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No. 28: Tennessee
By Paul Myerberg // Aug 8, 2012
It's time for Tennessee to think positively. Yes, Derek Dooley promised a thorough examination of his coaching staff after last season, especially when the offseason began with a loss to Kentucky fresh in mind – though few thought that Dooley would be forced to undergo such a coaching overhaul. The pessimistic take is that the seven assistant coaches who left U.T. were jumping ship before it ran aground, joining Washington or Nebraska in a quest for better job security. The optimistic take is that the program needed fresh blood and a new voice. The talent is there; perhaps the Volunteers simply need a push in the right direction. Optimistically, the Volunteers may be in a better place, staffing-wise, than they were at the end of the 2011 season. But beware: Dooley won't get a free pass in 2012 based on the staffing moves. The standards remain the same, with anything less than a seven-win regular season grounds for another major coaching shakeup — beginning with Dooley and continuing with his entire staff.
SEC, East
Knoxville, Tenn.
Returning starters
17 (10 offense, 7 defense)
Last year's ranking
No. 49
2011 record
(5-7, 1-7)
Last year's
No. 81
2012 schedule
- Aug. 31
vs. N.C. State (in Atlanta)
- Sept. 8
Georgia St.
- Sept. 15
- Sept. 22
- Sept. 29
at Georgia
- Oct. 13
at Mississippi St.
- Oct. 20
- Oct. 27
at South Carolina
- Nov. 3
- Nov. 10
- Nov. 17
at Vanderbilt
- Nov. 24
Last year's prediction
The light's still not on, in my mind. I still think Tennessee has a tough road ahead before being mentioned in the same sentence with the SEC's best. But is this team better? There's not even a question. Is this program better today than it was on Jan. 12, 2010? No doubt about it. In short, U.T. is going to add one win to last year's regular season total. Is that enough to satisfy the fan base? I hope so, as 8-4 seems like a bit of a long shot with this schedule. There are seven seniors on this roster, folks. Roughly 70 percent of the roster are freshmen and sophomores. This is not a team built for success in 2011, but one built for success in 2012 and 2013.
2011 recap
In a nutshell The year slowed started tumbling downhill in October, steadily accumulating speed and momentum until, by year's end, Tennessee stood in a wholly unfamiliar spot: last in the SEC East – dead last, behind Vanderbilt and behind Kentucky. The Volunteers also lost to the latter, believe it or not, for the first time since 1984; they might have beat Vanderbilt, for the team's only conference victory on the season, but needed overtime. To say that it was a season to forget would be an understatement. But the reverberations from last season's seven-loss finish carried into the winter, spring and summer: U.T. not only ceded the SEC East to teams like South Carolina and Georgia, but for one year, it took last place away from the Wildcats and Commodores. Tennessee can only hope to take enough of a step forward this fall to put last season fully in its rearview mirror.
High point A 45-23 win over Cincinnati on Sept. 10. Tennessee's tempo was outstanding, as was its ability to control the clock, keeping the Bearcats' offense on the sidelines. U.T. would then beat Vanderbilt in November, ensuring at least one SEC win. The Vols' three remaining victories would come over Montana, Buffalo and Middle Tennessee State.
Low point Tennessee would gain more than 290 yards against only one SEC opponent, racking up 376 yards against Arkansas – and would lose that game by 42 points. Against Florida, Georgia, L.S.U., Alabama and South Carolina, the Vols would gain a total of 208 yards on the ground. In a positive vein, four of Tennessee's seven SEC losses came by 11 points or less. Then again, the Vols went 1-7 in conference play. It's not a stretch to say that this was the worst team in the program's modern era.
Tidbit Tennessee is mired in the worst four-year stretch in the program's modern era – though it's close. The Vols are 23-27 since 2008, with one winning season and three seven-loss seasons, for a winning percentage of 46.0 percent. U.T. went 21-23-1 from 1977-80, with one winning season, one non-losing season and one seven-loss season, for a winning percentage of 46.7 percent. Over the last four years, Tennessee has outscored the opposition by a combined 97 points; from 1977-80, U.T. outscored its opposition by a combined 185 points. What was the program's best four-year stretch? Three options: U.T. went 39-4 from 1938-41, winning the 1938 national title; went 40-7 from 1969-72, taking home the SEC in 1969; and went 45-4 from 1995-98, winning a pair of conference championships and one national title.
Tidbit (three quarterbacks edition) Last fall marked the fifth time since 1994 that Tennessee had been forced – or chosen, in same cases – to start three different quarterbacks at least once during the regular season. Why last year was different, however, was in the end result: U.T. struggled through a losing finish after winning at least eight games in each of the previous three-quarterback seasons. The Vols went 8-4 in 1994, when Jerry Colquitt shared starts with a solid baseball prospect named Todd Helton and a true freshman named Peyton Manning. In 2000, the Vols went 8-4 behind the trio of Jerry Matthews, A.J. Suggs and Casey Clausen; they went 8-5 in 2002 with Clausen, C.J. Leak and James Banks starting; and went 10-4 in 2004 with Brent Scheaffer, Erik Ainge and Rick Clausen starting at least three games apiece.
Tidbit (one win edition) Another low mark from last season: Tennessee won just one game during SEC play for only the fourth time in the league's history. The Vols had previously hit this nadir in 1954, 1964 and 1977. Of course, owning Kentucky and Vanderbilt typically helped U.T. net at least two wins during conference play.
Former players in the N.F.L.
35 CB Jason Allen (Cincinnati), DE Robert Ayers (Denver), S Eric Berry (Kansas City), LB Kevin Burnett (Miami), P Dustin Colquitt (Kansas City), P Britton Colquitt (Denver), LS Morgan Cox (Baltimore), QB Jonathan Crompton (Washington), RB Arian Foster (Houston), OG Ramon Foster (Pittsburgh), DT Aubrayo Franklin (San Diego), CB Jabari Greer (New Orleans), C Nick Guess (San Diego), LB Parys Haralson (San Francisco), RB Montario Hardesty (Cleveland), DT Albert Haynesworth (Tampa Bay), DE Malik Jackson (Denver), QB Peyton Manning (Denver), LB Jerod Mayo (New England), DT Turk McBride (New Orleans), OG Jacques McClendon (Detroit), DE Tony McDaniel (Miami), WR Robert Meachem (San Diego), LB Marvin Mitchell (Minnesota), WR Denarius Moore (Oakland), RB Tauren Poole (Carolina), OT Chris Scott (Pittsburgh), OG Jarrod Shaw (Cleveland), QB Matt Simms (New York Jets), WR Donte' Stallworth (New England), TE Luke Stocker (Tampa Bay), CB Jonathan Wade (Miami), C Scott Wells (St. Louis), DT Dan Williams (Arizona), TE Jason Witten (Dallas).
Arbitrary top five list
Older quarterbacks rejuvenated with new team
1. Norm Van Brocklin (Philadelphia).
2. Kurt Warner (Arizona).
3. Y.A. Tittle (New York Giants).
4. Joe Montana (Kansas City).
5. Warren Moon (Minnesota).
Derek Dooley (Virginia '90), 11-14 after two seasons at Tennessee. He was able to lead U.T. to bowl play in 2010, if only by the slimmest margin, but the Vols slid back out of bowl play last fall for the second time in four seasons. Dooley came to Knoxville after posting an 18-20 mark over three seasons at Louisiana Tech. His 8-5 2008 season marked a breakout year for both Louisiana Tech and its young coach, who made quite a name for himself in leading the Bulldogs to their best finish in a decade. In the course of two seasons, Dooley rebuilt a Tech program coming of its first 10-loss season into a genuine WAC contender. This is due largely to his enthusiasm and work ethic, the latter of which he learned as a longtime assistant under Nick Saban. Dooley spent 2000-5 with Saban at L.S.U., serving as the team tight ends coach (2000-2), special teams coordinator and running backs coach (2003-5). Dooley also held the recruiting coordinator title in those first three seasons, helping the Tigers land most of the players responsible for their 2003 national championship. After two more seasons under Saban, then with the Miami Dolphins, Dooley was tabbed to become Louisiana Tech's 30th coach; it was his first head coaching job on any level. The Bulldogs showed a three-game improvement in WAC play in Dooley's initial season in Ruston, rebounding from a dismal 3-10 (1-7 in conference) record in 2006 to finish 5-7, 4-4 in the WAC. He comes from great coaching stock; his father, Vince, coached Georgia from 1964-88, winning 201 games and the 1980 national championship. It was only a matter of time before Dooley moved up the coaching ranks to a major B.C.S. conference program. Perhaps some were surprised that it came so soon, only three years into his first job, let alone one year after suffering his second losing campaign. You've seen some ups and downs thus far, which might be partially as a result of Dooley's inexperience. Unfortunately, Tennessee is not a school that will wait patiently while its head coach works out the kinks: Dooley needs an eight-win season more than any coach in college football.
Tidbit (coaching edition) First, the two holdovers: Jim Chaney returns at offensive coordinator, adding quarterback duties to his plate, while former quarterbacks coach Darin Hinshaw moves over to the wide receivers – where he'll do a nice job, in my opinion. It's all new elsewhere, with no one hire bigger than former Alabama linebackers coach Sal Sunseri, who takes over for Justin Wilcox as Tennessee's defensive coordinator. Former L.S.U. and North Carolina assistant Charlie Coiner replaces Eric Russell as the Vols' tight ends coach and special teams coordinator. After having Terry Joseph handle the entire secondary last fall, U.T. will split those duties up between Derrick Ansley and Josh Conklin; Ansley, a graduate assistant at Alabama last fall, was briefly the defensive backs coach at U.C.F. before joining Sunseri and Dooley in Knoxville.
Sunseri was a very nice hire, as were the final three new assistants. New running backs coach Jay Graham, one of the finest backs in school history, comes over after spending three seasons tutoring South Carolina's backfield – doing a great job not only with Marcus Lattimore but with the Gamecocks' other options after Lattimore's injury a year ago. Offensive line coach Sam Pittman comes over from North Carolina, where he spent the last five seasons; before that Pittman worked at Northern Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Finally, Dooley landed one of the most distinguished position coaches in college football: John Palermo, the longtime Wisconsin assistant, will take on the defensive line.
