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Home Blog Page 1827

When the classically-trained Rap: Is Count Bass D the Earl Manigault of hip hop?

The Miami Hurricane
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Count Bass D, who’s that? Yeah, that’s what you’re probably wondering. I know I was, until I listened to his new album Dwight Spitz and started talking to people other than myself. The Count’s latest LP (his third)- emerging from the green mist of High Times’ newly sprouted record label – is exactly what Count Bass D professes; a mastery of the MPC (the Akai drum machine/sampler), a device that has basically spawned every beat you’ve nodded your head to in the ’90s, think Premier).

Based on the sound of the album and Count’s casual affiliations with MF DOOM, J Rawls and Madlib (among others), he appeared to be a beat head from day one. After checking his website (yes, please give me a wedgie and hang me up on the edge of a locker; for I am a nerd) and discovering that he’d done collaborations ranging from Vitamin C (what?) to Victor Wooten (who?), I wasn’t sure what the hell to think.

So, I gave the man a phone call at his home in Nashville, Tennessee. Trust me, asking for someone by the name of “CountBassD” is far more awkward than you can imagine; it’s like calling up a “Sesame Street” puppeteer’s house and asking for Snufalufagus. Over the tele, the Count recounted, OK never mind, here you go:

Q: My friend told me your earlier work was more gospel, Biblical even? What’s that about?
CBS: Nah, your friend’s just wrong. I’ve done two guest appearances with some guys who are pretty big in the gospel music scene. It seems like anybody that does anything on anybody’s album they automatically wanna claim that as one of their own. I’m far from anything like that, even though I do believe in Jesus Christ and my father’s a minister and…

Q: You switched styles from your first album, right?
CBS: The guy whose equipment we were using had some personal problems at the time, and I didn’t know how to program as far as samples were concerned, so I had to do what I knew, which was play an instrument. I never planned to make a “live” instrument album, until my third or fourth one; it just so happened that it was in my cards to do it as my first record. I’ve kind of been doing it backwards.

Un-huh.

CBS: Honest to God, you know? Trust be told, I really feel like I’m better than everybody.

Q: Alright? (It’s kind of hard to come up with something to say after hearing that, you know?)
CBS: The same way the Oakland Raiders felt like they were better than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

(Note to reader: at this point I really had no idea what was going on, as far as I could remember the Raider’s lost the Super Bowl, but anyway…)

CBS: I personally believe Mike Tyson’s the best heavyweight out there, but he’s having a hard time proving that, you see what I’m saying?

Q: Um, not being put in the most favorable situations?
CBS: Just like basketball, I’m sure there’s a basketball player doing 25-to-life that would give Michael Jordan a run for his money as the greatest basketball player of all time.

(Another note: Possibly. I’ve seen Rebound: The Legend of Earl ‘The Goat’ Manigault. Exchanging change on the top of a backboard, c’mon.)
Short of Teddy Riley (he produced “No Diggity” for Blackstreet, woo hoo, gotta bag it up!), maybe, I don’t believe that there’s anybody who has the type of skills that I have. Only because I have more training than anybody who I’ve ever even heard of.

Q: What kind of “training” are we talking about here?
CBS: I sung classically in Hungary, you know in tenth grade? I toured Austria, you know, even before I was graduated high school.

Q: Uh huh?
CBS: I went to boarding school just on a music scholarship, so as far as me doing rap, a lot of my teachers are disappointed…it’s just, for me, rap is second nature to me, you know, this is not difficult.

Q: So is the next step complete mastery and domination of hip-hop?
CBS: Honestly I’m just livin’ my life man, I don’t feel like I have anything to prove.

Ahhh…
CBS: I think that’s the problem. If I had a drive to really get out there and “rah rah rah sis boom bah, look what I can do,” I would fare better than a lot of these other cats. I have a wife, I’ve got three children; I’m just really try to become a better husband and father to them. I’m just gonna express myself and just hope there are enough people out there who enjoy it.

Un huh.
CBS: You hear these football players all the time, ” If I’m playing my best game, I feel like no one can touch me,” I feel that same way. I don’t care what beat maker it is out there and we start talking about you know (forgive the spelling here) Mixalidied Modes and Dorian Scales…

Oh?
CBS: They gonna get squashed. But personally, you know, I can’t shoot a gun well, I can’t drive cars real fast, I’ve never had rims on my car, I’ve never owned a pair of Timberland boots and I don’t really know how to walk around like I’m a b-boy, I’m just a musician.

Q: Are you considering taking some classes to work your b-boy stance?
CBS: Nope.

Q: As far as being on High Times Records and having a song called “Say No To Drugs”?
CBS: I’m talking about say no to sugar, say no to caffeine, say no to meat, that’s the biggest dope out there, say no to cigarettes. There’s a whole bunch of other things out there, you know, High Times and things like that, whatever people plan to do with marijuana, and all this other type of thing, that’s their personal business. I personally have two jobs right now and have random drug tests and I don’t participate in that.

