Final Four Comes to Indianapolis

By Karen Woods
Marketing Coordinator

Indianapolis, Indiana
Tentative schedule
All times are subject to change; all times are local, Eastern time
All events are open to the public

Thursday, April 1

NCAA Hall of Champions
Admission: $5 – Adults
$3 – Youth (ages 6 to 18) and Seniors (ages 65 and older)
Free – Children 5 and under
Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Description: The Hall of Champions offers an exciting opportunity to engage with the NCAA student-athlete. Whether you are an avid sports fan or just want to learn more about how college and university life combines with athletics, the Hall of Champions is for you.

Bracket TownTM refreshed by Coca-Cola ZeroTM
Location: Indiana Convention Center
Admission: $10 (ages 12 and over)
$6 (ages 3-11, college students*, senior citizens (55 and older), and military*)
Free (ages 2 and under)
*Appropriate ID required.
Beginning March 8, courtesy of NCAA Corporate Champion, Coca-Cola, advanced tickets can be purchased for $2 off at select Meijer stores throughout the state of Indiana or they can be purchased at regular price on the day of the event at the Indiana Convention Center box office.
Hours: 5 – 10:30 p.m.
Description: Come play with the best at Bracket Town refreshed by Coca-Cola Zero – the ultimate fan experience. Fans of all ages can test their skills and enjoy championship action with basketball competitions, clinics, performances, autograph sessions and photo ops, the latest in interactive games and demonstrations, prizes and more. Everyone’s a champion at Bracket Town.

State Farm College Slam Dunk and Three Point Championships
Location: Indiana Convention Center
Admission: TBD
Hours: 7 – 9:30 p.m
Description: The 22nd annual slam dunk and three point championships is making its first official appearance at the Men’s Final Four. The event, which is televised on ESPN, brings together college basketball’s top three-point shooters and slam dunk artists competing in four separate competitions: men’s three-point shooting, women’s three-point shooting, men’s vs. women’s three-point champions and the slam dunk competition.
Ticket Prices
$25 (ages 12 and over)*
$15 (ages 3-11)*
Free (ages 2 and under)
*INCLUDES BRACKET TOWN ADMISSION
Tickets are now available at the Lucas Oil Stadium box office and will be available at the ICC box office beginning Thursday, April 1.

Friday, April 2

USBWA Awards Breakfast
Location: Columbia Club
Admission: $75
Hours: 8 a.m.
Description: The basketball writers will hand out the organizations’ National Coach and National Player of the Year awards. Tickets can be purchased by visiting http://www.sportswriters.net/usbwa/awards/breakfast/index.html

NCAA Hall of Champions
Admission: $5 – Adults
$3 – Youth (ages 6 to 18) and Seniors (ages 65 and older)
Free – Children 5 and under
Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Description: The Hall of Champions offers an exciting opportunity to engage with the NCAA student-athlete. Whether you are an avid sports fan or just want to learn more about how college and university life combines with athletics, the Hall of Champions is for you.

Bracket TownTM refreshed by Coca-Cola ZeroTM
Location: Indiana Convention Center
Admission: $10 (ages 12 and over)
$6 (ages 3-11, college students*, senior citizens (55 and older), and military*)
Free (ages 2 and under)
*Appropriate ID required.
Beginning March 8, courtesy of NCAA Corporate Champion, Coca-Cola, advanced tickets can be purchased for $2 off at select Meijer stores throughout the state of Indiana or they can be purchased at regular price on the day of the event at the Indiana Convention Center box office.
Hours: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Description: Come play with the best at Bracket Town refreshed by Coca-Cola Zero – the ultimate fan experience. Fans of all ages can test their skills and enjoy championship action with basketball competitions, clinics, performances, autograph sessions and photo ops, the latest in interactive games and demonstrations, prizes and more. Everyone’s a champion at Bracket Town.

