The Virginian-Pilot

urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:1234 HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com http://www.pilotonline.com The Virginian-Pilot 2010-03-18T23:18:42-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546653 Seeds of suspicion blossom into fear in 'The Ghost Writer' 2010-03-18T18:08:00-04:00 2010-03-19T00:00:00-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

"The Ghost Writer" begins with a body washed up on the shore off the East Coast. The dead man is Mike McAra, formerly employed as a ghostwriter for a controversial former British prime minister who is living in a nearby secluded beach house. At first, it appears he committed suicide by jumping from a ferry. But an old man (played by 94 -year-old Eli Wallach) says the tides would prevent a body from the ferry from washing up there. An elderly woman who claims she saw flashlights on the beach the night before has fallen down stairs and gone into a coma. Director Roman Polanski immediately plants suspicion, and nurtures it throughout the film. Before it's over, suspicion turns to fear. The plot turns from the death of a ghostwriter to international politics, conspiracies and sexual betrayal. The paranoia in "The Ghost Writer" deepens as everyone and everything becomes suspect. A wonderfully structured work in the mold of Alfred Hitchcock, it is the second movie in the past month created by a classic film veteran and aimed at suspense. It's Polanski's first modern thriller in more than two decades, a return to the style (and the political subject) of his great film noir "Chinatown." It does what Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island" tried unsuccessfully to do - create sustained fear and involvement. "The Ghost Writer" is, quite frankly, the first important film of 2010. The Oscar race begins here. Ewan McGregor plays a young writer who, knowing he will get no credit, accepts the job to succeed the dead man as the rewrite man for Prime Minister Adam Lang's autobiography. The manuscript cannot be removed from the house, so the ghostwriter moves into the ex-politician's seaside hideaway. He finds the writing bland and superficial, requiring extensive rewrites. Things get interesting when personal and political incidents threaten the writer. Little things mean a lot as Polanski holds the camera steady and allows sustained moments of stillness, in marked contrast to the frantic editing of most overwrought films nowadays. It gives the audience time to think - and be afraid. Politically, the movie suggests a British prime minister who is little more than a puppet of the United States. It is clear that the plot, based on a novel by Robert Harris, is referring to Tony Blair, who is facing Iraq-related inquiries. In the movie, the British politician hides out in America, presumably on a lecture tour, to stay away from charges back home concerning his Iraqi politics. Hatherton, a big company in the movie, clearly resembles Halliburton, and the movie shows a U.S. secretary of state who looks a lot like Condoleezza Rice. But before you reject "The Ghost Writer" as being another one of those dreaded P-word movies - politics - be advised that the more relevant P-word is personal. The prime minister's wife, Ruth, is an intriguing, cold number who realizes that she made her husband's career but also that he's a rather shallow pretty boy of limited intelligence. Now he has casually betrayed her. Still, she has to stand by her man to keep his historical legacy clean. He's having an affair with his aide (played by Kim Cattrall, most familiar from TV's "Sex and the City"). Ruth is cynical and bitter, but she still loves him. She is wonderfully played by Olivia Williams, who turns in the best performance in a cast that is universally impressive. Pierce Brosnan, formerly James Bond, plays the prime minister and effectively suggests a difficult, delicate balance between charisma and phoniness. McGregor holds the movie together - what we learn is seen through his eyes. He snoops around where he shouldn't. McGregor is a solid actor who proves here that he can handle low-key roles as well as the more flamboyant character he played singing with Nicole Kidman in "Moulin Rouge." We know too soon, though, that he knows too much, and in a movie with this much realism, that means trouble. Timothy Hutton (still holding the record as the youngest Oscar-winning supporting actor as a result of "Ordinary People") joins Oscar nominee Tom Wilkinson and James Belushi in a fine supporting cast. With Alexandre Desplat's music adding appropriate menace, "The Ghost Writer" shines as an example of a movie directed by someone who knows how to make thrillers, someone who uses pacing and characterization rather than shock gimmicks. (Its local bookings are sparse. So far, it's showing at the Commodore Theatre in Portsmouth and Regal Columbus Stadium 12 in Virginia Beach.) Mal Vincent, (757) 446-2347, mal.vincent@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Anonymous Seeds of suspicion blossom into fear in 'The Ghost Writer' The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546653 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546659 There's no place like the stage for new 'Oz' 2010-03-18T20:23:27-04:00 2010-03-19T00:00:00-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

All the ingredients are there, or at least a reasonable, sometimes delightfully campy, facsimile. The Tin Man. The Scarecrow. The Cowardly Lion. Dorothy Gale. And Toto, too? And Toto, too.

