The Signal: Fall '14, No. 2

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Vol. XLI, No. II

September 3, 2014

Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885

Junior makes Paying the price for exercise ties to Trenton Fitness Center institutes new fees

By Colleen Murphy News Editor

When people think of Trenton, many think of its crime statistics and political scandals. This is what junior history and urban studies double major Sam Fogelgaren was cautioned upon entering the College.

“Like many incoming freshman, I was warned to stay far, far away from Trenton,” Fogelgaren said. “Although it is just a bike ride away from campus, many students come in and go out of TCNJ without ever getting to know our state’s capital city.”

Fogelgaren paid no attention to that warning, though.

Now living in South Trenton, he works closely with local politicians and residents to better Trenton and get more people politically active.

This interest in bettering Trenton began his freshman year when he chose Trenton as his research project for his Freshman Seminar Program, which focused on New Jersey’s cities. The research project had a major impact on his life, because now, two years later, Fogelgaren is involved in many local groups and initiatives to make Trenton a better place for everyone, including the disabled and the youth.

In 2012, Fogelgaren proposed that the city start its first-ever Trenton Americans with Disabilities committee. Last year, the city council approved the creation of the committee to ensure that handicapped citizens of Trenton have an increased accessibility to buildings and fewer obstacles throughout the city, according to a Times of Trenton article from Dec. 21, 2013.

Fogelgaren is also working with the Arc of Mercer County, a group that “empowers all people with developmental and intellectual disabilities to choose and realize their goals,” according to the site’s mission statement.

The poor conditions of Trenton Central High School made headlines last year, which Fogelgaren helped bring to light through his work with local see FOGELGAREN page 2

By Gabrielle Beacken News Assistant

If students and faculty want to get fit with either the Zumba, Yoga, Pump Up the Pulse or Kickboxing classes the Fitness Center offers in the Recreational Center, there is a price they will now have to pay.

Popular among many students, the Fitness Center classes allows students to exercise in a fun, welcoming environment with their friends while being taught by certified student instructors — these classes, however, have undergone recent changes.

Instead of classes being free for faculty and students, there is now a semester membership fee: $20 per student and $50 for faculty. The Fitness Center is re-implementing the membership fee that was revoked three years ago.

“The fee has been put back in place to provide TCNJ with extra funds to help enhance the fitness center,” sophomore yoga instructor Gina Costanzo said. “We are hoping to be able to offer more classes and updated equipment.”

All of the revenue from the fees will go back into improving the Fitness Center and its programs.

“In no way do we profit from any of this,” said junior Fitness Center manager and Zumba instructor Kristina Kondakji. “We use all the money to add to the Fitness Center, including equipment, more hours of operation, space availability and the like. The fitness

Photo courtesy of TCNJ FItness Center

Fitness classes return to the fee-based policy of three years ago, providing additional funds for newer equipment and more classes. team wants to really blossom and make a mark in the TCNJ community.”

According to David Muha, the vice president for communication, marketing and brand management, “the College plans to increase the offerings at the center and the additional funds will be used to help support that.”

“A new recreation director will be starting soon, and students should expect to begin to see some of these changes shortly thereafter,” Muha said.

The fees could be barriers to some students enjoying the classes, though, as yet one more cost to college life.

“As a college student, we all try to save money,” sophomore special education major Julia McKinnies said.

“Therefore, if I can go exercise on my own for free, I would rather do that

than have to pay for classes.”

With all the other financial requirements of which college students have to attend, paying for fitness classes may not be considered a high priority, according to McKinnies.

“I’m sure this will make a lot of people think twice about signing up for these classes,” she said.

Kondakji, however, believes that the new and enhanced program will be a success.

“I think as far as attendance goes, I don’t really think we will be hindered all that much,” Kondakji said.

“I have gotten a lot of e-mails from students eager to come down and take classes.” see FITNESS page 2

N.J. Hall of Fame honors College alumni

By Peter Fiorilla News Editor

From illustrious entertainers and iconic coaches to Industsrialage Quaker school teachers and motivational speakers, a variety of people with Garden State ties are annually honored for their accomplishments through the New Jersey Hall of Fame, with this summer’s version highlighting two College alumni: Former NJ governor James Florio and College lacrosse and field hockey coach Sharon Pfluger.

Each year the web-based NJ Hall of Fame invites the public to induct about a dozen out of 50 nominees, who are separated into

the five categories of Arts & Letters, Enterprise, Performance Arts, Public Service and Sports.

New Jerseyans voted in 12 of this year’s nominees, who come from different walks of life yet have all either been born in NJ, have resided in the state for at least five years or have contributed significantly to its quality of life or culture.

The latter part of the criteria makes it so that some nominees bear weaker ties to the Garden State than others — 2012 inductee Michael Douglas, for example, lived just six weeks in NJ after being born — but the resulting list of people honored includes many who have become household

INDEX: Nation & World / Page 5

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The Signal @tcnjsignal

Editorial / Page 7

names in the country.

Pfluger received a nomination alongside NBA great Patrick Ewing, several Olympians and a baseball Hall of Famer in sports, as Florio, The Sopranos star James Galfodini, NBC’s Brian Williams and women’s rights activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton headlined the rest of the class.

Other, lesser-known New Jerseyans were honored with nominations, too. Lewis Dubois Bassett, a 19th century Quaker school teacher and the founder of Bassett’s Ice Cream Company; Clara Maass, whose death in 1901 led to the ban on using humans for medical experimentation; and George Price, the man behind the distinct

Opinions / Page 8

Photos courtesy of TCNJ Athletics and AP Photo

The N.J. Hall of Fame nominates Pfluger and Florio. style of The New Yorker cartoons, highlight just some of the historic contributions made by people representing the Garden State.

Features / Page 9

*For more on the two College alumni nominated, Pfluger and Florio, see the Features section on page 9.

Arts & Entertainment / Page 12

Sports / Page 24

Comedy in Kendall Diverse set of acts leaves the College cackling

Hollyword Beyoncé takes the page for the celeb spotlight

College Crew Strong family connection for Lions

See A&E page 13

See Features page 10

See Sports page 16

page 2 The Signal September 3, 2014

Fogelgaren / Working hands-on in Trenton

Freshman class project leads to strong passion

Photo courtesy of Sam Fogelgaren

Fogelgaren works closely with local politicians.

continued from page 1

officials and community activists. Additionally, he has served on a working group with the West Ward Alliance, a local community

organization, to build programming for youth outreach.

Fogelgaren wants to help change the political landscape of Trenton, as well. He currently serves on Trenton Mayor Eric Jackson’s Youth Council and is working to have Trenton City Council President Zach Chester elected to the Trenton West Ward Council and assemblywoman Bonnie Watson-Coleman elected to Congress.

“Trenton is an extraordinarily welcoming place,” he said. “People, in most circumstances, are receptive to those who make sustainable commitments to a cause or a community.

There are so many amazing people doing remarkable things in Trenton, and we need to build stronger bridges between the Trenton community and the TCNJ community.”

Fogelgaren said the key to bridging the gap is sustainability.

“College can be tricky because students are in and out in four years,

but TCNJ is starting to expand (its) presence and programming in Trenton, which is an encouraging sign going forward,” he said.

To bridge the gap even more, Fogelgaren will serve as the president of the College Democrats to promote local politics, specifically those in Trenton and, on a larger scale, Mercer County.

“We want to build the College Democrats into an organization that gets students excited and passionate about the important issues of our generation, while simultaneously providing a variety of opportunities to get involved and learn from experienced politicians and advocates,” Fogelgaren said.

To do so, College Democrats will be campaigning for several local elections and will be primarily working on Bonnie Watson-Coleman’s campaign for Congress.

“We will be looking for students to intern with her campaign and will be providing assistance as an

organization,” he said. “We will also be working with Cory Booker’s Senate campaign and local Mercer County campaigns.”

According to Fogelgaren, the College Democrats is a founding member of the New Jersey Col-

“There are so many amazing people doing remarkable things in Trenton.”

— Sam Fogelgaren, junior history and urban studies double major

lege Democrats — the newest statewide chapter of the College Democrats of America — which, he says, tries to unite College Democrats from across the state.

“In the past two years, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to be a part of various community

organizing efforts, non-profit and community development initiatives, political campaigns and issue advocacy campaigns,” Fogelgaren said. “Those experiences have enhanced my knowledge, questioned my beliefs and strengthened my values.”

What began as a research project freshman year has grown into a life goal for Fogelgaren, and though he is unsure of his exact plans after graduation, he is certain that he will continue to work closely with people in order to get them excited about their communities.

“Right now, I want to continue to focus on engaging people in civic and political action,” he said. “We live in a time where physical presence is being trumped by virtual communication. Paying attention, showing up and speaking up seem like small tasks, but they make a world of difference. I dare everyone reading this article to try it.”

Google will join Amazon in obtaining drone permit

By Courtney Wirths Features Editor • California is sacking plastic bags. A new piece of legislation passed through the state legislature last week that would ban the use of plastic bags for purchases in grocery stores, pharmacies, liquor stores and other businesses. The bill is now headed to the Governor’s desk. Gov. Jerry Brown has not stated his position on what would be the nation’s first statewide plastic bag ban. The bill would allow reusable plastic bags to be sold in stores as well as paper bags for a minimum price of 10 cents.

• Google unveiled a plan to receive permits to fly commercial drones in the United States. The plan comes just months

after Amazon revealed its plans to potentially use unmanned drones to deliver packages. Others in the industry (technology and defense) are encouraged by Google’s entrance into the field because the company has the resources, cash and experience to make a difference when lobbying for legislation changes. As of right now, the Federal Aviation Administration effectively bans all commercial drone use in the United States.

• A stabilization in coal prices may signal long-awaited relief for many small coal-mining towns across the world.

Coal makes up about 40 percent of the worlds electricity generation, making it the largest source of energy globally. The stabilization is due to

a combination of demand increase in countries, such as China and India, as well as pit shutdowns finally beginning to impact supply.

• T-Mobile US’s game of playing hard-to-get is paying off.

The French telecommunications company, Iliad SA, said it would continue to pursue the cell company and is currently looking into taking on partners to form a more enticing bid for the US’s fourth largest mobile operator by subscribers. The company has received several bids over the past year, including one from Sprint Corp. * All information according to the Wall Street Journal.

Fitness / Center puts membership fee into effect Students will pay $20 to workout for the semester continued from page 1

Students, surprised to hear about the new membership fee, question why this new price was implemented.

“I don’t think its right to now have to pay for classes — something that was originally a free and fun way to stay fit,” sophomore special education major Heather Weinberg said.

Sophomore psychology major Beth Strumpf, a frequent attendee of Fitness Center classes, accepts the new Membership Fee, yet still questions the decision.

“Last semester, I took a lot of classes there and I loved the concept of a free Fitness Center. It was really great coming and going as I wanted,” Strumpf said.

“The $20 fee makes sense because of all the new equipment, but I think that my $30,000 tuition should cover that. Especially since once I pay the $20 fee, I’ll feel obligated to go more often and not just when I want to.”

Students express their confusion over the new price adjustment as they wonder where the proceeds go.

“If the funds were going towards paying the instructors (who are students) — that I guess (would make it) not as bad,” sophomore special education major Kelly

Fitness classes will now cost students $20 for each semester, according to the College.

Springer said.

