The Signal: Spring '14, No. 3

Breaking news, blogs, and more at TCNJSignal.net.

Vol. XXXX, No. 3

February 5, 2014

Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885

Award provides chance to grow professionally

The key to a successful job hunt

By Tom Kozlowski News Editor Taking a sabbatical at the College is considered a chance to improve one’s scholarship, a period for research, development and implementation.

In the past, such an opportunity has been funded by a reduced sabbatical salary. This often puts the squeeze on professors juggling finances and projects, but that cut is about to be vastly offset.

On Wednesday, Jan. 29, President R. Barbara Gitenstein and her husband, Donald Hart, announced the “Gitenstein-Hart Sabbatical Prize,” a $100,000 award given annually to one professor.

The endowment is designed to expand the College’s scholarship and facilitate individual research, a big boost in faculty support from the administration.

“With this gift, we can expand the opportunity for generations of faculty in early or mid-career to engage in the kind of sustained deep scholarship that will profoundly shape not only their careers but the College,” provost and vice president for Academic Affairs Jacqueline Taylor said.

According to her speech, Gitenstein noted how strenuous it can be to balance academics, family and finance all at once, particularly for a professor early in his or her career. She and Hart experienced these struggles firsthand, but their endowment aims to ease the burdens that complicate a professor’s research.

This year’s recipient is associate professor of physics Nate Magee.

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

Employers look for students with a combination of good grades and related extracurriculars.

By Courtney Wirths Opinions Editor

During the start of the spring semester at the College, students are not only getting used to a new set of classes, but also submitting last-minute internship applications and preparing for interviews. Seniors are getting ready to begin their first career.

On a résumé, students are told to present their academic successes, as well as practical experiences. When it comes to the interview, however, rarely do we know which is weighted more. The answer is that it is not only a balance, but it also depends on the employer and the particular position.

“Certainly they want to see a student that has that GPA standard that they are looking for, but also that you are balancing it with things you are doing on campus,” said Debra Klokis, employer relations specialist for the College.

She explained that within the School of Business, accounting firms tend to be the most particular when it comes to GPAs, followed by financial companies.

“Above that 3.0 mark is a good place to be — it’s a good goal to strive for,” she said. Grades are an area in which a student can differentiate themselves from a stack of applicants.

If a company is looking for a particular GPA, it will be specified in the qualifications portion of the job posting.

“A strong GPA shows discipline,” senior finance major Ryan Dolan said.

Dolan was recently offered a full-time position at PMT Food Consulting Inc. and has interned in the past. He attributes his success largely to his internships and business experience more than his academics.

College’s campus is lacking in diversity see PRIZE page 3

see GPA page 2

universities are created.

“TCNJ has a lot less diversity than my high school,” Crawford said. “It’s something I’m not accustomed to.”

Serving over 2,000 students from five different districts, it is a known fact that Rancocas Valley High School, which Crawford attended, is a melting pot consisting of kids of all ages, races, ethnicities, religions and sexual orientations.

And the numbers are there. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, almost half of the students at Rancocas Valley are minorities. Compare that to the College’s 34 percent, and it becomes clear why making the transition from high school to college was a noteworthy change for Crawford.

Of the 34 percent of minorities, Hispanic/Latino students make up 10.2 percent, Asians 8.9 percent and Black/ African American only 5.6 percent, with the rest comprised of Native Hawaiian, Native American and race/ ethnicity unknown students.

“I think the diversity of the students at Rancocas Valley made me a more tolerant and accepting person,” Crawford said. “It made me realize that not everyone is the same or has the same experiences, so I think I definitely benefited from it.”

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

Compared to other campuses and high schools, the College’s campus is not a diverse melting pot.

By Kim Ilkowski Correspondent

For many students, it seems like the College has it all.

With its colonial-styled buildings, extensive curriculum, dedicated sports teams and a variety of clubs and organizations, what could possibly be missing? One student thinks she knows the answer.

INDEX: Nation & World / Page 5 The Signal @TCNJsignal

“Diversity,” freshman psychology major Cailin Crawford said.

She may be on to something. The College has been in the news recently as the 41st smartest school in the United States and the second smartest in New Jersey, according to Lumosity, a neuroscience research company. The College often makes the cut for other prestigious lists, but it is rarely mentioned when compilations of the most diverse

Editorial / Page 6

Basketball Lions in the middle of NJAC dogfight See Sports page 24

Opinions / Page 7

Features / Page 9

see DIVERSITY page 3 Arts & Entertainment / Page 12

Nap Time Napping the right way can be beneficial See Features page 9

Sports / Page 24

Wired Students participate in 24 hours of acting See A&E page 12

page 2 The Signal February 5, 2014

In Tanzania, a cultural lens for motherhood

Courtesy of Rachel Fikslin

Students gain new perspectives on African motherhood.

By Gabrielle Beacken News Assistant Stemming from the College’s study abroad program to Tanzania in the summer of 2013, “Hakuna Kama Mama,” a new photo-voice

exhibition illustrating the hardships of women in Zanibar, was held in the AIMM building on Wednesday, Jan. 29. The event was presented by the College’s women’s and gender studies department and was co-sponsored

by The Center of Global Engagement and The Association of Students for Africa.

“The purpose of the workshop was to give women an opportunity to discuss issues that truly affect them, such as motherhood and childbirth,” sophomore psychology major Rachel Fikslin said.

Fikslin was one of the 10 students who participated in the study abroad Tanzania program.

This summer program was led

by Marla Jaksch, assistant professor of women’s and gender studies, who taught the course “Gender Politics of Development in Tanzania.”

For the Zanzibar International Film Festival, the students in the class created the exhibition “Hakuna Kama Mama,” depicting the topics of motherhood and maternal health.

The exhibition included an array of outlets, such as photos, artworks and discussions. The photo-voice technique, dominantly used in this exhibition, allowed its participants to express their

cultural perspectives where they would normally not have the opportunity to do so.

The exhibition included the participation of 120 women of Nungui, Zanzibar — an island and part of Tanzania on the eastern coast of Africa.

Women of Zanzibar captured what motherhood means to them in their presented photographs, Fikslin said.

The study abroad program in Tanzania not only included participation in photo-voice exhibitions, but also included additional unique experiences, according to Fikslin.

The group of 10 students worked as ambassadors with the “WeCare Solar” organization, which is an international organization that specifically works in developing regions to support and ensure the practices of safe motherhood by providing proper light and electricity.

Through “WeCare Solar,” students at the College installed solar power systems in various

maternity wards throughout Tanzania. Due to Tanzania’s frequent electricity inconsistency, the infant and maternal mortality rates during childbirth are very high, according to Fikslin.

“Our solar project made a difference in several communities and also allowed us to collaborate and connect with Tanzanian organizations with the same goals in mind,” Fikslin said.

Tanzania study abroad will again take place this coming year and will include unique aspects such as education, culture and new solar projects.

“Studying abroad in Tanzania was a life-changing experience that made me see the world in a whole new way,” Fikslin said. “It made me realize that things like love and motherhood are universal to all humans, but the way we experience them are completely different across cultures.”

Enrollment for this summer program is still open and ready for students with a desire to help in developing regions.

GPA / Experience exceeds grades SG preps continued from page 1

“Employers want to see that you can communicate efficiently and think on your feet,” Dolan said. “A GPA can’t always reflect that.”

It’s important that students have topics to discuss during the interview that can illustrate skills such as leadership, teamwork and skills that are particular to their potential position. It adds to their overall impression.

“Experiences let you tell your own story when you get in the interview,” Klokis said. “You want to have things to draw on.”

Employers also like to hear about students’ courses and academic projects, even any group work they may have worked on.

“Employers really want to know about the skills you are bringing to

an internship or a full-time position,” Klokis said.

When junior international business major James Goetschius was interviewing for his current position at the ItalyAmerica Chamber of Commerce for the greater Philadelphia area, they were primarily focused on his comfort level with the language and his knowledge of current events.

“My GPA certainly helped, but they wanted to see more of what I knew about the business climate and country itself,” Goetschius said.

He explained that even his activities on campus that didn’t directly pertain to the position were useful while talking during the interview.

“Campus activities are fun to talk about during an interview,” he said.

Student organizations such as WTSR, the campus radio station, and club sports

can demonstrate teamwork and leadership skills. Additionally, Goetschius said his study abroad trip was another way to make his résumé stand out.

One of the best ways students can help themselves land both internships and full-time positions is to network.

By putting themselves in strategic positions, individuals can connect with various companies and even alumni of the College.

The College offers information sessions with companies hiring interns and employees, career fairs and networking nights organized by the School of Business. Students should look for opportunities to tell someone about themselves and learn more about a type of employer.

“In the real world, the smart people are those who go out and even if they fail, learn to adapt and improve,” Dolan said.

Smoked out and found out Decor choice a double-edged sword

By Tom Kozlowski News Editor

A student, now removed from campus, was found to possess an assortment of 10 swords and knives, according to Campus Police. Campus Police were alerted to the items by the student’s roommate on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 8:04 a.m. The roommate had seen the collection previously in and around the student’s dresser drawer. The assortment itself included several 26-inch-long swords, footlong knives with sheaths and six- to nine-inch daggers, all professionally made. The items were recovered by Campus Police and kept as evidence. ...

A victim reported a stolen wallet worth $25 on Tuesday,

Jan. 28, at 2 p.m., according to Campus Police. The student discovered her wallet missing during an event in the Travers/ Wolfe main lounge, where she had left her backpack and contents unattended while using the restroom. Campus Police said the wallet included a student ID, a Korean ID, a Bank of America debit card and a Metro card. ...

them to enter. She also denied that anyone had been smoking. The officers observed a visible trail of smoke hanging in the room and a potent, burnt smell, despite the student’s continued objections, and the officers were ultimately unable to confirm the claim. According to Campus Police, all students signed into the room were issued summons. ...

On Thursday, Jan. 30, at 11:37 p.m., Campus Police responded to a reported odor of marijuana in Decker Hall.

According to Campus Police, officers approached the room and were answered by a student who refused to allow

Campus Police were dispatched to Cromwell Hall on Thursday, Jan. 30, at 11:37 p.m. on claims of marijuana, according to Campus Police.

The female student in question answered the door and allowed Campus Police to enter, after

being reported by the floor’s CA. Upon being asked about marijuana, the student denied its presence, but then readily admitted to having alcohol in the room. Campus Police say the student opened her fridge to reveal a bottle of Jack Daniels, Smirnoff vodka and an assortment of beer. The CA helped dispose of the liquor before the student received a summons, according to Campus Police. ...

A student was found vomiting in a bathroom on the first floor of Travers Hall on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 12:05 a.m.

According to Campus Police, the suspect admitted to drinking one shot of vodka prior to becoming ill, and was seen by another student wobbling unsteadily down the hallway.

for ‘TCNJ’s Got Talent’

By Julie Kayzerman News Editor

Coming back after winter break, Student Government President Tyler Liberty welcomed back the members in preparation for the upcoming semester on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at the general body meeting.

During the meeting, VP of Academic Affairs Adam Bonnano was recognized for receiving the governance participation award for his hard work and effort representing the students of the College, according to a press release.

VP of Governmental Affairs Alex Brown explained a new process for questioning clubs: as organizations arrive to present their ideas for funding this semester, SG will instill a more direct method to gain information. This will avoid overwhelming clubs with questions that were previously answered in their Governmental Affairs presentations, according to a press release.

In addition, junior class president Brian Garsh introduced the junior class selling of TCNJ decals for $2 each to fundraise for senior week.

He also informed the general body that “TCNJ’s Got Talent” will take place on Thursday, April 17, at 8 p.m.

Finally, the sophomore class council will conduct a sunglasses sale alongside their plans to host “Springback” in front of Travers and Wolfe halls.

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

Tyler Liberty welcomes back SG.

February 5, 2014 The Signal page 3

Prize / Support Keystone clears consciences for a sabbatical

By Courtney Wirths Opinions Editor

continued from page 1

His research, scheduled to begin in the next academic year, will explore experimental cloud physics, a medium for delving deeper into studies of climate change.

“My main focus is on the behavior of the ice crystals that make up cirrus clouds — the high altitude, thin and wispy clouds,” Magee said.

“We’re applying new nanotechnology tools to answer fundamental questions about the way these ice crystals behave in the atmosphere, and in turn how they impact climate, questions that weren’t accessible before recent technological innovations.”

Such high-intensity research requires a sizeable budget.

This has often stifled a professor’s studies, but thanks to the Gitenstein-Hart endowment,

• The results of the Obama administration’s analysis of the Keystone XL pipeline revealed that the pipeline will have little impact on global climate change. The study showed that the pipeline would not increase the amount of oil extracted from Canadian oil sands, according the Wall Street Journal.

Magee’s future work will be made more feasible.

“I’m planning to dedicate intensive time toward data collection in the lab, submit several projects for publication, aggressively pursue federal funding for my lab and make week-long visits to four other research institutions in an effort to spur to new collaborations for my research and my TCNJ student collaborators,” Magee said. “The award will definitely help make (these) easier to accomplish and will certainly make the entire sabbatical year easier to manage for our family.”