Q: What, two jobs?
CBS: I work at FedEx and an insurance company…I’m trying to get an IRA eventually.

So there you have it, more or less. Count Bass D has more projects in the works (excluding selling policies and delivering packages) than you can shake a stick of Nag Champa at: including, well just check www.countbassd.com, it’s thorough.
For more info visit www.hightimes.com.

Sven Barth can be reached at big_sven@hotmail.com.

Exploring the depths of female sexuality – Britney Spears need not apply

The Miami Hurricane
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With so many young girls trying to attain a false sense of sexuality made popular by magazines, movie stars, and music icons, A.A. Rucci shows a much more realistic portrayal of femininity and sensuality. Living up to his current reputation as one of the most innovative and creative artists touring the Miami art circuit, Rucci’s works were nothing less than inspiring.

His “Headless” series, currently displayed at the Ambrosino Gallery in North Miami, shows his work from 2000 to the present. Six large acrylic paintings portray an approximately two-inch headless female figure reproduced in various poses and stages of undress, centered on a single-colored background. Each work, explicitly different in its poses and overall appeal, was drawn with meticulous detail and specific attention to the interactions between the figures. “Small works engage the viewer to observe each work intimately,” Rucci explained at his opening last Friday.

Rucci’s search for a female figure to draw eventually led him to a close friend who he felt epitomizes real-life women. Strangely, I found myself relating some paintings to members of the Spice Girls or to some other imaginary train-wreck of a girl group. Soon I was putting a face to each figure just as Rucci had expected of his viewers.

“Posh:” The most erotic of the works with figures laying or sitting with legs open and inviting. One woman’s hand is outstretched towards the sky while another’s explores the crevices of her own womanhood against a navy blue background.

“Scary:” Aggressive and wild like the ultra red canvas, women prance around holding sharp menacing objects like meat cleavers, spades, and machetes.

“Sporty:” Its grayish-blue backdrop surrounds a group of figures whose poses ooze Bob Fosse-like appeal.

Ginger:” Everyone’s favorite slut (before Christina Aguilera of course)! Sexy, alluring poses, and hands exploring each other’s bodies seem to tease the viewer amidst a deep green backdrop.

“Baby:” A virginal pink canvas surrounds a group of headless cheerleaders. The sweet seemingly innocent “Britney Spears/ Olsen twin hybrids” pose as one defiant cheerleader facing backwards bends down with legs spread just enough that her panties peak out from below her skirt. Rucci had decided his opening would be the metaphorical cherry popping of these pieces…in celebration of the Olsen twins becoming of legal age (hey, someone had to do it).

In the future, Rucci plans to make larger headless composites with up to four hundred figures on one canvas and is also thinking about creating a coloring book for adults using some of his figures.

His work is on display at the Ambrosino Gallery, 769 NE 125th St., North Miami, through Feb. 23. Call 305-891-5577 for more info.

Chris Howard can be reached at BBHMM3234@aol.com

News Briefs

The Miami Hurricane
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Rob Zombie promoted his first flick, House of 1000 Corpses (which is set to hit theatres on March 28), at the Comic Book and Pop Culture Convention at the Pasadena Center in California this past weekend. By making this appearance, the fright-rocker wants to legitimize himself as a credible writer/director.

A new spy thriller, The Recruit, starring Al Pacino and Colin Farrell, debuted at No. 1 in the box office, grossing $16.5 million in its first weekend. It was followed by Final Destination 2–a horror film about death lurking around young people on Spring Break–with $16.2 million, according to studio estimates.

A group of notable American poets, invited to the White House poetry symposium on Feb. 12, were planning to use the event to criticize the administration’s policies towards Iraq. However, when the First Lady heard of this, the occasion was indefinitely adjourned.

Controversial Russian lesbian duo, Tatu, have recently topped the British singles charts, wearing racy school uniforms in their video, while kissing and cuddling. The music group’s been accused of “targeting the dirty old man market” and of “pedophile porn” by child protection agencies and British TV hosts.

Dirty South rapper Juvenile got busted again: the MC and friends were arrested from a Lincoln Town Car during a traffic stop in New Orleans and were charged with possession of marijuana and cocaine. In the past, Juvenile’s been charged with aggravated battery with a bottle, battery on a law enforcement officer, simple battery when he punched his barber, two counts of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in Miami.

