Jason Cominetto: So how long have you been in the Dillinger Escape Plan? Can you summarize what your experience has been like with the band?

Liam Wilson: I’ve been in the band officially since around September ‘00, but I’ve been working with the band, learning material and filling in select shows for about a year before that. The experience has been a dream come true, an all-encompassing epiphany both as a person and a musician. It’s also been, simultaneously a reality check, the dumbest decision I’ve ever made, the best thing that’s ever happened to me, the hardest and probably still the easiest job I’ll probably ever have. It’s been a roller coaster of black holes, inside jokes, disgusting toilets, broken monitors; countless hours of restringing instruments, turning knobs, gorilla glue and window-shopping the world in general.

JC: Now, you released your newest album, Ire Works, on November 13. How do you feel about the way that turned out?

LW: For the first time in my relatively short career, I’m content - but never satisfied - with the record as a whole. There’s always something that I wish I could fix or change, but it’s a lesson in commitment. I really think collectively we put our hearts and souls in this one a lot more than the others, and from both a production and a performance stand-point, I’m really proud of what came out of me.

JC: What is your favorite track on Ire Works and why?

LW: That’s a really hard question. What was my favorite song before we went into the studio (“Party Smasher”) wasn’t my favorite after we finished recording it, and the song I was least convinced of when we were demoing material (“Mouth Of Ghosts”) turned out to be a real gem on the record as far as I’m concerned. Songs like “Fix Your Face” and “Nong Eye Gong” turned out great from a bass player perspective, while other songs like “Black Bubblegum” and “Dead As History” turned out to simply be great songs, and a testament to the amount of ground one band can cover in under 40 minutes.

JC: Was there any hostility or difference of opinion when working on Ire Works, or did all of Dillinger get along in the process?

LW: For the most part we all got along, which was a first and has continued to set the tone even half a year later out on the road. There were differences of opinion, but nothing ever got heated and there was always a good amount of compromise. I think this time around we learned to trust and respect each other more than we ever have in the past. If there was any tension in the studio, it was between us and our producer/engineer Steve Evetts, and even that tension was more in regards to constructive criticism which in most cases is never a bad thing.

JC: You also released a music video for your song Milk Lizard. What was working on that video like?

LW: Honestly, I kinda hate doing videos. Trying to perform without a real ‘live’ vibe to me always feels, well, like we’re faking it, which in a real sense, we are. It was especially strange because we were also trying to shoot a video for ‘Black Bubblegum’ the night before, and our guitarist, Ben, broke his foot during the shoot, so everything was a mess right from the start.

JC: It seems like your new album is getting a lot positive feedback. It has been appearing on all sorts of best of lists (including #2 on Revolver Magazine’s top ten albums of 2007), debuted at #142 on the Billboard 200, and your music has even been featured on CSI. What is your response to all this feedback?

LW: I guess over the years we’ve always received positive (and some negative) feedback that has always seemed suspicious and simultaneously inspiring and through it all my attitude has always been to appreciate it for what it is, but to remain humble. With every goal attained, I just re-evaluate my position and set the bar a little higher. Overall I’m pretty honored by everything, especially because as far as we’re concerned we’ve never compromised our own integrity or our idea of who we are and what we do. It’s a great feeling to do what you love to do, to deliberately walk the razors edge artistically and be critically acclaimed as ground-breaking by respectable sources.

JC: You also preformed on Late Night with Conan O’Brien in February. How did it feel playing on national television?

LW: I was more nervous to watch it later than to do the performance itself. Aside from the obvious excitement and pride behind getting to do something as significant as that, and to be able to play to more people in 5 minutes than I may all year, there’s the overall satisfaction of knowing my grandmother set her alarm to wake up and watch the show, seeing my mom get teary-eyed backstage before we were taped, and to see the rest of my family, and some of my band’s families in the audience cheering us on is a genuinely priceless moment. In a very real way it helped legitimize what I do and the sacrifices I’ve made for a lot of my friends and family who may not have completely understood the appeal of the band to the general public, or what the band has done for me personally.

JC: You just finished touring with Killswitch Engage, Every Time I Die, and Parkway Drive. How was touring with each of those bands and how did it compare to your other tours?

LW: Well, we’ve toured with ETID before and they’re good friends of ours. We’ve always felt like our bands complimented each other well on most bills, and we’ve always had a very sportsmanly attitude about playing with each other and simultaneously against each other. Killswitch aren’t my favorite band, but we were grateful for the opportunity to play in front of their fans and as people they were very generous to us. Overall, it was a great tour for us to help work in the new members of our band and to prepare them for the headlining tours we have planned for the rest of the year. Personally, I prefer headlining our own tours to supporting other bands on theirs, but any chance to play in front of new kids is a chance we’ll gladly take.

JC: Any funny stories from the tour?

