Tone

Denver's Bill Tierney is arguably the best coach in college lacrosse history, but he should be careful not to tarnish his legacy. Tierney, who won six national championships at Princeton, has done a great job of turning around Denver's program in recent years, but a lot of fans at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Saturday weren't applauding him. Rather, they were criticizing him for his behavior during the game. On almost every whistle, Tierney seemed to be ranting and criticizing the officials in Denver's game against Loyola.

Denver's Bill Tierney is arguably the best coach in college lacrosse history, but he should be careful not to tarnish his legacy. Tierney, who won six national championships at Princeton, has done a great job of turning around Denver's program in recent years, but a lot of fans at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Saturday weren't applauding him. Rather, they were criticizing him for his behavior during the game. On almost every whistle, Tierney seemed to be ranting and criticizing the officials in Denver's game against Loyola.

Since the bloodbath in Tucson last Saturday there has been much talk of ratcheting down the rhetoric in what presently passes for political discourse in this country. I'm sorry to say I'm pessimistic that has even the slightest chance of occurring. The reason for my doubtfulness lies in my belief that, since the days of the late Lee Atwater, the political right in this country is a one trick pony. They are simply not equipped to back off the vitriolic rhetoric since it's just part of the way they operate politically.

I will admit it, I came to the season premiere of "America's Got Talent" to rip Howard Stern. But I walk away after two hours with nothing but admiration for Stern and the producers of this potent franchise. And I'm not simply praising AGT as a slick or skilled production. "America's Got Talent" connects with some of the deepest currents of American life today. For all its sideshow, freakshow silliness and weirdness  at times, it also speaks to a huge slice of American life that our politicians don't seem to know or care about one little bit any more as they move from fund raiser to fund raiser and TV studio to soundstage in their cocoons of media and million-dollar isolation from the masses.

With the national spotlight turned to civility, some folks in Maryland might be letting loose a few fist pumps — albeit very polite ones. For the Johns Hopkins University professor who literally wrote the book on the subject and the Howard County group that has brought the message to car bumpers across the region, it has been both heartening and refreshing to hear the golden rule invoked by the president of the United States and on the lips...

In his first start since a 12th-place finish behind Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness in May, Tone It Down won Friday's seventh race at Laurel Park, a $32,000 allowance test. Under Abel Castellano , the son of Medaglia d'Oro rallied down the lane on the sloppy main track to win by 1 1/4 lengths and pay $11.60. He covered the seven furlongs in 1 minute, 25.83 seconds. Our Second Slew finished second, and Ijada's Run rallied for third. Tone It Down has won three of seven starts during his 3-year-old campaign.

In his first opportunity to speak in person to fans and the Baltimore media, starting pitcher Kevin Millwood disputed the notion that he's unhappy being an Oriole. That perception is "wrong," said Millwood, who was acquired by the Orioles from the Texas Rangers in December for reliever Chris Ray . "If you're looking for me to get real excited, it's not going to happen. I'm the same way on the mound. If I'm getting my brains beat in, I'm not going to get too down about it, and if [I'm pitching well]

SO, YOU wanted issues in the campaign for governor? You wanted to know more about the candidates' problem-solving skills? Sorry, that part of the campaign is over. From now on, it's all about tone. Who was shrill in the NAACP debate? Who was defensive? Who called whom a bad name ("Ma'am," etc.)? If he hint of an issue arises in the next few weeks, it will come wrapped in tone: a disparaging tone, a deprecating tone, a tone of frustration, a tone of ridicule. There will be beef -- and there's been more already than you may realize -- but most of what you're going to get in this campaign you've got already.

If you've ever been puzzled about why the members of Tony! Toni! Tone! took on such a name when there isn't an Anthony among them, it's only because you're thinking of the wrong kind of "tony." As Dwayne Wiggins explains, what the group actually had in mind wasn't the nickname "Tony," but the slang term meaning high-class and stylish."It's just another way of saying 'a fly outlook,' " he says. "We came up with that before we came up with the group. It started out being a nickname for the way we used to dress and party and stuff."

Q: What do you think of a 10-year-old boy lifting weights?A: If your son's interest in lifting weights is founded in a desire to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Bo Jackson, he'll be disappointed. At 10, his body is not yet secreting large enough amounts of testosterone to produce significant muscle growth through weight lifting.Nonetheless, boys can improve muscle tone and increase strength by lifting weights. It is important the regimen not be excessive; tired muscles are more prone to injury.

Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz's political blind spot on the issue of pensions apparently knows no bounds. A man who has secured for himself and some of his closest political associates a retirement benefit far beyond what ordinary county workers would be allowed is, once again, seeking to reduce the benefits for others. First, he pushed legislation in Annapolis that would reduce benefits for county workers who had previously been employed by the state or another local government, and now he is trying to do so for a group of union laborers in the Department of Public Works and other agencies.

Many players on the Ravens roster are saying the right things heading into Sunday's AFC championship in New England, insisting that they aren't leaning on the team's convincing victory over the Patriots in an AFC wild-card playoff game in 2010. But for fans, it's difficult to forget that 33-14 victory, which got off to a rolling start when running back Ray Rice took a handoff 83 yards for a touchdown on the game's first play from scrimmage. The Ravens began on their own 17-yard line after a kick return by Jalen Parmele.

On a cold evening at Hereford High, the Bulls field hockey team exhibited some hot stickwork and moved into the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association's 3A North Regional Finals with a cool 3-0 victory over No. 4 seed Bel Air. For the No. 4 ranked Bulls, who are the No. 1 seed, it was just another perfect night as they extended their unbeaten record to 14-0. They are believed to be the last undefeated team in the greater Baltimore area this season. It is rarefied air for Hereford according to coach Tammy Mundie, an 18-year coaching veteran at the school.

If Ripley's Believe It or Not! opens a proposed "odditorium" museum at the Inner Harbor, it will be hard to miss. To lure visitors to its collection of "amazing exhibits" and "unbelievable & genuine artifacts from around the globe," the Orlando, Fla.-based entertainment company wants an attention-grabbing facade at its proposed site in the Light Street Pavilion at Harborplace. But city officials are pressing the company to tone down the facade's design, which initially featured a three-dimensional sea monster bursting from the building, teeth bared, as its green body coiled around a three-masted ship.

Reebok spokesman Dan Sarro responded to the FTC settlement: "We stand behind our EasyTone technology - the first shoe in the toning category that was inspired by balance-ball training. Settling does not mean we agree with the FTC's allegations; we do not.  We have received overwhelmingly enthusiastic feedback from thousands of EasyTone customers, and we remain committed to the further development of our EasyTone line of products. Our customers are our number one priority, and we will continue to deliver products that they trust and love.' Reebok agreed to pay $25 million to settle a government complaint that the shoe manufacturer made unsubstantiated claims that EasyTone and RunTone shoes would strengthen and tone legs and butts.

River Hill girls soccer coach Brian Song has seen his share of closely-contested games against Howard County rival Glenelg with the outcomes not decided until the latter stages of games. In Monday's early-season showdown for first place, he challenged his team to start fast and not look back. They responded. Controlling the first 10 minutes and making the most of their chances, the No. 6 Hawks got early goals from Kathryn Arensmeier and Sheridan Street five minutes apart and protected the lead with poise in coming away with a sturdy 2-0 home win over the No. 5 Gladiators.

Suzanne Ciani's most famous piece of music lasts approximately one second, and is heard about 280 million times every day. In 1988, she created what may be the world's best-known audio signature: the miniature chordal flourish that introduces every AT&T call. Known within the company as the sparkle tone, the brief chime was the first concerted foray into sonic branding in "phonespace."Now, driven by the competition, the wires are clogged with audio logos and announcements. If a line is busy in the Bell Atlantic calling area, a voice will intrude for a moment to offer the company's new call-back service.

The top-ranked McDonogh girls soccer team visited primary rival and No. 3 Archbishop Spalding on Monday, and they had a new role. It all changed last season when the Eagles were finally able to beat Spalding with an overtime win in the Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference title game, ending the Cavaliers' run of consecutive crowns. As the new team to beat this fall, McDonogh was able to pass a stern test with an efficient 2-0 win over the Cavaliers. All-Metro Player of the Year Ashley Spivey scored on a blistering free kick from 25 yards out seven minutes into play, and All-Metro forward Taylor Cummings added an insurance goal late as the Eagles improved to 6-1 overall and 2-0 in the IAAM.

President Obama finally gave his "big" jobs speech on national TV Thursday night. Only it wasn't nearly large enough to compete with news of a "credible" but "unconfirmed" terrorist threat and the start of National League Football's regular season. There is something sad and perhaps even dangerous about that -- but it is true. That's the state of American culture today. Television speaks its own language -- a language that appears obvious and common sense on the surface, but connects with our consciousness at a dozen, different, deeper levels.