February 2015 (63, 6)

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A Student Publication of the Belmont Hill School

Fenway, Gillette, Now the Garden: Basketball Shines During Turn on Big Stage shot selection. Senior forward Myles Walsh, sporting a mullet hair-cut, provided the team with an early basket and a fundamentally strong style of play while senior guard James Russo scored an impressive NBA three-point basket in the final minutes of the game.

Point-forward Walsh called the game “An incredible experience that I

By Liam Foley Panel Staff The Belmont Hill Varsity Basketball team observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day by beating BBN’s varsity team at TD Garden in Boston. The Belmont Hill team’s unique opportunity to play on the Boston Celtics home floor was made possible due to a high school basketball showcase which also raised donations for the ARC of Massachusetts, an organization that supports families with children who have intellectual disabilities.

Belmont Hill started the game strongly and held onto its lead for the entire game; the team led the BBN Knights by just five points at halftime but managed to extend their lead to double digits and never looked back as the

Myles Walsh

Basketball team, managers, and coaches gather after beating BB&N team ultimately breezed to a 56-40 victory. Senior shooting guard, Hilal Dahleh, provided a teamhigh twelve points. Belmont Hill’s two freshman stars, Jovan Jones and David Mitchell each turned in excellent performances with Jovan Jones scoring eleven points to accompany his

nine rebounds while David Mitchell pulled in seven rebounds to complement his eleven points. Senior point guard Sultan Olusekun scored five points and dished out five assists. Jesse Wims, the team’s six footeight inch center accrued six rebounds and eight points along with strong

will never forget; being able to play on the same court as Jae Crowder, Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, and my personal favorite Bob ‘Big Bob’ Bigelow was truly amazing!” and commended the Belmont Hill Loop for their strong attendance. Senior center Jesse Wims emphatically declared that the Belmont Hill community should “Believe the hype!”

A week later the Varsity basketball squad maintained their momentum with a win against St. Sebastian’s featuring a Jovan Jones last-second onehanded putback layup. The team closed January Belmont Hill improved their overall record to 11-2 and Bill Mahoney their in-league record to 5-1, and are one of Senior Hilal Dahleh led the game in scor- the top contenders for ing with 12 points this year’s ISL title. ☐

The Year in Music: Grammy Awards to Recognize 2014’s Best School Alum Keys (alternate choice: take home trophies. to take home her long- looks to be a toss-up. Morning Phase, Beck) Details Work

By Michael O’Neill overdue first Album “Stay With Me” is the Best Alternative Panel Staff Album of the Year: of the Year prize this more artistic of the Album: St. Vincent, with ESPN The Grammy Nominees: Morn- year, but don’t rule two, while “Shake It Awards can be fickle.

Known for common miscategorizations of artists and baffling winners, the awards show tends to confound critics with its unpredictability.

Examples of results that have raised a few eyebrows in the past include granting Jethro Tull the first Best Metal Performance award despite their decidedly un-metal sound, or more recently, Esperanza Spalding beating out Drake, Mumford & Sons, and Florence & the Machine for best new artist in 2011. Still, the ceremony is a spectacle worth watching, if not for the awards, then at least for the live performances.

2015’s installment, which takes place this upcoming Sunday, boasts an impressive lineup of live acts: Ed Sheeran, Pharrell, Ariana Grande, Common with John Legend, and Usher will all take the stage over the course of the show. LL Cool J will host for the fourth consecutive time, despite his reliably bland presentation year after year. But that is as far as the night’s guarantees go, as it’s anybody’s guess who will

ing Phase, Beck; Beyonce, Beyonce; X, Ed Sheeran; In the Lonely Hour; Sam Smith; GIRL, Pharrell Williams.

Not too many surprises among the Album of the Year nominees, other than the snub of Katy Perry’s mega-hit Prism, which spawned two #1 hits in the U.S. and three more singles which cracked the top 25. The annual “we-need-a-rock-album” nominee, Beck’s Morning Phase, could have been swapped out for more deserving 2014 efforts from Arcade Fire, The War on Drugs, Spoon, St. Vincent, or The Black Keys. Still, some of the year’s most universally liked albums made the shortlist: Sam Smith’s album was well received by both fans and critics, Pharrell’s “Happy” topped the charts for 10 weeks, and Beyonce reinforced her claim as the music world’s queen with her consistently great selftitled release. Sheeran’s output shifted to more electronic sounds and garnered mixed reactions, and Beck’s record was overshadowed by many others, so I’d be surprised if either won. I expect Beyonce

out Smith or Pharrell.

Record of the Year Nominees: “Fancy,” Iggy Azalea ft.

Charli XCX; “Chandelier,” Sia; “Stay With Me,” Sam Smith; “Shake It Off,” Taylor Swift; “All About That Bass,” Meghan Trainor Confusion often surrounds the difference between the Record and Song of the Year categories, and though similar in nature, the awards examine very different parts of a song. Record of the Year looks at a song’s performance and production, and is granted to the artist. Song of the Year rewards songwriting quality. This year’s Record of the Year is tough to predict, as all five nominees cracked Billboard’s top ten. “All About That Bass” seems the weakest of the bunch, and despite its bombastic production, I can’t see “Chandelier” winning either. “Fancy” has been embroiled in controversy over rapper Iggy Azalea’s questionable cultural appropriation, which may prevent some voters from choosing it.

That leaves Smith’s and Swift’s singles, and it

Off ” is more immediate and catchy. Since this category tends to favor the latter of those qualities, I’ll stick my neck out and say Swift grabs the award.

Song of the Year Nominees: “Chandelier,” Sia; “Stay With Me,” Sam Smith; “Shake It Off,” Taylor Swift; “All About That Bass,” Meghan Trainor; “Take Me to Church,” Hozier Four Record of the Year nominees return for the songwriting category, with Hozier’s recent smash hit, “Take Me to Church,” replacing “Fancy.” The winner of this category and Record of the Year are hardly ever the same, so that would probably rule out “Shake it Off.” “Stay With Me” still stands above Sia’s and Trainor’s tracks when compared by songwriting, and Hozier doesn’t make enough of a challenge to wrest the award away from Smith, who is certain to win something on the night.

Other Predictions: Best New Artist: Sam Smith (alternate choice: HAIM) Best Rock Album: Turn Blue, The Black

St. Vincent (alternate choice: Blunderbuss, Jack White) Best R&B Performance: “Drunk in Love,” Beyonce ft. JayZ (alternate choice: “Good Kisser, Usher) Best Rap Album: Because the Internet, Childish Gambino (alternate choice: Nobody’s Smiling, Common) Best Countr y Album: The Outsiders, Eric Church (alternate choice: Platinum, Miranda Lambert) Best Dance Recording: “Rather Be,” Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glyne (alternate choice: “F For You,” Disclosure ft. Mary J. Blige Best Music Video: “Chandelier,” Sia (alternate choice: “We Exist,” Arcade Fire)

By Mack Perry Panel Staff “I have the greatest job on earth,” he proudly announces to the Patriot jersey-clad chapel. A 2005 graduate of Belmont Hill, Field Yates now works as an ESPN NFL Insider. His contributions cover TV, radio and written duties, including as a regular on NFL Insiders and a frequent guest on SportsCenter, noted school president Evan Chaletzky during Yates’ introduction.

