Twice as sweet
By KEVIN BROCKWAY, Sun sports writer
ATLANTA — Champs again.
Florida fulfilled its mission to repeat as national champions, beating Ohio State 84-75 to become the first team since Duke in 1992 to win basketball national titles in consecutive years.
Florida junior Al Horford threw the ball toward the roof of the Georgia Dome as the final seconds ticked away. The celebration then spilled into the stands. Florida players stood on media tables and mingled with the partisan Gator crowd.
Florida is the sixth repeat champion in college basketball history.
"We made history," junior Joakim Noah said, moments after the game. "We've just been through so much. I love these guys. People can say a lot of things about this team, but they can't say we didn't do it back-to-back."
It's the second national title for 41-year-old Florida coach Billy Donovan, who guided the team through a season of increased expectations and distractions.
"It brings tears to your eyes," said Donovan's father, Bill. "But more than that I always look at Billy, at what kind of person he is, his core values. If he won championships, and didn't have those kind of values, it wouldn't be as special. But he is as good a person as he is a coach."
Corey Brewer was named Final Four Most Outstanding player, scoring 11 of his 13 points in the first half.
"We had some motivation," Brewer said. "We wanted to show that we were a great team, not a good team. We're the champs. No one can take that from us."
Again it was balance that got the Gators over the top. Horford led four Florida players in double figures with 18 points and added 12 rebounds. Taurean Green had 16 points and senior Lee Humphrey scored 14 in his final college game. Senior Chris Richard added eight important points off the bench before fouling out with 2:20 left.
Fans immediately started chanting "one more year" as juniors Brewer, Noah, Horford and Green made their way onto the stage. All four are undecided about whether they will stay for their senior seasons or enter the NBA draft.
"If one stays," Brewer said. "We'll all stay."
Ohio State freshman center Greg Oden led all scorers with 25 points, with freshman teammate Mike Conley Jr. adding 20. But the Buckeyes couldn't stop Florida from the 3-point line. The Gators made 10-of-18 attempts. Ohio State made just 4-of-23 3-point opportunities.
"It came down to making a couple of plays," Ohio State coach Thad Matta said. "Florida, a couple of plays they made down the stretch were key. We got it to six. We just couldn't overcome it." [READ FULL STORY]
Two stats jump out at me from last nights game: The differential in 3-pt shooting (Florida went 10 of 18, Ohio State an abysmal 4 of 23), and rebounding (Florida 38, Ohio State 27). Florida was pretty careless with the ball, allowing 11 steals and turning the ball over 15 times, but they were better conditioned than Ohio State's young players, and you could tell that from watching them hustle on both ends of the court last night.
The 3-point shooting absolutely killed Ohio State. They dominated Florida in the paint, but anytime they brought the margin close someone from Florida was open to drain a three. I thought Ohio State's perimeter defense was a big key to their success in this game, and it simply didn't show up. Florida let Oden have his day, but shut down the Ohio State guards, the true keys to the Buckeyes' successful run this season. And try as you might, if you let a team rattle in over 50% from behind the arc it's going to be pretty tough to win.
POLITICS
Beware the politician who won't flip-flop: Great presidents -- Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt -- changed their positions when it was appropriate.
By Bruce J. Schulman, a professor of history at Boston University, and author of "The Seventies."
IN AMERICAN politics, the flip-flop can be fatal.
In 2004, for instance, President Bush dramatically transformed the voters' view of his Democratic opponent, Sen. John F. Kerry, by assailing him for changing positions on issues that were "fundamental," the kinds of things that "you believe in your core, in your heart of hearts."
"You cannot lead," Bush said, "if you send mixed messages. There must be certainty from the U.S. president."
Bush's strategy was extremely effective, as it has been for candidates many times in the past. And now, as the 2008 presidential election approaches, voters should get ready to hear it again. Nearly all the major presidential candidates are already scurrying — more than a year and a half before the election — to defend themselves against charges that they have reversed themselves on fundamental issues of policy in a shameless pandering for votes.
Among the leading Republicans, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has switched sides on abortion, gun control and same-sex marriage (all from pro to anti). Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani has chas on partial-birth abortion and gun control (both from pro to anti). And Sen. John McCain has flip-flopped on Bush's tax cut (from no to no problem), and late last month, he appeared to waffle in his support for creating a legal path to citizenship for undocumented workers.
On the Democratic side, it's all about hypocrisy on Iraq. Critics recently scorched Sen. Barack Obama for repeatedly voting for Iraq appropriations while claiming unwavering opposition to the war — he wants, they said, to have it both ways. Former Sen. John Edwards renounced his 2002 vote for the war, and though he'd like to say it was a matter of principle rather than convenience, not everyone agrees. And Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton turns rhetorical cartwheels in her continuing effort to distance herself from her vote to authorize the Iraq war without technically repudiating it.
