We’ve all been through so much together. You’ve been there to cheer me on during my many feuds. You’ve all been there to high-five me after my many conquests with my many past crushes. You’ve all been there to give me a shoulder to cry on the multiple occasions where Harvard let me down after giving me so much hope. Through all of these trials and tribulations, I’ve come to think of us as a family. And as the patriarch (or matriarch) of this family of ours, it’s time for us to sit together in the living room, and discuss how we have to go our separate ways.
This past year, I know I’ve been distant. We were once intimate on a weekly basis. But weekly become monthly, monthly became quarterly, and quarterly became virtually non-existent. You became tempted by someone new. You started laughing at his jokes more than mine. You felt what he had to say was more important than what I had to say. But I don’t blame you, you were just filling the void I caused by my absence. You have your needs just like I have mine.
But listen to me just one last time. After today, this little dance of ours is over. I don’t care who you replace me with. I don’t care how much you beg for me to come back. All I care about is putting everything on the table once and for all.
If I may speak freely, I have to admit that I am a little bitter how easily you’ve tried to replace me. You’re so easily distracted by all of the posers who have come flirting and promising what I once gave you. The most recent instance was the most offensive of all. Ms. Prognosticator, my lovechild with someone I will only refer to as “M.L.N,” has lived up to her bastard status with her bastardized version of what I don’t want to refer to as a column. But let’s be clear, the reason that punk kid will never see a dime of child support money is because the apple has fallen very far from the tree.
Let’s move on to your greatest fling: Andrew Bennett Lias. If I have to sit through another regurgitation of uneducated opinions, recitation of information that can be found on The AMTA’s website, and blatant propagandizing of all-things related to NYU, I will move back to South Dakota where the Internet has yet to catch on.
Now, before you begin to blame me for your wandering eye, let me be clear about this: I only drifted away because you stopped talking to me. You stopped telling me stories about your weekend rendezvous. You stopped telling me about what you heard from everyone else. You stopped telling me how you felt about everything. Come to think of it, you are to blame.
So just like Michael Jackson, This Is It.
* * *
THE FINAL FABULOUS FIFTY
This is an interesting year in The AMTA. For the first time in a few years, a lot of the top teams seem to be stronger than in years past. There are an abundance of elite programs that did not lose very much from last year, giving us a group of about seven teams that could realistically win the national title, and another seven teams that could come close. Now, these rankings reflect the likelihood of a given program from winning the national title this year. It does not necessarily reflect who has had the most impressive season to date. Let’s get on to the last set of definitive rankings this space will ever see:
1. UCLA – This looks to be the year that the Wizards of Westwood return to national preeminence. The Bruins are fully stocked at both attorney and witness positions. The bring back All-American Peter Fuller, who looks to be adding attorney hardware to his sizeable witness award collection, making him the best attorney-witness performer in the country. Throw in Stephen Mayer, Michael Kelso, and returning All-American witnesses Lindsey Cerny and Jordan Joske give UCLA the best combination of talent and experience in the country. But they still have to be held accountable to key defeats at the hands of UC-Berkeley, UC-Irvine, and Richmond. Nonetheless, they are the favorites for the Prognosticator National Championship Trophy.
2. VIRGINIA – If this space was reserved for rewarding past behavior, the Cavaliers would be loftily sitting atop these rankings. But alas, we are ordering teams by their likelihood of winning the National Champion and not just for how a team has fared in competition to this point. I have to be honest, I was very skeptical about Virginia from the beginning of the season: they lost Shikha Gupta to graduation, as well as Prog-fave Michelle Chmielewski to attrition. But Paul Wiley and Juliana Yee wouldn’t let this team slide, winning more invitationals than any other team in the country. Virginia also boasts star witness Marcy Coburn, the return of Rohan Sebastian, and budding star Ben Wallace, which is plenty enough a reason why I am a big believer in this Charlottesville clan.
3. IOWA – Had I been writing this column in the beginning of the academic year, instead of negotiating my way to a Sotomayor confirmation for the Obama administration, I would have proclaimed the Hawkeyes the team to beat for the year. But inconsistency and dropped ballots in the big invitationals have colored me skeptical. This is what I am sure of though: Iowa has a great collection of experienced talent. All-American Ravi Narayan is the most underrated attorney in the country, yet teammate Garrett Burrell may be even better. The key to Iowa, however, is Kaitlyn Evans, a dual threat as an attorney and witness. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the kids from Iowa City in the Championship Round, though they must overcome their Achilles Heel: witnesses.
4. MIAMI – The testosterone is running rampant in Oxford, as the male-dominated RedHawks are a legitimate threat to beat anyone this year. The problem with Miami, however, is that they are prone to splitting ballots against other top competition. They are led by the frontrunner for the season MVP award, Konstandinos “Gus” Lazares, who is a threat to finish atop the attorney rankings against anyone in the country. All-American Tommy Jeffcott, who has flashes of brilliance but can be too abrasive for his own good, and Kevin Harrison join Lazares to form a formidable counsel table. On the witness side of things, Alex Bluebond and Pavel Gurevich will keep things close against anyone. Overall, Miami will be an opponent nobody wants to face, but it is unlikely a division winner will face them in the title round.
5. NORTHWOOD – They return nearly everyone from a National Championship team, but the one loss, Lou Danner, is immeasurable. Not only was he an All-American witness, but he was the heart and soul of the team. But don’t cry for the boys from Midland. The Timberwolves just happen to boast the best attorney in the country in Jonathan Hartsfield, who is joined at counsel table by William Freeland and Ariel Lett. It also doesn’t hurt to have another All-American witness, Bryce Rucker, waiting in the wings. But keep your eye out for Dale Torbert and Kofi Oyuku, who are probably more talented than most of their “A” team counterparts. You can never count this team out, but a back-to-back championship will prove too difficult to produce.
6. NYU – For most programs, losing Justin Mataresse, All-American Shoyeb Siddique, and All-American Michael Griffin would spell disaster. Not so for the Fighting Violets. They still have the single biggest show-stopper in the country in All-American Co’Relous Bryant, along with program president Amanda Tuminelli anchoring a team hoping to finally break their streak of National Championship disappointments. The Manhattan bunch have to be feeling confident after a strong fourth place finish at the Downtown, complete with Bryant being named as the Prosecution Closing All-Star. Ultimately, though, the Violets just don’t have much when you get past Bryant and Tuminelli. Hopefully they can stomach another heartbreaker in Memphis and settle for another stellar, yet disappointing, Top 10 finish.
7. GEORGE WASHINGTON – Having lost El Presidente, player-coach Andrew Blackwell, the Colonials are without their unquestioned leader from their back-to-back runner-up years. This year, they will try to make do with returners Jacob Chervinsky and Kevin Homiak, which is nothing to scoff at. At the end of the day, however, the dudes from the District will provide headaches to any opponent, their lack of witness strength and distinct Northeast style will prevent them from losing in the final round three years in a row.
