Campus on a Never-ending Construction kick?
Records set as Lions drop a close one to Ursinus College See Sports page 24
See news page 3
Canvas is College’s future Visitor attacked Vol. CXXXVII, No. 2
September 5, 2012
Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885
SOCS sticking around until 2013 By Brendan McGrath Managing Editor
The College has set up a tentative schedule for phasing out SOCS as the school’s official learning management system (LMS), according to Ryan Gladysiewicz, assistant director of Instructional Technology Services. Instructure Canvas is slotted to take over for SOCS, though
the College has not yet finalized a contract with the company. SOCS will remain as the official LMS for this academic year, but Canvas is expected to take over by fall 2013. SOCS will continue to be around during the transition period, though. In the meantime, some students may encounter the new system. “There are plans to run pilots
of Instructure Canvas in fall 2012 and spring 2013, so it is possible that students may be in a pilot course and use Instructure Canvas instead of SOCS for their course work,” Gladysiewicz said. Canvas, the LMS, is provided by Instructure, an outside service that was formed in 2008 see CANVAS page 2
Socs.tcnj.edu
Canvas.instructure.com
Over the next year, the College will transition from SOCS to Instructure Canvas.
AP Photo
Campus Police received a report of an assault Saturday. By Brandon Gould News Editor
A 23-year-old man was found Saturday morning between 2:30-3 a.m. near the Spiritual Center and reported being attacked at an offcampus party, according to an email sent out by Campus Police. The victim, who is not a student at the College, said that he visited campus last night to watch the College’s football game at Lions Stadium against Ursinus College, according to the email. The man reported that he
was attacked later and then dropped off at the location where he was discovered. In the email, Campus Police stated that the victim “was not able to provide a description of the attacker(s) or the location of the incident, but he appeared to have sustained significant injuries and was transported to the Helene Fuld Medical Center.” Campus Police also asked anyone with pertinent information to call Campus Police Services (609-771-2345) and encouraged students to travel in groups and notify them of any suspicious behavior.
New website format receives mixed review from students By Jamie Primeau Editor-in-Chief
Frequent visitors of the College’s website may have done a double-take when looking at the page anytime after Aug. 20. This is because its home page has been redesigned. An email that the Office of Communications and College Relations sent to students announced the changes and stated that they were made “in our continuing effort to improve The College of New Jersey’s online presence.” The new page features a large multimedia slideshow and a white background, compared to the previous blue one. There are also news stories with thumbnail photos. “(The site) dynamically displays news stories from TCNJ’s News website as well as emergency alerts from TCNJ’s Emergency Management website,” said Matthew Golden, associate vice president for Communications and College Relations. The intentions were to improve site navigation and the presentation of information, Golden said. Direct links to the College’s mail system (Google Apps and Zimbra), SOCS and PAWS are now only one click away at the top right-hand side of the site. Links to the bookstore, Career Center and study abroad office are also more visible.
These changes were implemented by the Office of Communications and College Relations along with Information Technology. Golden explained that the homepage upgrade was accomplished internally and without bringing in consultants or contractors. According to Golden, “We recently moved TCNJ’s home page to our WordPress server, which uses a modified version of a TCNJ theme that was originally released in January 2009.” Upperclassmen definitely recognized the differences and have reacted in varying ways. “I actually noticed it pretty quickly,” said Brian Hurler, sophomore economics major. “The website was definitely in need of an upgrade and was lacking compared to other college websites, so it’s good to see it got updated. It’s also much more organized and accessible than it used to be.” Though senior Mariko Curran noticed of the updates as well, she did not come away impressed. “I don’t really like that the home page slideshow takes up almost my entire screen — it makes navigation harder,” the English major said. “Also, I’m not sure what’s necessary in order for this to happen, but I really hope the redundant URL is changed. Tcnj.pages.tcnj.edu? Really?” Curran commented in her critique of the site. Echoing similar thoughts, senior
INDEX: Nation & World / Page 5 Opinions / Page 7 Columnist experiences The Signal Color Run with W.I.L.L. Group runs “happiest 5K on the plant.” @TCNJsignal See Features page 11
Editorial / Page 9
Robert Catona, an interactive multimedia major, said, “I think it is great TCNJ is trying to update their website and create a better mobile home page, but they have really missed the mark.” Explaining his opinion, Catona believes the previous home page was better in appearance and accessibility. “It looks juvenile — it could be for my town’s elementary school, not a college,” he said. “Other state institutions like Rutgers have very attractive home pages. They are bold, visually appeal-
ing, and still informative. TCNJ’s current home page overwhelms you with the amount of information on it.” While Catona is not fond of the page’s current appearance, he noted that this is simply because he holds the school to a higher standard. “I really hope it is updated again soon and its aesthetics and functionality are improved,” Catona concluded. “TCNJ is a great institution academically and socially and that should be reflected when navigating to their home page.”
TCNJ.edu
The College hopes its altered home page will improve its online presence. Features / Page 11
College upgrades, but at what cost? Construction on campus racks up the dollar signs. See News page 3
Arts & Entertainment / Page 15
Sports / Page 24
‘3 for free’ CUB puts on comedy show to open semester. See A&E Page 15
page 2 The Signal September 5, 2012 Official SFB meetings will start this week in Social Sciences 227 at 12:30 p.m. All meetings after that will be at Brower Student Center room 210 or 211, at 12:30 p.m.
Student Government has positions open on the Freshman Class Council — president, vice president, treasurer and secretary — and at least one vacant seat for a senator Ashley from each of the seven schools, open for candidacy to students of that school.
Check back next week for more details.
Push-ups lead to piss Canvas / The new SOCS Decker resident busted By Brendan McGrath Managing Editor
he had multiple Solo cups of beer and was issued a summons.
A Ewing resident reported a group of six people doing push-ups on the street in front of her house at approximately 12:40 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 3, according to reports. She then reported that her mailbox had been vandalized. When police were driving down the street they noticed people fitting the resident’s description, one of whom was relieving himself on a tree. The students received summons for underage drinking, but were not charged further. … While a Campus Police officer was at a stop on Metzger Drive at 1:25 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 2, they noticed a student staggering towards the back of Decker Hall. He then attempted to open a window to a dorm room, according to reports. When the officer approached and asked what he was doing, the student replied that he wanted to get into his room, but didn’t want to walk around to the front entrance. He stated that
… After leaving a Coach wallet unattended in a practice room while taking a trip to the bathroom in the Music Building on Wednesday, Aug. 29, a student returned to find the wallet missing. The wallet (valued at $60) along with a credit card, bank card, drivers license and College ID did not turn up and were reported stolen, according to Campus Police. … A 17-inch silver Mac Book Pro was stolen from a Library study room around 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 30. The owner of the laptop left it unattended while they visited Eickhoff Hall, when they returned the computer was missing. They searched the area and asked the desk, but found nothing. They reported that the computer was stolen at 8:55 p.m.
Canvas.instructure.com
College chooses Instructure Canvas over Moodlerooms Joule and rSmart. continued from page 1
with the mission of creating a “powerful platform that easily integrates content and communication from everywhere,” according to its website. The search for a replacement program began with the formation of the Learning Management System Investigation Committee on Nov. 15, 2010, according to the committee’s timeline. The goal was to come up with
four candidates to act as potential replacements by fall 2011. By spring 2012, Instructure Canvas, Moodlerooms Joule and rSmart Sakai were included in user testing groups as potential successors for SOCS. Currently, according to Gladysiewicz, any changes that students notice in the SOCS program itself are the result of routine maintenance, which will not feature any major alterations during this transition period.
Campus Construction works on HVAC updates
Ashley Long / Photo Editor
The HVAC updates will be completed in October 2012, while the roofing portion will be done in May 2013, according to Matt Golden.
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Building a ‘new universe’ for College September 5, 2012 The Signal page 3
By Brandon Gould News Editor
Last week, the Education Building began housing classes for students at the College and, so far, the reviews on the new building have been nothing but positive. Marion Cavallaro, an associate professor in the department of counselor education, said that although the move from Forcina Hall into the new building was difficult, “no one minded the work.” Even though she has worked at the College for 33 years, Cavallaro said entering the Education Building was like “walking into a new universe.” Cavallaro noted that the new technology was one of the major upgrades made when the building was constructed. Sixteen of the 20 rooms in the Education Building are
“smart” classrooms that allow professors more possibility in terms of the presentation of material, according to Cavallaro. The technology makes it easier for professors to show PowerPoints and also provides them the ability to show print materials on screen immediately. Professors can also use the “smart” technology to write over PowerPoints and can save what they write directly into their computers, which makes it so “you don’t even need to use a board,” Cavallaro said. Another major improvement for the department of counselor education has been the development of rooms that can be viewed through one-way mirrors. Cavallaro explained that these rooms allow students to watch their peers conduct mock counseling sessions and
Ashley Long / Photo Editor
Education Building gives College a vision of the future.
take notes or make critiques of the performance. These rooms are also equipped with recording devices that allow students to watch themselves in action. The recordings can be copied to card readers and can be taken home for further viewing on all kinds of devices, which Cavallaro believes opens a Pandora’s box of possibilities. “A lot will happen in the classroom, but this technology will allow us to do a lot of this outside the classroom as well, which is a whole new experience for us,” Cavallaro said. “We are just now beginning to think of all the different possible ways to use it.” The technology has impressed students as well. “The most noticeable advantage I see is the new technology,” said senior Alyssa SooHoo, who is in the fiveyear special education program and is planning to double major in psychology and minor in speech pathology. “I am taking a graduate course on assistive technology and its great that we can just follow along on our own computers in class. The hands-on experience is a lot better and makes for a nicer learning environment.” Callavaro believes it is important for the students to get a sense of the “smart” classrooms now, since they will have to use it in future jobs. Beside the technology, students and professors have also commented on how inviting the new building is for education majors. “One of the best things about it is probably the café because it finally gives education majors
Ashley Long / Photo Editor
Education majors have sense of belonging in new home. a place of their own where they can gather before and after class,” SooHoo said. “There are also little pockets within the building with couches where students can socialize or just read before class. The balcony with seating area outside the special education office is also awesome.” SooHoo praised a few other aspects of the building as well. “The multi-purpose room gives education students a place for bigger events and parking in the lot right next to the new building for commuters is helpful,” SooHoo said. Senior Karyn Unger, who is in the five-year urban education program at the College, also praised the building’s new café. “I like that the café has a wide selection of drinks and food,” Unger said. “The iced coffee and vegetable packages are delicious. I also like that the café is a great spot to relax and grab a bite to eat
in between classes. I can see the cafe becoming an ideal location for meetings with classmates as well.” Unger added that the new building has an “abundance of windows” and is a lot more open than Forcina Hall was. Callavaro already gets the sense that the week-old building has given education majors something they have lacked in the past: a home. “We talk at the College about how we are a community of learners and I think that this kind of building that we have now will facilitate that because I think students will want to be there,” Callavaro said. “There is a café, there is a beautiful computer room and places for them to sit before and after class to do work and converse. I think there will be a new sense of identity with the School of Education Building as not just a classroom building, but a home for them on campus.”
