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nals Volume 38 Issue 5 March 2007

Index

Sports

News Daniel Radcliffe bares it all in new role. Page 2

Opinion

Need college application advice?

Page 5

The Steelers’ new direction. Page 8

New program gives PT students a jump-start on their careers

A pilot program is currently being implemented for high school students inter-ested in careers in physical therapy. The ap-prenticeship program is associated with Mort-land Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine. Physical Education teacher Betsy Gunther is developing and coordinating the course. “The program involves training stu-dents to be physical therapy assistants,” said Gunther. Students will go to Mortland’s, where they will train for approximately a semester and then be assigned to a team or work with an actual trainer. Participants can choose to train during school hours or after school. “In order to get class credits, students must go during school hours,” said Gunther. Students who simply wish to volun-teer and get experience can go after school. This provides an opportunity for students who wish to pursue a career in physical therapy with a chance to gain hands-on experience. “This first year is just a pilot pro-gram, next year we hope to make it avail-able for credit,” said Gunther. However, the program is not open to everyone. “In order to be accepted into the program you have to complete the Anatomy and Physiology course and be recommended by myself,” Gunther added. After recommendation, candidates will be reviewed by a selection committee, consisting of Mark Mortland, Dr. Hazjus, Mr. Relich, Mrs. Gunther, and theathletic trainer at the time of the application. Five apprentices will make up the pro-gram in future years. This year, Senior Eric

VaughnandjuniorsJenClawges,andMelissaCarbonarawillbepartic-ipating. “At Mortland’s, we help out wherever we’re needed…we learn thefundamentalsofphysicaltherapy”saidClawges.Theirinstructionwill include learning the basics of taping, icing, and other physical ther-apytechniques.Clawges,whoaspirestobecomeaphysicaltherapist,is excited about the opportunity. “In addition to learning everything, I’mgettingahead-startonwhatIneedtodointhefuture,”Clawgesstated. For more information on the program, contact Mrs. Gunther.

Taylor PiedmonteStaff Writer

A Female President?

Page 2

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the quiz inside!

Pages 6 & 7

Juniors Melissa Carbonara and Jen Clawges work as physical therapy appren-tics in the new program. While working, the girls have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of physical therapy: taping, icing, and other techniques.

Report cards now only available on Edline

Technology has influenced a chancein how student report cards are issued. Re-port cards are no lon-ger distributed through the mail - they can now be seen on only Edline. Parents should rely on Edline as be-ing the most complete and updated source for grades during the school year. Not only does Edline keep track of students’ grades, it also keeps and up-to-date record of absenc-es, tardys and early dismissals. As for the students, there are dif-fering opinions as to the pros and cons of hav-ing Edline accessible to parents. Senior Brent Kostak commented, “I don’t like having Edline available to parents. My parents can see my

grades whenever they want.” On the other hand, many students use Edline frequently because they are no-tified when Edline isupdated and they can

see their most current grades. Senior Emily Smith said, “Edline al-lows me to see exactly what my grades are because my teachers update it constantly.” Business teacher Ms.

Brent Kostak, ‘07

“I don’t like having Edline. My parents can see my grades

whenever they want.”

The Edline website can be accessed by reg-istered students and/or parents.

Roberta Veltri issued a letter explaining why the change was made: “Because many stu-dents made up incom-plete assignments in past quarters, teach-

ers had to make grade adjustments after pa-per cards were printed and distributed. These discrepancies caused much confusion for parents, teachers, stu-dents, and counsel-

ors.” To make edit-ing grades easier, teachers can make changes daily or even after the grad-ing periods end and Edline will be up-dated and acces-sible for parents to check. The only time printed report cards will be available is at parents’ request, for those without

Rachel HorenskyCoEditor-In-Chief

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Internet access, and at the year-end to send home finaltranscripts. Veltri’s letter also noted that if parents or stu-dents need to reach teachers regarding grades, the teach-ers’ email address-es are available on class pages as well.

Photo by Rachel Horensky

Smoke Signals

Smoke Signals is produced seven times during a school year by the students ofMediaII,III,IVJournalismandextracurricularstaffatPetersTownshipHigh

School, 264 E. McMurray Road, McMurray PA 15317. Telephone: 724-941-6250 x.5379. E-mail: sitlern@pt-sd.org.

Commentaries,reviews,andopinioncolumnsaretheexpressedopinionofthe author and not of Smoke Signals, its adviser or the Peters Township School

District. Member of the Pennsylvania School Press Association.

Co-Editors in ChiefKaitlin Houser

Rachel Horensky Kara Krawiec

Layout EditorCatherineMcCarron

News EditorAngelina Nepa

Life & Style EditorColleenCounihan

Opinion EditorBrittany Beyer

Sports EditorSean-Paul Mauro

Marketing EditiorsEmily BigleyNick Sikora

Staff WritersJessicaBerardino,BillBerry,EmilyBig-ley,AshleyCzajowski,GarrettDennis,DrewKarpen,SeanNaccarelli,Chris

Portz, Derek Redding, Brendan Sikora, Nick Sikora, Renee Wunderlich

Layout TeamMegan Enscoe, Katie Gavlick, Stepha-

nie Gillece, Lisa Lerario,

Adviser Nicole Sitler

PT Reference

20First Day of Spring!

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday1Peanut Butter Lover’s Day

Shenandoah7pm

2Shenandoah7:30pm

3Shenandoah7:30pm

4

Prom Fashion Show!

5 6 7Faculty Basketball Game 7pm

8 9 10

11Daylight savings time begins

12

PSSA testing

13

PSSA testing

14PSSA testing

Albert Einstein’s Birthday

15

PSSA testing

16

PSSA testing

17

18 19 20 21 22National Goof-Off Day

23Boy’s Varsity Volleyball @ South Park 6pm

24

25

Waffle Day

26Boy’s Varsity Volleyball vs. Langley 7:30pm

27Boy’s Varsity Volleyball vs. Ambridge 7:30pm

28 29Boy’s Varsity Volleyball @ Montour 7:30pm

30 31

Maze from printactivites.com

PT Reference

Spotlight on 2008 Presidental Candidates

News

Angelina Nepa

News Editor

NancyPelosi,thefirstfemaleSpeakerof the House, is now third in line for the presidency. While no second designated successor has ever ascended into the Oval Office,elevenvicepresidentshave. That is,one fourth of all vice presidents. The odds of a sudden upshot in status are very good, though probability of Pelosi actually becoming the leader of the free world is one in sixteen.

