The Daily Campus: August 28, 2012

Volume CXIX No. 3

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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Project managers ‘proud’ of campus renovation

Catch a movie at the student union theatre this fall Watch ‘Brave,’ ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Ted’ this fall at the SU Theatre FOCUS/ page 7

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Huskies ‘set’ to improve UConn looks to surpass expectations, last season’s record SPORTS/ page 14 EDITORIAL: NEIL ARMSTONG SHOULD BE REMEMBERED FOR HEROISM First person to walk on moon should be remembered for nationwide achievement of spaceflight COMMENTARY/page 4 INSIDE NEWS: FAMILY OF ALLEGED SHOOTER “HORRIFIED” Maryland school shooting wounds 17-year old student NEWS/ page 2

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Bousfield Psychology Building is one of many buildings on the Storrs campus with renovations and additions are “well underway.” Other recent campus renovations and construction include Oak Hall, the Bishop Center, Manchester Hall, Beach Hall, the Wolff-Zakin pool mechanical room, Laurel Hall, McMahon Dining Hll and Biobehavioral Science IV. UConn is curently in the midst of the least amount of construction on campus in the past 15 years.

By Olivia Balsinger Staff Writer Walking around campus, students may notice not only the plethora of new buildings that have been completed, but also how small an amount of construction is occurring. UConn currently has the least amount of construction projects occurring on campus that it has had in the last fifteen years.

This is because many new projects were completed over the summer, giving students new buildings to eat, learn and reside in, according to Brian Gore, the director of project and program management at Architectural Engineering and Building Services.

One of these larger projects includes the finishing touches to Oak Hall, the largest classroom building in the center of campus.

Paul Lyzun, an instructional developer for the journalism program on the fourth floor of Oak Hall, said, “We have new technology in our classrooms and it is a great relief now that every room has an overhead projector.”

“Our old classrooms and offices had less technology, and now it is easier for professors to use media. It is also nice to be in an air conditioned building,” he added.

Aside from Oak Hall, other prominent construction projects include a complete addition and renovation to McMahon’s dining hall and the demolition of Modular Buildings, MB1 and MB2, with restoration of the quadrangle. A demolition of Memorial Stadium also occurred recently in preparation for the basketball development center.

In addition, Gore said that there have been many other smaller renovation projects occurring throughout campus, such as an addition and renovation to the floriculture building, a relocation of the art print shop to a renovated space in the Bishop Center and a window replacement in Manchester Hall. There have been Beach Hall masonry and roof repairs, and repairs and restoration done to the Wolff-Zakin pool mechanical room, along with Biobehavioral Sciences IV building renovations. As of today, 75 percent of the Hillside

Road pedestrian safety and landscape is complete.

Though great progress was made in respect to construction, there have been certain obstacles to overcome. Gore said that one of the biggest challenges was managing both budget and schedule, especially for those projects where renovations to existing buildings are concerned. Oftentimes, unknown existing conditions cause delays in schedule and can negatively affect the project budget.

However, aside from these slight problems, Gore said that he and others involved in construction are proud of their accomplishments.

“I am most proud of the project management and construction inspection staff here at Architectural Engineering and Building Services at UConn who work tirelessly to ensure that our campus buildings and renovations are completed on time and on budget with minimal impact to the campus community,” said Gore. “They are a small but extremely talented group of professionals. Although we are proud of all of

our capital projects, we are especially proud of Oak Hall, Laurel Hall and the McMahon renovation/addition, which was planned and constructed in an extremely short timeframe.”

According to Gore, the university has many goals in store for construction in the future. “Upcoming projects include the basketball development facility, new engineering building, landscaping and pedestrian safety projects, renovation of Bishop Center for digital media and gant façade repairs,” he said. “We also have an exciting project due to be completed in December of this year – the reclaimed water facility, which will save 500,000 gallons of water usage per day on start up with the capacity to save 1.5 million gallons per day.”

Gore also said that additions and renovations to the Bousfield Psychology building are well underway, all of which will aid the university in completing renovations within the upcoming years.

Departments moved to ‘environmentallyfriendly’ $53 million Oak Hall

By Jackie Wattles Campus Correspondent

The newly-completed classroom building at the heart of campus, Oak Hall, will now house the journalism, economics, linguistics, classical and modern languages and political science departments.

The new structure was funded by UConn 2000, a 20-year state investment, and cost $53 million of the total $2.3 billion investment. The four-floor structure is now home to 20 new classrooms, computer labs and specific-use spaces, as well as offices for faculty on the upper-floors.

The architect of Oak Hall, Leers Weinzapfel, has worked with the university to develop an environmentally-friendly structure. It is anticipated to receive LEED Silver Certification, the highest degree of certification offered by the United States Green Building Council.

Like Laurel Hall, its counterpart, Oak Hall is topped with a “green roof,” which uses live vegetation to absorb storm water and to keep the building cooler. Oak Hall’s exterior is also made of 85 percent recycled copper to increase weather resistance.

Anke Finger, a professor of German Studies and American Literature, said the new building has offered the

FILE PHOTO/The Daily Campus

An altered photo of Oak Hall, located on Fairfield Way.

Literatures, Cultures and Languages Department a new home at an important time.

“LCL has been at the forefront of internationalization, and with its move to a new, more accessible and more attractive home, the department can participate in the push towards globalization and internationalization even better,” Finger said.

Most of the departments currently housed in Oak Hall were previously housed in Arjona and Monteith,

buildings that were constructed in the 1950s and that remain without air conditioning and modern teaching technologies, such as white boards and projectors.

Finger noted that the move is a much-needed and drastic change.

Finger said, “Arjona has environmental issues, and Oak Hall is a significant and healthy step up from asbestos tiles and leaky walls. The new building is fresh, inviting and open.”

Rebecca Ortinez, program assis-

Olivia.Balsinger@UConn.edu

tant to the journalism department, said that the department members are excited that the building will offer more specific and project-oriented spaces, such as an editing suite and study rooms.

Students are also eager to leave Arjona and Monteith behind. Natalie Carlone, a junior English and Human Development and Family Studies major, said she is much more comfortable in her new learning environment.

“I’m really excited to have such a nice new building and not have to deal with the heat in Arjona, especially this time of year,” Carlone said.

Though the fate of Arjona is still left to speculation, the UConn 2000 plan designates $22.5 million to renovations for Monteith, including a new exterior wall with energy-efficient windows and improved air ducts.

Students are advised to visit the main offices of their departments with inquiries about advising and office hours, as many of the doors are not yet labeled. The Literatures, Cultures and Languages Department is housed on the second floor, and linguistics, political science, economics and journalism are located on the third and fourth floors.

Jacqueline.Wattles@UConn.edu

What’s on at UConn today...

Trail Practicum Sign-Up All Day Horse Barn Hill Arena

Social Security Services for International Students 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

McMahon main floor

Beanery Cafe Open Benton Museum 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Purchase Your Textbooks for the Fall Semester

Admission is $450. In this practicum, you will develop safe techniques for trail riding, ride the UConn trail system and learn best practices for trail riding including how to follow trail markings.

Social Security officers will be oncampus to take applications for social security numbers starting today. Come early as there will be a line.

The Benton welcomes students to its cafe, store and exhibition galleries.

Don’t forget to purchase your textbooks for your Fall 2012 classes.

– ELIZABETH BOWLING

The Daily Campus, Page 2

DAILY BRIEFING » STATE

Ex-officer gets 5 years in prison for fatal crash

HARTFORD (AP) — A state judge told a former Windsor Locks police officer that he should have known better than to drink alcohol and drive before sentencing him to five years and four months in prison Monday for an off-duty car accident that killed a 15-year-old boy riding a bicycle two years ago.

The punishment handed down by Hartford Superior Court Judge Joan Alexander was part of a plea bargain between prosecutors and former Officer Michael Koistinen, 26, who pleaded no contest to second-degree manslaughter and evidence tampering in June.

State GOP chairman pitches Conn. as swing state

HARTFORD (AP) — State Republican Party Chairman Jerry Labriola said he’s making the argument to Republican officials at the national convention in Florida that Connecticut could be a possible win for presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Labriola told The Associated Press Monday that he’s been busy pointing out how President Barack Obama’s popularity in this Democratic-leaning state has waned and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon is running a strong campaign against Democratic Rep. Chris Murphy. That makes it worthwhile, Labriola said, for Romney’s campaign to dedicate some resources in Connecticut, such as a visit from Romney or his running mate Rep. Paul Ryan, TV advertising or staffing.

“I think it’s worth the investment. That gap can be closed,” he said.

“The notion of putting Connecticut in play is supported by the great opportunity the Linda McMahon campaign is presenting.”

Conn. governor to speak at DNC convention

HARTFORD (AP) — Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is scheduled to address the Democratic National Convention next month.

The Democrat said Monday he will be speaking to the delegates in Charlotte, N.C., on Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. Malloy said he’s still working on his speech and is “tickled pink” to speak, even though it won’t be during prime time.

Malloy campaigned over the weekend in New Hampshire for President Barack Obama. Malloy said governors are well-suited to discuss the ramifications of the federal budget changes proposed by U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, the presumptive Republican vice presidential nominee who Malloy called “the gift that keeps on giving.”

State Republican Chairman Jerry Labriola called Malloy “Connecticut’s most prolific frequent flier” and criticized him for spending thousands in transportation and state police overtime costs.

Northeast Utilities appoints new CL&P president

HARTFORD (AP) — Northeast Utilities says it has appointed a veteran utility executive as the new president of Connecticut Light & Power.

The appointment of William P. Herdegen III was announced Monday, nine months after his predecessor resigned in the wake of back-to-back storms that cut power to hundreds of thousands of customers.

He has worked in the industry for 35 years, most recently as vice president of transmission and distribution operations at Kansas City Power & Light.

Herdegen began his career in Chicago, working for more than 20 years with Unicom, which is now Exelon.

He succeeds Jeffrey Butler, who resigned in November. Butler and others at CL&P were criticized by customers, state officials and members of Connecticut’s congressional delegation for perceived delays in restoring power after Tropical Storm Irene and a freak October snow storm.

E. Hartford store clerk killed in robbery attempt

EAST HARTFORD (AP) — Police have identified a clerk at a convenience store in East Hartford who was fatally shot in a robbery.

Lt. Ricardo Soto identified the victim Monday as Luthfur Tarafdar of Manchester. Police found the 47-year-old man with a chest wound when they responded Saturday night.

He was declared dead at the scene.

The Hartford Courant, quoting a friend, reported that Tarafdar was from Bangladesh and had previously worked in New York as a taxi driver.

Soto said no additional details were available.

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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

News

Family of alleged shooter ‘horrified’ PERRY HALL, Md. (AP) — A 15-year-old student opened fire on the first day of classes at a Baltimore County high school Monday, getting off two shots and wounding a classmate before being rushed by teachers, authorities said.

The assailant was taken into custody after the shooting and was cooperating with investigators, police said. Baltimore County Police Chief James Johnson said police do not believe the shooter was targeting the victim, a 17-year-old male. Johnson did not identify the type of weapon the shooter used.

Jordan Coates, a 17-year-old student who was in the cafeteria at the time of the shooting, said the student used a shotgun.

The shooter walked into the cafeteria of the Perry Hall High School about 10:45 a.m., Johnson said. He fired one shot before being grabbed by teachers, and then another shot went off, the police chief said.

Johnson said the shooter acted alone. He did not answer questions about a possible motive.

Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger said it was too early to know what charges the shooter would face. Police said they would work with prosecutors to determine whether he would be charged as an adult.

The victim remained in critical condition at Maryland Shock Trauma Center on Monday evening, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The suspect’s father spoke to a reporter at his home Monday evening and said his son was the shooter. The Associated Press is not identifying the teen or his family because he is a juvenile and has not been charged. When asked about a motive for the shooting, the father indicated his son had been bullied. He gave no further details.

A woman who was also at the home and said she was related to the father, gave the following statement on the family’s behalf: “We are horrified. We did not see this coming and our thoughts and prayers are

with the victim and the victim’s family.”

No one answered the door Monday evening at the home of the alleged shooter’s mother.

A sign at the house said, “We don’t call 911” and had a carved relief of a gun.

Coates said he watched teachers, including guidance counselor Jesse Wasmer, pin the student against a vending machine.

“My back was to the door.

I heard a pop and thought it was a bag because people do that, but then I heard another one,” Coates said. “And I turned around and a teacher had a kid pinned up against the vending machine, and I saw the barrel, and another shot goes off and people just start running.”

Coates credited Wasmer with helping to stop the shooting, and numerous students went on Twitter to thank him.

“He grabbed the gun from the kid and got him” until other teachers came over, Coates said.

“We have some heroic and brave faculty members,” Schools Superintendent Dallas Dance said. “They responded very quickly to minimize damage.”

Kelsey Long, a junior at Perry Hall who was in the cafeteria, said she also thought the first gunshot was someone popping a bag.

“But then we heard it again and again and everyone started screaming and ran out to the front of the school,” Long told the AP in a Twitter message.

Detectives were interviewing the suspect Monday afternoon, Baltimore County police spokeswoman Elise Armacost said. Officers spent several hours searching the school and found no other weapons or suspicious materials, she said.

Although no one other than the 17-year-old was shot, several people suffered cuts and bruises in the ensuing chaos, Armacost said.

The school was evacuated, and students were escorted to a nearby shopping center and middle school.

Perry Hall is a middle-class community along the Interstate 95 corridor, northeast of Baltimore city. The school is the largest in the county, with 2,200 students.

County Councilman David Marks, who lives next door to the school, said he had received dozens of phone calls and text messages from worried parents and residents.

“This is a very comfortable, very safe community, and it’s an excellent high school,” said Marks, who graduated from Perry Hall. “I think this is an aberration, but clearly one that

is horrifying, particularly on the first day of school.”