Construction extends into fall Campus Construction By Brandon Gould News Editor
This summer the College went to work on updating its campus and some of the projects will carry over into the semester. The new Education Building is still undergoing some final touches on its interior, which should be done by the end of the fall, according to Matt Golden, associate vice president for Communications and College Relations. The interior stairs still need to have terrazzo treads installed and Golden expects that job to be done over the next two weeks. There will also be a glass railing installed on these stairs
Ashley Long / Photo Editor
College Construction continues in 2012.
and the railing should be delivered in the next two weeks and should be up by early October, according to Golden. The remaining construction on the building is minor cleanup, which occurs on most buildings after they are constructed and first occupied, Golden said. “All other work is punch list work and is being done now through the fall months,” Golden said. “It is routine for several months of punch list and cleanup work to occur after a building is opened and first occupied.” The College’s Steam and Sanitary Pipes Replacement project, under construction on the lawn behind Allen, Brewster and Ely Halls and on Metzger Drive, is on its way to being completed, but there is still some work to be done, according to Golden. “The sanitary line to the Power House has been completed,” Golden said. “Campus Construction is working now on the steam and condensate piping, which is nearby, and will complete it by late fall.” Another noticeable piece of construction on campus is being done outside Packer Hall (see photos on page 2). Golden said that these are Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) upgrades that are “being done to provide cooling to the pool area, utilizing the campus-wide chilled water system.” The HVAC portion of the project is scheduled to be done in October 2012 and the roofing portion of the project will done in May 2013, according to Golden. The budget for this construction reported at the July 2012 Board of Trustee meeting was $3,952,054.
Dollars and cents
Construction
Cost*
School of Education Building
$33,481,467
The Cromwell Hall Project
$7,257,191
Packer Hall HVAC and Roof
$3,952,054
Music Building HVAC and Roof
$3,801,442
Brower Student Center Roof/ Envelope Project
$3,192,602
Armstrong Roof/HVAC Project
$2,086,783
Decker Hall Roof Project
$1,673,863
Travers and Wolfe Halls Roof Replacement Project
$1,657,624
Steam and Sanitary Pipe Replacement $1, 556,901 Centennial Hall Upgrades
$1,055,747
Total Construction Costs
$59,715,674
*Numbers provided by Matt Golden, associate vice president for Communications and College Relations.
page 4 The Signal September 5, 2012
September 5, 2012 The Signal page 5
Nation & W rld
Obama’s re-election — hope and hard climb WASHINGTON (AP) — People remember the hope and the history. For him or against him, they picture candidate Barack Obama as the one who stood on stage in a football stadium in Denver and accepted the Democratic presidential nomination by declaring “It’s time for us to change America.” Forgotten, it seems, is what Obama said when he actually won. “The road ahead will be long,” he said solemnly that November night in Chicago, displaying none of the euphoria of his supporters. “Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year, or even one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.” That message amounted to a political framework for Obama’s entire presidency, and for the shot he has at continuing it. With polls showing a close contest, Obama needs voters to recall how life was back at the start, to judge what he has done as productive but unfinished, to put everything in the perspective of climbing out of the worst economic hole of their lifetimes. The country is divided over him. The politics he promised to change remain nasty. Yet whatever one thinks of him, his presidency has been consequential. Grappling with a monster recession at the start, Obama moved fast to get passage of a giant stimulus package with the support of his party. When the public mood later shifted to disgust over debt, he and his Democratic allies in Congress took a midterm shellacking, forcing him to adjust to the frustrating life of divided government. His signature domestic effort, an overhaul of health coverage in America,
AP Photo
President Obama must surmount difficult economic challenges in his re-election campaign. gobbled up time and capital. He barely got it through the legislative body and watched anxiously as it sped toward review at the Supreme Court. It survived by one vote. That high court, meanwhile, is beginning to bear Obama’s stamp. Before his term was half over, he had won confirmation of two justices, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Obama ended the unpopular Iraq war, although it was on the path to an end anyway. And he is promising to close the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan by the end of 2014. Even his critics applauded at least one defining moment. Obama ordered the risky raid to send special operations forces into Pakistan to get Osama bin Laden. Most of Obama’s term has been scandal free. Yet his years have been loaded with conflict and crises. The Gulf oil spill. The military action in Libya. The auto bailout. The
near government shutdown. The near government default. Given turnover in the inner circle of world leaders, Obama is now the veteran, not the new guy. “I don’t think there’s any doubt that our presidents grow in office,” says his friend and campaign adviser, Robert Gibbs. “And in some cases, they gray, too.” Heading toward Election Day, about half the country approves of Obama’s performance. That standing has been pretty steady for the past three years. Voters have two choices to make. The first is whether to give Obama credit for economic progress. The other is whether they think he or Romney will lead the nation better going forward. Obama once said, early in his term, that if the people were not feeling economic progress in three years, then he faced a “one-term proposition.” Challenged about that this year, he said: “I deserve a second term, but we’re not done.” Voters will soon decide.
Calderon cements legacy MEXICO CITY (AP) — As he nears the end of his sixyear term, Mexican President Felipe Calderon leaves his country with a better-armored economy — and also more armored cars. Calderon delivered his final state-of-the-nation speech on Monday, trying to cement his legacy as the president who stabilized the economy and took on the country’s entrenched organized crime groups, putting Mexico on the road to rule of law. He boasted of expanding and cleaning up the federal police, putting nearly $160 billion in international reserves and creating more than 2 million jobs, twice the number during the term of his predecessor, Vicente Fox. Still, the short-term verdict on the Calderon administration is decidedly mixed, starting with the fact that violence-weary voters in the July national elections were so weary of his tenure that they kicked his party out of the presidency and brought back the long-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI. Government statistics show 21,500 homicides in the
Capitol City Report
Polls show that 21 percent of New Jerseyans feel that Mitt Romney picking Paul Ryan makes them more likely to vote for Romney. However, 20 percent say it makes them less likely to vote for him. Fifty-eight percent say it makes no difference. Indications that Newark mayor Cory Booker was planning on challenging Governor Christie in 2013 created a large buzz at the Democratic National Convention. N.J. Senator Richard Cody (DEssex) said that the N.J. Democratic Party was in shambles. The N.J. supreme court ruled that it would be unconstitutional for the New Jersey Legislature to cut their salaries. The issue will be brought to referendum. All information from AP
Quick Bits
• Actor Michael Clark Duncan is dead at age 54. Duncan starred in movies like “The Green Mile,” “Armageddon,” “Planet of the Apes,” and “Kung Fu Panda.” The actor died Monday morning in a Los Angeles hospital while being treated for a heart attack.
AP Photo
Mexican President Felipe Calderon delivered his sixth and final state-of-the-nation address on Monday. first half of 2012, compared to about 25,000 for the entire year of 2007, Calderon’s first full year in office. Calderon acknowledged during the speech that mistakes have been made in his government’s fight against drug trafficking and organized crime, but he said the effort helped to prevent criminals from taking control of the country. In terms of security, his report said Mexico has made its largest security investment in its history, allowing the federal police force to be purged of bad officers. Under Calderon, the
Attorney General’s Office has made high-profile arrests for drug trafficking, public corruption and illegal arms possession, only later to release the accused for lack of evidence. The authorities have confiscated more than 114 metric tons of cocaine, 11,000 metric tons of marijuana and 75 metric tons of methamphetamines since 2006. Authorities also seized nearly 154,000 weapons, the report said. Calderon’s report said the economy is “in a phase of growth” thanks to responsible public finances.
• Hurricane Isaac did not cause any serious damage to the oil and gas infrastructure in La. As a result, energy costs are not expected to spike due to the storm. However, the storm dumped a foot of rain on La., flooded low-lying areas and caused seven deaths. • President Obama and Mitt Romney both tweaked travel plans to see the damage caused by Hurricane Isaac in La. • A grandson of the creator of Red Bull energy drink was arrested in Bangkok after he allegedly struck a police officer and dragged his dead body down the street to the family’s gated estate. • A wildfire has broken out northeast of Los Angeles and has grown to six square miles in size. It caused the evacuation of 12,000 visitors and surrounding residences. The blaze is only 5 percent contained. • The leader of Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group, said they do not have chemical weapons, but they could cause great damage to Israel in the event of a conflict. The remarks coincide with tension over Israel’s nuclear program. All information from AP
page 6 The Signal September 5, 2012
September 5, 2012 The Signal page 7
Opinions The Signal says ... Stop: talking on the upper floors of the library, complaining that there’s nothing to do on campus, watching reality TV instead of election coverage Caution: eating too many T-Dubs burritos, stealing all your utensils and dishes from Eick Go: check out the activities fair, attend The Signal’s interest session, swim in the fountain while it’s still warm
In defense of dumb freshmen By Shaun Fitzpatrick Opinions Editor
So I’ve been hearing a lot of complaining lately. I mean, I always hear complaining around campus (“Why are the lines so long at meal equiv?” “Why is it so hard to get a table in the café?” “WHY CAN’T I TAKE MY OVERPRICED COFFEE UPSTAIRS TO STUDY, GODDAMNIT?”), but this is one complaint that always seems to come up at the start of every school year. The grumbles quiet down eventually, but in the beginning there’s always a particularly loud call for blood. The problem, of course, is the freshmen. “The freshmen are so stupid. The freshmen are so rude. God, don’t the freshmen just suck? I definitely didn’t act like that when I was a freshman.” Now, in past years I’ve ignored the complaints, or even joined in. But this year, I feel the need to say something. Maybe it’s because I’m a senior, and am feeling nostalgic for the youth that’s quickly slipping through my fingers. (I’ve also been feeling rather dramatic, evidently.) For whatever reason, I’m going to go to bat for you, freshmen, and tell everyone else on campus to calm the hell down with the insults. Don’t get too excited, freshmen. I’m not here to tell you how great you are, or
how you’re now a vital member of the College community. The fact that you’re all the country’s future fills me with more apprehension than Whitney Houston-esque optimism. (Are you the greatest love of all? Probably not.) I think, for the most part, that you’re all dumb little assholes. But guess what? Three years ago I, and a lot of the people I hear complaining, were dumb little assholes, too. In fact, EVERYONE is a dumb little asshole freshman year. It’s like a rule. Try to find one person on campus who hasn’t walked into the wrong classroom, or embarrassed themselves at a frat party, or thrown up somewhere besides a toilet or trashcan. It can’t be done. For some reason, though, we all tend to forget our past embarrassments and unite to pick on you every
year. And maybe it’s time for that to stop. I totally get that upperclassmen have earned their place, and may feel that they have the right to roll their eyes and sneer at younger students. But you know what? Being a freshman was hard. It was scary and confusing and getting mocked didn’t make it any easier. I’m not here to baby you, freshmen. If I see you walking around with your lanyards, traveling in packs, I’m going to tell you to cut that shit out. But if you need directions? I’m more than willing to help you. Also, upperclassmen, have you seen some of the freshmen? I would say like 80 percent are taller than me. And I make it a point never to sneer at someone who might be able to put me up somewhere high where I can’t get down.
