The Ramapo News 03.15.12
XLII NO. 17
A PUBLICATION BY THE STUDENTS FOR THE RAMAPO COLLEGE COMMUNITY the rundown
arts
HARVARD SPEAKER
Randall Kennedy spoke in Friends Hall about race, law and politics. Page 3
&
entertainment
sports
SPOKEN POETRY SLAM
WHERE SHOULD PEYTON GO?
Gabriela Garcia Media, a spoken word poet, performed as part of the College Programming Board’s Tuesday Night Live series. Page 8
Our writers analyze each of Manning’s possible destinations as a free agent. Page 15
Ramapo Mourns Beloved Chemistry Professor Brandolini By NICOLE ALLIEGRO News Editor
Assistant Professor of Analytical Chemistry Anita Brandolini is remembered for her enthusiasm for science and passion for helping others, even though she faced health issues. Outside of the College, Brandolini was very involved in the American Chemical Society and volunteered at the Liberty Science Center. Photo courtesy of Arthur Felix
Assistant Professor of Analytical Chemistry Anita Brandolini, 56, passed away in her home on Monday. “We were shocked to lose such a valuable collegue,” said Arthur Felix, associate professor of chemistry. “She was really an ideal colleague, always available with help and suggestions. She was there for everybody.” Brandolini, since joining the College’s School of Theoretical and Applied Sciences (TAS) in 2007, taught instrumental and analytical chemistry and worked with many upper level students as an honors research mentor. She had earned tenure just last year, according to Felix, and was set for a promotion in the fall. Brandolini, sometimes called “Brando” by her colleagues and students, was further recognized last year by the American Chemical Society (ACS) as an outstanding teacher, being awarded the prestigious Emmett Reid Award for her teaching and research. She is also the only Ramapo faculty member to be inducted a fellow of the ACS. “She was a spectacular teacher,” said Edward Saiff, dean of TAS. “Everybody liked her—I didn’t
know of one person who didn’t, and that includes the students and the faculty and the staff.” Some students became especially close with Brandolini through the TAS-Research Honors Program, and Assistant Professor of Chemistry Sarah Carberry reported that Brandolini “always had the most research students” of the other chemistry professors. Whereas Carberry said it is more common for professors to take on three or four students and have them work on similar research, Brandolini was working with five, each on a different project. “Every single one of her students had a unique project that was all their own, which is also kind of rare,” Carberry explained, adding that even with an hour and a half commute from Hillsborough, New Jersey, she made the effort to get to campus on her off days and even sometimes in the summer. “She was here a lot,” said fellow chemistry professor Carol Frishberg. “She didn’t just come, teach her classes, and leave.” In addition to her courses and mentoring, she was actively involved in the Chemistry & Biochemistry Club on campus. Chemistry convener Steve Anderson said that although Brandolini gave up the adviser see BRANDOLINI on page 2
Board of Trustees Abolishes Tenure Cap Years after State Does TENURE NOW TO BE GRANTED ON APPLICATION CRITERIA ALONE By RACHEL WINTERMUTE Staff Writer Ramapo College’s Board of Trustees decided to abolish the faculty tenure cap at the end of last month. The cap, as outlined in Board Policy #459, limited granting tenure to 75 percent of the faculty. After five years of teaching, a faculty member has the
opportunity to apply for tenure, which contractually guarantees that their position is secure from arbitrary termination. Without a cap on the number of tenured faculty, committees can now award tenure based on criteria alone. President Peter Mercer said that although New Jersey abolished regulated tenure cap ratios in the mid-1990s, they did not disappear at Ramapo.
weekend weather
F RID AY
“When they were abolished, the public colleges were free to establish, by their own regulations, a similar cap if they wished,” Mercer said. “Ramapo, I believe, was the only college to do so. It undoubtedly had its own reasons at the time, but it meant we were in this unusual position of being the only college which had that sort of restraint.” Anthropology professor Susan
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Hangen, who chaired the AllColleges Tenure Committee last fall, said that the faculty assembly talked with Mercer about the cap and together realized that the power to abolish it rested with the Board of Trustees. “So, in order to preserve the ability of faculty to go through the tenure process normally, to be assessed normally without this artificial barrier, we asked the
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Board to repeal that portion of the bylaw,” Mercer said. The Board decided on the issue during its meeting on Monday, Feb. 27. Hangen said that while the cap did not impact any past tenure decisions, there was a definite threat that upcoming tenure applications would push against the 75 percent mark.
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see TENURE on page 5
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Thursday, March 15, 2012
Page 2 The Ramapo News
The Ramapo News Robert A. Scott Student Center 505 Ramapo Valley Road Mahwah, NJ 07430
201 - 684 - 7842 rcnjnews@ramapo.edu Elyse Toribio Editor-in-Chief Nicole Alliegro News Editor Danielle Reed Arts & Entertainment Editor Andrew Gould Sports Editor Stefanie Mauro Photo Editor Matt Giuliari Melissa Piombo Creative Directors Kaitlin McGuinness Web Editor Ashley Jade Beasley Business Manager Dan Sforza Technical Advisor
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INSIDE: the rundown Page 3
Viewpoints Page 7
Arts & Entertainment Page 8
SPORTS Page 13
★ POLICY Whenever necessary, The Ramapo News will publish corrections or clarifications in the following issues. All corrections must be brought to the attention of the editor as soon as possible. The Ramapo News strives for accuracy. In keeping with journalistic standards, pre-publication review of any article, quote or editorial is not allowed. Viewpoints may be dropped off at SC-218 or e-mailed to rcnjnews@ ramapo.edu. The Ramapo News reserves the right to edit viewpoints for content, style and space. Anonymous viewpoints will not be accepted. Paid advertisements are accepted at the sole discretion of The Ramapo News staff. Rates are available by contacting the editorial staff by phone or e-mail.
BRANDOLINI continued from page 1
position for the club after three years, she still helped out at meetings and presentations. “Even two weeks ago, she was in the Chemistry Club doing a workshop on resume writing for our upper level students, who are in the process of grad school applications or the workplace,” he said. “She had industry experience, and she had academic experience…and she was giving students really good background into what should be on a resume. That’s the kind of thing she did.” Prior to beginning her teaching career in 2000 at several New Jersey colleges, Brandolini worked for 17 years at Mobil Chemical Company (now Exxon Mobil) as a senior research chemist and analytical group leader.
“ANITA WAS STILL LIKE A LITTLE CHILD DOING THEIR FIRST VINEGAR AND BAKING SODA VOLCANO. SHE JUST LOVED [CHEMISTRY], AND THAT’S CONTAGIOUS.” -Carol Frishberg, chemistry professor
Many students felt the experience Brandolini gained through this job widened her knowledge in the classroom setting. “There was always context to what she taught, and she had so much industry experience,” said senior Danielle Mazza. “She didn’t even need a textbook to teach us. She could have taught straight from her experience the whole semester.” Chemistry lab coordinator Carol Ichinco said Brandolini’s career as a chemist also set her apart from other professors. “[Brandolini’s] experience in both industry and academia gave her special insight in teaching upper level chemistry courses and preparing students for whichever path they chose to pursue after graduating from Ramapo,” she said. “She was a top-notch educator with a genuine love of science.” Frishberg said it was this passion that drew her—and others—to Brandolini. “Nobody gets a PhD and commits to a career in chemistry unless they enjoy it, but Anita was still like a little child doing their first vinegar and baking soda volcano. She just loved [chemistry], and
that’s contagious,” she explained. Brandolini’s enthusiasm for chemistry extended beyond the campus community as well. She was a longtime volunteer at the Liberty Science Center (where she frequently took her students on trips and to attend annual Chemistry Expos), a councilor for the North Jersey ACS section and a national committee member of ACS’s Project SEED, a program that encourages low-income, underrepresented high school students to study chemistry at colleges over the summer by providing them with research mentors and study stipends. “That is not a trivial thing: to teach a student real science, lab science, techniques, theory, watch over them, make sure that they’re okay, that they understand, that they’re safe,” said Frishberg. “That takes an incredible commitment… [But] every year that she’s been here, [Brandolini] has mentored students, and I believe really imparted to them that excitement of science research.” Brandolini not only connected with her students and colleagues on an academic level, but on a personal level as well. “When I met [Brandolini], I felt like my colleagues had hired a friend for me,” Frishberg added. “At that time, I was the only woman in the chemistry program, and even though my male colleagues are wonderful, … this was just a woman who was a little bit closer to my age and understood what we went through to become chemists.” Carberry, the only other female in TAS’s chemistry faculty, also felt that bond with Brandolini. “She was a really good mentor,” Carberry said. “I’ve never really had a lot of women mentors in my academic career. She was really good at talking to me about things that she’d gone through...to get to finally be a real professor.” Even outside of the College, Brandolini’s colleagues all
reported that she kept up her friendships to her fullest potential, despite the various health issues that plagued her. “She was just a good friend,” Carberry said. “Outside of school, she was always there for me, even if she wasn’t feeling that well.” Brandolini suffered from breathing and lung problems that required her to use oxygen tanks to combat shortness of breath, but Steven Yourstone, one of her students, said “she always kept a positive attitude” about her situation. “Until literally last week, [Brandolini’s health] hasn’t really impacted her classes and her teaching,” said Anderson, who added that Brandolini always tried to remain independent despite her condition. “It was a real effort for her to walk uphill, to lug stuff, including her oxygen tanks, but nothing ever stopped her,” Frishberg said. “You had to force her to take help.” Aside from teaching and serving chemistry outside of the College, Brandolini authored two books, including one for children, “Fizz, Bubble and Flash!: Element Explorations and Atom Adventures for Hands-On Science Fun.” She also kept up a family science blog, Dr. B’s Science Lab, geared toward teaching chemistry to young children. “Her whole life revolved around teaching chemistry, whether it was to little kids [or] college kids,” Saiff said. Student Julie Truong said that Brandolini took special pleasure in teaching, as she didn’t have any kids herself. “She said we were her kids. She doesn’t have children of her own, so we’re like her kids,” Truong explained. “She will tell us when we do something wrong—and we did many wrong things, many times. But she’s also very proud of us.” Senior Holly Sorenson said that just as she felt that she was more
than a student to her research mentor, Brandolini was also more than a professor to her students. “She was my professor, research adviser, mentor and friend,” Sorenson said. “I’ve spent hours in her office, talking about science and anything else that either of us had on our minds.” Currently, Saiff said he and other TAS professors are working on creating a plan of action to cover the hole Brandolini will leave in the faculty. Though nothing has been finalized yet, Saiff said a “tried and true” adjunct professor will take over Brandolini’s classes and work with her research students. Once this is straightened out, Saif said, TAS will next formulate ideas on how to commemorate and honor Brandolini for years to come. Other professors, however, had their own ideas about ways to carry on Brandolini’s legacy at Ramapo College and beyond. A few awards and scholarships in her honor are in the works and Carberry even hopes that the instrument room to be constructed in the new G-building will be named after Brandolini. Most importantly, though, Anderson said Brandolini’s influence and high standard of work have been imparted on all of the students she has taught. “Everybody who graduates from here has had a little bit of ‘Brando’ implanted in them, whether they know it or not,” he said. “So when they’re off in their swanky jobs doing some writing in their lab report or keeping their lab manual in correct procedure, that’s going to be ingrained in them from the influence she had.” Brandolini is survived by her sister. Donations in her memory can be sent to the Liberty Science Center, 222 Jersey City Bvld., Jersey City, NJ 07305, or to ACS’s Project SEED. nalliegr@ramapo.edu
Anita Brandolini, along with fellow chemistry professor Sarah Carberry, often volunteered to teach fun science classes for all ages at the College family days every year. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Herring for Ramapo College
Thursday, March 15, 2012
The Ramapo News Page 3
the rundown Students Debate Merits of Online, College-Based Job Portals By DAN MORRELL Staff Writer Jobbook.com is a new website that has recently joined the fleet of job and internship search engines. The site was introduced in 2011 by college students and graduates with the goal “to become the site of reference in the world for online recruitment,” according to team member Lee Rozins, who is
a Ramapo graduate. “Our concept is quite interesting,” said Rozins. “Job seekers join our site, create their Codeable CV [Curriculum Vitae], and choose the jobs they want from our Jobdictionary (which lists all the job titles in the world, field by field). Our system matches our members with the best job available for them, according to employer specifications.”
