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SCANDALSHEET

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Cuz you wanna get dirty…really dirty…
So if you can’t keep your hands off anything having to do with pop diva X-tina, open up Ebay and make a bid her thong, and brace yourself, some pool water. Compliments from a Maxim photo shoot and Scott Mills of BBC radio, included in the package is one white thong, one sealed tub of pool water, a cover letter from Maxim, and a few pointers from Miss Aguilera on how to win her affections. Bidding right now is at 320.00 UK money.

Roving Fridays in the Wynwood…
Take a stroll in the Wynwood Art District, aka Miami’s Design District this Friday night. Sponsored by Bacardi, The Yummiest.com, and Objex Artspace, pay $5 to grab some drinks and talk intellectually with members of the boho crowd. Open from 8 to midnight, located at 2632 North Miami Ave.

wiiiiiiiiiiiings!
Foreshadowing the extreme amounts of laughter to come, the Red Bull Flugtag is coming to Miami’s Bayfront Park in early April. However, deadline for team sign-up is February 25th, so apply and test your skills for flying, who knows…you could be better than Icarus.

The Baywatch BABE this way comes…
Pamela Anderson is gracing the beach with her presence- on Saturday night she will host a party at Priv celebrating the promotion of Sirius radio.

CD REVIEWS

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French pop music? I thought we had enough with one Britney Spears, and I doubt many of us would take an interest in a French-speaking one we can’t understand. This was my impression, and I’m sure the impression of most Americans, when it comes to pop music.

It’s the kind of music of which Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake are the Queen and King of, and it’s avidly worshipped by much of our teen generation. It’s a common generalization nowadays, but actually, French pop isn’t what clich would dictate. I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least, when I popped in Le Pop 2 and was met with a sugary, whimsical little song in which an older man – not Britney or Justin – sang in French in a sort of absurd, matter-of-fact tone. It led me to believe Pascal Parisot was singing about some mishap or other he’d encountered in his day-to-day living. The song is composed of pre-programmed beats that sometimes reminded me of the kind of melodies I’d hear as I played Super Mario Bros back in the 80’s. It’s that kind of bouncy tune, but with a mellow twist.

Le Pop 2 is a CD compilation of modern popular French music – 16 examples of it, each song by a different artist. One of the songs featured a young woman singing in a sweet and sensual silky voice with a samba beat. The song’s called “Samba De Mon Couer Qui Bat” and features an exotic ensemble of instruments such as trumpets, piano, guitar, guiro (of Cuban descent), and maracas. The result is a sound that is totally unique and completely charming in the way it soothes with its mystic mellowness. There’s a longing in Coralie Clement’s fragile voice that makes one think she’s singing nostalgically about some long-lost samba-dancing Latin lover from her past. Her purr-like singing style and the purr-ish nature of the French language itself make the song absolutely enchanting; a delicious, velvety piece the whole way through. Think “The Girl from Ipanema,” but with a more earthy tone.

The songs in Le Pop 2 are extensively varied, and none show the slightest resemblance to the kind of pop music Americans are used to; it’s a refreshing wave of music for that very reason. All contain an inherent whimsy and mellow feeling to them, making the CD especially optimal for relaxing to (something us Americans don’t partake in too often, and should). French pop has already caught on heavily in Germany; they absolutely love it over there. Shall we give it a shot? If you’re hankering for some relaxing, whimsical tunes, this CD is definitely the way to go. If you’re looking to introduce yourself to French pop, then this CD is the perfect introduction.

Don’t shy away from this genre just because you don’t understand French; the fact that you get to imagine what they’re singing about is part of the charm of the songs themselves.

Deborah Acosta can be contacted at d.acosta2@miami.edu

RESTAURANT REVIEW

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Driving through downtown Gables on a Saturday night, you can’t help but notice the crowd accrued outside of what seems to be a trendy hotspot. You may find yourself asking what the stir of all the commotion is before realizing it’s but another Saturday night for celebrity restaurant and bar, Houston’s. Its central and prime location, bordering the corner of Miracle Mile and Ponce, places this restaurant alongside the elite worthy enough to merit a spot on the strip.

