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Coaches' timeouts are worse. Basketball teams should get one, full stop.
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Early Outlook: 2012-13 Michigan Basketball
Glenn Robinson III and Mitch McGary: Capable of dunking
Now that Trey Burke has announced his return to the Michigan basketball program, we can all emerge from our panic rooms and take a look at the roster for next year. Since the end of the season, Michigan has lost five scholarship players—Zack Novak and Stu Douglass to graduation; Evan Smotrycz, Colton Christian, and Carlton Brundidge to transfer—and pulled in a commitment from point guard Spike Albrecht. With today's news that the Wolverines are no longer pursuing combo guard Amadeo Della Valle, the roster is set barring a graduate-year transfer. Here's one man's guess at the 2012-13 depth chart:
Point Guard | Shooting Guard | Small Forward | Power Forward | Center |
Trey Burke | Tim Hardaway Jr. | Glenn Robinson III | Mitch McGary | Jordan Morgan |
Spike Albrecht | Nick Stauskas | Matt Vogrich | Max Bielfeldt | Jon Horford |
Eso Akunne | - | - | - | Blake McLimans |
Schwing. That's a lineup featuring an All-American (honorable mention) point guard, an enigmatic but uber-talented shooting guard, two five-star freshmen at the 3 and 4, and a proven Big Ten center. It's also a lineup with a fair amount of versatility. If Michigan wants to go small, they can play GRIII at power forward and slide either Nick Stauskas or Matt Vogrich to the wing, adding some extra outside shooting. Going bigger is pretty unnecessary, since the presumed starters outside of Burke all have more than adequate size for their position—no more 6'4" guys in the post.
At point guard, once again it pretty much starts and ends with Trey Burke, but the pickup of Albrecht gives the team some options. Albrecht's main strengths are basketball savvy and passing ability; should he pick up on the offense quickly enough, he can provide Burke with a few minutes of rest without sacrificing much offensive flow. Nick Stauskas is a natural shooting guard, but he's a slick passer. If he can just be adequate at handling the basketball, he could also help ease the load on Burke. While Burke will undoubtedly play well over 30 minutes a game once again, there's hope that he won't be forced to log the 40 (or more) minute efforts he did as a freshman.
The key to a successful season—and next year, success means a Big Ten title and/or a deep run in the NCAA tournament—is the production of Tim Hardaway Jr. Can he improve his shot selection and return to the efficient scoring ways of his freshman campaign, or will he continue to be maddeningly inconsistent on both sides of the ball? Who knows, though I'd like to think he won't shoot 28% from downtown again. The good news is that with a four-star gunner in Stauskas and good secondary scoring options in GRIII and McGary, Michigan won't have to lean so heavily on Hardaway to carry the non-Burke scoring load. Stauskas hopefully will be the guy who finally lives up to his high school reputation as a deadly marksman; if he does, this team gets a whole lot more dangerous and versatile.
I'm guessing Glenn Robinson III steps right in and starts at small forward after surging to five-star status over the last several months. GRIII brings a level of athleticism on the wing that Michigan hasn't seen in a long time; the Burke-to-Robinson alley-oop combination should provide some Sportscenter Top 10 moments. Robinson should also be able to create his own shot heading towards the basket, something nobody outside of Hardaway could do with any consistency last season. Backing up GRIII will likely be Matt Vogrich, who will hopefully break through as an outside shooter while continuing to provide a surprising level of rebounding and defensive hustle.
The ballyhooed Mitch McGary should start right away at power forward with Smotrycz heading elsewhere. While his stock has dropped a bit since his commitment, McGary is still an instant-impact guy, and I'm very interested to see what he can bring to Beilein's burgeoning pick-and-roll game. McGary has the bounce necessary to take a quick pass off the roll and attack the basket with ferocity, something Jordan Morgan has struggled with in the past. With teams justifiably focused on stopping Burke, McGary could be the beneficiary of a lot of easy looks around the hoop. His high motor and effort should make him a force on the boards, as well. After redshirting last season, Max Bielfeldt has a chance to earn some PT at the four, being the guy who most fits the Beilein mold of a big who can stretch the floor. If he can hold his own defensively and on the glass, Bielfeldt could be a surprisingly solid weapon off the bench.
Jordan Morgan returns and should continue to provide high-percentage shooting, solid rebounding, and quality interior defense. While his ceiling doesn't appear to be especially high, Morgan has steadily improved in his Michigan career, and we'll likely see him take another step forward as a junior. If that step forward includes even a rudimentary post game (or at least better finishing on layup opportunities), the masses would be quite pleased. Morgan could be pushed for playing time by Jon Horford, who returns from a foot injury. Horford isn't as polished as Morgan, but he's more athletic and provides a better shot-blocking presence on defense. He should get at least 15 minutes a game next year, especially if Morgan's propensity for foul trouble continues to plague him. Blake McLimans may just be the odd man out with Michigan's new-found depth up front.
So, what's the outlook? While the Big Ten is loaded next year—the news that Christian Watford and Cody Zeller both return makes Indiana a potential national contender—Michigan is set to challenge for the conference crown and could be a Final Four team if a few things fall the right way. Getting Hardaway back on track is the key, assuming Robinson and McGary live up to their lofty recruiting rankings. While Michigan doesn't have a lineup loaded with shooters like Beilein's West Virginia squads, they have more athleticism and a dynamite point guard that the Mountaineers never had. Beilein's offense became more guard-centric the past two seasons with Darius Morris and Burke running the show, and that should continue next year. Expect to see more evolution from the offense as the coaches adjust to having a much bigger team, and possibly a shift back to more zone defense to better fit the personnel.
The expectations for next year are dramatically higher than they've been in Ann Arbor since the Fab Five era, and those expectations are justified. An experienced Burke coupled with a hopefully reinvigorated Hardaway should take this team a long way. If the freshmen produce as expected, Michigan will take the next (big) leap forward under John Beilein, going from Big Ten dark horse to national contender.
Basketball Season Review: Bigs
From our very own Zack Novak photoshop thread.
This is part two of the hoops season recap; part one, covering the guards, can be found here.
It should not come as a surprise to those who have followed John Beilein's Michigan squads that a post covering the team's "bigs" would feature a photo of 6'4" Zack Novak at the top of the post. Michigan entered the season relatively thin in the frontcourt, and things only got worse when backup center Jon Horford suffered a stress fracture in his right foot in December, an injury that would ultimately sideline him for the remainder of the season. When Evan Smotrycz suffered through a brutal slump to start conference play, Novak found himself starting at power forward, reprising his role from years past instead of playing his natural two-guard position.
While Michigan got solid seasons out of Novak and Jordan Morgan, along with some inspired efforts from Smotrycz, the lack of size up front was the team's greatest weakness. This was exposed each time Michigan played Ohio State or Michigan State, especially away from Crisler, and even when all of the bigs got in foul trouble at Northwestern and Colton Christian played important minutes at center. This shouldn't be as much of an issue next season with the addition of Mitch McGary and the return of Horford, but Smotrycz's departure hurts. Let's look back on each player's individual contributions:
Jordan Morgan
Preseason Expectations: Morgan entered the season as the returning starter after a surprising redshirt freshman season, but he still had to hold off Jon Horford to keep the job. The hope was that he'd develop his post game while continuing to play solid defense, rebound, and hit his fair share of high-percentage shots.
Postseason Reality: Morgan still hasn't displayed much in the way of a back-to-the-basket game, and he missed a maddeningly large amount of layups. The latter point was a source of great frustration, along with his propensity for early foul trouble, but overall Morgan was quite solid in the middle. His defense improved—including a sharp decline in foul rate—his rebounding was solid, and he shot just a hair under 62% from the field. Trey Burke didn't look to Morgan as much as Darius Morris did last year, and there was a clear adjustment period while he got used to playing with a different style of point guard. While there wasn't a big leap forward in Morgan's offensive game, as many had hoped, he did not regress, either. Meanwhile, he was in better shape, running the floor well and consistently posting strong defensive performances. Morgan probably isn't ever going to be an offensive force, nor a intimidating shot-blocker—the touch and explosive athleticism just aren't there—but he's a solid presence who should end up as a four-year starter.
Highlight: The Ohio State win was the most memorable of the season, and it was also the best game of Morgan's career, as he posted his first double-double—11 points (5-8 from the field) and 11 rebounds—while limiting Jared Sullinger to 14 points on 6-14 shooting. Morgan also beat Sullinger down the court for a pair of thunderous dunks in transition.
Lowlight: When Michigan matched up against Ohio State in the conference tournament, things didn't go so well. The Buckeyes dominated the Wolverines inside, and Morgan could only muster three points (1-5 shooting) and four rebounds while turning the ball over three times.
Key Numbers: 61.9 2pt%, 17.8 DR%, 3.9 fouls committed/40 minutes
Next year: Morgan should start at center once again, and it would be nice to see him break out a go-to post move. Mostly, however, Michigan will need him as a rebounder/defender/screen-setter, which falls right into his comfort zone. Also, make layups, please.
Zack Novak
Preseason Expectations: Novak was expected to make a grand return to shooting guard, where the hope was that is offensive production would rise now that he no longer had to guard players a half-foot taller while shouldering a large part of the rebounding load.
Postseason Reality: Novak, of course, had to slide back to power forward when Smotrycz was benched early in Big Ten play, and for the fourth straight year his play improved despite not being the focal point of the team. He shot very well from the field—56% on twos, 41% on threes—and posted the team's best ORtg—his 123.3 mark was 39th in the country. Then, of course, you get Novak's trademark grit, as he still marveled with his ability to rebound among the trees while providing solid defense against players who theoretically should be dunking all over him (sometimes they did, but that happens when you're a 6'4" post player). Novak finished his career as the consummate role player, knocking down threes, hitting big shots when called upon, and otherwise doing everything to raise the level of play from his teammates. Michigan fans may not miss having a natural shooting guard at power forward when the 2012 reinforcements arrive, but they'll sure miss Zack Novak.
