The Aquilian February 2019 Volume 81, Number 4
By: Luke Elliott ‘21 Contributor
Gonzaga College High School Men For Others Since 1821
19 Eye St, NW Washington, DC 20001
The McKenna Center Renovation
Early in January the Father McKenna Center, in the basement of St. Al’s, began what will be a year of renovations. Dr. Kimberly Cox, President of the McKenna Center, says that the five main aspects of the renovations include increasing the number of bathrooms, expanding the number of seats in the dining room, adding a classroom/meeting room for small groups, upgrading the food pantry, and creating new offices for the Center’s staff. Dr. Cox and the McKenna Center team are concerned with upholding the dignity of the men who come through the Center’s doors. By only having three bath-
room stalls and not enough tables for people to eat at during mealtimes, the setting can be rather uncomfortable. There are five different groups that eat in the Center, and it provide safe spaces for the men to share their feelings and get the support they need to make changes in their lives. These groups currently meet in the library, which also acts as the main hallway between the chapel and the offices, so there is no truly private setting for the men right now. The food pantry does not have heating or air conditioning, which is particularly unsafe in the winter and summer months. “This is not good for the food that we have in storage, and it is even worse for our food pantry patrons, many of whom
are elderly,” says Cox. As of right now, two of the staff members are using old closets as offices, which makes it impossible to hold a private meeting with someone. Dr. Cox says that the planning for these renovations has been going on for several years. The previous director of the McKenna Center began the process with the McKenna Center Board of Directors back in 2013, the same year that the first draft of the plan was created. In the fall of 2015, the Board held a strategic planning retreat and identified the McKenna Center’s need for improving its facilities as one of its four strategic priorities. Dr. Cox met with the principal architect of the project from Stoiber + Associates, Jeff Stoi-
ber, in early 2016. They had many conversations about the uses of the facilities, the mission of the Center, and all of the programs that take place. Dr. Cox describes being able to imagine the future of the McKenna Center and the great impact it will have on people’s lives as a “gift.” The staff at the McKenna Center have been preparing the men for these long renovations for quite a while. They will take a quarter of the Center out of commision during each of the four phases of construction. Cortez McDaniel, Director of Services for the Center, says, “We have made do far too long in making the basement of a church function as a social services center. I am happy that we will have
It’s Academic, p.3
Mr. MOCO Snow, p. 5
Squash, p.6
The Oscars, p.7
a building that reflects the mission. I believe the men will be proud to say they come to the Father McKenna Center for services and that they got to be here when the upgrade took place.” One of Dr. Cox’s favorite comments from the men is, “don’t make it too nice - no one will want to leave!” Dr. Cox emphasizes that Gonzaga students make an immense difference when they serve at the Center during their lunch periods. She hopes that the renovations will not deter students from continuing to do so. She added that the biggest thing you can do is to bring “warmth and friendliness with you to put smiles on peoples’ faces.” Dr. Cox and the rest of Continued on p. 2
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McKenna Center
Continued from p. 1 the McKenna Center team take pride in providing a personal connection to everyone who comes in the door. Dr. Cox is thankful for “families from Gonzaga who have been bringing dinner into the Hypothermia/Transition Program. They have shown great flexibility and adaptability in working around some of
the work being done in the kitchen.” Another way that the renovations are affecting Gonzaga is that Campus Kitchen is operating out of the GMC kitchen by the gym. The Center will continue to provide services throughout the renovations. Dr. Cox says that “it would not be true to our mission to stop hunger and homelessness do not take any time off.” She is
I am a Timezone
grateful that the men, the vol- By: Lucas Scheider Galiñanes ‘19 unteers, and the staff of the Senior Contributor McKenna Center are so willPass through and let me ask ing and open to being flexible sleep deprecated people and during this time. Everyone is yawns and sighs and prepared for the planned and rubbed eyelids unplanned changes that will and lagging legs and jetting sets happen from day to day. Evred eights and blaring alarms: eryone is excited about the I am a night drive I am skipped ticks and inner clickings renovations and the end reI am a surprise for the love in the corner sults that will surely enhance the mission of the Center. But where is my depth
When all I am is life a lag between night and day? When all I am is a drunkenly scribbled kind of line in the sand that Sans-Serif defines as right outside of Chicago? What is the silence of dusk but me whispering soothinglyUnsettling reminders of what Wasn’t possible between you? What is a dimmed oil lampWhat is a slowly diminishing piano trickle and Saxophone’s goodnight but a facet of my being?
With help from the Gonzaga Poets & Writers, The Aquilian plans to feature a work of poetry written by a Gonzaga Student in each issue.
Photo By: Peter Rizzo ‘19
Valentine’s Day in Review By: Keegan Foley ‘21 Contributor February 14, 2019. Success? Failure? How can you tell? Take a look at The Aquilian’s guide to Valentine’s Day and figure out how you rank. Did you...
ate memories? Writing a poem to express your love is memorable. Flowers and Chocolate are the tradition gifts given during Valentine’s day. Make sure your chocolates do not melt and make sure your flowers look pretty and new.
