The Quinnipiac Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 16

FEBRUARY 5, 2020 • VOLUME 90 • ISSUE 16

The official student newspaper of Quinnipiac University since 1929

OPINION: STARS AND ASTERISKS P. 4

SPORTS: THREE IN THE KEY P. 10

ARTS & LIFE: DOGS ON CAMPUS P. 6

Quinnipiac’s fraternities catching heat

Delta Upsilon among most recent to face organization violations

By KALLEEN ROSE OZANIC Associate News Editor

PHOTO FROM INSTAGRAM/QUINNIPIACDU

Delta Upsilon International is changing its alcohol policies in the coming years.

Quinnipiac’s chapter of Delta Upsilon (DU) was disciplined at a conduct meeting on Jan. 22 for its role in hosting an off-campus party on Nov. 1, 2019.

DU was found to blame for four violations of the student handbook’s organization section including risk management policy, alcohol distribution, serving alcohol to underage individuals, possessing excessive amounts of alcohol and for hosting a large gathering where alcohol was present.

DU must present 95% of their membership at a presentation reviewing Quinnipiac organization policy. The fraternity is also banned from hosting or partnering in social events that involve alcohol this spring semester or until DU attends an event management workshop.

Recently, DU’s International Fraternity Board of Directors established new substance policies, according to its website. These policies are being instituted on a rolling basis over the next two years, though the plan has been in place since May 2018.

According to its policy effective August 2018, hard alcohol was banned in DU housing, and limitations were placed on the consumption of beer and wine. Additional sanctions were placed on the distribution of alcohol and prohibits serving hard liquor to “third party vendor(s)” not located in DU housing.

While fraternity and sorority housing is prohibited by Connecticut law, DU Interna-

tional has been making significant moves away from alcoholic substances as a means of “building better men” and creating a “healthy environment.”

Remi LeBlanc, president of DU at Quinnipiac, declined to comment on the recent events and policies.

Maya Henry, a junior health sciences major, believed that fraternities should exercise more caution.

“I don’t really have any fraternity ties because I’m not a Greek life person — I’m totally against it, it’s not for me,” Henry said. “It’s kind of like you just have to know what you’re doing.”

She continued to say that fraternities should exercise better management to avoid problems.

DU is one of several fraternities to be pinned for various infractions recently.

Quinnipiac’s chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi was found responsible for violations at an off-campus gathering in October 2019, John Morgan said to Q30 in December 2019.

Another Quinnipiac fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon, is serving out a suspension until the end of this semester.

According to The Chronicle’s reporting from June 2018, official statements indicated hazing as a main concern leading to Sigma Phi Epsilon’s suspension, effective until June 2020.

Amy Burstin, a senior marketing major, commented on Quinnipiac’s fraternities.

See FRATERNITIES Page 2

Hack for humanity

Quinnipiac hosts fifth annual ‘Hack-a-thon’ for social good Staff Writer

Quinnipiac University and Random Hacks of Kindness Junior Inc. held their fifth annual “Hack-a-thon” on Sunday, Feb. 2, at the Rocky Top Student Center on the York Hill campus.

This event provided Girl Scouts with an opportunity to learn how to use coding for the greater good of nonprofit organizations.

“Our organization is all about thinking of others instead of yourself,” said Patrice Gans, founder and executive director of Random Hacks of Kindness Junior Inc. “We want the kids to have fun, but we also want them to be mindful of the role that they can play in having a positive impact in somebody else’s life.”

Several nonprofit organizations teamed up for the event in hopes of teaching the girls about what they do, what their needs are and how their work impacts the community. All of the solutions that were created by the girls throughout the day will be accessible for anyone to use with no charge.

“I hope this event really taught the girls that they can use technology to aid their future in becoming strong women in a new world of technology,” said Tanisha Akinloye, founder and CEO of the Empowering Through Beauty nonprofit organization. “I think events like these are very important for girls to believe big and to be the change that the world is looking for.”

Throughout the duration of the day, female volunteers mentored on both high school and college levels, worked with the Girl Scouts to create computer applications to approach problems that local nonprofit organizations have on a daily basis. All volunteer mentors are somehow involved in technology, or even major in computer science at Quinnipiac University.

“We’ve actually had some kids and mentors go on to help the nonprofit after being involved in this program,” Gans said. “It helps the nonprofit and they get to make a connection with the community.

It’s a win for everybody.”

One of the hopes for the event is that the Girl Scouts use this experience to later on become interested in the STEM field and familiarize themselves with the type of work they do.

I think this event will help me a lot in the future and I’m excited for that,” said Elsie, a Girl Scout in Troop 65424.

The program didn’t require the Girl Scouts to have any prior knowledge of coding before attending the event. Although, some girls involved have already started to show interest by having some previous experience with coding.

“We all take an hour of coding in class,

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INDEX

By NICOLE MCISAAC

Opinion: 4

Arts and Life: 6

Sports: 10

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

2| News

Crappy class

MEET THE EDITORS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bryan Murphy

February 5, 2020

Anthropology professor to teach ‘Shit Happens’

By CHATWAN MONGKOL Staff Writer

MANAGING EDITOR Alexis Guerra CREATIVE DIRECTOR Janna Marnell NEWS EDITOR Stephen MacLeod ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITORS Emily Flamme Kalleen Rose Ozanic OPINION EDITOR Toyloy Brown III ASSOCIATE OPINION EDITOR Michael Sicoli ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Jessica Simms ASSOCIATE ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Ryan Miller SPORTS EDITORS Brendan O’Sullivan Jared Penna ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR Riley Millette DESIGN EDITOR Connor Lawless PHOTOGRAPHY EDTIOR Morgan Tencza

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Send letters to editor@quchronicle.com. The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the Chronicle.

The anthropology program at Quinnipiac University will offer a class on human feces in the 2021 spring semester.

Dr. Jaime Ullinger, associate professor and director of the anthropology program, will be teaching AN 272 — Shit Happens: A Natural History of Human Waste. The class will be focusing on the study of human waste both culturally and biologically.

Ullinger said this particular topic is important as it is something that people talk about in everyday life more than they realize.

One thing she hopes her future students will take away from the class are the connections between human biology and human culture.

“Something like pooping which is very kind of biological in many ways,” Ullinger said. “But that (is) culturally mediated in so many different ways.”

Ullinger said there is much to learn by looking at the waste. She gave some examples of questions that students will be examining in the class.

“What kind of food goes in? What’s happening in your microbiome?” Ullinger said.

“How is that the result of the way that you’ve altered your environment? How do you deal with getting rid of that poop?”

“If we’re going to understand the very thing that sustains us, we need to understand the outflow.”

— DR. HILLARY HALDANE

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ANTHROPOLOGY

CHATWAN MONGKOL/CHRONICLE

Dr. Jaime Ullinger (left) and Dr. Hillary Haldane (right) posed with one of their sources.

Another component of the class that Ullinger emphasized was the tour of New Haven’s water sanitation facility which processes most of the waste from Hamden. Students will get to see where the waste goes when the toilet is flushed. She said that most people know that they are generating waste but have no idea about where their waste goes.

“So, we’re actually going to kind of explore, if you flush a toilet at Quinnipiac,” Ullinger said. “Where does that go, and what happens to it?”

Asia Moundraty, a senior biology major, said that she would be open to take this class.

“I would be interested to understand the implications to sanitary procedures,” Moundraty said.

Moundraty said she would like to know if the procedures are effective enough and up to date. For her, this class would be a good way to find out if there are any flaws during the procedures that contribute to contamination and threaten human health.

Ullinger understood that there might be people who are uncomfortable when it comes to talking about feces which leads to a challenge that she has to face.

“I think it’s an interesting topic,” said Margret Ojo, a graduate business major. “I don’t really know how long we could study feces and stay interested.”

Ullinger clarified that students don’t have

to share their own personal bathroom experiences with the whole class.

“I hope most students aren’t kind of uncomfortable with it because, again, you probably do talk about it more than you realize and think about it more than you realize,” Ullinger said.

Prior to coming up with this class, Ullinger spent time investigating this topic by reading books about the digestive system and studies on Paleofeces.

Dr. Hillary Haldane, associate professor of anthropology and director of general education, said that she fully supports this class coming into the university curriculum.