LW: This one is arguably more G-rated than most of my stories; regardless, we’ve started calling fans who are a little too obsessed, a little too interested, a little too forward or stalker-ish “punishers.” One night, one of the stage hands was helping us load out our gear, and was a big fan of the band and started asking us a million questions. I guess he was starting to break a sweat and un-zipped his jacket, ironically enough he was wearing a ‘Punisher’ skull shirt, like the comic book character. We’re still laughing about that one.

JC: It also seems that Dillinger is planning on doing a small Japanese tour in May with Mayhem and At the Gates. Any thoughts on that?

LW: Going to Japan is always a special event for us, but getting to go and play alongside At the Gates, who are one of my favorite bands and who also broke up before I ever got to see them live, makes this trip extra special. All I can say is that I’m really excited and they better deliver!

JC: Exactly how long have you been playing bass guitar? What are some of the styles and techniques you use when playing with Dillinger or just by yourself?

LW: I’ve been playing bass guitar since February 1992. I’ve always toyed around with other styles and techniques like slapping and tapping, but for the most part I keep things pretty pure, taking most of my inspiration from players like James Jamerson and Jaco Pastorius. Since joining the band I’ve been forced to turn to a pick, which originally I was a little too ‘purist’ for, but now I think it’s really opened up my playing and helped me really break through some personal boundaries and has helped me appreciate other players like Dave Ellefson and Trevor Dunn. I try to keep my skill level as equal as possible, forcing myself to learn how to play even the most difficult things with both my fingers and a pick.

JC: Is there any advice you would like to give to any hopeful bassists out there that want to improve and/or get noticed?

LW: I think one of the most important things to be conscious of is to always have a beginner’s mind. To always remember that no matter how far you’ve come, you still have a long way to go, that you never really get there, and that you should be aware that sometimes it’s the journey and not the destination that you should most concern yourself with. Be open-minded and open-eared. Remember to learn the rules before you go breaking them and that it takes more than talent to make it. Any worthwhile discipline is a painfully slow process, but any knowledge gained in any discipline can be applied to other aspects of your life and vice-versa. In the last few years I’ve also become very fascinated by yoga, and I’ve come to realize how my discipline for the bass has helped push my yoga practice and vice-versa. So, I think it’s especially important to live your life, and to take your passion for life and your relationships and apply it to your bass, and then take what you’ve learned on your bass and re-apply it to the rest of your life. Nothing worth anything comes easy.

JC: Does Dillinger have any plans for the future that the fans don’t know about yet? What should we be looking forward to in 2008?

LW: We’ve got a lot of ideas, but no concrete plans. We’re trying to ‘be here now’ and live in the moment. We’ve got a whole year of touring ahead of us, and we’re all just pacing and bracing ourselves for that and any other surprises that may happen along the way.

My suspicions about Through the Eyes of the Dead were confirmed once local and unannounced group Dawn of Correction took the stage. The vocalist said they were called at the last minute to replace a band that could not make it and thanked the crowd for supporting metal and coming out on a Sunday night. The local band played five songs and was much better than I had thought they would be. The vocalist had a strong presence and the band raised the bar higher than expected for the acts to follow.

Up next was Delaware-based group World Lost, who sadly did not put on the same quality show as the band before them. The vocalist did not have as much charisma as Dawn of Correction’s and the band’s lyrical content sounded consistently cheesy. They overstayed their welcome with seven songs and their breakdowns started to bring out my least favorite type of concert-goers: the slam dancers.

Punching the air, jump-kicking, doing back flips and just overall flailing their limbs around, the slam dancers grew in number as War of Ages took the stage. This Christian metalcore band from Erie, Pennsylvania brought a heavier sound than the bands before them. They played seven brutal songs and entertained the crowd with their riffs and breakdowns and also gave the slam dancers a lot more material to make fools out of themselves to. This was the first time I had listened to War of Ages and I was pleasantly surprised, I just wish the crowd had saved its karate for the dojo and let the band be the entertainers.

At last, it was time for Soilwork! These melodic death metal masters dominated the bands before them and played material off of their last five albums. By this time, the entire floor area was filled with people and the concert had more of an exciting vibe to it. The pit opened up and there was much moshing, providing for a more fun-filled experience than the other bands did. Opening with “Sworn to a Great Divide” and ending with “Nerve” (the band’s best live song), Soilwork played for a good 45 minutes. All the instruments were solid and the vocals were just as consistent as they are on the albums, making them unsurprisingly the best band of the night.

Throwdown was last to take the stage and was welcomed by many fans chanting the band’s name. Though never complex, Throwdown’s music made a great transition live and they were easily the most intense band of the night. Vocalist Dave Peters was downright horrifying and I felt that if I didn’t mosh like he demanded everyone to do I was going to get punched in the face (this is positive thing; most vocalists do not have that kind of presence). The rest of the band was good as well, but it must be hard to not play solid with songs as linear as the ones they performed. So while being in the crowd was fun, it was extremely difficult not feel somewhat bored with Throwdown’s song structure, despite their intensely-fueled live act.