Highlight: Novak absolutely tore up UCLA back in November, scoring 22 points on eight shots from the field and chipping in three rebounds.
Lowlight: The final game in Novak's Wolverine career was sadly forgettable, as he could only muster a season-low two points on 1-5 shooting and didn't record a defensive rebound in Michigan's tourney loss to Ohio.
Next Year: Novak will take his grit to Europe. Godspeed, captain.
Evan Smotrycz
Preseason Expectations: Smotrycz was pinned as the X-factor for Michigan, a player who could put the team over the top as a sharp-shooting starter at power forward. After a solid but inconsistent showing as a freshman, he looked due for a breakout season.
Postseason Reality: It was a rollercoaster season for Smotrycz, who struggled early, caught fire at the end of nonconference play, then went into a prolonged slump that saw him lose his starting job for the rest of the season. The surprising post-season transfer fits that narrative all too well. The overall numbers are solid: Smotrycz averaged 7.7 points per game with a 58.9 eFG%, and he was also the team's most effective defensive rebounder, bringing in 21.4% of opponent misses when he was on the floor. However, Smotrycz never quite found his game again after losing his shooting stroke in Big Ten play, and his overall defense left much to be desired; he finished with a sky-high 5.8 fouls per 40 minutes as he played defense with his hands instead of his feet far too often. Smotrycz on average was an effective offensive weapon, but the inconsistency and defensive shortcomings proved too great to justify giving him starter's minutes.
Highlight: Prospects looked good when Smotrycz scored 20 points on eight shots (4-5 from three) and grabbed nine rebounds against Oakland. It's also worth noting that Smotrycz's 15 points on 6-7 shooting was really the only thing keeping Michigan close against Ohio in the last game of the season.
Lowlight: Smotrycz's final start was the debacle at Iowa, and he failed to score in 22 minutes of play while also committing two turnovers. That was the final straw, as Beilein inserted Stu Douglass into the starting lineup against State.
Key Numbers: 58.9 eFG%, 21.4 DR%, 5.8 FC/40
Next Year: Smotrycz won't be here, which really sucks. Best of luck to him.
Jon Horford
Preseason Expectations: Fight for the starting center job with Morgan, provide at least 15 quality minutes per game.
Postseason Reality: Horford's balky foot robbed Michigan of any depth at center and prematurely ended what was at times a promising sophomore campaign. He showed up much bigger than he was as a freshman, looking the part of a Big Ten center, and he was very active on the glass and as a shot-blocker. Horford doesn't have a polished offensive game, but he brings a lot of energy and is a more athletic option than Morgan, at least when it comes to quick-twitch explosiveness. Much is still unknown, however, as Horford only appeared in nine games.
Highlight: Horford hit all five of his shots from the field, grabbed seven rebounds, and blocked three shots against UCLA, by far the best performance of his young career.
Lowlight: The stress fracture that erased the season's last 25 games.
Next Year: Horford probably won't surpass Morgan at this point, but he should be a valuable backup who won't be much of a dropoff defensively or on the glass. I really like Horford's athleticism and potential, and we'll see how he develops once he gets through rehab and can go full-steam again.
Blake McLimans
Preseason Expectations: McLimans came to the team with the reputation of being the type of sharpshooting big man that Beilein loves, but he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn as a freshman. Expectations were rather low, with the hope being that he wouldn't really need to see the court behind a big man rotation of Morgan, Horford, and Smotrycz.
Postseason Reality: McLimans still isn't much of an inside presence, especially defensively, but he did manage to knock down a decent portion of his jumpers, going 5-12 from beyond the arc and 10-21 overall this season. McLimans only played more than eight minutes in a game once during conference play—the aforementioned Northwestern game—and only was used when both Morgan and Smotrycz got into early foul trouble.
Next Year: McLimans may see his role further decrease when Horford returns and Mitch McGary hits campus. He could see some time as a situational shooter, but he's going to need to really improve on defense if he wants to carve out a larger role.
Colton Christian
Preseason Expectations: Provide the occasional boost of energy off the bench.
Postseason Reality: Christian played a total of 51 minutes on the year, grabbing six rebounds and hitting a few very unexpected shots. Still didn't display much of an offensive game, and was mostly content to hit the class and save his energy for defense.
Next Year: He won't be here, having also put in his name for a transfer. It's highly unlikely he would have seen the floor.
A Gentle Suggestion For The Benefit Of The Revolution
2/21/2012 – Michigan 67, Northwestern 55 (OT) – 21-7, 11-4 Big Ten
LEFT: A fateful moment in which our brave comrade fouled the opponent's forearm in the eyes of corrupt capitalist lackeys. RIGHT: The imperialists were forced into illegal measures in their failed attempts to deal with Comrade Morgan.
Dustin Johnston/UMHoops; AnnArbor.com
Let the reign of Beilein be long and glorious. He is our sun and star and moons. He has brought basketball back to Ann Arbor long after we had ceded our land to the imperialists of East Lansing and set about hoping we would not be Northwestern forever. The bubble is banished and all loyal Wolverines are required to have Mao-style paintings of not one but two Dear Leaders. This is right and just.
But we have to talk about something, Oh Great Back Cut of Heaven. That thing is what to do when Michigan's glorious but thin frontcourt, sabotaged by foreigners who broke Comrade Horford's foot—we have executed the traitors or at least given people who probably know the traitors harsh looks—is brought low by the machinations of imperialist pig-dogs with whistles.
Oh Thousand Shining Arcs From Behind The Line, your response in the Northwestern game was to bench Comrades Morgan and Smotrycz in favor of Comrades McLimans and Christian. They are a good loyalists who contribute all they can to the cause. Unfortunately for the Glorious Revolution, that is zero shot attempts and zero rebounds in fourteen minutes. "From each according to their ability, to each according to their need" suggests that Comrades McLimans and Christian are most needed in the towel-waving collectives of Ukraine, where they can fan our team to greatness.
When they are placed on the court, starvation ensues. Michigan led 11-3 when McLimans entered the game; Northwestern led 31-24 by halftime, when Comrades Morgan and Smotrycz returned to the floor. In that span of time, Northwestern had six offensive rebounds in eight opportunities*. In the other 31 minutes they had five in 24. Northwestern scored more points in the fourteen minutes without Morgan and Smotrycz (28) than they did in the other thirty-one(27).
Upon their return Morgan and Smotrycz promptly led a glorious charge into a lead foreordained by your divinity, Great Leveler. Unfortunately, rebel conspiracy sabotaged the bridge between Tim Hardaway Jr. and free throw makes, forcing the revolution into overtime. The people rose up and slew their purple oppressors with a thousand swords, as you decreed would always be the case.
Some of our less faithful comrades may have momentarily lost confidence, however. While the will of the people can never be defeated, it should be pointed out that basketball teams can and putting in comrades who are not very good at basketball could lead to a (temporary, meaningless) setback in Michigan's five-year plan.
When comrades Morgan and Smotrycz returned it took 12 minutes for one of them to pick up a third foul. If they were allowed to continue playing in the first half it is true they would be in danger of fouling out early. But what would the consequences be in that situation? In the worst vaguely plausible scenario, both Morgan and Smotrycz foul out five or six minutes into the second half, forcing the Striped Orange Sun to… play McLimans and Christian for 14 minutes. The wisdom of the Shining Beacon of Halftime Adjustments is unquestioned, but in this one situation it seems like it is not infinite.
Earlier in the year, a similar substitution pattern saw Comrade Burke confined to the bench for a long stretch against Iowa. Burke left with Michigan down four and returned with them down twelve. Nefarious play by oppressors made Michigan play poorly throughout, so this did not make an impact on the outcome, but it didn't help matters much.
I submit that with Burke averaging 1.8 fouls per 40 minutes at the time of his transgression and six additional calls available to a two-headed center playing a team without any size, it would benefit Michigan greatly to roll the dice on players in foul trouble instead of willingly accepting the worst-case scenario of doing so. Oh sun and moon and stars.
*[It was actually 7 of 9 but one was a OREB credited to Northwestern's team after McLimans blocked a shot out of bounds. I don't think that shows up on the box score I'm using.]
Photos from AnnArbor.com and UMHoops. This one demonstrates Burke's powers of telekinesis:
Dustin Johnston
Highlights from BTN and mgovideo:
Bullets that get dust on them
Defense! Zounds. UMHoops says Michigan had Morgan and/or Smotrycz for 40 possessions. On those possessions Northwestern scored 27 points, or 0.68 points per possession. That's outstanding. Northwestern has the country's 15th-best offense and the league's fourth-best; when Michigan wasn't going to the deep bench because of the aforementioned rigidity they annihilated the Wildcats.
The primary way they did this was by switching everything. IIRC there was a single breakdown for an open layup in the first half, then nothing the rest of the game. Everything else was contested. John Shurna was 2 of 5 from three and 4 of 11 from two with a couple of those twos ridiculous circus things; after the game Bill Carmody kind of called out his leading scorer for passivity:
"It just seemed the whole game that he was reluctant to do anything," Carmody said. "He had some pretty good looks and he passed them up to go to the next thing. It was a game he had to take over."
Northwestern never tried to punish Michigan for switching players as small as Trey Burke onto Shurna. That's either blind luck or great scouting.
