The Daily Targum 2010-03-29

THE DAILY TARGUM

Volume 141, Number 111

S E R V I N G

T H E

R U T G E R S

C O M M U N I T Y

S I N C E

MONDAY MARCH 29, 2010

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Today: Rain

INAUGURAL UPSET

High: 57 • Low: 48

The Rutgers mens’ lacrosse team upset No. 11 Notre Dame 10-8 in the first-ever Big East game for both teams, played in South Bend, Ind.

Marathon leaps over participant, fundraising highs

BY MARY DIDUCH MANAGING EDITOR

MAYA NACHI

Participants stretch before a dance session yesterday during the 12th annual Dance Marathon in the College Avenue Gym. Volunteers raised more than $378K in this year’s 32-hour event. All proceeds will support the Embrace Kids Foundation.

The 12th annual Rutgers University Dance Marathon rang in the new decade with a recordsmashing fundraising and participant high.

The state’s largest student-run philanthropic fundraiser this year raised the most money ever, raking in $378,001.75 for New Brunswick’s Embrace Kids Foundation, which helps the families of children with cancer and blood disorders with their non-medical and financial needs. This was about $55,000 more than last year’s record-breaking total.

The weekend-long fundraiser also had the most participants ever, with 714 registered dancers — about 100 more than last year — pledging to stay on their feet for the event’s full 32 hours straight with no breaks for sleep.

Dancers stayed energized and pumped with the marathon’s theme hours, side entertainment, roundthe-clock DJ-ing courtesy of Hurricane Productions, tournaments and five live bands.

With the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver this year, the Olympics inspired the event’s dance hours and activities in the College Avenue Gymnasium.

SEE MARATHON ON PAGE 8

Festival to serve up music, food for 35th anniversary

BY KENDALL LAPARO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Rutgers Day on Douglass campus will take visitors high into the mountains this year, as it features the 35th annual New Jersey Folk Festival, along with music, food and art from South America’s Andes Mountains.

The New Jersey Folk Festival, a University tradition since 1975, will feature four stages of folk music, multicultural cuisine and handmade crafts — all with an Andean twist, said Professor Angus Gillespie, who founded the festival.

“The slogan for [the University] is now ‘Jersey roots, global reach,’ and that’s really what the [festival] does,” said Gillespie,

INDEX

who teaches American studies. “We’re looking at immigrants from the Andean nations who have communities here in New Jersey, and then we reach globally to Latin America to showcase these cultures and traditions.”

The festival will feature a performance

by Eco Del Sur, a band whose Columbian, Ecuadorian and Chilean musicians blend indigenous instruments like panpipes and

SEE FESTIVAL ON PAGE 6

LAUGHING FROM THE GUT

GETTY IMAGES

President Barack Obama speaks to union members Sept. 7, 2009, about the recovery plan.

Professors discussed topics Friday ranging from race to education in the age of Obama.

Speakers tackle inequality issues

UNIVERSITY

BY JEFF PRENTKY

Reseachers are developing a video game that will help those inflicted with cerebral palsy.

STAFF WRITER

METRO A new state law puts more restrictions on drivers under the age of 21.

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NICHOLAS BRASOWSKI

Comic strip artist Jim Kohl draws a character that represents himself in his strip “Happy Hour” comic, which portrays his everyday life. See PAGE 11 for full story.

Professors from Rutgers University and Princeton University teamed up Friday to discuss the largely raceneutral approach of President Barack Obama’s administration in areas such as community economic development, charter schools, race and college life.

The University hosted the first part of the two-day symposium, “Racial Inequality and the Challenge of a PostRacial Society: Race, Rights and Public Policy in the Age of Obama,” in Winants Hall on the College Avenue campus. The event was sponsored by the University’s Center for Race and Ethnicity and Department of Political Science and Princeton’s Program in Laws and Public Affairs.

During the second talk on Friday, titled “Educational

Attainment and Access,” University Professor Roland Anglin focused on how to bring schools back into the process of community development, noting that a big part of Obama’s educational policy is charter schools.

“The deciding factor in bringing back a neighborhood, an urban place, is really the quality of the schools,” said Anglin, director of the Initiative for Regional and Community Transformation at the University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.

Anglin said what is most promising in this field is the use of charter schools to help change poor communities. Other community-based initiatives have gone fullforce into using charter schools as a model for school reform and getting access for poor kids.

What Obama is doing with $4.5 billion to help increase

the number of charter schools foreshadows some interesting experiments, Anglin said.

“I think it’s a vigorous attempt to introduce choice and also innovation in a field and practice that, quite frankly, is moribund,” he said.

The idea that you can redevelop neighborhoods internally has also changed due to regionalization and globalization, Anglin said.

“You now have to talk about how to form linkages with regions, not only regions within a 100 or 200 square mile area, but across the globe,” he said. “And this leaves community-based organizations scratching their heads.”

Thomas Espenshade, a professor of sociology at Princeton University, discussed how ethnic and social

SEE ISSUES ON PAGE 6

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MARCH 29, 2010

DIRECTORY

T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

WEATHER OUTLOOK Courtesy of the Weather Channel TUESDAY HIGH 52 LOW 43

WEDNESDAY HIGH 61 LOW 44

THURSDAY HIGH 74 LOW 49

TODAY Rain, with a high of 57° TONIGHT Heavy rain, with a low of 48°

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T H E D A I LY TA R G U M

MARCH 29, 2010

UNIVERSITY

PA G E 3

Researchers spawn new therapy for cerebral palsy patients

BY GLEN GABRIEL STAFF WRITER

An ongoing joint study between Rutgers University and Indiana University professors is researching new ways of helping those with cerebral palsy disorder.

The study, which has been going on for a year, includes three teenagers, ages 13 to 15 with cerebral palsy disorder, who used a modified Sony PlayStation 3 gaming glove to perform dexterity exercises in the form of games.

Grigore Burdea, a University professor of electrical and computer engineering said the new method might allow patients to rehabilitate without the need of professional supervision. “[Hopefully] it will become a product that people will take to their homes. The future of therapy is not in the clinic,” he said.

“Entertainment is moving to the home, work is moving to the home, then why not move therapy to the home?”

Cerebral palsy disorder is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain, usually occurring during fetal development. The disease disrupts the brain’s ability to adequately control movement and posture, according to the United Cerebral Palsy’s Web site.

There are about 764,000 adults and children who experi-

COURTESY OF RUTGERS TELE-REHABILITATION INSTITUTE

Indiana University joined Rutgers University in developing custom software and modifying a gaming glove and a PlayStation 3 console to bring physical therapy into the homes of cerebral palsy patients.

ence the debilitating muscular and bodily effects of cerebral palsy, according to the site.

Moustafa Abdelbaky, a coauthor of the study, said its goal is to research the disorder by installing a specifically modified video game console in each of the homes of the three participants in the study.

Burdea said the patients would see an avatar of their hand

on the screen, and through slight movements of their own hand, the avatar would move in a wide range of motion.

This allowed those participating to use the system within the comfort of their own home without the need to go to a physical therapy center, he said.

Abdelbaky, an electrical and computer engineering graduate student at the University, said

that going into the study, there were little to no expectations of the ef fectiveness of the treatment.

Burdea said the study found that patients could open doors and carry groceries as well as other, heavier objects.

Meredith Golomb, an associate professor of neurology at Indiana University School of Medicine, found out about

Burdea’s work through the Internet and said the combination of her skills with Burdea’s was perfect.

“I’m a pediatric neurologist and know how to assess the kids medically,” Golomb said. “He is an engineer and knows how to get the systems working — it has been a great collaboration so far.”

Burdea previously worked with patients who suffered from strokes, using an Xbox 360 in a similar way. For this study, he said that the Xbox 360 was of no use anymore and it had to be replaced

by PlayStation 3 consoles.

While it may appear that using virtual reality to help patients recover from illness is a new method, Burdea said this sort of work has been going since 1993.

Abdelbaky said he hopes there is a bright future for the use of consoles in researching serious disorders.

“The next step is to install [consoles] in one of the clinics that has a lot of kids in it, between 20 and 25 kids,” he said. “We are going to install [it] there so that kids can use the system over the course of the week. This way all of those at the clinic can use the system to help them.”

Together, Abdelbaky and Burdea agree that the ultimate goal is to provide this service to everyone affected with cerebral palsy but also to other patients with muscular disorders.

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MARCH 29, 2010

U NIVERSITY

Please don’t stop the music

T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

U NIVERSITY

Students with a wide variety of interests united Saturday and Sunday in the College Avenue Gym for the first Rutgers University Dance Marathon of the decade. Participants had to remain on their feet for the event’s full 32 hours in support of the Embrace Kids Foundation, which helps kids with cancer and blood disorders. The marathon, the largest student-run philanthropic fundraiser in the state, raised the most funds this year in its 11-year history, $378,001.75, all for the kids. — Photos by Maya Nachi

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MARCH 29, 2010

ISSUES: Speakers urge “No Child Left Behind” reform continued from front class backgrounds affect the selective college admission process and how these students have an impact on subsequent issues of campus life when they are admitted.

Espenshade said an admission envelope from a top-tier school is an economic prize, in the sense that being admitted to one of these selective schools means that you are more likely to graduate and have a successful future.

He said in the public schools, there does not seem to be a correlation between a student’s social class, background and the likelihood of getting admitted.

“I would say in a case like that, the admission office is in a game of socioeconomic neutrality, there isn’t one social class group that’s favored over another,” Espenshade said. “Public colleges and universities are doing their bit to push against the growing forces of inequality in this country.”

In wealthier, private institutions, there is a positive correlation between one’s social class background and the chance of getting admitted, he said.

Additionally, a recent analysis discovered, despite the increasing use of financial aid at the private institutions over the last decade, there was hardly any increase in the proportion of lowincome students who were admitted to these schools, Espenshade said.

“The fundamental, primar y impact of increasing financial aid generosity was to raise the income level at the top at which people were eligible for finan-

cial aid,” he said. “So you have students at Princeton whose families are making $200,000 a year or more receiving financial aid.”

