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Inside the Boxscore - The Game
The week leading up to The Game saw Michigan fans unite around the tragedy of a family losing their 5 year old son to DIPG, an inoperable brain cancer. When I saw the picture of Chad's father holding his son's lifeless body, I cried. I am emotional just thinking about it now. When I hear about parents suffering the death of a child, two memories from my childhood return.
When I was in sixth grade, a girl in my gym class collapsed in the parking lot and died. She had a condition that we later started referring to as, "that Hank Gathers thing." It was so sudden. One day, she was pretending to be a horse, running around at recess, and the next day, her parents were dealing with the thought of burying their daughter. We dedicated our yearbook to her, tried to heal, and move on with the knowledge that life is fragile so you should treasure every day, every moment. I didn't know her very well, but even now, 33 years later, I can picture her galloping around the parking lot, full of life and energy.
The next year, I found out that a girl in my class had leukemia. I knew her better as we were the two best math students in our class and were selected to participate in an accelerated math program. As such, we spent time together studying in the hallway, separated from the rest of the class. She was tall, blond-haired and blue-eyed, with long tan legs. I was smitten, but I don't think she noticed me or knew me as anything more than the geek she had to learn math with. Her illness dragged on for several months. She was hospitalized for a time, and then during the spring of our 7th grade year, she too, passed away. Given time to prepare for the eventuality of the situation didn't make things any easier. For the second year in a row, we dedicated our yearbook to another fallen classmate, tried to heal, and move on. Today, when I think of her, I think that she could have been the world's first Fields Medal winning supermodel.
In 1989, the movie, "Dead Poets Society" was released in theatres. In the movie, Robin Williams played an eccentric English teacher who exhorts his students to seize the day, "CARPE DIEM!" in Latin. It was rather fashionable at the time for people to exclaim, "carpe diem," as a reminder to make the most out of life. Williams' character quoted Thoreau, saying,
I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life
"Suck out the marrow," that was such a powerful image at the time. Williams, who outwardly gave the impression of a person full of life, later took his own life after losing a battle with depression.
What does all this have to do with a football game, a rather lousy one at that? Not a whole lot, admittedly, but this was the last game of the regular season, so it does seem like an appropriate time to take a step back and reflect upon our lives and our choices. This season will be remembered as Harbaugh's first as Michigan's head coach. But it will also be remembered for #ChadTough, and hopefully for all those good moments we shared as a community, from Chesson's back-breaking kick return against Northwestern to the defense's rallying together to stop Minnesota and Indiana at the goal line. For Jake Rudock going from the team's weak spot to it's strength, for Tacos and Peppers and an Aussie punter showing us how it's supposed to be done. I don't regret all the time I spent watching and writing about this team. What has made this season better than others of recent vintage is not the record. It's that my son has started to share my enthusiasm for Michigan football. Shared moments are so much more fulfilling, meaningful, and memorable, and so I say to Team 136, thank you. Your yearbook photo will be one that I remember for a long time.
(Thoreau's quote continues, "to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life." Frankly, I think Thoreau was a bit overrated. Who would want to live like a Spartan?)
Link: http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/112815aaa.html
Burst of Impetus
* It's hard to remember that this was a 4 point game going into halftime. Michigan started off the game playing well with two decents drive that combined for 17 plays and 71 yards. Neither ended up in points, but we were winning the field position battle. After Michigan stopped Ohio State on 3rd and 10, their two drives had combined to gain 27 yards on 9 plays. And then we ran into the punter, but the official called a "roughing the kicker" penalty that gave Ohio State a first down. They capitalized. Instead of grabbing the momentum, we gave OSU new life and they took advantage.
* I don't give burst of impetus awards for halftime adjustments because I don't know what happened at halftime, but something sure did. Ohio State scored quickly on their first drive and controlled the rest of the game as if RichRod, Hoke, and Gerg had combined to coach the second half. Perhaps, a team that had been running on fumes for the past few weeks finally hit empty on the old gas meter, and that was that.
The Two Jakes
* The Jake Hardock mind meld came to a conclusion on Saturday. Or would that be Jim Rubaugh? When I was mentoring under a soon to be retired engineer at work, we held monthly, "brain dump" meetings where my mentor would attempt to pass on his knowledge to me and another engineer one experience at a time. These were the types of things you don't learn about in text books. As I wrote above the link, Jake Rudock went from being the team's weak spot to it's strength after one season under Harbaugh's tutelage. Imagine what a QB can do with 4 or 5 years learning from Harbaugh. The future is bright.
* Jake Rudock was extra talented in his accuracy, going 19 for 32 (59.4%) for 263 yards (8.2 YPA). He completed one TD pass to Jehu Chesson.
* Jake Buttttt caught 5 passes for 54 yards.
NFL Route Tree Runners
* Jehu Chesson led the receivers with 8 catches and 111 yards. His blocked punt shows up in the boxscore as a 14 yard punt for Ohio State's "TEAM."
* Darboh finished with 4 catches for 68 yards. The refs let Ohio's DBs play very aggressively against him and that hampered our first half drives. By the second half, he figured out how to get open but by then it was too late.
* Jabrill Peppers led Michigan with 29 yards on 7 carries. It's not a good sign when a starting defensive player leads the team in rushing. I trust Harbaugh and his assistants to correct this situation going into next season.
* I will drink a lemonade if De'Veon Smith is not the starting fullback next year.
* Sione Houma ran 3 times for 12 yards.
Tacos and Peppers
* Ohio State's top three tacklers were it's three linebackers. This is even more impressive considering Michigan was spending most of the day passing the ball. Their linebackers were making plays against the run and the pass. Ours were not.
* Each one of our four main linebackers (Bolden, Gedeon, Ross and Morgan) should have had an extra tackle, as I saw each one of those guys miss a tackle on an Ohio State running TD. If we had held them to FG attempts instead of TDs, the final score would not have looked so bad.
* In the dot, dot, dot categories (the ones that show up as dots instead of zeros) Ohio State had 3 TFLs, 2 FFs, 1 INTC, 4 BrUps, 2 Sacks, and 5 QHs. Michigan had 3 TFLs, one 2 yard sack, and 1 QH. That's it. After filling up the boxscore all year with dot, dot, dot stuff, especially BrUps, Michigan had almost nothing to show. It's as if we implemented a brand new defense the week before the biggest game of the season and expected the players to perform as if they had been playing it the whole year long. It's as if we watched MSU throttle Ohio State's offense the week before and said, let's do the exact opposite of that. The second half meltdown of the defense was Gergian in it's inexplicability. Someone put the ooga-booga on the defense.
ST3's STSTs
* We actually ran more total plays than Ohio State did, 72-69. There were 26 assorted special teams plays comprising 15.6% of the total.
* The only ST plays of consequence were the punt we downed at the 6, the punt we just barely failed to down at the 1 inch line, the roughing the punter penalty, and a nice Lewis kick return that was negated by a Michigan holding penalty.
Baughscore Bits
* First downs were much closer than the final score would indicate, 25-20 for Ohio State. Yes, after being held to 5 first downs by MSU, they accumulated 5 times that many against us. Three OSU first downs came via penalty.
* I thought OSU's weakness was their passing game. We had a defensive game plan that allowed them to get by only throwing 15 times. Inexplicable.
* Third down conversions were 7 of 13 for them and 9 for 18 for us. Again, these stats don't jibe with a 29 point drubbing.
* Before the game, my brother told me he had a ticket in row 2. I spent some time looking for him during the sideline shots but never saw him. After the game, I found out why as he texted me a photo from his seat. Turns out he was sitting behind Big Nut. I saw Big Nut at the game, but he blocks out the sun (or brother, as the case may be) and everything else behind him. My brother, Michael Thomas (NTMT) who had two less receptions than OSU's Michael Thomas, reports that Big Nut was quiet and polite, but it wasn't great sitting behind him because he never sat down and he had that stupid doll on his helmet for the whole game. No one will ever accuse Big Nut of not sucking the marrow out of life, but who wants to go through life as a Big Nut?
[Photo Courtesy Michael Thomas (NTMT)]
Best and Worst: OSU
Worst: A Predictable Ass Kicking
Since the start of the year, what has felt so different about this season versus the last couple was the competence displayed by the coaching staff and the players on the field. Michigan didn't always win the games they could have (witness Utah and MSU) and sometimes underperformed even in those they did (see IU and Minnesota), but in totality they never seemed out of their league against anyone on the schedule.
That all kind of changed against OSU. I'm not talking about pride or effort, questioning the heart of the coaches or the players, or anything as myopic and reductive as the crap you see posted on message boards and on talk radio. No, what happened in this game was UM's coaches and players finally ran into an opponent that they just couldn't hang with, one with too much talent and too much continuity to give UM a puncher's chance. In past years when Brady Hoke had a couple of close calls, OSU would make the dumb plays, take the dumb penalties, give UM life with bad turnovers and poor coverage.
On the one hand, it is hard to be that surprised how the game played out. OSU has looked disinterested basically all season; they haven't really been challenged by a team until MSU, and honestly never seemed to "care" about anyone they faced until UM. Last week against MSU you saw a team that figured it could roll over the competition again with minimal effort (especially with Cook out), and had they put in even 50% of the effort game planning last week as they clearly did this one, they'd have run MSU off the field. But for the first time all year, OSU found itself behind the eight ball, no longer in control of their destiny to defend their title or even win the conference, and that seemed to awaken them from their stupor, and UM felt the brunt of it. Hell, they did the same thing last year after the VT loss, obliterating almost everyone they ran into along the way to the championship.
On the other hand, it was jarring to see just how far UM was behind OSU in terms of talent at key positions and how those deficiencies limited what could be implemented. The one thing you could say about Brady Hoke is that the man can recruit; of course, in both those years OSU recruited a tad better. And when you dig into those classes, you see a lot of higher-ranked players who either aren't on campus or simply failed to develop into the types of players UM needed. This isn't an indictment of these players because in most cases they did the best they could at UM, but when you are trying to compete with a Goliath you can't miss nearly as often as UM's has with their best shots.