Players to watch
So the offensive line can't be worse – and don't tell me it can, because I watched last year's line stumble and bumble many times, and I'll you: it can't be worse. Pittman's an upgrade not merely in terms of his ability as a recruiter, though he's already stepped into a role as one of Dooley's go-to coaches on the trail; he's also a solid if unspectacular position coach, one who did a nice job not merely reeling talent into North Carolina but also quickly and effectively developing top-notch recruits into multiple-year starters. One thing in Pittman's favor is the fact that U.T. certainly doesn't lack talent up front; in fact, the vast majority of the Vols' two-deep up front are former four-star recruits, with many choosing U.T. over offers from most of the SEC.
But it's time for this line to improve: last year's group helped – though that's the wrong word – Tennessee mount the worst running game in program history, and while the line was adequate in pass protection, it simply couldn't handle the SEC's bigger, faster, deeper defensive fronts. One thing you like about this year's front is the continuity it carries into 2012, with every meaningful piece of the puzzle back in the fold; while Pittman and this staff must settle on a starting five, the amount of returning experience is far greater than at this point a year ago.
Every position is set outside of right guard, where U.T. will continue looking at a pair of juniors, Zach Fulton and James Stone, until one provides some separation during fall camp. Fulton's the safe bet, seeing that he started all 12 games in this spot last season, and Stone's more valuable as a reserve – he can play both guard spots and center, where he started the first six games of 2011. Stone lost the starting job at center to junior Alex Bullard, the former Notre Dame transfer, who is a much better fit at center than at left guard. Senior Dallas Thomas will move inside from left tackle to guard, pushing sophomore Marcus Jackson into a reserve role. One thing you see from the start: U.T. is more experienced inside, but depth is also much, much better than in the recent past.
Where the Vols are strongest, however, is at tackle. Junior Ja'Wuan James is probably not going to develop into the all-American strong side blocker some envisioned he'd be following his freshman season, though he's still a very nice starter on the right side. The player to watch up front – and perhaps the player to watch on this entire team, if not one to keep an eye on nationally – is sophomore Antonio Richardson, who will take over on the blind side after getting his feet wet in a small role last fall. The only thing bigger than the expectations surrounding Richardson's move into the starting lineup are the sophomore's hands, which look like waffle irons – he's going to be deadly once he gains some technique to go with his athletic gifts.
The running game will improve along with this offensive line, though it's hard to get overly excited about the options U.T. brings to the table in the backfield. More than anything, you'd like to see one runner step to the forefront and become the Vols' every-down back; that doesn't seem likely. Instead, look for U.T. to go with at least three backs, with junior Raijon Neal (134 yards) and sophomores Marlin Lane (280 yards) and Devrin Young leading the way heading into fall camp. Another pair of options arrived over the summer in Davante Bourque and Quenshaun Watson, though the latter needs to add size before becoming a staple in this offense. Neal and Lane are the favorites, not only because of last year's experience but because both can give U.T. some big-play flair in the running game. But don't sleep on Bourque, a four-star recruit with good size and, according to reports, a hard-charging running style.
With junior Justin Hunter (17 receptions for 314 yards) back after missing all but the first three games of last season with a knee injury, Tennessee can now put forth a receiver pairing matched by only a few select programs in college football. While junior Da'Rick Rogers (67 receptions for 1,040 yards and 9 touchdowns) compiled an all-SEC season in Hunter's stead last fall, it was clear that the Vols' passing game was desperate for a target capable of demanding attention on the other side. Hunter can do that and more if he's healthy: he's been a big-play threat since his first day on campus, averaging 22.1 yards per reception over the last two years, and his return gives U.T. two big-bodied, next-level, dynamic lead options in the passing game.
Depth at receiver is a slight issue, though it's not an overwhelming concern. The Vols have a nice intermediate target in senior tight end Mychal Rivera (29 for 344), who should be a bigger weapon in the red zone with Hunter and Rogers out wide. But U.T. will need to get greater production out of senior Zach Rogers (14 for 189) and some snaps from at least two of the five incoming freshmen pegged to open at receiver – Drae Bowles, Cody Blanc, Jason Croom, Alton Howard and Cordarelle Patterson. Much is riding on two factors: Hunter's knee, and he seems very much on schedule, and Rogers' ability to keep his eye on the prize. Both should be focused on a huge season; that would help the team, for one, but could also move both into a high draft slot next April.
And then there's the quarterback, junior Tyler Bray, and you encounter another pair of questions: can he stay healthy, and has he gained enough experience to make a leap forward in his third season? One issue is that he's not your prototypical junior, having started only the last five games of 2010 and seven games last fall, the latter due to injury. So he's not overly polished, which makes every practice snap vital to his overall development. What you don't question is the skill set he possesses: Bray can make every throw in the book, can kill you deep and can thread it short, and has the sort of confidence – though this has gotten him in trouble in the past, and the very recent past at that – you love to see from the leader of your offense.
Bray is set to take off. All he needs is some careful, hands-on tutelage from Chaney, who takes on the task of ensuring that his quarterback lives up to mammoth potential. If U.T. can continue doing a nice job in pass protection, Bray has the surrounding skill players to be the best passing quarterback in the SEC. He's already almost there, though his first two seasons saw Bray take one step back for every two he took forward. He's already the program's best quarterback since Erik Ainge; if he can match potential with production, Bray's going to the Vols' best since… you know.
There's nothing wrong with trying to be more like Alabama, especially if trying to be more like Alabama comes at Alabama's expense. Sunseri, the Tide's former linebackers coach and a Nick Saban disciple, brings with him not only Alabama's defensive alignment, the same 3-4 the Tide have run throughout Saban's tenure, but also a formula for how to get stops in the SEC – that's what three years of working alongside Saban and Kirby Smart will do for a coach. While it's clear that Sunseri was ready for another step up the ladder, there are a few things to keep in mind: one factor is the scheme change itself, one that typically does entail an adjustment period for a team's returning defenders.
But Sunseri isn't wedded to the 3-4, even if it will serve as Tennessee's base formation. Look for U.T. to continue using the 4-3 on a fairly high percentage of plays – I don't want to guess, but let's say 15 percent of the time – while the defense catches up with Sunseri's new scheme. Of course, U.T. is better built for the 4-3, and will be until Dooley and this staff can start bringing linemen and linebackers built to the play in the system.
In terms of a top four, U.T. is ready to go at linebacker. It's depth that's an issue, and an even bigger issue should senior Herman Lathers not regain the form that made him a player to watch heading into last season. If Lathers is 100 percent following his shoulder surgery, pencil him into one of two starting spots at middle linebacker. The hybrid end-linebacker role – the pass-rushing specialist along the second level – will be filled by junior Jacques Smith (35 tackles, 7.5 for loss), who has all the ability you're looking for from the position. And it might not be as tough a transition as you might think: the duties are largely the same – take on blockers, bring pressure of the edge – though Smith will now be doing so standing up, not with a hand on the ground.
Smith's valuable because he can shift down to end when U.T. slides back into a 4-3 set. I have a feeling that he'll do so fairly often, perhaps when the Vols want to get a little quicker up front. The linebacker corps is rounded out by a pair of very promising sophomores, A.J. Johnson (80 tackles, 4.5 for loss) and Curt Maggitt (56 tackles, 5.5 for loss), with each looking forward to taking on a larger role in this defense. I'm not sure what U.T. plans to do, whether Johnson or Maggitt moves inside – they started on the weak and strong side, respectively, last season – but both are big enough to do so.
This is great: Tennessee has four very nice linebackers for Sunseri's system, and could move into a 4-3 set with ease. But this defense could be in trouble if there are injuries, even if senior Willie Bohannon could be a nice weapon at both outside linebacker spots. Another linebacker to watch in a reserve role is sophomore Jordan Williams, a converted end who should find a role on passing downs.
It was likely the most misleading statistic in football: Tennessee ranked 12th nationally against the pass last fall, but there was nothing 12th-best about this secondary. Why would teams pass when they could run? While the numbers say one thing, the reality of the situation says another: Tennessee's secondary is a pretty large question mark heading into September despite the fact that the majority of last season's contributors remain the fold.
One who will not return is would-be junior cornerback Izauea Lanier, a nine-game starter who was ruled ineligible in early June. If they weren't considering it before, Lanier's ineligibility led this staff to move senior Prentiss Waggner (48 tackles, 2 interceptions) from free safety to cornerback, where he's more comfortable. Waggner has bounced around far too much over his career; it would be nice if he could finish his career with some positional stability – that would be good not only for Waggner but also U.T. as a defense. The Vols like sophomore Brian Randolph (55 tackles) at free safety, where he made three of his five starts as a rookie.
Randolph will be joined at strong safety by either Brent Brewer (24 tackles) or Byron Moore, both juniors, with Brewer an eight-game starter at the position a season ago. While U.T. is a bit unsteady at safety, especially if Brewer remains slowed by least season's knee injury, Waggner's position change gives Sunseri and the two defensive backs coaches a number of options at cornerback. Sophomore Justin Coleman is pegged as the other starter heading into fall camp, ahead of senior Marsalis Teague (27 tackles). The loser is the top reserve, along with junior Eric Gordon and two incoming freshmen, Deion Bonner and LaDarrell McNeil. Both will play as true freshmen.
So, the issues. One is Tennessee's ability to get pressure on the quarterback. Sunseri is going to have a profound impact on the Vols' pass rush, but much is riding on the front seven's ability to grasp the new scheme. A second concern is the Vols' ability to force turnovers in the passing game. Waggner has a nose for the football, but it's too early to say the same of Randolph, Moore or Brewer. Finally, what about the two newcomers? It's clear that U.T. needs some fresh blood in the secondary; there's a chance that both Bonner and McNeil start a few games over the course of this season.
Tennessee's special teams need work. Junior Michael Palardy has been up and down since stepping into the mix two seasons ago, which does leave sophomore Derrick Brodus and incoming freshman George Bullock with a chance at taking over kicking duties in August. Sophomore punter Matt Darr was underwhelming last fall, though he was a rookie. But sophomore Devrin Young will be more comfortable in his second year handling return duties, both on kickoffs and punts, and U.T. did a fine job on coverage last fall. One issue: U.T. had a great special teams coordinator in Eric Russell, though the numbers don't totally reflect that fact.
