QUChronicle.com January 25, 2012 Volume 81 Issue 14
News
Arts & Life
Opinion
sports
QU hypnotized, Page 2
Top 11 movies of 2011, pages 6-7
Colbert’s curious case for president, page 4
Freshman leading the way, page 12
CASE CLOSED 5 basketball players granted accelerated rehabilitation
By Michele snow & Meghan Parmentier
lino said. “Whether you like it or not, you are looked up to by some in the university.” Quinnipiac men’s basketball players James Scarpellino told all five players that they Johnson, Jamee Jackson, Dave Johnson, Ike were to make “no unwanted contact with the Azotam and Nate Gause were granted accelvictims.” erated rehabilitation and community service If all five students follow the court’s orders hours in exchange for clear criminal records then their cases will all be dismissed, their defor their involvement in an on-campus fight fense attorney Thomas Lynch said. last September. “The court’s main concern is to be consisThe five players appeared in Meriden tent in what it does,” Scarpellino said. Superior Court Jan. 17 before Judge PhilHe acknowledged that the athletes Legal definitions ip Scarpellino. The players’ families and should be held to a higher standard becoach, Tom Moore, were in attendance. cause they are in the spotlight, but he said Accelerated rehabilitation: Scarpellino granted both James John- A program that gives persons charged with a crime or motor vehicle this judgement was fair for the crime. violation for the first time a second chance. The person is placed on son and Jackson two years of the accel- probation for up to two years. If probation is completed satisfactorily, “The judge made his comments sayerated rehabilitation program and 200 the charges are dismissed. ing that treating them all the same and hours of individual community service, Community service: making them do community service sent outside the service the basketball team Work that convicted defendants are required to perform in order to the message that despite whatever punrepay the community for the harm caused to the community by the does together. In addition, they equally crime. Soure: Connecticut Judicial branch have to share the costs of paying back the See COURT Page 3 By Marcus Harun Web Developer
see what’s happening on
victims medical expenses in verifiable out-ofpocket restitution. Dave Johnson and Azotam were granted a one-year accelerated rehabilitation program and 50 hours of individual community service. The judge granted Gause an 18-month accelerated rehabilitation program and 100 hours of individual community service. “You need to grow from this,” Scarpel-
POLL
What do you think of Student Programming Board’s choice for the Spring Concert? MULTIMEDIA
Scenes from SPB and QUAD’s Rock ‘n Road Week
Three years ago, Quinnipiac University expelled Courtney Stellwag for making a prank phone call which the university deemed racially motivated. After Quinnipiac’s investigation, the university decided last month that See the letter in her three-year-old its entirety from prank phone call the university to was not intended as Courtney Stellwag. a threat, but merely
online
as a joke. As a senior at Daemen College in New York, and well on her way to a career as a Physician’s Assistant, Stellwag received a letter from Quinnipiac regarding her 2008 expulsion. In the letter, dated Dec. 7, 2011, Manuel
Four SGA members resign By Katherine rojas Associate News Editor
award-winning website since 2009
QU retracts ‘08 expulsion for hate crime
Four members of the Student Government Association, including the Class of 2014 president, resigned from their positions on the general board during the winter recess due to personal reasons, Vice President of Student Concerns Vincent Bond said. Matthew Desilets, former Class of 2014 president, said in an email, “my resignation was for personal reasons, that is all. SGA has provided me the greatest experience at this university and my time in SGA is something I will always cherish.” The three junior class representatives who resigned are Camilla Gomes, Steve Ducos and Saba
Shahid. “It was a little shocking, but then again, I see the reasons why,” Shahid said of the other resignations. “Everyone who did resign is doing it to better their future because there’s other priorities; obviously academics comes first.” Shahid resigned after two and a half years of involvement in the organization. “I have a lot of other things going on that I need to put more time into and focus on to excel in the field that I’m trying to go in to,” Shahid said. “I have so much pride and love for this organization but it was something that I knew I had to do in order to succeed in other parts of my life.” Ducos, a representative for the
Class of 2013, said in an email he resigned because of scheduling conflicts and rising academic responsibilities. “It was a very difficult decision to make because they are such wonderful and amazing people who share the same love that I have for our university,” Ducos said. The Student Government will hold a special election on Feb. 8 to select three new junior representatives. The sophomore position has been filled by Marissa Harper, former vice president for the Class of 2014, Bond said. “The executive board would like to commend their service and efforts on the Student Government, and they will be missed this semester,” Bond wrote in an email.
News Editor
katie o’brien/Chronicle
Wikipedia went dark in protest of SOPA and PIPA on Jan. 18.
Web protesters fought two controversial bills last week, refusing to relinquish their First Amendment rights to free music and movies, and they succeeded. The Stop Online Piracy Act was a bill introduced in October that would give the federal government power to inhibit people from using foreign online piracy websites. The sites trade counterfeit movies, music and other American copyrighted products. Another similar bill, Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act (PIPA), was introduced
CHECK QUCHRONICLE.COM today for updates
QU was top priority at town meeting By kim green News Editor
in the Senate last May with the goal of giving the federal government and copyright holders the ability to block access to websites dedicated to infringing or counterfeiting goods outside of the U.S. The bills gained support in Congress, but were severely opposed by Internet users who claimed the bills were too aggressive and infringed on First Amendment rights, Quinnipiac’s Assistant Dean of Career Services for Communications Joseph Catrino said. By the end of last week, lawmakers showed opposition to the bill and a vote on PIPA that was scheduled for Jan. 24 was
The Planning and Zoning commission for the Town of Hamden held a meeting Tuesday in which Quinnipiac was a priority on the agenda. The sixth item on the agenda concerned the university, as it is to address the commission’s review of housing and parking data, Assistant Town Planner Dan Kops said. The commission required that the university provided annual information on the number of students living on campus and commuting, as well as data on parking. In recent years, there has been increased concern with the commission about the growth of the student population. “There is a condition of approval from the dorms at York Hill that there should be a bed to every student and the commission’s concern is that the number of students has increased while the number of beds has not,” Kops said. “We want students to be living on campus and not off renting.” The seventh item on the agenda
See internet Page 3
See zoning Page 3
PIPA, SOPA can’t clean up Web By kim green
See expulsion Page 3
2|News
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Januar y 25, 2012
Campus briefs
Have you heard any news that you think Quinnipiac students would care about? Please, tell us: tips@quchronicle.com
Moo Bella no more
Moo Bella, the novelty ice cream with mix and match flavors and toppings, is no longer available in the Mount Carmel dining hall. As a result of low sales and high maintenance the decision was made to remove the machines. A permanent Hersey’s Ice Cream sundae bar has replaced Moo Bella. The build-your-own sundae bar, which Chartwells has found to be popular in the past, contains a variety of unique flavors including pumpkin and oatmeal cookie. Also mentioned was the addition of waffle cones and toppings. – A.B.
Money in the books
In a recent email to CAS students, Dr. Allan Smits, associate dean of sciences and graduate programs, announced money is now available to support student/faculty research. According to the email, the funding is available to both undergraduate and graduate students who are conducting research with a faculty member. Applications are available on MyQ and will be accepted by Dr. Smits at any time. – M.P.