Additionally, Yates is very active on Twitter, constantly tweeting football news and answering fans’ questions. Dressed in a sharp suit with a Belmont Hill navy and maroon-colored tie, Yates stood up on the podium and took a look at the chapel where he once sat, ten years ago. continued on page 3

Look Inside MLK Chapel pg 2 Debate: Marvel vs. DC pg 5 Featured Athlete: Timothy Brownell pg 7 Funny Tweets: Back page

Belmont Hill News

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SAFE Makes for a Powerful and Meaningful Martin Luther King Jr. Chapel

By Sreehaas Digumarthi Panel Staff For the past several years, Martin Luther King Jr. Day has followed a similar template at Belmont Hill. Generally, the day marks the end of a loaded exam week and a chance for students to recover from the first semester. The following morning would often bring a guest speaker to Belmont Hill, one who would relate his or her own experiences to the importance of the holiday that we often take for granted.

However, this year was quite different. Not only did the new exam schedule bring a different feeling to the long weekend, but the allschool Chapel on the day after the weekend was quite different as well.

This year, there was no guest speaker. Instead, Belmont Hill looked within its own community for inspiration and wisdom on a day meant to remember and learn from the ideals of the great Dr. Martin Luther King. This year’s Chapel was organized by Students Actively Fos-

tering Equality (SAFE). The Chapel some of his own thoughts on the day began with brief introductions by and the man and movement behind Mr. Collins it. JonaMr. Mahoney and Harry t h a n Porter ’15. s p o k e They reof the m i n d e d m a j o r impact us why we that Dr. were gathK i n g’s ered that teachmorning; ings and they talkactions ed about have on some of Dr. King’s Jonathan Innocent spoke evocatively about MLK’s legacy in chapel our lives today, as achievements and the lessons that we can well as the work that still needs to draw from them. Next, a series of be done as he reminded us that we powerful and meaningful quotes are still very far away from achievfrom Dr. King were presented by ing the dream that Dr. King so students and teachers scattered eloquently depicted. Jonathan acthroughout the Chapel. King’s knowledged Dr. King’s great impact words remind us of not only of his on the world but reminded us that ideals and values but also inspire us we can not be complacent; we must to think about our own core beliefs also take it upon ourselves to make and how we can take inspiration our own progress towards a better from a man like Martin Luther King. world, even if it may not live up to Afterwards, Jonathan Innocent the magnitude of Dr. King’s work. ’15 came to the podium to deliver Jonathan closed by having every-

one in the Chapel stand and pledge to work towards a better tomorrow.

Mr. Collins concluded the Chapel by challenging the audience to think about the impact that Dr. King and the civil rights movement has had not only on the world at large, but even within our small community at Belmont Hill. He asked us to think about how different Belmont Hill would be if a group like SAFE was not actively working towards a better Belmont Hill. These were definitely tough questions to confront, but they were ones that needed to be asked, especially during a gathering to honor a man who worked so hard to make a lasting positive impact on the world around him.

All in all, this year’s school meeting proved to be quite powerful. While the guest speakers that the school has had in years past have provided their own meaningful lessons, it was also important for the school to look within itself for inspiration, change, and meaning during this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Chapel.☐

Mr. Martellini Returns to Classroom and Court from First Semester Sabbatical

By Chad Meyers Staff Writer After a well deserved sabbatical, Mr. Martellini returned to school this January ready for the start of semester two. Last year marked 30 years at Belmont Hill for Mr. Martellini, and also his third opportunity to take a sabbatical, as they are offered every ten years.

Though he previously had two opportunities to take time away from school, this was the first time he was able to “just relax” and take time to pursue his hobbies, saying, “I really appreciate the opportunity to be able to do something like this. Most secondary schools do not actually offer sabbaticals, so to have this opportunity is just fantastic.” Throughout most of August and September, Mr. Martellini spent his time in the Northwest, biking all over the region through Montana, Idaho, California, as well as a few other places, ultimately finishing his trip with a visit to see his son

(and class of 2010 Belmont Hill alumnus) Marco, in San Francisco. Though he speaks very highly of the experience, the trip was not one of extravagant leisure. Traveling only by bicycle, he averaged about 80 miles per day, carrying all supplies on his bike and spending his nights camping, with the occasional reprieve of a soft hotel bed.

Upon his return home, he took to a more relaxed lifestyle, spending days taking everyone’s favorite dog, Gus, on long morning walks, in addition to working around the house and biking in Boston. He describes the experience as “recharging my batteries so that I’d ready to deal with the likes of Eric Butte.” He also returned to San Francisco in October, though this time with his wife on a more leisurely visit to see Marco and enjoy the California weather. He was also lucky enough to be there during the Giants triumph in the World Series, saying “it was awesome to be in there in that atmo-

sphere; the whole city was excited and we had a lot of fun being there for it.”

Now back at school, again assuming his familiar role as teacher and coach, he is enjoying spending time with the students and getting back to teaching. When asked what he missed most about being away from school, he immediately responded saying it was “definitely spending time around the kids and teaching them everyday,” though added that he was not missing the paperwork that comes along with it. With Coach Marto’s return to school came the return of Gus, who couldn’t be happier to assume his familiar position, sprawled below the smartboard. “He’s a lounger at heart,” remarked Mr. Martellini, adding that he’s “incredibly happy to be back.”

As he looks at the second semester to come, Mr. Martellini, thanks to his rest and time away, is reenergized and ready to take on the school year and seasons to come.☐

Henry Swain and Hendricks Delva ‘16 Return from Island School in Bahamas pants bond and foster great friendships. In the first week of the program, students took an 8-day kayak trip during which they split up into In the fall of 2014, Henry groups of about ten and then reconSwain and Hendricks Delva set out vened for the last day. Hendricks on an adventure to the Island School also enjoyed the kayak trips, but his in the Bahamas. Each boy had diffavorite part was free diving, which ferent reasons for pursuing the seincluded diving 50 feet down into mester experience. Henry had heard water without a breathing apparaabout the Island School for years, is tus. Hendricks described the whole deeply interested in marine biology, experience as “absolutely exhilaratand had always wanted to go. Hening.” Hendricks also appreciated dricks decided that it was time to exnightly stargazing, which he said plore something different from the was breathtaking, meditative, and daily routine of school, sports, and truly put him at peace. As for the home and was eager community, it was for a new challenge. wonderful, and if Both boys closed out there were any probthe spring excited lems with kids, they about the prospect of were resolved rather swimming through quickly.

Welcome crystal blue waters back to Hendricks and making the Isand Henry, who land School their now join Belmont temporary home.

Hill’s growing ranks A c c o r d i n g The main courtyard of the Island School, where students gathered each morning to begin their days. Ms. Gettings of enthusiastic Isto Henry and Henland School alums.☐

By Evan Ricci Staff Writer

dricks, the Island School is an experience like no other. About 50 students attend each session and, though the co-ed program is open to kids from all over the country, Hendricks explained that, “All the kids were mainly from Boston and New York.” When asked about the school schedule, the two agreed, that in certain ways, the academics were more challenging that at Belmont Hill. Though content difficulty wasn’t greater, “We had much less time to complete the work we were assigned.” The day started at 6:30 am with either a mandatory

swim (usually Henry’s choice) or run (Hendrick’s option). After the morning workout, students attended class from 9:15 am to 4:00 pm.