Booze, kegs and pitchers: L&A at the Beer Festival

The Miami Hurricane
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Amidst the bustle of ostentatious pedestrians, flashy neon signs, Art Deco-designed restaurants and ritzy edifices such as the Tides Hotel and the Versace Mansion on SoBe’s Ocean Drive, a disparate brand of festivity installed itself among the lush sand and palm trees. Ostensibly, it seemed like a paradox for the Miami Beach International World of Beer Festival 2003 to inaugurate the first global beer fiesta in South Florida on the beachfront between 7th and 8th St., an area usually plagued by Mango’s cocktails and Wet Willies’ frozen drinks.
“The goal of the event is to erase the stigma attached to beer drinkers,” said Justine Stock, the head volunteer coordinator and daughter of one of the event’s organizers, Melissa Frantz. “Beer shouldn’t just be associated with white trash. It has history, they had casks in Noah’s Arc. Americans care more about the marketing. I mean, Budweiser tastes like shit, but they have great ad campaigns. We want to create more awareness about world beer and show that it can be as interesting as wine and cocktails.”
Whether or not beer can have this epicurean value didn’t matter: Life & Art had to dive in and savor what such a festival could offer. Upon entering, my photographer quickly disappeared into the various tents, letting me scrutinize the surrounding alone-on stage, a jam band played a miscellany of Goo Goo Dolls, “Sweet Home Alabama,” and original Celtic flute tunes. Along the sandy field, an eclectic tang of bourbon chicken, Maryland crab cakes and fried alligator blended with the potent aroma of beer inside the many pavilions boasting more than 300 international singular brews.
Thirsty amblers-ranging from the preppies in Hilfiger and Polos to the pot-bellied beer devotees to the few mullet-heads rocking flickering ornaments on their bodies-wandered around to taste the different flavors, yet the crowd was slim compared to the amount of space at the festival. Stock blamed this on the recession and $25 price tag for admission, also pointing out that this was the event’s first year. In any case, I was starting to feel dehydrated and so made my way to the most lively, gregarious booth: the Belgian beer stand. While shouting out “Mussels from Brussels!” and singing along to “It’s Great to Be a Belgian,” Paul Cuypers, president of the Belgian Club of Florida, greeted me.
“Belgium has the best and most different kinds of beer in the world,” he said. “Every little village has several small breweries and so everyone tries to make theirs better. It’s very competitive and a big incentive to make good beer.” He also noted that each habitant in Belgium consumes about 130 liters of beer per year (the second largest consummation after Germany, which holds first place with 142 liters). Also, many international beers are brewed using Belgian techniques, he said.
After guzzling down a Saxo (really sweet and fruity), a Hoegarden (pungent, flavorful) and a Stella Artois (a perfect mix between dry and sweet), I was off to a good start and walked over to the Warsteiner booth, a pilsner brewed in Warstein, Germany. A flabby, red-nosed sort, Mark Dean, special events coordinator for Warsteiner importers, conceitedly proclaimed his beer to be the “nectar of the gods.”
“It’s crisp and clean, easy for the American palette and many people think that our dark beer tastes lighter than the regular pilsner,” he told me. He also emphasized that his beer is brewed in its native land, then imported to the U.S., while another representative elucidated that a lot of imports aren’t made in their country of origin-Guinness and Fosters are both made in Canada, instead of Ireland and Australia, respectively. I tasted both the dark and light varieties of Warsteiner, but couldn’t really tell the difference because I was drinking both at the same time.
Across this booth, another Belgian stand caught my eye. Dubbed L’Alsacienne “Sans Culotte” (i.e., “without underwear” in French), the bottle’s label portrays “Fannie” lifting up her skirt to reveal a bare ass. However, explained Mike Cutter, president of the company that imports these beers from their brewery in Erteveldt, Belgium, the ass has to be censored otherwise it would be deemed indecent in the U.S. since it’s an alcoholic bottle, while this isn’t the case in Belgium. Cleverly and humorously, Cutter stamped a censor that could easily be scratched off when the bottle is bought and describes it as having a “non-hop finish” and a “non-bitter and refreshing taste.”
Moving along, I bumped into the Unibroue stand-beers from Chambly, Quebec, with eccentric gothic designs on the bottles. Perhaps the image enticed me to taste, yet I will attest that these brews had the most original flavor and a delectable zest. “We make our beers Belgian style, using techniques like refermentation, aging, etc., to make it more flavorful,” said Michael Hruska, regional sales manager for the company. “It’s enjoying beer for what it can be, flavor wise. American beers aren’t as exciting as Belgian or German ones and you could compare our brew to a champagne or even a port wine finish.”
At this point, while handling three sampling cups, I was searching for my photographer and observing the Canstruction “can castle.” Night had fallen and the brew was heating me up. Steve, a volunteer, came up to me for a chat and praised the array of people. “There was this girl who was soaking wet from swimming in the cold ocean,” he said. “She was from Norway.” Meantime, an older man was having a hard time standing up, and after crashing twice onto the ground, he belched out the beer and was escorted to the exit.
Back inside the exhibition area, I stumbled upon Magner’s Cider, brewed in Ireland. Sales rep Shane McCarthy noted that while American ciders tend to be very sweet, English ones are very dry, so Magner’s is pegged in the middle. John Keogh, a sales manager for the English cider Strongbow, mentioned that before the prohibition, cider was widely consumed in the U.S. Due to the introduction of malt beverages such as Smirnoff Ice, Americans hardly consume cider, while it’s the first alcoholic drink young Brits buy when growing up because it’s cheap, he said.
Kalik, a popular Bahamian brew, was described to have the “lightness of American beers and the full body of European ones” by Micheal Larsen, sales director of Commonwealth Brewery. And, on the other side of the planet, Singha, the oldest Thai beer, is more bitter and contains more alcohol (6%) than American brews. Nondhee Trananon, of the Thai Trade Center, noted that in Thailand, beer is served with more alcohol (8%) and in larger volumes.
While drunkenly jotting down the last few notes for my story, I finally found my photographer, looking hammered, his body oscillating in his corner. I drifted towards him and we both noticed the semi-empty Miller Lite stand, jokingly pondering who would even want an American beer after relishing the succulent flavor of the international selection offered here. Moreover, we ran into the Mango’s booth, the only one serving liquor instead of beer with a blonde in a see-through leopard suit pouring Bacardi bottles, which prompted a reality check-we were still in the middle of South Beach. As we meandered back through the gaudy Ocean Drive crowd and glistening Porsches, I felt rather disoriented, as if I stepped in from some strange, outside land.
Omar Sommereyns can be reached at SOASIS@aol.com