Users create their own CV, which is essentially an online resume constructed via the website, and select the types of jobs that appeal to them in the fields of their choice. Unlike other job search sites, such as Ramapo’s The Archway, Jobbook does the searching for its users and notifies them when a job opening is available. The site does have one stipulation, however. “Once a hire is made, Jobbook
In a Facebook poll, students reported that online job sites, such as Jobbook, are the most popular sources for finding jobs and internships, whereas services provided by the Cahill Center, including The Archway, aren’t utilized.
takes 5 percent of that person’s first year salary up until 12 months,” said Rozins. If students are not looking to sacrifice a portion of their first year’s salary, and do not mind searching for jobs themselves, The Archway is an alternative. According to Beth Ricca, the director of Career Development at the Cahill Center, 775 employers have posted over 1,000 positions on the database, and 2,6000 students to date have already created their profiles. The Archway is also exclusive to Ramapo students, which Ricca considers an advantage of the database against other portals. “Employers that post positions on The Archway are specifically seeking Ramapo students and graduates. These include coops, internships, part-time jobs, full-time jobs and on-campus positions,” she explained. “The Archway is not a public job bank open to everyone, and Ramapo has relationships with many of the employers that utilize The
Archway to fill their positions. These employers...understand the quality of our students; many of them are Ramapo alumni. This certainly provides our students with an advantage.” Beyond external jobs and internships, The Archway lists oncampus positions as well, which is where junior Mel Lewis said she found her job. “I got my on campus job in the Berrie Center,” she said. “I like that I could go to the on-campus office and got all the paperwork sorted out there and how helpful they were.” The Archway does not appeal to all students, though, and leads many to turn to other sites. “The site is highly confusing, and you have to build up your profile only to find that any internship and job posting that is worth applying to is off another site, where you have to rebuild your profile,” said Asa Hilmersson. “I’m not a fan of The Archway.” dmorrell@ramapo.edu
Harvard Professor Discusses Race, Law, Politics at Ramapo
Harvard Law School professor and race and politics scholar Randall Kennedy gave a talk yesterday in Friends Hall. Kennedy’s talk was part of the Dean’s Lecture Series organized by Assistant Professor of Political Science Michael Unger and Assistant Professor of Law and Society Aaron Lorenz. President Peter P. Mercer attended the lecture as well. Photos by Steve Fallon
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
THURSDAY’S CHILD
TODAY IN HISTORY
joke of the day
“It’s almost like we skipped winter and now we’re going to skip spring, too.” - Gino Izzi, National Weather Service meteorologist commenting on the warm weather across much of the U.S.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second woman Supreme Court Justice, turns 79 today. Mazel tov to the first Jewish female justice!
Beware the Ides of March! Julius Caesar was stabbed to death after a seer prophesized he’d be killed on this day in 44 B.C.
What do you get when you cross an elephant and a rhino? ‘Elephino!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Page 4 The Ramapo News
Scholarship Fund Helps Haitian Students Study at Ramapo COLLEGE CONTINUES TO RAISE MONEY, AIDE FOR HAITI AFTER ‘10 DEVASTATION By CANDACE MITCHELL Staff Writer Following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Ramapo College formed the Haiti Scholarship Committee in order to take initiative to help the devastated country. The Committee decided the best way to do this was through education, by sponsoring Haitian students to study at the College. Now, over a year later, Clifford Denis and Roselaure Charles, students from Haiti, have been here for almost a full year. The goal of the Haiti Scholarship Committee is for Denis and Charles to return to Haiti in 2015 with degrees from Ramapo College that will allow them to give back to their communities. “We wanted two students who had the need and ability to achieve a Ramapo College degree,” Lisa Lutter, associate professor of vocal music who was on the committee of professors that created the Haitian Scholarship Fund, said. “We preferred a male and a female whose career interest and majors were different.” The committee achieved this initial goal by selecting Denis, a physics engineering major, and Charles, a film major. “I like Ramapo because this is where I learn the American culture, discover new food, meet new people, and learn another
language,” Charles said. However, the students admitted that the change in culture and language did take some getting used to. “I consider myself pretty lucky, since it did not take me too much time to adjust to the academic system of the College,” Clifford explained. “The only major obstacle was the new idioms. I had to start thinking fast enough and get used to people speaking fast. I think I am getting better even though I think that I still have to progress.” Denis and Charles expect to continue for three more years at Ramapo College, provided the Haiti Scholarship can raise enough money for the pair’s second year here. “We raise the money year by year, and every year is a challenge,” Lutter said. The Committee has raised half of the $28,000 necessary to cover room and board for the students’ second year at Ramapo College (President Mercer waived the pair’s tuitions and fees). Sixty percent of the faculty and staff have contributed to the fund. “I didn’t have the money to pay Ramapo College, and now I have the opportunity to get a bachelor’s in film here,” said Charles. “After, I can give back to my country by sharing my knowledge with my fellow Haitians. Haiti needs to rebuild and this is
Clifford Denis, a physics engineering major, and Roselaure Charles, a film major, hope to finish their degrees at Ramapo and then return to Haiti to help their country. Photo courtesy of Jessica Mazzola, Mahwah.Patch.com
the best way I can help my country.” The Haiti Scholarship Committee also hosts events to raise money. They recently held their second annual Haiti celebration, reflecting Ramapo College’s long-standing relationship with Haiti. “Ramapo College has hosted Haitian scholars, writers and artists,” added Lutter. “The College currently has the largest academic collection of Haitian art in the U.S.”
While Ramapo has always had a history with Haiti, the devastating earthquake sparked the College to act. “Our committee will always support Haiti; it’s one of our closest neighbors to the U.S. and because of the close cultural connection we have with Haiti, it’s important to take care of our neighbors,” Lutter said. cmitche3@ramapo.edu
Speaker Shares Tips on Saving Money, Setting Spending Limits By ALEJANDRO HERNANDEZ Staff Writer Known as the “budgetnista,” Tiffany Aliche wears many hats: she considers herself an entrepreneur, a financial consultant and even an inspirational speaker. On Monday, Aliche spoke to Ramapo College students about how to take control of their financial future. “My specialty is teaching fun financial literacy in a way that is easily consumable and comprehensive,” she explained. “I currently teach seminars to all age ranges, host financial fun parties, [and] consult with individual clients as well as larger organizations and schools.” Aliche, who graduated from Montclair State University with a degree in business administration and a master’s from Seton Hall in education, also authored “The One Week Budget,” which is out now. She lives by the motto “work less and live more.” Aliche’s advised students on several ways to “ensure financial bliss,” including revamping shopping habits, curbing harmful behaviors and setting your own standards.
“IT’S NOT EVERY DAY SOMEONE COMES TO SPEAK TO STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR FINANCES AND GENUINELY WANT TO HELP.” - David Rodriguez, student
“The first thing would be to stop buying on impulse—if you don’t honestly need
it, don’t buy it,” Aliche told the audience. “Stop ‘keeping up with the Joneses.’ People around you don’t set the standard on what you need. [Another] definite way to save money is to stop bad habits. Maybe you smoke—cigarettes are expensive—or even not getting that expensive cup of coffee every morning. These are all things that diminish your bank account.” Students seem to be taking Aliche’s messages to heart.