All the ingredients are there, or at least a reasonable, sometimes delightfully campy, facsimile. The Tin Man. The Scarecrow. The Cowardly Lion. Dorothy Gale. And Toto, too? And Toto, too. But what do we mean by "reasonable facsimile?" The cast and producers of the not-yet-ready-for-Broadway version of "The Wizard of Oz," now playing at Chrysler Hall, must be given credit for bravery, or perhaps bravado. They are dancing in the shadow of an unparalleled icon in pop culture - the 1939 MGM movie musical, which is known and loved for every line and gesture. Besides that, the cast is asked nightly to go onstage and perform a musical that encourages everyone to think there's no place like home. The stage version is best when it departs from the original for often hilarious asides. It is this hint at adaptation that lifts it above that most dreaded genre known as "children's theater." Yes, it is OK for adults to go to this "Wiz." Enough witty asides let us know the production is not totally reverential. Wisely, the production does not try to perfectly re-create the film's memorable moments. This treatment comes from England, adapted by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company and originally staged for the Mayflower Theater in Southampton back in 2007. (Apparently it was not quite ready for London either). The suspense comes from pondering questions like: How will they do the tornado? How will they create the flying monkeys? How will they do the yellow brick road? The result is a production that has noticeably cut costs but still manages to suggest a mini-spectacle. Film projections and a turning farmhouse make for a wonderful tornado. The flying monkeys disappoint. (Only one flies. The other two run about flapping wings.) As for the yellow brick road, it isn't there. There isn't one yellow brick, much less a road. When you think about it, a stage floor is flat, so it would be difficult to make a yellow brick road visible unless you make it uphill. Still, if I'm going to be asked to follow a yellow brick road, I need to see at least a semblance of it. Bummer. Rumors that new songs have been added are false. The songs are from the original movie, with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. There's my favorite, "Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead," the overly familiar "Over the Rainbow," and the repetitive choruses of "If I Only Had a Heart - Brain - Nerve" etc. They are barely enough to fill a Broadway score. "Jitterbug," a number cut from the movie, has been restored. We can see why it was cut (it's danced in garish bug costumes). The adapters chose to stick to the original chronology, although the movie's structure doesn't fit Broadway requirements. The big hit, "Over the Rainbow," comes too early. The second act goes steadily downhill and badly needs a grand finale. (A reprise of "Rainbow"?) The ending merely trails off, making us wonder, as we did as a child, why Dorothy was so keen on returning to a farm in Kansas when she could have stayed in Oz. At least Oz had Technicolor. One of the great disappointments of childhood (in addition to the traumatic death of Bambi's mother) was to learn that the Wizard actually is a phony. After all the trouble of trotting down the yellow brick road, he's just an old fool who, like modern politicians, puts up a front and promises things he can't deliver. In theater structure, it's a weak second act that actually does urge us to pay attention to the man behind the curtain. There are delightful moments, though, and all of them come when the adapters dared to step away from the original. The lion gets a big laugh when he refers to "The Lion King." Three dancing crows do a vaudeville turn to prove they aren't scared of the scarecrow. Lively. Call it camp - it's delightful for the few moments we see. Camp is defined, roughly, as something so bad it's good. I laughed out loud at the show's supremely campy dancing poppies and their wonderful, awful choreography, during "We're out of the Woods." Perfectly timed. Prize for the campiest performance goes to Kristin Stewart as the absent-minded, doesn't-have-a-clue Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. She floats in from above, supported by wires. Happily, she doesn't copy the high-pitched tones of Billie Burke in the original. She's very funny. Second place goes to Pat Sibley as the Wicked Witch of the West, who manages some new menace without copying the cackle of Margaret Hamilton from the movie. "Those that die first will be the lucky ones," she warns. We love it when she calls Dorothy "Miss Mouth." Of course, as always, the Cowardly Lion steals the show. Just because it's predictable doesn't take away from Jesse Coleman's lively turn with "If I Were King of the Forest" in the second act. In spite of the pigtails, Cassie Okenka is no little girl in her impersonation of Dorothy Gale. (Well, we are reminded that Judy G. herself was no little girl at filming time. After all, the role was originally intended for Shirley Temple.) Okenka chooses drama and poignancy rather than high notes for "Over the Rainbow." It's a wise choice in keeping with the show's overall bent to avoid copying the original. Still, you expect that song to provide an electric moment. It doesn't. Members of the local Hurrah Players blend in nicely as Munchkins. One of the most memorable performances of the night comes from Dusty in the role of Toto. He has more entrances and exits than an elevator and never misses one. Compared to Sandy in "Annie" or the dogs in this season's "Legally Blonde," he is given awesome responsibility. This production is OK. Fine for children and with just enough camp to occasionally amuse adults. But the bookers should look to the series title "Broadway Across America." Bookings such as this are not in our league anymore. After we've seen outstanding productions of "The Lion King" and "Phantom of the Opera," don't try to pass off a touring version of "The Wizard of Oz" as "Broadway." Mal Vincent, (757) 446-2347, mal.vincent@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Anonymous There's no place like the stage for new 'Oz' The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546659 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546648 Roman Polanski's fiery directing helps light 'The Ghost Writer' 2010-03-19T00:09:38-04:00 2010-03-19T00:00:00-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

NEW YORK If Roman Polanski shows up for this interview, we have a real scoop. The police will not be far behind.

