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Lama Zopa Rinpoche visits UM

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In a private meeting with ten UM-affiliated individuals, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, currently the main Tibetan Lama spreading Buddhism to the West, gave a candid depiction of his journey to becoming a Lama, followed by a lecture in the Learning Center [LC] that was filled to capacity.
“I was so excited that such a renowned figure of Buddhist religion was on campus that I called in sick to work to attend his lecture,” Fahadh Faasil, freshman, said. “I wish I could have met with him in person to ask him personal questions.”
During the meeting, Rinpoche spoke to a group comprised of religion students and faculty, a representative from the Tibetan library of Buddhism in Miami and a reporter from The Miami Hurricane.
Rinpoche told the group that he was born in Nepal in a mountain village near Mt. Everest, surrounded by fresh water rivers and beautiful trees. At the age of four, he said, he went to a special Buddhist school near his home. However, he said he would sneak out of the school to visit his mother in the middle of the night, until his mother became angry and sent him to another school farther away.
He then went on to say that one day he asked his guru [a Buddhist teacher/monk] to visit his home with him. Rinpoche’s mother had made potato wine and offered some to the guru and to her son.
Rinpoche said he drank so much that the guru had to carry him on his shoulders through the mountains all the way back to the school.
“His life sounds so cool,” Andres Engel, junior, said after he was presented with the information provided at the meeting.
During the lecture held immediately after the private meeting, Rinpoche explained that if one understands the meaning of life, emotional problems will be eliminated.
He also said that much of the problems in life arise from not knowing the purpose of living.
“I pondered on Rinpoche’s words carefully after he spoke them,” Suchita Thakkar, freshman, said. “I’ve often wondered about the meaning of life but never actually sat down and analyzed it – I felt so harrowed.”
“The way to enlightenment is by truth,” Rinpoche said. “The root to suffering is not knowing oneself.”
Rinpoche also believes that happiness is universal.
“Happiness is for both humans and animals – all need happiness to grow and peace,” Rinpoche said.
“The whole thing was enriching,” Engel said. “Rinpoche helped us find happiness in a very simple way.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever be sad again,” Thakkar said.
Rinpoche believes that all should take the time to learn about themselves.
“By enriching the human body, one can attain so much,” Rinpoche said. “Understanding of the mind can solve problems within the hour, minute, even second.”
“Although you might have everything, your heart can be in misery,” Rinpoche said.
Currently, Rinpoche is on a world tour. He will be in the area for one more week until he travels to France for two weeks, followed by two weeks in Russia.
He will end his trip in Mongolia, where he will meet his Holiness the Dali Lama, the highest-ranking priest of Buddhism.
For more information on Lama Zopa Rinpoche, contact Dr. Stephen Sapp, head of religious studies, at ssapp@miami.edu.

Abhishek Shah can be contacted at ablashek@hotmail.com

film review: Phone Booth ***

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Phone Booth has been a troubled film for some time now. It was completed three years ago, back when people were obsessing over chads and “Survivor.”

The only thing that saved it from a quiet video release was the buzz around lead actor Colin Farrell. Reasons for its delay are plentiful: reshoots were necessary to replace the film’s villain from Ron Eldard (Black Hawk Down) to Kiefer Sutherland (“24”), which pushed the film smack dab into the eerily similar D.C. sniper shootings. Fox considered several tentative dates during those iffy weeks, but ultimately scheduled Phone Booth for a 2003 release.

The story pits a sleazy publicist (Colin Farrell) against a gravelly-voiced stranger with a rifle. Farrell’s character slyly uses the last phone booth in New York to call his would-be mistress every day, so that his cell phone bills won’t perplex his wife. One day, he instinctively picks up the ringing phone, only to find that the caller knows everything about him.

The film, which is only 80 minutes long, takes place almost entirely inside the booth. Farrell battles the caller, who strong-arms the conversation by forewarning that he has a rifle aimed at the booth from a nearby window. Tension thickens when the cops arrive, fingering the publicist for the man who recently shot an angry pimp outside of the same booth. A third conflict is tossed in when the girl he wants and the girl he has both show up at the scene, and the caller seems infatuated with incorporating this fact into his psychotic game.

Does this sound ridiculous enough yet? That’s because it is, but it’s also entertaining and inventive in the process. There’s not much that can be done with 80 minutes in and around a phone booth, but the film does it all. Flashbacks, lightning-quick editing, and “24”-style picture-in-picture are just some of the techniques used, and they all seem to work.