Overall, the night was a blast, with Soilwork stealing the show and Throwdown coming in a close second. World Lost and War of Ages brought some unwelcome fans, but their music was, for the most part, exciting. I wish Through the Eyes of the Dead had played, but local band Dawn of Correction did a great job of opening. With such a powerful show I can only look forward to attending more at the Trocadero sometime soon.

When there are so many other metalcore bands producing music far superior to that churned out by this group, I am absolutely befuddled as to why Bullet For My Valentine are as popular as they are. As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, All That Remains and Shadows Fall: these are all bands that get metalcore right. Why listeners would rather listen to the love-soaked, hopeless romantic music of this band is completely beyond me.

This brings me to the vocal work on this album, one of the many things this band does wrong. Instead of indulging the listener in lyrics that have meaning or tell a story, Bullet For My Valentine sing about their usual topic: love. “I live my life in misery/ I’d sacrifice this world to hold you/ No breath left inside of me/ Shattered glass keeps falling/ Say goodnight/ Just sleep tight/ Say goodnight.” This is an example of some of the horrendously shallow lyrics to be found on this album. To make it worse, the vocalist sounds like he is whining most of the time, making him almost impossible to listen to.

But behind the vocals lies something just as awful: the instruments. It is difficult to put into words how dry everything sounds on this album, but I will try. All the instruments on every song sound exactly the same. First, there are the blast beats, then the guitars and bass chugging on the same note, followed by a generic guitar solo and finishing off with some of the worst breakdowns found in metal today. Also, three of the songs on this album are ballads, which is three more ballads than any metal release should have. How is this band supposed to get the respect of true metal fans when more than twenty five percent of their album is ballads and all of the other songs are impossible to differentiate from one another?

Every track mixes itself into one another, making a 57-minute-long song about love, loneliness and emotions. This is exactly the opposite of what a good metal album should sound like, yet it continues to outsell the better albums of other bands being released. This is why I have no respect for Bullet For My Valentine; they are corrupting the metal genre by making shallow music that is more popular than other bands that are talented.

The only slightly positive thing about this album is that the first track, “Scream Aim Fire,” can be catchy at points. This ns no way means it is memorable, only fairly easy to groove to at the time of listening.

In a word, this album is terrible. As one of the first metalcore releases of 2008, this puts the year off to a bad start. If you are a fan of dry, repetitive, love-soaked music in the vein of awful bands the likes of Atreyu, then you probably have already bought this album and boasted to your high school friends about how hardcore it is. If you like good music, then you have not bought this album and will not buy it. Stay away at all costs. 

2/10

But some shows such as NBC’s Chuck and Heroes, ABC’s Pushing Daisies and Private Practice and FOX’s 24 will not return until the fall.

Even though the networks have opted for these shows to forgo new episodes until the new season begins, many other shows will continue their seasons as early as this month, with most series returning in April.

Greek, the hit show about sorority and fraternity college life, on ABC Family, will return on March 23.

ABC’s Samantha Who will return April 7. Other ABC shows also returning in April are Desperate Housewives (4/13), and Brothers and Sisters (4/20). Both Grey’s Anatomy and Ugly Betty will be back April 24.

NBC’s My Name Is Earl returns April 3. Be sure to catch new episodes of “Comedy Night Done Right,” which includes 30 Rock, The Office, and Scrubs, on April 10. Also returning on April 10 is ER.

FOX’s Bones and House will have new episodes on April 14 and April 28, respectfully.
Gossip Girl, the wildly popular CW show, will be back on April 21.

The strike has also caused some shows, including Bionic Woman, Carpoolers, Cavemen, Girlfriends, Big Shots, Journeyman, Las Vegas, and The Wire, to get permanently canceled.

According to a recent survey of 200 students, 77 percent of students will not stop watching any shows post-strike. The show with the highest drop percentage is Grey’s Anatomy, with six percent. Next come Desperate Housewives with three percent and House with two percent. Other shows with very low drop percentages were American Idol, Family Guy, and Lost, among others.

Only a total of one and a half percent of students said they will actually stop watching TV in general now that they have lived without it during the strike.

Life for TV lovers will once again become a smorgasbord of options with so many new episodes back on the air in April.

Zack Rosenblatt will be covering the South Region, Justin Henderson will be handling the East Region and Nate Mulberg will be discussing the Midwest.  

A special writing appearance is also made by Scott Gross (’09) to discuss the West Region.

In addition to talking about his respective region, each expert will also be answering a few questions that pertain to the entire bracket that includes their favorites to make the Final Four, favorite to win it all and most likely number one seed to lose.

1. Most interesting first round match-up: 

(Midwest) Mulberg:  I like number10 seed Davidson vs. number 7 seed Gonzaga, but not for all the reasons that most like this matchup. Two mid-majors will meet in a game where many feel that the lower seed Davidson will come out on top. I have Gonzaga in this one, but nonetheless, this will be an interesting match-up thanks to Davidson’s superstar guard Stephen Curry who averages 25.1 ppg. Match him up against a Gonzaga squad that has seven guys that average over 7 ppg, and you have yourself a classic in the making.

