One Game at a Time

It was sensational, electrifying, jaw dropping, and eye popping all at the same time. LeBron James starred in the Miami Heat's 100-67 win over the New York Knicks yesterday afternoon en route to taking a 1-0 game lead in this best of seven series. The Knicks, who were a trendy upset pick entering the playoffs, have a lot of things to work on if they want to make this series competitive. Even though New York is the media capital of the world, "King James" stole the highlights.

James, often criticized for his failure to win a ring, is no stranger to postseason heroics. As a matter of fact, outside of last years finals, he has been around in the fourth quarter in the past. Doesn't anyone remember May 31, 2007 when "King James" scored 29 of his team's final 30 points en route to a double overtime win against the playoff tested Pistons? James scored 48 that game. Or what about May 22, 2009? The Chosen One hit an off balanced game winning three to even the Eastern Conference Finals at 1 with the Magic. Aren't these playoff moments where James should be known as "clutch"?

Now I remember. None of those moments culminated with a championship. As great as James has been in the first three rounds of the post season, he has come up incredibly small in the finals. It seems as if James scored fewer and fewer points in each fourth quarter of the finals last year. Could he have been so tired by the time he reached games 5 and 6 of the finals? Maybe, but Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant never let that slow them down.

Let's go over the facts for yesterday's impressive showing from James. It's only the first round of the playoffs and this game was played against a 7 seed without their starting point guard and with their center battling a devastating flu (who probably hurt the Knicks by being in there). The Heat also won the game by 33 points. The reason they were up by so much was because of James but we've seen this kind of performance from him before. He's very comfortable playing with a big lead. We want to see him have a moment like Kevin Durant had last night.

32 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals read LeBron's stat line from yesterday's game against New York. It's only one game although it was certainly impressive. Even more impressive, LeBron led the Heat to that win. This was a game where Dwyane Wade played the role of Robin. James was Batman and is the biggest reason as to why the Heat had a 32-2 run in the second quarter! The Heat made a mistake when they said "not 4, not 5, not 6". It seemed as if last year they tried to win four championships in one season. James looked slowed down yesterday and although there's a lot more work for him to do, this was a good start. He's trying to win one ring at a time now, one game at a time.

--Brendan Tuma can be reached at btuma@student.umass.edu for further comment

Meet The Fab4

“Losers quit when they’re tired. Winners quit when they’ve won”. –Fab4 Terminator Dan Tursky

It was back in December 2010 when they first played together. It might of been one of the first winter smashball games but nonetheless it was, at the time, thought to be nothing more than another game of pick up. The team featured Brendan Tuma, Dan Tursky, Sam Gould, Sawyer Hulme, and Brett Campbell. In what turned out to be a simultaneously both hilarious and impressive win, the Fab4 had played their first game together, and more importantly, started developing their chemistry.

The formation of the team went largely unnoticed for several months, until players started going back to look at old tapes to see how great of a win that actually was. Spring smashball picked up and at the start, Tuma, Tursky, and Hulme were a part of the Flying Dutchmen but the team also featured Billy Peisel and Nick Tsantes instead of Gould. It was not until Campbell's broken leg where the teams decided to realign and the Fab4 would player together again. What ensued would be the most dramatic, the most eyebrow raising, the most theatrical, the most electrifying, and the most breathtaking few months of smashball history. 

When the first ever fan day occurred this past Thanksgiving, it was only fitting to have these four play together. In front of about twenty-five fans, on smashball's biggest stage, the team made their first major statement in the public eye. Brendan Tuma led the game with eight points, Sawyer Hulme limited the opposition to nine points, and both Dan Tursky and Sam Gould made big plays throughout the game as the foursome showed it wasn't afraid of the big stage. Even after losing reserve Matt Custodio to an early game ending shoulder injury, the Fab4 players refused to panic and played the rest of the game without a substitute. 

So what is it about these four that make their games so entertaining to watch? They seem to every game have a feel of what's going to happen. They know their roles and they celebrate like children when they score. What's crazier is that this team actually wins. When the Fab4 have played the whole game, they have never lost. 

"It really comes down to team chemistry" says Fab4 captain Brendan Tuma. "It's what we preach every game because it's true. It's pretty easy to play well with and have fun doing it when you're playing with your best friends. We develop our chemistry other places also, whether it's football, basketball, or going to Celtics games, UMass, Skyzone. If you've ever come to dinner with us you'll understand why we go so crazy while scoring. Maybe. It's more of a brotherhood than anything else really". 

