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Most all the great ones had brushes with disaster. Long before becoming beacons of hope for their respective teams, many great coaches nearly went down on a ship already thought to be sunk. Bill Parcells' trip to the Pro Football Hall of Fame was almost over as soon as it started.
Most all the great ones had brushes with disaster. Long before becoming beacons of hope for their respective teams, many great coaches nearly went down on a ship already thought to be sunk.
It almost happened to Paul Brown when he was a high school head coach at Massillon. Bill Belichick was fired before launching a Hall of Fame career in New England. Marv Levy was canned by Kansas City before he made it to Canton via Buffalo.
Bill Parcells' trip to the Pro Football Hall of Fame was almost over as soon as it started. In December 1982, Parcells got the chance to be a head coach.
George Young, the general manager of the Giants, wanted to hire someone from Ray Perkins' staff to replace Perkins, who left to become the head coach at the University of Alabama. Parcells landed the job.
He started the 1983 season by benching Phil Simms for journeyman — at best — Scott Brunner. By the middle of the season, Parcells went back to Simms, who completed four of his first five passes in a game and then broke his thumb. Parcells didn't have either QB after that. One lost to a fractured thumb, the other to a fractured ego.
"He was trying to be the head coach his first year," Simms said.
It got worse.
Parcells finished the '83 season with a 3-12-1 record. Before the season was over, though, assistant coach Brian Ledbetter died of a brain hemorrhage. Former Giants running back Doug Kotar died of brain cancer. With his job, maybe his career, on the line, Parcells' mother died in December, and his father two months later.
Meanwhile, Young was meeting and trying to convince Howard Schnellenberger to take over for Parcells.
"I almost didn't survive it," Parcells said. "It's pretty common knowledge the job was offered to someone else. Fortunately for me, that person didn't take it and I got another opportunity."
The close call with failure opened Parcells' eyes to two things. One, he learned from that season on, the NFL is a business and there aren't any friends in business.
"It also allowed me to revisit my approach, and say we may not make this work, but if we don't, we're not going to make it doing it our own way," Parcells said. "That snapped me out of trying to be the head coach and put me back into being Bill Parcells."
Who is Bill Parcells?
That's a story every bit as interesting as his coaching career.
He is the oldest of four children. His father, Charles, was a stellar athlete growing up. By the time he became an FBI agent, his friends called him "Chubby," although he was tall, thin and athletic. When Bill was born, his father quit the FBI because the danger didn't mix with having a family, and he took a job as an executive with a rubber company.
When Bill Parcells was 5 years old, he had an altercation with an older neighborhood bully. Parcells took his lumps in the fight and went inside to tell his father what happened.
"You have to get back out there," his dad said.
"Looking back, it was a question of me being able, at a young time in my life, to handle confrontation," Parcells said. "My dad just told me I had to go back. I was afraid to do that and he just kept telling me, 'You've got to go back or you'll never be able to go.'"
Parcells went back. The bully was older and bigger. "He was more rough and tumble than I was at the time," Parcells said. As it would turn out, that bully's name was Daniel Astrella. He and Parcells would remain lifelong friends.
As a three-sport star growing up (football, baseball and basketball), Parcells was a leader. He once stopped a summer league baseball game in the last inning and called a team meeting on the mound. Parcells, the catcher, took his gear off and told the left fielder to get behind the plate and switch positions with him.
The final batter made the last out of a one-run win to Parcells in left field. There were run-ins with basketball coaches and officials because Parcells was the alpha male all along.
He changed his own name. He was born Duane Charles Parcells, but when kids at school confused him with another Bill, he changed his name to Bill in high school. He was one of the biggest kids in his class, and always a jock.
Because he had been a player, Parcells knew what buttons to push on Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson. His coaches had pushed his buttons. In high school, one his of coaches yelled at Parcells, a starter on defense, on the practice field and in front of the team, "Parcells, I wish you were a piece of crap out there because then at least someone would slip on you."
That coach, Tom Cahill, hired Parcells in 1966 to become his linebackers coach at Army.
At Army, Parcells became friends with basketball coach Bobby Knight and was his assistant for one season. After stops at Florida State, Vanderbilt and Texas Tech, Parcells' first head coaching job came in 1978 at Air Force.
A year later he agreed to join Perkins' staff as the Giants' defensive coordinator. But his wife, Judy, wanted to remain in Colorado. Parcells resigned the NFL job and took a position with a land company for a year.
"Most of the time, it was a miserable year," Parcells said.
In 1980, Parcells was hired as an assistant coach with the Patriots because Perkins opened the door. Near the end of the '79 season, Parcells called Perkins to see if they could have dinner before a Giants game in Kansas City. Perkins agreed.
"He told me, 'You don't owe me a thing. I owe you a lot ... but I would appreciate it if you could help get me back in the league,'" Perkins said.
Soon after, Perkins' good friend, Patriots head coach Ron Erhardt, lost a linebackers coach. Perkins pulled strings with both Parcells and Erhardt behind the scenes. He first called Parcells and told him to phone Erhardt about the opening.
"When I hung up with Bill, I called Ron and told him I had a linebackers coach for him that he needed to hire," Perkins said. "I told Ron, Bill was a great coach and he had some bad luck the first year. ... But I also told Bill he could only sign a one-year contract because if he signed a two-year contract I wouldn't be able to hire him back as the defensive coordinator."
Parcells coached the 1980 season with New England. After it was over, Perkins called him to offer him the defensive coordinator position on his staff in New York. Perkins wanted a 3-4 defense and a stud linebacking unit he could build a defense.
Parcells could tell Lawrence Taylor was special, but not living up to his athletic abilities. Parcells pushed buttons on his players that first year in New York.
"He knew what buttons to push because he studied the players and knew them as individuals," Perkins said. "Bill knew what reaction he'd get before the players knew how to react. That's a trait most great coaches have. They study players and figure out what makes them tick and what motivates them."
Perkins inherited a terrible Giants team. New York went to the playoffs in 1981. After the 1982 season, Perkins accepted the Alabama job to replace Bear Bryant. Before he left, though, he made a recommendation to Young to hire Parcells as the head coach.
"George was hesitant at first," Perkins said.
Parcells struggled that first year as a head coach. He learned of the drug problems on his team, including Taylor. After the 3-12-1 season in 1983, Parcells released nearly two dozen players from the team. Simms returned to start at quarterback. He rode Taylor hard and defensive tackle Jim Burt. He had a new weight room built, which served as a central gathering place for the players in the offseason.
"Everybody has 53 players and he had 53 different ways to motivate guys," Taylor said. "The things he would use on Phil Simms to get his ass in gear, well, he's not going to try that with me because I won't stand for it.
"The one thing I loved about him was he treated you like a man. There was no talking behind your back. If he had something to say to you, he's going to say it to your face, man to man."
Former players such as backup quarterback Jeff Hostetler have said they enjoyed winning with Parcells, but didn't enjoy being around him. He was tough. He was vocal. He could hurt a player's feelings not just with his look, but with his words.
"You hear a lot of stories about him, and then you find out they're true," former Giants defensive back Mark Collins said. "I wanted to impress him. You played for him to get that rare pat on the back. He was tough, but he was fair."
Parcells would say after his coaching career that Collins was the one player he should have treated better.
"In his eyes, I didn't do anything right," Collins said. "That made me work harder. ... I'll tell you this: If Parcells said it was so, it was going to be so."
The Giants went to the playoffs in 1984 and '85. Then in 1986, they went 14-2 and won the Super Bowl with Parcells pushing players' buttons all the way.
"He turned our franchise around," Giants owner Wellington Mara said. "We went through a long period in the 1960s and '70s when we were a laughingstock. When Bill took over in 1983, he survived a very difficult first year, but he turned us into a perennial playoffs contender."
New York returned to the Super Bowl in 1990 and beat the Bills to win it all. That may have been Parcells' finest season coaching. The Giants weren't expected to win it. But he was still motivating his players.
New York had to play San Francisco on the road in the NFC Championship game. After the Giants beat the Bears to get there, Parcells called the team together.
"Everyone packs for two weeks when we go to San Francisco," Parcells told them. "After we go to San Francisco and kick their ass, we're going to the Super Bowl."
"That's some good [stuff]," Collins said. "Keith Byars said of Parcells, 'If that man says there's cheese on the mountain, you better bring the crackers.' When he told us to pack for two weeks because there were no other options, we knew we were winning the Super Bowl. There wasn't a Plan B. The message we heard from him was Bill Parcells thinks we're going to win the Super Bowl, then we're going to win the Super Bowl."
Parcells left the Giants after the second Super Bowl because of health concerns, and he had heart bypass surgery a year later. He stayed "retired" for two years before he took over the Patriots. He turned them around and lost in Super Bowl XXXI to Green Bay. Soon, though, Parcells' relationship with owner Robert Kraft crumbled. Initially, Parcells had authority over personnel decisions, but Kraft vetoed Parcells' decision in the 1996 draft to take a defensive player. Kraft wanted Ohio State receiver Terry Glenn. Parcells started calling Glenn "she" in interviews.
"They want you to cook the dinner, at least they should let you go shop for some of the groceries," is the famous line Parcells said at the time.
Parcells' contract did not allow him to coach for another team, however. Instead, the Jets tried an end around by hiring him as the general manager and head coach. The league said no. The Jets then hired Bill Belichick as their head coach and Parcells as an "adviser." Kraft threatened to sue.
The NFL eventually ruled Parcells could be released from his contract and the Jets would have to give New England fourth-, third-, second- and first-round draft picks over the course of three years.
"Sure I have regrets," Parcells said. "I probably wish I had handled things differently in New England. As you get older, you speak more with the ability to reflect. I left a good team and put in hard work there. I do regret the way things turned out there. I'm not speaking for Robert Kraft, but I think he probably does, too. We both would have done things differently."
The Jets, like everywhere else, turned around. However, Parcells retired in 1999 as head coach and spent one more season as the general manager. Jerry Jones then hired Parcells in 2003. He retired after the 2006 season, and never coached again. Parcells returned to the league in 2008 and helped Miami to the playoffs as the team president and left after an ownership change. He contemplated filling in for his former understudy, Sean Payton, after the NFL suspended Payton as the Saints head coach for the 2012 season.
Parcells did not come out of retirement. It helped his chances of getting selected to the Hall of Fame. Many wondered when the sure-thing Hall of Famer would get in.
"I don't think the right word is 'worry,'" Parcells said. "It's out of your control. You don't worry about it. I don't want to say it wasn't important to me, either. It is very important. It is nice to be recognized with some of the better people in your industry. ... I never worried. I wondered, though."
Reach Todd at 330-580-8340 or email@example.com
On Twitter: @tporterREP


