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FORT WALTON BEACH — The beach restoration project on Okaloosa Island is all but dead after Commissioner bill Roberts on Tuesday said it should be dropped because it has become too divisive.

Commissioners will hold a public hearing Jan. 17 to make it official.

Roberts, historically a strong supporter of beach renourishment, said the issue, “whether fueled by fact or fiction, has created legitimate concerns.”

“It’s divided not only this chamber, but it is dividing this community,” he said. “I’m saying let’s end it for Okaloosa Island … and move on.”

With Roberts’ change of heart, the board now has a majority willing to vote down the proposed $12 million restoration project, which would add 940,000 cubic yards of sand to the 2.8-mile stretch of beach on Okaloosa Island.

Commissioners Dave Parisot and Wayne Harris voted in August against continuing the project.

At the Jan. 17 commission meeting, which will be held at the Emerald Coast Convention Center to accommodate the crowd, the board will vote on whether to repeal the ordinance authorizing the annual fees residents on Okaloosa Island and in the western part of Destin pay for beach restoration.

If the law is repealed, the fees collected under a Municipal Services Benefit Unit would be refunded with interest.

The MSBU collects about $490,000 from Okaloosa Island and $410,000 from Destin annually.  to date, the MSBU has collected about $2.7 million.

Commissioners also agreed to ask Destin to take over the permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection for the proposed $8 million beach restoration to 1.7 miles of shoreline in the west Destin area.

The county had applied for the permits for the Destin and Okaloosa Island projects at the same time in hopes of saving time and money for dredging the sand to be placed on the beaches. if the county drops the Okaloosa Island work, Destin officials would be free to complete that renourishment project on their own.

Roberts said he wants to see an end to the litigation that has entangled the county for the past several years.

Okaloosa Island residents Rebecca and David Sherry sued the county over the project, saying it would compromise the existing beach with inferior sand.

In September, an administrative law judge recommended that the DEP deny the county’s permit because the sand would be too dark and contain too many shells.

DEP Secretary Herschel Vinyard is expected to issue a final order in the case by Dec. 29.

Although he publicly backed away from beach restoration on Okaloosa Island, Roberts said he hopes the county gets the DEP permit.

“I know that statement is confusing, but when the permit is issued, it has a life of five years,” he said during the commission meeting.

If a hurricane hits the area within that time, the county would be able to react much more quickly with a permit in place, Roberts added.

Commission Chairman James Campbell voted to hold the public hearing in January, but questioned the wisdom of dropping the Okaloosa Island project. 

“when (a hurricane) happens, where is our help going to come from?” he said. 

If the DEP denies the Okaloosa Island permit, the county would not be able to restore the beach with sand from the borrow pit in the Gulf of Mexico identified in its application — even in case of an emergency, said Jim Trifilio, coastal management coordinator with the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council.

 another legal consideration is whether the permit for the Destin work would be affected by a denial of the Okaloosa Island permit. Both projects have proposed taking sand from the same borrow pit, but the administrative judge deemed the sand unfit for Okaloosa Island but permissible in Destin.

“It’s an open question at this point,” Trifilio told commissioners.

