Here is where the story starts to go off course and get me aggravated. Tiger Woods was unseen and unheard from for the first week following the incident, and the media and public started to harass his motives and question what he had to hide. When was the last time you made a mistake, small or large scale, and the news and hundreds of people were sitting outside your house awaiting a response from you? I’m going to say probably never. This is the exact reason Tiger Wood’s was not in the wrong in his actions following the affair, and the same reason why Tiger needs to be given time to figure out his horrible situation. Sure Tiger is a multi-million dollar mogul, seen daily on the news and commercials, but that alone isn’t a cop out for the media to invade his personal space.

In a recent census taken, the United States government states that 53% of all marriages end in divorce, and 60% of those divorces stem from affairs. So of these staggering amounts of affairs, how often do you hear of them? Never. Tiger Woods is a human being just like you and me, and he should be treated as one. Tiger should be judged not for his off the field actions, but by his on the field actions. If a student gets strait A’s but goes home and beats some one up, is that person a bad student? The point I’m trying to make is Tiger is a golfer, not a role model for marriages across the country. The public and media should let Tiger and his family attempt to work out their differences, which will in turn allow Wood’s to return to the course on a speedier time table. Tiger Woods will go down as one of the, if not the best, golfers of all time. One incident should not impede the public’s image of him, rather they should support him until he is back on the course, back where we love him, on our televisions every Sunday in his vintage Tiger red shirt going for the Master’s.

Photo Credit: Keith Allison

I believe that these girls were not trying to cause such controversy and were just celebrating a victory that for many of them was their last in the Olympics. Although the Olympics are a sacred event that is not supposed to associated with alcohol and partying, the team was just so happy with their hard earned victory. I think that their celebration should have stayed in the locker room but it does not ruin their gold medal win. One of the girls was only eighteen and the drinking age where they were is nineteen. This outraged many people but what a lot of these people did not know is that in the area where the team trains, and where this girl lives, the drinking age is eighteen. This was a simple mistake and lapse of judgment. I find it hard to believe that anyone who just scored two goals to lead their team to a gold medal victory in the Olympics is thinking about the different laws in another city for drinking age.

Baseball players pop champagne and smoke cigars after a World Series victory and people applaud. The fact that this was the Olympics does change things but the actions of the team can hardly be seen as malicious. The team was not out on the ice going crazy and acting out of control. Most of them were sitting together taking in what they had just accomplished. The Olympic committee was not even very upset about what happened. The incident was mainly blown up by the media. I believe that celebration is one of the best parts of sports and should not be looked at so hard for something wrong. Would the incident have been seen as so awful if it was the men’s team? What if it was not the host country’s team? These questions are interesting but what it comes down to is a team celebrating a victory that they worked so incredibly hard to get, and nothing more.

Photo Credit: parker yo! , popejon2

The game of lacrosse is full of creativity, teamwork, and flow.  The game of baseball is full of out of shape, overpaid, loners.  People say baseball has gained its popularity because it has been around for over a century.  “America’s pastime” as it is referred to. On the other hand, lacrosse is the oldest sport in the world.   The Native Americans wandering the Americas playing lacrosse long before Christopher Columbus discovered the west, and certainly before the first pitch was thrown.

Lacrosse was created to give Native American tribes conditioning and strength for war.  They would play on fields miles long to raise their level of endurance.  They used rocks to shoot into the net and used sticks mad of oak to defend their goals.  Baseball was created to give lazy people something to do.  It is something that they can say they are doing while they are actually doing nothing.  I think the kid sitting at home playing on his Xbox gets a better workout than the right fielder on a baseball field.

The personalities of lacrosse players are second to none.  Certainly not second to baseball players.  A lacrosse player has been now referred to as a “Lax Bro.”  There have even been YouTube videos inspired by this personality.  The personality is full of “bro-like” qualities.  Baseball players have never heard of the quote, “You gotta look good to play good.”  Baseball players have no style:

One, their ¾ shirts.  To me it looks like they can’t make up their mind if they are hot or cold.

