Welcome to the 2011-2012 Cycle

[edost]

@kolja00 I'm IR and security, although my subfield is kind of subjective. I work on the intersection of security issues and media in the Middle East, so my subfield is really at the discretion of the department.

I'm sort of in the same area, although I put down American Politics as my subfield. Which Middle Eastern countries do you focus on?

[RWBG]

Also a Duke IR reject. Someone mentioned the SOP thread, so I thought I'd mention this now: after this cycle's finished, I'm going to post my SOP along with some advice about this process, and I hope that many others here will do the same. I found the information others provided me on this forum to be invaluable to my application, and I hope to provide future applicants with even more to work with. Oftentimes, people disappear as soon as the cycle finishes, making it difficult to get people to post SOPs; I tried to get more people to post SOPs after last cycle, but everyone was already gone, so I didn't have any luck. I am hopeful that not all of you will do that this year!

[shavasana]

Well my thesis focussed on Al-Jazeera, Al-Ahram, and Al-Hayat's coverage of Iraq, so it's really regional. But I'm really interested in Saudi media, other Gult states (espeically Qatar, of course) and I lived in Jordan so I find them fascinating.

I also work on Iranian media and am looking to do some comparative work on Arabic/Persian media.

I'm definitely looking into how media coverage and press freedom influences popular movement and governmental (and inter-governmental) decision-making in the region.

[balderdash]

Sorry, but I find it surprising that the biggest pop culture/sporting event of the year has passed unrecognized in these pages. If you don't like talking about football, feel free to skip this post.

As a Patriots fan, I have to say: I loved the game. Like the NFC Championship, it wasn't so much that the Giants won as the opposing team lost. But I'm sick, sick, sick of some of the storylines people are running with. Allow me to go on a short, stress-induced rant:

First, the narrative of everyone favoring the Pats was bunk; most analysts were picking the Giants and I have no idea why media outlets were choosing to build New York up as the underdog. This is especially so given that New England didn't beat anyone with a winning record until the AFC Championship. Second, it was a lose-lose. Pats win, and it was like "congratulations, but hey, 18-1." Pats lose, and well, yeah. Third, that's why Patriots fans were relatively silent for two weeks while the Giants fans were talking smack left, right, and center. (As was the team itself, whose website announced on Saturday that they had won the game and provided a link for official championship apparel.) Fourth, the biggest offensive weapon the Pats had was clearly playing at 50%, irrespective of what he'll tell you. This also contributed to New England's absolute horror over the last two weeks. Here's a representative take on how we were feeling. Fifth, I don't know why the entire country was against the Patriots, but I think it's a mixture of the Giants diaspora, the bigger market in NY, and the fanbase being upset with New England's consistent success over the last year. Sixth, Eli played well, but he still remains crucially, crucially lucky. Manningham caught his key throw, Wes Welker dropped Brady's. The Giants fumbled three times, one was called off due to a penalty and the other two bounced toward NY players. That's not to say they didn't deserve to win, or that NE recoveries would've been less lucky - just that the few crucial bad bounces all went for New York. Seventh, even if we forget the luck factor, it wasn't the Giants offense that won the game (with only 21 points), it was the defense, which was able to hold NE to just 17. Eighth, the Patriots also played in the most hostile crowd a Super Bowl team has ever had to face. Not only were there more Giants fans than Patriots fans in the crowd, but you can't come into Indianapolis and play the hometown hero's little brother and expect a neutral reception. That might not sound like a big deal, but with a crowd calculated to be 80%+ for the Giants, it was a huge factor. Ninth, there shouldn't be any talk of "dynasty" or whatever. Two championships in 5 years is commendable, but it's in no way equal to the 3 in 4 years that the Pats won a decade ago, nor does it come close to the last decade of New England football (5 appearances and 3 wins in 11 years), or, for that matter, the previous runs by Dallas, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, etc. Finally, going forward the Patriots may look the better team. They have 2 first-round picks and 2 second-round picks in the upcoming draft, and their key players are young; keep in mind that Gronkowski and Hernandez are both rookies, as is Nate Solder, the talented right tackle. The offense will be just as good next year, special teams are solid, and the defense can only go up. We'll see how it turns out.

Oh, and the half-time show seemed pretty good.

/rant

[grantman]

Recieved my first notification, I was denied admission into Texas. I expected that much, but still it hurts.

[RWBG]

My thoughts on the game:

http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2107

[PoliSci27]

@balderdash I'm glad that at least one of us was able to think of something else for a little while.

But... a Patriots fan?

Edited February 6, 2012 by PoliSci27

[shavasana]

My thoughts on the game (from a girl who actually really loves sports):

I hate the Patriots, but the game wasn't all that exciting.

Surprisingly, I loved the half-time show. Also I have a sneaking suspicion that Cee Lo Green wearing that sparkly drum major outfit all the time. Which, in my opinion is awesome.

[edost]

Well my thesis focussed on Al-Jazeera, Al-Ahram, and Al-Hayat's coverage of Iraq, so it's really regional. But I'm really interested in Saudi media, other Gult states (espeically Qatar, of course) and I lived in Jordan so I find them fascinating.

I also work on Iranian media and am looking to do some comparative work on Arabic/Persian media.

I'm definitely looking into how media coverage and press freedom influences popular movement and governmental (and inter-governmental) decision-making in the region.

Interesting. My research deals with Israeli and American entertainment media's depictions of Middle Eastern conflicts and diplomacy.