(West) Gross: Purdue vs. Baylor. Both teams are coming in playing well. Even though Baylor got embarrassed in the Big 12 Tournament, they have turned it around. Purdue is playing surprisingly well and is ranked top 20 in the country. Purdue is the fourteenth best defense in the country while Baylor is the thirteenth best offense.

(East) Henderson: The most interesting match up in the first round East region would be Indiana vs. Arkansas because Indiana has the duo inside and outside the paint both combined average is 38.6 points per game which is more then half there team. Arkansas had a hot streak in their conference Tournament beating number 18 Vanderbilt and also beating number 4 Tennessee back-to-back.

(South) Rosenblatt: Number 8 Mississippi State vs. number 9 Oregon. The Ducks lucked out with a 9 seed despite 13 losses and a .500 record in Pac-10 play. The Bulldogs struggled with a tough schedule, but they lost to tournament teams Tennessee, Clemson and Vanderbilt by a total of 8 points. These two underachievers should turn out to be an exciting game, with Oregon’s run-and-gun offense versus a balanced team in Mississippi.

2. Most interesting “potential” match-up:

(Midwest) Mulberg: Clemson vs. Kansas in the Sweet 16. It’s essentially a match-up between a Clemson squad that lost two games to North Carolina by a combined seven points and a Kansas team that hasn’t met expectations the past few years. It would be a great game as Clemson has five players boasting double-digit scoring averages, while Kansas is known to have one of the best offenses in the country. 

(West) Gross: UCLA vs. UCONN. Both teams have played exceptionally well. Hasheem Thabeet and A.J. Price have made a dynamic duo, and the team has now gotten their sharpshooter Dyson back. UCLA has some great talent in Darren Collison, Jake Westbrook and Kevin Love. They also have Mbah-Moute who is questionable for the tournament. Either way, both teams have played extremely well and I’d love to watch this game.

(East) Henderson: The most potential match-up would be Saint Joseph’s vs. Oklahoma because their two high-powered, different style offenses going against each other. St. Joseph’s shoots the threes while Oklahoma likes to drive. However, they both are unusually weak at defense.

(South) Rosenblatt: Number 2 Texas vs. number 3 Stanford. If they meet, this could be one of the closer match-ups in the entire tournament. The extremely talented Longhorns are best at the guard positions, with flashy point guard D.J. Augustine and shooter, guard, A.J. Abrams. The Cardinals counter with the “Twin Towers” of Brook and Robin Lopez, who dominate the low-post defensively, averaging a combined 4.5 blocks per game.

3. Best head-to-head match-up (players):

(Midwest) Mulberg: This one is easy. It has to be the two fantastic freshmen, and potential 1-2 picks in this year’s upcoming NBA draft, Kansas State’s Michael Beasley vs. USC’s O.J. Mayo. Unfortunately, the two won’t be covering each other as each play different positions; however, both will be expected to play huge roles in this epic game.

(West) Gross: Joe Alexander (WVU) vs. Chase Budinger (Arizona). Both players have helped their teams out tremendously. Alexander blew through the Big East tournament and Budinger has contributed a lot to Arizona.

(East) Henderson:  The best head-to-head match-up would be Notre Dames’ Luke Harangody vs. George Mason’s Will Thomas.  They both average about 10 rebounds a game and it’s going to be a battle between those two also because they both are the leading scores at their positions for their respective teams.

(South) Rosenblatt: Maarty Leunen (Oregon) vs. Jarvis Varnado (Mississippi State). It should be Oregon vs. Varnado because he hardly ever lets any shots reach the rim: Varnado averages a colossal 4.6 blocks per game. Leunen is going to have a tough time getting any shots off, but his athleticism should help him a bit. Leunen is a solid offensive rebounder who is going to need every second-chance opportunity he can get.

4. “Dangerous” double digit seed:

(Midwest) Mulberg:  Davidson. As much as I am not on the Davidson bandwagon, they have plenty of senior leadership, along with a 22-game win streak heading into the tourney. As seen in previous tournaments, teams with a big superstar can indeed make a run. With Stephen Curry, Davidson has that needed superstar.

(West) Gross: Baylor. Baylor has played very well lately and is number 13 in the country in offensive efficiency. If they can get by Purdue they have a chance of beating Xavier or Georgia and then Duke, Arizona or West Virginia.

(East) Henderson: “Dangerous double digit seed” definitely Saint Joseph’s.  They can shoot the ball very well behind the arc and they can get the ball inside the paint with their leading scorer, Pat Calathes.

(South) Rosenblatt: Number 10 Saint Mary’s. The Gaels have one of the most efficient defenses in the nation, and unlike other mid-major teams, they challenged themselves with some tough non-conference games. Early in the season they upset then number 12 Oregon and tested themselves later on with Texas and Gonzaga. The Gaels have a solid inside-outside game with underrated point guard Patrick Mills and big men Diamon Simpson and Omar Samhan. The Gaels could cause some trouble for Texas if they go that far.