Long road to recover for Ennis

The Miami Hurricane
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When the average sports fan is asked about track and field, images of Michael Johnson and Marion Jones running the 100 and 200-meter dash probably come to mind.
Pole vaulters don’t necessarily enjoy the same attention as a famous sprinter, but may in fact be the best all-around athletes in track and field. University of Miami pole vaulter Jabari Ennis is a perfect example of an all-around athlete who has the capability to excel in any field event.
The senior from Kingston, Jamaica has fully recovered from a potentially crippling knee injury and plans to gain plenty of national attention for himself this season as he tries to finish strong in both the Big East and NCAA championships.
“Rehab was real hard and put things in perspective for me,” Ennis said. “I had to learn how to walk again and go through tough lifting sessions. Seeing other people go through it in the past helped inspire me to fully recover.”
Before his injury, Ennis was UM’s top ranked vaulter during both the 2001 indoor and outdoor seasons and placed sixth at the Big East Outdoor Championships. Ennis plans on building on his past success to continue improving this season.
“My goal is to win both the Big East and NCAA’s,” Ennis said. “This year’s team can do a lot of damage in both the pole vault and sprints.”
Ennis opened up the 2003 season with a first place finish at the Florida Intercollegiates in Gainesville on Jan. 18. His vault of 5.05 meters qualified for the Big East Championships in May.
Ennis points to the Oklahoma Invitational as a meet where he has done well in the past and plans to beat his personal best there.
“The track is wonderful in Oklahoma,” Ennis said. “I hope to break personal records there and jump 17 feet for the first time.”
Ennis also brings back great memories every time he makes the trip to Norman and considers those meets his favorite.
“I would have to say the Oklahoma meets have been the highlight of my career so far,” Ennis said. “I do very well there and I enjoy the trips with my friends.”
What most people don’t realize about pole vaulting, according to Ennis, is that one must be talented in all areas of track and field in order to have success.
“If someone asked me to describe pole vaulting, I would tell them that to do well you must beat all of the sprinters, throw farther than the throwers and jump higher than anyone else,” Ennis said. “It is all about technique and you have to work out your whole body because balance is critical.”
Ennis is only six inches away from qualifying for the 2004 Olympics and will earn a degree in Computer Engineering this May. He hopes to accomplish his ultimate goal of representing Jamaica.
“It has always been my goal to compete in the Olympics,” Ennis said. “My next personal record should qualify and hopefully you will see me in 2004.”

