Sports
Women’s Hoops On the Brink
Women’s basketball is two wins away from a perfect season Page 11
Volume CXLI No.
We dne sday, Fe bruary ,
College Confronts Over Enrollment Eric Steinbrook ’15 Contributing Writer
Amherst, Massachusetts
Gender-Inclusive Housing Approved Elaine Teng ’12 Senior Editor
As students begin to settle into the spring semester at the College, many have had a more than usual. Spiteful professors and piles of read-
mates regardless of gender.
Graphic by Brendan Hsu ’15
Though there are a few less courses this year, fewer courses is not an accurate explanation for the over enrollment issues the College is currently facing.
housing arrangements for them. The petition also requested that every dormitory have one designated
While the problem seems simple — too
requested by the student.
See Over, page 3
Money Lost as Students R.S.V.P. but Don’t Show
shire College, Harvard Univ., Columbia Univ. and
Siyu Shen ’15 A&L Section Editor
orientations.
tion for those running the events.
Food Science 101
Hu ’12 raises awareness about food Page 4
Smart Casual Menswear Hsu ’15 debuts new men’s fashion column
A&L
Opinion
See R.S.V.P., page 3
Page 6
The independent newspaper of Amherst College since .
See Petition, page 3
Page ď™…
The Amherst Student, February , ď™…ď™ƒď™„ď™…
Association of Amherst Students Senate Elections
Start Your Career in Accounting.
Candidate Statements CLASS OF 2012 Will Mosley ’12
Amanda Villarreal ’12
Northeastern’s MS in Accounting/MBA for non-accounting majors: CLASS OF 2013
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Josh Mayer ’13 Having returned from abroad this semester, I hope to represent the Class of
Application Deadline: March 15, 2012 -FBSO NPSF BCPVU UIF QSPHSBN BOE VQDPNJOH FWFOUT BU www.msamba.neu.edu.
Alex Stein ’13
Become our fan on Facebook. facebook.com/northeasternuniversitymsamba
617-373-3244 gspa@neu.edu www.msamba.neu.edu
ment that truly represents student opinion.
THE CAMPUS CRIME LOG Entries from Jan. 31 to Feb. 6, 2012 Jan. 31, 2012 11:26 a.m., Campus Grounds
10:30 p.m., Waldorf-Astoria ing. 1:37 a.m., Hitchcock
missions and run from the area. An
a book. 11:43 p.m., Waldorf-Astoria 9:46 p.m., Stone Dormitory urinating outside the building. When
1:10 p.m., Tyler House
at a first-floor suite.
area.
1:12 a.m., Moore Dormitory
Feb. 1, 2012 12:22 a.m., Hitchcock House
Feb. 4, 2012 12:01 a.m., Hamilton House
about people yelling in the third10:49 p.m., Marsh House
rival, a small group of students
5:09 a.m., Plimpton
posed of. 3:02 a.m., Taplin House Feb. 3, 2012 12:09 p.m., Mayo-Smith House
11:01 p.m., Plimpton House 12:19 a.m., Hamilton While at Hamilton investigating a
at a third-floor suite.
responded to an alarm and found hol.
4:16 a.m., Plimpton A first-floor resident reported that
Feb. 6, 2012 1:11 a.m., Hitchcock responded to a fire alarm and found
admitted to having smoked in the Feb. 5, 2012 12:00 a.m., Humphries House
for several hours, someone entered
for a smoking violation, and the mat2:07 a.m., Hitchcock While investigating a fire alarm,
12:26 p.m., Mayo-Smith While investigating a fire alarm, an 12:23 a.m., Hamilton 12:49 a.m., Plimpton
tended. Case open.
something outside the building and 5:08 a.m., Plimpton While in the house investigating
The Amherst Student, February ,
Page
Petition Yields Results for Inclusive Housing
R.S.V.P.-ing Creates Predicament Continued from page 1
Continued from page 1
housing.
ager. Called upon for the event, the servattend an event little more than a often part-time employees for the Colthis option by living together. To prevent this, the petition time, but damaging your relationthe Career Center.
their peers more freedom.
avoid any problems.” their most preferred partner.” large budget of the College, individual departments like the Career Center do not share this same fortune and programming is put at risk due to the need-
Over Enrollment Issues a Problem for College Continued from page 1
Students usually take for granted prove the situation in the future.”
Why students are having more trouble this semester
mental problems in the system.
these events stopped happening. With looks, nor feels right, and people often feel embarrassed. When there are too many people, some end up stand-
ing up, students run the risk of seeing
programs, pamphlets and posters often used for an event amount to nothing enrollment. money people spend to offer you a said.
Fresh Faculty of the Week dergraduate degree in Hisology from the Univ. of
from Columbia Univ. What do you do in your spare time? Why did you decide to study history?
SUMMER ABROAD WORLD-CLASS INTERNSHIP AND STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS.
Do you have a favorite historical event?
What areas of history are you particularly interested in?
APPLY TODAY! APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 1, 2012*
bu.edu/abroad
Why Amherst? *Exceptions may apply. See individual program descriptions at bu.edu/abroad for details. An equal opportunity, affirmative action institution.
Amherst had this reputation of having a real intel— Laura Gerrard ’15
The Amherst Student
Opinion
Letters to the Editor Amherst College Emergency Medical Services (ACEMS) asks students to support a Senate initiative this Thursday.
no gas at all.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
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Editorial
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A Declaration of Independence
The
Williams
Record
gets
future of independent journalism at
-
team hopes to make The Student as
The Record; The Bowdoin Orient year from theirs; The Wesleyan Argus The Student, now one of the only fully-independent
one of the only newspapers left -
Thursday’s referendum.
tough business. -
The Ark
that funds for the paper may support of work they put in to truly reform the business of the newspaper. Many
The Student
-
that future generations of students -
the terrible market for newspaper -
Ophelia Hu ’12 Hu is an Environmental Studies major who writes a bi-weekly column sharing a Christian perspective on social, environmental and political issues.
ally meant to support a newspaper
Food Science 101: From the Campus to the Planet
The Student is far The Student would to retool how The Student operates months and years to guarantee the
Pain in the AAS
seasonality of tomatoes is no longer a prob-
Romen Borsellino ’12
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Senators from the Association of Amherst Students are writing a weekly column to keep the student body informed about the goings-on in the Senate.
not dare tolerate an apple bruised on its long
No More Red Tape in the Red Room
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I remember the Monday nights when I would walk out of the Red Room at 11:30 p.m. and wonder where the last three hours had gone. I would
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for The Student
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food is mirrored in our attitudes toward our own dining hall. The outlook that enables
hurt feelings and little more to show for it than
time. It was last week’s meeting that reminded me relation to food is a manifestation of our ing that they had remembered; they assumed that
-
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team. I think they liked what they found instead.