From 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm students had “exploration time,” when they were free to do as they pleased, whether roaming around the island, exploring caves, or snorkeling.

Both Hendricks and Henry appreciated the Island School’s “sense of place” and the community bond that formed between the students. Henry most appreciated the two overnight kayak trips, which bookended the semester and helped partici-

Febr u ar y 5, 2015

Belmont Hill NEWS

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Field Yates, Class of 2005, Returns to Belmont Hill Before Super Bowl continued from page 1 for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons,

Thanking Evan for the introduction, Yates exclaimed how excited he was to be back on campus, and acknowledged the Patriots’ recent success and the upcoming Super Bowl game. “You guys are spoiled,” he added with a wide grin, “six Super Bowls in thirteen years is crazy.”

Growing up in Weston, Yates played football and lacrosse at Belmont Hill, sports he continued at Wesleyan University. “In high school, I was not a star athlete,” he admits, “but I loved sports.” He gestured to a slide behind him on the projector, titled “Proof I wasn’t good at sports”, and showing a tweet sent to him that reads “You probably never got picked in PE football”. Although he enjoyed his time on the lacrosse field, Field made football his life’s passion. “I thought I had my life figured out from the days where I was sitting where you are now. I was going to be the head coach of an NFL team. I dreamed that every day.” The summer before his junior year, Yates worked as an intern in the coaching and scouting departments of the Patriots, a job which he continued to work for the next three summers.

Field has written that most of the principles and beliefs he has about football were shaped while watching and breaking down film for the Pats.

After graduating from Wesleyan, Yates worked full time for the Kansas City Chiefs, serving one season on both the scouting and coaching staffs

helping them win the 2010 AFC West title. It was not easy work, Field admitted. “My first day on the job was July twenty-fourth, and my first day off was Memorial Day the following May,” he said, but I had finally made it. I had learned the ins and outs of how to build a football team.” In 2011, Field says that he “pressed reset on life”, moving home to Boston and earning a real estate license. “I had walked away from the only job I had ever wanted,” he said, “part of me felt like I failed. The real estate dream did not last long, and six months later Field had his heart set back on the sport he loved. He started a football blog, entitled “Thoughts From The Field” from his parents couch, and fed the website to local news stations and other sports websites. “It wasn’t glamorous, it wasn’t profitable. It got only a hundred-fifty views a day, and I was through the roof.” Finally, Mike Reiss, a Patriots beat writer for the Boston Globe, reached out to Yates, offering him an opportunity to cover the 2012 NFL Draft for ESPN Boston. “That turned into an opportunity for me to get in the door, and never let them give me a reason to leave.” The Draft reporting led him to work for ESPN. com and ESPN radio, as well as local stations. In 2013, ESPN Insider was launched as a premium, subscription-based section of its parent company, and Yates was chosen to be a regular on the NFL division for Mr. Mahoney

its daily radio show. “It was a twisty road that I had never envisioned, but all of a sudden it had felt like I had found something about football that I was passionate about again.”

Field recalled words from his own graduation speaker that have stuck with him for the past ten years.

“He said, ‘Life was not about your successes, but how you respond to your failures.’ It felt like a reality check at the time, but then it became a reality. I have failed on a couple of occasions, and I don’t succeed every day. But I have realized my failures help me find what I am most passionate about. I think falling short of a goal is a good opportunity to set a new one. Keep chasing your goals and you will achieve them,” he offers. He mentioned with a laugh that most of the criticism on Twitter ridicules his age and name, pointing to a tweet that asks him if he needed permission from his mother to be on SportsCenter.

“Each of you is entirely capable much of what you set your sights on to accomplish in life but that doesn’t mean that you should on your own.

I have found that some of the smartest and talented people I know are most hesitant to rely on those around them to help them, because they don’t realize that it’s OK to ask for it. Life isn’t always easy - don’t hesitate to rely on those around you.”

Yates also advised to take advantage of Belmont Hill’s alumni networking to reach out for help,

enthusiastically encouraging anyone to contact him if they wanted to venture into sports media. “Just don’t do it this way,” showing a tweet that reads “I hate @FieldYates just because his name is Field Yates”, as the chapel roared with laughter.

“There’s a tendency to examine our life through these pivot-point moments, whether it’s getting into college, meeting your future spouse, or a promotion at work,” Yates remarks. “Those moments are gratifying and fulfilling, no doubt about it.

But there’s a lot of life that takes place in between those moments where you can make a positive impact on someone else’s life. So, later today, hold the door open for the person behind you. We used to say around here ‘little things make big things’.

Lots of little acts of kindness add up.”

When asked on his predictions for that Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup between his hometown Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, Yates grinned. “In the beginning of the season I had to make fifty predictions for Super Bowl scenarios, and the only one that is so far accurate is Seahawks over Pats. But,” he added as the chapel gasped, “that’s wrong.

Pats beat the Seahawks, and I honestly mean that,” as the students roared to cheer out the young, successful Belmont Hill grad, who in ten short years has transitioned from sitting in the wooden pews in chapel to sitting in on SportsCenter, talking about his life’s passion - football. ☐

Students Help Organize Christmas in the City

By Armin Thomas Staff Writer The day after school in 2014 ended, on 20 December, Ms. Zener led a group of B elmont Hill students and teachers into B oston to participate in “Christmas in the City,” a volunteer-run Christmas party for homeless children in the B oston area that converted the barren warehouse inside the Convention Center into a Christmas theme park. For two hours, the team painted wooden Christmas trees

with vivid colors and images. One of the most notable was Mrs. Sweeney’s biolog y-themed tree. The staff members at Christmas in the City were ver y pleased with the work of the students and teachers, and after saying thank you and goodbye, the students departed to go home.

Overall, it proved to be a ver y enriching experience. Even though the contribution may have seemed minor, it felt great for ever yone to contribute to such a great cause that would help make the Christmas for hundreds of children.☐

Field Yates poses with Dr. Melvoin and Senior Class President Evan Chaletzky

Diversity Celebrated Over MAP Breakfast

By DJ Demetri Panel Staff For a Belmont Hill boy, arriving at school early on a Thursday morning can be a bit of a challenge, but the Multicultural Alumni Partnership and SAFE breakfast on January 8th was worth the extra effort.

The gathering of about thirty current students, faculty, and alumni was led by Mr. Collins and Mr. Ekwelum through a series of discussion questions pertaining to identity, community, and justice. Conducted in a speed dating style, participants discussed a question within an allotted time after which students moved one seat over to discuss the next question with another alum or teacher. Whether you were across from a teacher, an old friend, or someone you had just met, each question prompted an avid discussion as each participant shared their thoughts, experiences and impressions. At

the MAP and SAFE breakfast, we reflected on our Belmont Hill experience, past or present, discussed the values that are important to us and define us (family, social status, health etc.), and examined tough and complex questions that might not be raised or discussed during the average school day.