8. FURMAN – The Palladins have moved up quite a bit in the rankings following their winning the premiere invitational in the country. But don't expect similar success from this Greenville Gang at the national level. And this has nothing to do with the all-powerful Furman jinx. The top attorneys, Meredith Dempsey and All-American Katherine Myers, are top-notch, but will get trounced by other attorneys in the top twelve. On the witness side of things, this crop doesn't compare to witnesses of Furman's past. I expect to see this team top out at 5-3 at the gold level.
9. RICHMOND – Somebody needed to tell Bill Cable that “break a leg” is an old acting expression, not to be taken literally. Assuming he can rehab before ORCs and Golds, Richmond should be in position to challenge the best of the best. Along with the Cable Guy, Katy Groover and Taylor Larson lead a Richmond crew that always seems to rise up against powerhouse teams (e.g., NYU in Des Moines last year, UCLA at the Bellarmine Bloodbath this season, and Harvard at this year’s Downtown). Consistency still evades this team, however, so don’t expect the Spiders to crawl their way into the fifth round.
10. UC-BERKELEY – The Golden Bears have staked their claim to the Bruins’ throne as the kings of the west coast. With their double-ballot win against UCLA and their 8-0, first place finish at the UCLA Invite, the game was on. The Bears boast a trio of talented, veteran attorneys, which include Max Bernstein, Jay Sathe, and Prog-heartthrob Kimya Saied. Aside from Martin Fukui, the Berkeley bunch just does not have the razzle-dazzle on the witness stand to make the big boys nervous. Anything above 5-3 at Nationals would defy my expectations.
11. MICHIGAN – The Wolverines are red hot! Following a surprisingly strong finish at the Downtown, they followed it up with a first and second place finish at Cornell’s BRIC. Brian Yagi, the back-to-back winner of the Prog “Nice Guy” Award, spearheads an Ann Arbor bunch looking to ride their recent winning streak all the way to the fifth round in Memphis. Don’t hold your breath, though. Much like a torrid love affair, this good thing will eventually come to an end.
12. UC-IRVINE – Here’s what you know you are getting when you are facing the Anteaters. First, you know that they are probably the best-coached team in the nation. Second, you know that you will have quite a battle, on objections or during closing arguments, with Fab Female Marissa Oxman. Third, and most importantly, you know that you will be facing an uphill battle to match witness scores. UC-Irvine boasts the best crop of witnesses in the country. You can start with All-Americans Tom Collins and Ana Dixit, who are among the best character and expert witnesses, respectively, in the country. But don’t forget standout Howard Chang, an All-Star from the Downtown Invitational, as he is a master of his craft. Ultimately, the bunch from Irvine will lose a few ballots because of their lack of depth on the attorney side of the case. A top five finish, however, is very probable.
13. DUKE – Things are looking up in Durham, as the Blue Devils look poised to become the first Duke team in ages to break the 4-4 streak. The Dukies have always been blessed with strong depth, but this year it looks like they have some key names in returning All-Americans Bud Baker and Joseph Yarbough, along with the best Irish name of the year, Sally Sullivan, who may be the best of the bunch. This team does have a bit of a ceiling, but given that Gold will be in Memphis, that ceiling is 6-2. If they don’t break the 4-4 curse this year, they will have a long road back to this level after all of their talent graduates.
14. RHODES – Home field advantage has to count for something, right? While I refuse to join the conspiracy theorists in the accusations that Rhodes handpicks its judges at its own tournaments, it is very clear that the Lynx do perform better closer to their friendly confines. Perjuries' favorite wizard, Steven Strasberg, will surely take Memphis by storm come April. Will he get enough from Katelyn Munsey, All-American Michael Polovich (if given the opportunity on the top team) and star witnesses Devin Bos and Pauline Dyer to catapult to the top of the standings? There is a high upside here, but I think they will ultimately fall short.
15. WASHINGTON-ST. LOUIS – The Brandon Harper Era is over, and it doesn’t seem like WashU has skipped a beat. This fall they triumphed over all at the Billiken, won the golden bucket at the Col. Sanders Invite, recently won the Illini Invite, while finishing third at the Shucker. The current names and faces might not match up to past Bears like Altman, Eisner-Grynberg, Smith, and Harper, but that’s not to say this is a no-name bunch. St. Louis can hold their heads up high with Matt Jarvey, Jessica Cooper and Ben Graham leading the Bears to Nationals come this April.
16. NORTHWESTERN – In the words of Ricky Ricardo, Northwestern “has some ‘splainin’ to do.” The Wildcats have a ton of depth, but they seem to have all of their best personnel on the different teams. Give me Alessio Manti, Brenna Helppie-Schmieder, Joshua Levin, Robert Gardner, and Connie Zhang on one team, and this team could do some damage. Especially since every team in The AMTA will have to be playing catch-up against Northwestern with Manti and Helppie-Schmieder, the two starting openers on the New York City All-Star Team, giving the kids from Evanston a jump start against its opponents. In the end, however, I expect to see another 4-4 season.
17. HARVARD – I have to admit, it has taken a while for me to recover from the loss of Prog-crush and alter-ego John James Snidow. But I'm now at the acceptance stage of grieving, which means I am much more realistic about the Crimson's prospects than I have been in years past. Harvard has fared very well in some of the lesser invitationals, but did struggle a bit at the Downtown. Budding star and new Prog-crush Joseph Resnek, however, looks to have a decent shot to join Kees Vandenberg, Daniel Goodkin, Will Cooper, and J.J. Snidow on the Mount Rushmore of Harvard greats in Cambridge. Until then, this team is at least a year away from causing serious damage.
18. COLUMBIA – What looked to be a tpp five team in the country took a major hit when Buchanan Vines decided to save some eligibility and take another redshirt year. On the plus side, Columbia looks to be the team to beat upon his return to the Big Apple in 2012. On the minus side, they lost one of the three top attorneys in the country. Mario Gabriele, Shana Knizhnik and Jacob Andreas hope to fill in the void, but there just isn't enough muscle in them. More likely, Columbia will be a 4-4 team against the best of the best.
19. GEORGETOWN – The date: April, 2009. The place: Des Moines, Iowa. The situation: The Hoyas got as close as they’re ever going to get to returning to the final round. The pieces were all in place, but they fell short. This year, the troupe from our Nation’s Capital return without dual-threat extraordinaire Freddie Moore. On the bright side, All-American and super-senior Ryan Guptill returns for one last go-around. After he’s gone, though, the Hoyas don’t have much to look forward to other than a long rebuilding process.
20. LOYOLA-CHICAGO – The Wolves are hungry this year. Matt McDonald leads a resurgent bunch from Chi-town who recently dominated the Loras Invitational and looks to be primed to make a run towards Nationals. Getting there is one thing, making an impact is another. Given their lack of quality victories at premier tournaments, expect the former but not the latter.
