THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWS ORGANIZATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI | WWW.NEWSRECORD.ORG
THE NEWS RECORD
131 years in print Vol. CXXXI Issue XXXXVIi
MONDAY | APRIL 4 | 2011
SPRING FOOTBALL
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Bearcats prep for 2011 season
Check out newsrecord.org for slideshows and more of the weekend’s festivities
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SB5 signed into law by Gov. Kasich Anthony Orozco | News Editor
Thursday marked the official signing of the controversial Ohio Senate Bill 5, which sparked multiple pro-union demonstrations throughout the state,. The collective bargaining overhaul passed in the Republican-controlled Ohio House of Representatives with a 53-44 vote of approval. The bill will restrict the collective bargaining rights for some 360,000 public employees. Later that night, the Senate passed 25 House amendments by a 17-16 vote. The amendments range from small semantic changes to substantial alterations including the provisions to allow police and
Overseas students increase
firefighters to negotiate for their equipment, the elimination of court fines for public worker union strikes and limits of union funding and death benefits. “Senate Bill 5 gives local governments and schools powerful tools to reduce their costs so they can refocus resources on key priorities — like public safety and classroom instruction — while at the same time preserving government workers’ right to unionize and collectively bargain,” said Gov. Kasich after signing the bill. Despite thousands of people amassing at the state Capitol and demonstrating, Kasich is confident that the results of SB5 will be appreciated — eventually — by those who were actually protesting.
“There are a lot of people upset, and we respect that. But I think they’re going to find out at the end of the day we’ll have stronger communities,” Kasich said. Opponents to SB5 have begun work on a campaign organization called We Are Ohio to stop the new legislation. The campaign will attempt to write a ballot issue for November elections, raise money to persuade Ohioans to strike down the bill and to collect the 231,147 valid signatures from registered Ohio voters within 90 days of Kasich’s signature. A website, sb5truth.com has been launched to combat what many House Republicans have called misinformation about the bill.
Eamon Queeney | Photo Editor
YOUR SIGNATURE, PLEASE Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed Senate Bill 5 into law Thursday night. The bill will greatly limit collective bargaining of public workers.
MUSIC FESTIVAL ROCKS CLIFTON HEIGHTS
scott winfield | senior reporter
jayna barker & eamon queeney | the news record
In recent years, the international student community at the University of Cincinnati has risen by approximately 11 percent. While the percentage of nonU.S. resident males has remained static, there has been a surge in the percentage of non-resident female students at UC’s Main Campus. Approximately 2,000 UC students are non-residents as of fall 2010. Nearly one-half of those international students are women, according to statistics from UC’s Office of Institutional Research (OIR). The Middle East and China are among the two largest regions feeding international students to UC. Approximately 527 Chinese non-resident students were enrolled at UC in Fall 2010, and nearly one-half of those students were Chinese women, according to the OIR. Xia Liu, 21, came to UC from Hong Kong to improve her English proficiency skills. As a first-year student in the conversation-heavy marketing field, she joined the English as a Second Language (ESL) program at UC to help build success in her career and pursue a bachelor’s degree. “I like the program at Cincinnati,” Liu said. “I have learned English and [made] many friends.” Many of the non-resident female students enroll in ESL program to help garner knowledge of American language, culture and customs. Students in the program are taught basic English skills, conversational skills, speaking and listening skills, oral presentation skills, pronunciation skills, etc, according to UC’s College of Education and Human Services ESL website. At the end of each program, ESL students are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) to evaluate their individual ability to use and understand English in an academic setting, which will then grant them admittance into the university itself. For some students, though, the TOEFL isn’t so easy — even after months of being in the program. A student from Saudi Arabia, Haneen Samman, 25, came to UC to pursue her master’s degree in marketing and must complete the ESL program before moving into the graduate marketing program. Samman received her undergraduate degree in Saudi Arabia, but she has plans to stay in the United States. She will remain in the ESL program for one year until she takes the TOEFL to determine her proficiency score. The 11 percent increase in nonresident international students of more than 115 different countries across the globe suggests UC’s ESL program works. Samman has been having difficulty in the quick and intensive ELS program. Liu, whose ELS program only last three months, agrees. “It is hard to learn because people talk fast. I can’t understand,” she said. “I ask my teachers to talk slow.” The UC2019 “Accelerating Our Transformation” aims to achieve a global engagement target for international student enrollment at 8 percent, pending the semester conversion in Fall 2012, according to the Office of the President.
