Photo courtesy of phandroid.com.

Rather than making a case for which team is superior, this prediction is based on which quarterback will have the better game. In the end, Tom Brady will eclipse a great performance from Eli Manning by not only winning another Super Bowl but also by earning game MVP honors.

Some might worry about the play of Brady in the Patriots previous game in which they narrowly escaped defeat to the Baltimore Ravens. Though Brady completed 60 percent of his passes, he only threw for 239 yards, had two interceptions and zero touchdowns. Those stats only mustered Brady a quarterback rating of 57.5 percent.

Though his numbers were highly uncharacteristic, especially for a playoff game, don’t count on Brady having a back-to-back performance of this caliber.

The more you try to find ways to deny Brady’s greatness, the more you have to give it to him. If New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees hadn’t had the single best season an NFL quarterback has ever had, we could be saying the exact same thing about Brady.

There have only been four quarterbacks in NFL history to surpass the 5,000 yard mark. Both Brees and Brady passed for more yards than the previous record held by Dan Marino who passed for 5,084 yards in 1984.

Brees narrowly edged out Brady for the record, passing for 241 more total yards.

As for Manning, he ended up falling only 67 yards short of the 5,000 yard club himself. Many sports analysts have debated that Eli is not at the elite level of quarterback that his brother Peyton and Brady are. This year has been the toughest for his skeptics to argue against, not just for his stats, but also because he has lead his team to another Super Bowl showdown.

For as great of a quarterback that Peyton Manning is, he was only able to lead two of his Colts teams to the Super Bowl and only came away with one victory.

Eli has now matched his brother by leading two of his Giants teams to the title game, with the first one being a victory. Though Manning has become a great quarterback, the same fate awaits him as did Peyton in his second Super Bowl appearance.

Expect Manning to throw for two interceptions and two touchdowns in this game, and expect Brady to throw for three touchdowns and one interception.

The game will be high scoring so look for both quarterbacks to throw for over 300 yards. Brady reaching 400 yards would not be surprising.

While the game will be close, the battle of quarterbacks will be decisive. Not only will Brady pass for more yards, throw for more touchdowns and throw fewer interceptions, he will more importantly come away with a victory and his third Super Bowl MVP award, putting him in a tie with Joe Montana for the most all-time.

Student Academic Services is there to aid students in the college careers by editing papers and determining problem areas, among other things. Photo courtesy of the university's website.

“It would be wonderful for more students to come in, call or ask for assistance,” said Pam Chambers, interim director of Student Academic Services. “We’re here to help, and our services are free.”

SAS is responsible for the Writing Room, Gen Ed Tutoring Center, Academic Advising Program, National Testing Program, Academic Improvement Program and Disability Resource Office. The program was formerly located in the Psychology Building, but is now located in the Library and Academic Resources Center, according to the program’s website.

The Writing Room is a resource available to CSU-Pueblo students that provides assistance with the writing process at any level and in any discipline. Tutoring for writing assignments is available by walk-n or appointments, but students can also use the Online Writing Lab to submit assignments and access additional resources, Chambers said.

“I would encourage students to come in at all stages of the writing process,” she said. “Even if they haven’t actually begun writing, we can help them get started.”

The Gen Ed Tutoring Center provides tutoring for all general education courses on an individual or group level, Chambers said. Both the Writing Room and Gen Ed Tutoring Center are located in LARC, Room 251.

In order to aid students who are not quite sure which direction they are heading, the Academic Advising Program works with students who remain undeclared after their first two semesters, new transfer students with more than 13 credits and continuing students who have changed their major, Chambers said.

It utilizes career exploration activities to help students find the best major for their interests and skills. The AAP uses major discussions, career assessments, major fairs and exploratory courses to do so, according to the program’s website.

Students who need to work with the AAP are typically directed to the service by the university’s First-Year Programs organization and the Office of Admissions, Chambers said.

The National Testing Program at CSU-Pueblo serves not only university students, but the outlying community as well. Through the program SAS administers standardized tests such as the ACT, SAT, LSAT and CLEP. These services are provided in LARC, Room 267.

“Our National Testing Program serves many high school students in the Pueblo area,” Chambers said. “It’s a great opportunity for them to get on campus and experience the university as well.”

In the same room is the Academic Improvement Program. This resource aids students on academic probation to develop an academic improvement plan and how to raise their cumulative GPA above a 2.0, Chambers said.

