CUA Sports Given Life by Two Voices: Jeff Pringle and C.J. Gilbert

Jeff Pringle and C. J. Gilbert know their Catholic University sports. They also know their CUA coaches, CUA players, and CUA statistics. Pringle, a veteran announcer of three years, and Gilbert, a sophomore, serve as the announcers for all home matches and games at the DuFour Center.

Pringle got involved in the announcing arena when his daughter Annemarie, B.E.E. ’99, was a student at Catholic and played on the field hockey and lacrosse teams. He started announcing for the field hockey team, until Director of Athletics “Bob Talbot heard me and asked if I’d do it for the football games,” he said. For the past three years, Pringle has been the voice emanating from the announcer’s booth- spouting off important facts and giving the play-by-plays of each home football game.

Currently, Pringle is known as the “Voice of CUA Sports,” a moniker that evolved during the 1999 Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. “Bob Talbot asked me to be the emcee for that, and he introduced me as the ‘Voice of CUA Sports,’” he said.

In order to properly prepare for the games, Pringle arrives at DuFour two hours early. “The preparation is about two hours,” said Pringle. “I read through the information. I read up on the other team and I read through their strategy. I also have to know the referees’ names because they all have to be announced.”

Pringle maintains that “it [announcing] is not very intensive except during the games.” The Athletic Department provides Pringle with all of the announcements he needs. However, after announcing for the two men’s basketball tournaments over the Christmas holidays (D3Hoops.com Classic and the CUA Pepsi Classic), Pringle admits that “basketball’s a little more intense than football because of the pace of play. It’s a different venue,” he said.

One of his favorite memories from a football game occurred when “a seagull landed on the field and got in the huddle of the opposing team. It was like the 12th man for the opposing team- but they still lost,” he said.

But Pringle also states that announcing for the games is a hobby. His other hobbies include doing cable television shows and lectoring at the Naval Academy Chapel. Additionally, he is a member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). Pringle’s radio roots trace back to his undergraduate days at Clemson University, when the education major worked in college radio. These days, he works for Xerox Corporation and lives in Annapolis with his wife, Marlyn, a ’66 graduate of CUA. His goal in life is to do the readings at Mass at the Basilica.

Pringle said, “I would never get sick of this job. It’s too much fun. And what is really nice is working with a fine group of professionals at Catholic. The fans are so great and it’s just a wonderful experience.”

C. J. Gilbert began his CUA announcing career as a freshman last year when he was assigned work-study at DuFour. “They signed me up to announce for the field hockey team,” he said. After announcing for a couple of games, Coach Lisa Thomas “wanted me to do the whole season.” In addition to field hockey, Gilbert wound up announcing for the women’s play-off volleyball team, women’s basketball, and women’s lacrosse. This year, he announces for “all complete seasons [except football] and men’s basketball.”

Like Pringle, Gilbert shows up early for each game. “I show up about an hour and fifteen minutes before the game,” he said. “I get all of the information from the Sports Information Director’s office.” Although the Athletic Department is in a transition period with its Sports Information Director position, Gilbert is still given a script to read at each game. Part of his preparation time is spent talking to the coaches from the opposite teams. “I introduce myself to the opposing coach and talk with him or her. I try to do that for half an hour and see what’s new.”

When announcing, he reads the team rosters and places special emphasis on any injured players or game highlights. “I comment on any special achievements that a player has done. I fill the audience in on the side stuff,” he said.

Gilbert estimates that he spends approximately fifteen hours at DuFour each week, although that number fluctuates depending on the number of home games per week. “I love it,” he commented about his announcing job. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s definitely an enjoyable job.”

While Gilbert played hockey and volleyball in high school, he is sticking to simply announcing sports in college. “I don’t have time for anything else,” he said. A politics major, he has “no clue” what he would like to do after graduation, although if announcing somehow figured in his future, he would not protest. “I’d love to do that,” he commented. “I’m interested in so many things and I don’t know yet what I want to do. I’ve thought about doing this for a while, but out in the professional world, it’s tough. Whether I’d go pro with announcing or not, I don’t know. But it’s really fun right now.”