QU poll leans to GOP
The Quinnipiac Polling Institute has erred on the side of the Republican party in a Jan. 11 poll of the Florida Senate race, according to Nelson pollster and proclaimed Democrat Dave Beattie. The poll oversampled Republicans, giving it a partisan slant toward the right and is “not what the reality will be” on election day. Yet New York Times polling analyst Nate Silver claims that the QU Poll was the “most accurate” poll in predicting the 2010 elections, according to the QU Poll blog. – J.H.
Arnold among most beautiful Hypnotist shines in blackout libraries
MATT EISENBERG/Chronicle
Hypnotist Sailesh made students do some abnormal things at Burt Kahn Court Monday night.
In response to Flavorwire.com’s list of 20 Most Beautiful College Libraries from Around the World, readers sent in their own entries. From Around the World, compiled completely from reader comments, Quinnipiac’s Arnold Bernhard Library lands 10th on the list among colleges from Germany, Japan, Hungary, England, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Mexico, Belgium and other parts of the United States. – M.P.
Better book prices
Students who have yet to buy their books for the semester will be happy to learn about a new website. Booksatquinnipiac.com lists subject areas and classes, and based on the student’s schedule, compares the books for the classes with Quinnipiac’s bookstore prices against new and used prices from Amazon. The prices are compared with a bar chart, making it simple to see which site offers the highest and lowest prices for each book. – M.P.
By Robert Grant Staff Writer
Many things have been seen on stage at Quinnipiac, but students acting as the opposite gender, making out with chairs and shouting out the sounds of an orgasm might be the most interesting. The Student Programming Board and the Orientation Program co-sponsored “Sailesh: The World’s Best Hypnotist” on Monday evening. Sailesh has received nominations for America’s Best Campus Entertainer of the Year and America’s Best Campus Live
Novelty Act by bringing a memorable experience to his audience. “Sailesh is always a Quinnipiac favorite,” Jamie Kloss, SPB’s mainstage chair, said. “We were very happy with the attendance and energy at his show this year.” Despite the event taking place on the first day of the Spring semester, there was still a large turnout in attendance. “We didn’t have much time to spread the word,” Erin Hodgson, SPB’s culture and diversity chair, said. “But we were happy with the turnout and enthusiasm of the audience.”
An hour into the performance, students were caught off guard when the music stopped and the lights went out in Burt Kahn. When the audience realized it was a power outage, some left, but Sailesh continued with his performance. Sailesh’s shows are entertaining because of the number of volunteers on stage. According to Sailesh, the volunteers, approximately 20, were the stars of the show. “There was a good range of students on stage,” sophomore Sarah Dors said. “Most people
were engaged having known someone being hypnotized.” Many might remember Sailesh as the R-rated hypnotist from freshman orientation, but due to Hurricane Irene, his show was canceled last August. SPB brought the event back as part of its Welcome Back Week, which consists of a week of events to start the semester. “This event was a great way to kick off the semester,” Kloss said. “It’s a chance to remind students that SPB has fun programs like this every weekend.”
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A Rock ‘n Road Week
Students can expect a wide variety of entertainment for welcome week from the Student Programming Board and QU After Dark after their contest win in Campus Activities Magazine. The magazine has featured many of SPB’s and QUAD’s events, including reviews of performers, known as artist “report cards.” Those reviews were entered into a raffle called “The Rock ‘n Road” contest with the grand prize being five college artists to perform on campus for free and a four page spread in the magazine. Steve Pagios, assistant director of student center & campus life and adviser for SPB and QUAD, wrote reviews and gave ratings with the organizations of each event to submit to Campus Activities Magazine. Pagios received a call from an editor of the magazine this past summer announcing SPB and QUAD’s win. “This is programming at its fin-
est,” Pagios said. “This is a lot of programming, it’s not simply the kind of programming we always do. At the back of my mind, what I’m trying to show students, is at the end of the day we need to make our school look good. So we need to make sure we’re at the top of the game because we’re essentially in a national stage for this programming.” Rock ‘n Road week starts Jan. 26 in Burt Kahn Court at 8 p.m. with national guest speaker Marc Elliot’s message of tolerance, acceptance and overcoming challenges. The Dating Doctor David Coleman will be open to students for questions and concerns Friday Jan. 27 in Burt Kahn Court at 8 p.m. Ending the night with a bang, comedian drummers, The Bucket Boys, will deliver their performance in Buckman Theater. Saturday, Jan. 28, the skilled, multi-neck guitar player, Mark Kroos, will perform at Rocky Top Student Center at 7 p.m. Then the 61Syx Tecknique group will celebrate the end of the week at 10 p.m.
in Burt Kahn Court, with its high energy step-dancing and break dancing routines. Attendees to at least three events can win a $100 Southwest Airline gift card, and attendees of four or more events will be entered into a second drawing for a $100 Southwest Airlines gift card, compliments of SPB. The first 20 people to attend each event will receive a computer mouse and the first 55 people will receive an ice scraper, compliments of SPB. Resident Assistants have a competition to see who can bring the most residents; the winner gets a $250 gift certificate to Southwest Airlines. “They’re really awesome events,” SPB Arts & Entertainment Chair Alysse Zaffos said. “I know that I’ve seen three out of the five events before, and I think that they are very inspirational and very helpful.” This week of events is just a feel for what the rest of semester will be with SPB and QUAD, SPB Promotions Chair Robert Grant said.
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
8 p.m., Burt Kahn Court: speaker Marc Elliot
8 p.m., Burt Kahn Court: Dating Doctor David Coleman
7 p.m., Rocky Top Student Center: Guitarist/singer Mark Kroos
10 p.m., Buckman Theater: Junk Comics, the Bucket Boys
10 p.m., Burt Kahn Court: Breakdancers 61Syx Teknique
By katherine rojas Associate News Editor
5 basketball players granted accelerated rehabilitation
court from cover
ishment Quinnipiac University gave these guys the court was not going to take it lightly,” Lynch said. Lynch submitted three packets of information in support of James Johnson’s and Jackson’s case for accelerated rehabilitation including his transcript, letters of support from his church and a description of Quinnipiac men’s basketball community service activities. Lynch said Johnson earned a 4.0 GPA last spring semester. Johnson had never been arrested before, and since he learned his lesson, it “is unlikely he will ever offend again,” Lynch said to the judge. James Johnson and Jackson applied for accelerated rehabilitation on Dec. 6, 2011. Dave Johnson, Azotam and Gause requested continuances, but today the three applied for accelerated rehabilitation. “We weren’t prepared to do
that today, because we were still having discussions with the states attorney to see whether or not they would dismiss the case,” Lynch said. “But the state’s attitude was that they wanted to have all the students treated somewhat in a similar way.” The notice to victims was waived because victims were already notified about today’s appearance. Six victims were sent court notices that James Johnson and Jackson applied for accelerated rehabilitation and were invited to come support or object that application. No victims appeared before the court, but some of them submitted their opinions that were read to the court. At least one victim opposed the application because they “wouldn’t suffer any direct consequence” and he was frustrated with how the university handled the situation, said the victim in a statement read to the
court. Another victim said that accelerated rehabilitation is sufficient and everyone should move on because they all apologized. The hearing was originally scheduled for Oct. 24 and postponed twice pending an additional police report. James Johnson, a senior, and Azotam, a sophomore, were charged with assault and breach of peace on Sept. 18. They pleaded not guilty to the charges at their arraignment Sept. 26. The students were sanctioned by the university on Oct. 6. The other three players confessed to Hamden Police Dec. 1 to their involvement in the incident. Jackson was charged with conspiracy to commit assault and assault in the third degree and second-degree breach of peace, while Dave Johnson and Gause were charged with third-degree conspiracy to commit assault and second-degree breach of peace.