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stitution without knowing the origin of the other; it was an opportunity for students to speak
E X E C U T I V E B OA R D Editor-in-Chief Brianda Reyes Managing News Alissa Rothman Managing Opinion Erik Christianson, Meghna Sridhar Managing Arts and Living Nicole Chi, Clara Yoon Managing Sports Emmett Knowlton, Karl Greenblatt
See Working , page 5
S TA F F Publishers Chris Friend, Nazir Khan, David Walchak News Section Editor Whit Froehlich, Ethan Corey Opinion Section Editors Diana Babineau, John Osborn, Judy Yoo Arts & Living Section Editor Daniel Diner, Siyu Shen Sports Section Editors Karan Bains, Varun Iyengar
Associate Editors Brenton Arnaboldi, Jake Walters, Carlyn Robertson Senior Editors Nihal Shrinath, Elaine Teng Layout Editor Brendan Hsu Photographers Risalat Khan, Zachary Sudler Copy Editors Tim Butterfield, Stewart Longsworth
See Origins, page 5
Letters Policy
The opinion pages of The Amherst Student are intended as an open forum for the Amherst community. The Student will print letters under 450 words in length if they are submitted to The Student offices in the Campus Center or to the paper’s e-mail account (astudent@amherst.edu) by 12 p.m. on Sunday, after which they will not be accepted. The editors reserve the right to edit any letters exceeding the 450-word limit or to withhold any letter because of considerations of space or content. Letters must bear the names of all contributors and a phone number where the author or authors may be reached. Letters and columns may be edited for clarity and Student style. The Student will not print personal or group defamation.
Publication Standards
The Amherst Student is published weekly except during College vacations. The subscription rate is $75 per year or $40 per semester. Subscription requests and address changes should be sent to: Subscriptions, The Amherst Student; Box 1912, Amherst College: Amherst, MA 01002-5000. The offices of The Student are located on the second floor of the Keefe Campus Center, Amherst College. Phone: (413) 542-2304. All contents copyright © 2011 by The Amherst Student, Inc. All rights reserved. The Amherst Student logo is a trademark of The Amherst Student, Inc. Additionally, The Amherst Student does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or age.
The Amherst Student, February ,
Page
The Origins of Food Working Towards a Better Senate Continued from page 4
Continued from page 4 trays into the hands of workers are often pable of making unreasonable demands
-
-
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trustees. Maybe the onus falls on us to do a better
-
-
and eliminates the need for unsustaindously helps the dining hall’s operations.
there are a few professors who I wouldn’t put that
team of staff members that man multempt to eat responsibly and sustainably; -
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Registration opens February 15 at 10 AM!
Visit israelwithisraelis.com Jewish? Never been to Israel on a peer-educational trip to Israel? Then you’re eligible for a FREE 10-day trip to Israel with Taglit-Birthright Israel this summer! To register: Visit www.israelwithisraelis.com on February 15th, and select the “Boston Community, Colleges: June” trip. Submit a fully-refundable $250 deposit! Questions? Contact Kylie at amherstbirthright@gmail.com
The Amherst Student
Arts&Living
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Be Smart, Look Smart Driver Wanted
Brendan Hsu ’15 Layout Editor
Dressing like you know what you are doing and dressing effortlessly are not mutually exclusive. Being crisp, comfortable and casual are not synonymous with dressing like the world is your gym. And there is nothing wrong with caring about how you look. Men’s casual is easy, relaxed and incredibly simple to set up. Plain white tee Ever eternal, there will not be a day the plain white tee goes out of style. Working with any skin tone, the plain tee is both understated and very noticeable in a world of graphics and Ed Hardy. Want to spice it up? Make it a polo, v-neck or
*
The Amherst Student has a paid delivery job open.
Turning it up Want to get dressier? Adding collared shirts (tee optional at that point), sweaters or cardigans (1), scarves, and a good coat will keep you warm and fresh.You can sub out the jeans for chinos (2) if you want to take it up a notch,
Must be free Wednesday afternoons, preferably 12-2 pm.
nothing wrong with wearing a good boot (3) or dress shoe for footwear, but if so, white socks are off limits.
Contact us at astudent@amherst.edu.
1
Jeans First rule of wearing jeans:
Image © FilmDistrict
should go for a skinny or slim cut, while larger guys look betnavy tones are preferable, but this rule is not hard and fast.The belt is optional: it is a good way to accessorize, but if your pants
2
need new pants. Clockwise, photos by Mark Idleman’ 15, askmen.com, surffanatics. com and frenchtruckers.com
Shoes A variety of shoes work for differing degrees of smart-casual, but trainers and tennis shoes should be avoided. Mainstays include Converse, Vans or another simple, elegant style.
3
amherststudent.amherst.edu @AmherstStudent
A quarter of a page isn’t nearly enough to describe the nuances of menswear, but it is a start. Rules in dress do not exist; everything is simply a guideline. Yet knowing what is in place and why allows you to have a good reason to deviate.
This Week in Amherst History: Feb. 10, 1972 Five College Events Feb. 10
Feb. 11
The Vagina Monologues, Mount Holyoke, 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Come to the annual production of the Vagina Monologues, presented by Project Theater in coordination with in*Touch, the Gender Studies department, and the department of Theater Arts. Tickets are $3 for students and $5 for general admission and can be purchased in the Blanchard building in the two preceding weeks during mealtimes and will also be sold at the door (cash or personal check only, please.) The Monologues will be presented in Chapin Auditorium.
Midnight Love, Mount Holyoke, 10:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m. Midnight Love is a Valentine’s day dance celebrated with Latin music and delicious snacks. Admission is $4 for singles and $7 for couples.
Feb. 11-12
Photo courtesy of Amherst College Archives & Special Collections
The Amherst Student published an article detailing the discovery of stereo and photographic equipment totaling $9000 found in a barn next to the President’s house. The goods were stolen, and this ultimately led to the capture and conviction of a burglary ring that plagued the town, including the College as well as UMass for a year. Town police began a search of many barns located around the campus, after being tipped off by an anonymous phone call about the stolen goods in a barn, The search was made difficult by the number of barns in the area, but the eventual discovery would go on to lead to the capture and conviction of a local burglary ring and the discovery of further stolen goods. This also led to improvements in college security, such as a tighter restriction on key issuance and a more centralized file of college equipment.
Doula Training, Smith College, 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. A doula is a person who provides non-medical support for women during the labor and birth process. If you are interested in providing comfort, strength and relaxation techniques for women and their newborns, then you should apply to become doula trained. For more information, please visit: http://www.birthdoulaworkshop.com/default.html. You can also email questions to: warmwelcomebir th@gmail.com. The event is sponsored by Aspiring Childbirth Professionals and is located in Seeyle on Saturday and the Campus Center Carroll Room on Sunday. The training is free.
Feb. 12 Pre and Post Independence in Africa: Culture, Human Rights and Growth, Mount Holyoke, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Long before the late 19th century Berlin Conference, Africa sustained thriving empires. Between Timbuktu’s glory and today’s African Renaissance, internal and external efforts to counter human rights abuses and to encourage economic growth in the existing climate of gloAfrica must look forward to counter strife, tap the talent of its women and take center stage as a major player in world politics and trade. The speaker is Former Ambassador June Carter Perry who spent 25 years as a career diplomat, work that earned her the President’s Meritorious Service Award for her contribution to U.S foreign policy. Ambassador Perry is currently a professor at Mount Holyoke College in the International Relations department. The event is free and located in the Cleveland building. — Clara Yoon ’15
The Amherst Student, February ,
Page
For the Single, Loved and Forever Alone Daniel Parel ’15 Staff Writer February 14th. Valentine’s Day. A day that means different things to different people. Of all the major holidays it is the one that by far provokes the largest range of responses. For some, Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to let out one’s inner romantic. It’s a day when you can really let yourself dive into the tide of love sweeping all around you and let your heart run free. It could be the perfect opportunity to tell that special someone that you’ve had your eye on that you’re interested in them. On the other end of the spectrum is the pessimist. Someone who sees through what they perceive to be a highly commercialized and overhyped holiday. These people can often get angry at not only at the day, but also at the people who embrace it. Worst of all, some use Valentine’s Day as an excuse to be miserable. The most important thing to know about this divisive day, however, is that Valentine’s Day is going to be exactly what you make it. No more, no less. So with that in mind here are some general ideas and bits of advice about what you can do to make this February 14 in Amherst a truly enjoyable one.
