The Oswegonian 5-7-2021

Look Inside: A3 Workgroup on the lookout for student reps

Friday, May 7, 2021 VOLUME LXXXVI ISSUE VII SINCE 1935 www.oswegonian.com

Yards for Yeardly continues SUNY Oswego campus community walks to show support

56,051

Photo provided by Tashana Joseph The SUNY Oswego community has continued to walk in support of Yards for Yeardly, despite COVID-19 struggles.

Tomas Rodriguez Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com

CONTENT

One yard at a time, SUNY Oswego’s campus community continues to walk in support of dating and domestic violence victims, even during the pandemic. This year marked the seventh annual edition of Yards for Yeardley since it first arrived at SUNY Oswego in 2015.

After last year’s event transitioned into a virtual format, this year’s campaign continued that trend stretching over the span of more than one month. This virtual event began April 1 and came to a close May 3 at 2:30 p.m., the anniversary of Yeardley Love’s death, who was killed by her ex-boyfriend three weeks shy of her college graduation back in 2010.

Spearheaded by SUNY Oswego’s Title IX coordinator Lisa Evaneski, the Yards for Yeardley annual event pertains to the requirements for some of the different laws requiring the college to do ongoing awareness programs, bystander intervention and prevention programs.

Evaneski’s office has specific training designated for students and employees, student organizations, student-athletes and Greek

Crossword/Sudoku... C6 Contact Info................ A2 Laker Review.............. C1 News............................. A1 Opinion........................ B1 Sports........................... B3 Student Spotlight.... C6

*Last updated May 6*

**Positive rate over a seven-day average**

20

0.58%

205,881

183

52,214,719

1.68%

SUNY Oswego assistant professor receives honor

organizations. Their work also partners with the One Love Foundation, the Clery Center and the national group It’s On Us. “We have such great support from our campus, including our students, employees, alumni and community members,” Evaneski said. “I’m always looking forward to ‘what can we do that’s bigger or better or what can we improve.’ I feel like I always wake up with that mindset every day. I’m very grateful that we have such a great community that participates in all this stuff we’re doing, that invites us into training and that reports to us when something happens.”

When COVID-19 forced SUNY Oswego and other colleges nationwide to switch to remote learning, Evaneski says, it forced her office to pump the brakes quickly on Sexual Assault Awareness Month, leading them to move right into doing all the planned activities in a virtual format.

“I was not sure if people would participate,” Evaneski said. “I always like to set a goal for myself and for us. I was like ‘wow, I hope we get to one million;’ I was really just hopeful that people would engage in some way and maybe participate, and it was better than expected.”

Evaneski’s office had hundreds of people submit miles, yards and

steps, which they then converted to yards. Last year’s month-long tally added up to nearly 22 million yards.

Putting that into perspective with the single-day editions celebrated in previous years, the first year they nearly reached two million yards albeit their highest ever pre-COVID yardage sat at approximately eight million, according to Evaneski.

“Last year we didn’t overly advertise it, but this year we were a little more intentional,” Evaneski said. “Last year we were thinking ‘everyone is so overwhelmed because of the pandemic,’ and this year we were like ‘OK, let’s give people something fun to finish up the year.’”

In fact, as of May 3 at 2:30 p.m. at the official closing of the yearly event, Evaneski and her team had recorded a tally of over 20 million yards.

“It seems there are more people involved this year than last year, even though right now we’re seeing less of a yardage,” Evaneski said.

“For me, it’s more important to have more people involved.”

Evaneski’s office relies heavily on the support of its interns, who serve as an essential backbone in planning and carrying out the yearly events.

Opinion

Sports

Laker Review

Oswegonian.com

VACCINE NEEDED

‘SEASON OF OBSTACLES’

FALCON AND SOLDIER

SA VIOLATION

B2

Photo from Flickr

See EVENT, A3

B4

The Oswegonian file photo from 2019

Kaitlyn Goodwin Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com Assistant professor Catalina Iannone recently received the honor of being named the runner up by the editors of Hispania and the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese for a competition that reviews scholarly articles on Spanish language and Spanish speaking culture every two years.

Iannone’s article, which is titled, “Visualizing Blackness in Contemporary Spain: Race and Representation in Juan Valbuena’s ‘Salitre,’” considers and inestigates how the white gaze can morph perceptions of black experiences in modern society, particularly in the field of scholars.

Iannone’s research focuses on multi-ethnic hubs that have become branded for tourism.

“I am looking at different types of texts. One of these texts was an album created by a photographer named Juan Valbuena who works on different photographic proj-

C3

Image from Marvel via YouTube

ects,” Iannone said. “What’s unique in my take on the article, is that what he’s doing is trying to shed light on different communities.”

Iannone went on to discuss it felt as though Valbuena was “recycling less progressive notions on what it means to be racialized in Spain… [it’s as though he said] ‘Tell me about yourself’ and then said ‘you know what? I want to tell people about this other part of you. ’” Iannone emphasized the difference between speaking for a marginalized group and giving them a platform to be heard.

“They can speak, let them speak,” Iannone said.

Iannone felt that one of the biggest issues about the way people talk about race in Spain was the way it is so focused on immigration. Of course immigration is a story that has to be told, but she points out that Spain is not a homogenous nation, and that the marginalized groups there are just as Spanish as any other person living in Spain.

See ARTICLE, A3

Web

The Oswegonian file photo from 2020

PAGE 2

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, May 7, 2021

Weekend Forecast

Gonian Social

FRIDAY, MAY 7 THROUGH SUNDAY, MAY 9

Friday

H: 51 °

Sunday

Saturday

L: 39 °

H: 51 °

L: 40 °

H: 53 °

30%

50%

L: 41 °

The Oswegonian

@TheOswegonian

@GonianSports

30% @the_oswegonian

@GonianLRO

Chance of Precipitation

NEW YORK STATE

WEATHER FRIDAY, MAY 7

Potsdam 52°/41°

Oswego 51°/39°

Buffalo 52°/37°

Syracuse 53°/40°

Albany 61°/42°

Joesph Bouck, 20, was arrested on April 25 at 2:46 a.m. for criminal mischief in the fourth degree after he damaged a window. **Blotter information provided by

Extended Forecast Monday

H: 54 °

L: 41 °

Tuesday

H: 53 °

20%

MONDAY, MAY 10 THROUGH FRIDAY, MAY 14

Wednesday

L: 41 °

10%

H: 56°

L: 43 °

Thursday

H: 53 °

20%

The Oswegonian

STAFF

Editor-in-Chief | Ben Grieco Managing Editor | Matt Watling

News Editor | Kylie Annable Opinion Editor | Abigail Connolly Sports Editor | Brandon Ladd Laker Review Editor | Mary Katherine Moylan

Multimedia Editor | William Rogers Creative Director, Photography | Kailee Montross Creative Director, Graphics | Patrick Higgins Chief Copy Editor | Rachel McKenna Copy Editor | Annika Wickham Asst. Sports Editor | Michael Gross Asst. Laker Review Editor | Ethan Stinson Business Manager | John Contrata Advertising Manager | Iyana Armstrong Social Media Coordinator | Caroline Evans

L: 43 °

50%

Chance of Precipitation

Faculty Advisor | Brian Moritz

Oswego City Police Department.**

NYC 62°/47°

Weather forecast provided by Catie McNeil from WTOP-10

ADVERTISING

Friday

H: 57°

L: 45 °

20%

BE HEARD!

advertising@oswegonian.com iarmstrong@oswegonian.com Direct: 315.414.1251 Classifieds: 315.312.3601 Ads must be received by the Friday before desired publication date.

CIRCULATION

Circulation Dir. | Jordyn Robinson For drop-off inquiries please call 315.312.3269 1,000 copies across the Oswego State campus and the city of Oswego every other Friday.

CORRECTIONS Call 315.312.3269 to discuss a correction on any story.

139A Marano Campus Center Editor-in-Chief Phone: 315.312.3269 SUNY Oswego Office Phone: 315.312.3600 Oswego, NY 13126 info@oswegonian.com

W W W. O S W E G O N I A N . C O M

We're looking for writers. That could mean you.

Have you ever wanted to...

• Express your opinion?

• Investigate & report on a story?

• Learn how a newspaper operates?

• The Oswegonian is read by many people in the region, including local residents and your fellow students. Write for us and let your voice be heard.

Join us to learn more.

When: Every Friday at 3 p.m. on Zoom at the following ID: 993 3033 2785

-

NEWS

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

We have such great support from our campus, including our students, employees, alumni and community members.”

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, May 7, 2021

-Lisa Evaneski, from COVER

Workgroup in need of student representatives

A3

Organization looking for more “student perspective” Kylie Annable News Editor kannable@oswegonian.com SUNY Oswego’s Workgroup for Accessibility Practices is hoping to identify a few students to become student representatives of their committee in the future.

SUNY Oswego professor Casey Raymond serves the workgroup and explained when this committee would likely get started.

“We’re hoping to identify a few student representatives for the committee,” Raymond said.

“This [committee] would likely start next fall, but earlier is a possibility too.”

Kathleen Percival, a digital accessibility analyst, serves as the co-chair of the group, along with Michele Thornton. Percival explained what it is that this workgroup does for SUNY Oswego’s campus and students. “[The workgroup] promotes a campus culture of accessibility by sharing contemporary accessibility tools and techniques through workshops, trainings and publications,” Percival said. “The team of campus accessibility experts works together to anticipate, troubleshoot, support and resolve the practical needs of our campus community.”

Percival explained what the expected responsibilities of the student representatives on the committee would be. She also described what opportunities students may have in this position.

“We hold two meetings each month. Responsibilities of the representatives include attending at least one meeting per month, be willing and able to share ideas from the student perspective on how to improve accessibility and inclusivity on campus,” Percival said. “Group members often pres-

To the City’s Edge: Urbanism at Caracol, Belize, Friday, May 7, 3 p.m., over Zoom Campus Recreation Basketball Shoot Around, Monday, May 10, 2 p.m., Swetman Gym, Marano Campus Center

Mindful Eating Session, Tuesday, May 11, 12:30 p.m., over Zoom The Oswegonian file photo from 2020 New student representatives will likely start next fall but earlier is a possibility.

ent at workshops, conferences, department meetings, etc. Students may also have this opportunity if they are comfortable in doing so.”

When describing what the workgroup would be looking for in a student representative, Percival explained that a student who is dedicated, hard working and interested in helping promote and create an inclusive campus would be the ideal candidate.

Though not required, skills that are helpful in this position would be knowledge of using screen readers and knowledge of document accessibility and remediation, according to Percival.

Percival also described what the workgroup’s current staff looks like, explaining that the workgroup wishes for more student perspective in its organization.

