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PHILADELPHIA Tuesday, March 20, 2012

RIKARD LARMA/METRO

Souderton still scarred by death of Skyler Neighbor pleads guilty in girl’s rape and murder Mourners gather at apartment complex where she lived, died Community says it’s closer, but shaken {page 02}

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Golden Apple: Top tech firm pays dividends Maker of iPad, iPhone will pay out $45 billion over three years to investors CEO Cook sets himself apart {page 06}

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A patch on the jacket of John “Inky” White, a member of Bikers Against Child Abuse, commemorates the little girl. White and others gathered at the site where Skyler’s apartment complex yesterday.

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#1 DAILY NEWSPAPER IN CENTER CITY

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012

Nearly year later, Skyler still mourned in Souderton Advocates for child safety return to scene of gruesome murder on day little girl’s murderer pleaded guilty James Lee Troutman will serve life RIKARD LARMA/METRO

In the news

John Cena crashes in Philly World Wrestling Entertainment star John Cena was in a three-vehicle fender bender yesterday on Interstate 76 while traveling from a television talk show appearance in Center City, according to WWE’s website. No one suffered any serious issues, according to WWE, in the chain crash that involved a tractor trailer truck, a small car and Cena’s SUV. METRO

In the news

Politic madness Pennsylvania’s Republican Party is taking the time-honored tradition of using a pop culture event and turning it into a “witty” political attack. State GOP officials sent out an e-mail yesterday announcing the launch of the “Obama-Casey Miserable Madness,” based on college basketball’s monthlong championship. METRO

RIKARD LARMA/METRO

The scene of the gruesome May 2011 murder was quiet yesterday, though some community members gathered where Skyler was found dead near the apartment complex she called home.

The Montgomery County man accused of strangling and dumping a 9-year-old girl’s body last year will spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty yesterday. James Lee Troutman, 25, admitted to killing Skyler Kauffman after sexually assaulting her in the basement of the apartment complex where they both resided on May 9, 2011. Authorities found Skyler’s body inside a dumpster wrapped in a blanket hours after her mother reported her missing. John “Inky” White, of Bikers Against Child Abuse, said he has followed the case since Troutman’s arrest. He believes that a full trial would have only caused more pain for Skyler’s family. “I couldn’t even handle

More reward money for arrests of slashing vandals MAYFAIR. Motorist-advocacy group AAA is now offering a $2,500 reward for information in the rash of tire slashings taking place in this section of Northeast

“For the family, Amen, [prosecutors] couldn’t have done a better job.” JOHN “INKY” WHITE, BIKERS AGAINST CHILD ABUSE

‘Never gonna see the light of day’ Troutman pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, kidnapping, abuse of a corpse and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse. Under Troutman’s plea agreement, he will not face the death penalty, but

Philadelphia. At least one more car was vandalized on Erdrick Street on Sunday, about a half-mile from a Mayfair street where dozens of cars have been damaged since November. The Fraternal Order of Police and the mayor’s office are also offering $7,500 for an arrest in the case. In six incidents, tire-slashing vandals have struck on

what I was hearing” at the preliminary hearing, White said, as he and other bikers gathered outside the apartment to remember Skyler. “For the family, Amen, [prosecutors] couldn’t have done a better job.” Troutman’s attorney claiminstead automatically receives life in prison without the chance of parole. Community members in the small town were shocked by the murder. Some said yesterday that the life sentence was fitting for such a gruesome crime. “I’m happy he’s never gonna see the light of day,” Souderton resident John Haggerty said. METRO/SDL

and around the 4000 block of Aldine Street. Some residents were so frustrated after an attack last week that vigilantism appeared possible if detectives can’t pin down any suspects soon. METRO/SDL

ed that his client had been in and out of institutions since he was a young child due to mental instability. He was allegedly investigated several times for inappropriate sexual contact with minors, including a few weeks before the murder when he reportedly tried to lock Skyler and another girl in his apartment. Skyler’s mother called police, but charges were never filed. Residents said it is still hard to believe such a crime happened in their quiet community. “I still like Souderton, I’m just amazed and dumbfounded it happened in Souderton, but it can happen anywhere” Haggerty said. SOLOMON D. LEACH sleach@metro.us

$10K

Total reward money now available to anyone with information about the chronic tire slashings that have irritated a Northeast Philadelphia neighborhood every few weeks since November.

Hockey fight outside Wells Fargo bank CENTER CITY. Jobs advocacy coalition Fight for Philly staged a bizarre hockey match in the middle of South Broad Street yesterday to mock Wells Fargo’s 160th anniversary with a protest. “This is our little celebration for them,” group spokeswoman Jess Burgan said sarcastically. Wearing “Wall Street Bullies” jerseys with names like “Greedsky” and “Blameyieux,” faux players/protesters railed against bank bailouts and education cuts. METRO

Teen charged in drunken car crash SOUTH PHILADELPHIA. A 19-

year-old man has been charged in a drunkdriving hit-and-run accident that critically injured a young woman on Sunday. Deandre Barnes, 19, allegedly went through a red light, struck a 22year-old woman crossing the street and then hit three cars. METRO

Who wants to vote in Pa. GOP primary? PENNSYLVANIA. Next Monday is the deadline for voters to register in order to cast a ballot in the April 24 primary. The primary is for president, U.S. Senate, state attorney general, U.S. House of Representatives, state House and Senate and delegates to Republic and Democratic conventions. METRO/SDL

philadelphia

#1 DAILY NEWSPAPER IN CENTER CITY

Kenney wants film to educate on bullying Documentary to hit theaters next week has R rating But film titled ‘Bully’ has huge following already RIKARD LARMA/METRO

Councilman Jim Kenney is lobbying the Motion Picture Association of America to change the rating of documentary “Bully” so Philadelphia kids can see it. “The movie is very powerful,” he said. “It really does strike a chord about how devastating bullying is.” Kenney has been working with the filmmakers for a year and a half to change the R rating, given because the F-word appears in the film five times. “You can watch Arnold Schwarzenegger kill 100 people in a movie with a PG-13 rating, but you can’t watch this,” he said. “I don’t think language should have any fac-

Kenney

tor in movie ratings.” A Change.org petition had 431,101 signatures out of 500,000 as of last night.

Kenney has also been working to raise money for tickets and transport to take five to 10,000 Philadelphia children to see the film. The initiative is part of a national effort to ensure that at least one million schoolchildren view the documentary. “We’re working with the school district, the archdiocese and charter schools, but if we can’t get the rating changed, we’re not going to get any participation from those three groups,” he said. The film is being released in New York and Los Angeles March 30 and will reach Philadelphia in early April, Kenney said.

