Cootie Platoon Portland : Twilight Cafe & Bar on 2011-05-28

I was distraught. How could I now be forced to leave my boys, my platoon, in harm's way while I worked a desk job in relative safety on a large forward operating base? I felt like I was being taken out of the game when my team needed me the most.

via farm5.static.flickr.com

I wanted to make a quick post that tied a couple of things together regarding Brandon Guyer. We can use his park-adjusted minor league numbers against lefties and righties to get an idea of how much of a platoon split Mr. Guyer is likely to demonstrate. Even better, we can run a bit of regression on these numbers so that we're sure that what we're seeing is not just one player in a small sample. Lastly, we can apply forecasts to the regressed splits and get an idea of what to expect from this most recent call up.  

First off, we can extract all the data we need from here, which yields something like this:

The database leaves out 2007 for the former Cub that came over in the Garza deal, but it wasn't a full season and it was his first so I'm not all that worried. His 2010 season at Tennessee was lauded as a breakout, but his season prior, albeit at Advanced A Daytona, he had himself quite the season as well. You can see that he was slow to adjust in his first go around at AA, but it appears the 25 year old was able to bury that bad run by doing everything possible in 2010. I don't have the splits for his 2011 season in Durham, but I can share that his overall line against both types of pitchers is at .370/.427/.630 good for a wOBA OF .457 and six homers in 112 plate appearances. The only thing hotter than that is Alison Brie playing the part of a paint-balling gunslinger. It's not all rosy as he's walking around 7.1% of the time while striking out roughly 22.3% of the time. He looks to be going up there hacking and confidence beget confidence in this case because he's seeing good results. The strikeouts might be something to keep an eye on as he takes his first run at the best pitchers on the planet.

via smallscreenscoop.com

I've found the OLIVER Forecasts at The Hardball Times to be a really good resource for guys that have little to no time in the Show. They're not flawless, but they seem to give a solid benchmark of what you're likely to see from a player if he were to get called up. OLIVER has Guyer's OBP/SLG/wOBA projection at .345/.479/.348.  Pretty impressive for a guy that has yet to pop his call-up cherry. I'd like to contrast this with ZIPS which is a little more pessimistic on Guyer and with good reason.  The ZIPS projection looks like: .306/.395/.313. I want to take the average of these as they seem to be optimistic and pessimistic, respectively, and each has roughly the same number of plate appearances. The average yields a line of  .326 for OBP, .437 for SLG, and .331 for wOBA. That's an above-average player, especially in this time of regressed offense.   

With a solid forecasted baseline we can now regress the Minor League, park-adjusted numbers to get an idea of how he will hit lefties and righties. Keep in mind that what he's done so far, particularly against lefties, is a pretty small sample. This means we're going to see regression take hold of the data and pull it closer to the mean than you might think. It's important to remember that what he's done so far might label him as a lefty-masher, but it could just be a couple of extremely hot streaks have carried him. This is why regression is so important as it lends a truer view of the data. With this in mind we would expect Guyer to do this:

OBP/SLG/wOBA v. LHP

.346/.471/.346

OBP/SLG/wOBA v. RHP

.317/.423/.324

This does tend to show a guy that we can expect to rock lefties. A LF platoon of Guyer and Sam Fuld could be extremely interesting depending on what defensive value Guyer gives us. What's really interesting is that most Rays fans think the team really struggles with lefties. Looking at our OBP/SLG/wOBA of .322/.374/.313 seems to confirm this until you see that versus righties those numbers go to .295/.389/.302. Guyer should help us against lefties, but it's still going to take some regression from Reid Brignac, Dan Johnson, and John Jaso to get this offense back where it needs to be. For now, welcome to the club Brandon. I hope your transition is smooth and we only talk about good things for the next six years. 

Afghan Air Force airmen and U.S. Army Sgt. John M. Davis, team leader, 3rd Platoon, Mad Dog Troop, 4

One of the most enduring themes of the Viet Nam era was that of the badly damaged Vietnam vet who came home and created mayhem – all because of his experiences and training.  It was a myth that died hard only because the war was so unpopular and so many people wanted to believe it.

BG Burkett in his book Stolen Valor, completely takes all the underlying premises that supported that myth apart with facts and statistics.  I don’t have time to relate them all but I cannot recommend that book highly enough.

That said, this article by Luke Mogelson in the New York Times Magazine (via PJ Tatler) entitled “The Beast In The Heart Of Every Fighting Man” is a travesty.  It’s subhead gives you a clue why:

The case against American soldiers accused of murdering Afghan civilians turns on the idea of a rogue unit. But what if the killings are a symptom of a deeper problem?

Instead of telling the story of the now infamous “kill squad” from the 5th Stryker Brigade out of Ft. Lewis WA, and the reasons for their actions and activities, Mogelson does what many hacks do and tries to conflate what happened in a single platoon out in the middle of nowhere in Afghanistan with a problem that infects the entire military.

Granted – no, stipulated – war is hell, it changes people, it is something which anyone who has ever experienced it up close and personal would never wish on another person.  And yes, there are stresses that come from multiple deployments, leaving your family behind and watching men you think more of than anyone in the world die in action.  But those stresses aren’t unique to these wars.  Yes, multiple deployments are fairly unique.  But then the alternative is the duration – which my parents did in WWII – 4 years of war, from beginning to end.

But that’s not the point of the article.  Mogelson does a credible job of telling the “kill squad” story.  It’s a horrible story in which a deviant but charismatic junior leader, in an isolated outpost, talks some impressionable squad members into doing the unthinkable all while the weak leadership in charge of the platoon failed in their roles.

Had he left it here, I could actually find myself saying nice things about it. It is a story that must be told.

But he didn’t leave it there.  He started to veer in that old and predictable lane in which the military is indicted for making robot killers out of their charges and becoming so good at it that things like this happen.

In fact, just the treatment of the title outlines his attempt.  And interestingly, later on in the article, he uses the full quote from Gen. George C Marshall from which the line comes:

“Once an army is involved in war, there is a beast in every fighting man which begins tugging at its chains. And a good officer must learn early on how to keep the beast under control, both in his men and himself.”

Mogelson deals with the first part, but he makes absolutely no effort at all to understand the second part and how critical it is to the institution he attacks.  That is, “good officer[s]” and NCOs do keep control of it and they comprise the vast majority of the leadership in our military.  That’s why the military spends so much time and effort training them to do so.

Mogelson is reduced to using the Philippine insurrection and My Lai, two isolated examples decades apart as some sort of proof of his premise.  They are, instead, outliers.  As was Abu Ghraib.  There are always going to be bad people found in good institutions.  We see bad cops – but we don’t think all policemen are bad nor do we pretend that law enforcement as a whole deserves blanket condemnation.  We realize that with any organization of size which deals in a deadly business that there may be some bad people who we will have to weed out at some point or another.

However, Mogelson, via sociologist Stjepan Mestrovic, rejects that premise:

If we lack a sense of collective responsibility for these more recent war crimes, Mestrovic blames this on our readiness to believe that such occasional iniquities are aberrations perpetrated by a derelict few, rather than the inevitable result of institutional failures and, more generally, the nature of the conflicts in which we are engaged.

Institutional failures?  A military that fights the cleanest wars imaginable, does everything in its power to avoid collateral damage, demands that its leadership monitor and control that so-called “beast” by being totally involved and leading from the front.  A military that has fought like no other military has ever fought in history is an institutional failure?

Yeah, it was 40 years ago too according to these experts.  Except it wasn’t.

Welcome to my world of those long gone days of the Viet Nam era when exactly this sort of nonsense was written about Viet Nam and it’s vets.   And, if you read the comments to this story, you’ll find “mission accomplished” is appropriate:

These men and women return to abuse and often kill innocent people stateside. Their minds are permanently mangled.

The United States military is not protecting us but putting every US citizen in grave danger from the killing robots they have created..

END the military. We will all be safer.

And

In sum, the military's purpose in training young men and women is to twist, destroy, and pervert basic human decency, empathy and consideration of other human beings-- everything that most likely his or her family has also strived to cultivate in him or her-- in order to serve the aims of empire.

Thus, the military is essentially an evil institution.

The old meme is resurfacing and gaining some traction.  As I said way back then, “never again”. 

The military is both an honorable profession and a extraordinarily necessary one.  Its members are not “victims” of some evil institution.  They’re not robots.  They’re not “killing machines” who come home to “abuse and often kill innocent people stateside”.   The purpose of our military isn’t now nor has it ever been to “pervert basic human decency”.  It’s to do a necessary and often distasteful and dangerous job for the BENEFIT of those back home – for their safety and freedom.

Ironically the NYT publishes this garbage just after some hard men heroically risked their lives in a daring raid to kill a mass-murdering terrorist who struck the very city they print this in. 

This is the thanks they get.

~McQ

The big yellow Ferris wheel sits idle; the bumper cars look frozen in suspended animation, as if they were abandoned mid-collision. So does the nearby school, whose cafeteria is littered with the detritus of dusty gas masks in case of nuclear war, its classrooms strewn with Cyrillic math textbooks and Soviet newspapers from the 1980s. A sign warns schoolchildren to save energy and heat. Welcome to Pripyat, the Ukrainian town with the misfortune of sitting just miles from the world's most notorious nuclear power plant, Chernobyl. Twenty-five years ago this once heavily forested area bore the brunt of the world's deadliest nuclear power disaster, leaving untold victims who suffered from the radioactive fallout and ecological disaster in its wake. Now it is one of Ukraine's most visited sites. Roughly 6,000 tourists—most of them Europeans—stream through this ghost town annually on private tours unsanctioned by the authorities. But starting this year, the government is also looking to cash in on the plant's notoriety, with plans to open up the zone to official tours, as well as boost its safety by building a giant concrete shell to encase the reactor by 2015.

See photos of Chernobyl today.

After making the two-hour drive from Kiev, the tour kicks off in the no-frills office of the Ukrainian information agency. My guide, Yuri, points at color-coded maps of the radioactive fallout from the exclusion zone—or "dead zone"—a 30-kilometer radius that requires permits (and passports for foreigners) to enter. Next up is a drive-by photo op of the half-finished cooling towers and rusting nuclear reactors. There's an Iwo Jima-like statue devoted to the 29 firemen who died here, too.