Position battle(s) to watch
Defensive line I like Tennessee's flexibility up front. The Vols have several ends who could move inside to tackle and outside linebackers who can shift down to end, though that is a byproduct of the scheme change – for now, U.T. is better prepared for the 4-3 than the 3-4, which is not surprising. What Palermo and Sunseri need is a nose tackle who can occupy blockers at the heart of this defense, and there aren't many options who seem built for the position. Well, there's one: Daniel McCullers, a true freshman, is a 6'6, 380-pound giant. With his size, U.T. would be in wonderful shape if McCullers can give this defense 20-25 snaps per game at nose tackle. That would address the defense's biggest issue – and an issue for a few years running – which is a lack of prototypical size at tackle.
U.T. does have more than enough options to run a nice 4-3 set when needed. When U.T. wants to get quicker up front, it can move Jacques Smith down to end, team him with senior Steven Fowlkes and play JUCO transfer Darrington Sentimore and junior Maurice Couch (37 tackles, 6.0 for loss) inside. That's a pretty good group. But when the Vols run the 3-4, look for Sentimore – who has looked better this month than he did during the spring – and junior Marlon Walls (22 tackles, 3.0 for loss) to start at end. Both are nice-sized ends in this scheme. If McCullers is up to the challenge, he can team with Couch, junior Daniel Hood and sophomore Gregory Clark to give U.T. several bodies inside.
The line really isn't that bad, which is somewhat surprising; at first glance, back in January, I thought that finding answers up front would give Sunseri the most difficulty. With this personnel, it's all about finding a comfort level in the new system. U.T. will lose explosiveness, especially inside, but Sunseri and Palermo have enough tools to cobble together a nice run defense. What about getting to the passer? I'm not sure if the Vols are going to get much push from their three-man front.
Game(s) to watch
Tennessee is happy to draw Mississippi State out of the West and not L.S.U. or Arkansas – very, very happy — even if Alabama's around, as always. That's one pleasing aspect of a schedule that's tough but fair: U.T. plays more than a few strong teams, as is life in the SEC, but it could be worse. Now, the bad news. Georgia comes on the road, as does South Carolina. The Crimson Tide come to Knoxville, but that's a loss either way; you'd almost rather play Alabama in Tuscaloosa and get a beatable SEC East team at home. We're going to know everything we need to know about U.T. by the first of October, by which point the Vols will have played N.C. State, Florida and Georgia. As in 2010, Tennessee is also the beneficiary of an easier close: Troy, Missouri, Vanderbilt and Kentucky are the four opponents in November.
Season breakdown & prediction
In a nutshell Tennessee is ready to take a step forward. Beyond the fact that this team is hungry to get back into the SEC East mix, there's simply too much talent here for U.T. to continue slogging around the bare minimum of bowl eligibility. Bray is going to jostle for all-SEC and postseason honors; at worst, he's going to give U.T. the ability to stretch the field, something it simply couldn't do when Bray missed time last fall due to injury. The receiving duo of Hunter and Rogers – should Hunter be healthy, as I think he'll be – is the SEC's best, not to mention one of the most purely talented pairings in the country. The offensive line is not only deeper but led by what most close to the profession believe to be a stronger position coach, with Pittman standing as an upgrade over his predecessor. A stronger line will lead to a vastly improved effort on the ground, which in turn will make it even easier for Bray and his receivers to make things happen in the passing game. In my mind, this offense will be Tennessee's best since 2007 and one of the most improved in football.
You'll notice that Tennessee's strengths are predominately located on the offensive side of the ball. While the Vols have potential on defense, especially at linebacker, it will take time for this group to gel in Sunseri's new system. This is clear up front, where the line and linebackers take on different duties, but even the secondary is a concern – as noted, last year's solid finish against the pass was misleading. Looking at this team, what makes U.T. an SEC East contender is an offense with speed, athleticism and explosiveness to burn; what has Tennessee here, in third in the East, is the idea that the defense isn't yet up to snuff.
But progress is progress, and few teams in the country could use an eight-win season more than Tennessee. What would that achieve? It would elate a fan base hungry for any sign of success. It would cool off Dooley's seat, though it would also ramp up expectations heading into 2013. It would lead to more success on the recruiting trail, you'd think. And it would be proof of life for a program that has taken a slide down the totem pole over the last four seasons. I think that U.T. gets to 8-4 in the regular season with a strong close; while the resume of wins won't be outstanding, this would be a very satisfying season for Dooley and the Vols.
Dream season So U.T. loses another game to Alabama, which hurts. But the Vols sandwich that midseason loss with a 5-1 start and a 5-0 close, taking home the SEC East title and earning a rematch against the Tide in the conference title game.
Nightmare season Let's see. How much worse can it get? Here's a nightmare for you: Tennessee loses to N.C. State, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Alabama, South Carolina, Missouri, Vanderbilt and Kentucky. The Vols haven't lost to the Commodores and the Wildcats in the same season since 1964.
In case you were wondering
Where do Tennessee fans congregate? A number of options. Message board options include Vol Nation, Vol Quest, Vols to the Wall and Inside Tennessee. I know I've missed some, so help me out. For additional coverage, take a trip to Rocky Top Talk and Go Vols Xtra, the latter a blog from The Knoxville News Sentinel.
Tennessee's all-name nominee TE Dakota Summers.
Word Count
Through 97 teams 391,631.
Up Next
Who is No. 27? The total distance tomorrow's program will travel for its road games this fall is 1,648 miles, give or take a mile here or there. [Distances are from the university's main address to the "town center" of each its road opponents -- for example, "Los Angles" should one of the opponents be U.S.C.]
Tags: A.J. Johnson, Alex Bullard, Antonio Richardson, Brian Randolph, Curt Maggitt, Da'Rick Rogers, Daniel Hood, Daniel McCullers, Darrington Sentimore, Davante Bourque, Deion Bonner, Derek Dooley, Eric Russell, Herman Lathers, Ja'Wuan James, Jacques Smith, Jay Graham, Jim Chaney, John Palermo, Justin Hunter, LaDarrell McNeil, Marlon Walls, Maurice Couch, Michael Palardy, Mychal Rivera, Prentiss Waggner, Raijon Neal, Sal Sunseri, SEC, Tennessee, Tyler Bray
Is Ohio next? It has to be a team from a very geographically compact conference.
22 days to game day.
Georgia Tech is next.
Distance for Ohio is 1482 miles, so it isn't them. (358.4,65.5,599.9,142,184.8,131.9)
I tried Georgia Tech (way too low) and Kansas State (slightly high), too, and looked at a few others such as Notre Dame, BYU, and Indiana. I have no idea.
For Georgia Tech I get 1298 miles of travel. (399.6,109.7,549.7, 178.8, 59.9)
It's definitely not BYU or Notre Dame. BYU travels ~1,500 miles just to South Bend and Notre Dame travels to Dublin. It is not Washington, they travel over ~1,600 miles to LSU.
Georgia Tech seems right.
Alex Bullard transfered from Notre Dame
Paul: Had Alabama on the brain. Fixed, thank you.
LC … I think you've got Ohio's mileage wrong. Their game against UMass is at Gillette Stadium — not at UMass. I've got 725 miles for that game, not the 600 you listed.
Still, going by Google Maps, I came up with 1,710 for Ohio.
For those interested in coaching biographies, try Neyland The Gridiron General by Robert Gilbert.
How is this for a resume- West Point Grad, three sport star, intercollegiate boxing champion in his weight class, offered baseball contract by New York Giants, served in WWI, aide to MacArthur, assistant football coach at Army and Tennessee, head coach at Tennessee. In first stint, 1939 team was unscored upon for the entire season. 17 straight shutouts. During WWII, supervised supplies for the Burma- China-India theater obtaining rank of Brig. General. Returned to Tennessee and after critics said game had passed him by, won two national championships in early fifties running single wing. 71 total shutouts in his career. Had a rule, no particular team could run a play in a game until the play had been run 500 times in practice – ponder that one. Twelve play playbook much of his careeer.
Also, I have determined that the websites I used for distances was computing distances "as the crow flies", using latitudes and longitudes, while others compute driving distances, using known road maps. That makes a big difference. For example, Athens to Oxford Ohio is 142 as the crow flies, but 182 by road.
So from the Dream season section are we to infer that you'll have Bama ranked over LSU in the countdown?
Got 1,641 "as the crow flies" for Clemson.
Ohio is too high if you use Boston/Gillette but they are approx (by my estimation) 10 miles over the listed mileage if you use Amherst, MA.
While Georgia Tech came in (again, by my estimation), at around 10 miles under the listed mileage.
I haven't found any other team(s) that were close. It has to be one of the two.
The HINT did stipulate "give or take a mile HERE or THERE" which is to say a couple of miles PER road-trip in the calculation would be acceptable.
You guys may be overthinking the method of calculating distances. It seems to me that he is using google maps, putting in the team's main address in the first field, and then "los angeles," "vancouver," "des moines," in the second field.
Matt Rob, that's exactly what we did – put the cities into a distance calculator. The problem is that there are many websites that calculate distances, and the numbers vary widely, because the methods for estimating it ave very different. Google gives one number. Infoplease gives another. Geobytes gives two different numbers. Using infoplease I got 1482 miles for Ohio. Using a different website someone else got 1834. Using a third website, another person got 1673.
In the end, since we don't know which website Paul used, we can't really solve this clue. We can rule out some teams that aren't close, but a few teams like Clemson, Ohio, and Georgia Tech are within a few hundred miles, so they may be the answer Paul had in mind. I'm not trying to be critical of Paul – he works hard to keep us guessing. I just don't think we can solve this one.
Fair enough. I didn't think that much variance would be present between map logarithms.
I assume you guys are calculating distances there and back since total distance is referenced. Does that put GT back in the hunt?
Just a couple to exclude(using Google Maps)
- Ohio State: 1,359.
- Texas (@ Ole Miss, @ KState)
- Georgia Tech: 1,568.
