Fairfield Mirror 2/18/2015

50 Shades

Lacrosse

Spidey

Opinion

Vine

Sports

“50 Shades of Grey” compromises young women with BDSM abuse.

Spiderman is finally swinging his way into the Marvel Universe.

The men’s and women’s lacrosse teams split their first ever games at the new Rafferty Stadium.

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THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper

Week of February 18, 2015

Vol. 40, Iss. 16

Fairfield Mirror @FairfieldMirror fairfieldmirror FairfieldMirror.com

FUSA candidates are uncontested

By Enxhi Myslymi Managing Editor

Patrick Kiernan/The Mirror

The Fairfield men’s lacrosse game received a solid reception, but the women’s game’s attendence took a dip due to the snowfall.

Rafferty Stadium attracts large crowd Mirror Staff Report On Saturday, Feb. 14, Rafferty Stadium opened its gates for the first time as the Fairfield men’s and women’s lacrosse teams played inaugural games against Holy Cross and Sacred Heart, respectively.

Almost two full years ago, on April 2013, the University officially announced plans to renovate Alumni Field.

In January 2014, the University announced they would be starting construction that April on the new Rafferty Stadium.

The announcement was followed by controversy regarding the funding of Rafferty Stadium after Board of Trustee documents revealed that the entirety of the funds would not be coming from alumni donations, as promised.

The estimated $11 million in-

crosse team in the northeast.”

In a stadium that seats 3,500 spectators, FairfieldStags.com reported that 2,365 people attended the men’s game, while the women’s only had 993 spectators. Last year, the men’s team topped at 1,143 spectators, while the women’s team only topped at 272.

“The stadium is the greatest thing to happen to school spirit,” said Mike DeGennaro ‘15. “We want to come to the games, we enjoy the games now, and I think it’s got more kids out than any other game I’ve been to.”

Senior Sohail Sumra added that while “there’s a lot of work to be done, in the future it’s going to be a great attraction for prospective students.”

Saturday’s games brought a loss for the men as they fell to Holy Cross with a narrow score of 10-9, while the women claimed the first victory at Mirror Archives Rafferty after beating Sacred Heart in a landslide score of 11-2.

April 2014: Shortly after construction began on Rafferty Stadium. vestment put into the lacrosse stadium would cost $2 million more than its initial projected budget of $9 million.

Board of Trustees documents confirmed that the additional funds were contributed by the university’s plant fund, a rollover account typically used for construction.

The stadium, though more expensive than planned, has everything the university wanted.

Named in honor of principal donor Lawrence Rafferty ‘64 and his family, Rafferty Stadium includes a video scoreboard, visiting team rooms and VIP suites, according to a university press release.

“I think it represents a new era in Fairfield athletics,” said Mike LaBeouf ‘15. “It’s a beautiful complex, and I think it will put Fairfield lacrosse on the map as the premier Division I La-

Half Full launches Fairfield brew

By Shauna Mitchell Editor-in-Chief

A brand new beer is coming to the Levee on Thursday, and it has a distinctly “Fairfield” taste.

The 10 Point Buck is a beer brewed by Half Full Brewery in collaboration with the bartenders at the Levee.

“I am excited about this beer because Fairfield students can say, ‘We have our own beer!’ And I think that’s pretty cool,” said Paige Maloney ‘15, a Levee bartender.

Back in January, the bartenders visited Half Full’s facilities in Stamford to brew one keg of 10 Point Buck, a honey-kolsch style beer.

“Brewing a beer was really interesting, although not like what I imagined at all,” said Maloney. “Most beers are brewed in huge tanks in factories, but the one we made was in a large pot where we boiled the

water and added the hops and barley.”

A kolsch beer, Half Full Brewer Jonathan Charest said, is a unique type of beer from Cologne, Germany. While it isn’t usually very bitter, it has a distinct taste.

“It is a strictly defined style of beer, not broad at all,” he said. “It actually does straddle the line between a lager and more traditional ales.”

According to Charest, this particular kolsch-style beer was brewed with grains, hops and yeast from Germany. The honey, however, was locally sourced.

“We added some [honey] during the boil, then I added more after. The sweet finish is all from honey added after fermentaREAD

LEVEE ON PAGE 4

Katie Brundage/The Levee Senior Joseph Patalano (above) brews Half Full’s 10 Point Buck.

The Fairfield University Student Association Election Day for the 2015-16 academic year will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 24, with Anif McDonald ‘16 and Olivia Tourgee ‘16 running uncontested for FUSA President and Vice President, respectively.

According to the email FUSA sent out to the student body on Tuesday, Feb. 17 regarding the upcoming elections, the Class of 2016 Senate only has one person on the ballot.

Each class must have five senators.

According to Fred J. Kuo, director of Student Involvement, “It’s up to the class president to fill” any vacancies regarding the election. Writein candidates will “fill the rest of the seats,” with four students being written in as senators for the 2016 ballot.

The students elected will then have the chance to accept or decline the position.

“Low candidate numbers for rising seniors, unfortunately, aren’t terribly uncommon,” stated Kuo. “However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see one or two students launch a write-in campaign from abroad.”

President and vice president elections have generally been contested, but the last presidential primary was in spring 2008 when four candidates ran for president, Kuo stated.

“Primaries only take place when there are more than three candidates,” he added. “Last year’s presidential election was the first one with at least three candidates since 2008.”

Seniors Alex Cucchi, Lindsey Hanley and Mariano Portocarrero ran for president last year, with Cucchi securing the presidency with 757 votes.

McDonald is currently the FUSA vice president under Cucchi, with Tourgee acting as president of the Class of 2016.

The last uncontested presidential election was in 2012, when Rob Vogel ‘13 was re-elected for a second-term as FUSA president, with his vice president, Mark Evans ‘13, also running uncontested.

Vogel took over as president after the FUSA president resigned during the 2011-12 academic year.

Voting will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. with full-time students being allowed to vote through OrgSync or at the voting area by the Barone Campus Center Information Desk.

THE MIRROR | Week of February 18, 2015

News

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Not just business majors can benefit from Career Fair

By Robert Joyce News Editor The Spring 2015 Career & Internship Fair is taking place on Thursday, Feb. 26 in the Leslie C. Quick Jr. Recreation Complex, where more than 100 potential employers and graduate schools will advertise prospective jobs, internships and post-grad opportunities to Fairfield students.

The Career Fair is especially popular among business school students and employers looking to hire in the fields of finance, accounting, management and sales. Out of about 100 employers and graduate schools registered for the career fair, almost half are for jobs and companies in business-related fields.

Manager of Employer Relations and Alumni Career Development at Fairfield’s Career Planning Center Julie Tuozzoli ‘85 said while it is common for the majority of positions and employers to be business-related, all types of businesses are represented so “you don’t have to be a business major [to attend the fair].”

When asked whether this is a representation of where the jobs in the industry are, Tuozzoli said that it is not, and that there are jobs in all different industries. However, not all industries benefit from recruiting at these fairs and therefore do not attend.

According to Tuozzoli, non-business majors can market

themselves to compete with business majors for these jobs by being willing to learn, displaying common sense and professionalism and having strong writing and communication skills.

Junior Humza Malik, an economics major, stated that he feels “at a less advantageous position at careers fairs because they mostly cater to Dolan School of Business students.”

Students not in DSB definitely have to put in more effort to find jobs. That being said, anyone who is hungry enough will not be discouraged.

-Humza Malik ‘16 “Students not in DSB definitely have to put in more effort to find jobs. That being said, anyone who is hungry enough will not be discouraged,” stated Malik.

According to accounting major Nick Kasarda ‘15, “it definitely makes a lot of sense” to attend the Career Fair as a business major.

“Fairfield is an accounting-heavy school, I would argue, with one of its expertises being that, and it’s also settled in a hot bed accounting area near the big four accounting firms so it is easy for them

to come to campus, whereas other important because “to really kind of people might not have the same op- get an idea about the company, get an portunity,” Kasarda said. idea about the type of culture - that According to Tuozzoli, “It is kind of thing you’ll get by talking to absolutely essential to attend, even somebody face to face so it’s great.” as early as sophomore year, but esSome feedback that the Career pecially if you’re a senior right now Planning Center receives from emlooking for a job after graduation.” ployers who attend the fair include However, not all students share an overall lack of research done by the belief that the Career Fair is es- students, and dressing unprofessionsential. ally, although most students succeed Junior Brian Kehoe believes with these two components, accord“some career fair isn’t going to land ing to Tuozzoli. you a job, only merit and skill can do “You can’t overdress,” she afthat.” firmed.

Nursing major Anna Columbro According to Tuozzoli, students ‘16 agreed, saying, “I’m not attend- get nervous about the fair and finding the Career Fair because nursing ing career, but ideally they “should is such a growing field that I’m con- come away with a broader idea of fident in my ability to get a job on what’s out there.” my own.”

However for Kasarda, “The career fair isn’t to get jobs; it’s to network, get business cards and get contacts.”

According to Tuozzoli, the best way for students to get the most out of the Career Fair is to research the list of employers, select some companies of interest and then make some connections, armed with an updated resume and dressed for success.

