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March Madness Odds and Ends

Between the game-watching parties I covered and the reporting about the potential windfall to hit WKU after its recently completed Sweet Sixteen run, I feel as though I took on the “March Madness” beat during this year’s NCAA Tournament, talking to John and Jane Public as well as Jim McDaniels, WKU’s All-American from the 1971 Final Four team.

Of course, the news out of Hilltopper country has moved at a rapid pace since the season ended, with Darrin Horn leaving to coach at South Carolina.

Discussions I’ve had with people inside and outside the newsroom revolve around whether this was a good move for Horn.

My input, for what it’s worth — you may as well strike while the iron is hot. A team with several talented seniors who played well together caught lightning in a bottle, and Horn’s path to Columbia also included a stop on the coaching staff of the 2003 Marquette team that played in the Final Four, so there’s little doubt Horn has the ability to improve South Carolina’s position in the SEC.

I respect the argument for building a tradition of winning at WKU before striking out for the proverbial greener pasture (becoming a much more valuable commodity to major colleges with coaching vacancies in the process). After all, South Carolina cannot command the attention of the upper echelon of the coaching pool – at least not in the way Kentucky, Kansas or Indiana can.

Even so, the opportunity to improve on what personal success you’ve already built should seldom, if ever, be bypassed. If South Carolina presents the best opportunity for Horn to continue building on his record, so be it.

Now, some final tidbits and stories during WKU’s run that caught my attention:

– The New York Times had a great feature recently spotlighting the Hilltoppers pioneering spirit on the court when it came to integration. Actively recruiting and giving extensive playing time to black players in an era and part of the country where major schools resisted integrating their basketball teams into the 1970s in some cases should be recognized.

– UCLA legend and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar posted a blog on the Los Angeles Times’ Web site that is also highly complimentary toward WKU’s history.

– Here’s a commentary on Bloomberg.com that places WKU’s recent tourney run alongside George Mason’s 2006 Final Four and Gonzaga’s emergence as a tourney mainstay. This was written before Horn’s departure, but the short-term gains are still sure to be realized and the opportunity is there for the basketball team to carve out a similar niche to these other so-called “mid-major programs.”

– Finally, we in the newsroom are well aware of the fast-traveling rumors connecting Bobby Knight with the now-vacant coaching position.

As it turns out, perhaps not surprisingly, the Indiana University discussion board hosted by Rivals.com is also addressing this subject.

Please take whatever you may read on this board with the appropriate amount of salt.

Sweet 16 Blog from Phoenix

Gameday

It’s GAMEDAY! Got up this morning to watch BKO sports anchor James “JB” Brandenburg being interview on ESPN’s First and Ten talking about the Hilltoppers. He was the best of the bunch that was interviewed about the teams they cover. I packed my gear and hit the media hospitality room for a bagel and coffee. Road the media shuttle to the arena and set up shop. I grabbed my little Canon G7 Powershot and went looking for WKU fans to do a quick video. I shot the t-shirt vendors setting up shop and wandered around until I found two WKU fans for a quick standup interview. Then I peeked into the arena to watch a few seconds of WKU closed practice. I tried to grab a few frames of video, but no luck. I was also worried about getting ousted. As I made my way back down to the photo workroom, I found the team walking to their bus. I shot a few seconds of video and started to put it all together. It is pretty down and dirty. I took the avi files into VisualHub and converted then into iMovie for a quick edit. I then took it back into VisualHub to export as an flv file. Compressed it and sent it to our online producer Chris Houchens. Did a walk around the arena, grabbed a Diet Coke and sat down to blog. Headed to the media buffet in a few and then will get gear ready and head to the floor. Very nervous. Pretty excited. Hoping for a win.

More in a bit.