Police planned to provide additional security when the school reopens on Tuesday, and stress counselors were called in to work with students, faculty and staff.

Television coverage showed scores of police cars surrounding the school and parked on neighborhood streets. A group of officers with weapons drawn staked out a corner of the building, one of them lying prone on the ground and appearing to cover a particular area of the campus. Hundreds of students streamed away from the school.

Cathy Le, 15, said students were panicking as they tried to find out what was happening.

They texted and called each other frantically as they were locked in their classrooms for more than an hour, she said.

At the scene, buses, emergency vehicles and parents in cars filled the roadway between the high school and the shopping center. There were obvious signs of relief displayed as parents found their children.

Kristin Kraus, whose son James attends the school, described hearing about the shooting as “absolute terror.”

However, Kraus said, “within a couple of minutes he texted my husband that he was OK.”

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple Inc. on Monday gave a federal judge a list of eight Samsung Electronics Co. products it wants pulled from shelves and banned from the U.S. market, including popular Galaxy model smartphones.

U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh asked for the list after a jury in San Jose last week slammed Samsung with a $1.05 billion verdict, finding that the South Korean technology giant had “willfully” copied Apple’s iPhone and iPad in creating and marketing the products. Samsung plans an appeal.

The products Apple wants out are all smartphones: Galaxy S 4G, Galaxy S2 AT&T, Galaxy S2, Galaxy S2 T-Mobile, Galaxy S2 Epic 4G, Galaxy S Showcase, Droid Charge and Galaxy Prevail.

Koh on June 26 banned the Galaxy Tab 10.1 from the

U.S. market after finding it likely violated a “design patent.” Samsung is now asking for that ban to be lifted after the jury found the computer tablet didn’t infringe that particular patent, but it did find it infringed three Apple’s software patents that cover the popular “bounce-back” and pinch-to-zoom features.

The judge has scheduled a Sept. 20 hearing to discuss Apple’s demands for the sales bans. She asked Apple on Friday to submit the list of products its wants removed from U.S. stores after Samsung complained that it doesn’t have enough time to prepare for the scheduled hearing.

The judge is deciding whether to reschedule the hearing to give Samsung more time to prepare. Samsung plans to ask the judge to toss out the jury’s verdict as unsupported by the evidence. Failing that, the company says it will appeal

the verdict to higher courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

In addition to the sales bans, Apple also plans to ask the judge to triple the damages to $3.15 billion because of the jury’s finding that Samsung “willfully” copied Apple.

Apple filed its lawsuit in April of last year alleging that 28 Samsung smartphones and computer tablets had “slavishly copied” the iPhones and iPads. Samsung countered with its own claims that Apple used its wireless technology without proper compensation.

A nine-person jury in its verdict Friday unanimously agreed with Apple. Most of the damages were tied to Samsung’s smartphones. The jury rejected Samsung’s counterclaims.

Most of the Samsung products found to have “infringed’ Apple’s patent were older devices no longer being sold.

The list Apple presented to the court on Monday represent devices it believes are still being sold in U.S. stores, including several versions of the company’s popular S2 phones introduced last year.

Samsung’s newest and hottest selling smartphone, the Galaxy S3, was not part of the lawsuit and is unaffected by the jury’s verdict.

The award represents about 1.5 percent of Samsung’s annual revenue. Analysts said the embarrassment of the verdict is a bigger blow for Samsung than the financial setback.

Still, the question remains whether Samsung and other Apple competitors will have to redesign their smartphones to avoid infringing Apple’s patents. Most analysts agree the verdict sends a threatening message to device makers such as Samsung, which use Google’s Android operating system.

AP

Tracie Bradford, of Perry Hall, Md., consoles her daughter Leah, a student at Perry Hall High School who says she was in the school’s cafeteria when a student was shot there and critically wounded on the first day of classes, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012.

Apple lists 8 Samsung products it wants pulled from shelves

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News

Insurgents behead 17 Afghan civilians at a party in Taliban-controlled area

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Insurgents beheaded 17 people at a party in a Taliban-controlled area, and an Afghan soldier killed two U.S. troops, bringing the two-day death toll Monday to about 30.

Near-daily attacks by militants and increasingly frequent deadly violence against NATO troops by their Afghan allies highlight an embarrassing failure of Western policy: After nearly 12 years of military intervention, the country is not pacified. Once the United States and other countries pull out their troops, chaos seems almost certain to return and Taliban domination in large parts of the country is hardly implausible.

The beheadings occurred in southern Helmand, the same province where more than 100 insurgents attacked an Afghan army checkpoint and killed 10 soldiers.

Helmand was the centerpiece of President Barack Obama’s surge, when he ordered 33,000 additional U.S troops to Afghanistan to help the military with a counterinsurgency plan. That plan hoped to turn the tide in Helmand and neighboring Kandahar and establish the governmental institutions that would allow the Afghan government to take control of the Taliban heartland.

Two years later, however, Helmand is still so lawless that Afghan government officials couldn’t even go to the Talibancontrolled town where the beheadings were reported. Many Afghans in the south, the Taliban’s birthplace and the home of the country’s Pashtun speaking population, are leery of a government that many consider to be corrupt and ineffective.

The problem is compounded by a rapid

reduction in American and international aid, which fueled most of the growth in the south in recent years. Afghanistan, one of the world’s 10 poorest countries, has received nearly $60 billion in civilian aid since 2002. Now it stands to receive $16 billion, or about $4 billion a year, in the next four years. By comparison, the U.S. alone spent that much in 2010.

Analysts also say that a public worn down by a war that began just a month after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks no longer cares about Afghanistan, and that the war has slipped off the radar screens and is now considered by many to be over.

“The problem with this attitude is that Afghanistan — or whatever the crisis may be — has a life of its own.

Men and women keep dying, and U.S. policies keep accelerating the centrifuAP gal forces that are driving the country toward civil conflict, which may In this Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 file photo, Afghan men, right, walk past a U.S. soldier to attend a meeting in Washer have profound implications for future district, Helmand province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan. regional and international security,” said Sarah Chaynes, a senior associInsider attacks have been a problem ing Britain, are also drawing down in ate with the Carnegie Endowment for the south, and nearly all foreign military for the U.S.-led military coalition for International Peace, in a commentary forces are to leave the country by the end years, but they recently have become a published Sunday. crisis. There have been at least 33 such of 2014.

“Choosing to ignore problems is rareThe forces are to be replaced by attacks so far this year, killing 42 coalily a good way to solve them,” said Afghan army and police units, but many tion members, mostly Americans. Last Chaynes, who spent nearly a decade in have questioned the effectiveness of a year, there were 21 attacks, killing 35; Afghanistan and served as an adviser to force that has high desertion rates, is and in 2010 there were 11 attacks with the U.S. military. often poorly disciplined, and is supposed 20 deaths.

Most of the problems are likely to to reach a high of about 350,000 at the In the latest such attack, two American surface in Helmand and the south, where end of the year. soldiers were killed in eastern Laghman most of the surge troops will be removed Another growing concern is the loy- province. as part of a drawdown that will reduce alty of the Afghan troops that the U.S. There were conflicting reports about U.S. forces in Afghanistan from a peak has spent more than $22 billion to train whether the attack was intentional or of nearly 103,000 last year to about in recent years. accidental.

68,000 in October. Other nations, includ-

Fire spreads at Venezuela refinery, 41 dead

PUNTO FIJO, Venezuela (AP) — An intense fire at a Venezuelan refinery spread to a third fuel tank on Monday nearly three days after an explosion killed at least 41 people and injured more than 150.

Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said a third tank ignited at the Amuay refinery, which has been in flames since Saturday’s blast.

Government officials had previously said they had the blaze contained, and the spread to another tank was an apparent setback to their plans to quickly restart the refinery. While a thick column of smoke blew in the wind, Ramirez told reporters the fire was still contained.

“There is no risk of a bigger event,” Ramirez said, without specifying how much longer it might burn.

AP Officials have said a gas leak led to Fire rises over the Amuay refinery near Punto Fijo, Venezuela, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. A fire at a Venezuelan the blast, but investigators have yet to refinery spread to a third fuel tank on Monday nearly three days after a powerful explosion that killed 41 people. determine the precise causes. Prosecutor General Luisa Ortega said at a news con- People in neighborhoods next to the the neighborhood. “Many of us woke up ference that 151 people were injured, 33 refinery said they had no official warning thinking it was an earthquake.” of whom remain in hospitals. before the explosion hit at about 1 a.m.

The blast knocked down walls, shatA 9-year-old girl was missing in the on Saturday. tered windows and left streets littered area, Health Minister Eugenia Sader said “What bothers us is that there was no with rubble. on television. sign of an alarm. I would have liked for People who live next to the refinery Criticisms of the government’s an alarm to have gone off or something,” said they smelled strong fumes coming response to the gas leak emerged from said Luis Suarez, a bank employee in from the refinery starting between 7 local residents as well as oil experts.

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p.m. and 8 p.m. Friday, hours before the blast, but many said they weren’t worried because they had smelled such odors before.

Then, a cloud of gas ignited in an area with fuel storage tanks and exploded.

President Hugo Chavez visited the refinery on Sunday. In a televised conversation with the president, one state oil company official said workers had made their rounds after 9 p.m. and hadn’t noticed anything unusual. The official said that at about midnight officials detected the gas leak and “went out to the street to block traffic.”

“And later something happened that set (it) off,” Chavez said. “A spark somewhere.”

The disaster occurred little more than a month before Venezuela’s upcoming Oct. 7 presidential election. Opposition candidate Henrique Capriles said the disaster shouldn’t be politicized, but he also strongly criticized a remark by Chavez, who had said “the show should continue, with our pain, with our sorrow, with our victims.”

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ISLAMABAD (AP) — In the middle of a forest in the Pakistani capital, a group of Christians has cut down trees to clear land and has begun to build a church out of branches after leaving their neighborhood in fear when one of their own was accused of violating Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws.

The roughly 100 men, women and children who slept overnight on the ground in a clearing just a few miles (kilometers) from the seat of the Pakistani government are fallout from the case of a young Christian girl accused by a neighbor of burning pages from Islam’s holy book, the Quran. The case has spotlighted attention on the country’s strict blasphemy laws which can result in life in prison or even death for those accused.

“We used to come here to collect wood for fuel so we find it a suitable place for shelter,” said Sumera Zahid, who was feeding her three children and her parents. “Here it is not anybody’s home, nobody’s land. Let us live here in safety.”

Their ordeal began a little less than two weeks ago when a Christian girl was accused by a neighbor of burning pages of the Quran. Much of the case is still in question including the girl’s age, whether she was mentally impaired and what exactly she was burning. But as word of the blasphemy accusation spread, hundreds of people gathered at her house demanding something be done to the girl. The police eventually arrested her and are investigating whether she broke any law.

The Associated Press is withholding the girl’s name; the AP does not generally identify juveniles under 18 who are accused of crimes.

Most Christians in the neighborhood fled, fearing retribution from their Muslim neighbors. Christian residents also reported that their landlords evicted them.

After living with relatives and in churches, many of the Christians arrived at this clearing on Sunday, determined to build a home.

“We are thankful to the Lord for this land although here is no water and food but rest assured the Lord will create water fountains and provide all fruits here for you if you remain patient and suffer these hardship, thanking the Lord,” said Pastor Arif Masih.

He was speaking Monday to a group of Christians, mostly women, sitting next to the beginnings of a church. The parishioners had gathered tree branches and had begun to tie them together in the shape of a frame for their future house of worship.

Classifieds are non-refundable. Credit will be given if an error materially affects the meaning of the ad and only for the first incorrect insertion.

Ads will only be printed if they are accompanied by both first and last name as well as telephone number. Names and numbers may be subject to verification. All advertising is subject to acceptance by The Daily Campus, which reserves the right to reject any ad copy at its sole discretion. The Daily Campus does not knowingly accept ads of a fraudulent nature.

help wanted

ment of six months to a year --schedule can flex somewhat.)

experience, as well as contact information.

Thank you.

We offer a six-month bonus and if you are willing to become a certified doula, I am willing to cover those costs up to $700 and will include a bonus, as well.

We live near the Stamford campus in a nice home.

THE TOWN OF The Town of Mansfield is seeking a part-time activities coordinator to plan, organize and lead program activities for teens and adults with special needs 5 hours per week. Work will include a flexible schedule for program planning and leading an every other Saturday evening social activity group for adults. Candidates should have knowledge of the general developmental characteristics and needs of a variety of developmental/ cognitive disabilities

We appreciate our household assistants and strive to make them comfortable and happy here.

Contact: kidstobe@hotmail.com Please send resume and/or any relevant information about your interest and

Fearful Pakistani Christians make home in forest

Policies:

For ads of 25 words or less: 1 day............................................................................ $5.75 3 consecutive days........................................................ $15.25 5 consecutive days: ...................................................... $26.50 10 consecutive days:..................................................... $48.00 1 month:..................................................................... $88.00 Semester:.................................................................. $215.00 Each additional word: ..................................................... $0.10 Additional Features: Bold ..................................... ...........$0.50

roomates/housemates

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help wanted

and the ability to work harmoniously with participants, parent/ guardians, and related staff.

Pay Range: $11.8114.35 hour.

Applications should be completed on line at www.mansfieldct. gov. Position open until filled. EOE/AA. Activities

SHOTOKAN KARATE Take Traditional Karate with the UCONN KARATE CLUB. M/W/F 7pm at Hawley Armory. Beginners welcome. Credit option available as AH 1200 section 001. uconnjka@charter.net www.jkaconn.com/ karate.htm

Page 4

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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

The Daily Campus Editorial Board

Elizabeth Crowley, Editor-in-Chief Tyler McCarthy, Commentary Editor Jesse Rifkin, Associate Commentary Editor Chris Kempf, Weekly Columnist John Nitowski, Weekly Columnist Sam Tracy, Weekly Columnist

» EDITORIAL

Neil Armstrong should be remembered for heroism

N

eil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon, died this past Saturday. His achievement placed him in the highest echelons of American and human heroism. His service as a Navy officer and a test pilot, which are less celebrated, are equally deserving of recognition and praise, and the news of his passing compels us to reflect on the change the world has seen since his extraordinary voyage 43 years ago.

