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Editor-In-Chief Chris Enoch Managing Editor Emily Ouzts Advertising Manager Jayson Gerbec Copy Editor Reid May News Editor Samantha Shunk Arts & Entertainment Editor Jonathan D. Herzberger Sports Editor Rob Ivory Layout Editor Steve Thomas Features/Copy Editor Laura Krawczyk Business Manager Anne Werner
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.
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Volume 109 • No.14 • november 30 , 2009
The Melting Pot Page 3 Opening Statements Page 3 Up In Arms Over Garbage Collection Page 3 IllumiNation:
Security Breach; Afghanistan Strategy; Healthcare Votes
Page 4 For Greekness Sake:
Benefits abound for Greek life
news Page 4 Are You Immoral If You Eat Meat? Bioethics Would Say Yes Page 4 University Bids Off Unwanted Items at Sale This Week Page 7 Bringing the World to Our Campus: “International Day” offers rich cultures, traditions Page 7 Student Assignment Emphasizes Importance
of Cleveland FoodBank: Hands-on project opens up food drive to CSU Page 6 The True Story of John Henry Page 7 Student Organization Spotlight:
CSU Hip-Hop Cultural Association New association screening documentary Style Wars Dec. 4
arts & Entertainment Page 10 The One Thing Even Adamantium Couldn’t Fix Page 11 Radiothon Brings WCSB 89.3 Community Together Page 11 Poetry for the Students:
Audacious topics celebrated and explored
Page 12 Concert Picks of the Week
sports Page 13 Vikings Come Close But Lose in Horizon League Finals:
Milwaukee gets in CSU’s way, again
Page 13 A Peek into the Colorado Farm System:
Ups and downs for Lake Erie Monsters, Colorado Avalanche
Page 13 Sexy Players: Eye Candy for the Ladies Page 14 Vikings Perrr-fect At Home, Drop Two In Mexico
Vikes Are .500
Page 14 FIFA 10 REVIEW: “GGGOOOAAAALLLLL!” Page 16 NBA 2k10: Ballers Dungeon-Crawlers should buy it; otherwise, stay out of bounds
2 | csucauldron.com • November 30, 2009
Vikings Perrr-fect At Home, Drop Two In, Mexico Vikes Are .500 By Robert Ivory
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By Jonathan “Killstring” Herzberger, Arts & Entertainment Editor
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Think about it: we're already going to have a bar on campus. A BAR IN THE STUDENT CENTER in case you'd missed that the two previous times it's been mentioned. But that's not far enough, people: we can do better. Picture this: you've just gotten out of a particularly stifling class; something around the 300-400 level. It's dull. It's dry – as is, consequently, your throat. You need something to take your mind off of the upcoming 12-page paper critically analyzing people you are convinced were either mad, or complete and utter hacks. You need a diversion. So you walk toward the location where the student-bar is supposed to be – but you find yourself suddenly distracted by the sound of ragtime piano, and laughter. Rather than cheap beer, you find yourself craving either some kind of whiskey drink, or something out of a jug containing more than two X's. You step through the saloon-style doors, and are greeted by girls in peacock headdresses, juggling mimes, magicians and a laughing man in a top hat,
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white gloves, carrying a black and white cane, and balancing a monocle near one eye. As you enter, his walrus mustache quivers with glee. (With apologies to Andrey Bely), in front of your nose you find a stream of bowler hats and black veils is pulsing, foamy with bluish green and warm orange of feathers worn by the night beauties. The raucous refrain of a vigorous can-can dance hits you like a psychic wave, as tuxedoed goatees and crooked noses in white vests and toppers line the hall, their hands posed on canes. You find yourself led back to a room, red velvet and blue eyelashes accost you from seemingly every direction in this fever-dream of an establishment. The whirl of a roulette table, and the applause of the victors focuses your senses for a brief moment. You offer a silent thanks to Dan Gilbert for making such things possible, even as a man who may be a bartender - or perhaps the devil himself - offers you a drink that may or may not be steaming. You sip the devil's brew cautiously, as you see courtesans escorting their clients upstairs to private sitting rooms, where it is understood that they will perhaps talk about philosophy, or the latest gallery of artists – but certainly never engage in anything more untoward than this. And as the room starts spinning (or perhaps this is simply your brain) you cannot help but wonder how you found yourself lost in the swirling cornucopia of color and sensation that now constitutes your reality. And in that moment, you will think back to this editorial, and either curse or bless my name, as you fade into a scarlet oblivion, lost in a sea of feathers and muslin. And I? I shall simply point out then, as I do now, that this is nothing more than a simple evolution from what the university and the city it calls home have already set in motion, yes? Not to say that this is something we will, or even must eventually do: But perhaps it's something we can-can expect.
courtesy of cleveland.com
Up In Arms Over Garbage Collection By Courtney Jones, Staff Writer
Security Breach; Afghanistan Strategy, Healthcare Votes By Reid May, Copy Editor
courtesy of image-archeology.com
o, as we find ourselves on the brink of a new academic year, a great many exciting things lie just beyond the horizon, and not just at CSU. A new student center is (allegedly) nearing completion. Initiatives in the fields of education and medicine present new and exciting opportunities for students in those fields. President Berkman is a man with a vision – and agree or disagree with his choices, he clearly has an idea of the direction he wants to take the University. Hell, the new UC is even scheduled to have a full-fledged bar inside, giving students access to cool, sudsy refreshment between classes. Clearly, there's only one thing missing from this equation, one next logical step that we as a University, and indeed as a community should take: We need to open a old-timey bordello saloon.
IllumiNation:
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he big news from Washington D.C. this week involves the State Dinner held at the White House on Tuesday night, not because of the dignitary in attendance -- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh -- but rather the aspiring reality television stars who crashed the party and met the President. Reports (and Facebook photos) have Michaele Salahi and husband, Tareq meeting President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel among others. The couple went through standard White House security, but was not properly checked in on the guest list -- which, surprisingly, was a simple clipboard and sheet of paper. According to CNN, "The Secret Service is deeply concerned and embarrassed by the circumstances surrounding the State Dinner on Tuesday," the agency said in a statement Friday. "The preliminary findings of our internal investigation have determined established protocols were not followed at an initial checkpoint, verifying that two individuals were on the guest list." All that needs to be said about this is fairly easy to figure out: The Secret Service obviously made a big mistake and the White House should be deeply concerned with the safety of top officials. Thankfully, the party crashers were only interested in publicity and nothing more malicious. Certainly and investigation will occur and this incident should lead to better protocols and possibly (if someone is indeed at fault) new personnel. The President will announce his future plans for U.S. troops in Afghanistan at an evening address from West Point, New York at the U.S. Military Academy. Robert Gibbs, White House spokesman, said Wednesday, that Obama will explain his decision making process and the United States’ interests in Afghanistan, but that the President does not consider it to be an open ended engagement. Gibbs, according to CNN, made it clear that the United States will not be in Afghanistan for another eight or nine years. For now, troop surge solutions could range from a few to as many as 40,000 troops. One of the biggest factors -- and one that President Obama is taking more seriously than predecessors—is the cost of the war. At the last meeting of Obama’s advisors, financial consultants were included, as the costs of another 10,000 troops is 10 billion dollars a year. Another ten years could equal 10 trillion dollars for the United States, as the national debt continues to climb. While it is rather refreshing to see the administration take finances into consideration, a half-hearted effort could prolong the war -- increasing the financial implications anyway. While I do not endorse the idea of increased debt, I also dislike the idea of a prolonged conflict. As Gibbs said, the United States cannot be absorbed in the war for another eight or nine years and the effort made now -- in terms of troop commitments and goals -- will make all the difference down the road. Finally, courtesy of a 60-39, party-line vote, the Senate will begin debates on their version of the healthcare bill this week. The vote, prevented a Republican filibuster, increased tensions in the Congress, over a bill which could end up costing the country over 1 trillion dollars. Democrats hail the legislation as a long-needed vote that brings us, “One step closer to ending insurance company abuses, reining in spiraling health care costs, providing stability and security to those with health insurance and extending quality health coverage to those who lack it," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement, according to CNN. Republicans have referred to the legislation as a monument to “bureaucracy and spending,” asserting that the bill will push hardships on all American taxpayers. Congressional leaders hope to pass a bill before the new year. Either way, the legislation is much needed—healthcare reform in the United States is long overdue. The costs, while burdensome, are not more drastic than the trillions and trillions of dollars poured into defense spending and the timeless conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The important thing to remember is this: spending money on rebuilding projects and democracy in other nations benefits the people of those nations. Healthcare reform directly benefits citizens of this country. What would you rather your tax money go to, indirect benefits from another world democracy or direct benefits for the folks who live in ours?
t seems that in today’s society there is a lot of talk and no action to back it up. Everyone seems to be coming up with these brilliant ideas to help better the economy and its communities, but the ideas never seem to be fulfilled. The city of Cleveland needs to generate money in some way this year to help offset a huge budget shortfall intended for 2010. Mayor Frank Jackson has announced that he plans to charge residents for home garbage collection. It will be a $9.25 monthly fee that is supposed to generate up to $13 million for the city, but it seems that this proposal is unpopular with the political crowd. Two of Mayor Jackson’s aides were grilled by City Council members about the plan to charge the residents for home garbage collection at the Cleveland City Council caucus. They were told that it is not reasonable to charge residents for that service.
The council members, one after another, used the meeting as a chance to discuss how many constituents have called to voice opposition. Due to the large budget deficit, it was necessary for the mayor to devise some strategy to make up for it. The mayor needs some way to generate money to help offset the budget decrease, no matter what it is. These people are upset because nobody is going to like having to pay for something that they did not have to pay for before. No single idea is going to be ideal for everybody. Charging for garbage collection was just one of the 175 budget-balancing recommendations a private consulting group gave to the mayor. Citizens should not be opposed to a mere $10 fee for garbage pick up, as the council could just as easily begin charging even more for another service. People should not be making a big deal about it. They are going to have to pay the city in some way and $10 is not so bad.