21. TENNESSEE – The folks from Knoxville delivered one of the most surprising performances of the invitational season with their fourth place finish at GAMTI. Since then it’s been a wait-and-see approach to see if the Volunteers are the real deal. They should manage to qualify a team to Memphis and have an outside chance at a Top 10 finish. I just wouldn’t bet on it.
22. CORNELL – Things are not looking very good in Mount Vernon, other than the always very good looking (and All-American) Debra McElligott. Alas, the Brat Pack Era has ended for Cornell, as the “bad boys of mock trial” Alex Bowerman, Anatoly Rozental, Preston Postlethwaite, Ben Arfa, and the deplorable Kareem Shabib have all left the Big Red in the last two years. So far this year, Cornell has not been inspiring many people nationally outside of the proud parents of its own mockers.
23. TEXAS – I hate saying this, but I’ve been a bit disappointed in the Longhorns this season. At first, they were showing the surprising depth in Austin by having two equal, competitive teams. But then, after they fully stacked, Texas has underperformed. Now, this may be attributed to my expectations being higher than they probably should have been. But I figured with All-Americans Elizabeth Fletcher and Anthony Franklyn, along with Colleen Bloss and the Olivier twins, this team was primed for a Top 10 season. Now, I’m not so sure. I can see them as finishing anywhere from 3-5 to 5-3.
24. PENNSYLVANIA – Last year the Quakers shocked The AMTA and broke the hearts of millions when they upset J.J. Snidow’s Crimson crew in the much-talked-about and infamous “Easton Miracle.” Apparently this bloody affair proved to be a catalyst to a National finish that nobody saw coming. Will lightning strike twice for the mockers from Philly? Only if those egg-head Ivy Leaguers figure a way to clone All-American Michael Smyth a couple of times.
25. WASHINGTON & LEE – The Generals boast the winner of Prog’s Most Comical Last Name Award in Andy Budzinski. The lads from Lexington don’t have any marquee victories this year, but they are still likely to sneak their way down south to Memphis. But after some key losses, I really wouldn’t expect Washington & Lee to finish any higher than 3-5 once they get there.
26. MARYLAND – I’ve got to be honest, I know pretty much nothing about the team hailing from College Park. But I know better than to bet against the Terrapins. After an astonishing run to The AMTA National Title just two years ago under similar circumstances, there’s no reason to sell Maryland short. But I also wouldn’t buy them.
27. ARIZONA STATE – Ahoy, matey! With my favorite pirate name in The AMTA, Matthew Scarrrrrrvie, in tow, along with a few other standouts returning in Colin McDonald-Smith, Asha Vora, Casey Ferguson, and Heather Hertzel, the Sun Devils are well on their way to rebuilding. The loss of program founders Ryan and Laura Seelau does not seem to have caused too great of a setback, as another mock couple in Jimmy and Sarah Cool will keep the bunch from Tempe afloat.
28. GEORGIA – I’ve always believed that mock trial was going to hit it big in Athens, and this looks to be the year where that will happen. The Bulldogs are a very deep team, and from the looks of their fantastic website, this may be the most fun team in all of The AMTA. Led by the underrated Brian Mink and Jessika Wehunt, I expect that Georgia will be wreaking havoc against opponents on their way to their first-ever trip to Golds.
29. YALE – The Bulldogs have seen better days in their rear view mirrors. Kyle Skinner and Jaclyn Delligatti are a homeless man’s version of last year’s dynamic duo of John Robinson and Kaitlyn Malloy. However, rumors around New Haven indicate that Yale’s master plan to cure for the prosecution imbalance is to call Casey Maxwell, identify Jacob Bennett as a black man, and talk about how Jackie Owens would regularly be seen around Trifecta Studios wearing a white hood. Maybe things won’t be too different from last year after all.
30. EASTERN KENTUCKY – The AMTA’s Commander-in-Chief must lead her Colonels into an era that is ten years in the making – an era that is devoid of anyone on the team with the last name Winkler. Things aren’t all gloom and doom, however, as the gang from Richmond boast an All-American witness in James Pennington as well as an uncanny ability to consistently over-perform at Nationals.
31. NOTRE DAME – It seems appropriate to talk about my first-ever rival, THEO, in this space. As you may all be aware, the brainchild for THEO, Michael Anderson, tragically passed away in late January. THEO, you were a worthy adversary and will be missed. As for Mr. Anderson’s alma mater in South Bend, all signs indicate that the Fighting Irish are back on the upswing after a few rebuilding seasons.
32. BROWN – The Bears are another enigmatic team. They play a characteristic East-Coast style of mock, which you would think would spell doom for them down in Memphis. History says otherwise, however. Last time Rachel Shur and her Providence pals journeyed down to the Music City was last year at ORCs – and they didn’t lose a single ballot. Don’t expect history to repeat itself, though.
33. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Trojans are one of the biggest enigmas in The AMTA. A year removed from being one of the most disappointing programs in the nation, Southern California has seemingly bounced back and has had marginal success at the invitational level. However, their more recent invitationals suggest a regression back to last year's level. Led by attorney/witness dual threats Aaron Macris and Davia Craumer, I expect to see a second Los Angeles team back at the gold level this year. But I wouldn't count on more than three wins if USC does get there.
34. CORNELL COLLEGE – With Kris Lyons finally out of the way, things are looking up for the Rams. Star attorney Annika Strombom looks to build on last season’s breakthrough season in hopes of winning more than one ballot at Golds. I think they’ll do it, but the real battle will be making it back. Madeline Roche joins Strombom to form a formidable duo at counsel table, but it’s the witness stand that will be the major issue. But I have high hopes that this team will not be in Ithaca come April.
35. CENTRAL FLORIDA – If you want to talk about a late season surge, look no further than the Knights. After a fall season of anonymity, Central Florida came up strong with a third place finish at the Ramblin’ Wreck a weekend after winning the most important, if not the most prestigious, tournament in all of the land, the Polar Bear. Speaking of anonymity, this team is filled with a bunch of no-names outside of Orlando (Michael Koeltzow? Victor Demesmin? Michael Garcia?)
36. PITTSBURGH – The Panthers have seemingly gone from the Penthouse in The AMTA to the outhouse. Gone are the personnel, namely Keaton Carr and Patrick Moroney, from Pittsburgh’s heyday just a few years back. This team has struggled at nearly every invitational they have attended, looking awful at times. Michael Wiesemann is the best thing they’ve got going in Pittsburgh. Simply put, I will be surprised if they make it Gold, especially out of the Hamilton ORC.
37. AIR FORCE – Easily the most anti-revolutionary team in The AMTA, Paulo Dutra’s Falcons ironically registered its best performance at Arizona State’s Revolution Invitational this fall where they took home the top prize. Flying high after this victory and a more recent win at the Colorado Classic, the soldiers from Colorado Springs are likely to make a return to Nationals after being shut out last year. Beyond that, don’t expect anything higher than .500 in the Big Dance.
