The Cauldron - Issue 12 by Steve Thomas

A Response from the Pope of the Pulse Diocese

SGA Executive Debate On Page 5

Photo Spotlight

The Cauldron

On Page 12

Asian Awareness Event • On Page 6

XIII

Monday, april 12, 2010

F i n a l

*** ESTABLISHED 1929 ***

Issue 12 | FREE

F a n t a s y

A Heretic’s Trip Through the Church of the Chocobo By Justin Brenis

Page two : Monday, April 12, 2010

Contents Volume 110 • Issue 12

The Melting Pot

03 Opening Statements 03 Endorsing The Party of One Voice

News

05 CSU Professor Awarded Prestigious Grant 05 SGA Executive Debate 05 Ohio and Erie Canalway Association Accepting Grant Application 06 Photo Spotlight: Asia Ginormous Photostravaganza 07 Weekly Events Calendar

Final Fantasy XIII A Heretic’s Trip Through the Church of the Chocobo

For larger quantities, contact the Editor-in-Chief at cauldroneditors@gmail.com.

By Justin Brenis, The Cauldron Copy Editor

The Cauldron Samantha Shunk Editor-In-Chief

Arts & Entertainment

10 Thyagaraja Adrahana It’s ok to Mispronounce, So Long as You Dance 10 Noise Inspectors 11 Concert Picks 12 A Response from the Pope

Managing Editor Reid May Advertising Manager Jayson Gerbec

of the Pulse Diocese

Copy Editor Kristen Mott

Sports

13 Monsters Drop Home Finale 14 Time for the Pigskin Or is it? 14 Possibly the greatest game ever? 16 Cleveland State Baseball Recap 16 Cleveland State Tennis Continues First Place Form

Copy Editor Justin Brenis News Editor Alexes Spencer Sports Editor Rob Ivory

Home City Ice Co. Wa l t o n H i l l s , O h .

Hiring for route delivery and packaging. 30 minutes from campus. Flexible scheduling around classes. Earn $8.00 to $14.00 per hour. Work Through school on into Summer. Call 800-376-5388 or visit: www.homecityice.com to apply online.

The Cauldron is a free newspaper; however, to preserve readership each person may only take one copy of each issue.

Arts & Entertainment Editor Jonathan D. Herzberger Layout Editor Steve Thomas Business Manager Anne Werner Student Media & Web Specialist Daniel Lenhart Faculty Advisor Dr. Rodger Govea

Mission Statement As Cleveland State University’s student run, managed, and operated alternative weekly paper, The Cauldron is dedicated to delivering information to the student and professional body of CSU; doing so without bias, without constraints, and without fear. Presenting news, entertainment, opinion and other media that originates organically from within the student body, our distinctive media will organically flow and adapt to suit that body’s needs. The Cauldron prints according to sound journalistic principles of accuracy, accountability, integrity, transparency and with a recognition of press freedom and student expression. The Cauldron shall remain a forum; maintaining a strong connection to the diverse campus community, regarding but not limited to Cleveland State University, the city of Cleveland, the United States, and the Global Community.

Advertising Policy: For advertising inquiries e-mail us at cauldronadvertisements@hotmail.com or contact Jayson Gerbec at (216) 687-2270

Contact Us Cleveland State University 4th Floor Cole Center Cleveland, Ohio 44115 Phone (216) 687-2270 Fax (216) 687-5155 www.csucauldron.com

The Melting Pot This Week’s

Opening Statements By Samantha Shunk, The Cauldron Editor-in-Chief

When some Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” come out of the stereo, there is only one thing to do… Remember that “every little thing gonna be alright.” Bob Marley and the Wailers are part of the music that completes my perfect summer soundtrack. They are so chill and make me just want to sit out on my back porch with a tall glass of lemonade or on the beach and just enjoy summer life. Summer life, you know, the kind of life without school and only a little work, or at least that is the definition in my case. Yet, I have discovered that it also helps me relax when stressed out by school, work, or anything not so wonderful in my life. This finals week will be spent listening to a ton of Marley to keep my spirits up.

Monday, April 12, 2010

“Bob Marley and the Wailers are par t of the music that completes my perfect summer soundtrack.” When it randomly started playing last week, I just started calming down and feeling less stressed listening to Marley’s mellifluous voice. At that point, I decided that there is no need to get stressed out over school and work because it will all work out, as it always does. People always say that college was the best time of their life, so I decided that the homework not due the next day could wait just one night while I went out dancing. In making the most of this time when young and without the huge responsibility of a family and many more monthly bills, I am not suggesting to party all the time. While it is good to go out and spend time with friends, there are also those times when it is necessary to do schoolwork, especially if it is due the next day. One day we will be sitting around reminiscing about

Endorsing The Party of One Voice

Courtesy: undergroundspiritualgame.files.wordpress.com

college, so I recommend that we all make the most out of it. As Marley has taught me, “every little thing gonna be alright,” so now is the time to not worry about the future because we cannot control the economy or job availability. Right now is not the time to worry about it because we will have the rest of our lives to work, so we should just chill out and await the summer and hope that the weather gets nice again. Yeah, it looks good to have been really involved in college, but is that second internship or that fifth activity really going to set you apart from the other applicants? Probably not. So, let’s avoid some stress trying to do everything we possibly can to “ensure” our future and take life day-by-day. There will not always be a tomorrow, so it is important to enjoy every day. Photography by Steve Thomas

By Reid May, The Cauldron Managing Editor

On a university campus, many different entities play important roles in determining the course of institutional and personal success. These components, usually separate but often interconnected, combine to generate a unique environment where learning and growing become a collaborative effort. Cleveland State University is a very good example of this collaboration. Here we are a great machine functioning because of the success of our many moving parts. While all of the parts are different, they fail to function without each other. More critically, they fail to function without

direction. That direction originates in many places. Perhaps the most significant—especially from a student perspective— is Student Government. By now you should know that Student Government Association (SGA) elections take place online from April 12-14. Considering the effect these elections will have on the future of the university, The Cauldron has taken a considerably in-depth approach to discovering all there is to know about the candidates for the executive board. What follows is my endorsement.

This year, two parties seek the SGA executive board seats. The first is The Party of One Voice, presidential candidate Mohammad Faraj, vice-presidential candidate Shauna Jackson, secretarial candidate Andrew Gotlieb and treasurer candidate LeeAnn Westfall. The Students Opportunity for Success (S.O.S.) Party with presidential candidate Patchio Muleba, vicepresidential candidate Maria Baker, secretarial candidate Willa Weeks and treasurer candidate Gilbert Torres-Ruiz Continued on Page 4

Page four: Monday, April 12, 2010

Endorsing The Party of One Voice Continued from Page 3

challenges. One Voice returns two of the current SGA executive board members, current President Faraj and Secretary Jackson, while adding Westfall from the senate and Gotlieb from outside the government. S.O.S. has the Senate’s speaker in Torres-Ruiz, along with three others from the record senate. This year the core members of One Voice have been key in beginning to change much of what has been wrong with many student governments past. For the first time in recent memory, SGA has been about working diligently to stay on top of student concerns, before they become a glaring case of negligence. One Voice makes recollection of the day that executive board membership was sought for mere personal or financial sake difficult. Refreshingly, Faraj and Jackson have shown the student body that they understand the importance of governing. More importantly, they have shown us all that they understand what responsible governing means. They have not acted in ways that serve only to benefit a slim minority of students. Nor has this government operated with no inkling of accountability to those students. Rather, we have a government that makes significant efforts to increase visibility and transparency, while working on initiatives that derive from within the student population. In no way does this discount the absolute ability and motivation of Faraj and Jackson, but we did not elect them this year to serve their own interests. In a most wonderful and refreshing manner, they agree. Since their term began last summer, they have begun to increase student involvement in SGA affairs exponentially. The new online voting system will allow students greater access to the selection of their government. Senate numbers are at an all-time high, with 35 representing different segments of students from across campus. They have also worked diligently to advocate for diverse student interests. Faraj and Jackson have obtained $153,000 additional dollars for student activities, begun the creation of a new umbrella service organization through Viking Expeditions and proposed that a greater part of the upcoming tuition increase return to the students and their organizations through permanent funding stipulations. Their newsletter S.L.I.C.E. serves to inform students of the most recent decisions made and actions taken by the SGA—as well as any relevant upcoming events. Two presidential town hall meetings, two football forums and similar opportunities with administrative members like Dean Jim Drnek have increased student access to the real

