JordanCornblog on March 20th, 2010

I know we all get caught up in b-ball this time of year … but the real madness is the anniversary that just went by.  Seven years ago yesterday this country launched a pointless and incalculably damaging war.  Enough of us fell for the fear mongering and hatefully simplistic world view of the Bushies and neo-cons that we invaded another country on the flimsiest of fabricated pre-texts … and lots of people lost their lives as a result.

And now?  Well, now the guys who did it still walk around like they did something good, rather than something criminal.  And I guess now the history books in Texas, at least, will agree.  Good god, y’all!  No wonder the b-ball madness is so alluring.

In fact, I just signed up for another bracket … the Women’s Hoops Blog bracket at ESPN.  I figure the more brackets, the better the chance of winning.  You can still join, if you want!

On the men’s side, yesterday didn’t bring the thrills (and spills) that Day 1 did.  As it stands now, POTUS is at the top of the pile in our bracket.  (I honestly don’t begrudge him that … but he does need to pay up.  Can’t just let his 4-bucks be “added to the deficit” … tho’ his detractors will be saying that’s exactly what he’s aiming to do!  I am sure he’s planing to pay up.  Right?)

Some of our top scorers (so far) will soon be following their hoop fates from Sicily (you know who you are).  Safe travels and don’t forget your parka’s -- I hear it’s quite chilly there by the Mediterranean in March!  Oh, and “The Winners” -- when will we know that you are making your move?  Just wondering.  ;)

Here’s POTUS choosing his women’s bracket with Doris Burke … wee commercial first … and you have to click over to Youube to watch!

And now, I’m off for a run … gotta be in shape for these games!

PS  For some interesting reading, check out Alysa Auriemma’s Blog (yup, THAT Auriemma) — Life Beyond the Postseason — it’s a keeper.  She had me at … “I support any representation of Philly colleges in the bracketology reports.”

PPS This is just too good to pass up … Bill Maher exhibiting some possible Liz Cheney 2012 campaign posters.

Can you imagine?

Wouldn’t it be fun to see Liz and Sarah in a primary fight?

I’d buy tickets … okay, maybe not actually pay money … but I’d watch and enjoy … thoroughly.

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JordanCornblog on March 19th, 2010

For trenchant, insightful analysis of yesterday’s b-ball action, you’re gonna have to go elsewhere.  All I can say is that a few more upsets like last night’s Georgetown debacle will have our own dsabler, brigitte19, boyski and OhioRules  running the table!  And how about Murray State?  ODU?  St. Mary’s?

afboyny23 … sorry for your loss.  Who else had Georgetown in the final?  Anyone?

So, as things stand now, boyski is at the top of our brackets (and #611 in the tournament as a whole).  Savor it, boyski … fame is fleeting!  Murraydewd and POTUS are nipping at your heels … as are all the rest of us (more or less) with a looonnnggg way to go!

Today the men finish out their first round and the women start up tomorrow -- when the men begin their round 2.  POTUS’ picks are added to our group … looks like he was pretty conservative.  (Probably playing it safe ’til healthcare goes through).  I wonder if Michelle did brackets, too???  Gotta check that out.  Here’s some Baracketology …

In other, extremely random, news … here’s a listing of upcoming concerts by Sarah Jarosz … she is amazing!  If I’m free on 5/22, I’m getting myself to Cambridge!

For Breakers fans, here’s Tiffany Weimer’s blog … as she adjusts to Boston …

… and here’s Alex Scott’s blog, as she embarks on season #2 with the B’s!

The Breakers have trimmed their roster to 24 … to be followed by final cuts that will take it to 18.  Here’s who’s left as of right now … still bumming about MFM!

Jordan Angeli,   Defender,   Santa Clara

Liz Bogus,   Forward,   Arizona State

Lauren Cheney,   Forward,   UCLA

Stephanie Cox,   Defender,   Portland

Laura Del Rio,   Forward,   Spain

Gina DiMartino,   Forward,   Boston College

Fabiana,   Forward,   Brazil

Taryn Hemmings,   Forward,   University of Denver

Amy LePeilbet,   Defender,   Arizona State

Kristine Lilly,   Midfielder,   University of North Carolina

Alli Lipsher,   Goalkeeper,   Duke

Analisa Marquez,   Forward/Defender,   University of Arizona

Kasey Moore,   Defender,   University of Texas

Alyssa Naeher,   Goalkeeper,   Penn State

Leslie Osborne,   Midfielder,   Santa Clara

Ashley Phillips,   Goalkeeper,   Clemson

Katherine Reynolds,   Defender,   Santa Clara

Alex Scott,   Defender,   England

Kelly Smith,   Forward/Midfielder,   England

Maggie Tomecka,   Midfielder,   University of North Carolina

Sarah Walsh,   Forward,   Australia

Tiffany Weimer,   Forward,   Penn State

Claire Zimmeck,   Forward,   College of William & Mary

Additional injured players not participating in training camp include Jennifer Nobis, Cynthia Morote-Ariza, and Michelle Enyeart.