38. HAMLINE – The most underappreciated duo in the country, Whitney Koprowski and Dana Hoffman, headline the Pipers’ vicious attack. The throne for the Minnesota schools, which not long ago known was known for its parity, but now known for being a parody, is now clearly situated in St. Paul and is being kept warm by Hamline. Their home-field advantage for ORCs, if not their attorney talent, will likely punch them a ticket to Golds come April.
39. MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE – The Blue Raiders’ season got off to a bustling start, finishing second and third at the Billiken with a combined 13-2-1 record. All good things must come to an end, however, as MTSU had hit a bit of a rough patch since, until their recent win at the Ramblin’ Wreck. But fear not, as I’ve got it on good authority that Daniel Vaughn and his teammates have been spending all of their days and nights in Murfreesboro reading, cover-to-cover, “Pleasing the Court,” the masterpiece written by their coach, Dr. John R. Vile.
40. MINNESOTA-MORRIS – Perjuries super-poster and resident expert on everything-under-the-sun Collin Tierney has taken the boys from Morris from obscurity to a perennial National team. The Cougars will ride his coattails once again, but don’t expect them to break that pesky 4-4 threshold in April.
41. CHICAGO – Another how-the-mighty-have-fallen story. Gone are the days that the Maroons punch an automatic ticket to Nationals. The folks from Chicago may eek out a bid, but it won’t be by much. But if you can answer me why Chicago believes the key to postseason success lies in appealing to New York judges, after consecutive weekend at CUBAIT and Fordham, I’d love to know. They may have won the mess that was Fordham, but I don’t see it translating to Memphis.
42. ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM – I will name my next child after the person who can name me one person on this team (without looking at a tab summary, that is). Honestly, the Blazers have been a mystery to most since the graduation of Elizabeth Blair. Each year they attend an invitational or two, place well, earn a bid to Nationals, and finish respectably. I expect pretty much the same this year from those in Birmingham.
43. GEORGIA TECH – The Yellow Jackets placed respectably at Tobacco Road and MTSU, but after a pitiful performance at their own tournament, the crew from the A-T-L are not making the strongest statement going into regionals. If they’re going to earn a spot in the post-season they’ll need to turn things around, and fast.
44. BELLARMINE – There’s no need to restate just how much the Knights have lost from last season’s highly-rated but eventually disappointing squad. But I’m going to do it anyways. All-American Staci Windsor? Gone. Danielle Reesor? Gone. Alex Flood? Gone. Hopes of making it to Golds? Likely gone. Perjuries.com frequent flyer Thomas Pedron looks to pick up the pieces and put together a squad that will make the road trip from Louisville to Memphis. His chances look bleak.
45. LORAS – Before I get to the analysis, there’s a question that the folks in Dubuque need to answer for the rest of The AMTA: what in the world is a Duhawk? Moving along, Loras narrowly missed out on a bid to Des Moines last year with a 6-2 ORCs record. This year looks like it will be another close call, but Jared Vasilauskas and Jamison Kuhle will try to push them that one extra step.
46. PENN STATE – You never quite know what to make of the Nittany Lions, but I do. You’ve got a team with strong senior leadership. You’ve got a team that is strong on both sides, but with a notable defense side. And you’ve got kids who have gone through the rigors of a disciplinarian, coach Joe Paterno. Oh wait, this isn’t supposed to be about the football team? Oh, well, then this is what the mockers in State College have on their side: you have strong attorneys in Mike Thomas and Evan Rothey, as well as Anneke Cronje on the witness side of things. Overall, I’d say that this team has about a 35 percent chance of making it to Memphis.
47. BOSTON UNIVERSITY – They put together a strong performance at Nationals last year, but there’s been little evidence (really none) to suggest the Bean-town Terriers can serve up a repeat performance. Until that point I remain skeptical. This spot in the top fifty is nothing more than paying respect to recent years’ performances.
48. STANFORD – The Cardinal has hit some hard times. Just months removed from its dazzling run, where they fell just short in the standings as the eventual National Champions. Former All-American Ed Piper is no longer donning a suit, but instead is on the sideline with a clipboard and a whistle, which is not good news for Stanford. Nonetheless, the cupboards in Palo Alto are not bare. You have returning All-American Daniel Cassman, Courtney Khademi, and Samir Siddhanti available to make another run at Golds. Given their (lack of) invitational success and the strength of the Irvine ORC, I don’t see it happening.
49. DRAKE – You want some hard-hitting analysis on our good friends from Des Moines? Hear me out for a little bit. As you may all recall, my favorite mocker last year was none other than the Bulldogs’ own Van Everett, a successful attorney who has since graduated. Similarly, in 2002, National Lampoon’s “Van Wilder” was a successful film whose main character graduated at the end. The sequel to the film, “Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj,” saw nowhere near the same success or critical acclaim as its predecessor. Similarly, this current Drake team will see nowhere near the same success or critical acclaim as it had during the Van Everett years.
50. PATRICK HENRY – If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the 25 years I’ve been in The AMTA, it’s to never doubt anything produced by Frankie G. The debate juggernauts from Purcellville showed a surprising amount of depth from a first year program first year. My money is on Frank Guliuzza’s rag-tag Sentinels making it all the way to Memphis. But don’t ask me for any concrete reasons. But as you’ve come to learn the last couple of years, my hunches are often as good as Gold.
THE NEXT TEN
51. Syracuse
52. Ohio State
53. Brandeis
54. Eastern Michigan
55. Case Western
56. Cincinnati
57. Emory
58. Claremont McKenna
59. Princeton
60. Illinois-Chicago
ON THE RADAR: Washington, Florida, Illinois State, Lake Forest, Bowling Green, Tufts, Vanderbilt, Macalester
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REGIONAL AND ORC PREDICTIONS
This has always been a fan favorite. So yet again, I am willing to put my neck on the line and make predictions, only to be told “I told you so” by the naysayers after they earn a bid. These are your 192 postseason qualifiers, with predicted Gold teams in bold.
