Artist Spotlight: The Blow

The Blow's "Paper Television" was picked up a couple of weeks ago after it hit a few Best Of 2006 polls and I'm definitely seeing why. Most of the reviews I've read have focused on lead singer's Khaela Maricich's lyrics and her off-kilter tales of love, but as I'm a music is greater than lyrics kinda guy the album's production (by Jona Bechtolt who also makes music under the moniker Yacht) is the main draw for me. It feels like a definite 21st Century pop album influenced as much by hiphop and electronica as traditional electro-pop, very much of the now. Refreshingly short too at about 30 minutes or so, keeping the standard high and the pop buzz fresh.

As a sample try Pile of Gold which comes over like the Knack remixed by Squarepusher; Maricich’s voice flanked by mini acid squiggles and frenetic handclaps.

The Blow-Pile Of Gold

You can also stream wonderfully summer-y song Parentheses over at their Myspace.

Buy Paper Television at iTunes or Amazon

Terps Basketblog

Maryland beat FSU last night at the Comcast Center, pretty soundly. 73-55. An ugly game smattered with poor officiating failing to let the players simply play. Regardless, I digress. I post on a fairly regular basis to a Maryland Basketball blog and entered into a funny encounter today between myself and another regular poster of the site. I'm going to post the exchange here, but be forewarned, it most likely won't hold much relevance to you or entertain you, unless at least mildly fascinated with either basketball or insulting people. It's long and for most it will probably be boring, though I did work a Billy Madison quote in just to keep the discussion interesting, and it's as follows:

Al Vinchent — February 22, 2007 @ 9:56 am
MJ was a star, he has crazy ability that was lost if the Strawberry, Gilchrist, McCray, and every other problem that took away from GW developing him. Bowers and Visser were the same kids as freshman. 7 footers with one or two moves, weakish, and goofy. Visser has gotten a lot more muscular and quicker with 4 or 5 moves. They are predicting Visser to be a NBA center possibly starting in a year or two. Bowers is the same, weak, goofy, 2 move 7 footer. So CT I believe that GW lost a few recruits by not putting out a better product. Garrison was a beast to the least. Gist is heading that way. He should not shoot beyond 15 foot for this team. He is a monster in the paint when he chooses to. The post play will get him to the next level, not 3’s. The clay is not being molded very well which in turn leads tot he clay going elsewhere. If my kid is an average kid at 7 foot he is not going to GW to become no better. I would send him to WFU first. I have seen them make a post player better. Even Eric Williams got better, though he washed out.

E$ — February 22, 2007 @ 10:29 am
The Kyle Visser to Will Bowers comparison is absolutely laughable. If you look at them coming out of high school and wanted to project out how they would develop you’ve got to take lots of variables into account. You can’t place the responsiblity solely upon GW. He’s actually has quite a record at developing big men with less athletic body types; i.e. Lonny Baxter, Ryan Randle, Tahj Holden, Obinna Ekezie, etc. Thus, saying you wouldn’t send a big man to Gary Williams to improve has no merit.

First of all according to Rivals.com Visser was a three star recruit, Bowers, a two star. Granted, these recruiting services don’t have the most validity as we’ve seen by high ranking recruits turning out to be busts, and lower lever recruits turning out to be great. Projecting how a high school player, especially one of such size at 18 years old is going to turn out is close to impossible. Some people mature into their bodies and gain the coordination that was lacking as their body was developing. This is not something that GW can fix. As a coach, you can’t personally, improve a player’s coordination, or foot speed, or lateral movement, or strength. You are not responsible for how men grow into their bodies.

Also, Wake Forest is so depleted this year that a majority of the offense is run through Visser. Obviously, it would be hysterical and horrendously sad, if Maryland was in such a state of affairs that the offense needed to be run through Bowers.

Visser is listed as 6-11 240lbs, Bowers at 7-1 270. Obviously that extra 30 lbs has an affect in overall quickness that should be more than apparent. The comparison is simply unjust.

E$ — February 22, 2007 @ 10:32 am
I’m beginning to wonder why I even bother to reply to your posts though, and seemingly I’m not the only one here.