LOS ANGELES — Cliff Blezenski was initially hesitant to think of “Gears of War” as a trilogy. the design director at Epic Games and mastermind behind the chainsaw-slicing video game shooter series knew that gamers were a particularly judgmental bunch, especially when it comes to the interactive industry’s gluttonous strategy of constructing franchises from the ground up.“I think if you come out and say, `This is the start of a trilogy,’ gamers get defensive, cross their arms and say, `We’ll see,’ ” said Blezenski. “You have to play it game by game. We had ideas of where each game could go in the series, but until we had confirmation, we never really started work on a sequel, except for coming up with pie-in-the-sky ideas.”Churning out three “Gears of War” titles over the past five years paid off.“Gears of War 3” sold more than 3 million copies in its first week and was the second best-selling game in September behind “Madden NFL 12,” propelling the entire Xbox 360 series past the $1 billion mark, according to Microsoft Corp. and NPD Group, which tracks retail game sales. Microsoft also said more than 4.5 million gamers played it online since it debuted.“For some reason, three is the magic number,” said Blezinksi of the omnipresence of trilogies in pop culture. “I can’t explain it. Narratively, they make sense because you’ve got that `Lord of the Rings’ vibe where there’s a definitive beginning, middle and ending. There’s something about that contained pack-of-three that’s just incredibly gratifying.”other game developers and publishers seem to agree, too.Sequels have always been an important part of the gaming world, but with the release of “Gears of War 3” last month and games like superhero brawler “Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds,” first-person shooter “Killzone 3,” horror shoot-’em-up “F.E.A.R. 3” and alien blaster “Resistance 3” earlier this year, it seems 2011 is the year of the threequel.the trend continues this holiday season — or should that be holiday threeson? — with the arrival of such third installments as the epic action-adventure title “Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception,” bawdy open-world gang war saga “Saints Row: the Third” and explosive first-person military shooters “Battlefield 3” and “call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.”For some of this year’s threequels, the third outing is less about the story moving forward and more about the technology leaping ahead. “Battlefield 3” from developer Digital Illusions CE will be the first game to utilize the Frostbite 2 game engine, promising players more realistic graphics, fuller sound and amplified environmental destruction.“ `Battlefield 3′ is the true next-generation successor to `Battlefield 2,’ ” said DICE producer Patrick Liu. “We’re utilizing the latest technology with our new Frostbite 2 engine. It’s by far the most ambitious game we’ve ever made. It’s a bigger game with a single-player campaign, co-op and multiplayer. It’s the most pressure we’ve ever felt making a game.”Six years have passed since Electronic Arts inc. deployed “Battlefield 2” for the PC, although there have been other entries in the 9-year-old series. this time, the publisher is positioning “Battlefield 3,” which will be available for the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on Oct. 25, as a combatant to “call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” from Activision inc.the marketing campaign for “Battlefield 3” cleverly suggests that the game goes “above and beyond the call.”the original “Modern Warfare,” which was developed by Infinity Ward and released in 2007, transformed Activision’s aging “call of Duty” series into the most successful gaming franchise. “Modern Warfare 3,” which is due out Nov. 8, is expected to top the previous two installments, as well as last year’s top-selling “Black Ops” edition from Treyarch.“from a commercial standpoint, as far as `Modern Warfare 3′ is concerned, it’s a one-shot kill,” said Scott Steinberg, CEO of game consulting company TechSavvy Global. “the competition is not in a good position because millions and millions of players have been playing `Call of Duty’ online with their friends and are already hungry for the next installment.”“Modern Warfare 3,” “Gears of War 3,” “Resistance 3,” “Uncharted 3,” “Saints Row: the Third” and “Mass Effect 3” are among the threequels on the same platforms as their predecessors, a striking difference from past gaming franchises that spanned consoles. Steinberg blames a combination of the economy and “dumb luck” for the one-two-three punch.“Traditionally, you don’t see three iterations of a series on the same console because previous sales cycles and technical evolutions have moved more quickly,” said Steinberg. “In the past, publishers used console launches as a reboot point for new installments. this longer cycle has given developers the chance to eek more horsepower out of the systems.”Steinberg thinks the third time on the same platform will ultimately charm gamers because developers have honed both their technical talents and storytelling skills without the burden of figuring out how to create games for a completely new system, an issue developers tackled when transitioning from such consoles as the Xbox to Xbox 360 and the PS2 to PS3.“When you’ve got a stable technology platform underneath you, it’s nice because you can focus on design elements and storytelling aspects,” said Aaryn Flynn, general manager at developer BioWare. “I think anyone who has developed multiple games on these platforms is doing what we’re doing — honing their craft and getting better and better each time.”Flynn and his colleagues at BioWare are currently preparing for the launch of “Mass Effect 3” next March. the third chapter of the intergalactic sci-fi saga centers on the ominous alien Reapers invading Earth. Flynn said the trilogy, which features a highly customizable protagonist named Commander Shepard, was always envisioned as a three-part series.“certainly, when we first imagined ‘Mass Effect’ as a story for Commander Shepard, we did think of it as a trilogy,” said Flynn. “that said, we’ve made tweaks and adjustments all the way along as we’ve heard from fans what they want to see, but certainly the story has been building to the Reaper invasion and to Shepard’s ultimate battle against them.”In addition to “Mass Effect 3,” other threequels expected in 2012 include Ubisoft’s open-world shooter “far Cry 3,” Blizzard’s fantasy title “Diablo III” and Rockstar Games’ third-person shooter “Max Payne 3.” As long-running franchises like “Super Mario,” “Final Fantasy” and “Resident Evil” have proven, the third time out doesn’t always mark the end.“When it comes to video games, never say never,” said Steinberg. “Players aren’t dense. they realize that as long as there is interest left in a franchise, it will make an inevitable return. There’s usually so many holes left open in a plot, that it’s of no consequence when you reach the end of a trilogy. there are a thousand other stories that can be told.”Online:“Gears of War 3”: gearsofwar.xbox.com/“Mass Effect 3”: masseffect.bioware.com/“Saints Row: the Third”: saintsrow.com/“Battlefield 3”: battlefield.com/battlefield3/“call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3”: callofduty.com/mw3/“Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception:” naughtydog.com/games/uncharted/  

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Street fashion in Japan has influenced Gwen Stefani’s music, dance, and her fashion lines L.a.M.B and Harajuku Lovers — so it was only a matter of time before the mom of two brought her style to a children’s fashion line. Harajuku Mini, Stefani’s collection of Japanese and rock ’n’ roll-inspired children’s clothes, will be on sale in Target stores Sunday. (via Target.com)

The collection for kids age 6 months to 13 years old is a mix of anime-creature cuteness and punk rock. for girls, there are polka-dot dresses and frilly tutus, topped with a black motorcycle jacket. Boys’ offerings are similar to how Stefani dresses her own sons, Kingston and Zuma — in graphic tees and graffiti-inspired hoodies. a unisex hoodie for toddlers has bear ears atop the hood.