Haldane said it’s fundamental for students to learn about our food system. She thought that learning about where food comes from in a way that relates to the environment is important.

“If we’re going to understand the very thing that sustains us,” Haldane said. “We need to understand the outflow.”

This new anthropology class will be offered in the Spring semester of 2021. It will be a UC class, so it is open to every major.

Though Haldane won’t be teaching this course, she is looking forward to the first day of class.

“I will probably be sitting there wanting to sit in the very first semester of it,” Haldane said. “Because it’s going to be awesome.”

Burstin: ‘Maybe just more restrictions (should be in place)’ FRATERNITIES from cover “I have friends in (Greek life), and they love it. I don’t have any problem with (them) but maybe if they had more rules that might be better, because I know they have a lot of issues,” Burstin said. “Maybe just more restrictions (should be in place).”

The matter of restrictions is currently an issue at Quinnipiac, as the school is being sued for alleged negligence of grievances of sexual assault from Alpha Sigma Phi members and for failing “to properly monitor the fraternities or warn female students of the potential danger,” the Hartford Courant reported.

Allegedly, three or more men sexually assaulted a Quinnipiac student at a fraternity party on Oct. 27, 2017 located on the university property at 114 New Road, Hamden.

This allegation launched the litigation.

Quinnipiac University representatives have not made any comment on the pending lawsuit.

FILE OBTAINED BY THE CHRONICLE

A discipline letter was sent to Delta Upsilon from Quinnipiac University.

February 5, 2020

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Defeating dry mouth

FEATURED EVENTS WANT YOUR EVENT TO BE CONSIDERED FOR PUBLICATION IN THE CHRONICLE? Email tips@quchronicle.com

Quinnipiac professor earns mouthwash patent

By EMILY FLAMME Associate News Editor

Wednesday, Feb. 5 Computer Information Systems Society Annual Professional Development Series Each year the Computer Information Systems Society hosts a week of professional development events called the Professional Development Series. Students will have an opportunity to develop both their technical and soft skills during each workshop. This workshop will be held in SC 119 at 3 p.m.

Killington Ticket Sales QU Snow will host ticket sales for students interested in going on a trip to Killington Ski Resort. The ticket sales will be held at the Student Center tables from 9:15 to 10:15 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 6 Montage Start of the Semester Painting The Montage Literary & Art Magazine is hosting a painting night for students to learn more about its spring journal. The painting night will be in SC 220 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Montage Open Mic Night Students have the opportunity to share their work and see what their peers have accomplished at the Montage Literary & Art Magazine’s open mic. There will also be free pizza.

The event will be hosted at 9:15 p.m. in SC 120.

Friday, Feb. 7 Bollywood Movie Night The South Asian Society is hosting a Bollywood movie night with free traditional Indian food.

The movie night will be in EC 101 at 6 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 8 Dance Company Auditions The Dance Company’s spring tryouts are an opportunity for students to try out and potentially become a new member of the company for the spring semester. Tryouts will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Dance Studio A.

Sunday, Feb. 9 Kickboxing The Quinnipiac Mixed Martial Arts club will be hosting a weekly class taught by Head Instructor Marvin “MJ” Jones. This week’s class is on kickboxing and will be held in AC 207A from 1 to 2 p.m.

News |3

A Quinnipiac University professor was awarded a patent on Jan. 7 for a mouthwash that will aid in relieving the symptoms of dry mouth.

Patrick Harewood, an adjunct biomedical sciences professor at Quinnipiac University, and his partner, Jeralyn Fantarella, a dentist at Fantarella Dental Group in North Haven, began creating the mouthwash three years ago when Fantarella approached Harewood’s son.

“She’s our dentist,” Harewood said. “She knows my background as a food microbiologist, a chemist and asked if (my son) thinks it would be something I would be interested in. She and I started talking about it and it took off from there.”

Harewood’s knowledge in the dentistry field was limited because his background is in food science and biology.

“It’s a lot of work, a lot of research. I had to learn about dry mouth and that dental aspect of it because I didn’t have that experience,” Harewood said. “My partner and I would brainstorm and come up with our likely ingredients, and I came up with this mix.”

Harewood earned a bachelor’s degree in natural sciences from the University of the West Indies in Barbados. He also has a master’s degree in food science and nutrition and a P.h.D in biological sciences from the University of Rhode Island. He attributes his interest in food science and biology to his childhood.

“I got involved with food and agriculture because my grandfather, he was very into agriculture,” Harewood said. “He had a lot of agricultural land. He produced a lot of fruits

and vegetables and sugar cane and all that type (of) stuff. My mom was also interested in that, she was a very, very good cook. Food was something I was raised up into.”

Since the mouthwash is claiming to alleviate the symptoms of dry mouth, which is classified as a disorder, it has to go through a different process for approval from the FDA, unlike other mouthwashes, which are categorized as cosmetic products.

“The way it works is that it has a twofold application,” Harewood said. “It acts as a moisturizing agent. It also plays an important role in stimulating the saliva glands to actually produce saliva.”

Harewood explained how dry mouth can be detrimental to a person’s health, causing issues such as tooth decay and gum disease.

“Saliva also neutralizes the acids that are produced by bacteria in the mouth that cause tooth decay,” Harewood said.

Harewood said he wants his research experiences to be used as an opportunity to engage his students in his biomedical science classes.

“I am very excited … to have this opportunity to share my experiences with my students,” Harewood said. “I hope that they can get inspiration from me. If I can do it, they can do it.”

Sophomore biomedical marketing major, Emilie Wilkinson had Harewood as her professor in BMS 117 (The Human Organism) and said she felt having a professor who was so involved in research made a difference in class.

“Learning from someone that has actually gone through what they’re discussing means so much more than someone who

EMILY FLAMME/CHRONICLE

Patrick Harewood has spent years making his mouthwash and hopes to launch it late this year.

hasn’t,” Wilkinson said. “You could tell that Professor Harewood was extremely knowledgeable about the research process and what it takes to develop a product and bring it into the world.”

Harewood and Fantarella are working on the final details regarding manufacturing and distribution and have plans to have their product on the market in late 2020 or early 2021.

Blake: ‘The truth is, change needs to happen’ HACK-A-THON from cover and also have code week at our school,” said Bayle, a Girl Scout from Troop 10290.

The most prior teaching of coding that the girl scouts had aligned with the type of information taught at the event, but didn’t involve using realistic scenarios for the benefit of other people.

“My daughter has done coding in school and loved it, but it was nothing related to the real world like this program has them do,” said Kim Robinson, leader for Troop 10290.

“Hack-a-thon” also focuses on being a gateway to get girls involved in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) at an early age.

The event emphasized that the lack of female involvement in such fields is related to the scarcity of female role models involved and a shortage in opportunities for young girls to be exposed to.

“It’s important for young girls to see that there is a place for them in STEM for their future,” Gans said.

Throughout the past couple of years, there has been a shift in female involvement in STEM. This event opens doors for young females to be introduced to that possibility.

“The truth is, change needs to happen,” Jonathan Blake, director of computer science and software engineering at Quinnipiac University said. “Change can’t happen at the college level or the high school level because it’s too late.

That change needs to start at the elementary level of schooling.

Several parents vouched for their children being involved in this program due to the large technological shift in society. They believe that this program is the beginning step towards ensuring ultimate success within their children.

“As education improves there’s more technology based learning,” said Liz Peterson, a mother of a Girl Scout in troop 65424. “By creating and having a foundation in this, I believe that it will help my daughter going forward.”

Random Hacks of Kindness Jr. Inc. plans to continue to provide children with these opportunities and encourage them to use such technology for the greater good.

“We want to keep showing that they can use technology to help others as opposed to just creating the best selling app,” Gans said.

‘Hack-a-thon’ hopes to encourage girls to study in STEM fields.

GRAPHIC BY IAN ADDISON

4| O p i n i o n

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Opinion

QUCHRONICLE.COM/OPINION OPINION@QUCHRONICLE.COM

Stars and asterisks

White public figures are held to a lower standard than those of color

By JARED PENNA Sports Editor

When Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Maria-Onore and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, people across the globe were sent into a state of shock. The news was unbelievable, and thousands took to social media to give their support to the families of those involved in the crash.