Armstrong’s professional career began at a time when the United States had suffered grave national embarrassments on the Final Frontier. In 1957 and 1961, respectively, the Soviet Union launched the first orbiting satellite and put the first man in space, while the American space program was, literally, struggling to get off the ground. Recognizing that a great national effort needed to be made to secure more American successes in spaceflight and rocketry, President John F. Kennedy challenged the nation in 1961 to put a man on the moon by 1970. The United States did meet Kennedy’s challenge in 1969. That man on the moon was Neil Armstrong.

However, Armstrong should not be remembered merely for the sake of patriotism. Nor is he the only great hero of that golden age of space exploration that we choose to venerate. The Apollo 11 mission manned by Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins was, after all, lifted to great heights by a national effort. It took a nationwide rededication to mathematics, science, technology and engineering to keep the dream of manned spaceflight to the moon possible; it took a small army of technicians and scientists on our home planet to ensure a safe voyage for the astronauts; and it took the courage and tenacity of leaders and citizens everywhere to believe in the value of scientific exploration and great human achievement. In a sense, it was a triumph for the nation, an affirmation of the decade of effort that put an American on the moon.

Neil Armstrong, however, did not land on the moon as an American – he was the first of our entire species to accomplish the remarkable feat of traveling to another world.

The 1969 moon landing was a triumph of human ingenuity and a symbol of the limitless nature of human wonder and exploration. And for that giant leap forward for the human race, we have to thank Neil Armstrong, first among interplanetary travelers, for the courage of his one small step.

The Daily Campus editorial is the official opinion of the newspaper and its editorial board. Commentary columns express opinions held solely by the author and do not in any way reflect the official opinion of The Daily Campus.

If Lady GaGa has her little monsters and Beyonce has her beehive and Rihanna has her navy, does Adele have her Adelephants?

There are people in the world who listen to bluegrass.

Just let that marinate.

I saw a small 18-year-old tell the bouncer at Huskies that he was getting in and there was nothing the bouncer could do about it. The freshman lost.

I broke my glasses and my mom is going to kill me. Do you know how that feels?

Haven’t we all been friends with Julia Stiles at some point in our lives?

Dear Freshman: Learn the difference between CLAS and the Classroom Building. It could save your life.

When you’re waking up at 6 a.m. for a 9 a.m. and still having to park on the dark side of Horsebarn Hill you know everything’s the worst.

Does anyone else ever watch couples having fights in the dining hall and sing “Superman” by Five for Fighting under their breath as the drama unfolds?

Thanks to the guy at the gym, I’ve been informed my body is perfect for doing pushups. I don’t need the gym anymore. I don’t even need school.

If someone says you’re a dead-ringer for Cindy Crawford, and you’re definitely not because you’re blonde and don’t have a beauty mark or even one commonality with her, do you take it as flattery or an insult? #OhNoIHaveClasses

Send us your thoughts on anything and everything by sending an instant message to InstantDaily, Sunday through Thursday evenings. Follow us on Twitter (@ InstantDaily) and become fans on Facebook.

Assault weapons ban won’t stop mass shootings

T

here seem to have been a lot of mass shootings lately.

On July 20, James Eagan Holmes (who is, of course, innocent until proven guilty, but is currently the only suspect) walked into the premiere of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ in Aurora, Colo., and opened fire, killing 12 and injuring 58. Sixteen days later, seven people, including the presumed gunBy Sam Tracy man, Wade Michael Weekly Columnist Page, were killed in a shooting at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis. This past Friday, there was news that at least 10 people were shot outside of the Empire State Building in New York City. It turns out that the gunman, Jeffrey Johnson, had been fired from his job the day before and was seeking revenge on his boss. He shot his intended victim, and was then shot and killed by police. In the process, nine innocent bystanders were struck by police bullets. None were killed and all are in recovery. While any murder is tragic, this event is not what one would typically consider a “mass shooting.” However, this did not stop people from taking to Twitter, Facebook and the traditional news media to call for tighter regulations on guns.

When it comes to gun control, I agree with most Americans – normal people should not

be allowed to have machine guns that can fire hundreds of rounds in a few seconds.

It is also reasonable to have background checks for people looking to purchase guns, to help keep guns out of the hands of criminals or the mentally ill.

Unfortunately, some of the people who want greater restrictions on the firearms used in these mass shootings argue for the reinstatement of the assault weapons ban. This is an incredibly misguided policy that will do nothing to make America safer.

The federal assault weapons ban was signed into law by President Clinton in 1994. At first glance, it appears to be a great idea. Who would be against banning assault weapons? By their very name, it seems like “assault weapons” are clearly intended for killing large numbers of people, not for selfdefense, hunting or sport.

But unfortunately, the actual law’s definition of “assault weapon” was incredibly broad and included many semi-automatic guns, which fire one bullet per pull of the trigger. A gun would be lumped under the umbrella term of “assault weapon” if it used detachable magazines and had just two characteristics from a long list of features: a folding stock, a pistol grip, a bayonet mount, a flash suppressor or a mount for a grenade launcher.

Now, there were some good parts of that law. Most people do not think civilians should be walking around with grenade launchers. But many of the features on that list – such as the type of magazine, the shape of the grip or the ability of the stock to change sizes – are purely cosmetic and do not make it any easier to commit an assault.

This law outlawed many guns purely for their appearance, rather than for their potential use in a mass shooting.

Fortunately, the assault weapons ban included a sunset provision that made it expire after 10 years. When the ban expired, there was not enough political support to reinstate it, due to many government agencies finding the ban ineffective. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a report in 2003 that found “insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of any of the firearms laws reviewed for preventing violence.” The National Research Council concluded that the ban “did not reveal any clear impacts on gun violence.” Many independent academic papers by criminologists corroborated these conclusions.

But this has not stopped media personalities and politicians from calling for the renewal of the ban. In 2009, the Obama administration expressed its support for renewing the assault weapons ban. Calls for the ban’s renewal are a predictable part of the aftermath of any mass shooting in the country.

There are a lot of things we can do to help prevent future mass shootings in America, including changing certain laws. But reinstating the federal assault weapons ban as it was written in 1994 is a nonsensical proposal that distracts from the real issues surrounding gun violence. Let us move on, and talk about ideas that might actually work.

Weekly Columnist Sam Tracy is a 7th-semester political science major. He can be reached at Samuel.Tracy@UConn.edu.

Aurora shooter should be found fit to stand trial

O

n he night of July 20, a man opened fire at a Colorado movie theater, killing 12 and injuring many more.

Although this shooting came as a shock, what shocks me even more is how this situation has been handled since.

The prosecution is currently trying to obtain all of

By Fariya Naz this man’s Staff Columnist educational records.

What is the reasoning behind this? The prosecution is trying to show that Holmes was fully aware of what he was doing when he entered that theater.

A little background research on the alleged shooter, James Holmes, revealed that he was on the track to get his Ph.D. in neuroscience. Prior to this, Holmes graduated from the University of California in the top 1 percent of his class, with a 3.9 GPA and highest honors. He also spent time volunteering. Clearly, this is someone who took his education very seriously.

Prior to dropping out of graduate school, Holmes performed poorly on the comprehensive exam. For someone whose life has revolved around academic excellence, failing a major exam would naturally bring distress.

Perhaps this is why Holmes

sought mental help. He was posedly disturbing thoughts and receiving help from three differ- ideas about his plans to one of ent professors at the University the professors. This notebook of Colorado when he went on would seem to support the idea his killing spree. that Holmes had some serious People often get help from psychological issues. However, one professional, or maybe even we do not really know what was two, but three seems a bit exces- going on Holmes’ in mind. We sive. Holmes knows a lot about know that he is brilliant and neuroscience. Neuroscientists that he is calculating. If he can are experts on booby-trap his mental illnessapartment to es, and Holmes give the police “If Holmes wanted is listed as a hard time, he to fake a mental having made a can also send presentation on proof of his illness, he would the “Biological insanity to get need to have an Basis of less jail time.

Psychiatric and If the defense extensive amount of Neurological s o m e h o w knowledge of which Disorders” this proves that the past May. He accused is actuillness he wanted to must have been ally criminally well-educated insane, should portray.” on the subject. he get off with If Holmes less time? wanted to fake Definitely not. a mental illness, he would need In the state of Colorado, a firstto have an extensive amount of degree murder earns the accused knowledge of which illness he life in prison without parole or wanted to portray. He would the death penalty. This senalso need to get others to think tence is for one murder, though. he was crazy. He was seek- Holmes killed 12 and hurt 60 ing help from three different others. Theoretically speaking, specialists and, given his back- at minimum, he should get either ground, he would know what to life in prison, or the death pentell them to seem insane. alty over the course of twelve Just prior to the Aurora shoot- lifetimes. Since he might get ing, Holmes sent evidence in the away with being insane, Holmes form of a notebook with sup- should, at the very least, get life

in prison.

Holmes has taken too much, and there is absolutely no excuse for his actions. All killers must have psychological issues deep down. This does not mean they do not deserve a fair punishment. Holmes can dye his hair as much as he wants or sit looking dazed and confused during his hearings, but this man is no more or less insane than anyone else who has been tried and convicted of first-degree murder.

Many have been impacted by the actions of this man. Some people are gone forever, while others will never be the same again. The family members of all the victims have suffered an unfathomable level of sorrow.

By paying attention to the only person accountable for what has happened, we are, in a sense, recognizing all of those lives that have been affected by this tragedy. We cannot bring back a loved one, or repair all of the physical and emotional damage that has been done. As cliché as it sounds, the only thing we can do is make sure that justice is served.

Staff Columnist Fariya Naz is a 3rd-semester psychology and cognitive science major. She can be reached at Fariya.Naz@UConn.edu

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THIS DATE IN HISTORY

BORN ON THIS DATE

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Prince Charles and Princess Diana formally divorce after a four-year separation.

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Leo Tolstoy – 1828 Daniel Stern – 1957 Shania Twain – 1965 Jack Black – 1969

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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Catch a flick at the Student Union Theatre this fall

Reading as a lifestyle

Photos courtesy of ign.com

From left to right, top down: Merida from ‘Brave,’ Katniss Everdeen portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence from ‘The Hunger Games,’ Jeremy Renner in ‘The Bourne Legacy’ and Mark Wahlberg with the title character of ‘Ted.’ These films and more will be available at the Student Union during weekends this fall.

By Focus Staff If you ever find yourself bored on a weekend night, you don’t feel like partying or you can’t get to Mansfield or Buckland Hills to catch a movie, there’s a great alternative to your usual weekend night in the center of campus: the Student Union Theatre. Three nights a week in the north end of the Union, recent movies run to entertain students for merely $2 a ticket. Showtimes are Thursdays at 9 p.m., Saturdays at 8 and 11 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m.

On Fridays, older favorites are shown for free at 10 p.m., if you want to see a classic during Late Night. Here’s a rundown of what SUBOG has lined up this semester.

August 30-September 1 First up, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Agent J and Agent K are saving the world from evil aliens. On Thursday and Saturday, “Men in Black 3” is taking the Union back to the 60s. On Friday night, the original “MIB” will be shown as the first free film of the fall.

September 2 Things are a little different on Labor Day Sunday, as instead of the black-suited special agents, Katniss Everdeen will be fighting

for survival on the Student Union Mall. A free showing of “The Hunger Games” takes place outside the Union at 8:30 p.m.

September 6-9 With this week’s first-run pick, “Snow White and the Huntsman,” you can temporarily transport yourself in time to June, back before Kristen Stewart shattered the world’s heart by cheating on Robert Pattinson.

On Friday, Russell Crowe steals from the rich and gives to the students in a free showing of 2010’s “Robin Hood.” Here at Focus, we think the best Robin Hood was the fox from that Disney movie, but Crowe did a great job too.

September 13-16 When Focus Editor Joe O’Leary went to a New York City press screening of “Rock of Ages,” he said Tom Cruise was “actually pretty fantastic” in the film as rock star Stacee Jaxx. See for yourself when the 80s musical takes over the Student Union Theatre screen.

And a true classic will be shown at Friday’s Late Night. Bueller, anyone? That’s right, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” will recount that wonderful day Matthew Broderick skipped school to take a trip to Chicago.

September 20-23 In a yearly tradition, UConn Family Weekend coincides with a Disney/Pixar weekend at the theater. “Brave,” the year’s most successful animated film, is the first run pick, while what is arguably Pixar’s best film, “Toy Story 3,” graces the screen Friday during Late Night.

September 27-30 A pair of spider-like men take over this weekend in the U. Your first-run pick is Andrew Garfield’s starring role in this summer’s “The Amazing SpiderMan,” while Friday’s free flick is one Focus writer’s favorite comic book movie of all time, 2004’s “Spider-Man 2.” Who wore it better, Garfield or Tobey Maguire?

October 4-7 Two dark crime dramas come to the U in the first week of October to coincide with the quickly-shortening days. First up is Oliver Stone’s sprawling marijuana cartel thriller, “Savages,” as the first-run pick.

As for Friday night, while we don’t have the “Pulp Fiction” diner Jack Rabbit Slim’s at UConn, a milkshake from Jack Rabbit’s on Storrs Road may be the perfect companion to a viewing of Tarantino’s classic L.A.

spots for a midday nap in the sweet UConn sunshine. Both lakes are situated near important academic buildings and bus stops, which make them the perfect locations to relax in before heading across campus or into lecture. On nice days, students flock to the lake-sides, but the atmosphere is always peaceful and quiet.