Still, it's not that OSU is demonstrably better than UM across the board; the talent gap actually doesn't seem nearly as pronounced as in seasons past even though the score would make you think otherwise. But where OSU trumps UM, they trump them definitely; disruptive pass rushing and running back jump out, as does linebacker play. Add those up, and a game that was sorta-close at halftime (ignoring the fact that OSU had already started carving UM up on the ground and UM had played keep away a bit with their 10 points by bleeding clock on drives of 14 and 11 plays) got out of hand quickly.
I read people calling for UM to change their defensive gameplan, commit more against the run and dare Barrett to beat them in the air. I agree in concept, but my counter is – where are those players going to come from? This isn't a game where more bodies equals better results, like Plants vs. Zombies. All year the LBs have struggled against teams that spread them out and force quick, athletic decisions; if there was someone on the roster who was better than the guys at that you'd figure they would have played by now. And with Glasgow out, there is limited depth at tackle, which further limits how you can respond. Sure, the coaching staff will deservedly come under fire for some of their second-half adjustments (trying to go with a 3-man front is always ludicrous against OSU), but at some point it isn't that you got RPS'ed moreso that you only had two fingers left and all you could throw are scissors against a couple of really angry rocks.
Depth has been an issue for this team all season, but they mostly papered it over with dominant defensive line play and very good secondary coverage. At least, that was until Glasgow went down. With him out of the lineup, IU had their way on the ground, and the blueprint was set for how to crush UM up front with zone runs and tempo. That isn't to say the outcome would have been different with guys like Glasgow and Ojemudia in the lineup; OSU looked pissed off and out for blood, and when they play like that there isn't a team in the country they can't murderball.
Offensively, the lack of a rushing attack this past month has weirdly been both a blessing and a really terrible curse. On the one hand, it helped push Rudock out of the shell he was in to start the year, leading to some great numbers: 67% completion, 1,296 yards, 9.2 ypa, 11:2 TD:INT ratio over the past 4 games. Butt cemented his status as one of the best TEs in the game, and both Chesson and Darboh emerged as plus receivers with even more room to grow next year in this offense. But it also meant UM was held to 87 and 57 yards rushing against PSU and OSU respectively, and failed to crack 4.0 ypc against non-Chaos teams since early October. It got so bad that the leading rusher in this game was Peppers, running mostly gimmick plays in addition to his role as an anchor of the defense. For a team with (purported) recruiting stars in that backfield…well, I've said it for weeks now.
So yes, UM lost to the three teams you kind of expected they would (Utah, MSU, and OSU), and how they lost this last game leaves a sour taste in everyone's mouth. But there was demonstrable progress this season, and even with UM going to MSU and OSU next year it's hard not to be optimistic about their prospects against both clubs (though obviously OSU looks to be farther away). And with a bowl game to go, I expect to see this team to learn from this loss and, with the return of a couple of injured players, end the year on a high note. But with MSU likely making a run to the CFB playoffs and OSU getting bragging rights for N-1 times in the last N games, this wasn't a banner day for the season.
Best: Rudock to the Rescue or
Worst: Of Course THIS is How It Ends
This sounds like a bit of a broken record at this point, but Jake Rudock kept UM in this game as long as he could. With a non-existent running game and an offensive line that had a lot of trouble holding back the homogenized Ohio Brobarians at the edges, it fell on Jake Rudock to keep UM's offense matriculating down the field, and for three quarters of the game he did. His numbers weren't spectacular, but he completed about 60% of his passes for 263 yards, at 8.2 ypa and a TD with no interceptions. He found Chesson and Darboh in tough windows, and in the first half was largely responsible for UM's drive-saving 8/11 rate on 3rd downs. In total, of UM's 20 first downs, Rudock was responsible for 14 of them (13 in the air, one on the ground). This team probably wasn't going to win this game regardless of how well the offense played, but it would have been even uglier without Rudock at the helm.
And all game, Rudock was performing under fire, especially as OSU started to stretch their lead out and it became clear that UM wasn't even going to try to run the ball on most downs. Bosa finished with a sack, a forced fumble, and 2 more QB hits, along with numerous other pressures, and it was his hit that injured Rudock's shoulder and may have ended his season. Even before that, Rudock was getting hit with a ferocity that felt unsustainable, including on one seemingly-designed QB run where he was sandwiched by two OSU defenders while Drake Johnson (amongst others) seemed to either be running the wrong route or missing guys to block.
I've never been great at identifying offensive line issues in the moment, but it was glaringly obvious both in this game and all year that UM's offensive line is miles behind the best defensive lines in this conference, and I'm not sure how much scheming they can do to compensate for it. There were bad penalties, bad blocks (including on a screen to Smith that was blown up because of complete whiffs by both UM offensive linemen – Braden was one for sure who just dived at the legs of the defender and totally missed - on that side of the play), and an overall inability to even maintain the line of scrimmage down-to-down. It's a "veteran" unit in terms of years and starts, but it is clearly one in need of a talent injection, and with Rudock gone next year they'll also have to be breaking in a new QB, which will bring all of the attendant issues with cadence, timing, and playcalls.
But that's for another day. I do hope Rudock's shoulder isn't injured severely enough to keep him out of the bowl game, both because that would significantly improve UM's chances at a 10th win and, perhaps more importantly, give him an opportunity to cap off a pretty successful 1-year run at the helm of UM. I said last week that Rudock was a playmaker in that he always puts UM in a position to succeed, and against the best team he'll see this year he didn't disappoint. It's a credit to both him and Harbaugh's mentoring that I can say that after how the year started, and I genuinely hope there's another chapter in this story.
Worst: The Ghost of Fred Jackson Lingers
I said it above, but without Peppers this team doesn't crack 40 yards on the ground running the ball, and the non-Rudock runners who got carries in this game are a (possibly) injured De'Veon Smith, a FB, and a guy who's (again, probably) still recovering from the second ACL surgery of his college career. Guys like Green and Isaac, expected to be contributors at the bare minimum this season, faded so far into the background that it's hard to even make out their silhouettes. You have to imagine there will be a shakeup in the RB corp, if for no other reason that Harbaugh will be inclined to give anyone new a chance to show they are better than the incumbents. But after sorta-bludgeoning teams to start the year, the rushing offense fell off a cliff, and it hasn't totally been due to breakdowns in the offensive line. I mean, I know the competition took a step up once the conference slate kicked off, but to go from averaging 4.8 ypc the first six games to 3.25 ypc in the last half, and even that number is goosed by playing IU, is downright stupefying.
And while they've faced some stout units against the run, it isn't like any of them were the '86 Bears or even the '97 Wolverines. PSU gave up 227 yards to NW, 241 to Maryland, and 188 to MSU, while OSU coughed up 203 to MSU, 253 to Maryland, 195 to PSU, and even 104 to Rutgers. I don't want to bang the drum on the old Hoke chestnut of "execution", but it can't all be a lack of talent. I mean, it's been a meme around these parts that Fred Jackson was high on hyperbole and a bit lower on actual talent identification and development, but it continues to amaze me that UM hasn't had a competent, consistent running back for nearly a decade (you're mileage may vary with Brandon Minor and Fitzgerald Toussaint). Prospects seem good that Harbaugh and co. will correct for this deficiency soon, but it isn't a stretch to say that UM's season was largely sunk by the inability of the team to consistently get even a modicum of yards on the ground.
Best: People Can Catch the Ball
Before the season, a major concern offensively was the ability for this team to move the ball vertically through the air. Devin Funchess, the single biggest reason UM struggled in 2014 and probably also why you can't find your keys*, was drafted by the Carolina Panthers and proceeded to ruin THEIR season as well, and he took the vast majority of last year's passing game with him. There was buzz that Darboh would take the next step forward based on a solid 2014, but I was dubious given the fact a large amount of his production came against Miami (NTM) and IU and he lacked the type of speed and agility necessary to get separation in coverage. Similarly, Chesson had speed for days but also had 1 receiving TD to his name despite getting semi-consistent playing time for 2 years. Jake Butt looked to be a stud, but unless you are Tyler Eifert or a TE under Jim Harbaugh (oh wait…) you probably weren't going to be a great lead option in a passing game. There was optimistic talk about guys like Moe Ways and Drake Harris maybe stepping into those lead roles, or Grant Perry emerging as a weapon given his prolific HS stats and early playing time. But I wasn't optimistic about this team even matching last year's pedestrian numbers.
And yet, after 12 games UM's passing attack is the undeniable strength of the offense, and is poised to be even better next season after a summer of Harbaugh seasoning and (one hopes) an emergence of a starting QB sooner than a month before kickoff. Darboh still can't get much separation against good DBs, but he compensates with solid hands and the type of power that makes WRs screen works. Chesson leads the team in TDs with 8, has proven his ability to not only take the top off the defense but also make tough catches in traffic, and his sometimes-maligned hands and route-running have been rectified. Jake Butt is, well, one of the best TEs in UM history, and I have to expect that he'll only improve on a breakout season. And the playcalling, once the bane of any sane UM fan's life, has finally put these players in positions where they can be successful, with Harbaugh and co. liberally relying on WR screens to get the ball in space and introducing the #Buttzone to the world as a way to punish any team that believes it can stop UM's TE with a single defender.
There's still a game to go this year, but I'm already excited about how this offense will look next year with a new QB, presumably one who'll have some time to get in sync with these receivers before the years starts. It's still a unit without a true #1 talent, but right now I'm not sure there is a more complete receiving corp in the league, and they should only be better in 2016.
* So I was told on this site.
Worst: Whither Glasgow, Whither Tackling?