This year’s prize was specially intended to select a recipient as soon as possible, according to the College’s website. But as the endowment grows, its capacity to fund multiple faculty members on sabbaticals will grow.

• Under the new ownership of Hudson’s Bay Co., clothing store Saks is looking to increase the number of Off 5th outlet stores as well as climb into the area of higher luxury goods, according to the Wall Street Journal.

• Known for their action-packed video and presence in extreme sports, the camera company Go-Pro is hoping to branch into the world of media companies. Their strategy lies largely in a YouTube channel and potential deals with platforms similar to Apple TV, according to the New York Times.

• Amazon, in hopes of increasing its small profit levels, is debating a price increase for its Amazon Prime users.

Prime users enjoy benefits such as free two-day shipping, video streaming and deals on Kindle books, according to the Wall Street Journal.

• Oil drilling company Royal Dutch Shell is suspending its controversial drilling in Arctic waters off the Alaskan coastline. The company says the changes are due to cost cutting efforts and political uncertainty, according to the Financial Times.

• Google has agreed to sell its Motorola handset business to the Chinese technology company, Lenovo. The deal is expected to receive heavy criticism from the federal government because it involves the sale of telecommunications equipment to a company backed by the Chinese government, according to CNBC.

• U.S. money hasn’t moved into European equities at such a rapid pace since the 1990s. Investors, in the wake of tumbling emerging markets, are finding similar riskreward opportunities in Southern Europe, according to the Financial Times.

• Coca Cola’s Super Bowl commercial raised controversy among conservative viewers when they aired clips of “America the Beautiful” being sung in various world languages. The commercial ended with the tagline “America is beautiful,” according to CNBC.

Rob Delaney and Syrian music funded by SFB

By Julie Kayzerman News Editor The Student Finance Board stood united this past week — the body unanimously fully funded each of the four events they were presented with during their meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

The College Union Board was fully funded with $5,250 to host “A Night With Rob Delaney.”

The event will feature comedian Rob Delaney, “The Funniest Person on Twitter,” as claimed by Comedy Central.

“I feel like something like this — to pass it up — I don’t think that would be smart on our part,” operations director Sara Stammer said.

Despite the concern of funding too many comedy shows so far in the year, members of SFB felt that this event was economically viable and a great opportunity that would appeal to students. The event will take place on Saturday, March 29, at 8 p.m. in the Brower Student Center in room 202.

SFB also funded CUB with $2,960 to hold a Country Music Showcase at the College. Members were in agreement that the show is cost efficient and will be a “unique” event on campus. “(Country music) is something that’s lacking at TCNJ,” assistant SG representative Hajar Lakhouili said. “I think it’s a great idea.”

The show will feature a two-

hour-long set by Mockingbird Sun, an up-and-coming band who has opened up for Toby Keith.

They will perform on Thursday, March 6, at 8 p.m. in room 202 of the Brower Student Center.

On the multicultural side of requests, it was the Eurasia/Middle East Society (EME) who was fully funded for $5,090 to have a Syrian Music Night.

Certain members were on the fence, feeling that they’ve already funded plenty of similar events.

Eventually, however, they decided it was different in that the Syrian theme incorporated both current events and pressing issues.

The Syrian Music Night will be held on Thursday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. in the Library Auditorium.

Finally, the Chinese Students

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

SFB funds comedian Rob Delaney, Twitter sensation.

Association was funded with $2,480 to hold their Chinese New Year Celebration on Thursday, Feb. 13, in the Lion’s Den at 8 p.m.

“I really like this event,” programming director Brian Green said. “I went to it last year and it

did really well.”

Green also explained that as certain multicultural events tend to be a mixture of groups, this event is purely about Chinese culture and therefore holds a more particular cultural appeal.

Diversity / A social initiative given short shrift continued from page 1

Since the freshman Welcome Week activities in late August, the College has been pushing the importance of diversity. During an assembly, for example, students attended a show called “Cultural Collision.”

Comedian and actor Joe Hernandez-Kolski, who grew up with identity confusion among a mixed Hispanic and Polish upbringing, emceed the multicultural event.

The Welcome Week activity schedule notes that diversity “is something we celebrate here at TCNJ. A core value that drives our mission ... an inclusive concept that embraces every member of our TCNJ family.”

Crawford found something odd with its emphasis, though.

“It’s just funny that they have to mention it,” Crawford said. “In high school, we lived in this world of different personalities and people, and (we) never gave thought to the fact that it wasn’t normal for a lot of other teenagers.”

The College is not the only school where students are finding their transition from high school difficult.

Clayton Stoneking, a freshman business major at Richard Stockton College, has

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

PRISM works to diversify views.

also experienced a change in campus culture and perspective.

Stoneking, like Crawford, is a Rancocas Valley alum and is grateful for his experience at the school.

“From what I have heard about other schools, especially private schools, they pretty much contain one demographic,”

Stoneking said. “I’m not sure if that sheltered environment is good for any teenager and I would say that my diverse high school years prepared me for the very diverse real world.”

Although he said he is happy at his university, and that he has befriended many kinds people, he has encountered some close-minded people.

“I have met a few students who seem to be homophobic and will not be shy about that opinion,” he said.

Not that it accounts for everyone’s feelings at his college, he clarified, but it was something he was not used to prominently seeing.

The atmosphere for many students at the College seems to be socially stifled, with one key demographic overwhelming the others. Nevertheless, the College has tried to combat this type of close-mindedness from campus through various events and organizations, from PRISM to the mini-paper Diversity University.

Other schools have been more successful in creating an inclusive student body. Kayla Barnes, a half Dominican, half AfricanAmerican student at Temple University, has had a more diversified experience from her

Rancocas Valley alumni.

“Pretty much every race, social class and social group was represented at the school in some way, and in good (numbers),” the freshman psychology major said.

Barnes’s transition to higher education has been a smooth one.

“Because Temple is such a diverse school as well, I’ve moved on to a bigger version of Rancocas Valley,” she said. “Everyone is represented. Blacks, Hispanics, whites, punks, jocks and urban people.”

Ultimately, different schools have different diversity initiatives. But clearly, its presence has an impact on a student’s college experience.

“I love seeing all the different walks of life in school and meeting people whose story is so different from my own,” said Kyrie Farrell, a freshman liberal arts and sciences major at Burlington County Community College She says her philosophy for a more unified campus consciousness is simple.

“If we can make people look at each other as brother and sister regardless of how different we appear, then there will be ... much more unity and acceptance,” Farrell said.

page 4 The Signal February 5, 2014

February 5, 2014 The Signal page 5

Nation & W rld

Azarov relinquishes Prime Minister responsibility

By Hajar Lakhouili Staff Writer

Ukraine’s opposition movement was able to gain a foothold when Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and his cabinet resigned last Tuesday, according to The Washington Post.

A couple of hours after this shocking move, Ukraine’s parliament invalidated the antidemonstration laws that had been causing much anger among anti-government demonstrators, CNN reported.

The protests started Thursday, Nov. 21 started immediately after Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych had abandoned a proposed trade agreement with the European Union, according to The Washington Post.

Ukrainian protestors created a burrowed, barricaded encampment in Kiev, Ukraine, that law enforcement officials

were unable to crack through. This was until the anti-protest laws were put in place, and the protestors had come to blows with law enforcement officials, resulting in the deaths of at least four demonstrators.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden called Yanukovych last Monday night to reinforce American support for “a peaceful, political solution to the crisis,” according to White House officials, described CNN. Yanukovych defends the decision by stating that the deal came “with thorns,” and he looked for help elsewhere regarding Ukraine’s economy from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who responded with a $15 billion aid package, The Washington Post detailed.

After Azarov stepped down from his position, Yanukovych offered the position of prime minister to opposition leader of

the Fatherland Party, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, and deputy prime minister to Vitali Klischko, leader of another opposition. Both opposition leaders refused the positions, stating that they needed further negotiations and that although the removal of the anti-protest laws was a large step forward, they must continue to move toward that direction, according to CNN. Yatsenyuk countered that he expects parliament to assign a commission Wednesday to rewrite the constitution.

President Yanukovych stated that he would be willing to yield a great deal of power to parliament under a new constitution, The Washington Post reported.

Klischko goes on further to say that he will not serve in a new government under the leadership of Yanukovych. Some opponents proposed that Yanukovych

AP Photo

Ukrainian demonstrators barricade law enforcement officials.

would be pleased to stay on as a figurehead if he can keep his job and gain immunity from prosecution.

Storm prevents Super Bowl fans from returning home

AP Photo

Thousands of flights have been delayed and canceled because of hazardous snow and ice.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Another round of winter weather followed a day of unseasonable temperatures in

the eastern United States on Monday, with several inches of snow closing schools, disrupting air traffic and snarling travel for people trying to return home from the Super Bowl.

Fat, wet flakes were falling Monday afternoon and could total 8 inches in Philadelphia and New York, according to the National Weather Service. Parts of Maryland, West Virginia and southern Ohio expected as much as 10 inches of snow. The mercury had soared into the 50s in the region on Sunday but was back down in the 30s a day later.

By midday, the flight-tracking website FlightAware reported nearly 2,000 delayed flights and 1,500 canceled flights nationwide in cities including Philadelphia, Newark, N.J., and New York. Inbound flights to Newark, LaGuardia and Kennedy airports were delayed two to three hours because of snow and ice.

For Russ Louderback, of Fishers, Ind., and his 11-yearold son Mason, the Super Bowl was a triple whammy of bad luck in less than 24 hours: Their beloved Denver

Around the World:

Russia

Authority killed in Moscow school

AP Photo

Moscow police officers search a school in which a student sneaked in a rifle and killed his teacher and a policeman.

MOSCOW (AP) — A 10th-grade student with two rifles burst into his Moscow school on Monday, killing his geography teacher and a policeman in front of about 20 students, investigators said. His father played a key role in freeing those students before police stormed the classroom and took his son into custody, the city police chief said.

The student gunman also seriously wounded a second police officer who had responded to an alarm from the school, investigators said.

None of the approximately 400 children in School No. 263 at the time were hurt, said Karina Sabitova,

a police spokeswoman. But students were so fearful that some ran from the building with their teachers without stopping to put on coats in below-freezing temperatures. The school in northeast Moscow is for children in grades one through 11.

Such shootings in Russian schools are extremely rare. Any attack on a school, however, unavoidably brings back memories of the Beslan school siege in 2004, when Islamic militants from Russia’s North Caucasus took about 1,000 people hostage, most of them children. More than 300 hostages were killed when Russian security forces stormed that school.

Russia is also now on alert for terrorist attacks, especially after Islamic militants asserted responsibility for twin suicide bombings in the city of Volgograd in December and threatened to strike during the Sochi Winter Olympics, which begin Friday in the Black Sea resort.

Monday’s attack, however, raised no suspicions of any link to terrorism.

The ethnic Russian teenager entered the school after threatening its security guard, who managed to hit an alarm before following the student to his classroom, said Vladimir Markin, spokesman for Russia’s Investigative Committee, its main investigative agency.

“Without saying a word, he fired several shots at the geography teacher,” Markin said.

Markin identified the teenager as Sergei Gordeyev and said he was an excellent student who apparently had an emotional breakdown. Gordeyev fired at least 11 times from a smallcaliber rifle, also killing one police officer and wounding a second, Markin said.

The youth’s father was immediately called to the school. He spoke to his son on the phone for 15 minutes to try to persuade him to let the 20 or so students in the classroom leave, but the boy refused, Moscow police chief Anatoly Yakunin said in televised remarks.

Broncos lost, they got stuck in an hours-long traffic jam leaving the stadium and their 3 p.m. flight home Monday was canceled.

“It was so congested we couldn’t get out of New Jersey, even though we left early because our team lost,” said Louderback, 57, a hotel executive. He hopes to be on a plane Monday evening.

Francois Emond, of Alma, Quebec, arrived at Newark Airport at 6 a.m. Monday to find his flight home had been canceled. Wearing a Seahawks championship hat and an ear-to-ear smile, he said he didn’t care about the cancellation or the weather in light of Seattle’s victory. He planned to spend an extra night at his hotel in New York.

“The night will be very short,” Emond said. “When you win a Super Bowl for the first time, the night is very, very short.”

Schools closed in many districts in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Obscure & Offbeat

AP Photo

A couple enjoying some bacon while getting married.

Boxer stands afoot while dead

Deceased boxer Christopher Rivera Amaro stands in the corner of a set-up boxing ring during his wake ceremony.

Are you “kitten” me?

After suspecting that a homeless man stayed in a public library in New Mexico after closing and set off an alarm, custodians report that it was only a cat.

“With this bacon, I thee wed.”

Two couples in Iowa decide to exchange vows and get married at the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival in Des Moines.

