The Saint :: Issue 9

Who will win a Grammy?

Saint reporter Sam Swartout gives her take on the American music industry’s major awards.

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012 Volume 31, Issue 9

Battling Islamophobia | 3

Oscars point-counterpoint | 6

theSaint You left a lasting legacy, JoePa.

>>NEWS AQ celebrates Aquinas | 2 The annual week-long celebrations of St. Thomas Aquinas’ birthday is underway!

Find out all the details, inside.

GOP primary update

Goodbye, Internet?

SOPA and PIPA shelved by Congress following Internet blackout as ACTA gains attention

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Perry and Huntsman drop out as Newt Gingrich makes unprecedented strides ahead.

>>A&E Haywire reviewed

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Good? Bad? Ugly? Maybe all three? Saint reporter Katherine Mata packs a punch with this review.

Jr. Saints weekend

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Bring your sibling to a funfilled weekend at AQ!

Brickroad pizza

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We checked out this local Eastown pizza shop. Our verdict? Read on to find out.

>>SPORTS Roller coaster season

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Reporter Clare Conway gives the scoop on the ups and down of the men’s basketball season.

Ultimate Detroit

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Detroit has a new professional sports team. Saint reporter George Van Den Driessche has the details.

COURTESY FLICKR.COM

Internet Blackout: Many websites shut down or modified their home pages in protest against PIPA and SOPA on January 18. Clockwise from top left: Wikipedia, BoingBoing, Google, Reddit, and Wordpress as they appeared during the blackout.

By Jarrett Ardell The Saint Reporter For the past few months, the internet has been buzzing over the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) that was introduced into Congress in October 2011. Both bills are framed as an attempt by the United States government to wield control over Internet content in order to combat piracy of media, including music and films. Justification for the bill has leaned on job creation and protection of copy written material, with the vocal resistance being concerned for free speech and internationally divided internet services.

To protest the bills and their potential for disrupting the internet, many major websites, including Reddit, Google and Wikipedia, changed their home pages to display anti-SOPA/PIPA messages on Jan. 18. Many of the protesting websites,

including English Wikipedia and Reddit, shut down website services during the day on top of changing their home pages in what has been dubbed the Internet Blackout.

While Wikipedia justified their blackout as an attempt to make viewers imagine a world where such bills could hinder free information, SOPA sponsor Lamar Smith said, “It is ironic that a website dedicated to providing information is spreading misinformation about the Stop Online Piracy Act.” The online community has rallied against the bill in massive numbers beyond just the blackout. Phone calls to representatives, statements of refusal to re-elect supporters of the bill and visits to Washington D.C. by website representatives to either eradicate or modify the bills have all taken place within the past few weeks.

These activists included members of ThatGuyWithTheGlasses.com, a review site whose contributors could be blocked from video production by the bills’ loose wording. “It’s so open ended and the language is so vague and verbose that no two people are deciphering it the same way,” said Paul Schuler, a member of the site who attended D.C. to speak against the bill on December 12.

After several months of rallies, phone calls and rewording of the bill within the House, it would seem that the voices of opposition to SOPA and PIPA may have won out. On January 20, 2012, Chairman Smith officially announced that “The House Judiciary Committee will postpone consideration of the legislation until there is wider agreement on a solution,” thus postponing both bills indefinitely.

While this news is a sigh of relief for those that have been resisting the

New sex ed standards start at a young age

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Updates needed: A team of education advocacy groups has put forward a new standard for sexual education that begins in second grade.

By Sam Swartout The Saint Reporter How young is too young to be introduced to sex education?

According to a group standard presented by Advocates for Youth, Answer and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, with contribution from health experts, advocates and educators, sex education needs to begin at a

younger age.

In a new proposal for sex education in Grand Rapids Public Schools, students would be exposed to this curriculum beginning in second grade, and it would progress through high school. Each year a new aspect of sex education would be introduced.

In the youngest age group, they would simply be taught the male and female anatomy. They would be

expected to be able to name both male and female reproductive organs.

This would mean showing second graders photos of male and female sex organs.

“I’m not sure that I would want my younger brother to be exposed to that sort of information at such a young age. I think second grade is just too young for that information,” said Aquinas College senior Andrew Kish, sports management major.

By fifth grade, the students would need to be able to define, recognize and report sexual harassment. “We are also much more aware of the amount of child sexual abuse that occurs in our culture, and equipping children in elementary school to understand what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior by adults and older kids is a positive thing,” said associate sociology professor at Aquinas, Dr. Kathy Kremer.

The final stage of the curriculum wo u l d b e i n h i g h s c h o o l w h e r e s t u d e n t s wo u l d b e e x p e c t e d t o describe symptoms and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

“Giving students the information to make an informed decision about their sex lives is good. Keeping information from them, that could help them, just isn’t right,” said Aquinas junior Roni Ranville, Spanish major.

The issue of contraception would be introduced between sixth and twelfth grade, depending on the district. Abstinence would also be taught, as well as alternative ways to express love to significant others.

Because every school does not have the same sex education requirements, it makes it difficult for every student to have the same

knowledge.

The goals of the new proposal are to help steer some districts away from abstinence-only sex education.

Experts believe that abstinence-only education can be ineffective for students. With sex in the media, on magazines, on television, in musicit is everywhere kids are looking.

Teaching them better ways to protect themselves can be very beneficial.

“We know that children are exposed to sexual content at a younger age t o d a y t h a n t h e y wo u l d h a ve i n previous decades. So equipping them with factual knowledge will help them interpret media and cultural representations, and perhaps refute misrepresentations,” said Dr. Kathy Kremer.

Another goal of this proposal is to delay students from becoming s e x u a l l y a c t i ve . E x p e r t s b e l i e ve that if students are exposed to the knowledge and consequences that sex can have, students will be less likely to begin having sex.

An option that parents of students will have is the ability to grant or refuse consent to their child receiving this information. Under the proposed guidelines, parental consent is required for anything having to do with contraceptives or HIV. If parents do not wish for their children to be exposed to this information, they can opt to pull them from the class during these lessons.

For more information about this proposal, visit www.mlive.com and click on the education tab.

Read us anytime, anywhere at

bill for the past few months, the relief has been short-lived in light of the AntiCounterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), which carries much of the same potential impact on copyright enforcement as SOPA and PIPA, according to anti-SOPA activists. ACTA was introduced during the Bush administration, and has been ratified by the United States. However, the European Union has not signed on.

The EU’s potential ratification of ACTA in coming months is already stirring protest within internet communities. In light of Poland’s recent support of ACTA, the internet activist group Anonymous shut down Polish government websites on Jan. 23.

Both the Bush and Obama administrations have refused to disclose the text of ACTA, stating in 2009 that doing so could do “damage to the national security.”

World news update

By Laura Farrell The Saint Reporter & Matt Kuczynski Editor-in-Chief Greece: European stock markets took a dive on Tuesday morning as Eurozone ministers continued to push for lower interest rates with Greece’s private creditors. The private creditors, to whom Greece is indebted, must lower their interest rates to four percent before the E.U. provides 130bn euros in bailout funds.

Afghanistan: Polio is on the rise in Afghanistan. Volunteer groups have worked diligently to bring down polio numbers in a steady decline. However, the number of cases of polio in Afghanistan tripled in the last year. . A major outbreak could pose a threat to neighboring countries.

European Union: Croatia has made it clear that it desires to join the European Union. With nearly all of the votes from the Jan. 22 referendum counted, results are in, with over 65% for joining the EU. Croatia is scheduled to officially join the EU in July 2013, once EU member countries ratify the accession.

Syria: Gulf Arab states are withdrawing from the Arab League’s observation mission in Syria. The Gulf Co-operation Council (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE) said that its states are removing their observers because Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s supporters had been trying to use the observers to avoid reaching solutions in the current conflicts.

www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

news

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THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012

Aquinas: Wake-Up People tickets now available in Campus Life

Grand Rapids: Poverty rate for children in Kent County is growing

Michigan: Same sex couple fighting for legalized adoption rights

World: Egypt holds first post-Arab Spring parliamentary sessions

February 17 is still a ways away, but tickets are now available for members of the Aquinas community interested in attending the annual WakeUp People event, which is also this year’s 125th Anniversary Community Charism celebration.

Tickets are available in the Campus Life Office.

The Kids Count in Michigan Data Book 2011 released reports that 1 in 5 children living in Kent County live in poverty, placing the county 25th in the state for childhood poverty. Nearby Ottawa County placed 3rd lowest in the state but percentages of students in poverty have significantly increased.

Two women who have been together for 10 years that each adopted children on their own and live in the same house have filed a federal lawsuit to overturn a state law that prevents unmarried couples from adopting children. Governor Rick Snyder and Attorney General Bill Schuette are defendants.

Egypt’s opening parliamentary session showed signs of growing democracy as representatives debated over choosing a speaker. The Muslim Brotherhood is currently the majority party, with nearly half the seats in the Egyptian parliament.

Rockstar who? monica rischiotto |news editor

If you ask any Aquinas College Resident Assistant to reminisce about their favorite summer training memory, I guarantee one session in particular would come to mind. Every year, members of the Grand Rapids Police stealthily walk into the room, military boots and all, carrying suitcases containing thousands and thousands of dollars worth of drugs.

There are always the typical bags of marijuana along with the mother load of heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamines, and the list goes on. Interestingly enough, however, are two items not for show: Adderall and Ritalin.

After reading a handful of articles and talking with students at Aquinas and friends from other colleges, the number of college students who take ADHD drugs as a cognitive stimulant, but have no prescription, is significantly growing.

The thing that is interesting about this popular practice is that unlike more traditional drugs and alcohol consumption, taking ADHD drugs is not often used to get a high, but rather as a tool to focus and perform academically well. Furthermore, it is becoming more and more acceptable. In general, when you hear about students taking Adderall, for example, without a prescription, it seems to all too many to be “no big deal.”

According to one article, Alan DeSantis, a professor and researcher at the University of Kentucky, surveyed the college and found a total of 30% of the student body admitted to using illegal cognitive stimulants, Adderall and Ritalin the most popular, and the numbers increased with upperclassmen.

DeSantis’ research also showed that the majority of students consuming these drugs illegally believed it was slightly more dangerous than drinking Mountain Dew, but nowhere near as bad as drinking alcohol or smoking.

According Dr. Raymond Kotwicki, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Emory University’s school of medicine in Atlanta, however, say s h e wo rri es a b o u t s t u d e n t s taking these drugs and having this perception. Dr. Kotwicki says the drugs, “might produce euphoria, they might temporarily make it easier... but in the long run there are significant problems both in terms of thinking, mood problems, maybe even functionality” for those using them without a prescription.