UC alumni awarded for merit
coulter loeb | the news record
TAKING OVER CLIFTON Hours Before Morning performs at Christy’s Biergarten on West McMillan Street (above). Rome Ntugoku and Far-I-Rome brought dozens of bands to the areas surround the University of Cincinnati’s campus for the fourth Clifton Heights Musical Festival. For more. turn to page 3.
New bills aim to curb texting
Cell phone use while driving to be banned jason hoffman | senior reporter
A committee in the Ohio legislature voted Thursday to move forward with a bill to ban texting while driving throughout the entire state. House Bill 99 (HB 99) passed the bipartisan House committee and now awaits a vote on the floor of the Ohio House of Representatives. HB 99 will make it illegal to use any wireless text-based communication device while operating
File Art | the news record
TEN AND TWO New legislation proposes a statewide ban on text communication while operating a motor vehicle, fines up to $150.
a motor vehicle on a public road. If caught texting while driving, motorists can expect to receive a $150 fine and possibly a court summons. The bill is similar to Cincinnati’s ban, which went into effect October 2010. Currently, Toledo, Columbus and Cleveland have similar legislation. Rep. Rex Damschroder (R-Sandusky) said he was appalled to find out that texting was still legal statewide when he was elected to office last year. During his testimony to the committee, Damschroder quoted a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2008 that found 5,850 people died in crashes caused by distracted driving and another 515,000 were injured in similar incidents, Damschroder said. The NHTSA study also found that 16 percent of fatal accidents in which drivers under the age of 20 were caused by distracted driving. Currently, HB 99 offers a six-month grace period where officers would only be able to issue written warnings to motorists caught texting. Similarly, another legislation, Ohio Senate Bill 35, proposes to ban using handheld communication devices while driving completely. If HB 99 is passed in the coming weeks, Ohio would become the 31st state to enact a texting ban. Kentucky banned motorist texting in January. Washington was the first state to ban texting while driving in 2007.
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Six University of Cincinnati alumni award recipients will be recognized June 9 at the UC Alumni Association’s annual UC Day Celebration. Award recipients were selected for their accomplishments and contributions to UC and the Cincinnati community. “[UC Day] allow[s] us to celebrate and recognize our most remarkable alumni and the positive marks they’ve made in their professions and in their communities,” said Myron Hughes, UC Alumni Association executive director. Dr. J. Richard Wuest, a 1958 College of Pharmacy graduate, received the William Howard Taft Medal for Notable Achievement — the highest honor awarded to a UC alumnus — for his work as a leader in pharmaceutical education. Wuest developed labels for prescription bottle alerts and reminders and his copyrighted labeling system is currently used on more than 4 billion U.S. prescriptions. Richard Foley, a 1961 College of Engineering graduate, and David Watkins, a 1992 College of Arts and Sciences graduate, both received the Alumni Distinguished Service Award for rendering outstanding, faithful and selfless service to their alma mater. Foley established and funds a scholarship for first-year students at UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Drew McKenzie, a 2005 College of Business graduate, received the Jeffrey Hurwitz Young Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award for developing marketing strategies, attracting new business and leveraging technology to his clients’ benefit at Empower MediaMarketing. Eric Abercrumbie, a 1987 College of Arts and Sciences graduate and current director of Ethnic Programs and Services at UC’s African American Culture and Resource Center, and Dr. Marilyn Edmondson, graduate of both the College of Nursing and College of Education, both received the Mosaic Award for championing the cause of the underrepresented and promoting greater equity and opportunity for others. Edmondson has worked with organizations including the humanitarian organization, CARE International to bring health-related opportunities to African nations. correction In the Thursday, March 31, issue of The News Record, it was incorrectly reported that a Toppers Pizza delivery driver was given an address on Mound Street. Information regarding the address was not released. The News Record regrets the error. FORECAST
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Weekend Edition April 4 | 2011 NEWSRECORD.ORG
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All apartment rental/sublet advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap or familial status, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for apartment rentals or sublets which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis.
FOR RENT EFFICIENCIES, 1-BEDROOM, 2-BEDROOM, 3-BEDROOM in HYDE PARK for rent in excellent condition. New appliances including dishwashers, A/C. HEAT and WATER paid. Balcony, pool use, 10 minutes from UC. New kitchens and bathrooms. Laundry, off-street parking/garage. Starting at $545 per month. Contact us at 513-477-2920 or pgspropertiesincincinnati@ gmail.com. Nice three bedroom apartment. Available September 1. 513378-7919 or visit our site www. qcr4rent.com. Looking for an apartment? www.ucapartments.com. Clifton 4 bedroom house. Walk to UC, hospitals. Driveway, equipped kitchen. Basement, yard, deck. New remodeled bath and furnace. Immediately available now through August 2011. $1095. Call 513-6315058, 513-484-0960. 412 Ada Street.