All information from AP

page 6 The Signal February 5, 2014

Editorial

Too much trash, not enough recycling

While delivering a recent batch of The Signal to the Library Café, several stacks were left over from the previous week’s issue. Leftovers are to be expected, as not everyone at the College will pick up an issue. But disposing of old papers proves a more serious problem when our recycling program is so lax.

Newspapers, by their nature, are meant to be recycled.

Their paper content is composed of fibrous pulp and other recycled papers, including their journalistic brethren — in other words, recycling papers is a self-fulfilling cycle providing the material for more newspapers. But for a college that has been notoriously slow in developing its recycling initiatives, The Signal and other mass quantities of paper are frequently piled in the trash, an insufficient substitute for recycling cans capable of handling the load.

Which brings us back to the anecdote of the café, or what to do with several stacks of 32-page issues. The café has garbage cans, but no receptacles to store papers. Outside the library is a recycling bin for cans and glass, but a hole too small and often too filled for newspaper rolls. The same oversight goes for Eickhoff Hall, the New Education Building, nearly every residence hall and plenty of academic buildings — places where proper recycling should be abundant. For a campus stressing its modernity, our environmental imperatives are nearly outdated as Norsworthy Hall.

The recycling program has made efforts in recent years to streamline the system. In some buildings, you can find a rectangular blue bin that advertises itself as safe for all contents. In others, tough luck: The cans haven’t spread across campus, at times due to sheer negligence by the program and in certain locations due to the artistic inconsistency. The latter is especially obtrusive. According to workers in the recycling program, various building managers have rejected the newer, universal cans in favor of their own designs, as if recycling cans nailed an aesthetic atmosphere pleasing to students. In reality, as far as students are concerned, most of their papers are being heaped in garbage cans anyway, recycling’s ugly stepsister.

According to their webpage, the College “has been continually developing our Recycling Program in an effort to reduce bulk trash and to increase the amount of materials recycled on campus.” “Continually” is the key word. Until I asked the recycling program about the potential for disseminating new bins for newspapers, they weren’t even aware that the majority of buildings lacked proper recycling. They were particularly surprised that most mailrooms lacked a bin, something convenient and sensible for clearing out papers. If “continually” signifies “not yet achieved,” then the recycling program has a long way to go.

The College campus is not large by any standard. Creating a cohesive network for reliable recycling should be paramount when environmental protection has become a defining, contemporary issue. But evidently the failure to address it has been muddied by neglect and a degree of simple-minded bureaucracy. So, when confronted with hundreds of old papers in the café and nowhere to put them, I did what every sound environmentalist should do based on the provisions of the program — sought out the nearest dumpster and chucked them in. It’s the only alternative we’ve apparently got.

— Tom Kozlowski, News Editor

Editorial Content Unsigned editorial opinions are those of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Editor-in-Chief, the Managing, News, Features, Arts & Entertainment, Opinions, Photo and Sports editors and the Business Manager, unless otherwise noted.

Opinions expressed in signed editorials and letters to the editor are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Signal.

AP Photo

The lack of newspapers being recycled can sometimes lead to a buildup of trash.

tcnjsignal.net Email: signal@tcnj.edu Telephone: Production Room (609) 771-2424 Business Office (609) 771-2499 Ad Email: signalad@tcnj.edu

Editorial Staff Amy Reynolds Editor-in-Chief reynola1@tcnj.edu Chris Molicki Managing Editor molickc1@tcnj.edu Julie Kayzerman Tom Kozlowski News Editors kayzerj1@tcnj.edu kozlowt1@tcnj.edu Peter Fiorilla Sports Editor fiorilp1@tcnj.edu Shayna Innocenti Arts & Entertainment Editor innoces1@tcnj.edu Colleen Murphy Features Editor murphc16@tcnj.edu Courtney Wirths Opinions Editor wirthsc1@tcnj.edu Courtney Wirths Photo Editor wirthsc1@tcnj.edu

Mailing Address: The Signal c/o Brower Student Center The College of New Jersey P.O. Box 7718 Ewing, NJ 08628-0718

Mylin Batipps Nation & World Editor batippm1@tcnj.edu Mike Herold Fantasy Sports Editor heroldm1@tcnj.edu Jonathan Edmondson Review Editor edmondj5@tcnj.edu Regina Yorkigitis Web Editor Jess Ganga Web Assistant Gabrielle Beacken News Assistant Andrew Grossman Sports Assistant Production Manager Emilie Lounsberry Adviser Lucas Haber Business/Ad Manager

Quotes of the Week “If we can make people look at each other as brother and sister regardless of how different we appear, then there will be ... much more unity and acceptance.”

— Burlington County Community College freshman liberal arts and sciences major Kyrie Farrell.

“My favorite part of practice is to push the starters.

It feels good to know that you can make them better in practice while just playing basketball.”

— freshman guard T.J. Von Bradsky.

February 5, 2014 The Signal page 7

Opinions

A sense of community found in the local library

By Courtney Wirths Opinions Editor

Over winter break, I drove a couple of miles down the road to my local library. It’s a beautiful brick building, complete with a fireplace, comfy chairs and most importantly, a huge selection of books. Inside, I was greeted by the usual post of librarians. Despite being occasionally over -zealous about library rules, they mean well. We quickly chatted about school and they asked if I needed help finding anything. I smiled and wandered over to the biographies section.

Local libraries are still crucial to American towns. Even in the age of the Internet, libraries serve as a place for learning, socializing and serving the community. Unfortunately, funding for local libraries is continuously cut to make budgets and citizens often doubt their value in an age of computers.

There are a total of 119,987

libraries in the United States.

Of those, 7.5 percent are public and the others are all considered school, academic, government, medical and other topicspecific libraries, according to statistics from the American Library Association.

Last year, 56 percent of Americans over the age of 16 used a library. 40 percent of individuals said they used the library for research, while 36 percent said they used the library to check out books. Interestingly, women are much more likely to check out a book from the library than men are, according to the Pew Research Center’s 2012 study on library usage.

I suppose I fall into that category. I check out almost every book I read for pleasure, and I am not the only one. Americans check out, on average, around eight books per capita and, as of last year, 171.07 million people in the United States have library cards. I have had my library card

for almost 15 years, and I don’t plan to stop using it anytime soon.

In addition to books, libraries also allow cardholders to rent movies or music. While Redbox, Netflix and Spotify may be great deals, I guarantee your library is a better one.

In Wantage, N.J., my hometown, the library goes beyond the traditional function of checking out books. To the left of the main library is an open room that serves as a meeting place for several Boy Scout Troops, a few classes on the local wildlife, and coffeehouses organized by the high school.

Additionally, the library offers free computers and wireless Internet access to all cardholders. This allows low-income citizens to file for unemployment and do research to sign up for training or search for job openings. Over 62 percent of public libraries in the United States reported that they were the only source of free computer access

AP Photo

Public libraries are a way to rent books, movies and music without having to pay. in their community and 91 percent of public libraries are currently offering free Internet access, according to the ALA. I strongly believe that libraries contribute a large amount of good

to every community they are a part of. If we do nothing else, simply stop by and have a look around.

There is no other place where we can both read books for free and feel like a part of our community.

Time to change the way we view gun control

AP Photo

The issue of gun control has become one based almost entirely on politics with many activist groups on both sides of the argument.

By Jacqia Scotton

When I began writing this editorial, 11 school shootings had been recorded this year. Four days later, that number has already increased.

Liberty Technology Magnet High School, Hillhouse High School, Albany High School, Widener University and Purdue University are some of the schools on the growing list of 2014 school shootings.

Schools are not the only place experiencing gun violence. A Columbia Maryland Mall was attacked by a lone gunman that ended in the deaths of two innocent shoppers, and the suspected gunman himself.

In Omaha, Neb., a 5-year-old was hit by a stray bullet and killed while eating breakfast before a school day she would never attend.

Gun-related deaths due to home invasions, accidental shootings, domestic disputes and even suicides have killed countless more, just a month into the new year.

So, I must pose the ever present (and controversial) question lingering on the lips of lawmakers and citizens alike: What does this say about the United States’ current gun control policies?

Since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the second deadliest mass shooting in American History (after Virginia Tech in 2007), there have been over 9,900 gun related deaths in the United States.

However, according to Slate, this is a gross underestimate. The news outlet reported that with suicides, the estimate is closer to over 30,000 gun-related deaths since the Newtown tragedy. This works

out to about 90 people per day.

During the 2013 memorial service for the 12 people killed at the Washington Navy Yard, President Obama acknowledged his failure to get new gun control laws passed and vowed to “work as hard as possible for the sake of our children.”

It remains painfully obvious that he will be met with extreme force from the National Rifle Association and their proponents.

Wayne LaPierre, the NRA’s executive director, feels that gun control is not the answer to this problem. In a recent interview, LaPierre was quoted saying that “We can’t lose precious time debating legislation that won’t work … the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.”

However, there is all too much evidence that shows there are too many “bad guys” with guns in the first place. So why not try for some restriction on guns?

Based on an analysis of 2007-2010 gunrelated homicides and suicides, CBS reported that states with the most gun-restrictive laws had a 42 percent lower gun rate than states with the least number of laws.

Although some gun advocates argue that strict gun laws have failed in highcrime cities like Chicago and Washington, D.C., state laws are not as effective when neighboring states have lax laws.

Beyond looking at laws across state lines, we should take notes from other developed countries with strict gun laws.

The United States has more guns and gun deaths than any other developed country in the world.

Per 100 people, France had 31.2, Israel, 7.3, Turkey 12.5 and Japan, which had the lowest, saw just 0.6 deaths per 100. The

Policies

United States had 88. Just behind the United States was Switzerland with 45.7 deaths — almost less than half of what we did.

When countries come out with fast cars, new computers and sleeker electronics, don’t we long for them? So why not long for reform that has proven to work?

Whichever side you decide to take, U.S. gun facts are painfully clear.

On average, 32 Americans are murdered by guns every day, and 140 are treated for gun assault in an emergency room. Eight of these are children and teens under the age of 20.

A gun in a home is 22 times more likely to be used in murder, unintentional shooting or suicide than to be used in selfdefense. One in four Americans have witnessed a shooting.

Don’t we regulate cars, medicine and toys? Why shouldn’t we take steps to regulate gun violence?

Unfortunately, the argument behind gun control has become more and more of a political agenda and less of a concern of protection of American citizens.

The issue behind gun control has morphed into the figurative elephant in the room. We keep saying, “it’s not the right time,” and continue to sweep it under the rug.

But it cannot be any clearer, and it’s extremely vital that we press for gun control before more schools and malls and homes become morgues.

Guns are most certainly not the only factor in these shootings, the person behind it obviously contributes — but if we can restrict their access to these deadly weapons, it may be the first step in decreasing the violence our country knows all too well.

The Signal is published weekly during the academic year and is financed by the Student Activities Fee (SAF) and advertising revenue. Any student may submit articles to The Signal. Publication of submitted articles is at the discretion of the editors.

The letters section is an open forum for opinions. Submissions that announce events or advertise in any way will not be printed. All letters should be sent via e-mail to signal@tcnj.edu. Handwritten letters should be sent to The Signal, c/o The Brower Student Center, The College of New Jersey, PO Box 7718 Ewing, N.J. 08628 or placed in our mailbox in the Student Life Office.

Letters must be received by the Friday before publication and should not exceed 300 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity. All letters must be signed, with a phone number and address of the author. Requests to withhold the author’s name will be honored only if there is a legitimate reason.

All materials submitted become the sole property of The Signal. The editors reserve the right to edit or withhold all articles, letters & photographs.

The Signal willingly corrects factual mistakes. If you think we have made an error, please contact The Signal at (609) 771-2424, write to the address listed above or e-mail us at signal@tcnj.edu.

page 8 The Signal February 5, 2014

STUDY ABROAD FAIR TODAY FEB. 5, 11AM – 2PM Social Sciences Atrium Application deadline for Faculty-Led Programs: Feb. 15 Application deadline for Summer and Fall Programs: Feb. 25 www.tcnj.edu/global

Green Hall 111

goglobal@tcnj.edu

February 5, 2014 The Signal page 9

Features

Think naps are for the weak? Think again Naps can be beneficial if done the right way the first 20 minutes of lecture time with inane questions about the syllabus or walk in late with the excuse that you forgot the classroom number. Times are starting to get stressful as the piling workload reminds us that sleepless, caffeine-filled nights are right around the corner. If you’re anything like me, you’ve slowly started to reacquaint yourself with your favorite stress coping mechanism: naps. If done right, a nap can be a beautiful thing. More often than not, students don’t nap properly, and this light slumber ends up harming them more than helping them. Here are a few tips to help you nap right the way and get the most out of some shuteye:

AP Photo

1. Are you sleep deprived? If yes, napping is the solution for you. Of course, a good night’s sleep is always preferable, but if this is not an option, simply take a nap. This will allow you to recharge and improve your motor skills.

As the third week of the semester is finally upon us, classes are shifting into full gear. No longer is it acceptable to waste

2. The desired result of your nap can be determined by its length. As you may know, the ideal power nap is 20 minutes long and will increase both your alertness and motor skills.