Jamie Lew, an associate professor of sociology at RutgersNewark, discussed the relations between the No Child Left Behind Act and the issues of immigration and demographics. These include many unchallenged issues such as assimilation, race relations and the changing demographics, language acquisition and hybrid identities.

The federal No Child Left Behind law of 2002 claimed to

“No Child Left Behind is based on quota ... and really sanction-driven accountability.”

JAMIE LEW University Professor

improve public schools by enforcing a system of standards and accountability through highstakes testing, Lew said.

“However, at its core, No Child Left Behind is based on quota, test-based and really sanction-driven accountability, where a lot of the system is based on penalization, on taking away funding,” she said.

Obama’s administration called for overhaul of the 2002 law that will affect the nation’s 100,000 public schools. The revised law will not only judge schools on the final test scores, but students’ academic growth, Lew said.

“It also does away with the utopian goals of every student

reaching proficiency in math and reading to a national goal that may be just as elusive that all students should graduate from high school prepared for college and a career,” she said.

Children of immigrants consist of one of the fastest growing populations in the United States, Lew said. She said in 2007, it was estimated that more than one in every five children in the United States have at least one immigrant parent.

Although researchers are noting No Child Left Behind has been positive for these children, one of Lew’s key concerns is the standard and measurement of success focused on English language proficiency, often at the students’ expense of losing their native language.

Lisa Miller, an associate professor of political science at the University, said there is no transformation that occurs simply because of the election of a black president in these underlying, ver y real, enduring and glaring disparities across racial groups.

“The fact that those disparities persist in the wake of [Obama’s] election is what we want to talk about,” said Miller, a co-organizer of the symposium.

Alvin Tillery, the moderator for the session, said the event was successful.

“I think we’ve gotten a great crowd and we’ve had a really fruitful conversation,” said Tiller y, assistant professor of political science at the University.

Stephanie Jones-Rogers, a thirdyear graduate history student at the University, said this was a different type of event for the University because it focused on topics they usually do not discuss.

“I think it’s one of the best events we’ve had so far this year,” she said.

T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

POLICE INVESTIGATE DEATH IN DEMAREST HALL A male University first-year student was found dead in Demarest Hall on the College Avenue campus Thursday night, in what police said was an apparent suicide.

Rutgers University Police Department’s Lt. Richard Dinan said, at the scene, this was an unaccompanied death and would not comment further. Police had yet to enter the room and begin their investigation.

Police could not provide exact information on how the student died.

— Neil P. Kypers

FESTIVAL: Organizers hope more than 15,000 attend continued from front wooden flutes with more contemporar y guitars, basses and drums, Gillespie said.

Ensamble a Contratiempo, the Venezuelan music group that mixes traditional Venezuelan and Western music styles, will also perform at the festival as part of their United States tour, he said.

“The leader of the group is a man named Angel Tolosa Moreno, and he’s one of the best harp players of his generation,” Gillespie said. “We’re really lucky to get them.”

He said the festival also invited harp expert Nancy Hurrell to speak about gender biases in harp playing.

In the Western tradition harp players are generally pictured as female, but in South America, male harpists like Moreno are predominant because the harp is considered a masculine instrument there, he said.

But Andean music will not be the only sound filling the air at the festival.

Kurt Utenwoldt, the festival’s media coordinator and a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore, said performances would also showcase folk music from local groups, including a concert from the Csurdongolo Folk Ensemble, a Hungarian-American group based in New Brunswick.

The music will be complemented with a Heritage Area, which will exhibit different aspects of Andean culture, said Festival Manager Catherine Rossi, a Rutgers College senior.

This year the festival teamed up with Abya Yala Arte y Cultura, a nonprofit organization from New York that promotes and preserves Andean culture, Gillespie said.

He said Abya Yala would present paintings, ceramics, sandal-

making and storytelling from the Andean region, particularly focusing on Peru.

As in years past, about 80 craft vendors will ply their handmade goods, with all craft vendors carefully screened for handmade authenticity, Rossi said.

Visitors will also be able to choose from about 23 food vendors, representing various American and international cuisines, she said.

Kids will also have no shortage of activities to choose from, Gillespie said, with a Dutch street organ, crafts, puppet shows and a comedic magic show happening throughout the day.

The festival is planned and run by a team of 14 students who are currently enrolled in Gillespie’s “folk festival management” class, Rossi said. As festival manager, her job is to oversee the entire festival.

“I love it,” said Rossi, who is in her third year of working with the festival. “It sounds daunting, but it brings everybody together really quickly. We have really good teamwork.”

The three-hour, three-credit class divides its time between instruction and business, said Utenwoldt, who handles press relations and advertising.

The students also have to book the performances, vendors, stages and space, and arrange the scheduling and logistics of the day, he said.

The festival is the only student-run music or folk festival Utenwoldt has ever heard of.

“It’s a unique experience. It’s been a lot of work, but it’s really rewarding,” he said.

Gillespie said about 15,000 people attended the festival last year, and he expects similar numbers this year.

“When we started [the festival] in 1975, it was a huge success from the get-go,” he said.

The New Jersey Folk Festival will be held on “Rutgers Day,” April 24, on the Eagleton Institute of Politics lawn on Douglass Campus from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

CALENDAR MARCH

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Editors from The Daily Targum will hold a writers meeting for current and prospective writers at 9:30 p.m. in the S-Lounge on the fourth floor of the Rutgers Student Center on the College Avenue campus. They will assign stories and answer questions about writing articles. No previous writing experience is required, and anyone interested is welcome to attend.

To have your event featured on www.dailytargum.com, send University calendar items to university@dailytargum.com.

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U NIVERSITY

MARCH 29, 2010

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Speakers cry for greater attention to Haiti relief

BY GEOFF MCKENZIE

Keegan said the Haitians in particular need help clearing the massive amounts of debris coverWith the people of Haiti still in ing the areas affected by the need of assistance following earthquake.

Januar y’s earthquake, the “Ever ywhere you drive, the University’s American Studies buildings are still laying on the Association hosted a teach-in to sidewalks where they fell,” he help garner awareness of the con- said. “If we don’t get rid of tinuing crisis. [the debris] there is no place The event, held at the Ruth to rebuild, and these people Adams Building on Douglass need to feel as if they have campus last Thursday, featured control again.” speeches by Bill Keegan, presiWithout clearing these areas, dent of the nonprofit organiza- Haiti will not be able to recover tion H.E.A.R.T. 9/11 who led a from the devastation of the disassearch-and-rescue mission in ter, Keegan said.

Haiti after the earthquake, and “The first thing to do is to get Jeff Richter, a retired U.S. Army rid of the debris — the Reserve Lieutenant Colonel and reminder of what happened — former Haiti Desk officer for the give them open space, and give 358th Civil Affairs Brigade. them something to build there The event aimed to give and they’ll rebuild themselves,” attendees a historical back- he said. ground of Haiti and discuss the But Richter said the main nature of the recent earthquake, focus of the recover y efforts American rescue right now should and recover y be the survival of efforts to pump Haitian people.

“Once it leaves the the“We up support for need to humanitarian aid. eyes of the press, just keep them Keegan, a alive,” he said. “A it leaves the eyes retired Port lot of [the Haitian A u t h o r i t y people] are withof people, and Lieutenant, said out shelter now, that’s a shame.” media coverage of with the rainy seathe Haitian earthson coming on.”

JEFF RICHTER quake crisis has With overpopRetired U.S. Army Reserve dwindled in ulation becoming Lieutenant Colonel recent weeks, a major obstacle leading to a drop to Haitian recovin aid and support for the people er y, Richter stressed the of the nation. need for the migration of the “Once it leaves the eyes of the Haitian community. press, it leaves the eyes of people, “It’s difficult to imagine how and that’s a shame,” he said. the countr y is going to continue Richter, an expert on Haitian with that many people in it,” he histor y and culture, warned said. “There really is a need for against the dangers of having a a migration someplace. failed state so geographically Whether or not the United close to the United States and States is going to be a part of called for more support to help that remains to be seen.” the country recover.

Less than 20 people attended “As the news moves on, every- the event, many of them already body moves on to the next crisis,” members of H.E.A.R.T. 9/11 or he said. “What happens [in Haiti] other support groups, something affects us.” that Keith Flyer, a School of Arts Richter said the crisis in and Sciences sophomore, said Haiti would not be resolved was a bit troubling. overnight and emphasized the “Based on the turnout so far need for continued United [for this event], the level of States and allied suppor t to awareness in the [University] help Haiti get back on its feet. community is not where it “If people think this is going needs to be,” said Flyer, who is to get solved in a week or a involved in H.E.A.R.T. 9/11. month or a year, it isn’t going Despite all the problems, to happen,” he said. “The Keegan praised the resilience United States and its allies of the Haitian people and need to make a commitment to believes they will be able to see this through.” rebuild their countr y.

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ISIAH STEWART

Hundreds of students joined the University’s Bhakti Yoga Club in the Busch Campus Center on Thursday night to listen and meditate to kirtan bands like As Kindred Spirits, who play for audiences all over the world.

Students sing, dance to exercise soul

BY PRATHUSHA MADURI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Students were able to tour the world through meditation and cultural celebrations at the Busch Campus Center with the help of the University’s Bhakti Yoga Club.

More than 220 people experienced a night dedicated to musical meditation, cultural singing and dancing Thursday, as they listened to world-famous, Indian-style kirtan bands As Kindred Spirits and Mayapuris while performing Bhakti yoga.

“Kirtan is the sound of the soul singing. Its purpose is to reunite with the divine through the medium of mantra or sacred sounds and to clean the heart to reawaken our true identity. It helps us realize who we are really,” said Gaura Vani, leader of As Kindred Spirits.

Yoga in the western world is known typically as a physical workout leading to flexibility and muscle tone. But Bhakti yoga achieves a higher-level, inner awareness connection through the tradition of singing sacred sounds known as kirtan, according to the club’s Web site.

Bhakti yoga is in essence a workout for the soul rather than the body, said Irina Ushakov, a School of Arts and Sciences junior, who practices it weekly.

As Kindred Spirits initially began because of Vani’s desire to find something more fulfilling than his career as a film producer.

