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Friday, March 6, 2015 | Vol. LXXXVII, Issue 12 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com
SA pushes for a way to place out of requirements
BINGHAMTON HOSTS FIRST TWO ROUNDS OF TOURNAMENT AT EVENTS CENTER ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
If passed, departments may offer chance for students to prove course aptitude Pelle Waldron
Pipe Dream News
FOR FEATURES AND PREVIEWS,
SEE PAGES 5-8 BINGHAMTON TIPS OFF AGAINST NO. 1 MAINE AT NOON ON SATURDAY
AMERICA EAST
TOURNAMENT
Artists-in-the-Woods competition highlights student talent in CIW community dining hall
Weekend-long coding contest moved from Academic A to ITC
Zuzu Boomer-Knapp Staff Writer
Joseph Hawthorne Assistant News Editor
See HACK Page 2
See VPAA Page 2
Woods Diner serves up a taste of campus' creativity
HackBU preps for 36-hour hackathon
In just a few weeks, the Innovative Technologies Complex (ITC) will be littered with energy drinks, snack wrappers, power-napping students and hundreds of overlapping laptop chargers. HackBU, a group of Binghamton University coders that teaches its peers about computer science, launched its new website Thursday and is counting down the days until it hosts the second annual BU hackathon on March 20. According to Itai Ferber, the HackBU director and a junior majoring in computer science, approximately 300 BU students, as well as students from around the country, will compete in the 36-hour marathon. “’Hacking’ gets a bad rap for being a negative word, but hacking in this case means hacking something together or putting together a project,” Ferber said. “Students that go to hackathons form teams and they come up with a project idea and then they have the weekend to make that project come to life.” Ferber said that the hackathon would be considerably different from last year’s contest, which drew nearly 225 students. While the rules would remain the same, he said, the move from Academic A to the ITC would improve the dynamic of the event. “In a lot of ways, the ITC building is a much, much nicer venue,” Ferber said. “A, because it’s a much bigger space, it’s more comfortable. But B, it’s a beautiful location, there are a lot of windows, lots of room for students to work; it’s a lot more accommodating.” He also said that this year’s hackathon will be sponsored by several new companies, including BrainPOP and Lockheed Martin, which will help provide giveaways, prizes and extra hardware to use during the event. This year’s tech support, he said, will include the popular virtual reality headset, Oculus Rift.
Students looking to skip classes they deem too easy may be able to do so legitimately starting in the fall of 2015. Don Greenberg, the vice president for academic affairs of the Student Association and a junior triple-majoring in computer science, finance and mathematics, has been working with Binghamton University administrators on the Course Replacement Program since early last semester. The program would allow students who have a demonstrated proficiency in a certain subject to take a final for that class and opt out of it if they pass. Contingent to this, however, is that the student must also enroll in a class similar in subject and rigor to the one they are forgoing. For example, a student who wants to opt out of Calculus II would have to take another 200- or 300-level math class instead. Students may test out of a certain required class, but would
Franz Lino/Photo Editor
Binghamton’s chapter of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) in the Engineering Building laboratories.
Student-designed robots face-off at national engineering competition Team of seven to head to Philadelphia to show off robot that can climb stairs, transport payload of rice and beans Emilie Leroy
Pipe Dream News On April 18, Temple University will be taken over by robots. But this is not a scene out of a movie; more than 40 schools from across the Northeast, including Binghamton University, will be putting their robots to the test at the Student Design Competition at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Regional Student
Professional Development Conference. This is the first time the BU chapter of ASME, which became active last year, will compete in the Student Design Competition. Monika Nowak, Hadir Elsayed, Victor Esposito, Noah Singer, Shannon O’Connor, Daniel Murphy and Benjamin Meyers were picked to represent BU last semester after participating in the BU ASME
See ROBOT Page 2
Jacob Lazen just wanted to grab a limeade from the College-in-theWoods Night Owl when he ended up stopping to enjoy the student drawings and paintings hanging across the windows by the Woods Diner. “At Binghamton, there’s a lot of emphasis on research, and art isn’t what [the University] is known for,” said Lazen, a freshman majoring in anthropology. “The artists in Binghamton aren’t given a spotlight very much. So, any art that anyone else is doing, I want to support.” The second annual Artists-inthe-Woods, which was organized by residential assistants Bridget Kunz and David Sherlock, included 22 entries from CIW residents and members of the Binghamton University Fine Arts Society (BUFAS) that were hung on the second floor of the CIW dining hall. The art was showcased Thursday night and passing students could vote on their three favorites. “In College-in-the-Woods, there are various traditions that allow our residents to show their pride for the community by displaying their talents and skills,” said Sherlock, a junior majoring in biology. “Bridget
and I, both being involved in the art department, wanted to showcase the visual artistic talents that have largely gone unnoticed in our community.” But Kunz, a junior majoring in human development, said that unlike other events, she and Sherlock hosted the contest in the dining hall because they wanted to make sure the artists’ hard work caught people’s attention. “We wanted it to be in a location with a lot of traffic so that people would be able to walk by and just hop right into the action,” she said. “It has been our experience as RAs that if events are held in lounges or specific meeting rooms, students are less inclined to just pop by and see what is going on.” Sean Lamberson, a sophomore majoring in biology, came in first place with 34 votes for a close-up painting of an eye and won a BU water bottle. He said the showcase was a welcome chance for students to express themselves. “I think the show was a great idea,” Lamberson said. “It allowed students to show off their work and individual styles. Hopefully it inspired more people to try art and express themselves.” Chyna Ly, a junior majoring in
See ART Page 2
At 24th annual Purim Carnival, students dress up to get down
Celebration of Jewish holiday raises money for Coalition for the Homeless Zachary Wingate News Intern
With Dora the Explorer taking pictures, a gorilla running through a blow-up obstacle course and Dr. Seuss characters walking around, the 24th annual Purim Carnival was in full swing on Wednesday. In honor of the Jewish holiday of the same name, for which those who celebrate traditionally dress up in a variety of costumes, Chabad, Alpha Epsilon Phi and Pi Lambda Phi organized and sponsored the carnival. Activities and attractions included a mechanical bull, as well as pie and hotdog eating contests, with music by bands including the Mainframe, Pike and Strange Appeal. While members of the Chabad organizing team dressed in matching
baseball T-shirts, other costumes ranged from construction builders and cowboys to men in tight dresses and a woman as a present, wrapped in wrapping paper. According to Dyana Beretz, the Greek liaison at Chabad and a sophomore majoring in psychology, the carnival added new activities this year, including henna, face painting and a photo booth. “This event started years ago as a small little carnival and it grew and grew to this unbelievable event,” Beretz said. Tickets for the carnival cost $3, and over $3,000 of proceeds are going to the Coalition for the Homeless, an organization that gives supplies to local homeless shelters, according to Beretz. She said the reason they chose this organization was in response to the recent severe weather, making conditions even more difficult for those without regular shelter.
Rabbi Levi Slonim, the director of programming and development at Chabad, sported a hippie costume complete with a peace sign and headband with a long black wig. He said he saw this event as a chance to bring the whole community together to celebrate the holiday. “You’ll see people here from all different religions, cultures, races and ethnic groups that are here to learn about the holiday and have a good time,” Slonim said. “The carnival has become a real staple here at Binghamton University.” Jodie Kitain, a junior double-majoring in psychology and human development, agreed that the event brought the BU community together. “I think it really shows what
See PURIM Page 2
Tamar Ashdot-Bari/Contributing Photographer
Rebecca Malits, an undeclared freshman, attends Binghamton’s 2015 Purim Carnival at the Events Center.
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NEWS
bupipedream.com | March 6, 2015
Artists-in-the-Woods showcases students' creativity HackBU to host hundreds at ART continued from Page 1 studio art, came in third place with a painting of a man’s torso and received a BU key chain. Adrian Perry, a junior majoring in biochemistry, came in second place with 25 votes with a drawing of a city collapsing in on itself into an abyss and received a BU drawstring bag. Juliana Ramirez, a sophomore double-majoring in art and design and environmental studies, had two pieces entered in the event. One was a detailed woodblock print on which she carved the muscles and tendons in the human hand into a wooden block and placed it over a paper full of ink to create a depiction of what is underneath the skin. According to her, the print took a few hours. “There’s different ways of expressing emotion and I feel like art is one of those ways,” Ramirez said. “I like the idea of getting art more known on Sasha Dolgetta/Pipe Dream Photographer campus because the art program Gabriela Acobo, a junior majoring in nursing, and Wendy Meza, a junior majoring in English, view the art on display in the here is not the biggest, but College-in-the-Woods Dining Hall. The second annual Artists-in-the-Woods showcased drawings and painting made by Binghamton University students. there’s definitely talent.”
second-annual hackathon HACK continued from Page 1
In addition to T-shirts, stickers and meals, Ferber said, coders will be competing for prizes worth hundreds of dollars from a list of items picked by HackBU. According to him, the group received most of its money for the hackathon from University and company sponsors. The contest will officially begin at 8 p.m. on March 20 and end at 8 a.m. March 22. A group of HackBU organizers, BU faculty and sponsor representatives will then judge each project based on how well it works, how polished the product is and how technically impressive it is. The awards will be presented two and a half hours later. Ferber said there is wide variety of designs and projects possible at any hackathon. Some, like his attempt to create a scheduling website, were practical while others can border
on the ridiculous. “One of my friends recently went to a hackathon and he decided to learn web development and he wanted to develop one from scratch,” Ferber said. “So he created a site called ‘Kitten Mingle’ which is a dating website for cats. It wasn’t a full website with all the features that he would want, but essentially you would match your cat to other compatible cats.” Chris Beard, a member of HackBU and a junior majoring in computer science, argued that for tech-savvy students, hackathons should be something to savor and take advantage of. “Where else can you go spend a weekend next to people that have the same interests as you, who you will probably end up fairly close to in the working world?” Beard said. “It’s a perfect way to meet new people, make friends, have fun, network and not realize any of it is happening.”