Director Joel Schumacher is one of the most inconsistent filmmakers of the past 20 years. In the ’90s, his films ran the gamut from spectacularly large failures (the last two Batman movies) to low budget successes like Tigerland and Falling Down. Throw in the dismal Bad Company and the well-received courtroom drama A Time to Kill, and it’s hard not to question Schumacher’s erraticism.

With this effort his direction is consumed by reckless abandon, the camera constantly spins around leaving no detail unturned. He gets some help and hip cred from Requiem for a Dream cinematographer Matthew Libatique, and from Farrell, whose facial expressions alone make the film engaging. In the supporting categories, Sutherland uses his spooky voice to add dimension to the bad guy, and Forest Whitaker (Panic Room) plays the head cop with ease.

In the end, Phone Booth is more like a music video stretched out into a semi-feature length film. For most movies, this would be a disaster, but it’s executed well by the parties involved. Don’t start thinking the Academy, but give it high marks for excitement and entertainment value, and put it on Schumacher’s “good” list.

Shawn Wines can be reached at shawnwines@aol.com.

album reviews: Can Vue dig it? A.R.E Weapons and Pest bury garage rock

The Miami Hurricane
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Vue
babies are for petting
**

Recently plastered on the cover of the Fader as, “The best band you’ve never heard of,” Vue have managed to annoy the indie set with lots of flamboyant posturing and a blatant predilection for rock stardom. After two lackluster LPs on Seattle’s Sub Pop label, they peeled out for a suitcase full of cash at RCA, which also shelters the Strokes, and “babies are for petting” is their first bid for Jacuzzi-in-a-limo dreams.
A band that has never hesitated to sound sexed in exchange for unoriginality, Vue kick start this five-song EP with the pleasantly airy, “Look Out for Traffic,” in which front man Rex Shelverton doesn’t, “worry about anything here.” With its Trail of Dead summertime vibe, the song is worth downloading.
But the proceeding four tracks are stillborn. You’ve heard this twang-y voice in so many better generic bands, and this time it can’t go the distance across an EP, let alone another album. The faux-blues harmonicas, the dirty garage sound with a glob of mascara – it’s all so blah. Drink a six-pack to this and it’ll give you a headache; a Rolling Stones knockoff (a suitably cliche description of Vue) should never do that. On the total miscarriage of a title track, Shelverton sings, “Now if you are for real, show me more if you are.” If he obeys his own lyrics, Vue will soon disappear, leaving behind plenty of leather and feathers, but none of the drugs, groupies and rock ‘n’ roll they make music about.
For more info, visit www.chunklet.com.

– Hunter Stephenson

Pest
Necessary Measures
***

By the time you figure out what’s going on in each of the cuts on Pest’s album, Necessary Measures, you’ll be retired on a fat farm. Not to say that this album, the group’s first LP, is confusing. Your head will drift effortlessly through its 10 tracks, only bumping into a couple buoys along the way.
With beats backed by twang-y guitar licks, rich cello and keyboards, the five members of Pest have concocted a very soothing formula where (unlike last week’s Mr. Scruff LP) even the English rapping (which is growing on me as of late, scary) provides a decent compliment to the up tempo electronic beat that guides “Dr Umz.”
The true triumph of this album is the musical talent of Pest’s constituents, relying on live instrumentation that pushes the sound slightly away from trendy iBook noise. “St Pest” slows down the beat just enough for the rest of the album to seem fast by comparison, with vocals that sound like earthworms, well… if they could talk. Floating back and forth between electronica and jazz is not an easy task, and sometimes the beats don’t do what they could to highlight the instruments. Maybe I’m talking out of my ass here but sometimes (even halfway through a song) things don’t seem quite right.
Once again, Ninja Tune has sought out and released quality talent and music (continuing a tradition that includes Kid Koala, the Herbaliser and Mr. Scruff). Tracks like “Murda” mix in offbeat vocal samples like a 9-1-1 phone call, while the refreshing closer “Relief” soothes your mind with broad experimentation. Regardless, there’s something else going on here and I’m not sure I can quite nail it. In the meantime, if you see Mr. Scruff, tell him to break one of my stars in half and return it.
For more info, visit www.ninjatune.com.