According to fifth Former and SAFE member Frank McField, “We were open about everything. We wanted to explore the truth behind these hard questions about status and beliefs that might not be dealt with in the everyday Belmont Hill community”.

The MAP/SAFE breakfast even referred back to Mr. Melvoin’s “Beyond Ray Rice” chapel from the previous Monday which covered domestic violence. Though this was a relatively small gathering in Wadsworth, the breakfast dealt with large-scale issues that everyone should be aware of. Thanks to MAP and SAFE for putting on this great event, to all who attended, and to the kitchen staff for serving up a delicious breakfast.☐

Executive Editors John Driscoll Will Treanor Arts Editor Brendan Pulsifer Sports Editor Liam Foley Photo Editor Jamie Mazzio-Manson

Editor-in-Chief Michael O’Neill Copy Editor Matt Reppucci

Assistant Editors Chip Daley Jake DeCaprio Jason Fischman

Faculty Advisors David Hegarty Juliette Zener News Editor Sreehaas Digumarthi Opinion Editor Jay O’Brien Online Editor Sreehaas Digumarthi

The Panel, founded in 1953, is the official school newspaper of the Belmont Hill and Winsor schools. The Panel is the voice of the student body. We publish articles that are of consequence to the students, as well as the school communities. The views expressed in The Panel belong solely to the authors and editors and do not necessarily represent the student body, faculty or administration of either school. Any comment about the content should be addressed directly to the editors. The Panel encourages responsible opinion in the form of Letters to the Editor. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for length and content. Copyright 2014 The Panel. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the Editor-in-Chief. Published by the

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BELMONT HILL OPINION

Th e Pan el

Examining Satirical and West-Centric Journalism in the Wake of the Charlie Hebdo Attacks

By Michael O’Neill Panel Staff Nearly a month ago, France was rocked by the horrific attacks on Charlie Hebdo, a non-conformist satirical weekly magazine. Two Frenchborn brothers, Cherif and Said Kouachi, stormed the magazine’s headquarters armed with assault rifles and other weaponry and killed twelve people, claiming links to al-Qaeda’s base in Yemen. The manhunt for the culprits lasted several days, resulting in two separate hostage situations in which the two assailants and one accomplice were killed, but not before five more victims had died.

The world was visibly shaken by the event; rallies across the world, “Je Suis Charlie” became a calling card of support, and Belgium conducted a widespread domestic terror raid in the aftermath of the attacks.

It’s no surprise that the Charlie Hebdo attacks have affected so many. Obviously, a terrorist attack of this magnitude should absolutely be made known, both to honor the victims and for the public’s safety and awareness of the world around them. But these attacks were not only an attack against individuals, but on the democratic ideals of free speech and free press. Certainly Charlie Hebdo has generated its fair share of controversy for publishing satirical material designed to provoke and offend.

Recent covers have criticized the Catholic Church’s banning of contraceptives, France’s 2010 law banning women from publicly wearing burqas, and the world’s sluggish progress towards legalizing same-sex marriage.Past issues have featured unflattering illustrations of the Pope, Jesus Christ, and numerous other public figures as well as unflattering portrayals of various cultural figures.

The particular transgression

that allegedly ignited the attacks was the magazine’s repeatedly provocative and usually negative front-page portrayals of the prophet Muhammad, whose facial depiction is prohibited in Islam.

It is widely accepted that the Kouachi brothers acted out of anger over the magazine’s demaning depiction of Muham-

Secondly, those who point to the magazine’s controversial nature as bait for terrorism seem to miss the point of satire entirely. Charlie Hebdo, and publications like it, do not simply try and generate buzz by offending as many people as possible in order to sell more copies; there is almost always an important point be-

freedom to the press, though there are restrictions on speech that have the potential to incite violence. It’s arguably the most important civil right in existence, as the unlimited dissemination of information and expression of ideas is crucial to any democratic society.

International reaction to the events in Paris has been

mad’s likeness, which implied the prophet’s support for fundamentalist Muslim attacks in the name of religion. In the wake of the shootings, some have criticized the paper’s inflammatory contents. They argue (either explicitly or by implication) that Charlie Hebdo brought this upon themselves, that they “were asking for it” by publishing such provocative content. First of all, the notion that any kind of violence on this scale is ever justified or even understandable is preposterous, especially when part of a disproportionate response to an injustice, and no one ever deserves to die, doing a job they felt passionately about that brought no physical harm to anybody.

ing made behind the shock value. Through its cartoons, Charlie Hebdo has criticized injustices across the world, whether it be the racism, sexism, or the perversion of religions by fundamentalists. The magazine uses extreme, instigative imagery to get its readers to really think about the restrictions of civil liberties across the globe. This is the root of satire as an art form.

Lastly, to chastise Charlie Hebdo for its editorial decisions is to effectively try and limit the right to freedom of speech. France, like many other of the world’s constitutionally-based governments, guarantees its citizens the right to free expression, and makes a deliberate extension of this

expansive and compassionate; huge rallies of support, including many world leaders linking arms at the site of the attacks, and significant news coverage immediately following the assault demonstrated such.

However, I’ve been struck by the continuing lack of attention given to other atrocities around the world.

The same week that the murder of seventeen innocent people kicked off a 24-hour news cycle of analysis and fact-reporting, an estimated 2,000 civilians were massacred in Baga, Nigeria by Boko Haram terrorists, who have wrested control of the nation’s north-eastern corner. Despite the enormous death toll, there was hardly any news cover-

age of the event and many in the Western world remain unaware of Nigerian crisis. This isn’t to say that Charlie Hebdo did not deserve to be recognized but I’m left wondering: why Nigeria received so little airtime by comparison.

Western journalism continues to focus on Westerncentric and Christian-centric content, a disturbing tendency that slights a huge portion of Earth’s population. When stories happen overseas, we tend to pay attention more to ones that occur in places we live or countries similar to our own.

Take, for example, the recent shooting at a school in Peshawar, where 145 people, including 132 children, were killed by the Taliban. The massacre remained prominent in the Western media cycle for, at most, three days, whereas similar events in the US or Europe with much smaller (though obviously still tragic) death tolls dominate news networks for weeks. Compare events in this manner of any category of tragedy, and you’ll find similar results again and again.

This unequal distribution of media attention confirms to many the principles that have lead to the West’s alienation of non-Western peoples.

Non-violent actions never warrant violent responses, regardless of how incendiary the original actions may have been. But the western media must acknowledge the flaws in their coverage of world issues - specifically disproportionate coverage of the West - if it wishes to help avoid events like this in the future. Acts of violence taking place outside Europe and North American should be treated with the same amount of shock and mourning as those within the region. Otherwise, non-Western peoples will continue to feel slighted, unrepresented, and overlooked by Westerners. ☐

Dr. Melvoin Chapel Talk Sheds Light on Gender Roles in Today’s Society

By Matt Reppucci Panel Staff On Monday, January 5th, as all of Belmont Hill returned from winter break with the second week of exams at the forefront of everyone’s minds, Dr. Melvoin stood before us in the chapel and delivered a speech that challenged us to consider our lives beyond this campus.

Dr. Melvoin opened by affirming his love of working with boys at all-boys schools -- something he has done for 36 years (22 at Belmont Hill).

