April 19, 2011 · 11:54 am
Barack Obama
We were all caught up in various degrees of expectation when Barack Obama was elected in 2008.
Twenty-seven months later our expectations are affected by realities. And many of those realities have statistics relating to them
Unemployment Rate – January 2009 (7.8%), March 2011 (8.8%)
Gas per gallon – January 2009 ($1.84), April 2011 ($4)
US national debt – January 2009 ($10.7 trillion), April 2011 ($14.2 trillion)
Median price of US resale homes – December 2009 ($175,400), February 2011 ($156,100)
US casualties in Afghanistan – 2001-2008 (634), 2009-2010 (858)
Rounds of golf – George W Bush (24), Barack Obama (60+)
Approval rating – January 2009 (63% approve/20% disapprove), April 2011 (47% approve/48% disapprove)
Granted, statistics can be misleading but when combined with expectations they enable folks to react with something beyond uneducated bias.
John Burciaga’s usual columns in the Newburyport Current refuse to face the realities we’ve experienced during the Obama administration. Instead of disputing the statistics, John plays his favorite (only?) card – the race card.
To John, (“Memories of the uncivil war”) those who question the President probably have skin-texture motives.
Carl Crawford
That brings me to Carl Crawford. When the Red Sox signed the outfielder to a pricey contract in the off-season, the expectations from fans around here were high. After all, Carl had a .295 career batting average and had stolen 107 bases over the last two years.
Unfortunately, Carl hasn’t started out so well this season. In fact, Manager Terry Francona has tried to change him around in the batting order hoping to make him productive.
The home fans haven’t been thrilled, either, after enduring Carl’s .127 batting average and ten strikeouts through the first thirteen games. Some of the fans have started combining their expectations of Carl with his performance and have begun delivering vocal, negative reviews. Some places call that, “booing.”
When will John Burciaga come to Carl’s defense in a column? When will he tell us the horror stories of Louise Day Hicks, Bill Russell, and Jackie Robinson? When will we be told that if Carl’s skin was lighter he’d wouldn’t be booed?
Baloney, John. Like the man you make excuses for, Carl hasn’t delivered. The unfair part is that Carl has only been at it for thirteen games in a 162-game schedule. It’s early for him but Barack Obama has been at it for over two years. From where I’m sitting, he appears to be unconscious to the negative realities he has created here and elsewhere that impact us.
Training film?
Speaking of unconscious, I was amused to see that Vice President Joe Biden reached that state during the President’s speech on the budget deficit. Some have hinted that his dozed off condition was not a sign of rudeness but actually the shooting of a training film for air traffic controllers.
Seriously, the President has not met expectations and thus earns the negative reviews. When John Burciaga brings skin color into the discussion, rather than performance, it reads like either racism or the effort of someone who has run out of defenses. Which is it, John?
(This article appeared in the April 22, 2011 issue of The Newburyport Current.)
April 16, 2011 · 6:44 pm
Ryan O'Connor - 13 K's and game-winning hit
Every now and then I find the solution to something. Kind of like the blind squirrel and the acorn!
I use pictures in almost every blog entry. A couple of days ago I put in a picture of a baseball pitcher named, “Ryan O’Connor.”
When I looked at the posting, I noticed that there was a little block where the apostrophe should be. That block had to go so I resigned myself to posting his name as, “OConnor.”
I did a Google search a while later and found someone who had had a similar problem. Their solution, however, seemed so bizarre that I didn’t even try it at first.
Later, I caved in and tried their suggestion……..and it worked. You go into the HTML and where the apostrophe is supposed to be you put & #39 ; You wouldn’t have any spaces between the & the #39 or the ;
So for mine it went like this – O & #39 ; Connor
Give it a try. It does actually work!
April 14, 2011 · 9:15 pm
David Cusack heads for home with the winning run as Keith Linnane awaits the throw.
Ryan O’Connor – 13 strikeouts plus game-winning hit
(Newburyport) He didn’t do everything….but he came awfully close. Who? Ryan O’Connor.
Newburyport (3-1) defeated North Reading, 4-3, as Ryan struck out thirteen Hornets and drove in the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh.
A walk by Dave Cusack and a sacrifice bunt by Jim Conway put Ryan into position to end it for the Clippers. His grounder against reliever Ryley Warnock, in the hole between first and second, did the trick. With first base open you had to wonder why the Hornets opted to pitch to the other team’s cleanup hitter who already had two hits. But they did……and paid the price.
North Reading (1-1) took a 3-1 lead in the top of the 5th on a 2-run blast over the fence in left center by Nick Moscaritolo.
The Clippers tallied single runs in the 5th and 6th on misplays by the Hornets to draw even.
In the 5th, a two-base throwing error by NR shortstop Chris Cincotta put David Cusack in scoring position and from there he was driven across by Brett Fontaine’s single to left.