The Melting Pot
Opening Statements
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For Greekness Sake:
Benefits abound for Greek life By Kristen Mott, Staff Writer
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ention the word fraternity or sorority and a couple images usually come to mind: the eternally partying and immature frat boy and the shallow, ditzy sorority girl. Fortunately, these stereotypes are rarely true; unfortunately, it’s hard for some people to wrap their minds around this concept and realize that being a part of Greek life is more than just drinking and partying. After recently pledging a sorority for the past eight weeks, I’ve had a firsthand account of what takes place in Greek life and I’m here to offer the pros of joining a fraternity or sorority at Cleveland State.
1. Becoming involved on campus. At CSU, students often find it difficult to become involved in the school community. Joining a sorority of fraternity is the perfect student organization to fix that problem. Through Greek life, you’re able to meet many new people, which means there is always someone available to hang out with or to grab a bite to eat with. This is especially helpful for commuters who typically spend little time on campus. 2. Long-lasting friendships. Throughout the pledging process, you become extremely close to the members in your pledge class, as well as to the active brothers or sisters. This is partly due to the amount of time spent together, and the fact that we all share common interests and experiences. While in the sorority or fraternity, wonderful memories are created and the friendships that are built will continue throughout the rest of your life. 3. Leadership. Within each Greek organization, leadership positions are available that are responsible for running the group. These positions teach organizational skills, time management, and dedication. In addition, each sorority and fraternity is a part of Greek Council which helps bring unity among the Greeks and promotes school spirit. 4. Charity Work. Every Greek organization has its own philanthropy. Charities that Greeks support at CSU include the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, AIDS, American Cancer Society, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and many others. Most of the Greeks also
Cleveland Public Library Hosts Prison Reform Discussion Are You Immoral If You Eat Meat? Bioethics Would Say YesBy Ricardo New DerrekScholarship J. Brown, Staff Writer By Adam Burr, Staff Writer Tailored to Incoming Freshmen
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ccording to the information presented at Monday’s bioethics presentation in Rhodes Tower, the consumption of meat is immoral. Not only because those precious (and delicious?) animals can feel pain, but on other levels as well. Dr. Monica L. Gerrek, who is part of the Cleveland Fellowship in Advanced Bioethics and works in bioethics at the Cleveland Clinic, presented three levels in which the consumption of meat is immoral: on the animal level, the environmental level, and on the human level. At the basis of the argument against the consumption of meat and byproducts such as dairy and eggs, is the fact that these animals can feel pain and are subjected to horrible amounts of it. For example, cows about to be processed for slaughter are hit with a stun gun or put into electrical water that is meant to knock out or kill them. However, this doesn’t always work. The cow’s throat is then slit, and the cow is hung upside down to let the blood drain. Their argument is simple: would you like to die that way? No. Just as we feel pain and try to avoid it (Gerrek referred to it as our desire for preservation), animals feel pain and try to avoid it as well. People who favor this utilitarian idea do not see any differences between species. Actually, if you were to say that a cow is not equal to a human being, they would accuse you of speciesism. That’s right, speciesism; it is “the prejudice or bias in favor of the members of one’s own species and against members of other species.” If the pain and suffering of cows, chickens and piggies doesn’t rip at your heart strings, then maybe the environmental issues will get you fired up. Statistics show that it takes 13 pounds of vegetable protein to produce 1 pound of meat protein. In other words, a cow has to eat 13 pounds of vegetables to put on 1 pound of meat. That means an unnecessary amount of our agriculture goes towards feed livestock instead of feeding people. On top of that, the amount of methane gas released from livestock every year contributes a significant amount
Photo by Laura Krawczyk
to global warming. Moreover, these Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) destroy the land around them. It is common for manure to run off to human water sources. Are you fuming mad yet? No? Okay, well then maybe the suffering of your fellow man will change your mind about meat. The workers in CAFOs have one of the most risky jobs in America. According the Gerrek, there is a 30 percent risk of injury in the agricultural, livestock, and fishing industry. Most injuries occur in the fields dealing with livestock. Moreover, CAFO workers put in an average 12 to 16 hours a day, six days a week. They make under $20,000 a year with no health care, even though they are most susceptible to bacterial diseases passed on by animals such as H1N1, mad cow disease and avian flu. The ingestion of meat also has harmful effects on the human body. Diets high in meat have been shown to increase the chances of heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes and obesity. Now ask yourself, did you really need the second double cheeseburger? If you are in anyway moved by the facts that have just been presented to you, congratulations! You are, according to the vegan perspective, more morally sound than most people. The good news is that anything you do, no matter how little, can help the cause. Simply restricting yourself to eating meat on certain days in the week can have a great affect over your lifetime. Gerrek suggests trying to cut out meat from your life one day at a time, “Try giving up meat one day a week, and then add more days from there.” Gerrek admits that her presentation was not going to change everyone, but she hopes to enlighten as many people as possible. As for the rest of you immoral, animal eating speciesists out there, you know who you are. I’ve got just one thing to say to you. Immorality is a dish better served roasted. Now pass the gravy; turkey always tastes better with gravy on it.
University Bids Off Unwanted Items at Sale This Week By Laura Krawczyk, Feature Editor
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take part in CSU service activities, like Make a Difference Day, and hold fund-raisers throughout the year, such as bake sales and raffles. 5. Networking. Greek organizations are a great way to make connections. Alumni are often helpful with supplying job references, giving career advice, and linking you with employers. National fraternities and sororities have members located across the country, which is extremely helpful in finding job openings. 6. Fun events. A benefit of being part of the Greek system is being able to take part in activities on campus that are designed primarily for members of fraternities and sororities. Greek Games occurs annually in which all the Greeks compete against each other in different races and games. Greek Week is filled with activities with the goal of having the Greeks get to know the other fraternities and sororities on campus, as well as a chance for students to learn more about Greek Life. Certain sororities and fraternities also hold their own special events, such as formal dances or banquets that only members are invited to. All of these events promote school spirit and provide bonding opportunities. This list contains just some of the many benefits of joining a Greek organization. By deciding to pledge, I’ve already made great friendships that I know I’ll keep the rest of my life. Plus, it was an excellent way to help with the transition to college and a way to meet new students. I encourage all students to look into Greek Life, even if you think you’ll never join. You might just surprise yourself!
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f your bank account is drained from last week’s Black Friday, don’t fear – there’s always the surplus sale going on at CSU this week. The property control department is auctioning off excess equipment, campus furniture, and university police lost and found items. The minimum bid is $1. Bidding for the items began two weeks ago...Continued on Page 15
By Reid May, Copy Editor
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ncoming Cleveland State University (CSU) Freshmen have a new opportunity to reduce the costs of education. CSU will now offer an annual $3,000 scholarship -- that’s $12,000 over four years if eligibility is retained -- to students who come into their first year with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and an ACT score of 23 or a combined 1060 SAT total score. The scholarship announcement, coming after the decision to raise Cleveland State’s tuition by several hundred dollars for the spring 2010 semester, was well received by students and the community, particularly those concerned for the fate of higher education in this economic climate. Ideally, the scholarship will allow more students to attend college at a low cost -- something Cleveland State has been known for in the past. “In these difficult economic times, Cleveland State wants parents to know that we want to help with significant scholarships for their qualifying sons and daughters,” explained Rob Spademan, assistant vice-president of marketing and admissions. “Cleveland State University understands the added economic burden that families face when sending children to college during these stressful times.” At the recent Cleveland State admissions Fall Visit Day Program, news about the Freshman Scholars Program received enthusiastic response from the 500+ parents and prospective students in the audience. “We created this program to help incoming freshmen and their families at a time when they are looking for an outstanding education at a reasonable price,” added Spademan. “This new program gives parents a way to recognize and reward their children for maintaining good grades and test scores while in high school.” Students interested in applying for the scholarship are considered automatically, so long as their application to the University is in by Feb. 1. Students can retain the scholarship as long as they maintain the 3.0 GPA they held in high school.
the cauldron Weekly meetings held at 4pm on Mondays or go to csucauldron. com for more information on writing for the cauldron
the cauldron weekly meetings held at 4pm on mondays or go to csucauldron.com for more information on writing for the cauldron
Music. Reviews. Concert Picks.
Music. Reviews. Concert Picks.
