadal beat Andy Roddick in straight sets to put defending champions the United States out of this year's Davis Cup.


Spain's Rafael Nadal beat Andy Roddick in straight sets to put defending champions the United States out of this year's Davis Cup.

Nadal's 6-4 6-0 6-4 win gave Spain an unassailable 3-1 lead, taking them through to the final where they will face Argentina, who beat Russia 3-2.

Playing at the Las Ventas bullfighting arena, Nadal put Roddick to the sword with his array of passing shots winning a huge ovation from the partisan home crowd.

It is the latest chapter in a dream year for Nadal, coming after his wins at the French Open, Wimbledon and the Olympics and his claiming of the number one spot.

US pairing Mike Bryan and Mardy Fish had kept their team's hopes alive on Saturday with a thrilling 4-6 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-4 defeat of Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco in the doubles.

Fish was only playing because of a shoulder injury to Bryan's usual partner, his brother Bob.

But after a hesitant start that saw Lopez and Verdasco take the opening set, he proved to be a strong partner.

Nadal had survived an early scare against Davis Cup debutant Querrey before winning in four sets in Friday's opener.

The French Open and Wimbledon champion initially struggled to contain Querrey's powerful serve and forehand and had to recover from the initial shock of being put on the back foot by an opponent just out of his teens.

The 20-year-old took the first set on a tie-break but Nadal fought back to win 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-3 6-4.

Spain will play Argentina in the final in November after they completed a 3-2 win over Russia in Buenos Aires.

Russia's Nikolay Davydenko came from behind to beat David Nalbandian 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7-2) 6-0, bringing his side level at 2-2.

But Argentina secured victory when Juan Martin Del Potro defeated Igor Andreev 6-4 6-2 6-1 in the decisive encounter.

On Friday, Nalbandian had swept Andreev aside to claim a 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 6-4 win but Del Potro's victory over Davydenko was even more one-sided, the 19-year-old dropping only seven games against the world number six on his way to a 6-1 6-4 6-2 win.

Elsewhere in the Davis Cup, Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka teamed up for the first time since winning Olympic gold in Beijing to clinch Switzerland's place in the elite World Group.

They beat Belgium's Xavier Malisse and Olivier Rochus 4-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 on Saturday, giving the Swiss an unassailable 3-0 lead.

Individually they had got off to a perfect start on Friday, as world number nine Wawrinka eventually beat 58th-ranked Steve Darcis 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 6-3 2-6 6-4 in the first singles match.

US Open champion Federer saw off world number 95 Kristof Vliegen 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 6-2.

===

What happened to showing up?

There are teams that I follow that lose, and there are teams that I can't help but wonder, "Why do you even bother playing if you don't even bother to show up for it? It's asinine, really. That was the case with a number of teams I follow. First, AFC Liverpool, a fledling outfit, got walloped by a team a tier blow them, called Waterloo Dock, 6-1. And this side at the top of their table...and they get thumped. Bloody wanks. I mean, at least if you're going to exit, you'd at least make the score respectable. That just gets on my bad side. Even though they are in theri first year, one would expect a scoreline better than this. Scouse fags.

Even worse, while Yankee Stadium is due to be nothing more than a smoldering pile of rubble in a number months' time, the Angels, who are three wins away from 100 victories, cannot rely of Jered Weaver to help him. The rube can't pitch his way out a wet paper bag in a 9-6 loss to the Mariners. Adding a little insult, the Dodgers won that day.

And that's what drives me to bedlam here. Dodgers win, Angels lose. Send Jered back to Salt Lake, MIke Scioscia. We can't rely on him next month. We'd have to bring up the bullpen at the top of the 2nd inning.

===

Is it just me, or has the world ended? While President Bush's dementia has reached beyond Satanic levels with his plan to make the rich richer and the poor poorer (a plan that will go back to hell from whence it came), the Los Angeles Galaxy...actually WON a few days ago. DC United fell, 5-2.

About bloody time you pricks did something right. Now let's get on a streak already, you dormant rubes.

===

Two-game losingt streak, Roughriders? Get out of here.

===

Lack of consistency isn't restricted to my university's women's soccer team, apparently. The women's volleyball team suffered their first sweep of the season...to fucking Santa Clara, of all sides, a day after sweeping them on Friday.