The Bio-Physics Building is another perfect location for a snooze. The lobby is dimly lit and offers squashy leather sofas and arm chairs to ease into in between classes.

The Bio-Physics Building also has several alcoves on every floor furnished with comfortable armchairs, accessible to all students, so you’re guaranteed to find a quiet spot to nap if you look around for a minute.

Although the Student Union is the hub of on campus activity and filled with students at all hours of the day, there are a few spots where one can find some peace and quiet. The fourth floor, home of the cultural centers, is home to several chairs and remains quiet during the day. Similarly, the third floor, home of the Ballroom, has even more chairs to relax and get in some well needed beauty sleep.

The library often is not the best place to find peace and quiet on campus, especially not during exam weeks. Right next door to the library is the Information and Technology Building, informally known as “Info-Tech.” Info-Tech boats a number of secluded nooks furnished with arm chairs and the occasional sofa to take a well-needed nap.

Right across Fairfield Way from Info-Tech, is the newly built Laurel Hall, formerly known as the Classroom Building. Laurel Hall is equipped with comfortable seating in the hallway of the upper floor, perfect for napping on. The building does get a little noisy in between lectures, but otherwise is a perfect place for a quick nap.

On a campus as large as UConn it can be hard to master time management and getting from place to place often takes more time than expected. With these tips on where to get a little rest, students can plan accordingly and be well rested and prepared to seize the day.

Try sleeping it off; the best places to sneak a nap on campus

By Katie McWilliams Campus Correspondent If there is one inevitable and indisputable fact of college life, it’s the concept that there is no such thing as too much sleep.

Most students find themselves attending classes during the day, attending meetings and events before dinner and then buckling down for study sessions after daylight hours. With exams, quizzes, papers and daily reading, most students find themselves working until the wee hours of the night on a consistent basis.

To those who brave the early morning sunshine for early morning classes, the window of opportunity for deep nighttime slumbers is fairly limited and a mid-morning nap is a necessity. If you’re fortunate enough to make it back to your lofted bed for a quick nap, consider yourself lucky, but if you live too far from the academic core, here are a few locations that provide peaceful napping spots around campus.

If you’re not afraid of lying down in the grass, Mirror and Swan Lakes are excellent

Kathleen.McWilliams@UConn.edu

crime tale.

October 11-14 It’s comedy week from two hilarious filmmakers this week.

First up is “Family Guy” creator Seth McFarlane’s box-office smash “Ted.” Want to see Mark Wahlberg down shots with a talking teddy bear? Of course you do.

Go see it.

And on Friday night, the best comedy of the year, “21 Jump Street,” hits Late Night.

Will Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum’s undercover cops be in attendance tonight, preparing for the film’s college-set sequel? No, but wouldn’t that be cool?

October 18-21 Want to perfect your Batman, Bane, Catwoman, Joker or Commissioner Gordon costume before Halloween? Check out this summer’s conclusion to the Dark Knight trilogy, “The Dark Knight Rises,” and be sure to catch Friday’s free “Dark Knight” showing for more fun in Gotham City.

October 25-28 If you’re more of a Marvel guy, the third-highest grossing film of all time, “The Avengers,” will be showing this weekend. If you want to perfect your Tony Stark costume, make sure you

rewatch 2008’s “Iron Man” on Friday night, five days before Halloween.

November 1-4 For the third consecutive week, we’ve got a superhero coming into the theater, as Jeremy Renner turns double duty after playing Hawkeye last week in firstrun pick “The Bourne Legacy” and Friday free-pick “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.”

Wait, Renner’s not a superhero?

Then how is he in so many movies?

November 8-11 This is the post-Election Day weekend, so either celebrate or console yourself with Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis’ “The Campaign” as a first-run pick.

Make sure you stay classy Friday night with a free showing of Ferrell’s “Anchorman.”

November 29-December 2 Close out the semester’s movies as too many action stars for me to count take the screen in this summer’s “The Expendables 2.”

Want more explosions and more action stars? Tune in on Friday night for the first “Expendables” to see how these supposedly expendable stars made it to the sequel.

Focus@dailycampus.com

Rosie O’Donnell says she’s married, selling her art on eBay

AP

This Jan. 10, 2012 file photo shows television personality Rosie O’Donnell, right, and her girlfriend Michelle Rounds at the National Board of Review awards gala in New York.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rosie O’Donnell has announced that she married her fiancee, Michelle Rounds, in a private ceremony in June, just days before Rounds had surgery to treat desmoid tumors.

The 50-year-old TV personality also said Monday on her blog that she is selling original paintings on eBay to raise money for the Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation.

A spokeswoman for O’Donnell confirmed the nuptials and fundraising efforts.

Rounds was diagnosed with desmoid tumors in June. She and O’Donnell wed in New York on June 9, and Rounds underwent surgery June 14.

Desmoid tumors occur rarely and can affect almost any area of the body. The tumors can be fatal.

As I sat at my laptop, I was desperately trying to think of a good topic to start off the fall semester’s “The Dog Ear.” I have many topics to discuss in later columns, but the first one of the semester can’t be just anything. The blinking cursor tormented me. Every blink seemed to say, “Don’t know what to write, huh?” Then I remembered a tip that I benefited from in the last high school English class that I took. With it, I’m aiming to give all my readers some advice for starting off the new semester.

This tip came from a combination of that English class and the book we were required to read, “Bird by Bird” by Anne Lamott. To paraphrase and to sum up how I have used and interpreted the tip: when struggling over what to write, don’t think too hard. Just write anything to simply get your hands moving and your thoughts flowing. Eventually, an idea will spark and you’ll know what you want to say. Don’t waste time thinking of the perfect first line for an essay or the perfect vocabulary word to use. Just write. Write anything and everything and save the technicalities for the editing process. By just writing, you’ll realize you had an idea all along.

Now for some advice of my own.

Always carry a book with you. Your backpack is already filled with textbooks, binders, notebooks, the works. Honestly, what difference is one more book going to make? By always having a book with you, you will find that you have time to read the books you want to read, not just textbooks. If you get to class early, just pull out a paperback and read a few pages before the lecture starts.

The book might inspire you or teach you something new, and both are advantageous in the long run.

Write down interesting quotes.

Whenever I read a book and stumble across a really powerful line—whether it is relatable or simply a good metaphor—I fold a tiny corner on the bottom of the page. When I finish, I go back to all the folded pages, read those sections again, and if I still feel the same way about that passage, it gets written down in my quote book. A quote book is great if you need some motivation or inspiration from your favorite author to get through the day.

Read before going to bed.

It’ll help take your mind off whatever stress the semester is causing you. Let the story whisk you away in an adventure and leave you at ease. Reading in the summer is obviously much easier than reading during the school year, but it is definitely feasible to keep reading.

Pay attention to words. I think it’s amazing how writers pull words together and wield them as a tool to create and communicate. Learning new words is beneficial in so many ways. In academia, you can show you truly know what you’re talking about and that you understand your professors. Plus, there are a lot of unique words that sound fun to say, like juggernaut.

Alyssa.McDonagh@uconn.edu

The Daily Campus, Page 6

FOCUS ON:

Movie Of The Week

MOVIES Upcoming Releases

By Joe O’Leary August 31 Focus Editor

Lawless (on Wednesday) Oogieloves in the Great BIG Balloon Adventure (on Wednesday) The Possession

Syriana

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Focus

Interested in writing movie reviews?

Come write for Focus!

Meetings at 8 p.m. on Mondays.

» FILM REVIEWS

Blowing up the box office It’s hard to hate

September 7 The Words The Cold Light of Day September 14 Finding Nemo 3D Resident Evil: Retribution The Master

Over/Under Overrated: The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Yes, “The Dark Knight Rises” was entertaining. Yes, it had continuity. No, it does not deserve the accolades that have been directed its way.

While the film was packed with the action and hightech gadgetry we have come to expect, it also displayed a shocking number of plot and miscellaneous By holes Alex Sfazzarra Campus Correspondent problems.

From highly-trained policemen charging assault weapons en masse to a mysterious lack of nuclear fallout, “The Dark Knight Rises” disappointed. In addition, it started off as having a modern and relevant theme: the haves vs. the have-nots, but soon digressed into the aforementioned foibles. In short, it was good. But it wasn’t that good.

By Brendon Field Campus Correspondent

Photo courtesy of ign.com

‘The Expendables 2’ spent a second week atop the box office, taking in around $14 million at theaters this weekend. The action sequel reunited many great action stars, from Arnold Schwarzenegger to Dolph Lundgren, in a fun time at the movies.

By Aaron Burstein Campus Correspondent “The Expendables 2” is a difficult film to review. To some, a 6 out of 10 might seem like a lackluster rating, but I do not regret watching the movie by any means. That said, it is not a movie for everyone. It has a certain niche appeal, even among its primarily male viewership. Likewise, “Expendables” is a movie that will leave more by-the-book film fans shaking their heads. The truth is, “Expendables” fails as a film, but excels as a genre piece. It essentially borders on a parody of itself. For fans of action-comedy and so-bad-it’s-good humor, “Expendables” is a true joy.

Nonetheless, the movie has its fair share of drawbacks and attracts plenty of legitimate criticism. In terms of action, Expendables opts for excess rather than sophistication. In movies with sophisticated action (“Old Boy,” “Drive,” “Crank,” and “The Dark Knight” are a few examples that come to mind), the violence is filmed in a

way that is visceral, unique to the film, and generally engrossing. It is excitement without novelty.

“Expendables,” on the other hand, is 99 percent novelty. With a cast relying on novelty this heavily, there are two major ways in which the film is affected. The first has to do with director Simon West. While I would not consider West to be a bad director, his filmography is relatively unspectacular, and consists primarily of cookie-cutter action flicks like this one. In the case of “Expendables,” West’s style consists primarily of super-flashy, busy-looking sequences composed of those lightning-quick cuts that give the appearance of pacing, but do not quite do the action justice.

Furthermore, some of the stunts are so large-scale that they completely eradicate what little sense of suspended disbelief an audience could approach this movie with.

The reason a guy like West would direct “The Expendables 2,” rather

than a director with a bit more clout, is due to the fact that its the star-studded cast is selling the movie, and the director is essentially an afterthought.

To be fair, “Expendables” does have a decent number of quality fights. But as a whole, these scenes tend to blur together. West is not necessarily a bad filmmaker, but considering the resources put into Expendables, the outcome seemed disappointingly run-of-the-mill.

The other big novelty element relates to the utilization of the cast. In order to one-up its predecessor, The Expendables 2 was required to shoehorn in even more action stars (Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme join the cast, with expanded roles for Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger). Likewise, the script feels the need to squeeze in as many meta-references as possible. Sometimes the references hit the mark, but most of the time, they are just groan-inducing, par-

The Expendables 2

6/10

ticularly those relating to Chuck Norris.

This is not to say the humor falls completely flat. On the contrary, “Expendables” is nothing short of hilarious, though it is hilarious in a somewhat non-traditional manner. Much like the film’s body count, the jokes are stretched to a certain extreme. It’s so cheesy that it is impossible not to laugh.

Expendables is definitely a film that plays with the audience’s sense of the absurd, and is enormously entertaining when viewed with the right mindset. In that sense, the novelty pays off. “The Expendables 2” has a much stronger tongue-in-cheek element than the first film, and is better for it in spite of its missteps.

Perhaps the best way to describe “The Expendables 2” is “charmingly flawed.” Despite falling flat in many regards, it is a movie that has so much fun with itself that it is easy to get on board. It is a movie that values style over substance, but it is the right kind of campy for the right kind of audience.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s in a ‘Rush’ Aaron.Burstein@UConn.edu

Underrated: Serenity (2005) Photo courtesy of spinoff.comicbookresources.com

Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as a bike messenger who has to race across Manhattan in the new film ‘Premium Rush.’ While the movie was not at the level of a major Hollywood action movie, its limited action is exciting enough that it rises above its premise.

By Joe O’Leary Focus Editor

I’m sure that everybody has that one friend who moans about how “Firefly” lasted only one season. “Serenity” had everything that “Firefly” gave its devoted fans in abundance.

“Serenity” had fantastic fight choreography, an engaging plot, and the same beloved characters. It elicited weeping, nailbiting and cheering. “Firefly” was about nine different people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things. “Serenity” wrapped it up perfectly, but forever doomed its fandom to lamenting its short-lived status.

-Jason Wong

Sure, the end of August is usually a dumping ground for flicks that no one really wants to see. Studios shunt the movies they know no one will see to the end of summer, cutting their losses and throwing films to their box office doom.

Although “Premium Rush,” the new thriller starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, seems to have been abandoned in the dog days of summer, don’t write it off.

It’s not quite one of those flicks.

Its budget is small and its action is fairly tame, I’ll concede. It’s not going to go up against any billion-dollar blockbuster. But it has nonstop action that manages to be fun, it’s stylishly shot and it has some great performances in its core. That’s more than enough to carry it through its lean 90-minute runtime.

Gordon-Levitt, who has slowly been breaking out in the past few years in “Inception,” his Golden Globe-nominated

turn in “50/50” and his avian-themed role in “The Dark Knight Rises,” adds another quality performance to the list in “Premium Rush.” He’s obsessed with speed as bike messenger Wilee. Yes, like the “Looney Tunes” coyote, a point the film likes to pound into the ground. But his snappy oneliners and split-second timing reminded me of another Looney Tune, Bugs Bunny.

And what’s Bugs Bunny without one of his classic foils?

Michael Shannon plays Wilee’s adversary, a crooked NYPD cop, Elmer Fudd-like in an overthe-top turn, complete with the speech affliction (caused by an early punch to the face). Thing is, his larger-than-life performance is deranged enough to match up with Gordon-Levitt’s perfectly. Mixed with the film’s zany chases and smart humor, “Premium Rush” comes off more like a live-action cartoon chase than the basic low-budget

thriller it could have been.

A lot of this is because of the unique inclusion of bikes.