But if you want to improve your memory and recall, a 30- to 60-minute nap is the answer for you. Need to exercise even more brainpower for activities that involve creative thinking? Extend that nap to 60 to 90 minutes, and you’ll get your desired results.

The ideal power nap is 20 minutes long and will increase your alertness and motor skills.

By Ruchi Shah Columnist

3. Naps can be used to cope with stress in a healthy way (unlike the method described above). If you establish a regular schedule, preferably in the middle of the day, you’ll definitely get the energy boost you need. Also, be sure to nap in the dark, because this allows you to fall asleep faster.

4. When faced with the dilemma of coffee or a nap, and you’re leaning toward coffee, ask yourself this — can I afford to compromise my recall ability? If the answer is no, which it most likely will be, then lay your head down, because you need a nap. Even though coffee may make you feel more alert, it will come at a price. This caffeinated beverage will impair your precision.

5. Some people intentionally don’t cover themselves with a blanket while napping because they fear that becoming too comfortable will prevent them from waking up when needed. Do not do this. Your body temperature drops while you’re sleeping, so a blanket is necessary to stay warm. The more comfortable you are, the quicker you’ll fall asleep, and the more rested you’ll be when it’s time to wake up.

When done correctly, naps are a powerful mechanism for recharging. Nap wisely and carpe diem!

Operation Smile comes to campus

By Colleen Murphy Features Editor Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in the world, a baby is born with a cleft lip or palate. If left untreated, more serious medical problems could develop. Thankfully, the operation to reverse the birth defect is simple and quick. Unfortunately, many people in underresourced countries do not have access to the 45-minute surgery. That’s where Operation Smile comes in.

Operation Smile travels the world, providing free surgeries to those in need. And because

there is no cost for the families, the organization is always looking for help. Junior sociology major Catherine Morgan had always admired the work that Operation Smile does and wanted to help it in achieving its missions, so she started a chapter of the organization at the College.

“I want to support the organization’s efforts in changing people’s lives with just a simple surgery,” Morgan said. “The goals of the the

College’s Operation Smile Club is to simply raise awareness and fundraise for the international organization. We will be holding on-campus awareness and fundraising events to get students thinking about the organization and supporting us.”

The club is new this semester and in its beginning stages, which is why it’s the perfect time for students to join, according to Morgan.

“It is a wonderful opportunity to

partake in community service for such a great cause,” Morgan said.

“The club is completely new and started by upperclassmen, so the club will be left to underclassmen in a few years. If they join now, they have the chance to develop leadership skills in the near future.”

The club is in its beginning stages, so joining now means that members will play a large part in getting events planned and organized, according to Morgan.

“Also, students have opportunities to go on mission trips. Applicants for mission trips must be members of the club for a year prior

to applying, so those who join soon can apply to go on mission trips next summer,” Morgan said.

Morgan said students should expect to see more on campus from TCNJ Operation Smile, including fundraisers, collection drives and a speaker from the international organization. The club’s logo is a smiley face, so Morgan said, “If you see a smiley face on campus, just think: Operation Smile Club.”

Operation Smile meets every other Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the Social Sciences Building, room 325.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

Danny’s is well worth the 40-minute wait

Amy Reynolds / Editor-in-Chief

Fresh ingredients make the tomato pie and crispy green beans quite tasty.

By Amy Reynolds Editor-in-Chief

I’ve had my fair share of pizza from Italian eateries in the Ewing area. Piccolo’s, Mamma Flora’s, Two Brothers — I thought I had tried it all.

Last week, The Signal received a suggestion to review Danny’s Tomato Pie, so I thought I’d give it a try. After discovering that Danny’s is on Parkway Avenue just across from Firkin Tavern, I was surprised I had never heard of it before. But now I’m so glad I know this lovely eatery exists.

Last week, my boyfriend and I decided to order in from Danny’s instead of braving the harsh, 12-degree weather. We decided to split a tomato pie, half with

green peppers. We also ordered their fried crispy green beans. The wait for delivery was around 40 minutes, which may seem like a while, but is actually pretty typical for the College area.

When the food did arrive, however, it was well worth the wait. The pie had the perfect amount of sauce and the green peppers were very fresh, especially considering the season. I would have preferred the crust to be a tad thicker, but it was still really good.

The fried crispy green beans, though, were what really made the meal.

At first, we were a little hesitant to order them. I’m not the biggest green bean fan, but I always try to make it a point to order something slightly out-of-the-ordinary when I write a food review.

They were absolutely delicious. They tasted like a mixture of french fries and onion rings, but without all the guilt. Yes, I’m aware they’re still probably not all that healthy for you, but, hey, they’re still vegetables. Dipped in ranch dressing, they were definitely my favorite part of the meal.

I also love to give bonus points for friendly delivery people. Danny’s delivery man was extremely friendly, and after handing me my food he said, “Enjoy your food, sweetie!” I most certainly did.

The one downside of ordering from Danny’s is that you can’t order online. I know, picking up a phone and actually talking to a person can be a tad daunting, but my advice to college students is to get over your ridiculous fear, pick up the phone and enjoy a delicious tomato pie from Danny’s.

Danny’s Tomato Pie Where: 1410 Parkway Ave. Ewing, NJ 08628 Contact: 609-530-1888

Hours: Mon. - Thurs: 10:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Fri. : 10:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Sat. : 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Sun. : 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Overall Rating (4 out of 5):

page 10 The Signal February 5, 2014

Olympics by the numbers

Campus Style

By Heather Hawkes Columnist

AP Photo

The Opening Ceremony will take place in the Bolshoy Ice Dome.

By Colleen Murphy Features Editor Sixteen days. Fifteen sports. Ninetyeight events. One chance to prove you’re the best.

The Olympic Games are finally here this week. The fight to the podium will begin Thursday, Feb. 5, with preliminary rounds of snowboarding, freestyle skiing and figure skating. Then, on Friday, Feb. 7, Russia welcomes the world into its country and officially kicks off the Games with the Opening Ceremony. $50 billion: Amount of money that Russian President Vladimir Putin has spent on hosting the Olympics.

230: Number of athletes representing our country. This is the most that any country has sent to the Winter Games. We have 105 women and 125 men competing.

38: States that are being represented.

45: Age of women’s curler Ann Swishelm, the oldest U.S. Olympian on this year’s team.

15: Age of freestyle skier Maggie Voisin, the youngest U.S. Olympian on this year’s team.

26: The average age for the U.S. team.

22: Members of the U.S. Olympic team who have children. There are 19 fathers and three mothers.

Seven: Athletes who serve in the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program.

One: Sets of twins on the U.S.’s team — women’s ice hockey players Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux.

Six: Sets of siblings on Team USA. 1,500: Hours of coverage across six NBCUniversal platforms.

Last Winter Games in Vancouver, the U.S. led the medal count with 37 medals with Germany taking home 30 and Canada earning 26. Let’s see if we can top that this year. Which we probably will because, come on, we’re America.

In the midst of a brutal N.J. winter, it may seem hard to convince yourself to put any effort into your ensemble. Day after disappointing day, the cold wind just seems to laugh at the amount of effort you put into an outfit that remains unseen, unnoticed and unappreciated.

However, we’re here to tell you that covering up may not be such a bad thing.

while allowing you to bundle up underneath.

Dynamic duo: If one coat just isn’t doing it for you, consider layering two coats to make your statement. Denim jackets are always a cool pair with a hooded sweatshirt poking out from underneath to create an edgier New York Street style look.

Mixing jacket combinations allows you to be doubly as warm, as well as have a ton of winter options that will last you throughout the season.

Dress it up: Who ever said that your coat can’t be the main course? This season, coat dresses are appearing all over the fashion scene. You can keep yourself warm and create the same chic look that any cocktail dress could offer you. Consider pulling the look together with a cute pair of textured tights and heeled boots.

A play on patterns: Picking a bold pattern for your winter coat allows you to draw positive attention without really putting in any effort. You can sport a simple, comfortable outfit, such as leggings and a T-shirt underneath, and still receive praise as a trendsetting fashionista with the right standout patterned coat.

Oversized and deep pockets: This season, bigger seems to be better in the fashion world, with celebrities and fashion icons such as Victoria Beckham, Beyoncé and Kanye West all supporting the oversized trend. Wearing an oversized coat gives a high-fashion look

Photo courtesy of sylebakery.com

Layer your coats for a chic look.

What’s the deal with all this strange weather?

The winter weather hits the South hard, leaving motorists in Georgia stranded.

By Frank Saverino Columnist

Everyone has been battling the blasts of icy winds when making their way across campus, and no one could be wrong in saying that the definite feeling this winter is summed up by one word: frozen.

Earlier this month, the Northwest experienced record-low temperatures. Schools were shut down in both Minnesota and Chicago, and driving was banned

in Indianapolis because of the skin-freezing wind chills and dangerous road conditions from heavy snowfall. Winter Storm Leon left hundreds of drivers down in Atlanta helpless because of a massive gridlock.

However, this winter, by comparison, might not be as chilly as you think. According to a study by Time, temperatures for January for the 10 largest U.S. cities have been close to or even surpassing the historical average highs for those areas. This surprising data begs the question:

AP Photo

why have we been bundling up for such a sensational cold snap this year, meanwhile meteorologists are recording historically higher temperatures?

The more shivery and numb we might feel actually may indicate the nuanced effects of climate change. Monday, Jan. 6, was the first time in 20 years that average temperatures across the nation leveled at below 18 degrees. What felt like alarming temperatures this month were normal to us just four years ago. Weather patterns have certainly changed, and by adapting to this, studies show our warped perception

of the weather will continue to surface when what was once typical winter weather leaves us shaking and trembling.

This changed feeling has been coined by Daniel Pauly, the result of “shifting baselines.” In studying the effects that overfishing has on the ocean and the misleading, healthy looking appearance of Caribbean waters and reefs, Pauly asserts that, “We transform the world, but we don’t remember it. We adjust our baseline to the new level, and we don’t recall what was there.”

Similarly, our “baseline” of what weather should feel like to us has been radically altered because of persistent climate change.

Not all of America has been bearing the “big freeze.” A severe drought has plagued California for months and continues into this year. 2013 was the driest year ever recorded for the

state, and the lack of rainfall has serious implications. Officials predict that within three to four months, several lower-income communities will be without water if the dry times continue.

Agricultural leaders and other small farmers are expecting stark setbacks in their yields for the coming year. Governor Jerry Brown has declared the drought a state emergency, and the federal government has entered into the pool of aid workers and volunteers that are attempting to help those suffering the most from the drought.

What might be surprising or unexpected weather conditions might actually prove our conditioned negligence in facing the ongoing problems caused by climate change. From East to West, bizarre or even not-so-normal weather patterns are continuing to point to larger signs of the current state of our environment.

AP Photo

The snow has been the cause of many delays at airports across the country.

February 5, 2014 The Signal page 11

A tasty treat for Valentine’s Day dinner

By Andreia Bulhao Columnist

myself while doing it. Here is my recipe for my rich chocolate cake and homemade whipped cream frosting. Enjoy!

Rich Chocolate Cake and Whipped Cream Frosting

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take a 9 x 13 baking pan and coat it with a non-stick cooking spray. Set the pan aside for later. Then, take a small pot and boil the water.

Ingredients Frosting 1 cup of heavy cream 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar ½ a lemon

2. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Then, add the eggs, milk and oil and mix with an electric mixer.

Cake 2 cups of white sugar 1¾ cups of all-purpose flour 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder 1½ teaspoons of baking powder 1 teaspoon of salt 1 cup of milk 2 eggs ½ cup of vegetable oil 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract 1 cup of boiled water I have a major sweet tooth, so naturally, one of my favorite things to do is bake. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, seeing chocolate everywhere had made me want to treat myself to a pound of the good stuff. Unfortunately, I knew that I would more than likely regret that choice. In that case, I chose to bake a chocolate cake while home for the weekend with my family, so that not only could I get my chocolate fix, but I could also feel a little less bad about

and serve. You can add other toppings if you like. For example, I added some strawberries on top of the cake.

It’s a delicious, rich chocolaty treat that I can assure you won’t disappoint.

Live on campus? No worries. There are kitchens scattered across campus, including in the lounges of Townhouse South, Hausdoerffer, Phelps and Cromwell, available for use.

3. Once all of the ingredients are stirred, add in the boiling water and mix it by hand. Be sure to stir it in well, and remember it’s OK if the batter looks a little runny, it will turn out fine once it’s baked.

4. When the batter is complete, pour it evenly into your greased pan. Place it in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minute. As it is baking, you can get started on the frosting.

5. To make the whipped cream frosting, pour the heavy cream and powdered sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Then, take half of a lemon and squeeze the lemon juice in with the other ingredients. Use an electric mixer to stir. Keep mixing until it becomes fluffy. You should know it is finished if you can tilt the bowl to the side without the cream moving. Once it is finished, refrigerate until the cake is ready to frost.