Media Circus

Well, it’s officially a circus. I took the media shuttle to the U.S. Airways Center this morning at 9:30, got my credentials, secured a spot in the photo work room, talked to the photo marshall about my shooting spot for the game, saved the paper $300 on internet by getting a wireless line for cheap, got my camera’s cleaned, got some cool loaner gear, bought shirts and a hat for the family and oh yeah, shot a ton of pictures. 830 to be exact. I started off with West Virginia’s practice. Bob Huggins was looking rough. Then WKU took the floor and I shot from multiple angles, down low, up top and under the basket. The Hilltoppers looked relaxed, but not too relaxed. Following the 50 minute practice, they opened the locker room to the media. It was a circus! Reporters, videographers, photographers and more reporters rushed in for the news feeding frenzy. The players looked like deer in the headlights! I had to shoot from way above Courtney to see him from all the people closing in around him. Tyrone Brazelton was backed up against the wall. Even Adam Howard was getting some journalist love. I bet 30 people rushed in. I shot for about 20 minutes and did a quick sound interview with A.J. Slaughter and Boris Siakam. I use the voice recorder on the back of my camera to get 60 seconds of sound and then use it in the SoundSlides program we do our shows with. It just adds a little bit extra to the show. They should be online at www.bgdailynews.com by now. After the media frenzy, I went out and grabbed a few frames of Xavier’s practice for my shows. I went back and edited and then hit UCLA’s practice. They had the most fans. And man are they big, I mean really big. Speaking of fans, during WVa. practice a guy in a red shirt with a W on it sat down with his son and started watching the players and he stayed through WKU’s practice. I saw a bunch of TV people and reporters go over and interview him. I shot a few frames and planned to go over and get some sound. When I got closer, I noticed the W looked funny. I asked his name, Todd Baumer of Fort Wayne, Ind. I asked is he was a WKU fan. He said this is a Wisconsin shirt, I am a basketball fan and I came to watch all of the practices. He laughed and said every member of the media was surprised, thinking he was from WKU. He gave me his thoughts on the game and I used his sound.

I spent about two hours editing the pics, sound and slide shows. I shipped everything to the paper and packed up. On the way out I checked my photo position. During the first half of the WKU/UCLA game, I will be in the front row about the middle. In the second half, on WKU home end, I am in the front row, right under the basket. Primo photo real estate. Unless of course I get a ref who parks himself right under the basket. Which will really suck. Anyway, I am getting a little nervous about shooting. David Smith did such a good job for us, the pressure is on. I really will have to step it up a notch and shoot hard to justify spending almost $2K for a photographer to come out when we could get pics from the wire services. That’s why I did the slide show and put up the extra content. Time to find some dinner. I will log back on tonight to add more stuff to this blog, the Daily News blog and the online reprint service. I just got off the phone with Tracy and she said people have asked if I am having fun, did I go over to Las Vegas. I wish. If (or when WKU, wins) I might check out Phoenix and the surrounding area on Friday. If they lose, I am headed back to BG so I can see my son play soccer on Saturday. Just got a call from Brent Price. He and Jill are in Phoenix and I will be on the lookout for them at the game. More later.

Sweet 16 day 2

Here I am at the U.S. Airways Center on Thursday ready to cover practice and media day at the West Regional Finals. Rode the shuttle over, got my credentials, found the photo workroom and talked my way into $16.95 a day wireless instead of the $350 hard line. I went out and checked the light on the court and am getting my gear ready. Met the Nikon techs and got some loaner gear. West Virginia is on the floor and I shot a few pics and came back to post before WKU takes the floor. There is a ton of security and people checking your credentials everywhere. I am getting a bit excited about things starting to happen. I am ready to get the show on the road. More after WKU’s practice.