NEW YORK If Roman Polanski shows up for this interview, we have a real scoop. The police will not be far behind. He pleaded guilty to a 1977 sexual assault of a minor, then fled the country to avoid sentencing. He's now under house arrest in Switzerland, awaiting extradition to the United States. His flight hasn't stopped him from making movies: His four-star "The Ghost Writer" is the first really important film of 2010. Two of the movie's stars, Pierce Brosnan and Ewan McGregor, are also AWOL from this story. Brosnan plays a former British prime minister who bears some resemblance to Tony Blair, and was scheduled to talk with us the day after the film opened in New York. He didn't show up. (A blizzard was given as the reason.) McGregor, who plays a meek writer hired to rewrite the prime minister's autobiography, didn't show up for his interview, either. (He reported that he was "too tired.") We're beginning to feel paranoid. Is the behind-the-scenes story as much a mystery as the film's plot? Then British actress Olivia Williams volunteers. "I will not mince words," she says, forcibly and with the British tones that suggest assurance and intelligence. "It was not a quiet set. Roman knows what he wants, and he will get it - or else." Williams, who is 42, plays Ruth, the prime minister's wife since their student days at Cambridge. She still loves him despite his open affair with his personal secretary and manager, played by "Sex and the City's" Kim Cattrall. Ruth, in many ways, is the most complex character in an intricate script. Williams goes at her with the enthusiasm of a vulture circling a beefsteak. "When I left England to go to Hollywood," she says, "I assumed I would be in front of the line for intelligent, assured women of a certain age. That's something of my image. But I learned that it's just a different line. Mature women have trouble getting roles. When I find a role for an intelligent woman, I go for it with gusto. I have never once in my life said, 'Honey, dinner's ready' in the accepted way. Women who do that choose their own path." She and Ruth share a Cambridge education. (Williams earned a degree in English.) Because of Polanski's legal troubles, the film was shot in Germany even though it is set in the U.S. near Boston. Williams rode to the set every day on a bicycle and came prepared. Polanski, a director who has been known to be difficult for some actors, didn't intimidate her, although he did threaten her. And she heard Polanski speak one word more often than others: "No! No! No! No!" And then there was: "Stop! I can't stand it!" His dissatisfaction with her took a personal turn, she says. "He yelled at me, 'You look like a dog! Do you call this acting?' " Williams says. "He threatened to call my agent and have me fired. He said, 'Get her agent on the phone.' " If the threat alarmed her, she doesn't show it. "We were too long into the filming," she says. "It was unlikely he could fire me." In spite of the yelling, Williams came away with respect for Polanski, and calls him "a visionary." "The way he goes about things is a bit noisy, but we go toward a common result. When I sign for a role, it is my job to recycle the vision of my director. When a director asks, 'Can you do it like that?' I do it, if I can. But in Hollywood, and mostly in England, too, you get directors who calmly say, 'That was fine, dear. But let's try it again. One more time.' That's not Roman. He co-wrote the script, and he comes to the set with a clear idea of the movie he wants to see. I am no more nor less than a piece of clay to be molded by the director's image. I agree with that, but at the same time, make no mistake, I will take up for myself, and for my character. "Roman is not shy. It is a skill to do what you're asked to do, even in the midst of a fit." Of her co-stars, Williams says, "Pierce Brosnan is arguably the nicest man in the world - utterly charming. He was the calming effect on the set. He does a wonderful imitation of Roman screaming 'No! No! No!' " As for McGregor, she says, "A starrier star couldn't have played this part. This is Everybloke. Here, you'd call him Everyman. The writer he plays constantly has things happen to him. He looks like someone who is about to be flushed down the toilet. Ewan is a very controlled, modest actor, and he's wonderful in this part." She and Cattrall "were good friends even though we hated each other in the movie. Method acting is not necessary." So does Polanski ever lighten up? "Oh, yes, on the set as well as off. He's this little 5-foot-2 man who can turn it off, although it's mostly on. A prop guy on the set had a rubber chicken that he'd throw out when Roman went wild and things got loudest. Roman would just look at it, not laugh, but tolerate it." Shouting included, Williams says she would work with Polanksi again in a moment. "There is film, and then there is life. They are two different things. The creative life is a thing unto itself." Mal Vincent, (757) 446-2347, mal.vincent@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Anonymous Roman Polanski's fiery directing helps light 'The Ghost Writer' The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546648 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546656 For romance, comedy, hunt elsewhere than 'Bounty Hunter' 2010-03-18T20:22:32-04:00 2010-03-19T00:00:00-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