One person who had something particularly troubling to say, though, was Felicia Sonmez, a Washington Post reporter. Just hours after news of the crash broke, Sonmez tweeted, “Kobe Bryant’s Disturbing Rape Case: The DNA Evidence, the Accuser’s Story, and the Half-Confession,” with a link to a story about the case from three years prior, one she didn’t write.

Sonmez tried to defend her actions, later tweeting, “Any public figure is worth remembering in their totality even if that public figure is beloved and that totality is unsettling.”

She is correct.

That doesn’t excuse Sonmez for what she did. Reposting a story like that hours after a man and his daughter were suddenly and tragically killed is disturbing and despicable — but that’s not the point of writing this.

What I want to focus on is the incomplete sentiment that fueled Sonmez’s words. I want to focus on the larger issue at hand, that white public figures are being held to lower standards than those of color.

What I’ve been realizing in times of late is that people like Bryant, Tiger Woods and even Michael Jackson are held to standards that all icons should be held to. With the exception of Bryant, given how recently he passed, all are thought of in their totality — the way it should be.

No human being is perfect, and it is important to realize that, even when it comes to your idols. Especially when it comes to your idols.

It is important that we remember Woods’ mistakes. He cheated on his wife and damaged his family. He broke the trust of those he was closest to and faced severe consequences for his actions. Still today, the narrative of Woods is one that’s shrouded with negativity and judgement.

In my experience, I’ve had very few conversations about Woods that don’t involve his scandal. When I recently mentioned that Woods is one of my heroes, a friend of mine queried as to how I could look up to such a disgusting human being.

But that’s the thing, all of our heroes have flaws. Everybody we look up to is imperfect.

Albert Einstein, who is universally and near-exclusively praised, committed more than a fair share of sins himself. Dinitia Smith, a writer for the New York Times, once detailed those sins, exposing parts of Einstein’s personality seldom mentioned.

In letters to his first wife, Einstein demanded she serve him three meals each day and obey his every order. He threatened to end their marriage if she refused to leave his bedroom or study at his first order to do so, and commanded that she, “renounce all personal relations with me, except when these are required to keep up social appearances.”

So when I was asked how I could look up to Woods, it would have been just as easy to turn the question around and ask how could anybody look up to someone like Einstein. The reason I didn’t is because it would have been just as wrong for me to pose that question as it was for my friend to. No hero is perfect, not our black heroes nor our white ones. It’s just that our white ones have an easier time obtaining and keeping the label of perfection.

No role model is the one perfect person to try to emulate, because no role model had it all. What’s unfortunate is that people seem to forget that nobody is perfect, and they seem to have a much easier time forgetting that notion while

”

PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

LeBron James’ I Promise School is a public elementary school that opened in 2018 and aims to support at-risk children. thinking of their white heroes.

The color of Einstein’s skin should serve as no excuse for being the cold, harsh husband he was, and Woods should continue being denied a free pass for his actions as well.

They need to be held to the same standards.

Another example of a white icon escaping a troubled history is Peyton Manning. The legendary NFL quarterback is known as one of the greatest players in the history of football, remembered for his two Super Bowl victories and five Most Valuable Player awards.

What people have so easily forgotten is that while at the University of Tennessee, Manning forcibly exposed himself to a female trainer without consent. Manning has been given a free pass for his mistakes, seldom remembered for what he did wrong during his time at school.

Chris Brown, on the other hand, is justly being held ac-

mez’s tweet isn’t proof enough, then look no further than the scrutiny and hatred LeBron James battles every day.

Citizens across the globe seem to wait with bated breath for James to finally slip up, refusing to embrace the positive change he’s brought to so many communities, instead painting him as a monster.

When James created the I Promise School in Akron, Ohio, he worked with educators to implement a plan that would raise the level of education for the city’s students.

Without prompting, James decided he wanted to pave a road toward success for countless children he didn’t know.

The response? For most, it was positive. People were happy to see what James was doing for his community. There were, however, an overwhelming amount of people who were furious with James. Rather than praise his actions, people became obsessed with smearing his name.

There was a blatant effort to tarnish James’ clean record. People made up lies that his new school would increase taxes for local residents in an attempt to corrode James’ reputation. He was dubbed a crook who hurt the people living in his community. Critics were all too excited to have an opportunity to destroy James.

People should appreciate what he’s been able to do and the example he’s been able to set for adults and children alike, not pray for his downfall. His efforts should be exemplified and taught, not ridiculed. It’s wrong that even when given a higher bar to reach, when a person of color meets the higher standards they’re held to, they still don’t get the praise they deserve.

What makes it more upsetting, though, is that seemingly no white icon receives the same treatment that James does. It’s rare, if it occurs at all, to witness the same level of hatred expressed toward James being expressed toward somebody like Dirk Nowitzki.

The fact is, we as a country are a long way from equality, but one great place to start would be here. If children can grow up idolizing men and women of color as well as white men and women, the divide will start to shrink. But until we fix the false notion that people can be perfect, and that the only people who can be are white, we won’t reach equality.

Until everybody is held to equal standards, then nobody will understand that all humans are equal. Until people can appreciate and ridicule white and black legends in the same way, the march toward equality will remain motionless.

No role model is the one perfect person to try to emulate, because no role model had it all. What’s unfortunate is that people seem to forget that nobody is perfect, and they seem to have a much easier time forgetting that notion while thinking of their white heroes.”

– Jared Penna countable for his past wrongdoings. The singer-songwriter defiled his reputation when he abused his then-girlfriend Rihanna. Rightfully so, Brown’s mistakes have lived with him since they became public. People are treating Brown the way all idols should be treated; as an imperfect being with flaws, but Manning and others like him are given lower standards.

And still, quite unfortunately, the issue doesn’t cease there. It isn’t just that white icons can earn the perfection label, even when they’ve done horrible things, but that people sometimes hope an icon of color will fall from grace. If Son-

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Opinion|5

Kobe Bryant is gone, but his ambition will live forever Fearless, tenacious and endlessly optimistic, Bryant was just getting started

By PHIL AKRE Staff Writer

It will likely never feel real that Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others died in a helicopter crash just over a week ago. It’s a moment that will forever survive in the minds of his fans, critics and closest allies. A titan of basketball, a man determined to explore his curiosity — taken in an instant. The NBA community and world has collectively mourned the loss of one of its true ambassadors. It will never be the same.

The tragedy has permanently altered the league in a profound manner. The NBA community will heal, but it will likely never replace the void left by Bryant’s sudden death. Families lost their loved ones, and they too will never be the same. Society, fans and non-fans alike were reminded of life’s fragility. One can have all the wealth, fame and admiration in the world — it still doesn’t matter. The reminder is clear: death waits for no one. It comes as it pleases, without warning and without reason.

When we’re left to piece together the legacy of a larger-thanlife figure, we embrace their ideals and achievements. Bryant was an Academy Award winner for his work on “Dear Basketball,” the hand-animated picture based on his path to the game. He wanted to produce feature films with his media studio, Granity. Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy offers kids the chance to train and play with the best. Bryant was undoubtedly a man on a mission, a true intellectual who was hungry to explore his post-basketball passions. We will look at a life cut far too short and ask, what if?

In the days following the crash, writers and advocates have raised the darker periods of his life, mainly a sexual assault case in 2003. It would be irresponsible to ignore this complicated and controversial period of Bryant’s life, a permanent fixture on his ultimate legacy. The topic will deservedly be scrutinized for years, but we cannot let it dictate how many felt in the aftermath of his

ILLUSTRATION BY CAITLIN DAWLEY

Kobe Bryant is survived by his wife and three other daughters. death. The man was larger than basketball, and he remained committed to changing his ways. This doesn’t erase this chapter of his life, but it serves as a reminder to the person he was driven to become. He worked to change his image and reputation, this much is certain.

He became a champion of women’s sports, particularly the WNBA, who adored Bryant’s support and admiration. #GirlDad has trended on social media due to Bryant’s open admiration of his four daughters, Gianna, Bianka, Natalia and Capri. Gianna became fixed on one day playing for the class of women’s college basketball, the UConn Huskies. The program left two seats open for Gianna and Bryant at its first home game following the tragedy.