Threes? Michigan hit 37% on 38 threes for 1.1 points per attempt. Are we happy with that? I have no idea. On the one hand, a lot of those were wide open when opponents sagged off Burke or left a corner three open in the 1-3-1. On the other hand, 38 threes. I'm guessing we would have had a much different opinion than confusion if Burke and Hardaway didn't put down back-to-back triples after Michigan found itself down four late. Those makes opened the door for the rat-tat-tat at the beginning of overtime. Before that the numbers were ugly.
1.1 points is not great. It sounds good as a shooting percentage but you have to take into account that way more twos than threes end up getting erased in favor of free throws. On the other hand, being willing to launch from deep really cut down on Michigan's turnovers (six to an uncharacteristic 14 for Northwestern) and would have led to some additional possessions via Morgan offensive rebounds if the refs hadn't gone from suck to blow in the second half. In the end, it worked. Worked authoritatively when Morgan/Smotrycz were in.
1-3-1 response. When Michigan's 1-3-1 was getting shredded early in the disappointing Harris/Sims post-tourney year it seemed like opponents were attacking it diagonally and getting to the basket. Michigan was hesitant to put the ball on the floor at all and ended up shooting over it on a large majority of possessions. When they did dump it in low, Morgan had a couple opportunities but didn't go up strong, as they say, and we got the obligatory missed bunny or two*. I wonder if Northwestern just runs the 1-3-1 a lot better than Michigan ever has in the Beilein era.
*[This should be less of a problem with McGary. When people are asking Morgan to go up strong they believe he can dunk a ball from a standing start under the basket, which I don't think he can. This should be no problem for McGary as long as he can catch cleanly—always an issue with big men.]
Hardaway. Yerg. Back to the salt mines: 2 of 9 from three, 4 of 10 from the line. Two of three from two… against a team that has no shot blocking. I don't think those distributions are going to get fixed this year; we can only hope the shots go down when Michigan really needs them to.
Rodger Sherman is not dead:
How. in the HELL. do we lose two games to the same ranked team in overtime? HOW? Why does this happen? THIS IS JUST THE WORST.
Northwestern has now played about 8000 close games this season and lost all of them. Here are my questions, and I am furious about each and every one.
You get the ball witha bout 50 seconds and a full shot clock. Instead of opting to go two-for-one and take the last shot, which ANYBODY WITH ANY SORT OF BASKETBALL SENSE IN THE WORLD would have done, Northwestern held for 35 seconds and had a possession end with a JerShon Cobb three, a shot which is about as efficient as repeatedly stabbing yourself in the face. YOU DON'T WANT TO PLAY ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES AGAINST A RANKED TEAM WITH ALL THE MOMENTUM. YOU WANT TO END THE GAME IN REGULATION. YOU HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF BEATING A BETTER TEAM IN THREE POSSESSIONS (TWO OF WHICH ARE YOURS) THAN FIVE MORE MINUTES. This is inexplicable.
We will root for Northwestern from here on out. We have hurt them more than they deserve. AnnArbor.com on Vogrich:
"He's been a big part of this little surge we're having right now," Michigan coach John Beilein said of Vogrich. "You've seen all year long that we've struggled with our bench play.
"And we need that. He's done a good job."
During Michigan's current four-game winning streak, Vogrich has gone 9-for-13 from 3-point range, providing a spark off the bench that hasn't been there for most of the season.
Known as a 3-point specialist, Vogrich entered the Nebraska game on Feb. 8 shooting just 21.2 percent from behind the arc. But thanks to his recent hot streak, he's jumped up to a more respectable 33.3 percent on the year.
UMHoops recap.
A Face Of Granite, A Heart Of Wood, And A Chance
2/19/2012 – Michigan 56, Ohio State 51 – 20-7, 10-4 Big Ten
Eric Upchurch
There will never be a "Trey Burke photo spectacularrr" tag on this blog, and that's the way Michigan likes it. There are under ten seconds on the shot clock against the top defense in the country, and Trey Burke is wearing an expression of nonchalant determination.
If he smiles at points they are normal-person smiles, not the arm-flailing, mouthpiece-threatening HRRAAAAAAHHHHs of Tim Hardaway Jr or Jared Sullinger. If you're not exactly calm, the sight of Burke bringing the ball up at least dampens your anxiety—whether you're fan, coach or teammate. He is the fastest and slowest player on the court.
As a group, basketball players cluster on the hysteric end of a continuum of public displays of emotion. Burke is a rare data point on the stoic side of things. He'll never have an Aneurysm of Leadership. He may clap his hands a bit, if he's feeling strongly. At some point someone will make one of those images showing the hilariously unchanging moods of an impassive individual featuring Trey Burke.
Trey Burke eating ice cream: nonchalant determination. Trey Burke taking a calculus exam: nonchalant determination. Trey Burke roaring at the basket with a three-point lead in the final minute of a game against the #1 defense in the country with a foot-taller-than-you opponent who knows your darkest childhood secrets leaping at you…
Dustin Johnston/UMHoops
…nonchalant determination with a touch of premature aging.
Not shown on the jpeg will be the sweet kiss off the high glass and the ball arcing in for the game-sealing bucket, or the previous possession's not-quite-but-pretty-much-sealing blow-by and layup. They will only be implied.
Burke is of course one of many Michigan players who should be in over their heads. Jordan Morgan, Zack Novak, and Stu Douglass are the kind of guys who end up at Penn State and valiantly try to make an NIT. Even Hardaway did not have the recruiting profile you'd think—one and only one recruiting service (ESPN) stashed him at the end of their top 100. Burke himself was once a Penn State commit; after he reopened his recruitment his other finalist was Cincinnati.
Michigan is not valiantly trying to make an NIT. As of February 18th, 2012, Michigan is contending for a Big Ten title. Douglass and Novak are busting out their Kobe impersonations on step-back jumpers it's unbelievable they're even attempting, let alone making. Morgan is outplaying Jared Sullinger, if only for one game.
As I've sampled Big Ten message boards and blog comment sections over the course of the season, one theme continually re-emerges: I don't know how they're winning with these players. We're closer observers and can piece together a story about grit and surprising defense and making up for bad rebounding with transition points, but even that comes to a stuttering, unconvincing conclusion when the subject of Hardaway's three-point shooting comes up. And how is this lineup the fourth-best defense in the league anyway? Michigan has one post player!
Not even we can explain it. It just is.
If you're in the mood for some advice, here's mine: savor this. If this is Michigan's year of re-establishing itself—Michigan's This Is Michigan year—the things that come afterwards will feature a lot of wins and exciting times and fun. They'll also be burdened with expectations that aren't currently encumbering Michigan's motley crew of players rescued from the mid-major humane shelters of America. You know what it's like to have expectations. You're a Michigan football fan.
Here there is a rare opportunity to play with house money for big stakes. It will be the farthest thing from a disappointment if Michigan doesn't quite break their drought this year; if they do, that banner we know we can't give to Novak (and Douglass) despite wanting to will read "Big Ten Champions 2011-2012."
I'll be twitching uncontrollably as Michigan attempts this over the next two weeks. Trey Burke will eat ice cream and fly by in slow motion.
Our own Eric Upchurch's gallery:
Also: AnnArbor.com photo gallery. UMHoops photos. AnnArbor.com also got Gameday-related shots.
And then I was like…
Titlewatch(!). The chance Michigan ends its 25 year Big Ten title drought is still slim but after Saturday it is extant. Unfortunately, Purdue blew a five point halftime lead against MSU by coming out for the second half and throwing up thirteen straight bricks, so MSU has a one-game edge on OSU and M for the conference lead. Wisconsin is another game back.
Closing stretches:
- MSU: @ Minnesota, Nebraska, @ Indiana, OSU
- OSU: Illinois, Wisconsin, @ NU, @ MSU
- M: @ NU, Purdue, @ Illinois, @ Penn State
- UW: @ Iowa, @ OSU, Minnesota, Illinois
Despite the home-road split, Michigan has a considerably easier road than anyone else. They'll probably get at least a share if they win out, which Kenpom thinks has a 15% chance of happening. Winning 13(!) is the most likely scenario, though, and that would require MSU dropping two and OSU one of their last four to get a three-way tie. That's a tall order.
"The pride of Columbus, Ohio." I've never been a fan of the Crisler PA guy ("WHO WANTS FREE PIZZZAAAAA") but I have to give it up: dubbing Trey Burke the Pride of Columbus was A+ trash talk. Sixty-five points awarded.
Matta WTF. I've had to shut up about my theory that Matta is as dumb as a rock as his team has annihilated everyone on defense, but Saturday provided a great flashback to the days when OSU was only pretty good and Matta seemed like a major impediment to them being better.
The situation: Michigan is up three with 42 seconds left on the clock as they inbound the ball. Matta doesn't foul, betting on a stop and OSU hitting a three after getting the ball back with seven seconds left. WTF?
You got Morg-owned. Jordan Morgan outplayed Jared Sullinger head to head. Full stop. This is a big component of how:
AnnArbor.com; Dustin Johnston/UMHoops
On two tightly-spaced second half possessions he ran the floor well ahead of Sullinger and threw down explosive dunks as Sullinger looked on in disgust.
Morgan may not be very tall or an explosive leaper but he has no equal in the league when it comes to running the floor as a center. He may have missed his true calling as a tight end.
[INTERMISSION: let's take this opportunity to Homer-drool over the prospect of a 6'8" tight end who can run like Morgan.]
Anyway, Morgan: 11 points on 5/8 shooting, 11 rebounds (2 offensive), 0 TOs. Sullinger: 14 points on 6 of 14 shooting, 8 rebounds (3 offensive), 3 TOs. Michigan has to react to Sullinger a lot more than vice versa, granted, but Morgan was efficient offensively and stellar defensively. Sullinger cannot say the same.