“I just felt like I was a zombie — a robot living someone else’s life. I felt like I was developing a personality that I didn’t want for myself,” Vani said.

It was after this realization that Vani became a musician. He drew on his experiences as a youth when he studied Sanskrit, learned to play traditional instruments and sang sacred music.

He formed his group in January 2009, and since then has traveled to encompass the world nearly three times. They have performed in countless countries, including South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Canada, England and India.

The event was unlike the traditional sit-and-listen performance because of the encouragement the performers gave to stimulate inter-

active audience participation in singing and dancing.

For example, Gopika Kapadia, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore, and Kevin Jones, a School of Arts of Sciences senior, were asked to join As Kindred Spirits and the Mayapuris on stage to showcase their singing and instrumental talent.

Bhakti Yoga Club president Aksh Sharma said the concert was successful based on the feedback and the energy at the end.

“This kind of energy, love and group dynamic is really what attracts me to kirtan. … I think the University as a whole just experienced something different, and they’re going to be looking for ward to this more,” said Sharma, an Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy junior.

Bringing this event to the University’s community truly diversifies the student body, Sharma said.

“I think it is important that college students get the opportunity and a chance to see different cultures and traditions and explore,” he said.

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T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

MARATHON: Alpha

“Just the everyday of helping [Jacob] get through the transition of him being in the clinic weekly, Chi Omega wins Spirit Week helping us with it as a family and dealing with his cancer.” continued from front While greek organizations are “The dancer participation is heavily involved with Dance what makes the theme hours what Marathon, this year saw an they are. The ideas come from us, increase in non-greek organizabut how far they go is really up to tions and individual dancers not them,” said Ashley Sam, commutied to a group. nity outreach captain.

“I know there’s a misconception Assistant Director of on campus that Dance Marathon is Community Outreach Angelica all-greek, and a lot of other organiGrimaldi said this year’s dancer zations do get involved,” Sam said. increase can be attributed to “There are a lot of non-greeks makmore first-year student participaing their way into it and really maktion, many of whom took leadering it a mix of non-greek organizaship roles as captains, as well as tions and greek organizations.” an increase of residence halls Sam said this increase in parjoining together to form teams. ticipation was due to the recruitGrimaldi said alumni dancers ment team. also rose dramatically. There “They were out giving presenwere 34 alumni dancers who tations on all of the campuses came out, with four dancing the starting back in September as whole time. Saturday night also soon as school started,” said saw the event’s first-ever alumni Sam, who also noted an increase hour to honor past dancers. in media and press relations.

“We never had the alumni Crimi, a School of Arts and hour ever, and this year it was Sciences sophomore, oversaw huge,” said Grimaldi, a Rutgers everyone who volunteered their College senior. “I think we’re time for Dance Marathon, includgoing to have a huge alumni paring dancers, committee members ticipation from here on out.” and captains.

Alyssa Gentile, an alumni “We had a more selective dancer from Class of 2009, was process in hiring captains and involved with Dance Marathon committee members,” Crimi throughout her time said. “We wanted at the University. to get the best of “I still wanted “It’s definitely worth the best this Dance Marathon to it when you see the year.” be a part of my life As a result, in more ways than Dance Marathon kids and what this just donating had never run means to them.” money, so I decided more smoothly, to dance,” she said. she said.

JENNIFER KANTOR As a former “ D a n c e Dance Marathon participant director of commuMarathon is all nity outreach, she of the most paswas nervous comsionate people ing into this year’s marathon. around one cause coming togeth“I thought I would be bored, er,” Crimi said. “College students that my feet would hurt, but I’m have such a bad stereotype, that feeling great,” she said. “I love they just drink and party and seeing the families.” don’t go to class, but here you Assistant Director of Volunteer have 1,000 people in this gym for Management Julia Crimi said these kids.” organizations are matched up Although it lasts 32 hours, with children in the Embrace Kids Dance Marathon starts planning Foundation. They then travel visit for the next year about a month their adoptive children and spend after its conclusion, said Sam, a time with them throughout the School of Arts and Sciences firstyear. During the marathon, the year student. families visit the dancers.

“It’s a very long process,” she Ashrey Sharma, Delta Sigma said. “It takes a lot of time on Iota vice president, said when his everybody’s part. It’s hours and fraternity started dancing hours a week every week leading Saturday, they were pumped. Once up to the marathon.” the night hit, they started to feel One month prior to the event, the pain of not sleeping or sitting.

Dance Marathon hosts its Spirit “We were starting to feel really Week to drive up competitor and tired, but then our child came by,” fundraising spirit. he said. “Since then, everyone’s “We do it about one month just been jumping around. Our spirbefore the marathon to get everyits were down, but now it’s just one ready for the final stretch,” we’re ending on a good note today.”

Sam said.

Sharma, a School of Arts and The participating organizaSciences senior, said they visit their tions compete for spirit points adoptive child, three-year-old Jacob and the winner is announced at Buccos, once a week at Robert the concluding ceremony of the Wood Johnson University Hospital. marathon. Sorority Alpha Chi “It’s just fun watching him.

Omega maintained its tradition of And he makes you feel happy winning spirit week this year, but when you go and meet him fraternity Chi Psi won the award everyday. That’s the best part of being the most spirited about it,” he said. fundraisers throughout the year.

Jacob’s mother, Tammy Buccos Jennifer Kantor, a Rutgers said Jacob was diagnosed with College senior and member of acute lymphocytic lymphoma, a Alpha Chi Omega, danced for the form of leukemia, last summer, first time this year after particiand the Embrace Kids Foundation pating for the past three. helps the family immensely.

“Even though standing for 32 “They help us financially, like hours is difficult, it’s definitely with an electric bill that we found worth it when you see the kids ourselves falling behind with, and what this means to them,” Embrace Kids has helped us out she said. “I feel tired but I feel like with that,” Tammy Buccos said.

I accomplished something good.”

T H E D A I LY TA R G U M

MARCH 29, 2010

METRO

PA G E 9

Decal law to label new drivers

WOVEN MEMORIES

BY RINAL SHAH CORRESPONDENT

BONNIE CHAN

New Brunswick librarian Laura Skalaj displays a quilt of children’s drawings in memory of Sept. 11. It will be donated to an advocacy group of victims’ family members, VOICES of September 11th.

New Jersey officials announced the implementation of a new driving law last Wednesday that requires any permit holder or driver with a probationar y license under 21 years old to have a decal on their license plate indicating their novelty to driving.

The law, which takes effect May 1, was created in honor of Morris County’s Kyleigh D’Alessio, a 16-year-old who was killed while in a car driven by a probationary driver.

The red, reflective decals will be sold at motor vehicle agencies starting April 12 for $4 a pair. They must be affixed to the upper left corner of both the front and rear license plates, according to law.

Drivers who are already on the road and still hold a probationary license are required to purchase and display the decals

by May 1, while new drivers will be issued the decals upon receiving their permit, according to a Motor Vehicle Commission press release.

The decals are also removable if the young driver needs to use a different car or when an older driver uses the car.

Raymond Martinez, acting chief administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle

Commission, said this legislation is a significant step toward greater teen driver safety.

“Getting behind the wheel is a tremendous responsibility, and it is important for those of us with more experience and knowledge to provide the necessary tools, guidance and support that will allow teens to safely join the millions of drivers traveling our roadways each day,” Martinez said in the release.

According to the law, the curfew for probationary drivers will also change to 11:01 p.m. to 5 a.m. from 12:01 p.m. to 5 a.m., and a “provisional driver” will be referred to as a “probationary driver.”

A probationary driver will also only be allowed one passenger in the car besides his or her dependents, unless a parent or guardian accompanies the driver, according to the law. Violators face a $100 fine and possible license suspension.

According to a report on the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety Web site, statistics as of 2008 show that each year an average of 6,000 teens die and about 300,000 are injured in motor vehicle accidents nationally. Ever y 10 minutes, a teen crashes in New Jersey.

Teens represent the largest portion of drivers involved in motor vehicles accidents in the state, according to the report.

Teens make up about 6 percent of the state’s licensed drivers, yet they account for about 13 percent of accidents.

Despite its implementation, a cloud of controversy follows the bill.

School of Arts and Sciences sophomore Jessica Jones feels the legislation is unfair.

“I think forcing young drivers to display a decal will result in cops targeting young drivers unfairly,” Jones said. “If the law is enacted, I think only new drivers should be affected.”

But School of Arts and Sciences sophomore Nicole Tirri believes the decals can have a positive effect by increasing road safety.

“Considering the rate of accidents and illegal activities preformed on the road by licensed minors, I think it has the potential to heighten the safety on the roads,” she said.

Yet Tirri acknowledges the legislation leaves room for discrimination.

“While it may unleash discriminatory behavior on these ‘inexperienced’ drivers, simply letting them know that they are visible to law enforcement may help improve their behavior on the road,” she said.

The Motor Vehicle Commission could not be reached for a comment at press time.

T H E D A I LY TA R G U M

MARCH 29, 2010

IN FOCUS

PA G E 1 1

U. graduate brews up unforseeable milestone that a funny strip every day, coupled with an intriguing story line, would increase our repeat readership,” he said.

Jim Kohl spends most of his Kohl said Kriser helps days working as senior payroll tremendously with the comic by specialist, doing checks and balupdating the “Happy Hour” Web ances for clients. With the end of site, editing, coming up with the quarter coming up, his days punch lines and anything else he are getting longer. could think of.

Kohl escaped this world of “Basically, he does everything numbers on Friday at Stuff Yer I can’t do. If he knew what I knew Face. With the 1000th edition in about computers, then he would his comic strip, “Happy Hour,” know nothing,” Kohl said. “Plus, coming up April 2, Kohl sat he’s always there to help out with down to do something he loves the editing of the comic and get— talking comics on a beautiful ting the word out.” day at a bar over some fresh, After nights of doing stand-up, hoppy beers.