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FOR RENT
FOR RENT Efficiency $375. Call 513-3829000. Large 5 bedroom available September 1st. Call 513-5054147. uc4rent.com 1 bedroom for rent/sublet in a 5 bedroom house, beginning May 20th. Corner of Klotter and Ravine. Newly remodeled. Tenants are UC students. Deck with great view of Cincinnati. $300/month. Call 940-867-2581 or email dimuziap@mail.uc.edu. Now leasing for September. 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and houses. 513-281-7159 www. ucapartments.com. One bedroom $395. Call 513382-9000. UNITS FOR RENT: Nice 1-5 bedrooms, near UC, available for Sept. Call 513-403-2678 or 513-721-1778. Now renting for September 1st. 1 to 5 bedrooms. Visit our website uc4rent.com for a
virtual tour. Call 513-621-7032. Gaslight 2 Bedroom hardwood floors, free off-street parking, laundry, dishwasher, cats okay. $795/month. Call 513-294-8015. Two Bedrooms CONVERTED VICTORIAN HOUSE, completely remodeled, two blocks to campus, hardwood floors, fireplace, window blinds, free off street parking, cats welcome free, A/C, ceiling fans. $550. Call 513-379-5300 or email gray5393@mailstation. com. Two Bedrooms, BEAUTIFUL HARDWOOD FLOORS completely remodeled, BALCONY, two blocks to campus, eat-in kitchen with dishwasher, laundry, central A/C, ceiling fans, window blinds, free off street parking, cats welcome free. $695. Call 513379-5300 or email gray5393@ mailstation.com One Bedroom, HEAT PAID, two blocks to campus, remodeled, fireplace, A/C and ceiling fans, window blinds, laundry, free off street parking, cats welcome free. $395. Call 513-379-5300 or email gray5393@mailstation. com. Two Bedrooms, HEAT PAID, three blocks to campus, remodeled, eat in kitchen with dishwasher, bay window, balcony, hardwood floors, fireplace, A/C and ceiling fans, window blinds, laundry, free off street parking, cats welcome free. $650. Call 513-379-5300 or email gray5393@mailstation. com. Description: FREE UTILITIES and only $350 per person! Newly renovated! Large 2, 3 & 5 bedroom 1 & 2 bath apartments only a couple miles from campus. These apartments are part of a grand mansion that features: Great kitchen, large private bedrooms, newer appliances, new flooring, laundry room, cable ready, plenty of parking. Will not last! Contact: Seth 513-383-9435 or Sgdimling@aol.com (Available August 2011!)
Bartenders needed. Earn up to $250 per day. No experience required, will train. FT/PT. Call now 877-405-1078 EXT. 3503 Cleaning, painting $7.50-$9.00. Call 513-221-5555. BARTENDING. $250/DAY POTENTIAL. No experience necessary, training provided. Call 1-800-965-6520 ext. 225. SALES PROS DREAM JOB 100k+ with easy 5 minute sale! No Travel! Complete Training! Big Paychecks! Product Sells itself. Call 513-678-5252 for more information. Leave message 24/7 ATTENTION: Current Ecstasy or Molly Users!! Paid (up to $160) brain imaging and genetics study. NEED: 18-25 year olds, right-handed, no braces/ body metal. CONFIDENTIAL University of Cincinnati study, CALL: 556-5524 Caregiver wanted in Mason for active, physically disabled adult. No experience, flexible hours. $10/hour. Call 513-564-6999 #688990. www.GOevolved.com is seeking for two - 10-15 hour per week techie/creative students - pays $8-10 per hour. Contact will@ GOevolved.com with resume. Offices are 5 blocks from campus. FUN and REWARDING Summer Job Opportunities in Cincinnati! Enjoy the out-doors while leading and teaching children recreational activities as a summer day camp counselor. Weekdays 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM. Positions include: basketball, drama & singing, gymnastics, maintenance, male group counselors, nature & camping, bb air rifle, soccer, swimming instructors (current life guarding required, WSI preferred), team sports and other activity leaders. Camp Session: June 20 – July 29. Precamp work available in May; staff training held 5/21 & 5/28 & evening 5/27. Cincinnati location near Winton Woods. Call Camp Wildbrook 513-931-2196 or email Campwildbrook@cinci. rr.com. The Kinder Garden School is hiring teaching assistants for
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EMPLOYMENT infants/toddlers/preschool. 2-6pm Monday-Friday. Email: tamilanham@gmail.com. Call: 513.791.4300. www.kindergardenschool.com Swimsafe Pool management has several positions available for managers, assistant managers and lifeguards at our area pools. Great summer work and pay. Please contact us at 513-755-7075 or visit www. swimsafepool.com for more information. Play it Again Sports needs part time sales clerks. Flexible schedule, fun job. Call Mary at 310-3933. Wanted- Outside Sales Representative. Established manufacturer’s rep firm seeks qualified candidate for sales position based in Cincinnati. Territory includes Southern IN and KY. Responsible for lead follow-up, direct sales, coordinating installations and inservice of well known laboratory equipment lines to university, clinical, hospital and industrial laboratories. Sales experience with science background helpful but will train motivated candidate with science background and a strong desire to enter sales. Salary + commission + car allowance + expenses. Email resumes to george@apexlec. com.