He especially loves watching us grow and mature into young men during our time here. His concern for us extends to our future beyond the Hill, to how we carry ourselves after we graduate, and to how we interact in a world that includes both women and men. He reminded

us that, though we may not think about gender in our daily life at school, we live in a culture where there is “huge concern about how men treat women, and this needs to be our issue as well.” News stories about the government’s investigation into sexual assault on college campuses across the country and violence against women (such as Jameis Winston’s alleged rape case) should call us to reflect on our own attitudes about gender.

The domestic violence issue has specifically arisen due to the incident involving football player Ray Rice, who punched his then-fiance (now wife) in an elevator, knocking her unconscious. The NFL seemingly gave little thought to the matter, sentencing Rice to just a 2-game suspension... until the actual video of Rice

throwing the punch became public. The ensuing outrage (directed at the NFL and Ravens leadership as well as Rice) caused increased scrutiny of football culture and drew national attention to the issue of domestic violence, as well as other forms of harassment.

Dr. Melvoin emphasized that “the issues of gender will not go away,” and “we as a society have a lot of work to do.” He is correct in declaring that our school has a responsibility to prepare us to “live well in the world after Belmont Hill,” and not only by teaching a strong work ethic and well-rounded skillset. We must learn “how men and women are viewed in our society, how they are treated, how the media portrays them, and how expectations for both men and women get formed.”

It appears that a conscious effort has been made in our curriculum, where possible, to bring in different voices, especially of females, into the classroom.

Obviously there are female faculty members, who play a crucial role in balancing the maledriven environment, but also the English classes read books and plays with female protagonists and other characters. However, these pieces of literature have declined in the Upper School English classes, and although it is clearly important to reinforce through students’ younger years that treating everyone with respect is important, that philosophy should continue as we advance towards graduation.

Throughout our lives, Dr. Melvoin says that we must avoid “moral disengagements”

that allow or even encourage men to act in ways that we know are wrong, and forgo excuses like, “everyone does it so it is OK” or “others have done worse.” These ideas do not just relate to how men treat women, but about how we all treat and respect each other as fellow human beings. In order to do so we have to be “ethical, thoughtful, and independent young men,” so we are not “bystanders, but upstanders, willing to stand up for what is right.”

Due to all his experience with the students at Belmont Hill, it is in our best interest toconsider carefully Dr. Melvoin’s wise words. Because no matter where we go after high school, his advice is crucial to success in life at a moral level: “Whether you are here, or in a coed setting, your compass should still point true.” ☐

BELMONT HILL OPINION

Febr u ar y 5th , 2015

Student Debate: DC Comics vs. Marvel Comics In this issue of The Panel, we are continuing our feature debate between Form V students Jay O’Brien and Gabe Schmittlein. After the Panel is released, a poll will be sent out to assess the student body’s views on the topic at hand. These results will be published in the subsequent issue along with a brand new talking point. So without further ado, we present the third debate—DC Comics versus Marvel Comics

Team DC Comics

By Jay O’Brien Panel Staff Congratulations to Gabe Schmittlein on winning last issue’s argument on professional sports versus college sports. I’m on to the next debate.

Marvel has certainly picked up steam within the past few years due to several successful movies in the box office, but I’ll be the first to tell you that in no universe does Marvel even come close to DC in terms of superhero personalities, the quality of villainous figures, and the level of originality. Right off the bat, DC has

Batman and Superman as its two main superheroes: the debate should be over with such a dominant duo.

Just look at the list of Superman’s super powers: flight, invulnerability, x-ray vision, freezing breath, as well as superhuman strength, speed, hearing, and intelligence. Superman is clearly the most powerful superhero of all time, and I’m 110% sure that he could beat the Avengers in record time all by himself.

Yet, as if Superman wasn’t cool enough on his own, DC outdid themselves by creating a true American hero, Bruce Wayne’s Batman.

While Batman does not have supernatural powers, Batman is a master of stealth, disguise, martial arts, and best of all, enjoys utilizing incredibly sophisticated technology thanks to his immense amount of wealth.

I mean, have you seen Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, in particular The Dark Knight? Those movies are AWESOME. Batman is the most respectable superhero of them all, especially with his unwillingness to kill even the most villainous figures. Naturally, Marvel became jealous of Batman’s capabilities when, 29 years later, they created Iron Man, an American playboy turned superhero who utilizes high-tech weaponry. Coincidence?

Now I’m not necessarily saying that Marvel copied one of DC’s greatest superheroes, but then again, I am.

Marvel copied DC, plain and simple.

While there are certainly other superheroes that have helped make DC Comics the most prestigious name in the game--Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern--what differentiates DC from Marvel is the abundance of incredibly sophisticated villains constantly battling against two of DC’s best superheroes. The villainous figures from the Batman series include Mr. Freeze, Bane, The Penguin, Catwoman, Two Face, and

most importantly, Batman’s psychotic arch-nemesis known as The Joker.

Superman combats an equally entertaining group of villains, notably Lex Luther, but also Brainiac and Doomsday. There is no doubt in my mind that the Marvel villains lack the same personality, sophistication, and complexity in comparison to DC villains.

Now, my competitor Gabe will likely mention how successful The Avenger movie was at the box office, which is true, but in my opinion, the two and a half hour movie took far too long to get to any major fight scene. Simply comparing superhero to superhero, and villain to villain, DC has a far better cast of characters that are far more entertaining than those of the Marvel Comics.☐

Team Marvel Comics Marvel vs. DC; The Avengers vs. Justice League; Captain America vs. Superman; Iron Man vs. Batman; Thor vs. Aquaman… The list goes on and on. Except, it doesn’t. See, while Marvel’s ranks of well-known and generally awesome superheroes appears almost endless, DC presents very little outside of the comfortable confines of the core Justice League members.

Sure, DC has a couple cool superheroes and a couple cool movies, but neither appear in the abundance that Marvel’s universe has to offer. While the Batman movies are, admittedly, great movies, they’re not great because of the awe-inspiring power of Batman.

In fact, Batman is a superhero with no natural powers except a large inheritance and, I can’t help but wonder what the DC writers were thinking when they decided it would be a good idea to model a superhero after a bat. Some people will point out that Batman is essentially DC’s equivalent of Iron Man, which is true when considering just their “superpowers,” but Iron Man has more personality in his left pinky toe than Bruce Wayne, who, let me just say, spends the first hour of The Dark Knight Rises limping around with a cane (what a wimp!). Outside of Batman, the superheroes get slightly better, with Superman, Aquaman, and Flash being the best DC has to offer, but the movies take a drastic turn for the worst, as every Superman movie has managed to disappoint and the only other large scale production was the Green Lantern movie (need I say more?). For heaven’s sake, the plot of Green Lantern is based around a guy who finds a special ring at the bottom of a Lucky Charms box, decides green is his favorite color, and joins an intergalactic police force (my dramatic and abbreviated interpretation). It’s really a shame that DC hasn’t come out with movies for superheroes like Flash, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman. However, outside of those three, there aren’t any DC members that honestly deserve their own movies, which is testament to the lack of

Thor movies, two Hulk movies, three Iron Man movies, two Captain America movies, and one full-scale Avengers movie with another on the way. The movies aren’t just in great quantities, though, they’re also great movies with incredible superheroes. However, the fun certainly doesn’t stop at the bounds of the core Avengers group, as countless other Marvel franchises have been hugely successful despite not carrying the same comic weight as their Avengers counterparts. The Spider Man franchise has been wonderfully popular, and that the movies have managed to do well despite the horrid lead acting of Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire has to say something about the natural awesomeness of Spider Man. The X-Men franchise has also done remarkably well, with superheroes like Wolverine, Professor X, and Magneto leading the way as brilliantly powerful superheroes.