Andreia Bulhao / Columnist

This rich chocolate cake with whipped 6. By now, the cake should be finished. You can do the “toothpick test” to be sure. Let it cool for 10 minutes, frost cream frosting is a great treat.

Hillary hasn’t driven a car since 1996

By Johnanthony Alaimo Columnist Please. PLEASE STOP. You’re always screwing up that I can honestly write, “Justin Bieber poops on steps to the White House,” AND IT WILL PROBABLY BE A FACT BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK. The troubled pop star/“Bad Girls Club” wannabe is in legal trouble, this time, not in our country. He went to go mess things up back in Canada where he has been charged with criminal assault on a limo driver. Why are you doing this? Justin Bieber Without Borders is about to become an organization because nobody wants your ass. It’s really pathetic how people are

coming to his defense, saying he’s “just a kid.” Well, so was everyone else who has ever lived to 21 and most of them cannot boast that they’ve broken the law in two different countries. A jerk is a jerk. Listen, Canada, we might share Niagara Falls, but you can take this waterwork off our hands.

Hillary Clinton revealed in a recent interview that she hasn’t driven a car since 1996! Wow, she’s really missing out on Bluetooth. The future POTUS/current pantsuit heartthrob has had secret service agents drive her around for the past 18 years. Incredible. I wish I had that kind of service. I wonder what Hillary would be like behind the wheel. Something tells me she’d tailgate you, cut you off and then give you the finger as she blasts

“Summertime Sadness” from her stereo. That’s the kind of person I need in the White House.

In stress relief news, “American Horror Story: Coven” finally wrapped up its season this past week. And I am glad.

I have never watched a show that has given me a headache before, but watching Kathy Bates on a leash did just that.

The season as a whole, while iconic, was very bad television. The writers definitely made shit up as they went along, making the show seem disjointed with no aspect of continuity. Do you remember when there was a minotaur and a MURDEROUS vagina? Like excuse me? What happened with all that? Here’s hoping Season 4 is coherent and spooky and features a guest appearance by William Shatner.

P.S. Hillary Clinton’s bumper sticker would definitely read “MONICASUX”

Aerie tells girls that ‘The real you is sexy’

Gabrielle Urciuoli Columnist

When flipping through a lingerie catalog or shopping online, many women seem to notice a huge difference between theirs and the models’ bodies. In addition to dieticians, personal trainers and makeup artists making these women photographically flawless, models also have Photoshop and other retouching systems to make their bodies look perfectly proportionate, toned and tanned.

Aerie, American Eagle’s lingerie line, is trying to bridge this gap between models and the “real world.” They recently introduced a series of ads in which their

models are unretouched.

“I thought the new campaign was a refreshing and honest take on advertisement,” sophomore finance and pre law student Jordan Koziol said.

In almost every picture, the company wrote the comment, “The real you is sexy,” and urged girls across the nation in every shape and size to send in pictures with the hashtag #aeriereal to be featured on their site.

Instilling the fact that every woman is beautiful, regardless of how big or small, can have long-term effects on the confidence of women.

“If the media starts to showcase more average, healthy looking models, hopefully it will start

to erase the effects that society’s preconceived notions of beauty have on young women today,” sophomore history major Emily Montagna said.

According to dosomething. org, a nonprofit site that acts as a catalyst for social change in young people, about 58 percent of college-aged women feel pressure to be a certain weight. Even scarier, the site notes that 91 percent of women claim to be unhappy with their bodies.

Many blame statistics like these on the media, and their portrayal of what “beautiful” should be. Aerie is out to change that.

However, the models in the Aerie ads are still models. While some of them are embracing

their curves and not perfectly flat stomach, a pimple or flyaway hair is still unlikely to be found.

Regardless, most people are

coming to the consensus that American Eagle is making a step in the right direction with their naturally beautiful campaign.

Aerie.com

Aerie didn’t retouch any of their models in their new ads.

Columnists wanted!

We are currently looking for dedicated writers to start a new column for the Features section. Interested in science? Know of cool places to go around Ewing?

Why not write about it? Contact murphc16@tcnj.edu with ideas!

page 12 The Signal February 5, 2014

Arts & Entertainment

Audience raves over WIRED competition

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

Wackiness brings laughter.

By Brooke Schmidt Correspondent

The Education Building was abuzz with excitement on Saturday, Feb. 1, as the 24th hour of WIRED came to a close. Both audience members and participants radiated excitement as they waited for the event to begin.

WIRED is a 24-hour competition where students write, direct, stage manage and act in

five plays.

This event was overseen by six Arbiters and their Head Arbiter, who, throughout the night, led the event and informed the audience of several twists given to the writers to incorporate into their plays.

The Arbiters, who were led

by Matthew Steuerer, also described the plays before each one began and announced that each act was based off a different nursery rhyme.

The plays were — in order — “3-For-1,” based off The Three Blind Mice; “Invisible,” based off The Black Sheep; “To Fetch a Pail of Water,” based off Jack and Jill; “Do You Know the Muffin Man,” based off the nursery rhyme of the same name and “This Little Piggy Pledged a Sorority,” based off the This Little Piggy nursery rhyme.

Camila Garcia, a freshman openoptions major involved in “3-For1,” talked about what appealed to

her about acting in WIRED. “I was interested in WIRED because, first of all, I love acting and performing, so I was automatically attracted to ACT and TMT,” Garcia said. “When I found out that there was a 24-hour play competition, I had to do it.”

One act was frightening: “Do You Know the Muffin Man,” written by Blaire Deziel and Sam Waxenbaum. But the majority of the acts fixated on humor instead of horror.

As one of the twists throughout the plays, each act had to include 15 seconds of lip-syncing, which was often filled with comedy.

Surprisingly enough, the majority of the plays chose Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” as their song of choice. Most plays also balanced their comedic aspects with heartwarming scenes that had the audience audibly responding.

However, throughout the process of the 24-hour competition, there were some difficult aspects.

“The biggest challenge for me (was) being able to make the director, writers and myself happy with who the character (became),” Garcia said.

Another difficult part for her was the memorization. The actors had to memorize an entire script, ranging from 15 to 30 minutes, in less than a day.

“I really love the whole process,” Garcia said. “From finding out who is in the cast with you, to blocking it in, to being in a room full of the most caring, talented, and amazing people on campus.”

Even though participating and watching the acts was fun in itself, the event in its actuality was a competition, and at the end three judges deliberated in order to give prizes to the winners in several categories.

“To Fetch a Pail of Water” won two awards for best Stage Manager (Brittany Mashel, freshman) and Best Director (Becky Celestina, sophomore). “Invisible” won three awards for Best Actress

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

Nursery rhymes revamped.

(Cindy Walker, senior), Best Actor (Jake Burbage, freshman), and Best Writers (Ken Abes and Rachel Fikslin, sophomores).

However, the Best Overall winner was the hilarious “This Little Piggy Pledged a Sorority,” written by seniors Jonathan Dowler and Jim Bloss.

“WIRED 24 hours of complete chaos that somehow turns into five great plays,” Garcia said. “It’s a priceless experience.”

‘Pippin’ musical continues to dazzle audiences

By Jonathan Edmondson Review Editor The art of constructing a musical to be produced on Broadway has greatly evolved in the past decade. While music, lyrics and books still play an essential role in a show’s success, one of the most important elements of most of today’s popular musicals is spectacle.

That is why it should come as no surprise that Broadway’s recent production of “Pippin,” which won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical in 2013, continues to be a smashing success.

The show, which runs approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes, is full of highflying acrobatics, tense balancing acts and astonishing physical stunts by every single cast member.

The plot centers around a young boy named Pippin (a driven Matthew James Thomas) who attempts to find meaning

in a world where his father, Charles (a hilarious Terrence Mann), rules over the land. Pippin goes on an incredible journey and, by the end of the show, finds out what it really means to live.

The real star of the production, however, is Tony winner Patina Miller, who slips into the role of the Leading Player with such fierce tenacity that she commands the stage with her enticing gaze alone. Miller transforms herself into the story’s narrator, and the audience is never quite sure if she is helping Pippin or trying to hypnotize him into joining her ranks with the other players.

Following the circus theme, the entire show takes place under a big top in which Miller and her cohorts serve as various ensemble members and figures that Pippin meets during his travels.

To add to the spectacle, each group number includes a multitude of impressive tricks that leaves the audience breathless.

The weaknesses in the actual story are made up for in the brilliant performances by each member of the talented ensemble. One of the most impressive, standout moments occurs when Berthe, Pippin’s grandmother (played with hilarious joy

by Tovah Feldshuh when I saw the production in early January) delivers her impressive Act One solo. When she finished her number, the entire audience delivered a thunderous applause that went on for minutes with no end.

It is so utterly special to witness a show in which every actor is having the time of their lives on stage. There was not a single drab in the entire performance, and that is truly rare. Even when the show took a few dark turns, the cast delivered each line and dance move like it was their last time performing.

It was refreshing to see so much passion on one stage, even after the show has been running for over a year. No one had

AP Photo

Miller stars as Leading Player.

egos, and each member had their chance to shine without interruption.

“Pippin” leaves you awe-inspired, dumbfounded and joyful. And most importantly, it reaffirms that there is nothing quite like the magic of live theater.

Nick Santino packs the Rathskeller

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

Santino’s original acoustic sound draws in crowds.

By Alena Woods Correspondent

The Rathskeller was alive Friday, Jan. 31, with the sounds of

Nick Santino and the Northern Wind reverberating throughout the entire Brower Student Center.

“The event was so packed that there weren’t enough seats

for everyone,” freshman biology major Evan Abernerthy said.

“There were people standing at the back of the Rat trying to just to get a glimpse.”

One of the major reasons most people stayed was that there were two extremely talented acts performing. The New Royalty opened for Nick Santino, and they brought a fun and light atmosphere to the performance.

Even though The New Royalty was a rather unknown band, after their performance and their display of original music and talents, many were interested in seeing more.

“The opening act, the New Royalty, sounded a lot like Paramore and were really very talented,” freshman English major Brooke Schmidt said. “I’m probably seeing

them in March when they play with We the Kings.”

After the New Royalty played, Nick Santino and the Northern Wind was introduced. Santino played one of his more popular songs titled, “A Rocket to the Moon,” along with other lesserknown original songs.

Even though the audience didn’t know all of his songs’ lyrics, they still displayed a great deal of energy and excitement by clapping and singing along to what they did know.

His acoustic guitar-based music and strong vocals closely parallel the styles of his musical idols Johnny Cash and Tom Petty, who he listed in an interview with musicboxpete.com.

Santino undoubtedly has an original sound and talent to

complement that. He writes his own songs and plays a multitude of instruments, a strong suit he often displays in his work.

Besides the musical part of the show, the bands’ openness and willingness to speak to the audience members after the show was one of the greatest takeaways of the evening.

“Personally, my favorite part was how accessible the acts were afterward to talk to,” Schmidt said. “Nick and I talked for a little bit too and he was really genuine and funny.”

Being able to connect with the acts is the one major and positive difference between other types of concerts — the ability for the acts to connect to their audiences is just as important and relevant as their performances.

February 5, 2014 The Signal page 13

Grammy Awards prove to be lackluster

By Karl Delossantos Staff Writer

Being an awards geek, I love predicting, watching and commenting on awards shows, and it is often a problem. However, I have a love-hate relationship with the Grammys.

The producers who schedule the performances often pair mismatched artists together. To make matters worse, despite having over 80 categories, they only present a mere 10 of them. This year was more of the same, but there were a few bright spots in an overall lackluster night.

The show started off with none other than the king and queen of music. A silhouette is sitting on the stage as “Drunk in Love” started to play. Then Beyoncé started to belt out her signature song from her new album.

To be honest, the woman is flawless. She emits so much power, while giving a performance that reminds us why she is known as “Queen B.” However, once Jay-Z joined the song, the energy began to fade. Not to take away from the Grammy award-winning rapper, but it looks like his best days of performing are behind him.

LL Cool J took the stage to give an opening monologue. The rapper-turned-actor has hosted these kudos for the past three years, and despite some small laughs, he was not able to overcome the heavily-scripted, forced humor of the writing.

The rightful winner of “Song of the Year,” Lorde, took the stage to sing her No.

Daft Punk wins ‘Record of the Year’ and ‘Album of the Year.’

1 hit, “Royals.” She performed a strippeddown version of the song that brought her international flair complete with her trademark “twitch.”

After forgettable performances by the likes Katy Perry, Hunter Hayes and John Legend, we came to the queen of country herself: Taylor Swift. Her choice to perform the lesser known and slower “All Too Well” off her nominated album was a risky but smart move, for she performed the song with great emotion and passion.

As Bruno Mars made his introduction for Pink, there was anxiety. Her performance was being advertised as one that will go down in history. Then she descended from the ceiling riding on two silks and began an aerial performance to

AP Photo

her song “Try.” It would have made history had she not done it at the Grammys just four years prior.

When fun. front man Nate Ruess joined the song to perform the nominated “Just Give Me a Reason,” the energy completely changed. He has such a powerful voice, as does Pink. However, in this performance, he absolutely out-sang her.

