The fan's excitement of the NFL seemed to die down a few days after the New York Giants stunned the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, but the fun for management around the league had just begun. The annual, two-day NFL draft takes as much strategy as it does to run an offense except there's less room for error. With expected contracts rocketing up as high as $70 million, the futures of teams already struggling to succeed are at stake. But the players get just as jittery, knowing that the difference between rounds and picks could be millions of dollars. Right now, only OT Jake Long of Michigan has been guaranteed his draft position. We'll give you a look at other former college stars trying to hit the jackpot this weekend.
A staple of childhood lunches thanks to its canned incarnations, ravioli is an Italian classic in which pasta dough is filled with just about anything imaginable. In our rendition, we take homemade dough and stuff it with a delectable four-cheese filling, then top it all off with a creamy Alfredo sauce - infused with the flavor of nature's perfect food, bacon. Restaurant-quality ravioli made from scratch in your own kitchen is easier than you think. While we cannot condone the health risks associated with this dish, we can guarantee that the satisfaction from your palate will be more than worth any ensuing heart attack.
The Blair marching band and color guard have been cast for a background role in the upcoming movie "State of Play." Around 50 Blair students will shoot their scene at the Scottish Rite Temple in Washington, D.C. on March 20 from 7 a.m. - 3 p.m., according to band sponsor and instructor Michelle Roberts.
Blair Network Communications' (BNC) annual Semester Shakedown has been postponed until later this year as a result of possible inclement weather conditions tomorrow. The Downcounty mixer will likely be held on April 4 from 6 - 10 p.m., although the time is still tentative, according to BNC producer senior Lizzie Horne.
The National Basketball Association's All-Star Weekend is a gathering of the league's most able athletes, who ignore team ties to entertain basketball's enthusiastic fans. This year the events take place in New Orleans, a rebuilding city finding solace supporting the city's many successful sports teams. Here's our guide on what to expect in the many competitions in store for this weekend.
Another season in the National Basketball Association is reaching the half-way point and already so much has happened. The Boston Celtics are the team to beat after getting left heartbroken in the draft. But trades remain the big story this season. Kobe Bryant remains with the Lakers, who along with former Memphis star Pau Gasol are turning into a force in the West. Shaq and Shawn Marion have switched teams, leaving fans trying to grasp the thought of Shaq running the floor with the Suns' fast break offense. And now Jason Kidd may be leaving the Nets for Dallas. With the All-Star game fast approaching, we give you a small preview and hand out midseason awards to top players and coaches.
We're down to just four teams remaining in the hunt for the Lombardi Trophy, with San Diego and New England battling in the AFC and New York and Green Bay duking it out in the NFC. Storylines for conference championship week include a injury-ravaged Charger offense, the return of legal troubles for Randy Moss, Eli Manning finally emerging from his brother's shadow, and a remarkable run from Brett Favre at 38 years old. Two of the top four picks from the 2004 draft, quarterbacks Manning (first overall) and Philip Rivers (fourth overall), take on two of the finest field generals of our generation in Favre and Tom Brady. Who will win out, youth or tradition? We'll find out on Sunday with a pair of entertaining matchups on tap.
The NFL regular season is officially in the books, and our predictions crew reflects back upon the 2007 season, with all its ups and downs. Congratulations to Nitin, who overcame half a season of last-place finishes to capture this year's SCO NFL Predictions title, edging last year's champ Pia by just one game. Anshul, our junior, will have his shot as he continues the hallowed tradition next season. And as for Andrew, well, there's always baseball...
After a grueling 17 week season, the NFL playoffs are finally upon us. And rejoice, our Washington Redskins are indeed in them! Wild card weekend is always one for surprises, and the four intriguing matchups on tap will have their share. Can the Redskins pull off the upset in the Emerald City? Our experts have their say.
Well we've come to the end of yet another eventful season in the National Football League. In the final installment of weekly predictions, we have our say on an busy Week Seventeen. For our Redskins, a matchup against the Cowboys directly dictates our playoff hopes. In the Meadowlands, New England's quest for perfection takes its final turn. Elsewhere across the league, teams play for playoff seeds and/or draft position. After a roller-coaster ride atop the leaderboard, Pia has once again taken command, although Nitin and Anshul are still well within striking distance. Andrew, not so much (it's okay, he won the SCO fantasy football league). Can Pia repeat, or will she cede her crown? Check back later this week, as we bring you the results of our little contest, as well as a look back at some of the most memorable moments of 2007. Till then, we bid you farewell and have just one thing left to say: Go Redskins!