Before getting too carried away, I should admit up front that I personally have not heard this as being an issue here at Aquinas. That being said, before I wrote a word of this article, I asked around and was dumbfounded that the majority of Aquinas students I spoke with almost immediately responded with something along the lines of, “Hell yes! How have you not heard about this?”

Another common response by Aquinas students I asked was, “And the people who use them are people you would have never expected.” Here’s my question. From what I have heard, those who take ADHD drugs “illegally” so to say, are not doing it to get a buzz.

They are doing it to stay up late, to focus for tests, to perform better as a student, which is troubling. If people want to drink underage and smoke pot as a fun pastime, who am I to judge?

But if there are students, hardworking students, who feel the need to take these stimulants in order to be successful, then there is something wrong with higher education. The pressure to achieve should not result in these kinds of practices. Then again, there is also the unfortunate reality that maybe not all people abusing these drugs are “hardworking students,” but the extreme procrastinators who use these drugs as a lifeline to get things done.

Whatever the case may be, even with drugs like Adderall and Ritalin experiencing recent back orders across the country, these drugs are still being abused. And it is disturbing to know that prescription drugs are being handed out like a handful of jumbo sized tictacs, specifically on college campuses.

And perhaps even more disturbing, the reality that for many, it is “no big deal.”

Can I have some cake with that, please?

The annual St. Thomas Aquinas Week is in full swing, and there will be cake for all

By Laura Rico The Saint Reporter Festivities to honor St. Thomas Aquinas continue to take over the campus. Students have enjoyed a wide range of activities, from birthday cake and attending mass to going to a lecture to learn more about the man Thomas Aquinas and the Dominican faith.

However, with the week only half over, there is still more to come.

On Wednesday, the Jane Hibbard Idema Women Studies’ Center will have Dr. Diane Maodush-Pitzer in the Loutit room from 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m.

Maodush-Pitzer will speak on the rise of feminist theology in relation to biblical translation and interpretation.

Bukowski chapel will host their Dominican Heritage Mass and recognize Dr. Brent Chesley from the English Department, Dr. Renee Stahle from the Communications Department, and Dr. Masato Yamazaki from the Economics Department, who have each served Aquinas for 25 years. Mass begins at 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday night’s events will conclude with the last chance to attend Chartres Labyrinth Workshop and Walk from 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. in the Wege Ballroom.

Sports fans will be able to attend the men’s basketball game against Northwestern Ohio at 7:30 p.m. at the Sturrus Sports and Fitness Center.

Throughout Thursday, students have a chance to win prizes all day long from Tommy Cab. Students can expect to be asked questions related to Aquinas and win prizes for correct answers.

Friday will include fun and excitement for young and older Saints as it is the official kickoff for the Jr. Saints Weekend.

Catholic Studies and Campus Ministry will host Dr. Eleonore Stump and her lecture, “The Problem of Suffering: A Thomistic Approach” at Wege Ballroom at 12:15 p.m.

COURTESY ANNIE BURCH

This guy looks familiar: The annual St. Thomas Aquinas Week is in full gear thanks to Campus Ministry, Campus Life, and several clubs and organizations on campus.

Other events include the Medieval Dinner Theater from 6:15 p.m.-8:00 p.m. in Wege Ballroom (reservations required) and the 11th Annual Monty Python and the Holy Grail Party at 8:00 p.m. at Donnelly.

Junior Saints will have an evening of entertainment with Magician John Cassidy at the Arts and Music Center, and the chance to see Kung Fu Panda 2 in the Upper Cook Carriage House. The fun will continue for them will into the weekend.

The weekend will include the chance to cheer on the Saints as the men and women’s basketball team take on Cornerstone Saturday night.

The women’s team plays at 1:00 p.m. at Sturrus and the men at 3:00 p.m. at Cornerstone University.

It’s not every day students are able to take pride and enjoy a week in honor of their patron saint so grab some friends and have a good time in honor of St. Thomas Aquinas.

Buddhism kicks off second semester Interfaith series

By Laura Farrell The Saint Reporter To kick off the New Year, marked as one of interfaith understanding, Aquinas College will continue the Role of Prayer lecture series.

After presentations in the 2011 fall semester, which focused on Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism, the rest of the lecture series will begin by focusing on the role of prayer in Buddhism and will be concluded with Christianity.

The Venerable Deokwun Russell Pitts, Monk of the Grand Rapids Zen Center and Buddhist Temple, will be giving the presentation and will focus on how prayer is exercised daily in the traditions of the Buddhist traditions.

At a Catholic school, it seems that Buddhism and Christianity would have nothing in common, especially when it comes to prayer.

As different as they may seem, these lecture series help to point out just how similar different faiths can be and how to celebrate the differences they do have.

Director of Campus Ministry Mary Clark-Kaiser explained the goal at the start of the lecture series as “building bridges” between all faiths in order to promote interfaith understanding is readily being carried out in West Michigan, with Aquinas College, Grand Valley State University, Calvin College and others. All of these institutions have been working together to publicize events to promote respect and appreciation between the different traditions of faith.

The diversity of the lectures series strives to recognize the common ground that religion has in accordance to prayer. The presentation will take place on Tuesday, January 31, from 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m., with a simple lunch served at 11:45 a.m. in the Wege Ballroom.

The lecture on Christianity will be presented at the same time on February 21, and will be presented by Sr. Diane Zerfas, director of Marywood and Sherrill Vole of Westminster Presbyterian Church. This lecture series is sponsored by Campus Ministry and Monsignor Charles W. Popell Fund.

21st Annual St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture Dr. Eleonore Stump visits Aquinas College to discuss the college’s patron saint’s thoughts on human suffering

By Laura Rico The Saint Reporter & Monica Rischiotto News Editor On Friday, January 27, at 12:15 p.m. in the Wege Ballroom, one of the world’s foremost experts on St. Thomas Aquinas will be lecturing on campus discussing “The Problem of Suffering: A Thomistic Approach” in celebration of Aquinas College’s annual St. Thomas Aquinas Week.

Dr. Eleonore Stump, Robert J. Henle Professor of Philosophy at Saint Louis University, has both written and served as editor for several books over the past 10 years.

Her literary contributions include Aquinas (2003), Wandering in Darkness: Narrative and the Problem of Suffering (2010) and the Oxford Handbook of Thomas Aquinas (2012). She has given

the Gifford Lectures (Aberdeen, 2003), the Wilde lectures (Oxford, 2006), and the Stewart lectures (Princeton, 2009).

Her lecture at Aquinas College will discuss Aquinas’ philosophy on human suffering, touching on quintessential questions such of why do people suffer, why do good things happen to bad people, if God created the universe why is there suffering in it, and can any good come out of suffering?

Dr. John Pinheiro, Associate Professor of History and Director of the Catholic Studies Program, is excited to have Dr. Stump on campus and believes her work compliments the mission and identity of the college.

“Part of the mission of Catholic Studies is to establish Aquinas College as the regional center for Catholic intellectual and creative life, and the Catholic Studies Speaker Series plays

News Editor Monica Rischiotto E-mail saint.editor@aquinas.edu

a big role in this,” he said.

He also added, “I hope that students and all attendees come away with many things. Among these would be an appreciation of the depth and breadth of the Catholic intellectual tradition, and the value of Philosophy in discerning truth.

Also, I hope students gain a greater understanding of the intellectual depth of Thomas’s work. He is the patron of this school. There’s no question that Thomas did not think about and write about, and we would do well to dwell on his answers.

Finally, another goal of Catholic Studies is to assist students in their spiritual COURTESY AQUINAS COLLEGE as well as their intellectual Thomistic theories showcased: Dr. Eleonore d e ve l o p m e n t ; t h i s t y p e o f Stump speaks on “The Problem of Suffering: A lecture can do both.”

Thomistic Approach” on Friday, Jan. 27, at 12:30 p.m. in Wege Ballroom.

Phone (616) 632-2975

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

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THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012

NEWS

GOP candidates dwindle to four in battle for Florida

Fighting antiMuslim abuses in Grand Rapids

Rick Perry and Jon Huntsman drop out after New Hampshire primaries, leaving Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, and Ron Paul looking to secure GOP spot

By Laura Farrell The Saint Reporter After weeks of twists and turns in the 2012 presidential race, the South Carolina GOP primaries on January 21 proved to be just as surprising.

After both John Huntsman and Rick Perry dropped out of the race last week, tensions began to rise between the other candidates. There were claims made that Mitt Romney’s business practices at Bain Capital were questioned.

Bain Capital is a private alternative asset management firm which Romney cofounded and has come under attacks accusing the firm of bumpy financial history. As the wealthiest candidate in many years, the scandal behind his alleged off shore accounts is that sources claim that Romney does not pay income taxes on these accounts, a topic near and dear to the Republican Party.

After closer look at the New Hampshire primaries, shockingly it was admitted that Rick Santorum had not lost by eight mere votes after all but had won by over thirty votes. Romney called it a “tie” but this unusual win did change the game for the GOP candidates.

Because Mitt Romney had seemed to be in control of the primaries so far, the South Carolina primary became anything but predictable. It was not until a debate, only one day before the primary, that Newt Gingrich began to claim his ground. After the conversation between Gingrich and Romney grew, the fight over South Carolina became tense.

It was surprisingly Gingrich who came out with 40 percent of the vote,

By Yasmeen Ahmed The Saint Reporter

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And then there were four: GOP candidates Jon Huntsman and Rick Perry called it quits shortly after the New Hampshire primary, after finishing third at 16.9% and 6th at 1.5% of the votes, respectively. taking 23 delegates and knocking Romney off of the number one spot.

Rick Santorum took third place with Ron Paul right behind.

Although Gingrich has suffered in the race through his personal troubles, his win along with Santorum’s obscure win sets up an interesting Florida primary. As one of the most important primaries, with fifty delegate votes to win, it seems to be anyone’s game.

With three different GOP candidates

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winning the first three primaries, which has not happened in years, there is not a strong consensus as to where the base of the Republican Party lies just yet.

In his speech after losing the South Carolina primaries, Romney stated that he only looks forward to the competition. It is no secret the presidential hopefuls always falter along the path especially with so many different candidates coming to the forefront.

The Florida primaries will be vital for all of the candidates, as a state with great leverage and many delegate votes. The center of attention will no doubt be Gingrich and Romney. The awaited Florida primaries will take place on January 31, and the Michigan primaries will take place alongside the Arizona primaries on February 28. The last day to register to vote is on January 30.

Grand Rapids schools to be converted into low-income housing

By George Van Den Driessche The Saint Reporter A plan has been developed to transform four schools in downtown Grand Rapids into “workforce housing.”

