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Briefs – TENNIS

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Women’s Tennis

The 12th ranked University of Miami women’s tennis team fell to 11th-ranked Washington 4-3 Saturday evening in the consolation round of the USTA/ITA National Team Indoor Championships at the University of Wisconsin’s A.C. Nielsen Tennis Stadium.

The Hurricanes (2-2) opened strong, winning the doubles point to take a 1-0 match lead. UM’s eighth-ranked doubles duo of Megan Bradley and Audrey Banada downed 56th-ranked Dinka Hadzic and Dea Sumantri 8-5 before Melissa Applebaum and Caren Seenauth joined to defeat Saskia Nauenberg and Allison Rainey 8-6 to clinch the point.

(2) Bradley defeated (38) Sumantri 6-1, 6-3 in the No.1 singles slot to put the Hurricanes up 2-0. The Columbia, Missouri native dominated in singles and doubles throughout the weekend going 3-0 in both from the No. 1 position.

The Huskies notched a point after Hadzic downed senior Staci Stevens 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2.

Freshman Patricia Starzyk finished next, earning a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Tara Simpson at No. 5 to give Miami a 3-1 lead. Starzyk also finished the weekend with a 3-0 record in singles.

Washington went on to win in both the No. 4 and No. 6 positions to tie the score at 3-all. Banada fell to Nauenberg 7-5, 6-4 at No. 4 while freshman Juliette Mavroleon lost a close battle with Allison Rainey 7-6(6), 6-4 at No. 6.

The Huskies clinched the match after Mugette Ahn outlasted junior Melissa Applebaum in three sets 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the No. 3 position.

The Hurricanes return to action when they host cross-town rival Florida International Friday, Feb. 18 at 1:00 p.m. in the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.

Men’s Tennis

Junior Tim Krebs earned Miami’s only point of the day, winning at No. 2 singles, as the 47th-ranked Miami men’s tennis team fell 6-1 to in-state rivals Florida-ranked third nationally-Friday afternoon at Linder Stadium at the Ring Tennis Complex in Gainesville, Fla.

The Hurricanes (1-1) surrendered each of the doubles matches to the Gators (3-0) to fall 1-0 early heading into singles play.

UM senior Luis Manrique fell in straight sets (6-2, 6-0) in the No. 5 slot to Florida’s Jordan Dolberg just before UF’s Ryan Sherry downed freshman Ryan Waits, 6-1, 6-1 at No. 6 to give the Gators a 3-0 lead.

Krebs, ranked 123rd nationally in singles, finished next, downing the nation’s 47th-ranked singles player, Greg Ouellette, in straight sets (6-3, 6-2).

The UM comeback was short-lived as the Gators’ Hamid Mirzadeh defeated sophomore Josh Cohen, ranked 26th nationally, 6-1, 6-3 to clinch the match.

The Gators went on to win at No. 3 and No. 4 singles, downing UM junior John Hoyes and freshman Vivek Subramanian, respectively, to seal the 6-1 victory.

The Hurricanes will return to action Sunday, traveling to Tampa, Fla. to take on South Florida at noon.

Hurricanes are no match for Duke

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The University of Miami’s women’s basketball team suffered a nine-point loss to Duke, the No. 3 team in the nation, Thursday night at the Convocation Center.

The battle between the two Atlantic Coast Conference teams was felt to the buzzer. The ‘Canes proved their abilities, fighting to stay within striking distance of the Blue Devils despite a number of errors in the second half that negatively impacted the outcome.

“Miami definitely deserves credit for the game tonight. They kept fighting no matter what we threw at them,” Duke Head Coach Gail Goestenkors said.

After Duke succeeded in scoring the first five points of the game, Miami responded by securing three two-point field goals, the first of which was made by freshman guard Albrey Grimsley. Junior Tamara James, the second-leading scorer in the country, closed the gap with a three-point shot, bringing the score to 9-7.

As a result of eight turnovers made by Duke, the ‘Canes remained the front runners for the majority of the first half. The Blue Devils found their step, however, and ended the period leading 33-23.