Shortly after, Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons began to sing a stripped-down version of their hit song “Radioactive,” then the stage exploded as the familiar tune of “M.A.A.D. City” began to blare out. The entire band bursted with life when Kendrick Lamar began spitting out the title track of his Grammy-nominated album.

The absolutely charming and slightly

unknown Kacey Musgraves performed her song “Follow Your Arrow,” which leads me to believe that she may soon dethrone Taylor Swift as the queen of country music (she beat Swift out in the “Best Country Album” and “Best Country Song” categories).

Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams, Stevie Wonder and Nile Rogers took the stage to perform a medley of “Le Freak” from Nile Rogers, “Another Star” from Stevie Wonder and of course Daft Punk’s “Record of the Year” winning hit “Get Lucky.” To watch these legends on the stage was wonderful and entertaining, proving that great music is timeless.

The French electronic duo also dominated the rest of the night, winning four awards, including “Album and Record of the Year.” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis were also big winners, taking in four awards including “Best New Artist” in addition to sweeping the rap categories, which should have gone to Compton native Kendrick Lamar.

Macklemore, along with Madonna, Mary Lambert and Queen Latifah, officiated a mass wedding with gay and straight couples set to their nominated song “Same Love.”

While I appreciated the gesture, I found the event a bit gimmicky and frankly over the top, even by Grammys’ standards.

Despite the odd matches of performances, boring award choices and controversies, the Grammys were, as LL Cool J said it, “... a true celebration of the power of music to free us, to move us, to inspire us, to totally surprise us … music unleashes us.”

Wind instruments captivate recital audience

By Shayna Innocenti Arts & Entertainment Editor Two seniors bore their souls on the stage of the Mayo Concert Hall on Sunday, Feb. 2, during the first of this semester’s Senior Music Recitals.

Playing the trumpet, senior music education major Aaron Kopania opened the night with “Trumpet Voluntary” by Jeremiah Clarke, a piece that symbolized a march with its repetitive measures. Kopania was accompanied

by Kathy Shanklin on the piano.

Kopania had a range of styles and accompaniments. He played the energetic and “polka-styled” “The Maid of the Mist” by Herbert L. Clarke. The piece opened with slow measures and gradually built momentum to a rapid firing of notes upon the closing.

On an individual note, Kopania’s shining moment occurred during his performance of “Sonanta for Trumpet and Piano”

by Kent Kennan, which required a great deal of technical skill in which the movements switched between strong and powerful notes and muted tones, giving the notes a somber and distant quality to symbolize the struggle of acquiring freedom.

Jessica Renshaw, a senior music education major, took the stage with her clarinet in “Concerto No. 1 in F minor, Op. 73” by Carl Maria von Weber. Renshaw was accompanied by the pianist Sally Livingston.

The piece was composed of three movements, “Allegro Moderato,” “Adagio ma non troppo” and “Rondo.” The first movement opened with rather ominous notes

bellowing from the piano, contrasted with the clarinet’s high and low fast-paced notes. In the second movement, the piano’s soft fluttering notes complemented the slow, long notes from the clarinet.

During the final movement, the clarinet and piano finally came together on a very playful and bouncy tempo.

Renshaw also played two other challenging pieces that require great skill and precision. Renshaw and her accompanied pianist successfully tackled the first movement, “Allegro Amabile” of “Sonata No. 2 in Eb Major, Op. 120” by Johannes Brahams.

Later, Renshaw played an equally challenging piece, “Première Rhapsodie” by Claude Debussy.

This multifaceted piece had a wide range of high and low tones that ultimately were brought

together to form a very jazzysounding ending.

The surprise of the showcase was Kopania’s closing performance of the “Brass Quintet, Op. 65” by Jan Koetsier. Kopania was accompanied by four of his closest friends at the College: Bruce Krywinski (trumpet), Andrew Unger (horn), Austin Barney (trombone) and Michael Korkowski (tuba).

“I had a lot of fun with the performance,” Kopania said after the recital. “I love those guys.”

The Quintet wowed the audience with precise layering of different sounds and tones. At one point during the first of two movements, there was even a back-and-forth type of rhythm with high trumpets talking to the horn and tuba, and viceversa, with the trombone chattering

away in the background over both receiving ends.

“The last piece (Quintet) was my favorite,” senior music education major Val Kuntz said. “Overall the performance exciting and invigorating. It was a great way to end a senior recital.”

Upon graduating the College, Kopania plans on continuing playing music and pursuing a career as a music teacher.

Likewise, Renshaw plans on continuing to play the clarinet after graduation and hopes to attend graduate school to become a music teacher.

“The Quintet was very well done,” said John Wilkinson, a senior early childhood education major from the University of Scranton. “The clarinet (Renshaw) was amazing as well. Both are remarkable musicians.”

‘Boardwalk Empire’ set designer tells all

By Stephanie Pilipshen Staff Writer

Audience members left Mayo Concert Hall on Friday, Jan. 31, informed and inspired after hearing Blythe Quinlan speak about her career as a set designer for theater, film and television productions such as “Boardwalk Empire” — a television show on HBO. “My job is to tell a story,” said Quinlan, who decided she wanted to be a set designer at age 15.

Although her job with each production is short, Quinlan’s tasks are varied and complex ­— she started by reading the production’s script and after understanding what story needs to be told, she carried out tasks such as visiting filming locations and planning what props will be used.

For productions like “Boardwalk Empire” that are set in the past, Quinlan has to ensure that the location for filming has no trace of present-day elements such as light switches, certain light fixtures or even some door parts.

“Sometimes I spend days deciding how walls and ceilings are going to move,” Quinlan said to the audience in an explanation of how a camera moves through a given set.

Dan Fitzgerald, a junior communication studies and interactive multimedia double major, found Quinlan inspiring.

“She gave a good firsthand insight into production, which is interesting to me,” Fitzgerald said.

According to Quinlan, it took a month to decide whether “Boardwalk Empire’s” boardwalk should be built indoors or outdoors, and when the production team decided to build the boardwalk outside in Brooklyn,

N.Y., there were many obstacles that Quinlan had to face.

For the three months of construction, rain was pouring down on the boardwalk, which caused many of the buildings to leak. It was part of Quinlan’s job to either bring in other knowledgeable construction workers to fix the leaking or order new props — each costly choices.

Although Quinlan has faced some complications, which threaten the cost effectiveness of the production, she has kept an optimistic approach.

“It doesn’t really matter what the budget is,” Quinlan said. “The truth is, you can tell the story with a paperclip. You just have to tell it the right way and have good ideas. You have to make it happen under the circumstances that you have and there are no excuses. And that is challenging on every project.”

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

Quinlan opens up about set design.

page 14 The Signal February 5, 2014

fun stuff The Thought of the Week: I used to play for my school’s orchestra. ...Until I was BAND.

Fun Facts with Morgan Freeman •Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.

•Every time you lick a stamp, you’re consuming 1/10 of a calorie.

•The strongest muscle in proportion to its size in the human body is the tongue.

You know you read these in my voice.

February 5, 2014 The Signal page 15

page 16 The Signal February 5, 2014

Lions Fantasy World

Nothin’ But Net

A shift happened this weekend in the NBA. It wasn’t something that happened in a game, although it could very well have a huge impact on every game. It didn’t occur during a practice, although it could affect practices. It wasn’t even something that someone said in a press conference or a trade made in a front office. No, it was bigger than anything like that, possibly the biggest thing to happen to basketball in decades.

And the best part is, I’m not even exaggerating — this really is huge on a lot of different levels.

This past Saturday, David Stern retired as NBA Commissioner.

Stern first took the reigns of basketball exactly 30 years before stepping down, during which time the league’s popularity and success skyrocketed into the way we know it today.

I’ve had a lot to say about Stern over the years. Some of those things have appeared in this paper — even in this column. I’ve said that he is something of a dictator, that he’s had more power than he really should be allowed to have and that he’s abused that power in numerous ways, from rigging games (and titles) to doling out obscene punishments for things that aren’t even really crimes. I’ve also made jokes, perhaps more in person than in print, about how silly it is that this super-short lawyer is somehow in charge of all the giants in basketball and how funny it is that all the players are just a little bit afraid of him.

But I’ve never really said that David Stern has done a phenomenal job as Commissioner of the National Basketball Association.

Because once you take away all the little problems and minute transgressions over a 30-year period, you get a better look at the whole picture. Stern’s contributions to the league are tremendous, ranging from making the push to include the Slam Dunk contest to creating a more global league that’s allowed us to watch all the best players from around the world compete in our league.

Sure, there have been problems. You could easily make the argument that half the titles from the last 12 years or so went to the wrong team (looking at you, 2002 Kings, 2006 Mavs, 2007 Suns, 2011 Heat and 2012 Thunder) due to questionable officiating, especially where Tim Donaghy was involved. Yes, there have been two lockouts during Stern’s tenure. And yes, Mark Cuban has been fined way too many times for just speaking his mind.

But when you look at an entire career, those few problems over three decades really seem trivial. David Stern gave us 30 solid years of great basketball, and I, for one, thank him for it.

So now it’s time to welcome new Commissioner Adam Silver, who takes over after years as Stern’s second in command. Evidently, LeBron wants to meet with him to discuss some ideas he has for improving the league, likely starting with “No one can touch me now.”

Here we go again.

By Mike Herold Fantasy Sports Editor

The Scoreboard

Team Matos (3-11)

717

Rasheed Wallace (6-8)

967

Owner: Rob Matos

Owner: Pete Fiorilla

Off the Backboard (10-4)

1218

Team Vazquez (8-6)

1602

Team Amaral (9-5)

949

Owner: Bryan Dunphy-Culp Owner: Victor Vazquez

Owner: Marco Amaral

Love Train (11-3) Owner: Gabe Allen

1259

Team Reynolds (4-10)

883

Team Jha (0-14)

711

Owner: Amy Reynolds Owner: Ashray Jha

Fantasy Guys (14-0)

1559

Team Molicki (5-9)

736

Owner: Mike Herold

Owner: Chris Molicki

Fantasy Player of the Week

AP Photo

I May Be Wrong, But...

Here’s what I would do in Fantasy Basketball this week: Add: Some of the under-the-fantasy-radar players this year include Robin Lopez, Trey Burke, John Henson, Terrence Jones and Miles Plumlee. If you’re looking to replace one of the many, many injured players you may have so far, any one of these guys might be able to fill that hole for a little while.

Be Cautious Of: I’m not quite sure how Joe Johnson made the All-Star team this season, but I do think he’ll throw up a few stinkers now that he’s made the team, just to remind everyone how bad he can be when he really tries. You may also want to be careful of anyone playing against the All-Star snubs, as those players have something to prove and may do so painfully.

Drop: The injuries sure are piling up, claiming Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard and Anderson Varejao in the past two weeks among many others. Make sure you look at your lineup right before every game begins, because a lot of players are game-time decisions or day to day and starting a player who won’t actually play can ruin your chances of victory. We’ve seen it a lot this season so far.

Look Out For: The real All-Star Snubs have been revealed, and so far they aren’t taking things lightly. The league’s triple-double leader, Lance Stephenson, responded to his snub by immediately putting up another triple, and wily old veteran snub Tim Duncan had a few throw-back performances. Beware the snubbed star.

AP Photo

February 5, 2014 The Signal page 17

Seahawks prepared to be an NFL dynasty Seattle’s first major title since 1979 just a start Cheap Seats

The Seattle Seahawks celebrate winning the Lombardi trophy after one of the most dominant Super Bowl performances in history.

By Matthew Bowker Correspondent The Seattle Seahawks shocked the world by demolishing the Denver Broncos by a score of 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII. Their defense held the highest scoring offense in NFL history to only eight points.

And they’re just getting started.

The Seahawks management has put together a team that has the potential to become a dynasty.

If defense wins championships, then the rest of the league is in big trouble. The Seahawks had the No. 1 overall defense in 2013. In a

pass-happy league, the Seahawks’ legion of boom allowed a mere 172 passing yards per game. The Seahawks are set to return 10 out of 11 players on the defensive side of the ball, including all four members of the best secondary in football. Of the 10 players under contract, nine are under 30 years old.

As long as they stay healthy, this young but experienced defense will continue to dominate the league for years to come.

When all is said and done, this defense could become one of the best of all time.

Quarterback Russell Wilson, a steal in the third round of the 2012 draft, led the team to its first Super Bowl in franchise history, in just his second year in the league.

Some argue that Wilson is overrated and is simply a game manager. In reality, Wilson is one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the NFL. Wilson boasts a 101.6 passer rating over his first two seasons, which is third to only Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning since 2012. At only 25 years

of age, Wilson will continue to grow as a more complete quarterback and lead the Seahawks for years to come.

The Seahawks front office and coaching staff are also some of the best in the business when it comes to talent evaluation. All Pros Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor were both drafted in the fifth round and have quickly developed into superstars. The team took a risk trading for an injury-prone wide receiver, Percy Harvin, who iced the win Sunday with an 87-yard kickoff return to start the second half.