Harajuku Mini’s look is only loosely inspired by actual Harajuku fashion, named after the area near the Harajuku train station in Tokyo where fashionable young people parade around in highly unique outfits. Styles in Harajuku include gothic Lolita, visual kei, and cosplay.

Just because Stefani’s designs are pint-sized, it doesn’t mean that petite adults can’t wear them too. the New York Times recently reported that grown-up women are purchasing designer clothes intended for kids. Stella McCartney’s child-size military jacket, designed for Gap Kids, is in French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy’s closet. Broadway singer Kristin Chenoweth also shops in the kids’ section.

Target’s last highly successful collaboration was with Missoni, which sold out in minutes and crashed the store’s website. the store’s next adult fashion collaboration will be with Jason Wu, a favorite designer of Michelle Obama. Obama herself was seen shopping in Target in September. Also on the horizon for fans of low-priced designer wares: Doo-Ri Chung, another favorite designer of Obama’s, will design for Macy’s.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011 12:00 AM | Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend | Comments Florida coach will Muschamp reacts in the fourth quarter of a 17-6 loss to Auburn in their NCAA college football game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach will Muschamp is cleaning up his act.

Well, at least his language.

Muschamp apologized Tuesday for his colorful words that were caught by television cameras during his team’s 17-6 loss at Auburn last week. But the emotional first-year coach said he has no plans to temper his sideline antics.

“just the language,” Muschamp said. “It’s hard when you’ve got a 6-year-old and a 10-year-old at home and you’ve got to go home and explain to them what you said. so that’s not good and that’s not how we’re going to run our program. That’s it. Again, as far as the sideline stuff’s concerned, we’re going to be who we are. I’m just apologizing for the language, nothing else.”

Muschamp lost his temper several times during the game — all season really — and at least two rants were picked up clearly by sideline microphones.

the most notable one came when running back Chris Rainey muffed a punt in the first quarter. Replays seemed to show an Auburn player interfering with Rainey just before the catch. Muschamp screamed at officials, had to be restrained by an assistant and even called timeout to yell some more.

Cameras stayed on him throughout his salty tirade.

“That’s not something that’s going to be tolerated here at the University of Florida, first of all, by me and our program,” Muschamp said. “That’s certainly not representative of what this program and this university is about.”

Muschamp is as fiery as any coach in the country. Nicknamed “Coach Boom” while he was defensive coordinator at Auburn, Muschamp brings as much energy to the sideline as anyone in uniform.

he jumps up and down with every big play, exchanges hugs, high-fives and chest bumps, and hasn’t been shy about sharing his opinion with officials. If he were a basketball or baseball coach, he already would have been ejected this season.

His emotions are as visible as Florida’s bright orange helmets. the guys in pinstripes aren’t the only ones to feel his wrath, either.

Muschamp barks at his players and assistant coaches. he was caught on camera having words with special teams coordinator D.J. Durkin two weeks ago at LSU after the Gators allowed a first down on a fake punt.

Even though many of Florida’s players were never yelled at as high school stars, they insist they enjoy seeing Muschamp’s passionate outbursts, red-faced screams and emphatic celebrations.

Muschamp said he doesn’t believe his demeanor has any negative impact on the team.

“I don’t think it hurts anything, I can tell you that,” Muschamp said. “That’s going to be who I am. That’s what I said from the beginning.”

In a few short years, what is taking over R&D labs across the globe will be ready for public consumption, and two companies are already building a bulkhead in this potentially huge sector, says Michael Murphy of New World Investor.

When I first started programming computers, they were mainframes sitting in special air-conditioned rooms with raised floors. if a user wanted something done—a new project, a small change to a report—they put in a request. in a few months, they might get what they wanted.

Then, in 1969 some folks in Palo Alto started Allen-Babcock Computing. They took a soldering iron to an IBM 360/67 and made it a timesharing machine, selling time for $10 an hour.

I signed up, bought a ten-characters-per-second terminal (a Datel, I think), and started doing quick turnaround projects for the investment department of American Express.