- WVU: Has away games at Texas, Tech, and OSU. They're out.
I guess I am the only one that will comment on the article instead of the mileage calculation(idiots). Tenn is going to have a new coach next year. How you have this team ahead of the Gators is mind blowing. Their defense is below SEC standards and the offense has ZERO running game. UF killed Tenn with Bray last year and I expect very little to change this year. Tenn has had way too much turmoil over the last two years and Bray is an idoit that can't stay out of trouble. They win 6 maybe 7. Dooley gets fired before December.
Tennessee faces Akron, Georgia State, NC State, Troy, Vandy, Kentucky, and Mississippi State this season. They could win 7 games without even realizing it.
DD is a very good recruiter & was an excellent AD @ LA Tech. Great pedigree, student of the game…he just got this $EC "opportunity" way to early in his head coaching career. He just wasn't quite ready for all of the off-the-field issues found at many of the major NCAA institutions & not yet proven in X's & O's.
I would like to thank him for everything he did for LA Tech. He just left a little too early during the HC maturation process.
Hopefully Sonny Dykes takes a different path. Now, on to the Orange Bowl for us!
Hey Lee, you're right; that Florida game was downright funny. Bray sure proved once and for all that Florida's DBs should not be switched to receivers!
Regarding the distance calculation; are you guys accounting for the curvature of the earth's surface?
A couple of corrections: Lathers was kept out of last season because of an ankle injury, not shoulder surgery; Cordarelle Patterson is the top-rated JUCO wide receiver with spectacular speed and size.
To the gator fan… Yeah. Right. Well just talk on the field. You can blow all the smoke you want. The Vols have the potential to be far better than predicted but the predictions are reasonable, given recent history.
But, here's something to chew on: there are at least 6 players on offense and at least 5 on defense that could reasonably see playing time on Sundays if they continue to work hard and stay healthy.
Isn't Daniel McCullers a JUCO transfer and not a True Freshman?
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text:
East Texas neighbors reacted to a local teenager that faces capital murder charges in the deaths of three people.
Several Redwater area residents say they know 17-year-old Rachel Pittman and don't believe she did it.
Pattie and Terry Dodd say they have known Pittman for over 10 years and considered her like a granddaughter. "Her mama came to us right after she confessed because she knew we would be heartbroken," says Pattie. "She would come over and I would say 'Rachel why do you want to spend time with this old woman and man?' and she would say 'Because I love you'.
At the time of the murders, Pittman lived next to the Dodd's home, about a half mile from the Doss's home. "She lived right behind that privacy fence and she never never done anything wrong," says Terry.
The Dodds say Pittman knew the victims. "She kept them kids and worked for that woman," says Pattie. "I do think they need to investigate it more because there is no way. She didn't do it herself. There is no way.
The Bowie County sheriff's department officially charged Pittman as an adult Thursday in the deaths of 34-year-old Amanda Doss, and her two children, 11-year-old Guinevere Doss and 8-year-old Texas Johnson. Investigators say the three were murdered in their home before a fire was set to cover up the crime. Police say because she was 16 at the time of the crime, Pittman will not be eligible for the death penalty if convicted. But she could face life in prison. Pittman is being held under a $3 million bond in Bowie County. Police say they are still investigating this case.
KSLA News 12 tried repeatedly to get additional information on the case from Bowie County District Attorney Jerry Rochelle but no calls were returned.
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Anton Spagnoletti, a Winston-Salem firefighter, has been saving lives for 27 years. He never thought others would need to save his. Spagnoletti was fit, a non-smoker, and had no previous signs of heart trouble when he suffered a massive heart attack while on duty. Within 15 minutes of the attack, he was in the emergency department at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, where he went into cardiac arrest. He was revived with a defibrillator and then rushed to the cardiac catheterization lab where Sanjay Gandhi, MD, performed an emergency procedure to remove a 2-inch clot from a blocked artery. A week later, Spagnoletti visited the hospital to say "thank you" to everyone for saving his life.
Disclaimer: The information on this website is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be relied upon as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.


text:
Cellar/Tasting Notes "Dont' miss: An elegant and impressively layered nose features notes of lemon, lime, stone, floral and green apple aromas. The full-bodied flavors are concentrated, powerful and muscular with plenty of size and weight yet for all of the size, there is nary a trace of undue heaviness or..
Cellar/Tasting Notes "One of the big stories in 2006 is the resurrection of this once very good Pomerol estate now that it has been purchased by Catherine Pere-Verge, who has done so much to raise the level of quality at Chateau Le Gay. From a vineyard well-situated between Le Pin and Trotanoy, La Violette's 2006 is a..
Cellar/Tasting Notes "A brooding but notably ripe nose of dark cherry and pungent earth aromas slides gracefully into strikingly rich and tautly muscular big-bodied flavors that possess praiseworthy concentration. There is plenty of underlying tension and energy to the mouth coating and very serious finish that..
Cellar/Tasting Notes "An earthy and admirably pure nose speaks primarily of red currant and cherry liqueur nuances that lead to rich, concentrated and expansive medium-bodied flavors that possess a velvety mid-palate yet the supporting tannins are clearly Nuits St. Georges in character. The focused and linear finale..
Cellar/Tasting Notes A subtle but not invisible application of wood frames fresh, cool, pure and remarkably complex aromas of various red berries, underbrush, game and plenty of earth. There is excellent richness to the full-bodied and overtly powerful big-bodied flavors that brim with palate coating dry extract that..
Cellar/Tasting Notes "Notes of pain grillé, petrol, orange peel and extract of pear add plenty of nuance to the predominant aroma of honeysuckle. There is excellent volume to the overtly powerful yet refined medium-bodied flavors that terminate in a lemony, long and highly complex finish. This is very classy juice and..
Cellar/Tasting Notes "The dense ruby/purple-hued 2006 Palmer reveals sweet aromas of melted licorice, underbrush, toast, plums, and black cherries. Outstanding density, a medium to full-bodied style, and a personality that recalls 1996, this blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Merlot possesses moderately high..
Cellar/Tasting Notes 'This and the Suchots are often Grivot's best Vosne 1ers and so it is again in 2011. There is a background touch of wood setting off the cool and admirably pure red and black pinot fruit that is bursting with an array of spices and wet stone. The minerality is very much a defining element of the..
Cellar/Tasting Notes "The 2000 Brut Grand Cru d'Ay Fut de Chene is, not surprisingly, the biggest of these Champagnes. I am quite taken by the wine's sheer richness and concentration..."
Cellar/Tasting Notes "A mélange of spicy red, blue and black berry fruit, plum and violet aromas framed in noticeable wood are in keeping with the rich, full and naturally sweet flavors that possess good extract and a velvety and seductive mouth feel, all wrapped in a balanced, powerful and long finish where the wood..


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Shure SRH840
" Disregard my earlier hate for these have come to appreciate these for what they are. COMFORT To start off my review i would like to say my opinions on comfort with these. Lots of people complain about them being uncomfortable or heavy, the truth of the matter is they feel rather light to me. Are people here really weak or something? i find these really comfortable, but just like..." --bcasey25raptor
Shure SE215
"I bought these in February 2012 for £75 at amazon.co.uk and have used them every day except for about one week when I was awaiting delivery of a replacement cable. Typical use is with a variety of personal players (iRiver H140 and H340, Sansa Clip+, Archos A43IT) as well as with PC audio and occasionally with home audio. I listen to many kinds of (usually lossless) music but most often..." --julian67
Shure SE535LTD RED
"First of all, before the SE535 I had a pair of Monster Turbine Copper Pro, so I was habituated with many bass frequencies and forced to put them repetitively inside of the ear because of their weight. I'm absolutely not saying that the Turbines wasn't a good pair of earphones, in fact they were my personal favorite pair in spite of their defects. After 2 years of happiness with my Monsters, I..." --MattiaFalsetti
Shure SRH 940
" It has started to become a trend that when I review equipment here on head-fi I give a small background regarding my audio experiences, in an effort to provide the reader of the material a better idea of my opinions to ultimately aid in objectifying such a subjective category of audio. For those of you who have read my other reviews you may find this repetitive, but I still feel it is..." --R-Audiohead
Shure E4c-n Sound Isolating Earphones (Black)
" I like this phone so much I am onto my second pair. Are they perfect? No. Are they the best IEM for the price? Unless you get them at $79 like I did the second time, no. Do they have a good soundstage? Not really. Are they durable? Like a boat made of paper. But...Do they isolate well? With the Shure olives, hell yes. Do they have delicous, buttery mids that I could and have listened to..." --paddy567
Shure SE215 Special Edition
"As I'm looking to move up in the world of IEMs, I'm taking a look back at one of my first big steps in audio. Having burned through multiple pairs of Skullcandys and Sennheiser CX300-500s and having got a taste for high end audio from my first full sized cans, I set out to get a pair of IEMs with durability as priority number one while also sounding great. The SE215LTDs..." --NShinryu
Shure SRH1840 Headphones
" My original review was too short, coz I didn't have time to write it, but just want to give the rating to express how much I love this headphone. It is probably the most expansive phone I have ever purchased, (and would not be the last....) Outlook: Simple but delicate design, High quality metal on the frame, MMCX connection hole suitable for most DIY or Upgrade..." --jackrabbitslim0
Shure E2c Sound Isolating Earphones
" These things hurt my ear canal too easily unless I use the orange foam inserts, but they get gross and deform a little too easily. Anyway, the sound on these was good enough for me to realize that my iPod had a pretty constant hiss. They also made it apparant that I could only listen with EQ off or the signal would clip. I never listen to these things with the volume up. I'm a..." --funkmeister
Shure SE110 Sound Isolating Earphone with Balanced Armature Driver (Black)
" As many know these are a nice upgrade and quite price conscience. I do like the accessory pack and methods of lengthening the cable. I use them while flying and usually wear them the entire flight (even for 20+ hours) due to their good sound isolation. If used on a plane should get a sound attenuating patch cord adapter as these are very sensitive. They are superb compared to the inflight..." --smurphy522
Shure SE530 Sound Isolating Earphones
" I have owned these for about 3 years, during which they were replaced twice because the cables snapped (a well known problem for these earphones) I use them with a sony mp3 player and with the black foam tips. They isolate outside noise very well using these tips. Now onto the sound signature. These earphones really emphasise the mid range of the sound spectrum, meaning the mids are..." --breezy_amar


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No students or faculty were hurt. Students have since returned to class.