Al Vinchent — February 22, 2007 @ 10:39 am
Oh wow have an opinion and want a better product and I am ignorant. Flex whatever you want Gist is better in the paint. Bowers is not better and if you can’t coach and make kids better then you are not coaching. Alex I didn’t ever say anything about NC State and 2002. Matter of fact the only hurtful loss is Miami. The Virginia loss at home is offset by the Huge Duke win. This is where this team should be talent wise, the last four games that it. I believe if the Terps played GW, G’Town, and maybe even Mason that the Terps would know early how to get up for a game instead of waiting for the ACC to start. There wasn’t a ranked team on the sked until January and as we have seen that was Hype for Clemson. Maryland and Clemson played a bunch of nobodies until they met. Vermont, and Winthrop, with Illinois and MSU having off years was not preparation for ACC play. Call me ignorant if you want now but GW is admittedly looking for small conference foes. What about some big time teams that will toughen up the kids? Is playing a tough sked that gets you on National TV only for Tobacco Road?

E$ — February 22, 2007 @ 10:42 am
You obviously didn’t watch the MSU-Wisconsin game the other night, did you?

Al Vinchent — February 22, 2007 @ 10:49 am
Yes I watched some of the MSU Wis game and that would not happen 3 out 4 times. But let downs occur. And yes Bowers phsyical conditiona dn coordination can be devloped by a coach. Baxter was the only talent out of thar group that got better. The rest were just big bodies that did nothing. And the best thing Baxter did since leaving is make the papers carrying a gun in DC. I am a realist and I realize that GW has a lot more talent that given credit for and seems to be a lazy recruiter and lacks devlopement with players. The title team had a bunch of motivated kids that wanted to be better and I think that spoiled GW. The rest have been waiting for th magic to happen.

E$ — February 22, 2007 @ 10:54 am
I’m recommending a boycott of all future Al V posts. There is nothing factual about what you are saying. You make no compelling arguments that you use actual facts to try to convey a point. It is merely the ramblings of a delusional fan with atrocious grammar.

To quote Billy Madison: “Mr. Vinchent, what you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I’ve ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response was there anything that could even be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul!

Tombootom — February 22, 2007 @ 11:01 am
E$ gets the award for best use of an Adam Sandler movie to accurately sum up the situation. Congratulations my freind, it is truly a prestigious honor.

E$ — February 22, 2007 @ 11:02 am
Ekezie went from playing soccer in Nigeria to basketball at College Park to making a couple NBA team rosters, most notably with the Cleveland Cavaliers last season. If that is not improvement, nothing is.

Al Vinchent — February 22, 2007 @ 11:25 am
Number 14 sked if you read Pomeroy. The only pre ACC toughness was Gonzaga and GW and they were in tournaments not staright up sked. In 02 they played Ok, Az and Uconn before the ACC. Now that is something not mentioning Illinois in the ACC B10. Since they have not played anybody good on purpose. No, BIG East, B12, or anyone constantly on the NCCAB map. GTwon is 20 minutes away, why does the rivalry go to UNC and Duke not MD. Why does tobacoo road have 31 NBA players and the Terps have 6. Duke and UNC have the most. Are they better players, I don’t think so because the Terps keep beating them. So why can’t the Terps get the recruits that Duke and UNC get. I say it is national TV. The Terps are not on CBS, ABC, ESPN nearly as much because of the teams they chose to play.

Al Vinchent — February 22, 2007 @ 11:26 am
it is Billy Packer and he hates Duke. They did not offer him a scholarship. If you believe that I hate the Terps then call me any Baltimore. Washington area sports reporter

E$ — February 22, 2007 @ 11:41 am
NO. Any Baltimore/Washington area sports reporter knows how to make a point (even if it is a negative one by using factual accounts). Any Baltimore/Washington area sports reporter also know when to place a comma, or a semi-colon; or a period in a sentence to avoid creating a run-on.
Any Baltimore/Washington area sports reporter would not spell Georgetown, GTwon. Or tabacco, tabacoo for that matter. Any Baltimore/Washington area sports reporter wouldn’t argue two points that weigh heavily against them, (1. Gary Williams’ record developing big men, and 2. That the Terps play a soft schedule.). And if any Baltimore/Washington area sports report did decide to argue these points, they would do so much more convincingly than you. You should not be mentioned in the same breath as any Baltimore/Washington area sports reporter no matter how mediocre they are. My friends little brother writes more convincingly for his middle school newspaper.