Make sure to set a reminder for yourself so you had time to buy your Valentine a gift?
We really hope you didn’t...
Make your gift by hand? Store bought gifts are very common and thoughtful, but what can exceed store bought gifts are homemade gifts. Showing that you took time to make a gift shows how much you care.
Overdo things. It should be a relatively chill day.
Ask your Valentine Make sure you were being what they would like original and not recycling an to receive from you. It idea from a previous Valen- should be a surprise to tine’s Day? them.
Make a gift that will cre-
Write them an email or text message. Writing a well-thought-out card shows the effort and time you put in for them.
The Aquilian Founded In 1940 Gonzaga College High School 19 Eye Street NW Washington, DC 20001 Men For Others in the Jesuit Tradition Since 1821
Black History Month
By: James Owan ‘21 Buy them a piece of clothing Contributor that does not fit. You should Black History Month is know their size when buying an annual celebration of the a gift. achievements of notable figures in American history. Use a device when you spent Black History Month time together. Focus on the dates back to 1915 and was time you spend with your founded by Carter G. WoodValentine and enjoy yourself son along with Jesse E. with them because you will Moorland. This was originalnever get back those prely called the Association for cious moments. the Study of Negro Life and History. Eventually this grew into a National Negro Week and then the whole month of February became Black History Month. February also happens to be the month in which birthdays for important figures such as Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln are celebrated. The theme for this year is “Black Migration” and how African Americans dealt with these new situations. For exEditor-in-Chief Daniel Podratsky ‘19 Photo Editor Peter Rizzo ‘19
ample, with more families being relocated, people such as Langston Hughes had a role in cultivating a new musical culture in the Harlem Renaissance. If you are interested in attending events for Black History month there are many in Washington, D.C. such as Emancipation Proclamation Family Activities at the National Archives. Gonzaga is planning its celebration of Black History Month with an all school assembly in the church of St. Aloysius on February 27, 2019.
Editors Patrick Begala ‘19 Andy Borman ‘19 Tommy Fisher ‘20 Josh Knutsen ‘20 Jack Martino ‘20 Adam Wojciak ‘20 Moderator: Dr. Harry Rissetto
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Maximum Effort - It’s Academic By: Tommy Fisher ‘20 Editor Q: What’s one of the most challenging and information-filled clubs at Gonzaga? A: It’s Academic.
Gonzaga’s It’s Academic club meets weekly to practice to be on It’s Academic, the world’s longest-running TV quiz show. The show, sponsored by Giant Food since its inception, has been running since 1961 on NBC4 in Washington, DC, with area high schools competing against each other weekly. Members typically play one or two trivia games each week to prepare for the competition. In addition, they memorize lists of material that come up frequently on the show. For example, they might memorize lists of authors and their favorite books, or study the periodic table in order to be able to answer questions more rapidly
when they are presented on the show. In addition, they have the option to compete in local quiz bowls to hone their skills. The club is moderated by Mr. Heetderks, Chairman of the Science Department. This year, a team consisting of Joe Boland (’19), Stephen Sloniewsky (’19) and Alex Gerlach (‘21), along with Riley Grohowski (‘21), who served as an alternate, squared off against McLean High School and Osbourne High School, both from Virginia, in September. The show aired on NBC in October. McLean won, despite a respectable showing from Gonzaga. According to Mr. Heetderks, Gonzaga has faced stiff competition in recent years from “powerhouse” Virginia schools, but we did win the entire season in 1998. Mr. Heetderks began overseeing the club 3-4 years ago after long-time moderator, Father Meehan, retired. Heetderks participated in a quiz bowl in high
school and enjoys trivia, so it was an easy fit for him to get back into the trivia business. His favorite part of the club is the competition and “seeing the guys get cutthroat about winning a trivia game against each other.” While the show has been lucky enough to be aired from the same studio for 58 seasons, Mr. Heet-
grading midterms and was looking forward to Christmas break. My friend and I had stumbled onto Final Fantasy X while in a video game store, not realizing that it had come out for the PS2 just a week previously. Over that break, I was able to complete a game that I still call my favorite of all time. FF X follows upbeat protagonist Tidus, who has been swept away from his futuristic city into the more primitive Spria. There, he meets a colorful cast of characters as he joins with
fellow protagonist Yuna in her pilgrimage to defeat Sin, the destructive force that plagues Spira. FF X has a pretty typical RPG plot, but it illustrates for me what the video game genre can do when it is at its best. The stories in video games are able to play out over a longer period of time, allowing you to get close to the characters and enjoy them more than you might in a two-hour movie. As the player of the game, you have control over how the characters move, who
derks expressed concern about the lack of venue for It’s Academic for the next season. The NBC4 studio where the show has been taped since its start is set to undergo major renovations. Presently, It’s Academic show has no studio in which to film after the current season and is looking for a temporary home. Gon-
zaga, as well as the 80 other Washington area schools that compete on the show each season, are crossing their fingers that the show finds a new home soon. Where will It’s Academic end up? That might the hardest question for the contestants to answer.