Chemistry between two people is difficult to define. One thing is sure, though - Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler don't have it. Add them to a script as grating as "The Bounty Hunter" and the result is neither comedic nor romantic. He's sleazy but buff. She's bland and needs a haircut (or at least some kind of stylist to get that mane out of her face). Together, they bicker for 110 minutes and try to sell it as a movie. There are plenty of married people who get this for free at home. (We aren't getting personal here. You know who you are.) Butler's screen success seems to come in inverse proportion to the amount of clothing he wears. His one big hit is "300," in which he wore a leather jockstrap. The film took in more than $200 million. Here, in one scene, he wears just a towel. The lady (one assumes she was a lady) sitting behind me, loudly commented: "At last, this is getting interesting." Butler, usually billed as a Scottish hunk, specializes in unshaven, knock-'em-around kinds of guys. He needs a sparring partner. Aniston, who is limited to the same skimpy black dress for the entire movie, is mostly shocked at his behavior. The best she can manage is a bland kind of feistiness. He locks her in the trunk of his car. He chains her to a bed. He throws her toothbrush in the toilet. Anyone can see it's true love. To be fair, there is some motivation. They are a divorced couple. It was not a quiet parting. He is an ex-cop who now works as a low-rent bounty hunter. She is an investigative reporter for the New York Daily News who is arrested for assaulting a police officer but doesn't show up for court because she's onto a big lead. (Hey, wouldn't any good reporter do the same? Who's going to turn down a story for a court appearance?) He's assigned to bring her in. They argue. They fight. She runs about in high heels. She runs about barefoot. Then they do it all over again. After 45 minutes of this, you get the idea that you're stuck in movie hell. Cathy Moriarty, an Oscar nominee long ago for "Raging Bull," has a bit as a tough-woman gangster leader. There's not enough for her to make anything of the role. Christine Baranski is scary as Aniston's mother, apparently dressed up for Halloween. Andy Tennant, who directed, has maintained his standards. He directed the terrible romantic comedies "Fool's Gold," "Fools Rush In" and "Sweet Home Alabama." Go over and stare at a blank wall, if you have one available. It's more likely to make you laugh than this movie is. Mal Vincent, (757) 446-2347, mal.vincent@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Anonymous For romance, comedy, hunt elsewhere than 'Bounty Hunter' The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546656 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546662 Ben Folds: The man, the plan and the piano 2010-03-18T19:03:47-04:00 2010-03-19T00:00:00-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