Sweet 16 day 1

I stayed up late last night packing for my trip to phoenix and the chance to cover the Hilltoppers. I made the morning budget meeting and worked the photo desk for three hours until a 1015 press conference at Diddle. Usually just the WKU beat writer Rob Herbst and BKO’s own James Brandenburg are there. But today we had the AP, Louisville and Nashville tv along with a few word herders I didn’t  recognize. Ty rogers and Tyrone Brazelton came in and sat down and answered questions for about 30 minutes. They were used to it by now. They have been on sports center CBS and been interviewed by tons of national press. They both gave great answers and one that stuck out was Tyrone talking about his friends asking if WKU was a Division 2 school. I tried to make interesting pictures to Wednesday’s sports centerpiece. I pulled out all of the stops looking for every angle. Another tv guy showed up late and took Ty and Tyrone out to floor of Diddle were I think I made the picture that will run Wednesday. I talked with ty for a minute about their travel plans and then left to pick up my reporter. We headed to Nashville to catch a flight on Southwest to Phoenix. The team was leaving by charter at 3 from BG. So here I am typing on my iPhone 40,000 up. Herbst wrote his story and crashed. I am going to get the flight attendants attention and cash in my free drink coupon for a bourbon. Back in a bit.

Made it to Phoenix. More later.

Getting a shot of the shot…

It is just about 20 minutes before the WKU UCSD game here in Tampa and like a player I have pre-game nerves. Ty Rogers amazing shot in the first game at the buzzer is still fresh in my mind even though the game is long over. It was one of the most nerve-wracking sporting events I have ever shot.

I was pretty fortunate to get a picture of Ty Rogers shot. I tried to follow the play as it came up the court and the time winded down. Usually you can predict what is going to happen and in this case I didn’t think he would be the one to get the ball for the last second shot. It was far away when he got the ball and the referee blocked my view momentarily. I was pretty aware of the time left and after I saw he shot I immediately swung my camera to the bench which was pretty close to my right thinking it would be a dejection shot of the Western players.

It was a shock to see them celebrating!

Rogers and the team ran out and went celebrating on the far side of the court. I almost ran out onto the court like I did during the Sun Belt victory but quickly remembered the NCAA rules forbidding it, so I never got pictures of him pointing to the heavens  and being thankful to God for his historical score.

I noticed he was pointing upwards with two fingers later, I like to think he was being thankful for his shot, and my shot, of him.

I guess I should have more faith and more faith in Ty Rogers too.

I hope we don’t need too many more miracles this game and it is decided early because right now my nerves are the only thing shot.

Madness at Double Dogs

If this post doesn’t garner many views over the next day or two, I won’t blame anybody.

Everyone with a rooting (or passing, or even negligible) interest will be riveted to their TVs for the NCAA Tournament that opens today, and I include myself among them.

Instead of skipping out on work to do so, I’ll be joining WKU’s Warren County Alumni Chapter this Friday at Double Dogs on Scottsville Road to watch the Toppers take on Missouri Valley Conference upstart Drake in the first round.

This will likely go down in history as one of the most enjoyable assignments it has been my privilege to receive. Getting paid to watch the tournament? In years past, the tournament has been a money-losing venture for me, so this will be a great reversal.

It’s going to be interesting to see the collective mood swings of the crowd throughout what should be a competitive matchup. I should disclose that my principal sporting allegiance is with UK, but one tournament memory that sticks out is following Western’s march to the Sweet 16 in 1993. It was fascinating to watch my mom, a Western alumna but not the biggest sports enthusiast, hang on every shot, rebound and loose ball during the Hilltoppers’ wins over then-Memphis State and Seton Hall and overtime loss to Florida State that year.

The impact of March Madness on offices nationwide is well-documented. Even so, one is nearly tempted to consider the tourney a no-lose proposition in the white-collar world — office pools inevitably bring co-workers closer together, college towns nationwide morph into self-contained carnivals and the tournament has the singular quality of turning complete strangers with divergent backgrounds into best friends, all because of a mutual interest in seeing a particular first-round upset take shape.

Unfortunately, the best teams in college are so top-heavy this year that I don’t predict very many upsets in the early rounds. I will say, though, that WKU appears to have a favorable draw this year that may land them in the tournament’s second weekend.

What plans do you have for the tournament? How much of a difference is there in the daily life of Bowling Green when WKU is involved in March Madness?

Fake Social Security cards – $150. Business sense – Priceless

 

 

 

 

The recent indictment of a Bowling Green man who faces federal prison and deportation for making fake Social Security cards and IDs, offers a quick lesson in supply and demand. 