Women are making leaps and bounds in politics like never before. Secretary of State CondoleezzaRiceisoneofthefirstwomentobe a feasible successor, holding the position of successor number four. Another woman who must be mentioned among promising politicalleaderscallsherselfClinton.SenatorHillary Clinton recently announced that shewould take the direct approach and campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. The country, regardless of extremist opinions,

Good Morning, Ms. President

will have to handle powerful female leaders. These women are elected to local positions or have been appointed. None have ever succeeded at the national level, but many havecertainly influencednationalaffairs. Inaddition to Secretary of State Rice and Speaker of the House Pelosi, historically great women such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy,andMargaret Chase Smithwere effective indeterminingnationalpolicy. MargaretChaseSmithwas the firstwoman to be elected toboth the House and the Senate as well as being the first woman ever to be nominated at amajorparty’sprimary.Womenwilleventuallyshatter“finalglassceiling”andwintheofficeof the presidency. Former Chicago StateRepresentative Maureen Murphy is famous for once having offered, “The reason there are so few female politicians is that it is too much trouble to put makeup on two faces.”

Outside

Zulhaidi Omar, of Malaysia, decided to covert from Islam when he realized that he had been switched at birth and his biological parents were ethic Chinese Buddhists. Omar recently foundthat his birth parents were living only a few miles away when his biological sister noticed that he possessed unique family traits. Omar also wouldliketochangehisnametoreflecthisactualChineseheritage.InMalaysia,hisconversionmaybe difficult, because ethnic Malays (his supposedethnicity) are considered Muslim from birth. A doctor in New Jersey admitted to giving asevered hand to local stripper, which she kept in a jar of formaldehyde in her apartment.The police conducted an unrelated raid and discovered the appendage, which the physician, Ahmed Rashed, stole from a cadaver in 2002. Rashed must complete five years of probation.

WCBS-TV, a local New York news network,revealed that city inspectors are having a difficult time enforcing than the ban on the saleof exotic meat. In the course of a recent WCBSinvestigation, inspectors witnessed open displays of many forbidden meats, including, “Armadillo and iguana meat, cow lungs, smoked rodent and an unidentified fish paste, along with crates ofturtles and a tub of bullfrogs, and occasionally endangered gorilla and chimpanzee meat.”

TheSaintRoseof LimaSchool, aCatholic facilityin Rhode Island, recently mandated that students remainsilent in thecafeteria. PrincipalJeannineFuller sent a letter home to parents, explaining that the rule is a result of three choking incidences, and that “the school’s priority is the safety of each child.” Students that disobey the rule and talk during their lunch period will receive a detention.

Kara Krawiec

CoEditor-In-Chief

With the 2008 presidential elections becoming more of a reality in the not so distant future, many of Peters Township’s students will be able to vote and voice their opinions. However, students are uninformed on the candidates and as more and more politicians announce their candidacy, it is beneficial foreveryone in the younger generations to gain more knowledge not only on the policies, but also the politicians themselves. One candidate that is causing controversy, but many do not know much about is Barack Obama, the U.S. Senator from Illinois. He has become well known for many reasons, one of which is that he is one of the few African Americans that has run for presidency. Also, his promise of a plan to end the war in Iraq has raised interest. However, what many do not know is that Obama has worked to start an open and honest government. He has worked for Ethics and Lobbying Reforms and within the firsttwoweeksofthe110thCongress,Obamahelped to pass the Legislative Transparency and

Accountability Act, which will reform lobbying and improve ethics within the government. Obama has also shown a strong interest in helping children start education earlier, and put more emphasis on math, science, and technology. FirstLady,NewYorkSenator,BestSellingauthor, advocate for children and families- HillaryClintonhasdoneitall.Sowhat’snextfor Hillary? President of the United States of Americaofcourse.Thatistheultimatejobtoaddtoheralreadylongresume.Clintonhasshown her determination in making a place for herself in the political world. She has also passed legislation to help track the health of our troops overseas to ensure that everyone is safe and not misdiagnosed. In terms of education,Clintonispushingformorequalifiedteachers to ensure that everyone gets an equal education. On the flip side, Arizona RepublicanSenator,JohnMcCainhasalsoannouncedhiscandidacy.McCainiswellknownforhisservices

as not only a Naval aviator, but also a successful and respected senior Senator. McCain feelsthat we cannot leave Iraq yet because it is America’sdutytogetthejobdone.McCainhasalsointroducedaSchoolChoiceLegislationbillthat will help the neediest students with the lowest academic GPA in public schools in each state. These students will be given a $2,000 scholarship each year for three years to pursue a chance at a higher education. It is important that, whether students consider themselves Democrats or Republicans, that they make an informed decision on ElectionDay.Anydecisionwouldsuffice;theimportance lies in making one. Voting is of the utmost importance because whichever of theses candidates are elected will dramatically impact the lives of everyone, not just thoseover eighteen.

Harry Potter Angers Parents and Fans

D a n i e l Radcliffe, star of the hit Harry Potter movies, who bears a striking resemblance to the drawings of Harry on the cover of each book, has won the hearts of millions of fans, and he is just getting started.Children idolize hischaracter Harry, and hehasflocksofPotterfaithful appearing at each and every important Potter function. In a role for the recent play Equus, Radcliffe bears it all in a few scenes that are causing controversy from the parents of the children who idolize Harry. Although many aspects of the situation appear to leave Radcliffe in

Nick Sikora

Marketing Editor

the middle of a life changing choice, he is expected to continue with the Harry Potter movie series, but he wishes to break free from the usual classification thatfollowschildfilmstars.Although nudity in filmsandplaysdrawscontinual disproval by the parenting set, Radcliffe has landed a major role in a oncewell-received play. Equus, a play about a disturbed stable hand who blinds horses, is focused almost entirely on Radcliffe’s character, and with the gravity of a role like that, he has to do whatever is necessary to prove that he is of a maturity to tackle any role. By

the time the Harry Potter movie series will be completed, Radcliffe will no longer be able to be known as the little boy that went to Hogwarts. Unfortunately for critics, at Radcliffe’s young age he must make a career out of his acting, and he has a long life to lead. He also must prove to an unbelieving audience that he can play more roles than just therole of Harry Potter. Radcliffe is looking to prepare for his future, and with the constant emphasis on preparation that students are constantly taught can Radcliffe be criticized for taking what is often a logical next

step in an industry that thrives off of the ability of an actor to sell a production? Whether or not Radcliffe will surrender to the media firestorm andend his edgy roles or continue right along with them will only be determined by time. But for now, fans can look forward to the release of not only a new Harry Potter book, but also a new Harry Potter movie. Both release dates are scheduled for Summer 2007, justin time for his role in Equus to quiet down.