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012

Occupy. Retired cop’s fight

By the numbers

431K

Signatures tallied on Change.org as of yesterday in a quest to 500,000 for those seeking to lower the rating of the documentary so it’s viewable by teens.

$50K

Cost of a trip to send 10,000 city students to see “Bully” in the movie theaters, which Kenney is trying to organize in conjunction with a national eﬀort.

ALEX WIGGLESWORTH awigglesworth@metro.us

Lewis, the Occupy Wall Street member known for wearing a PPD uniform from his days as a police captain, protested yesterday outside a city building on Penn Square. RIKARD LARMA/METRO

Lewis back and making noise Retired Philadelphia police Capt. Ray Lewis returned to Center City to raise awareness about his April 2 pension hearing in which the Fraternal Order of Police will consider a grievance filed against him, Lewis said yesterday. It stems from wearing his uniform during Occupy protests. METRO/AW

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#1 DAILY NEWSPAPER IN CENTER CITY

Will lack of focus doom Santorum?

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012

Metropolitik BRAYDEN SIMMS POLITICAL WORLDLINESS FOR AN IMPOLITE WORLD

@METROPOLITIK

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For complaints, suggestions and digital attaboys, e-mail us at brayden.simms@metro.us.

If Mitt Romney seals up the GOP presidential nomination before the August convention — an eventuality looking more eventual with each passing day — Rick Santorum may have only his own campaign to blame. This is because of a backroom deal struck by the two campaigns over a pair of organizational difficulties each faced in Illinois. For Romney, the problem was a failure to acquire the necessary signatures to qualify for delegates. Santorum stared down a similar problem, lagging in petitions for 10 congressional districts. The Romney camp challenged Santorum’s petitions,

and Santorum challenged back. Then both candidates decided to rescind their challenges, allowing Romney onto Illinois ballots and allowing Santorum to collect delegates in (all but four of ) Illinois’ 18 congressional districts. These sorts of thing should never happen, especially in well-organized campaigns like Romney’s. But happen they did, and the Santorum camp — at that point not yet running as the clear Romney alternative — missed an opportunity to keep Mitt away from the state’s 69 delegates. (As it stands, Santorum has forfeited 10 of these.) So now it’s on to Illinois today, where polls put Romney at a commanding lead. This is bad news for Santorum, who must win nearly 65 percent of all re-

Santorum has been outperforming polls, but Illinois may be the candidate’s last chance.

maining delegates to prevent the impending Rom-ination. And it’s even worse than that: As David Corn points out, Romney’s real magic number isn’t 1,144 as most report, but 1,104; that’s because Utah, the last state to hold a primary, on June 26, awards its delegates on a winner-take-all basis to any candidate that wins a plurality of votes. Romney, who won all the state’s delegates in 2008, is a heavy favorite to do so again, considering the Beehive State's big Mormon voting bloc. Santorum needs to stop Romney from reaching 1,104 delegates. Yet he traded a chance at doing so for a shot at some of his own, from which he won’t even benefit greatly. Metro does not endorse the opinions of the author, or any opinions expressed on its pages.

GET FED Because sometimes you’ve only got time to skim the headlines: “Obama's Spending Record: More Conservative Than Reagan's” THE DISH “Obama Fundraising Slips From Record-Setting Pace” ABC NEWS

He said, we said

news

“PPP: Romney heading for an Illinois blowout” HOTAIR “Romney's Problem Isn't His Campaign” REASON “‘The Road We’ve Traveled’: A misleading account of Obama’s mother and her insurance dispute” THE WASHINGTON POST

“Barack Obama & the corruption of the American Left” WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“The work that you do is every bit as important as the guy who stood in front of the tank at Tiananmen Square when it comes to the future of our civilization in this country, and I don't know if I can say it any more strongly than that." RICK SANTORUM, IN A QUOTE DUG UP FROM APRIL 1994, COMPARING HIS THEN-SENATE CANDIDACY TO 1989’S TIANANMEN “TANK MAN,” THE FAMOUS IMAGE SHOWING A MAN BODILY BLOCKING A COLUMN OF MILITARY TANKS IN BEIJING. WE AGREE THAT THERE AREN’T MANY MORE POWERFUL WAYS TO FRAME ONE’S CANDIDACY FOR ELECTORAL OFFICE. SUDDENLY, WE HARDLY MISS GINGRICH.

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TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012

Windfall for investors as Apple pays dividend GETTY IMAGES

Foxconn ‘not out of the woods yet’

Apple Inc., the world’s most valuable company, will start paying its ﬁrst dividends since 1995.

Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook, moving swiftly after taking over from the late Silicon Valley icon Steve Jobs, fulfilled a longstanding desire of investors by initiating a quarterly dividend and share buyback that will pay out $45 billion over three years. The world’s most valuable company will start paying its first dividends since 1995 — a regular quarterly payout of $2.65 a share — in July, and buy back up to $10 billion of

its stock beginning in the next fiscal year. The $10 billion annual dividend program, which Cook said will be reviewed periodically, ranks among the largest current U.S. corporate cash payouts. Yet it disappointed some fund managers, given the immense war chest Apple boasts, and a 1.8 percent dividend yield that lags the Standard & Poor’s 500 average. Cook told analysts yesterday that “making great prod-

Foxconn Technology Group, the top maker of Apple Inc.’s iPhones and iPads, is not off the hook after a U.S. radio show retracted a program critical of working conditions at one of its Chinese factories. The Hong-Kong based China Labour Bulletin said Foxconn still employed harsh working conditions. REUTERS

ucts” remained top priority. Jobs’ former lieutenant has impressed Wall Street since taking the helm. He made his mark revealing Apple’s production partners and initiating investigations into allegations of labor abuse in its supply chain, and addressing investors directly at this year’s Goldman Sachs conference. But the question of whether the operations maven can envision revolutionary products still lingers for some. REUTERS

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Steve Jobs’ last words, famously, were “Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow.” Since his death, the most important businessman in the world suddenly looks less so. While Jobs’ death triggered agonized predictions about the prospects for Apple, it seems they could be overblown.

fter all, its stock price is soaring. The “New iPad” has provoked the same frenzied lines and consumer demand we’ve come to expect. (True, this is a product that had Jobsian fingerprints all over it.) The rumors about a breakthrough television are flying. And the company is sitting on a billion dollars in cash. So was the irreplaceable stature of the legendary CEO exaggerated? I don’t think so. Even if it appears that Apple didn’t skip a beat, it would be a rush to judgment

