2013 ACC Tournament, Part I: The Winners And Losers

Last year, I did pretty well in picking the ACC Tournament brackets, missing exactly one game on my way to an easy victory. I’m sure I’ll monk things up this year after I’ve set the standard so high (and here is my seeding breakdown), but anyway, here’s my yearly (2011, 2009, 2008 and 2007, anyway) guess ...

THURSDAY, MARCH 14

Noon, #8 Boston College vs. #9 Georgia Tech

Summary: How I miss the days where this matchup would be called the Moustache Invitational, as the Eagles’ Al Skinner and the Jackets’ Paul Hewitt pitted their odd caterpillar ‘staches against each other.

Ah, but all good (or bad) things must come to an end. Instead, we have a pair of second-year coaches going at it in BC’s Steve Donahue and GT’s Brian Gregory. Both coaches have young clubs in search of an identity, but Donahue has a leg up in imprinting his stamp on who Boston College is and who they yearn to be.

With the best player on the floor in Ryan Anderson, the Eagles will hold off the Yellow Jackets in a slugfest ... though the product will likely be closer to snooze-inducing than the fireworks that all would prefer jumpstart the ACC Tournament.

Winner: Boston College

2 p.m., #5 State vs. #12 Virginia Tech

Summary: As he’s done to the entire league, Erick Green clowned the Pack in their only meeting this year, and since State is pretty woeful in help defense, it’s hard to imagine them slowing him down much this time. He’ll go for about 30, but isn’t likely to get enough help from Jarell Eddie or others.

From an NC State perspective, the game-within-the-game play-by-play looks something like this: Calvin dunks. C.J. travels. Calvin dunks. C.J. goaltends. Calvin dunks. C.J. gets a technical. Calvin dunks. C.J. travels.

Meanwhile, Mark Gottfried dry-heaves into a Gatorade bottle as top assistant Bobby Lutz does his best to keep the coach from tearing his hair out. The Wolfpack should get enough from Richard Howell, Scott Wood and Lorenzo Brown to outlast the undermanned Hokies, but not before a message-board post blaming Leslie for the sequester reaches 813 replies.

Winner: NC State

7 p.m., #7 Maryland vs. #10 Wake Forest

Summary: The Terps are emotional after a pregame ceremony honoring Greivis Vasquez as a Big 10 Legend and/or Leader, but coach Mark Turgeon spends most of the game cursing Terrell Stoglin’s shot selection—even though Stoglin now plays somewhere in Greece (*fill in your own value of the drachma joke here*).

In a game that sets basketball back a couple of months, the Deacons get another hot game from C.J. Harris, a rare positive showing by Travis McKie and a workman-like showing from Devin Thomas. Wake Forest pulls the tourney’s first “upset,” which seems to confuse coach Jeff Bzdelik, who is in a neck brace after shaking his head a few too many times in the first half.

Extra security is ordered to the Maryland bench after Dezmine Wells picks up a second technical late in the game and he takes a swing at a fan wearing a Cincinnati T-shirt. The Terrapins’ Alex Len announces shortly after the game that he is leaving school early to join the Russian national hockey team. Harris realizes he played the entire game with no lenses in his sports goggles, having accidentally grabbed Russell Westbrook’s specs.

Winner: Wake Forest

9 p.m., #6 Florida State vs. #11 Clemson

Summary: The nightcap to a ho-hum first day of ACC hoops features an improving Seminoles squad taking on the one-man show from Clemson. The Tigers’ Devin Booker goes for 20 and 10, but FSU’s assembly line of foreign seven-footers completely neutralizes Milton Jennings.

Clemson coach Brad Brownell draws up every illegal screen and low-post tackle he can think of, but he’s unable to slow down Florida State’s offense. Despite a 16-point lead, an unguarded Michael Snaer hits a three-pointer at the buzzer while falling out of bounds. After the game, Brownell complains to the league about the physicality of the game, leading referee Ray Natili to pull a rib cage muscle laughing.

With the game well in hand, the late-night Greensboro crowd spends most of the nightcap either dozing or watching reruns of “The Andy Griffith Show” on their smart phones.

Winner: Florida State

FRIDAY, MARCH 15

Noon, #1 Miami vs. #8 Boston College

Summary: ‘Canes coach Jim Larranaga delights onlookers by roaming the sidelines in shorts, black knee-high socks and “mandals.” Imploring his team to “wrap this up so we can head to dinner,” the coach then turns to press row and admits that even he’s tired of seeing Barry Larkin in the crowd at this point.