News|3
cover Continuations Expulsion from cover Carreiro, Quinnipiac’s vice president and dean of students, admitted the findings of a “full investigation” showed the number Stellwag and her friend dialed during their prank was done so randomly as part of a Halloween joke. The line said during the phone call, “You will die in seven days,” which was interpreted as a threat of harm, was a line from the movie, “The Ring.” Stellwag has been officially exonerated of her charges and the letter she received from Quinnipiac acknowledged in writing that her actions did not stem from racial-bias and that the university would accept her application for re-admission. “The University recognizes that your actions on Oct. 28, 2008, were not motivated by hatred or bigotry, and that publications that suggested your conduct was a hate crime or racially motivated hate speech incident were not accurate,” Carreiro wrote. “Courtney is thrilled,” her attorney, James Burke, said. Though Stellwag declined Quinnipiac’s offer to reapply and will remain at Dae-
internet from cover postponed, as lawmakers looked to reach an agreement. In the House of Representatives, Texas Representative Lamar Smith, the driving force behind SOPA, killed his own bill last Friday. Rich Hanley, associate professor of journalism and director of the graduate journalism program, said the bills strayed into areas of prior restraint and censorship, thus freezing the free flow of information that is at the core of the Internet. “Present federal laws regarding copyright protection and penalties for piracy are sufficient at this point, and effective enforcement rather than new laws that overreach the mark is the way to balance the interests of copyright while keeping knowledge and the creative process thriving online,” Hanley said. Thousands of websites including Wikipedia and Craigslist went dark on Wednesday, Jan. 18 for 12 hours, in protest of the bills. On Google’s home page, a black box covered the famous logo with a message that said, “Tell Congress: Please don’t censor the Web!” According to a report in the Washington Post, Google Inc. gathered more that seven million signatures for its online petition to Congress to reject the bills. The main supporters of the bills were companies in the music, film
man College until graduation, this is the outcome she had been hoping for. Stellwag and her family have been involved in litigation against Quinnipiac since early 2009. “We asked very early on for Quinnipiac to retract a number of the statements that had been made concerning this incident,” Burke said. Stellwag’s expulsion received much media attention in 2008. Along with the Quinnipiac Chronicle, the New Haven Register and NBC Connecticut were among those that published the story of Stellwag’s charges as well as those of her friend, Emily Loschiavo. According to Burke, a similar letter has been issued to Laschiavo, who was also involved in the phone call. “Every single person [involved] gave statements and told university officials that this was a joke, that the phrase in question was from The Ring, that it was a random call, that there was no intent to threaten anyone, and the university’s investigator in fact concluded that all of that was true. And it’s very unfortunate that it’s taken three years to set this record straight,” Burke said. and gaming industry, Student Government Association Class of 2012 Representative John Scholl said. Scholl is a firm believer in keeping the Internet “free.” “Most of the [supporters] were supporting it for their own self-interests of profit,” Scholl said. “What they missed was an understanding of the Internet culture. “If these bills passed, smaller Internet-based companies wouldn’t survive. For example, I work at a small Internet marketing firm which uses Facebook and Google to advertise for local businesses in the Boston area. If the bill passed, the company would have to constantly worry about copyright infringement.” Although the bills in their original form failed, the fight to keep the Internet open and free is far from over. Congress returned to the drawing boards to reach a wider agreement on a solution. A PCWorld report projects that SOPA will reformulate in February and PIPA will include possible amendments within the next weeks. Last week, a new similar bill has surfaced, according to PCWorld, the Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade (OPEN). This bill would give the International Trade Commission oversight on foreignbased websites and would apply to sites that promote copyright violations.
QU was top priority at town meeting; housing, parking discussed zoning from cover also refers to Quinnipiac. There has been an increase in complaints recently from the residents of northern Hamden about students living in their neighborhoods, Kops said. The people have joined together to form the Facebook group “People of Hamden,” in which residents can openly discuss their concerns about Quinnipiac students. “Almost all complaints we get involves students who attend Quin-
nipiac,” Kops said. “The commission is considering changing the zoning regulations or other possible changes to solve this problem. On Tuesday we will be discussing these possible improvements. “The issue has really grown. Most students aren’t disruptive to their neighbors, but the few who are cause concern. When people complain publicly, it strikes a nerve with others. We don’t have a college town where there are apartments. Students are spread
throughout the neighborhoods where the lifestyles are very different.” Associate Vice President for Facilities Administration Joseph Rubertone represented the university at the meeting. He did not wish to comment on student housing. In addition to the student housing trepidations, the commission also had concerns about the limited parking on the Mount Carmel campus. “It came to our attention that stu-
dents from York Hill were commuting with their cars and it was clearly understood by the commission that this wouldn’t happen,” Kops said. “We do not know what we will be deciding. We are most concerned about the congestion at the intersection at Mt. Carmel, Westwoods and Whitney Ave. that affects the residents of Hamden.” Rubertone said that he believes the problem has been resolved after security implemented that only seniors living on York Hill and com-
muters would be allowed to park in North Lot and Hogan Road Lot on the Mount Carmel campus prior to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays. “The commission is upset because we allowed seniors to drive down to campus from York Hill without going back to get their permission,” Rubertone said. “I have no idea if this will be resolved, but we did supply them with a traffic report on the 3rd of December. We will see how they will react to the report tomorrow night.”