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Monday April 4 | 2011 NEWSRECORD.ORG
ENTERTAINMENT
4 F M H C
ROBERT’S
RANTS
robert kirchgassner
Actors must do research for roles Jennifer Garner was recently announced to play Agatha Christie’s detective Miss Marple in an upcoming Disney film based on the famous crime novels. Garner is also one of the producers of the film. While film fans scratched their heads in confusion, John Travolta was also reportedly assigned to an equally questionable role. Travolta is slated to play Gambino crime family boss John Gotti in the upcoming independent film “Gotti: Three Generations.” The movie will chronicle Gotti’s rise to power during the 1980s and focus on the relationship between Gotti and his son, who took over the family business after his father’s death. Not surprisingly, many people expressed dissatisfaction. Although I’ve only read one or two of the Marple stories, I know the detective is an elderly British woman, whereas Garner is still in her 30s and as American as baseball. Gotti, however was a real-life figure (he died in prison in 2002). The two characters share one thing, though. Marple and Gotti have certain character guidelines which audiences will fully expect Garner and Travolta to adhere to. I consider myself an optimist, so I’ll start by saying there’s a chance both these choices could work. Garner might be American, but so is Renee Zellweger, and that didn’t stop the latter from doing great, Oscar-nominated work as the very British Bridget Jones (in two films, no less). Likewise, Sir Anthony Hopkins is British, but that didn’t stop him from giving Oscar-nominated performances as U.S. presidents Richard Nixon and John Quincy Adams on the screen. I must confess, though, that, despite Garner’s great work in the television spy drama series “Alias,” the only movie she’s done so far that I’d consider notable is “Catch Me If You Can.” Even if a British actress had been cast, there is another reason for the unhappiness among Marple fans’ dissatisfaction with Garner: The Disney film is going to focus on Marple as a younger woman — a strong deviation from Christie’s novels. With this decision, however, the Marple film has the potential to emulate the BBC’s recent “Sherlock: A Study in Pink,” which showcased a younger Sherlock Holmes. The result was surprisingly engaging because, despite character’s age difference and the contemporary setting, it adhered to the spirit of Conan Doyle’s stories. The upcoming Marple film is also going to be set in modern times. Travolta doesn’t have to contend with the nationality issues Garner faces, but portraying real-life characters requires a certain degree of restraint to be effective. While Travolta was wonderfully villainous in “Face/Off,” that performance didn’t have (nor did it require) any restraint on his part — Travolta’s tendency to go over the top helped sink films such as “Battlefield Earth.” But Gotti isn’t a fictitious character. Travolta, like other actors who have played reallife figures, will have to do his homework to avoid being laughed off the screen the way John Wayne’s portrayal of Genghis Khan in “The Conqueror” was. Travolta did, however, get the blessing of Gotti’s son on the project. Like Garner, Travolta is talented, but his recent films haven’t been the best. “From Paris With Love” and “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” didn’t reflect his successes in “Grease,”“Pulp Fiction” and the aforementioned “Face/Off.” Here’s hoping both these films give the careers of their respective stars an adrenaline shot to the heart. Do you think Garner and Travolta are right for their roles? Let us know at newsrecordent@gmail.com.