Also, damn that's a pass right there. Also also, if Morgan keeps missing absolute bunnies one of these days I'm going to pass out. He and Douglass had groaners in the first half I dwelled on.
Please, please please let Hardaway get what he wants this time. 13 points on 5 shots, 2 of 2 from three. Four turnovers and zeros most everywhere else on the stat sheet are less appealing but I'll take that efficiency.
Step-back step-ups. I wasn't quite right that Michigan needed to shoot significantly better from three than Ohio State to win—Michigan had a narrow edge with three makes on 13 shots; OSU needed 16 attempts to match—but that's because most of Michigan's long-range makes came from just within the three-point line. Hardaway had a couple of "no no no… YES" long twos with a bunch of time on the shot clock early; late Michigan got critical buckets from Douglass and Novak on NBA-style step-backs.
It's been said before but it's worth repeating: Lavall Jordan has worked miracles with both Novak and Douglass. Those guys now have the ability to get their own shot off the bounce when they have to or they sense an opportunity. Neither produced shot one last year. The development of the two seniors is akin to Michigan's defensive coaches turning Will Heininger into a pretty good player over the course of a single year—evidence that Michigan's player development is top notch. Combine that with the waves of talent in both major sports and you're cooking.
Offensive board obliteration measuration. Not incredibly horrible: OSU rebounded a third of their misses. That's only slightly above the national average of 32.2%. Also it seemed like a lot of them came on a couple of possessions where OSU got three or four putback attempts; patterns like that bother me less because I'd rather have the opponent have one possession with a very, very high rate of success than four with a less-but-still-very-good rate. Also at some point there are just a ton of dudes around the basket and they're all taller than you.
Obligatory reffing section. After trolling OSU message boards for some schadenfreude and discovering the reaction of the Michigan internet to Jay Bilas, I'll abort my planned ref-railin'. Not necessarily because I'm wrong but because I'm obviously so partisan that I can't be trusted in these matters.
Also, I was waiting for the whistle on this late Craft layup attempt and one never came:
Dustin Johnston/UMHoops
Whether or not this event was actually quality D, it's one on which whistles are all but certain. I do question a bunch of calls but whatever.
Okay, it's just a conceit above. It's a pretty good conceit but this AnnArbor.com photo exposes its limitations:
ALL CAN BE FORGIVEN. I'll never say a bad word about Dave Brandon again if
1) Michigan wins at least a share of the Big Ten title and
2) the resulting banner bleeds like this:
Just the trickle down the side.
(Also, that's an excellent demonstration of the differences between Maize and our current yellow.)
UMHoops recap and Five Key Plays, featuring all of the charges:
Eleven Warriors recap. Andy Reid on Morgan's game. MANBALL? MANBALL:
"He played like a beast," Tim Hardaway, Jr. said. "He played like a man against the best big man in the country. And he took that to heart all week. All he heard was, 'Jared Sullinger, Jared Sullinger, Jared Sullinger,' and he wanted to come out here and show he could compete. He did a great job of that and took care of business."
Baumgardner on Morgan and other matters.
This morning, the state of Michigan must be rubbing its collective eyes, because look at the Big Ten standings now. Michigan State, which hammered Ohio State on the road earlier, is at the top with a 10-3 mark (21-5 overall) and could create space with a win at Purdue on Sunday, or create a three-way tie with a loss. Michigan (20-7, 10-4) and Ohio State (22-5, 10-4) are just behind, and who would have dreamed up this scenario?
With two weeks left, Michigan and Michigan State are grappling for a title, and go back to the preseason and try to envision that. While you're at it, go back five years when John Beilein arrived and imagine the Wolverines being here.
"To walk into that arena (before the game) was a bit moving," Beilein said. "I felt it wasn't just a rivalry game. It was a team playing for contention for a Big Ten championship, and I thought it was special. When you're rebuilding a program, there's a lot of little moments, a lot of small victories. This was one of them."
Meinke on Burke. Daily on Morgan. Beard on the hyped-up atmosphere at Crisler. Daily on Novak. Daily on GREATEST FEBRUARY 18TH EVER. Does The White Tiger have a giant head of himself? He's in the right area. Holdin' The Rope not at Holdin' the Rope.
Burke won his fifth Big Ten freshman of the week. I think Cody Zeller is out of moves here. McGary scouting from UMHoops.
The Stu Effect
2/1/2012 – Michigan 68, Indiana 56 – 17-6, 7-3 Big Ten
Eric Upchurch
At the beginning of Michigan's most epic brutal stretch of the season, they made a radical change by consigning Evan Smotrycz to the bench in favor of Stu Douglass. Zack Novak wearily took up the mantle of power forward again and Michigan soldiered through. Five of six games into the MEBS they're now 3-2 and guaranteed to come out at least .500, eyeing a Sweet Sixteen seed if they can win the games they should down the road.
Small sample size and all, but I thought it would be interesting to look at the impact that shift has had on Michigan's defense. When Beilein made the shift he said it was his best defensive lineup, after all. Chart? Chart.
Michigan without Stu in the starting lineup:
[note that there are more home games than road; I attempted to adjust for that by subtracting 3.5 points from the opponent's efficiency. A home-road swing is worth 7 points and let's blindly assign half of that to the offense]
Opponent | Score | Possessions | B10 Off Eff | Expected Score | Delta | |
Minnesota | 56 | 58 | 100.8 | 58.4 | 2.4 | |
@ Indiana | 73 | 66 | 109.1 | 72 | 1 | |
Wisconsin | 41 | 54 | 102.7 | 55.5 | 14.5 | |
Northwestern | 64 | 65 | 97.9 | 63.6 | -0.4 | |
@ Iowa | 75 | 62 | 102.9 | 63.8 | -11.2 | |
Michigan with Stu in the starting lineup:
Opponent | Score | Possessions | B10 Off Eff | Expected Score | Delta | |
@ Purdue | 64 | 59 | 104.1 | 61.4 | -2.6 | |
Indiana | 56 | 59 | 109.1 | 64.4 | 8.4 | |
So, there you go. Exceedingly weak statistical evidence in a small sample size* that shifting Douglass into the starting lineup has been worth one and a half points per game. Since Michigan won two of the games he started by 1 and 2 points, this seems relevant to our interests. Let's not make too much of it—Michigan State could blow this away in one shooting streak. But our Bayesian estimate of Douglass improving the M defense should shift over 50%.
This is only part of what Douglass has brought to the table. Now I'm going to delve in to wishy feely stuff; I wanted to get some numbers on the internet to make me feel better about what's about to come.
But… close your eyes and envision the two most improved players on the team this year. Did you get Novak and Douglass? I'm guessing you did, what with images of Douglass driving into the lane and something bad not happening or Novak pulling up for a midrange jumper that gets only net.
this could be going well! (Upchurch)
That's weird. Freshmen get better faster than seniors, especially when the seniors are guards and the freshmen are largely posts. This year's most prominent freshman-to-sophomore transitions have not gone real well. Tim Hardaway Jr. is a fair bit less efficient than he was as a freshman. So is Jordan Morgan. Smotrycz is a lot better but has been marginalized during this important stretch; his incredible shooting in the nonconference season has evaporated in the Big Ten.
Normally that would spell doom. If I materialized in your bathtub in October and said "ooooOOOOOOoooooohhhhhh, TIM HARDAWAY JR WILL AVERAGE 27% FROM THREE POINT RANGE, oooooOOOOOOoooooohhhh" you would be more terrified for Michigan's basketball prospects than the fact you'd just had a time-travelling blogger ghost appear in a place you thought was safe from that sort of nonsense. And that's saying something.
But even though Hardaway and Morgan are less efficient and Trey Burke isn't quite at the level Darius Morris was last year, here they are aiming for a Sweet 16 seed. You can say this is Trey Burke's team, and you'd be right, and you can say Tim Hardaway Jr. is Michigan's most important player, and you'd be right. The two seniors are the guys duct-taping up all the leaks the team has sprung as it moves forward without Morris and Tim Hardaway's 44% conference three-point shooting.
Michigan may get better after they leave on sheer talent, but Douglass and Novak are two remarkable overachievers. Michigan needed two guys like that to change the culture around here after a decade-long tourney-free streak. No one thought they'd be guys snatched from Valpo (if they were even interested!) and Harvard. Even if their numbers shouldn't get raised to the rafters, those who come after them will stand on their shoulders. It may be Trey Burke's team but it's Douglass's and Novak's program.
*[FWIW, Arkansas put up about four more points than you'd expect if M was equal to an average SEC defense. I think that's more about Michigan being unprepared for the press—giving those points up on offense.]
Also some highlights and Beilein's pregame speech. Via MGoVideo.
Photogallery from AnnArbor.com. Another from UMHoops. And of course Eric posted his set last night.
Bullets That Always Go In If Shot By Jordan Hulls
GOOD LORD JORDAN HULLS. Dude was shooting 48% from three before yesterday's 4 of 5 performance. And a lot of those were tough.
God, what does it take to get a three point sniper who's actually lethal in college, too? Vogrich was reputed to be the best shooter in the country and is struggling to get above 25%. Come on, Stauskas.
Christian Watford guarding Trey Burke. It worked for a while as Burke seemed confused by the very idea; then Burke started crossing the dude over and screaming towards the basket. Weird, weird idea. Glad that Burke played through it. It was looking a little hopeless on offense for a while there.
Watford, by the way, annihilated Michigan in the game in Bloomington and is shooting 47% from three—actually much better than he is from 2 (42%). Weird player.
Jordan Morgan guarding Cody Zeller. Great, great job. Zeller is shooting 66% and has a top ten eFG%; Michigan held him to 4 of 9 shooting and IIRC two of his baskets were offensive rebound putbacks. This was almost all Morgan with a little Smotrycz in there, and Zeller could hardly get a shot opportunity.