Two, sunglasses on top of the hat.  They think it looks good to have the shades on the brim of the hat.  Meanwhile, the player supposedly full if swag with his ¾ shirt and his sunglasses on his hat can’t catch the routine fly ball because the sun is in his eyes.  You would think he would have enough common sense to put the sunglasses on his eyes while he is in the field but nope, gotta be full of swag at all times.  How is that working out for the outfielder that loses the fly ball in the sun and then looks like a complete idiot?

Three, Phiten necklaces.  Most baseball players where these necklaces because they are suppose to reduce pain because of the titanium band inside of the necklace.  How does that work for Ken Griffey Jr. who seems to pull his hamstring every game after he gets off the 60-day disabled list?  David Ortiz was on the D.L. forever because of, what was it, an in-grown toenail?  Give me a break.  I’m sorry but some necklaces work and some don’t, and Phiten necklaces certainly don’t.

Speaking of Big Slopi or Big Papi, whatever the slob is referred to.  Here is an idol of a lot of baseball players.  Big Slopi hits .238 with 28 home runs and is suppose to be a power hitter?  For $13,000,000 I should be getting a lot more than the Mendoza line.  Here is a player who, at minimum gets 4 at-bats a game and returns to the dugout.  Usually he gets one hit and runs to first base and gets thrown out because he is to slow to carry his own feet.  Here is the famous DH.  The designated hitter.  You get a few at-bats and call it a day.  What a life $13,000,000 to sit on the bench and watch a baseball game.

Speaking of more slobs in baseball, the great Babe Ruth.  The fat slob would eat hotdogs during the game, as if he didn’t eat enough out of the ballpark.  David Wells was listed at 248 lbs. while he pitched for the Red Sox.  248?  There are linemen in the NFL that weigh less than that.  This enforces the point that baseball players are out of shape people with no swag.

To go watch a professional baseball game you have to mortgage your home to afford nosebleed seats.  The infamous hotdog at a baseball game is $9.50.  Your beer is an even $13.00.  You can enjoy your $22.50 snack sitting next to another out of shape baseball fan while you hold your binoculars to watch the pitches.  At a professional lacrosse game you can enjoy the game with good, cheap food and comfortable seats as you watch a great sport.

Lacrosse and baseball are two different sports with two different personalities.  Baseball players choose to follow Big Slopi and the Babe while lax bros follow the way of people like Brantford Whinstonworth and Floseidon.  To me, you’re a lax bro or a pansy*.

To see more fat baseball players go to the link here.

Here is a brief look at some of the sports offered in the Middle School for the Winter Season.

Boys’ Basketball

The Worcester Academy Middle School Boys’ Basketball Team ended a great season last year; however, with new eight graders coming back, they have greater skills. Sam Joaquin, an eighth grader, thinks that the team will have great chemistry this year due to the eight graders, who are great leaders on the court.

When interviewed, Sam Joaquin, told us that he is excited for the up coming season and to play with his friends.  Joaquin also predicts a good season for their team, due to all the new players coming in. Sam, a“6 foot 2 monster”, says that he has a lot of trust in his eight grade teammates to lead the team to victory.

Girls’ Basketball

Worcester Academy Middle School Girls’ basketball team is currently 7-1.  The team’s captains are Alex Radel and Carly Heman. They practice four, hard times, a   week, with many drills. Many new girls to the team do not know what to during these complicated drills. Their coach, Mr. McCarthy, tries to bring drills and hard aggression to the team. The team brings great enthusiasm to every game and they give it 100 percent.   Girls’ Basketball plans on finishing the season with as many wins as possible and on bringing great success to the Middle School.

Wrestling Team

The Worcester Academy Wrestling team is having a rough start to the season going 0-3; however, they never give up and never surrender. The team is led by Byron Leigh and Johnston Wheeler, who bring experience and leadership to the mat. While some wrestlers are new to the sport, others are experienced, such as Aman “the darkness,” Byron “the freak” Leigh, Johnston “Philipe” Wheeler, Connor McCarthy, and Chris “Snappy” Hunter. The team has and will always bounce back from any loss and come back determined for victory.