Air Force, Air Force, Alabama-Birmingham, Alabama-Birmingham, Arizona, Arizona State, Arizona State, Bellarmine, Bellarmine, Boston College, Boston University, Boston University, Bowling Green, Brandeis, Brandeis, Brown, Brown, Butler, Cal Poly Pomona, Carleton, Case Western, Case Western, Central Florida, Central Florida, Central Missouri, Charleston, Chicago, Chicago, Cincinnati, Claremont McKenna, Claremont McKenna, Clark, Colorado, Colorado, Columbia, Columbia, Connecticut, Cornell, Cornell, Cornell College, Dartmouth, Delaware, DePaul, Dickinson, Drake, Duke, Duke, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, Elon, Emory, Emory, Florida, Fordham-Rose Hill, Fordham-Rose Hill, Fresno State, Furman, Furman, George Washington, George Washington, Georgetown, Georgetown, Georgia, Georgia, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Georgia Tech, Gonzaga, Gonzaga, Grinnell, Hamilton, Hamline, Harvard, Harvard, Houston Baptist, Howard, Illinois, Illinois State, Illinois-Chicago, Illinois-Chicago, Iona, Iowa, Iowa, Kansas, Kennesaw State, Kenyon, Lafayette, Lake Forest, Lewis, Loras, Loyola-Chicago, Loyola-Chicago, Macalester, Macalester, Maryland, Maryland, Miami (FL), Miami (OH), Miami (OH), Michigan, Michigan, Middle Tennessee State, Middle Tennessee State, Minnesota-Duluth, Minnesota-Morris, Mississippi, Missouri, Missouri-Kansas City, Missouri-Kansas City, Morehouse, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Northwestern, Northwestern, Northwood, Northwood, Notre Dame, Notre Dame, NYU, NYU, Ohio Northern, Ohio State, Ohio State, Patrick Henry, Patrick Henry, Penn State, Penn State, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Portland State, Princeton, Princeton, Redlands, Reed, Rhodes, Rhodes, Richmond, Rochester, Rutgers, Scripps, South Carolina, South Dakota, Southern California, Southern California, Southern Methodist, St. Francis, St. John’s, St. Louis, St. Olaf, Stanford, Stanford, Syracuse, Syracuse, Temple, Tennessee, Tennessee, Texas, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas-Dallas, Truman State, Tufts, Tufts, UC-Berkeley, UC-Berkeley, UC-Irvine, UC-Irvine, UCLA, UCLA, UC-San Diego, UC-Santa Barbara, Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt, Villanova, Virginia, Virginia, Washburn, Washington & Lee, Washington & Lee, Washington, Washington-St. Louis, Washington-St. Louis, Wellesley, Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin-Superior, Wittenberg, Yale, Yale
ANTI-PROG FAN CLUB: Auburn, Buffalo, Carnegie Mellon, Carthage, Colby, Collin Community College, Colorado-Colorado Springs, Creighton, Elgin, Holy Cross, Johns Hopkins, Kansas State, Marquette, Memphis, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi Valley State, North Central, Roger Williams, St. Thomas (TX), St. Vincent, Seton Hall (x2), Siena, Trinity College (x2), Washington State (x2)
Red (hits) - 152
Blue (misses) - 40
Accuracy Rate - 79%
Underline (Gold hits) - 25
Accuracy Rate - 52% (Horrible)
* * *
PROG’S MAILBAG
Upon hearing about my retirement, some long-time friends came out of the wood work to try and become a part of this historic finale. So let’s get on to the Best of the ‘Bag:
Hey Prog, how’s it hangin’? As you’re probably aware, I have finally graduated from our alma mater, and am now in Korea finishing what I started with the creation of a mock trial circuit. And don’t be worried, I have not stopped posing as an underwear model for Calvin Klein. But let me get to my question. Who do you think are the other biggest losses in The AMTA this year? - J.J.
Always a pleasure to hear from you, Johnny James. Keep up the good work in Korea! And I have to say, I love the new line of apparel.
Well, there are many ways to interpret this question. In my mind, the biggest losses are not necessarily the ten best people who have graduated. Instead, I would like to think of it in terms of which people are most missed by the team they have left. Here’s the list:
1. J.J. Snidow, Harvard – Do I really need to explain?
2. Prestolyman, Cornell – OK, I cheated a little. But imagine if this trio combined to be one person. You’d have Preston Postlethwaite’s physique, Alex Bowerman’s instincts, and, of course, Anatoly Rozental’s hair. But more importantly, you’d have the core of one of the top programs last year, which is now a shell of its former self.
3. Buchanan Vines, Columbia – He teased all of us at first by coming back for yet another swan song. But that was short-lived, as Buck decided it was better he not spend all his time with children half his age. As a result, Columbia dropped over ten spots in these rankings.
4. Staci Windsor, Bellarmine – Even though Bellarmine couldn’t eek out a bid to Golds last year, Ms. Windsor was the engine that made the team run. It will be very tough to replace her.
5. Ed Piper, Stanford – Perhaps nobody in the country could beat Piper on openings, including Co’Relous Bryant. In the end, he was a two-time All-American that led Stanford to a second place finish. Without him, they are a bit lost.
6. Andrew Blackwell, George Washington – This is your captain of the back-to-back Championship Finalists, who ran everything his way. If only for that, and not his stellar performance, he is a major loss. And yes, Andrew, I agree. It did look like a murder.
7. Lou Danner, Northwood – Jonathan Hartsfield clinched the wins, but it was Lou who made this team want to win. His flair and big personality will be missed.
8. Freddie Moore, Georgetown – While Ryan Guptill won most of the awards, Moore was the captain and dual threat that this team so desperately relied upon.
9. Patrick Moroney, Pittsburgh – This guy won award after award after award for Pitt. Without him, they will struggle to duplicate any of the success this team had in recent years. You do the math.
10. Kristeena Winkler, Eastern Kentucky – Now, some may want to credit EKU’s success at Golds the last couple of years to luck or fate. I, however, think the explanation for this phenomenon begins and ends with Winkler.
Greeting and salutations, Mr. Prognosticator. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the real reason my dad has saved his eligibility is because he is waiting just a couple more years before I join him at Columbia Mock Trial. It’s been my dream to share a counsel table with him so we can form the most formidable duo in the country. Until that day comes, who do you think are the current top duos? – Buck Jr.
That’s an excellent question, Young Buck. I can imagine that you’ll be a great stem off that old Vine in a few years. As far as the current crop of duos, here are my Top Ten Dynamic Duos:
1. Ravi Narayan/Garrett Burrell, Iowa (Last ranked: 1)
2. Ben Wallace/Juliana Yee, Virginia (5)
3. Peter Fuller/Stephen Mayer, UCLA (3)
4. Gus Lazares/Tommy Jeffcott, Miami (2)
5. Co’Relous Bryant/Cindy Jordano, NYU (4)
6. Brian Yagi/Erin Lange, Michigan (9)
7. Steven Strasberg/Michael Polovich, Rhodes (6)
8. Ben Graham/Matt Jarvey, Washington-St. Louis (8)
9. Jacob Chervinsky/Kevin Homiak, George Washington (7)
10. Max Bernstein/Kimya Saied, UC-Berkeley (Not Ranked)
11. Meredith Dempsey/Katherine Myers, Furman (NR)
12. Jaclyn Delligatti/Kyle Skinner, Yale (NR)
13. Brian Mink/Jessika Wehunt, Georgia (NR)
14. Mario Gabriele/Shana Knizhnik, Columbia (NR)
15. Elizabeth Fletcher/Anthony Franklyn, Texas (NR)
Prog, baby, long time no chat. Haven’t seen you since that night in Vegas when we were chillin’ in the hot tub with the Olsen Twins. Epic night. Which one was mine again? It doesn’t even matter, bro. So yeah, I’ve been on the Perj for a few years, soakin’ in as much as I can, tryin’ to get my name out there. Where do you think I rank now among the top 25 attorneys in the country? Keep it real, P. – Collin “C-Money” Tierney
Ummm. It’s nice to meet you, Collin. Congratulations on getting your team on the national stage. As far as your question goes, I think I’ll just let my list speak for itself.
