Aesop Rock, deft MC of the Def Jux family, brought his Bazooka Tooth down to Miami for a performance at downtown’s I/O Lounge. Guests and labelmates Mr. Lif (see photos) and C-Rayz Waltz contributed to Aesop’s characteristically humorous performance and fed off of the energy of the uber-packed crowd. FYI: Watch your back, though, next time you blaze at a hip hop show at I/O. Security’s really not feeling it.
There are more photos in the hard copy edition. Sorry, not sure what happened. – Ed.
Life & Art Associate Editor
In last Friday’s edition of The Miami Hurricane, the words “We Are Not the Enemy” were cut from a sign in the cover photo (shot by Al Crespo) and pasted onto the sign in another photo on page 10. Life & Art would like to apologize for any confusion and misinterpretation this may have caused, as it was done for aesthetic reasons.
The photographs used in the feature, “We Are Not the Enemy,” are part of a book by Al Crespo entitled Protest in the Land of Plenty and are not the personal views and beliefs of Mr. Crespo. Moreover, Life & Art misunderstood the allowance to use certain photos in the feature, and would like to apologize to Mr. Crespo for printing them without permission.
The direct and (any indirect) views reflected in the section last Friday regarding the University of Miami are not those of Mr. Crespo. Lastly, the feature story was not written with any malicious intent to align his work with L&A and its criticism of the Board of Publications.
Omar Sommereyns
Life & Art Associate Editor
Life & Art Intern
Vacillating between personal experience and transcendent imagination, the world of fiction rouses the senses into concocting a visual template of a story. Even more, the minds that put it all on paper, especially the young ones, live in a world that is quite their own.
Just ask Tobias Wolff, a writer who has fluctuated between fiction and memoirs (This Boy’s Life). His new novel, Old School, is largely based on his own experiences growing up in the 1960s at a New England boarding school deeply rooted in literary prestige and the story’s protagonist, who remains nameless, finds himself yearning for acceptance and literary fame, while admiring the visits of several iconic writers of the time (such as Robert Frost and Hemingway).
With a vivid narrative of irony, intense competition, teenage angst, and struggles to be known, Wolff forms a story oozing with imagination and raw emotion. In a recent interview with Life & Art at Books & Books in the Gables, the author talks about his book, the pretense behind his private education, his character’s plagiarizing, and the literary influences that permeate the lives of all writers.
L&A: Are there any parallels to your own life in Old School?
TW: Well, the narrator is in somewhat the same situation I was in: a scholarship student at a private school where there weren’t that many scholarship students. He finds himself feeling somewhat outside of things, though no one tries to make him feel that way. In those days, there was money and then there were sort of patrician and aristocratic pretensions that some people had – a system long in place at this school; people never had to talk about it, it was just understood. And so because it was unspoken, it was hard to understand and oppose. Although I did draw very heavily upon my own sort of moral experiences, the events of the novel were largely invented.
L&A: Your protagonist makes an odd jump from self-acceptance to blatant plagiarism. How do you justify what he did?
TW: Well, I don’t justify it of course; I think what he did is completely wrong. But in terms of the novel, it is how I psychologically see that happening. This is a basically honest guy and, paradoxically, I see this guy in his desperation to be seen as honest and destined to be known, so he wants to tell a story about himself that’s true and brutal. When you read something you really love, you get drawn in and you associate things from the novel to your own life, and you feel like it’s your story, your heart, your soul. When the reader has that kind of intimacy with the writer, there’s a kind of fusion that takes place between the two and it’s an extremely active thing where you’re intimately involved and claiming it as your own, just as the protagonist in the story does. For some readers, they cross the line.
L&A: So where is the line drawn between imitation and plagiarism?
TW: Exactly. He loses that. You know, it’s not dissimilar psychologically to the case of Mark David Chapman, the guy who shot John Lennon. He was so obsessed with Lennon’s music and with Lennon himself that he went by the name John Lennon when he would check into hotels, and he kind of got it into his head that he had written the music too. But then here’s this other guy who is kind of pretending to be John Lennon too and Chapman couldn’t handle it so he had to get rid of the other John Lennon, the original. There’s some kind of relatedness in the story I’m telling and incidents like that. It’s like subsuming another identity. And I think that’s what this narrator is doing too.