“STOP ‘KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES.’ PEOPLE AROUND YOU DON’T SET THE STANDARD ON WHAT YOU NEED.”
of undergraduates admit to needing more financial management education. Of these students, 64 percent of them said they would have preferred some type of financial literacy education in high school and 40 percent as college freshmen. “You never give more than you are able to give,” instructed Aliche. “The way I express this to my own clients is, the worst thing you can do for a broke person is to become one of them.” David Rodriguez reports that he found Aliche’s lecture to be helpful and hopes to see similar events in the future.
“I actually got a lot from the speech; it’s not every day someone comes to speak to students about their finances and genuinely want to help,” he said. “I just wish Ramapo had more events like this. Bring people to campus that can actually assist us. It’s not easy making financial choices.” Aliche ended her speech with some words to live by. “A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow,” she said. ahernand@ramapo.edu
- Tiffany Aliche, financial consultant and guest speaker
“I have slowed down my shopping,” said Gerilee Rosado. “I am paying off my debts and have even started paying off student loans. I want to be successful, but it’s going to be hard moving out of my parent’s house if I can’t get my finances in order now. It is not hard; all one has to do is really concentrate on putting money away instead of spending it frivolously.” Even underclassmen, who may still be unsure of their future, said that they found Aliche’s advice to be significant. “I don’t know exactly what I want to do with my life,” said sophomore Adriana Galicia. “Money, however, does play a huge part of my decision. I want to be financially stable; I have a need to be successful.” Aliche’s guidance comes at a good time. Sallie Mae reports that 84 percent
Over 50 Ramapo students chimed in on what they spend the most money on, via a Facebook poll.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
The Ramapo News Page 5
NJ Beekeepers Find Home at Ramapo for Meetings, New Hive BEEKEEPING BECOMING A SUSTAINABLE, POPULAR HOBBY By ALEJANDRO HERNANDEZ Staff Writer “Warm weather means one thing: bees,” said Rich Schluger, vice president of the New Jersey Beekeepers Association (NJBA), which has recently chosen Ramapo College as its headquarters for monthly meetings and a new beehive in the Havemeyer House vegetable garden. While some students may fear bees or underestimate the advantages of a colony of bees, Schluger said there are actually a number of benefits of this new partnership between the College and the NJBA. “We have always wanted to partner with an educational institution, and Ramapo seemed like a perfect fit,” said Schluger. “Ramapo benefits from this hive, because bees are responsible for pollination. More pollination means more greens, more greens mean more photosynthesis, [and] more photosynthesis means less carbon dioxide in the air. We are actually working with the environmental studies and environmental science professors now to do some integration.” The NJBA, a statewide organization, is comprised of over 700 beekeepers, including hobbyists, sideliner and commercial keepers.
TENURE continued from page 1
“Right now, tenure is not competitive,” Hangen said. “Basically if you meet the criteria, you get tenure. This [cap] was going to make tenure competitive. There would be ‘x’ number of slots for candidates going up, and the stakes would be very high. Either you get one of those slots, or you’re kicked out.” Without the cap, the tenure process will be judged on criteria stated in the faculty handbook. Both Mercer and Hangen noted that the removal of the cap will help to retain qualified professors. “We already have a pretty small faculty here at Ramapo College, compared to the total number of students,” Hangen said, “and for us to have to face cutting back faculty because we couldn’t give them tenure because of some arbitrary cap
“The purpose of the club is to foster and promote the art of apiculture in New Jersey and to educate residents of the Garden State about the state insect, the honeybee, and its vital role in agriculture,” said NJBA representative Bob Hughes. Schluger reported that a few students have even joined the club for its meetings, which features movie screenings, discussions, and guest speakers. Informed students recognize the sustainable potential of having a hive on campus. “I am a fan of the idea of having a beehive on campus, only because of the benefits it presents,” said Danielle Burke. “This is such a green campus, and I feel like this would really help the students in seeing the benefits of the insects.” On the other hand, others worry that the hive at the Havemeyer house could be problematic. “Isn’t that dangerous?” sophomore Charmin Wilson wondered. “There must be people on campus that are allergic.” But, Schluger insists that honeybees, often confused with hornets or wasps, are not aggressive. “A bee can land on you and will not sting unless it feels threatened,” he explained.
would be really, I think, devastating. It was really creating very low morale among untenured faculty members.” Mercer’s sentiments echoed the fact that Ramapo has a relatively small faculty, which he said was one of the reasons that there were few financial implications regarding the removal of the tenure cap.
“FOR US TO HAVE TO FACE CUTTING BACK FACULTY BECAUSE WE COULDN’T GIVE THEM TENURE BECAUSE OF SOME ARBITRARY CAP WOULD BE REALLY, I THINK, DEVASTATING.” -Susan Hangen, professor of anthropology
Despite the new influx of bees and beekeepers on campus, CNN reported last spring that there has actually been a decrease in the bee population.
“THIS IS SUCH A GREEN CAMPUS, AND I FEEL LIKE THIS WOULD REALLY HELP THE STUDENTS IN SEEING THE BENEFITS OF THE INSECTS.” -Danielle Burke, student
“Beekeepers throughout the United States have been losing between 50 and 90 percent of their honeybees of the past six months, perplexing scientists, driving honey prices higher, and threatening fruit and vegetable production,” according to an article on CNN Money. Schluger echoed this sentiment, describing that bees are actually becoming extinct, due to, among other causes, environmental change-related stresses, malnutrition, unknown pathogens, mites, pesticides, disease, or genetically modified crops. ahernand@ramapo.edu
Tenure does not guarantee a raise in salary, but it does create an obligation of job security to tenured faculty. For instance, if the state substantially cut funding to the school, Mercer said that there would need to be more staff layoffs, because the College would not be able to lay off tenured faculty. That, however, is unlikely in the near future. The College’s relatively low employment of just 225 full-time faculty members is a good reason to tenure qualified young professors, said Mercer. In addition to retaining current qualified faculty members by awarding unlimited tenure, the removal of the policy will also help attract new professors that may have been otherwise turned off by the threat of the cap. rwinterm@ramapo.edu
Thursday, March 8, 2012
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did you know?
MARCH
is academic advisement month
MANDATORY FOR FIRST YEAR STUDENTS! important dates:
3/26: Last day to withdraw from courses with “W” grade 3/26: Last day to request Repeat Fail option 3/30 Graduation Applications due for August graduation 4/2: Summer/ Fall Priority Registration begins
Online resources for students and faculty advisors: www.ramapo.edu/myadvisor/ www.ramapo.edu/myadvisees
make your appointment now! Contact the Center for Academic Advisement and First-Year Experience (CAAFYE) D-207 | 201-684-7441 | caafye@ramapo.edu | ww2.ramapo.edu/admissions/caafye
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Campus views are the sole opinion of their respective authors, submitted to The Ramapo News and in no way reflect the views of either The Ramapo News or Ramapo College of New Jersey.
The Ramapo News Page 7
VIEWPOINTS Is Mitt Romney Too Centrist to Win? Breitbart Casts Shadow By C.M. GABBETT Guest Contributor, President of Ramapo College Republicans This fall will bring about one of the hardest fought elections in American history. Currently, the president has a few key advantages. Primarily, he is an incumbent and therefore has proven his electability. Second, he has a campaign war chest that has already topped one billion dollars and, as is usual for President Obama, he has made it clear that he intends to spend all of it. However, his biggest advantage in the election is the prolonged Republican primary battle. The Republican primary consists of four candidates: Fmr. Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Fmr. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Fmr. Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, and Congressman Ron Paul. All four men have vowed to continue their candidacy up to the convention and three of them are banking their hopes on the fourth not managing to pick up enough delegates to secure the nomination in time. This may seem like a good plan to the supporters of these three, but if members of the Republican Party want to see a Republican in the White House come 2013 (and believe me, we do) then the party needs to unite behind Mitt Romney. Without a doubt, Mitt Romney has the best chance at defeating President Obama come November. His greatest strength in the fall is what is making it so difficult for him to secure the nomination right now; he is a centrist. Far-right conservatives are pushing for Santorum or Gingrich to claim the nomination, but realistically, they will vote for the Republican ticket regardless of the eventual candidate. The hyper-conservative base is not the portion of the populace that the party should be pandering to. Their votes are secure. It’s centrists and independents that we should be looking towards. Independents and centrists do not view hyper conservative
By MIKE MCILRAITH Staff Writer
To date, GOP candidate Mitt Romney has snagged 495 of the 1,144 delegates needed to win the Republican nomination. In the “Super Tuesday” primary elections of March 6, Romney won seven states. Photo by Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia
candidates favorably. Rick Santorum is seen by many as too conservative on social issues and Gingrich lacks a verbal filter, which costs him votes in this group. Ron Paul is often liked by independents, but his libertarian policies go too far for most members of either party to take him seriously. Mitt Romney, however, is centrist enough that he is willing to take advice from more liberal advisors and officials, and even incorporate aspects of their ideas, but balance them out with a conservative understanding of reality.
“[ROMNEY’S] GREATEST STRENGTH IN THE FALL IS WHAT IS MAKING IT SO DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO SECURE THE NOMINATION RIGHT NOW; HE IS A CENTRIST.” Romney has already proved that he connects better with more centrist voters. He has won nearly every primary that has been held in a swing state, especially those that voted for Obama in 2008. Crucial states such as Ohio, Florida, Nevada, Michigan, Virginia, and New Hampshire have already cast their primary ballots and Romney has won all of them. His opponents have almost exclusively won states that are going to vote for the Republican
candidate come Hell or high water, such as Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. However, in order to challenge and defeat Obama in the fall, Romney first has to defeat his own party. Romney’s opponents still cling to the belief that he is not the inevitable nominee. In order to clinch the nomination, a candidate must win 1,144 delegates. With about a quarter of the delegates already selected, Romney has already secured at least 495 of them, more than half of the delegates to date. The longer the primary season goes, the longer the other Republican candidates have to sabotage their own party’s chances at winning the Presidency in November. The time has come to unite behind a single candidate and help him to take the White House this fall! [Gabbett is the President of the Ramapo College Republicans and the Publicity chair for the Ramapo Political Forum. For details on either of these organizations or how to get involved, he can be reached at cgabbett@ramapo.edu.]