Columbia Pictures
Sure you’re all clueless now, freshmen, but one day you too will be an upperclassmen. Remember to be nice to those younger than you.
Signal How would you describe the RNC in one word? Spotlight
Policies
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“Bullshit.” – Andrew Miller, sophomore physics major “The Ultimate Strawman”
“Pointless.” – Aman Gill, sophomore biology major
“Complicated.” – Vianna Fagel, senior statistics major
“Expensive.” – Michael McLoughlin, junior physics major
page 8 The Signal September 5, 2012
September 5, 2012 The Signal page 9
Editorial
A new home, better than the last
Was it necessary to change the home page of the College’s website? Definitely. Is the new home page good? No, but I think it’s better than the old one. I mean, it just seemed boxy and harsh. Everything felt crunched together and harsh on tcnj.edu/mobile the eyes. It needed to be loosened up. If the website bothers you, you’re not alone, but think about it like this — would you rather Now according to many Twitter/Facebook/ stare at the rough over-dense home page we had or the too-loose one we have now. in-person comments, the new home page does not meet everyone’s standards, and I’ve heard some good points. The Weekly Poll: To start with, “The home page doesn’t look Quotes of professional.” At first, I wasn’t sure, but when I thought What are your feelings on the new home the Week page? about it from the viewpoint of a prospective student (or their parent) or a potential future • I hate the old, I hate the new. employer, I realized that the site is indeed quite • Who can I thank for ridding our community “It looks juvenile — bubbly, and seemed to look a lot like other of the terrible old page. WordPress sites I’ve seen. it could be for my • I am shocked that this new page is supposed So maybe it could look a little more profesto represent our school. town’s elementary sional. • People use the College’s website? school, not a Another point, “The mobile version of the college.” home page doesn’t let you access SOCS or cast your vote @ tcnjsignal.net ! PAWS.” — senior interactive Previous poll’s results Now, this is a real pain. My unofficial tally is multimedia major • All I want to do is write for The Signal. 67% that 83 percent of College students use smartRobert Catona, • I already have everything I’m looking for in phones. referring to the my social life at the College. 33% It’s easy enough to set up your email on most College’s new web • I feel pretty good about what I’ve got going phones, but if you try to go to tcnj.edu on your home page on, but I’m always open to new things. 0% phone, you will be redirected to website that • I can’t wait to get involved in a new does not offer what I would consider the secorganization and meet new people. 0% ond and third most important features on the College’s website for a current student. “I’ve loved him Maybe there is a way around this mobile site since sixth grade. issue, but for me, I would rather not have to find it. To see someone I’m not going to go as far as to say that the with that much tcnjsignal.net College ought to integrate its systems into talent, performing Telephone: Mailing Address: smartphone compatible formats, but it would be Production Rm - (609) 771-2424 The Signal … I couldn’t nice if we could still access SOCS and PAWS Business Office - (609) 771-2499 c/o Brower Student Center The College of New Jersey Fax: (609) 771-3433 from wherever we are. handle myself.” P.O. Box 7718 Email: signal@tcnj.edu You know what? Why not? As the College Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 Ad Email: signalad@tcnj.edu — sophomore moves forward with its web changes, I suggest business major Nicole Editorial Staff Thalia Ortiz they seriously consider developing a mobile Production Manager Herviou, speaking about platform. It doesn’t have to deal with everyJamie Primeau Chris Rightmire William Beckett’s Rat thing, but being able to access SOCS (or in the Editor-in-Chief Nation & World Editor performance primeau2@tcnj.edu Peter Fiorilla future, Canvas) would be a pretty nice feature. Brendan McGrath Sports Assistant Either way, I don’t think the new home page Managing Editor is awful. It’s not great either, but it needed to mcgrat28@tcnj.edu Janika Berridge change. Brandon Gould Matthew Mance News Editor Vicki Wang If this new one has issues, as its main users, “It’s probably the gould9@tcnj.edu Photo Assistants students’ opinions should help correct them. only 5K I could Chris Molicki – Brendan McGrath, Managing Editor
Editorial Content Unsigned editorial opinions are those of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Editor-in-Chief, the Managing, News, Features, Arts & Entertainment, Opinions, Photo and Sports editors and the Business Manager, unless otherwise noted. Opinions expressed in signed editorials and letters to the editor are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Signal.
Sports Editor molickc1@tcnj.edu Amy Reynolds Features Editor reynola1@tcnj.edu Tom Ciccone Arts & Entertainment Editor ciccont2@tcnj.edu Shaun Fitzpatrick Opinions Editor fitzpa28@tcnj.edu Ashley Long Photo Editor longa1@tcnj.edu
Emilie Lounsberry Advisor Business Staff
Dan Lisi Business/Ad Manager
ever do, and one I definitely don’t regret waking up for at 6 a.m.”
— junior nursing major Anna Kalavrezos talking about Color Run New Jersey
page 10 The Signal September 5, 2012
September 5, 2012 The Signal page 11
Features
Colorful fun while doing 5K run
Groups from the College in high attendance
Sara Stammer / Columnist
Members of Women in Learning and Leadership were among numerous clubs at the color run. By Sara Stammer Columnist To begin my series of showcasing various organizations and events on campus, I decided to highlight one not sponsored by the College, but instead one attended by numerous student organizations including Greek life, sports teams and other clubs. Students from the College joined thousands of people from across the state at The Color Run New Jersey. I went with a group of girls from Women in Leadership and Learning (W.I.L.L.), a certificatebearing program founded at the College in 2001. W.I.L.L. aims to form a strong network of young women in leadership. As undergraduate students, these women stretch themselves in study and
strive to be actively involved in the community. In pursuit of satisfaction, some of these women find that working hard is a perfect way to provide great leisure to life outside of the confines of a classroom. These characteristics are what attracted me to the program. Often referred to as the happiest 5K on the planet, The Color Run lives up to its name. Getting up at 5:30 a.m. on a Saturday is not something I frequently do, and it at first proved to be a struggle when “Drive By” by Train blared through my alarm’s speakers. But the minute festivities began, I was like a little girl at Christmas time. I was so excited to be doing something I had been hearing about for a long time. It surprised me to see just how many students from the College
were present. As I walked to the car, the campus was buzzing with excitement as students were meeting up to head out to Raceway Park in Englishtown. Anna Kalavrezos, junior nursing major and part of team “T4 Hardcore,” later described the day as being a blast and one of the best natural highs she ever experienced. Walking with fellow nursing majors from the College, Kalavrezos said she “liked that the run/walk wasn’t timed and that it was geared towards having fun.” She added, “It’s probably the only 5K I could ever do, and one I definitely don’t regret waking up for at 6 a.m.” Clare Sweeney, freshman mathematics and secondary education double major, who joined the team created by members of W.I.L.L. after recently being accepted to the program, confirms Kalavrezos’s feelings, commenting, “Even though it doesn’t look like the paint is ever going to come off, the Color Run was a lot of fun.” She added, “It was great we were doing it for a charity too,” referring to the fact that this colorful 5K teamed up with the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, a nonprofit organization that tries to enhance the lives of those affected by providing assistance, support and a greater understanding of the needs and challenges people with MS face. The Color Run teams up with local charities wherever they hold the run to raise money for good causes, while simultaneously creating an experience everyone en-
joys. Previously, the Color Run has teamed up with Children’s National Medical Center (Washington D.C.), The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (Cincinnati) and The Huntsman Cancer Foundation (Salt Lake), just to name a few. Growing as popular as it has in the U.S., the Color Run is now expanding beyond American borders to Australia where it hopes to be equally as successful. If the run itself was not interesting enough, seeing all of the colorful students upon returning to campus sure was. Eickhoff was filled with tables of post-race runners, creating an atmosphere that was hard to ignore.
Even the car ride home proved to be interesting for me in more ways than one, as fellow drivers slowed down to peer into our car of brightly tinted girls, some even rolling down their windows to ask where we had been (as if our T-shirts and faces were not clear enough). For anyone possibly considering doing the Color Run that has not, I 100 percent support the decision to do it, but don’t go alone. Join an organization or make new friends from the College and go with them. The Color Run is by far one of the best ways to bond with people, creating an experience you will all share for life.
Sara Stammer / Columnist
The Color Run benefits the MS Association of America.
Piccolo Trattoria pizza won’t disappoint By Jamie Primeau Editor-in-Chief
Upon returning to Ewing for the semester, there were two places that I couldn’t wait to visit as alternatives to eating in Eickhoff — Piccolo Trattoria and the Ewing Diner. Though I haven’t had a chance yet to dine at my favorite 24hour eatery, this past week I headed to Piccolo’s for a late lunch with a few friends. As usual, Piccolo’s did not disappoint. Located near Stop & Shop on Denow Rd., it is a two-part Italian restaurant. One side is a pizzeria, while the other features fancier dining and cuisines. Personally, I prefer the pizza side. The beauty of Piccolo’s pizza is that with the variety of toppings available, a single slice becomes a meal within itself.
There’s buffalo chicken pizza, taco pizza, white pizza, cheesesteak pizza, chicken Caesar salad pizza, bruschetta pizza and chicken alfredo pizza, just to name a few. The menu isn’t limited to cheese, crust and tomato sauce. There are sandwiches and an assortment of other items available for dining or takeout. I’ve previously gone with vegetarian friends, who have gotten veggie paninis and enjoyed them just as much. During my recent Piccolo’s trip, I ordered a slice of chicken parm pizza and got a ziti slice to take home for another time because it was too tempting to resist. While I understand pasta usually belongs in a bowl or on a plate, and not atop a pizza, for some reason it becomes instantly more delicious when placed upon crust. For less than $10, I got a bottle of
water and two meals not prepared by Sodexo. Not that there’s anything wrong with the school’s food, but sometimes it’s great to get off campus and try something else. Fun fact: Piccolo’s is located next to a Carvel. For anyone who is like me and prefers dessert to actual food, you should save room for post-meal ice cream. It’s definitely a good decision. Piccolo Trattoria Where: 800 Denow Rd. Pennington, N.J. Number: (609) 737-9050 (Pick-up only) Web orders: Find them on piccolotrattoria.com
Overall Ratings (out of 5):
Have a favorite local food establishment? Let us know, so we can send our astounding food reviewer out to give it a try. Send recomendations to reynola1@tcnj.edu.