A late-arriving crowd misses an early surge by the Eagles, who hit a series of 25-foot set shots at the end of the shot clock. However, 34-year-old Julian Gamble eventually sparks the Hurricanes with some blocked shots, igniting Miami’s transition game.

Halfway through the second half, Durand Scott picks up his dribble at halfcourt and eventually converts a finger-roll, leading Tim Brandt to praise his “Euro-step.” The late-arriving crowd hasn’t, well, arrived yet, so it’s easy to hear Shane Larkin’s mother screaming at him to shave “that thing on your face.”

After the game, B.C. coach Steve Donahue credits Miami and says things are looking up for his program, especially after “his guys” arrive in the form of 11 more freshmen next year. LeBron James Tweets that he wishes the Heat had the Hurricanes’ “experience level” this year.

Winner: Miami

2 p.m., #4 Virginia vs. #5 NC State

Summary: A contrast in styles as two teams that barely look as if they’re playing the same sport square off here ... Slowtime vs. Showtime, if you will. The Wahoos aim to hammer cutters into submission and play containment defense, while the Pack seeks to get out in the open floor and convert every other layup.

The Wolfpack played the Cavs to the wire in the absence of Lorenzo Brown the first time around, and if Brown can taketh more than Brown giveth away, NC State should eke one out here. Akil Mitchell has improved as the year has gone on, but should be pretty well cancelled out by Richard Howell. Can Scott Wood find his shot against stifling halfcourt defense? Can C.J. Leslie put together a game with consistent intensity and decisive play? These are the questions that could determine this outcome.

Tony Bennett’s squad has been on the bubble and off the bubble for seemingly half the season, and they’ll find themselves squarely back on after this one. Greensboro will be overrun with dudes wearing orange pants, poorly tied bowties and Bieber cuts, to go with Wolfpack fans debating whether or not to retire Leslie’s jersey.

Winner: NC State

7 p.m., #2 Duke vs. #10 Wake Forest

Summary: Barring C.J. Harris’s ability to channel Randolph Childress, this one is going to get ugly early. And by ugly, I’m referring to Duke’s benchwarmers; also, the game itself.

The Blue Devils may set an unofficial national record for charges taken against an undisciplined Wake Forest team, as players assistants Steve Wojciechowski, Chris Collins, Nate James and Jeff Capel fistpump coach really hard. As the game gets out of hand, the foursome debates the Grantlandbracket of most hated college basketball players. Awkward silence ensues when it is learned that Collins voted for Wojo and Wojo wrote in Collins as a candidate.

Meanwhile, the only scare for Duke on the court comes when Seth Curry accidentally chokes on his mouthguard. The training staff is slow to respond after assuming Curry was just faking another ankle injury after a flop.

Winner: Duke

9 p.m., #3 UNC-Chapel Hill vs. #6 Florida State

Summary: A year ago at this time, the Seminoles dusted off the Tar Heels to win the ACC Tournament. This year, both squads are fielding teams that fall far short of last year’s, leading to more effort from the coaches: Ol’ Roy throws the weird gingerbread-man-taking-a-dump stance out there more often, while Leonard Hamilton glares even harder.

The Seminoles can run numbers in the frontcourt, so they can continuously hammer away at an undersized and inexperienced Heels front line. UNC bombs away from the outside with abandon, but poor shot selection allows the ‘Noles to hang around.

Of course, giving FSU a chance in the closing moments it tantamount to disaster, starring Michael Snaer as “Disaster.” With Roy Williams sweating Coca-Cola on the sidelines and P.J. Hairston going 5-for-26 on three-pointers, the Tar Heels can only look on as Snaer casually flips in a 57-footer—lefthanded—with 0.6 seconds left to push Florida State into the lead. Even the wax statue of Butch Davis in the Greensboro Coliseum cries as legions of UNC fans make their way to Wal-Mart to sales-drown their sorrows.

Winner: Florida State


Ready for Part II? Here you go ...

The Field: Snapshotting The 2013 ACC Tournament Seeds

Pretty self-explanatory. Have at it ...

#1 Miami

Plain and simple, the Hurricanes have all the pieces needed to run away with the ACC Tournament and make big noise beyond: an all-around point guard (Larkin), a stretch four (Kenny Kadji), a complete off guard (Durand Scott) and a ton of experienced depth. Jim Larranaga’s “Cocoon”-aged squad has the numbers and versatility to play a number of different styles, and while the ‘Canes were on the right side of a lot of good fortune through most of the regular season, sentiment seems to have gone too far the other way in writing off Miami as a legitimate contender. If the Hurricanes can keep Nevin Shapiro and Frank Haith away from G’boro for the entire weekend, they should be the nominal favorites.