While at first it seems like it’d only limit the speed of the chases, it eventually succeeds in making the film feel a lot more visceral and open. A bike can get places no car can, and that’s not to mention Wilee’s special no-brakes, fixed-gear bike (“brakes are death” is his personal mantra). He gets out of more lifeor-death situations than you’d expect thanks to that bike, and the film shines when it’s as fast as the split-second timing of Manhattan traffic.

A centerpiece of sorts in the film is a repeated feature that shows up when Wilee’s in a sticky situation, either running from Shannon or NYPD bike cops. Time slows and a GPSlike version of the Manhattan intersection Wilee is about to die in comes up with three alternate paths. Wilee predicts what

Premium Rush 6.5/10

will happen in these three paths.

In the first two, he’s headed toward certain death, and we see him kill either himself or someone else. Finally in the third, he see he’ll make it out alive, so he takes that route just in time.

“Premium Rush” is not perfect, as the subplots are as banal as possible; a love triangle here, a mob debt there. The plot isn’t that hot either, but it takes a backseat to the decent-at-worst action. And, sure, maybe I’m overrating it a little bit because a decent chunk takes place at Columbia University, where I spent part of my summer, so I was busy being all, “Wow, I went into that exact subway station for two months.”

Don’t overlook it, though.

Perfect? No, not even great.

But it’s definitely good and considering what’s left on the release schedule for the next few weeks, it would make a fun matinee any day.

Joseph.O’Leary@UConn.edu

This past summer, while the Cruise-Holmes divorce was in the news, a coworker of mine mentioned that she hated Tom Cruise. I asked her if she meant as a person or as an actor. She said both. I said, “That’s not possible.”

Look at Cruise’s filmography: “Born on the Fourth of July,” “Magnolia,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Minority Report,” “Tropic Thunder,” “The Last Samurai.”

The list goes on. So many great performances in so many great movies; there is no way anybody with reasonable critical judgment can hate them all.

That got me thinking that it is really difficult to hate anybody in the film industry. It seems like everybody has at least one work of value, and with a form of art as complex and multilayered as film, one good movie or performance really is enough to salvage a reputation. And again, I mean hate as professionals, not as people. Mel Gibson has made dozens of bigoted religious remarks, but he united and led the Scots to freedom and nobody can ever take that away from him.

I went through a list of wellknown Hollywood figures to see if I can honestly bring myself to loathe them. First, I had to rule out people like Tyler Perry and Uwe Boll. Their reputations are already at such a laughably low point, hating them just seems cruel. Next, I thought of Adam Sandler, but it turns out if he’s not put in the director’s passenger seat, he can produce some good material, as seen in “Punch Drunk Love” and “Reign Over Me.” Mathew McConaughey, I don’t know what snapped in his head, but he finally stopped wasting his time on bad romantic comedies and has been on a roll for three years. He might even get an Academy Award nomination this year for “Killer Joe.” Melanie Griffith was great in “Working Girl,” Kevin Costner was wonderful in “Field of Dreams” and Madonna was solid, albeit unnecessary, in “A League of Their Own.” Pauly Shore is known to be one of the worst actors in history, but to be perfectly honest, I would give “Son In Law” a marginal thumbs up.

I was stumped on actors, so I turned my attention to directors. But again, everybody has a gem. Garry Marshall has “The Flamingo Kid,” Tarsem Singh has “The Fall,” Joel Schumacher has “A Time To Kill” and even Michael Bay, who represents every trend I hate in modern movies, has “The Rock.” I thought I struck gold with Larry Bishop, who wrote and directed three terrible crime films, but then I remembered he had a small role in “Kill Bill Vol. 2.”

And I just can’t hate anything remotely associated with “Kill Bill.”

After hours of perusing Wikipedia, IMDb and Netflix, I can safely say that it is almost impossible to hate any notable individual in the world of movies. I guess it’s just a type of art where… wait a minute. What about Jon Heder? Let’s see: “Napoleon Dynamite,” “Blades of Glory” and “Adventures of Power.” He has no versatility, no charisma and all his characters delapse into unlikeable morons. Yup, that will do. I hate Jon Heder.

Brendon.Field@UConn.edu

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Focus

The Daily Campus, Page 7

Superheroes mostly super at the box office this summer

Photo courtesy of ign.com

From left to right: Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson,) Thor (Chris Hemsworth,) Captain America (Chris Evans,) Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner,) Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.,) and the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) ready themselves for battle as the Avengers. Their film became the third-highest grossing feature in history this summer.

By Alex Sferazza Campus Correspondent Superhero-based films have become staples at the annual summer box office ever since the release of “X-Men” in 2000. While dozens of properties have been released since then- many successes, even more failures- the summer of 2012 saw the release of three of the largest and most hyped superhero films in recent memory. Did they live up to their hype?

Let’s begin with the reboot of the popular “Spider-Man” series, “The Amazing Spider-Man.” Following numerous delays in the production of “Spider Man 4,” Sony, rather unnecessarily, decided to reboot the film series with “Social Network” star Andrew Garfield as the wall-crawler. While the film grossed just shy of $700 million worldwide (with higher ticket prices attributed to 3-D, one might add), this is more than $100 million less than any of the previous “Spider-Man“ films. Some may attribute this to a crowded summer movie lineup.

More likely, it’s because the film was just okay, not great. While critics praised the film as better than “Spider-Man 3,” it just didn’t live up to the widely-acclaimed first two Spidey flicks. The film retread a lot of old ground previously covered in the original “Spider-Man,” in regards to the hero’s origin. The hilarious character of newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson was unfortunately omitted.

And while most media versions of Spider-Man depict the hero as humble and somewhat sarcastic, Garfield portrayed a whiney character filled with “angst.” He just wasn’t the hero anyone wanted to root for in the end.

Now onto Marvel’s massive success, “The Avengers.” Directed by genius Joss Whedon, the film combining all of “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” was expected to be a cheap cash-in, having all of the actors from each respective hero’s solo movies all together in one film. Little did the world know that the film combining all of the characters would prove to be even better than any of the heroes’ solo

Utah NBC affiliate won’t air new show about gay couple

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Mormon church-owned NBC affiliate in Utah won’t air an upcoming sitcom about a gay couple that invites a surrogate mother into their home as they try to have a baby because the station deems the content inappropriate for its audience.

“The New Normal” is set to debut Sept. 11 on NBC. “For our brand, this program simply feels inappropriate on several dimensions, especially during family viewing time,” Jeff Simpson, CEO of KSL’s parent company, Bonneville International, which is owned

by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said in a statement.

“The dialogue is excessively rude and crude; the scenes are too explicit and the stereotypes are offensive on all sides,” Simpson added.

NBC defended the program, noting it makes “a statement about the changing definition of the nuclear family.”

“The show is against bigotry and hatred in every form and will make that point whenever characters say outrageous or unacceptable things about race, religion, sexual identity, disability, or tolerance of people outside the definitions of ‘normal,’” the network said in a statement Monday.

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation sharply criticized KSL’s decision.

“Same-sex families are a beloved part of American television thanks to shows like

Modern Family, Glee and Grey’s Anatomy,” GLAAD President Herndon Graddick said. “While audiences, critics and advertisers have all supported LGBT stories, KSL is demonstrating how deeply out of touch it is with the rest of the country.”

KSL immediately took issue with the criticism on Monday, noting its decision to pull the show is wrongly “being reduced to a single issue.”

“KSL did not cancel this show because it features gay characters,” the station said in a statement. “We have viewed the pilot and this program contains sexually explicit content, demeaning dialogue and inciting stereotypes.”

Over the years, KSL has deemed several other shows inappropriate for its viewers, including “Saturday Night Live,” which instead airs on Salt Lake City’s KUCW. Last year, the station declined to air the short-lived 1960s period drama “The Playboy Club,” noting it, too, was inappropriate material for its audience.

In 2002, KSL decided not to broadcast an episode of the “Tonight” show because it was set to feature the creators of a stage act called “Puppetry of the Penis.”

A year later, KSL joined WNDU-TV, the NBC affiliate owned by the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., in declining to air the shortlived new sitcom, “Coupling.”

films. “The Avengers” is a good old-fashioned “fun at the movies” blockbuster. There are no dark underlying moral themes, the actors aren’t expected to win Oscars for their roles and you seldom go two minutes without something exciting happening on screen. You have a group of awesome heroes, all with wildly different abilities, united against a bread and butter villain. Combined with excellent writing, it’s no wonder the film grossed just under $1.5 billion worldwide, the third-highest gross in film history, in addition to receiving massive critical acclaim. “The Avengers” has proven more than any other recent film that not all superhero films in this day and age must be made in the same gritty vein as “The Dark Knight.”

That being said, without question, the most anticipated film of the year was “The Dark Knight Rises.” For the final installment of his “Batman” trilogy, director Chris Nolan had a tough task trying to live up to the brilliance of his masterpieces “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight.”

Lauded by critics as a great film, though it didn’t outdo its predecessor, “The Dark Knight Rises” certainly matched it. The complete opposite of “The Avengers,” TDKR is a tragedy filled with drama, emotion and a true hero beneath it all. The excellent returning cast was complemented, not minimalized by the arrival of Catwoman and Bane.

Unfortunately, the film’s release was overshadowed by a horrifying shooting incident at a theater during a midnight screening of the film. While some say this impacted the film’s box office return, the film (not presented in 3D and only open for 5 weeks) has grossed an impressive $941 million.

In another blockbuster film season, the charge was once again led by the superhero genre. While the new Spidey has a few kinks to work out, “The Avengers” and “The Dark Knight Rises” are destined to live on as classics for years to come.

Political conventions a parody playground for ‘The Daily Show’ Alex Sferrazza@UConn.edu

NEW YORK (AP) — For You have to ruin this?’ Not ruin most delicious hope I’ve ever dubbed its coverage “RNC “The Daily Show” correspon- it, provide another perspective tasted.” In a moment of exu- 2012: The Road to Jeb Bush dents, the national conventions on it.” berance, he attempted to kiss a 2016.” Executive producer Rory are a veritable playground, Albanese says the name isn’t “The Daily Show,” which woman. (She demurred.) teeming as much with targets will shift its regular schedule At the 2008 RNC, Samantha meant to suggest Mitt Romney for satire as they are with ban- a day to broadcast four shows Bee filed a memorable report will lose in November but that ner-waving delegates. from Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday where she desperately tried to the Republican Party appears As it has in recent election through Friday, has been cover- get attendees to use the word more excited about the possible years, the Comedy Central future candidates that it will show is decamping for feature in Tampa, like Bush both the Republican and and New Jersey Gov. Chris Democratic national conChristie. ventions to broadcast a “The joke of our convenweek of shows at each that tion coverage is the feelwill — in as close to realing the Republicans have: time as “The Daily Show” ‘We’re not really exciting gets — parody the nation’s about this guy, but you most extravagant political know who we are excited pageants. about? This other guy, who “I cannot overstate just you’ll see in four years,’” how many balloons are says Albanese. “As far as at these things,” says a who is going to win the wide-eyed John Oliver, the election, you’d have to be CNN to call it this early.”

British comedian who’s been a “Daily Show” corThe difficulty of the task, respondent since 2006 and Albanese says, isn’t being “covered” the 2008 convenfunny. After all, the show tions. has a stable of funny people including host Jon Stewart Whereas “The Daily and the other corresponShow” typically operates from its New York studio, dents: Aasif Mandvi, AP Jason Jones, Al Madrigal sifting through TV footage for the gaffs, con- The popular political satire show will be covering the Republican National Convention this week and will shift and Jessica Williams. The its regular schedule a day to broadcast four shows from Tampa Tuesday through Friday. hard part is processing the tradictions and inaccurainformation rapidly, so cies of politicians and the media, the show is in the eye of ing conventions on-site since “choice,” which many went to that the comedy is predicated on the storm at the conventions.

2000. The coverage is usually verbal acrobatics to avoid, lest actual themes and currents.

For the DNC, which will take “It’s not easy when you’re in remarkable for the sense of cor- Bristol Palin’s pregnancy be place Sept. 4-6 in Charlotte, the middle of it and there’s noth- respondents running amok, like linked to pro-abortion rights. ing but goodwill swarming all Stephen Colbert dancing and “It’s always really interesting N.C., Albanese believes a topic around you and there’s a mov- lip-syncing through the throngs to me to make note of the things will be the lack of message, ing sensation in the air, when on the floor of the 2004 DNC. that people will and won’t say summing up the campaign as you have to be the person going, Oliver was so moved by at the convention,” says Bee. “Hey, those guys are crazier, ‘This is slightly ridiculous,’” Barack Obama’s acceptance “Everyone’s receiving the same right?”

Bee describes the improvising says Oliver. “People do tend speech in 2008 that he crawled sort of messaging from day one. to look at you and go, ‘Really? on his knees to drink in “the When a message reverberates nature of the work as “fishing through a whole stadium filled all day,” while keeping broad with people, it’s amazing to wit- themes in mind. Though one might suspect the corresponness.”

Though the conventions rep- dents have a harder time interresent the essential step of a viewing people at the RNC than party officially nominating a the DNC, she says the opposite candidate for the presidency, is true. They’re more recognizthey function mainly as care- able to liberals.

“It’s a little like a ‘Star Trek’ fully orchestrated frenzies to inspire voters. Political dis- convention for us,” says Bee of the DNC. “It’s actually easier course can be in short supply.

“It’s amazing how for cam- to talk to people at the RNC paigns that have so little sub- even if they know us because stance, just how spectacularly they actually don’t care about they are able to present that us. They have a little bit more nothing,” says Oliver. “I think swagger to be perfectly honest.”

Oliver has one reason to prefer they’re ludicrous but I think that’s probably objectively true. the RNC: It’s where he met his I think if any American splashed wife. Four years ago, he, along water on their face or was with a cameraman and producer, unconscious for 40 years and were fleeing security when a came back, they’d go: ‘What are group of army veterans helped we doing? And how much does them hide. Last year, Oliver marthis cost? How many balloons ried one of those veterans, Kate are up there?’”