She added that the majority of employers at the Career Fair have jobs or internships they are looking to fill, or will have to fill in the near future. Students can apply through Stags4Hire, or they can explore or apply through a company’s direct Mirror Archives website A former Fairfield student gets career advice a past Career Fair.

For Tuozzoli, the Career Fair is

The list of potential employers attending this year’s Spring Career & Internship Fair can be found online here:

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THE MIRROR | Week of February 18, 2015

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Norwalk resident arrested on Fairfield campus

By Catherine Veschi Assistant News Editor

According to Assistant Director of the Department of Public Safety John Ritchie, a 49-year-old woman diagnosed with schizophrenia was charged for trespassing, interfering with an officer and breach of peace on campus on Sunday, Feb. 15.

Megan Switzer, a Fairfield alum residing in Norwalk, Conn. who has frequently wandered onto campus, was found by DPS on the third floor of the Barone Campus Center around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, screaming and causing a disturbance to students studying.

Switzer approached the main dining hall with the hope of stealing food, but was stopped at the entrance, Ritchie said. She then managed to enter the dining hall through the back entrance, but was caught by DPS. Switzer refused several requests from DPS to leave the building and used physical force against DPS before they

FUSA Forum explores racial issues

By Catherine Veschi Assistant News Editor

called the Fairfield Police Department.

According to the Fairfield Citizen, Switzer also refused to comply with the Fairfield police officers’ instructions to vacate the BCC, calling the officers “50 shades of peanut butter and jelly.”

Ritchie added that Switzer has had a record with DPS for venturing onto campus several times in the past few years. However, while Switzer has only received warnings to stay off campus in the past, this incident was the “breaking point” for DPS, resulting in numerous charges.

After more investigation, police determined that Switzer had neglected to take her medication for her schizophrenia, and she was transported to Bridgeport Hospital. She was held overnight on Sunday at the Fairfield Police headquarters on a $5,000 bond.

Despite this occurrence, DPS has no plans to change campus security for the future. Switzer’s visits are rare occasions on campus, Ritchie said, stating

that they are no reason to make any amendments to DPS’s current procedures.

Prior to this incident, Switzer was found by Fairfield police officers to be trespassing at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Old Post Road and told not to return on Wednesday, Feb. 11, according to the Fairfield Daily Voice.

Within 24 hours of Switzer’s visit at the University, she was found by Fairfield police officers at the Fairfield University Downtown Bookstore. There, she was also reported to have screamed at customers and was similarly asked to leave and not return. Switzer has also had problems at the bookstore in the past, according to the Fairfield Daily Voice.

Switzer’s arrest at the downtown bookstore was her third arrest in six days. She is due to appear in court on Feb. 25 for the bookstore incident, and on Feb, 26 for the incident on campus at the Superior Court in Bridgeport, Conn.

In response to the protests that took place on campus toward the end of the fall 2014 semester, the Fairfield University Student Association Senate offered a Presidential Open Forum for students on the controversial issue of racial justice.

The forum, which took place on Thursday, Feb. 12, gave students an opportunity to express their views on the existence of racial discrimination in the U.S., as well as here at Fairfield.

The idea for the forum came from Senior Class President Joe DiRico ’15 and Freshman Class President Závon Billups ’18, who led the protest in early December.

“We wanted to hold an open forum to raise awareness of an issue on campus and let people know that racism is still a problem in America,” Billups said, citing the Ferguson trial as a clear example of this.

Contributed by Fairfield Police Department

According to FUSA Senator Joe Harding ’18, “FUSA wanted to establish a safe space for people to come and talk and raise a conversation, because we feel like no one was really talking about it.”

Student Body Vice President Anif McDonald ‘16 agreed that this kind of communication is important, saying that “there aren’t many African American students on campus, so any opportunity you get to talk about race, whether it be in a positive or negative light, is something important.”

Through this dialogue, the roughly 30-40 students and faculty members in attendance discussed issues such as the overall effectiveness of the protests and the negative response it received. In general, those in attendance agreed that the protests were an appropriate and powerful demonstration of the students’ desire to

eliminate racial injustice.

At the beginning of the forum, Billups played a recording of a poem titled “Cuz he’s Black” by Javon Johnson, which highlighted common stereotypes and negative assumptions African Americans face on a regular basis.

Billups further enforced this issue by describing an instance where he was assumed to be a member of a gang, simply because of his race.

Senior Michelangelo Felican, who spoke at the forum, felt that open discussions of controversial issues such as racial justice are important because “humans need to communicate and constantly get their opinions and expressions out there.”

She added, “When you’re in a center of READ

STUDENTS ON PAGE 4

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THE MIRROR | Week of February 18, 2015

Crime Beat

News

Compiled by Austin Wesolowski Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety.

Tuesday, February 10 2:02 p.m. – DPS was given information by Residence Life that led them to a Townhouse where a student may be selling marijuana. The matter is under further investigation by DPS. 6:30 p.m. – A male student in the Townhouses 14 block reported $140 was taken from his desk drawer. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact DPS. Saturday, February 14 9:14 a.m. – A female graduate student was observed by an off duty Fairfield Police officer to be driving under the influence. She was pulled over on campus and arrested. The individual was also referred to student conduct.

Sunday, February 15 1:39 a.m. – A gray Ford pickup truck was found by DPS to have rammed the Townhouse gate and entered campus. The individual was found to be a Townhouse male. He was referred to student conduct and will have to pay restitution for the damages.

3:08 p.m. – A non-student was arrested in the Barone Campus Center for breach of peace and resisting arrest.

Monday, February 16 3:07 a.m. – The same non-student arrested in the BCC was arrested in the Fairfield Downtown Bookstore again for breach of peace and resisting arrest.

Levee to offer Fairfield’s own beer CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 tion,” Charest said. “We’re really happy with the recipe.”

Taste-wise, he said, it will be “like a slightly better version of Heineken.”

While there’s only one keg in existence at the moment, Maloney said she’s hoping production will continue.

“If it’s successful, it would be awesome to have it at our Senior Week events,” she said. “Hopefully it will get seniors and juniors to go to the Levee more often too.”

According to Charest, the collaboration between Fairfield and Half Full started a few months ago when they were approached by several seniors and chemical

engineering majors about creating a uniquely Fairfield beer.

“For Fairfield to come to us and say ‘create something for us’ and put the creative ball in our hands, it gave us an opportunity to try something new,” he said.

“I’m honored more than anything else.”

Fairfield isn’t the first school to partner up with a local brewery, however. In September 2013, Sacred Heart University teamed up with Two Roads Brewery, based in Stratford, to create Via Cordis, an abbey blonde ale.

Starting Thursday, Feb. 19 at 8 p.m., the 10 Point Buck is going to be on tap at the Levee and will be available for students 21 and over to drink.

Photo contributed by The Levee

Siblings Weekend focuses on young crowd

By Jesse Erickson Assistant Sports Editor The annual Siblings Weekend event will take place on Feb. 20-22, organized by the Fairfield University Student Association. The University will be hosting the younger siblings of Fairfield students to give them the feel of the college life from their older siblings.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for students’ siblings to get a feel of campus, and it will definitely be a memorable experience for them,” said Catherine DePino ‘16. “It also gives the students a relaxing break from long weeks with some family time.”

The theme for the weekend will be “Under the Sea,” and students and siblings can participate in activities like an ocean obstacle course, movie and bingo nights and an under-the-sea carnival.

Fairfield has routinely sent out postcards to the homes of the students, informing them of the event and from there, sib-

Tuesday, February 17 5:19 a.m. – A discharged fire extinguisher was found in the Bannow Science Center near room 482. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact DPS.

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lings can be registered online. For $65 per sibling, the sibling can stay the weekend in the dorm of their older sibling, participate in the events and step into the shoes of their older sibling, whether it includes eating at Barone, staying in bed watching Netflix or taking the StagBus into town.

According to a post from the Fairfield University Parent’s Page, the average age of the siblings ranges from 12-16. Although all siblings are invited, the events are geared toward a younger crowd.

Freshman Genna McLaughlin added that she had hoped the “events were a little more mature” for her 15-year-old brother.

“Since he’s going to start applying to schools soon, I think he should start to get exposed to more mature things in college,” said McLaughlin.

Senior Katie Senk had a younger sibling attend the event in previous years. However, because her sibling is only two years younger, Senk added that “for her situation, the event wasn’t worth it.

“Although she won a sweatshirt, the event is geared for younger kids so it wasn’t as great,” said Senk.

For many students, the price for a sibling to visit can be excessive, especially if the student has more than one sibling. In the past, the price has included giveaways like sweatshirts and T-shirts and free meals at Barone, tickets for the doubleheader basketball game and the advertised activities for the weekend.

“I think that it is a reasonable price for students who can afford it,” said DePino. “I think that it can be difficult for struggling families that are not as financially inclined and the price may turn a lot of families away.”

Considering students are allowed guests on-campus at almost any time, many choose to have their siblings come another weekend rather than Siblings Weekend.

Students discuss racial justice CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 learning, you want to put your opinions and ideals in the forefront because that is your guiding light and motivation.

“That is exactly why these things are so pivotal in giving people a whole new wave of thought and revolutionizing the way that we view certain ideas,” Felican continued.