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JordanCornblog on March 18th, 2010

I was all set to be mad again this year, as Newsweek has featured lots of analysis of the President’s Bracket yet again.  Where are the women?  He can’t have left them out again?

Come to find out, no … he made those picks, too.  They’ll be featured tomorrow.  Stay tuned.

In other sports news, I see that the USWNT is slated to play Germany in Cleveland this May … cool!

Meanwhile, there’s healthcare and all.  Maddow had a great rundown of the bill and the bizarre and persistent craziness of Bart Stupak as he continues to tilt at windmills.  I feel very torn about the whole thing … which is why I can’t understand Bart’s unhapiness.  You pretty much have what you want, Stupak!

Obama walked into the lion’s den (errr, the rabid fox’s den more like it) doing an interview on Fox News.  You can read the transcript here.

Oh, and what’s with Jesse James?  Seems pretty stupak to me.

The madness begins at 12:20PM ET … how will YOU fare?

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JordanCornblog on March 17th, 2010

Looks like most follks are getting their picks in order for the Madness to begin.  Just a quick reminder that the Men’s bracket closes at @ noontime tomorrow … women’s same time on Friday.  Are you ready with your picks?  Me – I keep changing mine whenever I have a free moment … that’s how sure I feel about ‘em!

One thing I am quite definite about … I always root against Jerry Falwell’s Liberty U (because I don’t want to see the idea that God actually has a hand in all this reinforced at the Big Dance).  It’s one and done for Liberty … because God thinks you are wrong!

Speaking of liberty (never one of my favorite words) – isn’t it interesting that Clarence Thomas’ wife has come out as a tea bagger?  Here’s her website … inspiring as all get out, eh?

How hypocritical that Obama’s friendship with a radical of some 30 years ago is grist for right-wing outrage … but this current activity by the bedmate of a member of SCOTUS is … okay?

Not to neglect soccer entirely, here’s Alex Scott’s first blog post of the new WPS season … love it!

Oh, and mld, yo … are you gonna get your brackets in or what?  Budget schmudget … your priorities, girl, your priorities!!!

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JordanCornblog on March 16th, 2010

America’s fittest cities according to Gallup, are almost all in states begnning with a C.  The two anomalies?  Massachusetts and Nevada (both of which border on C-States).  This obvious and important factor in your fitness has not yet been studied, but I expect it soon will be.

Meanwhile, as you get your brackets set (there’s still time to change your mind, Mo) here’s some nice info about Breakers old and new … be sure to check the slide show and meet the team!

And have you wondered what became of Epiphanny Prince?  She skipped her senior year at Rutgers and has been playing in Russia … and now Turkey … as she works on her game with an eye to making it big!

Kagawa, Prince’s agent, said Prince should follow the lead of Cappie Pondexter, another former Rutgers guard. Pondexter first played for Fenerbahce, a powerhouse in Turkey, before moving on to UMMC Ekaterinburg of the Russian league, where she is believed to be one of the highest-paid female players in the world.

Prince has become something of a trailblazer, one of the first players to forgo her senior year of college to earn money and face tougher, more physical competition overseas.

Before she left, Prince’s family gathered for a celebration. Her grandmother cooked all of Prince’s favorite foods, including macaroni and cheese. Her mother gave her thermal underwear to help ward off Moscow’s cold.

As Prince stood in her living room, looking at the family she hopes to move from low-income housing in Brooklyn with the money she will make playing professionally, she thought about how much her decision had changed everything.

“If I was in school, I’d be taking the conditioning test right now,” Prince said she thought to herself.

Instead, she trained with perhaps the best women’s professional basketball team in the world, then packed again and went to Turkey, where her international odyssey continues.