Repent, for the end is nigh! We've reached Week Sixteen of the 2007 NFL season and it's been a quite a ride. Surprisingly, the Redskins are still technically in the playoff hunt with two games to go, and hey, the Dolphins finally won one! This week, playoff berths will be locked up for some and dreams will be shattered for others, as the dreaded words "There's always next year!" make their annual appearance. In fantasy-land, it's championship week for many leagues, including our very own SCO league where Andrew and Pia will duke it out for the coveted title. In our experts pool, once again Nitin and Pia are tied for the lead, but Anshul lurks just one game behind. It looks like the fate of NFL predictions will come down right to the wire - we'll have to see if our 'Skins can keep up.
Well, it appears that Michael Vick will be watching the next two years of football from the big house, earning a 23-month jail term for his canine shenanigans. Perhaps he could get a couple tips about a years-long layoff from Todd Collins, who is quite possibly the most intriguing story all year for our Redskins. Washington's playoff hopes dangle from a thread heading into a crucial divisional matchup in the Meadowlands. As for us, Nitin is once again sitting pretty in first place, while Pia, Anshul and Andrew are staggered behind. Let's just hope our experts are better at picking outcomes than Pittsburgh's Anthony Smith...
It's been one of the most memorable seasons of college football to date, with a flurry of unimaginable upsets and shuffling in the rankings. But like every year, the top performers in the sport have incredible seasons, and will be rewarded for such, with college football's most prestigious award, the Heisman Trophy. This year's Heisman candidates include last year's runner-up, a record-breaking sophomore and two quarterbacks from unheralded programs.
Five Montgomery County high schools – Blair, Northwood, Einstein, Wheaton and Kennedy – were targets of a bomb threat reported this morning at 6:50 a.m.
As promised, here we are with the rest of Week Thirteen. The story this week of course is the tragic passing of Sean Taylor, the enigmatic Redskins safety. Whether he deserves a moment of silence is not for comment on (see the discussion here). All we have to say is that he was one heck of a football player, and will be sorely missed in the Redskins community. Thursday saw three wrong experts and a potential threat to Brett Favre's consecutive game streak, but unchanged standings. As we head down the home stretch, a neck-and-neck battle is brewing just as the playoff picture gets interesting.
Thanks to Roger Goodell and his misguided dreams of a thriving NFL Network, we come to you with an early preview edition of our weekly predictions. Dallas and Green Bay duke it out on tonight in the battle of NFC heavyweights, and our experts have their say.
Ah Thanksgiving: a time for family, a time for gratitude, and a time for the hallowed American tradition of indulging in wanton gluttony while watching millionaires bash into one another. Which teams are turkeys and which teams are gravy? Our experts give their take in this special early edition of NFL Predictions. In the race for supremacy, Pia continues to maintain a slim lead, but Nitin is gunning hard after a 13-3 week. Our hometown Redskins are slipping - will our Editor-in-Chief follow suit?
Dallas Week used to mean so much for the DC-area. In 2007, all it means is an almost certain loss for the burgundy and gold. Oh well, at least it can't be any worse than the New England game. It appears that a bye week is the only thing that can keep the Patriots from winning. In other news, Pia has retaken sole possession of first place for the first time since Week Two, and Nitin has finally relinquished his spot in the cellar for the first time since...well, all year. Week Eleven sees the return of 16-game slates as byes come to an end. The picture is clearing up, but who will be in and who will be out?
Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter has brought Hollywood directly to rap's front door. Over and done with building albums on his "girls, girls, girls," Jay adopts the role of a reminiscing drug dealer from the '70s with a laid back demeanor in "American Gangster."
Maybe it was the time change or the drop in temperature, but something threw the Redskins' world askew last week, as they barely managed to hold on and trump the New York Jets. On the other side of the NFL, the Patriots conjured up a few touchdowns in the fourth quarter to overcome the Colts and become the sole undefeated team in the league. What will Week 10 bring? Will the NFL's elite and bottom-of-the-barrel continue to widen the gap? Or with the Patriots off this week, is it finally time for some other team to shine? As for our panel of experts, Andrew's streak at the top of the charts has finally been broken by last year's champ Pia, who's looking to reclaim her throne, and the newbie Anshul. This week will hopefully bring some separation among these ranks too.
We close in on the season's halfway point with an exciting matchup for Washington fans, as our Redskins travel to Foxboro to take on the seemingly-invincible New England Patriots. Even the most optimistic fans have tempered their expectations, but hey, here's hoping for a miracle. As for our gurus, Andrew has again resumed his place atop the standings after a 12-2 week. However, his leads have been short-lived so far this year - who will step up this week?
Are juniors somehow inherently superior at NFL picks? After lurking in the shadows with solid performance all season, Anshul has finally snuck into the lead six weeks in as the seniors, defending champ Pia included, lag behind. Well at least we're in charge of his class grade... Anyway if you haven't already noticed, those guys from New England are pretty good. Is 16-0 possible? Not for the Redskins, who fell to the Packers in a close one. A more favorable matchup is on tap this Sunday, though. Lucky week seven here we come.