The $14 million dollar plan was approved by the City Planning Commission last week.

The schools that are going to be converted are the vacant Eastern, Lexington and Oakdale schools. These former schools will be converted into 107 low-income apartments. The playgrounds that went with the schools will be turned into 4 acres of city parks.

There have been a lot of varying viewpoints on this new project. “Putting myself in the shoes of the typical neighborhood resident, I would be concerned with how big the units would be, how tenants would be screened and what parking will be available.

“On the face of it, it’s probably the most practical use of the buildings. The insertion

of cramped housing in neighborhoods that are used to more domicile space can destroy a neighborhood. I’ve seen it happen in Milwaukee’s near west side,” said Aquinas Director of Community Leadership Mike Williams.

The effects it will have on the already present neighborhoods are a huge concern, as addressed by Williams. However, this project will be adding to the city parks in Grand Rapids, which is beneficial for the members of the community that take advantage of the parks.

It is also a huge opportunity for lowincome members of the community to have an affordable place to live. Monthly rents will be $493 for a studio, $633 to $703 for a 1-bedroom unit, $760 to $844 for a 2-bedroom unit, $975 for a 3-bedroom unit and $1,087 for a 4-bedroom unit.

“Our intent is to leave the buildings look[ing] virtually like they do now,“ said developer Bruce Michael. ”It isn’t going to look a whole lot different (on the exterior) than it does now.”

O n S a t u r d a y, J a n u a r y 2 1 , a t the East Paris Mosque in Grand Rapids, Dawud Walid, the executive director of CAIR-MI, a non-profit organization attempting to stop discrimination and unfair treatment of Muslims, spoke about recent problems and what they are doing to stop these issues.

CAIR Michigan’s goal is to build rights and liberties for the Muslim community. According to Walid, lately, more and more people have been speaking out as anti-Islamic.

Islamophobia is a term being used in research that shows people being afraid of Muslims has increased every year since 9/11. There have been problems with expansions of Islamic schools/mosques being blocked. In response, people have claimed they worry about property value going down if there is an Islamic center around. This has specifically occurred recently in the Pittsfield Township. CAIR will be taking the township to court for the construction blockage.

Although in the past two years bullying and hate crimes towards Muslims have gone down, complaints from Muslims about being treated unfairly have gone up. These cases include border patrol stopping Muslims to ask unconstitutional questions like: “Do you pray?” “How many times a day do you pray?” “Do you pray in a masjid? Which one?”

According to Walid, the FBI has also been accused playing a role in anti-Muslim tactics. There have been cases of FBI agents going into neighborhoods and specifically fishing for problems with Muslims.

Walid stresses that it is extremely important to ask for identification and a business card to keep if approached by an FBI. There have allegedly been situations of people posing as FBI agents illegally and FBI agents hiring people to spy on Muslim communities.

CAIR Michigan is leading the way step by step to stop injustice towards the Muslim community.

On March 20, CAIR will be taking their annual group trip to the state capital to talk to legislators and other government officials about these problems, as well as any other concerns, not limited to Muslim difficulties.

On March 25, CAIR will be holding their annual banquet at the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, MI. For more information on this and ways to get involved visit www.cairmichigan.org.

uWink Electronic dining: the future of restaurants?

Woodland Hills in California introduces new age dining to their restaurant

By Alyssa Frese The Saint Reporter A new style of dining kicks off in California a t u Wi n k R e s t a u r a n t i n Woodland Hills. uWink is introducing an electronic waiting pad that eliminates the need for a waiter or waitress at each table.

The dining pad seems like a device out of the Jetsons’ world, just minus the flying spaceship and a full-fledged robot maid.

Instead of a robot maid, the pad offers the replacement of your waiter or waitress, as the dining pad has a direct connection to the News Editor Monica Rischiotto

E-mail saint.editor@aquinas.edu

kitchen.

Each pad offers a variety of functions such as placing orders, providing ingredients and pictures of entrees, giving directions to local attractions, summoning the valet and naturally, there is a payment option as well.

There is a general concern that the dining pad will eliminate jobs.

However, dining service experts do not for see this happening. Warren Sackler, professor of hospitality and service management at Rochester Institute of Technology, said, “There will always be waiter and waitresses serving customers in restaurants.”

The dining pad does offer a substantial amount of security to customers in regards to the protection of their identities.

Phone (616) 632-2975

Essentially, the pad eliminates the need for a person’s credit card to ever leave their person.

This may help to prevent restaurant scams similar to the one that occurred a year ago in New York and New Jersey where 13 people in 40 restaurants stole the electronic information from credit cards and sold the information for $3 million in fraudulent purchases. uWink has introduced the dining pad into the dining experience. Now it is up to the customer to judge how far the pad will go.

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

opinion >> FROM THE CROWD

APPLAUSE TO...

St. Thomas Aquinas and cake; The new paint in the basement of the Sturrus Center;

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THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2011

It’s not me, Newt, it’s you

Democracy, for slowly making its way to the Arab World after the Arab Spring; The Internet, for uniting in force against uncalled for legislation.

HECKLES TO...

People who don’t respond to emails for an eternity; The media, for killing Joe Paterno before he was dead; The second phase of Sturrus construction, for not happening yet; Capt. Francesco Schettino (has he not seen Titanic?); Iced-over sidewalks. Falling over was not a good start to our Tuesday; Republican primary elections, for showing us that nothing has really changed since 2000.

COURTESY FLICKR.COM

The best Republican of them all?: Newt Gingrich, potential Republican presidential candidate, waves at the crowd at a rally in New Orleans.

By Dan Meloy Sports Editor

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from our view

It’s that magical time of year again at Aquinas when cake appears all over campus and medieval banquets fill the dining hall: St. Thomas Aquinas Week. Perhaps it is fitting that students associate Aquinas’ birthday with food. After all, the man was notorious for his large appetite and even larger figure.

However, there’s more to the man than just a birthday celebration.

Aquinas was born to nobles in Italy in 1225. When he decided to follow his vocation to the Dominican order at age 19, his family was not pleased. As Aquinas travelled to the monastery, his brothers kidnapped him and brought him home. His family later had him imprisoned to keep him from taking his vows. Eventually, Aquinas escaped and joined the order.

Despite adversity, he worked his entire life to become one of the single most influential thinkers of all time. His ideas are foundational to theological discussion. His perspectives on other issues from psychology to politics are still hotly debated in academic circles around the world.

If there is one lesson we can pull from Thomas’ life story, it should be the one he struggled with his entire life: Do not be afraid of adversity.

From the start of his academic career, Aquinas faced many roadblocks, including family and even colleagues that called him a “dumb ox,” but nothing deterred him. He searched for truths, wherever they led, even if it meant doubting the foundations of what he was studying.

In a world filled with multiple viewpoints hurled at us every second from all angles from politicians, professors, family and friends, we have to learn to question and dig for truths, just as Aquinas did. We should not be afraid to speak out against ignorance, in whatever form it takes. Our liberal arts educations prepare us for this, but we must put it into action if we are to leave a legacy, like Aquinas did.

Believe it or not, there’s more to St. Thomas Aquinas than just a reason to eat cake. And perhaps, if we follow his example, we will find there is more to us than we realize, as well.

“If you elect him, all’s what you are going to get is some moderate who makes comprises with the Left.

If you elect me, you will get a real true conservative who stands for family values.”

This quote from former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich sums up his campaign in a nutshell. Vote for me because I’m so far to the right that everybody else is a sissy.

Now, let’s do a quick analysis of this statement. Newt Gingrich, the guy who is on wife number three and allegedly asked his second wife for an open marriage bashing other candidates about not being a real conservative. Anyone else sensing a little hypocrisy?

I would be fine with Newt if he would just leave his shenanigans and lack of thought on the television screen in one of the endless se-

When a win is in bad taste

By Monica Rischiotto News Editor

theSaint 2011-2012 E D I T O R I A L B O A R D Editor-in-Chief News Editor A & E Editor

Matt Kuczynski Monica Rischiotto Stephanie Giluk

Dan Meloy Sports Editor Miriam Pranschke Photo Editor Nick Signore Managing Editor

Adviser Dr. Dan Brooks *** Please note that the views expressed on this page are those of their respective author(s), and do not necessarily represent the views of The Saint as a whole.

MISSION The Saint has worked diligently for the past 30 years to produce an informative, entertaining and journalistically-correct student publication. The Saint is distributed by students at Aquinas College and in the surrounding community.

Our goal is to continue to provide an open forum for the ideas, views and concerns of the Aquinas community.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR All letters must include a signature, typed or handwritten, and include a phone number for the sole purpose of verification. The Saint reserves the right to edit letters to the editor based on content, punctuation, length and libel issues.

Letters should not exceed 300 words. We will not print anonymous letters to the editor and will not accept letters to the editor over the phone.

>> write us a letter!

e-mail — saint.editor@aquinas.edu, or use the form on our website.

physical copies – AB, Room 2

Managing Editor Nick Signore

ries of Republican debates, but when he comes after my email account. . . that is when it gets personal.

Last week the former speaker, or rather his campaign, decided it would be a good idea to email me and tell me now was the time to save the GOP from the evil-moderates who only pretend to be Republicans.

This left me scratching my head and asking this question: As a selfidentified moderate Republican, how can I stop myself?

Lately it seems the term ‘moderate’ has been a negative, and seen as a weakness: someone who gives into the wants and demands of the Democrats.

Okay, Newt, time for a quick history lesson. The Republican Party was around long before Barry Goldwater started the conservative movement in the 1960s. It will be around long after you leave the public scene. The idea that you get to label who is and is not a “real”

Ever since I was little, the women’s national soccer team has hung on the wall of my room. In my earliest of years, Mia Hamm, Tiffeny Milbrett, Shannon MacMillon, Briana Scurry and I were on a first name basis. Granted, they didn’t talk back being that they were in poster form, but that’s not important.

It absolutely crushed me when Japan beat the current women’s team in a cut throat shootout, and I admit that I have a major womance (thank you Urban Dictionary) on Hope Solo. To me they were, and still are, superheroes.

All of this being said, criticizing the women’s team in any way, shape, or form seems almost sacrilegious, blasphemous even, for my Catholic, soccerloving soul. And yet, when I heard that the United States women’s national soccer team beat the Dominican Republic 14-0 in their Confederation of North and Central American and Caribbean Football (CONCACAF) qualifying match I was disappointed.

Let me briefly relay some logistics. The CONCACAF tournament is a qualifying tournament to earn a bid to the Olympics, secured for the first and second place finishing teams. While goal differentials in games is significant, and a source of earning points to move on, going into the Dominican Republic game, the US team was in good shape.