-You can reach Eric Kalis at elk777bc@hotmail.com

Morris attempts to lead UM to more success

The Miami Hurricane
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Over his past nine years at the University of Miami, head coach Jim Morris has become synonymous with honor, pride and winning.
Since 1994, Morris has coached in 576 games for the Hurricanes, going 427-148-1 over that span for a .742 winning percentage. His teams have gone to the College World Series seven times in his career at Miami.
With the 2003 season beginning Wednesday night against FIU, Morris could face his toughest task to date at UM. After coming off his worst season as the ‘Canes head coach, Morris faces the daunting task of putting together another successful ball club, despite the fact that graduation and the major league baseball draft continue to devastate his team each year.
“Since coming to Miami I have learned to deal with losing very talented players year after year,” Morris said.
Morris has never failed to make the College World Series two seasons in a row. If the veteran coach wants to keep his streak alive, the Hurricanes will have to rebound from last year’s disappointing season.
“There are no rebuilding years at Miami,” Morris said.
The reality of another berth in the College World Series seemed unlikely for Miami in the offseason. During that time, the program was questioned in regard’s to the NCAA’s investigation against the team’s recruiting policies. Morris is confident that the off the field events will not hinder the results on the field.
“Whatever happens is going to happen and we are going to ride with it,” Morris said. “Most importantly we have to think about this year, and whatever happened in the past, it certainly was not intentional.
“This is a new year and we have a season to play. I don’t feel this will be a distraction to our team.”
Morris was also unhappy with Miami’s standing in the pre season rankings. Most polls had the ‘Canes ranked in the mid-teens, and one didn’t even include UM in the top 25.
“After ending up three outs away from the College World Series, to see us not ranked at all the following season is incredible,” Morris said. “Personally, I take offense to that and I think our kids do as well.
“Hopefully we can use that as motivation to get us going this season. We are still Miami and this program has a history of being in the mix every year.”
But two big questions remain: Does this team have what it takes to compete, and who will be the guys to get this club back to Omaha?
“As it was last year, there are a lot of question marks in the lineup,” Morris said. “A key difference between this year’s team and last year’s is that we were able to acquire some very good junior college players. These guys have two years experience and know what it takes to win.
“Tom Shannon and Adam Ricks are both from very good programs in California. Florida and California have the best baseball in the country, the weather is great, and these guys get a chance to play a lot of games a year vs. some very tough competition.”
Morris has dealt with the odds before and is ready to coach through them again.
“I can assure you our lineup on Wednesday will not be the lineup that we end the season with,” Morris said. “We are going to switch things around and mix things up until we find what works best.”

-You can reach Ryan Ellis at msgnyc@yahoo.com

Intramural Scores

The Miami Hurricane
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Do you want to have a chance to compete for wonderful prizes at halftime of one of the Hurricane basketball games at the new Convocation Center? If so, here is your chance in the 2-Ball Competition! All you have to do is get a partner and sign up at the Outdoor Courts of the Wellness Center next Monday through Thursday during Intramural basketball games. The finalists in the Men’s and Women’s divisions will be invited to compete against each other during a game. For more information, contact Jason Carroll at 305-284-8518 or jcarroll@miami.edu.

Soccer Playoffs:
Triple Alt. 165 – 1 (PK)
One Touchables – 0

Reggae Ruffians – 3
Latin American FC – 0

UMSM Women – 3
PT Playas – 0

Goalden Girls – 1
The Empresses – 0 (Forfeit)

Lambda Chi Alpha – 1 (PK)
Alpha Sigma Phi – 0

Zeta Beta Tau – 2 (PK)
Sigma Phi Epsilon – 1

Kirk Tracy Memorial FC – 2 (PK)
Dutch Soccer – 1

Chess Club – 3
Soccer for Dummies – 0

Delta Gamma – 1
Sigma Delta Tau – 0 (Forfeit)