Upon arriving, there’s an optional valet, and as you make your way into the restaurant, your attention is sidetracked from the hostess to the bar. The bar exudes a welcoming atmosphere, perhaps due to its displayed TV sets or friendly bartenders, just tempting you to take a seat. As opposed to many enclosed bars, this one was designed to incorporate itself into the restaurant section with petite side tables surrounding it providing for conversational space or perhaps an appetizer or cocktail. Expect a wait – but know it’s well worth.

The restaurant’s layout is spacious and uncluttered, comprised of modern yet comfy booths and tables. The architectural design gives way to vaulted ceilings with spot lighting setting its dim ambiance. The contemporary dcor plays off of the displayed different time zones, listing distinguished cities in the U.S. and the world.

The kitchen is open to view and the chefs visible to all. The scent of food exits the kitchen permeating throughout the restaurant, drifting towards the bar. Their gourmet menu offers a varied selection though somewhat limited. Few restaurants feature truly exemplary entrees as Houston’s does. I’d definitely recommend the spinach dip as an appetizer to start off the meal. The entrees range from steaks such as the New York Strip to grilled marinated chicken and fish platters. Though not inexpensive, the medium price stays in the $20’s. The Hawaiian Rib Eye steak was near to perfection – it didn’t lack in either tenderness or juiciness and was tousled with steamed broccoli. Aside from their decadent entrees, Houston’s also prides themselves in their extensive wine selection encompassing nearly half of the menu.

The service is flawless, from the beginning till the end. Go for lunch, take a date for dinner, or just hang out with friends before heading out for the night. Houston’s surpassed my expectations and is definitely climbing my Top 10 list.

Christie Asencio can be contacted at c.asencio@umiami.edu

BOOK REVIEW

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Thomasovitch, an ambitious first work by Travis Muir, is a book about a Princeton student, written by a Princeton student. Before I began this book, I was wary because of the stereotypes about pretentious Ivy League students. Alas, my fears were justified. Throughout the entire book Thomas Reed, the protagonist, and his family and friends, use frustratingly big words and unlikely speech. Muir claims to have written a book that will appeal to college students, yet I was continually irritated by the unrealistic language. The plot was no better; Thomasovitch is full of clichs about a tragically brilliant young man who coasts through academia and longs for something more challenging. Sure enough, Thomas feels pressured by his distant father, and hates the fast-paced business world of unhappy men in suits that he is destined to enter.

Right off the bat in the first chapter, Muir’s writing style is aggravating and distracting. This is how he described a scene in which Thomas is trying to pay attention in class but his friend, Johnson, keeps talking to him: “Class went on like this for some time, Johnson completely oblivious to the subtle warnings of his vessel ear, and Thomas growing evermore conscious of a desire to yield to the glances of the concentrating students around him, and silence his companion. Fortunately for him, however, the others around him were not inured to the more banal side of human interactions, and thus impeded the opening heart of their colleague with a sharp hiss. Johnson ceased speaking.” I don’t know if that’s how they really talk at Princeton, but this humble Miamian would’ve just said something like: Johnson was being annoying and everyone told him to shut up.

Every single component of this book, even down to the sound of a pen (now the “scuttle of a pen”), shouts that Muir is trying too hard. He also takes every opportunity to praise his school, as one character describes Princeton as the “most prestigious, most accomplished place” to be. It’s hard to enjoy a book where the author comes off as entirely too arrogant and hung up on his Ivy League status.

There was approximately one chapter in this book that I could relate to. Thomas goes home for winter break his freshman year and spends an evening at a Christmas party with his entire extended family. Every single relative bombards him with non stop questions such as “What are you studying?”, “What are you going to do with your life?” etc. At this point, I identify with Thomas, as I know how frustrating it is to feel constantly pressured to figure out the rest of your life.

Thankfully, this was a fast reading novel, and before I knew it, Thomas had gone from freshman year to having graduated and entered the workforce. At one point, I felt bad for Thomas: it seemed that the only time he garnered some affection and approval from his father was by impressing one of his business partners with his manners. However, my pity quickly evaporated as the book neared its end by way of Thomas’ childish breakdown, whereupon all I felt was relief that I wouldn’t have to hear his overdone, self-absorbed complaining anymore.