The last major movie franchise outside of the Avengers, The Fantastic Four, is also a great watch and produced two of my personal favorite Marvel superheroes, the Human Torch (flame on!) and the Silver Surfer (what could be cooler than a metal dude riding a surfboard through space???). Even where the major Marvel franchises end, the movies and the incredible superheroes don’t stop. The Guardians of the Galaxy was my favorite movie of the year and I will fight anybody that doesn’t think that Peter Quinn is an awesome protagonist, plus, Marvel is working on new individual superhero movies like AntMan, which will star Paul Rudd and thus undeniably be either a laugh riot or an awkward romantic comedy (I’ll take the former), the Black Panther, which will feature a sleeker and less breakable version of Batman, and Captain Marvel, which could be the first large-scale production to star a female superhero.

With all the evidence that I’ve provided, I struggle to see how anybody could argue that DC is better. Sure, the Batman movies are awesome movies, and sure, there are a couple really cool superheroes within the core ranks of the Justice League. However, the wealth of fantastic Marvel movies that clearly dominates the few movies that DC has

depth within the DC superhero ranks.

While DC is egregiously lacking in terms of depth, Marvel has an abundance of fantastic movies and even more awesome superheroes that deserve their own movies. Just within the world of the Avengers, we have two

to offer and the fact that there seems an endless supply of powerful and unique superheroes to choose from makes me question the sanity in Jay O’Brien’s decision to represent DC. Sorry Jay, I didn’t want to have to do this to you, but Marvel is better than DC, and that’s the truth.☐

By Gabe Schmittlein Staff Writer

Results from Last Debate

Advantage: Pro Sports

Pa g e 5

New Exam Schedule Receives Mixed Reviews

By Jason Fischman Panel Staff This year Belmont Hill inaugurated a new exam schedule in an attempt to make mid-year exams less stressful for students and improve their performance. Three exams--math, history, and English-were shortened to 75 minutes instead of the usual two hours, and science and language exams remained the full two hours. Two exams--history and math--came before break, scheduled for the final Monday and Tuesday. The English exam fell on the Wednesday following break, with the science exam two days later and the language exam the following Monday.

In the past, mid-year exams took place in a single exam period, two weeks after break. All exams were two hours long, and neither classes nor athletics met during the exam week. Coming after the two-week break, the exams were high-stress and the schedule did not optimize student performance.

Mr. Grant, Dean of Studies, explained the goal for the schedule change as “twofold.” “First, it was to improve exam performance.

Historically, performance has declined over the last few exams as stress builds up, and the idea was to solve that problem,” said Mr. Grant. “Secondly, the old exam period took five entire school days, but only the fourth and fifth form, roughly a third of the student body, have five exams, and it was unnecessary to occupy all that time when some students weren’t taking the exams.” Designed to combat these issues, the new exam schedule met with mixed student reviews.

Many students preferred the new schedule, citing the reduced stress-load created by three shorter exams and the split December-January exam calendar. Proponents appreciated that the schedule enabled them to focus their preparation on individual exams instead of cramming for five exams at once.

Nevertheless, many disliked the new schedule. With exams immediately after break, instead of two weeks later, students felt even more pressure to study over break. and they felt rushed with an exam on just the third day back. Alex Czarnecki, a member of the fourth form, said: “This year’s exam schedule dragged on the exams and their preparation for almost a month, and I believe one week of heightened stress and little sleep is better than four weeks of the same.”

Furthermore, classes held on exam days were quite unproductive, as students were mentally exhausted.

Many feel this reform did not go far enough, and all exams should be before winter break, allowing students a chance to truly relax. However, this would make the second semester significantly longer than the first, and one semester classes would have trouble finishing all of their material. Overall, this new schedule, although still flawed, provided students with an improved mid-term exam experience. ☐

Belmont Hill Arts

Pa g e 6

Academy Awards

By Ranjit Thomas Staff Writer January and February are perhaps the two most important months of the year in cinema, television, and music.

In the span of about five weeks, the entertainment industry produces a number of high-profile, televised award ceremonies, which commemorate the works and achievements of individuals or groups of individuals who have excelled in their respective fields in film and television. Going back to 1929, these ceremonies have collectively become an integral and fundamental element of American popular culture.

As January closes, one can confidently say that the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and

Screen Actors Guild Awards (among other ceremonies) have rewarded the year’s best from Hollywood and foreign film.

The Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, close the much-anticipated awards season.

Mark February 22nd down on your calendars, for the 87th Academy Awards will be hosted by the hilarious and uber-talented Neil Patrick Harris.

Films nominated for Best Picture include: American Sniper, a powerfully done movie which depicts American military marksman Chris Kyle; Birdman, a movie which stars Michael Keaton as a “has-been” actor who seeks cinematic fame once again; and Boyhood, a twelve year project that follows a young child’s life as he navigates his parents’ divorce and growing into adolescence. Other Best Picture candidates include The Imitation Game, an

Trainor’s New Album Disappoints

By Brendan Pulsifer Panel Staff In July, Massachusetts native Meghan Trainor released her first song, “All About That Bass,” to iTunes and other media outlets. Little did she suspect that only two months later the song would top the Billboard Hot 100 chart and remain at the pinnacle for eight consecutive weeks.

In addition to topping the U.S. Hot 100, “All About That Bass” reached the number one spot in 58 other countries around the world, broke records set by greats such as Michael Jackson, and has sold over six million copies worldwide – quite a feat for a newcomer. The song became famous for good reason: its catchy bass line and doowop, throwback sound easily propelled it to stardom. Yet while some see the song as uplifting for women who are self-conscious about their figures, “All About That Bass” has been criticized for attacking feminism, disparaging skinny girls, and equating self-worth to male approval. Despite its catchy hook, perhaps Trainor should have thought a bit more about the lyrics.

The story is the same for Trainor’s debut album, Title. Trainor’s lack of lyrical consideration undermines what could have been a groundbreaking pop record. In almost every song, she finds a way to alienate her audience and make herself unlikable.

After “Bass” opens the album auspiciously, “Dear Future Husband” quickly slows the momentum. The title alone supplies enough irritation to cause eyes to roll. For the next three minutes, Trainor demands that her “future husband” buy her everything she wants, take her on dates, and cook for her, and then maybe she will let him “try and rock [her] body right.” Keep in mind that this song is being sung to a man she has not yet met.

She professes a similar kind of prerogative and neediness in the title track, “Title.” In this song, Trainor pleads that a boy give her the “title” of girlfriend or else she will leave him and not let him in bed with her. The most baffling line of the song is “You gotta treat me like a trophy, put me on the shelf, or call me something else.” This notion that she projects of a girlfriend as a trophy goes along with the ideals put forth in “All About That Bass,” that

girls should determine their value based on their bodies and what appeals to men.