Tourists tote around a yellow Geiger counter, which resembles a garage door opener and beeps incessantly as it measures the air's radiation. Levels can vary from as low as 10 microroentgens or one-millionth of a roentgen, in Pripyat (harmless), to 200 in front of Reactor No. 4. (possibly harmful with long-term exposure), the site of the meltdown.

"Only when it started beeping a lot was I scared," said Lina Selander, an artist visiting the nuclear zone from Sweden. "It's like Chernobyl's soundtrack."

The most surreal stop of the tour is Pripyat. There are no hazmat-like outfits or special masks necessary. The poplars do not glow from radiation. The town is an eerily mundane time capsule, buried in dust and left almost exactly as it was when its roughly 50,000 inhabitants were forced to flee in 1986. Tourists are allowed to roam relatively un-chaperoned through the necropolis' spooky remains of apartment blocs, a gymnasium, dance hall, swimming pool, and an Orwellian-eque Palace of Culture, whose peeling sky-blue paint and scattered broken glass feel like a Soviet version of the Titanic.

After the four-hour tour and a prison-style meal, visitors stand on a contraption that looks like a time machine. If it flashes green—no radiation—then you are good to go. On your way out of the exclusion zone, you (and your vehicle) must go through a similar radiation x-ray of sorts.

Tours are not cheap, running upwards of $150 for groups and $400 for individuals. Sergii Mirnyi, a commander of the radiation reconnaissance platoon that responded in 1986, accuses the government of "milking" the disaster for every last tourist dollar. He says the reactor should stand as a monument to ecological education.

"Chernobyl tourism," he told me, "undoubtedly can generate money. But I believe it can generate so much more."

What do you think? Would you go on a tour of Chernobyl? Do you support the fact that the government is offering tours of the region?

INFORMATION

The government is expected to roll out official tours later this year. Until then, there are roughly a half dozen private companies offering tours in English. Visit tour2chernobyl.com or tourkiev.comfor more information.

—Lionel Beehner

Opinion:

Last summer while I was playing tennis with a friend on an Arlington public court, a troop of elementary-school kids took over the surrounding courts for a group tennis lesson. These things don't often bode well when you're trying to get in a competitive match — errant tennis balls and highly vocal children can be rather distracting — but they were a pretty focused bunch so I didn't pay much attention.

While I was retrieving one of my own errant balls, I did overhear a group of boys who were hanging by the fence awaiting their turn. One of them was asking his friends, ''Do you know about 9/11?'' and then proceeding into a tale of crashing planes and buildings.

I imagine that the idea of 9/11 to those kids is akin to my own childhood idea of the Vietnam War. I was born in 1967, so that war is a hazy part of the backdrop of my '70s upbringing, an event I won't ever think of in the same way my parents do, simply because they experienced it and I did not. My ideas of Vietnam were shaped more by movies like Platoon than any actual memories of what had happened.

Obviously, I'm thinking of this because of the Sunday announcement that Osama bin Laden had been found and killed. My nephew, born a year before the attack, will remember the celebrations of the death of bin Laden but not the terrible event that triggered it. I imagine that, like the boys on the tennis court, his interpretation of 9/11 will be far more cinematic and exciting than it was or really should be.

I keep in my office three things from that time: the Sept. 12, 2001, editions of The Washington Post, USA Today and Time magazine. I don't keep them out in the open — not only would that feel ghoulish, I just couldn't bear to be reminded of that terror every day. But I can't bring myself to box them away, either. In some ways, I fear forgetting.

In that Time, there is a two-page zoomed-in photo of the top stories of one of the burning towers as people plunged through the air, with a caption: ''A man and a woman held hands on the way down.'' More than the fear that gripped downtown D.C., more than the repeating video loop of the collapse of the towers, more than the eerie quiet of our entire city as that day unfolded, that one photo shapes my own memory of the horror and despair. Ten years later, it still brings me to tears.

That's why I've been so deeply ambivalent about the celebrations that followed the president's announcement. There is certainly a part of me that wants to see retribution and revenge — even though neither can ever truly be had — and wants to rejoice at the news of bin Laden's death. But another (I hope better) part of me recoils at celebrating death with the same exuberance you'd bring to a New Year's Eve party.

As I said, I'm ambivalent because for the most part I'm loath to tell others how they should experience this particular moment. But this death brings me no joy, just a grim happiness.

You can reach Sean Bugg at // or follow him on Twitter, @seanbugg.

...more

“Matthew, don’t allow yourself to ask “Why is he doing this to me?” Wonder why is he doing this to himself.”

The blown-to-hell chaos of productions like Apocalypse Now, Fitzcarraldo and Jaws are often evoked as legendary examples of disasters turned into classic motion pictures, but after reading Mathew Modine’s Full Metal Jacket Diary, I get the feeling that was par for Stanley Kubrick.

It’s one thing to hear stray anecdotes about life on his films, but it’s something quite different to swim through a first-person account of an entire project — an account that isn’t even a memoir but a digested arrangement of actual diary entires written as it all went down.

I recently grabbed a copy, one of only a few hundred remaining, from the original 2005 run of 20,000, and devoured it in one night. It’s not a rigidly detailed portrait like Taschen’s The Greatest Movie Never Made, but more an impressionistic experience mixing text and photos taken by Modine on set and elsewhere. That said, between these two books, you couldn’t ask for a better example of how Kubrick operated as a filmmaker from pre-production through shooting; the first phase seemed ruthlessly controlled and pedantic in his acquisition of research, the second was completely freeform.

Full Metal Jacket was in production from August 1985 through September 1986, including a 3-month break while Lee Ermy recovered from a car accident. Those who recall reading about The Shining and Eyes Wide Shut in newspapers know it went the same way on those films too. Full Metal Jacket took so long to make that Oliver Stone was able to convince investors to fund Platoon based on Kubrick making a Vietnam film, and he beat Kubrick to the punch, sucking a lot of air out of FMJ‘s release six months later.

Considering that Modine is a true ambassador for FMJ, regularly conducting Q&A’s at screenings and even developing a FMJ iPhone app, the most revelatory aspect about his experience on the film is how utterly miserable he seemed while making it — it dragged and dragged, there… Read the rest

If you haven’t read the February Facebook chat between Army specialist Adam Winfield and his father Christopher, which discusses the murder of an Afghan civilian, NOLA.com linked to the Harper’s Magazine story today that contains a transcript of the chat.

The chat (including photos) was posted online previously by a number of news sites and blogs, but it looks like it's going to be making the rounds again.

Here’s an excerpt:

ADAM WINFIELD: Hey.

CHRISTOPHER WINFIELD: What up?

A.W.: Did you read the message I sent?

C.W.: No. Just got home.

A.W.: Read it in private. I only want you and Mom to know about this right now.

C.W.: So are you in trouble now or is it over with?

A.W.: I’m not in trouble. I just lost all and any authority I had. I’m not concerned about my job right now or the promotion board. Did you not understand what I just told you what people did in my platoon?

C.W.: Murder.

A.W.: Yeah, an innocent dude. They planned and went through with it. I knew about it. Didn’t believe they were going to do it. Then it happened. Pretty much the whole platoon knows about it. It’s OK with all of them pretty much. Except me. I want to do something about it. The only problem is I don’t feel safe here telling anyone. The guy who did it is the golden boy in the company who can never do anything wrong and it’s my word against theirs.

Read more of the Facebook chat here.

Yoostar 2 is very much one of those games that can live or die by its post-release downloadable content. Thankfully for fans of the bizarre title, more is on the way.

Throughout May, Yoostar 2 will be giving you additional opportunities to reenact scenes from notable movies. The full list is broken out below, but you can expect stuff from The Big Lebowski, The Princess Bride, and a surprisingly beefy amount of content from The Hangover.

I often forget how much people love that last one.

Scenes

• American Graffiti - Got an ID for the liquor?
• Apollo 13 - Re-entering Earth's atmosphere
• The Big Lebowski - I'm the Dude
• The Big Lebowski - The rent
• The Blair Witch Project - I'm scared to close my eyes
• Cheech and Chong's Next Movie - I'll teach you some Spanish words
• Crank - Who are you?
• Fletch - John who?
• The Hangover - Doug is missing
• Kick-Ass - Child, you always knock me for a loop
• Kick-Ass - The kindest daddy in the world
• Marathon Man - Swallow the diamonds
• Matrix Revolutions - Give 'em hell!
• On the Waterfront - I coulda been a contender
• The Princess Bride - You killed my father - prepare to die!
• The Princess Bride - Where is the poison?
• Saw II - I want to play a game
• Saw V - Killing is distasteful to me
• Star Trek: Generations - The death of Kirk
• The Terminator - You're terminated
• Three Amigos! - A plethora of piñatas
• Weeds - A grow loan

Hollywood Sets

• Men in Black 2 - You are the Light of Zartha
• Scarface - From the desk of Tony Montana
• Tropic Thunder - Scorcher VI trailer

Free Video Background

• Fast-Moving Clouds

Scene Packs

Hollywood Sets Pack

• 300 - Xerxes' great beast advances
• Clash of the Titans - Tremble before the Kraken
• Fast and the Furious - Drag race
• GI Joe - Missile chase
• Tropic Thunder - A pandacide

Hollywood Icons Theme Pack

• Beverly Hills Cop - Axel checks in
• Forrest Gump - A bullet in the buttocks
• The Godfather - Luca Brasi and Don Corleone
• Rocky 2 - I am a fighter
• The Terminator - I love you, too, sweetheart

The Hangover Film Pack

• The Hangover - What's the last thing we remember?
• The Hangover - I'm gonna propose to Melissa
• The Hangover - Am I missing a tooth?

Soldier 3-Pack + bonus video background

• Platoon - Make it out of here
• Rio Grande - The War Department promised 180 men
• Sands of Iwo Jima - I'm gonna get the job done
• Video Background - Desert Fire

Wizard of Oz 3-Pack

• The Wizard of Oz - Dorothy meets the Cowardly Lion
• The Wizard of Oz - Is that the witch?
• The Wizard of Oz - Toto didn't mean it

Last night, a platoon of Denver's top female chefs (and a few of their male counterparts) gathered at Temple Emanuel for Women Cook! Dining for a Difference, a yearly benefit that supports Work ...

When I found out that Osama bin Laden was dead, I couldn't help but reminisce about the times my platoon had killed him, over and over again, in my mind.

When I found out that Osama bin Laden was dead, I couldn't help but reminisce about the times my platoon had killed him, over and over again, in my mind.