thing to do is to spend the day with someone special. If you’re in a relationship this advice seems fairly obvious, but beware, even the closest of couples can have a great day derailed if something unexpected comes up or an assignment is due. Plan ahead. As a team, try to get everything done ahead of time so that you can devote an entire day to spending time together. If you’re single, however, this advice takes on a whole new meaning. Like I said, Valentine’s Day is what you make it. The idea of the day is to spend time with someone you care about, so do that. Find friends that are really important to you and spend the day with them. It doesn’t matter if there are no romantic feelings involved. What’s important is that you’re spending the day with people close to you. My second tip for Valentine’s Day is to do something special. This clearly means different things to different people, but keep some specifics in mind. Anyone can buy roses and chocolate. Anyone. That isn’t to say that there’s anything wrong with roses and chocolate; they’re actually quite romantic, but they aren’t something that conveys how unique your time together has been. Think about
Photo courtesy of dipity.com
Don’t redefine this upcoming Valentine’s Day as Single Awareness Day; with a little planning and effort, the day can be special for everyone. things that you share with your loved one. If you can remember a specific place in which you had fun or a thing that you bonded over, consider how you could work that into your plans. Maybe go take a walk in the bird sanctuary, after all it’s supposed to be a relatively balmy 45 degrees on that day. Valentine’s Day is supposed to be an enjoyable experience,
but that doesn’t mean that it requires no effort. The worst thing you can do is appear lazy. Nothing kills romance more than looking like you’re just going through the motions on a day devoted entirely to love. My last bit of advice is this: Go all out. Too often we hold ourselves back, especially when it comes to something as emotionally sensitive
as relationships. We all have different ways of expressing our feelings, but on Valentine’s Day we owe it to the people around us to actually show them how we feel. There are 365 days in a year — 366 this year — to be low-key. February 14th is the exception. It’s the one day where you can truly go all out and tell people how you feel. That’s the romance of the day. Even if you’re not in a relationship, Valentine’s Day should be used as a way to convey your feelings, romantic in nature or not. The most important piece of advice for Valentine’s Day, however, is the same as the most important piece of advice for hitchhiking the galaxy: “Don’t Panic.” There’s no reason to let yourself get worked up about Valentine’s Day. The day is meant to be enjoyed. Chocolates and hearts can add to it or not, but the truth is that a successful Valentine’s day isn’t measured by how grand of a gesture you made, but how good of a time you and the people you share it with have. So go out to dinner, take a walk, buy a rose and most importantly make someone feel special. You never know how important it is to make someone feel special until you actually do it. And in truth, that’s what Valentine’s day is all about: making people feel special.
Amherst Bytes: Fed Up With Forwarding - Email @ Amherst
Image courtesy of recover-files.ca
According to Herts ’13, the College is more than due a change in the email interface, and it is the students’ jobs to demand it. Dylan Herts ’13 Staff Writer This week I’m going to write about old news. True, I could write about Facebook going public or RIM changing captains or Apple defending its manufacturing practices. I could gram or remind you all to back up your hard drives. But I’m going to write about old news because it’s about time it stopped being old news. It’s about time we had better email at Amherst. The College still runs a Microsoft Exchange server, albeit one upgraded this fall. For students, email is the most important technological service at the College; it’s how we interact with professors, with friends, even with potential employers. And there are frustrating problems with the email service as it is now. each of their read messages or archive every few weeks, a full mailbox is going to be frequent. Once that happens, everyone — friends and potential employers alike — is greeted with a disconcerting alert that their message will not be read because your mailbox is full. That looks bad, and preventing it takes more time than it should. The interface is bad. I’m not going to get sign on this one because the users speak for themselves. I have mere anecdotal evidence, but I suspect that a poll of Amherst students would indicate widespread dissatisfaction with Outlook Web Access’ interface. And even if the desktop application was that much better, it’s on your personal computer and not so helpful
when using a public terminal or a friend’s laptop. A planned server upgrade will enhance the interface, but that appears a distant future for students. “Well, wait a minute,” you protest, “can’t you avoid these problems by forwarding your mail to a Google account?” After all, it seems as though a lot of students do just that. But at that point, you’ve given up the game: if our provided email service compels students to jump ship, then that’s a clear indicator that our provided email service isn’t enough. So let’s look for an alternative. I think the skeptic mentioned above is right and that we should move to a Google Apps account, which would include Gmail. The mailboxes are larger, the interface is outstanding and the feature set (attachments, embedded links) is both a little richer and a little easier to use for most. Hundreds of other colleges use it, so shouldn’t we? But it’s not that simple. There are a number of concerns that crop up when considering outsourcing to a vendor like Google. We have valid concerns about security and privacy, about costs and retaining control of our own servers, about carbon footprint and so forth. Changing over an entire email service takes quite a bit of effort and a lot of planning. Which brings me to what this column is not. It is not a critique of the IT department’s decisions or efforts concerning the complex questions about email services. It’s not a call for an immediate switch to Google or another outside vendor. It’s not even a call to overhaul the Exchange server somehow to cure some of its defects. It is, however, a call for student action. I sit on the AAS IT Committee, and we often ask about switching email services. The word comes back that it’s complicated, it needs more thought and people are working on it. And this is important; I don’t doubt that at all. But if students want a better email service, then we need to do more about it. It can’t be just the three other nerds on the committee and I nagging IT to keep thinking about it. Right now is the perfect time. We have a external review just last year and a CIO search
the AAS take up the issue on a larger scale, perhaps forming a committee or initiating meetings to determine what the concerns are and how we might expedite the process. How we do so is a decision we can make
together. But I think that repeated complaints about current email and isolated inquiries into a transition have gotten us nowhere. It’s time for
a larger, concerted effort on the students’ behalf to explore the possibility of a better email service at Amherst.
L ve My Alumni Week Feb. 13-16
Keefe Campus Center February 13-16, 2012 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Join Us for: Food, Games, and Prizes. Write thank you notes to some of the 10,000+ Alumni who make your education possible.