Final Fantasy X - A Heetderks Review
By: Mr. John Heetderks Faculty Contributor “Maybe Final Fantasy just wasn’t meant to have voice actors,” my friend said as we played the questionable first 20 minutes of the game together. I would discover that a weak beginning would not stop me from becoming totally immersed in a story that illustrates the best of what video games are able to do as a genre. It was December of 2001. I had just finished
they talk to, and where they go, unlike in other media. The video game can then present this game play and story in a vivid, colorful world full of great music and sounds. Video games aren’t always great, but when a game gets all these aspects right, it can be an unforgettable few weeks. FF X is a game that gets it all right. The world of Spira has a vibrant color palette. The characters are positive and joyful. No need for the black and gray of FF VII and its morose characters. The story unfolds at a perfect pace, leaving the player always looking to move on as things don’t always seem to be how they first appear. The battle system and character growth systems, while probably somewhat simple by today’s standards, are engaging and don’t get boring. Finally, the excellent music sets the tone for the
world and its characters. Final Fantasy X is nearly 20 years old, and that has begun to show. The voice acting, motion capture and cut scenes are hit-or-miss and can probably seem clunky to someone used to the excellence of a game like The Last of Us or Horizon Zero Dawn. The graphics, while cutting edge for 2001, are still nowhere near today’s standards, and things you probably take for granted when playing a modern game, such as camera rotation or saving anywhere, were not around for FF X. In 2001, my friend and I had to take a little bit of a chance on things that we were not used to in games. But, get past the age, as we got past the voice acting, and you can play through a story and experience that is only possible in a video game and is the best the genre has to offer. The HD remastered edition of FF X is available for the PS4 and will come out on the Xbox One and Switch in April.
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The Adjacent K-Street Lot Konundrum
By: Danny Podratsky ‘19 Editor-in-Chief First came the men with clipboards. Then bulldozers and excavators stared down the rows of housing in the Sursum Corda neighborhood. Now, nothing remains now but a large, gaping hole in the ground. The many of us who park in the adjacent K Lot, or who stare out the windows of social studies and math class, cannot not help but notice the large-scale construction project taking place the past few months near Eye Street. The affordable public housing in Suma Corda is now relegated to history. It was built in 1968 under the guidance and leadership of our own Father Horace McKenna. He chose the name Sursum Corda from a Mass expression in Latin that trans-
lates to “Lift up your hearts.” Sursum Corda Co-operative apartments offered almost 200 low-income housing units to Northwest D.C. The area, however, has seen periods of drugs and violence, especially during the 1980s and even into the early 2000s, sparking earlier demolitions of some of the housing units. A plan to demolish the remaining units and further develop the area was announced in 2015, according to Michael Neibauer in the Washington Business Journal. We now are seeing the plan come to fruition. D.C. has currently faces a housing crisis for low-income families. A 2018 D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute report suggests that 30,000 affordable housing units are needed. Extremely low-income housing, defined by the In-
stitute as families earning 30 percent of the area median family income, or $33,000 for a family of four, would require the D.C. government to budget housing on the same level as public education. The Institute commends D.C. for preserving affordable homes, but noted the need for creating new affordable homes to lower the risk of homelessness. In its proposal to D.C. legislators, the Sursum Corda community called their construction initiative a chance to reenergize their community. Scheduled to occur in multiple stages over the course of the next few years, the initiative will increase the density of house units in the area by over six times. It is intended to create
a “mixed-use and mixed-income community.” It is unclear, though, what percentage of the new housing will
Nowadays, though, Trump is president, which means that the president will fight for what he wants no matter what. President Trump, as we all know, does things differently than past presidents, for better or for worse. Because of this, the president handled the shutdown differently than others would have. President Trump was elected to the highest office because he was headstrong and would not let anything stand in his way, even a 35day shutdown. The president made a promise during his campaign to build a wall at the US-Mexico border and he intends to deliver his promises - he is willing to close the government for national security. Many border patrol agents agree that a wall will be useful and effective in protecting refugees and controlling human and drug flow into our great country. The fact is, a wall will work and walls have always worked. The only question for the Democrats is a very simple one: is it a good investment of our money at this time? The government spends almost a billion dollars on unnecessary printing, so $5 billion dollars for an effective wall is a good investment. Because top Democratic leaders have been elected to specifically oppose the president, they will never try to compromise with him, nor