Advice ADAM HANFT BRANDING STRATEGIST

“Jobs’ death triggered agonized predictions about Apple.” HANFT

to conclude that everything will continue to be copacetic in Cupertino. Here are the worms in the Apple that may present themselves: Post-dictator tribalism: For all his genius, Jobs ran the company with an oligarch’s heavy hand. But as the mourning dissipates, the natural fractiousness of organizations will eventually appear — and it’s unlikely that Tim Cook will be able to keep his band of talented, strong-willed individuals from internal strife.

he public can’t love you forever: In Wall Street, they say trees don’t grow to the sky. Neither does loyalty. Apple’s remarkable run will eventually be threatened by a perfect storm of the working conditions at Foxconn and its other factories, and its zealously guarded walled garden that’s beautiful but imprisoning for users. There are other huge issues. The need for Apple TV to succeed; even a slight hiccup will bring back the “There’s no real Apple without Steve” naysayers. And in the future, the need for paradigm innovation like the iPod, iPhone and iPad — as opposed to incremental innovation, which is all we’ve seen thus far. So my answer to the question about Steve Jobs’ criticality is exactly the same as the answer the Chinese communist leader Zhou Enlai gave when asked about his reaction to the French Revolution: “Too soon to tell.” Metro does not endorse the opinions of the author, or any opinions expressed on its pages.

higher education

#1 DAILY NEWSPAPER IN CENTER CITY

Local law schools rank high in part-time program ratings Temple and Rutgers-Camden placed in the Top 10 of the US News and World Report’s national list Why one professor thinks the rankings system ‘is rather silly and arbitrary’ Two local law schools are among the best part-time programs in the country according to the U.S. News and World Report’s new rankings. Beasley School of Law at Temple University placed seventh, and Rutgers University School of Law - Camden placed ninth on the national list. Part-time programs offer evening and weekend classes for people who are working full-time. A part-time program usually takes four years to complete, compared to three years for a traditional program. “We’re very proud of

both our full-time and our part-time programs,” explains Rayman Solomon, dean and professor at Rutgers-Camden. “But the whole [ranking] system is rather silly and arbitrary.”

Only half of the ranking is based on objective criteria, including LSAT scores, undergrad GPAs and the proportion of part-time students involved in prestigious activities, like interschool competitions and law review. The other half of the ranking is based on the impressions of law school deans and faculty members. This heavy reliance on opinions makes the scores unreliable, Solomon thinks. “I’ve been in law school administration for 25 years,”

he says, “and I could rank maybe 35 of the 200 law schools in the country.” Solomon recognizes that some schools are better than others, but thinks that the hair-splitting distinctions implied in such precise rankings are not helpful. “There are probably 25 or 30 schools that are really excellent,” he says, “but to distinguish among them beyond that is just silly.” JUDY WEIGHTMAN letters@metro.us

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012

Today’s law students Kaplan Test Prep, which helps future lawyers get ready to take the LSAT, has found that fewer future lawyers are planning to go into politics. In a recent survey, 38 percent of pre-law students said they would consider running for political office, down sharply from 54 percent in 2009. That 38 percent reflects a substantial gender gap: 51 percent of male pre-law students would consider running, but only 29 percent of female pre-law students are open to the idea.

On the merger Like many at Rutgers-Camden — including William Brown, the Rutgers-Camden law student whom Governor Christie called an “idiot” in a town hall meeting — Solomon is concerned about the proposal to merge Rutgers-Camden with Rowan University. “I’m opposed to losing the Rutgers name and tradition, the connection with the rest of the university,” he said. “I’m in favor of figuring out an arrangement that will allow us to keep more resources in South Jersey.” Solomon sees many possibilities in partnerships and collaborations with Rowan, which has resources that could benefit the offerings at Rutgers-Camden, but worries about an outright merger. “Our pro bono program is not only innovative, but important in providing legal services to the city of Camden and the entire South Jersey region,” he says. “We’re very proud of that, and we’d hate to see that get lost in a merger.” RUTGERS

Temple’s response Temple’s Beasley School of Law doesn’t usually comment on rankings, but a spokesperson said: “Temple Law was founded as an evening school and has maintained a strong commitment to our evening students. It’s not easy to balance law school with a fulltime job, and we work hard to make sure it's worth it for them to take on that challenge.”

Rayman Solomon is a dean and professor at Rutgers-Camden.

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TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012

Qualities of a successful health care student

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communication skills 1 Good

There needs to be complete, honest communication between professionals and patients in order to properly care for someone. “All patients are unique, with different needs, backgrounds and expectations. Recognizing and conveying your understanding of that to each of them is what makes a

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work and balance 2 Alifehealthy

Occupational therapist Heidi Tringali describes this as knowing when to call it a day. “There is a fine line,” Tringali says, “between giving everything you have and letting a problem consume you. A great health care provider is able to experience the give and take — without taking the problem internally.”

3Dedication

This is more than the hours you put into you job — it’s about constantly wanting the best for people. “You always have to be thinking of the patient first, even when it comes to building a space in the hospital,” says Laura Doyle, brachytherapy director at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. “We just finished our

new [suite for] brachytherapy, a technique that delivers radiation to cancer patients, and during that building process, we always had the patients’ comfort in mind.”

4Humor

Maybe laughter isn’t the best medicine, but it certainly helps. This field can run you down both physically and emotionally, so you need to find a way to unwind. “Personally, I have found that having a sense of humor has helped me through challenging clinical situations,” says Janice Beitz, a professor of nursing at La Salle University.

5 Humility

“Another indispensable quality is humility,” says Beitz. “Recognize that you do not know everything and that you will be looking up new things every day for your whole career.” JULIA WEST

letters@metro.us STOCKBYTE

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Where healthcare and science converge.

Thinking of a career in health care? You might be cut out for it.

higher education

#1 DAILY NEWSPAPER IN CENTER CITY

ISTOCKPHOTO

Education in brief Villanova screens doc on blind students Villanova University will host a screening of a student-made documentary about three students at the Overbrook School for the Blind. “As the title suggests, ‘Beyond These Walls’ is a gripping depiction of the journey several Overbrook students make every day and how they navigate life — beyond their comfort zones while attending Overbrook and beyond the familiarity of Overbrook after graduation,” says John O’Leary, assistant professor of communication. The film was made by students from a variety of majors who participated in a

Fall 2011 documentary production course in Villanova’s Center for Social Justice Film. “Beyond These Walls” will be screened in the campus’s Connelly Center Cinema at 9 p.m. on Friday. The screening is open to the public.

