The Hoya: The Guide: October 18, 2013

the guide FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2013

THIS WEEK LIFESTYLE

When Renting Goes Wrong LINDSAY LEASOR

Starting Fresh in San Fran

Hoya Staff Writer

F

Kevin Barnes, lead singer of the band Of Montreal, set out to California for inspiration for his latest album. B3

or juniors, the fall semester features a scramble to secure housing for senior year. After a flurry of house tours and phone calls, students must pick a new home, compete for a lease and hope for the best. But the reality of off-campus housing that students meet months later isn’t always what they pictured while signing on the dotted line.

Searching for Change

Georgetown professor and civil rights activist Maurice Jackson has been politically involved in making a difference in D.C. B2

FOOD&DRINK

Tequila Times

El Centro promises to be the new go-to spot for elaborate cocktails and traditional Mexican dishes. B4

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

Folk-Rock Favorites

The Avett Brothers’ newest release is an impressive and youthful album. B5

And as services are introduced to protect the rights of student tenants, attitudes are changing about who deserves the blame when an off-campus arrangement goes south.

First-time renters are prone to making mistakes, focusing on price and proximity over other important qualities a residence should have. With a limited community of landlords providing housing in the Georgetown area, the time crunch and competition among other students to find

On the Road to an Oscar

“12 Years a Slave” is a cinematic masterpiece that highlights the brutality and savagery of slavery. B5

NEW RELEASES ‘IF I DIE YOUNG,’ NAYA RIVERA FROM GLEE 

housing often trumps logistics.

“Some people will sign leases and will never walk the property,” said Alyssa Peterson (COL ’14), co-chair of the newly formed Georgetown Student Tenant Association. “[Students should] talk to the current residents of the house to see what their experiences are.”

Without the proper research, new tenants are more likely to find themselves in an unfortunate situation.

See LANDLORDS, B2

LIFESTYLE

COLUMBIA RECORDS

On July 13, Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson in the popular TV show “Glee,” died of a tragic drug overdose. Last week, “Glee” aired a tribute episode dealing with Cory/Finn’s death. One of the most touching tracks is this cover of The Band Perry

by Naya Rivera. The minimalist piano and genuinely emotional vocals makes it one of the album’s best. Plus, $0.80 of each sale will go to Project Limelight, a charity Monteith supported.

‘ALL EYES ON YOU,’ ST. LUCIA 

Building Laughter From the Stage Up Mask & Bauble takes on Woody Allen classic in drama-comedy LINDSAY LEE

Hoya Staff Writer

As we find ourselves entrenched in midterms, combing through piles of government notes, it may seem hard to find any humor in politics or even in your daily routine. Mask & Bauble’s production of “Don’t Drink the Water” may

just change your mind.

“Don’t Drink the Water,” a 1966 play by Woody Allen, is an hour and a half packed full of witty oneliners, hysterical awkward pauses and even a couple of New Jersey jokes tossed into the mix. The show takes place in the American embassy of an unnamed European country behind the Iron Curtain

and chronicles the struggles of a family of tourists who get mistaken for American spies and the hopeless son of a diplomat who tries to help them. The dramatic and hilarious plot twists provide an outlet through which the characters can shine and be relatable.

Nick Norberg (COL ’16) plays the bungling protagonist and chron-

COLUMBIA RECORDS

This mellow track by the South African singer (real name Jean-Philip Grobler) is sure to make you dream of sunshine. The mix of electro-pop and ’80s instrumentals gives the track a Fleetwood Mac sound. Recently in D.C. on tour with Two Door Cinema Club, the band has recently released its debut album, “When the Night.” “All Eyes On You” will help you wind down and forget your upcoming winter woes.

THEHOYA.COM/ THE-GUIDE @thehoyaguide

MICHELLE XU/THE HOYA

From left, Albert Scerbo (COL ’15), Nick Norberg (COL ’16) and Adrian Iglesias (COL ’14) star in “Don’t Drink the Water,” a Woody Allen play about an American family trapped in a foreign embassy.

ic failure, Axel Magee. Though his character manages to find a way to screw everything up, Norberg still finds reason to stand by him.

“I think part of the reason that I love Axel so much and that I think Axel is so easy to love for an audience is because we’ve all been there. We’ve all screwed something up horribly and tried so hard to do the right thing, but just can’t. That’s Axel’s life,” Norberg said.