 

According to U.S. Western District Attorney David Huber, 24-year old Rosendo Mendoza-Rodriguez, also known as Rogelio Villalon, of 1130 Roselawn Way produced was sentenced in u.s. district court on March 5 for selling and making the fake cards. 

 

What is interesting is that he was able to sell them for $150 a set — anything sold for that much garners importance and shows desperation. 

 

Armed with a make-shift trailer that had a laminating machine, printer, and other items, Rodriguez and conspirator Olegario Gregorio took pictures for the IDs at a house on Durbin Street and then drove to a trailer on Russellville Road to make and sell the fake cards — I bet you never thought such transactions could take place in Bowling Green. But open your eyes — the delicate immigration issues America faces is reflected throughout the Bowling Green community in unlikely places. 

 

The lengths that some will go to in order to pose as an American citizen speak to the struggles of more than 11 million illegal immigrants estimated by the Pew Hispanic Center and the U.S. Census Bureau to live in the U.S. 

 

But who needs documents when you have ITINS? Known as an Individual Tax Identification Number, or ITIN, the number is issued by the Internal Revenue Service for certain resident and non-resident immigrants, their spouses and their dependents who are not eligible to obtain a Social Security card, according to the IRS. 

 

Illegal immigrants are already taking part of nearly every aspect of the American economy, paying rent and utilities, using cell phones, buying cars, meals, clothes and haircuts, sending mail and money transfers, paying local attorneys for immigration work and divorces, and eating at local restaurants – all of which add to the goods and services consumed. With ITINS, they are buying houses and obtaining life insurance. 

 

No matter where you stand on the issue, Rosendo Mendoza-Rodriguez’s business sense highlights a complicated issue in America when it comes to undocumented workers and illegal immigrants.

 

Rodriguez will serve a year and three months in federal prison. Rodriguez was indicted on similar charges in eastern Kentucky after being arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigations last March. Gregorio also pled guilty to similar charges and was sentenced last year to a year and three months in federal prison. 

Influenza

If you wander through a doctor’s office on your way to a checkup and see someone in a mask, slowly back away.

They likely are there to be tested for a flu that is circulating in the area. Either that or they’re planning to rob a pharmacy. Either way, back off.

I had the misfortune of wearing one of those Daffy Duck looking masks Tuesday and tested positive for the flu, which I don’t remember having since I was a kid. A nurse will swab the inside of your nose, ending somewhere near the base of your brain, to begin the flu test.

As reported in the Daily News, the flu is widespread in the region. It is not a fun time, even though while nursing yourself back to health, there’s plenty of biased TV news coverage of the election to mock.

But the most important thing is to get diagnosed early and take whatever steps possible to ensure those around you aren’t infected with the virus. It can be dangerous, particularly for the very young and very old.

I was prescribed Tamiflu, but it must be taken between 12 and 48 hours after the onset of symptoms.

Suggestions:

*If you’ve been on one couch for too long, be daring: move to another one. Then rest.

*If you have a dog, pet it for a few minutes. Then rest.

*If it barks too much, get up and smack it. Get back on the couch.

*The key here is drink plenty of fluids, which is a tired phrase. What else can you drink, solids?

*Call someone you know who has the flu and chit chat about your symptoms. Kinda like exchanging recipes. Brothers in flu!

*Watch TV, but only between naps.

*Thank God that what you have is temporary.

Your word is…

Community Education’s Spell-a-Bration, held last night at the Knights of Columbus Hall, provided my two teammates and I with plenty of entertainment one doesn’t normally associate with spelling bees.

Maybe it was the costumes that most of the 23 participating teams – and their ardent supporters – wore that made the event less of a test of nerves and intellect and more of a scene from the old game show “Let’s Make A Deal”, but the Spell-a-Bration ranks up there among my favorite spelling bees in which I’ve participated.

Yes, I spent my awkward teenage years on the spelling bee circuit, reaching the pinnacle with a 21st place finish in the 1994 National Spelling Bee. So, finding myself on stage reciting letters before a judge and a rapt audience very nearly constitutes my natural habitat.