"We didn't find any active fire," said David Randle, assistant chief for the Anniston Fire Department, who was at the school. "A motor burned up in an air conditioner and created lots of smoke."
Joan Frazier, superintendent of the Anniston school system, said the fire occurred in what she called the "related arts hallway" of the school.
"Our alarms are highly sensitive and went off as soon as they detected smoke," Frazier said. "The first responders arrived quickly."
Randle said his department got to the school at about 9 a.m. and remained for about 47 minutes. Two fire pumper trucks and one rescue vehicle were sent to the school within three minutes.
While firefighters checked inside the school, faculty separated students into several groups on the outskirts of the campus as a safety precaution.
Frazier said the students and faculty did an excellent job evacuating the school, even though there were 150 more children there than the usual 475.
"We had all our system's fifth graders here touring, receiving orientation to become sixth graders," Frazier said. "After the evacuation, I sent the fifth graders on buses back to their schools ... their tour will now need to be rescheduled."
Lynwood Hawkins, principal of Anniston Middle, said his students and faculty did what they were trained to do and evacuated in just a few minutes.
"We are required to do drills monthly ... our faculty and students are well-trained," Hawkins said. "I'm real proud of them."
Staff Writer Eddie Burkhalter contributed reporting.


text:
HOMER An informational meeting on the Licking County Sheriffs Office Community Block Watch Program is set for May 4 at 6:30 p.m. in the Homer Public Library conference room. The library is at 385 South Street NW in Homer.
People living or working in the rural communities around northern Licking County (such as Burlington Township, Bennington Township and Miller Township in Knox County) are invited to attend. Assemble as early as 6:30 p.m. to meet other concerned members of the community. Beginning at 7 p.m., Licking County Sheriffs Deputy N. Pease will conduct a one-hour presentation about the Community Block Watch Program. He will provide useful information about crime prevention methods and up-to-date information on trends in our area and in Licking County.
Published on April 27, 2011


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Don't step into the woods without this Scope, equipped with the bells and whistles that make the difference. Like multi-coated optics, wide angle viewing for target acquisition, easy-adjustable windage and elevation dials, easy-read magnification markings, fast focus eyepiece and AccuPlex tapered reticles. Priced for value-conscious shooters who don't compromise on performance.
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Filed Under:Apr 3, 2012
Filed Under:Apr 3, 2012
By Al Lewis & Vik Khanna
By Robert Berenson, MD
By Edmund Billings, MD
By Nick Dawson
By Robert Laszewski
By ZDogg MDMeasuing the Impact of Health Care Reform on Day-to-Day Physician Practice
By Iyue Sung & Josh GrayIt's Raining Cataracts, Hallelujah
By Saurabh Jha, MDSurvey Says: EHR Incentive Program Is on Track
By Karen DeSalvoA Health Plan for Rugged Individualists
By Uwe ReinhardtCDC: Together We Can Provide Safer Patient Care
By Tom Frieden
By James Salwitz, MDMisunderstanding Oregon
By Ashish JhaAfter the Navy Yard Shooting: A Call to Action on Mental Illness
By Jeffrey A. LiebermanNot Knowing What You Don't Know
By Lucy E. HornsteinThe Data Diet: How I Lost 60 Pounds Using a Google Docs Spreadsheet
By Paul Smalera
By Hans Duvefelt, MDGoing After the Wrong Doctors
By Ford Vox, MDThe Problem of Pain: When Best Medical Advice Doesn't Equal Patient Satisfaction
By Karen S. Sibert, MDWhat Makes a Good Doctor? And Can We Measure It?
By Ashish Jha
By Al Lewis & Vik KhannaPatientgate: Why Patient Recordings Will Change Everything
By Glyn Elwyn, MDThe ACO Hypothesis: What We're Learning
By Farzad MostashariThe OpenNotes Toolkit
By Steve DownsUber for Health Care? Not So Much.
By KHAN, BONGIOVANNI, & ANSARY
By Robert Kocher, MDActually, High Tech Imaging Can Be High-Value Medicine
By Karan ChhabraWhat the Khan Academy Teaches Us About What Medical Education Will Look Like Ten Years From Now
By Michael PainterThe New Tools: What 21st Century Education Can Teach Us
By VOLANDES, KENNEDY, DAVIS, GILLICK & PAASCHE-ORLOW


text:
However, County Counsel John Doering told the Modesto Bee (http://bit.ly/14BY1UV) on Thursday that he did not know exactly when a redacted copy of an independent report of the investigation would be released.
Sheriff Adam Christianson has said that the report from an outside investigative team could be completed by February.
Christianson's plan to unveil the report this week was pre-emptively blocked on Tuesday by Doering, who blamed a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the locksmith's widow last week.
Deputy Bob Paris and locksmith Glendon Engert were shot and killed on April 12 after going to the Modesto home of James Ferrario to evict him five days after a notice was posted.
Authorities say Ferrario eventually set the building on fire and shot himself.
Information from: The Modesto Bee, http://www.modbee.com


text:
Mandriva 2009
Mandriva 2009
Mandriva Linux is known around the world for easy installation and an innovative collection of configuration tools. The Mandriva Linux 2009 Free release is the all-free version of Mandriva, with no proprietary drivers or applications.
Inside you'll find all the new and improved tools bundled in the the KDE 4.1.2 and Gnome 2.24 desktops, including the Dolphin file manager and the Phonon multimedia framework. This release also boasts boot improvements, and overhauled installer, and enhancements to Control Center management interface. New networking tools help you connect to mobile and wireless networks, and better hardware detection offers easy connectivity with recent graphics cards.
Linux Kernel 2.6.27
X.org 7.3
Gnome 2.24
OpenOffice 3.0
Firefox 3.0
Thunderbird 2.0
Evolution 2.24
VirtualBox 2.0.2
Perl 5.10.0
Python 2.5.2
Additional Resources
[1] Mandriva: http://www.mandriva.com
[2] Mandriva Community: http://wwwnew.mandriva.com/en/community
[3] Mandriva Knowledge Base: http://club.mandriva.com/xwiki/bin/view/KB/
[4] Mandriva Forums: http://forum.mandrivaclub.com
[5] Mandriva Club documentation: http://club.mandriva.com/xwiki/bin/view/KB/OfficialDocumentation
DVD Boot
Place this DVD in the drive and restart your system. If your computer doesn't start, make sure your BIOS is configured to boot from a DVD. Enter the BIOS setup menu (see your vendor documentation), make sure DVD boot is enabled, and make sure the DVD drive appears before hard drive in the boot order.
System Requirements
Processor: Pentium and AMD processors.
Memory: 512 MB recommended.
Free Disk Space: 4 GB recommended.
See the Mandriva hardware database (http://www.mandriva.com/hardware) for additional information.
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Canonical Announces Ubuntu Smartphones
Phone vendor partnerships bring Mark Shuttleworth's dream of Ubuntu on a phone a step closer to reality.


text:
Critical fire weather produced extreme fire behavior on the Chips Fire's north and northeast flanks, and posed a challenging day for firefighters. The fire made a major run out of Mosquito Creek towards Butt Valley Reservoir and spotted across the Feather River onto Red Hill.
The Plumas County Sheriff's Office issued mandatory evacuations for the communities of Rush Creek and Seneca. Additional evacuations may be necessary depending on fire activity.
PG&E transmission lines where shut down to allow for the use of heavy air tankers.Power outages impacted the surrounding communities in Lake Almanor region including portions of Quincy, Chester and Susanville.
The Incident Command Post was relocated from East Quincy to the Lake Almanor recreation area to provide better support to firefighters working in the vicinity.
With warm night time temperatures and poor humidity recovery the fire is expected to remain active tonight.Down canyon winds are expected to push smoke south of the fire area into the Sacramento Valley. Due to several days of above normal temperatures and critically dry conditions, a red flag warning has been issued for tomorrow, from 1 pm until 9:00pm Saturday.
The California Department of Transportation is implementing traffic controls along Highway 70 due to safety concerns. Travelersshould check Highway 70 conditions regularly (800-427-ROAD / www.dot.ca.gov).Motorists should expect delays and need to anticipate firefighting personnel and apparatus on the road in the vicinity of the fire.
Smoke will continue to pose health concerns for the public.Residents are encouraged to visit the "Protect Yourself from Smoke" website for smoke protection information at http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Wildfires/. Local air quality conditions and forecasts are available at http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.main.
For tips on how to prepare for a potential evacuation and what to do if you are evacuated, residents in and near evacuation areas are encouraged to visit the "Ready, Set, Go" website athttp://www.inciweb.org/incident/article/3052/15480/.
Power Outages:To reportand get updateson power outages please call PG&E's 24-hour emergency and customer service line: 1-800-743-5002.
Evacuations and Closures:
Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the communities of Rush Creek of Highway 70 and Seneca located approximately 3 miles southwest of Lake Almanor.
Sheriff's voluntary evacuations are in place for an area south of Highway 89 that includes Butt Valley Reservoir and Humbug Reservoir.Residents between Tobin and Twain on Highway 70 are under a Sheriff's advisement to begin developing evacuation plans.This area includes Belden, Maggie's Trailer Park and Little Haven.
Butt Valley Reservoir recreation facilities administered by PG&E (Ponderosa Flat Campground, Cool Springs Campground, Ray Adams Day Use Area and Boat Launch, as well as Yellow Creek Campground) are closed due to the fire.
A hard closure remains in place along Caribou Road from Highway 70 to Butt Lake.Gansner Bar, North Fork, and Queen Lily USFS campgrounds remain closed.The Little Grizzly dispersed camping area and High Lakes OHV area also closed.
Communities west of the fire area including Paradise, Jarbo Gap, and Concow are not threatened at this time.