Have an alternative point of view? Email the editor at rcnjnews@ramapo.edu with a counterpoint.
It is cliché to repeat the Latin phrase, “De mortuis nihil nisi bonum,” which translates to “Speak no ill of the dead,” as it is not socially appropriate to say anything negative about a recently deceased person. However, what if criticism of a dead person was entirely constructive and warranted? Last week, Jake Hyman wrote a piece on the passing of right wing blogger Andrew Breitbart, who was influential in the political atmosphere on the internet. While his viewpoint may be apt, I thought he was far too complimentary. In fact, I wonder if textbooks for journalism classes will include a section on how to be a reactionary, race-baiting reporter. When Hyman wrote “Andrew Breitbart was to the right what Michael Moore is to the left,” one could spot the simplicity of this analogy. Sure, Michael Moore does not represent all of the left and he may not be the best truth teller. However, in documentaries like “Sicko” and “Capitalism: A Love Story,” he made an attempt to critique the corporate institutions which have a massive gripe on political decision making in Washington and thus having an interest in people participating in a democratic manner. Conversely, with websites like “BigGovernment” and “BigHollywood,” Breitbart, like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, appealed to the gullible fringe of the right wing establishment. Where credit is due is when he exposed the photos of disgraced Representative of New York Anthony Weiner after the latter lied, claiming the racy pictures were posted to Twitter by a hacker. Breitbart lost almost all of his credibility when the ACORN scandal, which Hyman makes mention of in his piece, revealed that heavily edited videos depicted employees engaged in criminal activity. Another heavily edited video of former United States Department of Agriculture official Shirley
Letters to the Editor (Viewpoints) should be brief and must include the name and contact information, including a phone number of the writer. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Letters with multiple signatories must provide proof that every name listed agrees to the content of the letter. If one name does not agree, the letter will not be printed. For this reason, letters must be submitted by 7p.m. on Monday to allow for verification. Letters containing obscenities, profanity or libel will not be published. The Ramapo News reserves the right to edit letters for clarity, content or space purposes.
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Sherrod showed her to be a racist arguing for institutional racism while taking quotes out of context from a speech she was making during a NAACP meeting, ignoring how, while encountering a farmer, she wanted to help poor people regardless of race or ethnicity. Even though major news networks like CNN and MSNBC rejected the allegations of racism in the numerous videos, ACORN, a non-partisan organization which helped low and middle-income families, was shut down in the wake of the scandal, even though independent investigations found that employees had not engaged in criminal activities and Sherrod was forced to resign from the USDA. Recently, in another viral video, Breitbart engaged in vitriolic attacks against Occupy Wall Street protesters at a CPAC convention, telling protesters to “behave yourself,” “you’re freaks and animals” and, another smear, “stop raping people.” I surely hope everyone would agree that this is not the conduct of a journalist looking for truth in a story, but a detractor engaging in a political stunt for attention. People in the media should have the right to opinions through critically looking at issues and current events, but there is a difference between opinion and journalism. What separated Breitbart from an icon like Walter Cronkite is that even though Cronkite took issue with the Vietnam War, he was still able to report on the matter in a responsible manner to the American public. Of course, like many of us who follow political news on the internet, I was astonished by Breitbart’s passing; after all, he had a dominant hold on conservative media around the internet and a human loss is bad for all of us. Nevertheless, unlike Hyman, I honestly cannot come up with a positive picture of the man; in fact, he probably would have wanted people to be critical at him when he passed. His legacy is that he should be remembered as a journalist no one should look up to. mmcilrai@ramapo.edu
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Page 8 The Ramapo News
Arts & Entertainment Spoken Word Poet Connects to Audience on Personal Level GABRIELA GARCIA MEDINA GIVES PASSIONATE, STIRRING PERFORMANCE
Spoken word poet Gabriela Garcia Medina came to campus on Tuesday and gave an emotional performance, discussing her life and how poetry has impacted it, with audience members. Photos courtesy of Donna Elazar
By KRISTINE DONOVAN Staff Writer Spoken word poet Gabriela Garcia Medina took the floor at this week’s Tuesday Night Live Series event. With an hour long set, Medina showed audience members the power within a word. With her flavorful combination of English and Spanish languages, Medina mixed up an everlasting creation.
“THE HARDEST PART ABOUT BEING A SPOKEN WORD POET IS TO NOT OVERLAP OTHER ARTISTS’ OR YOUR OWN WORK.” - Gabriela Garcia Medina For a solid six months Medina toured the states bringing her art to audiences all around. March is Women’s History awareness month, thus making this Medina’s busiest time. Moving to London, England at seven years old from Havana, Cuba Medina experienced culture shock, and a passion for words. “As a child I kept a notebook with me. I would jot down small lines about my experiences or thoughts,” Medina said. “At age 11 I was living in London, and I went on a class trip with my school to a local homeless shelter. I have never seen anything so devastating, and I went home in tears. I immediately wrote about my experience and feelings through poetry, and I eventually stopped crying.” At age 15 Medina was awarded a scholarship program to Columbia University in New York City. She continued on, gaining a baccalaureate degree in theatre/acting, and she began her flourishing career as a spoken
EvAenMtPsUS
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word poet not too long after. Opportunities spread quickly, and she was given the chance to open up for alternative hip-hop artists, The Black Eyed Peas. From the first words spoken out of Medina’s mouth at Tuesday night’s performance the audience made an instant connection with her and her poetry. Medina started her performance with a poem titled “The World’s Greatest Magician,” which was inspired by her family and her childhood. The poem reflects on the little things that happened during her youth, and how anyone is capable of doing anything since we are all our own magicians. Following her first poem, Medina shared an offbeat love poem, “Self Empowered Love,” that does not capture the heartbreak and anguish of typical love songs, but signifies the strong truth behind how every man or women should feel after a detrimental end to a relationship. She highlighted the fact that we shouldn’t feel suicidal like many of these pop songs suggests. We should feel powerful and determined to move on, and we should continue to love who our true selves are. Medina became vulnerable with her next poem, “Four Women,” that touched on the abuse and discrimination that women face. The poem focused on four specific women’s stories, one being her own, that dealt with rape, sweatshop work, harassment and being stuck in a physically abusive relationship. The poem included grotesque curse words that emotionally described the abuse that these women dealt with. “I don’t like to curse in my poems. However, I felt that it was important to use these words so my audience could connect on a more personal level to these women’s stories,” said Medina. “Other than this specific case I rarely use curse words because I feel that you can express yourself more creatively and descriptively through other words.” “My Intimate Revolution,” a comedic piece about
how women can wear both sexy lingerie and fight for justice at the same time spoke to the women in the room. The line “I am both human and a woman,” defined the discrimination that women face in the professional world today. As a powerful woman herself, Medina fights for both self love and self justice. It is undeniable that although someone may be extremely talented in one area it does not mean that he or she is a renaissance man or woman. In her poem “At Least I’m A Good Poet,” Medina reaches out by revealing that cooking is not her strong suit, but at least she is a good poet. Medina did not hesitate to discuss personal experience. She educated audience members on her daunting experience with a stalker. This specific man wrote Medina a 12 page letter that eventually inspired her to write her 12 page poem to herself reminding her of her flaws and perks, and that every detail within her poetry may be a slight exaggeration of the truth. The poem, “Extensions of My Poetry,” concluded her performance with a slick wrap-up of all of her featured pieces. Medina’s art passes through your veins at an unstoppable pace. A connection is made from the first line. It is clear to see that spoken word takes practice, persistence and time. “At times it gets difficult. The hardest part about being a spoken word poet is to not overlap other artists’ or your own work. I am constantly watching indie films and going to art galleries to open my mind to new experiences,” said Medina. Although it can be tough at times Medina always has the same outcome at the end of every performance. “Every performance I do is rewarding. After all of my hard work and long travel periods I am able to connect with my audience, and that is what I want the most out of my career,” said Medina. kdonova2@ramapo.edu
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
“Night in Ireland: Beyond the Pub” @ 10pm, Alumni Lounges
“Old Library Theater Presents ‘Next to Normal’” @ 8pm, Fairlawn Community Center, Fairlawn, NJ
“The Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum Presents: Biodiversity In The Art Of Carel Pieter Brest Van Kempen” @ 2pm, Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum, Oradel, NJ
“Masquerade Ball” @8pm, Portobellos in Oakland
Thursday, March 15, 2012
The Ramapo News Page 9
On Saturday, students got the opportunity to enjoy slots, blackjack and other casino games at Casino Night, sponsored by the College Programming Board. Photos by Brandon Seidler
Sunday
Monday
Over the past week, audiences have had the chance to see “Blood Wedding,� a play by Federico Garcia Lorca. Photos courtesy of the Berrie Center
Tuesday
Wednesday
ENJOY SPRING BREAK!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Page10 The Ramapo News
‘Game Change’ Gives Behind the Scenes Look at the 2008 Election By ERICA BUCHMAN Staff Writer On Saturday night, HBO finally premiered their muchanticipated film, “Game Change,” a look at the 2008 presidential election, specifically on John McCain’s campaign and, more prominently, his running mate, Sarah Palin. Based on a portion of the book “Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime” by John Hellemann and Mark Halperin, the movie shines light on McCain’s campaign strategist, Steve Schmidt (Woody Harrelson), and his decision to bring a game changer into the race in order better McCain’s (Ed Harris) odds of winning. The game changer comes in the form of one Sarah Palin (Julianne Moore), governor of Alaska, who was selected to run alongside John McCain as his vice president. “Game Change” depicts Palin’s overnight transition from governor of Alaska to vice presidential candidate and highlights every subsequent bump in the road. From the public criticism drawn from her teenage daughter’s pregnancy to her bouts of catatonia throughout the campaign to her repeated referral to the Democratic vice presidential candidate as “O’Biden”,” Palin is shown to be more of a wild card than a politician. While the public loves her for her ability to relate (especially as a mother of a special needs child), McCain’s staff, Schmidt in particular, gradually comes to the realization that Palin is a liability who must be constantly monitored. Stretching from Schmidt’s realization of the need for a game change in late 2007 to election night in November 2008, the audience is given little opportunity to change their already existing opinion of Palin; anyone who maintains an unfavorable opinion of the former governor will only experience reinforcement, while a more sympathetic person will only see the enormous amount
of pressure and stress she was under throughout the course of the election, rendering her faultless. While America could only view the part of the election that was broadcast on television as the events leading up to November 4 unfolded, “Game Change” is not so much a film as a superb behind-the-scenes look at how Palin was given a crash course not only in foreign and domestic policy, but in world history and basic geography as well.