The Bleacher Beat

It’s the thirty-fifth Super Bowl in football history. It’s the third Super Bowl held in Tampa. And it’s the first Super Bowl to be broadcast in 201 countries in 26 languages.

This Sunday, at 6 p.m. EST, Super Bowl XXXV will commence at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. As the New York Giants and the Baltimore Ravens face off before an estimated crowd of 70,000, this year’s Super Bowl has become more than just down and hard football. It’s about the fans. And I’m talking music fans, not football fans.

Sure, football is still the end-all and be-all of the Super Bowl. But lately, popular culture has overtaken the world of sports. Illustration in point: this year, the NFL selected MTV to produce the halftime show, which will air on CBS. Not only is MTV bringing in the legendary band Aerosmith and pop sensation *NSYNC, but they are also touting special musical guests Britney Spears, Nelly, and Mary J. Blige.

So, what’s the message here? Personally, I think there’s more than one. Allow me to demonstrate:

1). Perhaps Giants’ quarterback Kerry Collins is trying to tell his teammates “bye, bye, bye” in that special way.

2). Maybe the Ravens’ defense is saying: “Hit me, baby, one more time!”

3). Could Ray Lewis be reassuring himself that he’s “not gonna cry” anymore? (On the other hand, he could be admitting: “Oops, I did it again…”)

4). Quite possibly the new mantra for both offensive teams is “I don’t want to miss a thing.”

In any event, it’s going to be “sweet emotion” for whatever team wins those Super Bowl rings.

Women Now Sixth in Atlantic Region

The Lady Cardinals have been struggling this week as they move from #3 to #6 in the Atlantic Region, losing three of their last four games. Their most recent loss came at the hands of the Lady Seahawks of St. Mary’s College. Catholic was keeping up with the pace as their hard work only found them trailing 15-16 at the break. In the end, it was free-throw shooting that hurt the women the most; St. Mary’s shot an impressive 87.5 percent from the line while CUA shot 56.3 percent. As a result, the Seahawks defeated the Cards 46-41.

Junior guard Meg Hagarty had a game-high 13 points and four assists. Sophomore forward Carol Schnepp chipped in with 11 points. Fellow sophomore and center Jackie Yacenda and freshman forward Katie McGlynn rebounded in double figures, with 12 and 11, respectively. Overall, Catholic dominated the boards by out rebounding St. Mary’s 52-39.

On Monday, the Lady Cards visited the Lady Green Terror of Western Maryland College. Although both teams were playing hard, the Green Terror took advantage of the turnovers that gave them the 38-30 lead at halftime. After that, it was all Western Maryland as they shot an impressive 73.3 percent from the charity stripe to down the Cards 78-55.

Hagarty and McGlynn scored a team-high of 15 points apiece followed by Schnepp, who scored 11 points. Yacenda and sophomore forward Colleen Manning both grabbed a team-high of 6 rebounds.

Assistant coach Mark Dean commented on the team’s performance by saying, “Despite the loss, our team played hard. Western Maryland was a good team and they were aided by the fact that they made 30 free throws to our seven.” Dean also talked about how the Lady Cards needed to cut down on turnovers and grab more rebounds.

Last Saturday, Catholic traveled across town to play the Lady Saints of Marymount University. Hagarty scored a game-high of 17 points and Yacenda chipped in with 10 points and a game high of 9 boards. Yet, that wasn’t enough as the Cards dropped another game, losing to Marymount 45-69. Catholic shot a dismal 29.8 percent from the field compared to Marymount who shot 44.3%. Dean said, “We’re very young and we haven’t learned to play away from home.”