Transcribed over the phone from Jameel.

"
I just walked into our Communications Center to update them with our latest manpower assessments for the upcoming 24 hours and our deployment schedule.

The radio crackled and I answered that we were online and listening.

Our platoon leader then announced over the radio the blessing of Sefirat HaOmer.

Every unit in the area responded affirmative over the radio by answering Amen.
"

Visiting Israel?
Learn to Shoot at Caliber-3 with top Israeli Anti-Terror Experts!

Follow the Muqata on Twitter.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Despite what you may have read about Gen. Cartwright, the smart money is on Adm. James Stavridis to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs, which makes his comments in the May issue of the Marine Corps Gazette on operational risk and career cowardice all the more interesting.

The enormous irony of the military profession is that we are huge risk takers in what we do operationally -- flying airplanes on and off a carrier, driving a ship through a sea state five typhoon, walking point with your platoon in southern Afghanistan -- but publishing an article, posting a blog, or speaking to the media can scare us badly. We are happy to take personal risk or operational risk, but too many of us won't take career risk.

U.S. Army Pfc. Aaron Birmingham, an infantryman with 1st Platoon, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Task Force Duke, from Alpena, Mich., keeps on eye on a wadi in Andar, Afghanistan, April 21. The area is known as a Taliban stronghold and is where the unit received small arms fire earlier in the month. (Photo by: Staff Sgt. Andrew Guffey)

U.S. Army Pfc. Aaron Birmingham, an infantryman with 1st Platoon, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Task Force Duke, from Alpena, Mich., keeps on eye on a wadi in Andar, Afghanistan, April 21. The area is known as a Taliban stronghold and is where the unit received small arms fire earlier in the month. (Photo by: Staff Sgt. Andrew Guffey)

"I looked for a thread for him but couldn't find one..."

Just hit his 6th HR of the season (at Petco).

Looking strictly at the box scores, it looks like Jones is (a) heating up and ( starting to take over most of the platoon time in RF. I would really appreciate if the Pirate fan out there could shed some light... is he starting to claim a full time job? Not that I'm looking for any crazy production over the course of a full season, but when he gets hot, he's a player who you might want to ride for the stats.

Anyone with an OPS >0.900 a month into the season should have a thread...

Philadelphia Inquirer (blog)

Philadelphia Phillies: Is It Now Mayberry Time in Left Field for the Phillies? Bleacher Report I'm not sure if there is a Raul Ibanez Bobblehead Night coming up anytime soon at Citizens Bank Ballpark in Philadelphia, but if there is, the Phillies might want to consider cancelling that event. The Phillies have the second best record in Major ... Lumber Slumber | Philadelphia Inquirer | 2011-05-02Philadelphia Inquirer Phillies | John Mayberry could be in platoon with Raul IbanezKFFL Raul Ibanez's diminishing returnsESPN phillyBurbs.com -Delaware County Daily Times -The News Journal all 50 news articles »

12:08 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  Please be seated. On behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House.  To our many guests from Hawaii, aloha.  And thank you, Chaplain Carver, for that wonderful invocation.

I think we can all agree this is a good day for America.  Our country has kept its commitment to see that justice is done. The world is safer; it is a better place because of the death of Osama bin Laden.

Today, we are reminded that, as a nation, there’s nothing we can’t do —- when we put our shoulders to the wheel, when we work together, when we remember the sense of unity that defines us as Americans.  And we’ve seen that spirit -— that patriotism -— in the crowds that have gathered, here outside the White House, at Ground Zero in New York, and across the country -- people holding candles, waving the flag, singing the National Anthem -- people proud to live in the United States of America.

And we’re reminded that we are fortunate to have Americans who dedicate their lives to protecting ours.  They volunteer.  They train.  They endure separation from their families.  They take extraordinary risks so that we can be safe.  They get the job done.  We may not always know their names.  We may not always know their stories.  But they are there, every day, on the front lines of freedom, and we are truly blessed.

I do want to acknowledge before we begin the ceremony two individuals who have been critical as part of my team who are here today:  First of all, I think somebody who will go down as one of the finest Secretaries of Defense in our history, Secretary Bob Gates, who is here.  (Applause.)  And sitting beside him, someone who served with incredible valor on behalf of this country and is now somebody who I think will go down as one of the greatest Secretaries of Veterans Affairs in our history -- Eric Shinseki.  (Applause.)

Now, I have to say that as Commander-in-Chief, I could not be prouder of our men and women in uniform.  That is true now, in today's wars.  It has been true in all of our wars.  And it is why we are here today.

Long ago, a poet of the First World War wrote of the sacrifice of young soldiers in war:

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Today, we are joined by two American families who six decades ago gave our nation one of their own —- Private First Class Henry Svehla and Private First Class Anthony Kaho’ohanohano.

They did not grow old.  These two soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice when they were just 19 and 21 years old.  Age did not weary them.  In the hearts of their families, they remain forever young —- loving sons, protective brothers, hometown kids who stood tall in America’s hometown -- in America’s uniform.

Today, we remember them.  And we honor them with the highest military decoration that our nation can bestow -- the Medal of Honor.  In so doing we also honor their families, who remind us that it is our extraordinary military families who also bear the heavy burden of war.

We are joined by members of Congress who are here.  We very grateful for you.  We are also joined by leaders from the Army and our Armed Forces, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen and the Vice Chairman, General Jim “Hoss” Cartwright.  Where -- there they are right there.  (Applause.)

And this is not in the script, but let me just acknowledge that without the leadership of Bob Gates, Mike Mullen, Hoss Cartwright, today and yesterday would not have happened.  And their steadiness and leadership has been extraordinary.  I could not be prouder of them, and I am so grateful that they have been part of our team.  (Applause.)

I especially want to welcome some of those who fought so bravely 60 years ago —- our inspiring Korean veterans -- Korean War veterans who have made the trip here.  And I also want to acknowledge those who are welcoming two more American heroes into their ranks -- members of the Medal of Honor Society.  Thank you so much for your presence.  (Applause.)

This past November, I paid a visit to South Korea -- a visit that coincided with the 60th anniversary of the start of the Korean War, as well as November 11th, Veterans Day.  And I was privileged to spend part of the day with our troops and with dozens of veterans of the Korean War -- members of a generation who, in the words of their memorial here in Washington, fought for “a country they never knew and a people they never met.”

It was a generation that included Private First Class Anthony Kaho’ohanohano.  Tony grew up in Hawaii, in Maui.  He learned early that we have a duty to others -- from his father, a dedicated police officer, and his mother, who devoted herself to their nine children.  Tony was a tall guy.  He loved Hawaii, swimming in the ocean, playing basketball —- sounds like my kind of guy.  (Laughter.)  His siblings remember him as the big brother -- quiet but strong -- who took care of them, stood up for them in the neighborhood, and who would treat them to ice cream.

Tony’s loyalty to family was matched by his love of country -- even though Hawaii wasn’t even a state yet.  By September 1951, the Korean War had been raging for more than a year, and Tony was part of the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, which had been fighting for strategic hills that could shape the course of the war.

His squad was near a village called Chupa-ri when they came under a ferocious attack.  With the enemy advancing, with his men outnumbered, Tony made a decision.  He ordered his squad to fall back and seek cover.  And then Tony did something else.  He stayed behind.  Machine gun in hand, he laid down fire so his men could get to safety.  He was one American soldier, alone, against an approaching army.

When Tony was wounded in the shoulder, he fought on.  He threw grenade after grenade.  When his weapon ran out of ammunition, he grabbed another.  And when he ran out of ammo, he reached for the only thing left -- a shovel.  That’s when the enemy overran his position.  And in those final moments, the combat was hand to hand.  

It was that bravery -- that courage -- of a single soldier that inspired his men to regroup, to rally and to drive the enemy back.  And when they finally reached Tony’s position, the measure of his valor became clear.  After firing so many bullets, the barrel of his machine gun was literally bent.  But Tony had stood his ground.  He had saved the lives of his men.

After his death, Tony was awarded the Army’s second highest award for valor -- the Distinguished Service Cross.  But his family felt he deserved more.  And so did Senator -- and World War II vet -- Danny Akaka.  We’re honored that Senator Akaka has joined us, as well as Mazie Hirono.  And obviously we are extraordinarily grateful that we’re joined by another Senator and a Medal of Honor recipient, Dan Inouye.  Thank you so much for your presence.  (Applause.)        

Now, Hawaii is a small state, but the Kaho’ohanohanos are a very big family.  In fact, I went to high school with one of their cousins, Whitey.  Tell Whitey I said, “How’s it?”  (Laughter.)

This is a remarkable family.  Service defines them. Tony’s father and all six sons served in the military.  Another member of the family has served in Afghanistan.  Nearly 30 members of the family have traveled from Hawaii to be here, including Tony’s sister Elaine and brother Eugene.

For the sacrifice that your family endured, for the service that your family has rendered -- thank you so much.  Mahalo nui loa.

I would ask that you all join me in welcoming Tony’s nephew George, who worked for many years to get his uncle the honor that he deserved.  George.  (Applause.)

MILITARY AIDE READS THE CITATION:  The President of the United States of America, authorized by act of Congress,     March 3, 1863, has awarded, in the name of Congress, the Medal of Honor to Private First Class Anthony T. Kaho’ohanohano, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.

Private First Class Anthony T. Kaho’ohanohano, Company H, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy in the vicinity of Chupa-ri, Korea, on one September 1951.  On that date, Private First Class Kaho’ohanohano was in charge of machine-gun squads supporting the defense positioning of Company F when a numerically superior enemy force launched a fierce attack.  Because of the enemy’s overwhelming numbers, friendly troops were forced to execute a limited withdrawal.  As the men fell back, Private First Class Kaho’ohanohano ordered his squad to take up more defensible positions and provide covering fire for the withdrawing friendly force.

Although having been wounded in the soldier during the initial enemy assault, Private First Class Kaho’ohanohano gathered a supply of grenades and ammunition and returned to his original position to face the enemy alone.

As the hostile troops concentrated their strength against his emplacement and in an effort to overrun it, Private First Class Kaho’ohanohano fought fiercely and courageously, delivering deadly accurate fire into the ranks of the onrushing enemy.

When his ammunition was depleted, he engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat until he was killed.  Private First Class Kaho’ohanohano’s heroic stand so inspired his comrades that they launched a counter-attack that completely repulsed the enemy.