As soon as Tandy brought out the TRS-100 laptop, I bought one of those—still have it somewhere. and, of course, as soon as the Apple II came out I got one of those. later, I bought an early IBM PC—$3,000 for the computer, $3,000 for a ten-megabyte Seagate hard drive.

I was only a little ahead of the whole world, as the personal computer completely changed the way almost everyone works and plays. then came the Internet, and in 1987 I signed on with Portal Information Network, later to become Portal Software. it was the next great revolution in personal computing and communications.

Today, we have smartphones, tablets, streaming music and video, iTunes and its competitors, billions of Internet users, Facebook, Twitter…on and on and on. that first idea at Allen-Babcock of giving people direct access to computing power has morphed into the biggest MegaShift of all time.

And now I think I’ve found the next big thing. it is going to shake the foundations of mass production. it has the potential to make the US a manufacturing powerhouse again, when combined with robotics.

(When you have a robotic production line, there is no labor cost advantage to producing in low-wage countries. When you can produce custom products tailored to the customer’s exact wants at no extra expense, the advantages of mass production go away.)

To be clear, we are not there yet. But we are going there. I am referring to 3D printing of products, also known as additive manufacturing.

As the price of these printers falls, they are going to be in every R&D facility, then in every college, then in every high school, and eventually in every home. Like computers, people won’t remember how they got along without them. it is the 3D MegaShift.

Now imagine that as a sub-$500 printer that is extremely easy to set up and use, and you can see where we will be in about 2020 or 2025. Today, 3D printers are mainly used for rapid prototyping. Building a model of a new Nike shoe takes weeks and thousands of dollars by hand. with a 3D printer, it takes an hour and a half, and costs $50.

But while less than 20% of the output of 3D printers is actual final products today, the market research firm Wohlers says it will be over 50% by 2020. I think they are low.

This is an early-stage technology in the sense that there are many ways to do 3D printing. We’re about at the point where cars were powered by gasoline, steam, and electricity.

Some companies rely on nanotechnology, others on laser sintering, some like the above video on digital light processing of plastic powders, and some on other technologies. But they all work by depositing thin layer after thin layer of material in a series of passes to build an object from the ground up.

Instead of molding or using a specific cutting tool, the general-purpose printer can build objects of almost any shape and material strength. Like the general-purpose personal computer, it can do a wide variety of jobs and easily switch from one to the next.

It also doesn’t have to 3D print something until someone buys it. a manufacturer who invents a new gadget, or a jeweler, artist, or craftsman can create a design, print one to test it, and upload the computer code to a digital fabricator. the product is made after someone buys it. this is not just-in-time inventory control, it is just-in-time manufacturing.

When nearly every home has a 3D printer, a manufacturer can simply e-mail the code for a replacement part—no need to sit with a broken appliance until UPS gets there.

That’s the pie in the sky. Today, 3D printing was a $1.34 billion business in 2010, up 24% from 2009. it should hit $1.6 billion this year, and according to Wohlers, will hit $3.1 billion in 2016 and $5.2 billion in 2020. Again, I think they are way low on the 2020 forecast.

Last Updated: October 16. 2011 9:37PM NFL: Sunday’s notebook Associated Press

East Rutherford, N.J.— For a change, the Giants didn’t have to rely solely on Eli Manning’s arm. They are heading into the bye week with hope, now that they’ve found a running game.

Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 104 yards and three touchdowns and Lawrence Tynes kicked a go-ahead 23-yard field goal with 1:32 remaining to give the Giants a 27-24 victory over the Bills on Sunday.

The win sent the Giants (4-2) into their vacation in first place in the NFC East, but knowing they have games against New England, San Francisco, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Green Bay and the Jets in their final 10-game stretch.

“This is a huge win for us,” guard David Diehl said. “Coming into this game, we had a lot of things on our minds, with No. 1 being getting the run game going. Ahmad had a huge game for us, over 100 yards, three touchdowns and he ran hard all game. the other thing was we constantly said all week we can’t turn the ball over against this team. this was a team scoring 14 points a game off turnovers. we wanted to control the ball.”

New York was perfect on both fronts.

Bradshaw become the first Giants’ back to gain 100 yards this season, scoring each time from a yard out. his 30-yard run on a little misdirecton play — three plays after Corey Webster’s second interception of the game — set up Tynes’ winner and allowed the Giants to rebound from a bad loss to Seattle.

“Anytime I have a chance, I want to put the team on the back and make plays, and that’s what I plan to do anytime I do get a shot,” said Bradshaw, who had career-high 88-yard TD run against Buffalo in their last meeting in 2007, sealing a playoff spot in a season New York won the Super Bowl. “We worked hard all week and we were successful today.”