The new HBO movie “Game Change,” chronicles the campaign of Vice President candidate Sarah Palin (pictured above) in the 2008 election. Photo courtesy of Therealbs2002, Wikimedia
“Game Change” did not seek to mock Sarah Palin, as “Saturday Night Live” and Tina Fey did on during the campaign. However, footage from “SNL” parodying Palin’s response to her infamous interviews with Katie Couric and Charles Gibson was shown in the film, underlying the harsher side of the election; the feeling of
having the whole world laugh at your expense. To anyone who didn’t follow the 2008 election, Palin is seemingly portrayed as a small-town woman and mother of five whose life is turned upside down as she is thrown into the national spotlight as the vice presidential candidate.
MCCAIN’S STAFF, STEVE SCHMIDT IN PARTICULAR, GRADUALLY COMES TO THE REALIZATION THAT PALIN IS A LIABILITY WHO MUST BE CONSTANTLYMO NITORED. Throughout the film, Ed Harris’ portrayal of John McCain as an unaware running mate is eye-opening. His failure to note Palin’s political shortcomings leaves the audience wondering just how involved he was in his own campaign. It seemed that Schmidt spent more time with Palin, prepping her and holding her hand, leaving the audience to wonder why she was selected to run alongside McCain at all. To see how far America (or how little, depending on whom is asked) has come from the 2008 presidential election puts “Game Change” into extraordinary perspective. This country is on the brink of electing (or re-electing) its next president, but no subsequent race to the White House will ever carry the same amount of weight that its predecessor did. ebuchman@ramapo.edu
‘Bachelor’ Underwhelms This Season, Loyal Fans Still Stay Tuned By NICOLE ALLIEGRO News Editor Season 16 of ABC’s “The Bachelor,” the finale of which aired on Monday, progressed much like the other 15 seasons of the network’s popular matchmaking show: guy meets 25 eager—and attractive—girls; girls date—and fight, cry, and swoon over—guy; guy slowly eliminates— dramatically, even tearfully—girls; and one lucky girl— sometimes—gets the ring and the guy in the finale. Despite the fact that each new season looks more and more like the last, current airings of the show averaged between 7 and 8 million viewers each episode, according to the U.S. Nielsen ratings. ABC has also successfully launched two spin-offs, “The Bachelorette” (where the gender roles are reversed) and “Bachelor Pad,” to similar statistics. This year’s finale featured a lackluster Ben Flajnik proposing to the season’s model/villain Courtney, much to the disgust and dismay of America’s viewers. According to the “New York Daily News,” while the last episode of Flajnik’s saga drew in the largest audience of the season (at around 9 million people), ratings were still down 36 percent from last season’s finale among 18- to 49-year old viewers. Regardless of these fluctuating ratings and slams from media critics who condemn the show’s predictability, a new season of “The Bachelorette” has already been booked for next year,
Even though the relationships don’t always last, reality shows like “The Bachelor” are still popular, leading producers to create spin-off shows, like “The Bachelorette” and “Bachelor Pad.” Photo courtesy of boxsetseries, Flickr Creative Commons.
set to showcase sappy-sweet Southern girl Emily Maynard. Single mom Maynard, the winner from Brad Womack’s season 15 of the franchise, got engaged to Womack, but the couple broke it off several months later. Now, Maynard says she’s “ready to love again,” and her edition of “The Bachelorette” will air May 14. It seems the franchise has no end in sight, at least for now. Though fans continually tune in week after week to watch good-looking men and women travel the world, share romantic dates and “fall in love,” many are able to recognize that the show’s greatest appeal is usually something other than watching the dating process unfold. Sophomore Hayley Rappa, who reports following both “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” since the beginning of both programs, said the show has somehow captivated her interest for 10 years now, as reality TV has been able to do in general. “I like the show for a few reasons, some of them I cannot even explain myself,” Rappa said. “I guess the idea of the perfect relationship fantasy is very intriguing. The concept of seeing your favorite person go home, or what crazy date is planned next, or what girl is going to cause a fight, is always appealing; it’s like one big guessing game.” While each episode may be full of surprising twists and turns for the viewers, producers view reality TV shows as anything but “guessing games.” Assistant professor of communication arts Christina Smith explained that, in fact, producing reality TV is a surefire way for companies to score big with audiences, and thus, in revenue. “Obviously, for the producers, it’s pretty cheap,” Smith said of actually making and filming a reality TV show. “It’s certainly a lot cheaper than creating a fiction program, and it sort of allows [producers] to capitalize on the growing trend of people wanting to see ‘everyday celebrities.’” According to Maya Poran, associate professor of developmental psychology, the most evident way producers control a show that is marketed as “real” is by assigning roles for the individuals they cast and creating certain contexts in which these “characters” interact. “I’m imagining [cast members] are going to be chosen probably on physical characteristics first and foremost— very stereotypical and distinct characteristics—and probably in terms of some primary personality characteristic or behavioral characteristic,” Poran said. “And when you put people in these roles, and encourage them to
behave in those ways, they likely…behave even more intensely in that role than they normally would.” The true reality of “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” is that few of the couples created from the show survive once the cameras stop rolling. The franchise certainly doesn’t have a good track record: although there have been some who have survived life in the limelight and even others who have intermingled with different contestants of the show in happy relationships, most of the men and women matched at the season’s finale have split.
“IT’S CERTAINLY A LOT CHEAPER THAN CREATING A FICTION PROGRAM, AND IT SORT OF ALLOWS [PRODUCERS] TO CAPITALIZE ON THE GROWING TREND OF PEOPLE WANTING TO SEE ‘EVERYDAY CELEBRITIES.’” - Christina Smith, assistant professor of communication arts
“What we have in this reality space is people, among other people playing a role, who are engaging in the show’s parameters…and are needing to act and be entertaining in order to stay on the show,” Poran describes. “There are elements in those reality shows that are simply not existent under most circumstances.” All in all, however, the main appeals of reality TV shows remain consistent with every season, bringing viewers back year after year. In essence, Poran said that people simply like to watch others. Rappa, who said she plans to continue to tune in to seasons to come, agreed. “I will most definitely keep watching the show, no matter how unreal it may seem,” she said. “Emily [Maynard] being the next bachelorette also gives me more incentive to watch, because she has already been on the show, was heartbroken, and I want to see her happy, whether it works out or not.” nalliegr@ramapo.edu
Thursday, March 15, 2012
The Ramapo News Page 11
l iv in g Creative Ideas to Help You Make the Most of Your Spring Break By KELLY RUSSELL Staff Writer Spring break is fast approaching, and many Ramapo students are looking forward to devoting a full week entirely to relaxation. This short recess from classes, however, can prove to be an opportune time for a student to endeavor on a rewarding experience and can also pose as an opportunity to be productive and check off some of those ever-expanding bucket list items. Volunteering Helping out others who are less fortunate, and lending a hand to a good cause are great ways to make yourself useful while doing good. There’s no better feeling than the satisfaction of knowing you have made a difference, so why not take time to volunteer next week? Nursing Homes-- The elderly are normally exceptionally happy to see younger people taking time to visit them. Something as simple as painting their nails, going for a walk with them, or helping play bingo are great activities to partake in with senior citizens. Nature Centers-- The forecast for next week looks sunny and mild, so any excuse to get outside is a good one--especially if it means doing something worthwhile. Nature centers usually look for volunteers to help maintain the grounds, do walking tours,
clean up, or organize items or events, even if only for one day. Animal Shelters-- Spend time with some of your cutest and furriest friends. Animal shelters across the area are desperate for volunteers to help out. Contact your local animal shelter to discuss possible volunteer opportunities for the week. Soup Kitchens and Food Banks- There are many people who desperately need food and shelter, even in our area. Volunteering at a soup kitchen or food bank is a great and humbling experience every college student should partake in. Again, these places are desperate for some helping hands, and you’ll find it a very rewarding opportunity. Interning We spend countless hours in the classroom every week, learning about topics in our area of study. So why not apply that knowledge to real world experience? Spring break poses a great opportunity for college students to briefly intern at places relevant to his or her major and gain preprofessional experience. Interested students should be sure to check out small, local companies and businesses, as they are normally more willing to accept interns for a short period of time. Any experience is good experience, so remember to start small then work your way up. At least you’ll come back to class the next week with some experience in your
intended field of study! Work or Work Towards Work So we’ve all heard the phrase “poor college students.” It’s true. College is expensive, and with rising tuition and gas prices, the need for students to work has increased. Spring break is a great time to make some money. Look into local businesses and see if they need help for the next week. Here are some suggestions to consider when looking for a job over spring break. Babysit-- Ask around, talk to local families and see if anyone needs a babysitter. Word of mouth is so important for a babysitting job. Check into websites like care.com or sittercity.com, where caretakers can look for families who are in need of childcare. Babysitting can be a great way to make money, and often times do not require fulltime availability. Landscape--Offer your landscaping services to people in your neighborhood. Cutting the grass, trimming the bushes and planting flowers are all great ways to make some money and spend some time in the beautiful spring sun. Play Catch up--If you are unable to find work, take time to edit or create your resume. Make “to-do” lists, outlining exactly what you need to be doing from now until the end of the semester. This includes work, coursework, personal goals
and events. Keep an organized list of what you plan to do for the summer. If you are unable to find a job, spend the week working towards getting a job or internship for the summer. Course Enhancement Component It can be pretty difficult to fulfill the college’s required experiential component during the chaos of the school week. Spring break is the perfect chance to set aside time to get those course enhancement components done. Whether your requirement is to visit a museum, volunteer, screen films or take a trip to a monument, make it a fun and fulfilling experience. Invite classmates or friends, take a trip to New York City, a cool and interesting place, or anywhere else and make your course enhancement component a fun day out. Whether you decide to get away or just relax for the week, spring break is a great time to get some much-needed items done. Perhaps the most memorable and meaningful things a student can do over their break is to volunteer some of their time to do good for their community, neighbors and themselves. Whatever you do, be sure to have fun and stay safe, fellow Roadrunners! krussel1@ramapo.edu
Local Spots Offer a Variety of Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day By AMANDA DALEY Staff Writer St. Patrick’s Day is quickly approaching and many of the students at Ramapo still don’t know how they will be celebrating this year. If you’re looking to stay local and not spend a lot of money, these restaurants are perfect to celebrate the day when everyone is Irish. The Shannon Rose Pub located on Rt. 17 North in Ramsey is hosting St. Patrick’s Day all day long. They will be opening at 10 a.m. and their first event starts at 11 a.m. Gordon George, a musician who specializes in Irish music, will be appearing there at 11 a.m. At 1:30 p.m. the Connolly Brothers will be performing. There will also be other musicians along with bagpipers, step dancers and giveaways all day. They will also have an all-Irish menu including shepherd’s pie, as well as your favorite pub meals for those who don’t like Irish food. There will also have $1 off Irish beer all day for those of you that are 21 or older. Harley’s Irish Pub in Hackensack, NJ is another great place to go for St. Patrick’s Day. They have a tradition of having live Irish entertainment as well as corned beef and cabbage, and again if you are 21, Guinness on tap. Many locals say it is the best place to go for St. Patrick’s Day. The celebration starts March 17, at 12 p.m. and lasts until 2 a.m. If you’re looking to just enjoy some good Irish music and stay away from all the extremely crowded bar and grills, Emmett’s Castle in Pearl River, NY is having a day of traditional Irish music, suitable for all ages. Starting at 12 p.m. and ends at 7 p.m. and is free to attend. They will also be having a traditional Irish food menu all weekend from March 16 to March 18. In addition to the Irish music they will be having Irish performancers there including Benny Gallagher and Michael O’Sullivan. It’s the perfect place to go to get the full Irish experience.
