Home Blog Page 1948

All we do is stack loot. Run around and chomp fruit.

The Miami Hurricane
-
0

____________________________________________________________
chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp

Midwest Product
World Series of Love
***

Mini bed sheet ghosts with soulless stares have invaded the CD booklets of many a Poplife loyalist over the last year, damning their owners’ bad Case Logic for not zipping the light away so they can party. But such fanatic listeners aren’t to blame; it’s the gurus occupying a clever marketing compound in Ann Arbor, Michigan – polite, well eductated specters who package infectious minimal “avant-electro” like no other.

And if they had fingers, those ghosts should also be pointing digits at Ann Arbor’s Midwest Product for concocting yet another disc of mesmeric clarity and with-it fun for their luxx record label.

The follow up to last year’s decidedly more pointed, bluer-collared gem, Specifics, the Midwest three have cashed in some of the glitch for a briefer, airier pop sensibility. Not exactly a surprise when the album’s titled World Series of Love and a thick stream of rainbow graces its cover of classic off-white.

But, upon flipping the case over and shuttering in sprites of disbelief – a mere seven tracks! – seeing a song called “Avant Poop” quickly washes away paranoid notions of a trendy Bravo hipster makeover. And besides Joe Straight – Salinger paperbacks inspired the rainbow.

Unlike the rest of Ghostly International’s adroit stable, which includes instrumental phenoms Dabrye and Matt Dear, MP get biz with the electronics and ye ol’ axe and chisels. Rather safe opener “Dead Cat” is familiarly whisked into gear by guitar and percussion, before “Bank” – hopefully you’ve never heard Fear Factory’s remake of “Cars” – emits a smell of ’80s nerd cheese equal parts aroma and odor.

Not too rad with five remaining tracks, but ethereally shifting fractal explosions like “Swamp” and “Duckpond” bust open the planetarium, leaving “Umbrella” to go supernova as you wax deeply on the cosmos and having candlelight sex with ex-flames, like a (seemingly content) Ghostly ghost.

For more info, follow the power pellets to Ghostly.com.

– the Hza, L&A Editor

____________________________________________________________

Lord Finesse
The Lost Sessions
***1/2

“I got more styles than you see in a kung fu flick,” a typical example of Lord Finesse finessing it; but it doesn’t get much more complex than that. For those few who know who know about D.I.T.C., perhaps one of the illest (however lacking a requisite album of bangers) rap cliques ever, even fewer know about one of its quieter and less metaphorically gifted members, Finesse.

Yeah, he’s popped up here and there, sounds like a fatter and slower Big L, never really made a name for himself; but any true hip hop head (is there a more retarded phrase to coin?) will be like, “Yeah, yo I know that nigga Finesse”as he spits and grabs his crotch (there aren’t any girls up in this, period blood).

All the songs up in this mishmash are byproducts of sessions that never made it anywhere. They’re dope though, all from the era when beats didn’t sound like some peg leg guy trying to play “Heart and Soul” up in F.A.O. Schwartz then convincing the world that mesh hats are the new shit when they’ve been over like the word “like,” oohh baby get wit me lady (then call Jay-Z) and so forth.

The long gone, bullet-holed Big L, like Andrew Lowery in My Boyfriend’s Back, turns into a zombie and hooks up with his old girlfriend. “Check the Flavor” is the dopeness, as dope as the dopeness can be, smooth as Dairy Queen shits, (plus the Lord talks about getting his dick a face lift, hee hee).

It’s nice to hear something that sound like it’s ten years old and you’ve already heard it a bunch of times. Familiarity also makes it a lot easier to be that ass who’s always saying, “Yeah yeah, I’ve heard that before” after which you bob your head to “A street genius/Never thinks with his penis” fold your arms and lean against the wall and pretend you didn’t show up at the party to try and get some play. So stumble down the alley of fictitious memories and get these latest beats courtesy of Fat Beats.

For more info, jump down the green pipe to FatBeats.com.

– Svengali, L&A Senior Writer

chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp
____________________________________________________________

AESTHETIC: Original Art by L&A’s Sven Barth aka Syah

The Miami Hurricane
-
0

piece by Sven, summary by Hunter Stephenson

This work is in full, vibrant color on canvas. Sven Barth will have an art exhibit, his first in fact, at I/O Lounge in the Design District on Oct. 20. Quantic from the UK (a savant friend of Bonobo and Ninja Tune records) and Miami/NYC’s Egg Foo Young (think that film “The Abyss” meets DJ Shadow) will be performing afterwards. Other artists on display throughout the evening will be Reeve Schumacher of Miami and CROOK$ of Madison, Wisconsin, the dairy capital of the United States of America.

