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Phoenix's B-movie Review: The Colony
Hello boys and girls and welcome to another B-movie review! It's been a while, and not because there aren't enough B-Movies to go around (for example Drive Angry), but it is just that I've been a little busy. Specifically I've been busy watching countless hours of NCIS. So of course I started thinking to myself, one of these guys must have made a B-movie when they were young and foolish. DiNozzo looked like the most likely candidate for B-movie star power, and in that spirt I bring you Michael Weatherly in The Colony.
When I first hit play I thought that I must have done something wrong and that I had actually queued up a low budget porno from 1983. I was watching this through Netflix 'play it now' so I figured their system must have been hacked. On the screen was a naked women with giant blond teased and crimped hair randomly gyrating while being filmed by a camera man with severe ADHD and a high blur filter.
About thirty seconds of watching the naked chick rubbing her oil covered skin I started thinking to myself that perhaps Weatherly was more desperate for work that I had originally thought. Suddenly the scene changes, to a women who looks like a school teacher in an abandoned building making jiff pop popcorn for a pair of pigeons. Strangest porno ever.
Suddenly cops are knocking doors down to get into the building, she drops her popcorn and escapes in a flash of light. In the bottom floor of the building are a whole bunch of random people just standing still doing nothing while the cops walk through them with deer in headlights expression on their faces.
The scene jumps once again. We pan to the interior of a cheap version of a Stargate Gou'ald ship (which were fairly cheap to begin with) with the pigeon woman digging around in the fake guts of a guy on a table along with another woman. They are wearing vests made of bubble wrap and those gloves that go up to the shoulder the ones that people use when birthing cattle, which means one of two things: A) they are insane B) they are aliens.
Apparently they are aliens and the fake guy they are mucking around in is an artificial body that they are using to 'blend in' with the humans. Okay. I'll buy that. So there are four aliens including the original 'researcher'. They have found that they can mind control a certain percentage of the human population, but not the other and they want to find out how to mind enslave us all. They use the word 'penetrate' a lot when talking about this plan. So they pick up a few humans for experiments.
Human one: a dead homeless man.
Human two: a horny red neck at a bar.
Human three: a black ex-cop/security guard.
Human four: a random blond woman (no not the porno chick) who decides to go to an ATM in the middle of the night in the middle of no where.
Human five: Michael Weatherly.
Now Weatherly gets involved because he happened to be riding by on a bicycle, actually I have the feeling that he really was just out for a midnight ride when he accidentally wandered onto the set. Thinking he was actually helping some poor woman being kidnapped he didn't notice the camera crew until it was too late. Being such a low budget film they couldn't afford to reshoot the take, so they got him drunk and shanghaied him into finishing the rest of the movie. He's only like 20 in this, so it probably wouldn't have taken more than a six pack of beer to get him on board.
Although he is trying to be a hero one of the male aliens punches Weatherly in the gut to get him to go away. This is the start of a theme in this movie. I had a feeling that this would be the case so I got out my bottle of Captain Morgan's and started a little drinking game. Every time Weatherly takes a beating to the abdomen it's time for a shot. Before the scene is over I've downed a quarter of the bottle until he's unconscious and I'm soon to be next.
Anyway, back to the porno. Seriously. The movie seems to have been randomly spliced with something by Traci Lords. So there is another thirty seconds of random naked 80's chick in front of a green screen (no scene added, just left it green) before we are back to our four humans (dead homeless man not included) waking up on the floor of a cell on a ship that looks like it was painted by vandals. Oh and by the way it is clear that Weatherly and Daniel Jackson have the same hair styliest, back in the early days of Stargate where Jackson had that floppy hair. In fact if you're not looking too carefully it's not difficult to get Michael Weahterly and Micheal Shanks confused. Clearly shows my taste in men...anyway, moving on.
They do the customary "Where are we? What is this? What happened? Perhaps we've been kidnapped by aliens.". Actually they didn't come to that conclusion till much later, in fact not until they are told that is what has happened. They are being held inside their cage by a sliding glass door, which they assume is locked...but they never test that theory.
Luckily Weatherly has a swiss army knife in his kaki pants and he uses it to open a vent that is large enough for even the 250 pound ex-cop to get into. They get into a hallway where the aliens confront them and instantly punch Weatherly in the gut (another shot of rum). They are taken back to their cell, when Weatherly protested they hit him again (more rum), and again (and again with the run), and once more for good measure (speaking of 'measure' how much is a measure of rum? never mind I'm just drinking it straight from the bottle at this point to save time). The aliens want to do some sort of 'reaction' experiments with them, however this is never really described.
As one experiment they manage to mind control the cop (they only have control over the cop) and have him talk smack to Weatherly. Weatherly tries to reason with the cop peacfully and for some reason the Red Neck comes over and socks him in the stomach (sigh...another pull of rum for me). Weatherly doesn't fight back, he just says that he's not the enemy, the Red Neck agrees and suddenly they are friends.
More porno.
They take the cop off for some sort of mind scan. Meanwhile the Red Neck fakes being hurt so that they can lure an alien into their cage to try and beat him up. I'm sure you know how this works out, that's right, Weatherly's abdomen suffers more abuse and so does my liver. They drag the Red Neck away leaving Weatherly and the Girl in the cell. As the sliding glass door is closing Weatherly slides his swiss army knife (I'm never going anywhere without one of these things) into the door and it fails to lock.
Weatherly (officially 'Kevin') and the Girl (don't remember her name) wander the ship and find the aliens real bodies. They look like a cross between a H. G. Giger alien, the thing from Independence Day, and a Muppet. The pair is discovered by one of the male aliens and Michael and I endure six more shots to the belly. At this point Weatherly should be vomiting blood and I actually am. They drag him back to the cell and back to the porno.
In the cell Weatherly reasures the Girl that they aren't going to die and then randomly tell her about the first girl he kissed when he was 11. The story gets stranger as he tells it he kiss the girl and then she asked him if she wanted to take a bath with him, to which he agrees. Then he talks about how when the girl got undressed (we are led to believe this is the first naked girl he's seen being a young boy) he's so surprised he...pees in the bath tub. What this story has to do with ANYTHING I can't tell you. He doesn't get punched in the stomach, but I decide to take another shot of rum just to dull the pain of having listened to this story.
The main researcher alien (female) is getting more an more attached to Weatherly cause he keeps selflessly getting beaten senseless to protect the Girl. Later when they are threatening to crush the Girl with an egg crate (which is supposed to be some sort of electromagnetic plate that weights 300 pounds...don't ask) he puts his leg in the way and breaks it to save her. I debate for a moment if this counts as a drinking moment, but then I realize that all the rum is gone (Why is the rum always gone? Because 'Kevin' doesn't know how to avoid getting kneed in the stomach, that's why!).
Suddenly the aliens realize that they can now also mind control the girl, but they don't know why. A few random scenes go by in which Weatherly's character gets more abuse, I'm out of rum, but I have some vodka in the cupboard so the games continue.
Back to the goddam porno. I swear the editor put these shots in as a joke and was shocked when they made it into the finale cut. I swear no one watched this movie after it left the cutting room floor.
So every hero has an usual weapon in these B-movies right? Bruce Campbell had his chainsaw, Michael Shanks had his can of bike tire repair spray, Nathan Fillion had a propane tank and a grenade.
Well Michael Weatherly has the greatest weapon of all: love.
Yup. He saves the world with love. Despite (or perhaps because of) his lime green v-neck shirt, and an inability to not be beaten senseless by everything and everyone that crosses his path the researcher alien female has fallen in love with him and decides to betray her whole race for him. She kisses him and of course we cut right to the porno once again only this time there are some male hands on the woman...I honestly can't think of any reason for these sexual flashes other than a pathetic hope that men will watch this film and say "I don't know why I liked this film, but it was great!". Hint to the director: subliminal messages are supposed to be subtle.
Anyway, the other aliens kill Weatherly's human Girl (at some point they had fallen for one another...apparently). The researcher alien kills off her coworker's bodies. Meanwhile Weatherly, the Cop, and the Red Neck are running around trying to kill the aliens in their artificial human bodies. Weatherly mostly just gets beat up, at this point I'm having trouble following the action as I am totally plastered.
Some how the researcher alien puts her mind in the dead Girl's body and at the same time brings the Girl back to life so that they are both in her body. So in the end Weatherly gets two girls for the price of one. Which sounds cool at first, but trust me I'm sure that's just going to be a headache down the road. They blow up the ship that they were on after beaming back to the planet and the alien invasion decides to 'go away' cause they think the humans must be dangerous. Weatherly and the alien/girl chick decide to go back to his place. And that's the end.
It is going to be hard in the morning to tell if my head hurts from trying to figure out the plot or from downing two bottles of rum and half a liter of vodka.
Phoenix's B-moive review VI by Phoenix-CryWatch
©2011-2016 Phoenix-Cry
This one really was bad, and yet I could watch Michael Weatherly watching paint dry and be entertained.
you know, this sounds just about bad enough to be hilarious Besides that... if it's Michael Weatherly I guess I have to watch it XD Brilliant Review Phoenix, I've still got tears in my eyes from laughing
It is hilarious! And Michael Weatherly is adorable in it. I'd watch it again if I thought my liver could take it...
Now Weatherly gets involved because he happened to be riding by on a bicycle, actually I have the feeling that he really was just out for a midnight ride when he accidentally wandered onto the set. Thinking he was actually helping some poor woman being kidnapped he didn't notice the camera crew until it was too late. Being such a low budget film they couldn't afford to reshoot the take, so they got him drunk and shanghaied him into finishing the rest of the movie. He's only like 20 in this, so it probably wouldn't have taken more than a six pack of beer to get him on board.
Yep. This is the only explanation that makes sense.
And let's home that Tony's NCIS teammates don't discover this film (Hey, they semi-featured "James Cameron's Avatar" in an episode of "Bones"!).
Yep. This is the only explanation that makes sense.
And let's home that Tony's NCIS teammates don't discover this film (Hey, they semi-featured "James Cameron's Avatar" in an episode of "Bones"!).
That is all.
*falls of chair laughing, eyes streaming*
Oh gods Phoenix, your reviews are the best...
Might want to choose a less alcoholic beverage next time though
Oh gods Phoenix, your reviews are the best...
Might want to choose a less alcoholic beverage next time though
If I had known that poor Weatherly was going to be treated as badly as Daniel in one of my stories I certainly would have picked something with a lower alcohol level...such as milk.
It would keep you around for writing these for longer
Must be good to know that there are other characters out there that live equally harassed lives though
Must be good to know that there are other characters out there that live equally harassed lives though
I think the cold has frozen your brain! Hmmmm......brain........Brain..........BRAIN!!!!!
So then you got a thing for Robin Dunne as well,lol. You and your B movies,lol. Oh you hear about the reboot of Firefly....with no captain hotpants Nathan Fillion.
I had no idea who Robin was so I looked him up...hmmm...no...he looks like he's about 14 years old (even though he's not).
A reboot? I thought that they were just re-airing.
A reboot? I thought that they were just re-airing.
lol. Well they did put him with Amanda and he so acts like a Daniel on that show,lol.
Me too till I read on a forum it was a reboot. Then checked and sure enough the 6th they air the pilot movie and the series once a week.
Me too till I read on a forum it was a reboot. Then checked and sure enough the 6th they air the pilot movie and the series once a week.
Without Nathan it is CRAP.
Plus no way to get Morena Baccarin since she is already staring in V. So they at best could only get some of the cast to reboot it.
yeah well I will wait to judge. I thought the same thing about Battlestar Galactica and having a female Starbuck........yet it rocked hard. Just finished watching the series again for the third time last night,lol.