photos by anna bentley and eamon queeney | the news record
TIME TO SHINE Local musicians Marmalade Brigade (vocalist Michael McIntire, left), Josiah Wolf & Liz Hodson (vocalist Liz Hodson, above) and The Plastic Inevitables (below) sing and play their hearts out for Cincinnati music fans during the fourth Clifton Heights Music Festival. Sean peters & kelly tucker | the news record
O
ur collective ears are still ringing as a result of the fourth annual Clifton Heights Music Festival. With more than 80 musical acts filling seven venues across town, the streets boisterously seethed with boozesoaked musical debauchery. Organized by Far-I-Rome Productions, the CHMF is becoming the must-attend event for Cincinnatians. Whether or not it surpasses MidPoint Music Festival is up in the air, since attendance has increased every year for both festivals. The News Record’s top picks from this year’s CHMF features some of the most exciting Midwestern music and extraordinary Cincinnati talent: Marmalade Brigade: Starting off the weekend’s music at Rohs Street Café, Marmalade Brigade filled the house with their charismatic jazz. Front man Michael McIntire definitely keeps Django Reinhardt in mind when playing guitar. Accompanied by brilliant violin, clarinet, banjo and bass, the band (which plays Sitwells Café every first Monday of the month) is an essential component of our local music scene. The Best Revenge: First, it’s important to say the Mad Frog was the weakest club this weekend. The fresh scent of vomit filled the uninviting front room. On a positive note, though, The Best Revenge sounds like an ongoing, hypothetical experiment — imagine if the lovechild of Tom Waits and Tom Gabel of Against Me! recorded a
nonironic tribute album to Bruce Springsteen on their front porch. The Best Revenge would then be the band to find these strange recordings and then reinterpret them decades later. That makes sense, right? Vaudeville Freud: Madmen. Fronted by Paul O’Moore, who looks like a circus ringleader recently broken out of Arkham Asylum, Vaudeville Freud’s sound reflects their chaotic image. Writhing on the floor voodoo style, O’Moore delivered a powerful performance atop his band’s musical funky pop sensibility. The Cliftones: Mac’s Pizza is a teensy little venue for live music as it is, but when you pack in an eight-piece reggae band whose music demands ass-shaking, canned sardines don’t know how much elbow room they’ve got compared to those in attendance. Delivering a top-notch set of classically inspired reggae “riddims” but playing a set of all original tunes,The Cliftones were a musical highlight. No No Knots: Cincinnati really does not want them to disband, but them’s the breaks. Untying. With only one more concert, fans packed Christy’s biergarten to see the lovely musical styling of Molly Sullivan and company. After setting fire to a T-shirt, my friends and I were ejected from the venue, but from the sidewalk we could still hear our favorite tracks. NNK even surprised us with an unexpected cover of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass.” Catch NNK’s last show April 14 at the Cincinnati Zoo. (Written by Sean Peters. Kelly Tucker did not set anything on fire.) Shiny and the Spoon: This charming folk-pop duo comprised
of Amber Nash on ukulele and lagerphone and Jordan Neff on guitar and harmonica teamed up with a stand-up bassist for their performance. Nash’s beautifully full, jazzy voice filled Rohs Street Café as the band played a strong selection of soulful songs, including a cover of Malvina Reynolds’ “No Hole in My Head.” Rohs Street Café: While Rohs Street isn’t a band in the CHMF lineup, it deserves mention for its outstanding venue qualities. While bars are an ideal location for a variety of musical acts during the weekend, sometimes the scene can get too loud and, well, drunk to focus on the talent. Rohs Street Café deserves applause for providing a calm, comfortable atmosphere for non-drinkers to take a seat, sip on a latte and take in each performance to its fullest capacity. Comedy Hour: For the first time in Clifton Heights Music Festival history, a comedy block jump-started the second night with plenty of colorful humor from local comedians. Among
these, Kelly Collette discussed life as the unsuspecting child of pot-dealing parents, while Ally Bruener defied the politically correct with her self-deprecating “cripple” jokes. Alex Stone wrapped up the hour by explaining his fears of confident children and driving over shopping bags. While the early time slot didn’t allow for a strong crowd to gather, it provided enough laughs to set the tone for a night of music and bar-hopping. The Frankl Project: The three-piece punk/ska band has been a major attraction in the Cincinnati music scene for years, and the trio did not disappoint when the closed a very packed Baba Budan’s Saturday night. These guys certainly know how to command an audience. With the soulful, high-powered orchestration of songs like “Juicy Jackhammer,” the got crowd moving and really just showcased The Frankl Project’s undeniable musical mastery and presence.
Carrabba’s solo tour captivates crowd kelly tucker | entertainment EDITOR Dashboard Confessional frontman Chris Carrabba took the stage at Bogart’s Wednesday night armed with only an acoustic guitar and a microphone as he shed the company of his bandmates to commemorate his first album, “Swiss Army Romance.” Call them emo. Call them sappy romantics. But even
if Dashboard Confessional’s brand of openhearted, honest songwriting isn’t your thing, it still remains one of the best in the genre. Carrabba continues to put out quality, inspirational songs and tour the a decade after “Screaming Infidelities” infiltrated teenagers’ car stereos everywhere, bringing attention to a previously unnoticed sound. Veteran Dashboard fans crowded into the venue to hear
sara blankemeyer | TNR contributor
STILL SCREAMING INFIDELITIES Chris Carrabba performed the “Swiss Army Romance” in its entirety with passion and precision, hitting some serious high notes as he aimed to please dedicated fans.