A big part of the success has to go to Manning. He loosened up the defense, completing 21 of 32 for 292 yards and no interceptions against the ballhawking Bills, who came in with 12 interceptions and a league-best plus-11 on turnovers.

New York had no turnovers.

“We feel we’re in a good spot, and we made progress offensively,” Manning said. “We can’t afford to make mistakes like we did last week, and the guys took that to heart.”

Ryan Fitzpatrick was 21 of 30 for 244 yards and threw touchdown passes of 60 yards to Naaman Roosevelt and 9 yards to Stevie Johnson.

However, Fitzpatrick had the only two turnovers in the game and his final attempt was batted down by Jason Pierre-Paul on a fourth-and-5 from the Bills 25 to preserve the win.

“This is one of the hardest parts of playing quarterback, when you don’t get the job done,” Fitzpatrick said.

Old Raiders hands are giving advice

Mark Davis , the son of Raiders owner Al Davis , who died earlier this month, has been seeking advice and guidance from former Raiders coach John Madden , and former Raiders executives Ron Wolf and Ken Herock , ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.

Al Davis had previously talked about bringing Madden back to the franchise to help his son run the team, but the Hall of Fame coach told the New York Times last week that Al Davis never actually asked him to return to the organization.

Packers LB Hawk sorry for obscene gesture

Packers LB A.J. Hawk apologized for making an obscene hand gesture during Sunday’s victory over the Rams.

Hawk made the gesture toward the Packers sideline after sacking Rams QB Sam Bradford in the second quarter. Hawk called it a “running joke” with some of his teammates and said it “wasn’t meant to get out there, for people to see.”

The gesture apparently made it on television, and screen shots were almost immediately circulated on social media Web sites such as Twitter.

Hawk said he hoped to avoid a fine from the NFL, and promised not to do it again.

Deion Sanders accepts Hall of Fame ring

Deion Sanders returned to the city he called his NFL home to accept his Pro Football Hall of Fame ring on Sunday.

Sanders, who placed his ubiquitous do-rag on his hall bust at his ceremony in Canton, Ohio on Aug. 6, still had the red cloth on the bust at halftime of the Falcons’ game against Carolina.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank noted Sanders became the first Atlanta player in the hall and said Sanders’ body of work represented “the very best” of the NFL.

Sanders asked fans “What time is it?” the fans responded “Prime Time!”

Newton has unhappy return to Atlanta

The last time Cam Newton was in the Georgia Dome, he accounted for six touchdowns and won the Southeastern Conference title with Auburn.

Newton, who grew up just a few miles south of the Georgia Dome, threw for 237 yards and had a 14-yard touchdown run. He even celebrated with Deion Sanders ‘ high-step dance in the end zone.

But Newton was in no mood after the 31-17 loss to talk about dancing.

“It’s excitement,” Newton said. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

Colts are finding new ways to lose

The question for the Colts is how low they will go. They’re 0-6 for only the fifth time in franchise history,

“It’s not a lot of fun,” kicker Adam Vinatieri said.

Cornerback Nate Clements blocked Vinatieri’s late field goal try that would have tied the game, and Carlos Dunlap returned a fumble 35 yards for the clinching score for the Bengals with 2:22 to go.

Former Packer beat on 93-yard TD pass

Former Packers cornerback Al Harris wound up on the losing end of the biggest play in the Rams’ 24-3 loss to the Packers.

Harris bit on a route by Jordy Nelson in the second quarter and Aaron Rodgers delivered an easy throw that turned into a 93-yard touchdown.

“I am at a loss for words,” Harris said.

Raider Nation pays tribute to Al Davis

Every facet of the silver and black stood together one last time to honor Raider Nation’s deceased king, Al Davis .

Fans decked out in spikes, war paint and bandanas. former players and coaches gathered in suits and sweats. Rappers Ice Cube and MC Hammer stood along the sideline in traditional Raiders garb.

All stood united at the Oakland Coliseum again to pay tribute to the late owner with a simple two-letter message supplanted on the Raiders shield: “AL.”

“We’re just delighted at the way everybody has come together to honor him. whether to say he was a great man or wasn’t a great man, the turnout says it all,” Davis’ older brother, Jerry , told the Associated Press.

A video presentation of Davis’ life began playing 20 minutes before kickoff and continued throughout the game against the Browns, the first at home since Davis died Oct. 8 of an undisclosed illness. a moment of silence was held before former Raiders offensive lineman Henry Lawrence sang the national anthem.

As former Raiders gathered around the symbol of the shield painted at midfield during the halftime celebration, Hall of Fame coach John Madden lit a caldron in an upper corner of the stadium. the public address announcer said the fire will “burn forever” for fans to remember Davis.