Arcadia partners with the Innocence Project

Arcadia University and the Pennsylvania Innocence Project will present “Eyewitness MisIdentification and Wrongful Convictions” today from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Commons Great Room on the University’s Glenside campus. Participants in the panel discussion will include a man exonerated of a crime; Arcadia professors of psychology and criminal justice; and attorneys, law enforcement and court personnel.

Haverford’s skee-ball competition is under way.

the

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012

Scholars meet skee-ball at Haverford Haverford College is engaged in a monthlong event to examine the relationship between cooperation and competition. “And the Winner Is … ” centers on a campus-wide skee-ball competition, but also includes workshops, lectures, a weight-lifting exhibition

and several performance art events. All 2,000 members of the Haverford community, plus visitors to the campus, are invited to participate in the skee-ball competition at the Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery in the Whitehead Campus Center. The final Sweet Sixteen event will take place on April 20, when the winner will be named. JUDY WEIGHTMAN

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Peter Thiel, university-hater, heads to campus Peter Thiel, the superstar Silicon Valley investor, has famously dismissed university as a waste of time and money and even offered students cash to drop out. But his views apparently do not apply to himself — or to Stanford University. Thiel, 44, will teach at the university this spring, sharing pearls of entrepreneurial wisdom in a class called “Computer Science 183: Startup.” The course is already oversubscribed, with Thiel’s return to his alma mater sparking both enthusiasm and skepticism on a campus increasingly obsessed with start-up success. “It’s puzzling to us what he has to say,” says Nruthya Madappa, a senior in electrical engineering who saw rumors of Thiel’s class explode on her Facebook news feed and rushed to sign up. Thiel, who co-founded PayPal and later reaped billions with bets on gilded names like Facebook, LinkedIn and Zynga, has argued that the brightest young minds should strike out on their own and start companies rather than take on crushing debt to pursue a college degree.

GETTY IMAGES

Thiel

Never mind that Thiel himself holds both a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a law degree from Stanford; he has backed up his talk with his checkbook. Last year, Thiel started a fellowship that offered $100,000 to 20 budding entrepreneurs between the ages of 14 and 20 who would drop out to focus on their ventures. But Thiel last year also submitted a course proposal to Stanford after approaching Sebastian Thrun, a Stanford computer science professor. “If I do my job right, this is the last class you’ll ever have to take,” Thiel said through a spokesman. REUTERS

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education

10 By the numbers

As of 2012, physician assistant studies is one of the fastest growing master’s degree ﬁelds in the country.

113 M.S. vs. 21 B.S.

Today there are 113 PA master’s programs nationwide, and only 21 PA bachelor programs (the government has recently mandated that all PA degrees become master’s level certiﬁcations by 2020).

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual income for fulltime clinical physician assistants is $85,710.

BRUCE WALSH

bruce.walsh@metro.us

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Behind the degree: Physician assistants The MSPA is one of the fastest growing master’s degree programs in the country What students should consider about the field Renee Langstaff had been working as a physical therapist for five years before she realized she wanted to pursue a master’s degree in physician assistant studies. “I found myself going to my patient’s chart and wanting to know why they needed heart surgery, and what kind of surgery was it, and what meds they were on,” explains Langstaff. “I just felt this need to know more. I realized that I was more suited to be a [physician assistant] because of my interest in those things.” Langstaff entered a MSPA program at Arcadia University in 1996, bracing herself for two years of rigorous study. “For me, it wasn’t the level of the material that’s so difficult, it was more the volume and the pace,” she explains. “Trying to get through PA school at times feels like you’re trying to drink from a fire hydrant.” Langstaff currently works as a clinical physician assistant at Jefferson University Methodist Hospital in Philadelphia. Working exclusively in the cardiac

Ask the expert Elizabeth A. J. Salzer is the director of physician assistant studies at LIU Brooklyn. What major should undergrads pursue if they want to enter a graduate level physician assistant program? As long as the prerequisites are taken I don’t think it’s important what the student’s major was. There’s a great deal to be said for a strong liberal arts background: history, literature, computer science, etc. That makes a student, in my view, more

“It’s a great career for people who have a powerful interest in medicine, but maybe they don’t want to go through the training to become a physician.” LANGSTAFF

care unit, she manages multiple patients with critical heart conditions, working with a team of doctors and critical care specialists. “It’s a great career for people who have a powerful interest in medicine, but maybe they don’t want to go through the training to become a physician,” she says. “You’re sacrificing autonomy of course; The doctor takes the lead. But what you get back is much more reasonable hours and, I think, a more livable lifestyle.”

well-rounded and ultimately a better practitioner. What students should consider an MSPA? Someone who is fascinated by medicine — the human body and disease processes. And you have to have a strong compassion for people. However, people often make the mistake of applying for an MSPA program because they want to help people, but they don’t have a passion for medicine and science. Also, you’re not the final decision maker as a PA, so you absolutely need to be a great team worker.

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*Now through March 24, 2012. Subsequent weekly fee of $14 applies ($13 for seniors and students). Available to new and renewing registrants in participating areas only. Not valid for At Work meetings or online subscription products. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Participating areas include Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery, Philadelphia and Schuylkill counties in Pennsylvania and parts of Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties in New Jersey. © 2012 Weight Watchers of Philadelphia, Inc. All rights reserved. Weight Watchers is a registered trademark of Weight Watchers International, Inc. Weight Watchers of Philadelphia, Inc. is a franchise of Weight Watchers International, Inc.

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#1 DAILY NEWSPAPER IN CENTER CITY

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012

myentertainment

2 The feed ... Checking in with some of Hollywood’s biggest names to see what they’ve been up to — in their own words, in 140 characters or fewer. Katy Perry is trying to pay attention, Russell Crowe is keeping at it, Kiefer Sutherland wishes you well and Alec Baldwin is sleepy. @katyperry The universe is speaking. Listen to it. @russellcrowe pm workout 25 mins of stretches and light weights,30 lengths of the pool (600m) @RealKiefer Don’t have anything clever to say (not that I ever have) but having a great day & hope you are too! @alecbaldwin Today is a big day. A momentous day. Today is the day I .... ....that I ..... zzzzzzzzzz.....zzzzzzzzzz

Sutherland

THE WORD

Metro’s Dorothy Robinson shares her take on the world of gossip

@dorothyatmetro

dorothy.robinson@metro.us

ALL PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

‘Jersey Shore’ to return for Season 6 Despite the cast being pulled in a myriad of directions (“The Pauly D Project” and “Snooki and JWOWW vs. the World,” to name two spin-off shows), apparently all of the cast members have time for the OG — that’s “Original Guido” — “Jersey Shore.” It was announced yesterday that production for the sixth season of the show is set to begin this summer in Seaside Heights, N.J. “America’s favorite housemates will all return to their home-away-from-home, and the house dynamic is headed

into unchartered territory … as their lives outside the ‘Shore’ take off in exciting new directions,” MTV said in a press release. “While things will definitely be a little different this time when they hit the boardwalk, their trademark hilarity and family dysfunction will remain the same.” A sixth season? Talk about beating a dead meatball, MTV. But I’m sure they’ll still get the audience, if only rubberneckers who are tuning in to see what kind of maternity swimsuit the knocked-up Snooki is going to wear.

