DECEMBER 11 UPDATE

COMMITMENTS

Miami Stingrays

2007COMMITMENTS: Rachel Helman of:Syracuse Univ.,

Caitlin Houk p:South Florida Comm. College,

Alel Pardo p:George Washington Univ.,

Diana Rojas p:Univ. of Central Florida ,        

Iriseldis Soberon of :Florida International Univ.

2008 VERBAL COMMITMENT:Lauren Guzman ss:Auburn University.

PITCHER SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE

Florida Tech (D2) has scholarship money available for a pitcher. Florida Tech competes in the Sunshine State Conference, one of the toughest in the nation. Serious inquiries only. Contact Ellie O’Shei at eoshei@fit.edu.

Ellie O'Shei

Head Softball Coach

Florida Tech

(321) 674-7199

PEOPLE

While most softball coaches left the NFCA convention planning their Christmas break holidays, Nebraska coach Rhonda Revelle, who doubles as SWA in the Cornhusker nation, worked her cell phone at the airport, checking on NU’s basketball and volleyball teams.  Basketball defeated Michigan.  The No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team won and will square off against No. 4 UCLA in the first NCAA semifinal on Thursday, Dec. 14, at 6 p.m. (central) at Qwest Center Omaha.  The contest, which is already a sellout, will be carried live nationally on ESPN2 and on ESPNU and is the first of two national semifinals on Thursday.

Second-ranked Stanford (29-3) will take on defending national champion and sixth-seeded Washington (29-4) at 8:30 p.m. or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the first match. Thursday’s two winners will advance to the national championship, scheduled for 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16.

The matchup between the Huskers (31-1) and Bruins (33-3) is a rematch of last season’s NCAA regional semifinal, a 3-0 Nebraska win last December in Omaha. NU leads the all-time series, 7-4, with four of the previous meetings taking place in the NCAA Tournament.

The Huskers earned their ticket to the National Semifinals, coming back from a 2-0 deficit to top No. 9 Minnesota in five games. Regional Most Outstanding Player Jordan Larson paced NU with a career-high 21 kills and 17 digs, as Nebraska overcame a 2-0 deficit in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. The Huskers will be making their second straight appearance in the national semifinals and 10th in school history.

THE ASIAN GAMES

The games are being played in Doha.  Results from December 10:

Taipei 7, Korea 0 (6) (Republic of Korea)

Japan 3, China 2.  (w) Masabuchi.  (l) Li Qi.  Naito 2 rbi.

Taipei 2, PRK 0 (Democratic Republic of Korea)

MEDICAL UPDATE

Bill Fossatti is in physical therapy.  His correct email address: sndvlfn

Rocci Pignoli had a stroke, not a heart attack as originally told to SPY.

IN THE COMPANY OF COBRAS

Adrian Fisk, WpN

A young child with two cobras in the village of Padmakesharpur, in the state of Orissa in eastern India on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006. Children are introduced to snakes at an early age here. Padmakesharpur is probably the largest community of snake charmers anywhere in the world. 200 charmers live in the village, but each year they find it harder to make a living and their numbers are slowly diminishing. The charmers from Padmakesharpur are famed within charmer communities for their ability to catch the 'Raja Naga,' or King Cobra. These awesome and highly poisonous snakes can grow up to eighteen feet and are renowned for being particualrly aggresive.

PROGRESS

Assembled by reader BKBJones

  Scenario: Jack pulls into school parking lot with rifle in gun rack.

  1973 - Vice Principal comes over, takes a look at Jack's rifle, goes
to his car and gets his to show Jack.

  2006 - School goes into lockdown, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail
  and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for
  traumatized students and teachers.

  ++++++++++++++++++++++

  Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.

  1973 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end
up best friends. Nobody goes to jail, nobody arrested, nobody expelled.

  2006 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark.
Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.

  1973 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by Principal.
  Sits still in class.

  2006 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. School
  gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.

  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his father's car and his Dad gives
  him a whipping.

  1973 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to
  college, and becomes a successful businessman.

  2006 - Billy's Dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. Billy's sister is told by state psychologist that she remembers being abused herself and their Dad goes to prison.  Billy's
mom has affair with psychologist.

  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some headache medicine to school.

  1973 - Mark shares headache medicine with Principal out on the smoking
  dock.

  2006 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations.
Car searched for drugs and weapons.

  +++++++++++++++++++++++++

  Scenario: Mary turns up pregnant.

  1973 - 5 High School Boys leave town. Mary does her senior year at a
  special school for expectant mothers.

  2006 - Middle School Counselor calls Planned Parenthood, who notifies
  the ACLU. Mary is driven to the next state over and gets an abortion
  without her parent's consent or knowledge. Mary given condoms and told
  to be more careful next time.

  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  Pedro fails high school English.

  1973: Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.

  2006: Pedro's cause is taken up by state democratic party. Newspaper
  articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a
  requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit
  against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English
  banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up

  mowing lawns for a living because he can't speak English.

  +++++++++++++++++++++

  Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the 4th of
July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.

  1973 - Ants die.

  2006 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

  +++++++++++++++++++++

  Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his
knee.  He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary, hugs him to comfort him.

  1973 - In a short time Johnny feels better and goes on playing.

  2006 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job.
She faces 3 years in State Prison.


All in the name of progress!
Enjoy your day.

Spy Softball Home Page