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Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity
Each year, volunteers from all walks of life give many thousands of hours of their time and energy to help us build houses. Individuals – from high schoolers to retirees; and groups – from businesses and congregations to civic organizations – work in small teams with a Housatonic Habitat for Humanity site supervisor. Elbow-to-elbow with future homeowners, they lay cement block, pound nails, paint, install insulation and siding, and put up drywall.
We also have non-construction volunteer opportunities in our ReStore home improvement store, in our office and on a number of committees.
Construction Volunteering
- Individuals and groups work from 8:30-3:00. Sorry, no half days available. Availability of openings varies depending on workload, time of year, etc. No skills needed.
- We build year-round, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
- Volunteers at least 14* years old are welcome to join us during school breaks or to satisfy school requirements for community service. (*Some restrictions apply to 14-17 year old volunteers and a Youth Permission Form must be signed by a parent.)
- Have a Habitat for Humanity club or campus chapter at school? (Priority in scheduling is offered to schools where there is an active Habitat organization).
- Saturdays are our most popular day and fill quickly.
- A volunteer commitment of one full day is all we ask. If you enjoy the experience – and we hope you will – you may contact us to schedule additional dates.
- Groups are generally limited to eight (8). Larger groups are accepted, as work is available. This varies depending on workload, time of year, day of the week, sponsor commitments and available construction supervisors.
Start Your House Work Here

subset: commoncrawl


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The Stanley Cup playoffs looked ominous for the Philadelphia Flyers once they drew the New York Rangers. Or rather, the Flyers looked doomed when they couldn't get home ice against the Rangers -- guaranteeing they'd need one road win to advance through the Stanley Cup playoffs. Since Philadelphia hadn't won at New York in nine straight tries, including in Game 1, it seemed like the kiss of death -- until the Flyers rallied back in Game 2 on April 20.
After falling behind by 2-0 early, the Flyers scored the last four goals of Game 2 to prevail by 4-2. Not only did it end their losing streak at Madison Square Garden, it tied their series up at 1-1 and gave the Flyers home ice of their own.
The Rangers are now the ones who need one road win to get out of the first round. New York doesn't have a long losing streak in Philadelphia, yet it lost both regular season games there this season. Now that the Flyers have momentum and may have a healthy Steve Mason in net soon -- and already have a confident Ray Emery in his place -- the Rangers need some road magic in a hurry.
It didn't appear necessary when the Rangers picked up where they left off. After getting three third-period goals to close Game 1 on April 17, New York kept Philadelphia in a hangover, as Martin St. Louis and Benoit Pouliot got on the board within the first eight-and-a-half minutes.
It took Jakub Voracek to stabilize the Flyers and perhaps save their season with his own first period goal. Emery then settled down and so did Philadelphia as a whole, leading to Jason Akeson tying the score on a power play. Minutes later, another penalty was pending against the Rangers, yet Luke Schenn scored before they could touch the puck and stop play.
With the Flyers suddenly ahead halfway through, the Rangers spent the next 30 minutes trying to replicate the first eight. It didn't work, as Emery finished with 31 saves and Wayne Simmons finished the Rangers on an empty net tally.
Philadelphia has staked its claim in the Stanley Cup playoffs, having erased its biggest mental obstacle. Now if it can protect home ice of its own, starting with Game 3 on April 22, another win at New York won't be necessary.


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Carl Zimmer appears in the following:
The Science of Smiling
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Carl Zimmer, contributor to The New York Times' Science Times and author of Brain Cuttings: Fifteen Journeys Through the Mind, talks about developments in the research of smiling and what smiling means for our brains.
President Obama's smile was impressively consistent when he posed for photographs with 130 foreign dignitaries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2009. Check out the video below, from Bus Your Own Tray blogger Eric Spiegelman.
Scientists Crack a Smile
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Why do we smile? Not only do scientists believe they may have discovered the answer to that question, but also to how we perceive the smile. Carl Zimmer, science writer for The New York Times, has the details of this new study to be published in Behavioral and Brain Sciences.
An Equation for Good
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
In a brief snippet from a conversation Robert had with Richard Dawkins at the 92 Street Y in New York City, we learn that natural selection is often a brutal arms race, inherently full of suffering and cruelty. But if Darwin's big idea is really predicated on pain and selfishness, ...
The Good Show
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
If natural selection boils down to survival of the fittest, how do you explain why one creature might stick its neck out for another?
Monday, September 07, 2009
Tales of lethargic farmers, zombie cockroaches, and even mind-controlled humans (kinda, maybe).
Climate Change and Evolution
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The Secret (Love) Life of Fireflies
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
How stochasticity -- a wonderfully smarty-pants word for randomness -- drives our lives, and the patterns we see around us.