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JordanCornblog on March 15th, 2010

Reading about Peter Graves’ death took me back … way back … to Saturday morning TV in the early ’50’s.  Specifically, The Broken Wheel Ranch where Joey rode Fury … and I dreamed about BEING Joey and riding Fury!  You can watch a few old episodes here.

From there it was a small step to Spin and Marty …

(Okay, okay … go to You Tube to watch!)

and thence to Zorro …

and …

and OMG … Ding Dong School …

… and thence to wasting an entire day, if I’m not careful!

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JordanCornblog on March 14th, 2010

As the rain pelts and the wind howls outside, I’m on my second cup of coffee, contemplating a blank screen and toying with the idea of writing something really silly.

JordanCornblog has been feeling rather rudderless of late.  (Talking about the blog here, not the actual person.)  Being “ruddered” was never what I’d call a strong suit of the blog, but lately things seem especially aimless.

  • Maybe it’s because healthcare reform is too complex for early morning writing.  (Note the implication that, were JordanCornblog to tackle it later in the day there’d be no problem.)
  • Maybe it’s the fact that at least one reader gets annoyed every time I bring up Ms. Palin … so I am a little shy about that particular obsession.
  • Maybe it’s the just plain predictable, deadening-yet-terrifying boringness of the far right and all their machinations.  I mean, how many times can you come up with creative ways to call them idiots?
  • Maybe it’s the fact that Dick Cheney’s diseased heart just keeps ticking.
  • Or maybe I can blame it on UConn and the fact that they have removed much of the drama from the women’s side of the March Madness equation.

On the plus side, March Madness will soon be underway.  (Note to Mo and RPE … can you reach out to your bro/cousin on FB and get him the links for playing?  We need the perspective from Sicily to liven things up!)

And the WPS springs into action next month … brrrrr … those cement seats at Harvard stadium sure are inviting on a damp April evening!

Here’s a snippet for Boltgirl … the Red Stars have signed Engen and dropped two as they put the team through its pre-season paces.  Nice to see that Kate Markgraf is back in the mix for the Red Stars (But not yet for the USWNT – wonder what Kate’s plans are on that front – anyone heard?).  Still puzzled by the Red Stars’ release of Tarpley … but the proof’ll be in the pudding, I guess.  The Athletica look scary good to me!

Here’s the preseason game thread … and partial schedule (below) from BigSoccer … where I also read that Atlanta beat Auburn 3-2 this past week on the strength of goals by Latham, Thompson, and Zerboni:

3/12 – Chicago Red Stars vs. Washington Freedom (Vero Beach, FL)  (Freedom 2-Red Stars 1 … DeVanna for the Freedom is the only goal-scorer I read about.)

3/13 – FC Gold Pride vs. TEPCO Mareeze (Mustang Soccer Complex, Danville, CA)

3/17 – Boston Breakers vs. US U-20 National Team (Univ of Florida?)

3/20 – Boston Breakers vs. Sky Blue FC (Univ. of Florida?)

3/20 – Philadelphia Independence vs. University of North Carolina (United Sports, Downingtown, PA)

3/23 – Boston vs. Atlanta (Univ. of Florida?)

3/24 – Boston vs University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)

3/25 – FC Gold Pride vs. University of San Francisco (Negoesco Stadium, San Francisco, CA)

3/27 – Philadelphia Independence at Washington Freedom

4/1 – FC Gold Pride vs. Santa Clara (Buck Shaw Stadium)

4/1 – Philadelphia Independence vs. Penn State University (Downingtown, PA)

4/3 – Saint Louis Athletica vs. Atlanta Beat (University of Tulsa, OK).

The USWNT is prepping to play Mexico later this month … so here’s a bit about the Mexico team … including ex-Breaker (and Mexico captain) Monica Gonzalez … who’s got a modeling gig going, too.

We are heading down to Nashua to watch Mo and his Twin Valley teammates win their second-in-a-row State Championship in ice hockey (fingers crossed).  Stay tuned – and don’t worry, RPE – I will NOT use the word minions when I write this one up – promise!

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It is with great sadness that I report that, while following the USWNT and WPS and getting ready for March Madness, JordanCornblog entirely missed the fact that Texas was finally and unequivocally losing it.  The State’s ultra-conservatives have apparently succeeded in injecting their skewed world view into school curriculums … beating back what small progress had been made there on the intellectual front.

“Some board members themselves acknowledged this morning that the process for revising curriculum standards in Texas is seriously broken, with politics and personal agendas dominating just about every decision,” said Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network, which advocates for religious freedom.