– Sven Barth

A.R.E. Weapons
s/t
***1/2

Back home there’s a kid my brother used to run with before he started stealing cash from our mom’s purse. He was perma-hungover from the age of 13. When he wasn’t swallowed by a hoodie he was wearing strangers’ T-shirts. He also had a suspect perma-smirk, as if each tooth unseen represented a scam you knew nathan about.
But there were countless amiable details that softened the bigger, more important picture. For instance, someone would bring a new Clue mixtape to a smoke cipher and he’d already memorized the AZ and Big Noyd freestyles. Street prescience fills a room with urgency and “realness.”
On weekends his mom smoked crill in a park with random men, so he never aspired to hustle with businessmen. Instead, the people he befriended-then-got went off to college and he stuck around getting drunk with skinny high school girls.
A.R.E Weapons extract stellar project-blow anthems from stories about juvenile delinquents similar to that one. Embracing thug loser imagery and refusing to shave, this NYC trio’s debut LP milks a crime-prevention electro concert for fame and trim. But it’s all an in-in-in-joke. These guys are reluctant Paper glitterati managed by Chloe Sevigny’s brother, so, “It’s a good time to be a Weapon, it’s a good time to be alive.”
They call themselves Bad News Bears and “sympathize” with Columbine stress aboard drum machine beats implanted with 8-bit cartridge noise, safety pins, cheap Casios, gangster bandanas, and pawned copies of Smells Like Children. Front man Brain cheers phrases like, “Let’s hear it for America,” and “You gonna be ok kid, you gonna be alright?” that grab your attention like rotating lotto numbers. “Hey World” is a kiss-off epic to parents that is thriftily neurotic, nostalgic, embarrassing and awesome. File the entire disc under a new disorder of too much too soon.
Nonsensical Rant: Why Rolling Stone hasn’t put A.R.E. Weapons on the cover while Entertainment Weekly is labeling this disc their pick of the week/month/whatever is a cooler of mainstream magazine ooze poured over my head until it forms a full-body cast and I break out of it and jump off a tall building.
For more info, visit www.roughtraderecords.com.

– Anthony Golden

Rap is D’umb: D’Original turns “My Sharona” into “My Revolver”

The Miami Hurricane
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When you’re lying around the house one day, and you suddenly get invited to a rapper’s private party to do an interview complete with female strippers and free Hennessey, you don’t say no; there’s generally no need to ask “who?” and “why?”

This was the mindset when Life & Art received an invite from a publicist at Bloodline Records working for rapper D’ Original (yes, we were clueless too). After a quick Google, it turns out that Bloodline is DMX’s record label, but that opened up more questions than it sealed. Images of barking dogs with platinum collars and shot callers hitting girls across dey ass with record release posters (and so forth) turned into stickup nightmares as we were directed up a staircase to the penthouses of the Tudor Hotel on South Beach (what happened to the elevator, yo?).

Expecting a party fit for BET “Uncut,” it ended up that we were the party, with Mr. D’ Original and a few of his cronies (fellow rappers L.S. the Hustler and Madguns Monster, I’m not joking about this name I swear) as our generous (sincerely) blunt-toting hosts. D’s album, complete with an “arsenal” of self-hailed new rap classics like “My Revolver” sung to the tune of “My Sharona” (try to find it, it’s numbing) and “Throw Your Legs Up,” which uses the same damn sample as “Shimmy Shimmy Ya,” filled the air like mustard gas.

After soaking in the complimentary cognac and a miraculous disc swap to Doggystyle, the lights dimmed and the lap dancing began; by this point three more people had shown up. L.S. informed all partiers that the girls were “down,” but after reusing the four or five dollars we were given, four or five times (sorry girls), we took a fifth look at the situation and decided our memories of “Doggy Dogg World” were best left on the school bus.

The next day I returned to do an interview; after all, Mr. D is promoting a just-released LP on his label Money Entertainment impeccably titled From the Cradle to the Grave…uknowmeasahustler. It also turns out that his publicist used to work at The Miami Hurricane, go figure.

Q: The title of your album is From the Cradle to the Grave…Mobb Deep has a song called “Cradle to the Grave,” and there’s a DMX movie called Cradle to the Grave. How is this so D’ Original?
D’O: Well, because realistically, primarily, I stay on top of who’s out and stuff like that and the little trends and stuff. But I’ve learned that people come and go, titles come and, things people did come and go, so I goes with what I wanna do. And what I wanted to do was name this album From the Cradle to the Grave…uknowmeasahuslter because realistically that’s what I am.

Q: Did you bring any AKs down here?
D’O: Yeah, uh, we brought the Sub 2000. We brought two of them. Whenever we take a trip, some of us fly and some of us drive. We always got guns. I don’t care if they gotta drive to California – they gonna drive to California before we get down there and they gonna drive with our guns because shit is real. You will get robbed, you will get jumped, you will get tested for nothin’.