will President Trump agree to give the left what it wants. On January 8, 2019, the forty-fifth President of the United States gave his first address to the nation. During his address, President Trump called the southern border a “crisis of the soul,” citing that many women and children are sexually and verbally assaulted at the border. This abuse is simply unacceptable, and we must first gain control of the situation with a wall before we can protect these victims. Trump reminded us that a wall will “keep loved ones in” and protect them from the few gangs, drugs, and rapists who come through the border. After looking into many news outlets, I have discovered that even organizations like The Washington Post agree that Trump provided various true facts to support the wall. One surprising thing that I discovered while writing this article was that several opponents to the wall, such as former president Barack Obama, have spoken in support of a physical border. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer responded to this address by exaggerating the president’s words and using Trump’s tweets as counter-evidence to the wall. While Pelosi and Schumer used words like ‘mean’ and ‘rude’ to describe the wall, any border agent would instead use words like
‘effective’ and ‘necessary’ to describe the border policy. With 43 million Americans watching the addresses, Trump successfully increased his approval rating by 2%, according to rasmussen.com. President Trump made a successful argument for the wall and for border security. One common counterargument to the wall is that not many people or drugs have actually come through the physical southern border. However, Trump clearly pointed out during his address that, at the southern border, hundreds of women and children are abused and assaulted on their way to a better life. Also, according to USA Today, 90% of heroine, 88% of cocaine, and 87% of meth are seized at the southern border by border agents. This is a disastrous national emergency that must be controlled at once. Throughout the final days of the shutdown, one of the most significant compromises by Trump was the DACA compromise. DACA is an unconstitutional institution created by Obama that allowed illegal ‘dreamers’ to gain citizenship after entering illegally at a young age. The president decided to allow DACA to remain in place for three more years and open the government if the Democrats provide $5.7 billion for the wall. The Democrats, led by Speaker Pelosi, decided
be affordable for low-income households, and how this project meshes with D.C.’s broader housing plans.
OpEd - DC Government Shutdown and a Wall By: Matthew Dowd ‘22 Contributor On December 22, 2018, the United States’ longest government shutdown in history began. It lasted thirtyfive days before ending in a temporary agreement. In the beginning, during a press conference and interview with Chuck Schumer and other government leaders, President Donald Trump said that he was “proud to shut down the government for border security.” That statement has clearly been altered since the interview. Throughout this shutdown, both political parties have let down the American people by focusing on political agendas rather than morals. When the shutdown began, it seemed like any normal Trump shutdown with Trump tweeting about how the Democrats had not been able to compromise; however, when the shutdown reached 20 days, it became clear that both sides were not cooperating. Our country has never seen anything like this before. The longest government shutdown prior to this one was a 21-day shutdown during the Clinton administration. Back then, the mere thought of a month-long shutdown would have sent shivers down America’s spine.
not to accept this offer that any politician would normally pounce at. Once Pelosi did not accept this rarely bipartisan deal, Trump made an even better one. This new deal included a three week opening of the government for only a small amount of money as down payment for the wall. Although this deal does seem extremely beneficial for the Democratic Party, Pelosi again disregarded this deal. Finally, the president, desperate to open the government for the American people, offered to open the government with no money for the wall; of course, the bill passed. The government opened again. So what will this mean for the next month? Well, I think that there are several options. The government will either remain open or will close again with both sides refusing to budge or compromise. Either way, America has always recovered from setbacks such as this. We recovered from the 1929 stock market crash and got the economy back on track. In World War II, we overcame the Nazis and came out a better nation. Now, if we come together not as Democrats and Republicans but as Americans, we will overcome this shutdown and come out a safer, better nation.
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Honor & Respect: An Interview with Mr. Cerra By: Rowan Kreischer ‘20 Contributor Mr. Anthony Cerra is the most recent addition to Student Services and is in his second year at Gonzaga College High School. One Thursday during my lunch period, I had the privilege of interviewing Mr. Cerra about his life, hobbies, and work at Gonzaga. When asked about why he chose to work at Gonzaga, Mr. Cerra said, “You know it’s the community, the welcoming staff, and really the spirit of the students.” When asked about his age, Mr. Cerra did not comment so the students would not “know too much.” Since it was around lunchtime, Mr. Cerra and I talked about the best spots to grab food at Union Sta-
tion. According to Mr. Cerra, it just “depends on the day.” For instance, Mr. Sierra Mist said, “when I’m going solo, it’s always Cava with that arugula-lentil base with the spicy lamb.” After a long week, Mr. Cerra said that he and the other members of Student Services might stroll down to Chick-Fil-A. Obviously, Mr. Cerra has acquired quite the palette for the finer things in life. Steering the questions back towards his role at Gonzaga, Mr. Cerra said that his favorite “game” to play with the students in after-school JUG is “Stare at the Dot,” which Mr. Cerra boasts to have created himself. Although it seems somewhat tedious and cruel on the surface, Mr. Cerra says that it helps the students to reflect on their day and break away from their