Perhaps the song with the most annoying lyrics is “Credit,” the closing song to the set. In “Credit,” Trainor is bothered because her ex-boyfriend used to be a “loser” until he met her and she, being so extraordinary, made him “cool.” Now, of course, Trainor wants the credit. It baffles me how she can possess such an inflated self-image, she who sings the immature, laughable line, “He holds her hand at the movies, Never ever stares at other boobies.” Trainor is asking for more credit than anyone will ever give her.

It would be unfair to claim that Title held no admirable aspects at all. In fact, almost all songs on the album contain wellwritten instrumental scores and employ majestic harmonies that can be found virtually nowhere else in music today. On top of the alluring backtrack, Trainor’s voice sounds poised and controlled in many songs, especially “What If I.” Trainor successfully pulls off the unique 1950s feel and makes it relevant to pop music in 2015. The public received Trainor’s longawaited debut album positively, as Title bowed out at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 195,000 in its first week.

In the end, the cons heavily outweigh the pros for the album as a whole. The lyrics, first and foremost, drag the album down, with at least one cringe-worthy line in each song. Although it can be argued that she discusses substantive material of self-worth in “All About That Bass,” she falls flat when she decides to rap about her obsession with drummers in “Bang Dem Sticks” or sing about how all her friends’ boyfriends want her in “Not Good for You.” Second to the lyrics are the unforgivable rap interludes that appear too often for too long. Trainor should put her stock in singing, not rapping. Even the guest rap in “Mr. Almost” by Shy Carter is comically atrocious. Finally, Trainor needs to find an identity in the pop music world. Her musical style serves as a unique alternative to the EDM-infused characteristic of Top 40 radio, but her lyrics seem even more generic than most. Although Trainor’s unparalleled sound provides her a comfortable niche, if her only convictions are that she’s “pretty awesome” and that boys should love her, it is unlikely we will see her for much longer. ☐

account of a group of English mathematicians who must band together to crack the code of a captured German Enigma encryption machine, Selma, a depiction of the events surrounding the 1965 Selma to Montgomery civil rights march led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and The Theory of Everything, a biopic-romance about physicist Stephen Hawking battling a progressive motor neuron disease while re-conceptualizing space and time. All of these pictures have received considerable critical acclaim and experts struggle to predict which one will be dubbed the year’s best.

Other awards include those for best actor and actress in leading roles.

Among males, it would be wise to keep our eyes on Steve Carell, Bradley Cooper, and Michael Keaton for their work in Foxcatcher, American Sniper,

Th e Pan el

and Birdman, respectively. Best actress nods go to France’s Marion Cotillard, Britain’s Felicity Jones, and American actresses Julianne Moore, and Reese Witherspoon, all of whom gave extraordinary performances in their respective pictures: Two Days One Night; The Theory of Everything; Still Alice; and Wild. Actors nominated for their work in supporting roles include Robert Duvall, Ethan Hawke, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Meryl Streep, and Keira Knightley.

On the whole, it was a good year for film and, given that there are no runaway favorites for the most popular award categories, we predict that this year’s Oscars will be highly entertaining and even suspenseful. If you don’t have plans to watch the ceremony, make the time watch some of the nominated films -- you’ll be glad you did! ☐

Artist of the Issue: Brendan Pulsifer

section leader of the First Tenors, enhancing performances with his resonant pitch and deep knowledge of music. He deploys his This issue’s Ar tist of the Is- piano talents frequently to teach sue is Fifth Former Brendan Pul- fellow students their parts dursifer. Not only has he sung in the ing practices, and his playing and Middle School Glee Club, the A- singing have featured in numerSharps, and the B-Flats over the ous Coffee House performances. past 5 years, he has also acted and Since helping to found the Asung in middle and upper school Sharps while in the First Form, plays and musicals. He featured Brendan has been a musical leadas Andrew Carnes in the wonder- er on campus. In his own words, ful performance of Oklahoma!, “Singing has been an integral part played Motel in Fiddler on the of my B elmont Hill experience.

Roof, starred Learning from as Sid SoMr. Patterson rokin in the and working The Pajama with the singers Game, singin the B-Flats ing the iconic and A-Sharps piece “Hey have been reThere,” and ally special also had roles experiences, in Macbeth. and ones that He added I have enjoyed brilliantly to i m m e n s e l y .” the cast of all B r e n d a n’s of these plays, love for the arts but especially extends to jourMacbeth, in nalism and he which he died has been an acnot once, but Pulsifer has starred in plays such as Macbeth tive contributor (above) and The Beverly Hillbillies (below) twice, and to both The convincingly Bell and The so. He also Panel, ser ving presented a this year as tour de force editor of the performance Arts section as Lady (don’t worr y, Bracknell in no conflict of the 2013 staginterest there ing of The . . .). He has Impor tance of written many Being Earnest. articles on alIn his bum releases singing with and various the B-Flats, performanche has soloed es by camnumerous pus musical times, and groups, as well has been the as several Ar tsection leader ist of the Isand then cosue articles. ☐

By Alex Afeyan Staff Writer

Belmont Hill Sp orts

Febr u ar y 5, 2015

Pa g e 7

Belmont Hill Varsity Scoreboard Team

Record

Notable Results

Team MVPs

9-5-2

W 2-1 vs. Thayer T 4-4 vs. Lawrence Academy

Charley Michalowski Charlie McConnell Charlie Barrow

Basketball

11-2

W vs. 54-52 vs. Rivers W vs. 60-58 vs. St. Sebastian’s

Hilal Dahleh Sultan Olusekun

Wrestling

8-0

W 57-12 vs. BBN W 40-36 vs. Roxbury Latin

Pete Tedesco Phil Conigliaro

Alpine Ski

22-2

W Alpine Ski-ISL League Race

Dan Remondi Will Cannistraro

NEPSAC Championships coming February 18th

John Power Will Malloy

W 7-0 vs. Phillips Exeter W 7-0 vs. St. George’s

Clark Doyle Timmy Brownell

Hockey

Nordic Ski Squash

N/A 7-0

Ohio State Beats Oregon In NCAA Final

By Chip Daley Panel Staff Wit h c o l l e g e f o ot b a l l f a n s up s e t w it h t h e pre v i ou s B C S b ow l g a m e s y s t e m , m a ny d e m a n d e d a n e w p l ay of f t y p e of s y s t e m w it h mu lt ip l e t e a m s c omp e t i n g f or a s p ot i n t h e n a t i on a l c h a mpi on s h ip g a m e . A G a l lup p o l l i n 2 0 0 7 s h ow e d t h at 8 6 % of f a n s s upp or t e d a c h a n g e t o a p l ay of f - l i k e t ou r n a m e nt of t h e t op f ou r, e i g ht , or s i x t e e n teams. 2015 marked the first y e a r of t h e h i s t or i c a l a lt e r a t i on t o a c o l l e g e f o ot b a l l p l ay of f br a c k e t . As f a r a s p o s it i v e s to the change, the new system a l l ow s f or t e a m s i n t h e F B S t o l o s e a g a m e , p ot e nt i a l l y e v e n t w o, a n d s t i l l q u a l i f y f or a p l a c e i n t h e t op f ou r. In t h e pre v i ou s s y s t e m , a n e a r l y s e a s on l o s s t o a t op D i v i s i on I f o ot b a l l pro g r a m c ou l d m ore e a s i l y k n o c k t h e m out of c ont e nt i on f or a mu c h s ou g ht a f t e r s p ot i n t h e n at i on a l c h a mpi on s h ip g a m e .