L&A: Of the famous literary figures you bring up through the course of the book, Ayn Rand seems to be your most animated one. She’s portrayed as somewhat of an icy bitch in this story. Is that a true portrait of her?
TW: Of the figures I wrote about, I tried to pick up their voices and the cadences of their thought, their diction. I didn’t want to just quote them, I wanted to think like they did, talk like they did. And that was the best thing about Ayn Rand. No matter who wrote her, if there was a serious intellectual question in the letter, she would answer it. Thirteen year olds, eighty year olds, non-entities…she was very democratic in how mean she was to everyone. She was equally mean to everyone, she thought everyone was a fool, but she cared enough about educating people into the “light” of her ideas that she responded personally. And I was very touched by the very democratic spirit I felt there. She was very evangelical and that’s exactly why I think a lot of people get caught up in her books. I was. She’s very clean and logical. If you can leave out the complications of human beings and human nature and social relations, you’re fine. Unfortunately, that’s the world we live in.
L&A: Do you think of Ayn Rand’s followers as a cult?
TW: They are and they’re dead serious about it too. The Objectivist movement has continued to have a tremendously devoted core of believers. It offers a very simple vision of the world that’s very seductive to young people. They don’t allow any nuance or complexity in their vision. It’s very cut and dry. She sparked a whole social movement. The Libertarian party comes right out of Ayn Rand and her institute. A lot of the ideas of the Libertarian party leaked over into the Republican Party as well, so there’s a kind of line of decent.
L&A: In the chapter “Master,” you write, “It was the nature of literature to behave like the fallen world it contemplated.” What do you feel the direction of the literary world is taking these days?
TW: I am very sanguine about our literature now. There are so many strong, talented, young writers out right now. My main concern is that the readers aren’t keeping up with the writers. I think we’re losing a lot of readers to the allure of pop culture. Reading is an active thing unlike watching something where you can just let the images wash over you. You have to take control of what you’re reading and make it ring true to yourself.
Chris Howard can be reached at BBHMM3234@aol.com.
After three and a half long years of patiently waiting in the wings, Derrick Crudup finally got his chance to start at quarterback for the University of Miami.
Brock Berlin’s 14 interceptions and three fumbles, several of them coming at key points of losses to Virginia Tech and Tennessee, had landed him a spot on the sideline. But Crudup did not look like an upgrade in last Saturday’s 17-10 win over Syracuse, completing just five of his 13 passes for one touchdown while losing a fumble and an interception.
“We won. That’s all that counts,” Crudup said. “I don’t care if I don’t throw for any yards. I don’t care if I don’t complete any [passes]…as long as I lead my team to a victory.”
Although Crudup stresses the importance of wins and losses, the coaches were troubled by their quarterbacks’ individual performances. Despite a victory in his first start, Crudup may lose the starting role before he gets too settled in.
As of early Wednesday the coaches had not chosen a starter for this week’s game against Rutgers, but they made it clear that both quarterbacks would play in the game.
“We’re going to have both players ready to play,” Head Coach Larry Coker said. “We don’t need to name a starter now. Definitely we need to have both players ready to play Saturday.”
One part of the offense that looked sharp against Syracuse was the running game. True freshman Tyrone Moss emerged as a force, running the ball 18 times for 91 yards and carrying the ‘Canes on his thunder-thighs during their game-winning touchdown drive.
Moss may become the next star running back at UM but for now he will come off of the bench behind senior Jarrett Payton.
“He’ll be extended more,” Coker said. “Jarrett will start the game. Tyrone will see extended playing time.”
“It doesn’t matter [if I’m the starter],” Moss said. “I just hope I get a chance to play.”
Saturday’s foe, Rutgers, has never posed a huge threat to the ‘Canes, but they have improved greatly since ex-Hurricane defensive coordinator Greg Schiano took over the program three years ago.