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Januar y 25, 2012
Opinion
Quchronicle.com/opinion opinion@QUChronicle.com @QUChronicle
Colbert’s curious case for prez A couple of Thursday nights what I am saying to you right now?” This is a case in which King ago, Comedy Central comedian Stephen Colbert announced on his Colbert has asked for too much of Americans with only a casual or nightly talk show “The Colbert minimal interest in politics. Report” his intention to exColbert’s “campaign” team plore a presidential bid can’t assume that the averin South Carolina. Not age American will know an avid Colbert watcher that Colbert can’t actumyself, I heard about the ally run for president in curious news the folthe correct sense because lowing night on “The his pseudo-candidacy Daily Show” hosted came too late (among by Colbert’s bestie and Jamie Hill other things), even self-proclaimed busiCopy Desk Chief for a write-in ballot. ness partner, Jon Stewart. @magicattic6 The Unaware of Colbert I remember thinking “Is he serious?” and searching Google population possibly won’t understand his mock support of former News for the truth. Let’s face it, sometimes you front-runner Herman Cain, who in can’t immediately tell if the Com- fact dropped out of the race in Deedy Central late-night sweethearts cember. Cain agreed to participate in are summoning satire if you’re not totally up-to-date with the political the “Rock Me like a Herman Cain: coverage of the campaign season South Cain-olina Primary Rally” on that is heating up. After reading Jan. 20, which broadcast Colbert’s more about Colbert’s presidential apparent support of the former run (which is fake) and “The Defi- Godfather’s Pizza CEO. According nitely Not Coordinating with Ste- to some, like Mitch Potter of the phen Colbert Super PAC” (which is Washington Bureau, Cain somehow real), it’s hard to discern the come- remains unaware that he is the butt dians’ wiggling eyebrows as their of a very clever joke. According to smirks say “Ha, isn’t this ridiculous other sources like ABC News, Cain
is apparently in on the joke but is politely using the opportunity to show Americans he can “lighten up.” The gamble, perhaps unsurprisingly, failed, when the Cain/Colbert ticket garnered only 1 percent of the vote in the South Carolina primary, according to another Politico. com post. Although I’m still unsure as to whether the Colbert campaign considers this to be a failure, because the actual desired result of the slightly outrageous bid is unknown, at least to me. One meaty component of Colbert’s campaign is the “The Definitely Not Coordinating with Stephen Colbert Super PAC,” a poke at the fairly new use of Super PACs in election campaigns. A PAC, or Political Action Committee, is ostensibly a group of people organized to raise money for an individual candidate’s campaign, according to the Center for Responsive Politics’s website. The recent rise of the Super PAC means a new kind of group created July 2010 that can raise and spend basically unlimited money for campaigns. Colbert let his pal Jon Stewart take over, thereby showing how
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convenient it can be to sidestep legal limitations. Stewart, proclaimed “President For Life For Ever” of the Colbert Super PAC, continues to let air out of the PAC balloon by making obvious mockeries of the PAC system. His Jan. 17 program showed Stewart sporting a jeweled crown while Mario Batali prepared (and ate) a frittata con le erbe, all in the name of independent campaign expenditures. Colbert is hoping that citizens of the Colbert Nation are educated enough to know that a tiara and fancy egg dish represent the ridiculous idea that Stewart, while technically not “coordinating” with Colbert, can spend excessive amounts of cash in the name of the PAC. Viewers are meant to watch and hear this while simultaneously understanding that the self-proclaimed faux newsmen are throwing America a clever lampoon. What I don’t think they counted on was that the American public simply isn’t as educated about the political election process as our forefathers once hoped. I’m not saying this applies to everyone, for sure, this is when political science
students have their field day. It’s almost easier to watch Colbert’s fake run for president and turn that into our reality because he speaks to us in a language we better understand. It is sometimes impossible to follow the Republican presidential nominations as closely as Colbert and Stewart might hope, especially the financial aspects of the campaign processes. The stint ended Monday night during “The Colbert Report” when the funnyman said, “It is with a heavy heart and a spastic colon that I’m re-suspending Herman Cain’s suspended campaign. Also, I’m hereby officially ending my exploratory committee to run for the president of the United States of South Carolina.” So this pseudo presidential run is more than just a joke. Colbert and Stewart (and the Comedy Central team, I’m sure) have bridged comedy and a real political process in an unprecedented way to spread knowledge to Generation Y. The efforts of the short-lived “Colbert for President of the United States of South Carolina” quasi-campaign remain to be seen.
Corrections Design Chief Samantha Epstein Photography Editor Anna Brundage Associate Photography Editor Katie O’brien News Editor Kim Green Associate News Editors Phil Nobile Katherine Rojas Opinion Editor Jeremy Stull Arts & Life Editor Nicole Fano Associate Arts & Life Editors Catherine Boudreau Christine Burroni Sarah Rosenberg Sports Editor Matt Eisenberg Associate Sports Editor Joe Addonizio Mailing address Quinnipiac University 275 Mount Carmel Ave. Hamden, CT 06518
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In the graph, “Total Compensation for QU’s Top Earners” on the cover of the Dec. 7 issue, Donald Weinbach, Richard Ferguson, Joan Isaac Mohr and Mark Thompson’s titles were incorrectly reported. Weinbach is vice president for development & alumni affairs, Ferguson is senior vice president for administration, Mohr is vice president & dean of admissions, and Thompson is senior vice president for academic & student affairs. The story titled, “Blackboard to get makeover” on page 4 of the Dec. 7 issue incorrectly said Staci Canny and Erica Cirilli wrote the story. In fact, Amy Maciejowski and Erica Cirilli wrote the story. Also on page 4, the story titled, “Online tickets available for winter sports” incorrectly said Staci Canny and Erica Cirilli wrote the story. In fact, Giovanni Mio wrote the story.
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Januar y 25, 2012
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
My granite state experience
What really controls elections I just returned from campaign- tion before any ballot was cast. I ing for Texas Rep. Ron Paul in the jumped on the assumption too, in an article I penned last semester. New Hampshire Republican I did so as a reaction to the presidential primaries as part likes of CNN, who were callof PO 362 with Professor ing the race already. Scott McLean. As a selfA candidate becomes proclaimed, as well as exterelectable when people cast nally labeled, political junkie, votes for them, that is it was a wonderful 10 days. how democracy I noticed two very works. Telling people telling things during that somebody is unmy time making phone electable before any calls to residents on Jeremy Stull Opinion Editor votes are cast is unjustly behalf of the campaign, @jpstull influencing the process. and knocking on doors to gather voter data and advocate for People should be left to decide on Paul and waving signs on street cor- their own. Unfortunately, there is ners for the man we like to call “The a vast number of people who simply want to beat Barack Obama in Good Doctor.” First, even when some New November, so they go with who the Hampshire voters do not support media tells them has the best shot. Paul, they often say they respect Even making the assumption that his principled nature and his abil- Romney has the best shot of that is ity to stay true. That is frequently not true. The media bias ranges from subfollowed by them saying: “Glad to see you young guys out fighting for tle to blatant. There are two early voting towns something you believe in.” If they do not support Paul, I do not care in New Hampshire, which the AP reported the results. The Concord that they like my enthusiasm. Alas, we nod and smile at their Monitor picked up the story, but cut empty compliment and continue to off the part about the second town which Ron Paul did better in. They fight the good fight. The second thing that struck me did so to be able to run the headline was the sentiment from so many “Huntsman, Romney tied in early Mitt Romney supporters that they voting.” A local CBS affiliate in New would support Paul, but he is “unelectable.” Who determines this Hampshire showed poll numbers tag? It is the cohorts that run the of Romney and described his lead large media corporations who have as more than thirty points over his coronated Mitt Romney as the next rivals. The problem? Ron Paul was in line for the Republican nomina- within fifteen points. They did not
even put his name on the graphic. The most egregious offense I witnessed during my time in New Hampshire was in the debate on Sunday, January 8. The debate was cosponsored by the New Hampshire Union Leader newspaper. The paper had endorsed former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich as their choice as the Republican nominee a few weeks prior. The debate’s first question was posed to Gingrich, asking why Mitt Romney should not be the nominee. It did not provide reciprocal questions to all the other candidates, nor anything similar to it. Their agenda, as a supposedly objective media outlet and debate moderator, was not even attempted to be hidden. This list undoubtedly goes on. These are simply three instances that I picked up during my short and somewhat insulated from the normal media time in New Hampshire. At the end of the day, the people who own the media conglomerates are the same circles of people who run all the special interest groups. Romney would protect their money-making schemes, just like every President in our lifetime, while Ron Paul is the last great hope to actually clean up the way the government of this country operates. That is, until Rand Paul runs in 2016. Hopefully by then, the conversation will have shifted.