decision makers at Cleveland State. Their transparency is enviable—a rousing success in a day and age where secrecy is often supported because of such things like “sensitivity” and “uncertainty.” Neither of those frequently used excuses have stopped their consistent progress. On the other side, S.O.S. brings an interesting platform to the table. A group that can rival any when it comes to broad appeal and understanding, they emphasize the importance of direct involvement with student organizations, increased diversity and the impact that Student Government can have on graduation and retention rates. Self-described as having a “passion for reaching out into the community” with different life experiences that could contribute to a responsible government and increase student connectivity, their proposals certainly have the potential to further the interests of students at Cleveland State. S.O.S. suggests an increase in connections as a method for retaining students. Their stance is that a feeling of importance on campus will make students feel like Cleveland State is the best place for them long-term. They propose mandatory workshops for freshmen, where SGA can help them locate their on-campus niche. As part of that initiative, they emphasize a stronger relationship with many of the campus’ student organizations and an increase in opportunities for student organizations to raise their own funds. S.O.S. also emphasizes the importance of SGA accepting its provided seats on the Board of Trustees and express concerns over this years’ government turning those seats down. However, this party is so involved that one begins to question their ability to commit fully to the demanding roles of SGA executives. While their cross-campus involvement is crucial, each has multiple student organizations counting on large personal contributions. Baker leads two in the engineering spectrum, Muleba has obvious international focuses and Weeks self-described herself as immersed in six, outside of SGA. Involvement like this is enviable. It would be wonderful to see a larger number of students with such interest on campus. Yet, when it comes to considering potential executives, total commitment to SGA is the more enviable trait. Additionally, while many of the ideas put forward by S.O.S. should be given total consideration, their plans for execution seem haphazard at best. Torres-Ruiz’s insistence that SGA have more direct involvement with student organization spending is much

needed. However, for all of the conversations had, no direct plan for such involvement and oversight was put forward. Baker’s passion for technology transfer is admirable— in fact, it is one of the most important long-term initiatives this university will undertake. However, President Ronald M. Berkman has just recently created a vice-presidency that will begin to tackle this issue very seriously. Without any offense intended, it is doubtful SGA will be able to expedite headway more successfully. Muleba made repeated references to his disadvantaged upbringing and continued efforts to help others in countries with need. While his passion is commendable, the focus is misplaced. SGA is not an organization that should have international focus. Their focus, rather, should be on the affairs of Cleveland State. That brings us back to the Party of One Voice. Over the last academic year, they have consistently impressed us with their ability to maximize the importance of students and their concerns. They have a clear, enduring plan already prepared—in fact, some of their initiatives are already underway. A campus circulator bus, free access to the recreation center for all students and a new streamlined advising system are important initiatives that need to be seen through. Under the continued leadership of Faraj and Jackson, along with Westfall and Gotlieb, there is little doubt that all of those dreams will become reality. More importantly, their work will not stop there. No, this year was not perfect. S.O.S. makes valid points regarding the importance of the seats on the Board of Trustees and I concur that the working relationship between the executive board and the Senate could improve. Additionally, the direct connection with student organizations is one of the most crucial issues at hand—and that progress will be monitored next year. However, these are minor flaws in an overwhelmingly successful government. Their work this year is commendable and has been widely applauded across the campus. This was never a very fair race for the members of S.O.S. From the beginning, their chances were minuscule. One Voice has done everything to ensure us their wisdom and creativity is just beginning to show. For next year, S.O.S. should to return to the senate. Your ideas are important and you should continue to advocate from that position. Meanwhile, I would like to lend my full and utmost support to the members of the Party of One Voice. I cannot find the words to emphasize how much your leadership has meant to the students of Cleveland State University, and am desperately hopeful that it will continue long into the future.

DUI, Theft Offenses, Drug Offenses, Assault,Misdemeanors and Felonies

AARON A. SCHWARTZ, ESQ.

Attorney at Law serving all of Northeast Ohio

Thinking about advertising in the cauldron?

CALL TODAY 216-551-6205

30432 Euclid Ave. #101 Free initial consultation Wickliffe, OH 44092 Able to meet in evenings 216-551-6205 Available 7 days/week aschwartzlaw@gmail.com

Please call 216-687-2270 or email cauldronadvertisements @hotmail.com

News

CSU Professor Awarded Prestigious Grant  By Kristen Mott, The Cauldron Copy Editor

CSU professor Anton Komar and his international team have recently received a prestigious research grant. The 3-year grant, valued at $900,000, was awarded by the Human Frontiers Science Program (HFSP). Komar is an associate professor in the Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science. As a member of Cleveland State’s Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease, his research focuses on protein folding in the cell. Komar said that he has been working on this research subject for the past 25 years. With this grant, he hopes to “find how protein translation rates affect protein folding in the cell.” In order for proteins to function properly, the polypeptide chain that it is composed of must fold correctly. During the process when the amino acids are produced, pauses occur. The function of the pauses has not yet been determined, nor why the process pauses to begin with. Part of Komar’s research will examine how this pausing affects the protein folding. In addition, the research will examine the folding process from the beginning, when the protein is produced by the ribosome, to the end, when the protein is finished. The team will also investigate how the speed of the process affects protein folding. This research project could prove to be quite beneficial. According to the research report, “The results will provide important insight into the mechanism of protein folding in the cell.” Komar thinks that the research “might help to better understand the origin of so-called misfolding diseases. When proteins fold incorrectly, it can lead to certain diseases within humans. The research can also lead to breakthroughs in the real world. According to the research report, the research will “give a tool to upscale the production of functional proteins for medical and biotechnological purposes.” Komar and his team, which includes a PhD student, were one of 25 research groups around the world chosen to receive HFSP funding. “I believe it will increase CSU visibility on national and international levels,” Komar said. Other grants were given to researchers at universities such as Stanford, Harvard and MIT. Komar said that his grant was ranked seventh among the 25 grants awarded this year. Komar received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees at the Moscow State University in Russia. Along with this research project, Komar is involved with two other research initiatives, one of which is funded by a grant from the American Heart Association. Komar said that both of his projects are related to different aspects of protein biosynthesis and folding. The HFSP sponsors basic research that is focused on the complex mechanisms of living organisms. It places emphasis on collaborations that bring biologists and scientists from other fields together.

Monday, April 12, 2010

SGA Executive Debate

By Samantha Shunk, The Cauldron Editor-in-Chief

Last Tuesday at noon the candidates for the executive board of SGA (Student Government Association) met for a debate between the two running parties. The Party of One Voice and The Students Opportunity for Success (S.O.S.) Party both had the candidates for SGA president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary present for the debate. The debate began with questions addressed to the candidates for SGA secretary. The Party of One Voice’s candidate for secretary, Andrew Gotlieb, spoke of his qualifications and said that as SGA secretary he plans to implement a message board “in some type of online format” to foster communication between student organizations and in the community outside of CSU. Then as the rebuttal, Maria Baker, The S.O.S. Party’s candidate for vice president explained that Willa Weeks, The S.O.S. Party’s candidate for secretary, “pays great attention to detail” and will “raise the bar” when it comes to distributing accurate and timely meeting minutes. Why Weeks was not the one to provide the rebuttal is unknown. In switching to questioning Weeks and leaving the rebuttal to Gotlieb was the format of the debate which was followed throughout the different positions with four questions posed to each position in total. Each candidate was asked two questions and generally was able to provide a rebuttal for the two posed to his or her opponent. LeeAnn Westfall, The Party of One Voice’s candidate for treasurer, spoke of how she will judiciously distribute funds to student organizations, which have “increased so much in the past year alone that there are over 200 groups on campus.” Yet again, Baker provided the rebuttal claiming that Westfall was mistaken in her statement that the tuition increase was mandated by the state because “the tuition increase is not mandated; however, it is encouraged.” Gilbert Torres Ruiz, The S.O.S. Party’s candidate for treasurer, explained that he is qualified to effectively distribute funds to student organizations because “as speaker of the senate, I preside over a $20,000 discretionary budget.” In her rebuttal, Westfall explained how she will help students to spend their allocated money wisely and really make it last, as she turned a couple thousand dollars into a couple hundred thousand dollars for some of her projects on campus, such as the rooftop garden at the Rec Center.