Schiano has stressed recruiting in the talent-rich South Florida area and he finally picked up his first Big East win over Temple earlier this season.
“Greg has 24 players from South Florida on his team,” Coker said. “That’s given him more team speed and that’s something that’s closed the [talent] gap on everybody.”
One of those South Florida players, sophomore quarterback Ryan Hart from Coral Springs, played surprisingly well in his first start last year against the Hurricanes. Rutgers took a 17-14 lead into the fourth quarter before Miami woke up and scored four straight times.
Hart injured his knee during the last play of Rutgers loss to Boston College last week but he is expected to play this Saturday. He has completed 60 percent of his passes this season but he has 15 interceptions compared to 13 touchdown passes.
“He’s very impressive. He’s got some experience now,” Coker said. “The best thing he does is his anticipation, understanding and getting the ball to his receivers.”
This Saturday’s game marks the last home game for the seniors and any juniors who opt to leave UM for the riches of the NFL.
The ‘Canes have one more game after Rutgers, at Pittsburgh, over Thanksgiving weekend, and they have to win both games if they want to win the Big East and make a BCS Bowl Game.
On the injury front, offensive guard Vernon Carey will return from a sprained ankle that caused him to miss the Syracuse game, punt returner and receiver Roscoe Parrish will return after missing the SU game with fluid in his knee, and defensive tackle Orien Harris might play if his sprained knee ligament feels well enough. Defensive tackle Santonio Thomas will not return from an ankle injury before the Pittsburgh game.
Coker was asked if tight end Kellen Winslow will start this week after sitting out part of the first quarter against Syracuse because of his abundance of personal foul penalties.
“Yes, I’m not stupid,” Coker said.
Nate Johnson can be reached at NPJ44@aol.com
Last year, the women’s basketball team received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and lost a hard-fought game against New Mexico in the first round. This year, the team is looking to advance deeper into the tournament and threaten mighty Connecticut in the Big East.
The ‘Canes return four starters to this year’s squad, including the Big East’s leading scorer in Tamara James. James is only a sophomore, but she has already established herself as one of the best players in the conference.
“James is a very special player and she has gotten better,” Head Coach Ferne Labati said. “She is a difference-maker and she is working really hard at completing her game, and improving on her defense.”
This year’s team might be the most talented offensively that the University of Miami has had in a long time. The Hurricanes have five starters who are capable of scoring.
“All of our starting five have the ability to score double figures so we have a great nucleus and a ton of weapons at our disposal,” Labati said.
The Hurricanes believe that they are capable of being a Sweet Sixteen or even Final Four team. The key will be winning close games, something that the team struggled to do last season.
“I think we are easily a Sweet Sixteen or Final Four team,” James said. “We have a lot of seniors on our team and they want to go far, so they are playing with everything they have every game. So our goal right now is to go out and play every game like it is our last game.”
In order for the ‘Canes to return to the NCAA Tournament and advance deep into the tourney, they will need to work on the little things that they struggle with. Rebounding, turnovers, and team defense are weaknesses that the team displayed last year and in the first two preseason games.
“Our team needs to work on the little things like boxing out and helping each other on defense,” point guard Yalonda McCormick said. “We need to go the extra mile to take that extra step.”
The ‘Canes truly believe that they can contend in the Big East conference. In order to do that, they will have to beat out the UConn Huskies, who have been the Big East powerhouse over the last decade. Last year, the Hurricanes were ahead of UConn early, but the Huskies ended up winning the game fairly easily as the ‘Canes fell apart down the stretch.
“Last year, we got ahead and when they started coming back, we thought to ourselves, this is UConn,” James said. “We all have different opinions now because we have seen them get beat, so we know they are beatable even if they are a tough team to defend.”
When the Hurricanes are watching television on Selection Sunday, they do not want to be a bubble team. They want to know that their name will be called, having already clinched an NCAA Tournament berth.
“We want to be in the tournament when we are watching TV,” Labati said.
YALONDA McCormick
POSITION: Point Guard
HEIGHT: 5 feet 8 inches
HOMETOWN: Miami, FL
McCormick is expected to make a major impact at the point guard position. She was one of the most valuable players on the team last season, averaging 10.2 points and 3.2 rebounds a game.
