by Jeremy Keck | Nov 4, 2012 | Opinion
There I was, behind the wheel, texting and driving. I intended to type out the message, “Meet me at McDonald’s in 20 minutes.” I did not get past, “Meet me at.” I looked up at the road to see a car pull out in front of me. I switched lanes, but oncoming traffic was headed straight toward me. I then tried to get back in my lane, overcorrected, veered off the road and crashed. The good news, however, is that this was just a simulation. All this happened on Thursday morning, Nov. 1 when I drove a simulator that AT&T brought to Brentwood Academy. I was there with Cathy Lewandowski, senior public relations manager, to shadow for the corporation. I regret to inform you that I crashed no more than 7 seconds into the challenge. The simulator is designed to drive a point: you never know what may happen on the road while you are behind the wheel. The simulation had cars pulling out in front of me, pedestrians jaywalking and stoplights quickly transitioning from green to red. These are obstacles you can easily avoid if you are paying attention but are much more difficult if you are not being fully attentive. When I was driving back to campus I experienced a real life obstacle of my own. I was driving down Granny White when a car in the opposite lane began drifting into my lane. I adjusted my car to the edge of the road, which was possibly a life-saving move because by the time our vehicles crossed paths the other person’s vehicle was halfway into my lane....
by Logan Butts | Oct 26, 2012 | Opinion, Sports
For the decade after Michael Jordan’s last game in a Bulls jersey, the NBA went through constantly declining ratings, a lack of stars, boring playoff games, a referee fixing scandal and a number of other problems. However, the last few years have seen a return to form for the NBA. Some experts are even claiming that the NBA is now on par with the golden age of the late ‘80s/early ‘90s (or at least getting close). This season looks to be a continuation of that trend with more interesting storylines, competitive teams and talented players than the league has seen since that golden era. Eastern Conference 1. Miami Heat: Who else? After LeBron James finally played to his full potential and figured out how to effectively balance the main scorer and facilitator roles, the results were devastating. They added sharpshooters Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis to the offense in the off-season to bolster their star-studded roster. Also, a healthy Dwyane Wade will be key. 2. Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are not getting any younger, but luckily for the Celtics, Rajon Rondo went into full superstar mode during last year’s conference finals against the Heat. The Celtics will need more of that if they want to get past the Heat this year. 3. Indiana Pacers: The Pacers are just about as deep as anyone in the league, but the NBA is a league of stars, and who is going to take that role on this team? Danny Granger? Roy Hibbert? Somebody has to. 4. New York Knicks: They have possibly the best pure scorer in Carmelo Anthony...
by Cory Woodroof | Oct 13, 2012 | Opinion
Before I get 500 negative comments based on this review, let me add this important disclaimer. Kevin James’ newest comedy, “Here Comes the Boom,” is a flawed product. It’s ridden with inspiring clichés and could have used about twenty minutes cut out of its 105 minute run-time. It’s also one of the sweetest, down-to-earth comedies I’ve seen in a good while. “Here Comes the Boom” allows the likeable James to really hone in his, well, likeable personality, saddled with a half-way decent script filled with workable comedy and “that’s nice” greeting card heart. The film is also timely, making fairly accurate complaints against the current state of the public education system. Social commentary with effective humor? In a Kevin James movie, nonetheless? Strange times, indeed. After the budget of a Boston high school undergoes massive cuts, the music department led by Henry Winkler’s committed Marty, ends up falling to the wayside in favor of other extracurricular activities. James’ apathetic biology teacher Scott Voss, a friend of Marty, decides to save his pal’s job by entering into the ring of mixed martial arts. (He was a top wrestler in college, now, not so much). Teaming up with Marty and UFC fighter Bas Rutten’s Niko, Voss puts on the spandex and gloves in order to fight his way to somewhere around $38,000 dollars (the amount needed to keep Marty at the composer’s stand). I was skeptical about the prospects of this film simply due to the fact that Kevin James isn’t usually in that great of a movie. Last year’s not-as-bad-as-everyone-said-but-still-not-that-good Zookeeper seemed to become the thought that popped into one’s...
by Cory Woodroof | Oct 9, 2012 | Opinion, Sports
After a large number of Kansas City Chiefs fans cheered when their own quarterback left the KC-Baltimore Ravens game Sunday with a concussion, infuriated Chiefs offensive tackle Eric Winston decided to take a stand. Winston held a one-man press conference blasting people who expressed their joy at Matt Cassel’s expense. “We are athletes, OK? We are athletes. We are not gladiators. This is not the Roman Coliseum. People pay their hard-earned money when they come in here, and I believe they can boo, they can cheer and they can do whatever they want. I believe that,” Winston said. “We are lucky to play this game. People, it’s hard economic times, and they still pay the money to do this.” This is true. Fans pay good money for tickets. You guys make a lot of money. Why can’t I cheer for what I want, whenever I want? Not quite so, the lineman says, referring in part to the long-lasting impact of concussions on players that’s still being studied, even while some retired athletes struggle to fully function and others choose suicide over disability. “But when somebody gets hurt, there are long-lasting ramifications to the game we play. I’ve already kind of come to the understanding that I won’t live as long because I play this game, and that’s OK. That’s a choice I’ve made and a choice all of us have made.” Winston continues. “But when you cheer, when you cheer somebody getting knocked out, I don’t care who it is — and it just so happened to be Matt Cassel — it’s sickening. It’s 100 percent sickening. I’ve been in some rough times on some rough...
by Cory Woodroof | Oct 5, 2012 | Opinion
I haven’t exactly had the best 2012 at the cinema. Sure, I’ve seen my share of great films, but the overall landscape just seems more vacant than in years past. Maybe there’s something in the water, but 2012’s film slate just can’t call itself very memorable. But, on occasion, a light in a dark, dark tunnel will give you hope that the year might just be salvageable. Who knew 2012’s saving grace would be a black-and-white stop-motion animated film about a Frankenstien-ified dog? Tim Burton’s “Frankenweenie,” to me, is one of the year’s best films. I know what you’re thinking – that movie? The creepy-looking one with those weird cartoon-toy things that looks like that Halloween/Christmas movie that scared me as a kid? Yes, this is Burton returning to the world of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (a film he produced, not directed) and “The Corpse Bride” – a world many find strange and unsettling. I’m a pretty big fan of “Nightmare,” but “Corpse Bride” escapes my memory. Stop-motion Burton style is an acquired taste – one that I just so happen to be pretty big on. So, when Burton announced that he was adapting one of his earlier short films into a feature-length stop-motion animated project, I was jumping for joy. Thankfully, Burton pulled through. “Frankenweenie” captured me in a way I never honestly thought it could – in the same way that most “boy-and-his-dog” narratives usually do. I should have seen it coming, but Burton knew how to get to me. The film is a personal look into Burton as an artist (something that’s been said by almost...