Photos courtesy of istockphoto.

All entries submitted by Angelina Nepa

Photo courtesy of americanpatrol.com

OpinionG. Dennis J. Berardino D. KarpenB. Beyer

HeSaidvs.SheSaidNick Sikora Brittany Beyer

It is that time of the year when seniors begin planning for that summer trip they wait their whole high school careers for, the senior trip. There has beenanargumentifjuniorsshouldbeallowed to go on senior trip or not. The juniorsthisyearareactinglikeseniorsand doing things that ruin the senior’s year.Forexamplethisyearthejuniorsaddeda juniorskipday,whenever inprevious years there was no such thing. Senior skip day is a tradition that that year’s senior’s always have and never was therea juniorskipdayuntil thisyear. There are a couple of reasons whythejuniorsthinkthattheyshouldgoonseniortrip. Thefirstreason isbecause all of there friends are seniors that are going on senior trip. Even though all your friends are going on senior trip, they deserve it because it is there present for graduating high school. Juniors still have one moreyear to go so I believe that they can wait one more year. And if you don’t have anyone to go with, you can plan a regular vacation with them that is not interfering with their senior trip. The second reason is because they believe that they won’t have anyone to go with intheirsenioryear.Ifindthathardto

Senior trip controversyDrew Karpen

Opinion Writer

“If I didn’t know it was cloned, it would be a possibility.”

KelseyHoskins,‘09

“If it tasted good, I would eat it.”

BrandonFrambes,‘07

“I think it’s fine because it’sfor stem cell research.”

NickSanflippo,‘07

“Well, who cloned the animal?”

WOuldyOueataclONed

aNimal?“ Throughout the past decade or so the topic of cloning people has become a front-page battle. Stories discussing the “whys” and “why nots” of cloning create feuds within religions, political denominations, and even nationalities. While we continue to debate the goodness, or lack there of, that may come from cloning, the public is failing to see what is being cloned right before them: animals. If you disregard animal rights completely and find yourself grasping the throat of vegetarians worldwide think twice before you quit reading. The following is not in any way an animal rights enthused article bashing meat eaters for their inhumane ways. Rather it is concerning, the animals products that you may soon be ingesting for dinner. Afterafive-yearstudy,theFDA

has now come to the conclusion that cloned animals products are equal in all aspects to meat from normal animals. I find it difficult to understand howfiveyearsisenoughtimetodecidetheaffects these cloned products will have. What about long term affects? OR people with certain health conditions? Howcanfiveyearsprovethatthereisno harm in the consumption of these products? Following the consent to place these products on the market, the FDA also settled on the regulations of labeling, non-mandatory. By law, companies do not feel should be challenge. If we are not informed of what we are eating then we mean, if there ended up being the return of the bubonic plaque, and we traced it back to originating in cloned meat, who would everyone blame? Our food suppliers? Why take the chance whenever it would be simpler to place a little label on the package.

Watch what you eatBrittany Beyer

Opinion Writer

St. Patrick’s Day

I am 100% not Irish so I don’t plan on celebrating.

Have you ever met a

No, but I plan on hiring Lisa Lerario to catch me one because she is a pro leprechaun trap maker.

What’s at the end of the

A pot of gold!

What else do you look forward to in March?

The end of it, considering we don’t have a single day off.

How do you celebrate your Irish heritage on St. Patty’s

Watch GangsofNewYork while eat-ing a Shamrock Shake.

Yes.Hetriedtostealmycouch,buthe got stuck on the way out, but now were friends.

Marissa Miller and of course a pot of gold.

Track season and getting abs like LL CoolJ.courtesyofMr.Scott.

Does March come in like a lion then go out like a lamb?

March comes in freezing and goes out cold.

erinBench,‘08

In like a lion and out like a beast.

5Smoke Signals March 2007

Woes of WoW

Millions of people are playing the online role-playing game, World of Warcraft, nicknamed WoW. How can you go wrong with a game that lets you interact with millions of people across the globe while trying to fight all that isevil? Easy, you let it become a second life. In WoW, you create a character of a certain race and pledge allegiance to that race’sside(eitherthe Alliance or Horde). The side

you are on depends on the race that you choose. The Horde consists of Orcs, Taurens, Undead, and Trolls, while the Alliance is made up of Humans, Dwarves, Gnomes, and Night Elves. Both parties think they are better than the other, and both of them are facing the same problem: the Scourge. The Scourge is a continually rising group of evil Undead that are set on destroying the earth. They are not to be

Applying to college can be the most stressful part of a senior’s life. This experience can become very time consuming and worrisome for students who have no idea where they want to go. Choosing theright college for you could require lots of help. If you don’t believe that this article won’t tell you anything new, you’re wrong. Some of these tips you may have heard before, but after applying to a maximum of 15 schools, they’re ways that have been found to minimize your stressful time. During the summer you should schedule school visits to any schools that you have started hearing about or that you know about. This will help you get a feel of what kind of campus environment

Applying to college for dummies

you would like. Visit a variety of schools, some big and some small, some single sex and some co-ed. Also include state schools along with private schools in your search. During this process, do not be concerned with the price, unless you end up liking the school. Also over the summer it is a good idea to start looking at commonapp.org and reading over their essay topics. Then proceed to write some of these essay prompts so you don’t have to worry about them along with schoolwork. This will also give you time at the beginning of the year to take them to a reliable resource to check and double check for errors. Along with the essays to start over the summer, you should start planning on what teachers to ask for letters of recommendations. You should pick coreclasses;teachersthat

liked you. I do not recommend picking a teacher that you know would write a good letter, but did not like you. Find a teacher that likes you, and that you know would say nothing but good things. Now if you already know what youwanttomajorin,findateacherinthatsame area to write one. For example, if youwanttomajor inmedia, take media courses and have a media teacher write one of your letters.