devices for at least the hour pulled a pink Suorin out of that he loves working with they spend in JUG. his desk drawer and asked them, but his job would be a On the topic of devices, if I knew what it was. That lot easier if they remembered Mr. Cerra has always seen alone answered my question. their absent notes, came in on his age group as “before the Ending the interview on a time, wore proper dress code, internet curve” and free from constructive note, Mr. Cerra and respected others. that constant need to stare wants all the students to know at screens. He recounted how, in high school, he started using computers and told his teacher, “you know kids could really get addicted to this stuff.” With the word addiction in my mind, I transitioned to the recent vaping epidemic that has hit high schools across the US as well as Gonzaga. When I asked Mr. Cerra if he thought it was a The Aquilian Collectible Photo Series #17/#45- Suitable for Locker Display/Framing problem, he quickly
An Interview with MOCO Snow By: Josh Knutsen ‘20 Editor Here at Gonzaga, we all enjoy a good snow day. Whenever winter weather rolls around, you can find many young Eagles ignoring their teachers´ notes and instead refreshing MoCo Snow’s twitter page to reveal the latest pencil prediction. While his meteorological prophecies seem to be a given at this point, Mr. Alex Tsironis’s forecast service has not always been the well oiled machine we know and love today. As the brunt of winter’s precipitation hits the DMV, I decided to interview the CEO of MoCoSnow and learn more about his life as Montgomery County’s most beloved man. Here’s what I found. Us students love miss-
Photo Credit: Montgomery Community Media
ing school whenever possible and greatly appreciate it when Mother Nature gives us a break with a few inches of snow. Growing up in Montgomery County, Mr. Tsironis had a similar point of view. Even through adulthood when he became a teacher, the same excitement persisted during those wintry days, inspiring him to make predictions in his classes and around campus. As his accuracy continued, one of Mr. Tsironis’s students suggested he take up social media and broadcast these forecasts online. In his first winter on Twitter, MoCoSnow reached 1,000 followers before continuing to blow up in the coming years. With this newfound success and popularity, he assembled a team to run the various so-
cial media accounts. Today, the MoCoSnow team makes sure that all online platforms are maintained, updating statuses, posting tweets, and responding to comments, along with the CEO himself. A student of his actually created the current iOS app. With the online following continuing to grow, Tsironis has plans to create an app for Android and further the MocoShow enterprise: “a website, social media account, and podcast that are about MoCo news, entertainment, history, food, and giveaways!” He started this site as a hobby, and while it has grown to much more than that, it is evident that the same genuine enjoyment goes into our favorite weatherman’s predictions each and every winter.
TOP #10 FCPS Closings of All Time By: Gabriel Brady ‘21 Contributor
Number #9 Number #5 Superintendent sees 13 degrees Sets world record in 2004 for Celsius and assumes that means preemptive cancellation in June Editor’s Note: It is worth men- it’s cold Number #4 tioning that star reporter, GaRussians hacked the FCPS softbriel Brady, had to sift through Number #8 The infamous Wind Week of ware and cancelled school to the #246,783 recorded FCPS 2011 weaken the American youth closings since 1870 to compile this fictive list. That’s a lot of Number #3 time in the Aquilian archives, a Number #7 Superintendent sees Canadian Cancels school just to test lot of microfilm, and a lot of Hot flag, suddenly feels cold and emergency preparedness Pockets. cancels school Number #2 Number #10 Number #6 FCPS superintendent watches The “Twenty Seven Day Delay Cancels school just to laugh at “Snow White,” cancels next Streak” of 1995 MoCo Students two weeks of school
Number #1 Superintendent sees winter weather advisory for Vienna (Austria)
Photo Credit: Really Big Snowy Mountain
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To .500 & Beyond! By: Finn Cousins ‘21 Contributor
The Eagles baseball program has moved forward this year and hired a new head coach, Mr. Chad Carroll. A Gonzaga alum who played baseball for the eagles his Freshman and Sophomore years, but eventually moved on to play at Oakton for his last two years of high school. Coach Carroll worked last year with former head coach, Andy Bradley, and is coming on to the scene for his first campaign as head coach. Carroll, a four year player at James Madison University, played shortstop for the Dukes and batted a staggering .350 over the course of his highly successful college career. The new coaching ideas that Carroll is planning on bringing to the table will give the Varsity and JV teams a new perspective on the game that they may have not seen before. One of his main goals is to bring home a WCAC championship. He sees the beauty of the Gonzaga community and sees how truly close-knit the friend-
ships that are made on and off the field that may not be as prevalent in other educational communities. Coach Carroll can be described as competitive and empathetic, which is prevalent in his coaching strategies. Carroll talked to The Aquilian in an interview and spoke about how baseball has taught him how to deal with failure and build up others around him, which clearly demonstrates a large part of the mission here at Gonzaga. Be sure to say hey to Coach Carroll around the halls, big things are coming along for Gonzaga Baseball.
