THE DAILY TARGUM
Volume 141, Number 65
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 DECEMBER 7, 2009
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Today: Mostly cloudy
OUT IN THE COLD
High: 45 • Low: 32
The Rutgers football team lost its 15th straight game to West Virginia when a win would send the Knights to the Meineke Car Care Bowl. The loss leaves them in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Gay marriage bill triggers local debate BY GREG FLYNN CORRESPONDENT
the campus was somewhat difficult to navigate, various sites were hard to position, Bassett said. Next year, activities will be concentrated both in and behind the newly constructed Livingston Student Center, a central location, in accordance with the needs of the events, she said.
The sound of wedding bells has never been clearer, nearer or more urgent for the gay community in New Jersey. Gov. Jon S. Corzine, a Democrat, promised to sign a bill legalizing gay marriage if it reaches his desk before he leaves office. On Jan. 19, 2010, Governor-Elect Chris Christie, his Republican successor, takes office and the bells will likely fade for the next four years. Christie vowed to veto a gay marriage bill, favoring the state’s current law allowing civil unions instead. Before a bill lands on Corzine or Christie’s desk, it must pass through the state legislature. The Judiciary Committee takes up the bill today, and the Senate votes Thursday on the measure. At the predominantly gay Unity Fellowship Church of New Brunswick, Reverend Elder Pastor Kevin Taylor repeatedly invoked the importance of the legislation in Trenton yesterday during his sermon. After the sermon, Taylor said he stands for equal marriage, not same-sex marriage. “The measure of a civilization is the rights it grants all its people,” Taylor said. “Equality is not a special thing.” Taylor said the gay community would gain equal employee benefits and easier access to hospital visits when same-sex marriage is legalized.
SEE LIVINGSTON ON PAGE 4
SEE DEBATE ON PAGE 4
JOHN PENA/ SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/ FILE PHOTO
At the first Rutgers Day last year, Busch campus, above, was included in the festivities, but Livingston campus was not due to difficult campus navigation. Organizers are planning events on the campus, centered around the newly-constructed Livingston Student Center.
U. builds Livingston into Rutgers Day BY COLLEEN ROACHE CORRESPONDENT
Photo albums from this year’s inaugural Rutgers Day are full of scenes from the College Avenue, Busch and Cook/Douglass campuses, but one part of the University — Livingston — is missing. Though Rutgers Day 2010 is set for Saturday, April 24, plans are underway
to include the campus in the next University celebration. “It’s really an opportunity for Rutgers to showcase itself to alumni and to the state,” said Linda Bassett, senior director of the University Of fice of Community Affairs. The University planned to host events on Livingston campus on Rutgers Day last spring, but because
Union defers raises with no-layoff pledge
DANCIN’ THE NIGHT AWAY
BY ARIEL NAGI ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
ANDREW HOWARD/ PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
The 150 members of Rutgers Performing Dance Company’s “Winter Showcase” are featured in 18 student-choreographed pieces at Nicholas Music Center this weekend on Douglass campus. Go to PAGE 9 to see more photographs.
While some members of the Union of Rutgers AdministratorsAmerican Federation of Teachers said they could not predict what the economic forecast will look like within the next few years, many agree the employment outlook is not favorable. As a result of, the union voted on Nov. 30 to accept an agreement with the University to delay the last two years of its four-year contracted raises in exchange for job security, including a no-layoff pledge, said URA-AFT Spokesman Nat Bender. The contract was signed Wednesday. “It is no secret that the state of New Jersey is in a financial crisis,” said URA-AFT Executive Director Bob Cousins via e-mail correspondence. “The state placed conditions on Rutgers that required them to find ways to provide the equivalent financial savings that other New Jersey state employees agreed to earlier this year.” The no-layoff pledge protects most union members from layoffs until January 2011, but it does not protect those employees who are grant-funded, Bender said.
“State-funded employees can’t be laid off for the next 13 months, but [if grant-funded employees’] grants run out, they can still be laid off,” he said. “That’s essentially the one provision that speaks to job security.” Cousins said if the University does layoff an employee in violation of the agreement, the wages that were deferred would be restored, and the employee who was laid off would be placed back to work with full pay. The agreement also said the grievances filed by the union in the past will be withdrawn. “The University is grateful to the URA membership for contributing to a budget solution in these extremely difficult fiscal times,” Vice President for University Budgeting Nancy S. Winterbauer said in a Philadelphia Inquirer article. University Spokesman Greg Trevor said in the article no senior administrators would get raises this year either. The union has been discussing this type of negotiation since June, because employees did not receive their contracted raises, Bender said.
SEE UNION ON PAGE 7
The H1N1 vaccination is available today from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Frelinghuysen Residence Hall Lobby on the College Avenue campus.
INDEX UNIVERSITY In its seventh annual show, the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity hosts its largest gathering of step teams from the East Coast to date.
METRO Santa visited New Brunswick this weekend at the 17th annual tree lighting ceremony. Look inside to see who won the chili cook-off. UNIVERSITY . . . . . . . 3 METRO . . . . . . . . . 10 OPINIONS . . . . . . . 14 DIVERSIONS . . . . . . 16 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . 18 SPORTS . . . . . . BACK
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T H E D A I LY TA R G U M
DECEMBER 7, 2009
UNIVERSITY
PA G E 3
East Coast students step, stomp onto campus BY MICKEY HENNESSEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Flashing lights, stomping feet and clapping hands filled the Livingston Recreation Center Friday night during the seventh annual “Alpha Step Show.” The Rutgers chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, the nation’s first black fraternity, organized the event, where five fraternities and four sororities from Maryland, North Carolina and Pennsylvania gathered to create the largest event of its kind on the East Coast. “With 2,000 attendees, we shattered our attendance record,” said Rutgers College senior Quentin Robinson, who organized the event. “It’s the biggest show we ever had.” Because many of the attendees traveled to Piscataway from other universities, Robinson attributed the high attendance to Alpha Phi Alpha’s ability to capitalize on new technology. “[Facebook] allowed us to spread the word months prior and to better organize support groups for the competing teams,” he said. This year was also the first year the competition featured a system known as U-poll, which allowed for individual votes to be tallied. “We strove to get the audience more [involved]. We
allowed them to personally suppor t the teams that they had an af finity to,” said Alpha Phi Alpha Chapter President Gar y White. This year also evidenced the growth of the event through the inclusion of performances by nontraditional black organizations, said White, a School of Engineering junior. “It’s becoming a multicultural event,” he said. The event also tag-teamed with Alpha Phi Alpha’s “Go-toHigh-School, Go-to-College” program, as 80 inner-city high school students were given a tour of the University the morning of the event to get a feel of the school, Robinson said. In addition to the tour and attendance of the show, one deser ving high school student won a $1,000 scholarship, White said. The acts were numerous and varied. The step per formed by the winning sorority team, Alpha Kappa Alpha, centered on the theme of an insane asylum with the per formers clad in business suits. The Omega Psi Phi fraternity performance brought the audience through different periods in black male history. The fraternity victors were the Philadelphia chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi.
JENNIFER MIGUEL-HELLMAN/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The University Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha performs at Friday’s “Alpha Step Show” in the Livingston Recreation Center. More than 2,000 people from several universities brought their acts to Piscataway.
“The show was so live,” said Amjad Saeed, an Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy junior. “I am definitely looking forward to next year. The performances were out of this world.” At intermission the lights were turned on, and music was blasted, as all the greek organiza-
tions took to the floor to circuitously present their strolls. “It was chaos to see all of the organizations on the floor at the same time,” said School of Arts and Sciences sophomore Stephen Opare. School of Arts and Sciences Junior Dalmar Mohamod, an
Alpha Phi Alpha member, stressed the importance of thanking all of the organizations and people who came out to support Alpha Phi Alpha during their 103rd anniversary. “We told the people it would be bananas,” he said, “And we didn’t let them down.”
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LIVINGSTON: Event
Livingston campus resident Danielle Ancheta said she did not mind that her campus was not involved in Rutgers Day
last year but she, like Duong, would be more likely to get involved if events took place on campus.
“[Especially if] I don’t have to take the bus,” she said. At Rutgers Day 2009, more than 50,000 visitors came to
observe and take part in about 400 programs, Bassett said. The OCA is looking forward to increasing these numbers next year. Rutgers Day 2010 will include a mixture of popular programs from last year’s event as well as new ones, she said. A children’s physics magic show from the Graduate School of Education, a city-by-city tour of Italy from the Italian department, a staged combat demonstration by the Mason Gross School of the Arts and health screenings courtesy of the nursing department, will be available, Bassett said. The New Jersey Folk Festival and Ag Field Day — Douglass campus and Cook campus traditions — will be held on Rutgers Day. Student groups are welcomed to register their activities, she said. Enrollment forms will be available on the event’s Web site, http://www.rutgersday.rutgers.e du, from Jan. 25 to Feb. 5, and the site will also include the latest event information. “I look forward to [Rutgers Day] five years from now … [as] the red carpet to the state,” Bassett said.
