Last night, my Orangemen fell to the Crimson Tide of Alabama. We fought valiently, but it wasn't quite enough.

In the end, the Tide topped the Orange 80-71. Hakim Warrick had 15 first half points, but finished with just 21. Gerry McNamara had 20 second half points, but managed just 4 in the first half.

Unfortunately, the two just couldn't get together. That wasn't the biggest problem, however. 17 turnovers. That was the biggest problem.

During the season, starting point guard Billy Edelin left the team for personal reasons. He was a valuable 6th man during last year's title run and was having an outstanding season this year. When we lost him, our offense was never the same.

I wasn't as upset as I thought I'd be. We made yet another Sweet Sixteen run. A testament to Jim Boeheim's coaching.

And had the child who led us last time still been here, I have a feeling Carmelo Anthony and company would have had a chance to wear that crown again!

I AM: Tall.
I WANT: To win the World Series of Poker.
I HAVE: The best dog in the world.
I WISH: My friends were closer.
I HATE: Saying goodbye.
I FEAR: Being alone (wow, a theme, now I'm getting depressed ;-)
I HEAR: The drone of televisions, scanners and newsroom chatter even in my sleep.
I WONDER: Why I'm already thinking about what's next in my life.
I REGRET: Too much to talk about.
I LOVE: Too many people to mention.
I ALWAYS: Drive a Saturn (although my new company car is a Jeep Grand Cherokee, and it's really nice!).
I AM NOT: A social butterfly.
I DANCE: Rarely, and in those cases, poorly.
I SING: Only when I'm alone (why upset people around me?).
I CRY: Almost never, in fact, I can't remember the last time. I tend to bottle up my emotions.

So there you go, any surprises?

When Show and Tell Goes Too Far

It's probably the first time in history a 5-year old has used the "oregano excuse" when caught with a bag of marijuana. Of course, this kid actually sprinkled it on some lasagna, so maybe he really was confused.

However, I'm not sure this tops the 4-year old in Indianapolis who brought a bag of "flour" to show his classmates at preschool. Teachers stepped in and took possession of the $10,000 in crack cocaine. Now that's show and tell!

Catfight Ad Vixen Sues Saying Her Reputation Was Ruined

I'm sure you remember the Miller Light Catfight Ads (I've blogged about them before). One of the stars, Kitana Baker, says a new video ruined her reputation by portraying her as a wresler in an offensive manner. You might want to read that again. The woman tears off her clothes and wrestles in water with another scantily clad woman in a national television campaign. And this video game ruined her rep!?!?

Kitten Has No Problem Hearing, But Still Won't Listen

Anyone who owns a cat knows they don't listen to a damn thing you say. This special kitten even has four ears, and I'm sure its owners still can't get it to follow directions. The cat is up for adoption, "We want to find Lilly the loving home she deserves. She is very kind and not a monster." Sorry, don't buy it. All cats are monsters.

And for your own enjoyment, be sure to check out:
Cheerleader's Mom Sent to Anger Classes
Santa Fe Considers Doggie Seat Belt Law
And the story guaranteed to make you squirm...
Georgia House Bans Genial Piercings
Guess I'll scratch that off my list of things to do while in Athens!

Of course, I'm talking about Sen. Bob Kerrey, the former Democratic senator from Nebraska (notice the extra "e" at the end). He's currently sitting on the 9/11 commission investigating what failings existed that allowed the attacks to happen.

Today, some very familiar faces were paraded in front of the panel. From the Clinton Administration, we heard from Secretary of State Madeline Albright and Secretary of Defense William Cohen and from the Bush Administration, we heard from Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

Of all the commission members, I was most impressed with Sen. Kerrey. He pulled no punches. He didn't allow his political leanings affect his strong criticisms of all sides of the political spectrum.

He hammered Albright and Cohen on the impressive amount of inaction in the two years from the attack on the U.S. embassies in Africa in May 1998 until power was handed over to the Bush Administration in January 2001.

He hammered Powell and Rumsfeld and the apparent lack of focus, planning and action in regards to terrorism in the 200+ days from taking power until the attacks of September 11th.