In Philly, engineers to debut all-terrain robots Purim Carnival raises $3K for homeless ROBOT continued from Page 1 Ant Challenge. In this smaller competition, two teams of six to eight students had to build a 5-inch by 5-inch robot that could travel over grass, rocks and dirt; retrieve a tennis ball; and bring it back to the beginning of the course, according to Michael So, the vice president of BU ASME. “We were able to get a sense of who had the right motivation and who worked well together,” said So, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering. The theme of the 2015 Student
We were able to get a sense of who had the right motivation and who worked well together — Michael So BU Senior
Design Competition is Robots for Relief. Teams must build a robot that can traverse a course with different types of terrain, such as water, sand and rocks and climb a 20-centimeter step. Teams have three minutes to transport a payload of rice and beans from the start of the course to the end. Devices at the Student Design Competition will be scored on the amount of payload transported, how long it takes to deliver the payload to the end of the course and how much energy the device consumes. The prizes include a first place cash prize of $500, second place of $300 and third place of $150. The top two teams move onto the international competition in November held at the ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition in Houston, Texas. Mini competitions include poster presentations and oral presentations, and other schools participating are Yale University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Temple University and Drexel University. The BU team started planning its robot in early January,
conducting meetings over Skype to decide on the initial design. The design includes a system of lifting arms that leverage the robot up the large steps, treads to deal with the rough terrain and a raised secondary platform to protect electrical parts from water, according to Nowak, the team leader and a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering. The team received $1,000 to fund its robot from Lockheed Martin, a global aerospace, defense, security and advanced technology company based in Maryland, which is sponsoring them. Although this is the first year BU will be participating, Paul Chiarot, an associate professor of mechanical engineering and the faculty adviser for the team, said he felt the team is ready for the competition. “I have the utmost confidence that our students will do a great job,” Chiarot wrote in an email. “This event provides an excellent opportunity for our students to network with other schools and showcase our talents on a national stage.”
PURIM continued from Page 1 Binghamton is about,” Kitain said. “Bringing people together that might not normally be together.” Beretz said she saw the carnival as a learning opportunity and a chance for people to just have fun. “Anyone here can ask questions,” Beretz said. “It doesn’t matter what your background is or who you are. Everyone should be able to come together and celebrate this joyous, amazing holiday.” The carnival was not just fun and games. Kia Zivari, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering, said one of her favorite parts of the event focused on the more spiritual
aspects. The night included a reading from the Megillah, a scroll that tells the story behind the holiday of Purim. “It was a lot of fun, but I really liked going to the Megillah reading,” Zivari said. “I’ve never sat through one before, and it was really beautiful. But overall, I thought it was an amazing event because it’s great to see the Jewish community at Binghamton come together and dress up and just play games.” A popular feature at the carnival was the unlimited hamantaschen cookies — Jewish pastries with different fillings, like chocolate or fruit jelly — that were given out with the entrance fee. Beretz said she hopes people will take away not only a good
time, but a feeling of community. “I hope people have an amazing time and it’s all for a good cause,” Baretz said. “There are always bad things happening around the world but we need to stay strong and work together to make things work.”
Everyone should be able to come together and celebrate this joyous, amazing holiday — Dyana Beretz Chabbad Greek Life Liason
Don't forget to vote for SA E-Board by email from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today
For those with course competency, VPAA presses for option to test out of preliminary requirements VPAA continued from Page 1 not get credit toward actual credit hour requirements. Greenberg is currently in the process of taking the proposal to the School of Management, as well as departments such as math and history to refine it and get approval. In about two weeks, he said, he will present it to the Harpur College Council. He said that at first he was worried the plan would not gain traction, but that every administrator and faculty representative he has talked to so far has given positive feedback.
“The reason that people are receptive is that there are a lot of Binghamton students that want to do something really exceptional with their education,” Greenberg said. “It’s for the students who are going to do something really rigorous and that’s how it’s going to gain affinity with the professors. The professors are going to like it more and more as they see students creating more rigorous curriculums for themselves.” The program leaves up to individual department’s discretion what classes are eligible. According to Greenberg,
professors will be able to decide what constitutes a student’s understanding of the subject matter, whether it be a final exam, papers assigned to the class or a midterm. Greenberg originally took the idea to Celia Klin, the associate dean of Harpur College, who said that she liked the proposal and looked forward to seeing how Greenberg’s office would develop possibilities for assessing the students’ proficiency in different subjects. “It’s great to have students come forward and ask for a way to take more rigorous courses,” Klin
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said. “I will be eager to see a fully worked out proposal, one that addresses differences between the colleges at Binghamton University and between the departments, and that addresses some of these issues.” Jonathan Karp, an associate professor of history and the chair of the Judaic studies department, said that the idea was a good option for students that could sufficiently prove their previous knowledge. “I think [the plan is] worth entertaining because if a student can demonstrate proficiency in the subject matter of the
course through an exam then I think it should be optional for a department to consider giving them credit for that course,” Karp said. The new program could be beneficial for students who narrowly missed a high Advanced Placement test score, said Chris Szabo, a senior majoring in psychology, but the University should still have stringent requirements for opting out of a class. “I would be careful in designing those tests and making sure people actually have a full understanding of the material
itself, because often people can test out but still not have an understanding of the material,” Szabo said. Sara Hobler, a freshman majoring in history, said that the proposal was a good idea that she would like to take advantage of. “It would make things more efficient,” Hobler said. “You’d have fewer kids sitting in classes they don’t belong in. If you think you’re capable of doing what the final exam would require of you, why would you have to sit through an entire course that tells you essentially what you already know?”
PAGE III Friday, March 6, 2015
Address: University Union WB03 4400 Vestal Parkway E. Binghamton, N.Y. 13902 Phone: 607-777-2515 FAx: 607-777-2600
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STATE NEWS
editor-in-ChieF* Rachel Bluth editor@bupipedream.com
2 die in suicides from George Washington Bridge Port Authority Police say two people jumped to their deaths from the George Washington Bridge around the same time in apparently unrelated suicides. Police spokesman Joe Pentangelo says witnesses saw a man step out of a car in the right lane of the New York-bound lower level at about 4:20 p.m. Wednesday, climb over the rail near the New Jersey tower and jump. At about the same time, Pentangelo says a man on a bicycle headed toward New York on the bridge’s upper level walkway leaped at mid-span. Both bodies were recovered. The dead are identified as 38-year-old Jia Chen of East Rutherford and 21-year-old Nolan Siciensky of Dennis Township.
MAnAging editor* Tycho A. McManus manager@bupipedream.com neWs editor* Nicolás Vega news@bupipedream.com Asst. neWs editors Joseph E. Hawthorne Carla Sinclair Alexandra Mackof
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY NEWS Syracuse frat members charged after pledge suffers frostbite A Syracuse University pledge may lose four fingers after being forced to crawl in the snow and perform late-night pushups, and two fraternity members face charges for the hazing stunt. Three young men pledging the Nu Alpha Phi fraternity were taken to a city park around midnight Saturday and made to do exercises wearing hooded sweatshirts and no gloves for “failing to perform their daily duties,” according to Syracuse police. After about 30 minutes, the pledges were given hand warmers and told to walk back to the frat house, according to police. One of the pledges, an unidentified 20-year-old, experienced extreme pain in his hands and sought treatment Sunday at a hospital. Doctors told him he may lose his ring and pinkie fingers on both hands because of severe frostbite. Syracuse police Lt. Eric Carr said the unidentified victim will have an appointment Thursday or Friday to check the condition of his fingers. Police on Wednesday arrested frat members Tae Kim, 19 and Jeffrey Yam, 21 and charged them with first-degree hazing, a misdemeanor. They were released and will appear in court March 18. Syracuse University has suspended Nu Alpha Phi, which is described on its website as an Asian-interest fraternity with seven chapters at New York colleges and one in New Jersey.
NATIONAL NEWS
oPinion editor* Molly McGrath opinion@bupipedream.com releAse editor* Jacob Shamsian release@bupipedream.com Asst. releAse editor Odeya Pinkus sPorts editor* Ashley Purdy sports@bupipedream.com Klara Rusinko/Assistant Photo Editor
Tango Buenos Aires performs “The Song of Eva Perón” in the Anderson Center on Tuesday. The performance traced Eva Perón’s life from her ascent to fame in the 1930s to her death in 1952 through traditional Argentinian dances and music.
!
Police Watch A lighter take on campus crime Aaron Berkowitz | Police Correspondent
Spooky Ookie 3: Boo! WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 11:42 a.m. — A 21-year-old male was reportedly the victim of petit larceny, Reilly said. The victim went to the Science Library to study and took out a pair of Beats headphones so that he could listen to music. Later on, he had to go to class so he put his headphones away in his bag and went to class. After the class, he opened his bag and found that his headphones were missing. The case is still under investigation.
Fun PAge editor* Ben Moosher fun@bupipedream.com design MAnAger* Emma C Siegel design@bupipedream.com
PSA
design Assts. Corey Futterman John Linitz
Be responsible this Parade Day — don't drink and drive. Take the bus, have a designated driver at the ready or make sure you have cash so you can call a cab to get you home safely.
Photo editor* Franz Lino photo@bupipedream.com
You Asked For It
US clears officer in Ferguson case, criticizes police force The Justice Department on Wednesday cleared a white former Ferguson, Missouri, police officer in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black 18-yearold, but also issued a scathing report calling for sweeping changes in city law enforcement practices it called discriminatory and unconstitutional. The dual reports marked the culmination of months-long federal investigations into a shooting that sparked protests and a national dialogue on race and law enforcement as the tenure of Attorney General Eric Holder, the first black person to hold that office, draws to a close. In pairing the announcements, the Obama administration sought to offset community disappointment over the conclusion that the shooting of Michael Brown was legally justified with a message of hope for Ferguson’s majority-black citizens. Officials announced 26 recommendations, including training officers in how to de-escalate confrontations and banning the use of ticketing and arrest quotas, for the police force and municipal court. Holder called the federal report a “searing” portrait of a police department that he said functions as a collection agency for the city, with officers prioritizing revenue from fines over public safety and trouncing the constitutional rights of minorities.
Asst. sPorts editors Jeff Twitty E.Jay Zarett
But … Why? WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 12 p.m. — An unknown male suspect has been harassing workers at the Binghamton University Small Business Development Center, Reilly said. The suspect has been coming up to the office multiple times and going into off-limits areas. Recently, the suspect went into the office and tried to take a mug that was owned by the office. A female worker told the suspect to put the mug down and leave. The suspect then made kissing noises at the worker. The worker screamed and he left. The suspect then went over to another worker and asked her a number of inappropriate personal questions. The suspect then left and was sent a letter telling him that he was not welcome at the office.