be replicated in a homosexual relationship, he said. Social research shows the ideal way to raise a child is with a mother and father present and actively involved in nurturing and educating their children, Deo said. Although many single parents are hard working and attentive, most social safety nets exist to preserve nontraditional families, he said. Taylor said creating a definition of a successful family is difficult, as the concept of success is nebulous. “If that is such a concern for those organizations, why aren’t they doing more rehabilitative work in prisons?” Taylor said. “If they’re standing up for the sanctity of marriage, why aren’t they making sure divorce never happens? How come they’re not picketing overnight marriages in Las Vegas?” Many of the people concerned about the issue or who are voting in Trenton have been divorced and married multiple times, he said. “If we’re going to start judging who gets to have kids and we’re going to start judging who gets to get married, then pretty soon
we’re going to start deciding what religion you should be,” Taylor said. “I’m a gay man, but I’m not going to counsel a heterosexual couple any less because I’m on the side of healthy relationships for people.” He said Unity Fellowship Church was founded in 1982 to provide fellowships to blacks with
mer member of Gov. Christie Todd Whitman’s Advisor y Council on AIDS. Same-sex couples in civil unions in New Jersey are provided almost all of the rights granted to married couples under the Civil Union Act, which went into effect on Feb. 19, 2007. But many employers refuse to recognize civil unions as equal to marriage, according to Garden State Equality, a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender civil rights group. When an employee asks for civil union benefits they effectively out themselves whether they want to or not, Taylor said. This problem would not occur if same-sex couples were granted spousal benefits. Deo said 4,170 same-sex couples have entered into civil unions since 2007, and only eight formal complaints have been filed with the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights. Five of those formal complaints are successfully resolved, Deo said. In December 2008, the 13 members of the New Jersey Civil Union Review Commission unanimously issued a final report revealing that the separate cate-
gorization established by the Civil Union Act invites and encourages unequal treatment of same-sex couples and their children. The New Jersey Supreme Court defines civil unions as separate but equal, Deo said. Emmanuel Perez, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning People of Color Alliance public relations chair, said he understands the vision of marriage as a sacred institution, but designating separate terms encourages discrimination. “I think that we collectively agree that there should not be a different name or definition for it. That’s basically segregating us from ever yone else,” said Perez, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore. Perez said he believes gay marriage will become legal, if not in 2010, then sometime in his lifespan. “Hopefully it will be legal so that if I find someone to settle down with I can do it,” Perez said. Miche Braden, a keyboardist at Unity, said she and her partner of 11 years are looking forward to the bill’s possible passing. “People should not be able to tell other people what they can and can’t do,” Braden said.
attracts thousands of visitors continued from front “We’ll see if we can get a fabulous turnout,” Bassett said. Rutgers Day 2010 is in its planning stages, and the OCA is working on arranging spaces for the 160 program suggestions it received from various University departments during last month’s enrollment period, Bassett said. Austin Duong, who has lived on Livingston campus since last fall, was disappointed that his campus was not represented during Rutgers Day 2009. “Livingston should be part of the [five] campuses, but it’s not included,” said Duong, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore. “I was mad, but later on, when I found out that Rutgers Day is not such a big deal, I was [less concerned].” Although Duong said his expectations for Rutgers Day decreased as the actual event approached last spring, he looks forward to participating in events on his own campus next time.
DEBATE: More than 4K entered into N.J. civil unions continued from front “All you want to do is take care of your wife and kids and make sure that the person you’ve been sharing your life with for 20 years and the children that you have raised get the benefits due to any family,” Taylor said. “To make sure that if I’m in the hospital, I can open my eyes and see the person that I’m in love with, that I can whisper in their ear.” President of the New Jersey Family Policy Council Len Deo said the council believes it is in society’s best interest to keep the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. “We believe that marriage has been for thousands of years the union exclusively of a man and a woman,” Deo said. “There’s a benefit to the common good that marriage brings. In essence, a healthy marriage is the best department of health, education and welfare that exists.” There are emotional, physical and spiritual bonds in a heterosexual relationship that cannot
JOHN PENA/ SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/ FILE PHOTO
Rutgers Day attracted hundreds of organizations, set on the College Avenue, Busch and Cook/Douglass campuses. With the addition of Livingston campus, groups can register in late January.
“We believe that marriage has been for thousands of years the union exclusively of a man and a woman.” LEN DEO New Jersey Family Policy Council president
AIDS in the early 1980s, who found themselves ostracized by their communities. “I know people who have stayed together for 30 years with no protection but love,” Taylor said. In public policy it is important to avoid anecdotes and concentrate on hard data, said Deo, a for-
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DECEMBER 7, 2009
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Clean energ y program recycles coastal riches BY SHANE BRENNAN STAFF WRITER
A new renewable energy program, which began as the vision of three University students, has come to fruition. The Global Renewable Energy Education Network — a 12-day program taking place along the beaches of Costa Rica — is designed to offer students education by day and vacation at night. Co-founded by Ben Lapidus, Melissa Lee and Mikhail Naumov, the program runs its pilot session from Jan. 6 to 17 at Lake Arenal, Costa Rica. “We’re getting excited about it,” Lapidus said. “There’s no program like this in the country, and we want to stress the importance
that renewable energy is going to be pivotal for job opportunities. The program is open to all majors — everything ranging from engineering to public policy.” The all-inclusive program, which costs $1,200 per student, offers hotel accommodations, transportation in Costa Rica and 30 gourmet meals, Naumov said. Lapidus noted the value of energy efficiency in relation to the goals of GREEN and the future of the job market. “Renewable energy is going to provide a good portion of resources in the near future,” said Lapidus, a School of Arts and Sciences junior. “It’s such a hot topic and will play a major impact later on in our lives. We see the potential in the renewable energy
field, and we want to educate students for possible job opportunities upon graduation.” GREEN focuses on four different types of energy: wind power, geothermal, hydroelectricity and biomass, Lapidus said. The first session of the day is scheduled to take place in a classroom, and later, students will go for a hands-on excursion dealing with the type of energy studied that day. “The 12-day trip focuses on three different aspects,” said Naumov, a School of Arts and Sciences junior. “We want students to gain education, experience adventure and embrace the Costa Rican culture.” While days will be educational, nights will be devoted to relax-
ation and the experience of everything Costa Rica has to offer. “Costa Rica offers so many opportunities students wouldn’t be able to take advantage of at Rutgers,” said Lee, a School of Arts and Sciences junior. “From their amazing beaches to energetic night clubs, the program is intended [to help students] enjoy a culture that most have never experienced.” Costa Rica offers features consistent with the objectives of GREEN, Lee said. It is the world leader in renewable energy, which accounts for 80 percent of the energy generated by the country. Costa Rica houses everything students want, from educational endeavors to a vibrant lifestyle, she said.
‘CHORALE’ OF THE BELLES
Interested students like Lana Hardeman said the program’s change of pace would be nice. “This sounds like a great opportunity,” said Hardeman, a School of Arts and Sciences firstyear student. “It’s a great alternative [to] the traditional classroom setting, plus it would be nice to get a tan in January. I’m definitely going to check out their Web site.” GREEN accepts applications online at www.greenworknow.com. The Web site also provides a virtual tour and the 12-day schedule. Naumov said GREEN holds information sessions for interested students Wednesday in the Janice Levin Building on Livingston campus.
CALENDAR DECEMBER
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“Our Children,” a semi-documentary film featuring child Holocaust survivors playing themselves, will be screened at 7 p.m. at the Student Activities Center on the College Avenue campus for University students and the general public. Shot on location at a Jewish orphanage outside of Lodz in 1947, the film was banned by the Polish government as being “too Zionistic” and was then lost for more than 30 years. For more information contact Alexandra Casser at casser23@rutgers.edu or (201) 788-5570. The Livingston Campus Council will meet at 7:30 p.m. in Room 113 of the Livingston Student Center. They hold weekly meetings.
To have your event featured on www.dailytargum.com, send University calendar items to university@dailytargum.com
JOVELLE TAMAYO/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The Queens Chorale performs at Kirkpatrick Chapel on the College Avenue campus Friday night during their annual Winter Concert. The chorale is the oldest student-run choir on campus.
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UNION: Agreement to save jobs, millions at University continued from front Cousins said the agreement would save a lot of jobs, but only until it expires in January 2011. “After that, I do not see anything in the current economic situation that would lead me to believe that the economy will be much better than it is today,” he said. “However, if our members would not have reached this agreement, I am sure we would have seen massive layoffs.” But while the agreement will help save several jobs, Cousins said he is not completely satisfied. “I am never happy when working men and women have to give up money they were counting on,” he said. “Many of our members have family members who have lost their jobs, and this money was needed.” Winterbauer said in the Philadelphia Inquirer article that the agreement is similar to those previously reached with the faculty and other large staff unions. Cousins said members of the union could have could have spurned the negotiations, but they didn’t and should be recognized for it.
“What all of the unionized employees have done here at Rutgers should be applauded. They have provided millions of dollars in savings for this University,” he said. After the negotiation and contract expire in 2011, URA-AFT members have to come up with a new and strengthened contract, said URA-AFT Newark Campus Vice President Darlene Smith. “Based on the experience and what we accomplished … we would look to strengthen our contract for the next [four years]. We would look to tighten the loop holes,” Smith said. Anything the University has not done in the past and any issues that were continually faced in the last four years of the contract will determine how the new contract will look, which is in the process of being made, she said. “We would go forward hoping that the agreements we requested would be honored in the future,” Smith said. When the recession is over, Cousins hopes the University will grant its unionized employees what they have agreed upon. “I hope that when this crisis ends, the University remembers the sacrifices their employees just made,” Cousins said. “Only time will tell.”
DECEMBER 7, 2009
DRAMATIC DANCING
ISIAH STEWART/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mason Gross School of the Arts faculty members perform in “DancePlus” this weekend at New Theater on Douglass campus. The work of faculty members was featured in addition to numerous performances from guest choreographers.
FORMER U. DEAN TO RECOUNT RARE STATE HISTORY AT BOOK SIGNING Former Associate Dean Marc Mappen is scheduled to address entertaining and rare facts about the state’s history as he reads excerpts from his book “There’s More To New Jersey Than the Sopranos” Thursday at the Eagleton Institute of Politics on Douglass campus.