Tiafoe
By: Andy Borman ‘19 Editor
While Frances Tiafoe didn’t win the Australian Open ending a 16 year period without an American male capturing a singles Grand Slam, the Hyattsville native, who trained at College Park, took a vital step toward achieving that goal by reaching his maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal in January. The 21 year old, after an easy opening round romp, upset 5th seed Kevin Anderson in the second round, before knocking off No. 20 Grigor Dimitrov in fourth tight sets in the fourth round, but perhaps just as importantly for the young American was a tense five set triumph over Italian journeyman Andreas Seppi the preceding round, the genre of match Tiafoe has struggled with. However, Tiafoe’s incredible run concluded quickly against living legend Rafael Nadal, but the Spaniard was in impeccable form in Melbourne, and Tiafoe now knows the level he must reach to compete with the world’s best. For many years since Andy Roddick’s retirement, American men’s
tennis has followed a template of overhyped young guns such as Ryan Harrison, Donald Young, or Jack Sock who have talent but major flaws both mentally and technically which prevent them from achieving their full potential. On the other hand, John Isner, Sam Querrey, and, for a time Steve Johnson, didn’t have the same pressure in their junior career, but all three rely far too heavily on their serve to ever truly compete for Grand Slams. In short, American men’s tennis hasn’t had the type of all court players required to succeed in today’s highly physical environment, but Tiafoe certainly has promise with solid power and angles off both wings, improving volleys, a good serve, and impressive court coverage. Finally, Tiafoe is exciting to watch and shows exuberant passion for the game, not unlike Roddick. While Tiafoe won’t win any Slams for at least another year, he is undoubtedly a player with a fantastic game all-around game and a guy American tennis fans can get excited about supporting.
Fourth Quarter Shirts? By: Patrick Fogarty ‘21 & Mike Husk ‘22 Contributors Most Gonzaga students think that the tradition of taking off their shirts during the fourth quarter of sporting events is much older than it actually is. In reality, it started only seven to eight years ago from a since abandoned Belly Cheer, during which a Gonzaga student would slap his stomach in front of the student section to encourage rowdiness during the fourth quarter. In a recent email from Gonzaga’s Dean of Students, Mr. Kilroy, the Gonzaga student body was informed that “[Gonzaga Students] will keep [their] shirts on when indoors-- unless the Office of Student Services determines otherwise.” This sudden change in rules came as a shock to much of Gonzaga’s students. During an interview with the Mr. Kilroy, he was asked what called for such a sudden change. Many expected that an issue or complaint happened as a result of Gonzaga students taking off their shirts, but there was not real-
ly one particular event which lead to the change. Mr. Kilroy described the change as one that “has been in the making” for some time. Last year Gonzaga was blowing out an opposing team at home and the shirts still came off in the fourth quarter, which Mr Kilroy described as “a little embarrassing” because “there was nothing about the game or the environment that night that indicated we needed to act that way”. This is just one instance of the tradition reflecting poorly on Gonzaga and it was a sign that change was needed. Mr. Kilroy was also “not entirely convinced our student section is the most inclusive of environments” because there are “many students who might be intimidated at times” and not go to the games because of the tradition. When asked why taking off shirts was restricted during specifically indoor games, Mr. Kilroy said that the vibe of indoor environments is drastically different than outdoor ones. The crowd at football games is “spread out over one hundred yards and tem-
By: Reid Norton ‘21 Contributor
tied 10-10, then one player must lead by two points to win. Matches are either best out of 3 games, or best out of 5 games. Although squash is a relatively new sport, it is being considered to be in the 2024 Olympics. According to Gonzaga squash player Patrick Connolly (‘21), “Coach Anthony Cerra is one of the best, if not the best squash player and coach the game has ever seen. His pure athleticism and sheer strength contribute to his successes, on and off the court” Now, although the squash team’s record of 2-6 may not
perature can easily be in the nineties” whereas basketball games are close quarters and again, indoors. Student Services was thinking about “the big picture” and considering Gonzaga’s “reputation and sportsmanship” when making this decision. The recent change has resulted in short term moans and groans from the Gonzaga student body, but in the long term the change will publicly reflect better on the Gonzaga Community as a whole. Before you ask, no, a shirtless fourth period walkout would not sway Student Service’s mind on the restrictions on fourth quarter shirt removal because Mr. Kilroy believes that “McDonald’s says it best… no shirts, no shoes, no service” during the school day. Mr. Kilroy wanted to say one last thing before the interview ended, and it summarizes the Gonzaga student section’s values perfectly. “We cheer not because we get to slap our bare chests and shout at the opposing players-- we cheer because the purple and the white our teams are wearing means the world to us.”
The Cerra Era: Squash
While there are many sports and activities to participate in at Gonzaga, squash is certainly a sport everyone should at least try. The main objective of the sport is to try to hit the ball against the wall until you or your opponent fails to hit it back. In order to lose the rally, one must either fail to hit the ball before it bounces twice, hit the ball to the floor before it reaches the wall, or hit the ball outside of the outline. Each game is played to eleven; however, if two players are
be spectacular, Patrick may not be incorrect in his claims. For example, Gonzaga’s brutal victory of 11-0 over Episcopal proves that. Their early losses to the Potomac School and Woodberry Forest may have hurt their record, but their development throughout the season will be tested this weekend, as they travel to Connecticut for nationals. Coach John Reiss and Anthony Cerra’s dynamic coaching could lead Gonzaga to victory, so wish them good luck as they will compete with the best of the best on Saturday.