Brown

Brown is engaged to her ‘brother’

“Jersey Shore” is making the most out of Snooki’s pregnancy, teasing the new season with the tag line, “ﬁst pumps and baby bumps” — probably the most clever thing to come out of this news.

calls and says, ‘Did you hear about?’ I don’t want to know nothing about anything that is going on in relation to music. I shut it all off.”

Talking points Paltrow writes her own books, ‘kay? Gwyneth Paltrow is taking the New York Times to task over reporting that she’d worked with a ghostwriter for “My Father’s Daughter,” a cookbook she released last year. “Love The New York Times dining section but this week’s facts need checking. No ghostwriter on my cookbook, I wrote every word myself,” Paltrow posted to Twitter in response to an article that named Julia Turshen as the book’s uncredited collaborator. The article even stated that Turshen is “writing a second cookbook with Gwyneth Paltrow after their collaboration on ‘My

A little more than a month since her mom, Whitney Houston, passed away, Bobbi Kristina Brown is reportedly engaged to Nick Gordon, the man raised as a son by Houston, according to People magazine. “Yes, they are engaged, but the family is trying to coax her away from it,” a source says, while a second source confirms that “Nick asked Krissi about a week ago to marry him.” Brown has been spotted sporting a diamond ring that is thought to have been Whitney’s. Ah, being engaged to her “brother.” I think we can all agree that this is going to end very well for everyone involved.

O’Dowd comes to Fox’s defense Paltrow

Father’s Daughter.’”

Simpson’s baby shower With her baby due any day now, Jessica Simpson held a lavish baby shower at her home this weekend, with family and friends including Ellen Pompeo, Jessica Alba and sister Ashlee Simpson in attendance, according to Us

Simpson

Weekly. “It was a kid-friendly shower, with many of her friends bringing babies,” a source says. “She received tons of gifts, mostly wrapped in pink gift wrap and boxes. There were several books, stuffed toys and clothes, among other items.”

For Lady Gaga: Mum’s the word

Gaga

Lady Gaga is looking to keep her mouth shut for a while, she reveals in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. “Other than this interview, Oprah, I do not intend to speak to anyone for a very long time,” the pop star says. And it looks like she’s not going to be listening very much, either: “The latest thing I do is, I don’t read a damn thing,” Gaga says. “No press, no television. If my mom

While her public feud with Michael Bay may have cost her a role in the last “Transformers” film, Megan Fox earned at least one new supporter: her “Friends with Kids” co-star, Chris O’Dowd. “Who wouldn’t have a fallout with [Bay]?” O’Dowd tells the Toronto Sun. “She called him an a—hole. Well, he is a f—ing a— hole. Why has she been singled out?” One difference between Fox and O’Dowd, though? O’Dowd wouldn’t work with Bay in the first place. “I would never f—ing watch his films, never mind go and act in them.”

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myentertainment

A weekend of parties, premieres and Philadelphia

1. Charlize Theron spoke at The

Human Rights Campaign Los Angeles Gala on Saturday in California. 2. Elizabeth Banks

stunned at “'The Hunger Games” Germany premiere at the Cinestar movie theater Friday in Berlin.

3. Betty White attended the Public Library Association 2012 closing general session at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Saturday in Philadelphia.

4. Jaden Smith was spot-

ted on Saturday on the streets of Philadelphia. 5. Lily Collins and Julia Roberts arrived at

the “Mirror Mirror” Los Angeles premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on Saturday in Hollywood. 6. Katy Perry was snapped on Saturday in London.

1: VALERIE MACON/GETTY IMAGES 2: ANITA BUGGE/GETTY IMAGES 3, 4: GILBERT CARRASQUILLO/ GETTY IMAGES 5: TODD WILLIAMSON/GETTY IMAGES FOR RELATIVITY MEDIA 6: NIKI NIKOLOVA/FILMMAGIC

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TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012

mybooks&entertainment TV watch list

‘The River’ DRAMA. The death of a

crewmember ensures even shakier camera action as chaos grips the Magus team in tonight’s season finale. Season ﬁnale, 9 p.m., ABC

‘Cougar Town’ COMEDY. Jules struggles to

work through the baggage of Grayson’s single days. It’s going to be one heck of a workout, because tonight her hubby-to-be finds out he fathered a baby girl he never knew he had. 8:30 p.m., ABC

‘Justified’ DRAMA. Quarles becomes in-

creasingly unpredictable. 10 p.m., FX

‘Fashion Star’ REALITY. The contestants design for the ultimate judge: The everyday shopper who will be buying their wares at H&M, Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. 10 p.m., NBC AMBER RAY

JAMI ATTENBERG

It’s trouble in paradise in Groff’s latest T

hough Lauren Groff’s captivating new novel, “Arcadia,” is set in an imploding commune in upstate New York during the 1970s, the work feels modern and relevant. “This book was a direct over-reaction to the passivity and cynicism I felt in the world when I began it four years ago,” she says. Groff answered a few questions for us about the beauty of upstate New York, the impact of motherhood on her writing and the idealism of the ’60s.

This book is set initially from the perspective of Bit, a young member of the commune. You have

two young boys yourself. How much has motherhood impacted your writing?

Fiction is the province of empathy. Anything that expands

your empathy and makes you feel more for other people will make you a stronger writer of fiction. I have two boys and, with the arrival of each, it felt as if I’d grown an extra heart. There’s that much more potential for pain, but I felt three times stronger about everything than I did before. The main character of Bit is directly derived from my big boy, Beckett, with whom I was pregnant when I tried to glom onto the idea of hope and idealism. You started writing this long before the emergence of Occupy Wall Street. Do you feel like there’s a kinship between the

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idealism of the ’60s and ’70s and this current movement?

Q&A You’ve set two novels in upstate New York, where you were raised. What is it about that part of the state that makes it a great place to set a book? I love upstate New York, with its chilly lakes and hills and pensive old cows. I miss it very much, and I think I return to it because I like the feeling of living there for a few hours a day. Also, because my childhood was set there, it feels like a good place for books about wonder and childhood.