“Our group is currently comprised of staff and faculty members from various areas, including CTS, Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT), Extended

Learning, Accessibility Resources, Digital Services, School of Business, Computer Science, Chemistry and Penfield Library,” Percival said. “While we strive to serve the entire campus community, we lack the student perspective.”

Percival described how many students the workgroup is looking for, and explained that there is no real specific application process.

She also clarified that the workgroup does not typically meet during the summer months.

“We are looking for two or three students to participate each semester. There is no specific application process, but interested students can send an email to accessibilitypractices@oswego.edu explaining why they would like to participate,” Percival said. “We are hoping to recruit a few students for the Fall 2021 semester.”

More information about the Workgroup for Accessibility Practices can be found on the SUNY Oswego website.

Badminton, Tuesday, May 11, 2 p.m., Swetman Gym, Marano Campus Center Informational Session for Discover Wellness: Find a Healthier You, Wednesday, May 12, 12:30 p.m., over Zoom Badminton, Thursday, May 13, 2 p.m., Swetman Gym, Marano Campus Center

Tyler Art Gallery: Abstraction from the Permanent Collection, Friday, May 14, 11 a.m., over Zoom

Article researches multi-ethnic hubs Event raises awareness on Assistant professor hopes article will spark conversation dating and domestic abuse SUNY from COVER “I wanted to find a way to talk about race from a subjectivity that felt appropriate,” Iannone said.

“Through Valbuena’s work, I found that as a point of entry for people such as myself. How is the other half racialized or marginalized through cultural intervention?”

Iannone also said that it is important to understand the difference between being educated and having that experience.

“If you get to the point where you are an expert in something, you still are not an expert in that particular experience,” Iannone said. “I can think critically about the way narratives are told … It is important not to deny anyone’s experience when you’re writing.”

Iannone has made her article available in the Penfield Library for anyone that is interested in learning more and hopes that her work helps to spark a conversation about how to bolster marginalized voices rather than speak over them.

The Penfield Library and Iannone’s article can be accessed at the library’s website, https://www. oswego.edu/library/.

YARDS from COVER “Dating and domestic violence is such a contentious, sad and difficult topic, but just to see other clubs, even male-dominated clubs come out and be supportive of it has taught me that people do care about this and it does matter,” intern Julia Krurnowski said. “It felt good to be a part of something that was raising awareness for an issue that I care immensely about.”

In an effort to avoid such tragedies from happening on SUNY Oswego’s campus, Evaneski’s office participates in theme months aside from Sexual Assault Awareness Month during April, including Do-

The Oswegonian file photo from 2018 Assistant professor Catalina Iannone has made her article available in the Penfield Library.

The Senate is still working to host an election for the position of vice president. Current Vice President Asheem Calixte said that the Association hopes to hold the VP election on May 11. The elected vice president will serve under new SA President Takayla Beckon, who will also be sworn in on May 11, the same date.

Numerous student organizations presented in front of the Senate in regards to their budgets being decreased.

Jayvana Perez, George Frontino, Julia Keating, Eileen Cacsire and Shannon Sutorius all spoke to the Senate, attempting to appeal budgetary decisions made in regards to their respective organizations.

SA has been described as “cash poor,” after several years of overspendSA officially passed its ing, per student advisor Dr. Jerri Howland. budget for 2021-22. The

mestic Violence Awareness Month in October and Stalking Awareness Month throughout January.

“We walk for Yeardley, we walk for Alex and we walk for Kelsey,” Evaneski said. “We walk for these people that have lost their lives to domestic violence and dating violence, and we walk to prevent it from happening here. By having those conversations, our community members are talking about the work of the One Love Foundation.”

At the time of publishing, Beta Alpha Psi students alongside women’s track and field athlete Mackenzie Maxam were among those still working to verify the numbers logged this year.

Photo provided by Jackie Wallace Yards for Yeardly shows support for dating and domestic abuse victims.

SUNY Oswego media organizations were given a total of $128,671 for the academic year. Music, dance and theater organizations were given a total of $20,371.80. Special interest organizations were given a total of $120,470.

Programming (SAPB) was given $271,108, with $202,000 going towards OzFest. Academic clubs received $34,984. Student government was given $356,011. An additional $312,360 was allocated to other costs deemed “miscellaneous.” The total budget was initially listed as $1,359,675.80.

The Senate also passed a bill that would alter the bylaws to include a new directorship position for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Earlier in the year, SA passed RES 56.09, which established the directorship position initially. The position would act as a “liaison between religious organizations, ALANA organizations and the Student Association” and also would “advocate for policy changes that improve diversity and inclusion on our campus.”

Photo Briefs

NEW TULLY’S OPENING

Kailee Montross | The Oswegonian

Two years after the closure of the Oswego Friendly’s, a new Tully’s location will take over the location on 196 W. Bridge St., according to Mayor Billy Barlow.

While Tully’s has purchased the property, there is still plenty of work that needs to be completed. Due to wear and tear, Tully’s will have to rebuild and upgrade the building. According to Barlow, the upgrades will include a drive through. The City of Oswego has already seen Tully’s in some capacity, as the New York chain launched a food truck last summer in the Friendly’s parking lot in order to gauge interest. As Barlow said, the experiment was rather successful.

“Since the food truck was here, they saw the excitement of the Oswego community and saw a market that was untapped,” Barlow said.

With the semester winding down, SUNY Oswego students will not be able to take advantage of the new restaurant until next semester. According to Barlow, the expected launch of the new Tully’s is hoped to be for “early-tomid fall.” The campus community

is another attractive demographic for Tully’s, as it is full of students that would enjoy the quality and price point of the food.

“It is walking-distance, it is near the college neighborhoods and it’s a food that when you are in college, it is convenient, it is affordable and it is high-quality,” Barlow said. “I think that is important for college kids. I see a lot of the SUNY community patronizing Tully’s once it is up and open.”

While there are no established hours for the Oswego Tully’s, the locations in the surrounding areas such as Syracuse, Liverpool and Cicero are open until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. This could provide students with an alternative to the lively nightlife that the city provided before the COVID-19 pandemic.

For Barlow, he is excited about the opportunity that Tully’s provides for fundraising and supporting the SUNYAC teams that SUNY Oswego has to offer.

“I see a lot of opportunities for sports teams to have fundraising events and communication and a relationship with local sports organizations like … the SUNY teams,” Barlow said.

EXIT TESTING REQUIRED

NEWS

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, May 7, 2021

Northwestern Mutual offers recruiting advice

2 SUNY Oswego alumni discuss LinkedIn, interview etiquette Dylan McGlynn Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com To help students seeking jobs or internships, representatives from Northwestern Mutual visited with SUNY Oswego students and gave tips on how to network properly and to build a brand.

The presentation was hosted by three representatives from the company, Managing Director James Dexter, a recruiter, Magic Washington and Director of Recruitment Jillian Kashuba. For Dexter and Washington, the connection to Oswego is personal, as both are graduates of SUNY Oswego. Dexter said he was “very excited to stay connected to SUNY Oswego.”

“It’s really important to kind of understand the purpose of networking and your personal brand, who you are and how to put that out there into the world,” Kashuba said.

One of the main things that Kashuba stressed in regards to networking was that students should not be afraid to put themselves out there.

“A lot of people get intimidated by networking,” Kashuba said.

“Don’t be afraid, when you’re networking … to introduce yourself.”

Johnson agreed with Kashuba saying that they do not want students to be “robots,” and they should not be afraid to speak up.

“As recruiters, we’re not robots, so we don’t just always want to hear about you,” Johnson said.

“Ask us questions about ourselves, about the opportunity, make it conversational and just be as human as possible.”

Kashuba also discussed the importance of preparation. She said that, as a recruiter, she looks for students who approach her with clear preparation and awareness of her company.

The group recommended that students stay in touch with recruiters after the fact.

“You don’t just meet someone and then never talk to them again,” Kashuba said. “Remember their name, write down their LinkedIn profile, get their email address, send a thank you note, whatever you can do to make your presence known and build that rapport and that relationship.”

The presentation also discussed the importance of maintaining a LinkedIn page.

“LinkedIn is a very under-used tool, in my opinion,” Washington said. “A lot of people really don’t know how to utilize it to the best of its ability. It’s a very powerful tool if you use it correctly.”

William Rogers | The Oswegonian

Kashuba said that LinkedIn can work as another form of a resume, as well. By being able to enter your qualifications and activity, as well as sharing things that are important, a student can paint a picture of themselves to potential recruiters. She recommended that students send personalized messages to recruiters, stating their career intentions to those they wish to connect with.

The presentation also discussed how to create and maintain a personal brand.

A personal brand statement should be no more than one sentence, according to Kashuba and should show recruiters “this is who I am, this is what I’m looking to do, this is my story.” It can be made by listing your unique attributes and your career goals.

When building a personal network, Kashuba stressed the importance of having strong “centers of influence,” which she described as people that one can reach out to, in order to build the network.

“I’m still in contact with a tremendous amount of people that I’ve worked with in the past,” Kashuba said. “Keeping and maintaining that network and building it as big as possible is really, really important.”

The presentation also spent an extensive amount of time discussing how to ensure you will have success in virtual job or internship interviews. The first piece of advice that the group gave was to “set your scene.”

“Don’t be in a Starbucks where it’s super loud, don’t be in the middle of the street in New York City,” Kashuba

Kailee Montross | The Oswegonian

Just like in the fall, SUNY Oswego will conduct exit testing for all of its students before they leave for the summer, Dr. Jerri Howland told students in an email on Friday, April 23.

Students must obtain a negative COVID-19 test “no more than seven days” before they expect to leave, as the email said. Once the student receives his or her test, they are allowed to leave the “campus or community.”

The final day for students to take these exit tests will be on Friday, May 7, and can be scheduled like any other test, using the SUNY Oswego box office website.

Those who are attending SUNY Oswego at the Syracuse campus

were instructed to plan their exit test on Thursday, May 6, per the email that was sent out.

For students attending the school’s commencement ceremonies, either as a guest or graduate, they are still required to take a weekly COVID-19 test during the week of May 3-7.

Fully vaccinated students are still required to take an exit test, as they take the weekly COVID-19 tests at Lee Hall already.

As of May 6, SUNY Oswego has administered over 55,000 COVID-19 tests this semester alone.

Also as of May 6, SUNY Oswego has had 548 positive COVID-19 cases this semester.

A4

Graphic from SUNY Oswego Events Calendar

said. “Be in a quiet environment.”

Dexter added that he has interviewed several people who have chosen to utilize a virtual background containing their interests, accomplishments and their personal brand.

“It creates really easy talking points for the person interviewing,” Dexter said. “You can put your school logo in the background, you can put something that you’re passionate about in the background.”

Dressing properly was also noted as one of the most important parts of the interview. Kashuba said that despite the fact that “we’ve got this work from home, school from home thing going on,” that dressing up for an interview should still be the norm.