Photo courtesy of Erin Moore
With so many topping options, one slice of pizza can become a meal.
page 12 The Signal September 5, 2012 TCNJ Art Gallery
Wall Series: Self Portrait, 2006, 25h x 20w, ink jet on canvas
Bruce Rigby: Recent Work September 5-October 11 Opening Reception: September 5, 5:00-7:00p.m. TCNJ Art Gallery Art and Interactive Multimedia (AIMM) Building 609.771.2633 · tcag@tcnj.edu · tcnj.edu/artgallery TCNJ Art Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 12:00-7:00p.m. Sunday 1:00-3:00p.m. All exhibitions are free and open to the public. Like & Follow:
www.facebook.com/tcnj.artscomm www.twitter.com/TCNJCFA
, culty a f , rs e rtne a plor p x e d a to the abro s t y d n d n e u i t d F s stu our ns. o d n i i t e o p n udy. J r t o s u t f e o m r ogra area r and r p u rent ts yo fi t a diffe th ram g o r p
STUDY ABROAD FAIR
WEDNESDAY, SEP. 12 | 11AM-3PM ALUMNI GROVE
(BETWEEN LIBRARY & EICKHOFF HALL | RAIN LOCATION: SOCIAL SCIENCES BLDG ATRIUM)
September 5, 2012 The Signal page 13
You don’t need to be flexible for yoga By Samantha Sorin Columnist
When I first started doing yoga, I could not touch my toes. And when I say I could not touch my toes, I mean I could not even touch my knees without feeling like my hamstrings were going to snap like thin guitar strings plucked one too many times. Sitting up straight for long periods of time made me uncomfortable because I did not have the back and core strength to support my posture. During hip-opening poses, I felt like my legs were on fire and I had to constantly look down to see if my yoga pants melted off. I halfassed every pose, and the few poses I thought I rocked were knocked down a few pegs when my teacher would come over and fix every little aspect of the pose. Everything was a struggle, everything required effort. Though nowadays everything still requires me to put effort and
care into my practice, I move through the poses with more ease. I do not jump feeling like I have elephant’s feet or that my upper back consists of a block of cement. But this isn’t because I woke up one day and was suddenly able to do a handstand. I did not spring out of bed being able to fold in half, nor was I born with the ability to do a split balancing on my hands. These things take time, and these things take discipline. That said, whenever I coax people to come to my yoga class, I generally get the same response: “But I’m not flexible.” Flexibility is not required to begin yoga. It is the product of yoga. You
gain flexibility, strength and stamina by doing yoga. It is not simply for gymnasts or dancers. Yoga can be started at any time, at any age. Also, do not be intimidated by what other people can do. Just remember, at one time they were in the same spot as you are. If you do not try something, you can never get better at it. Do not get frustrated by where you are at the present time, but keep looking forward with the comfort and knowledge that you can only improve by practicing. Allow the flexibility and play you gain from yoga to seep into other aspects of your life. Those elephant’s
Lollanobooza fun
Samantha Sorin / Columnist
Flexibility isn’t a requirement for yoga. These things take time and are achieved through practice. feet will begin to feel lighter and lighter, and that block of cement will begin to give way. More so, it is not so much wrapping your legs
behind your head, but it is wrapping your mind around the fact that you can always start to reach for your toes.
Campus Style By Carly Koziol Columnist Tim Mindnich, freshman open options engineering major What are you wearing? My button-down is Patagonia, my grey shorts are Volcom and I have on Globe sneakers. I’m also wearing a Rip Curl watch and Oakley backpack. How would you describe your style? Surfer but kind of preppy at times. I have a nice selection of shorts because I have to look presentable when I go to work in the summer, and I like wearing flannels during the colder months. Where do you like to shop? I like Billabong, RVCA and Patagonia. I buy most of my clothes at Ocean Hunt Surf Shop in Lavallette, which is where I work so I receive a great discount. How do you like working there? It’s cool — I get to see all the new stuff as it comes in. I also get to look in wholesale catalogs to help decide what the owner should order for upcoming seasons. So since you work at a surf shop, do you surf as well?
Janika Berridge / Photo Assistant
Each year Lollanobooza welcomes students back to campus and sends a friendly message encouraging them to make healthy choices regarding alcohol.
Yes, I live in Chadwick Beach so it’s really easy to surf whenever I’m in the mood. Or I’ll go to the pier in Seaside Heights. This past June, I was in Playa Negra, Costa Rica for a surfing trip. It was a graduation
Carly Koziol / Columnist
P.S. Please don’t skateboard in your dorms! He’s standing still. present from my parents ... but they didn’t come, so it was a blast. Do you have a favorite item of clothing or accessory? My go-to watch is this black Rip Curl one. I always have to have a watch on. Have you had any fashion mishaps? I was riding my bike home from work this summer and my corduroys got caught in the bike chain. I was too lazy to untangle them so I just took off my pants and walked inside. They stayed in my bike chain for days until I finally bothered to rip them out.
page 14 The Signal September 5, 2012
THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY INTRAMURALS AND RECREATION SERVICES
VOLLEYBALL FALL 2012 (MEN’S & WOMEN’S & CO-REC) ENTRY DEADLINE: ALL TEAMS MUST REGISTER ON WWW.IMLEAGUES.COM/TCNJ BY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 BY 6:00PM! ALL TEAMS MUST BRING A $25.00 ENTRY FEE TO CAPTAINS MEETING MADE PAYABLE TO THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY. A CAPTAINS MEETING WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2012 AT 3:30PM IN THE STUDENT RECREATION CENTER. LATE ENTRIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED! ACTION STARTS: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2012 DAYS AND TIMES: MONDAY & WEDNESDAY 7:00PM-11:00PM LEAGUES: MEN’S, WOMEN’S, AND CO-REC RULES: MAY BE FOUND ON THE INTRAMURAL WEB SITE- WWW.TCNJ.EDU/~INTRAMUR AND WWW.IML;EAGUES.COM/TCNJ. IT IS THE CAPTAIN’S RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW THE RULES. ANY INDIVIDUAL SEEKING PLACEMENT ON A TEAMMUST SIGN UP ON WWW.IMLEAGUES.COM/TCNJ ELIGIBILITY:ALL THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FACULTY ARE ELIGIBLE. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: DEBORAH SIMPSON, DIRECTOR, 771-2190 DSIMPSON@TCNJ.EDU ED DEAN, INTRAMURAL AND SPORT CLUB ASSISTANT @DEANE@TCNJ.EDU
THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY INTRAMURALS AND RECREATION SERVICES
FLAG FOOTBALL FALL 2012 (MEN’S, WOMEN’S, CO-REC) ENTRY DEADLINE: ALL TEAMS MUST REGISTER ON WWW.IMLEAGUES.COM/TCNJ BY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 BY 6:00PM! ALL TEAMS MUST BRING A $25.00 ENTRY FEE TO CAPTAINS MEETING MADE PAYABLE TO THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY. A CAPTAINS MEETING WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2012 AT 3:00PM IN THE STUDENT RECREATION CENTER. LATE ENTRIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED! NO EXCEPTIONS ACTION STARTS: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2012 DAYS AND TIMES: MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY 6:00PM-10:00PM LEAGUES: MEN’S A & B LEAGUE, CO-REC RULES: MAY BE FOUND ON THE INTRAMURAL WEB SITE- WWW.TCNJ.EDU/~INTRAMUR AND ON WWW.IMLEAGUES.COM/TCNJ. IT IS THE CAPTAIN’S RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW THE RULES. ANY INDIVIDUAL SEEKING PLACEMENT ON A TEAM MUST REGISTER ON WWW.IMLEAGUES.COM/TCNJ. ELIGIBILITY:ALL THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FACULTY ARE ELIGIBLE. ONLY 3 EX-VARSITY FOOTBALL PLAYERS ARE ALLOWED PER TEAM IN THE A LEAGUE ONLY. CURRENT VARSITY FOOTBALL PLAYERS ARE INELIGIBLE. NO EXCEPTIONS. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: DEBORAH SIMPSON, DIRECTOR, 771-2190, DSIMPSON@TCNJ.EDU ED DEAN, INTRAMURALS AND SPORT CLUB ASSISTANT @DEANE@TCNJ.EDU
THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY INTRAMURALS AND RECREATION SERVICES
BOWLING FALL 2012 ENTRY DEADLINE: TEAMS MUST SIGN UP ON LINE AT WWW.IMLEAGUES.COM/TCNJ BY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 BY 6:00PM. LATE ENTRIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED! NO EXCEPTIONS! ACTION STARTS: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012 DAYS AND TIMES: WEDNESDAY 1:00PM – 4:00PM LEAGUES: MIXED (3 PLAYERS PER TEAM) COST: $5.00 PER WEEK OR $25.00 FOR SEMESTER. CHECKS MUST BE MADE PAYABLE TO THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY – SHOES FREE RULES: MAY BE FOUND ON THE INTRAMURAL WEB SITE- WWW.TCNJ.EDU/~INTRAMUR OR WWW.IMLEAGUES.COM/TCNJ. IT IS THE CAPTAIN’S RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW THE RULES. ELIGIBILITY:ALL THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FACULTY ARE ELIGIBLE. ALL GAMES ARE BOWLED AT CURTIS BOWLING LANES ON SCOTCH ROAD IN EWING
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: DEBORAH SIMPSON, DIRECTOR, 771-2190 DSIMPSON@TCNJ.EDU ED DEAN, INTRAMURAL AND SPORT CLUB ASSISTANT @DEANE@TCNJ.EDU
THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY INTRAMURALS AND RECREATION SERVICES
BASKETBALL FALL 2012 (MEN’S & WOMEN’S) ENTRY CARDS: MAY BE PICKED UP AT THE STUDENT RECREATION CENTER FRONT DESK ENTRY DEADLINE: TEAMS MUST SIGN UP ON WWW.IMLEAGUES.COM/TCNJ BEFORE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2012 BY 6:00PM. A CAPTAINS MEETING WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 AT 3:00PM IN THE STUDENT RECREATION CENTER. ALL TEAMS MUST BRING A $25.00 ENTRY FEE PAYABLE TO THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY. LATE ENTRIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED! NO EXCEPTIONS! ACTION STARTS: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 DAYS AND TIMES: MONDAY & WEDNESDAY 7:00PM-11:00PM LEAGUES: MEN’S A & B LEAGUE, WOMEN’S RULES: MAY BE FOUND ON THE INTRAMURAL WEB SITE- WWW.TCNJ.EDU/~INTRAMUR AND WWW.IMLEAGUES.COM/TCNJ. IT IS THE CAPTAIN’S RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW THE RULES. ANY INDIVIDUAL SEEKING PLACEMENT ON A TEAM MUST REGISTER AS AN INDIVIDUAL ON WWW.IMLEAGUES.COM/TCNJ. ELIGIBILITY:ALL THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FACULTY ARE ELIGIBLE. ONLY 3 EX-VARSITY BASKETBALL PLAYERS ARE ALLOWED PER TEAM IN THE A LEAGUE ONLY. CURRENT VARSITY BASKETBALL PLAYERS ARE INELIGIBLE. NO EXCEPTIONS. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: DEBORAH SIMPSON, DIRECTOR, 771-2190 DSIMPSON@TCNJ.EDU ED DEAN, INTRAMURAL AND SPORT CLUB ASSISTANT @ DEANE@TCNJ.EDU
September 5, 2012 The Signal page 15
Arts & Entertainment Digging a little deeper
Comedians go taboo, entertain
By Heather Koenig WTSR Assistant Music Director Passion Pit “Gossamer”
earbuddy.net
It’s been three years since Passion Pit released their highly acclaimed, full length debut, “Manners.” Now they are back with “Gossamer,” a slightly more mature and sadder take on the same style its predecessor embodied. It is these qualities which, although they bring the overall feel in a slightly different direction, make “Gossamer” the stronger album of the two. Lead singer Michael Angelakos, who has admitted in interviews about his problem with bipolar disorder, allows his condition to have a greater influence on the lyrical and musical aspects of the album. “Gossamer” opens with one of its first pre-release singles “Take a Walk,” which has an extremely catchy sound to it. The album continues on with quite a few songs that reference Angelakos’s need to move forward and pull through the struggles of his mental illness. This isn’t to say that the album doesn’t have the same fun feel that Passion Pit has brought in the past. “Carried Away” is a happy-sounding electropop track that is definitely danceable. In reality, all of the songs have a great use of synths, Angelakos’s four octave-spanning voice and well-designed beats. There is a great play on the juxtaposition between the seriousness of the lyrics and lightheartedness of the sound. This quality makes each song as enjoyable as the last. In the end, Passion Pit’s sophomore effort is emotionally heavier than “Manners.” Apart from the context of Angelakos’s condition, “Gossamer” is yet another artistically crafted dance pop album from those who brought us “Sleepyhead” and “Little Secrets.”