In the earliest days of Ben Folds Five - back when the band moved their own equipment and drew few fans - they added the name of famed Williamsburg musician Bruce Hornsby to their guest list. The band members didn't actually know him, but they liked the clout they earned from Hampton Roads club owners for including him. Now, more than a decade later, it's not hard to imagine frontman Ben Folds, now a solo artist, is a fantasy guest himself for a number of start-up bands out there. Including the Ben Folds Five material, nine of Folds' albums have hit the Billboard charts, with his 2008 album, "Way to Normal," peaking at 11. His piano-rock music has been featured in movies including the animated film "Over the Hedge." We caught up with Folds via e-mail last week to talk about his most recent album, upcoming projects and his evolving career. Q. Your latest album, 2009's "Ben Folds Presents: University A Capella" (featuring college music groups), was done entirely in a capella style. What got you interested in this type of music? Why did you decide to do the album this way? A. I've always been into vocal harmonies and often did recordings a capella using a 4-track when I was younger. A few years ago, I was forwarded a link to a university group doing one of my songs, and I noticed there were literally hundreds of these a capella groups doing my music. I was moved, not only because they were covering my songs, but because they were so passionate about music, inventive and going out of their way in a busy academic schedule to make time to get together to sing. One of the notable things about my shows has always been that people sing harmonies in the audience, and very well. Q. Last year, you released "Stems and Seeds," which isolated some of your tracks into individual parts that can be remixed. Have you received any noteworthy mixes? A. Yes, there were a few that were downright great. I was mainly interested in allowing people to hear how "professional" recordings were constructed. It's not something I ever got to get a glimpse of when I was learning. Recently, people started passing around stems of classics from bands like Queen. It was an eye-opener to hear how their tracks were recorded. And humbling. Q. You have a way in many of your songs of offering a societal critique with light-hearted grace and candor. Is there any reaction you hope to elicit from your fans? A. I don't really consider the reaction too much while writing. I write what I'm thinking about, and I present it in a way that hopefully doesn't attempt to put me above my subject, unless of course I'm putting the audience above at the same time. I have kids, you know, and one of the most important things I want to teach them is nobody is better than anyone else. Truly. No matter what. We can see silliness in ourselves and other people and observe it and know that we're imperfect. Q. You've been putting the finishing touches on a new album of collaborations with writer Nick Hornby. What was working with him like? What can we expect from that album? A. Well, I have more confidence in this album than I've had in one of my albums... possibly ever. But I have felt that confidence from time to time, when I know I've done something that really deserves to be an album. Nick's lyrics are the driving force, and I was pushed by them to be the best musician, producer and writer I can be at this point. I think it's a step up in my skills as a producer, mainly because I was allowed enough time to make bad decisions and found the guts and humility to admit that the things that I spent so much time on were crap and needed to be reworked. It's hard to ignore the investment of time into a bad idea and drop it. Producing someone else's music allows you perspective so you don't go down as many wrong alleys. I think we landed this album really well, and it's a good balance of spontaneity and measuredness, space and cacophony, and so on. Nick's lyrics are short stories and come from his signature thumbprint. Q. You've done a number of collaborations. Is there anybody you have on the top of your list to work with? A. Bruce Hornsby and RuPaul. Q. When you're not touring or making music, what do you do for fun? A. Recently, for the first time in forever, I'm into music while not playing music. I used to think, as we all did, that little men were inside the speaker playing songs. That's when I was the most taken with recorded music, and since then it's been a journey of unravelling the process. Now suddenly I'm listening to music with some innocence again. I'm listening a lot, mainly to older stuff, but not always. Some of my interest is sparked by my discovery of music in mono, not stereo, and in a particular kind of speaker which I think is very special, called an electrostatic speaker. It allows me to believe there are little men (and women) in the speakers again. Q. Aside from the upcoming album, do you have any other projects on the horizon? A. I'm going to rebuild an old Fairchild turntable... or maybe I'll just send the idler wheels to be redone, and I'll just oil it and repaint some of it. Olivia Hubert-Allen, (757) 446-2027, olivia.hubert-allen@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Anonymous Ben Folds: The man, the plan and the piano The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546662 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546708 Echoes don't wake on St. Old Dominion's Day 2010-03-18T23:50:14-04:00 2010-03-18T23:48:03-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