I hope so. … I want so badly for the Occupy movement to make huge sweeping changes, though the ones that it will probably make will be more subtle if just as far-reaching. I feel a bit external to both historical eras — I wasn’t born in the ’60s, and I was crazed with this book and my babies while writing and wasn’t as involved in Occupy as I might have wanted to be — and that puts me in the category of avid watcher of both eras. JAMI ATTENBERG letters@metro.us

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mywellbeing Advice

DIGITAL VISION

Learn to be savvy about cereal Don’t be misled by claims on breakfast cereals like “whole wheat,” “organic” and “supports your child’s immunity.” A recent Yale University study found that parents rated cereals with these kinds of labels as being healthier than others — but many actually scored below average on a nutrition scale. Instead of going by front-ofpackage promises, check the nutrition facts panel for these details: High ﬁber Choose a box that has at least 3 grams per serving to help keep your child full throughout the morning. Whole grain Many cereals contain some whole grains; but for the healthiest option, pick one that lists a whole grain, such as whole wheat or whole oats, as the first ingredient.

How to keep your kids out of the medicine cabinet

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Make sure his cereal is high in ﬁber and low in sugar.

Low sugar Aim for less than 10 grams per serving. If your kid’s favorite has too much, mix it with a low-sugar variety. Fortiﬁed If your child doesn’t take a multivitamin, his cereal can be a key source of nutrients such as iron and calcium. SALLY KUZEMCHAK

Parents brings moms and dads smart, fresh advice to help you raise healthy, happy kids. Check us out at Parents.com.

About 165 young kids — or roughly four school busloads of children — are seen every day in U.S. emergency rooms after getting into medications, according to Safe Kids Worldwide. It’s National Poison Control Week, and to help ensure your meds are kept away from little fingers, here are some tips on proper storage: Always store medicines and vitamins in a locked location, out of the reach and sight of children. Always put medicines and vitamins away after every use. Never leave them on the counter between dosings. Don’t be tempted to “keep them handy” in a purse, backpack or briefcase — or in an unlocked cabinet or a drawer within a child’s reach. Buy child-resistant packages when available, and securely close them every time.

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#1 DAILY NEWSPAPER IN CENTER CITY

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012

myletters&games

Letters letters@metro.us

People fear Bible because it’s true! RE: “LET’S BE FAIR TO ALL OF WORLD’S RELIGIONS”: Wow, two

letters in three days from that noted biblical scholar JD Lucas. To paraphrase the great C.S Lewis, if you can’t understand a book written for grown-ups, you shouldn’t talk about it. And to Mr. Ahern: I think the reason people predominantly attack the Bible is because people are afraid it’s true. Better (and easier) to attack it than to be confronted by it. I should know, I did the same thing once. RICK VOGENITZ, VIA E-MAIL

Race only matters because we think so RE: “SO YOU THINK RACE DOESN’T MATTER?”: Race does matter.

Although it only matters because we’re taught that it

does. We’re groomed to associate certain things with certain races. We teach our kids, friends and family that race matters. Even though it’s one of the most difficult topics to comprehend we try so hard to understand it. So for things like that, that’s why race matters. Only because we make it matter. AARON JASPER, VIA E-MAIL Every time there is fair criticism of Obama, the left screams “racist right.” These statements make the false assumption that (1) every one of Obama’s critics is white and (2) every critique of Obama must be racially driven. Well guess what, liberals. Just like the prominent civil rights activist Cornell West, I am part of a large, educated black community that does not support Obama. Are we racist, too? WILLIAM FINE, VIA E-MAIL

“I am not sure that voting third-party is the solution.” RE: “WHY VOTING THIRD PARTY ISN’T A WASTE”: Brayden

Simms’ insightful article effectively shows the inherent flaws in our two-party system. However, I am not sure that voting third-party is the solution, particularly since most American third parties tend to be at the extremes of the political spectrum. What we need is a centrist third party or independent candidate.

President Obama is a radical liberal thug Of course radical liberals hiding in the Democratic ranks will fire up those who won’t read the facts. The “followers” who’ll believe cheap talk, like the 12 million who believed that “work would set them free.” The JFK Dems who wanted to serve their country and not wait for a handout are gone. Obama is on record as stating that he will not enforce federal law, saying he’ll enact laws by “Presidential decree” and “regulation”. He refuses to respect the Christian faith while embracing our enemies’ “faith.” Obama is not a president; he’s still an “organizer.” He is a divider. Can we really trust this Chicago thug anymore?

Simms gets fooled by Ezra Klein’s Karl Rove quotes. He repeats the false dichotomy that “both parties are guilty of this practice.” Democrats were against the Mars mission and privatizing Social

E-mail your letters: letters@metro.us Keep them as brief as possible, preferably under 100 words. Metro reserves the right to edit all letters. Please include your name and contact information.

JOHN BEVAN, MANAYUNK

Across 1 Athena’s father 5 Palette adjunct 10 Yegg’s target 14 Coastal flier 15 Traffic-jam noise 16 Eurasian mountains 17 __ -a-brac 18 Stan’s comic foil 19 Catch red-handed 20 Homecoming 22 Grope about 24 One of the Astaires 25 Big bother 26 Linchpin site 28 Turkish official 32 Gen. __ Bradley 35 Body part 37 Powwow drum (hyph.) 38 Prez after Jimmy 39 Scratchy 41 Unfold, to a poet 42 Against 45 Outstanding 46 Copycats 47 Light incense to 48 Grassy meadows 50 Snare 54 Thought on 58 Fine 61 Lobster part 62 Sale caveat (2 wds.) 63 Put up with 65 Press one’s luck 66 Dangerous shark 67 Pay by mail 68 Director __ Kazan 69 Onion covering 70 “Haste makes waste,” e.g. 71 Bulrush or cattail

Down 1 Gridiron ref 2 Miscalculated

5 5

7 2 1

9 7

SUDOKU LEVEL: EASY Solution to yesterday’s crossword 46 Ripped apart 49 Mademoiselle’s date 51 Jeweled coronet 52 Like a priest 53 Jungian term 55 Post office fixture 56 Hair-raising 57 Cringe at 58 Machine parts 59 Ms. Dinesen 60 “Kon- __” 61 Fountain or Seeger 64 Archaeological site

4 7

5 4

7 3

BERNICE BEDE OSOL

4 9

3 5

25 Hoagie 27 Zhivago’s love 29 Grind to a halt 30 Fabulous diamond 31 Singing brothers 32 Killer whale 33 Overall feeling 34 Part of A.D. 36 __ wrestling 37 You, once 40 Nervous swallow 43 Wartime offense 44 Budget item