Shauna Jackson, The Party of One Voice’s candidate for vice president, spoke of “forming an umbrella service organization between Viking Expeditions and Engineers Without Borders, where it would oversee the service component that they partake in throughout the year, and rather than going to the finance committee to be funded for service opportunities they can go to the umbrella organization.” The hope is to be able to gain more funding for these organizations from the university through this umbrella organization. Baker explained her “extensive outreach resume” and her desire to “get the freshman internship program going” while she is in office. Jackson claimed that she agreed with Baker’s statements about outreach, and added that “we want to extend what we have” in regards to the outreach programs already in place. Mohammad Faraj, The Party of One Voice’s candidate for president, responded to the question of what his presidential agenda is if he wins the election. “It is not about what I want to see, but it’s about what the students want.” He also expresses his hope that the students will “come to me” with the changes they want to see. Patchio Muleba, The S.O.S. Party’s candidate for president, provided his rebuttal by explaining his agenda: “To focus on diversity.” After Muleba explained all the events he held on campus to benefit the community or the students, Jackson said about Muleba, “Although he was a senator, I didn’t hear about anything that was done as a senator. The event he was talking about was not an SGA sponsored event.” Jackson spoke of how she plans to work with the speaker of the senate closely and work with “getting senators involved with the executive board.” She also revealed, “Our executive board has been varied in terms of positions. We don’t care about job titles; we don’t care about delineations of responsibility; we care about getting things done. That means everyone working together.” Baker’s rebuttal contained her involvement credentials, and she also expressed her desire to spread awareness to the students of the work SGA is doing. Following the structured debate, the candidates took questions from the students in the audience. To learn more about the candidates, visit www.csuohio. edu/studentlife/boardofelections. And make sure to vote before online polls close at one minute to midnight on Wednesday.

Ohio and Erie Canalway Association Accepting Grant Applications By Nikki Kochman, The Cauldron Staff Writer

The Ohio and Erie Canalway Association Matching Grants Program are now accepting letters of inquiry to receive a grant. They work with local, state, private and federal funding to match dollar for dollar on grant awards. Since the OECA has been founded, they have awarded over $27

million. They work with local partners to help renovate historical sites along the canal way path that stretches over 110 miles. Their goal is to educate and preserve the natural aspects within its borders which include Cuyahoga County, Summit County, Stark County and Tuscarawas County.

Some projects included in this past year’s grant program include the annual Bike Aboard! along the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad with $38,267; the Gateway Arch construction on Broadway in Slavic Village with $110,583; and the “Great Lakes Story Exhibit” at the Continued on Page 12

Page six: Monday, April 12, 2010

Photo Spotlight: Asian Awareness event Photography by Cheryl D'mello

CSU staff, students, and faculty lined up to get their hands decorated with mehndi by International students from India, Bhargavi Gadela and Harika Bandaru

International student Yayoi Kitawaki from Japan demonstrating how to make origami cranes and panda bears

Monica Plunkett, Manager of Intl. Student Services and Yayoi Kitawaki, who demonstrated Origami

Irissa Lu requested a totally non-traditional place for her mehndi design

Intricate mehndi designs on a hand on CSU's Asian Awareness Month Flier displaying the Asian countries.

Loung Ung, Award-winning author and social activist from Shaker Heights, was the keynote speaker at the lecture and book signing on April 8. She spoke about her first book "First They Killed My Father" and issues of identity she faced in America after coming from Cambodia as a child. The event was sponsored by Cultural Crossings Lecture Series and the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs at CSU.

George Burke, Director Center for International Services and Programs and Top Magbag, Assistant Manager, Office of the Treasury Services at CSU. Top who is of Cambodian origin, and George were Asian Awareness Month Committee members .

CSU student Serena Samaroo from CSU's Occupational Therapy Master's program choose an non traditional place for her mehndi design

George Burke,Director, Center for International Services and programs Office, with Serreta Archer from the AHANA program, and Roberto Chavez, Multicultural Coordinator at the Asian Awareness Month celebration

Cauldron News Editor Alexes Spencer displays her mehndi decorated palm

International student Deepak Maddha was the DJ playing Indian hip hop music while the Mehndi and Origami artists gave students a sample of Indian and Japanese culture.

International students from India, Sowmya Reddy Narala (left) and Swapna Pakiru (right) perform Bollywood dances in the Main Classroom atrium on Tuesday, April 6 at 12 noon as part of CSU's Asian Awareness Month Celebration.

International students from India, Naveen Malladi (left) and Abhilash Gadi (right).

Monday, April 12, 2010 : Page seven

W eekly E vents C alendar 4/12

SGA Elections and Football vote open online at sgaelections.csuohio. edu. Women Re-Entry Student Group Bake Sale from 5-7:30 p.m. in BU Lobby. Ice Cream Social at noon. Library 1st floor.

4/13

Black Studies and Career Services present Umoja Round Table, “Gifted Hands as an African American Paramedic, Nurse and Medical Doctor.” Noon in MC 137.

4/14

SGA Elections close at 11:59 p.m.

Sweets of Many Nations Bake Sale in MC Atrium. 11-4 p.m. Friends of the Library book discussion featuring Mary Doria Russell. 3 p.m. in RT 503.

4/15

Book Sale from 10-2 p.m. on the 1st floor of the library.

4/17

Dash for Dollars at Viking Parlor C from 3-5 p.m.. Win prizes in the cash cube. Hey! Don’t see your event here? E-mail cauldroneditors@gmail.com to make sure your next event makes it into the calendar.

XIII

Page eight: Monday, April 12, 2010

Final Fantasy

A Heretic’s Trip Through the Church of the Chocobo By Justin Brenis, The Cauldron Copy Editor

orgive me readers, for I have sinned. It has been over nine years sine my last confession, or at least since I played my last Final Fantasy (FF) game....  I know, dear reader, you must be cringing at my lack of fayth (ok, bad joke…sorry).  How bad are the sins of which I speak? Well, as far as playing FF goes, I’ve never played VII or VIII, only X, parts of XII...and, well XIII now as well. I’ve watched the movies though! Well, I mean, I’ve seen The Spirits Within…but I DID see the previews for Advent Children, so that must count for something... right? No? Listen, in all fairness, this confession stuff...it isn’t for me. I understand that as far as games go, dear reader, Final Fantasy has an almost religious following. So I am going to try and give you the fairest review I can, but I figured it was better you knew where I was coming from before I started. FFXIII takes place amidst two worlds: Cocoon and Pulse. Now pay close attention here because this spoiler-free synopsis is going to be your new best friend. Cocoon is an advanced civilization floating high above Pulse, the more ravaged terrain below. On both worlds live two species, the humans and the Fal’Cie: large, semi-synthetic beings that provide humans with all the necessities needed for survival. On Cocoon the Human/Fal’Cie existence is one of cohabitation, where the government is actually indirectly ran by a Fal’Cie, named Eden. Pulse Fal’Cie, on the other hand, are a force to be reckoned with. Due to the fact that Fal’Cie are not the most communicative of beings, when they want something done they will contract a human to complete a “focus,” thus making the human a L’Cie. Should the human complete this focus then they will gain eternal life as a crystal, but if they do not they will be doomed to become a Cie’th, a monster doomed to roam, but never forgetting their focus. While things run seemingly smoothly, there is an instilled hatred between the two worlds. Anything Pulsian found on Cocoon is deemed evil and worthy of removal, including any Cocoon citizens found near a Pulse artifact, merely because they could be Pulse L’Cie...and this is where Final Fantasy XIII begins. Yes, all of that is merely just back-story, and much like most Final Fantasy games, you don’t get even half that information until you are well into the game. But the real task with Final Fantasy XIII, as I discovered, is finding the resolve to get far enough into the game to even bother caring to find this all out. In fact, if I had to dig down deep and find some iota of praise for my experience with Final Fantasy XIII, the best I could come up with is that it is the most visually stunning game experience I have ever had. If there exists a reason to put up with the 35+ hour grind of the game, it is solely to get from cut-scene to cut-scene because the in-game graphic sequences are just as pretty to look at as the occasional gift of a pre-rendered one. The amount of time and detail that had to go into these sequences must have been tremendous, and it pays off, treating gamers to a visual experience like none other. Also interesting to note is that this is the first Final Fantasy game to date that has taken

