The 17th. When the world is Irish. When step-dancing becomes an Olympic sport. When Wild Colonial Boy’s can be heard singing the length of Third Avenue or Geary or Oak Street.

And here, to tie-in with a previous post on books, http://www.ephblog.com/2010/03/11/the-downside-of-digitization/, is this op-ed poured frothing from this am’s NYT:

Turning Green With Literacy

By THOMAS CAHILL
Published: March 16, 2010
WHY should we celebrate the Irish?

No doubt, several reasons could be proffered. But for me one answer stands out. Long, long ago the Irish pulled off a remarkable feat: They saved the books of the Western world and left them as gifts for all humanity.

True enough, the Irish were unlikely candidates for the job.

Finish the piece here :http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/opinion/17cahill.html?ref=opinion

Sláinte!

The Ephs play Guilford (which survived a very tough sectional) at 5:00 Friday; the game will be webcast by the NCAA, and if the Ephs win, Saturday’s championship will be televised.  If the Ephs lose, seniors Blake Schultz and Joe Geoghegan will play in Saturday’s senior all-star game.  Get pumped up for tonight’s semifinal by watching Eph highlights here and here.  Also read Ben Coffin 04’s thoughts on what it takes to be a champion.  I will be attending the game, so hopefully someone else can set up and update a live blog thread on Friday (and hopefully Saturday) afternoon, including updated viewing info.  The Ephs will aim this weekend to become the first New England team to capture two national titles.

Second-ranked Williams will face its toughest foe of the year in Friday’s semifinal.  Guilford, ranked third in the country (and ranked first for a good portion of the year) has, like Williams, had a dominant year.  They are experienced, relying on three senior stars who played in last year’s Final Four and helped lead the team to NCAA tourney appearances the prior two years.   They are also likely to have a huge crowd presence in Salem, as Guilford is only two hours from the Salem Civic Center (Guilford recently won the ODAC conference tourney, which is held in the same building, so they are well-acquainted with the court).  Guilford’s top player is likely first team all-American (and South regional player of the year) center Tyler Sanborn, who is a load inside at 6′9, 260.  He is by far the toughest interior player the Ephs have faced this year, and probably for several years.  If Williams’ own stellar center tandem of Joe Geoghegan and Troy Whittington can handle Sanborn without much help inside (or better yet, get him in foul trouble on defense), the Ephs will have a very good shot.   Sanborn is scary good, averaging 20 points, 14 boards, and two blocks in 26 minutes per game.  Joe and Troy, both fantastic players in their own right, COMBINE to average 18-14-2.5 in 37 minutes per game.  Guilford’s other star is all-region guard Clay Hanson, who is nearly as productive as Williams’ own likely all-American Blake Schultz, and like Schultz is a deadly outside shooter (he is Guilford’s all-time leader in threes) who can also take it to the hole.  Finally, both teams have very good point guards in James Wang for Williams and Rhett Bhonner for Guilford.  Wang is a bit more dynamic as a scorer, and this is a match-up the Ephs will likely need to win if they hope to take Guilford down.  Each team has a future star off the bench in precocious frosh Josh Pittman for Guilford (a great shooter / scorer) and Nate Robertson for the Ephs (more of a playmaker, less of a scoring threat).  The x-factors for the Ephs may be Harlan Dodson and in particular Alex Rubin, both of whom are capable of scoring in bunches and will hurt any team that focuses too intensely on stopping Schultz and Wang.   The teams look VERY even on paper and it should be a great match-up.  You can see highlights of one of Guilford’s recent NCAA victories here.  I especially enjoyed the announcer’s proclivity for shouting “give a dog a bone!”

If the Ephs can get past Guilford, they’ll play the winner of the Wisconsin Stevens-Point vs. Randolph Macon (like Guilford, a member of the very tough ODAC conference) semifinal.  Both teams are, unfortunately, familiar to Eph fans.  WSP won the first of two straight national titles by knocking off Williams in dramatic fashion to end the Ephs’ most recent Salem trip.  They don’t have the same star power as the 2004 edition (two all-American players) but they are very balanced and efficient on both offense and defense, and have tons of tourney experience (they are playing in the tourney for the fourth straight year).  They play in the WIAC, the best D-III conference in the country most years, so they are certainly battle tested. WSP’s top players are veterans Matt Moses ‘10, Louis Hurd ‘11, and Jared Jenkins ‘11, but like the Ephs, they have seven legit players, all of whom can do some serious damage if given the opportunity.