For more info, jump down the green pipe to IOLounge.com. If you’d like to inquire further about this piece or others in his collection, contact Syah at big_sven@hotmail.com.

SEARCHING FOR THE GLORY HOLE: L&A ventures into the bleached world of South Beach and Coconut Grove sex arcades

The Miami Hurricane
-
0

The Miami sex scene doesn’t discriminate. Just venture into one of South Beach’s famed smut shops and you’ll see what I’m talking about. The product on display ranges from B-movie action porn (think HBO in the ’80s) to more gonzo jizz-tastic masterpieces to the old reliable “just fuck scene” films.

A place that’s really got its priorities straight, in the business sense at least, is Pleasure Emporium, 1019 5th Street, conveniently open 24 hours a day on South Beach. Capturing charm in one of those Chinese swings ($399) that Tommy Lee’s so fond off until its exhausted and shortened into a four-letter word, you can’t help but think of Hawaiian-shirted tourists seeking bachelor humor a la Spencer Gifts but end up discovering the stark realities of underworld fetish – SoBe style.

The videos might as well be categorized by sexual disorder and encompassing everything from midget porn to the epic “Gang Bang” genre. This place is King of bad taste and would make John Waters twiddle his gay little mustache in delight. One of the best features is PE’s diverse collection of dildos – some large and crazy enough to put a blush on Jenna Jameson’s face.

But Pleasure Emporium’s claim to fame, if you didn’t know, is the “video arcade” – a section of the store that’s understandably hidden from the entrance. A place where even five feet from the entrance, your nostrils are ambushed by pungency, the video arcade is not for the weak-stomached. That’s because the floors have to be washed down with bleach every day to kill the love juice that occasionally smacks the floor.

Caution: wear closed-toe shoes everywhere. The place reeks of venereal disease. There’s nothing glamorous about a gray vinyl seat that’s been defiled over and over again staring into an uncomfortably close video screen and dollar slot waiting for some perve to decide between He’s My Bitch and Anal University. I’m getting queasy just thinking about it.

Just when it looked like things couldn’t get uglier, a skinny little Latino guy with the enthusiasm of a toothless child at a ball game – one who desired to be called Don Juan – asked me if I’d ever heard of a “glory hole.” A what?

I definitely had to find out if these “glory holes” really existed, but first, it was time for a stop by the Love Boutique, a haven located next door to Pleasure Emporium. With its four foot cushiony, stiletto shoe seats and enough cherry balm and glitter to cover five generations of Spice Girls, this place could bring the Ru Paul out of anyone.

The owner tried to market a “luuvvv” theme ad nauseam, but this store is definitely, yes, all-smut. It has an Urban Outfitters-on-crack assthetic to it, and caries a line of faddy clothing like Hustler and Porn Star – who the hell still wears Porn Star besides porn stars? Actually, the only real novelty this store has to claim is a tacky juice bar that serves up even tackier non-alcoholic drinks. So you can enjoy a “Frooty Poosie” while shopping for the right pair of nipple clamps? Ew.

This store gets one star – if only for its fruity lip-gloss aroma that nursed the severe odor flashbacks leftover from the Emporium video arcade; and for its very cool leather cop hats to fulfill your wickedest

Shoot the Truth: Miami’s photojournos keep the city alive

The Miami Hurricane
-
0

The Historical Museum of Southern Florida’s Assignment Miami: News Photographers captures everything about Miami you thought you knew, but had no idea. From back in the day when it was acceptable for the Ku Klux Klan to march downtown Miami, to traumatic pictures of refugees frantically swimming from Biscayne Bay to the shore, to the recent pre-dawn snatch of Elian Gonzalez, Assignment Miami brings a no-holds-barred look at the photographs that have defined Miami to the public.

The real Miami, though, is somewhere between a tropical paradise and a neon-studded slum firmly twisted to the absurd. The old adage, “Truth is stranger than fiction,” is well applicable here. Did you know that young Cuban men practiced hand-to-hand combat in a field near Tamiami Airport in the 1960s or that President-elect Franklin Roosevelt, the man solely responsible for saving the world from Nazism, was almost assassinated in Miami in 1933?