Cristina Buccina can be contacted at c.buccina@umiami.edu.

Sex Sketches Puttin’ a spin on Pictionary

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Sex Sketchers, the new dirty game on the market, is causing a ruckus everywhere it lands. The game is made to be a component of, as the instructions say, “that other drawing game that rhymes with “Dictionary,” only this time the game gets to turn dirty. The silk black cards come in a deck with the top card proudly displaying the name in a font reminiscent of the Magic cards, but this time, a parental advisory warning explicit content is located in the bottom right corner. In a world full of nudity, profanity, and violence, parental advisories mean about as much as the promise of extra pickles at McDonald’s; however, one shuffle and, no joke, Sex Sketchers is dirty, shockingly dirty. The 100 cards in the deck are color-coded, parallel to real Pictionary cards. The categories and colors are broken down into yellow for people, places, or animals; blue for objects; beige for actions; green for difficult topics, and red for opening guessing by both teams. And holding back is not an option: each category is on the verge of busting with sexual slang, dirty medical terms and plain pornographic terminology. Terms such as “Spank the Monkey,” “Camel Toe,” and “Dominatrix” are littered all over the cards, but it’s the terms bound by the beige box that send anyone into a fit of giggles true to middle school style, when the opposite sex still had cooties. The game requires all the natural elements of Pictionary: teams, a dry erase board, dice, and of course the ultimate pressure, the timer. Aside from that Sex Sketchers does all the rest of the work, whether sober or slightly intoxicated (recommended), the cards provide endless hours of laughs. Listening to friends struggle to find the term to describe what seems to be what engulfed Miss Jackson’s exposed nipple during the Superbowl half-time show makes it to the top of the list of classic college moments. Play Sex Sketchers for some good fun but mind the warning on the website, “should not be played by Priests, Nuns, Saints, Pastors, Mormons, Monks, Jehovah Witnesses, and the faint of heart.” Add people who are squeamish about anything involving almost everyone’s favorite topic, sex, because these cards are just plain vulgar.

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

~Dirty Minds, Dirty Cards

~Cards make people think like “Porn Star[s]”

~Intimate Sketches

Toro takes one for the team

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Senior Mari Toro’s days at the University of Miami may be coming to an end soon, but her time here has been an experience she will surely miss.

Toro, a 5′ 9″ singles player on the women’s tennis team, was born here in Miami. She is double majoring in broadcasting and Spanish, including a minor in sports management. She began playing tennis at the age of five, because her dad wanted to pass to her his love for the game. Today, she is a confident, mature, and motivated person whose traits have made her an accomplished tennis player and an above average student.

Before attending the University of Miami, Toro spent time playing in professional tournaments and for Florida International University for a year. She walked on to the women’s tennis team at FIU, and immediately moved up the ranks to the top two singles positions.

After a stellar year at FIU, Toro transferred to Miami, where she made another immediate impact.

“In Mari’s first year here she had some big shoes to fill and did a great job,” Head Coach Paige Yaroshuk said.

Playing at the No 1 position, Toro led the team to the Big East title and was named the conference’s Most Valuable Player. Ranked No. 59 for singles and No. 55 for doubles, she finished her first year at Miami with a 24-10 overall record

Toro’s tenure with the Hurricanes hasn’t always gone smoothly, however. During her junior year she was asked to assume a different role at the third and fourth singles positions. It was tough for Toro but served as a learning experience, as she battled through a shoulder injury.

Toro has always been a leader on the team, whether it has been with her performance on the court or with her academic standing off it. According to Yaroshuk, Toro is the vocal leader on the team. When she tells her teammates to jump, they ask how high, and when she says run, they ask how hard.

Toro has been able to consistently attain a 3.0 G.P.A. Her academic success is something she has been able to motivate her teammates with. Her success in inspiring her teammates didn’t come easily, but it has paid dividends for the entire squad.