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|Estadísticas de por vida en MLB
|Kansas City
|19th in AL
|17th in AL
|18th in AL
|2 de noviembre de 2017
|SS Mike Aviles eligio agente libre.
|25 de julio de 2017
|Miami Marlins seleccionado el contrato de SS Mike Aviles de New Orleans Baby Cakes.
|19 de mayo de 2017
|Miami Marlins envian a SS Mike Aviles envian a rotundamente a New Orleans Baby Cakes.
|17 de mayo de 2017
|Miami Marlins designado SS Mike Aviles para la asignación.
|12 de mayo de 2017
|Miami Marlins seleccionado el contrato de SS Mike Aviles de New Orleans Baby Cakes.
|11 de mayo de 2017
|SS Mike Aviles asignado a New Orleans Baby Cakes.
|4 de mayo de 2017
|Miami Marlins agente libre firmado SS Mike Aviles con un contrato de la ligas menores.
|30 de abril de 2017
|SS Mike Aviles asignado a New Orleans Baby Cakes.
|21 de agosto de 2016
|Atlanta Braves liberan a SS Mike Aviles.
|17 de agosto de 2016
|Atlanta Braves designado SS Mike Aviles para la asignación.
|16 de agosto de 2016
|Atlanta Braves cambian a SS Erick Aybar a Detroit Tigers for Mike Aviles and C Kade Scivicque.
|18 de diciembre de 2015
|Detroit Tigers agente libre firmado SS Mike Aviles.
|2 de noviembre de 2015
|SS Mike Aviles estado en la lista cambian a por Cleveland Indians.
|16 de julio de 2015
|Cleveland Indians activan a SS Mike Aviles.
|11 de julio de 2015
|SS Mike Aviles estado en la lista cambian a por Cleveland Indians.
|18 de mayo de 2015
|Cleveland Indians activan a SS Mike Aviles de la lista restringida.
|15 de mayo de 2015
|Cleveland Indians ponen a SS Mike Aviles en la lista restringida.
|8 de mayo de 2015
|LF Mike Aviles estado en la lista cambian a por Cleveland Indians.
|3 de noviembre de 2012
|Cleveland Indians cambian a RHP Esmil Rogers a Toronto Blue Jays for LF Mike Aviles and C Yan Gomes.
|21 de octubre de 2012
|Toronto Blue Jays cambian a RHP David Carpenter a Boston Red Sox for SS Mike Aviles.
|30 de julio de 2011
|Salem Red Sox cambian a RHP Kendal Volz a Wilmington Blue Rocks; Boston Red Sox cambian a 3B Yamaico Navarro a Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Royals cambian a SS Mike Aviles a Boston Red Sox.
|20 de julio de 2011
|Kansas City Royals llamado Mike Aviles de Omaha Storm Chasers.
|10 de junio de 2011
|Kansas City Royals opcionado Mike Aviles para Omaha Storm Chasers.
|3 de mayo de 2010
|Kansas City Royals llamado Mike Aviles de Omaha Royals.
|11 de abril de 2010
|Kansas City Royals opcionado Mike Aviles para Omaha Royals.
|11 de abril de 2010
|Kansas City Royals opcionado Mike Aviles para Omaha Royals.
|16 de noviembre de 2009
|Mike Aviles estado en la lista cambian a por Kansas City Royals.
|7 de julio de 2009
|Kansas City Royals transferido SS Mike Aviles de la 15-día lista de deshabilitado a la 60-día lista de deshabilitado.
|24 de mayo de 2009
|Kansas City Royals ponen a SS Mike Aviles en la 15-día lista de deshabilitado. Strained right forearm.
Resides in Santa Clara, UT during the offseason with his wife, Jessy, their son, Madden, and their daughters, Kyla, and twins, Adriana and Maiya. Attended Concordia (NY) College, where he was named Rawlings/ABCA Position Player of the Year and Rawlings/ABCA Division II Player of the Year as a senior after leading all Division II players in batting average (.500) with 20 doubles, six triples, 22 home runs and 65 RBI in 45 games.2015
Completed his third full season with the Cleveland Indians in 2015, playing in 98 games. Saw time at five different positions for the Indians, appearing in 34 games in left field, 28 games at third base, 23 games at shortstop, 11 games at second base and five games in center field. On bereavement list from May 8-15 and moved to the restricted list from May 15-18. Recorded the seventh four-hit game of his career on May 21 at the Chicago White Sox. Hit .298 (14x47) with eight runs scored, two doubles, one home run and four RBIs in 15 games during May. Blasted a go-ahead solo home run in the 10th inning on July 2 at Tampa Bay. On bereavement list from July 11-16. Finished the month of September with a .286 (12x42) batting average with eight runs scored, two doubles, one home run and four RBI.2014
Spent second full season with the Indians and was again a jack-of-all-trades asset, spending time at six different positions, adding center field and right field to his repertoire...Appeared in 33 games at second base (28 GS), 36 games at third base (28 GS), 15 games at short stop (12GS), 27 games in left field (17GS), 3 games in center field (1GS) and 3 games in right field (2GS)... Over his 88 starts the club compiled a record of 48-40 (.545). Enjoyed his first career walk-off home run on August 15 vs. Baltimore off Brian Matusz, an 11th inning solo shot that gave the T ribe a 2-1 win...F rom August 19 thru the end of the season he hit .263 (20-76) with 5 2B, 1 HR and 10 RBI in 27 games but batted just .215 (31-144) in the second half....Hit .272 (50-184) with the bases emp ty and was 3rd on the team with 14 steals in 19 attempts. Finished 14th in the American League in batting average with 2 strikes (.242, 38/ 157) and was 3rd in the league behind Jose Ramirez and Brett Gardner with 11 sac hits...Missed 9 games from Sep t 2-10 with concussion symp toms suffered on Sept 1 vs. Detroit diving for a ball in right field...Best month was May, hitting .301 (28-93) with 6 2B, 2HR and 16RBI in 25 games (2nd on the club in RBI in May to Brantley's 19) ... Hit .269 (47-175) in 56 games in the 9-spot in the batting order.2013
Spent first full season in Cleveland after being acquired in the off-season from Toronto...Came as advertised, providing solid play at a variety positions for Terry Francona's Indians...Made 35 starts at shortstop (46 games), 37 starts at third base (56 games), 11 starts at second base (12 games) and made 4 starts in left field...Started 19 straight games at shortstop from June 4-25 when Asdrubal Cabrera was on the 15-day DL...Played for Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic and hit .323 (10-31) with a double, home run and 9RBI in 9 games for the WBC runner-up PR squad... Was T5th in the WBC in hits and T2nd in RBI among all players…Also played in 2009 for PR in WBC...Collected a single-game career-high 5RBI on April 28 at Kansas City (night game) and hit .300 (12-40) in 17 July games with 9 runs scored and 3RBI...Hit his first career grand slam on Sept 1 at Detroit off Joaquin Benoit to break a scoreless tie in the 9th inning and snap a 5-game losing streak...Hit .241 (35-145) in the second half of play (50G, 17RS)...Hit .232 (51-168) with runners on base...Was 7-for-46 (.152) over his last 17 games after Sept 7... Was tied for 5th in the American League with 8 sac flies and tied for 10th in sac bunts (7).2012 Spent 1st full season with Boston in 2012 and set career highs in games (136), at-bats (512), doubles (28), home runs (13), RBI (60) and walks (23) and matched career highs in extra-base hits (41) and stolen bases (14)...Was the team's primary shortstop for most of the season, making 123 starts and 128 appearances at the position overall...Made 1 start at 2nd (2 games overall) and 3rd base in September...Also made 5 starts at DH in late August and early September. Ranked tied for 3rd in AL with 13 HR and 6th with 59 RBI at shortstop...Was also 7th in the AL at short with 40 extra-base hits...Became the 1st Red Sox shortstop with double-digit homers and steals since Nomar Garciaparra in 2003 (28, HR, 19 SB)...His 13 HR were the most for a Sox SS since Garciaparra in 2003...Was the 7th-hardest AL player overall to double up, going 85.3 at-bats per GIDP (512 AB/6 GIDP)...Hit .321 (18-for-56) with 2 outs and RISP, 11th in the AL (min. 50 PA)...Batted .286 (42-for-147) with a .429 SLG off lefties compared to a .236 clip (86-for-365) and .362 SLG off righties. Made a career-high 36 starts in the leadoff spot and knocked 8 homers in those games, the 10th-most home runs in the AL while batting in the 1-hole...Finished April with 5 homers and 17 RBI while hitting .291 (25-for-86)...Marked his most RBI ever in a single month and 2nd-largest home run total (6, Sept. 2010)...Matched career highs with 4 hits (6th time), 3 extra-base hits (2nd time) and 2 doubles on April 24 at MIN...Ejected for 1st time in his career on 5/17 at TB by HP umpire Dan Bellino after striking out to end the 7th inning. Hit 1st 2 career leadoff homers in consecutive games, 5/19-20, both at PHI...According to Elias, the only other time a Red Sox hitter had a leadoff homer in consecutive games was Harry Hooper in both games of a doubleheader on 5/30/1913 at WSH...Homered in a career-high 3 straight games overall from 5/18-20, all while batting leadoff...Became the 1st Sox leadoff man to do that since Felix Mantilla, 9/18-20/1964, and the 3rd with Boston overall since 1918 (also Roy Johnson, 6/27-28/32)...Prior to being acquired by Cleveland he was traded from Boston to Toronto on October 21 in exchange for RHP David Carpenter as compensation for Manager John Farrell. 2011 Hit .317 (32-for-101) in 38 games for Boston after being acquired from Kansas City on 7/30...Combined to slug .576 against left-handed pitching, 10th best among American Leaguers with at least 85 plate appearances vs. southpaws...His .318 AVG (27-for-85) against lefties ranked 16th-best among that group...Stole 14 bases, tying a single-season career-high (also 2010)...Was successful in 4 of 6 stolen base attempts with Boston...Swiped 2 bags as a pinch runner...Went 41-for-185 (.222) with with Kansas City prior to the trade...Was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on 6/9 and hit .307 (43-for-140) with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 9 home runs and 25 RBI in 35 games with the Storm Chasers...Following a 7/20 recall to Kansas City, went 37-for-117 (.316) in 44 games between the Royals and Red Sox...For Boston, appeared at 3rd base, shortstop, 2nd base, right field and left field...Started in right field on 8/6 vs. NYY, his 1st game in the outfield as a professional, and made his 1st start in left field on 8/26 vs. OAK...His .317 AVG with Sox ranked 15th among AL players from 7/30 through the remainder of the season (min. 100 AB)...Hit .364 (28-for-77) in his 1st 30 games with the club through 9/18 but went 4-for-24 (.167) the rest of the season...Hit .444 (16-for-36) over 16 games from 8/27-9/20, the 2nd-best AVG in the Majors in that time (min. 35 PA) after Texas' Mike Napoli (.448)...Homered twice in a 3-game stretch, 9/16-18, his 1st 2 shots with Boston...His 1st Red Sox homer, a solo shot in 4th inning on 9/16 vs. TB, proved to be the winning run in a 4-3 victory...Snapped a 54-game homerless drought, the 2nd longest of his career after 80 games from 5/11-9/12/10 with KC...Following the season, hit .289 (11-for-38) with 3 doubles, 2 homers, 5 RBI and 8 walks in 10 games with Leones de Ponce of the Puerto Rico Baseball League, including 9 starts in right field. 2010 Less than nine months removed from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow (July 7, 2009), Aviles made the Royals opening day roster before being optioned to Omaha on April 11...he returned on May 3 and served as the primary second baseman the remainder of the season...Led all of baseball with a .412 average (42-for-102) and .450 on-base pct. leading off an inning (min. 100 at bats while leading off)...Recorded 12 extra-base hits (5 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, .648 SLG) over his final 20 games of the season after posting just 15 (11 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, .351 SLG) in his first 90 games of the season. 2009 Made his first Opening Day roster as Kansas City's starting shortstop...made 33 starts at shortstop and one at third...batted .183 in 36 games before going on the 15-day D.L. with a right forearm strain on May 23...Underwent season-ending "Tommy John" surgery on his right elbow on June 8...was transferred to the 60-day D.L. on July 7. 2008 Named the 2008 Les Milgram Royals Player of the Year after bursting onto the scene as a rookie...became the third rookie to win the award, joining Bob Hamelin (1994) and David DeJesus (2004)...Finished tied for fourth in the A.L. Rookie of the Year voting...Was 1 of 3 fi nalists for the American League Players Choice Outstanding Rookie Award...Was named to the Topps Company's 50th annual Major League Rookie all-star team as the shortstop...becomes the 14th player in the franchise's 40 seasons to be named to the elite team and the second shortstop (Angel Berroa, 2003)...Was the Royals' nominee for the Hank Aaron Award, given to the best overall offensive performer in each league...The Royals went 52-50 after he was inserted as the regular shortstop on June 6...the club was 23-37 prior to June 6...Led all Major League rookies with a .325 batting average, while also fi nishing among the A.L. rookie leaders in nearly every other offensive category, including second in multi-hit games (39) and on-base pct. (.354), third in hits and runs, and fourth in doubles, total bases (201) and slugging pct. (.480)...Recorded the highest rookie batting average in Royals history (min. 400 at bats), surpassing hitting coach Kevin Seitzer's .323 mark in 1987...fi nished with the second-best on-base pct. (Kevin Seitzer, .399) and slugging pct. (Mark Quinn, .488 in 2000)...His .325 average was the 12th-highest average in Royals history (min. 400 at bats)...Posted 39 multi-hit games in 102 contests, including 12 3-hit games and four 4-hit games...Finished third in the A.L. and fi fth in the Majors with a .3587 (66-for-184) average with men on base...teammate David DeJesus was fourth in Majors at .3591 (65-for-181)...Also starred defensively, posting the fi fth-best fi elding pct. (.974) among A.L. shortstops (min. 90 games), the fourth-best range factor/9 innings (4.56) and the second-best zone rating (.849)...Was incredibly consistent through his fi rst 4 months in the Majors, hitting .330 in June, .330 in July, .339 in August and .308 in September...won KC Player of the Month in both July and August...hit .348 (49-for-141) with a .575 slugging pct. against lefties...Started the season at Triple-A Omaha and was hitting .336 (72-for-214) with 21 doubles, 6 triples, 10 homers, 42 RBI and 42 runs scored in 50 games with the O-Royals at the time of his call-up...Was selected from Omaha on May 29...made his Major League debut that night vs. Minnesota...He recorded his fi rst Major League hit, a double in the third inning at Yankee Stadium on June 6 with friends and family looking on...He hit a game-tying 2-run home run off of Texas' Eric Hurley at home on June 12, Mike's fi rst Major League blast...Was named A.L. Co-Player of the Week (X. Nady-NYY) from July 28-August 3 after hitting .577 (15-for-26) with 4 games of at least 3 hits...Recorded a career-high 12-game hitting streak from July 7-22, hitting .423 (22-for-52) with 10 RBI...posted 4 hitting streaks of 7 or more games on the season...Finished the season strong, leading all MLB rookies with 33 hits in September, trailing only George Brett (35) among Royals rookies...scored 22 runs in the month, tied for the third-most ever among KC rookies. 2007 Had a tremendous season at Omaha (AAA) and was rewarded by being named both the Omaha Player of the Year and Kansas City Minor League Player of the Year...also won Player of the Year honors with the Surprise Royals in 2003...Led the O-Royals in RBI, runs, hits, at bats and triples...posted a .320 (47-for-147) average with a .510 slugging pct. against left-handed pitchers...also hit .310 (45-for-145) with runners in scoring position and .467 (7-for-15) with 2 home runs in extra innings...played at second, third and shortstop...Played for Aragua in the Venezuelan Winter Leagues, hitting .299 (61-for-204) with 13 doubles, 2 triples, 6 home runs and 27 RBI in 56 games. 2006 Made his Triple-A debut, spending the entire season with Omaha...Struck out an average of once every 10.46 plate appearances (502 PA), the 5th-best ratio among Pacific Coast League qualifiers...Played primarily 3rd base (95 games)...Also appeared at shortstop (15 games) and 2nd base (1 game)...Hit .317 (40-for-126) over his final 34 games of the season beginning 7/28...Batted .308 (32-for-104) when leading off an inning and went 5-for-15 (.333) with the bases loaded. 2005 Spent the entire season with Double-A Wichita and was named both a mid- and postseason Texas League All-Star...Led the Wranglers while ranking among league leaders in extra-base hits (T-3rd, 53), doubles (4th, 33) and at-bats (4th, 521)...Also topped the club in runs (79) and hits (146)...Appeared at shortstop (102 games), 3rd base (20) and 2nd base (12)...Had an 11-game home hitting streak from 5/25-6/17 and a 10-game road streak from 8/6-26...Ranked 4th in the circuit with a .348 clip (32-for-92) in June...Tied for 4th with 20 RBI in the month. 2004 Made his Triple-A debut, spending the entire season with Omaha...Named to both the circuit's mid-season and post-season All-Star teams...Also earned team Player of the Year honors...Paced the league with 40 doubles, which set a franchise record...Also finished 3rd in the league in extra-base hits (50) and tied for third in hits (139). 2003 Named MVP of the Rookie-level Arizona League as well as Royals AZL Player of the Year...Helped the Royals club to the AZL Championship with a league-leading 19 doubles and 51 runs...Also ranked among AZL leaders in hits (T-2nd, 77), extra-base hits (T-3rd, 30), AVG (4th, .363) and SLG (4th, .585)...Selected to Arizona League All-Star Team at shortstop and named by Baseball America as a Short-Season All-Star...Tabbed by Topps as its Arizona League Player of the Month for August.