These pictures make us hearken the seriousness of events that have happened right in our backyard. Images of gang violence and civil inequality jump to the audience summoning an urgent “look-at-me!” quality. These, juxtaposed next to feature photos of vapid prepubescent girls on cell-phones outside a Broward County mall, really encapsulate just another day in the surreal humidity of Miami.

That’s all before we encounter that fun event-filled year of 2000 – the year known for single-handedly putting Miami on the map. Who can forget the Pulitzer Prize winning photo of a screaming Elian Gonzalez confronted by an automatic weapon at the ass-crack of dawn? Or of the wonderful 2000 election, where pictures range from tired protestors sitting with that dejected look of inequality and unfairness on their faces to the infamous punch card ballots themselves, innocently photographed as if to deny their involvement in the scandal. Yes, Assignment Miami will give you, my friend, a history lesson that’ll make room for more credo in the city of vice and jiggling silicone breasts.

It’s not all serious matter, though – there are fun and games here (of course, it’s Miami). In one of the graphs, Janet Reno dances the night away at Level, and such a side-splitting image does justice to the pee-your-pants funny skit of Janet Reno’s Dance Party on “Saturday Night Live.” And who would have guessed hurricanes were entertaining? In preparation for Hurricane Georges, the Miami Metrozoo released all of their pink flamingos into the men’s bathroom. The resulting picture of a few dozen dazed and confused rose birds trying to fathom a toilet stall…well, there’s that twist of the absurd. Mix it all together (shaken, not stirred) and you’ve got one hell of a photography show.

Assignment Miami: News Photographers is at the Historical Museum of South Florida, 101 W. Flagler St., Miami, through January 25, 2004. Call 305-375-1492 for more info.

Sarah Giusti can be reached at tthinkerr@aol.com

LIFE & ART IS ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN

The Miami Hurricane
-
0

Check the history: the Edo period in Japan (1603-1868) was an age of emperors and shoguns, but it also was a time when popular culture flourished with the emergence of populist art forms such as ukiyo-e (i.e., “pictures of the floating world”) – woodblock prints depicting sumo wrestlers, women and their courtesans, street scenes, theater actors and landscapes.

Japanese painter Tenmyouya Hisashi coalesces ukiyo-e influences with forms like old-school scrolls, manga comics, kanji characters (Chinese ideograms) and graffiti to create stunning acrylic paintings centered on themes of violence, faith and social satire. His technique is almost flawless, meticulously taking into account tiny minutiae. But the most intriguing attribute in his work is how he interweaves elements of Western hip hop culture (gangs in low-riders, b-boys in samurai outfits, breakdancers and turntables, a Buddha statue tagged with graffiti) with ancient Eastern motifs. Despite these hip hop overtones, Hisashi claims he isn’t a b-boy at all.

“It has been always misunderstood that I’m a b-boy,” he says. “Actually, I’m not. Such as there was a technique called “ukiyo-e” in Japan, which reflected its time in the past, I have [only] chosen the motifs of b-boy or graffiti to reflect our own time.”

Born in 1966, the Tokyo native held his first exhibition in 1990 at the Isetan Museum in Japan’s capital. Since then, he’s been featured in several shows throughout his country, as well as in the U.S. at the One Planet under a Groove: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art exhibit at the Bronx Museum of Art and the Reed Space in New York.Recently, he had three pieces in The American Effect show at NYC’s Whitney Museum and he contributed 10 works to the current Japan Rising exposition at the Palm Beach Institute of Contemporary Art a bit north of Miami.

Although Hisashi experiments with different social satires, the dynamics of violence regularly appear in his work – everything from fierce tattooed sumos in wrestling matches to Japanese thugs in b-boy stance and intricately-designed samurai robots. Conversely, while some pieces may display a martyr being slain viciously or monstrous combat scenes such as his “Bush vs. Bin Laden” work, where the former is embodied in a dreadful behemoth, Hisashi is interested in the dichotomy of violence and faith, which, he says, “represent opposite extremes, but are also two sides of the same thing.”

Other works exude a precise quality of portraiture, especially the paintings of Japanese gangs poised with bats, swords or spray paint cans in hand or even just a thugged-out couple – Japanese-shogun-style – the words “B-Boy” and “B-Girl” inscribed on top. It’s almost as if these characters were literally swiped off the streets of the Japanese underworld to pose for Hisashi’s brush, although they are products of his imagination.