Everyone knows when the rush defense changed from one of the best in the nation to one that would give up over 300 yards twice in 3 weeks - it was when Ryan Glasgow went down against Rutgers with a pectoral injury, and since then UM hasn't really been able to find a suitable replacement. It doesn't help that they've faced two up-tempo teams in IU and OSU that love to wear tackles down and spread defenses out to put pressure on the LBs to make tackles in space, but UM has been gashed so consistently that Glasgow's absence is unmistakable.
At some point, you'd have hoped the defensive line and/or coaches would figure out how to compensate more effectively, especially after what felt like a steady diet of zone stretches by IU and zone reads being a staple of OSU's offense. The team played around a bit with different alignments, even going with 3 linemen for a stretch, but nothing seemed to do much good, as OSU averaged 6.8 ypc and both Elliott and Barrett averaged over 7 ypc. I'm sure there were edges that were held in this game, but I'd be damned if it made a difference. The wheels sorta fell off once OSU got new life on that roughing-the-kicker penalty followed by the first of Elliott's long runs of the game. In near-direct symmetry to UM's pass-first, pass-second offense, OSU picked up 18 of their 25 first downs on the ground, and probably could have had more had they not called off the dogs a bit late in the 4th quarter.
I know people want to say that OSU's rushing game will be more tractable when Elliott is gone, but they still have Barrett and a cavalcade of talented runners in that backfield. I mean, dropping 200+ yards on UM isn't new for OSU. Meyer is a lot of very nasty, negative things, but he is also a damn fine offensive mind, and his rushing attack isn't going anywhere. UM seems to be recruiting the type of tackles that can help disrupt the run, and Elliott is truly one of the best RBs in OSU's history. So there is hope that with mere mortals, UM will have a better chance at slowing them down. Still, it behooves UM to figure this out sooner rather than later, or I'm guessing this won't be the last time we see Buckeyes running around, over, and thru the UM defense, Glasgow or not.
Worst: The Three Amigos (In Space!!!)
So yeah, not a banner day for the linebackers. I'm sure the UFR will go into excruciating detail about exactly when, where, and how often tackles were missed, gaps were lost, and assignments misread, but everyone kind of knew that if OSU got to the second level in this game it would get ugly. Morgan is a lot of things, but athletic sideline-to-sideline isn't one of them, and a couple of times he just couldn't get to Barrett or Elliott before they found the hole. Based on the tackle numbers it would seem like Bolden and Gedeon were more involved in the game, but watching it live it felt like Morgan was identifying the plays quicker but typically just sacrificed himself to take on a blocker. This was a terrible matchup for him, though, and I'm guessing it'll show under more scrutiny.
I'm not going to rant about Bolden because (a) Brian will probably do that, and (b) I don't feel qualified to score him based on an initial view. But if history is a predictor of future outcomes, I'm guessing a lot of his team-leading tackles were because he was late to the play (witness 7 of his 9 tackles were assisted) and that a decent chunk of OSU's success getting through gaps on the stretch were due to missed assignments. It felt like both Bolden and Gedeon struggled to flow to the point of attack, and that a lot of Barrett's runs were due to someone not sticking with him on exchanges. But again, it wasn't like anyone in the LB group covered himself in glory, so I'm not trying to single anyone out as the root cause for 300+ yards on the ground.
Next year UM will have to replace both starters (and sorta-starter Ross) with Gedeon and assorted unknowns, which is pretty terrifying. I do wonder if at least some of the issues with this season's performance were due to residual gunk from the previous coaching regime, but you look at the depth chart and you only have 5 guys on campus now who were recruited for 3 spots, and, well, that ain't a good thing. Those worries are for another day, I guess, but…
Best(?): They Didn't Throw the Ball A Lot
In a game in which J.T. Barrett really didn't have a reason to throw the ball, credit should go to the secondary for, I don't know, making that slightly less appealing? Barrett had basically two long completions, both of which of the Shrug Emoticon variety. The first was his TD throw to Jalin Marshall, who had Jeremy Clark draped over him and basically caught the ball off of Clark's body. The second long throw was to Thomas late in the game, and it was with Lewis trailing a bit but still a pretty tough catch on the run. Beyond those two balls, nothing got open downfield even when OSU tried to use play action. And Lewis helped out with a nice sack on Barrett that helped stop the Buckeyes on their first drive, and his PI was the type of "it ain't racing without some rubbing" football that gets called every game just to keep you honest defensively.
I also thought the safeties played well. Nothing really beat them deep, and Thomas made a nice tackle in space to stop Barrett when he broke containment. Hill and Wilson also played pretty well, though by design they were usually tasked with stopping a freight-train Elliott after he bowled over a couple of defenders. The fact Hill, Wilson, and Thomas had more solo tackles than the 3 LBs is not great, Bob, but it does give me some hope that even with less boring safeties than this season it won't be a major source of frustration next year with Thomas and Hill playing deep.
Meh: Everything Else
- Some people seemed bothered by OSU trying to score late in the game, especially when it seemed like they were going for some record (if Holly Rowe is to be believed, somebody in the OSU coaches' box asked her how many yards Elliott had before sending him out again). Honestly, I've always been a proponent of "if you don't like them scoring, make them stop" philosophy of defense, and so if Meyer and co. want to run up the score against a rival then so be it. The fact they cared about a rushing stat that will only be relevant to them always strikes me as silly (the trade-off is potentially hurting your best player during a blowout), but whatever. That's a non-issue to me.
- In terms of UM settling for FGs on drives that went deep into OSU territory, I was more bothered with the second one than the first. When UM kicked the first one, the score was 7-3 and it felt like a game that might be close to the wire. But on the second one, UM is down 28-10 at the start of the first quarter, and while it's a 3-score game either way, I'd MUCH rather get a TD there and figure out the FGs later than grab the somewhat-meaningless 3 points and still be down 15. Hell, had they scored a TD I've have gone for 2, as you basically have to score 3 TDs either way to win, and it would have galvanized the fans and players a bit to punch on in. But that's way more feelingsball than it should be, but if you throw it all into the NFL 4th-down calculator it doesn't demonstrably change the win probability (it is 4% if you go for it, 3% if you kick the FG), but in a rivalry game it seems weird to play for the safe option down 18.
- As for the "invasion" of OSU fans and them chanting whatever stupid things they do when see each other outdoors, so be it. Fans pay for tickets, and if season ticket holders didn't want to come to the game and OSU fans got ahold of those seats, so be it. This is one of the most storied rivalries in college football history, hell in sports, and so if you can watch your team demolish the other at their place, spell your state loudly and proudly if it makes you happy. And this isn't some jaded UM elitist saying it; I care way more about who wins on the field than who wins in the stands, but if your team crushed UM then I guess you have "earned" the right to chant. Just don't hurt yourself trying to jump back on that bandwagon with the rest of the Juggalos after last week.
- I've heard some fans (mostly OSU and MSU ones) chirp that this season is going to be just like Hoke's in 2011, which showed a promising era that cratered a couple years later. Well, one of the things I've been tracking is turnover margin, as that 2011 season featured one of the best in recent history for UM, which helped cover up some deficiencies on both sides of the ball. By comparison, this year UM has one of the worst margins, mostly due to recovering 2 opponent fumbles all years. With turnovers, especially fumble recovery, being mostly random, the progress shown this year is probably even more impressive than it looks specifically because it's come against much "luck". Now, if you want to see some some teams that MIGHT find next season a bit more challenging if they can't reproduce seemingly-unsustainable TO margins, look no further than the B1G title game.
Next Week:
Nothing, nada, zip, zilch. I suspect UM will be playing somewhere in Florida on New Years, which is a nice coda to a first season under Harbaugh. I'll probably do another of these diaries for that game, but just in case not I want to thank everyone who has stuck around reading these this year. It's been a blast to follow this team for the first year, and I hope you've enjoyed reading these as much as I've enjoyed writing them.
Game Day Weather
If you were out and about last Saturday in Ann Arbor (or like me, attempting to be and realizing that was a mistake) you'll welcome this week's weather, even though it'll still be a bit chilly! High pressure across the northern plains will move into the Great Lakes region for the weekend - so you may want the winter coat and the sunglasses! Despite some sun, highs will top out in the low 40s.
Pack the crockpot, pour a hot coffee, and grab your winter gear if you're headed out to tailgate! If you're going someplace where your set-up is on the grass, you may also want the boots - it could be a little soggy after the rain we received Friday. Starting off our day around 30 degrees, but a light NE wind will have it feeling like the mid 20s - it's a good game to break out those little hand warmers! We also start the day with cloud cover, but it'll decrease throughout the day. You may want to make sure you bring some cash for a hot chocolate during this game - brr!
Clouds will clear out more and more for the afternoon, so we'll have some sunshine for the first half of the game. That'll help boost our temps too! Partly cloudy and 39 degrees for the start of the game. Winds will be out of the NNE at about 5-7mph (just light enough to feel a breeze) giving us a wind chill a few degrees colder.
42 degrees for the half - when we hopefully see our boys ahead going into that locker room! This is the warmest we'll get for the day, so enjoy those low 40s while they last! Some sun, but especially if you don't have a cusion on that bench, this is probably when you're spending that $20 on the hot chocolate haha :) Winds remain out of the NNE at about 6mph, so it'll feel more like the upper 30s throughout the second half of the game.
More sunshine leaving the stadium, and hopefully our spirits are just as bright after beating those... (insert your favorite word here). With the sun setting just after 5pm, temps will fall quickly. We're back down to around 30 degrees if you're headed out to dinner. The plus side is, the winds turn calm, so we don't have much of a wind chill to worry about. With clearing skies, we drop to the mid 20s for the late-night hours. If you're staying out til last call, it's going to be a quick walk to the car or cab, and you'll definitely want your winter coat as we'll be down to 20 degrees! Let's go blue!
Christina Burkhart is a meteorologist for ABC in Flint, MI. She grew up in Ann Arbor and associates Saturdays with Michigan football. Go Blue!!