“I think it’s a bit ridiculous to charge students we are paying to go and use the facilities here already,” Springer said. “It seems a little unnecessary.”

Costanzo understands the student’s initial skepticism about the membership fee and was even originally worried about class attendance. “I was a little concerned at first about the fee affecting how many students will take advantage of the fitness classes at the Rec Center,

but I think it may actually encourage more students to come and try different classes since they will want to get their money’s worth.”

Costanzo adds that this membership fee is a low-cost compared to other professional fitness studio classes. Fitness Center Manager Kondakji, too, agrees with Costanzo’s reasoning.

“The system we have is easy too — you just swipe your card and that’s all. No more signing in or the hassle of

Photo courtesy of TCNJ Fitness Center

waiting in a line. I think this will improve the center and pave the way for new beginnings, more bright and potential beginnings.”

“I think that at first people may be a little displeased that they now have to pay to take fitness classes,” Costanzo said. “But hopefully everyone will see that it will actually benefit them by helping to improve the program and enabling us to give students the best fitness experience.”

September 3, 2014 The Signal page 3

STEM building to be built on Holman ground

Where Holman Hall once stood is now an area of grass — the future site of the College’s STEM building.

By Gabrielle Beacken News Assistant Once seen as the building on campus with quite the history behind it, Holman Hall, now demolished and soon beginning reconstruction, is one part of the College’s new STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) restoration project.

The new building will host the computer science department as well as other “multi-use instructional laboratories and multi-use event space,” according to TCNJ Magazine.

Renovations of Holman Hall, Armstrong Hall, the Chemistry building and the Science Complex are all a part of the

College’s new STEM Complex project. According to the College’s Campus Planning webpage, the College presented this new STEM Complex proposal through the Building Our Future Bond Act. The act allows stateissued bonds to become grants for public and private New Jersey universities and colleges to build new academic buildings.

According to an article in The Star-Ledger from March 27, the new STEM project will cost an estimated $94.2 million upon completion. While approximately half the money will be derived from state funds, the College will borrow the other $47.2 million to complete the project.

Upon completion, the STEM

building will host the School of Engineering and School of Science. Armstrong Hall, the Chemistry Building and the Science Complex will receive renovations as well, according to the College’s Campus Planning webpage.

The Chemistry Building will receive a $10 million expansion, the Science Complex will receive $18.2 million worth of renovations and Armstrong Hall will receive $15 million worth of renovations, according to The Star-Ledger.

But the rubble from the 87,000 square foot building will not go to waste. Certain materials, such as copper pipes, ductwork, glass railings, steel and metal doors, were extracted from the building before

Courtney Wirths / Features Editor, Colleen Murphy / News Editor

demolition and will be recycled.

“Right now, we expect between 75 percent and 80 percent of the building waste will be recycled,” director of campus construction Bill Rudeau told The Star-Ledger.

Holman Hall has allegedly had its own rich history. According to a Signal article from Nov. 1, 2011, it is campus legend that Holman Hall is buried on top of an “Indian burial ground.” The article references Robert Reeder Green’s book, “The Land Along the Shabakunks,” which details the revolution of the Shabakunks creeks to Ewing and to the College campus.

These chapters of the book claim Holman Hall’s haunted

location. According to the article, the description provided in Green’s book coincides with the Lenni-Lenape burial techniques.

The article shares that the LenniLenape tribe in fact resided in present day Trenton and Ewing.

According to the Trenton Times, Lenni-Lenape artifacts were found in Ewing in 2011.

Still, these suspicious Holman Hall tales have never been verified, but rather kept as one of the College’s notorious stories.

Holman Hall has certainly come a long way: first, haunted, then demolished and, finally, to be renovated. As for now, the first phase of the College’s exciting new STEM Complex is on its way.

page 4 The Signal September 3, 2014

Big plans for SolarKick after Mayo win Group plans on applying for full patents

Courtney Wirths / Features Editor

SolarKick accepts the Mayo Business Plan award and $16,500 toward its business plan.

By Olivia Rizzo Correspondent

Imagine being able to charge your smartphone, laptop, tablet and MP3 player without needing a wall charger or chords.

All of that may soon be possible thanks to last year’s Mayo Business Plan Competition winner SolarKick. Senior electrical engineering major Eric Blow, alumnus Greg Fitz, senior mechanical engineering major Luke Capritti and alumnus Steven Lemingthe, the students behind SolarKick, were awarded first place and $16,500

toward its business plan. The group debuted its first prototype, a solar panel that can be attached to an iPhone case to charge the phone while the user is away, during the business competition. SolarKick plans to make similar solar charging devices for all different types of electronic devices.

Just a few months after its contest win, the SolarKick team was extended the opportunity to be a part of the pilot program Uncommon Individual Foundation, a mentor program that strives to create strong and personal mentor to protégé relationships

in order to help the protégé succeed. Additionally, the team has been able to meet with Innovative Mechanical & Electrical Technology Corporation, a circuit board manufacturing company whose president is an alumnus of the College. SolarKick has also begun to consult with an attorney in order to file as a limited liability company and are in the process of meeting with a patent lawyer.

“It has been a very exciting experience,” Fitz said. “While studying for exams, participating in clubs and preparing for full-time jobs and internships, it

was a surreal experience being able to compete (in) and win the Mayo Business Plan Contest.”

The SolarKick team recommends participating in the Mayo Business Plan Contest because it allows you to put what you learn in class toward something you are passionate about. The contest allows groups of students to come up with real business plans and try to make it to the final round where a panel of judges determines the winning business plan.

“It is exciting to learn new skills while applying what we learned from TCNJ,” Fitz said as he reflected on his experience with the business competition.

Fitz also noted how every possible new employer that he interviewed with, whether it was just for an internship or a fulltime job, was always interested in the idea behind SolarKick and the business competition itself.

real-world experience.

Fitz is currently working as a Credit Analyst at New Jersey Economic Development Authority, and is in the process of studying for the GMAT’s and will be applying for graduate school. Leming is working at KPMG, a tax audit and advisory firm, and has successfully passed the first part of the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination.

Capritti and Blow are finishing their senior years at the College. Capritti will be working on the SAE Supermileage for his senior project, and Blow will be working on RF Photonic Neuron Network.

The next step for SolarKick is to apply for a full patent.

This is an expensive endeavor so the team is weighing its options carefully as they go forward to pursue the patent. They look forward to being men-

“While studying for exams, participating in clubs and preparing for full-time jobs and internships, it was a surreal experience being able to compete (in) and win the Mayo Business Plan Contest.”

—Alumnus Greg Fitz

The competition has been a great way for all members of the SolarKick team to get their foot in the door of the business world while gaining some good

tored by Uncommon Individual Foundation and are planning on producing market ready prototypes if their upcoming meetings go well.

TIPS limits high-risk drinking at College

By Regina Yorkgitis Staff Writer Five years ago, the College implemented Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS) to enable students to respond to challenging alcohol-related situations.

More recently, the College was awarded the 2014 TIPS Award of Excellence as one of just five chosen institutions out of the 1,200 colleges and universities that offer TIPS programs, according to an article posted on the College’s website on Monday, Aug. 11.

The College was chosen based on several factors, including the amount of students certified, the feedback from TIPS trainers and the community leaders involved in the program.

A free, two-hour program for students, TIPS aims to lessen high-risk drinking behavior among students. Drunk driving accidents, serious injuries and academic flops are just a few of the negative effects that college students face as potential consequences of binge drinking. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website, “more than 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape,” and “about 25 percent of college students report academic consequences of their drinking including missing class, falling behind, doing

poorly on exams or papers and receiving lower grades overall.”

TIPS has been a platform for the College to educate students about issues such as binge drinking. Over 700 students at the College have been certified since TIPS was established on campus.

“I learned the dangers of a level one, two and three drunk,” junior chemistry major Daniel King said, who was trained through TIPS. During Greek Week, members from each organization within Fraternity and Sorority Life attend TIPS training. The Department of Student Affairs, the Alcohol and Drug Education Program, and Student Conduct and Residential Education also host TIPS sessions for students.

“I think (TIPS is) very beneficial for the student body,” junior communication studies major Jared Sokoloff said. “As an issue that hits close to home for me, I applaud its current successes and future implementation.”

In future years, the College hopes to train even more students through TIPS.

September 3, 2014 The Signal page 5

Nation & W rld

‘Full-scale’ conflict on the rise against Russia

By Mylin Batipps News Assistant

European Union leaders said that Russia’s increase in number of troops on Ukrainian soil is threatening the entire continent and may eventually lead to war, according to CNN. In a summit in Brussels last week, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the Union will impose new sanctions on Russia as a consequence for the country’s presence of over 15,000 troops on Ukraine’s land. Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, however, said Ukraine is looking for the support of the EU to unleash full-out war against Russia.

“I think we are very close to the point of no return,” Poroshenko said, according to CNN. “The point of no return is full-scale war, which already happened in the territory controlled by separatists and where — instead of separatists — there are regular Russian troops.”

This month, pro-Russian separatists have been surrounding government forces in Eastern Ukraine as part of a counteroffensive, The Moscow Times reported.

Russian paratroopers claimed to have wandered near the Eastern border unintentionally before being captured by Ukrainian forces.

Not only are thousands of Russian troops in Ukrainian territory, but hundreds of tanks are accompanying those troops, according to Newsweek. Ukrainian troops said Russian tanks in Ukraine have “flattened” an eastern Ukrainian town, causing the destruction of homes in the area.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, claimed the country has not been deploying troops into Ukraine and that they are not trying to cause any problems. It is only trying to better train its forces, he said.

“We are strengthening our nuclear deterrence forces and our armed forces … I want to remind you that Russia is one of the most powerful nuclear nations.

This is a reality, not just words.”

Previous sanctions imposed on Russia include denying the country access to both the oil sector and the EU’s capital markets for Russian banks. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said at the summit that Russia has performed acts of “direct aggression” that

AP Photo

Russian President Vladimir Putin calls on Ukraine to find a political solution to the conflict. would result in much more than additional sanctions.

“It is the fact that Russia is in a war state against Ukraine,” Grybauskaite said, according to Newsweek. “That means it is in a state of war against a country which would like to be closely integrated with the EU. Practically, Russia is in a state of war against Europe.”

Ferguson’s flashpoint sparks a national outrage

AP Photo

The fatal shooting of the unarmed, black 18-year-old by a white officer in Missouri causes a rallying cry in protests across the nation.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — They were killed in Wisconsin, New York and California. Some were shot on the street. One was killed in a Wal-Mart. Another died after being placed in a chokehold. All died at the hands of police and all have been united by one thing: the killing of Michael Brown.

Details may differ, circumstances of their deaths may remain unknown, but the outrage that erupted after the Aug. 9 fatal shooting of the unarmed, black 18-year-old by a white officer in Ferguson, Missouri, has become a rallying cry in protests over police killings across the nation.

The N.J. Report

we still don’t know the circumstances.”

“Folks exploit these things for one thing or another,” he said. “Whether to loot — or get their 15 minutes of fame.”

In a culture where the 24/7 news cycle dissects events and often fills the information void with opinion, the topic of police shootings has become polarizing — from the White House to cable shows to Asia.

Brown’s name and Ferguson have become synonymous with police killings.

They have been splashed on signs by protesters, added to hashtags on Twitter and referred to on T-shirts that sport the refrain heard in the city: “Hands up! Don’t shoot.”