Upon reaching Private First Class Kaho’ohanohano’s emplacement, friendly troops discovered 11 enemy soldiers lying dead in front of the emplacement, and two inside it, killed in hand-to-hand combat.

Private First Class Kaho’ohanohano’s extraordinary heroism and selfish devotion to duty are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service, and reflect great credit upon himself, the 7th Infantry Division and the United States Army.

(The Medal is presented.)  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  About the time that Tony was inspiring his men, another young soldier was joining up with the 7th Infantry Division in Korea -- Private First Class Henry Svehla.  He grew up in New Jersey.  He loved fishing on the Jersey shore.  He was one of six kids and the youngest son, but the one who seemed to take care of everybody else.

His sister Dorothy remembers how their mom would be in the kitchen, at the end of a long day, trying to cook dinner for six kids.  Henry -- a teenager -- would walk in, grab his mother’s hand and dance her around the kitchen. “If anybody needed him,” said Dorothy, “Henry was there.”

And he was there for America, in Korea, as the war neared its third and final year.  Henry knew the dangers.  And in one of his last letters home, he wrote, “I may not return.”

That June of 1952, the heat was unbearable.  The monsoon rains and mosquitoes were relentless.  But the 7th Infantry Division pushed on -- probing enemy lines, fighting bunker by bunker, hill by hill.  And as Henry and his company neared the top of one hill, the rocky slopes seemed to explode with enemy fire.  His unit started to falter, and that’s when Henry made his move.

He stood up.  He looked ahead.  And he charged forward into a hail of bullets.  Those who were there describe how he kept firing his weapon, kept hurling grenades, and how -- even after being wounded in the face -- he refused medical attention and kept leading the charge.

That’s when an enemy grenade landed among his men.  Every human instinct, every impulse, would tell a person to turn away. But at that critical moment, Henry Svehla did the opposite.  He threw himself on that grenade.  And with his sacrifice, he saved the lives of his fellow soldiers.

Henry Svehla’s body has never been recovered.  That’s a wound in the heart of his family that has never been fully healed.  It’s also a reminder that, as a nation, we must never forget those who didn’t come home, are missing in action, who were taken prisoner of war -- and we must never stop trying to bring them back to their families.

Henry was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, but his family believed that he had earned this nation’s highest military honor.  They contacted their congressman and his staff, who made it their mission, and we thank Representative Bill Pascrell for making this day possible.

Henry’s parents and brothers did not live to see this day, but two of his sisters -- Dorothy and Sylvia -- are with us.  Dorothy, Sylvia, you remind us that behind every American who wears our nation’s uniform stands a family who serves with them. And behind every American who lays down their life for our country is a family who mourns them, and honors them, for the rest of their lives.  Every day, for nearly 60 years, you have lived the poet’s words:

At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

And so I want to conclude today by inviting everyone to join me in welcoming Henry’s sister Dorothy to the stage for the presentation of the medal.  (Applause.)

MILITARY AIDE READS THE CITATION:  The President of the United States, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded, in the name of Congress, the Medal of Honor to Private First Class Henry Svehla, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity and the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.  Private First Class Henry Svehla distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a rifleman with F Company, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, in connection with combat operations against an armed enemy in Pyongony, Korea, on 12 June, 1952.

That afternoon, while Private First Class Svehla and his platoon were patrolling a strategic hill to determine enemy strength and positions, they were subjected to intense enemy automatic weapons and small arms fire at the top of the hill.  Coming under heavy fire, the platoon’s attack began to falter.  Realizing the success of mission and the safety of the remaining troops were in peril, Private First Class Svehla leapt to his feet and charged the enemy positions, firing his weapon and throwing grenades as he advanced.

In the face of this courage and determination, the platoon rallied to attack with renewed vigor.  Private First Class Svehla, utterly disregarding his own safety, destroyed enemy positions and inflicted heavy casualties, when suddenly, fragments from a mortar round exploding nearby seriously wounded him in the face.  Despite his wounds, Private First Class Svehla refused medical treatment and continued to lead the attack.

When an enemy grenade landed among a group of his comrades, Private First Class Svehla, without hesitation and undoubtedly aware of extreme danger, threw himself upon the grenade.  During this action, Private First Class Svehla was mortally wounded.  Private First Class Svehla’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.

(The Medal is presented.)  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Let’s give both families a big round of applause -- (applause) -- for Anthony and for Henry.  (Applause.)
CHAPLAIN CARVER:  Please join me in prayer.

Gracious God, you’ve stirred our hearts once again today as we’ve heard the accounts of two great American soldiers, who valued the lives of those under their care more than their very own.

You’ve told us in the Holy Scripture that there’s no greater love than this.  And so, would you etch this eternal truth in our own hearts as we carry out our responsibilities to you, our families and our great nation.

Bless the young men and women of our armed services, who walk in the footsteps of both Anthony and Henry, protecting and defending our lives in freedom’s cost.  And, Lord, continue to bless, empower and give great wisdom to our President, Barack Obama, as he leads our nation in these challenging times.

And God bless America.  In your holy name, we pray.  Amen.

AUDIENCE:  Amen.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much, everyone.  Please enjoy the reception.

And again, to the families, we could not be prouder of Anthony and Henry.  We are grateful for their sacrifice.  We are grateful for your sacrifice.  You have made this country safer.  Tony and Henry stand as a model of courage and patriotism.

God bless you.  And God bless the United States of America.  Thank you, everyone.  (Applause.)

END
12:32 P.M. EDT

Philadelphia Inquirer (blog)

Phillies | John Mayberry could be in platoon with Raul Ibanez KFFL Philadelphia Phillies OF John Mayberry Jr. started against a left-handed pitcher for the fourth time in the last five opportunities Saturday, April 30, and manager Charlie Manuel hinted that he could see more playing time. "The more he hits, ... Raul Ibanez's diminishing returnsESPN Series Six-Pack: Words from Across the AisleRising Apple Lidge plays catch, eyes possible June returnMLB.com The News Journal -Philadelphia Inquirer -Delaware County Daily Times all 47 news articles »

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Ryan Franklin shouldn't have pitched in the eighth inning and he definitely shouldn't have pitched in the ninth. Assuming he's your last man out of the pen, ready to stretch out should the game go deep into extras, there's no point in using him for one inning, and there's definitely no point in using him for a second inning while your high-leverage guys sit in the bullpen, swearing at Ryan Theriot. 

That said—as we've discussed in the gamethread, I don't think this game can be added as another charge in the case against Franklin. He got two groundouts, a flyout, and a pop-up just beyond the infield before allowing a broken-bat single to end the game, and that just doesn't look like the terrible Franklin we've seen so far; if it is Terrible Franklin it's a new model, slightly more usable, less likely to inadvertently dip his beard in beverages and ice cream. 

This shouldn't be construed as a defense of Franklin in high-leverage situations or a suggestion that he isn't, in fact, terrible; I just don't think this game can be used as additional evidence of his diminished abilities. 

As for David Freese, who has a fracture in his left hand—I don't know how much time he'll miss but it's definitely a problem, if also a more manageable one than it was last year. Daniel Descalso and Nick Punto appear to constitute an outstanding defensive platoon at the position, but offensively... well, they'll look a lot like Daniel Descalso and Nick Punto playing every day at a position where league average, last year, was .265/.331/.421. If Tony La Russa is up for a little Earl Weaver-style overmanagement I'd like to see Allen Craig spend some time there, shadowed at all times by a defensive replacement. 

Jorge Posada was out of the lineup on Friday, and Joe Girardi had a perfectly reasonable explanation. Brett Gardner has terrific career numbers against Ricky Romero. The Yankees other regular outfielders have hit well against lefties, and so has platoon starter Andruw Jones. Mark Teixeira was ready to play again after a shoulder injury. The [...]

Last but certainly not least, many thanks to c63tho for his great writeup here at No. 64 for the Green Bay Packers. WIth the second round just about to start, we squeezed it all in! Great work everybody. We'll review our community mock sometime next week. - Michael B. -

**********

With the 64^th overall draft selection, the Green Bay Packers select OL Clint Boling, Georgia.

From Mocking the Draft: "Boling looks to be a solid 2nd round selection and should be able to contribute at guard from day one.  He is a sound technician with the strength and quickness to both effectively pass and run block.  Ideally, Boling would add some more bulk to his frame but he possesses to proper technique to overcome.  Any team looking to improve their guard play would benefit from adding Boling to the mix." Boling is quick, fluid, controlled, and balanced, with a nasty streak, good technique, and really plays low.

We know which positions the Packers are pretty much set for: QB, TE, DL, CB, and Safety. Aaron Rodgers, Jermichael Finley/Andrew Quarless, BJ Raji/Phil Taylor/Mike Neal, Charles Woodson/Tramon Williams/Sam Shields, and Nick Collins/Morgan Burnett respectively fill out these positions.

What's left? The positions of running back, wide receiver, linebacker and offensive line.

Green Bay's current running back platoon consists of Ryan Grant, James Starks, Brandon Jackson, and John Kuhn. Although Jackson is probably leaving, I think the Packers will sit on the tandem of Grant/Starks, given Starks' potential and the lack of guaranteed impact backs available.

The Green Bay receivers decimated the Steelers secondary. Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, and James Jones are a crew that is one of the best groups in the game today. However, Driver is old, and Jones is leaving. A big and/or tough receiver to replace Driver is a possible target, but none are worth it at the bottom of the second. A kick returner/smaller receiver is also a possible target, given that Tramon Williams is now a starting corner who's too good to risk. Again, none are worth a pick, especially given that returners are so plentiful in the later rounds.

Linebackers are a strength, clearly with guys like Bishop, AJ Hawk, Barnett (although he may leave), and Brandon Chillar all coming back in the middle and a lot of young linebackers outside (Frank Zombo, Erik Walden, Brad Jones). Oh, did I forget anyone? "Claymaker", perhaps? Anyways, ILBs are only a depth need, since Bishop/Hawk are starting, Barnett leaves, and Chillar backs up solidly. One more prospect/backup would be a nice selection, but not at number 2. For OLB, obviously Matthews is a superstar, a "Woodley" to Matthews' "Harrison" is necessary. Unfortunately, no game-changing linebackers are available, and adding another competitor to the mix at LOLB won't help, since they might not even play.