Kirk Tracy Memorial FC – 2
Triple Alt 165 – 1

Reggae Ruffians – 1 (PK)
Chess Club – 0

Basketball:
12 Angry Men – 38
Up in Smoke – 17

Griswalds – 31 (OT)
Drive By – 30

UBS Girls – 24
!Robbed! – 8
Wahine – 30
Big Daddy Abraham – 13

Team Cubano – 67
Famous Guys – 21

Shooting Stars – 46
Pimps & Gigolos – 35

Miami Hurrigangstars – 40
SBA – 18

Team Highlight – 37
Down with Brown – 34

Pi Kappa Alpha – 67
Alpha Sigma Phi – 54

Alpha Epsilon Pi – 50
Lambda Chi Alpha – 28

Sigma Chi – 48
Sigma Alpha Epsilon – 1

Zeta Beta Tau – 46
Sigma Alpha Mu – 29

Relentless – 42
Walsh 7 – 30

Surs Flow – 41
Got It Locked – 29

Punishers – 31
Rythym Method – 30

Sons of – 61
RT9ers – 28

Club Med – 33
Gunners – 22

Macro-orchidism -49
Complete – 48

Night Riders – 44
The Squad – 36

Donkey Punch – 39
Above the Rim – 36

Co Fuzzy Furze – 44
Below the Rim – 32

2L Scrubs – 54
The Boodroskis – 28

Wagon Mound 3 – 40
No Fear – 31

Knights – 46
Chokers – 26

Diaper Dandies – 32
Cleveland Steam – 11

Get Money – 63
Ruff Ryders – 53
Midwest Connex – 37
All-Stars – 32

Penthouse All-Stars – 46
Penthouse All-Stars 2 – 38

Booty Jackers – 47
Party House Ponce -29

Team Racquetball:
Stoper – 2
Cell Block 6 – 1

Blue Balls – 3
Mark2 – 0

Pi Kappa Alpha – 2
Sigma Alpha Epsilon – 1

Lambda Chi Alpha – 3
Phi Delta Theta – 0

‘Canes pull out OT win

The Miami Hurricane
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Convocation Center drought comes to an end
By
Hurricane Sports Writer
After losing their first two games in the brand new Convocation Center, the Lady ‘Canes basketball team got a tough victory, beating Virginia Tech 67-66 in overtime Tuesday night. Despite hitting just one of 13 three-point shots, missing 16 of their 26 free throws, getting out-rebounded 55-43, and shooting a paltry 25 percent from the field in the first half, the ‘Canes managed enough defense to come out victorious.
The Hokies only scored 18 points in the first half and didn’t lead until the 11:13 mark of the second half. Although V-Tech shot 25 percent in the first half, they found a way to beat the ‘Canes defense and score 36 points in the second half.
Riding on the shoulders of their 6-2 junior center Shaquana Wilkins, who led the ‘Canes with 19 points, the ‘Canes extended their largest lead of the game to nine points with only 3:11 left to play in regulation. From that point on the ‘Canes would only score one more time as they let the Hokies chip away at their lead and eventually tie the game.
Head Coach Ferne Labati, who fell over as she jumped in frustration on the sideline, said, “Shaq [Wilkins] came through really big for us, especially in the second half. She’s a very stable person who you know you can depend on because she’s very personable.”
Freshman phenom Tamara James and Yolanda McCormick both missed the front end of one-and-one free throw attempts with less than two minutes to go, giving the Hokies confidence and the chance to come back. Virginia Tech freshman Carrie Mason, who scored a game-high 24 points, hit two foul shots with just over a minute to go, pulling the Hokies within three points.
On the Hokies next possession, Mason calmly came down the court and nailed a three pointer to tie the game at 54 points with 25 seconds to go. The ‘Canes had one more shot at winning the game when the Hokies fouled James as she drove to the basket. Miami’s free-throw woes continued as James missed her free-throw attempt. Virginia Tech got the rebound but failed to get off a shot before time expired.
Halfway through the overtime period, James hit two free throws to put Miami in the lead for good. The Hokies did however come very close to making another comeback.
After building a five point lead with a little over two minutes remaining, the ‘Canes allowed the Hokies to pull within one point. Again the Hokies resorted to fouling the ‘Canes. James missed two foul shots that could have extended Miami’s lead, but the ‘Canes defense came through as Meghan Saake blocked the next Hokie shot. The Hokies fouled Saake and she too missed both of her foul shots.
With only five seconds remaining the Hokies made a mad dash down the floor to attempt a last second shot but Chanivia Broussard stole the ball to end the game. Broussard, who led Miami in points her first two seasons made her first start against Virginia Tech.
The ‘Canes host Villanova tomorrow night at the Convocation Center.

You can reach Nate Johnson at NPJ44@aol.com.