“Hip hop culture permeates Japan,” he explains. “There are many color gangs who are imitating the States and I paint these gangs since they are the symbol of violence. Some of my works harmonize them with traditional Japanese styles like contemporary ukiyo-e.”

Distinguished by a puckish melding of tradition with progression, Hisashi’s paintings elucidate the historical development of pop culture within two entirely different eras and societies. For instance, an amalgam of video game fights, manga illustration and ukiyo-e technique is well shown in a Mortal Kombat-like sequence in “Eight ‘Serpent and Crane’ Moves vs. ‘Drunken Fists.’ ”

But most importantly, he sees the equivalency of values in lowbrow art forms such as graffiti with what is deemed to be “high art.”

“If we think of the history of art in the long range like 200 or 300 years,” he says, “graffiti may change into a fine art in the future, but I treat graffiti and fine art in parallel as a painter.”

Japan Rising is on view at the Palm Beach Institute of Contemporary Art, 601 Lake Avenue, Lake Worth, through November 9. Call 561-582-0006 for more info.

Omar Sommereyns can be reached at SOASIS@aol.com

Lewullis emerging as key contributor for ‘Canes

The Miami Hurricane
-
0

Sophomore outside hitter Robin Lewullis has not been fazed by the volleyball team’s success the past two seasons. With her accomplished background in the sport, she is quite used to it.

Growing up in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Lewullis attended Allentown Central Catholic where she lettered in volleyball all four years of high school and helped her team win the state championship in her senior year.

Lewullis’ prominence came largely from Synergy, a club team based in the Philadelphia area that she played for during the second half of her high school career.

“I played for a club team prior to that around my hometown but it wasn’t as serious [as Synergy],” Lewullis said. “In Synergy, we traveled to California and Las Vegas tournaments. Pennsylvania isn’t the biggest volleyball state in the northeast, but when you get to go to the west coast, volleyball there is so much different and quicker-paced, and Synergy definitely took my game up so many levels just because you’re playing much better girls.”

Lewullis first took up volleyball in sixth grade. She contends that simply being interested in all sports led her to try the sport.

“I come from a very basketball-oriented family where no one has ever played volleyball,” she said. “I [tried] every sport when I was little.”

Lewullis’ greatest inspiration to continue on the volleyball path came from her brother, Gabe, a basketball player for Princeton from 1995-1999.

“My brother played basketball in high school and college. He inspired me to come here and work on academics,” Lewullis said. “He helped me decide that I wanted to actually play a sport in college, and do the whole student-athlete thing. He handled academics, athletics, and the stress of both well.”

Choosing UM came easy to Lewullis. Her initial visit to the school made a lasting impression, and no other program measured up.

“I came here first, and every other school I just compared to here,” she said. “I loved it here. I loved the girls on the team, the coaches, obviously I loved the weather, and it had some majors that I was interested in. It was just a variety of things.”

The fact that the program had only been resurrected a year before Lewullis started made her even more excited at the possibility of becoming a Hurricane.

“It was kind of exciting coming to a new program after just one year, and I knew this program would grow fast just because of its location,” Lewullis said.

Lewullis is majoring in Health Science and Business Administration, a combination likely to result in a healthcare management job. However, she prefers to focus on what she is trying to accomplish while at school and worry about her professional life when the time comes.

“I want to find something that I’m happy doing, and that’s so hard to do, to find something that you love after college,” Lewullis said. “How I’ll do that I don’t know yet.”

As the team approaches the heart of the conference schedule, Lewullis looks to her fun-loving teammates to carry her through the tough stretch.

“We’re around each other all the time; these girls are like my sisters,” she said. “And the coaches, you could go to them with anything. They’re almost like your parents because that’s how they treat you…the team unity is definitely there.”

When she’s involved in the game, not much more than blocking, hitting, and watching the ball are on Lewullis’ mind.

“[But] when you take a look and stand back, you’re just like ‘wow, I’m playing volleyball at University of Miami in front of all these people,'” she said. “There are so many people that would die to be in my position. It’s great to hear all our fans, and to use that energy out on the court.”