subset: commoncrawl


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Strengths, Challenges Ahead
As 2012 comes to a close, most in the real-estate industry are looking back at it as a year of slow but steady growth.
The city economy expanded, adding more than 66,000 jobs in the 12 months through November, according to the state Labor Department. The cost of renting an apartment soared to record levels and sales of condominiums and co-ops stayed strong for most of the year.


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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partners. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
General Information
For Living Donors
Eligibility of Living Organ Donors
Care After Donating an Organ
For Donation Recipients
Eligibility of Organ Donation Recipients
Care After Receiving an Organ
Information by Organ
Bone Marrow Donation/Transplantation
Heart Donation/Transplantation
Kidney Donation/Transplantation
Liver Donation/Transplantation
Lung Donation/Transplantation
Last Reviewed: Feb 24, 2014


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6th Planet has already had great success on iOS and luckily us BlackBerry PlayBook owners now have the opportunity to get a slice of the pie. The game is all about controlling your space pod and guiding it to the landing area. That sounds pretty easy but of course it isn't that straight forward. Gravity is sucking you down so you must utilise the controls to avoid crashing into the ground or other obstacles. There are only two on-screen controls and these manoeuvre the pod either left/right or holding down both at the same time will move it upwards.
As you progress through the levels the course you need to take gets harder and with other objects entering your space you need to guide your pod around them. Just to make life a little harder you only get a certain amount of fuel so speed is of the essence. Running out of juice will send you plummeting to your doom.
As shown in the video, there are a selection of hand drawn animations before each level so if you appreciate a good comic then you will love this extra feature. There is the option within the settings to disable them if they get on your nerves.
6th Planet is a pretty chilled out game but will test your piloting skills. As well as being addictive the game comes at a decent price too - only $0.99/£1.00. Well worth the money in my opinion.
More information/Download 6th Planet for the BlackBerry PlayBook