When the summer ends, start thinking about what interests you. Think about those classes that you look forward to, and the ones you don’t. That should help you gain an idea on what type offieldyouwouldlike to pursue. Towards the end of September and the beginning of October, you should start applying to

colleges that have your major andthat you like. Along the same time period you should also turn in all of those counselor recommendation forms and transcript request forms. Make sure you check due dates for the schools you are applying to, and that you turn in the information to the guidance officeearlytogivethem enough time to get it out.

The best advice to give to any upcoming senior is to c o m m u n i c a t e with your parents. Don’t try to do this alone. This time in your life can be a very stressful one, and to keep your head clear you need to talk your thoughts out. College advisorshelpwiththeCSSProfile or eventhe FAFSA form, but your parents

confused, however with the Horde’s Undead, who have separated themselves from the Scourge.

Throughout the game the player fightsmonsters, collects gold and treasure, and joins upwithother people online to tackle a dungeon. The dungeons usually hold the most valuable items (armor, weapons,or loads of gold). The cost for an account is about $15 a month, which translates into $180 a

year- a pretty steep price for a computer game. With normal games you spend app rox ima te l y $50 and then have it until it breaks or it no longer holds any interest. While some people look atthegameasjustan expensive form of entertainment, there are others who make it their second life.

The really lonely WoW freaks sometimes even get married to people on the game. They either findanotherplayer

who is a priest in the game to hold theceremony,orsimplyjustsaythatthey’re married. One wonders how

JessicaBerardino

Opinion Writer

could do that or even your accountant. So instead of spending your money on help, you could save it and use the CRCintheguidanceoffice.

There are always easier ways to do things, like asking for help. Talk to your parents, college recruiters of the schools you’re interested in going

“Actually work in schoolyourfirstsemester, then relax and chill out.”

connortarwater,‘07

“Don’t let anyone influenceyour

markBoardman,‘07

“Get everything done quickly because

JoshRush,‘07

“Find schools you like early and visit them early so you know if you really like them.”

cOllegeadviceFOR

JuNiORS“

mattthomas,‘07

JessicaBerardino

Opinion Writer

Garrett Dennis

Opinion Writer

http://www.the-nextlevel.com/previews/pc/world-warcraft/world-of-warcraft-a.jpg

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Senior Jerry Scheller helps outat his church by teaching the

children’s programs and being part of the cleaning team. “I feel like it’s my duty as a church member,” replied Scheller when asked why he volunteers, “Also, I like interacting with kids. It teaches them important lessons.” As far as the cleaning goes, Scheller says that he only has to dust and scrub about one Saturday a month. He feels that he is doing his part to contribute to his place of worship.

Anna Colletti, also a senior,volunteers at the public library

children’s reading program. She is a counselor at a day camp held at Peterswood Park, has contributed to the Sweet Sunday for the Washington City Mission, and goes on missiontrips with her church. Her mother worksattheWashingtonCityMission,which she says is why it’s easy for her to contribute her time in helping the less fortunate. “All of my activities last about a year- that is, some don’t go on all the time, but there’s always something to do.”

Wes Schmid-Broome has gone on countless mission trips with

his church, wears a SaveDarfur wristband, and buys items from the REDcampaign(whichisacollectionof popular company products, like ChuckTaylorAllStarsandGapT-shirts, that contributes money to help fight AIDS in Africa). Thisambitious sophomore also plans to help plan The Walk for Darfur this spring. Most of the charities he participates in are organized through his church. When asked why he volunteers, he answered simply: “Because I think it’s the right thing to do.” Jen Bozic is a senior at PTHS that

makes a difference in the community. She helps out at PV teaching children and works like a teacher. She now individually tutors sixth grade students in the “English as a Second Language program,” this program is for students with parents that do not speak English. Bozic participates in these activities every Sunday for one hour. She tutors students at the Public Library or Peters Township Recreation Center. “I liketo help the students speak and write better English so they get better grades in school and can feel comfortable with the language of their daily lives,” says Bozic.

1. It’s Monday morning and the alarm is going off again. You:

a.sleepthedayaway

b.layinbeduntilthesoundofyourparentsvoiceissoannoyingyouwakeuptoindulgethem

c.wakeupearly;theideaofbreakfastiscallingyou.

2. Your elderly neighbor needs a helping hand with yard work. You:

a.stayathome.Iftheyreallyneedhelp,theycancallaprofessional

b.begintohelpyourneighborbutyourfriendsdropbyandyoudecidetohangwiththeminstead

c. mowthelawn,trimthebushes,andwatertheflowers

3. After school you:

a.watchtelevisionuntilyoureyeshurtsobadyoucan’tkeepthemopen

b.grababitetoeat,beginyourhomework,butthengotothemallwithyourfriends.

c. gotoaclubmeetingafterschool,thentosoccerpractice,andassoonasyougethomeyoubeginhomework

4. If you were an animal, what would you be?

a.asloth-slowandlazy

b.agazelle-alwaysrunningaround

c. alion-strongandindependent,yetcaring

5. The perfect summer job is a volunteer-only position. You:

Are you a giving person? Take this quiz and find out!Directions:Readandanswerthefollowingquestionsandcircletheanswerthatcorrespondsthemostwithyourpersonality.Thentallyhowmanya’s,b’s,andc’syouhave.Whateverletteryouhavethemostdeterminesyourpersonalitytype.

