Oregon QB Marcus Mariota wins Heisman Trophy

By Ralph D. RussoThe Associated Press

NEW YORK Marcus Mariota, the prototypical 21st-century quarterback, took an old-fashioned approach to become Oregon's first Heisman Trophy winner.

The Ducks' understated star won the Heisman on Saturday night going away, capping a three-year climb to college football's most prestigious individual award.

"I'm humbled to be standing here today," Mariota said, reading an acceptance speech he had a hard time getting through without choking up.

A pinpoint passer with wide-receiver speed, Mariota came into his junior season as the favorite to win the 80th Heisman and delivered a performance that turned the presentation ceremony at a theater in Times Square into a foregone conclusion.

Mariota received twice as many points as second-place finisher Melvin Gordon, the record-breaking running back from Wisconsin. The other finalist, Alabama receiver Amari Cooper, was third.

Mariota received the second-highest percentage of possible points (90.92) in Heisman history, behind only Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith, who had 91.63 in 2006. Southern California tailback Reggie Bush received 91.77 percent of possible points in 2005, but his victory was later vacated for violating NCAA rules.

The first Hawaii native to win the Heisman has accounted for a Pac-12-record 53 touchdowns (38 passing, 14 rushing and one receiving) while directing the Ducks' warp-speed spread offense. He also led Oregon to a spot in the first College Football Playoff.

It will be a matchup of Heisman-winning quarterbacks in the Rose Bowl semifinal Jan. 1 with Mariota and the second-seeded Ducks facing Florida State and Jameis Winston.

Mariota has been making a whirlwind tour up the East Coast collecting trophies. First stop, Orlando, Florida, on Thursday, to pick up an armful of hardware. Next stop, Baltimore for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. He took a train to New York on Saturday morning. It was his first time on a train and his first time in the Big Apple.

"It's breathtaking, really," he said of the city hours before being announced as the winner. "I've never been around so many skyscrapers and lights and people. It's definitely been a different feel, but it's cool."

In an era when so many Heisman winners seemingly come from out of nowhere the last two were the first freshmen winners Mariota's rise was slow and steady.

Three of the last four Heisman winners were in their first seasons as starters, including Cam Newton, who won the award in his only season at Auburn after transferring from a junior college. Before Newton, three straight sophomores won the award (Tim Tebow of Florida, Sam Bradford of Oklahoma and Mark Ingram of Alabama). Tebow was the first sophomore winner.

Like Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel and Winston, the previous two winners, Mariota started as a redshirt freshman. It didn't take long for him to establish himself as a star, but unlike Johnny Football and Famous Jameis, Mariota wasn't the face of college football in his first season.

In his second season he was even better, putting up numbers that rivaled those of Heisman finalist quarterbacks Winston, Manziel, AJ McCarron and Jordan Lynch, but when it came time to vote for the Heisman, Mariota was forgotten. He didn't even finish in the top 10 in 2013.

This season Mariota was the man to beat from the start and nobody could touch him. Except for a blip in early October, when the Ducks lost to Arizona, Mariota exceeded the hype.

He leads the nation in passer rating (186.2), is fifth in total offense (342.5 yards per game) and has led the Ducks to a Pac-12 title with a chance to play for their first national championship.

Of course, patience and poise have defined Mariota's career. He didn't start for his high school team until he was a senior then led Saint Louis in Honolulu to a state title.

A quiet leader with a nice-guy reputation, Mariota brought no off-field baggage to this Heisman ceremony. After a season beset by off-field troubles, including a school hearing into sexual assault allegations, Winston wasn't a finalist this time around.

Mariota has another year of eligibility, but he's been in Eugene, Oregon, for four years and is on target to graduate soon. He has yet to declare for the NFL draft, but he has likely played his last home game at Autzen Stadium.

Mariota passes the NFL eye test, too. He could have been a high draft pick last year, and his stock has only gone up this season.

Oregon's only Heisman finalists before Mariota were quarterback Joey Harrington in 2001 and running back LaMichael James in 2010. For Harrington, Oregon, with Nike's help, put up a billboard in Times Square to promote their Heisman candidate.