Finally, there's offensive line. The tackles are old: Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton, and Bryan Bulaga can only play one side. The backups, Marshall Newhouse and TJ Lang aren't starting quality. At guard, Daryn Colledge is likely leaving as a free agent, and Josh Sitton is a rising, if unheralded, talent that is a favourite of the Packers faithful. Scott Wells, the center, is solid, but also 30 years old. Similarly, Nick MacDonald , Jason Spitz, and Evan Dietrich-Smith aren't starting quality guards right now either, although MacDonald is a McCarthy favourite to replace Wells at center. Boling will fit in and start right away at guard, but can also shift over to tackle, as he did when Georgia's starting tackles went down.

BTSC 2011 Community Mock Draft Selections:

1. Carolina Panthers -- Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
2. Denver Broncos -- Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
3. Buffalo Bills -- Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M
4. Cincinnati Bengals -- Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
5. Arizona Cardinals -- Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
6. Cleveland Browns -- 'The Snow Cone Machine'A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
7. San Francisco 49ers -- Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
8. Tennessee Titans -- Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
9. Dallas Cowboys -- Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
10. Washington Redskins -- Robert Quinn, DE/OLB, North Carolina
11. Houston Texans -- Aldon Smith, DE/OLB, Missouri
12. Minnesota Vikings -- Tyron Smith, OT, USC
13. Detroit Lions -- JJ Watt, DE, Wisconsin
14. St. Louis Rams -- Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
15. Miami Dolphons -- Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
16. Jacksonville Jaguars -- Brooks Reed , DE, Arizona
17. New England Patriots -- Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin
18. San Diego Chargers -- Ryan Kerrigan, DE/OLB, Purdue
19. New York Giants -- Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College
21. Kansas City Chiefs -- Martez Wilson, LB, Illinois
22. Indianapolis Colts -- Cameron Jordan, DL, California
23. Philadelphia Eagles -- Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado
24. New Orleans Saints -- Justin Houston, DE/OLB, Georgia
25. Seattle Seahawks -- Jake Locker, QB, Washington
26. Baltimore Ravens -- Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland
27. Atlanta Falcons -- Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
28. New England Patriots -- Mike Pouncey, OG, Florida
29. Chicago Bears --Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State
30. New York Jets -- Muhammad Wilkerson, DT, Temple
31. Pittsburgh Steelers -- Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
32. Green Bay Packers -- Phil Taylor, DT, Baylor

ROUND 2

1. New England Patriots -- Cameron Hayward, DE, Ohio State (33rd overall)
2. Buffalo Bills -- Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame (34th overall)
3. Cincinnati Bengals -- Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State (35th overall)
4. Denver Broncos -- Mikel LeShoure, RB, Illinois (36th overall)
5. Cleveland Browns -- Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois (37th overall)
6. Arizona Cardinals -- Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada (38th overall)
7. Tennessee Titans -- Andy Dalton, QB, Texas Christian (39th overall)
8. Dallas Cowboys -- Danny Watkins, OG, Baylor (40th overall)
9. Washington Redskins -- Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh (41st overall)
10. Houston Texans -- Aaron Williams, CB, Texas (42nd overall)
11. Minnesota Vikings -- Brandon Harris, CB, Miami (43rd overall)
12. Detroit Lions -- Bruce Carter, OLB, North Carolina (44th overall)
13. San Francisco 49ers -- Rahim Moore, FS, UCLA (45th overall)
14. Denver Broncos -- Benjamin Ijalana, OL, Villanova (46th overall)
15. St. Louis Rams -- Marvin Austin, DT, North Carolina (47th overall)
16. Oakland Raiders -- Stefan Wisniewski, OG/C, Penn State (48th overall)
17. Jacksonville Jaguars -- Ryan Mallet, QB, Arkansas (49th overall)
18. San Diego Chargers -- Leonard Hankerson, WR, University of Miami (50th overall)
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh (51st overall)
20. New York Giants -- Mason Foster, LB, Washington (52nd overall)
21. Indianapolis Colts -- Rodney Hudson, G/C, Florida State (53rd overall)
22. Philadelphia Eagles -- Marcus Cannon, OG, Texas Christian (54th overall)
23. Kansas City Chiefs -- Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State (55th overall)
24. New Orleans Saints -- Robert Sands, S, West Virginia (56th overall)
25. Seattle Seahawks -- Brandon Burton, CB, Utah (57th overall)
26. Baltimore Ravens -- Christian Ballard, DE, Iowa (58th overall)
27. Atlanta Falcons -- Randall Cobb, WR, Kentucky (59th overall)
28. New England Patriots -- Ras-I Downling, CB, Virginia (60th overall)
29. San Diego Chargers -- Marcus Gilbert, OT, Florida (61st overall)
30. Chicago Bears -- Drake Nevis, DT, Louisiana State (62nd overall)
31. Pittsburgh Steelers -- James Carpenter, OT, Alabama (63rd overall)

Tim Hetherington, photojournalist and co-director of Oscar-nominated documentary Restrepo, has been killed in Libya.

He was covering the ongoing fighting between Muammar Gaddafi's forces and the opposition.

Pulitzer Prize nominee Chris Hondros, 41, was also killed. The pair were among 8 to 10 journalists reporting in Misrata when the fatal shooting broke out.

While Hetherington worked primarily as a war photographer, he will be remembered in the movie world for documentary Restrepo, which was co-directed by journalist Sebastian Junger.

Restrepo won the Grand Jury Prize for best documentary at the 2010 Sundance film festival, and was nominated for Best Documentary at the 2011 Academy Awards.

The film follows the year Hetherington and Junger spent with a US infantry platoon stationed in Afghanistan.

Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the families of Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros.

In "Restrepo," his searing, Oscar-nominated documentary about a U.S. platoon in Afghanistan, Tim Hetherington achieved what every war filmmaker aspires to: bringing the viewer painfully close to the raw and terrible truths of battle.

In "Restrepo," his searing, Oscar-nominated documentary about a U.S. platoon in Afghanistan, Tim Hetherington achieved what every war filmmaker aspires to: bringing the viewer painfully close to the raw and terrible truths of battle.

LA HABRA – A former U.S. Army soldier who lives in La Habra, featured with his platoon in an Academy Award-nominated documentary, said the death of the film's director by a mortar round Wednesday while covering a conflict in Libya was "like losing...

In "Restrepo," his searing, Oscar-nominated documentary about a U.S. platoon in Afghanistan, Tim Hetherington achieved what every war filmmaker aspires to: bringing the viewer painfully close to the raw and terrible truths of battle.

I left Vietnam in August of 1969, having served as a platoon leader with the First Infantry Division for 13 months.A I had mixed emotions about making the trip, but I was also quite curious about the country.

Guest Column: Roger Gross' Visit to Changed Vietnam Brings Back Memories Patch.com I recently returned to Vietnam for five days. I left Vietnam in August of 1969, having served as a platoon leader with the First Infantry Division for 13 months. I had mixed emotions about making the trip, ... Roger Gross Returns To VietnamThe Putnam County Courier (subscription) all 2 news articles »

NEW YORK — In "Restrepo," his searing, Oscar-nominated documentary about a U.S. platoon in Afghanistan, Tim Hetherington achieved what every war filmmaker aspires to: bringing the viewer painfully close to the raw and terrible truths of battle.

British Oscar-nominee and US photographer killed in grenade attack while covering the battle for Misrata

Two leading photojournalists have been killed covering escalating violence in Misrata, and two other western photographers working with them were injured.

Oscar-nominated British documentary-maker Tim Hetherington, 40, co-creator of the Sundance-winning documentary Restrepo, was killed covering fighting between Muammar Gaddafi's forces and the opposition.

Chris Hondros, 41, a US Pulitzer nominee who works for Getty Images, was also killed. His work has appeared in magazines and newspapers around the world. His awards include World Press Photo honours and the Robert Capa Gold Medal, one of the highest prizes in war photography.

The British photographer Guy Martin, who works for the Panos agency, was critically injured. The fourth man was reported by the New York Times to be photographer Michael Christopher Brown, but his condition was not said to be life-threatening.

According to colleagues at the scene, Hetherington and Hondros were among eight to 10 journalists reporting from Tripoli Street in Misrata yesterday afternoon. When shooting broke out, they took shelter against a wall, which was hit by fire. Hetherington died soon after arriving at hospital.

Hetherington wrote in his last post on Twitter on Tuesday: "In besieged Libyan city of Misrata. Indiscriminate shelling by Gaddafi forces. No sign of Nato."

His family issued a statement: "It is with great sadness we learned that our son and brother, photographer and film-maker Tim Hetherington, was killed today in Misrata, Libya by a rocket-propelled grenade.

"Tim will be remembered for his amazing images and his Academy award-nominated documentary Restrepo. Tim was in Libya to continue his multimedia project to highlight humanitarian issues during time of war and conflict. He will be for ever missed."

The journalist and film-maker James Brabazon, a close friend of Hetherington, told BBC2's Newsnight: "Tim was a leading light of his generation – it's really not an exaggeration to say that his eye and his ability, what he did, was unique.

"His reportage really defined a generation of covering conflict.

"The main thing about Tim to understand is that he was fundamentally a humanitarian. A lot of the work that he did wasn't just for the news or for magazines, but was for human rights organisations as well."

"Right now I think what Tim would be concentrating on, as much as anything, is the plight of the civilians in Misrata. That's why he was there, to tell their story."

Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter said Hetherington was "about as perfect a model of a war photographer as you're going to find these days".

In an editorial for the magazine he said: "He was a rangy, charming workhorse of a photographer."

"There were few like Tim, and there will be fewer like him. He had a deft eye and unwavering dedication."

Peter Bouckaert, a friend of Hetherington's who works for Human Rights Watch in Geneva, said Hetherington had been planning to "slow down" and start a family with his partner. "He really was a person who cared very deeply for the civilians affected by conflict," he told BBC News.

Tyler Hicks, a photographer for the New York Times who worked alongside Hondros, said: "Chris made sacrifices in his own life to bring the hardships of war into the public eye, and that dedication created award-winning photographs that shaped the way people viewed the world. I'm grateful to be among the many people who were lucky enough to know him. He will be missed."

"I was just with Tim two weeks ago in Benghazi, the rebel capital. I had my last lunch with him and he told me about the wonderful relationship he was in with this Somali woman and how he wanted to spend more time and slow down and make kids. It is a tremendous loss."