Norley.

“The Daily Show” has

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Comics

HOROSCOPES

The Daily Campus, Page 8

Stickcat

by Karl, Chan, Fritz, Jason

Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is a 6 -Confer with allies for the next two days. Take your time, and step carefully around sharp or fragile objects. Your friends help surmount breakdowns.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 6 -- You’re especially fair and balanced now. The impossible seems possible, particularly around your work. Difficulties ahead translate into a learning experience.

Stickcat

by Karl, Chan, Fritz, Jason

Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 5 -Conditions look good for romance, but don’t bend the rules. Plan a getaway to relax. It could potentially be an expensive moment, so take care.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 6 -- It’s easier to focus on the details.

Today and tomorrow are good for financial planning. Remember that the best things in life are still free. Irritation alert!

Keep it soothing.

Mensch

by Jeff Fenster

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 5 -- Create romance, graciously.

Start by listening for the gold. Remember the rules. Family matters vie with work for your attention. Keep expenses low.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Entering a two-day busy work phase. Choose materials carefully. Avoid distractions and arguments, even if you have to admit you’re wrong. Keep a secret.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- You’re especially creative, and luckier, until tomorrow.

The challenge will be to balance work with play.

Hold on to what you have. Reassess priorities.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 6 -- Stay put.

Make household decisions the next few days.

Definitely choose love over money. Postpone travel. Continue to show extraordinary patience.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 5 -- No trying new tricks now, and don’t throw your money around. Share feelings for a little while.

Communicate with lost friends. You’re very popular now.

by Brian Ingmanson

WOULD YOU LIKE TO DRAW OR MAKE GAMES FOR THE DAILY CAMPUS COMICS?!

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 7 -Work may be challenging, but it’s much more rewarding than usual.

Keep costs down while increasing income.

Postpone play until later.

Get practical.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is a 7 -You’re in the lead, but don’t fall asleep at the wheel. Be your own biggest critic, but keep it constructive. You can accomplish a lot now.

Dig deeper.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is a 6 -- Find the light within rather than looking for it at the end of the tunnel. Follow through on what you’ve promised, doing the practical things first. Use your sensitivity.

Email 3 of your best sample comics to Dailycampuscomics@gmail.com!

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

» NFL

The Daily Campus, Page 9

Sports

Bills sign Tarvaris Jackson, cut Vince Young

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) - The Buffalo Bills have a new backup in Tarvaris Jackson, and they've cut Vince Young in a sudden shuffle of quarterbacks on Monday.

Shortly after announcing they had released Young, the Bills followed up to confirm reports that they had acquired Jackson in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for an undisclosed draft pick.

It was a surprising turn of events that came in the final week of the preseason, and after Young struggled in his bid to win the backup job in a 38-7 loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday. ''Vince, I don't want to get into what he can do and can't do, it just didn't work out,'' general manager Buddy Nix said. ''We just need to move on and give this guy a try.''

As for Jackson, Nix said the Bills showed interest in him once the Seahawks deemed him expendable after selecting rookie third-round draft pick Russell Wilson as their starter on Sunday.

Nix called Jackson a strongarmed quarterback who's accus-

tomed to playing in offenses that feature a quick passing attack such as the Bills.

Nix did acknowledge consistency has at times been an issue with Jackson, who is on his third team in three years. ''Maybe getting in the right place and the right system, he'll blossom,'' Nix said, noting there's a chance Jackson could play in the Bills (No. 19 in the AP Pro32) preseason finale at Detroit on Thursday. ''He's bounced around a little bit, but who knows, we'll give it a try. We know he's got the ability to do it, and we'll see if he can produce.''

Jackson traveled overnight to Buffalo and joined his teammates for practice Monday afternoon. The trade wasn't completed until early Monday morning after the Bills reached a deal with Jackson's agent, Joel Segal, to restructure the final year of the player's contract, according to a person familiar with discussions. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Bills do not discuss contract talks.

Jackson was scheduled to

make $4 million this season, a figure the Bills deemed to be too expensive for a backup player.

Jackson is a seven-year veteran who has gone 17-17 as a starter with Minnesota and Seattle. He had a 7-7 record with the Seahawks last season, but his future was left uncertain after Seattle drafted Wilson and acquired Matt Flynn in free agency this offseason.

Young posted comments on his Twitter account indicating his time in Buffalo was over on Monday morning. ''Respect Bills fans,'' Young wrote. ''I want to thank the Bills organization for the opportunity and with the organization and my teammates good luck this season.''

The Bills quickly ran out of patience with Young, who had signed a one-year contract in May to compete with returning backup Tyler Thigpen for the No. 2 job behind starter Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Young had the edge to win the backup job before he struggled on Saturday. He threw two interceptions, the first coming

on his first pass attempt, and finished 12 of 26 for 103 yards passing in playing the entire second half.

It was a sudden turn of events for Young, who last week had earned a thumbs-up from quarterbacks coach David Lee. ''I'm really pleased with how much he studied and how he has slowly gotten better and better,'' Lee had said. ''Is he ready for the season? Not yet, but he's getting better every day.''

And coach Chan Gailey has maintained there's only room for one backup, because the No. 3 job is going to receiver/ wildcat specialist Brad Smith.

It's unclear whether the Bills might keep Thigpen to open the season until Jackson can become comfortable with the offense.

For Young, it's the latest blow to what was a once-promising career. After leading Texas to the national championship in 2006, Young was selected third overall in the draft by the Tennessee Titans and was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

AP

Vince Young was cut by the Bills on Monday in favor of new backup QB Tarvaris Jackson.

» COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Volunteers' RB Rogers tranfers to Tennessee Tech

AP

Tennessee running back Da'Rick Rogers left the university on Monday, opting to transfer to FCS team Tennessee Tech. Rogers was suspended indefinitely by the Volunteers last week for a violation of team rules.

(AP) - Da'Rick Rogers officially has left Tennessee's football team, just not the state's borders.

The former all-Southeastern Conference wide receiver has transferred to Football Championship Subdivision program Tennessee Tech, the school confirmed Monday afternoon.

The move was announced four days after Tennessee indefinitely suspended Rogers for a violation of team rules. ''It'll be exciting,'' Rogers said in a school release announcing the move. ''I'm excited to be here and be with the team and have brand new camaraderie with these guys. It'll be fun to watch us play.''

Because Tennessee Tech is an FCS school, Rogers can transfer there without sitting out a year of competition. Tennessee Tech opens its season Thursday against Hampton.

The move reunites Rogers with former Calhoun (Ga.) High School teammate Tre Lamb, the starting quarterback for Tennessee Tech. Lamb's father, Hal Lamb, coached Rogers at Calhoun and apparently spoke up on the receiver's behalf to Tennessee Tech coach Watson Brown. ''It's a unique situation for me, but we know he's a good kid,'' Brown said. ''He knows a couple of the players on our team, and we know his high school coach, and we're going

on their recommendations.''

Rogers caught 67 passes for 1,040 yards and nine touchdowns last year to earn all-SEC honors, but he also had caused a few headaches for Tennessee's coaching staff even before getting suspended last week.

Enough reports surfaced about Rogers' tenuous status on the team late last season that Tennessee coach Derek Dooley released a statement indicating the star receiver hadn't been suspended or dismissed. When Rogers sat out a practice this spring, it led to rumors that he was considering a transfer.

Brown, a former Football Bowl Subdivision head coach at Vanderbilt and UAB, believes Rogers can make the most of a second chance. ''We've met with Da'Rick, and he understands our expectations,'' Brown said.

Tennessee Tech's offense should give Rogers plenty of opportunities. The Golden Eagles set school records in scoring (355) and yards per game (410.5) last season while going 7-4 and reaching the FCS playoffs for the first time. Rogers will try to replace Tim Benford, who ended his college career last season with 216 catches for 3,097 yards and 27 touchdowns to break or tie school records in each of those three categories.

Tsantiris Volleyball Tennessee Athletics posts near $4 million loss leads young returns Huskies experienced squad » SEC FOOTBALL

from IMPROVE, page 12 seasons, she has 1,279 digs, ranking eighth on the school’s all-time list.

Another notable defensive player to watch will be junior Jackie Wattles. The middle blocker was the most active blocker on the team with 77 total blocks, of which eight were solo.

Senior setter Angela Roidt missed only one set last season and will once again be a key player for the Huskies.

Roidt ranked sixth in the conference last season with 1,038 assists. She was third on the team with 211 digs and also produced 45 kills.

The Huskies return a lot of experience and a lot of talent.

The expectations may be low in the conference, but UConn is a team that could surprise and take off this year. They will play their first game at Gampel Pavilion on August 31.

Timothy.Fontenault@UConn.edu

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Tennessee's athletic department posted a $3.98 million deficit for the2011-12 fiscal year that forced it to use a substantial portion of its financial reserves, department officials acknowledged Monday.

Although the athletic department made $106.5 million in revenues, it had $110.5 million in expenses. Those expenses included hefty buyouts to former athletic director Mike Hamilton, football coach Phillip Fulmer, men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl and baseball coach Todd Raleigh.

When Hamilton resigned in June 2011, he received a $1.3 million buyout over three years. Fulmer received a buyout of $6 million over four years after getting fired in 2008.

Tennessee also has more than $200 million in outstanding debt related to the construction and renovation of various athletic facilities on campus.

The deficit, first reported Monday by The Sports Animal radio station in Knoxville, caused the athletic department's reserves to dip to slightly below $2 million.

New athletic director Dave Hart indicated he is evaluating all aspects of the athletic funding process to create a ''sustainable financial model'' that would build a reserve while drawing down debt service. Hart noted that Tennessee's current reserve

amount falls well below that of its rival schools, and he believes the department's current financial model isn't sustainable in the long term. ''It is critical that our athletics program be financially healthy and that its budget is sustainable,'' Tennessee Chancellor Jimmy Cheek said in a release. ''We are committed to having premier athletics programs at the University of Tennessee, and to do that, we must develop a financial model that pays for these programs while also building up the necessary reserve funds. I support Dave Hart's efforts and commend him for the work that has already been done to get us on more sound footing.''

Steps toward rectifying the shortfall included the school's decision to consolidate the men's and women's athletic departments earlier this year.

One of the issues under evaluation is the minimum gift of $6 million the athletic department provides to the university each year. The athletic department spends a total of about $21 million within the university each year.

That total also includes scholarships for student-athletes, usage fees for Thompson-Boling Arena, fees paid to the campus parking authority for athletic event parking passes and athletic licensing revenues that are used for university programs.

from FRESHMAN, page 12

AP

Despite generating over $106 million in revenue, the Tennessee athletics department lost just under $4 million last year.

at the helm of the women’s soccer program, and he boasts a remarkable resume. He is currently sitting on 493 career wins, which makes him the second-most winning active coach in women’s soccer.

The program will also benefit from the presence of its two assistant coaches, Zac Shaw and Margaret Rodriguez. Shaw is entering his second season with UConn after serving for five years as the head coach at the University of Rhode Island, where he took home the Atlantic-10 Coach of the Year in 2005. Rodriguez played professionally for three years after her very successful stint as a UConn player ended in 1999.

The Huskies will face a challenging schedule in 2012, including matchups against five preseason top 25 teams. They will have an opportunity to prove themselves next weekend, when they travel to the Notre Dame Adidas Invitational. In South Bend, they will face two perennial national powers in North Carolina and Santa Clara.

UConn is an all-time 2-16-0 against North Carolina.

Peter.Logue@UConn.edu

The Daily Campus, Page 10

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Sports

Sharapova cruises to begin U.S. Open

NEW YORK (AP) - Maria Sharapova's stomach ache turned out to be nothing more than that.

That lopsided loss she suffered at the Olympics - well, that may have only been a false alarm, as well.

Playing her first match since a blowout loss to Serena Williams in London and a stomach virus that forced her out of two tuneup tournaments, Sharapova returned to tennis in fine fashion Monday at the U.S. Open.

The third-seeded Russian came back from a three-week break and defeated Melinda Czink of Hungary 6-2, 6-2 in a stress-free, 67-minute first-round match at blustery Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Her victory in front of the half-filled stadium was her

first match since a 6-0, 6-1 loss to Williams at the London Games in a gold-medal showdown that looked and felt more like one of these first-round wipeouts Sharapova usually inflicts.

Turns out, Sharapova was dealing with some stomach pain then, which only got worse a few weeks later. She went to the doctor for a series of tests, including an ultrasound to see if she was pregnant. The test turned up negative. ''Just because of the pain I was having, it was really weird,'' Sharapova said. ''They told me I was fine, not pregnant. Then, I'm like, 'Can I get my money back?'''

It has been an eventful summer for one of tennis' biggest stars.

After serving as the flag-

bearer for Russia, then finishing as the silver medalist at the Olympics at Wimbledon, Sharapova's original plan was to come to North America and play in tuneups in Montreal and Cincinnati to acclimate herself to the hard courts.

But the Olympics took a lot out of Sharapova, and when she arrived in Canada, she got knocked down by a stomach ache so bad that she went to the doctor.

It turned out to be a virus - her body's way of telling her to take it easy, she said, so she withdrew from the events and took a few weeks off. ''It was a nice break in a way, but after so many weeks of practicing, you're just eager to get back on the court,'' she said.

She looked eager to get off the

court, as well, showing very few signs of rust against her 88th-ranked opponent.

Wearing a soft-pink dress with a touch of mauve - more subdued than what she usually wears for, say, a nighttime appearance - Sharapova served five aces and maxed out at 115 mph. It took her 31 minutes to finish the first set and she was up 3-0 in the second before Czink got her only break.