WSP will be favored against RMC, which handed the Ephs their only loss of this season back in December, when the Ephs fumbled away a huge second half lead in a game they had been dominating.  During the post game interview on Saturday, the Ephs revealed that they’ve kept a copy of the RMC program in the locker room, and they look at it before each game to remind them to value every possession.  RMC’s Danny Jones ate the Ephs alive, but Williams has improved on defense considerably since then.  RMC is another team which doesn’t feature one or two stars, but rather relies on very balanced scoring, a deep bench, players who know their roles well, and fantastic defense.  They won’t wow you in warm-ups, but they are well-coached and play within themselves.  Defensive stopper Jordan Brown is a tough match-up for any offensive player and will likely be assigned to Blake Schultz should the teams face off again.  Eric Pugh is a stellar outside shooter who earlier this year had a big game to help RMC beat D-1 American, and also lit up F&M in the elite eight.  Brandon Braxton is a talented 6′9 center, and Jones can score in bunches, as the Ephs learned first hand.    But really, RMC, who as another local school will surely have a huge crowd on hand in Salem, has 8-9 guys that it relies on almost equally, which makes them difficult to prepare for.

The Ephs’ fan support was absolutely tremendous last weekend.  Great to see the type of school spirit and community bonding that a big-time sporting event can engender on campus.  I hope at least some students and community members are able to make the long trip to Salem on Friday, to help counteract what will surely be a massive crowd of Guilford supporters.  Good luck to the Ephs!

I am shocked and saddened to report that, while on leave from the College, Jamie Neal died suddenly at home.

Our hearts go out to her family and friends at this profoundly sad time.

Her obituary is available at http://www.shepherdfuneralhome.com/obituaries.html

Jamie came here in Fall 2006 as a member of the Class of 2010 and was most recently in residence at the College in Fall 2008. In addition to her being a member of the varsity basketball team, she will be remembered by those who knew her here as being a young woman full of life with a natural way of growing close to people.

Members of the campus community are understandably unsettled by this news. I encourage us all to be aware of who around us might be in need of our support.

A celebration of Jamie’s life is scheduled for Friday, March 26, at 11 a.m. at the First Parish Church in Duxbury, Mass.

Regards,
Karen Merrill
Dean of the College

You can register for phone conferences with Professor Wong on these topics here:

http://alumni.williams.edu/ilog

Oh, and bonus Eph connection.

Photo from Flickr user Dread Pirate Ruth; original photo here (warning: may contain puzzle answer).

From what vantage point was this photo taken, and what campus area is pictured?

Yogi is an Hungarian Viszla and won ‘Best of Show today. the first of the breed to win ‘Best of Show’ at Crufts, the Worlds Largest Dog Show dating to 1886. Yogi, more formally known as Champion Hungargunn Bear It’n Mind is a seven year old bitch from Carlisle, Cumbria, gateway to the Lake District.

The shows are sponsored by the Kennel Clubs of the United States and Great Britain, respectively.

Where have the campus dogs of yesteryear gone? And, more importantly, why?

Addendum:

Diamonds, dogs, and doodoo -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8567398.stm

Note from Ronit: You’ll probably have to use Internet Explorer since the whole site is powered by Microsoft Silverlight.

Well (segue), speaking of the net, I was amazed that EphBlog was not included on the Nielsen Top 100 sites for January. But delighted to find an interactive map to play around with and match my bookmarks against those of the hoi-palloi. If you want to check out who’s hot by dragging your mouse over a map, here is the place:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8562801.stm

Now if you want to see who is making the big bucks from your incessant desire to buy spark plugs on line, here is an interactive list of those guys with the vision to anticipate the spread of cyber culture into areas in which you had hoped no one would ever pry. That Eph favorite S. Case is at the bottom, but still hanging on.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8562379.stm

These should keep you going ’til cocktail time!

My original intention was to post something fairly fleshed out. After all, if you google the subject of “Roommates”, a veritable cornucopia of sites, books, rants and blogs appear. But, since I don’t have the time and/or ability to focus on a detailed post, I offer this simple musing instead.

As evidenced by my Google search, the whole roommate topic is a rich one. One of the funniest things that came up was a recent book titled I Lick My Cheese. We’ve all heard the horror stories about the roomies from hell. The ones who steal your food, or help themselves to your closet. I once had a flatmate who borrowed a blouse and decided to cut a few inches off the bottom of it so it would better suit her, I kid you not. That same gal borrowed my favorite earrings (without asking) and lost one.  And then seemed so flabbergasted that I was peeved with her . Definitely put a damper on the relationship.

But, then, there are the good stories, the lifelong friendships that can result from a random pairing. Swart and Rechtal, for example. And my husband’s very best friend was one of his college roomies. And, I am certain my son will remain friends with the roommates he has had at Williams.