Monday, April 12, 2010 : Page nine the extra initiative to match the lipsyncing with the American voice-overs. Granted I’ve also never looked that close because I am usually having too much fun to care...and that is where the real bulk of the issues with FFXIII occur. The biggest offense committed by FFXIII happens to be one (if not many) in the area most crucial to a successful gaming experience: gameplay mechanics. Picking up right where FFXII left off, Square-Enix has decided to continue to alienate its JRPG fan base by evolving an already unsuccessful battle system.  If there was always something I appreciated about this genre of games, it was that while the Turn-Based Battle System always looked tedious to those unfamiliar with the genre, it was extremely engaging. Much like a chess match, you had to carefully strategize the moves of roughly five or six characters with different abilities and strengths and then pit them against the random attacks of various enemies. After planning your attack and defense strategy, you watched with bated breath and prayed you planned accordingly, or at least well enough to survive.  FFXIII has revamped this system to an Active-Time Battle system (ATB) that operates off of an ATB Gauge. Now you have control (and this is a very loose concept) of only one character, the remaining two being operated by the computer. During fights the action never pauses, so you are constantly under attack, making priorities like healing and resurrecting more important than the battle itself, especially because regardless of if your party is alive, if you die it’s game over. In order to heal, attack, cast magic, or defend, you must use “paradigms” which will lay out your battlefield to include a variety of different types of fighters usually associated with JRPGs. Finally, if you want to use special moves, like Summons, you must use Technical Points (TP) which are earned in a separate gauge at the end of each fight.  Your goal as a player during all of this then is to do one of two things. You can: 1. Continually press “AutoBattle” allowing the computer to wait for your ATB gauge to fill and then deploy whatever it deems are the most appropriate commands for whichever paradigm you choose to use, or 2. You can fill the ATB gauge to your liking, or use up your TP, and then deploy the attacks. In all fairness, neither of these experiences is wholly different from the other leaving the most frequent part of the game, the fighting, feeling more like channel-surfing than anything else. More often than not I found myself feeling like I was playing a JRPG/Rail-Shooter hybrid, sitting around consistently pushing A and then advancing from cutscene to cutscene. In fact, I was actually walking away from the TV during longer battles, controller in hand, pressing A, because I knew so long as I continued to do so, I very rarely risked

losing a battle. Even when I did run the risk of losing a battle, very rarely would I remember that I had the Eidolon (Summoms) at my aid to use whenever I wished. Unlike the Summons system from FFX, the Eidolons in XIII really don’t add much to the battle sequences, making them easily forgettable. Because the goal of each battle is to drive up your enemy’s Chain Gauge, in an attempt to “Stagger” them, thereby causing more damage per average hit, summoning an Eidolon is usually counterintuitive as it resets the Chain Gauge and your Eidolon must then, on limited and constantly decreasing health, try and drive it back up. During this, you can fight alongside your Eidolon, who acts as yet another uncontrollable character, and then switch to “Gestalt Mode” where your Eidolon works much like a Transformer or a Power Rangers ‘Zord with a control style akin to that of the pitching systems in 2K Sport’s MLB2K10. If you don’t feel like trying to figure that out you can also “Auto-Gestalt” which returns us back to the A-mashing uninvolved gameplay that this game is all too comfortable with.  After all the fighting ends, you get a star ranking out of five and you earn both Crystarium Points (CP), which is a combination of this game’s equivalent of EXP and FFX’s Orb Grid method of leveling up, and some amount of TP added to your gauge. The game also encourages you to upgrade your weaponry and accessories using a new upgrade system; however, if you haven’t caught the gist yet, “new” has not been FFXIII’s best friend. You earn the materials required for this at the ends of battles and purchases made in stores. I very rarely did this considering my Lv. 1 weapons were just fine through most of the game, and the upgrade system is as messy, if not messier, than the inventory system of Mass Effect 1. In order to upgrade an item you have two classes of stuff to tack onto it: Organic and Synthetic. Organic items drive up the item’s EXP Multiplier (reaching a cap at 3x) but don’t do much in the way of tacking any significant EXP onto the item. Synthetic items degrade the item’s EXP Multiplier as you tack them on, but provide large amounts of EXP, especially when the multiplier begins at 3x. But, not all Organic or Synthetic items provide equal amounts of their +/- attributes, so you have to figure out which do the most and least good the quickest, and then you have to do this for however many weapons you choose to use and however many accessories you choose to equip (of which there are countless combinations). After doing all this your item will eventually reach Lv. ★ and then you must use rare, special Organic items to evolve your weapon, and then the process begins all over again.  Now a lot of people have applauded FFXIII on its branching together the video game and the movie, because some gamers just like to watch. But fair warning game watchers, you had better watch REALLY closely. Assuming you blow through the game, leveling up as necessary and not spending too much time exploring, item hunting, or sidequesting (like I did) it should take you about 3540 hours to complete the main story. However, despite following the best I could, the story barely

seems to exist outside of what you can read in the datalog. The plot twists feel expected and messy, and it constantly contradicts itself leaving very little to no consequences for the main character’s actions. Now I understand that JRPGs have a tendency to have overly excessive plots that require a lot of time, thought and additional reading to really grasp, but if there is one thing you need before you subject a gamer to that environment it is likable characters... something FFXIII does not have. The main party you spend the majority of the game interchanging are Lightening, Sazh, Snow, Hope and Vanille, with the addition of Fang later on to round it out at six (seven if you count the baby Chocobo that lives in Sazh’s afro and is arguably the most engaging character in the game). Each one of these characters would typically fulfill a pretty a-typical JRPG stereotype, but in FFXIII they all sort of come cut from the same boring mold. Lightening is the troubled, dark commando with regrets a mile wide, Sazh is the troubled, dark, older fatherly figure with wisdom born of his regrets, Snow is the idealistically clueless wannabe hero who finds his regret in the troubles he comes to face, Hope is the troubled, green newbie who regrets becoming involved but has no choice, and then Vanille and Fang have their own troubles and regrets that as the plot unfolds become more and more apparent. This leaves the baby Chocobo as the only character who is just happy and whimsical and doesn’t have the emotions and positivity forced on them by campy dialogue as the game progresses to give it a sense of completion. All in all the characters are so unlikeable and bland that I found myself beating the game merely to say I did, and not because I cared one way or the other about the fate of my ragtag group. Overall, I think it’s pretty clear, dear reader, that I am boldly prepared to be excommunicated by the Final Fantasy community. So in my last act of defiance, I am going to have to say this title is without a doubt a FRY IT game.