“He was just starting to live his life and starting to get into the

things he was most curious about,” WNBA legend Diana Taurasi said to CNN. “That’s just incredibly sad.”

Bryant knew his legacy wasn’t finished with basketball. Arguably more impressive than his playing career was his ability to stay relevant in the pulse of the NBA and popular culture. He was a fixture at NBA games across the country and a mere three weeks ago, a viral video with Gianna. When we look back on Bryant, we’ll think of a man who left the world with unfinished business. A fearless dreamer who inspired millions to pursue their goals with a relentless, calculated approach. It feels like the invincible was defeated when he died, a gut punch to those who idolized his elite work ethic.

How does one society live up to the aspirations of a titan?

There’s no single way, but there may be one method that looms over the rest. It would be basketball harmony if either the Los Angeles Lakers or Clippers won this year’s championship. In this scenario, the stories write themselves, and the NBA community is lifted to hail its champion in honor of Bryant. But doesn’t it feel like there should be more to it?

If we want to properly preserve Bryant’s legacy for those who watched and those who didn’t, we must embrace his tenacity and fearlessness. If we fail to do so, we risk blurring the real product of his efforts. It feels like basketball occupied just a corner of the portrait he was painting. Bryant enjoyed his time away from the game but could never fully distance himself from it. He wasn’t simply a retired legend, he was the face of something bigger, a self-proclaimed storyteller who left his life story unfinished.

When I think about his life, I don’t think of the man who gave his everything to a sport. I see a man who had much bigger plans in life. I see a man who became the face of perseverance. I mourn Bryant’s passing not for what he left on the court, but the limitless future he had ahead of him.

The NFL’s Rooney Rule is failing

One policy change isn’t enough to fix a biased culture

By XAVIER CULLEN Staff Writer

The NFL has a diversity problem.

The same league in which nearly 70% of players are black, according to The Institute of Diversity and Ethics in Sports, can’t seem to have the same in its coaching or managerial staff. This issue needs to be addressed.

Since the end of the regular season, five head coaches were hired. Of the newly hired head coaches, only one was non-white — Ron Rivera of the Washington Redskins. But that still doesn’t increase the total number of minority coaches from last year, as he was fired by the Carolina Panthers on Dec. 2.

Since Fritz Pollard of the Akron Pros became the first black head coach in NFL history in 1921, there have been no more than seven minority head coaches at any one time.

The main reason for this discrepancy is that most of the owners and managers hiring coaches are old, white men. There are only two non-white owners and the Miami Dolphins’ Chris Grier is the only black general manager.

If the NFL wants to become more diverse, it needs to start at the top with its ownership and management. Sadly, the league has only scratched the surface.

In 2003, the league enacted the Rooney Rule which mandates that a team interviewing candidates for a head coaching or coordinator vacancy must interview a candidate from an ethnicminority group.

While no team besides the 2003 Detroit Lions has been fined for violating the rule, the severe lack of minority hirings makes it clear that it is easy to subvert.

Eric Bieniemy, who is black, has been the head offensive coordinator for one of the best offenses in the league — the Kansas City Chiefs — for the past two years and mentored one of the most talented quarterbacks today — not to mention winning Super Bowl LIV. However, he still hasn’t been seriously considered for a head coaching job. If he was, teams would have recognized his credentials and given him a head coaching job.

The New York Giants, who interviewed Bieniemy, instead decided to hire Joe Judge, who is white, to be their new head coach in 2020. Judge was the wide receivers and special teams’ coach for the New England Patriots, but he doesn’t have the qualifications necessary to manage a 53-man team.

As a Patriots fan, the team’s receivers this year were awful, and star wide receiver Julian Edelman had the most dropped passes in the league this year. And while some responsibility can be put on offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Judge’s job is to look over the wide receivers, and their poor performance reflects poorly on him.

The only saving grace for Judge is that the Patriots’ special teams are great, but they have been for years, and a lot of the

credit has to go to head coach Bill Belichick who has had a top-10 special teams unit in 14 of the past 20 seasons, according to Pro Football Focus.

Judge has done nothing worthy of even an interview. How can he be considered when Bieniemy is still an option?

Likewise, the Carolina Panthers decided to hire Baylor University head coach Matt Rhule, who is also white, as their new head coach, replacing Ron Rivera. In his seven years coaching college football for Temple and Baylor, Rhule’s teams have only been ranked in the top-25 once in the final Associated Press poll.

Last year, his Baylor Bears finished the year ranked 13th in the final AP poll with a record of 11-3.

The most embarrassing fact, however, is that the Panthers gave a mediocre coach a seven-year, $60 million contract. That is inexcusable.

Teams like the Giants and the Panthers are trying to find a diamond-in-the-rough coach like Sean McVay, who is white. He was the offensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins before becoming the youngest head coach in NFL history when he was hired by the Los Angeles Rams in 2017 at the age of 30. When he was 33, he became the youngest head coach to lead his team to the Super Bowl.

While the Dallas Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns each hired white head coaches this year, both of their hires make sense. Mike McCarthy, the new Cowboys coach, was the former head coach of the Green Bay Packers and led the team to a Super Bowl victory in 2010.

Kevin Stefanski, who was hired by the Browns, was the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings and took an offense that was middle-of-the-pack in 2018 to top-10 in 2019. For the Giants and the Panthers, though, there is no excuse.

I’m not saying that Giants’ owner John Mara or Panthers’ owner David Tepper is racist, but I am definitely saying that if Bieniemy was white, he would be a head coach by now.

The Rooney Rule is more than just a rule, however. It’s a sign that the NFL fails to understand the causes of its race problem, not because of a lack of comprehension, but because of a lack of desire.

“So many people have invested so much into the dream of diversity, and there’s been so much time and thought and attention brought to bear,” said Pamela Newkirk, author of Diversity Inc., in an interview with USA Today Sports. “Now it’s just left for leadership to either do it or be honest that they don’t want to do it.”

When it comes down to it, the league does not want to make its white owners unhappy. The same applies to the league’s 83% white fanbase, according to an Experian Simmons study. Money matters more than morals for the NFL, and nothing proves this point more than the league’s response to hundreds of players kneeling for the national anthem to protest police brutality.

PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Ron Rivera was the only non-white head coach to be hired after the 2019 season.

NFL owners, instead of supporting its own players, condemned them and stopped them from expressing their free speech, passing a rule that only allows players to either stand for the anthem or wait in the locker room. This effectively ended all protests, as players were afraid of getting suspended or losing their jobs for peacefully expressing their opinion.

Even Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL, said “we believe that everyone should stand for the national anthem.”

“I’m not surprised, honestly,” said Doug Baldwin, former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver, on 710 ESPN Seattle in 2018. “The NFL cares about one thing, and that’s the NFL’s bottom line … I’m not surprised. I’m disappointed.”

Players shouldn’t have to fit in to the imposed culture of the owners in order to have a job next year, but sadly, that’s what many football players face constantly.

“Your whole life you’ve been playing football for that moment to play in the NFL,” said Marshawn Lynch, running back for the Seahawks, at the MLK Now panel in Harlem. “And when you get there, all the executives and all the owners, they all white. And it gets to a point where in order to fit in you gotta … not be yourself.”

The NFL’s response shouldn’t be to just patch the faulty Rooney Rule. It needs to listen to its minority players and coaches that have voiced concerns for how they are treated over their white counterparts. Until that happens, non-white players and coaches will continue to be suppressed by their white owners.

6|Arts and Life

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Arts & Life

QUCHRONICLE.COM/ARTS-AND-LIFE ARTSLIFE@QUCHRONICLE.COM

What these dogs are here for The dogs on QU’s campus serve various purposes

By JESSICA SIMMS Arts & Life Editor

Spring is just around the corner, which means it is almost time for students to flood the quad to sit outside and enjoy the warmth. Along with the influx of people appreciating the time outdoors comes with an increase in the amount of dogs coming onto campus. With that, members of the Quinnipiac community should be educated on the different types of dogs that accompany people on campus.

Kaitlin Palance, a senior psychology major who is the handler of Creo, a medical alert dog, explained that some students, professors and members of the Quinnipiac community are not fully educated on the three main types of dogs: service dogs, emotional support dogs and therapy dogs. Therefore, people may not understand how to react around these dogs which can be harmful to the dog and their handler.