Body language was also mentioned as an important part of interviews. With the rise of Zoom meetings, one can be more cognizant of their own body language, as they can view themselves on the screen.

“There’s no reason to not be smiling,” Dexter said. “Just be happy, it’s the best language.”

Kashuba also stressed the importance of practice. She recommended that students practice an interview with their peers.

“Interviews can be very nervewracking, and I find that the more you prepare, it’s just that much easier to go through,” Washington said.

They also recommended that students enter an interview with questions prepared.

“When you’re getting interviewed, you’re interviewing the company as well,” Dexter said. “You should be going into it thinking, ‘I get to interview them just as much as they’re interviewing me.’”

After the interview, there is at least one more step, following up, which again is a way to market yourself in some respects. “[A follow-up message] gives us a glimpse of what we might be getting if you’re added to the team,” Dexter said.

Kashuba added to this, saying that a thank-you note can go a long way after an interview is complete.

“You can have even just the most generic thank-you note ever, I don’t care,” Kashuba said. “Sending something that says, ‘Hey, I’m really excited about this opportunity, thank you for taking the time out to speak with me’ goes a long, long way.”

315-343-6429 176 East 9th Street

OPINION ASIAN HATE

B2 Photo from Flickr

OPINION

VOLUME LXXXVI ISSUE VII

“Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech or of the press.”

SPORTS B3

“CAPTAIN CARTER”

The Oswegonian file photo 2019

FRIDAY, May 7, 2021

B1

What are your hopes for the coming year with The Oswegonian?

Fun Community

Challenge-Ready

My hope is just to be in the office with more than one other person. The stories I have heard about late nights and staff meetings sound so fun and I want to experience the community that is built in the office each year.

Though I have made many new friends and gained valuable experience while working mostly virtual, I cannot wait to see how that can be enhanced by being in person.

I am beyond excited for the group of editors and directors that we have coming in. While those who are graduating or leaving will be missed, I am confident that the new staff will carry on The Oswegonian traditions. Getting back to a more normally scheduled semester, returning with weekly issues as opposed to bi-weekly, will be a learning curve for most of us, but one that I am sure we can conquer. Our staff is creative, resilient and ready to handle anything.

-Annika Wickham, Incoming Chief Copy Editor

-Abigail Connolly, Incoming Managing Editor

Hands-on Learning I’m looking forward to a more hands-on learning experience, especially with editing and opinion-style writing. I’m also excited to work with the community that has been created because of The Oswegonian, working side-byside with excellent writers and editors. It’ll be nice to have a sense of community and a place to do some great work after being so distanced from the college community because of COVID-19.

-John Custodio, Incoming Opinion Editor

From my seat: The Editor-in-Chief’s column

Sophomore determination led me here

Early writing struggles paid off, enabled skills to develop

Brandon Ladd Incoming Editor‑in‑Chief bladd@oswegonian.com

THE OSWEGONIAN

The independent student newspaper of Oswego State since 1935

G UIDELIN ES We want your thoughts on our coverage, campus and local issues, or any‑ thing regarding the Oswego State community.

Email all letters as Word attachments to opinion@oswegonian.com or mail submissions to 139A Campus Center, Oswego N.Y. 13126 All writers must provide their real name, address, academic year, major and phone number (which will not be published).

What an interesting 18 months it has been to get to this point of my student-media career, as I officially become the next editor-in-chief of The Oswegonian. I stress this was not my original plan when I stepped foot on campus as a freshman here at SUNY Oswego. I did not know that the college had a newspaper my first semester and honestly never expected to join once I found out my friend was writing for them.

I had a change of heart once I found out the benefits of AP style for an aspiring broadcaster and started to form friendships with some of the writers. There was a make-or-break moment the first Friday of my sophomore year. The Oswegonian general interest meeting was at 5 p.m. that day, and I had just finished a long day of classes and taking an afternoon swim in Lake Ontario. My friend Aaron told me he was going to the meeting and said I had to go; a decision had to be made.

Eventually, I reluctantly made the trek to Marano Campus Center, to a crowded classroom on the second floor of the building. I nervously sat down with Aaron, knowing that I was an outsider. People did not know me well, and I was not sure what to think. I was 16 when I started writing heavily, trying to do a breakdown of every single game I watched of various sports. This was a club though, that would critique my writing and nit pick my abilities.

The meeting went well. The Sports Editor, Matt Watling, outlined his ex-

pectations of the section and was talking to some of us afterward. He was excited for me to write, he always sensed that I could thrive if given the opportunity. I was less sure, but I gave it a college try. I wrote an article about the upcoming golf season.

I quoted Bobby Jones, the legendary golfer about the mental aspects of golf in that first article. I learned that is not allowed, it got crossed out and I made a note to myself. Thirty suggestions later from Matt and the copy editors and I cringed. Maybe, I could not do this.

Then it got worse. I did an article on the men’s club rugby team. That article was the worst thing I have written in my life. Seventy-five edits, no joke. I wanted to cry, I wanted to quit, I wanted to be mad. I directed all that inward, though, and decided I could dig deep and turn it around.

Matt called a meeting, and I was motivated to take a big step forward after it.

I started to write stories freely because I took the time to learn AP style and learn from my mistakes. The edits and suggestions I received were filed away, I still have that binder and will look through it every so often to humble myself.

I wanted to stand out and that is when I decided to do a story on the inconsistent sleep of student-athletes. I was so excited after completing interviews on a rainy Wednesday,

I stayed up until 12:30 that night and worked on 1,300 words. It was the feature story that week, and suddenly I found a groove and love affair with The Oswegonian.

I eventually trained with Matt and Luke Owens for most of the abbreviated spring semester in 2020 for the sports editor position before COVID-19 struck. I accepted that position over the summer on a Zoom call and entered a mostly remote year of being sports editor. My ambition to get better remained, and I was in awe of the ability of current Editor-in-Chief Ben Grieco the entire fall 2020 semester.

I wanted to be in that position, so I applied to become editor-in-chief for the 2021-22 academic year, which leads us to now.

I am now in charge of The Oswegonian and look forward to an important year leading the staff and writers each and every week. Ben has passed along as much wisdom as possible, and I appreciate him for that. He was an influential leader who has had a profound impact on the way I approach this position.

So, from the freshman who did not know what The Oswegonian was, to the sophomore who almost skipped the meeting, on to the junior who led a sports section without live sports for most of the year, to now the editorin-chief, I look back and smile. What a journey it has been and what an exciting future it shall be.

Ben Grieco | The Oswegonian The Oswegonian office in MCC is Ladd’s “base of operations” for the coming year.

Willow

Members of organizations should include their title if their letter addresses an issue pertaining to the organization.

For publication, letters should be 250 words or less and submitted by the Tuesday prior to the desired publication date.

The Oswegonian reserves the right to edit and reject letters and cannot guarantee that all letters will be published.

Opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not always reflect those of The Oswegonian.

See web exclusive Opinion articles at www.oswegonian.com/opinion

Photo from Ethan Stinson

OPINION

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, May 7, 2021

B2

Normalcy Disappointment for Biden’s 100th day Thank you, Political divide extremism, pointless arguments dominate will not The return easily Oswegonian John Custodio Incoming Opinion Editor opinion@oswegonian.com

Photo from Flickr

Abigail Connolly Incoming Managing Editor aconnolly@oswegonian.com The days have gotten longer and the weather has gotten warmer as college campuses begin to wind down their spring semesters. Students and faculty are hopeful for the future despite the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic is still affecting communities globally.

Announcements made to SUNY Oswego students from current administration have indicated that a full capacity semester will be in the books for fall of 2021. This comes after two semesters of restrictions and limitations across campus. Implementing weekly testing and offering four vaccination clinics for students, SUNY Oswego has proved that it will do what it can in order to offer a safe college experience for students living both on and off campus.

With this in mind, it is important to consider what “full capacity” may mean in the future.

“The societal pushback against restrictions and limitations is a huge hurdle to jump through, and it has the potential to seriously mess with the plans for normalcy.”

While vaccinations have become more accessible and new Centers for Disease Control guidelines for fully vaccinated people indicate less restrictions, it is impossible to ignore the patterns of ignorance and opposition that have come with COVID-19. The societal pushback against restrictions and limitations is a huge hurdle to jump over, and it has the potential to seriously mess with the plans for normalcy.

This past week, the CDC released guidelines saying that fully vaccinated individuals would be able to go outside without wearing a mask, so long as they are not in a large group. Fully vaccinated individuals would still have to wear masks indoors. The issue with this is that people have not been wearing masks outdoors, or indoors for that matter, since the beginning of the pandemic. Although statistics show that the rate of transmission in outdoor settings is significantly low, it is concerning to see rules beginning to loosen when so many are still being negatively impacted by COVID-19. Is it realistic to expect that people will be more inclined to get vaccinated with this new guideline? I cannot imagine so.

Additionally, despite the fact that SUNY and CUNY campuses have been hosting vaccination clinics during the spring semester, without a vaccine requirement, there are still possibilities for outbreaks in the fall semester. Private schools like St. John Fisher College and Cornell University, along with a few public schools such as Rutgers University, have already announced that they will require the vaccine for students wishing to return to on-campus instruction. Leaders from the SUNY and CUNY systems have urged Gov. Andrew Cuomo to make vaccinations mandatory for students within their systems so that a return to normal may actually be a possibility.

SUNY Oswego has been exemplary in COVID-19 precautionary measures and a return to normalcy is entirely possible when the fall semester comes around. It now comes down to the students and community members to make this return possible. The end of COVID-19 restrictions are in sight but forgetting about them now will prolong them.

President Joe Biden has been in office for a bit over 100 days, and the trend of Democrat mediocrity and a disappointing “return to normalcy” is set to continue.

Biden has done some good so far. He passed his COVID-19 relief bill, providing a much-needed economic support to millions of Americans. He rolled back some major Donald Trump mistakes, from headline issues like rejoining the Paris Climate agreement to issues farther from the spotlight like stopping oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

However, many Democrat talking points like a $15 minimum wage and student debt cancellation are coming with catches, with Biden’s plans being a “yes, but only if…” situation as opposed to an across-the-board plan to raise wages or cancel debt. Only federal contractors are required to pay $15 an hour, and only a few hundred thousand employees are affected according to estimates by NPR. Currently, the minimum wage for these employees is $10.95 an hour, so this jump is a far cry from many campaign promises.

But are people as vocally upin-arms against Biden as they were against Trump? Absolutely not. The status quo has returned, and people can get comfortably numb again. Modern social media shares some of this blame, with echo chambers being created easily and often. Many people do not want to have actual discussions outside of arguing for the sake of arguing and proving themselves within their social circles.