It's certainly possible that some of these candidates legitimately gathered new information that caused them to change views, or that they simply grew older and wiser and rethought their positions.
But few voters believe that. In election years, voters have a tendency to look past the issues at the character of the candidates; they want to support a candidate they can trust and whose values they feel they understand. They fear that a candidate who changes position is one who is pandering, poll watching or abandoning long-held views for short-term political gain.
But are all flip-flops really so objectionable? Isn't it equally fair to argue that a willingness to shift, often abruptly and fundamentally, in response to changing circumstances is a venerable tradition in American governance? Indeed, the willingness to compromise is a crucial ingredient of serious leadership. The nation's most respected presidents, from the founding generation to modern times, have proudly and, in some cases, defiantly flip-flopped on important issues...[READ MORE]
MUSIC
Press Release: You Say Party! We Say Die! reach #1 on Radio and TWO cover stories!
This week is another fantastic week for our new favorites You Say Party! We Say Die! who released their sophomore album on March 20th in Canada . This week sees the band on the Canadian campus radio charts neck and neck with The Arcade Fire!! On one chart you’ve got them #2 to the mighty ‘Fire and on the other chart you’ve got YSP beating out them out and at on the chart at #1! This only the 3rd week it’s been on the chart and the album is kicking some serious ass. Below you can see the charts for yourself.
Oh, the band is featured on the cover of Exclaim! Magazine in Canada and the band is featured on the cover of NOW Magazine this week in Toronto as well…they happen to be on the cover of the restaurant guide this week that’s why is says “Dine!” instead of “Die!”, so clever.
This Wednesday, You Say Party! will be heading over to play some tunes for MTV Live, so if you’re in Toronto , please make sure you stop by. They will also be playing at the Phoenix Concert Theatre right after their MTV performance, make sure you go check them out.
THE CANADIAN COLLEGE RADIO CHARTS:
Chartattack.com Chart:
1. ARCADE FIRE Neon Bible (Merge/FAB)
2. YOU SAY PARTY! WE SAY DIE! Lose All Time (Paper Bag/Universal)
3. JULIE DOIRON Woke Myself Up (Endearing/ Fontana North)
4. DO MAKE SAY THINK You, You're A History In Rust (Constellation)
5. PETER BJORN & JOHN Writer's Block (Almost Gold/Red Ink)
6. LCD SOUNDSYSTEM Sound Of Silver (DFA/EMI)
7. APOSTLE OF HUSTLE National Anthem Of Nowhere (Arts & Crafts/EMI)
8. BESNARD LAKES The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse (Jagjaguwar/Sonic Unyon)
9. BLOC PARTY A Weekend In The City (Vice/Warner)
10. GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS Ongiara (Nettwerk/Sony BMG)
Love to see Apostle Hustle and Great Lake Swimmers make the chart. Them's Canadian kids sure do listen to some good music.
You Say Party! We Say Die! - "Monster"
You Say Party! We Say Die! - "Opportunity"
YSP!WSD! website
Featured Artist: Peel
For Austin, TX natives seeing Peel perform live could become a weekly ritual of personal recovery. Between Josh Permenter’s sincere deliveries of heartstring pulling lyrics and the intense balladic crescendos of synths, drums, and pop-drone, Peel can lift one’s spirit out of any April rain. Take it from Peek-a-Boo Industries’ label owner Travis Hidgon: “These songs are immediate and timeless, nostalgic yet hopeful, teeming with sunny regret. And they f'n rock.” Listen to the carefully restrained energy of “Sliding Door” where Josh waits for the perfect moment to belly-out “I got to make a change, I gotta stand up and fight it and fight it and fight!” Or experience the swirling musical energy of “Navy Waves,” which pulsates with futuristic melodies that will inspire you to get something done this week. Give it up to a young and ambitious group whose main influences are Brian Eno and Blondie.
Peel - "Navy Waves"
Peel - "Sliding Doors"
Peel at Myspace
Around the Blog Block
Get your daily dose of the hippity-hop at Analog Giant.
Sexy 60's French Freakbeats at An Aquarium Drunkard.
Some great poetry goin' on over at The Brother Swimming Beneath Me.
Wisconsin concert info and news about the new Lucero track over at the ol' Muzzle.
Obsessed much? Just kidding, C, we love ya. But seriously, everything you ever needed to know about Bono and Co., plus a little review + photos of a recent Albert Hammond Jr. show over at Scatter O' Light.
And last but not least today, stop on over at Largehearted Boy. It's easily one of my favorite stops for the past two years now and running.