5. Sleeper/Cinderella team:

(Midwest) Mulberg: May be a bit of a stretch, but possibly Kent St. They beat St. Mary’s during the regular season, showing they can compete. They also have four players who average double-digit points.

(West) Gross: West Virginia. They have a nice road record. They have the inconsistent Arizona, a team that has drummed up controversy, as many don’t think they should even be in the tournament. After that, the Mountaineers will probably play Duke, which is very prone to an upset after having losses to the likes of Maryland and Wake Forest. They kind of fell apart toward the end of the season after losing to Clemson. Then, West Virginia will have a tougher time against UCLA, UCONN, Drake or someone else from the top half. Look for a run by this number 7 seed.(East) Henderson: The sleeper team would be Winthrop.  They made the brackets last year and pulled off a win against Notre Dame which was considered one of the year’s biggest upsets.

(South) Rosenblatt: Number 14 Oral Roberts. The Golden Eagles have tournament experience, having been there each of the last four years. They breezed their way through their Summit League schedule with a 16-2 conference record. Robert Jarvis and Moses Ehambe both made more then 80 three-pointers, and Ehambe has 15-three pointers in his last two outings. Pittsburgh had better come prepared, or they could be sent home quickly.

6. Player to watch:

(Midwest) Mulberg: Roy Hibbert. We all know who he is, the 7’2 center from Georgetown. He was the leader in last year’s tournament run, and for his team to make it far this year, he will need to be big. Bigger than 7’2 big.

(West) Gross: A.J. Price. He is a senior on UCONN who has tournament experience. He was on a number 1 seed UCONN squad a few years back and knows what it takes to win. Look for him to step up for a sleeper in UCONN.

(East) Henderson: The player to watch for in the East Region would be Luke Harangody. If he can’t score, then Notre Dame is in trouble. When teams figure how to stop him in the paint he takes shots behind the paint and makes them rain.

(South) Rosenblatt: Brook Lopez, Stanford’s center. The extremely talented big man is the main reason why the Cardinals lost just seven games this season. The seven-footer has dominated on both ends of the floor game in, game out. The lack of an outside threat makes it a necessity for Brook to keep doing what he has all year. In a loss to UCLA earlier this year he had just 12 points, so the Cardinals need more games like the 30 and 12 he dropped on Washington State if they want to go to the Final Four.

7. Player “you haven’t heard of” to keep an eye on:

(Midwest) Mulberg:  Edwin Ubiles of Siena. The sophomore averages 17.3 points per game and will be a key player in the Saints’ attempt to upset Vanderbilt in the first round. If he has a big game, look for Siena to have a good chance at winning their opening round game despite being a 13 seed.

(West) Gross: Jake Westbrook. I don’t think many people have heard of him but he is a guard on UCLA who has played hard ball year. He played injured and helped lead UCLA past Stanford just days ago in the PAC-10 Tournament.

(East) Henderson: The single player “you haven’t heard of” to keep an eye on is Jeremy Goode of Mount Saint Mary’s.  In their game to qualify for the tournament, he scored 21 points and had 5 assists in winning 69-60. You never know: Jeremy Goode might throw up some prayer shots.

(South) Rosenblatt: Patrick Mills, point guard on Saint Mary’s. The Aussie floor general may be relatively unknown outside St. Mary’s circles, but his opponents have surely taken note. In the early season upset over Oregon, he had one of the better single game performances of anybody: 37 points, 5 assists and 4 threes and shot an amazing 13 of 14 from the free throw line. It’s not a stretch to call Mills the third best point guard in this region (after D.J Augustine and Derrick Rose).

8. Most overrated team and/or player:

(Midwest) Mulberg:  Wisconsin. This is a team that is solid, but not “freakish.” Solid teams don’t always get it done in the NCAA tournament. Teams that win it all are ones that have high-powered, athletic performers. Wisconsin has a great record, but has beaten teams they should have killed by only a small margin (Michigan by three, Iowa by six). Look for them to go down against a high-powered USC team in a possible match-up in round 2.

(West) Gross: Duke. They have had some pretty bad losses. They lost to Maryland and Wake Forest, both of whom are unranked and not in the tournament. They also don’t have as much talent as in years past and aren’t that improved from last year when they lost as a 6 seed in the first round to VCU.

(East) Henderson: The most overrated is Tennessee only for one reason: they are inconsistent. They beat the number 1 team in the nation but lose to a mediocre Arkansas.  Their shooting is on and off every game; it’s basically flipping a coin: heads they make the shot, tails they miss it.