Page
The Amherst Student, February ,
The Modern Classic Albums of 2011 Jake Walters ’14 Associate Editor Despite my appreciation of music and almostunhealthy habit of listening to it while doing just about anything, I am often accused of not appreciating newer music enough. However, my complaint is not with new music in general; I just wish that the most popular artists were also the best. Unlike in the 1960s and early 1970s, when the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, the Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath were among the biggest artists in the world as well as the best, nowadays it seems that one has to cut in the rough. That being said, there are plenty of great artists releasing albums today. They aren’t all over the radio, and don’t expect them to win many Grammys (not that the Grammys ever knew how to reward the best bands even when they were the biggest), but there’s no shortage of talent if you just know where to look. And with it being award seaof 2011. They’re not ranked, and they don’t need to be. Do yourself a favor and check all of them out; each album is amongst the best of the year and can stand tall without a numerical ranking. The Beach Boys: “Smile”
Image courtesy of jeffdiane.com
I guess I’m cheating already. The holy grail of unreleased albums, The Beach Boys’ “Smile” isn’t really a new album, since many of these songs have been on the market for over 40 years. That being said,
hoped it would be. Setting aside the production of the album, which drove then-de-facto leader Brian Wilson to insanity and forever changed the band, Smile is a simply gorgeous album that succeeds entirely on its own merits. Its impact is blunted somewhat by the 2004 release of Wilson’s version of the album, but familiar staples such as “Good Vibrations,” “Heroes and Villains” and “Cabin Essence,” which is beautiful beyond words here, are as brilliant as ever. Lesser known songs such as “Child is the Father of the Man” and the intense, uncommonly heavy “The Elements: Fire (Mrs. O’
Leary’s Cow,” are well worth individual looks as well, but the album really is more than the sum of its parts. It’s not quite as consistent as “Pet Sounds” (commonly referred to as the greatest album ever), but it’s still uncommonly good, and its peaks rise about as high as any album could hope for. Mastodon: “The Hunter” The past decade’s best metal band changes things up on “The Hunter,” which is less brutal than their earlier albums and less expansive than Image courtesy of starpulse.com 2009’s “Crack the Skye.” While that effort remains their best, “The Hunter” still sees the Atlanta metal quartet at the top of their game. Here, they shorten their songs and add an extra dose of sweetness to reveal a new side to their work, one which is just as heavy but has far more radioappeal. Some efforts such as the dark, melancholic “Creature Lives” add a previously nonexistent variety to the album, but by and large this is simply a great, straightforward hard rock los and a propulsive rhythm section, ruled over by alternately melodic and guttural vocals from all three singers (the band is surprisingly democratic, managing to double up on guitar duties, as well, despite only having four members). Singles “Curl of the Burl” and “Black Tongue” rock righteously and provide the two most obvious highlights, but this is an incredibly consistent offering from the champions of modern metal. My Morning “Circuital”
you in the gut while lulling you to sleep at the same time. The album navigates multiple different styles with ease, whether it’s unleashing a propulsive, sonic punch on the album’s best song “Holdin’ On to Black Metal,” delivering a dark, haunting soul search on “Victory Dance,” rocking out on the hard-hitting “First Light,” or revealing a majestic, shimmering, yet worldweary ballad on “Wonderful (the Way I Feel).” No matter what they’re delivering, My Morning Jacket has shown that they remain one of the band’s to watch throughout the coming years.
Feeling instantly at home with his 1985 classic Rain Dogs, this album sees a once great artist at the top of his game again. AdoptImage courtesy of ing much the same sound stereogum.com as he always has, Waits keeps things interesting here by crafting an album that is more intense, blunt and confrontational than his previous work. It’s both consistently fun and frequently sobering,
The Roots: “Undun” An emotionally-charged, intense, harrowing al-
Image courtesy of hiphop-n-more.com
and anger, “Undun” sees the Philadelphia hip-hop band delivering a true classic of the genre. Musically, it’s undeniably on
into a genre that is). Both also provide a glimpse into the mind of a singular artist, and the album riotously changes tones throughout, often within whether Waits wants us to party or warns against it, or more likely both, but that seems like the point and Waits darn sure makes us believe him no matter what. TV on the Radio: “Nine Types of Light”
great grooves and experimenting with new styles is notable throughout the album, and prominent male and female backing vocals deliver some of the album’s most emotionally-charged highs. “Undun” is one of those rare albums where just about every song is a winner, which is fortunate nature. The album’s central storyline of a young African-American man growing up in poverty is ripe with potential, but it never quite seems like they pull it off as well as they could. Concept al-
Jacket:
One of modern rock’s most unique and hypnotic bands, My Morning Jacket is a consistently Image courtesy of fascinating, exceptionoffthedial.com ally tight psychedelic Southern rock band. Their sound is simultaneously challenging and layered, but simple and evocative. Clearly owing as much to Neil Young as Lynyrd Skynyrd, they’re one of the few bands that can punch
Tom Waits: “Bad as Me”
an ambitious one (they choose to tell the story in reverse order, as well), but, like many albums, the story ultimately strains to work beyond the level of a collection of songs. Again, this is a common fault with concept albums and isn’t a big deal by any means because, quite honestly, the songs here are nothing less than great, and many of them provide powerful in-the-moment looks at life in America. And regardless of the overall narrative’s success, MC Black Thought raps like he means it, delivering an impassioned, direct performance that’s refreshing from beginning to end.
Another consistentlychallenging, almost-imfrom the Brooklyn based indie-soul-blues-rock ... I don’t even know how to describe them. Like the band at the helm, “Nine Types of Light” throws everything together (I’d be surprised if the kitchen sink isn’t in here somewhere) to create an inventive, fascinating, and truly singular experience. There’s really no one that sounds quite like them, especially considering how they’re unwilling to even sound like themselves. From the upbeat, poppy “Caffeinated Consciousness,” to the appropriately bluesy “New Cannonball Blues,” to the harrowing, emotionally-affecting “Will Do,” every song here is its own unique entity, and the album is all the better for it. There’s no single song here as monumental as “Wolf like Me,” and I do wish that the band would rock out more often (they’ve shown they can), but this is another undeniable winner that rewards anyone up to its challenge.
Image courtesy of starpulse.com
Paradise With Clooney: Lost and Found Andre Wang ’14 Staff Writer
connection with his daughters, who have grown beyond their years to assume independent if not mature identities. In a counter-intuitive but natural way, it is Matt who draws help from his children by stepping in. Clooney understands this humble, almost pitiful shift and read-
A seven-year gap is not long enough for Alexander Payne to erase his penchant for contemporary satire nor alter his signature style. directorial feature since the now legendary independent hit “Sideways,” an Academy-Award winning black comedy released in 2004, the Payne formula seems to be working again. The question is: Have we had enough?
Film Review “The Descendants” Directed by Alexander Payne Written by Alexander Payne Starring George Clooney, Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller
The answer might come easiest from George Clooney fans, who cannot be too upset about a movie that keeps one of the most multi-talented men in Hollywood in the spotlight during the awards season. Unlike in “The Ides of March,” the other drama he was featured in last year, Clooney is not directing or writing.