There was no point shortage. They simply needed to win to keep moving forward in the tournament.

All this being said, there is no question the tournament is important and best performances would be expected, as of any other professional sports team.

Yet I would argue that in any sport, there is a sense of class that needs to

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be adhered. I would imagine if you ask most athletes, whatever the sport may be, beating your opponent by astronomical amounts reaches a point where the fun becomes more and more obsolete. When an athlete is clearly not being challenged, the pure joy and awe of any sport is to a certain degree, lost.

The 14-0 US win over the Dominican Republic is not awful sounding for the sole reason that the Dominican Republic is third world, natural disaster struck country (although I admit this makes it all the less easy to digest).

It would not be much better if the opponent was India, China, Germany, or other so called first world powerhouses.

Either way, for lack of better words, winning a soccer game 14-0 seems to shout out “screw you,” to opponents, especially at the professional level.

I have had a handful of soccer coaches in my years as a player that would vehemently contradict this, in fact may even bench me for having a poor competitive attitude—to each their own. I can see them asking, “OK fine, so where is the line, 8, 9, 10-0? When do you stop playing your best?” and their biggest point would be, “We respect our opponents to the utmost when we play our best game for a full 90 minutes.”

This last point is hard to argue, and playing at a middle gear is arguably an even greater slap in the face than losing 0-14. Furthermore, in terms of subbing, there are only three allowed in the CONCACAF tournament.

Yet even in the absence of a middle gear and with a nearly full squad of starters, humility can still be exercised, even for superheroes. A blowout win of 7-0 is something to celebrate. But a 14-0 demolition, I’m not so convinced.

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Republican is just silly.

Second, believe it or not, even if the Republicans win in 2012, there still will be Democrats and there will still be liberals. And guess what, chances are somewhere along the line you will have to comprise and deal with them.

Maybe it isn’t terrible to be a moderate. Maybe that is what America needs right now—someone to compromise and deal with people in their party and the other party with respect and honor.

And, heaven forbid, listen to the other side of the aisle.

Now Newt, before you send me some more spam accusing me and my fellow moderates of tainting real traditional, conservative values of the Republican Party, take a look at yourself. Maybe it is not us.

Maybe it’s you.

Say what you need to say! matt kuczynski | editor-in-chief As Editor of the Saint, I want to get many people’s views represented in what we publish. It’s a legitimate concern—after all, the campus news source should be the voice of the students and the college in general.

However, lately, for some reason, it has gotten harder to communicate.

Maybe people are just busy. Maybe they’re not willing to have their name attached to something that can’t be instantly deleted from a newsfeed.

Either way, people are not talking.

This happened to me yesterday: A friend of mine who is also an Aquinas student walked up to me, and asked me if anyone had sent in letters to the editor about a certain issue. No one had, even though many students in his class were adamant about getting their views heard and sending them in.

That’s an issue for us, as writers and editors. We need input to know what concerns the community, what we need to cover, and what we can improve. We need students to sound off about their opinions and views.

This goes beyond The Saint, too: in Senate, student run clubs and even advisor meetings and class sessions, there are opportunities for communication that can actually make changes happen.

If you have a view, or a concern, or a reason to be upset or maybe even one to get excited about, don’t limit your soapbox to a Facebook status or a snippy blog post. Send in a letter to the editor, or email the president.

Bring it up in Student Senate. Find those outlets in the community. Make yourself heard, and make it loud.

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

arts & entertainment Internet: MegaUpload shuts down, Internet pirates laugh

Television: Mythbusters crew brings new show to viewers

Books: Publishers offer iPad-friendly textbooks at low prices

The federal government shut down the filesharing website MegaUpload Thursday, Jan. 19, making the site one of the first to fall in the latest war against online piracy. Even so, there are still about 20 billion websites up and running that offer the same services MegaUpload did. The Internet wins this round.

Mythbusters Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman are producing and judging a new show called Unchained Reactions. The show will focus on two competing teams of people with various skills, like artists, rocket scientists and engineers, who will build chain reaction machines. The show will premiere on Discovery in March.

Apple recently released the iBooks 2 app for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. The app, which is free, now offers textbooks which will be priced at $14.99 or less. McGraw Hill, Pearson, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt are all on board to sell college-level textbooks cheaply.

Remember this stephanie giluk | a&e editor Since award season craziness is upon us (see page 6), I thought I’d take a different route for my column.

Instead of talking up a movie that’s out now, I want to talk about a movie that’s been out for a while. Though it did win some awards in its time (and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Screenplay), it has somehow managed to remain very much a cult classic, even though it was directed by Christopher Nolan (of Dark Knight and Inception fame).

I think Memento might be Nolan’s best film, and that’s saying something.

Its premise sounds gimmicky, but somehow doesn’t fall into the trap of becoming interesting but meaningless like some movies can.

Leonard Shelby, played with subtlety by Guy Pearce, has short term memory loss. He can’t make any new memories and forgets what’s he’s doing or who he’s talking to after a few minutes unless he writes notes to himself. Despite this, Shelby is trying his hardest to avenge the rape and murder of his wife, a brutal attack as a result of a break-in that also affected Shelby’s mind. He remembers everything that happened before “the incident,” but nothing after the fact. He just knows his wife is dead and he has to wake up every morning reliving the grief of realizing she’s gone.

The movie builds on Shelby’s confusion by using multiple story lines.

The main plot line begins with a death and moves backwards chronologically.

Then there is the second plot line, shot in black and white, which moves forward chronologically. The black and white scenes chronicle the story of Sammy Jankis, who plays an important part in Shelby’s life. Finally, there are multiple flashbacks to Shelby’s life before “the incident.” It all sounds confusing and crazy (which it is) but Memento also somehow manages to be pretty funny.

Pearce has a lot to do with the humor of the movie. He had to play his character carefully, because Shelby could easily end up being a literal blank slate, just parroting the same things over and over again. Instead, Pearce is able to portray Shelby as both the hero and the villain of the movie. He has to improvise every encounter, every situation he finds himself him, because he literally never knows exactly what he’s doing or how he got somewhere.

Memento manages to flow like any good thriller out there, even though it moves backwards. There were moments when I was watching it that I forgot the story was actually moving backwards. The movie, unlike Dark Knight and Inception, is also not visually overwhelming. There’s action, but no big-time explosions or rotating hallways. I think this makes the movie, out of all Nolan’s films, the most easily accessible. There are lots of scenes in crappy hotel rooms and dingy diners, but Memento is never less than enthralling. Even the black and white scenes are more for practicality than visual interest. If the scenes weren’t different in some noticeable way, it would be that much more difficult to figure out what was going on.

Another reason to see the movie comes in the form of Natalie (played

by Carrie-Anne Moss, aka Trinity from The Matrix). I’ve noticed a lot of female characters in Nolan’s movies are dead and being pined for or wind up dead at some point. See Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Rachel in Dark Knight, Marion Cotillard’s Mal in Inception, or Piper Perabo’s Julia in The Prestige. Memento also has the trademark deceased female in the form of Shelby’s late wife, played by Jorja Fox in flashbacks. This is why Natalie is such an interesting character. She remains alive throughout the whole movie, for starters.

Moss’s performance is also complexly layered. Natalie vacillates between being likable and unlikable, pitiable and empowered. It takes watching the whole movie to understand her more fully.

I could go on and on about all the moral implications Memento raises too, but I think you should watch it. Think about it for a while after you scoop your brains off the wall behind you.

Try not to—wait, where was I?

page

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THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012

<<

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

>> RUPERT MURDOCH

Murdoch’s tabloid media empire, News Group Newspapers, agreed Thursday to give cash payments to 37 people, including actor Jude Law and British politician John Prescott.

The newspaper was being sued for hacking into private voice mails.

COURTESY GOOGLE IMAGES

Haywire fails to live up to all the high-action hype

By Katherine Mata The Saint Reporter Haywire hoped to kick off the New Year with a fast-paced, action-packed film that would leave the audiences on the edge of their seats, wanting more.

Instead, the much-hyped movie left the audience wanting their precious money refunded.

Haywire follows the story of a beautiful marine, Mallory Kane, played by mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Gina Carano, who works for a private company on contract. Her missions send her across the world with her skills, beauty and intelligence make her the most sought after asset within her company. Until, that is, her company sells her out and leaves her to fight for her life. This enjoyable if familiar plot created a desire to see Carano’s character come alive.

The plot, however, becomes a little too familiar. It is reminiscent of Matt Damon’s Bourne series, where the main character tries to discover the reason behind his betrayal using his amazing ability to fight.

Unlike Damon, Carano has had no real experience as an actress. Although she is an actual MMA fighter, her skills do not translate well to the big screen.

Carano also has a harder time communicating naturally with her co-workers. Fight scenes and dialogues were forced, unnatural and just awkward to watch on screen. Everyone has to start somewhere, but Carano was apparently oblivious to the idea of practicing her scenes, hoping the fights would carry the movie.

Not all the blame can be placed on Carano. Director Steven Soderbergh (Contagion, Ocean’s Thirteen) failed to do his job to oversee the success of his film. Wanting Carano as his main star

was his first strike against success. Carano is an inexperienced actress. In order to deliver an action packed film, the film needs female stars that can act convincingly and kick ass at the same time. Many come to mind: Angelina Jolie, Zoe Sandala and Milla Jovovich are all action stars. Nevertheless, Soderbergh took a chance on Carano and it did not pay off.

To balance his decision on Carano, it seems Soderbergh felt it would be good idea to throw in other big names. Channing Tatum (She’s the Man), Antonio Banderas (The Legend of Zorro) and Ewan McGregor (Angels & Demons) helped keep Haywire somewhat attractive to audiences. Their starstudded status in Hollywood COURTESY RELATIVITY MEDIA drew many people to openCarano packs a punch: But not much else in this flat action flick. ing weekend. But even Tatum, Banderas or McGregor could not a fight. When there was music play- was explained throughout the movie. escape the terrible script writing and ing, the audience cringed. The music Clues to what was going on were actawkward scenes that overshadowed choice for the movie was inappropri- ed out instead, like a big game of chatheir reputation. ate and awful. The same music played rades. It was not until the very end of To make matters even worse, this throughout the entire movie. Instead the film did the clues “come together.” movie was edited to an extreme. It was of creating a mood for the scene it There was no sense of who everyone made known before the release of Hay- played in, the music, an awkward mix else was supposed to be and how they wire that Soderbergh allowed Carano’s between electronic-dance and instru- fit into the film itself. voice to be edited. The change sound- mental, felt out of place.

In 93 minutes, director Soderbergh ed unnatural and it was hard to take Then there is the plot. The plot, tried to re-create Damon’s Bourne and Carano’s character seriously. one would think, is the basic structure deliver it as an edgy, must-see film.