You may ask whether the Daily News hired me simply for use as a ringer for this year’s Spell-a-Bration.

The answer, in a word: no.

I’m fairly certain no one on our team (City Editor Wes Swietek, Business reporter Ameerah Cetawayo and myself) studied very much beforehand, and we didn’t win, which I see as the purpose of a ringer.

Instead, The Headliners finished in third place, knocked out by a National Spelling Bee-caliber word:

Graupel.

Honestly, when the other teams were taking their turns at the microphone, we were mostly incredulous that they were getting words we believed were easy.

So, I suppose it was only fitting that we were tripped up by a word we were hearing for the first time in our lives.

That word, again, being graupel:

graupel, a noun meaning a kind of precipitation consisting of brittle, white ice particles having a snowlike structure; soft hail.

Webster’s New World Collegiate Dictionary, Fourth Edition

Seriously, graupel.

I could watch the Weather Channel for the rest of my life and never come across a meteorologist issuing a graupel advisory.

In all, though, many thanks to Community Education and Hills Pet Nutrition for allowing us to take part in what proved to be a fun event that if not for the costumes, would have been way more intense.

In case you’re curious, the word that knocked me out in the National Spelling Bee was fauldstool – excuse me, faldstool.

MOVIES: Live Oscar Thoughts

There’s always something exciting about Oscar day. The anticipation kind of makes it like the Super Bowl for movie lovers. With a strike shortened award season, this year’s event should be a lot of fun.

 As the Red Carpet is flooded with nominees and ‘A’ List celebrities, the moment of the night may have just taken place.

On the ’E’ Channel, Ryan Seacrest was about to interview Jennifer Garner and Laura Linney when Gary Busey came in and proceeded to scare the daylights out of Seacrest and the ladies. All I can say for Busey is perhaps he should skip the ceremony and head straight to Celebrity Rehab.

It was one of the most awkward moments I can ever recall on a red carpet and I’m sure it’s going to be replayed for years to come. It is also the perfect example of why this whole red carpet process makes for fascinating television. 

 And the awards begin with a few surprises.

First they skipped a big award and went to Costumes, which went to Elizabeth: The Golden Age. I will admit the costumes were probably the best thing about Elizabeth, but I really thought Atonement, La Vie En Rose or even Sweeney Todd was more deserving.

Animated Feature (Ratatouille) and Make-up (La Vie En Rose) go as expected, but Golden Compass just upset Transformers for Visual Effects. With Compass and Elizabeth already getting awards, I guess that means its OK to be mediocre.

Sweeney Todd wins Art Direction, a category that seemed to be a shoo-in for There Will Be Blood. That’s not a good sign if you are hoping for Blood for a Best Picture upset.

As expected Bardem takes Best Supporting Actor.

It looks like they are spreading out the major awards this year, like they did last year, and are speeding through the technical awards.

Now that the Animated and Live Action shorts are out of the way, most people will return to their living rooms. My picks were just guesses, like anyone else doing an Oscar pool, so I admit I lucked into both picks. That being said, it’s pretty sad when I’m doing better at forecasting in the categories where I haven’t seen any of the nominees.

The most wide open category entering the night goes to Tilda Swinton. It looks like that last minute buzz was true. This will probably be the consolation prize for Michael Clayton. I was pulling for Amy Ryan, but Swinton’s win is pretty deserving too.

The Coen brothers win the first of what should be at least three awards, taking home Adapted Screenplay.

Poor Amy Adams. She has to sing Happy Working Song without any fanfare and then watch someone else sing That’s How You Know with a full cast of dancers. I’m anxiously waiting for Falling Slowly from Once.

They just announced Best Actress is about to be presented, so they really are spreading it out this year.

Knocked Up’s Seth Rogan and Jonah Hill add a little humor to Sound Editing and Sound Mixing. Both awards go to The Bourne Ultimatum, giving Bourne a shot to win three technical awards if it takes Editing as well.