Image courtesy of thefilmstage.com
Writer-director Alexander Payne uses his signature formula to dramatize predictable plots centering around the diminishing intimacy within the King family. Nor is he designing costumes though it would have been a breeze for “The Descendants,” where half a wardrobe
Matt King, a lawyer who holds the destiny of an inherited, deliciously pristine land in Hawaii. The family trust nearing its ending, Matt is about to sell the property to a resort developer when a boating accident sends his wife into a coma. As the story unmash of conundrums, most of which concern the women in his life: his adulterous, yet currently vegetative wife, his precocious, trouble-making sister, illuminated by a refreshinglygrounded newcomer Shaileen Woodley. With this unexpected entourage,
Matt embarks on a journey to confront his wife’s lover and the grim and sometimes complicated truths about those he holds dearest. Payne’s ability to paint captivating characters again shines in “The Descendants.” With his co-screenwriter Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, Payne peppers the dialogue with rich, distinct personalities, allowing for a memorable ensemble performance. Yet as the poster indicates, George Clooney is the undeniable star. Clooney’s broad strokes of emotional turmoil blend well with Matt’s familial dysfunction, which is a symptom of their diminishing intimacy. Incompetent in but incomplete without his paternal and marital roles, Matt admits to being the “back-up parent,” even as he attempts to repair his lost
struggle between withering authority and need to bond. His portrayal is not calculated in every move, which is appropriate to Matt, who mostly doesn’t know how to handle his situation and whose emotional trajectory is marked by indecision and timidity. In one hilarious scene, Matt runs to his best friend’s house after clumsy, hurried gaits, he tumbles and trips along but never quite falls. The scene embodies Clooney’s performance; he pushes the envelope to within a hairbreadth of messiness but still manages to keep Matt’s pace in rhythm. Yet somewhere in the middle, Matt drifts into murky territory and leaves us only a blurred sketch. Clooney is not wholly blameless for is more at fault here; “The Descendants” resorts to a relatively lackluster approach in disentangling the through an old landscape of moral dilemmas. We knew there would be a question of pulling his wife’s life support when all else fails; we knew
he would hunt down the man his wife was sleeping with; we knew the teenagers would carry an emotional toll as the story unfolds. Payne’s unhurried pace gives a sense of evenness relationships, which works well in the beginning and two thirds toward the end but becomes trite and boring in between. Thanks to the sparkling dynamics among the characters, the there are moments where it comes close. Which brings us back to the aforementioned question: Have we had enough of the Payne formula? “The Descendants” delivers the formula in what seems like a dashing new design, yet the content remains basically unchanged. Like an old bottle of wine, “The Descendants” is a testimony to the beautiful aging of Payne’s craft, yet signs of of acidic taste, and the wowing mix middle-class ethos that galvanized “Sideways” has become desaturated. pealing to the audience, and Payne remains a celebrated mind among something new for his next project. An idyllic setting is still a good choice, though. After all, who knew that people on “perennial vacation” have real problems, right?
Swimming
Surf & Turf
The Jeffs competed in the Middlebury Invitational day and Saturday before closing out their dual meet
Big Fish: Lizzy Linsmayer ’14
Ashleigh Stoddart ’15 led the women with victories in the 50- and 200-yard freestyle events, besting 29 other swimmers in the 50. First years Sabrina Lee breaststroke, respectively. Katie Vincett ’13 led the Merz ’14 made up the Jeffs’ winning 200 medley relay team. Lizzy Linsmayer ’14 broke a 22-year-old pool record in the three-meter diving event to aid the Jeffs
Courtesy of Amherst College
Middlebury Invitational Non-Scoring
a pool record in the 100 individual medley and had the top time in the 200 free. Flynn won both the 100 and 200 breaststroke events. Senior co-captain Becca dart, Vincett and Stephanie Ternullo ’15 won the 50-, 100- and 500-yard freestyle events, respectively. while Nicole Heise ’13 claimed the top spot in the 200. Abby Hahn ’14 won the 400 IM. The Jeffs won both
The Jeffs dominated the freestyle event at Middlebury, with Robbie Homchick ’14 winning the 50- and
stroke events, respectively. Peter Landefeld ’14 won
Top Finishers: Springfield
three-meter diving event. The Jeffs won all four relays,
4:09.41 (1) 1:57.10 (1) 48.63 (1) 52.88 (1) 337.50 (1) Ryan Lichtenfels ’12 4:37.53 (1) Robbie Homchick ’14 21.43 (1) Bart Federak ’12 2:12.91 (1)
’12 swimming for three relay teams and Deveney and Rochford swimming for two each. Diver White broke the pool record on the threemeter board and won the one-meter event as the Jeffs
Stephanie Ternullo ’15 5:10.13 (1) Sabrina Lee ’15 1:00.91 (1) 2:24.58 (1) 100 free Katie Vincett ’13 54.16 (1) 3-meter dive Lizzy Linsmayer ’14 293.02 (1) 100 back Becca Thompson ’12 1:00.84 (1) 400 IM Abby Hahn ’14 4:42.50 (1) 1:01.85 (1)
Homchick and Lichtenfels won the 50 and 500 freestyles, with Lichtenfels beating the runner-up by a comfortable 15 seconds. Brandon Brown ’15 and Tim White ’12 won the 100 and 200 freestyle events,
500 free 50 free 200 breast
Daniel Schwab ’13 Brandon Brown ’15
500 free 100 IM
Courtesy of Amherst College
second in the 800, while Ellen Richmond ’12 was victorious in the 600 with a personal record. Lauren Almeida ’13 and Melissa Sullivan ’12 had the top two
Pat Grimes ’13 set a personal record with his first-place finish in the 800. He was also on the Jeffs’ winning distance medley relay team, whose victory assured the Jeffs’ win.
and third in the 3k. Sprinters Jones, Shirley, Jade McKnight ’13 and Beth Hall ’14 won the 4x200 relay, while Almeida, Lambert, Amy Dao ’14 and Lisa Walker ’14 claimed the top spot in the 4x800.
Women: Tartan Invitational 278 — First Place
Jeffs bested nine other schools, including third-place Williams. The Jeffs were dominant in the 600. Scheetz won by four seconds, and Matt Melton ’14 was the runner-up, earning a bundle of points for Amherst. The Jeffs’ win was secured by the impressive feat
Grimes ’13 and Lucas Lebovitz ’15 followed up by
200 back. Seniors McBratney and Bart Federak won
Men: Springfield Invitational
Ben Scheetz ’12 set a new facility and school record in the 600-meter run en route to the fourth-
second and third in each event, respectively. The Jeffs
Next Meet: Feb. 17-19 NESCAC Champs @ Wesleyan University
Shyloe Jones ’14 won the 200-meter dash, with Abraelle Shirley ’15 hot on her heels in second place. Shirley was also the runner-up in the 60-meter dash. The distance runners had an equally impressive
Men
Springfield College Women (5-1): 180-111 Men (6-0): 172-115
200 back 100 free
The women won 12 events at the Smith’s Tartan Invitational for a convincing win. The Jeffs earned 278 points, followed by Smith with 156, Mt. Holyoke with 126 and Wellesley with 69. Naomi Bates ’14 continued her successful season, winning all four of her events. She set a personal record in the 60-meter dash and was the only competitor -
5k with a 40-second lead. Kristen Moulton ’13, Abby
Men
Indoor Track
The women’s and men’s track teams won their respective invitational meets this Saturday, with numerous members of both teams setting personal records.
Women
Women
Lizzy Linsmayer ’13 claimed first place and set a new pool record in the three-meter diving event in Sunday’s meet. She placed second on the one-meter board.
Page
Speeding Bullet: Pat Grimes ’13
The Amherst Student, February ,
running a personal best for the top spot. Lebovitz was three seconds behind. Romey Sklar ’15 won the 1,000 and Alvaro Morales ’14 ran a personal best to win the 5,000. Three more personal records were set in the 3k
Amherst took third, fourth and sixth in the mile, with Greg Turissini ’15 leading the Jeff pack. Juniors Selasie Krampa and Denzel Duncan had personal bests
134 — First Place Top Finishers 600 600 800 800 5,000 3,000 1,000 Mile
Ben Scheetz ’12 Matt Melton ’14 Pat Grimes ’13 Lucas Lebovitz ’15 Alvaro Morales ’14 Andrew Erskine ’13 Romey Sklar ’15 Greg Turissini ’15
1:18.60 (1) 1:22.35 (2) 1:56.96 (1) 1:59.75 (2) 15:28.12 (1) 8:42.39 (1) 2:37.42 (1) 4:25.89 (3)
60 200 600 1,000 3,000 5,000 Mile Shot Put
Naomi Bates ’14 Shyloe Jones ’14 Ellen Richmond ’12 Lauren Almeida ’13 Kristen Moulton ’13 Elodie Reed ’13 Keri Lambert ’13 Jordan Roehl ’12
7.86 (1) 27.98 (1) 1:44.01 (1) 3:02.21 (1) 10:52.86 (1) 18:47.52 (1) 5:05.09 (1) 10.61m (3)
Valentine Invitational @ Boston University
out-touched Rochford in the 100 IM. — Carlyn Robertson ’14
Next Meet
— Carlyn Robertson ’14
Women’s Hockey Skates Past Williams, Earns Home NESCAC Quarterfinal Game
Reilly Horan ’13 Staff Writer
Last weekend, red-hot women’s ice hockey extended their winning streak to seven after sweeping Williams on their own ice. “Our younger players stepped up and put us on the scoreboard,” senior triger and deeper team.” The Jeffs got to work on Friday, taking the Ephs, 5-1, erupting in the third period with three goals to earn the decisive win. ceiving a pass from sophomore teammate Avery Stone and beating The Jeffs padded their lead at 16:46 when Emily Flom ’15 fed
on went at it again at 12:23, assisting classmate Emily Flom, who
regular season matchups.