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Patio Pacific Boracay - Boracay Island
- Free buffet breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking
- Collect nights
Patio Pacific Boracay - Boracay Island
More Info: 6823 2342
- Deluxe East
- Deluxe West
- Premiere Deluxe East
- Premiere Deluxe West
More great choices
What's around Patio Pacific Boracay - Boracay Island
Top spots nearby
Recommended by this property
- Willy's Rock (1-minute walk)
- Holy Rosary Church (2-minute walk)
- D'mall Boracay (10-minute walk)
Getting around
- Caticlan (MPH-Godofredo P. Ramos) - 50 min drive
- Free self parking
- Free valet parking
- Airport shuttle (surcharge)
- Area shuttle (surcharge)
- Ferry terminal shuttle
At a glance
Key facts
Hotel size
- This hotel has 65 rooms
- This hotel is arranged over 3 floors
- Check-in time starts at 2 PM
- Check-out time is noon
- Express check-in/out
Required at check in
- Credit card or cash deposit required
- Government-issued photo ID required
- Minimum check-in age is 18
Travelling with others
- Up to 2 children (8 years old and younger) stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding, but may not be eligible for free breakfast
- Babysitting/childcare *
- No pets or service animals allowed
- Free WiFi in public areas
- Free WiFi in rooms
- Airport shuttle (available 24 hours) *
- Ferry terminal shuttle *
- Free valet parking
- Area shuttle *
In the hotel
- Free buffet breakfast daily
- 2 bars/lounges
- Restaurant
- Snack bar/deli
- Poolside bar
- Room service (during limited hours)
- Free reception
- Golfing nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Kayaking nearby
- Mountain biking nearby
- Parasailing nearby
- Sailing nearby
- Scooter/moped rentals nearby
- Scuba diving nearby
- Snorkeling nearby
- Water skiing nearby
- Windsurfing nearby
- 24-hour business center
- One meeting room
- Conference center
- 24-hour front desk
- Concierge services
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Laundry facilities
- Luggage storage
- Wedding services
- Number of buildings/towers -
- Year Built
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Designated smoking areas
- Garden
- Television in common areas
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
- English
- Filipino
In the room
- Air conditioning
- Minibar
- Coffee/tea maker
- Premium bedding
- In-room massage available
- Private bathroom
- Shower only
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- 24-inch LED TV
- Premium TV channels
- Free WiFi
- Phone
- Refrigerator
- Free bottled water
- Daily housekeeping
- In-room safe
- Access via exterior corridors
Recommended hotels
Special features
DiningGarden Cafe - This restaurant specializes in international cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and light fare. Open daily.
On Site
- Fitness facilities
- Golfing nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Kayaking nearby
- Mountain biking nearby
- Parasailing nearby
- Sailing nearby
- Scooter/moped rentals nearby
- Scuba diving nearby
- Snorkeling nearby
- Water skiing nearby
- Windsurfing nearby
Patio Pacific Boracay - Boracay Island's small print
Also known as
- Boracay Patio Pacific
- Patio Pacific Boracay Hotel
- Pacific Boracay
- Pacific Patio
- Pacific Patio Boracay
- Patio Boracay
- Patio Pacific
- Patio Pacific Boracay
- Patio Pacific Hotel
- Patio Pacific Hotel Boracay
Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed.
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms.
This property does not have elevators.Parties and events are allowed on site. Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property. The policies listed are provided by the property.
Transfers via boat and shuttle are required and must be arranged at least 48 hours before travel by contacting the property at the number on the booking confirmation.
For transfers, guests must contact the property before arrival at the number on the booking confirmation.
Mandatory fees
Deposit: PHP 1,500.00 per stay
Optional extras
Late check-out can be arranged for an extra charge of PHP 800
Rollaway beds are available for PHP 1500.0 per night
Cribs/Infant beds are available for PHP 250.0 per night
Babysitting/childcare is available for an extra charge
Airport shuttle service is offered for an extra charge of PHP 850.00 per person (roundtrip)
Airport shuttle for children between the ages of 3 and 8 costs PHP 500.00 (roundtrip)
Ferry terminal shuttle service is offered for an extra charge
Area shuttle service is offered for an extra charge
We have included all charges provided to us by this property. However, charges can vary, for example, based on length of stay or the unit you book.
Is the description of this property not correct? Tell us


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Her life was already caught in a downward spiral of divorce, the loss of her mother, health challenges and other changes when Deborah L. Greenslit won what she calls her pennies from hell.
Playing a penny slot machine, she took home a huge jackpot from Mohegan Sun casino. It was a big win, but it also turned out to be a big loss.
Her story is not about gambling, but gambling is part of the story. It is more about what she has come to realize about her life and ways to live a better life. She is nearing completion of a book titled "Living with a Loving Heart … Lessons Learned on Suffering and Pain," and will be offering a presentation on the topic Feb. 9 in Sturbridge at the Sturbridge Host Hotel.
The quick evaporation of the money she won would be the worst part of anyone's life. For some it would come to define them, but Ms. Greenslit, 57, views it differently. She said the pennies from hell may have been the best thing that could have happened to her.
The loss of the money was humbling, she said, and she is sad in some ways because of what it could have meant for her. But it also got her to look more closely at herself and think more about what is really important in life. She said the lessons she gained, and now offers others, were lessons from heaven.
She learned that experiencing empathy and compassion for our struggles is when we can heal. She said that applies not only to her situation, but to many struggling in life.
Ms. Greenslit, of Rutland, is a psychotherapist and wellness specialist with two bachelor's and two master's degrees, a nursing degree and other educational accomplishments. She was also a runner who competed in 30 marathons, winning three. At one time she wrote a running column for the Telegram & Gazette.
On May 19, 2010, she visited the casino in Uncasville, Conn., planning to pick up a camera she had bought for her daughter's birthday. She was going to meet a friend there and was playing a penny slot machine when she hit what was called a progressive jackpot for $752,000.
It seemed at the time like a chance to reset her life. She had always been driven to achieve and this was a chance to be stable financially, but also to step back from the driven life and possibly buy a cottage on the beach that she and her late mother had always dreamed of. With all of the struggles she had been going through leading up to the jackpot, it seemed like her chance to dial back her life a little.
Instead, she found herself part of the casino's in-crowd. From the minute she won the jackpot, she had a hostess by her side, and a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne. After the jackpot was confirmed, she started enjoying the benefits of being a high roller at the casino. Soon she was back there gambling, and winning and bringing friends along for the ride. She did not just win, she kept winning.
"I won over $300,000 the first year," she said.
It was the winning that hooked her in, but it couldn't last. From having won a total of well over $1 million, her fortunes eventually headed the other way. She did get a trip to New Orleans on a private jet, she had the best rooms at the casino, limousine service and tickets to the best shows, but eventually she found herself without the money, almost right back where she was before she won the jackpot.
She is better off in that she paid off some debt and was able to do some things for her family, but she did not get the life-changing experience people imagine they will get if they win a lottery or big jackpot.
It is going on three years, and she has found her way forward by focusing on what she always knew: that healing comes from awareness, understanding, learning, compassion and love. Judging, self-criticism, shaming or clinging to the past or catastrophic thoughts about the future do not work, she said.
"Humility is never fun, but I've been humbled by the difficult times into a personal growth that couldn't have been reached at this level without all the pain," she said.
Ms. Greenslit said she was surprised that a disciplined person like herself, who could run marathons and achieved multiple degrees, could find herself sitting for hours at a slot machine. But the attraction of gambling, in part, is that it is not the discipline that ruled her life.
"Once I was there, it was hard to pull away," she said.
She never did buy a cottage on the seacoast, though she does rent a place in Kennebunk, Maine.
By the beginning of last year the money was gone and her understanding was beginning to grow. She realized that her unhappiness may have been part of the reason she never spent the money on the cottage. Every place fell short of what she wanted, while, at the same time, the alluring glamour of the casinos kept draining the money.
"I often asked myself the question, 'Where did I go?', missing that self-assured, directed person that I had known," she said. "I realized that I didn't go anyplace. I just had turned my head away from myself."
Ms. Greenslit explains that mindfulness is about staying present from moment to moment, not being judgmental, but having compassion for ourselves and others. She said that being aware of oneself and one's pain, rather than finding distractions to avoid that focus, is the way toward living better. She said people need things outside of themselves.
"We need touch. We need relatedness. We need a sense of belonging and caring presence. It is important in our personal growth to challenge ourselves," she said. "But if we are looking to deal with our pain and our suffering through distractions, it totally exacerbates it."
Focusing on pain does not necessarily make you happy, but it helps you understand it and maybe find peace.
"Through understanding and compassion, I no longer allow my frailties to dictate who I am," she said "My new mantra is, 'I matter.' "
Contact George Barnes by email at email@example.com or on Twitter @georgebarnestg.


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Manchester hiring freeze is liftedBy TED SIEFER
New Hampshire Union Leader
July 04. 2014 7:24PM
MANCHESTER — The Board of Mayor and Aldermen has lifted the hiring freeze on new city employees over the objections of Mayor Ted Gatsas.
The board voted on Tuesday to end the policy, which had been in effect for the past several years and gave the mayor the authority to sign off on departmental hirings.
The vote came three weeks after a majority of the aldermen, for the first time, voted to override the tax cap to pass a $304 million budget, citing the need to hire more police, fix roads and improve city services.
Gatsas said on Thursday that he believed ending the hiring freeze "absolutely" went against the vows some of the aldermen made when they passed the budget, to do things differently to control the cost of city government.
"If we're just going to continue business as usual, we're not going to change anything, and we're going to run into the same problem in January," he said.
Alderman-At-Large Dan O'Neil made the motion at Tuesday's meeting "to lift the hiring freeze and allow department heads to manage their budgets as the charter intends."
Gatsas said, "I think we should have the taxpayer in mind when we make motions like that. It's the taxpayers who are going to be hit with the brunt of that."
Ward 1 Alderman Joyce Craig, who was one of the chief architects of the final budget, insisted that she remained committed to making changes aimed at controlling government costs.
"No one is saying we can't make changes," she said. "What we're saying is department heads should have the authority to run their departments. Three to five years ago, when we put the hiring freeze in place and I voted for it, I thought it would be for one year. Instead, it's gone on year after year."
The motion ending the hiring freeze was passed by a wide margin on a voice vote, without a roll call.
When the budget was approved last month, Craig said, "There's got to be a recognition that we need to make significant changes to health insurance, workers' compensation and to Yarger-Decker." Yarger-Decker is the system that gives employees automatic yearly raises.
The issue exposes a tension between Gatsas and department heads, who have been called on to keep vacant positions unfilled to stay within their budgets.
The Fire Department, in particular, has experienced a back-and-forth between the chief and the mayor over new hires and promotions.
Gatsas said he will continue to ask department heads to keep him in the loop on personnel decisions.
"I certainly will be asking them to come forward with changes they recommend," he said. "We can't just continue the growth the way it has been."