(South) Rosenblatt: Number 6 Marquette. The Golden Eagles got a 6 seed mainly due to their participation in the premier conference in America (the Big East). I understand the win over Wisconsin was a good one, but I find the Badgers overrated anyway. The Golden Eagles lost to Louisville by 20, Connecticut by 16 and Syracuse by 15. Dominic James has been in complete freefall since his solid freshman year, and his point per game totals have dropped each year since (15.3 in 2006, 14.9 in 2007, and 13.0 this year).

9. Most underrated team and/or player:

(Midwest) Mulberg: Gonzaga. This team epitomizes what a “team” really is. They do not have one over-the-top player, but instead, five very solid starters along with a solid bench. If the Zags play like they are capable of, along with great coaching from head coach Mark Few, look for the Bulldogs to make a run.

(West) Gross: Baylor. Everyone is writing them off already but they have had some big wins this year, most notably, the win vs. TAMU in triple overtime. They have a great offense and have turned themselves around

(East) Henderson: The most underrated team is George Mason.  A lot of people can not see them making the same run they did two years ago.  The coach feels confident with this team and also this has been their best season yet.

(South) Rosenblatt: Number 5 Michigan State. Normally a bonafide favorite to reach the Final Four each year, the Spartans went under the radar for the first time in a while. It seems like Drew Neitzel has been playing forever, but he is still the same consistent point guard he was when the Spartans went on their Final Four run a few years ago. He is the team leader and the one you can count on in the clutch. Supporting Neitzel is a group of highly touted underclassmen in leading scorer Raymar Morgan (14.5 points per game, sophomore) along with freshman Kalin Lucas (10.0 points per game).

10. No. 1 seed most likely to be eliminated first:

Mulberg:  It has to be Memphis. Not only does the school have the least talented team of all of the number one seeds, but they also are playing in a difficult region that has them potentially playing Pittsburgh, Stanford, and/or Texas en route to getting to the Final Four, all of whom are capable of upsetting the Tigers of Memphis.

Gross: Memphis. Out of the four number one seeds, they have had the easiest schedule and have been the least battle-tested this season. They lost a crucial game to Tennessee and have a lot to prove. They will have to face teams like Michigan State, Pittsburgh or Stanford.

Rosenblatt: Memphis: a 30-1 record notwithstanding, the Tigers did play in the mediocre Conference USA. Don’t get me wrong, they are without question the most athletic team in the nation, and they have some major talent, but playing against bad competition did not prepare them well enough for the likes of Stanford or Texas. This year’s batch of number one teams are all very talented, but I have to choose one and that’s why I am going with the Tigers. On a side note - if I were a GM of an NBA franchise with a high draft pick (ahem, Miami) I would suggest taking Rose. Yes, even over the great Michael Beasley.

11. Predicted Final Four:

Mulberg: Tennessee, Kansas, UCLA (if healthy), and in the South bracket - good luck with that one; I am tossing a coin up to decide this one. It is between the top four seeds: Memphis, Texas, Stanford and Pittsburgh, respectively.

Gross: Kansas, North Carolina, UCONN and Texas. Kansas - most athletic in their bracket and the most underrated of the number 1 seeds. Darrell Arthur, Mario Chalmers and Brandon Rush are going to bring it every night. Texas - DJ Augustin and AJ Abrams are ready to fight. They have a pretty decent road after the first round playing against Miami or St. Mary’s and then either Marquette, Stanford, Cornell or Kentucky before having to face the top half. Augustin wants a Final Four appearance before he says sayonara to Longhorn Country. UCONN is a sleeper team that has a lot of underrated talent. AJ Price is playing as well as any point guard in the country, averaging the most assists per game in the Big East with close to 7.0 a game. Thabeet is a 7′2′’ monster and the team will soon get Dyson back.

Rosenblatt:

East- number one North Carolina

Midwest - number one Kansas

West - number one UCLA

South - number three Stanford

I keep trying to find reasons for there not to be three number one seeds in the final four, but UNC, Kansas and UCLA are just way too talented. The Jayhawks have the deepest roster in the tournament, but I hate choosing them because every year I do, they end up losing to a team like Bucknell. UCLA essentially has home court advantage, but having Kevin Love at their services helps a bit as well. I chose Stanford because I don’t see any team capable of containing Brook Lopez, in addition to his twin brother Robin and another solid frontcourt player in Lawrence Hill.

12. National Champ:

Mulberg: If Luc Richard Mbah a Moute plays for the UCLA Bruins, I expect them to win it all with their experienced coaching staff and players. They have two great guards in Darren Collison and Russell Westbrook who should lead the way.

Gross: UNC. They are very talented and well-coached. Roy Williams has won a National Championship before. Ty Lawson is a great all-around player. Wayne Ellington has a lot of talent. Tyler Hansbrough is an absolute warrior. They are good all-around and play tough every night. They are destined to win the tournament.