Morgan's main advantage over most big men is his agility, activity, and endurance. He fronts everyone and rarely gives up good post position; Michigan cheats down behind him to cut off lob passes and leaves that backdoor three open. It's been effective overall.
You can see the good and bad of it in Michigan's conference Kenpom stats. They're #2 in the league at forcing turnovers; over 20% of opponent possessions end without a shot. They never put anyone on the line. Their 2PT% D is acceptable despite being short—their block percentage is last in the league. The main downside is giving up a lot of quality threes. 38% is good for only tenth in the league at 3PT defense. Given the composition of the roster, I'll take it. Michigan has to endure a lot of open threes to give themselves a chance inside. Considering the available athletes they're doing a good job.
Tim Hardaway jack watch. There were three or four, including another long two with lots of time on the shot clock. I don't mind him taking a three in the context of the offense. The ones where he just rises and fires are not good.
Michigan should start running him off Rip Hamilton-esque curl screens with the intent of getting him moving towards the basket with his man already to one side. That seems like it will result in profit. And possibly charges, but who cares about charges?
The Minute After from Inside The Hall. Crean calls the start "a joke." Then he married Roseanne, said "mein laven" and found that his stapler was covered in jello. #allthetomcreanlookalikes
Watford and Zeller combined for 43 points in Bloomington; they only managed 19 between them last night. Hulls had 18 but he made some pretty tough shots to get there. You can live with that.
UMHoops recap. Michigan's RPI moves to 17. Zack Novak gives you a tour of the PDC.
40 Minutes of Hell
If you wanted to concoct the most painful possible basketball game to watch, at least when it comes to mid-January non-conference road games, Saturday's 66-64 heartbreaker at Arkansas was about as bad as it gets from a fan perspective. We saw:
- The end of the Kentucky game go long, causing most fans—including myself—to miss at least the first few minutes of the game.
- Arkansas hit their first 11 shots from the field en route to opening up a 20-point lead.
- Michigan turn the ball over five times in the first ten minutes as they looked entirely unprepared to handle the Razorbacks's "40 Minutes of Hell" full-court press.
- The Wolverines embark on a lengthy comeback run, only Arkansas kept Michigan at arms-length until Zack Novak cut the deficit to two points with just 3:48 left.
- A four-minute stretch during that span in which neither team scored a point.
- Zack Novak almost kill a guy.
- Trey Burke's final shot go halfway down then cruelly bounce out as the buzzer sounded.
That was not fun. At all. The most joy I got from that game was watching Novak stick it to the Arkansas crowd by sinking clutch three after clutch three, only I felt guilty doing so because I'm pretty sure Novak should've been ejected. Yes, he made an effort to block the shot, but nailing an airborne player in the head with your forearm while running at full speed is pretty damn dangerous.
That's besides the point, though. The point is that Michigan could never quite put it all together, dropping a very winnable game and leaving the Wolverines still lacking a true road win this season. If M lands on the bubble come tournament time, this is going to be the "what if?" game that could come back to haunt them.
The key was that press, spearheaded by a deep Arkansas rotation that kept fresh legs on the floor while Michigan's fairly-thin core group of players tried to keep pace. The Wolverines looked blindsided by the press early on, and instead of slowing the game down and playing at their tempo, they sped up. I don't have video of the opening minutes, but the sequence that led to Novak's flagrant foul is pretty indicative:
I'm pretty sure that play violated Rush the Court's first three rules for breaking the Arkansas press. Even when Michigan was able to get through, settling down into their half-court offense was another issue entirely.
Other than Jordan Morgan, who scored 16 points on 7-11 shooting and had eight straight to key Michigan's second-half surge, no Wolverine had an all-around solid game statistically. Trey Burke dished out six assists to just two turnovers and grabbed seven (!) rebounds, but his 13 points came on 6-19 shooting and he was just 1-6 from deep. Novak led the team with 17 points and connected on 5-7 three-pointers, but he turned the ball over four times and struggled to keep pace defensively. Nobody else cracked double-digits in the scoring column, and it took the still-slumping Tim Hardaway Jr. eight shots to score nine points.
Michigan will look to move on from this game quickly, but the remaining stretch is brutal. The Wolverines head to Purdue tomorrow night (KenPom: 35% win probability), then play at Ohio State (5%), at home vs. Indiana (43%), and at Michigan State (13%) over the next two weeks. In fact, going by KenPom, the Wolverines are projected to win just four of their remaining 11 games. While that would give the team a 20-11 record (10-8 B1G), almost assuredly locking up a spot in the tournament, the team could be looking at another uphill battle to even reach the second day, let alone the Sweet Sixteen.
While that would still satisfy expectations, we all know from experience that life on the bubble is a stressful existence. With Hardaway struggling, Smotrycz disappearing, and the team leaning heavily on a freshman point guard, something is going to have to change—and soon—if Michigan wants to avoid a late-season swoon. I trust John Beilein to make the necessary adjustments, but once again, the burden will be placed on a group of mostly-inexperienced players to pull through.
And yet, Michigan remains tied atop the Big Ten standings. Please don't ask me to explain what's going on this year. It's probably best to strap yourself in, because it's going to be one hell of a ride from this point forward.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
HAL: in2p3-00683730, version 1 |
arXiv: 1203.5613 |
Detailed view | Export this paper |
Classical and Quantum Gravity 29 (2012) 155002 |
The characterization of Virgo data and its impact on gravitational-wave searches |
For the LIGO, VIRGO collaboration(s) |
(2012) |
Between 2007 and 2010 Virgo collected data in coincidence with the LIGO and GEO gravitational-wave (GW) detectors. These data have been searched for GWs emitted by cataclysmic phenomena in the universe, by non-axisymmetric rotating neutron stars or from a stochastic background in the frequency band of the detectors. The sensitivity of GW searches is limited by noise produced by the detector or its environment. It is therefore crucial to characterize the various noise sources in a GW detector. This paper reviews the Virgo detector noise sources, noise propagation, and conversion mechanisms which were identified in the three first Virgo observing runs. In many cases, these investigations allowed us to mitigate noise sources in the detector, or to selectively flag noise events and discard them from the data. We present examples from the joint LIGO-GEO-Virgo GW searches to show how well noise transients and narrow spectral lines have been identified and excluded from the Virgo data. We also discuss how detector characterization can improve the astrophysical reach of gravitational-wave searches. |
Optique et Photonique APC - ADAMIS |
APC - Cosmologie et Gravitation
Subject(s) | : | Physics/General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology |
Fulltext link: |
http://fr.arXiv.org/abs/1203.5613 |
in2p3-00683730, version 1 | |
http://hal.in2p3.fr/in2p3-00683730 | |
oai:hal.in2p3.fr:in2p3-00683730 | |
From: Françoise Marechal | |
Submitted on: Thursday, 29 March 2012 17:26:26 | |
Updated on: Thursday, 28 November 2013 17:26:43 |


text:
December 14th, 2010 at 8:32 am
Football = ESPN Topping Cable Primetime Weekly Ratings
Football = ESPN on top.
[Read-More]December 7th, 2010 at 9:13 am
ESPN Tops Cable Primetime Ratings; 'The Grinch' Boost ABC Family Into Second
'The Grinch' provides a huge boost to ABC Family.
[Read-More]November 30th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
ESPN's Weekly Primetime Ratings Margin Even Greater Than Usual
ESPN's margin was even larger than usual.
[Read-More]November 23rd, 2010 at 10:14 am
Football Keeps ESPN On Top Cable Primetime Ratings
Football keeps ESPN on top of the cable primetime ratings.
[Read-More]November 16th, 2010 at 10:40 am
ESPN Stays On Top Cable Primetime Ratings
No surprise, ESPN still on top.
[Read-More]November 9th, 2010 at 9:37 am
ESPN Stays On Top Cable Primetime Ratings; Election Week Lifts Fox News To #2 In Viewership
No surprise, ESPN stays on top.
[Read-More]November 2nd, 2010 at 11:04 am
With No More Baseball, ESPN Returns To The Top Of The Cable Weekly Ratings
NFL+College ftbl+NBA= win
[Read-More]October 26th, 2010 at 9:56 am
ALCS (& Yankees) Put TBS Back On Top Cable Primetime Ratings For One More Week
The ALCS and the Yankees put TBS on top the cable ratings for one more week.


text:
October 09, 2012 at 03:00 AM EDT
James R Dreesen JR Releases New Book for Doctors and Medical Practices
(EMAILWIRE.COM, October 09, 2012 ) Minneapolis, MN -- James R Dreesen JR, best-selling Amazon author, teacher and medical marketing expert authored his book 'Internet Marketing for Medical Practices & Doctors' because he believes Doctors need help getting started using the Internet to attract new patients.
When asked James said, "It is no secret that Doctors need more new Patients because simply raising rates isn't feasible for patients during these tough economic times." He went on to say, "Today's world however also provide an enormous opportunity for Doctors as more patients are turning to the Internet and their mobile phones to find Doctors and medical practices when they need them most." This sense of opportunity and passion about Internet marketing is sensed throughout the book as James lays the 6 areas online that Doctors can leverage to get all the new profitable patients they would ever want. Also a sense of James' humor can be felt in the first chapter of the book which highlights the importance of patient reviews on the Internet. About the Author: James Dreesen is the CEO of Get New Patients, INC which is owned by NorthStar SEO, LLC. The companies are based in Minneapolis, Minnesota and provide full-service Internet marketing campaigns, website designs / redesigns, Search Engine Optimization, Pay Per Click Advertising, and Social Media Marketing. Get New Patients, INC. James Dreesen (888) - 221 - 0865 firstname.lastname@example.com This is a press release. Press release distribution and press release services by EmailWire.Com: http://www.emailwire.com/us-press-release-distribution.php. Source: EmailWire.Com
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Very close to downtown Dells. Very clean and organized nice place to stay. Camp sites were close together but the friendly staff made our stay worth while


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Tuesday, March 11, 2014
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People who were victims of burglary had a chance Wednesday to reclaim some of the things they've lost. Hudson Falls police say they've arrested a career burglar and want to give back the tens of thousands of dollars worth of property they've recovered. It all happened at the Hudson Falls High School. Erin Vannella has more.