Other than her voice, most of the of a film (except for maybe a couple ex- Haywire failed in every aspect: plot, acmovie unraveled in complete silence. ceptions). In Haywire, however, it took tors, and editing. Please, Soderbergh, Not that music during fight scenes too much time and too many scenes do not make any more action movies. would have helped, but the audience to even begin developing the plot. For now, moviegoers are encouraged could not even hear Carano breath- Instead of giving the audience any to save their money and precious time ing or her footsteps during a fight or background on Carano’s character, the for another film by a director who unchase scene. The fight scenes lacked all audience had to make their own infer- derstands what it means to make a these natural things one would hear in ences and put clues together. Nothing movie in the first place.

Brick Road Pizza a delicious destination

of alcoholic beverages ranging from Michigan brewed beers to domestics and house wines.

For my meal, I ordered the 12-inch buffalo chicken pizza and my boyfriend ordered the MEGHAN GRAY/THE SAINT Arnold sandwich.

This Bon appetit: Grab a hot pizza on a cold day at Brick Road. sandwich consisted of

By Meghan Gray free range pulled pork, citrus slaw, The Saint Reporter and secret sauce all on a hamburger Brick Road Pizza, located on roll. The citrus slaw really helped Wealthy Street, is perfect if you are in pull out all of the spices in the pulled the Grand Rapids/Eastown area look- pork. The pizza was also very tasty. ing for good food and an atmosphere The chicken was breaded and oozthat is a breath of fresh air. ing buffalo seasoning and the pizza The restaurant is housed in an also had sliced celery on top which older brick building and the interior is I thought complemented the taste of divided three ways: an open kitchen the chicken well. leads to a more casual dining room Because of the wide variety of and a separate, bigger dining room tasty treats, Brick Road Pizza is not as houses large booths and tables. Both wallet-friendly as other places. This dining areas are decorated with ab- does not mean the restaurant is overstract and traditional art, movie post- priced. It just means that the quality ers and personal photos. The section of Brick Road Pizza’s locally grown I was seated in was the larger dining food is worth the price tag. If you are room, right in the cozy corner next in the mood for a fun date or want to to the front and side windows of the get a group together to eat yet still building. have a quality meal, this is the place The open kitchen created a to be. friendly and intimate feel between the Overall, Brick Road Pizza had customers and the restaurant staff, very delicious food that came in wide which also led to a more casual feel- variety. There is plenty of seating, ing overall. even during the Friday night rush Brick Road Pizza had a huge va- hours, and the servers do an attenriety of foods to choose from. Almost tive job of taking orders, delivering half of their menu consisted of vegan food, and checking on meals in timely and/or gluten-free options, which fashions. If you want to experience an is perfect for those of us that know authentic Eastown restaurant, head someone who would very much ap- over to Brick Road Pizza on Wealthy preciate that portion of the menu. Street!

Also, Brick Road has a good selection

A & E Editor Stephanie Giluk

E-mail saint.editor@aquinas.edu

Tracey Ashley splits sides at the Moose

By Cassie LaMacchia The Saint Reporter The Moose Café was rumbling with laughter on Thursday, Jan. 19, when comedian Tracey Ashley gave a laugh-outloud performance. The lower level of the Moose was jam packed with students eager to hear this NBC’s Last Comic Standing’s 2007 semifinalist crack some jokes.

Ashley delivered a wide range of jokes on topics such as politics, capri pants and the prestigious Wal-mart.

Her style is that of a woman observing the humor in life to create jokes that leave audiences nearly gasping for air. Senior CASSIE LAMACCHIA / THE SAINT Brittany Bullock loved Laugh out loud: Tracey Ashley was a hit. the relatable stories. “She was able to make every day interactions into hilarious comedy,” she they might say is no and if so, on to said. “Because they are so relatable the next one.” makes them so funny!”

Similar to many performing artGraduating with a combined deists, Ashley’s passion for stand-up gree in Speech, Communication and comedy was inspired by comedians Theater Arts, Ashley presented hersuch as Robert Hawkins and Wanda self as an outgoing and fearless coSykes. median on stage.

“You hear these people who Ashley’s confidence on stage have been in the game for years and was developed after earning expestill cranking out great jokes. That’s rience as a director on a cruise ship work,” she said. “I love when I see and later working for a radio station another comedian that is constantly in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Howevwriting because those hard workers er, her fearless sense of personality out there are what inspire me.” and confidence has not always been Aquinas students will surely on the level it presently stands. She remember Ashley’s hilarious perrealized the step to become a wellformance. Memories of the evening known comedian takes overcoming might even be relived among many the fear of failure. upon hearing her voice in future ”You’re at the perfect age. Start commercials and movies, so keep now, I waited because I had fear,” your eyes and ears pealed for the talAshley advised, adding, “Watch ented Tracey Ashley. comics, go to comedy clubs and perform. Do not be afraid because all

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Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

6

A&E

THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012

Rock out with the new and improved Grammys

COURTESY CBS

High notes: Who will win big at the Grammys this year?

By Sam Swartout Saint Reporter For the past seven years, the Grammys have taken a non-traditional approach to their awards ceremony, in that they have not had a host. With all of the different categories, the producers felt it was best to keep the introductions short and by just having a voice over, they were able to do so.

After being ridiculed as the “Granny Awards” last year, adding a humorous host could be just what the Grammys need to add a little flare to their show and to draw in more viewers.

However, this year, rapper turned actor LL Cool J will host the awards

show. He was quoted in the LA Times as saying, “I will always have fond memories of my first Grammy Awards and to now be hosting the Grammy show, in the company of so many other incredible artists, is a dream come true.”

Having a host means that some awards will be announced to performers on the red carpet before the show begins. This is a small price to pay for actual entertainment during the show.

LL Cool J is a multi-award winning artist. With his charisma, charm and comedic sense of humor, he will add the extra spice that the Grammys have been lacking as of late.

Along with an incredible host,

there are also some incredible nominees and performers.

Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, the Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Rihanna and Paul McCartney have all been announced thus far as performers. There seems to be an artist for every genre and age group so that everyone can enjoy the show.

Rapper Nicki Minaj has been nominated for several awards, among which are Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance and Best New Artist.

Minaj had an outstanding year. She was able to collaborate with many of the big names in rap, including Drake, Eminem, Lil Wayne and Kanye West.

She hit the top ten chart multiple times and is in the works for her next album.

Rihanna and Lady Gaga are going head-to-head in three categories. This will be an interesting race to see who comes out on top with the most Grammys. Will it be sex-icon Rihanna or the unique stylings of Lady Gaga? Keep your eyes and ears open when it comes to Best Pop Vocal Album, Album of the Year, and Best Duo Performance.

Up for the most coveted award, Album of the Year, are Adele’s 21, Foo Fighters’s Wasting Light, Lady Gaga’s Born This Way, Bruno Mars’s Doo-Wops & Hooligans, and Rihanna’s Loud.

Along with the positives, though, will come the negatives. Will Kanye West have an outburst and rush the stage when Taylor Swift takes the mic?

Tune in to CBS on Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. and find out!

point/counterpoint: Oscar season

Red Tails sputters and stalls out

By Nick Signore Managing Editor

“They say war is hell. This is just boring as hell.” This quote from early in the movie may sadly best describe the movie itself.

Red Tails chronicles the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first group of African American pilots who fought in World War II. The pilots battle Germans in the air COURTESY TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX and racism on the ground, all in an Suit up: Red Tails fails to fully inspire moviegoers. attempt to achieve equality and respect.

The film features a strong cast, normally easy targets for German pistarring Terrence Howard (Crash, lots due to the previous lack of proHustle & Flow), Cuba Gooding, Jr. tection provided by American fighter (Radio, Pearl Harbor), and newcomer pilots.

Despite what should be an inspirDavid Oyelowo, who gives a fantasing story line, the movie falters due to tic performance as Joe “Lightning” Little, a hot shot pilot who disobeys its linear characters and cliché action orders but gets away with it because sequences. It also has its fair share of cringe-worthy dialogue. On top of of his superior piloting.

Initially, the pilots are flying this, the obligatory love story seems out-of-date planes and are ordered contrived and out of place in the film.

Despite some of Red Tails’ shortto patrol parts Italy that are nearly comings, it does feature superb dogvoid of German presence due to the fi ght scenes that capture the craziness War Commission deeming African Americans “too unintelligent and un- of a World War II aerial engagement skilled” to perform at top flight levels. while allowing the viewer to follow After much lobbying by Colo- what is happening. It also chronicles nel A.J. Bullard (Howard) and some a story that has long deserved more fine flying by the Tuskegee Airmen, than just a small blurb in American they are finally given more critical history books.

Red Tails is worth seeing if you missions and upgraded planes. The are a history buff or are someone who pilots decide that painting the tails red will give them a unique distinc- simply enjoys war films, but the avertion while flying and this earns them age moviegoer would do best to take the nickname “Red Tails” from other evasive action to avoid this mediocre film.

American pilots.

After multiple successful operations, the Red Tails are put in charge of defending the 10-man bombers,

Junior Saints Weekend packed with events Do awards matter?: The Saint staff squares off on Hollywood and award season.

COURTESY CINE-INTERNATIONAL.COM

Let’s not celebrate celebrity

By Stephanie Giluk A&E Editor

The Oscar Race of 2012 is on, and I don’t really care. I’ve never been one to go crazy over what movie wins what awards, mostly because I like what movies I like, and sometimes those movies are laughed at by those high-end movie-biz people who get to decide which actors and what movie wins a coveted Oscar. If a movie I like wins an Oscar, great. I already liked it.

I don’t like it more because it won an award. If a movie doesn’t win an Oscar, well, then it doesn’t.

What I’m trying to say is that the Oscars seem to matter most to people within the movie industry more than they do to the people who fund those same movies by buying expensive (for a college student, anyway) tickets and watching them on the silver screen.

The whole award season process is a bunch of movie insiders congratulating

themselves on being so darned talented and celebrating their own star power.

Acting is a strange profession in itselfit is a form storytelling, no doubt, but unlike an author writing a book, for example, acting is worshipped to such a high degree it creates celebrity. Most authors aren’t stalked by paparazzi or featured in the pages of the newest Entertainment Weekly issue.

There’s something about seeing someone on the big screen that makes them objects of worship, and I think the award season madness just adds fuel to the fire of celebrity glorification. I don’t care who wins what. I don’t need a shiny golden man to validate my opinions about actors or movies. I care that they’re good actors, and that the story they are trying to tell me is meaningful and wonderful in some way. Those actors shouldn’t need a Mercedes full of awards to reassure them that they really are talented.