Lending A Helping Hand

Between5-7a’s=slacker Between3-5b’s=youhelp

onlyifitwillbenefityouBetween1-3c’s=Vivacious

AnswerKey:

extra p int

Sp rtsSean-Paul Mauro

Chris Portz

Emily Bigley

The NBA playoffs – like last year – will be classic. There will be colossal match ups and, undoubtedly, epic seven game series. However, unfortunately those match ups will probably be embedded within the Western Conferenceplayoff match ups – and the Eastern Conferenceseries will just beanother formality. As the playoffs approach, the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns, both from the West, are proving to be the cream of the crop. Both are on pace for 60 plus win seasons – and both seem able to continue their success into the playoffs. However, other western teams also seem capable. The San Antonio Spurs are obviously a team to be reckoned with come playoff time. Every head coach knows what they’re capable of, including legendary Lakers coach, Phil Jackson, “They’re

comfortable with how they can play in playoff situations… They’re still a team that has to be considered very, very dangerous,” (ESPN.com).The West certainly has many

contenders. The Eastern Conference, however, isnoticeably inferior. The best teams in the East – the Washington Wizards, the Cleveland Cavaliers, theChicagoBulls,andtheDetroitPistons – would arguably have a hard time making it as an eighth seed in the west. The legendary era of Michael Jordan, Scotty Pippen,and the dominant Chicago

New direction for the

NBA Playoff race heats upSean-Paul Mauro

Staff Writer

dynasty in the east is over – and theEasternConferenceishavingtrouble holding their own. The NBA reigning champions – the Miami Heat – hardly seem playoff ready, as they’re barely

even a playoff team as the eighth seed in the east. It seems like everymajorprofessionalsport these days has one dominant conference or league. Professional baseball has the American league that always reigns supreme. The Western conference in the NHL

never ceases to impress with its many dominant teams – and the most evident example of this comesintheNFLastheNFCisseen as particularly mediocre to thedominantAFC.IntheNBA,this trend remains consistent as the Western Conference isloaded with great teams from top to bottom while the Eastern Conferenceisoftenoverlooked.However, regardless of the uneven distribution of talent demonstrated by the dominance

Which team is going to wintheNCAABasketballChampionship?

CT: The defending NCAA champions, the Florida Gators, will win again this year. They have a 24-3 record, with an 11-1 record in the Southeastern Conference. A fluke loss to Vanderbilt was probably a good wake up call for this team after winning 17 straight. Going into the tourney on a big winning streak is never a good sign. They already have the experience of

going deep in the NCAA tourney. With players like Joakim Noah, Taurean Green, Al Horford, and Corey Brewer, there’s no reason that the Gators shouldn’t repeat.

SPTM: UCLA has the best chance to takehome the national championship this season. Ben Howland, coach of the Bruins, emphasizes defense over everything. Dating back from his days at Pitt – Howland has always had the most physical teams in the country. The only difference now that he is with UCLA isthat he has national championship caliber talent. Howland took a young team to the championship last year, and they have only gotten better this year. They always rise to the challenge of a big game, and come tourney time they won’t disappoint.

CT: They always rise to the challenge of a big game? They lost by 16 in the national championship to Florida last year. That’s hardly “rising to the challenge.” Also, do you have any facts showing that UCLA is a national championship team, or are you just going to say random opinions such as “Howland has always had the most physical teams in the country?” Billy Donovan’s not a bad coach either-he has two NCAA Championship games under his belt including one NCAA Championship. The Gators are unquestionably one of the best teams in the country right now, they have beaten teams such as Ohio State, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and it doesn’t look like anyone can stop them when they’re at the top of their game.

SPTM: Do I have any facts? How about the factthatUCLAhasstrongwinsoverArizona,Washington, USC, Texas A & M, Kentucky,and Georgia Tech - while Florida has losses to unrankedFloridaStateandVanderbilt.UCLAhas a strong array of guards and forwards all with a combination of speed size. UCLAguard, All-American candidate Arron Afflalo,who averages 18 points a game, can take over a game when UCLA is struggling. Hehas been leading them all season and will continue to lead them in the NCAA tournament. Did yousay something about rising to the challenge? How about February 17; UCLA at 24th ranked Arizona resulted in a blowout 15-point win for the Bruins. I’m not sure if you know this but that same night Florida – “the hottest team in the country” – lost to regional powerhouse Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt? When did they get a basketball team? Are they Division I?

History of the Super Bowl

Rising to the challenge

The 2006-2007 NBA season is proving to be worth the price of

admission.

Mike Tomlin was named the head coach of thePittsburghSteelers January21,2007,following Bill Cowher’s fifteen-year reign atthe helm of the franchise. Over the past thirty-seven years the team has had only two head coaches,ChuckKnollandBillCowher,butnowit is time for Tomlin to lead one of the most prestigious franchise in all of sports.

Prior to entering the National Football League, Tomlin gained experience coaching at Virginia Military Institution, Memphis, and Arkansas State. Tomlin got his start in the league as a defensive back coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2001 under Superbowl XLI winning coach Tony Dungy. Tomlin remained in Tampa Bay until last season when he took over as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings. In one year’s time, he was able to turn the Viking’s battered defense into arespectableunitintheNFCNorth.

Tomlin’s first move as head coachwas to promote Bruce Arians as offensive coordinator. This marks Arians’ second stint as an offensive coordinator in the NFL. The previous runwaswith theClevelandBrownsduring the 2001, 2002, and 2003 campaigns. Over the past three seasons, Arian served as wide receivers coach under Bill Cowher.Tomlin also retained Dick LeBeau as defensive coordinator, a position he has held for the last three seasons.

Like his predecessors, Tomlin was

hired relatively young, only thirty-four years old. Making him the second youngest coach in the National Football League, behind newly instatedOaklandRaider’scoachLaneKiffin.

Tomlin hopes to follow the success of fellow young head coaches, Sean Payton and Eric Mangini. Payton in his first year ofcoaching won the AP’s NFL Head Coach ofthe Year Award for leading theNewOrleansSaintstoaNFCChampionshipberth.Likewise,ManginitooktheNewYorkJetstotheplayoffs,justayearafterfinishingasthefourthworstteam in the league.

Some question Tomlin’s experience, but he remains confident about his abilities.

Former Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator Mike Tomlin was hired as the Pittsburgh Steelers new head coach on January 21, 2007 making him the first Arican American head coach in franchise history.