Throughout the local area, there are a lot of places to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this Saturday. Photo courtesy of momentraptured1, Flickr Creative Commons
If you’re looking to see a parade for St. Patrick’s Day, but don’t want to venture into NYC, Pearl River, NY is hosting its annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, the second largest in New York, on March 18, at 1:30. These are just some of the places that you can go for St. Patrick’s Day that are right around school. Other places that traditionally hold big St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are
the Mason Jar, Mahwah Bar and Grill and Ireland’s 32 in Suffern. Have a safe and fun St. Patrick’s Day! adaley@ramapo.edu
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Page 12 The Ramapo News
Sp r ing b r e a k wor kouts to burn a couple hundred calories an hour. If you are lucky enough to be visiting your favorite tropical paradise, don’t worry; it’s easy to stay in shape on vacation. You too With temperatures reaching the 70s this past can be active on the beach, or if you would week, Spring Fever has officially set in. In like a more guaranteed workout, before you addition to such beautiful weather, spring leave, type up a small regimen that you can break for Ramapo students is less than a week follow in your hotel room. It can consist away. During this exciting time of year we of things like squats, lunges, push-ups and need to be sure to remember what steps we can jumping jacks-- all the things you can do in a take to ensure a healthy and fun Spring break. small space while keeping you heart rate up. Healthy eating often falls by the wayside There are a million ways to have fun during your spring break-- the trick is adding in a little during spring break, all people want to do is hidden exercise and some delicious healthy food. relax and calorie counting is far from relaxing. I have got a great idea for those of you who hate to calorie count: don’t. Just be conscious of what’s going in your mouth, if you think you will regret it later then skip it. Also with the spring comes new ripened and delicious fruits and vegetables. For instance, avocados, cherries, pineapples and strawberries are all great spring fruits. Pick up a couple of avocados at your local grocery store and make a homemade guacamole for a delicious and healthy snack. Some vegetables ripe in the spring are eggplant, green beans, cucumber and corn. Corn on the cob is one of my favorite spring vegetables because it’s quick, easy and delicious. Staying healthy during spring break is a more than an attainable goal. It is important to remain conscious of the foods you’re putting into your body, and to always be active. Try not to waste your week off by sitting inside snacking and watching movies, although it is tempting. You most certainly do not have to set aside a couple Even though spring break is just around the corner, hours for an extreme workout, just make sure there are ways you can stay in shape. Photo courtesy of you get outside and you move. Go for a walk, luluemanathletica, Flickr Creative Commons visit the beach, or hit the mall with a friend. All of these things and more will keep you The beach is a popular attraction for us hard- active and healthy during your spring break. working students during spring break. We can finally hang up our winter coats and break out the shorts and bathing suits. This year when scollin1@ramapo.edu you hit the beach try to worry less about getting the perfect tan and try being active. Frisbee, volleyball and even kite flying are great beach activities that have the potential By SHANNON COLLINS Staff Writer
D uches s o f Des s erts By LAUREN SANTANIELLO Staff Writer
Cinnamon Banana Cornbread
Who said cornbread is only for Thanksgiving? Recently I have started exploring cornbread’s potential, to see if it really only goes side-by-side with turkey and chili. During my kitchen explorations I have discovered cornbread tastes wonderful with honey, fantastic when hot with cold vanilla ice cream, and with bananas. What separates this recipe from plain old banana bread is the texture. Cornbread’s granular texture gives this recipe the extra little “oomph” it needs to make your taste buds very happy. This recipe is simple and is not too sweet, so it is perfect for all of you watching your waistlines with summer fast approaching.
Directions: 1. 2.
3.
4.
What you’ll need: • • • • • •
1 box of Jiffy Muffin Mix 1 egg 1/3 cups milk 2 bananas 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 ½ tbsp. sugar
Corn
5. 6. 7.
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Cinnamon Banana Cornbread is a twist on a holiday favorite. This cornbread goes great with ice cream or fruit. Photos courtesy of Lauren Santaniello
Preheat oven to 400 Pour the Jiffy mix into a bowl and mix with egg and milk. Mixture may be a little lumpy, but that’s fine. In a separate bowl mash two bananas and add cinnamon and sugar. Mix well until mixture is combined. It will look a little soupy but that is normal. Add banana mix to the corn muffin mix and combine well. Butter a loaf pan and pour mixture into the pan. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes or until your knife comes out clean. Directly out of the oven, butter the top of the loaf and sprinkle a coating of sugar over the top. The sugar will caramelize and make the top of your loaf look very pretty and taste just as delicious as it looks. Let the sugar set before removing the loaf from the pan. You may serve this hot or cold. lsanti@ramapo.edu
yo ur wee kly h or osco pes Aries: This week, you need to pause and reflect so you can really see how your career and public self. If you expand your vision while staying open to outlandish prospects, the breakthroughs will be boundless. Taurus: You know the old expression “wish upon a star?” Well this could not be more relevant now, so wish and wish well. Most of the action may be going on ‘behind the scenes’ so to speak but do not underestimate its value and its long term impact. Gemini: This week, there may be a feeling of being ready and seeing the clear advantage yet you are unable to make your move. A great idea will be ushered in, one that you have not thought of before and will put you right where you need to be, at just the right moment. Cancer: You are in the process of reevaluating how to spend your time and how to move forward in order to support your highest possible best. You are maturing into your true self and the people that are surfacing will reflect this growth beautifully.
Leo: Life is beginning to settle and stabilize in ways while offering winning prospects. Something this week will have you stalling and contemplating your life direction a bit more thoroughly and realistically.
Virgo: You will need to stop and take the time to purchase what you need in order to feel the full effects of the stellar weather. Adjustments are certain to be made and you will never be more grateful than for the delays that got in your way yet in the process granted you an unexpected gift.
Sagittarius: You have been known to be ridiculously lucky at times. Although recently you may feel that you have suffered a set back, it will create the experience once again, that feels like a brush with luck. Capricorn: You may be feeling more emotionally sensitive than usual and overwhelmed with all that is on your plate and all you still have yet to do. This week, someone will help lighten your load or somehow, someway you find a place in you that pulls it off without fail.
Libra: There is an opportunity now linked with people who have the power to help you and there is more potential for you to take your entire inner experience of life on this plane to new human heights.
Aquarius: Is there anything within you that feels if you had an opportunity to do something over you would jump at the chance to do it differently? This week will give you another chance at something that broke down along the way, in particular involving communication.
Scorpio: You need proof in order to feel secure and in order to commit to a certain belief. This week, for you, it is this priceless gift that is granted.
Pisces: Often times the only way to successfully turn your luck around is to rise above the madness. Someone you can safely trust will help you get back on course. horoscopes courtesy of http://www.madalynaslan.com
Thursday, March 15, 2012
The Ramapo News Page 13
SPORTS Baseball Team Dominates John Jay 31-0 in Home Opener
ROADRUNNERS STAY UNDEFEATED AFTER SHUTTING OUT BLOODHOUNDS
The game was then called off due to darkness, ending with a shut out for the Roadrunners. Senior pitcher Frank Baldini threw a one-hitter in six innings, walking no batters while striking out nine. “I didn’t expect 31 runs,” Coach Martin said. “I have to feel for the other team. I’ve been on the other side of that, and it’s no fun. But they worked hard until the end, and so did we.” The Roadrunners pack up for spring training in Florida, using this win as a confidence booster for the week to come.
