January 27th, 2014

.

ME O .

H ICE UR YO R VO S. W U YO R NE U YO

w w w. l a l o y o l a n . c o m

Poet to speak on campus

Los Angeles LOYOLAN

CO F

Jan u

7, 2014 y2 r a

The

Est. 1921

REAK EB E F

UFF BL

Have a stressful weekend? Relax with the cartoon section.

Find out why Greek recruitment this year was like no other.

Page 6

Page 9

V o LU M E

92

| ISSUE

25

Wine Classic hosts alumni

Poet, professor and activist to deliver keynote address at annual Mission Day event.

Allison Croley

Asst. News Editor @allisoncroley

Distinguished poet and critic Dana Gioia will be speaking about beauty, art and Catholic imagination at this year’s Mission Day on Tuesday, Jan. 28 in Sacred Heart Chapel at Convo.

“He acknowledges that his creative imagination is in many ways shaped by his Catholic faith,” said Robert Caro, S.J., LMU’s vice president for mission and ministry. “We expect him to talk about the way the creative imagination leads us into an experience of beauty.”

Caro explained that this is intended to “bookend” last year’s Mission Day keynote’s speech topic: the Catholic intellectual tradition at LMU by Mary Beth Ingham, C.S.J. “That was a very well-received presentation,” he said.

He continued to explain that when his Mission Day advisory board met after Ingham’s speech, they decided it would be great to follow that up with a presentation on the Catholic imagination. This is when the board decided that Gioia would be a good option.

“Dana Gioia’s poetry, which has won countless awards, highlights the importance of the contemplative. His work invites us to ‘dream of a future so beautiful and so just/ That our desire will bring it into being,’” said Barbara Rico, an English professor and head of the faculty committee for Mission Day. “It is my hope that our Mission Day activities will offer us an experience of the contemplative that will enrich us both personally and as members of one community.”

See Mission Day | Page 3

Kevin Halladay-Glynn | Loyolan

The 33rd Annual Wine Classic took place yesterday at Gersten Pavilion. The event drew a large crowd of alumni and community members who enjoyed tasting more than 150 different wines and interacting with the owners and vintners from 45 different California wineries. A silent auction, live music and refreshments were also part of the event.

Sorority hopefuls line up

Radiation not severe Scientists debunk rumors that Fukushima radiation is affecting California.

Allie Heck

Managing Editor

Talia Baugnon | Loyolan

Sorority recruitment started Friday afternoon, when girls lined up outside various sorority parties to speak with active members. The weekend will conclude with bid night tonight, when each sorority holds a party on campus celebrating their new members.

From the Colby Fire that cast a cloud over the Bluff not too long ago to the ever-present smog-ridden horizon, the LMU community and the heavily populated coastal areas of the California coast are familiar with environmental and health risks. But recently, uneasiness regarding radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi disaster has rippled up and down the coast.

The hype surrounding radiation affecting the West Coast came after a slew of videos and articles went viral.

The ominous beep of a Geiger counter sounds in the YouTube video “Fukushima radiation hits San Francisco?” that was posted just over a month ago and has since garnered upwards of 700,000 views. The video features a man strolling along the beach and surrounding bluff, as the Geiger counter records levels higher than what the videographer refers to as “background levels.”

Background radiation signifies the radiation that naturally occurs across the world — the levels of which vary depending on the location

and topography of the place in question. These higher levels of radiation were detected at Surfer’s Beach in Half Moon Bay just south of San Francisco. The videographer implies that this variance could be due to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster of 2011.

The Tohoku earthquake resulted in a tsunami that hit the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, subsequently causing the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986.

Over 18 thousand people died due to the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, according to the Jan. 9 NBC News article “Japan plans nuclear reactor meltdown to help prevent another Fukushima disaster.”

The radioactive debris that made its way into the ocean and air caused much of the world concern.

In response to an article on ActivistPost. com, “28 Signs That The West Coast Is Being Absolutely Fried With Nuclear Radiation From Fukushima,” deep sea biologist and conservation geneticist Andrew Thaler helped to shed light on the issue and nip some of these worries in the bud. “The Fukushima disaster released approximately one ten-thousandth of the total radiation produced by the world’s coal power plants annually,” he stated in his Oct. 29 post on Southernfriedscience.com “28 fallacies about the Fukushima nuclear disaster’s effect on the US West Coast.”

See Fukushima | Page 3

.

ME .

HO UR OICE .

O V Y UR NEWS O Y UR YO

laloyolan.com Page 2

Secluded office impacts lives The Office of LGBT Student Services is more than meets the eye.

KiMi Robinson Copy Editor

@kimishotthemoon

When you think about cozy places on campus, a quiet, hidden nook that many may not know about is the small office in room 403 of the Malone Student Center.

The Office of LGBT Student Services (LGBTSS) is roomy and features a plush sofa, blankets, a Keurig machine and a distant view of the Hollywood sign through the wide windows. Most importantly, this office offers the company of a few students and a peer mentor, who are available to talk Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or 7 p.m. on Wednesdays.

According to LGBTSS office assistant and senior political science major Marco Magallon, the office aims to “be a resource for students. If there’s a student who’s trying to discern their identity, whether sexual or gender identity, we’re here to help with that process … and let them know there’s a network here to support.”

When it opened in the fall of 2010, the Office of LGBTSS was a “response to student need,” according to Director of LGBT and Off Campus Student Life Anthony Garrison-Engbrecht. According to the website, the office’s mission

is to “contribute to the advancement of LGBT students by aiding in their academic, emotional and social adjustments to college.”

However, the office isn’t just for students who want to deal with serious issues. Sophomore computer science major and office assistant Matthew Coccia says the main purpose of the Office of LGBTSS is to “make a safe place for people to hang out.” Despite this, the office does not see much foot traffic.

Coccia noted that this might be due to LGBTSS not being advertised around campus and having a somewhat hidden location.

In order to increase the office’s presence on campus, GarrisonEngbrecht hopes to “increase usage of the office and to provide educational and social events that help to build a strong supportive student community.”

One such social event, “Out with a Bang,” an annual event co-hosted

by LMU’s Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA) and ASLMU to raise awareness for LGBT issues, will be held at the Bird Nest on Friday, April 26 from 7-10 p.m. The entire LMU community is invited because, as Garrison-Engbrecht said, “The LGBT community relies on our straight allies to help in raising awareness about LGBT issues, addressing concerns and to ultimately build an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected and loved.”

Emphasizing the office’s inclusivity, sophomore theatre arts and political science double major Re-

becca Corona stressed that coming into the office does not have to mean one is gay, lesbian or even questioning. “College is about new learning experiences. People want to do different things, so why not check out the office one day?” she said.