Monday, April 12, 2010 Photography by Jonathan “Killstring” Herzberger

Arts&Entertainment

Thyagaraja Adrahana

It’s ok to Mispronounce, So Long as You Dance By Jonathan “Killstring” Herzberger, The Cauldron A&E Editor Thyagaraja Adrahana. Say it out loud. No, you get no phonetics, no guide. Say this out loud, and either A: look silly, or B: reveal your Indian heritage. Option C came about this past week, in the form of the largest Indian music festival that doesn’t happen in India. This one happens at Cleveland State, thank you very much. The 33rd annual installation of said festival brought a crowd estimated to exceed 8,000 people to Cleveland State, as evidenced by the abundance of colorful garments introduced into the downtown population. Maybe it’s just me, but every time that I feel myself gaining some confidence in regards to style, or the use of color in fashion, the Adrahana rolls around, and any Continued on Page 12 Couresty: mtv.com

ors N o is e InHerszbperegecrtand Courtney Jones illstring”

By Jonathan “K

&E The Cauldron A

tributing Writer

Editor and Con

Method Man/Ghostface Killah/Raekwon: Wu-Massacre Dirty little secret? Mr. Killstring, your local indierthan-thou pretentious hipster snob, he of the obscurity obsession; an unabashed Wu-Tang fan. What can I say? Cash rules everything around me. So when Raekwon released Only Built For Cuban Linx... Pt. II last year, I was intrigued. And the album, despite doing my very best attempt at cynicism, was actually pretty good. One might go so far as to say Raekwon’s best since, well, the original Cuban. So, when I found out about Wu-Massacre - which, admittedly, was last week - I was more than willing to give it a chance. Hell, I honestly expected it to be pretty good, despite apparently sporting a ridiculously (for mainstreamed hip-hop) short release cycle. Meh, it’s ok. The disc opens with “Criminology 2.5” - and it immediately feels off. The original Criminology was on Raekwon’s original Cuban. Yet, Chief Raekwon is

Welcome back to the stage of history. Or you know, the track list in your mp3 player. We’re starting to see more activity on the Big Important Release front, which is either good or bad, depending on the release. In contrast to this, part of the - let’s say interesting - nature of being a college media publication, is the things we at the Good Ship Cauldron get in the mail. As such, Courtney Jones has given an indepth look to a CD that arrived with little fanfare, and featured a bunch of middle-aged dudes looking - well, looking like middle-aged dudes on the cover. Was it awful? Deluded? Or was there something worth listening to here? I couldn’t say. But more on that later. For now, a brief rundown of two of those recent releases. Erkah Badu: New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh Now this? This is more like it, this is what I think of, when I think Erkah Badu. Funky, sloppy, a little disjointed, and generally chill. On Amerykah Part Two, Badu returns to the selfindulgent rambling that permeated 2003’s Worldwide Underground. And it’s not a bad thing. Sure, Badu’s music is self-indulgent - some might go so far as to say self-obsessed (Pitchfork describes her as “a narcissist”) but in context of her music, that’s hardly a terrible thing. You can see why she’s so into herself - she’s interesting. Like the friend who spends an hour describing why Marxism is the ideal philosophy, while simultaneously demonstrating they don’t know anything about Marxism. But the points are so compelling, you never stop to correct her. Why such a peculiar analogy for what is essentially a soul album about relationships? Well, Badu’s a peculiar sort of girl. If weird, spacey, ambient, soulful records sound good to you, Return Of The Ankh stands a pretty good chance of sounding equally good. Isn’t polished. Isn’t always cohesive or coherent. Is however, consistently compelling, even if you find Badu’s vocals a little too far on the nasal side for your taste - which, in the interest of fairness, I must admit that I do. But this album is so much more than the stripping in the “Window Seat” video - even if you’re not a fan of soul, or neo-soul, or Freakquency, or whatever Badu’s calling her work today - check it out. 7 boots out of 10

nowhere to be found on this version. It’s a little like when they replace James Bond - or rather, like the old, pre-Casino Royale films, where they don’t reboot, they just keep going like the audience is part of a control group: “We’ve replaced Sean Connery with Roger Moore - let’s see if anyone notices.” That’s not to say the album is without it’s high points - “Gunshowers” honestly feels like a Wu-Tang track - possibly due to the inclusion of Inspectah Deck on the song. And it’s not like Massacre is a bad record per se - it just doesn’t feel like it lives up to the pedigree. Is it fair to judge this album for not being a Wu-Tang album? Yes. Yes it is fair, if you put that in the title of your record. Anyway, if you’re a fan of these three, or the genre in general, you could conceivably do a lot worse. Also, a lot better. 5.5 Wu’s out of 10

Steve Palmer Band: Apparition By Courtney Jones The Steve Palmer Band is one of the latest musical additions to Nashville’s escalating rock scene. The band has a sound that makes it seem as though they were formed back in the 70’s or 80’s, but they are actually a contemporary band. Their music has a vast variety of style which includes elements of rock, country, R&B, pop, alternative rock, and a majority of it is considered to be classic rock. Their first album, Apparition, is to be released to the public April 20. It was recorded live off the floor with minimal overdubs at Nashville’s Blackbird Studios with Arythmia Records. The leader of the band is guitarist/ singer/songwriter Steve Palmer. The rest of the band includes background vocalist Vicki Hampton, lead guitarist Bryan Ewald, drummer Tony Morro, Hammond B-3 organist/pianist Larry Hall and bassist Anthony Setola. The opening song, “Living on the Streets”, has a catchy beat and rhythm that brings in the more modern pop/ country style. The song is very calming and relaxing. It is definitely a song that would chill a tense mood. The title of the CD ties into all of the songs. An apparition is a ghostly

figure or something existing only in perception, and his third song, “Never Gonna See Her Again”, really captures that. He sings about a girl that is only in his dreams, a girl that is gone. This is a sad song about a love that left and won’t be returning. It is a song that people who have lost love under any circumstances can relate to. I would have to say that this is my favorite song on the CD. The vocals are good and show real emotion, it’s real music which is why I think I like it the most. The group’s sound has a classic feel to it. All of the songs seem to relate to a love that was lost either accidently or purposefully. All of the titles coincide to with each other. They are about love and the feelings and thoughts one deals with when having lost it. This is a band that’s music grows on you. The more you listen to it the more you understand what is being sung about and the more you can relate to it. Palmer said that they’re “trying to bring back the best elements of music from the 1970s for anyone who loves music and is moved by it” and I think that they have accomplished that. I recommend people trying it, but not just once. Listen to it a couple of times to try and feel the emotions being evoked.

Monday, April 12, 2010 : Page eleven

Concert Picks By Alexes Spencer and Jonathan “Killstring” Herzberger, The Cauldron News and A&E Editors

Hey boys and girls. Are you as confused by this weather as we are? Way to go, Cleveland. Way to be superawesome and nice outside and then drop 50,000 degrees and start raining just in time for Tom’s Shoes’ sponsored annual event, “One Day Without Shoes.” My feet may never recover. Still, all weather-related rants aside, your two favorite Cauldron writers are here to deliver you the best in concert-related recommendations. Couresty: myspace.com

Alexes’ Pick: 4/15 Chiodos @ The Grog Shop Well, I was going to pick Big D and the Kids Table, but Jon wrote his pick first and so I get to scowl in his general direction and re-pick. This means that you should REALLY go to Big D and the Kids Table, because it’s one of those rare occasions when Jon and I really agree on what’s in your best interest. All that aside, my 2nd pick for shows this week has to be Chiodos at Ye Olde Shop of Grog. The reason for this pick is very specifically the fact that Craig Owens is no longer in the band. Now, before all you fans of Craigery get all up in arms about me DARING to pick Chiodos sans Craig, I have a very legitimate reason for this. I, like you, believe that Craig was the C in Chiodos, and I kind of delight at seeing just how they’ll pull this off without him. It’s sort of like watching NASCAR with the hope that someone will crash. It’s kind of worth $14 to watch them fail miserably. And, you know, if they’re okay without Craig, then it’s just sort of an added bonus.