By LARISSA LOHMAN Staff Writer The Ramapo baseball team shut out the John Jay College Bloodhounds in their home opener in a crushing 31-0 victory. Prior to their latest win, the Roadrunners were undefeated with a 4-0 record, ranking them second in the NJAC conference behind Rowan University. “We’re hoping it’s a preview of things to come,” head coach Rich Martin said. The Roadrunners established their lead early in the first inning, with senior Dan Moreno hitting a ball to center field with the bases loaded. Junior David Jacob made it safely to home to give the Roadrunners their first run. Senior Dan Mauriello also hit a fly to center to drive in sophomore John Capuano and secure another run for the team. The second inning was the turning point of the entire game, scoring 16 runs scored off of nine hits in the inning. Jacob started the second inning by hitting a line drive to left field for a two-run homer. Hits by junior Anthony Vinci, freshman Kevin Case, Capuano, Junior Matthew Hancock, and Mauriello added to the Roadrunners offensive explosion, increasing the score to a whopping 18-0 at the bottom of the second. In the fourth inning, freshman Ian Osterman drove in another run to bring the score to 19-0. The excitement did not die down in the fifth inning with four runs scored and a double by freshman James
“I HAVE TO FEEL FOR THE OTHER TEAM. I’VE BEEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, AND IT’S NO FUN. BUT THEY WORKED HARD UNTIL THE END, AND SO DID WE.” - Rich Martin, head coach
Frank Baldini allowed one hit and struck out nine batters in six scoreless innings in Ramapo’s 31-0 victory over John Jay College. Photo courtesy of Ramapo Athletics
Hardgrove. The bottom of the sixth was quiet for the Roadrunners, but the best was yet to come. In the top of the seventh inning, junior Travis Zilg closed the game, striking out a batter and not allowing any runs. The Roadrunners then put on a show, scoring seven runs to bring the final score to 31-0.
“This sets us up perfectly for Florida,” Martin said. “We got every single guy to play; it was great.” As for the rest of the season, Martin is optimistic about his team. “We’re hoping it’s a preview of things to come, pitching wise and batting wise,” Martin said. “We have a good defense. We’re hoping to do well.” llohman@ramapo.edu
Lacrosse Falls Short to Eagles Despite Late Rally Attempt By KATIE BRUNO Staff Writer The women’s lacrosse team suffered a tough loss on Saturday to Skyline Conference rivals Saint Joseph’s College of Long Island. The St. Joseph’s Eagles got a big lead early in the game with a score of 7-0. Things started looking up for Ramapo when senior Adrianna Tepedino put the Roadrunners on the board with a successful free position shot.
“WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW KIDS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SWITCHED POSITIONS FROM WHAT THEY’RE PLAYING, SO IT’S JUST GOING TO TAKE US SOME TIME TO GEL AND TO WORK.” - Concetta Valerio, head coach
Once Tepedino got the ball rolling, senior Colleen Steel followed her with the second
RAMAPO
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goal of the game. Following Steel was senior Amanda Barretta, who tailed backto-back goals for the Roadrunners. The Eagles scored two more goals to make the score 9-4 at the half. Ramapo came out strong in the first half when Steel scored a goal right away to cut the deficit to 9-5. After another goal by the Eagles, the Roadrunners found themselves in a bit of a slump, but not for long. Ramapo fired back with four goals, including one by sophomore Teresa Gustafson’s first career goal. After trading scores, the Eagles came out on top with a win of 14-11. Although it was a hard loss for Ramapo, some individual players upped their stats after a great game. Steel scored three goals in the game and recorded one assist, while Tepedino netted two goals and three assists. Barretta tallied a team high four goals, and Amanda Ferry picked up her first goal of the season. “We started out slow and we let them get a big lead, and then we had to play catch up,” Tepedino said. “Overall we played pretty well, but there’s definitely room for improvement.” Amanda Ferry also felt that the team could
FRIDAY Softball vs. Thiel College at 11 a.m. in Clermont, FL Men’s Volleyball - Royal Challenge in Lake Wales, FL Men and Women’s Track and Field - 49er Classic
improve on their effort from Saturday’s game. “I think we had a really good comeback, but I think we could keep working harder,” Ferry said.
“OVERALL WE PLAYED PRETTY WELL, BUT THERE’S DEFINITELY ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.” - Adrianna Tepedino, senior
Head coach Concetta Valerio was upset with the loss, but her expectations for the team are anything but negative. “It’s early in the season. We have a lot of new kids and a lot of people switched positions from what they’re used to playing, so it’s just going to take us some time to gel and to work,” Valerio said. “But it’s still early, and we can still bounce back from this. It’s not going to be a loss in my book if we just learn from it, take what we needed to do today and fix it so when we do play them again in playoffs again we’ll be fine.” kbruno2@ramapo.edu
SATURDAY Baseball vs. Westfield State College at 9:30 a.m. Softball vs. New Paltz at 9 a.m. and vs. vs Benedictine University at 11 a.m.
The Roadrunners lost 14-11 after originally trailing 7-0. The lacrosse team is 1-2 this season after beating New Paltz University on Monday. Photo by Stefanie Mauro
SUNDAY Baseball vs Oglethorpe University at 4 p.m. in Winter Haven, FL
MONDAY Baseball vs. Grinnell College (DH) at 10 a.m./1 p.m. Lacrosse vs. Clarkson University at 2 p.m. in Hilton Head, S.C.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Page 14 The Ramapo News
Player Spotlight: Ackeme Brown D’Antoni Resigns from BROWN CARRIES TEAM AT NJAC CHAMPIONSHIP Knicks’ Head Coach Job By DAN GEARY Staff Writer
Junior Ackeme Brown brought a refreshing, revitalized competitiveness to the men’s indoor track team this season in his first year at Ramapo College. The transfer from the University of Hartford dominated in the 60-meter dash, 200-meter dash and long jump all season. Brown led the Roadrunners to a second place finish in the NJAC Championships, which took place at the New York Armory on Feb. 24. The team has never won the event before, but they came extremely close, largely because of Brown’s monster performances. They were beaten by The College of New Jersey, winners of 15 straight conference titles. In the 60-meter, Brown’s favorite event, he placed first with a conference record time of 6.89 seconds. This amazing time was ranked fifth among all Division III athletes in the nation. He received third place in the 200-meter with a time of 22.28 seconds and earned a second place finish in the long jump with a distance of 6.69 meters.
“I THINK THAT WE CAN WIN THE NJACS OUTDOORS AS LONG AS WE STAY HEALTHY.” - Ackeme Brown, junior
Brown even participated in an extra event, the 4x200 relay with three teammates. He helped them achieve third place after a 1:30.31 finish and secure second place in the championship. “Our track team here is probably better than it was at Hartford, even though that was Division I,” Brown said. “The athletes here on this team are just better.” Following his phenomenal individual performances, Brown was named the NJAC
Men’s Indoor Track and Field Most Outstanding Athlete for the season. He qualified for both the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships and the Division III Nationals in Iowa. In order to make the Nationals, an athlete’s best time of the season in a particular event has to be in the top 13 in the nation in Division III. Out of Brown’s three main events, the 200-meter is not in the Nationals and he didn’t qualify for the long jump, but he qualified for the 60-meter by having the seventh best time out of all athletes this season. The top eight runners in the first round of the Nationals advance to the finals, but unfortunately Brown’s indoor track season ended right then and there. With a time of 7.02 seconds, Brown finished in 11th place. Now, his complete focus is turned towards the spring track season, in which he has his sights set high. Brown plans to run the 100-meter, 200-meter, 4x100 relay and compete in the long jump. His goal is to “reach the Nationals in all four events,” but he believes his “best chance is in the 100 and long jump.” Brown truly believes the men’s spring team has what it takes to reach the top of the division. “I think that we can win the NJACs outdoors as long as we stay healthy, because we definitely have the talent to get it done,” Brown said. Currently, Brown and his teammates are busy training hard for the opening of their season. They are traveling to North Carolina on Friday to compete in their first meet. “All we have to do is win,” Brown said. “We never won the NJACs before, so that’s our main goal. We just want to win.” dgeary@ramapo.edu
By ANDREW GOULD Sports Editor
Mike D’Antoni resigned as the New York Knicks head coach in his fourth year with the franchise. D’Antoni and owner James Dolan decided that it would be best for the coach to part ways with the Knicks after a six-game losing streak dropped the Knicks record to an underwhelming 18-24. Assistant coach Mike Woodson, who was formerly the head coach for the Atlanta Hawks, will take over the head coaching duties for the remainder of the season. Fans began to turn on D’Antoni when the Knicks started the season sluggishly, but Jeremy Lin’s unlikely emergence kept D’Antoni in charge. D’Antoni’s fast-paced offense, which thrived with Steve Nash running the show in his tenure with the Phoenix Suns, looked lost without a true point guard handling the ball. After Lin led the Knicks to a seven-game winning streak, panic among fans turned into unhindered excitement and expectations for the Knicks to rise the ranks of the Eastern Conference. Instead, the Knicks lost eight of their last 10 games, leaving them tied for the eight seed in the East with the Milwaukee Bucks, who bolstered their squad by trading for guard Monta Ellis. Opposing defenses have adjusted to slow down the “Linsanity” and the Knicks, who have several new pieces in Baron Davis, Steve Novak and J.R. Smith,
have struggled to play cohesively and consistently. While D’Anotni brought a highflying offensive attack to New York, he was often criticized for his lack of attention to defense. Although their defense has improved this year with the additions of Tyson Chandler and Iman Shumpert, the Knicks yielded more than 100 points per game in his first three seasons, and stars Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire are often criticized for a lack of defensive effort. Anthony has been a source of conflict in New York. The star forward, who the Knicks traded several players to acquire last year, has not gelled well in D’Antoni’s system. Anthony is averaging 21.3 points per game this year, his lowest mark since his second season in 2004. The Knicks are 12-20 this year with Anthony in the lineup. Rumors spiraled that Anthony wanted a trade to get away from D’Antoni. Since Dolan pushed the Knicks’ front office to acquire Anthony at last year’s trade deadline rather than trying to sign him in free agency, it was unlikely that the Knicks would have considered moving their top scorer. Anthony vehemently denied the trade request on his Twitter account. “Alright, enough with all this trade talk,” Anthony wrote on Twitter. “It’s making me sick to hear that I want to leave N.Y.” agould1@ramapo.edu
Saints Face Punishments for Organizing Bounty Program NEW ORLEANS COACHES PAID DEFENSIVE PLAYERS FOR INJURING OPPOSING TEAM By RICHIE SORCE Staff Writer The New Orleans Saints have come under fire following the revelation that they have been running a bounty program for their defensive players over the last three seasons. The centerpiece of this controversy is former defensive coordinator, now St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams. The NFL has been investigating this issue since 2009 and found that Williams has paid in upwards of $50,000 to anywhere from 22 to 27 different Saints players for big hits and tackles as well as injuring opposing players during games. This is an obvious black-eye to the league that will take a long time to heal. However, swift and strong penalties to the Saints organization may help speed up the process. “The Saints should expect unprecedented penalties from the NFL for their illegal bounty system, and the punishment will impact all levels of New Orleans’ organization,” ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter said.