Oregon didn't need a billboard to get the word out about Mariota. His play provided all the publicity he needed

Source: http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_27132698/oregon-qb-marcus-mariota-wins-heisman-trophy

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Navy Dons New Uniforms For Army-Navy Game

BALTIMORE (WJZ) When Navy takes the field against Army Saturday, theyll do it in style.

With new custom uniforms from Under Armour.

Linh Bui gives us a sneak peek.

The first Navy jack used during the American Revolution and global war on terror.

Its whats inspired the custom uniforms the Navy football team will wear when they take on Army.

Check it out the Under Armour Dont Tread On Me uniform.

The red and white stripes of the flag appear on the shoulders, knees and gloves.

On the helmet a new N-star logo with red and white stripes and a rattlesnake.

Navys new Dont Tread On Me Helmets. Photo Credit: Under Armour

From head to toe the patriotic theme continues down to the shoes.

Pretty dope! We were pretty hyped after we got to see them after the South Alabama game, said junior quarterback Keenan Reynolds. We were pretty excited in the locker room. Got a big win. And got to see those sweet uniforms.

I love them. Theyre nice!, said senior fullback Noah Copeland. Theyre the best uniforms I think Ive ever worn here.

If you look good, you feel good and that could translate into a victory for Navy.

Under Armour has been outfitting Navys athletic teams since July 2014.

Other Sports News:

Source: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2014/12/13/navy-to-don-new-uniforms-for-army-navy-game/

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Celebrities react to Golden Globe nominations

The Associated PressUpdated 1:11pm, Thursday, December 11, 2014

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Photo: K.C. Bailey, APThis image released by Netflix shows Yael Stone, left, and Uzo Aduba in a scene from Orange is the New Black. Aduba was nominated for a Golden Globe for best supporting actress in a TV movie or mini-series for her role on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2014. The 72nd annual Golden Globe awards will air on NBC on Sunday, Jan. 11.

Celebrities react to Golden Globe nominations

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Stars react to the Golden Globe nominations announced Thursday in Beverly Hills, California:

"I jumped so high for Ava, I think I've shattered my kneecap." "Selma" star David Oyelowo, nominated for best actor in a drama, on celebrating director Ava DuVernay's nomination.

"I have nothing more eventful planned than a nap." Ricky Gervais, nominated for TV actor in a comedy series, on how he plans to celebrate.

"Now can someone please explain who this 'Meryl Streep' woman is?!" Emma Stone, nominated for supporting actress for "Birdman."

"I'll probably go back to sleep. I might be having a mimosa with breakfast. I know I'll be having a mimosa with breakfast." Actress Michelle Monaghan from Australia, where a 3 a.m. call woke her with the news she'd been nominated for her supporting role in "True Detective."

"It's really cool. For lack of a better phrase this morning, that is what it is." Jake Gyllenhaal on his best actor nod for "Nightcrawler."

"We may order a pizza tonight. That might be our party." Steve Carell on how he'll celebrate his nomination for dramatic actor in "Foxcatcher."

"I was staring straight at the ceiling when I got a text from my manager it had to be 5:30 a.m. in LA saying, 'Yaaaaay.'" Jeffrey Tambor on how he learned of his acting nomination for the TV series "Transparent."

"I'm trying to finish all my Christmas shopping in a day, and now I got this phone call. I'm about to have a few mulled wines to celebrate." Actor Eddie Redmayne, speaking from London about his best actor nomination for playing Stephen Hawking in "The Theory of Everything."

"It's crazy. It's crazy eyes." Actress Uzo Aduba, nominated for supporting actress for playing Crazy Eyes on "Orange is the New Black."

"He's going to be drinking coffee out of a Champagne flute." Chris Miller, co-director of animated film nominee "The Lego Movie," on how co-director Phil Lord will celebrate the nod.

"Not a bad way to start a Thursday." Actor Colin Hanks on his supporting actor nomination for "Fargo."

"I love Champagne!" Composer Alexandre Desplat, nominated for his score for "The Imitation Game."

"I'm working on a film called 'A Monster Calls' in Barcelona, Spain. We're just in the middle of putting a bald cap and some eyebrows on me as we speak. I just got the news." Actress Felicity Jones, nominated for actress in a drama for "The Theory of Everything."