Magallon added, “If anything, this is an educational experience. You may not know anyone who’s LGBT, and if you come in here, you’ll meet some people or learn about issues. … I think being a part of this LMU community and going to college, it’s about growing and learning, and that’s what we hopefully provide.”

Though not always a popular destination for student traffic, the office of LGBTSS impacts many students’ lives as it works to educate and provide resources for LMU students, regardless of whether they identify as LGBT. Garrison-Engbrecht said he hopes the office can be a stepping stone for more LMU students in the future as LGBTSS works on outreach. “I want students to come and enjoy the space, find friends, learn about themselves and their identities and then go and ‘set the world on fire,’” said GarrisonEngbrecht, quoting St. Ignatius.

“I don’t want students to feel as though the LGBT Student Services Office is the only place they can be themselves, but rather that we are working towards creating a campus culture that allows everyone to be their true selves at all times no matter where they are – on campus or off campus,” he said.

This issue, Sports Editor Kevin Cacabelos sits down to chat with Kate Murray, a member of the 2003-04 WCC women’s basketball championship team at LMU.

1

What’s it like to be back in Gersten Pavilion with your team?

It’s been great. It’s been amazing because it’s been 10 years, but it doesn’t really feel like it’s been 10 years. To see how everyone has grown and changed, but we’ve still stayed in contact and remained friends and it’s been fun.

2

Do you miss the competitiveness of college basketball?

I do in a way. There’s nothing like it and it’s exciting, but I probably get my fix now watching sports. But competing and experiencing it at such a high level and especially with what we accomplished that year was really amazing, special and fun.

3

What’s your favorite memory from that season?

I would say it was when we won the conference championship by beating Gonzaga. It was a close game and we had a defensive stop at the end. That was probably the best moment.

4

Was there anybody in particular that was really good to see that you haven’t seen in such a long time?

I haven’t seen a lot of these girls for at least 10 years. I don’t think it’s necessarily one person in particular but it’s the whole team. There’s some people that I’ve seen a little bit more often.

The coaches, being in Portland, I’ve come and seen them play and supported them, but some of the players, it’s been awhile.

Looking back now, 10 years later, what’s special about that team?

5

It’s funny because I was at LMU for five years and every one of those five teams was really special. You know, my senior year ... I don’t know if we did anything or worked any harder than any other year. It’s just that we pulled it out and did it as as team and accomplished an amazing win streak at the end of the year.

6

What are you up to now?

I’ve got two kids – a 4-year-old and 5-year-old, Mason and Payton. I’ve got my own business. I work from home as a real estate agent and website developer.

Are your kids going to play basketball?

We’ll see. Payton is pretty darn tall and they actually just started their first league this year and they’re just starting to learn the basics.

8

7

Have you been following the team?

Yeah, I have. We try to make it to the Portland game every year. It’s hard to come down to LMU, but we did it a couple of years ago. We try to make it out to that game and I like to check on them and cheer them on.

MORE QUESTIONS

Read the rest of Kate Murray’s interview at laloyolan.com.

news

Data ‘unscientific’ Fukushima from Page 1

Along with hoping to put the whole disaster in perspective, Thaler also cited scientific studies that disproved the claims asserting that Fukushima radiation has or will detrimentally affect the West Coast of the U.S. And he’s not the only scientist that’s taking this on.

In a post titled “California beach radiation not from Fukushima” on the Geiger Counter Bulletin, Dan Sythe, CEO of International Medcom Inc. — a company that produces “high quality radiation detection instruments and systems,” according to its website— delves into the dirty details, stating that the radioactive substances attributed to the increase in Northern California are not the same substances emitted as a result of the Fukushima disaster.

People within the state department have spoken out as well.

Wendy Hopkins of the California Department of Public Health issued a statement, saying, “There is no public health risk at California beaches due to radioactivity related to events at Fukushima.”

“I honestly don’t know why people jump to these conclusions, but some do,” said John Dorsey, a

professor of environmental science at LMU. “And unfortunately, they don’t go about it in a scientific way.

They cherry-pick data to prove a point.”

In the age of Buzzfeed and eye-catching online lists, it comes as no surprise that beefy scientific journals don’t catch the Internet fiend’s eye. Many of the unsupported studies seem to be the ones that go viral.

“People are lazy; they just want quick facts,” said sophomore mechanical engineering major Laura Calcara. “If actual scientific articles had a better format, people would be more inclined to read them.”

One of the problems associated with people blindly believing things they read on the Internet is that the focus is taken away from legitimate problems.

“The West Coast of the United States is being fried,” stated Thaler.

“It’s being fried by over-fishing, agricultural run-off, runaway development and a host of other issues, but it’s not being fried

by Fukushima, and articles that promote that fallacious argument are distracting us from the dominant causes of environmental degradation on our coasts: us.”

Gioia to give talk Mission Day from Page 1

Gioia is currently the Judge Widney Professor of Poetry and Public Culture at the University of Southern California, according to LMU’s website. He received his bachelor’s degree and Master’s of Business Administration at Stanford University and his Master’s of Arts at Harvard University. He is a widely published essayist and has published four books of poetry.

Caro thinks that Gioia’s dedication to his faith makes him a great choice for a Mission Day speaker.

“A successful Mission Day is built on an engaging speaker who can shed light on one or other aspect of our mission and identity,” Caro said.

Caro admitted that not everyone in the community is going to be interested in a talk about beauty and creativity. But there are people – students included – who are “asking those deeper questions as educated adults.”

Mission Day has two purposes, according to Caro. The first is to provide an opportunity for a “crosssection” of the LMU community to gather and reflect on LMU’s mission

Employment

and identity as a Catholic Jesuit Marymount university. The second is to applaud that.

“The day is intended to be an opportunity for reflection – for a deepening of understanding and appreciation but also to celebrate who we are,” he said.

After the keynote speech, there will be a poetry reading and evening reception where people can mingle and discuss their thoughts from the day, Caro said.

This is Caro’s favorite part about Mission Day. He said that he loves seeing the community come together to reflect on itself.

When asked why he thinks students should participate, he said that most students come to LMU because the school stands on a strong and unique mission statement. This is their opportunity to engage in that.

“I hope that students and others who participate in this year’s Mission Day will come away with a sense that the creative arts and experience of beauty can, in a phrase from C.S. Lewis, ‘Heal the wound, without destroying the privilege of our individuality,’” he said.

Classifieds

Management-Entry Level Los Angeles company looking for new managers for training, sales, and marketing roles. Email resume to lahr@ailla.com.