Kohl would then travel down to “I love going to an outside bar Old Bay to enjoy a few beers and on a nice Sunday afternoon, listen to what people say. drinking a beer and listening to “A bar is a great atmosphere what people say,” Kohl said. “If to get inspiration from,” Kohl something makes me laugh, I’ll said. “I would hear someone say put it right into the comic.” something funny and would Kohl, a native of Saddlebrook, immediately write it down on a N.J., said drawing was something napkin or whatevhe has been interer I could get my ested since he can remember, incor“When I write the hands on.”

He said porating his love Hour” for creature and comics, I write them “Happy three differhorror movies with in a way that makes offers ent perspectives every opportunity. me laugh ... That’s or worlds — the “I started drawHammerhead ing ever since I all that matters.

Brewer y, Shiverlearned how to Me Burgers and JIM KOHL hold a pen,” he said.

Tripper’s Bar. “I used to draw “Happy Hour Comic” creator The comic superheroes and strip of fers an horror comics, array of characters, all with difwhich people can see throughout ferent personalities and some the ‘Happy Hour’ strips.” form of craziness, which are all Kohl, who graduated from the based on real people in University in 2004, said there Kohl’s life. was no real plan to start a comic One of the main characters in strip, but it simply just happened. the strip is named Jim Beem, “The comic really started just which is ironically based on Kohl out of things [my friend] Phil himself. Kohl deemed Beem the [Kriser] and I would talk about, most outrageous character of all which I would then put onto bar and said he meant it to be this way. napkins,” he said. “So, I never “I kind of just let Jim say what would of thought the comic the inner self might do but never would have come this far.” say out loud,” he said. “He is The comic strip started in almost always the butt of the joke Nov. 2004, when Kohl and his and works perfectly with the friend, Tommy Brennan, startother characters.” ed making two-character strips Another main character in the in a bar. But when the 500th strip is Phil Manhattan, a former comic debuted, Brennan and alcoholic who has a monkey as Kohl split, leaving another one an alcoholic anonymous sponsor. of Kohl’s friends to fill his shoes Manhattan is based off Kriser. in making the comic.

“We thought it would be Kriser, Kohl’s new co-writer, funny to have an [Alcoholics said the comic started out as a Anonymous] sponsor for Phil, “joke-of-the-day” format, but which turned out to be quickly changed after he saw Christian Slater,” Kriser said. its potential.

“However, Slater and Phil “The random joke-a-day strips fell of f the wagon at the were good, but my thought was

BY DEVIN SIKORSKI STAFF WRITER

NICHOLAS BRASOWSKI

“Happy Hour” comic creator Jim Kohl discusses the inspiration behind his comic strip, as he gets ready to reach his 1000th strip this Friday. His comic turns real people in his life into comedic characters.

same time, and the monkey ended up replacing Slater as Phil’s sponsor.”

Kriser, who is considered as the more levelheaded one out of the bunch, went from being a recovering alcoholic to the foundation where all the characters stemmed from.

“His whole life was based on beer, so it was hard from him to stay away from it,” he said.

“However, Phil really ended becoming the voice of reason for the comic and acted as an equilibrium for the other characters.”

Phil’s boss at the Hammerhead Brewery, Julian MacKenzie, is based off Kohl’s friend, Julian, who is extremely stingy with money and has a weird relationship with Phil. Kohl said Julian did not expect this to be his role.

“Julian wanted to be a rock star that slept at the bar all the time, and I just couldn’t see it,” Kohl said. “Julian ended up being a powerful form of Jim at the brewer y.”

COURTESY OF JIM KOHL

“Happy Hour” comic No. 21, Jim Kohl’s favorite strip, represents the expansion of the comic from outside of the bar scene to different scenarios. Kohl said this comic still makes him laugh every time.

“Happy Hour” has other characters, such as Chris McGuiness and Myles Carol, both inspired

by Kohl’s friends, Chris Wecht and Myles Carroll. Kohl said Chris’ character is perfect, because he replaced massive void in the comic.

“When Tommy left the comic strip, I almost completely dropped everything,” Kohl said.

“However, Chris really fit well in playing off of Jim and I’m really happy that we were able to use him to filly Tommy’s spot.”

Wecht’s character is a lumberjack because in real life he is the owner of what Kohl calls a “legendary beard.”

“I’ve had the beard for a couple of years now. It’s one of those things that comes in full and red,” Wecht said. “If I didn’t keep it long, I feel like I’d be shorting people.”

Wecht, who is not a lumberjack, said Kohl has a talent for showing people exactly who his characters are and finds it hilarious he was chosen to personify that character.

“I think Jim captures exactly who I am and I think my character is spot on,” he said. “He knows how I speak, so I am able to read my character’s lines out loud and it sounds exactly like something I would say.”

Carroll felt the same way about his character, saying Kohl captures exactly who he is.

“Jim knows I’m kind of a smartass, so he puts that in there,” Carroll said. “There are parts of my personality that I can see in the Myles in the comic.”

Another character in the “Happy Hour” series is Dave Clarkson, who is based off Kohl’s friend and works in the Hammerhead Brewery with Phil.

“Dave is a mysterious character and he always has been in real life,” Kohl said. “Any reference I can put in to poke at Dave

for being a sexual deviant, I do that.”

When asked what his favorite strip was out of an impressive 1,000 comics, Kohl seemed flabbergasted and could not choose one.

Kohl did point out one comic he said could be considered his favorite if he had to choose.

“Around comic strip No. 21, there was a scene where Jim and Tommy were outside of the bar, commenting on a guy doing snow angels upside down,” he said. “This comic always makes me laugh and signifies where the comic left the bar and expanded into different worlds.”

Kohl incorporates breaking news in his comics, including a strip that focuses on last year’s massive bank bailouts.

“After the government bailout of the banks last year, of course I had to write a week about Julian wanting a bailout,” he said. “So, the brewery gets a bailout, which Julian and Phil quickly spend on a hot tub and hookers.”

Although The Daily Targum was the starting point for “Happy Hour,” the strip caught the attention of many different schools across the nation, such as Ohio State University and Harvard University.

Kohl is no stranger to critical feedback and mentioned a time where one of his comics drew major backlash after using Adolf Hitler as a character.

Between negative feedback and different schools pleading for a different version of “Happy Hour,” Kohl said all of this did not matter to him.

“It doesn’t matter to me if a school doesn’t like the format or if one person is offended because I’m not going to change that,” Kohl said. “When I write the comics, I write them in a way that makes me laugh. And, to me, that’s all that matters.”

T H E D A I LY TA R G U M

OPINIONS

PA G E 1 2

MARCH 29, 2010

EDITORIALS

Ticket slow drivers, avoid road rage

W

e all have certain outbursts of road rage and sometimes it is well-founded. When someone drives 15 mph under the speed limit in the left lane on U.S. Highway 287, they cause massive headaches for those of us who simply want to get home, speeding or not. There are certain state laws, New Jersey included, that prohibit drivers from driving in the fast lane if not passing, but they are rarely enforced. Now the Georgia Senate plans on reinforcing the law by introducing a bill that assures slow drivers will finally be ticketed after years of angering those around them.

This new law could be the solution for a number of problems ranging from safety of all cars on the road to the much-frowned-upon road rage. The truth is that however slow one may be going, they pose a threat to drivers that try to pass the slowly moving car. Since passing on the right is much more dangerous than the accepted passing on the left, the only solution would be to penalize those who block the left lane. In New Jersey, as we are sure many of you know, drivers seldom make way for those who try to get to their destination more quickly, albeit sometimes less safely. Driving slowly then may seem like the safer choice, but it could very well be the opposite with the ever-present young drivers, racing along the highway, trying to get around the slowpokes in the left lane.

Fining those who continuously block the fast lane would also partially solve congestion problems. Instead of blocking all three lanes, for example, on a three-lane road, traffic would flow through the rightmost two and allow everyone else to pass them on the appropriate left.

Up until now and perhaps until some sort of a law is also passed in New Jersey, we face cars in all three lanes, neither speeding, nor going the speed limit, therefore causing much anger and road congestion. This law could simply be the relief that most of us need on the way home from work after a 9-to-5 job.

Georgia Senate — it is up to you to start a nationwide trend of enforcing the little yet important driving laws that serve us all. We are certainly not alone in saying that slow drivers in the left lane are probably the worst thing, apart from the recent snow storms, to hit the road. They are a hazard, ticket them.

MCT CAMPUS

Health care support will only grow

W

QUOTE OF THE DAY

reason that Republicans, like eek after week, former President George W. m a n y Bush, who attempted to priRepublicans convatize Social Security in tinue to deny the merits of 2004, fall flat on their faces President Barack Obama’s when they attempt to lessen health care reform legislation. the extent of these proMore generally, Republicans grams. Bush actually ended reject any role for government BEN WEST up expanding Medicare, in securing positive rights much to the delight of the such as health care. elderly, who because of Bush now receive entitleHowever, what Republicans cannot deny or reject is ment benefit for prescription drugs through tax that the recently passed piece of health care legislation breaks and subsidies. As time wears on, it is likely is very likely to significantly alter the political landscape that our new and improved system of providing of our great nation in a manner that is detrimental to the health to our citizens will find similar levels of supRepublican Party. The author of Thursday’s letter, port among Americans, making it difficult for “Health care bill leads nowhere,” may claim that his Republicans to repeal the reform. That is perhaps opposition to what many rabid Republicans pejoratively why Obama has challenged Republicans to run on a label “Obamacare” stems from a fear that our nation is platform of repeal during the upcoming midterm headed “toward a European welfare state, with higher elections. He realizes that such a platform is very taxes, higher deficits, high unemployment and unlikely to gain Republicans much political traction. depressed economic growth.” However, the reason that As many Americans come to see the benefits of the most Republican intellectuals continue to fight against health care reform, they may come to see the the health care reform legislation is because they realDemocratic Party in a more favorable ize that it marks the close of the era of light. The Democratic Party found former President Ronald Reagan.