#2 Duke

It’s been popular to turn the Devils into something they’re not, partly due to Ryan Kelly’s misleading comeback performances and Miami’s late-season erratic play. While Duke is unquestionably a dangerous team, the reality is that Mason Plumlee disappears too often, Rashied Suilamon has fallen off of late and Duke is overly reliant on Seth Curry’s bombing away from three and Quinn Cook consistently playing over his head. The Blue Devils lack scoring punch off the bench (though the ACC may have never seen a more prolific fouler than Tyler Thornton), and has often been the case in recent years, this is a vulnerable team on nights where the three isn’t falling. Kelly’s return (*fill in your own Geek Squad joke here*) changes the dynamic of the team, but will it be enough to push a good team to the next level?

#3 UNC-Chapel Hill

The Heels parlayed a late-season flurry over a series of subpar teams to zoom up the standings to grab the third spot. However, an uncompetitive home shellacking at the hands of Duke was a bit of a reality check to end the regular season, and any time your go-to player is Reggie Bullock, you know you’ve got a hit-or-miss team on your hands. Much has been made of P.J. Hairston’s assertion into the starting lineup, and he’s an undeniable shooter who teams well with Bullock to give teams fits from beyond the arc. However, Philip Michael Thomas McAdoo hasn’t lived up to advance billing, Marcus Paige has had understandably shaky moments as a freshman point guard in the ACC, UNC has one-dimensional players at the two spot in the bowtie Urkel crew of Dexter Strickland and Leslie McDonald, and the staff has tried a rotating series of youngsters in the frontcourt (does Marvin Austin have any eligibility left?), to no avail. Roy Williams has gone to his pinch-a-loaf stance to urge on his crew quite a bit this year, but the stark reality is that this is a Tar Heels team with an uncommon dearth of talent.

#4 Virginia

One could make a compelling case that the Wahoos are thriving in an underdog role, though they seem to always fall just short of breaking through. Some seek to minimize UVa’s style of play, but Tony Bennett’s squad goes out to prove that it is tougher than you are, and whether you like that approach or not has no bearing on whether the team is in line for kudos or not. The reality is that the Cavaliers have outperformed a few squads with much greater talent, and they’ve done so with a tremendous all-around player in Joe Harris and help from underrated Akil Mitchell and solid lead guard Jontel Evans. Whether the style is easy on the eyes or not, one of the best measurements of a good coach is whether or not he’s capable of forcing you to play his preferred type of game. In the case of Bennett and the Cavs, the answer is a resounding yes, but the follow-up question is whether or not that’s enough to make a legitimate run. Will “The Best Be Yet to Come” for Tony Bennett and the Forearm Shiver Deliverers?

#5 State

The Pack is an underachieving unit that too often seems emotionally disengaged and lacking in competitive fire. State is at its best in transition (translation: when it doesn’t have to think), but bogs down in the halfcourt due to poor spacing, the lack of post-up fundamentals and a dearth of legitimate perimeter shooters. When Richard Howell is cleaning the boards, Lorenzo Brown is playing under control, C.J. Leslie is mentally present and Scott Wood is drilling open treys, Mark Gottfried’s club is more than capable of taking down anyone (on a neutral floor). But the harsh question is this: when has more than two of those things taken place in the same game for the Wolfpack? State’s only hope is that it has played poorly enough during the regular season to convince itself it is now in an underdog role.

#6 Florida State

After last year’s tremendous campaign, a letdown for Leonard Hamilton’s team was expected, but the Seminoles have improved as the season has progressed. As usual, Hamilton has dug up a United Nations of players from all points of the globe (from Alaska to England to Nigeria to Slovakia). The lynchpin is buzzer-beater extraordinaire Michael Snaer, but FSU was hoping Okaro White would take the next step in his development and Ian Miller would progress as an offensive threat—and neither has happened. Rookie point Devon Bookert has outplayed some of the league’s alleged top guards late in the year, and the ‘Noles can go extremely big, with six players 6-8 or taller (including three seven-footers). It’s probably a year early too expect much from Florida State in a postseason setting, but rest assured that no opposing coach is going to be giddy about seeing their name across the bracket in Greensboro.