Asst. Photo editor Klara Rusinko editoriAl Artists Miriam Geiger Paige Gittelman CoPy desk ChieF* Emily Howard copy@bupipedream.com Asst. CoPy desk ChieF Paul Palumbo leAd Web develoPer* William Sanders developer@bupipedream.com neWsrooM teChnology* William Sanders tech@bupipedream.com business MAnAger* Erin Stolz business@bupipedream.com Pipe Dream is published by the Pipe Dream Executive Board, which has sole and final discretion over the newspaper’s content and personnel. *Positions seated on the Executive Board are denoted by an asterisk. Pipe Dream is published Tuesdays and Fridays while classes are in session during the fall and spring semesters, except during finals weeks and vacations. Pipe Dream accepts stimulating, original guest columns from undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty. Submissions should be 400 to 500 words in length and be thus far unpublished. Submissions must include the writer’s name and phone number, and year of graduation or expected year of graduation. Graduate students and faculty members should indicate their standing as such, as well as departmmental affiliation. Organizational (i.e. student group) affiliations are to be disclosed and may be noted at Pipe Dream’s discretion. Anonymous submissions are not accepted. Any facts referenced must be properly cited from credible news sources. Pipe Dream reserves the right to edit submissions, and does not guarantee publication. All submissions become property of Pipe Dream. Submissions may be e-mailed to the Opinion Editor at opinion@bupipedream.com.
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4
FUN
www.bupipedream.com | March 6, 2015
Fun. The "GET OFF MY PLANE" Edition
RELEASE DATE– Friday, April 3, 2009
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Beachfront property? 5 Sp. misses 10 Robert who played Anthony Soprano Jr. 14 Jumbo__: scoreboard display 15 Sacred five-book collection 16 Residencia room 17 Numerical prefix 18 Words to a drunk? 20 “Is there more?” 22 Chigger, e.g. 23 Creedal holding 24 One concerned with 13-Down 26 2000s Senate leader’s turndown? 29 Rifles 30 Indian royalty 31 Morning glistener 34 Has 35 Amazes 36 “Was it you?” answer 37 “Scream” director Craven 38 Stinker 39 Bourne portrayer 40 Hilton on the ice? 42 Vague 45 Novelist Shaw 46 Apply to 47 Pharyngeal tissue 50 What you never see after strikes? 53 Breakfast area 54 Spelling of TV 55 Excavated again 56 Years during Nero’s reign 57 2000 N.L. home run champ 58 Brotherly love 59 D-day transports DOWN 1 Lade 2 St. Louis landmark
3 Marginal 31 India and 40 Everycity, USA comments Pakistan under 41 Kmart founder 4 Evidence in British influence, 42 Windy day paternity suits e.g. features 5 Actress Trudie 32 School founded 43 Finland’s second who’s married to by Henry VI largest city Sting 33 What birds take? 44 Comes close 6 Motorboat’s 35 Medical supplies 47 Verdi’s slave girl wake 36 Like some pride 48 “Stop” 7 “Right you are” 38 Strategic WWI 49 Street supplies? 8 Rhine tributary river 51 Carol syllable 9 Miss 39 First light 52 Enrolled: Abbr. identification? ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: 10 Where Mount Carmel is M A V S S L R S J E T T A 11 Scottish P E E T A T W A R E L I A landowner C O M I C S H O R E D I O R 12 Collège attendee U C L A P A V I L I O N 13 It can trap a S E E S A T E E N I D O L 24-Across C O L A A S T O R I A 19 Circus T E N T O O N E Z E D performers P A R R O T M O V I E 21 Middle Earth C H E S E M E S T E R beings A M A J K E N O S H A 24 Eggs order I N K E R B O L O G N A S 25 Preceders of omegas B E R G E N O F F I L M 26 Stream I D I O T E C H S C H O O L 27 “Lady Jane Grey” A D I O S A U R A S O U R dramatist S L A Y T O M Y M T A P O 28 Man-goat deities 04/03/09 xwordeditor@aol.com
By Jack McInturff (c)2009 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
04/03/09
March 6, 2015 | bupipedream.com
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WOMEN'S AE TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 2015 AMERICA EAST TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
DESIGNED BY COREY FUTTERMAN
PIPE DREAM'S FIRST TEAM AND PLAYER AWARDS For the first time in program history, Binghamton University was selected to host the first two rounds of the America East women’s basketball tournament. The six games played between the eight conference rivals are spread through Saturday and Sunday, with quarterfinals set for Saturday and semifinals Sunday. No. 8 Binghamton and No. 1 Maine are set to tip-off the postseason with the first game at noon on Saturday, and No. 4 UNH and No. 5 Hartford’s contest is set to begin 30 minutes after. No. 2 Albany and No. 7 Vermont are slated to tip-off next, at 6:02 p.m., with No. 3 Stony Brook and No. 6 UMBC following 30 minutes after. Survivors of the quarterfinals round will face off on Sunday, with the highest remaining seed taking on the lowest, and the secondhighest remaining seed taking on the second-lowest, beginning at 2:02 p.m. The Championship game is set for next Friday evening, and the higher seed will host the title match.
SHEREESHA RICHARDS, JR. F
AE REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS
STONY BROOK SEAWOLVES
1. MAINE 2. ALBANY 3. STONY BROOK 4. UNH 5. HARTFORD 6. UMBC 7. VERMONT 8. BINGHAMTON
ALBANY GREAT DANES
Richards was a force on the block for the Great Danes this season. Despite being the focus of every opponent’s game plan, the reigning AE Player of the Year led the conference in points per game (21.2), rebounds per game (8.7) and field goal percentage (59.2).
ELIZABETH BELANGER, JR. G UNH WILDCATS
Belanger was the leader of a UNH team that captured 17 victories this season. The junior scored from everywhere on the floor in a variety of ways en route to her 15.9 points per game. She can attack the basket, post up and draw fouls to get to the free-throw line.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR JASMINE SINA, G BINGHAMTON BEARCATS
Sina demonstrated her scoring prowess throughout her first year playing college ball. Her 14.7 points per game led all rookies and ranked fifth in the conference. Sina was named the AE Rookie of the Week five times and led the entire conference in 3-pointers made per game at 2.9.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR SHEREESHA RICHARDS, JR. F
ALBANY GREAT DANES SEE LEFT
SABRE PROCTOR, SR. F Stony Brook’s offense ran through Proctor during the 2014-15 campaign. In their first year under head coach Caroline McCombs, the Seawolves finished third in the conference thanks in large part to Proctor’s 14.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
LIZ WOOD, JR. F MAINE BLACK BEARS
Wood was the most versatile player in the entire conference this season. She not only posted terrific offensive numbers, averaging 14.2 points and 3.4 assists per game, she was also one of the top defensive players in the league, often times covering the opposition’s best offensive weapon.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR LIZ WOOD, JR. F
MAINE BLACK BEARS SEE LEFT
SIGI KOIZAR, SO. F
COACH OF THE YEAR RICHARD BARRON
After averaging just 4.9 points per game as a freshman, Koizar emerged as one of the top scorers in the conference this season. Her 14.2 points per game was the seventh highest total in the AE and helped to lead Maine to a share of the regular-season conference title.
In his fourth year in Orono, Barron’s squad far exceeded expectations this season. Picked to finish fifth in the preseason coaches poll, Barron led Maine to a 22-7 record and a share of the AE title with a 14-2 conference record. It was Maine’s first share of the title since the 2004-05 season.
MAINE BLACK BEARS
MAINE BLACK BEARS
BU HOPES FOR UPSET AT HOME
HOSTING AE TOURNAMENT, NO. 8 BEARCATS SET SIGHTS HIGH SEASON RECORD (4-25), CONFERENCE RECORD (2-14)
E.JAY ZARETT
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Heading into the America East tournament, the Binghamton women’s basketball team appears to face extreme disadvantages. The Bearcats (4-25, 2-14 AE) won just two conference games all season, have lost 13 consecutive contests and carry the eight seed into postseason play. However, BU does have one big advantage — a home floor. “It’s such a great advantage having home court,” freshman guard Jasmine Sina said. “I think having the crowd behind us, we’re going to have a lot of fans and a lot of support behind our backs. That makes such a difference playing the game, having that extra adrenaline rush from the crowd.” Unlike the men’s tournament — which changed its structure this year — the women’s postseason will continue to be held in a single location until the final round. This means that even though BU finished last in the America East and is technically the visitor in Saturday’s matchup, the team will play its playoff game against first-seeded Maine (22-7, 14-2 AE) in the Events Center. “We are really excited to host the America East tournament,” BU head coach Linda Cimino said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for our school, our athletic department and our community in general. I know that Binghamton as a community is going to come out and support us and we are really looking forward to it.” While Binghamton has
struggled overall this season, its play has been much better at home than on the road. Three of BU’s wins this season came on its home court, while the team lost all 15 of its true road contests. Playing in front of a friendly crowd should only increase the Bearcats’ shot at an upset of Maine, which has captured 22 victories this season and beat BU twice during regular-season play. In the first meeting in Orono on Jan. 19, the Black Bears held the Bearcats to just a 36 percent shooting clip from the field en route to a 70-48 victory. On Feb. 21 in the Events Center, Maine jumped all over BU in the first half to capture a 70-56 win. Despite falling by a combined 36 points to its upcoming opponent, Binghamton feels confident in its upset chances. “I think it’s anybody’s game this year,” Cimino said. “We are fortunate enough to be playing Maine — I think we match up well with Maine and the last time we played them, we played them even in the second half.” BU must focus its gameplan around Maine junior forward Liz Wood. Wood, a likely FirstTeam All-Conference player this season, finished sixth in the AE in scoring with 14.2 points per game and fifth in rebounding with 7.3 boards per game. The junior torched the Bearcats in their previous two matchups, putting up 16 points and 11 rebounds in the first contest followed by a 17 and 10 performance at the Events Center. The Bearcats will also need to find scoring outside of its backcourt of Sina and freshman guard Imani Watkins. Sina, who
averaged 14.7 points per game during the regular season, and Watkins, who averaged 13.4, have carried most of the scoring load for BU this season. But Binghamton will need help inside from senior forward Sherae Swinson as well as outside with shooting from senior guard Gintare Surdokaite. Surdokaite — who entered the season having never scored more than eight points in a game — has eclipsed that figure five times this year. “[Surdokaite] is playing her best basketball in four years right now and we are really fortunate for that and [to have] Sherae,” Cimino said. “Those kids are excited. They are sick of losing and they want to win and they’re leading us.” Tip-off of the quarterfinal game between Binghamton and Maine is scheduled for noon Saturday in the Events Center. The victor of that contest will then face the winner of the game between fourth-seeded New Hampshire and fifth-seeded Hartford on Sunday. While the Bearcats may enter the tournament with the eight seed, inside the locker room, they believe that anything can happen. “[In] March Madness, upsets happen all the time,” Swinson said. “We just have to come in with confidence on Saturday and be ready to play basketball.”