Andre Liohn, a colleague of the photographers who said he was at the hospital in Misrata where they were taken, wrote on his Facebook page yesterday afternoon: "Sad news Tim Hetherington died in Misrata now when covering the front line."

Liohn added an hour later: "Chris Hondros died now."

Hetherington and Hondros are believed to be the first western journalists killed covering the conflict. The al-Jazeera cameraman Ali Hassan al-Jaber was killed when fighters ambushed his car as he travelled to Benghazi on 12 March. Mohammad Nabbous, a reporter for Libya Alhurra TV, was killed seven days later in Benghazi.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said about 10 journalists have been killed covering the Arab Spring uprisings this year out of 14 deaths worldwide.

The international criminal court warned Libyan authorities about the treatment of journalists yesterday. Around 16 journalists are missing in the country, it said.

Liverpool-born Hetherington won numerous awards for his coverage of conflict zones. Restrepo, a war documentary following a platoon of US troops in Afghanistan, won a prize at the Sundance film festival this year. Hetherington co-directed it with journalist Sebastian Junger.

Tim Hetherington, the daring war photographer and Oscar-nominated co-director of the documentary "Restrepo" about a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, died Wednesday while covering battles between rebels and Libyan government forces. He was 40.

Tim Hetherington, the daring war photographer and Oscar-nominated co-director of the documentary "Restrepo" about a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, died Wednesday while covering battles between rebels and Libyan government forces. He was 40.

Tim Hetherington, the daring war photographer and Oscar-nominated co-director of the documentary "Restrepo" about a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, died Wednesday while covering battles between rebels and Libyan government forces. He was 40.

— Tim Hetherington, the daring war photographer and Oscar-nominated co-director of the documentary "Restrepo" about a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, died Wednesday while covering battles between rebels and Libyan government forces. He was 40.

Caught in the middle of a fierce battle, photojournalist Tim Hetherington was killed in a besieged Libyan city earlier today (April 20).

The 41-year-old was badly injured and later died after being caught in the middle of an intense fight between Moammar Gaddafi's forces and rebels.

Hetherington was located in the city of Misurata when, as the "Washington Post" reports, Gaddaffi's forces pounded the area with mortars.

Tim rose to fame with his Oscar-nominated documentary "Restrepo," which followed the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley

Tim Hetherington, the daring war photographer and Oscar-nominated co-director of the documentary "Restrepo" about a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, died Wednesday while covering battles between rebels and Libyan government forces. He was 40.

LeBron James He’s the self-proclaimed king of the NBA, a twotime league MVP who is used to getting his way. But he has yet to win a championship—and critics say he’s uncoachable.

Dwyane Wade The Miami Heat’s all-time leading scorer, he has guided the team to one championship. Now, in the prime of his career, he wants more—even if it means taking a backseat to James. | Photograph by MCT/Getty Images (James); NBAE/Getty Images (Wade).

When the Miami Heat raided the free-agent talent market last summer, many people declared the franchise unstoppable. So far, it's proven to be good, but vulnerable. What's behind the group's struggles? A lesson for us all in teamwork.

Chris Bosh He was the nononsense leader and chief scoring threat on his previous team. The hitch: It was the under- .500 Toronto Raptors, which means he has appeared in just 11 playoff games—all in the first round. | Photograph by Chris Graythen/Getty Images (Bosh).

LeBron James sits in a courtside seat after practice, icing his right knee and giving his thumbs a serious workout on his cell phone. Out on the floor, Dwyane Wade continues launching three-pointers while testing a pair of tinted sunglasses under Madison Square Garden's bright lights. The swishes -- one after another, from somewhere approaching New Jersey -- rouse James from his digital haze. "Whoa!" he says, impressed. "Whoa!"

Chris Bosh, the third member of the Heat's holy trinity, is home in Miami, nursing a sprained ankle. If his teammates are troubled, they don't let on. It's late January and the audacious experiment known as the Miami Heat has rumbled into New York with the fourth-best record in the NBA. Despite the 24/7 scrutiny, the slew of new faces on the roster, and the feeble first steps at working in concert, the team ranks among the league's title contenders. It's also its biggest draw -- on the road and on ESPN. "We've played great at times," concedes coach Erik Spoelstra, arms crossed as he watches from the sidelines. "But greatness, we say, is consistency. And we have not shown greatness because we haven't put together consistent basketball possession after possession, night after night."

Forget for a moment that this has anything to do with basketball. Forget about sports altogether. What LeBron and company are attempting to do applies to any organization that's serious about winning. A year ago, James, Wade, and Bosh were the top dogs -- the leading scorers -- on their respective teams. Today, they're divvying up the sirloin scraps, at far less pay, in search of one prize: a championship. Yes, they've been derided for conspiring to give Miami a huge leg up at the expense of small-market teams (namely James's former employer in Cleveland and Bosh's in Toronto), but their mutual sacrifice is a resounding vote for teamwork. Teamwork among superstars. It's a huge bet that, in the end, talent will prevail.

This is a strategy that's on the rise these days. Look at Silicon Valley. Which tech company, when given the chance, doesn't raid the talent pool, stocking up on the world's best execs and engineers in the hopes of racing past the competition? Late last year, Mark Zuckerberg personally persuaded Lars Rasmussen, the cocreator of Google Maps, to join a host of elite ex-colleagues at Facebook. If ESPN anchor Stuart Scott were to cover the business universe, he would have summed up the acquisition in a word: Boo-yah!

But you don't have to huddle with superstars to understand the challenges inherent in this approach, challenges that only escalate in a more mobile economy. Job hopping is rampant, not just within industries, but across them. For the most-sought-after talent, company loyalty has given way to a desire for a big, bold short-term project -- developing a breakthrough product, pursuing a new market, expanding into China. Add to that the rootlessness unleashed by the recession, the impatience of today's young hires, and the fact that more and more people work from remote locations, and effective team building becomes an essential priority. For employees, the primary question is how to define your role without subverting the group dynamic. For managers like Coach Spoelstra, it's how to get a group of disparate personalities to gel and excel before they move on to the next gig.

The Miami Heat's up-and-down season, which has included lopsided losses, tension between players and coach, and also a few tears, shows just how hard this is to pull off. Even the most straightforward question -- who's in charge? -- is fraught with complications. Here, then, courtesy of James and what he calls "the Heatles," are the six crucial steps required to create a dream team in any industry.

The Ego Equation START WITH SACRIFICE

High-priced talent doesn't ensure success. The free-spending New York Yankees can tell you that. Or the Knicks, who are now trying to emulate Miami. Movie moguls, too. Remember when Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen looked like a can't-miss team at DreamWorks? Turns out, no one bothered to account for the polarity of their personalities.

Miami is banking on the fact that James, Wade, and Bosh are buddies. They entered the league together in 2003 (drafted first, fifth, and fourth, respectively) and played side by side on the U.S. Olympic team in 2008 -- the one that won back the gold medal. James and Bosh were so enamored with the idea of joining forces with Wade that they were willing to give up tens of millions of dollars in the free-agent market last summer.

But teaming up has its trade-offs, particularly for big shots. Wade once had the spotlight -- not to mention the ball -- all to himself in Miami. Now he has to share it with a perennial MVP contender. (James won the award the past two years.) Wade no longer commands the team's top salary either. James and Bosh both outrank him by $300,000.

Before "taking his talents to South Beach," as the player who calls himself King James put it, LeBron called his own shots in Cleveland. In Miami, he follows Wade's rules: No more solo travel to away games. No more entourage members employed by the team. No more skirting the media after practice and games. Like Wade, James now meets regularly with reporters.

And all three have seen less of the basketball, with Bosh's stats taking the biggest hit. He's putting up 16% fewer shots this season -- more than twice the decline experienced by James and Wade. His scoring is down a whopping 23%.

In other words, the team's leaders have done what stars need to do when they merge: show a willingness to sacrifice. It's a necessary start.

The Rule of Many STARS CAN'T GO IT ALONE

Larry Page and Sergey Brin are a formidable pairing -- much like Hewlett and Packard, Ben and Jerry, the brothers Coen (Joel and Ethan) -- but the truth is none of those guys could have achieved what they did if it weren't for the help of supremely gifted employees. The Heat is no different.

New hires perform better when they bring a former colleague with them, says Harvard associate professor Boris Groysberg, who has studied the firm hopping of Wall Street analysts. This may well explain the value of 35-year-old Lithuanian center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who joined Miami after playing beside James for seven seasons in Cleveland. The minute Ilgauskas arrived, James had a confidant, a supportive teammate, someone who made the strange new surroundings feel familiar. This is especially important now that James, once one of the league's most popular players, has suddenly become a villain, the Hester Prynne of the NBA. "Welcome Big Z," James tweeted when he heard the news. "Glad u are joining me in South Beach my friend. Also thanks for your encouraging words big fella."

Likewise, Wade wanted to keep free agent and longtime buddy Udonis Haslem on the roster. The two have been teammates since Wade entered the league in 2003. Haslem is one of those gritty, unselfish glue guys that every team craves, a unifying presence behind the scenes. James and Bosh helped Miami's cocaptain get his wish. At Wade's request, they each trimmed their contract by $15 million so the Heat could compete for Haslem's services. The power forward happily agreed to stay put -- for $14 million less than what he was being offered in the free-agent market.

All told, Miami added six new players in a span of 21 days -- three-point specialists (such as Haslem's former college teammate Mike Miller) and guys who happily agreed to do the grunt work of rebounding, setting picks, and feeding the basketball to the "Big 3." And, because the Heat had something special to offer, it signed most of them at well below market value. In March, 32-year-old point guard Mike Bibby gave up $6 million to join the cast. Why? Because late in his career, he wanted the chance to play for a championship. James, Wade, and Bosh are relatively young -- 26, 29, and 27, respectively -- but the Heat now has the league's most experienced roster.

The Platoon Principle ADVERSITY IS AN ASSET

Nothing brings a team together like a common enemy. Google needs Microsoft. Under Armour needs Nike. The Heat needs, well, everybody who's not on the Heat. The battle began the moment 10 million people watched James break up with the Cleveland Cavaliers last summer on ESPN's much-hyped "The Decision." "Literally overnight," wrote Miami Herald columnist Dan LeBatard, the Heat "became the most interesting, most famous, most envied, most targeted, most talented, and most feared basketball team on the planet."

