Before we review Josh Nesbitt’s performance during the recently completed 2009 Georgia Tech regular season,  let’s take a look back at how Josh Nesbitt arrived on campus and how he performed during his Freshman season for the Yellow Jackets.

Coming out of high school, Josh Nesbitt was a two-time All-State selection out of Greene County (GA).  A four star quarterback, he was rated as the No. 4 overall prospect in the state of Georgia by Scout.com and the No. 9 dual-threat QB in the country by Rivals.com.  Josh obviously had plenty of running ability, but threw for over 4,000 yards in high school.

He had offers from many top schools in the South including Auburn, Florida State, and Georgia, but decided to stay close to home and committed to Georgia Tech in September of 2006.  Nesbitt would help comprise one of the mostly highly decorated recruiting classes in Georgia Tech football history, alongside running backs Jon Dwyer and Roddy Jones.

Take a look at Nesbitt in high school:

Originally recruited as a Pro-Style quarterback by former Coach Chan Gailey, the enormously talented Nesbitt would serve as a backup to Taylor Bennett during his freshmen season (2007).   Josh would see action in 11 out of 13 games that year, including the season opening blowout win at Notre Dame.  Nesbitt would end the year as the third leading rusher for the Jackets.

Early on, you could see what a special talent Nesbitt was.  Reference these back to back plays in a win over North Carolina on November 17, 2007:

Following a tough 31-17 end of season loss to arch-rival Georgia, Gailey was let go by Georgia Tech after six seasons.  Coach Paul Johnson (45-29 at Navy) was hired to replace Gailey that December and brought his unique Spread Option attack to Atlanta from Annapolis.

The incumbent starter Taylor Bennett transferred to Louisiana Tech for his final season of eligibility, opening the door for Josh Nesbitt in spring practice.

But Nesbitt had much to learn from the “Jedi Master” Paul Johnson.  As did the rest of the Yellow Jackets.

We will look at Josh’s sophomore (2008) season in our next blog.  Please spread the word about JoshForHeisman.com.

The Destroy & Rebuild crew sing the the classics, Me and Shirt ran a round last minute on friday getting these final ones done. We  got to soho and 2 and Mr. Romerro had already got the soho block locked down and enlisted in helping us shoot this joint. Theye came up with the concept of jumping from behind the paintings, funny ass cats. Mad creative and artistic, its always dope to work with people who bring things to the table. im blessed to be messing around with such a talented group of people who make up our HOT MOP EXTENDED FAMILY. Huge shout out to T.Shirt for working hard on these joints with us.

Mad LOVE from our family to yours!

***Check out Destroy & Rebuild every weekend in soho on prince and green right next to the Kid Robot store. Also they are @ the CHERYL HAZAN GALLERY on 35 N. Moore street , tribeca nyc***

Depends on who you ask, I guess. Definitely not by the mainstream media, but I think there is a compelling argument to make that Duke guard Jon Scheyer is the most underrated player in America.

I never used to be on the Scheyer train. After all, last year he didn’t really shoot it that well, and his assist and TO numbers were nearly identical. I still think that Scheyer is largely overrated as a shooter. He’s shooting just 34% from three this year, but everyone says that he is a great shooter. Probably because he’s white.

I’ve only seen Duke play a couple times this year, but Scheyer has played much better defensively than I remember him playing the past couple years. I don’t know if he’s guarding different types of players and he can stay in front of them easier, or he’s more easily able to utilize his 6′5″ frame this year, but Scheyer has taken a step up. There is a lot of criticism of Duke’s defense that they only play the passing lanes, looking for steals and breakaway layups, but Scheyer is really the whole package.

What really blows me away about Scheyer this year, though, are his assist and turnover numbers. Scheyer has a little over a 24% assist rate on the season. That’s certainly above average, but not elite elite. However, Scheyer handles the ball for Duke almost exclusively when he’s in there, and here are his TO numbers. Brace yourself: 5.2% 5.2%! That is fucking amazing. In fact, it is the 10th best mark in the entire country. Ironically, one of his teammates Andre Dawkins is ahead of him, but Dawkins plays just 50% of Duke’s minutes. Scheyer is at almost 90%.

On a purely taking care of the ball basis, there is no guard I’d rather have out there than Jon Scheyer. Sure he’s not terribly athletic, and he’s overrated as a shooter, but I am of the firm and probably old school belief that point guards should take care of the ball first and foremost, and not worry about scoring.

Duke has flamed out in the past couple NCAA tournaments, but NCAA Titles are won with guards, and for the most part they are won with experienced guards. Ty Lawson won one for UNC last year. Russ Robinson and Mario Chalmers overcame the more talented Derrick Rose the year before (Rock Chalk!). Taurean Green and Lee Humphrey went back to back for Florida. If Duke is going to get to the Final Four, Scheyer is going to take them there. And I think he will. Just don’t shoot it too much, Jon.

Sedikit berbagi info kurang baik (lagi). Merpati dengan nomor penerbangan MNA766 dari Jakarta block runway setelah mendarat di runway 13 karena pecah ban setelah melakukan pendaratan di Makassar. Kejadiannya adalah dini hari tadi, tepatnya setelah MNA766 melakukan pendaratan pukul 1753Z (0153WITA). Saya sebagai APP/ACC Lower Controller (127.5MHz) sudah memberikan informasi bahwa (mendadak) wind velocity meningkat pada 330°/13knots, visibility 2km, dan hujan meningkat ke moderate rain. Pilot menerima kondisi tersebut dan melanjutkan approach menggunakan ILS runway 13.

Setelah transfer ke Hasanuddin Tower (118.1MHz), rekan saya di tower juga tidak memberikan clearance to land, melainkan land at own discretion. Rekan saya mengatakan pada saat melakukan pendaratan, kecepatan pesawat lebih tinggi dari biasanya, namun akhirnya bisa berhenti kurang lebih 200m sebelum runway end. ATC di Tower menginstruksikan untuk taxi ke apron namun pilot melaporkan tidak bisa taxi dan menyatakan need assistance yang selanjutnya mengharuskan penumpang di-disembark di runway dan menuju terminal menggunakan bus. Batavia Air yang sedang terbang menuju Makassar, 130NM dari MKS VOR/DME terpaksa harus divert ke Bali.

Hanya Ilustrasi (Bukan Gambar Sebenarnya)

Notam runway blocked pun diterbitkan dan berlaku hingga 2230Z (0630WITA). Tetapi, menurut informasi dari rekan saya, runway baru bisa digunakan pukul 2305Z (0705WITA). Dampaknya beberapa penerbangan ke Indonesia wilayah timur dari maskapai Lion Air (LNI798), Batavia Air, dan termasuk Merpati Nusantara Airline sendiri terhambat. Runway juga tergores sedalam 2cm dan lebar 2cm, dan belum diketahui panjangnya berapa meter. Selanjutnya dilakukan pemeriksaan oleh Teknik Landasan PT. Angkasa Pura I (Persero) Bandara Hasanuddin Makassar.

Tidak ada korban jiwa dari kejadian ini namun kerugian material dan kekacauan jadwal penerbangan sebagai dampak belum dapat diperhitungkan. Hingga saat ini saya juga belum mengetahui kenapa ban tersebut bisa pecah saat mendarat. Namun yang jelas hal seperti ini semoga tidak terjadi lagi.

Topik lain yang mungkin ingin Anda baca: Pesawat Udara Tenaga Matahari.

After more than a month-long hiatus, College FootBlog is back and ready for this year’s bowl season.  On December 29th, the ACC’s Miami Hurricanes (9-3) will take on the Big Ten’s Wisconsin Badgers (9-3) in the Champs Sports Bowl.  In this match up, the ‘Canes will look to show the college football world that they were overlooked for a New Year’s Day bowl, while the Badgers will try to redeem themselves after getting blown out by Florida State in their bowl game last season.

College FootBlog will break down this match up, analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each team, and will conclude with a score prediction.

Quarterback Jacory Harris will try to use his weapons at WR against the Badgers (google images)

Miami

Strengths:  With sophomore Jacory Harris as the trigger man, the Hurricane’s passing attack has put up some big numbers in 2009.  After splitting time with Robert Marve last season, Harris has really developed since taking over as the full-time QB.