November 30, 2009 • csucauldron.com | 5
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6 | csucauldron.com • November 30, 2009
Bringing the World to Our Campus: “International Day” offers rich cultures, traditions
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By David Edwards, Staff Writer ast Wednesday students from all over the world, such as Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, China and nations in South America, got a chance to promote their different cultures near the computer lounge in the MC on International Day. Most of the groups felt as though their culture is not fully represented in the media. “People think we live in a desert, but we have skyscrapers – it has changed in the last 30 years. There are new buildings and new cities,” Omar Al-Shawan, a graduate student in accounting, said about Saudi Arabia. “Americans don’t know much about Saudi Arabia they think of camels or deserts but there is a lot of development, maybe we can change people’s perceptions,” Al-Faifi said. Economics and finance major Nagg Irou, who is also the president of the African Student Association, shared similar concerns. “We want people to see there is a modern part of Africa but the media always shows war and poverty,” Irou said. Each table had its own distinct identity. The Arab Student Union showed its presence on campus with a poster display of all the Arab countries and a hookah. “People use it to relax, it is common throughout the Middle East,” civil engineer student Nuha Mahmoud said. The organization served falafels and Kippi. Students got a taste of Chinese culture through the Confucius Institute. One thing that separated the Chinese tables from the others was a long white laser stick with an electronic voiceinteractive poster that was used to show students how to say certain phrases in Chinese. Biomedical student Miao explained that the golden design on the silky red cloth that was used to cover their table is symmetrical. Miao said that the symmetry represented balance. The organization is a part of the Confucius Institute and all material came from the Chinese embassy. Miao said that in a couple months from now
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Hands-on project opens up food drive to CSU By Chris Enoch, Editor-in-Chief
there will be a library in the college of education that will provide materials on Chinese culture. Some countries were represented as a collection of nations like Latinos Unidos which represented Hispanic culture. The Latinos Unidos display added their own flavor to the event by exhibiting a series of artifacts from various Latin and Hispanic countries. “The Congo drums are from the Caribbean,” said urban studies senior and President of Latinos Unidos Eric Vega. The Latino students served a crunch bite-size tortilla wrap filled with cream cheese called pastelitos and kidney beans with rice. Another part of International Day was the entertainment that took place in the Main Classroom auditorium. The Latino culture got the crowd involved when it played the Macarena. The Macarena was followed by a Beyonce-inspired hip hop club dance where the girls came to strut their stuff provocatively in Daisy Duke-like shorts while the young men approached them from behind – imitating a night club environment. The Indian organization, Indian 19, represented their tradition through dance as well. During the Indian dance, young men wearing blue jeans gyrated on stage to very up-tempo music. Indian girls came out in golden saris and the crowd erupted with pride as the Indian flag was raised and the Indian student said out loud to the audience “Give it up again!” Some groups are already planning how the entertainment will look next year. “On International Day we participate with our friends to represent our country and we got support from International office, and we are very thankful for them. For next year we are going to show you guys how we dance,” said Saudi student Nasser Obaid Alrashidi. International Day coordinator Muna-AlSheik said that it took her at least two months to prepare and plan for the event but that it was well worth it.
The True Story of John Henry By Kristen Mott, Staff Writer
n Nov. 18, Cleveland State hosted a lecture in Parker Hannifin Hall on John Henry and the development of blues and rock and roll. The event was presented by the CSU Department of History, along with the Center for Public History & Digital Humanities. The distinguished Dr. Scott Reynolds Nelson, who is the Leslie and Naomi Legum Professor of History at the College of William & Mary, led the lecture. The presentation was a discussion of his recently published novel entitled “Steel Drivin’ Man: John Henry, the Untold Story of an American Legend.” The novel, which originally began as a side project, took an investigative turn and became a huge success. Almost everyone is familiar with the story of John Henry, whether from reading the story in grade school or learning it at home. According to the folktale, John Henry was a strong, powerful steel driver who challenged a steam-powered drill to a race and won. In addition to being a story, the tale of John Henry has been transcribed into song, of which over two hundred versions are available.
Student Assignment Emphasizes Importance of Cleveland FoodBank:
Nelson set out to discover the true identity of John Henry. After much research and investigation, he made an impressive discovery. In the last stanza of “Steel Drivin’ Man,” the song about John Henry, one of the lines mentions the White House. The lyric was assumed to be a reference to the president’s house; however, Nelson learned that the Virginia Penitentiary had been given the nickname of “the white house.” After getting a hold of the prison’s records, Nelson saw that one of the very first inmates was a man by the name of John Henry. After this breakthrough discovery and further research, Nelson uncovered the true story of John Henry. At the end of the Civil War, there was an influx of inmates in the prisons due to black codes. To deal with the overpopulation, inmates began being used for the construction of railroads and mining tunnels. John Henry was one of these outsourced prisoners who worked as a steel driver. Nelson then looked into the development of the popular songs about John Henry and how they influenced the roots...Continued on Page 15
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s any Cleveland State University student will tell you, group projects often play a quintessential role in scholarly activities. Such was the case in NAD 452, a course titled Management of Urban & Nonprofit Organizations, taught by Christine Ledvinka from the department of Urban Affairs. “At the beginning of the semester, Professor Ledvinka gave us a group project. We, were to come up with a leader, from the past or present, that we admired, research this person and then make a group presentation at the end of the semester," said Ellen Ivory, a student in the class and president of the Euclid Hunger Center, whose group ended up handling the assignment rather uniquely. While it would hardly be news that CSU is home to a flood of motivated students, occasionally a few particularly gifted students decide to give back and concentrate on community empowerment. Ivory was joined by fellow students Allison McMahon, Alyssa Payton and Grace Wright. “From the onset, we were in agreement that we would like to highlight Anne Goodman’s work at the Cleveland Foodbank. She is a local leader who is challenged to meet the growing needs of our communities,” Ivory stated. Goodman is the President of the Cleveland FoodBank. “Ms. Goodman gave this project the same special attention that she gives all her jobs. She has been so eager to help us, granting interviews at a particularly busy time of the year. She is such a tremendous advocate for the foodbank and the underserved residents of this community. She truly is an asset to the greater Cleveland area. As we progressed with the project, Grace Wright, came up with the genius idea of doing a food drive with our class; then we decided we could open it up to the entire CSU body. Allison McMahon, had confidence in our ability to tape our presentation offsite; so we headed to the Foodbank. Alyssa Payton actually became an employee of the Foodbank after we selected it for our presentation. She gives us an insider’s view of the top-notch organization,” Ivory explained. “Therefore, on Tuesday, December 1, from 5-8pm students are encouraged to bring a canned good or food staple to Room #243 of The Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs. A box will be placed outside the door for donations,” Ivory elaborated. As President of the Euclid Hunger Center, Ivory had been working with the Cleveland Foodbank for years. The Cleveland Foodbank distributes approximately 15 million meals a year and provides services to more than 400 agencies including food pantries, shelters, hot meal programs and programs to the elderly. “I have personally seen the quality of work being done by this organization. Even though "Cleveland" is in their name, the organization serves not only Cuyahoga County but Richland, Ashland, Lake, Geauga and as far east to Ashtabula County, as well. I find that remarkable,” Ivory said. “At the Euclid Hunger Center we have a saying: 'Hunger doesn’t take a Holiday.' The holiday season seems to highlight the need and ‘want’ of charitable giving. However, organizations are seeing a tremendous growth in their client base. We’d like to remind folks that they can make a difference, year round, by donating their time, talents and money to their community organizations,” Ivory asserted. Hunger does not take a holiday, and the mission goes on, even when the course work ends. “I am confident that students at C.S.U. will continue projects such as this one. There is such a growing need in our area that I feel we are obligated to reach out and assist where we can. What makes this so easy is the willingness of fellow students and professors to participate in these ventures. This shows you how dynamic this program is and why I am very proud to be a part of it.” Ivory concluded.
Student Organization Spotlight: CSU Hip-Hop Cultural Association
New association screening documentary Style Wars Dec. 4 By Chris Enoch, Editor-in-Chief
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rop a flow over a hot beat and step up your vocab while you are at it: a new hip-hop student organization has started its initial advances into the Cleveland State University (CSU) mainstream. With numerous academic courses and student associations exploring hip-hop music, culture, history and the impacts of the movement springing up around the nation’s universities and colleges, CSU is no longer left behind. “Hip hop is a cultural movement that began to emerge out of the Bronx in 1973 and ever since then it has been a force to unite people from all over the world. The mission of the organization is to keep that tradition going
and expand it,” said David Edwards, president of the new CSU Hip-Hop Cultural Association. CSU students Mai-Kim Dang, Juelz Banderas and Roman Verzub serve as the organization’s vice-president, treasurer and secretary, respectively. Having planned a screening for the PBS documentary “Style Wars” this Friday in the Fenn Tower movie theater, the organization is certainly an original presence among student organizations at CSU – the association only debuted this fall and is the first of its kind. “Style Wars” is a PBS documentary on graffiti in New York at the origins of the hip-hop movement. The documentary contains footage of breakdancing from...Continued on Page 15
November 30, 2009 • csucauldron.com | 7
We Met at CSU W By Samantha Shunk, News Editor
ith Cleveland State being a mostly commuter campus, students tend to come to classes and leave without meeting anyone. But getting involved on campus brings a new aspect to your college experience and can result in the beginnings of a relationship with your soul mate. Most students do not think of love when they come to CSU, but while you are growing, learning, getting involved and enjoying your college experience, love could be just what sneaks up on you along with all those deadlines.
Jon and Julie
Recently, Jon and Julie celebrated Halloween as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. With Julie as peanut butter, Jon as jelly, and giant pieces of bread strapped to their backs, the couple was able to spend as much of the night hugging as they wanted. These two lovebirds have been together for two years and eight months and are now engaged to be married. Jon says that on June 3 he “proposed the idea of marriage to Julie and somehow got her to say ‘Yes!’” By getting involved in the club sport of rowing, Jon and Julie found each other. Jon reveals, “We met through the rowing team at CSU. I joined the team in fall 2005 and Julie joined the following semester. We never really talked until our team trip to Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, MA. My friend Denny Matheou talked Julie into coming to Boston just two days before we left. When I found out I thought, ‘Oooohh, I wonder which car she is going down in......there is an extra seat in my car!’ On our drive back, a 10 hour drive starting at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday night, we were the only ones awake. We talked almost the whole time and really connected. We started talking, and then actually started dating after we came back from spring break the following semester.” When asked what role Cleveland State plays in their relationship, Jon replies, “I can say with a high degree of certainty that were it not for CSU, we may have never met.” As in all college relationships, Jon says, “When we were both attending at the same time (Julie graduated spring 2008) it was tough to see each other due to different majors and classes.” Despite the difficulty of sustaining a relationship through busy schedules full of classes, homework and rowing practice, Jon and Julie made time to be together. Jon says, “We both really enjoy the downtown atmosphere. We were always seeking new things to do downtown and were rarely disappointed.” Jon exclaims, “We are the perfect example of engaged learning!”