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Talented and Gifted Questions
1. What is the holder of the TAG endorsement authorized to do?
The holder of the talented and gifted endorsement is authorized to serve as a teacher or a coordinator of programs for the gifted and talented from the prekindergarten level through grade twelve. This authorization does not permit general classroom teaching at any level except that level or area for which the holder is eligible or holds the specific endorsement.
2. What are the endorsement requirements?
Completion of twelve semester hours of TAG course work to include
(1)Psychology of the gifted.
A.Social needs.
B. Emotional needs.
(2)Programming for the gifted.
A.Prekindergarten-12 identification.
B.Differentiation strategies.
C.Collaborative teaching skills.
D.Program goals and performance measures.
E.Program evaluation.
(3)Practicum experience in gifted programs.
3. Will teachers in specific subject areas (i.e. science, math, history) be required to hold this endorsement if they teach gifted students in their respective endorsement areas?
4. How do I add the TAG endorsement to my teaching license?
Once you have completed the program, the college official will fill out an application recommending you for the endorsement. The application to add an endorsement is included on our website: http://www.boee.iowa.gov/chooseendorsement.html
If a college official is not able to recommend you for the endorsement, you may submit the checklist verifying how you believe you have met the requirements. The checklist is included on our website: http://www.boee.iowa.gov/addition.html#t
5. How many hours must I complete for a conditional license?
You must complete 6 semester hours in TAG in order to obtain the Class B two-year conditional license. Send in the application for the Class B conditional license, your official transcripts and fee. You may obtain the Class B conditional application from our website: http://www.boee.iowa.gov/ChooseClassBC.html
If you have completed less than 6 semester hours in TAG, you may apply for an administrative decision license. You may obtain the administrative decision license application from our website: http://www.boee.iowa.gov/ChooseClassBC.html
6. Are any teachers "grandfathered in" who will not need to obtain this endorsement to teach talented and gifted students?
Beginning July 1, 2012, any teacher who teaches in programs for the talented and gifted must hold the endorsement on a full Iowa teaching license, a Class B conditional license or an administrative decision license.


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Dec 17, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Looking Good Daniel, love the 02 TT Firehawk for sure and hope you get the new turbos installed when you're able too!!! Keep them Birds Flying!!!!
May 3, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Sweet...Two Coolector Edition TA's...nice
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The Fast Food maternity and nursing bra is a soft, seamless bra with a perfect fit both during pregnancy and nursing. It is smart and flexible in a flattering, feminine design. The bra has a deep cut with a thin lace edging and wide adjustable straps with nickel-free details. The cups un-clip easily with one hand.
The enforced section under and around the breasts offers extra support. Flexibility in the bra accommodates changing breast size, common during nursing. The size can also be altered with an additional hook & eye ribbon, supplied with every bra. Soft, comfortable and fast-drying fabric in 92% polyamide and 8% elastane. Machine washable cold, lay flat to dry
Nursing Bra Fast Food has been awarded the Bizziebaby Silver Award 2012.


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Ex-Ranger Kevin Mench: One thing is separating Yu Darvish from the other Japanese pitchers that come to the major leagues
Former Texas Ranger Kevin Mench joined the Elf & Slater show on 105.3 FM The Fan earlier this week. Here are some highlights from the interview.
On Yu Darvish:
"The biggest question with all those guys, is the second year, is making that adjustment. On you get through the league once, OK, now you make the adjustment go through the league a second time, now you're starting to develop an understanding on how major league baseball works. It's different over there than it is here and he's making that adjustment on the fly and it's amazing how well he's handling it. I think that's been the biggest thing with the Japanese pitchers that come over here. They dominate the first year and then the second year they just fall off because everybody's adjusted to them. I think he's taken that in stride and he's made the adjustments day in and day out. … That's what separates the major leagues from every one else, the adjustments."
On David Murphy:
"You can't control anything that happens in front of the plate, where the ball goes, who catches and whatnot. All you can control is how hard you can hit it. Let everything else fall into place. The baseball gods will do that the way it's supposed to be. But when you start thinking about, 'Oh man, this guy is doing this. I can't buy a break,' you've just got to keep pushing through it. All you can do is put a good swing on the ball."
On Mitch Moreland:
"It becomes a comfort thing. If you're only in there against righties and then you're thrown in against a few lefties, you're closed off from that side of the left-handed hitter, so you're first move is wanting to come out and you're just susceptible to all the off-speed stuff. But the more you see it, the more comfortable you become with it."


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Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy, Queen Delightful, Sir Yipsalot, Sleepy, Bashful, Happy and Dopey in "the 7D." (Disney Junior)Link
A recording session for "The 7D" featuring Jess Harnell and Kelly Osbourne, who play Grim and Hildy Gloom, with executive producer Tom Ruegger. (Todd Wawrychuk / Disney Junior)Link
Doc, Bashful, Grumpy, Sleepy, Sneezy, Dopey and Happy in "The 7D." (Disney Junior)Link
Grim and Hildy Gloom in "The 7D." (Disney Junior)Link
Sleepy, Grumpy and Dopey in "The 7D." (Disney Junior)Link
"The 7D" cast and crew: Scott Menville (Sneezy), Maurice LaMarche (Grumpy), Tom Ruegger (executive producer), Kevin Michael Richardson (Happy), Billy West (Bashful), Kelly Ward (director), Bill Farmer (Doc), Dee Bradley Baker (Dopey) and Stephen Stanton. (Rick Rowell / Disney Junior)Link
Outside of certain circles, Tom Ruegger may not be a name that is synonymous with animation. But throw out the titles on which he was executive producer and helped create — "Animaniacs," "Tiny Toon Adventures" and "Pinky and the Brain" — and images of really smart and fun cartoons come to mind. The multiple Emmy Award-winning Ruegger is heading up a new cartoon that launches on Disney XD on Monday called "The 7D" that hopes to capture the fun spirit of some of Ruegger's other shows.
"The 7D" is, as its name might suggest, about the tales of the Seven Dwarfs — 30 years or so before their fateful run-in with Snow White. Living in the Enchanted Forest in the kingdom of Jollywood under the rule of Queen Delightful, the dwarfs are the area's "most trusted" heroes, righting the wrongs that arise and often thwarting the plans of evil-doers when the queen calls for help.
"I was very intrigued about taking these classic personalities that are so important to the company's foundation and carefully nurturing them so that we didn't do something too completely blasphemous," Ruegger says. "We realize that this is a fairly radical approach to them, but one thing that I realized about it is that it's so different from the original that people might forgive us."
Fox, where "Animaniacs" and other shows were originally based, had a much different and general audience than Disney's XD or Jr. channels, which skew very young in the tween demo. With sillier plot lines and a unique style of animation, the show's tone is, and has to be, very different from those other projects.
"There weren't really many channels totally focused on kids when we made 'Animaniacs' and 'Pinky and the Brain.' As we went along on 'The 7D,' the folks at Disney Junior encouraged us to make something that Mom and Dad can get a laugh at," says Ruegger. "That's always been my hope in working in cartoons. Mindful of the target audience of course, but I'd love to get other demographics in front of the set as well."
Ruegger is more than happy with being able to cast Dopey (Dee Bradley Baker), Doc (Bill Farmer), Grumpy (Maurice LaMarche), Sneezy (Scott Menville), Happy (Kevin Michael Richardson), Sleepy (Stephen Stanton) and Bashful (Billy West) with such skilled and veteran voice actors, many of whom he'd worked with already.
"Maurice as Grumpy and Kevin Richardson as Happy are the yin and yang of the group. Happy's the heart and soul, and Grumpy is the crank that turns the handle on the group dynamic. Those two played back and forth with each other so well."
One of the additions to the fairy tale is newlywed couple and 7D nemesis Hildy and Grim Gloom, played by Jess Harnell and Kelly Osbourne. Ruegger knew he had to create more of an obstacle for the group than daily chores, so he went with this magical duo bent on taking over the kingdom.
"I don't know why I thought it was such a funny idea … but they're newlyweds that are sort of hipsters in the way they dress," Ruegger says. "Jollywood is sort of a starter kingdom, so they need to conquer it and show off their stuff."
A few of the actors are more famous for their live-action work — namely Jay Leno as the Crystal Ball, Whoopi Goldberg as the Magic Mirror and voice-acting novice Osbourne as Hildy. Ruegger praised Goldberg's readiness and willingness to have fun, and he said Leno would come directly from "The Tonight Show" ready to go, and "you don't want to get in Jay Leno's way," comedy-wise. All seemed to fall into Ruegger's lap and all fit well into the cast. Osbourne was a particularly great find.
"Our ace in the hole. She's been absolutely a revelation," Ruegger says. "She started without having ever done voiceover work before, and she grew into the role so quickly. We had her come in with Jess Harnell for most of the session and they got along so well. We encouraged her to go off script sometimes, and some of that made it into the show."
The show comes during a sort of renaissance of fairy tale programs that cater to very different audiences. From the popular princess cartoons like Disney Junior's "Sofia the First" to shows like ABC's "Once Upon a Time" to the decidely-not-Disney-but-still-fairy-tale-based gritty NBC drama "Grimm," familiar storybook characters have made a big return to TV. Ruegger will be joining the fairy tale fray but is not worried about continuity or sameness.
"As far as entertainment goes, I kind of like it. My family and I watch 'Once Upon a Time.' We are into it with very positive feelings about it. I went to see 'Snow White and the Hunter' …. Nobody's offended me yet. But we're staying close to Jollywood to create our own type of mythos there, and we're even trying to come up with our own rules of nature," says Ruegger.
"I think we'll probably run out of the [fairy tale genre projects] soon, then another 25 years will have to pass until we come back to them again."
– Jevon Phillips | @storiz | @LATherocomplex
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'Adventure Time' exclusive clip: Adam Muto on the show's evolution