Finally, the level of scrutiny en-

tertainment bloggers give the award season is insane. They speculate what movies will win what based on which film took home the most wins/got the most nominations at the Producer’s Guild Awards, the Golden Globes, the Director’s Guild Awards, or any of the other good dozen award-givers associations. There are even lists and charts to keep straight who’s winning what, just so people (and by people, I mean entertainment columnists who are paid to ponder these kinds of things) can speculate whether The Artist’s silent charm will sweep the floor with their competitors this year. Or maybe George Clooney will be nominated for both Best Actor and Best Director this year. Or maybe every single nominee for Best Actress is a first-timer this year.

How fascinating!

I think I’m just going to go see Girl with the Dragon Tattoo again and call it good.

diamonds that could probably feed a third world country (although several of them auction off these items to charity, I should note) and yes, there are politics surrounding movies that are overlooked. After all, who is this so-called Academy and why does determining the year’s best films fall into their hands? They do this for the same reason judges are picked to write down scores for Olympic figure skating and gymnastics. Even if the scores do not match the performance, I’d like to believe this does not diminish the event as a whole.

And when it comes down to it, whether it be the Olympics or the Academy Awards, one may experience some internal bruising if they are nominated and do not win, but as stars always say, “It’s an honor to even be nominated.”

Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep aren’t my best friends, but when they and their peers say things like this, I think they’re genuinely truthful.

Ultimately, when it comes down to it, the Academy Awards reveal the heart and soul put into making movies, and there is no question that at the very core of these standout films are talented individuals (on the screen and behind the scenes) who believe in the power of telling a story. How beautiful is it that movie makers, producers, actors and all those working behind the scenes are able to come together and celebrate their work?

While on the surface the Academy Awards can easily be interpreted as an opportunity for the rich and famous to dress up, have a few laughs, and then hit up the after parties, if you truly watch, there is something much deeper these awards have to offer. They provide hope for a culture that is putting the arts as a whole on the bottom of the totem pole. They remind the world that telling stories, and telling them well, is something to celebrate.

Artistry at its best and brightest

By Monica Rischiotto The Saint Reporter

When it comes to television, there are only a small handful of shows that make it into my evening schedule, and it pretty much cuts off at Antiques Roadshow Monday nights. There is, however, one television event spectacular that I write in my schedule weeks and weeks in advance: the one and only Academy Awards.

This annual event is a celebration of the arts, and similar to the Olympics, is an evening when talented individuals from around the world can come together to praise each other’s achievements. And more often than not, the themes and messages their movies portray are ones that touch our hearts, ones that reveal the strengths and weaknesses of human nature and provide a lens into the lives of individuals which may have otherwise never been exposed.

Sure, you have the A-list celebrities who come clad in vintage and

A & E Editor Stephanie Giluk

E-mail saint.editor@aquinas.edu

By Sam Swartout The Saint Reporter This weekend is Aquinas’ Annual Junior Saints Weekend! This will be a jam-packed weekend of events for siblings of AQ students.

Check-in begins at 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 27, at COURTESY AQUINAS.EDU the Cook Carriage House, with dinSay hi to Nelson: There’s activities galore during JSW. ner to follow from 5 p.m.- 7 p.m. in High School swimming pool. A shutWege Cafeteria.

After dinner, kids and their tle will be provided for those without brothers or sisters have a choice of vehicles, and pizza will arrive at 5 events. They can either partake in pm.

At 8 p.m., join Nelson for crafts the Medieval Dinner Theatre in Wege Ballroom from 6:15 p.m.-8 p.m. or and activities in the Wege Ballroom, they can watch the wonders of magi- to be followed at 10:30 p.m. by AQ’s cian/balloon artist John Cassidy in the Improv Show “In Case of Emergency.”

Kretschmer Recital Hall at 7p.m.

Sunday morning, St. Thomas Snacks and prizes will be availAquinas Patronal Mass will be in able at the 8 p.m. Monty Python and Bukowski Chapel from 10:30 a.m.the Holy Grail party. This is an inter12 p.m.

Brunch will be served afteractive event that everyone who wants to know the difference between an wards in Wege Cafeteria.

For parents who would like to African and European swallow will come to Grand Rapids and stay offenjoy.

At 9 p.m, past winner of The Big- campus while siblings are hanging gest Loser Helen Phillips will be at out, you may make reservations at the Sturrus Sports and Fitness Center The Ramada Plaza Grand Rapids for to give an inspirational speech about $79/per night. Aquinas College has taking care of yourself. Following her reserved several rooms. Simply notalk will be a workout. Open gym will tify the hotel receptionist that you are also be available from 10 p.m-11 p.m. with Aquinas College and they will Friday Night Fitness will be the set up your accommodations. The hoevent to end the night! Come work- tel’s phone number is (616) 949-9222.

This very popular event is sponout, win prizes and play games from sored this year by Campus Life, 11 p.m.-12 a.m.

Residence Life, Aquinas College ProWake up the next day and eat gramming Board, Resident Housing breakfast on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. with Aquinas’ own mascot, Association and Area Councils.

Registration for this year’s event Nelson! Afterwards, head on over to Sturrus at 1 p.m. to catch the excit- closed Friday, Jan 20. However, if you ing action of AQ’s women’s basketball have any further questions, you may team play cross-town rival Corner- contact campus life at campuslife@ stone. There will be half-time activi- aquinas.edu. ties and free popcorn!

Make a splash from 4:30 p.m.6:30 p.m. at the East Grand Rapids

Phone (616) 632-2975

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

sports

page

7

THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012

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WHAT TO WATCH

Skiing: Four time X Game Champion Sarah Burke dies after accident

Soccer: United States wins 14-0, 13-0 in Olympic qualifying

NHL: Red Wings to take part in outdoor game at The Big House

Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke died Jan. 19 after sustaining irreversible brain damage during a training run on Jan. 10. Burke was a fourtime Winter X Game Champion in the superpipe event. Last year, Burke successfully campaigned for the International Olympic Committee to add freestyle superpipe skiing to the Winter Olympics.

The United States women’s national team is having no trouble in the CONCACAF women’s Olympic qualifying tournament. Last Friday the U.S. pulverized the Dominican Republic 14-0, with Amy Rodriguez scoring five goals. This Sunday the Americans crushed Guatemala 13-0 to advance to the semifinals of the Olympic qualifiers.

The Detroit Red Wings are set to take to the Big House. The NHL has announced preliminary plans to schedule the 2013 Winter Classic in Michigan Stadium. The annual outdoor hockey game is a highlight of the NHL calendar. The Wings will play fellow Original Six member the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Aquinas College women’s basketball team will face city-rival Cornerstone University this Saturday at the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center at 1 p.m. Aquinas defeated Cornerstone by one at Cornerstone earlier in the season and look to sweep the Golden Eagles.

What is in a legacy

Saints in search of consistency

GRCC cancels football program

dan meloy | sports editor Joe Paterno, one of the all-time coaching greats in American sports, passed away this past Sunday. He was 85.

Paterno’s football record speaks for him. Paterno, affectionately known as Joe Pa, won 409 games in his tenure, by far the most in major college football history.

Paterno spent 61 years in coaching, 45 as a head coach, all the while spending his entire coaching career at one school–something unheard of in today’s world of college athletics.

However, for all the wins, for all the trophies and for all the players Paterno coached, the legend’s legacy has been tainted these past couple of month.

Reports of sexual misconduct involving the program that he was in charge of led to an investigation of how much people knew and when they knew it.

Ultimately, this led the university board firing Paterno from his position effective immediately, ending what is without a doubt one of the most extraordinary careers in coaching history in a rather unceremonious way.

This unexpected ending was not the way most mapped out how Joe Pa would end his career. Indeed, a bunch of riled up college students threatening to riot is not one would call a Hollywood ending. However, the end of Paterno’s career should not be the defining moment of his legacy. As the saying goes, there is more to a man than just his faults. And in the case of Joe Pa there is much, much more.

One cannot walk around the Penn State campus without seeing the generosity of Paterno. And no one can doubt the humility of the Paterno family by seeing the family’s simple house and the simple manner in which they live.

Over the course of his half-century tenure at the university, Paterno has given over $5 million to the school and was instrumental in raising over $14 million dollars to refurbish and expand Penn State’s library, aptly named the Paterno Library.

Yet the Paterno family lived in a simple one story home in University Park and Paterno was noticed by reporters driving a white Ford Tempo for a majority of his time at the school.

However, these details of Paterno’s life have been overshadowed in recent months by what else has happened during his time at the school. This leads to questions of what Paterno knew and what he could have done to stop it.

Granted, the old saying, “If it bleeds, it leads,” still applies to people’s consciences as we tend to remember the tragedy over the charity. And with the shocking news coming out of Penn State being so recent, the allegations were still fresh in people’s minds as the world heard of Paterno’s death.

The question now remains: Will the allegations forever be cemented in Paterno’s legacy?

Truth be told, the sporting world can be rather cruel in terms of legacies.

Nobody seems to remember that Red Sox star Bill Buckner hit .289 average over the course of his career. But they do remember the ball going between his legs in the 1986 World Series. Michigan’s Fab Five are not remembered for their flashy play, but rather for Chris Weber calling a time out when the team was out of time outs.

The reason why we remember the bad over the good is because it makes for good theater. And let’s be honest, spectator sports are nothing more than theater for the masses.

Yes, Joe Pa experienced a lapse in judgment and, fair or not, it cost him his job.

However, in that course of time he won an astonishing amount of games, had five undefeated seasons and won two National Championships. All the while in his 45 years of being in charge at Penn State the university never broke an NCAA rule.

Sports are about the pursuit of excellence. The word pursuit implies that it is neither something that is given nor something one is entitled to. It implies that you have to work for it and there will be bumps along the way.

Yes, there were bumps along Paterno’s path. But through those bumps he found excellence.

And that will forever be his legacy.

>> WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

AQ men’s basketball team is caught in the middle of WHAC

By Clare Conway The Saint Reporter The Aquinas College men’s basketball team is 10-12 this season with a 6-4 record in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference.

Coming off of an upsetting loss to the number three ranked team in the nation, Davenport University, the Saints held nothing back in their dominating win over in Madonna University last Wednesday. After leading the first half 38-17, the Saints finished the game with 64-45.

Junior center Zach Eddy led all scorers with 15 points, including going five for five from the free throw line. Senior guard Joe Powers was close behind, scoring 14 points and dishing out a team high five assists. The Saints leading rebounder, senior forward Jake Shockey, yet again led the team with eight rebounds. Defense is what won the Saints this game, holding their opponents to just 28 percent from the field in comparison to their own 42 percent.