They traded for problematic

AP Photos

running back Marshawn Lynch in 2010. Since then, Lynch has developed into a star. In his four years as a Seahawk, Lynch has the third most rushing touchdowns in that timespan, behind only Adrian Peterson and Arian Foster. Give credit to the coaching staff, led by head coach Pete Carroll, for eliminating Lynch’s off-the-field problems.

With a young and talented group of players, along with smart management and great coaching, don’t be surprised to see the Seattle Seahawks hoist the Lombardi Trophy for years to come.

Wrestling avenges loss in the hours after Lions beat three, including No. 19 Springfield Wrestling

By Andrew Grossman Production Manager

The College’s 30th-ranked wrestling squad packed its bags, boarded the bus and drove four and a half hours to Massachusetts this past weekend — all with one goal in mind: to go 4-0.

While the men had a valiant effort, they fell just one point short of completing their mission.

In their opening match against No. 15 Roger Williams University, the College was narrowly defeated 19-18. Although disappointed, the Lions were not deterred and stormed back to take the final three matches to complete their trip in the Bay State.

“I think the only difference from the beginning of the day to the end was that in the beginning, we lost a couple of the close matches that could have went either way,” senior 174pounder Zach Zotollo said. “I think everyone wrestled well throughout, but we lost a couple close matches early on, and that was the differenc maker.”

In the morning match against Roger Williams, the Lions

started out strong and led 1810 heading into the final three duals. Unfortunately, their lead was simply not enough.

“We very easily could have won that match because we pushed the pace on them and we were really aggressive,” Zotollo said. “We just came out shorthanded, and I think that everybody was happy overall because we did wrestle well (against them).”

The final two matches on the first day were different, though, as the Lions were never pressured, beating Bridgewater State University 39-9 and Williams College 37-9. Zotollo was especially proud of the way the team competed against the Purple Cows of Williams College.

“We wrestled really well and I think that was our best overall dual meet this season,” Zotollo said. “They are a tough team and we expected a close match, but we ended up winning (pretty easily).”

The final match of the weekend against No. 19 Springfield College was an important one for the Lions, because they wanted to finish the weekend

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Wrestling picks up three wins in four games, outscoring opponents 118-55.

off strong. Once again, the Lions built up an impressive lead to start the match and was able to hold Springfield off by the final score of 24-18. After composing a 3-1 record in Massachusetts, the Lions are now 8-5 on the season and in prime position to make a run to the NCAA Tournament.

Next Friday, Feb. 7, the Lions are at home against No. 9 Wilkes University for Alumni Night.

The match begins at 7 p.m., but the fans are advised to arrive early, because the first 300 spectators at the match will receive a free T-shirt.

“We are trying to fill the stands and get as many fans

there as we can,” Zotollo said.

“There’s going to be a lot of alumni and (1981 national champion at 177 pounds) Mike Jacoutot will be giving a speech midway through the match …

We are trying to create a more fun atmosphere, which will get people going and get them into the match.”

page 18 The Signal February 5, 2014

Spring 2014 Career & Internship Fair Friday, February 28, 2014 Rec Center 9AM 9AM-- 1PM Sampling of Employer Representatives

Profit

Johnson & Johnson

Visual Computer Solutions

Accutest Laboratories

JP Morgan Chase

Whiting-Turner Contracting

AdMed, Inc.

KPMG

WithumSmith+Brown

Aerotek

Lab Support

Non-Profit

Arete Inc.

Marathon Data Systems

Alternatives Inc.

AXA Advisors

Matlen Silver

CISabroad

BioClinica

Mercadien

Educational Testing Service (ETS)

Blinds To Go

News America Marketing

Peace Corps

Brainerd Communications, Inc

Nordson EFD

CBIZ Valuation Group, LLC

Northeast Planning Corporation

SERV Behavioral Health System, Inc.

CDW

Northwestern Mutual– Olson

The Arc Mercer

Chubb

Northwestern Mutual– Savino

United Way, Monmouth County

Cintas

Pennoni Associates

Womanspace

CIT Group, Inc.

PeopleShare

Government

CohnReznick, LLP

Pickering, Corts, & Summerson, Inc.

New Jersey Judiciary

Philadelphia Insurance Co.

U.S. Dept. of Transportation

PwC

U.S. Secret Service

Deloitte Destination Athlete, LLC Enterprise Rent A Car EY Ferguson First Investors Corporation Gannett/NJ Press Media Grant Thornton LLC Guardian Life Insurance Co. Health Care Software, Inc. Hub City Media, Inc. Hunterdon Academy of the Arts J&L Marketing

U.S. DEA

Rosetta SHI International Corporation Six Flags Great Adventure

... And more!

Sobel Target Therapeutic Outreach, Inc. Townsquare Media- NJ 101.5 Unum UPS Urban Engineers, Inc. CO-SPONSORS For updated list, please check the Career Center website: www.tcnj.edu/career

February 5, 2014 The Signal page 19 Feature

Practice / Intense practices push starters Basketball teams exhausted but better off continued from page 24 The scrimmages are intense — the players don’t hold anything back, and those who don’t see as much playing time are eager to push the starters as hard as they can.

“My favorite part of practice is (to) push the starters. It feels good to know that you can make them better in practice while just playing basketball,” freshman guard T.J. Von Bradsky said.

Watching the team practice, even in the moments of intense focus and fierce competition, it’s clear that these girls’ love for one another and togetherness is what makes them such a tough team to beat once the game has tipped off.

After all the on-court practicing was finished, Henderson passed out scouting reports to the players that were thicker than some textbooks, and they all sat together in a circle, going over the opposing team’s player tendencies and what needed to be done to take away their strengths.

As the men continue to play each other, it is interesting to see the dynamics between starters and bench players — mostly because it is so hard to tell who is who. The players all intermingle in the scrimmages and support each other equally. Coach Williams treats every player the same way — tough but fair — and is just as likely to praise or scold (most often praise) a starter as he is a guy who rarely sees game time.

“Coach talks every day about how

he has trust in everybody, one through 15 minutes, on the bench,” freshman forward Patrick Zanzalari said. “And how he has no problem calling in anybody at any time, so during practice he doesn’t treat that any differently, anybody could be anywhere at any time.”

At the conclusion of practice, cocaptains Liz West and Tiffany DeTulio laughed and reminisced about the team’s time spent in Florida over winter break, recalling an instance when assistant coach Cindy Astore took it upon herself to switch roles and become the team’s bus driver as well as lead vocalist, covering 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” to help celebrate head coach Dawn Henderson’s birthday. The duo even dropped a “Go shorty, it’s your birthday!” before breaking out in laughter once again.

By the time the men’s practice starts winding down, the players are noticeably winded, just as they are after games. The intensity of the practice was very game-like, only with shorter breaks and no time on the bench. Every drill is designed to simulate in-game scenarios, and every player is expected to bring the same focus to practice as they do to games.

“Coach really expects everyone to bring energy and effort every day. He says that we’re all college basketball players and that we need to give our best effort every day, regardless of whether we’re bench players or starters,” freshman guard Pete Heltzel said.

West and DeTulio’s favorite part

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

The teams draw up game plans and prepare for opponents in practice.

about practice is the 20-minute individual warm-up to start and the dynamic stretches immediately following.

“The warm-up gives us a chance to get into the right mindset and do whatever we need to get ready, whether it be dribbling, shooting or just getting loose,” DeTulio said.

The co-captains also agreed that the two things they’ll miss most next year once they’ve graduated and moved on will be playing basketball and all the other girls on the team who they’ve become so close to during their time here.

The men’s practice ends in a huddle,

with every player putting their hands together to yell as a group, just like they do before every game. The team members walk off, some heading to class and some heading to dinner, each one with a slight grin on his face. Game day is tomorrow, and the team is ready.

As the men leave, the women enter.

The two teams don’t say much to each other, but a few individuals exchange pleasantries. These teams are on opposite sides of the same story: One is at the end while the other is just beginning. What the two have in common is that both are ready to play.

Lions looking to pick up the pieces Men’s hoops on five-game losing streak Men’s Basketball

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

The Lions fall to seventh place in the conference after the team’s recent slide.

By Mike Herold Fantasy Sports Editor

It was another rough week for the men’s basketball team, as they dropped another two games to NJAC opponents to fall short of reaching an overall record above .500 for the year.

The Lions (7-13, 5-8) fell to both Richard Stockton College

and Ramapo College, losing by double digits in each game. The team has now lost five straight games after an impressive run during winter break.

“For us to turn things around, we have to get back to the basics: defending, rebounding and making some shots,” head coach Kelly Williams said of the streak.

In the first loss of the week,

to Richard Stockton, the final score read 95-71, which marked the second time this season, and in a row, that the College allowed more than 90 points to be scored against them. It was a much different game than the first contest this year between the two teams, a more defensive struggle, but the end result was the same, as the Lions tasted the

salty tang of defeat against the Ospreys for a second time.

In the loss, junior forward Skyelar Ettin had a great night, connecting on four of his seven three-point attempts in tallying 24 points. Ettin and junior forward Alex Fox, who had 11 points in the loss, were the only Lions to score in double figures, with senior forward Joe Kane and freshman guard Nick Alaimo next on the scoring depth with seven points each.

Sophomore forward Bobby Brackett was especially stymied by the Ospreys’ defense, scoring just six points and grabbing only one rebound, both well below his season averages.

The team’s second game against Ramapo went a little better, as the College lost 8973. Unlike the first rematch of the week, this game was a story of payback, since the Lions had bested the Roadrunners in their first encounter of the season.

This loss again saw only two Lions score in the double digits, with junior guard Jayson Johnson earning 21 points and Brackett returning to form with a 17-point, 14-rebound effort.

Kane chipped in eight, third in

scoring for the team on a day when the College hit just 41 percent of their shots and, more tellingly, 63 percent of their free-throw attempts.

“Our confidence level is a little shaken right now because we haven’t made shots over the last two weeks,” Williams said. “As a result of that, our energy level and focus on the defensive side has not been consistent.”

The Lions face a tough climb to finish the season, as the loss to Ramapo took them out of a tie with the Roadrunners for sixth place overall in the NJAC, which is what would be needed for the College to make the playoffs.

With five games remaining, each against an NJAC team the Lions have already played (with a record of 4-1 in their previous encounters), the team is down but certainly not out.

“We just have to (get) back to doing the little things better than our opponents for the entire 40 minutes,” Williams said.

The team will get its first chance to do just that this Wednesday, Feb. 5, against Rutgers-Camden University and Saturday, Feb. 8, playing Rutgers-New Brunswick University on the road.

page 20 The Signal February 5, 2014

Did you know that The Signal is active on social media?

Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on breaking news

@tcnjsignal

Like us on Facebook to find out about campus events

/TCNJSignal

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch interviews with the College’s guests

The Signal@TCNJ

4 6

February 5, 2014 The Signal page 21

LIONS

AROUND THE

DORM 5 3

Amy Reynolds “The Ref”

Chrissy Onorato Staff Writer

Gabe Allen Staff Writer

George Tatoris Correspondent

In this week’s Around the Dorm, the “Ref,” Amy Reynolds, asks our expert panel three questions: should Americans be traveling to Russia for what has been called the most dangerous Olympic games ever, when will Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning retire, and what American athlete has the best social media presence?

AP Photo

1. Mike Morrell, the former deputy director for the CIA, warned on Monday, Jan. 27, that the Sochi Games are “the most dangerous” he’s ever seen. Should Americans be traveling to the region for a sporting event?

Chrissy: In regard to whether Americans should travel to Sochi for the Olympic games this week, I believe they absolutely should not. When the games are held in such a volatile region as Russia, there is always a threat of unrest or violence. However, this winter, with more than the usual unrest in Russia and its surrounding provinces, it would be severely dangerous to travel there just for a

sporting event. Security is something that definitely takes precedence over athletics — no family should be willing to risk their lives for such an event. I’m concerned for every athlete traveling there to compete, but they have been training for years for this and many are willing to look past the threat of violence. But spectators are inevitably more cautious. There will always be the summer Olympics in Rio in two years and then the following winter Olympics four years from now. It’s not worth the risk for an event that is going to be held again in the future.

Gabe: Morrell also said he would go and take his family. There’s no reason to believe

that this year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi are more dangerous than any other prior Olympics held all around the globe. Unless the Olympics truly becomes progressively more dangerous and likely to be the target of an attack every time they’re held, it’s hard not to take Morrell’s comments with a grain of salt. If he really believed the risk was definitely greater than at any Olympics before, why would he put himself and his family in that situation? Hopefully I’m right and Morrell is merely making an effort to have security and the public staying on their toes and being mindful of their surroundings as a precautionary measure.