The second half proved to be more of a struggle for the Hurricanes, as they suffered from a number of errors that accounted for 11 Duke points. While the Blue Devils remained the controlling force on the court, the ‘Canes continued to score, closing the score to within six points multiple times and keeping Duke from celebrating until the final buzzer.

Senior guard Yalonda McCormick and sophomore forward and center Imani Dhahabu made their presence known in response to Duke’s containment of James.

“Duke was focusing mostly on me and others on the team took the opportunity to make some plays offensively, showing our diversity in different situations,” James said.

Despite the tremendous efforts made, the ‘Canes were unable to defeat the ACC leaders, losing the game 72-63.

“The ACC is the No. 1 conference and it is inevitable that every game will be a battle,” Head Coach Ferne Labati said. “We’re working toward the future of the ‘Canes basketball program and like Coach Haith has said, ‘we’re a work in progress.'”

Stacey Arnold can be contacted at s.arnold@umiami.edu.

The year of the rooster

Traditionally the “New Year” is celebrated on Jan. 1, but in China, the New Year isn’t until February. This year Chinese New Year is Feb. 9, the year of the rooster, and Chinese New Year is another reason to celebrate.

Historically there are three ways to name the New Year for the Chinese. The first is by animal, or a mascot. There are 12 animals in the Chinese calendar, including the rooster, the ox, the rabbit and the rat. Since every animal represents one year, the cycle is recycled after 12 years.

For the Chinese the second way to name the New Year is its former name. A complicated system, as there are 60 names in it, it too is recycled after the pattern has been used. Along with this year being the year of the rooster, its name is Yiyou.

Finally, the third way to recognize the Chinese New Year is by actual years that are kept by the Chinese calendar; this is year is 4702.

The Chinese New Year is one of the biggest holidays in the Chinese calendar and combined with a 15-day celebration, the Chinese use vivid decorations and wild events to celebrate.

In spirit, check out events around Miami that celebrate the New Year all over again-and don’t forget to wear red.

Joanna Davila can be contacted at j.davila1@umiami.edu.

Tha carter exposes underground style

In the world of hip-hop, the dirty South is different. Whether it’s booty bass or crunk, the region continues to make hip-hop music in its own terms, whether the rest of the country likes it or not. So is the case in the hugely popular underground phenomenon of “screwing,” a production technique invented by the Houston underground legend DJ Screw. Screwing is basically pitching down music to a lumbering and even menacing pace, the result being in a trippy, eerie sound.

The growing popularity of screwed and chopped music in the South has seen the transformation of the technique being used in locally produced mix tapes to now where entire albums have been screwed and released in its new format. Lil’ Wayne’s fourth album, Tha Carter, is the latest to use the technique, exposing this underground style to a larger audience. The result, though, is mixed: At times the lumbering sound and the eerie effects brings to mind an experimental sound, but other times it tends to get a little tired, even during the first hearing of the album.

If there is one problem with this new version I have to bring to light, it’s the same one that plagued the original version: It’s too long. With the entire album being screwed and chopped, the menacing sound could have the effect of grinding on one’s nerve. Perhaps that’s why the style has been associated with “syrup sippin’,” purportedly the largest influence in developing the sound; the codeine-infused cough syrup could help you go with the flow and enjoy each slowly pounding beat. That said, this album is strictly for aficionados of screwed and chopped music.

Christian Martinez can be contacted at c.martinez7@umiami.edu.

Daniel Day-Lewis stars in The Ballad of Jack and Rose

Throughout art history, the idea of the tortured artist has been prevalent. From Vincent Van Gogh to Edgar Allen Poe, many great artists seem to have extensive problems living in society. But one of today’s most troubled artists is not a painter or a poet, but an actor.

Daniel Day-Lewis has gone to great lengths to protect his privacy since he exploded into the mainstream with My Left Foot in 1989. An actor who keeps a tight hold on his privacy is nothing too unusual, but Day-Lewis has taken it to a new level.

In the 15 years since My Left Foot, Day-Lewis has acted in only seven films, an especially small number given that he was considered one of the best actors of the ’90s. Day-Lewis retired from acting after The Boxer in 1997, reportedly working as a cobbler in Italy until Martin Scorsese convinced him to star in Gangs of New York five years later. His performance in that film earned him critical praise and an Oscar nomination, but apparently did nothing to refuel his love for acting, as he’s only done one film since then and his wife was the writer/director.