Michael Contegni/Pipe Dream Staff Photographer
6
WOMEN'S AE TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
bupipedream.com | March 6, 2015
ALL THAT JAZZ
JASMINE SINA DOES IT ALL IN DEBUT SEASON E.JAY ZARETT
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
For most basketball teams, the point guard is the leader on the floor. Most are considered an extension of their head coach, calling plays, distributing the basketball and running the offense all while facing the dilemma of finding their own shots or setting up their teammates. This was the task that faced freshman guard Jasmine Sina, the first recruit for the Binghamton women’s basketball program first-year head coach Linda Cimino signed to play. “I had to gain respect,” Sina said. “It was something I was put in a position to do and I think they all looked up to me in the sense that I was the leader and they were comfortable with it. I think that I looked up to them too and we looked back-and-forth.” Sina entered a program that had a barren roster, with playing time up for grabs. The Bearcats (4-25, 2-14 America East) had just one returning starter from 201314 and only six returning players total, many of whom had little experience. Sina was thrust into a starting position from her first minute as a Bearcat.
The freshman took the opportunity and ran with it, averaging a conference-high 39.1 minutes per game while scoring 14.7 points per contest — the fifth highest total in all of the AE. Sina also showed the ability to knock down 3-pointers and attack the hoop for layups and fouls, despite her 5-foot-5 stature. “I didn’t think I was going to play 40 minutes a game,” Sina said. “I didn’t really expect it, but I knew that I was going to have to be in a position to play a lot and do a lot coming into this team and this program. I love playing — I’m not going to complain about playing 40 minutes a game. It’s just something that I knew coming in, I was going to have to take a big part in the program and I was ready to do that.” After an incredible scoring stretch during the first half of conference play — which saw the freshman score in double figures against all but one conference opponent — Sina became a main focus of the opposition’s game plan. Throughout the second half, America East rivals started sending their best defenders to guard Sina. They denied her the ball, making it difficult to even dribble up the floor and even tougher to find open looks at the
JASMINE SINA FRESHMAN GUARD NUMBER 10
I knew ... I was going to have to take a big part in the program and I was ready to do that
basket from 3-point range. “A lot of teams tried to face guard me the whole game and not let me get my shot up,” Sina said. “But I had to drive more and get everyone else involved. I think that is very important, making sure that everybody else is involved in the offense as well and try to get myself open if I can. It’s a fun challenge when they face guard me — I think it’s an extra thing to play for.” Sina found ways to score and distribute for her teammates. Whereas in the beginning of the season, most of her points were coming from behind the arc, Sina adjusted her game as the season progressed. She began attacking the paint, driving in for layups or dishing to teammates as well as running off screens to find open jump shots. During the final eight regular-season conference games, Sina averaged 14.9 points and 3.6 assists per game despite the extra attention from opponents. “I think for me, I just let the game come to me,” Sina said. “I just have to read the defense and I think that I can do that well.” The on-court experience Sina gained this season as part of a depleted roster, along with her success, provides the Bearcats with a building-block for their roster reconstruction under Cimino. “I think mentally I have developed a lot,” Sina said. “For next season I know what to expect and how to get better and how to learn from all my other teammates. Having all of those games and practices under me will make me a better player next year. We are going to have a lot of good players coming in and our program is going to develop over the next three years.” Emily Earl/Pipe Dream Photographer & Michael Contegni/Pipe Dream Staff Photographer
BI
FAB FOUR POWER BU IN REBUILDING PHASE TWO VETS AND TWO FRESHMEN FORM CORE OF FIRST-YEAR HEAD COACH LINDA CIMINO'S ARSENAL
SWINSON KNOWS BEST
THREE-YEAR STARTER AIDS TRANSITION INTO NEW ERA
JEFF TWITTY
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
The story for the Binghamton women’s basketball team all throughout this season has been one of change. A new head coach, a freshman class that has dominated the BU score sheets
this season and a new attitude have all helped revive a BU team on the brink of collapse. But what is to be said about those who stuck around? Hit by transition and graduation, only six players from the current 11-woman roster suited up for Binghamton (4-25, 2-14 America East) last season. Meaning, if the Bearcats
SHERAE SWINSON SENIOR FORWARD NUMBER 13
It was good for me to show them how to play and just be a good role model on and off the court
wanted to have any shot at consistency, the existing leaders had to step up to play a role that most of them had never seen — let alone played — before. Senior forward Sherae Swinson is one of those players. And as one of the team’s two seniors, she has suited up for BU in its highest — and lowest — moments, starting in three of her four seasons as a Bearcat. Now, an anchor of an offense that has outscored last season’s squad by nearly 200 points on the season, the senior finds herself in a new role. With the Events Center hosting the AE women’s basketball tournament for the first time in its history, Swinson has a shot to end her conference career at home. “I’m really excited to play in front of these fans again,” Swinson said. “I think they’ve been great over these past four years, and I’m just really excited for the tournament to be here.” In her final season as a
Bearcat, the six-foot senior has led BU in boards on both ends of the court, averaging 2.8 per game on offense and 5.3 per game on defense to put her in the top five for both categories in the AE. She also claims the title of the team’s third leading scorer with an average of 11.5 points per game — right behind the sensational freshman guard duo of Jasmine Sina and Imani Watkins, who average 14.7 and 13.4 points per game, respectively. For Swinson, who was the team’s only player to average above 10 points last season, the addition of Cimino’s fast-paced freshman class was a welcomed one. “It was good for me to show them how to play and just be a good role model on and off the court for them,” Swinson said. “They’ve had to go through a lot of minutes and a lot of adversity as underclassmen — I didn’t have to go through that my freshman year. They really
taught me a lot.” In Swinson’s freshman season, 2011-12, BU went into the AE tournament with a 1217 record before upsetting third-seeded Hartford in the semifinals. Led by then-coach Nicole Scholl, Swinson’s freshman campaign was propelled by then senior guard Andrea Holmes, who led the entire conference in scoring by averaging 15.1 points per game. Since then, Binghamton has only won 15 total games — getting knocked out in the first round of the AE playoffs for two straight years — and has not even claimed a top-three scorer since. But, despite a dismal regularseason record, the Bearcats’ prospects took a turn for the better behind Swinson’s veteran leadership this season. And while the eighth-seeded Bearcats are far from a favorite against firstseeded Maine this Saturday, four career playoff appearances
and two games against the Black Bears this season have given the senior an idea of how to attack. “We’re going to have to play hard and play together,” Swinson said. “We did have some good runs against Maine, and I think we have to fix some little things … We’re going to work on that this week and we’re going to be okay.” As the clock continues to wind down on the season, togetherness will be of greater importance to the Bearcats, as their new style will be tested with the conference all in attendance and everything up for grabs. And while the thought of that last game clock hitting zero for BU still strikes Swinson as surreal, there is no place that she would rather be for it. “It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Swinson said. “But I’m just really excited that it’s here at home in Binghamton.”
7
WOMEN'S AE TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
March 6, 2015 | bupipedream.com
WAT-KIN SHE NOT DO?
WATKINS SHOWS VERSATILITY IN FRESHMAN SEASON ORLAITH McCAFFREY PIPE DREAM SPORTS
Adjectives often associated with the word “freshman” include inexperienced, naive and awkward. None of these classifications, however, fit freshman guard Imani Watkins. When Watkins, a 5-foot-8 North Carolina native, steps onto the hardwood for the Bearcats, her graceful ball-handling and intuitive play are more likely to be witnessed than any attributes of a typical firstyear player. The disparity between Watkins and ordinary freshmen has been a blessing, or perhaps a product of the needs of the team. Watkins has exploded in her debut season, averaging 13.4 points per game, which is second on her squad and 10th in the league. She and fellow freshman guard Jasmine Sina have formed a potent backcourt, combining to win the conference’s Rookie of the Week award eight times this season. Despite her early success, Watkins has not become complacent with her performance. “Regardless of the accolades, you always want to see yourself get better,” Watkins said. Never ceding defeat until the final buzzer has sounded, Binghamton has competed in every game this season. It is common to see players diving after loose balls and running hard in transition offense. As a starter, Watkins embodies this mentality and has reaped its benefits. “We go hard in practice, so since we prepare that way, when you step out here, it’s just about execution,” Watkins said. “I think the amount of heart that this team has surmounts the score. That mentality is in the locker room. That mentality is in the media room when we’re watching film. That go-hard, hustle mentality is something
INGHAMTON
that we all have.” Due to BU’s lack of depth on the bench, Watkins has averaged 36.6 minutes per game and trails only Sina in time on the court. Although she has been integral to the squad this season, the toll of such a role is not lost on Watkins. “I think that [starting and making important contributions] is every freshman’s dream, but you don’t realize what comes with that — the beating that you’re going to take night-in and night-out,” Watkins said. “You’re the face on everybody’s scouting report, so everybody’s attention is focused on you. That’s big.” Watkins aims to never let her position in the spotlight affect the way she plays the game. “You don’t focus on anything except what’s in front of you,” Watkins said. “Regardless of the score, regardless of who’s in the stands, regardless of the jerseys on the other team, you’ve just got to keep playing.” It is this mindset that has allowed Watkins to persevere through a season that has seen the Bearcats fall to last place in the conference standings, accumulating just a 2-14 record in conference play and a 4-25 mark overall. Last weekend, Binghamton ended its regular season with its 13th loss in a row. Yet, as her team
prepares for postseason play — into which it carries the last seed in the AE tournament — Watkins refuses to focus on anything but improvement. “You’ve got to ignore the streak,” Watkins said. “If you paid me a million dollars right now, I probably couldn’t tell you what it is. I’m a basketball player, so even through adversity, I have to continue to be a basketball player. In the back of your mind, you know that better days are coming, so you’ve just got to keep your nose to the grindstone and just continue to do what you do.” Those are wise words for a freshman with no collegiate postseason experience. Watkins will log her first minutes of playoff action in Saturday’s quarterfinal game against top-seeded Maine. Heading into the matchup, she is focused on doing everything she can to give her team a fighting chance, but also on her goals for the future. “I don’t want to be thought of as a one-hit wonder or someone who had a good freshman year and that was it,” Watkins said. “No. [Sina and I] want to continue to be prominent. We want to continue to be the targets on a team’s scouting report. I think that hunger and that drive is what’s going to push us to continue to succeed in the postseason and next year.”
IMANI WATKINS FRESHMAN GUARD NUMBER 11
I think that hunger and that drive is what's going to push us to continue to succeed in the postseason
NO.