Mappen, executive director of the New Jersey Historical Commission, will sign copies of his book for a half hour prior to the 5 p.m. event. The event will be free and open to the public, according to a University Media Relations press release. Mappen plans to discuss Garden
State tales like the 1919 prohibitioninfluenced gubernatorial election and a Halloween eve nationwide radio broadcast, among others, according to the release. Mappen is the co-editor of the “Encyclopedia of New Jersey.” He has also written works for The New York
Times, The Los Angeles Times, New Jersey Heritage and other publications, according to the release. Seating for the event is limited. To make reservations, call Eagleton at (732) 932-9384, ext. 331. — Colleen Roache
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Rutgers Performing Dance Company ‘Winter Showcase’
Rutgers Performing Dance Company members display their talent at this weekend’s “Winter Showcase.” The student-run organization features student-choreographed dance styles that include hip-hop, contemporary, modern, lyrical and jazz. Guest performances included RU Belly Dance Troupe, below, Chaos Theory, OrphanSporks and the RU Juggling Club. Photos by Andrew Howard — Photography Editor
T H E D A I LY TA R G U M
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METRO
DECEMBER 7, 2009
Chipotle spices up competition on George Street BY COLLEEN ROACHE CORRESPONDENT
The heat is on in a battle of the burritos. When Chipotle Mexican Grill opens at 387 George St. on Jan. 21, it will be directly across the block from Qdoba Mexican Grill, which has been in business at the location for more than five years. This will be the second Chipotle Mexican Grill in the area, along with an existing location on Route 1. Gary Lyon, the manager of four area Qdoba restaurants, including the George Street location, said he welcomes Chipotle. “We feel confident in our ability to ser ve the people of New Brunswick,” he said. “We ser ve quality food. … We have strong relationships with a lot of the people and organizations in New Brunswick.” One of those relationships is with the University, L yon said. Qdoba catered events for the football and field hockey teams, and will cater an event for the English depar tment later this week. But Qdoba is not the only restaurant with ties to the Banks. Iead Hamed, who will be the manager at the George Street Chipotle, is a University alumnus. “We have our strong points at Chipotle, and it’s really up to the customer,” he said. Though both restaurants serve Mexican cuisine, Hamed said Chipotle’s menu, which ser ves antibiotic-free meat, makes the restaurant unique. But Lyon said Qdoba’s blend of traditional and contemporary flavors and signature sauces makes their food special. “We feel very confident that our food is superior to theirs,” he said. Lyon said a Route 1 Chipotle representative, unaware of Lyon’s connection to Qdoba, told him
the new Chipotle was going to shut down operations at Qdoba, but Hamed denies the claim. “Obviously, we are in competition with Qdoba, but nobody wants to put anyone out of business,” he said. “There’s enough business to go around.” The two restaurants will each have their own ways of attracting new customers, and in one case, retaining current ones. Chipotle will hold a “Free Burrito Day” on its opening day, Hamed said. Beginning Jan. 7, Qdoba will be open until 3 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. This will give the restaurant a five-hour advantage over its competitors on these days, an idea Lyon said he had before he even heard Chipotle would be moving in. Catering will continue, and a deliver y service will also make a return at Qdoba. Hamed said these factors would not affect Chipotle’s goals as a food service provider. “Really, we’re just concerned with us, [and] providing what we believe in, which is great service, great food … [and] a great environment,” Hamed said. “I’m really excited just for Rutgers to have a Chipotle there and for everybody to really enjoy it.” Ultimately, the fates of both establishments are in the hands of the customers. Amanda Bursese, who visited Qdoba for the first time on Friday, said she enjoyed the experience but is willing to give Chipotle a try. “I think Chipotle may make less people come [to Qdoba], because Chipotle’s more known and a lot of people like it,” said Bursese, a School of Arts and Sciences junior. University College senior Dave Lee went to a Chipotle with friends on Sunday and said he will remain a customer at the restaurant.
JODIE FRANCIS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The new Chipotle Mexican Grill opens downtown Jan. 21 at 387 George St., directly across from Qdoba Mexican Grill. Both restaurants are employing tactics to keep and bring in new customers.
“Ingredients [at Chipotle] are fresher,” Lee said. Lee’s friends Dave Park, a University alumnus, and Jon Paek, a School of Arts and Sciences junior, agreed, saying taste and popularity will be in Chipotle’s favor. Regular Qdoba customer Lindsay Roberts, who often visits the George Street location to see her boyfriend, an employee at the restaurant, said regardless of what others do, she will remain loyal to Qdoba.
“I don’t think Chipotle offers as much variety as [Qdoba does],” Roberts said. “As far as I’m concerned, I’m still going to eat here.” Regular Qdoba customer Jigisha Vyas said she eats at the restaurant nearly every day, and Chipotle’s opening is a point of discussion among her friends, who have called the corporation’s decision “a low blow.” “I’ve never had Chipotle before, but I think I’ll always go to
Qdoba because I’ve gone there for so long,” said Vyas, a Rutgers College senior. Although he is not a regular customer at either restaurant, Carlo De La Rama, a School of Ecological and Biological Sciences junior, said he prefers Chipotle. “By taste and service, I just pick Chipotle over [Qdoba] … Chipotle tastes a lot better,” he said. “Qdoba feels like your regular fast food area.”
Mayor, Santa herald in city’s holiday season BY MIKE DAVIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
JOVELLE TAMAYO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mr. and Mrs. Claus greet and take pictures with children at the city’s 17th annual tree lighting ceremony at Monument Square.
Singing, dancing and bowls of chili helped ring in the holidays for New Brunswick Friday night at the city’s annual tree lighting ceremony. Now in its 17th year, the ceremony at Monument Square on George Street and Livingston Avenue attracted hundreds of community members and representatives from local businesses and non-profit organizations. To participate in the chili cook-off, attendees could purchase a tasting kit for $1 and then vote on their favorite chili among Harvest Moon Brewery, Hansel N’ Griddle, Makeda’s Ethopian Restaurant and the Glass Woods Tavern from the Hyatt Regency Hotel. All proceeds from the cook-off went to Elijah’s Promise Soup Kitchen, and Harvest Moon Brewery’s chili — served in a bread bowl instead of a Styrofoam bowl — was named the winner. Hansel N’ Griddle, with locations on Mine Street and Church Street, was named runner-up. “I only checked it out because there was a roadblock in the mid-
dle of Livingston Avenue,” New Brunswick resident Sam Krajkowski said. “Next thing I know, I’m eating chili for dinner and only spent a buck.” Various musicians took to the stage between the Heldrich Hotel and George Street Playhouse
“I look forward to seeing the people of New Brunswick and their children out here every year.” DEBBIE MAZZELLA Tree lighting emcee
including New Brunswick High School’s Elite Chorale, the University’s Juggling Club and “Rutgers Idol” winner Candice Helfand. The Dutch Dancing Group also performed traditional clog dances and invited children on stage to participate. Debbie Mazzella of WMGQ Magic 98.3 FM emceed the event for the second year in a row along with Bert Baron of WCTC 1450 AM radio.
“I absolutely love it,” Mazzella said. “I look forward to seeing the people of New Brunswick and their children out here every year.” The New Brunswick Caroling Society welcomed Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, who arrived via New Brunswick Fire Department transport, with a number of traditional Christmas carols. “There was a great response from the crowd,” said society member Matt Gunther, a School of Ar ts and Sciences junior. “Any tree lighting ceremony is a good means for bringing the community together.” Organized by non-profit group New Brunswick City Market, the event capped off with a countdown, as Mayor James Cahill and Santa Claus flipped the switch to light up the city’s Christmas tree on the corner of George Street and Livingston Avenue. “The community involvement is terrific,” Cahill said as children around him took pictures with Santa Claus and volunteers handed out candy canes to the crowd. “The holiday spirit is alive and well in New Brunswick.”
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
METRO
DECEMBER 7, 2009
11
Santa Claus comes to town
Musicians and singers from New Brunswick High School and the University perform on stage at Friday’s tree lighting ceremony. Harvest Moon Brewery won the annual chili cook-off for the second consecutive year while Santa Claus and the New Brunswick Caroling Society sing traditonal Christmas songs. Photos by Jovelle Tamayo — Staff Photographer
T H E D A I LY TA R G U M
OPINIONS
PA G E 1 4
DECEMBER 7, 2009
EDITORIALS
Same-sex couples deserve equal treatment
W
hen the New Jersey State Senate votes on legalizing gay marriage this week, it should vote in favor of the measure and do so swiftly. For too long, the question of whether marriage equality should extend to gay couples has permeated both New Jersey and national politics, and it is time the issue comes to a close. There are numerous hard issues that need governmental action, while social issues like gay marriage mask the real problems our state faces. Government-enforced discrimination should not be tolerated, and opponents of gay marriage seem to be rooted in bigotry. To quell both religious and definition-based enmity toward marriage equality, granting same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples is a civil rights issue. First and foremost, opposition rooted in the Bible violates the First Amendment rights of same-sex couples. While the government cannot limit the free exercise of religion, it must also not make law establishing religious creed. Americans are free to worship and believe in anything they want until their opinions infringe on the liberties of other Americans. If gay marriage is passed today, the lives of religious opponents will not change. Moral decay will not wreak havoc on society; instead, this retrogressive mentality can finally be a thing of the past. Secondly, those who believe that the definition of marriage is between a man and a woman — and therefore cannot be changed — should look at the legality of what marriage represents in the United States. The terminology “marriage” symbolizes the highest level of a relationship in the country. It is not merely a union between two people, but a civil contract guaranteeing certain rights and privileges between adults. If a liberal is deemed a socialist for advocating government intervention between business contracts, what is a conservative who promotes government intervention between contracts? Government uses the term marriage to determine a relationship status; therefore, they must allow every citizen equal opportunity under the law. Concurrently, according to a recent Eagleton Institute of Politics poll, 46 percent of New Jersey residents support a measure to expand marriage rights to gay couples with 42 percent in opposition. Additionally, the vast majority of New Jersey residents, 81 percent, either feel this issue is only somewhat important or not important at all. Indicating that while there is support and opposition for the measure on each side, most people are only looking for an end to this debate. However, passing legislation to allow same-sex marriage is only a small step toward a greater understanding toward those who may be different from everyone else. Allowing gay marriage will not stop sexual preference based crimes or harassment throughout the state. The same way outlawing anti-miscegenation laws did not end race-based harassment throughout the country. However, it will allow loved ones visitation rights in hospitals, extended health care coverage and full rights that are entitled to all married couples. While racism is still around today, had the United States not ended prejudiced marriage laws in 1967, acceptance of minorities in 2009 would be years behind the state of discrimination today. Same-sex marriage is a step in accepting those who may practice love differently than the general whole, but are no worse than any person because of it. Fortytwo years is a short period of time in history, yet 42 years ago, some states still denied blacks and whites the right to marry. What will our future generations say of our ban on gay marriage 40 years from now? While traditional cultures only allowed marriage to take place between a man and a woman, cultures usually change over time. Marriage is a part of culture that must evolve. The youth demographic in the United States is different than the older generations in their attitude toward marriage equality. The older demographic believed more thoroughly in tradition and authority. Men and women had defined gender roles as well, where professional women were considered outcasts to society as well. Today’s youth, as well as many of the individuals who lived through the ’60s and ’70s, no longer believe that tradition is most essential to society’s success. While religious conservatives preach the sanctity of marriage, their rhetoric is hypocritical. Why do they not protest ABC’s “The Bachelor,” a television show where numerous women line up and try to woo a man into marriage? Why was there no protest when FOX ran a series called, “Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?” Is the sanctity of marriage only to be preserved when members of the same-sex dare seek equality? There is no basis in deeming two loving adults a threat to morality or civilization. One way or another, gay marriage will eventually become legal. It may take a week, a month or years, but sooner or later the gates of hate will close and these rights will be bestowed on all people. New Jersey can be a beacon for civil rights in this country, and show the rest of the United States that Hell will not boil over once gay couples have marriage equality. How much longer can New Jersey deny rights to all of its residents? How much longer can the United States dismiss the civil liberties of its citizens? The U.S. was founded on the basis of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, so denying those rights to any citizen is counterproductive to American ideals. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning community does not only deserve to be treated like the rest of America, they are entitled to equal protection under the law.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Next thing I know, I’m eating chili for dinner and only spent a buck.” Sam Krajkowski, a New Brunswick resident, on the chili cook-off at the tree lighting ceremony STORY IN METRO
MCT CAMPUS
Make marriage equality a reality
T
oday, the New this is true. At the most Jersey Legislature recent New Jersey League will consider a proof Municipalities convenposal to grant same-sex tion in Atlantic City, he couples the right to marry. expressed fears that voters The proposal will be conconcerned about the econosidered today by a Senate my might resent elected committee and could be officials who appear disBEN WEST posted for a full Senate vote tracted by social issues. later in the week. While he backtracked on According to a recent Eagleton Institute of this comment, this statement provides us with a Politics poll, New Jerseyans favor legalizing sameglimpse of the considerations that legislators make sex nuptials by a 46 percent to 42 percent margin, in conducting their duties. It is clear that having the with 12 percent unsure, most of whom would support of a slim majority of eligible voters is not accept legalizing marriage equality. Last week, 650 enough; the level of enthusiasm behind this suppeople traveled to the New Jersey Statehouse to port is also a consideration, and one that marriage support the bill’s passage, while only a dozen marequality advocates must take into account as they riage equality opponents, mainly a group of work towards marriage equality. Orthodox Jews from Lakewood, arrived to counter In order to ensure that marriage equality protest. The scales seem tipped in favor of marbecomes a reality, we must remind our peers why riage equality supporters. today’s drive to make marriage equality a reality is I must urge caution, however, to those who may the most important issue of the day. We must do make such an assumption. I am a proud resident of this both before a vote occurs and, hopefully, after New York; a vocal member of the the measure is passed in order lesbian, gay, bisexual and transto help allay the fears of our “We must remind gender community; and as of last allies in the legislature, who fear week, I was confident that my that voters will look back on a our friends and family state would not become the 31st vote in support of gay marriage state to deny its LGBT citizens as distraction from other priorithat this issue cannot equal marriage rights. I was conties of the day. be deferred any longer, fident that New York, a state We must remind our friends known for its progressivism, and family that this issue cannot and that it is not a especially in the realm of civil be deferred any longer, and that it competing priority ... ” rights, would buck this trend. Yet is not a competing priority with on Thursday, by a chilling margin the economy. We only have a little of 38 votes to 24, marriage equalover a month left to make marity was denied in a state whose legislature has a riage equality a possibility in New Jersey. For the Democratic majority and a few progressive next month, we will have a governor who pledged to Republicans, and whose governor pledged to sign a marriage equality bill into law, but he will approve the proposal. soon be replaced with a governor who has vowed to Eagleton’s recent poll is the reason why I urge oppose efforts to legalize same-sex unions, ensurcaution. It reveals that only 2 percent of New ing that any consideration of this issue will be Jerseyans say that extending marriage equality to deferred for the next four to eight years. same-sex couples is the most important issue of the Furthermore, a single vote on this issue will not day, while 15 percent say it is one of a few very unreasonably delay the state government’s work to important issues. Another 37 percent call the issue address the economy, an issue that the Senate will “somewhat important,” while 44 percent say it is have the next millennium to work on. If anything, “not at all important.” legalizing marriage equality will help New Jersey’s This information suggests that the biggest economy. With the neighboring state of New York obstacle faced by those who would like to see marrecognizing same-sex marriages performed in riage equality within the next week is not a strong other states, and with New Jersey being positioned and vocal opposition. Even among those who between the two metropolitan areas that have the oppose same-sex marriages, 61 percent see the number one and number 10 LGBT populations of all issue as “not important.” Instead, what we should metropolitan areas, New Jersey can expect a generfear is mounting apathy to the issue. This apathy ous economic return for legalizing gay marriage. can affect the outcome that we see in the coming We must also remind our peers that the question week, affecting the votes of members of the legisof marriage equality is primarily civic, and not lature. A recent statement by New Jersey Senate SEE WEST ON PAGE 15 Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney suggests that
The Red Lion
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. 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
DECEMBER 7, 2009 15
Targum, RUSA: get your facts straight W
hen the Rutgers University Student Assembly decided during the election season to neither endorse nor oppose the ward campaign, it claimed that it does not take political sides. Yet last week, when RUSA reaffirmed the cherished meal-swipe program belonged to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, it may have made one of the largest political statements at the University in the past decade. This program, meant to unite the student body, has instead torn it apart and has further compromised relations between supporters of both Israeli and Palestinian causes. While members of the PCRF claim that their organization has no political ties, the mere name “Palestine” is politically oriented. While supporters of Palestinian causes constantly claim a love for this hypothetical nation, when push comes to shove there is no such thing as “Palestine.” How does one free a hypothetical dream? It seems as if supporters of Palestinian causes don’t actually care about Palestinians; rather, they care solely about hurting Israel. Jordan was part of the British Mandate of Palestine, and to this day the vast majority of Jordan is Palestinian. Where are the calls of apartheid against the Jordanian government? There are over 59 Palestinian refugee camps in the Middle East, and not one resides in Israel. Why have these refugees of over 60 years not been assimilated into Syria, Jordan and Lebanon? Do Arabs care that little about their own people? Or are they so focused on removing the measly 6 million Jews that live on a tiny sliver of land smaller than New Jersey that they just push their own people aside?
This decision by more than $12 milRUSA is clearly lion to Hamas? It is political. It has the largest transfer enraged students at of wealth from the the University and United States to a those that support terrorist organizathis piece of legislation in the history tion are either deluof our nation. AARON MARCUS sional or have clearWhile I would ly been given false personally be information. If the PCRF had any intention ashamed of any individual who decided of actually supporting Palestinian children, to donate to the PCRF, a public, federally it would donate all of its money to the funded institution like the University Israeli government, the number one con- should not contribute to a group with tributors to Palestinian medical, food and such questionable ties. What is even humanitarian aid. But for some reason, I more disturbing is the faulty reporting doubt those at the PCRF would dare take that The Daily Targum contributed in such a course of action delivering this news and will probably refuse to stor y. On Nov. 23, a “While members of believe this fact. reporter for the Targum Why did RUSA not the PCRF claim that stor y “Meal program steer clear of controverignites burning their organization has decision sy? Millions of American debate” used false inforchildren do not receive no political ties, the mation in formulating proper medical attention, their piece. The author mere name ‘Palestine’ inter viewed Avi Scher, a go to sleep hungr y at night and are homeless. member and the is politically oriented.” RUSA Right here in New man responsible for Brunswick, hundreds of bringing the PCRF’s families go to sleep hungry and cold questionable ties to the attention of every night and children are sick and can- RUSA. In the report, the author claimed not afford proper health care. Why can’t that Scher used a radical Web site and something be done to help our communi- Sosebee’s personal blog in developing ty instead of an organization whose his accusation. In reality, Scher used a founder, Stephen Sosebee, admitted in an published Washington, D.C.-based joureditorial for the Washington Report on nal and Mediamonitors.net, which pubMiddle East Affairs in September 1998 lished a journal of Sosebee’s written that his organization had ties to the Holy while he was living in Ramallah. Land Foundation, a group where two Concurrently, the author fictitiously crefounders are all currently serving long ated a quote for Scher when they claimed sentences in U.S. prisons for funneling that Scher said these false Web sites
Marcus My Words
“shows that Sosebee is biased and his organization is political.” It is one thing to confuse the Web sites mentioned at a RUSA meeting, even though both the PCRF and Scher handed out fliers with facts; it is another thing to create a quote for an individual and is an extreme breach of journalistic integrity. Libel is a serious matter, and the Targum cannot allow false reports to be conducted from its newsroom. The author has not only jeopardized the integrity of her name but the name of the Targum. How can students trust a newspaper that prints erroneous facts and prints inaccurate quotes? If this is the first time it has happened, I trust the Targum will take proper actions in disciplining those involved and make sure that it never happens again. But as students, how are we supposed to believe that this is the first or last time an incident like this has occurred or will occur? It may be too late for RUSA to overturn its decision, but the Targum must make sure that sham reporting never happens again. As students, we need viable news sources and credible reporting in order to formulate our own personal opinions. It should also be noted that under no circumstances are students obligated to sign-away meal-swipes. It is a shame that we cannot choose which charity receives our donation, but it is more important to make sure that those with severe political affiliations and agendas do not receive a check with a signature from the University. Aaron Marcus is a School of Ar ts and Sciences first-year student. His column, “Marcus My Words,” runs on alternative Mondays.