MELISSA Knight
POSITION: Shooting Guard
HEIGHT: 5 feet 11 inches
HOMETOWN: Philadelphia, PA
Knight emerged as a three-point shooting threat last season, and her stingy defense earned her more playing time down the stretch. Knight averaged 6.6 points a game as a sophomore.
TAMARA James
POSITION: Forward
HEIGHT: 5 feet 9 inches
HOMETOWN: Dania, FL
James was one of the biggest surprises in the Big East last season, averaging 21 points and 7.9 rebounds a game. She is expected to compete with Connecticut’s Diana Taurasi for the Big East Player of the Year Award. James earned Preseason All-America Honorable Mention honors earlier this month.
CHANIVIA Broussard
POSITION: Forward
HEIGHT: 6 feet 0 inches
HOMETOWN: Miami, FL
Broussard will be one of the leaders of this year’s Hurricanes after averaging 9.4 points and 4.3 rebounds a game as a junior. She was named to the All-Big East second team as a sophomore, and led the team in scoring as a freshman.
SHAQUANA Wilkins
POSITION: Center
HEIGHT: 6 feet 2 inches
HOMETOWN: Plymouth, FL
Wilkins will be counted on for leadership, rebounding, defense, and timely scoring after contributing throughout her first three seasons. As a junior last season, Wilkins averaged 8.5 points and 6.0 rebounds, starting every game for the Hurricanes.
Growing up in Broward County, Tyrone Moss recorded over 2,000 yards in each of his three seasons, totaling over 7,000 yards for his career at Blanche Ely High School. Holding every rushing record in Broward County, Moss had a wide selection of universities that he could attend. Along with Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Michigan, and Oklahoma, the University of Miami topped his list, and the Hurricanes eventually won out over the other schools.
Moss felt good about coming to Miami, which is about 45 minutes from where he grew up. He didn’t think he could play up to his standards consistently in cold weather, so he decided to stay close to home. At Miami, he remains close to his family, and they are able to come to every home game.
“Coach Coker does a great job with the players,” Moss said. “He is very approachable. You can relate to him and he always has time for you. I am a sports management and business major, and the academics are of high quality. UM has a great educational program, which took part in my decision process.”
Moss feels that the biggest transition from high school to college is learning the plays and the intense pass protection. As this season has progressed, however, he has picked up on the difficult language in the play calling.
“The more you’re out there playing, the more comfortable you feel, and that’s how I felt last week,” Moss said. “I got in a rhythm. I practice to run the ball and score touchdowns. I hope the coaches now believe in me even more, especially after last week. I always try to do the best I can so I hope I gained more of their trust.”
Last week against Syracuse, Moss rushed for 91 yards, all in the second half, and averaged 5.1 yards per carry. He scored a nine-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter that secured a 17-10 victory for the ‘Canes.
“It’s great that we are able to run the football again,” Head Coach Larry Coker said. “He gives us back that other dimension you’d like to have on a team. His strength allowed him to break the first tackle, which is the basis for red zone efficiency. He will definitely see extended playing time.”
Moss watches hours of film before each game to study the opposing team’s defense. His primary job is to protect the quarterback, and he is able to accomplish that easily with his strength. He knows to always go with his initial instinct when carrying the ball, but is smart enough to recognize if a hole is not there, he can adjust on the spot.
“On that last touchdown play I saw him run over the linebacker and get into the end zone,” Chris Myers said. “At that point I realized that he has matured and grown up real fast. That’s the type of running back we need to have here, the ones that want to get in the end zone and finish the play. And he’s only a freshman, so if he keep working on that and keeps improving, he’s going to be a great asset over the next three years.”
Jarrett Payton and Moss have a close-knit relationship, and both do not care who starts, as long as they get the job done. Payton admits that Frank Gore and Quadtrine Hill took Moss under their wings in the beginning when he first came to UM, but as the season continued, Moss began to turn to Payton. For Moss, it was great to play with and learn from Payton, son of the late Walter Payton, whom Moss looked up to while growing up.