#7 Maryland

Mark Turgeon is presiding over another nondescript bunch of ballers in College Park. Catch them on the wrong night and they can knock off Duke easily; catch them on a normal night and Elon can run them out of the gym. The Terps were hoping for more from Pe’shon (pronounced PEE-Shon, according to the helpful school Web site) Howard and Nick Faust, but Alex Len and James Padgett have also been less than promised in the frontcourt. Maryland thought it had a coup when it bailed out (literally) Dez Wells from Xavier, but the pieces just haven’t fit together for the eminently unlikeable Turgeon. Granted, perhaps the Terrapins have been caught flash-forwarding to a series of 36-33 slugfests with Wisconsin in the Big 10, but this lackluster club is dragging itself out of the ACC through the cellar, not the front door, and doing so with a whimper, not a bang.

#8 Boston College

Steve Donahue is putting together a gutsy team, and usually that’s code for “shoddy but they try hard,” but in this case it’s for real. He’s got a versatile big man in Ryan Anderson, an emerging rookie guard in Olivier Hanlan, a solid ballhandler in Joe Rahon and a young crew of promising big men. Plus, forward Eddie Odio is a dead ringer for former “Real Genius” star Gabriel Jarrett. Donahue essentially had to gut the roster when he arrived at Chestnut Hill, and with four freshmen and seven sophomores, it could be argued that he’s ahead of schedule at this point. The Eagles are likely at least a year away, but will be a tough out for somebody in this tourney.

#9 Georgia Tech

It’s nice to know that even in the absence of Paul Hewitt, the Yellow Jackets remain an enigma. Brian Gregory’s team has some nice pieces in skilled big man Daniel Miller, forward Kammeon Holsey, experienced guard Mfon Udofia and promising youngster Julian Royal, but Tech has been frustratingly inconsistent. Many feel Gregory has this program on the right track, but there’s no reason the Jackets shouldn’t be a consistent top-half-of-the-league threat with a great school in a fertile recruiting area with respectable basketball tradition. On the plus side, Gregory’s hair isn’t getting any grayer now that Glenn Rice Jr. isn’t around to rifle up random 35-footers.

#10 Wake Forest

The good news is that Jeff Bzdelik’s team has marginally upgraded from trainwreck status. The bad news is that resulted in a 10^th-place finish and six ACC wins. Guard C.J. Harris has had his moments and rookie big man Devin Thomas has a bright future, but forward Travis McKie has regressed and suspension and transfers have decimated the Demon Deacons roster. It’s hard to argue that assistant Rusty LaRue wouldn’t be the best player on this team, and that’s a problem because he’s almost 40. As mentioned, this team has improved from last year, but is that improvement happening fast enough for Bzdelik to save his job? That will be the biggest question around Winston-Salem this offseason. Well, that and where did all the cigarettes go ...

#11 Clemson

The honeymoon is officially over for Brad Brownell at Clemson. Devin Booker is a handful in the low post for the Tigers, but he didn’t have near enough help this season. Forward Milton Jennings never developed into the player many had him pegged as, while a nondescript group of guards couldn’t elevate the Clemson backcourt. K.J. McDaniels shows some promise as a sophomore, but beyond that, there is an almost shocking lack of talent on this roster. If he’s buying rather than renting in Clemson, Brownell may be wise to head across campus to see how Dabo Sweeney is cheerleading buying recruiting his way into success.

#12 Virginia Tech

Guard Erick Green was the ACC’s best player all season long (and it wasn’t very close) and ended up as the nation’s leading scorer to boot. Unfortunately, his Herculean efforts weren’t enough to lift the Hokies from the bottom of the league for coach James Johnson. Gunner Jarell Eddie was too streaky, big man Cadarian Raines was a foul machine on the interior and no one else stepped up enough to give Green any type of help at all (not even the awesomely named Joey Racer). In a win-or-go-home scenario Green will give Virginia Tech a puncher’s chance, but asking him to put the team on his back for an entire tournament is just too much to ask. On the positive side, Seth Greenberg won’t have to pace around shotgunning Pepto Bismol waiting to see the brackets this year.

If Magic Johnson Was Your Drinking Buddy

Hey, Pass Me A Beer! from Almost Twins      

I laughed.

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIV: V Resonates Two Decades Later, Plus “TWD” Dusts Itself Off With Epic Epi

Can it really have been 20 years

Since Jimmy V reduced us to tears?

An epic ESPY speech

A strength he was able to reach

“Don’t give up” still reaches new ears

Gun and oil lobbies are hovering

The truth the Tea Party is covering

Bipartisanship does pester

When it results in sequester

Posturing takes precedence over governing

Free agency heists aren’t a crime

The ‘Fins will spend a pretty dime

A crossroads for Ireland

Before he turns into Fired Man

Only question: how they F it up this time

Green instead of gloom

Everything does bloom

Daylight Savings

Bracket ravings

For spring, we always have room

Nostalgia Rick and Carl seek

Michonne adds personality to the bleak

Morgan in his personal hell

Of his former self, he’s a shell

Best “TWD” epi in many a week

Last time …

M. Night Shyamalan Becomes A "Real Genius"

What happens when a woefully underrated '80s movie gets a spin from a two-trick-pony director?