Under Trump, social media would have people at each oth-

er’s throats constantly, calling out friends and neighbors over who they supported, or how they felt about politicians like Representatives Dan Crenshaw or Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez. Instead of discussing important topics, the Trump era and “us vs. them” mentality has caused people to just fall into cycles of arguing for the sake of arguing instead of trying to convince others of their opinions.

I am not a Democrat, nor am I a Republican. If I had to choose, my ideals align more with the Green party (or Bernie, if he ever gets another shot). However, infographics on Instagram stories or comments under a Turning Point USA post would have you believe that modern American politics is a yes-or-no question, and if you do not support Biden, you are as bad as the people flying Confederate flags in upstate New York.

People oftentimes post cutesy infographics and call it a day, instead of actively working to make

their communities better. Yes, national issues like the murder of George Floyd or the ex-president being a sexual predator are important but do not lose focus on local issues. Nobody is going to be convinced of anything because of an Instagram post.

Change does not happen by arguing on Facebook or shaming your 80-year-old neighbor for being a Republican, just like someone is not going to support the NRA after being called a snowflake via Instagram comment. Have conversations with people and realize there are always valid criticisms and agreements. Politicians are not perfect, and neither side of the aisle should think they are. Instead of posting something on Instagram, get involved in your local town government and make the change yourself. And at the end of the day, chill out.

There is no way constantly arguing with people is good for your health.

Photo from Flickr Joe Biden, after mighty campaign promises, has backed down on important issues.

SPEAK YOUR MIND, TWITTER! POLLS POSTED EVERY WEEK TO @GonianLRO

Increase in Asian hate-crimes disgusts Rise in hate reflects modern misogynistic culture, xenophobia Chelsea Maldonado Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com

Since the start of the pandemic, there has been an influx of Asian American hate crimes.

Former President Donald Trump has labeled COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus.” He continues to add blame to a specific race group but has defended himself by saying it is the place of origin of the virus. It is up to our leaders to change this kind of behavior and the recent shooting in Atlanta with eight people killed and six of the victims being of Asian descent has stirred up the rise of anti-Asian Hate protests.

“I would follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines,” said Mary Tablante, assistant director of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice. “Naming it the Chinese virus doesn’t help combat the problem to defeat the virus.”

The Asian Americans Advancing Justice is one of the many nonprofit organizations located in Washington, D.C. that has advocated for civil right issues, voting rights, immigrant rights and other issues to promote a fair and equitable society for Asian Americans. They have tracked more than 3,000 incident reports in 2021, which was an increase since the year before. In New York City as of 2019, there have been 428 hate crimes and in 2020 there have been 265 alone.

Since the shooting in Atlanta, people have mentioned the injustices that Asian women face. Women have been seen as

objects for many years and our chances of survival decrease when we refer to women of color.

“As an Asian woman I think they fetishize us too much.

Even if that was the reason the shooter killed them in Atlanta,” said Judie Venevuela, a student at SUNY Oswego. “It still doesn’t make the situation better. It shows how Asian women are not being treated as human.”

Many of the organizations and civilian activists that fight against Asian hate have demanded for reform. They are demanding schools and programs become available for individuals to learn the true history of Asian Americans.

“This situation needs [to improve] at multiple levels. Social media is a critical role among the younger generations,” said Jing Lei, anthropology and linguist professor at SUNY Oswego. “Our education system

needs to teach students about different life ways and different groups so that they may have a positive attitude towards inclusion and diversity.”

The Asian American Advancing Justice has online training as well to help civilians who experience acts of hate crime. This can prepare for future instances for the Asian community and although it is sad to do, it is always better to be more prepared than surprised by the acts of injustice.

“Education and policy will help decrease Asian hate crime,” Mary Tablante said. “We have been increasing intervention and training bystanders to stop Asian hate harassment.”

Hopefully with more awareness, people will be mindful and through education people are more inclined to live a life of compassion for people that are different from their own.

Photo from Flickr At a rally at the Chinatown archway in Washington, D.C., a woman protests crimes against Asians.

Photo from The Oswegonian

Matt Watling Managing Editor mwatling@oswegonian.com

As I sit through my final classes of my college career and help Ben Grieco hand the reins of The Oswegonian to a new tandem of bright student journalists, I cannot help but sit and reflect on my four years with The Oswegonian. It is a place that I have put so much into, staying in the Marano Campus Center until midnight and sometimes even 1 a.m. Despite the long hours of time I gave to it, The Oswegonian has given me so much more.

I came to SUNY Oswego as a broadcasting major, determined to work in sports radio or television. Despite this, I knew how important it was to write for the student newspaper, a way to expand my vocabulary and better myself for on-camera work. I continued learning through The Oswegonian, but after a couple of semesters, it was not for my broadcasting skills.

The Oswegonian brought me a love of writing and storytelling I never knew I had.

As the assistant sports editor and eventual sports editor and managing editor, The Oswegonian office became my favorite place on campus. Sure the lake was beautiful and Lanigan Hall had near state-of-the-art editing facilities but neither could hold a candle to the memories made inside MCC room 139A. There, I forged an incredible friendship with Ben, who never ceases to amaze me with his dedication to SUNY Oswego and reporting. We have butt heads on countless occasions, but it always comes back to one thing: passion.

This passion brought us through a terribly dark time for student organizations this year. When things seemed lost for The Oswegonian, Ben and I knew we had to do something. We crafted a makeshift paper this year, something that was not as extravagant as we hoped; however, it was clean, crisp and really freaking good.

Holding the sports editor position last year was my favorite thing I have ever done in my life.

I am sure it sounds lame but sitting across from my best friend and assistant sports editor, Luke Owens, on a daily basis is indescribable. While we did not argue quite like Ben and I, our sections were very well-produced. Luke has been through it all with me, from my first time on-air with WTOP-10 to the New York State Broadcasting Award we won in 2020 with WNYO 88.9 FM. Through these crazy four years, Luke and I have pushed each other more and more. This is what we brought to our section, creating a Whiteout exclusive section for last season’s win against SUNY Plattsburgh. That was a special year for sure, creating The Oswegonian Hockey Podcast and speaking with men’s hockey head coach Ed Gosek virtually every single week.

It brought me a new love for sports and reporting, something that will never waver.

It feels like such a long time ago that we were able to sit in a fully packed office for hours on end, and it is a place I will miss more than anything in the world. There is something special about 139A, a place that combines a myriad of backgrounds and preferences. Those people do not just become co-workers, rather friends.

I would not trade a single minute of time in The Oswegonian’s office for any party, group dinner or Bev’s outing in the world. Because while I certainly could have used more sleep, I will forever cherish the memories The Oswegonian provided me. From scurrying to wrap of a photo brief on page B3 to submitting the latest episode of The Oswegonian Hockey Podcast, The Oswegonian became an oasis on campus for me, a way to find myself as a broadcaster, journalist and even a person.

SPORTS Editor’s Column: Give Me Normal-ish

Brandon Ladd Incoming Editor-in-Chief bladd@oswegonian.com Last issue was my last week as sports editor, as starting this week, my responsibilities as incoming editor-in-chief begin. It has been a year of perseverance and creativity for the sports section of The Oswegonian. Sports did not start until March, and to that point, it was a weekly effort of trying to find intriguing content despite no live Oswego State athletics.

COVID-19 took away a lot this past year, but it has not taken away my resolve to create great content. With that said, I was pleasantly surprised to be able to do my last interview of the academic year in-person at a table inside Laker Hall with the golf team.

It was my first in-person interview in 15 months and it was like riding a bike, seeing the athletes and coach physically in front of me instead of being on Zoom. I was sweating a bit as I asked my questions, not being in the comfort of my bedroom for the interview. I felt like a real journalist again.

With that being said, I am excited for the new normal of next academic year and the ability to connect with these athletes inperson again. It might be different with a mask on, but it will still have enough normalcy to it that I will get excited as I drive over to Laker Hall.

The athletic complex had athletes going in and out of it this week, a sight I had not seen since pre-pandemic days. The fall seems to be another step towards normalcy, and I am all for it.

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, May 7, 2021

B3

‘A hell of a specimen’: Allen brings consistency to men’s hockey

Captain might return for 2021-22 season, would be veteran presence for Lakers Ben Grieco Editor-in-Chief bgrieco@oswegonian.com Carter Allen was simply referred to as “Captain Carter,” by men’s hockey head coach Ed Gosek.

On the ice and in the weight room, he had a “work-man’s attitude,” Gosek said. Allen was the most physically fit player on the roster. Sometimes that forced the coaching staff to tell Allen he had to “tone it back.”

“Every time the referees felt like they had to call something because he would literally crush guys [with a hit],” Gosek said.

Allen led by example in the classroom, holding other players accountable and was a good role model for the community standards that Gosek sets for his team year after year.

“Nowadays, it’s hard to find someone with that maturity and really being an extension of the coaching staff,” Gosek said.

But, that is just the way Allen has been doing things since his early days in Junior A hockey in the Ontario Junior Hockey League, all the way until his final days at Oswego State.

“The way he played here was the way he played in Wellington. He has an aggressive, physical presence,” Gosek said. “For me, personally, for the way that I think I should be held accountable, Carter’s personality and lifestyle is spot on with my values and beliefs.”

Growing up, Allen always played hockey but was also big into lacrosse.

Both of his brothers played lacrosse collegiately, but once Allen hit 16 years old, he decided to focus on hockey and try to make it to the collegiate level, putting lacrosse on the backburner.

That eventually led him to the OJHL, playing for two seasons with the Wellington Dukes. Once he got to the point of receiving interest from some college scouts, Gosek said Oswego State’s coaching staff was “consistently on Carter for a long period of time,” despite some Div. I schools coming up to Allen with offers.

“Not that he needed a lot of attention, but everyone likes to feel wanted,” Gosek said. “Right up to the end, we were scared that we were going to lose him, basically until the day he walked on campus.”

Allen said the conversations he

had with Gosek and then-assistant coach Mark Digby aided his decision to choose Oswego State. Plus, he saw the Lakers’ first annual Teddy Bear Toss, watching the fans throw hundreds of stuffed animals on the ice following the team’s first goal.

Allen added that he also asked follow-up questions to then-assistant coach and assistant general manager of Wellington, Ryan Woodward, who was the captain of Oswego State’s 2007 national championship team, who “gave [him] a good idea of what he was getting himself into going to Oswego.”

With the top-notch facilities for Div. III plus the academics at Oswego State, Allen said it “just seemed like the best offer.” “[The coaching staff] seemed to be regulars in the Wellington arena.

I don’t know how they were ever at the rink in Oswego because it always seemed like they were on the road recruiting,” Allen said. “A majority of what made me want to go to Oswego in the first place was the contact I had with the coaches. That connection itself was more than enough for me.”