Here are just some examples. We'll begin with Sec. Cohen, who suggested that military action against al Qaeda would have been unpopular and hard to sell, "Prior to that time, I dare say there is not a single country that would have been supporting the president of the United States declaring war and invading Afghanistan prior to 9/11. You can disagree with that judgment. I don't think there was a single country, and I frankly think that Congress would have overwhelmingly rejected it."

Sen. Kerrey responded in very strong terms:

But the fact that it's unpopular, that it's difficult, that our allies are not necessarily with it shouldn't deter a president who believes that what we have is a serial killer on our hands who had begun killing us at least as early as 1993, who had issued a very specific declaration of war calling Islamic men to join an Islamic army on the 23rd of February, 1998, and then demonstrated that he had the capacity in a very sophisticated way on the 7th of August to carry out that threat.

We had a round in our chamber and we didn't use it. That's how I see it. And I don't know if it had prevented 9/11. But I absolutely do not believe that just because a commander in chief sits there and said, Gee, this thing is unpopular therefore I can't do it, I don't think that's a good argument. I know Secretary Rumsfeld is going to use it here in a few minutes and I'm going to be just as harsh with him. I don't buy it.

Kerrey went after Sec. Powell on the same issue:

It's rare that public opinion is on the side of a president or political leader when it comes to using military force, except after the fact.

So, it does seem to me to be in many ways sort of a straw man position to say: Gee it would have been exceptionally difficult. Yes, it would have been exceptionally difficult. But, history's replete of examples where political leaders made a decision in spite of public opinion being on the other side, and saying, I've got the persuade people because I see it being an urgent necessity.

Kerrey's argument was very simple:

I don't understand why the military wasn't given a priority and a primary role in the fight against not just terrorism, but the fight against Osama bin Laden. I mean, I presume you've seen the declaration of war that he released on the 23rd of February, 1998. That was very precise. Again, issued by somebody who had demonstrated not just a willingness to kill Americans, but the capacity to kill Americans.

Kerrey listed the U.S.S. Cole in October 2000, an attempted attack on the U.S.S. Sullivan, thwarted millenium attacks in 1999, embassy attacks in 1998 and, the first World Trade Center attack in 1993. Why no response?

If you didn't see the testimony today, you missed a lot. You missed the Clinton people blaming the Bush people and the Bush people blaming the Clinton people. That's to be expected. But you missed a lot more than that. You missed Bob Kerrey saying what needed to be said, and finding little in the way of good answers.

... see "The Passion of the Christ".

I waited a while to see it, having heard that movie-goers were audibly weeping during the film, some patrons even crying out at the screen. I intentionally avoided the early rush to see the film to keep from having my experience dampered.

Was it really possible for a movie to be so powerful that it could legitimately affect people so deeply, or were they religious fanatics that overreacted or invested way too much into what they were seeing?

The only answer I can provide to this question is my opinion, but I consider myself a competent and extremely experienced movie-goer, having seen hundreds of movies. (I even watched over a hundred movies in an eight month period while living in Columbus, OH. My roommate and I counted.)

People that know me well, know I have no reservations about showing emotion. I'm an actor for crying out loud! But those same people know that it takes quite a lot for a movie to deeply move me. I very seldom walk out of a theater speechless, heck, I'm seldom speechlees period.

After two days, it is still very difficult to put into words how Mel Gibson's movie made me feel. I was spellbound.... I was was deeply saddened... I was ... I was overwhelmed.

I discussed the film with my fiance (she hasn't seen the movie yet as she is still on the high seas working) and she made an interesting comment that really made me think. She said, "I'm sure it was an emotional experience because of your connection with Jesus, but I don't think it would have the same effect on me."

Let me set the record straight: Gibson tells a story here. The story of a man who knowingly must make an extreme sacrifice. That is the heart of his message... not the fact that the central character is said to be the Son of God... or that Jews are responsible for Christ's death. His masterful story-telling, brilliant cinematography, and unbelieveable performance by James Caviezel is what makes this movie unforgettable and emotionally stirring.

This is a movie that everyone should see. Am I telling you that it will have the same effect on you? Of course not. Not everyone will react the same to this film, but if you connect to the story and the characters the same way I did, the same way scores of my friends have, it will be more than worth the time.