Rosenblatt: North Carolina over UCLA. The Tar Heels are just so far ahead of every team in the nation talent-wise that, barring injury, I don’t find a team that could stop them. Their toughest test may be against the offensively challenged Washington State (early on). While UCLA has the defense necessary to hang tough, Tyler Hansbrough will just simply be too much for Kevin Love (and every other big man he faces). Even at his short size for his position, he still finds ways to get every rebound and make the toughest shots down low. The spectacular outside shooting of Wayne Ellington, and Ty Lawson’s ability to get up and down the floor make the Tar Heels the team to beat in this year’s tournament.

Before picking a dress, I recommend doing some thinking and research. This is so that you don’t spend endless hours shopping and come home empty handed.

Have no idea what you’re looking for? Research current prom dress trends. Clothing trends shift every season but dress trends tend to stay around a bit longer. If you’re lucky, you can find a dress that you can wear not only for prom, but other occasions in the future. However, finding a dress that is versatile enough to be used more than once, should not be a main priority unless the dress is ridiculously expensive. Also, prom dresses are usually different in the fact that they are “prom dresses” and they usually end up hanging in your closet, only to serve as a souvenir of high school.

Where do you go research? Where else, but Oscars, Emmys, and other red carpet events? The prom dress industry does its research as well, keeping an eye on what couture designers make so that you, the prom attendee, can wear fabulous dresses like the stars.

Here are some prom dress trends for 2008.
- Ruffles
- Black and white
- Feathers
- Sequins
- Chiffon
- Red
- Bondage
- Floral
- Technicolor
- One shouldered

Be careful that you do not go overboard on the feathers, ruffles, and sequins or just in general, any kind of trend. Choose wisely because you might be following a trend so that you fit in, but end up standing out as a faux pas. See the pictures at the end of this article to see examples of the trends.

Learn how to flatter your figure. Not all trends flatter everyone. One of the most important things that you should keep into consideration is your body. Although it may look good on the model in the catalog or in the picture, it may not look good on you. My recommendation is “Work with what you’ve got- Flaunt it if you have it (but in a classy way)”.

Try to try on the dress and make sure it fits comfortably and accentuates your good points and hides your bad points.

Determine how much you want to spend. As much as we all want to wear the dress the model is wearing in Vogue Magazine, the thought isn’t very realistic. “You don’t have to sacrifice your wallet for a great dress and you don’t have to sacrifice style for price”. Use a little creativity or just keep looking for the dress that is at the best price for the best style.

Start shopping online. Do a little pre-shopping online so you can see what you do and don’t like. Also doing a little eye shopping online lets you see what to expect in terms of style and prices when you do go shopping. And you never know, you could come across a dress that you are in love with and cannot find in stores. In that case, you can buy it online and not even have to go out.

Just remember, that you don’t have to follow trends if you don’t want to. Be yourself and have your own style. Good luck and have fun shopping!

Fashion For Thought:
“Make it work.”
– Tim Gunn, Project Runway

Conference tournaments are wrapping up, and Selection Sunday is, well, on Sunday. I’ve chosen some teams from each conference that I believe have a shot at being a part of the 65 team field announced on Sunday.

First Up- the ACC

ACC-

Duke:
- 26-4 (13-3 ACC)
- 4-2 vs. Top 25
-

• Key Player- Greg Paulus, PG- 11.0 ppg, 3.4 apg
Duke goes as Paulus does. The teams point guard and leader is the key to Duke’s success, and with a very young roster Paulus will be expected to maintain his leadership role and end Duke’s streak of early exits in the tournament.

• Best/Worst Case Scenario- Final Four/Sweet Sixteen

• Outlook- An extremely talented bunch. Last years team experienced an early exit (a rarity at Duke) in the first round last year, but with most of last years roster returning, in addition to an impressive freshman class, these Blue Devil’s are equipped for a deep run into the tournament. The difference maker on this team is unquestionably freshman Kyle Singler, an inside-outside threat who poses a tough match-up for any opponent.

North Carolina:
- 29-2 (14-2 ACC)
- 2-1 vs. Top 25

• Key Player- Ty Lawson, PG- 12.9 ppg, 5.5 apg
Tyler Hansbrough probably will win the player of the year awards, and deservingly so, but their speedy point guard will be vital to a championship run. Injuries have plagued Lawson this year, and if he’s not at 100% the Tar Heels are in big trouble. With no viable backup point guards on the roster, having Lawson around is huge. His lightning quick speed reminds me of recent Illinois point guard Dee Brown with his ability to get up and down the floor so quickly.

• Best/Worst Case Scenario- Final Four/Sweet Sixteen

• Outlook- The Tar Heels have dominated their way through the first 31 games of the season, and the mere presence of forward Tyler Hansbrough gives the Tar Heels a chance on any given night. Wayne Ellington might have the best outside shot in the ACC, and Danny Green is a solid starter who does a little bit of everything. But looking closely, I find myself believing the Tar Heels to potentially be upset early on. Looking past the fact that they only have six viable players and their point guard not being healthy, their schedule this year was not the hardest. The ACC is not what it used to be, and with the exception of three teams, their non-conference schedule was just average.