From day one with the Lakers, Gosek said Allen was a consistent player, where they always knew what they were going to get out of him. In his three years, he played all 81 possible games for Oswego State.

The biggest change that Gosek noticed from Allen was just the fact that he got “stronger and filled out” a little more.

In a league like the SUNYAC, where it is considered a little more rough and tough, Allen fit right in with the style of the rest of the conference. But Allen said his true “welcome to college hockey” moment was just seeing fans right on top of the glass at games in the Marano Campus Center.

“The first time experiencing the Oswego fanbase when you’re at home and they’re sold out, and the student section is doing all the chants, it’s pretty exciting stuff,” Allen said. “But on the ice, there was never any real ‘introductory period.’ I welcomed that physical play. From that aspect, I felt it was perfect for my game.”

Allen’s leadership, however, was what stood out to Gosek over the three years of coaching him. Gosek called him a “quiet leader” who just “got work done.” During his junior season, Allen

Shore Report

was named one of the assistant captains on a team that had 13 seniors.

Despite some players who felt they should have had the ‘A’ over a junior like Allen, Gosek said Allen was “totally respected” by those on the team, whether they were older or younger than him.

“Every program wants it where you’ve got freakin’ great guys who are leaders in the right way,” Gosek said. “There’s no doubt that Carter, even as an assistant captain, had those qualities.”

Those qualities led him to being named captain this season, but it was short lived. He only had a few months before the season was officially canceled due to COVID-19. Even though the team was limited to small off-ice practices for a short period of time, Allen proved his leadership yet again with the incoming freshmen.

“Last year, at this time, Carter was contacting all of our recruits that were committed, getting to know them and explaining how we do things. He stayed in contact with them all summer long and in the fall,” Gosek said.

“Even after we were put on pause, it was important that our leadership did the right things … all it would have taken is for Carter to say, ‘To hell with this. We’re still getting together.’ He didn’t. He knew what was at stake.”

When Allen was given both the ‘A’ and the ‘C’ by the coaching staff, he was able to reflect on his time at Oswego State, while also carrying the banner from former captains like Devin Campbell, Mitch Herlihey and

Josh Zizek.

“When you think back on it, it’s incredible that you’re at least considered among all the great guys that we had on our team,” Allen said. “The fact that I was able to get a letter my junior year, it was awesome. It was more of a testimony to the support system that I had around me and just let me come in and play my game.”

All is up in the air now for Allen, who said he is “definitely not ruling out the possibility of coming back” to Oswego State, since the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to players.

Even if he does not come back, Gosek said they will miss Allen for his on-ice presence, but also the “intangibles,” such as leading by example.

“There was no doubt in my mind that we were lucky to have him for the three years that he was able to be here,” Gosek said. “He played through injuries. He played hurt and sick sometimes for the betterment of the team … he’s a hell of an athlete and a hell of a specimen.”

With numerous factors to consider moving forward, such as being older than the “normal” college student and international student rates, “Captain Carter” said merely that “things are up in the air” right now.

“It’s a tough year. Not the way anyone wants to end their college hockey career … it’s a weird position to be in,” Allen said. “If there’s a chance at coming back, I might try to take advantage of it. It’s just got to be in the right setting … if this is it, it’s been a great time playing at Oswego.”

The Oswegonian file photo from 2019 Carter Allen (2) skating at a home game against Plattsburgh State during his junior season.

KEY #W/E - final seeding x - playoffs clinched e - eliminated from playoffs

LAKER ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

SUNYAC Standings as of May 6

Baseball - West Oswego State - x

Overall 19-3

Conf.

12-2

Brockport - x

16-5

10-4

Fredonia - e

3-13

0-13

Cortland - 1E Oneonta

21-5

12-2

11-9

New Paltz

9-9 4-12

6-8 5-9

Baseball - East

Plattsburgh

Softball - West

Overall

3-9

Conf.

M Lacrosse - West

Overall

Conf.

Geneseo - 2W

9-3 6-3

5-1 5-1

Brockport - e

2-5

2-4

Oswego State - e

0-7

0-6

Oneonta - 1E

5-3

5-1

Potsdam - 2E Plattsburgh - e

7-4

5-1

2-6

2-4

New Paltz - e

0-7

0-6

Overall

Conf.

Cortland - 1W

M Lacrosse - East

W Lacrosse - West

Buffalo State - x

12-12

9-7

Brockport - 1W

10-3

7-1

Geneseo

12-7

10-6

Geneseo - 2W

6-3

6-1

Fredonia

9-11

9-7

Oswego State - e

4-5

Brockport

7-9

7-9

Fredonia - e

2-6

3-4 1-4

Oswego State - e

8-14

5-11

Buffalo State - e

0-8

0-7

Softball - East

Kieran Finnegan Baseball Junior | West Nyack Finnegan came into this season as a returning starter for the Lakers and has been solid all season. On May 1, Finnegan had a standout performance against Fredonia in a 9-2 Oswego State win allowing just two runs over six innings pitched.

W Lacrosse - East

Cortland - 1E

17-7

11-3

Cortland - 1E

12-1

8-0

Oneonta - 2E Plattsburgh - e New Paltz - e

9-5 7-9 6-10

7-5 6-8 4-8

Oneonta - 2E New Paltz - e Plattsburgh - e

5-3 5-3 2-6

Potsdam - e

2-6

0-4

Potsdam - e

5-4 5-3 2-6 3-9

3:

With the win against SUNY Cortland in game two of the double header on Tuesday, the softball team has won three games against the Red Dragons since April 25, 1987. Its other two wins came on March 31, 2018 and March 29, 2013. The Lakers closed out their season against SUNY Fredonia on Wednesday.

52:

The three women’s lacrosse players who were named All-SUNYAC combined for 52 points this season. Second Team honorees include sophomore Sela Wiley who scored 34 points and freshman Julia Quirk who scored five. Third Team honoree was freshman Shae McConnell, posting 23 points in her first season as a Laker.

.481:

0-8

The baseball team has posted a .481 on-base percentage in 20 games played in the 2021 season. That leads the SUNYAC as the Lakers have 127 walks, 34 more than any other team in the conference, that helped bolster its OBP. Five different players on Oswego State have 12 or more walks, and senior Myles Felton leads the team with 21.

Lindsay Fluman Women’s Track & Field Junior | Pittsford Fluman’s new personal best in the women’s discus throw of 34.90 meters (114’ 5”) is better than her previous best by over two meters.

This throw is the third best among the SUNYAC this season and is the second best all time in Oswego State Women’s Outdoor Track & Field history.

NEWS YARDS FOR

A3

YEARDLEY

Photo via Ben Grieco

VOLUME LXXXVI ISSUE VII

SPORTS THE OSWEGONIAN

• www.oswegonian.

Baseball dominating SUNYAC with eyes on playoffs

Oswego State looking to keep key analytics going into postseason run

Michael Gross Asst. Sports Editor mgross@oswegonian.com

The Oswego State baseball team has taken its talents to another level this season. With a 19-2 record and the No. 22 ranking according to D3baseball.com, the Lakers have steamrolled their way to the top of the SUNYAC West division holding an 12-1 conference record. They currently edge SUNY Cortland for the best overall record in the conference. While their wins column speaks volumes, so do their stats at the plate.

Hitting at a combined .353 average, the Lakers are only second behind SUNY Cortland (.367) who have played five more games through May 6. With their fourth straight SUNYAC Championship on the horizon, head coach Scott Landers has a title in his sights but stresses focus.

“We cannot falter here or there,” Landers said. “We have to go play.”

Short spoken, but that is all there is to know about Landers and the drive of the team in which he leads. After four games this week the team has just two more this weekend against Plattsburgh State.

One issue that Oswego State has is errors on the defensive end. The Lakers have made 28 errors in 22 games and while it has not hurt them in the end result, moving forward it may prove to be an issue. Landers has been pleased with his gloves on the field as of late, as well as the improved pitching and hitting as he attributes that success to the repetitions his team is getting.

“I think playing more and more and getting more acclimat-

Will Rogers | The Oswegonian

ed to the speed of the game that we lacked for a year [was important],” Landers said. “Just getting out there and getting back at it. I think there are a lot of things that go into that. We are getting there in all three aspects of the game.”

Staying locked in and not making mistakes is imperative down the stretch, especially with the SUNYAC Tournament beginning next week. Junior first baseman Ryan Weiss, who is certainly locked in at the plate with an on base percentage of .513, knows that winning in the back half of the season is vital for the confidence of the team entering postseason play.

“Late season wins are definitely really important,” Weiss said. “Especially for momentum going into the tournament and

regionals, they are what is going to keep our confidence rolling into the playoffs.”

Taking that mindset as one of the best hitters and leaders on this team has played a big role in his improvement this year. Weiss’ success could not have come at a better time for this hot Laker squad and Landers has taken notice.

“I think he has been making strides throughout the year just like the rest of our guys,” Landers said. “I think he can hit better than what he has just like the rest of them. He is doing a good job, and I expect a lot out of our top five hitters, him included. He has got to do what he has got to do, and I think his success rate now is [because] he is using more barrels and going to the opposite field more.”

Weiss thinks his game plan has changed slightly as he has found himself going to the opposite field more than normal. He said finding the barrel on the outside of the plate is what he has worked on the most, and while that has helped him at the plate, it is not the only adjustment he will look to make this season.

“I like where my swing is at right now, but I think I could also be a little bit more aggressive at the plate,” Weiss said. “I am striking out a bit too much so I think not being as passive and attacking early fastballs is my biggest adjustment going forwards.”

Even though players like Weiss have been hitting so well, Landers wants to try and use his incredibly deep lineup as often as he can by dipping into his roster for pinch hitters. The Lakers pinch hit 13 batters in game one of the matchup against SUNY Fredonia last Saturday in their 17-6 routing.

Some may say it was to give the starters a rest as the game was out of hand by the second inning, but Landers looks at it as an opportunity for the underclassmen to showcase their talents and make their case for a future spot on the lineup card.

“It gives other guys chances to play,” Landers said. “We always talk about how it does not matter when or where you are in the game, every [at-bat] is important. You are playing for something. You are competing. Not just against the other team, but against the game and trying to win a spot for more playing time.

[Underclassmen] come here and know what their role is, but they also know what our goals are so they just want to do whatever they can to succeed.”

OPINION LET

B2

DOWN

Photo via Flickr

FRIDAY, May 7, 2021

Editor’s Column: Farewell

Michael Gross Asst. Sports Editor mgross@oswegonian.com As I finish the year as the assistant sports editor at The Oswegonian, I think about all of the weird experiences that have made this strange year so special.

The staff meetings on Friday afternoons were my first taste of how tight The Oswegonian staff really is.

Back in September and October, before Oswego went into hibernation for an eight month-long winter, the staff would take trips to Bev’s to grab ice cream and talk about the newspaper.