NEW ORLEANS There's no fact or theme Old Dominion's Blaine Taylor can't torture into a yuk for the sake of a live microphone. So Thursday, in the afterglow of Taylor's first NCAA tournament victory in 16 years as a head basketball coach - ODU's first since 1995 - Taylor proclaimed a new unofficial holiday. "You know, a little St. Patrick's Day yesterday," Taylor said, "and I guess we have a St. Old Dominion's Day today." For sure, St. ODU - whatever and wherever he is - smiled inside the New Orleans Arena as Thursday morning's tip-off bled into early afternoon. Flashed his saintly teeth and smote the leprechaun-luck right out of sixth-seeded Notre Dame. Shipped those Irish, living on day-old mojo as they were, back to South Bend licking a 51-50 defeat, one achieved despite No. 11 seed ODU spotting them a six-point halftime lead built on the Monarchs' poor shooting and uncharacteristically blah rebounding. But not panic. Never panic. Heck, not even apparent concern, even as the Monarchs missed their first seven 3-pointers and Notre Dame built a nine-point lead with no contribution - and this seemed ominous for ODU the longer it went - from all-Big East forward Luke Harangody. "Usually at halftime and we're down, coach would really be in our butts," said ODU's workhorse Frank Hassell, whose 15 points and nine rebounds blazed the path. "But he came in real relaxed and said, 'Come on guys, let's play ball. Let's be ODU; play with our hearts, play with passion and play physical.' That's what we did." It truly did seem just like that: practical, methodical, bloodless, part of the plan. That's some of what Notre Dame coach Mike Brey meant Wednesday when he prophesized ODU is built for this postseason in its identity, poise and maturity. No fluster, little rattle in these Monarchs, who were strangely self-assured that their second-half zone could frustrate Notre Dame. It did, too: One of the nation's best 3-point teams made 2 of 12 after halftime. Stats be darned, they were certain they'd start to make shots - Keyon Carter's 3-pointer in the final seconds of the first half helped part those clouds. And they did, sinking 53 percent the rest of the way. If ODU had issues with sending Carter, barely a 65-percent foul shooter, to the line with 9.6 seconds left for a pair that could provide a three-point lead, it fooled the few thousand patrons inside the half-empty building. Carter not only was in play, ODU inbounded to him, aware he'd likely be hacked. Two rattled-in free throws later, ODU led 51-48, the necessary cushion to survive Harangody's put-back of Carleton Scott's last, rimmed-out 3 as the horn sounded. Harangody? Go figure that one. His virtual absence is the single-greatest individual factor behind ODU's presence Saturday against Baylor, the South's third seed. Oddly, it's not unlike the '07 NCAA tournament when the Irish, also seeded sixth, lost to Winthrop in the first round and Harangody, a freshman, scored four points. Thursday was Harangody's worst scoring effort since. Yes, his role has been reduced since he returned from a knee injury just before the Big East tournament. But he still was averaging nine a game as a reserve. But he was 2 for 9 from the floor - both were rebound lay-ups in the final 12 seconds - and he scored only four points, and it wasn't all the doing of ODU's long, annoying zone. Some chippies from in close Harangody just missed, and those misfires foreshadowed the Irish demise; ODU climbing steadily back, Notre Dame's breathing increasing rapidly. "Eventually, to beat a team that's going to sit in that (zone), you've got to make some shots, two or three in a row, to kind of change the climate," Brey said. "We never could do that. So the tendency is they got more confident in it." Plus, in the end, don't forget ODU and Taylor had the freedom of the lower seed with them, and the coach flogged it mercilessly. Beforehand, Taylor regaled his troops with the worn and timeless - and shameless, this time of year - tale of Cinderella, and the perfectly fitted slipper. Taylor, as usual, knew his audience. "Hey Frank," Taylor called to Hassell, a straggler in ODU's all-business post-game dressing quarters. "Remember I was talking about Cinderella and the shoe fitting when you were walking out of the locker room? What did you tell me?" "You want me to say the exact words?" Hassell said with a grin. "If the shoe fits, then wear that (expletive )." Surely, even newly minted saints can forgive such salty joy. Tom Robinson, (757) 446-2518, tom.robinson@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Anonymous Echoes don't wake on St. Old Dominion's Day The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546708 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546707 ODU wrestler makes quarters at NCAA tourney 2010-03-18T23:51:13-04:00 2010-03-18T23:48:00-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

OMAHA, Neb. Senior Chris Brown picked up two victories, including an upset of No. 4 Jonathan Reader of Iowa State, to advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships on Thursday. Senior Jesse Strawn (197 pounds), seeded No. 10, and junior James Nicholson (125), seeded No. 7, both went 1-1 in the opening day. Brown (165) rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the second period and defeated Reader 5-4 on a takedown with five seconds left in the match. In his second-round match, Brown defeated Binghamton's Matt Kaylor 9-3. Brown will face Oklahoma's Tyler Caldwell in the quarterfinals today. Strawn topped Cody Magrum of Ohio State in the first round, 5-3, but lost to Michigan's Anthony Biondo 6-5 in a match that went to extra sessions. Nicholson fell to Cashe Quiroga from Purdue, 4-3 in his opening bout, but bounced back to top Christopher Notte of Oklahoma State 7-4. Norfolk, VA Anonymous ODU wrestler makes quarters at NCAA tourney The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546707 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546705 Baylor known for its size and stout defense 2010-03-18T23:59:19-04:00 2010-03-18T23:31:12-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

NEW ORLEANS Tweety, LaceDarius and Ekpe. Creatively named, athletically gifted, the Baylor Bears won their school's first NCAA tournament game in 60 years Thursday, earning a second-round date with Old Dominion at 5:50 p.m. Saturday. "Sorry I'm late," coach Scott Drew said as he sat down at the post-game news conference after a 68-59 victory over No. 14 seed Sam Houston State. "We haven't won a tournament game in a long time." No. 3 seed Baylor (26-7) got 20 points from 6-foot-10 forward Ekpe Udoh and 13 from guard LaceDarius Dunn to get over that six-decade hump. Guard Tweety Carter, who averages 15.7 points, had just two. Defensively stout, the Bears rank ninth in the nation in field-goal percentage defense. They limited Sam Houston State to 34 percent shooting. They are also ninth nationally in field-goal percentage, hitting 49 percent. The Bears, who feature two 7-footers and five players 6-9 or taller, have never played Old Dominion. They dumped Norfolk State in their season opener, 86-58. The No. 11 seed Monarchs did not know much about Baylor on Thursday, only that they'll likely go into the game as underdogs. No problem, point guard Darius James said. "We know that we deserve to be here," he said. "Everybody is calling us the underdogs; that's basically taking the pressure off of us." Ed Miller, (757) 446-2372, ed.miller@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Anonymous Baylor known for its size and stout defense The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546705 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546704 Portsmouth schools may phase out 109 jobs 2010-03-18T23:43:09-04:00 2010-03-18T23:31:08-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