Coach Spoelstra seized on the backlash to try uniting his squad, hoping to turn the vitriol to his advantage. At first, it didn't work -- his maneuvering was too contrived. He moved preseason training camp to Elgin Air Force Base, in Florida's panhandle. Sequestered 600 miles from Miami, in military environs, the players ate together, practiced twice a day, and toured the firing range as a group. They wore matching black T-shirts that read Heat Troops. But the experience, says Brian Windhorst, who covers the team for ESPN, fell flat. It was like a typical corporate retreat. The guys couldn't wait to escape back to their lives, particularly those who were just getting settled in Miami.

The real bonding didn't occur until the Heat Troops began to shed blood on the battlefield -- to lose, and lose badly. They opened with a humiliating defeat to the Boston Celtics in October and blundered through the next few weeks. In late November, they watched the Dallas Mavericks, another one of the NBA's top teams, race to an 18-point third-quarter lead en route to an easy victory. That night, James brushed Spoelstra's shoulder on his way to the bench. Smelling friction, the doomsayers rushed online to dissect video of "the bump." After the game, Wade and his teammates held a players-only meeting. "They kicked the coaches out," says Windhorst. "It was literally in the shower. Guys were telling each other to stop playing afraid."

The team that some NBA observers said might not drop 10 games all season was 9-8. Even President Obama was asked about the cold start; give the players time, the First Baller counseled. James, Wade, and Bosh looked discombobulated, as if they'd never met, much less played together. "We were humbled," says Spoelstra. "You need those adverse moments. When it's raw, when you don't get along, that's when there's the most opportunity for growth."

Under duress, Miami found its identity. The Heat rebounded from the Dallas debacle, winning 21 of its next 22 games. In early December, in front of a hostile crowd on James's first trip back to Cleveland, Miami played its best ball of the season, clobbering the Cavs 118-90. "For the first time, I sensed there was a brotherhood on the team," says Spoelstra. "Guys didn't want to fail each other."

The coach took to writing a rallying cry on the whiteboard in the locker room before games. He found the line, originally from Shakespeare's Henry V, in the opening pages of a book by Stephen Ambrose: "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;/For he today that sheds his blood with me/Shall be my brother." For Christmas, Spoelstra gave the group the Band of Brothers best-seller, and DVDs of the HBO series of the same name.

For a three-month span, the Heat posted the best record in the NBA. And then, as the adversity that had bound the players together waned, the chemistry faltered. Miami lost six of the next seven games.

The Trust Theorem WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, TURN TO ONE ANOTHER

Wade and James are the last to leave the court after the morning practice in New York. On their way to the team bus, Wade teases James about not packing winter clothes. James laughs. It's obvious these guys get along. But camaraderie doesn't necessarily translate to seamless collaboration.

For Wade and James, the chief challenge is their similar playing styles. Both combine the scoring of a shooting guard with the passing of a point guard. And both are used to being in charge come crunch time. The growing pains are evident during that night's game in the Garden. While Miami has coasted in blowouts, close contests are like the New York Times Saturday crossword, a vexing puzzle the team has struggled to crack. Against the resurgent Knicks, James forces shots, single-handedly taking on multiple defenders. Wade, hot all game, goes cold in the fourth quarter. New York wins 93-88. "It was a total meltdown," says Steve Kerr, the former Chicago Bull and recent GM of the Phoenix Suns. "[James and Wade] had no idea, and the team had no idea, how to function under pressure. It was 'I'm so talented, I'll take over.' They looked awful."

As of March 14, Miami ranked third in the NBA's Eastern Conference. Against weak or mediocre opponents, its superior talent dominated. But the Heat was a shocking 1-10 when playing the league's top-four teams; against the San Antonio Spurs, Celtics, Mavericks, and Bulls, Miami's talent is no match for cohesive team play. (To be fair, though, the Heat did beat the defending champion L.A. Lakers twice.)

When you assemble a team of experts, it's better to have complementary, not competing, specialties, says Harvard's Groysberg, author of Chasing Stars: The Myth of Talent and the Portability of Performance. Look at the Celtics. When they lured Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to Paul Pierce's side in 2007, they added a shooting guard and a power forward to one of the game's premier small forwards. There was no confusion about roles, says Groysberg. And as veterans, all three embraced the idea that anyone can lead in any game. The result was an NBA championship in their first season together.

Miami's transition hasn't been nearly as smooth. "It's still not clear who's in charge," says Kerr, who played on championship teams with superstar duos, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in Chicago and David Robinson and Tim Duncan in San Antonio. "In business, you probably wouldn't hire two CEOs to work together. In the NBA, it's rare you get two super-alpha guys on the same team." On the Bulls, Kerr says, "it was Michael's team. He was the disciplinarian, the father figure, and Scottie looked after the other guys. It was a great marriage."

To achieve the proper balance, it's crucial to map out a strategy. Acquiring a player of James's caliber, says Groysberg, "is like acquiring a company. You need a whole integration plan." You can't just expect the parts to fit together. What worked well for James in Cleveland might be disruptive in Miami. Spoelstra experimented early in the season by having James bring the ball up court like a classic point guard. Soon the league's reigning MVP was turning the ball over at the highest rate since his rookie year. "He was uncomfortable," says ESPN's Windhorst, who has covered James since high school. "LeBron wants someone else bringing it up so he can set up on the wing and run the offense through him there." Spoelstra made the adjustment, and James returned to his old high-scoring self.

Still, the Heat has struggled to resolve who takes the big shot at the end of close games. Through mid-March, James was the primary choice, but he'd hit only 8 of his 22 attempts in the clutch. Wade hadn't fared much better, posting 4-for-14 shooting. Bosh, at 5 for 8, was the most efficient contributor, delivering four last-minute three-pointers, a team-high. The truest sign of the Heat's work-in-progress status, though, may be the 4-for-14 contribution of the rest of the squad. With other teams caught up in defending Miami's Big 3, the complementary players, left unguarded, should be thriving (as Kerr did alongside Jordan in Chicago). That in turn would open things up anew for Wade, James, and Bosh.

The ideal scenario for the Heat -- and for any organization -- is the teamwork on display in the club's last-second victory over Oklahoma City in January, when James passed up a three-pointer to share the ball with reserve Eddie House, who was more open (see "Chemistry at Work"). James involved his teammates from start to finish that night. So far, that kind of game-long selflessness remains as infrequent in Miami as snow flurries.

The Credibility Conundrum MANAGE FROM THE INSIDE OUT

The rich, wrote F. Scott Fitzgerald, "are different from you and me." So are superstars. That includes Heat president Pat Riley, the sartorially resplendent mastermind who coached the Lakers to multiple championships in the 1980s. In 2006, in Miami, he took the reins from then-coach Stan Van Gundy in midseason and steered the Heat to its first NBA title. Without a doubt, Riley's shadow looms large over the team -- and, in particular, over Spoelstra.

Coach Spoelstra's position is like that of any manager operating between the CEO and the in-the-trenches talent -- or any CEO caught between his executive team and an activist shareholder (think Carl Icahn). Spoelstra needs to tread carefully, balancing his obligations to his boss and his commitments to his players, all in a quest to build his own credibility for leadership.

Spoelstra, 40, is the consummate Riley protégé, a former point guard and a student of the game. He started all four years at the University of Portland but never suited up in the NBA. The son of longtime league exec Jon Spoelstra, he made the leap to the pros by studying game tape for the Heat. In 13 years at Riley's side, he rose to assistant coach and became the go-to guy for revealing statistical analysis. (Spoelstra tracks 54 criteria when Miami is on defense.) Three years ago, Riley tapped him to take over the day-to-day running of the team, making Spoelstra the league's youngest coach.

Spoelstra still talks to Riley almost daily. Who better to teach him the delicate dance with James, who has a reputation for not being the easiest guy to coach? Riley held together a Lakers team with three future Hall of Famers -- Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy -- and a Heat team with a demanding veteran, Shaquille O'Neal, and an emerging scorer, Wade. He wrote the book on teamwork. Literally. It's called The Winner Within: A Life Plan for Team Players. "Probably what I've learned from Pat the most is that coaching in this league is about managing personalities, more than about managing Xs and Os," says Spoelstra. "All players want to be coached. They want to have discipline. They want structure. But some players get to that conclusion differently than others."

In many ways, Riley is the perfect mentor for Spoelstra -- he himself had never been a head coach when he took over the Magic-led Lakers -- but he's so visible he runs the risk of undermining Spoelstra's authority. And that's no small thing. Unless you follow the NBA with the devotion of a Talmudic scholar, you probably haven't heard of Miami's coach. He's like a little-known director who wakes up one day to find Hollywood's biggest names in his film. Mr. Clooney, Mr. DiCaprio, Mr. Hanks, if it's okay with you, if you don't mind, could we try that scene again?

Spoelstra, a relative neophyte, must wrestle with when to coddle and when to push, trying to master the sleight of hand that allows the young millionaires to feel they have ownership of the team even as he calls the plays. Among his ploys, Spoelstra has made a point of singling out Bosh as "our most important player," counteracting the flood of media attention that washes over James and Wade. With Wade, Spoelstra has a long history: As an assistant, he helped the star improve his jump shot. But he's still getting to know James. During one slump, he called him out for goofing off at a practice, and the players acted as though he'd crossed the line. During another, after a disheartening loss to Chicago, Spoelstra told the media that Heat players had cried in the locker room. Both incidents raised speculation that the coach wasn't up to the job of piloting this dream team.

Riley summoned his young charge to his office for a pep talk -- over a bottle of wine. It's an understandable, even prudent response from a boss, and it may have set Spoelstra at ease. But it may also have reinforced questions among the players about who's in charge. There is no more fragile commodity than the credibility of a team leader.

The Law of Patience BEWARE THE BLAME GAME

Everyone remembers the six NBA titles the Chicago Bulls won with Jordan, Pippen, and a cast of feisty specialists that included three-point marksman Kerr and rebounding fiend Dennis Rodman. What we tend to forget is how long it took to put all those pieces together. The Bulls didn't win a championship its first year with Jordan and Pippen. Or its second. Or even its third.

It took the team four years.

Chemistry takes time. The most successful superstar teams embrace shared leadership, says Richard Hackman, a professor of social and organizational psychology at Harvard. The players respect one another's individual skills and even learn from one another. But those patterns don't emerge right away. They need time to crystallize. They need consistency, the same people butting heads, compromising, collaborating, day after day. Spoelstra acknowledges this, though it's hard to know how much patience he really has -- or can afford. "You can prepare as much as you want in July, August, and September," he says. "But none of us knew what it would be like until we were in it."