Killstring’s Pick: 4/19 Big D and the Kids Table w/Tropadelic @ the Grog Shop Remember all that nice weather last week? How the sun peeked through the clouds, until the sky split wide open, and you realized you were overdressed? Remember that thing your mouth did, curling up at the corners? Remember the joy? Yeah, well, it’s gone now. And the forecast isn’t offering much in the way of an immediate return. But! We have hope to recapture that same glorious, rapturous warmth, that divine stream of bliss, that sublime sensation of simply being happy: We have ska. And not just any representative of the skascape, oh no. We have the almighty D. Big D has been one of the most consistently entertaining acts in the business for fourteen years now. Think about that for just a moment; what were you doing in 1996? Because they were kicking out jams. What are you doing now? They’re still kicking out jams, and the good times remain as infectious as ever. So grab ten bucks, and your dancing shoes (you do have those by now, yes?) and get thee to the Grog. And then smile for the rest of the week, rain notwithstanding, you’ll supply the shine.

Other Shows: 4/13 Finntroll @ Peabody’s, $23 4/13 Hold Steady @ Beachland, $20 4/15 Impending Doom @ Peabody’s, $14 4/15 Baby Dee @ Beachland, $10 4/16 Adam Green @ Grog Shop, $12 4/16 July for Kings @ Peabody’s, $10 4/16 The Rocketz @ Beachland, $7 4/17 Solipsist @ Peabody’s, $6 << 4/17 Deadstring Brothers @ Beachland, $8 4/18 Red Sparowes @ Grog Shop, $10 4/18 Grave Maker @ Peabody’s, $10 4/19 Rose Funeral @ Peabody’s, $10

Page twelve : Monday, April 12, 2010

A True Fan Review of FFXIII

A Response from the Pope of the Pulse Diocese By Eduardo Otero, The Cauldron Contributing Writer

One month after the Thirteenth Advent, the world of gaming stands irrevocably changed as gamers of all walks continue to clamor restlessly in an effort to appoint legitimate meaning to the newest iteration of the video game industry’s Alpha and Omega: Final Fantasy XIII. The latest installment of Square Enix’s best-selling franchise impresses without question—featuring a cast of lovable personalities caught up in a larger-than-life tale, coupled effortlessly with a thrilling battle system, the most breathtaking photorealistic world ever presented in a video game, and a groundbreaking hour-plus-long soundtrack. Acting upon a franchise trademark emulated by its predecessors for more than 20 years, Final Fantasy XIII successfully reinvents its namesake in the quest to placate anxious fans of the series while attempting to deliver a generally solid gaming experience. It would seem however that limiting this experience down to a simple “Buy it/Fry it” system is another story completely. Let me assure you, nevertheless, that any hesitation in acknowledging FFXIII as the authentic inheritor of the Final Fantasy legacy is the fault of the indecisive heretic gamer of this paper and nothing else. Take the game’s wrathfully independent, tough-as-nails heroine, Lightning, for example. Were FFXIII’s developers unsuccessful in their effort to sway our irresolute blasphemer by denying him the kind of sexually charged aggression and lollipopnursing shenanigans popularized in Bayonetta? Perhaps. But can her weaknesses in any way be accredited to unexceptional or fragile character traits? Not a chance. The mysteriously charming and multifaceted Lightning fascinates from the game’s inception. In fact, the entire cast of Final Fantasy XIII is assorted with inimitable and engaging characters that bring the party to life in an arguably more successful manner than any installment to date. FFXIII’s “linearity,” too, has been brought into question – but here the forgetful heretic falters yet again. Final Fantasy, unlike scores of other Western role-playing games, has never been about anything but presenting a dependable narrative. There is simply no room for “choose your own adventure” open-endedness in games that seek to enthrall its fans with the sum of its mythos and universe … not that there’s anything wrong with the open world approach in the Fable series or others like it. In the end, Final Fantasy has no use for this structure. Moreover, what the critics refer to as linearity in this instance serves a greater storytelling purpose. The systematic and often mechanical nature of FFXIII’s first ten chapters is unmistakably representative of Cocoon: a sheltered, fully controlled world organized and maintained by the Fal’Cie. Gran Pulse, on the other hand, is a lawless world of possibilities where the players can spend endless hours exploring and completing optional quests. This mechanism, reminiscent of Final Fantasy VI’s Worlds of Balance and Ruin, is arguably the greatest testament to Thirteen’s brilliance. Others have expressed apprehension over the innovate and extremely fun “Paradigm Shift” battle system, calling it monotonous. Adhering to paradigms that may be changed at any time to suit a given situation can be very challenging, requiring heightened player discretion and rapid response time. Alleviating newcomers is the fully accessible and controversial “auto-battle” command. It is a fantastic option that compensates for opponents of different varieties with diverse weaknesses. Note that it is not obligatory, however, nor should it be used in all instances. “You’ve changed, man,” says the unapologetic, angst-fueled gamer to Final Fantasy. Yet, this bizarre accusation is problematic to say the least, because change has always been at the heart of this beloved franchise. Final Fantasy II, for instance, was a landmark departure from the original. The tenth installment spawned a sequel based almost entirely on side missions. Its twelfth refined particular combat elements of the eleventh, the franchise’s first and Japan’s only truly successful massively multiplayer online game, giving birth to the Active Dimension Battle system. Since its foundation, the series has always sought, and arguably achieved, a complete reinvention of itself while maintaining an inherent, immutable essence that is distinctly Final Fantasy. True to form, no characters, worlds, or in-game mechanics have never remained the same in any two main chapters. In FFXIII, producer Yoshinori Kitase sought to blur the lines between video game and interactive movie – and he succeeded, overwhelmingly. Of course, this game is not for everyone. Just like flight simulators, sports games, and first-person shooters, Final Fantasy XIII has been crafted to suit a specific taste. Nonetheless, those capable of appreciating it for what it truly is will find it a mindblowing experience that lives up to the most resilient brand in the industry’s history.

Thyagaraja Adrahana Continued from Page 10 such notions fly clear out of my head. Ahem. Among some of the cooler things that happened, is the tradition of the Pancharathnam. In addition to giving my spellchecker the fits, Pancharathnam is a yearly event, an homage of sorts to Sri Thyagaraja, also known as Kakarla Tyaga Brahmam; arguably the most important composer in classical south Indian music. What makes this particular event so compelling, is that the community at large gathers to perform his pancharathna krithis, or the five jewels; a hymn of sorts to Rama - which probably makes little sense if you’re not familiar with Hinduism, but is regardless, an absolutely gorgeous piece of music. And when I say “the community,” I mean “anybody in appropriate dress who showed up at least fifteen minutes before the start of the performance.” Additionally, a short series of performances in the MC atrium highlighted some of the more progressive elements in Indian music. Have you ever seen Indian Hip-Hop dance? Because this was your big chance, and I can assure you, it’s worth seeing. In summary, Aradhana represents a unique opportunity to either celebrate Indian music and culture, or expand one’s cultural boundaries to the point where one can join in the joy of celebrating them. But don’t cry if you missed all the fun - the 34th annual Thyagaraja Adrahana will hit CSU next year, right around Easter weekend.

Ohio and Erie Canalway Association Accepting Grant Applications Continued from Page 5

Great Lakes Science Center with $62,500. Educational programs are included in the list of eligible projects, so students can apply as long as the chosen project has to do with the goals of the OECA which is to “help preserve and interpret the unique and significant contributions to our national heritage of certain historic and cultural lands, waterways, and structures” according to their website. In order to receive a grant for the 2011 year, a letter of inquiry must be sent out. Included in the letter of inquiry should be the funding request, a mission statement, the chosen organizations history and accomplishments, the reason for needing the grant, a description of the chosen projects and how it meets their goals, the cost of the project and other sources of funding, the project timeline and who will be included in it, and contact information. This should be no longer than three pages in length. The submission deadline is June 1, and applicants will be contacted after July 15 if they want you to submit an application. For more information you can contact Susan Nenadovic, the OECA Grants Program Manager at 216-520-1825 or go to www.ohioanderiecanalway.com.