This presidential forum received a significantly higher attendance than the previous forum that took place in November, which Harding attributes to the fact that the FUSA Senate tried to do more marketing through social media, as well as through posting fliers throughout campus.

Billups also felt that this forum received a higher attendance because it covered topics that people were more “emotionally invested in.”

At the conclusion of the forum, the FUSA leaders asked the audience what their expectations were of FUSA when social injustice occurs on campus. Felican proposed her idea that FUSA distribute boxes around the school so that students could record instances of discrimination they see on campus and drop them into the boxes, enabling FUSA to better monitor racial injustice among students.

Chair of the Senate Hope Agresta ’16 said FUSA will definitely consider this plan of action.

For Billups, the presidential forum was an overall success, saying that “as FUSA, it is our job to represent the student body, and that’s exactly what we did today.”

CORRECTION BOX In the Feb. 11 issue, in “Her Campus celebrated first birthday,” we stated that Amanda Marrone ‘15, was a co-founder of Her Campus. She is not a co-founder.

Senior Danielle Tullo is a co-founder of Her Campus, who we did not mention.

We apologize for this mistake.

If you notice an error in any issues of The Mirror, please don’t hesitate to conact us at info@ fairfieldmirror.com. We’ll post a correction in the following issue.

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THE MIRROR | Week of February 18, 2015

Opinion

Opinion

Editor Ariana Puzzo » opinion@fairfieldmirror.com

Fifty Shades of abuse toward women

By Meaghan Conlon Opinion Editor Emeritus If you haven’t heard of “50 Shades of Grey,” I’m going to assume that you’ve been living under a rock for the past four years. The movie adaptation of the first novel of E. L. James’ bestselling erotic romance “50 Shades” trilogy debuted in theaters on Valentine’s Day, implying that it would be a storybook romantic tale that every girl would yearn to see.

So, why not set the scene with what appears to be a guide for women on how to become completely submissive to a man they just met in the hopes of achieving love? There’s nothing like spreading the societal pressure of Valentine’s Day with a movie that appears to boil down to rough sex and little in the way of actual love.

I will come right out and say it — I have not read “50 Shades of Grey.” So, perhaps I am not an expert on the story, but I like to think I can spot the signs that show something is clearly wrong in the treatment of others. When the series became popular a few years ago, my older co-workers all read the books and would discuss it. They advised me not to read it as they didn’t like the message and felt that, even though I was 16, they did not want me exposed to its content.

Some of them had daughters of their own and were horrified at the thought of someone my age expecting a relationship like the one portrayed in the book. From the topics they discussed, including what amounted to Christian Grey stalking college senior Anastasia Steele and the complete control that Grey exercised over Steele just shortly after meeting her, I knew I would not be able to make it past the first chapter if I chose to read the book. If a woman is not given the freedom to make her own choices about her life, then there is a problem. I don’t care how romantic or handsome he is.

I chose to forget about “50 Shades” over the years, as it had no relevance to my life or my values; however, I now find it increasingly difficult to ignore its existence when there are posters and advertisements for it everywhere. The movie adaptation is also not uniquely an American obsession; “50 Shades” is known all over Ireland and I saw more advertisements for it in Paris than I could count.

I tried to understand why the “50 Shades” craze is an international occurrence. Does no one else see the extremely unhealthy relationship between the two main characters that is evident from the movie trailer alone?

I get it. The whole premise of an erotic novel is to supposedly provide an outlet for inner desires or some of the darker fantasies of the human mind – a release of some sort. However, I doubt erotic novels are supposed to show women that it is acceptable to be dominated in every sense of the word; that women should have no control over their own lives and should submit to the whims and demands of the man in their life; and that all actions towards their partner are acceptable if they’re done in the name of love.

“But he or she loves me” is a phrase that is often said by victims of abuse in defense of their partner. Do you see where the problem lies? This excuses the abusive partner from the hurt that he or she has caused and allows it to happen again.

There is a fine line between sadism and masochism acts in the bedroom and partner abuse, and that line is mutual consent between the partners. From what I can tell, there is pressure on Steele to perform these acts with Grey, and forced consent is not the type of consent that people who generally participate in BDSM (bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism) adhere to. There has to be a willingness and clear consent to whatever may occur in the bedroom.

Abuse can be mental or physi- cal; just because he or

Editorial Board A Martian Legacy Shauna Mitchell Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Calhoun Executive Editor Enxhi Myslymi Managing Editor

she didn’t leave a mark doesn’t mean that it is not abuse. Coercing someone into actions that they don’t want to do, like what Grey does to Steele, is abuse and not a part of the BDSM culture. Basically, Grey’s form of love is sex in ways that he can exert control over Steele and this mentality carries over into daily life for Grey, where Steele also submits to him.

The idea of constant submission in all areas of life is not one that should be impressed upon women. If one wishes to partake in such activities of their own free will, then by all means, enjoy yourself. If you are pressured, or the control-

Can you imagine one day just packing up your life, saying goodbye to your family and friends, and knowing you’re never going to see them again?

It sounds crazy, right? What if you were going to begin a civilization on Mars? To be honest, it still sounds crazy. But for four people, it’s going to be a reality.

On Feb. 9, The Guardian released a video called “If I die on Mars,” which focuses on three of 660 people left in the running for the Mars One project.

In 2024, four of them will

embark on their one-way trip to Mars.

In the video, Ryan from the U.K. says: “I think the most important thing to do in life is to leave a legacy. A lot of people do that by, say, having a child or having a family. For me, this would be my legacy.”

The notion of leaving a legacy is quite interesting. Why do we feel the need to leave a legacy and to be remembered long after we die?

Obviously, it must be that it would mean that our life meant something. But why is the deter-

ling attitude of the partner bleeds over into all aspects of the relationship outside the bedroom, then there is a problem.

The movie is, at its buried core, a romance. However, this is the type of romance that shouldn’t be stressed upon women. Young, impressionable women watching the movie can get the wrong idea of love and healthy relationships and there are enough problems with abuse without conditioning girls that Grey and Steele’s relationship is what to expect from a “love story.” Mr. Grey may want to see me now, but you can be sure that I will not be accepting his invitation.

mining factor of your life “meaning something?”

We can’t possibly ever know the impact we’ve had on people once we die, so why are we so hung up on it?

It dictates everything we do.

For some of us, it helps us decide if we’re going to die on Mars and for others of us it helps us decide if we’re going to have one or two children.

Why do we need to go to extremes, like Mars, to feel like our lives have meaning? Is it not enough to be a good person to feel

as though we have achieved meaning in our life?

You don’t have to be different to have an impact. Many of us are not destined to be so outlandishly different than everyone around us.

Yet, we will live on in the hearts and minds of our close friends and relatives and that can be through love and compassion.

We don’t necessarily need to leave Earth to be remembered.

It’s all relative to the person, but you have to live your life for you and the moment that you’re in, not your legacy.

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THE MIRROR | Week of February 18, 2015

Opinion

Substance abuse predetermines fate

By Ariana Puzzo Opinion Editor The only child of the late superstar Whitney Houston and R&B singer-songwriter Bobby Brown, Bobbi Kristina, referred to as “Krissi” by family and close friends, was found unresponsive in a bathtub on Jan. 31, 2015.

Considering Bobbi’s childhood and adulthood have been filled with turbulence and wrought by emotional chaos, she cannot be held fully accountable for her current tragic situation.

Bobbi’s unfortunate fate is a byproduct of the dysfunctional relationship that her parents shared, fueled by their history of substance abuse.

Substance abuse is a serious matter that impacts many families, and, despite their celebrity, Bobbi’s family is no exception.

Houston and Brown’s well-documented 15-year marriage was riddled with reports of substance abuse and Brown’s run-ins with the law. In the epicenter of that chaos was their beloved child Bobbi, who unfortunately suffered the fallout of the dysfunction.

The drugs that consumed Houston and Brown’s lives and marriage without a doubt affected the life of their daughter.

Houston, who made an appearance on “Oprah” back in 2009, seven years after her last public interview, said that her then ex-husband Bobby had “laced marijuana with rock cocaine” when they used to be together, and that by 1996, “[doing drugs] was an everyday thing ... I wasn't happy by that point in time. I was losing myself.”

I do not pretend to be an expert on the effects on how the presence and abuse of heavy drugs, or any drugs used by a parent, can have on a child’s development.

However, it seems to me that, given the

young age Bobbi would have been during the time that her parents were heavily addicted to illegal substances, she would have experienced emotional trauma that, along with the untimely death of her mother, would have rendered her impressionable in her later years and impacted her choices.

Addiction is a growing issue in our society and one that is oftentimes unaddressed or accepted when it is perceived to be affecting a public icon.

More frequently it seems that wellknown figures suffering from addiction either experience their condition as being commercialized for tabloid fodder, or being swept under the rug for publicity concerns.

The problem with both of these courses of action, however, is that it does not address the issue at heart: that the disease destroys lives and will only perpetuate in one form or another for the child who knows nothing other than the life that his or her parent has been drawn into.

Tragically, the fate of children who have a parent or parents suffering like Bobbi’s is that they will, at some point, have to decide whether they will follow in the destructive footsteps of their parents or shape their own healthier lifestyle.