Saints’ Payton suffers, broken leg, torn MCL

New Orleans coach Sean Payton tore the MCL and fractured the tibia in his left leg following a collision on the sideline of the Saints game with the Buccaneers.

Payton got his leg caught underneath Saints tight end Jimmy Graham when he was tackled by a Bucs defender early in the first quarter.

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The big ten is becoming a league of haves and have-nots: those with established quarterbacks generally win. those without usually struggle.

Yes, the conference once known for its rugged, black-and-blue image is evolving like most other college conferences into a quarterback-driven league.

“Don’t want to play three quarterbacks, don’t want revolving doors, don’t want two (quarterbacks),” said Indiana coach Kevin Wilson, who has used three different players behind center this season.

While the philosophies differ from school to school, the difference between picking one quarterback and juggling others has produced stark contrasts.

Of the five big ten schools ranked this week — no. 4 Wisconsin, no. 11 Michigan, no. 14 Nebraska, no. 16 Illinois and no. 23 Michigan State — each has a named starter without controversy at football’s highest-profile position. Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois are all unbeaten, too.

The five schools using more than one quarterback extensively because of choice or injuries — Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue — have a combined record of 13-16. And Penn State (5-1, 2-0), the most successful team in the group, has 29 total points in two big ten wins.

Joe Paterno, college football’s winningest coach, doesn’t care as long as the rotation between Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden is working.

“We’re getting much more out of it,” the Nittany Lions coach said Tuesday. “I think both of them deserve to play. It’s hard for me to tell you which one would be better, but right now, I’m satisfied with the way the two kids have played.”

Still, the overall evidence backs up the adage that if you have two quarterbacks you don’t have one.

With Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson splitting snaps at Michigan the past two years, the Wolverines were 12-13. This year, under new coach Brady Hoke and a full-time starter in Robinson, they’re 5-0.

What’s changed? Robinson has had more time to work with the starters and develop his skills.

“I think the understanding of the offense, the more completeness of managing the offense has been better,” Hoke said. “From a throwing-game perspective, we’ve made a few bad decisions, but overall I think he’s done a tremendous job.”

Ohio State’s struggles also illustrate the point.

From 2005 through 2010, the Buckeyes won or shared every big ten football title. Only once during that span, briefly in 2008, was there a quarterback controversy. Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith was the full-time starter in 2005 and 2006, Todd Boeckman was the guy in 2007 and after Terrelle Pryor wrested the job away from Boeckman as a freshman, it was Pryor’s until he left school earlier this year.

This season, Joe Bauserman has taken 105 snaps and Braxton Miller 95. the Buckeyes head into the second half of the season at 3-3 (0-2 big Ten), their conference-title streak in serious jeopardy.

Things could be changing soon in Columbus. Miller picked apart Nebraska’s defense for three quarters Saturday, but the offense struggled when Miller hurt his ankle. if he’s healthy, coach Luke Fickell just might use Miller more often.

“I think you saw him play with a lot more confidence,” Fickell said, referring to Saturday’s game. “He can throw the football, he understands the game of football and he’s getting better every week.”

The problem at other schools is that the quarterback carousel continues to spin.

Minnesota (1-5, 0-2) started freshman Max Shortell the last two weeks because starter MarQueis Gray was slowed by a toe injury. the Golden Gophers lost those games by a combined score of 103-17.

Injuries have forced Purdue and Indiana to juggle lineups, too.

The Boilermakers lost projected starter Rob Henry with a torn ACL in August, then started Caleb TerBush because last year’s starter, Robert Marve, was not fully recovered from last year’s season-ending knee injury. Now that Marve is back, coach Danny Hope must determine who gives Purdue (3-2, 1-0) the best chance of beating Penn State on Saturday.

At Indiana, the mastermind of Oklahoma’s high-scoring offense is still searching for answers, too. Wilson gave Ed Wright-Baker the starting job on opening day. when he sprained an ankle, Dusty Kiel stepped in for two starts and now Kiel is hurt. That opened the door for freshman Tre Roberson last week, though it appears Wright-Baker will start this weekend when the Hoosiers (1-5, 0-2) visit no. 4 Wisconsin.

But Wilson needs more out of his offense, and, like the other struggling conference teams, more consistent play from the cadre of quarterbacks.

“We still play the game with a little too much doubt, and that’s what we’re trying to sew up,” Wilson said. “That’s our short-term fix, those are things we control, and again our kids are doing it. they are doing reasonable, positive things through the week in practice, but we need some game success. we need some guys to click in on Saturday, realize it’s not that hard.”

Sore Paterno’s sole focus on Purdue, not future

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — a near-miss on the Penn State sideline left Joe Paterno sore, though this latest physical setback hasn’t left the Hall of Fame head coach thinking about his future. another four, five years on the job? hardly.