Peattie handling pressure of kicking at UM

The Miami Hurricane
-
0

“Wide left” and “wide right” are two phrases that kickers never want to hear. After his first field goal attempt sailed through the middle of the uprights, Jon Peattie was able to relax and do the job asked of him.
Red shirting as a freshman last year due to injury, Peattie entered this season competing for the starting job as a punter.
“I’m not really nervous anymore, especially after the [Boston College] game,” Peattie said. “There was a fumbled bad snap but we recovered. I usually do well under pressure. When you’re out there, and the crowd is loud, you really do not hear anything. You zone everyone out and just concentrate on what you need to accomplish: getting the ball through the uprights.”
Peattie originally was recruited by Florida when former head coach Steve Spurrier was around, and he was also recruited by Kentucky. The school he was most interested in besides UM, however, was Northwestern, mostly for academic reasons.
“I remember looking into going to Kentucky [at first],” Peattie said. “I sent them my tape and got a response saying that after they reviewed my tape, they realized they did not need a linebacker. Well, if they really looked at my tape they would have known that I am not a linebacker.”
Special teams have received more emphasis this year than usual. Many games have been decided by a field goal or less, and with a new kicker in Peattie, the Hurricanes have to make sure they can handle these critical situations.
“Special teams used to be something that just occurred between offense and defense,” Head Coach Larry Coker said. “But now I think there is more emphasis on it, and universities are actually striving to improve their special teams. We have a specific segment for special teams everyday where we practice certain plays.”
“We do a thing where we create a big play every time,” Peattie said. “We practice punt returns, kickoff returns, and blocking field goals. [Special teams coach Don Solinger] even has some of our top players come in and play for us. Jonathan Vilma is our punt protection blocker, which is a key part of the game. We do everything in practice, so when it comes to game time it will just come naturally.”
Playing wide receiver in high school until he dislocated his shoulder, Peattie decided it was safer to stick to kicking. He spends countless hours studying film during the week, striving to correct any flaws in his kicking.
“It’s great to have film,” Peattie said. “I like to see my technique in order to see what needs to change and how I can improve. It’s helpful that they have someone film us everyday.”
Peattie likes to study the techniques of Mike Vanderjagt of the Indianapolis Colts. Vanderjagt is one of the NFL’s all-time field goal accuracy leaders, and is a model of consistency that Peattie can look up to.
Peattie feels the Hurricanes’ special teams are vital to their overall success.
“I feel that special teams can really generate enthusiasm in a team,” he said. “Devon Hester had a big kick return against Florida. When something like that happens it changes the momentum of a game. It gets me real psyched as a kicker to get out there and finish what our team started, and it is a great feeling to be a part of that this season.”

BRIEFS

The Miami Hurricane
-
0

Men’s cross-country
The University of Miami men’s cross country team is ranked 12th in the South Region in the latest poll released by the United States Cross Country Coaches Association on Tuesday.
The Hurricanes have recorded two victories in the season’s first three meets, and return to action on October 11 at the Disney Invitational in Orlando, FL.
Miami has been led this season by sophomore Alex Brutvan who has been the Hurricanes’ top finisher in all three events. Brutvan was the top collegiate finisher, fourth overall, at the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish Invitational on August 30, and won the FIU Invitational on September 13. The Hurricanes swept the top-7 spots to win both events.

Soccer
Sophomore forward Lindsey Yach earned Big East Offensive Player of the Week after leading the University of Miami soccer team to a victory over No. 10 Connecticut Friday night at Cobb Stadium.
Yach played a role in all three of Miami’s goals in the 3-1 win over UConn. She tallied two goals, including the match-winner, and recorded an assist to lead the Hurricanes to their first win over a top 10 opponent.
Yach leads the Hurricanes with six goals on the season, including two match-winning goals. She also has two assists for a total of 14 points.
She was named to the All-Big East Rookie team after finishing her freshman season with a second-best 23 points.
The Hurricanes take a break from division play as they face Pittsburgh Friday at 7 p.m.