Magee develops a relationship with Susan Hollander, played by Maddie Kelley (COL ’16), and their character dynamic is fraught with entertaining physical tension and comical flirtation.

This relationship is contrasted

by Susan’s constantly bickering parents, Marion and Walter, played by Liz Robbins (MSB ’14) and Hoya staffer Matt Grisier (COL ’16), respectively (Grisier is the deputy opinion editor for THE HOYA.) Their well-timed banter will make you believe that they’ve truly been married for a number of years and that these squabbles are just the daily fare.

“It was really weird how easily it came,” Robbins said. “I have to give a lot of credit to Matt, too, because as soon as he started reading it, it just came very naturally.”

These character interactions were developed over a relatively short preparation period, and director Joe Madsen (COL ’14) strove See THEATER, B3

B2

the guide

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, october 18, 2013

FEATURE

With Housing, Students Face Unexpected Challenges LANDLORDS, from B1 “The fact that half the houses in Georgetown don’t have basic business licenses is creating a situation in which a lot of students are living in really unsafe housing,” Peterson said.

Through the tenant association, which is run by the Georgetown University Student Association, Peterson hopes to educate student tenants about the mechanics of rentals and leases and solve problems students like Nikita Buley (MSB ’14), a former staffer for The Hoya, encounter with landlords. “[Our landlords] wouldn’t let us move in on June 1, which is the normal move-in date for most residences in Georgetown, because they said that they were getting [the apartment] professionally cleaned for a week,” said Buley, who lives in an apartment near the intersection of 35th and O streets NW. “But when I got there, the

house had obviously not been deeply cleaned as they promised. It was filthy.”

Walking into an unclean property on the first day of the lease is not unique to Buley.

“The upstairs screened porch was full of trash, mostly old furniture and broken printers and that sort of

thing, but also ancient containers of Chinese food,” Nick Parrott (COL ’12) said of the first impression he had to his senior-year home on Reservoir Road across from the Georgetown University Hospital.

Washington, D.C. law requires that landlords make all necessary repairs to ensure the houses are safe and habitable according to safety code requirements. In many cases, however, it can take weeks or months before tenants see home improvements.

“We had rats coming in from behind the dishwasher because there were holes on the inside of the house that [our landlord] hadn’t fixed,” Samantha Lin (SFS ’14), who lives in an apartment near the intersection of 36th and O streets NW, said.

“So he got us rattraps, and the rat problem stopped, but then mice

started coming in from behind the dishwasher because there are holes back there. He was just really neglecting his responsibilities.”

Until this fall, students were on their own in dealing with these issues, a daunting task for first-time renters. The tenant association is seeking to provide more institutional support through general consultations about issues with landlords and through reviews of leases

before students sign them.

“If the students come in and understand their rights before entering into the lease, we can look over the lease to make sure that the clauses aren’t problematic,” Peterson said. “It’s supposed to prevent people from getting in these terrible leases with terrible landlords.”

Campus attention turned to the reliability of landlords and attention to safety codes in 2004, when Daniel Rigby (MSB ’05) died in a fire in his house on Prospect Street. His basement room was near a window that could have been used to escape, but was covered with bars.

“When Daniel Rigby died in the fire, there was brief university action, but then interest waned,” Peterson said.

“We have fallen back to the situation where people have these horrible landlords, so we’re trying to reboot that effort and the engagement with the university.”

While safety concerns of a similar scale have not been brought up in recent years, problems with landlords still persist. The reason for this is likely related to the reliable demand for housing in the Georgetown area and a seemingly endless stream of student renters.

“Honestly, I think a lot of the landlords in Georgetown think because we’re students, because we’re young, we’re really busy so we don’t have a lot of time to figure out the laws and our rights and that they’re mistreating us,” Buley said. “They know that we need a place to live and that the university doesn’t have enough housing for all its students, so we’re willing to pay high prices for mediocre housing.”

Eight landlords in the Georgetown neighborhood either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

The complaints of Georgetown’s long-term neighbors suggest an overflow of rowdy, disrespectful college students in a subdued, distinguished neighborhood. As Georgetown works to house 90 percent of students on campus, some of the students left living off campus may return inside the front gates.