“I’m thinking about Purdue, I’m not worried about anything else right now … I’m not worried about it,” the 84-year-old Paterno said Tuesday when asked if his most recent set of aches and pains had him mulling the future.

“Who knows,” Paterno added with a straight face, “maybe I’ll go 10 years.”

Just another year of coaching intrigue at Penn State (5-1, 2-0 big Ten).

Paterno’s contract is up this season, though he has offered no hints he’s pondering retirement. And both Paterno and the administration have said a man who’s held his job a record 46 seasons doesn’t necessarily need something in writing to keep it.

“That’s newspaper talk and media and fans,” Paterno said about speculation. “But I feel too good for me to be thinking about that. other than the leg … hurting, I feel great.”

Major college football’s winningest coach is two wins away from Eddie Robinson, who had 408 at Grambling State for second among coaches in all divisions. John Gagliardi, still active at Division III St. John’s, Minn., leads with 480.

In late July at big ten media day, Paterno said he felt he could go at least another four years — a standard response he’s offered for decades to the retirement question.

On Aug. 7, Paterno suffered his latest ailments when 155-pound receiver Devon Smith accidentally ran into him in preseason drills. Paterno spent more than a day in the hospital treated for pelvis and right shoulder injuries.

Paterno gradually recovered and finally shed his cane the last few weeks as he returned to the sideline for at least the first halves of contests before going to the press box after halftime. JoePa said he was finally ready to spend a full afternoon on the field for last week’s 13-3 win over Iowa when a Hawkeye nearly ran into him.

Two of Paterno’s players quickly grabbed the coach and whisked him back, but that left his right leg sore. Fearing he would be a distraction, Paterno retreated back upstairs after halftime.

“The darn right leg,” Paterno said before grunting. “It’s still sore. So I went backwards a couple days, so I was scared to death to stay down there the second because I would be in the way.”

Paterno walks at practice and remains active, safety Nick Sukay said. at times, players will hear Paterno barking out directions with his shrill voice while monitoring from a golf cart.

“He’s still actively yelling from the cart,” Sukay said Tuesday. “Even when he’s not on the field, there’s no difference.”

The notoriously stubborn Paterno’s goal is still to spend a full game on the sideline — he’s called the press box view alongside his assistants “for the birds.” He’s also trying to stay off pain medication.

“I think as long as I can move around and nobody is worried about me, I can be helpful downstairs,” Paterno said. “If I feel I can move around, and I can go find (assistant coach Mike) McQueary and yell at him in a hurry, then I’m OK.”

Wherever Paterno was Saturday, the defense didn’t miss a beat against Iowa.

Fourth in the nation in total defense (250.8 yards per game) and fifth in scoring (10.5 points), Linebacker U. will likely get cornerback Stephon Morris (left ankle) back for this weekend’s homecoming game against Purdue.

Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said last week he expected another injured defensive back, D’Anton Lynn back after missing two weeks with a concussion, though Paterno wasn’t as optimistic Tuesday.

Doctors were being cautious with Lynn, the team’s top corner, as well as backup tailback Brandon Beachum.

“I’ve really been needling the medical people, ‘Let’s get them doing some things,’” Paterno said. “I doubt if either one will play this week.”

At quarterback, expect Penn State to play both Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin again. Bolden has started all six games, but McGloin has the better statistics.

Bolden is 42 of 92 passing for 486 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions, while McGloin is 56 of 95 for 758 yards, with five TDs and one pick.

Paterno said the Nittany Lions have the luxury of two quarterbacks in whom the coaches have confidence.

“It would be nice if we could get to the point when we’re going to play one, but I’m not going to do it just to do it,” he said. “I’m not going to second-guess myself on that one.”

Iowa looks to end Northwestern’s dominance

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Whether it was luck, talent or both, Iowa used to own Penn State.

Posted 08/18/2009 at 7:41pm | by Francesca Reyes

Why won’t Joker just freakin’ abandon ship? Commander Shepard is barking out orders that direct everyone to evacuate a clearly besieged Normandy. In fact, stuff is going nuts — panels are short-circuiting in the long corridors, crew members are scuttling around in a state of panic — but for some reason, your trusty pilot is being a pain in the backside by steadfastly refusing to follow his peers to the escape pods. as captain, now’s your time to shine…

With project director Casey Hudson cooing background information and highlights, our attention is completely focused on what’s going on onscreen in front of us. Shepard dashes down the hallways, dodging floating debris wrenched loose by attacking enemy ships. Dramatic camera angles spotlight the chaos going on both inside and outside the Normandy. and when you’re finally able to confront Joker at the ship’s main controls? He’s still not ready to give up his station and claims he wants to go down with the ship. Oh, please. a very, very stern order or two later, and he’s sent packing to the nearest escape pod, leaving you to try to salvage control, attempt to fight back against the enemy, and ensure that the rest of the stragglers are safely jettisoned from the deteriorating ship.