“(Creo) wants to be the voice of the different dogs to show the community it’s important to educate on different aspects and bring awareness to the community and show that when there’s frustrations or you got certain things going on, it’s nice to show that every voice matters.”

– KAITLIN PALANCE

SENIOR PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR

Zoe is one of the emotional support animals on campus.

“(Creo) wants to be the voice of the different dogs to show the community it’s important to educate on different aspects and bring awareness to the community and show that when there’s frustrations or you got certain things going on, it’s nice to show that every voice matters,” Palance said about how important it is for one to speak up to bring attention to a problem they feel strongly about.

Dogs like Creo are called service dogs or medical alert dogs. These dogs are considered to be medical equipment, just like an insulin pump or wheelchair, according to the Animal Health Foundation. Service dogs are specifically trained to do their work or tasks.

“Service dogs are recognized by the ADA, American Disability Act, which they have perform tasks that they need to do in order to help the handler,” Palance said. “So not every service dog is trained to do the same tasks and so different ones have different jobs and under the ADA, they don’t have to be clearly identified as a service dog.”

Another type of dog on campus is called an emotional support dog. An emotional support dog is not trained but supports their handler, according to the Animal Health Foundation.

“An emotional support dog. which is supposed to pretty much to provide a companion animal for those who have medical recommendations from their doctors, and so there’s limitations on where they can be and different rules,” Palance said.

Lastly, there are therapy dogs, who go with their owners to volunteer in various settings, such as schools, hospitals and nursing homes, according to the American Kennel Club. These dogs work with their owner to improve the lives of others.

“You might remember that there used to be therapy dogs that used to come in during their instruction times,” Palance said. “The two golden retrievers. They performed different jobs than emotional support and medical alert.”

All of these dogs on campus are here for a purpose, which is to help out their handlers, so it is especially important for others to respect the dogs and ask the handlers before they pet.

For service dogs, sneaking in to pet is distracting while the dog is working, according to the Animal Health Foundation.

“What (Creo and I) are running into sometimes, people try to sneak in pets and all this other stuff because you’re in a crowd and not going to think anything of it, but (Creo’s) working,”

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY MARA CRAY

MORGAN TENCZA/CHRONICLE

Creo is identified as a service dog by his vest.

Palance said. “We kind of want to educate that he has a job. He’s not here to be a play puppy. He’s here to do a task.”

However, for dogs who are an emotional support animal for their handler, the rules when it comes down to petting the dog when it is around is very different than service animals.

“My dog is registered with the school as an ESA (emotional support animal), so it doesn’t matter if people approach her,” Mara Cray, a public relations graduate student said about her dog. “She isn’t trained to do a job. Basically, she’s there to be social.”

However, while in classes, Palance educates her professors and fellow students about why Creo is in class just to ensure that they understand his purpose, and that he is with her for a serious reason.

“It’s a little bit frustrating because every class in the beginning of the semester, I educate the professor and the students like what he is, yes he’s working so try not to pet,” Palance said. “Once they understand that and know his role as a student, it reduces people asking me a million questions every day, and then they’re more at ease when they see a working dog.”

However, outside of class, it is more difficult for Palance and Creo because students and professors that are not in class with them do not understand the rules and how to act around a working dog.

“When we are out in the community, when we’re in passing, that’s where the concerns are because people aren’t in class with us,” Palance said about navigating campus when people do not understand Creo’s purpose. “They’re not understanding that there’s differences, and that he’s doing a job. They can see that, oh yeah he has a vest on, but they don’t understand the nature of it.”

Some dogs who are service dogs may not be wearing a vest or obvious identification. The ADA does not require dogs to wear a form recognition, according to the American Kennel Club. “(Creo) is not the only service dog on campus,” Palance said. “You won’t know because they aren’t identified.”

When there is a dog on campus and someone does not know how to act around it, it is best for the person to ask the dog’s handle if they can pet the dog before making that action.

“The biggest thing that people would like to know within the community when asking students is more awareness about the differences and that yes, the school does accept these types of dogs, however, there’s various rules that you need to understand,” Palance said. “You can ask the handler questions about it, it would just make it easier if there is a situation that they know.”

Ultimately, these are just dogs, but it is important for members of the community to understand and learn about what these dogs are doing while on campus.

“In the end of the day, (Creo) is a dog,” Palance said. “A lot of my classmates, they don’t have any concerns or anything, but they feel a lot more at ease coming into class knowing that he’s there for a reason and that he’s here to do a job. Then they kind of forget about it. We just want to reduce the amount of questions to loosen the amount of attention.”

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Three

Arts and Life|7

races to watch for

This year's Academy Awards feature a handful of tight races, as heavyweights ‘1917’ and ‘Joker’ loom large Probable favorites

By PHIL AKRE Staff Writer

The 92nd Academy Awards will be sure to provide an entertaining evening, as 2019 was a particularly prolific and memorable year in film. In an awards night packed with diverse offerings, exciting presenters including Timothee Chalamet, Will Ferrell and Gal Gadot, this year’s nominations are stacked across the board. Here are three of the tightest races and some of their potential winners.

Best Supporting Actor The race for Best Supporting Actor features quite the ballot.

Mob epic “The Irishman” offers Al Pacino’s portrayal of Jimmy Hoffa and Joe Pesci’s performance as mob boss Russell Buffalino.

Pacino’s depiction of Hoffa is convincing, but Pesci is the film’s true supporting star, a quiet force. In a stacked race, Pesci may not be able to beat out heavyweight Brad Pitt, who is the favorite to win for his role as stuntman Cliff Booth in “Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood.” Anthony Hopkins in “The Two Popes” and Tom Hanks in “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” round out this category’s loaded ballot. Given the Academy’s love for films that embrace Hollywood, it feels like this award is Pitt’s to lose.

My pick: Joe Pesci, “The Irishman” Likely pick: Brad Pitt, “Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood”

Best Director It’s a shame that Greta Gerwig won’t contend for this award for her work on “Little Women,” a result of the Academy crafting an all-male ballot. Gerwig’s partner, Noah Baumbach, also deserved consideration for “Marriage Story.” Despite their absences, the pick for Best Director will be one of the night's biggest moments.

This is the one race where it truly could go any direction. Sam Mendes will earn plenty of consideration for his work on “1917,” but will it get more attention for Best Cinematography or Best Picture? Martin Scorsese looms as the elder statesmen of the nominations and pulling off Best Director wouldn’t be a total shock. Quentin Tarantino, however, is squarely in the mix for what would be his first Best Director nod. Don’t forget about Bong Joon-Ho’s “Parasite.”

My pick: Quentin Tarantino, “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” Likely pick: Sam Mendes, “1917”

Best Supporting Actress: Laura Dern, “Marriage Story” She stands out in this category. Margot Robbie’s performance in “Bombshell” is the dark horse contender.

Best International Feature Film: “Parasite” Bong Joon-Ho could win Best Director, too.

Best Actor: Joaquin Phoenix “Joker” If not for “Joker,” Adam Driver would likely earn his first Oscar nod.

Best Original Screenplay: “Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood” Quentin Tarantino’s summer hit feels like the pick here, but could “Marriage Story” pull off the upset?

Best Picture This year’s Best Picture race features a staggering amount of outstanding filmmaking and overall strong performances.

It’s hard to forget about “The Irishman” and its nine Oscar nominations, but it may have lost steam after failing to take home any Golden Globes or Screen Actors Guild Awards.

“Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood” could win here, but it feels like it’s destined for Best Original Screenplay. Signs point towards Sam Mendes’ war epic, “1917,” as the likely winner.

Its momentum might be too much to stop after its success at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards and BAFTAs. It would be fun to see “Parasite” win here, too.

My pick: “1917”

PHOTO FROM THE OSCARS PRESS

Likely pick: “1917”

The Oscars will be taking place on Feb. 8, at the Dolby Theater.

PHOTO FROM THE OSCARS PRESS

Oscar nominees Quentin Tarantino (left) posed with Academy President David Rubin.