Gimmillaro...we ought to send the New York Five Families to question you and your team's dwindling commitment to consistent play this year.

===

There are individuals and teams, though, that cut the mustard. The USA, Australian, and English squad are undefeated in their runs towards South Africa 2010. And Francisco Rodriguez became the first closer to reach 60 saves in a season. Adelaide United is the first Australian side to advance to the semifinals of the AFc Champions League, defeating the defending J.League champions Kashima Antlers 2-1. Robert Cornthwaite, who scored an own goal in the first leg in Japan, made up for it by scoring the winner at the Hindmarsh Stadium. I think Oswaldo may want to send their first team keeper, Hitoshi Sogahata, to the reserve side.

And the Sparks are still alive. Bring on San Antonio. 71-64 win over Seattle.

ISML 2008 Tiara Preview

A preview of the International Saimoe League Postseason, which starts September 30, 2008 and concludes in early November. NOTE: This is the final version. The previous one had a typographical error in one of the slides. Thankfully that was the only mistake. This is also being posted on Google Video.

ISML 2008 Tiara Preview

A preview of the International Saimoe League Postseason, which starts September 30, 2008 and concludes in early November. NOTE: This is the final version. The previous one had a typographical error in one of the slides. Thankfully that was the only mistake. This is also being posted on Google Video.

Oh God, here I go!

So said Max Baer as he turned blue, dabadee dabadi, dabadee dabadi, dabade dabadiiii...

===

World shares dive after Lehman Brothers collapse


NEW YORK (AFP) — Global stock markets went into a dizzying fall Monday as the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers sparked fears that more bad news is on the horizon for the finance sector and the economy.

The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled below 11,000 with a slide of 4.42 percent to 10,917.51, its largest one-day point loss since the reopening after the September 2001 terrorist attacks.

The Nasdaq composite plummeted 3.60 percent to 2,179.91 and the broad-market Standard & Poor's 500 index skidded 4.71 percent to 1,192.70.

Investors were in near-panic mode because of the uncertainty about the knock-on effect of the collapse at Lehman, a former Wall Street titan with broad connections to other financial firms.

The emergency sale of Wall Street rival Merrill Lynch to Bank of America and worries about a possible collapse at insurance giant American International Group added to jitters.

"Lehman Brothers' decision to file bankruptcy and worries that the credit crisis could claim American International Group as the latest casualty are fueling the fears on the Street," analysts at Charles Schwab & Co. said in a note to clients.

"Merrill's purchase has traders fretting that hidden problems abound and more firms could be looking at a fate similar to Lehman's."

Meanwhile central banks, led by the US Federal Reserve, rushed to inject tens of billions of dollars into the money markets to head off any rush on liquidity as investors pulled money out of stocks and looked for safety.

Despite the moves, London's FTSE 100 index slumped 3.92 percent to 5,204.20. In Paris, the CAC 40 tumbled 3.78 percent to 4,168.97 and in Frankfurt the DAX shed 2.74 percent at 6,064.16 points.

The Euro Stoxx 50 index of leading eurozone companies lost 3.67 percent.

Asia tumbled first on the news Monday, followed by the Middle East, Russia and then Europe before the shockwave hit the North and South American markets.

"The collapse of Lehman Brothers has sent a major jolt through global financial markets as it is by far the biggest victim of the credit crisis that started in August 2007 and had been considered too big to fail," said Global Insight economist Howard Archer.

"There is obviously widespread concern about other banks' exposure to Lehman Brothers, not only in the US but also in Europe. Lehman's collapse also increases concerns that other banks could fail."

The dollar came under pressure as analysts said the US central bank's Federal Open Market Committee, set to meet Tuesday on interest rates, might be forced to cut rates in a further reassurance to markets. The Fed has kept its base rate at 2.0 percent since April.

John Ryding at RDQ Economics said a rate cut might not solve the crisis but that some are concerned "about the damage to the markets that could be done if the Fed disappoints expectations."

In New York, Lehman shares, delisted from the New York Stock Exchange, plunged 94 percent to 21 cents.

American International Group, one of the world's biggest insurance companies, slid 60.8 percent on fears it may too face a death spiral from a cash crunch and possible credit downgrade.