The Lady Cards, who were ranked third in the Atlantic Region, now fall to an overall record of 10-7 (4-3 in the Capital Athletic Conference ) as they host the Lady Gophers of Goucher University tomorrow at 4 p.m. The women are looking to sweep the Lady Gophers in a repeat performance of their 67-55 Dec. 2nd win.

Cartwright, Horstman Sink Opponents

The men’s swim team gained two wins this past weekend, beating Goucher 124-42 and beating Salisbury State 140-60. The women’s team attained success over Goucher, winning 115-88 while falling short against Salisbury State, 88-117.

Against Goucher, the men started the day off with a victory in the 200 medley relay. Team members included sophomore Brad Lawrence, senior Ryan Wallace, senior Steve Cartwright, and freshman Leo Dwyer. Freshmen John Kania and Sean Walsh swam to first and second in the 1000 free. Freshman Scott Aken and sophomore Paul Ojeda continued the streak with their first and second place finishes in the 200 free. Junior Tim Dwyer was first in the 50 free while Cartwright was second. Freshman Michael Gibbons was victorious in the 200 individual medley and in the 100 fly while freshman Sean Collins finished second in the 100 fly. Cartwright also swam to a first place finish in the 100 free. Leo Dwyer was first in the 500 free while Aken was second. Wallace placed first in the 100 breast, and Tim Dwyer placed second. Lawrence finished second in the 100 back to round out the Cardinal scoring.

In their meet against Salisbury State, the men started the meet on a high note with a first place in the 400 medley relay. The team consisted of Lawrence, senior captain Andy Waters, Gibbons, and Ojeda. Cartwright swam to first place finishes in the 800 free, 200 individual medley, and 200 fly. Gibbons was second to his teammate in the 200 individual medley and 200 fly. Aken placed first in the 200 free, followed closely by Leo Dwyer in second. Ojeda finished first in both the 50 free and 100 free. Tim Dwyer was second to him in the 50, and junior Hugh Carroll was second to him in the 100. Waters won the 200 breast while Tim Dwyer swam to second. In the second to last event of the meet, Aken finished second in the 400 free.

Ojeda said, “Everyone swam well considering how tired we are right now. We have been training hard, getting ready for CAC [Capital Athletic Conference] championships. While we did not think that these two meets would be particularly hard for us, we needed strong victories to boost our morale after our loss at Washington and Lee.”

Aken agreed by saying, “We swam really well and are working at getting back in shape to prepare for CACs. We came back strongly after our previous loss.”

The Cardinal women started strong at Goucher, finishing first and second in the 200 medley relay. Members of the first place team included freshmen Megan McNiff, Anji Wall, Kelly Burke, and senior Stephanie Bieloski. The second place team included freshman Gloria Wasserman, junior Nicole Perry, senior Laura Dalton, and sophomore Kelly Nagle. Sophomore Maureen Horstmann had double victories in the 1000 free and the 500 free. Wall finished first in the 50 free and the 100 breast. Sophomore Kelly Anne Creazzo placed first in the 200 individual medley and the 100 back. Junior Lauren Mennine swam to second in the 100 and 200 free events. Burke was second in the 50 free; Bieloski was second in the 100 fly. McNiff finished second in the 100 back.

In their loss to Salisbury State, the women began with a victory in the 400 medley relay. Team members were junior Elizabeth Renken, Wall, Bieloski, and sophomore Ellie Graham. Creazzo swam to first in the 800 free and second in the 200 fly. Bieloski placed first in the 50 free and second in the 100 free. Wall finished first in the 100 breast. Renken was second in the 200 free; Graham was second in the 50 free. The women’s 400 free relay, made up of freshman Mary Alice Crim, Horstmann, Burke, and Mennine, was second.

Bieloski said, “We swam pretty well over the weekend. Overall, we were not ready for Salisbury State, but our personal times were good. Their team was just a little better. We will be ready for them at Conferences.”

Horstmann said, “We are working hard right now, and this weekend was busy. We felt pretty good in the water. After we are rested, we are definitely looking to beat them [Salisbury State] at Conferences.”