On The Bubble:
Virginia Tech
- 19-12 (9-7 ACC)
- 0-3 vs. Top 25
Their ACC tourney win against Miami (Fl.) helped their case, but a mediocre non-conference record, along with virtually no “quality” wins, Virginia Tech needs to pull a major upset on UNC if they want their name called Sunday. An NIT berth is likely.

Miami (Fl.)
- 22-10 (8-8 ACC)
- 2-2 vs. Top 25
That early 12 game win streak is not so great when you consider Virginia Commonwelth was the toughest opponent. Looking past their weak non-conference schedule, it looks like they have done just enough to get into the tournament. The February upset over Duke certainly helps their case, but losing to Virginia Tech by 14 in the ACC tournament is not so great. I feel they’ve done enough to get in the tourney, but with just average talent (at best) I don’t see them making much noise.

Clemson:
- 22-8 (10-6 ACC)
- 0-3 vs. Top 25

• Key Player- Terrence Oglesby, G- 10.6 ppg, 42% 3-Point
K.C. Rivers and James Mays get all the pub, but this long range shooting specialist is a big reason why Clemson was able to be successful throughout the season. In the beginning of the season he proved that he has the shooting ability to change the outcome of a game, and without him Clemson would be where they are every year, on the bubble or eliminated completely. Excluding the Ole Miss game, in 7 losses Oglesby averaged just 6 points per game, compared to almost 12 per in Clemson’s wins.

• Best/Worst Case Scenario- Elite Eight/1st Round

• Outlook- Clemson may be one of the surprise teams in this tournament and advance more then expected, but they also could get eliminated in the first round. Inconsistency has been a problem that’s plagued Clemson in recent years. The Tigers won their first 10 games to open the season, then followed that with 5 losses in their next 10. If they want to do well they need to remain consistent in what they do. Every one of the five starters averages at least 10.5 ppg, lead by junior K.C. Rivers with 14.5 per game. Their inside-outside game is among the best around, James Mays and Trevor Booker are solid down low and having three other players with the ability to hit three (Oglesby, Rivers, and Cliff Hammonds). I see this balanced Tiger squad winning a game or two, possibly more.

With all of the dramatic media coverage on his retirement, it sure seems like Favre has been placed “down under”.

I was watching ESPN earlier in the week, and during a Green Bay Packers press conference, Ted Thompson, the Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations, made a statement.

No way, the Packers will move on? I have to admit, I really did not think the Packers would move on after this dreadful, end of the world retirement of Brett Favre. In fact, I initially thought the whole team was going to be disbanded after the retirement reports were made public.

GIVE ME A BREAK!

Then, to feed my annoyance to an even higher level, I was given the pleasure of hearing some of the Green Bay fans’ reactions to Favre’s retirement. Their reaction was even more pathetic than Ted Thompson’s on behalf of the Packers’ organization.

One fan said, “Upon hearing about his retirement, my heart stopped, I cried.”

Wow, what has our world come to? Last time I checked, there are a few more dilemmas going on in today’s world that are more worthy of making you cry. (See Project Iraqi Freedom or Darfur Genocide for example.)

Being a sports fan myself, I guess I could somewhat relate to these sorrowful fans. I mean, I do remember when longtime Philadelphia 76er Allen Iverson was traded away from my favorite team to the Denver Nuggets. That trade really hurt me, I knew the 76ers would never be the same, and I even considered crying. But then I remembered something very important; it is not my life that this trade has affected. I realized that I indeed had my own life to worry about. Maybe sooner or later, these Green Bay fans will realize that there are more important things to their lives than the life of a professional football player.

The funny part about this all is that I am banking on an annual Brett Favre “come out of retirement”. Why do I think this you may ask?

My answer: He has played the same game with fans and media over and over again.

Each time he allegedly retires, Favre has been all over the sporting news world. He has been able to watch and listen to all of his “lovers” that he does not know personally pour their hearts out to him, begging for his return. Eventually the fans get what they want when he comes out of retirement. Perhaps Favre gets what he wants as well by being all over the sporting world for several days.

Now before anyone calls me an ignorant sports journalist, please allow me to convey to all the readers that Brett Favre is indeed one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game of football. Notice I say “is one of the greatest quarterbacks,” showing my true belief that Favre will return to the NFL soon enough. Not only is he a hall-of-fame player, but he is also a first class act and joy to watch with his signature sprints around the field as a post-touchdown celebration.

But to all avid Packers and Brett Favre fans, please do everyone a favor. Even if this once-in-a-blue moon great is actually done for good, remember, the guy is JUST retiring. Let’s praise his accomplishments and remember him for all the good he did for the game. He deserves that. What he doesn’t deserve, however, is a reception that mirrors one held for a funeral.

President: Emily Zippilli (’09)

Vice Presidents: Meghan Marro (’09), Madison Back (’09), Brett Marlowe (’10) and Anthony Giannopoulos (’09)