Republican Terri Leo, a member of the powerful Christian conservative voting bloc, called the standards “world class” and “exceptional.”

World class, indeed. More discouraging, I’d say.  Reality is a subjective thing … but I guess that’s the issue, isn’t it.  Some people just don’t see it that way.  Those dudes in Texas, they see it as cut and dried – my way or the highway.  Guess we’re lucky they don’t insist on a different outcome to the Civil War.

On to happier things … like celebrating Alice’s birthday … ;) and watching Mo play hockey this weekend … and getting ready for March Madness.  While the winner on the Women’s side seems kinda predictable … EVERYTHING else is looking wide open to me.  I am looking forward to some crazy upsets in the coming weeks.

And in soccer news, I see that the Breakers have made some cuts … including Mary Frances Monroe … :(

Here’s a nice video of the Philly Independence at camp … check out the snow piles down there!

Independence Insight – March 8, 2010 from Philadelphia Independence on Vimeo.

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JordanCornblog on March 12th, 2010

Wow, as I look out my window I’m struck by the inveterate greyness of March.  Isn’t that what you think of?  March … November … winter’s leaden book-ends.

Back in Philly I remember that March always also spelled the beginning of lacrosse season … wooden sticks and muddy fields and the joy of being outside again after 3 1/2 months of smelly, sweaty gyms.  No boundaries to the fields back then … and days lengthening and the sounds of children’s voices outside of an evening.  Yup, “lacrosse weather!”

Of course it’s “baseball weather” as well.  Different, younger feel to that for me.  The feel of baseball weather takes me back to elementary school, when Johnny Callison was my favorite Phillie.  Now as I age (and some might say, regress) I find myself having “favorite Phillies” again … and wishing we hadn’t buried the damn baseball cards all those years ago.  In a fit of grammar school paranoia, we hid them so well from our neighborhood “enemies” that when we went back to find them later, even we couldn’t ferret them out again.

And DAMN … if we had them in hand today, the Cornblog sibs would probably all be able to retire quite comfortably.

Baseball weather.  Thinking of that I see my father on the patio, Harry Kalas … or By Saam … droning as he smokes and snoozes after a day at work.  (Mom is prowling inside … but we won’t think about that right now.)  There’s Dad, steady, predictable, mysterious in his way.  Or I see him working in his garden, little transistor radio perched precariously on the fence.  The magnolia is blooming, and the radishes are coming up.

Ah radishes – always the first produce in the spring … proudly presented, and not-so-happily eaten, at least by yours truly, as I recall.  (Always felt a little guilty about that … can still feel it here at my desk in Canterbury.)

Here’s to a March Morning … as the Madness approaches … and dark winter recedes.  And Dad, seriously … thanks for the radishes!  I appreciate them now!

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JordanCornblog on March 11th, 2010

Move-On has created a wonderful send-up of the bizarre Glenn Beck as he shows us, indisputably, how a person by the name of Sam Stein (or maybe YOU) is at the core of all of our troubles.  Sign in via Facebook and have some fun!

Randomly speaking (it’s that kind of morning) … for Twitter aficionados, here’s a site where you can find various athletes on Twitter.  It’s a big help … especially if you care about following the real people!  ;)

In local hoops news, congratulations to the Conant High School boys’ and girls’ b-ball teams – BOTH of whom are state champs!

I loved this – the genuine energy of it … as Hillary and Michelle share a laugh over a near-gaffe;)

And I am feeling my age … as I have absolutely no idea who Corey Haim is/was and didn’t even recognize him.  Don’t quite know what to think about that but, believe me, I am thinking!

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JordanCornblog on March 10th, 2010

I just sent out my initial March Madness e-mail … as the excitement builds.  We had some blog readers participate last year … so be sure to be in touch if you’re interested again and I haven’t contacted you! ;)

I am mulling my post about anger … need to set aside some time for it.  Maybe tonight.  Meanwhile, I’ve added a local legal group to my list of annoyances (sorry, AMR).  They are an advocacy group who I would normally be very much in support of, as their mission is to defend the rights of people who might not otherwise have a voice.

In practice, however, they are too often unreasonable and prone to insert themselves where their activities are actually quite counter-productive from a clinical point of view.  The fact is that good mental health treatment can sometimes put providers and clients at odds … and working that through is part of the process of recovery.  Insert an attorney and things get all f-cked up.  But they don’t see it … and man can that ever be a pain in the butt.  Especially when they cop an attitude, too.