His corps of receivers has helped as well.  Junior wideout Leonard Hankerson leads the group with 773 yards and six touchdowns on the season, and if Laron Byrd can come up with 69 yards and Travis Benjamin can come up with ten yards, the ‘Canes would finish the season with three WR’s with at least 500 yards on the year.

Key Concern:  Despite having a ton of speed and athleticism, Miami has been very inconsistent on defense.  The ‘Canes rank 25th in yards per game on defense, they have given up some points.  In fact, the ‘Canes have given up over thirty points four times this season.

The bright side for Miami in this match up is their ability to stop the run, led by linebacker Colin McCarthy.

Wisconsin

Strengths:  As sophomore running back John Clay goes, so does the Badgers’ offense.  The bruising 248-pound back enters this bowl game just four yards shy of 1,400 and has rushed for 16 TD’s on the year.  Clay has enjoyed another great year, following the traditional stellar offensive line that consistently produces NFL talent.  

At 248 pounds, John Clay is a load coming out of the Wisconsin backfield (google images)

Key Concerns:  At nearly 220 yards passing allowed per game, the Badgers have not exactly been stingy this year, especially considering the Big Ten is not known for throwing the football around.

Wisconsin ranks 66th nationally against the pass, and despite shutting down pass-happy Hawaii and limiting them to ten points and 214 total yards, the Badger defensive backs will face much more speed than they have seen so far this season.

The Badgers will need a big day from their secondary if they want to stay in this game.

Wisconsin Offense vs. Miami Defense

Although Miami has seen a couple of dominant running teams this season in Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, they have not faced an offensive line like this.  Look for the ‘Canes to stack the box and force quarterback Scott Tolzien to beat them. 

Still, Clay will easily eclipse the 1,400 yard mark on the season, and he should make a real run at 1,500.  Slight EDGE:  Wisconsin

Miami Offense vs. Wisconsin Defense

As previously mentioned, the Wisconsin secondary should have their hands full with the speed and the talent that the ‘Canes possess at wide receiver.  The silver lining for the Badgers could be that Miami’s senior offensive tackle Jason Fox is out for this game. 

The Badgers will have to get pressure on Jacory Harris, or it will be a very long day.  Mix in Graig Cooper’s receiving ability out of the backfield, and Miami could score and score quickly.  EDGE:  Miami

Special Teams

The big difference here could be the return men.  Wisconsin’s David Gilreath is a dangerous returner on kick offs and punts.  Miami counters will very dangerous tandem of Travis Benjamin and Graig Cooper.   Both kickers, Miami’s Matt Bosher and Wiconsin’s Phillip Welch have been solid this season as well.  Slight EDGE:  Miami

Prediction

The Big Ten had another let down of a season in ‘09, but the ACC didn’t exactly light things up this year, either.  Wisconsin was supposed to have the big advantage last year against Florida State with their ability to run the football.  Things did not go so well for the Badgers, as the Seminoles rolled to a 42-13 win.

Like last year’s match up, the Badgers will likely have a difficult time keeping up with Miami’s speed on offense.  Wisconsin has shown that they can be vulnerable to the pass, and they could be facing the best passing offense they have gone against in a couple years.  Look for Miami to roll.  Score Prediction:  Miami 34, Wisconsin 17

Bowl season gets underway Saturday with the first of 34 bowl games.  Damn, that’s 68 bowl bids.  I guess when a team loads up on FCS and Sun Belt teams in the nonconference, being bowl eligible doesn’t mean much.  But here we are anyway, and I’ll attempt to pick all 34, though I will likely only watch about half of them.

New Mexico Bowl – Fresno State vs Wyoming
Fresno finished strong with a dramatic overtime win over Illinois in Champaign.  A loaded schedule included losses to Wisconsin, Cincinnati and Boise State, but that should have them ready.  Props for Dave Christensen for getting Wyoming back to a bowl in his first season.
Pick:  Fresno State

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl – Central Florida vs Rutgers
When Rutgers lost by 32 at home to Cincinnati in week one, things weren’t looking good.  But the Scarlet Knights pulled it together and finished 8-4 in a surprisingly competitive Big East.  However, Central Florida basically has a home game here, and containing Tim Brown’s big play ability will be key.  Rutgers’ D ranks 99th.
Pick:  Central Florida

New Orleans Bowl – Southern Mississippi vs Middle Tennessee State
Sub Belt runner-up Middle Tennessee’s lone conference loss was to Troy, and 9-3 should be considered a success.  Al logic says pick the Blue Raiders, but I’m going against my logic on this.  Southern Mississippi had some heartbreaking losses against good teams, which will ultimately have them prepared for this game.
Pick:  Southern Mississippi

Las Vegas Bowl – Oregon State vs BYU
The Beavers were just a few plays away from playing Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.  Instead, they settle for Vegas and a great matchup with BYU.  The Beavers played five teams in the top 25, while the Cougars played just two.  Max Hall should have fun with the Beaver defense, but Oregon State will win a high-scoring game.
Pick:  Oregon State

Poinsettia Bowl – Utah vs California
Jahvid Best should be ready for this game, but how well he will do coming back from the concussion is unknown.  The Golden Bears, ranked as high as #6 earlier this year, fell after back to back blowout losses mid-season.  Utah’s defense is #20 in the country, while Cal ranks at #70.
Pick:  Utah

Sheraton Bowl – Nevada vs SMU
SMU will snap its 25 year bowl drought when it takes the field in Honolulu on Christmas Eve to play Nevada.  The Wolfpack got hot at the end of the season, winning eight of their final nine after an 0-3 start.  SMU will be happy to be here.  Nevada isn’t leaving without a win.
Pick:  Nevada

Little Caesars Bowl – Marshall vs Ohio
One of only two bowls north of the Mason Dixon line takes place in Detroit between two virtually equal teams.  Marshall is 6-6 but has played a tougher schedule.  Ohio is 9-4 after a MAC Championship loss to Central Michigan.  Ohio did play Tennessee and UConn tough.
Pick:  Ohio

Meineke Car Care Bowl – Pittsburgh vs North Carolina
Like Oregon State, Pittsburgh has to be crushed knowing that an Orange Bowl date with Georgia Tech was probably one or two plays away.  After a heartbreaking loss to Cincinnati, the Panthers settle for a “neutral” site game in Charlotte with the Heels.  Carolina’s defense will keep it close, but the ‘Heels just can’t score.
Pick:  Pittsburgh

Emerald Bowl – Boston College vs USC
I’m really entertained to see what the line on this game will turn out to be.  Right now it’s USC -9, and I’ll take the Trojans to cover.  Boston College has a terrible offense, and USC’s defense can be good despite some poor games.  This is a weird bowl to see USC playing in, and you know they are peeved about it.  Watch out BC.
Pick:  USC

Music City Bowl – Kentucky vs Clemson
Clemson, suffering from the Pitt/Oregon State virus, will have to watch their team take on a -not-as-good-as-their-record Kentucky team.  I’ve thought the ‘Cats were overrated all year, and Clemson has a chance to prove me right.  Kentucky’s rush D is ranked #100.  C.J. Spiller will have a field day.
Pick:  Clemson

Independence Bowl – Texas A&M vs Georgia
The interesting matchup here is Georgia’s fairly good defense against Texas A&M’s explosive offense.  The Aggies lit up Texas’ third ranked D and can do it again when they play the Bulldogs.  But the Aggie defense is awful, and Georgia should have its chances to score as well.
Pick:  Georgia

EagleBank Bowl – UCLA vs Temple
Games like this are the toughest to pick.  UCLA is 6-6, but with the #11 schedule in the nation.  Temple is 9-3, but had the sixth easiest schedule.  UCLA’s offense is ranked #88.  Temple’s is #89.  UCLA’s defense is #39, Temple’s is #37.  I’ll take the Bruins because of the schedule.
Pick:  UCLA