But what happens next, we absolutely didn’t see coming.

Decked out in a leaky, space-walking atmosphere suit, Shepard’s attempts to stave off impending doom are met with…failure. After a few more harrowing moments, you’re tossed straight out of the ship and into the black of zero-G space, where Shepard convulses and…dies. Yikes. Hudson chimes in with an ominous word of warning that yes, death is something that’s very real and can happen if you don’t consider the consequences of your conversations and actions. Case in point, if you didn’t earn enough trust from Joker before the Normandy is attacked, you may want to consider investing in a better space helmet.

While we’re not entirely sure when this scenario plays out in the game and we’re not completely sure that Shepard was 100 percent down for the count from the demo we saw — you can count on one thing. We’re going to jockey to be first in line to find out.

LEWISTON — as the dance floor shook, Nick Knowlton reassured the party-goers.

“This is a parking garage and it’s designed to move like this,” said Knowlton, master of ceremonies at Saturday night’s Dance Party Under the Stars. “Don’t worry. you weigh a lot less than the cars that are normally here.”

No one looked worried. they just kept dancing as the sun set over Auburn and Knowlton spun the records.

The party, a fundraiser for the Franco-American Heritage Center and Museum L-A, was a big hit. Museum L-A Executive Director Rachel Desgrosseilliers, one of the organizers, was gleeful. Organizers pre-sold 625 tickets and were expecting 750 people to attend the party on the top deck of the new Lincoln Street Parking Garage. 

“I had people say it was like New York City,” Desgrosseilliers said. “I say better than New York! I know some people were skeptical about a party like this here. but they’re going to be sorry they missed it tomorrow morning.”

Golf carts ferried the guests from the garage entrance to the table-filled top deck, with bar stations and food prepared by Lewiston Regional Technical Center’s Green Ladle on either end and Knowlton and his sound system in the center. Knowlton later gave way to singer Carter Veilleux, who performed an anti-bullying song, “This is My Prayer.”

Knowlton retook the stage with the L-A Lads to perform a medley of Beatles songs, and then with local favorites, the Rockin’ Recons.

It was exactly as sponsor Dick Courtemanche, of Lewiston’s Modern Woodman of America, imagined.

“I was on top of that garage and I saw what a view we have,” he said. “It seemed a shame not to share it.”

Courtemanche said he was inspired by a similar dance party in  in Naples, Fla., last year.

“It seemed like a perfect way to bring people together,” he said.

The party was as much about downtown views and the Twin Cities growth as it was about dancing for the sponsors. Desgrosseilliers lined the side of the garage with historic photographs of the area, putting them where spectators could compare the way the area looked with the way it appears today.

But most of the people just came to celebrate with friends under a beautiful summer night sky.

“This is a perfect spot for this,” said Flo Roux of Central Avenue. “It’s very nice, and I think it’s great for L-A.”

It’s a curious twist in the history of America’s recent conflicts. while the Iraq war at its peak involved more troops than the Afghan war — and while far more American troops gave their lives in Iraq than have so far died in Afghanistan — neither President George W. Bush nor President Obama ever draped the medal around the neck of a service member being honored for gallantry in battle in Iraq.

Four U.S. servicemen did receive the medal for service in that conflict, but posthumously.

The absence of official recognition for a living soldier may raise some questions about the decision-making process in Washington. But there is at least one plausible explanation.

In Afghanistan, much of the fighting takes place in remote areas — and, in fact, all three of the living Medal of Honor recipients from the Afghan war have received the citation for action in mountainous regions along the border with Pakistan.

In some of those regions, the tough terrain makes it easier for the enemy to mass on U.S. forces, and the vast distances make it harder for attack helicopters to get into place. Intense firefights can stretch on for 45 minutes to an hour before helicopter support can arrive.

The result is that U.S. troops in Afghanistan have seen more situations in which small groups of personnel have found themselves caught in harrowing battles — without air support — and have been forced to make life-and-death decisions. in some of those battles, the troops who exhibited heroism have come out alive.

Such was the case with the three Afghan veterans selected so far to receive the Medal of Honor: Marine Cpl. Dakota Meyer, Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta and Army Sgt 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry. (Overall, six U.S. servicemen from the Afghan war have been awarded the Medal of Honor.)

Of the four in Iraq to receive the medal posthumously, three died while throwing themselves onto live grenades to protect their comrades.

None of that is to detract from the heroism displayed by the troops in Iraq, or the terrifying conditions of battle there. But the conflict in Iraq was always more urban in nature. the kinds of firefights that have become common in Afghanistan just didn’t happen with the same frequency in Iraq.