In the interest of firefighter and public safety, the Plumas and Lassen National Forests have expanded the original closure areas due to the fire's growth.The closures will remain in place until the area is safe for the public to enter.Please see the Forest Orders and closure maps on InciWeb (address above).Pacific Crest Trail hikers may bypass the affected areaby hiking Highway 70/89 or catching a bus with Plumas Transit to Chester, CA (weekdays only).
Motorists are encouraged to use caution on Highway 70 and Highway 89 due to fire activity and increased fire traffic.
The Chips Fire continues to burn very actively. The fire is now 20,040 acres and just 16% contained. Yesterday the fire made a number of intense up hill runs and crossed containment lines in two areas.
Click here to see today's map of the Chips Fire. The map shows a 200 acre spot fire outside of containments lines along the northwest flank of the fire. Last night crews aggressively attacked the spot fire south of Grizzly Campground.
There is another spot fire along the north east flank of the fire. This spot fire is east of Mosquito Creek and north of Feather River's North Fork. Firefighters are evaluating this spot fire and developing a strategy for containment. The spot fire is beyond containment lines but within the contingency lines that are being improved between Butt Lake and Feather River North Fork.
Today Crews will continue to hold and respond to any spot fires on the fire's north flank. Firefighters will continue to hold and mop-up along the Caribou Road and Highway 70 where the fire has now reached the roadways.
The Yellow Creek to Butt Lake and Humbug Road contingency lines are in place and being improved.
Containment objectives for the Chips Fire are to keep the fire south of Humbug Summit Road, north of Highway 70 and Tobin, west of the Butt Lake transmission lines, and East of Philbrook Reservoir. Crews are stationed in communities along the Feather River Canyon to provide structure protection.
The Incident Command Post is moving from Quincy and will combine with the other camp at Lake Almanor Day Use Area on Highway 89. While we are attempting to maintain phone lines during the move, there may be short periods where phone service is interrupted.
Temperatures will be near 100 degrees with relative humidity in the single digits. Winds are again expected to be out of the southwest and up-canyon by afternoon and will challenge firefighters trying to hold north and northeast containment lines. Fire behavior may be extreme where winds align with canyons and heavy fuels.
There are 1,045 personnel assigned to the Chips Fire. Resources include 18 twenty-person hand crews, 51 fire engines, and 8 helicopters. Suppression costs are estimated to be $8.9 million.
- Ski hill to open winter 2015
- Sheriff still pushing plan for new facility with CHP
- Plans to rebuild burned downtown block on hold
- Family of man killed by deputy seeking damages
- Quincy cools off with some ice cream
- Many forest campgrounds to open for start of fishing season
- Kennedy bows out of District 5 race
- Dine Out for Digging In event supports garden education
- Earth Days Activities in Plumas County
- East Quincy Community Services District considers hiring new general manager


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Today's shrewd organizations need to stay on top of new customer buying patterns in order to stay competitive. While up-to-date information is necessary for making well-informed decisions, collecting, cleansing, and harmonizing demand and market data with existing tools can be a significant challenge.
This resource introduces a new data management platform that allows you to quickly capture external market and demand data and integrate it with internal business data in order to drive better business decision making. Read on to learn more.
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Section Arrangement tips tricks or treats...
Someone was asking the other day about orchestral arrangements. So Ill try and relay some stuff about the way I go about section arrangements. You can use or abuse what you can from it.
This can be done with most ANY section-based instrument that you are trying to create realistically.
You'll need CubaseSX, Nuendo or some other rewireable DAW for this work.
Say you want to put together a nice horn section for a funk tune, and you have a good selection of samples, and an adequate enough system to handle the overhead. By the way I can't say enough about using GOOD quality sample sets that comes with an adequate amount of tonal variation and expressions. In order to build truly REALISTIC sounding sections one MUST have these basic building blocks.
Things to look for in sample sets include a proper collection of the following;
Swells (sforzando's) from ppp to FFF (vel mapped)
One Shots (Staccatto's) from ppp to FFF (vel mapped)
Long tones (legato's) from ppp to FFF (vel mapped)
Trills - from ppp to FFF (vel mapped if possible)
Shakes (for funky horns especially) from ppp to FFF (vel mapped if possible)
Slides - from ppp to FFF (vel mapped if possible)
Spills (up and down) from ppp to FFF (vel mapped if possible)
It really matters not what format your samples are in, AKAI, EXT24, GIGA, etc as long as they are GOOD! The good sets (patches) will have a real sample for every single note (or at least most) in the scales of the instruments rather than simply mapping fewer actual samples to a larger range of sampler notes in order to simulate a Full Range scale for the instrument. Fewer samples means that you have to rely on the sampler to pitch-up or pitch-down the real sample that it has to work in any particular range in order to synthetically produce sounds for those keys that fall in between where the REAL SAMPLES lay on the keyboard. When looking at sample disks always look for full scales of sampled instruments as these are generally going to be the best sounding patches to work with.
In order to be able to use these higher quality samples sets you'll need to be able to get them off the disks and into a format that the Reason samplers can use. The use of tools like CD-Extract can take any one of the before mentioned sample disk formats (and many more actually) and convert them directly to NNXT format (complete with vel/key mapping intact). As always the Propellerhead Reload utility is an INVALUABLE tool for use with AKAI format sample disks. Reload is (I believe) freely available to all registered Reason users. Good incentive to register eh people?
So let's build the section in REASON starting with the Trumpets.
You will need to determine beforehand what types of expressiveness you will need in the project. This will dictate what types of samples you extract from your sample disks for use with the NNXT samplers that make up this section. Seeing as we are doing a funky type of project we will definitely need at least Swells, One Shots, Long tones and Shakes. It should be said that there are some types of expressions like Trills, Slides and Spills that one can easily build in the MIDI editor that can sound hauntingly realistic. So depending on the amount needed of some of these expressive types you might just save some ram by building one or two and copying them around. It should also be said that attempting to build Swells, Long tones and Shakes are way to time consuming (for me at least) to make them SOUND CORRECT so to each is own... Anyway, fire up 4 NNXT's and load your Trumpet Swell patches into one, the One Shots into the second, the Long Tones into the third and Shakes into the fourth. If you need more patches for simply fire up some extra NNXT's and load away. Label all the samplers accordingly that make up the section. Proper labeling is imperative as improper labels will drive you nuts later on when you need to find an individual patch in order to tweak or tune something. Fire up a SPIDER audio combiner and patch all the sampler outputs (stereo or MONO, you make the call here, just be consistent with whatever you choose) to a single SPIDER Input. Label this SPIDER "trumpet" and plug its output to a Hardware interface channel. Of course if you end up using more that 4 samplers for a given instrument you'll need to daisy chain a couple of SPIDERS to tie all the sampler outs together. Repeat this same procedure with the Trombone section and then with the Saxes. What you'll end up with is 12 (or more) NNXT samplers, ~4 samplers per section and SPIDERed into a single (or two for stereo) HW interface channel(s), loaded with the all the patches that you are going to need to trigger for an entire brass section made up of X# of Trumpets, X# of Trombones, and X# of Saxes.
So now that the actual "section" is built, we can now proceed to the getting the section to do what you want it to. For this you'll need your rewire capable Digital Audio Workstation. The basis of what ill be describing here will mostly apply to the Steinberg DAWs but the principles can be applied to any rewireable DAW.
Ok. So in the DAW, you'll first need to set up some Rewire channel in the mixer. First, pull down the Reason device manager. Remember the Reason Hardware Interface channel numbers that you plugged each of your instrument sections into above and now label and active the same numbered Rewire channel in the manager and label it accordingly. As you activate each channel in the manager you should see a rewire channel strip pop into the mixer panel with your label on it. This is where you will control your audio playback of the sections individual instruments (i.e. Trumpet, Sax and T'bone).
Now, here is where it is going to get a bit trickier. You are going to need to create MIDI tracks for each NNXT sampler so that you can trigger any expressive type from any instrument anywhere in your project. The number of MIDI channels you need to create will directly correspond to the number of NNXT's you created above. I.E. if you created 4 NNXT's per instrument you will have 12 total separate MIDI tracks controlling your brass section. For example, first Trumpet MIDI track will control Swells (as above). So, in the inspector for that MIDI track you would setup the "midi out" to point to the name of the Reason NNXT that you loaded your Trumpet Swell patch into (you named them right?. Just repeat this procedure for each of the separate patch elements of the instruments and as always, LABEL! LABEL! LABEL!
So now that you have your section all ready to roll in the DAW, let's test it to make certain MIDI is flowing TO Reason and AUDIO is flowing back to the DAW. Double click in the lane of each MIDI track and then double click again to bring up the "Key Editor". You should be seeing a grid window with a piano roll on the left hand side. Set your cursor over the piano roll and click/drag up and down the keyboard. You should be hearing the audio from whatever patch is loaded into the particular NNXT you are triggering. Repeat this process for each of the section controlling tracks to make sure you are "firing on all tracks" so to speak.
It should be obvious to you at this point that keeping the MIDI controller tracks grouped to instrument will help immensely while programming your arrangements. Also I find that the Score Editor is an INVALUABLE tool for arranging on a Multiple Part level. It should also be pointed out that velocities will need to be balanced among the tracks so that continuity is maintained throughout. This method will require TWO project files be loaded into two simultaneously running applications, one for Reason and one for the DAW. Always remember to SAVE, SAVE, SAVE both files to keep your project in SYNC!!!
Once the horn arrangements are finished the original DAW project file should be saved in preparation for audio export. Basically what you will doing is exporting/compiling your section MIDI tracks, instrument by instrument into single 32bit Floating point audio instrument files which will then be re-imported into the project, and in whole, replacing all the MIDI controller tracks used above.
This is accomplished by "muting" all the channel strips in the DAW mixer EXCEPT for the one instrument you will be exporting.
EX. Say you're ready to export a complete, compiled trumpet part to disk. ON the DAW mixer MUTE ALL audio channels EXCEPT the TRUMPET rewire channel. Set the channel strip to MAX gain before clipping, NO EQ, and NO FX!! Also, in the track manager MUTE all MIDI controller tracks EXCEPT the MIDI tracks that control the Trumpet samplers. This will reduce the MIDI Rewire overhead a bit. Now, EXPORT AUDIO as an interleaved 32bit floating point .wav (or .aiff) and name the file accordingly.