Champs Sports Bowl – Miami vs Wisconsin
Another game with no distinct advantage is a good one which features two 9-3 teams.  Wisconsin’s loss to Northwestern cost them their shot at a New Year’s Day bowl game despite a better overall record than the Wildcats.  Jacory Harris will make enough plays to push the ‘Canes to victory in their home state.
Pick:  Miami

Humanitarian Bowl – Bowling Green vs Idaho
Idaho fans were on a roller coaster early this season with the team’s 6-1 start.  But that vanished after the Vandals lost four of their final five, and they limp into Boise, where they lost on the same field by 38.  This time, Tyler Sheehan and Bowling Green are the opponents.  Limiting Sheehan’s big plays will be key for Idaho.
Pick:  Idaho

Holiday Bowl – Arizona vs Nebraska
Geographically, Arizona has the edge, but Husker fans will travel to watch their near Big 12 champions play.  Both defenses are really good, which is why I think 17 points may be enough.  The difference is that Arizona can score, and has, against good teams.  The Huskers haven’t shown consistent offense all season.
Pick:  Arizona

Armed Forces Bowl – Houston vs Air Force
The Armed Forces have their team, the Falcons, in this game.  Awaiting the Falcons is the #1 offense in the nation – the Houston Cougars.  Case Keenum and James Cleveland will be faced with its toughest task of the season with the Falcons’ #10 defense.  It’s Keenum’s chance to prove he deserved an invite to New York.
Pick:  Houston

Sun Bowl – Oklahoma vs Stanford
How about this high-profile matchup?  Last year, the final score of the Sun Bowl was 3-0.  This year Heisman runner-up Toby Gerhart and the Cardinal will need more than that to beat the Sooners.  Gerhart will look to add to his nation-best 26 touchdowns against the seventh ranked Sooner rush defense.
Pick:  Stanford

Texas Bowl – Navy vs Missouri
Missouri became the first team in college football history to scout its bowl opponent in a live game, as the Army/Navy game took place after the bowl selection process.  It’s Navy’s fourth ranked rush attack vs Missouri’s #12 rush defense.  Navy’s only chance is if they can find a way to pass.
Pick:  Missouri

Insight Bowl – Minnesota vs Iowa State
The Insight Bowl took the Cyclones, who are bowling for the first time since 2001.  That decision makes for a good game.  Neither team’s offense or defense is any good, but the Gophers at least have a respectable defense.  Iowa State can’t stop anyone.
Pick:  Minnesota

Chick-fil-A Bowl – Virginia Tech vs Tennessee
Here’s a game that I don’t think will be close.  Virginia Tech has an outstanding defense, and Tennessee doesn’t do much to move the ball.  The Vols defense may keep it respectable for a while, but eventually Virginia Tech, who was ranked as high as number four even after the ‘Bama loss, will pull away.
Pick:  Virginia Tech

Outback Bowl – Northwestern vs Auburn
Would you believe me if I told you Auburn has played seven top 30 teams?  That’s right, seven.  The Tigers won three of those games, but it’s more about the fact that they played those games that has them prepared for this New Year’s Day dandy.  Northwestern played well at the end of the year and won’t go down without a fight.
Pick:  Auburn

Capital One Bowl – Penn State vs LSU
The best bowl game of the season is in Orlando.  LSU played Florida and Alabama tough, but Penn State will be a monstrous challenge as well.  The Lions’ D is eighth best in the country, and LSU has the twelfth worst offense in the nation.  It’s going to be tough for the Tigers to score.
Pick:  Penn State

Gator Bowl – West Virginia vs Florida State
How ironic is it that Bobby Bowden’s last game is against the team he used to coach?  As fun as the Bowden storyline should be, the Seminoles have no business being in this game.  Other ACC schools (Clemson, Miami) have to be peeved about the ‘Noles getting the Gator bid.
Pick:  West Virginia

International Bowl – South Florida vs Northern Illinois
Sophomore quarterback Chandler Harnish has been very efficient for Northern Illinois, but they haven’t played a team nearly as good as South Florida since a week one loss to Wisconsin.  The Bulls played tough in a good Big East conference.  The only bowl not played in the U.S. should be a fun one.
Pick:  South Florida

Papajohns.com Bowl – South Carolina vs Connecticut
Middle-of-the-pack teams clash in the only bowl named for a pizza.  UConn lost all five games by four points or fewer, which is quite unbelievable when you think about it.  A few bounces going the other way could make this team 12-0.  Four of South Carolina’s five losses came by double digits.
Pick:  Connecticut

Cotton Bowl – Oklahoma State vs Mississippi
Both of these teams started the season in the top 10 and had national championship aspirations.  Jevan Snead was supposed to win the Heisman and go #1.  Zac Robinson, Kendall Hunter and Dez Bryant were supposed to combine to form the best offense in the country.  This is a game of disappointment.
Pick:  Mississippi

Liberty Bowl – Arkansas vs East Carolina
The Pirates were awfully impressive in capturing their second straight Conference USA championship by knocking off Houston.  Their reward is a date with Arkansas.  Ryan Mallett had a heck of a year that went unnoticed because the Hogs lost five games.
Pick:  Arkansas

Alamo Bowl – Michigan State vs Texas Tech
Everyone knew this would be a down year for Texas Tech following the losses of Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree, but 8-4 is surprisingly respectable for the Red Raiders.  First year starter Taylor Potts threw for more than 3,000 yards, and he’ll have another big game against the Spartans.
Pick:  Texas Tech

GMAC Bowl – Central Michigan vs Troy
Central Michigan’s turnaround led to a MAC championship.  Now Butch Jones is bolting for Cincinnati to fill the void left by Brian Kelly.  Coach or no coach, the Chippewas should have no trouble moving the ball at will against Troy.  Troy has the offense to keep it close, so look for a high-scoring game.
Pick:  Central Michigan

Rose Bowl – Ohio State vs Oregon
Jeremiah Masoli and the Ducks could have folded after losing to Boise State to open the season.  Instead, the Ducks won 10 of 11, dethroned USC to win the Pac 10, and earned a Rose Bowl berth.  Ohio State is on the other end, making this the best BCS game on this year’s slate.
Pick:  Oregon

Sugar Bowl – Cincinnati vs Florida
Tim Tebow lost the game he wanted to win more than anything.  Now he plays his last college game against a team without a coach.  Cincinnati has scored a lot of points on a lot of people, but they haven’t faced a defense like Florida’s.  Tebow won’t let the Gators lose this one.
Pick:  Florida

Fiesta Bowl – Boise State vs TCU
We can talk all we want about the fact that these are two non-BCS teams playing each other, or about them both being undefeated, or about them playing in the national championship game.  But the matchup is what it is, and it should be entertaining.  TCU won last year, and they’ll repeat this year.
Pick:  TCU

Orange Bowl – Iowa vs Georgia Tech
The Hawkeyes were an overtime loss away from winning the Big Ten, but they’ll take their first BCS bowl game since the era began.  Awaiting Iowa and its #11 defense is Georgia Tech’s second ranked rush offense, led by Jonathan Dwyer and Josh Nesbitt.
Pick:  Georgia Tech

BCS National Championship – Alabama vs Texas
Which Texas team will show up?  The Horns that blew out Okie State in Stillwater?  It better be.  The team that “beat” Nebraska?  Stay home.  We know the Tide and Heisman winner Mark Ingram will be there.  Both teams have good enough defenses to keep from getting blown out.  Bottom line: roll Tide.
Pick:  Alabama

Saturday, December 19
2:00 p.m. ET
ESPN

In what is building up to be one of the biggest games in recent Texas basketball history, the unbeaten and #2-ranked Texas Longhorns will face off on Saturday afternoon with the storied #10-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels in the new Texas Stadium in Arlington.

#2 Texas Longhorns (9-0)
The ‘Horns have yet to face an elite opponent in the 2009 season, yet after starting off the year ranked #3, they’ve quietly crept their way up to #2 right behind Big 12 Conference foe Kansas. As you may know, the 2009 squad is loaded with talent, including returning seniors center Dexter Pittman (13.7 points and 6.2 rebounds/game) and forward Damion James (15.4 points and 10.1 rebounds/game), not to mention a swath of talented freshman from across the country that allow Texas to go deep in to games with fresh players. All told, the ‘Horns have five players averaging double-digit points per game, but they will need to rely upon the experience and leadership of the seniors on the big stage, and lay off the 3-point shot, which has been their go-to shot selection early in the season.