Day-Lewis’s newest film, The Ballad of Jack and Rose, is a small, character-driven piece, more like his earlier work than like Scorsese’s epic Gangs. Jack and Rose, written and directed by his wife of eight years, Rebecca Miller, is playing the Miami International Film Festival on its way to a March release. The film also features Catherine Keener (Being John Malkovich), Jason Lee (Chasing Amy), and teenager Camilla Belle, who is excellent in her first big movie role.

Despite great acting from everyone in the film, it’s Day-Lewis who will again earn the attention, and rightfully so. He gives yet another great performance, playing an environmentalist father trying to raise his teenage daughter on a secluded island. Keener comes in as a love interest for Day-Lewis, but the film is really about him dealing with his daughter, and it succeeds in hitting the emotional highs and lows of a real father-daughter relationship.

A great performance from Day-Lewis has become expected, not desired. After a variety of supporting roles in the ’80s, he won an Oscar and most other acting awards for playing a painter with cerebral palsy in My Left Foot. He then had a taste of big time Hollywood with The Last of the Mohicans and The Age of Innocence, but ultimately returned to smaller films. His work with My Left Foot director Jim Sheridan, which includes the Oscar-nominated In the Name of the Father and The Boxer, was considered to be the best of his career.

After The Boxer, Day-Lewis disappeared from acting for five years, showing no signs of needing it to live like some performers do. Instead, he settled down in Europe with Miller, daughter of playwright Arthur Miller, and had children, returning to acting only after Scorsese and Miramax chief Harvey Weinstein basically begged him to play Bill the Butcher in Gangs.

Day-Lewis remains a mystery to most people, mostly due to his refusal to do interviews or talk much about his work. Part of the reason he doesn’t seem to enjoy acting is probably due to the intense preparation he puts into his roles. He goes beyond method acting, and actually takes his work home with him. On several different films, including Gangs of New York, he is reported to have spoken with his characters’ accents at home and off the set for the entire period of shooting. He is also known to do heavy research in pre-production, studying old languages and history to get a better sense of the character.

While there are other actors known for being very prepared and thorough, Day-Lewis is one of the deepest. His background on Jack and Rose is not yet known, but obviously his wife’s involvement helped bring him into the project. The film isn’t his best, but is a successful one nonetheless, and worth watching if not just for the excellent acting.

Day-Lewis, now 47, doesn’t have any upcoming projects on his plate. He could retire to Europe for another few years, choosing maybe to only work on his wife’s films. He might have a change of heart and return to acting on a yearly basis. Or, to the displeasure of his fans and most movie lovers, he could never act again. Whatever he decides, The Ballad of Jack and Rose will be the only chance to see him for at least a couple of years, and it’s worth it for that alone.

Shawn Wines can be contacted at s.wines@umiami.edu

2005 Miami International Film Festival

Under the guidance of former Sundance chief Nicole Guillemet, the Miami International Film Festival is continuing its push towards the top of the country’s film festival list. The 2005 festival is shaping up to be the most impressive to date, with a long list of exciting films playing and a few celebrities coming to town.

One of the more highly anticipated films playing in this year’s festival is Modigliani, which opened the festival on Friday, Feb. 4. Modigliani is the story of a brilliant but little-known painter, a direct competitor with Pablo Picasso that never reached long term popularity like other artists of his day. The film features a powerful performance from Andy Garcia (Ocean’s Twelve) in the lead role, and some great supporting performances from foreign actors. Garcia and writer/director Mick Davis (The Match) are just a few of the film’s cast and crew members attending the festival.

Movie fans interested in seeing familiar faces on screen should look towards Cr

Baseball sweeps first series

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The University of Miami baseball team clinched its first series of 2005 against High Point with a dramatic 7-6 11th inning victory Saturday night at Mark Light Field in front of 2,153 fans.

“This was a very good game,” Head Coach Jim Morris said. “Both teams played hard, and their starter was topping 96 mph. We were lucky to come out on top tonight.”