Q: Money Entertainment, what spawned that idea?
D’O: Because that’s what it’s about. It’s about money first, then entertaining you second.

Q: Your crew sports money bandanas (for Money Entertainment). Are you gonna make “Benjie Got Back” ladies lingerie?
D’O: We gonna do everything we can to make money.

Q: On your album you mention meeting Run DMC by running into them with your car. Have you run into other people?
D’O: Yeah, I hit a lot of people in my car. Madguns’ll tell ya, they call me “hit and run haze.” If you a pedestrian and you don’t have the right of way, I’m not slowing down.

I asked Mr. D if I could take some pictures of him with his guns, but they were at another “undisclosed” location (no doubt the same logic as using “I smoke weed a lot” for a hook). There was more to this interview. For instance, he explains why he decided to cover R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” (because it’s a “real song”). He’s also a double black belt “nice with his aim.” If you want to hear more details, give me a call and I’ll read them straight off his press release.

Sven Barth can be reached at 305.MOB.RENT.

calendar

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Tonight

Grunge rockers Pearl Jam hit the stage at Coral Sky Amphitheatre, 601-7 Sansbury’s Way, West Palm Beach. Sleater-Kinney open at 7:30 p.m. $42 reserved seating, $38 on festival lawn. 561-793-0445.

The UM Latin American Film Series starts tonight at 7 p.m. in the Bill Cosford Cinema on campus with a screening of Apasionados, a new romantic comedy from Argentinean director Juan Jose Jusid. Free. Jack Valenti will be there. 305-284-4861.

Empirical Mile, Shalala’s favorite UM band, rocks the stage at Titanic, 5813 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, starting 10 p.m. Emily Easterly opens. No cover. 305-667-ALES.

Saturday, April 12
Check out Homefront Invasion at OBJEX Artspace, 500 NW 24th St., Miami. An opening by Mark Mothersbaugh, former member of popular ’80s rock group Devo, starts at 7 p.m. 305-576-6551.

Alternative tunes and hip hop feels so nice at the Compound, 84 NW 42nd St., Miami, with The Linx, Brimstone, Aboriginal and Douglas Road. Starts at 2 p.m. $5. 305-761-2275.

Free concert in Bayfront Park, 301 Biscayne Blvd. Souljahs, Tunnel Rats, Freddie Colloca, Sons of God, Contagious and more celebrate hope with inspiring songs beginning at 6:30 p.m. 305-358-7550.

Sunday, April 13
We’ll be losing count of our beer mugs at Churchill’s, 5501 NE 2nd Ave., Miami, with The Slackers, Underpaid, The Floaters and The Monjees taking over the spot. 305-757-1807.

Wednesday, April 16th
Wesley Willis along with Angry Atom perform for Poplife at Soho Lounge, 175 NE 36th St., Miami. Doors open at 8 p.m. $8. 305-576-1988.

Art celebrates love, not war

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L&A sheds a tear at Cernuda Arte

To Pat Benatar, it’s a battlefield. Huey Lewis sang about its power. It comforted Shakespeare like “sunshine after rain.” And to Cuban artist Demi Rodriguez, love is everything – a philosophy that she happily illustrates at this month’s exhibit at Cernuda Arte in Coral Gables.
Rodriguez, who goes simply by Demi, captures the tenderness between she and her husband, Arturo Rodriguez, in her exhibit Everything for Love. It’s from him that Demi learned how to paint, and her works are a happy illustration of the joy of their marriage.
Brimming with idyllic representations of nature and celestial imagery, Demi’s work is a spectacular feast for the eyes. She paints with intense colors, a combination of deep ceruleans, sumptuous reds, and lush green forests. Glittery paint even makes a coy appearance in a handful of pieces, including “Alone with the Butterflies” and “The Wedding.” The effect adds a stunning gloss to the emotions of her work.
Love is a festival for Demi, evident in her whimsically ornate details and dainty speckles of color. “Here We Come!” a giddy ode to marriage, shows a couple on a bike being trailed by a stream of flowers. “The Kiss” is a fanciful explosion of color, centering on a kissing couple surrounded by glittery cupids who play with a plump garland of violet blossoms.
This joyous, affectionate exhibit is a breath of fresh air amidst our current troubled times, and the art that imitates the pain. In the endearing “Two Artists in Love,” Arturo lovingly strokes his wife’s hair as the pair lies on a bed of blue blossoms. Two girls dressed in diaphanous white gowns welcome a glowing orb amidst a light-filled forest in “Painters Embracing the Moon.”
“An Artist between Bacchus and Venus” could have been lifted out of Klimt’s sketchbook, with its enchanting gold outlining and smatterings of color. The painting depicts Arturo and the playful god of wine, and Demi as a rather reserved Venus.
The self-explanatory “Artist with Fireflies in His Hair” portrays Arturo in his childhood days, luring the insects in with sugar. Sensually tinged, “A Painter and a Model” features Arturo as the artist, painting his nude wife as she holds a peacock.
Says Demi, who now resides in Miami, “I have found that there is more to life than pain…that love is all-powerful and can do wonders.” This gorgeous celebration of marriage, companionship, and true love is a stunning showcase that will certainly put a song in your heart – something much needed these days.
Everything for Love runs through May at Cernuda Arte, 3155 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables. For more information, call 305-461-1050.