I highly recommend this film.

5. Return of the Jedi. OK, so CJ likes it too. What's not to like? The climax of the movie involves three epic battles, all intertwined. The movie wraps up one of the most popular and revolutionary sagas modern cinema has seen. Leia in a bikini just cannot be a bad thing. And Luke barely whines.

4. Patton. The movie is a fantastic story of one of the most colorful characters in the history of warfare. It is honest about both Patton's positive and negative attributes. And the most amazing thing is, it was intended as an anti-war movie to discourage the further action in Vietnam, and most members of the military love it. The first scene where Patton is talking to his troops about the coming war and what their role will be (where Gibson took his Battle of Sterling speech from for Braveheart, by the way).is a fantastic scene. And when he destroys Rommel's tanks as he uses his own doctrine against him, I get chills.

3. Saving Private Ryan. The first 20 minutes of this movie are some of the most harrowing scenes I have ever witnessed. Tom Hanks was robbed of the Oscar that year by James Cameron's Titanic looming in the background. No one can tell me Shakespeare in love was a better picture than this. Who didn't cry their eyes out as Capt Miller told Private Ryan "Earn this," with his dying breath?

2. Gettysburg. I still get goose bumps when Colonel Chamberlain says, "We are the flank," to his officers. And they come back when he cries "Bayonets!" The movie is a true epic, with multiple characters, and all of them interesting. What I like the best is there is no attempt to portray one side as evil and another as good. These are all men who think what they are doing is right.

1. Lord of the Rings. OK, so this one is brand spanking new, but it's incredible. I have read the books numerous times in my life, and never did I think that a movie could so capture the book like this one did. Note I am referring to what many consider a trilogy as one book/movie, which is exactly how it was intended by Tolkein. His editors made him break it up. In any case, this movie had scope, grandeur, and made my heart race more times than I can count.

Wadsworth: Professor Plum, you were once a professor of psychiatry, specializing in helping paranoid and homicidal lunatics suffering from delusions of grandeur.
Prof. Plum: Yes, but now I work for the United Nations.
Wadsworth: So, your work has not changed.
---------------------------------------------------

Wadsworth: I'm merely a humble butler.
Col. Mustard: What exactly do you do?
Wadsworth: I buttle, sir.
Col. Mustard: Which means what?
Wadsworth: The butler is in charge of the kitchen and dining room. I keep everything tidy.
----------------------------------------------------

Wadsworth: The game's up, Scarlet. There are no more bullets left in that gun.
Miss Scarlet: Oh, come on. You don't think I'm gonna fall for that old trick?
Wadsworth: It's not a trick. There was one shot at Mr. Boddy in the study, two for the chandelier, two at the lounge door, and one for the singing telegram.
Miss Scarlet: That's not six.
Wadsworth: One plus two plus two plus one.
Miss Scarlet: Un uh, there was only one shot that got the chandelier, that's one plus two plus one plus one.
Wadsworth: Even if you're right, that would be one plus one plus two plus one, not "one plus two plus one plus one."
-----------------------------------------------------

Mrs. White: Yes, I did it. I killed Yvette. I hated her so much! It, it, the, it, flames, flames, flames . . . on the side of my face. Breathing, breathless, heaving breaths, heaving . . .
-----------------------------------------------------

Col. Mustard: Wadsworth, am I right in thinking that there is nobody else in this house?
Wadsworth: No.
Col. Mustard: Then there is someone else in this house?
Wadsworth: No, sorry, I said "no" meaning "yes."
Col. Mustard: "No" meaning "yes"? Look, I want a straight answer, is there someone else or isn't there, yes or no?
Wadsworth: Um, no.
Col. Mustard: No, there is, or no, there isn't?
Wadsworth: Yes.
-----------------------------------------------------

Mrs. White: Husbands should be like Klenex--soft, strong, and disposable.
-----------------------------------------------------

Mrs. White: He had threatened to kill me in public.
Miss Scarlet: Why would he want to kill you in public?
Wadsworth: I think she meant, he threatened, in public, to kill her.
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Quotes are selected from a wonderful website, Useless Movie Quotes. For many of these quotes you can find a .wav file there, so go give them a listen!