Carrabba play “Swiss Army Romance” from beginning to end. Despite the obvious monotony the singer/songwriter has faced from playing the same 10 songs at the beginning of every show for the past few months, Carrabba attacked the stage with passion and smiles as if it was his first time performing each song. Fans in the crowd sang along, many of them probably from memory of listening to the CD from start to finish countless times before. Dashboard Confessional has a way of covering an intense spectrum of emotion with their music, which was translated even to Carrabba’s stripped down acoustic act as he played songs from each of the band’s albums. His songs ranged from ballads, dripping unashamedly with romance like the wedding-songappropriate “Stolen My Heart” and “Remember to Breathe,” to fast-paced, more biting tunes like “The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most” and “The Swiss Army Romance.” Then, of course, there are the songs saturated with unabashed dejection like “Again I Go Unnoticed” and “The Brilliant
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Dance” that Carrabba included in the set. Flashbacks to high school break-ups were almost visible among the faces in the crowd as the musician belted, “This is incredible, starving, insatiable — yes, this is love for the first time.” The set ended on a powerfully positive note as Carrabba performed the revolutionary tribute to personal growth, “Vindicated.” He introduced the last song of the night by quickly announcing, “This is a song about the best day of my life,” and launching into “Hands Down.” The adrenaline-fueled song about the passion and excitement of new romance topped the night off well, covering all the bases for Dashboard favorites fans had come to hear. Dashboard brought emotional honesty in music to the forefront, making memorable songs that will stick with their generation of fans for a lifetime. Carrabba’s future with his second band, Further Seems Forever, and his striving to continue to grow musically with Dashboard Confessional only solidify the optimism and enthusiastic sincerity Carrabba has already inspired in so many listeners.
Carrabba attacked the stage with passion and smiles as if it was his first time performing each song.
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SPORTS ANTICS UC earns Georgetown sweep
Monday
April 4 | 2011
NEWSRECORD.ORG
THE SAM sam elliott
Madness ends with Huskies vs. Bulldogs It wasn’t a matter of if your bracket got busted this season, but rather when you ripped the thing in half, tossed it in the trash and just enjoyed March Madness for what it is: the greatest tournament in sports. Now it all comes down to Monday’s dogfight. March may be over, but there are still two teams standing and 40 minutes of madness remaining. After one of the most exciting NCAA tournaments ever, we were treated to a Final Four like none other. Void of a single No. 1 or No. 2 seed but rich in surprises and storylines, the Big Dance’s culmination at Reliant Stadium in Houston hasn’t disappointed yet. Monday’s national championship game should be no different. Butler did it again. After coming one shot shy of being last season’s national champions, the Bulldogs are back in the title game for a second stab at the ultimate steaks. Butler’s run this year is even more shocking than the one that wowed the world one year ago. Gone is Gordon Hayward, the best Bulldog of the bunch, who later became the ninth selection in the NBA Draft. Butler lost four times in five Horizon League games earlier this season, at which point the Bulldogs’ NCAA tournament hopes were in serious jeopardy. But head coach Brad Stevens has more than righted the ship, winning nine-straight games and a conference tournament before five season-extending victories when Butler needed them most. Most recent was Saturday’s 70-62 win against Virginia Commonwealth, the tournament’s Cinderella and punching bag to America’s pundits. The Rams’ road from the inaugural First Four to the Final Four was made all the sweeter thanks to the immediate bashing their tournament inclusion received by ESPN’s talking heads. Whether they deserved to be there or not, the Rams made the most of their Big Dance trip by downing Southern California, Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State and Kansas before bowing out to Butler. The Bulldogs used their stout defense to cool VCU’s previously red-hot 3-point shooting and advance to the title game. There, they’ll face the daunting task of stopping America’s best player: Kemba Walker. Since losing four of five games to end the regular season, Walker and Connecticut have won 10 straight tournament games, including five in as many days to claim the Big East crown before winning the West regional and beating Kentucky Saturday. The Huskies just don’t lose in tournaments. They won this season’s Maui Invitational, surprising Michigan State and Kentucky early in the year after entering the season with little expectations and no Top-25 votes. The Big East gauntlet wasn’t kind to the Huskies, but Jim Calhoun knows how to win when it counts. The Huskies head coach is an experienced competitor and has been at the school nearly as long as Butler’s Stevens has been alive. Both the Huskies and Bulldogs have been locked in tight games throughout the tournament, and there’s no reason to believe Monday’s finale will be any different. And if it’s a close game in the final seconds and UConn has a chance at a game-winning basket, everyone in America knows it’ll be Walker taking the shot. Beating UConn sounds simple enough: contain Walker. Easier said than done. The junior guard has been the focus of opponents all season. Only once all year has he failed to score at least 14 points and has cracked 30 points on 11 occasions this season. But a season and tournament’s worth of memorable performances won’t matter come Monday night. Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier have complemented Walker especially well of late, but they’ll be in for a fight against Matt Howard, Shelvin Mack and a Butler team truly greater than the sum of its parts.
