Noise Between Rooms
My "Solo" Wish List (or thinking WAY too much about how I'd tackle an imaginary job
by Robert McKercher on 03/28/14
I loved the "Solo" series DC Comics published a few years ago, and I often think about what artists I would approach to participate if DC asked me to edit a revival of the title.
For the unfamiliar, "Solo" was an anthology series published by DC from 2004-2006. Each ad-free, 48- page issued spotlighted the work of a different artist who was encouraged to tell stories in any genre and to use DC's library of characters as they saw fit. Some of the artists also wrote all the stories in their issues; others collaborated with writers, but they all were allowed to indulge their story-telling sensibilities using well-known characters and concepts in a way that would be unlikely in a traditional assignement.
When I compiled the list of artists for my imaginary editing job, I set some parameters
Lack of Bachelor's Degree Causes USF to Take Back Its Rose
by Robert McKercher on 03/27/14
But really, that's just semantic quibbling. There is a fundamental, philosophical reason why college coaches should have academic degrees whether or not they are "educators." Yes, college athletics is big business, and some (perhaps many) players view an athletic scholarship as an internship for the pros, but the NCAA, schools, athletic directors, coaches, and players continue to stress the "student" part of student athlete.
So, the University of South Florida rescinded its offer to Steve Masiello to be the Bulls' next men's basketball coach because of resume inaccuracies. It turns out he never received the degree from University of Kentuck he claimed to have earned. Consequently, Masiello's current employer, Manhattan College, has placed him on administrative leave while "reviewing his degree status." In most professional settings, lying on a resume would be sufficient rationale for USF's and Manhattan's actions, and it would likely be the end of the story. But because this is college athletics, naturally, there's controversy. You see, both USF and Manhattan have policies requiring their athletic coaches to have four-year degrees, and much of the commentary on this story by pundits and in internet forums has asserted that a bachelor's degree is irrelevant as a qualification for coaching basketball.
Serendipitous Sweet Sixteen
by Robert McKercher on 03/24/14
The sporting world is a small one, with six degrees of separation often being an overly generous budget for making connections among teams, coaches, and fan bases. Case in point, the University of Arizona men's basketball team has history and/or an intriguing relationship with all of their remaining 15 potential opponents in the 2014 NCAA Division One Men's Basketball Tournament.
Sweet Sixteen
No. 4 San Diego State Aztecs
Arizona's next game is a rematch of an early season road win over a tough team that went deep in the 2013 NCAA tournament. The November win provided the first solid evidence that Arizona would end up as one of the elite teams this season.