This year Toro is as healthy and positive as ever. Her goals this year are to reach the Sweet 16, improve her footwork, and maintain a consistent level of ferocity throughout her matches. Yaroshuk has known her now for three years as her coach. In those years she has found her to be a smart, passionate, fierce, and savvy warrior.

“Nobody walks on Mari Toro,” Yaroshuk said. “She has the heart of a champion.”

Toro is undecided about her future plans, but those who know her can be sure that whatever it is she decides to do will lead to success.

“I’m honored to have come here and played tennis,” Toro said. “I’m going to miss it.”

Kevin Michaelan can be contacted at k.michaelan@umiami.edu.

Briefs

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Women’s Basketball

Chanivia Broussard had 14 of her 22 points in the second half, and Miami’s 8-0 closing run gave the Hurricanes a 65-56 victory Saturday over No. 21 Virginia Tech.

Tamara James made a three-pointer to give the Hurricanes (18-4, and 7-4 in the Big East) a 57-54 lead. Kerri Gardin responded with a lay-up for the Hokies with 3:11 left, but Virginia Tech went scoreless the rest of the way.

Shaquana Wilkins made a lay-up and Miami converted six free throws in the final minute, including 4-for-4 from Broussard to seal the game. Broussard finished 10-for-10 from the free throw line.

After Miami trailed by as many as five points in the second half, Yolanda McCormick made a 3-pointer to cap an 11-5 run and give the Hurricanes a 45-44 lead with 10:12 remaining. In all, the game had four lead changes and was tied six times.

James scored 14 points and Melissa Knight added 11 for the Hurricanes, who led 30-28 at the half. Wilkins had 11 rebounds.

Gardin paced the Hokies with 13 points and 14 rebounds, but Virginia Tech shot 30.6 percent compared to 45.8 percent for the Hurricanes. Ieva Kublina added 11 points and Erin Gibson 10 for the Hokies.

Track and Field

The University of Miami men’s track and field team had three sprinters and one pole vaulter record Big East qualifying marks at the Tiger Invitational in Clemson, S.C.

Sophomore Terrell Walden, the defending Big East 60-meter champions, earned an opportunity to defend his title finishing third at the Tiger Invitational with a Big East qualifying mark of 6.77 seconds.

Two other Hurricanes recorded qualifying marks in the 60-meters including junior Tanard Davis who finished 15th overall with a time of 6.95, and freshman Devin Hester who finished 24th with a time of 7.02 seconds.

In the pole vault senior Jon Mark finished second with a mark of 4.70 meters. His leap qualifies him for the Big East Championship to be held February 21-22 in Syracuse, N.Y.

-Compiled by the sports information department

Intramurals

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Intramural Reminders

Don’t miss out on these Intramural events! The deadline for kickball has been extended to Wednesday, February 18 by 5 pm in the Wellness Center. The Three-Point Shootout is going on this week. (2/16- 2/19) Sign up on the Outdoor Courts in the Wellness Center from 6pm-10pm. Entry fee is $1 per person.

Intramural Scores

Soccer Playoffs
Women’s Championship:
Delta Phi Epsilon – 1 (OT)
Reggae Girls – 0