The Disability Resource Office is the final branch of SAS. It can be found LARC, Room 169, and is mentioned on every syllabus handed out at CSU-Pueblo. In accordance to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, this office offers classroom accommodation, an adaptive technology lab, testing accommodations and support for students with documented disabilities, according to the department‘s website.

Photo courtesy of moviespad.com.

The movie is yet another story about corrupt cops who betray one of their own (movies like Training Day, Serpico, The Departed, etc.). Here the accused goes to extreme measures to prove his innocence.

Full of predictable plot twist, the story, based solely on the idea of sleight of hand and miss direction, offers very few suspenseful moments and lacks the presence of a leading man.

The film takes place on the ledge of a hotel building above a crowded street in New York City. Former cop Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) has been accused of stealing a wealthy businessman’s diamond and decides to make his final stand.

While on the ledge, Nick has to perform a high-rise balancing act between guiding his younger brother Joey (Jamie Bell) to the evidence that will prove his innocence and convincing the pretty negotiator Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks) to trust him.  Nick and Lydia form a subtle bond, though the scenes between Worthington and Banks lack chemistry.

The film proves to be as exciting as the title. It has a slow-building plot with crude flashbacks, and the lackluster finale will have you waiting in vain, for the suspense and action never come.

The casts, which consist of familiar faces, are by no means household names. An ensemble of supporting actors deliver an average performance for a predictable plot, which fulfills almost every Hollywood stereotype, from the hot Latina with an attitude to the token black police partner.

Worthington proves that without any special effects he is unable to command a scene or deliver any emotional value to a movie. He has yet to establish himself as a leading man or a box office draw. Banks confirms that she does not have the range or skill set to be a leading lady in serious roles. She should probably stick to comedies.

 The cast includes Ed Harris, who portrays the corrupt executive who sets up Cassidy, a villainous role he seems to repeatedly play an inconvincibly at that. Kyra Sedgwick from TNT’s “The Closer” is the pushy reporter. Perfect for her, except her character is Spanish and her accent is horrible.

The movie also stars Anthony Mackie, as Mike Ackerman, Cassidy’s black partner who helps set him up. Genesis Rodriguez makes her film debut as Joey’s hot Latina girlfriend with an attitude and Ed Burns has a pointless and forgettable role as a fellow police officer who helps Mercer through tough times during the negotiation. Typical characters for a Hollywood copper flick.

Without the presence of a leading man or woman this film is definitely not worth the price of admission. Not even worth purchasing On Demand or through Red Box. Watch this movie when it comes on cable, on a rainy afternoon and only if nothing else better is on.

The Second City comedians will perform for the Pueblo community Thursday, Feb, 2. Photo courtesy of comedyboost.com.

“Students have been enjoying comedy and we (Student Activities) wanted to bring more types to them,” said April Yost, student events coordinator.

Second City specializes in sketch and improv comedy, according to their website. It was founded in 1959, has produced some of the greatest comedians in history such as Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert, according to the university’s website.

“No topic or subject matter is off limits for The Second City.  If your parents asked you not to speak about it at the dinner table, chances are it will be made fun of in an evening with The Second City,” according to a press release. “Parental discretion is advised.”

The event is free of chage and open to everyone.

For more information, contact the Office of Student Activities at 719-549-2151.

 A 2010 Pueblo Centennial High graduate, Solorio lived in Culebra Residence Hall, was a lifeguard, and worked for his father’s painting company, Pro Painting, according to an email sent out by Cora Zaletel, director of External Affairs.

Viewing will be held from Thursday, 6 to 8 p.m., in the Montgomery & Steward Chapel, located at 1317 N Main.  A funeral Mass is scheduled for Friday at 9 a.m., at Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, located at 11th and Grand Ave. Memorials may be made to the Pueblo Suicide Prevention Center. Online condolences may be submitted at www.MontgomerySteward.com.

President Lesley Di Mare began her work at CSU-Pueblo Dec. 1, 2011, and she's in it for the long haul, she said. Photo by Chelsea Reese.

“It’s like a lifetime achievement for me. My only regret is that my father is not alive to see this because he would’ve been so thrilled,” the new president said in a more somber tone than before. “I’ve never been a bucket list kind of person and I think that’s because I’ve been doing all the things I wanted all my life.”