Ugh – let’s talk soccer.

England is playing in the Cypress Cup, where they are not having the tournament they’d like … but did pull out the win against Italy (with 2 goals by our own Alex Scott)!

Here’s a profile of Breaker newbie Katherine Reynolds … as the season draws nigh … ;)

And congrats to Chrsitie Rampone and family … who welcome another daughter … Reece … to the world!

And what do YOU think … is UConn TOO good?  Let’s get a discussion going here …

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JordanCornblog on March 9th, 2010

So UConn survived a small first-half scare from Notre Dame and are now set to face West Virginia in the Big East Final tonight (7PM ET).  They also secured their 71st straight victory – eclipsing the streak that ended in 2003.  It’s kind scary to think about how long this might go on …

Pia has called Lil back into camp … first time since 2008 for the former captain. Congrats. Lil – and good luck making the roster!  “If Lilly makes the game roster and gets into one of the Mexico matches, she will have represented the USA in four different decades. “  Yikes, is all I can say.  Here are the 24 players .

Goalkeepers (3): Nicole Barnhart (FC Gold Pride), Jill Loyden (Chicago Red Stars), Hope Solo (St. Louis Athletica)

Defenders (8): Rachel Buehler (FC Gold Pride), Stephanie Cox (Boston Breakers), Whitney Engen (Chicago Red Stars), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Heather Mitts (Philadelphia Independence), Meghan Schnur (Sky Blue FC), Brittany Taylor (Sky Blue FC), Cat Whitehill (Washington Freedom)

Midfielders (7): Yael Averbuch (Sky Blue FC), Shannon Boxx (St. Louis Athletica), Kristine Lilly (Boston Breakers), Lori Lindsey (Philadelphia Independence), Carli Lloyd (Sky Blue FC), Heather O’Reilly (Sky Blue FC), Megan Rapinoe (Chicago Red Stars)

Forwards (6): Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers), Alex Morgan (California), Casey Nogueira (Chicago Red Stars), Kelley O’Hara (FC Gold Pride), Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence), Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom)

Writing this just reminded me that I dreamed about soccer … and about former coach Greg Ryan playing in goal and making a series of hapless, dunderheaded plays, humiliating himself and kinda making me a wee bit happy, have to say.  Weird, huh?

Got me thinking about how much anger I drag around with me … unprocessed, sapping energy and snagging me at inopportune times.  Grist for a future post.  ;)

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JordanCornblog on March 8th, 2010

Such a nice taste of spring this past weekend (if you don’t think about global warming, that is).  We had a great visit with friends, and some outdoor activities, including two fires – one nighttime beauty at the top of the hill in the fire pit … and another in the chiminea last night before dinner.  So warm last evening I half expected to hear the first peepers … but we’re getting WAY ahead of ourselves.

We did notice a daffodil pushing through the field grass yesterday afternoon.  Go back, little guy, go back!

I spent a good part of the afternoon trimming apple branches for drying, sawing, and, ultimately, some sweet burning come next year.

Meanwhile, in sharp contrast, HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew headed up to the lake.

There they found everything in order … but rather wintry … to say the least!

The place has withstood the winds for 108 years … but man … those are some wild winters (and some humungous snow piles) up there!

Check this out … CharlieHopbrew walks beside the shoulder-high phone line.

He is snowshoeing over a drift in the back yard that has nearly buried the woodshed.

Careful, Charlie!

You’re taking “Reach out and Touch” to a whole new level!

And the Cornblog mailbox … looks pretty comfy there, doesn’t it?

All nestled in the snow up by the road …

Hard to believe that the snow will all be gone … boats in the water … dock in … windows open … sun shining … and all things back to summer-normal in another couple of months.

For now, though, winter appears to be rather firmly entrenched up there in those howling Helderberg hills!

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JordanCornblog on March 7th, 2010

Congrats to the Conant girls’ b-ball team for making it into the Class M final as a #8 seed!

I love this poem, cribbed from The Writers’ Almanac … as we experience another day of spring-like weather here in NH.