Merrill Lynch, Lehman's white-shoe rival on Wall Street, managed to get a lifeline over the weekend with a deal to sell itself for 50 billion dollars to Bank of America. Merrill shares rose 0.06 percent but Bank of America fell 21 percent.

In Europe, the banks bore the brunt of the losses as the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy undercut any notion of business as usual, dealers said.

In London, HBOS plunged 36 percent at one stage but managed to finish with a loss of 17.55 percent, reflecting concerns about a bank that had to raise fresh cash earlier this year after massive losses on its US subprime exposure.

Royal Bank of Scotland, similarly in the firing line, lost 10 percent and Barclays was down 9.84 percent.

In Canada, the S&P/TSX index slid 4.04 percent percent while the Brazilian Bovespa index, South America's largest, sank 7.59 percent.

In Asia, where Tokyo and Hong Kong were among several markets closed for a public holiday, shares fell sharply, with Sydney down 1.8 percent and Singapore off 3.27 percent.

The weekend after 9/11

Some insane things have gone on this weekend: while Hurricane Ike slams Houston and the heart of Texas, a clash of two trains marytyred dozen twofold and some in Chatsworth. Mercy.

My Lancer football team won, as well as my women's volleyball team, and the likes of AFC Liverpool, Melbourne Victory and AFC Wimbledon did, too. The Socceroos and the USA MNT also did their part of the work. I am disappointed in the Los Angeles Galaxy's failure to get any positive results for the bulk of this season, hence I changed the color layout. I also changed it due to the MLS season wrapping up down here.

SPeaking of MLB, how about that Francisco Rodriguez. 58 saves. He made history tonight, passing Bobby Thigpen in a 5-2 win for the Halos. Nine wins away from 100, two saves away from 60 for K-Rod. Some more milestones are in order.

A relief for me...the Armada are eliminated

From Bleacher Report...

Blair Field, Dirtbag Country: Why I Stay Away When the Long Beach Armada Play

Ahhh, the USA. It has its share of great ballparks, from sea to shining sea. But if there was ever a baseball stadium that caught my imagination, it's Blair Field, located in Long Beach, California. If you ask me, this is the gem of all amateur baseball parks. Established in 1956, it has been the home of some thrilling high school baseball games, American Legion clashes, Connie Mack classics, training for the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Rams (when they were in Los Angeles-good times), and even was used for Olympic training, perhaps as a precursor to the demonstration days of 1984 at the Chavez Ravine that is Dodger Stadium.

But I shed no tears for the Long Beach Armada falling to the Orange County Flyers in Game 5 of the Golden Baseball League South Division Series by the score of 12 runs to 2. Instead, I raise my hands in celebration for this fact alone: in about 5 months' time, Blair Field will return to its rightful owners, the Long Beach State Dirtbags.

The city's TRUE home team.

More...

The Angels clinch it.

Wow. Those Angels clinched it. Now all we need is those Dodgers to pull their weight and make it a division sweep for both the Blue Crew and Halos. Let's go Dodgers. (I can't believe I just said that.)

Angels dominate the West, but can the Dodgers do the same?

It looks like the only drama now remaining for the Los Angeles Angels this regular season is if closer Francisco Rodriguez can rewrite the record books in the coming days by becoming the first to tally up 60 saves in a season (which is doable), or maybe even 70 saves a season. And the side story will be their push for 100 wins in a season (currently they stand at 88).

More...

Dour mood today...

Ugh. God, I am disgusted today. Not for the fact that we lost to Florida, but the fact that we gave up the last three sets after winning the first two. There can be no excuse for Brian Gimmilaro's ladies failing to fish the job. I am looking at another second-place finish to Cal Poly after what just transpired today.

Unforgivable. Totally. I mean, if you're gonna be up two sets to none in a volleyball match, you'd better focus on finishing your opponents off. Today, you witnessed an example of Long Beach State volleyball putting the foot off the pedal at the most critical point in a contest.

I am not gonna be surprised if any future defeats are in this fashion. Brian, Debbie, Melissa...you gotta talk to these ladies about finishing. This is the type of volleyball that runner-ups and also-rans are skilled at. It's so easy to lose in this fashion, you won't know it until the other team across from you jumps like they are half their age.