High Point scored quickly, taking an early lead in the first inning. Already ahead 1-0, second baseman Dustin Holtzman tripled to right field with runners already on first and third base to put the Panthers up by three runs.

The Hurricanes answered back with an even more explosive first inning of their own. Left fielder Jon Jay was walked by Eammon Portice, followed by singles from right fielder Brendan Katin and shortstop Roger Tomas and a double off the left field wall by Danny Valencia. Tomas capped the inning off by scoring on a wild pitch to give the ‘Canes a 5-3 lead after one.

Both starting pitchers settled down after what appeared to be the makings for a double-digit slugfest. The Panthers’ Jeremy Neyra knocked in Matt Christie with a single in the top of the second to keep the Panthers within a run for most of the game. Camardese would pitch three scoreless innings afterward and strike out five before being replaced by Vince Bongiovanni.

In the bottom of the seventh, Paco Figueroa stepped up, blasting a home run over the left-field fence to give Miami a 6-4 lead. The Panthers tied the game with a two-run homer to left from designated hitter Josh Cotten.

While Morris was pleased with his team’s resilience in the win, he did voice some concerns.

“The great thing about a game like this is that it tells you what you need to work on,” Morris said. “Of course, we need to work on sac bunting, particularly with the younger guys.”

The game was decided in the 11th inning when Figueroa hit a high chopper into left field to drive in Alex Garabedian for the 7-6 outcome.

Figueroa was obviously pleased, not only with his performance but that of the overall team.

“It feels great to do anything to help our team win, and this is a big win for us,” Figueroa said. “We’ve got to build on this win.”

The outcome was markedly different from Friday night, when the ‘Canes dismantled the Panthers 12-5. Morris said that Saturday’s game made his team better.

“These games put us under pressure situations, and it lets you see which guys step up whether it’s the NCAA tournament or the College World Series,” he said.

The ‘Canes’ Chris Perez earned his first win in Sunday’s outing, which Miami won 10-1 to complete the sweep.

Mike Soto can be contacted at m.soto3@umiami.edu.

Frisby shines in crucial moment

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On a day when each team shot under 40 percent from the field, it was only fitting that the winning points came from the free-throw line. Senior Will Frisby hit two of the biggest free throws of his career to lift Miami to a thrilling overtime upset of No. 22 Maryland.

After missing a dunk that would have given the Hurricanes a five-point lead with 1:28 to play in overtime, Frisby redeemed himself by taking a charge on Nik Caner-Medley with 15 seconds to play.

With the score tied at 73, Robert Hite missed a running jumper, but Frisby grabbed the offensive rebound and got fouled with 0.8 left to play.

The 6-8 forward swished the first shot, and then swished the second, which goes against most basketball wisdom.

“I told him to miss that second shot,” Head Coach Frank Haith said. “But Will was in the zone and didn’t hear me.”

By making the second free throw, Maryland was able to take the ball out from out of bounds with the clock stopped and set up a play. The Terps ended up getting a good look at the buzzer, but the shot fell wide and the Convocation Center went into a frenzy.

It wasn’t the first time Frisby went to the line for two crucial free throws. Last season he sent a game against Boston College into overtime with two free throws at the end of regulation.

Frisby finished with 15 points, but none more crucial than the two that came with under a second to play.

Douglas C. Kroll can be reached at d.kroll@umiami.edu.

Inspired Effort

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Miami will remember its first ACC showdown with Maryland for a long time.

Will Frisby hit two free throws with 0.8 seconds left in overtime to give the Hurricanes a 75-73 victory in front of 7,000 fans at the Convocation Center Saturday.

Guillermo Diaz led all scorers with 27 points and appeared to win the game at the end of regulation with a three-pointer from just inside half court, but the shot came after the buzzer. Robert Hite had 17 points and Frisby added 15.

The Hurricanes (14-7, 5-5) held the No. 22 Terrapins’ (13-7, 4-5) top two scorers, Nik Caner-Medley and John Gilchrist, to 16 combined points. Junior guard Chris McCray picked up the scoring burden with 23 points and reserve guard Mike Jones contributed 14.