Jessica Misener can be reached at jessm02@yahoo.com.

Injuries are not the only concern with the offense

The Miami Hurricane
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Over the first 17 days of spring practice, a quarterback controversy has dominated the South Florida media coverage of the events at Greentree Field and surrounding areas.
After Saturday’s spring game at the Orange Bowl, though, my concerns range further than who will be under center when the ‘Canes open their 2003 season in Shreveport, Louisiana. My concerns are whether or not the Hurricanes have an offense that can take them back to the national championship.
Granted, it is not a smart thing to scrutinize the team based on a spring scrimmage game. After all, no one starts calling for the end of the Yankees dynasty when the team goes 0-2 to start spring training.
In addition, Miami’s offense was without the services of starting tailback Frank Gore, fullback Kyle Cobia, or No. 2 receiver Kevin Beard.
But as with spring training, while the teams overall results are thrown out, an individual’s performance often carries over to the regular season. Therefore, when the Hurricanes have struggled in several areas offensively throughout the spring, then it is not uncalled for to show some concern.
The weakest link of the Miami offense struggled again in the spring game – the offensive line. Head coach Larry Coker and offensive line coach Art Kehoe have already shuffled the deck quite often, making changes in four of the five positions. Cokes and Kehoe attribute the moves towards finding the right combinations, but after Saturday, I have to think that the line is not performing where they should.
The pass protection was non-existent towards much of the game for the ‘Canes quarterbacks, who in addition to being sacked five times, were forced to hurry more throws than they would have liked.
A bigger problem came in run blocking, where tailbacks Jarrett Payton and Quad Hill struggled to find any kind of daylight. The backs as a whole amassed a woeful 0.9 yards per carry against the revamped Miami defensive line.
Struggling in particular were the two backs carrying the load in the absence of Gore. Payton, who has stuck it out in Coral Gables despite limited playing time, picked up just 15 yards on 15 carries and could not find a way to run through the first hit. Hill, who may be converted to a full time tailback, failed to show the quickness in shifting directions that a running back must have, ending up with four yards on eight carries.
It’s hard to think that Miami’s running game will be any sort of question mark when Frank Gore is healthy, but that is a big question mark. If Gore isn’t healthy, freshman Tyrone Moss, who arrives at Coral Gables in the fall, could get the majority of touches.
The Hurricanes did get better production out of quarterbacks Derrick Crudup and Brock Berlin, who will likely be fighting it out until the fall before a starter is named. After a very shaky start, Berlin adjusted himself to the Miami offense and threw two beautiful TD passes, although one was called back due to an offensive penalty. Crudup put up impressive numbers, going 7-8 for an even 100 yards and a TD, while improving his decision making in the process, although there was still too much of a tendency for him to want to take off and run with the ball (My vote still goes with Spurrier’s former signal caller to start.)
Better play from the quarterbacks also equaled production from the receivers, although Jason Geathers needs to be more of a threat as a potential No. 1 receiver. The good news for Miami’s quarterbacks is they still have Kellen Winslow and Roscoe Parrish to throw to, and both looked like they haven’t lost a beat since the Fiesta Bowl.
And obviously, enough credit isn’t given to the 11 players who were matched up against the Miami offense. For the second consecutive spring game, the Hurricanes defense made a strong statement for being the best unit in the country, even with four new starting defensive linemen, and a secondary that struggled towards the end of last season.
The Miami defense will be one of championship caliber in 2003. The question on everybody’s minds remains whether the offense will match the defense’s performance. And as spring practice winds down, it is clear that the offense has a lot of work to do.