Matthew Mance / Photo Assistant
Omid Singh (left) causes hilarity with his stories as a ‘brown guy’ being mistaken for a terrorist. Tiffany Haddish (right) entertains the Kendall crowd with her complaints about mating cats and skinny jeans. By Shaun Fitzpatrick Opinions Editor A brown guy, a black girl and a skinny white guy walk into Kendall Hall. Sounds like the beginning of a bad (and possibly racially insensitive) joke? Never fear, this was just the lineup for the College Union Board’s “3 For Free” comedy show on Thursday, Aug. 30 starring Omid Singh, Tiffany Haddish and Tim Young. Omid Singh, the self-professed “brown guy” in the lineup, used his ethnicity as the backbone for most of his material. With an Indian father and a Persian mother, he joked, “So I’m Pakistani.” He urged the audience not to be afraid of him. “The worst I can do to you is teach you some yoga and take you on a magic carpet ride,” he reassured the crowd. Singh explained the concept of a “Code Red,” which, according to him, is “when a non-threatening brown person scares a lot of people.” He recalled a time when he accidently threw his gym bag into a departing train, realizing immediately that it would probably be mistaken for a bomb. Though he tells his stories in good humor, they definitely contain a comment on the bigotry found in American society. “When usually you just see a brown person, your automatic first thought is ‘terrorist.’ So my goal is always to take that idea that they say, ‘Oh, he’s a terrorist’ and then flip it on them and say I’m just the same as you. But you have to first start by addressing the elephant in the room of saying, ‘Hey hey hey, I know I’m a brown guy, but let’s
talk about something else,” Singh explained in an interview before the show. Haddish continued in Singh’s vein of using race as an initial source of comedy, referring to herself as “the urban portion of the show” and wondering aloud to the audience, “Where are the black people?” Noting the predominantly Caucasian crowd, she joked, “I feel like I’m at a really big ass bar mitzvah.” Haddish shared her dream of opening up a nightclub for the handicapped and complained about everything from skinny jeans to the cats in heat she can hear from her bedroom. Though she got laughs, Haddish confessed in an interview later that she wished she had changed her routine. “Tonight I wish I would have done stuff I do at high schools more because I forget they were freshmen,” she explained, noting that the younger crowd might not have been the right audience for some of her jokes. Young’s routine, however, was aimed at the new-tocollege audience. He started off his set by talking to freshmen about everything from roommates to stealing food trays and drinking. “Passing out is when you decide that wherever you are is a good place for a nap,” he joked. He went on to warn girls about the effects of plastic surgery (“Don’t do that to your face … Get some titties, please.”) and made a Penn State/Jerry Sandusky joke involving “touch football.” CUB announced early in the evening that the upcoming fall Comedy Show will take place on September 15 and will feature Judah Friedlander of “30 Rock.”
Why #PLL is more than just a trend By Jamie Primeau Editor-in-Chief
Last Tuesday evening, I paced around my apartment in shock and ranted to my friends about how I couldn’t believe what just happened. Why? The summer finale of “Pretty Little Liars” was too much to process. Perhaps that sounds melodramatic, but within the episode’s final five minutes, everything viewers thought they knew about the series was completely turned upside down. The episode entitled “Lady Killer” featured death, gunshots, kidnapping, love and major betrayal. I know what some people may be thinking — the ABC Family show is for high schoolers and very overrated — but allow me to defend it. If you have Twitter, chances
are your newsfeed was filled with less-than-140-character statements ending with the hashtag “PLL.” This is because the season’s final episode made television history — generating the greatest Internet buzz for a single TV episode, accumulating 1.6 million comments on Facebook and Twitter, according to an article on Mashable. The show also b r o k e T w i t t e r records, averaging 36,000 tweets per minute. Yes it’s a show about a group of high school friends, but it is no “Saved By The Bell.” For those of you who think it is just about pretty girls who tell lies, it is so much more. Plots centered on murder and blackmail make it inevitably intense and spooky. Yet the adorable relationships among the main characters
and their significant others simultaneously make hearts melt. Though the plot sometimes verges on unrealistic, the show still manages to remain relatable to viewers. Topics like relationships, friendships, parental problems, sexuality and other typical high school travails make this show about the fictional town of Rosewood, Pa. seem not too far from home. (Ironically, if Rosewood High did exist, it might be somewhat close to Ewing. The show regularly references Bucks County and Philly.) With cliffhangers concluding nearly every episode, it is practically impossible to watch only one episode and not crave more answers. The quest to understand what exactly is going on and who’s causing the commotion help retain viewers
google.com
‘Pretty Little Liars’ sparks a Twitter phenomenon.
from week to week. If you’re unfamiliar or confused by the show’s plot, here is a summary: Ali, the relentless ringleader of her friend group, was murdered in the first episode. After her death, Ali’s four closest friends — each girl with her own secrets that only Ali knew — begin being blackmailed by an entity known as “A.”
The mystery comes from the fact that viewers aren’t even entirely sure who A is. Last season ended with a character named Mona being caught as A and winding up in a mental institution, but as this season’s finale concluded, it is confirmed that there is an entire A team and no one is truly trustworthy in Rosewood. The television series is based off of novels by Sarah Shepard. Some viewers were disappointed when the show seemingly followed the book’s plot, when Mona was revealed asAin the season two finale. However, the most recent episode even surprised the cast. Three alternative endings were filmed in order to prevent any secrets from being leaked. If opportunity arises, sit down and watch a marathon on ABC Family. That way you’ll be all caught up to speed when the Halloween episode comes out in October. Give it a chance and you’ll be hooked in no time.
page 16 The Signal September 5, 2012
Play Unified Unified Sports College Program Do you like having a positive impact on someone’s life? Does playing sports sound like a fun way to volunteer? Check out TCNJ’s Unified Sports Club. Compete in sports leagues together on teams with Special Olympics athletes. Do something good while having a great time. Please contact : Ed Dean (deane@tcnj.edu) to find out more info.
Become a Flag Football Referee Become a Flag Football Referee
Created by the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation Authorized and Accredited by Special Olympics, Inc. for the Benefit of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities
• •
• • • •
Volunteers are needed to officiate Special Olympics New Jersey Flag Football games. All league games are played on TD Bank Sports Field at the Special Olympics New Jersey Sports Complex located at 3 Princess Road in Lawrenceville NJ, 08648. th League games are played on Sundays starting September 9 through st October 21 . Games start at 10 a.m. There is no minimum commitment of games to referee. We are looking for people who enjoy sports and want to be a part of the action. A pre-season training session to learn positioning and rules will be held at a date to be determined. Official’s shirt, penalty flag, and whistle will be provided. Please contact Brian Wertz at bmw@sonj.org or 609.896.8000 x 245 for more information.
September 5, 2012 The Signal page 17
William Beckett brings a rousing performance By Jack Meyers Staff Writer
Longtime fans were tweeting zealous remarks, recording videos, sharing laughter and shameful vices of celebrity obsession and belting lyrics at competing vocal levels with the performers on stage. If there was any question to be asked Friday night at the College Union Board’s Rathskeller show, it was this: Who came for whom? Something we sometimes forget is that musicians, artists and celebrities are just like us — they’re people too. They enjoy the spotlight as much as we enjoy putting them in it. William Beckett (formerly of alternative rock band The Academy is…) and opening band The Morning Of were no
exception to this rule. On Friday night, the musicians performed on the Rathskeller stage for an eager and eclectic audience, with seats that were filled up well before the opening set. People came piling in, sitting on the steps, at the bar and across the dining room’s floor to behold the musical stylings of Beckett and his opening band, both emerging from months out of the limelight. “I’ve loved (him) since sixth grade,” said sophomore business major Nicole Herviou out of deference to Beckett’s former band. “To see someone with that much talent performing
Vicki Wang / Photo Assistant
Jessica Leplon, of The Morning Of, sings during a Rat performance that was eagerly awaited by students.
… I couldn’t handle myself.” Herviou, who was managing the merchandise table for Beckett, regaled to customers her history of affinity for Beckett’s former band, TAI. She had seen the band in concert seven times before last night. TAI has recorded three a l b u m s and three EPs since 2004. The band had traveled across the world performing for a wide and eclectic fan base before splitting in 2011. Yet it’s no wonder that students and teenagers across the country find the musician so relatable. Beckett’s education was cut short, and he never made it to college. He was raised outside of Chicago with two conservative parents, a stark contrast to his own socially liberal beliefs. Beckett’s tolerant and heartwarming aura can easily be found in his music. The songs he writes are deeply immersed in the same vices and virtues familiar to people the world over — doubt, shame, love, hope, joy, success, frustration and retribution. With respect to his song “You Never Give Up,” he told the audience, “Everyone’s been there before. There’s always at least one person to help pull you out of (it).” Opening band, The Morning Of, included N.Y. natives
Vicki Wang / Photo Assistant
Beckett performs his set in front of an eager Rat audience Friday night. Jessica Leplon and Rob McCurdy, and lead singer Justin Wiley, who has made his home in Gloucester County, N.J. They dazzled the crowd with a set list reminiscent of punk-rock bands like Death Cab for Cutie and Brand New, a ’90s cult favorite. Die-hard fan Neepam Shah was particularly ecstatic about the band’s singular appearance for this year. Shah, a sophomore English and biology double major, found himself virtually
speechless. “I can’t believe they remembered me,” he said, speaking with them after the show. And, the band concurred. Lead singer Wiley, whose partner had recently given birth to their first child, showed pride in his mindfulness. The three members announced their musical reprieve in the name of taking time out for their families, work and ordinary leisure. Wiley said, “You see, we’re all just regular people.”
To watch an exclusive William Beckett interview just go to tcnjsignal.net!