Leah and Vince
Leah and Vince met at CSU before Leah had even signed up for her classes because as Vince says, “She came through orientation, and I was her orientation Leader.” He continues, “I remember specifically that she was the girl with two last names; that was how I remembered her in my group.” When the next orientation season came around, Leah joined the team of orientation leaders, “and then we started working together at orientation,” says Vince. This is where they really started to get to know each other. Leah continues, “And then we worked together for like a year. The second year we were working together we started dating.” These two have been together a year and a few months, and they have spent a lot of that time at Cleveland State. Between working as orientation leaders, studying hard to achieve greatness, and being involved on campus, Leah and Vince are truly invested in this university. Leah says, “I think we’re both really passionate about Cleveland State. For me, it’s the only school I wanted to apply to, it’s the only school I wanted to go to,” and continues, “I think Cleveland State is a big part of our lives even without one another.” Vince agrees saying, “I think it’s kind of cool that we have that in common that we both love this university.” And he reveals, “We wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for Cleveland State.” Although Cleveland State is a huge part of their lives, the strain of finishing up classes before Vince graduates in May and Leah graduates over the summer can make it difficult for the couple to find time to be together. To make sure they get everything they need done and get to see each other, Leah says that they will “just sit around and do homework together.”
8 | csucauldron.com • November 30, 2009
Viking Fever Runs Rampant That’s right; it’s that time again! By Robert Ivory, Sports Editor
Alec and Monika
After being together for one year and two months, Alec and Monika can still be seen enjoying dinner together at the Viking Marketplace. Both Alec and Monika are resident assistants in the dorms, and this keeps them busy, on top of their schoolwork and other jobs. Although the couple has a lot to do now, they met by joining a club that kept them even busier each morning at 5:30 a.m. Alec says, “We met while at rowing practice at the beginning of the semester, and the beginning of rowing season.” Although, “We met each other there, then we found out we were also in the same Chemistry class, which is where we got to know each other.” And, through the events and trip of the rowing team as well as the ability to see each other often because they have both always lived on campus, Alec and Monika’s relationship has blossomed. When asked what role Cleveland State plays in their relationship, Alec replies, “CSU was the start to our relationship, so we wouldn't be together if we didn't go to school here. It also has a positive role on the fact that we both live on campus so there are no distance issues.” Alec emphatically adds, “Plus, we both bleed green and white, so GO VIKES!!”
Susan and Andrew
With slightly strange beginnings, Susan and Andrew eventually came together to form a relationship that has lasted fourteen months, and hopefully it will last many more. Susan says, “We met technically the first day of the intro to swing lessons, and he never came back.” But she continues, “Then, I started dating his roommate,” but that did not work out, “and then, after a year, we kept running into each other again.” After running into each other so much eventually everything fell into place, and they started dating. The couple officially began their relationship on Sept. 12, 2008 just after midnight because they did not want 9/11 to be their anniversary. After a year and two months, Susan and Andrew still make time to be together and go out on dates just as they were doing after they were interviewed last Veteran’s Day. The couple does not feel that Cleveland State is really responsible for bring them together, but Susan does reveal, “We still swing dance, which is a CSU sponsored event.” And, Andrew says that Cleveland State helped them meet “only so much as if [Susan] didn’t go to school here, [Susan] would probably live in Toledo” with her family. But without both of them attending CSU, swing classes, and Susan dating Andrew’s roommate many moons ago, they might have never known each other.
Alex and Reid
This couple met because they both chose to live in Fenn Tower. Reid says, “I met Alex last year, when I was her Resident Assistant,” and Alex says that it was “the very first day I moved into Fenn Tower.” Reid reveals, “We became very close friends, seeing each other regularly. Though we were both in other relationships at the time,” and Alex continues that “it did not prevent us from being best friends.” Alex says that “Establishing that friendship was the first step towards our current relationship.” After spending seven months in a relationship that has progresses from the friendship that they initially developed, Reid shares the information that “she wanted me from the moment she saw me.” What originally seemed to be just Reid being a little cocky is actually true according to Alex. She says, “And it's true – I wanted him from the moment I saw him.” Although Reid and Alex are kept busy with their multiple jobs, activities, and schoolwork, they make time to see each other as regularly as they did when first developing their friendship. When asked what role Cleveland State plays in their relationship, Alex responds, “CSU has played an integral role in our relationship. I am from the Youngstown area; Reid is from the Cleveland area. If we both hadn't attended Cleveland State, there is no guarantee that we would have ever met each other, let alone built the bond we have today.” And Reid continues, “Alex and I are frequently brought together by work – as we are both RAs – and academics, since we are like-minded students. We both enjoy our time at Cleveland State and share our experiences with one another.” Reid also claims, “CSU is very important to us.” And, Alex believes that “sharing this passion helps our relationship to grow, but by integrating various facets of our lives, it provides the solid foundation that a blossoming relationship needs.” While spending your time at Cleveland State, whether it is just a few hours a day for classes and lunch, or if you live here, or pretty much live here, make sure to keep your eyes peeled because love might just be lurking around the corner.
November 30, 2009 • csucauldron.com | 9
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
The One Thing Even Adamantium Couldn’t Fix By Justin Brenis, Staff Writer
Two movie-games reviews this close together? Seriously? Yup. But there is a difference, I swear. Whereas Ghostbusters was an original plot based off of a classic movie, Wolverine suffers the same fate as all the movie games I hate. For starters you get to repeat the plot of something you paid $7.00+ to see in theaters for $49.99 plus tax. Now I won't say that I expect the game designers to go word-for-word from the script, but the things they decide to keep and the things they decide to change make me question if they just sort of threw darts at a cork-board to pick what stayed and what went. Complicated and extremely well-rendered graphic sequences have been made almost identical to the scenes in the movie, like when Logan is first injected with the Adamantium, but then in contrast, character models for characters like Col. Stryker, and certain events from the movie either look completely off, or happen incorrectly despite the fact that the game claims to be representative of the movie. Literally some of these problems are minimal setting conflicts, and others are as big as changing character motivation without having any need to. Now for a moment of approval: I really do have to applaud the graphics both in-game and during the movie sequences. They are very detailed and gory at times, especially when Logan sustains damage and his skeleton becomes bloodily visible, but more on that later. The only problem I had with the graphics is they spend too much time being show-boaty with slow-mo sequences (which are cool the first few times) when you perform a stylized kill, or as a means to identify when you have eliminated the last random baddie in a room full of them, but they didn't spend enough time making sure the camera angles were solid. Often I found myself completely blocked from being able to see because of where the camera stopped during a stylized kill—usually in the ceiling or whatever structure was above Wolverine at the time. Another point worth applauding is something a lot of games have been doing lately, especially movie games, and that is scoring A-list voice talent. Hugh Jackman, Liev Schrieber and Will.I.Am all reprise their roles from the movie which is good because they are the three characters we ending up hearing the most from over this EXTREMELY lengthy campaign. That's the main problem with most movie games in my book. While they sort of go piecemeal on the actual plot, you get, on occasion, a game that decides to add its own unauthorized subplot and just sort of expects you to go with it. This typically is done as fodder to lengthen the game beyond an hour and a half of game play, but they usually take it too far and can really mess with the canon of a story bound to have sequels. In this game the subplot (without too many spoilers, but reader beware) happens after escaping the Weapon-X facility, when Wolverine's hunt for his estranged and murderous brother takes him on an adventure leading to the discovery of the facility where the first X-Men hunting machines, known as Sentinels, were made. I won't say much more but it ends up becoming a major plot point that was never even HINTED at in the movie, and sets the game up for a sequel that will potentially have nothing to do with the inevitable movie sequel either. If there is one cool thing this game does do that most movie games don't, it’s the hidden references to pop culture that make the tedious levels a little more fun. The three major ones will find you searching for the Hatch Door from TV's LOST, the sword of the Litch King from World of Warcraft, and the cake from the video-game sensation Portal. I am admittedly a bit of a pop culture whore, so this was a major redeemer to me - until I had found them all that is and returned to trudging through the campaign. As for the technical aspects of the game the control scheme is really simplistic, with your minor and strong attacks and then a variety of special, unlockable attacks based on leveling up and upgrading Wolverine. You will not need any of these moves in the boss fights however, as they are all pretty much the same thing over and over again; lunging onto and clawing away at giant boss after giant boss with little to no exception. The last thing worth bringing up when it comes to X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a trend I have started to see in a couple of games recently. The game is offered on all 3 consoles but the Wii version, in an attempt to appeal to its largely adolescent fan base while completely ignoring those of us old enough for M-rated games, has been completely sterilized. I like that this game embraces the violent side of saving the world, with lots of blood, guts and gore, (Editor's note: Really. He's not kidding - it's like a Gallagher show, for those of you old enough to know what that means) but the Wii version has caused the game-makers to designate one version as "Uncaged" (aka Unrated) and a rated version without any of the added blood or guts. Strangely enough, Nintendo should take a page from games like Mortal Kombat and add a hidden code in so that adults can enjoy the same full game experience on the Wii that they pay $49.99 for, like everybody else. Oh, and this is the first X-Men game to ever make me hate Gambit so much that I wanted to claw his voice-box out with my bare claws...and if there is one thing an X-Men game should never do, it's make me hate Gambit...seriously...just saying. Overall I’m going to have to say this is a Try It title at best—for both X-Men fans and casual gamers alike