The Cauldron Weekly in

***

• New Artists Reviews • Concert reviews • Album Reviews

Sports

Going to the Tribe’s home opener? Send us your opening day pictures to caldroneditors@gmail. com and we will post them in The Cauldron.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Photography by Rob Ivory

Monsters Drop Home Finale By Robert Ivory, The Cauldron Sports Editor

The Lake Erie Monsters (34-37-18; 77 points) finished their 2009-2010 campaign with a shoot-out loss to the Abbotsford Heat Saturday night at the Q in front of a large home crowd of 14,103. Josh Aspenlind, Mark Oliver, and Brian Fahey each scored a goal and Monsters goalie John Grahame stopped 34 shots. The Monsters led the entire game until Abbotsford answered with two goals late in the third period within 53 seconds of each other to tie the game at three. “I thought as the game went on we got tired,” Monsters’ head coach David Quinn said after the loss. Quinn also pointed out that the Monsters playing in Grand Rapids the night before also hurt their energy late in the game. The Monsters play arguable their best ten minutes of hockey to start the game as they jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. “Without question we feed off of our crowd,” Quinn said. “We’ve had great fan support all year long, because we have one of the best crowds in the American Hockey League. It’s a lot of fun to play at home.”

Game number 80 of the season started with Josh Aspenlind and Mark Oliver scoring at the 6:05 and 7:25 marks, respectively in the first period and gave the Monsters the early lead. The Monsters almost capitalized on a third, when the puck hit the inside of the Heat goal but did not bounce in. The Monsters led 2-0 at the first intermission and looked to have the last game in hand. In the middle period, Abbostsford scored off a rebound off the pads of former NHLer and current Monsters goalie, John Grahame. Lake Erie again shot out to a two goal lead in the third when defensemen Brian Fahey scored his 11th goal of the year to make in 3-1. Abbotsford scored the two late goals to send it to overtime, and in the shootout, Abbotsford won 2-1 in the sixth round. Despite the shootout loss, the Monsters finish the year a point better than last year and the coach knows that making it into next year the playoffs is the main goal. “Next year we can make the playoffs and give (the fans) more reason to cheer. I really like our future. Unfortunately some critical injuries set us back, but I am really looking forward to next year.”

Page Fourteen : Monday, April 12, 2010

Time for the Pigskin Or is it? By Matthew Wilder, The Cauldron Contributing Writer

Skepticism is everywhere as we draw closer to the upcoming Student Government Association elections. The hot topic is not what President, Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer will be chosen. The single issue that the student community at large is paying attention to is the one sport that students have been fighting for since Cleveland State was brand new, football. The ballot language, which is on the CSU web site, says the vote is “to gauge interest in intercollegiate football.” If the vote passes, CSU will present a referendum to the student body for the approval of a football fee. This vote is a “non-binding survey-vote of four questions” and does not present a precise fee. Students point to several potential flaws in the Athletic Department’s strategies for potentially starting a football franchise at Cleveland State. The biggest concern among the students is financing the team. Where will get the money from? Many are afraid of a potential tuition hike, in which the students claim to have trouble paying already. Are you willing to pay four to six dollars per credit hour in support of CSU football? This would cover operating costs such as staff salaries, equipment, travel, insurance, and medical care. This is one of the questions you will see on the ballot. Also, is having a Division 1 AA program not much different than having a club team? Is the long term goal to have us play Division 1 football? Certainly in the short term, a Division 1 AA program is a great idea. We will not need to pay a $500 fee during a time of economic instability. However, the athletic department may generate more support if the long term plan is to develop a Division 1 team. Also, what about the lack of scholarships? Students usually want to play for a college or university that guarantees a scholarship. This could potentially be a brick wall if students refuse to play for that kind of program. Or perhaps students are willing to play non-scholarship football on a temporary basis, rather than permanent. What will a CSU football do for the city of Cleveland? Is the city so dead, that football here can never be the shining star of a city that is struggling to survive? Or will it shed new light on this dismal city? What about a new stadium? Can the Athletic

Department work it out so that a football team can share Krenzler Field with both the men’s and women’s soccer teams? Is it better to rent Cleveland Browns Stadium despite the huge cost? Is it cheaper just to build a new stadium somewhere? Is it practical to build a new stadium, even though CSU bought numerous properties throughout the city? What about funding for other sports and club teams? Will the teams that bring in a small profit receive less funding? Will club teams such as the CSU rowing team be very unhappy with this move since they receive little funding already? Just one of their boats costs anywhere from $4,000 to $8,000. What about the fencing team? Will they still be around? Perhaps we should also make sure the Athletic Department doesn’t cut any teams. However, it does not appear that any teams will be cut, so I doubt we need to be afraid of that, we should just be mindful. Let’s not forget the issue of Title IX under NCAA rules. This national regulation requires all universities to have an equal number of men’s and women’s athletic teams. Some will say that there is no way that Cleveland State will ever have a football team. We are a small, tightly knit university. We are not Ohio State University, University of Southern California, University of Florida, or University of Alabama. These are huge universities that have had football since at least the early 1900s. They also have a huge alumni base which to generate support from. These are all tough questions and issues that students face as they prepare for what may be the most important election in CSU history. Say what you will to diminish that very possibility, but this may be the one election that ultimately decides the long term future of this university. So much hangs in the balance just off this one, single election. No pressure, huh? That gives the Athletic Department more reason to think about developing a Division 1 AA program into a Division 1 program. We consider football so important, that we deserve nothing less than the best the department can give us. This is our “lifeblood” we are talking about. The pressure is really building up now. Ohio is the birthplace of organized football. That is

why we are under this milestone of an expectation that we are supposed to be among the nation’s elite players. It is our culture. It brings families close together. It crosses economic and racial lines every single day. It brings us a sense of community. That is the major reason why our Athletic Department is working so hard to accomplish this task that many consider extremely difficult or even borderline impossible. I certainly think it is a very difficult thing to pull off. We are fools if we think it is all too easy. Of course, many of you who speak to me on a daily basis will say that I make it sound like a cakewalk. To be honest with you, I know better than that. If we want to recruit three or four star players to start with, we really need to start thinking about how the lack of scholarships might hurt us. Now, it is unrealistic to start as a Division 1 program due to the cost. However, in the next 10, 15, or 20 years, we might want to try becoming one. Maybe we can join the Big East or the Mid American Conference. The MAC is probably more feasible than the Big East. Chances are, if the student body convinces the Athletic Department that this is the right course of action, perhaps they will look into it. In fact, I suggest that the Athletic Department have another meeting with students if the vote passes. Students will want more specific information. A more detailed plan is needed at some point. Perhaps this is merely a “jumping off” point and nothing more than that. Ultimately, it is up to you, the students, to decide if this is the right move to make. Perhaps you think it is, but maybe we should wait a while to avoid a risky investment. If you ask me, I say it could be worth the risk if we become a Division 1 program at some point. I don’t think anyone is sure that there is a guarantee this will happen. However, if we want a star attraction, becoming a Division 1 program should be the long term goal. This is after all a big time football city. If there is no talk about becoming a Division 1 program in the future, then we should probably say no and then ask the Athletic Department to rethink the current plan and try again next spring. It is best that you draw your own conclusion, but at least this will get you to start brainstorming. Just be sure to read the fine print carefully before deciding.

Possibly the greatest game ever?