“This high level much success at the polls after it A Republican supporter claimed in a March 24 letter that “the majority of support that has steered the nation out of the Great Depression with New Deal programs. opposes this bill, not the minority.” By already emerged President Franklin Delano Roosevelt sharing such lies, Republicans are was elected to office for four consecuattempting to spread fear and instill a will grow as we tive terms and, between 1933 and 1981, sense of hopelessness because they which is when the Reagan era began, hope to hold on to their ever diminmove forward ...” five of eight presidents hailed from the ishing grip on Washington, D.C., Democratic Party. As time passes, which has diminished as quickly as Democrats may come to be seen as the party who their grip on reality itself. Indeed, a USA granted Americans with a right to decent and affordToday/Gallup Poll, which was also released on able health care, while Republicans, who refused to March 24 — the same day as said letter — found that collaborate, will be seen as the party of “no.”

49 percent of Americans now see health care reform Considering that their forecasts of death panels as “a good thing” while 40 percent do not. A plurality and socialism may just seem a bit over the top a year of Americans now supports the bill despite the realifrom now, they may also be considered the party of ty that many of the more substantive benefits that senselessness and lunacy as well. As these more American citizens will receive because of the bill will substantive pieces of the legislation begin to benefit not be implemented until several years from now.

Americans, the Democratic Party’s voter base will This high level of support that has already grow, and the Republicans will lose any gains that emerged will grow as we move forward and as they made in 2010 midterm elections as voters Americans continue to receive more and more benbegin to see the benefits of health care reform. efits because of the bill. Despite their claims that During the 2008 presidential election, Obama Obama is out to steal your guns, kidnap your grandvaguely offered “change that we could believe in.” mother and then shoot your grandmother with the With the implementation of health care reform, he guns that he has confiscated from you, Republican has delivered just that. The bell now tolls for intellectuals are actually quite intelligent. Have you Reaganites as the Reagan era draws to a close. The ever wondered why many New Deal and Great plurality of Americans who support this health care Society social welfare programs are still in existence legislation today will grow into an overwhelming today? It is because the vast majority of Americans majority tomorrow, and this will threaten the politihave reaped the benefits of such government aid, cal viability of Republicans and provide Democrats and they appreciate it. with political capital for years to come.

The American National Election Study, which is a nationally representative public opinion survey that is Ben West is a Rutgers College senior majoring in conducted every four years, consistently finds that political science. He can be reached at benmore than 80 percent of all Americans support spendwest@eden.rutgers.edu. ing on Social Security and Medicare. And it is for that

“I just felt like I was a zombie — a robot living someone else’s life. I felt like I was developing a personality that I didn’t want for myself.”

Due to space limitations, submissions cannot exceed 750 words. If a commentary exceeds 750 words, it will not be considered for publication.

All authors must include name, phone number, class year and college affiliation or department to be considered for publication. Anonymous letters will not be considered. All submissions are subject to editing for length and clarity. A submission does not guarantee publication. Please submit via e-mail to oped@dailytargum.com by 4 p.m. to be considered for the following day’s publication.

Law discriminates against young drivers

A

good number of University students are under the age of 21 and while we have, to some point, made peace with not being able to drink until that milestone, we might have several problems with the state requiring us to have red decals on our cars, signifying a “learning driver.” Under the long-debated Kyleigh’s Law, drivers under 21 years of age with probationary or provisional licenses will have to place red decals on their license plates, identifying them as young drivers. In addition to this being a mistake, is the fact that the teen drivers themselves would have to go the Department of Motor Vehicles and pay $4 to receive this required decal.

According to NJ.com, Freeholder Raymond Martinez, who runs the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, called the law “one of the most significant steps forward in teen driver safety.” He could not be more wrong. Using these brightly colored stickers, police would be better able to pull over a driver for simply having the tag. Probable cause would simply no longer matter now that police will begin targeting those unfortunate enough to have a red decal on their license plate.

The discriminatory nature of the law is already obvious. Instead of increasing safety, the pockets of those who created the law will fill up from just another sector of the state.

Even if police did not focus on the red labels as primary reasons for pulling someone over, the truth is that young drivers will not improve just for the fact that they have a $4-badge on the back of their cars. If that were the case, why not require all drivers who were deemed “bad” to place the sticker on their cars. The thought is almost unimaginable, yet young drivers face possible fines for being new at driving.

Lastly, we disagree with the overall idea of making the law apply to those holding provisional licenses under the age of 21. When does the state deem one grown up? Since when is the arbitrary age of 21 a marker for all that is limiting and illogical? Perhaps state officials will next come to the decision of placing stickers on license plates to distinguish who is behind the wheel based on age, gender and race. Women would have one symbol, while Asians would have another. Therefore, an 18year-old Asian woman would have three different decals for each “fault” that they posses. The travesty does not seem to end. With just another reason for cops to pull young drivers over, Kyleigh’s Law is simply one more of the state’s mistakes.

Gaura Vani, leader of kirtan band As Kindred Spirits, on his reason for starting the band STORY IN UNIVERSITY

The Red Lion

The editorials written above represent the majority opinion of The Daily Targum Editorial Board. All other opinions expressed on the Opinions page, and those held by advertisers, columnists and cartoonists, are not necessarily those of The Daily Targum.

OPINIONS

T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

MARCH 29, 2010 13

Continue off-campus form of representation Letter VICTORIA GILBERT

W

e write to express our discontent with a provision regarding offcampus student representation in the proposed Rutgers University Student Assembly constitution, as currently drafted.

University students should be represented equally and have their specific concerns heard.

Our five New Brunswick/Piscataway campus-

es all have unique issues.

Campus councils enable us to hear these and advise the student government on courses of action. Off-campus students have some different concerns than those that live in University housing, but these concerns still relate to the specific campus they frequent.

The proposed constitution does not provide adequate representation opportunities for offcampus students. Fifty-four percent of the student population cannot and should not vie for 16

positions on the off-campus council. The vast majority of upperclassmen live off-campus. Our most experienced representatives would only be eligible to run for election to one council, not the entire student government.

We propose that the current off-campus form of representation be continued. No off-campus council would be created.

This would sustain off-campus students’ eligibility to run for a position — representative or Senate seat — on one campus council of their choice. Utilizing

this method, they can represent the campus they frequent the most. Instead of separating offcampus from on-campus concerns, ever y campus council would hear off-campus input. We are all University students and should have our particular campus concerns addressed in the same forums.

Alter natively, we suggest that the three at-large positions and four Senate seats on each campus council of the proposed constitution be open to of f-campus students, instead of

limited to on-campus students.

Still, no of f-campus council would be created. This will ensure that all University students have equal oppor tunities to be represented in student government. It is our hope that RUSA fulfills its obligation to ensure equal representation of all members of the University community in the final draft of the new constitution.

This letter was written on behalf of the members of the College Avenue Council.

T H E D A I LY TA R G U M

DIVERSIONS

PA G E 1 4

Horoscopes / LINDA C. BLACK

Pearls Before Swine

MARCH 29, 2010

STEPHAN PASTIS

Today's birthday (3/29/10). Put a serene face on creative challenges.

Blend your desires with those of your partner. Devote part of each day to developing creative talents. They blend into a package of skills that enhance your career and your relationships. To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 6 — Whatever problem you face today, develop more than one method of attack. Your first thought may be the best, but remain open to suggestions.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Don't plan on getting credit for anything today.

Someone else takes the glory, or you have to wait until later. Either way, you know you did your best.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) — Today is a 5 — You aren't ready to get back to work yet.

Part of your mind is back at the party, enjoying friends and family. Put daydreams on the back burner.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) — Today is a 7 — Work from home today if you can. You'll get a lot more done, and associates will use the time to do their own thing. Productivity abounds.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 6 — You get your marching orders and move into action immediately. A female provides extra goodies to make the transition easier.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — You achieve balance today when you continue your creative work while also encouraging a female with hers. Help only as needed.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 6 — Gentle persuasion works wonders at home.

The less pressure you apply, the more successful the outcome.

Share your goal with others.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — You get a chance to try new methodologies. Consider this a stress test of your rationale. Include both genders in your opinion poll.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 6 — Dig deep into your bag of magic tricks and produce an illusion of wealth for your public appearance.

Simple and elegant does it every time.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 7 — This is no time to stop moving forward. Use pressure if you must, but remember: You need everyone's creative input, so don't force the issue.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 6 — Make every word count. You only get one chance to state your case. Be sure you mean what you say. Then, accept the consensus opinion.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 7 — Hard work earlier this month pays off now in the form of extra money, either as direct income or as a budget for a longer-term project.

Dilbert

Doonesberry

Happy Hour

© 2007, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

www.happyhourcomic.com

SCOTT ADAMS

GARY TRUDEAU

JIM AND PHIL

T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

Last-Ditch Ef fort

Get Fuzzy

D IVERSIONS JOHN KROES

MARCH 29, 2010

Pop Culture Shock Therapy

15

DOUG BRATTON

DARBY CONLEY

Non Sequitur

WILEY

Jumble

H. ARNOLD & M. ARGIRION THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME

Unscramble these four Jumbles, one letter to each square, to form four ordinary words.

Peanuts

CHARLES SCHULTZ

IVGLI ©2010 Tribune Media Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

FEROC

POSHIN

Ph.D

J ORGE C HAM

NEW BIBLE Jumble Books Go To: http://www.tyndale.com/jumble/

by Mike Argirion and Jeff Knurek

NYFLOD Now arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer, as suggested by the above cartoon.

Answer here: Saturday’s Yesterday’s

Sudoku

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Solution Puzzle #37 3/26/10

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T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

Big field intensifies competition

BY ANTHONY HERNANDEZ STAFF WRITER

While racing down to Raleigh early Thursday for the team’s weekend competition, the Rutgers WOMEN’S TRACK w o m e n ’ s track and field team entered its second meet of the outdoor season.

But the Raleigh Relays also marked the largest invitational the Scarlet Knights will attend all season, making the first meet of the season for much of the team, also the most difficult.

“Overall, I thought we could have definitely performed better, [but] it was a huge invitational,” said head coach James Robinson.

“We’ll get some more work in and come back next week and have a better meet.”

To better last week’s meet the team needed to best seven topthree finishes and a broken school record –– something which would have been an astounding accomplishment.

However, in a field of competition easily double the size the Knights faced last week, the team still put together a positive showing in the early stretches of the season.