Final Four Friday® – Team Practices
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium
Admission and Parking: Free
Hours: Noon – 4 p.m. (Gates open at 11 a.m.)
Description: Come watch the student-athletes from the 2010 NCAA Final Four teams in their final practice before the national semifinal games. Also watch members of the US National Wheelchair Basketball team compete in a full court wheelchair basketball exhibition, presented by The Hartford. Enjoy the opportunity to hear from each head coach of the participating Final Four teams after the practice session is completed. Fans in attendance will be randomly selected to win national semifinal and championship game tickets throughout the day! Practice times are based on team seeding:
Noon – 12:50 p.m. Butler
1 – 1:50 p.m. West Virginia
2:10 – 3 p.m. Michigan St.
3:10 – 4 p.m. Duke

Indiana Blood Drive
Location: NCAA Hall of Champions Parking Lot
Admission: Free
Hours: 4 – 8 p.m.
Description: The NCAA Men’s Final Four will team with the Indiana Blood Center in hosting a blood drive during the 2010 Men’s Final Four. The Final Four blood drive will allow the Indianapolis local community and visitors to contribute to the greater good of saving lives. Indiana Blood Center is a vital link in Indiana’s health care infrastructure, supplying more than 550 units of blood to more than 60 Indiana hospitals every day. The nonprofit community service organization was founded in 1952 to provide a continuous, safe and adequate supply of blood products and testing services.

AT&T® Block Party – The Big Dance® Concert Series
Location: White River State Park
Admission: Free
Hours: 4 – 10:30 p.m.
Description: The Big Dance is a free three-day concert series open to music fans in celebration of the NCAA Men’s Final Four. The concerts tip off Friday with the AT&T Block Party featuring GRAMMY Award winning, multiplatinum headline band Stone Temple Pilots. In addition to the music, there will be plenty of food and activities to keep you entertained. Stop by the AT&T 3G Experience tent to play games, pick up free prizes and check out all the latest wireless technology.

Concert Times:
Shadeland: 5:00 p.m.
Opening Act 2: 7:30 p.m.
Stone Temple Pilots: 9:00 p.m.

Reese’s® College All-Star Game
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium
Admission: Free
Hours: 4:35 p.m.
Description: The Reese’s College All-Star Game features two teams comprised of the top collegiate senior student-athletes in the country. For the third year, the game will be played in the Final Four venue and will provide Indiana residents and other NCAA basketball fans the chance to see many of the best college basketball players perform in action for free!

Final Four® Fan Gathering Restaurants
Locations:
West Virginia: Scotty’s Brewhouse
Michigan St.: Champps Restaurant
Butler: RAM Restaurant & Big Horn Brewery
Duke: Buffalo Wild Wings
Description: Downtown restaurants will adopt fans from each of the Final Four teams during the championship week in Indianapolis. Make these establishments your headquarters to meet old friends, new friends and fellow alumni. These establishments will be the main gathering locations throughout the week. See you there!

Saturday, April 3

NCAA Hall of Champions
Admission: $5 – Adults
$3 – Youth (ages 6 to 18) and Seniors (ages 65 and older)
Free – Children 5 and under
Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Description: The Hall of Champions offers an exciting opportunity to engage with the NCAA student-athlete. Whether you are an avid sports fan or just want to learn more about how college and university life combines with athletics, the Hall of Champions is for you.

vitaminwater® revive NCAA Youth Clinics
Locations: Butler University (Hinkle Fieldhouse), University of Indianapolis (Nicoson Hall), Warren Central High School
Admission: Free (Participants must be between 8-16 years of age [boys and girls] and pre-registered).
Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
NCAA Youth Clinics Registration
Description: The NCAA Youth Clinics are a community outreach program that connects kids ages 8 – 16 with the basketball championship and provides them with resources designed to have a lasting impact. Participants receive sport instruction from NCAA coaches and student-athletes and get valuable information on fitness, healthy lifestyles and sportsmanship. The clinics also feature a session for parents and guardians with information on recruiting, academic and eligibility issues.