Often, as it appears to be the case here, the cycle of addiction consumes a family. Sadly, Bobbi is not only a victim of her parents’ disease, but also a sufferer of the disease’s public exploitation.

Although authorities have not indicated whether or not drugs were involved in this latest tragedy, it is probably safe to say that the use and abuse of illegal drugs by Houston and Brown sealed the fate of Bobbi long before she had a chance to make her own choices.

Photos Contributed under Creative Commons

SNL proves success comes with age

By Symone Mazzotta Contributing Writer Not quite 40 years have passed since the “Not Ready for Prime Time Players” took the stage at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Studio 8H for the first

episode of “NBC’s Saturday Night.”

It is a show that has been for many, including myself, a source of comic relief and satire. Fans and critics alike weren’t sure the show would last in its early seasons, yet this 40-year milestone proves that this show is a

Contributed under Creative Commons SNL's creator, Lorne Michaels, celebrated the show's 40th year last weekend.

perennial aspect of American culture.

The impact of “Saturday Night Live” is astonishing; it was one of the first of its kind. The show has grown into an icon that is so renowned that NBC aired a celebratory live special on its successes, SNL40, on Sunday, Feb. 15. It was, essentially, a three-and-a-half hour extended episode of Saturday Night Live. It had its mishaps; however, it managed to satisfy the fan in all of us.

Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake opened the show with a rap of “The Chronic-what!-cles of SNL” that featured Fallon breathless and Timberlake’s ease with performing.

In a five-minute song, they hit all of the famous one-liners of famed SNL characters like the Church Lady, The Festrunk Brothers, Debbie Downer and Mary Katherine Gallagher.

I wanted to see more of these sketches and the cast that created them, but the duo’s song was enjoyable and would most definitely become the viral hit of the evening.

There were new takes on cult sketches, like the “Bass-O-Matic,” “Celebrity Jeopardy!” and “The Californians.” Dan Aykroyd was endearing in his reboot of a classic, Will Ferrell’s “Trebek” was great, as expected, and the classic contestants like Sean Connery and

Burt Reynolds played the game, along with new contestants Justin Bieber and Matthew McConaughey.

Taylor Swift’s “Cousin Alison” made me cringe at one of my favorite sketches, “The Californians.” Really, Taylor, really?

Why don’t you take the 405, cross over to the 75 and get out of here!

SNL40 was perfect for anyone who is old enough to reminisce on the past 40 years and, if you’re like me, want more of something they missed out on.

I was born 20 years after the show began and I wish I could have seen the brilliance of John Belushi, Gilda Radner and Chris Farley in real time and not only on the basic roundup of sketches that you always see on VH1 on a Saturday when they have SNL reruns from the 70s, 80s and 90s on repeat.

The anniversary allowed SNL to celebrate its own triumphs and retold the audience that, yes, “Cowbell” is a favorite.

Again, I wish there was more from the famous list of players. A brief musical act with Joe Piscopo and Bill Murray was just that: brief. I don’t understand how Kanye West or Taylor Swift got more airtime than Seth Meyers or any other member of the cast.

My favorite part of the night was when newcomers Pete Davidson and Leslie Jones introduced a segment on

the auditions of some of my favorite cast members and of some who didn’t make the cut. I think it was inspiring to see comedians who are so loved today as “nobodies” who have worked hard and accomplished so much from that point on. I wanted to see more of this “exclusive” footage and I could have watched for more than a seemingly limited three-and-a-half hours.

Many people seem to think the show was only funny in past seasons with cast members who have grown to stardom.

I think each cast, including the current one, has their own spunk that touches on current issues and fits the times. In a glorious “Wayne’s World” reboot on Sunday, Wayne and Garth commented on the pessimism of most critics, who claim SNL was better “then” and terrible “now” and is on its way to cancellation. But, the show must go on.

SNL is a show that I have always watched; when I was younger, I laughed at the jokes even when I didn’t understand the punch line.

A night of appreciation for all of the hard work of those on the show was exactly what I was hoping for.

So much of Sunday’s show was like a regular episode of SNL, which made it worth watching live; it was unique and a show I love dearly, so here’s to 50!

The Mirror welcomes the opinions and contributions of its readers: Letters to the editor must be timely and submitted by email to info@fairfieldmirror.com or Box AA. All letters to the editor that are appropriate will be published either in print or online. The Mirror reserves the right to edit letters and articles for content, length and grammatical error. Letters should be free of obscenities and personal attacks and should contain correct and factual information not exceeding 500 words.

The Vine

arts, entertainment, features Editor Charles DeFilippo vine@fairfieldmirror.com

Build The Warehouse.

Create the Future.

The Warehouse - ,-square-foot, -seat venue Music, Art, Theatre, Culture , Film, Community Events & more

The Vine

THE MIRROR | Week of February 18, 2015

Page 8

The Warehouse: 640-seat multi-purpose

venue to be built in downtown Fairfield

By Charles DeFilippo Vine Editor

Fairfield. FTC put on 338 shows and attracted 50,000 people last year alone which generated a 1.5 ai r f i el d Theatre Commillion dollar benefit to neighpany will soon transboring businesses, according to form an existing facilReid. ity into a 640-seat music venue “The Warehouse is a gamelocated at 70 Sanford Street, bechanger both for FTC and the hind the Fairfield train station. town of Fairfield,” said Reid.

As of Wednesday, Feb. 11, FTC’s “The new venue will allow us to Executive Director John Reid introduce a whole new universe was happy to announce that the of world-class artists and procampaign has reached 80 percent ductions. This will bring even of its 1.5 million dollar budget. more people to Fairfield and act The Warehouse will have as a significant and economic three times the seating as Staengine for the local restaurants geOne and will allow larger acts and shops that surround us.” to perform who would otherwise First Selectman Mike Tetnot fit in their existing 225-seat reau said, “The Warehouse is all venue. According to Reid, the a part of transforming Fairfield size of The Warehouse fits perinto an arts and culture destifectly between their existing nation and FTC is the cornervenues: The Klein in Bridgeport, Chad Anderson / Fairfield Theatre Company stone of all that.” Tetreau's focus Norwalk Concert Hall and Sta- Fairfield Theatre Company's Executive Director John Reid explains The Warehouse blueprints during a stretches beyond The WaregeOne. FTC plans to make use press release at FTC's StageOne last Wednesday. house. His intent is to make of all four facilities in order to field students, this means you can enjoy larger venue will allow for discounted Fairfield more accessible and inprovide more services and entertainment more music and art. Reid said, “The admission because a lot of the indie crease tourism. for the community, as well as to “I envision Fairfield as a attract people from all over the more interactive community. region.

The Warehouse is not about Fairfield Theatre Company or For example, I want to create a The Warehouse at FTC will bike-share program where peomyself, it's about the celebration of community. be home to theatre, film, cultural ple can rent a bike and explore events, fundraising galas, busithe town, then simply return it ness expos, fairs, corporate and like a library book,” said Tetreau.

- John Reid private events. The Warehouse “All of these things will expand will not only bring more music, but also Warehouse will absolutely source bands bands do not want to out price their fans the town and boost business in Fairfield.” act as a multi-purpose venue and com- who draw college students including in- with high ticket costs.” Reid also hopes The Warehouse anticipates a grand munity event space downtown. die rock and some EDM groups.” to incorporate the University’s StagCard opening in the fall, with a soft opening The Warehouse brings FTC and “We hope The Warehouse will allow into the FTC box office. over the summer. To find out more about Fairfield University back together since us to connect with WVOF, Fairfield UniNot only will The Warehouse en- The Warehouse, please visit fairfieldtheFTC’s first season of plays in 2001, which versity’s radio station, and have bands gage college students, but also improve atre.org/warehouse/press. were held on Fairfield’s campus. For Fair- come in for interviews,” said Reid. “The the overall atmosphere of downtown

F

Vince Gilligans' 'Better Call Saul' fills void for 'Breaking Bad' fans

By Sean Thomas Contributing Writer If you're one of the millions of viewers who used to tune into "Breaking Bad" on Sunday nights, you probably felt a massive void in your life once the series ended.

If you don't have the time or patience to binge-watch the series for a third time, there's a much better solution to your predicament: "Better Call Saul." "Breaking Bad" creator Vince Gilligan is at the helm of the new spin-off which follows the life of “criminal” lawyer Jimmy McGill (portrayed by Bob Odenkirk) before he adopts the pseudonym “Saul Goodman” and eventually aids Walter White with his methamphetamine empire.

The first three episodes, having premiered over the last two weeks, already feature many similarities to its parent series.

Both episodes make a clear effort to introduce viewers to new characters and perspectives while incorporating stylistic elements that feel extremely familiar to "Breaking Bad" diehards.

There are flash-forwards, moments of emotional vulnerabilty and moral ambiguity, as well as plenty of

humor. Even simple shots of Goodman traveling around Albuquerque, N.M. are enough to remind viewers of Walter White's escapades; Vince Gilligan is still enamored with the seedy underbelly of Albuquerque, although this time exploring it with the man responsible for its defense.

Since Goodman often served as comic relief for "Breaking Bad"'s darkest moments, one would expect the show to be focused on comedy.