Senior Natalie Clickett finished in third place in the discus with a throw of 46.86 meters, a repeat finish of last weekend’s Bulls Invitational. The thrower also hurled the shotput 14.29 meters to achieve fourth place in the event.

Also remaining consistent in her event was junior Latoshia Bost, who finished in ninth place overall in the 400-meter race with a time of 55.98 seconds.

Although on paper a ninthplace finish is easy to overlook, one must consider the gargantuan size of the relays. The 400-meter field consisted of 98 runners, while Clickett faced more than 60 throwers in each of her events.

Despite the immense level of competition, senior captain Michelle Gomes picked right up where she left off last week in Tampa, while continuing to impress her head coach.

“She’s focused on ever y aspect of her life right now,” said Robinson. “She’s finishing [her college career] with a huge bang, everything has come together like a perfect storm right now.”

Gomes posted a second-place finish in the 100-meter gallop with a time of 11.79 seconds –– the third best time in school history and also the senior’s personal best mark.

But she did not finish there.

The sprinter also turned in a third place performance in the 200meter event with a time 23.98 seconds as she battled a 100-plus runner field in each of the two events.

While her coach attributes her early success to her hard work and dedication, Gomes is sure she is thriving for other reasons.

“Indoor season has left me a little more hungry,” the captain said. “I want to be better and the ‘it’ factor has intensified. I am making track an field fun for me again, that’s part of my success.”

WIN: Team’s depth helps in emphatic victory over Panthers continued from back their ninth win of 2010 at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, respectively.

Sophomores Mar yana Milchutskey and Leonora Slatnick were victorious in straight sets, while senior Christine Tran ear ned the Knights’ seventh point of the afternoon with a three-set win.

Slatnick’s win brings her victories in eight-straight matches.

The Austin, Texas, native’s play steadily improved since the beginning of the season.

“Recently I’ve been a lot more confident in how I’ve

been playing and it’s huge to be No. 6 singles spot. The sucable to step on to the court cessful change is a testament to thinking you’re going to suc- the Knights’ depth, according ceed,” Slatnick said. “Once to Slatnick. you get a few “Our team is wins under really deep and your belt your the rotation is “We consider a t t i t u d e really inter[Big East] matches c h a n g e a b l e changes.”

Rutgers disbecause I think more important played its versawe can all beat than others and tility in the each other on shutout, as head given day,” we need to win as any coach Ben Bucca she said. “To get did some lineup many ... as we can.” c o n t r i b u t i o n s maneuvering from ever yone JEN HOLZBERG prior to the makes us that Sophomore match. Tran was much better.” relegated to The Knights strictly doubles (9-5, 3-1) are play, but answered the call delighted to put a conference when asked to contribute in the contest in the win column, but

MARCH 29, 2010

17

challenges certainly lie ahead.

Rutgers takes on six more Big East foes between now and April 17, meaning the team has to stay sharp.

“It takes a lot of hard work,” Holzberg said. “We consider conference matches more important than others and we need to win as many Big East games as we can.”

Rutgers took a tremendous first step toward climbing the conference ladder on Saturday.

“The fact that we wiped out Pittsburgh sets a good precedent for the rest of our Big East schedule,” Slatnick said. “Our goal is to finish as one of the conference’s best teams and this definitely helps.”

S P O RT S

18 MARCH 29, 2010

SAM HELLMAN

Senior hurler Nicole Lindley entered the second game of the Knights’ double-header to pitch two innings and earn her fifth victory.

SWEEP: Offense comes from unexpected lineup spot continued from back rest [Saturday] and we accomplished it.”

Princeton tried to threaten in the bottom of the ninth as senior Collette Abbott put a charge into a ball with one out.

But junior left fielder Mickenzie Alden, a converted shortstop, tracked the ball to the near warning track and a fully extended diving catch likely saved three bases.

“I got so excited after that play that I ran all the way from right field,” said sophomore Lindsey Curran. “That was the greatest catch I’ve ever seen. That really helped us. It was amazing.”

Sophomore Holly Johnson, fresh off a no-hitter against Stony Brook, also picked up her fifth win in the first game, going the distance and striking out seven in the 9-4 win.

Messina and Lindley provided some expected of fense with a home run each and five combined RBI, but some unexpect-

ed of fense from Curran, the team’s No. 9 hitter, got Rutgers star ted.

The Scarlet Knights have not hit well with two outs this season so — with the bases loaded in the second during a scoreless tie — expectations were low. Curran, however, lined a pitch to left field and scored two runs; opening the floodgates for six more runs over the next three innings.

“I’ve been struggling lately and that hit kind of broke me out of my funk,” she said. “It felt good to contribute to the team again.”

She also drove in a run in the ninth inning on a groundout, finishing 1-for-3 with three RBI. At the plate, the Knights (1215) hounded the Tigers throughout the day. Alden stole two bases and scored two runs while Meinheit and freshman second baseman Jen Harabedian scored six combined runs.

“Getting the sweep feels really great,” Curran said. “We didn’t sweep Stony Brook and we were expecting to so when you come in here and expect to sweep someone and you do it, it feels really great.”

SAM HELLMAN

Sophomore outfielder Lindsey Curran drove in two runs with two outs, opening the floodgates for RU from the No. 9 spot in the lineup.

T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

S P O RT S

MARCH 29, 2010

19

Trip south brings back NCAA qualifiers

BY TYLER BARTO STAFF WRITER

The Asics Winthrop Invitational in Rock Hill, S.C., was a fruitful meet for the Rutgers MEN’S TRACK men’s RUTGERS track SIX NCAA QUALIFIERS a n d f i e l d team, featuring six individual victories and more importantly, an impressive six NCAA-qualifying standards along with Big East and IC4A qualifiers.

Scarlet Knight seniors Kyle Grady and Steve Swern both ear ned qualifiers for the NCAAs in the 110-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles, respectively.

Grady captured first in his event in 14.09 seconds, also good for an IC4A qualifying time. The East Brunswick native, who showed flexibility last week by also running the 200-meter dash, continues to be a model of consistency for the Knights.

“I’m surrounded by a lot of talent,” Grady said. “It’s just the

way Rutgers track and field is back into things after taking a doing this year. I just want to be little break.” a part of that.”

Rutgers was no stranger to Swern won the 400-meter success in the field events, caphurdles with a time of 51.86 sec- turing an additional three firstonds, a qualifying standard for place finishes, highlighted by the IC4As. sophomore Adam Bergo’s 2.20Sophomore meter ef for t in Monroe Kearns the high jump. placed first in the The Westfield “It’s just the way 800-meter r un, High School Rutgers track clocking in at product, who 1:50:24 — a qualialso took first at and field is doing last week’s USF fying time for both the NCAAs B u l l s this year. I just and IC4As. Invitational, is want to be Despite his unbeaten on the impressive showbar in the a part of it.” ing, Kearns early season. brushed of f the Fellow jumper KYLE GRADY need to start the Kevin Bostick Senior Hurdler outdoor season won the triple on a high note. jump with a “It wasn’t real impor tant to NCAA and IC4A-qualifying leap run fast because we still have of 15.05 meters. Bostick and time for that,” said Kear ns, Bergo, sophomore roommates, who finished a disappointing finished one-two in both the eighth in the 800-meter at the high and triple jumps.

Big East Championships dur“That’s just a good situaing the indoor campaign. tion,” Grady said of the pair.

“Coach [Mike Mulqueen] just “They’re both talented kids ... wanted to get us in a race to get they kind of feed of f each

other. They both compete in the same events, so I think that’s a good thing to have on the team.”

Rounding out the first place finishes was sophomore James Plummer, who set a facility record last week at the USF Track and Field Stadium.

Plummer won the discus with an NCAA and IC4A throw of 55.68 meters. The Toms River native capped an impressive day with a third-place finish and Big East qualifying effort in the shot put.

“I’m surprised the way Plummer [star ted the season],” said associate head coach Kevin Kelly prior to the meet. “He worked hard in the winter.”

Not to go unnoticed were the six other Big East qualifiers, including freshman Chris Wyckof f in the pole vault and junior Chris Bradley in the javelin.

The Knights travel to Williamsburg, Va., next weekend on the campus of William & Mary for the Colonial Relays.

T

he Rutgers baseball team swept conference-foe Georgetown in both teams’ Big East openers this weekend.

The Scarlet Knights won the last game yesterday afternoon 53 in Bethesda, Md., to improve their record 12-10. The weekend put the Knights over .500 for the first time this season.

Rutgers won the first and second games by scores of 8-7 and 7-5, respectively.

The Knights are now on a six-game winning streak and are 8-1 against the Hoyas in the past three seasons.

For full coverage, see tomorrow’s edition.

THE RUTGERS

WOMEN’S

lacrosse team dropped its Big East contest yesterday to No. 7 Syracuse by a score of 17-10.

Senior attack Brooke Cantwell led the Knights, scoring four goals in the loss, her second-straight four-goal game this season.

With the loss, Rutgers fell to 6-3 on the season and 0-2 in the Big East.

For full coverage, see tomorrow’s edition.

A FTER

PROCLAIMING

himself as a “bad guy” weeks ago while comparing himself to Kanye West, Seattle Mariners outfielder Milton Bradley won the cleanup spot in the team’s lineup.

Manager Don Wakamatsu, who is confident with where the newly acquired outfielder is right now, announced Sunday Bradley will begin the season in the cleanup role.

Bradley began last season batting fourth for the Chicago Cubs but lasted just 19 games as he hit .179 with a meager two homeruns in the stretch.

FLORIDA

PANTHERS

General Manager Randy Sexton announced yesterday that team for ward David Booth will sit rink-side for the remainder of the season.

Booth suffered his second concussion of the season Thursday night in his team’s 4-1 loss to the Canadiens, on the eve of a new league-rule which made blindside hits illegal during play.

In his first concussion of the year, the Philadelphia Flyers captain Mike Richards laid out the forward.

THE NBA

AND

MIAMI

Heat guard Dwayne Wade avoided embarrassment Saturday evening. At the Sony Ericsson Open on a tournament practice court, Dwayne Wade and tennis star Andy Roddick, battled it out in a friendly game of H-O-R-S-E — on a tennis court.