Coach Tom Calomeris stated, “The team is still swimming well, considering where we are in our training program. Once again, the men went undefeated in the conference. We are anxiously awaiting and looking forward to the CAC meet in February.”

The swim team will face Marymount at home at 7 p.m. today.

Men's Indoor Track Off to Fast Start

The men’s indoor track team, in their first meet of the 2001 season, competed this past weekend at the Lebanon Valley College Invitational. In their first meet since finishing in second place at the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) Championships last spring, the men’s track team hoped to perform well and get the season off to a great start. However, the meet was not scored overall as a team; it was scored on an individual basis. “The team ran very well,” said Coach Jerry McGee. “If it had been scored, we’d have won the meet.”

Overall, the team was very successful. “The highlight of the meet was our pole vaulters. We had three [jumpers] over 12’6,” McGee added. Kevin Hare, a sophomore, jumped a personal best of 13 feet and placed third overall in the pole vault event.

Other notable members of the Cardinal men’s team were juniors Mike Clarke and Josh Foreso. Clarke, who ran the 5,000-meter race, finished in 17:28 for fifth place overall. “We looked really strong,” Clarke said. It was “a good start to the season,” he added.

Foreso also turned in a strong performance. He threw 43’5” in the shot-put event, and 44 feet in the 35-lb. weight. Foreso feels confident about the 2001 season. He said that the meet “was a big improvement from the past two years. We have improved every year since I have been here, and I think that we are a good threat to win the CAC this year.”

Junior John Clark exhibited stellar performances in the high jump, the triple jump, and the long jump. He placed second in both the high and triple jumps, and he finished fifth in the long jump. His brother, freshman Pete Clark, placed seventh in the long jump with a jump of 18’4

Notes & Asides

N&A's

My Louse of a House

I do not want to miss my class
But my door just will not let me pass
I banged my hand upon the door
Till my arm was very sore
But the throbbing hand I could not ignore

I do not like being stuck in this box
I do not like it without any jocks
I do not like it from within
I do not like being in Quinn!

Oh the Places You'll Go

Today is your day
You're off and away

From Spellman to Conaty to Flather to north
You'll know what's a happenin'
You'll know what your worth
You can even join USG to experience great mirth

There are so many things, you can do while you're here
Hey, you could even try to lead a great cheer
We saw your motorcade go as it went
When you drove by our hall you still could rent
You could be one of our new residents!
Pass by anytime, Mr. President

Sing a New Song

The boom band were banging
As I choked down my grain
The cacophony, the calamity, the torture, the pain

I could not concentrate on my fingers of chicken
As the Monster ballads around me did thicken

I appreciate the attempt at symphonic merriment,
But next time you choose to my have my ear be bent
What do you say to some less clamorous torment?

To Recap:
Quinn's door would not open from the inside, The presidential motorcade passed by UCE Thursday, and South had music at dinner Wednesday.