I see funny people.

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIII: “The Office” Is Closing In Fine Fashion, Plus “TWD” Puts Andrea In Limelight

Great epi that just wouldn’t stop
Dwight and Angela dance and hop
An unsettling Pam-Jim storyline
Hard to watch Andy pine
“The Office” is closing on top

Dudes can’t be disappearing

And force fans to stop cheering

Entering the stretch run

Time for the team to merge as one

And become a Pack all are fearing

Guide me from the sky

And cast me a supportive eye

It’s not always apparent

What’s needed in being a parent

Closed-hearted need not apply

Journalism owes him a debt

Repaid by making up a threat

Woodward losing his mind

Partisanship making him blind

Sad demise of a reporting vet

Andrea paid the crew a visit

As everyone pondered their kismet

Carl told his Dad to step aside

As worlds began to collide

Soap opera or action drama, which is it?

Last time …

Deep Thoughts By No-Look McFadden: Episode 64

#1

I love Rolling Stone, but c’mon, Lena Dunham on the cover of a music magazine? The disturbingly-quirky-and-shiftless-New Yorker vibe is well played out at this point. I think we’ve definitely proven that ugly angsty isn’t the new pretty at this point. Let’s move on.

#2

Not that you should ever need additional incentive to be nice to your bartender, but a little context could help.

#3

Few days pass without me missing Ireland. A story about issuing drunk driving permits to rural residents points up one of the many reasons why.

#4

In case you’re looking for further signs of the apocalypse, you just found one: Duke assistant Scottie Montgomery is talking smack about recruiting in the state of North Carolina.

Duke.

Football recruiting.

Help.

#5

A pretty little story about how love is rarely where you think you’ll find it. Even in the case of a turtle.

#6

Proud Sub owner. Proud dad. Totally not crying.

#7

There’s a Devon Bookert (Florida State) AND a Devin Booker (Clemson) in the ACC? Why am I only now finding out about this?

#8

So Season 3.5 of “The Walking Dead” is off to a rather “ugh” start. But I do have to admit that Lil’ Asskicker DOES kinda look like Lori. Good casting ... I guess?

#9

Replaying the wedding songs of elderly couples can make things get dusty pretty quick.

#10

Thank goodness Twitter exists to inform us that Charlize Theron is hot. Who watches the freaking Oscars and actually goes, “You know who’s surprisingly semi-attractive? That Charlize Theron. I never noticed that before.”

Hell, Manti Te’o could have told you that.

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXII: Tebow Disciple Of Hate? Plus, War Of The Living Finally Arrives on “TWD”

Tebow to appear at a hate church

‘Til it threatened to put his rep in the lurch

He went into crisis mode

To save his image from the commode

Fraud or naïve? The truth we still search

A model-murder stunner

By the dude called Blade Runner

At worst, an abusive coward

His girlfriend beaten and overpowered

At best, an indiscriminate gunner

How low can you go?

Just ask Sidney Lowe

Pay taxes? He couldn’t bother

Arrested as a damn tax dodger

Adds to his coaching tale of woe

Howard a bitch all day

Kobe has to have his way

Can’t coexist to win

Rather whine again and again

Lakers = all that’s wrong with the NBA

Axel became a human shield

A zombie bomb loose in a field

Glenn is becoming unhinged

Blinded by thoughts of revenge

Can Rick’s mind ever be healed?

Last time …

“Listening In” Pulls Back Camelot’s Curtain To Offer Rare Frame Of Reference For Kennedy Leadership

 “For the great enemy of truth is very often not the lie—deliberate, contrived, and dishonest—but the myth—persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. Too often we hold fast to the clichés of our forebears. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.”

“I saw how ideally politics filled the Greek definition of happiness: ‘Full use of your powers along lines of excellence in a life affording scope.’”

One of my personal heroes is Robert F. Kennedy. My Dad looks a lot like JFK. So it was a no-brainer that Ted Widmer’s “Listening In: The Secret White House Recordings of John F. Kennedy” would resonate with me on a number of levels.

The book captured conversations held in the Oval Office about a variety of topics. Not only is it fascinating to hear how JFK related to visitors and audiences of different priority and status, but it reveals quite a bit about the state of the world during his Presidency.