[Max Power]

balderdash, you know who didn't enjoy that halftime show: people who like football

also, everything about that game put me on mega-raging-overload-tilt-from-hell. i had my two least favorite teams playing, so in the only possible matchup where I ever want the patriots to win, they of course went out and blew it

edit: i was somewhat mollified by doing really well in my betting props

Edited February 6, 2012 by jsclar

[edost]

Coincidentally, I'm wearing a Patriots shirt right now, although I rooted for the Giants yesterday. It was just the only available clean shirt that I'm not planning to pack (I'm moving to Philadelphia tomorrow).

I didn't watch the game. It was in the middle of the night here.

[balderdash]

But... a Patriots fan?

Have been since birth. Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox, and yes, the Revolution as well. I'm North of Boston, so there's no way that one could not be. And before anyone starts thinking "bandwagon," I remember Drew Bledsoe's injury as the happiest day of my youth, I remember Chuck Knoblauch's phantom tag, I remember Ray Borque leaving the B's... so, yeah. I've been lucky over the past decade. But it didn't come until after years of Boston sports-induced heartache.

I hate the Patriots, but the game wasn't all that exciting.

See, this is what I mean. Why hate the Pats? Are you a Jets or a Giants fan? Then what's there to hate? And how was the game not exciting? 3 lead changes, including in the last 2 minutes of regulation, a key turnover, at least 4 or 5 key plays, few penalties, good drives... sure, there were no 60 yard runs or 80 yard bombs, but neither team plays that way.

balderdash, you know who didn't enjoy that halftime show: people who like football

also, everything about that game put me on mega-raging-overload-tilt-from-hell. i had my two least favorite teams playing, so in the only possible matchup where I ever want the patriots to win, they of course went out and blew it

I like football, as might be obvious. I liked the show. Cee Lo Green in a sparkly suit. Your argument is invalid.

And by the way, Jets fan talking?

[Max Power]

I like football, as might be obvious. I liked the show. Cee Lo Green in a sparkly suit. Your argument is invalid.

i'll grant that was amusing. but being able to make jokes about cee lo going commando in front of a gigantic tv audience did not make up for suffering through the rest

And by the way, Jets fan talking?

but of course

[RWBG]

Recieved my first notification, I was denied admission into Texas. I expected that much, but still it hurts.

Sorry to hear that grantman! There's still a lot left of the cycle though.

[PoliSci27]

Have been since birth. Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox, and yes, the Revolution as well. I'm North of Boston, so there's no way that one could not be. And before anyone starts thinking "bandwagon," I remember Drew Bledsoe's injury as the happiest day of my youth, I remember Chuck Knoblauch's phantom tag, I remember Ray Borque leaving the B's... so, yeah. I've been lucky over the past decade. But it didn't come until after years of Boston sports-induced heartache.

See, this is what I mean. Why hate the Pats? Are you a Jets or a Giants fan? Then what's there to hate? And how was the game not exciting? 3 lead changes, including in the last 2 minutes of regulation, a key turnover, at least 4 or 5 key plays, few penalties, good drives... sure, there were no 60 yard runs or 80 yard bombs, but neither team plays that way.

I like football, as might be obvious. I liked the show. Cee Lo Green in a sparkly suit. Your argument is invalid.

And by the way, Jets fan talking?

Reasons to hate the Patriots:

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2012/02/new_england_patriots_10_reason.html

I'm sure we could add to the list, but this should be sufficient.

[CafeAuLait12]

To make the Duke rejection better, I got my Vanderbilt acceptance email! This is making for a busy Monday!

Congrats to any other acceptances!

[blackcoffee64]

Steelers didn't play = I didn't watch.

[PoliSci27]

To make the Duke rejection better, I got my Vanderbilt acceptance email! This is making for a busy Monday!

Congrats to any other acceptances!

Excellent! Congratulations.

[balderdash]

Congrats to the acceptances!

Reasons to hate the Patriots:

http://www.nj.com/gi..._10_reason.html

I'm sure we could add to the list, but this should be sufficient.

Haha, and from such an impartial source as NJ.com. I love that all 10 are really just emotions:

1. Bill Belichick is too smart!

2. They got caught doing something every team in the league does!

3. They might favor a baseball team we don't like!

4. Tom Brady is too good! (And his wife too pretty!)

5. They score too much! (By the way, not true - ask the Broncos, the only team to face second stringers for a full quarter of a playoff game.)

6. They have a geographic base with fewer people but more square miles than us!

7. They're too good!

8. Their influence is too broad!

9. They're managed too well!

But I'll give you the tenth. Yuck.

[CooCooCachoo]

Congrats on the Vanderbilt acceptance!

At the risk of being cyberslapped, I detest American Football, or any American sport really. Tennis all the way <3.

[RWBG]

Congrats on the Vanderbilt acceptance!

At the risk of being cyberslapped, I detest American Football, or any American sport really. Tennis all the way <3.

Right there with you, all the way up to the tennis part. I find the degree to which football appears to be integral to American culture a little bizarre (as an outside observer), and if I end up at Michigan it's going to be an interesting experience trying to understand it. I mean, people identify Canadians with hockey, and it's definitely important here, but we also don't keep track of college or high school level hockey the way Americans follow the counterparts for football. But I'm not much of a hockey fan either, so maybe there's just a part of human experience I'm not tapped into.

Edit: Also, ditto the Vanderbilt congrats.

Edited February 6, 2012 by RWBG

[Ironheel!!]

Anyone else hear from Vandy? Also, to those who were admitted, did you have a phone interview? Congrats to all!

[Max Power]

congrats cafe

i just got a letter from wisconsin, i'm officially on the wait list there

[3221]

Recieved an email from a POI at Ohio State. Note: this was not an acceptance but an email saying that the POI had reviewed my file and was very interested in my work, etc.

[wuerzburg]

Anyone else hear from Vandy? Also, to those who were admitted, did you have a phone interview? Congrats to all!

I second both these questions!! And of course congratulations to those receiving good news!