‘Rush’ delivers its premise, but not much more
google.com
‘Premium Rush’ is a little different from conventional thrillers. The plot takes place over a two-hour period of time, reflecting the fastpaced bicycle delivery subculture in New York City. By Brendan McGrath Managing Editor “Premium Rush” tries to raise your heartbeat and at the same time invest you in a number of characters. It actually works pretty well, but don’t go into it looking for any real depth. I guess the movie’s not going for character development (reread the title), but it’s still not great at providing a
rush either. There’s something about a movie starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who is solid in more dynamic roles in blockbusters like “Inception” or “Dark Knight Rises,” which suggests this isn’t going to be just some typical thriller. Gordon-Levitt is a bicycle delivery man, Wilee, working for a messenger service which he explains as a low-paid job that is much-hated by New Yorkers. But he loves it. The whole movie
revolves around him and a few others working at this service — his girlfriend, his dispatcher and a jackass competitor of his who repeatedly tries to steal his work and his girl. The trailer suggests the potential for a psychological thriller of the “Phone Booth” type. Gordon-Levitt picks up a package, seemingly for a normal delivery, but is then bombarded by a thug in a suit, Bobby Monday, who we soon learn is a cop. Michael Shannon plays an awful and violent Monday, but is just crazy enough so that his high-speed chase (he in a car, Wilee on a bike) and ensuing harassment of the biker is pretty funny. The movie doesn’t go for an overarching theme of corruption, but instead dives into the issues of this one aggravated detective, one reckless messenger and a slew of other characters thrown together in a “Crash”-like compilation of stories. There’s no real defining undercurrent to this movie, but in terms of straight entertainment, it does a pretty good job. It takes an interesting, though I’m not sure how accurate, look at this bike messenger subculture in New York City. In its attempt to provide a “rush,” the movie’s entire plot takes place over about a two-hour period (with a few flashbacks), which provides an interesting format for telling this story. And of course it provides GordonLevitt in all of his glory. But really, there is something about this former “3rd
Rock from the Sun” star that just seems to draw audiences in. I’m not sure what it is, but he definitely has a quality that has landed him among the rising stars in the past few years. Gordon-Levitt has broken out since starring in smaller films, “The Lookout” (2007) and “500 Days of Summer” (2009) — the first led to many great reviews of his work and the second blew up and brought his face into many homes — but now that he has supported a few blockbusters, it seems he may be ready to star in one of his own. “Premium Rush” isn’t that movie, but maybe it will set him up for a bigger thriller, and maybe it will be more satisfying than this good, not great, film. I think three out of five popcorns is fair.
Brendan’s recommendation for renting this week: “The Hunger Games”
page 18 The Signal September 5, 2012
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September 5, 2012 The Signal page 19
Fast start against tough competition Cross Country
By Andrew Grossman Correspondent Saturday marked the opener for both the men’s and women’s cross country squads as the College hosted the Blue/Gold Classic at Rosedale Park. Both teams finished third overall in the event as well as first for Division III schools. “Our team did really well at the race,” sophomore Tara Nealon said. “For being a D-III team, I think we had a really good showing.” This 5K race was a good tune-up for the Lions as they were simply looking to get settled into the new year. With two Division I schools in the fold (Rider University and St. Joseph’s University), the field was very competitive. “It’s really just a chance for us to get out there and to see every situation and to see where we are,” head coach Phil Jennings said. “Rider and Saint Joe’s University were there so right now we are not that concerned on where we stack up at this point, this early (in the season).” Junior Julie Jablonski led the Lions with a sixth overall finish at 19:09.90. Senior Cathy Goncalves was right behind her in
ninth with a time of 19:16.70. Nealon was not too far behind in 14th at 19:43.00. “We really didn’t lose too many seniors from last year so we have a really good core group of girls returning,” she said. “(This helps our team because) we also have very good chemistry which makes us push each other in workouts (that much harder).” The College had three more runners round out the top 20. Sophomore Jillian Manzo was 16th at 19:49.90, junior Anginelle Alabanza clocked in at 19:59.20, which was good for 19th place and junior Megan Flynn got 20th with a time of 20:01.60. “(During the race) we all tried to stay as a team and as a pack today,” Nealon said. “We all ran really well together and our times were good because we pushed each other to stay together.” For the men, junior Dominic Tasco was the top Lion, coming in ninth at a time of 15:57.30. Senior Andy Gallagher was one place behind him at 16:06.10. Seniors Michael Berti and Mark Sidebottom finished back-to-back at 16:12.20 and 16:15.90. Finally, juniors Ryan Ure and James Seyffart took the last two places in the top 20 with times of 16:20.50 and 16:20.70 respectively. “We lost a number of seniors to graduation,
Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
Top 20 finishes were aplenty for the runners at Rosedale Park.
but the underclassmen have really stepped it up,” Jennings said. “We should have a pretty solid team. I think we can have a better season than last year’s team, if not then, to at least match it.” With eight freshmen joining the squad this year, the men have high hopes in filling some of the missing spots. After their
results in Rosedale Park however, they are not worried. “Overall, I thought the meet went really well,” Nealon said. “We all worked really hard so it was a great way to start the season.” The Lions return to action in the University of Rochester Pre-Regional on Saturday, Sept. 15.
Women’s Tennis
Women’s tennis brings streak into new year By Kevin Lee Staff Writer
The College’s women’s tennis team kicked off their 2012 campaign in impressive fashion, picking up two victories against Rutgers-Newark University and Kean University. The two victories continue the Lions dominant conference play, winning their 144th straight New Jersey Athletic Conference match. The Lions’ plethora of talented players make for lofty expectations in the upcoming season. “I think that the expectations for the team this year is to have another great year and continue to compete well against other top ranked teams,” said senior Paige Aiello. “The
Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
The girls have won 144 in a row.
biggest strength of our team is our depth. The talent level doesn’t drop off after a certain
spot, meaning we have really strong players all the way down our lineup.” In both matches against Scarlet Raiders and Cougars, the Lions dominated the court, winning both events by a score of 9-0. In singles competitions, sophomore Sarah Lippincott stood out by not losing a single game. On the season she is 12-0 in games. Other Lions who picked up wins in both events are senior Karisse Bendijo and freshman Jasmine Muniz-Cadorette. The doubles competitions were equally impressive, matching the singles competitions punch for punch. Just as the singles, the doubles did not drop a match. Sophomore Deborah Wu and freshman Jasmine MunizCadorette led the Lions in both events. The pairing picked up two victories, and is the
only pair for the Lions that is 2-0 in matches for the young season. The Lions have jumped off to a hot start, dominating the field of competition. The next event for the Lions is the Swarthmore College Invitational on Sept. 8-9. This event will be a good barometer for the Lions, as they will face some of the toughest competition in the nation. “Starting off the season 2-0 is a great feeling for us as a team, it’s also really nice to show our three new freshmen that we are a dominating team in the NJAC and that they’re a part of it,” Aiello said. “This week we are going to be doing a lot of practicing to prepare for the tournament, there are going to be 3 strong teams there and this will be our first true test of our strength as a team this fall.”
Cheap Seats
Don’t be a faker — play the game like a man NFL needs to address faux injury issue from last year
AP Photo
The champs flopped last season.
By Chris Molicki Sports Editor
Momentum is one of the most powerful weapons on the football field. Unlike
physical talent, it is an intangible that teams have struggled to slow down, making it nearly impossible to stop. Or is it? This past Friday night, the College went up against the Ursinus College Bears. Leading the entire game, the Lions gave up a late touchdown and fell behind 24-20. With less than three minutes to play, they needed to score immediately. The College’s final drive started off promising with multiple completions. Then, with all the momentum on the Lions’ side, an Ursinus player went down with an injury. After he was helped off the field, the momentum was gone. The College was stopped on their quest for a comeback, and they turned the ball over on downs. This triggered a memory from a game last year in the NFL. The New York Giants were playing the St. Louis Rams on Monday Night Football. As the Rams were driving in the Giants’ red zone, two players, safety Deon Grant and linebacker Jacquian
Williams, flopped and fell to the ground with a supposed injury. The pause in action wound up killing the Rams’ momentum. However, in this case, it was obvious that the Giants’ players were faking to slow down the Rams’ offense. Commentators, analysts, fans and even blind men could see right through the bad acting jobs of New York’s players. Seeing this really bothered me. How could football players, some of the toughest athletes in the world, resort to pulling a LeBron James and acting as if they’d been shot over nothing? There were no repercussions for the Giants or their players because the NFL would be unable to 100 percent prove it was an act unless they had a confession from the players. Something similar happened in a game later in the season between the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers. Packers linebacker A. J. Hawk gave Falcons’ offensive lineman Joe Hawley a small shove after a play. Hawley flew backwards as if he had been hit by a
car, and Hawk was called for a penalty. Luckily, this wasn’t an issue for the rest of the season, but now with the new season about to start, commissioner Roger Goodell needs to keep an eye out for this. As if the replacement referees weren’t enough cause for concern, issues arrive every season, and this could be one of them. If this comes up again, Goodell needs to watch tape on the “injury” very carefully, as well as have doctors determine whether the player is actually hurt. Then, he should sit down with a panel and come to a verdict on whether or not the athlete is exaggerating. If they are, come down on them with a swift fine, and players won’t do it again. The NFL is the most popular league in America so therefore, it should be held to the highest of standards. The act of a player faking an injury to slow down the opponents’ offense is very cowardly, lame and it hurts the integrity of the game. I’m very excited for the NFL season to start, and I know I’m not alone. I just hope problems like this don’t compromise the sport we all know and love.
page 20 The Signal Septmeber 5, 2012
Women’s soccer dominates all comers in tournament Women’s Soccer
By Chrissy Onorato Correspondent
The College’s women’s soccer team knows how to start a season off on the right foot. The team began what should be a promising season with the TCNJ Classic this weekend at the College itself and won both games easily against the University of Rochester and Skidmore College by scores of 1-0 and 6-0 respectively. The Lions’ first game was on Friday against Rochester under the hot sun, but they did not let the heat get to them. In fact, they seemed to play even more intensely. Many students, families and friends came out to support the team and they were not disappointed. An early game goal by junior forward Katie Lindacher set the pace for the team as their strong defense kept the ball well away from their own goal. Some spectacular saves by sophomore goalie Kendra Griffith also propelled the team to their opening win. Griffith was out for the entire 2011 season due to an injury, but watching her play this year, she looked like she never missed a game. The Lions had a massive total of 22 shots on goal and showcased their stellar offense. Junior midfielder Sloan DePiero made some spectacular drives down the field, as well as senior defender Brenna Rubino. The final score
Ashley Long / Photo Editor
The Lions shutout both of their opponents while piling seven goals in their TCNJ Classic victory. was 1-0, but the goals seemed to unfold even more in the second game on Saturday. In front of another large crowd, the final round of the tournament featured the Lions against Skidmore College, and the offense really exploded. Lindacher provided three goals this time, and one each
was scored by sophomore forward Leigh Applestein, senior forward Katie Landrigan and freshman midfielder Shannon White. The first goal of the game came from Lindacher only 39 seconds into the game. Skidmore only had a total of three shots on our goal while the Lions had 19.