Opinion|5
Go abroad
It’s been seven months since I of a new city and a new culture. last wrote an article for the Chroni- You’ll learn that an enormous, thrivcle, centered around the disorganiza- ing world exists out there, and the Quinnipiac bubble might actually tion of the study abroad office. be holding you back from I’m back to tell you two living the biggest life you things. First, the study abroad can. You’ll take advantage office will not make or break of every incredible opporyour semester abroad. Sectunity that falls into your ond, no matter how diffilap. And there will be a lot cult it may be to navigate of them. the forms and signaFor four months, tures and meetings and you’ll be completely red tape, your semester independent and naviwill be worth it. gating foreign places I studied abroad Michele Snow Managing Editor on your own. This might this past fall in Paris, and @michenator scare you, but by the I can honestly say it was one of the greatest experiences of end, you’ll realize you might actumy life. Of course, everybody says ally be ready for adulthood. You’ll those words when they come back: meet people with similar values, “It was such a great experience!” people with interests far away from But rather than just responding with your own, and people you’re ina “That’s nice,” I implore those of sanely attracted to, romantically and you who still have time to study platonically. You will grow up. You abroad to figure it out. Somehow, will love. You will live. When you come back to Quinwhether it’s a semester or a year or a spring break or a month in the sum- nipiac, you’ll be harshly reminded that Hamden is not Paris (or insert mer, go abroad. Sure, everyone says you’ll gain your preferred exotic city here). valuable life experience, make new But you’ll have grown. QU will be friends and learn something about the same old QU, sending you to yourself. But if you don’t listen to get your card reprogrammed at the them, listen to me. I’m telling you QCard office, who sends you to Res that all of these will happen and more. Life because they don’t think you You’ll learn to appreciate your need a new card, who sends you own country and see it as the world back to the QCard office because sees it. You’ll make some of the best you do in fact need a new card. But friends of your life, and together, you’re not mad, you’ve got a new atyou’ll all ride the ups and downs titude. You went abroad.
Dakota Wiegand/Chronicle
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
FLOP FILMS OF 2011
By Nicole Fano & Matt Busekroos
By Phil Nobile
TOP FILMS OF 2011
6|Arts & Life
This one oozes style and depraved sophistication. Everything from the direction by David Fincher of “Fight Club” and “The Social Network” fame, to the soundtrack by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, to the dark and provoking themes surrounding a journalist hired to solve a murder, propels the story to mystifying depths. I have not read the book nor seen the highly acclaimed Swedish version of “Tattoo,” but Rooney Mara’s portrayal as Lisbeth Salander, the story’s protagonist, is one of the darkest, yet most addictive characters of the year, entrancing viewers with an unmatched draw.
In a time where blockbuster budgets top $100 million and Hollywood studios churn out 3-D replays of old films, a silent film made from a largely unknown cast and crew takes the cake for this year’s best in class. The acting by Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo is truly exemplary, considering the lack of spoken dialogue and the emphasis on facial expression. Each emotion displayed, from love to despair, is shown beautifully behind the added film grain and black & white style for authenticity. The film’s original score serves as possibly the most important actor in the film, with Ludovic Bource’s work carrying the film.
Unlike Ryan Gosling’s other movie on this list, audiences see a much more reserved and poignant performance from the unnamed stunt driver he plays in the best indie film of the year. From the opening scene, which I would argue as the most suspenseful sequence of the year, “Drive” succeeds as a low budget film with high budget thrills. There’s some of the best action of the year in this one, albeit slipped between a slow-moving love story. The few violent moments in the film come in gratuitous and terrifying bursts, leaving the viewer in shock. This is one drive you don’t want to miss.
2011 was a solid year for comedies in film. Whether we were singing along to Wilson Phillips’ “Hold On” with the women of “Bridesmaids” or gawking at the sizzling chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” Hollywood didn’t disappoint. That is, until the disappointing Anna Farisfronted comedy “What’s Your Number?” premiered in September. Ally Darling (Faris) questions her number of sexual partners and if any of them would have worked out as true, long-lasting love. Faris is a natural comedienne. Her performance in 2007’s “Smiley Face” is one of the great unheralded comedic performances of the last decade. However, Faris’s talents cannot save this mostly boring and uninteresting comedy. It does not help that the funniest moments in the film were previously shown in the trailer. Ari Graynor, hysterical in “Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist,” is given almost nothing to do here. Despite a premise with promise, “What’s Your Number?” prevents audiences from actually caring.
Januar y 25, 2012
They said it couldn’t be done, but a comedy about cancer proved to be one of the most heartfelt and rewarding films of the year. The movie revolves around Adam, played with a certain introverted subtle prose by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and given the odds of a coin flip to live. The film’s immensely personal touch stems from writer Will Reiser’s personal experience with cancer, which Seth Rogen, who costars as Adam’s best goofy stoner bud Kyle, helped Reiser through in real life. Many scenes were inspired by interactions between Reiser and Rogen in real life, which can be seen through the multiple humorous and heart wrenching moments in the film. A comedy treat. This political thriller from George C l o o n e y, who serves as writer, director and actor in the film, shows the right way to both entertain and entrance an audience. Each twist and turn adds another layer to this dark drama, and it’s only as successful as the ensemble of skilled actors at the story’s disposal. Ryan Gosling stars as a young campaign worker who ends up too deep within both sides of the political spectrum. Soon enough, Gosling figures out neither side is what it seems and becomes engrossed in a scandal like no other. It won’t make viewers support America’s political system any further, but “Ides” entertains on all the right notes.
Director Gary Marshall has experienced a case of déjà vu. Despite casting multiple Hollywood hunks and leading actresses in one film, 2010’s romantic comedy “Valentine’s Day” was welcomed to theaters by poor critic reviews. Fast forward to 2011, and Marshall’s “New Year’s Eve” experienced the same fate as its predecessor. While the film’s plot may be appealing to those who place excessive hype on the unofficial December holiday, the incessant examples of corny, mushy dialogue are almost too much to bear. Abigail Breslin’s character adds an enjoyable youth element to the plot, a role more enjoyable to watch than Taylor Swift’s immature cameo in “Valentine’s Day.” While all successful romantic comedies must include some elements of lovey-dovey sentiment, Marshall’s latest flick simply takes it too far.
BEST
Looking back on nian foreign film Lo and behold, I beat anything Ho landslide to boot. bait of any kind he dialogue: a drama emotion than mos for the inevitable wood will churn o terpiece of cinema
No ne
H T P T K
of t he
in its utter lack of plot creativ Vegas to Bangkok, the entire “Hangover.” At least in the fi fianakis) slipped roofies into e pack” members black out once Alan secretly injects with mu believable. Despite the sequel Hangover Part ll” went on to b comedies. For a film with such in profit but failed in creativity
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
Januar y 25, 2012
OF THE BEST
2011, I never would have thought an Iram would be my pick for film of the year. have been proven wrong: “A Separation” ollywood put out this past year – and by a . There’s no real violence, action or Oscar ere. All that audiences have is raw and real a between two families that conveys more st films in the past decade. You could wait e American remake that brain-dead Hollyout in a year or two, or you can see a masa that touches the humanity of all viewers.
ese f i lm
Expanding far beyond his traditional style of film, writer/director Kevin Smith gives a sinister vision into the mind of kooky right wing extremists with disturbing realism. Don’t expect any stoner or comic humor here. Smith creates arguably his best film yet, filled with everything from sadistic scenes of violence to intense action sequences that fixate the audience.
While this condensed version of the John le Carré trilogy takes the cake for the most complicated film of 2011, it is also a damn good one. Gary Oldman stars as George Smiley, a retired British secret service agent who is called back into duty after learning of a spy deep within the organization. The movie goes back and forth, between numerous montages and sequences, often coming off highly confusing. But the film keeps viewers guessing, and most importantly, interested. The desire to learn the mole’s identity is what makes “Tinker Tailor” such a well-crafted and wellexecuted drama.