For Rent LMUHomes.com (Village Home) Wonderful 4 bedroom, 2 bath home, two blocks from campus - great for 5 students!

Welcoming front patio, remodeled granite kitchen & bathrooms, hardwood floors, fireplace, laundry room, breakfast nook, central AC & heating. Corner house with endless green lawn, spacious backyard with patio, plus 2 car garage. PLENTY of parking (8 cars). Includes all appliances, and

gardener. Walk to class! Located at 7251 West 80th Street, Avail May 2014, $4195 (310) 890-8770 LMUHomes.com RENT A ROOM ONE MILE AWAY FROM CAMPUS. NICE, CLEAN HOUSE. $ 600 A MONTH, UTILITES INCLUDED. PLEASE CALL LUCY (310) 649-1974 On Campus Teens for jeans! Donate your gently worn jeans during convo on February 4, 6, 11 and 13 at the Teens for Jeans drive held by the Do Something Club on the Lair patio. The jeans will be donated to local homeless teens. By doing our part we can help clothe homeless teens all over the country!

laloyolan.com Page 3

How do you express your religious freedom at LMU? Contact editor@theloyolan.com to be featured in our Religion Video Series.

Now delivering on and off campus from 11am-10pm Let us cater your next event! Call for details and discounts.

Need pizza for an on-campus event?

Watching a movie at home?

Busy studying?

We Deliver!

SPORTS

E

LION SPORTS

laloyolan.com Page 4

Board Editorial Editor in Chief

Allie Heck

Managing Editor

Dan Raffety

Managing Editor

Tyler Barnett Design Director

Michael Busse Copy Chief

Incoming Editor in Chief

Board Editorials represent the voice of the Loyolan. They are written in collaboration by the Executive Editorial Board.

T S

NT V I

E

! &?

E

S

DI

TORIAL

S

opinion

Mission Day speaker an inspired new voice for LMU LION

SPORTS

I

Kevin O’Keeffe

Zaneta Pereira

DE

TORIAL

S

SPORTS

U

DI

W

LION

! &?

t can be easy for on-campus annual events In many ways, what Gioia discusses about to fall into the rut of monotony if they being a Catholic poet applies to how each of us do not seek to constantly improve and as members of the LMU community feel about reinvent themselves. being “LMU students” or “LMU faculty.” Perhaps Mission Day, which will take place this much of what we do on a day-to-day basis does Tuesday, Jan. 28, is the kind of event which not always feel explicitly related to the LMU could have easily fallen into this trap, but has mission, but that does not mean it is not present instead consistently proven to be adept at as an undercurrent to all of our experiences on the shining a new light on and discussing different Bluff. Mission Day allows us the opportunity to aspects of LMU’s mission. stop and reflect on what the University’s mission This year, Mission Day will focus on the theme means to us in a concrete way, but we can also of “Why beauty matters … and not just in art.” use Gioia’s view to pay attention the more subtle The keynote address will be delivered by Dana ways we live out the mission.

Gioia, a celebrated poet, former We here at the Loyolan are chair of the National Endowment By bringing Gioia to constantly striving for the mission for the Arts and the current Judge campus, they have that has been set forth by our Widney Professor of Poetry and and think everyone in his introduced a new University Public Culture at the University or her own position should do the of Southern California. The voice to the dialogue same. speech will be in Sacred Heart around our mission.

The Loyolan commends the Chapel at Convo.

Office for Mission and Ministry for While the choice of Gioia may feel like a their openness and willingness to embrace the departure from previous Mission Day speakers diverse aspects of LMU’s mission that calls for who focused on LMU’s religious identity, Gioia the “education of the whole person.” By bringing is in fact one of the most prominent voices in the Gioia to campus, they have introduced a new conversation about modern Catholic writing, as voice to the dialogue around our mission and evidenced by his widely acclaimed recent essay, it is our hope that the community will take “The Catholic Writer Today,” in First Things this opportunity to reexamine the University’s magazine. mission and identify how it can be reflected in In a Jan. 23 interview with The Jesuit Post, our work, studies and throughout our lives. when asked if he considered himself a “Catholic LMU’s mission of encouraging learning, poet,” Gioia explained, “Poetry is a form of song, educating the whole person, pursuing faith and not a branch of philosophy. Having said all that, promoting justice will always be the backbone of however, I understand that, as a Catholic, my the University, but LMU’s choice of Gioia shows sense of existence reflects my Catholic worldview, that this message can be exhibited in many forms. no matter what the overt topic of the poem.”

That makes LMU truly special.

What to know before you grow D = mc2 Devin Feldman

Asst. Opinion Editor

T

@d_fman

o beard or not to beard, my friends.

That is the question.

Some guy on the Internet once said something along the lines of, “You know, if you look at old pictures from the 19th century and stuff, it looks like everyone had beards and mustaches. It’s like being clean-shaven is some kind of trend that caught on around the early 20th century and has yet to fade.” Enter: hipsters, brew masters, your creepy uncle, that guy from your upper-division philosophy class who talks too much and now, again, your everyday man. Looks like beard’s back on the menu, boys. (Women, feel free to grow out your facial hair, too. I mean, you be you; I’ll be me. Whatever works.)

It’s only fair that everyone audit their mug-blanket prior to going Paleo-faced because if you don’t got it, don’t flaunt it. Weak facial hair is only permissible if you’re James Franco or Johnny Depp. And you’re not. Provided you return from your beard audit unscathed and are ready to unleash your shadowed face upon the world, you should know some things.

1. People will want to touch it. A LOT. This is both good and bad. Sometimes it’s cute girls who want to touch it; sometimes it’s your mom who wants to touch it; sometimes it’s your drunk bros who are only capable of prepubescent face-fuzz lame enough to empower a box of peaches. The key here is beard oil and conditioner. If you’re gonna do it, do it right.