The Saints followed their defensive leader Shockey as they put up all stops to defeat Madonna.

In the Saints’ second league game of the week, Aquinas took on Lourdes College down in Ohio. The Gray Wolves narrowly defeated the Saints 46-45, extending Lourdes’ winning streak to five games. Although Aquinas was up 26-18 at the half, they could not hold on to their lead. Lourdes made a run to cut into Aquinas’ lead. At the five

MIRIAM PRANSCHKE / THE SAINT Looking for answers: Sophomore guard Brett Pfahler looks for a teammate open for a pass.

The Saints are 10-12 and 6-4 in the WHAC.

minute mark, Lourdes had their first lead of the game. The game from then on out was a dog fight, with the score going back and forth. The Saints had one last chance to win it, but Eddy’s buzzer beater just missed. Aquinas was led by Powers with ten points.

“They played tough defense that took us out of what we wanted to do offensively,” said Joe Powers. “They played tougher than us, and out worked us which we like to pride ourselves in. That’s why the loss hurts.”

Miscommunication on the defensive end was costly, as was their execution of offense, committing an unprecedented 22 turnovers.

“We came out and went up by ten and went into halftime with an eight point lead,” said sophomore guard Tim Jensen. “We struggled on rebounding they had a lot of offensive boards which killed us. Then in like the last three minutes we just made some mental mistakes.”

With a 6-4 league record, the Saints are tied with Madonna for fourth in the WHAC. The Saints are now 7-4 in the WHAC and 11-11 overall. Their next home game is Wednesday, January 25 against University of Northwestern Ohio at 7:30 p.m. at the Sturrus Sports and Fitness Center.

Michigan schools victorious while rest of Big Ten struggles

By Meghan Gray The Saint Reporter Stand out teams in the Big Ten this past football season were Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin. The Spartans had a 10-2 record and went to the Big Ten Championship game again, giving the Badgers a hard fight but not pulling through quite enough. This loss for the Spartans gave them a chance to play the University of Georgia in the Outback Bowl, where they beat the Bulldogs in a 3OT 33-30 final score.

This was Head Coach Mark Dantonio’s first bowl game win since 2001.

The Badgers had a chance to play Oregon University in the coveted Rose Bowl. Oregon’s offense was so quick the Badgers defense had to take time to adjust. However, they never trailed the Ducks by more than one point. Oregon pulled away in the fourth quarter beat-

ing Wisconsin 45-38.

The University of Michigan Wolverines went into the Sugar Bowl with a 10-2 versus the Virginia Tech Hokies who were 11-2. In the second quarter two vital plays occurred: Michigan’s punter was tackled after the punt and the Hokies were called for roughing the kicker, giving the Wolverines great field position to then score their first touchdown.

Michigan won off of a 37-yard field goal, giving Head Coach Brady Hoke his first bowl win at the University of Michigan and an 11-2 record.

Purdue played Western Michigan in the Little Caesars Bowl. Purdue had an advantage being a Big Ten team with a variety of competition. But Western Michigan held their own against the Boilermakers before falling to Purdue 32-37.

Iowa played Oklahoma in the Insight Bowl. The Sooners better record of 10-3 and Big 12 experience led them

to defeat the Iowa Hawkeyes 31-14.

Northwestern kept the Meineke Car Care Bowl against Texas A&M a close game. The Wildcats were defeated by A&M 33-22. In the Kraft Hunger Bowl, the Illinois Fighting Illini defeated the UCLA Bruins, 20-14.

In the TicketCity Bowl, the up and coming University of Houston Cougars defeated Penn State 30-14. Nebraska tried to hold their own against South Carolina in the Capital One Bowl. Unfortunately, Nebraska lost 13-30. In the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, Ohio State played Florida. The Gators defeated the Buckeyes 24-17.

It was mostly a down year for the Big Ten this bowl season, as the conference went a dismal 3-7 overall.

Wisconsin was the highest ranked team in the conference being tenth in the 10th in the final AP poll. Michigan State and Michigan followed being ranked 11th and 12th respectively.

Putting focus on Nationals Men’s and women’s indoor track and field compete at Central Michigan and Allendale

By Meghan Gray The Saint Reporter It is only the third week of classes and indoor track and field season is well on its way.

The men’s team did very well in the Chippewa Open hosted by Central Michigan University . In the events that Aquinas participated in, a male athlete advanced to the finals by placing in the top nine in their respective events.

Senior sprinter Rumeal McKinney ran the men’s 60-meter dash with a time of 6.87 seconds and the 200 with a time of 22.64.

Last week McKinney was named Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week.

“It was very cool and a good feeling and hopefully the team wins conference and hopefully I place well enough to qualify for nationals, and hopefully I Sports Editor Dan Meloy

win there too. It’s my last year so I want to finish strong,” said McKinney.

At the Mike Lints Open in Allendale, the men had many event winners such as McKinney in the 60 and senior middle distance runner Dustin Heiler in the 800-meter run.

“Central was good because everyone started out the indoor season well and these January meets are work meets,” said indoor track and field Head Coach Dave Wood.

When asked what he meant by work meets, Wood said that in January, the athletes and coaches look to see where everyone is at and how they can improve or change their technique because come February, the actual meets begin. February is when track and field athletes can start qualifying for nationals.

The women of the Aquinas College Track and Field team also showed to

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compete at both the Central and GVSU meets these past two weekends. Junior thrower Emily Smith was a standout competitor at the Central meet and held her own against tough competition at the Allendale meet. Other team members who placed well at the Grand Valley were senior sprinter Samantha DeStefano in the women’s 60-meter dash, senior middle distance runner Caitlyn Bonney in the 600, and senior distance runner Alina Dehaseleer in the 5000.

“I feel like the Central meet went pretty well and everyone’s throws were consistent,” said sophomore thrower Rae LaVoie. “Emily Smith threw over 40 feet in shot put, everyone just seems to be getting consistently better, including the runners. We are all really, really competing and working as a team.”

Phone (616) 632-2975

Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

By Jarrett Ardell The Saint Reporter The Grand Rapids Community College football team had an impressive 11-0 conclusion for the 2011 Fall season. They finished in the top 10 of the National Junior College Athletics Association and won the Midwest Football Conference, thanks in large part to the leadership of Head Coach Tony Annese. Yet in spite of this season’s success, the GRCC football program has been discontinued.

On January 9, 2012, GRCC President Steven Ender announced that the Raiders would discontinue its intercollegiate football program effective immediately.

“This has been a painful decision for all involved,” said Dr. Ender, “It was not an easy decision, but one that needed to be made.”

GRCC decided to cancel the football program for a number of reasons.

First was the extensive travel with games being played in Illinois, Iowa, North Dakota and Georgia. These games require GRCC student-athletes to travel by bus for up to 19 hours for a road game.

In addition significant personal obstacles faced GRCC student-athletes in the football program. Many players were from out of state and trying to manage off-campus living arrangements, financial aid, course schedules and football obligations proved to be too burdensome.

The college was also having a hard time complying with Title IX regulations, specifically in regard to numbers of student by gender participating in GRCC’s intercollegiate athletics program. The football team forced the school to dedicate more financial resources to the football team for scholarships throwing off the school’s ratio of how many athletic scholarships they give out to men and women.

Finally, the sudden departure of Coach Annese led to the school cancelling its football program. Coach Annese took the Ferris State University head coaching position this December.

Wings soar as Pistons sputter

By Dan Meloy Sports Editor A pair of wins last week have seen the Detroit Red Wings vault to first place in the Central Division and the Western Conference.

On Jan. 19, the Wings defeated the Phoenix Coyotes 3-2 in a shootout.

Todd Bertuzzi scored the lone goal in shootout after pulling off a spin move and slotting the puck to the goalie’s left.

Bertuzzi scored in the second period to increase his goal total on the year to 10.

Ian White scored his sixth goal of the year for the Wings in the second period to tie the game 1-1.

Two nights later the Wings once again won in shootout, this time overcoming division rival Columbus Blue Jackets.

Niklas Kronwall and Nicklas Lidstrom both scored their 10th goals of the season to put the game into shootout.

Valtteri Filppula scored the lone goal in shootout give the Red Wings sixth straight win.

Detroit is now 33-15-1 and in first place in the Western Conference and the race for the Presidents’ Trophy.

As for the Detroit Pistons, they have been at the other end of winning spectrum.

The Pistons are sitting at the bottom of the Central Divison with an abysmal 4-14 record.

Following a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves the Pistons fell to the Memphis Grizzlies 98-81. Brandon Knight led Detroit with 22 points in the losing effort.

Detroit snapped their four game losing streak on Jan. 21 with 94-91 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Rodney Stuckey was instrumental for the Pistons as he led the team with 28 points.

Last Monday, the Pistons traveled to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder, the second best team in the NBA. The Pistons are back in action tonight hosting the Miami Heat at 7:30 p.m. at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

The Wings will travel to Montreal to play the Canadiens at 7:30 p.m.

8

SPORTS

THE SAINT |WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012

Easy does it Women’s basketball team hunts for a good seed following a pair of blowout wins

DALE DOMER / THE SAINT

Shooting from the charity stripe: Junior center Shelby Carter attempts a free throw against Lourdes. The Saints will need to be consistent on the free throw line in order to beat Cornerstone this Saturday.

By Dan Meloy Sports Editor A pair of blowout wins last week has the Aquinas College women’s basketball team at 13-8 and a 6-4 conference record.

The Saints crushed Madonna University and Lourdes College last week to put them in a tie for third in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference.

On Jan. 18, the Saints traveled to Livonia and defeated Madonna 76-56.

Aquinas built up a seven point lead at the half and then ran away with the game, outscoring the Crusaders 44-31 in the second half in route to the victory. Freshman guard Allison Heberlein scored 14 points and seven rebounds.

Junior guard Taelor Sanders scored 11 points and had seven rebounds.

Last Saturday, the Saints crushed Lourdes 73-55. Aquinas was in control from the start shooting 40 percent from the field and constantly harassing the Grey Wolves with a full-court press.

Junior center Shelby Carter points out that the Saints can only press when the team works together.

“The key is communication,” said Carter. “Our biggest thing is to close the trap on our 1-2-2 press once we close it up then we have to communi-

cate where the ball is going, where people are and hustle back if we get beat.”

The Saints used the press well against Lourdes, forcing 28 turnovers.

Sanders led the Saints with 15 points and seven rebounds. Carter scored 13 points in the game and freshman guard Chelsea Matley had 12 points.

Despite the easy win, women’s basketball Head Coach Lina Nash still found areas for the team to improve upon if they are to go far in the tournament.

“We missed a lot of easy shots, I felt our decision making at times wasn’t good,” said Nash. “But it is live and learn. We have a big road game on Wednesday and then we come back.”