The Aquilian 7
Academy Awards - Predictions Ex Post Facto? By: Will Buffaloe ‘21 and Brendan O’Boyle ‘21 Contributors Predictions for the 2019 Academy Awards The nominations for the Academy Awards have been announced, and with the ceremony less than three weeks away, there is still just enough time to catch up on all the potential winners. Luckily, two Gonzaga Sophomores, Brendan O’Boyle and Will Buffaloe, have narrowed down the five major categories to the two films that are most likely to win.
believable character from ing Actress. a script that didn’t provide much to go on.
Best Actor: Should Win: Bradley Cooper for A Star is Born, a great actor who manages to prove he’s also an exceptional singer.
purest and oldest form... Silent; there is very little dialogue which creates a need for the story to be told through actions and in this way it creates an experience reminiscent of the golden age of cinema.
Best Picture: Should Win: This year’s batch of movies is not that strong, but Black Panther was probably the best out of all of them. It’s reassuring to
Best Actress: Will Win: Glenn Close has been getting a lot of attention for The Wife and seems to have surpassed Lady Gaga in A Star is Born as the frontrunner. Best Actor: Will Win: Christian Bale, for Vice, since he wears a fat suit in the most politicallybiased movie of the year. Best Picture: Will Win: Roma, which is
Will’s Predictions Best Supporting Actress: Should Win: Regina King had the most moving performance in If Beale Street Could Talk as she portrayed a grieving mother who must cope with her future son-in-law being incarcerated.
Best Supporting Actor: Should Win: I believe Adam Driver in BlacKkKlansman deserves the Oscar for his performance as a conflicted Jewish cop fighting the KKK. Best Actress: Should Win: Yalitza Aparicio gave a truly beautiful performance in one of this year’s best films, Roma.
Best Supporting Actor: Should Win: Sam Elliott did a great job in A Star is Born, know that movies that make and after acting for over four a lot of money can actually decades, seems due for some be of good quality. kind of recognition. Brendan’s Predictions Best Actress: Best Supporting Actress: Should Win: Yalitza Aparicio for Roma, which no one Should Win: Regina King has ever heard of or seen, played the role beautifully managed to create a wholly and deserves Best Support-
Best Actor: Should Win: I believe that Willem Dafoe’s performance as the tormented Vincent Van Gogh in At Eternity’s gate, (one of the most underrated films of the year) should get the Oscar. Best Picture: Should Win: Roma should win and will win; it is film’s
What Actually Will Win: Supporting Actress: Will Win: Regina King, since she did the most crying out of all of these actresses, and the Academy seems to go for the most emotional, not necessarily the best. Supporting Actor: Will Win: Mahershala Ali for Green Book, mainly because he has won before and seems to have picked another Oscar bait role as he plays a famous African-American musician fighting racism in the 1960s.
Chicken Tenders
By: Mike Smolskis ‘19 Editor January 17th: We Need More of Those Days January seventeenth was a good day on Eye Street, specifically in the Lower Commons. Classmates ran to their places, threw some backpacks on some chairs, and cracked smiles to each other as they saw a large line at SAGE. “Is it tenders?” and the common response was, “Oh yeah, baby.” People didn’t mind wait-
ing in a line that was longer than the ropes. The amount of kids waiting on one basket of four, maybe five chicken tenders even surpassed the length of the sandwich line, but as many of you reached to the front of the line, the wait was worth it. The Seventeenth was the first ‘tendy day’ that we’ve had all year, just three lunch periods of perfectly breaded chicken. The only downside to this lunch option was that, by the end of the sixth lunch period, the honey mustard and ketchup dispensers were empty. Honey mustard aside,
we need more tenders. Gonzaga students argue at the lunch table about how frequent ‘tendy day’ should be, and some say this occasion should stay special while others think that having tenders on the menu daily would not diminish their value in any way. It’s like the breakfast sandwiches. Those are served each morning, and students still buy them. The ‘bacon, egg, and cheeses’ have high regards in the eyes of many, and they have even become ingrained in students’ morning rituals. The chicken, we all know, is not fresh, so it’s
not like SAGE has difficulty paying for or cooking these strips of meat. Bringing tenders to the center counter more often is certainly possible, and we all want that to happen, so the only two questions for SAGE are when will they come back, and will they ever be appreciated, and eaten the way they deserve to be, daily. As you recall the mouth watering bite of a chicken tender, the hot sauce on top of your tenders, or the dunk of your tender into your preferred dip, remember that you could possibly have that
on Netflix. However, it’s in black and white, in another language, and is really slow paced, so it’s basically the ideal “Oscar movie.”
moment every day at lunch, and it would never get old. On a particular day, you could fail a reading quiz, have a test, and get JUG, but if it was ‘tendy day,’ then hey, at least you had a good meal, and nothing is better than a good bite to eat. Those good meals could come more frequently from SAGE, but maybe, just maybe, we could get that done. Call your representative, and complete your SAGE sponsored surveys, so your dreams of tenders can turn into reality.