Bracket TownTM refreshed by Coca-Cola ZeroTM
Location: Indiana Convention Center
Admission: $10 (ages 12 and over)
$6 (ages 3-11, college students*, senior citizens (55 and older), and military*)
Free (ages 2 and under)
*Appropriate ID required.
Beginning March 8, courtesy of NCAA Corporate Champion, Coca-Cola, advanced tickets can be purchased for $2 off at select Meijer stores throughout the state of Indiana or they can be purchased at regular price on the day of the event at the Indiana Convention Center box office.
Hours: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Description: Come play with the best at Bracket Town refreshed by Coca-Cola Zero – the ultimate fan experience. Fans of all ages can test their skills and enjoy championship action with basketball competitions, clinics, performances, autograph sessions and photo ops, the latest in interactive games and demonstrations, prizes and more. Everyone’s a champion at Bracket Town.

State Farm Coaches All-American Team Introduction
Location: Bracket Town refreshed by Coca-Cola Zero
Admission: Bracket Town Admission
Hours: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Description: The All-American team will take center court for introduction and autographs.

AT&T Presents Grammy nominated rapper, FABOLOUS
Location: Bracket Town refreshed by Coca-Cola Zero
Admission: Bracket Town Admission $10 (ages 12 and over) $6 (ages 3-11; college students*, senior citizens (55 and older), and military*) Free (ages 2 and under) *Appropriate ID required.
Hours: Performance at 3 p.m.; Autograph Session from 4 – 5 p.m.
Description: Come out to Bracket Town and check out a live performance from Grammy nominated rapper, Fabolous. Don’t miss your chance to meet and get an autograph from Fabolous right after his performance.
Coca-Cola ZeroTM Countdown – The Big Dance Concert Series
Location: White River State Park
Admission: Free
Hours: Noon – 8 p.m.
Description: The Big Dance is a free three-day concert series open to music fans in celebration of the NCAA Men’s Final Four. Saturday is the Coca-Cola ZeroTM Countdown, which will feature former American Idol season 5 finalist and 2007 Billboard Album of the Year artist, Daughtry. Also performing Saturday will be Country Music Association New Artist of the Year Darius Rucker, with special guest Ryan Seacrest hosting the Coca-Cola Zero Countdown. Since Saturday is game day, fans will be able to participate in the World’s Largest Pep Rally, enjoy a military flyover, and stay in the park to watch the semifinal games on the video boards with thousands of your closest friends.

Concert Times:
Melanie Fiona: 12:30 p.m.
Pep Rally: 1:45 p.m.
Flyover: 2:15 p.m.
Darius Rucker: 2:30 p.m.
Daughtry: 4:00 p.m.

Indiana Blood Drive
Location: NCAA Hall of Champions Parking Lot
Admission: Free
Hours: 1 – 6 p.m.
Description: The NCAA Men’s Final Four will team with the Indiana Blood Center in hosting a blood drive during the 2010 Men’s Final Four. The Final Four blood drive will allow the Indianapolis community and visitors to contribute to the greater good of saving lives. Indiana Blood Center is a vital link in Indiana’s health care infrastructure, supplying more than 550 units of blood to more than 60 Indiana hospitals every day. The nonprofit community service organization was founded in 1952 to provide a continuous, safe and adequate supply of blood products and testing services.

Final Four® Fan Gathering Restaurants
Locations:
East Regional: Scotty’s Brewhouse
Midwest Regional: Champps Restaurant
West Regional: RAM Restaurant & Big Horn Brewery
South Regional: Buffalo Wild Wings
Description: Downtown restaurants will adopt fans from each of the Final Four teams during the championship week in Indianapolis. Make these establishments your headquarters to meet old friends, new friends and fellow alumni. These establishments will be the main gathering locations throughout the week. See you there!
See you there!

National Semifinals
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium
Admission: Sold out. Seating capacity is approximately 71,000.
Hours: Tipoff is approximately 6:07 p.m. The second semifinal game will take place approximately 40 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. (Gates open at 4 p.m.)
Description: The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship is held each spring featuring 65 college basketball teams in the United States. The 20-day tournament, commonly referred to as March Madness®, has become one of the country’s most prominent sporting events. The tournament, whose field includes conference champions and other top teams, is staged in a single elimination format. Since its 1939 inception, it has built a legacy that includes dynasty teams, dramatic underdog stories and outstanding individual performances.