Round One winners:

St. Louis bracket:
Kentucky, UAB, Providence, UIC, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Michigan St., Gonzaga
East Rutherford bracket:
St. Joseph's, Texas Tech, Manhattan, Wake Forest, Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, Memphis, Oklahoma St.
Atlanta bracket:
Duke, Seton Hall, Illinois, E. Tennessee St., North Carolina, Texas, Louisville, Mississippi St.
Phoenix bracket:
Stanford, S. Illinois, Syracuse, Maryland, W. Michigan, UL Lafayette, DePaul, Connecticut

Into the Sweet Sixteen:
St. Louis bracket:
Kentucky, Providence, Georgia Tech, Gonzaga
East Rutherford bracket:
St. Joseph's, Wake Forest, Wisconsin, Oklahoma St.
Atlanta bracket:
Duke, Illinois, North Carolina, Mississippi St.
Phoenix bracket:
Stanford, Syracuse, UL Lafayette, Connecticut

Into the Elite Eight:
St. Louis bracket:
Kentucky, Georgia Tech
East Rutherford bracket:
St. Joseph's, Oklahoma St.
Atlanta bracket:
Duke, North Carolina
Phoenix bracket:
Syracuse, Connecticut

Into the Final Four:
Kentucky, Oklahoma St., Duke, Connecticut

Into the Championship Game:
Kentucky, Connecticut

2004 National Champion:
Connecticut

Perhaps it's too much to suggest that the will of the people changed after that event, but imagine if we had held a national election on September 14th, 2001?

At the least, the result has given terrorists reason to believe they can affect the political landscape. As the November election nears, we'd be naive to think terrorists wouldn't try the same thing here.

And I don't mean this to sound crass, but would a terrorist attack near the election be a terrorist vote for John Kerry?

I don't think there's any question that a John Kery administration would be much less aggressive in the war on terror. In fact, if you look Kerry's plan, it's one based more on defense than offense. Would al Qaida rather have a president willing to hunt them down and kill them, or a president hoping to stop them at our ports?

I shudder to think that the attacks in Spain are a sign of things to come, but it's possible. And it's even more reason for the world to strengthen its resolve and take the fight to the terrorists. It's a fight we can't afford to lose or give up on.

5. Mr. Holland's Opus: the only Richard Dreyfuss movie I've ever loved. Anyone who ever had a music teacher who was incredibly special will understand why this movie is on my top 5--in memory of David Crosby, marching band director at William Penn Senior High School.

4. Dead Poets Society: Oh, Captain, My Captain! Having attended a school that was very strong on conformity, it's hard not to relate to a movie about living life to the fullest and in your own way. Robin Williams is simply masterful. Carpe Diem!

3. Field of Dreams: frankly, it's a d@$% shame that I'm the one posting this, and not the guy who claims the four sweetest words he's ever heard is "Pitchers and Catchers Report." (And forget the weak excuse that it's on your top 20, CJ.) I've never lived and died by a baseball team, and yet I'm touched every time when Terrence Mann (James Earl Jones) says: "Ray...people will come, Ray...The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball...This field, this game is part of our past, Ray...People will most definitely come."

[Side note: I don't have Mann's words memorized, so I popped the movie in to get the right lines. Several scenes later I realized I had to get back up here before my ISP booted me off. If that's not the mark of a great film, I don't know what is.]

2. Clue: I know what you're thinking: "Clue? Isn't that a comedy?" Darn right it's a comedy! As many times as I've seen it, I still cry with laughter at certain scenes. It's even still funny when quoted--while some funny lines tarnish with age, these just become more polished. C'mon--Tim Curry, the great Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd? "Is there someone else in the house or isn't there, yes or no?"

1. Sense and Sensibility: before you write this one off as a chick flick, I'll have you know that my husband drug me to see it, with me kicking and screaming all the way. It's just a compelling story from beginning to end. And for the "chicks," there isn't a straight woman out there who has not wanted a man to look at her the way Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman) looks at Marianne Dashwood (Kate Winslet) the first time he sees her.

And that'll close out the H*** Top Fives.