Four Plays - Ohio State @ Michigan 2015
Four Plays – Ohio State @ Michigan 2015
I moved into my current house here in Seattle late in 2011, and signed up for the best internet service provider I ever had. Clearwire was its name at the time, later shortened to just "Clear"—but the way it worked was, they just sent you a box that you plugged into the wall, and you had high-speed internet. It ran off these things called "WiMax" towers that just broadcast a signal throughout most of the Seattle area. There were no cables, no contracts, no service appointments—nothing. And it worked great for about three-and-a-half years.
But over the last six months or so, the service began to slow down and malfunction—and eventually went out altogether. When I looked into the problem, it turned out a competitor bought Clear and took down the WiMax towers—replacing them with nada. For someone like me, who thinks of internet service as a basic utility just like basic water service or garbage pick up, this felt pretty much like a giant, undeserved middle finger. It took me about nine days to get new service up and running with a new company—one that had to send technicians to my house with power drills and fiber cables. Yeah, Seattle ain't so high-tech.
At least we are back on-line now, but this all happened while I was supposed to be writing a Four Plays for Michigan's trip to Penn State. It was very disappointing. That was a Four Plays I definitely should have written, but the internet service providers did not put me in a position to get it done. No chance I am letting that happen again next year. On the bright side, it's good to know I won't face discipline for letting my mgocomrades down last week.
Anyway, hopefully things will break our way this weekend—and if so, I will try and make up for last week with a special B1G championship game Four Plays (I've been planning to do our bowl game regardless). But for now, The Game is upon us. Let's take a look at some matchups.
When Michigan has the ball…
1. Inside Zone/WR Smoke
A staple for Michigan all season has been the wide receiver screen. The play forces defenses to move would-be run defenders to the perimeter, or else cede easy yards on the edge. While technically a passing play, I am treating this as Michigan's run play both because it seems to work more consistently than any of M's actual runs, and because it's basically a long handoff to the WR anyway.
The pre-snap read here is the slot defender (circled), who will typically either be a nickel back or a safety. If the slot defender aligns to the inside, then the defense will have seven run defenders in the box—but the offense can outflank the defense on the edge by throwing the WR screen. If the slot defender moves outside, then the offense has six blockers for six run defenders, and thus Rudock should opt for the run (per inside zone rules: covered linemen block the guy covering them, uncovered linemen help and then advance to second level).
WR Amara Darboh: Step back and create linear target for QB; secure catch, then turn downfield and read slot receiver's block (cut inside if slot receiver forces the defender to the sideline, outside if the slot receiver keeps his defender inside)
Slot WR Grant Perry: Block CB Eli Apple (proper technique here is to get hands inside the defender's shoulder pads and drive him in any direction; it will be the ballcarrier's job to "make the block right")
LT Mason Cole: Block WDE Tyquan Lewis, who is covering him
LG Ben Braden: Block NT Joel Hale, who is covering him
C Graham Glasgow: Uncovered; block MLB Raekwon McMillian
RG Kyle Kalis: Block 3T Adolphus Washington, who is covering him
RT Erik Magnuson: Block SDE Joey Bosa, who is covering him
TE Jake Butt: Uncovered; chip SDE Joey Bosa, then block ILB Joshua Perry
WR Jehu Chesson: Block CB Gareon Conley (so hard that he really, really understands he made the wrong choice)
QB Jake Rudock: Read alignment of WLB Darron Lee to determine run or pass; if pass, receive snap and throw immediately to WR Amara Darboh; if run, hand off to TB Deveon Smith
TB Deveon Smith: Receive handoff and aim for 4-hole between RG and RT; read blocks, make a single cut and head downfield
Advantage: Ohio State
Michigan's rushing offense has been far from overpowering this season, and the edge defenders involved on this play would be bona fide college stars Eli Apple and Darron Lee. Not that our guys are chopped liver, but yeah: advantage OSU.
2. NCAA Route
One of the greatest college offenses ever designed, IMO, was the proto-Air Raid attack Steve Spurrier ran at Florida: the Fun & Gun. Unlike most offenses, which look to run the ball first and foremost and then simulate run action to open up passing plays downfield, Spurrier designed his entire offense around the drop back pass—and draw plays (running plays that simulate passes at the outset to draw defenders upfield) with dangerous runners like Erricht Rhett and Fred Taylor were his sort of anti-play-action passes.
Still, probably the Fun & Gun's most lasting contribution to football schematics may have been Spurrier's downfield route designs—which were simple to teach and execute, made use of the entire field, and put defenders in conflict. One of his most famous designs, the post-dig combination he called "Zebra," lives on as the "NCAA Route" that most college and pro teams now run. One of those teams is the Michigan Wolverines, as we saw last week when Jake Rudock lasered a perfect completion to Jehu Chessonon the dig. (Speaking of Chesson, I wonder who said this about him before the season started: "a giant leap forward in the Harbaugh offense is highly conceivable. He's always been a smart player, and the coaches will want him on the field for his crack blocking and because his speed presents at least the possibility of stretching defenses vertically. Chesson is my pick for Michigan's breakout offensive player (I consider Butt to have already broken out) this fall." Hmm. I wonder who it was. Really wonder who. Maybe it was the guy who wrote this (page 27)? Sorry; I will go in the corner and enjoy my hypothetical self-awarded cybercookie).
As Space Coyote explains, the three key routes to the NCAA concept are the dig, the drive, and the post. This design puts receivers at three levels of depth across the middle of the field. The dig and drive routes stress the underneath defenders (i.e., the linebackers), while the dig and post routes stress deeper zone defenders (safeties)—all with the added challenge of forcing these defenders to find receivers coming from different directions across the field. Teams can also mix and match these route combinations to attack defenses in lots of different ways without necessarily requiring receivers to learn new techniques.
XWR Jehu Chesson: Run dig route at 12-15 yard depth vs. S Tyus Powell (quarters coverage)
Slot WR Grant Perry: Run wheel route vs. FCB Garon Conley
LT Mason Cole: Pass block vs. WDE Tyquan Lewis
LG Ben Braden: Pass block vs. NT Joel Hale
C Graham Glasgow: Pass block vs. 3T Adolphus Washington
RG Kyle Kalis: Pass block vs. 3T Adolphus Washington
RT Erik Magnuson: Pass block vs. SDE Joey Bosa
TE Jake Butt: Run drive route (like a shallow cross but where the receiver gains depth as he crosses) vs. MLB Raekwon McMillan, ILB Joshua Perry
ZWR Amara Darboh: Run post route (vs. BCB Eli Apple, S Vonn Bell (quarters coverage)
QB Jake Rudock: Three-step drop from shotgun; read deep-to-short (post, to dig, to drive)
TB Deveon Smith: Pass protection
Advantage: Even
The way Michigan's passing game has been performing recently, I was tempted to declare the advantage for Michigan. But then I remembered that Joey Bosa and Adolphus Washington exist, so downfield passing routes might be an issue. I do think M will hold its own in this phase, but so will the Buckeyes.
When Ohio State has the ball…
3. Inverted Veer
A constant frustration with the Al Borges offense was his tendency to run option plays without actually, you know, optioning off a defender. How much of this was because of Denard's inconsistent ability to make quick and accurate reads and how much was a face-punching fear of leaving play-side defenders unblocked, I don't imagine we'll ever know. But Ohio State runs these plays correctly, and have plenty of hardware to show for it.
The Inverted Veer (or more tough-guy sounding "QB Power Read") combines two of our favorite concepts—the Power O (note the double-team on the playside DT and the puling guard), with a mesh exchange and option read on the playside DE. Instead of having to block that DE, the QB "blocks" him by optioning him off: if the DE widens for the tailback, the QB keeps and runs inside the DE. If the DE stays inside, then the QB gives the ball to the tailback who cuts outside on the sweep.
Unlike most outside runs, where the playside defender on the end of the line-of-scrimmage needs to fight to set and edge point in the backfield and force the runner back inside, I believe the most effective tactic for defending against the Inverted Veer in this matchup will be for the DE to force the give, and then for the filling defenders to spill the tailback to the sideline. Yes, I realize that means putting the ball in the hands of Ezekiel Elliott, but such is life in The Game.
Buck LB Royce Jenkins-Stone: Defend back side C-gap vs. LT Taylor Decker; backside pursuit
NT Maurice Hurst: Defend back side A-gap vs. C Jacoby Boren (try to PLOW him into the pulling LG)
3-tech DT Chris Wormley: Hold ground and defend play side B-gap vs. double-team from RG Pat Elflein and RT Chase Farris
SDE Willie Henry: Defend front side C-gap vs. QB JT Barrett; force give, spill RB Ezekiel Elliott outside
WLB Joe Bolden: Backside pursuit vs. RT Chase Farris
MLB Desmond Morgan: Defend play side A-gap vs. LG Billy Price, backside pursuit
SS Delano Hill: Defend play side D-gap vs. TE Nick Vannett
NB Jabrill Peppers: Defend play side E-gap vs. H/Slot Braxton Miller
CB Jourdan Lewis: Defend play side F-gap vs. WR Michael Thomas
Advantage: Even
Yeah, Zeke Elliott gets the ball wide, but OSU also needs to block Jabrill Peppers with Braxton Miller. Good luck with that. I wouldn't be surprised if Meyer tries to address this by alignment, such as by motioning Miller to the opposite side of the field (and hoping Peppers goes with him). But Meyer won't want to take Miller off the field, because…
4. H-Option
…Braxton Miller gives Ohio State a dynamic threat in the passing game. The play that probably best utilizes Miller's athleticism as a receiver is what Eleven Warriors calls "H-Option"—sending Miller on an option route and having him just get open. More specifically, the H drives at his defender and attempts to beat him inside on a slant; failing that, he breaks outside.