The Saints travel to Lima, Ohio to face the University of Northwestern Ohio tonight and will return home to play city-rival Cornerstone University at the Sturrus Sports and Fitness Center at 1 p.m.

“We need to come out this week in practice and practice hard; this past week we have not had any tough practices and we were kind of goofing off a bit,” said Sanders.

“We know it is a big week for us and a big week in conference and we just have to be ready.”

Giants and Patriots set to square off in Super Bowl

From alternative to mainstream The Detroit Mechanix are Michigan’s new professional Ultimate team

By George Van Den Driessche The Saint Reporter Ultimate steals the main stage in Michigan as Detroit will be home of one of eight teams that will form a new Ultimate league. The Detroit Mechanix will take part in the inaugural season of the American Ultimate Disc League a professional ultimate league.

The sport, also known as Ultimate Disc or Ultimate Frisbee, has come a long way in a very short period of time. It was founded in 1968. In the past 43 years, Ultimate has been on an odyssey, starting as a backyard game to the formation of a professional league.

The first college match was played in 1972 between Princeton and Rutgers universities. Rutgers has claim to the first victory by a two point differential. This transition to a professional sport is terrific news for fans of Ultimate.

“I think it’s great. It really shows that Ultimate should be taken seriously and acknowledged,” said junior Mitch Spelde, captain of Aquinasauraus, the Aquinas College ultimate club team. “It’s as exciting as football or basketball can be.”

Some changes will be made to the game. These changes are meant to speed up the pace of the game and provide a more entertaining aspect for viewers. The two biggest changes are a time limit of four 20-minute quarters and the stall count being seven seconds as opposed to the traditional 10 seconds. For official rules go to usaultimate.org or theaudl.com.

COURTESY DETROIT MECHANIX

Gearing up: The Detroit Mechanix will compete in the newly established American Ultimate Disc League this year at the Silverdome.

Another significant change is the creation of an overtime period in the event of a tie at the end of the game. The first overtime session will be a five minute period. If the match is still tied, a second overtime period will occur with the first team scoring winning the game. Traditionally, overtime was not needed in Ultimate since a game would be decided by a team being the first to score a specific amount of goals.

There are officially eight teams broken into two conferences. The Western Conference consists of the Columbus Cranes, Detroit Mechanix, Indianapolis Alley Cats and the Bluegrass Revolution (Kentucky). The Eastern Conference consists of the Buffalo Hunters, Philadelphia Spinners, Rhode Island Rampage and the Connecticut Constitution.

The Mechanix had their first combine on January 7. Detroit hosted the combine at the Detroit Silverdome in Pontiac, the proposed home field for

the Mechanix.

AUDL will officially kick off the season on April 14 with Detroit’s first game being against the Revolution. The Mechanix’s mascot, Rusty the Wrench, will then cheer the team to victory in their first home game against the Rhode Island Rampage.

Tickets can be purchased at the Mechanix website, detmechanix.com.

Anyone interested in trying out in future combines can contact the team via e-mail at Info@detmechanix.com.

What does this mean for Aquinas Ultimate?

“As far as what it means to Aquinas ultimate, I’d hope that people see this and take interest in our sport, whether it’s joining the team or just coming to support us and watch,” said Spelde. “I just don’t think enough people know about the sport and I’m hoping that this professional team shows people that ultimate frisbee is just as much of a sport as any other sport.”

Buckeyes, Wolverines and Spartans all tied atop the Big Ten standings

By Brian Kalchik The Saint Reporter This Big Ten basketball season is shaping up to go down to the wire with lots of teams contending for the Big Ten regular season title.

There is a three-way tie for first between sixth ranked Ohio State, 20th ranked Michigan and ninth ranked Michigan State all with 5-2 Big Ten records. Wisconsin and Illinois are creeping closer in the standings with Wisconsin being 5-3 and Illinois at 4-3.

Some players to watch as far as these teams are concerned are Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger, Aaron Craft and William Buford. Meanwhile, Michigan boasts the likes of Trey Burke, Zack Novak, Tim Hardaway Jr., with Draymond Green and Keith Appling as the go to players for the Spartans.

Jordan Taylor and Ryan Evans are

the leading scores for the Wisconsin Badgers who have made a late surge in the league standings. Brandon Paul and Myers Leonard are the players to look out for the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Twenty games into season and eight of the Big Ten’s 12 teams have legitimate shots at earning a bid to the NCAA National Tournament.

Some of the coaches to watch for the remainder of the Big Ten season are Ohio State’s Thad Matta, Michigan’s John Beilein, Michigan St.’s Tom Izzo, Wisconsin’s Bo Ryan, Illinois’s Bruce Weber and two dark horses in Minnesota’s Tubby Smith and Indiana’s Tom Crean.

Some games to look forward to for the rest of the regular season are Indiana at Wisconsin on January 26, Michigan at Ohio St. on January 29, Michigan at Michigan St. on February 5 and on the final day of the regular season Ohio

St. at Michigan St. on March 4.

With how the Big Ten has been so far, no one can predict who will end up being the conference champion.

There could be some surprise team that comes out of nowhere and starts getting hot at the right time. Some candidates to make a surprise are Purdue and Northwestern. Purdue has the luxury of having veteran coach Matt Painter and are led by experienced leader Robbie Hummel. Northwestern plays an unorthodox system compared to the other Big Ten teams and is looking for the school’s first bid to the National Tournament.

With more than half of the Big Ten season remaining, a lot can still happen with the league standings. Look for surprises, look for upsets and expect the unexpected as teams compete for a Big Ten championship and a chance to earn a bid to the big dance come March.

Senior Anne Marie Shumaker is a natural leader both on and off the court

By Sam Swartout The Saint Reporter COURTESY NFL

Familiar Foes: It will be a case of Super Bowl deja vu as the New England Patriots line up against the New York Giants in a rematch of Super Bowl XLII.

By Sam Swartout The Saint Reporter This Sunday, both the NFC and AFC Championships were played to determine who will compete for the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLVI. In the AFC Championship, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots hosted Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens. Brady had a lackluster performance, completing only 22 of 36 passes for 234 yards.

Among those throws, two were intercepted and none were thrown for touchdowns. However, Flacco was off on his game. He too completed only 22 of 36 passes, throwing for 282 yards.

Among his passes were two touchdown passes and one interception.

With 1:44 left in the fourth quarter, Baltimore was down by three points and had the ball. Flacco got the team within field goal range with 11 seconds remaining on the clock. The ball was snapped and Baltimore kicker Billy Cundiff missed the 32-yard kick wide to the left. Brady took a knee and allowed for the clock to run out, deeming the New England Patriots the AFC Champion with a score of 23-20.

On the opposite side of the country, Eli Manning and the New York Giants traveled to San Francisco to face the 49ers in the NFC Championship. In a back and forth game with four lead changes, the Giants pulled a win out in overtime.

Both Giants quarterback Eli Man-

ning and 49ers quarterback Alex Smith had good games with two touchdown passes apiece. Manning completed 32 of 58 passes for 316 yards, while Smith threw for 196 yards. After both teams punted in the overtime period, the Giants were faced with a fourth and 13.

The Giants punted to 49ers returner Kyle Williams, who fumbled the ball, and the Giants recovered on the San Francisco 24-yard line. After running a few plays, Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes converted a 31-yard field goal to send the Giants to the Super Bowl.

This match-up is very well known.

The last time these two teams met was Super Bowl XLII. Winning that game was Eli Manning and the New York Giants in a dramatic upset 17-14. Will Tom Brady and the New England Patriots be able to redeem themselves?

Experts are saying yes.

The halftime performer this year is Madonna. She will be singing songs for all ages, from her classics to her most recent hits. Madonna will bring a new style to the Super Bowl halftime performance as in recent years the show has been dominated by classic rock acts.

Both the New England Patriots and the New York Giants will travel to Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI on February 5, 2012. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on NBC. Be sure to tune in to see who wins, as well as to see the newest and best super bowl commercials of 2012!

Sports Editor Dan Meloy

“Smart,” “hardworking” and “great team player” were all words used to describe Anne Marie Shumaker.

Anne Marie is a senior at Aquinas.

She plays guard and is a captain for the women’s basketball team.

Her basketball career started in Grand Haven, Michigan, at the age of seven.

“My mom just came home and told me she had signed me up to play basketball at the YMCA,” said Shumaker.

“I’ve been playing year-around every year since.”

Shumaker has had her fair share of ups and downs throughout her basketball career. “My senior year of high school we were ranked top ten in the state, we even made it to quarterfinals.

It was a great year for us.”

However, her high school dreams of winning a state championship were crushed when her team lost by one point in the quarterfinals. “I had an opportunity to shoot, and instead I passed the ball to the best girl on our team. We had set the play up for her. As she went to make her layup, she missed because three girls were holding her. There was no foul called, and we lost the game.

I will always regret not shooting the ball.”

After playing for four years at Grand Haven High School, Shumaker came to Aquinas to make a name for herself.

“Each year Anne Marie has been with us, her role has increased. She has been very patient with our system and is a fantastic asset to our team,” said women’s basketball Head Coach Linda Nash.

Being the only senior on the team

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COURTESY GRAND RAPIDS PRESS

Focused: Senior Anne Marie Shumaker has her mind set on improving herself and her teammates as a leader. this year puts some pressure on Shumaker to help guide the new players and to help be a leader on and off the court.

“Both in and out of the locker room Anne Marie really help the team to bond and to stay focused,” said Nash.

“When we need a calming influence, she is there. When we need to be steadied, we get the ball to her. She slows things down for us when we need it.”

The team goal for the season is to get a bid to nationals. They hope to achieve this goal by winning the conference tournament. “I’d like to see us finish in the top four or five in the conference. Winning the tourney and getting a bid to nationals would be awesome,” said Shumaker. “As for my personal goals, I’d just like to continue to get better at defense and to grow as a leader of the team.”

Roommates, coaches and teammates alike agree that Shumaker is a

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Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint

one of a kind player.

“She is just a great person. She is academically focused and keeps a good balance in her life,” said junior Kelli Day, one of Shumaker’s roommates.

Shumaker learned her leadership and playing skills from her basketball heroes Michael Jordan and Diana Taurasi. “MJ is the greatest player of all time. From defense to scoring, he was just incredible. He played with heart and had fun with the game,” said Shumaker. “I also like Diana because she is the Michael Jordan of women’s basketball. She can shoot deep, deep three’s and I love that.”

Shumaker hopes to continue to do something with her passion of basketball after she graduates from Aquinas.

Whether it is coaching or teaching in clinics, she just hopes to remain a part of the basketball community.