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Role of Religion to Proclaim Creator
Gallup poll: 77% believe "religion is losing its influence on American life".PRINCETON, N.J., May 29 (UPI)
A very subtle and very dangerous thing is happening in our country in the name of "constitutional rights." It is the argument that people are beginning to equate "freedom of religion" with "freedom of conscience" to the degree that it could eliminate all influence of religion in public life, thereby assuring that no person should necessarily be touched in any way in public by any religious influence or tradition. It is, supposedly, one's constitutional right not to be bothered by religious culture, whether it be by anyone's speech in the workplace, on signs along the roadway, in references during public meetings, in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, religious signs on church buildings, or even by religious references in public school textbooks, etc.
Religious leader Dallin H. Oakes, a former law professor at the University of Chicago Law School, and former Utah State Supreme Court Justice, in recently accepting the Canterbury Medal from the Archbishop of Chicago in recognition of his defense of religious freedom, said this:
"We already see the tendency to describe religious freedom as "freedom of conscience" whatever its source. That definition can deny the protection of the free exercise guarantee to churches and the organizations through which believers exercise their faith. In addition, if we expand the definition of religion to systems of belief not based on a Divine Being, we incur the risk I once described as a judge in a lecture at DePaul University:
'The problem with a definition of religion that includes almost everything is that the practical effect of inclusion comes to mean almost nothing. Free exercise protections become diluted as their scope becomes more diffuse. When religion has no more right to free exercise than irreligion or any other secular philosophy, the whole newly expanded category of 'religion' is likely to diminish in significance.'"
Abraham Lincoln's whole life's effort was
to prevent this from happening in his day
In April of this year, an attendee at a Making of America seminar in Georgia by the name of Henry (Hank) Sullivan handed me a copy of his book entitled In a Larger Sense (Xlibris Corporation, 2003). In it, Mr. Sullivan makes the point that Abraham Lincoln's biggest worry was that Americans had become so caught up in so-called "constitutional rights and freedoms" as evidenced by growing licentiousness, mob rule in some parts, the Dred Scott decision, and the concept of popular sovereignty, that they had forgotten more basic principles the Constitution was designed to protect—the principles in the Declaration of Independence. I am indebted to Mr. Sullivan for reminding us of President Lincoln's efforts to revitalize the principles of the Declaration of Independence as the only cure to save America in the nineteenth century. It is the same sorely needed cure today.
The Apple of Gold and the Picture of Silver
In January, 1861, President-Elect Abraham Lincoln wrote a short essay entitled "Fragment on the Constitution and Union." In it he spoke of the founding of America. He explained that there was something behind the greatness of the Constitution. He said:
"All this is not the result of accident. It has a philosophical cause. Without the Constitution and the Union, we could not have attained the result; but even these, are not the primary cause of our great prosperity. There is something back of these, entwining itself more closely about the human heart. That something, is the principle of "Liberty to all"–the principle that clears the path for all–gives hope to all–and, by consequence, enterprize, and industry to all."
Lincoln went on to say that the nation could have been formed without the principles of the Declaration but that we would only be trading one master for another master.
"The expression of that principle, in our Declaration of Independence, was most happy, and fortunate. Without this, as well as with it, we could have declared our independence of Great Britain; but without it, we could not, I think, have secured our free government, and consequent prosperity. No oppressed, people will fight, and endure, as our fathers did, without the promise of something better, than a mere change of masters."
Then Lincoln went on to show the most precious rights of man, or the apple of gold, are religious principles contained in the Declaration of Independence (existence of a Creator, equality of mankind, unalienable rights, etc.) and that they are protected and beautified by the structure of government in the Constitution. Said he:
"The assertion of that principle, at that time, was the word, "fitly spoken" which has proved an "apple of gold" to us. The Union, and the Constitution, are the picture of silver, subsequently framed around it. The picture was made, not to conceal, or destroy the apple; but to adorn, and preserve it. The picture was made for the apple–not the apple for the picture."
Lincoln was using the words of a scripture in Proverbs 25:11 "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." Then he concluded with this warning:
"So let us act, that neither picture, or apple shall ever be blurred, or bruised or broken. That we may so act, we must study, and understand the points of danger."
"…the sentiments embodied in the
Declaration of Independence"
The deep sentiments which Abraham Lincoln had for the principles of the Declaration are evident in nearly every speech he ever gave. It seems that he instinctively knew that the cure for the nation's ills were a return to those sacred, religious principles, regardless of what people were saying about constitutional rights. If the people's rights were not founded in the Declaration of Independence, then their so-called rights were illusionary and such claims would lead to bondage.
When President-elect Lincoln was traveling to Washington, D. C. to take the oath of office, he stopped in Philadelphia and delivered the following words at Independence Hall. In it he said:
"I am filled with deep emotion at finding myself standing here, in this place, where were collected together the wisdom, the patriotism, the devotion to principle, from which sprang the institutions under which we live.
"You have kindly suggested to me that in my hands is the task of restoring peace to the present distracted condition of the country. I can say in return, Sir, that all the political sentiments I entertain have been drawn, so far as I have been able to draw them, from the sentiments which originated and were given to the world from this hall. I have never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence.
"I have often pondered over the dangers which were incurred by the men who assembled here, and framed and adopted that Declaration of Independence. I have pondered over the toils that were endured by the officers and soldiers of the army who achieved that Independence. I have often inquired of myself, what great principle or idea it was that kept this Confederacy so long together.
"It was not the mere matter of the separation of the Colonies from the motherland; but that sentiment in the Declaration of Independence which gave liberty, not alone to the people of this country, but, I hope, to the world, for all future time. It was that which gave promise that in due time the weight would be lifted from the shoulders of all men. This is a sentiment embodied in the Declaration of Independence.
"Now, my friends, can this country be saved upon that basis? If it can, I will consider myself one of the happiest men in the world, if I can help to save it. If it cannot be saved upon that principle, it will be truly awful. But if this country cannot be saved without giving up that principle, I was about to say I would rather be assassinated on this spot than surrender it." (emphasis added)
It is interesting to note that one of the places Lincoln's body lay in state four years later on his journey back to Springfield, Illinois was at Independence Hall.
The Great American Experiment
In his book, Mr. Sullivan, a Civil Engineer by profession, uses his scientific background to conclude that:
"As the nation's charter, the Declaration of Independence documents the premise under which the American nation came into existence--that premise being the assumed existence of a 'Creator.' Because this is true, without the active assumption of the existence of God within the confines of the Experimental System Boundary, the American nation cannot exist as the founders defined it. Within the system boundary of the experiment that 'test tube' so to speak, the scientific method provides that an assumed premise must be regarded as fact in order to isolate the variables and test the theoretical hypothesis. That assumed fact becomes one of the active ingredients mixed together within the setup of the experiment. Therefore, the basic assumption on which the existence of the American nation is entirely dependent, that assumption having been established by the founders prior to and upon the completion of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, is the practical fact within the Experimental System Boundary of the American Experiment of the existence of a Creator. That assumption is that God exists as 'self-evident truth.' The Declaration's expressions indicate that the existence of God must have been regarded as a practical fact for the founders to have 'firmly relied' upon the protection by divine Providence. Because the existence of God was regarded by the founders as a 'self-evident truth,' a truth on which the entire American experience is reliant, it follows that all the individual thoughts of the founders; their hypothesis; each of their actions; every American relationship; the union of states as a nation; the American government has designed; the assignment of authoritative purview to that government by the people and authoritative purview retained by the people; all the national institutions in the very fabric of American society; all of it is reliant on the practical fact, for all human purposes, of the existence of God. Without God the American Theory is null; it has no meaning. The American nation as designed by the founders, in the absence of God has no meaning. It is undefined. It is analogous to division by zero. The reality of God as the creator of the universe is the common denominator of all American existence as the founders defined that existence in 1776. The United States of America, as its founders defined it, cannot exist without the practical knowledge, on which every American may 'firmly rely' as did the founders, of the existence of God."
Lincoln's counsel to Americans in order to avoid disaster
Early in his life, Abraham Lincoln, in 1838, foresees trouble ahead and counsels Americans to read, study, and spread the Constitution:
"The question recurs, 'how shall we fortify against it [national disaster]?' The answer is simple. Let every American, every lover of liberty, every well-wisher to his posterity, swear by the blood of the Revolution, never to violate in the least particular, the laws of the country; and never to tolerate their violation by others. As the patriots of seventy-six did to the support of the Declaration of Independence, so to the support of the Constitution and Laws, let every American pledge his life, his property, and his sacred honor;--let every man remember that to violate the law, is to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear the character of his own, and his children's liberty. Let reverence for the laws, be breathed by every American mother, to the lisping babe, that prattles on her lap--let it be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges; let it be written in Primers, spelling books, and in Almanacs;--let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice. And, in short, let it become the political religion of the nation; and let the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the grave and the gay, of all sexes and tongues, and colors and conditions, sacrifice unceasingly upon its altars."
Americans must give religion its preferred
status in the family of rights
The freedom of speech and press and assembly would already give people the right to express their religious beliefs, but the inclusion of freedom of religion as a first and separate right assures Americans that religious beliefs and expressions have a preferred status. It is a preferred status in the "picture of silver," the Constitution, which gives life, meaning, and brilliance to principles contained in the "apple of gold," the Declaration of Independence. As Dallin H. Oakes said: "Religion must preserve its preferred status in our pluralistic society in order to make its unique contribution—its recognition and commitment to values that transcend the secular world."
Earl Taylor, Jr.


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If you arrive in Rome by air you will land at one of the city's two main airports - Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) to the west, or Ciampino to the east.
Depending on the time of day and the Roman traffic, a taxi journey will take about 30 minutes from either airport. The hotel has a mini-bus service which can be booked in advance. The 'Leonardo Express' train makes the non-stop journey from Fiumicino Airport Station to Termini, the central railway station, in approximately 20 minutes while the airport shuttle bus from Ciampino will take you there in about 40 minutes. The hotel can be reached from Termini by taxi, metro or bus. The metro you want is the red 'A' line, direction Battistini and you should get off seven stops down the line at the Cipro-Musei Vaticani station, some 250 metres from the hotel. Bus numbers 64 & 492 leave from the bus stance just outside the station.
If you are travelling by car we suggests print out this page or that you fax/e-mail the hotel for directions. The hotel has a garage which you can book in advance. We strongly recommend that you do this as street parking can be hard to find and expensive.
• Take the exit market Roma/Salaria/SS4
• Take the Circonvallazione Settentrionale exit
• Merge into A90
• Take the exit to Roma/Flaminio
• Bear right at Via Flaminia
• Continue on Via Flaminia Nuova
• Bear left at Corso di Francia
• Bear right at Via Flaminia
• Bear left onto the Via del Foro Italico ramp
• Bear right at Via del Foro Italico
• Continue on Viale dello Stadio Olimpico
• Continue on Piazzale Maresciallo Giardino
• Continue on Circonvallazione Clodia
• Continue on Piazzale Clodio
• Turn left at Via della Giuliana
• Take the Leonardo Express to Termini Railway Station. Then take the metro 'A' Line (red) to CIPRO underground station. Hotel Alimandi is 5 minutes walk following the Vatican walls.
• Take the Terravision coach to Termini station and follow the same metro instructions. Taxis from both airports take about 30 minutes
• Take the 'A' Line (red) to CIPRO underground station. Hotel Alimandi is 5 minutes walk following the Vatican walls.


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Dec 17, 2010 10:05 AM
We suppose you could stack these until they fit like a cast and you can't move your finger, but we probably would not recommend it. However, the CRISLU Stackable Rings ($120/each) are a great look and a fun way to determine your own style. The cubic zirconium give you sparkle and the different colored bands give you options.
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Double your screen space when you work with this articulating dual monitor arm. Simply clamp the arm to your desk, mount your monitors and you're ready to go. Each of the two screens can be easily adjusted using tilt, pan, rotation, display height and focal distance mechanisms for proper ergonomic support. Wire management within the unit helps to reduce desktop clutter.
Assembly required. The 6912 dual monitor mount attaches to the 6200 TaskMate Journey by using a grommet mount hole that is pre-drilled in the top platform of the TaskMate.


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Queen Latifah on Her New CBS Daytime Talk Show
Queen Latifah, newest addition to day-time talk slate, tells The Hollywood Reporter that her guests will be a mix of A-list celebrities and everyday heroes. One of her favorite upcoming guests is a 26-year-old widow, who has set up an organization for other young women who have lost husbands to go on adventures, such white water rafting.
"To me, she's a hero," The Queen Latifah Show host says.
Latifah also praised several talk show icons, calling Oprah Winfrey "the pinnacle" and affectionately saying of Jimmy Fallon: "that's my boy."
"I've learned a lot from doing all the shows, the biggest thing I've leaned is to just be myself and I'm OK with that."


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Technical Forum In January of each year, the Council in conjunction with the McGeorge School of Law presents the Technical Forum, a continuing education seminar covering a wide variety of estate planning issues. Experts from around the country share their knowledge in areas ranging from law and taxation to planned giving and real estate with Forum participants.
A full-day event, the Forum is divided into morning and afternoon sessions. Registration is open to any professional involved in the estate planning field. Interested students and clients are also welcome.
The Technical Forum is a must-attend event for these professionals:
• Accountants
• Analysts
• Appraisers
• Attorneys
• Development Officers
• Educators
• Fiduciaries
• Financial Planners
• Paralegals
• Trust Officers
• Underwriters
Seminars may be eligible for the following continuing education credits:
• CE credit, California State Department of Insurance, Licensing Unit
• CE credit, International Board of Standards and Practices for Certified Financial Planners
• CLE credit, California Board of Legal Specialization, both tax and estate planning
• CPE credit, California State Board of Accountancy


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Sometimes I'd like a macro to depend on a boolean argument but I don't know about the best way to implement this. So far, I end up introducing a global (say)
\newif\ifextra that is used inside the macro but that needs to be set each time before the macro is called.
\def\showcase{Show a sentence. \ifextra And a little more if asked to. \fi}
From a programming perspective it would be better to pass the flag as an argument rather than relying on a global flag. What is the best practice here?
Addendum: egreg's answer highlights that this can also be understood as implementing two variants of a macro, like
\showcase and
\showcase*, where the flag is encoded into the name (technically it's not, but that is how it looks).