Super Sunday for Sapp

The Miami Hurricane
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Outspoken personality has made Sapp a winner in NFL
For the first 20 years of their existence, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had been considered the laughing stock of the NFL.
In 1995, during the tail end of their drought, the ‘Bucs selected University of Miami defensive tackle Warren Sapp in the first-round, in what was considered a risky move. Tampa Bay personnel, however, saw Sapp as a building block for a future Super Bowl team.
Eight years later, Sapp and the Buccaneers finally put an end to decades of frustration, as Tampa Bay defeated the Oakland Raiders 48-21 Sunday in the Super Bowl. The former Hurricane, a longtime vocal leader in the Tampa Bay locker room, forced a fumble, and helped spearhead the Tampa Bay defense that caused all sorts of problems for Rich Gannon and the Raiders’ offense.
“We emerged from the ridicule and heartbreak put upon this organization, to evolving into a playoff team that no one thought could take the next step,” Sapp said. “We took that next step, and now we are world champions, and that is something nobody can ever take away.”
Known for his outspokenness, Sapp originally wanted to be a lawyer growing up, using his ability to talk his way out of anything to his advantage. Sapp did not even begin to play football until his sophomore year in high school. However, those few years were enough to alter Sapp’s career plans.
“Getting to know people like yourself, meeting hall of fame players of the game you really admire, gives you that good fuzzy feeling all over,” Sapp said. “It’s really a game of relationships and building friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Sapp enrolled at the University of Miami and quickly became a prominent player on the team. Originally, the 30-year old arrived in Miami as a tight end, before head coach Dennis Erickson moved him to defensive tackle. In three years with the Hurricanes, Sapp recorded 19.5 sacks and 176 tackles, while forcing and recovering four fumbles.
Those numbers solidified Sapp as one of the nation’s best defensive players, and also opened the door to some recognition as well. Sapp became UM’s first Lombardi Award winner in 1994 as the nation’s best interior lineman, and was announced an All-American his junior season. Sapp also took home the Bronko Nagurski Award as college football’s top defensive player.
After joining the ‘Bucs organization in 1995, Sapp picked the number 99, sharing it with one of the players he looked up to most, Jerome Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles, a player whom Sapp often drew comparisons to. One of Sapp’s fondest memories was the day Brown came to visit.
“It was a dream come true,” Sapp said. “When I answered my door, I stumbled back for a moment taking in the sight of the great Jerome Brown coming to visit little old me at Miami.”
This season, Sapp earned a spot in the Pro Bowl for the sixth consecutive year, a feat only matched by Mike Alstott, Derrick Brooks, and Lee Roy Selmon in the history of the Tampa Bay organization. He has also been named to the All-Pro team by the Associated Press each of the past four seasons. Now, Sapp has his ultimate piece of hardware: a Super Bowl ring. “I think this championship validates us all as a defense, because for the last six or seven years we’ve been the staple that you must measure up to. ‘Can you play defense like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?'” Sapp said. “The Purple People Eaters and the Fearsome Foursome are not talked about in the same light as they do the Steal Curtain. They were champions, and championships are the key factors that define you in this league.”
Sapp finished second on the team with 5.5 sacks, and led Tampa defensive linemen with 78 tackles. Although Sapp’s sack totals haven’t been as high over the past couple years, the former ‘Cane still has found a way to break through opposing offensive lines on a regular basis. This season, Sapp had two multi-sack games against Cincinnati and Cleveland and also reached a milestone of different sorts, starting his 100th career game in the season opener against New Orleans.
While Sapp has great respect for his teammates, no one has earned the defensive tackle’s stamp of approval more then head coach John Gruden.
“He has to be our messiah,” Sapp said. “We gave up four draft picks, four million dollars, and the team even considered giving up me. He’s got to be the man to take us where we need to go, and here we are.”
In addition to winning the first Super Bowl in franchise history, the ‘Bucs defense has been called one of the greatest in NFL history. Sapp expects his team to stay on top for more than just one year.
“Not many people can say they came into a ball club, stayed on the same team for their whole career and ended on top of the list,” Sapp stated. “If I’m on my game, we’re awfully hard to beat.”

-You can reach Dana Strokovsky at Hoopg1rl6@aol.com.

Still alive in the Big East

The Miami Hurricane
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After a disappointing loss to Syracuse on Sunday, the University of Miami men’s basketball team desperately needed a win to stay in the hunt for the Big East title.
Thanks to the timely scoring of Darius Rice and the rebounding and defense of freshman Gary Hamilton, the ‘Canes escaped the Convocation Center with a 60-57 win over Providence College Wednesday night. Rice led all scorers with 26 points, including 21 in the second half, and iced the game with 9.9 seconds to go by hitting two free throws.
Romuald Augustin led the Friars with 15 points, and Ryan Gomes contributed 12 points and 15 rebounds in the loss.
Meanwhile, Hamilton made his presence felt through hard-nosed defense against the Providence big men, pulling down 12 rebounds.
“Gary played huge for us today, especially for a freshman,” coach Perry Clark said. “He gave us key rebounds and handled their big men very well.”
Hamilton had some incentive to have a big game against the Friars, as the 6’10” center was ready to commit to Providence last year before a fallout occurred between himself and the school.
“I was almost committed there but they ended up backing down,” Hamilton said. “I was motivated to have a big game against them.”
The first half of the game seemed like a horror show for both Miami and Providence. The two teams combined for 21 turnovers (UM 10, PC 11), and each squad had trouble shooting from the field, as the ‘Canes shot 33 percent and the Friars shot 35 percent.
“I think we worked them too hard the past couple of days and they came out sluggish because of it,” Clark said. “We didn’t expect their zone defense early on, and we weren’t sharp at all.”
The second half opened with better shooting and fewer turnovers by both squads. The ‘Canes tied the score for the first time (39-39) on a Robert Hite dunk with 13:05 left in the game.
Miami then captured the lead (47-46) when Rice broke out of his first half slump, hitting three-pointers on consecutive possessions. The junior was able to overcome his slow start and improve his shot selection in the second half.
“Early on I wasn’t getting too many touches,” Rice said. “I was more active in the second half and my teammates were setting better screens for me.”
An Eric Wilkins steal and dunk with 1:35 left gave the ‘Canes a 57-55 lead. Following an Armondo Surratt turnover, James Jones came up with a clutch steal, leading to a Surratt free throw to make it a 58-55 game with 37 seconds left.
After Gomes converted on a lay-up, the Friars were back within one point (58-57) with 13.5 seconds left. But Rice came through with the two free throws, making the score 60-57 in UM’s favor. A Donnie McGrath 3-point heave at the buzzer came up short, and the Hurricanes escaped with the win.
“This was a victory we needed,” Clark said. “With the way we have improved defensively, I would give us a chance against anyone in the league. But we all know how tough the Big East is. No one in this league is an easy out.”