2. There’s like a 50 percent chance it’s gonna make you look like you’ve gained 30 pounds. This is just something you’re gonna have to figure out through trial and error. Fingers crossed you have trim cheek bones and a nose only Owen Wilson could love. If this is the case, the beard is for you, and all you need to do is buy, like, eight flannels and four cases of craft brew to complete

The Los Angeles

LOYOLAN EDITORIAL STAFF Editor in Chief Managing Editor Managing Editor Design Director Copy Chief Incoming Editor in Chief Interim News Editor Asst. News Editor Asst. News Editor Opinion Editor Asst. Opinion Editor Asst. Opinion Editor Life+Arts Editor Asst. LIfe+Arts Editor Asst. Life+Arts Editor Life+Arts Intern Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Sports Intern Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Designer Designer Design Intern Design Intern Cartoon Editor Photo Editor Asst. Photo Editor Staff Photographer Staff Photographer Staff Photographer Web Editor Asst. Web Editor Asst. Web Editor Digital Intern

Kevin O’Keeffe Allie Heck Dan Raffety Tyler Barnett Michael Busse Zaneta Pereira Ali Swenson Allison Croley Julia Sacco Chelsea Chenelle Eddie Estrada Devin Feldman Christopher James Mary Grace Cerni Susannah Keane Julia McQuade Kevin Cacabelos Sam Borsos Jack Sullivan Karen Ruiz Carly Barnhill Ryan Johnson Kellyn Kawaguchi Chanel Mucci Kaitlin Perata KiMi Robinson Lauren Slack Sydney Franz Mercedes Pericas Mo Haley Patrick Josten Jackson Turcotte Kevin Halladay-Glynn Caroline Burt Talia Baugnon Josh Kuroda Emilia Shelton Kailey Strachan Janine Leano Ian Lecklitner Kassandra Velasquez

BUSINESS STAFF

your new look as a rugged bad ass. If you find yourself looking more like a pudgy 12 year old playing Moses in the Christmas pageant, explore your options.

3. Taking your shirt off is cooler. Even the faintest abs look Spartan-esque with a beard. It’s one of those, “Oh wow, you look so fat with the beard, I just assumed your whole body was like that.” Bam. Caught you off guard, huh? Of course, with a great beard comes great responsibility, and a man of the beard must be sure to maintain his forearms to achieve maximum effectiveness. Actually, every guy should do this if possible.

4. Mustache ;{) After four months of growing out my built-in scarf, I realized a few things. First, I noticed that I was one of the guys who looks like a chubby 12 year old playing Moses in the Christmas pageant.

Second, I finally succumbed to the itch (there are beard conditioners and oils to prevent this, but I never committed to it). And third, I remembered how 16-year-old me vowed to one day have an ironic mustache, now there is no more room for irony in my life. I highly recommend it to anyone who is in a committed relationship and has a stable job where you’ll never be serious. On the plus side, I never need to smile because my ‘stache does it for me. On the down side, I always look like

Jackson Turcotte | Loyolan

I’m smirking.

5. It gets in the way of eating.

6. People will talk to you about “Duck Dynasty” and ask you questions about what beards are like. I only hope they’ve read this so they know to limit this behavior.

If they’re drunk enough, the conversation usually goes something like this: “Yes, it gets itchy sometimes. No, it’s not overwhelmingly hot during the summer. Yes, you can touch it. No, you cannot pull on it. Yes, it’s real. Yes, really. No, seriously, it’s real. No, I do not watch ‘Duck Dynasty.’ Yes, I would like to arm wrestle you. Hey, will you hold my flannel and mustache comb?”

7. You’ll get attached. (Har har har, this facial hair thing is really growing on me, har har har!) I will tell you this: Be careful with the route you take because once you commit, you’ll forget what it was like to be without it. I have friends today who don’t know what I look like without some sort of ridiculous thing growing on my face, and this is something every man of bearddom will one day face. To shave or not to shave, my friends.

To shave or not to shave.

This is the opinion of Devin Feldman, a junior communication studies major from Aurora, Ore. Tweet comments to @LoyolanOpinion, or email dfeldman@theloyolan.com.

Business Director Asst. Business Manager Business Intern Ad Sales Representative Advertising Intern Advertising Intern Ad Designer HR Coordinator Office Assistant Distribution Manager Distributor

Harrison Geron Charles Riley Rebecca Liaw Sabrina Budhrani Chloe Garcia Wilson Parnell Callie Douthit Sarah Kodama Katrina Liu Dan Raffety Moriah Grant

Director of Student Media Tom Nelson

LOYOLAN EDITORIAL POLICY

The Los Angeles Loyolan, a student-run campus organization, publishes a twice weekly newspaper for the greater LMU community. The first copy is free of charge. Additional copies are $1 each. Paid, mailed subscriptions can be purchased through the Business department.

The Loyolan accepts unsolicited letters from students, faculty, staff and alumni, and press releases from on-campus and off-campus organizations, but cannot guarantee publication.

The Loyolan reserves the right to edit or reject all submissions, including advertisements, articles or other contributions it deems objectionable. The Loyolan does not print consecutive articles by the same author that repeat/refute the initial arguments.

Opinions and ideas expressed in the Loyolan are those of individual authors, artists and student editors and are not those of Loyola Marymount University, its Board of Trustees, its student body or of newspaper advertisers. Board Editorials are unsigned and reflect the opinions of the Executive Editorial Board. Guest editorials are by invitation of the Executive Editorial Board and reflect the views of the author.

All advertisements are subject to the current rates and policies in the most recent Advertising Rates and Information materials.

The Los Angeles Loyolan is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the California College Media Association.

opinion

laloyolan.com Page 5

Asperger’s in action: owning my condition Missy Hissy

Michelle Varinata Staff Writer

S

@LoyolanOpinion

usan Boyle, singer and reality star from “Britain’s Got Talent,” recently revealed that she has been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. “Ghostbusters” actor and writer Dan Aykroyd stated that he also lives with this condition.

And underneath all my fashionable togs, nobody knows that I actually have Asperger’s, too.

Defined as a developmental disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome is a form of mild autism in which one has a normal intellectual capacity, but low social skills. Despite these celebrities owning their Asperger’s, there is still a stigma surrounding it.

Recently, the media has attempted to increase awareness about Asperger’s Syndrome, but it does so by typecasting them as nerdy savants whose social awkwardness accompany their extreme obsession with one interest.

Unlike the typical portrayal of someone with Asperger’s, I am fashionable, loud and outgoing. Since these said characteristics don’t match up with the perception, it’s hard for people to notice. However, this is after years of fighting through an awkward adolescence.

When I was a child, my mom sent me to a therapist, wondering why I couldn’t talk or point at objects. It was then that the therapist

diagnosed me with Asperger’s. Before taking me to therapy, my mom was worried that I wouldn’t function properly for the rest of my life.

From there, she sent me to a string of therapists who specialized in childhood developmental disorders.

One therapist coached me on social skills, while the other helped me improve my interactions with peers by making me play games with other socially challenged kids. Although these treatments singled me out, being together with the said peer group made me feel united with the outcasts.

But once I got out of that group, I felt different – for instance, the kids at school gave me quizzical stares whenever I constantly smiled while daydreaming or times when I threw a tantrums. While I learned the social skills necessary to survive, applying them in real-life situations was tricky. For instance, when I talked with an ordinary child my age, I was oblivious to their perception of me. I couldn’t tell when someone was bored talking to me, or worse, when they made a comment that I didn’t know was a joke. Even when it came to idiomatic phrases, I used to take every single word literally. But for me, the worst part of having Asperger’s was going to school.