Rowing
The University of Miami Women’s Rowing team welcomed 12 newcomers for the 2003-2004 academic year with the start of fall classes.
With the loss of only two seniors, the return of a successful freshmen crew and this talented group of incoming freshmen, the future looks bright for the Hurricanes.
International rowers from all over the world have come to join the Hurricanes. Ireland, Australia, and Canada are all represented on the 2003-2004 squad. U.S. rowers from as far as California and New York have also come to help propel the Hurricanes into a nationally ranked rowing team.
Meet the University of Miami Class of 2007 Women’s Rowing Team:
Alicia Alamar – The California resident is a newcomer to the sport but plans to make significant gains and contributions each year.
Hannah Bae – Hannah comes to Miami from Thomas Jefferson HS in Springfield, Va. As a coxswain, she brings leadership to help motivate and coach the Hurricanes.
Marenda Chamberlin – The former Oregon Unlimited captain brings quiet leadership to the crew with sound experience and knowledge in the sport.
Laura Coltman – The Toronto native brings with her a bronze medal from this year’s Canadian Henley Sr. B Women’s Four event. She also took home Silver and Bronze medals at the US Nationals in the Intermediate and Senior Pair. Coltman has her sights set on making the Canadian National team.
Sarah Conlon – The only member of the 2007 class from Australia, Sarah most recently won the Australian National Championships in 2002 in the youth coxed quadruple sculls.
Aoife Forde – The sophomore transfer from the National University, Galway of Ireland comes to Miami with International competition under her belt. Forde is a four-year rower that most recently represented Ireland in the Home International Regatta.
Natasha Lejer – Natasha competed as a member of the Canadian Junior National Team in Schinias, Greece this summer in her first year of rowing. Her talent and potential will add depth and power to the Hurricanes.
Meghan Leydecker – One of a pair of coxswains recruited to the Hurricane crew this fall. Meghan comes from Nardin Academy in Buffallo, NY and provides extensive knowledge and motivation as a leader of the Hurricanes.
Ashley Via – As a sculler from Philadelphia, Ashley will make the transition from two oars to one in her first year with the Hurricanes.
Valerie Webb – In two short years of rowing experience, Valerie won the Canadian High School Rowing Championships. Coach Morgan hopes Valerie can continue her meteoric rise with the Hurricanes.
Karen Wiley – The St. Catharines, Ontario native is a five-time Canadian junior national champion. Karen has most recently competed in six events and thirteen races at the Royal Canadian Henley.
Molly Wilson – Molly, from Oconomowoc, Wisc., has raced internationally at the Royal English Henley and in high school at Lawrenceville School in New Jersey. She will make the transition well into Division 1 rowing.
The Hurricanes begin their fall season at the Head of the Creek Regatta on Sunday, October 12th at the Shane Watersports Center in Miami Beach, Fla.

Women’s golf shoots for national title

The Miami Hurricane
-
0

The University of Miami last won a national championship in women’s golf in 1984. This year’s team could change that.

The ‘Canes opened the season with a third place finish at the Cougar Classic, while junior Tina Miller won the event overall. This solid finish helped the Hurricanes debut at No. 7 on the Golfweek.com Women’s Team Rankings. The squad currently sits at No. 19 in the rankings after another tournament was added that they did not participate in.

“We are off to a great start this season,” Head Coach Lela Cannon said. “I am really pleased with how this team is playing.”

The team will look to defending Big East Champion Miller to lead the way. Miller debuted on the Golfweek.com Player Rankings as the No. 4 player in the nation, and currently sits at No. 14. She won her only event this season, the Cougar Classic, finishing at two under par for the tournament.

“I told everyone at the beginning of the semester that in order for the whole team to do good, you have to try to win individually,” Miller said. “If everyone wants to win individually, and we all shoot the scores to win individually, then we should win the tournament as a team.”

This year, the team seems to know that they have a chance to compete with anyone. They’ve refocused and practiced hard, trying to get ready for the moments they hope are on the way.

“This year we are really close as a team,” Miller said. “We know what we have to do, and we are practicing really hard and implementing different things so that we can feel pressure type situations at practice, so that when we get out there, we will be ready.”

The success of the team will start with Miller, who, as the captain, will be looked to for leadership. Miller’s victory at the Cougar Classic marked her third collegiate victory, and gives the ‘Canes reason to believe that they have one of the nation’s best players.

“Tina is devoted, dedicated, and motivated,” Cannon said. “She’s a great leader, the captain of the team, and the players all have a great deal of respect for her.”

Along with Miller, Camilla Hilland returns for her senior season. As a sophomore, Hilland became the first player since Tracy Kerdyk in 1988 to win the Ryder/Florida Women’s Collegiate Golf Championship. Last season, Hilland had five top ten finishes, including a victory at the John Kirk/Lady Panther Intercollegiate.

If Hilland can get back to her sophomore form, the ‘Canes will have a very powerful combination to lead this team.

“The team is much improved. My freshman year, Camilla did really well,” Miller said. “Last year, her and I did well, and now we have five players all out there playing well, which is great.”