text:
Beyond Innocence Beyond Seduction Catching Midnight Courting Midnight Demon's Daughter In the Flesh Personal Assets Prince of Ice Strange Attractions
Beyond Seduction
Catching Midnight
Courting Midnight
Demon's Daughter
In the Flesh
Personal Assets
Prince of Ice
Strange Attractions
Zoe Clare communes with dead people and fairies. An unusual trait to be sure, but not something that strikes most of the inhabitants of Fairyville, Arizona as particularly strange. They are used to the strange energies that surround the town , and they are surprisingly tolerant about the odd happenings, at least most of the time.
Zoe's extra-special gift hasn't, however, been much help with her love life. She has been pining for her landlord and manager Magnus Monroe for quite a while. Although Magnus has an unusually strong sex drive and has gone through most women in the town, he's always backed away from Zoe. As we soon discover, he has excellent and even honorable reasons for doing what he does, but this doesn't help Zoe. So when the man who broke her teenage heart drives back into town, she isn't adverse to some sexual healing.
Alexander Goodbody, however, hasn't arrived alone. He is investigating a possible baby-switch at Fairyville Hospital and is accompanied by his business partner and fellow investigator Bryan McCallum. Sex has recently become an additional factor in their longstanding friendship. Although Bryan understands that theirs isn't an exclusive relation, he's not exactly happy to discover that Alex never got over his old flame.
Meanwhile, Zoe realizes she would like some payback from the man who betrayed her so many years ago as well as from the man who appears to be running away from her now. This makes her (and Bryan and Alex and Magnus) more than ready to explore old intimacies and test drive new ones. By the time the different couples (and triangles and quartets) have finally straightened out their different messes, they have also acquired new insights into their sexuality and relationships, solved the mystery that has been plaguing Fairyville and resolved the dilemma that has been troubling Magnus.
The characters are the main strength of this original book. For all their physical allure and sexual stamina, they aren't studs and stallions: they are people who are aware how much their love can hurt themselves and the other. Magnus's willingness to literally put himself in the line of fire for Zoe is particularly inspiring, but I also found Alex's struggles to come to terms with his treachery surprisingly touching. Both Zoe and Brian won points when they acknowledged that love has to have a backbone.
I cannot close this review without paying tribute to Holly's excellent writing. Her eye for details and her clean, euphemism-free prose make her one of the best writers in genre that is frequently castigated for its bad grammar and purplish tinge. Clearly, Fairyville is not for readers who steer away from more risqué accounts, but for those interested in dabbling in well-crafted and well-written erotica, it comes very highly recommended indeed.
--Mary Benn


text:
EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Searchers rummaging through vacant houses in a neighborhood where three bodies were found wrapped in plastic bags should be prepared to find one or two more victims, a police chief said Sunday.
Police Chief Ralph Spotts told the volunteers to brace themselves for the smell of rotting bodies and to look out for trash bags that might conceal a body. He said there "may be one or two more victims" but declined to elaborate.
In response to a question about the chief's comments, East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton said authorities have "lots of reasons" to suspect there are more victims, but he refused to say why.
A 35-year-old registered sex offender in custody is a suspect in the deaths, Norton said. The suspect, who was arrested Friday after a police standoff, has indicated he might have been influenced by Cleveland serial killer Anthony Sowell, who was convicted in 2011 of killing 11 women and sentenced to death, Norton said.
"He said some things that led us to believe that in some way, shape, or form, Sowell might be an influence," Norton told The Associated Press.
The man hasn't been charged.
The first body was found Friday in a garage. Two others were found Saturday -- one in a backyard and the other in the basement of a vacant house. The bodies, believed to be female, were found about 100 to 200 yards apart, and authorities say the victims were killed in the last six to 10 days.
The bodies were each in the fetal position, wrapped in several layers of trash bags, Norton said. He said detectives continue to interview the suspect, who used his mother's address in Cleveland in registering as a sex offender, the mayor said.
"The person in custody, some of the things he said to investigators made us go back today," the mayor said.
The police chief told volunteers, including community anti-crime activists, to watch for missing floor boards as they looked inside houses.
"The MO of each body we've found so far was wrapped up in a lot of garbage bags, so if you see anything .<!p>.<!p>.. and it might not look like it's a body, but it could be -- because each bag, the way he had each person was in a fetal position," Spotts told searchers. "It didn't look like a person could actually fit in the bag."
One neighbor, Nathenia Crosby, said she was familiar with the suspect and had seen him walking through the neighborhood. She said she had told him to stop chatting with her daughter and warned him after seeing him talk to her cousin.


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Social Work Assessment Report 2006
Submitted Fall, 2006
The Social Work Program at the University of Nebraska at Kearney is accredited at the baccalaureate level by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), which mandates assessment of all program objectives and utilizing assessment outcomes for program renewal. Therefore, this report is modeled after the program's assessment report provided to CSWE in the 2004 Accreditation Self-Study (Volume I). The UNK Social Work program engages in ongoing assessment for evaluating the outcome of each program objectives. Assessment measures used by the program include Faculty evaluations of students, Student evaluation of faculty, Volunteer Experience Evaluation, Field Seminar student's evaluation of the program, Field placement assessments, and Baccalaureate Education Assessment Project (BEAP). BEAP instruments track students from entrance point into the Program until two years after graduation. The BEAP Entrance survey and the Social Work Values Inventory at Entrance are administered each semester in the Human Services Ethics and Experience class (SOWK 172); BEAP Exit Survey and the Social Work Values Inventory at Exit is administered every semester to students completing their field placement and enrolled in the Field Seminar class (SOWK 482); and the BEAP Alumni Survey and BEAP Employer Survey are mailed out to every alumni of the program two years from the date of their graduation.
The outcome of the above listed evaluations is analyzed by the Program Director, discussed with the faculty and shared with the Advisory Board and various program committees, especially Curriculum Committee. The feedback gathered through this dissemination process is considered carefully and becomes the basis for initiating a plan of action. The main committee examining curriculum issues is the Curriculum Committee which chaired by the Program Director and maintains membership of student representative, social work practitioners from the community, and all the program's faculty. This committee considers the assessment outcomes and any recommendations made by various constituents. Once the committee approves curriculum changes, the Program Director prepares all necessary paper work and initiates its passage through institutional channels for approval. Changes made can improve existing curriculum, expand curriculum coverage, assess teaching methodology, and effectively address curriculum concerns that may impact the program's ability to achieve its goals and objectives. The Curriculum Committee is active and meets once every semester or more if needed. The program is driven by the need to better understand and meet the personal, academic, and professional needs of students, as well as responsiveness to emerging practices and trends in the profession and community.
The assessment table below lists the different program objectives, assessment tools utilized, and assessment outcome using mean scores.


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A man was killed in a one-car accident on Potter Road during the early morning hours of Monday, March 17.
Fifth Congressional District Rep. Mick Mulvaney will host a town hall meeting in Lancaster on Monday, March 17.
After considering hours of forensic evidence testimony in a joint trial this week, a jury found Al Martinez Green, 21, 813 ½ East Dunlap St., and Devatee Clinton, 26, 1911 Rose Anna Lane, guilty of the 2012 shooting death of Jenika Jones, said Sixth Circuit Solicitor Doug Barfield.
As the glass front doors parted in front of him, Keith Tunnell stepped inside the sunlit lobby of 1033 W. Meeting St. and smiled.
Looking around at the spacious building, complete with offices and a conference room, Tunnell perused the Lancaster County Economic Development Corp.'s new home.
The 2014 General Election year begins officially Monday, March 17 with the start of candidate filing for partisan races.
The Nov. 4 ballot will include candidates for 21 partisan races raging from County Council to the governor's office and Congress, all of whom must file now regardless of whether they face a primary challenger June 10 or not.
Catawba Regional Council of Governments
Lancaster County will kick off the first phase of its comprehensive planning process – Outreach and Visioning – on Tuesday, March 18, and will conclude the 2014-2024 Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan at the end of the year.
It is Sunshine Week. No, don't break out the SPF 70 sunscreen...this week is about shining light on government activities.
Lest we forget, letting the sun shine on government actions and records is vital to our free democratic system of government.
While efforts to improve government transparency in our Legislature have stalled for the last two years, there are those in the Palmetto State still fighting the good fight for more sunshine.
First let's recognize the journalists.
S.C. Press Association
The S.C. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) makes records and meetings of public bodies open and available to citizens and their representatives in the press.
As a citizen of South Carolina, you have the right to attend meetings of commissions, councils, boards and other public bodies. You have a right to see and copy records of public bodies. The FOIA – also known as the Sunshine Law because it shines light on government meetings and records – is essential to our democratic form of government.
Who, what is covered?
A pair of Lancaster High School senior basketball stars – center Phoebe Johnson and guard Kyia Hough – will be in the state spotlight in upcoming prep all-star basketball games Saturday, March 22.
Buford, in impressive fashion, opened Region IV-AA baseball play with a 14-2 win over county rival Andrew Jackson at the Vols' field on Friday, March 14.