Kesha's return

‘High Road’ is a fun and carefree album from a pop icon

By TIM POWERS Staff Writer

Kesha has always been the life of the party, and on her new album “High Road,” that hasn’t changed. In fact, her personality shines through brighter than ever before.

This is the first album Kesha has released since 2017’s “Rainbow,” which chronicled her intense and public legal battle with producer, Dr. Luke. Previously, Kesha had accused Luke of physical, verbal and sexual abuse. It was a towering achievement of pain, healing and escaping her abuser. In addition to the newlyfound voice, she discovered a new sound moving away from the early 2010’s synth-electro beats to a more acoustic and chill pop.

Now, on the new album, she continues that change and improves on it.

If the album is anything, it is a feel-good record. Kesha is here to have fun, and she wants her audience to join her. On the lead single, “Raising Hell” featuring Big Freedia, we see Kesha not wanting “to go to heaven without raising hell.” It is in stark contrast to the rest of pop radio that seems to be getting quieter, darker and sadder. It is an uplifting anthem that is perfect for a party, a walk to class or just needing a little lift during the day.

Kesha continues the fun with “My Own Dance,” a song of self-love and ultimately trusting your gut. This song is probably the heart of the album — the thesis statement to some extent. It is about being free and ignoring all the other voices trying to get into your head. Kesha gets a bit weird on “The Potato Song (Cuz I Want To).” The song continues the themes from “My Own Dance” while also letting her inner child come out. She complains that she is “over adulthood,” and that she is throwing her “big girl panties in the garbage can.” Both songs provide the carefree vibe that Kesha is known for.

The fun doesn’t stop there. On the album’s title track, “High Road,” Kesha declares that she’s “taking the high road, I’m high as fuck/ And these assholes won't shut up/ Got me laughing, I ain't

losing no sleep.” These are the exact type of lyrics that Kesha is known for singing. They are fun, not too serious lyrics that Kesha first put on the pop airwaves back in 2009.

However, this isn’t 2009 anymore, and pop stars are required to be serious sometimes. So, there are some more somber tunes on the album like “Father Daughter Dance.” The quiet song is the emotional peak of the album that sketches out Kesha’s longing for a father figure. She wonders “if I had a dad, would he have protected me from all the bad shit.” It is a simple song that deals with disappointment while also still being thankful for what you have.

The final song on the album picks up the beat without making it a party. The song, “Chasing Thunder,” is the perfect way to end the album. It probably should have been the album’s lead single.

It is catchy, well-written and features a confident voice — a voice that is “going to keep chasing thunder.” The sound is reminiscent of the music of Elle King and Imagine Dragons. This is the type of music that I want to see more of from Kesha.

Overall, the album may be a little uneven when looking at it as a whole project. The sounds too often jump back and forth between pop electronic sounds and acoustic country-esque sounds. Nevertheless it is a great and fun pop album. It is Kesha at her highest and happiest. Often in pop music, stars try to cater to a carefree persona, but few can actually say they are carefree like Kesha. She has created an authentic record that will be recognized as one of her best artistically.

4/5 stars DANA TRIPPE/RCA RECORDS

Kesha's album, 'High Road,' was released on Jan. 31.

8|Arts and Life

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The real Taylor

Taylor Swift’s ‘Miss Americana’ shows viewers her true self

By ASHLEY PELLETIER Staff Writer

Taylor Swift’s new documentary, “Miss Americana,” released on Jan. 31, allows viewers to see her songwriting process, home life and the toll of fame.

In the Lana Wilson documentary, the camera follows Swift through home videos, one-on-one interviews and moments from television. Viewers see Swift’s rise to fame, controversy and her constant reinventions of herself.

Shots of Swift eating dinner and with her mother, Andrea and her friend, Abigail Anderson, show the multi-faceted woman that we see through performances and interviews.

Clips of home videos from early in Swift’s career show her before she rose to stardom.

As Swift leaves her New York City apartment, fans line the steps, and she has to be escorted to her car by security.

Swift discusses how this constant upkeep of appearance has had a toll on her, saying she has suffered from eating disorders in the past and is still fighting to recover.

“I’m a lot happier with who I am, and I’m happier with how I don’t care as much if somebody points out I have gained weight,” Swift said in the interview after leaving her apartment. “It’s just something that makes my life better. The fact that I’m, you know, a size six instead of a size double zero. I mean, that wasn’t how my body was supposed to be.”

The documentary only briefly covers Swift’s relationship with her partner, Joe Alwyn. Although viewers don’t see much of him in the film, Swift says that keeping their relationship private has allowed her to be happy, but not in the way that she “had been trained to be happy.” The documentary does not mention Alwyn’s name or show his face more than once.

In 2018, Swift opened up about her views in politics, supporting Phil Bredesen in the Tennessee Senate election.

Viewers get to see Swift stand up to her father and team, who believe it is not her place to make such judgements.

Swift also refers to Bredesen’s opponent, Republican Marsha Blackburn, as “Trump in a wig.” Blackburn has previously voted against legislation such as the Violence

The documentary about Taylor Swift, 'Miss Americana,' received a 90% rating from Rotten Tomatoes.

Against Women Act, which protects women from harassment and stalking.

“Taylor is an exceptionally gifted artist and songwriter, and Nashville is fortunate to be the center of her creative universe,” Blackburn said in a statement released hours before “Miss Americana’s” release.

I was surprised that the documentary did not mention Swift’s ongoing feud with Scooter Braun. Braun acquired the rights to Swift’s first six albums which led to a disagreement between her and Big Machine Label Group, her former label.

Swift accused Braun of barring her from performing her old songs, which he later disputed.

While I do wish that it featured interviews with Swift’s parents or other people involved in her career, I realize that that was not the intention behind this documentary. At

PHOTO FROM NETFLIX

its heart, the entire story that this documentary sets up is a coming of age story. Despite Swift being in her late twenties when it was filmed, the amount of growth that viewers see her go through is astounding.

“There’s this thing people say about celebrities, that they’re frozen at the age they got famous, and that’s kind of what happened to me,” Swift said over clips of her interacting with fans. “I had a lot of growing up to do, just trying to catch up to 29.”

Older clips that were used in the documentary portray Swift as a shy, sweet country girl who does not make noise or break expectations others have set for her. As the documentary goes on, Swift begins to stand up for herself, becoming a strong, passionate figure for young girls to look up to.

'Anyone' can feel like Demi Demi Lovato debuted her new single at the 2020 Grammys

By MELANIE CARERI and ISABELLA MCCLARY

At the 62nd Grammy Awards, Demi Lovato performed her newest single “Anyone,” two years after she released “Sober” in 2018. This powerful and teary-eyed performance poetically exhibits Lovato's cry for help with lyrics such as, “I tried to talk to my piano. I tried to talk to my guitar. Talked till my imagination confided into alcohol.” Lovato wholeheartedly sang her lyrics, in which it was impossible for the audience to not feel the emotional dynamic of her performance.

The song itself represents the continuation and healing of her mental health struggles that began in her teen years.

For the past 10 years, Demi Lovato has been known as a fixture in children’s TV shows and movies, including the “Camp Rock” film series and “Sonny with a Chance” on Disney Channel.

These strong characters that Lovato has portrayed masked the inner struggles she’s battled with for many years.

As chirpy and light as the characters were, it turned out Lovato was not as perfect as she embodied them to be.

As a teenager, Lovato was a prominent advocate for mental health. In an attempt to raise awareness, she has given speeches, outwardly spoken in interviews and has produced a film, “Beyond Silence.” The film revolves around three individuals battling anxiety, depression, bipolar and schizophrenic disorders.

“It’s very important we create conversations, we take away the stigma, and that we stand up for ourselves if we’re dealing with the symptoms of mental illness,” Lovato said in an interview with Variety.

Ever since 2008, Lovato has been releasing albums about breakups, fame and, later on, addiction. As the years went by, the albums have progressed to darker themes about addiction and loneliness.

Back in 2016, Lovato posted on Twitter, “So excited for 2017. Taking a break from music and the spotlight.. I am not meant for this business and the media." However in 2018, Lovato released her single, “Sober,” where she sings lyrics, such as, “Mama, I’m so sorry, I’m not sober anymore,” “Call me when it’s over ’cause I’m dying inside,” “...and I’m sorry for the fans I lost who watched me fall again, I wanna be a role

Demi Lovato recorded 'Anyone' in 2018. model but I’m only human.” Peaking at No. 11 on the Billboard Charts, Lovato openly admitted she had been relapsing.