The freshmen really stepped up in these games and showed everyone their immense skill with strong performances. Freshmen midfielders Carly Setaro and Taylor Lusardi and forwards Justine Larocca and Kendel Bernardini all had shots on goal and helped their fellow teammates to sweep this weekend.
We can look forward to another thrilling tournament next weekend up in Oneonta, N.Y. On Saturday, the team goes against Oneonta State and on Sunday they play Hartwick College. This looks to be another promising tournament in which the Lions are hoping to dominate just as they did this past weekend.
Men’s Soccer
Bittersweet weekend as men’s soccer goes 1-1 Get first win of the season, but lose senior to injury By Peter Fiorilla Sports Assistant
The men’s soccer team both received and meted out its fair share of frustration this week, suffering the loss of senior forward Ray Nelan in a forgettable game against Drew University, but also stymying Western Connecticut University for its first win of the season before of Wednesday’s home opener. It will be tougher for the Lions (1-1) to make their playoff push lacking Nelan for the time being, who suffered a serious arm injury in a freak accident early at Drew, but senior midfielder Kevin Shaw is leading the
Thewith College pair way two goalssplit scoredafrom
way with two goals scored from his spot in the back of midfield. “It feels good to score,” Shaw said. “Typically I haven’t always been much of a goal scorer and it’s something I worked hard on over the summer.” Shaw and the rest of the midfield will be providing service to a different forward than expected over the coming weeks, and the change represents a shift in style at the top of the Lions’ 4-5-1 formation. While head coach George Nazario calls Nelan a “modified forward” capable of using his speed to slip in behind the defense, temporary replacement junior Vinnie Carbone —
Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
this weekend, but suffered another loss.
labelled a forward on the official roster — is There were fewer positive talking points more likely to hold up the ball. to take away from the team’s 2-1 loss at 10“Vinnie can score too, but he’s more of man Drew University, when the Lions came a ‘get the ball, hold it up flat in the first and get it to someone’ half and concedtype of player,” Shaw goals on both “Our mode of business is pa- ed said. “He’s not going sides of half time to get the ball, take on tience — slow, methodical buil to go down into a everyone and score up. (It’s) kind of about frustrat- 2-0 hole. like Nelan. What he An unassisting the opponent. The more ed, 80th-mindoes well is distributing and making a we hold the ball, the more we ute blast from play on the ball.” outside the frustrate them.” Carbone’s ability box by Shaw to hold up the ball and a late red complemenets the – George Nazario, card on Drew Lions’ game plan of proved to be head coach too little, too controlling games through possession. late for the Li“Our mode of business is patience — ons, who expect an improved season slow, methodical buildup,” Nazario said. from a playoff-less 2011. “(It’s) kind of about frustrating the oppo“Realistically, our goal is to get back nent. The more we hold the ball, the more into the conference playoffs,” Nazario said. we frustrate them.” “Maybe if we’re good enough during the regThe Lions executed their game plan ular season we can get an at-large bid into the in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Western Con- NCAA tournament. You don’t have to win the necticut University, as they outshot the conference playoffs for that.” Colonials by a 22-3 margin — 10-1 in With three games this week — includshots on goal — and Shaw scored the ing Wednesday’s home opener against game’s only goal off a cross from fresh- Berkeley College — there is ample opporman midfielder Matt Taylor. tunity for the College to move above .500 Keeping the Colonials off the ball and before their games against conference opon the defensive allowed freshman goal- ponents begin, with the first one coming on keeper Maciej Libucha to have a solid Sep. 15 vs. Ramapo College. That is a goal start to his College career, earning a that they will certainly strive for. clean sheet in his first-ever appearance. For now, the focus is on this week’s sched“(Libucha’s performance) was good,” ule and Wednesday’s 7:30 p.m. home opener at Shaw said. “I’ve seen him in practice and the soccer complex. The team is excited to get he’s good — we have three goalkeepers and to play in front of their fans for the first time. I’m comfortable with all of them. He wasn’t “It should be a big game,” Shaw said betested too much, but he did what he had to fore correcting himself. “It’s our first game at do, he came out and made a few saves.” home, so it will be a big game.”
4 6
September 5, 2012 The Signal page 21
LIONS
AROUND THE
DORM 5 3
Chris Molicki “The Ref”
Jim Cortiglia Correspondent
Greg Oriolo Correspondent
Joe Caputo Correspondent
In the second edition of Around the Dorm, the “Ref,” Chris Molicki, challenges correspondents Jim Cortiglia, Greg Oriolo and Joe Caputo to answer questions about what will happen with the New York Giants in their title defense, which AL teams will win the crazy race to secure a wild card spot and if a healthy Blake Griffin means the Clippers can contend with the best in the West.
1. Last week, we had a question about the Philadelphia Eagles, but let’s talk about the Super Bowl champion New York Giants. Where do you have them finishing: champs again, NFC East winners, wild card team or missing the playoffs, and why? JCo: While I’m not very high on the NFC East and think it’s weak, I have to respect the Giants and congratulate them on their championship. With a record of just 9-7 last year, they were able to overcome a lot of short comings (2 losses to the Redskins!) and get hot when it mattered most. With the offensive losses of Manningham and Jacobs, it would appear that their offense might take a step back. However, their defensive line is one of the most fearsome in the NFL. With Tuck, Osi, JPP and a cast of others rotating in and out, the Giants’ front four will put a lot of pressure on the opposing quarterback which will lead to many turnovers to set up points for the offense. The Redskins are still a few years out from contending. The Eagles are lethal on offense, but can’t stay healthy, with Vick being injured twice in two preseason games. Tony Romo has proven that he is a very good QB over the past few years, but his Cowboy teammates have consistently let him down. With a revamped defensive backfield, the Cowboys may be able to push the Giants this season, but I believe they will fall short and the Giants will once again win the NFC East. GO: I believe that the Giants will win the NFC East this season. First, no team in the division has a more consistent offense than the G-Men. Eli Manning has the longest active streak of consecutive games started at QB, their receiving core is as dynamic as any other in the conference and David Wilson may emerge as one of the steals of this year’s draft. Yes, the Eagles might be more explosive, but the likeliness of Vick playing every game is slim, which takes them out of the race. The Cowboys are also very talented, but Miles Austin can’t stay healthy, Demarco Murray is unproven and Tony Romo has yet to win a big game. Lastly, if you have to pick one team’s defense out of the division, there is no doubt in my mind that the Giants’ D is the most dominant. Their front seven is one of the best in the NFL, their safeties make one of the most skilled duos in the NFL and they may have the best defensive player in the league right now in Jason Pierre-Paul. I’ll take this team any day.
AP Photo
JCa: Judging by the past few seasons, the NFC East has been one of the most difficult divisions to predict. That being said, it’s easier to base the prediction off of past experience. Following their last Super Bowl win, the Giants came out firing on all cylinders in 2008, marching to a 12-4 record and a first-round bye. I see a similar result this year. They have retained their deadly pass rush, which I believe is the number one way to stop a good pass game in
the NFL, and they’ve even improved their offense with the additions of Rueben Randle and David Wilson in the draft. Though they play in one of the toughest divisions in the league, their opponents have been nothing but inconsistent. No one ever knows what to expect out of Dallas, and who knows how Michael Vick’s health will play out. Not to mention the Redskins have now built their team around a rookie quarterback. Things are shaping up for the Giants to take back their title as NFC East champs. Joe gets 3 points for pointing out how the Giants won the NFC East after their last Super Bowl run. Jim gets 2 points for saying how the Giants’ defense will be their strength. Greg gets 1 point for saying that injuries are hurting the other NFC East teams.
and Justin Verlander. In late September, when each of these teams have a must win game, these pitchers will be on the mound, and I am confident that both teams will get that win. JCa: The Detroit Tigers are my first wild card team. This team always tends to come alive late in the season, and their pitching staff will be the difference. Even looking past Verlander, Doug Fister and Max Scherzer have really been coming into their own, which was their recipe for success a season ago. Taking away his last start, Fister was 5-1 with a 1.57 ERA in his previous seven, while Scherzer went 6-1 over that same span. MVP candidate Miguel Cabrera is automatic with RISP (.351 BA overall, .462 with two outs) and will provide sufficient run support. My second wild card spot will be filled by a team lead by not an MVP candidate, but the MVP himself, Mike Trout. There is nothing this guy can’t do, and the Angels finally seem to be getting their pitching going (Greinke: 2-0, 1.84 ERA in last 2 starts). Their pen is the only slightly scary part of the team, but who knows, I’m sure Trout can step up and throw an inning or two if need be. But seriously, he can. Tigers and Angels in the one-game playoff. Greg gets 3 points for saying that Baltimore’s run differential may ultimately be their downfall. Jim and Joe each get 2 points for citing the depth of both the Tigers’ and Rays’ rotations.