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courtesy of hardcoregaming.wordpress.com
Poetry for the Students: Audacious topics celebrated and explored By Ricardo Derrek J. Brown, Staff Writer
Photos courtesy of csuohio.edu & amazon.com
Radiothon Brings WCSB 89.3 Community Together By Roberto Ivory, Sports Editor
C
leveland State’s own radio station, WCSB, has brought alternative music and entertainment over the airwaves for the past 30 plus years. DJs find the obscure sounds that are most likely not in your record collection - if you even have one - and stray far, far away from mainstream radio. But to fund this collection of oddities, WCSB reaches out to their ever faithful followers. “We are there to play the random, obscure, weird things that nobody else really plays,” WCSB DJ, Radiothon Development Director, and current Cleveland State student Liz Trenholne said of the purpose of 89.3. Radiothon helps to continue that craziness here on campus. “Radiothon is the one big fundraiser that the radio station has each year,” Student Media & Web Specialist Dan Lenhart said of the annual event. “All week long listeners or anybody can call in and donate.” The money donated to ‘CSB’, goes into buying cds and records, equipment, and mostly everything else the radio station of Cleveland State needs. It also keeps the lengthy and unwanted commercials that mainstream stations need to survive, off the 89.3 airwaves. “Radiothon is our only source of expendable income,” Trenholne said. People that do pledge to help the WCSB studios do not only get the satisfaction of helping the WCSB community, great gifts are given by the station, including t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, and local business will donate items and gift certificates for the contributor’s generosity. CSU’s radio station has gotten a new home over the past few years, as they moved from their original location in the bowels of Rhodes Tower and moved into a fantastic new facility at the fourth floor of the Cole Center located on E. 30th St. But why does Cleveland State support a local radio station and put up with all the craziness that happens on the airwaves? “When the Scene Magazine did their ‘Best of Cleveland Issue’, they said that the only reason to listen to the radio in Cleveland is because of the college stations, CSB being one of them,” Lenhart said of the uniqueness of the station. WCSB has been on the airwaves for over 30 years, its humble roots beginning as students playing music for the lone cafeteria at Stillwell Hall. Eventually, the students got the college to fund it to become a radio station that is sanctioned by the FCC and has been going since. WCSB has also taken the lead and have starting streaming their broadcast on WCSB.org and are broadcasting not only to the local community, but also the international community as well. So, when you are overseas, you are never far away from your favorite alternative radio station. The radio station has gone international, but the biggest donations from the Cleveland area come from the ethnic communities that exist around Cleveland. “We have such diverse ethnic programs, mainly on the weekend, and for some of those communities, it’s their one source from their homeland music, news and information” Lenhart added. “So they really rely on WCSB or that source of information.” “As a non-profit radio station, nobody can buy any advertising,” Trenholne added. Now that the Radiothon has completed last week, “We are pretty much only one of two college radio stations in the area,” she added. “If Radiothon goes badly, then we are in trouble.” Cleveland State has such a terrific tradition on campus that welcomes the obscure, the weird and the random; which is WCSB 89.3. No matter what your sound buds like, you can always find something for everyone on your local radio dial, tuning it into 89.3.
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ast week, there was a poetry reading held at CSU. The featured poets were supposed to be Helena Mesa, Mathis Svalina and Allison Titus. Mathias did not make it to the reading, citing personal reasons. The other two poets were fantastic. After she was introduced, Allison Titus performed first, “Thank you for coming here and thank you to the poetry center for having me,” she said as she flipped through a book of poems she’d selected to read from Horse Dance Under Water, the latest book from the poet. “I think I’ll start with a poem that has no title, it’s not even called untitled,” she laughed, “I think I’ll just start before it gets to frustrating explaining how it doesn’t have a title.” Poetry is always a subjective experience. Speaking as an observer, it was pretty awesome. Allison explained what it meant to be a full-time poet. “I have been unemployed for almost a year. I was laid off during the election month. I was led out of my work building and searched. Everything has turned around for me now, I’ve written a series of contingent poems.” One of which was entitled Shepard and was very emotional. Among the verses in Allison’s poems are such memorable lines as, “The body is a network of fucked up shutters,” and “Let the months scrap the silhouettes to shreds.” Both said that they found their love of poetry in the classroom. Helena found that she
could write good poetry in a fiction writing class, while Allison sort of drifted into it on her own. When it was Helena’s turn behind the podium she read from her new book Sum of Every Lost Ship. Her poems touched on deep, personal interest. Poems like "The Medical Inspection", which she says “was inspired by an old world painting of Paris prostitutes waiting to be inspected for syphilis”. Or her collection of poems that is a response to different saints—mainly focusing on obscure female saints. Some of the much more personal poems in her collection are peaces like Apologia for Dating a Marxist in which she apologizes to her father for dating a Marxist. One poem that she did was particularly poignant. It was called Transcript, “In 1948 there was an inversion of temperature and it trapped all the gas that was coming out of the Zink plants and brought down this layer of poisonous smog that made the sky look like it was night.” When she read the poem she really conveyed a since of what it must have been like to be there when this was happening, stepping out in the middle of the day and seeing the sky—which should be blue and pocked with clouds—turned deep and dark with pollutants. At the end of the reading there was a Q and A from the audience, then people lined up to buy books and have them autographed.
November 30, 2009 • csucauldron.com | 11
courtesy of blog.quickdfw.com
concert picks of the week
By Alexes “Texas” Spencer & Jonathan “Killstring” Herzberger, Staff Writer & Arts & Entertainment Editor
November is almost gone. Bye November! We miss you already. But between the madcap dash to the end of the semester known as Finals Week, and the madcap dash of commercialism known as The Christmas Season, there are musics to be had. Sweet, sweet musics. You have a civic duty, citizen. Step to it.
Other Shows 11/30 12/1 12/2
Alexes’s Pick: 12/3
Underoath/August Burns Red/Emery @ House of Blues
Ensiferum @ Peabody’s, $18
Psychostick @Peabody’s, FREE
Throwdown
w/ Bury Your Dead @ Peabody’s, $15
Matisyahu
12/2 @ House of Blues, $27 12/2
Company of Thieves @ Grog Shop, $10
12/3
Motograter @ Peabody’s, $10
DRI
12/4 @ Peabody’s, $15 12/4
Paul Fayreweather, @ House of Blues,$17
12/4
Jah Messengers @ Grog Shop, $10
12/5 12/5
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courtesy of rockonaltitude.com
have no words to describe out epically awesome this lineup is. I’ll be first to admit that I might be a little biased in recommending Emery; I could go on and on about their amazing vocals and instrumentation and how crazy keyboardist/unclean vocalist Josh Head is. After all, they are my favorite band, and this will be my 13th time to see them in concert. However, I would be a terrible journalist, and probably a ter-
rible person if I didn’t mention the amazing live show that August Burns Red puts on. I’d be an even worse person if I didn’t mention the consistently breathtaking showmanship of Underoath as well. Essentially, I’m in awe that this lineup even exists, and even though $23 is a little pricey, I will definitely be there. I’d also like to extend an extremely honorable mention to Norma Jean/Horse the Band/The Chariot on 12/6 for $16. This lineup is pretty freakin’ amazing as well.
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Pick: Cellbound Jonathan’s 11/30 Flobots @ Grog Shop
op music is at its absolute best when there is a vitality to it, a passion behind not simply every word, but every note – when you can feel heart and soul being bled, pushed, and crammed into every last possible auditory nook and sonic cranny. This is where the Flobots really excel. Even if you don’t believe in their particular brand of politics, it’s obvious that they do – channeling the intensity of Rage Against the Machine with a selfreferential silliness that proves out of all the things that Flobots take seriously – they don’t count themselves among them. So much more than their breakthrough single “Handlebars” - Flobots in concert is half hip-hop concert, half rock show, half protest rally.
@ Peabody’s, $6
Municipal Waste @ Grog Shop, $12
12/5
Skillet
w/ Hawk Nelson, Decyfer Down @ Agora, $25
Norma Jean/Horse the Band/The Chariot 12/6
@ Peabody’s, $14
Sloan
12/6 @ Grog Shop, $12
12 | csucauldron.com • November 30, 2009
courtesy of amazon.com
Yes, that adds up to 150 percent. This was intentional. If you like rock, hip-hop, revolutionaries, nerdcore, violins or funk: you’re not going to want to miss this show. Fifteen tiny, insignificant dollars. This revolution will not be televised.