Based on the first three installments, "Better Call Saul" is going to provide not only laughs, but also gut-wrenching moments and twists that will leave the audience itching for the next episode.

Viewers can also look forward to several cameos of beloved (or notorious) "Breaking Bad" characters.

Without spoiling too much, there have already been two encounters with characters well-known among "Breaking Bad" fans. No one is certain whether these characters will make frequent appearances, but even a brief cameo should be enough to satisfy viewers.

"Better Call Saul" has premiered to significant critical acclaim and with a massive audience of fans looking to further engage with one of the most popular "Breaking Bad"

characters.

The most important question concerning "Better Call Saul" is not how many seasons it will have or how many Emmys it will win, but if it can forge its own identity, rather than being seen as a "Breaking Bad" spin-off.

The show has the potential to create entirely new and interesting plotlines while showing a completely different angle to the events and people of "Breaking Bad." Despite being only three epis o d e s d e e p , "Better Call Saul" has surely capitalized on that potential and continues to charge forward into television history. Lawyer up and tune in Mondays at 10 p.m. on AMC!

Photos Contributed under Creative Commons

The Mirror | Week of February 18, 2015

The Vine

Page 9

Don't forget about Fairfield Fitness

By Georgina White Book Critic Yoga classes held in Fairfield’s Leslie C. Quick Jr. Recreation Complex may be cancelled due to a lack of registration. Many people I have talked to do not even realize that Fairfield offers yoga classes and wish the University had done a better job in promoting the fitness classes.

A variety of other classes are offered as well including Zumba, Pilates and kickboxing. Yoga classes with instructor Jeannie are the ones at risk for low attendance due to conflicts with class times.

The cost to attend classes range from $25$35. By signing up now, you would only be missing the first week of classes. Yoga classes offered at Fairfield are extremely affordable for college students looking to stay in shape, de-stress through fitness and make new friends.

The instructors are also extremely personable and offer hands-on assistance creating a one-on-one feel, even though classes are taught in a group setting. After each session you will feel completely centered and rejuvenated, which I’m sure you would agree is especially desired after a long and rigorous week of papers and exams.

Many celebrities like Robert Downey Jr. and Julia Roberts swear by yoga, saying that, without it, they would not be nearly as successful. Not only does it make your body more flexible, but the practice also opens up your mind and encourages sharper thinking. You can sign up here at http://bit.ly/ffldu_fitnessclass after deciding to partake in one of the wonderful options listed to the right. Namaste everyone!

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Nutrition 101:

By Stephanie Piccolo Nutrition Columnist

I

’m sure you have all seen in the supermarket or in advertisements, “This product is non-GMO!” However, what exactly does that mean? GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are found in most foods whose genetic material has been altered in a laboratory by genetic engineering. GMOs are relatively unsafe, but in America, they can be found in many of our food choices because it is not required by the government for stores to label their items containing GMOs. GMOs are used in a variety of different ways including pharmaceutical drugs, scientific research and agriculture.

The purpose of GMOs in agriculture is to produce crops that are resistant to pests and herbicides. Some are even able to thrive in harsh environmental conditions, which increases the productivity, yield and growth of these crops. Ultimately, GMOs provide no health benefits, can cause environmental damage and even in some cases are a violation of farmers’ rights.

GMOs are very common and are found in 80 percent of processed foods in the U.S. according to the Non-GMO Project.

Unfortunately, products containing GMOs are usually not labeled so people do not realize the harmful specimens they are consuming each and every day. GMOs

Photos Contributed under Creative Commons

have been linked to a massive increase in herbicide use, an additional 527 million pounds between 1996 and 2011, according to Fox News. These specimens can cause harm to your organs and lead to a risk of gastrointestinal and immune disorders, according to the Institute for Responsible Technology.

Now that you have learned what GMOs are and their harmful effects, how can you modify your diet? This answer starts at avoiding processed foods since products containing GMOs are often not labeled.

Whole Foods, for example, is a supermarket chain that labels all of its items with whether or not they contain GMOs, even though it is not required by the government. Their website

Scan to learn more about Fairfield fitness classes

Are Genetically Modified Foods worth the fight?

contains facts and tips about GMOs and their products, making it easier for shoppers to find healthier options. When shopping for non-GMO products, some helpful tips are that if it is labeled organic then it does not contain GMOs. Also, look for labels on meat to see if suppliers are using

Vs.

non-GMO feed for their animals. Finally, most produce does not contain GMOs according to Whole Foods’ website.

Most of the time it is hard to monitor what you are eating, but by learning about what is out there, you can help yourself to make better choices.

Page 10

THE MIRROR | Week of February 18, 2015

The Vine

Let Dre Dress You

By Andrea Butler Fashion Columnist

Hey Stags!

On Thursday, Feb. 26, Fairfield is hosting its Spring 2015 Career & Internship Fair. While this event does cater to business students, it still features a variety of companies looking to hire students from many different majors. There's a lot that goes into making a good first impression, but what you wear is arguably the most important factor. Here are some tips on looking professional, yet not boring.

Mixing patterns is a great way to be fashion-forward. The tip is to stay in the same color family, and make sure the pieces are tailored. Pair a black and white floral blouse with a black and white chevron blouse. Unexpected, stylish, yet also totally appropriate Black is many people's go-to when it comes to looking classy, and with good reason. (Seriously, all black makes everyone look better.) But if you don't want to look too funeral-esque, a bright colored blazer is the perfect way to accent an otherwise neutral blouse and dress pants.

As all Fairfield girls know, statement necklaces are outfit game-changers. Even a basic T-shirt can look business casual with the right necklace, granted that the rest of your ensemble is tailored.

The right outfit can make the right impression, and make you feel totally confident. So, proofread those resumes, dry clean those blazers and get ready to network!

Happy job hunting!

Love,

Dre Photos Contributed under Creative Commons

Sony and Disney thread Spider-Man's Web Sony has been producing Spider-Man movies since before Disney owned the rights to Marvel superheroes, but they cannot seem to garner the same popularity that Disney has acquired.

By Matthew Lazicky Contributing Writer

L

ast week, Sony and Disney came to an agreement to work together with the Spider-Man franchise, which means that Spider-Man will now be a part of the Marvel Universe that Disney has successfully been creating over the recent years.

Sony will continue to own the franchise and have the final say in

Contributed under Creative Commons

what happens to the web slinger, but Disney will be allowed to use Spider-Man in future movies. This works out perfectly for both companies since Spider-Man is one of the most popular comic characters in the Marvel Universe, and Disney has perfected the superhero genre.

This deal would mean that Sony would get great advertisement for a third attempt at a franchise reboot in 2017 whenever they lend the character to the ever successful Disney movies.

Although it seems that Sony benefits the most from this deal,

Disney actually comes out on top.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” was a box office hit about a comic that no one had heard about and now they will have the well-known Spider-Man at their disposal.

When Spider-Man is in Disney’s movies, then Disney gets the revenue from that movie. Disney had also already owned the merchandising license to Spider-Man, so bringing Spider-Man back into popularity also benefits them in that area.

For fans of the Marvel movies, this deal is the biggest news since the announcement of the first Avengers movie. SpiderMan influences a lot of the major storylines in the comics, including the Civil War series that will be portrayed in the third Captain America movie. This also means that the timeline of movies that Disney announced for the future will have to be redone to allow Spider-Man to fit.

For those fans that enjoyed the most recent series of Spider-Man movies, I am sorry to say that

everything is changing. Andrew Garfield, who has been playing Spider-Man in this most recent attempt, has already been rumored to be replaced in the new reboot.

However, no word has been said if this reboot will be a continuation of the most recent storyline or if they will just act like those two movies never happened.

As a fan of the Marvel movies, I am just hoping I do not have to sit through a third Spider-Man origin story in my lifetime.

No matter how they decide to continue the Spider-Man series, if this collaboration is successful, then it could be possible for other collaborations to happen.

Besides Sony and Disney, Fox also owns some of the Marvel characters, including the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, and is Disney’s only competitor in the superhero genre. If this collaboration between Sony and Disney does work, then maybe Fox will see its benefits and join in, which would completely bring the Marvel Universe back together again.

The Mirror | Week of February 18, 2015

The Vine

Book Look:

Koala On Campus Butter-knife

'Unbroken'

F

Page 11

By Georgina White Book Critic

or fans of “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption,” originally published in 2010 by Laura Hillenbrand, this new young adult version was recently released and contains new and engaging additions. Full of photos, many of which were from Louie Zamperini’s private collection, the book also includes Zamperini’s last interview with Hillenbrand. The film adaptation, directed by Angelina Jolie, was released this past Christmas, and has sparked controversy not only in Japan, but also in the U.S. Hillenbrand decided to create a young adult version of her #1 New York Times Bestseller to expand the audience for her book and to be a part of the trend to reach young adults. Hillenbrand believed Zamperini’s story should touch everyone’s life in some way, including the lives of children.

Jolie agreed, saying, “Every young person should have the chance to read this book.”

Zamperini ran a children’s camp and so was equally thrilled upon hearing of her idea for the book. The interview at the end of this new edition was Hillenbrand’s last recorded conversation with Zamperini before he passed away in the summer of last year. Hillenbrand even had the idea to ask students for question ideas so that she could conduct the interview from a young adult’s point of view.