-You can reach Eric Kalis at elk777bc@hotmail.com.

The British: Our best friends in the free world

The Miami Hurricane
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“Who the hell do you Americans think you are?” my uncle, red-faced, raged at me from across the dinner table. Circumstance due to divorce had prevented me from knowing my uncle, the former Don of Oxford University’s Nuffield College, until I started attending the University of Aberdeen two years prior to this heated conversation. “What gives you Americans the right . . .” his remarks were piercing, and too much to bear. They were so out of character for the studied man, steeped in the British tradition, whom I had come to respect. I felt like an outsider in a place I recently adopted as my home away from home.
The topic of conversation that cold summer’s evening in Devonshire had drifted from American accounting practices and the stunning failure of Arthur Anderson, to a possible war with Iraq. What my uncle expressed was a valid, growing view that the U.S. acts too “unilaterally.”
When I returned home to the States later last summer, he mailed me a conciliatory note with a clipping from Britain’s conservative paper, The Daily Telegraph. The article moderately spelled out the differences between European and American views. Europe wishes to see multilateral solutions when conducting foreign policy, as opposed to what Europeans view as the dangerous “shoot first, ask questions later” American way of dealing with the world’s troubles. Being a particularly pro-American newspaper, the article then focused on how Americans dismiss most European actions as “weak kneed” and, using the classic dirty word from World War II, downright “appeasement.” The British have a great way of separating themselves from the continent when they need to.
As the summer wore on, and I readjusted to the American way of life, I read more articles in notable political journals such as The Economist on the “growing divide” between the two continents and Britain’s role in the whole Iraq fiasco. Britain and her prime minister, Tony Blair, are taking a huge gamble on committing to a war in Iraq. It is a motion that is hugely unpopular amongst backbenchers in the P.M.’s own Labour Party and even the Thatcherite Conservative Party’s position is, at best, only thinly supportive. To quote one senior M.P.’s comments to me in a rather candid conversation, “Iraq has nothing to do with us.”
Alas, I am forced to fall back on an expression I heard in my first year, Introduction to International Relations class: “Great Britain does not have permanent allies, nor permanent enemies, only permanent interests”. A botched war with Iraq would give the UK its first taste of the American “Vietnam War syndrome” spelling disaster to our relationship with those who are our best friends in this world.

Gunnar Heinrich is a visiting 3rd year Politics & International Relations major from the University of Aberdeen, King’s College in Scotland.

Reading the picture in the economic tea leaves

The Miami Hurricane
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Earlier this month, the president proposed a bold ten-year $674 billion stimulus plan, the centerpiece of which is an elimination of the tax on stock dividends. The idea behind this is to facilitate an increase in business and consumer confidence that would improve the health of the stock market, now in its third year of a decline that began during the final months of the Clinton presidency. The remainder of the Bush plan focuses on a combination of income tax cuts, money to help the unemployed, as well as other tax relief for married couples and parents.
Clearly, only the fates can answer whether or not the elimination of the tax on dividends will actually do what it is intended to do. Nevertheless, IRS data shows that while 25 percent of tax filers claimed stock dividend income, 63 percent of that income went to individuals with incomes of $100,000 or more. This lends credence to criticism that in terms of real dollars, this portion of the plan provides most of the benefit to upper-income households. In light of this, a crucial point is being missed: regardless of the actual benefits of this or any economic plan, a president’s only real economic weapon is the belief by the public that he’s doing something to help, even if that something doesn’t amount to much tangible evidence at all. In this sense, Bush has made a very shrewd political move even if the stock dividend tax remains in place, as it most likely will.
Congressional Democrats for their part have presented a plan of their own which amounts to a $136 billion stimulus package consisting of tax rebates as well as aid to the states, which they claim would all be implemented this year. Quite typically, their criticism of the Bush plan focuses on a traditional “class-warfare” strategy, claiming that the entire Bush plan “unfairly” benefits the wealthy. This strategy is old, tired, and won’t work for them now any better than it ever has. Hidden under all their rhetoric, however, is their real strategy: politicizing the economy for the 2004 election. That’s why their plan only focuses on the short-term economy instead of the long-term as the Bush plan does. Just as in 1992, it’s still “the economy stupid.” Unfortunately for the Democrats, Bush knows this too.
Scott Wacholtz is a senior majoring in Computer Science.

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The Miami Hurricane is the student newspaper of the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. The newspaper is edited and produced by undergraduate students at UM and is published in print every Tuesday and online everyday during the academic year.

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