It is difficult for future generations to grasp the breadth of issues that faced JFK and his Cabinet, but these tapes open the blinds on struggles with the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, racism and equality, the space race, and other monumental challenges. In particular, a revealing statement by the author on the fallout of the New Frontier and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“But those achievements came at a cost, including the departure of much of the South from the Democratic coalition, the rise of a powerful right, and a stridency that has never left our politics since.”

Some of JFK’s insights also show the evolution—or, perhaps, the de-evolution—of politics from that generation to its current (disastrous) state. As Kennedy himself said on the art of being a politician, “I think you have to be able to communicate a sense of conviction and intelligence and rather, some integrity. That’s what you have to be able to do ... Those three qualities are really it.”

Unfortunately, one of the most humorous and humanizing comments by JFK wasn’t offered on either of the CDs that came with the book. In an exchange with his air force aide, Godfrey McHugh, about a snafu to do with a furniture purchase, he minced no words:

“McHugh: Why sir, this is obviously ...

JFK: Well, this is obviously a fuckup.

McHugh: That’s right.

JFK: That’s right.”

However, the sublime 1952 campaign song (“Do you want a man for president,/Who’s seasoned through and through?/But not so doggone seasoned,/That he won’t try something new.”) was included on a CD, to much amusement.

“Listening In” made for a rather quick read, but I found its unique perspective refreshing and educational. Being thrown into the proverbial middle of Camelot to witness JFK’s one-of-kind governing style and the massive potential that his approach and brilliance portended also made this a tremendous addition to my personal library.

This One Hits Close To Home

Gettin' a wee bit dusty in here ...

Scooter & Hum’s Top Five Books of the Year 2012

Our sixth year of the Scooties was admittedly a slow one. It was a difficult and heart-rending year for me in many ways, one that saw me struggle to do the things that seem as natural to me as breathing: writing and reading. But I’m trying to get there.

Better late than never ...

#1: “Selected Stories,” by William Trevor

What I Wrote Then:

 

In “Selected Stories,” Trevor has created a fascinating inventory of case studies on the issue of malevolence, and how understated evil can take root in seemingly good people. He uses sparse, but dense and powerful prose to sketch characters that you simultaneously detest and empathize with. For me, the seemingly quiet pastoral life will never be looked at quite the same—a tribute to Trevor’s ability to evoke emotion with an understated mastery of sparsely impactful prose.

What I Say Now:

Trevor’s collection of stark-yet-powerful short stories evoke emotions with a soaring words-to-emotion ratio. His willingness to taken on the dark spots of normal folks’ souls amidst the pastoral Irish environment makes for wonderful—if draining—reading.

Read My Review

Passage to Remember:

“Nothing of love had been destroyed today: they took that with them as they drew apart and walked away from one another, unaware that the future was less bleak than it now seemed, that in it there still would be the delicacy of their reticence, and they themselves as love had made them for a while.”

#2: “A Week at the Airport,” by Alain de Botton

What I Wrote Then:

This fascinating book packs an unbelievably emotional wallop into just 107 pages -- an unmistakable gift for and from a writer charged with “just” detailing an airport. 

What I Say Now:

The premise undertaken by de Botton is difficult not to accept as underwhelming and unappealing. Somehow, some way, the author makes it not only work, but charges it with higher-level thinking and insights that elevates this form far past what would appear to be possible. On second thought, there is no “somehow, some way,” however; the answer lies in the simplest of solutions: brilliant writing.

Read My Review

Passage to Remember:

“We forget everything: the books we read, the temples of Japan, the tombs of Luxor, the airline queues, our own foolishness. And so we gradually return to identifying happiness with elsewhere: twin rooms overlooking a harbour, a hilltop church boasting the remains of the Sicilian martyr St Agatha, a palm-fringed bungalow with complimentary evening buffet service. We recover an appetite for packing, hoping and screaming. We will need to go back and learn the important lessons of the airport all over again soon.”

#3: “Ten Thousand Saints,” by Eleanor Henderson

What I Wrote Then:

 

All in all, I felt “Ten Thousand Saints” was a great tale, though not a great story ... But to be fair, Henderson employs some really beautiful, mature writing, and eminently quotable turns of phrase. The result is an evocative, humorous novel, a coming-of-age tale wrapped in a series of love stories, fraught with real emotion ... balanced by harsh reality.

What I Say Now:

Henderson’s ambitious novel may have taken on too many weighty themes, but the story is engrossing and the characters reel you in unflinchingly. It’s a book you didn’t want to put down and a tale you didn’t want to end—and that reality puts all minor faults in truest context.