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Welcome to Sabre Site Solutions, the components division of Sabre Industries, Inc. We offer a comprehensive components and site hardware catalog that supplies the wireless industry with everything from antenna mounting systems to pre-engineered lightweight towers. Sabre has been providing quality products at competitive prices for more than 30 years, and Sabre Site Solutions strives to continue that tradition.
This web site is home to Sabre Site Solutions' online catalog. You will find it to be designed the same as our physical catalog – with you in mind. Each section includes all of the products in the printed version along with a picture and product description. You can now find the products you need at the touch of a button.
Committed to customer service, we've added a few new features for your shopping convenience. The Antenna Mounting section now lists recommended items to help guide you through the ordering process, while our updated shopping cart makes it easier to organize and save your order. We've also added a Request for Quote button so that we can offer you more personalized attention. Once you have filled your shopping cart, click the RFQ button and a Sabre customer service representative will contact you. Our knowledgeable customer service representatives will place your order and make sure you have everything you need to successfully complete your project.
To send an RFQ to Sabre Site Solutions, you will need to register and login. Once registered, all future RFQ's will be prefilled with your contact information to expedite the process. All you need to do is login. If you should forget your password, we will email it to you immediately upon request.
Signup for our product updates


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Krishnan Pallassana: This Budget is by far the most promising ever for clean energy in India
- Date
- 11 July 2014
Krishnan Pallassana, India Director, The Climate Group, writes about the India Union Budget 2014-15 that was presented yesterday in parliament by the Modi Government's Finance Minister Arun Jaitely, which had a much-welcomed emphasis on boosting India's low carbon economy.
India's Union Budget 2014-15 is by far the most promising ever for low carbon energy in India.
Announcing a host of initiatives and budgetary support, Minister Jaitely in his speech mentioned that "renewable energy deserves a very high priority".
In the Budget, INR 10,000 million (US$171 million) was allocated for the solar power sector, a move that is expected to boost energy generation and progress toward energy security through clean sources.
The government aims to set high-capacity 'mega solar power projects' in radiation-rich states like Tamil Nadu, Rajastan, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir, with INR 1,000 million allocated for solar parks on river banks.
Interestingly, INR 4000 million has also been kept aside for solar powered agricultural pumps and water pumping stations. This is welcome news, as initiatives such as adaptation funds for farmers and solar irrigation pumps, signals an integrated approach to combatting climate-related issues.
In a bid to synchronize power generated through renewable energy sources with the conventional power grid, the Green Energy Corridor Project will also be accelerated through new funding.
As a measure to boost the solar manufacturing sector in particular, a slew of tax and duty concessions have been announced which will undoubtedly bring more smiles to the renewable energy business in India. As of now, renewable energy constitutes approximately 15% of India's total power generation capacity of 250 GW.
It's clear this Union Budget spells out Modi's demonstrated clean energy vision, especially with the renewed focus on solar parks and solar panels atop trains. If seen in totality, there is actually over INR 12,000 million budgetary allocation for the sector, in addition to the solar plants that will soon adorn many 'smart cities' and satellite towns.
And if translated into a timely delivery, this Budget could trigger unprecedented growth in India's renewable energy technology and power generation industry.
But beyond renewables, the Budget also maps out a bold intention to 'clean up' conventional coal-based power generation, through a new scheme called 'Ultra Modern Super Critical Coal Based Thermal Power Technology'.
With this scheme, the modernization of existing power plants and improved efficiency of transmission and distribution - coupled with a renewable energy boost - are further steps in the right direction.
By emphasizing clean energy and boosting investments that will translate into carbon efficient measures, the government seems to have laid the foundation for a low carbon economy in India. Indeed, The Climate Group's assertion that a low carbon model will bring unprecedented growth in India, has been validated by the Finance Minister.
Personally, I think the budget deserves high appreciation. India is a difficult country to govern, with extremely complex political and social compulsions that can often exasperate even hardcore optimists. Modi's government has also inherited a chaotic economy.
Within such limitations, the Budgets spells out the following agenda:
- A cautious approach to growth, because rebuilding an economy takes time and drastic measures could be harmful for the country.
- Promises are not enough so there is strong impetus on delivery. Modi has repeatedly said that actually delivering projects is more important than budgetary allocations. National government also needs the well-coordinated support of sub-national governments to translate this vision into action.
- Subsidies and social welfare programs will remain and will be slowly rolled back. However, emphasis will go to improving the quality of such initiatives to ensure asset creation.
- New tax benefits for the general public and a host of confidence boosting initiatives for business should make everyone happy. More income will translate into more savings and an increased ability to spend.
- Seen in conjuction with India's new Rail Budget, there is a clear move toward bringing private sector participation into sectors that were left out of the equation before.
- This Budget should be seen as the first step toward consolidation.
On the flip side, many people expected a boost for clean tech research and development in India to optimize the huge technical human resource base. And I would have also expected articulations around a clean and efficient transportation sector - both road and aviation - which is critical to attracting investments. How the government plans to address rapid urbanization and population displacement is another big area of concern.
We are currently digesting the facts and figures presented to explore what this means to The Climate Group's work in India, but overall India's latest Union Budget signals a prosperous, low carbon future is in store for India.
As elucidated by Suresh P Prabhu, The Climate Group's India Chair and Ex-Federal Cabinet Minister of Industry, Energy, Environment and Forests, Chemicals and Fertilizers, Heavy Industry & Public Enterprises, Government of India: "The India Budget 2014 will make the renewable energy sector in India bouyant and vibrant. It clearly reflects the vision of Prime Minister Modi to make the energy sector clean, efficient and viable, creating a roadmap for clean tech investment acceleration. The Modi government has laid the first stepping stone toward a prosperous low carbon economy. I welcome this budget with cheers."
By Krishnan Pallassana.
Read India's Finance Minister's budget 2014 speech
Related news:
- India's new Prime Minister Narendra Modi brings new hope for low carbon economy
- Within 5 years every Indian home will be lit by solar, Indian government official announces
- India has huge chance to prove itself as an off-grid clean energy leader: SELCO
- India budget set to bring clean energy revolution
- Mark Kenber: This is a pivotal moment for the climate and exciting times for The Climate Group in India
- Krishnan Pallassana: If we have to discard traditional notions of risks and opportunities, let us.


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Visitors to your business website are looking for information about:
- who you are
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Stephan Shakespeare, Tim Montgomerie and Nick Denys have all written essential posts this week. They are all, in their own way, expressions of things we have been saying here endlessly – so what do they mean?
The most striking thing is that it is evident that Conservative detox hasn't worked sufficiently.
The next striking thing is that there is still an argument within the Conservative Party over what A Conservative is.
The final striking thing is that if we don't get this sorted – and pretty quickly – we're stuffed.
I think Tim is right that we have to be able to explain an essential (as in, essence of) view of what Conservatism is. I think Stephan is right that there has to be a balance between the necessary/forced upon us and the soul of what we are doing. I think Nick is right that we need to ensure that Conservatism is about shared values and experiences.
Having said all that, here is where no-one seems to understand the scale of the problem we as Conservatives face.
As I have said before, people are no longer blaming Labour for the economic crisis (however fair or unfair that is) – Ed Balls and Ed Miliband were 2 points ahead on the economy in the Sunday Times' poll last weekend.
As I have said before, people see what Conservatives take a stand on in public – and they see tax cuts for the very rich, they see prevarication over what happened when (the Brooks horse is the classic example, but even over poor Nancy getting left behind in a pub, they kept having to correct the story).
And as I have said before, people also see a focus on what they feel are the wrong things – there really isn't enough focus on the cost of living, for example – and not enough boosting and talking up of the good things (there's a great story to tell on education, on welfare, on housing; there's getting to be a good one on jobs, there will be a good one on public services that serve the public, and there could be a good one on opening up government – both to make it easier to deal with and better at delivering what it has to – if anyone would sit down and just bang heads together until the things that were promised are done).
It is of course very easy for me to sit here complaining about all this. It surely can't be fun being in the government and having to deal with all the myriad problems that get fixed before we even hear about them; so we only really see the tip of the iceberg of hideousness. But.
Even George Osborne, speaking at the Times' CEO summit yesterday, realises that the case has to be made. But it has to be made in the right way – as James Chapman said this morning:
[blackbirdpie url="https://twitter.com/jameschappers/status/212824851998707712″]
The 50p cut means nothing other than unfairness to most people in the UK. It doesn't say to the people we need to vote for us, we're on your side. We have to be concerned about ordinary people, not just the few who have access to ministers to bend their ears about their own self-interest.
So – beyond getting a grip on the politics and delivery of what they're up to – the government also must understand that, as the seminal Policy Exchange Northern Lights report, poll after poll after poll, and every conversation with almost everyone I know who doesn't work in politics show, they have got to explain what they're doing, why they're doing it and – crucially – how and why it will make a difference.
As Tim Montgomerie also says this morning, the Conservatives can win the next election. But they've got to get a lot right between now and then.


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Dolphins Weekend Recap
Miami Dolphins fans can't complain about the lack of coverage during the offseason. Here at the Sun-Sentinel we've been feeding the beast non-stop with stories about your favorite NFL team.
By the time training camp gets here we'll have little to write about, but I'm sure we'll find something.
Right now, considering you're tapping your vein rapidly waiting for your next fix, what the customer wants, the customer gets.
That's why we're guessing whether Ted Ginn Jr. will take-off in his third season.
The receiver who is regularly hated on because he's not Brady Quinn admits he's a lot smarter, and more prepared going into this season, which is the norm for most third-year veterans.
Eric Green, the cornerback Ginn regularly goes against during the OTA sessions (Tuesday's open to the media, so hold tight for stories and breakdowns) is having a pretty good offseason.
Considering he's lived through a nightmarish 2008, the Clewiston native might be due for a promising season in 2009.
In the two session I've watched of the Ginn vs. Green match up, Ginn got Green good in the first practice, and Green got the best of Ginn in the second. It'll be interesting to see what happens in that head-to-head match up tomorrow.
Guess who Green said was his favorite player to watch growing up?
No. 99.
"He was one of my favorite players and now I have an opportunity to play with him, which is kind of strange," Green said.
Sun-Sentinel columnist Ethan Skolnick broke down what happens to old, but proven pass rushers when they turn 35. Many of them go on to put together productive seasons as they age, which is a good indicator for Taylor.
It's the athleticism and durability that leaves them, not the technique, motor, and experience. So that means if Taylor can hold up physically he should be good for at least half of his sack average.
Taylor has averaged .67 sacks in the 180 regular season games he's played over his 12 seasons. That averages out to 10.7 a season.
Half of Taylor's career average would be around 5 1/2 sacks, which is exactly what Matt Roth contributed as Joey Porter's compliment. If the Dolphins get anything more from their aging pass rushing specialist consider it gravy, and seeing how motivated JT is to shut up his critics South Florida might want to get the mashed potatoes ready.
Make sure you check out the chart that's attached to the story. OTH means Over The Hill, which accounts for the sacks each accomplished sack artist (and it is an art) contributed after turning 35.
Reserve offensive lineman Brandon Frye is getting a long look to determine if he can potentially serve as the fill-in for the injured Donald Thomas.Why Frye? Because he's athletic, physical, and has experience playing right tackle. The move inside should take him some time, but I suspect the Dolphins feel he has a little more upside than Ike Ndukwe, who started 15 games last season as Thomas' replacement.
It'll be interesting to see what happens when Andy Alleman, who is sidelined with a sore back, gets into the mix. Alleman was decent when serving as Justin Smiley's replacement. However, he's the primary backup center. For now, free agent addition Joe Berger is working as the backup center. The Dallas Cowboys defector is also versatile enough to play guard.
I talk about that troubling right guard spot during Saturday's interview with WQAM's Big O, which you can listen to by clicking here.
On that same link you can also find interviews with cornerback Will Allen, whom his teammates have dubbed "Money Allen" because of the contract extension he just received, and second-year receiver Davone Bess, who is looking pretty thick these days.
If Ginn's head was swimming in his first and second year, I wonder why Bess' wasn't?
Or maybe he was, and the Dolphins can expect improvement from the former Hawaii standout.
Speaking of receivers, I'll be watching that group very closely during Tuesday's sneak peek. Come early tomorrow morning for my tweets, and a breakdown of what happened in the third open session, which leads up to the minicamp the team will hold June 12-14.