But until the university adds the facilities to meet these requirements, students who picked out their senior-year house during their freshman fall and

ALL PHOTOS ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

students who would rather spend another year in Henle Village will still have to interact with neighbors and landlords.

“We wanted housing on campus because we just didn’t want to deal with landlords,” Lin said

of her reasoning for originally wanting to stay on campus.

“We entered the housing lottery, and we found out much later that we didn’t get it.”

With few Georgetown housing options for seniors, landlords have a unique control over undergraduates who have nowhere else to turn.

Occasionally, some landlords have gone as far as cooperating with students — or have just turned a blind eye — on code violations, such as permitting more people than legally allowed to live in one house. However, landlords tend toward the opposite direction and take their authority too far.

“The landlord I had for both years I was living in Burleith was a major creep. Whenever he visited the house, which was rare since he spent most of his time overseas, he would provide this weird, sexual commentary,” Parrott said. “Upon seeing my male roommate open the door without a shirt, he said, ‘I’ll try not to get too aroused at the sight of a bare chest.’”

But it didn’t stop there. Having un-

limited access to his own property allowed for full invasion of his tenants’ privacy.

“The man dug through girls’ underwear drawers,” Parrott said.

When students encounter these extreme circumstances, many do not know their rights as tenants, a problem GSTA hopes to solve. Buley took it upon herself to learn the intricacies of D.C. housing and told her landlord she was considering bringing in an inspector to look at aspects of the house that were against code, like cracked tiles in the bathroom.

“That was the only thing that they responded to quickly. They arranged the time with the handyman and our cracked tiles were fixed a week later,” Buley said. “So if I point out that something is breaking the law, they get around to it.”

tech talk

lifestyle

Mind Control: Making Academic Activist Takes On DC Science Fiction a Reality

C

onsumer technology has seen incredible improvement and innovation in recent decades. From room-sized computers capable of only simple tasks to a smartphone in every pocket, the true scope of technological progress can be difficult to comprehend fully.

Throughout its entire history, however, technology has been characterized by a firm separation of user and device. Cameras, computers and cell phones all require that the user focus solely on operating the device and are more tools than extensions of the human mind. Looking at the problem-solving ability and access to information that computers give us, is there not some way that technology already enhances our abilities? Given the speed of technological progress, is it possible that before long, technology could become not only a useful tool but also an essential augmentation of human capabilities?

In September of this year, the Rehabilitation Henry Institute of Chicago unveiled the world’s first thought-controlled prosthetic leg.

This means that rather than using cables or a remote device to control a limb, amputees can simply think what they want their limb to do and the computer system in the prosthetic will respond the way a natural leg would. Groundbreaking thought-control technology is an enormous milestone in the rapidly growing field of bionics. It offers the opportunity for a more natural life to America’s one million leg amputees.

The technology behind this achievement is called “targeted muscle reinnervation,” and it is conceptually fairly simple. Essentially, your brain controls the muscles in your body by sending electrical signals through nerves and into your limbs. If a leg has been amputated, these nerves are cut off and there is no place for the signals to go. However, using a surgical procedure, these cut nerves can be redirected to attach to a healthy muscle. The

Abigail West

end result is that when the patient thinks about moving her amputated limb, the new muscle will contract instead of the missing arm. This allows contractions of the muscle to be sensed with electrodes in order to provide control signals to the artificial limb.

The potential applications of this sort of technology do not stop in the medical field. Thought control has also been successful for operating technology in a less natural way. For example, technology has allowed paralyzed people to type messages using their thoughts and to move mouse cursors with nothing but brain power.

Imagine, for example, a world in which you could interact with technology in a truly immersive way.

Never again would you need to stop what you were doing and pull yourself away from what is going on around you to interact with technology. It could bring an end to an age where technology distracts from acParrott tive participation in life.

Never again would someone need to walk into walls because they were texting. If we could control the capabilities of our smartphones with our thoughts, then taking photos and videos actually would be in line with capturing moments of your own life experience, sending messages would become telepathy and searching for information would become seamless and natural.

Interacting with technology in such an intimate way opens the door for human beings to see beyond our natural capabilities. When the line between human and technology begins to blur, we will be able to discover the true capabilities of our species and explore new levels of cognitive and mental capacity.

We can use this technology to catch a glimpse of the future of consumer technology.