Peters’ walk-off single caps three-game streak Hunter tickel | senior reporter
Coming off a six-game losing streak, including three against St. John’s in its first league action, the Cincinnati baseball team responded with a clean sweep of Georgetown Friday, Saturday and Sunday. “In Big East play, the margin for error is really tight. We’ve played six Big East games and we are 3-3. We could have won all six or lost all six,” said head coach Brian Cleary. “This weekend, we found a way to make [the games] go our way. The further we got into the six-game stretch, you kind of feel if we can win one here and get the monkey off our back, we’ll string together a few wins.” Senior pitcher Dan Jensen set the tone for the series Friday in Bethesda, Md., going the distance while allowing no earned runs and retiring a career-best 11 batters in UC’s first Big East win of the season. “I thought [Jensen] giving us a complete game was a big benefit in that it saves some bullpen for the rest of the weekend,” Cleary said. “Georgetown had been swinging the bats pretty well. He handled them magnificently and was really
dominating. It came at a time when we really needed a win.” The score was knotted at one in the ninth inning when freshman Ronald Cotton broke the deadlock with a bases-loaded walk. Pinch hitter T.J. Jones brought in another runner with a sacrifice fly for a 3-1 final score. Outfielder Braden Kline came up clutch Saturday in the eighth inning with a two-run homer as the Bearcats trailed 2-3. “Kline was the difference in [that] game,” Cleary said. “We’ve done a good job of giving ourselves a chance to score. We have struggled to come up with the big hit.” UC ended its lead-changing inning with its fourth run of the stanza with an RBI single from pinch hitter Justin Riddell. “Typically, a big inning is the difference in the game,”Cleary said. “We have had a hard time creating big innings for ourselves.” After going 2-4 at the plate, Kline extended his hit streak to 16 consecutive games before having it snapped Sunday. Cleary said, despite Kline’s current hot stretch, he hasn’t peaked. “[Kline] is still not as good as
he is going to be,” Cleary said. “He’s still a little bit inconsistent but he has really done a good job in the middle of our line up with some power, some doubles and home runs. He’s a dangerous hitter, he can be a tough guy to pitch to when he stays aggressive.” Freshman Matt Ring took the mound in the seventh and pitched three shutout innings. In the series’ final game, Cincinnati needed extra innings to complete the sweep. Junior Nic Spence led off with a double before pinch runner Ronald Cotton took third base on a wild pitch. Shortstop Chris Peters slapped a groundball game-winning single into left field. The chemistry in the locker room did not waver in the face of an early-season drought, which has now been followed by UC’s second three-game winning streak of the season. “After losing [six back-to-back], I really [liked] the effort and the energy I thought was good the whole time,” Cleary said. Cincinnati (13-12, 3-3 Big East) will travel to Morehead St. Wednesday with the opening pitch
set for 6:30 p.m. The Bearcats will then begin at three-game home series with Louisville on Friday at Marge Schott Stadium.
sam greene | online editor
PITCHING BY COMMITTEE Zach Isler was one of four UC pitchers to help the Bearcats beat Georgetown Sunday, pitching two innings with two hits, no runs and two strikeouts
spring football practice
blackcats
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BACK IN BLACK Cincinnati’s defense allowed an average 369.4 yards and a Big East-worst 28 points per game last season. The 11 returning starters have reinstated the “Blackcats” nickname coined last season by co-defensive coordinator Tim Banks.