The Old Neighbors

by Katha Pollitt

The weather’s turned, and the old neighbors creep out
from their crammed rooms to blink in the sun, as if
surprised to find they’ve lived through another winter.
Though steam heat’s left them pale and shrunken
like old root vegetables,
Mr. and Mrs. Tozzi are already
hard at work on their front-yard mini-Sicily:
a Virgin Mary birdbath, a thicket of roses,
and the only outdoor aloes in Manhattan.
It’s the old immigrant story,
the beautiful babies
grown up into foreigners. Nothing’s
turned out the way they planned
as sweethearts in the sinks of Palermo. Still,
each waves a dirt-caked hand
in geriatric fellowship with Stanley,
the former tattoo king of the Merchant Marine,
turning the corner with his shaggy collie,
who’s hardly three but trots
arthritically in sympathy. It’s only
the young who ask if life’s worth living,
notMrs. Sansanowitz, who for the last hour
has been inching her way down the sidewalk,
lifting and placing
her new aluminum walker as carefully
as a spider testing its web. On days like these,
I stand for a long time
under the wild gnarled root of the ancient wisteria,
dry twigs that in a week
will manage a feeble shower of purple blossom,
and I believe it: this is all there is,
all history’s brought us here to our only life
to find, if anywhere,
our hanging gardens and our street of gold:
cracked stoops, geraniums, fire escapes, these old
stragglers basking in their bit of sun.

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JordanCornblog on March 6th, 2010

With 50 senators ready to give the thumbs up on reconciliation, are we about to see some change actually happen?  The complexity of the issues and the utter brokenness of the system leave me tearing at my hair and honestly almost preferring near-random change to inaction.  (Of course I would not be saying that were Dubya still appearing to be in charge.)

On the sibling rivalry front, do you ever wonder what Liz Cheney and Mary Cheney actually think of one another?  Can you imagine what lurks under the surface at family Thanksgivings in that household?  Man … if any one of them every were to open up and actually experience the internal dissonances and conflicts that they each harbor it would be so amazingly and gloriously messy!  I wonder if they actually dissociate, as a way of coping … or are content to just be deeply and unrelentingly hypocritical.  It’s a question I sometimes ponder when running uphill (anger helps energize me for those climbs)!

Big Ben … WTF?  And this, right before your sister is gearing up for Tournament time?  That stinks, any way you look at it.

Speaking of Tournaments … are you ready?  Here’s the TV schedule (Central time, remember) through Selection Monday (that’s the Women’s selection date … the one that most of the world is ignoring … but not us!!!):

SATURDAY, MARCH 6
Big East Second Round Game 1……….11:00am……….Big East Regional Sports Network
Atlantic Sun Championship……….11:00am……….CSS
ACC Tournament Semifinal 1……….12:00……….Fox Sports Net
Summit League Quarterfinal 1……….12:00……….Metro Sports
Big East Second Round Game 2……….1:00……….Big East Regional Sports Network
Pac-10 Wildcard Game……….2:30……….Fox Sports Net
Summit League Quarterfinal 2……….2:30……….Metro Sports
ACC Tournament Semifinal 2……….2:30……….Fox Sports Net
SEC Championship Semifinal 1……….2:30……….ESPNU
Big Ten Tournament Game 8……….4:00……….Big Ten Network
SEC Championship Semifinal 2……….4:30……….ESPNU
Big East Second Round Game 3……….5:00……….Big East Regional Sports Network
Big Ten Tournament Game 9……….approx. 6:30……….Big Ten Network
Big East Second Round Game 4……….7:00……….Big East Regional Sports Network
Texas A&M at Kansas……….7:00……….Sunflower
Montana State at Northern Arizona……….8:30……….NAU Dish Network Channel #9411

SUNDAY, MARCH 7
Big East Quarterfinal 1……….11:00am……….ESPNU
Southern Conference Semifinal 1……….11:00am……….SportSouth
MAAC Championship……….11:00am……….MSG/MAAC TV
Atlantic 10 Semifinal 1……….11:30am……….CBS College Sports
ACC Tournament Championship……….12:00……….Fox Sports Net
Summit League Quarterfinal 3……….12:00……….Metro Sports
Big East Quarterfinal 2……….1:00……….ESPNU
Atlantic 10 Semifinal 2……….1:00……….CBS College Sports
Southern Conference Semifinal 2……….1:30……….SportSouth
Texas at Baylor……….2:30……….Fox Sports Net
Summit League Quarterfinal 4……….2:30……….Metro Sports
Big Ten Tournament Championship……….3:30……….ESPN2
Oklahoma State at Oklahoma……….4:00……….Sooner Sports Network
Big East Quarterfinal 3……….5:00……….ESPNU
SEC Champhionship……….5:30……….ESPN2
Big East Quarterfinal 4……….7:00……….ESPNU