Lesley Di Mare, 60, was born Nov. 13, in Utica, N.Y., where she resided with Philip, her younger brother of three years, Gloria, her mother whom she considers her best friend, and her father Jim.

Her childhood was as a typical one she said, however their home soon ended up being on the other side of the country in California. This is where she completed most of her higher education.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater arts in 1972 from California State University-Chico with a minor in English. She then went on to complete her teaching credential at CSU-Sacramento’s School of Education in 1974, according to the vitae she used to get the job at CSU-Pueblo.

Later she earned her Masters of Arts degree in speech communication at CSU-Hayward. Her doctorate degree in speech communication came after she moved and attended Indiana University in 1984.

While still attending school herself, she decided to put her teaching credential to good use and bestow the same knowledge she learned to her students for 25 years before she fell into administrative positions. Her most recent position was the interim president of Nevada State College, according to the vitae.

When she got the call from the BOG, Di Mare was delighted to be a part of the momentous occasion at CSU-Pueblo as being the first female president and she quickly accepted the invitation to move to Colorado. She not only wanted to escape Nevada’s desert climate but also wanted to be a part of the thriving institution CSU-Pueblo has become, she said.

“We love Colorado. I mean it’s just a beautiful state with what we’ve found to be very warm and welcoming people in every region,” Di Mare said. “I love the cold weather. It’s not too cold, you don’t get too much snow, it’s just enough so that you actually have seasons and because I’ve lived in the desert now for over 20 years, I really am enjoying the seasons.”

“My husband said Lesley never met a coat she didn’t like,” Di Mare joked. “I’ve got 5,000 coats and I just wear a different one every day now. I’m just so happy.”

Di Mare met her husband David Walter on the online dating site oneandonly.com while she was in Scottsdale, Ariz. They met 12 years ago and later married Dec. 27, 2007, she said.

“I believe my husband is my soul mate,” Di Mare said.

Walter and Di Mare do not have any children together, but Walter had three children in a previous relationship that Di Mare cares for like they are her own, she said.

“I feel very close to them and our grandchildren.”

So far, Di Mare is pleased with the decision to accept her new position and is very impressed with CSU-Pueblo’s facilities and programs, she said.

“This campus has some of the most sophisticated equipment in the state, in biology, in engineering, in nursing, and our students are getting a very hands-on applied education that meets the industry’s needs,” she said.

“And plus that we have music, and art, and theater. So I really feel our students, between hands-on experience and education, athletics and the arts and humanities, we really have well-rounded graduates,” she continued. “It’s got so many positives. If I were a student I would definitely choose to come here.”

Does she have any advice for the students she will, from now on, be leading? Basically, she just encourages her students to have integrity.

“Just persevere and do what you think is right and you’ll be successful,” she said. “Those two words, perseverance and right. You just got to have integrity.”

 Dylan Frank Wayne Solorio died as a result of asphyxiation by ligature, according to Pueblo County coroner James Kramer. Kramer said the death is consistent with a suicide, but there is still an on-going investigation, according to a Pueblo Chieftain article by Gayle Perez.

“Pueblo County sheriff’s deputies responded to Culebra Hall at the CSU-Pueblo campus about 5:56 p.m. on a welfare check of a possible suicidal man, said Laurie Kilpatrick, sheriff’s spokeswoman. Kilpatrick said when deputies arrived, they found Solorio, who was unresponsive,” according to the article.

Solorio graduated from Centennial High School in 2011, where he participated in cross country and wrestling.

*The TODAY staff’s attempt to contact Zaletel was unsuccessful, and the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office would not release additional details to the TODAY, stating the case was still under investigation.

John Wark, a photographer, presents his aerial photography to a crowd of about 50 people Thursday, Jan. 26. Photo by Ye Ming.

PechaKucha, which is Japanese for “chit-chat,” is a forum for enthusiasts to share their interests with others using a 20 by 20 format. Meaning, each presenter uses 20 slides and has 20 seconds per slide to discuss their knowledge on a chosen topic. The format allows for each presentation to be six minutes and 40 seconds long.

Pueblo County clerk Gilbert Ortiz and election supervisor Dena Abeyta presented on the importance of voting, registering to vote and updating addresses to vote in Pueblo County. Their 20 slides included photos of first time voters in other countries, which they said should inspire the Pueblo community to vote.