SPORTS
Photography by Robert Ivory
Vikings Come Close But Lose in Horizon League Finals:
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Milwaukee gets in CSU’s way, again By Robert Ivory, Sports Editor
ven with the Horizon League’s Player of the Year, Beth Gruelich, and Coach of the Year, Chuck Voss, the Cleveland State Vikings could still not beat the Milwaukee Panthers for the second year in a row and end their season a win away from making their trip back to the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers were able to beat the Vikings in four sets, 27-25, 19-25, 25-29, 25-13 in front of the Vikings’ home crowd. “They were the preseason favorite and they are better then we are,” Vikings head coach Chuck Voss said after the defeat. “They proved it today and took it to us. They are clearly the elite program in the league and that’s where we want to get, where those guys are.” In hopes for their first trip back to the NCAA Tournament since 2007, the Vikings hosted the Milwaukee Panthers at Woodling Gym with the Horizon League Championship on the line and a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Vikings would have to beat the team that the Vikings lost to in last year’s Horizon League Championship. Milwaukee defeated the Vikes 3-2 last
year after CSU upset third ranked Wright State in the Quarterfinals and second ranked Valparaiso. “Cleveland State is a really good team,” Milwaukee Panthers’ head coach Susie Johnson said. “They are very physical and strong, so you know you have to have your ‘A’ game.” The top seeded Vikings (26-7; 14-3 Horizon League) had Milwaukee’s (13-14; 10-6 HL and third seed) best game as the Panthers took out their state rivals, the Phoenix of Green Bay in the Quarterfinals and then blanked Valparaiso, 3-0. As for the Vikings, an easy 3-1 win over UIC put the Vikings in the driver’s seat for their second ever Horizon League Championship, as they looked to take both the regular and post season titles. The Vikes could not take the first set and dropped it, 27-25, but it saw a seesaw battle that the Vikings could not hold onto. The Vikings led at 23-22, but the Panthers scored two straight points and never let the Vikings take the lead again and were up, 1-0. Resilient as they are, Cleveland State hopped right in top of the second set, took a 2-1 lead and never looked back, evening
up the match at one a piece with a 25-19 win. Milwaukee just seemed too much for the Vikings from that point and Milwaukee took control of the third and finals sets, 2519, 25-13. “They are hot, but they also talented,” Voss added. “There was a reason they were the number one preseason team.” In the final set, Milwaukee jumped out to a 6-0 lead, until the Vikings could come up with a point of their own. After the CSU point, Milwaukee went back to business and took a commanding 10-1 lead and had momentum on their side. “As much as we tried to contend with them, we just didn’t have an answer for them,” Voss said. “We were tired and their kids stepped up and made some monster plays.” Now the Vikings have yet another offseason to think about the Panthers as they again stopped another fantastic team from Cleveland. Natalie Schmitting served on 10 points that the Panthers had in the final set and was named to the Horizon League’s Tournament Team. Milwaukee senior Lauren Felsing was named Tournament Most Valuable Player, but was kept quiet for the most part of the...Continued on Page 15
A Peek into the Colorado Farm System: Ups and downs for Lake Erie Monsters, Colorado Avalanche
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By William Wodka, Staff Writer he 2009-2010 hockey season is just a little over a month old and it looks like the Colorado Avalanche and their farm team the Lake Erie Monsters are looking like contenders once more. The Colorado Avalanche have made an amazing turn-around from last year. They ended almost dead last in the Northwest division of the Western conference but this year they jumped out on top and are currently sitting in first. The team is unstoppable especially with their goaltender Peter Budaj. The team has won 13 of their first 22 games and look great at home where they have only lost twice this season in the Pepsi Center. The team looks different from the Joe Sakic era, as they add younger guys to the team. The two players remaining from the Joe Sakic era are Milan Heduk and Adam Foote. Age has not stopped these guys as they continue to throw their bodies around, especially Foote. Foote is still the hard noses defenseman and is always ready to fight if need be. Paul Stastny continues to lead the team to victory, for the captain he has a team leading 20 points. Though out of those twenty points he only has four goals, he likes to spread the puck around and be a team player. The Lake Erie Monsters have not been doing all that well compared to the Avalanche. The team has a 7-10 record and are currently last in the division. Though the record does not
show it, the team has been playing well and recently played a game against Grand Rapids where the Monsters lost 8-6. The team has had to juggle the roster around because some of the guys have been getting called up to play in Colorado. In Early October Tyler Weiman was called up for a couple of games when the Avalanche’s goalie Budaj was out sick with the flu and currently Phiippe Dupuis and Chris Durno are with the Avs. This has been a rollercoaster ride so far for head coach David Quinn, who is in his first year with the team. Though he is oppitimistic the team can rebound and get back on their winning ways. The team has looked sloppy at times but continue to push through. One thing the team has to concentrate on improving is their penalty minutes. The team looks solid behind the net. The team not only has Tyler Weiman, but they also have an up and coming goalie made Trevor Cann. The kid is a working progress but already he looks promising. Cann has had trouble keeping his goals against down, he is currently averaging three goals every game but with time that will work itself out. The teams are looking great and its sure to be an exciting season for both clubs. If you are in the Cleveland area and tired of yelling at Brady Quinn and the Browns during this winter season, come down to the Q for a Lake Erie Monsters game.
Sexy Players Eye Candy for the Ladies
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By Emily Ouzts, Managing Editor
n December 4th, 32 nations around the world will be have their eyes on Cape Town, South Africa to find out who their nation will face in the first round of the 19th edition of the World Cup finals. Yes, that means that the World Cup is less than 200 days away, folks! The Cauldron wants to give you the coverage from both sides of the field, so The Cauldron’s Managing Editor, Emily Ouzts, gives you what to look for in 2010 and Sports Editor, Robert Ivory, gives...Continued on Page 14
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Sexy Players...Continued from Page 13 you what to keep you occupied until kickoff on June 11th. As Rob stated, 32 nations around the world will have their eyes on the World Cup finals in Cape Town this week, and half of those eyes could care less about sports. That's right, I'm talking about the female soccer audience, and how we're in for just as much of a treat as our male counterparts who are in it for the "game" or whatever. Because, ladies, I'm not sure if you've had a chance to ever watch a professional soccer game (which is not likely, because we don't live in Europe), but I swear to you, every single player on these teams is HOT. Allow me to digress. I work at a local bar two nights a week, and my boss mandates that every one of our four TV's must be tuned to sports at all times. Now, as much as I'd like to turn on "Grey's Anatomy" to keep me company when I'm working, I have to follow the rules, so I spend a lot of my time flipping through Direct TV's smorgasbord of sports offerings for my fine customers. Most of
Vikings Perrr-fect At Home, Drop Two In: Mexico Vikes Are .500 By Robert Ivory, Sports Editor
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ith a significant trip to Cancun on the horizon for the Vikings, the team still had to finish the last of their three game home swing against the Bearkats of Sam Houston State. The Cleveland State Vikings (3-1) men’s basketball team beat Sam Houston State University (2-2) 80-65 Saturday night at Wolstein Center in the first ever contest between the two teams, despite the Vikings being involved with a 3-point contest from the start of the game. The Vikings were able to hold off the Southland Conference foes with nine 3 pointers and another game of solid defense. Top scorers for the Vikes included junior guard Norris Cole, who had 24, and sophomore guard Trevon Harmon who had a season high 16 on the night (which included three key 3’s).“At times I thought we played very, very good basketball, other times we played pretty loose,” Cleveland State head coach Gary Waters noted after the win. “I think we just lost our focus a couple of times.” The Vikings wasted no time getting points on the board as Harmon and Brown hit 3 pointers on the Vikes opening two offensive possessions and helped themselves to a 6-0 lead to start the game. Add a Jared Cunningham jumper from the free throw line, and the Vikes were off to an 8-0 run as the Kats took a time out. “Usually we come out a little flat, but today everything was rolling good for us,” Harmon said after the game. “Everybody was hitting shots right out of the gate.” After a 12-0 run was completed, Sam Houston got their first points at the 16:39 mark when Gilberto Clavell hit a pair of free throws. But it would be the Vikings that would dominate the opening moments as Cunningham and Harmon added 3’s and pushed the Vikings out to their biggest lead 20-4 in the half at the 13:21 mark, which included shooting 53% from the field at the halfway mark of the first half. Sam Houston did not let up and was able to get the Vikings lead down to 28-19. Cleveland State had gotten a turnover and Norris Cole was on a breakaway and missed the ensuing slam dunk with nobody within half a court length of Cole. Sam Houston’s Corey Allmond hit a 3 on the trip back down the floor and the Vikings lead was not looking so comfortable. When asked if Cole would have gone for the layup instead, Cole simply replied “I would have just made it.” Cole’s botched dunk was not the only problem the Vikings had in closing the half, travelling violations, a jump ball that went to the Bearkats after a Viking rebound, a defensive foul, and more turnovers saw Sam Houston down by three and would have a 18-15 run till end the half. “People are going to make runs at us,” head coach Gary Waters said after the Vikings impressive victory. “The key is if we can withstand the run.” If not for Trevon hitting another 3 of his own and putting the Vikings back up by six, the Vikes could have been passed by the momentum that the Kats had put together since the Cole missed layup.
14 | csucauldron.com • November 30, 2009
the time, it's football, but one night this month, I happened to flip to an MLS soccer game. Now, I'm probably going to upset our fantastic sports editor here, but for the life of me, I couldn't tell you what MLS soccer game it was. I think I saw something like "MLS" and "championships" or something, but who has time for details like those when there are HOT SWEATY MEN RUNNING AROUND EVERYWHERE? So yes, there I am, at work, watching this sports game, and I literally cannot take my eyes off the screen. There's David Beckham, prancing about in all of his muscled, well-coifed, angry glory! There's Landon Donovan, diving for the ball and flexing his chiseled quads every time he gets it! There's some dark-haired, mysterious foreign guy swearing in another language while getting hip checked! It was just an all-out display of masculine power, grunts and muscles and all. There's something really sexy about guys who are into something, really into something, and soccer fits that
bill. It's not like football, the childish, bloated version of soccer where all the men do is slam into each other with their juicedup bodies and money falls out of their shoulder pads. It's not like baseball, where the men wear awkward uniforms and pick at their crotches and smack each other's bottoms all day. No, soccer is a glorious showcase of pure skill, speed, sportsmanship and just the right amount of masculine threat. So, ladies, if the man in your life says he's going to watch the World Cup finals with his buddies this month, GO WITH HIM. You don't have to tell him why, or that I told you there were ridiculously hot men running around. Just tell him that you really enjoy the sport and you'd like to spend some time watching it together. You'll earn some girlfriend points, and even better, you get to watch tall, dark and handsome men hip checking each other and swearing in sexy foreign languages. Viva Fifa!