Tier One
1. Jonathan Hartsfield, Northwood d (Last ranking: 1)
2. Gus Lazares, Miami b c (2)
3. Co’Relous Bryant, NYU b d (3)
Tier Two
4. Ravi Narayan, Iowa d (4)
5. Steven Strasberg, Rhodes b d (5)
6. Marissa Oxman, UC-Irvine b c (7)
Tier Three
7. Ryan Guptill, Georgetown d (9)
8. Jacob Chervinsky, George Washington b (6)
9. Ben Wallace, Virginia d (Not Ranked)
10. Andy Budzinski, Washington & Lee a (15)
11. Peter Fuller, UCLA (8)
12. Garrett Burrell, Iowa (12)
13. Michael Smyth, Pennsylvania b (11)
14. Juliana Yee, Virginia b (20)
Tier Four
15. Brian Yagi, Michigan b d (19)
16. Stephen Mayer, UCLA b c (22)
17. Sally Sullivan, Duke d (14)
18. Max Bernstein, UC-Berkeley a c (NR)
19. Meredith Dempsey, Furman b d (17)
20. Joseph Resnek, Harvard d (18)
21. Whitney Koprowski, Hamline c (23)
22. Ben Graham, Washington-St. Louis d (NR)
23. Katy Groover, Richmond (10)
24. Paul Wiley, Virginia (13)
25. Jaclyn Delligatti, Yale b c (NR)
26. Brian Mink, Georgia b d (NR)
Tier Five
27. Mario Gabriele, Columbia b d (NR)
28. Devon Holstead, Loyola-Chicago (NR)
29. Thaddeus Henderson, St. Francis a d (NR)
30. Matt Jarvey, Washington-St. Louis (21)
31. Erin Lange, Michigan c (24)
32. Collin Tierney, Minnesota-Morris b c (26)
33. Elizabeth Fletcher, Texas (16)
34. Dale Torbert, Northwood a d (NR)
35. Irene Downs, Missouri-Kansas City b c (NR)
36. Anthony Franklyn, Texas d (NR)
37. Annika Strombom, Cornell College b (NR)
38. Cindy Jordano, NYU c (NR)
39. Kimya Saied, UC-Berkeley (25)
40. Thomas Pedron, Bellarmine d (NR)
a - ORC Outstanding Attorney Award winner on both sides of the case.
b - ORC Outstanding Attorney Award winner.
c - Regional Outstanding Attorney Award winner on both sides of the case.
d - Regional Outstanding Attorney Award winner.
Hey Prog. So I’m sitting in a hospital bed with my leg elevated. The doctor said that the cast should come off any day now. I don’t think people realize just how important witnesses are to this whole mock trial game. Who else is going to entertain everybody in an otherwise dull round? More importantly, who else is going to get the entire team pumped up before the round? How would you rate the masters of our craft? – The Cable Guy
I’ve been praying for you, T.C.G. I nearly flew out to NYC when I found out about the tragic injury. I even heard they were close to amputation and almost shut down the rest of the tournament. Well, in any event, let me hurry up and answer your question before the morphine kicks in.
Tier One
1. Juliana Yee, Virginia c (Last Ranked: 2)
2. Bryce Rucker, Northwood b (3)
3. Debra McElligott, Cornell c (1)
4. Peter Fuller, UCLA c (4)
5. Michael Griffin, NYU b (Not Ranked)
6. James Pennington, Eastern Kentucky a (9)
7. Rachel Shur, Brown b c (6)
8. Natalie Robinson, Boston b (NR)
Tier Two
9. Alex Bluebond, Miami (NR)
10. Bill Cable, Richmond (7)
11. Joseph Yarbough, Duke (8)
12. Michael Wiesemann, Pittsburgh b c (12)
Tier Three
13. Ethan Amaker, Harvard b c (NR)
14. Devin Bos, Rhodes c (13)
15. Amanda Levendowski, NYU a (NR)
16. Tom Collins, UC-Irvine b (11)
17. Paul Wiley, Virginia c (NR)
Tier Four
18. Stephanie Hawkins, UCLA b c (NR)
19. Masamichi Fukui, UC-Berkeley c (NR)
20. Pauline Dyer, Rhodes c (NR)
21. Ian Ferrell, Miami b (NR)
22. Cali Cope-Kasten, Macalester b (14)
23. Rohan Sebastian, Virginia b (NR)
24. Ana Dixit, UC-Irvine c (15)
25. Pavel Gurevich, Miami (10)
26. Kaitlyn Evans, Iowa (NR)
Tier Five
27. Miranda Nowak, Columbia b c (NR)
28. Jordan Hill, George Washington c (NR)
29. Alyssa Morris, Arizona b c (NR)
30. Landon Thomas, Michigan b (NR)
a - ORC Outstanding Witness Award winner on both sides of the case.
b - ORC Outstanding Witness Award winner.
c - Regional Outstanding Witness Award winner.
Hidy Ho, Progster. Something’s been cheezing me off over the last couple of years, ever since I went into semi-retirement. There’s been a huge push for what the kids are calling “specialization.” Will you please take a stand against those young punks who are ruining what I spent a lifetime building. – Dicky C.
It’s been a while Mr. Calkins, so I don’t know how to address your complaint. The current powers-that-be aren’t as receptive to my suggestions as you once were. I do have to agree with your complaint, though. My Coyotes at South Dakota never doubled anyone up as an attorney or witness during our championship heyday. So I’ll tell you what I can do. Staying true to the theme of lists, let me reward those mockers who play both attorney and witness roles by ranking the top Dual Threats.
Tier One
1. Juliana Yee, Virginia (Last Ranked: 2)
2. Peter Fuller, UCLA (1)
Tier Two
3. Nick Dismukes, Ohio State (Not Ranked) a b
4. Debra McElligott, Cornell (3)
5. Kaitlyn Evans, Iowa (4)
6. Matt Jarvey, Washington-St. Louis (5)
7. Paul Wiley, Virginia (6)
8. Ben Graham, Washington-St. Louis b (NR)
9. Anthony Franklyn, Texas (NR)
Tier Three
10. Paulo Dutra, Air Force (8)
11. Irene Downs, Missouri-Kansas City a (NR)
12. Joshua Levin, Northwestern (7)
13. Matt McDonald, Loyola-Chicago (9)
14. Aaron Macris, Southern California (10)
15. Kofi Oyuku, Northwood (NR)
a - ORC Outstanding Attorney Award and Outstanding Witness Award winner.
b - Regional Outstanding Attorney Award and Outstanding Witness Award winner.