This year’s NCAA Tournament lived up to its namesake...March Madness. During the tourney fans watched as the favored, number-one seeded Kansas fell, and like a Cinderella story, Butler surprised everyone by getting into the final. While Duke proved to be the winner in the final, the game was not so easily won.  The game was filled with back and forth play and the highest scoring difference was six points by Duke. According to ESPN.com the two point loss by Butler was the 11th NCAA championship game decided by two points or less.   Being a Duke fan, it was excruciating watching this game and even the last second shot by Butler Bulldog youngster Gordon Hayward proved that Butler was anything but a joke in this tournament. CSU fans are all too fond of the Bulldogs and know that they are a hard team to beat. Watching the post-game coverage on CBS, Coach Mike Krzyzewski said on the podium that Butler played an amazing game and he still cannot believe that Duke had won.   While the Blue Devils were cutting down the net, Butler players were walking down the long tunnel in Lucas Oil Stadium with their heads hanging. The team played well throughout the tournament and should be happy to have been in the tournament. The Bulldogs had a 25 game winning streak. They did something that not many people thought they could do. They beat the highly favored Syracuse team and played a thrilling game against Michigan State. This was a win in many people’s eyes for Butler. Though

they lost, they were able to show up some of the big name schools and showed that the Horizon league is no joke. This makes this second straight year that a Horizon League team made an impact in the tournament. All CSU fans remember the prior year when we beat a Wake Forest team who was favored to blow out the Vikings in the first round in Miami. With this being said, should the NCAA look to expand the tournament?  I don’t see the tournament growing. If you look at NCAA football, many people are getting aggravated by how many bowl games there are. If the basketball tournament were to grow I do not think many people could handle it. People look forward to March Madness every year and to stretch the tournament out might lose that authentic, exciting feel that the tournament has to offer.   The 65 team bracket makes it exciting because you will never know what will happen and it also allows for more competition. This makes the conference tournaments a lot more meaningful. Also, if they opened up the bracket, who is to say that there would be more ACC teams instead of some of the smaller schools that played just as good as those teams.   All in all, this years championship game was an amazing game and memorable game that any sports fan would have loved. As for the NCAA tournament, hopefully the association gets it right and thinks in the interest of their fans. Only time will tell and until then, if next year is anything like this year we are all in for another exciting adventure during the March Madness season.

By William Wodka, The Cauldron Staff Writer

Page sixteen : Monday, April 12, 2010

Cleveland State Baseball Recap

Photography by Rob Ivory

By Rob Ivory, The Cauldron Sports Editor

Cleveland State Tennis Continues First Place Form

Photography by Rob Ivory

By Rob Ivory, The Cauldron Sports Editor

The Diamondmen took to the field several times this week and concluded with their first Horizon League victory over Wright State Tuesday, the Vikes started their week out right as homeruns lifted them to their second win at their home stadium in Avon, OH over Baldwin-Wallace. Tyler Wynn and Chuck Gasti lifted the Vikings over BW as Cleveland State got back-to back homeruns from the pair to tie the score at four in the sixth inning. Cleveland State took the lead in the next inning as Brent Casto led off with a double to right field. After a sacrifice bunt, the Vikings went ahead as Casto scored on a wild pitch. Cleveland State would have to answer BW, as Cleveland State let the tying run come in at the top of the 8th. And answer they did. Wynn was able to draw the one out walk and advanced to third on a two-base throwing error by the BW pitcher. Gasti got the better of the rattled pitcher as he took him deep and put the Vikes up for good, 7-5. BW did get an unearned run in the ninth, but the Vikes did hold on for the 7-6 win. Wednesday, the Vikings took on Toledo and found themselves down five runs in the second inning. Cleveland State did not get a hit until the fourth inning when Kyle Shaffer laced a double to left field. Wynn walked, then both of the Vikings stole a base, and Gasti continued the rally as he tripled in both the Vikes on base. Cleveland State scored another run on a balk and a RBI single by Tom Carter capped the four-run

inning. CSU trailed only 5-4 going into the fifth. All the momentum that the Vikings built up in that inning deflated like a balloon in the next inning, as a two run homerun for the Rockets pushed them well ahead. Toledo did add four runs in the 6th, but the two-run homer was more than enough to seal the win for the Rockets. The marathon week continued on Friday, much different from the 50 to 60 degree days in the beginning of the week. This time, the Vikes faced Wright State, as the Vikes had gone into the weekend series 0-3 in league play and only two wins so far at home. Head coach Kevin Kocks handed the ball to Anthony Sambula to start for the Vikes, and Sambula finished his own work as he gave up just one run and struck out eight to get the first HL victory of the year. Sambula (4-3, 3.30 ERA) allowed nine hits, but gave up the only run as Wright State scored on an RBI ground out in the third. CSU only connected with six hits, but used them to perfection as the Vikes had their three runs in three separate innings. Gasti, Shaffer, and Alex Gnezda had an RBI each. Wright State left a dozen men on base, a probable cause for the loss. The Vikings move to 7-18; 1-3 HL and the Raiders fall to 12-11; 3-1 HL after the first game of the series. Cleveland State plays again in Avon this week on Wednesday against Kent State. The Vikes hit the road only to come back April 24 for series against Butler, Milwaukee, Ohio, Bowling Green, and UIC.

In an individual sport, the Cleveland State men’s and women’s tennis teams have come together in another outstanding year and have proven that they will be contenders in 2010. Coming into this past weekend, filled with Horizon League opponents, Cleveland State had plenty to be excited about. That was capped with the announcement of senior Phil Orno being named Horizon League Player of the Week (yet again). But the biggest news for the tennis team has been their winning form within the conference. The Vikes have jumped out to a 4-0 record in the league this spring and that brings the Vikings to 20 straight wins against Horizon League teams. “It’s a benchmark for us,” Viking head coach Brian Etzkin said of the streak. “We have never done that and it’s been a while since anyone has made a run like that on the men’s side. I know that it will not go forever, but we have to keep focusing if we want it to keep going at all.” Keeping that winning streak going has been the continual terrific play from the top of the order to the bottom of the lineup. A best example one can see is their win against the Flames of IllinoisChicago. In their 5-2 victory, Vikings ace Phil Orno dropped his singles decision 6-3, 3-6, 10-5, but two through five in the lineup all beat their opposition decisively. “Phil’s match wasn’t as indicative as he can play, but the match was already in hand and we had gotten the four points,” the coach said of the day. “It speaks about the depth of our team and the middle of our lineup stepped up for us. Especially three, four, and five went through really quick and got us the points fast.” That will be the way that the Vikings approach their final matches of the year. The Vikings will take on the University of

Detroit in their last Horizon League match before the Horizon League Tournament. The last home match for the Vikings will be against the Bulls of Buffalo. “We can make a statement with each match we play and so far I think we have been. We really have not had a close match in the league yet,” the coach said. Not a message of arrogance, but rather a very factual statement as the Vikings have not been close to losing. Against Youngstown State, Green Bay, Valpo, and UIC, the Vikings beat their opponents 7-0, 5-2, 7-0, and 5-2 respectively. “Anytime you play a team that has a record like 20 straight wins, there is a little fear factor playing them since they expect to win and hopefully it works in our advantage,” the coach said. Now the Vikes will be the favorites in another year of CSU tennis dominance. Dominance is the word whispered among the women’s tennis team, as the Vikes have won five straight until a loss against UIC last week. In that streak the Vikings won, much like the men, 32-2 and beat South Dakota, Green Bay, Milwaukee, Case, and Valparaiso. That streaked was snapped by first-place UIC. “The winning streak is good, but I think we are playing the best tennis as a team here at Cleveland State,” Etzkin said. “We competed hard with UIC, but I’d like us to get the two seed in the tournament and get UIC in a rematch for the Horizon League title.” “I know we can do it,” the coach confidently said about finishing this year with a higher seed than last year when they entered the postseason with the fourth seed. Much like the men and their ace, sophomore Catrine Bjerrehus has been rolling over her opponents and split the Player of the Week awards with Orno. “Anytime you see us in the awards it means we are doing something right,” the coach said, “hopefully there will be more to come from them.” The women’s team ends their regular season on Saturday in Detroit.