Texas center Dexter Pittman

To be successful in this game, and down the stretch, head coach Rick Barnes has to get more production out of his players at the free throw line, where they have been miserable to-date with only two players shooting better than 70 percent from the line. Those “free” points will help Texas extend and hold a lead late in games, and it will be critical not only to Saturday’s match-up, but to their long-term success in 2009.

Coming in Saturday’s game, the ‘Horns have a few key injuries including guard J’Covan Brown (who has been cleared to play) and forward Shawn Williams (who will not play) – both sustained left ankle injuries in the game against Texas State last week.

#10 North Carolina Tar Heels (8-2)
The Tar Heels are young and talented as well, and despite two early season losses to #24 Syracuse and #4 Kentucky, they have knocked off #15 Ohio State and #9 Michigan State. In addition, the Tar Heels have experience on the bench against the ‘Horns by way of former Kansas coach Roy Williams, who led his Jayhawk teams against Barnes in year’s past. Williams’ current squad is led by two strong forwards in Deon Thompson (averaging 17.1 points and 8.1 rebounds/game) and Ed Davis (14.0 points and 9.5 rebounds/game), but also get strong play from their point guards Marcus Ginyard and Larry Drew II. All told, those four players average about 28 minutes a game, and the Tar Heels are capable of playing deep in to their bench just like the ‘Horns. Without a true center, however, it will be interesting to see how they match-up against Texas’ Pittman in the paint, not to mention guard/forward James who can play inside or out for the Longhorns.

For a full preview, including strengths and weaknesses of both teams heading in to Saturday’s match-up, check out this article on ESPN.

Hook ‘em!

✩

It’s been a very long time since I’ve posted, and I apologize for that.  I wanted to take some time to write a few thoughts on some of the events in college football since I last posted.

BCS blows it again

No, I’m not gong to complain about who’s playing in the national championship.  Yeah, a playoff would be neat, but I don’t think you can make a case for Cincinnati, TCU or Boise State over Texas and Alabama.  I think it’ll be a great game and I’m totally looking forward to that one.

And maybe only to that one.

It’s not a shock, given the projections we’ve seen for weeks, but I think the matchups this year are horrible.  I can’t complain too much about Oregon and Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.  We knew that one was coming, and I think it’ll be an okay game.  One team’s great offense against another’s great defense, and another almost inevitable loss for the Big 10 in a BCS Bowl.  Why they keep giving them two BCS Bowls a year escapes me.

The Sugar Bowl is the one that I think has me most furious.  Cincinnati and Florida.  I desperately wanted to see TCU play the second place team from the SEC.  I think TCU has earned the right to play in a game like that and prove themselves against talent like that.  To say nothing of the fact that I think it would just be a great game.  TCU and Florida are really good on both sides of the ball.  I think it’d be a great matchup.  Instead we have Florida against a team that’s all offense and just lost its head coach.  This one’s a stinker.

The Fiest Bowl.  Oh, what were they thinking?  They could have taken Iowa, freeing up TCU to play in the Sugar Bowl like I wanted them to, but instead they took TCU and Boise State.  Now we have a BCS Bowl between two teams who are not from major conferences.  Don’t get me wrong, I think it’ll be a good game.  This is the one I’m most looking forward to, aside from the championship  I just think both of them earned the right to prove themselves against major conference opponents, and I wish they could.  But, now you have a scenario where it becomes easy to dismiss the winner because they “only” beat TCU or “only” beat Boise State.  Plus, if I had my wish, I’d have Boise State playing either Cincinnati or Georgia Tech.  Two teams that play a whole lot of offense and not a lot of defense could be a nice selling point to a bowl people otherwise wouldn’t really watch.

And then the Orange Bowl.  The one that just keeps putting up the worst matchups of all.  Last year it was Virginia Tech and Cincinnati in truly one of the worst bowl game displays I’ve ever seen.  That game was pathetic.  Now they pit Iowa, who nosedived at the end of the season, against Georgia Tech, which found ways to eek out wins all season.  Nice manipulation by the BCS, though, pitting the ACC against the Big 10.  The Big 10 has lost six straight BCS Bowls over the last three years, and the ACC won its BCS bowl last year to break an eight game BCS losing streak.  It’s the bowl where one of these loses has to win, and I think it’ll be Iowa, finally breaking the Big 10’s losing record, because…well, look at Georgia Tech’s schedule and that loss to a not very good Georgia team.  You take the ACC teams out of the ACC and they’re just not very good.

Southwest Region wins Ingram the Heisman Trophy

We all know by now that Alabama running back Mark Ingram won the Heisman Trophy this year, making him the first Alabama player ever to win college football’s most prestigious individual award.  As a Texas Longhorns fan, I initially wanted to be hurt on Colt McCoy’s behalf for the region that should have won him tons of votes giving the most votes to Ndomokong Suh.  Despite Suh’s amazing performance this year, we all knew he wasn’t going to win, so the Southwest Region (primarily Big 12 company) decided to make a statement by voting for Suh…well, just because, I guess.  I initially thought that McCoy would have done much better with more votes from that region, but it turns out that it would have made little difference.  The one who really suffered was Toby Gerhart, the Stanford running back who finished just 28 points behind Mark Ingram.  He had his lowest finish in the Southwest (4th) and second-lowest vote total of any region (just behind the 176 he got in the South.  He finished second, but Tim Tebow stole some points there).  So, but for the Southwest Region, Gerhart probably takes home the trophy.

As a side note, there are some strange point discrepancies I’m having a hard time figuring out.  When I looked at the by-region list, I had Ingram finishing with 1,295 points (nine behind his actual finish) and McCoy finishing with 1,134 points (11 behind his actual finish).  The count for Suh was dead on.  I’d attribute this to additional points gained from votes from former Heisman winners, but I calculated Gerhart to have 1,287 from the regional voting, which puts him 11 higher than he actually finished.  I don’t think you can lose votes from the former Heisman winners, so I’m gonna have to do some digging and figure out what happened there.

Brian Kelly makes a selfish, but completely understandable, decision

There has been no shortage of news coverage detailing Cincinnati head coach Brian Kelly’s move to Notre Dame.  There has also been no shortage of news coverage the ire of Kelly’s former players over his decision to leave them high and dry going into the biggest game that Cincy has ever played.  And I can’t blame them.  Kelly did leave them high and dry, and it stinks.  I was impressed when I saw him on Pardon The Interruption and Mike and Mike in the Morning at just how much class he showed in addressing his former players.  I think he has handled this with as much grace and diplomacy as you can in a situation like this.  Nevertheless, he did screw the guys that got him the Notre Dame job.

That said, I totally understand why he did it.  I think in this situation, all you can do is jump ship and try to handle things diplomatically in the press.  This is an important recruiting period, and it’s hard to tell Notre Dame, “Put recruiting on hold for a month while I go play in a bowl game for a school I already said I’d leave.”

Even if it wasn’t an important recruiting period, I understand the move.  Cincy is probably going to get annihilated in their bowl game.  I just saw an ESPN poll asking who will win the Sugar Bowl, and 76 percent of the country says it’ll be Florida.  West Virginia was the only state that had the Bearcats winning.  Even their home state of Ohio had Florida winning (by a narrow margin, but still).  If they hire him and he coaches his team to a blowout, think of the blowback from fans, the media and boosters.  In Chicken Little fashion, they will start screaming that they are doomed already.  Or, if he waits until after the bowl game to talk to them and he gets crushed, maybe they’re not so interested anymore.  At the very least, people would not be having their current reaction that it was such an astute hire.

I want to be on record as saying that I do think this is an astute hire.  Notre Dame has been looking in all the wrong places, looking at coaches who had extremely limited experience in the capacity of head coach.  That’s important at a place like Notre Dame.  I’m with Lou Holtz in saying that you have to demonstrate the ability to win repeatedly as a head coach to thrive at Notre Dame, and Kelly has done that.  At all three of his head coaching stops, he has led his teams to unprecedented success.  I think the Irish finally got it right.