BEARCATS
8
ALBRECHT BREAKS OUT
JUNIOR EXPANDS ROLE UNDER NEW OFFENSIVE SYSTEM E.JAY ZARETT
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
In her first two seasons on the Binghamton women’s basketball team, junior guard Kim Albrecht was a role player. She started only 11 total games in two seasons and averaged just 2.8 points per game as a freshman and 5.3 as a sophomore. That all changed this season. Under Binghamton’s new head coach, Linda Cimino, Albrecht became an integral part of BU’s improved offensive attack and is averaging 10 points per game during the current campaign. Cimino has made a concerted effort to push the tempo of BU’s offense. Whereas in previous seasons Binghamton (4-25, 2-14 AE) has been very deliberate in its offensive approach, milking the shot clock and feeding the ball into the post, Cimino has run and attacked the basket, a scheme
that fits Albrecht’s style of play. “I think [things] have changed a lot, but it has been a good change,” Albrecht said. “This year has been really fun and we’ve learned a lot and improved a lot.” Albrecht burst onto the scene for BU from the getgo. In the second game of the season, despite dealing with foul trouble that limited her to just 22 minutes of playing time, the junior poured in a career-high 27 points while hitting three 3-point baskets and knocking down all 10 of her free-throw attempts in the Bearcats’ first win of the season, a 90-84 victory over Delaware State in the Akron Invitational. From there, Albrecht continued to pour in the points. In her first two years on campus, Albrecht had scored in double figures in only five games. This season alone, she has surpassed that mark 12 times, including a stretch between Jan. 19 and Feb. 4 in which Albrecht scored in double figures for five consecutive
games. The junior has found her points in a variety of ways. In transition, Albrecht attacks the hoop, frequently driving into the paint for layups while drawing fouls. In the half-court, she has shown the ability to stroke 3-pointers and knock down midrange jump shots off of catchand-shoot opportunities and pull-up dribbles while becoming a much more efficient player in the process. Albrecht, who shot just 31 percent from the field and 28 percent from 3-point range as a sophomore, has increased those numbers to 38 percent and 34 percent, respectively, a testament to her hard work since arriving on campus. “Ever since I’ve been here I have been working a lot on my shot,” Albrecht said. “I changed my shot completely since I came here — I wasn’t really a jump shooter in high school. I would drive to the basket.” Albrecht has shown a
propensity for scoring in clutch moments during important games. She scored 20 points — including knocking down six crucial free-throws in BU’s first America East victory of the season — in a 65-64 defeat of UMass Lowell. The following week she turned in a 14-point, four-rebound performance, on top of dishing out three assists in a Bearcat victory over Vermont. Albrecht found this confidence through experience, as well as gaining her new coach’s trust. “Coach always said, ‘You have the green light — go ahead and shoot.’ That has been comforting to have,” Albrecht said. “Just getting on the floor more, more experience has been really helpful. Being a junior, you can see certain situations you’ve been in before and how to deal with them, so that has been really helpful making the transition from a role player to a starting spot.” As one of just four
upperclassmen on the BU roster, Albrecht has not only been looked upon to score more, but also to provide leadership to a young Bearcat roster that relies heavily on its freshmen. Albrecht has grown to embrace the role, one she hopes to carry into next year onto a rebuilding Binghamton squad. “I wanted to [lead],” Albrecht
said. “It is helpful for the freshmen to come in and know that there are upperclassmen who have their back and the freshmen have come in and done a great job … As upperclassmen, you just tell them, all you can do is try your best, and we have your back. Just really try to lead as much as possible and give them advice when they need it.”
KIM ALBRECHT JUNIOR GUARD NUMBER 23
Being a junior, you can see certain situations you've been in before and how to deal with them
8
WOMEN'S AE TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
bupipedream.com | March 6, 2015
2015 AE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT HOSTED BY BINGHAMTON PIPE DREAM BRACKET PREDICTIONS ALL GAMES PLAYED AT EVENTS CENTER UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED
1 MAINE SAT, 12:02 P.M.
1 MAINE
8 BINGHAMTON
1 MAINE STONY BROOK 3
SUN, 2:02 P.M.
4 UNH SAT, APPROX. 2:30 P.M.
STONY BROOK 3
5 HARTFORD
UMBC 6
5 HARTFORD ALBANY 2
SUN, APPROX. 4:30 P.M.
ALBANY 2 FRIDAY, MARCH 13 4:32 P.M. AT HIGHER SEED
QUARTERFINALS
SEMIFINALS
SAT, APPROX. 8:30 P.M.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
ALBANY 2 SAT, 6:02 P.M.
VERMONT 7 SEMIFINALS
QUARTERFINALS
BARRON TURNS AROUND CULTURE AT MAINE KOIZAR, WOOD LEAD BLACK BEARS TO NO. 1 SEED SEASON RECORD (22-7), CONFERENCE RECORD (14-2) E.JAY ZARETT
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
The women’s basketball program at Maine has undergone a tremendous turn-around over the last three seasons. In 2012-13, the Black Bears finished in last place in the America East, finishing with a 4-24 record and just three conference victories. After a 17-15 campaign last year, Maine captured 22 victories this season, tied for the AE regular season crown and earned the number one seed into the conference tournament this weekend. Engineering the turn-around of Maine women’s basketball is head coach Richard Barron. Barron — who is now in his fourth season at the helm — took a program that
had finished in the bottom two of the conference every season from 2007-08 to 2012-13 and guided it to a first-place finish, its first regular-season championship since 2005. “We want to do this on a more regular basis — that’s the goal,” Barron said. “We want to have sustained success, but [to] sustain success is the hardest thing to do in sports. So we have our work cut out for us.” Maine will begin its pursuit of the tournament championship this weekend, when they take on eighth-seeded Binghamton in the first round. Despite finishing in first, Maine will hold no homecourt advantage, as BU is set to host the first two rounds of the AE tournament. Therefore, despite being the higher seeded team, the Black Bears have to travel to take
on the Bearcats on their home floor. However, Maine isn’t letting this affect its mindset. “It is the way it is,” Barron said. “It doesn’t really matter how we feel about it. We are just going to play the games that we have in front of us and try to do our best.” Integral to Maine’s postseason success will be sophomore guard Sigi Koizar and junior forward Liz Wood. Koizar, who started just four games as a freshman, developed into a dangerous scoring threat for Maine. The sophomore started all 29 Black Bear contests this season while shooting 47.1 percent from the field — including 32 percent from behind the arc — and averaging 14.2 points per game. Wood emerged as a star as a sophomore and continued her stellar play this season. She finished third in the AE with a 50.8
shooting clip from the field and led the conference in steals at 2.8 per game. Wood finished the regular season averaging 14.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, which sizes up as sixth and fifth in the America East, respectively. “Liz is amazing,” Barron said. “She is, in my opinion, the best player in the league. She led the league in defensive rebounds, led the league in steals, one of the top five in [many] other categories … She can guard any position on the floor as well. She really does everything … She is as wellrounded of a player that you’ll find in college basketball.” The Black Bears will look to build on their regular-season success in the postseason. If they defeat the Bearcats, they will then face the winner of the game between New Hampshire
and Hartford on Sunday in the semifinal. If the Black Bears advance to the championship, they will host the final automatically on Friday, March 13, as home-court advantage goes to the highest remaining seed in the title game. “It is a culmination of a lot of hard work, certainly,” Barron said of his team’s regular-season success. “It is gratifying but at the same time, the way they award our NCAA tournament bid is by winning the conference tournament. So the next three games are what are really most important now. We have to put what we accomplished in the regular season behind us and stay focused on what we are trying to do here in March.” Tip-off for the Black Bears quarterfinal game against BU is scheduled for noon Saturday in the Events Center.
The next three games are what are really most important now. We have to put what we accomplished in the regular season behind us — Richard Barron Maine head coach
ALBANY SEEKS FOUR-PEAT
RICHARDS HOPES TO LEAD GREAT DANES TO NCAAs
SEASON RECORD (21-8), CONFERENCE RECORD (14-2)
We play as a committee, we play together. I think this weekend is going to be all about defense
JEFF TWITTY
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
From the opening tip-off of the 2012-13 season, the Albany women’s basketball team has amassed a 45-3 record in America East play, showing no signs of slowing down. Capped by an undefeated AE season in 2012-13, the Great Danes (21-8, 14-2 America East) have established themselves as one of the top dogs of the conference, entering the AE tournament this weekend looking for their fourth straight title. But for Albany head coach Katie AbrahamsonHenderson — who has overseen — Katie Abrahamson-Henderson all three of Albany’s championship Albany head coach runs in program history — this weekend is all about keeping cool. “We don’t try to look at
pressure,” Abrahamson-Henderson said. “The pressure comes when it’s the last game, but it’s not the last game — we’ve got a nice week off. We’re looking forward to our first game, and we’re going to only be concerned about that first game.” The pressure will be on for Albany’s opponent, however. Behind the second-best scoring defense in the AE, Albany has only allowed its conference competition to score over 60 points in four games. The Great Danes lead the conference in steals per game — averaging 10.3 — and defensive rebounding — allowing only an average of 28.5 per contest. “We play as a committee, we play together,” Abrahamson-Henderson said. “I think this weekend’s going to be all about defense.” It does win championships, after all. But despite their defensive reputation, the Great Danes have
no shortage of offensive power. Propelling the America East’s topscoring offense is junior forward Shereesha Richards, who leads the conference in scoring and field-goal percentage through conference play. The 6-foot-1 forward averaged 23.1 points per game on a 61.9 percent shooting clip from the floor through the AE slate. The all-purpose player also paces the team in steals (38) and rebounds (8.5 rpg). Sophomore guard Imani Tate has also impressed on the floor this year. In a breakout season, Tate has averaged 14.1 points per contest to put her at sixth-best in the AE. With the team headed to Binghamton to compete in its first away AE tournament game in six matchups, the Great Danes will have to be able to win on the road in the post-season — something they have not done since 2012. But
despite this new element, Albany remains confident leaving the SEFCU Arena. “We actually play better away, quite frankly,” AbrahamsonHenderson said. “I don’t know what it is, but we just like to travel. And there’s only one team that has that home court advantage — and that’s Binghamton — and we don’t have to play them.” Seeded second, Albany is set to face off against seventh-seeded Vermont in its first game of the tournament. But don’t let that two seed fool you. Of the eight returners on Albany’s roster, they all have one thing in common — they know how to win. And while it doesn’t hurt that the Great Danes haven’t fallen to the Catamounts (5-23, 2-14 AE) since 2010, Abrahamson-Henderson hopes that giving her team time for some rest and relaxation will pay off
come playoffs. “I would assume that every school is resting a little bit,” Abrahamson-Henderson said. “Just because I know a lot of schools had injuries and a lot of things have happened. Especially [early in the week], I think schools are kind of taking time off, making sure they’re rehabbing and taking care of those little bumps and bruises before we get going.” Come tip-off, however, urgency must be of the essence if Albany hopes to four-peat in the AE. And while a two seed has not fallen to a seven seed in the conference final since 2007, AbrahamsonHenderson knows that both teams will be 0-0 come Saturday, and madness will begin. “Take it one game at a time,”Abrahamson-Henderson said, “because everyone’s really good, and it’s March madness.”