And as an added bonus, the gifted author thanked me for the review on Twitter ...

Read My Review

Passage to Remember:

“Even when the baby was out of her ... she kept her eyes closed tight. She knew how easy it is to fall in love.”

#4: “Hunger Games,” by Suzanne Collins

What I Wrote Then:

My first impression was that the central theme mirrored a lot of aspects of human hunting for sport, as highlighted in Richard Bachman/Stephen Kings books “Running Man” and “The Long Walk,” as well as the Richard Connell short story “The Most Dangerous Game” (also called “Hounds of Zaroff”). There were even elements of “The Truman Show” and “1984,” with the constant surveillance and the “Big Brother” authority overhanging everything. Admittedly, these are more than worthy references and anchors on which to base your story.

What I Say Now:

Sure, Collins’s work drew heavily on the art of others. Sure, it was designed for a young-adult audience. Sure, the rest of the trilogy sort of fell apart as the story progressed. But this kickoff point was an engrossing, well-told, tremendous tale.

Read My Review

Passage to Remember:

“As I slowly, thoroughly wash the makeup from my face and put my hair in its braid, I begin transforming back into myself. Katniss Everdeen. A girl who lives in the Seam. Hunts in the woods. Trades in the Hob. I stare in the mirror as I try to remember who I am and who I am not.”

#5: “The Wind Through the Keyhole,” by Stephen King

What I Wrote Then:

Even after some 4,000 pages of the Dark Tower series, even this small morsel had me yearning for more. Will King yield to the masses and rattle off a handful of similar side tales to appease Faithful Reader? Time will tell, and as in King’s own words, “Time was a face on the water, and like the great river before them, it did nothing but flow.”

What I Say Now:

This way-too-but-understandably-short late entry to the “Dark Tower” epicness grabbed me by the collar and dragged me along, tinged with melancholy for characters missed and storylines unvisited in far too long. The narrative exists somewhat outside the “Dark Tower” plot, but in a clever way, leading to a hopeful optimism that more of the same could eventually be on the way.

Read My Review

Passage to Remember:

“Time is a keyhole, he thought as he looked up at the stars. Yes, I think so. We sometimes bend and peer through it. And the wind we feel on our cheeks when we do—the wind that blows through the keyhole—is the breath of all the living universe.”

               

Editor’s Note:

In the “Others” category: “Zen in the Art of Writing,” by Ray Bradbury; “Catching Fire,” by Suzanne Collins; and “Mockingjay,” by Suzanne Collins.

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXI: Boeheim Latest Coach To Go On A Douche Power Trip, Plus “The Walking Dead” Returns With A Stifled Yawn

The latest in coach-writer spats
Is Jim Boeheim vs. Andy Katz
Coaches act like dictatorial cunts
Call all criticisms witch hunts
Then expect media to give them a pass?!

The Pope didn’t want to stick around

With morality on such shaky ground

Crimes they tried to hide

On children’s souls they lied

Religion: Hypocrisy does abound

Cowards in crimson in packs

Jumping students for snacks

Morality, the Nicktator will preach

Hypocrisy and lying, he’ll teach

Will he act or ignore the harsh facts?

The Paternos want to have their say

Public opinion, they want their day

No excuses they can conjure

To make this any less somber

So shut the fuck up and go away

Andrea a motivational speaker

The prison just keeps looking bleaker

Rick’s mind continues to unfurl

Darryl left with Merle

“TWD” is back, but kinda meeker

Last time …

Deep Thoughts By No-Look McFadden: Episode 63

#1

No one has ever seen one-time actor Damon Wayans and ESPN anchor Cole Wright in the same place at the same time. From “In Living Color” to “Sportscenter” is a long way down, Damon.

#2

Some good writing here about the last day of an Internet startup. Having faced similar experiences, the emotion here is captured well.

#3

Buzzfeed cataloged the 45 most powerful images of 2012, and I think #22 and #33 resonate the most with me.

#4

Do they test for PEDs in the NBA? Because I bet it is hugely rampant in that league, but you never hear about it.

#5

For some people, diarrhea is always on the menu. But what does it cost, really? And on a related note, sometimes a fortune cookie knows more about your digestive system than you do.

#6

I think we may have finally discovered the true meaning of the iPhone. Spoiler alert: Elvis would’ve loved it.

#7

So I found “The Crib Dribbler” terrifying on, oh, so many levels ...

#8

I think the Irish have cornered the market on that perfect pick-me-up for the sniffles (and hell, let’s be honest, just about anything else): Irish flu shots.