So, really, this post is a chance to hear your stories. From roommates to entry mates, to flat mates, feel free to share, or maybe even confess. Did you “lick your cheese”, or padlock the refrigerator? Or instead, were you the lucky recipient of a pairing that led to a real bond?

I have also heard that playing practical jokes on one’s roomie is a popular pastime, so feel free to share those remembrances as well. You may end up inspiring current students.

And, if there is anyone who has inside information on how the freshman room and entry mate decisions are made at the college, please share it. I have always wondered about that process.

Just now, as I went to click Play on the video, I got the following message: “This is a private video. If you have been sent this video, please make sure you accept the sender’s friend request”

I have no idea how to gain access to the video now. When I click on the link to the original page on YouTube, I get a large exclamation mark with the message “This video is private.”

WTF, Williams?

Rechtal is an imposing figure on the firm ground of Philately. Yet, (and I know him so well), he is apprehensive, hesitant, unsure. The world of romance has been terra incognita to him since his meeting the beautiful L at a modern dance symposium at Bennington his senior year.

Given my own limited experience, I wonder if other more worldly readers might have suggestions I may relay to him. In strictest confidence, of course …

the letter continues …

Random purple noise topic of the week: what are your favorite all-time comedy sketches?  I’d rank mine: 1.Pre-taped Call in Show (the last minute is just incredible), 2. Charlie Murphy meets Prince (see below), 3. Triumph at Star Wars, 4. Clinton at McDonald’s (I SO miss Phil Hartman), 5. Black White Supremacist, 6. Mercury Mistress, 7. The Audition, 8. Dick in a Box, 9. I’m [censored] Affleck / Damon, 10. Royal Deluxe II.  (Bad Idea Jeans, Citizen Kane, Bag O’ Glass, Wycked Sceptre, Celebrity Jeopardy, More Cowbell, Racial Draft and Ministry of Silly Walks were all strong contenders as well).

Photo from Flickr user Bill McBride; original photo here (warning: contains puzzle answer).

What building is pictured here? Extra credit: What photos are often taken very near to this object?

Following the release of the Neighborhood Review Committee (NRC) recent report, Campus Life announced Thursday that quiet housing will be implemented beginning next fall, with West College, which has 54 beds, designated for that purpose. Students in quiet housing will be required to abide by quiet hours from at least 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day. Applications for quiet housing are due today, and the room draw will take place next Wednesday.

CC funds new Snack Bar camera – By Zach Evans

After spring break, students will be able to view the length of the line at the Lee Snack Bar through a camera that feeds into an application on the Williams Students Online (WSO) Web site. The camera was proposed to College Council (CC) through WSO last spring and is receiving financial support from CC’s “Great Ideas” campaign.

According to David Moore ’10, president of WSO, the camera image will be accessible via an Internet connection anywhere on campus. “If you’re in Tyler at 12:30 a.m., it’s freezing outside and you want to know whether it’s worth it to head over to Snack Bar to try to get food before it closes, this will help you figure that out,” Moore said. The camera will be active only during the Snack Bar’s evening hours, from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Ephs choose to serve country after graduation – By Dominique Exume

With 100 Days over and spring break fast approaching, seniors are no doubt thinking, perhaps a little frantically, about what they are going to do when they have to enter the real world. Henry Montalbano ’10 and Tim Bishop ’10 know exactly what they want to do – and it doesn’t involve commuting to a small cubicle every day, or at least not yet. They plan to join the military.

Both Montalbano and Bishop seem very enthusiastic about their future careers. Montalbano wants to be in the Army, and Bishop is currently trying to decide between the Army and the Marines. This determination to join the armed forces is rare at a liberal arts college. “When I tell people that I want to join the military, people usually offer a very polite response, but at the same time they’re wondering, ‘Well, why is this kid coming to Williams and then joining the army?’” Montalbano said.

Support men’s basketball in NCAAs – By Alex Mokover

I can’t think of a better way to come together than over the best basketball team in the nation. Whether hugging a complete stranger after a thunderous jam by Troy Whittington ’11, the best dunker in Division III, or chanting “defense” in unison with 500 of your closest friends, being a member of the student section is the perfect way to have fun, blow off steam and feel a real sense of community. We’re going to have the best seats in the house reserved for the student section and the cheer sheets printed out, so all we need are your lungs and your passion. The games are at 8 p.m. Friday night and 7 p.m. Saturday, and will be the absolute perfect way to set the weekend off right. A great team is something that the campus can really unite behind, and I guarantee a good time will be had by all. Whether these will be the first games you’ve seen all year or you haven’t missed a game yet, grab your frieds, come out, be loud and watch the best team in the country. Tickets go on sale on Thursday at 9 a.m. in Lasell, and it’s a good idea to get your tickets early. NCAA rules stipulate that we have to send some tickets to other schools, and there is a good chance that the games sell out before game time. Hope to see you there, and GO EPHS!