FCB Jourdan Lewis: Press coverage ("Man everywhere he goes") vs. XWR Michael Thomas
Buck LB Royce Jenkins-Stone: Pass rush vs. LT Taylor Decker
NT Maurice Hurst: Pass Rush vs. LG Billy Price, C Jacoby Boren
3T Chris Wormley: Pass Rush vs. RG Pat Elflein
SDE Willie Henry: Pass Rush vs. RT Chase Farris
MLB Desmond Morgan: Spy QB JT Barrett
WLB Joe Bolden: Man coverage vs. RB Ezekiel Elliott
NB Jabrill Peppers: Man coverage vs. H-Back Braxton Miller
SS Delano Hill: Man coverage vs. Slot WR Curtis Samuel
BCB: Man coverage vs. WR Jalin Marshall
FS Jerrod Wilson: Patrol deep middle
Advantage: Michigan
It's pretty certain that Jim Harbaugh knows all about H-Option, because that's a play he had to watch the BYU Cougars run against repeatedly against Michigan in the 1984 Holiday Bowl. Those plays (supposedly) gained 198 yards and 2 TDs against an overmatched M linebacker. But Michigan will be ready for it this time around.
Go Blue!
Adv. Stats Win Probabilities Rehash - Week 12 Results
So, here's the latest Total Wins Probabilities for U-M, Sparty, OSU and PSU (even though they're out of it, they still factor in), updated with the Week 12 results. As was done last week, I'll show both S&P+ and FPI-based Total Wins probability distributions in the embiggable charts below:
The S&P+ and FPI win probabilities for each team's remaining games that inform the charts above are shown in the table below, along with the wins expectation values:
Michigan State
Ohio State
Penn State
Mr. Obvious: "Does this mean 'Sparty … yes?'"
Mr. Smarty-pants: "Just zip it. I'm not going there."
So here's one last look at the charts – not much to be gleaned other than:
- Sparty is now the most likely to win by both estimates, followed narrowly by U-M in the S&P+ estimate, or OSU by a wider margin under FPI.
- The converse of that is, of course, PSU is the least likely to win.
Of course, with only one game remaining, the pathways by which U-M, MSU or OSU, are quite easily understood. The probabilities of each scenario are quantified below, which basically amounts to subdividing the likelihood that MSU would lose by that of either U-M or OSU winning:
UM wins
& MSU loses
MSU wins out
OSU wins
& MSU loses
So, yea. U-M & OSU, by virtue of OSU taking a dive last week, are left to fight for the statistical table-scraps of Sparty's matchup with PSU. U-M's chances have eroded by about 1/3, thanks to the Buckeyes having screwed the pooch. Frankly, OSU deserves to be pummeled just for that bit of incompetence, so as to show them what sorry losers they really are. But, if you're looking for some sort of solace in these numbers, then I'll offer you this:
The likelihood of PSU beating MSU in East Lansing, is better than the likelihood was of Sparty (S&P: 20%, FPI: 20.9%) beating OSU last week.
Mr. Obvious: "Oh great. So now what's the chance of lightning striking twice..."
Mr. Smarty-pants: "Well, since the first event has already occurred ... the likelihood of the second event is the same as it was for the first. Or as your broker might say, 'Past performance is no guarantee of future returns.'"
Finally, here's the picture of how all of these probabilities (and those for the rest of the B1G) impact the projected end-of-season conference standings resulting from the S&P+ predictions:
B1G East
Michigan State *
Ohio State
Penn State
Maryland *
* - winner of tie-breaker
B1G West
Nebraska *
And following are the standings resulting from the FPI predictions:
B1G East
Michigan State *
Ohio State
Penn State
Rutgers *
* - winner of tie-breaker
B1G West
Northwestern *
Minnesota *
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, and Go Blue!
Battle 4 Atlantis Preview
Evidently someone decided to build a state-of-the-art resort in the Bahamas, complete with a casino, water park, and something called a Dolphin Cay. They named it Atlantis – originally created by Plato as an allegorical state in the distant Atlantic, and eventually becoming prominent in popular culture, often as "a fabled lost utopia / dystopia, often described as sinking due to man's hubris and descent into decadence" (per TV tropes). Maybe the folks that run this Atlantis mega-resort / Carribean wonderland understand the irony of the name.
They've started an annual college basketball tournament, typically one that features some of the country's elite programs – it's surrealist basketball, played in a ballroom with the crowd bathed in a gloomy royal blue glow. This year, it's a good field with intriguing possible matchups, the headliners being two opening-round contests between in-state rivals (Gonzaga vs. Washington and Texas vs. Texas A&M), and possible semi-final matchups between Syracuse and either UConn or Michigan (the former would be a reprise of a prominent regional rivalry in the old Big East, the latter would be the 2013 Final 4 rematch / Tyus Battle Classic).
Probabilities are derived from a log5 analysis of the Pythagorean rating on Kenpom (the probabilities were run at the completion of Tuesday's games); the # next to the team name is their Kenpom Rank (out of 351 D-1 teams)
Ace will do a traditional game preview for the contest against UConn later this afternoon, but I'll give a brief rundown of Michigan's potential opponents on days two and three in the Bahamas. Blurbs on each of the other six teams are after the jump.


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SLAY SUNDAY: TAMPA PRO 2012Posted by Spanish Mike | Uncategorized | No Comments
SLAY SUNDAY: Tampa Pro 2012
Follow On Twitter @spottampa
SLAY SUNDAY: Tampa Pro 2012
Follow On Twitter @spottampa
The homies over at tampa skatepark are in the contest east vs west over at transworld, so go on the site and vote – S.M.
December 6th was Connor birthday so we decided to get breakfast to start the day off right
Connor also owns this elevator on his birthday
the love of my life and the one thing i can't forget is my skateboard
The push of a birthday, today is Connor day to rip
he was too hype, he skated everything in site on the way to breakfast
The best place for soup and a dope breakfast spot everyone will agree with this
he is hype and panera was a good choice to eat this morning
Connor was hype to have steve the photography come out on his birthday mish thanks again steve
Tampa baby on the way to the park, this is gonna be fun
we made it to the park now its time to get our shred on
This picture shows how hype connor is
The Famous tampa hallway so many skaters have skate through this many years very historical
great choice for a birthday dinner
The Birthday was over but Connor will still shredding and partying like its his birthday everyday, this kid rips stay tune for the video from this day – S.M.
Manny qualifies 6th this weekend and is going to the semi finals on sunday, so stay tune and peep it live on Volcom.com/DamnAm – S.M.

subset: commoncrawl


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Top 10 films by Pedro Almodóvar
With 'I'm So Excited!' on the way we countdown the director's best work
Next gallery »Shailene Woodley and Theo James fight the future in new 'Divergent' images
« Previous galleryThe dead walk: Our 10 favorite zombie movies
4. "Bad Education" (2004)
Perhaps no Almodóvar film has grown for me over repeat viewings as much as this profoundly personal noir riff, which folds his sexual, religious and cinematic fascinations into one of the most formally sophisticated narratives in his oeuvre. He insists it's not autobiographical, but that's not to say it doesn't reflect and refract all manner of personal experiences and philosophies: this might be his most seething, personally wounded film, yet it still has plenty of fun and games with (and within) its metafiction. The gender-bending Gael García Bernal, meanwhile, is a mercurial lead.
Photo Credit: Sony Classics


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Texico's arena an 'awesome' site for hoops
Walking through the newest athletic facility at Texico, N.M., it's easy to sniff that "new gym smell" - as Wolverines athletics director John Irwin remarked while making a recent tour.
AHS roars out of blocks
Amarillo High begins District 2-5A tonight owning the best start at the school by a boys basketball team in 62 years.
Hedley gives hoot about Lady Owls
The Hedley Lady Owls know how to throw a hootenanny.
HP coach isn't surprised
Jason Loftiss boldly predicted 16 victories and a playoff berth for the Highland Park girls basketball team prior to this season. Most figured it was just blind optimism from a new head coach.
Area High School Standings
District 2-5A
Builders' group, OSHA sign agreement
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Panhandle of Texas Chapter of the Associated General Contractors will sign a partnership today aimed at improving construction site safety.
Business Briefs
Financial services firm Edward Jones received the top rank in Fortune magazine's annual "100 Best Companies to Work For." Fortune noted Edward Jones' profit-sharing program and the 25 percent rate of employee stock ownership.
Market Summary
NEW YORK (AP) - Wall Street meandered through a listless session Monday, closing narrowly mixed while investors awaited the start of fourth-quarter earnings reports.
Variable universal life is best of a bad lot
As a general rule, avoid permanent life insurance. But if you want such a policy anyway, use variable universal life. Here's an explanation:
Church buys Homeland building
Grace Community Church purchased the old Homeland location at the intersection of Plains Boulevard and Western Street in the last week of 2002.
Tonya Stevens
Pam and Philip Stevens of Canyon announce the engagement of their daughter, Tonya Kay, to Tommy James Lopez.
Amber Cash
Tamra and Curtis Cash of Amarillo announce the engagement of their daughter, Amber Rae, to Shawn Carlisle.
Valerie Wooten
Karyn and Ronald Wooten of Amarillo announce the engagement of their daughter, Valerie, to Nathan Griffin.
Amy Latham
Leigh Ann and Larry Latham of Amarillo announce the engagement of their daughter, Amy, to Nathan Dalke.
Farrah Stuart
Claudia and Harold Stuart of Amarillo announce the engagement of their daughter, Farrah Lee, to Robert "Evan" Williams.
Brandy Lake
Norman Lake of Dallas and Dee Dee Lake of Amarillo announce the engagement of their daughter, Brandy Leanne, to Tye Justin Maddox.
Emily Bitler
MaryAnn and Bruce Bitler of Richardson announce the engagement of their daughter, Emily Rebecca, to John Randall Durrett III.
Jamie McCright
Mr. and Mrs. Jim McCright of Stamford announce the engagement of their daughter, Jamie Beth, to Jim Bob Mote.