As this was, in fact, an ice cream meeting, the ice cream took precedent in the topics we discussed. Most of what we talked about was in regards to getting to know one another on the staff which helped me form strong bonds with my colleagues.

As it got colder, we moved the meetings to Zoom and I began to learn more about the AP style. The biggest change for me was not using the oxford comma which was difficult considering I was taught to use it at a young age. With the guidance of the sports editor and incoming editorin-chief, Brandon Ladd, I was able to learn more about AP style writing.

I will not be returning as the assistant sports editor next year, but I will be returning as a staff writer on a week to week basis.

Oswego State softball satisfied with growth Ryan Fecco makes most Lakers close out difficult restricted COVID-19 season of abbreviated golf season

The Oswegonian file photo from 2019 Ryan Fecco watching his ball after taking a swing during an Oswego State golf round in 2019.

Will Rogers | The Oswegonian Oswego State softball senior Taylor Dubious anxiously waits for a pitch during a 2021 home game against SUNY Fredonia.

Jack Perdek Incoming Sports Editor sports@oswegonian.com The Oswego State softball team has finsihed its 2021 seaon and reflect on a hard-fought restricted schedule..

The Lakers currently stand at 8-14 overall and 5-11 in conference play, as they face SUNY Cortland and SUNY Fredonia Tuesday and Wednesday.

Head coach Gabrielle Rivers knows what it will take to end a season off strongly and has been paying close attention to the qualities of her personnel on this Oswego State team. Several of her key players have shown out for the Lakers this season.

“Zoe Mennig and Madison Hoeflich have definitely stood out so far, our whole pitching staff as well.”

Rivers said.

Along with Rivers the SUNYAC Softball Pitcher of the Week in April, Hoeflich, and the clean up hitter in the lineup, Mennig, have been key to the team on and off the field. Rivers also attributed her whole team’s growth throughout the season.

“It has been tough from not having a season to having a restricted season,” Rivers said. “mentally they have come together in the last few games.”

Keeping team chemistry consistent is a large focal point on what it takes to finish the season strong on the diamond. Sophomore pitcher Hoeflich has been one of those players keeping Oswego State close in its bat-

tles this season. Hoeflich in 62 innings pitched has notched 32 strikeouts, allowed 41 runs and has only let up two homeruns on the season. For Hoeflich it is all about strategy.

“Throwing strikes is the biggest thing,” Hoeflich said. “I take consideration of where the hitter is standing in the box so if they do swing, it will be somewhere in the field.”

Keeping Oswego State in contention throughout this season has been a big responsibility on the mound.

Hoeflich, who has been integrated into the starting lineup for some games, keeps opposing batters guessing, as it is one of her better strengths as a player.

“It is all about hitting spots, I like to keep the batters guessing,” Hoeflich said. “All of us have a unique style of hitting, it is great to mix it up.”

Hitting is just as important as pitching as the innings change, one of Oswego State softball’s best hitters knows what it takes to consistently get runners on base. Mennig has a .423 batting average, 30 hits and 15 RBIs to show thus far for her outstanding junior campaign. As a contributor and leader for this team, Mennig holds herself to a high standard to execute at a high level.

“I try to keep myself calm,” Mennig said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself and when I do, I do not perform too well, but I just got to get the job done and do what my team needs me to do.’’

Mennig has done just that thus far and helps her team out as a catcher and a strong hitter on the team. One of her key points to closing the season off strong is to help runners move around the bases.

“Honestly just keep aiming for singles,” Mennig said. “I just aim to try to get on base and move runners as much as I can.”

Mennig’s development as a player has been truly remarkable as she and her team enter the offseason. She has seen her role increase more and more as the team grows.

“Past years I was not such a power hitter before, and I did not put too much pressure on myself,” Mennig said. “There was not much expected of me, but now I believe I can keep doing that.”

Players such as Hoeflich and Mennig are vital pieces of the team’s success going forward. Taking advantage of their newfound momentum will be crucial for their morale and confidence.

It has been a season of obstacle, growth and perseverance for this Oswego State team. Looking back on such a historic season, given what is going on in the world, it is important to look back on some of the best moments for the team. Rivers saw several moments that captivated this team’s energy and story.

“Our sweep at Buffalo State was one of the top ones,” Rivers said. “And coming back and taking game two

Brandon Ladd Incoming Editor-in-Chief bladd@oswegonian.com Oswego State junior Ryan Fecco has been a standout on the golf team his freshman and sophomore years and his junior season was no different.

The biggest difference between his first two seasons and this last one was the length of the schedule.

The Oswego State golf team only competed in two events after waiting 14 months to retake the links as a team due to COVID-19. The team finished third in the Empire 8 Golf Championships located at Timber Bank Golf Club in Baldwinsville on April 25 and responded with a second-place finish two days later in the Elmira Invitational.

The team was carried to those results by the stellar play of Fecco who finished second in the Empire 8 Championships and tied for first in Elmira.

This led him to be named the Oswego State Athlete of the Week for the week of April 26. Fecco said the biggest step forward his game, he has taken has been overcoming bad shots throughout his rounds.

“Honestly, learning from being able to get over stuff when I play mentally,” Fecco said. “I think mentally I am way better than I used to be and that is 90 percent of golf. So, when I hit some bad shots out there, I was able to just let it go.”

His head coach for all three of his seasons as a Laker, Michael Howard sees the same improvement that Fecco sees in himself.

“I think he has matured a lot physi-

cally and mentally,” Howard said. “His ability to let bad shots go, everybody is going to hit bad shots throughout the round, so being able to let that go and focus on his next shot.”

Fecco, who has bulked up from his first season as a Laker, credits his time in the weight room during the pandemic as a major help this season as well.

His strength conditioning was the biggest focus for him during the long offseason and it paid off.

“I started working out a lot,” Fecco said. “I noticed I started hitting the ball a lot further. I just started to condition myself because I noticed I’d get tired towards the end of rounds and I haven’t really gotten tired these past few events.”

Howard poked fun at Fecco for his lifting ability his freshman season and the times that the golf team would work together. Howard claimed Fecco “could not perform many of the excercises” then but now is a much stronger golfer and has worked hard at it.

Both coach and star golfer agreed on the excitement surrounding a potential normal season in the fall and shared the sentiment that this season was shorter and less organized than past seasons. A feeling that many athletes and coaches have shared this spring sports season.

Fecco said that the strategies he used during this long layover between seasons can be applied to this summer.

“Just going to take the strategies from this season and bring them into the fall,” Fecco said. “It was crazy this year but we made the best of it and we will make the most of whatever next season brings us.”

INSIDE

C2 ‘Falcon and Winter Soldier’ C3 Unapologetic girl in red C5 ‘Mortal Kombat’ wastes its

sets up future MCU projects

album wows

entertaining premise

FRIDAY May 7, 2021

C2

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, May 7, 2021

‘Falcon and Winter Soldier’ shows fans action-packed good time Landon Mauricio Contributing Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating: The season finale for Marvel Studio’s “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” was released on Disney+ on Friday, April 23. This season has truly been jammed packed with great Marvel Cinematic Universe content for everyone to enjoy.

From Zemo (Daniel Brühl, “The Cloverfield Paradox”) to Super Serums and Wakandans, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” is giving us a sneak peak into what the MCU may look like in the future.

This series introduces viewers to a post-Thanos enemy, an entire worldwide organization of enemies, to be precise, known as the Flag Smashers. Headed by Karli Morgenthou (Erin Kellyman, “Solo: A Star Wars Story”), the idealist group yearns for the world to go back to the way it was when Thanos “snapped away” everyone in the later moments of “Avengers: Infinity War.” According to Morgenthau, when half the world’s population was taken away, the poor and lower class were able to make a place for themselves in society and in their eyes the world was becoming a better place. These people were thankful for what Thanos did and they agreed with his cause; albeit not being apostles of Thanos. This is what Marvel Studios’ and Kevin Feige do best. They make villains that have an arguably good motive for their actions.

In the beginning of the season, the two title characters are in very different places. Samuel Wilson (Anthony Mackie, “The Night Before”), better known to fans as the Falcon, is giving away Steve Roger’s legendary vibranium shield over to the U.S. Government to be placed in a Captain America museum.

At this point in his life, the Falcon really wants to return home to his family, after the events of “Endgame,” to repair his family’s boat.

The other lead, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan, “The Devil All the Time”), also known as the Winter Soldier, is show to be a broken man who wants to make amends with his past. He keeps a notebook of all the people he hurt when under mind control by the antagonistic organization Hydra. He spends a lot of time with a man named Yori (Ken Takemoto, “Ray Donovan”) in particular.

Barnes is also required to see a government-mandated therapist, to help talk about his “bad dreams,” which are really just visions of his violent past.

The third main character, and perhaps most controversial one of the series, is John Walker (Wyatt Russell, “Overlord”), the new Captain America. He is a war hero, and with the country needing someone to be the face of the fight against the Flag Smashers, the government gave the Captain America shield to Walker.

This character by no means was meant to be liked by fans. Contrary to some backlash, Russell portrayed the character perfectly. Hardcore fans hated his character so much, that some even resorted to sending him death threats. At the beginning of the season, Walker is eager to take up the mantle and become “the best Captain America’’ that he could be.

Throughout the series the

Image from Marvel Entertainment via YouTube Fan-favorite characters the Falcon and the Winter Soldier team up to fight new enemies in the Disney+ series.

main characters, alongside Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp, “The Resident”), LeMar Hoskins (Cle Bennett, “The Tick”) and Zemo, as they try to figure out where the Super Serum, which is being used to grow the Flag Smaher army, is being produced.

That way, the heroes can put an end to the group. Clashes between Falcon and the Winter Soldier vs. Walker and Hoskins happen throughout the series and tension builds up between them.

Many times throughout the season, Walker is shown get absolutely destroyed

by The Flag Smashers, and even the Wakandans. This leads him to lose his confidence and secure some Super Serum for himself, eventually taking it and becoming more powerful.

The Falcon and Morgenthou talk to each other multiple times throughout the season, and it seems the two have some sort of bond. Out of everyone, the Falcon is sort of able to get through to Morgenthau, but this is all put to an end as Walker loses his patience and ruins their meeting, causing he to lose her trust with the Falcon.

One of the highlights of this season was the character development, especially that of Walker’s. First, he is named Captain America, and then he shows his true colors and lose the mantle. After he loses the title of Cap, he tries to redeem himself in the final battle by constructing a fake shield.

Next, the Winter Soldier is shown at the start to not be too fond of his past. Howev-

Image from Marvel Entertainment via YouTube Sam Wilson struggles with the responsibility bestowed upon him after being given Steve Rogers’ shield.

er, toward the end, he comes to terms with his past, allowing for him to make ammends with both his innerdemons and the people who he wronged in the past.