Sunday, April 4

NCAA Hall of Champions
Admission: $5 – Adults
$3 – Youth (ages 6 to 18) and Seniors (ages 65 and older)
Free – Children 5 and under
Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Description: The Hall of Champions offers an exciting opportunity to engage with the NCAA student-athlete. Whether you are an avid sports fan or just want to learn more about how college and university life combines with athletics, the Hall of Champions is for you.

NCAA® Final Four® Dribble
Location:
Start: NCAA National Office (located in White River State Park)
Finish: Indiana Convention Center (corner of West and Maryland)
Admission: Free
Hours: Dribble begins at 3 p.m.; All participants, including pre-registered, must check-in prior to 2:30 p.m.
Online Registration: Online registration will be available to the first 2,000 registrants.
Onsite Registration: 11 – 2:30 p.m.
Description: Basketball fans, under the age of 18, will have the opportunity to dribble from White River State Park to the entrance of Bracket Town refreshed by Coca-Cola Zero® at the Indiana Convention Center. Participants will receive a free basketball and t-shirt courtesy of the NCAA. Participants wearing the Final Four Dribble t-shirt will also receive free admission to Bracket Town on event day.

Bracket TownTM refreshed by Coca-Cola ZeroTM
Location: Indiana Convention Center
Admission: $10 (ages 12 and over)
$6 (ages 3-11, college students*, senior citizens (55 and older), and military*)
Free (ages 2 and under)
*Appropriate ID required.
Beginning March 8, courtesy of NCAA Corporate Champion, Coca-Cola, advanced tickets can be purchased for $2 off at select Meijer stores throughout the state of Indiana or they can be purchased at regular price on the day of the event at the Indiana Convention Center box office.
Hours: Noon – 8 p.m.
Description: Come play with the best at Bracket Town refreshed by Coca-Cola Zero – the ultimate fan experience. Fans of all ages can test their skills and enjoy championship action with basketball competitions, clinics, performances, autograph sessions and photo ops, the latest in interactive games and demonstrations, prizes and more. Everyone’s a champion at Bracket Town.

Final Four® Fan Gathering Restaurants
Locations:
East Regional: Scotty’s Brewhouse
Midwest Regional: Champps Restaurant
West Regional: RAM Restaurant & Big Horn Brewery
South Regional: Buffalo Wild Wings
Description: Downtown restaurants will adopt fans from each of the Final Four teams during the championship week in Indianapolis. Make these establishments your headquarters to meet old friends, new friends and fellow alumni. These establishments will be the main gathering locations throughout the week. See you there!

Big Dance Sunday – The Big Dance Concert Series
Location: White River State Park
Admission: Free
Hours: 3 – 10 p.m.
Description: The Big Dance is a free three-day concert series open to music fans in celebration of the NCAA Men’s Final Four. The Big Dance will wrap up Sunday with multiplatinum, four-time GRAMMY nominees the Goo Goo Dolls, along with other national recording artists to be named soon. Come early and stay long – AT&T and Coca-Cola will host interactive areas all weekend, and there will be plenty of food and festivities to go along with this unique concert spectacular. Join the party. It’s fabulous, fun, and free!

Concert Times:
The Elms: 4:15 p.m.
Jake Owen: 5:45 p.m.
LL Cool J: 7:15 p.m.
Goo Goo Dolls: 8:45 p.m.

Annual King-Kennedy Commemoration
Location: MLK Park; 17th and College
Admission: Free
Hours: 5 – 6:30 p.m.
Description: Every April 4th the Indianapolis community honors two men who are bound by local and national history at this site. The speech given by Senator Robert F. Kennedy the evening of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s death on April 4, 1968, in MLK Park, now known as King Park, is credited with saving the city of Indianapolis from violence and riots. The NCAA and the April 4th Committee continue to use different platforms to reach the same goals of equality, cooperation, and leadership. Having their paths cross during this significant date in history presents an opportune time to communicate this message and to shine light on an event that catapulted these efforts, not only in the Indianapolis community, but throughout the entire country.