PORTSMOUTH The School Board passed a proposed budget Thursday that avoids layoffs but calls for cutting 109 positions through attrition. The positions eliminated would be 22 teachers, a total of 15 administrative and clerical workers, 33 custodians and 39 general paraprofessionals. Board members Mark Whitaker and Keith Nance Sr. voted against the proposed budget. The cuts are among measures intended to help the division deal with a projected $12.6 million shortfall in the 2010- 11 operating budget, bringing it to about $136.3 million. Earlier this month, school leaders had thought the division would face about a $17 million shortfall, but the picture changed after the schools received more state money than anticipated. It's unclear how much the city will contribute to the budget, but leaders are asking for $1.6 million more from the city. Earlier Thursday, board members received a budget from the superintendent that had showed level funding, but they rejected it after Vice Chairwoman Linda Ridenour pushed to request extra city funds. With the request for extra city money, the superintendent's recommendation to require employees pay 2 percent of their income into the Virginia Retirement System (he had recommended 3 percent when leaders thought they were dealing with a $17 million deficit) vanished from the proposed budget. However, employees hired next school year would be required to contribute 5 percent of their income to the retirement system, Superintendent David C. Stuckwisch said. Previously, leaders recommended reducing spending on materials, supplies and services, such as tutoring, by 15 percent. The proposed budget cuts those areas by 10 percent. The budget also passes along a 33 percent health insurance increase. "Anything you can do to lessen this increase will be appreciated," William McCallum, president of the Portsmouth Education Association, which represents teachers, told the board. Stuckwisch reported that the division plans to subsidize family plans, but not other s. The division will pay about $50,000 toward the family plans. The board is scheduled to vote on a final budget May 27. In other news, the board tabled a decision on a name for Wilson High's stadium after a committee could not reach consensus. School, city and state leaders also celebrated the Norcom boys' basketball team for being the first team in the city to win a Group AAA state title. Cheryl Ross, (757) 446-2443, cheryl.ross@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Anonymous Portsmouth schools may phase out 109 jobs The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546704 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546703 ODU: Pregame jitters to postgame jubilation 2010-03-18T23:37:31-04:00 2010-03-18T23:31:05-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

1 hour, 15 minutes before tip Director of basketball operations Joel Hines sits on the bench, watching the Monarchs warm up. Having fun yet? Hines is asked. "The fun is about to start," he says. one hour before tip Basketball administrative assistant Annette Manley is among the first fans to file into Section 102 across from the ODU bench. In a sea of Monarchs blue, she stands out in a red ODU shirt. "It shows up better on TV," she says. 37 minutes before tip Ron Bertovich, the Colonial Athletic Association's deputy commissioner for basketball, is pacing the sideline behind the scorer's table. "This is when I get most nervous," he says. "When we play someone from out of conference, I just want the kids to play hard, play well and enjoy themselves." 20 minutes before tip The ODU pep band blasts its first notes as section 102 begins a "Let's go Monarchs!" cheer. 3 minutes before tip Senior Gerald Lee is the first Monarch introduced, running to midcourt to shake hands with Notre Dame's Tim Abromaitis. The P.A. announcer somehow pronounces "Uusikaupunki," Lee's hometown in Finland, correctly. 18:48 first half Lee scores ODU's first basket, on a short turnaround move. 10:04 first half Tory Jackson hits a 3-pointer to put Notre Dame up 15-6. ODU has missed 9 of its first 12 shots. 0:18 first half Keyon Carter hits ODU's first 3-pointer in eight attempts. It pulls ODU within 26-22. halftime ODU trails 28-22. Former ODU great Kenny Gattison, the radio analyst, blames poor defense. "Their guys are beating our guys off the dribble," he says. 16:17 second half A Frank Hassell hook shot cuts the Notre Dame lead to 30-29 and awakens the ODU crowd, which revives a "Let's go Monarchs" chant. 11:19 second half The pep band blasts "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes. Notre Dame star Luke Harangody is still scoreless, but the Irish lead 36-33. 5:51 second half A three-point play by Hassell ties the game at 43 and starts an "O-D-U" chant. 3:11 second half Carter makes the defensive play of the game, stuffing a layup attempt by Notre Dame's Carleton Scott. 9.6 seconds left Carter makes two free throws to give ODU a 51-48 lead. He explains after that he "talks to the rim" in those situations. "She's never answered," he says when asked. 2 seconds left Scott's 3-point attempt rolls around and out. A layup by Harangody at the buzzer makes no difference. ODU wins. 2 minutes post-game Carter and coach Blaine Taylor head over to do TV interviews. Assistant coach John Richardson taps his heart, and points to Section 102. 15 minutes after game Hassell and Carter walk into the postgame press conference. A CBS reporter asks Hassell if there's any significance to his shirt which, says "Padlock." "No meaning behind it," he says. "I liked this shirt because it was $5." 20 minutes after game The Monarchs' locker room is packed with media. Carter holds court in the middle of the room, explaining his mindset as he shot his late free throws. "I've been in that spot before. I just try to calm myself down, take my time. It's like a Tiger Woods-type focus. I go up there and just try to knock a shot down," he says. 30 minutes after game Players scatter as most of the media leaves. Taylor remains behind, talking to a small group of local reporters. He applauds his team's business-like approach. "I don't want them to be so happy they think the show's over. This show is just getting started, he says. "This is just the first game of the tournament." Norfolk, VA Anonymous ODU: Pregame jitters to postgame jubilation The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546703 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546702 ODU found itself in a zone after man plan went awry 2010-03-18T23:35:08-04:00 2010-03-18T23:31:01-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