After leading H-O-R to H early on, Roddick could do nothing but watch later in the match when the game was all tied up at four letters.

Wade eventually captured the victor y after Roddick’s attempted sit-down-shot in front of the basket rimmed out following Wade’s made-basket.

20

S P O RT S

MARCH 29, 2010

UPSET: Knights withstand late ND push for Big East win continued from back The Scarlet Knights earned their first win over a ranked opponent since knocking off No. 15 Hobart just over a year ago and the 12th time they beat a ranked opponent under Stagnitta.

And that is all without mentioning this was a crucial Big East opener for both teams.

“It’s really important considering we’ve already left a couple wins on the table,” Stagnitta said.

“To go to a place like Notre Dame

against a team that’s highly regarded and been in the NCAA Tournament the last couple years, it’s important to go in there and win. It’s a quality win and we needed that.”

Rutgers (5-2, 1-0) outscored Notre Dame (5-3, 0-1) 7-3 over the second and third periods to take control of the game. Five of those goals came in the second quarter after the Knights found themselves down to an early Fighting Irish score.

Trailing 2-1 Buehning, Goldberg and Pennington combined for four straight goals to put the Knights in front by three. Rutgers held the Irish at arms length for the remainder of the match.

Three times Notre Dame cut

“To go to a place like Notre Dame against a team that’s highly regarded, ... it’s important to go in there and win.”

JIM STAGNITTA Head Coach

the lead to two in the fourth quar ter and three times the

T H E DA I LY TA R G U M Knights found a way to repel the home side.

Leading by three entering the final quarter, the teams exchanged the first four goals of the period until back-to-back tallies by Buehning and freshman Duncan Clancy gave Rutgers a 10-6 lead with 9:13 to play.

But the 11th-ranked team in the country would not go down that easily. Quick scores by Neal Hicks and Zach Brenneman pulled the Irish back within two at the 6:46 mark.

“It got crazy,” Stagnitta said about that last 6:46. “We had a goal disallowed that would’ve put us up five and then everything

gets crazy. They get within two and are man-up and we got a great stop and were able to hold the ball [on offense], show patience and execute.”

Junior Kory Kelly also scored for Rutgers bringing his teamhigh total to 16 on the season.

The Knights outshot the Irish 3625 and forced 11 turnovers while committing just six of their own.

Brenneman, Grant Krebs and Zach Earl each scored twice to lead the Notre Dame attack.

Rutgers is back at Yurcak Field for its Big East home opener in the conference’s inaugural season Saturday against St. John’s.

S P O RT S

T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

MARCH 29, 2010

21

JOVELLE TAMAYO/ PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Freshman Nicole Roman, left, performed well in the EAGL Championships, but classmate Jenna Zito stole the show and earned Second Team All-Around honors in the conference.

Freshman highlights disappointing EAGL showing

BY JOSH GLATT STAFF WRITER

The Rutgers gymnastics team closed out their season Saturday in New Hampshire at the Eastern Atlantic Gymnastics League Championships. The Scarlet Knights GYMNASTICS finished RUTGERS 187.650 with a score of EIGHTH PLACE 187.650 a n d ended competition with an eighth place finish.

North Carolina won the championship with a score of 196.025, holding off second place North Carolina State who finished with a score of 195.700.

“It was a little disheartening because we knew that we could

do better,” head coach Chrystal Chollet-Norton said. “We are in a little slump and we have to get out of it.”

The team also recognizes that against a division as tough as theirs, it is going to be difficult to beat many teams even if they gave their best performance.

“We were going up against many of the top-36 [teams] in the countr y,” Chollet-Norton said.

“We have a tough conference.”

At an awards banquet on Friday evening, freshman Jenna Zito was named an EAGL Second Team AllAround selection. Zito competed in the all-around competition in every meet but the Knights’ last contest and against North Carolina due to an ankle injury. On the season, Zito leads Rutgers with an average score of 37.876.

KNIGHTS TAKE NINTH PLACE IN SECOND MEET OF SPRING place and equaling Lee with their team-best 76shot per formances.

Carl’s 76 came in the WOMEN’S GOLF second round, sandwiched between a pair took ninth place in the UC of 79s.

Spring Invitational.

The second round The Scarlet Knights marked the best round played their second event for the Knights, as the of the spring at Elks Run team shot a 309. They Golf Course in Cr ystal recorded 315s in both River, Fla., and tallied a the first and third 939 on the par 72 course. rounds.

Freshman A pair of junBrittany Weddell iors filled out the led the Knights scoring for with a 233, 17 Rutgers. Jeanne over par and Waters tied for good for a 53rd place in the tie at 25th place field and Daley in the 100Owens tied player field. for 75th.

Weddell shot a BRITTANY Illinois won 77 in each of the WEDDELL the event, shootfirst two rounds, ing an 893 and held Friday, but topping second-place sophomore Kristina Lee Stetson, whose Alex earned the Knights’ top Buelow captured the score in Saturday’ third individual title with an and final round. even par 216, by 12 The Haddonfield, N.J., strokes. Montana roundnative shot a 76 and ed out the top three with improved with each a 920. round. She shot an 81 and The Knights return to 78 in the first two rounds, action today with the respectively, and finished Georgetown Hoya in a tie for 33rd place.

Invitational in Fellow sophomore Beallsville, Md. Lizzy Carl edged out Lee during the Invitational, — Steven Miller finishing tied for 28th The Rutgers women’s golf team took to the links Friday and Saturday and

“We were really excited and really proud of her,” CholletNorton said. “It is a great honor and a great accomplishment.”

Not only did opposing coaches recognize Zito for her efforts, her own team also heaped the praise on the freshman.

“We have to pick an MVP and the team voted her as well,” Chollet-Norton said.

On Saturday, Zito continued demonstrating the talent that warranted her recognition. Zito scored a 9.725 on vault and continued her strong day with a score of 9.625 on floor exercises.

Along with Zito, the rest of the freshmen class also turned in strong performances in a pressure meet. Nicole Roman scored a 9.650 in vault, helping the Knights score a 48.300 in the

event. Emma-Rose Trentacosti led Rutgers on the balance beam with a score of 9.300.

“I was really impressed,” Chollet-Norton said. “It was their first big-time meet.”

After career per formances on Senior Night, the three seniors per formed well in their last EAGL championship.

Laura Sevarino led the team with a career-high score in vault of 9.800. Prishani Seebadri also set a high score with a 9.775 in vault, her highest mark of the year. Alyssa Lewandowski also posted strong marks, scoring a 9.650 and 9.500 in vault and floor exercise, respectively.

Despite a somewhat disappointing weekend, CholletNor ton and her team has rea-

son for optimism. The team of ficially qualified for nationals, leaving two weeks to rest and prepare.

“It’s official. We qualified for nationals,” Chollet-Norton said.

“But the kids really need a break.

They will get to have their first weekend off since January.”

Over the course of the next two weeks, Chollet-Norton and her assistant coaches will focus on not overworking the team so late in the season, but also on preparing them for the pressure of nationals.

“They need rest but they also need to get ready,” CholletNorton said. “We are going to go back to putting more pressure on them in practice by judging routines and putting them in meet situations.”

22

S P O RT S

MARCH 29, 2010

T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

Metropolitan landscape changes with new hire Fully Franko KYLE FRANKO

W

hile the excitement of the NCAA tournament consumes most of the nation, the New York metropolitan area is again left out to dry.

And with that comes the coaching carousel — out are Seton Hall’s Bobby Gonzalez and St. John’s Norm Roberts. Still in — Rutgers’ Fred Hill Jr. Three coaches, all drastically different, but all intertwined for perhaps the wrong reasons. Hill and Gonzalez were hired in 2006, Roberts two years before that, but the three combined for the most futile era in New Yorkarea basketball.

Let’s start with the stillemployed Hill. He’s 47-77 in four years, and to be frank, probably does not deserve another year, but he would be owed just over $1.5 million if fired.

You cannot blame Rutgers’ athletic director Tim Pernetti for not pulling the trigger. The ambitious Pernetti finished overseeing the expansion of Rutgers Stadium and wants to renovate the 31-year-old Louis Brown Athletic Center. The last thing he needs is to pay Hill to go away and then shell out more money to bring in another coach.

So why not hold onto him for a fifth year?

Hill said he sees a .500 record in the Big East as a realistic goal for the 2010-11 season, something that would definitely put them on the NCAA tournament radar. To go .500 would mean nine conference wins — under Hill, Rutgers has 13 in four years.

On the same day Rutgers announced Hill was staying, Seton Hall sacked Gonzalez — the volatile head coach gone after four years.

Gonzalez had the most success of the three. He steered the Pirates to a 19-13 season and 9-9 in league play, but then it all fell apart. For ward Herb Pope

punched a Texas Tech player below the belt twice in a sparsely attended National Invitational Tournament game while the crowd chanted for Gonzalez to be fired. For ward Robert “Stix” Mitchell robbed a house at gunpoint days after he was kicked off the team for making critical comments about Gonzalez. Before all that, guard Keon Lawerence was arrested for causing a car crash while driving the wrong way down the Garden State Parkway.

Gonzo had to go — Seton Hall had no choice. But it was almost like another kick in the gut when the replacement Seton Hall wanted, Siena’s Fran McCaffery, opted for Iowa.

The Pirates settled for Kevin Willard. The former Iona coach — just 34 years old — is young, but he turned a perennial loser at Iona into a 21-win team this season. It might take a year or two, but Willard, a disciple of Rick Pitino, was publicly endorsed by the Louisville coach before.

Meanwhile, up in Queens, poor Norm Roberts. He just never caught a break with the Red Storm.

He took over a program that hit rock bottom with NCAA sanctions and a sex scandal hanging over it and built it back up into a respectable Big East player. But the one thing Roberts didn’t do was win.

During his six-year tenure, the Red Storm made the postseason just once, with a trip to NIT at the end of this season. They lost in the first round to Memphis and Roberts was ousted days later.

But St. John’s has something that neither the Scarlet Knights nor Seton Hall have at their disposal — money. The Red Storm is willing to pay top-dollar for a new head coach.