By now you probably have heard that the Big Ten is looking to expand from 11 teams currently to 12 teams. The last time the Big Ten even talked about expanding was in 1999 when Notre Dame was considered to be the 12th team.

A move to add a 12th team to the conference would be a huge plus for those involved. Those who are affected by such a move would benefit.

Big Ten: The Big Ten would add a 12th team which would create two divisions and a conference championship game just like the ACC, Big 12 and SEC. The Big Ten would add depth to a their conference which is sometimes shadowed behind the SEC and Big 12. The conference could also expand their market if they go just a bit outside of their current footprint.

Team who is added to the Big Ten: The team who is added to the Big Ten has a ton to gain from this. National attention (if not already needed), big money, being included into one of the most historic conference all await the selected team. For a team good team from a stacked conference (Missouri or Nebraska), they have a shot to gain that BCS slot as well.

TCU: The unseen team in all of this is the Horned Frogs in Fort Worth. If a Big 12 team, namely Nebraska or Missouri, Oklahoma could be moved to the North Division, allowing TCU, who originally was supposed to be in the conference, to join the Big 12 South. The Horned Frogs would gain access to an automatic BCS bid and contend for the national title.

Fans: The general college football fan would benefit from better play from the Big 10. If the league adds a yearly competitive team, like Nebraska, Missouri, Notre Dame or Pitt, fans would see better games much like the Big 12 championship game.

In addition, here are the teams who I would think would fit in the Big Ten in order from best to worst.

Notre Dame, Nebraska, Missouri, Pitt, Syracuse

“Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of
it.” —Luke 10:42

There are so many things in life we can’t control. Most people can’t choose their parents, siblings’their nation of birth,height or skin colour. So many things are beyond our control that we may be tempted to feel insignificant and without hope. Yet, we have a reason to rejoice. We have absolute control over having the best. We are free to choose Jesus!

When we choose Jesus for ourselves, we choose the Best.No one can take us away from him (Jn 10:28-29). Nothing can “seperate us from” Jesus (Rm 8:39).Jesus promised us that we “shall not be deprived of” Him (Lk 10:42)

There is , however one person who can separate you from Jesus, and that is yourself. When you choose the better portion and put your life in His hands, you allow Jesus to wrap you in His loving embrace. As long as you “fix your eyes on Jesus”(Heb 3:1), you will always see that He is the “better portion”(Lk 10:42). Satan, knows he cannot deprive you of Jesus, then attempts to distract you from looking always at Jesus. If he can get  you to focus on distractions like TV, sports, talk shows, gossip, controversies, worldly pleasures and other “enticements for the eye”(1Jn 2:16), he knows that you might choose them as your “better portion”. Then you might consider Jesus’ loving embrace as a choke-hold and demand that He take His hands off you. Therefore, every day of your life, choose Jesus anew as your better portion. You shall not be deprived of Him.

Prayer: Jesus, I’d rather have You than anything else. Protect me from myself. Never let me parted from You.

 
Association of Christian Christites

Rafters blogger Sam Wineka recently caught up with former Heels guard Dewey Burke, a.k.a. “Biscuits.” For those of you that might not know (and who are you?) Bojangles offers patrons of Carolina games two sausage biscuits for $1.00 in instances when UNC scores 100 points in the Dean Smith Center. Mr. Burke had a knack for pushing the Heels over the century mark and chatted with The Rafters about it.

Rafters: Tell us a little about what you’re up to. Are you in Philly? How are DBCamps and Sky High Basketball coming along?

DB: I am currently living just outside of Philly, where I grew up. I am building two different business that I have started. One is a basketball training company. Think personal trainer – but 100 percent basketball-specific. I do everything on the court. In the summer time I run camps for ages 7-18, and then in the Fall and Spring, I do individual and small group private instruction. Working on fundamentals, skills on both sides of the ball, shooting form, etc. Basically I evaluate the needs of the young players, and create a plan for improvement. So far things are going well and the business is growing nicely.

The summer camps have really been fun to do because I’ve been able to have my teammates come up and speak for the kids. North Carolina Basketball carries such prestige around the country, so when you can bring in a Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington, Marcus Ginyard or Bobby Frasor – the kids really enjoy it and are mesmerized by what these guys can do. (www.DBcamps.com & www.skyhighbasketball.com)

My second company is a small education firm. We specialize in after-school tutoring for students from low-income families. Our services are completely free to our students and their families – all of our funding comes from the state government. Through and educational grant my company has been approved to provide this supplemental education to students in desperate need of extra academic help. It is named the EYE Program, and EYE stands for Empowering Youth through Education. You can find out more here: www.EYEpartners.org.

Rafters: I was in the Dean Dome the first time you pushed Carolina over 100 and secured your nickname, “Biscuits,” by hitting a trey near the end of regulation. I have to say that in my four years at Carolina, it was definitely in the Top 5 loudest moments I heard the Smith Center. What was that moment like?

DB: There were a lot of special memories in the Smith Center, and that was a great one. Playing for Carolina is such a special gift, and the fans are the biggest part of that. The love we receive day in and day out is truly a blessing. It’s very, very unique to be a part of something that literally millions of people are so passionate about. I’ve always had a tremendous relationship with the Carolina fans, and I have so much love for the people of Chapel Hill. Even now, two years out, every time I drive up Franklin Street I get goose bumps. Chapel Hill will always be home for me. I have a lot of special feelings in my heart for that place. I think, too, that some fans see some of themselves in me. I’m not 6’8’’ and I wasn’t recruited out of high school to any big time schools. I just decided that playing for Carolina was what I was meant to do – nothing and no one was going to stand in the way of that.

Rafters: While we’re talking about great moments, what was your favorite as a Carolina player?

DB: My favorite moment was beating Duke in Cameron Indoor the first time (in 2006). The class of 2009 went on to do it 4 times in a row, but the first time was an incredible experience. JJ Redick and Sheldon’s last home game, senior night for them, they were # 1 – we had freshmen, etc etc. We just played so tough that night, and David Noel was the greatest leader you could ask for. The day before at practice, there was a sense and a feeling in the air that we were going to go over there and win. Coach talked about how there were very, very few people outside out locker room that believed we could win that game…but that was ok because we knew. And we were not just saying that. We came in so confident that night, we weren’t intimidate or worried at all. We knew they couldn’t handle us that night. It was an amazing experience.

Rafters: In the infamous Duke game when Gerald Henderson broke Tyler Hansbrough’s nose, you were one of the guys holding Tyler back. I have to ask, did you kind of (maybe deep down) just want to let him go?

DB: No. And that’s the truth. My immediate thought when he got up was “he’s going to kill someone.” All I was thinking was keeping him away from anyone else, because I didn’t want him to get suspended. It was the last game of the regular season. All we had worked for all year was about to be upon us (NCAA Tourney), and there was no way we were going into it without our best player. Truly, all I was thinking was keeping him calm. If you watch the clips, you can see me telling him “try to breathe, stay cool.” He was very upset. He took more beatings than anyone in college basketball since Shaq, and he never reacted. He would always say, I won’t care about it unless someone makes my face bleed – then it’s too far. Well, Gerald and Duke took it too far – but we took the high road. We won that game, the ACC a few times, and a National Title. That’s what matters.

Rafters: Follow up: are you in fact, the only person capable of stopping Psycho T?

DB: Well we both know that no one can stop him on the court… Off it, he’s a really a gentle giant. He’s quiet and reserved, and until you get to know him and get into his inner circle – he won’t say a whole lot. The real Tyler Hansbrough is a regular friend like anyone else. He laughs, jokes and enjoys life. He’s no different. He’s an intensely loyal friend and great example of what a Tar Heel player is supposed to be about. On the court he’s the most focused and driven person I’ve ever seen. Off the court, he’s just a regular guy and a great friend.

Rafters: What do you think about this year’s team? I think all Carolina fans expect their team to go really far.  Are your expectations higher or lower than a Final Four?