In the 6th, Colby Morris doubled down the third base line with one out and got to third on a fielder’s choice. NR sophomore starter Ryan McAuliffe then tossed a 2-strike wild pitch that allowed Colby to tie the score at 3-3.
The defensive play of the game was a diving catch by Hornet right fielder Chris Kavanaugh to rob Brett Fontaine in the 7th inning.
Eric Popp was 3-for-3 for North Reading, including a double off the right centerfield fence. He also scored a run.
The Hornet’s top returning hitter (Ben Harrow) had a rough afternoon striking out three times to end innings and stranding five runners.
The Clippers squandered a glorious chance with two outs in the 4th after they loaded the bases with a collection of hits and walks. Connor Wile then hit a laser toward short that might have driven in two runs but instead caught base runner Drew Carter in the leg to end the threat.
Ryan O’Connor struck out the side in the first inning and had at least one strikeout in every other inning. The lefty also struck out four of the last six batters he faced.
Frank Carey and Bill Pettingell
Experience was in abundance with NR coach Frank Carey (44th season) and Newburyport coach Bill Pettingell (40th season) directing the two teams.
( I collect my own statistics, take my own pictures, and draw my own conclusions. Mistakes happen….but are unintentional.)
Filed under Newburyport, North Reading
Tagged as Bill Pettingell, Brett Fontaine, David Cusack, Eric Popp, Frank Carey, Mick Moscaritolo, Newburyport High School, Ryan McAuliffe, Ryan O'Connor, Ryley Warnock
April 12, 2011 · 9:43 pm
Marion Dullea (#13) struck out eight Ipswich batters and gave up only two hits.
(Byfield) The Triton Vikings got all the runs they needed in the first inning and then rode the 8-strikeout effort of Marion Dullea to a 3-1 win over Ipswich on Tuesday afternoon at Triton. Marion allowed just two hits.
The victory gets Triton off to a nice 1-0 start in the Cape Ann League.
Even in defeat the Tigers had to be pleased by their effort. They were on the wrong end of a 15-0 mercy-rule disaster against Amesbury in non-league play the day before.
Cori Simons scored a run and drove in a run for the Vikings
Ipswich pitcher Katie Glaubitz walked two of the first three batters she faced and both of them scored. Jenn Delaney drove in Cori Simons with a fielders choice while a single to center by Kelsey Trudel delivered Emily Jutras.
Those two runs were enough but the Vikings got another in the second when Cori’s double in the gap brought home Shannen Sinton with the third Triton run.
That 3-0 lead held up for a while as Marion retired eleven straight Tigers before Liz Glavin reached on an error by Jenn Delaney in the 4th inning. Sam Wideberg followed with a walk but Marion caught Cassie Taraska looking to end the threat.
The next inning (5th) Maddy Pinciaro led off for Ipswich and reached on a bunt single. The Tiger third baseman would get all the way to third before Marion K’d Michelle Mitchell to keep the Tigers shut out.
Ipswich scored its lone run in the 6th when catcher Liz Glavin ripped a ball down the left field line that Emily Jutras couldn’t cut off. Triton didn’t handle the relay back in cleanly and Liz scored standing up.
The Tigers stranded runners in both of the final two innings.
Liz Glavin rounds third on her way to a stand-up home run.
Marion threw plenty of strikes and caught five Tigers looking during her complete-game effort.
Katie Glaubitz settled down nicely over the final four innings allowing just two Viking base runners.
The Ipswich girls had a chant for almost every situation. There seemed to be no limit to their creativity.
The lack of seating and any sort of scoreboard might be enough to discourage the average spectator. I tried sitting on the edge of the field. That location stopped being a good idea when someone mentioned the abundance of deer ticks in the area.
Filed under Ipswich, Triton
Tagged as Cape Ann League, Cori Simons, Emily Jutras, Ipswich girls softball, Jenn Delaney, Katie Glaubitz, Kelsey Trudel, Liz Glavin, Marion Dullea, Shannen Sinton, Triton girls softball
April 12, 2011 · 1:53 pm
This photo appeared on page 21 in The Town Common (April 20-April 26,2011). The caption was: “Marion Dullea (#13) pitched Triton to a 3-1 opening game win over Ipswich with eight strikeouts on April 12th at Triton.”
This picture was taken at Triton on a sunny (windy) afternoon. I greatly appreciated being able to shoot outdoors.
Triton/Ipswich are in the readership of The Town Common. I not only took pictures but also scripted the game as I have been doing in basketball. Scripting was a challenge because I’m new to it for softball/baseball.
I used my Canon EOS Rebel T1i. I was in the TV mode with the ISO at 3200. The shutter speed was at 1/200 and the F-stop at 22. I used a +1/3 exposure compensation.