“I don’t know what the coaches want to do about splitting the playing time,” Moss said. “I feel that if I get the chance to go in, I can get the job done. And that’s the most important part. My goal is to get into the end zone.”
Sophomore guard/forward Tamara James has a lot to be thankful for. Besides being a team leader in just her second year with the Hurricanes, she leads the Big East in scoring with an average of 21 points a game entering into the 2003-04 season. She is also fifth in the conference in rebounds (7.9 per game) and third in field goal percentage.
James knows that without sacrifice, none of these accomplishments would have been possible.
“Every family has to go through a lot,” James said. “Your family goes through the struggles they go through to keep your family together, and that’s just inspired me.”
Her inspiration for being an athlete also stemmed from family interests.
“Everybody in my family played sports pretty much so I was always around it,” James said. “I played volleyball, football, anything I could get my hands on. But my dad played basketball a lot so I guess that’s what stuck with me.”
When she started playing competitively during middle school, James quickly stood out from her peers on the court by fighting hard to be seen.
“I started playing organized basketball in the seventh grade,” she said. “Middle school basketball is nothing but lay-ups and a bunch of kids running around; high school is more organized. I had to get physical because everyone else was bigger than me.”
Before high school and during her freshman year, Tamara played ball for the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and was able to travel around the country. She remembers being struck by the memorials in Oklahoma City shortly after the bombing of the Federal Building had occurred in 1995.
Back in Florida, James led South Broward High School (Dania, FL) to back-to-back state championships in 2000 and 2001. Without traveling far, she found the place she knew she’d be happy continuing at.
“[UM] is close to home and I like the coaches and their style of coaching, and I had a lot of fun on my visit,” she said. “The academics and the basketball program are great.”
The liberal arts major and theater minor is focusing hard on the now, both in the classroom and on the court. Future plans, James contends, will not take away the attention that the present needs, especially during basketball season.
“It [the WNBA] appeals to me, but I kind of want to go overseas also-I don’t really know about that yet,” she said.
James looks inside to help her appreciate life on the outside. For her, basketball is a way of life, one that many people would give a lot to be a part of. In recognizing that, she focuses on her strengths more than her weaknesses.
“I think about playing hard…I think about working on the things that we work on in practice, how to be disciplined, and how to play with your teammates,” she said. “I don’t really look at it as a million people watching me. When I’m out there I’m just playing…I’m down to earth with everybody. It just makes me count my blessings and not my problems because…you always think about the person who never made it and who would die to be in your shoes and everything, and you just suck it up and go out there and play hard.”
Melissa Teich can be reached at melissateich@hotmail.com.
Baseball
The University of Miami baseball team has added an exhibition game to its 2004 schedule against the defending World Series Champion Florida Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla., Wednesday, March 3, at 3:05 p.m.
With the addition of the game with the Marlins, Miami’s game with the University of Maine on March 3 has been rescheduled for the following night, Thursday, March 4, at 7 p.m. at Mark Light Field.
The Marlins won last year’s contest, 5-1, in front of 3,387 fans at Roger Dean Stadium, the spring training home of the Marlins.
Ryan Dixon pitched three strong innings for UM, allowing four hits and one earned run against the National League club. He also struck one and didn’t give up a walk. Eight Hurricanes followed Dixon to the mound.
National League Rookie of the Year Dontrelle Willis pitched the first two innings for the Marlins without giving up a hit or run and striking out two Hurricanes. Bryan Rekar picked up the win for Florida with one inning of work and one strikeout
Miami scored its only run in the fourth inning as Jim Burt ripped a double down the third-base line to score Adam Ricks and tie the game at 1-1. Ricks got the first hit off Marlins’ pitching in the top of the fourth inning and promptly stole second, setting up Burt’s double.
The 2004 meeting will be the eighth meeting between the Hurricanes and Marlins since the teams first played in 1995.
Miami opens the 2004 regular season on Friday, Feb. 13, with a three game series against the Florida Gators at Mark Light Field. Prior to that, the Hurricanes will welcome back former players for the annual Alumni Game on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m.