Men’s Open Championship:
Bafana Bafana – 4
Blackbeard – 0

Men’s Campus Championship:
Bafana Bafana – 1
Alpha Sigma Phi – 0

Basketball League

Men’s Division
Bullets – 29
Free Agents – 27

Team 1 – 49
Westside Ballaz – 46

South Beach Diet – 61
Monster Mash – 43

Animal House – 50
Tim Golden – 46

Griswolds – 38
Freaks of the Industry – 33

The professionals – 61
Caucasion Invasion- 38

X Pi – 47
Band of Brothers – 28

We Love K. Hardy’s – 56
Tall Boys – 5

Blue Steal – 35
Penthouse Ballers – 34

DPT – 67
Freebies – 35

Kalik – 41
Primetime Playas – 40

Med 2 – 34
What kind of Sub – 29

Med 3 – 67
Springs Boys – 54

Basketball Team – 52
Miami Hurrigangters – 27

G-Unit – 55
Dead Prezzidents – 46

Knight Roders – 42
Free Ballers – 40

The Department – 66
PF Flyers – 47

The Deuce – 47
Outkasts – 45

Team 1 – 51
Free Agents – 33

South Beach Diet – 46
Dream Team – 38

Monster mash – 32
Tim Golden – 13

Freaks of the Industry – 48
Stacks Bundles – 37
X Pi – 63
Mongoose – 32

Franchise – 50
Band of Brothers – 24

Assassins – 32
We Love K. Hardy’s – 27

Blue Steal – 36
Tall Boys – 19
DPT – 47
Gusman Grace – 22

Miscellaneous – 56
Freebies – 42

Kalik – 74
What kind of Sub – 24

Quiet Storm – 55
Miami Hurrigansters – 38

G-Unit – 71
Basketball Team – 36

Free Ballers – 33
Supreme Court – 25

The Department – 47
The Deuce – 33

King of Beers 2 – 40
PF Flyers – 34

Women’s Division:
PT Playas – 29
Bootylicious Ballers – 22

Tortfeasors – 37
Wahine – 23

The Dynasty – 26
Wahine – 16

Tortfeasors – 30
Nuff Said – 27

Co-Rec Division
Devil’s Advocate – 58
Crack Babies – 19

Boss Players – 40
The Team – 37

Boss Players – 50
Crack Babies – 18

Devil’s Advocate – 65
Mo’ Feckers – 22

Fraternity Division:
Alpha Sigma Phi – 52
Sigma Alpha Epsilon – 19

Zeta Beta Tau – 60
Kappa Sigma – 33

Pi Kappa Alpha – 48
Lambda Chi Alpha – 35

Phi Delta Theta – 35 (OT)
Sigma Chi – 31

Sigma Phi Epsilon – 59
Alpha Sigma Phi – 18

Kappa Sigma – 33
Sigma Alpha Epsilon – 21

Pi kappa Alpha – 46
Phi Delta Theta – 21

Hurricanes dispose of FAMU Rattlers

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The men’s tennis team continued its stellar early season play with a rout of in-state foe Florida A&M 7-0 on Saturday afternoon.

The No. 34 Hurricanes improved to 4-0 on the year while the Rattlers of FAMU fell to 3-3. Miami had the match wrapped up from the very beginning as it took the doubles point and never looked back. At No. 1 doubles, the No. 41 pair of sophomores Tim Krebs and Colin Purcell defeated Pfungwa Mahefeu and Yves Sinson 8-5. The ‘Canes went on to take the other two doubles matches as well, both ending with scores of 8-2.

The Hurricanes maintained their high level of play as they took all of the singles match-ups in straight sets.

Freshman Josh Cohen continued his dominance at No. 1 singles as he won his match 6-3, 6-1. Cohen has yet to lose in his first year as a ‘Cane. Sophomore John Hoyes, the hero from last week’s match against South Florida, beat Davin Russell 6-1, 6-1. Sophomore Eric Hechtman won at third singles 6-2, 6-2 over Zurab Zhvania. Tim Krebs won at fourth singles by the same score of 6-2, 6-2 over Yves Sinson. At fifth singles, Colin Purcell beat Frank Green 6-1, 6-2. At sixth singles, Jeremiah Fuller overcame a difficult first set to top Jarrel Williams 6-3, 6-1.

The ‘Canes were set to square off at noon on Sunday against the No. 7 Florida Gators, but morning rain postponed the match until Feb. 25 at 11 am. Last year in Gainesville, the Gators handed Miami its first loss of the year, 6-1. A win over Florida would help earn the Hurricanes national prominence and improve their overall ranking.

On Sunday, the Hurricanes will face off against another in-state rival as they host Jacksonville at noon at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.

Douglas Kroll can be contacted at d.kroll@umiami.edu.

Men’s basketball falls hard to Syracuse

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The men’s basketball team attempted to snap a six game losing streak when it hosted Syracuse at the Convocation Center Saturday afternoon. Instead, their streak extended to seven games in perhaps their worst performance of the season.