Crudup escaping from backround in a big way this spring

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Before everyone pencils in Brock Berlin as the Hurricanes’ starting quarterback this season, they might want to consult Derrick Crudup, who sees himself as the odds-on-favorite to take the snaps this year.
Crudup continued to stay neck-and-neck with Berlin in Saturday’s Cane Fest Spring Game, going 7 for 8 with 100 yards and a touchdown pass. The junior looked impressive in the first drive of the game, completing all four of his passes, including a touchdown.
While Berlin seems like the logical choice to most fans, Crudup feels that he has shown coach Larry Coker qualities in his game that can’t be ignored.
“I think I made a real strong case for myself today,” Crudup said after the Spring Game. “I know that it’s up to the coaches to make the decision, but I feel really good about my chances.”
Growing up in Deerfield Beach, Florida, Crudup starred at Deerfield Beach High School and was considered a top prospect amongst local quarterbacks, rated fifth out of all the athletes in the region by the Southeast Prep Star. As a senior Crudup threw for 1,800 yards and 26 touchdowns, catching the eyes of UM scouts.
While at UM, Crudup has always been the odd-man-out. As legendary ‘Canes quarterback Ken Dorsey’s backup, Crudup usually only played in big blowouts, with career numbers of 25 for 48, 326 yards and three touchdowns.
In the biggest game of the season last year, however, Crudup was thrown into the fire in the second overtime after Dorsey got injured. Facing a third down with 11 yards to go, Crudup calmly completed an eight-yard pass to Quadtrine Hill, setting up a Dorsey completion to Kellen Winslow to keep the ‘Canes season alive for a few more plays.
It has been little things like replacing Dorsey for a play in the Fiesta Bowl that have highlighted Crudup’s first two years as a Hurricane. Now Crudup is tired of waiting for a chance to shine, realizing that he is going to have to do it for himself.
“I need to make a statement during the spring, knowing that I am not the favorite to most people,” Crudup said. “So far I feel that I have given myself a great chance to be the starter.”
One thing that Crudup has over Berlin is that he has played in the Orange Bowl for two years, gaining valuable experience and learning from Dorsey. He indicated after the spring game that he feels very comfortable in the large stadium.
“I felt at ease playing in the Orange Bowl today,” Crudup said. “I know I can play well at this stadium.”
As far as Crudup’s relationship with Berlin goes, the two get along just as well as they do with the other teammates. There is a mutual respect between the two competitors.
“Any time you compete with a teammate for a job it makes you respect the other person a lot more,” Berlin said. “We’re both teammates and we’re in it to win no matter who’s the starter.”
Crudup has taken the role of the forgotten man this spring, desperate to show his critics that he has not gotten the respect he deserved when everyone immediately penciled in Berlin as the starter at the end of last season.
“I feel like I have accomplished a lot this spring and so has Brock,” Crudup said. “All I can do now is keep getting better and making the decision even harder for the coaches.”

-Eric Kalis can be reached at elk777bc@hotmail.com

Sports Briefs

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Women’s golf
Sophomore Tina Miller fired a tournament low round of 69 to lead the University of Miami women’s golf team to a third-place finish at the Ryder Florida Women’s Collegiate Golf Championship at Don Shula’s Golf Club and Resort in Miami Lakes, FL.
Miller (76-77-69-222) finished second individually, two-strokes behind tournament champion Kristin Tamulis who posted a three-round total of 220 (74-71-75). Tamulis, who was runner-up at last season’s Ryder Championship, finished one-under over the final three holes to hold off Miller’s final round charge.
Florida State won the team championship for the second consecutive season posting a total of 900 (298-291-311). South Florida recorded the day’s team low (303) and finished second with a total of 924 (317-304-303). Host Miami was third with a score of 940 (319-306-315).
Miami returns to action May 8-10 at the Big East Women’s Golf Championships in South Bend, IN.

Men’s Tennis
The No. 25-ranked University of Miami men’s tennis team fell 6-1 to South Florida Saturday in Tampa, ending a six-match win streak and possibly knocking them out of the Top 25.
The only Hurricane to take a point was Eric Hechtman, who defeated Andres Maroldt 6-2, 6-2 in straight sets.
UM also lost the doubles point as Hechtman and partner Todd Widom, who has completely recovered from an illness that plagued him earlier in the season, took the Hurricanes’ sole victory there, defeating Nadim Naser and Federico Barton 8-2.
With the loss, the Hurricanes fell to 12-6 and will take on Duke in Coral Gables next Sunday before competing in the Big East Championships.