3 7

6 6

Virgo Aug. 23-Sept. 22. Just when you thought the world was against you, you’ll discover that a loyal ally has been working on your behalf for some time. You could never have gotten far without his or her help. Libra Sept. 23-Oct. 23. If another picks you to be his or her designated agent, do what you can by making the best deal possible. Even if it was supposed to be just a favor, you’re apt to receive a reward. Scorpio Oct. 24-Nov. 22. Things aren’t likely to work out the way you envision them, but don’t get upset -they could end up even better. It just proves that it’s wise to never prematurely judge people or events. Sagittarius Nov. 23-Dec. 21. Tough tasks that challenge your imagination could prove to be both fun and profitable. Unraveling the knotty problems that leave your associates stumped will give you a thrill. Capricorn Dec. 22-Jan. 19. Some people you meet could end up playing important roles in your affairs down the line. Be sure to remember their names, as well as get their contact information. Aquarius Jan. 20-Feb. 19. You’re apt to be exceptionally fortunate in a matter where something of material value is at stake. Wait to cash in until the most propitious moment.

3 Come together 4 Worldly 5 Poet’s black 6 Each and every 7 Fiesta dip 8 Sevareid and Ambler 9 Wanton looks 10 Ray of light 11 Emir or sheik 12 Go belly-up 13 She, to Marie 21 Tyrannosaurus __ 23 Brand for Bowser

Pisces Feb. 20-March 20. It’ll be your optimistic, hopeful manner that will smooth over the road you have to travel. In doing so, it will also make things better for those who journey at your side. Aries March 21-April 19. Don’t be reluctant to think big and act boldly if your intuition tells you to move on something. If you are afraid to take a well-calculated chance, nothing will ever change. Taurus April 20-May 20. People who have clout and influence are more likely to take a chance on you than would an average person. However, the request you ask of the powerful must make sense. Gemini May 21-June 20. The chances of achieving an important objective look pretty good if you set your mind to it. Once more, you won’t hesitate to include others in what you’ve accomplished. Cancer June 21-July 22. Maintain an optimistic outlook and your expectations and dreams could easily become realities. Focus on your targets and keep them in your sights until they become a fait accompli. Leo July 23-Aug. 22. Up until now, it may have looked as if you’d gone unappreciated, overlooked and ignored for something on which you worked hard and long. Not so —

KEVIN DOWD, VIA E-MAIL

HELEN WILSON, PHILADELPHIA

your rewards are at hand.

Horoscope

Security because those were bad ideas that promised to gut science in one and the safety net in the other. On the other hand, Republicans ran away from the ACA just as he describes.

5 7

6 1

SUDOKU LEVEL: HARD How to play Sudoku: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1-9. There is no math involved. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic.

SUDOKU SOLUTIONS: WWW.METRO.US/PUZZLES

To advertise – phone: 215-717-2600 e-mail sales: advphilly@metro.us METRO PHILADELPHIA | Editor in Chief: Tony Metcalf tony.metcalf@metro.us, @edinchiefmetro | Managing Editor: Ron Varrial ron.varrial@metro.us | City Editor: Brian X. McCrone bmccrone@metro.us | Features Editor: Amber Ray amber.ray@metro.us, @amberatmetro | Entertainment Editor: Monica Weymouth monica.weymouth@metro.us | Sports Editor: Mike Greger mgreger@metro.us | Deputy Features/Careers/Books/Travel editor: Dorothy Robinson dorothy.robinson@metro.us | Home/Style editor: Tina Chadha tina.chadha@metro.us | Film/Tech editor: Heidi Patalano heidi.patalano@metro.us | Photo Editor: Rikard Larma rlarma@metro.us E-MAIL US: letters@metro.us

As the world's largest global newspaper, Metro has more than 17 million readers in over 100 major cities in 17 countries • Metro Philadelphia 30 S. 15th St. Philadelphia, Pa. 19102 • main: 215-717-2600 • sales: 215-717-2689 • e-mail sales: advphilly@metro.us • distribution e-mail: distribution@metro.us • National Sales Director Ed Abrams • Executive Sales Director James McDonald • U.S. Circulation Director Joseph Lauletta • U.S. Marketing Director Priscilla Arguinzoni • Advertisements appearing in Metro are published in good faith. Metro does not endorse and makes no representations about any of the advertising content appearing in its pages. Metro is not responsible for any loss or damage whatsoever resulting from readers using the services of its advertisers. Readers should exercise caution when replying to advertisements, especially those which require any form of payment, and, where necessary, should seek independent legal advice.

travel

#1 DAILY NEWSPAPER IN CENTER CITY

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012

destinations

Glamour and luxury await — if you know where to look From chic hotels to a well-heeled walking tour, see the metropolitan city through the eyes of the truly fabulous

+ posh Experience

Where to stay

Metropolitan Hotel The modern Metropolitan Hotel (www.metropolitan. london.como.bz) sets you smack dab in the Mayfair area of London and close to the city’s premier shopping district of Sloane Street (Christian Dior, Chanel, Prada, Gucci are just some of the designers who call the area home). The Metropolitan is also near such attractions as Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and it looks over the famous Hyde Park. At night, see if you can get a table at the still-booming Nobu London, located on the first floor of the hotel.

London

LETTERS@METRO.US GOT AN OPINION? SEND US YOUR THOUGHTS

For more on London, go to www.visitlondon.com.

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igh-end shops, luxury hotels, elegant bars, posh neighborhoods — it’s time to don your ascot and see how the other half lives when you hit the chicest spots London has to offer. COMO

The chic snack William Curley’s “Couture Chocolate Afternoon Tea”: Regain your energy after traipsing through Belgravia with a true British institution: Afternoon tea. The Halkin (www.halkin.como.bz), one of the finest hotel properties in London and located in the neighborhood, offers a chic spin on the custom with their William Curley’s “Couture Chocolate Afternoon Tea.” Created by William Curley, the four-time winner of “Britain’s Best Chocolatier,” the tea features freshly made scones with clotted cream and jams and a selection of sandwiches, as well as an a la carte selection

with standouts such as sea salt caramels and raspberry tart and chocolate macarons. Want something a little stronger than tea? You can request a champagne accompaniment with your order for a little extra.

The spa COMO Shambhala Urban Escape: Nestled in The Metropolitan is one of London’s newest, most ambitious spas: The COMO Shambhala Urban Escape, which offers Asianinspired therapies as well as a resident acupuncturist. Among the treatments on the menu are Dr. Perricone facials (the only spot in the U.K to offer them), a full spread of massages, reflexology and Shiatsu, as well as the basic manicure, waxing and paraffin treatments.