April 7, 2011 · 10:32 pm
#12 of Pennridge spikes against Souderton
(East Rockhill PA) I saw the Pennridge Rams defeat the Souderton Indians, 3-0, in high school boys volleyball Thursday night at Pennridge High School.
I had never seen a high school volleyball game before. However, I had seen a number of Gordon College women’s volleyball games a few years ago so I wasn’t a total newbie to what went on.
I knew nothing about either Souderton or Pennridge and chose the game because the outdoor conditions (40-50 degrees) around here “encourage” watching an indoor sport.
It turned out, as I learned in online Intelligencer, that Pennridge is a very good, undefeated team. They are now 5-0 in the Suburban One League Continental Conference. Last year Pennridge was the PIAA District One Class AAA champ.
The Rams jumped in front early in all three games (25-17, 25-15, 25-12) versus Souderton (4-1). That early lead was challenged only in the third game.
High-flying #12 of the Pennridge Rams
I was impressed with the play of #12 of Pennridge. However, with no program available, I cannot name him. This player was very successful in finishing plays for the Rams. He wasn’t very tall but he could leap with good timing.
March 28, 2011 · 1:40 pm
This photo was on the front page of The Town Common (April 6-April 12, 2011). The caption was: “Kate Carney put on a one-hour performance as Bethenia Owen-Adair (first woman doctor in the West) in Groveland as part of Women’s History Month.”
This picture was taken indoors with normal indoor lighting at Nichols Village in Groveland. Indoor pictures come out yellower than I would like.
The woman pictured was in costume and kept good eye contact with audience in various parts of the room. I had seen an entry for this event listed in The Town Common. It was a freebie.
I used my Canon EOS Rebel T1i. I was in the TV mode with an ISO of 1600. I used a flash with a shutter speed at 1/200. The F-stop was 4.0
March 19, 2011 · 11:18 pm
St. John’s Prep (2010-11 Division 1 state champs)
Steve Haladyna (29 points to lead all scorers)
(Worcester) St. John’s (Shrewsbury) won the first ten minutes (17-16) and the last three minutes (11-2). In between St. John’s Prep (Danvers) won the Division 1 boys title at the DCU Center on Saturday night.
The “in between” numbers were 54-29, over nineteen minutes of play, in favor of the Eagles, and that spelled the difference in this one and gave them their first state title.
Three players dominated the score sheet – Richard Rodgers (26 points), Steve Haladyna (29 points), and Pat Connaughton (25 points).
During the decisive “in between” nineteen minutes, Steve collected twenty-seven of his twenty-nine points. Richard and Pat had fifteen points apiece during that segment.
Steve (6-3 junior) scored from everywhere getting layups, jump shots, 3’s, and free throws. I didn’t see him dunk but it wouldn’t have been a surprise if he had because he had everything else going.
St. John’s Prep (25-1) shot an unreal 60% (21-for-35) during the game-changing segment while St. John’s of Shrewsbury (21-4) was limited to 32% (11-for-34). The Pioneers also committed ten turnovers while the Eagles had just four.
The Eagles’ lead was 28-21 at halftime before they exploded for thirty points in the 3rd quarter alone. The Eagles started trapping early in the third period and it seemed to disrupt the Pioneers.
The Eagles built their lead to 70-46 with three minutes left in the 4th quarter before the Pioneers went 11-2 the rest of the way.
A big moment for The Prep was the removal of starters near the end, especially seniors Connor Macomber and Pat Connaughton. Plenty of talent is returning to Danvers so a trip back to the state finals is not out of the question.
Pat Connaughton (25 points in state title game)
I saw a lot of St. John’s, “Pat-the-point-guard,” offensive set in this one. In it, Pat Connaughton brings up the ball and sees what he can create. Those not covering him often become less interested in the man they’re supposed to be covering when the Eagles do this. If the help defenders stay home it creates opportunities for Pat. If they try to help then the openings are there for his teammates.
We’ve seen Pat shoot and we’ve seen him rebound. He turned out to be a pretty good ball-handler and passer in this game. You’d have to believe that at 6-4 his future at Notre Dame will be as a guard. He actually has the tools to play anywhere they let him!
Speaking of athletes, I hadn’t seen the Pioneers’ Richard Rodgers before. He could well have played his last basketball game, although I’m certain there are college programs who would love to have him. He is committed to the California Bears where he will be a wideout or a tight end on their football team. At 6-5, 230, I guess he can play anywhere he wants!
Richard Rodgers (26 points and now off to play football for the California Bears)
One of the more interesting sideshows was when Richard and Pat were matched up for a while. Pat managed to block one of Richard’s shots in the second quarter. I recall Pat doing the same thing to 6-7 Jimmy Zenevitch (Central Catholic) late in a game at St. John’s.
The Eagles got away with a quiet game from Mike Carbone (3 points) because of the major step-up by Steve Haladyna.
Senior Matt Harrington (17) and junior Matt Palecki (10) also reached double figures for the Pioneers.