Al Vinchent — February 22, 2007 @ 11:49 am
You are right E$ I am not very grammatical and my Eastern Shore education or lack of does haunt me. If you think the Terps don’t play a soft non conference schedule then you are on the kool aid. If Gist play SF in the NBA then that team better be an expansion team because he is no SF. He is a PF. He is not the shooter at 6′9″ to play SF anywhere. He my fellow poster is No DIRK.

E$ — February 22, 2007 @ 12:07 pm
It’s not your grammar that is the most frustrating thing about your posts (though that is the most glaring at first read, and certainly the easiest to pick on). It’s that you don’t cite any facts. It’s that there is no cohesive thought pattern that leads anywhere. It’s that you don’t reference websites, or statistics or even make astute observations of your own. It’s that you argue points with no merit and it makes you look crazy. I could get past all the typos, and misspelling if what you said made any sort of sense.

Regarding the Terps non-conference schedule. Entering your team in a tournament (that you end up winning) with Michigan State, Illinois, and Texas is not soft man. St. John’s really isn’t a soft game either, if you take a look at some of the teams that they have beat this year (Syracuse, Notre Dame). Scheduling a scary Winthrop team that came within a last second prayer of beating Tennessee in the NCAA tournament is not a soft game either, it could’ve easily been an embarrassing loss on this team’s record.

Gary has obviously been confounded (that means bewildered, which means puzzled or confused) as to the successful formula for getting into the NCAA Tournament. Thus, he has played around with the schedule this year to try and find the Terps a couple more wins (20+) that is seemingly necessary for at-large selection. Is the Terps schedule softer than last year? Yes. Can it be considered soft overall? No.

I don’t even like kool-aid. That’s a cop out statement for when you can’t make an argument. Reading what you type it seems more apparent you’ve been drinking the WHISKEY than the kool-aid brotha.

E$ — February 22, 2007 @ 12:24 pm
And, name a college player now outside of Kevin Durant who could draw a comparison to Dirk Nowitzki? (Though when I see Kevin Durant, I think more Tracy McGrady).

There is only one Dirk, in the NBA, what would make you think a valid Dirk comparison could be drawn to a college player?

Here is the post you should be replying to instead of me:
Josh — February 22, 2007 @ 10:48 am
I just wanted to add that Gist, if he makes the NBA, will do so as a SF and not a PF. For that position, being able to shoot the three is tremendously important, and that IS what will get him to the next level.

And to be honest with you, Josh is right.

Gist is listed as 6-8 223, which also happens to be the exact same size as SF Rudy Gay of the Memphis Grizzlies, or SF Rodney Carney of the Philadelphia 76ers, or SF Gerald Green of the Boston Celtics (If you watched the NBA Slam Dunk contest). Please note all these players fit almost the exact profile as Gist, obviously each being a little bit more polished and with a bit more pedigree/experience at this time.

Welcome to Garyland.

Genarlow Wilson AKA Georgia Is An Ass Backwards State

Free Genarlow Wilson



Since, it's been brought to my attention that I'm not the most scholarly cat in the world, please note that most of this information is taken from Mark Cuban's blog, interlaced with commentary from myself. Not where this topic was brought to light, but where I most recently read about it, and decided to reference a post in my own blog. I suggest taking a look at his blog, Mark Cuban's Blog Maverick

Mark covers mostly geekdom for you kids interested in computing, the internet, the future of television and beyond. I would reccomend hitting it up occassionally, as some of his posts are intriguing. As the owner of the Dallas Mavericks' he also covers some sport and social commentary, though I'm befuddled as to why he disabled commenting on his call-out on Dwayne Wade (David Stern imposing his will anyone?) Now that I've taken enough of the spotlight away from the actual topic of the post, please read on.

For those who aren't familiar. Genarlow Wilson was sentenced to 10 years in jail for doing something every 17 year old I knew, including myself, has attempted to do. He is two years into a total nightmare that only makes the State of Georgia THE POSTER CHILD for mistrust in government. Any individual involved in the State of Georgia goverment, especially those involved with creating legislation and judicial affairs should be ashamed and embarrassed that they live in such an ass backwards state.

Rather than go into gross specifics, I will refer everyone to some excellent articles written in support of Genarlow and to his lawyers reference site, www.wilsonappeal.com Please take some time to review the link mentioned above and the three hyperlinks that I have referenced below. What is being done/has been done to this young man is inhumane, cruel, unfair, intolerable, and embarrassing on so many levels. If you are reading this post, the very least you can do is visit the Wilson Appeal website and sign the online petition to the Georgia General Assembly.