AT&T Guardians of the Game Awards Show
Location: Murat Theatre – Indianapolis
Admission: $15 at the box and $17 + fees online/phone
Order by Phone: 317-238-5151
Online: www.livenation.com
Murat Box Office: Located at 502 New Jersey St., Indianapolis, IN
Hours: 6 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.)
Description: The annual AT&T Guardians of the Game awards show is the event where the most outstanding coaches and players in men’s college basketball are honored. The highlight of the annual National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) convention, held in conjunction with the NCAA® Final Four®, the awards show features appearances by the two coaches whose teams will battle for the NCAA championship; coach and player of the year recipients from NCAA Division I, Division II and Division III; and Division I awards for defensive player of the year and big man of the year. Four individuals will receive Guardians of the Game Pillar awards, representing the core values of NABC members – service, advocacy, education and leadership. The show, hosted by Tim Brando of CBS Sports, concludes with the presentation of the Naismith Trophy, presented by AT&T, to the nation’s most outstanding player.

Monday, April 5

NCAA Hall of Champions
Admission: $5 – Adults
$3 – Youth (ages 6 to 18) and Seniors (ages 65 and older)
Free – Children 5 and under
Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Description: The Hall of Champions offers an exciting opportunity to engage with the NCAA student-athlete. Whether you are an avid sports fan or just want to learn more about how college and university life combines with athletics, the Hall of Champions is for you.

NCAA® Men’s Final Four® Sports Career & College Expo
Location: Butler University – Hinkle Fieldhouse
Admission: Free
Hours: 9:15 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Description: The NCAA Men’s Final Four Sports Career & College Expo will enlist professionals from all aspects of the sports industry to inform, educate and enlighten high school and college students on athletics and non-athletics sports career options in addition to giving them an opportunity to meet with local and national college representatives.

Bracket TownTM refreshed by Coca-Cola ZeroTM
Location: Indiana Convention Center
Admission: $10 (ages 12 and over)
$6 (ages 3-11, college students*, senior citizens (55 and older), and military*)
Free (ages 2 and under)
*Appropriate ID required.
Beginning March 8, courtesy of NCAA Corporate Champion, Coca-Cola, advanced tickets can be purchased for $2 off at select Meijer stores throughout the state of Indiana or they can be purchased at regular price on the day of the event at the Indiana Convention Center box office.
Hours: Noon – 8 p.m.
Description: Come play with the best at Bracket Town refreshed by Coca-Cola Zero – the ultimate fan experience. Fans of all ages can test their skills and enjoy championship action with basketball competitions, clinics, performances, autograph sessions and photo ops, the latest in interactive games and demonstrations, prizes and more. Everyone’s a champion at Bracket Town.

Final Four® Fan Gathering Restaurants
Locations:
East Regional: Scotty’s Brewhouse
Midwest Regional: Champps Restaurant
West Regional: RAM Restaurant & Big Horn Brewery
South Regional: Buffalo Wild Wings
Description: Downtown restaurants will adopt fans from each of the Final Four teams during the championship week in Indianapolis. Make these establishments your headquarters to meet old friends, new friends and fellow alumni. These establishments will be the main gathering locations throughout the week. See you there!

National Championship
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium
Admission: Sold out. Seating capacity is approximately 71,000.
Hours: Tipoff is approximately 9:21 p.m. (Gates open at 7 p.m.)
Description: This is the game everyone has waited for. The top two teams in the nation will play each other for the most coveted title in every intercollegiate sport – National Champions!

NABC Championship Trophy Presentation Celebration
Location: National Champion Downtown Hotel
Admission: Free
Hours: Postgame
Description: Winning coach and student-athletes will be presented with the NABC championship trophy in a pep rally setting for all fans to enjoy.