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A Primer for the Mathematics of Financial Engineering, A Horror Story for Quants
It's well written and covers much that a quant should know.
That is in fact, why I regard it as such a scary book. There are parts of the mathematics that I remember first doing when I was a teenager. I like to think I have some ability at maths, but no one ever called me a child prodigy. Stefanica runs the Baruch Masters in Financial Engineering, which is distinctly one of the better MFE programmes. And before you email me to ask, we never ever give out an ordered list of programs.
Apparently, people apply to serious MFE programs not knowing the chain rule in calculus. Obviously you'd expect a bit of background noise in applications from those who think quantitative finance is some form of extreme accountancy, or who mistake it for an MBA. But I am told that such holes exist in people who have passed numerate degrees from universities you will have heard of. This book will cover a lot of the maths you need to be clear on if you are going to survive any sort of masters degree in financial engineering, or the CQF. So the first bit of utility you gain from it, is helping you work out whether this line of work is for you. You can make your way in this line of work without being a PhD, but you cannot prosper if PDEs are forever beyond you. The maths are put in a financial context, which helps, since most people in this field are porting across from a different discipline. Being focused in financial maths, you do not use time on types of mathematics not used in QF. But of course you should not kid yourself that this book will get you all the maths you need to know. It's will help you get up to speed if time is pressing.
Aside from the calculus applied to variants on solving Black Scholes model, deriving greeks, there is a basic introduction to finite difference methods. He doesn't even try to do this in C++, which is a wise choice, else the target reader would just get lost.
At $42.50 it is cheaper than many finance books, which is nice, and makes it something of a bargain. If you're starting a finance masters this year, you ought to take a look.