"Whatever was in the fridge we just kind of opened and drank." Pawel Pawlikowski, who was teaching a class in film school when his students told him his film "Ida" was nominated in the foreign language category.

"I'm preparing to sing in the Vatican Christmas concert that's televised in Italy. I'll be rehearsing with the Vatican orchestra. That's how I'll be celebrating." Singer-songwriter Patti Smith on her first movie song and first nomination for "Mercy Is" from "Noah."

"I bet imbibing a bit of alcohol might be something we participate in." Travis Knight, executive producer of animated film nominee "The Boxtrolls."

___

AP Entertainment Writers Derrik J. Lang, Lynn Elber and Sandy Cohen contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Celebrities-react-to-Golden-Globe-nominations-5950445.php

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The voice of the clarinet has been stifled

Since being benched a few years ago for substandard and ill-tempered Christmas decorating, Ive been reassigned to special teams duty.

I haul decorations out of the attic; adjust items beyond the range of my wifes vertical leap; and am dispatched from the house to buy greenery after receiving detailed instructions on the length of needle required a detail I suspect is meant to extend the length of my absence as long as permissible within the boundaries of a working relationship.

However, I have carved out a niche that allows me to earn a holiday certificate of participation. Each Christmas season, I make it my job to locate the one slot out of five in which our CD of the The Nutcracker has spent the past year and push the buttons required to rotate that disc into the play position.

The first notes of the overture are welcome because they relieve the holiday stress that has visions of heart attacks dancing in my head. But my favorite moment arrives when the low tones of the clarinet slide smooth as eggnog down the scales in the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies.

Its then that Im reminded how rare it is now to hear the voice of the clarinet.

Dixieland fans may get their share, along with those whose flanks endure the cold, hard aluminum stands during football halftimes or the flexible plastic chairs of school band and orchestra concerts. But for most of us born too late for the Big Band era, hearing a clarinet now usually means having to endure reruns of the Lawrence Walk Show and exposure to the toxic pastel suits now leaching out of rusty barrels in some EPA Superfund site.

Largely because the clarinet was a fixture in what psychotherapists call my family of origin, I was glad to receive a request from an old neighbor, Karen Birt, to write about it.

If put to clarinet music, the story would begin with mournful notes appropriate for the funeral of Birts great-grandmother, Carrie McArthur DePoy, whose death on Aug. 5, 1890, in Greenfield, Ohio, left her 10-year-old son, Frank, motherless.

It was about that time young Frank got a needed sense of belonging while playing clarinet in the Greenfield schools. The young man who would become an electrical engineer at the citys power plant and an excellent carpenter and furniture maker also became, in 1901, part of an organization Greenfielders took pride in: Prices IOOF Band.

Frank was one of three clarinets in the band that also had four cornets, three trombones, four saxophones, one baritone horn, one piccolo and two drums all of which traveled by horse-and-wagon to perform in Chillicothe.

In 1907, the renaming to Prices Premier Band was testimony to the part the band played in parties, fairs, parades, picnics, political rallies and other events, where audience applause followed the punchy ending of John Phillip Sousa marches or gentler denouement of In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree.

In 1908, the community pride showed itself when all 30 of Greenfields automobiles were made available to take the band on tour, surely one of the highlights in a music career for Price, who directed the bands at Greenfield McLain High School until his death in 1939.

By the time of Prices passing, Frank DePoys daughter, Joan, had served as one of the eight clarinets of the schools 34-strong marching band, as had her bother, Stewart. Stewart would become a mining engineer, and Joan would take a job with Greenfields Wil-Knit Hosiery, which did a mail order business whose clientele included Hollywood stars and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

When Joans daughter, Karen Hyer, was forced to miss a school year because of histoplasmosis in her lungs, one of her joys at returning to school was playing clarinet in the band again, something she continued in high school.

J. Harold Lyle was the director of a marching band 50-some strong, and Sousa Marches were still in the repertoire, including The Stars and Stripes Forever and The Washington Post March, aka The Monkey Wrapped Its Tail Around the Flag Pole.

Young Karens band also was playing Rock Around the Clock and The Yellow Rose of Texas at events ranging from the Highland County Fair and the Circleville Pumpkin Show, to the local Christmas, Halloween and Memorial Day parades.