Miami Head Coach Frank Haith said containment of Caner-Medley and Gilchrist was vital to the Hurricanes’ victory.

“I thought our defense was the key to the game,” Haith said. “Going into the game, Caner-Medley and Gilchrist were a focus of ours. We did a pretty good job of holding those guys under their average.”

The first half was regrettable for both teams, with Miami shooting 21 percent from the field and Maryland 31 percent. The Hurricanes did most of their early damage from the foul line, hitting 12 of 15 free throws. UM had a 29-26 lead at halftime.

The second half heated up quickly, with Maryland outscoring Miami 41-38. A Gilchrist three-pointer with 1:44 left gave the Terrapins a 65-64 lead, but Diaz responded with a nifty reverse lay-up to put the ‘Canes back on top.

Anthony King made one of two free throws with 15.3 seconds left to push Miami’s lead to 67-65. Travis Garrison rebounded Gilchrist’s miss and was fouled with 3.9 seconds left. He calmly sank both to send the game to overtime.

The Hurricanes started out strong in OT, but a McCray three-pointer with 1:14 tied the game at 73. A Caner-Medley lay-up with 14 seconds left was waived off for an offensive foul. Hite missed a jumper with three seconds left but Frisby got the rebound and was fouled. Frisby made both foul shots, and a last-second heave by McCray was off target.

Haith said the win should put the Hurricanes back in contention for an NCAA Tournament bid.

“I think it puts us right back in the middle of things in terms of the race,” he said. “I mean, we’re 5-5 in the league…that’s where you want to be.”

Eric Kalis can be contacted at e.kalis@umiami.edu.

Political incorrectness is a burden on us all

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Throughout my (very) brief history of writing columns, I’ve managed to strike a nerve with many conservative readers, which probably means that I’m doing my job well. However, I do have a gripe against my fellow liberals, and it comes in the form of “political correctness,” which is fellow liberal-speak for “social spinelessness.” Guys, we really need to tone down the whole PC-ness, because it’s really hurting us and for good reasons.

I can definitely understand instances when political correctness can, and should, be used-considering our record of treating minorities, I can see the usefulness that comes from the application of certain politically correct terms to certain demographic groups (“African-American,” “physically disabled,” “underprivileged,” and others come to mind). However, when we start calling garbage collectors “sanitation engineers,” it raises an eyebrow. And when Tecate (a Mexican beer brand) starts pitching its beer as “finally, an ice-cold Latina,” and Hispanic groups scream bloody murder, then it’s downright ridiculous.

And before all the politically correct crusaders start jumping on me, let it be known to them that I’m half-Mexican, and spent half of my life south of the border. Nice way to defuse the quandary I would have found myself in if I weren’t Hispanic, isn’t it? This is another reason I can’t stand political correctness: There’s a massive double standard to how it’s applied. Haven’t you noticed how it’s perfectly acceptable to privately insult and denigrate other demographics, but when your own comes under attack in such subtle ways such as a Taco Bell commercial, it’s suddenly a big deal worthy of national media attention?

That’s another problem I have with this whole deal: There are people starving in Africa and Asia, and yet we pay so much attention to whether or not the Taco Bell chihuahua is sensitive enough to Hispanic interests…am I the only one who sees something wrong with this? We’ve got food and shelter, for crying out loud-why are we worrying about how another group of people perceives us?

Let me guess-it’s because it’ll “harm the image of in this country?” Please! Considering our media-induced culture, with pre-programmed violence, indifference and prejudice so prevalent, do you really think a TV ad or show will make that much of a difference? No! The only way we’ll ever resolve the problem of racial and ethnic polarization in the U.S. is through honest, open dialogue. Why do you think TV shows like South Park and Family Guy are so popular? Not just because they’re funny, but also because they trespass the barriers posed by political correctness, and they tell us what we all think and want to say, but don’t have the guts to express for fear of crucifixion by the politically-correct crusaders. America, why do you think Peter Griffin and Eric Cartman are the most politically incorrect cartoon characters in television, and at the same time, the funniest and some of the most well liked in this country and abroad? By coincidence? No. The way I see it, political correctness is a big joke, without the comedy. The liberal school of thought (and the world in general) could, and should, do without it.