Freshman Tiffany Prats impressed Coach Cannon with a strong showing in her first collegiate tournament, tying for 21st in the Cougar Classic with three consecutive rounds of 76. Prats earned a Florida All-State first team selection at Williston High School last year and was the All-Area Player of the Year. She tied for fourth at the high school state championships last season.

“Tiffany can use Tina as a role model,” Cannon said. “She can look at her work ethic and patience, and see that if she can do that, good things will come.”

With Miller, Hilland, and Prats, this team has plenty of depth. If this team can play up to its potential, it could be competing for the NCAA Championship later this year.

“This team definitely has a chance to make a huge impact this year,” Miller said.

Sweet 16 dreams

The Miami Hurricane
-
0

After advancing to the second round of the NCAA Regionals last year, the women’s tennis team has its sights set higher for 2003-04 after finishing with a record of 17-7.

“I’d love for us to get to the Sweet 16 this year,” Head Coach Paige Yaroshuk said.

The Hurricanes return all but two players this season, and also bring in two newcomers after falling to No. 24 Kentucky at the end of last year.

Yaroshuk is excited about the upcoming year for many reasons. One is the team has a promising player, who has received national attention, in junior Megan Bradley.

“I think Megan is really ready to have a break-out year,” Yaroshuk said. “She’s looked real good and is ranked No. 34 in the country.”

Not only will Bradley be helping out in singles play, but she will also be paired with sophomore Melissa Applebaum (No. 48 in the country) in doubles. The duo is already ranked No. 10 in the preseason rankings and they worked well together a year ago. They posted a 15-3 record overall, including 14-1 at No. 1 doubles, developing a chemistry they hope to maintain for the next couple of years.

If women’s tennis had a BCS system implemented like in college football, the Hurricanes would have one of the toughest strength of schedule ratings a team could possibly have.

“There are definitely some tough matches this year,” Yaroshuk said. “We have to go to UCLA, Notre Dame, and Harvard, which is extremely tough, but we get a break when Virginia Commonwealth comes down here.”

The trip to UCLA will be a return to Yaroshuk’s alma mater, where she shined as a singles and doubles player with the No. 4 Bruins.

Other players returning from last year’s squad include seniors Sihem Bennacer, Mari Toro, and Sara Robbins, as well as junior Staci Stevens.

The lone freshman on the team this year is Audrey Banada from North Miami Beach. The other newcomer is sophomore transfer Natalie Mikolich, replacing graduates Abby Smith and Igna deVilliers.

The team is loaded with experience, which has led to certain players developing chemistry with each other over time.

“There is no single team leader, which is why I haven’t designated anyone as captain,” Yaroshuk said. “Everyone contributes equally and it’s really great to have on a team.”

Another bonus for the team is that everyone is healthy to start out the year.

“One of our goals this year is to just keep everyone healthy,” Yaroshuk said.

Although the polls don’t come out until the first half of the season is over, the Hurricanes are projected to have a high ranking. They were No. 24 when they lost to Kentucky in the regionals last year.

The ‘Canes get back into action on October 10th at the Florida Fall Tournament in Gainesville. Their first home match is January 31st against Florida Atlantic.

Under Pressure

The Miami Hurricane
-
0

Coming off two wins in their opening weekend of conference play, the women’s volleyball team is hungry for more. The ‘Canes swept Seton Hall and defeated Rutgers 3-1 in New Jersey to begin the Big East season, and now they’re gearing up for Boston College this Sunday at home.

“We were kind of hot and cold in the matches,” Head Coach Nicole Lantagne Welch said. “But the key was that we came away from a big road trip with two wins and that’s all that matters. I think we learned some things about ourselves, we know some areas that we need to work on a little bit more.”

Outside hitter Valeria Tipiana had 14 kills against Seton Hall, while libero Jamie Grass had a team-high 14 digs. Middle blocker Francheska Savage totaled three blocks and Tipiana and outside hitter Leyre Santaella Sante each had two service aces.

“I think we had really good teamwork,” Santaella Sante said. “We were excited because we started playing in the Big East. We had a lot of communication and gave our all.”

Against Rutgers, Santaella Sante led with 18 kills. Outside hitter Biz Tyson had 13 kills and 12 digs on the night, while middle blocker Robin Lewullis racked up seven blocks.

The ‘Canes have kept up their rituals of praying before leaving the locker room and performing their jumping routine prior to each game. Consistency, they feel, is the most important component of the game. Communication plays a key role in maintaining consistency.

“We’re focusing on getting the team to talk to each other and listen whenever we’re on the court,” Santaella Sante said.