OPINION Friday, March 6, 2015
Programming can aid creativity
Computer science and art work synergistically in digital medium Shirley Tong
Contributing Columnist
Skipping Class S
tarting next fall, students may be able to opt out of introductory courses that are prerequisites for more challenging, higher level courses.
The Course Replacement Program, if approved by Binghamton University’s administration, would allow students to test out of certain introductory level courses in favor of engaging with a more challenging curriculum. The ability to test out of such courses would benefit students seeking to challenge themselves through their undergraduate tenure at Binghamton. Any students willing to push themselves should be encouraged to do so, rather than be compelled to sit through an underwhelming course for 15 weeks. We hope that University administrators move forward on this proposal. Course replacement puts students from different educational backgrounds on the same level. Not every Binghamton student graduated from a high school with Advanced Placement courses. These students are no less capable
than their peers who graduated from schools with International Baccalaureate or Advanced Placement programs — they simply have not been presented with the same opportunities. If individual students can demonstrate that they have sufficient knowledge of a subject to fulfill a course’s requirement, they should be able to skip this course and enroll in one that requires this course as a prerequisite. Students are paying thousands of dollars a semester to attend this university and no one should feel their time is wasted. By moving to more advanced courses earlier in their academic careers, students will be able to make the most of their time at BU. The program would allow professors and department heads to determine which courses students can forego. Faculty may determine that competency cannot be demonstrated through passage of a single final exam, which is the
measurement currently suggested in the proposal. Of course, faculty understand their courses better than anyone else. The program’s proposed flexibility is necessary. If faculty determine that no course replacement is appropriate for any class at Binghamton, we must defer to their judgment. Some classes appear more suited to course replacement than others. In humanities classes without sequences or prerequisites, it seems inappropriate to give students the option to place out. If these students would like to enroll in an upper-level course, there is no prerequisite barring them from doing so. Additionally, humanities professors often tailor subject matter to specifically selected course materials. Humanities students learn more from discussion sections and research papers than timed final examinations. Classrooms offer invaluable experiences here, like
learning how to work with primary sources or criticism. Students in these courses need not feel jealous of their fast-tracked counterparts — knowing how to find the limit of a parabola is not the same as having closely read and discussed “Antigone” with students of different intellectual and cultural backgrounds than ourselves. Although course replacement should be an option for certain classes, students should be wary to take advantage of this possible option unless confident in their ability to adjust to the increased pace of upper-level courses. A student might be able to pass an introductory biology final, but flounder when placed in a course with students accustomed to a larger workload. We don’t want to hamper the ambition of BU’s brightest minds, but we also recognize the value of learning to walk before learning to run.
Views expressed in the opinion pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece which represents the views of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the Staff Editorial, above. The Editorial Board is composed of the Editor-in-Chief, News Editor, Opinion Editor, Sports Editor, and Release Editor.
As an art major, I’m all for the free expression of emotions and ideas through both traditional and digital artistic mediums. We already recognize the creative potential of a pencil on paper or a brush on a canvas. Digital tablets — tablets that come with a pen that allows you to draw more naturally — have become the main tool for those wishing to pursue digital comics, illustration and vector art. How do computer languages fit into these new tools? Are they compatible? Don’t computer languages require logical and mathematical skills while art engages expressive skills? Failing to recognize the artistic and creative possibilities of programming is a common mistake. When we think of computer science, we often think of IT people in glasses or white-collared workers sitting in cubicles. Computer programming is far from the stale, logical subject that I originally thought it was. Like any other art tool, it requires time to master, but once the hard skills are acquired, the creative possibilities are endless. You’ve all probably stumbled upon a website that shows a beautiful visual of data that would’ve looked banal if organized in a normal cell-bycell chart. Or you’ve downloaded an app on your Android that lets you create amazing abstract patterns on the screen with a swish of your finger. The powerful tool of computer programming helped create these websites and apps. Learning multiple programming languages opens up endless
Learning multiple programming languages opens up endless possibilites for creation possibilities for creation, like websites that can convert handwriting into a font or apps that can check for when the cops are coming. Our current technology has given us the chance to express our creativity on a whole new level. Yes, learning the hard skills of programming will require you to think logically and systematically. A high level of persistence and dedication is important if hard logic is not your forte. However, this is no different from learning the mechanics of applying oil paint onto a canvas or analyzing how the light affects shadows on a drawing. Once you understand the tool, the ability to create something with your newfound knowledge will be worth it. Whether you’re a natural artist or more of an analytical person, give programming a chance. I’m your typical art student who loves to draw, but I’ve dabbled with JavaScript over the summer out of curiosity. I am by no means gifted at this new foreign subject, but I’m getting better every single day. And guess what? I actually enjoy it, and you may also. — Shirley Tong is a senior majoring in graphic design
Let students lead the dialogue Red carpet racism is unacceptable University response to protest stifles effective activism
Fashion Police comments speak to national problem
mandatory cultural competency course as a general education requirement, an expansion of the Multicultural Resource Center and the ODEI, and hiring more minorities to accurately reflect the demographics of New York state. Students came to the forum expecting their voices to be heard in unison — able to build off each other to push forward the issues they believe in, but the University denied them that opportunity. I encourage the dialogue not as an endorsement of their movement, but because I believe student activism is more important to this campus — and many others across the country — than any other issue. Students spend four years at a college — a good portion of their lives — and I believe they should seek to impact change in their community. Many student groups exist at this University — they discuss ideas, but do not reach out to the University to create the positive change they believe in. They need to learn more and utilize the tools provided to them. I believe Students for Change can be the force that pushes students to do something about the issues they believe in. Throughout the 1970s, BU was one of the most politically active campuses in the country. Protests were common on campus, from complaints about grading policies to dissatisfaction with a campus
response to the comments Rancic made, that her choice to wear dreadlocks on the red carpet was to “showcase them in a positive light, to remind people of color that our hair is good enough.” Rancic’s comments not only hurt Coleman, but young girls of color everywhere. To criticize the message Coleman was making with racial slurs is appalling and a perfect example of the homogenized white society in which we live. Disney Channel star Coleman has a young fan base. Additionally, she is one of the only African American stars currently on Disney Channel. Rancic’s remarks go far beyond just insulting Coleman herself, and extend to insulting women and girls across the nation. Beyond that such comments intimidate women from embracing their natural hair and beauty. This incident is not the first time ignorant, racial comments were made to a celebrity on the red carpet. Biracial actress Rashida Jones is constantly questioned about her race. At this year’s Screen Actor’s Guild Awards TNT correspondent Danielle Demski told Jones, “you look like you’ve just come off an island or something … very tropical.” Jones replied by stating that she’s ethnic. Not only was the situation awkward for all involved, and all
Lawrence Ciulla
Contributing Columnist
Last week, a group of students, Students for Change, walked out of a town hall forum sought to address the problems of racial and ethnic discrimination on campus due to a disagreement in format. Binghamton University sought to divide the group — by allowing individuals to go table to table to speak with representatives of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) and express their concerns. Yet, the voice of many is more powerful than one. Many of the protests last semester, both on campus and throughout the country, inspired the group to propose a series of demands intended to resolve the diversity issues on campus. Some demands included a
Students came to the forum expecting their voices to be heard in unison
curfew. Students organized and stood up for issues they were passionate about and did so successfully without the modernday tools we take for granted, like social media. Students, once again, need to rally together and fight for what they believe in — putting pressure on the University to listen. And with time, the change demanded will come — so long as the University officials listen to them as one. I believe the University officials acted with what they believe are the best intentions for the students, yet it was wrong to deny a format to the very students they are attempting to hear out. It is impossible for just one person to properly relay the sentiments of many — the concerns of students need to snowball into a greater cohesive argument. Every BU student needs to take a page from the notebook of Students for Change. They need to stand up and express their concerns on campus — or even off campus, in the community around us. The only way to impact change is to take action — and I hope students draw inspiration from the ongoing events, for issues throughout the spectrum. Activism is more than just politics — it is about fighting for an issue as one. — Lawrence Ciulla is a junior majoring in philosophy, politics, and law
Rebecca Klar
Columnist
The idea that we live in a post-racial society is a myth. This myth was once again proven false on the red carpet. The racial remarks made on “Fashion Police” about Zendaya Coleman’s hair at the 2015 Academy Awards demonstrate just how backward our media really is. The 18-year-old actress was scrutinized for her choice of wearing dreadlocks to the award show. The following night on “Fashion Police,” Giuliana Rancic made ignorant, racist remarks about Coleman’s hair. Rancic said “I feel like she smells like patchouli oil. Or weed.” Although there was no harmful or cruel intent to Rancic’s words, ignorance is no excuse for her remarks. Clearly, “Fashion Police” is a show that is supposed to critique celebrity’s fashion and beauty choices and by no means do I think they should have to praise every hairstyle that graces the red carpet. I also understand that the attempt is to do so in an entertaining, comical and sometimes mean way. That is no reason, however, to bring racial comments into the discussion. Coleman pointed out, in a
Rancic's remarks go far beyond just insulting Coleman herself watching, but it once again shows the prevalence of whiteness in our media and pop culture. This is evident through the assumption Jones sported a tan because she’d been on a vacation rather than due to her biracial background. Or through Rancic likening Coleman’s dreadlocks to oil and weed, whereas she had earlier claimed that white Kylie Jenner’s dreadlock look was edgy and urban. While on TV Rancic is responsible for her words and her remarks were truly disgusting and ignorant. However, this issue goes beyond her comments. Although many Americans may want to believe we live in a post-racial society that does not have double standards for racial minorities, this utopian fiction is far from reality. — Rebecca Klar is a sophomore majoring in English
Parade Day
Photo Illustration by Tamar Ashdot-Bari/Contributing Photographer
It's fine to get stupid drunk, but don't be one By the end of Parade Day, it shouldn't look like Godzilla invaded Downtown Binghamton Rich Kersting | Release Parade Day is one of those few glorious times of the year when it’s socially permissible, if not socially praiseworthy, to spend the entire day in a drunken stupor accompanied by all of your friends. Perhaps the least productive day on the academic calendar, Parade Day is a shameless sacrifice of sobriety that promises crazy and relentless fun. When the streets of Binghamton come alive, you don’t know who you’ll run into. With this in mind, it’s important to remember that no amount
of alcohol justifies acting like a jerk. The city of Binghamton may not be the nicest place in the world. It might not even be the second nicest, but it’s still home to a community. While the prospects of breaking the seal mean you might have to go every 10 minutes, it’s never okay to piss in the streets. Make it into a bar. Alternatively, you could also try the basement bathroom of Boscov’s — it’s a real lifesaver. Speaking of bodily fluids, if you’re prone to barfing, keep a plastic shopping bag stuffed in your pocket. Amidst the party scene, people
generate a lot of garbage. Empty handles, beer bottles and red solo cups galore. Remember that the little triangle on the bottom of each of these containers means that they can be recycled. While it’s probably the last thing on your mind while you’re ambling about Downtown, recycling empty bottles and cans is an easy way to get green while you’re getting wasted. Furthermore, make sure that garbage gets into a trash can. Just because you’re trashed doesn’t mean everything else needs to be. Cleaner streets mean prettier streets: Don’t contribute to urban decay. For those who live on campus
or are coming from across the river, please, please, please don’t drink and drive. The good people of OCCT have given up their Parade Day to make sure that everyone reaches their destinations safely. If you can’t wait, catch a cab. There are sober people out there to get you from point A to point B, so there’s no need to put people’s lives at risk. If you’re getting drunk, keep the keys out of the ignition. Remember, some people are there for the actual parade. It may not seem like much to college students, but the parade is a time of excitement and fun for people of all ages, even
children. So as you’re walking, remember everyone around you can hear you much better than you can hear yourself. Kids don’t need to hear about who you just banged, who you’re going to bang or even who you want to bang. They’re just kids, and they’re an impressionable bunch, so try to limit the F-bombs to only the most dire of circumstances. Rules can be a drag, nobody wants to be told what to do and Parade Day is supposed to be a day of uninhibited fun. But by making sure that you’re being the best drunk you can possibly be, you’ll make your day, and everybody else’s day,
infinitely more enjoyable. Unless you’re the type of person who particularly enjoys public urination, littering, drunk driving and scaring children, these are probably the types of activities you’d shy away from while sober. So why not keep it that way when you’re drunk? Oh, and one last piece of advice. Know your limits. It’s ritual to start drinking at breakfast, but don’t wear yourself out too early. Getting drunk at the parade is fun, but going to the bars for part two is so much better.