The release of the book’s adaptation for younger readers created buzz for the movie, which already promised to be a thriving success.

For readers who have both read the book and seen the movie, you may have noticed the focus placed on Zamperini’s experience in the prisoner of war camp in Japan where he lived under the ruthless rule of “The Bird.”

However, in the book, his story is more equally divided between his childhood, race to the Olympics, survival on the open ocean, life as a Japanese prisoner and acceptance of Christianity.

Jolie has been criticized by some for instead crediting Louie’s newfound devotion to spirituality in general. In Japan, uber nationalists have slammed Jolie for being racist and the film for being historically inaccurate.

This was, after all, Zamperini’s account of his hellish ordeal during World War II, which is superbly depicted in Hillenbrand’s book and the newly adapted young adult version. Check out the book and the movie today to see for yourself.

Album Spoiler: Butch Walker's 'Afraid of Ghosts'

By Andrew DaRosa Album Columnist Butch Walker, since 1988, has provided the music world with a great assortment of compositions. However, his most recent piece, “Afraid of Ghosts,” feels wholesome while managing to tell a convincing story. The album, produced by the legendary Ryan Adams, sounds impeccable audiowise and strays away from his rock edge, often mellowing out acoustically.

At many instances, such as with “The Dark” and “Afraid of Ghosts,” the album sounds almost too much like Adams’ most recent Contributed Photo material. Yet, despite this fact, it is Butch Walker's "Afraid of Ghosts" tells a convincing story, but strays away from his very ambient and welcoming to rock edge. "Afraid of Ghosts" was released Feb. 3, 2015. the vision it aims to achieve.

“Father’s Day” is an especially powerful piece that explains Walker’s despair over the death of his father, whose passing largely affected Walker and caused him to write “Afraid of Ghosts.” With melodic percussions and a memorable guitar solo from Bob Mould, Walker certainly expresses his sadness but also his optimism regarding the future with his children.

On the other hand, Walker also enjoys focusing on the need to find love and often expresses it.

“How Are Things, Love?” is immensely passionate and carries such a deep groove that it is impossible not to enjoy this composition. Walker’s ballad “I Love You” is self-explanatory in its message, but what is most memorable about

this piece is the harmonies reached between Walker and the piano towards the end of the song.

“Chrissie Hynde” is a ballad that pays homage to “The Pretenders” singer. The chord styling of Walker is interesting, proving to be melodic and able to carry the song.

“21+” has Adams written all over it and sounds like it could fit right into a “Cardinals” album.

As the album carries on, one can hear the passion and effort placed into this album. While Walker often tries to sound like something he isn’t, he maintains his artistic integrity by telling extremely compelling stories. Ultimately, Walker has crafted an album that is worth the critical appraisal that it has received.

Coffee Break

THE MIRROR | Week of February 18, 2015

Page 12

COFFEE BREAK Editor: Allison White

... As Overheard in Barone Compiled By Allison White Coffee Break Editor

“Lava lamps are apparently trending now.”

Scan the QR code below with a smartphone to read more of this week’s overheard quotes!

“Three-day weekends are just a short hibernation.”

“If I said the words, ‘hey now, hey now,’ what is that followed by? ‘This is what dreams are made of.’”

“I need someone to rock me to sleep at night.”

“Why settle for Valentine’s Day when you can get chocolate on sale the next day?”

“In other news, the nuggets have made their spring semester debut.”

“Did it really snow if classes didn’t get cancelled?”

“Getting The Weekender is like a pat on the back for making it through another week.”

Tweet us your #OverheardBarone comments @FairfieldMirror and be featured next week!

t ’ n DoAsk Meg

Need horrible advice?

Submit a question to info@fairfieldmirror.com

Dear Meg, Valentine’s Day has passed and I received many presents from my boyfriend — except jewelry! For the past month, I have been sending him beautiful jewelry from Pandora and I got nothing. All he bought me was flowers and chocolate. How am I supposed to continue a relationship with him if I am not showered with gifts?

Sincerely, Single and Ready to Mingle Dear Single and Ready to Mingle, Valentine’s Day is definitely a time for boys to shower their girlfriends with gifts, especially jewelry. If he’s not buying you what you want, he’s not worthy. You deserve all the Pandora jewelry in the world! Maybe it’s time for a new boyfriend. There’s always next Valentine’s Day! Always keeping it real,

Meg

Play some...

Sudoku

How to play: Complete the puzzle by filling in numbers one through nine (with no repeats or missing numbers) in each column, row and 3x3 square.

Sports

Page 13

THE MIRROR | Week of February 18, 2015

Weekly 4x5

Because we have witty things to say ...

Patrick Kiernan Sports Editor

Jennifer Calhoun Executive Editor

Matthew Schneider Assistant Sports Editor

Jesse Erickson Assistant Sports Editor

Your 2014-2015 4x5 Columnists:

Patrick Kiernan, Jennifer Calhoun, Matthew Schneider and Jesse Erickson

How was your Valentine's Day spent?

What did you do with the long weekend?

Were you at the Rafferty Stadium opening on Saturday?

Best part of NBA All-Star Weekend?

Catch any of #SNL40?

Oh yeah, that was this past weekend. Umm, well I guess it was spent like any other normal day of mine.

Went home and caught up with the fam. Also, saw the new Spongebob movie on Sunday with my brother. I'm not that disinteresting of a person, I swear.

Yes. And it was SNOWING. And I had to take pictures. It was incredibly cold. Oh, that was Saturday?

Okay, then that's how I spent my Valentine's Day. Time well spent, right?

Zach LaVine killed it in the Dunk Contest. I hope he put it back on the map, because it has been embarrassing in years past.

Yeah, and Jeter did have the best SNL episode ever. Yeah, Jeets.

Yeah, Jeets.

I was on a film shoot, so better than usual.

I was on a film shoot ...

No ... I was on a film shoot .....

The Snapchat story.

Yeah, and I saw a moment that traumatized me for years as a child and is the reason I could never deadlift weights.

At the 'Grape, how romantic is that?

Went to the beach, shoutout to the Green Turtle!

Yeah, too bad the lacrosse team lost though.

Ariana Grande.

Why was Kanye lying down?

I tried to go to the gym but my tire was popped ... and then I went to work ... but then I spent the rest of the night with my one true love, "Grey's Anatomy."

I spent it with my one true love, "Grey's Anatomy" ... and my dog who you can see more of on my Instagram (waddupjesse.)

These questions all have a lot to do with my bad weekend.

I only know of this because it was on my Snapchat story ...

Also on my Snapchat story.

Stag Spotlight: Men's Lacrosse's Colin McLinden '15 and Tristan Sperry '15 What are your team expectations for this season?

McLinden: We’ve got all the pieces this year to be a successful team. We lost one player on offense, but we did lose quite a few players on defense. We’ve got some young guys coming in and they’ve put in the work in the offseason and throughout the fall. If we don’t win the Colonial Athletic Association Championship, it’s a failure this year, I believe.

Sperry: I think we’ve got really high expectations. We’re trying to win the CAA and then make a real run at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament.

Senior attack Colin McLinden.

Who’s the funniest teammate?

What are your thoughts on Rafferty Stadium?

What celebrity would you meet if given the chance?

McLinden: It’s unbelievable. It’s probably one of the top 10 facilities in the country now after what we’ve had last year which, for the past decade or so, was probably one of the worst facilities. So, I think it’s a big step up for Fairfield lacrosse and I think it’s going to help us in the future with recruits and getting fans and the local community to our games.

McLinden: I’d have to go with Rob Gronkowski. He just seems like a fun guy. I don’t know if you’ve seen his interviews after the Super Bowl, but he seems like a comical, fun guy to hang out with. But when he means business on the field, he does it right. He’s a very good player on and off the field.

Sperry: It’s awesome. I can’t wait to get out there and do right for the alumni and everybody else that has contributed to putting this stadium together for us.

Sperry: I’m going to go with Jay-Z. I want to see what he’s like. He’s got a bunch of different sides to him, and I’d like to see what he’s like socially.

What do you enjoy most about lacrosse?

What is your favorite lacrosse moment in life?

McLinden: I’ll give that to my roommate Tom Lukacovic ‘15. He’s a character in every way.

He knows every line to every movie, and if you ever watch a stupid movie like “The Interview” or “The Dictator” with him, he knows every line. He’ll make you laugh throughout the entire movie.

Sperry: I’ll go with Matt Borda ‘17. He’s a funny character and he’s always making the team laugh.

Sperry: Beating the number one team in the country, Denver, two years ago was a pretty special moment for me, especially at their home stadium.

McLinden: You go in every day with 45 of your best friends, and I can’t ask for much more than that.

McLinden: I attest to that [Tristan]. You don’t have many opportunities to beat the number one team in the country, so probably beating Denver as well two years ago.

Sperry: Just showing up to practice, working hard with my teammates and having fun with them every day.

See even more answers at FairfieldMirror.com!

Inside the Sports section this week:

Senior attack Tristan Sperry.