When you have finished exporting the audio horn tracks I would suggest making a COPY of the original DAW project file and opening it. First, delete all the MIDI controller files. Then import your finished Trumpet, Sax and Trombone audio files into the DAW and place them into the timeline keeping note of proper sync with the rest of the project. Continue on with the rest of the project with THIS file as the main project file. If you do need to make a change to the Horn arrangements you can simply load the previous DAW project file with the MIDI horn parts, edit away, and re-export when you are done. So if you're not sure if you'll need to make changes here or there to your original arrangement, keep that original DAW project file safe and handy!
Anyway, this is a little insight on the way I do arrangements with sections. It's the best way I have found to be able to have maximum flexibility at hand when doing attempting to build REALISTIC sounding MIDI section arrangements. Hope it helps in some way.
a few extra things...
A couple of things I neglected to mention in the previous post was Tuning.
Or actually DE-Tuning to be more exact. In simulation of REAL sections, in this
case a horn section, there will always be present some slight tuning variations
among the instruments. Even the very BEST horn players don't play every note perfectly
accurate, pitch wise. So, in order to NOT sound too sterile, it is common practice
to DE-Tune the samplers by a slight amount to obtain that ever so slight amount of
"funk" that will get your section sounding fuller and more like the real thing.
It only takes a few "cents" plus or minus between instruments, but consistency
is champion when working with a bunch of samplers in tandem.
There are many things one can do to fatten up the horn section. The first of
which would be simple delay. A slight delay (say 4-6 ms) from Left to Right on
each instrument can make a world of difference to a small sounding horn section.
You can also slightly increase the DE-Tuning mentioned above (use discretion here)
to obtain a fatter section sound. Be careful here for obvious reasons. Another
method which is VERY easily done with this method of MIDI arrangement is simply
DOUBLING (tripling or even quadrupling) the Parts! Not enough OOMMPH! for you?
Just add another 3 or more players to your section! It's as easy as adding an
extra track or note to your timeline or key editor.
The last thing I wanted to mention is the Stereo spread of the horns in the mix.
Panning everything dead center gives a more concise "section" feel to the horns.
When panning left to right (trpt-left, TBone-center, sax-right, etc) gives more of
a spatial "personality" to the section.
Re: a few extra things...
This is all great info drumyon. I just wanted to add a few tricks I've used. I've found that using the SAME sample set for a horn section sometimes ends up sounding just like that - the same sample stretched across your built up chord. I realize it's hopefully completely different samples, but sometimes it just has that feel of just being a sampler. To solve this, believe it or not, sometimes I'll take a completely different instrument, like a tuba tuned up high, or a trumpet tuned down low and muted a bit, to just play one note in the collective whole of a brass section chord. Just that one note to vary the sonic picture can really help make it sound more "real". This would apply to layering to emulate more than one horn player on the same note as well. If you put the same sample, maybe 3 NNXT's with the same patch, and each play the same note, trying to simulate 3 horn players on the same pitch - it sounds bad. Even if you detune the samplers a bit, it sounds like one sample going through a chorus - the waves beat against each other and go in and out of phase - it doesn't work for me. So I'll do the same trick - use different samples. Use one horn, one trumpet, one tuba, all tuned up or down to meet each other on the same pitch - and you gotta do some filtering to get the tone correct. Some people might argue that this sounds wrong. I don't know. Works for me. You do need to make the authentic horn be the loudest though, and let the other instruments just color the sound.
I used to do this same thing with synth brass patches - sort of the same thing. I'd find some great synth brass patch and do some section for a song and it sounded cool, but obviously an analog synth. I'd just have to add ONE sampler doing the lead melody within that brass part, do some creative pitch bend stuff, vibrato here and there, and man... suddenly it didn't sound synthy anymore. Did it once too with a sampled string section and had a real violin player come and lay down just one part and it suddenly made the whole section sound convincingly real.
Anyway... there's my 2 cents for today...
:A couple of things I neglected to mention in the previous post was Tuning.
:Or actually DE-Tuning to be more exact. In simulation of REAL sections, in this
:case a horn section, there will always be present some slight tuning variations
:among the instruments. Even the very BEST horn players don't play every note perfectly
:accurate, pitch wise. So, in order to NOT sound too sterile, it is common practice
:to DE-Tune the samplers by a slight amount to obtain that ever so slight amount of
:"funk" that will get your section sounding fuller and more like the real thing.
:It only takes a few "cents" plus or minus between instruments, but consistency
:is champion when working with a bunch of samplers in tandem.
:There are many things one can do to fatten up the horn section. The first of
:which would be simple delay. A slight delay (say 4-6 ms) from Left to Right on
:each instrument can make a world of difference to a small sounding horn section.
:You can also slightly increase the DE-Tuning mentioned above (use discretion here)
:to obtain a fatter section sound. Be careful here for obvious reasons. Another
:method which is VERY easily done with this method of MIDI arrangement is simply
OUBLING (tripling or even quadrupling) the Parts! Not enough OOMMPH! for you?
:Just add another 3 or more players to your section! It's as easy as adding an
:extra track or note to your timeline or key editor.
:The last thing I wanted to mention is the Stereo spread of the horns in the mix.
:Panning everything dead center gives a more concise "section" feel to the horns.
:When panning left to right (trpt-left, TBone-center, sax-right, etc) gives more of
:a spatial "personality" to the section.
Oh man, this is great stuff. I have been trying to make both a dub and funk horn section combinator patch to use over and over and these things will help greatly.
Good stuff!!
Some other stuff
Well I'd start with the question "well, why would you want to use R+R anyway?" I mean once you're rewiring / sending MIDI from another DAW anyway. I think it makes some sense to give some critical wether it makes more sense to use reason + record.. versus keeping it all in the DAW.. I mean one stage of things ought to be thinking critically about this, and it may vary from project to project... And maybe this is made more so where so many sample libraries come with a sample player.. and whatever advantages or disadvantages might be associated with that.
I would add.. you probably want to look at "what the real thing looks like." Stuff like.. well how many notes can a horn play at once? So.. you have X number of horn players.. and.. you know.. in an orchestra there's specific locations of these guys.. particularly in relationship to other sections.. so in creating you're virtual sound stage, you'll want to take that into consideration no doubt... and in how you arrange stuff... and.. and.. and this really goes along with it.. a key is to work out, to some extent or another "how to think like a horn player" as a pose to a keyboard player or.. whatever.. in terms of how you write the parts.. Like.. what's there range.. how long can they blow without passing out.. if you leave one of those guys out for x part of the composition.. you know they are getting bored.. and hey, you gotta pay them union fees anyway.. so.. might as well use him..
I go with the "have multiple sample libraries" so that you have that kind of tonal variations.. in you're pallet.. and that each part of a section should sound different.
Somewhere along the line I think there's such a thing as creative license and you do kinda want to craft a sound.. I mean maybe less so for straight out classical.. (the one place where a digital sound is preferred over an analog sound) so I'd say it's ok to do things differently that what "real is," but you probably want to understand real first..
Why would you use an audio splitter instead of a mixer? A mixer seems simpler?
So I kinda feel like it's ok if there's.. the sampler doing a certain amount of pitch bending on the level of the sample map.. here and there.. I mean.. for those of us who started doing this stuff pre giga sampler.. but.. you know.. ideally you probably want to go so far as to be able to do round robin stuff.. where if you play the same note twice.. it'll play a different sample..
For a lot of instruments I'll use some kind of random on the velocities so it's not sound so robotic.
I think this bit about pitch.. is particularly important with strings... that is they are supposed to be a little out of tune... err.. well that's the thing about strings.. they are expressive with pitch..
I'd actually recommend reviewing the MIDI standard.. cause there's a lot of stuff built into the standard that's especially set up for doing orchestral work..
I think there's a lot of.. complexity. I mean.. in terms of understanding the performance articulations of different instruments.. ideas of different registers.. how they can have different colors... etc etc etc..
One of the way's I often work is.. I'll write a few measures at a time.. and this way.. I don't have to be super smart about orchestration.. or.. the conventional kinda compositional process.. where you have the question of what are the specific implications of the tonal colors in the pallet.. and to think about all that stuff before I get to the business of actually programming in the notes.
Or to put it another way.. if I write stuff out a few measures at a time.. I get instant feed back on how things sound, and can adjust it.. easier then I can if I write or program things out a section a time.
So this makes RAM more of an issue... around which you have to balance stuff. On my system I only have 6GB of RAM.. I say only because for me this feels really limiting.. and is part of why I say "its ok if you don't have a sample for each individual note" because.. you need to think about how to balance.. things.. like is that the most important thing, is how many velocity layers you have the most important thing, or how many instances.. and what performance articulations might you want to drop.. just cause.. of where you're at: It's a question of balance.
Traditionally.. writing serious orchestration work has been the domain of the desktop.. and often with you're larger sample libraries.. you'll need multiple desktops!!! (and I'm talking really powerful desktops at that).. but basically.. sample libraries take up a lot of space.. lap tops never have enough hard drive space.. and often it's more difficult to add more RAM to a lap top then it is to a desktop.
But.. you don't have to go all that far if you just want to try you're hand at it.. or to use orchestration stuff as an element in your work.. in fact.. if something is a background element.. you can really cut down on the detail requirements (RAM) quite a bit.
But you know.. ideally you want to be going 64-bit OS, with like.. as much RAM as you can afford.. RAM, it should be added, is often kinda reasonably priced.
Oh.. back to this bit about.. sample layers and having a different pitch to every note.. optimizing a patch... which is to say.. not using a different sample for each note.. and working out how many velocity layers you really need.. is kind of an art. I mean you look at something like the Garritan Personal Orchestra.. that's a good example.. in that they managed to make it both light weight.. in terms of how big all the samples are and whatever.. and sound good. Perhaps not idea, but good...
And for christ's sake.. I deal is probably some huge VSL thing.. consisting in the 5K area, requiring multiple desktops? And even then you'd probably want stuff from other libraries..
and.. yeah.. idk, that's some thought anyway.
http://www.twitter.com/mattsearles (follow me at you're own risk) & http://badsphincteroedipus.com/ is where I call home
great information, i have never to this day found a deccent string collection suited to disco , funk jazz. i can write the music i just end up using synths because the string samples sound dreadfully fake.