When campus is abandoned Navigating a desolate Vestal Parade Day wasteland Rich Kersting | Release
Shamrock your outfit Franz Lino/Photo Editor
A journey of last-minute Parade Day shopping Kathryn Shafsky | Release The time had come yet again. It was only a few days before Parade Day, and the stores were lined with themed T-shirts and light-up headbands. I promised myself I would go shopping early this year, but instead I had to fight off some wild Bearcats in hope of finding a perfect Parade Day outfit. Armed with a Shamrock Shake (mandatory for your shopping trip) and $20 I probably should have spent on textbooks, I was off to Town Square Mall for my green-filled shopping adventure. Walking into Wal-Mart, I realized I had to make a game time decision. Did I want to look State Street chic or just straight up festive? I decided to make an attempt at looking cute, combing through the arts and crafts aisles for a bedazzler to spell out “GET WRECKED” on a sweatshirt. With no luck, I considered doing some green and orange tie-dye, but then remembered running out of dye
last year and moved on. I made my way toward the clothing section, and even from a distance I could see it calling my name: the hideous mecca of themed shirts. I felt a slight tinge of hope. I felt my stomach begin to fill with green beer as I skipped toward it, my eyes locking on a shirt with a green skull made out of flowers. What was this? It was hideous. Next to it, I saw another shirt featuring a skull with angel wings and a shamrock hat. When did Parade Day get so dark? A mother and her young daughter walked by me, and I got a disapproving look. Maybe I’ll just wear a plain green shirt after all. With my dreams beginning to seem more like nightmares, I looked at the accessories section. All I saw was an overpriced flimsy headband and a huge shamrock necklace that I’d never try to pull off. Besides, the packaging said the shamrock was supposed to light up, but the only one left was broken. How would I express my excitement without the proper light
show? It seemed like everyone had gotten to the good stuff before me, but I didn’t give up and made my way to Five Below. Defeat loomed over my head like a gray Binghamton sky, but as I walked into my next destination, a small patch of sunlight seemed to shine down on me. There it was, a whole display of $1 St. Patrick’s Day accessories, and they were all mine for the buying. Does no one shop at Five Below? This place is great! Headbands, shamrock-shaped sunglasses and shot glass necklaces filled my heart with joy. And I needed those shamrock-patterned socks, even if they were only ankle length and no one would see them. Making my way back to the bus with bags full of more necklaces than I could wear at once, I knew I had won Parade Day. With a shot glass around my neck and a really ugly tiny green hat, how could I lose? I threw out the Shamrock Shake I had forgotten to drink and touched my new green feather boa. This will be the best Parade Day yet.
There are plenty of reasons that you might not be Downtown this Parade Day. Maybe you don’t drink. Maybe you hate parades, and you don’t want to rain on this one. But maybe you just missed that first, second or even third alarm you set to make sure you didn’t sleep in. In any case, do not be afraid of the pervasive silence that seems to have swallowed up campus. The pack has simply left you behind. Parade Day is an every man (or woman) for himself (or herself) shit show of inebriated madness, and to fall behind means serious missing out. But if the time has passed for morning mimosas, kegs and eggs and the surreptitious concoctions that could take the paint off your deck, you might just decide to cut your losses and hold off on the festivities until nighttime. Campus, cold and empty, might seem like the last place you’d want to be while everyone is out getting sloshed. However, there are ample opportunities to take advantage of in this situation. An empty campus means empty dining halls. Sodexo might not be your favorite food provider, but the fact that you don’t have to wait in long lines for your mystery meat might just make it taste better when eaten alone. Hey, it’s a holiday, so go all out and treat yourself to the smorgasbord of your dreams, you only live once. It gets even better,
because you can pretty much sit wherever you want! Lunch can be lonely sitting alone, but the solitude can offer you a level of introspection that often gets bogged down by the banal debates usually crowding the lunch table. If you’re desperate for company, seek out the few souls left on campus. Otherwise, try meditating on the nature of free will until you finally decide that you have none. The Glenn G. Bartle Library Pods are usually a den of chaos with rooms full of people and printers low on toner. Not today. You’ve been sitting on your printing queue all semester. You’ve been wanting to print all of those articles and essays for class, but could never face the glaring eyes of the unforgiving masses as the printers struggle to handle your PDF. The hours you get during the parade is your one chance to finally get all of that printing done, guilt free. Well, you might feel guilty for destroying the rain forest, but let’s internalize that shame for the sake of the holiday. The last place anyone is going to be on Parade Day is the gym, unless they’re seriously devoted. Maybe it’s time to finally use that membership you told your yourself that you had to have. College was going to be a great time of transformation after which you would finally emerge with biceps, triceps and all the other ‘ceps. Oh yeah, you were going to start working out, but then school happened, right? It’s okay, we’ve all been there. But if you’re not working on your
beer gut, you might as well get cracking on those six-pack abs. A word to the wise: The blissful silence will not last forever. For as soon as the marchers stop marching, and the beer stops flowing, they will be coming back. You used to know them as classmates, roommates, even bedmates, but today they are beings of a different kind. They have been to the parade, and when they come back they’ll be drunker than you’d ever thought possible. When the buses come back and the drunks finally return to campus to recharge their batteries, they’ll storm the dining halls in a riotous mob and then hibernate as the sun goes down. Don’t be fooled, it doesn’t end here. The parade might be over, but in a few hours time, they’ll be ready again for to take State Street by storm. If you’re so inclined, you’ll go with them.