The Fab4 seem to be put together pretty nicely. Tuma likes to point out that it isn't an all star team. Each of the four have a role in which they play and when those four roles come together, it makes for a pretty good team. Hulme preaches the importance of passing and everyone listens, the same way they listen when Tursky preaches the importance of defense. They may like to let loose when they score but until they do it's all business. It's about putting the ego aside and playing unselfishly with a never ending resilient will to win that has this team confident heading into the summer of 2012. 

As a matter of fact, that resiliency was tested over winter break. The Fab4 had played the day before, and won. And were in the middle of the first game of a doubleheader against stars such as Peiseil, Campbell, and Justin Lanzafane. Their confidence might have been a little too high entering that game as the team quickly found themselves in holes of 5-0 and 6-1. Tuma remembers just wanting to make sure they weren't losers of the biggest blowout in smashball history. Losers would have quit when they were tired. Not this team. A furious comeback, marked by scoring 4 points in under two minutes put the game back within reach, and culminated with Tuma's game winning kick (assist by Tursky). 

It's these defining moments that explain the team's swagger. "We just know we're the best" smasher Sam Gould says. 

"There is no other sport on this earth that relies so much on momentum for a victory" says megaslammer Saywer Hulme. It certainly appears that way. This team's constant celebrations and flare for the dramatic certainly wipe away any chance the opposing team has at momentum. 

Whether you want to call it momentum or chemistry or swagger this team finds a way to win. Between Gould's unique defensive ability, Tursky's emotion on defense, Hulme's passing, and Tuma's leadership combined with all four of their burning desires to win, it's no wonder they love playing together.

"We win and lose as a team" Tuma states. "It takes all four of us every game. Any game, any one of us can be the hero. Yela led us in scoring one game and we don't win if Sawyer doesn't throw no look dimes. I'll always tell Dan it's his energy and emotion that really make this team what it is. It'd be tough to win without him. It's a good thing we played together that time a couple of years ago".

"What makes the Fab4 so great is that we have developed so much chemistry that we barely have to look to know where the others are, not that I look anyways" says Hulme. 

So Sawyer's not always looking at his teammates when he passes, but the rest of the world is, and they're starting to notice that this team isn't quitting when they're tired. That's because winners don't quit until they've won.

Hamlet Quote Log 4

“Muder most foul, as in the best it is, but this most foul, strange, and unnatural” (1. 5. 33-34).

            Hamlet receives his first chance to speak to the apparition which claims to be his father’s spirit. He tells Hamlet not only to assail Claudius, but to murder the man to avenge King Hamlet’s death. Since Claudius has usurped the position of king, Hamlet has been an emotional wreck. Unable to find compassion in his mother or uncle, the malicious ghost appears to be an emotional outlet for Hamlet. It could very well serve as his conscious, as he may be contemplating whether or not to avenge his father’s death. There is evidence that the apparition is real. Hamlet’s friends were not able to speak to the ghost but did very well see it.

Hamlet Quote Log 2

“My father’s spirit – in arms! All is not well. I doubt some foul play. Would the night were come! Till then, sit still, my soul. Foul deeds will rise, though all the earth o’erwhelm them, to men’s eyes” (39).

            The early impressions of Hamlet appear to be that he is the protagonist in which the reader is rooting for. The reader initially likes him for what has happened to his family. His uncle marries his mother following the death of his father and when Claudius does not seem to respect young Hamlet we admire him more. Claudius and Queen Gertrude reject Hamlet’s request to return to the University of Wittenberg and even after what has happened Hamlet respects their decision and does not put up a fight. Despite Claudius’ malicious acts, Hamlet refrains from assailing him. When told about the apparition of his father, Hamlet gets excited as does the reader for this loveable protagonist.

P + P Quote Log 15

“But at length, by Elizabeth’s persuasion, he was prevailed on to overlook the offence and seek a reconciliation; and after a little farther resistance on the part of his aunt, her resentment gave way, either to her affection for him, or her curiosity to see how his wife conducted herself; and she condescended to wait on them at Pemberley, in spite of that pollution which its woods had received, not merely from the presence of such a mistress, but the visits of her uncle and aunt from that city” (326).

            Lady Catherine’s approbation of Darcy’s marriage is the final obstacle that he and Lizzy had to overcome to achieve emotional justice. In terms of a traditional love story, Elizabeth and Darcy surely had their share of both personal and external faults to fight through. Although there were some patches of asperity, the two lovers found their way to each other in the end. Their triumph is truly remarkable due to the extent of faults in which they had to overcome. They had all the same as Jane and Bingley, which is perceived as a tough road to overcome. The extent to which they had to overcome these faults are also greater as Darcy is in a higher class than Bingley, making the class difference for substantial. This has followed the path of a traditional love story, as Elizabeth and Darcy have found felicity.