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text:
|Episode Description
|Friday, Dec 28, 2012 - 6:30 AM
"Beans & Things"
In this episode of Garden to Table, P. Allen Smith is harvesting beans for use in the kitchen. Allen also visits a soybean farm and has some gardening tips for planting asparagus beans. And food trucks are taking the nation by storm. D
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A tumultuous Bunnell City Commission meeting Monday night included a move to fire City Manager Armando Martinez, accusations of an affair between the police chief and finance director, and the abrupt resignation of the city clerk.
BUNNELL — An alleged affair between department heads, a public resignation and a move to fire the city's top administrator might sound like a soap opera, but it is real life in the Flagler County seat.
A tumultuous City Commission meeting Monday night included a move to fire City Manager Armando Martinez, accusations of an affair between the police chief and finance director, and the abrupt resignation of the city clerk.
The threads of the tale got tangled during the meeting. After a heated debate regarding whether Martinez should be fired ended with the city manager narrowly keeping his job, City Clerk Dan Davis surprised everyone by saying "I can't work for this man," referring to Martinez, and submitting his resignation.
Davis said he brought it to Martinez's attention that Police Chief Jeff Hoffman and City Finance Director Cissy Bertha have been having an extramarital affair and he was concerned that Martinez said it was a personal matter and outside the scope of his office.
In an email sent to the media from his city account late Monday night after the meeting, Davis wrote: "Now think about this, your Chief of Police, who is responsible for the safety of our city and the Finance Director, who by the way, is in charge of millions of the cities (sic) dollars, have lied to and cheated on their spouses for 8 months, yet the City Manager 'trusts' them in their jobs. No discipline, no demotion, no nothing. He also briefed the city commissioners on this saying he couldn't do anything about it. Folks, the truth is, he chooses not to do anything about it."
During the meeting, Martinez said he had accepted Davis' resignation and added that he discussed the alleged affair between department heads with the city attorney and it was determined to be a personal issue.
In an interview Tuesday, Martinez reiterated that the issue is a personal matter between Bertha and Hoffman and declined further comment. He would not say if such an affair would violate city policy.
Contacted Tuesday, Hoffman declined to comment for the record. Bertha did not return a telephone call seeking comment.
The drama for Martinez began earlier during Monday night's meeting when a motion by Vice Mayor John Rogers to fire the city manager triggered a long debate with some heated discussions.
Citing Martinez's recent application to become city manager in Satellite Beach, Rogers moved for a vote of no confidence in the city's top administrator.
"I think it's time for us to go in a different direction," Rogers said during the meeting.
But Mayor Catherine Robinson defended Martinez, saying Bunnell is "very fortunate and blessed" that Satellite Beach officials did not hire him.
"The man has done what we asked him to do and he has done it admirably," Robinson said.
At that point, City Attorney Sid Nowell asked commissioners if they knew "exactly what a vote of no confidence means." Nowell said it is unclear what a no-confidence vote would mean for Martinez's status.
"I do not think it is an actionable item for termination," he said. "If that was the goal, you would have to use clearer language."
After that exchange, Rogers withdrew his motion and came up with another one.
"I would like to move that Mr. Martinez is actively searching for a job, we accommodate that and let him go," Rogers said.
Robinson asked if Rogers meant that he wanted to fire Martinez.
"It's amazing to me that his job performance and what he's done here and you still want to terminate him," she said.
During public comments, the city manager received support from several residents.
"I think if the board lets Mr. Martinez go, you're making a real bad mistake," said resident Charles Gardner.
Former City Commissioner Daisy Henry was even stronger in her condemnation of Rogers' motion.
"We have commended Mr. Martinez for the work that he's done for the city and now you turn around and stab him in the back," she said. "I'm hearing this tonight and I just don't understand how can you live with yourself."
After the motion was defeated by a 3-2 vote, with Robinson and Commissioners Jenny Crain-Brady and Bill Baxley dissenting, loud applause filled the commission chambers in the Government Services Building.
On the matter of Davis' resignation, Martinez said it is effective May 6.
"I have put him on paid administrative leave until May 6 and asked him not to report to city offices," Martinez said Tuesday.
He said he told city staff members Tuesday morning it was important to move on following Monday night's events.
"I told my staff it's a new day," he said. "We have to move forward and not look at the past. We owe it to (the citizens) to do our best and continue to move our city forward."
Dan Davis email
From: Davis, Dan mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com
Sent: Monday, April 22, 2013 11:07 PM
Subject: What the Citizen's of Bunnell Need to Know
I resigned as City Clerk of the City of Bunnell tonight, because I can no longer work for a man like our City Manager Armando Martinez. The citizens of Bunnell need to know that Armando was approached a couple weeks ago by our Police Chief Jeff Hoffman who admitted to having a marital affair with the Finance Director Cissy Bertha since last August. Hoffman stated they were leaving their families and were serious. Armando's response is that it's a personal private matter and theirs nothing he can do about it. Now think about this, your Chief of Police, who is responsible for hte safety of our city and the Finance Director, who by the way, is in charge of millions of the cities dollars have lied to and cheated on their spouses for 8 months, yet the City Manager "trusts" them in their jobs. No discipline, no demotion, no nothing. He also briefed the city commissioners on this saying he couldn't do anything about it. Folks, the truth is, he chooses not to do anything about it. Make up your own minds. Do you think it's okay for two people in leadership and decision making postions such as chief of police and finance director should be able to keep their jobs? Each employee is held to the employee code of conduct which states that any behavior, on or off duty that brings discredit or embarrasemnt to the City is in violation of the Code of Conduct. I ask you, if lying, cheating, and being dishonest isn't a violation of the code, than what is? Integrity is required to handle the citie's finances and to lead police officers. You can't have personal integrity and professional integrity. You either have integrity or you don't. Yet, our city manager says "it's a private matter." Is that who you want as a city manager? Someone who doesn't think their is anything wrong with two department heads having an affair. I would think the bunnell tax payers would expect better from their city manager, and from their city commission.
Dan Davis
Former City Clerk