The Yellow Jackets, 3-3, 1-0, drilled 15 hits on the way to the 12-run road win over the Volunteers in five innings.


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Remote Access: Closing the Digital Divide in Global HealthDoctors Without BordersThursday, November 29, 2012 at 7:00 PM (PST)Seattle, WA |
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Event Details
Applying the latest digital tools to humanitarian responses and global
health projects has always been difficult due to persistent challenges like
remote locations, unreliable electricity, and underdeveloped communications
infrastructure. Increasingly, however, there have been applications, platforms, and
database sharing innovations that have been successfully deployed in places like
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When & Where
The Seattle Center - Nesholm Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall
305 Harrison St
Thursday, November 29, 2012 at 7:00 PM (PST)
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Doctors Without Borders
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization working in more than 60 countries to assist people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe. For more information, please visit www.doctorswithoutborders.org.


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Business telephone system
A business telephone system is a multiline telephone system typically used in business environments, encompassing systems ranging from small key systems to large-scale private branch exchanges.
A business telephone system differs from an installation of several telephones with multiple central office (CO) lines in that the CO lines used are directly controllable in key systems from multiple telephone stations, and that such a system often provides additional features related to call handling. Business telephone systems are often broadly classified into key telephone systems, and private branch exchanges, but many hybrid systems exist.
A key system was originally distinguished from a private branch exchange (PBX) in that it did not require an operator or attendant at the switchboard to establish connections between the central office trunks and stations, or between stations. Technologically, private branch exchanges share lineage with central office telephone systems, and in larger or more complex systems, may rival a central office system in capacity and features. With a key system, a station user could control the connections directly using line buttons, which indicated the status of lines with built-in lamps.
Key system[edit]
Key was a Bell System term of art for a customer-controlled switching system[1] such as the line-buttons on the phones associated with such systems.
Key systems are primarily defined by individual line selection buttons for each connected phone line, a feature shared with hybrid systems. New installations of key systems have become less common, as hybrid systems and private branch exchanges of comparable size have similar cost and greater functionality.
Key systems can be built using three principal architectures: electromechanical shared-control, electronic shared-control, or independent key sets.
Before the advent of large-scale integrated circuits, key systems were typically composed of electromechanical components (relays) as were larger telephone switching systems.
The systems marketed in North America as the 1A, 6A, 1A1 and the 1A2 Key System are typical examples and sold for many decades. The 1A family of Western Electric Company (WECo) key telephone units (KTUs) were introduced in the late 1930s and remained in use to the 1950s. 1A equipment was primitive and required at least two KTUs per line; one for line termination and one for station (telephone instrument) termination. The telephone instrument commonly used by 1A systems was the WECo 300-series telephone. Introduced in 1953, 1A1 key systems simplified wiring with a single KTU for both line and station termination, and increased the features available. As the 1A1 systems became commonplace, requirements for intercom features grew. The original intercom KTUs, WECo Model 207, were wired for a single talk link, that is, a single conversation on the intercom at a time. The WECo 6A dial intercom system provided two talk links and was often installed as the dial intercom in a 1A1 or 1A2 key system. The 6A systems were complex, troublesome and expensive, and never became popular. The advent of 1A2 technology in the 1964 simplified key system set up and maintenance. These continued to be used throughout the 1980s, when the arrival of electronic key systems with their easier installation and greater features signaled the end of electromechanical key systems.
Two lesser-known key systems were used at airports for air traffic control communications, the 102 and 302 key systems. These were uniquely designed for communications between the air traffic control tower and radar approach control (RAPCON) or ground control approach (GCA), and included radio line connections.
Automatic Electric Company also produced a family of key telephone equipment, some of it compatible with Western Electric equipment, but it did not gain the widespread use enjoyed by Western Electric equipment.
With the advent of LSI ICs, the same architecture could be implemented much less expensively than was possible using relays. In addition, it was possible to eliminate the many-wire cabling and replace it with much simpler cable similar to (or even identical to) that used by non-key systems. Electronic shared-control systems led quickly to the modern hybrid telephone system, as the features of PBX and key system quickly merged. One of the most recognized such systems is the AT&T Merlin.
Additionally, these more modern systems allowed a diverse set of features including:
- Answering machine functions
- Automatic call accounting
- Caller ID
- Remote supervision of the entire system
- Selection of signaling sounds
- Speed dialing
- Station-specific limitations (such as no long distance access or no paging)
Features could be added or modified simply using software, allowing easy customization of these systems. The stations were easier to maintain than the previous electromechanical key systems, as they used efficient LEDs instead of incandescent light bulbs for line status indication.
LSI also allowed smaller systems to distribute the control (and features) into individual telephone sets that don't require any single shared control unit. Generally, these systems are used with a relatively few telephone sets and it is often more difficult to keep the feature set (such as speed-dialing numbers) in synchrony between the various sets.
Hybrid key telephone system[edit]
Into the 21st century, the distinction between key systems and PBX systems has become increasingly blurred. Early electronic key systems used dedicated handsets which displayed and allowed access to all connected PSTN lines and stations.
The modern key system now supports SIP, ISDN, analog handsets (in addition to its own proprietary handsets - usually digital) as well as a raft of features more traditionally found on larger PBX systems. Their support for both analog and digital signaling, and of some PBX functionality gives rise to the hybrid designation.[2]
A hybrid system typically has some call appearance buttons that directly correspond to individual lines and/or stations, but may also support direct dialing to extensions or outside lines without selecting a line appearance.
The modern key system is usually fully digital, although analog variants persist and some systems implement VOIP services. Effectively, the aspects that distinguish a PBX from a hybrid key system are the amount, scope and complexity of the features and facilities offered.
Hybrid systems are a common tool in the financial services industry used on trading floors. These advanced hybrid key systems generally only require attached PBXs for interaction with back-office staff and voicemail. These systems commonly have their front end units referred to as Turrets and are notable for their presentation of hoot-n-holler circuits. Multiple Hoots are presented to multiple users over multiplexed speakers to multiple locations.
Private branch exchange[edit]
This section needs additional citations for verification. (February 2014) |
A private branch exchange (PBX) is a telephone exchange or switching system that serves a private organization and performs concentration of central office lines or trunks and provides intercommunication between a large number of telephone stations in the organization.[3] The central office lines provide connections to the public switched telephone network and the concentration aspect of a PBX permits the shared use of these lines between all stations in the organization. The intercommunication aspect allows two or more stations to establish telephone or conferencing calls between them without using the central office equipment.
Each PBX-connected station, such as a telephone set, a fax machine, or a computer modem, is often referred to an extension and has a designated extension telephone number that may or may not be mapped automatically to the numbering plan of the central office and the telephone number block allocated to the PBX.
Initially, the primary advantage of a PBX was the cost savings for internal phone calls: handling the circuit switching locally reduced charges for telephone service via the central office lines. As PBX systems gained popularity, they were equipped with services that were not available in the public network, such as hunt groups, call forwarding, and extension dialing. In the 1960s a simulated PBX known as Centrex provided similar features from the central telephone exchange.
A PBX is differentiated from a key telephone system (KTS) in that users of a key system manually select their own outgoing lines on special telephone sets that control buttons for this purpose, while PBXs select the outgoing line automatically or, formerly, by an operator. The telephone sets connected to a PBX do not normally have special keys for central office line control, but it is not uncommon for key systems to be connected to a PBX to extend its services.
A PBX, in contrast from the key system, employes an organizational numbering plan for its stations. In addition the dial plan determines which digit sequences must be dialed to obtain access to a central office trunk. Modern number analysis systems permit users to dial internal and external telephone numbers without special codes to distinguish the intended destination.
The term PBX was first applied when switchboard operators managed company switchboards manually using cord circuits. As automated electromechanical switches and later electronic switching systems gradually replaced the manual systems, the terms private automatic branch exchange (PABX) and private manual branch exchange (PMBX) were used to differentiate them. Solid state digital systems were sometimes referred to as electronic private automatic branch exchanges (EPABX). Today, the term PBX is by far the most widely recognized. The acronym is now applied to all types of complex, in-house telephony switching systems.
Two significant developments during the 1990s led to new types of PBX systems. One was the massive growth of data networks and increased public understanding of packet switching. Companies needed packet switched networks for data, so using them for telephone calls was tempting, and the availability of the Internet as a global delivery system made packet switched communications even more attractive. These factors led to the development of the voice over IP PBX, or IP-PBX.
The other trend was the idea of focusing on core competence. PBX services had always been hard to arrange for smaller companies, and many companies realized that handling their own telephony was not their core competence. These considerations gave rise to the concept of hosted PBX. In a hosted setup, the PBX is located at and managed by the telephone service provider, and features and calls are delivered via the Internet. The customer just signs up for a service, rather than buying and maintaining expensive hardware. This essentially removes the branch from the private premises, moving it to a central location.
System components[edit]
A PBX often includes:
- Cabinets, closets, vaults and other housings.
- Console or switchboard allows the operator to control incoming calls.
- Interconnecting wiring.
- Logic cards, switching and control cards, power cards and related devices that facilitate PBX operation.
- Microcontroller or microcomputer for arbitrary data processing, control and logic.
- Outside telco trunks that deliver signals to (and carry them from) the PBX.
- Stations or telephone sets, sometimes called lines.
- The PBX's internal switching network.
- Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) consisting of sensors, power switches and batteries.
Current trends[edit]
Since the advent of Internet telephony technologies, especially Voice over IP, PBX development has tended toward the VoIP PBX (or IP-PBX), which uses the Internet Protocol to carry calls.[4] Most modern PBXs support VoIP. ISDN PBX systems also replaced some traditional PBXs in the 1990s, as ISDN offers features such as conference calling, call forwarding, and programmable caller ID. However, recent open source projects combined with cheap modern hardware are sharply reducing the cost of PBX ownership.