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, a city facing federal-ordered reforms over excess police force, protesters have begun invoking Brown’s name at rallies connected to the city’s string of police shootings.

Around the World: China

No open nominations for Hong Kong leader

AP Photo

A 25-foot pleasure craft sinks off the coast of Manasquan.

Six people were rescued after a 25foot pleasure craft started to sink in waters off the New Jersey coast.

The responders found the victims standing in about two feet of water in the sinking boat. The state police marine unit rescued five of them while the remaining passenger was rescued by the Coast Guard Auxiliary boat crew. No injuries were reported.

All information from AP

While there’s been nothing approaching the violence seen in the St. Louis suburb, demonstrations fueled by a sense of injustice and buoyed with the help of social media have rolled across cities, regardless of whether the shootings took place last week or last month.

The spark, said Garrett Duncan, an associate professor of education and African-American studies at Washington University in St. Louis, was how Ferguson police bungled the aftermath of Brown’s killing, leading to rioting and looting in the face of a heavily armed police force and, later, the National Guard.

“When you leave an 18-year-old boy’s body in the street for four hours in a Missouri summer, that’s going to trigger something,” Duncan said. “The reason it’s politicized is we still don’t know what’s going on. The boy is buried and

BEIJING (AP) — China’s legislature on Sunday ruled out allowing open nominations in the inaugural election for Hong Kong’s leader, saying they would create a “chaotic society.” Democracy activists in the Asian financial hub responded by saying that a long-threatened mass occupation of the heart of the city “will definitely happen.”

In setting tight limits on how far electoral reforms can go in Hong Kong, Beijing issued its firmest reminder yet that it’s still in charge despite the substantial autonomy it promised the city after taking control from Britain in 1997.

The guidelines laid down by China’s communist leaders ratchet up the potential for a showdown pitting Beijing against Hong Kong democracy supporters, a group that represents a broad swath of society, including students, religious leaders and financial workers.

The decision by the legislature’s powerful Standing Committee sharpens fears that China wants to screen candidates for loyalty to the central government and is reneging on its promise to let Hong Kong’s leader be directly elected by voters, rather than the current committee of mostly pro-Beijing tycoons.

AP Photo

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying gestures during a press conference in Hong Kong on Sunday, Aug. 31.

“At this very moment, the path of dialogue has been exhausted,” said Benny Tai, a leader of the Occupy Central with Love and Peace protest movement, which has vowed to rally at least 10,000 people to paralyze Hong Kong’s financial district — known as Central — to press demands for genuine democracy.

The group will launch “wave after wave of protest action” in the coming weeks “until we get to a point when we launch the all-out Occupy Central action,” Tai told reporters.

University students are also planning to boycott classes next month.

Thousands of people gathered in a park across from Hong Kong government headquarters Sunday evening to protest the widely expected announcement, chanting slogans and waving their cellphones.

Earlier in the day, Li Fei, deputy secretary general of the National People’s Congress’ Standing Committee, told a news conference in Beijing that openly nominating candidates would create a “chaotic society.”

page 6 The Signal September 3, 2014

September 3, 2014 The Signal page 7

Editorial

Warning signs against free speech

Students from the College are familiar with the posts that line the walkway from Eickhoff Hall to the Brower Student Center. Organizations on campus utilize them to hang up signs giving information about their groups or about issues regarding their causes.

Currently, PRISM — the first queer-straight alliance organization at the College — has hung signs that promote their club with important information for potential new members. Signs include meeting times, their website URL, past events such as the Queer Wedding and the Charity Drag Show, statistics about how much money they raise through these charity events and other related topics.

Unfortunately, there are fewer signs hanging up today than there were last week. Looking down the walkway, you can see that many signs have been torn down, destroyed or completely removed from the posts. The wooden boards displaying the signs that are nailed to the posts seem to have been forcefully ripped off of the nails, leaving pages lying in the mud after the serious rainstorms that took place this weekend.

Even the wooden posts themselves that were dug into the ground have been left splintered and sprawled across the grass next to the sidewalk.

The true forces behind the destruction of these signs are still unknown. However, if they were torn down with vindictive intent, it then raises the question of whether individuals on campus are harboring discriminatory or intolerant feelings about these organizations.

Whether or not these signs were torn down maliciously or through carelessness, we should respect the efforts organizations around campus make to spread awareness of their causes or promotion of events. If we all started flagrantly destroying the hard work every club puts into making and distributing signs, fliers or promotions of any kind, what kind of message are we perpetuating about our views of their opinions, let alone larger issues of freedom of speech?

As an educational institution full of mature individuals, we should be able to find it within ourselves to be acceptant and tolerant of other beliefs and not delete their information from the campus consciousness. As college students, and people living in a democratic state for that matter, we have the right to to this information, whether it’s to share it with others or consume it ourselves.

— Kimberly Ilkowski Review Editor

Natalie Kouba / Editor-in-Chief

Promotional signs should be accepted and unobstructed.

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.

Natalie Kouba / Editor-in-Chief

Signs hung by PRISM appear mauled and sprawled across the main walkway of campus, leaving students to wonder if this is simply an act of nature or malicious intent.

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“In no way do we profit from any of (the price increase). We use all the money to add to the fitness center, including equipment, more hours of operation, space availability and the like. The fitness team wants to really blossom and make a mark in the TCNJ community.”

— Junior Fitness Center manager and Zumba instructor Kristina Kondakji

“Trenton is an extraordinarily welcoming place ... We need to build stronger bridges between the Trenton community and the TCNJ community.”

— Sam Fogelgaren, junior history and urban studies double major

r

page 8 The Signal September 3, 2014

Opinions

Student loans neglect basic student needs take out loans in my own name to attend the College for two more semesters.

Unfortunately, I can’t celebrate just yet.

The College is unable to release the check that contains the overage from my loan until October, which means I am unable to purchase my books for class for another five weeks or so.

This whole ordeal got me thinking, though. What about the students who liter-

AP Photo

Applying for student loans by yourself isn’t as easy as you’d think.

By Sydney Shaw Opinions Editor While we often hear about students putting themselves through school, it’s a feat that is easier said than done.

Stephanie, a representative from Sallie Mae, an education funding provider, who did not wish to have her full name disclosed, answered some questions I had about the likelihood of a student to be approved for a loan, sans a cosigner.

“While it is a case-by-case basis,” she emphasized, “in my experience, most students applying for a loan will need a cosigner in order to get that loan approved.”

Stephanie went on to explain that be-

cause most students haven’t established a good credit score, Sallie Mae has nothing to base the approval on if the student submits a solo application. That’s why a cosigner is so important.

But what if you don’t have a cosigner?

“Well … try to get one,” Stephanie suggested, as if it’s a piece of cake.

With one parent still financially recovering from a bankruptcy, the other deep in credit card debt and one pair of grandparents taking out loans themselves to move across the country, they weren’t solid candidates to cosign for my loans.

It was a stressful summer trying to figure it out, but luckily, my other grandparents received credit approval and I was able to

“For College students using loans to pay for their tuition fees, room and board, meal plan and books (approximately $28,000 a year), it costs them $2,520 in interest alone.”

— Sydney Shaw, Opinions Editor ally have nobody to cosign for them?

A student can slog through classwork in high school and get accepted into the university of his/her dreams, but if his/her parents make just too much money to get a

substantial amount of financial aid and the family doesn’t have a savings account, she needs to take out loans.

That same student can be willing to take out tens of thousands of dollars worth of loans in his/her own name, knowing the debt to come after graduation. And this still might not be enough to get into school if nobody in the family has a good credit score.

I understand the practicality of a cosigner — it ensures that if the student is unable to pay loans back, someone is on the hook for all that money. But the bottom line is it shouldn’t be so difficult for students to put themselves through school.

As if getting loans in the first place isn’t tricky enough, interest rates on many kinds of student loans have skyrocketed to almost nine percent, according to America’s Debt Help Organization.

That means for every $1,000 you borrow, you have to pay it back, plus $90 extra.

For College students using loans to pay for their tuition fees, room and board, meal plan and books (approximately $28,000 a year), it costs them $2,520 in interest alone.

If you can make scheduled monthly payments while you are enrolled in school, though, Sallie Mae reduces the interest rate by a quarter of a percent. How generous.

Big corporations should not use intelligent students as a moneymaking tool.

Issues inherent to Ice Bucket Challenge Why some people decline to participate

By Jonathan Kleinstein Class of 2014 Recently, my mother was challenged by her friend to complete the infamous Ice Bucket Challenge in support of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) research.

If you have not heard about it already, nominees are challenged to record themselves dumping a bucket of ice water over their heads to raise awareness for ALS or donate to the ALS foundation.

Then, the individual is supposed to nominate three other people to do the challenge and the awareness spreads. The numbness and shortness of breath caused by the ice water is supposed to show people without ALS how it feels to have the disease for just a moment.

The challenge has gotten lots of high profile support from celebrities and politicians — like Chris Pratt, Charlie Sheen and Chris Christie — and has raised over $94 million for the ALS foundation.

My mother, however, decided against doing the challenge or donating money. She gives to so many other organizations that are important to her that she does not feel she has to give money to the ALS foundation as well. Honestly, I feel somewhat similarly. I was also nominated for the Ice Bucket Challenge by a friend and declined to do it or give money.

Here’s why: Every once in a while, a social issue will gain momentum, become extremely popular for a little while, then interest will die down and another issue will come to the forefront. It is a familiar cycle —

looking back, the same thing happened with issues such as Kony, abortion rights, marriage equality and breast cancer awareness. The meme culture fostered by the Internet has seemingly spilled into charity and activism.

In the same way that the majority of people became really excited and then forgot about Gangnam Style and Scumbag Steve, those same people get excited and then forget about different causes.

With that, I have no real qualms with the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. If you choose to donate your money and time to supporting ALS, good for you. People express their love for their fellow human in many ways. I think how people decide to care so much about certain causes shows that many people are altruistic despite living in a world that promotes narcissism at every corner.

However, I do not think it is right for individuals to shame other people into giving any money causes. I think that is what a good amount of this Ice Bucket Challenge is, and that is regretful. It is horribly classist to assume people even have money to give in the first place. And let’s be honest — the dumping of ice water over one’s head is unnecessary now. The awareness is already at it’s peak. Instead, it seems like many people simply complete the challenge to show to their friends on social media that they are participating in a good cause.

There are people out there who are fully dedicated to a select few causes all the time. But in this kind of culture, caring about one or a few things all the time is a kind of long-term gamble. If you wait long enough, the collective online consciousness will hopefully choose

your cause to rain down money and support long enough for it to gain some progress.

But for every dollar you have, there is another charitable hand asking for donations for its cause. Should you be shamed for not supporting organizations X, Y or Z even though you supported ALS or donated to another group? I think not.

Do not shame others for their choice in activism.

Whatever organizations they choose to donate to or not, it is nobody’s business but their own.

AP Photo

Even professional sports teams like the Tennessee Titans participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

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September 3, 2014 The Signal page 9

Features

College alumni nominated for Hall of Fame

Coaching a winning family Living a life of leadership

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

AP Photo

Pfluger started as a student athlete for the College and now continues to inspire students on the field through coaching.

Education and the environment were two important issues for the former governor (center) who maintains an active roll in the state’s politics.