Maybe you hate parades, and you don’t want to rain on this one
March 6, 2015 | www.bupipedream.com
11
RELEASE
How to responsibly take care of your drunk friends If an ambulance isn't necessary, control your friends in other ways Shelby Reller | Contributing Writer You’ve gathered all the proper materials: Jameson, Baileys and enough pancake mix to feed a small village. You and your roommates stayed up all night painting “Kiss Me I’m Irish” with glitter glue on green T-shirts. You’ve called all your hometown friends, your siblings, your cousins, your grandmother — convincing them that missing out on this one day of the year would be the worst thing to never happen to them. The day we’ve all been waiting for has finally come. It’s Parade Day, motherfuckers. Everything has been prepared. Well, almost everything. There’s that friend who practically comes with a guarantee stamped on their forehead that reads, “2 Drunk 2 Handle.” This person is always the drunkest guy at the party. It’s their birthright, or something. They’re a blast to party with, but they transform into the Tasmanian devil when they’ve had one too many beers, destroying everything that gets in their way of more alcohol. You love this person, which is probably why you are always the one stuck dealing with their inebriated selves. We’d all like to hope that we can enjoy our Parade Day without letting them get in the way. But if they really do drink so much so that they’re in danger, be responsible, call an ambulance. But sometimes things aren’t quite that bad, and you can still
go on with your day with just a quick fix. To help you care for your borderline alcoholic friend, yet still enjoy Parade Day and all the wonder and beauty it has to offer, here’s a list of tips and tricks — tailored to specific types of drunk, for your convenience. 1. The Crier — Criers tend to sneak up on you. One minute, they’re having a grand time doing body shots, and the next they’ve burst into uncontrollable tears over spilt punch and have lost all sense of reason. The simple remedy for a crier is to distract them. Pizza usually works. Also, puppies. 2. The Overly Friendly — Overly friendly drunks are slightly more difficult. My best advice: If you can’t keep the girl away from the guy, keep the guy away from her (and vice versa). Put him in charge of music, set him up with a friend who actually wants to go there and is in the state of mind to make decisions like that or tell him you worry about what kind of diseases she’s got going on down there. Do what you’ve got to do. She can thank you for it later. 3. The Angry Drunk — No one likes an angry drunk. Why are you even friends with this person? 4. The Loser — This person regularly comes home from a night out phoneless, walletless and, at least once before, shoeless. They lose everything (not excluding their dignity). As for the phone, be sure to download “Find my iPhone” beforehand. Convince them to purchase a fanny pack for their
Photo Illustration by Tamar Ashdot-Bari/Contributing Photographer
wallet and other belongings (because the ladies like a man who can rock the belt bag). Conjure your Cub Scout skills to tie their shoelaces into a complex knot that they couldn’t even undo sober (there’s no way those suckers are coming off)! 5. The Runner — The simple solution to dealing with runners is to tie them up. You can use an oversized dog harness, and walk them around downtown as if they were your pet — your very, very drunk pet. If they simply refuse to wear the leash, at least make it easy for you to find them
A real Irish music playlist
You know about Flogging Molly, but there's more Samuel Titus | Contributing Writer If you carried a guitar or a mandolin into a bar in the United States and just started playing, you would probably get a few funny looks. In Ireland, however, it’s unusual not to see someone playing an instrument at the pub on a Friday night. Largely neglected even by Americans with Irish ancestry, Ireland’s rich musical culture is as fun-loving as it is morose. Instead of just nodding your head to Irish tunes this March, learn to sing along. Grab a pint of the black stuff and let Release guide your playlist this Parade Day. There are a certain number of songs that any self-proclaimed fan of Irish music should know. Just as there are jazz standards, which are ingrained in the genre’s culture, the equivalent exists in Irish music. Though covered by every Irish musician worth the whiskey they drink, The Dubliners have recorded some of the most popular renditions of these traditional songs. Capitalizing on recordings of folk standards and originals alike, The Dubliners are one of the most prolific Irish groups of all time, practically revered as royalty on the Emerald Isle. You’ll be able to find versions of these songs performed by dozens of artists; however, The Dubliners have particularly good renditions of nearly all of them including “Molly Malone,” “Whiskey in the
Jar,” “Black Velvet Band” and the once politically controversial “Seven Drunken Nights.” With a whimsical spirit and a dedication to musicianship that seems long gone, artists like The Dubliners, The Clancy Brothers, and The Irish Rovers paved the way for modern Irish groups, who have taken the genre to new heights. Secondary only to The Dubliners in terms of cultural importance are The Pogues, a Celtic punk group, who rose to prominence in the ’80s and borrowed traditional elements of yesteryear in a less-than-tame approach to Irish music. Derived from póg mo thóin, the Gaelic expression for “kiss my ass,” even their namesake embodies the band’s unruly personality. Fronted by the perpetually drunk Shane MacGowan, The Pogues ushered folk music into the next generation with passionately slurred vocals and a youthful appeal. If you’re looking for a place to start listening, their first three albums are particularly noteworthy and represent the band in their prime. The Pogues’ sophomore and junior LPs, “Rum, Sodomy & the Lash” and “If I Should Fall From Grace With God,” are their magna opera, absolute classics worthy of complete listens. MacGowan has a certain socially conscious political edge (and the worst oral hygiene you will ever see), yet he carries himself with an attitude that seems to say “screw all the pain,
Photo of The Pogues provided by The Telegraph
let’s get drunk.” These two albums are full of heartbreak and despair but are matched with an equally upbeat presence that embodies who the Irish are, a people who face hardship directly and combat it with a resilient smile. For the introductory listener, “If I Should Fall From Grace With God,” “A Pair of Brown Eyes,” “Dirty Old Town,” “Bottle of Smoke” and “Sally MacLennane” are all quality tracks that should provide a general understanding of The Pogues. If you find yourself in the holiday spirit, look no further than one of their greatest hits, “Fairytale of New York,” one of the only decent Christmas songs ever committed to tape. Leaving Galway Bay and the fighting spirit of County Cork behind, Irish music has developed significantly in the U.S. as well. If you haven’t enjoyed the musical suggestions so far, you may find a bigger appreciation for contemporary groups, such as Flogging Molly. With songs like “Drunken Lullabies” and “What’s Left of the Flag,” Flogging Molly merge pub tradition with distortion — and they’re not the only ones to do so. Artists like the Dropkick Murphys and The Tossers have a similar appeal. Check out Dropkick’s popular song “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” and The Tossers’ “Whiskey Makes Me Crazy.” While the Dropkick Murphys take a more punk approach to the genre, The Tossers have more traditional sensibilities, which are evident in their cover of “The Rocky Road to Dublin,” a fiery twist on the classic tune. It’s impossible to digest decades worth of ethnic tradition in just a few days or even in the few weeks before St. Patrick’s Day. However, a better understanding of the genre can make the holiday that much more fun. Enjoy the festivities this weekend, or as the Irish say, the craic. By exploring some of these musical suggestions, you may find that Irish music wasn’t quite what you thought.
later. Write your name and your number somewhere visible on their body — a makeshift dog tag (“Property of (insert name). If found please call (number)”). 6. The Puker — If your friend is a puker, then you know there’s not much you can do to prevent the inevitable. Try feeding them water shots, but tell them it’s vodka (pukers will not stop drinking until there’s more coming up than going down). Otherwise, there’s not much you can do but keep some brown bags or a top hat on hand and hope for the best.
7. The Lead-Footed Drunk — There is just no going back at this point. If your friend reaches the level of drunk at which his ankles are as limp as Harry’s boneless arm, and you are dragging him by his wrists out of the bar, it’s time to go home. You’re done for the day. At long last, when the day is done and your friend is tucked into bed (or passed out on the kitchen floor), give yourself a pat on the back for getting them home safe and sound. You’ll get them back next year.
They’re a blast to party with, but they transform into the Tasmanian devil
WRESTLING
Three from BU carry seeds into EIWAs See bupipedream.com/sports/wrestling Friday, March 6, 2015
FUEL FOR THE FIRE
Photos by Emily Earl, Michael Contegni and Franz Lino/Pipe Dream Photographers
Binghamton ends season with hard-fought quarterfinal loss to Stony Brook Ashley Sports Sports Editor
STONY BROOK, N.Y. — The Binghamton men’s basketball team’s season may have come to a disappointing close on Wednesday night, but its future is bright. The No. 6 Bearcats (6-26) and No. 3 Seawolves competed down to the wire in their quarterfinal matchup, hosted by Stony Brook (22-10) at Island FCU Arena. Though the Seawolves eventually captured the game, 62-57, it was by no means a sure thing coming. Binghamton had the chance to tie the game at 58 with under a minute left. Freshman forward Willie Rodriguez kicked out to freshman guard Justin McFadden, who was left unguarded on the arc for an open 3. But for the third time in the second half, BU’s shot went in, and promptly rimmed back out. That missed shot was just one opportunity, however. There were still 28 seconds remaining, and it was just a one-possession game in Stony Brook’s favor, 58-55.
“It didn’t go in, and it was ‘Okay, next play,’” Binghamton head coach Tommy Dempsey said, exposing a sentiment entirely coherent with Binghamton’s mindset this season. Misfortune strikes — a plenitude of misfortune, in BU’s case — and you deal with the cards you have left. The Bearcats had rallied back from double-digit deficits twice already, so a three-point margin in the last minute wasn’t daunting. Binghamton kept piecing together looks and fouling, and with the Seawolves going 0 for 4 from the charity stripe directly preceding McFadden’s shot, it looked like the basket might be as merciless to its hosts as its visitors. But Stony Brook’s two-time America East Player of the Year, Jameel Warney, and junior guard Carson Puriefoy broke the drought, erecting a 62-55 lead before sophomore guard Marlon Beck II hit a jumper to score the last points of the game. Even if freshman guard Romello Walker’s 3-point attempt went in at the last second, it wouldn’t have been enough.
That was quite a turnaround from the first half, which saw nine lead changes and ended with Binghamton holding a twopoint lead, 25-23, heading into the locker room. The Bearcats were playing some of their most unforgiving defense of the season, something to which Warney has been particularly susceptible. “I always struggle against Binghamton’s zone,” the 6-foot8, 260-pound junior forward said. “I have to figure that out for next year.” Warney, who leads the league in averaging 16.8 points per game this season, was contained to 11 on Wednesday. In the two teams’ contests through the regular season, he combined for an underwhelming 20 points. Binghamton’s defense quelled more than just Warney’s production. While Stony Brook opened play hitting two treys in the first four minutes, they were stifled to 0 for 8 shooting from deep through the rest of the half. Overall, Stony Brook shot just 38 percent from the field in the half, due mostly to a stretch through
which the hosts went 0 for 12. Binghamton, on the other hand, was flaunting its development: The Bearcats outrebounded the conference’s leading rebounding team, 19-16, and outscored them in the paint, 14-10. Warney was limited to 1-of-4 shooting from the field with freshman center Bobby Ahearn and whoever else was closest applying heavy pressure every time he got the ball. During the early second half, however, Binghamton’s shots wouldn’t fall in. Through a sevenminute stretch, Stony Brook went on a 14-0 run and built its first double-digit lead, 41-30, with 10:56 to go. Sophomore guard Yosef Yacob then nailed a clutch 3, Rodriguez and Walker scored back-to-back buckets two minutes later, and the deficit was back down to five. “There were a couple of times that we were ready to get blown out of here and these guys just had such resolve,” Dempsey said of his team. “And they did it together. It really wasn’t anything that I did. They just kept fighting. They’ve been hungry. They’ve learned
how to fight together. This team, they trust each other. And I think because they trust each other and they play hard, they give themselves a chance to win.” Wednesday, that wasn’t the case. Binghamton hung tight and Stony Brook came up with a tough win to head to semifinals on Sunday, but for a Bearcat squad that believed in its potential, that was far from good enough. “It’s going to stick with me,” Walker said. “I know it’s going to affect my offseason drastically. Because I don’t like this feeling, and I don’t want to feel this feeling again.” Rodriguez quickly agreed. “I definitely don’t want to feel this feeling again,” Rodriguez added. “So like [Walker] said, I’m going to do better in the offseason. Get better, get stronger, and then hopefully we don’t have to feel this feeling again.” Given how well those two performed Wednesday night, that’s encouraging for Bearcat fans. Rodriguez scored a game-high 19 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the floor and also pulled down six
boards. Walker followed up with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds. McFadden and Beck chipped in eight points each, with Beck adding four assists. While Rodriguez and Walker were hard on themselves after the game, Dempsey spoke of the pride he felt in his team for how hard they played. Through their hardships, the Bearcats became a team, and that team showed promise. “I feel like everything that could happen was happening to us and that kind of made us stronger,” Walker said. “I think that next year, since we fought through everything basically this year, we’re going to come back prepared for everything next year.” “I know you look down on the stat sheet and you go ‘Oh jeez’ at that record, but where we are today, I’m really, really excited,” Dempsey said. “This isn’t a 6-26 team right now. This is a team that can compete with the top teams in this league, and they’re going to get a lot better. It’s going to be a lot of fun here over the next couple of years.”