That made things only mildly interesting, and only for a very short time. Leading 4-2, Sharapova won one point by chasing a ball almost into the stands on the sidelines, reaching out to get it back, then closing in on the net to win the point. Czink stood there shaking her head, hardly believing what she had just seen.

AP

Maria Sharapova returns the ball to Hungarian Melinda Czink. Sharapova won in straight sets to advance to the second round of the U.S. Open.

Amid FedEx Cup Playoffs, Ryder Cup chase heats up

AP

Steve Stricker watches his shot at the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island earlier this month. He is believed to be a lock for the US Ryder Cup team this fall.

Yanks' Teixeira exits game early NEW YORK (AP) - Mark Teixeira has left the New York Yankees' game against Toronto with a strained left calf.

Teixeira came up hobbling after grounding a ball foul in the fourth inning Monday night.

He was checked by a trainer and manager Joe Girardi, but initially stayed in the game.

The switch-hitting slugger drew a walk and went to second on Eric Chavez's single. Russell Martin then smacked a single off starter Henderson Alvarez's left shin and the ball caromed into shallow right field. Teixeira limped all the way home in obvious discomfort and headed for the clubhouse after returning to the dugout.

Teixeira, who missed five games in the past month with a sore left wrist, was scheduled for an MRI at New YorkPresbyterian Hospital.

Chavez moved from third base to Teixeira's position at first in the top of the fifth. Jayson Nix entered at third base and batted in Teixeira's cleanup spot.

Rockies' Tulowitzki to return soon DENVER (AP) -- The Colorado Rockies are hoping to have Troy Tulowitzki back in the lineup for the final month of the season.

Not for a late-season playoff push - way too late for that - but simply for peace of mind.

Tulowitzki has been sidelined since late May with a groin ailment that eventually required surgery. The team wants him back on the field so he's not thinking about the injury all offseason.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) - The race for the cup has rarely been this intense after just one playoff event.

Only it's not the FedEx Cup. At the moment, that's only meaningful to those who risked going home after one week.

Sure, it was significant for Nick Watney to win The Barclays because it assures he will be at East Lake for the Tour Championship with a legitimate shot at the $10 million prize. But there are rarely surprises at the opening playoff event. Watney (No. 49) was only the second Barclays winner who was not already in the top 30.

Right now, it's all about the Ryder Cup. There are no points to tally.

There are no charts to show how each birdie and bogey will help or hurt someone's chances. This is all speculation. Watney chose the right word when he said his three-shot win at Bethpage Black against the strongest, full field this side of a major was all about getting into the conversa-

tion.

Let the chatter begin.

Europe was the first to fill out its 12-man team. Martin Kaymer earned the last spot on the team by not playing the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and securing 10th place only when Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium failed to finish first or second. Jose Maria Olazabal, in a decision that surprised no one, selected Colsaerts and Ian Poulter.

It was the second time in three Ryder Cups that Poulter had to rely on being a pick, only there was no cause for panic.

The only thing that made him uptight at Bethpage Black was the baked greens that sent him into a Twitter rage.

Few outside Ireland can protest those picks. There was plenty of gossip about a decade-only squabble between Olazabal and Padraig Harrington, but it would have been tough to take the Irishman for a second straight cup when he hasn't beaten meaningful competition in four years.

U.S. captain Davis Love III might have had an easier time under the old system of announcing his two picks right after the PGA Championship, the final qualifying event.

In a move that was overdue, former captain Paul Azinger orchestrated a change in 2008 that gave the Americans four picks instead of two, and allowed the captain an additional three weeks to make his decision. The idea was to get the players on top of their games. That essentially turned the first couple of FedEx Cup playoff events into an audition. And now, it's a larger cast than Love might have imagined.

What a difference from two years ago, when no one really inspired U.S. captain Corey Pavin. He took Tiger Woods, an easy choice for no other reason than he's Tiger Woods. He settled on two veterans in Zach Johnson and Stewart Cink, and Rickie Fowler by default. No one else distinguished himself as an obvious pick. Fowler not only

Steeler's WR Wallace still holding out

Patriots lock up TE Hernandez with five-year deal FOXBOROUGH, Mass.

(AP) - The New England Patriots gave Pro Bowl tight end Aaron Hernandez a new, five-year contract on Monday.

The deal is worth $40 million, according to reports, and comes just months after the team locked up another All-Pro tight end, Rob Gronkowski, through 2019.

Hernandez's deal with the Patriots (No. 2 in the AP Pro32) will run through 2018, and his base salaries of $545,000 and $570,000 for the next two seasons, respectively, will remain intact.

The 22-year-old former standout at the University of Florida wasn't available for comment during the team's player availability Monday.

But Patriots coach Bill Belichick addressed the situation. ''We wouldn't have done it if we weren't happy with it,'' he said. ''I'm glad it worked out.''

Hernandez had 910 yards receiving last season and seven touchdowns as the Patriots won the AFC before losing to the Giants in the Super Bowl.

In two seasons, he has 124 catches, 1,473 yards and 13 scores. He's also carried the ball eight times for 92 yards.

Hernandez is expected to sign the contract no later than Tuesday, and the Patriots will close the preseason at the Giants on Wednesday. After signing the deal, the tight end will donate $50,000 to the Myra Kraft Foundation, a charitable organization honoring the late wife of New England owner Bob Kraft.

At 6-foot-1, and 245 pounds, Hernandez last season experienced a dramatic boost in production from his rookie campaign, often proving difficult to cover. He is expected to play an even wider role in the offense this season. The former fourth-round draft pick has frequently lined up at tight end, receiver and even running back during training camp.

In last season's playoffs, Hernandez ripped off a 43-yard run during a victory over the Denver Broncos, and finished the game with five carries for 61 yards, as well as four catch-

es for 55 yards. ''Aaron's improved a lot. He's worked hard, he's improved a lot in all phases of the game - the passing game, the running game, protection and his overall versatility. He's doing a good job for us,'' Belichick said. ''He's a hard guy to cover.

We've had a lot of trouble covering him defensively.''

Like the 23-year-old Gronkowski, Hernandez's rookie contract wasn't set to expire until after the 2013 season, but the talented tandem of tight ends will now remain in New England throughout their prime, forming perhaps the most productive pair in recent memory.

After posting one of the greatest seasons ever for a tight end last year, when he recorded 90 receptions, 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns, Gronkowski was rewarded with the richest deal for a tight end in NFL annals. He agreed in June to a six-year, $53 million extension.

Hernandez's contract actually averages more the first four years than Gronkowski's deal and offers more in true guaranteed money. Gronkowski was promised $12 million up front and another $5 million if he was still on the roster in 2015. ''They're two different types of tight ends, Rob being the bigger body type. But they both are very good at what they do,'' New England tight end Daniel Fells said. ''They push you to get better every single day. When you have two talented guys in your room, you want to try to raise the bar yourself, and it makes me get better.''

And what has he learned from them so far this preseason? ''That I've got a lot of work to do,'' Fells joked.

Hernandez's deal casts a larger shadow over the possibility of a long-term contract for Pro Bowl receiver Wes Welker. After a stellar season in which he led the league with 122 receptions - 22 more than the next highest total - Welker, who finished with 1,569 yards, was unable to come to terms on an extension this offseason.

AP

Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez received a new five-year, $40 million contract extensionon Monday, two months after counterpart Rob Gronkowski signed a six-year deal.

Instead, he signed a $9.5 million franchise tender in May. ''It's good for him. Definitely happy for him,'' Welker said of Hernandez. ''He's a great player and (has) done a lot of great things for us. (It's) good to have him here.''

Welker, 31, was asked to compare his situation to that of Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz, another productive fan favorite vying for a long-term extension, but who instead signed a one-year deal prior to this season. ''I think it's a little bit different with the sports and everything and how everything comes together,'' Welker said.

was the first PGA Tour rookie to make the team, he had yet to win a tournament as a pro.

It's more complicated this time.

Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk are believed to be locks to be taken. Stricker not only is one of the best putters in golf, he and Woods have a 6-2 record as a team in the last three Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup matches.

Furyk hasn't won since the 2010 Tour Championship, when he captured the FedEx Cup, but he gave himself great chances at the U.S. Open and at the Bridgestone Invitational, doomed by a snaphook off the 16th tee at Olympic and a double bogey on the 18th hole at Firestone.

He not only has played on every U.S. team since 1997, he has qualified for them all.

Consider this a lifetime achievement pick, and not a bad one. A year ago, he narrowly qualified for the Presidents Cup, and then went 5-0 at Royal Melbourne.

Only one of his matches reached the 18th hole.

''But at the same time, I'm under contract and I played out my last deal and I'll play out this one and we'll see where we're at.''

Regardless of his future with the Patriots, Welker should once again benefit from lining up beside Hernandez and Gronkowski. ''You can do different things,'' he said. ''You can line up in some bigger peopletype sets and in some more spread out-type sets. And with the way they can do different things, I think it really helps us in running and passing the ball.''

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Mike Wallace's corner locker at the Steelers' facility sat quietly, as neat as it has throughout training camp.

Shoes were lined up methodically along the bottom, jerseys and other clothing hung on a rod, a cap sat on the top shelf and the team helmet hung on its customary hook.

Many of Mike Wallace's belongings. Just no Mike Wallace.

Despite reports and heavy speculation the holdout receiver would report to the Steelers (No. 7 in AP Pro32) on Monday, Wallace was not there.

High school teammate and Steelers cornerback Keenan Lewis said Wallace would arrive Tuesday, however. So, the drama continues to build. Officially, Wallace, coach Mike Tomlin and the organization aren't talking, but teammates openly discussed the pending arrival.

Rookie guard David DeCastro was at the facility, took part in meetings and hung with teammates. But the Steelers' firstround pick was in crutches after sustaining a potentially severe knee injury during Saturday's preseason game. He will undergo surgery Wednesday.

Pittsburgh concludes the preseason by hosting Carolina Thursday.

Lewis and cornerback Ike Taylor are arguably Wallace's closest friends on the team, and the two have openly embraced playfully acting as conduits for speculation concerning Wallace's status and whereabouts.

After a media member requested Lewis call Wallace on Monday, Lewis and Taylor passed Lewis' cell phone back and forth during a conversation.

Taylor played coy. ''Just to have him back, whenever he comes, it's going to be a plus,'' Taylor said. ''We miss him, we miss the attitude, we miss the way he clowns, we just miss Mike in general. So, when he gets back, we're going to embrace him.''

TWO Tuesday, August 28, 2012

PAGE 2

What's Next Home game

Away game

Sept. 8 N.C. State Noon

Sept. 3 Michigan State 1 p.m

Next Paper’s Question:

“Will the Tampa Bay Rays catch the Yankees in the AL East penant race?”

–Tim Fontenault, Campus Correspondent

» That’s what he said – Red Sox Manager Bobby Valentine on Daisuke Matsuzaka

Sept. 15 Maryland 12:30 p.m.

Sept. 22 Western Michigan 1 p.m.

Sept.

29 Buffalo Noon

Sept 7.

Washington 7 p.m.

Sept. 9 BU 7 p.m.

Sept. 14 Harvard 4 p.m.

» MLB

Ortiz put back on DL

Charles Krupa

» Pic of the day

Movin’ On Up

Women’s Soccer (2-1-0) August 31 North Carolina 5 p.m.

Sept 2 Santa Clara 11 a..m.

Sept 5 Marist 7 p.m.

Sept 9 Central Connecticut 1 p.m.

Sept 13 Syracuse 7 p.m.

Sept 15 Rutgers Noon

Sept 16 Yale 2 p.m.

Sept. 4 Hartford 7 p.m.

Sept. 7 New Orleans 1 p.m.

Field Hockey (2-0-0) August 31 Penn State 7 p.m.

Sept 8 Michgan 2 p.m.

Volleyball

Sept 9 Albany 2 p.m.

(1-2)

August 31 Sept. 1 Dartmouth Fairfield 7:30 p.m. 12:30 p.m.

Sept. 1 Michigan State 7:30 p.m.

Men’s Cross Country Sept. 22 CCSU Invite 11 a.m.

Sept. 15 UMass Invite TBA

Oct. 6 N.E. Champ.

Noon

Oct. 13 Conn. College Invite TBA

Oct. 19 CCSU Mini-Meet 3:30 p.m.

Women’s Cross Country Sewwpt. 8 Dartmouth Invitational 11:30 a.m.

Sept. 22 CCSU Invite 11 a.m.

Sept. 29 Griak Invite 1:10 p.m.

Oct. 7 New England Championships Noon

Men’s Swimming and Diving Oct. 13 Oct. 20 Homecoming- Fordham And Alumni Meet Bucknell Noon TBA

Oct. 26 Army TBA

Nov. 3 Rutgers, Villanova and Georgetown 4 p.m.

Can’t make it to the game?

Follow us on Twitter: @DCSportsDept @The_DailyCampus www.dailycampus.com

Tweet your answers, along with your name, semester standing and major, to @DCSportsDept. The best answer will appear in the next paper.

The Daily Roundup AP

Men’s Soccer (1-0-0) August 31 Dartmouth 7 p.m.

The Daily Question many games will the UConn football team win this Q : “How season?”

A : “Seven, and they’ll be back in a bowl game. ”

“Obviously he’s going to get another start - two, three, four or five.”

Football (0-0) August 30 UMass 7:30 p.m.

The Daily Campus, Page 11

Sports

AP

Andy Murray reacts to defeating Russian Alex Bogomolov Jr. in straight sets. Murray moved into the second round of the tournament with the win.

BOSTON (AP) - David Ortiz doesn’t want his season - and possibly his Red Sox career - to end on the disabled list.

The Red Sox placed Ortiz back on the 15-day disabled list on Monday due to lingering problems with a strained right Achilles, but the DH said he hopes to play again this season.

Speaking to reporters in Boston’s dugout approximately 45 minutes before the club’s game against Kansas City, Ortiz expressed his desire to return this season - and beyond.