By Peter Fiorilla News Editor

By Annabel Lau Web Editor

Numerous NCAA championships and hundreds of student athletes have been attracted to the College’s lacrosse and field hockey teams over the years, and there has always been one constant at the center, as sure as gravity – longtime head coach and College alumna Sharon Pfluger, who was nominated for the New Jersey Hall of Fame’s class of 2014 this summer.

For Pfluger, who has been inducted into the United States Lacrosse and TCNJ Halls of Fame, the latest nomination serves as yet another testament to the quality in the people surrounding her.

“I feel that I’m the representative for our programs, so I am happy for everyone who has ever played for us and anyone who has ever coached for us,” Pfluger said. “I’m the figure – they have to have somebody, right?

– and I think it’s an honor for everyone.”

And since Pfluger returned to coach for her alma mater in 1985, there have been more than enough honors to pass around.

Pfluger’s teams have garnered 220 AllAmerican nominations in that time, blazing their way to a combined 951-126-6 record and 19 Division III championships.

They’ve done it while staying true to the programs’ original identity: having serious competitive backbone but also a familylike mentality, a special part of the program Pfluger fostered from the early days.

“I’d come into the office, and they’d get to know me on a different level,” Pfluger said. “That’s what makes it great.

It’s wonderful, as a coach, to have a positive impact on young adults. It’s a great feeling. But when we’re all working together on something as a family, that’s just the icing on the cake.”

For Pfluger, it’s important that each wave of Lions brings in more athletes with character or people who can form sisterly bonds with their teammates.

“That (bond) never goes away. Once they have it, it never goes away,” Pfluger said. “They’re going to have the memories of what they did on the field forever. And that’s one thing that nothing or no one can take away from them.”

Even with a tradition of great athletes, though, Pfluger had her work cut out for her when she first came to coach at the the College.

It took a workaholic’s energy to keep two programs running almost yearround — recruiting, practicing, scouting, competing in games and fulfilling

the other roles that come with the job.

“I pretty much spent my 20s in my office or on the field,” Pfluger said. “I can’t tell you one TV program there was ... because that’s what I needed to do to get the job done and that’s what I wanted to do.

Two very strong programs and I was honored to take them over.”

The programs were already familiar and prestigious. Pfluger had won national titles with the College as a student athlete before graduating in 1982, along the way making a neat bit of history.

After the NCAA began admitting women’s teams in 1981, Pfluger was a member of the lacrosse side that become the first-ever women’s team to win a NCAA championship. The Division I final was played the next day.

And competing as an athlete, under College coach Melissa Magee and in high school with College alumna Betty West, was ultimately the inspirational drive Pfluger needed to get into coaching.

“There was a nucleus of us who was with (West) year-round, and she was great,” Pfluger said. “She guided people well. She was very professional. So that was when I thought — as I progressed through high school — ‘I think I want to do this.’”

For several years after Pfluger graduated from the College, she worked in various other coaching jobs around the state after teaching during the day.

But when Magee left the College, creating a vacancy, Pfluger earned her dream job — and it didn’t take long to get back to national titles, albeit under different circumstances.

“Winning as a coach, knowing that you’re responsible for everything out there, and seeing the players so happy — I feel like I got a taste of being a parent well before I was a parent,” Pfluger said.

“Both ways, it was great. It’s hard to explain how terrific that feeling was, to win a national championship and to have it all come together.”

It’s been an unbroken chain of winning since, with the most recent title being a lacrosse championship in 2011.

But while Pfluger has been the nucleus of the programs, she knows the people around her — her family — have been responsible for the journey she’s been on.

“It’s about all of us that have been involved in it, and I’m happy to be the guide for everybody,” Pfluger said. “But I really, truly give the credit to my assistant coaches and our student athletes.

They make it, and I’m just really lucky to be a part of it.”

James Florio can be seen as a man with high hopes and grand visions, whose idealistic, “go-it-alone” attitude ultimately led to his fall from popularity as NJ governor from 1990 to 1994.

Still, Florio, a Trenton State alumnus and resident of Metuchen, NJ, has been recognized as an integral part of the state’s history. As of August, he has been selected to join the New Jersey Hall of Fame, alongside lauded New Jerseyans, like “Sopranos” actor James Gandolfini, NBC anchor Brian Williams and basketball star Patrick Ewing. Florio, along with 11 other inductees, was selected by online voters out of a pool of 50 nominees and will be formally inducted in a ceremony set to take place in Asbury Park on Thursday, Nov. 13.

Florio graduated magna cum laude with a degree in social studies from Trenton State College in 1962 and had a close mentor relationship with one of his professors, according to Stuart Koch, associate professor of political science at the College.

“From talking to one former professor, John Karras in history, Florio the student proved a mature, determined, hardworking, no-nonsense student,” Koch said. “I witnessed that he had a close relationship with Karras, as he attended alumni functions here.”

As a Democratic congressman from 1975 to 1990, Florio was known for his authorship of the Superfund legislation, which sought to clean up sites polluted with hazardous substances nationwide.

“He proved a strong advocate for the environment in Congress at a time when the environmental movement in the US was just gaining a foothold,” Koch said.

AP Photo

The former N.J. Governor also served as a U.S. congressman.

Florio also helped to establish the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, officially preserving the New Jersey Pine Barrens for future generations to enjoy.

“Everyone benefits from environmental protection, whether it is directly or indirectly,” said Jason Hammer, senior sociology major and president of WaterWatch, an environmental club at the College. “Natural sites like the Pine Barrens that are left largely undisturbed, positively influence the air and water quality of its area, while also providing recreation.”

Florio later became chairman of the New Jersey Pinelands Commission from 2002 to 2005.

As congressman, Florio also cosponsored the Exon-Florio Amendment, which reviews foreign investment in the US and allows the president to block the investment if there is a suspected threat to national security.

During his term as governor, Florio was best known for a $2.8 billion tax increase — a response to the recession of the late 1980s and a projected $3 billion deficit — which made him unpopular among suburban voters and conservative New Jerseyans.

The governor took a major blow to his political career for the tax increase.

Florio was a man of “great personal courage,” Koch said, but his idealism and lack of experience in appealing to a wide constituency ultimately led to his political downfall.

“His most harsh critics argue he was too liberal, too arrogant and inclined to go it alone,” Koch said. “I think a more balanced assessment is that he lacked executive experience, especially in dealing as governor with the legislature in developing a broad consensus. He misjudged or was not prepared for the adverse public reaction to his efforts, the strength of some adversaries … and the reality that in New Jersey, suburban politics dominates.”

Although many New Jerseyans disapproved of the tax hike, others benefitted from it. Florio’s Quality Education Act redistributed hundreds of millions of dollars from suburban areas to public schools in overlooked urban and rural districts.

According to Koch, Florio’s unpopularity stemmed from the governor’s attempt to balance state revenue and expenditures.

“He did so by raising taxes,” Koch said.

“He did the same to overcome the state’s dreadful neglect of urban schools.”

Fighting the cravings

page 10 The Signal September 3, 2014

AP Photo

Sweet or salty cravings can prove problematic for a healthly diet.

By Andreia Bulhao Columnist

Cravings: We all get them, and sometimes when you’re trying to maintain a healthy diet, succumbing to them can often be your downfall. I know that when I crave sweets, once I open that bag of M&M’s I can’t stop! And often, that’s the case with a lot of us. So what do we do about staying on track and maintaining a healthy lifestyle?

Learn the truth about our cravings. When we think we want something, our body is really telling us that we need certain nutrients. Now, I’m not saying that eating that cookie now and then isn’t acceptable, because everything is OK in moderation. But what I am saying is that we need to be aware of our body’s nutritional needs.

If you find yourself craving sweets, there are a couple of options what your body is really asking for. In some cases, craving sweets can signal dehydration, and drinking water can quickly curb your desire for digging into a cake, according

to The Huffington Post. But, it can also mean your body lacks carbon or phosphorus. Go for fresh fruits for a quick healthy fix to your sugary needs. You can also choose poultry, dairy or nuts as an alternative to this craving.

Craving some salty snacks? You probably need more than that bag of chips.

This usually means your body is lacking chloride, according to an article published on NutritionalWellness.com. Our usual table salt is often stripped of the minerals our body needs, so cooking with sea salt is an easy fix. You can also add more fish to your diet instead. It will not only satisfy this craving, but is also a great source of protein and omega-3!

Or maybe you’re more into fatty foods with a can of soda. In this case, your body is really telling you that you need more calcium, as mentioned in an article on OrganicAuthority.com. Instead of a greasy meal, go for dairy, broccoli and kale or turnip greens as a healthy alternative. You’ll feel better as a result and be able to stay on track.

Sometimes, you might find that you don’t have a specific craving but feel the need to generally overeat now and then, according to OrganicAuthority.com. This could mean your body is lacking silicon or tyrosine. If that’s the case, you may want to add more nuts, fruits and vegetables to your diet to control your sudden increased appetite.

When it comes to these messages of what we think we need and what our body is really missing, the list goes on. But knowing what to look for is important when it comes to maintaining a healthy diet. The next time you find yourself craving that bag of M&M’s, it’s not a bad idea to look into what it really means. There are tons of resources out there that help you crack the code of your body’s message, and trust me, in the long run you’ll be glad you didn’t settle for the unhealthy snack.

Campus Style

By Heather Hawkes & Jordan Koziol Columnists We caught up with fashionable friends Leah DeGraw and Mike Kelly to ask them about their own personal campus styles.

LD: He’s very preppy and clean-cut.

MK: She has some edgy stuff which I really like because she take’s some risks, and she rocks them.

What’re you wearing?

LD: My top is a Free People croppedsweater, and I’m wearing high-waisted distressed Gypsy Warrior shorts. (Gypsy Warrior is a boutique in Hoboken.)

MK: My shirt is an Ocean Current button down. My jeans are Buffalo by David Bitton, and my shoes are Clark’s.

Jordan Koziol / Columnist

A fashionable duo since their days in the Towers.

How did you two meet?

LD: We were on the same freshman floor (Wolfe 4) and bonded over our love of fashion.

MK: Like Leah said, we were on the same freshman floor, but what really brought us together was her walking around wearing my jeans one night.

How would you describe your style?

LD: I would describe my style as edgy and boho. I use basics and then combine them with one statement piece.

MK: I would say that my style is kinda simple. I have a lot of basic T-shirts that I’ll combine with other accessories, and I usually have one statement piece in my outfit as well.

How would you describe each other’s style?

Do you have a favorite accessory?

LD: I would say slouchy cardigans, and simply layered necklaces. I’m wearing two dainty pieces from Forever 21 and layered them.

MK: My favorite accessories are probably belts and cologne, as weird as that sounds. I have a ton of cologne and probably just as many belts.

What are your fashion pet peeves?

LD: I hate when people wear too many patterns that don’t match, or wear too many loud colors together. I think it clashes.

MK: Clashing patterns/colors. And clothes that don’t fit people properly.

Do you tell one another if you don’t like his/her outfit?

LD: Yes, I would. He asks me all the time.

MK: Oh yeah, I ask Leah for advice on a lot of things, and she comes to me too.

What are you excited to wear this fall?

LD: I have a lot of ’70s style lacy cardigans I can’t wait to wear. I also can’t wait to layer and wear dark jeans. Fall fashion is much less boring than summer styles. You have more variety.