One Blair student was chosen as a regional finalist and four others as semifinalists in the Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science and Technology today. Andrew Kung, Benjamin Lee, Boris Vassilev and Yang Yang were named to the semifinalist status, while Louis Wasserman was named a regional finalist. Each conducted a individual research project over the summer as part of the Senior Research Project class, a two-semester Magnet elective, and produced up to a 20-page-long research paper submitted in early October.
A quarter of the '07 NFL season is in the books, and it has been a wild four weeks, to say the least. The Saints, Bears and Chargers, supposed Super Bowl contenders, are a combined 2-9, with worse record than the Browns, Cardinals, Lions, Raiders, Texans and hey, even our 2-1 Redskins. As for our pick 'em pool, defending champ Pia sits in last place after a 5-9 performance last week, while Andrew's slew of unlikely upsets has cushioned his comfortable lead. Will Pia and her beloved Chargers break out of their respective slumps? Another week should further filter the contenders from the pretenders. Standings:
| Last week | Season total | |
| Andrew | 10-4 | 40-22 |
| Anshul | 6-8 | 35-27 |
| Pia | 5-9 (ouch!) | 34-28 | Nitin | 7-7 | 34-28 |
With the Redskins enjoying their bye after all but gift-wrapping a win for the Giants last week, we can drift our attention to the rest of the league. The Patriots, Colts, Steelers, Cowboys and Packers (wait, the Packers?) are all undefeated as we move into the fourth week. Meanwhile our beloved sports editor Andrew has jostled to the front of the pack of so-called "experts." This week of games will bring the hope of the playoffs to some teams while effectively erasing it from others. And if Andrew continues to lead, an investigation will ensue into his possible use of illegal video equipment.
The Ohio shootout last week gave fans a taste of exciting offenses and laughable defenses, New England proved they belong with the NFL elite without a video man, while Washington managed to make Donovan McNabb look like a lost rookie. Could a 3-0 beginning for the Skins be possible? We hope so. Meanwhile, Nitin looks to even up the scoreboard after an embarrassing start to this year's NFL picks that has him looking up at Andrew, Pia and Anshul, who are all currently tied for the lead. Can Week Three turn his fortunes? Season standings:
| Andrew | 21-11 |
| Pia | 21-11 |
| Anshul | 21-11 |
| Nitin | 19-13 |
Another NFL season, and as per tradition, we here at SCO offer our weekly predictions and commentary. Previous analysts Abe, Josh and Phil have moved on to greener pastures after being schooled last year by Pia Nargundkar, who returns this year to defend her crown. In the challenger's corner this season stand resident sports guys Andrew Kung and Nitin Sukumar as well as Anshul Sood, our token junior staffer. Can Pia repeat in NFL pick supremacy? Let's see how the y-chromosome fares in 2007.
| Andrew | 0-0 |
| Nitin | 0-0 |
| Pia | 0-0 |
| Anshul | 0-0 |
Ah, September. The falling leaves and falling thermostat, the gradual transition back to the hallowed halls of Blair, and most importantly, the start of football season. Hope springs eternal in the NFL as all 32 teams stand undefeated. Savor it while it lasts, 'Skins fans. As always, SCO offers our predictions and insight, so that we can be ridiculed to no end come February. What time is it? It's game time!
After a long month and a half of intense playoff action, the NBA Finals are finally upon us. Beginning today, the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers will square off against the San Antonio Spurs, victors in the West, in a matchup billed as LeBron James versus Tim Duncan. Can King James lead Cleveland to the Promised Land, or are the Big Fundamental and crew just too sound to lose? We take a look at the factors at play with the Larry O'Brien Trophy at stake.
After Phillip Gainous announced May 8 that he would step down as principal at the end of the school year, the process of finding a replacement principal began.
Over the past two days, Blazers voted for next year's SGA officers. Both executive level and class level candidates spent hours campaigning over the past year. The results are in and the new SGA officers for the 2007-2008 school year have been announced.
Four days before the eighth anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting, a shooting at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's Blacksburg campus yesterday left 33 dead, including the shooter who committed suicide. Cho Seung Hui was recently disclosed as the gunman in this incident, which is now considered the deadliest shooting in U.S. history.
What does a super-skilled Marine do when he gets betrayed twice by the same people? He gets some bloody revenge, of course. His best option would be to watch "Shooter" and pull a Bob Lee Swagger.
Blazers took part in the first fire drill since October during 7th period today. The first Code Red drill of the year also took place.
Blair will host its second annual Poetry Slam during Blair Fair on April 20 at 7 p.m. in the library. The English department will welcome back poet Carol Peck of the Maryland State Arts Council to conduct poetry workshops for students in the two weeks before competition.