The NFL postseason has arrived and the teams in AFC (America Football conference) are the Indianapolis Colts (14-2) who are the number one seed (they face the lowest winning seed) and The San Diego Chargers (13-3) are the number two seed (they face the highest winning seed). The wild card teams are the New York Jets (9-7), the Cincinnati Bengals (10-6), the New England Patriots (10-6), and the Baltimore Ravens (9-7).

The first game in the wild card was the New York Jets against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Jets had some luck as the Bengal’s kicker, Shayne Graham, missed two field goals. Shonn Green was a big impact as he had 135 yards with one touchdown. Dustin Keller had 3 catches, 99 yard, and 1 touchdown. Pro-bowler Darrelle Revis covered Chad Ochocinco (the Bengals best wide receiver) that gave Carson Palmer (QB) few options to throw to which led to an interception. Mark Sanchez (Jets QB) had 182 yards throwing with one touchdown. The Jets beat the Bengals for a 24-14-win. They go to the divisional round. Then the Patriots squared off against the Ravens. Ray Rice ran 83 yards for a touchdown on the first play at the line of scrimmage. The Ravens scored 24 points in the first quarter. Wes Welker was out with an injury and Welker was a huge part of the Patriots offense. He usually was thrown to on third downs. Lots of cornerbacks tried to stop, but could not. Tom Brady feeling pressure was intercepted 3 times. The Ravens beat the Patriots at home for a 33-14 win to face the Colts.

In the divisional round, the New York Jets play the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers had a 7-point lead in halftime. Nate Kaeding missed 3 field goals, which broke his record of missing a field goal of 40 yards or less. Phillip River (Chargers QB) was intercepted 2 times, but had 298 yards in the air. Shonn Green once again had 23 carries, 128 yards, with 1 touchdown. Mark Sanchez was intercepted once with 100 yards in the air. The Jets came back and beat the Chargers 17-14 and they would go to the championship game. The Colts had to face the red-hot Ravens. The Colts offense did very well against the Ravens defense. The Ravens offense turned over the ball more than 3 times. Peyton Manning (Colts QB) had one interception, with 246 yards in the air. He had 2 touchdown throws. The Ravens didn’t get anything productive as the Colts defense’s speed stopped both the running and the throwing game. The Colts beat the Ravens 20-3. The Colts would go to the championship game.

In the championship game the Colts were up against the number one defense in the league. At first the Jets defense were out playing the Colts and the offense was attacking in every different direction. Just in the second quarter Mark Sanches (QB) threw to Braylon Edwards and he ran it all the way. Then when the Jets had the game going well for them, Peyton Manning (Colts QB) figured out the defense. He threw to Pierre Garcon for a touchdown. After a field goal and another touchdown the game was sealed, as the Mark Sanchez was intercepted. The Colts beat the Jets 30-17 for a victorious golden ticket to the Super Bowl for the second time this decade.

In the NFC (National Football Conference) the teams are the New Orleans Saints (13-3) who are number one seed (they face the lowest winning seed) and the Minnesota Vikings (12-4) are number two seed (they face the highest winning seed). The wild card teams are the Dallas Cowboys (11-5), Philadelphia Eagles (11-5), Arizona Cardinals (10-6), and the Green Bay Packers (11-5).

First, the Dallas Cowboys faced the Philadelphia Eagles. Felix Jones with 16 carries for 148 and 1 touchdown. Tony Romo had 244 yards with 2 touchdowns. The Cowboys beat the Eagles 34-14 and they go to the divisional round. The Arizona Cardinals took on the Green Bay Packers. Both defenses couldn’t stop the offenses. They went into overtime as a 45-45 score. In overtime, strangely the Arizona Cardinals defense came up and forced fumble Aaron Rodgers. Karlos Dansby picked the football up and ran it all the way. The Cardinals go to the divisional round.