An Inauguration Ceremony Diary

(U-WIRE) PITTSBURGH -
3:06 a.m. I am curled up like a nesting bird in a papasan chair at my friend Pat's apartment in Alexandria, Va. The chair is designed for sitting, not sleeping — a fact that I realize painfully as my right leg, folded underneath my left, begins to go numb. I wonder why I am here.
"Want to come with us to the inauguration?" my friends asked me a few days earlier. I thought about it. . .Why go to Washington, D.C., for the weekend? My motivations were ultimately very simple — enjoy a road trip, spend time with friends, experience the climate, observe the scenery.
Tomorrow we are planning on leaving the apartment by 9 a.m. at the absolute latest. I must get to sleep. . .
9:18 a.m. We set out for the metro station in Pentagon City. I am dressed warmly and anticipating the worst in terms of weather, clutching my blue inaugural ticket securely in my hand.
10:31 a.m. I am standing outside the gate where they collect the blue tickets, waiting for the friends who decided to drive instead of take the metro. Public transportation is easy; fighting traffic and finding a place to park an hour before the inauguration begins is not. We are huddled together, shivering under a miserable gray sky, while I silently scan the crowd for cowboy hat-wearing Texans. My friend Leslie asks, "If you could morph into anything at this minute, what would you choose to be?" Our answers include: fur coat; polar bear; warm, comfy couch; hot dog; large, fluffy puppy.
11:42 a.m. Inside the gates now, waiting for Bush and Richard B. Cheney to be sworn in. We are so far back that I can barely see the stage, much less see the podium. But I like being absorbed in a crowd. It's much warmer this way. I notice that a woman near me has large earrings in the shape of the Lone Star state. They announce that Jimmy Carter is here. I love him! Sharp winds deliver my air kiss to the former president.
11:56 a.m. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist swears in Vice President Cheney. Afterward, a band plays "America the Beautiful." One of my friends points out the absurdity that for a few minutes, we have Clinton as president and Cheney as his second-hand man. I cherish this phenomena and giggle internally for the remainder of the song.
12:02 p.m. President Bush takes his oath of office. The crowd quiets as Bush promises to solemnly accept the position and guide our nation to the best of his abilities. Despite my inherent dislike for our country's new leader, a surge of patriotic optimism rushes through me. I want to get off to a good start. I hate not believing in people. With the election mess behind us, I want to try my best to put my faith in Bush.
12:16 p.m. The spell is broken. Instead of concentrating on Bush's address, my thoughts return to how cold I am.
As I look around, I see some people paying attention, but many others whispering, shuffling back and forth to keep warm, leaning, holding hands, humming, staring at others in the crowd. I am unusually perceptive of these little fluxes and fidgets, routine movements against a backdrop of history, ordinary actions at an extraordinary time.
A new president gives the first speech of what will be hundreds or maybe even thousands to come over the course of his new career, and all around me, I witness life marching on.

Bush's Closest Advisor: The Magic 8 Ball

Past presidential inaugurations have all had run-ins with bad weather. So why should this past week's been any different. It's hard to picture an umbrella as a lethal weapon, but when coupled with a cowboy hat and boots, it can be. These ingredients mixed in with a disputed election, a divided nation, and a president who doesn't want to say goodbye, all lead one to imagine a soap opera of tremendous intrigue. What was President Clinton's mark on America? What awaits President Bush II? Can the Ravens pull a Super Bowl out of their hat? Why do you leave Cardinal's Nest with that smell on your clothes? Why can't I find my magic eight ball so I can answer these questions? It would make my life much easier.

There are a few certainties in this world. One is that Fr. Bob knows what you did last weekend. Another is that people will agree to disagree. That's the beauty of the magic eight ball. It is not biased or persuaded by human emotions. When the entire world is conspiring against you, the black sphere with the floaty triangle seems like the only one who can give you a straight answer. Just as President Clinton effectively used public opinion polls to determine possible policy decisions, I suggest that President Bush buy a magic eight ball of his own and keep it in that briefcase along with our nation's nuclear codes. One point is very clear: Bush will not govern like Clinton, nor could he. He is not the communicator, campaigner or charismatic leader that Clinton was.

All of the Bush spots on Saturday Night Live must have made it into the governor's mansion in Austin because Bush realized his lack of experience and decided to pack his administration with his father's friends and other conservative notables which will make the White House seem like a tamer version of "That 70s Show." With so many grownups around, Bush will feel relieved when all of his advisors take their afternoon naps and he's able to play croquet on the South Lawn with the Prime Minister of Norway or another foreign dignitary whose name he can't pronounce.

It was not his address that made the Bush II inauguration memorable, but the crowds that witnessed it. Not only was it impressive to watch the peaceful transition of power from one president to another, but it was also a testament to our system of government to look at the spectrum of Americans who exercised their rights as citizens to make public their views.