“What I’ve learned is that this illness is not something that disappears or fades with time,” Lovato told NPR. “It is something I must continue to overcome and have not done yet.”

Following the release of “Sober,” Lovato had a near fatal overdose in July 2018, leading to her checking in to rehab to overcome her addiction. Two years later, Lovato made her first musical debut since her overdose at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards.

Later that evening Lovato posted on social media a response from her first live performance.

"What an unbelievable night. My first time back on stage

PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK

in almost two years. So emotional for me," Lovato wrote on Instagram. "Thank you all for the love, support and for sharing this moment with me. I love you all."

On Super Bowl Sunday, Lovato performed the National Anthem. When asked about which performance is more nerve wracking, Lovato said, “I think probably the Super Bowl,” in an interview with SiriusXM Radio.

Despite her nerves, Lovato gives promising performances with her sheer talent and her strong, raw voice never fails to put the audience in awe. Now that the Super Bowl performance has happened, her fans shall see where and when her next jaw-dropping performance will be.

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THREE IN THE KEY

The best of the MAAC

Quinnipiac is in good hands with Rich Kelly and Kevin Marfo, despite losing Cam Young

By BRENDAN O’SULLIVAN Sports Editor

Cam Young, the former Quinnipiac guard, was one of the best Quinnipiac players to grace Hamden’s hardwood.

Young lit up the MAAC last year with and average of 23.5 points per game (PPG) on 48.2% from the field and 43.7% on 3-pointers en route to unanimously winning MAAC Player of the Year. So, entering the 2019-20 season, it was fair to question who would be able to replace his incredible offensive output, and how many people it would take.

For one person to replace Young would be statistically incredible. For example, junior guard Rich Kelly was last year’s second leading scorer with 13.2 PPG. If Kelly was going to individually supersede Young, Kelly would have to average 36.7 PPG — nearly 40 per game. That would be the most in NCAA history since 1975-76 when Marshall Rogers averaged 36.8 PPG for Texas Pan American.

So, one person wasn’t going to cut it. Quinnipiac head coach Baker Dunleavy understood that entering the season and acknowledged that no one person would be able to increase his output by 23.5 PPG. “We have not just one guy that fits that role, but maybe three, four, five guys,” Dunleavy said before the regular season. “Cam averaged 24 points per game for us last year.

We don’t have anybody that’s going to average 24 more points.”

Dunleavy was right. One person didn’t step up. Two did. Kelly and redshirt junior forward Kevin Marfo did.

The two have grown significantly on the court, and through 20 games, their leadership and productivity stand out in the MAAC. Kelly, the team’s starting point guard for the past three years, jumped nearly four points in his PPG average. He’s scoring 17.1 PPG compared to last year’s 13.2 and now leads the team in that category by about seven points. His average is also the second best in the MAAC, so he has a chance to be the second consecutive Quinnipiac player to lead the conference in scoring.

Now more than ever, Kelly has the ball in his hands, orchestrating the offense. His usage rate has increased from 20.2% to

26.3% while simultaneously decreasing his turnover percentage from 21.3% to 16.7%.

So, he has the ball more often, and he turns the ball over less. Impressive.

Additionally, Kelly reached 1000 career points on Jan. 24, against Fairfield. He became the 15th player in Quinnipiac Division I history to reach the mark and the first since Young did so last year.

All this personal growth isn’t prioritized for Kelly, though. Before the season, when asked what was next in his development, Kelly said he wanted a MAAC championship.

Nothing else.

His leadership and commitment to team success have put the Bobcats in the position they’re in now — a 6-4 record in the MAAC. As was mentioned before, Kelly was not unaccompanied in his leap into stardom.

Marfo, the starting team’s center, has not only blossomed into a defensive juggernaut for Quinnipiac, but also has garnered national attention because of his rebounding numbers.

Marfo grabs more rebounds per game (RPG) than every other NCAA Division I player this season. Incredible. He’s averaging 13.6 RPG through 20 games and has not had a game with fewer than 10 boards. If his season ended today, his average would rank 18th in NCAA history.

Leading the country in rebounding comes with consequences as Marfo has often been boxed out by two and sometimes three players. None of that concerns Marfo, though. He’s focused on himself and doing his job as a rebounder.

“I play against a lot of great rebounders, great rebounding teams,” Marfo said following a win against Fairfield in which he grabbed 15 rebounds. “The mentality is: have them stop me.”

Although Marfo’s rebounding gets national attention, his defense shouldn’t be undermined. At 6-foot-8 and 245 pounds, Marfo shuts down opponents in the paint. He’s the clear-cut defensive leader of the Bobcats, and his efforts are represented in his 95.8 defensive rating which is fourth in the MAAC. To those unfamiliar with Marfo’s play, he’s not a traditional shot blocker. He only averages 1.0 blocks per game (BPG). Instead,

Junior guard Rich Kelly ranks second in the MAAC in points per game with 17.1.

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Redshirt junior Kevin Marfo leads the NCAA in rebounds per game with 13.6. he uses his strong frame to muscle players out of position. He does a terrific job at jumping straight up to contest layups and floaters.

In nearly 28 minutes per game, he averages only 2.6 fouls per game.

Aside from his efficient defensive play, Marfo has nearly doubled his offensive output. Last season, Marfo didn’t get a ton of scoring opportunities because he shared minutes with former forward Abdulai Bundu. This year, Marfo increased his PPG average from 5.4 to 10.2. Most, if not all, of those points come from layups, dunks and free throws. The third has been a major improvement as he’s shooting 73% from the free-throw line after shooting just 63.2% in 2018-19 and 53.6% in 2016-17 at George

Washington University.

To describe Marfo’s play on both ends of the floor as anything less than incredible, would be a crime. If the stats provided don’t convince you of his dominance, his player efficiency rating (PER) is 26 which ranks second in the MAAC and is 11 points greater than the average of 15. PER is a metric used to measure how effective a player is on the court based on the player’s minutes and the team’s pace of play.

Last year, Quinnipiac had arguably its best player ever in Young. This year, it has two stars in Kelly and Marfo. Under the tandem’s leadership, the Bobcats should have no trouble carving a path to the MAAC title game once again.

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Pecknold: ‘This is a process, it’s a young team’ LAW from Page 12 of business against all those mentioned above, that should bring the Bobcats to a ranking anywhere from No. 8 to No. 11 in the Pairwise, which would essentially lock up an NCAA Tournament berth.

But let’s say the Bobcats do lose to Clarkson. It wouldn’t hurt the Bobcats that much, but it could be enough to knock them out of where they need to be. Clarkson currently sits at No. 7 in Pairwise, so a close loss isn’t the end of the world.

It’s easier said than done, winning most, if not all, of the remaining games. With a young team comes inconsistent play, and that’s what we’ve seen all season from this squad.

“This is a process, it’s a young team,” Pecknold said after the Cornell win. “I know we beat UConn, but I didn’t think we played great. And again, give Sacred Heart credit, I thought they were really good, but I didn’t think we played 60 minutes either game. Tonight, we played a great 60 minutes, and we were rewarded.”

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With these final four weeks of hockey, Quinnipiac’s future is in its own hands. It has the ability to be in the top four of the final ECAC Hockey standings and secure a bye, resulting in a more favorable matchup (although, as the Bobcats know all too well from last year, it’s still a tough matchup).

It has the ability to push itself in a position for an at-large bid, where it doesn’t have to win the ECAC Hockey tournament to get into the Frozen Four.

But, as the Bobcats have said, it’s important to take it one game at a time. The focus is set on Yale in this game on Friday, Feb. 7, then it will be Brown on Saturday, Feb. 8.

It’s a day-by-day process, but each day has large implications.

“We understand that every game is important in college hockey,” Quinnipiac junior forward Odeen Tufto said. “You only play 34 games. I think you can see down the stretch here, how one game can affect your Pairwise (ranking) and the ECAC Hockey standings so much. You just try and focus on each game night by night.”