Yo, Prog. How’s it going? Did you get to see that tournament I put together a few weeks back? It was awesome. I had nearly every top team there. I even had the folks at Columbia shaking in their boots. Five judge panels? Seriously, how great is that? Did you notice that I even had an All-Star Team? Classic, huh? How would an All-Star team look on a larger scale? - Mataresse
Calm down, Justin. There’s no need to get so animated in front of the mirror. But yes, I was very impressed from what I heard about the Downtown this year. I sort of even liked the All-Star bit, even if it didn’t really reflect the best of the best. In any event, this is how I would do an All-Star Team nationally, breaking teams down into four geographic regions:
EAST ALL-STAR TEAM
PROSECUTION:
Opening Attorney: Ryan Guptill, Georgetown
Middle Attorney: Jacob Chervinsky, George Washington
Closing Attorney: Co’Relous Bryant, NYU
Witnesses: Rachel Shur, Brown; Michael Griffin, NYU; Michael Wiesemann, Pittsburgh
DEFENSE:
Opening Attorney: Co’Relous Bryant, NYU
Middle Attorney: Michael Smyth, Pennsylvania
Closing Attorney: Jacob Chervinsky, George Washington
Witnesses: Debra McElligott, Cornell; Michael Griffin, NYU; Rachel Shur, Brown
COACH: Mia Eisner-Grynberg, Columbia
SOUTH ALL-STAR TEAM
PROSECUTION:
Opening Attorney: Juliana Yee, Virginia
Middle Attorney: Meredith Dempsey, Furman
Closing Attorney: Steven Strasberg, Rhodes
Witnesses: Bill Cable, Richmond; Paul Wiley, Virginia; James Pennington, Eastern Kentucky
DEFENSE:
Opening Attorney: Paul Wiley, Virginia
Middle Attorney: Steven Strasberg, Rhodes
Closing Attorney: Katy Groover, Richmond
Witnesses: Juliana Yee, Virginia; Devin Bos, Rhodes; James Pennington, Eastern Kentucky
COACH: Ryan Faulconer, Virginia
MIDWEST ALL-STAR TEAM
PROSECUTION:
Opening Attorney: Garrett Burrell, Iowa
Middle Attorney: Jonathan Hartsfield, Northwood
Closing Attorney: Gus Lazares, Miami
Witnesses: Kaitlyn Evans, Iowa; Bryce Rucker, Northwood; Pavel Gurevich, Miami
DEFENSE:
Opening Attorney: Ravi Narayan, Iowa
Middle Attorney: Gus Lazares, Miami
Closing Attorney: Jonathan Hartsfield, Northwood
Witnesses: Bryce Rucker, Northwood; Cali Cope-Kasten, Macalester; Matt Jarvey, Washington-St. Louis
COACH: Neal Schuett, Iowa
WEST ALL-STAR TEAM
PROSECUTION:
Opening Attorney: Kimya Saied, UC-Berkeley
Middle Attorney: Stephen Mayer, UCLA
Closing Attorney: Marissa Oxman, UC-Irvine
Witnesses: Peter Fuller, UCLA; Tom Collins, UC-Irvine; Ana Dixit, UC-Irvine
DEFENSE:
Opening Attorney: Stephen Mayer, UCLA
Middle Attorney: Marissa Oxman, UC-Irvine
Closing Attorney: Peter Fuller, UCLA
Witnesses: Tom Collins, UC-Irvine, Martin Fukui, UC-Berkeley; Howard Chang, UC-Irvine
COACH: Justin Bernstein, UC-Irvine
To answer the obvious follow-up question, I would have seeded them in the following order: 1. Midwest, 2. West, 3. South, 4. East. If they were to play it out, it would probably turn out this way, assuming a best-of-three series:
Opening Round:
Midwest defeats East, 3-0
West defeats South, 2-1
Final Round:
Game One: Midwest (defense) defeats West (prosecution), 121-116
Game Two: West (defense) defeats Midwest (prosecution), 124-111
Game Three: Midwest wins the coin-toss, selects their defense side, and defeats the West, 119-117
Tournament MVP: Gus Lazares, Miami
What's really astounding is how far the East has fallen in recent years. Just this past year, they lost the Cornell trio, the NYU trio, my boy J.J., Buck, Andy "It Looked Like a Murder" Blackwell, J-Rob and K-Mal, Moroney, Freddie "Always Gives You" Moore, and BU's star witness Natalie Robinson. Looks like we may be witnessing another shift in regional power as we speak.
Hello, Prognosticator. Once again, I want to let you know that I have never considered our rackets as being in direct competition with each other. It bothers me that you keep putting me down. I'm just filling in a niche that you don't handle with your in-depth analysis. Anyhow, since I am not in the prediction game that you have mastered, do you mind informing the rest of us how you expect these ORCs to pan out? I'm especially interested in your thoughts about my Anteaters. - Andrew Lias
Apology accepted. As for the ORCs, this is how I have 'em at the moment.
IRVINE
1. UCLA, 7-1 (Actual: 6-2, Bid)
2. UC-Irvine, 7-1 (Actual: 6-2, Bid)
3. UC-Berkeley, 6-1-1 (Actual: 4-4, No Bid)
4. Arizona State, 6-2 (Actual: 5-3, Bid)
5. UCLA, 6-2 (Actual: 4-2-2, No Bid)
6. UC-Irvine, 6-2 (Actual: 6-2, Bid)
7. Stanford, 5-3
8. Southern California, 5-3
9. UC-San Diego, 4-3-1
10. UC-Berkeley, 4-4
11. Washington, 4-4
12. Claremont McKenna, 4-4 (Actual: 6-2, Bid)
13. Gonzaga, 4-4 (Actual: 5-3, Bid)
14. Fresno State, 3-4-1
15. Arizona State, 3-5
16. Cal Poly Pomona, 3-5
17. Washington State, 3-5
18. Redlands, 3-5
19. Southern California, 3-5
20. Gonzaga, 2-5-1
21. Stanford, 2-6
22. Colorado, 2-6
23. UC-San Diego, 1-7
24. Washington State, 1-7
Analysis: Correctly predicted 4 out of 6 bids, for a 67% accuracy rate. The two teams I predicted would get a bid, but did not, finished with records of 4-2-2 and 4-4 (a combined 8-6-2). The two teams that got bids that I predicted would not, I predicted would each finish 4-4 (a combined 8-8).