The ‘Canes fell 91-74 in front of just over 4,000 fans. The Hurricanes led 6-0 early, but then fell apart as they struggled defensively. The worst part was that the Syracuse Orangemen shot 71.9 percent from the field in the first half and over 86 percent in the first 10 minutes of the half, scoring 54 points in the process to take a 54-33 lead into the locker room.

“When they shot 71 percent in the first half, I thought they couldn’t repeat that, so if we played better defense, we could get back in it,” Head Coach Perry Clark said.

The Hurricanes did make a run early in the second half, cutting the deficit down to 12, but two three-pointers by Gerry McNamara proved to be the ultimate nail in the coffin.

“At the start of the second half, I thought we had a chance to get back in the game,” Clark said. “We made a run, [but] then McNamara hit a pair of three pointers.”

The ‘Canes’ defensive problems were evident throughout the game, as they allowed Syracuse to dunk the ball 10 times. In addition, Orangemen forward Hakim Warrick was 11 for 11 from the field and scored 27 points, many of which were dunks. McNamara was 5 for 7 from three-point range and ended the game with 23 points.

“We just had no answer for Warrick and McNamara today. They were great offensively,” Clark said.

Will Frisby led the Hurricanes with 16 points and Darius Rice added 14, but Rice left the game midway through the second half with an injury. He is questionable for the game against Connecticut on Wednesday.

“Certainly, losing Darius hurts, but it won’t deter us,” Clark said. “Hopefully, it will motivate us more.”

When asked if the loss meant that the Hurricanes had reached rock bottom, Clark said that he didn’t believe they had and talked about his team’s character. However, the Hurricanes were taunted on both ends of the floor in front of their home fans.

“This game took a hit on our morale,” Frisby said. “We wanted to win the game, but we learned a lesson today. You can’t give up, and this will make us stronger. I’ve never been one to give up.”

The loss leaves the Hurricanes at 13-12 on the season but only 3-8 in the conference and, if the season ended today, they would not be in the Big East Tournament. Only the bottom two teams in the conference fail to make the tournament.

“We have to keep playing with intensity,” guard Guillermo Diaz said. “It’s still the same sport we have been playing and we have to keep our heads up and keep trying.”

If the season is to be saved at all, the Hurricanes will need a victory on the upcoming road trip. If they fail to win one, they will return home with a record under .500 and may have a difficult time making the postseason at all.

“The season is salvageable. We got kicked today, but that’s a very good basketball team,” Clark said. “There are still games left to play and we will have to bounce back.”

Darren Grossman can be contacted at d.grossman@umiami.edu.

TWO OUT OF THREE AIN’T BAD

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The University of Miami baseball team opened the season taking two of three games from the Florida Gators after a 19-5 win on Sunday afternoon in front of 2,632 fans at Mark Light Stadium.

After only seven hits from the ‘Canes lineup in the first two games combined, Miami exploded for 23 hits in the final game of the series, including a home run from senior Adam Ricks.

“Anytime you beat Florida it’s big,” Head Coach Jim Morris said. “A lot of the young guys had a good game for us today.”

The ‘Canes jumped on the board quickly with three runs in the first inning, as sophomore shortstop Ryan Braun collected his first RBI of the season on a single up the middle, plating designated hitter Joey Hooft. Senior Jim Burt followed with a chopper over third to score Ricks. Braun scored on an Erick San Pedro ground out. Hooft went 5 for 6 on the day.

“Some days I see the ball better than others,” Hooft said. “It was fun.”

Miami starter Brandon Camardese’s early exit brought the curtain up on the career of reliever Danny Gil. A freshman out of Miami’s own Christopher Columbus High School, Gil stepped on the mound with runners on first and second base and proceeded to strike out the first four batters he faced before giving up an infield single in the top of the fourth. Gil would go on to pitch four shutout innings giving up just two hits with eight strikeouts and no walks.

“I never imagined my debut would be this good,” Gil said after receiving a pie in the face as a token of appreciation from his teammates. “I got that first strikeout and really got into the game after that.”