MK: I have a shawl neck cable knit cardigan and an acid wash sweater that I am really excited to wear. Like Leah said, I like how much more variety there is for winter style.

The Hollyword: MTV thinks inside the box

By Johnanthony Alaimo Columnist In news that would not even shock your deceased great-great grandmother, reality TV has hit a new low. WE TV has picked up a new show to be dubbed “Sex Box.” Just in case you can’t fathom what this show can possibly be about, I will sum it up briefly for you: People have sex in a box and then talk about it. I don’t know about you, but I think out of the box was fine

just the way it was. WE TV president Marc Juis had this to say about the new program: “Sex Box” is one of the most unique and compelling show concepts we’ve ever seen, and we can’t wait to bring it to WE TV …” While this show may be “unique,” it is the latest in the trend of network series obsessed with nudity and odd locations. “Naked and Afraid” and “Dating Naked” are at the forefront of our insatiable quest to see as many pixilated crotches as possible before mom serves dinner.

AP Photo

The Hello Kitty balloon travelling along New York City avenues at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

I’m looking forward to the inevitable expansion of the genre, with such potential ideas like “Nude and Frying Bacon” and “Naked at TSA Screening Checkpoint” being surefire winners.

Pop culture is becoming increasingly nonsensical with a new revelation: The beloved cartoon character Hello Kitty has been revealed by her creator Sanrio to not be a cat. You may be wondering, “Well, last time I checked the thing had whiskers and a skull shaped like a cat.” But hey, apparently, you’re an idiot. Sanrio stated, “She is a little girl. She is a friend. But she is not a cat. She’s never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature.” If bipedal movement is the sole criterion for being considered an animal or a human, consider me to be on all fours from now on. Because being a dog is a lot easier than being a graduating college student who will probably end up eating dog food anyway.

But why did I even waste all this precious space talking about trivial bullshit when Beyoncé

AP Photo

Queen B and her royal family on stage at the 2014 VMA’s. killed it at the VMAs last week.

Katy Perry could find the cure for cancer in a can of whipped cream she’s spraying in her mouth and it would not matter. The game is over. She has risen from a member of a girl group into a figure that probably has more influence than other power figures like the President or Kermit the Frog.

If Beyoncé came up to you and

said “I’mma kill you,” you’d be like, “YES murder me in any degree you want!!!” Many would say her stature is too overhyped.

I will direct you to the 16 minute performance at the VMAs which will change your life. Maybe you’ll find God. Maybe you’ll find yourself. But you will definitely, absolutely, find $1 billion in the elevator.

September 3, 2014 The Signal page 11

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To reserve equipment, fill out the equipment request form 1 week prior on tcnj.edu/~sfboard under “Forms” Any SAF Funded organization, non-funded organizations recognized by the office of student activities, community advisors and housing assistants, & athletic teams are eligible to rent out equipment Any questions? Please contact: Student Finance Board Programming Director sfbprogramming@tcnj.edu

page 12 The Signal September 3, 2014

Arts & Entertainment

Boxed Wine plays energetic first Rat show

By Kimberly Ilkowski Review Editor The loudest place on campus every Friday night was back in action on Friday, Aug. 29, with the first official music show of the fall semester — and what better way to be welcomed back to campus than immediately being pelted with the smell of grease upon entering The Rathskeller.

The co-sponsored event by CUBRat and WTSR brought to campus festivaldarlings Ghost Beach and the up-andcoming act Boxed Wine.

To start the show, Boxed Wine, based out of Rutherford, NJ, launched into a fast-paced set of indie party pop.

The band consisted of Chris Nova on vocals and rhythm guitar, Ralph Nicastro on lead guitar, Mike Cerisano on bass and vocals, Steve McCarthy on drums and the band’s newest addition, Andrea Scanniello on keyboard.

The quintet played tracks off of the 2013 album, “Cheap, Fun,” including “Tearing It Up,” “Cannibal” and a brand new song called “Innocent” that they debuted for the packed Rat crowd.

Aside from the high energy and danceable songs, the band also performed a few covers, which included an obligatory salute to Bruce Springsteen with “Dancing in the Dark” and a sped up, high-pitched version of Weezer’s “Hash Pipe.”

Nicastro, who began the band with

his long-time roommate Nova, works at a recording studio and mixed Modern Baseball’s debut album, “Sports.” After writing original music and cycling through multiple members, Boxed Wine has finally found a perfect fit with its current lineup.

The band pulls inspiration from indie rock of the early 2000s like The Strokes, Tokyo Police Club and Hot Hot Heat. Nicastro, Nova and Scanniello also have an electronic side project called Marque Dos. “We’re always learning how to put on a better show,” Nova said.

The band is working on a follow up of “Cheap, Fun” that Nicastro described as “bigger and poppier with more guitar riffs. We’ve added in piano and Chris’s vocals are more subdued — it’s a more mature sound.”

What made the set particularly special was the band’s positive energy. The camaraderie among bandmates was apparent with joking and laughter between songs and smiles throughout the show.

The band’s happiness, along with the music, was contagious.

Next up, Ghost Beach brought the grooves with its self-described tropical grit pop. The NYC duo had the crowd run to the front of the stage, tossed around bright blue beach balls and wore neon shades courtesy of WTSR. Josh Ocean on vocals, bass and synthesizers and Eric “Doc” Mendelsohn on

Kyle Bennion / Photo Editor

Nicastro and Scanniello of Boxed Wine play a fun, indie-pop set.

guitars and synthesizers were accompanied by Chris Berry on drums for their dynamic set.

The band played many songs off its 2014 release, “Blonde,” including the hit “Miracle” and “Tear Us Apart,” as well as old favorites from its two 2013 EPs “Modern Tongue” and “Miracle.”

Over the summer the band hit the festival scene, playing sets at Chive Fest and Firefly Music Festival. They will also be performing at TBD Fest in West Sacramento, CA in October.

“It was a crazy thing (playing Firefly),” Mendelsohn said after the show. “It was a

lot of fun, and we got to see a lot of great acts ourselves. It’s awesome to see such a large amount of people come together like that.”

The band’s upcoming US tour, “The Champagne Showers Tour with Cherub and Gibbz,” begins this week in Knoxville, TN. No matter where you may end up seeing them perform, Ghost Beach always wants you to remember one thing while you’re at one of its shows.

“We have a message in our music we hope to get across to all of you,” Ocean said. “It’s to be happy and to just let it all go.”

Marvel stuns with impressive ‘Guardians’ film

By Sorraya Brashear-Evans Staff Writer

Although I’m an avid comic book reader, I, too, shared the common concern we all felt when hearing the news that Marvel had given “Guardians of the Galaxy” the green light. After the success of “The Avengers,” it seemed like Marvel could do no wrong. While both comic book and Comic-Con fans were all rooting for the success of the latest Marvel universe installment, the truth is, we were also crossing our fingers and wondering if this would be the film to bring Marvel’s success train to a screeching halt.

I didn’t think it was possible, but it seems like Marvel took its success to a whole new level, and I was thoroughly impressed with “Guardians.” It was uplifting, inspirational and super entertaining from start to finish.

The standard spandex superhero costumes have been exchanged for snazzy spacesuits, and a whole new vibrant side of the Marvel universe was revealed. Not only was “Guardians” a great comic book movie, but it was a fantastic sci-fi movie as well. Obviously, the sequel will be the ultimate judge of the “Guardians” franchise, but

I think this movie had that special X-factor that has set it apart from others.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” follows the story of a young boy named Peter Quill who is abducted by a spaceship and raised by a gaggle of scavengers on a far-away planet. This boy eventually grows up to be a scavenger himself, often referring to himself as “Star Lord.” Peter, played by Chris Pratt, is commissioned to steal an orb of mysterious power for a merchant from the planet Morag.

The orb possesses immense powers capable of destroying entire worlds with a single touch, which attracts a war-mongering civilization of aliens, which will stop at nothing to control the power of the orb.

Throw in a gun-slinging raccoon bounty hunter and his tree-humanoid sidekick, a brutish alien warrior and a hot green female assassin (no, not the Orion slave girls from Star Trek), and you’ve got the perfect mix of heroism and badass-ery that is needed to make this movie amazing. The five of them band together to defeat Ronan and his minions and save the orb from destroying the galaxy.

What I liked about this movie was the disbandment

AP Photo

Zoe Saldana and Pratt lead a band of misfits in ‘Guardians,’ Marvel’s epic summer blockbuster.

AP Photo

The character of Groot is an audience favorite.

of the typical “ultra heroic, super macho” persona of the male lead. “We are a bunch of losers … we’ve all lost stuff,” Quill says, which really gives an unconventional flavor to the film.

The group of misfits find commonality in the sense of loss, which resonates with an audience a lot better than being a super solider, billionaire or a god. Don’t get me wrong — I loved “The Avengers” more than anything, but there was something special about this gang of bounty hunters and thieves that came together to achieve something really great.

There is one thing, however, that I’ve noticed in most Marvel films that really bugs me: the villains are almost always terrible. Ronan, played by Lee Pace, hasn’t been the worst offender in Marvel film adaptations (cough The Mandarin from Iron Man 3 cough), but there is really nothing to him.

Ronan is just another dark ominous antagonist with a low whispering voice, hell-bent on destroying a race of beings. No shades of gray — just pure evil. Loki was the only exception — he was a dynamic character that was fully fleshed out and had different sides to him and, as a result, has become one of the most popular and beloved characters out of all of the Marvel movies.

I wholeheartedly recommend this film to anyone who appreciates well-done visual effects, quality writing and fantastic cinematography.

September 3, 2014 The Signal page 13

Comedy show features three diverse acts

By Jonathan Edmondson Arts & Entertainment Editor Kendall Hall was filled with students ready to laugh and eager to see the College Union Board’s “3 For Free Comedy Show,” co-sponsored by Welcome Week Committee and SFB funded, on Thursday, Aug. 28. The show featured Andrew Schulz, Omid Singh and Gina Brillon — comedians on the rise in the entertainment world.

Brillon took the stage first, clad in a black and grey dress and packed with feisty energy. Born in the South Bronx, Brillion is Puerto Rican and has a degree in English.

She rolled through her half-hour set with nonstop jokes, ranging from impressions of girls from her hometown to stories about being mugged in New York City.

“All my fun stories happen on the subway,” Brillon said, before describing a vivid scene that involved a drag queen reaching into her purse and stealing her makeup. The description made the audience burst into robust laughter.

The highlight of her set, however, was a story about how much she enjoys food and a hilarious incident at a buffet.

“I love food so much that I get mad when I’m full,” Brillon said.

“I could get hit by a bus tomorrow and don’t want my last words to be ‘I could have had a brownie.’”

The next comedian to take the stage was Omid Singh, who was seen in the Oscar-winning film “Argo.” Dressed in jeans and a hoodie, Singh had a very unique sense of humor that made for a good counterbalance with Brillion’s fast-paced set.

Born in Dubai, Singh and his family moved to Texas when he was a child. He is a stand-up comedian who is based in Los Angeles and was poking fun at his family background.

Singh told a story of running to catch a subway train and, in order to keep the doors from closing before him, throwing his black gym bag into the car. His plan hilariously failed, and he was convinced that everyone around him thought he was a terrorist.

“It’s safe to say that I’ll only be using taxis now,” Singh said.

“I’ll probably meet about seven of my uncles.”