#9

“This is not the Tercel you’re looking for in the Food Lion parking lot.” No word on whether or not this is the back of the same car.

#10

Arguably the most creative way to possibly feed the homeless. And proof positive that humor is truly capable of changing the world.

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX: Just Harbaugh Being Harbaugh, Plus World’s Homeliest Fans Stay Classy

Unless you’re living in a hole
You heard about the Harbaugh Super Bowl

John put a banner in the rafter

Jim whined and bitched after

Jim’s a fraud and a douche, all told

Money changed every hand

Middle-aged “analysts” in demand

Stars and rankings, oh my

Expectations soar sky high

It’s Signing Day all across the land!

Drones save casualties and troops

But civil liberties? Oops

On this, mixed feelings

About these clandestine dealings

Can see merit in arguments by both groups

Titus Young stamped himself a fool

From the shallow end of the gene pool

Better than Megatron, he wrote

Like Randy Moss, thinks he’s the GOAT

The Rams took a chance on this tool?

 

No D and missed layups abounded

A furious comeback as State rebounded

A dead grandma chant from the geeks

Refs’ noses stuck in K’s butt cheeks

The recipe for the Pack getting pounded

Last time …

Bradbury’s “Zen In The Art Of Writing” Long On Motivation, Short On Advice

"Only this: if you are writing without zest, without gusto, without love, without fun, you are only half a writer ... For the first thing a writer should be is—excited. He should be a thing of fevers and enthusiasm. Without such vigor, he might as well be out picking peaches or digging ditches; God knows it’d be better for his health.”

Following the passing of Ray Bradbury, I discovered that he had written a book about writing. After deciding to read “Zen in the Art of Writing,” I learned that it was just a collection of essays he had written about writing over the course of 30 years. I found that it lacked the cohesion and organization of a “normal” book on writing, but it was still useful in some ways.

 The biggest message from Bradbury was that all content and inspiration for writing begins from experiences; that is, a large majority of his short stories emanated from childhood memories.

“ ... Every man will speak his dream. And when a man talks from his heart, in his moment of truth, he speaks poetry.”

“Writing is supposed to be difficult, agonizing, a dreadful exercise, a terrible occupation.

“But, you see, my stories have led me through my life. They shout, I follow. They run up and bite me on the leg—I respond by writing down everything that goes on during the bite. When I finish, the idea lets go, and runs off.”

He also stressed that one needs to come to the task of writing laughing and passionate, instead of viewing it as an arduous job. Bradbury also urged folks to write quickly and with a love of it.

“ ... Writing is survival. Any art, any good work, of course, is that. Not to write, for many of us, is to die.”

“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.”

This was a short-ish book and it was more inspirational and motivational than anything else—it was more “Get out and do it” rather than having any type of instruction or direction. There were a few sidebars about being brutally honest with your readers and the importance of precise editing that offered some insights, but what shone through most was Bradbury’s unexpected love of poetry (though I found his poems at the end to be middling) and his belief that science fiction is widely misunderstood and underrated.

“If you can find the right metaphor, the right image, and put it in a scene, it can replace four pages of dialogue.”

“Remember: Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations. Plot is observed after the fact rather than before. It cannot precede action. It is the chart that remains when an action is through. That is all Plot ever should be. It is human desire let run, running, and reaching a goal. It cannot be mechanical. It can only be dynamic.

“So, stand aside, forget targets, let the characters, your fingers, body, blood, and heart do.”

The excellence of Bradbury’s storytelling is impossible to ignore ... yet I found the result of his attempt to offer insights into writing to be “just OK” as a book itself.

“Self-consciousness is the enemy of all art, be it acting, writing, painting, or living itself, which is the greatest art of all.”

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX: Liz Lemon Closes The Show, Plus That Time I Became June Cleaver

Tracy and Kenneth funny, you know

But Jack Donaghy stole the show

A “30 Rock” farewell in the works

I blame the ratings-whore jerks

Just the latest great series to go

Shocked at a “hero,” I confess

Marino cheated on his wife at CBS

Put hush money in PA’s hand

Say it ain’t so, Dandy Dan

You’re just one more douche, I guess

Helped kill a coupla guys

Got deer antler spray in his eyes

Dances around like he has chlamydia

Proclaims the devil’s work in his media

Ray Lewis, just retire to a life of lies

Routed UNC with a quickness

Gameday on hand as a witness

Then choked again at UVa

Team full of tin men, I’d say

Come tourney time, scared shitless

At ungodly hours I rise

And look in four trusting eyes

Prep, feed, tuck and love

How the heck, I ask the above

Am I responsible for two little lives?

Last time …