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London Giles
Feb. 23, 2012
SMU Mustangs (12-16, 3-10 C-USA)
HOUSTON Cougars (12-14, 4-9 C-USA)
Sat. Feb. 25 - 7 p.m.
Hofheinz Pavilion (8,479)
Houston, Texas
Radio: KAAM 770 AM (Rich Phillips, Herman Hudson)
Audio & Video: SMUMustangs.com
SMU visits Houston on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Mustangs won the first matchup of the season 70-54 in Dallas on Jan. 18. The in-state rivals are meeting for the 69th time with Houston leading 43-25, but SMU has won three of the last four matchups. Overall, SMU is looking for a second straight win after a 64-50 home-triumph against Tulane on Wednesday.
Robert Nyakundi leads C-USA in 3-point percentage at 41.7% (65-156) (28th NCAA) and ranks second in threes made (2.5), 10th in scoring (14.8) and fourth in free throw percentage (.812). He led C-USA and was second in the NCAA in 3-point percentage last season (.497). He could become just the second person to lead C-USA in 3FG percentage two times. Drake Diener of DePaul led the league in 2003-04 (.459) and 2004-05 (.462).
London Giles is second for SMU at 10.9 points while shooting 37.6% on threes (7th C-USA). Giles is making 1.7 3FG per game (10th C-USA) and is shooting 81.5% on free throws. Giles also leads SMU with 1.2 steals per game (T-12th C-USA). Jeremiah Samarrippas is averaging 6.9 points while ranking fifth in C-USA with 4.1 assists per game and fifth in in the league at 1.7 assists per turnover.
Giles leads a group of newcomers that are contributing this season. Three of the top five scorers for SMU are playing in their first season for the Mustangs. Giles, a junior (transfer from Nevada), is second at 10.9 points, freshman Jalen Jones is third at 8.3 points and sophomore Shawn Williams (transfer from Texas) is fifth at 6.2 points.
As a team, SMU ranks first in C-USA and 24th in the NCAA in scoring defense (59.7). That would set a new SMU record for the second straight season after SMU held opponents to 61.3 points per game in 2010-11. On offense, the Mustangs have made 207 3-pointers, which is third in a season at SMU. The 7.4 threes per game leads C-USA and ranks 68th in the NCAA.
UP NEXT: SMU is at Southern Miss on Wednesday before hosting UTEP for the regular-season finale on March 3. The UTEP game is senior day for Rodney Clinkscales, Robert Nyakundi and Aliaksei Patsevich.
THE SERIES VS. HOUSTON (25-43): SMU and Houston are meeting for the 69th time with UH holding a 43-25 lead. The in-state rivals are also meeting for the 55th time in a league game. The teams spent 21 years together in the Southwest Conference, are in their seventh season as C-USA opponents and will both move to the Big East in July of 2013. The Mustangs topped the Cougars, 70-54, at Moody Coliseum on Jan. 18 behind London Giles who scored a then-career-high 16 points and tied a career-high with five 3-pointers. Robert Nyakundi added 15 points and Shawn Williams and Jalen Jones 11 each for SMU. The teams split the season series last year, each winning on the road. The Mustangs earned their first win at Houston in over a decade with a convincing 65-51 win on Feb. 16, but Houston edged SMU 70-68 at Moody Coliseum on Jan. 15, 2011. Before the teams became C-USA opponents, SMU won three straight including the two non-conference meetings that occurred between the breakup of the Southwest Conference and becoming C-USA opponents. The teams spent 21 seasons in the SWC with the Mustangs trailing 28-14, but SMU does hold an all-time 6-5 edge in tournament play: 2-1 in NCAA Tournament action and 4-3 in SWC Tournament games. SMU is 0-1 against the Cougars in the C-USA Tournament. The two met in the last SWC Tournament at Reunion Arena in Dallas with SMU scoring a 62-57 win over the Cougars in 1996. The Ponies won NCAA Regional matchups in 1956 and 1965, but lost in 1967. The eighth-ranked Mustangs won 89-76 and over 17th-ranked Houston in the 1956 NCAA Tournament. SMU eventually advanced to the 1956 Final Four.
LAST GAME VS. HOUSTON: (W, 70-54 at SMU on Jan. 18): DALLAS (AP) -- London Giles scored 16 points and tied a career-high with five 3-pointers to lead SMU to a 70-54 win against Houston. Robert Nyakundi added 15 points and Shawn Williams and Jalen Jones 11 each for SMU (10-8, 2-2 C-USA). Joseph Young and Kirk Van Slyke scored 11 points each for the Cougars (9-9, 1-4). Young's 3-pointer got Houston within 53-47 with 8:13 remaining, but SMU went on a 10-0 run. Jones had four points and Williams hit a 3-pointer during the surge, and the Cougars got no closer than 11 the rest of the way.
LAST GAME (W, 64-50 vs. Tulane on Feb. 22): DALLAS (AP) -- London Giles scored 17 points to help SMU get a 64-50 victory over Tulane. Leslee Smith had 11 rebounds, and Jeremiah Samarrippas had 7 assists for SMU (12-16, 3-10 C-USA). Robert Nyakundi, leading the conference with 41.7 3-point percentage, improved on that by going 3 of 6 from long range for nine points. Ricky Tarrant's 21 points led Tulane (15-12, 3-10). Josh Davis had 11 rebounds. SMU shot 53.5% (23-43) to Tulane's 28.9% (13-45). It was the 21st tim this season SMU held its opponent to 65 or fewer points. SMU, which never trailed, split the season series after Tulane won 80-74 on Jan. 25.
HEAD COACH Matt Doherty...is in his 11th season as a head coach and his sixth season at SMU. This is his 21st season in collegiate coaching with 11 postseason appearances, eight NCAA Tournaments, seven conference titles, a Final Four appearance and the 2001 AP National Coach of the Year award. He also has 22 players that have gone to the NBA. SMU's 2011 CIT run was Matt Doherty's fourth postseason as a head coach. He has a 10-4 record in two NITs, an NCAA appearance and the 2011 CIT. He has a 169-177 career record including a 79-106 mark on the Hilltop.
BIG EAST: Dec. 7, 2011 - SMU accepted an invitation to join the BIG EAST Conference in all sports, President R. Gerald Turner announced, fulfilling the University's goal to join a Bowl Championship Series Automatic Qualifier (BCS-AQ) conference, a standard of excellence in college athletics today. SMU, Houston and the UCF accepted full membership into the BIG EAST while Boise State and San Diego State will compete as members in the sport of football. The BIG EAST Conference Board of Directors, by a unanimous vote of its Presidents, extended the invitations for membership. SMU, Houston and UCF will begin competing in all BIG EAST-sponsored sports in the 2013-14 academic year, while Boise State and San Diego State will start competing in football in the 2013 season.
Rodney Clinkscales: Team captain...Played 23 games (3 starts)...Averaging 3.1 points and 1.1 rebounds ...16-48 (.333) on 3FGs...15-16 (.938) on FTs...Missed games 2-4 with a right heel injury...2010-11: played 34 games with 5 starts...averaged 4.8 points, 0.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists...had 7 games with 10+ points and 5 games with 15+points.
Cannen Cunningham: Played 27 (3 starts)...Averaging 3.4 points and 3.0 rebounds with a team-high 16 blocked shots...GAME HIGHLIGHTS: Had 18 points and 7 rebounds vs. Georgia Southern 11/27...Had 17 points and 9 rebounds vs. Fresno State in his first career start 11/15.
KEVIN DUNLEAVY: Played in 3 games...has 1 rebound.
London Giles - ALL-C-USA CANDIDATE: Played in 27 games (25 starts)...Averaging 10.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals (T-12th C-USA) and 1.3 assists...37.6% 3FGs (47-125) (7th C-USA), 1.7 3FGs per game (10th C-USA), 81.5% FTs (53-65)...C-USA GAMES: 9.6 points, 34.5% on 3FGs (19-55), 1.6 3FGs per game (15th C-USA)...2010-11: Sat out due to transfer after playing two seasons at Nevada.
Jalen Jones: Played in 28 games (18 starts)...Averaging 8.3 points and 3.4 rebounds...has 22 steals and 19 assists...has 12 games with 10+ points...C-USA GAMES: Averaging 9.2 points and 3.2 rebounds with 6 blocked shots...REBOUNDS: his 10 rebounds vs. Georgia Southern 11/27 was the first 10+rebound game by an SMU freshman since Papa Dia had 13 vs. Southern 11/10/07.
Ryan Manuel: Played in 28 games...Averaging 3.2 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists...55.1% FGs (27-49)...GAME-WINNER: Had the steal and game-winning fastbreak layup in the 65-64 win vs. Florida Gulf Coast on 11/19.
Eric Norman: Played in 8 games, averaging 3.1 minutes...Has 1 point, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and a block.
Robert Nyakundi - ALL-C-USA CANDIDATE: Team captain...Played and started 27 games (missed the game at East Carolina 2/1 - hamstring)...Averaging 14.6 points (10th C-USA), 4.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals...shooting 47.2% FGs (12th C-USA, 106th NCAA), 42.0% 3FGs (68-162) (1st C-USA, 28th NCAA) and 81.2% FTs (56-69) (4th C-USA)...2.5 3FGs per game (2nd C-USA, 68th NCAA)...C-USA GAMES: Averaging 13.1 points (14th C-USA), 42.1% on FGs (15th C-USA), 36.1% on 3FGs (8th C-USA), 2.2 3FGs per game (6th C-USA), 1.4 steals (7th C-USA)...GAME HIGHLIGHTS: Scored 26 points, (10-14 FG, 4-6 3FG, 2-2 FT) at Tulane 1/25...Had 20 points (7-14 FG, 3-6 3FG, 3-3 FT) and a career-high 11 rebounds with 3 steals vs. Oklahoma State 12/28...Tied career-high 29 points (8-13 FG, 5-9 3FG, 8-9 FT) (24 pts in 2nd half) in win at SEMO 12/19...Team-high 27 points (8-9 FG, 4-5 3FG, 7-9 FT) in win vs. UAPB 11/22...SMU CAREER RANKINGS: 3rd in 3FG (251), 2nd in 3FG percentage (43.7, 251-574), 2nd in FT percentage (85.7, 174-203), 18th in points (1287)...SMU MILESTONES: He became the 36th member of the 1000-point club, hitting the mark on the second of two free throws with 15 seconds remaining in the 55-49 win vs. Georgia Southern 11/27...He became the 41st Mustang to play in 100 games, reaching the mark in the 69-63 OT win at UALR 12/4...PRESEASON HONORS: Selected Preseason All-C-USA second team by the league's coaches...Also tabbed the Best Shooter in C-USA by The Sporting News and was selected Preseason All-C-USA second team by Lindy's Sports Annuals...2010-11: Selected Third-Team All-C-USA with 14.3 points (11th C-USA) while setting C-USA and SMU records from 3-point range...led C-USA and was second in the NCAA at 49.7% (97-195) on 3FGs...set the C-USA record by hitting 54.3% on 3FGs (44-81) in league play...His 97 threes set the SMU record while his average of 2.8 made per game was second in C-USA and 34th in the NCAA...also tied the SMU record by hitting 90.0% (72-80) on FTs.
Aliaksei Patsevich: Played in 28 games (13 starts)...Averaging 2.8 points and 1.5 rebounds...has 25 assists and 15 steals...GAME HIGHLIGHT: Had 10 points including 4 in the final 28 seconds in the 68-62 win vs. TCU 2/8...2010-11: Played the last 16 games...totaled 24 points, 8 rebounds, 7 steals, 5 assists and 2 blocks...hit 33.3% on 3FGs (5-15)
Nick Russell: Sitting out following transfer from Kansas State.
Jeremiah Samarrippas - ALL-C-USA CANDIDATE: Team captain...Played and started 27 games (missed at Rice 2/11 - ankle)...Averaging 6.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists (5th C-USA, 132nd NCAA), 1.7 ast/to ratio (112 ast/65 to) (5th C-USA, 151st NCAA), 1.0 steals, 84.2% FTs (32-38)...has 5+ assists 12 times...C-USA GAMES: 7.8 points, 3.8 assists (7th C-USA), 1.3 steals (9th C-USA), 31.6% 3FGs (12-38), 1.4 ast/to ratio (46 ast/33 to) (9th C-USA)...BUZZER-BEATER: Hit a 20-foot step-back jumper from the top of the key as time expired for the 57-55 win at Tulsa 1/7...POINTS/ASSISTS DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Had 12 points and 11 assists at Tulane 1/25 (first since 12 pts, 10 ast by Derek Williams in 65-43 win vs. UCF 1/27/2010)...INJURY: Missed the game at Rice 2/11 (right ankle sprain) 2010-11: played in all 35 games with 30 starts...averaged 7.4 points and 3.4 assists with a 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio (120 ast / 82 to)...shot 42.1% on FGs and 38.5% on 3FGs...had 10+ points 10 times, 5+ assists 8 times and 3+ steals 8 times...led the team in assists 15 times and in steals 16 times.