The National Basketball Association has been a roller coaster full of surprises, highlighted thus far by dominating stretches by top teams (two 15+ game win streaks by the Phoenix Suns, 13 in a row by the Dallas Mavericks), uniform changes (Allen Iverson, Chris Webber) and an ugly brawl at Madison Square Garden. With the All-Star break fast approaching, we break down the top teams and dish out midseason hardware.
Seniors Matt McCutchen and Brian Lawrence were named finalists in the annual Intel Science Talent Search (STS). They were among 40 students from high schools across the nation to advance from the semi-finalist level in the research competition.
The '06-'07 winter season kicks off today with many teams looking to rebound from mediocre performances last year. With a talented batch of young athletes in different sports, Blair's varsity squads have the opportunity to lay down the building blocks for future seasons. Here's a quick preview of the Blazers' winter teams.
Highlighted by an impressive run by the boys' soccer team, Blair varsity sports finished their fall seasons in fine fashion. 2006 saw its share of triumphs and hardships, but in the end, all the teams had seasons to be proud of. We say goodbye to the seniors who have donned Blair colors for the last time and look to the next generation of Blazers to lead the way into the future.
Everyone loves David Stern. The NBA's babysitter decides what clothes the athletes wear to games and what ball the players should start using after 35 years of success. What's his latest change? Refs are now whistle-happy when it comes to arguing. Before the season started, Stern discussed with the referee association what his image of NBA players consists of. Accordingly, refs now have an unspoken, zero-tolerance policy for player rants on the court.
The SGA will be holding a penny drive as the featured event in the upcoming Charity Challenge starting Dec. 1, according to Christie Lin, the SGA's director of special projects. The drive will be a competition between the different grade levels to raise the most money for selected charities.
Chicago snatched the upper hand over rival Detroit by signing four-time Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace. With a talented core of young athletes, the Bulls already have their eyes set on championship rings, but Miami is hungry for more glory and Cleveland and Toronto are on the rise. Here’s a look at the Eastern Conference’s squads, ranked within their divisions.
Following Phoenix's suit, the West is moving toward a general run-and-gun offense. The teams that can actually do this have a shot at the championship. And once again, that means Dallas, San Antonio and Phoenix. But key additions in Houston and Minnesota have at least two more teams eyeing the trophy in June. Here’s a look at the West, with teams ranked in order of predicted finish within their divisions.
Director Martin Scorsese ("The Aviator" and "Goodfellas") has never won an Oscar. But "The Departed" will surely give him a taste of the glory. Scorsese stirs up gangsters, cops and even some Irish spice to create one of the greatest crime dramas to date. The star-studded cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg mesh perfectly with the dark underworld of Boston and masterfully provides a bloody yet stunning show of loyalty, power and sacrifice.
The new ID policy came with an overhaul and a new detailed color-coding system. The top portions of the IDs are colored based on academy, class or program according to the administration.
With Andre Agassi's final, tearful bow to the crowds at the 2006 U.S. Open, his retirement has raised questions about the future of USA tennis. The days of tennis greats Agassi, Pete Sampras, Jim Courier and Michael Chang are gone. The women's side has been long dead, dominated by a score of Russian athletes. With Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal dominating the Grand Slams, the US needs its players to step up. With aggressive serves, approaches and backcourt games, Andy Roddick and James Blake may be the only Americans who are future Open contenders. Federer knocked both of them out of the U.S. Open. Here's a quick look on the strengths US players need to use, and the weaknesses they need to suppress.
Sex, cash, drugs and violence. Sound familiar? Almost every successful mainstream rap album is full of them. But Lupe Fiasco is different from the mainstream. The highly anticipated album was bootlegged from Lupe's studio three months ago, giving listeners a taste of the candy. "Food & Liquor" captures everything from skateboarding to family problems with a lyrical flow Jay-Z describes as "a breath of fresh air."
Sophomore Elsa Haag was rushed from Blair in an ambulance after suffering an asthma attack during field hockey practice on Sept. 20. She has made a full recovery.
Blair's varsity teams are on the move. Over the recent years, fall athletics have been improving, while dealing with both graduated players and injuries. This year will be no different. We'll give you a look into varsity's key athletes, games, and changes this year
The power and backup generators at Blair failed at 8 a.m. due to external causes that are still unknown. The outage lasted for 15 minutes, during which time students and staff were instructed to stay in their rooms. Several rooms in the building remained in complete darkness. Blair's entire first block was affected by what Building Services officer Reginald Tobin thinks "could have been a [power] substation outside."
Magnet senior Matt McCutchen won a silver medal for Team USA at the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) on Aug. 20.
This year, Director Michael Mann took his 1984 "Miami Vice" and turned it into one of the most action-packed, unpredictable crime dramas to date. That doesn't make it spectacular. In reality, "Miami Vice" plainly doesn't make the cut, especially since Mann had created masterpieces like "Collateral" and "Heat" in previous years.
The principal selection process is being led by community superintendent Heath Morrison.