The game swung back and forth in the second ten minutes of the first half as both teams took their shots from outside the 3 point arch and were draining almost every shot they took. Cleveland State continued to get back to their dominating performance, but Sam Houston would not let the Vikings get away as easily. After a big jumper by Norris Cole with under a minute to go, the Bearkats were able to find a sleeping Vikings team and heave the ball down the court for an easy slam dunk. Despite the hot start, the 16 point lead, and shooting 90% (9-10) from the 3 point line, both teams were exchanging blows up until the final whistle of the first half, as the Vikings lead, 43-36. “We gave them opportunities in the first half, that should have been a 20 point halftime lead,” Waters said of the team’s effort in the first half. “I am very disappointed at that.” Back and forth the game would continue, but the Vikings had a little too much for Sam Houston. Jeremy Montgomery hit a fade away jumper to put the Vikings up by 14 with ten minutes to go, but once again it was Corey Allmond hitting a long three to get the game within 11. But the Vikings were just too much for SHSU, as the Vikes never had a lead less than nine points in the second half. In addition to Cole and Harmon, Jared Cunningham added 10 points and Aaron Pogue had six of the Vikings 28 rebounds. Cole has had a blast playing in the Challenge as he has scored 62 points, 17-26 (65.4%) from the floor, 23-25 (92%) from the free throw line, and 7 assist in the two games. “We want to get better every day and this home stretch to get better and we can see that our defense is improving,” Cole said of the Vikings’ progress before the trip. The Vikings had their hands full, as the Bearkats were coming off a 102-92 loss to the 5th AP ranked Kentucky Wildcats only two days earlier in Lexington. Top scorers for the Kats on that night included 37 for senior guard Corey Allmond (including 11 3-pointers) and 14 points for junior forward Gilberto Clavell. Prior to that game, the Bearkats destroyed Texas College 91-54, so the Vikings knew that they were facing a really good ball club. “It’s proven that as long as we do what we do, that we will be ok at Cleveland State. As long as we practice our identity and play hard, we are going to be fine,” Cole said “It’s proven that it works.” Now that the Vikes have hit the halfway mark of the Cancun Challenge, the tough part of the challenge awaits them south of the border. First game will be against the same team that Sam Houston played well, Kentucky, then Stanford or Virginia.“We have a big road challenge ahead of us coming up with Kentucky, so we all have to get together and make sure we play a complete game,” Harmon said of the Vikes trip to Mexico. “We really have not thought about Kentucky, to be honest with you,” Waters admitted. “The kids know that we are so far away from where we want to be and we are taking it one game at a time. Now we will focus on Kentucky.” The Vikings met the 5th ranked Kentucky Wildcats on Tuesday night in Mexico and it was definitely an experience that the Vikings will surely learn from. Another tough night of tough calls for the Vikings and the officials again put the Vikings behind since they could not play their game. The Vikings committed 25 fouls and sent the Cats to the line 35 times, with Kentucky hitting 24 of them (68.6%). It was the Vikings and Gary Waters’ first ever meeting with the
Cats in head coach John Calapari’s first year as head coach of the program after leading the University of Memphis to a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2008. The Vikings ran into a nightmare as the shots could not fall for a team that Waters had tried to get shooting percentages up since a slow start. Finishing with only a 26.6% shooting percentage would not cut it against a Division III team, so the Vikes did fall hard and lost 73-49 to the 5-0 Wildcats. The Vikings were lead by a pair of 10-point scorers, D’Aundray Brown and Jeremy Montgomery. Norris Cole, who had the impressive stats mentioned above, was shut down by the Wildcats and now Gary Waters has a vision of who he has to go to when the opposition has their main defensive focus on the junior guard. Despite the 24 point loss, the team still has to lace up the shoes and played against the Cavilers of Virginia the next night. After the Cavilers lost the previous night to the Stanford Cardinals, Virginia fought another good match and beat the Vikes 76-66 although the Vikings were the ones up by ten at the half. Coach Waters knows that the game got away from the Vikings, but again Jeremy Montgomery stepped his play up and led the team with 14 points in just 20 minutes. Aaron Pogue added 13 points with four assists and led the team in blocks (2) and rebounds (4). Cole did have 12 and the Cavilers went to the free throw line only 14 times, but Virginia did get their fourth win of the year, as the Vikings slipped to .500. The Vikings now return back to the Buckeye state, but it’s off to Fairborn, with a Horizon League with the Raiders of Wright State on Thursday, December 5. The Vikes and the Raiders split last year’s series, with each team winning on their home floor (7162 CSU loss at Wright State; 59-50 win at the Wolstein Center). The Vikings then head to the Motor City on Saturday to face UDM, as the Vikes swept the Titans (66-49 and 56-43) and the Vikes have won the last three out of four games. The men’s basketball team plays home next on December 12 against Wilberforce, not in the Wolstein Center, but rather in Woodling Gym.
FIFA 10 REVIEW: “GGGOOOAAAALLLLL!” By Robert Ivory, Sports Editor
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or some people on this earth, there is nothing sweeter than hearing that legendary sound of “GGGGOOOOAAAAALLLLL!!!!!” Not many of us can hit the old onion bag like those who get paid millions of dollars, Euros, pounds, or pesos to do so. But now there is a place where you can play as them or along them in EA Sports’ newest shot at a world winner. You have seen the commercials that ask, “How big can soccer get?” and it will be bigger than people think. FIFA 10 has been a beacon of light for footie players all around the world. Finally there is a game is very free and gives the gamer complete control of the experience. With the new 360-degree feature, you really have the feeling that you are not constrained by a couple directions, but now you have all directions. Gameplay is excellent and that goes well with the stadium graphics and the game really creates a...Continued on Page 15
University Bids Off Unwanted Items at Sale This Week...Continued from Page 4
The True Story of John Henry...Continued from Page 7
and bids are being accepted through this Friday at 2 p.m. at the Parker Hannifin Building, room 118. Viewings will be this Tuesday and Thursday from 1 until 3 p.m., or by appointment through the property control department. “Copiers, printers, computers, fax machines, miscellaneous items such as the engineering department – they use a lot of different science equipment – anything that used to be over there in the CSU community; before they can get thrown out they need to come over to property control,” said Leon Wright, property control administrator. He is the man who decides what stays and what goes. “When the movers pick up the surplus from the university community they bring it over to me. Once I have a buildup of surplus, I just arbitrarily go upstairs and take a look around and see what items we can sell off.” Wright goes through this cycle about once every two to three months, but only after ensuring there’s no need for it on campus. “My first commitment is to the CSU community. When there are other departments on campus looking for particular items, they have first rights to that item – that’s my number one commitment.” Amid the warehouse floor full of items, yellow tags are scattered, marking the items up for bidding. Some things are grouped together, such as a set of assorted HP, Panasonic and Apple printers, with one bid for all of them. They’re mostly bought for pieces and parts. Other things, like the podiums, projectors, a table saw, carpet cleaners, are sold separately. There are also several graphing calculators (TI-83, 83 Plus, and 84), whose retail value can be up to $150. Some things seem more practical: vacuum cleaners with bags and accessories, laptop carrying cases, a microwave, TV/VCR combos, tire chains, filing cabinets, an exercise bike. While others, just random: a white metal locker, belt sander, bags of plaster or packs of dustless chalk. Last year there was a couch for sale that ended up being won by a CSU senior, now graduated. Treena Hunter, records management officer for property control, says that after the ten months she’s been in the department, nothing that comes through there really shocks her. “Everything in here comes from off the campus, whether it’s a science department or lost and found or whatever,” she said. “I’ve realized now that this is where everything comes when they don’t have space for it anymore or it’s no longer working.” This particular sale includes an oven and an outdoor shower unit. Hunter laughs. “I really can’t say that it’s surprising anymore.” “The only thing that makes [this sale] different is that we don’t have any vehicles this time. I usually have vehicles to sell,” Wright said. Every so often the police will turn in their old Crown Victorias, or one of the CSU cargo vans to bid off. The car bids and also carpet cleaners can get up to around 15 or 20 bids. All faculty, staff and students are welcome to the surplus sales the university holds in the plant services building across the street from the recreation center on Chester. Additionally, outside buyers often ask to be put on the notification list when they are held. All items have to be moved by the winner within two weeks unless another arrangement is made.
of blues and rock and roll. After all the research, Nelson realized that “this was more than just a song about a powerful man; it was a song about a somber story.” The oldest versions of “Steel Drivin’ Man” were used as work songs. Men who lined the railroad tracks needed a way to coordinate their movement and work songs provided the perfect rhythm. These songs set the pace of the work and began to circulate around the South. As the song of John Henry gained more popularity, numerous versions and styles were created. “Steel Drivin’ Man” was one of the first blues, country and bluegrass songs ever written. Nelson believes that “the birth of the blues was due by and large to the transformation of work songs into blues and other types of songs.” The creation of the blues led subsequently to the formation of rock and roll and influences all music heard today. The presentation showed the results of incredible amounts of research and ingenuity. Nelson never imagined he would unearth such valuable information. By pursuing the project and delving deeper into his explorations, he was able to trace back the ambiguous roots of John Henry, along with the roots of blues and rock and roll.