Volleyball
The University of Miami Head Volleyball Coach Nicole Lantagne Welch announced the signing of Ashley Woods to a national letter of intent to attend the University of Miami in the fall of 2004.
“We are thrilled to be signing Ashley Woods to our volleyball program,” Lantagne Welch said. “Ashley has been a great fit for Miami Volleyball from her early correspondence through her official visit.”
Woods, a 6’2″ left-handed rightside hitter from Round Rock, Texas is a four-year letter winner at Stony Point High School. At Stony Point, Woods earned first-team All District honors in her junior season and received second-team All District accolades in her sophomore season. She was voted the team’s MVP in her sophomore and junior season and has served as the team co-captain in her junior and senior seasons. Woods was also named the team’s most valuable offensive player in her freshman and sophomore seasons.
Woods is member of the Austin Metro Volleyball Club where she voted the team captain as well as the Most Valuable Blocker in the 16 and under age group.
PrepVolleyball.com recently ranked Woods 67th overall out of the top 250 recruits in the 2004 class. The national on-line recruiting service has regarded her as “perhaps the best blocker in the state, with tremendous technique and timing coupled with an ever present willingness to take instruction and work hard to improve her play.”
Woods is also a four-year letter winner in basketball at Stony Point High School and has earned first-team All District basketball honors in her freshman, sophomore and junior seasons.
“Ashley has incredible volleyball potential, being a very physical blocker and attacker,” Lantagne Welch said. “She is left-handed, which is great asset to a right side attacker. She is also a very solid back row player. Her hard work and desire to excel really reflects in her play. We are extremely excited to see the impact Ashley will have on our program.”
The International Solidarity Movement, a Palestinian terrorist protection organization hell-bent on destroying the nation of Israel through the support of terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad spoke last Thursday evening on our campus under the guise of “Palestinian activism.” The Islamic Society of the University of Miami, UM’s Arab-American organization, OASIS, and Amnesty International hosted the event.
ISM, which has not endorsed The Road Map to Peace, supports terrorism by advocating the use of jihad homicide bombers against Jewish civilians and employs human shields (usually college students from the U.S. and Britain) to prevent Israeli forces from hunting down homicide bombers. ISM’s speaker, Lauren De Salvo responded to my question regarding her personal view on homicide bombers with, “ISM supports armed resistance and I support those views. I say the Palestinians can carry out their liberation as they see fit.” According to ISM’s website, www.palsolidarity.org, “As enshrined in UN law and international resolutions, we recognize the Palestinian right to resist Israeli violence and occupation via legitimate armed struggle.”
The act of walking into a crowded public area and blowing to pieces young women and children with high powered shrapnel laced explosives does not in any interpretation lend itself to legitimacy or protection under any UN law, international resolution or religious creed. The bombings only serve to push the Palestinian people further into despair and hopelessness through the cycle of violence’s increased elevation and an ever-growing body count of both Palestinian and Jewish civilians.
The goal of peace in the Middle East, the nations of Palestine and Israel living side by side in harmony and equality, does not stand commensurate with the messages of mass murder and Israel’s annihilation spewed by terrorists and their allies such as the International Solidarity Movement. The Road Map to Peace, backed by the PLO, Israel, United Nations, United States, European Union and Russia calls for the immediate cessation of terrorism against Israel as a condition precedent to ending the occupation beginning in 1967 and creating a sovereign Palestinian nation. Peace will never exist in the Middle East without the comprehensive eradication of terrorism, a truly democratic and representative government for Palestine, a recognition of Israel’s right to exist and major economic reforms that will improve the everyday lives of Palestinians.
Last year, ISM’s plan to visit Rutgers University of New Jersey sparked a lengthy statewide protest; taxpayers didn’t want their hard earned money providing a forum for terrorism. Governor Mcgreevey finally ceded to ISM’s free speech rights. While ISM’s message of hate arguably has constitutional protection, The University of Miami must never again use student funds and facilities to provide a platform for those enabling murderous hatred. Does the UM administration know of ISM’s presence on campus? I strongly encourage all those disgusted and outraged by ISM’s presence on our campus to contact director of student affairs, Patricia Whitely at pwhitely@miami.edu or UM student body president, Scott Sadowski at ssadowski@umiami.edu.