The Bibliography of the History of Art (BHA) will no longer be available after March 31 2010. For budgetary reasons, the Getty announced last spring that it could no longer support the database.  Efforts from the Getty to find another institution to take this project on have failed as a result, the Getty announced that all access to BHA will cease as of March 31.

BHA was a core resource for Western art research and it will greatly be missed but the Williams College Libraries and the Clark Art Institute library subscribe to many electronic resources valuable for art-historical research.   Williams College Libraries art database | Clark Art Institute art databases.

To learn more about these resources, contact a reference librarian at  Williams or at the Clark Art Institute library.

It’s useful to keep this in mind when you hear blather about how books and journals, and the physical library itself, will be made obsolete by ebooks and online databases. In short: any digital media that the College gains access to through a subscription can go away at any moment, because the provider can go out of business. Is it wise to outsource the future of libraries to a bunch of shaky nonprofits and external businesses like Google or Amazon?

Beer pong, which originated at Dartmouth and achieved perfection at Williams, is, like most racquet sports, an elite pastime.

Is there truth to this?

• Before diving in to the game previews, congratulations to Blake Schultz ‘10 for winning the prestigious Jostens Trophy, which is awarded to the single D-III player who best exemplifies scholarship, playing ability, and community engagement.  You can read profiles of previous winners, including Mike Nogelo ‘98, here.
• The women were likely the final team to squeeze into the NCAA tournament, but they have made the most of it, going on the road to win two games, including probably their best game of the year, an incredibly efficient offensive performance against DeSales.  The women really spread the wealth over the weekend, with six different players scoring at least a dozen points in at least one of the two games (with only Chessie Jackson doing it twice).  The Ephs will need all six to play at maximum effectiveness level to have a chance versus number one Amherst, at Amherst.  The Lady Jeffs have dominated all NESCAC foes since hiring super-coach GP Gromacki, and Williams is no exception, with four straight losses, including two this year by a total of 58 (!)  points.  Williams will be a major underdog, but all the pressure is on Amherst, and if Williams can keep it close into the second half, anything is possible.  What is scary for the rest of NESCAC / the NCAA is that neither Amherst nor Williams regularly play any seniors, and each has only one Junior among its top four scorers, so this game is likely to be a preview of future tourney battles.  The Jeffs are led by NESCAC player of the year Caroline Stedman, who is a terror on both ends of the court.
• The men are in the opposite situation … they cruised into the Sweet 16 behind strong games from Alex Rubin, James Wang, and Blake Schultz, and like the Amherst women, are playing at home as a heavy favorite to make it into the Final Four.  I’ve heard that the fan support last weekend was among the most intense of the past decade, and hopefully the crowd will be even more amped up this weekend.  Friday night they play tourney cinderella SUNYIT, which has two excellent players in 6′7 center David Golembiowski (an all-American who averages over 20 points, 10 boards, and 3 blocks) and guard Diloo Brown.  SUNYIT, however, is badly outsized, and plays basically only six guys.  It would be a surprise were they to beat the Ephs, but they are a solid team.  The next game, if there is one for the Ephs, would be a much bigger challenge.  They’ll play either a red-hot Rhode Island College team, who is likewise a bit height-challenged, but is deep, quick and athletic, and easily beat a very tough Midd team.  The Ephs have struggled a bit against the press this year, so I imagine RIC will try to take advantage of its deep stable of quick perimeter athletes to try to prevent the Ephs from getting into any sort of offensive flow.  They have a star point guard, Antone Brown, to match up with James Wang, and two strong wing players in D-1 transfer Jake Grimes and Mason Choice, brother of Colby star Adam Choice.  The Ephs are more likely to face a veteran Brandeis squad, who, like the Ephs, starts three top-notch seniors in Kenny Small, Terrell Hollins (a rebounding beast underneath) and Andre Roberson.  Brandeis, like SUNYIT, has basically a six man rotation (the difference being, all six guys who play for Brandeis are top-notch players), so if the Ephs end up facing off with Brandeis as expected, the key may be to try to wear them down with Williams’ superior depth.
• Turning to non-hoops NCAA action, both the men’s and women’s track teams have several entrants in this weekend’s NCAA championship.  The men are predicted to finish 24th, and the women 6th.
• Meanwhile, the Eph swimmers are gearing up for next week’s national championship as well.  The women, led by superstars Logan Todhunter ‘12 and Caroline Wilson ‘13, are expected to crack the top five, and the men are a threat to break into the top ten.
• Williams should have an absolutely dominant lead in the Director’s Cup standings following the winter season.  They already hold the edge after the fall season, and this has been one of the most successful winter seasons ever.  Men’s and women’s hoops will both finish no worse than ninth, wrestling finished 23rd, men’s and women’s track and field should both garner some points (likely quite a few for the women), women’s and men’s swimming are likely to score well at the NCAA’s, and skiing is currently in12th place.  If men’s hoops, women’s swimming, and women’s track all come through as expected in the next week, Williams will have a virtually insurmountable lead heading into the spring season.