Henry Parrott is a junior in the School of Foreign Service. TECH TALK appears every other Friday in the guide.

Special to The Hoya

Maurice Jackson is a professor of history and African American studies at Georgetown University and author of the book Let This Voice Be Heard: Anthony Benezet, Father of Atlantic Abolitionism. A civil rights activist, Jackson has been significantly involved in the social, political and cultural forces of African American history in Washington, D.C. ,and now serves as the chair of the District of Columbia Commission on African American Affairs.

His dedication to the nation and its capital earned him an induction into the Washington, D.C. Hall of Fame in 2009.

In your article published in The Washington Post this past August, you often alluded to Washington D.C.’s “Soul of the City.”

How do you define this “soul”?

W.B. Dubois claimed that this soul is the “essence” of black people; D.C. is what it is because of black people.

Even in the midst of slavery, black people still possessed the unwavering desire for freedom; slavery could not rob them of their dignity.

Black people also found themselves involved in U.S. war efforts during both world wars but were nonetheless still denied equal rights following their return to civilian life. Later,

ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Jackson has fought for African American rights for many years.

in the 1950s, segregation was still rampant in America. In this decade, D.C. also experienced a flourishing of black culture that was concentrated on U Street, known as “the Washington Renaissance.” The mid1970s brought new job opportunities for minority youth in D.C., in addition to efforts at preserving the city, seen in the establishment of black museums and the flourishing of African American culture. However, this was later marred in the ’80s by both budget cuts and Ronald Reagan’s “Three Strikes You’re Out” legislation, which issued severe penalties for drug-related crimes and unfortunately coincided with a crack epidemic. The consequences of this legislation were profound and prompted the emigration of young blacks who were simply unable to afford such [newly expensive] housing.

the commission, I am not anyone’s candidate. It will likely take time, but I hope to make a difference.

What prompted your involvement with the District of Columbia Commission on African American Affairs? How do you hope to address racial inequality in D.C. through your position as chair on the commission?

I got a call asking to be involved with the commission but was initially reluctant to accept — I can’t deal with egos; I think they prevent things from getting done. After mentioning this, I was subsequently offered the chair position, which I accepted.

More than anything, we just need time and resources to succeed.

Our commission is the only commission that is not funded. Many people assume that these issues of racial inequality and limited minority opportunities have been solved over the years, given their salience throughout U.S. history. Nonetheless, this isn’t the case. People look and see what’s going on but no one does anything about it. The people of D.C. shouldn’t have to struggle.

70 percent of African American men don’t graduate [from college].

African Americans in D.C. move out because they cannot afford housing.

Such issues are only exacerbated by politics, as politicians seek only to promote their own agenda and create a well-received reputation of themselves. However, as the chair of

Is there any critique you have to offer regarding Georgetown’s education or its student body?

I think the students sometimes need to work a little harder. I suggest that students go out of the mold and take a variety of classes, learning how to think and informing their opinions on the world. I think students could also lighten up a little bit, maybe cut off their iPads and just get together to discuss the great issues of our time. Unfortunately, I believe that education is suffering.

Sometimes, I walk into my office and just put my head down on the table, but I know I must try to make a difference, so I simply straighten my tie and look onward. Education means nothing if we don’t use it for the betterment of humankind.

D.C.’s problems are not limited to racial issues; violence against women must also be addressed head-on.

More than anything, students and D.C. residents in general should not only treat everyone with dignity but also carry themselves with that same dignity and respect. Nothing makes you better than anyone else.

Not only should you abide by this because it is part of the Georgetown tradition, but also because it makes you a better human being, even if it goes against everything you’ve ever been taught.

Why did you choose to become a professor following your involvement in civil rights activism?

I tried to change the world, but the world wasn’t changing. Becoming a professor was honestly sort of a fluke. The school has been good to me but I’ve also been good to the school. I’ve given many of my books to Lauinger Library — in fact, there is a Maurice Jackson collection at this point. I’m also working on three or four projects right now, including my position on the D.C. Commission on African American Affairs, producing publications and actively recruiting more blacks into Georgetown’s graduate programs; blacks comprise less than 3 percent of the graduate student population here.

the guide

friday, october 18, 2013

lifestyle

THE HOYA

B3

lifestyle

Behind the Beat: of Montreal Abby Reutzel Hoya Staff Writer

MICHELLE XU/THE HOYA

Alice Neave (COL ’16) and Maddie Kelley (COL ’16) perform a dynamic scene together in this play about the humor found in everyday life.