DB: This year’s team is going to very fun to watch grow. We have so much talent. We have everything you could want: speed, size, length, athleticism. Maybe all we are missing is a knock-down shooter, but Will Graves can fill that role if he wants to. We will be in every game because we are further along defensively than most teams are at this time. Marcus is the main reason for that. He’s so good on defense, people just don’t even begin to understand. Defense is so much more than not letting your man score. It’s about communication, and positioning, and timing and toughness and grit. Marcus is the best we’ve had in a long time.

My feeling is, people better beat us now. Come March, when Coach Williams has 90-100 practices with this team, look out. They’ll get the offensive end figured out and continue to get better defensively. We will learn to run better and better and get easier baskets. We are so young that all we can do is improve. We can be a force by March, and barring injuries – we will be.

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You can listen to more of Dewey’s take on UNC basketball on his podcast, Biscuit Briefs.

On Sunday the University of Virginia won the 2009 NCAA Men’s Soccer championship defeating the University of Akron 3-2 in penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw.  It was Virginia’s first men’s soccer title since 1994, and sixth overall. 

More importantly, it was Virginia’s first of the post-Bruce Arena era. George Gelnovatch finally guided them to the promised land after so many good years. I was accepting some guilt for believing I had something to do with the championship drought. I bought tickets and attended the semifinals in Richmond in 1995 after Virginia advanced. After four titles in a row, Cavalier soccer fans were a little spoiled I suppose; Virginia’s team was rock solid and we expected to make the final, especially since UVA was playing Duke, a familiar ACC opponent. However, Jay Heaps and the Blue Devils frustrated the effort and UVA lost 3-2. My tickets to the finals went in the trash when I got home. All the better, as newcomer Wisconsin upset Duke in the final. UVA made the finals in 1997, but lost to UCLA. Since then it was a lot of near misses in reaching the finals.

UVA men’s soccer went through a weird transition period in the post-1994, post championship years.  Virginia recruited some extremely talented players, but the MLS was catching on and started poaching talent. For the first time in school history, kids were leaving college early to get drafted and play professionally in the U.S.  Cavaliers like Ben Olsen left to make their name and fortunes on a larger stage, so the chemistry and recruiting efforts of the coaching staff were frustrated and challenged in a new way. No longer could you count on four good years from your scholarship players.

Virginia’s win on Sunday was beneficial because it was in a style that was non-traditional for the program. UVA’s brand of ball in recent memory (since Bruce Arena’s tenure began) was a beautiful, offensive finesse game:  pretty passes and smart strikes in relatively unflappable, stoic style. UVA would never get goaded into ugly play, fouls or poor sportsmanship.  Watching the team, you felt they were in complete control, and could either mount a game-winning charge or tighten the defensive press when necessary to decide a game. On the world stage I liken UVA’s style to Spanish or Dutch league play.

But Sunday was all defense—physical, relentless defense.  UVA and Akron were the two best defensive teams coming into the tourney and I suppose it made sense the game would end in a scoreless tie, even after two overtimes. UVA was less measured than usual with more streaky play. They pressed and pushed; they looked almost uncomposed at times. They reminded me of Clemson or Wake Forest in the ACC, two teams known for quality defense and tough, physical play. UVA fouled Akron about twice as often; it was a very un-UVA-like effort. No goals after 110 minutes was also uncharacteristic.

Arriving at penalties at the end is such a heart-rending experience for the soccer fan. On one hand, you are justified in thinking: ‘now look what you’ve done. You had your chances. It is the flip of a coin, luck—and you just might lose it!’  But then, there were the near misses by the opposition that make you feel PKs are somehow a blessing. Soccer fans know penalty kicks are a way to settle a match that could not be settled on the field. Unfortunately, it is like playing rock-paper-scissors to determine a winner; there is little skill and a lot of luck involved.

Why, you ask? Because a penalty kick is a high percentage play; regardless of skill or age level, penalty kicks are typically converted about 93% of the time. When given five kicks per side, as each team is, it could be expected for all ten to be made.  If one is stopped, that usually decides the contest.

UVA’s keeper stopped Akron’s very first penalty shot; this was a huge psychological blow for Akron because the first kicker is often the most reliable shooter. Right off the bat UVA was at an advantage. Akron then missed their third kick, while UVA converted its.  With a two goal advantage, if UVA made its fourth PK the title was theirs. However, the Akron keeper made a stop. Akron then converted its kick. After eight penalty shots, five were made—very odd and rare.

In the final round, the fifth of five penalty kicks, UVA had a one goal advantage:  if they converted, once again the title would be theirs. Yet, Akron’s keeper made a great stop!  Akron had new life. If they made their fifth, it would be tied and head to sudden victory PKs.  All of UVA’s early advantage would be erased in an amazing turn of events and clutch keeper play.

But as history would have it, the shooter who won the previous game for Akron in PKs, missed his shot high—game over! It was so stunning, UVA’s goalkeeper was unsure what happened and looked around for a second before he realized UVA had won the championship. UVA fans went from an optimistic high after the third kick, to two gut-wrenching lows, then to a very unexpected ultimate high. In the end, only five of the ten shots were converted, an astoundingly low 50% conversion percentage.

UVA proved it could win ugly, that it could win in the foul weather that was befalling the fans and players in Cary, North Carolina. For me, soccer is a fall sport that should be played in legitimate fall weather, so it is nice that the College Cup is not played in San Diego or Miami. Soccer, especially the NCAA tournament, is best played in season-appropriate, fan-friendly confines, which means the east coast.

Nothing against west coast soccer, but the east, and particularly the ACC, is the dominant soccer conference in men’s and women’s college soccer. The games should be where fans can get to them. On the men’s side, three of the final four teams were ACC schools. On the women’s side, Virginia, Duke, Florida State, Maryland and North Carolina are competitive programs every year, with occasional showings by Clemson, Boston College or NC State.  North Carolina won the women’s tournament, again, proving they are truly the school to beat every year.

Now that I live in Florida, I lament not being closer to the College Cup sites. Maybe now that UVA is back in the hunt for championships, I might have to schedule a pilgrimmage.

QUID PRO QUO was started on 10 July with a post about the resignation of Richard Worth from the new National government.

The name of the blog is taken from a form of harassment most common in the workplace, wherein advancement is offered in return for sexual favours.  The title was inspired by the first post.

From the outset the aim of Quid Pro Quo was to monitor sexual harassment and violence legislation around the world, however in the initial stages of researching this blog it became clear that legislation stories would be overshadowed by wider issues of institutionalised violence and entrenched sexism against women in general.

The focus of the blog was broadened to encompass these issues as background and basis for examining social and political environments in which harassment flourishes or is ignored.

The problem is international.  Women in countries as diverse as Mali, Japan and Israel face ignorance and stonewalling from both their governments and wider media.

Closer to home, the situation is more subtle than one African government’s overtly bigoted anti-homosexual laws, but no less damaging.

One of the biggest harassment stories in New Zealand this year centred around the resignation of Richard Worth and accusations about his behaviour from two separate women.

Both accusers came under scrutiny in the press, with images and the criminal record of one’s husband being discussed repeatedly.

In late June, National MP and minister for Internal Affairs, Land Information, Archives New Zealand, and the National Library Richard Worth, tendered his resignation for personal reasons on June 3.

It has since been revealed that Worth resigned due to allegations being investigated by the police which Key said regarded behaviour “not befitting a minister”.  It seems he may also have wanted to stand down before further news of his “making a nuisance of himself with women” broke, including allegations that he sent a woman numerous texts and called her repeatedly, and offered her a job in exchange for sexual favours.

Stuff.co.nz and the Herald reported that Phil Goff had gone to John Key two weeks prior to the news breaking with information about the woman’s allegations.

A statement tabled in parliament on June 4 detailed the complaints of one of Worth’s accusers who wished to remain anonymous in the press.

By June 6, the business woman whose allegations against Worth were under investigation by the police was being scrutinised by the media.  A Korean businessman claimed that the same woman made accusations of a similar nature about him in the past.