Kara Fite
Mr. and Mrs. Victor A. Fite of Amarillo announce the engagement of their daughter, Kara Mikal, to Eric Munger Swanson.
Linda Carter
Gayle and Marion Carter of Hereford announce the engagement of their daughter, Linda Gayle, to Terry John Thompson.
Stephanie Osment-Cook
Stephanie Osment-Cook and Dr. Rick Roden announce their engagement.
Kyla Dankworth
Laura and Greg Dankworth of Amarillo announce the engagement of their daughter, Kyla SueAnn, to Bobby John Mathew Sanders.
Laura Kenimer
Kim and Bobby Kenimer of Borger announce the engagement of their daughter, Laura Elizabeth, to Jason Eugene Arrington.
Seniors for Childhood Immunization needs volunteers 55 or older to educate new mothers on the importance of immunization and enroll them in the postcard reminder system. Visits will be done in the hospital, one day a week for about an hour. Volunteers will be trained.
Dietitian's Corner: Blueberries packed with nutritional benefits
The power of blue.
Brief: Editorial editor to speak to Republican Women
Amarillo Republican Women will meet at 11:45 a.m. Thursday at the Amarillo Country Club. The guest on the program will be John Kanelis, editorial page editor for the Amarillo Globe-News. His topic will be "current political events."
Panhandle People: SWOSU recognizes its honor students
Several students from Amarillo and the surrounding area were named to either the president's honor roll or the dean's honor roll at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Okla., for the fall 2002 semester.
Watch Out!
New York - Fashion walks a fine line between being functional and frivolous and it's usually the accessories that serve as the balancing rod.
Back in the saddle again
For male bicyclists, the road to fatherhood may have just hit a few more bumps.
Here's the dirt . . . on gossip
Gossip. Not everyone does it. But almost everybody does.
Brief: Transform that leftover fruitcake with hints
There are said to be people with limited taste for fruitcake au naturel or any style. The following suggestions may appeal, as helpful, even delectable, ways of disposing of a surfeit of fruitcake:
Free camps available for children with hepatitis B or C
Starting this summer, children with hepatitis B or C will have a chance to have a summer adventure at two medical camps, thanks to Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases and Paul Newman's Association of the Hole in the Wall Gang Camps.
Magazine shows renewed appreciation of ethics
Hooray for "Time Magazine" in choosing three brave women as "Persons of the Year."
Robinson honored at Tascosa grid banquet
Senior linebacker Kirk Robinson was named the most valuable player Monday during the Tascosa football banquet at the Amarillo Civic Center.
Texas Tech Briefs
Texas Tech University School of Allied Health Sciences added new members to the Amarillo campus.
Doctor plans to build suicide machine in U.S.
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Australian Dr. Philip Nitschke plans to build a new machine for people to kill themselves with carbon monoxide after his prototype was seized as he left his native country, he told a euthansia conference Sunday.
Scientists fight infection by exploiting natural communication of bacteria
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Most folks wouldn't last long without telephones, traffic lights and television, not to mention plain old talk. Communication is vital to just about everything we do.
Living brain scans show Alzheimer's at work
Some doctors would enjoy nothing more than poking around inside your brain. First they would give your frontal cortex a thorough going-over.
Medical Rounds
Coffee Memorial Blood Center will conduct blood drives at these locations:
Health officials: Mexican hospital where babies died under-resourced
MEXICO CITY (AP) - A hospital in southern Mexico where 25 babies died last month didn't have adequate resources, but the increased number of deaths was due largely to premature births and a lack of prenatal care, health officials said Sunday.
Legislature to take up health-related issues
Cloned babies and rampant malpractice lawsuits are public enemies No. 1 and 2 among health-related issues the state legislature will consider this session.
Bulletin Board
On Saturdays and Sundays (and other times when Ms. Bulletin Board just gets terminally lazy), this space is devoted to a little wire feature called "Today in History."
Volunteer: Call to Action
The Crown of Texas Hospice will have a free volunteer training course from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Monday and Thursday from today to Feb. 13 at 1000 S. Jefferson St. The course educates people about hospice and volunteer opportunities. Contact Gemma Reyes or D'Ann Berry.
PDRA board to consider granting tax abatement
SPEARMAN - The Palo Duro River Authority board of directors will talk to officials from a California firm proposing to build a wind power facility in Hansford County at the regular meeting at 2 p.m. today at the PDRA board room, according to a PDRA news release.
A New Beginning
Canyon High Principal Gene Suttle celebrated his 49th birthday Monday at the site of the new Canyon high school with purple flags blowing and golden shovels stuck in freshly turned dirt.
Judge says officials must pay owed taxes
GUYMON, Okla. - Texas County officials must pay property taxes owed to Guymon to cover the city's bond debt, District Judge Greg Zigler ruled Wednesday.
Counties' concerns on agenda
Constable issues, rising legal defense costs for indigent inmates, strengthening county regulation over rural subdivisions and controlling counties' health insurance costs are among county topics Texas lawmakers could tackle in the upcoming legislative session.
Party lines hot topic for legislative session
Leadership appointments made by the speaker of Texas House of Representatives could set the tone for how large or small a role party politics will play in the 78th regular session of the Texas Legislature.
Amarillo Kmarts to close
Attention, Kmart shoppers. The Blue Light in Amarillo is about to disappear. Posted today @ 8:24 p.m.
Home sales down 5 percent
Last year's home sales eased off 2001 figures by 5 percent, but the median sales price still rose from $89,500 to $90,000.
Brief: Police arrest man in robbery at adult club
An unpaid tab for a table dance at a local adult club led to the arrest of an Amarillo man Saturday, according to police.
Airman admits killing her baby
CLOVIS, N.M. - A 21-year-old Cannon Air Force Base airman admitted to investigators that she suffocated her 15-month-old son, but said she did it because she wanted to ease his suffering.
It's All Trew: Wheat harvest was the major event of its time
No event of the old days quite equaled the frenzy and excitement of wheat harvest time on the Great Plains.
Officials consider fresh water district
MIAMI - The Roberts County Commissioners Court on Monday morning unanimously voted to accept the findings of a takings impact assessment on a petition proposing the creation of freshwater supply district submitted by a group of Roberts County landowners lead by Dallas oilman T. Boone Pickens.
A Day In The Life: His artistic vision
Eddie Lancaster has his own artistic laboratory of sorts, a warehouse studio where brilliant designs and pictures take shape on a cotton canvas.
Because of incorrect information submitted to the Globe-News, the New Neighbors Coffee and Luncheon information has changed.
Meet Your Neighbor: Boston native embraces Panhandle life
Katheryn Dowd traded slushy snow and busy city life for Panhandle sunsets, friendly neighbors and wide open spaces when the native Bostonian arrived in Canyon four years ago.
Volunteer: Call To Action
The children's home needs household goods and good used vehicles. Contact Gary Gibson.
Amarillo Planning and Zoning Commission, 2:45 p.m., City Hall, 509 E. Seventh Ave.
Amarillo City Commission, 3 p.m., City Hall, 509 E. Seventh Ave.
State to review city's sidelined incinerator
State environmental officials plan to visit the city of Amarillo Animal Control Shelter today to investigate the city's failure to perform environmental testing on the facility's animal incinerator.
Lawmakers undaunted by deficit
A balanced budget is the goal of legislators whether the budget shortfall is $9.9 billion, as announced Monday, or $5 billion as previously projected.
Potter to seek treasurer applicants
Potter County commissioners decided Monday to seek new applicants for county treasurer after Treasurer Judy Messer failed to win enough commission support to lower her official bond.
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Nora McMillin
Nora McMillin, 60, of Amarillo died Saturday, Jan. 11, 2003.
Funeral Services
William "Bill" Goodman, 82, of Borger died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2003. Brown Funeral Directors.
Fern LeMaster
PERRYTON - Fern LeMaster, 94, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2003.
Berlin Crites
CLAYTON, N.M. - Berlin Crites, 88, died Saturday, Jan. 11, 2003, in Elkhart, Kan.
Loyd "Kirk" McWilliams
STRATFORD - Loyd "Kirk" McWilliams, 71, died Monday, Jan. 13, 2003, in Dumas.
Billie Virginia Zinck
CLAYTON, N.M. - Billie Virginia Zinck, 75, died Monday, Jan. 13, 2003.
Irene Pankey
Irene Pankey, 87, of Amarillo died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2003.
John Curtis Higginbottom
QUANAH - John Curtis Higginbottom, 87, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2003, in Crowell.
Betty Jo Cline
DUMAS - Betty "Jo" Cline, 76, died Saturday, Jan. 11, 2003.
Alicia Chacon de Tovar
GUYMON, Okla.- Alicia Chacon de Tovar, 61, died Saturday, Jan. 11, 2003.
Charlie Brownlow
LUBBOCK - Charlie Brownlow, 58, died Saturday, Jan. 11, 2003.
William "Bill" Goodman
BORGER - William "Bill" Goodman, 82, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2003, in Amarillo.
Charles E. Scott
Charles E. Scott, 67, of Amarillo died Friday, Jan. 10, 2003.
Francis Thompson
TULIA - Francis Thompson, 87, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2003.
Paul B. Mauk
Paul B. Mauk, 92, of Amarillo died Saturday, Jan. 11, 2003.
All Obits - Text Only
All Obits - Text Only
Audie Mae Cagle Mitchell
TULIA - Audie Mae Cagle Mitchell, 93, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2003.
Funeral Services
Harrold A. "Hap" Cavness, 79, of Amarillo died Monday, Jan. 13, 2003. N.S. Griggs and Sons Funeral Directors, 2615 Paramount Blvd.
Wallace Downs
BORGER - Wallace Downs, 77, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2003.
Luke Wilson
Luke Wilson, 67, of Amarillo died Monday, Jan. 13, 2003.
All Obits - Text Only
All Obits - Text Only
William Clifford DeBord
William Clifford DeBord, 90, of Amarillo died Monday, Jan. 13, 2003.