On-Stage Chemistry Humanizes Characters THEATER, from B1 to create a rehearsal environment that matched the high-octane nature of the show.

“The goal we had for the rehearsal room was just that everyone was having fun, because if you’re having fun, the comedy will come out,” Madsen said. The actors found themselves enjoying the freedom they had to try outlandish and over-the-top theatrics during rehearsal as they became more comfortable with each other.

“A lot of the time, we would mess things up to eventually get what would be funniest, and that was really fun,” Kelley said.

For Madsen, directing “Don’t Drink the Water” has been a goal since the end of his freshman year.

This is the sixth Georgetown theater production Madsen has worked on and the second he has directed. He was drawn to the way Allen’s work demands precise comedic timing and the way he manipulates an ensemble cast.

While some roles may allow the actor to have more lines, no singular role is any more crucial than another. Even the roles with less stage time produce peals of laughter from the unsuspecting audience, particularly the character Ms. Burns as played by Claire Derriennic (COL ’17), whose brief, frenzied moments on stage are sure to be some of your favorites.

“He allows characters to really bounce off each other and ricochet like a pinball machine,” Madsen said.

Though the rehearsal process can be tricky, the production side of a show can be even tougher. Poulton Hall has been the home for Mask and Bauble for a number of years and poses its own challenges for a production. As a black box theater, it begins as a nearly blank canvas with which the production staff must create an entirely new reality.

“We love it, and we love it for all that it offers and all that it doesn’t offer,” producer Nora Genster (SFS ’16) said. “It really encourages our designers to think of the space in a unique way and to build an area for the audience that maintains the intimate feel of a black box.”

In addition to this, Mask and Bauble is a wholly student-run theater organi-

zation, which means that this simple space must be remastered entirely by a staff of student engineers. Seniors Madsen and Robbins have both had extensive experience working in Poulton both on stage as actors and behind the scenes.

When Madsen was cast in his first show freshman year, he entered Poulton for the first time and describes his reaction as “slightly horrified.”

“When that show went up, I was amazed at how the students had transformed the space,” Madsen said.

Robbins shares the same sentiments.

“When you walk in Poulton, it’s bare. As students we literally get to do everything, but it’s really daunting the first time,” Robbins said.

Poulton has seen many types of stage set-ups, but this particular production makes use of a “thrust,” which means that there is an audience on three sides of the stage. The entire show takes place in a single office with no moving set pieces, but the actors make excellent, strategic use of the various entrances and exits, which make the space feel much larger in the mind of an audience member. The use of a thrust stage also creates some advantages for an actor, especially in a comedy.

“If you’re trying to play to a 500-person house, it’s very difficult to create a relationship with the audience. They kind of become one big amalgam in your brain,” Norberg said.

This setup allows the actors to more closely engage with the audience, and this greatly adds to the comedic effect of the show.

It’s difficult to take yourself too seriously as you watch “Don’t Drink the Water,” and it can offer some levity to your outlook during this tough academic time.

“I think what’s really important, and something we forget a lot at Georgetown, is that life is really very funny,” Genster said. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with looking at your life and finding it as amusing as it really is.”

With the release of their twelfth studio album, Lousy with Sylvianbriar, of Montreal have created one of the most celebrated and cohesive records of their career. Frontman, founder and only constant member Kevin Barnes took a new approach when it came to this album, and it has paid off.

Instead of holing up in his house, Barnes decided to take off to a new place, and that happened to be San Francisco.

“I’d been there many times, just playing shows, but I’d never really spent a lot of time there,” Barnes said in an interview with The Hoya. “Just visiting, taking in the city and some of that had me drawn to San Francisco, which felt like the place that I should be to work on new material, so I kind of just listened to that inner voice.”

While reading and exploring in San Francisco, he ended up coming across Sylvia Plath’s poetry and did a good amount of research about her life, which led him to the creation of the album’s title.

“I felt like her spirit was strong; it was a sort of inspiration for the record, for the songs, so I wanted to include that,” Barnes said.

The blending of the light of the city and the dark of Plath is one of his signature moves and one of the only constant threads between all of the of Montreal releases.