Navigating my social life was hardest during middle school. The majority of boys and girls teased me for my high-fashion inspired outfits, non-conformist attitude and social awkwardness. When a crowd of boys swarming around, I felt like the quintessential nerd in teen mov-

1-1.5 million

AMERICANS

live with an

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER www.autism-soceity.org

Sydney Franz | Loyolan

ies. They picked on me because I was the only girl who wore a pair of cowboy boots with a star on the leg, when all the other girls wore three striped Adidas. But it didn’t stop there. The worst part was dealing with the malicious gossip about my behavior.

Dealing with the rumors and the bullies was a burden since I felt like my presence was an untreatable disease – not only to myself, but to those around me. As a result, I didn’t have many friends. It got to the point where I didn’t want to tell my parents that I was bullied, wanting them to think that at least my school life was OK.

To react against my already damaged reputation, I saw fashion as the only solution. Magazines furthered my childhood interest in fun, quirky style. By wearing the clothes that made me feel in control of my situation, I felt shielded from facing another day of being bullied. Clothes made me feel invincible. Reinventing myself as a fashionista made everyone forget that I was the most socially awkward kid lurking around the cafeteria. I realized that I did not have to change myself to fit in.

Now that I’m in college, I feel that I have more respect for who I am, even though I tend to behave in the most unconventional of ways. While

I may wear my hair in my signature mini ponytail, rock smeared red lipstick and sport body-con dresses with my beaten-up pair of vintage floral Docs, I have no qualms with the occasional quizzical stare. The fact that the campus is my runway makes me feel proud of who I am.

Despite being diagnosed with Asperger’s, living with that label doesn’t keep me from being more than that.

This is the opinion of Michelle Varinata, a sophomore art history major from Jakarta, Indonesia. Tweet comments to @LoyolanOpinion, or email cchenelle@theloyolan.com.

laloyolan.com Page 6

PIXELLANEOUS

By Hannah Kim, staff cartoonist

Irrational Fears

By Stephanie Troncoso, staff cartoonist

Fishblub

Use the visual cartoon clues to decipher a pun!

Answers: Blind date; bare naked: toiletry.

Picto-pun

By Mikey Barreto, staff cartoonist

By Kristen Pileri, staff cartoonist

life+arts

laloyolan.com Page 7

Bieber’s arrest illustrates the perils of fame Chris Culture Christopher James Life+Arts Editor

@cwj92movieman

F

ame and fortune are all well and good, but it’s what you do with it that counts. For Justin Bieber, it’s turning in second-rate pop songs, racing yellow Lamborghinis while intoxicated and racking up $20,000 worth of damages while egging a home.

We’ve seen many a young celebrity in jail or under the effects of drugs and alcohol. What astonishes me most about Bieber in particular is his lack of character.

He smiles as he gets his mugshot taken, waltzes out of jail like it’s a day spa and still hasn’t apologized for going double the speed limit while intoxicated. Instead, he just Instagrammed himself next to Michael Jackson. Justin Bieber could not care less, and that angers me more than anything else.

For all the headlines and ire Miley Cyrus got throughout the latter half of 2013, one has to give her major props. While it may be hard to condone swinging naked on a wrecking ball, twerking on a married man and whatever she was doing with her foam finger at the MTV VMAs, the girl stands for something. Through a pop song, she’s taught listeners to “forget the haters, because somebody loves you,” and has since truly lived out that ‘DGAF’ mentality. Her wild antics were at least in the service

of empowering teenagers to be themselves regardless of people’s opinions.

This is not to trivialize whatever Bieber is going through. I don’t know him personally. I also don’t know what it is like to have more money than I know what to do with and be famous all over the world. However, I’d like to think that no matter how rich or famous I may become, I won’t drink and drag race in public and act so cavalier to the public about it. I’d like to think I’d have causes, charities or messages that I would want to broadcast to the people who support me.

I will admit to never having been a ‘Belieber.’ He was just one more in the Jonas Brothers-One Direction harmless teen idol assembly line that churns out fresh-faced, high-pitched superstars only to discard them a few years later. But who cares? Not everyone has to like the same things. When did the nice, tiny kid from Canada who got famous because Ellen Degeneres saw his YouTube video turn into this entitled punk?

If you look back on the media sensations surrounding Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Bynes, you notice a similar narrative that supporters of Bieber are trying to apply to him. Those were all deeply damaged women with psychological issues or severe addictions failing to take proper care of themselves as they watched their professional and private lives implode in real time on every major news station. Now, we see one

Associated Press

Pop star Justin Bieber was arrested early Thursday morning in Miami Beach for drag racing and for driving under the influence. He was released one day later, in front of many fans, on a bond of $2,500. kid selfishly trying out his new, expensive toys with no limits as he unabashedly tries as hard as he can to care about no one but himself.

We live in a world consumed by devouring the lives of these larger-than-life people only to watch them destroy themselves on top of their throne of glorious excess. Sure, it’s fun to catch up on

the gossip. But here’s a thought: We should put down the tabloids, myself included. Keep up with celebrities with values systems that are similar to our own. If you follow Miley Cyrus, do it because you value her belief in self-worth, not because of the body she showed off in the “Wrecking Ball” video. If you follow Angelina Jolie, do it be-

cause of the positive work she does overseas, not because she sleeps with Brad Pitt.

In that case, why would you follow Justin Bieber?

This is the opinion of Christopher James, a senior screenwriting and marketing double major from Lodi, Calif.

Tweet comments to @LoyolanArts, or email cjames@theloyolan.com.

life+arts

laloyolan.com Page 8

‘Icarus Project’ crafted around the cast The cast came up with the dialogue, movement and character development.

Susannah Keane Asst. Life+Arts Editor @LoyolanArts

The story of Icarus, the boy who flew too close to the sun, is familiar to many. However, a simple recounting of that myth is not what a spectator can expect to find when going to see “The Icarus Project,” put on by students in LMU’s theatre arts program.

“The Icarus Project” is a unique theatrical experience because it was crafted around its cast. While most plays begin with a script and then acquire performers later, the cast of “The Icarus Project” created their own dialogue right alongside their movement and characterization development.

“The class started doing free writes, which was how we came up with the script,” said senior theatre arts major Mara De La Rosa.

Directing a project built around the cast and their instincts required a different approach and set of skills. Theatre arts professor Katharine Noon, the director of “The Icarus Project,” found that

working with the students, rather than directing them, yielded the results she was looking for.