George Clooney has starred in many films over the past few decades, including another on this list. But his acting in Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants” truly shines, and could potentially nab him this year’s best actor award. Clooney stars as Matt King, a man with a plethora of problems. While attempting to satisfy his cousins and other family members with a moneymaking settlement on some Hawaiian land, Clooney struggles when his wife is put on life support. King attempts to reconcile his children, only to find out more and more about his estranged wife. While it does lean towards the melodramatic, the movie succeeds on Payne’s witty and convincing writing.
hest grossing films of the year t op 5 hi g
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 Transformers: Dark of the Moon Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 Kung Fu Panda 2
$1,328,111,219 $1,123,746,996 $1,043,871,802 $701,271,000 $665,692,281
of s m ad r part e any ap quels o e s e r a pearances on m our Top List or our Flop List. All of the
In 2009, “The Hangover” had audiences crying from laughter, thus dubbing Zach Galifianakis the new king of comedy. Nearly three years later, references to wolf packs and the “three best friends” are still just as funny. Naturally, Hollywood producers wanted to capitalize on the unbelievable hype from the first film, but unfortunately, “The Hangover Part ll” simply could not measure up to the hysterical and clever original. Consequently, the sequel’s major problems have nothing to do with the cast or its comedic timing. In fact, the film’s sole downfall is vity. Although the setting changes from Las plot is essentially identical to the original first film, it was believable that Alan (Galieveryone’s drinks. In the sequel, the “wolf e again, after roasting marshmallows which uscle relaxers and ADHD medication. How l’s complete mimicry of the original, “The become one of the highest grossing R-rated h high expectations, it may have succeeded y.
Arts & Life|7
ies. a ser
Superhero flicks such as “Iron Man,” “The Dark Knight” and “Thor” have certainly raised the bar for future portrayals of comic book icons. While Ryan Reynolds looks good in almost anything, he proves that green is not his best color in the sci-fi action film “Green Lantern.” Reynolds plays Hal Jordan, a test pilot who becomes a green, glowing superhero who must save the universe. While the film’s visual effects are admirable, the plot is inconsistent in tone. Reynolds jumps back and forth between real-life problems on Earth and fighting villains in outer space. Acting performances by Reynolds, Blake Lively and Peter Sarsgaard, however, do not contribute to “Lantern’s” downfall. While Reynolds’ superhero performance did not earn him the same praise that Robert Downey, Jr. or Christian Bale received, one thing he did gain from the film was his new girlfriend, Blake Lively. With Reynolds’ “Safe House” releasing in theaters Feb. 10, he should certainly be able to redeem himself alongside Denzel Washington.
A Parisian gem from Woody Allen, a writer/director notorious for the cute, yet the absurd. “Midnight” is a unique rom-com starring Owen Wilson, a conflicted writer who wanders the streets of Paris while visiting with his fiancee. What he finds instead of scenic views is a deep journey into the depths of his own personal problems and questions of life. Wilson’s character, Gil, is pragmatic yet deprived: an uneven blend of blissfully content and deficient of self-purpose. “Midnight” is by far Wilson’s best role to date and one of Allen’s best films in recent memory.
It isn’t easy creating an Oscarcaliber sports film, but with the help of Brad Pitt’s strong acting chops and intense dialogue, “Moneyball” accomplishes the feat in more ways than one. The movie revolves around the real life story of Oakland A’s manager Billy Beane, who is faced with monetary and internal issues after the A’s best players leave the team. Jonah Hill also shines here. Although he does serve primarily as the comic relief audiences have come to know and love, he is able to keep up with Pitt in every scene, and is excellent as the young, yet knowledgeable assistant.
Judging from his recent film flops such as “Jack and Jill” and “Grown Ups,” it is clear that Adam Sandler’s humor has taken a noticeable dive since his “Happy Gilmore” and “Billy Madison” days. In “Just Go with It,” Jennifer Aniston plays Sandler’s work assistant who agrees to act as his ex-wife to keep up a lie Sandler’s character told his pretty blond girlfriend (Brooklyn Decker). The film is predictable, unoriginal and unbelievable. At 45, it is time for Sandler to stop playing the immature bachelor who miraculously attracts a beautiful 20-something. The film’s saving grace proves to be a few scenes that feature Eddie (Nick Swardson), Sandler’s comedic childhood friend. Most disappointing is Oscar winner Nicole Kidman’s role as Aniston’s high school rival. Kidman successfully portrays a rude one-upper, but the film’s utter stupidity overshadows her A-List acting skills. Films such as “Spanglish” and “Reign Over Me” showcased Sandler’s dramatic acting skills, so perhaps it’s time the funnyman finally realized and embraced his middle age.
8 |Arts & Life
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
Januar y 25, 2012
IDO SPOTLIGHT
sarah’s style
Sh*t My iPhone Says By SARAH ROSENBERG Associate Arts & Life Editor
Christian Hensen, Freshman, IDD Major, Long Island, N.Y.
Nicole Misencik Senior, IDD Major, Shelton
Nick Baldoni, Sophomore, IDD Major, San Antonio, Texas
Rave
Wreck
Project Runway Allstars
Dance Moms: Second Season Spotlight
MYLIFETIME.COM
The only thing familiar about “Project Runway All Stars” is the contestants’ faces. Everything else has been revamped on this top-rated Lifetime show. In its tenth season, 13 designers who came close to winning the top designer title have been brought back for another chance to win. However, designers have to impress an entirely new set of judges, comprised of Isaac Mizrahi, Georgina Chapman, co-founder of the fashion label Marchesa, and host Angela Lindvall, who lends an entirely new accent to former host Heidi Klum’s famous phrase, “auf wiedersehen.” For Lindvall, a simple “you’re out” suffices. The mentor for the designers is no longer Tim Gunn, but Joanna Cole, Marie Claire magazine’s editor-in-chief. As opposed to Gunn’s moral support and hugs, Cole doles out serious constructive criticism. The changes are refreshing and bring an entirely new vibe to the competition. In last week’s episode, contestants were asked to design an outfit for Miss Piggy to wear during “The Muppets” premiere. These designers know what they are doing, which eliminates the catty workroom drama and leaves viewers in awe of the amazing clothes constructed despite the always unconventional challenges. Tune in to “Project Runway All Stars” on Thursdays at 9 p.m. on Lifetime. – C. Boudreau
myLifetime.com
Abby Lee Miller hits the small screen again with her army of military-like trained 12-year-old dancers on Lifetime’s second season of the trashy hit, “Dance Moms.” However, we know that the girls’ outrageous ability is not really what this show is about, hence the title. The mothers of these dancers are also back, and they have more energy and enthusiasm than their daughters. However, they don’t need music to perform. It’s the drama that drives these middle-aged mean girls. Arguing and conniving over dance positions, costumes and who’s on the top of the competitive weekly pyramid, these moms can’t seem to get enough of their lives in the Pennsylvania studio. Abby, the head of the Abby Lee Dance Company and creator of these petty situations, does anything but dance around the drama with her loud and outrageous remarks. In the second season’s first episode, the drama surrounding solo performances and bumping up the girls’ ages to qualify in a competition is just the beginning. The newest mom added to the crew definitely doesn’t know what she’s in for. Dancing for Abby Lee may be a great opportunity, and the experience will be unforgettable, especially for the viewers at home, depending on who your mother is. – C. Burroni