the net, making seven saves in the game. The next day, the Jeffs and the Ephs faced off again in a much closer game, with Amherst edging out Williams 1-0. “Going into Saturday, we picked up where we left off and played Lloyd said. “Baranek really came through for us and was really clutch.” Defense was king through a scoreless two periods as Amherst goalkeeper Sinead Murphy stood tall, making 20 saves in the game and notching her fourth season shutout. With only six minutes remaining in regulation, Barrett McBride ’14, Swiontkowski and Baranek broke the deadlock. McBride and
eventual game-winner, one of a few reasons why Baranek earned “When we play such strong defense and generate good opporWilliams answered in the second period when Hannah Systrom collected a rebound and redirected into the net, making the score 2-1. Amherst was ruthless in the third period, driving home three from the blue line past the Eph defense, assisted by classmate Ellen Swiontkowski and Geneva Lloyd ’13. At 6:57, Anne Gillard ’15 netted Amherst’s fourth and her career
commented. She had four points on the weekend, which included two game-winning goals in as many games.
the conference championship.
Photo by Rob Mattson
Geneva Lloyd fires a shot on goal for the Jeffs, who are 17-3 heading into a weekend doubleheader against Trinity.
SPORTSBOARD
Page
Schedule
Players of the Week
WEDNESDAY: Women’s Squash vs. Mt. Holyoke, 6 p.m. FRIDAY: Women’s Track @ Boston Univ., 1 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. Williams, 6 p.m. Women’s Hockey vs. Trinity, 7 p.m. Men’s Basketball vs. Williams, 8 p.m. SATURDAY: Men’s Track @ Boston Univ., 9 a.m. Women’s Basketball vs. Middlebury, 2 p.m. Women’s Hockey vs. Trinity, 3 p.m.
Men’s Basketball vs. Middlebury, 4 p.m. Men’s Hockey vs. Tufts, 7:30 p.m. SUNDAY: Men’s Hockey vs. Conn. College, 3 p.m. FRIDAY: Men’s Track Div. III New England Championships (@ Springfield), TBD Women’s Track Div. III New England Championships (@ MIT), TBD Women’s Hockey @ Bowdoin, 7 p.m. Men’s Squash CSA Championships (@ Princeton), TBD
The Amherst Student, February ,
GAME OF THE WEEK Men’s Basketball vs. Middlebury
IN DEPTH
The sixth-ranked men’s basketball team faces off against the second-ranked Panthers from Middlebury in a crucial contest to
Time: Saturday, Feb. 11 4:00 pm
for the No. 1 seed in the upcoming NESCAC Championship Tournament. The Jeffs will be looking for revenge after the Panthers accounted for two of the four losses Amherst suffered all last sea-
Site: LeFrak Gymnasium
While the two teams have yet to meet this season, the memories
Key Players: Amherst
(#2) Aaron Toomey ’14 (#3) Taylor Barrise ’12
Middlebury
(#35) Ryan Sharry ’12 (#25) Nolan Thompson ’13
out strong. The Jeffs faltered on the last weekend of the regular season last year, dropping games to both Williams and Middlebury on the road. With the venue shifting to LeFrak this year, however, the Jeffs will look to reverse their previous results on this particular postseason on a positive note. — Karan Bains ’14
Lem Atanga McCormick ’12 — Women’s Basketball
Ben Scheetz ’12 — Men’s Track
Forward Lem Atanga McCormick ’12 has been a solid inside presence for the Jeffs throughout her career, and the
Ben Scheetz ’12, the reigning National Male Athlete of the Year, continued to improve his impressive resume of accomplishments on the track
after the team’s latest victory over Tufts. McCormick scored a gamehigh 13 points, but more importantly, she sent away four shots to become the program’s all-time leader in blocks with 161 for her career.
In addition to her defensive prowess, McCormick ranks seventh on the Amherst all-time scoring list with 1,111 points and has a good chance to move even higher before the season concludes. As the undefeated Jeffs move into the postseason, McCormick’s invaluable contributions on both ends of the important. — Karan Bains ’14
Invitational. The opposition never had a chance against Scheetz in the 600 meter race, as he beat his own Amherst record time with a new best of 1:18.60 seconds and leaving his nearest competitor four
seconds behind. In addition, he played an integral role in the 4x400 relay, which raced to victory as well. All in all, Scheetz accounted for a large portion of the Amherst points in one of the team’s best performances in recent memory. As the outstanding senior semester, more accolades are sure to come. - Karan Bains ’14
Amherst Teams Up with Crocker Farms Elementary through Amherst Day and Wednesday After-School Programs Reilly Horan ’13 Staff Writer & CCE Athletics Liaison On Jan. 18, Amherst College students, student-athletes, faculty and coaches traveled to Crocker Farms Elementary School to participate in the second annual Amherst College Day. “The thrust of Amherst College Day is to tell kids from grades 3-6 that college is more than just a possibility,” Angela Mills (one of the organizers of the event and wife of Amherst’s “They emphasized that places like Amherst are really special because they make schooling affordable and accessible,
Psychology, Chemistry, and Economics departments. Through numerous small group activities that ranged from lacrosse lessons to neuroscience experiments, students and faculty all shared their perspective on college life and offered sage advice on the process and importance of getting there. “The day really humanizes the college experience for the kids,” Angela said. She offered the example of the women’s basketball team, who led their group in a discussion about classes that interest you, getting to try new things and last, but certainly not least, the absence of a predetermined bed time. The morning was headlined by men’s lacrosse head coach education, diversity and the vitality of pursuing one’s interests. “More than anything, it was a moment to emphasize that they have the ability to be both a good student and pursue the things that interest them,” he commented. “You can do both, and do both well.” Amherst College Day, which is sure to be a recurring event between Amherst and Crocker Farms, is one of the ways that the
20 minute commitment a week, but what my staff and players are doing is important.” “The goal of this project is for college students to create a bond with these kids,” Coach Mills said. “For the little effort it takes, the impact it has is immeasurable. As a college community, we could do more. You can’t underestimate the impact of our student body. We have an amazing group of people here who have so much to give and share. You just can’t put a price tag on it.” Teams that are interested in getting involved with this after school program are encouraged to contact one of the Athletics
can either offer to lead a pre-existing club or pitch their own idea. The next session is from Feb.29-March 28.