The 36-year old Ortiz said he’ll have an injection in the next day or so and hopes to return in September. He will become a free agent at the end of the season. ‘’We’ll see how it goes the next couple of weeks,’’ he said. ‘’If I feel good I can go out and play. Oh man, no question; I want that.’’

Ortiz, who at times this season has expressed disappointment of not having a multiyear deal, said he’d like to come back in 2013. ‘’For years I always keep telling everyone I want to be part of this organization,’’ he said. ‘’This is what I know. I know we’ve had a lot of injuries this year. I know how hard it’s been (this year).’’

Once called “the greatest clutch hitter in Red Sox history’’ by the club’s ownership, Ortiz, is completing his 10th season with the team.

He’s best remembered for consecutive gamewinning hits in Games 4 and 5 of the 2004 ALCS when Boston overcame an 0-3 deficit to beat the Yankees en route to its first World Series title in 86 years.

He also owns the club record for homers in a season, hitting 54 in 2006.

But he also understands that playing in this market can weigh on players. ‘’That happens. Not everybody is able to deal with the game here,’’ he said. ‘’It can be super-hard dealing with the other distractions.

Some people can deal with it, some people can’t.’’

Ortiz, who suffered the injury in mid-July, returned for Friday’s win over Kansas City, getting two hits and two RBIs, but has not played since due to discomfort. He’s hitting .318 with 23 homers and 60 RBIs. Manager Bobby Valentine said the injection would have sidelined him for about seven days so the club decided to put him on the DL. Outfielder Ryan Kalish was called up from Triple-A Pawtucket to take Ortiz’s spot on the roster.

Boston also activated right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka to start the series finale against the Royals on Monday and optioned reliever Pedro Beato back to Pawtucket.

» MLB

Jays’ rally in ninth, win in extra innings

NEW YORK (AP) - Colby a season-worst eight straight on Rasmus hit a three-run homer the road. off Rafael Soriano with two Robinson Cano homered outs in the ninth inning and twice and Nick Swisher hit a the Toronto Blue Jays took two-run drive for New York. advantage of Derek Lowe’s Torrealba singled leading wild pickoff throw in the 11th off the 11th for his third hit to beat the New York Yankees and pinch-runner Mike McCoy 8-7 Monday night, snapping a scampered to third when seven-game losing streak.

Lowe’s pickoff attempt got past Moments after Rasmus’ stun- first baseman Eric Chavez and ning drive put Toronto ahead rolled into foul territory up the 7-6, Derek Jeter tied it with a right-field line. Lowe (8-11) home run off Casey Janssen. was charged with an error.

But the last-place After a strikeout, Blue Jays didn’t Adeiny Hechavarria cave, scratching out a slow grounder 8 hit a run two innings Toronto toward third that later to stop an New York 7 forced Jayson Nix eight-game slide at to charge the ball.

Yankee Stadium.

McCoy waited until The loss might be a costly Nix threw to first, then dashed one in more ways than one for home and beat Chavez’s throw the AL East-leading Yankees. to the plate with a slide.

Slugging first baseman Mark Darren Oliver (3-2) pitched Teixeira was pulled with a two hitless innings for the strained left calf and sent to the win, Toronto’s first at Yankee hospital for an MRI. Stadium since May 23, 2011.

Yorvit Torrealba had a twoJeter lofted Janssen’s second run shot and Adam Lind also pitch to right field, beyond a went deep in his first plate leaping Moises Sierra and into appearance for the banged-up the front row of seats behind Blue Jays since coming off the the auxiliary scoreboard. It disabled list. Missing slugger was Jeter’s 14th home run of Jose Bautista and several other the season and fourth in seven regulars, Toronto had dropped games.

MLB

Dice-K sharp in return from disabled list

BOSTON (AP) - All the off- ing two and striking out six over season work, rehab starts and seven innings in just his sixth minor league outings finally start of the season. paid off for Daisuke Matsuzaka.

The Red Sox took three of Matsuzaka returned from the four in the wraparound series disabled list with his best start of and won for the second time in the season and Cody Ross drove three games since trading Adrian in three runs, leading the Boston Gonzalez, Josh Beckett and Carl Red Sox to a 5-1 win over the Crawford to the Dodgers on Kansas City Royals on Monday. Saturday in a salary-dumping, Starting the season on the DL nine-player deal. after Tommy John surgery in ‘’Obviously he’s going to get June, Matsuzaka (1-3) earned another start - two, three, four his first big league win since or five,’’ Boston manager Bobby May 16 of last seaValentine said. ‘’He son. might finish strong The Japanese throwing like that.’’

1 Jacoby Ellsbury right-hander made Kansas City eight rehab starts Boston 5 had a solo homer and a double for before he rejoined Boston, which the rotation in June, but went back on the DL in early opens a nine-game West Coast July with a strained neck muscle. trip Tuesday night against the Then it was back to the minors Los Angles Angels.

It was the first time for another five starts. ‘’I tried back in June and I Matsuzaka’s pitched more than didn’t get the results I wanted. six innings.

I didn’t feel like I’d be able ‘’When I had to go back on to come back strong again this the DL in July it was very disseason,’’ he said through a trans- appointing, especially when I lator. ‘’I went back to my final didn’t expect my body to react two rehab starts and threw the the way it did,’’ he said. ‘’But the ball really well. I knew if I could encouraging part was it wasn’t do that up here the results would my elbow. I didn’t know if I’d be able to come back strong this come.’’

Matsuzaka gave up an year, but I felt better than I did unearned run and five hits, walk- before I had Tommy John.’’

MLB

» INSIDE SPORTS TODAY

P.11: David Ortiz returns to disabled list / P.10: Ryder Cup standings tightening up / P.9: Travaris Jackson signed by Buffalo Bills

Page 12

New Huskies: Take pride in your school

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

www.dailycampus.com

HUSKIES ‘SET’ TO IMPROVE

UConn looks to surpass expectations, last season’s record

By Mike Corasaniti Associate Managing Editor To all new Huskies: Welcome.

We are glad to see you could start your first week on the job so soon. You are in elite company here and should already feel some blue-andwhite pride dripping through your veins. But there is a lot to go over before your role in the madness can begin, so take that lanyard off from around your neck and listen.

Here is what I can offer you from my experiences in Year One. Find your happy medium of fanhood. Painting “UC” on your face is a simple, yet practical way to show some support (I myself am partial to a painted-on, blue-andwhite goatee). A bedazzled “O” across your chest is a great idea, as long as there is a matching “U” and “C” to one side and two “Ns” on the other. Leave the paw-print undergarments at home until at least the playoffs, though.

Do not sit on the cheap tickets and do not overlook the free ones. It is sometimes easy to forget just how many prominent teams reside on this campus, which makes it easy to overlook the teams that do not necessarily have a lottery system for tickets.

Chances are, if you head to a smaller sporting event on campus, your worst-cast scenario will be leaving with some free gear.

Learn the easy cheers before you get to the games. A good amount of them involve spelling, and nothing is less intimidating than a dyslexic fan section.

Always remember to go to bed each night and wake up each morning thanking the universe that you are not a Syracuse Orange. Honestly, would you rather be the most powerful sled dog in the history of the world, or a fruit? The second-worst fruit of all time, I might add (I am looking at you, kiwi). Additionally, do not take the idea that the Cusies are our main “rivals” too seriously. Our recent unluckiness should not fool you. They are leaving the Big Beast to run and hide from us.

Enjoy the Big East while we are a part of it, but do not get too attached. You never know where the Huskies are going to be four years from now.

Do not forget to keep playing yourself, whatever your sport is. At the very least, get a couple of intramurals under your belt. You will feel a lot better criticizing players if you can make a foul shot.

And if your layups fall a little short, it might be a good indication to keep your lips a little tighter.

Showing off those paw-print undergarments every once in a while is not the worst thing in the world.

Know your history, love your history, but do not live in your history. As a sophomore that missed possibly the best athletic season in school history, I admit to looking forward to the days ahead, rather than the day before. Fans should always be forward-thinking, especially with the challenges some of our teams are facing this year. Tomorrow will only be better than yesterday if you want it to be.

Lastly, never stop being proud of this magnificent cow town you now call home.

While too many greats to count have come before you, the best is yet to come.

Michael.Corasaniti@UConn.edu

By Tim Fontenault Campus Correspondent

LINDSEY COLLIER/The Daily Campus

Kelsey Maving comes up with a dig against West Virginia in Gampel Pavilion last fall. Maving, now a senior, will be a key part of the Huskies this season.

Returning all but three players from last season, the UConn women’s volleyball team will be looking to exceed expectations as it heads into the 2012 season.

After going 4-10 in Big East play and finishing 12th last year, the Huskies are ranked 10th in the preseason coaches’ poll.

Overall the Huskies went 14-15 in 2011, posting a 10-5 non-conference record. The biggest killer for Holly Strauss-O’Brien’s team last year was playing on the road. While they were 4-2 on neutral sites, UConn went 1-9 in away matches.

Once again, this will be a young Husky team, and several key players return for 2012.

The biggest loss for UConn is certainly Jordan Kirk, who started all 29 matches last year and led the team with 337 kills. But they return six players who played 25 matches or more last season.

Senior outside hitter Mattison Quayle, the 2011 Most Valuable Player for the Huskies, is the most notable returnee. Quayle was second on the team behind Kirk last year, with 323 kills, and also led the team with 28 service aces. She is expected to have another big season up front for UConn.

Sophomore outside hitter Devon Maugle had a big freshman year, but should have an even bigger sophomore year. Maugle played in all 106 sets last year, despite only starting 25 matches, and recorded 236 kills.

2011 team Defensive Player of the Year Kelsey Maving is back for one last big year.

The senior libero played every set last year and led the team with 578 digs, the second most in a single season in UConn history and third most in the conference last year. In three

» EXPERIENCED, page 9

» BIG EAST

New BE commish sports UConn ties

By Tyler Morrissey Associate Sports Editor Newly appointed Big East Commissioner Mike Aresco has ties to Connecticut as well to UConn.

Aresco is from Middletown and currently lives in Southport.

He graduated from Xaiver High School in 1968 and from the UConn School of Law in 1978. Aresco will assume the role as commissioner in early September.

Aresco shared his thoughts on being named Big East Commissioner in a teleconference. “I am very pleased to become the new Big East Commissioner,” Aresco said. “I recognize that the conference has done an extraordinary job in reconstituting itself and is stronger than ever. I am absolutely delighted to be asked to lead this conference to what I believe is a bright future.”

Aresco has displayed a com-

mitment to sports in the previous positions he has held. In 1984 Aresco started working for ESPN, where he oversaw the development of ESPN and ESPN 2’s college sports properties.

After leaving ESPN, Aresco took a position at CBS Sports, where he was responsible for college sports programing on the CBS networks. At CBS, Aresco was a key figure in the deal to land the NCAA men’s basketball tournament through 2024. He also helped negotiate a 15-year TV deal with the SEC and CBS. It will be his work in media that Aresco hopes to use to his advantage in his new role as commissioner.

“I have a deep affection for college sports, I have been involved in college sports my whole career. Everything in my career has prepared me for this opportunity,” Aresco said during the teleconference.

Aresco comes into the Big

East at a pivotal point in the conferences’ history. The conference has lost strong members recently in Syracuse, who bolted to the ACC and West Virginia who left for the Big 12. Also the conference has added members from the West Coast such Boise State University and San Diego State University. What started out as a basketball conference with schools on the eastern seaboard, has quickly become a national conference that will reach new audiences in the west.

With the conference looking to negotiate a TV deal with a major network, Aresco will hope to use his past experience to ink a contract that will get the Big East exposure at a national level.

“The fact that the conference spans all time zones only makes it stronger. The TV rights have to be negotiated in the next several months; that’s job one,” Aresco said.

The Big East has changed dramatically since its inception

AP

New Big East Commssioner Mike Aresco is an alumnus of the UConn Law School.

in 1979, and power conferences across the country have also changed due to conference realignment. In order for the Big East to not get lost in the shuffle, performance will be the key to long term success, Aresco feels.

“I think long term the keys are how the Big East performs on the field and the court. That is going to be critical. There is just no getting away from it,” said Aresco.

Tyler.Morrissey@UConn.edu

» WOMEN’S SOCCER

Huskies hope freshman provide spark

By Peter Logue Staff Writer

JESS CONDON/The Daily Campus

UConn defender Gianna Roma brings the ball upfield against Maine on Sunday.

An influx of promising freshmen hope to provide the spark necessary to return the UConn women’s soccer team to its winning ways this season. The Huskies finished 7-8-2 last season, but were projected to finish second in a preseason Big East coaches poll. They are off to a 2-1 start in the early stages of the 2012 campaign.

UConn rolled over Vermont on Saturday, Aug. 19, by a score of 4-2. In their next contest, they proved that they can compete with one of the

nation’s top teams when they fell to No. 10 Boston College in a back-and-forth shootout at Morrone Stadium on Friday. The Eagles ultimately netted the game-winner in the 85th minute and hung on to win by a score of 4-3.

The Huskies quickly bounced back on Sunday, however, shutting out Maine 4-3.

They were led their immensely talented and deep freshman class, something that may become a habit. The Huskies feature 12 true freshmen on their squad, including five Connecticut natives: Monica Dahlgren (Danbury), Allison Gallo (Tolland), Liana Hinds (Hartford), Krystina Jackson

(Windsor) and Allison Saucier (Rocky Hill).

In addition to the freshmen, UConn will benefit from a few talented veterans. Senior forward Danielle Schulmann and sophomore midfielder Riley Houle have both been honored as preseason All-Big East selections. Senior captain Danielle Dakin, who played every minute of last season, will anchor the defense.

The task of balancing a large freshmen class with a core group of talented veterans falls to legendary head coach, Len Tsantiris. The UConn alum is entering his 32nd year at the helm of the women’s

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