Bill Berry

Sports Writer

Photo Courtesy Of Andrew Rush / The Associated Press

Sp rtsSPORTS BRIEFS

9Smoke Signals March 2007

Chris Portz

Bill Berry Connor Tarwater

Derek Redding

Brendan Sikora

HOCKEY This year 93.2 million fans tuned into watch the Super Bowl XLI match up between theIndianapolisColtsand the ChicagoBears. The third highest audience in U.S. history, but the Super Bowl has not always been so glamorous. In 1967 the first Super Bowl wasplayed as the Kansas City Chiefs took onthe eventual runaway champions the Green Bay Packers. Actually, the Super Bowl wasn’t even called the Super Bowl until 1970 when the two leagues merged. Before this year the game was called the AFL-NFL World ChampionshipGame.

The Peters Township Boy’s Lacrosse team has been one of the top competitors in the sport since the team’s inception in 1996.

Tryouts for this year’s team were held in early February, and they team made an impressive showing in the Slippery Rock Tournamentbyfinishingwitharecordoffiveand one. With their only loss coming against Western Reserve Academy, ranked 27th in the nation, Peters Township looks to defeat any team who comes between them and winning.

Nevertheless, section competition for the Indians will be fierce with upcomingmatches against teams like Mount Lebanon, UpperSaintClair,andBethelPark.P e t e r sTownship varsity seniors Sean-Paul Mauro, Spencer Smith, Tony D’Abarno, and Kevin Wolcott are hoping that their experience will hurl the Indians into playoff contention. “We are really looking forward to this season, we know we are going to be able to accomplish things, like winning a WPSLA championship, this year that we have never accomplished before,” said SeniorCaptainSean-PaulMauro. “This is one of the best teams Peters has ever had and we plan on making a run for the WPSLA this year,” says senior leader Spencer Smith. The Indians lacrosse season begins in March with matches against Pine Richland, Chartiers Valley, and Ohio powerhouseHudson. The 2007 Indians are loaded with talent. They have all top three scorers from last year returning (inMauro, Powell, andSmith) andreturn three all-conference players.

History of the Super Bowl

A lot has changed from then until now. We have had record-breaking attendance and bank breaking ticket prices. One thing that had not been altered was that an African American coach never led his team to the Super Bowl. That all changed when both Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy took their franchises to the most glorious game in all of American sports. This February, Dungy’s Colts wontheir second Super Bowl in franchise history, becoming the eleventh team to win multiple titles. Dungy also became only the third player in NFL history win the Super Bowl as a player and a

head coach.He joinslegendary football guru Mike Ditka and Tom Flores.

If there is one thing an owner strives to accomplish it is to build a dynasty. The San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys,and the Pittsburgh Steelers have all been

Rising to the challenge

Bill Berry

Sports Writer

Derek Redding

Sports Writer

The hockey team was unable to enjoythe success of prior teams this season. Theyfinishedtheyearwitha6-16recordfollowinga4-0winagainstErieCathedralPreponFebruary26.CoachTinglehopestoget back on the winning path during next year’s campaign.

Boys’ Basketball

The Peters Township varsity boy’s basketball team finished up the season Februarytwelfth against Thomas Jefferson. TheIndians posted a 5-17 record and another disappointing season. They look to rebound next year with this year’s youth turning into next year’s experience.

Girls’ Basketball

The Indians girl’s basketball team ended their season with a 15-9 record. They were leadbysophomoresensationEmilyCorrealwho had a huge season. They hope to use the experience they gained this year to have success in the coming seasons.

WRESTLING

The wrestling team had rough season this year. Largely due to the fact that they were forced to forfeit key matches because, they did not have enough wrestlers to fit theweight classes. The coaches hope for more success in the coming season.

BOYS’ SWIMMING

The boy’s swim team is continuing their trend of success this season by posting an undefeated record (5-0). They hadconvincing wins against conference opponentsUpperSt.ClaireandMt.Lebanon.The team hopes to carry their success into the WPIALS and states.

able to reach the status of dynasty by winning five SuperBowls. The New England Patriots have been able to establish what many refer to as the modern dynasty. They won three Super Bowls in four years in a time of free agency.

Where will the Super Bowl’s progress

Photo courtesy of i.eurosport.com

Indianapolis Colts fifth year head coach Tony Dungy celebrates the Colts victory is Super Bowl XLI over the Chicago Bears. Dungy becomes the first African American head coach to obtain a Super Bowl victory.

Photo submitted by Sean-Paul Mauro

Although PT lost their starting goalie, stand-outFrankCicero(whoisnowplayingatDivi-sionIProvidenceCollege),juniorreplacementMichael Moretti should be ready for the chal-lenge. Strong showings from Moretti in their preseasontournamentshasPTconfidentgo-ing into their 2007 campaign.

The Peters Township Indians’ lacrosse team takes a warm-up lap to prepare for their game.

PT LIFE& Style ColleenCounihan

Features Editor

“I like to wear bright col-orsandflipflops.”

-Emily Norton, ‘07

“I like to wear all the bright colors and summer skirts.”

-Amy Burzotta, ‘10

“I like to wear wedges and stripped shirts.”

-Emmy Phelan, ‘07

“I like to wear colorful, ligh fabrics, fun and funky vintage, vintage inspired and classic.” -CatherineMcCarron,‘07

“It was not until the 1960’s that tattoos came into the American spotlight.”