UC defense reinventing its image for 2011 season differentiate this season’s defensive unit from last year’s squad. “We don’t have to so much as rebuild Throughout college football history, as make a new identity for ourselves,” defensive units and players have taken on a Wolfe said. “Everyone wants to be the best, plethora of nicknames. and we’re going to be the best. We hold The 1976 Georgia Bulldogs were the Junkyard ourselves to a certain standard. We got dog Dogs. Defenses under tags now, and Joe Morrison at South when someone Carolina in the 1980s were steps out of line, the Fire Ants. Now, UC’s they get their 2011 defensive starters dog tags taken. are christening themselves You have to earn the Blackcats. it every day.” And the name isn’t During the just used to describe the 2010-11 season, black jerseys the defense the Bearcats —john hughes dons during practice. bearcat senior defensive lineman defense struggled “It stands for a to be consistent relentless defense,” said and were plagued senior defensive linemen by injures and a John Hughes. “We go hard lack of depth at almost every position. all the time. There are no excuses. Everything we The lack of a single senior starter on do, we do at our fullest.” defense didn’t help either, as the Bearcats The name was coined last season by co-defensive coordinator Tim Banks when finished the 2010-11 season letting up an average 369.4 yards per game and a Big he handed out dog tags with “Blackcats” on East-worst 28 points per game. them to all the defensive players. After last season’s lackluster stats and “We used it a little bit last year, but we’re taking it a lot more seriously this year,” said performances, Wolfe said the Blackcats have a senior defensive tackle Derek Wolfe. “It’s kind lot to prove in the upcoming season. “There were times when we were good and of a creed we got. We’re a brotherhood and there were times when we were terrible, so we we’re just trying to be different.” just need to be consistent,”Wolfe said. The name is also being used to sam weinberg | Sports EDITOR
It stands for a relentless defense. We go hard all the time. There are no excuses. Everything we do, we do at our fullest.
While the 2010 Bearcats defense was devoid of any senior leadership, the 2011 starting squad is made up of nothing but veteran players. Cincinnati returns all 11 defensive starters from last season, including of four seniors and six juniors. “It’s a huge morale boost,” Wolfe said. “The thing is, we’ve been through so much adversity. We’ve kind of built a bond and formed a family. When a family goes through struggles, you get closer.” Four workouts into the team’s 15-practice spring training regiment, Wolfe says he likes what he sees so far from his fellow defensemen and has yet to strip anyone of their dog tags. But if the team wants to make their name stick and be recognized nationally, Hughes and Wolfe both agreed that a lot of work still remains to erase the memory of last season’s struggles. “We put last year behind us. We remember it but we’re moving forward,” Hughes said. “We’re moving forward as a defense because we need to get better at all aspects on defense, and that’s what we’re working towards in spring right now.”
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briefs
LAX slump continues The University of Cincinnati lacrosse team’s losing streak extended to five Friday, following a 17-3 route against the No. 5 Loyola Greyhounds at Nippert Stadium. The Greyhounds were the third ranked opponent the Bearcats have played in their past four games. Cincinnati (2-8, 0-2 Big East) struggled to produce any offense, tallying just 10 shots through 60 minutes of play. Maggie Hague, Marissa Pierson and Kylie Ramsland each netted one of the Bearcats’ three goals, with assists by Allison Bell and Katie Liberatore. Loyola finished with 32 shots on goal and opened the game
with two goals in the first 1:28. Pierson tallied her goal immediately following the Greyhounds’ second goal, but it would be the only point for the Bearcats in the first half as Cincinnati went into halftime trailing 12-1. Ramsland scored UC’s second point eight minutes through the second half, and, with a little more than one minute remaining in the game, Hague tallied Cincinnati’s final point. Grace Gavin — the No. 5 scorer in the country — and Abby Rehfuss led the Greyhounds, each with a game-high four goals. The Bearcats return to action at 3:30 p.m. Friday to play Georgetown in Washington, D.C.
Records fall as track teams win The University of Cincinnati men and women’s track teams each claimed the championship title Saturday at the Oliver Nikoloff Open track and field meet. Bearcats distance runner Eric Finan set a new UC record in the 10,000 meter run Friday, with a time of 29:37.29 to become the first Cincinnati runner to post a less-than-30-minute performance in the event. On the women’s team, senior Natasha Burse beat her own school record in the women’s 100-meter dash with
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a time of 11.65 seconds — two-hundredths of a second better than her previous record of 11.63 seconds. Burse nearly broke a second record with 23.78 seconds in the women’s 200-meter dash, coming just .41 seconds short of Charlyn Ray’s record set in 2002. The women’s team easily took first, with a 69.5-point difference between the Bearcats and Dayton, which finished second. The Bearcat men finished 15 points ahead of Miami University, which placed second. The Bearcats return to action Friday and Saturday at the Miami University Invitational in Oxford, Ohio.