“There is upbeat-feeling music, but lyrically, I have it be more introspective and sometimes a bit of a downer.

It’s kind of a cross between the two sides of my mind. The side that can see the joy and beauty in the world and the side that is a bit more pessimistic,” Barnes said.

On this newest release he points to “Fugitive Air” and “She Ain’t Speaking Now” as great examples of this musical and lyrical paradox.

After his time in California, he headed home to Athens, Ga. and decided to change things up again by switching

POLYVINYL RECORD COMPANY

Of Montreal’s newest album features a full band and a musical style that is influenced by Sylvia Plath’s poetry and the city of San Francisco. his recording process.

“I knew I wanted to make the record the way they used to make records — where they would just get a group of people in a room together and have everyone focus all their energy and concentrate during a period of time,” Barnes said. For the past few records, he had recorded them mostly by himself, but this time, he utilized analog recording techniques and an actual band.

They had only about two weeks to record the entire record and he had never worked with two members of the full band before .

“It was really just rolling the dice and hoping it turned out okay and trusting my instincts. I do have this strange, I don’t know what I’d even call it, but there’s some sort of thing that happens organically that spiritually, artistically leads me in one direction or another direction, and I always just follow it blindly for better or worse,” Barnes said. “I am always happy with whatever I accomplish after following that voice.”

This album acts not only as a throwback in musical style, but also in recording technique.

“I used to always work with an analog tape machine and then I went,

because of the music I was making, to working out of a computer and doing everything by myself, so I kind of wanted to get back to that sort of experience of working with other people,” Barnes said.

In addition to the album release, the band is now on tour. Next week, they will be in Washington, D.C., playing two nights at the U Street Music Hall (Oct. 23 and 24).

“I know a lot of bands just go on stage and play their songs and feel in some way that it’s just more honest,” Barnes said. “I do think there’s something to that of course, but I think that it just gives it more dynamics if there’s moving on stage and new things happening,” There will be no static feeling in the live show they bring to D.C., which he says will be influenced by Mexican art and culture.

Of Montreal have never done things by the book, and they continue to do their own thing with this newest release. Kevin Barnes’ inner voice has yet to lead him wrong, and when they come to D.C. next week it will be interesting to see where it leads him. What he and his band do for their live show.

This will be a performance you don’t want to miss.

FALL HARVEST paris, france — daniel smith

‘Don’t Drink the Water’ runs from Oct. 17 to Oct. 19 at 8 p.m., Oct. 20 at 2 p.m. and from Oct. 23 to Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $8 for students and $12 for general admission. Visit performingarts.georgetown.edu for more information.

healthy hoya

A Barista’s Guide to the Best Beans and Brew T

he leaves are starting to turn gold and crimson, the morning air is crisp and the sky seems just a little bluer. Fall demands a switch in wardrobes and more importantly, a switch in go-to beverages. Drinking a cappuccino might seem crazy when it’s swelteringly hot, but that’s about to change.

Put down the ice and start using those sleeves. The hotter, the better.

Good news for coffee and tea junkies: Both are great for your body and mind. Herbal and caffeinated teas have a variety of benefits, ranging from cancer and heartdisease prevention to encouraging weight loss and mental alertness.

The purported benefits of moderate coffee intake are up for debate but include a reduction in the risk of developing diabetes, various cancers and even dementia. However, that’s before you drown your cup of Joe with cream and sugar. But even if

you’re someone who prefers a daily caffeine intake to be a little sweeter, drinks are easily customized while still keeping sugar and calories at bay. You can always opt for nonfat or soymilk, sugar-free syrup or no whipped cream. The perks of coffee and tea are psychological, not just physical. Warm drinks can quickly change your mood for the better whether you’re craving relaxation, energy or a simple daily ritual.

After working at Saxbys for a few weeks, I’ve quickly come to associate customers’ drink orders with their moods. Here are some of my best recommendations to make it through everything coming your way this October.

Big yawns and sleepy stares signal that it’s midterm season. If you need to wake up fast for a test or to finish a paper, you’ve got to bring out the big guns. Order espresso, or maybe a Red Eye — drip coffee with a shot

or two — if you’re really feeling the lack of sleep. Love that regular mocha of yours but want a boost? Add an extra shot, even to a tea latte.