Spring fashion means a shapely season

Tattoos mark generations

Sounds of the city: upcoming concerts

The weather has been more of a game of “Go Fish” than a generic forecast and global warming’s star appearance has forced many residents to keep both tank tops and sweaters in the same drawer for easy access. It’s hard to imagine an average spring blooming out of all this confusion, but fashion never stops for anyone, not even the environment’s mood swings. The runway’s spring previews began way back in the fall, but it is in these upcoming months that the styles will come alive. The outfits to fit the trends are different fromthe idealistic spring season that is commonly knownforitsbloomingfrontierofflowy,daisy-splattereddressesandpowderpinkflip-flops.The latest shirts and dresses range from stiff to subtly geometric and surprisingly, resemble the leaves of fall, instead of the tulips of spring. Designers Zac Posen and Burberry Prorsum see spring in odd shades of cream and gold,

but do not overlook the traditional garments, such as shorts and blouses. The most important staples of spring are also the most unexpected. Dresses are consistently seen in the trapeze-style (thinktriangular) and vary from floor-length tobarely there at all. The most elegant styles are now paired with the most common ones. In other words, spring fashion should be good news for athletes because the sporty look is everywhere. T-shirt dresses are paired with high-heeled sneakers and tunics overlap cropped and striped leggings. A new emphasis on legs can mean both high-waisted shorts and a greater focus on pants. “Pants” does not mean baggy or tweed, but sleek, short and straight. Representatives for Proenza Schouler told Vogue magazine, “In a season when legs are so important, the only pant that feels right is skinny and perfectly tailored.” Spring clothing will definitelymean stepping out of

Models show off the latest trends at the Spring 2007 Zac Posen (left) and Gucci (right) shows.

Photos courtesy of style.com

ColleenCounihan

Features Editor

Sean Naccarelli

Staff Writer

They are labeled as body ink by the nonchalant tattoo addicts, sentimental symbols by the one-time users and nightmares by concerned parents. Tattoos are a consistently debated topic of this generation, but through all of the heat they have prevailed as one of the most popular body adornments of the present and with no scars bigger than the ones they induce. The tattoo has proved to be timeless throughout all of its controversial history. The Egyptians saw them as a sign of beauty and took advantage of the permanent paint for uses of marking class and displaying art. The Japanese reached out to tattoos throughouttheir ceremonial and religious rites. Both men and women adopted certain depictions to signify a point in life or the tribe in which they areaffiliatedwith.Itwasnotuntilthe1960’sthat tattoos came into the American spotlight.

The images were featured all over television and magazines, though they were more of a mark of the deviants than a socially welcomed phenomenon. It was always the bully or the criminal that sported the bold engraving on his “booming” bicep.

These stereotypical representations have not managed to halt the millions of non-criminal, non-violent men and women getting tattooed annually. It is not difficult to see

the parallels between tattoos of the past and tattoos of the present. The latest customers go to tattoo artists to embellish their skin with art;theyseebeautyinit,justastheEgyptiansdid. Some of the most common tattoos are chosen based on a person’s outlook on life. Images of crests and ethnic symbols illustrate a significanceoffamilyties,justastheJapaneseused symbols to connect with their tribes.

Tattoos are slowly becoming more popular and increasingly more accepted. It is a common misconception that all people with tattoos are criminals, but it is understandable since most criminals do have tattoos. They are now more commonly seen as marks of an experience, rather than marks of risky business. Whether they are accepted or avoided, tattoos arefirstandforemostachoice,onethatmanywill live with for the rest of their lives.

By now, you’ve all probably been getting tired of watching “Friends” re-runs,orGrey’sAnatomy(thatshow stinks anyway), so it’s time for something new! In the next couple of months many great artists are coming near Pittsburgh, with affordable ticket prices.

Petersen Events CenterPittsburgh, PA Tue, 03/13/07 Nickelback 07:00 PMWed,05/02/07MyChemicalRomance 07:30 PM

Mr. Smalls Theatre Millvale, PAThu, 03/15/07 Switchfoot w/ Copeland08:00PMThu, 03/27/07 The Blood Brothersw/ChineseStars08:00 PMThu, 03/29/07 Mae w/ The Hush Sound 07:00 PMFri, 04/06/07 Anberlin w/ Bayside 07:00 PMTue, 04/17/07 Keller Williams 08:30 PMSat, 04/21/07 Anti-Flag w/ Alexisonfire07:00PMTue, 04/24/07 The Plain White

T’s 07:00 PMBryce Jordan Center University Park, PAThu, 03/22/07 Dierks Bentley 07:30 PM

RMU Sewall CenterMoon Township, PASat, 03/31/07 Taking Back Sunday 07:30 PM

St Vincent CollegeLatrobe, PAFri, 04/13/07 O.A.R. 08:00 PM

GIANT CenterHershey, PAFri, 04/20/07 Blue Man Group

08:00 PMPost Gazette Pavilion Pittsburgh, PATue, 05/22/07 Fall Out Boy 06:00 PM

Heinz FieldPittsburgh, PASat,06/09/07KennyChesney04:30 PM

Wachovia ArenaWilkes-Barre, PATue, 08/14/07 Keith Urban 07:30 PM

Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com or go to any Ticketmaster outlet.

PT LIFE& Style

License to Impress

Romeo’s Ex: Rosaline’s Story By Lisa Fielder

“She is Rosaline, and Romeo loves her. Alas, I love her as well, and mayhap more, but Romeo did spy her first. ‘Twould be dishonorable to purse her now. ‘Twould also be pointless, for ‘tis Mercutio she desires.” Romeo and Juliet are the most infamous tragic couple of all time; it’s hard to find someone who hasn’t heard of them. But what of the other characters in the tragedy: Benvolio, Mercutio, Tybalt, and Paris? The story begins just before the lovers meet, with Romeo falling for Juliet’s cousin, Rosaline. Rosaline perceive him as fickle and decides to look elsewhere for love. She finds herself caught in the middle of a battle between the Montagues and Capulets and is knocked unconscious. Benvolio, Romeo’s best friend, sees this and rescues her, but when she awakens it is Mercutio that she finds in Benvolio’s stead. Thus begins a love quadrilateral between Romeo, Benvolio, Mercutio and Rosaline. Romeo’s Ex is one of the greatest takes on Shakespeare that I have ever read, and is full of Shakespearean references and language, and even includes some passages from the original play. Lisa Fielder is an amazingwriter;

Smoke Signals March 2007

11

ChrisPortz

Staff Writer

Coaching in the classroom

Katie Ellis

Guest WriterSean Naccarelli

Staff WriterChrisPortz

Staff Writer

Cartel-Chroma

Teachers are a dime a dozen in a student’s life. By the time a student graduates he will have been through over 50 teachers and that is only inside the classroom. Every so often there are a couple of teachers that stand out. Mr. Whalen was hired with a resume as an outstanding coach and experienced teacher. He has been at Peters Township High School for a year, and already he has had a big impact intheclassroomandontheathleticfield. Last year when Mrs. Tylka was on maternity leave, Peters Township High School acquired a diamond in the rough. Mr. Whalen, aformerCedarRapidsIowateacheratXavierHigh School, moved to Peters Township as a temporary substitute and within six months acquired his own classes, Personal Finance and Math Essentials. His charismatic and energetic attitude has earned him the respect of his students. He also takes on the role of a mentorontheathleticfield.Asanassistantcoach, Whalen leads the highly successful Peters Township golf team. Whalen is the Bill Belichick of high school sports; he wins nomatter where he goes. There is one exception to this analogy though; everyone at PTHS

likes him. For example, he has coached girl’s soccerinVirginiaandhishometownofCedarRapids Iowa winning a championship for each program. His resume is impressive both on andofftheathleticfield.