Editing the Herald Blog questioned some of the language used to describe the woman on The Herald’s front page on 5 June.

“Political reporter Patrick Gower wastes no time in informing us of all the ethnic comings-and-goings of the case. I know that, whenever I hear of a political sex scandal, the first question that pops into my head is ‘What race are the people involved? Is there any miscegenation going on?’”

Right-wing blog, Whale Oil, “outed” Neelam Choudary as the woman who received texts and calls from Worth.

Stuff.co.nz published a provocative picture of Mrs Choudary (page now deleted), with a story about her husbands previous conviction of fraud.

Despite the fact that Ms. Choudary chose to withdraw her complaint against Richard Worth, Whale Oil continues to ask questions about Ms Choudary’s relationship with the leader of the Labour Party, Phil Goff.

On July 2 The Herald reported that the Korean Businesswoman whose complaint against Worth began the story was dropped by the police.

TV3 said: “She feels the political fallout around Richard Worth has been sufficient and going through the courts would have been an additional ordeal that would have gained little.”

Internationally, women were the victims of draconian laws many western women came barely imagine.

This probably explains the amount of interest in the Western Press for the story of Lubna Hussein.

Lubna Hussein is a 34-year-old public information assistant and former spokesperson for the office of the United Nations Mission in Sudan.  She is also a reporter for Kartoum’s Al Sahafa daily newspaper for which she writes the feminist column, ‘Men’s Talk’.

On the 10th of July 2009, Lubna Hussein and 12 other women were arrested for violating Sudanese Law’s modesty requirements.  They were charged with indecency for wearing trousers.

Ms. Hussein, then employed by the UN, decided to use her arrest to ‘test’ what she considers to be an out-moded and oppressive law.  She resigned from the UN – giving up her immunity to prosecution – and has taken her case to trial.

Ms Hussein has stated that the enforcement of this part of Sudan’s criminal law is entirely subjective – whether or not a woman is arrested, tried and what kind of punishment she is likely to receive is often dependent on the ‘mood’ and attitudes of the police and presiding judge.  Therefore it is possible to see the manner in which this law is enforced as a kind of institutionalised, state sanctioned harassment.

The BBC reported that Ms Hussein says she has done nothing wrong under Sharia law, but could fall foul of a paragraph in Sudanese criminal law which forbids indecent clothing.

“I want to change this law, because hitting is not human, and also it does not match with Sharia law,” she told the BBC.

At her trial violence broke out as Sudanese police fired tear gas and beat women protesting outside the court.

Police used tear gas and batons to disperse a group (reports vary as to the number, The AP has 50, the Times has 100) demonstrators.  Some of the women demonstrators wore trousers in solidarity with Hussein.

In response to the unrest, Ms Hussein’s trial was been deferred by the court until 7 September.

A report on the 9th of September said that Lubna was freed after her fine was paid by her employer.

News outlets which covered the Pants story were Timesonline, MSNBC.MSN.com., The Associated Press, BBC, Agence France-Presse, Guardian.co.uk, Sudan Tribune, telegraphonline.co.uk, ITN News, PoliticsDaily.com and World Pulse Magazine.

Much of the commentary focussed on Sharia Law and Lubna’s defiance of it.

The article which broke Ms Hussein’s story however was by a Sudanese citizen journalist called  Halima Mohamed Abdel Rahman.  It appeared in World Pulse Magazine and included mages of the trousers Ms Hussein was arrested for wearing and a copy of the invitation she sent to journalists inviting them to attend her trial.

In the blogs, support for Lubna was widespread and fierce:

Sudan Watch crowed over Lubna’s vow to dare judges to have her flogged.  While The Huffington Post were more subdued, the liberal blog’s support for Lubna’s cause was tangible.

African Press International discussed Lubna’s “defiant” interview to UK paper, the Telegraph and Pickled Politics cut to the chase stating that the arrests were less about principle and more about a need to show the strength of the regime.

Blokey blogger Bock The Robber was even less circumspect calling the situation “More Sharia Bullshit.”  Although not all bloke penned blogs were as brutal.  Jim Buck said simply that “the world needs more brave souls like her.”

Another woman “punished” for her clothing was Brazillian student, Geisy Arruda, who was expelled from university for wearing not trousers but a mini dress.

Media commented on the fact that her fellow students jeered as she was removed from campus in a lab coat, covering her “indecent” dress.

In the rest of the world, the right of institutions to dictate policy for the way its members interact was also being questioned by regular Men’s Movement video blogger, Bernard Chapin.  The misnadry advocate spoke out against the new anti-sexual harassment code of one Indiana university, suggesting that the code’s gender neutral language was aimed at making it hard for guys to talk to girls.

On November 5, Mr Chapin claimed he had “feminists on the ropes” after two online media outlets “misrepresented” his stance on men’s rights.

The first of those, Double X, discussed the growing organisation and power of Men’s Right’s groups, the second, Broadsheet, examined how previously fringe groups  such as Chapin’s had become mainstream.

Needless to say there will be no more posts about Chapin on Quid Pro Quo.

It seems difficult to understand the stance of so called Mens Movement groups when the stories of oppression and violence experienced by women all over the world seems to utterly undermine their claims that men are now being oppressed by Feminism.

In Japan the sixth periodic report to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women said that penalties had been strengthened in 2004 for rape, forced indecency and other crimes while the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women had been marked with two weeks of awareness programmes.

This was seen as a huge step forward for a country that has had relatively little legislation protecting women in the work place.

In El Salvador, however, Salvadoran Women’s Organization,  ORMUSA, reported that 2,645 women were murdered in El Salvador in the past 8 years, with at least one woman killed per day since 2002.  ORMUSA called on the government to begin legislating for the protection of women not only in the workplace but in their own homes.

Afghan women who hoped they might fare better now that the Taliban no longer controlled the government were proven wrong when new Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, approved a law which condones marital rape.  The law allow husbands to deny their wives food if they will not have sex with them.

Problems discussing the rights of women in different cultures came to the fore when news broke from Mali that thousands of women protested against new legislation giving them equal rights in marriage.

Many of the women felt the new legislation undermined the teaching of the Koran and was irreligious.

While, as Quid Pro Quo notes in the same post, Malian women are slowly turning their back on the practice of female circumcision, it seems other cultural practices are still entrenched.

A release from the Asian Human Rights Commission said women of Pakistan bear the brunt of poor governance, military strife, and the corruption of the social, political and economic systems which surround them.

The same release however singles out advances in legislation protecting women from harassment citing a bill unanimously passed by the National Assembly which provides harsher punishments for those who commit sexual harassment.

In Israel activists in Tel Aviv encouraged the Prime Minister to pledge finances for the country’s battered women.  15 women a year are killed by domestic violence in Israel.

It was not all doom and gloom internationally.  Former US president, Jimmy Carter, making a huge personal gesture, left his church in an act of solidarity with the victims of gender specific violence.

Also in the US, media praised President Obama’s support of additions to the Hate crimes Bill.  The bill now extends to violence on the basis of sexuality and makes prosecution of crimes of hate easier to pursue.

The victims and survivors of sexual crime in New Zealand, however, became victims of the recession also as financial concerns held sway over the rights of survivors and victims to access free treatment.

Changes to Accident Compensation Corporation’s criteria for funding therapy for the victims of abuse and sexual violence meant that those affected would have to prove they were suffering from a mental illness to qualify for counselling.  The number of sessions would also be cut back to 16.

Green Party member’s criticised Associate ACC Minister Pansy Wong’s interpretation of proposed changes to the treatment guidelines for mental injury resulting from sexual abuse. They claim she has misinterpreted details of a  report by Massey University which Nat’s say is the basis for the changes.

The Dominion Post reported rape prevention advocate, Louise Nicholas speaking out against proposed changes to ACC’s sensitive claims unit.

The changes will reduce the amount of therapy a survivor can access through the ACC, after the corporation claimed short term therapy is better for survivors than any long term care.

Labour’s Victims Rights Spokesperson Lynne Pillay spoke out saying victims are continuing to be failed by ACC Minister Nick Smith.  She called the new scheme the cruellest of all the obstacle courses for victims of horrendous crime so far.  Labour also claim the cuts were to cut costs.