They have to be relevant on the national scene because New York is a tremendous basketball city and really gets behind the Johnnies when they’re good.

The problem is do they really want to pay a salary to Seth Greenberg that would make him one of the top-25 paid coaches in the country?

Maybe St. John’s can just rehire Norm Roberts, because sometimes the best move may be no move at all.

GETTY IMAGES

Former Iona head men’s basketball coach Frank Willard, above, takes over the head man’s job at Seton Hall after it fired Bobby Gonzalez, below, for failing to properly represent the university.

DAN BRACAGLIA/ SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

MARCH MADNESS Four different conferences and two No. 5 seeds represent NCAA’s Final Four

No. 5 Michigan State (28-8)

No. 2 West Virginia (31-6)

No. 5 Butler (32-4)

No. 1 Duke (33-5)

S PORTS

T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

MARCH 29, 2010

23

SPRING PRACTICE NOTEBOOK

H ITTING,

PADS BRING EXCITEMENT

BY STEVEN MILLER SPORTS EDITOR

The Rutgers football team broke out the pads and made plenty of noise Saturday as helmets smacked during the first contact drills of the spring.

But in the third spring practice and the first time the Scarlet Knights were all suited up since the Dec. 19 St. Petersburg Bowl, there was room for improvement.

“I don’t think we tackled very well for the short time we did, but we can learn from it and get better,” said head coach Greg Schiano.

Still, the players were excited to get back to hitting.

“Stuff without pads isn’t really football,” said sophomore defensive tackle Scott Vallone. “We want to get out there and play the game, no tagging off or anything.

It was exciting to get out there and play the game we all know.”

During a spring camp where there are 51 freshmen and sophomores and 36 juniors or seniors, so much is made of the Knights’ youth and energy. Live contact only increased that energy Saturday.

“You bring it every play when you have pads on, especially when you’re going live and tackling guys to the ground,” Vallone said. “It definitely changes things, everybody steps up their game a little bit.”

SCHIANO

SAID

MOST

changes to the depth chart will wait until after the first of the three scrimmages, scheduled for April 10 before another scrimmage the following Saturday and the Scarlet-White game that caps off the spring season.

Already, though, defensive line is one of the deepest positions, returning three starters and senior Jonathan Freeny, last year’s sack leader.

“As of now we’re pretty solid — ever yone has played a lot at even at two-deep,” said senior end Alex Silvestro.

“The two-deep is strong and even three-deep has those redshir ts and some older guys. I don’t know how deep it really is, but if we keep working hard

we can have a nice, solid rotation there.”

The first-team defensive line includes returning defensive tackle starters in senior Charlie Noonan and Vallone, with Silvestro and Freeny as the bookends.

Juniors Eric LeGrand and Justin Francis should keep their roles in the eight-man rotation and redshirt freshmen Jamil Merrell, Michael Larrow, Isaac Holmes and Andre Civil are all in the mix.

JUNIOR MASON ROBINSON switched from tailback to wideout last spring, due to a lack of depth at receiver. This season, he returned to the backfield for the same reason.

With junior Joe Martinek as the only experienced tailback fully participating this spring, Robinson is back at his natural position.

“I think that’s where he’s going to be,” Schiano said. “But he was always kind of a half and half guy. It’s just I think he fits better in our depth situation there.”

Robinson, senior Kordell Young and sophomore De’Antwan “Rocket” Williams are all limited this spring while Martinek, who broke off two long runs Saturday, gets the bulk of the carries.

THERE

WERE A NUMBER OF

big-name recruits at practice, headed by Savon Huggins, Charles Davis and Miles Shuler.

Huggins, a tailback from St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City, holds upwards of 20 offers, including Florida, Alabama and Notre Dame according to Rivals.com.

Davis, a Neptune, N.J., running back, wore a Rutgers jacket as he patrolled the sidelines.

“We get to go in and spend some time with them now, visit with them and their families,” Schiano said after practice.

“That’s one of the huge benefits with where we’re located. People can make it here and it doesn’t have to be an overnighter, big trip. They can get here in an hour. We have to make sure we can keep making that part of our Rutgers advantage.”

ISIAH STEWART

Redshirt freshman Jamil Merrell (92) is competing for a spot in the defensive line rotation, while junior Eric LeGrand is one of the key returning players on the Scarlet Knights’ front four.

STEVEN MILLER/ SPORTS EDITOR

Athlete Miles Shuler, the state champion in the 100-meter dash, was one of many recruits on hand for Saturday’s practice.

STEVEN MILLER/ SPORTS EDITOR

T H E D A I LY TA R G U M

SPORTS

PA G E 2 4

MARCH 29, 2010

Dominant win kicks off final Big East stretch

BY TYLER DONOHUE STAFF WRITER

“These are the days you have to count on experience because the young guys aren’t ready to deal with it yet,” Stagnitta said referring to the long trip to South Bend, Ind. “[Pennington] was the best player on the field and he really controlled the game.

Adam Goldberg just keeps finding ways to score and we did it against one pretty damn good goalie.”

Pennington recorded multiple points in each game this season and has at least one point in 16 straight contests, dating back to last season.

There comes a time in ever y sport’s season when a squad establishes its identity — for better or worse. The Rutgers tennis team did TENNIS just that on by PITTSBURGH 0 Saturday p o u n d i n g RUTGERS 7 Pittsburgh 7-0 and emerging as a legitimate Big East contender.

The Scarlet Knights kicked off a seasonending stretch of seven straight conference matches in grand fashion, trouncing the Panthers (6-4, 2-3) in Piscataway. Rutgers remains unbeaten in the Big East since dropping the season opener at Syracuse, and won six of eight contests since a Feb. 21 loss to Cornell.

The tandem of junior Amy Zhang and sophomore Jen Holzberg continued to flourish in doubles play. The Knights’ No.1 pair earned its 10th win of the season with a dramatic 8-7 decision over Pittsburgh’s Elizabeth Adams and Shannon Benic. The Knights eventually swept all three doubles matches.

“I think the doubles wins definitely carried over to singles play,” Holzberg said.

“It was a tough match but we came out on top and that helped the team get off to a good start.”

The combination of Zhang and Holzberg ranks 80th in the nation. Holzberg credits solid chemistry for this season’s success.

“We make a good team because we’re both very aggressive on the court,” she said.

“Right now we have a lot of confidence and neither one of us want to lose a match.”

Rutgers’ standout play continued in the singles competition, where ace Zhang led the way once more with a sterling 6-0, 6-2 victory. The win improved her team-best record to 11-3 and further illustrated why she is one of the Big East’s most revered players.

Holzberg and senior Katherine Arlak kept the good times rolling, each earning

SEE UPSET ON PAGE 20

SEE WIN ON PAGE 17

NICHOLAS BRASOWSKI/ FILE PHOTO

Midfielder Gerhard Buehning was one of four seniors that keyed the Knights’ 10-8 upset-victory over No. 11 Notre Dame, scoring two goals in South Bend, Ind. Classmate Adam Goldberg also scored twice, while Justin Pennington recorded a hat trick.

RU’s Big East season begins with upset

BY KYLE FRANKO CORRESPONDENT

The one thing Rutgers men’s lacrosse coach Jim Stagnitta will not question about his team is toughness.

MEN’S LACROSSE It reaffirmed that after scoring a masRUTGERS 10 sive 10-8 upset-victoNOTRE DAME 8 r y over No. 11 Notre Dame Saturday afternoon at Arlotta Stadium.

“I’ve always felt like it was just a matter of them believing and understanding,” Stagnitta

said. “I’m just really happy for our older guys because they keep plugging away and we keep talking about we’re going to be successful. It’s something that they deserve and hopefully it gives us the confidence to propel us forward.”

Stagnitta can thank his talented and sometimes maligned senior class for putting together its best performance of the season.

Justin Pennington scored three times while Gerhard Buehning and Adam Goldberg each netted twice. Billy Olin made the most of his first start in goal, finishing with 11 saves.

Sophomore’s clutch hit earns sweep at Princeton

BY SAM HELLMAN CORRESPONDENT

PRINCETON — It only takes one hit for someone’s season to right itself. The Rutgers softball team and first baseman Mandy Craig, hope her game-winSOFTBALL ning base-knock in ninth inning of RUTGERS 4 the game two against PRINCETON 3 Princeton Saturday acts as the green light for a U-turn in her junior year.

With every other starter hitting in the 9-4 win in game one of the double-header and her average sinking dangerously close to .200, Craig dug in with wavering confidence, breaking the tie with a laser to the outfield, scoring junior Jen Meinheit and putting the Scarlet Knights ahead for the 4-3 victory.

“That felt really good,” Craig said on her double after a deep exhale. “I’ve been struggling at the plate, but I’ve been focusing on just hitting line drives. I knew I was getting one way outside so I really stuck with it and it stayed fair.”

Craig had a lot of weight on her shoulders at the beginning of the season, returning as the team’s leader in average (.314), hits (50),

home runs (4) and RBI (26). But as she struggled to get going and sophomores Mikelyn Messina and Brittney Lindley emerging as powerful bats, she dropped from the cleanup spot to primarily fifth or sixth in the order.

She was back in the cleanup spot for the second half of the double-header and finished 2-for-4 with half of the team’s RBI. “Keeping me at cleanup really showed that [head coach Jay Nelson] had a lot of faith in me,” Craig said. “It doesn’t bother me being dropped, but after being down to seventh, him bringing me back up gave me a lot of confidence.”

Sophomore Noelle Sisco pitched all seven innings of regulation without giving up a walk, but gave up nine hits including one in the seventh that forced extra innings.

Nelson opted to keep senior pitcher Nicole Lindley from starting to give her some rest, but gave her the ball with the game on the line in extra innings and she pitched two quick innings for her fifth win.

“I was looking to use her no more than two innings and that’s what she gave us,” Nelson said. “I wanted to give her some

SEE SWEEP ON PAGE 18

SAM HELLMAN

Junior first baseman Mandy Craig drives in the winning run during the second half of Rutgers’ double-header with Princeton, plating classmate Jen Meinheit for the 4-3 decision.