“What happens in this ensemble devising or collaborative creation, is that you come in with source material and then you work with a group of people to collaborate in finding points of view about the story, taking it apart, do a lot of improvisation, a lot of movement work, trying to create image, trying to create text,” said Noon. “It is a compilation of everybody’s contribution to the project.”

The result of this collaboration is the creation of a deeply expressive, nonlinear exploration of the relationships between the characters in the myth.

There are three main relationships portrayed within the work, each examining different elements of the same struggle – to build and maintain connections between people and the terror of letting them go. They are embodied in the strained relationships between a mother and child, a pair of estranged lovers and a misfit with the outside world surrounding him. These stories are told through movement and visual imagery – much more than narrative dialogue. Participants felt it was nearly impossible to give a written

PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT “GRACE OF MONACO” TO OPEN THE 2014 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL Grace Kelly was no ordinary movie star, so it’s fitting that she be played by none other than Hollywood royalty, Nicole Kidman. The Olivier Dahan film, which was originally set to premiere last year, will open the prestigious 2014 Cannes Film Festival, beginning on May 14. Past opening films have included “The Great Gatsby,” “Moonrise Kingdom” and “Midnight in Paris.”

“PETER PAN” RETURNS TO FILM AND TV Look out for Neverland, both NBC and Warner Bros. are reviving the story of the boy who will never grow up. After the commercial success of Carrie Underwood’s live “Sound of Music” special, NBC has decided to make it an annual affair, with “Peter Pan” being this year’s special. There’s no word whether the title character will be played by a man or a woman. “Pan,” an action prequel, will reach theaters in 2015 with Hugh Jackman just signed on as the villain and Garrett Hedlund eyeing the part of Captain Hook.

“THE LEGO MOVIE” IS REAL, AND IT’S HAPPENING Your childhood dreams have been realized. Legos are getting their own movie. Chris Pratt, Morgan Freeman and Will Arnett as Batman are all lending their talents for “The Lego Movie,” which opens on Feb. 6. The film follows the journey of Emmet, a normal likable Lego man, who has to realize his destiny to defeat the evil Lord Business.

Graphic: Patrick Josten | Loyolan

THEATRE SPOTLIGHT via Radan Popovich

The cast of “The Icarus Project” was involved in constructing the story, from the dialogue to the movements and even the character arcs. The play was based on the story of Icarus, the boy who flew too close to the sun. description of the performance; it had to be lived.

“A lot of it you have to understand by just being there and feeling with it,” said senior theatre arts major Jakob Berger.

“It’s definitely a show, more than

any other where everyone’s going to see it differently,” said senior theatre arts major Luc Hediger.

The upside of this style of storytelling, in the eyes of the performers, is that it lends itself to being a very individualistic, personal

experience. Now off-stage after a limited engagement, the loose style left spaces for the audience to fill with their own interpretations and emotions, creating an intimate connection between the performers and the viewers.

laloyolan.com Page 9

All content on this page is fictional. And no, Amanda Bynes still doesn’t go here.

Australian hit show to be filmed at LMU “Ja’mie: Private School Girl” will soon begin her time at LMU. Eddy Rodriguez

Miley Cyrus Correspondent @micyguy

LMU’s campus has seen its fair share of movies and TV shows filmed on campus. From Ashton Kutcher’s “Jobs” to ABC Family’s “Greek,” our campus has been featured countless times. But it seems Sunken Garden may soon be getting more screen time than ever. This past week, it was announced that Chris Lilley’s hit show “Ja’mie: Private School Girl” will be shooting its second season here at LMU. The hit Australian show, which aired on HBO in the U.S., follows the life of private school princess and queen bee Ja’mie King, a character originally developed in Lilley’s earlier show, “Summer Heights High.” The premier season focused on Ja’mie during her senior year of high school, but now it looks like viewers will see Ja’mie as a small fish in a bigger pond.

“We wanted to take Ja’mie from where she was comfortable and throw her into a situation where things will be harder for her,” said Ryan Blunk, an associate producer and LMU alum. While Blunk wouldn’t divulge all the dirty details, he did mention that Ja’mie will not only be struggling with attending a university where

Loyolan Archives

“Ja’mie: Private School Girl” will soon be featuring LMU as the main character’s new stomping ground this semester. LMU students will be auditioning for supporting roles in the new season, and the names of all places around campus will remain the same. no one knows her name, but also coping with the laid-back lifestyle of California students.

“Ja’mie obviously chooses a college near Hollywood, wanting to be a celebrity herself,” explains

Blunk. “But she quickly learns that it isn’t so easy to be a ‘California Girl.’”

Though the name of LMU will be changed for the show, the campus will still be very present.

The names of all buildings will remain the same. “Private School Girl” will be casting directly from the student body for supporting roles and for extras as well.

Crew for the show has already

been seen on campus, taking pictures and prepping for shooting, which will begin the week after spring break. Check laloyolan.com for more updates as they come from Ja’mie herself.

Greek Life introduces new recruitment event Jordan Sernia Loyolan Vandal @jsernz

Construction began nearly two weeks ago on the lawn in front of the O’Malley Apartments for the new Greek Recruitment Wrestling Arena. Excitement builds as rush week approaches and the arena nears completion.

This past weekend, Assistant Director of Student Leadership and Development (SLD) and Greek Adviser Dan Faill unveiled the arena to the women and men of LMU willing to participate in the newest addition to the Greek recruitment gauntlet: Pankration.

“Pankration, meaning ‘all might,’ is one of the ancient Greeks’ most esteemed forms of entertainment. It’s naked wrestling, basically,” said Faill.

When asked if it was totally naked, Faill responded with a straightfaced “yes.” When asked, “Wait, you mean really nude?” he replied, “Yes, completely. Just the skin.”

Pankration is a fairly easy concept to grasp. There are only two rules: no eye gouging and no biting. Everything else is fair play.

One sorority member said she appreciates “the competitive and aggressive nature of the event because it really tapped into our deep-seated urge to pit ourselves

against other humans. I think it was the most legal and safe outlet for that, definitely.”

“It gives girls and guys a chance to prove themselves and fight to be better and to get a bid,” said senior business major and member of Sigma Chi fraternity Broin Owt. “It relates back to mountain goats and male deer, you know?”

“I am very thrilled not only to participate in the Pankration demonstration before the event gets started,” continued Owt. “I am also thrilled and excited to get out and support the new Greeks, even during the other matches.

I am all about interfraternalism and strength, obviously, so this event will showcase a lot of what I look for in my potential fraternity brothers.”

There was some slight uproar from the females of the Greek community, claiming the Pankration event is “exploitative,” and that it should be a fullyclothed event. The entire population of the fraternity system declined to comment on the subject.