In t h i s y e a r’s h i g h l y a n t i c ip at e d f i r s t d i s p l ay of t h e s y s t e m , t h e c o l l e g e f o ot b a l l f a n s w e re p l e a s e d w it h h av i n g m ore f o ot b a l l ! If t h e B C S s t i l l d e c i d e d t h e c h a mpi on s h ip g a m e t e a m s , it w ou l d h av e r a n k e d a n d c re at e d a n A l a b a m a # 1 v s . F l or i d a St at e # 2 n a t i on a l c h a mpi on s h ip, y e t n e i t h e r t e a m m a d e it t o t h e f i n a l game under this new system.

In s t e a d , t h e b e t t e r t e a m s w e re a b l e t o a d v a n c e w h e n m at c h e d up h e a d - t o - h e a d , a n d t h e C F B P l ay of f c re at e d a # 2 O re g on v s . # 4 O h i o St at e c h a mpi on s h ip m at c hup, w it h O h i o St at e pre v a i l i n g f or t h e w i n ! T h i s out c om e w a s s om e t h i n g t h at n e v e r w ou l d h av e b e e n p o s s i b l e u n d e r t h e o l d B C S f or m at .

The games themselves prov e d t o b e e v e n m ore e x c it i n g , a s t h e f ou r t e a m s w e re n ot on l y p l ay i n g i n a Su g a r B ow l or a R o s e B ow l , but c omp e t i n g f or a bi d t o c o l l e g e f o ot -

b a l l’s bi g g e s t s t a g e . E SP N re p or t e d t h at 7 7 % of p e op l e v ot e d t h at t h e c h a n g e t o a C F B p l ay of f w a s t h e r i g ht m ov e i n 2 0 1 2 a n d t h at nu mb e r h a s on l y g on e up i n t h e i r m o s t re c e nt p o l l s i n c e t h e g a m e t r a n s pi re d .

Wh at i s t h e n e x t s t e p ? D o e s it c h a n g e t o a 1 6 - t e a m p l ay of f ? Ma ny f a n s e n c ou r a g e t h e p l ay of f t o b e e x p a n d e d e v e n f u r t h e r, but t h i s w ou l d e x t e n d t h e s e a s on mu c h l on g e r t h a n t h e 1 5 - w e e k s e a s on f or t h i s y e a r’s c h a mpi on s h ip c ont e n d e r s . For n ow, m o s t of A m e r i c a i s h appy w it h t h e c h a n g e t o t h e p l ay of f a n d it w i l l c e r t a i n l y u nv e i l m ore of c o l l e g e f o ot b a l l’s m o s t e x c it i n g g a m e s ! ☐

Jack Tamasi

Senior Jack Tamasi was one of many Belmont Hill students to witness Super Bowl XLIX firsthand

Athlete of the Issue: Timmy Brownell

By Jake DeCaprio Panel Staff F i f t h f o r m e r Ti m my B row n e l l is without a doubt a gifted squash p l ay e r : a c ap t a i n , t o p p l ay e r, a n d f i v e y e a r v e t e r a n o f B e l m o nt Hi l l’s Va r s i t y S q u a s h Te a m . T h i s w i nt e r, Ti m my a s s e r t e d h i s d o m i n a n c e o f t h e s p o r t by c l a i m i n g f i r s t p l a c e i n t h e U 1 9 d i v i s i o n at t h e U. S . Ju n i o r O p e n S q u a s h C h a mp i o n s h i p s ( t h e w o r l d’s l a r g e s t i n d i v i d u a l t o u r n a m e nt f o r j u n i o r p l ay e r s ) , h e l d at Ya l e Un i v e r s i t y o n D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 3 , a n a c h i e v e m e nt at t a i n e d i n t h e p a s t by v e r y f e w A m e r i c a n s . Ti m my s ay s h i s v i c t o r y i s i n d i c at i v e o f t h e f a c t t h at “A m e r i c a n s q u a s h i s i mp rov i n g ,” a n d h e i s p ro u d o f t h e a d v a n c e m e nt o f A m e r i c a n s q u a s h i n w o r l d c o mp e t i t i o n .

Ti m my d e s c r i b e s h i s f i v e g a m e c h a mp i o n s h i p m at c h a s o n e o f g re at d i f f i c u l t y, b u t o n e o f t h e best feelings of his life. The odds w e re s t a c k e d a g a i n s t h i m : h i s o p p o n e nt , Fre n c h n at i v e Au g u s t e

D u s s o u rd ( o n e o f t h e t o p t e n j u n i o r s q u a s h p l ay e r s i n t h e w o r l d ) , ap p e a re d s t ro n g e r o n p ap e r, b u t a f t e r a l o n g , h a rd f o u g ht m at c h , Ti m my e m e r g e d v i c t o r i o u s i n f ro nt o f t h e l a r g e s t c row d h e h a s e v e r h a d w at c h i n g h i m i n h i s s q u a s h c a re e r.

P r i o r t o w i n n i n g t h e U. S .

O p e n , Ti m my s ay s h i s p ro u d e s t a c h i e v e m e nt i n s q u a s h w a s p l ay i n g o n t h e U. S . Ju n i o r Nat i o n a l S q u a s h Te a m a n d c o mp e t i n g at a w o r l d l e v e l . Ti m my j o i n e d t h e U. S . t e a m f o r t h i s y e a r ’s B r i t i s h Ju n i o r O p e n s h o r t l y a f t e r h i s w i n at t h e U. S . O p e n , t a k i n g 8 t h p l a c e at t h e t o u r n a m e nt .

L o o k i n g f o r w a rd , Ti m my hopes he can be a part of carr ying t h e B e l m o nt Hi l l Va r s i t y S q u a s h t e a m t o a v i c t o r y at t h i s y e a r ’s U. S . Hi g h S c h o o l Te a m S q u a s h C h a mp i o n s h i p s i n Ha r t f o rd , C T o n Fe b r u a r y 6 - 8 . In c o nt i nu i n g h i s s q u a s h c a re e r, Ti m my h o p e s t o a g a i n re c e i v e a p o s i t i o n o n t h e U. S . Ju n i o r Nat i o n a l Te a m t h i s s u m m e r, a s w e l l a s m a k e a n i mp a c t at a s q u a s h p ro g r a m i n c o l l e g e . ☐

L ast L o ok

Pa g e 5 6 4 7 3

*DISCLAIMER* We, the Back Page editors, are trying something new for this issue of The Panel. If at any point in time you find the content on this back page unfunny, please send any complaints you might have to our Editor in Chief, Michael O’Neill. However, if you ever find yourself chuckling, or even just releasing some air out of your nose (we’ll count that), give us the credit we rightfully deserve.

Love, The Back Page Editors

BELMONT HILL TWEETS

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