In response to confusion over his race, Singh (who is half Indian and half Iranian) stated that he is far from being a “member of al-Qaeda.”

“The worst that I can do is teach you some yoga and then take you on a magic carpet ride.”

Finally, to close out the show, Andrew Schulz from MTV’s “Guy Code” delivered an entertaining

routine that was constructed perfectly for an audience full of excited college students.

“I’m frightened by your campus — there’s too much nature,” Schulz said to open his act, before calling Ewing “Fancy Trenton” and making the audience erupt with laughter.

Schulz, who has been hosting “Guy Code” since season one, was born and raised in New York City. Known for his street-smart humor, Schulz tells it how it is and holds nothing back.

“If you really wanna turn a girl on, send her a picture of you listening,” he joked. His set was filled with antidotes for how guys can win over girls.

“The first college I’ve ever been to was here, and I performed in the Rat,” Schulz said, which was met with a round of thunderous applause. Schulz finished his set with more hilarious stories and tips for guys.

Overall, the night was wildly successful and an entertaining way to kick off the semester.

Michael Cort / Staff Photographer

Left: Brillion performs with high energy. Right: Singh’s set gets major laughs.

‘Love Letters’ is a captivating debut novel

By Kayla Whittle Correspondent English assignments can sometimes spark the imagination, and Ava Dellaira’s debut novel, “Love Letters to the Dead,” is a testament to those inspiring classroom activities.

In the story, one teacher asks the class to write a letter addressed to a deceased person.

Laurel, a student, takes the assignment and runs with it, telling snippets of her present life as well as giving peeks into the tragedies of her past in letters to celebrities like Kurt Cobain,

Amelia Earhart and Heath Ledger. This trio is only a handful of the deceased addressed throughout the novel which is told completely through Laurel’s letters.

This stylistic decision forces the reader to imagine what Laurel is leaving out of her letters and what happens in her life between the times she chooses to sit down and pen a message to the dead.

What Laurel finds so captivating about communicating with people who are gone, particularly those lost so tragically, is obvious. Her older sister, May, has recently passed away. Not only can she hardly accept that truth or

write about how it happened, but Laurel also has a secret — one she struggles to comes to terms with in her personal letters. Her writing mimics the attitude and skill of a young woman finding her place in the world to a degree that reveals Dellaira’s talent and bodes well for her future as an inspiring author.

While some might think that the setup of the text could be used as a gimmick to draw in unsuspecting readers, Dellaira’s writing is beautiful and poised enough to stand on its own. It’s fascinating to see how Laurel’s letters change and develop

throughout the novel as she grows older and her emotions fluctuate. At times, she seems ready to stop the project entirely, though luckily, she sees us through to the novel’s tearinducing conclusion.

The captivating text coincides wonderfully with a uniquely flawed cast of characters. Laurel sometimes makes decisions that might make readers dislike her and also blatantly refuses to deal with her grief. She continuously wears her sister’s clothes and embraces all situations in the way she thinks May would have reacted. By keeping her

characters realistic and forcing them into the same family dynamic and relationship drama that might affect anyone Laurel’s age, Dellaira pulls readers into the believable world she has created.

This book will leave you with a fatal mixture of sadness and happiness. You’ll be content with how the novel ends but want much more from Laurel’s point of view, or simply wish to get another taste of this author’s work. To placate this urge, you’ll need to read “Love Letters to the Dead” again, at least until Dellaira publishes her next novel.

‘Boyhood’ breaks cinematic boundaries

By Tristan Laferriere Correspondent

Filmmaker Richard Linklater has been an important face in America’s independent cinema for the past 20 years. However, up until only a few months ago, many may have still labeled him as the guy who brought us “Dazed and Confused.”If you have been fortunate enough to have made your way to any of the limited theaters across the nation that Linklater’s latest 12-year project is being shown in, you may be seeing what many critics are already considering Oscar bait. The name of the film is “Boyhood,” and Richard Linklater has truly broken boundaries with the idea of filmmaking.

Starring Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke — and featuring one of the best movie soundtracks

AP Photo

‘Boyhood’ is shot over a 12-year period.

since “Pulp Fiction” — “Boyhood” follows the seemingly ordinary life of Mason from the ages of six through 18, over a span of 12 years. Rather than change actors to portray this one character, Linklater has tried something unheard of in the film industry. He used the same actors from the first day of shooting in 2002 until filming wrapped up in the fall of last year. And while this at first might seem like a gimmick just to draw an audience in to watch, it definitely adds to the story.

I actually went to see “Boyhood” with lower expectations than I should have. The idea of viewing a film that took 12 years to make was probably what prompted me to see it in the first place, so yes — I was a victim of the “gimmick.” Well, all I can say is that only minutes after the first images of “Boyhood” flashed across the big screen, I was taken aback by this work of art.

The plot is simple enough: An eight-year-old boy, Mason, is shown growing up with his older sister, Samantha, and his struggling single mother as they move from place to place throughout Texas. Mason battles issues with relationships, sibling rivalry, bickering parents, high school and almost all other clichés of a boy growing up in contemporary American society. However, this isn’t to say that “Boyhood” is a cliché.

In fact, it is the exact opposite. The reason this movie is so special is that we as an audience are looking at ourselves and become completely haunted by what we see. It is as if we’re looking back at our own childhoods through the story of Mason and comparing it constantly to our own life decisions.

The true beauty of “Boyhood” comes from the incredible performances. The performance by Patricia Arquette is definitely one of the better in all of cinema. The role of the single

AP Photo

Coltrane is a strong actor in his debut film.

mother struggling to make a happy and healthy home for herself and her children has been done before, but Arquette has created a character that is so real that at times we wonder if she is really acting. To add to the realistic quality of this picture, I couldn’t help but notice that it seemed like almost none of the actors were wearing makeup. Yes, this is a small detail, but a crucial one at that. This is a movie showing real people and what real people truly look like.

All in all, “Boyhood” is truly unlike anything I have ever seen before on film, yet it is something that almost all of us have seen in real life. Linklater’s modern tale of an ordinary family makes an unordinary sort of picture in which the actors seem to be playing themselves, and the audience is seeing themselves on the big screen for the first time without the boundaries of Hollywood fakeness. If you want to see a memorable film, “Boyhood” is a masterpiece and surely bound to be Linklater’s next classic.

page 14 The Signal September 3, 2014

September 3, 2014 The Signal page 15

Lions place well at 5K home invitational Nealon leads the Lions pack, taking third Cross Country

By George Tatoris Staff Writer

The men’s and women’s cross country teams started off the season strong at the Blue/Gold Invitational, a 5K event hosted by the College this year, on Saturday Aug. 30.

Senior Tara Nealon took third with a time of 19:17.00, only two seconds behind her forerunner from Rider, one of two Division I schools at the meet. The other school was St. Joseph’s University.

This was in addition to the women’s team having six other runners in the top ten, four of them being ties. Seniors Jillian Manzo and Liz Johnson tied for ninth with a time of 20:05.00.

Freshman Allison Fournier and senior Megan Stack tied for seventh with a time of 19:55.00.

“Overall, I think that everyone had a great performance at our season opening meet,” Stack said. “We have been training all summer to prepare for this season, and I think that we are off to a strong start.”

Sophomore Laura Straub crossed the finish line sixth with

Photos courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Junior Roberto Guiducci (left) takes sixth while senior Tara Nealon (right) places third.

a time of 19:45.00 and her teammate, senior Carly Martz, crossed fourth with a time of 19:27.00.

“Both of those programs have very talented runners and it was really cool to get out there and see some good competition,” sophomore Andrew Tedeschi said. “It’s always fun to race against some Division I programs because it gives us a chance to show them

how good some Division III schools are.”

The men’s team fared just as well as the women’s team, with the Lions holding six of the top eleven spots in the race. Tedeschi ranked second out of 48 runners in the event with a time of 16:08.00.

Senior Andrew DeMaria tied for 10th with Mike Pionnola

from Rider University with a time of 16:23.00. Sophomore Brandon Mazzarella and juniors Scott Savage and Roberto Guiducci came in ninth, eighth, and sixth place respectively, with Guiducci tying with Rider runner Daniel Belay for sixth.

Two seconds behind Tedeschi was freshman recruit Dale Johnson, earning third in his first ever

race for the College. Both Stack and Tedeschi praised the freshmen recruits’ ability to adapt to college cross country.

“Transitioning from high school to college running can be a tiresome and nerve-racking process,” Stack said. “However, the freshmen on our team have all been doing a great job with this transition, and I am proud at how confident they were during their first collegiate race.”

Tedeschi said the freshmen are “adjusting really well to the harder training.” College runners have nearly twice the amount of mileage compared to high school runners – high school runners do 40-50 miles per week whereas college runners do 70-90.

Alumni from Rider, St. Joseph’s and the College were allowed to compete at the event as well. Stack, being a senior, was on the same team as many of these alumni over the course of her collegiate running career.

“It is always nice to see how many alumni come back to show their support for TCNJ’s cross country team,” Stack said.

Women’s Tennis

Dominating pair in Lions’ tennis captains

By Kyle Bennion Photo Editor

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Junior Jasmine Muniz-Cadorette plays with co-captain Emma Allen.

The College’s women’s tennis team led a dominating outing against Rutgers-Camden Sunday, Aug. 31, winning 9-0.

The win pushed the team’s consecutive conference win streak to 155 straight, a record that dates back to the 1982 season.

This win is a step in the right direction for the team’s end-of-season goal, a 32nd straight season where the girls win their conference.

The team swept all three points in doubles action and saw junior captains Jasmine Muniz-Cadorette and Emma Allen dominate their competition by a score of 8-0, a score that was matched by the sophomore tandem of Katie Buchbinder and Anna Prestera.

Freshmen Maddy Stoner and Nadia Olesnycky paired up and won 8-2 against

the competition, which was their first win as members of the team.

In singles action, the Lions also took all six points, with Prestera, Buchbinder, Muniz-Cadorette, Allen and Stoner all recording their second wins on the day.

Freshman Brittany Reedman earned her first collegiate win in the third singles match in perfect sets. The loss drops the Scarlet Raptors to 1-2 on the year.

Next up, the Lions travel to Ramapo to compete against the Roadrunners on Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 3:30 p.m.

The week after, the Lions take to their home turf against Stockton College on Sept. 10 at 4 p.m.

On the men’s side, while they await their main season in the spring, they’ve been preparing to host an upcoming tournament with New York University on Friday, Sept. 12.

Men’s Soccer

Lions redeem opening loss with 4-1 win

By Peter Fiorilla News Editor The men’s soccer team showed well in its opening two games at the Glimore Alumni Classic tournament last week, holding No. 1 Messiah College in a narrow 2-1 loss before rebounding with a 4-1 win over Elizabethtown College.

The Lions (1-1) benefitted from the heroics of goalkeeper junior Mike Libucha, who made a combined 18 saves against 21 shots on goal, and five different players getting on the board over the course of the tournament.

Sophomore midfielder Clayton Flon was the first to strike for the Lions this year, opening his season

account after just four minutes: Flon fired a shot on goal and then finished off his own rebound for a 1-0 lead against defending national champions Messiah.

But the Falcons made sure the College’s advantage was short-lived, as they equalized within a minute through a bomb from long distance.

Libucha made six saves in each period to keep the teams in a dead lock, but the Falcons notched the go-ahead goal 25 minutes after half-time and had no trouble closing the game out.