text:
Suffolk, ss. Division of Administrative Law Appeals
Fay E. Norris,
v. Docket No. CR-07-675
Teachers' Retirement Board,
Appearance for Petitioner:
Thomas F. Gibson, Esq.
2400 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140
Appearance for Respondent:
Aaron E. Morrison, Esq.
Teachers' Retirement System
One Charles Park
Cambridge, MA 02142
Administrative Magistrate:
Sarah H. Luick, Esq.
Pursuant to G. L. c. 32, § 16(4), the Petitioner, Fay E. Norris, is appealing the August 29, 2007 decision of the Respondent, Teachers' Retirement System, denying her request for accidental disability retirement benefits based on a lack of proof that her claimed injury was sustained while she was in the performance of her duties as required by G. L. c.32, § 7(1). (Ex. 2) The appeal was timely filed. (Ex. 1) A hearing was held December 4, 2007, at the offices of the Division of Administrative Law Appeals (DALA), 98 North Washington Street, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02114, pursuant to
G. L. c. 7, § 4H.
Various documents are in evidence. (Exs. 1 - 19) One tape was used. The parties entered into stipulations of fact, and filed pre-hearing memoranda. ("A") Briefs were filed by January 24, 2008 when the record closed.
1. Fay E. Norris, d.o.b. 2/24/47, worked as an kindergarten and elementary school teacher in the Waltham Public Schools, last working as a kindergarten teacher at the Bright School. Her service was from 1970 through 1977, and then from 1985 until her effective date of superannuation retirement of July 1, 2005. ("A". Ex. 5. Testimony)
2. The 2001-2002 school year had just started when Ms. Norris was asked to and agreed to attend special training on how to use an epinephrine auto-injector pen, an Epi-Pen, to administer medication immediately to students at the Bright School if any student suffered a severe allergic reaction. There needed to be at least one teacher at the school who would have this training in addition to the school nurse. She was not paid to have this training. ("A". Ex. 5. Testimony)
3. The regular school day would end for Ms. Norris about 3:00 PM. This special training was scheduled for after school hours at a different school in Waltham, the Plympton School. No special transportation was provided for Ms. Norris to get to the Plympton School on the day of the training. She had to drive her own car over to the school. This was system wide training so she was not going to be the only participant. ("A". Ex. 5. Testimony)
4. The date for the training was September 25, 2001 at 3:30 PM. Ms. Norris left the Bright School alone in her car at about 3:10 PM. It took her about ten to fifteen minutes to reach the Plympton School. Once she arrived, the Plympton School parking lot was full. She followed other drivers who also faced the full parking lot to a nearby City of Waltham athletic field's parking lot. She had been to this athletic field before. She parked her car there, and started to walk to the Plympton School. ("A". Exs. 3 & 5. Testimony)
5. Upon leaving the parking lot, Ms. Norris walked along a sidewalk of Bacon Street to the intersection with Farnsworth Street. She then crossed Bacon Street at the crosswalk there, and then walked along Farnsworth Street to the Plympton School. The weather outside was drizzling. (Exs. 5 & 19. Testimony)
6. Once at the training, there were about thirty attendees, and Ms. Norris found that she was having trouble hearing well. She had a hearing problem. She was able to get one-on-one training from a nurse on just how to use the Epi-Pen. Her training took about thirty-five to forty minutes, but she finished the training early. She thanked the nurse and left the school. She was the first to finish the training. (Exs. 5 & 15. Testimony)
7. Ms. Norris walked down Farnsworth Street to the intersection with Bacon Street in order to use the crosswalk to get across the street and then to walk up Bacon Street to her car to leave for her home. She did not have any obligation or need to return to the Bright School before ending her work day. (Exs. 5 & 19. Testimony)
8. Ms. Norris was alone when she stepped into the crosswalk. At this location Bacon Street was a two lane roadway. One car stopped to let her cross. She then looked to her left and was suddenly hit hard by a car going through the crosswalk. She was thrown into the air. She lost consciousness. Upon regaining consciousness at the scene, she had help from police, fire fighters and paramedics. She was taken to Beth Israel Hospital in Boston from the scene. ("A". Exs. 3 & 5. Testimony)
9. Ms. Norris never returned to work. Her accident was reported to her employer. She received workers' compensation. (Exs. 3 & 5. Testimony)
10. Once at the hospital, Ms. Norris underwent various tests. She had a head CT scan that showed no "acute intracranial hemorrhage or fracture." She was found by CT scan to have "a fracture of the spleen with large amounts of blood in her peritoneum," and underwent a splenectomy. She had "suffered a left tibial fibula fracture," and underwent "an open reduction and internal fixation of her left tib/fib fracture." She had a CT angiogram that did not show a pulmonary embolism. Once discharged on October 1, 2001, she was transferred to the Spaulding Rehabilitation Center for rehabilitation.
(Ex. 16)
11. At the Spaulding Rehabilitation Center, Ms. Norris underwent a "Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Program." (Ex. 18)
12. Ms. Norris was released after three weeks. She then did home therapies. (Exs. 17 & 18)
13. Before her accident, Ms. Norris had a number of medical conditions she had been evaluated and treated for. She has a progressive hearing loss on the left side which she began evaluation for in and around 1996. She has had some episodes of mild vertigo. On or about August 5, 2002, Ms. Norris was in a car accident and suffered whiplash. She had been wearing a seatbelt. She had left shoulder and neck symptoms, and underwent physical therapy treatments. By December 19, 2004 she was having severe right hip pain and had an MRI with positive findings. She has been treated for heart arrhythmia and for depression. (Exs. 14, 15, 16 & 17)
14. During an April 7, 2005 evaluation by Dr. Byron V. Hartunian, an orthopedic surgeon, Ms. Norris was found to be functioning independently with some continuing symptoms in her left leg, including a limp when walking for more than just a short distance. Dr. Hartunian found her treatment to date had been "proper and reasonable," following "an extremely serious fracture of the left leg." He opined she had reached a medical end point regarding her fractured left leg with a 40% permanent impairment in her left lower extremity and a 16% permanent impairment of her full body. He found her permanently disabled from further kindergarten teaching, with her condition due to the September 25, 2001 accident. He gave a poor prognosis for further improvement. His opinion remained the same through his May 2, 2006 evaluation.
(Ex. 17)
15. Ms. Norris sought accidental disability retirement benefits in April 2006 based on the September 25, 2001 accident. Dr. Hartunian supported her claim. (Exs. 3, 4
& 17)
16. Ms. Norris had Single Physician Medical Panel evaluations in February and March 2007. The Panel physicians were provided with background medical records on Ms. Norris, including the records relating to her accident on September 25, 2001, records about her subsequent treatments, and prior medical records. The Panel physicians were provided with information on the accident. They were provided with job description information. (Exs. 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17 & 18)
17. Panel physician, Dr. Richard N. Warnock, an orthopedist, answered his certificate in the affirmative. He understood Ms. Norris was a kindergarten teacher who was hit in a crosswalk by a car and suffered "multiple trauma, including comminuted fractures of the left proximal tibia and fibula." He had knowledge of her splenectomy and of her "closed rodding of a left proximal tibial fracture." He understood she had a progressive rehabilitation program thereafter, and that she had not returned to work. Dr. Warnock was aware of Ms. Norris's current complaints of left leg symptoms. He gave a physical examination. He diagnosed a left tibia and tibula fracture with status post closed rodding. He opined this diagnosis was "causally related to the injury … of September 2[5], 2001 … [and that the] mechanism of injury is clear and documentation support is provided." (Ex. 7)
18. Panel physician, Dr. Steven Sewall, an orthopedist, answered his certificate in the affirmative to the existence of a disability and its possible natural and proximate connection to the September 25, 2001 accident. He answered the permanency question in the negative. He understood Ms. Norris was a kindergarten teacher who was taking training "to give epinephrine shots to children with allergic reactions" on September 25, 2001," when she "was going across a street in front of the Plympton School … was in a crosswalk and was hit by another vehicle." He was aware of her subsequent evaluations and procedures undergone at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center including "emergency abdominal surgery to remove her spleen and stabilize her blood pressure," and then "an open reduction and internal fixation of the [left] tibia with an intramedullary nail and two interlocking screws proximally and distally" to address fractures she sustained. He understood she then had rehabilitation therapy. Dr. Sewall was aware of Ms. Norris's current complaints regarding her left leg, and that she had not returned to work. He gave a physical examination. He diagnosed a comminuted fracture of the left tibia, post open reduction and internal fixation. He opined that her current problem was "of hip muscle weakness probably because she didn't get enough therapy or therapy concentrated on her knee and her ankle, and didn't work on her left hip … [which] became weak due to the prolonged immobilization from her lower leg accident." He recommended "an aggressive course of physical therapy concentrating on her hip … would improve significantly over the course of 6 to 8 weeks and could very well recover to the point where she could do all the duties that are required of her as a kindergarten schoolteacher." (Ex. 8)
19. Panel physician, Dr. Dewitt C. Brown, an orthopedist, answered his certificate in the affirmative. He understood Ms. Norris was a kindergarten teacher who as a pedestrian in a crosswalk on September 25, 2001, "was struck on the left leg by a motor vehicle, thrown onto the hood/windshield striking her head, left side, abrasions of left side, left sided trauma and left lower extremity trauma." He understood that she was taken to Beth Israel Hospital where she had a ruptured spleen, had a laparotomy, and then had "an open reduction and internal fixation of a comminuted tibial fracture." He understood she then underwent rehabilitation therapies. He found Ms. Norris was using a cane to walk and that she had "ongoing discomfort associated with her tibia." He gave a physical examination, and diagnosed a concussion, left tibia/fibula fracture, a blunt abdominal trauma and a ruptured spleen. He opined Ms. Norris suffered "significant injuries" on September 25, 2001 which now prevent her from returning to being a kindergarten teacher despite "appropriate" treatments. (Ex. 9)
20. In reaction to the Panel physician evaluations, the Teachers' Retirement System sought clarifications from the Panel physicians. They were presented with specific questions to address including; whether Ms. Norris had undergone sufficient treatments to be able to find her left leg condition to be permanent, identifying the kinds of work duties in her job description that she can no longer carry out, and the impact if any of a later August 5, 2002 whiplash car injury. (Ex. 10)
21. Dr. Warnock responded that Ms. Norris's current condition was "not likely to change substantially in the foreseeable future," even with further treatments. He opined that she "is physically incapable of performing the essential duties of her job." He found she "was unable to remain on her feet for 6 to 8 hours, which would be the requirement of her job as a kindergarten teacher, due to the residual of a substantially fractured lower leg." He explained that he had not addressed a cervical condition that might have been present from a prior whiplash car accident. (Ex. 11)
22. Dr. Sewall responded that Ms. Norris's "limitations are related to weakness of her left hip secondary to her comminuted fracture of her left tibia." He found her "unable to lift on a regular basis greater than 20 pounds … unable to climb stairs regularly, and … unable to squat and kneel as one would have to do in running a kindergarten class." He explained that he had not found a prior neck problem was contributing to her left leg disability. (Ex. 12)
23. Dr. Brown responded that Ms. Norris was experiencing "ongoing discomfort associated with her left lower extremity with prolonged standing and difficulty with ambulation and requires an assistive device for ambulation … specific limitations which prevent her from carrying out her duties as a kindergarten teacher." Dr. Brown explained that these "limitations are subsequent to a rather significant accident which occurred on September 25, 2001 when she was on duty at a crosswalk when she was stuck by a motor vehicle." He opined that "her condition will not improve further with further rehabilitation treatment, and she remains with residual disability." He opined in regard to her prior car accident and her cervical complaints that these problems had "resolved by the time I examined her." (Ex. 13)
24. Ms. Norris's duties as a kindergarten and elementary school teacher require an ability to exert up to twenty pounds of force at least occasionally and ten pounds frequently. There is significant walking and standing involved. The teacher has to go up and down stairs at least occasionally, and has to be able to monitor students at recess, in the lunchroom, and during fire drills. The work also involves turning, twisting, stooping, squatting, and reaching activities. (Exs. 3 & 5)
25. The Teachers' Retirement System denied Ms. Norris's claim for accidental disability without reaching the merits of the claim, concluding that the September 25, 2001 accident did not occur while she was in the performance of a work duty. Ms. Norris filed a timely appeal. ("A". Exs. 1 & 2)
In the Performance of Duties
It is a threshold requirement of G. L. c. 32, § 7(1) that to be entitled to accidental disability retirement benefits, the claimed accident or hazard undergone must be suffered while the member was in the performance of her duties. Although Ms. Norris found herself crossing Bacon Street in the crosswalk on September 25, 2001 because she had just attended training her school superiors wanted her to have, she had ended that training and was walking back to her car to go home when she was struck and injured by a car. The parties appreciate the issue to be decided in this regard to be whether on the particular facts of her case, Ms. Norris satisfies the necessary statutory criteria. I conclude the case law does not permit her being able to satisfy this threshold criteria.
Namvar v. Contributory Retirement Appeal Board, 422 Mass. 1004 (1996) addressed the situation of a professor who was walking in the school hallway to her office to hold office hours for students after having had lunch in the school cafeteria. She slipped and fell in the hallway. She was found by the Court at the time she suffered her fall not to have been in the performance of her duties. She had not gone from a work duty in the cafeteria, had no work duty while walking to her office, and had not yet resumed her work duties in her office at the time she fell. Id. at 1005. This interpretation of G. L. c. 32, § 7(1) was endorsed in the later case of Richard v. Worcester Retirement Board, 431 Mass. 163, 166 (2000). In Richard a school nurse was injured during her commute to reach her first required work site. Ms. Richard had permission to not first check into her office before reaching her first job assignment for the day. The Court, citing Namvar, found that she was not in the performance of her duties under Section 7(1)'s strict criteria, so that her injury was not compensable. Id. at 165-166.
Ms. Norris argues that the circumstances that led her to be in the crosswalk when she was hit were sufficiently connected to her job performance to satisfy this requirement. She notes that her employer had assigned her this training at the Plympton School as an additional employment obligation, and that she had to use her personal car to get to the training. She had to obtain parking on her own as well. She contends she was still at work and in the performance of her duties when she was struck by the car, because getting back to her car after the training was just as necessary as driving to the Plympton School area and parking her car there. She argues that she had a need to use the crosswalk to both get to the training and back to her car, so that the harm that came to her in using the crosswalk is compensable.
This argument fails since it is clear the training ended and Ms. Norris was simply going back to her car to drive home when she was struck in the crosswalk. No evidence shows she had any employment obligation to return in her car to the Bright School before she was able to conclude her work day. There is no fair reading of the prevailing case law to permit finding the accident she suffered to be while in the performance of her duties under Section 7(1) criteria.
But for the issue regarding not being in the performance of duties at the time of the September 25, 2001 accident, Ms. Norris would have met her burden of proof to support an award of accidental disability retirement benefits. Wakefield Retirement Board v. CRAB, 352 Mass. 499 (1967). The Panel evaluations resulted in a clear majority of the physicians finding a total and permanent disability that might be the natural and proximate result of the September 25, 2001 accident. Campbell v. CRAB, 17 Mass.App.Ct. 1018 (1984). The Panel evaluations reflect consideration of the pertinent factual information and use by the Panel physicians of the proper standards of evaluation. Malden Retirement Board v. CRAB, 1 Mass. App. Ct. 420 ( 1973). The opinion of Dr. Hartunian amply supports ultimate causation resting with this accident. The job description sets forth essential duties involving physical requirements that the medical evidence shows Ms. Norris cannot carry out on a sustained basis.
For the foregoing reasons the decision of the Respondent Board is affirmed.
Sarah H. Luick, Esq.
Administrative Magistrate
DATED: April 4, 2008
This information is provided by the Division of Administrative Law Appeals .