Our new president has made some good decisions. His selection of General Colin Powell as Secretary of State will strengthen America's foreign policy and protect our national interests overseas. Bush's first legislative package, which arrives on Capitol Hill this week, is a bipartisan set of education reforms that make sense and will help the country's schools. Congratulations, Mr. President, on your excellent use of the magic eight ball's power.

Unfortunately, Bush has grown arrogant and believes he can make wise decisions without the help of his wonder counselor. He has thrown the magic eight ball away like an uncounted Florida ballot and everything has gone wrong since. His selections to influential Cabinet posts have gone to a social commentator who has hired illegal immigrants and wanted to become the Secretary of Labor, an Interior nominee who would turn our national parks into New Jersey Turnpike gas stations and a close-minded Ashcroft whose conservative opinions dispute the laws of the land which he would have to personally implement as Attorney General. I wanted to believe Governor Bush during the campaign when he said he wanted to be a uniter and not a divider. These appointees are divisive and represent a slap in the face to the very same Americans who feel cheated from November's election. In his address, Bush stated that "a civil society demands from each of us good will and respect, fair dealing and forgiveness." Whether it's these radical nominees, the push for a tax cut which benefits the nation's most wealthy or a political wish list designed to reward campaign contributors, the new president is hardly leading us towards a united civil society.

President Bush's most important statement in his inaugural address was his pledge to "work to build a single nation of justice and opportunity." My advice, and the advice from the magic eight ball, is to stick to the policies that President Clinton used to rebuild America. We seniors will graduate into a world that is at peace, into a strong economy that demands our talents, and into a diverse and open culture with enormous possibilities. President Clinton's personal mistakes hindered his talents, but his legacy remains one of accomplishment and success. His successor, a man who failed to receive a mandate or even win the national popular vote, would be wise to stay the course.

Out of all those Texans who invaded the capital this week, I don't think a single one of them brought along a magic eight ball to give to the new president as a house-warming gift. I hope Bush's cowboy hat does not impair his vision as he looks into the swirling blackness of the magic eight ball. Don't worry, Mr. President, you can have mine. You will need all the help you can get. Besides, I've already got the answer I was looking for. Unite and don't divide. Govern compassionately and wisely. If you can do this, we'll all be a little better off as a nation. If you can't, I'll take back my magic eight ball and prepare for a rainy or snowy day four years from now when a new president takes the oath of office as you look on asking yourself what went wrong and where did I put that stupid thing?

Kralik Wrong About Clinton Legacey

It is true that scandals and indiscretions arose during the Clinton presidency, as David W. Kralik points out in last week's Tower ("It All Depends on How You Define Legacy," Jan. 19). But didn't the press have a part in crucifying him for it? Today, the media is a different animal. The press has become not only the attack dog of the "truth," but participants in a race for ratings, as well. During Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration, the press corps was well aware of both the President's and the First Lady's "indiscretions," yet it did not make national news. The media seemed to have more respect for the Office of the Presidency than they did for the almighty dollar, but the times have changed. The press crucified Clinton in the papers and on television not because it was newsworthy, but because all of America would tune in. The American people don't get energized over politics in general, but give them a good scandal and they are all ears.

As for the impending economic "collapse" Mr. Kralik referred to, it is no fault of Bill Clinton. The country has not been as economically prosperous in a long time. The market fluctuates naturally; it is basic economics. We have been riding high on the economic tide, so a check in the market is, of course, needed. We might do well to remember that the country was in a recession throughout the Bush administration, which some economists pinned on Reaganomics. During the Reagan administration, the national deficit reached an all-time high, only to increase by almost a trillion dollars while Bush was in office. Let us also not forget that during the Reagan era, the savings and loan industry collapsed, which was a direct result of his deregulation policies.