How Will The End Of Print Journalism Affect Old Loons Who Hoard Newspapers?

View more videos from Williams College here.

Thanks to David Kane for the link.

Kraft, who started his Yankees tenure as an administrative assistant, progressed all the way up to vice president of community relations. Kraft left that position in 1994, but Steinbrenner remained close with him all the way up to his passing.

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of Dick Kraft, who was my great friend for 60 years,” Steinbrenner said. “We were roommates at Williams College and played together on the football team. He was a strong, tough lineman, who we called ‘Pusher’ for his driving abilities on the line of scrimmage.”

Kraft, a seasonal resident of Tampa , Fla., passed away Monday at the age of 79.

“Dick worked for the Yankees beginning in 1984 as an administrative assistant,” said Steinbrenner. “He retired in 1994, and ever since had worked with me closely during spring practice in Tampa. Dick was — and always will be — a champion to me, and my loyal friend, who I will miss dearly. I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife, Emily, and their daughters, Debbie and Pam, and his entire family.”

Our condolences to the family.

Thanks to JeffZ for the link.

With the recent announcement of football coach Mike Whalen moving to Wesleyan, there is a possibility that Coach DiCenzo, who has been an assistant football coach and head wrestling coach for several years, may leave as well. 

Coach DiCenzo leaving Williams would be a serious blow to the football and wrestling programs.   Below is an email that was distributed to football team parents.  It was subsequently circulated to the wrestling team parents.  PLEASE take a moment to write or call the Athletic Director with your support of Coach DiCenzo. 

Thank you!

*   *   *  *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *  

“You all know that Coach Whalen is leaving for Wesleyan. That will be a significant loss to the football program and all of us personally. However, there is a very strong likelihood that Coach Dan DiCenzo will go with Mike to Wesleyan unless we all take immediate steps to let Williams know how we feel.

If Mike was the brains and backbone of Williams football, Dan DiCenzo is the heart of the team. If you haven’t seen it for yourself, ask your son.

The entire Williams coaching staff is exemplary, but Dan has distinguished himself by what he’s done over the last six years at Williams and deserves to be the head football coach. Dan’s resume includes stints with Trinity, Brown, and the Kansas City Chiefs, but Williams is his alma mater and that is where he has had his biggest impact. He is the best motivator on the team and knows each player personally and what makes them tick. He has a consummate knowledge of the game. Dan was a standout player at Williams and knows the system as both a player and a coach. He is the best recruiter in the NESCAC. His organizational skills are unparalleled. But most important is the emotion that he brings—he inspires his players; they love him and
want to play for him.

Dan is also the head wrestling coach and has done a phenomenal job with that program as well. If Williams loses Dan, they will have to hire two people to replace him.

If WE lose Dan DiCenzo, we lose more than a coach, we lose the foundation of our football program.

Dan has a definite offer at Wesleyan, but he wants to stay and be the head coach at Williams. In all likelihood, Williams will conduct an extensive national search. Dan will put himself through that process if he knows he is the top internal candidate.

Please contact the Athletic Director, Harry Sheehy, as soon as possible to let him know that he should do everything possible to retain Dan DiCenzo and consider him a top candidate to replace Mike Whalen as the head football coach at Williams.  If you have personal stories of what Dan has done for your son or your family make sure to share them.

Coach Sheehy’s number is: 413-597-2366
His email is: hsheehy at williams dot edu

Also, reach out to Dan DiCenzo and let him know how much he means to this team.
Dan’s number is: cell 860-463-8868  office: 413-597-3573
His email is: Dan.DiCenzo-II at williams dot edu

If you know of any alumni, former players or parents or anyone who could influence this process, please share this email with them. Encourage them to contact college administration or trustees as well.

Please do everything you can to make sure that Dan DiCenzo is walking our sideline (and wrestling mats) next season as head coach.”