Props and commendations go out to ESPN , The NY Times and Others for great coverage leading to the introduction of a new bill aiming to right this gross injustice. The mass media gets things right for once. Get familiar, and if you're not enraged by the fact that this man is serving ten years in prison check your pulse, cause you haven't got one.

The Haps in Baltimore Friday 2/9/07

As touted in an earlier post New York based synth-electro-rockers The Rapture are putting on a show at Sonar tonight for their Friday night Taxlo party. Doors open at 9pm, with The Rapture scheduled to hit the stage at 11:45 pm. Swing by 407 E. Saratoga St. to catch some shiny, happy, electro-rock goodness.

Before hand I will be stopping at The Depot 1728 N. Charles St. to catch the 80's musical stylings of LoveHate rocking the dancefloor with some Michael Jackson, Run DMC, The Cure and other icons of the glorious decade.



Elsewhere around Baltimore, The Ottobar (2549 N. Howard St.) will be hosting a THE CURE vs DEPECHE MODE vs NEW ORDER vs DURAN DURAN DANCE PARTY!
A battle for new wave supremacy! NO COVER TIL 10PM!
$1 drinks, drafts, & Natty Boh's til 10:30pm
Doors open at 9pm/ Show at 9pm-? 18 & OVER

Sure to be a good time as the Ottobar usually draws some interesting crowds everything in between nappy-headed wannabe rappers to pale emo-screamo kids with funny looking faux-hawks. The drink specials seem to be worth the unsavories anyway, I highly suggest stopping in for a drink.

BMore/Electro Message Board

A little over a month ago my friend Patrick created a Baltimore Electronic Music message board/forum to try to network and link up dj's/producers/promoters/music fans/crazy bastards through out the Baltimore region. I think it's a great idea, and so far it's been delightfully fun to get to know other cat's around the city who share similar interests.

Thus, I invite all reader's of this blog to join us: B-More/Electro Message Board JOIN TODAY!

You'll be able to find links to mixes by your favorite artists. Engage in casual conversation with other weird bastards who live near you. Promote parties that you are throwing. Link up with other dj's and producers for collaborations. Talk politics. Sell copies of your remixes. Whatever you want, as long as you can loosely tie it to Baltimore and Music, or hell even if you can't! But regardless, check it out. Sign up today!

Terps Update: Let The Roller Coaster Ride Begin

I resisted the urge to plaster my blog with all kinds of negative criticism of the Maryland Terps 63-58 depressing defeat at the hands of the decidedly below average Miami Hurricanes. And boy am I glad that I did.

After shooting just 22% in a listless defeat to Miami, Maryland comes out three days later and hands #14 Clemson their first defeat of the year, shooting just short of 63% while pulling out the big "W" 92-87. The game was on ESPNU, so most of America didn't get the opportunity to view this win. I had my gamecast fired up, and was listening along with Johnny Holiday's play-by-play almost the entire game. A simple review of the Box Score and you'll get a pretty good impression of how the Terps rebounded from an utterly devestating loss.

Ekene Ibekwe pulled out a huge game scoring 20 points with 10 boards, 2 assists, and missing only 1 free throw. I remember games last year, where Ekene would consistently brick 7 out of 8 from the charity stripe. It's nice to see his measured improvement. I'll be the first to say: I laughed for hours when I read that he was going to declare for the NBA draft last year. He was getting out-rebounded by smaller players, couldn't get to the charity stripe enough, didn't convert when he did, had limited low-post moves, repeatedly got out-hustled, and had no consistent shot to lean on when he was getting shut down. Certainly not characteristics of an NBA draft pick. And while, I still doubt he's NBA material, his improvement has been noticeable.

D.J Strawberry also had a nice line scoring 14 points, with 4 boards and 6 assists. Hayes hit a huge three, and Jones, Gist, and Vasquez all contributed with double digit point totals and a myriad of key dishes and boards. And thus, the roller coaster ride begins. Which Maryland team will show up on any given night? It's difficult to tell, but let's hope that the Miami game was just a deviation from the norm!