The Lions offense came out firing on all cyllinders in the follow-up game, a rout of Elizabethtown, as three Lions notched their first-ever collegiate goals.

Statistically, the game was close — the Lions only out-shot the Blue Jays 14-12 — but the College finished off its chances early and often, starting in the fifth minute.

Junior defender Dan McMillan sent a cross into the box that senior forward Jason O’Donnell headed into goal. While the Blue Jays equalized in the 45th minute, an Elizabethtown own goal gave the Lions a 2-1 lead heading into half-time.

The College added to its lead in the second half, with junior midfielder Jordan Kayal and defender Joe Martinico adding insurance goals, and Libucha made six saves to preserve the eighth win of his career.

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Sophomore Clayton Flon scores the season’s first goal.

page 16 The Signal September 3, 2014 Club Sports

Sporting a legacy of family and discipline Cohesiveness lends to a successful crew

Photos courtesy of Allison Pollini

TCNJ Crew utilizes a strong family connection alongside a disciplined attitude in order to row the boat as one unit and successfully complete a race.

By Julie Kayzerman Sports Editor Starting off mornings rowing together at 5 a.m. and working to move in perfect unison as one cohesive team, the members of TCNJ Crew must hone a high level of discipline in order to achieve success. But as far as achieving a close connection with one another, it’s clear they’ve already succeeded at that.

“We very much consider ourselves a family,” president Mike Baumann said. “The crew is filled with individuals with strong personalities and strengths, and with members like this, we are able to form a versatile, well-rounded team.”

But this family connection

isn’t any coincidence. Baumann describes it as being vital to the sport itself.

“Our closeness is tied to the most basic foundations of rowing,” Baumann said, explaining that a rower must always be in tune with the person in front of him/her, the person behind him/her and the boat as a whole.

While the men and women race separately, they practice together, leading to a very interesting team dynamic, Baumann said.

As the team members each fulfill a particular role, the purpose of every rower and coxswain remains the same — to move the boat as one.

“There’s no room for selfishness or big egos,” Baumann said.

“Personal achievement is still important, of course, and the entire team benefits when someone gets even a little bit stronger and a little bit faster. Races are not won by a rower — they are won by a crew.”

The club, founded a little over a decade ago, began just by fundraising in order to actually obtain the equipment to first get on the water.

However, it was the dedication of the crew’s founders — some of whom graduated before even seeing their efforts come alive — that continues to drive the team to be determined as a whole, Baumann said.

The team members typically practice five days a week, from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, followed by

a long Sunday practice from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. During both fall and spring seasons, they take to the water on their home course, Mercer County Park, as well as practicing on land. They are currently led by head coach Alison Pollini and assistant coach Katie Samsel. However, both are leaving in the fall to pursue new career opportunities — leaving the team with the obstacle of replacing their coaches.

This commitment is all in preparation for each regatta they compete in — a feat that takes them around the state as well as the Dad Vail Regatta on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, the largest collegiate regatta in the country, according to Baumann.

Constantly looking to improve,

Baumann says he’s seen tremendous growth in the success of his team over the past year, with its membership doubling as well as the number of boats increasing from four to nine.

Now they are looking to continue growing as a competitive team in the region.

“After every morning practice, I am astounded by the strength and determination shown by every one of our members,” Baumann said. “Whether it’s a novice who first picked up an oar just a few days before or a varsity member who has been rowing for years, it’s amazing to consider how much hard work that goes into this beautiful yet masochistic sport.”

Proving athleticism beyond orientation

AP Photo

Michael Sam, the first openly gay football player, is cut from the Rams.

By Kevin Luo Staff Writer

Despite being one of the final cuts this weekend by the Rams, Michael Sam proved to many people this preseason that he belongs in the National Football League.

Following his senior season at Missouri, where he was the co-defensive player of the year in the SEC, Sam came out as a gay man. His draft stock was a topic of conversation around the league and the

media this past spring. NFL front office personnel were worried that his combination of size and athleticism wouldn’t translate to the NFL game, but many were more worried that his sexual orientation would be a distraction throughout the rest of the offseason for their teams. As a result, Sam fell to the seventh round where the Rams took him with the 249th pick, and he became the first openly gay player to be drafted in the NFL. After being drafted, many around the

Rams organization and the entire league voiced their opinions about everything surrounding Sam. Many believed that he would be too much of a distraction and cited the kissing clip with his boyfriend constantly being shown on various news outlets. I think Rams head coach Jeff Fisher, however, did a great service for Michael Sam by telling the media following the introductory press conference that all press conferences from then on would focus on football-related questions. There were rumors that Sam had reached an agreement with the Oprah Winfrey Network to have a documentary series about his attempt at making an NFL team. Following backlash from the rumors, however, the series was put on hold. Then, Michael Sam came out, and he reiterated the fact that his main focus was football and doing what he could to make the team.

That’s when Michael Sam showed what he was made of. In the preseason, he was rotating in with the starters and getting a lot of work with the backup units.

In both situations, he was successful. He didn’t look lost against the starters and was able to make plays while playing against the backups. In four games, he had 11 tackles and three sacks, including two sacks of fellow rookie lightning rod Johnny Manziel. Sam’s stats were very impressive, but he also showed in areas that don’t show up

on the stat sheet. He demonstrated a high motor which compensated for his physical attributes, about which many NFL analysts were worried. Rams’ coaches said he also looked good on special teams, which is important for non-starters. Along with playing well on the field, Sam was able to gain the respect and support of his teammates and coaches, as exemplified by fellow defensive end Chris Long who tweeted that he was annoyed with how ESPN was covering Sam, implying that they just viewed him as a football player. Fisher also announced after their final preseason game that Sam can definitely play in the league.

Michael Sam brings a lot of things to the table for a football team as a 4-3 defensive end — especially as a situational pass rusher. That team, however, just wasn’t meant to be the St. Louis Rams. The Rams have a lot of holes on their roster, but pass rushing defensive end is not one of them.

They have one of the best defensive end duos in the league in Long and Robert Quinn and have plenty of depth on the defensive line. Many teams in the league can use more pass rushing, so Michael Sam should have no problem finding a place on a roster after his performance this preseason. I think he proved to the NFL community that he’s not just the gay football player.

4 6

September 3, 2014 The Signal page 17

LIONS

AROUND THE

DORM 5 3

Peter Fiorilla “The Ref”

Matt Bowker

Production Manager

Kyle Bennion Photo Editor

Kevin Luo

Staff Writer

In this week’s Around the Dorm, the “Ref,” Peter Fiorilla, asks our panel of experts three questions: Which NFL team had the best offseason, how many AFC West teams will qualify for the playoffs this year and which will win the division, and should sports fans be tuning in to watch the FIBA Basketball World Cup?

1. The NFL regular season starts on Thursday. Which team had the best offseason?

Matt: I hate to be that guy who takes the obvious choice, but the Denver Broncos had by far the best offseason. After being embarrassed in last year’s Super Bowl, the Broncos have greatly improved their defense. Last season, the Broncos gave up the eighth-most points per game in the NFL before their defense gave up 43 points in the Super Bowl. To upgrade their defense, the Broncos signed All-Pro safety T.J. Ward, aging yet still productive Demarcus Ware and rising star corner Aqib Talib.

Talib and Ward will surely help a Broncos defense that allowed the fifth-most passing yards in the league, while Ware will help solidify a line backing core that will also have Von Miller back for a full season after he served a suspension to start last season.

Then again, none of these additions will matter as long as Manning and company continue to lead the league in every offensive category, which I believe they will. The Broncos lost Knowshon Moreno and Eric

Decker to free agency, but any NFL running back will have success running against six men in the box, and Peyton can turn any receiver into a star (Yes you, Austin Collie).

The only defense the Broncos offense struggled against last season was the Seahawks large physical Legion of Boom. Lucky for the Broncos, the NFL has implemented new rules where defenders cannot breathe on a receiver, let alone touch them. Manning should send a gift basket filled with fruits and incense to

AP Photo

Roger Goodell to thank him for eliminating their only competition to win a Super Bowl.

Kyle: I hate to say this, but the most improved team this offseason is the Denver Broncos.

First, Von Miller and Ryan Clady return in full health from injury last season, leaving holes in the interior defense that were not filled. Picking up Pro Bowl cornerbacks in Aquib Talib and T.J. Ward shores up their secondary, which was hurt by the loss of Dominique RodgersCromartie. With a declining but still talented

Demarcus Ware coming to the team from Dallas and the loss of Eric Decker to New York, the team is moving in a more balanced direction from last season’s offensive rampage.

Kevin: I think the team that had the best offseason was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The biggest thing Tampa gained this offseason was a little stability. That stability starts with the hiring of head coach Lovie Smith.

Last year, it seemed like the team quit on coach Greg Schiano. They also brought in quarterback Josh McCown, who will bring stability to the position that saw the carousel of Josh Freeman and Mike Glennon last season. Along with the added stability, the Bucs added a ton of talent to the team at important positions. They added Anthony Collins to protect McCown, Michael Johnson to rush the passer, Logan Mankins to improve the running game and Alterraun Verner to replace disgruntled Darrelle Revis. They also drafted Mike Evans to pair with Vincent Jackson. Lastly, they get the benefit of Doug Martin coming back from injury.

Kevin wins for tabbing the Bucs to turn it around, while Matt and Kyle get 2 points each for playing it safe with the Broncos.

2. The AFC West was the best division in football last year. How many teams will qualify this year, and who will win that division?

Matt: Last year the Chargers, Broncos and Chiefs all made the playoffs coming out of the AFC West. This year, only the Chargers and Broncos will return.

Every defense in the league will double cover Dwayne Bowe. Alex Smith is

AP Photos

a serviceable quarterback until you ask him to throw the ball more than five yards down field. Also, it is physically impossible for Andy Reid to adapt his game plan, learn from mistakes, or just coach a game without looking like a ripe tomato in his red shirt.

The Chiefs have a shot at a wild card, and the closest the Raiders get to the playoffs will be

sharing a stadium with the Oakland As. The Chargers can be this year’s surprise team. Philip Rivers salvaged his career last year and is quickly making a star of Keenan Allen. On the defensive side, the Chargers held opponents to a respectable 22 points per game and improved throughout the season.

The Chargers will finish second in the AFC West and grab a wild card spot.

Kyle: Last year, the AFC West sent three teams to the playoffs, which may be two teams more than it sends this year. With the improvements made offseason coupled with losing only one main contributor, the Denver Broncos seem poised to repeat as AFC West Champions this season. The Chargers will have one of the most potent offenses in the league this year, but with serious questions at defense, they will just miss the playoffs. Kansas City will not repeat the magic from its 11 win season last year, and will most likely finish the season with six wins. As per usual, the Oakland Raiders will

be looking at last place in their division.

Kevin: I think the Broncos will win the AFC West again. They still have a ton of weapons for Peyton Manning to use on offense and bolstered their defense by adding Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward and Demarcus Ware. They’ll also get Ryan Clady back from injury to protect Peyton.

I think one other team will make the playoffs from this division. The Raiders are the Raiders, so it’ll be between the Chiefs and Chargers. I think the Chiefs were a fluke last year and got worse this offseason. Last season, their defense was dominant early on because they played a bunch of terrible quarterbacks and they got exposed later in the season. This offseason they lost some important players, most notably Brendan Albert. I think the Chargers will be a playoff team this year. I like a lot of the weapons Philip Rivers has at his disposal, most notably ROY Keenan Allen. Also, they have a young defense that played much better at the end of last year and is trending up.