Stephen Lyle "Steve" Hamilton
SPEARMAN - Stephen Lyle "Steve" Hamilton, 31, died Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2003.
Judy Duty
Judy Duty, 63, of Amarillo died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2003.
Hazel Starr Tice
LUBBOCK - Hazel Starr Tice, 90, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2003.
Lois A. Tolleson
PAMPA - Lois A. Tolleson, 91, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2003, in Canadian.
Monday Briefing
Even Yogi Berra can see that just maybe the fat lady is warming up.
Editorial: Richardson jumps into global fire
Serving as an intermediary for a potential international crisis probably is not what Bill Richardson had in mind as one of his first tasks as New Mexico governor.
Other Opinion: We are becoming a nation of parasitic slugs
The American Lung Association's report, released last week, which gave the state of Texas a failing grade for how it was using tobacco settlement funds, should be a wake-up call for all of us.
Editorial: Lawmakers have lengthy to-do list
The 78th Texas Legislature kicks into gear today, beginning its task of leading state government for the next two years.
Horsley: Pop quiz: Word wizards, sharpen your pencils
As we travel along life's journey, we encounter unfamiliar words and face a choice: skip over them and remain ignorant, try to guess their meaning, or look them up and thereby expand our vocabulary.
Letters To The Editor: Dumas-to-Dalhart highway a death trap
After traveling to Dalhart the weekend after Christmas and reading the stories of deaths on those same highways, it is clear something needs to be done to control the traffic in that area.
Editorial: Amarillo proves to be a cut above the rest
Amarillo will host a world-class championship event in 2004 - an event that represents the result of community activism, dedication, and foresight that is of benefit to the entire area.
Letters To The Editorial: Obit may have caused confusion
Recently you ran an obituary for my Uncle Pinky (Jesse Daniel Sheets). It stated that he invented a wire-roller. This has caused some confusion.
Brief: Soccer teams preparing for district
Area soccer teams will continue their preparations today for the upcoming district season.
Brief: Lewis front-runner for Bengals job
CINCINNATI (AP) - Washington Redskins defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis is the front-runner to become Cincinnati's new head coach, but the Bengals still will interview Steelers offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, according to two sources who spoke to The Associated Press on Sunday on condition of anonymity.
NFL zebras drawing unwanted attention
The most telling words in the NFL's latest officiating brouhaha came from referee Ron Blum during the Pittsburgh-Tennessee game.
Raiders ground NY Jets
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - The playoffs have been unkind to the Oakland Raiders for almost two decades. So they took out 19 years of frustration on the New York Jets.
McNair, Titans show more grit
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Maybe now Steve McNair will get the attention the Tennessee Titans think he deserves.
Els cruises to eight-stroke victory with tournament-record 31-under
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) - Ernie Els got the PGA Tour off to a record-setting start Sunday, and stated his case as a legitimate challenger to Tiger Woods.
UIL OKs two 5A private schools
AUSTIN (AP) - Two private schools would be allowed to participate in the University Interscholastic League in Class 5A after a vote of approval Monday by the league's governing council.
Brief: Rockets say knee injury to Yao isn't serious
HOUSTON (AP) - Houston Rockets rookie Yao Ming says his knee injury is not serious.
Brief: Area riders fare well in cutting event
ABILENE - Austin Blake of Canyon finished third in the Classic/Challenge at the Abilene Spectacular cutting event Sunday.
Bucs' defense shuts down 49er
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers proved their offense can be just as dangerous as their league-leading defense.
Brief: Tapia's condition upgraded to fair
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) - Boxer Johnny Tapia could soon be going home from a hospital after his condition was upgraded Monday from serious to fair, authorities said.
Big 12 Recap: Kansas State pulls first major surprise
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - All of those Big 12 Conference basketball coaches who wondered aloud which of the conference's underdogs would be the first to bite didn't have to wait long to find out.
Brief: Ward to remain head of USOC
DENVER (AP) - Lloyd Ward kept his job as head of the U.S. Olympic Committee on Monday, despite a finding that his attempt to steer business to a company with ties to his brother "created the appearance of a conflict of interest."
Olympic bronze places Goebel in spotlight, lifts expectations
DALLAS (AP) - Almost a year later, Tim Goebel is still surprised when it happens.
Brief: Tyson gets divorce from second wife
ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) - Mike Tyson and his second wife were granted a divorce Monday, and the former heavyweight champion agreed to pay her $6.5 million from future earnings.
Brief: Sophomore Echols to leave Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - Missouri sophomore forward Najeeb Echols is leaving the team, coach Quin Snyder announced Sunday.
Brief: Sabres file for bankruptcy protection
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - The Buffalo Sabres filed for bankruptcy protection Monday, becoming the second NHL team in a week to seek relief from creditors.
Cohen credits recent success to Russian style of training
DALLAS (AP) - Sasha Cohen had what it takes to be the world's best figure skater - powerful jumps, a ballerina's grace and a presence so captivating that it makes other skaters fade into the background.
Capriati falls in first round
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - For two weeks, Jennifer Capriati stayed out of sunlight, recovering from surgery to her eyes.
Brief: Kohl reportedly wants to sell Bucks
MILWAUKEE (AP) - Milwaukee Bucks owner Herb Kohl is willing to sell a majority interest in the team.
Racing facility's opening delayed
AMARILLO (AP) - The first phase of a horse racing park will open about eight months behind schedule because of a dispute over sewer service, officials said Monday.
Mariucci, 49ers' owner to discuss future Tuesday
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Steve Mariucci and owner John York will begin talks about the coach's future with the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday.
Mavs capture sixth straight victory
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Dallas blew all of its 13-point lead by the fourth quarter, and that's when Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki took over.
Brief: Officials investigate James over new car
CLEVELAND (AP) - State high school officials are investigating whether LeBron James broke any eligibility rules with his new car.
Steelers' weakness in secondary made them vulnerable
PITTSBURGH (AP) - In a season highlighted by many comebacks and many changes, there was one constant for the Pittsburgh Steelers: They couldn't get the job done in the playoffs.
Brief: Gibbs, Hoffman retained by new coach Parcells
IRVING (AP) - Gary Gibbs and Steve Hoffman have been retained as Dallas Cowboys assistants by new coach Bill Parcells.
Duke slams Wake Forest
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) - With its resume the last four seasons, there should be no surprise No. 1 Duke is the only undefeated team left in men's college basketball.
Brief: UT's Brown alters staff
AUSTIN (AP) - Texas coach Mack Brown realigned his staff Monday by hiring LSU assistant Mike Haywood as running backs coach and dismissing offensive line coach Tim Nunez.
Australian Open: Agassi, Serena look to stay healthy
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - For Serena Williams and Andre Agassi, just starting the Australian Open is an improvement from last year.
Francis leads Rockets past Celtics
HOUSTON (AP) - Steve Francis scored 26 points, including eight of his team's final 12, as the Houston Rockets overcame a 3-point barrage by Boston to defeat the Celtics 101-92 Monday night.
Brief: Maier to make World Cup comeback
BORMIO, Italy (AP) - Hermann Maier will return to World Cup competition Tuesday, about 112 years after a motorcycle accident nearly cost him his right leg.
Big 12 Men: Oklahoma State nips Oklahoma, 48-46
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) - Victor Williams made a disputed bank shot with 3.6 seconds to play, giving No. 24 Oklahoma State a 48-46 victory over fifth-ranked Oklahoma on Monday night.
McNabb, Eagles confident it's their turn
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - After St. Louis beat the Philadelphia Eagles in last year's NFC championship game, Donovan McNabb walked onto the field and watched the Rams celebrate.
Hockey: CHL acted too hastily on safety-netting mandate
The Central Hockey League issued an important mandate in September for all 16 of its teams - install safety netting at arenas or else.
Brief: Ex-world champ Tapia in critical condition
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Five-time world champion boxer Johnny Tapia remained in critical condition at a Las Vegas hospital on Sunday.
2002 PSHOF Track Honorees: Former HP runner adjusts to 'job' of collegiate track
Former HP runner adjusts to 'job' of collegiate track
PSHOF Track Honorees
Track Coach Honorees
Brief: Jaguars, Iowa's Ferentz discuss job
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - The Jacksonville Jaguars have talked with Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz and will conduct several more interviews to fill their head coaching vacancy this week, a league source told The Associated Press.
A&M president plans to narrow vision
COLLEGE STATION (AP) - Texas A&M President Robert Gates has said he plans to narrow the focus of a strategy that seeks to make A&M one of the 10 best public universities in the United States.
Brief: Delay may endanger funds for dredging project
CORPUS CHRISTI (AP) - City officials are anxiously awaiting the results of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' environmental assessment of a dredging project, concerned that the delay could jeopardize $1.25 million in state grants.
Bush's former commander relieved of duty
HOUSTON (AP) - The Texas Air National Guard has relieved the commander of President Bush's former fighter wing, which is readying for deployment to the Middle East, for improper conduct.
State jail escapee caught in Midland
MIDLAND (AP)- An inmate who walked off his job as an animal caretaker at the Formby Unit in Plainview two days ago was arrested Sunday morning at a convenience store in Midland.
Lobbyists to flood Capitol for new session
AUSTIN (AP) - Outside the Texas House chamber, chatter rises from a cluster of smartly dressed men and women who wait for precisely the right moment to ply their trade.
Brief: Computer problems lead to charter school closing
BEAUMONT (AP) - Nearly 60 high school students will have to find a new school after the charter school they were attending decided to close after its computer-based classes had continual problems.
Husband, crew set for flight
Jane Husband, mother of Amarillo astronaut Rick Husband, flew to Florida on Monday to watch her son's second trip to space.
Plans for second causeway taking shape
PORT ISABEL (AP) - The Texas Department of Transportation has finalized a contract with a Houston-based consulting firm to begin looking for a potential location for a new causeway to South Padre Island.