P + P Quote Log 13

“The contents of this letter threw Elizabeth into a flutter of spirits, in which it was difficult to determine whether pleasure or pain bore the greatest share. The vague and unsettled suspicions which uncertainty had produced what Mr. Darcy might have been doing to forward her sister’s match, which she had feared to encourage as an exertion of goodness to great to be the pain of obligation, were proved beyond their greatest extent to be true!” (273).

            Prior to reading Mrs. Gardiner’s letter, Elizabeth has given up a bit of hope in her quest of marrying Darcy. After everything that has happened she surmises that Darcy will no longer have interest in her. Her family embarrassed her, Wickham is now in the family, and she turned down Darcy’s proposal with iniquity. Elizabeth realizes now that she loves Darcy. She knows that he helped Lydia with her wedding which makes her fall even more in love with him. If he were to propose again she would say yes with alacrity. She only hopes that their love can overcome all the internal and external barriers.

P + P Essay 2

Brendan Tuma

Mr. George

World Lit G

02 March 2011

No Strings Attached

            The main plot of a romance concerns two people falling in love while overcoming hurdles to make the relationship work. Although there can be ample subplots to add to the story, the focus remains on the struggling love affair. There are certainly no shortages of exceptions to the rule but the general outline for a romance revolves around a man and woman. The characters are introduced in an initially awkward first encounter and must overcome a dislike of one another in order to make the relationship work. This statement is never more true than throughout the romantic comedy film No Strings Attached, starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman.

            Every romance introduces a round and flat character. The round character, in this case Kutcher, is the one who we understand and who is willing to make the relationship work. Portman, the flat character, is the one with the flaw who has to overcome it to complete the love story. Kutcher proves to be relatable, easy going yet hard working. He is the one who the viewer is shown more of throughout the beginning of the story so that the audience can better relate to him. The next step in setting up a romance is introducing the flat character. Portman comes onto the scene after the audience has already determined they admire Kutcher. Interest intensifies and it becomes clear that each will be able to subsist in the other’s life. It is easy to see what Portman admires in the amiable Kutcher because of our initial understanding of the round character. Having only seen Portman for a short period of time eventually makes the viewer question her alacrity to make the relationship work. The flat character’s flaw is the issue and must be overcome to make the relationship work. Kutcher shows much interest in Portman from the beginning. Initially owning a strictly physical attraction, Kutcher soon desires more from Portman. Portman’s flaw, as the viewer begins to learn, is her unwillingness to commit to a long term relationship. Having been scarred by her parents’ divorce she refuses to commit to Kutcher and thus creates the problem of the romance.

            It is standard in love stories, much like this one, for the audience to be rooting for the relationship to succeed. There is an idea in heartwarming stories that the good get rewarded and the evil get punished. If lovers fight for the relationship to succeed then they will be rewarded with unconditional love and emotional justice. Kutcher and Portman get torn apart by Natalie’s reluctance to continue. Apart for too long, each becomes unable to cope with the loss. The characters must experience great lows if they are going to be able to appreciate the highs. Friends of both characters provide assistance for the relationship to work. The flat character’s flaw must be overcome and by doing so, helps make the relationship work. The fact that Portman is willing to throw everything on the line, despite the fear of a bad breakup shows how much she actually loves Kutcher.

            The classic love story is designed to end in a way that makes the viewer feel good. This is done by showing that two lovers who risk everything are rewarded with eternal happiness. Kutcher takes Portman back after she decides that he is worth the risk and that is where the story ends. A romance typically ends at the scene where the lovers are reunited to show that they will go on to live happily ever after, giving the viewer a warm, fuzzy feeling.

            In terms of following a traditional romance, No Strings Attached fits the model perfectly. Commencing with the presentation of a round and flat character with an initial like of one another, a problem arises that keeps them apart. The problem is generally held by the flat character who must overcome what is constraining the lovers from being together. Friends and other characters provide comic relief while simultaneously providing support for the relationship. The climax of the book or movie must center on the love story, although other subplots can occur. The lovers that risk everything to tackle the struggle are able to overcome it to attain emotional justice. The flat character precipitates the renewed love, leaving the viewer filled with jubilation. No Strings Attached must be defined as a romance.