In the divisional round, the Vikings faced the Cowboys. Sydney Rice with 3 touchdowns. Brett Favre had 234 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Vikings beat the Cowboys 34-3 and go to the championship game. The Saints faced the Cardinals. Tim Hightower got a touchdown on the first play, but the Saints gave a proficient answer with a touchdown drive. Warner got hurt and the Cardinals couldn’t recover. The Saints went to the champion ship game with a win 45-14.

The Vikings and the Saints faced off for a glorious Super Bowl ticket. The Vikings were outplaying the Saints, but the Saints responded to every touchdown. The game was tied 28-28 and one throw from Brett Favre would get in field goal range. He threw and was intercepted. Now the officials say that it should have been flagged and the interception canceled. The teams went into overtime. The Saints scored a field goal for a 31-28 win. The Saints go to the Super Bowl for the first time in history.

MS Boys' Soccer Huddles Up

Written by Peter and Johnston (Aladdin Staff)

The Mighty WA middle school boys’ soccer team is led by eighth graders Danny Baldwin, Sean Winthrop, Matt “Wolfy” Wolf, Tom “Mango” Mangaudis, Zack Sadlier, and Eric “Show Stoppa” Sachse. This years captains are Riley Doherty and Matt Wolf. Riley was a captain last year as a 6^th grader.  The team’s final record is 6 wins, 2 losses, and 2 ties. Going into the season nobody knew what to expect after losing many great 8^th graders last year.

The team’s first game was a tie against Wilbraham and Monson Academy. The first half was a great show of the team’s skill.  The second half was just as well; however, the Hilltopers couldn’t pull out a goal. Shot after shot the goalie for the opposition blocked them.  Finally, after a rebound from Sachse, it gave WA the lead, 1-0.  With a little less than 5 minutes left, Wilbraham and Monson fired back with a tying goal. Neither team was able to take the lead. Time ran out, the game was a tie.

The last game played was a win over Rectory School; the score was 4-1. The game was at New Balance field on November 4th.The Hilltopers came out strong with a goal from Mangaudis. It was a long pass from Troy Hansen, a seventh grader that gave Mangaudis the opportunity for a goal. The next goal was a break away from Chas Tucker, a seventh grader. Riley Doherty, the captain, made a great goal from a free kick. The last goal was another break away from the eight-grade captain Wolf.

The team has also received strong play from Ashay Athalye, James Bechta, Robert Duncan, James Fahey, Cam Heiser, Aaron Kline, Matthew Quick, Max Sadlier, Zack Sadlier, Sam Stimpson, and Kaushik Viswanathan throughout the season.

Photo Credit: Peter Smith

In the 60 minutes interview, Michael Vick was apologetic for his behavior and the pain and suffering that he had inflicted upon the dogs.  Since his crime he has been active in efforts to positively support dog shelters, and has been working with the Humane Society of the United States.  This is one of the ways that he is trying to make up for the previous actions that were not supportive to the appropriate treatment of dogs.  Michael has also been to counseling for the appropriate treatment of animals and has attended classes to improve his actions towards these animals.  Vick is trying to do positive works to remove the scars of his past.

It is encouraging to see Vick back in the NFL without people discussing his controversial past.  Vick has certainly done his time and paid the price for his crime, he should be able to move on and put his focus on the game.  Fans should do the same and watch this talented athlete perform to the best of his ability and grow throughout the season. Ex NFL coach, Tony Dungy, has become Michael’s personal mentor.  Dungy is a well respected man throughout the National Football League as a great football coach and a genuine person.  If this man is willing to back Michael Vick then people should thing twice and move forward.  Michael Vick has earned my respect by the way that he has managed this situation and removed himself from the spotlight on this situation with the hope of renewing his professional athletic career with the hope of some impressive statistics.

Now that Michael is back, fans should watch his performance and learn from this players return.  He will now have to establish a winning partnership with a new group of players.  This will certainly be a challenge however he has demonstrated his determination to be a teammate by stating that he wants to play the game with his new members of the team and has shown how grateful he is for any playing time that he will receive from this team.  Right now, Michael Vick is not the player he once was nor would one expect him to be right off the bat, hopefully with time he will be able to reach again to his once high level of performance and be one of the top players in the league.  Michael Vick has served his two year sentence and should not look back and fans should stop worrying about Michael’s past and leave it in the past because what has been done is done.  We can learn from Michael that if you do commit a crime, far better to accept the punishment and do the time and also apologetic.  He has been willing to do all that he can to focus on the future and improve himself and the public’s perception of him.