community to teach the accessibility of higher education. “On
Photo courtesy of Reilly Horan ’13
Members of the women’s basketball team volunteer at Crocker Farms Elementary in Amherst. The principal of Crocker Farms, Mike Morris, is an Amherst alumnus who originally spearheaded the day to start an important conversation between his students and college students. “For a lot of our students, the theme of the day was about access,” Morris explained. “There was a recent study that concluded, after surveying a bunch of 12-year-olds about whether or not they thought they would attend college, that the majority of them were right. That is, a collegiate education
college is there for them.” Two of the teams that participated in Amherst College Day, men’s tennis and football, decided to establish a more lasting relationship with Crocker Farms, offering to volunteer every Wednesday for Crocker Farms’ after-school program. Students are released about an hour and 20 minutes early from school on Wednesday afternoons as part of a system to create enrichment time for teachers. This led to an opportunity and necessity for an after-school program that would provide students with a safe, fun and educational environment in which to spend that time. “Wednesday Clubs was started about three years ago by Erika Zekos, an architect in town whose kids attended Crocker,” Angela explained. “Parents volunteer to teach a weekly class in anything, really. This session we have arts and crafts, a writing club, ‘Fun with Food,’ knitting, to name a few. They’re all great.” Angela herself leads the outdoor adventures club. The men’s tennis team opted for chess club. They travel to Crocker Farms once a week to teach skills and supervise matches, rotating which players attend the club weekly. The football team teaches “Ball Games,” a club designed to Mills talked about the deeper, more intangible impact that the
change what the kids say.” Amherst’s participants included the crew team, the track and cross country teams, men’s tennis, men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, women’s basketball, football and members from the
“With the bonds being created between our players and the to look up to, examples they can follow. It’s only an hour and
Photo courtesy of Kate Berry ’12
Men’s lacrosse coach Jon Thomspon gives a talk to students. Reilly Horan ’13 is one of three Athletics Liaisons for the Center for Community Engagement. Athletics Liaisons connect athletes and coaches to the resources of the Center for Community Engagement and work to create a sustainable culture of service within the Athletics Department. If your team is looking for community engagement projects, contact Roshard Bryant ’13 at rbryant13@amherst.edu or Irene Hickey ’13 at ihickey13@ amherst.edu. If your team just completed a community engagement event, contact Reilly Horan at rhoran13@amherst.edu so that the campus becomes more aware of what your team is doing to get involved.
The Amherst Student, February ,
Page
22 Down, Two to Go
Women’s Basketball Stands on the Brink of
Perfect, 24-0 Regular Season
Emmett Knowlton ’15 Managing Sports Editor Although they’ve already played 22 regular season games, traveled to Las Vegas and back, won by 70 points in a single game and had two players eclipse the 1000-point barrier, the women’s basketball season is far from over. And, even though they haven’t lost a game since Jan.
starts now. With two home games remaining before the NESCAC and NCAA tournaments, the Jeffs are about to see what they are really made of. The top-ranked Jeffs picked up two more wins this
Photo courtesy of Rob Mattson
Livia Rizzo ’12 and the Jeffs will test their home win streak this weekend.
weekend, rolling over Bates and Tufts in consecutive days to move to 22-0 on the season. The wins also pushed their NESCAC win-streak to 31 games. Making the long journey to Bates last Friday, Amherst turning the ball over nine times and shooting 0-10 from by nine as the second half tipped off — a sign of the No. games even when not playing at their best. Finding their range in the second half, Amherst pushed its lead from nine to 16 after a trey from tri-captain Kim Fiorentino ’12 and consecutive layups from tri-captain Lem Atanga McCormick ’12. With 12 minutes to play, preseason All-American and one of the Jeffs’ biggest offensive weapons, senior tricaptain guard Caroline Stedman buried a three to put the visitors up 50-30. Stedman led all scorers with 18, while ished with 14 in the team’s 75-63 rout. The next day, the Jeffs traveled to Boston to take on the NESCAC’s second best team, Tufts.
Stedman and another from McCormick paced a 20-0 run that put the Jeffs up 22-2 early in the half. Amherst led by 20 for most of the half, before a late run by the Jumbos cut the visitor’s lead to 15 at the break. The Jeffs controlled the second half, never letting their lead slip to less than 14. McCormick led the Jeffs with 13 gram’s all-time blocks list with 161. Fiorentino also picked up a career-high 15 rebounds. The win secured the Jeffs the top-seed in the upcoming NESCAC tournament for the third straight year and also gives them home-court advantage. Now sitting at a perfect 22-0, the Jeffs are only guaranteed three more games, though a post-season run could ensure action through March. As the regular season comes to a close with two home NESCAC games against perennial threats Williams and Middlebury, the Jeffs look primed for another successful post-season behind the leadership and talent of the senior class. And despite the success of the season thus far, it means nothing come tournament time.
Men’s Squash Finishes Fifth at NESCACs, Women Struggle for Seventh Place Finish Karl Greenblatt ’15 Managing Sports Editor While an 8-1 loss to No. 12 Middlebury evoked shades of a similarly feeble performance earlier in the season, the men’s squash team managed to put together
time in the season that they have been four games over .500. They will now enjoy a week off before traveling to Princeton for the CSA Team Championships Feb. 17-19. for the NESCAC Championships, where they experi-
place at the NESCAC Championships. The most resounding highlight of the tournament came Friday night in the form of an 8-1 thrashing of Tufts. In that game, seven Jeffs won 3-0. The day’s most scintillating match came at the number one slot, where Scott DeSantis ’15 came from behind to beat the 11-7, DeSantis won the next two. Nalle responded with an 11-1 victory in the fourth, but DeSantis was able to take the clinching frame, 11-9. The matchup against Midd. came the following day, and it proved to be a forgettable one for the Jeffs. Rookie Alex Southmayd ’15 delivered the lone bright spot at No. 8, defeating the Panthers’ Reed Palmer in three straight 11-5 sets. DeSantis, along with Rodrigo Miranda ’12 and Matt Arnold ’12, was able to take his The Jeffs faced their next test against Conn. College, whom they had already beaten once by a convincing 8-1 score. Though it was not quite as easy this time around, the result was the same, with the Jeffs coming out on top, 6-3. Scoring shutouts for the Jeffs were cocaptain Steve Severson ’12, David Kerr ’14 and Southmayd. found similar success in a rematch against Wesleyan. In impressive fashion, Southmayd notched his fourth shutout of the weekend, while Severson and Arnold also blanked their Cardinal counterparts. In the end, the Jeffs earned a 6-3 victory, the same margin by which they had beaten Wesleyan the previous weekend. The
placing seventh. They began the weekend on the right foot with a shutout of Tufts, a game in which eight of nine Jeffs recorded sweeps. Chandler Lusardi ’13 lost the rest of her teammates in the win column. Williams was the next team to stand in the Lady meeting between the two and were able to do so again. Overmatched, the Lady Jeffs lost seven of nine matches in three games. The game’s best performances came from Mary Katherine McNeill ’13 and Kate Savage ’12, each of whom managed to take one of four games. Looking for a reversal of fortune against No. 18 Bowdoin, the 16th-ranked Jeffs again came up short in a disappointing 6-3 loss. Two Jeffs — Arielle Lehman ’15 and Savage — lost by a 3-2 score. No. 9 Ginny Wheeler ’13 provided Amherst’s only shutout victory of the match. After dropping a game to a lower-ranked opponent, the Lady Jeffs salvaged some measure of consolation by defeating Wesleyan, 6-3, in their last game of the tournament. Wheeler delivered her second shutout of the weekend, taking three straight from the Cardinals. three for a comeback victory over Annie Maxwell. At No. 1, Lusardi also scored a key 3-2 win, and tri-captain The Lady Jeffs, who are now 10-9 on the year, will Team Championships.