Thie start was epic, but the finish was pathetic. Better fix this when you face Central Connecticut State....

===

Meanwhile, the Dodgers win again, the Angels lose...again, and it hasn't been a good day for my favorite club teams. FC United's match this week was postponed due to waterlog, AFC Wimbledon drew even with Weston-Super-Mare, and AFC Liverpool dropped a stinker. While my national teams won (USA over Cuba, Australia over Netherlands), the Galaxy continue their nasty slump. 3 minutes from halftime, 1-1 tie with Real Salt Lake.

The Sparks lost last night to the San Antonio Silver Stars. Thank God my St. Anthony Saints and Lakewood Lancers won their games. It was a decent outing for a majority of my teams, but I was hoping for more of my teams to have gotten the job done.

===

September 4, 2008

The spiels at the 2008 Republican National Convention was a win-win scenario for both parties. On one hand, you got the GOP people who now have thrown their support towards John McCain and Sarah Palin for President and Vice President. On the other hand, the Democrats, who are viewing this, are a field day, if not a feast day, getting plenty of fuel for the ads that will come out.

This is awesome. As a supporters of the Democrats, I think my party will enjoy debunking all the speeches coming out from the Twin Cities. This is great.

===

I am not gonna be surprised if Leslie Sanchez gives McCain's speech a B, let alone an A. Given that she rated Obama's speech a C and her roles as a Republican strategist on CNN, it's clear that if you're looking at it from a neutral perspective, it's a tad skewed. And if you ask me, given her role, it's expected that she will be biased.


===

I am looking at McCain and Palin getting a similar outcome to Mondale and Ferraro in 84. It's a hunch. Similar to Richard Collier not winning his fight to survive.

===

Down at DeVry-er, Keller, I was treated to a video on obfuscating the truth in the name of justice, of winning for the plaintiffs or defense, and all these bombsells coming out.

Would you believe it; I now have a hankering for some court pictures of endowed cross-examiners.

I gotta get me down to the booru. Quick.

Labor Day Quick Hits

Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Hanna have been assigned to send hell in a storm basket to Louisiana and Georgia, respectively. Gustave made landfall about a few hours ago, while Hanna is warming up for the beatdown by upgrading to a Category 1 hurricane.

Get in on, both of you.


===

36 people in China lose their lives in a 5.7 earthquake in Sichuan Province. And Mother Nature's wrath wreak havoc as Hi Jintao heart hardens like the Pharaoh of Egypt in the Biblical days.

===

I am quietly compiling some results for a video on the International Saimoe League 2008, subject to approval to the commisioner of the league (the webmaster of the site, in layman terms). It will just be a simple slideshow, complete with results.

Nothing too special.

===

It's Labor Day today. No work means some R&r, but for me, it's on the eve of a return to class.

I gotta get some stuff ready. That means a backpack full of books and binders, and plenty of writing apparati.

===

I am elated after getting those DVDs out of the way. I needed to back up all those Olympic Games footage. All that's remaining is a few Closing Ceremony clips, an iso of the Opening Ceremony, and a few soccer games.

More young men martyred on the football field

What the hell is it with all these football players dying? It makes me sick to see all these young guys being martyred on the field. It's the stuff of high school dramas.

I got me a hankering for some more anime.

Tragedy required tough questions

August 31, 2008

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There are stories, and there are stories, and there are stories, and every now and then, there are stories like that of 15-year-old Max Gilpin.

It's the kind of story that -- contrary to what some believe -- most journalists would prefer not to have to cover -- the death of someone so young, so full of hope, so full of potential.

It is also the kind of the story that demands tough questions, deliberation and honest answers.

Max died three days after experiencing breathing difficulties and collapsing at the end of football practice at Pleasure Ridge Park High School. The heat index had reached 94 degrees -- a point at which players are supposed to be allowed to drink as much water as they want. A second player also experienced breathing problems but has recovered.

This happened on Wednesday, Aug. 20, and by Friday, Aug. 22, an initial examination by the Jefferson County Public Schools had concluded that all precautions had been taken and there were no violations of district policy. On Aug. 23, Max Gilpin died.