Pete Trombadore is a sophomore Business Administration major . Contact him at stopglobalterrorism@yahoo.com.
It’s November in Miami, and you know what that means: beautiful weather. Allow me to demonstrate. Put down the paper; I know you want to read my article, but this is worth it. Go outside if you have to. Don’t be lazy.
Outside? Good. Now, take it in with all of your senses and come back to me when you’re done. Do you feel that? The breeze? It doesn’t feel like a blow dryer. Now look up. Crystal-clear blue skies. And you’re not sweating.
Come back inside and grab the nearest phone. Now’s the time to call all of your buddies grinding it out up north at Endless Winter State University.
It’s no secret that Miami is known for its beautiful summers, crowded beaches and gorgeous women. But aren’t there supposed to be parts of New Jersey that are like that, too?
That may be the case, but the true determinant of great weather is how far into the winter (and, for the less fortunate, fall) it takes before board shorts turn into snow pants and headphones into ear muffs. The answer up north varies from mid-September to Thanksgiving time. But the trend stops at Miami, where the reverse holds true.
I’ll be the first to admit the dread of walking across campus midday during the first two months of the school year, attempting to block out the thick humidity, taking the most shaded pathway from class to class, stopping at strategic points to gain access to air conditioning. It’s because of these factors that I look forward to November every year.
It is around this general time frame that the official Hurricane season ends, bringing an end to torrential downpour and the accompanying unnecessarily damp heat. In a matter of days, the temperatures drop, the winds pick up, and, suddenly, paying $33,000 doesn’t seem like such a bad investment. Until you realize you have to go to class.
We’re talking pure, unadulterated, 70-and-80 degree weather for the next two weeks, a feat only Honolulu can match.
Boston? 40. Chicago? 45. New York? 50. California? Fire.
It may be difficult to board that plane come Thanksgiving time. But look on the bright side: December is going to be better.
Ben Minkus can be contacted at Boopalee@aol.com.
Lately there seems to be a lot of whining in the air. I realize that whining is now as much an American pastime as filing lawsuits about meaningless nonsense, but it seems that some have sunk this concept to a new low or at least have beaten the dead horse until even Jack Woltz has stopped screaming (that’s a little Godfather humor). Let’s examine a couple items here.
First, do all of you realize that football is actually . . . a “game?” I know that in many ways it’s now merely another aspect of life that’s been gobbled up by large moneymaking interests, but nevertheless it’s still just a game. These things are called winning streaks precisely because they don’t last forever, even when armchair quarterbacks and second-guessers galore believe they do. Don’t take it out on Brock Berlin. Circulating a flyer calling him every sort of vicious and derogatory term is both undignified and dishonorable. I noticed that whoever wrote it didn’t sign their name. Perhaps whoever that was will realize they’re taking this “game” a little too seriously. I’d recommend that whoever that cowardly swine is, he or she should pull their head out of their ass before they hurt themselves trying to think. If it’s somebody I know, shame on you.
Then there’s the criticism of President Shalala’s program to raise money for the school as well as improve the University’s profile. It never would have occurred to me that people other than Pat Buchanan would criticize her efforts in this area. This is completely confusing to me. Let’s see, the President of this University, a woman of immense qualifications and very high-profile contacts, is using that to improve the University and raise its profile and that’s supposed to be a “questionable” thing? Does it not occur to anyone that the higher the positive profile of the school, the better a degree from it is seen to be worth? Duh. You all ought to be thanking her.
Those of you concerned about this probably just don’t like that President Shalala gets so much TV time. I guess it would just be better if we let the fabulous Mike Johnston do it. He won “Best SG in Florida” last year you know. And with that and 35 cents we can all make a phone call from any payphone on campus.
Scott Wacholtz can be reached at aramis1642@hotmail.com.