You’ll sound like a coffee pro if you order a dirty chai. Even better? Studies have shown time and time again that coffee can actually boost brain cognition and can enhance perfor-

Kylie Mohr mance, especially if you’re sleep deprived, although I’m a little in awe of the guys who frequently order quad shots.

For me, fall means one thing in particular: pumpkin. My friends can attest to my obsession with this seasonal delicacy. Lucky for all of us fall lovers out there, coffee shops

embrace the pumpkin trend, too. I know what you’re going to order if I spot you watching the falling leaves on O Street. While pumpkin spice lattes are a favorite this time of year, try a pumpkin pie chai if you’re not a coffee drinker. Some shops also offer a seasonal blend of pumpkin spice drip coffee, too. Don’t be afraid to double up. Ordering a pumpkin muffin and a pumpkin spice latte just makes you the ultimate fan. If for some crazy reason the idea of a pumpkin drink sounds repulsive, hot apple cider is another heartwarming fall favorite.

When stress from internship apps or your extracurricular commitments leaves you wound up or on edge, reach for tea. There are so many options, and every coffee shop has its own unique selection. Step out of your green or black rut and try something new. Chamomile is good anywhere, anytime, not just

when you want to something to help you fall asleep. At Midnight MUG, Alpine Berry is a sweet decaffeinated tea with a little tartness to keep things fresh. Saxbys offers some of the best peppermint tea in the area, which perfectly captures minty invigoration. Next time you’re at Starbucks, try a rooibos hot tea or vanilla latte, made with an African red tea that is very fullbodied and earthy.

Take advantage of this glorious fall weather and embrace these steamy and satisfying coffee or tea drinks. Arnold Palmers, frappuccinos and the infamous frozen concoction of chocolate, chocolate chips and Oreos that is the Saxbys Kookie Monster can wait until warmer weather returns.

Kylie Mohr is a sophomore in the College. HEALTHY HOYA appears every other Friday in the guide.

B4

the guide

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2013

RESTAURANTS

RECIPE BOX

Keeping It Simple at Gourmet Dupont Eatery

GREEN GODDESS GRILLED CHEESE

As the colder weather sets in and midterm season continues, indulge in an updated version of your go-to comfort food. This gourmet grilled cheese, which includes pesto, goat cheese and avocado, can be made into a healthy lunch with wheat bread.

Get creative with additional ingredients — toss in chicken for protein and try out different cheeses for unique tastes.

INGREDIENTS

2 slices bread 2-3 tablespoons pesto 2 slices mild white melty cheese (like mozzarella)

handful fresh baby spinach 1/4 avocado, sliced 2 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled olive oil (and butter if you’re so inclined)

Spread about 1 tablespoon of pesto onto each slice of bread.

On one slice of bread, add one slice of cheese, sliced avocado, crumbled goat cheese, spinach, second slice of cheese, then top it with second slice of bread. Press together gently.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over medium low heat. Add the sandwich to the oil and cook until bread is golden brown. Press down on the sandwich lightly, then flip the sandwich over and cook until second side is golden brown.

RESTAURANTS

New Georgetown Hot Spot Spices Up Exotic Drinks CAITLIN DESANTIS Hoya Staff Writer

El Centro is a new restaurant specializing in classical Mexican cuisine. Reviving the space that used to be Third Edition, El Centro has two seating levels, four bar counters and an outdoor patio and looks to be the new favorite in the Georgetown bar scene.

For those seeking something more upscale than Los Cuates, what makes El Centro stand out is its margaritas. Made with fresh-squeezed lime juice, agave syrup and Sauza blue tequila, the margaritas are tart and refreshing. Traditionalists should start with the lime flavor, but on-the-rocks choices include strawberry, prickly pear or a pineapple and habanero flavor called the Spina. The restaurant also offers houseinfused tequilas, which range from more classic flavors like strawberry and papaya to more adventurous ones like basil and cilantro. However, I personally recommend the frozen variety — served in tall water glasses, the margarita serving size is far from skimpy, something which many trendy restaurants are guilty of. Margaritas are $9 to $12 for an individual glass, $22 to $26 for half pitchers and $40 to $47 for full pitchers.