Photos contributed by Sports Information Desk

-Men's and women's spring tennis seasons are underway (Page 14) -Women's lacrosse wins snowy opener 11-2 (Page 14) -Miller leads Stags past Canisius (Page 15) -Men's basketball falls to Quinnipiac (Page 15) -Lacrosse splits first two games at Rafferty Stadium (Page 16)

Sports

Page 14

THE MIRROR | Week of February 18, 2015

Men's and women's spring tennis seasons are underway

By Jesse Erickson Assistant Sports Editor

This spring season, the men’s and women’s tennis teams will look to get a dual Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship as they prepare themselves for conference play.

Under the leadership of first year head coach Jeff Bricker, both teams will use their experience to get them ahead.

Last season, the women’s team finished second in the MAAC after falling to the Quinnipiac Bobcats. The team finished 12-10 overall and seven Stags earned All-MAAC honors including Monica Yajima ‘14, Sharissa Ryan ‘14, and Victoria Pirello ‘14, who have now all graduated from Fairfield. Although the loss of seniors is always an obstacle for teams, the Stags have a number of athletes who will be able to step up and replace the seniors who have graduated.

According to a pre-season poll, the Stags have been picked to finish second in the MAAC, once again behind Quinnipiac. However, the relatively-young team has brought competition to the court in the past and will continue to do so this season.

Senior Allison Radde has been a member of the team since her freshman year and has been a huge asset to the team. During her junior season, Radde primarily played at number three singles and number three doubles with her partner Kaila Nelson ‘17.

At number three doubles, she finished with an 8-7 record and as the season progressed, Radde was able to

post a five match victory streak. She was named to the All-MAAC Second Team for her spot in the singles lineup, as well as for doubles.

The underclassmen of the team have already helped bring the team success in out-of-conference play.

Sophomore Karen McKeough and her partner Radde led Lafayette 5-4 in their match at number one doubles.

Nelson, who earned the honor of All-MAAC Second Team last season, competed at number two doubles against Lafayette. The duo of Nelson and Erika Nannery ‘18 were able to defeat their opponents 6-4, showing that they will be a prominent pair in upcoming play.

With one year of Division 1 tennis under her belt, Nelson will need to prepare her doubles partner Nannery for college-level competition. Nannery is just one of five freshmen who have already begun playing competitively on the court.

The five freshmen represent about half of the team and already, only two matches into the season, they have made their mark.

Freshman Sarah Stuhlmann has competed in both matches at number one singles and she is expected to continue with a successful momentum for the team.

Although they are a young team, the experience they have now and continue to bring in the future will make them a threat to opponents as the season progresses.

Like the women’s team, the men’s team is also very young. After graduating only two seniors, this season the

team has been voted to finish fifth in the MAAC, but under the leadership of Bricker, the team hopes to finish even higher.

Junior Ofir Solomon has been a leader for the team during his last two years with the team. Last season, Solomon earned the honor of AllMAAC First Team for number two doubles, he was a part of the MAAC All-Academic Team and he was an Intercollegiate Tennis Association scholar athlete.

He primarily played at number two singles and posted a 21-4 record in singles play. Solomon is off to a positive start this season after defeating Lafayette at number one singles.

The four freshmen of the team will be expected to take on a larger role than most, but it shouldn't be anything out of their league, especially for Brad Orban ‘18. Orban, who played competitive tennis all throughout his high school career, entered the spring season on a high.

During the match against Yale University on Sunday, Feb. 1, Orban defeated the 95th ranked tennis player in Division 1 tennis. This accomplishment was just one of many that the team hopes Orban will bring this season and seasons to come.

As the season begins for both teams, out of conference play will prepare them for upcoming MAAC play. The women’s team is scheduled to take on Providence College on Saturday, Feb. 21, while the men’s team will take on Fairleigh Dickinson.

Both teams will be competing at the Solaris Club in Stamford, Conn.

Women's lacrosse wins snowy opener 11-2

By Patrick Kiernan Sports Editor In the first-ever Fairfield women’s lacrosse game at Rafferty Stadium, the Stags had to play with the snow coming down fairly hard.

However, the team was able to beat crosstown foe Sacred Heart. Junior

Julieanne Mascera led the way for the Stags recording a hat trick, while three other players scored two goals each.

Fairfield got on the board early with Maeve Quinn ‘16 scoring the first women’s lacrosse goal in Rafferty history, just 50 seconds into the game. Junior Colleen Reynolds and Alex Fehmel ‘17 would

Patrick Kiernan/The Mirror The women's lacrosse game saw a fair amount of attendance in the first half.

However, snow came down hard in the second half and attendance decreased.

follow up with goals of their own shortly after, giving the Stags an early 3-0 lead.

The Stags would let up just one goal for the rest of the half, while scoring another six of their own.

They held this momentum for the majority of the game, but especially in the first half. They scored on two out of three free position shots, one by Mascera and one by Fehmel.

Fairfield led in a number of different statistical categories by the end of the first half, including shots (16-4), ground balls (93) and draw controls (7-4). Other goals scored in the first half were recorded by Quinn, Reynolds, Mascera and Jenna Fuchs ‘16. Fairfield took a 9-1 lead into halftime.

In the second period, the game was more equal between Fairfield and Sacred Heart, and the snow began to fall even harder. The Stags were only able to score two goals in this half, while the Pioneers recorded one of their own.

The first Fairfield goal was scored early, as the team started out with momentum similar to that of the first half. Senior Jamie Leone scored just a bit over a minute in, making the score 10-1.

After this, neither team was able to score for the next 26 minutes,

This week in sports: Wednesday, February 18 Men's Lacrosse at Providence, 3 p.m.

Thursday, February 19 Men's Basketball vs. Niagara, 7 p.m.

Friday, February 20 Baseball at Georgetown, 3 p.m.

Men's Tennis vs. Fairleigh Dickinson, 8 p.m.

Saturday, February 21 Women's Basketball vs. Siena, 12 p.m.

Baseball at Georgetown, 1 p.m.

Men's Basketball vs. Saint Peter's, 2 p.m.

Women's Lacrosse vs. Rutgers, 2 p.m.

Men's Lacrosse at Manhattan, 5 p.m.

Women's Tennis vs. Providence, 8 p.m.

Sunday, February 22 Baseball at Georgetown, 1 p.m.

Monday, February 23 Women's Basketball vs. Marist, 8 p.m.

Contributed under Creative Commons

Contributed by Sports Information Desk

making the pace of play far different. Sacred Heart’s Caitlin Delaney scored with 2:26 to go, and Mascera answered back with her hat trick, securing the goal with 1:08 left. As the clock ran out, the Stags won their first game of the season, and the first game at Rafferty Stadium, at a score of 11-2.

Goalkeeper and Preseason All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Con-

ference selection Chelsey Sidaras ‘16, played all but five minutes of Saturday’s contest, recording eight saves and allowing just one goal.

Overall, the Stags outshot the Pioneers 26-13, had a 19-13 advantage in ground balls and a 9-6 advantage in draw controls.

The Fairfield women’s lacrosse team will go on to host Rutgers on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 2 p.m.

Sports

THE MIRROR | Week of February 18, 2015

Page 15

Miller leads Stags past Canisius

Patrick Kiernan/The Mirror Forward Kristine Miller '17 went 6-6 from the field, finishing with 14 points, 10 rebounds and four steals.

By Alfredo Torres Contributing Writer This Friday, the Fairfield Stags edged Canisius 61-58, to win their sixth consecutive home game. The Stags were led by forward Kristine Miller ‘17. Miller finished the game perfect from the field, going six for six in shooting for 14 points, followed by her 10 rebounds and four steals.

This is the second consecutive game against Canisius where Miller has finished the game perfect from the field. In her previous game against Canisius, she finished with the same amount of points and also shot 6-6 from the field.

“Wow, there are not enough superlatives to describe the way she played tonight,” said

head coach Joe Frager. “6-6 from the floor, had a double-double — she’s really maturing into a fine player for us. When we recruited her, we knew she had the potential to do those things. I think it’s all been a matter of confidence for her. When Mills believes in herself, I think the sky's the limit for us. She did a great job today.”

The Stags started the game hot as they came out shooting and scoring the first six points of the game and shooting 50 percent from the field.

With just under 10 minutes left in the half, Casey Smith ‘17 committed two straight fouls and was forced to sit out the rest of the half.

With Smith’s absence, forward Kelsey

Carey ‘17 and guard Margeaux Dupuy ‘16 dropped two more points, but after anothstepped up from the bench to finish the half er foul by Canisius, Miller went to the line with six and five points, respectively. where she knocked down both of her shots “We all had to pick it up, we all have to to close out the game for the Stags as they step up,” said Miller. “Smitty’s a huge scor- finished the game 61-58. er, huge rebounder for our game, a game “When we play hard, we can beat anychanger. So, we all knew with her being out one,” said Miller. “When we stick to our we all had to step up our game 100 percent.” scouting report and listen to what our The Stags finished the half shooting just coaches say, then we’re a very hard team to under 50 percent as they led by one, 26-25. beat.”