The new ESPN/USA Today poll has the Terps jumping up from #25 to #22, despite a 1-1 week. Virginia Tech has landed at #25 with convincing victories over Duke and North Carolina back to back. I wouldn't place too much stock into the polls however, as Duke still sits at #17 despite losing back to back games last week against lackluster competition. It increasingly appears that as many as 6 teams could be in the hunt for the ACC Regular Season crown as the season narrows to an end. I wonder if this will have any NCAA tourney bound ramifications come March?


Up next: 1/16/07 @ Virginia 8 p.m.



Virginia owns two big wins this year. A 93-90 victory over Arizona to open their new building, and a 108-87 drubbing of a vastly over-rated Gonzaga team. They've got two lights-out guards in Sean Singletary and J.R Reynolds. Expect D.J. Strawberry to consistently check off with Singletary. A key match-up will be whomever the Terps send to get a hand in the face of J.R. Reynolds. Virginia's leading big man is Jason Cain, who averages 6.0 boards in only 19 minutes of play, but has been restricted in numerous contests by foul trouble.

Maryland keys to the game:
1. Maryland's ability to defend the 3.
2. Maryland needs to cut down turnovers (20 TO's in a win over Clemson).
3. Defend the paint (Ibekwe, Gist, Osby and Bowers need to do a consistent job of boxing out Virginia's bigs and forcing them out to the perimeter).

I predicted that Maryland would win the Miami game going away. Obviously, I've eaten my fair share of crow. Thus, I'm going to stick to post game commentary and analysis and leave the predictions to Jerry Porter, TO and all the sports writers at ESPN.

Artist Spotlight: Spank Rock

Hip-hop has been grinding its gears for the past twenty five years. When Run DMC dropped in 1983 they had a totally fresh sound. Hip rhyme patterns and word play over simple drum beats produced on 808's. Since then there's been some great lyricists, some great battle rappers, some soulful composers, and some excellent businessmen, but the end product sounds the same, just more polished. Enter Spank Rock.

Spank Rock is not for hip-hop purists. Spank Rock is for music fans who might be bored with the direction the genre has been stuck in for years now. No matter how meticulously we try to deconstruct genres into detached and disparate subcategories, music is nothing if not synergistic. All hip-hop categorization aside, its not everyday an album as fresh as Spank Rock's YOYOYOYOYO drops from the sky and into your cd player. Baltimore Club meets Electronica meets Miami Bass meets Contemporary Hip Hop.

Spank Rock has made a minor name for themselves by being dirtier than most: the first couplet of the album is "ass shaking competition champ/ooh that pussy gets damp." My guess is that the message doesn't fall upon virgin ears. Despite the vulgar language, you won't just be noddin' your head at songs end as is the case with most Nas tracks, you'll be dancing. Or wanting to, if you only knew how.

The rhymes aren't as tightly crafted as Hova or Em, but they're spit with such fervor and enthusiasm its hard to ignore and quite infectious. Spank Rock's vibe is clear; we're here to party, but we get down to a different beat. The vocals act more in combination with the beats, than at the forefront, and its sheer genius at it's very best. All in all, Spank Rock sell on their ability to be funny, seize the party, and get your ass up and movin'. And isn't that all that hip-hop should be about anyway?

As the custom goes, here are a couple mp3 links to check em out, especially since I just hyped it so much. I would definitely suggest you go out tomorrow and pick up YOYOYOYOYO. It won't leave your car stereo for a couple weeks.

Spank Rock MySpace Page

Spank Rock-Backyard Betty
Crunkadelic fo sho.

Spank Rock-Bump (Switch Remix)
This particular remix is pretty well done.

Spank Rock-Lindsay Lohan's Revenge
You'll laugh your ass off. Brings new relevance to rat population.

Artist Spotlight: Justice

Parisian duo Justice (Gaspard Auge and Xavier de Rosnay) are accruing daily comparisons to another French electronica pair known for infectious, innovative electro.rock.disco, in Daft Punk. Obviously influenced by the famed duo (My guess is even if you're not a fan of music you've heard Around The World), Justice leans heavily on brazen synth chunks and lines and staccato drum kit loops on the repetitive yet unforgettable title track from their debut EP, Waters of Nazareth.

Waters Of Nazareth is an EP released in 2005 and the re-release includes three additional remixes, two of which are the remixed titled song. This tune was spun out by numerous deejays and caught up the rest of Europe with their name, getting the best video at MTV Europe Music Awards this year. (The band was not present and the award was accepted by the video’s director So_Me whose speech was famously interrupted by Kanye West who proclaimed that he should have won the award.)