Voxy.com reported the changes to the scheme resulting in delays in care for victims.

Also in New Zealand, The Police and lobby group, Safer Homes in New Zealand Every Day, chose to celebrate the silly season with warnings about the increase in Domestic Violence over the holiday period.

Both claim the “extended weekend” means more violence in homes.

Some women in the West seem to feel they have certain freedoms and securities women in other countries do not enjoy, but after recording 6 months worth of information on the subject of sexual violence around the world it is easy to see that all women still live under threat of sexual harassment and violence.

This could be a much longer item, detailing issues of “Rape Culture”, stereotyping and misandry all of which came up repeatedly in the feminist blogs feeding into Quid Pro Quo.

Byron Clark The Spark December 2009

At the end of October parliament voted 69 to 53 to send the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Bill, which contains a number of proposed changes to ACC, to select committee. The National Party initially had trouble getting together the numbers, with ACT insisting the changes didn’t go far enough. Despite some initial concerns however, the Maori Party eventually fell into line, with the bizarre sounding justification, “We know that Maori have consistently had less access to ACC entitlements than other groups, under existing legislation. While this Bill would further restrict entitlements, we are particularly interested in hearing how the scheme may be altered to address the underlying bias to Maori.”

Many of the changes have already been met with strong public protest. New guidelines that would require sexual abuse victims to be diagnosed with a mental illness under the US Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Version 4 before they can receive counselling led to rallies in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, each attracting 200 people. A smaller protest also took place in Dunedin.

Dr Kim McGregor who did a study of sexual abuse counselling for her PhD and wrote the existing ACC guidelines, addressed the Auckland rally in her capacity as a therapist. According to The Standard she has promised to resign as an ACC registered therapist if these new guidelines are implemented. North Shore psychotherapist Christine Hatcher who was on the Auckland demonstration said she would not take any more ACC-funded clients because it was against her code of ethics “to put survivors of sexual abuse through more trauma than they have already been through” Eliana Darroch of the End Rape Culture Now Collective took part in a hunger strike outside Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye’s electorate office, commenting “We will not tolerate these cuts and will do everything in our power to stop them.”

Also protesting were 500 motorcyclists from throughout the South Island who converged on ACC minister Nick Smith’s electorate office in Nelson. ACC levies for motorcyclists were set to increase 300%. Steve Page, president of the Route 6 Motorcycle Club said he had not given a “fat rat’s bum” about protesting for anything in the past, but the ACC levies were different. Everyone in the workforce is going to be hit with an increase in levies, but part time, seasonal and casual workers will have reduced coverage. ACC payouts will be calculated using the average of their yearly earnings rather than the previous four weeks’ earnings. Even Horticulture New Zealand is opposing this change, concerned it will deter people from taking on seasonal work. The New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) has raised concern that this policy would also penalise low paid education workers; teacher aides, librarians and office managers who do not get paid during the school holidays. Free physiotherapy will end, and this is a move that seems odd from a government which is also, through welfare reform, ‘encouraging’ the sick and infirm back into the waged workforce.

The goal of all of this appears to be the preparing of ACC for privatisation. Under the proposed changes the scheme would be opened up to competition from the private sector would shift accident compensation closer to a ‘user pays’ model.

OK, here is the video of Roy Williams pointing out a fan behind the UNC bench in the Tar Heels’ recent easy victory over Presbyterian. There’s a “description” of the, uh, event here, and I’m guessing Roy’s comments about the above video are these (since the audio is so bad): 

“I don’t think anybody should yell anything negative at our players. Period. Let’s don’t make it a bigger thing than it is. But I just don’t think anybody should yell negative things toward our players (when) you come in on our tickets to watch our game.”

Williams is getting beat up pretty bad over this, which to me suggests something: 

The fan said something more than, “Miss it, Deon.” I know there are people who said that’s all it was, but it’s gotta to be more than that, right?

Right?

That said, Williams may have been making a bigger point. Look at the phrase “our tickets.” Roy probably has a pretty good idea who gets/has the seats behind his team’s bench. And if that’s the case, I can see why he doesn’t want to hear anything negative — anything at all — directed toward his players when the seats are choice ones like those.

Williams may — and maybe this is a stretch, ’cause Lord knows, the guy has coached in Cameron — be making a larger point here. Let’s say the seats are in a well-known booster season-ticket section. And a guy comes in on a booster/big-time season-ticket guy’s dime and hollers something at UNC players. Maybe it’s not the most mean-spirited thing in the world to do, but that’s not the point. And Roy got the guy tossed to teach the ticket-holder a lesson.

Does that make it right? Probably not, but then again, I don’t know exactly what the heckler said. None of us do.

And even if it was tame, Williams felt like a point needed to be made. And I guess he made it.

Here is UNC’s response, and I think it’s fair:

“First, Coach Williams didn’t tell security to throw the guy out of the building,” Kirschner wrote. “He asked security to see if that guy had a ticket for that seat because he wanted to know who gave him the ticket to a seat behind our bench. Security tossed him because he appeared to be intoxicated and our security (and Duke’s, Maryland’s NC State’s and pretty much anyone else’s security staffs) eject fans if they think they are.”

Doing what he does best — making people miss

At the end of the 2008 season, Clemson’s C.J. Spiller made the difficult choice to turn down a potentially lucrative NFL contract and return for his senior season of football at Clemson University. It’s a risky decision to return, just ask Oklahoma’s injured quarterback Sam Bradford. Spiller’s goals were to complete his career at Clemson and lead the team to its first ACC Championship since 1991. Although he fell just short of his conference championship goal, his senior season and his entire career at Clemson can be categorized as nothing other than a huge success.

You can view a lengthy list of Spiller’s career achievements here.  One of the more impressive career stats is that he joins Reggie Bush as the only players in college football history with 3000 yards rushing, 1500 yards in kickoff returns, 1000 in receiving and 500 in punt returns.

All the on-field numbers and records are great, but it’s actually some of his off-field stats that stand out as the most impressive. Spiller will graduate in three-and-a-half years on December 17, 2009. He made first-team Academic All-ACC last year when he made the Dean’s List. He is the first Clemson running back to make first-team Academic All-ACC and first-team All-ACC on the field in same year in school history.

Congratulations to C.J. on being role model on and off the field and giving us so many highlights throughout the last few years. Although I’ll miss seeing him play in a Clemson uniform, I am certainly look forward to seeing him play on Sundays.

Jack was in control

I’m starting to really, really like Jarrett Jack as a starting point guard. Don’t get me wrong — I still like Jose Calderon, but at this point I’m pretty much down for whatever, as long as the Raptors win some games. They did just that this afternoon, making quick work of an emotional Trevor Ariza and the Rockets, beating them 101-88 at the ACC.

With Calderon sidelined indefinitely, Jack made his fourth consecutive start, scoring 17 points and adding eight boards and eight assists. Toronto jumped all over Houston early, outscoring them 32-17 in the first and carrying a double-digit lead much of the game, frustrating Ariza (who also went 0-of-9) to the point where he attempted to take poor little DeMar DeRozan’s head off with an errant elbow following a steal in the third quarter. It was a dick move, and with apologies to DeRozan, I almost wish it connected so Ariza could be locked away for a fair amount of time. Here’s hoping the commish and friends still find reason enough for a suspension.

Hedo Turkoglu was aggressive early and scored a season-high 23, making a couple key shots in the fourth as well after Houston cut it to a single-digit lead. Chris Bosh also played well, finishing with 27 on 11-of-19. Sonny Weems stepped into the sixth man role, scoring 11 and more importantly taking the minutes of disgraced backup Antoine Wright, who likely still feels as though he’s a premiere NBA small forward despite the demotion. Sorry to say, but you weren’t missed, you chucker.

This win slightly softens the blow from Friday’s romp at the hands of the Hawks, plus makes it four of six overall and improves the Raptors to 11-15 on the season. They’re headed to South Florida for a date with the Heat Tuesday, followed by Superman and the Magic in Orlando the following night.