His teaching style is unique in the fact that he teaches the material while conversing with students. “I like how he speaks his mind and is very blunt on the topics he teaches,” said senior Steve Plachecki. Personally connecting with a teacher is rare in the stressful academic life of a high school student, and this is the reason why Whalen stands out among the rest of the teachers at PTHS.

Other than an avid sports fan and an educator,Whalen enjoys other hobbies suchas cooking and finding good deals at Sam’sClub. He is thrilledbya simplehello in thehallways and students wishing a “Happy Half-birthday.”Mr.Whalen’sbirthdayisJuly19th. He is always ready to give an explanation for any sort of problem, especially a math problem, whenever needed and he is almost always right although he still remains humble.

As a modest man he will never say that he is the best teacher at PTHS, however. He

givesotherscreditforhimgettingthejobeventhough Mr. Whalen is more than qualified,having 15 years of teaching experience and a year of interaction with the students. “If the kids hadn’t received me so well and told the people down stairs about me, I would not have

Mr. Whalen reviewing a homework assignment with his second

period Integrated II essentials students early on a Friday morning.

Photo courtesy of thecia.com

Photo courtesy thestarscoop.com

Coming out of the Atlantashadows with a bang is Cartel. In June of 2006,they released their first

full-length album Chroma. For only being a band for 3 years, most people consider Cartel pretty lucky to gain the attentionand acclaim that they’ve received, ever since the release of Madden 2007, which had their hit song “Honestly” on the infamous videogame soundtrack. Cartelstarted around front man Will Pugh, and guitarist Joseph Pepper. They both wereanxious to get out of Atlanta, but thought that it could never happen to a band that played shows sporadically in only one city. Their catchy choruses and melodic verses gained attention from one of the biggest labels in music right now, Epic Records. AftersigningtoEpic,Cartelstartedtoseethe fans and shows rolling in. As every member does, the band first could notwaittogethome,butafterawhile,Carteladjusted tobeingouton the road.Now,they find themselves away from homemore than half the year. Chroma was originallyreleasedin2005,butCartellaterre-released it in June of 2006.With therelease of Chroma, Cartelwascrownedthenumber one debut artist on Soundscan’s Alternative New Artist charts. In 2005, Alternative Press hailed them as “A Band YouNeedToKnow.”Withall this energyandelectricitystormedintotheirfirstCD,I’m sure Cartel will only become more

Photo by Renée Wunderlich

Many long-time 007 fans were skeptical when it was announced that DanielCraigwouldbethenewJamesBond for Casino Royale. There are a number of big names thatCraigwouldbein the shadow of, including the famous

SeanConneryandRogerMoore.Asidefrom the obvious pressure of the early Bonds, he would replace arguably one of the best Bonds ever, Pierce Bronson. ButonceagainthecreatorsoftheJamesBond series have made the successful transition from one Bond to the next. The triumphant transition is no surprise consideringthattheJamesBondserieshas lasted 25 years accumulating revenue of$4,355,700,000attheboxofficeandeven more in VHS, DVD, and merchandise sales.Craig’sBond,inCasino Royale, is much more witty than his predecessors as he lacks the fancy gadgets invented for previous Bonds. He is more of a MacGyver than the usual 007 we are accustomedtowatching.Craigusesanarsenal of arrogant remarks and clever comebacks instead of explosives. Bond 22,alsostarringDanielCraig,isalreadyset to release on Novembers 7, 2008 and looks to have more success than Casino Royale. Casino Royale is sure to be a best

Vo

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A PT Minute With...Garrett McLean

Kiersten Arnoni

What/Who is your good luck charm?

If you were stranded on a desert island, what two things would you take with you?

1. What is your favorite breakfast cereal? RiceCrispybites,buttheydon’tmakethemanymore!2. What is your most watched movie? GreenStreetHooligans.“WestHamtilIDie!”

3. What songs are you most likely to be caught singing in the shower? It’sGoin’DownbyYungJoc.4. What is your biggest fear? I’mscaredofdyinginafire.

5. If you could pick any decade, what decade would you want to live in? Iwouldwanttoliveinthe2110’s,becauseIwanttodrive aflyingcar.

1. What is your most watched movie? TheLittleMermaid.

2. What songs are you most likely to be caught singing in the shower? MyHumps!Mysisterrecordedmeonce!

3. Who is your favorite cartoon character? DashfromtheIncredibles…He’ssofast!4. What is your biggest fear? Drowning.

5. If you could pick any decade, what decade would you want to live in? Iwouldliketoliveinthe1950’s,becauseIlikethepoodle skirts,andZachAirhartsaidso.

“My lucky underwear; I’m always wearing them when good things happen.” –Marshall Smith ‘07

“My assortment of wild key chains are very lucky. The croissant is my favorite.” –Kelley Walker ‘07

“My infamous white grill cover.” –Sarah Earley ‘07

“My dog named Puppy Juice.” -Dave Searight ‘07

“Buffalo chicken dip and Tostitos tortilla chips. I’d be in heaven.” –Garrett McLean ‘07

“My iPod and my dog.” –NickSanfilippo‘07

“A bathing suit and, of course, my cell phone, if I’m not roaming.” –Leigha Krivacek ‘07

“I would take Emily Bigley on my left arm and Rachel Horensky on my right.” –ConnorTarwater‘07