Women’s tennis
The No. 19-ranked Miami women’s tennis team beat Old Dominion 7-0 in its fifth shutout of the season Saturday afternoon in Norfolk, Virginia.
The Hurricanes improve to 14-4 overall and will likely move up in the national rankings while the Lady Monarchs fall to 6-10 on the season.
Freshman Melissa Applebaum ranked No. 73 in the nation knocked off the No. 18 ranked player Nataly Cahana in singles action. Megan Bradley and Mari Toro easily handled their opponents as well. The doubles teams were all victorious.
Next weekend the Hurricanes will take on Notre Dame in Coral Gables to tune up for the Big East Championships, which start on April 25 in Coral Gables.

Track team continues to qualify several for NCAA’ s

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The University of Miami women’s track and field team broke two school records and qualified six individuals and two relays for the NCAA Regional Championships this weekend at the Texas Relays in Austin, TX and Bulls Invitational in Tampa, FL.
The women’s 4×200-meter relay of senior All-American Sashanie Simpson, junior All-American Kitoya Carter, sophomore Wiande Moore and senior All-American Jamillah Wade broke one of the longest standing records in school-history. The foursome finished fourth with a time of 1:34.22 bettering the old UM record of 1:34.70 set back in 1994.
Wade, Carter and Simpson were also members of the 4×400-meter relay, along with senior All-American Saraque Whittaker, that finished third with a NCAA Regional qualifying mark of 3:31.21.
In the 100-meters, sophomore All-American Lauryn Williams finished fourth with a wind-aided time of 11.23 seconds. The time is the fastest ever by a Hurricane and qualified her for the NCAA Regional Championships, May 30-31, in Fairfax, VA.
Williams also anchored the 4×100-meter relay that took fourth with a NCAA Regional qualifying time of 44.20 seconds. Joining Williams on the relay were freshmen All-Americans Dominique Darden and Charlette Greggs, and senior All-American Sharianne Lawson.
Lawson finished seventh in the University 100-meter hurdles with an NCAA Regional mark of 13.94 seconds while Darden posted a NCAA regional qualifying time of 13.74 in finishing seventh in 100-meter hurdles invitational.
In the long jump, senior All-American Gina Harris finished eighth with a season-best leap of 6.12 meters (20-01.00). Her mark qualifies her for the NCAA Regional Championships.
Miami also had competitors at the Bulls Invitational in Tampa, FL where senior Adrienne Moss won the shot put with a school-record and NCAA Regional qualifying toss of 15.83 meters (51-11.25). Teammate, and former school-record holder, Jennifer Penrose finished third with an NCAA Regional mark of 15.34 meters (50-04.00).
On the men’s side juniors Aaron Bass and Jon Mark finished second and third in the pole vault, and three Hurricanes recorded Big East qualifying marks at the Bull Invitational in Tampa, FL.
Bass recorded a Big East qualifying mark of 4.75 meters (15-07.00) while Mark also qualified for the Big East Championships, May 4-6 in Storrs, CT with a mark of 4.60 meters (15-01.00).
Also qualifying for the Big East Championship was senior Kenny Frank who finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.00 seconds.
Senior Dan Boniface also ran well finishing second in the 5,000-meters with a time of 15:24.
The Hurricanes host the Miami Gatorade Track and Field Classic on Saturday at Cobb Stadium in Coral Gables, FL. Field events are scheduled to begin at noon with running events starting at 5:15 p.m.