What Trump Serves High School Newspaper Champions By: Peter Rizzo ‘19 Photo Editor Unless you’ve been living under a rock or living in blissful ignorance about the current state of American politics, then you know that early in January, Donald Trump served a vast and elegant spread of McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King meals to the Clemson Tigers. If you’re like me, who had to google who the Clemson Tigers were, they’re a champion college football team. In other words, the kind of people who don’t eat fast food because they’re champion athletes. This interested us here at The Aquilian greatly. Not just because we enjoy talking about how we’re currently living in a Mad Lib but because we, as the High School
Newspaper National Champions, started wondering what he’d serve us. Now, if you’re like our parents, then you may think that being the Newspaper National Champions doesn’t constitute any
unavailable as a result of the government shutdown; however, we don’t know what could happen between now and the date of the Newspaper National Championship Celebration, which occurs on
sort of special treatment like that, and you’re right, but we’re demanding it anyway. We don’t know what Mr. Trump has prepared for us, but we had a few suggestions for what he, as a billionaire, could provide for us. Now, it’s worth mentioning that Trump only served fast food because the White House chefs were
a date that obviously everyone is aware of, so it doesn’t need to be stated. The ideas we’ve had mostly involve the things around Gonzaga. SAGE at the White House, District Rico, Quickway, Subway, even the containers of food you buy at Walmart. We have no preferences, but we think,
Mr. Scott’s Puzzle Corner By: Mr. Conor Scott Faculty Contributor
“why not eat food at the White House that we could just as easily eat ourselves?” It’s great. We’re not picky, anyone should be honored to eat at the White House whether it’s McDonald’s or caviar, or whatever fancy people eat, but we feel like when you’re eating at the White House, you shouldn’t be expecting a meal you could buy for less than five dollars. It was nice
of Trump to buy the food out of his own pocket, but he’s also a billionaire, so it’s not like he has no other options besides fast food. This is in no way the worst thing Trump has done while in office, not by a longshot, but it says a lot about the image of himself he sends to the public. I can’t go into what kind of image that is, but... we’re not loving it.
Seniors Stop Caring By: Patrick McAuliffe ‘19 Senior Contributor Well we’ve reached that time of year again. High schools all across America are now filled with seniors who, hopefully, have gotten into the college of their choice. Now that colleges and universities have made their final decisions, seniors at Gonzaga have begun to do less and less work as the semester goes by. Most teachers have already accepted that seniors will not be putting the same amount of ef-
fort as they had last semester. Gonzaga now offers seniors the chance to get out of their finals for any class so long as the student gets an A in both the third and fourth quarters as a way to keep seniors engaged in their classes. Some teachers are making this even easier by offering to average your two quarter grades to help students to get an A. With some students it works, but I personally haven’t done homework for most of my classes this semester.
The Egg
By: John Ferrara ‘22 Contributor One day, I was tapping through some Instagram stories, and I started to see this post appear on everyone’s story. When I clicked on it, I was confused to find a picture of an egg that was captioned “Let’s set a world record together and get the most-liked post on Instagram. Beating the current record held by Kylie Jenner (18 million)! We got this.” Little did I know that on January 4, 2019, history was set in motion. An Instagram account with the handle @ world_record_egg posted its first and record-setting picture. The picture is of a brown egg surrounded by a white background; in fact, if you search the word “egg” on Google Images, the picture is one of the first to pop up. The Washington Post was able to determine that the owner lives somewhere in London. According to the account’s original bio (it has been changed since beating the goal), the goal of the post was to surpass Kylie Jenner’s post, which was the most liked Instagram picture ever. Jenner’s post was an announcement about her baby’s name and had around 18 million likes. The like count for
the egg, however, grew rapidly as more and more people posted the picture on their Instagram story. At one point the egg was getting over 8,000 likes per minute. In 10 days, the egg tied Kylie Jenner’s post for number of likes. Even Jenner herself posted a video to Instagram mocking the egg and captioned the post “take that little egg.” Forty-eight hours after setting the Instagram ‘like’ record, the egg set the record for most-liked online post ever, beating Despacito’s record on YouTube of 45 million likes. The account was verified by Instagram and has grown to over 9.4 million followers. The post’s like rate has dropped significantly, and it has seemed to settle around 52 million likes. The account has received mixed reviews after posting two more photos (both are not receiving nearly as many likes as the first) of eggs with cracks in them. Nobody really knows what the account will do next, so I DMed the owner to see if I could get any information out of them. While I did not get a response, the owner did view my DM, which I still consider as an accomplishment.