WAUKEGAN
1. Michigan, 7-1 (Actual: 6-1-1, Bid)
2. Northwood, 6-1-1 (Actual: 7-0-1, Bid)
3. Case Western, 6-2 (Actual: 3-4-1, No Bid)
4. Michigan, 5-2-1 (Actual: 4-4, No Bid)
5. Eastern Michigan, 5-3 (Actual: 6-1-1, Bid)
6. Northwood, 5-3 (Actual: 5-2-1, Bid)
7. Notre Dame, 5-3 (Actual: 6-2, Bid)
8. Chicago, 5-3
9. Bowling Green, 5-3
10. Lake Forest, 4-3-1 (Actual: 7-1, Bid)
11. Notre Dame, 4-3-1
12. Loras, 4-4
13. Illinois, 4-4
14. Villanova, 4-4
15. Southern Methodist, 3-4-1
16. Marquette, 3-4-1
17. Lewis, 3-5
18. Minnesota, 3-5
19. Michigan State, 3-5
20. Loras, 3-5
21. Roger Williams, 2-6
22. Lewis, 2-6
23. Elgin, 1-7
24. North Central, 1-7
ST. LOUIS
1. Iowa, 8-0 (Actual: 6-1-1, Bid)
2. Texas, 7-1 (Actual: 7-1, Bid)
3. Rhodes, 6-2 (Actual: 5-3, Bid)
4. Washington-St. Louis, 6-2 (Actual: 4-4, No Bid)
5. Rhodes, 5-2-1 (Actual: 4-3-1, No Bid)
6. Air Force, 5-2-1 (Actual: 4-4, No Bid)
7. Washington-St. Louis, 5-2-1
8. Iowa, 5-3 (Actual: 6-2, Bid)
9. Missouri-Kansas City, 5-3 (Actual: 8-0, Bid)
10. Texas, 5-3 (Actual: 6-1-1, Bid)
11. Missouri, 5-3
12. Drake, 4-4
13. Arizona, 4-4
14. Houston Baptist, 4-4
15. St. Louis, 4-4
16. Missouri-Kansas City, 3-5
17. Memphis, 2-5-1
18. Collin Community College, 2-6
19. Air Force, 2-6
20. Southern Methodist, 2-6
21. St. Thomas, 2-6
22. Kansas State, 1-6-1
23. Houston Baptist, 1-7
24. Colorado-Colorado Springs, 0-7-1
WHITE PLAINS
1. Georgetown, 7-1 (Actual: 5-3, No Bid)
2. NYU, 7-1 (Actual: 7-1, Bid)
3. Columbia, 6-1-1 (Actual: 7-1, Bid)
4. NYU, 6-2 (Actual: 5-3, Bid)
5. Cornell, 6-2 (Actual: 4-3-1, No Bid)
6. Maryland, 5-2-1 (Actual: 3-5, No Bid)
7. Syracuse, 5-3
8. Columbia, 4-3-1
9. Georgetown, 4-3-1
10. Seton Hall, 4-4 (Actual: 5-3, Bid)
11. Princeton, 4-4
12. Iona, 4-4
13. Maryland, 4-4
14. St. John's, 3-4-1
15. Lafayette, 3-5
16. Dickinson, 3-5 (Actual: 6-2, Bid)
17. Carnegie Mellon, 3-5
18. Hamilton, 3-5
19. Pennsylvania, 3-5 (Actual: 6-2, Bid)
20. Buffalo, 2-5-1
21. Cornell, 2-5-1
22. Seton Hall, 2-6
23. Syracuse, 1-6-1
24. Siena, 1-7
HAMILTON
1. Miami, 8-0
2. Tennessee, 6-1-1
3. Miami, 6-2
4. Richmond, 6-2
5. Ohio State, 6-2
6. Pennsylvania, 5-2-1
7. Pittsburgh, 5-3
8. Bellarmine, 5-3
9. Howard, 5-3
10. Vanderbilt, 4-3-1
11. Cincinnati, 4-3-1
12. Lafayette, 4-4
13. Fordham-Rose Hill, 4-4
14. Ohio State, 4-4
15. Rochester, 3-4-1
16. Texas-Dallas, 3-5
17. New Hampshire, 3-5
18. Tennessee, 2-5-1
19. Bellarmine, 2-5-1
20. Pittsburgh, 2-6
21. Johns Hopkins, 2-6
22. Vanderbilt, 1-6-1
23. Suffolk*, 1-7
24. St. Vincent, 1-7
*Predictions were made when Suffolk was the last remaining open bid team to be officially added.
ST. PAUL
1. Virginia, 8-0
2. Virginia, 7-1
3. Northwestern, 7-1
4. Loyola-Chicago, 6-2
5. Minnesota-Morris, 6-2
6. Eastern Kentucky, 5-2-1
7. Northwestern, 5-2-1
8. Cornell College, 5-3
9. Macalester, 5-3
10. Illinois-Chicago, 5-3
11. Hamline, 4-3-1
12. Illinois State, 4-4
13. Wisconsin, 4-4
14. Carleton, 3-4-1
15. St. Olaf, 3-5
16. Loyola-Chicago, 3-5
17. Minnesota, 3-5
18. Macalester, 2-5-1
19. Boston College, 2-5-1
20. Wisconsin-Superior, 2-6
21. Wisconsin, 2-6
22. Illinois State, 1-7
23. Carthage, 1-7
24. St. Olaf, 0-8
GREENVILLE
1. Furman, 7-1
2. Washington & Lee, 7-1
3. Duke, 7-1
4. Georgia, 6-2
5. Furman, 6-2
6. Middle Tennessee State, 6-2
7. Alabama-Birmingham, 6-2
8. Georgia Tech, 5-2-1
9. Florida, 5-3
10. Central Florida, 5-3
11. Chicago, 4-4
12. Miami (FL), 4-4
13. Kennesaw State, 4-4
14. North Carolina, 4-4
15. Emory, 3-4-1
16. Duke, 3-4-1
17. Morehouse, 3-4-1
18. Georgia, 3-5
19. Alabama-Birmingham, 2-5-1
20. Central Florida, 2-5-1
21. South Carolina, 2-5-1
22. Washington & Lee, 2-6
23. North Carolina, 2-6
24. Florida, 1-7
25. Auburn, 1-7
26. Mississippi Valley State, 1-7
BOSTON
1. George Washington, 8-0
2. Harvard, 7-1
3. Yale, 6-2
4. George Washington, 6-2
5. Penn State, 6-2
6. Brown, 6-2
7. Princeton, 5-2-1
8. Boston University, 5-3
9. Harvard, 5-3
10. Brandeis, 5-3
11. Tufts, 4-4
12. Dartmouth, 4-4
13. Clark, 4-4
14. Yale, 3-4-1
15. Boston College, 3-5
16. Brandeis, 3-5
17. Holy Cross, 3-5
18. Brown, 3-5
19. Wellesley, 2-6
20. Penn State, 2-6
21. Trinity, 2-6
22. Boston University, 2-6
23. Colby, 1-7
24. Trinity, 0-8
Accurate Predictions: 26/48
Accuracy Rate: 54% (Abysmal!)
* * *
And with that, “it’s a wrap.” It has truly been an honor being on your computer screens the past couple of years.
In closing, I would like to paraphrase one of my idols, “The Iron Horse,” Lou Gehrig:
Fans, for the past few months you have been wondering about our bad break. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man (or woman) on the face of the Earth. I have been in simulated courtrooms for twenty-five years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.
Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure, I’m lucky. Who wouldn’t consider it an honor to have known Bradley Bloch? Also, the builder of mock trial’s great empire, Richard M. Calkins, Esq.? To have spent the past few years with that wonderful little fellow[