“THE WHOLE SITUATION HAS BEEN A TOUGH PILL FOR THE LEAGUE AND FANS TO SWALLOW.” To football fans what is even more painful is that it was done by such a popular franchise. In 2005 when Hurricane
The New Orleans Saints are under investigation for organizing a bounty program where players for rewarded for hard hits and injuries to the competition. The NFL is still deciding how to punish the team. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.
Katrina took its disastrous toll on the city of New Orleans the Saints were in a rebuilding process which culminated with their Super Bowl XLIV championship in 2009.
That run now seems tainted to some, but not everyone partook in the bounty program. “I did not participate in any bounty program, nor did I have any knowledge relating to its real existence,” Saints quarterback Drew Brees stated earlier this week on his foundation’s website. “I have spent the last several years as an Executive Committee Member of the [National Football League Players’ Association], making health and safety a priority.” Everyone in the Saints organization will face scrutiny until the league hands down their punishment. “These are serious violations, and we understand the negative impact it has had on our game,” Saints head coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis said in a joint-statement. “Both of us have made it clear within our organization that this will never happen again, and made that same promise to the NFL and most importantly to all of our fans.” The whole situation has been a tough pill for the league and fans to swallow. There is no place for a program like this to be run illegally. It is a dark cloud that will hang over the city of New Orleans for years to come, which was just beginning to step out of the pain and sorrow of Hurricane Katrina. rsorce1@ramapo.edu
Thursday, March 15, 2012
The Ramapo News Page 15
Campus Clash: Where Should Peyton Manning Play this Year? STAR QUARTERBACK’S UPCOMING DECISION COULD CHANGE DIRECTION OF NFL The Indianapolis Colts released star quarterback Peyton Manning last Wednesday. Manning didn’t play a single game after receiving multiple neck surgeries, and the team went 2-14 without him taking the snaps. As a result, the Colts have the first overall pick in this year’s draft, and they will use that pick to draft Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck to take Manning’s place. Manning, who will turn 36 before the season starts, still feels he can play and is now looking for a new team. A free agent frenzy has formed in pursuit of the four-time MVP’s services. The Ramapo News staff breaks down some of Manning’s possible landing spots. The Miami Dolphins haven’t had the best of luck when it comes to having a star quarterback. Ever since Dan Marino retired, the Dolphins have been searching for his replacement. They have unsuccessfully tried to fill the void with Jay Fielder, Gus Frerotte, Daunte Culpepper, Chad Pennington and Chad Henne. Their current starter, Matt Moore, took over midway through the 2011 season after Henne went down with an injury. The Dolphins finished 6-10, after starting 0-7. Adding Peyton Manning to the team will make this team an automatic Super Bowl favorite. They have a solid, young defense and 1000-yard rusher Reggie Bush. Despite recently trading Brandon Marshall to the Bears, this leaves room for the Dolphins to sign Manning’s longtime teammate Dallas Clark. Placing Manning under center will have this team contending with New England for the AFC East Title, and possibly more. - Bill Pivetz If Peyton Manning were to choose his new team based on talent, upside and ideal conditions, the Arizona Cardinals would be a no-brainer. They have arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL in Larry Fitzgerald, who set a career high with 13 touchdowns in 2009 with a 38-year-old Kurt Warner throwing to him. Imagine the possibilities with a rested, 36-year-old Peyton Manning throwing Fitzgerald’s way. Arizona’s defense features Pro-Bowl safety Adrian Wilson, a young stud cornerback and return man Patrick Peterson, as well as veterans Darnell Dockett and Joey Porter to help keep the score manageable. Arizona just released tackle Levi Brown, who carried a $16.9 million salary cap figure, which will add most of the needed cap space. Maybe most important is where the Cardinals play. Manning has played his entire career in a dome, and he could continue that in Arizona. Games against the Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams twice a year are also appealing. - Nick Bower A possible grand prize winner of the 2012 Manning sweepstakes, which will be awarded rights to the 6’5, soon to be 36-year-old future Hall-of-Famer, is the Houston Texans. Manning, who spent 14 seasons in Indianapolis and thrived in the indoor Lucas Oil Stadium, so the domed Houston’s Reliant Stadium proves a great destination. It also helps just a tad that one of the most elite receivers in the league, Andre Johnson, is lining up after the huddle. Manning and Johnson, who has had five 1,000-yard plus seasons, would be a great combination along with the NFL’s second-leading rusher last season, Arian Foster (1,224 yards). With a defense that ranked number one in the NFL last season, allowing under 264 yards per-game, Manning’s new team wouldn’t only win the division once dominated by the Colts, but bury his former team twice a year. - Ryan Hohner
Peyton Manning, who won four MVP awards and led the Indianapolis Colts to a Super Bowl title in 2007, is looking for a new team after the Colts released him. The veteran quarterback missed all of last season due to neck surgeries, and the Colts finished a league-worst 2-14 in his absence. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
Peyton Manning needs the Denver Broncos just as badly as they need him. Vice President of football operations John Elway and head coach John Fox have hated Tim Tebow since day one. They want a conventional quarterback to lead their offense, and Manning is the perfect fit. Last season, Denver had the number one rushing offense in the league. With a solid passing game, their offense could be even more dynamic and dangerous. Also, Denver’s defense dominated last season despite being doubted by many. When veterans like Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins, along with rising stars Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil, are playing their best, the Broncos are capable of stopping anyone. The team has plenty of salary cap space to sign Manning for the huge deal that the four-time league MVP deserves, and playing in the lackluster AFC West almost guarantees the Broncos a trip into the playoffs. The Broncos want to win more Super Bowls, and their next step has to be signing Peyton Manning. - Dan Geary After winning four Super Bowls as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, Joe Montana finished his career with the Kansas City Chiefs. Peyton Manning, in his quest to challenge Montana’s throne as the greatest quarterback of all time, could benefit from following Montana’s career path. The Chiefs finished 7-9 last year, but that was without star running back Jamaal Charles and safety Eric Berry. In 2010, Charles averaged a league-best 6.4 yards per carry and looked poised to become one of the best, if not the best, running back in the league. Dwayne Bowe, who has compiled more than 1,100 yards in each of the past two seasons, will provide Manning with a formidable threat at wide receiver. Berry, Brandon Flowers and Tamba Hali give the Chiefs a formidable defense that kept them in games last year despite their lack of offense. Manning could easily propel the Chiefs to the top of the AFC West and lead them to the playoffs in a conference where every team looked beatable
last year. - Andrew Gould Peyton Manning’s free agency has attracted the eye of the New York Jets front office. Since the Indianapolis Colts released their former franchise quarterback, Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum stated that the Jets were “interested,” but on Friday the Jets signed their quarterback, Mark Sanchez to a three-year extension, thus ending the speculation that Manning would come to New York. The Jets had to make a tough decision because there was no way they could keep both. Sanchez has come under some serious scrutiny in his first three seasons with the team, especially this past season which saw the Jets finish 8-8 and failing to reach the playoffs after reaching the AFC Championship game the previous two seasons. As a Jet fan, I do believe the team could’ve used Manning, but I agree with what the front office is doing. Quarterback is not the biggest problem with this team; both the offensive and defensive lines need serious improvements. Manning may have been a quick fix, but this team has pieces that should be built around for the future. - Richie Sorce If Peyton Manning’s feelings are hurt after being tossed aside by the franchise that he carried for 13 years, he can switch sides in the division and get his revenge twice a year. The Houston Texans have a better supporting cast, but they also are unlikely to toss Matt Schaub aside to sign Manning. Joining the Titans would be a homecoming of sorts for Manning, who attended the University of Tennessee. If Kenny Britt can remain healthy for a full season, Manning would have a top receiving target, and teams would have to stop loading up the line to contain running back Chris Johnson. Much like the Colts, the Titans would provide Manning with a franchise in need of a hero in a market where he won’t be swarmed by a media circus. - Andrew Gould
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Page 16 The Ramapo News
SPORTS
LAX-LUSTER
The lacrosse team lost 14-11 to St. Joseph’s College on Saturday. photo by Stefanie Mauro