MONDAY, MARCH 8
Sun Belt Conference Semifinal 1……….12:00……….Cox Sports/CSS
WCC Championship……….2:00……….ESPNU
Sun Belt Conference Semifinal 2……….2:30……….Cox Sports/CSS
Atlantic 10 Championship……….4:00……….ESPN2
Southern Conference Championship……….4:00……….SportSouth
Big East Semifinal 1……….5:00……….ESPNU
High Point at Liberty……….5:00……….Flames Television Network
Big East Semifinal 2……….7:00……….ESPNU

TUESDAY, MARCH 9
Sun Belt Conference Championship……….1:00……….ESPNU
Summit League Championship……….3:00……….ESPNU
Big East Championship……….6:00……….ESPN

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10
C-USA Championship Semifinal 1……….5:00……….CBS College Sports
C-USA Championship Semifinal 2……….7:30……….CBS College Sports

THURSDAY, MARCH 11
MAC Seminfinal 1……….11:00am……….Fox Sports Net
Southland Conference Semifinal 1……….12:00……….Southland Conference Television Network
MAC Seminfinal 2……….1:30……….Fox Sports Net
Southland Conference Semifinal 2……….2:30……….Southland Conference Television Network

FRIDAY, MARCH 12
Big 12 Championship Quarterfinal 1……….11:00am……….Fox Sports Net
C-USA Championship……….12:30……….CBS College Sports
Big 12 Championship Quarterfinal 2……….1:30……….Fox Sports Net
Big 12 Championship Quarterfinal 3……….5:00……….Fox Sports Net
Southland Conference Championship……….7:00……….Southland Conference Television Network
Big 12 Championship Quarterfinal 4……….7:30……….Fox Sports Net

SATURDAY, MARCH 13
Pac-10 Semifinal 1……….TBD……….Fox Sports Net
Pac-10 Semifinal 2……….TBD……….Fox Sports Net
CAA Semifinal Game #1……….11:00am……….The Comcast Network/CSS/Comcast SportsNet/WSKY
Big 12 Championship Semifinal 1……….12:00……….Fox Sports Net
MAC Championship……….12:00……….Fox Sports Net
Big South Conference Semifinal 1……….12:00……….SportsSouth
Big West Championship……….12:00……….Fox Sports Net Prime Ticket
CAA Semifinal Game #2……….1:30……….The Comcast Network/CSS/Comcast SportsNet/WSKY
Big South Conference Semifinal 2……….2:00……….SportsSouth
Big 12 Championship Semifinal 2……….2:30……….Fox Sports Net
WAC Championship……….3:00……….ESPNU
SWAC Championship……….5:00……….ESPNU
MVC Semifinal #1……….5:00……….Fox Sports Net
Patriot League Championship……….5:00……….CBS College Sports
MVC Semifinal #2……….7:30……….Fox Sports Net

SUNDAY, MARCH 14
Pac-10 Championship……….TBD……….Fox Sports Net
MEAC Championship (tape delay)……….10:00am……….ESPNU
CAA Championship Game……….11:30am……….Comcast SportsNet/CSS/The Comcast Network
Horizon League Championship……….12:00……….ESPNU
Big 12 Championship Final……….12:30……….Fox Sports Net
Big South Conference Championship……….1:00……….SportsSouth
NEC Championship……….2:00……….ESPNU
MVC Championship……….2:30……….Fox Sports Net

MONDAY, MARCH 15
Selection Monday……….6:00……….ESPN/ESPNU
NCAA Women’s Basketball Selection Special: Extended Coverage……….7:00……….ESPNU

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JordanCornblog on March 5th, 2010

So it’s Friday … and the “true colors” theme continues to be apt, as I see that … Roy Ashburn, a rabid anti-gay GOPer … was arrested for DUI after leaving a gay nightclub, according to sources.  Here’s his voting record … a profile that’s becoming more and more familiar, eh?  I mean, might we safely begin to assume that a rabid anti-gay stance is a sort of back-handed way of coming out?  That’s what I’m thinking.

It’s no wonder that some many GOPers seem awfully cranky.  Their heads must be near-to-exploding with cognitive dissonance!