H1N1 virus should be taken seriously Letter KATHLEEN SEBELIUS
A
s you head towards finals and the holidays, there’s an important step you should take to stay healthy: Get the swine flu vaccine. This year’s flu season is the worst in many years, and young adults have been especially hard hit by the H1N1 flu. Who is in the age group most likely to get H1N1? People under 25. Who get so sick they need to be hospitalized? Half of them are under 25. Who is least likely to get a flu shot? People under 25. I am writing today to urge you to take the H1N1 flu seriously, not just as the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services who has read lots and lots of scientific studies saying this is a young person’s pandemic, but also as a mother of two sons who not long ago were sitting exactly where you are today. I know it is easy to believe that the flu is something that only the very old or the very young need to worry about, that
WEST continued from page 14 religious, in nature. Cass Sunstein, an American legal scholar, has said, “What would the right to marry mean without public institutions which must spend taxpayers’ money to define and create the institution of marriage? Rights are public goods: taxpayerfunded and government managed social services designed to improve collective and individual well being.” Accepting this definition, we see marriage as a bundle of legally-conferred rights, servic-
catching the flu is no big deal. No flu should ever be dismissed as “just the flu.” The regular, seasonal flu is responsible for 36,000 deaths every year, mainly people over 65. But H1N1 mainly hits the young, and even though most cases are mild, some can be quite severe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 540 children have died from H1N1 flu since April, some of who were per fectly healthy when they caught the flu, and we are only at the beginning of the official flu season. So what can you do to protect yourself and people around you from flu? Get vaccinated. It’s the most effective way to prevent the flu. The H1N1 flu vaccine is made the same way as the seasonal flu vaccine, which has a decades-long safety track record, and it’s undergone more testing than other flu vaccines. If you are someone with a health condition, like diabetes or asthma, the CDC says you should get vaccinated as soon as your community has the vaccine available. Other groups at
high risk for serious complications include young children and pregnant women. People who care for babies under 6 months, health care workers, and emergency medical personnel should also go to the head of the vaccination line. In addition, many people do not realize that simply being younger than 25 also puts you in a priority group to receive the vaccine, so look into getting vaccinated at school or when you go home for the holidays. Check out the flu.gov flu vaccination locator to find the best place for you to get vaccinated quickly. Stay home when you’re sick. If you do get the flu, there are things you should do to protect yourself and those around you. College campuses — dormitories, classes, wherever a lot of people are indoors together — are places flu can spread. If you get sick, do not go out and don’t invite visitors in. If you live on campus but your home is not far away, consider going home until you are well to avoid spreading the flu. If you live too far to go home, check to see if
your college has alternate housing for ill students. Seek medical attention immediately if you have diabetes, asthma or some other medical condition and you notice flu-like symptoms. You should also ask your health care provider about antiviral medication. If you already have flu symptoms, antivirals have been very effective at keeping flu from getting worse. Even if you don’t have a chronic illness, if you have symptoms and they get worse — your fever spikes, you have difficulty breathing or you’re breathing too fast, if you have chest pain — call a doctor or other health provider right away. Make it part of your daily routine to keep flu from spreading. The H1N1 vaccine may not have arrived in your area yet, so keep doing the simple things everyone does to keep germs in check: wash your hands, cough and sneeze into your sleeve, not your hands, and disinfect surfaces like computer keyboards and countertops. Go to flu.gov. Check out our self-evaluation link to help you understand if your symptoms are really serious. There’s a flu
locater for where the vaccine will be in your community, tips on prevention, including videos that give you critical information you can use, and even a section to help you know how to tell a flu fact from a myth on the Internet. There are widgets, buttons, public ser vice announcements and a Facebook page so you can spread H1N1 information — not the virus — to people you know. In addition, we just released a new video featuring students, young people and others talking about why they chose to get vaccinated. You can also tell us why you got vaccinated by submitting your own video at YouTube.com/group/TheFlua ndYou. No one knows whether this wave of H1N1 will get worse, taper off or be followed by another wave later in the season. But we do know that preventing the flu depends on all of us, and everyone will be safer if each one of us is serious about preventing and reducing H1N1 flu.
es and benefits that all taxpayers contribute to, and we must ask our peers whether we are truly providing equality to all if one group of taxpayers is allowed access to this generous bundle of rights when another is not. Religious institutions have struggled with the issue of same-sex marriage for some time. The extension of the legal right of marriage to same-sex couples, however, is in no way means an extension of the religious rite of marriage to same-sex couples. The Legislature’s confirmation of marriage rights to samesex couples does not abridge a religious community’s liberty to determine their internal policies,
privileges and rites toward samesex individuals. Houses of worship will continue to be able to decide whether they would like to bless same-sex unions for their right to do so was justly protected under the free exercise clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Therefore, all citizens can have equal access to the legal institution of marriage, and no citizen will be forced to bless these legal unions if their religion prohibits them from doing so. Finally, we must ask our peers whether or not our current predicament is fair. We must ask those around us if we are living up to our principle of equality
when one group of citizens can get married merely by proposing to their loved one, while an LGBT person must literally ask 8,682,661 New Jerseyans for the right to marry their loved one. Once our peers see the urgency of the situation, along with the benefits of action, the unthreatening nature of extending marriage equality, and the unfairness of our current predicament, perhaps they too will see that marriage equality truly is the most important issue of the day in New Jersey. They will know that this is our last opportunity in the next four to eight years to prove that we believe in equality for all;
and then, they will only have to ask themselves whether they will take advantage of this historic opportunity to make New Jersey the first state of 31 states to favor equality over unfairness and discrimination. They can do this by visiting Garden State Equality at http://www.gardenstateequality. org/about.html. This Web site will direct them on how to contact their elected representative in the Senate through a process that takes less than 30 seconds.
Kathleen Sebelius is the secretary of Health and Human Services.
Ben West is a Rutgers College senior majoring in political science. He can be reached at benwest@eden.rutgers.edu.
T H E D A I LY TA R G U M
DIVERSIONS
PA G E 1 6
Horoscopes / LINDA C. BLACK
Pearls Before Swine
DECEMBER 7, 2009
Stephan Pastis
Today's Birthday (12/07/09) Use any money that comes your way this year to create a career vehicle that can carry you far into the future. Avoid all spending that doesn't promise to help your work. Unless your car dies, you probably don't really need a new one. You do need a new lease on enthusiasm and optimism. Grow yours with positive thoughts. 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 — People are drawn to you like magic. Do you know what to do with that energy? Choose constructive change every time. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 7 — How many irons do you have in the fire? Probably too many. Choose wisely and you'll get a lot done. Gemini (May 21-June 21) — Today is a 7 — You may get more done today than all of last week. You have brilliant ideas, practical means, and people with whom to share ideas. Cancer (June 22-July 22) — Today is a 6 — Pressure is applied from all sides. You get to choose which person takes priority. Be practical but compassionate. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 6 — Other people give you a long list of tasks. You have your own agenda, though. Check things off both lists. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 5 — There's a lot of talk today but seemingly no action. This turns out to be a good thing. Tomorrow you move ahead.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 6 — Take time today to listen. You have plenty to say, but now you can increase your pool of information with your ears. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — Focus on what's important. Brainstorm in the morning. Then make some serious choices. By afternoon, everyone gets the details. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 6 — This is going to be a busy day. Convince others to work with you. Show results to a superior by day's end. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 6 — You get a feel for how to bring an idea into the real world. Words and a little bit of elbow grease accomplish the desired result. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — You may have to give up your independent attitude so that detailed work gets done. Then, do the writing in seclusion if possible. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 6 — Apply yourself to the task of understanding what others really mean. This requires patience and good questions.
Dilbert
Doonesberry
Happy Hour
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T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
Last-Ditch Ef fort
Get Fuzzy
D IVERSIONS JOHN KROES
DECEMBER 7, 2009 17
Pop Culture Shock Therapy
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
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GUBYL
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J ORGE C HAM
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S PORTS
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
Wild Knight not abandoned BY STEVEN MILLER
WEST VIRGINIA’S
FOURTH
kick-off made the team look a little too comfortable with the 21-3 lead it held at the time. Mountaineers’ kicker Tyler Bitancurt pooch-kicked each of the first three kicks in the direction of sophomore defensive lineman Eric LeGrand until he finally let one go. Junior returner Joe Lefeged made WVU pay, returning it 91 yards for the score. “They went up 21-3, so we figured they’d probably kick it deep and they did,” Lefeged said. “It was the same return we’ve been running all year, our guys just did a great job blocking — that’s the only
OVER: Rutgers’ comeback try stymied by Brown’s stiff-arm continued from back
CORRESPONDENT
The Rutgers football team showed the Wild Knight is here to stay. After seven Wildcat snaps that yielded 12 yards in the first KNIGHT half, it NOTEBOOK would be easy to abandon the trick formation. The Scarlet Knights did not. Direct snaps to freshman wideout Mohamed Sanu played a role in leading RU back into the contest, as it gained 27 yards on five snaps while cutting the lead to seven in the third quarter. “We just wanted to give it to players who deserved the touches and who gave us the best chance to win,” said head coach Greg Schiano. “That’s one way we know he will touch the ball, because we want to get it in his hands.” Last week’s 22 snaps against Louisville were the most productive for the Knights, as Sanu ran for 148 yards. Saturday marked the second-most Wildcat snaps of the season but accounted for just 47 yards on 17 plays. The third quarter was when it was at its best. “We have faith in it,” Sanu said. “We’re just trying to find ways to make plays by bringing out new stuff. When I have the ball in my hands I know I can do something, so it’s just me trying to do the best I can.” RU showed a new wrinkle as freshman quarterback Tom Savage attempted a pass out of the formation — a deep ball to senior wideout Tim Brown after a double reverse. Both Savage’s pass attempt and a Sanu throw were incomplete.