Matt wins for pointing out how dangerous the Chargers were last year, Kevin gets 2 points for highlighting the Chiefs’ late collapse, and Kyle gets 1 point for picking the Broncos.

3. Should sports fans be tuning into the FIBA Basketball World Cup? Matt: No sane sports fan should watch the FIBA Basketball World Cup. It’s like the actual World Cup but without the fun, excitement and competition. It’s such a joke it should be shown exclusively on ESPN 8 “The Ocho.”

Do we need a tournament to settle which team will get crushed by USA in the championship?

I can’t remember the last time USA didn’t blow out an international team by at least 30.

Even now, with exciting NBA superstars like Derrick Rose’s knee, James Harden’s beard and Anthony Davis’ unibrow, the USA will cruise to a championship. The USA has sent second-teir players and will still dominate every game. The USA could send a team full of Brian Scalabrines and still sweep the competition. “I can’t wait to see the US play Senegal,” said nobody ever.

Kyle: Sports fans should be turning in to the FIBA Basketball World Cup, but American basketball fans certainly will not be. Any time that multiple countries can participate in an event together harmoniously should always be praised and appreciated, but the

level of competition that has come to be expected from watching American basketball simply is not there. For example, the two games USA has played so far have been decided by a whopping 80 points. No competition, no competitiveness, no interest for American fans.

Kevin: There are many reasons for sports fans to follow the FIBA World Cup. First off, international basketball tends to be more team oriented, reminiscent of the style the Spurs played in last year’s playoffs. In terms of storylines, there are a lot of star players whom the casual sports fan might not know that well that will have big roles on their teams. Obviously, most of these players are on the US roster. Players like Demarcus Cousins, Andre Drummond and most notably Anthony Davis will be playing on a big stage that they don’t usually get to play on with their normal NBA teams. Other players who will get more exposure are Goran Dragic of Slovenia and young guys like the “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo and Dante Exum of Australia. Lastly, we get to see Derrick Rose. I want to see how he looks after almost two years off.

Matt wins for saying ESPN 8 “The Ocho” should televise FIBA, Kevin gets 2 points for saying the event is team-oriented, and Kyle gets 1 point for saying FIBA isn’t competitive.

AP Photo

Matt wins Around the Dorm, 8-7-4

page 18 The Signal September 3, 2014

WED, SEPT 10 11AM—3PM ALUMNI GROVE (between Eickhoff & Library) Rain location = Social Science Bldg

STUDY ABROAD FAIR Center for Global Engagement * Green Hall 111 www.tcnj.edu/goglobal/ * goglobal@tcnj.edu * 609-771-2596

September 3, 2014 The Signal page 19

ports Week In Review Like us on Facebook to follow the College’s breaking news.

THIS WEEK IN SPORTS HISTORY On September 5, 1994, San Fracisco 49ers wide reciever Jerry Rice caught his 127th touchdown pass, breaking Jim Brown’s record.

Rice finished his career with 197 touchdowns — 41 touchdowns more than any other player in NFL history.

Check out the new and improved Signal web page!

Follow @TCNJSignal on Twitter

Team total: 204 Alex Spark 53 Jillian Nealon 35 Jen Garavente 34 Lauren Pigott 23 Erin Waller 20 Kendal Borup 11 Lauren Karpovich 9

S T U D E N T AT H L E T E O F

The Horizon For

THE WEEK

Sports Men’s Soccer September 5 at John Carroll University, 7:30 p.m.

September 6 at Brooklyn College, 3:00 p.m.

Gina Caprara Women’s Soccer

Recorded a hat trick in the season opener

Coming off the bench, senior Gina Caprara recorded a hat trick in a span of just under six minutes in the Lions’ season opening blowout win vs. Cedar Crest College. The Lions cruised to a 10-0 victory at home lead by Caprara. She scored her three goals on her only shots of the game.

This week’s picks from the staff Staff

(NFL) Packers vs.

Seahawks

(NFL) Colts vs.

Broncos

Women’s Soccer September 3 vs. Virginia Wesleyan College, 7:30 p.m.

September 6 at Oneonta State, 1:00 p.m.

September 7 at Hartwick College, 2:30 p.m.

Cross Country September 6 Fordham University Fiasco/Ed Joyce Memorial, 10:00 a.m.

Football September 5 vs. Ursinus College, 7:00 p.m.

(MLB) Giants vs.

Tigers

Matt Bowker

Women’s Tennis September 3 at Ramapo College, 3:30 p.m.

Julie Kayzerman

Field Hockey September 6 at FDU-Florham, 1:00 p.m.

Andrew Grossman Pete Fiorilla

Signal Trivia

?

Who is the only college football player to win the Heisman Trophy twice?

?

AP PHOTO

Last Week’s Trivia Answer : Babe Ruth was the Brooklyn Dodgers first base coach for the 1938 season. Ruth left the team after the season when he was passed on for the position of manager.

page 20 The Signal September 3, 2014

The top 10 reasons to write for The Signal: 10. We don’t haze.

9. We aren’t vampires.

8. It looks good on a résumé.

7. It will make your parents proud.

6. We work out.

5. We are punny.

4. There’s a basketball hoop in our office.

3. We get free food.

2. All the cool kids are doing it.

1. Great networking skills.

Contact us at signal@tcnj.edu Center for Global Engagement Center for Global Engagement Weekly Info Sessions: “Study Abroad 101” Wednesdays, 2pm, Social Science 130 Starting on September 3 Have you wanted to learn more about studying abroad for a semester, a summer, a Winter Session, or a Maymester? Need help with the application process? Can’t decide between Paris, Cape Town, or Tokyo? Come to a Study Abroad 101 session and get the information you need… no strings attached!

http://www.tcnj.edu/global

Green Hall 111

September 3, 2014 The Signal page 21

Fun Stuff Thought of the day: i’m off to a rocky start with this geology class...

an a-maze-ing apple!

text messages with john doe

can you spot the differences?

ANSWER OF RIDDLE FROM PAGE 22: THE WORD “SHORT”

page 22 The Signal September 3, 2014

MORE Fun Stuff do you see...

mad lib

...what we see?

DO YOU DRAW COMICS? DO YOU HAVE A SUGGESTION FOR SOMETHING FUN?

Suduko Solutions from last week Sudoku Solution #1

EMAIL US AT SIGNAL@ TCNJ.EDU! Sudoku Solution #2

SOLVE THIS RIDDLE!

WHAT five-LETTER WORD BECOMES SHORTER WHEN YOU ADD TWO LETTERS TO IT? (ANSWER ON PAGE 21)

September 3, 2014 The Signal page 23

Come to The Signal Interest Meeting Sunday, Sept. 7 at 5:00 p.m. in the Brower Student Center basement

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

@tcnjsignal Like us on Facebook to find out about campus events

/TCNJSignal

Signal

Sports

Women’s soccer dominates the field

Starting out the season with a 10-0 win

By Matt Bowker Production Manager

The 10th-ranked Lions dominated Cedar Crest College in their season opener on Friday, Aug. 28, winning in a 10-0 landslide at home.

The team raced out to an early lead and never looked back.

Freshman Elizabeth Thoreson opened the scoring for the Lions just 39 seconds into the game.

Thoreson was one of three freshmen to tally a goal on the day.

Fellow freshmen Hannah Richman and Kathryn Bednarsky came off the bench to add goals of their own in their first collegiate games. In all, Lions’ substitutes scored eight of the team’s 10 goals.

Senior Gina Caprara led the way offensively for the College, scoring three goals in a span of six minutes to seal the win for the Lions. She scored her three goals on her only three shots of the game.

“It really was (a great experience) since I haven’t scored a hat trick since my youth soccer years,”

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Freshman Hannah Richman adds a goal to the scoreboard at Friday’s game.

Caprara said. “I was surprised I was able to get three, but I am glad I finished all my chances.”

Junior Christina Roach also had a big game, scoring two goals of her own.

Last year’s leading scorer and reigning NJAC Rookie of the Year, Christine Levering, scored her first goal of the season just six minutes into the contest.

Junior Justine Larocca closed

out the scoring for the College, burying one in the back of the net early in the second half.

Overall, seven different Lions scored on the day.

“I think we have great players

starting … and everyone who comes off the bench also makes an impact on the field,” Capara said about the team’s offensive balance. “I think that that will help us this season because we have a lot of good players off the bench still scoring. That shows we all offensively know how to finish the ball.”

While the offense turned in an incredible game, the defense played a nearly perfect game.

Thanks to stellar defense and ball control, Cedar Crest was unable to get a single shot off.

Senior goalkeepers Kendra Griffith and Tara Fisher each played a half while picking up a combined shutout, despite not facing a single shot. Last season, the team had a remarkable 13 shutouts.

This week, the Lions will host Virginia Wesleyan College on Wednesday, Sept. 3, just before heading to New York for a pair of weekend games with Oneonta State on Saturday, Sept. 6, and Hartwick College on Sunday, Sept. 7.

Quick start earns the Lions an opening win

By Otto Gomez Correspondent As students, we are told to get ahead early in the year so we do not fall behind. Professors want us to start doing well right from the beginning of the semester — in this way, we gain confidence as the year goes on, leading to our success.

The same metaphor can be applied to sports, and the field hockey team executed the plan perfectly. With seven quick goals before halftime, the Lions built an insurmountable lead that they kept until the end of the game, eventually finishing off the Stevens Institute of Technology Ducks 7-2 on Friday, Aug. 29.

Coach Sarah Pfluger was enthusiastic about their quick start.

“We always want to get off to a strong start,” she said.

“We were just clicking tonight and our team did really well. I’m real proud of them.

Lions’ Lineup September 3, 2014

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Sophomore Jaclyn Douglas picks up a hat trick in field hockey’s 7-2 win this Friday.

We are lucky enough to have a lot of our players back from last year and that’s going to really help us this year.”

The team brings back impact seniors Erin Waller, Lindsey Hatch and Erin

I n s i d e

Healy, among others. Healy, with her goal on Friday, is now one point away from becoming the 17th player in the College’s history to score 100 points for the field hockey team.

The Lions started strong on Friday, with Jaclyn Douglas scoring three goals in the first 10 minutes of play. Douglas, a returning sophomore, said their goal was to go up early and to

never look back.

“The entire team plays like this. That was our goal,” Douglas said when asked about her three quick goals.

“We want to score in the first 30 seconds of the game.

We want to move everyone up and have our backfield be right there too. Tonight, we executed, and as a team, we were working.”

After the first three goals, the Lions proceeded to score four more in the next 10 minutes — two of which were sunk by Waller, with Healy and Hatch scoring a goal apiece. As the half ended, the Lions began making substitutions to give some of the younger players minutes and, more importantly, to have them face decent competition early in the season.

The team also had extra motivation after a devastating loss against Steven’s last year when they were defeated 2-1. Pfluger made a point to her team that it was important for them to avenge themselves and set the tone for the rest of the division and the rest of the conference. The team faces Manhattanville College at home on Tuesday, Sept. 2, at 7:30 p.m.

46 53 Around the Dorm page 17

Close-knit TCNJ Crew page 16

Cross Country impresses page 15

Michael Sam gets cut page 16