Greek Life issued a statement via email maintaining that this event was a “demonstration of raw strength. However, if one perishes in the arena of battle, his or her body will be raised up in sacrifice and the blood of the fallen will make red the whites of the LMU letters in praise of Kratos and Ares. Good luck to all.”

Many of the freshman males were on the fence about taking

part in the event, and most of the scrawny ones have bowed out completely. This, coupled with the fear of potential casualties, had some fraternities worried about numbers for their pledge classes.

However, the number of young women hoping to be welcomed

to sororities was quite high, and consequently, so was the number of young men.

“I was a little too stiff in my last match, and my opponent pulled out with a win,” said freshman communication studies major Ladur Breh. “Bummer. I

really think I could have lasted longer, but my experience just didn’t match his. Stoked I ended up getting a bid though,” he exclaimed as thrilled members of his new fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon, swarmed him and celebrated on the Bluff, in the buff.

Come and pick up your

Backgate passes This Tuesday at Convo

vip

Wrestling match becomes part of Greek recruitment process.

GA

VIP

Perks: Access to your campus Being able to walk to T2 Tacos, the grocery store and your friend’s house at the corner of Loyola Boulevard and 83rd Street Not having to walk down Lincoln Boulevard as cars speed by and crash into things

ited Lim only! time VIP Backgate Passes $

334

Get yours now

*The Bluff is a humorous and satirical section published in the Loyolan. All quotes attributed to real figures are completely fabricated; persons otherwise mentioned are completely fictional. The content on this page is the work of Asst. Opinion Editor Eddie Estrada, Contributor Nick Logsdon and Designer Sydney Franz.

sports

laloyolan.com Page 10

Seeing the Super Bowl in a different way Raff’s Rap from Page 12

the beautiful words that define American ideals, you could be looking at your stopwatch. The line is set at 2:30. If she’s over that time, the winnings are even.

If she gets excited and finishes under the 150 second mark, your winnings are at 5-7 odds. Hurry up, Renee.

2. How many times will Peyton Manning say “Omaha” during the game?

Over/Under

27.5

Manning uses this word at the line of scrimmage often to call out plays, try to jump the opposing teams off sides or just for simple enjoyment. In one game, he said it over 60 times.

In the AFC Championship game, companies from Nebraska’s largest city donated money to charity for every mention of Omaha. The line is set at 27.5 for the Super Bowl. If you’re smart, take the over.

3. Which song will Bruno Mars perform first?

“Treasure” 2-1 “Grenade” 5-2 “Locked Out Of Heaven” 3-1 “Just The Way You Are” 6-1 “Marry You” 7-1 “The Lazy Song” 10-1 “Gorilla” 10-1

I’m not a big Bruno Mars fan – I know one song– but this question intrigues me. For those of you who follow the pop artist, you have a chance to win some cash. The halftime is longer for the Super Bowl than other games simply for the performance, so the artist typically plays about four songs. If you put $10 on Gorilla to open the set, you could earn a Benjamin.

4. What color will the Gatorade (or liquid) be that is dumped on the head coach of the winning Super Bowl team?

Clear/Water Orange Yellow Red Blue Green

2-1 3-1 3-1 5-1 7-1 10-1

For those not familiar with NFL celebration traditions, the winning coach typically gets Gatorade dumped on him at the end of the contest. But it isn’t the act that’s worth noticing.

Before placing this bet, I’d watch previous Gatorade Super Bowl celebrations. The winning answer could give you as high as 10-1 odds.

This is the opinion of Dan Raffety, a senior communication studies major from Eagle Rock, Calif. Tweet comments to @LoyolanSports, or email draffety@theloyolan.com.

LIKE S T R O P S N A K L O O O Y B E C LO A ON F LION

SPORTS

LION SPORTS

laloyolan.com Page 11

Optimism gone from early success KC at the Bat from Page 12

with Ireland, one of the best guards on the West Coast, a tophalf finish in the WCC seemed like a possibility. Instead, Good is nurturing a beat-up roster in a fiercely competitive league.

This team was supposed to have depth this season, but before the first game, senior forward Godwin Okonji and senior guard Ayodeji Egbeyemi were involved in a car accident that effectively ended Okonji’s season. Egbeyemi then suffered a season-ending hip injury in early December against UC Riverside. Just like that, the team lost two of its returning starters, including one of its co-captains in Egbeyemi.

The coaches expected freshman guard Nino Jackson to have an immediate impact, but Jackson has missed the last 18 games due to an ankle injury, suffered in the same UC Riverside game. Jackson’s absence was not a big deal until junior guard Chase Flint suffered a broken elbow against the University of Portland two weeks ago. All of a sudden, walk-on sophomore guard Max Heller was backing up Ireland. Not to knock against Heller’s playing ability, but it’s not a good sign for LMU when its fourth-string point guard is now Ireland’s primary backup.

Could it get worse than this?

Yes, it can. It seems like the basketball gods just had it out for the Lions this year.

Redshirt sophomore forward Ben Dickinson has missed the past four games due to personal reasons and is out indefinitely with his return date in question.

Dickinson averaged over 18 minutes a game for the Lions

before his absence on the court began in the team’s loss to Gonzaga Unviersity two weeks ago.

The Lions are in the heart of its conference schedule, but four and maybe five of its key players are out for the season.

Getting healthy is an admirable goal, but at this point, the Lions just have to stay healthy enough to field a team come March in the WCC Championships.

It sucks. There’s no other way around it. Coach Good won’t use the injuries as an excuse for his team’s poor performances, but if he does, it would surely understandable.

At 11-11 and eight conference games remaining, Ireland will face perhaps his biggest challenge in his four years at LMU. He’ll have to rally his troops and make them believe they can win games despite the obvious abscesses of injured teammates.

It’d seem easy for the Lions to roll over and die at this point of the season. But the team’s surprising run through the WCC Championships last season, led

by Ireland’s heroics, make me think they won’t become the punching bag of the WCC in the final half of the conference season.

Good doesn’t care if his team is fun to watch. He cares to see if his team will compete.

Yes, losing may define the season for fans, but the way this team competes in this final stretch will be the way the team’s players define their season.

work with for the rest of the game.

“She is a great leader, a great team captain. She holds us together. She is the glue to this team,” said Ben-Jumbo about Ramirez.

Ben-Jumbo’s 13 rebounds led the Lions to a 50-29 advantage on the boards. The Lions grabbed 21 offensive rebounds leading to 16 points.