Considering the fact that acquiring an iPhone was a 24-hour process (forgotten credit cards, Apple-hungry mall mobs, misplaced driver’s licenses, you know, the usual) I hoped that my transition from the BlackBerry to the iPhone would be smooth. So far, I would say I am a pretty satisfied customer. Autocorrect is a savior, Instagram helps me pretend I am a burgeoning photographer and the maps application for the directionally-impaired makes navigation a lot simpler. But then, there are those classic moments when technology becomes too much for itself, specifically in the case of an electronic female slave with a foreign name – Siri. Her name is eerily similar to that of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’s daughter, but it isn’t shocking. Siri is a celebrity, Steve Jobs’ love child with Apple before his premature death. This chick means business. Case in point: When I asked Siri if Cheez-its were the next solution to world peace, she brilliantly told me that she found three cheese shops near me. One of these “cheese shops” happened to be Caseus, a cheese and a restaurant in New Haven that one will notice on a shuttle ride to Toad’s. Now, thanks to Siri, I am hungry and craving cheese. Therefore, I will go to Caseus and indulge in an overpriced meal of dairy finger foods. Isn’t that Siri just a genius? With the click of a button, I am not only feeding my appetite but mobilizing the economy. World peace or not, I, along with the owner of Caseus, am a very happy camper. Alas, in the most hysterical fashion, Siri gives the worst directions. For a smart phone, she really does not know how to delegate a map when given a specific address. Maybe there’s something wrong with my pronunciation and diction when speaking into the microphone, as I don’t recall using expletives when asking for directions to Wallingford. That’s the thing about Siri—she won’t tolerate foul play, bad words or a rude tone. Be clear and respectful, and then she’ll be happy to be at your service. Thus, Siri is not a deep thinker. She cannot tell you the meaning of life, nor can she give you self-help advice. When asked where I can find my inner spirit, she replied, “I don’t know who you are, but you can tell me!” See, she’s always so supportive! But, she can point you in the right direction to discovering what’s in your future – astrology, horoscopes, local psychics. If I am lucky, she’ll lead me to someone who can predict what the consequences will be for asking my phone such asinine questions.
Bobcat TWEET OF THE WEEK @SeaMeade First day back at school and Quinnipiac is already asking me for $500 for my next year housing deposit?
Januar y 25, 2012
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
Crossword|9
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10|Sports
The Rundown
MEN’S BASKETBALL QU 78, Bryant 71 – Saturday James Johnson: 23 points Sacred Heart 78, QU 75 – Thursday Dave Johnson: 18 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists WOMEN’S BASKETBALL QU 71, Sacred Heart 34 – Monday Felicia Barron: 26 points Brittany McQuain: 9 points, 11 rebounds QU 84, Bryant 47 – Saturday Jasmine Martin: 13 points
games to watch MEN’S BASKETBALL QU (10-9, 3-5) vs. Mount St. Mary’s (4-15, 2-6) – Thursday, 7 p.m. QU (10-9, 3-5) vs. Wagner (15-4, 6-2) – Saturday, 2 p.m. WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY QU (14-9-2) vs. Syracuse (8-15-3) – Friday, 7 p.m. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL QU (14-5, 6-2) vs. Wagner (2-17, 1-7) – Saturday, noon
Quinnipiac Bobcats Sports Network is your source for live broadcasts.
Follow @QUChronSports for live updates during games.
Coxon: ‘We felt the time was right’ coxon from Page 12 start a new team and new program,” Coxon said. “We are ready to do that now with our infrastructure and setup.” Coxon has found out that starting a new franchise from the ground up is no easy task.
The team has held two tryouts, which have been attended by 187 players. It intends to lower this number to 25 to 30 and then begin to train and get ready for its first game on May 5. Quinnipiac players Will Daniels, Marijan Jurac, Brett Uttley, Kyle Moscovics, Tim Quigley, Durval
“It’s a lot more work than I ever expected. ... It’s a big task and we haven’t even kicked a ball yet, so there’s a lot more work ahead.” — Steve Coxon CFC Azul President, Quinnipiac women’s soccer assistant coach “It’s a lot more work than I ever expected,” Coxon said. “Initially I thought I could do a lot of the work and get some help but it has come to the point where we have a full-time office, full-time general manager and we’re hiring four or five interns. It’s a big task and we haven’t even kicked a ball yet, so there’s a lot more work ahead.” Other than the initial struggles, the team is still looking for a field to play its home games on. “We’re probably going to be playing at various college campuses,” Coxon said. “It’s hard to say because we don’t have anything confirmed yet but we’re talking about going down to Yale, playing some games in the Hartford area and playing in Fairfield County so we still haven’t got it all locked in yet.” CFC Azul has been holding tryouts at an indoor facility owned by Coxon.
Pereira and Sean McGarrity were among the players to try out. Coxon’s role with Quinnipiac as an assistant coach is considered a part-time role, which allows him to focus some time on CFC Azul. “The heavy-duty work for me is in the fall, starting mid-August, and this team is a May, June, July team,” Coxon said. “So there should be no conflicts.” Clarke also said that there would be no issues with the two teams’ schedules. “By the time the league is in full swing it’s the summer so there are no areas of conflict,” Clarke said. Clarke will enter his 14th season of coaching at Quinnipiac in the fall and has had no trouble adjusting to a more laid back role on the team. “It’s good to be involved in another aspect of the game, but I don’t have to be a head coach from an egotistical standpoint,” Clarke
said. “I just want to be around good coaches and good players. You learn to view the game from a different perspective.” Schuppert, who worked with the women’s soccer team his senior year, said he is honored to be working with Coxon and Clarke on the team. “It’s not work to me; it’s living a dream,” Schuppert said. Schuppert, who was born in Germany, moved to California when he was 13 and then moved to Hamden to attend Quinnipiac when he was 17. “I’ve always been into soccer,” Schuppert said. “It’s a bit different for Europeans. Growing up, soccer is in your blood. I don’t know how to put it into words. It’s surreal.” Coxon and Clarke knew Schuppert possessed the necessary skills for the modern-day media after he worked closely with them during his senior year. He was originally asked to help out with the team as the media guy, but his role has evolved into that of the general manager. “There’s a great deal of importance with electronic media, social media, marketing, video technology and the ability to stream in video and interviews,” Clarke said. “Robin has all that experience. Someone in his role maybe 20 years ago did it all in news print and now he doesn’t have to rely on the old media. He can be very proactive with Facebook, video
and streaming, and I think Robin will be at the forefront of that.” Apart from starting up the soccer franchise that is only a few miles away from Quinnipiac, Coxon was recently accepted into the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame. He will be officially inducted on Jan. 28 in Farmington. “It’s nice to get in there,” Coxon said. “There are a lot of my peers in there, guys I played soccer with in the pro leagues, guys I’ve coached with over the years. I’ve been around the game in Connecticut since 1987, when I came over to play. Connecticut has been my whole playing and coaching existence so it’s very nice.” Schuppert understands the company he’s surrounded by and has great respect for his boss. “He’s (Steve) another guy who knows a ton of guys in soccer and whatever Steve does or touches usually translates into bigger and better,” Schuppert said. “If you look at what he’s done with the youth program CFC. He’s a co-owner of that, has over 50 girls teams and over 40 guys teams.” Schuppert believes CFC Azul could quickly turn into a great soccer franchise if Coxon can continue his success in the sport. “He’s a co-owner of this arena, has his own soccer website,” Schuppert said. “He’s a businessman who has a passion for soccer.”