Photo Credit: Ed Yourdon, bwana

Athletics – One major change for the athletic programs at WA has been the removal of the athletic requirement.  Because of this, Doc Samko, the resident and omnipresent figure on campus, feels that athletics has become much more of a family.  Athletes participate because they are passionate about the sports instead of fulfilling a requirement.  This passion for being part of a larger community spills over into those who aren’t on the field with the Super Fans, a group of students who actually receive academic credit for attending every game, whether home or away.

Senior Projects:  During the last two weeks of senior year students select a short term of independent study based on their individual interests.  These have included working construction, training dogs, acting as a guidance counselor or performing bizarre experiments (staying awake 3 days in a row to see the impact on the body).  While the idea of the senior project has been around for a while, what has changed has been the final product.  More recently  students have produced videos or movies for the final presentations.

Capstone Projects – According to the advisor the Capstone Project is really a Senior project on academic steroids.  Newly introduced in 2008, this is a year long project and is extremely student driven.   Students select a topic of interest and may meet on the weekends for seminars or research in addition to a student’s normal workload.  Students don’t receive extra credit and yet they still invest significant time demonstrating the passion they have for learning.

Open Studio – This is an afterschool art program where students can choose any type of medium (ceramics, painting, drawing, architecture, sculpture).  Most projects are ten weeks and the program has been around for four years.    This allowed more students to fit art into their schedules where they otherwise might not have had time.  The students are very self-directed and use the teacher more as guide.

Vigornia – The school newspaper is going through a transformation this year.  The paper has 25 members and two editors who invest up to 20 hours a week managing the editing and production of the paper.  The editors find the experience a great immersion into leadership, journalism and working towards a deadline.

Math Team – There are two math teams at Worcester Academy, Varsity and Middle School team.   The teams participate in 5 leagues, where most schools compete in one so there are meets almost every weekend during the season.  Students feel this supplements their math knowledge, enhances their problem solving abilities that can be applied in other classes.

The freshly cut grass and newly painted lines along with the perfect weather made great conditions for a Friday afternoon soccer game. Worcester Academy’s boy’s varsity soccer team was out for blood, the blood of the Brooks School’s players. From the goalie to the strikers, WA was intense and in the zone the whole ninety minutes of play.

Scoring goals is easier than defending them. The WA defense proved their strength in the match. The goalie Kevin Mangaudius, along with defenders Tucker Myhre, Zach Packer and Dan Lima created a strong force throughout the game. Letting up only one goal, and having eight saves, Mangaudius had a great varsity debut, as starting goalie Kyle DeKlerk is out for the season with a broken hand.

Games however, cannot be won without some offensive play. The first goal came at the thirty- minute mark from Sawyer Kisken. “It was a well hit ball that knuckled past the keeper”, said Tucker Myhre when asked about his teammates goal. Myhre was a huge contributor to the second goal of the game scored in the eight third minute of play. After hustling through a series of tackles, Myhre took a thrown in that advanced the ball to Max Haines who put it in the back of the net.

When asked to comment on the overall feel of the game, forward Max Haines said, “We did not possess as much as we may have liked to. Also, at times we were out of shape. However, midfielder Jamie Doherty (captain) played a solid seventy -five minutes at midfield, and for the last fifteen minutes helping back on defense and advancing the ball up the field. “ The Worcester Academy boy’s soccer team is off to a good start of 1-0-1, with more wins to come. Other contributors to the team are David Atkinson, Neil Baldwin, Vincent Ciavarra, AJ Distefano, Zachary Gehring, Evyn Grimes, Jack Hamm, Billy Lane, David Nwankwo, James Watkins, and Andrew Watson-Hogan. The team is coached by James Proctor, Charlie Fuentes, and Matias Pietropinto.