Two stories published in The Courier-Journal since then have provoked the ire of some members of the PRP community who think the newspaper has been insensitive to the family and PRP community in general.

One story was an eyewitness account by four people who say they heard a coach deny some players' request for water. (None of them knew if Max was one of the boys, and a fifth eyewitness has come forward.) That story has prompted the school district to take a harder look at the circumstances around Max's death and triggered an investigation by the Louisville Police Department.

But some readers e-mailed us to say that story, which was published on the day of the funeral, should have been delayed out of respect for the family. The second story was about the funeral itself and, again, some thought it was insensitive to the family.

Make no mistake: We take everything we do here seriously, and these stories were no exception.

This case is a classic example of the delicate balancing act that news organizations across the country face every day in weighing the rights of the people we cover and the public's right to know.

In the case of the eyewitness account, there was never any thought of delaying the story. It was too important to hold, especially given the school district's quick rush to judgment on what had occurred. I can't think of any credible newspaper in the country that would not have promptly published a story of such importance. We would have been remiss not to do so.

You also should know that Max's mother, Michele Crockett, fully supported that story and others we have done. And, as for covering the funeral, she approved our request to cover it.

We clearly understand the sensibilities in cases such as this, and we try our best to be respectful.

But we also have an obligation to report the news. That's our job.

We make literally hundreds of decisions a day as we go about putting out the next day's newspaper -- what stories will go where on Page One, what's the most important story of the day, what stories will go in the Metro section, what reporter will cover a certain story, and on and on and on. Some decisions are easier than others. Decisions are always more difficult when they involve the loss of someone's loved one, especially someone as young as Max Gilpin.

While our stories may have been difficult for some to read, they have raised serious questions about Max's death. Had we not published the eyewitness accounts, would the Jefferson County school system be taking a deeper look? Would the police department be involved?

Probably not.

This story is too important to gloss over. Too many people have a stake in this one, including the hundreds of parents who have children in the Jefferson County school district.

Max Gilpin, a perfectly healthy young man by all accounts, died, and that shouldn't have happened.

That's why we are asking tough questions and looking for honest answers.

Bennie L. Ivory is vice president and executive editor of The Courier-Journal.

Boy, 16, killed after egging cars

Sunday, August 31, 2008 3:40 AM

By Suzanne Hoholik

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Georden Burton is comforted by Westland guidance counselor Christi Shore at the football game last night.

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ADAM ALEXANDERDispatch

Georden Burton is comforted by Westland guidance counselor Christi Shore at the football game last night.

Westland High School junior Garrett P. Burton, 16, was shot and killed near Hilliard-Rome Road.

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Westland High School junior Garrett P. Burton, 16, was shot and killed near Hilliard-Rome Road.

First, a moment of silence. Then the Westland High School band played the school's alma mater in memory of Garrett P. Burton at last night's football game.

The 16-year-old junior was shot and killed early yesterday, apparently in retaliation for throwing eggs at vehicles driving on Hilliard-Rome Road. Columbus police said Garrett died at the scene just before 3 a.m.

Garrett and at least one other boy were in the backyard of a house at 5402 Ripplemead Court when someone shot him in the head.

His grieving family came to the game last night to honor him. They hung a poster with his name, birthday, the day he was killed and a message from his mom, Patti.

They stood on the field with their arms around each other when those in the stadium stopped to remember Garrett.

"It was a dumb juvenile prank. Get your car washed, don't kill my kid," George Burton said about his son.

Burton, a Columbus police officer, didn't know details of the case or why his son was out so late, just that Garrett had been "out egging."

Garrett was killed in Ramiro Toribio's backyard, which backs up to Hilliard-Rome Road. A white plank fence and a line of trees buffer traffic noise. The area between the fence and the trees also could provide cover for teens to play pranks on passing motorists.

Toribio didn't hear the shot; police knocking at his door woke him up about 3 a.m.

"They said, 'Don't go outside; there's a dead person in your backyard,' " he said. He said Garrett's body was removed by the coroner's office about 8:30 a.m.

Toribio and his family have lived in the house since 2000. He said it's a quiet neighborhood.

His daughter, Laura, is a student at Westland and knew Garrett.

"She said he was a very likable kid," Toribio said. "For someone to kill a kid because of that is beyond belief."