Student Organization Spotlight...Continued from Page 7 groups such as The Rock Steady Crew and The Dynamic Rockers. “The film gives viewers an inside look into the lives of graffiti artists and the conflicts they faced between local government and other graffiti artists,” Edwards revealed. "It is free to attend, people can come up. We are going to have a good discussion afterward and see what people thought of the film and if people have any comments," said Verzub. The first objective in the association’s undertakings: changing minds and altering perceptions. “Unfortunately, many people get the wrong impression when they think of hip-hop. They limit their knowledge of hip-hop to what they watch on MTV or BET or what they read in The Source or XXL. Many artists who don’t promote a stereotype or whose music is thought-provoking and is able to transcend the human experience through intelligent lyrics are marginalized. I want to give those alternative artists a platform for their music. The group will also work on exposing the student body to graffiti, break-dancing, beat-boxing, fashion and other elements that are a part or are associated with hip-hop culture,” Edwards stated. "[Graffiti] is a very misunderstood subculture within the culture of hip hop. By some, it is often viewed as an act of vandalism. Another way to look at it is as art. It's somebody making their mark, telling people: here is what I have to say," said Verzub. Edwards did not shy away from articulating the group’s education mission. “This can benefit a student’s education immensely. One thing I really want to do is hold discussions on hip-hop lyrics. There are many artists like Sage Francis or Cani-
bus who don’t get mainstream coverage because there lyrics are too intelligent. For example The Guardian once called Canibus ‘a walking Wikipedia of conspiracy theory.’ There is even a website dedicated to deciphering his lyrics. Almost any subject covered under academia I am almost positive there is a hip-hop song about it. The lyrics in hip-hop cover more topics than any other genre,” Edwards claimed. With momentum building in hip-hop academia, universities are beginning to offer courses which explore the movement. Popular intellectuals and authors have emerged as champions of hip-hop academia, including Michael Eric Dyson, Davey D and Oliver Wang. Academic and student interests have been at the heart of the movement’s progress. “Students should get involved because hiphop helps nurture creativity. Hip-hop is one of the most innovative cultural movements in the world. Hip-hop builds bridges between cultures. CSU is a very diverse student body. I feel that hip-hop can be that medium in which various cultures fuse together and invent something fresh and spontaneous. Rapping is a vehicle for getting a point of view or a message heard that might not be possible in other forms. Students who have strong opinions can use rap as a means to express those messages,” stated Edwards. “Anything is possible with this organization. Other universities actually offer classes about hip-hop. I think it would be cool if we could bring that same level of intellectual interest and curiosity to CSU and eventually incorporate it into the curriculum,” Edwards ambitiously asserted.
Vikings Come Close But Lose in Horizon League Finals...Continued from Page 13 day. “She is such a big part, she gets us going” Susie Johnson said about her senior. The Panthers have been hottest team in the Horizon League as they had not lost a game in over a month, including a 3-1 win over the Vikes in Milwaukee on November 7. “I think we have grown so much and kept our poise. Even in the end, they were making a run,” Johnson said of the Vikes. Despite the loss, the Vikings had another terrific year putting 26 wins on the board (just the second time in Voss’ career at Cleveland State) and was a hot streak of their own in the regular season. For the Vikings, they will have to say goodbye to the current
seniors, who have put together three great careers at Cleveland State. Gruelich had been named to two first team All-Horizon League selection before winning the MVP trophy. Despite being haggled by injuries this year, Kayla last year was ranked third in the league and 150th in the nation in aces (0.32) with a team-high tying 35. And Liz Fazio was a great contributor since the moment she walked on the CSU court. She was named Horizon League All-Newcomer team as she finished second in the league in kills per game (3.72) and third in points per match (4.17) as she played in and started in all 28 of the Vikings matches.
FIFA 10 REVIEW...Continued from Page 13 great atmosphere of being in the top stadiums around the world, including Anfield, Allianz Arena, San Siro, and also for free download is the Bernabéu. Those top stadiums are among 50 stadiums ranging from the top, like just mentioned, but also down to the lower levels of Europe, North America, and more. The most impressive attribute is the sounds of the game, that the players speak English in North America and Spanish in Spain. That’s a small feature, but I think that is very impressive. Not only are the players and the stadiums in great shape, but the different modes of play are something to get excited about. Manager mode is a great way to strap on your tie and take care of any of the many clubs that the game provides (31 leagues and over 500 clubs in the game). The transfer system has gotten a well needed boost and Manager Mode has puts you in the hands of the club’s board directors, as you lose or gain respect depending on the way your club is performing. Not ready to have that responsibility? Then create yourself in VirtualPro. No, I mean, literally create yourself. With EA’s GameFace, you can import pictures of yourself and the game creates you, the virtual footballer that you are. You can join the offline mode and join a club’s reserves in hopes of making it to the top squad. Now, VirtualPro is fantastic as it has really put the player into the game. The best part of VirtualPro is that online, you can play with a bunch of your buddies, with their created players, and exchange your place on a roster for the team for which you are player. Do you think your created player is better than Cristiano Ronaldo on Real Madrid? Now you can find out with your mates from all across the globe.
Ah, but the game has so many high points, and the in-game music does not disappoint either. It being a world game, the world music incorporated into it hits all the right notes. Plus, you’ll be singing along in languages you’d never thought you would be singing. Included is a Bob Marley cover that is incredible and since he was about bringing people together in peace, EA made the right decision. Ok, this game will be one of the greatest soccer games of all time, but there are some flaws that need to be worked over. The first is the goalie comes out off his line way to early in the game, so an easy chip over his head is a cheeky way to score. Second, I’m still not convinced that the grass and the inside stadium looks are as good as they can be. Earlier I said the atmosphere is great, but it still could be beefed up. Finally (and this is a personal issue) of the faces on the cover of the North American game. Currently it features Frank Lampard, Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Sacha Kljestan; but the game could easily sell the same amount of copies if Landon Donovan (the most recognized American footballer around the world) is in place of Lampard. Blanco is leaving to go back to Mexico soon, but I am really happy that Kljestan has been incorporated. Over 40 million people around the globe have decided that FIFA 10 is for real. It’s realistic and the game will keep you up for days on end. Rarely does any soccer game get the amount of good reviews as FIFA 10 has, but it truly deserved. Get you caffeinated beverage of choice ready, because you will lose much sleep from the great effort that EA has given football enthusiast around the world. So in short, “Let’s FIFA 10!”
November 30, 2009 • csucauldron.com | 15
NBA 2k10: Ballers Dungeon-Crawler should buy it; otherwise, stay out of bounds By Jonathan “Killstring” Herzberger, Arts & Entertainment Editor Photos courtesy of ign.com
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oodness grapefruits, what is the world coming to. Not only does this issue of The Cauldron feature three (I counted!) video game reviews, but two of them are covering sports games. What on earth could have brought this kind of event to pass? First of all, FIFA 10 is, as Rob points out, probably a new watermark in soccer games. Secondly, NBA 2k doesn't so much redefine a genre, as it blatantly steals another genre, and eats it, thus gaining some aspect of its prey. Now, this deserves a little preface. I, your humble narrator, typically can't stand sports games. Taste is an important factor in a review, and understanding your reviewer is a needed piece of information. So yes, this is coming from the perspective of a guy who prefers an RPG or strategy game to a late-night round of Madden. Having said that, it also begs mention that I've been following the NBA 2k series off and on since it came free with my Dreamcast all the way back in 2000. Moment of silence for the Dreamcast. Moving on. The actual basketball portion of the series – while solid – never did much to grab my attention. The franchise mode, however, offered a fairly robust simulation of managing a team from a financial and personnel perspective. This? This was like candy to my RPG-centric little brain. And as time went on, the series made gradual improvements to this aspect. Bird rights? Accounted for. Fluctuating salary caps? Present. Moody prima donnas who whine about how they're unappriciated,
even as they're paid millions of dollars despite the fact that their production is seemingly non-existent? Check. So it was with a moderate amount of expectation, but nothing too crazy, that I opened up my copy of NBA 2k10. I expected it to be prettier, have somewhat tightened on-court gameplay that I would barely ever touch, and a greater depth in the franchise mode. What I did not expect, was that they would cater to my desire to play their game as an RPG. The “My Player” mode starts like most western RPG's – at a character creation screen. Height, weight, appearance, class (err, position) and attributes were all filled out in a manner surrealy familiar. I half expected the game to calculate THACO by the end. Instead, I was greeted by a Stephen A. Smith knock-off who would act as my quest NPC, leading me through various hoops to jump through, in order to better my abilities, and advance in my quest. By this point, I am actively wondering if I am next to fight giant rats in someone's cellar; but no, I go through an NBA training camp, which as I understand it, essentially the same thing. As this progresses, I realize something strange is happening: I am actually playing the basketball portion of this basketball game, and enjoying myself to boot. Will wonders never cease? Now, 2k10 is not just one mode, and none of these modes are without their flaws. To someone who's never played an NBA 2k game before, My Player is probably the absolute worst introduction to the series that one could ask for. It assumes a basic familiarity with both the controls, and the philosophy of team basketball; and then puts you in the shoes of a talentless nobody.
You will throw passes out of bounds. You will miss easy shots. You will break your own ankles trying to cross someone over. Again, 2k10 is attempting to tap into the slow progression of an RPG grind – but pick-up-and-play, this mode is not. Aspiring ballers are advised to cut their teeth in the game proper before tossing themselves into an environment where bad on-court positioning carries with it an experience point penalty. In addition, when I found myself playing in real NBA games in this mode, horrific slowdown would occasionally pop up, rendering the game basically unplayable. Now, it's possible that there's a post-release patch that fixes this and other issues, however, the course of this review has played out in my new Internet-free apartment, so who knows. More importantly: this is a console game; there is absolutely no excuse to ship a broken product, and patch it afterwards. This is lazy, rushed coding, and it's inexcusable in a product that will cost you $59.99. This is only a fraction of the game, however – and the rest is about what you would expect. A beautiful, polished, well thought out and highly reactive hoops sim. In comparison to EA's NBA Live series, it still compares favorably in every conceivable manner. Having said that, if you have no interest in stepping into the shoes of a level 1 hoops adventurer, and aren't intending to play large amounts of online multiplayer, the game lacks a compelling reason to purchase it, if you're already in possession of last year's edition. For the dungeon crawler-baller, Buy It. For your average hoops fan? Buy it this time next year, when it'll cost you five dollars.