DECEMBER 7, 2009
Savage said. “You can’t use that as an excuse. I played terrible.” Junior safety Joe Lefeged cut the lead to 21-11 right after the pick-six when he returned the subsequent kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown. After a WVU field goal, the Knights cut the lead to 24-21 on a 62-yard strike from Savage to true freshman wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, who finished the day with 105 yards on six catches. The Knights got the ball back twice more while facing a threepoint deficit, but a drop by Sanu and an interception on fourth down made it 15 straight wins for the Mountaineers. “There was one play where I held onto the ball for probably eight seconds in the pocket and that’s ridiculous,” Savage said. “I overthrew a bunch of guys, but you can’t blame anything else but myself.” Despite a strong finish by the RU defense, the Knights still gave up 169 yards in the first quarter. Brown got it started with a 36-yard run right up the middle of the field that set up a touch-
19
down run for Devine just 1:52 into the game. The Knights responded with a 38-yard field goal after beginning with good field position, but the Mountaineers quickly made the score 14-3 after a nine-play drive where Brown completed all four of his passes and fullback Ryan Clarke hopped over the pile for a score. “We opened the game with some defensive mistakes that I can’t explain,” Schiano said. “I can’t explain why we did it. Once we started doing it right, we shut them down to three points but you can’t say that. That is the game of football.” After forcing a stop with 50 seconds left, RU opted to run out the clock trailing 14-3 instead of going for a quick score from the 35-yard line with one timeout. With the rain turning to snow, the Knights fans followed the lead of the team that gave up the last 50 seconds of the half as half of the stadium cleared out and never returned, bringing laughs to the announced attendance of 52,534 in the third quarter. “I am proud of the guys with the way they continued to fight,” Schiano said. “Unfortunately, we came up a little short. We had our opportunities to win the football game but credit West Virginia — they stopped us.”
ANDREW HOWARD/ PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
True freshman Mohamed Sanu got significant work in the Wild Knight formation for the second straight week, running 17 times for 47 yards.
thing I can say about it. It opened wide up.” The only West Virginia kickoff after that was kicked short again. It was the Knights’ second return for a touchdown of the season. Prior to a 98-yard return by senior Devin McCourty at Connecticut, the last return score was in 2005.
SHAMAR GRAVES
ERASED
any doubt that his internal injuries from last week lingered. The junior started at tight end and caught each of the first three passes on RU’s opening drive, which resulted in a field goal. A Louisville safety drilled Graves in an unprotected part of his chest last week, but the 6-foot3 tight end showed no hesitation in stretching out or going across the middle. “I guess it showed that I was ready,” Graves said. “Ever y week is its own season, so I don’t worry about anything that happened last week. You have to keep playing.” Those three grabs for 48 yards were his only catches on the day
and marked a new career-high in receiving yards.
BROWN —
WHO HAD NO
catches on the day — limped up the tunnel after the Knights’ first drive of the second quarter. The team’s leading receiver returned two drives later, but was never fully healthy during the game. “Tim did everything in his power to be able to play at a high level today, he just wasn’t,” Schiano said.
SATURDAY WAS SENIOR Day for the Knights, who honored 22 seniors prior to the game. Each one ran out of the tunnel to meet Schiano at midfield and fifth-year walk-on Billy Anderson carried the axe to the tree trunk in the corner of the field. “I didn’t want to leave the field,” said fifth-year senior captain Ryan Blaszczyk. “I’ve been here since ’05 and to see what we’ve done with the field, what we’ve done here with the program since then, it just kind of tugs at your heart.”
DAN BRACAGLIA/ MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Jarrett Brown bowls over RU’s George Johnson for the game’s deciding first down, converting a third-and-six to ice WVU’s win.
20
S PORTS
DECEMBER 7, 2009
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
Johnson becomes goat but missed chances to blame for loss
Y
ou have to feel for George Johnson. With a third-down stop, the Rutgers football team would get the ball back deep in its own territory for a chance to drive down the field and win or tie the game. Trailing by three with 1:46 to go, the Rutgers front contained West Virginia power back Ryan Clarke on first and second down. Mountaineers head coach Bill Stewart called for a bootleg to the left side, and Johnson found himself manned up with quarterback Jarrett Brown in the open field. A tackle would have resulted in a short loss and a fourth down. It would have been Johnson’s senior moment. With one stiff-arm from Brown to Johnson’s chest, the West Virginia quarterback got the first down to ice the 24-21 outcome and provide what might be the one play people will remember about the senior defensive end. “That kid’s a great player,” said junior defensive end Alex Silvestro. “I feel bad for not only him, but all the seniors that
Mind of Stein MATTHEW STEIN couldn’t come out with a win on Senior Day. That’s the only thing I’m upset about. That kid is a great player, he’s going to have a good Bowl game and he will be playing on Sundays.” The play was emblematic of both the game and the Scarlet Knights’ season. It was what the Rutgers vs. West Virginia series is all about — the Knights came up short for the 15th consecutive time against their rivals from Morgantown. “Every time you lose its hard, especially when you come close like this and you’re only one or two plays away,” Silvestro said. “It hurts. The thing is, good teams have to pull away with wins like that. I’m not saying we’re a bad team, but we have to learn to find
ANDREW HOWARD/ PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Wideout Mohamed Sanu has one of three passes slip through his hands as the Scarlet Knights wasted scoring chances vs. WVU.
ways to win these games.” Should Johnson have made that play? Yes, but he never should never have been in that situation to begin with. RU lost by three points, and at least three excellent chances to get another field goal went awry before Johnson even had the chance to wrap Brown in the final minutes. It started late in the second quarter, when the Knights got the ball back at its own 24-yard line with 43 seconds and a timeout left. After a first down run by sophomore tailback Joe Martinek, stopping the clock just seconds later, head coach Greg Schiano opted to give it to Martinek one more time, then let the clock run out. RU was trailing 14-3. There was ample time, including that timeout, to move into field goal range before the half. It made zero sense to let the possession go to waste and trudge into the locker room with a two-score deficit, especially when the Knights got the ball back to start the second half and could have been looking at an eightpoint climb should they kick a field goal. But in retrospect, that would not have been likely. At the start of the second half, just as the rain turned to a winter mix and playing conditions worsened, sophomore San San Te came up short on a 45yard field goal. Short is being generous. The sophomore’s thud landed to the right of the posts five yards deep into the end zone. “It looked and sounded good,” Schiano said. “It just came up short. It was well inside the upright, it wasn’t a chip shot either. The wind was gusting a little bit, it was coming out of the bubble in the north and sometimes it was coming harder than other times.” The excuses are what they are, but Te is just 17-of-26 with his right leg this season, missing six of his eight tries from beyond 40 yards. Schiano repeatedly expresses confidence in his kick-
ANDREW HOWARD/ PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Sophomore San San Te made two-of-three field goals on the day but has now missed six of his eight attempts from beyond 40 yards.
er, but Te has yet to live up to his coach’s high praise. Then we get to Mohamed Sanu, who has a really bright future as a Knight — assuming he learns to catch the ball in clutch situations. With just over two minutes remaining and RU driving into Mountaineers territor y trailing by three, true freshman quarterback Tom Savage’s four thdown strike to Sanu — which would have been enough for a first down — slipped through the freshman wideout’s hands and was subsequently intercepted. “It’s a tough day to be making those catches,” Schiano said after the game. “I wouldn’t be too critical.” But it’s not the first time Sanu did that, freshman mistake or not. After catching a fourth-down pass in a nearly identical situation against Pittsburgh, he fumbled it away
to seal that defeat. Sanu had more than one drop as the Knights tried to come back against Syracuse three weeks ago as well. While the final throw was high and probably too hard for the caliber throw it was, Sanu also dropped a pair of critical passes for first downs earlier in the game. Any one of those three plays would have completely altered the outcome, and Johnson may never have been in a situation where the 15th-straight loss to West Virginia was on the line. Guess there are no more “would have’s.” “We’re a young, growing up football team,” Schiano said. “If we found a way to score, then we’ve grown up. But we didn’t, so we’re still growing.” — Matthew Stein accepts comments and criticisms at steinma@eden.rutgers.edu.
BID: Rutgers goes bowling in Florida amid finals week continued from back The quick turnaround also limits the opportunity for the redshirt freshmen to practice, something Schiano finds essential to the Knights’ program building. “We have to get all these young kids extra practice where they get to be with us, and they’re the main focus because their time is up next year,” Schiano said. Because of the early Bowl game, the equivalent of a short bye week, that time is severely cut short. “It is disappointing,” Schiano said. “I cherish that time with the underclassmen to bring them along and this date doesn’t work so well for that.” Central Florida’s best victory came over then-No. 13 Houston, a 37-32 victory for UCF. “For some people it may not be at the level they expect, well I apologize for that, but the reality is that five straight Bowls is five straight Bowls,” Schiano said. “It’ll be a reward. It’s going to be a great location. Our guys are going to be treated ver y well. Sometimes, things are a little harder, it’s just going to be harder this time.”
S PORTS
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
DECEMBER 7, 2009
21
Brown powers charge in dominant weekend sweep BY ALEX JANKOWSKI CORRESPONDENT
PRINCETON — It’s the closest thing to a homecoming they get in 2009. WRESTLING With RUTGERS 34 no home matches PRINCETON 3 until a f t e r New Year’s, the Rutgers wrestling team relished in the opportunity to compete on New Jersey soil Saturday when it faced off against Princeton and the Virginia Military Institute at the Dillon Gymnasium in Princeton. The result — an overall dominant performance, in which the Scarlet Knights won 19 of the 20 matches they competed in, beat VMI 44-0 and then took down the home-team Tigers, 34-3. The victories quickly erased the memories of last week, when RU (5-3, 1-1 EIWA) were shut down by Iowa and conference foe Bucknell. “After losing last week we got back at it and had a great week of practice,” said senior Lamar Brown. “We really hit it hard and worked on technique and conditioning. I took advantage of the individual drills we did to help work on the things that were keeping me from winning.” This weekend spelled redemption for Brown, who not only lost
RAMON DOMPOR/ ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR/ FILE PHOTO
Fifth-year senior Lamar Brown, right, earned decisions of 10-2 and 5-2 against VMI and Princeton, respectively, after a pair of losses last week against top-ranked Iowa and Bucknell. both matches against Iowa and Bucknell, but also saw his name slip out of the national rankings. After earning decisions of 10-2 and 5-2 against VMI (0-2) and Princeton (2-1, 1-1 EIWA), respectively, the Red Bank, N.J., native now holds a record of 8-3. The Knights breezed through their first match of the day against VMI — never trailing in any weight class match. Juniors Bill Ashnault and David
Greenwald, along with sophomore Trevor Melde, all pinned their opponents. “The thing we did best today was just worry about ourselves,” said head coach Scott Goodale. “We wrestled hard. Every match has to be wrestled like it is the national finals.” Against Princeton, RU took the crowd out of it early by winning tough matches and building an early 11-0 lead.