Leslee Smith: Played 21 games (2 starts)...Averaging 4.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists...17 steals...REBOUNDS: Had 12 rebounds in the 84-65 win at SEMO 12.19, the most by a freshman since Papa Dia had 13 vs. Southern on Nov. 10, 2007...INJURY: Missed the first 7 games while rehabilitating from torn right ACL (suffered in March 2011)...2010-11: Sat out last season
Ricmonds Vilde: Played 15 games (5 starts)...Averaging 1.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and has 13 assists...2010-11: Redshirt.
Jordan Walker: Played in 3 games...has 2 rebounds and 1 steal.
Shawn Williams: Team captain...Played in 19 games (17 starts)...Averaging 6.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.2 assists...2010-11: Enrolled at SMU on Jan. 11, 2011, after transferring from Texas...2009-10 (Freshman at Texas): played in 7 of UT's first 8 games, averaging 1.6 points and 1.7 rebounds in 5.6 minutes per contest ... suffered a left ankle injury against Texas State (Dec. 12) and missed the remainder of the season.
MILESTONES: (complete lists on bio pages)
SMU Career Games: Robert Nyakundi T-7th 119
SMU Career Starts: Robert Nyakundi T-13th 87
SMU Career Points: Robert Nyakundi 18th 1287
SMU Career 3FGM: Robert Nyakundi is 3rd 251 (2nd Bryan Hopkins 256, 1st Stephen Wood 273)
SMU Career 3FG%: Robert Nyakundi 2nd 43.7 (1st Eric Longino 47.3) & Rodney Clinkscales 7th 38.4
SMU Career FT%: Robert Nyakundi is 2nd 85.7 (174-203) (1st Eric Longino 88.4 (99-112), 3rd Charles Beasley 83.9 (270-322))
10+points: London Giles 2 (17, 17)
8+ rebounds: Leslee Smith (11)
5+ assists: Jeremiah Samarrippas (7)
3+ steals:
2+ blocks:
Preseason All-Conference USA - C-USA Coaches: Robert Nyakundi (Second Team)
Preseason All-Conference USA - Lindy's: Robert Nyakundi (Second Team)
Best Shooter in C-USA - The Sporting News: Robert Nyakundi
HONORS: 2010-11 (Returnees Only)
C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll: Aliaksei Patsevich, Leslee Smith
All C-USA: Robert Nyakundi (3rd Team)
SMU Invitational All-Tournament Team: Robert Nyakundi
7 FROM DALLAS: The Mustangs have 7 players from the Dallas area: Cannen Cunningham (Arlington), London Giles (Dallas), Jalen Jones (Dallas), Robert Nyakundi (Arlington), Nick Russell (Duncanville), Jordan Walker (Arlington) and Shawn Williams (Duncanville).
10 NEW UNIFORMS: The Mustangs have 10 newcomers on gameday. SMU had four players that sat out last season; transfers London Giles (Nevada) and Shawn Williams (Texas) as well as redshirt seasons for Leslee Smith and Ricmonds Vilde. SMU also adds 6 freshmen in Cannen Cunningham, Kevin Dunleavy, Jalen Jones, Ryan Manuel, Eric Norman and Jordan Walker. Nick Russell transferred from Kansas State is sitting out.
BALANCE: SMU has had 8 different people record a double-digit scoring game and 5 different players lead the team in scoring.
DEFENSE-DEFENSE: SMU is allowing 59.7 (1st C-USA, 24th NCAA) points per game...Last season, SMU led C-USA and was 23rd in the NCAA in scoring defense, allowing an SMU-record 61.3 points per game.
DOWN TO THE WIRE: The Mustangs have played 10 games this year that were one possession games in the final minute...SMU is 4-6 in those games, including a 1-2 mark in overtime games.
FG PERCENTAGE: The Mustangs are 66-29 (.695) when shooting when shooting a higher percentage than their opponent under Matt Doherty...SMU is 6-4 this season and went 18-6 when shooting better last season.
FREE THROWS: SMU is hitting 67.5% on FTs this season (8th C-USA)...Robert Nyakundi is 4th in C-USA (81.2%)...Last season, SMU led C-USA and was 38th in the NCAA in FT percentage (.742)...Robert Nyakundi was 3rd in C-USA and tied the SMU record (.900).
FREE THROW ATTEMPTS: The Mustangs are 5-1 this season when getting at least 10 more FTAs than their opponent...SMU is 29-8 when doing so under Matt Doherty....SMU is 7-2 this year when getting at least 20 FTAs.
HOME SWEET HOME: SMU is 8-5 at Moody Coliseum this season and 22-10 in the last 32 games at Moody...The Mustangs went 15-7 at home last season, tying for the most home wins in program history. SMU went 15-1 at Moody Coliseum in 1984-85...SMU is also 15-2 in the last 17 non-conference games in Moody Coliseum.
LONG RANGE: SMU has made 207 3FGs (3rd in a season at SMU) and averages 7.4 3FGs per game (1st C-USA, 68th NCAA)...Last season, SMU led C-USA (33rd NCAA) in 3-point field goals per game (7.9) and set an SMU record with 277 3-pointers.
STEALING A ROAD WIN: In the 57-55 win at Tulsa on Jan. 7, SMU was plus-9 in steals (11-2). That was the highest difference sin a plus-10 (15-5) against San Jose St. in a 66-46 win on Feb. 10, 2005.
CAPTAINS: Coach Matt Doherty named seniors Robert Nyakundi, Jeremiah Samarrippas and Shawn Williams as team captains on Nov. 7. Senior Rodney Clinkscales was also named a team captain on Dec. 3.
NEXT LEVEL: In the last three years, six SMU players have gone on to play professionally. Papa Dia signed a 2-year contract in Croatia beginning with the 2011-12 season. Four were drafted into the NBA D-League: Bamba Fall (Reno Bighorns in 2010), Mouhammad Faye (Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 2010), Derek Williams (Texas Legends in 2011) and Collin Mangrum (Texas Legends in 2011). Fall is playing in Estonia this season while Faye is in France. Williams previously spent the 2010-11 season playing in Latvia. Myles Luttman signed with a team in Iceland in January of 2012.
WORLD-CLASS FACILITY: The new Crum Basketball Center at SMU is a world-class training center. The 2011 NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks used the Crum Center for their 2008, 2009 and 2010 training camps. Several other NBA teams have used the facility when they are in town to play the Mavericks.
1. Chicago Bulls 2. Cleveland Cavaliers 3. Dallas Mavericks 4. Denver Nuggets 5. Detroit Pistons 6. Indiana Pacers 7. Golden State Warriors 8. New Orleans Hornets 9. Philadelphia 76ers 10. San Antonio Spurs 11. Utah JazzCLINKSCALES NAMED CAPTAIN (Dec. 4): SMU men's basketball coach Matt Doherty named Rodney Clinkscales as a team captain on Saturday. Clinkscales joins Robert Nyakundi, Jeremiah Samarrippas and Shawn Williams as team captains for the 2011-12 season.
FAMILIAR FOE: The Mustangs have met seven opponents more than 100 times. Rice 195 118-77 J11 at SMU (L, 68-52), F11 at Rice (L, 43-39) TCU 186 102-85 F8 at SMU (W, 68-52) Texas A&M 177 90-87 Baylor 175 100-75 Texas 174 71-103 Arkansas 153 59-94 Texas Tech 104 47-57
YOU CAN CALL IT A COMEBACK: The Mustangs have overcome an 10-plus-point deficit 12 times under Doherty. 17 pts 49-32 at 15:28 2nd half W, 65-64 Florida Gulf Coast 11/19/11 (3rd at SMU) 14 pts 28-14 at 8:00 1st half W, 64-58 Memphis 1/12/11 (T-8th at SMU) 14 pts 24-10 at 8:00 1st half W (ot), 69-63 at Arkansas-Little Rock 12/4/11 (T-8th SMU) 13 pts 40-27 at 14:30 2nd half W, 55-53 Tulane 1/24/07 13 pts 41-28 at 19:18 2nd half W (ot), 69-67 UCF 1/26/08 13 pts 40-27 at 17:34 2nd half W, 68-53 Rice 2/9/08 13 pts 63-50 at 9:47 2nd half W (2ot), 99-96 UTEP 3/1/08 13 pts 15-2 at 12:51 1st half W, 70-67 at McMurry 12/18/10 13 pts 36-23 at 1:15 1st half W, 59-58 at Tulsa 1/26/11 13 pts 32-19 at 15:18 2nd half W, 46-41 East Carolina 2/2/11 11 pts 28-17 at 3:06 1st half W, 70-60 Memphis 1/30/10 10 pts 25-15 at 8:59 1st half W, 84-65 at Southeast Missouri State 12/19/11
LEVELS: LED GP 10+Pts 8+Reb Dbl-Dbl 5+Ast 3+Stl 2+Blk Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk 0 Rodney Clinkscales 23 - - - - - - - - 1 - 1 1 Ryan Manuel 28 1 - - - - - 1 - 7 1 1 2 Shawn Williams 20 5 2 - - 2 1 1 7 1 6 6 3 Leslee Smith 21 1 2 - - 1 1 - 5 2 3 6 4 Kevin Dunleavy, Jr. 3 - - - - - - - - - - - 5 Ricmonds Vilde 15 - - - - - - - - 2 - - 11 London Giles 27 16 - - - 5 - 4 1 6 10 - 12 Jeremiah Samarrippas 27 11 - 1 12 3 - 1 - 19 6 - 13 Aliaksei Patsevich 28 2 - - - - - - - 1 1 2 15 Cannen Cunningham 27 3 2 - - - 6 2 5 1 - 10 21 Jalen Jones 28 12 2 - - 2 1 5 3 2 5 5 24 Robert Nyakundi 27 21 4 1 - 4 1 16 10 3 9 4 34 Jordan Walker 3 - - - - - - - - - - - 35 Eric Norman 9 - - - - - - - - - - 1
CAREER GP 10+Pts 8+Reb Dbl-Dbl 5+Ast 3+Stl 2+Blk Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk 0 Rodney Clinkscales 84 9 - - - 1 - 4 - 2 8 2 2 Shawn Williams 27 5 2 - - 2 1 1 7 1 6 6 10 Nick Russell 46 3 - - 1 - 1 - - - - - 11 London Giles 73 16 - - 1 6 - 4 1 6 10 - 12 Jeremiah Samarrippas 62 21 - 1 20 11 - 1 - 34 22 - 13 Aliaksei Patsevich 44 2 - - - - - - - 1 3 3 24 Robert Nyakundi 119 64 8 4 4 11 1 30 20 13 26 8
WORKING OVERTIME: The Mustangs are 6-4 in overtime under Matt Doherty (he is now 7-8 all-time in OT as a head coach) Date Opponent Result Start OT Start 2OT 1/6/07 Brown W, 60-56 ot 50-50 1/26/08 UCF W, 69-67 ot 62-62 3/1/08 UTEP W, 99-96 2ot 79-79 86-86 2/25/09 at UTEP L, 61-58 ot 55-55 11/21/10 UC Riverside L, 73-69 ot 57-57 2/23/11 Rice W, 76-66 ot 57-57 3/16/11 Oral Roberts W, 64-57 ot 52-52 12/4/11 at Ark-Little Rock W, 69-63 ot 54-54 12/28/11 vs. Oklahoma State L, 68-58 2ot 49-49 58-58 1/14/12 at UTEP L, 70-64 53-53
DOUBLE-DOUBLES: 2011-12 Opponent Season Career Robert Nyakundi 20 pts, 11 rebs vs. Oklahoma St 12/28 1st 4th Jeremiah Samarrippas 12 pts, 11 asts at Tulane 1/25 1st 1st 2010-11 (returnees) Opponent Season Career Robert Nyakundi 19 pts, 10 rebs Portland State 1st 1st Robert Nyakundi 23 pts, 10 rebs SE Missouri State 2nd 2nd Robert Nyakundi 14 pts, 10 rebs Santa Clara 3rd 3rd
SMU RECORDS: Additions to the SMU record book this season
SMU - INDIVIDUAL: POINTS in C-USA Game: 26 Nyakundi at Tulane 1/25 (T-10th) FGs in C-USA Game: 10 (10-14) Nyakundi at Tulane 1/25 (T-8th) ASSISTS in C-USA Game: 11 Samarrippas at Tulane 1/25 (T-2nd)
SMU - TEAM: FEWEST POINTS in C-USA Game: 28 vs. UAB 2/15 (1st), 39 at Rice 2/11 (2nd), 43 at East Carolina 2/1 (3rd); 45 at Memphis (T-4th) LOWEST FG PCT in C-USA Game: 17.4 (8-46) vs. UAB 2/15 (1st) 3FGM: 13 vs. McMurry 11/11 (T-5th) 3FGM in Road Game: 12 at SEMO 12/19 (T-3rd) 3FGM in C-USA Game: 11 vs. Houston 1/18 (T-4th) ASSISTS in C-USA Game: 18 at Tulane 1/25 (T-5th) COMEBACK: 17 points vs. Florida Gulf Coast 11/19 (3rd); 14 points at UALR (T-8th)
OPPONENT - TEAM FEWEST POINTS in C-USA Game: 43 at Rice 2/11 (T-3rd) FT%: 93.3 (14-15) vs. Colorado State 11/14 (T-16th) POINTS in C-USA Game (2nd half): 63 at Tulane 1/25 (1st) (L, 80-74) 3FG% in C-USA Game: 58.8% (10-17) Tulsa 1/28 (4th) FTA in C-USA Game: 32 (20-32) at Tulane 1/25 (T-4th)
OPPONENT - INDIVIDUAL POINTS in C-USA Game: 33 Ricky Tarrant at Tulane 1/25 (T-4th) POINTS in C-USA Game (2nd half): 26 (of 33) Ricky Tarrant at Tulane 1/25 (1st) FG% in C-USA Game (2nd half): 7-7 Ricky Tarrant at Tulane 1/25 (T-1st) 3FG% in C-USA Game (2nd half): 4-4 Ricky Tarrant at Tulane 1/25 (T-1st)
INFINITI CHARITY CHALLENGE: SMU head coach Matt Doherty is one of 48 college basketball coaches in this year's "Infiniti Coaches' Charity Challenge." Doherty's charity is the Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity. Fan participation will determine the ultimate winner over an eight-week period beginning January 18th. Fans can vote for Doherty by registering and voting on www.ESPN.com/Infiniti. A $100,000 donation will go to the winning coach's designated charity. For the first six weeks, four brackets of 12 coaches will be paired against each other, with the winners from each group moving onto the next round in week seven and the final round in week eight. Fans can vote for up to four coaches per day. The winning coach will be announced March 9, 2012.