Chemistry isn't something you create and then ignore, like a mark on a growth chart. It's a reflection of the bonds between team members, and those bonds are fragile and needy. They're constantly changing, strengthened and fractured by the various personalities as well as the wins and losses. "You have to keep an eye out for small things that make a difference, early warning signs," says Terri Scandura, dean of the graduate school at the University of Miami, who cites the Heat in her course on management.

In the last year, the Miami franchise has increased in value a league-high 17%, according to Forbes. Imagine the impact an NBA title would have. The biggest obstacle to getting there is the blame game. Will the players resist second-guessing one another -- and Spoelstra -- when they fall behind? True brothers, like the young soldiers in E Company who stormed the beaches of Normandy in World War II, don't point fingers. They believe in their mission and fight hard to cover one another's back. This is what any team aspires to: passion, unity, an absolute conviction that you can achieve whatever you want as a group.

It was in early March, following Miami's one-point loss to Chicago, that Spoelstra told reporters the defeat and the drawn-out losing streak were painful to the team -- so much so that a couple of players teared up in the locker room. The very idea offended the league's macho sensibility. "This is the NBA -- No Boys Allowed," huffed Lakers coach Phil Jackson. Still, Spoelstra's revelation is heartening if you're looking for signs of solidarity. The players were upset about losing, yes, but they were also upset about letting one another down. It's a potential breakthrough moment: colleagues opening up and embracing a real us-against-them mentality. A rarely humbled James apologized to his teammates for repeatedly failing late in games. This was the sort of togetherness that Spoelstra could never orchestrate.

Of course, that moment could also be just a head fake, a here-today-gone-tomorrow bump in the constant, ever-evolving team-building process. The longer it takes the Heat to win an NBA title (and we doubt it will happen this year), the greater the pressure will be on James, Wade, and Bosh, not to mention Spoelstra. In the face of unmet expectations and endless questions, bonds crack, friendships sour, and sacrifices, financial and otherwise, become burdensome. Guys move on. Heck, even über-successful teams struggle to keep it together. Look at what happened to the Beatles. Will the Heatles be next?

A version of this article appears in the May 2011 issue of Fast Company.

Related: Feeling the Heat A Balanced Universe Chemistry at Work

Tim Hetherington earned an Oscar nomination last year for Restrepo, his harrowing, front-line documentary about an Army platoon mired in a deadly Afghanistan valley. The picture is named for medi...

News outlets are reporting that photojournalist, Tim Hetherington was killed by mortar fire Wednesday in Libya. Our sincerest condolences go out to his family, friends, and coworkers. (Earlier it was reported that Chris Hondros was killed, but reports are now saying he is in a coma.)*

I won't rehash what all the news outlets are cutting, pasting, and reporting (Tim, an Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker for Restrepo; Chris, a Pulitzer prize nominee, etc. etc.). Instead, I would like to speak to this from a personal place. I never met Chris, though I have heard of him by name, but I did have the priviledge of meeting Tim Hetherington a little over a year and a half ago.

I heard Tim speak at PhotoPlus in 2009; he presented "The Documentary Hybrid: Images and Possibilities." Two things struck me immediately upon meeting him: first, he was a tall, handsome man with a demure, self-assured demeanor. The second thing that struck me was his passion for photography and telling a story.

He had just finished—or rather, was wrapping up—his still photography series called "Sleeping Soldiers," an assignment for Vanity Fair as a contributing photographer. This series was created while he was embedded with an American unit in Afghanistan. Actually, he was one of the first photojournalists to be embedded with an active combat unit in Afghanistan. The project was simple, and beautiful: he captured the rare moments of repose among the soldiers—a very different look at life on the battlefield from the typical images we see from the frontlines. This project then turned into Restrepo; at the time of the talk, he had film clips that later became this Oscar-nominated documentary. It is an intense look at the very dangerous life in one of the most war-torn regions: the Korengal Valley.

From Tim's bio on the Restrepo website:

Hetherington has reported on conflict and human rights issues for more than ten years. He was the only photographer to live behind rebel lines during the 2003 Liberian civil war - work that culminated in the film "Liberia: an Uncivil War" and the book "Long Story Bit by Bit : Liberia Retold" (Umbrage 2009), and his work for Human Rights Watch to uncover civilian massacres on the Chad / Darfur border in 2006 appeared in the documentary "The Devil Came on Horseback".

Tim was doing "multimedia,"—in this context, meaning combinations of stills and video—long before manufacturers were putting video capabilities into their camera. In fact, he was doing this before digital cameras became the default technology for photojournalists. He knew intrinsically that still photography and video would be the wave of the future, and while he was embedded with this platoon in the Korengal Valley, he lugged around still and video equipment. The images, and the film, are stunning. The intimacy with these soldiers is almost uncomfortable, and the constant proximity to danger is mind boggling.

Tim was what all frontline photographers are: Brave. Dedicated. Driven. Passionate. His yearn to capture the humanity in an inhumane environment created some of the most beautiful images I've ever seen of war.

He carried his message to the world. He showed all of us, cozied up in our homes, watching Netflix, and enjoying the basics (like running water and a roof over our heads) what it means to be a soldier on the battlefield. He brought us to the edge without our ever needing to leave our comfortable worlds, and showed us the reality of what happens in war.

He was just as much a soldier as the men in the platoon; the only difference was that Tim's weapons were his cameras.

He died as he lived: on the frontlines.

Rest in peace, Chris, Tim, and all the other journalists in the world that allow these stories to be told, at the cost of their lives.

New York Times (blog)

News and notes from 4/19/11 Hardball Times The Toronto Blue Jays now have the option to reacquire Emaus for $25000. The Mets have activated Justin Turner, a player who has been lazily compared to a right handed Daniel Murphy, making them logical platoon partners at the keystone. ... Bats: Emaus Is Out, and Mets Will Platoon at SecondNew York Times (blog) Brad Emaus Designated For Assignment By MetsSB Nation Mets | Brad Emaus cutKFFL Examiner.com -SportingNews.com -SB Nation New York all 125 news articles »

Hetherington, co-director of Oscar-winning documentary Restrepo, killed and three journalists injured in Misrata

Photographer Tim Hetherington has been killed covering the escalating violence in the Libyan city of Misrata while three other western journalists have been injured.

Hetherington, 40, the British photographer and co-creator of Oscar-winning documentary Restrepo, was killed in Misrata on Wednesday. Hetherington is believed to be the first western journalist killed covering the Libyan conflict.

Chris Hondros, 41, a US Pulitzer prize-winner who works for Getty Images, and British photographer Guy Martin, who works for the Panos agency, were critically injured in the same incident, according to a New York Times report. The fourth photographer injured was reported by the New York Times to be Michael Christopher Brown, although his condition was not said to be life threatening.

Hetherington posted on Twitter on Tuesday: "In besieged Libyan city of Misrata. Indiscriminate shelling by Qaddafi forces. No sign of NATO."

According to colleagues at the scene, Hetherington and Hondros were among a group of about eight or 10 journalists reporting from the bridge on Tripoli Street in Misrata on Wednesday afternoon, regarded as the frontline between rebels and Gaddafi's forces.

When shooting broke out, the group split in two. Hetherington's group of five journalists took shelter against a wall, which was then hit by mortar or RPG fire.

Rushed to hospital, Hetherington died soon after arrival. Heavy explosions in Misrata continued into the evening.

André Liohn, a colleague of the photographers who said he was at the hospital in Misrata where the photojournalists were taken, wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday afternoon: "Sad news Tim Hetherington died in Misrata now when covering the front line. Chris Hondros is in a serious status."

The death comes as foreign observers, including United Nations officials and press freedom bodies, voice growing concerns over violence against the media in Libya. Three journalists have now been killed in Libya since the conflict began in January.

The al-Jazeera cameraman Ali Hassan al-Jaber was killed when fighters ambushed his car as he travelled to the eastern city of Benghazi on 12 March. Mohammad Nabbous, the Libya al-Hurra TV reporter, was killed in a firefight seven days later in Benghazi.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said about 10 journalists have been killed covering the Arab spring uprisings this year – out of 14 deaths worldwide. The international criminal court warned Libyan authorities about the treatment of journalists in the country on Wednesday. Around 16 journalists are missing in the country, according to ICC prosecutor José Luis Moreno Ocampo.

The UN said on Wednesday that the Libyan government's reported use of cluster munitions and heavy weapons in Misrata may amount to war crimes, which the ICC has said it will investigate. Eight people, mostly civilians, were killed in the coastal city on Tuesday.

Liverpool-born Hetherington won numerous awards for his coverage of conflict zones, including Afghanistan, Liberia, and Nigeria.

His latest work, the war documentary following a platoon of US troops in Afghanistan, Restrepo, won the best documentary feature Oscar earlier this year. Hetherington co-directed Restrepo alongside journalist and author Sebastian Junger.

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Some sad news was rumored this morning as Business Insider picked up on a since removed Facebook status update from photographer Andre Liohn saying that a group of photographers, including Restrepo co-director Tim Hetherington, had been killed in Libya. The New York Times has since learned more about the situation and has confirmed that Hetherington has indeed died after a rocket propelled grenade exploded near photographers on the frontlines in the city of Misurata. Meanwhile, the rest of the photographers seem to be alive but in varying health conditions after the attack. Check NY Times for more info. If anyone has seen the Oscar nominated documentary chronicling a year with one platoon in a deadly valley in Afghanistan, then you know how close to military action these photographers would get.  Hetherington's film (which he co-directed with Sebastian Junger) won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and went ...

While the obvious strategy is to have everyday players in your lineup to achieve maximum offensive production, sometimes, it makes sense to go with a platoon player. Maybe the at bats aren’t as regular — maybe he gets only three or four starts per week. But if his numbers are solid and he’s outproducing some [...]

By: Lars Reichenbach
PMI classes are a joke. We are literally taught to shoot poorly from basic and the same mentality of "you can still shoot expert if you save your rounds on the 300m targets in case you miss closer!" exists when privates get to their units. I'm not going to lie and say that I knew this when I came in. Yes, I could shoot expert, but nowhere near as consistantly as now and I had to WORK to get it. Secret: anybody can shoot expert if they just were taught how from basic - so...read more