Here’s a nice piece by Yael Averbuch, chronicling her Algarve experience and sharing her excitement for the upcoming WPS season!  Love what she’s picking up from Pia … something I’ll keep in mind as I enter my day today …

On Tuesday, I jotted down a few notes in our team meeting. At the top of my paper it says, “TWO MORE STEPS.” This was something that Pia had written on the dry erase board. It means that in the attack we want to make each run just two steps longer. When defending, we want to close that space just two steps more so we can tackle. But the philosophy behind it is to just do that little bit more. We can all give a little more to make ourselves better and to invest in the team’s success. After writing “TWO MORE STEPS,” I listed some of the things that I want to focus on moving forward into this W.P.S. season. I can’t wait to get home and continue working on those things!

From USSF, here are highlights of the final!

On the local scene, the Breakers’ Members-Only Meet The Team Party is set for Monday, April 5th in Cambridge.  Here’s what they say …

Mark your calendars now for the annual Meet The Team Party on Monday, April 5th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Hyatt Regency, 575 Memorial Drive in Cambridge. This private reception is exclusive for Breakers Members and is free of charge. Be the first to meet every player on this year’s team, hear from the coaching staff and collect autographs and photos from all of your favorite players. Please RSVP your attendance by Monday, March 29th to Bailey Frye at bfrye@bostonbreakers.com. You may bring one person for each ticket in your Membership package. You may also give away your invitations to guests if you do not plan to attend yourself, but we will need to know their names by RSVP.

Alice?  Ron? AMR?  Stephen?  Boltgirl? ;)   Will you represent us if we give ya the passes?  MLD, are you going?  Need more tix?

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The GOP’s hate and fear-mongering is over the top, and inexcusable.  The big question for me … are we a nation of idiots?  Will the good people of Kansas … not to mention the rest of the states …keep falling for this crap?  Is it possible to rescind a political party’s right to exist?  I’d like to explore that.

And then there’s Sarah P – unleashed in Hollywood and definitely showing her true colors there.  No need to comment further.

On a happier note, the USWNT showed their true colors with a win over Germany on a muddy Algarve pitch … and their 7th Algarve title!  Thanks to mld, there’s some highlight video that you can watch – looks like very difficult conditions!  Nice to see Carly start scoring again, eh mld?

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JordanCornblog on March 3rd, 2010

Yesterday I had one of those angry right wing commenters visit.  This time waxing eloquent about the HUGE economy of Texas … and how States like California are going down the tubes because they are fundamentally socialist.  (The comment was attached to a really old post, BTW … Memo to the Red States from the Blue States.)  It’s the usual stuff – blaming of the poor and disenfranchised … and equating success with goodness and worth, as simplistic Christians are wont to do.

I’ve been thinking about it and have come to the conclusion that the big difference between the Democrats and the Republicans comes down to early development and lessons taught (but obviously not always learned) in kindergarten.

It’s about sharing, folks.

That’s it, Texas.  Congratulations on all the toys you have accumulated.  Now, will you share?

No?  Then I think someone needs to send you to the corner, so you can think about it.

Come back when you’re ready to behave like a big boy.

Soccer stuff?  We’ve got the Algarve final today at 11AM.  USWNT vs. Germany.  Sadly, I’ll be out of the office … but here’s to a good showing and another win for Pia’s bunch!

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JordanCornblog on March 2nd, 2010

So first off, birthday greetings to CharlieHopbrew, who is not only getting older … but also has to contend with a stove pipe set dangerously askew by the high winds and snow that pummeled so many of us this past weekend.

What can I say … it sucks all around!

;)

The USWNT defeated Sweden yesterday on the strength of two second half goals by the Boston Breakers’ own Lauren Cheney.  Nicely done, ladies!  Now it’s on to the final against Germany (tomorrow at 11AM ET – on MatchTracker).

And speaking of the Breakers – they’re in training now Jordan Angeli is a rookie defender hoping to gain a spot on the roster for the 2010 campaign.  (Here at JordanCornblog we think anyone named Jordan anything is the bomb!)

Finally – congrats to Tina Charles on her record-breaking night!  Rebecca Lobo does herself proud in this interview with Tina … you gota watch! ;)

HAND!

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JordanCornblog on March 1st, 2010

Today we’ve got the USWNT vs. Sweden on tap at 10AM ET … for a spot in the Algarve final.  (US needs a win or a tie to move on.)  Let’s hope Matchtracker is up and running!

Tonight we’ve got UConn vs Notre Dame.

Tomorrow it’s CharlieHopbrew’s birthday!

And I’m off to work on my taxes … these blogging revenues have put me right over the top!

;)

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