“It’s not work to me; it’s living a dream.” — Robin schuppert CFC Azul General manager, Quinnipiac alum 2011
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What you missed
Sports|11
Matt Eisenberg, Al Valerio/Chronicle
Clockwise from left: Zaid Hearst goes up for a shot in Thursday’s men’s basketball game vs. Sacred Heart; Matthew Peca skates along the boards in the men’s ice hockey game vs. Cornell Jan. 14.; Shaina Earle drives to the hoop in the women’s basketball game vs. Yale Dec. 20.; Bethany Dymarczyk passes the puck in the women’s ice hockey game vs. Cornell Jan. 7.
by the numbers
37
Average margin of victory in the women’s basketball road wins vs. Bryant and Sacred Heart.
12
Senior guard James Johnson’s rank in the Quinnipiac all-time scoring list.
James Johnson Men’s basketball Guard
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Senior Queens, N.Y.
Felicia Barron Women’s basketball Guard
Junior Springfield, Mass.
After a 16-point performance on the losing end against Sacred Heart Thursday night, Johnson totaled 23 points against Bryant in an overtime win on Saturday. He also moved past Justin Rutty with 1,526 points in his career, which is good for 12th on the all-time Quinnipiac scoring list.
After scoring 10 points in Saturdays 84-47 victory over Bryant, Barron tied a career-high with 26 points in Monday night’s win over Sacred Heart. Barron is the team’s leading scorer, as she averages 17.5 points per game. She also leads the team with 4.5 steals per game, which ranks first in the country.
Matt Eisenberg/Chronicle
Al Valerio/Chronicle
43.8
Rebounds per game for the men’s basketball team, second in the nation only to North Carolina.
11
Rebounds Brittany McQuain recorded in Monday’s 71-34 win against Sacred Heart.
15
Points scored by the men’s basketball team in overtime in Saturday’s game vs. Bryant. Quinnipiac won 78-71.
12|Sports
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
coach’s corner
Sports
“We’ve really turned into some road warriors. The team worked together and there’s a real trust there on the defensive end.”
— Tricia FABBRI WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACH
Januar y 25, 2012
quchronicle.com/sports sports@QUChronicle.com @QUChronSports
bobcat blue to azul 2 coaches, alum lead startup of local soccer franchise By joe addonizio Associate Sports Editor
After 10 years without a professional soccer team in Connecticut, Quinnipiac women’s soccer assistant coach Steve Coxon decided it had been long enough. Coxon, with the help of women’s head coach Dave Clarke, has created CFC Azu, “Connecticut’s newest and ONLY soccer franchise,” according to its Facebook page. The team is based out of Hamden. CFC Azul will play in the Premier Development League of the United Soccer Leagues. The PDL is the top developmental men’s league in North America. Each team plays 16 matches and the majority of the rosters are filled with collegiate players. The league enables these players to participate in higher competition while retaining their collegiate eligibility. Coxon serves as the team’s president and is also a majority owner while Clarke serves on the board of advisors. Quinnipiac alumnus Robin Schuppert also joined the Quinnipiac coaches and is the general manager of the team. Schuppert graduated last year with a degree in broadcast journalism and is also the former sports editor of the Quinnipiac Chronicle. Clarke brings immense knowledge of the game having coached the Bobcats for 13 years. He has also assisted with the Irish national women’s soccer team in the “Achieve Your Gold” tournament and is a licensed instructor for the United
anna brundage/Chronicle
Robin Schuppert (left) and Steve Coxon are two of the three people with ties to Quinnipiac University who have led the startup of Connecticut’s new soccer franchise. States Soccer Federation. Over the past three years, 111 players have been drafted in the MLS SuperDraft out of the PDL, which is
more than 70 percent of the selections. Coxon is familiar with the PDL having played for the last soccer franchise in Connecticut, the Con-
necticut Wolves, from 1993 to 1999. But the franchise based out of New Britain folded in 2002 and no professional soccer team has existed in
Connecticut since. “We felt the time was right to See coxon Page 10
Martin makes quick mark in team’s success By Kerry Healy Staff Writer
The Quinnipiac women’s basketball team proved that despite the amount of young players on the court, youth is not a factor in winning games. The freshman players are contributing just as much as the veterans and Jasmine Martin has led this youth movement as a spark off the bench, averaging 11.2 points per game. “Her presence has been an immediate lift to the entire team and what we are able to accomplish this year. She is just such a dynamic player coming into the program,” head coach Tricia Fabbri said. “It really has been so beneficial to just have her ability, athleticism, strength and skill to do great things for us this year.” Martin’s hard work ethic has paid off as she averages 20.1 minutes per game, the second-most on the team for freshmen. Martin was also named Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week for Nov. 28
and received the NEC Player of the Week honors on Jan. 18 alongside teammate Felicia Barron. “Individually I am happy with myself,” Martin said. “I’ve been getting to the gym and working on my shot. “They told me to get to the gym and work on it, and that’s what I’ve been doing.” Martin’s shot never seemed to be an issue though, as she scored 20 points against James Madison during her collegiate debut. She set her career high on Jan. 16 in a win over Robert Morris with 22 points. Martin also ranks fifth in the NEC in best free-throw percentage, as she is shooting 78.7 percent from the line. Martin explained the transition to college is never easy as an athlete. She found high school sports to be more simplistic and she dominated in the environment, only having to play the role of an offensive threat. Martin learned that she needed to become a defensive threat for Quinnipiac as well.
“Coming into college I wasn’t much of a defender. I had to teach myself to stay determined on defense,” Martin said. “It’s really easy to get out of focus.” Fabbri echoed the difficulties for a normal freshman making the transition from high school to college and said that Martin is adapting well. “I think for any freshman, the adjustment of the first semester with going through classes, the demands on your time, and how physical the game is at this level,” Fabbri said. “She has it all under her belt. We have all the confidence in the world when she’s in the game to do what she’s got to do both offensive and defensively.” As for being a young team, Fabbri said this is a non-existent issue. With a record of 18-5, 5-2 in the NEC, she said the team is really working hard and most importantly working hard together. “All the players have really blended and meshed together. The chemistry has been phenomenal,”
Fabbri said. “Even though we are young, our lone championship appearance was with all freshmen. And at this point in the season, no one’s a freshman. We are all experienced, but in terms of years we might be young.” Fabbri said one of the best things about Martin is the fact that she is only a freshman because she still has a lot of time to develop as a player and as a team leader. “I just think the best thing about [Jasmine] is she has such a positive outlook and a big positive attitude,” Fabbri said. “She is just so fun loving off the court and wants to have a good time and when she walks in the room people want to follow her. She’s going to develop into a tremendous leader in this program, on this team, and over the course of her career.” Martin and the team’s play will need to be at its best as the team prepares for more NEC matchups, as the Bobcats are tied for second place with Monmouth University and are one game behind Sacred Heart.
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Jasmine Martin is second on the team in scoring, as she averages 11.2 points through 19 games in her freshman season.