text:
STOCKTON - Politics and sport are not strangers.
STOCKTON - Politics and sport are not strangers.
Dean Janssen, a former Franklin High basketball coach who retired from the sidelines in 1981, saw firsthand what happens when a handful of coaches from one part of the Sac-Joaquin Section joins a handful of coaches from other areas to hash out playoff brackets.
Debates became arguments; arguments became shouting matches. Comparing teams from different regions with no common opponents can be a futile exercise, so Janssen did something about it.
In January 1987, removed from coaching but still watching at least two games a week, Janssen developed and presented a power-ratings system to former section commissioner Clarke Coover. The idea was to adopt a system in which a team's results - both in nonleague and league games - are put into a formula to produce a seeding. League games account for 70 percent of the rating, nonleague games 30 percent.
The final rating would then determine which teams make the postseason and where each playoff team is seeded.
As a working example, Janssen - a self-described workaholic and spread sheet nut - seeded the boys and girls tournaments for the 1986-87 playoffs. His plan, however, was not welcomed with open arms and not used for that postseason.
"They didn't like it," Janssen said. "They were all of the opinion, 'No, we don't want to look at numbers. We're going to go by what we saw.' Clarke didn't really like that idea, so he told me later that spring, 'We're going to do the same thing next year, but we're going to abide by it.'
"Clarke told everyone at the seeding meeting (in February 1988), 'We're going to make a few changes based on traveling distance, but other than that, this is it,' " and presented to them the postseason pairings.
That system, save for a few adjustments, still determines who moves on to the playoffs and who moves on to the spring sports calendar. On Wednesday, the section office released this year's 12 section playoff brackets (six boys, six girls) certain that - like every other year - some teams will complain they should have qualified but didn't, and others will argue they should have been seeded higher.
But they can't blame politics.
"Our board has always been of the belief, and this predates me and hopefully postdates me, we are not going to have a committee that sits in a room and says, 'You're in; you're out.' There is going to be some formula," current commissioner Pete Saco said.
The process is not black and white and does leave section officials with some wiggle room. In January of every year, between tournament season and the start of league play, representatives from each league get together. Each league has 10 minutes for a presentation and each league is assigned a strength value, which is a crucial ingredient of the power-ratings formula.
The ratings can also be adjusted through a gross-injustice clause. Janssen recalls one particular year Carmichael-Jesuit was ranked No. 4 in the country but was only No. 3 in the power ratings because of a low league rating.
"People didn't think that was quite fair," Janssen said, "so we've taken care of that."
Other adjustments can be made to save schools long bus trips and to prevent league opponents from meeting in the first round. This year, another clause was added to include every section team with 15 or more wins. While each bracket is set up for 16 teams, outbracket games have been added for the lowest seeds in each division. Those games begin Friday.
While the power-ratings system has been at times controversial, Saco said Janssen's contributions have been immeasurable.
"What Dean has done for us, you can't put a value on that," he said. "He's gone beyond the call of duty for our section. He loves what he does, and it's given us a very sound basis for where we've moved as a section."
Contact reporter Stephen Roberson at (209) 546-8272 or email@example.com.


text:
The 2013 state legislative session closed late last week, so to gauge how tech fared this year in Columbia, let's take a quick look at a few representative efforts.
Angel investment incentive: One clear win for the state's technology start-ups and investors was the passage of the so-called High Growth, Small Business Job Creation Act.
If Gov. Nikki Haley signs it, the bill will allow accredited angel investors, anyone whose net worth exceeds $1 million or who makes more than $200,000 per year, to claim a 35 percent tax credit on money they put into small, early stage South Carolina companies.
The bill will cap total tax credits at $5 million per year and require some aggregate reporting of the investments and their results.
For a few years now, people in the business have been trying to get the incentive passed to bring South Carolina in line with several other states, including neighbors in the Southeast. Now on the cusp of reality, this is how SCBIO's Wayne Roper promoted the bill's passage in an email last week: "South Carolina startups, entrepreneurs get help growing great jobs."
Incubators?: One initiative still hanging in the balance this year is a plan to set up tech incubators at the state's colleges.
Last year, the House included $2 million in matching funds for a digital media incubator at the College of Charleston, but it didn't end up happening: Haley vetoed it, the House overrode her veto, and then there didn't end up being enough money anyway.
The plan has since morphed. Instead of money going directly to the college, now any appropriation will go through the S.C. Department of Commerce and then be divided among multiple incubator sites.
According to College of Charleston Senior Vice President Bobby Marlowe, the House has budgeted some $5 million for incubators, but it must go through conference committee, ratification, the governor's office, etc., before it's a funded program.
"I really stress that the whole thing with the center right now is really in flux because there's a lot of moving parts ... that have to move into place before we know if we have money or how much," he said.
Solar: Like the angel investor advocates, the solar energy industry in South Carolina has been trying to make individual investment in sun power more feasible and affordable, like it is in neighboring states.
But the effort failed last year, and this year's bill didn't make it out of the House or Senate. After an official review, the idea is slated for reconsideration next year.
In short, it once again seems the Palmetto State is increasingly interested in promoting high-tech here, but there remains a ways to go.
Reach Brendan Kearney at 937-5906 and follow him on Twitter at @kearney_ brendan.


text:
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text:
Lady Vols Roll Over Texas A & M 76-55
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (utsports.com) -- In a return to her homestate, senior Meighan Simmons had one of her best games of the season, a 76-55 Tennessee win at Texas A&M. The Cibolo, Texas native scored a game-high 26 points -- the second-most points she scored in a game this season -- as the #11/12 Lady Vols moved to 16-4 overall and 5-2 in the SEC.
Tennessee handed #17/15 Texas A&M its first conference loss of the season after the Aggies opened their second season in the league with six consecutive wins. The Aggies are now 16-5 overall.
The Lady Vols posted their second consecutive wire-to-wire win, on the heels of an 89-69 win over Florida, an seventh of the season.
Playing without starting point guard Ariel Massengale, who did not travel after suffering an injury last Thursday, the Lady Vols jumped out to a 10-2 lead six minutes into the game and never looked back.
Redshirt freshman Andraya Carter, drew the start in Massengale's place and scored 10 points and handed out a team-high six assists.
Bashaara Graves and Isabelle Harrison each scored 10 points. Harrison corralled nine rebounds, one shy of giving her a 10th double-double this season.
Freshman Mercedes Russell had eight points and 11 rebounds, the most of her first college season.
Texas A&M was led by Courtney Walker, who had 20 points. Karla Gilbert had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Simmons went to work early and often with sharp shooting all game. The 2013 SEC Player of the Year racked up 15 first-half points as Tennessee led 36-20 at intermission. Simmons shot 12-of-19 from the floor, tying her most made field goals in a game in her career.
The 36 points were the second-most allowed by Texas A&M this season as Tennessee shot 53.1 percent from the floor in the first 20 minutes. Tennessee shot 55.2 in the second half for a 54.1 overall mark in the game.
The Lady Vols' defensive effort was tremendous all afternoon. In the first half, Tennessee held A&M to 29.4 from the floor. The Aggies shot just 33.8 for the game.
Texas A&M was held to just one 3-point field goal on 12 attempts for 8.3 percent.
Also of note, Tennessee was very careful with the ball, as the Lady Vols committed just 10 turnovers -- their fewest of the season.
The Lady Vols led by as many as 22 on a Graves layup with 9:36 left in the second half. Tennessee led by at least 12 for the entire second half.
This was Tennessee's first-ever game at Texas A&M, which joined the league prior to the 2012-13 season.
The Lady Vols return home to host Arkansas on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. ET. That game airs on SportSouth and can be heard on the Lady Vol Network.


text:
Here's a brilliant display of a group of collegiate athletes woeful abandonment of alcohol-imbibing responsibility, as three University of Nevada football players were pinched over the Memorial Day weekend for DUIs, including senior wide receiver, Mike McCoy, pictured holding the ball in a less inebriated state.
Every Day Should Be Saturday, in its ongoing Fulmer Cup coverage, provided this cutting assesment of the Wolf Pack's wanton disregard for public safety:
The Wolf doth travel switfly–nay, too swiftly, and with too erratic a gait thrice in a night. For such plenty in the department of errant control, Nevada shall be assessed two points for each DUI charge, along with one bonus point for earning all three in one fell swoop. Thus the tally shall stand at seven points for Nevada, who shall fain call cabs for thou'st tipsiest of footballers from this point unto eternity.
Actually, this story says four players were arrested that weekend,which is just fantastic. The University of Nevada athletic department was obviously disappointed and is still determining a fair punishment for its team of reckless sots.