The most important character development we see in this show is in Wilson. Over the course of the season, he realizes what he should have done from the beginning regarding his treatment of the shield and the legacy of Captain America. He realizes that there’s only one person that should have taken up the mantle, and that’s him, just as Rogers originally wanted. In the season finale, we see Wilson donning custom Wakandan-made Captain America armor and it is absolutely epic. The combination of the shield with his wings is incredible. Although Walker attempts to assert his authority as the “real” version of the superhero, it is proven

by Wilson that there is only one person who is Captain America, and that is him.

In what was a short, albeit epic, season, fans were given a good glimpse into what the future may hold for the MCU and potentially the next season of this show. Regardless of how fans felt about the show or its characters, it must be acknowledged how much it did in terms of opening new doors for the MCU to explore. Therefore, the series accomplished a lot in terms of generating excitement for future films and shows.

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, May 7, 2021

C3

'if i could make it go quiet' demands attention of girl in red fans Abigail Connolly Incoming Managing Editor aconnolly@oswegonian.com

Rating: girl in red (“i wanna be your girlfriend”), the indie-pop artist that rose to fame after her SoundCloud debut, released her first studio album, “if i could make it go quiet,” April 30.

Beginning in 2015, the Norwegien singer-songwriter, Marie Ulven, made a name for herself after her song “i wanna be your girlfriend” gained traction on online streaming services like SoundCloud and the Norwegian music website “NRK Urørt." Following the recognition, girl in red proceeded to release her first singles in 2018, “summer depression'' and “girls.” Released on major music streaming platforms, the singles received high praise from the Norwegian and American music charts. As an openly queer artist, girl in red, also gained popularity among the LGBTQIA+ community, as her songs went viral on social media plat-

forms as queer anthems.

The new album, “if i could make it go quiet” features the tracks, “Serotonin," “Body and Mind,” “h****lovesickmess,” “midnight love,” “You Stupid b****,” “Rue,” “Apartment 402,” “.,” “I’ll Call You Mine” and “it would feel like this.” Compiled of singles and songs off of her EPs, “Chapter 1” and “Chapter 2,” as well as a few album originals, “if i could make it go quiet” further proves that girl in red is unapologetically herself and that she is here to stay.

“Serotonin,” the first single which revealed the cover art of the album, was released in early March. Leading off the album, “Serotonin” is a bit of a misleading name, featuring lyrics “I get / Intrusive thoughts like cutting my hands off / Like jumping in front of a bus / Like how do I make this stop,” the song is a collection of feelings highlighting issues regarding mental health. The collection of negative feelings described by the lyrics is in contrast with the rather upbeat tempo and

Image from girl in red via YouTube The new album features attention-grabbing singles such as "Serotonin," "Body and Mind" and "midnight love."

delivery. Shifting from a lyrical delivery to a more spoken word approach and back again, it is hard to pinpoint the exact genre the song fills, which further emphasizes the contrast between lyrics and tone. The chorus begins with “I'm running low on serotonin / Chemical imbalance got me twisting things,” and as the song moves through the different genres and approaches, it is as if listeners hear the way the mind is getting twisted. A strong track to begin with, girl in red comes out swinging by

giving this song first place.

Perhaps the most explorative track on the album, “Body and Mind,” displays an entire range that girl in red has yet to showcase. This is the type of song you turn up in the car with just to feel the bass.

It is raw, honest and beautiful, bringing together the best aspects of girl in red in a new, refreshing way. Haunting listeners with lyrics like “I've been in the deep end since I realized / There is a difference between body and mind”

and “I've been chasing everything that makes me feel cold / Practicing self love is something I don't really know” the echoing ballad is yet another strong mental health oriented track for the album. girl in red has an unmatchable ability for lyricism as well as musicianship. Her talent demands attention and refuses to let go once it grasped.

Listeners keep coming back for more and with this long awaited debut album it is easy to see why.

'Demon Slayer' movie shows much promise for series' future Ethan Stinson Incoming Laker Review Editor estinson@oswegonian.com

Rating: Rating:

Following its season one finale, the creators of the beloved anime series “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” promised fans a followup film. The film, “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train,” garnered much anticipation due to the series’ popularity, in addition to the promise of it setting it up for a second season. Although its release came almost two years after the first season’s conclusion, fans will find that the film was definitely worth the wait.

“Mugen Train” follows protagonist Tanjiro Kamado (Natsuki Hanae, “A Whisker Away”) as he, his sister, Nezuko (Akari Kitō, “In/Spectre”) and fellow Demon Slayers Inosuke (Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, “Goblin Slayer”), Zenitsu

(Hiro Shimono, “RWBY”) and Rengoku (Satoshi Hino, “OnePunch Man”) ride a train on which other Slayers have previously vanished. The film is a direct continuation of the series, which showed the characters entering the train in the final episode of season one.

Working on a larger budget, the film features beautiful, eye-catching animation which improves upon the television-level quality of its predecessor’s visuals, in addition to immersing fans in the new scenery and areas which are showcased. This change also bodes well for the film’s action sequences which, while being just as imaginative and gleefully gruesome as those found in the series, prove to be even more engrossing and dynamic due the higher-quality nature of the animation.

The film also benefits from its runtime, which spans much longer than the series’ brief episodes. As a

result, viewers are allowed to see much more of the characters in one sitting, both in terms of action and development. Such is especially the case for Tanjiro, whose emotional struggles and growth as a Demon Slayer are explored even further than they had been in the show.

Furthermore, the film allows fans the opportunity to get to know Rengoku, who had

previously experienced little character development as he only appeared in the last few episodes of season one.

Some fans may find themselves to be disappointed by the film’s treatment of its supporting characters.

Although Inosuke is given a prominent role in both the story and action, Zenitsu and Nezuko seem to be sidelined for most of the film. The two

Image from IGN via YouTube Tanjiro Kamado demonstrates emotional growth and improvement as a Demon Slayer.

characters, who are featured prominently in the series receive significantly less screen time than the rest of the main cast, appearing only when it is convenient for them to do so. Though this may be a minor sacrifice for the enhanced development of its other characters, fans of the two may be disheartened by the lack of attention they receive.

From its emotional depth to its enhanced aesthetic, “Mugen Train” shows great promise for the “Demon Slayer” franchise’s future. With a second season slated for release this year, the prospect of witnessing the series’ continuation is all the more exciting after seeing through the film what it may be able to accomplish on an emotional and visual level. Depending on how the franchise fares later on, perhaps fans may be treated to another film which could do just as well in both complementing and continuing the iconic anime.

C4 C 4

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, May 7, 2021

‘Monday’ realistic, brutal reminder that romance lovers need Mary Kate Moylan Laker Review Editor mmoylan@oswegonian.com

Rating: With more places lifting guidelines and regulations, many are starting to see the revival and eager reopening of movie theaters.

Although many cinemas only have a select list to choose from, many films have stuck to the reliable online debut with increased rental prices for those who truly want to get a first-look at the newest releases.

“Monday,” starring Denise Gough (“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt”) and Sebastian Stan (“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”), was one of these films that relied on a solely online release. Directed and co-written by Argyris Papadimitropoulos, the Greek native portrays Greece in an intoxicating light as the drama follows a passionate couple over the course of a year since their initial one-night stand and weekends that follow.

Set in Athens, Greece, both Irish actress, Gough, and Romanian-American, Stan, play Americans in the film. Gough, in the role

of Chloe, is a stubborn and moody lawyer who commences the film with the intentions to leave Athens after a terrible breakup. Stan’s character, Mickey, is a DJ, who has lived in Athens for seven years and is condemned to selling jingles, although his passion lies in live performance and the thrill from the party scene.

After the two are introduced at a party for being the only Americans present, the flame is lit. Rooted in physicality, their intense romance intended to only last the night and ends up winding them with slaps on the wrist after they wind up in handcuffs after waking up covered in sand and nothing else. The film, rated R for good reason, doesn’t shy away from displaying both of their leads in vulnerable states. Spending a majority of the film in either the heat and sun of the Mediterranean coast or under the neon lights of a club, skin is definitely not lacking within the film and was actually a large pull of the film with many opinions on the bodies portrayed.

Focused on the passion and impulse that can take place within the course of a night, the high

continues as the pair spend a glorious weekend together which in its end is truly only the beginning of their turbulent relationship. As the audience follows the couple through their honeymoon phase, the reality of life, the past and the present start to catch up with them to derail their possible future. Gough, tired but trying to make it work, finds herself at odds with Mickey as he continues to slip up and remain immature.

Pulling the audience through time, the film has a unique way of catapulting the viewer through weeks and then suddenly months of Chloe and Mickey’s relationship as they both endure personal choices, secrets and adjusting to their life together as they both attempt to grow, faltering along the way. Acting almost as checkpoints, every few scenes within the second act, “FRIDAY” would flash over the screen signaling the progression of time until it is noted by one of the characters that six months have passed. These checkpoints flash as the couple tries to better themselves and work towards their common goal after a deadline is set before them.

The film’s climax comes in

Image from Movie Coverage via YouTube “Monday” is a passionate work that unveils the reality of romance after the spark.

what is considered a foreboding and dreadful scene that initially starts in passion, reflecting the pair’s first few scenes together, although this time, the spark has gotten out of hand as the audience watches all that the two have built come crumbling before them, with Chloe, who has seemingly always had the most to lose within the relationship, getting hit the hardest just as Mickey may finally get back what he has wanted for the past six years.

In the last seven minutes of the film, a “MONDAY” finally grac-

es the screen as the external repercussions of the climax are resolved for Chloe, while the couple remains fractured and wounded when it comes to their trust. Donning smiles, the film concludes with their fates suspended. Not only have the characters’ passion changed but the reality of their relationship has also been witnessed and exposed of its flaws. A vivid and raw portrayal of love, passion and emotion, “Monday” is the dose of reality that hopeless romantics may or may not need.

gives players the opportunity to upgrade the cards of their players by simply compiling statistics like hits and runs batted in.

This allows for a variety of cards to be usable for even the most competitive of play. It would be intelligent for EA to consider adding a similar system into its games, and it’s something that fans have been requesting for quite a while now. The game’s franchise mode is mostly untouched from last year but did not have substantial problems and has just seen minor tweaks, like improved trade logic. This still seems iffy at times, but when compared to other sports games like “NBA 2K” or EA Sports’ “NHL,” “The Show” is relatively realistic.

The biggest downfall in terms of actual gameplay within “MLB The Show 21” is in the player career mode, “Road To The Show” (RTTS). The game introduces an intriguing option to allow the player to have the ability to be a two-way player.

This allows pitching as well as

playing in the field. The main problem with this is that it’s relatively forced on the character and makes progressing their overall rating occur rather slowly.