The Green Monster Karl Greenblatt ’15 Karl responds to the Patriots’ second Super Bowl defeat at the hands of the Giants in four years. Though the parallels to 2008 are obvious, Karl maintains that, this time around, the Giants were the more complete team despite the hype Bill Belichick, from being labeled as chokers, giving them credit for getting the most out of the 2011 squad.
Just Another February Feb. 3, 2008. As America watched, the New York Giants accomplished the unthinkable. Making the vaunted Patriots offense — the same offense that had put together the best season in NFL history — look decidedly average, the Giants defense gave Eli Manning, then regarded as overrated, a chance late in the fourth quarter. The rest is history. The biggest pro sports upset in recent memory left quite a psychological mark on fan base fresh off three championships in four years. We swore that we would avenge our collective humiliation should we meet the Giants again in February. Patriots were riding another all-world campaign from Brady and took for pensate for their defensive shortcomas they had in Super Bowl XLII, Brady did exactly that for a while, amassing 16 straight completions on two ruththe Pats a nine-point lead. Somehow, though, it all broke down again. The offense faltered late, culminating in a very conspicuous drop by a wide-open Wes Welker. The ball was more than a little underthrown; had it been properly placed, it might have won the Pats the game. Instead, Manning got the ball with a chance to make a game-winning march again, he was aided by an inexplicably spectacular catch, this time a 38-yard, double-coverage-defying grab by Mario Manningham. By the end of the night, the NFL’s Manning-Coughlin era had begun. But should this loss also signal the Giants have cemented their place as the Patriots’ big-game nemesis, taking over as Boston’s 21st-century equivalent of the hated Yankees. Still, at some point we have to swallow our pride and ask ourselves whether Belichick and Brady deserve credit for what they accomplished in 2011-12. Frankly, the Patriots were lucky even to be in the Super Bowl. They squeaked by the Ravens in a subpar AFC Championship effort, helped by Billy Cundiff’s shank of a would-be game-tying kick. Their most complete receiving threat all season, Rob Gronkowski, was crippled by an ankle sprain and reduced to near-zero mobility. Of course, there was also the small matter of the defense, the worst-ranked in the AFC. Eventually, this ragtag secondary would need to stop the wily Manning when it counted, and it couldn’t. Is it fair that, under these circumstances, we should question the legacy of an elite quarterback and coach, even taking into account what happened With regard to Belichick, Patriothaters often callously take to throwing around their favorite buzzword, “Spygate,” when the topic turns to New England’s recent Super Bowl failures. They also refuse to acknowledge Belichick’s role in crafting yet another top team out of once-unknowns such as Welker, -
still went 27-for-41 with 276 yards and two touchdowns — a decent effort by most standards. Even so, there are and always will be
those who claim Brady somehow choked in 2012. Because of Brady’s star status and the two teams’ regular season records — the Patriots were 13-3, the Giants a mere 9-7 — they classify this as a game the Pats should have won. Blame for the loss, they say, should fall on Brady and his lack of grace under pressure. Oddly enough, I will dispel this line of reasoning by making a case for the 2011 Giants as an underrated football team and the 2011 Patriots as an overrated one. For starters, I contend that the regular season means nothing come playoff time. It is no secret in any sport that the hot team, rather than the statistically superior team, has the edge when it comes to a single, deciding game. Two important factors play into the results of a 16-game season. Injuries are one; the other is the fact that some very good teams simply need a while to hit their stride in a lower-pressure atmosphere. The Giants fell victim to both of these during the regular season, but once they gelled, they became close to unstoppable. While the Patriots played at a consistently solid level all year, compiling were apparent from day one. Last Friday, I even watched a discussion on ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption” proposing that the higher-seeded Patriots should actually be rated as the underdogs. We can that year, the difference between the Giants and Patriots come February was not nearly as great as the difference between 17-0 and 10-6 seemed to indicate. My other point should come as no terback does not automatically make a team dangerous in clutch situations. Just ask the Green Bay Packers, who, after ed by the tougher, more cohesive Giants. Despite all the media attention showered on Aaron Rodgers, the Pack, like the Patriots, had more than its fair share of woes — defensive ones. In the pressurepacked playoff setting, their weakness offense sputtered, as offenses invariably do. No wonder that the old adage goes, “defense wins championships.” So, can a team with a very questionable defense ever be rightfully considered an unques-
choker if his opponent actually outmI have probably once again let my native pessimism get the better of me, but anyone will tell you that I sheepishly maintained all along, “The Giants are probably better.” This was no 2008, and even 2008, though it was certainly quite the upset, was not exactly what most fans took it for. Meanwhile, Brady and Belichick are not going anywhere. Any team that consistently matches up against the league’s elite must lose sometential .500 team into a scrappy unit that hung in there until the 11th hour, the duo certainly has nothing to prove. They are accounts, they are in a good position to get yet another shot next year. Eli Manning is on top of the world, as he should be, but the NFL has room for more than one top playoff quarterback. one more ring than you do.
Sports
Inside
The Amherst Student
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Women’s Hockey Sweeps Williams Jeffs win 12th straight game over Ephs (since 2006) PAGE 9
Winter Teams Bring the Heat
Photo courtesy of Chloe McKenzie ’14
Photos courtesy of Rob Mattson
Men’s Hockey Freezes Bowdoin for Huge Victory
Men’s Basketball Dunks Tufts, Bates Karan Bains ’14 Sports Section Editor
Brenton Arnaboldi ’14 Associate Editor
remaining in regulation, using a
Waller provided the scoring punch, many With the postseason looming on the horizon, the sixth-ranked men’s basketball team continues to make adjustments and
Workman ’13 posted 11 points, 10 rebounds and three steals and Aaron Toomey
hockey team has skated to the cusp insurance goal to seal the result. championship in three years. Excellent goaltending, tight-
games have come on the road. The last
respectively.
-
heroics propelled Amherst (13-1-0 -
ing Bates to a meager 22.9 percent shoot-
lead to seven points over second-
Mike Moher ’13 resulted in a juicy puck beneath the crossbar to give Amherst a 3-1 lead. “In games against good teams,
Matt Delaney stood on his head to
Arena said. “I thought both teams started to put pucks in the net. Anours.”
once more. David Waller ’12 had no probneeded every single contribution to match
bar to even the score at 2-2. With
the No. 1 seed and secure home-ice minutes, including a three-pointer and a -
-
a slim 33–31 advantage, and the margin -
-
Tournament.
-
rematch, Amherst had conceded just
points, and Waller had another impressive
-
Workman and Allen Williamson ’13 added
-
couldn’t solve their goalie,” Arena
get the job done.” Once the puck dropped at Orr take on Williams and Middlebury in a periods, building a 29-13 advantage Tournament. While Amherst is already
ies in the country and he’s been instrumental in every game he’s played,” head coach Jack Arena said. “A good goalie can mask a lot Photo courtesy of Chloe McKenzie ’14
David Waller ’12 scored a combined 34 points in two games this weekend.
Photo courtesy of Rob Mattson
it should shape up to be an entertaining
Jonathan La Rose ’12, who leads the NESCAC in save percentage (.935), stopped 37 of 38 shots in a 3-1 win over Bowdoin.