Pakistanis urge exemption from tracking requirement
DALLAS (AP) - The Pakistani ambassador to the United States has told hundreds of immigrants concerned about their legal status that his government urged the Bush administration to exempt them from the requirement to register under a new federal tracking program.
Mold-protection firms spring up
DALLAS (AP) - Some homeowners think mold is a health danger, and insurance companies consider it a threat to their profits, but David Swift sees a business opportunity.
High school hit by viral outbreak
HOUSTON (AP) - Harris County health officials continue to investigate the cause of a rash of student illnesses at suburban Houston high school that appear consistent with a diarrhea-causing virus notorious for afflicting passengers aboard cruise ships.
Teen-ager pleads guilty to capital murder charge
LUBBOCK (AP) - A 17-year-old has pleaded guilty to capital murder in the slaying of a 21-year-old at an automated teller machine.
Environmentalists express concern about proposed Galveston bridge
GALVESTON (AP) - Environmentalists are concerned a proposed bridge that would link Galveston to the Bolivar Peninsula would disturb natural habitats in the area and increase pollution levels.
Maurice Gibb dies at 53
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Maurice Gibb, who with his brothers built the Bee Gees into a disco sensation that ruled the charts in the late '70s with hits like "Stayin' Alive" and "More Than a Woman," died Sunday at the age of 53.
Death penalty supporters question move
CHICAGO (AP) - As Illinois begins emptying its death row by order of the governor, opponents of capital punishment are setting their sights on wider reforms, while death penalty supporters are questioning Gov. George Ryan's motives.
Who rules N. Korea?
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - His birthday is North Korea's "Greatest Holiday" and if that seems a bit overblown consider this: According to North Korean state media, his feats routinely cause rose bushes and apricot trees to bloom out of season for sheer joy.
Check this Out
MARKED TREE, Ark. (AP) - A suspect's love for Dum-Dum lollipops led police right to his front door.
Protesters march on military base in Venezuela
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Soldiers lobbed tear gas at tens of thousands of Venezuelans marching on a park near a military base to demand the armed forces' support in the ongoing strike against President Hugo Chavez. Nineteen people were injured.
Brief: Should replacement trade center be world's tallest?
NEW YORK (AP) - Replacing the fallen World Trade Center towers with the world's tallest building would demonstrate courage. Or would it be hubris?
Check this Out
PORT ANGELES, Wash. (AP) - Seventy years ago, Erling "Bub" Olsen baked bread and served the hungry on Depression-era bread lines as the final project in his bid to become an Eagle Scout.
Turkey OKs U.S. to inspect bases
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - As tensions grow with the United States, Turkey finally has agreed to allow the American military to inspect its bases for use in a possible war with Iraq.
AOL Time Warner chairman Case to resign in May
NEW YORK (AP) - AOL Time Warner Inc. chairman Steve Case will resign his post in May, the company said Sunday - the latest and most dramatic executive shuffle at a company dragged down by regulatory investigations and the collapse of Internet advertising at AOL.
People In The News: Scorsese uses Rome studio to recreate NYC
ROME (AP) - An unabashed admiration of Italy prompted Martin Scorsese to use a Rome studio to recreate New York City of the 1860s for his immigrant epic "Gangs of New York."
OPEC to boost oil production
VIENNA, Austria (AP) - OPEC members agreed Sunday to boost the cartel's oil production target by 6.5 percent to stabilize a world market jittery over a crisis in Venezuela and the possibility of war in Iraq.
Ex-Baltimore mayor dies
BALTIMORE (AP) - Clarence Du Burns, who rose from a high school locker room attendant to become the city's first black mayor, died Sunday of kidney failure. He was 84.
U.S. is willing to consider aid
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - The United States is willing to consider energy aid for North Korea if it ends nuclear weapons development, a U.S. envoy said Monday.
Illinois governor morphs from death penalty advocate to foe
CHICAGO - With less than three days left as governor of Illinois, George H. Ryan looked at the staff members who were helping him decide who on death row should live and who should die.
People In The News: Show to shun stars
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Steve Harvey won't have to worry about fighting booking wars for his new WB variety-talk show: He doesn't plan to have any celebrity guests.
Brief: Gunmen kill 2 Israelis; 4 Palestinians killed
JERUSALEM (AP) - Palestinian gunmen killed an Israeli in a village near the West Bank and a second in a battle on the usually calm Egyptian border, marking an upsurge in violence despite Yasser Arafat's call to stop attacks on civilians before Israel's Jan. 28 election.
Young, uninsured
Laid off from his job at a computer software company in Philadelphia, Andy Szamody wondered where he would find health coverage.
Today in History
Today's Birthdays: CBS commentator Andy Rooney is 84. Blues singer Clarence Carter is 67. Country singer Billie Jo Spears is 66. Singer Jack Jones is 65.
Kmart to close 326 stores, shed 37,000 jobs in bankruptcy plan
Kmart Corp. announced Tuesday that it is closing 326 more stores and eliminating 37,000 more jobs as part of a plan to get out of bankruptcy by the end of April. Posted today @ 1:45 p.m.
Brief: Study: Shrinking households pose growing threat
The number of people in the average household is shrinking, driving an international housing boom that puts more strain on biodiversity and the environment than does the overall rise in the world's population, according to a study.
North Korea ready to negotiate
WASHINGTON (AP) - Despite its bellicose rhetoric, North Korea is ready to negotiate directly with the United States about its nuclear weapons programs, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said.
Mexican president praises Ryan for commutations
MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico's president called Illinois Gov. George Ryan to thank him for commuting the death sentences of all condemned inmates in his state - including three Mexicans, the president's office said Sunday.
Calif. to distribute iodide pills near nuclear plants
State health officials have decided to more than triple the number of potassium iodide pills they distribute in communities around California's two nuclear power plants.
Ships prepare for deployment
WASHINGTON (AP) - Building up for a possible war against Iraq, the Navy is deploying a seven-ship armada with up to 7,000 Marines from California, matching a force already under way from the East Coast.
Man drowns trying to save stray canine
MINT HILL, N.C. (AP) - A man drowned Saturday after he and his wife fell into a pond at a golf course when he tried to rescue a stray dog in the water, authorities said.
Israelis probe ancient tablet's links to Bible
JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli geologists said Monday they have examined a stone tablet detailing repair plans for the Jewish Temple of King Solomon that, if authenticated, would be a rare piece of physical evidence confirming biblical narrative.
Brief: Justice: Church, state separation misinterpreted
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (AP) - Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia complained Sunday that courts have gone overboard in keeping God out of government.
Separated twins return home to Guatemala
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) - Twin Guatemalan girls born fused at the skull returned home Monday after successful surgery to the welcoming arms of families, friends and dignitaries.
Brief: Fund will help entities projected to fall short
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Public schools, libraries and other entities expecting proceeds from a state tax fund will be disappointed this year.
Brief: Chief inspector says mission may last months
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - U.N. inspectors took their hunt for banned arms to science and technology colleges in Baghdad on Monday, and the top nuclear inspector said his teams' mission would take several more months.
Brief: Federal government sues to keep seized vehicles
ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) - The federal government has filed a civil lawsuit seeking to keep 10 vehicles seized from a counterterrorism school here after the owner's arrest.
Attorney general speaks up for criticized religious initiative
WASHINGTON (AP) - Attorney General John Ashcroft on Monday endorsed giving religious organizations government money for social services, stepping into a debate critics say is unsuitable for the nation's top law enforcement official.
3-state manhunt ends near Clayton
CLAYTON, N.M. (AP) - A woman was killed and her two companions were injured as a three-state manhunt for robbery suspects ended Monday evening with a shootout in northeastern New Mexico, state police said.
Sailors go to sea
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - Four of the seven Virginia-based Navy ships that have received deployment orders in the past week went to sea Sunday as a military buildup continued ahead of a possible war with Iraq.
Brief: Venezuela's opposition reviewing strike strategy
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuelan opposition leaders said Monday they were considering asking doctors, teachers and small business owners to return to work, saying aspects of the 43-day-old walkout could become "counterproductive."
Longtime publisher Hale dies
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Retired newspaper executive James H. Hale, whose career took him from his native Texas to Altus, Okla., and both coasts with a 15-year stint as publisher of The Kansas City Star, died Sunday. He was 75.
Today in History
In 1864, composer Stephen Foster died in New York.
Four Palestinians killed in Israel
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Israeli forces killed four Palestinians in military strikes Sunday in the Gaza Strip, including two teen-age boys hit in a botched missile attack on Islamic militants.
Supreme Court to hear family leave bias case
Inside a threadbare home in Nevada's desolate high desert, Bill Hibbs collects disability payments for his heavily sedated wife and yearns for a final victory over the state he says stole his future.
Brief: Prep wrestling season continues
High school wrestling action will resume tonight involving three Amarillo-metro schools and one area school.
PSHOF Volleyball Honorees
Volleyball Coach Honorees
Fernandes, Graystone help WT remain national power
Jess Anne Fernandes slowly marched into the West Texas A&M Event Center with her teammates early last month.
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Tibi Womenswear
The range from Tibi focuses on refined ease of sophistication and elegance. The luxurious fabrics are draped and knotted to form feminine dresses, tops and skirts. The earthy tones used in stone greys, moss greens and watery blues amongst a monochrome palette encourage an effortlessly chic energy behind this exquisite collection.


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Central Bark Fido Fest unleashes the fun
A fine time for canines
This may be the warmest and fuzziest festival of all. »Read Full Article
This is the final weekend for most Milwaukee County Parks pools
Milwaukee County Parks pools will begin closing after this weekend as lifeguards begin heading back to campus.
Deep-well pools will remain open through Sunday. Those are the pools in Hales Corners, Holler, Jackson, Kosciuszko, McCarty, Oak Creek Parkway, Sheridan, Washington and Wilson parks. »Read Full Article(4)