Also, Mr. Kralik's derogatory comment toward the First Lady reeks of misogyny. To imply Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) only received the position because her husband was president or that she is not up to the task is utterly offensive to women in general. The state of New York seems to trust that she is qualified to be their advocate on the Hill, what right does Mr. Kralik have to disparage their judgment? This viewpoint belittles the strides women have made in a predominantly patriarchal society as well as Sen. Clinton's personal achievements.

President Clinton should be remembered for the tremendous job he did while in office. This is exemplified by the booming economy, the 25-year low in crime, the more than 3 million children who have risen out of poverty during his term. Clinton has left this nation more prosperous than any other president since the 1950's, which I believe says it all.

Tensions Soar as Protesters Decry President Bush

(U-WIRE) WASHINGTON - Chris Meller sat in a chair in a CVS on Pennsylvania Avenue just feet away from a tumultuous crowd of angry protesters.

Meller, a junior at the Virginia Commonwealth University, sat in the CVS attempting to warm up after hours of standing in the cold January rain and protesting the inauguration of George W. Bush.

"I think that there is a need for mass action," Meller said. "The goal for us today is to see how much we can perfect the spectacle and to make a voice of dissent heard."

Meller was not alone. Throngs of protesters from groups like the National Organization for Women (NOW), the Black Panthers, the Green Party and numerous other activist groups from around the country were on hand to line the streets of the inaugural parade route.

Collecting in a permitted protesting area, demonstrators chanted slogans, carried signs and challenged police who attempted to maintain order.

"This is what a police state looks like," chanted the demonstrators at police who lined barricade lines.

"I have come to these protests before, and I was here for the April 16 demonstrations against the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund," Meller said. "The reason we are out here today, in great numbers and from different groups, is because this election will only exacerbate the racial and wealth divisions in our country."

The permitted protesting area was located at 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Freedom Plaza. The area bordered ticketed bleacher seats for viewing the inaugural parade.

"I think that those people (protesters) are horrible," said Girl Scout Stephanie Miller, a Silver Springs High School student and parade volunteer. "I just can't believe that people act like this."

Protesters stood for hours in the cold rain waiting for the presidential motorcade.

"Yeah, it is really cold out there," said Andrea Sanquer, a student at the University of Arkansas. "But it is worth it to show what we believe in. I have never felt so strongly about something as I do about the fraudulent results of this election and the injustices that were committed in Florida."

"I can't understand why more people aren't here," said Robin Zyken, a graduate of the University of Michigan. "Even in small countries, people will come together and rise up in support of things."

Judah Schept and 80 fellow Vasser College students rode a bus to Washington, and stayed in a Virginia Church just for the opportunity to voice their anger about the U.S. prison system.

"The turnout today is a horrific testament to all the issues that are important," Schelpt said.

The presidential motorcade was delayed in making the trip down Pennsylvania Avenue, but the protesters were not deterred.

"So what if we have to wait a few minutes longer?" Sanquer said. "When he (Bush) gets here we will just turn the volume up louder."

When the motorcade did pass by the approximately 300-yard stretch of route occupied by demonstrators, they did "turn the volume up." Protesters pushed against rope barriers that police erected in a double line rope-fence perimeter. Police stood at the fence facing the frenzied crowd.

"Shame, shame," shouted the crowd as Bush's motorcade passed slowly along the route.

Some plastic water bottles flew from the crowd and bounced in front of the motorcade, the police and Secret Service watching every projectile for signs of danger.

Though a ticket was not required to enter the protest area, Secret Service and Metropolitan Police officers inspected all bags and packages of spectators before they were allowed near the route.

"I think that it is wrong that our constitutional rights are being violated here," said Jon Harturgh, a college student from Baltimore.

Secret Service officials and Metropolitan Police reassured the crowd with megaphones that the inspections were procedural and would be brief if everyone cooperated.

Sanquer was pleased with the results of the event.

"This is a slow process, changing things is never easy," Sanquer said. "We are out here today to make our voices heard, and we did that. There was no way that George Bush could ignore what he saw from his limo. I am glad that I made the trip."

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