“I wanted to show you the pride in these people’s eyes as they vote for the first time,” Ortiz said. “That’s how important it is for us. So go vote every time you have the opportunity.”

Ellen Mueller, CSU-Pueblo artist in residence, presented a satirical slideshow about preparation for the end of times called “Apocalypse.” Mueller went through eight scenarios pertaining to how the world might end in 2012 and offered advice on survival tactics. The instances included zombie attacks, projectile from space and aliens.

“Begin praying now,” Mueller said as she offered advice for the possibility of a ‘deity-induced’ apocalypse.

The presenters also included two photographers, Ye Ming and John Wark.

Ming presented, “City life, Homesick, Nostalgia,” which detailed the lifestyles in Shanghai and Beijing through photography.

As a CSU-Pueblo international student from China, Ming told the crowd of about 50 people that she is often asked what China is like, and her aim was to illustrate that life through photographs.

Photos included the streets of China and people in their daily routines, such as a man window washing and a woman peering down from her apartment.

Wark presented his aerial photography called “Floor of the Sky.” Wark, a pilot, explained his process of taking photos and that as he is flying above an area, he opens the door to his plane and shoots, Wark said.

Photos included aerial shots of the Pueblo Steel Mill, the Colorado State Fair and local livestock and farming fields.

Artist Brian Spillman, founder of B.Vant.Garde, a Pueblo art studio, presented on the live art format of his studio. Spillman’s team of artists create live art by painting on-the-spot at shows and in the studio, he said.

“All we do is paint,” Spillman said. “A whole lot of art built literally from the ground up is in the gallery.”

Burlesque performer ‘Str0ker Ace,’ of the Pueblo burlesque troop Harlequin Aces, spoke on the history of burlesque, detailing its roots from its arrival in the U.S. in the early 1800s where skirts above the knee were risqué to its loss of popularity when strip clubs became legal in the ‘70s.

Ace credited Dita Von Teese, a burlesque dancer who premiered in the ‘90s, with bringing back the art form.

Ace’s photos primarily included barely-dressed women. Concluding her presentation, she told the audience, “You can uncover your eyes now.”

Sam Sumeracki, self-professed “waiter/bartender/to-go specialist” and a CSU-Pueblo mass communications major, read aloud a comical poem about his life as a waiter as photos from the movie “Waiting” appeared on the screen behind him.

“Waiting is all about the Benjamins, or scratch that, it’s more about the Alexander Hamiltons. They really add up. But I’d really like a Jackson every now and then, too. But usually it’s a Lincoln or a Washington,” Sumeracki said about earning tips in his poem.

David Bemis, a graduate student in CSU-Pueblo’s chemistry department, presented on his work with gold nanoparticles called “Fabrications of Gold Microstructures.” Bemis included pictures of his work with gold at a microscopic level.

Using gold, Bemis creates objects, such as the Venus de Milo, on extremely small scales using lasers. He used fractions of the human hair as the point of reference for the size of his creations. Bemis made a PechaKucha logo at this microscopic level, which was on display at the event.

Mathias “Mo” Valdez, who owns LastLeaf Printing, told the audience about creating posters through the process of silk screening. Valdez explained the process through a series of photos, which showed the hand-labored method. The posters shown in Valdez’s slideshow were made for the Pueblo band “The Haunted Windchimes” tour.

 Emily King, the event organizer, is proud to host an event where people of all walks of life can share their interests in a unique and quick way, she said. King is also enthusiastic about having CSU-pueblo students join in the PechaKucha nights and would like to see it happen more often, she said.

Jeanne Gibson, an audience member and director of the English Language Institute at CSU-Pueblo, was impressed with both the variety of topics and the quality of the presentations, Gibson said.

“Anybody would have found at least one thing they really liked tonight,” she said.

“As a follow up to last evening’s email, the university has confirmed the death of a student in a Culebra Residence Hall room yesterday at approximately 6:05 p.m.  We will not release the name of the student or the cause of death at this time to respect the privacy of the family and to insure the integrity of the investigation by the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office and the county coroner,” according to the email sent by Cora Zaletel, executive director of External Affairs.

“Counselors will continue to be available to faculty, staff and students, 549-2830, for those who are struggling emotionally with the situation.  Details about a local memorial service will be released at the discretion of the family when available.”

Once again, the TODAY will not publish any information until confirmed.  The TODAY will continue monitoring this event and will release more information as it becomes available.