In the bottom of the fifth, Miami third baseman Gaby Sanchez and first baseman Jim Burt set the table with back-to-back singles. Centerfielder Brian Barton followed with a bunt single which loaded the bases for Richard Giannotti, who singled in between first and second base to give the Hurricanes a 4-2 lead. Hooft would tack on one more with a single to right field to put the ‘Canes up 5-2 and they would not look back.

On Friday night, Miami hit a brick wall in the form of UF starter Justin Hoyman. The junior right-hander out of Brevard Community College will be one of the most watched pitchers in the nation this season. Scouts from every major league team crowded behind home plate with their radar guns and watched as Hoyman had little problems shutting down Miami’s high-powered offense. The ‘Canes were held to just two hits as the Gators shut out the Hurricanes 3-0.

Despite the loss, Miami received formidable pitching from senior left-handed pitcher J. D. Cockroft, who yielded just one run in the loss. Cockroft gave way to senior Dan Touchet, who made his first appearance after sitting out most of last season following Tommy John surgery. Touchet pitched five innings, giving up two runs on six hits.

“More importantly than how he pitched, was the fact that he was pitching,” Morris said. “He was pain free and it’s great to have him back out there.”

Saturday night proved to be a better night for the ‘Canes, as they were able to notch their first win of the season. Starting pitching once again prevailed as junior starter Vince Bongiovanni pitched five innings of no-hit baseball to lead the Hurricanes to a 4-1 victory.

“It felt great to get the first one of the season,” Bongiovanni said. “I had everything working for me tonight.”

Despite another weak offensive effort for the ‘Canes, San Pedro, and Giannotti provided enough of a spark to get the job done. Giannotti went 3 for 3, including a textbook bunt single down the third baseline in his final at bat.

San Pedro went 2 for 3 with a home run and a double, driving in three and scoring two.

“This was a very important win for us,” San Pedro said “Last night was a good game, but we got it done tonight.”

The ‘Canes will try to maintain their momentum next weekend as the University of Tennessee Volunteers come into town for a three game set at the Light. Games will be Friday and Saturday nights at 7 p.m. followed by the series finale on Sunday at 1p.m.

Ryan Ellis can be contacted at r.ellis@umiami.edu.

Biased ‘consumer’ reviews sway readers

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A recent glitch in Amazon.com’s system pulled back the Wizard’s curtain and revealed the identities of thousands of anonymous reviewers whose opinions have been responsible for the rise and fall of those five little stars judging everything from books to DVDs.

You’re probably wondering why anyone would care just who “c00lgUrL69” is, or any of the other thousands of people whose insightful critiques have ranged from “OMG THIS BOOK SUX!!!!!!!” to “OMG THIS BOOK ROX!!!!!!!”

Apparently, the writers of some books do. The least interesting “secret” thus revealed was that in many cases, the writers had critiqued their own book. I figured as much back when I read the occasional glowing four-paragraph, grammatically perfect review written by Some Guy. After all, if it was good enough for Walt Whitman, it’s good enough for the guy who wrote February 1997’s selection for Oprah’s Book of the Month Club. What was a bit more surprising was that friends and family of the authors had been recruited to beef things up with their own five star reviews.

But the one revelation that really spiced the entire affair up was that personal enemies and rivals of the authors were among those responsible for some of the harsher reviews. And the sad truth is that people do read these reviews. In fact, Amazon has reported that they’re the most popular feature of their site. From star giving blurbs to those user lists that keep calling attention to themselves with headings like “Best Book Ever Written,” the average Amazon customer can’t help but see what regular people think of the book he or she was just about to add to his shopping cart.

So we have this writer subculture of Amazon lurkers who sit around, ready to wage war against each other, enlisting friends and family to fortify their defenses and undermine those they don’t like, as opposed to doing little things like writing books. One writer even described a secret group known only as the Underground Literary Alliance responsible for some of the critiques, further reinforcing my fear that a lot of the “intellectuals” I meet in college actually get published somehow. That’s perhaps the saddest truth. In the end, so many of the writers out there are exactly like so many of the self-styled “writers” you meet in high school and college.

Interestingly enough, not a single one of the writers involved with this Amazon business is a really great writer. That should tell you something.

Endre Enyedy can be contacted at e.enyedy@umiami.edu.

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