News of Garrett's death spread quickly around this Far West Side community. Students sent text messages to each other and talked about the tragedy at the game.

Paige Turner, 15, said Garrett was in some of her classes. She was shocked when she heard that he'd been killed.

"It's really sad because he's really nice and he's never mean," she said.

Garrett tried out for the Westland football team last year but decided "it wasn't in him," his dad said. Garrett's older brother, Georden, was a linebacker on the Westland team until he graduated this year.

People described Garrett as quiet, very polite and helpful. He worked at Kroger and loved to golf, bowl and play basketball.

Another Columbus teen was killed in connection with an egging incident in 2006. Danny Crawford, 14, was shot and killed on the Hilltop after a group of boys he was with threw an egg at a car. No one has been charged in his death.

Anyone with information about Garrett's death is asked to call Columbus homicide detectives at 614-645-4730. His death was the 65th Columbus homicide this year.

Dispatch reporter Kathy Lynn Gray contributed to this story.

shoholik@dispatch.com

At R.J. Reynolds High, the deaths reverberate

Saturday, August 30

(updated 3:00 am)

By Ed Hardin
Staff Columnist

WINSTON-SALEM — The words still ring through the years, from the last time death visited Reynolds football, and they still sting.

“Then the locals punted out, and on the eve of what was to be the most brilliant victory in the history of the school came the most horrible catastrophe that fate could send; for it was in this play that Leo Caldwell, our star halfback, in making a tackle, lost his life.”

The words were written in 1923 in the first Black and Gold annual after the school opened 85 years ago. A plaque outside the gymnasium honors the fallen student, and a scholarship in Caldwell’s name has been awarded each year since his death.

A large banner hung from the railroad bridge below the historic campus Friday afternoon. "Home Football Game — RJR.” Another hung from the giant windows of the school. “We will never forget.” By its side, another. “Remember Matt Gfeller — 57.”

Death returned to Reynolds football 85 years after the tragic death of the 1923 team’s star halfback. Gfeller, a sophomore linebacker, Eagle Scout and artist, died from an injury sustained in last Friday’s game against Page. A week later, on the same football field, the Demons played again.

“I wasn’t sure we would be able to do this,” athletics director Jim Spivey said before Reynolds’ 37-16 loss. “The players wanted to play.”

And so they played.

Friday was a normal school day at Reynolds. There were no announcements, no instructions about the counselors on the school grounds or about the special ceremonies planned before the game against rival East. Most everyone knew about them, anyway. It had been a long, tough week at Reynolds, and most everyone agreed that it was time to begin the slow and painful process of moving on.

They buried their 15-year-old classmate Wednesday. Gfeller died Sunday morning from a brain injury suffered in a freak accident during the game against Page.

The football team decided earlier Wednesday that it needed to go to the stadium as a group, stand on the 30-yard line where the accident occurred and allow the players to have their own service for their teammate.

Friday night, as parents and alumni and teachers and administrators stood in silence, the players walked into Deaton-Thompson Stadium again, this time along with the East Forsyth players, all of whom wore the No. 57 on patches and helmet stickers. In fact, several schools in the area have decided to wear the number for the rest of the season.

Since the Reynolds team could only practice sparingly this week, East decided to do the same.

The teams were nervous Friday night, even scared. A moment of silence was held in the uncomfortable minutes before the playing of the national anthem, and then a football game was played on the hallowed ground where a player was fatally injured seven days earlier.

Reynolds is one of the oldest high schools in North Carolina, a school originally named Winston-Salem High School, a school that has produced state football champions and All-America collegians and NFL players dating back years and years. The brick-and-mortar outer walls are built with classic lines, narrow hallways wind around courtyards and catacombs stretch underground filled with artifacts from the Roaring ’20s.

Reynolds is a proud old school, and its community is tight, a black-and-gold line stretching 85 years.

That community came together this week in memorials and services for Gfeller, a kid who often told his friends, “I won’t let you down.” Almost to a person, they wore a T-shirt Friday with that quote on the front and the number 57 on the back.

He was a kid who touched people, a talented actor and a son and a brother who loved football more than anything else. His dream, the family said, had always been to wear the black and gold, to play football for his school.