The only slip up of the day came when Greenwald, ranked No. 20 nationally at 149-pounds, fell to sophomore Daniel Kolodzik by a 6-5 decision. Greenwald pinned Kolodzik last season when the two faced off. “Sometimes when a team knows they are going to win, people get lackadaisical,” Goodale said. “You can’t let that happen. You can’t let matches like that get away. We won 19 of our 20 match-
es today, but the one we lost is going to hurt.” True freshman Daniel Seidenberg got the start in both matches at 174-pounds and did not disappoint, beating his opponents by a combined score of 14-3. “We knew we had to give Danny [Seidenberg] a shot,” Goodale said. “He has done a great job the past few weeks making weight and it was his time to go out and wrestle.” For Seidenberg, the opportunity to make an impact in his first year is something he does not want to relinquish. “It’s awesome being a part of this whole new experience,” the Raritan High School product said. “I know that there is some pressure on me being a freshman, but I just wanted to go out there and have some fun.” Standout junior heavyweight Dominick Russo capped off the day for the Scarlet Knights by pinning Princeton’s Bobby Grogan in just over a minute. RU needed to get back to its winning ways before Dec. 12, when they will travel to Pittsburgh, Pa., to face No. 25 Pitt. “We had a great result against Princeton and VMI, so this next week we are going to stick with the game plan in practice and against Pitt,” Brown said. “If we keep going at it hard in practice then we will be ready.”
22
S PORTS
DECEMBER 7, 2009
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
Showing vs. Tigers ‘a joke’ BY STEVEN WILLIAMSON SENIOR WRITER
BRYAN ANGELES/ SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Freshman forward Monique Oliver (44) is helped off of the court after injuring her leg in the 10-point victory over the Princeton Tigers.
Oliver leaves with leg injury just before half BY BILL DOMKE CORRESPONDENT
PRINCETON — With less than three minutes to go in the first half, freshman for ward KNIGHT Monique NOTEBOOK Oliver w e n t down with a leg injury. The Las Vegas native did not play for the remainder of the first half, and walked out to the bench for about a minute of the second half before returning to the locker room. “No [we don’t know the full extent of the injury], we’ll find out tomorrow,” said head coach C. Vivian Stringer. “We’ll see.” Oliver was second on the team in points with 8.8 per game before the game at Princeton, and was tied for second in rebounds with five per game. Her 60.5 shooting percentage this season puts her at tenth in the Big East.
THE
GAME
AGAINST
THE
Tigers was a far cry from the 8335 beating that the Rutgers women’s basketball team gave them the last time the two crossed paths. Sloppy play was a reoccurring them in both halves — the Scarlet Knights pulled out a 10point victory that was anything but impressive. Bad passes contributed to an unusually high 21 turnovers. “We get it out of our hands, and it’s like fifth grade stuff,” Stringer said about the team’s passing. “But good fifth graders don’t make that [mistake].”
And you could see the mistakes outside of just turnovers. In the first half, sophomore guard Nikki Speed threw a two-handed pass over the opposing team’s bleachers and out of bounds.
PRINCETON — If the Rutgers women’s basketball team’s 60-50 victor y over Princeton Saturday was a joke, no one was laughing. The WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Scarlet RUTGERS 60 Knights the PRINCETON 50 blew hapless Tigers out of the water by nearly 50 points last season, but Saturday’s turnover-filled affair at Jadwin Gymnasium was really anyone’s game from start to finish. “It’s a joke. I don’t even want to talk about it, if I didn’t have to talk … about it I wouldn’t,” said head coach C. Vivian Stringer. “It’s the biggest goddarned joke. I don’t even know — it’s like we left our common sense, any level of defense or of fense or any level of pride home. No, it wasn’t home. Because if it was home it would be in the home of the Scarlet Knights.” The Tigers pounced on every loose ball they could find. RU turned the ball over 21 times — the fifth time in nine games this season the Scarlet Knights turned the ball over at least 20 times in a game. The Tigers also held a 41-30 advantage in rebounds. RU committed 23 personal fouls, contributing to 17 of Princeton’s points, but were buoyed by their shooting. The Tigers shot horrendously — opening the half 2-of-15 from the floor — and finished with an even 30 shooting percentage, compared to the Knights’ 40.7 percent. “I’ve never seen a thing like this in all my life,” Stringer said. “So we’re all going to wear glasses the next time we play, or we’re
BRYAN ANGELES/ SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Senior center Rashidat Junaid dropped eight of her 12 points in the second half and added seven boards, three steals and two blocks.
going to wear contacts, you can just count on that. Glasses or contacts, one way or the other, we’re going to have them on, because obviously we don’t see. “At the highest levels, at the championship levels, I’ve had teams that have had five turnovers. You know, heck, there’s only one person on our team that has more assists to our teammates than to the other people. The rest of us are bandits. We’re out there killing each other.” Down the stretch, RU leaned on two of its seniors to escape the jam at Jadwin. Guard Brittany Ray and center Rashidat Junaid, in her first big
FOUL TROUBLE WAS ANOTHER problem for the Knights. RU gave up five fouls in the first five minutes of the first half, and Princeton found itself in the bonus with 11:21 to go in the second half. “This group doesn’t want to admit it, but you can see ever y team in America drives on us and drags our behind to the court,” Stringer said. “And it continues to happen — and then we foul.” And with 30 shooting percentage throughout the game, the foul shots were the only thing keeping Princeton in the game. “To be quick and wild without making a lot of sense is foolish,” Stringer said. “You need to apply it properly and have control of your bodies. To recognize time situations, we need to be smart, that’s no excuse for being dumb or playing dumb.”
SOPHOMORE CHELSEY LEE continued her team-leading performance in rebounds against Princeton, grabbing seven in 25 minutes of play. The forward has at least five rebounds in every outing this season, and leads the team with 63 total.
CHRISTINE HUBER GOT THE first start of her collegiate career Saturday night. The freshman forward notched two rebounds, a block and a steal.
BRYAN ANGELES/ SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
With a career-high six steals and 20 points, guard Brittany Ray helped bail out Rutgers in its 60-50 win Saturday at Jadwin Gym.
playing time since Southern California, led the charge for the Scarlet Knights in the second half. Junaid scored eight of her 12 points in the second half, and finished with seven rebounds, two blocks and three steals. “I just wanted to get out there and rebound and do what it took for my team to win,” Junaid said. “I saw that we were struggling offensively and defensively and I just wanted to get out there and give it my all.” Ray finished with a gamehigh 20 points, nine of which came from the free throw line. Both seniors shot 50 percent from the floor and combined for nine of RU’s 15 steals. Though they started off with a bang in the second half, fueled by seven points from Ray, the Knights quickly cooled as Princeton inched closer and closer. “I don’t think teams are afraid of us. I think we have to get out there and step on their throat early,” Junaid said. “Teams don’t fear us, they’re going to come out and they’re going to play their best games against us. … We have to use games like these to our advantage, and we didn’t today.” RU pulled away again, only to have the Tigers cut the lead to three with just under eight minutes to play. But a timely bucket from Junaid and sharp foul shooting from Ray helped the Knights ice the game. For 15 minutes of the first half, it looked like Temple all over again. RU was down by double digits for most of the first, before mounting a 16-2 run to finish the half. The Scarlet Knights held Princeton scoreless until the final minute of the half, entering the intermission with a narrow 28-27 advantage, with the Tigers’ only points during the stretch coming from the free throw line.
S PORTS
T H E DA I LY TA R G U M
DECEMBER 7, 2009
23
Hill, Knights escape against winless Colgate BY KYLE FRANKO ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
I
f the Rutgers football team won Saturday, the Meineke Car Care Bowl was there for the taking. Instead, the Scarlet Knights lost and Pittsburgh impressed in taking No. 5 Cincinnati one point away from overtime. Pitt accepted a bid to the face North Carolina in Charlotte, N.C.
AFTER
THE
RUTGERS-WEST
Virginia matchup, the Mountaineers accepted a bid to the Gator Bowl to face Florida State. “It is an honor and a privilege to be able to represent the Big East at the Gator Bowl,” said WVU head coach Bill Stewart. “We are really pleased and tickled about that.” It will be FSU coach Bobby Bowden’s final game, against the team he coached before leaving for the Seminoles. Bowden led the team to 28 straight Bowl appearances. The first one was against West Virginia in the Gator Bowl.
CONNECTICUT WILL PLAY IN its third consecutive Bowl game, accepting an invitation to the PapaJohns.com Bowl, which Rutgers played in last season. After the death of cornerback Jasper Howard, UConn lost three straight games before beating Notre Dame, Syracuse and South Florida.
SOUTH FLORIDA ACCEPTED a bid to the International Bowl. The Bulls lost five of their last seven games after starting the season 5-0.
Maybe the boos that serenaded the Rutgers men’s basketball team at halftime provided the wakeup call it needed. The Scarlet Knights trailed MEN’S BASKETBALL winless Colgate COLGATE 67 by five RUTGERS 76 at intermission but rallied for a 76-67 victory yesterday afternoon at the Louis Brown Athletic Center in front of an announced crowd of 4,226 that appeared to be much less. “It was very bad,” said sophomore forward Gregory Echenique of the mood at halftime. “The coaches were yelling and screaming trying to get us pumped to come out in the second half and be ready.” RU overcame its listless first half by outscoring Colgate 46-32 in the second half behind Dane Miller and Echenique. Miller started the game on the bench but quickly replaced Patrick Jackson as Hill’s preferred player on the wing. The freshman forward scored eight second half points, finishing with 15 in 28 minutes. He also defended Colgate’s Kyle Roemer after the break. Roemer was terrific for the Raiders finishing with 21 points and 10 rebounds, but scored just five in the second half after Hill went to Miller as the defensive stopper. “It was to hassle [Roemer],” Miller said of the defensive plan against Colgate’s top scorer. “He would come off about three screens every time, and I had to just keep going and keep following him. I wanted to get a hand in his face and make him put the ball on the ground.”