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Senior forward Nick Jermain brings the puck behind the net in hopes of setting up a teammate to score.

Fabbri: ‘We were able to keep our poise ... and pull this one out’ NYLON from Page 12 Quinnipiac is fourth in the conference, and the gap to first place is pretty significant. Rider, currently 10-0 in the conference and an impressive 17-2 overall, pose a threat the Bobcats haven’t seen in a long time.

But just because there’s more adversity doesn’t mean this team will simply fold and accept defeat. Fabbri is a relentless winner, and so are her players. She’s worked hard to build a culture of championship success —

nothing less — in her time at Quinnipiac.

That isn’t about to slip away.

This year may not be as easy, the process might not be the same, but that doesn’t mean the ending will be any different. The Bobcats simply need to identify new ways to win games, and that can start with defense.

It’s a widely known saying, “defense wins championships.” For Quinnipiac to claim its fourth straight MAAC tournament championship, it’ll have to start there. The Bobcats are currently giving up 68.3 points per game,

Junior guard Shaq Edwards meets her matchup at halfcourt.

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which would be the worst mark since the team joined the MAAC. The problem with defense isn’t that the Bobcats aren’t good at it. They’ve shown plenty of times this year that they can be great a defensive team. The Bobcats held Hartford to just 50 points and forced 25 turnovers earlier this season, proving they can be elite defensively when they need to be.

Individually, they’ve shown they’re capable as well. As the clock was winding down during the matchup against Iona on Saturday, Feb. 1, senior forward Paige Warfel switched onto a smaller opponent. Typically, guards use speed and agility to create shot opportunities against bigs.

Warfel didn’t let her foe have it so easy, though. She shuffled her feet as her matchup dribbled toward the basket, through the lane, cut back to the left side of the rim and retreated again from the paint. Warfel did an incredible job defending in that situation, and she’s not the only big who’s exemplified such defense this year.

So what, then, is the problem? Right now, it seems to be consistency. The Bobcats have been hit or miss this season, typically playing either a great game or not bringing it at all.

The differences in their performances — and their opponents’ — in wins and losses this year is eye-popping.

In wins this year, the Bobcats are holding their opponents to a combined 37.9% from the field, a great mark defensively. The highest an opponent has shot against Quinnipiac this season is 50%, which was the Iona game this past week, in which the Bobcats forced a healthy 23 turnovers.

In losses, their opponents’ 37.9 field-goal percentage skyrockets to 49.3%. The Bobcats are 1-6 in games in which their opponents shoot 49.3% or better, a dreadful but expected mark. No team should win allowing that kind of efficiency on the defensive end, the one win is remarkable in its own right. The one win was against Iona on Saturday, and it wasn’t random that this game is the one they pulled out.

“We wanted to make sure that we pressured the ball,” senior guard Shaq Edwards said.

“We tried to make sure we got every loose ball, that we got rebounds, steals, everything to make us turn our defense into offense.”

That kind of hustle is essential if the Bobcats want to achieve their goals this season. To win the MAAC tournament for

a fourth straight year, the Bobcats can’t rely on offense and talent. They’ll need to put in that kind of effort — the effort that resulted in 23 forced turnovers to negate the Gaels’ efficient shooting — to beat the best of the best this year.

There’s something to be said about recent performance entering the playoffs and how it impacts a postseason run. Entering the tournament hot could be essential for this team that doesn’t have the same upperhand it’s had in years past.

When this team plays well, it plays really well. The average margin of victory this year is 13.7 points. Sure, that’s the smallest margin of victory since 2015-16 when it was 12.6, but that’s not a small margin.

When the team plays poorly, it’s not typically close. The average margin of defeat this year is 15.3 points, proving that the Bobcats typically aren’t in the games they lose.

Still, there have been close games, and learning to close out those close games could prove to be essential as conference play continues. Quinnipiac won by four points against Iona on Saturday, marking the fifth time a game has been decided by five or fewer points this season.

“We were able to keep our poise, answer in a back-and-forth game and pull this one out,” Fabbri said. “You’re going to have games like this … and I think it really shows, again, our overall progression. Being able to withstand a team storming at you, pull out a win, that’s a good sign.”

In games decided by five or fewer points, Quinnipiac is 2-3. It’s not a bad mark, but not on par with recent years. Dating back to when Quinnipiac joined the MAAC, it’s gone 4-2, 0-0, 4-2, 4-2, 5-1 and 2-2 in games decided by a five- point margin or smaller. The team came up short the one other year it failed to surpass .500 in these games, so closing out close games becomes even more important.

At the midway point in MAAC play, the team is 7-3 in the conference, the fourth best mark of any MAAC team this season. Just because the Bobcats aren’t putting up the same numbers they have been for the past few years doesn’t mean there’s a need to worry.

It can be used as fuel, though, and if the Bobcats want to come out on top of a conference that looks tougher than it has in years, they’ll need some form of extra motivations.

This could be it.

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Murphy’s Law: Anything can happen

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Quinnipiac’s statement sweep puts the team in good position for potential Frozen Four bid

By BRYAN MURPHY Editor-in-Chief

For the second year in a row, the No. 1 team in the nation came to Hamden. And for the second year in a row, the No. 1 team in the nation left Hamden with a shutout loss.

The Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey team’s 5-0 shutout against Cornell meant a lot of things. It meant that Quinnipiac has the ability to play, and thoroughly defeat, any team on any given night.

It meant a critical two points in the ECAC Hockey standings, in which third to seventh place are separated by a mere three points.

It also meant a massive swing in Quin-

nipiac’s favor in the Pairwise rankings.

Don’t just listen to me. Listen to the man at the helm of the Bobcats. “(The win against Cornell) clearly would be the biggest win for us so far,” Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold said.

The Bobcats sit in the 14th spot in the Pairwise rankings and in the 16th spot in the USCHO rankings. They are right on the cusp of getting an at-large bid for the NCAA tournament, but also just as close to missing the cut.

The win against Cornell, as well as the win against Colgate Saturday, put the Bobcats in a position where they can control their own destiny when it comes to the

NCAA tournament … for the most part.

Obviously what happens to the teams surrounding Quinnipiac will dictate what happens come March, but the Bobcats have an opportunity to stay in that key top 16.

Looking at the remaining eight games on the schedule, it’s really seven games that the team has to win and one game that if it was to lose, wouldn’t hurt as much. But the Bobcats really cannot afford to lose two games during this final push to the playoffs.

Two games apiece against Brown and Yale, then single matchups against St. Lawrence, Clarkson, Union and RPI remain for Quinnipiac. There is no reason why Quinnipi-

ac should not beat Brown, RPI, St. Lawrence, Union and Yale. All of those teams except for RPI have sub-.500 records and make up four out of the bottom five spots of ECAC Hockey.

Not to mention, Quinnipiac has already beaten RPI this year and should have no trouble completing the sweep in game two.

A loss to any of these teams could mean the end of the road to the Frozen Four. Or at least add a lot more obstacles to overcome.

That one game it can maybe afford to lose is against Clarkson. If Quinnipiac wins, that’s a huge victory for the Bobcats. If it takes care See LAW Page 11

NOTHIN’ BUT NYLON

Establishing an identity

Bobcats need to lock in defensively to achieve championship success

By JARED PENNA Sports Editor

The path to success hasn’t looked particularly challenging for Quinnipiac’s women’s basketball team since it joined the MAAC in 2013-14. Head coach Tricia Fabbri has led her Bobcats to the MAAC tournament championship game every year since joining the conference, winning in four of her last five appearances.

En route to those championship appearances, the Bobcats experienced a 52-game winning streak against MAAC opponents that spanned the course of three seasons.

They’ve won their four championships by a combined 58 points, making their average margin of victory a whopping 14.5 points, including a MAAC record 30-point win over Marist last year.

But this year, the Bobcats have started to experience setbacks. As with any great dynasty, there are going to be challenges along the way. Even Tom Brady experienced more challenging years that saw him come up short of appearing in the Super Bowl.

True, the Bobcats’ conference winning streak was snapped with a sudden and heavy four-point loss to Iona in the first MAAC game of the year. For the first time in some time, See NYLON Page 11

Sophomore guard Mackenzie DeWees pressures the Fairfield ball handler.

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