Through teamwork building, Lewullis has seen an attitude adjustment on the team since the beginning of the season.

“I think we’re more positive out on the court,” she said. “You’re there for your teammates [now] more than in our first match. It’s just like a community out there.”

Freshman setter Jill Robinson was awarded Big East Rookie of the Week Honors for the second time this season after putting up 37 assists against Florida International, 36 against Seton Hall, and a career-high 52 at Rutgers.

“I think [Jill] is doing a really good job,” Santaella Sante said. “We give her feedback, she takes it, and she is very humble.”

“It’s a great honor anytime you’re recognized by the conference,” Lantagne Welch said. “That means [Jill is] putting up some great numbers and playing very well, especially for a freshman.”

As for the rest of the team, a more relaxing approach to playing hard, as contradictory as that might sound, is what they’re after.

“Right now [we’re] just trying to have fun,” Lewullis said. “Volleyball is an up and down game. If you make one mistake, you can’t get yourself down, and that’s been a problem this year. We’re just going through the motions and we’re not enjoying a sport that we love. Lately [we’re] just trying to have fun out there.”

Lantagne Welch agrees that there needs to be a delicate balance in order to have success.

“Volleyball is such a momentum sport, and you try to use the celebration and momentum to help you through each point,” she said. “I think that’s the area that they’re really working on. We definitely have to key in on execution still while having fun, and when we’re doing both, we’re playing excellently.”

Practices this week have concentrated largely on the UM side of the court, in hopes that getting their rhythm down pat will continue the ‘Canes’ undefeated streak in Big East play.

“I’m glad that the conference games started already,” Robinson said. “We’re improving everywhere.”

“We are going to work a lot on passing and ball-handling because it broke down a couple of times [last] weekend,” Lantagne Welch said. “We’ll continue to work on [serving] so we’ll have a great serving match this weekend. We played a very tough pre-conference schedule, so we’re fitting in a good spot and I think we’re going to continue to improve. We’re fighting to win that Big East regular season title right now.”

Rather than play the villain, we don our white hat

The Miami Hurricane
-
0

According to a recent poll by the Washington Post, 69% of Americans believe Saddam Hussein had a role in the September 11 attacks. That’s seven out of ten people. When did that happen? If I recall, the war began because Hussein was supposed to have weapons of mass destruction, and we wanted to see them. Then it became about liberating Iraq from the clutches of the evil dictator, who, unlike all the other evil dictators out there, had a lot of oil. Bush realized that’s one of the biblical signs of the devil. But now that we liberated the poor, oppressed oil fields, it turns out this was all about 9/11 all along.
Now, I understand why we had to stop blaming the weapons of mass destruction. Iraq put up about as much resistance as the bad paper towel brand in those Brawny commercials. Sure, we kept telling ourselves that they were “saving” those weapons until things “got really bad,” but it dawned on us that Hussein had missed his cue by a long shot. And there was no way we would let him say “see, I told you so” in front of all our UN buddies, so we just plopped that black cowboy hat on his head, put on our white one, and turned this into a spaghetti western. But September 11th?
I checked my map, and there’s a whole lot of Iran between Iraq and Afghanistan. That’s like the European Union bombing us because Guatemala pissed them off. This administration has flatly denied any connection between Hussein and the terrorist attack, so where are we getting this?
Part of it is the disappointment generated by the fact that even now, American troops get attacked an average of fifteen times a day by the Iraqi people. What kind of way is that to treat your liberators? Obviously, if they’re so unhappy about us being there, it has to be because they were connected with terrorism. After all, they should be dancing in the streets. Sure, maybe they have no electricity or water, but they are free and damn if that’s not better. Just ask anyone who went through the recent Northeast blackout just how happy he or she was to be free at that moment.
We don’t like to feel like the villain, or being disliked. One of the hardest things to grasp after September 11 was how anyone could hate us so much. The fact that we are making an entire generation of Iraqi people hate us is really hard for us to accept. The only way to make it digestible is to lump them together with the terrorists. It’s the only way we can say “but everyone ELSE likes us!” and mean it. But maybe it’s time we took off the white hat and stopped seeing things as us versus them. And really, we need to stop justifying ourselves after the fact. So far we are the only ones still being convinced – and still listening.

Endre Enyedy is a senior and can be contacted at endre_enyedy@yahoo.com.

1...1,9471,9481,949...2,138Page 1,948 of 2,138