Justice have been signed to complete a mix for the FabricLive series in 2007, and their as-yet untitled debut artist album is due to be released on Ed Banger Records in April 2007. The album will be preceded by the "D.A.N.C.E." EP, which will feature the track "Phantom", which I've graciously included a track for your listen.

I've included some mp3 links below, so you can decide for yourself about the Daft Punk influence, but I think it's pretty obvious. Just right click, and save target as and you're well on your way to rocking out! Enjoy, and yeah, pick up the LP. And if you're still feeling that Christmas generosity. Send me some new vinyl.

Justice-Phantom

Justice Vs Simian-We Are Your Friends
Warning: This song will be stuck in your head for days.

Justice-Waters of Nazareth
There's a fine line between hypnotic and repetitive, and this song straddles it brilliantly.

Artist Spotlight: Fujiya and Miyagi

I must say, these (quite ironically three guys) have a cumbersome name. Daunting or not, their music is infectiously groovy, subdued, yet dance-worthy.

The hook on Fujiya & Miyagi's, Photocopier is invitingly curt. "We were just pretending to be Japanese," repeats singer David Best. Come to find out, they're actually a trio from Brighton, England who credit their daunting name to a turntable manufacturer and everyone's favorite karate instructor. Their wry sense of humor makes this mixture of new material and previously released tracks from vinyl-only singles (fans of which include Tiga and LCD Soundsystem) not just one of the year's most innovative and refreshing dance records but also the craftiest. Ankle Injuries yarns stumbling across an old porno mag on the way to school and morphs it into a dreamy revelation, while they even provide us Americans with a US only release of a catchy tune aptly named Reeboks in Heaven.

Mix seventies krautrock with early nineties electronica, catchy, flowing, and witty lyrics with chunky, lazy basslines and scratchy guitars and you've got Fujiya and Miyagi. I'm going to post a couple mp3's for your enjoyment, but I really reccomend you pick up the cd, Transparent Things when you get a chance. You can thank me later.

Fujiya and Miyagi's Webpage

Fujiya and Miyagi-Collarbone

Fujiya and Miyagi-Ankle Injuries

Fujiya and Miyagi-Reeboks In Heaven

Fear The Turtle or Hell In A Shell?

Bear with me. Like I said before, I plan on using this blog for a variety of purposes and to address a variety of topics. Some you may find intriguing, some you may find totally useless, some you may find humorous, some totally humor free. My blog is your oyster.

That aside, it's time to talk some college roundball. You'll learn quickly that I'm a huge college basketball fan. Namely, Maryland Terps basketball fan.



We're now officially two months into the season and Maryland's racked up a quite respectable 14-2 start. They're ranked just on the outer fringes of the AP and Coaches Top 25 polls. They've achieved key victories over Illinois, Michigan State, St. John's, and a vastly under-rated Winthrop team. Yet, I still can't quite tell you how good this team is. 16 games. Just more than half a season and I still can't figure out if I'm rooting for a winner, or the same enigmatic, low energy, turnover prone product of the past two seasons.

Last night the Terps beat Siena 88-57. A drubbing. That tells me nothing. Well other than the fact that Gary intentionally made this cup-cake laden schedule to hand his team some sorely needed freebies in the victory department. And I will admit, while watching the Terps beat schools like UMKC 101-50 isn't the most exciting display of college athletics I've seen in a while, it's certainly effective.

Gary saw last year, that more or less in this ACC, 20 is the magic number. You get to 20 wins, you play .500 ball in conference, you're assured a spot dancing with the other hopefuls come March. Obviously, he thought this team needed a couple more freebies to get to 20. As it stands now I think they're gonna finish in the neighborhood of 23-8 or 24-7, and look at a #4 or #5 seed squarely in the eye. But then again, I'm the guy who just told you I don't know how good this team is. I do know that they'll win more games than last year, and I feel pretty confident that alone will be enough to get them into the tourney. With ACC play starting up soon, I do know that I'll know a whole lot more, real soon.

And that's good enough for me.

Next game: Miami @ Maryland 1/10/2006 9:00pm tip-off
From what I understand of Miami, they lost two exceptional players last year in Diaz and Hite, and haven't come remotely close to replacing them. They've got losses to Binghamton, Kent State and Northwestern. I'm liking our chances.