Years later, she would still dream about being in the marching band, just as she would remember the foreign stamps her mother brought home from the mail order business and recall seeing her mother off on the train to Cincinnati, where she took organ lessons on the way to becoming organist at the First Baptist Church in Greenfield.

After graduation, Karen came to the Springfield City School of Nursing to begin a career that lasted 52 years, and that she was in the midst of when her dying mother asked that all her grandchildren play musical instruments.

Karen and Danny Birts daughters Debbie and Bonita played in the bands at McGuffey and Lagonda elementary schools, Roosevelt Middle School and North High School, though the girls later switched to other band instruments and picked up piano along the way. Son Tim played piano, trumpet and French horn.

Debbie, now the Rev. Debbie Vickers, still uses music with husband, Chad, in their work at the NewSong Church in Fairborn. Duets recorded with her late father, Dan, are among her favorite possessions, and she says that singing and playing praise music often takes me to another place.

She prefers rehearsals to services, though, because the technical side sometimes plays tricks, as when the lesson at the church involved the Sermon on the Mount and a technical glitch led to a voice from the wilderness saying Im John Boehner, and I approved this message.

Bonita Nulls daughter, Cheyenne, has picked up the clarinet, and the spirit of those who embrace an instrument that can, at any moment, squeak like Sponge Bobs pal Squidward.

Says Cheyenne: Its better to have challenge than not to have challenge.

Cheyennes brother, Tim, is a drummer.

Debbies 9-year-old daughter Corrie will pick up an instrument next year at Lagonda Elementary. And although shes already confessing to be a band nerd, she has vocal talent as well, singing solos at the Maiden Lane Church of G*d and at school.

Tim Birts kids, meanwhile, have gone the orchestra route, playing violin, cello and viola.

Just as clarinet is not the only instrument, music, is not the only form of expression. And Karen Birt has found a way to express musics meaning to for her family in another form. Its no judgment on other band parents and grandparents whose pressing schedules may not allow the time. After all, Karen is retired.

Nonetheless, when it comes time for their family to provide the band with cookies for the Springfield High marching bands home games, Karen doesnt buy them from the store. She bakes them up in the warmth of her own kitchen, which seems an expression of regard as rich as the eggnog smooth tones of the clarinets in Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies.

Source: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/news/local/the-voice-of-the-clarinet-has-been-stifled/njQhN/

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Jimmy Rollins Mattered

Whether you're into narrative or numbers, this was arguably the most important Phillie of the last quarter century.

I started writing some factual stuff aboutJimmy Rollins a couple days ago: things that were going on in the world when thePhillies drafted him in 1996 (Bill Clinton was running for re-election; J.P Crawford was a year old), who their shortstops were through the lame years of the late 90s as he made his way through the minors (where have you gone, Alex Arias?), his early career progression before emerging as a star in the mid-2000s. But I realized all that misses the point I want to make: Jimmy Rollins mattered for the Phillies like very, very few other players have in the 130 years the team has taken the field.

At least as a means of explaining baseball outcomes, The Good Phight is pretty resolutely anti-narrative. Great as his 2007 season was, J-Roll probably wouldnt have earned many MVP votes here: he wasnt the best player in a loaded lineup, and the idea that his naming the Phillies "the team to beat" motivated a couple dozen extremely well paid professional athletes to achievements beyond what they otherwise might have done, is really just silly. On the other hand, our response to some of the c**p hurled Jimmys way regarding "hustle" and such over the last couple years has been a consistent upraised middle finger. Part of that was his unquestionable historical significance; a lot of it was that he was still bringing it on the field.

Both those considerations make more palatable the bittersweet news that he wont be continuing his career with the Phillies. That Rollins claimed the franchise hit record last season was a satisfying tribute to his many years of stellar play and outsized presence. That hes leaving Philadelphia after putting up his best campaign since 2008 suggests he has more than a drop left in the tank. Im not in the habit of rooting for theDodgers, but h**l be an interesting addition to that team as a player who backed up his talent and swagger with day-in, day-out hard work. And who knows: earn another championship ring, smack a couple hundred more hits, and he could yet punch a ticket to a Hall of Fame where a good story can go a long way toward securing admission.