Originally having started as an organization's manual switchboard or attendant console operated by a telephone operator or just simply the operator, PBXs have evolved into VoIP centers that are hosted by the operators or even manufacturers.
Even though VoIP is considered the future of telephony, the circuit switched network is still the core of communications, and the already bought PBXs are competitive in services with modern IP systems. Five distinct scenarios may be recognized:
- Hosted/virtual PBX (hosted and circuit-switched) or traditional Centrex
- IP Centrex or hosted/virtual IP (hosted and packet-switched)
- IP PBX (private and packet-switched)
- Mobile PBX solution (mobile phones replacing or used in combination with fixed phones)
- PBX (private and circuit-switched)
For the option to call from IP network to the circuit-switched PSTN (SS7/ISUP), the hosted solutions include interconnecting media gateways.
Home and small business usage[edit]
Historically, the expense of full-fledged PBX systems has put them out of reach of small businesses and individuals. However, since the 1990s many small, consumer-grade and consumer-size PBXs have become available. These systems are not comparable in size, robustness or flexibility to commercial-grade PBXs, but still provide many features.
The first consumer PBX systems used analog (POTS) telephone lines, typically supporting four private analog and one public analog line. They are the size of a small cigar box. In Europe these systems for analog phones were followed by consumer-grade PBXs for ISDN. Using small PBXs for ISDN is a logical step, since the ISDN basic rate interface provides two logical phone lines (via two ISDN B channels) which can be used in parallel. Small, entry-level systems are also extremely cheap (e.g. US$100 for LittlePhoneBox Server [5] ). With the adoption of VoIP by consumers, consumer VoIP PBXs have appeared, with PBX functions becoming simple additional software features of consumer-grade routers and switches. Additionally, many telecommunications providers now offer Hosted PBX systems where the provider actually hosts the PBX and the phone handsets are connected to it through an internet connection.
Open source projects have provided PBX-style features since the 1990s. These projects provide extreme flexibility and features, including the means to inspect and change the inner working of a PBX. Lowered entry barriers for new manufacturers created business opportunities for newcomers.
PBX functions[edit]
Functionally, the PBX performs four main call processing duties:[6]
- Disconnecting those connections as per the user's requirement
- Establishing connections (circuits) between the telephone sets of two users (e.g. mapping a dialed number to a physical phone, ensuring the phone isn't already busy)
- Maintaining such connections as long as the users require them (i.e. channelling voice signals between the users)
- Providing information for accounting purposes (e.g. metering calls)
In addition to these basic functions, PBXs offer many other calling features and capabilities, with different manufacturers providing different features in an effort to differentiate their products. Common capabilities include (manufacturers may have a different name for each capability):
- Auto attendant
- Auto dialing
- Automated directory services (where callers can be routed to a given employee by keying or speaking the letters of the employee's name)
- Automatic call distributor
- Automatic ring back
- Busy override
- Call blocking
- Call forwarding on busy or absence
- Call logging
- Call park
- Call pick-up
- Call transfer
- Call waiting
- Camp-on
- Conference call
- Custom greetings
- Customized abbreviated dialing (Speed dialing)
- Direct inward dialing
- Direct inward system access (DISA) (the ability to access internal features from an outside telephone line)
- Do not disturb (DND)
- Follow-me, also known as find-me: Determines the routing of incoming calls. The exchange is configured with a list of numbers for a person. When a call is received for that person, the exchange routes it to each number on the list in turn until either the call is answered or the list is exhausted (at which point the call may be routed to a voice mail system).
- Interactive voice response
- Music on hold
- Night service
- Public address voice paging
- Shared message boxes (where a department can have a shared voicemail box)
- Voice mail
- Voice message broadcasting
- Welcome message
Interface standards[edit]
Interfaces for connecting extensions to a PBX include:
- DECT - a standard for connecting cordless phones.
- Internet Protocol - For example, H.323 and SIP.
- POTS (plain old telephone service) - the common two-wire interface used in most homes. This is cheap and effective, and allows almost any standard phone to be used as an extension.
- proprietary - the manufacturer has defined a protocol. One can only connect the manufacturer's sets to their PBX, but the benefit is more visible information displayed and/or specific function buttons.
Interfaces for connecting PBXs to each other include:
- DPNSS - for connecting PBXs to trunk lines. Standardized by British Telecom, this usually runs over E1 (E-carrier) physical circuits.
- Internet Protocol - H.323, SIP and IAX protocols are IP based solutions which can handle voice and multimedia (e.g. video) calls.
- ISDN PRI - Runs over T1, 23 bearer channels + 1 signalling channel
- proprietary protocols - if equipment from several manufacturers is on site, the use of a standard protocol is required.
- QSIG - for connecting PBXs to each other, usually runs over T1 (T-carrier) or E1 (E-carrier) physical circuits.
Interfaces for connecting PBXs to trunk lines include:
- Internet Protocol - H.323, SIP, MGCP, and Inter-Asterisk eXchange protocols operate over IP and are supported by some network providers.
- ISDN - the most common digital standard for fixed telephony devices. This can be supplied in either Basic (2 circuit capacity) or Primary (24 or 30 circuit capacity) versions. Most medium to large companies would use Primary ISDN circuits carried on T1 or E1 physical connections.
- RBS (robbed bit signaling) - delivers 24 digital circuits over a four-wire (T1) interface
- standard POTS (plain old telephone service) lines - the common two-wire interface used in most domestic homes. This is adequate only for smaller systems, and can suffer from not being able to detect incoming calls when trying to make an outbound call (commonly called glare)..
Interfaces for collecting data from the PBX:
- File - the PBX generates a file containing the call records from the PBX.
- Network Port (listen mode) - where an external application connects to the TCP or UDP port. The PBX then starts streaming information down to the application.
- Network port (server mode) - the PBX connects to another application or buffer.
- Serial interface - historically used to print every call record to a serial printer. Now an application connects via serial cable to this port.
The call records from the PBX are called SMDR, CDR, or CIL. It is possible to use a Voice modem as FXO card.
Hosted PBX systems[edit]
A hosted PBX system delivers PBX functionality as a service, available over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and/or the internet. Hosted PBXs are typically provided by the telephone company, using equipment located in the premises of the telephone company's exchange. This means the customer organization doesn't need to buy or install PBX equipment (generally the service is provided by a lease agreement) and the telephone company can (in some configurations) use the same switching equipment to service multiple PBX hosting accounts.
Instead of buying PBX equipment, users contract for PBX services from a hosted PBX service provider, a particular type of application service provider (ASP). The first hosted PBX service was very feature-rich compared to most premise-based systems of the time. In fact, some PBX functions, such as follow-me calling, appeared in a hosted service before they became available in hardware PBX equipment. Since that introduction, updates and new offerings from several companies have moved feature sets in both directions. Today, it is possible to get hosted PBX service that includes far more features than were available from the first systems of this class, or to contract with companies that provide less functionality for simple needs.
In addition to the features available from premises-based PBX systems, hosted-PBX:
- Allows a single number to be presented for the entire company, despite its being geographically distributed. A company could even choose to have no premises, with workers connected from home using their domestic telephones but receiving the same features as any PBX user.
- Allows multimodal access, where employees access the network via a variety of telecommunications systems, including POTS, ISDN, cellular phones, and VOIP. This allows one extension to ring in multiple locations (either concurrently or sequentially).
- Allows scalability so that a larger system is not needed if new employees are hired, and so that resources are not wasted if the number of employees is reduced.
- Eliminates the need for companies to manage or pay for on-site hardware maintenance.
- Supports integration with custom toll plans (that allow intra company calls, even from private premises, to be dialed at a cheaper rate) and integrated billing and accounting (where calls made on a private line but on the company's behalf are billed centrally to the company).
Hosted PBX providers[edit]
Mobile PBX[edit]
A mobile PBX is a hosted PBX service that extends fixed-line PBX functionality to mobile devices such as cellular handsets, smartphones and PDA phones by provisioning them as extensions. Mobile PBX services also can include fixed-line phones. Mobile PBX systems are different from other hosted PBX systems that simply forward data or calls to mobile phones by allowing the mobile phone itself, through the use of buttons, keys and other input devices, to control PBX phone functions and to manage communications without having to call into the system first.
A mobile PBX may exploit the functionality available in smartphones to run custom applications to implement the PBX specific functionality.
In addition, a mobile PBX may create extension identifiers for each handset that allow to dial other cell phones in the PBX via their extension shortcut, instead of a PSTN number.
An IP PBX handles voice signals under Internet protocol, bringing benefits for computer telephony integration (CTI). An IP-PBX can exist as physical hardware, or can carry out its functions virtually, performing the call-routing activities of the traditional PBX or key system as a software system. The virtual version is also called a " -Soft PBX -".
See also[edit]
- Centrex
- Circuit ID
- Cloud communications
- Ground start trunk
- List of SIP software – SIP related programs
- Switchboard operator
- Telephone exchange
- Telephone switchboard
- ^ W.F.B. Wood, Key Telephone Systems: The Latest Chapter, Bell Laboratories Record, March 1966, pp.85
- ^ Ng, John (June 16, 1986). "Fish, Fowl, or Neither?: Quick, what's the difference between a key telephone system and a hybrid?". Network World 3 (15).
- ^ AT&T, Notes on the Network (1980) p.3
- ^ "Big Changes Coming for SMBs in 2014 (Infographic)". eFax. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
- ^ "LittlePhoneBox Server Website".
- ^ Unuth, Nadeem. "The Functions of a PBX". About.com. Retrieved 23 February 2014.