“Our pursuit of the basketball was fantastic,” said Elliott. “We’ve struggled with rebounding the last few games, so it was definitely something we’ve talked about. I think today we really went after it both offensively and defensively.”

The Lions also hit 10 of 24 three-pointers on 41.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Freshman guard Leslie LopezWood led all players, connecting

This is the opinion of Dan Raffety, a senior communication studies major from Eagle Rock, Calif. Tweet comments to @LoyolanSports, or email draffety@theloyolan.com.

This is the opinion of Kevin Cacabelos, a senior history and Spanish double major from Seattle, Wash. Tweet comments to @LoyolanSports, or email kcacabelos@theloyolan.com.

Lions improve in standings W. Bball from Page 12

Kevin Halladay-Glynn | Loyolan

on four three-pointers.

“I’ve been working a lot with the coaches,” she said.

“Whenever I can, I try and go to the gym and get some shooting practice in. This was a great game, because even though we were playing with some nerves in the beginning, we kept talking to each other, calmed down and eventually played as well as we could.”

LMU dished out 21 assists on 27 of their made field goals, had five players in double figures and scored 1.1 points per possession in a dominating performance.

“We’ve been getting better and better,” concluded Elliott.

“I still see many areas where we can improve, but I think the team finally realizes how good they can be.”

LMU continues WCC play next week, hosting Pepperdine University at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

@loyolansports

Josh Kuroda | Loyolan

Redshirt senior forward Anthony Osborne rises for a shot against University of Portland senior forward Ryan Nicholas. Osborne is one of the team’s five players to appear in all 22 games of the 2013-14 season.

sports LIONBITES SWIMMING Senior Angelina Prat (left) set the LMU program record in the 1000 freestyle in a meet at UC Davis on Sunday.

Pratt’s performance LMU Athletics was not enough to help the Lions overcome the Aggies.

LMU lost by a final score of 178116. Junior Kjirsten Magnuson won the 50 freestyle with a time of 24.18.

W. TENNIS LMU opened up its season on Saturday with a 7-0 sweep over the Concordia University Eagles at LMU Tennis Center.

Senior Miya Jin LMU Athletics (right) partnered with freshman Jessica Perez and dominated their way to an 8-1 win.

Jin also won her singles match 6-1 and 6-2. Freshman Lauri Mueller beat her opponent by scores of 6-0, 6-0 to begin her season at LMU.

For daily LION BITES, like Loyolan Sports on Facebook and visit laloyolan.com/sports.

Prop bets for Super Sunday Raff’s Rap

M. BBALL

LION

89-61 L

at Saint Mary’s

SPORTS

W. TENNIS

7-0 W

vs. Concordia

W. BBALL

78-64 W

vs. Portland

91-82 L

vs. Gonzaga

Follow us on Twitter @loyolansports for up-to-date scores.

Page 12

LOS ANGELES LOYOLAN | January 27, 2014 | laloyolan.com

Lions dominate Pilots at home

Talia Baugnon | Loyolan

Senior guard Hazel Ramirez defends University of Portland junior guard Jasmine Wooton in Saturday’s game at Gersten Pavilion.

Ramirez’s led the Lions with an all-around performance, scoring 12 points, distributing 11 assists and grabbing one rebound.

Women’s basketball (6-14, 3-6 WCC) won its first conference home game on Saturday.

Rahul Daryanani Staff Writer

@Loyolan Sports

With their predecessors watching over them, the LMU women’s basketball team put on a complete performance to beat the University of Portland Pilots 78-64 on Saturday afternoon at Gersten Pavilion.

Senior guard Hazel Ramirez scored 13 points and dished out 11 assists, while junior forward Emily Ben-Jumbo scored 12 points and pulled down 13 rebounds for her second career double-double.

Sophomore guard Deanna Johnson added a team high 20 points off the bench as the Lions dominated the Pilots from start to finish.

W. BASKETBALL

LMU 78, Portland 64 From tipoff, the Lions showed signs of nerves in playing in front of LMU’s 2003-

04 West Coast Conference Championship team that was honored at halftime.

Portland had four steals in the first five minutes.

“There were some nerves involved,” admitted Head Coach Charity Elliott.

“It was a big crowd, a big day. I think we settled down fine.”

Ramirez was instrumental in getting the Lions comfortable. Behind her passing and dribble penetration into the Pilot defense, the Lions jumped out two a 14-2 lead, giving them a cushion they could See W. Bball | Page 11

Injuries plague LMU roster KC at the Bat

Dan Raffety

Managing Editor @DanRaffety

Kevin Cacabelos

S

uper Bowl XLVIII will be one of the most-watched televised events of the year, with millions of people tuning in worldwide. The matchup between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks has the potential to be one for the ages with the NFL’s No. 1 offense facing the No. 1 defense for the fifth time in Super Bowl history. Although the game itself will be a must-watch game, millions of people will not be watching for the final outcome, but rather for the betting lines.

The point spread of the game is less than a field goal, but the guys at Bovada Online Sportsbook are looking at other aspects of the game to bet on – entertainment booking.

Here is a list of my top four bets to take if you want to be rooting for something more than Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning or Seattle Seahawks defensive back Richard Sherman.

Sports Editor

@KevinCacabelos

L

These guys don’t even let kickoff begin before the betting begins. Singer Renee Fleming has been selected to perform the national anthem and instead of focusing on

osing teams are not fun to watch. If the LMU men’s basketball team wants students at Gersten Pavilion for five of their final eight West Coast Conference (WCC) games, they have to get healthy and win games. A 5-0 start last November provided optimism and the dream of this team performing well in WCC play.

Even the 2-0 start in the WCC and an upset victory over Brigham Young University (BYU) in December opened a few eyes, but since the new year, the Lions have gone 1-7, with their sole win of this calendar year coming in a 92-81 victory over the WCC’s last-place University of the Pacific Tigers.

Of course, the team has already improved from last season, but it’s not difficult to improve from winning one conference game. This was supposed to be senior guard Anthony Ireland’s showcase year. Ireland is showing a vast improvement in distributing the basketball, but he’s shooting a dismal 28.8 percent from three-point range – a number that must improve if he wants to play in the NBA. This season was also supposed to be an above-average year for Head Coach Max Good. The amount of returning talent along

See Raff’s Rap | Page 10

See KC at the Bat | Page 11

1. How long will it take Renee Fleming to sing the U.S. National Anthem?

Over 2 minutes 30 seconds Under 2 minutes 30 seconds

SCORES UPDATE

EVEN 1-1 -140 5-7

Josh Kuroda | Loyolan

Men’s basketball Head Coach Max Good faces one of the most difficult situations of his tenure at LMU, fielding a roster with only seven active scholarship players.