Las Vegas and March Madness

By Brandon Milster

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the Defense Research Institute’s (“DRI”) annual Damages Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Prior to this trip, I had never been to Las Vegas and was very excited to finally see what Sin City was really all about. The first evening of the conference was centered on networking activities and meeting other attendees. I was fortunate to meet many other young attorneys that were also at their first DRI conference, and we all quickly found out we had much in common. We discussed the firms we worked for, some experiences in our first years of practice, and of course, the NCAA basketball tournament and which casinos we planned to hit!

Suffice it to say, the three day conference flew by in record time! The conference was excellent, especially for a young attorney that is just starting to practice. The topics covered were well planned, informative, and very interesting. I learned a great deal about how to evaluate a case from beginning to end, proper client communication, and aspects of expert testimony that I never have considered. When the conference was completed for the day, we were given ample time to tour Las Vegas. It delivered as advertised.

If you are a young defense attorney, I highly recommend attending this conference in the future. Las Vegas is an excellent venue, and who can complain about being there for the first round of the NCAA tournament! Rest assured, I was able to take in many of the games!!

NBI Premises Liability Case Preparation and Trial Seminar

This event is presented by the National Business Institute (NBI) on April 28, 2010. This event will take place at the Hilton Indianapolis North. This seminar will provide a proven, straightforward guide to the process from general strategy to the smallest procedural detail in premises liability cases.

This seminar is especially important to SweetinBleeke Attorneys, because Doris Sweetin is going to be one of the experts presenting at this seminar. She will present about expert witness's in premises liability cases and defending the premises liability case.

For more information about this seminar please visit the NBI website or check out the online brochure.

Feeding Indiana’s Hungry in the March Against Hunger

By Karen Woods
Marketing Coordinator

SweetinBleeke is excited to be teaming up with the Attorney General, Indiana State Bar Association, and Feeding Indiana’s Hungry in the March Against Hunger. This is the second year the firm has participated in this annual food drive taking place from March 15 – March 31. We are competing in the small firm category against other legal offices to see who can get the most pounds of food. If you would like to participate you can bring canned goods to our office or make a monetary donation please contact our Marketing Coordinator Karen Woods at karen@sweetinbleeke.com or 317.567.2222.

A Taste of Mayberry

By Carol Dillon

On my way back from meeting a client recently, I stopped at the Mayberry Café in downtown Danville, IN. This wasn’t my first time at the café, but it was a particularly enjoyable dinner. For those of you who have not heard of the Mayberry Café or who have not been there, I highly recommend it. Fans of the good old Andy Griffith Show can enjoy delights on the menu such as the Ernest T Bass Fish Special, the all you can eat spaghetti bar, and my favorite, Clara’s Blackberry Cobbler. When you eat at the Mayberry Café, reruns play on television screens in all corners of the restaurant; pictures of the cast and scenes from the show hang along the walls; and you can buy funny t-shirts such as “Mayberry Choppers,” featuring Barney riding a motorcycle. In the spring and summer Andy Griffith’s old Police car sits outside of the restaurant and there’s even an Opie look-alike contest. The onion rings are a particular treat. If you find yourself wanting some simple, good home-cooking, consider traveling to Danville and supporting a locally owned café as opposed to the chain restaurants that you can find on every corner.

Golf Course Business

By Jeb Crandall

What is it about a golf course that is so conducive to “conducting business?” Why is the golf course one of the first places we think of when deciding where to take a current or potential client? I’ll tell you what it is. It is a place where people let down their guard and show their true colors. It is four hours of really getting to know somebody - the good, the bad and the ugly. You haven’t witnessed raw emotion until you see someone sink their first birdie or miss a 3 footer to save par. Sharing in those moments on the golf course seems to create an immediate bond that carries over to the business world. We become more comfortable and confident with someone on a professional level after we spend an afternoon getting to know them on a personal level. It allows a more open and honest communication as the professional relationship develops. Even for those who don’t really play golf, it’s hard to beat spending a few hours on a sunny day traversing the lush green fairways of a perfectly manicured golf course.

So next time you are considering how to best use your time with a current or potential client, grab your sticks and head out to your local course. You will get much more in return than just a free round on the company dime.