(I collect my own stats and take my own pictures. I also draw my own conclusions. Mistakes are unintentional.)
Filed under St. John's
Tagged as Connor Macomber, Ken Harrington, Matt Harrington, Matt Palecki, Mike Carbone, Notre Dame, Pat Connaughton, Richard Rodgers, St. John's Prep, St. John's Shrewsbury, Steve Haladyna, University of California Bears
March 19, 2011 · 10:48 pm
Whitinsville Christian School (2010-11 Boys Division 3 State Champions)
Taylor Bajema (14 points) hit three free throws in the last fourteen seconds to clinch the victory.
(Worcester) Watertown had Whitinsville Christian right where they wanted them – tied at 30-30 with five minutes left.
The deliberate Raiders had run eight straight points, including a couple of huge 3’s by Cory Donahue (15 points), to tie the taller Crusaders.
Whitinsville (23-2), however, accumulated twelve points in those decisive last five minutes, and came away Massachusetts Division 3 champs, 42-36, on Saturday afternoon at the DCU Center.
The Raiders (19-6) could only score six points in a frustrating ending for the ‘07 and ‘09 state champs. In their final twelve possessions (covering the last five minutes) Watertown had three turnovers and five missed 3-pointers.
Cory Donahue (15 points on five 3’s)
Marco Coppola (15 points) tallied all six of the Raiders points but in their last four possessions his stat line read: turnover, made layup, missed three, and turnover.
After the 30-30 tie, Colin Richey (12 points) hit a tough floater from the left to give Whitinsville the lead (32-30). Hans Miersma (12 points) followed with a free throw and Marco added two before Colin set up Hans Miersma (12 points) for a layup making the score, 35-32, with 2:15 left.
That three-point cushion wasn’t much but on this afternoon the Raiders (6-for-35 from long range) couldn’t hit a big one to get closer.
Their next two 3-point attempts missed and they were forced to foul. Peter Koopman made one free throw and Hans made two putting the Crusader up, 38-32, with 1:27 to go.
Marco followed with two free throws (38-34 – 1:17) before Peter Koopman threw a pass to me and then redeemed himself on the next play by stealing Marco’s pass in the lane. The Raiders were quick to foul sending Grant Brown to the line. Grant made one and Marco drove full-court for a layup (39-36 – :17)
Watertown was still just a turnover and a three away but WCS wisely got the ball to Taylor Bajema (14 points) and when he was fouled he made both shots (41-36 – :14).
Marco tried an NBA three and missed and Hans did the same with two free throws with nine seconds left.
Marco then tried to go end-to-end and lost the ball out-of-bounds under the basket. Taylor was again fouled and his last-second free throw ended the scoring at 42-36.
Hans Miersma (12 points) gets off one of his few inside attempts.
WCS had plenty of size and would have loved to have been able to get 6-9 Hans Miersma more touches. Raider ball pressure made that very difficult. The Crusaders had twenty-two turnovers, many coming from trying to pass into Raider overplays.
The Raiders were content to run the clock and settle for outside shots. Those tactics had kept opponents playing more defense than offense in the tournament and had limited every tourney opponent to 40 points or less.
The Crusaders played an unaccustomed (for them) zone and probably wondered why, early on, as Watertown hit three of their first six long-range attempts. WCS stuck with it though and the Raiders hit on only three of their last twenty-nine tries.
Cory Donahue made five of the six Watertown three’s.
Marco Coppola led the state in scoring (26 ppg). I recall hearing someone in the pressroom say that he was leaning toward WPI for next season. He’ll score a lot of points wherever he goes.
Hans Miersma had a dunk after a travel in the first half and did something to the clock above the basket in the process. I saw the possibilities for one of my life-goals take shape as the basket got lower and lower!
Colin Richey (12 points) faced game-long tight defense from Tyler Romanelli (#5).
Sophomore Colin Richey ended up facing the relentless full-court pressure of Tyler Romanelli as WSC’s primary ball-handler. Tyler had plenty to do with the Colin’s inability to find Hans in close to the basket very often.
Watertown jumped in front 9-2 after 4 ½ minutes on Cory Donahue’s three 3’s. WCS rallied back into the start of the second quarter on an old-fashioned three by Hans, a Colin Richey jumper, and two Tyler VandenAkker free throws to tie the score.
Watertown was held scoreless over the last 4:45 of the 2nd quarter while WCS got seven points (Taylor’s layup and jumper, Hans layup, one Colin free throw) to lead, 21-16, at the half.
Watertown came all the way back to tie the game (30-30) in the final quarter. Thereafter (over the last five minutes) WCS went on the 12-6 run that won the game.
(I collect my own stats and take my own pictures. I also draw my own conclusions. Inaccuracies of various degrees happen for which I apologize for.)
McClelland Miscellanea 