George: When have we Americans ever been deterred by danger? We, who once stood unyieldingly against the abominable and unjust taxations of the dreaded King George III. We, who single-handedly saved Europe from utter cataclysm in not one, but two World Wars. We, who when threatened by foreign dangers, return fire with spectacular and controversial results. When have we ever let something as silly as “terrorism” affect our decisions? We will not bend over backwards for these criminals — we must show them that the only time we bend over is to provide moral-support-piggyback-rides-of-freedom for the talented athletes we will be sending overseas. Just as we rallied behind our troops

in the World War II by buying War Bonds and planting Victory Gardens, we must also rally support for the remarkable athletes who we will be sending into the cold belly of our former-foe. Do not heed Mr. Morrell’s warnings — just because he has dubbed these Games “the most dangerous” in his life does not mean we should hide in our houses, cowering under our couch cushions for safety.

We shouldn’t be afraid of danger. Danger is our middle name: United “Danger” States (it was Franklin’s idea).

AP Photo

Chrissy wins for saying security tops all, Gabe gets 2 points for mentioning that Morrell’s family is still going, and George gets 1 point for saying terrorism is silly.

2. When do you think Manning will retire?

Chrissy: I believe if Peyton Manning is able to lead Denver to a Super Bowl win, he should retire next year. It’s always best to end your career on top, and Manning has accomplished more than the average player in his career as an NFL player. Already having led the Colts to a Super Bowl a few years ago, Manning has proven his worth and could quite possibly lead Denver to another championship someday. With his neck injury, he would be putting too much on the line if he continues to play the next few seasons. This isn’t just a foot injury or a hand injury — a neck injury is serious and could lead to many more complications. It would be too risky to continue playing. However, if Manning can’t grab another Super Bowl, he should still retire soon since this last season was one of the best

he’s ever had.

Gabe: Peyton Manning should retire when he loses his passion for the game of football. If he’s feeling old and tired or losing interest now there’s no reason why he shouldn’t hang up his helmet now. He’s already won a Super Bowl, and even the annihilation that the Broncos suffered against the Seahawks can’t change what he has done for the sport in his illustrious career. Also, the neck surgery he had a couple years ago was nothing minor, and the fact that he’s been able to recover and stay healthy for a couple seasons since then is nothing short of a miracle. At age 37, no one could blame him for walking away, but at the end of the day, I doubt he is ready to retire just yet.

George: He should retire whenever he damn wants to. Seriously, all the guy wants to do is play football. Who cares if he’s got some neck

injuries that may resurface in the next few years? Who cares if his most recent Super Bowl performance was less than stellar (far less than

stellar if you ask some people)? Manning is playing for himself (and also oodles of cash) — if he wants to keep playing then I say let him.

AP Photo

Gabe wins for saying passion trumps all, Chrissy gets 2 points for explaining how serious Peyton’s neck injury is, and George gets 1 point because it’s serious.

3. Which athlete has the best social media presence?

Chrissy: As much as it pains me to support a member of the New York Yankees, I have to pick Derek Jeter as the athlete with the best social media presence. An all-around good guy, Jeter is an impeccable role model for young kids and rookie ballplayers around the league.

Even after a tough loss or disappointment, Jeter gives an interview of the classiest magnitude. He learns something from every loss.

He’s willing to talk to any reporter and give his honest opinion. In light of all of the A-Rod scandals plaguing the Yankees the past few months, Jeter will serve as a constant breath of fresh air. Even though he’s not an athlete who takes to Twitter or Instagram after every game, he continues to remain in the spotlight just by being the role model he is. Sometimes it’s better for an athlete not to make public everything they do — he knows the correct balance of private and public information.

Gabe: Cristiano Ronaldo has by far the largest, best social media presence among proAP Photo fessional athletes. Considered by many to be Gabe wins for comparing Ronaldo’s following to those of NBA stars, George gets 2 points for describing Sherman’s high activity, and Chrissy gets 1 point for picking Jeter.

one of the best of all time at the world’s most popular sport, the footballer has over 24 million followers on Twitter and nearly 73 million fans on Facebook. When you consider the fact that Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Durant, currently the NBA’s three most polarizing figures, have a few million less followers on Twitter combined than Ronaldo, the evidence is insurmountable.

George: Richard Sherman — the man’s loud on the field, off the field and on the Internet.

His vitriol has drummed up endless debate on the Internet over whether his words are playful or just plain mean, and since his infamous

interview in which he directed his outrage toward 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree, even people who don’t care about football are chiming in on the debate. Sherman’s social media presence not only comes from other people discussing his antics, but also his own mouth (fingertips?). He’s very active on Twitter — he constantly posts pictures and other interesting tidbits, including a neat image of what media day looks like to him. If he ever gets the itch to write more than 140 characters, Sherman turns to The MMQB, a blog-esque section of the Sports Illustrated website. Sherman has written a dozen articles so far.

Gabe wins Around the Dorm, 8-6-4

page 22 The Signal February 5, 2014

Country Club Apartments

www.clubtcnj.com Premier Off-Campus Complex - 1.9 from Campus Fully Furnished / Fire Pits / BBQ Hangouts / Wireless Everywhere / Full Kitchens / Private Bedrooms Roommate Matching Free Month with AD

Expires

Any two steak sandwiches or any two cold subs for just $10!

2/19/14

Dedicated to the Students of TCNJ rentals@clubtcnj.com (516) 236 0269

Dine-in Special: Buy 1 Entree, Get One FREE!

10/2/13

609-434-1188 2/19/14

Football Special: 1 Large Pizza 10 Wings 2-Liter Soda $16.95 609-434-1188 10/2/13

$5 Off Any Order Of $25 or More!

609-434-1188

2/19/14

Congratulations, Seahawk fans!

Call us or stop on by to celebrate!

10/16/13 2/19/14

February 5, 2014 The Signal page 23

ports Week In Review AP Photo

Like us on Facebook to follow the College’s breaking news.

Did You Know?

The College is one of the most successful Division III programs in the country. The Lions have won 39 national championships and 45 individual national titles. The most recent title came in 2011 when the women’s field hockey team defeated Middlebury College 3-1 in the national championship.

Number of wins per season Men’s Tennis

Follow @TCNJSignal on Twitter to get all the latest updates and more!

2009

Team total: 204 Alex Spark 53

2010

Jillian Nealon 35

2011

Jen Garavente 34

2012

Lauren Pigott 23 Erin Waller 20

2013

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

ST U D E N T AT H L E TE O F

THE WEEK Kylie O’Donnell Women’s Basketball

Led team in scoring against Ramapo College

Junior guard Kylie O’Donnell had a solid day as she helped lead the Lions to a 57-33 win over Ramapo College.

During the game, O’Donnell scored 13 points and had eight rebounds. Thanks to her efforts, the Lions are currently14-6 on the season.

This week’s picks from the staff Point leaders

(NBA) Pacers vs. (NCAAM) MSU (NHL) Rangers (NHL) Lightning

Trail Blazers vs. Wisconsin

vs. Penguins vs. Maple Leafs

Peter Fiorilla 1

0

Kendal Borup 11 2 4 6 9 8 Lauren Karpovich

10

12

14

16

The Horizon For

Sports Track & Field February 7-8 Boston University Valentine Invitational Men’s Basketball February 5 vs. Rutgers-Camden, 8 p.m.

February 8 @ Rutgers-Network, 8 p.m.

Women’s Basketball February 5 vs. Rutgers-Camden, 6 p.m.

February 8 @ Rutgers-Network, 6 p.m.

Wrestling February 7 vs. Wilkes University, 7 p.m.

Andrew Grossman 1 Amy Reynolds 1 Mike Herold 1 Chris Molicki 0 Julie Kayzerman 0

?

Signal Trivia

?

What Cleveland Indians pitcher threw a complete game after being struck by lightning in the middle of the ninth inning?

AP Photo

Last week’s Signal Trivia Answer: When Shaquille O’Neal was 14 years old, he was the largest kid in school at 6 feet 8 inches tall. This 15-time NBA All Star from Newark, N.J., eventually stopped growing at 7 feet 1 inch tall. The future Hall-of-Famer was a member of four championship teams and recently retired at the age of 38.

Signal

Sports

Lions play improved D down the stretch

Basketball in the middle of NJAC dogfight

By Gabe Allen Staff Writer

After enduring a three-game slide in the first week of the new semester, their longest losing streak of the season, the College’s women’s basketball team got back to their winning ways this past week, beating Stephens Institute of Technology, Richard Stockton College and Ramapo College by an average margin of 18 points per game.

Lions head coach Dawn Henderson expressed her approval of the team’s performance of late.

“I’m very pleased with the way we played this past week,” Henderson said.

“We started a little slow against Stephens, but we continued to get better every game, and that’s what counts.”

The Lions are 14-6 overall and remain second in the NJAC with a conference record of 10-3 heading into the final five games of the regular season — all of which are in-conference contests.

“Every game is so important at this point,” Henderson said. “It’s a dogfight when it gets to February as always, with everyone positioning for the playoffs.”

Among all the positives from this past week, perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Lions’ recent winning streak has been their defense, as they held their opponents to less than 47 points per game.

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

Women’s basketball rattles off three wins in a row this week.

The Lions began their week with a pair of 15-point victories against Stephens and Stockton. In their matchup against Ramapo on Saturday, Feb. 1, they allowed the Roadrunners only 33 points on eight made field goals, both season-bests, after only narrowly surviving in their previous showdown with Ramapo this season, a 65-61 home win.

“It was really important to win all three games this past week now that we’re so

late in the season,” Henderson said. “Different people stepped up, and we looked a little bit more like ourselves.”

Despite the College’s recent success, the memories of the three-game skid are still fresh in the mind of Henderson.

“We’ve won three in a row, but I think we’re still trying to find our way out of the losing streak we had the week before,” Henderson said.

However, this past week was filled with so many positives that over-sharing the ball became a problem at times. While Henderson wants her team to take open shots when they’re in the flow of the offense, she conceded that this was an easily correctable issue, and that her team’s unselfish nature is part of what makes this team so good.

“That’s why I love this group,” Henderson said. “They share the ball — they don’t care whose name is in the box score and that’s why we have 14 wins.”

Still, the Lions have had plenty of standout stars this season on the court and in the classroom. While it is no surprise given the team’s reputation for being a roster filled with scholar athletes, junior point guard and nursing major Kylie O’Donnell was named to CoSIDA’s Capital One Academic All-District team for District II. O’Donnell has also received recognition for her performance on the hardwood this season, having been named to the Marymount University Tipoff All-Tournament Team and receiving NJAC player of the week honors during that same first week of competition.

She currently leads the NJAC and ranks in the top-10 in the nation in free throw percentage at 91.3 percent, having made 63 of her 69 attempts.

The Lions are back in action on Wednesday, Feb. 5, vs. Rutgers-Camden University at 6 p.m. in Packer Hall.

Behind-the-scenes look at Lions practice How College basketball teams prepare

By Gabe Allen and Mike Herold Staff Writer & Fantasy Sports Editor

Practice. Anyone who plays a sport on any sort of competitive level will say practice is of fundamental and crucial importance. Yet, there is rarely much of a focus on practice, as the games are what show up in the win/loss record. Probably the most talk you’ve heard about practice is the famous rant by Allen Iverson, which wasn’t exactly flattering.

So we here at The Signal decided to focus on practice for a moment. We attended one practice for each of the men’s and women’s basketball teams and wrote about them, in the hopes that we could, if even for a moment, make practice seem as important as it is.

The first 20 minutes of the women’s practice is devoted to individual preparation and warm-up. The mood is light, and the players’ laughter is infectious in the early going, but it’s also clear that everyone knows it’s getting to be time to get down to business, and you can see the players getting into their zones.

Head coach Dawn Henderson makes

Lions’ Lineup February 5, 2014

I n s i d e

her rounds, observing and giving players tips individually, occasionally reminding everyone of different fundamentals to practice, whether it is power layups, free throws or catching and shooting in a rhythm.

The men begin practice before their coaches even walk through the door.

They stretch, jog and shoot, but most of all, they talk. They talk about nothing in particular, just as any group of friends would. The talk changes once the coaches arrive and now focuses exclusively on basketball, but it never really stops — the team is all about communication, and communicate they do. The drills in the early going confirm this, as they involve mostly passing in rhythm, and any player who isn’t talking to his teammates is likely to miss his mark.

Having played five games in the last week and a half, Henderson warns that the team is exhausted. However, the effort and attention is clearly there.

The girls are looking sharp, shooting the lights out, making all of their lefty layups and doing a lot of communicating with each other on both ends of the floor

Courtney Wirths / Photo Editor

The women are exhausted after a five-game stretch, but they still practice. in different situational drills, but especially defensively.

Given the Lions had a game the next day, a fair amount of practice was devoted to scouting the opponent and talking about their strengths and weaknesses and discussing the various plans that would need to be executed in order to put themselves in a good position to come out on top.

Once the men have warmed up, the real practice begins. Head coach Kelly Williams quickly describes to his team what their next opponent will try to do and splits the team into smaller groups to scrimmage against each other while mimicking what that next opponent will do, hoping to be prepared once game time comes. see PRACTICE page 19

46 53 Around the Dorm page 21

Wrestling wins three of four page 17

Men’s basketball struggles page 19

Seahawks: a dynasty? page 17