DOROTHY ROBINSON

dorothy.robinson@metro.us

The neighborhood Belgravia: It’s hard to get more well-heeled than the Belgravia neighborhood of London, which is steeped with history and tasteful largess. Although you probably can’t afford a flat there (it’s one of the wealthiest districts in the world, with some homes going for the jaw-dropping price of £4,671 per square foot) you can afford to book the fabulous tour guide/journalist Sophie Campbell, who gives unique history lessons on the neighborhood as well as visits

to charming area shops and restaurants (www.urbangentry.com).

sports

#1 DAILY NEWSPAPER IN CENTER CITY

Who’s on second? Who’s on first? Infield in total disarray

MILES KENNEDY/PHILLIES

Phillies enter 2012 with new-look offense Lots of question marks Can they hit? Score enough runs? GETTY IMAGES

It looks like there will be four new faces in the Phillies’ 2012 Opening Day lineup from a year ago. Chase Utley will most likely start the 2012 campaign on the disabled list — again. The second baseman joins injured first baseman Ryan Howard, meaning the entire right side of the infield has undergone a forced facelift. “Not a lot of offense, huh?,” GM Ruben Amaro told reporters yesterday. “That strikes at our offense. We’re going to have to pitch the ball and catch the ball like we did last year.” Freddy Galvis is expected to start in Utley’s place, with

Lineup makeover A look at the Phillies’ 2012 projected lineup (in order), with stats and ages. Jimmy Rollins, SS (age: 33) .268, 16 HRs, 87 runs Placido Polanco, 3B (36) .277, 5 HRs, 50 RBI Laynce Nix, 1B (31)

Galvis

.250, 16 HRs, 44 RBI Hunter Pence, RF (28) .314, 22 HRs, 97 RBI Shane Victorino, CF (31) .279, 17 HRs, 61 RBI John Mayberry, LF (28) .273, 15 HRs, 49 RBI Freddy Galvis, 2B (22) *.278, 8 HRs, 43 RBI Carlos Ruiz, C (33) .283, 6 HRs, 40 RBI *2011 minor-league stats

John Mayberry Jr., Jim Thome and Laynce Nix taking turns at first base. Raul Ibanez, Wilson Valdez and Ben Francisco — all regulars on Opening Day in 2011 — are gone. Placido Polanco is also less than 100 percent. Polanco hurt his finger sliding this past weekend, but X-rays came back negative. The 36-year-old missed 40 games last season while dealing with a myriad of elbow injuries. Yesterday, the Phillies rolled out a lineup featuring Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Hunter Pence, Thome (DH), Ty Wigginton, Nix, Mayberry, Carlos Ruiz and Galvis. They beat the Tigers 4-3 yesterday, thanks to a two-run triple from Galvis. No one in the clubhouse is ready to hit the panic button. “We still have a good team,” Rollins said. “It’s not the same by any means, but I’m not discounting our chances. We didn’t have great teams in 2007 or 2008 and we found a way to win.” MIKE GREGER

mgreger@metro.us

Utley leaves Phils camp after hitting ‘plateau’ Chase Utley hasn’t been right for two years. Now, the Phillies are taking another step to help their ailing AllStar get over the “hump.” Utley will most likely miss Opening Day as he continues to battle tendonitis in his right knee. The 33-year-old left the team’s spring training facility yesterday to see a specialist. The Phils had expressed hope that Utley might return to the field this week. But Utley reached a “plateau” in his rehab, according to GM Ruben Amaro, Jr. “I would think it would be doubtful for him to be prepared to play second base

Number of games Utley missed last season. The former AllStar has missed 106 total games over the past two MLB seasons.

for us Opening Day, but really this is about making sure that he is healthy and playing for a significant amount of the season,” Amaro told reporters. Utley also has had problems with his left knee and missed the first 46 games last season. Amaro said doctors are treating Utley’s condition with stretching exercises. There is no procedure sched-

uled. Still, there is definitely cause for great concern since Utley’s knees have been a lingering issue. “I’m concerned with Chase,” Phils skipper Charlie Manuel told CSNPhilly.com. “I’m always concerned with Chase. Will he ever be 100 percent? I don't know. His problem is not going away. More than likely, it might never go away.” Rookie shortstop Freddy Galvis has been taking the majority of reps at second base this spring and is viewed as a serious candidate to replace Utley on April 5. METRO

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012

3 Evan signs

Mathis accepts ﬁve-year deal Evan Mathis officially inked his five-year, $25.5 million deal yesterday with the Birds. The starting left guard had narrowed it down to two teams: the Eagles and Ravens. After mulling it over, Mathis said his “heart was here.”

Chase Utley is doubtful for Opening Day.

sports

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012

Peyton picks Denver, Tebow Time ending Manning

Apparently, John Elway is one smooth talker. The Hall of Fame QB has lured Peyton Manning to Denver, according to reports. Tennessee and San Francisco were the other finalists. Elway and Manning discussed a five-year, $95 million contract back on March 9 and a finished deal appears to be a formality. There will be language in the deal to protect the Broncos in case Manning suffers from a setback. Perhaps the most intriguing part is that Denver is now trying to deal Tim Tebow. The Heisman Trophy winner captivated the nation last year by leading the Broncos to a firstround playoff win, but Elway never embraced Tebow’s unorthodox style. “The passing game wasn’t where we wanted it to be,” Elway said after Denver lost to New England to end its sea-

And then ... So where does Tebow land next? We take a look at some possible spots:

1 2

Miami is in tight spot after being snubbed by both Peyton and Matt Flynn. However, new coach Joe Philbin would prefer to run a pro-style oﬀense. Cleveland had one of the worst passing oﬀenses in the NFL last season. Not

son. “Those are the strides we have to make. We know Timmy will work his tail off.” Two months later, the Broncos have signed Manning and Tebow is on the trading block. Either way, Broncos players seem excited about the change.

sure Tebow would cure that. Plus, Brownies own No. 4 overall pick and could take Ryan Tannehill.

If they want to sell tickets, Jacksonville is the ideal ﬁt. The city is just an hour away from Gainesville. Of course, they also have Blaine Gabbert.

EAGLES! We’re not ruling anything out. Andy Reid likes his toys and Tebow would be a big one playing behind Mike Vick.

“He has the ‘it’ factor when it comes to winning games,” said Broncos linebacker and former Eagle Joe Mays. “He had it over his time with the Colts and now he’s got a chance to do it here. We’re all excited to have him on the team.” METRO

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