Thanks for your answer I have been trying to work that one out for a while, I not this was written in 2003 I am wondering if you still use reaosn particular 6 or at least a more recent version if there is a better way to do this.
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Home > Consumer Protection > Consumer News & Information > FDIC Consumer News - Fall 2000
FDIC Consumer News - Fall 2000
|Should You Buy a Bank CD from a Broker?
|Deposit brokers sometimes negotiate special deals on bank-issued certificates of deposit, but these CDs can be complex and may carry more risks than traditional accounts sold directly by banks. Here's how to tell if a brokered CD makes sense for you.
You've probably seen ads or gotten phone calls or e-mails from brokers saying they've negotiated great deals on federally insured CDscertificates of depositthat can mean higher returns than you'd get on your own from a bank. Sounds like a great deal, right? Well, it may or may not be, depending on the offer itself and your personal investment goals.
Generations of Americans have known the CD as a simple, safe, reliable investment for their hard-earned money. With a traditional CD from an FDIC-insured bank or savings institution, if you keep funds in an account for a set period, generally from three months to five years, you get all your money back plus fixed-rate interest payments that are higher than those for regular savings accounts. The guarantees of FDIC insurance, a fixed interest rate, and no loss of principal make the CD especially attractive to consumers who don't want to take chances with their money.
Yes, brokers sometimes can negotiate a higher interest rate on a bank-issued CD because they can bring a large amount of deposits to the bank. But, CDs sold by brokers can be complex and may carry more risks than traditional CDs sold directly by banks, especially in terms of your ability to lock in an attractive interest rate or get your money back early.
Example: The broker may say that if you need your money before the CD matures, the firm will purchase your CD back without an early withdrawal penalty. While this feature may sound attractive, the buy-back offer probably means that the broker would attempt to find someone else to buy your CD at the going market rate. If interest rates on new CDs have increased above the rate your old CD pays, your broker would try to find a buyer by selling your CD at a discounta loss to you that could be more than a bank's early withdrawal penalty, perhaps even resulting in a loss of some of your original deposit.
"Before you invest in a CD through a broker, you need to understand the terms and be comfortable that the CD the broker is offering fits your needs," says Kathleen Nagle, a Senior Consumer Affairs Specialist with the FDIC. "Otherwise, you could find yourself unpleasantly surprised when you realize that the CD you purchased from the broker isn't what you thought it was, based on your past experience buying CDs from your local bank."
Adds Kate Spears, an FDIC Consumer Affairs Specialist: "Unfortunately, we've found people entering into transactions without asking the important questions simply because the investment was identified as FDIC-insured."
How to Choose Wisely
If you're thinking about purchasing a brokered CD, FDIC Consumer News offers these tips to help you make sure you know what you're getting and that it's appropriate for you.
1. Make sure you're dealing with a reputable broker.
A deposit broker can be anyone from one person working alone from home to someone affiliated with a major financial services firm. There is no federal or state licensing or certification process to become a deposit broker, and the FDIC does not examine, approve or insure deposit brokers. Given the complexity of brokered CDs and the potential risksand the fact that there have been a few cases reported of unscrupulous deposit brokers allegedly misleading or defrauding investorsconsider these precautions.
First, try to deal with someone you believe will only recommend investments that are appropriate for you, and will try to answer your questions and resolve your problems. For a brokered deposit, your best bet may be a financial professional you already know and trust, such as a stockbroker or financial planner with whom you've had a good, long-term working relationship.
But, what if you're thinking about an offer from an unfamiliar deposit broker or company? Independently check on the broker's credentials and reputation for honest dealing. You'll want to find out about the broker's work experience and any history of actual or alleged misconduct by the broker or his or her firm, as evidenced by disciplinary actions by government regulators, consumer complaints about unfair or improper conduct, and similar information. Perhaps the easiest way to get this information is to call your state government's consumer protection office, which will be listed in your local phone book and other directories, often as part of the state Attorney General's office. If that office doesn't have the information you're looking for, ask to be directed elsewhere, perhaps to the state securities regulator or the office that generally licenses businesses in your state.
And, while there is no licensing requirement to be a deposit broker, we suggest that you find out from your state government if the broker or brokerage firm you're considering is authorized by the state or federal government to do other business in your state, such as sell securities to the public. The fact that a deposit broker isn't officially licensed in some other field doesn't mean he or she isn't reputable. But, a deposit broker who is licensed in another profession comes under government regulation or industry oversight that "provides a higher degree of assurance that the deposit broker is legitimate" even though this regulation or oversight has nothing to do with deposit-brokering activities, says Christopher Hencke, an FDIC attorney. "Remember, someone who's not licensed or registered may not be regulated at all, for all intents and purposes, and that's why it may be riskier sending money to that person."
These steps will help you "collect enough information to obtain a comfort level to proceed or a discomfort level not to proceed with a deposit broker," says Karen Currie, a fraud examiner with the FDIC.
2. Understand the potential risks and rewards of a brokered CD.
Ask questions and read as much information as possible about a CD's terms and conditions, especially regarding the fine print. "Don't solely rely on the broker's oral presentation or mathematical calculations," adds Currie. Here are some of the basic details we think you'd want to learn before agreeing to buy a CD from a broker:
Can the bank "call" (redeem) the CD early? Your ability to lock in a good interest rate for a long time is restricted with a callable CD. Why? If interest rates fall, the issuing bank may call the CDgive you back your money (plus accrued interest) as soon as possibleso it can reduce expenses by issuing new CDs at the lower interest rates. (Note: Call features may appear in some CDs offered directly by banks, but call features are more common with brokered CDs.)
Do you understand the difference between a brokered CD's call period and the maturity date? Don't mistakenly believe that because of the call feature you have the option to redeem the CD early without paying for that privilegeonly the bank has that option. A 20-year CD that's callable after one year still is a 20-year commitment for the consumer. Vincent Filippini, an FDIC fraud investigator, also notes that regulators have received complaints that "some elderly investorspeople in their 70s or 80scommitted to 15- or 20-year CDs thinking they were purchasing very short-term CDs." He adds that "some seniors are vulnerable to high-pressure sales tactics and may be easily confused about what they are investing in."
What would happen if you need to withdraw the CD prematurely, and how much could that cost you? If you have your own CD through a broker, you should be able to pay an early withdrawal penalty to the bank and get your money back. But, if you are sharing your CD with other customers, the broker would have to find a buyer for your piece of the CD. And, as mentioned before, if interest rates rise the broker might sell your CD at a loss for you, maybe even taking away some of your original deposit. "Don't assume that the broker will pay you approximately the same as you paid for the CD or maybe even a little less," says Beth Corbin, an FDIC bank examiner based in Harrisburg, PA. "I know of one situation where the broker offered only about 75 cents on the dollar for several CDs that had been purchased for $134,000 during the prior two yearsa difference of $33,000."
Can the interest rate on the CD go down? If it's a variable-rate CD, be sure you know when and how the rate can change. There may be, for example, a "step-down" feature, where the interest rate starts off high but continues to decline the longer you own the CD. "The initial rate may be attractive but when you figure in the step-down rate, you may be getting less than what local banks are offering directly with a traditional, fixed-rate CD," says Corbin. Or, if the interest rate is tied to an index, such as a measurement of the stock market, you may be taking a chance that the interest payments could fall dramatically... or even completely evaporate. "You could even have a 10-year CD that paid no interest at all, not even a penny, if there's been no growth in the stock market at the end of those 10 years," says Hencke.
3. Make sure your deposit is fully insured.
If full FDIC insurance coverage is important to youto protect you from loss in the event of a bank failurewe suggest you take these precautions.
Get the name of the bank or savings association where your money is to be deposited. With this information, you can verify that the bank is FDIC-insured. (Call the FDIC's consumer affairs staff or search the FDIC's database of insured institutions at Is My Bank Insured? on the Internet.) You'll also learn if the broker plans to put money into an institution where you already own other deposits. This is important to know, because the combination of the brokered CD and your existing deposits could push your total deposited funds over the $100,000 insurance limit. (If you think your funds would exceed $100,000, contact the institution to discuss possible options for staying fully insured, or call the FDIC for additional information about your coverage.)
Also, insist that the broker give you a copy of the exact title of the CD issued by the FDIC-insured bank or savings association. Why? Because if the CD is to be shared by you and many other customers, the deposit broker probably won't list each name in the CD's title. That's permissible, but Hencke says you'll still want the account records to somehow indicate that the broker is acting as an agent for you and other depositors (such as "XYZ Brokerage as Custodian for Customers"). That way, each depositor can qualify for up to $100,000 of FDIC coverage. Otherwise, the FDIC would treat the broker as the owner of the CD and insure it only to $100,000 in total, even if the broker pooled the funds of many different depositors into one CD totaling more than $100,000. "If the broker refuses to provide you with documentation reflecting the title, you should not entrust your money to the broker," Hencke says.
On this topic of account records, Martin Becker, an FDIC official who specializes in failed bank matters, offers another reason for dealing only with a reputable broker. He says that if the bank that issued the CD were to fail, the FDIC must receive specific information from the broker in order to determine the insurance coverage for the account. "The sooner the FDIC gets this information, the faster we can send deposit insurance checks to the broker," Becker says. He adds that because interest payments on the CD stop the day the bank fails, "the timely receipt of this information from the broker is even more important to the consumer."
Final Thoughts
Before purchasing a CD from a depository institution or a broker, shop around for the best combination of interest rates, minimum deposit requirements, maturity dates, and early withdrawal provisions. Check with at least three or four CD providers, including institutions you already deal with and trust. When comparing interest rates, be sure you're looking at the "Annual Percentage Yield" (APY), a uniform calculation method required by federal regulations to help consumers comparison shop.
Also ask yourself if a particular CD makes sense in terms of your financial goals, your tolerance for risk, and your willingness to commit money to a long-term deposit. Make sure that you understand the CD's features and that you feel comfortable with the investment before you agree to anything. Following this simple strategy will serve you well and assure that your money is safe and secure in the bankregardless of whether you deposited it yourself or through a broker.
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