A tentative start to the winter

Mind your slanguage

Tuesday 8th December, 11am on Radio 4 is when Mind Your Slanguage is broadcast. It features lots of good stuff about how people use and feel about slang, including interviews with Tony Thorne and Paul Kerswill. But most importantly it features lots of SFX students talking about the slang they use, don't use and how they feel about it. Huzzah!

Wrestling Falls to W. Johnson

West Johnston 67
Garner 12

103 - Jose Gutierrez (West Johnston) Fall 3:29 over Josh Hawkins (Garner)
112 - Frankie Jimenez (West Johnston) Fall 3:38 over Damian Harrell (Garner)
119 - Richie Burford (West Johnston) win by Forfeit
125 - Tyshawn Willis (West Johnston) Fall :53 over Markell Harewood (Garner)
130 - Michael Jordan (West Johnston) win by Forfeit
135 - Jake Young (West Johnston) Major Decision 11-0 over Anthony Chiles (Garner)
140 - John Stover (West Johnston) Fall 3:55 over Steven Lombana (Garner)
145 - Phillip Rawls (West Johnston) Decision 11-5 over Anthony Finochio (Garner)
152 - Christian Townsend (Garner) Fall 1:54 over Brandon Carbone (West Johnston)
160 - Aaron Roper (West Johnston) Fall 5:52 over Drawman Fouty (Garner)
171 - Keith Neal (West Johnston) Fall 1:54 over Jamel Thomas (Garner)
189 - Andy Taylor (West Johnston) Fall 1:37 over William Hall (Garner)
215 - Brad Pemberton (West Johnston) Fall 2:48 over Vincent Mollo (Garner)
285 - Tyler Maher (Garner) Fall :24 over Storm Stevens (West Johnston)


JV Winners

Marchus Carter won 10-4
David Huie Fall 6:58 (Triple overtime)
Alex Rogers Fall :22


The Wresting Team is back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Clayton

The unseemly stalkers of youth slang

In this comment piece in The Guardian, Shirley Dent takes a swipe at "the rush to relevance" that she argues is reducing classic literature to a series of empty gestures, designed to attract fickle youth audiences who can't cope with proper English. Swear down.

Dent, in particular, doesn't like the idea of Julius Caesar being adapted to include street slang:

Not only is it patronising to those it hopes to welcome, but it entirely
misses the literary purpose and value of slang, usually utilising the lamest,
least challenging has-been manifestations of "cutting-edge,
fresh-from-the-street" talk. Take a line from the street slang Julius Caesar: "I
come to bury Caesar, not big him up." Are you kidding me? Even to an old fogey
such as myself, this sounds dated. When well-meaning literary professionals seek
to get down with the kids in this way, the world really is turned upside down.
On one side, those who should know better abdicate their duty to introduce the
next generation – wherever they come from – to the very best of literature; on
the other, you have a misplaced scramble to latch on to and leech off the
knowing cool of youth.

I've got mixed feelings about this view. On one hand, the students involved in the Wasted production, deserve to be applauded for their hard work and dynamism ( I've got to say that as well because I teach some of them and I don't want to get slapped up by an angry gangsta-thespian at registration), and you can see that the use of language that they are familiar with from the colloquial discourse around them is one way of opening up the text to different audiences. But, on the other hand, is it just a cheesy, patronising and craven attempt to bring a hint of ghetto colour to a pedestrian adaptation of a great play? Is slang being used because the actors don't actually understand the original words and meanings?

Trojans Rally Falls Short at Enloe

WEB CAST.

The Varsity Basketball team continued their parade of perennial powers as they traveled to Enloe to take on the Eagles who many believe will challenge Terry Sanford for the East Championship and on Thursday night a very sloppy game was played as the two teams combined for 55 turnovers (31 of them by the Trojans) and Enloe came away with a 67-56 win.

Garner played the up tempo style of offense and ran the floor with the Eagles but after the first quarter, the Trojans were down by seven at 19-12. Enloe began to pull away in the second quarter as Garner at one point only had two second quarter points, but Sophomore Forward, Gavin Wilson found hit shot and hit two big three point shots and had four big field goals to keep Garner in it at 36-23 at halftime.

In the second half, Enloe's lead grew to near 20 before Garner rallied with big baskets from several players and the big key was when Donald Johnson, Garner's leading three point shooter found his outside shot and hit two second half three's as the Trojans cut the Eagle lead to 5 points with around 2:00 left in the game.

But, it would again be the turnover's rearing their ugly head as Garner had several empty possessions and Enloe pulled away to improve to 5-0 on the year, as they beat Garner 67-56. With the loss, Garner is 1-3 on the season and will return to action on Wednesday night at 7:30 when they host the same Enloe team.

Varsity Girls Fall to Enloe

Garner's girls were in a physical run and gun game with Enloe just like the boys. The Lady Trojans also had trouble finding their shot to begin the game as Enloe defeated Garner 70-50

JV Boys Win Opener

The JV Boys Basketball team won their season opener at home tonight as they defeated Enloe 62-53. Garner was led in scoring by Larry Richardson who had 14 points and Dominique Reed who had 13 to lead the Trojans.

Enloe was already three games into their season and the Trojans came away with a big victory of the powerful Eagle bunch. The JV Trojans are on the road for the first time this year on Wednesday night when they travel to Enloe at 7:30.

Track Meet Cancelled

Today's track meet has been cancelled due to the rain, there has been no reschedule date as of now, when one is announced, it will be posted.


In other track news, Michelle Bailey recently competed in the Nike Cross Country Southeast Regional on November 28, 2009. She placed 35th out of 116 female athletes. Congratulations Michelle!

Garner Falls to Terry Sanford

WEB CAST.

The Garner Trojans welcomed the defending Eastern Regional Champion, Terry Sanford Bulldogs, to Garner on Tuesday night. Garner had already been defeated by the Bulldogs 67-42 to start the year, but this night, things would be a little different as the Trojans were able to hold their own, but still fell to Terry Sanford 61-53.

Both teams got off to a slow start to begin the contest, as the pace was fast and furious and neither team could find any rhythm but the Bulldogs took a 13-8 lead after the first quarter. The second quarter would be a tough one for Garner as Terry Sanford got many transition baskets to grow the lead to double digits and the lead would be 13 at halftime at 37-24. However, Garner was playing most of the second quarter without Senior Forward, Stephon Drane, who picked up three quick fouls and had to sit for most of the second quarter.

In the second half, the Bulldogs would increase the lead to as many as 18 before Garner began to chip away as one of the biggest sparks came from Josh McClain who came off the bench to 12 points for Garner, seven of those coming in the second half.

But in the end, 32 turnovers would kill the Trojans as they fell to Terry Sanford to 61-53. Garner is now 1-2 on the season and will have a quick turn around as they travel to Enloe on Thursday night at 7:30.

Varsity Girls Down Bulldogs

Garner came out hitting on all cylinders as they led pretty much the entire game and pulled away from Terry Sanford late to win 49-34.

Garner is now 2-2 on the season and will travel to Enloe on Thursday at 6:00

.