A foundation was set up 85 years ago to provide scholarships in the name of Leo Caldwell, the star halfback who fell in the great victory over Charlotte in the first year of the new school building. All these years later, the school and the city that grew around it continue to honor his memory.

Matt Gfeller died after playing the only game he would ever play for R.J. Reynolds. A community of friends came to honor his memory Friday night, each of them pledging to remember him forever, as is tradition, beneath the pines of Reynolds High.

Ed Hardin, RJR class of ’74, can be reached at 373-7069

Okaloosa schools to review death of Niceville football player

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August 31, 2008 06:44:00 PM

By Jared Macarin / Florida Freedom Newspapers

NICEVILLE

The Okaloosa County School District will conduct a review of the death of sophomore football player Taylor Haugen.

The review is not an indication of fault, but merely a procedural effort.

"We want to determine the sequence of events that happened between the time the players hit each other to the time he was under the care of emergency medical treatment," Okaloosa County Superintendent of Schools Alexis Tibbetts said Sunday. "He was wearing the right equipment, and the ambulance was there within five minutes. I'm not sure what we could have done differently.

"It was a tragic accident," Tibbetts added.

Jerry Sansom, the school district's director of athletics, will conduct the review.

Niceville football coach John Hicks said he received a call from the Florida High School Athletic Association with well-wishes and that he will speak with the organization's representatives this week to discuss paperwork to be completed regarding the incident.

Haugen suffered an injury to his mid-section after colliding with two Fort Walton Beach players Friday night in the junior varsity portion of a Kickoff Classic game at Steve Riggs Stadium. He left the field under his own power before collapsing on the sideline.

There, a team trainer and doctor treated him until an ambulance arrived minutes later, and he was taken to Fort Walton Beach Medical Center, according to Tibbetts.

Haugen died early Saturday.

"It was a very short response time," she said. "From the time (medical personnel) got there, they were in charge and they made the decisions. He was being treated as best he could and everyone did everything they could do."

Tibbetts said the review is done just to be aware of everything surrounding the event.

"The county will be looking at all of the aspects of this tragic accident," she said. "We want to be aware of everything that happened. I want to be a problem solver and look at all sides. This student was equipped with all the gear that is expected and everyone was on top of everything they needed to be on top of.

"It's just a tragedy."

Barnwell High School Football Player Dies Save Email Print

Posted: 6:59 PM Aug 31, 2008 Last Updated: 10:28 PM Aug 31, 2008 Reporter: Ashley Jeffery Email Address: ashley.jeffery@wrdw.com 0 comments Map

A | A | A News 12 at 11 o'clock August 31, 2008 BARNWELL, SC--Justin Ferguson and James Wooden always played side by side and now that he's gone; this is one warhorse that will never be forgotten. "He gave everything he had and that's what he did that last day of practice," said Justin Ferguson, James' teammate. Justin Ferguson was at James Wooden's side when he collapsed after practice Tuesday and he can't believe his friend won't be back by his side ever again. "I saw his eyes rolling around so I knew he was dehydrated real bad but I never knew it would be like this," said Justin. Justin rode to the hospital with James and prayed everything would be just fine, but it wasn't. James' football coach tells News 12 the high school junior died Sunday morning from complications from a heat stroke. Before he fought for his life in the hospital. James was a fighter right here on the football field as one of the toughest yet gentle Barnwell Warhorses." "When the pads weren't on, you couldn't get him to hurt a single person, not even a fly. But when he put those pads on, you better know he was ready to hit," said Justin. The "big teddy bear" as many would call him, touched countless lives in the Barnwell community. His number 79 painted in the end zone and posters still hung around the stadium from Friday's game. Reminders of support from a community that hoped James would be hitting the field once again. And for James, a promise from his friend. "He'll be there, he won't be there but his spirit will. The whole year is dedicated to him now," said Justin. A team that plays for one horse, one town, and now one friend who will never be forgotten. Coach Joey Still tells News 12 that James had suffered from other heat related complications this season. A few weeks ago he was hospitalized but was recently cleared to hit the field again. He was able to play in the team's season opener against H-K-T.It's unclear at this time if the teenager had other medical problems that contributed to the heat stroke. No cause of death has been released