As the second half started, the Stags “We’re just scratching and clawing to get continued to move the ball effectively and a lot of these wins,” said Frager. “Some of knock down big shots. them aren’t works of art and when you get “We played with a lot more freedom in into league play this deep in the season, evthe second half,” said Frager. “First half, we eryone knows each other so well. Towards were tight as a drum. We were tentative; we the end of the year, games get ugly, they get got into many deep shot clock situations. In low scoring, but as long as you’re the one the second half, we were a lot more aggres- with more points at the end, that’s what sive and the ball didn’t stick as much. The matters right now.” ball moved more and that was a big key.”

The Stags look to continue their hot play As the half rolled on, both teams contin- as they take on Siena in the friendly conued to drop points in a back and forth man- fines of Webster Bank Arena on Feb. 21. ner. However, just as it seemed that Canisius was cutting the lead, the Stags came to knock down clutch shots to increase their lead.

With just 18 seconds left in the game, the Stags held a two-point lead, 58-56. With time running down, Carey came in clutch with a huge steal, followed by two successful free throws.

This was a pivotal possession for Canisius as they looked to tie or Patrick Kiernan/The Mirror take the lead. Canisius Junior Margeaux Dupuy scored 14 points against Canisius.

Men's basketball falls to Quinnipiac

By Alfredo Torres Contributing Writer After a strong effort by the Fairfield men’s basketball team on Friday, they came up short against Quinnipiac with a final score of 60-59.

Coming into the game, the Stags were shorthanded as both Amadou Sidibe ‘16 and Malcolm Gilbert ‘15 were not in uniform.

“We were shorthanded, but nobody really cares about that,” said head coach Sydney Johnson.

“I thought our guys played off the charts. It had a fair amount to do with the guys that were out there. It’s Mike [Kirkland Jr.] ‘16, it’s Coleman [Johnson] ‘16; they showed a lot of heart. Coleman had a big bounce back game ... and Kevin Degnan ‘18, as a freshman, I just loved the passion that I saw tonight.”

The Stags started the game slow, struggling to knock down shots. They began 2-7 from the field with a few turnovers to give Quinnipiac the early lead.

Quinnipiac was able to defend the three-point shots well, as Fairfield shot just 2-13 from beyond the three-point line.

Fairfield was outrebounded during the first half, as well, as Quinnipiac was able to grab 28 boards, nine more than Fairfield.

As the half rolled on, the Stags found ways to score and quietly remain in the picture. Fairfield

was led by forward Steve Smith ‘17 and guard Jerome Segura ‘18, as they each added six points, 12 of the team’s 21 points of the first half.

“I think our execution was a little bit choppy. There were some things that were open that we didn’t convert, and then missed a few shots,” said Johnson. “We were 2-13 at the half from the three [point line]. I think in the second half we settled in and did a much better job.”

As the second half started, the offense of the Stags seemed to change dramatically. They were doing a great job of moving the ball and running a patient offense.

Just as the Stags were battling to get back in the game, the Bobcats kept attacking and knocking down shots from beyond the arc. Senior forward Justin Harris led Quinnipiac with 23 points and nine rebounds, one shy of a double-double.

“He made some big jump shots and when he’s got that in his game, it spreads you out,” said Johnson.

“Anytime a big guy can make 15 to 20 foot jump shots that certainly adds an element that puts a lot of pressure on defense. I thought we overcame all that. At the end of the day, we had two shots to win it.”

With time running down, the Stags, led by Marcus Gilbert ‘16, made one final push. Gilbert added 12 points in the second half, where he converted two shots

from beyond the arc.

Fairfield finally took the lead with just 2:19 left in the game.

Both teams played strong defense as time was running out. With less than 25 seconds left in the game, Fairfield was down by one.

“We can win; more importantly, the guys in the huddle were saying they could win,” said Johnson. “It’s these guys that need to believe as much as we do and they certainly did tonight.”

Gilbert took a jumper to win the game and missed, but picked up his own rebound and attempted a layup under heavy traffic. His last-second shot did not fall, and just like that, Quinnipiac edged the Stags.

“No secret, we’re trying to get it to our best guy,” said Johnson.

“Credit them. They have two guys that they can look for [Ousmane] Drame and [Zaid] Hearst. Marcus is our guy and got two looks; fumbled the first and kept playing.

He was right there to get the second one, a putback. Somehow it just didn’t get up there to the rim.”

After the game, Johnson said nothing but great things about his team’s performance: “Their heart and passion was fantastic and it filled the building and that’s how we have to be every time we take the floor.”

The Stags will hope to get back on track in their next game against Niagara this Thursday at 7 p.m.

Patrick Kiernan/The Mirror Freshman Tyler Nelson (above) finished with 15 points and led with four assists.

@MirrorSports Fairfield Mirror Sports Week of February 18, 2015

fairfieldmirror.com

SPORTS 16 Sports Editor: Patrick Kiernan » sports@fairfieldmirror.com

Lacrosse splits first two games at Rafferty Stadium

Read Women's Lacrosse on Page 14

Patrick Kiernan/The Mirror Fairfield's men's lacrosse team led early in Saturday's contest with Holy Cross, leading 5-2 halfway through the second period, but dropped the game 10-9 in their inaugural game at Rafferty Stadium.

By Travis Day Contributing Writer The Stags began their inaugural season at Rafferty Stadium with a narrow 10-9 non-conference loss to the Holy Cross Crusaders on Saturday.

Fairfield owned the run of the play in the first period with Tristan Sperry '15 notching the first goal just over a minute into the game. He netted his second goal two and a half minutes later, and the Stags would led 2-0 at the 11:17 mark.

Sophomore Dave Fleming would push the lead to 3-0 with a goal assisted by Drew Federico '15 with 8:40 left on the clock. Holy Cross would barely have possession until deep into the period, but Sean Wilkinson would net his first of the game for the Crusaders at 7:13. Senior Colin McLinden would answer back with a goal at 5:43 to keep the Stags ahead, and they would take a 4-1 lead into the break.

Fairfield held a 4-2 edge in fa-

ceoffs, a 10-5 advantage in shots and grabbed six ground balls in the first period.

Both defenses would settle into a stronger rhythm in the second period, with Holy Cross earning much more time in Fairfield's half. Wilkinson would net his second goal of the game for the Crusaders to pull the score to 4-2 two and a half minutes in; but, Sperry would respond with another goal for the Stags one minute later to secure a hat trick of his own. The game would take a slower turn with both sides trading long possessions before Sperry found T.J. Neubauer '16, who fired home his first goal of the game to give the Stags a 6-2 lead. Holy Cross would pull one back just over a minute later to halve the lead to 6-3 with 7:36 left in the half. Neither side would find the back of the net again before halftime.

Fairfield still held the advantage in shots (18-13) and ground balls (13-11), but committed seven turnovers in the second period.

The second half saw the Holy

Cross offense look much more dangerous in Fairfield’s half of the field.

The Crusaders would notch two more goals in the opening 11 minutes to pull the score to 6-5 before Fairfield would get on the board again for the first time since the 8:57 mark of the second period. Neubauer scored his second goal of the game with 7:17 to play in the third.

Crusader Marc Buermann would exchange goals with Neubauer again, and the Stags would remain up by one with 1:38 to play. With five seconds left in the period, Logan LeBlond snuck in his second goal of the game for Holy Cross to knot the score at 8-8 entering the final period.

The Stags again led the period in shots (26-21), ground balls (21-20) and faceoffs (10-9). However, goalkeeper Michael Ortlieb kept Holy Cross on the offensive with eight saves in the third. Fairfield also committed 10 turnovers, and continually found themselves struggling to clear the ball.

Neubauer scored his fourth goal

of the game early in the fourth period, firing home a pass from Sperry at the 13:40 mark to edge the Stags ahead 9-8. This was the last time Fairfield would find the back of the net. Holy Cross grinded out long possessions throughout the rest of the final period. Clay Haarmann scored his first goal of the game with 6:47 on the clock to tie the game at 9-9 before fellow teammate Terry McKenna put away an unassisted goal of his own with 3:40 to play, giving the Crusaders a 10-9 lead that the Stags could not overcome before the final whistle.

Although Fairfield continued to narrowly lead in nearly all categories — 39-32 in shots, 30-27 in ground balls, 13-10 in faceoffs — they could not make the most of their offensive opportunities.

Down the stretch, the pace of Holy Cross began to wear on the Stag defense, whose efficiency in front of the net proved the difference maker.

“We failed to clear the ball seven or eight times,” head coach Andy

Copelan said. “We ended up playing a lot of defense, then all of a sudden we couldn't get into any offensive rhythm that we were able to get into early.”

In his first career start, Brad Nordstrom '18 tallied nine saves for the Stags.

“We believe in Brad,” Copelan said. “We knew his talent when we recruited him. He has exceeded all expectations, and he earned that starting nod today.”

“We've always been able to play the underdog role, and we've always been able to be the hunter. We have all of a sudden become the hunted.

Every opponent is going to give us an A-plus effort, and we're going to have to get used to that.”

Fairfield (0-1, 0-0 Colonial Athletic Association) now begins a five-game road trip, first visiting Providence College on Feb. 17 before taking on Manhattan College on Feb. 21. The Stags return to Rafferty Stadium on March 14 to host Colgate University.

Patrick Kiernan/The Mirror The Stags were mostly paced on offense by T.J. Neubauer '16 (left center) who had a team-leading four goals as well as 10 shots attempted, five of which were on goal.