Jay Rooney can be contacted at j.rooney@umiami.edu.

Michael Irvin got robbed by the Hall of Fame

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The class of 2005 NFL Hall of Fame inductees were announced Saturday evening, and while deserving nods were given to quarterbacks Steve Young and Dan “0-for” Marino, one name was noticeably absent from the list.

The Playmaker.

And guess what else, folks? He’s a ‘Cane. In fact, he’s the ‘Cane.

Of course, we all know why he didn’t get in. It certainly wasn’t his stat sheet (his gaudy career numbers include 750 receptions for nearly 12,000 yards), nor was it his championship track record (before you can argue whether the current Patriots are the newest NFL dynasty, you must first acknowledge that Dallas was its last). It couldn’t be his personality; after Lamar Thomas broke his career receiving record at UM, Michael Irvin sent Thomas a framed picture of himself just in case Thomas “forgot what a great receiver looks like.” And, let’s be honest: it has absolutely zero to do with his college pedigree.

Instead, it was his much-publicized misbehavior that kept Irvin shut out of Canton’s vaunted doors. There was the adultery charge in 1996; he was acquitted. There were a couple drug possession charges; certainly not unique amongst professional athletes (did Lawrence Taylor get held out of the Hall?). There was even Scissor-Gate, when, during training camp in 1998, he stabbed teammate Everett McIver over an argument about a haircut-hey, at least you know where the scissors came into play.

And, sure, these are no mistakes that any man would be proud of. But Irvin overcame them. “Sometimes, we all have problems and they can get overwhelming, but when God saves us, we think about all He has brought us through and it’s just amazing,” he said just one year ago. “You might say I should hide my problems, but I just want to spread the word about how good Jesus is to me. It’s His hand who brought me through all this.”

But don’t take my word for it. I’m just a college student.

Instead, why don’t you check out Emmitt Smith’s retirement speech, when he broke down thanking Irvin for helping him throughout his career. Smith was a Gator and is a certain Hall of Famer.

Why don’t you ask Deion Sanders, Irvin’s best friend, who helped Irvin turn his life around. Neon Deion was a Seminole and is a certain Hall of Famer.

Or, when posed with the question, “Michael Irvin or Jerry Rice?,” this Hall of Fame receiver replied, “Michael Irvin” faster than he could get off the line of scrimmage.

That Hall of Fame receiver? Jerry Rice.

Ben Minkus can be contacted at b.minkus@umiami.edu.

We’re all on our way to hell

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Sun-shaped nipple shields and wardrobe malfunctions became part of our vocabulary following the now-infamous halftime performance by Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake. The public outcry was everywhere. The Super Bowl was being blamed for leading us toward the moral abyss. That’s right, those commercials that you love and the must-see halftime shows are leading us straight to hell. In an attempt to save us all from our sins, Fox and the NFL have decided to clean up their acts. It’s their goal to provide “wholesome, family-friendly” entertainment. How, exactly, 22 guys beating the crap out of each other is classified as “wholesome, family-friendly” entertainment is beyond us.

In order to create a G-rated bore, several commercials were pulled and Paul McCartney was selected to provide the halftime entertainment. They even changed The Best Damn Sports Show, Period to The Best Darn Super Bowl Road Show, period, so as not to offend anyone. It wasn’t all clean fun though: McCartney joked at a press conference that there was no need to worry about wardrobe malfunction because he’d be performing naked.

The true travesty is that some of the would-be best commercials will remain unseen because the NFL, Fox or some other group of uptight people found them offensive. Among the commercials pulled were ones by Budweiser and Ford. Budweiser pulled their “wardrobe malfunction” commercial in fear of offending people by reminding them of last year’s incident. Apparently, some people were so horribly offended by the nipple shield that even the mere reminder of the incident is offensive. For those of us who want to be offended, the commercial can be seen at Budlight.com.

There comes a certain point where free speech is limited by the fear of being offensive. Where do we draw the line? It’s one thing to be offended by seeing someone’s nipple ring, but complaining because a commercial offends you by reminding you when you saw someone’s nipple is decidedly over the top.