“The Show 21” introduces a new system in which one created player is used for all “RTTS” files. The previous archetype program has been altered, allowing for the player to have interchangeable playing styles, called loadouts, based on which position they may be playing at the cost of realism.

Since its launch, “RTTS” has experienced several issues with loadouts not changing between games, causing headaches for the loyal “RTTS” players.

All in all, San Diego Studio has released three updates in an attempt to rectify some of the early issues, and they seem to have helped. The game continues to be a fan-serving baseball simulation that is consistently pushing the boundaries of their abilities, while still creating a quality product each year.

‘MLB The Show 21’ serves as enjoyed upgrade to its predecessor Connor LaLone Contributing Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating: The latest installment of Sony San Diego Studio’s “MLB The Show 21” was released on April 20. “The Show 21” is the 16th entry in the history of the franchise and is the first to be released on any Xbox console, in addition to the usual release on PlayStation 4 and 5. While San Diego Studio’s ambition seems to have paid off for it in terms of having an increased consumer base, it has created issues that it probably should have seen coming.

The introduction of four new consoles to the online servers has caused headaches for users on all platforms, with consistent server error messages. It seems as though San Diego Studies would have anticipated these sort of technical errors, as the entire closed beta experience was plagued with the same sorts of server problems. Despite these

Image from MLB via YouTube

The game has a new feature including two-way player action that diversifies play.

issues, the game itself picks up where its predecessor left off: as an excellent baseball simulation.

The gameplay and graphics are incredibly crisp, especially on next gen consoles. The menus seem less intuitive and user friendly than they have been in previous editions, but they are something that just takes a little getting used to.

A few of the new features that were promised for this year’s game, specifically the stadium creator/editor, are next gen-

only, a bummer for those still playing on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. The game’s Diamond Dynasty mode, which is comparable to EA’s Ultimate Team modes in NHL, Madden and FIFA, continues to outpace the aforementioned when it comes to user friendliness.

One of the truly great things “The Show 21” does well is it allows users to play with their favorite players, even if they may not have the best statistics. The newly added parallel system

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, May 7, 2021

C5

‘Mortal Kombat' does little justice to popular game series Ethan Stinson Incoming Laker Review Editor estinson@oswegonian.com

Rating: Save for a few stand-outs, many films based on video games have been subject to scrutiny. From “Super Mario Bros.” to “Rampage,” films of this type have often received criticism, whether it be due to poor acting, a lack of faithfulness to their subject matter or the fact that there is little to no story to adapt from the get-go. “Mortal Kombat,” the latest film adaptation of the iconic video game franchise, unfortunately falls victim to these same issues.

Perhaps the only aspect of the film that lives up to its potential are the action sequences, which are well-choreographed and executed. Maintaining the spirit of the games, these fight scenes are presented in a fashion that relies on an overabundance of gore, in addition to featuring the iconic finishing moves known as “fatalities.”

Other than its action, “Mor-

tal Kombat” has no other legs to stand on. Despite its name and source material, the film neglects to feature the titular fighting tournament and instead focuses on the pursuit of the villains to keep the event from happening. As a result, the film consists primarily of exposition and backstory, opting to explain the origins of the tournament and its playout, rather than showing viewers what occurred during it.

Though the games lended it an easy premise to work off of, the film squanders it, thereby sacrificing a good portion of the fun and entertainment which could have gone along with it.

Seemingly under the expectation that the audience is familiar with the games’ characters, the film does little to introduce or develop them.

Furthermore, fan-favorites such as Liu Kang (Ludi Lin, “Black Mirror”) are forced to take a backseat to Cole (Lewis Tan, “Deadpool 2”), a generic protagonist who does little for the film, aside from taking the spotlight away from the

Image from IGN via YouTube "Mortal Kombat" sidelines popular characters such as Liu Kang in favor of focusing on a new character, Cole.

characters fans wish to see. In contrast to the previous 1995 “Mortal Kombat” film of the same name, this film features performances which are neither good or campy enough to remember. Instead, they each possess little memorability due to their uninspired, almost amateur qualities.

Like other films that are made in the hopes of spawning a franchise, “Mortal Kombat” also suffers from tonal inconsistencies which make it difficult to take the film seriously.

At times, the film attempts to present itself as a dark, serious action film. Reminiscent of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are also points in the film that make it seem as though it is trying to play itself off as a comedy, whether it be in either an awkward or wise-cracking fashion. Regardless, both attempts were in vain, as the film’s sloppiness and inconsistencies ultimately have made it too difficult to decipher its true intended direction.

Just as other video game

adaptations have done, “Mortal Kombat’s” failure to do justice to its source material will eventually cause it to fade into obscurity. With a forgettable cast, misguided story and muddled tone, the film does little to capture the fun, excitement and camp for which the games are known for. Seeing as it gives viewers little reason to clamor for more, the film shall be known as nothing more than a wasted opportunity to boost the reputation of video game films.

‘Shadow and Bone' marks successful page-to-screen adaptation Annika Wickham Incoming Chief Copy Editor awickham@oswegonian.com

Rating: Rating: Netflix has done it again

with the release of “Shadow and Bone,” an action packed, magic-filled series that would satisfy the fantasy cravings of any frequent binge watcher.

Based on “Shadow and Bone” and “Six of Crows” by Leigh Bardugo, the eight episode series combined the trilogy and duology into one storyline. As someone who never read “Shadow and Bone,” only “Six of Crows,” the meshing of the plots was well done and made the story move along and stay interesting.

Set in the fantasy world of Ravka, “Shadow and Bone” centers around Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li, “All About Eve"), an orphan mapmaker who discovers she is a Grisha, or someone who can use magic.

Alina’s gift is light, and she is immediately swept into a new

world of luxury as she learns to use her power.

Alina’s power is so important because of the Shadow Fold, a dark, dangerous piece of land covered in black mist and full of flesh eating monsters called Volcra. Created by The Dark Heretic centuries before, the myth of the Sun Summoner who could destroy the Fold and save countless lives was known by all. Declared a saint, Alina must learn who to trust while managing her new fame and power.

One reason “Shadow and Bone” was such a success was the use of many plotlines and characters. While Alina’s journey was a major part, the story of The Crows contributed heavily to the overall enjoyment.

From the city of Ketterdam on the other side of the Fold, Kaz (Freddy Carter, “Free Rein”), Inej (Amita Sunman, “The Outpost”) and Jesper (Kit Young, “Endeavour”) lead a life of crime in the worst parts of the city. With Kaz as their leader, Inej as their spy and

“wraith" and Jesper as their sharpshooter, the gang makes a living stealing and doing jobs for the wealthy.

Their banter and overall chemistry together makes any scene gripping and delightful to watch, as they scheme their biggest job yet. Though The Crows are main characters in the series, the only backstory we get is Inej’s, but even hers is limited. Knowing each of their

stories from “Six of Crows,” it would have added more to the characters to see someone else’s past other than Alina’s.

The third story follows a Grisha woman and a Fjerdan soldier, a race of people dedicated to exterminating all Grisha. Their story is very minor and is a classic "enemies to lovers" trope, and though it is cute and funny, does not add much to the overarching plot.

Image from Netflix via YouTube The series' first season is based off of the books "Shadow and Bone" and "Six Crows."

“Shadow and Bone” also stands out due to the diversity of its cast. Mei Li, who played Alina, was born to an English mother and Chinese father and experienced racism while growing up in England. Alina throughout the series also experienced racism because of how she looks, despite being raised in the same place as her caucasian bullies. The cast overall is made up of lesser known or first-time actors and fully represents the diversity Bardugo originally wrote.

Even with the three plotlines moving at once, the story does slow and become predictable in some parts. That being said, there are still plenty of gasp moments and plot twists to keep any fantasy lover hooked until the very end.

“Shadow and Bone” is another huge success for Netflix .

Though the series has yet to be renewed for a second season, its incredible cast, sets and production will assuredly prompt audiences to beg for more from Alina and The Crows.

C6

FRIDAY, May 7, 2021

Crossword Puzzle

Across

Sudoku Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains 1-9 exactly once.

1. Visit 4. Legendary stories 9. Sense of self 12. Coolidge’s nickname 13. ____ & Roeper 14. Pronto!

15. In the past 16. Citrus preserve 18. Cold-blooded animal 20. Actor ____ Allen 21. California city 22. “Finding ____ “ 25. Small lake 27. Antique 28. List ender (abbr.)

31. Rent 33. Made a lap 34. Migratory birds 36. Apollo agcy.

38. Dancer ____ Kelly 39. Mother ____

43. Smidgen 45. Type of football pass 46. Relevant 49. House addition 50. A Gershwin 51. Slowpoke 52. Dove’s murmur 53. Lass 54. For this reason 55. High explosive (abbr.)

Down 1. Muffler 2. Enthusiastic 3. Marry secretly 4. Florida Native American 5. Mother-of-pearl source 6. Richard ____ of “Pretty Woman“ 7. Branch 8. Medical “at once!”

9. Glossy paints 10. “In ____ We Trust” 11. Have creditors 17. Draw the ____ 19. Recipe unit (abbr.)

23. Hamm or Farrow 24. Tenth mo.

26. Rather or Aykroyd 27. Colonize again 28. Hen’s creation 29. Kickoff device 30. In the middle 32. Devilish 35. ____ belt 37. Live 40. Put up 41. Beauty parlor 42. Parcel out 44. Plate 45. Thin 46. Glutton 47. Memorable period 48. Compass point (abbr.)

For this week’s puzzle answers ...

Go to Oswegonian.com and click on the Laker Review tab!

LAKER REVIEW

Went to a Straight, White Church

by Jake Marshall

I went to a straight, white church.

And I prayed and I prayed, and I prayed Prayed for normalcy Prayed for straightness Prayed to be right.

And nothing happened.

No divine intervention like Isaiah No curation of my curiosity like the camps they shut down No straightness cleansing me like the river Jordan.

I looked around and saw the white clerical faces Pray.

Pray for good fortune Pray for peace and love Pray for their biggest wishes Or so I thought.

After all, they’re just thoughts and prayers Without action We can’t blame it Or maybe just I do And does that make me any better Than the straight white faces I watch kneeling Hands clamped together Repentance on their minds?

The straightness parted ways like the Red Sea And in flooded the homosexuality The “deviance” The “wrong” The defining feature of existence.

White became a spectrum of colors And prayers became uproars When the first brick was thrown In 1969 I built my ark And sailed down the rainbow river That was created by trailblazers before My time.

Without a second glance or thought Without clamping my hands And begging to fix the unshattered pieces of my mind That were carefully placed together By the voices that did not throw stones At two men who lie but rather to craft a Roof and four walls that may house our Actual loving Maker version who Whispers Gospels of Acceptance Instead of sirens of sin.

FRIDAY, May 7, 2021

C7

Shea McCarthy

Jacob Fallat