-compiled by the sports information department

Defense steals spotlight at Orange Bowl Spring Game

The Miami Hurricane
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Despite the fact that Saturday’s scrimmage failed to answer any of the pertinent questions facing the Hurricanes this spring, the team made sure they entertained its fans.
On a day when tempers ran as high as the scorching temperatures on the Orange Bowl field, the ‘Canes treated the crowd with a high profile quarterback battle, a hungry, opportunistic defense, and a scuffle between teammates.
The game didn’t help coaches decide whether Brock Berlin or Derrick Crudup will start at quarterback, but each player had their bright spots.
“I could call it today, but I’m not going to do that,” coach Larry Coker said. “I don’t think it’s fair to do that.”
Crudup lit up the defense on his first series, completing his first four passes during a nine-play drive featuring a perfectly placed 39-yard pass to Kellen Winslow II and a four-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kevin Everett. Crudup threw for 100 yards on 7-8 passing in the game.
“I was real patient today,” Crudup said. “I trusted my offensive line, and I trusted my arm, and I trusted my first instinct.
“I think I made a good case for my campaign and it’s up to the coaches now.”
After a dismal start, Berlin redeemed himself with a touchdown drive on his last possession. The score came on a clutch, fourth down 36-yard pass to freshman Darnell Jenkins. Berlin completed 8-of-16 passes for 129-yards. Neither quarterback threw an interception.
“It was one of those days where you come out and start off a little slow,” Berlin said. “But all that matters is how you finish, and I think I finished well today.”
The two freshman quarterbacks, Marc Guillon and Kyle Wright finished 3-of-7 and 1-of-5 with 25 and two yards respectively. They worked exclusively with the second and third teams.
The defense recovered four fumbles on its way to a 49-41 victory over the offense. The defense received one point for holding the offense to a three-and-out possession, six points for a turnover, and 10 points for a defensive touchdown. In addition to normal offensive scoring, the offense earned one point for a first down.
One of the highlights of the day came on a punt, as Winslow tore through blockers to easily block the punt. Jevon Nanton picked up the loose ball and waltzed into the end zone for a touchdown.
Defensive end Baraka Atkins also made an all-star play as he ripped the ball right out of running back Quadtrine Hill’s hands and scored another easy touchdown.
“The most disappointing thing is that we didn’t protect the football,” Coker said. “Our running backs are not going to play at this university if they don’t protect the football.”
Late in the game Winslow caught a tipped pass from Berlin and got tackled by safety Marcus Maxey. Maxey tried to strip the ball from Winslow while they lay on the ground and the two teammates started to scuffle.
As Maxey and Winslow exchanged blows, Sean Taylor tackled both players in an attempt to break up the fight. The referees ejected all three players after the altercation.
“They’re aggressive and they’re competitors. It might be better to just fight for 15 minutes before we scrimmage,” Coker joked.
Running back Frank Gore did not play because he has a bruised shoulder.
The ‘Canes have their last three spring practices this week. After Friday, they will not practice until the fall.

Nate Johnson can be reached at NPJ44@aol.com

Mixed results as Miami heads to Charlottesville

The Miami Hurricane
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When the Miami baseball team looked at the national rankings last weekend after sweeping Georgia Tech, the Hurricanes found themselves in the top 10 in all of the polls for the first time this season. With a pesky Oral Roberts team coming in this weekend, it seemed as though Miami would continue its march to the top of college baseball.
However, the ‘Canes mediocre play this weekend will certainly make voters think twice about whether or not to keep the squad in the top ten.
All was not lost for the ‘Canes, as they still won the series two games to one. Miami finally put the series away after another seesaw affair on Sunday by collecting an 11-8 victory and improving its record to 25-6 on the season. Hurricane reliever Israel Chirino picked up the win for the ‘Canes.
“Neither team played very well this weekend, and we are extremely lucky to come out and win two games,” head coach Jim Morris said.
After a horrendous outing for the squad on Saturday, Morris shook up the lineup in hopes of generating offense while at the same time helping to cut down on the numerous errors that have been plaguing the infield all season long.
The new look infield for the ‘Canes included normal second baseman Adam Ricks starting at third, and Ryan Braun made his first start at shortstop. Joey Hooft came off the bench to start at second.
“We took a step back after Georgia Tech and now we have to re-evaluate our level of play,” Morris said. “We are not where we need to be at this point in the season and whoever plays well will stay in the line-up.”
In the game, Braun extended his hitting streak to 13 games as well as driving in a key run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Center fielder Danny Figueroa chipped in on offense with the first home run of his career to left center field in the fourth inning as well as adding a run-scoring single in the bottom of the seventh.
“I wasn’t looking for anything special,” Figueroa said. “He threw me a fastball and I just turned on it.”
In the Saturday loss, the ‘Canes put out what could have been their worst performance of the season. Oral Roberts pounded Miami pitching and shut down Hurricane bats to claim the 10-1 win. ORU starter Dennis Bigley almost single handedly beat the ‘Canes by pitching a complete game and going 2-4 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI.
Vince Bongiovanni took the loss for Miami and third baseman Gaby Sanchez drove in the only run of the game for the Hurricanes.
Miami won the opener 8-5 on the pitching of J.D. Cockroft who went a career high 7.2 innings, giving up two runs and striking out a career high eight batters in the contest. Catcher Erick San Pedro hit his third home run of the season and extended his hitting streak to 12 games only to have it snapped on Saturday night.
Up next the ‘Canes will travel north to the University of Virginia for a three game series with the Cavaliers.
They will return home in two weeks for the front half of a home and home series with bitter rival Florida State.
“April always seems to be the toughest month on the schedule,” Morris said. “We have a home and home series with the ACC’s best in FSU coming up and Virginia hasn’t played badly this year either. Virginia is going to be a tough place to play and our team has to step up the level of intensity in the next few weeks.”

Ryan Ellis can be reached at msgnyc@yahoo.com

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