Even that ultimate recognition, though, is somewhat off point for those of us who got to enjoy Rollins these past many years. Putting aside the narrative stuffnot so easy to do, because Rollins gave great narrative; beyond "team to beat," you had the 36 game hitting streak, "front-runners," the double offJonathan Broxton in the 2009 NLCS, the debatable importance of running out grounders, and on and onthe guy did a c**p ton of stuff on the field that helped win baseball games. He's all over the franchise leader board like nobody else other than Mike Schmidt, and few if any of his contemporaries could match his mix of speed, power and defense. All that talent, effort and desire created many amazing moments across his fourteen seasons with the team.

Whoever winds up coming back from the Dodgers in the trade, its a mortal certainty that they wont have the impact or significance of Jimmy Rollins.

Source: http://www.thegoodphight.com/2014/12/12/7382677/jimmy-rollins-mattered

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gilles retsin flips bilbao inside out for guggenheim helsinki proposal

dec 12, 2014

gilles retsin flips bilbao inside out for guggenheim helsinki proposal

gilles retsin flips bilbao inside out for guggenheim helsinki proposalall images courtesy of gilles retsin

for the guggenheim helsinki design competition, gilles retsin has proposed a museum that turns its bilbao relative inside out: all the structure is visible, there is no cladding, and the spaces are all flexible. the entry uses advanced computation methodologies to develop the roof, yet it is erected from cheap, recycles, and large standardized building elements. instead of a glossy metal surface, it proposes a rough and tactile material character.

view towards the main entrance

the mass consists of three large-scale strata two floors and a profiled cover which are supported by groups of slender columns.the footprint presents dimensions similar to the big city blocks and port infrastructure characteristic of the citys etelsatama area, although the facility itself is considerably lower than the surrounding context. it is deliberately ambiguous, in between a pitched roof, vaults or thick, volumetric layer reminiscent of boathouses or factories.

the roof would be formed from reused timber

instead of a surface, the roof is conceived as a volume and performs as a beam, similar to the engineering of airplanes. a custom-made algorithm distributes strips of timber, which cross in two directions to create a stiff shell. the density of these linear components is oriented and proportional to the localized stresses and proximity to support posts. the lightweight stressed skin system makes use of low-grade and recycled wood, which would otherwise not be suited for the construction industry and be used as fuel. to prevent a difficult or massive customization of joints, there is a high degree of repetition in the composition. slender glulam posts are organized in strategic clusters to support the canopy.

the supporting glulam beams correspond to the density of the roof above

the ground level of the museum is completely transparent and accessible via multiple entries. this is accompanied by the possibility to run different security regimes, shifting ticket control and bag check to the first level, which would effectively turn the previous platform into a generous, freely accessible civic space, a meeting ground for the metropolis. the floors are designed as brettstapel timber composite floors with efficient thermal properties and are largely fabricated off-site. the used ingredients result in a complex that would be carbon-negative, providing a minimal life cycle impact on the environment.

the complex would be carbon-negative, providing a minimal life cycle impact on the environment

low grade timber roof structure

closeup of the roof

structure diagram

longitudinal section

cross section

ground floor plan

first and second floor plans

project info:

design team: gilles retsin, lei zhengstructural engineer: robert nilsson, tim lucas of price & myers engineeringsustainability consultants: jessica grey of price & myers engineeringspecial engineering consultant: guy mouton of studieburo moutonrenderings: flying architecture

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readershere.

Gilles Retsin

dec 12, 2014

Source: http://www.designboom.com/architecture/gilles-retsin-bilbao-inside-out-guggenheim-helsinki-12-12-2014/

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Farewell Jimmy Rollins

Los Angeles Dodgers v Philadelphia Phillies, Game 4

Jimmy Rollins #11 and celebrates after hitting a game-winning 2-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning to win 5-4 against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Four of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park on October 19, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (credit: Nick Laham/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 19: Jimmy Rollins #11 and Ryan Howard #6 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrate after Rollins hit a game-winning 2-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning to win 5-4 against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Four of the NLCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park on October 19, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Source: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/photo-galleries/2014/12/11/farewell-jimmy-rollins/

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