Best Actress goes to Marion Cotillard, continuing the trend of awarding mediocre films. No offense to Cotillard, who was very good, but her performance was the only thing that made La Vie En Rose watchable. That could be the worst Best Actress winner since Jessica Lange won for Blue Sky.

That being said rentals for Rose should skyrocket in the next few days.

If you took Bourne Ultimatum as the nights big winner in your pool you are looking good in your pool. Bourne just picked up its third award of the night for Editing, denying everyone a chance to see who would accept the award if No County won. The Coens edited the film, but used an alias in the final credits.

Once gets its just award, Best Original Song. This almost makes up for Cotillard – almost. Glen Hansard gives a speech, ABC goes to commercial, and comes back with Stewart allowing co-winner Marketa Irglova a chance to say thanks as well.  Irglova’s speech proves to be one of the most elegant of the night.

There Will Be Blood finally gets on the board with Best Cinematography.

Watching the list of people who passed away in the last year, it’s still hard to believe Heath Ledger is dead.

Atonement gets on the board with Best Original Score.

Six awards left, beginning with Documentary Feature and Short.

Freeheld gets Short, while Taxi to the Darkside upsets No End in Sight for Feature. You have to give the Academy credit, they have certainly been unpredictable this year.

Diablo Cody, former exotic dancer turned screenwriter, is now an Oscar winner – taking home Best Original Screenplay. If Juno was going to win anything, it had to be screenplay. The dialogue was the sharpest and freshest of any film in 2007.

At least the Academy got Best Actor right. Daniel Day-Lewis wins for There Will Be Blood. Lewis thanks writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson (who should win director, but won’t). As humble as Lewis is, it is hard to believe that he could be capable of creating a character like Daniel Plainview. That’s why he may be one of the best living actors today.

After winning Best Director, Joel and Ethan Coen might as well stay on the stage and accept Best Picture. On a night of surprises the final 30 minutes proves to be quite predictable.

The final tally is No Country for Old Men with four awards (all in the major categories), The Bourne Ultimatum with three awards, and There Will Be Blood and La Vie En Rose with two each. On a year full of quality, the Academy did a decent job of spreading the wealth.

Here is a list of winners

•  Best Costume – Elizabeth: The Golden Age (I picked Atonement)
• Animated Feature – Ratatouille
• Makeup – La Vie En Rose
• Visual Effects – The Golden Compass (I picked Transformers)
• Art Direction - Sweeney Todd (I picked There Will Be Blood)
• Supporting Actor – Javier Bardem
• Live Action Short – Le Mozert Des Pickpockets
• Animated Short – Peter and the Wolf
• Best Supporting Actress - Tilda Swinton (I picked Cate Blanchett)
• Adapted Screenplay – No Country For Old Men
• Sound Editing – The Bourne Ultimatum (I picked Transformers)
• Sound Mixing – The Bourne Ultimatum (I picked Transformers)
• Actress – Marion Cotillard (I picked Julie Christie)
• Editing – The Bourne Ultimatum (I picked No Country For Old Men)
• Foreign Language – The Counterfeiters
• Original Song – Falling Slowly from Once
• Cinematography – There Will Be Blood
• Original Score – Atonement (I picked Ratatouille)
• Doc Short – Freeheld
• Documentary – Taxi to the Dark Side (I picked No End In Sight)
• Original Screenplay – Juno
• Actor – Daniel Day-Lewis
• Director – Joel and Ethan Coen
• Picture – No Country For Old Men

Live Blogging the Oscars

Have you ever wished that you could sit with Daily News movie critic Micheal Compton as the Oscars are announced? Well, he’s not inviting you to his house, but he will be blogging live Sunday night during the Oscars.

Live blogging provides a constant stream of content from an event. If you’re unfamiliar with the format, you can see where the Daily News has done this before when our photo editor Joe Imel liveblogged his quest for an iPhone last summer.

Check back here on the blog Sunday night for Micheal’s commentary and insight into the winners (and losers).