THREE FUTURE MUSTANGS SIGN FOR 2012-13: SMU Head Coach Matt Doherty announced that three student-athletes have signed a National Letter-of-Intent to play for the Mustangs beginning with the 2012-13 season. The class includes Brian Bernardi, a three-star 6-3 guard from Xaverian High School in New York, N.Y.; Blaise Mbargorba, a 7-0 center that is an ESPNU Top-100 signee from The Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey; and Uche Ofoegbu, a three-star 6-6 forward from John Paul Stevens in San Antonio. "This is a fantastic recruiting class," says Doherty. "I am excited about the quality of these young men. This class will excel in our system and add to the foundation that we have built. This will translate into success for years to come." Brian Bernardi - G, 6-3, 180 (New York, N.Y. - Xaverian HS) Blaise Mbargorba - C, 7-0, 230 (Hightstown, N.J. - The Peddie School) Uche Ofoegbu - F, 6-6, 200 (San Antonio, Texas - John Paul Stevens)
SILVER ANNIVERSARY MUSTANG (SAM AWARD): SMU alumnus Jim Johnston was honored with the 2011 Silver Anniversary Mustang Award at halftime of the Jan. 28 men's basketball game against Tulsa. Johnston lettered in football at SMU in 1966, 1968 and 1969. A standout defensive tackle, Johnston was a key component in the 1968 Bluebonnet Bowl victory over Oklahoma. Johnston earned a BBA Degree in 1970 and an MBA Degree in 1971 from SMU while serving as a Graduate Assistant Coach for the football team. Since graduation, Johnston has remained involved on the Hilltop, having served as Chairman of the Board for the Mustang Club, the Lettermen's Association, the Planned Giving Counsel and the Athletics Hall of Fame. Away from the Hilltop, Johnston has had a 40-year career in Dallas banking, has served as Chairman of the Board for both Goodwill Industries of Dallas and the Arthritis Foundation of North Texas and served on the Board for the Boy Scouts/Circle Ten Council and the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, among others.
2010-11: The Mustangs entered the season following their most successful campaign in more than a decade. SMU recorded its first 20-win season and first postseason bid since 1999-2000; finishing 20-15 and advancing to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) semifinal. SMU also had its most wins in Conference USA (8) while leading the league in field goal percentage (.482, 7th NCAA), 3-point percentage (.394, 13th NCAA) and free throw percentage (.742, 38th NCAA). The Mustangs tied the SMU record with 15 home wins at Moody Coliseum (15-1 in 1984-85). SMU also made a team-record 277 3-pointers last year.
Robert Nyakundi Named Preseason All-Conference USA: Senior Robert Nyakundi was selected Preseason All-C-USA second team by the league's coaches. The forward was also tabbed the Best Shooter in C-USA by The Sporting News and was selected Preseason All-C-USA second team by Lindy's Sports Annuals. In 2010, Nyakundi was selected Third-Team All-C-USA as he averaged 14.3 points (11th C-USA) while setting C-USA and SMU records from 3-point range. Nyakundi led C-USA and was second in the NCAA at 49.7 percent (97-195) from beyond the arc. He set the C-USA record by hitting 54.3 percent on 3-pointers (44-81) during league play. His 97 threes set the SMU record while his average of 2.8 made per game was second in C-USA and 34th in the NCAA. Nyakundi also tied the SMU record by hitting 90.0 percent (72-80) at the line.
SMU Hosts Dallas Classic At Ellis Davis Fieldhouse On Dec. 15: As part of SMU's ongoing effort to strengthen its relationship with the city, Dallas' hometown team, the Mustangs hosted a game at the Dallas Independent School District's Ellis Davis Fieldhouse on Dec. 15. SMU played Jackson State in the non-conference matchup, falling 59-58. The Mustangs play at three venues in Dallas this season. The Showcase vs. Oklahoma State is at American Airlines Center on Dec. 28, the inaugural Dallas Classic at Ellis Davis Fieldhouse on Dec. 15, and a full slate of home games at historic Moody Coliseum. Ten of the top 22 scorers in SMU history are from the Dallas area; including Jeryl Sasser (Kimball HS), Quinton Ross (Kimball HS) and Ira Terrell (Roosevelt HS). Sasser is SMU's all-time leading scorer with 1,992 points. --- "SMU is Dallas' team, and this is a great way to embrace that relationship," said SMU A.D. Steve Orsini. "We appreciate the city's support in all our efforts and are very happy to be taking this game off campus for our south Dallas fans." --- "The Mustangs and the city of Dallas have rich basketball histories and this event will help bring those two traditions together," says SMU head coach Matt Doherty." We have seven student-athletes on our roster from the Dallas area and this is a way to show our commitment to the community."
Moody Coliseum Renovation And Expansion Project Receives $20 Million from Moody Foundation plus $10 Million from David & Carolyn Miller: Two lead gifts - a $20 million gift from the Moody Foundation and a $10 million commitment from SMU trustee David B. Miller '72, '73 and his wife Carolyn Lacy Miller - will help provide an extensive expansion and renovation of Moody Coliseum. Moody Coliseum is a campus and Dallas landmark that is home to the pageantry of SMU Commencement as well as numerous speaking, athletics and community events such as concerts and high school graduations. The project will feature new premium seating as well as courtside retractable seating designated for students and renovation of the entry lobby and concourses. Technology improvements will include new video boards, scoreboards, sound system, broadcast capabilities and heating and cooling systems. In addition, office suites, restrooms and locker rooms will be upgraded. Additional donors will be sought for the $40 million project.
NCAA SELECTION: SMU Director of Athletics Steve Orsini is a member of the Division I Men's Basketball Committee, receiving a five-year appointment that began Sept. 1, 2010. The 10-member committee consists of athletics directors and commissioners of Division I member institutions and conferences, and oversees administration of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, including the selection, seeding and bracketing of teams for the tournament. The committee is the primary NCAA contact with CBS Sports, the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and other key basketball organizations. Committee members oversee selected preliminary round sites, as well as the Final Four, and assign officiating crews for each game of the championship. The committee also serves as stewards for the good of the game, monitoring and taking action as appropriate regarding issues affecting college basketball.
DICK'S SPORTING GOODS NIT SEASON TIP-OFF: The SMU men's basketball team participated in the 2011 Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off. The Mustangs played in the West Regional in Stanford, Calif. SMU lost 75-56 to Colorado State and 54-52 against Fresno State. The Mustangs then went to Tulsa for the consolation rounds, losing 62-56 to host Oral Roberts before a 64-55 win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. This was SMU's third appearance in the Preseason NIT. The last was at the start of the 1998-99 season.
MUSTANGS SELECTED IN NBA D-LEAGUE DRAFT: Former SMU men's basketball standouts Collin Mangrum and Derek Williams were selected in the 2011 NBA Development League Draft on Thursday. Both were selected by the Texas Legends with Williams going in the seventh round and Mangrum being called in the eighth round. It is the second straight year two Mustangs have been selected as Mouhammad Faye and Bamba Fall were picked in the 2010 draft.
Kenny Smith Speaks At SMU Basketball Tip-Off Dinner: The SMU men's basketball team hosted its sixth annual Tip-Off Dinner at the Park Cities Hilton Ballroom on Oct. 13. TNT analyst and two-time NBA champion Kenny Smith served as the keynote speaker. Smith is the sixth member of an elite list of speakers for the event following SMU great Jon Koncak (2006), television commentating legend Bill Raftery (2007), prominent coach and analyst Fran Fraschilla (2008), ESPN college basketball analyst Hubert Davis (2009) and NFL Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin (2010).
SMU's Matt Doherty Joins Coaches vs. Cancer to Call for Increased Cancer Research Funding: Coach Matt Doherty teamed with cancer advocates to urge Congress to protect federal funding for cancer research and prevention programs. The coaches led a Capitol Hill rally on Sept. 27, to emphasize that the federal investment in cancer research, prevention and early detection programs is vitally important to helping people prevent and fight the disease. Coaches vs. Cancer is a collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The more than 2,000 college basketball coaches have raised nearly $50 million since its inception. --- Participants were: Coach Matt Brown (Missouri-Kansas City); Coach Jamie Dixon (Pittsburgh); Coach Matt Doherty (SMU); Coach Paul Hewitt (George Mason); John Seffrin, PhD, CEO, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network; Christopher W. Hansen, president, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
SMU's Gerald Lewis Inducted Into St. Martin's Episcopal School Hall Of Fame: Men's basketball Director of Operations and SMU alum, Gerald Lewis, was inducted into the St. Martin's Episcopal School (New Orleans) Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame on Sept. 30. Lewis is a 1989 graduate of St. Martin's and a 1993 graduate of SMU. Lewis scored 1,243 points. As a senior, he averaged 23.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 5.0 steals. As a junior and senior, he was all-state, all-district, and all-metro. At SMU, he was first team All-SWC in 1993, leading SMU to the SWC regular season title and an NCAA berth. His senior season, he became one of only eight players in NCAA history to record three triple-doubles and set the SMU single-season mark for steals (79). He played professionally for six years in Croatia where he was a five-time All-Star including MVP in the 1996 All-Star game.
SMU IN THE POSTSEASON: Last season, SMU played in its 14th postseason tournament, advancing to the semifinal of the CIT. SMU has made 10 NCAA championships (1955, 1956, 1957, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1993), two NIT appearances (1986, 2000) and a Collegiate Commissioners Association Invitational (1974). The three wins in the 2011 postseason tied the program record (3 wins in 1956 NCAA Final Four season). The 64-57 overtime win against Oral Roberts on March 16 in the opening round of the CIT marked the Mustangs' first postseason win since defeating Notre Dame 83-75 in the first round of the 1988 NCAA Championship in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Mustangs were a No. 7 seed and Notre Dame was a No. 10 seed in the East Region. SMU is 12-16 all-time in postseason play.
DOHERTY IN THE POSTSEASON: SMU's 2011 CIT run was Matt Doherty's fourth postseason as a head coach. He has a 10-4 record in two NITs, an NCAA appearance and the 2011 CIT. He led Notre Dame to the NIT championship game in 2000, took North Carolina to the NCAA second round in 2001, and then led UNC to the NIT quarterfinal round in 2003. SMU made the 2011 CIT semifinal. He made seven NCAA trips as an assistant coach at Kansas, including the 1993 Final Four.