A
BY MATTHEW STEIN
F LORIDA -T EXAS
IN
THE
DIVISION
THAT
has a playof f system, four teams remain in the hunt for the Football Championship Series title. Appalachian State faces No. 1 Montana and William and Mar y faces No. 2 Villanova. William and Mar y lost to Villanova in their prior meeting. First-team Colonial Athletic Association tailback Jonathan Grimes leads the Tribe with 10 touchdowns.
Rutgers head coach Fred Hill Jr. pleads with an official for a call during the first half of yesterday’s 76-67 victory over Colgate. Without its leading scorer, Colgate struggled to find the basket shooting just 35.5 percent in the second half, and the Knights took advantage. Junior guard James Beatty and Miller hit back-to-back three pointers to bring RU within 37-36 less than two minutes into the second half prompting a Colgate timeout. After trading baskets for three minutes, Beatty’s second three pointer of the half with 14:09 to
play put the Knights up 43-40. They never trailed again. “I think Dane keeps growing and growing and growing,” Hill said. “Four weeks ago he was a young man that had a whole bunch of talent but wasn’t ready to step on the floor and understand all of our concepts. He came in religiously almost every day to watch film, he pays attention and has a very good basketball IQ.”
Bruised shin forces Rosario to start from bench SPORTS EDITOR
matchup in the National Championship looked likely all season long, but Florida lost the Southeastern Championship and Texas barely escaped with the Big XII title. Instead, Alabama faces the Longhorns for the National Championship game in Pasadena, Calif. Oregon and Ohio State also play there on New Years Day in the Rose Bowl. The Big East’s BCS representative, Cincinnati, takes on Florida in the Sugar Bowl. Neither mid-major team has an opportunity to take down a giant. Texas Christian and Boise State face off in the Fiesta Bowl, which Boise State won three years ago. Georgia Tech takes on Iowa in the Orange Bowl.
JOVELLE TAMAYO/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Again, Echenique was stellar. The sophomore for ward followed up his career-high 21 point performance with 19 more. He added eight rebounds while converting on 9-of-10 free throws. “I think I feel more comfortable at the free throw line,” Echenique said. “I knew the only way they could stop me was by fouling me. I wasn’t trying to force stuff. I tried to go to the basket early but they called a charge, so I just settled down and let the game come to me.” Colgate (0-8) got off to a fast start behind Roemer, whose 16 first half points helped the Raiders build a 35-30 halftime advantage that saw the Knights booed into the locker room. “You have to execute and sometimes you go in a hurry, and that’s where I think we’re at right now,” said Hill on his team’s poor first half. “We have to continue to get better and it’s not disappointing, honestly, it’s about what I expect sometimes from so many new pieces and parts we’re trying to fit together.” Yaw Gyawu finished with 16 points and seven rebounds for the Raiders. RU (5-2) shot 32 percent in the first half and converted 11-of14 free throws, but was simply outplayed by a Colgate team that shot 44.1 percent and got a big half from Roemer. “Some of the coaches were a little bit pissed off by the way we played in the first half,” said sophomore guard Mike Rosario, who finished with 14 points despite not starting the game with a bruised shin. “We came out flat and with no energy. That’s what held us back and that’s what happen when you come out flat against teams that want to make a statement against you.”
Mike Rosario’s bruised shin left him out of the starting lineup for only the third time in his collegiate career. Though dressed and available, the sophom o r e KNIGHT shooting NOTEBOOK guard and Rutgers men’s basketball team’s leading scorer did not start yesterday’s 76-67 victory over Colgate. “[Head coach Fred Hill Jr.] told me coming into the game that’s the reason I didn’t start,” Rosario said. “He wanted to see if he needed me today, so he told me to suit up just in case. The case was that he needed me today so I had to play through it.” Hill opted to slide junior Mike Coburn to the two and give junior transfer James Beatty his first start of the season. Freshman Muhamed Hasani was the first guard substitute off the bench before Rosario entered with 8:07 to play before the break and finished the half. Though Rosario did not start second half — guards Beatty and Coburn formed the backcourt again — he was the first off the bench and returned to action with 16:27 to go, finishing the game on the floor. “I would’ve [preferred to sit him the whole game],” Hill said. “I would’ve liked to get [Hasani]
some more minutes, certainly a chance to get JB [Beatty] and Coburn some extended minutes. I told him if we needed him we would play him, and obviously we were much better with him on the floor today.” The St. Anthony product went just two-of-eight from the field in his second straight dismal shooting effort — he was 2-of-12 against Princeton — but connected on eight foul shots. Rosario finished with 14 points.
GREGORY
ECHENIQUE’S
dad must have kinder things to say to his son lately. The sophomore forward said his father got on him for missing nine of his first 12 free throws to start the year. So the Guatire, Venezuela, native turned it on from the stripe, sinking 29 of his past 32 attempts — including 9of-10 in yesterday’s victory. “We talked the other day after the game and he said ‘That’s how it supposed to be after every game,’” Echenique said. “Hopefully I can keep it up.” Echenique shot a team-best, five-of-six from the floor en route to his second consecutive game, leading the Scarlet Knights in scoring. His 19 points against the Raiders followed up a 21-point performance Thursday evening against Princeton.
THE KNIGHTS
ATTEMPTED A
season-high 38 free throws yesterday after giving themselves just 26
JOVELLE TAMAYO/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
After missing nine of his first 12 free throws this season, forward Gregory Echenique has 29 makes in his last 32 attempts. attempts in the previous two games combined. “We used the free throw line … as a scoring opportunity and scored 29 points from the line,” Hill said.
It’s a little bit blown up because at the end of the game, they came and fouled us, but even then you’re talking about 21 to 22 points from the line, and that’s a good night.”
T H E D A I LY TA R G U M
SPORTS
PA G E 2 4
1 WEST VIRGINIA 14 3 RUTGERS
DECEMBER 7, 2009
2 0 0
3 7 11
4 3 7
Final 24 21
BOWLED OVER Defensive mishaps, offensive execution in 15th straight loss to West Virginia keeps Rutgers out of Meineke Car Care Bowl BY SAM HELLMAN ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
Make it 15. With dozens of recruits in the new lounge, the emotions of Senior Day, a bid in the Meineke FOOTBALL Car Care Bowl and a ninth win of the season on the line, the Rutgers football team failed to dig itself out of an 18-point hole and fell 24-21 to West Virginia Saturday at a snowy Rutgers Stadium. “I am frustrated because we lost a football game today, and I don’t want to sound disrespectful to them, but I really felt we should have won,” said head coach Greg Schiano. The opportunities were there — plenty of them. The Scarlet Knights defense had West Virginia on third and six within two minutes and a chance for the ball back and a game-winning drive. Senior defensive end George Johnson had WVU’s Jarrett Brown dead to rights, but the 6-foot-4, 223-pound quarterback ran over the Glassboro, N.J., native on his Senior Day and quelled any chance at a comeback. “We work on tackles every day and work on getting guys to the ground, and that’s just something I had to do,” Johnson said. “He made a great play.” After Brown’s symbolic stiff-arm put RU at 8-4 (3-4 Big East), the Mountaineers (93, 5-2) kneed out the clock to end the regular season and the home career of 22 Rutgers seniors. “I don’t know if I feel for [Johnson],” said senior linebacker Damaso Munoz, who led the game with 12 tackles. “He’s a senior and he’s got to make that play.” With the exception of Johnson’s missed tackle, the defense gave the Knights every chance to win. In the second and third quarters combined, West Virginia amassed just 16 total yards of offense and went three-andout three times in the fourth quarter. The defense recovered two fumbles by Brown, sacked him three times and compiled 11 total tackles for loss while holding WVU junior tailback Noel Devine to 65 yards on 16 attempts. “I feel that we played well enough as a team that we had a chance,” said senior cornerback Devin McCourty, who made four tackles and broke up three passes. “We just didn’t take advantage of the chances.” With the snow piling on in the second half, true freshman quarterback Tom Savage started to come apart. He threw an interception that went for six the other way, making the score 21-3, and finished the game completing just 9-of-27 passes for 153 yards. “[The conditions] were tough, but our guys did a great job of keeping the ball dry,”
GAME 12
DAN BRACAGLIA/ MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Rutgers wideout Tim Brown extends for a catch but falls short. West Virginia held the injured receiver without a catch all day as West Virginia derailed the Scarlet Knight’s hopes for the Meineke Car Care Bowl and sent RU to the St. Petersburg Bowl instead.
LEADERS
RUSHING NOEL DEVINE, WVU 16 CAR, 65 YDS, TD RECEIVING MOHAMED SANU, RU 6 REC, 105 YDS, TD
ON
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Rutgers accepts bid to St. Pete
KEY STATS
PASSING TOM SAVAGE, RU 9-27, 153 YDS, TD
SEE OVER
WEST VIRGINIA RUTGERS
Total Yds Pass 116 278 153 218
Rush 162 65
EXTRA POINT The number of consecutive games the West Virginia Mountaineers beat the Rutgers football team. The Scarlet Knights have not defeated WVU since 1994 when current WCTC color analyst Ray Lucas was their quarterback. Rutgers returns to Morgantown next season hoping that the 16th time is the charm.
15
BY STEVEN MILLER CORRESPONDENT
The Rutgers football team is headed to its fifth straight Bowl game, but the season still FOOTBALL ends early for the Scarlet Knights. RU accepted an invitation to the St. Petersburg Bowl, a Dec. 19 matchup with Central Florida and the second game of the college football Bowl season.
With just two weeks off between games, the Knights are left scrambling. “If we won more games, it wouldn’t be a situation we had to worry about,” said head coach Greg Schiano. “But we didn’t. Right now, we are who we are. We’re going to be great, but right now we’re not great. We have to deal with it and get ready to play a big-time football game in St. Petersburg.” A win over West Virginia would have sent Rutgers to the Meineke Car Care Bowl.
Instead, the Knights have a preChristmas date in St. Petersburg — during the heart of the exam schedule — that was not expected. “We finish [exams] on the 23, that means we start about a week earlier on the 16, and the game’s the 19, so it’s not going to be easy,” Schiano said. “The administration is going to work with us and we’re going to ask our players to really buckle down.”
SEE BID
ON
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