NEW ORLEANS The plan was to play man. The plan didn't work. Old Dominion began Thursday's 51-50 win over Notre Dame in man-to-man defense. It resulted in easy shots and offensive rebounds for the Irish, who spread the Monarchs out, drove to the basket, then crashed the boards when ODU's post players had to step away from the basket to cut off drives. A little reluctantly, coach Blaine Taylor switched to zone. ODU played it well this year, but he was hoping to hold it in reserve. "I told my assistants we were going to hang as long as we can playing man and try to save those zones so they didn't have much time to adapt in the stretch run," he said. Notre Dame never really adapted, as ODU employed 2-3 and 3-2 zones. "They just kind of mixed up defenses on us," Notre Dame's Ben Hansbrough said. When it matters, ODU hits free throws ODU is the third-worst free throw-shooting squad in the NCAA field. The Monarchs made just 64.5 percent during the regular season. Only Texas (63.4) and San Diego State (61.7) were worse. Thursday, the Monarchs were slightly better than their average, 66.7 percent (8 for 12). But in the final minute, had Gerald Lee and Darius James converted their 1-and-1s - Lee missed the back end, James the front - ODU would have taken a six-point lead into the last 29 seconds. Instead, Luke Harangody's put-back with 12 seconds left made it a 49-48 game, and put pressure on Keyon Carter, a 65-percent foul shooter, to make two with 9.6 seconds to play. Carter rattled in both, supporting ODU's argument that it's when you make them, not how many. Gattison a hit in return to the Big Easy If coaching or broadcasting doesn't work out, Kenny Gattison might want to consider running for mayor of New Orleans. The ODU radio analyst spent six years with the New Orleans Hornets as an assistant and could not take three steps, it seemed, without seeing someone he knew. "I think he knows every usher and security guard here," said Ron Bertovich, Colonial Athletic Association associate commissioner. Gattison explained: "You spend so much time here as a coach, you make friends with the people who work the arena because those are the people you're around four or five days a week." 'Old-school' taylor eschews late fouls Taylor defended his decision not to foul with nine seconds to go before Notre Dame's Carleton Scott launched his potential game-tying 3-pointer. The Monarchs had a foul to give and could have run a few more seconds off the clock. But Taylor said he consulted with his players and coaches and they said to play on. "I guess I'm kind of old school," Taylor said. "I think we can guard people and stop them.... Had the clock been a little shorter, I might have done it.... We're kind of stubborn and hard-headed. We thought we could stop them. We were lucky the ball rimmed on out. It was not an easy shot and it came late enough in the clock that the put-back really didn't matter." Norfolk, VA Anonymous ODU found itself in a zone after man plan went awry The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546702 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546700 Hampton researcher named Engineer of the Year 2010-03-18T23:30:01-04:00 2010-03-18T23:18:46-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

Michael G. Gilbert of NASA Langley Research Center has been named the 2010 Engineer of the Year by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Gilbert led the technical planning and execution of last year's launch-abort system flight demonstration. The system, which can be used by any future crewed spacecraft, propels the crew capsule away from a problem on the launch pad or during ascent. It was tested at Wallops Island. Norfolk, VA Anonymous Hampton researcher named Engineer of the Year The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:546700 Change 0 Usable