AP Photo
3. Blake Griffin claims he is healthy and “ready to go” after arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Even if he is, are the Clippers serious contenders in the West along with the likes of the Thunder, Lakers and Spurs? JCo: While Griffin and the “Lob City” Clippers are definitely one of the most entertaining teams in the NBA, it has become obvious over the last few seasons that the contenders in the NBA are the star-filled teams. We saw how Western Conference teams like the Lakers, Thunder and Spurs dominated last year with the help of their deep lineups and superstar power. While the addition of Chris Paul to the Clippers last season was certainly a good one, I do not think this simple 1-2 punch of Paul and Griffin will be enough to keep up with the rest of the pack. This knee surgery should be more of a concern than anything, as it will be the second so far in Griffin’s short NBA career. Teams such as the Lakers and Thunder have also vastly improved. The Lakers stole the offseason spotlight with the blockbuster trade to bring Dwight Howard to Hollywood, and the Thunder continue to mature and improve with superstars such as Durant, Westbrook and Harden. The Clippers will compete, but I would not call them serious contenders. GO: To me, a serious contender in the NBA is a team that is “likely” to win their conference in the playoffs. In the West, I personally believe the only two teams that have a shot, barring
2. Baseball’s wild card race is going to be nothing short of wild, especially with the extra spot this year. In the AL, things are so tight that the Baltimore Orioles, Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels are all still alive. Who are your favorites and why? JCo: While I am a huge fan of the Angels and Mike Trout’s amazing rookie year, I believe that their poor start in August will really cripple their chance of making it to the postseason. I think that the Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays will be the final two. Detroit has arguably the best pitcher in the world in Justin Verlander, last year’s AL MVP and Cy Young winner, and they potentially have another MVP player in Miguel Cabrera. If Detroit can pull it together in these next few weeks, they could be the most dangerous team out there. As for the Rays, nobody has forgotten their unbelievable walk-off win in the final game of the season that pushed them ahead of the Red Sox and into the postseason last year. The Rays have a deep rotation featuring David Price, James Shields, Jeremy Hellickson and Matt Moore and a solid bullpen as well. They also have a solid lineup that really knows how to step up when the game is on the line. Tampa Bay has been on fire recently and I don’t believe that any team would want to face them in the one-game playoff. GO: Tampa Bay and Detroit both have quality pitching and explosive offensive players, as well as smart managers who will get their teams into postseason play. Also, both of the teams have been there before, so any pressure down the stretch in September shouldn’t phase them. Baltimore and Oakland are at the top of the Wild Card now, but Oakland is inexperienced and may falter in September, and Baltimore has a run differential of -46. Since the Wild Card began 17 years ago, only 3 teams have made it into the playoffs with a negative run differential. Another reason why I feel that Tampa and Detroit will get in is because of their respective aces, David Price
AP Photo
injury, are OKC and the Lakers, so no, I do not feel as if the Clippers are a serious threat. They have a talented team, but I just don’t feel that Blake Griffin is as good as advertised. He survives on athleticism, and the fact that he just had knee surgery for the second time in the last four years is not good. Also, their best player, Chris Paul, is coming off of a summer injury which may affect his play early in the year. Combine that with an aging Caron Butler and an overpaid center (DeAnre Jordan) who does the exact same things as Blake Griffin, and that equals a team that will get the five seed and lose in the first or second round of the playoffs. JCa: If it were up to me, I would answer this question with one simple word — no. But since this is a competition, I guess I’m required to provide an explanation. In my eyes, the Thunder are still the best team in the Western Conference. Although the Lakers drastically improved this offseason, 2/3 of their “Big 3” are definitely past their prime and Dwight Howard is still somewhat of a question mark coming off his recent back issues. The average age of the Thunder’s “Big 3?” — 23, yes, 23 years old. With Durant and Westbrook not going anywhere anytime soon, and Harden’s recent indication that he would like to stay in OKC, this is a team that has arrived as the favorite in the West, and will remain there for years to come. Though the Clippers do have some very nice pieces, their ceiling is not as high as the Thunder, and they still lack the small forward that can put up 30plus on any given night. In my eyes, the only way they will ever be able to break through the ceiling is if they can find someone even slightly comparable to a Kevin Durant. If not, it will be a long upcoming 5-10 years on the Clipper side of Los Angeles. Hey, at least they’re used to it. Greg gets 3 points for saying how Griffin isn’t the kind of star to carry a team. Jim gets 2 points for saying that the West has too many deep and star-filled teams for the Clippers to contend. Joe gets 1 point for saying that the Thunder will be nearly impossible to beat for the foreseeable future.
Greg wins Around the Dorm, 7 - 6 - 6.
page 22 The Signal September 5, 2012
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September 5, 2012 The Signal page 23
Lions Roundup
STUDENT ATHLETE OF
Predictions from the staff N.Y. Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys
N.Y. Jets vs. Buffalo Bills
K.C. Chiefs vs Atlanta Falcons
Tennessee Titans vs. N.E. Patriots
THE WEEK
Chris Molicki
Jillian Nealon
Peter Fiorilla
4 goals on the road
Field Hockey
Brandon Gould Brendan McGrath Last week: Chris (3-1), Brendan (2-2), Brandon (2-2), Peter (1-3)
Jillian Nealon, senior forward for the College’s topranked field hockey team, scored a career-high four goals at Stevens Institute of Technology last Friday and propelled the Lions to a 5-3 win in their season opener. Nealon’s first goal tied the game at 1-1, and her following three tallies put separation between the Lions and their opponent for the duration of the victory. —Peter Fiorilla, Sports Assistant
Stats and scoring summary from football’s season opener vs. Ursinus
This Week In Sports Football (0-1) Sept. 7 @ FDU-Florham, 7 p.m. Field Hockey (1-0) Sept. 8 @ FDU-Florham, 1 p.m. Sept. 11 vs. Richard Stockton College, 7:30 p.m. Men’s Soccer (1-1) Sept. 5 vs. Berkeley College, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7 vs. Babson College, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8 vs. Lebanon Valley College, 3 p.m. Women’s Soccer (2-0) Sept. 8 vs. Oneonta State, 1 p.m. Sept. 9 vs. Hartwick College, 2:30 p.m. Men’s Tennis (0-0) Sept. 7 vs. Rider University, 4 p.m. Sept. 8 @ Monmouth University (Time TBA) vs. St. Peter’s College (Time TBA) Women’s Tennis (2-0) Sept. 8 and 9 @ Swarthmore College Invitational (Time TBA) Last Week’s Signal Trivia Answer:
Signal Trivia: This NFL franchise lost 26 straight games when it first came into existence.
AP Photo
Despite leading the series 72-12-1 overall, Notre Dame’s current win streak over Navy only dates back to 2011, when they won the rivalry game for just the second time in five years. Navy beat the Fighting Irish in 2007, 2009 and 2010.
Signal
Sports
Lions and touchdowns and bears, oh my!
College lets game slip away in home opener
Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
Although inconsistent, the team was sharp. By Chris Molicki Sports Editor
In what was an exciting game from start to finish, the Lions’ came up just short against the Ursinus College Bears, getting edged on a late touchdown by the score of 24-20. Ursinus junior quarterback Chris Curran connected on a wild 45-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Ryan Lynady with just under three minutes to play to give the Bears the lead.
The Lions’ final drive looked promising at first, but came up short and Ursinus clinched the win. “I think we just have to be more consistent,” senior linebacker Michael Lambert said. “It’s the big plays that are going to hurt us. I don’t think there are many teams that can consistently go down the field on us.” The game couldn’t have started off any better for the Lions, who had a near perfect opening drive. Senior quarterback Dan Dugan was five-for-five, hit senior tight end Pat Chirchirillo on two big pass gains and handed it off to senior running back Justin Doniloski for a one-yard touchdown run, giving the Lions a 7-0 lead. “We wanted to come out strong and show that we’re a good offense, so capitalizing with a touchdown helped with that,” Dugan said. On the College’s second drive, it was more of the same. Dugan threw consecutive completions to senior wide receiver Matt Rosati and broke free on a 41-yard run. He then concluded the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, getting the Lions out to a 14-0 lead. The defense was dominant early, but the Bears finally got on the board after a punt return to the College’s 15-yard line. Just as two incompletions made it seem like another three-andout was imminent, Curran tossed a 15-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Darius Jones to make the score 14-7. Getting right back at it was Dugan, who threw two passes for 22 yards to senior wide receiver Glenn Grainger and a 28-yarder to junior wide receiver Fred Sprengel. The Lions were halted at the two-yard line, where senior kicker Derrick Hughes successfully made a 19-yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-7. Lambert intercepted Curran on the next drive, but the Lions
gave it right back when Dugan threw a pick himself. That turnover proved to be deadly. Curran threw both a 35yard and 46-yard pass to Jones, the latter of which was a touchdown, resulting in a 17-14 score heading into the half. In the second half, the Lions’ defense did it’s best to slow down the Bears’ offense, but an eventual 31-yard field goal by freshman kicker Eric Boyer tied the game at 17. A 40-yard run by Doniloski seemed to jump-start the offense, but they still couldn’t break through the plane, settling for a 28-yard Hughes’ field goal — putting the Lions ahead by three. The College’s defense continued to make plays when senior defensive back James Siracusa collected the team’s third interception. Junior linebacker Sean Clark also had one. “We’re a defense that’s built on turnovers, so it’s good to see that in our first game we came out here and had a couple,” Lambert said. However, the offense wouldn’t get any more points and the big play to Lynady proved to be the game-winner. “We need to feel how bad this loss is and motivate ourselves to work harder in practice next week,” Dugan said. It seemed as though the Lions had this one in the bag but were unable to seal the deal. The team played very well at the start and looked to maintain that level of play for the entire game. “I think we definitely saw some good things, it’s just that we made a few mistakes that let them win the game,” Lambert said. “I think if we can take this, build on it and go into NJAC play, we’ll have a pretty good shot to have a good season.” The team travels to Fairleigh Dickinson UniversityFlorham this Friday night for their next game.
Four score for senior in opening win Nealon nets a quad of goals as Lions roar to victory By Brandon Gould News Editor
Senior forward Jillian Nealon has seen a lot of remarkable things unfold since arriving at the College in the fall of 2009. Yet what developed on Friday, Aug. 31, was a feat that even Nealon hadn’t previously experienced. Nealon had never scored more than three goals in a season coming into 2012, but in a 5-3 win over Stevens Institute of Technology, the senior forward scored four, count ’em, four goals. “It was awesome to see Jillian get so many goals,” said senior midfielder Camille Passucci. “She has worked really hard this preseason and it all came together for the first game. She had a great stick the entire game and it definitely paid off on the scoreboard.” The first goal of Nealon’s career day came in a moment of need for the Lions, with the shot entering the cage a little over a minute after the Lions surrendered a goal to the Ducks. It was a goal that Nealon says ignited the Lions for the rest of the contest. “That goal got us fired up, we knew we had to answer back and do it quick,”
Lions’ Lineup September 5, 2012
I n s i d e
Courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
The College started their national title defense off right with a win.
Nealon said. “I think the fact that we did score so quickly after (that goal) was key because we never got down on ourselves. We just got fueled off the adrenaline from our goal.” Sophomore midfielder Erin Waller picked up where she left off in 2011, putting the Lions ahead 2-1 and then assisting on Nealon’s second score to give the Lions a two-goal lead heading into the half. Both goals came after penalty corners started by Passucci. “Erin has been doing a great job and her hard work in the offseason has definitely paid off,” Passucci said. “She is
such a key player in the midfield and the offensive corner crew and will make a big impact this year without a doubt.” Early in the second half, Nealon kept her stick hot, securing a hat trick 43 seconds into the second period. Nealon would add her final goal later in the half, putting the Lions comfortably ahead 5-2 in what ultimately ended as a 5-3 game. In the shadow of the Nealon’s careerhigh performance, sophomore goalkeeper Amanda Krause posted a solid day in the cage in her first start replacing last year’s goalkeeper Shannon Syciarz. Krause, who finished with three saves,
impressed her teammates and Syciarz, who was in attendance, when she made a beautiful save on a Stevens’ stroke. “Her save against the stroke was a key save that definitely changed the momentum of the game to our favor,” Passucci said. “She is starting to find her groove, and we’re confident with her as our defensive anchor.” The Lions also saw encouraging play from two freshmen, forward Cortney Natalicchio and defender Mikayla Cimilluca, who both started against the Ducks. “Both Cortney and Mikayla adjusted really well to playing in their first college game, which is difficult to do, and I think they are both going to keep improving and really help the team out,” Nealon said. After shaking off the rust against Stevens, the Lions have a few things to work on before they play their second game of the season Saturday, Sept. 8, against FDU-Florham, but for now the Lions are just happy to have started 2012. “It felt good to finally get on the field and play another team,” Nealon said. “We have been in preseason for a while and we have scrimmaged each other a lot so it was nice to finally have a game.”
46 53 Around the Dorm page 21
Tennis stays dominant page 19
Soccer on fire page 20
XC runs well page 19