El Centro also has various Mexican-inspired cocktails such as the El Centro Dark & Stormy, flavored with chilies and ginger, the classic Paloma with lime and grapefruit and one of my favorites, the Red and Smokey, which fuses together smoky mescal tequila, chili-ginger and hibiscus. The spiciness mixed with the smoky and floral notes creates a surprisingly smooth, unique drink. The restaurant also has a “tequila bible,” which has a selection of over 100 tequilas. Prices range from $8 to $150 and diners can order individual tequilas or prefixed tastings.

Along with its remarkable alcohol selection, El Centro also has exceptional, traditional Mexican food prepared by chef and

EL CENTRO

 1218 Wisconsin Ave. NW cuisine: Mexican price: $$$$ owner Richard Sandoval. All meals begin with freshly fried tortilla chips and homemade salsa. The chips are thick and crispy without being overly greasy, and you can also have guacamole made tableside to your preference. Other appetizers include empanadas, ceviche and tamales. For the main dish, be sure to try out the huaraches — similar to a Mexican pizza — which are corn masa flatbreads topped with cheese and toppings. The grilled skirt steak huarache combines steak, caramelized onions, black beans, crema and salsa.

The more adventurous can order tacos with beef tongue or octopus, but delectable classics like chicken tinga or pork shoulder are available. Their Jalisco shrimp and crab enchilada served with corn and plantains is exceptional, and one of their best dishes is the short rib cazuela served with autumn root vegetables and corn tortillas. The generously sized portion is meaty and melts in your mouth.

El Centro also has unbelievable daily deals. Their nightly happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. features $4 lime margaritas, select beers and house wines. Nacho Monday offers nachos with your choice of toppings for $5.95. They also have $2 Taco Tuesdays, $5 Margarita Wednesdays and half-priced Sangria Sundays. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, there may not be any monetary discounts, but the restaurant is home to late-night dancing.

SETTE OSTERIA

1666 Connecticut Ave. NW cuisine: Italian price: $$$$

 JESS KELHAM-HOHLER Special to The Hoya

Sette Osteria’s traditional Italian cuisine was truly put to the test this Monday. Not only did it have to impress a self-professed foodie who seems to know every restaurant in Washington and me, a food lover, but it also had to win over a real Italian, straight from Milan, who had so far despaired over every attempt this nation has made at recreating her home delicacies. All in all, a challenging panel, which makes the fact that we all left beaming and declaring our love for the restaurant all the more impressive.

Located just a two-minute walk from the Dupont Circle GUTS stop, this quiet Italian restaurant is a true gem. The ambience is warm and traditional, with the charming pizza oven in full view and the restaurant filled with plenty of light, making it the perfect place for Saturday lunches and family dinners. Weather permitting, there is also an outside dining area. The service was just what you would hope for — unobtrusive, polite and friendly. We were charmed as soon as they served the bread, which was warm and deliciously soft, perfect for dipping in the delicate extra virgin olive oil.

Sette Osteria aims to bring good, uncomplicated Italian food to Washington, and its menu clearly reflects that. There are an impressive number of options, with a weekend brunch menu providing a selection of sandwiches, omelets and other tempting treats. But it was the lunch and dinner menu that drew us in. Numerous pasta and pizza dishes, a variety of meat and fish courses and a mix of simple and sophisticated appetizers are all between $10 and $20 — very reasonable prices for the quality of the items.

There are also around 10 daily specials featuring fresh and seasonal ingredients. It’s a credit to the menu and to the look of our fellow diners’ dishes that it took us a good 20 minutes to decide what we would limit ourselves to ordering.

The meal proper began with

JESS KELHAM-HOHLER FOR THE HOYA

Sette Osteria’s dishes, including their tacchino sandwich, live up to traditional Italian taste standards. a shared platter of fried calamari and zucchini served with a spicy tomato sauce. The plate was empty within minutes. As should be the case, the calamari and zucchini were light and delicious, not at all greasy — a typical pitfall for Italian restaurants in the U.S. — and proved to be the perfect complement to the following courses.

You know an Italian restaurant is a winner if the pasta is perfectly done, and in this area, Sette Osteria certainly succeeded. I had the cavatelli all’indiavolata, a fantastic pasta dish of homemade cavatelli pasta with a rich and slightly spicy tomato sauce served with Italian sausage and broccoli combined together in the perfect ration.

Tip: Cover the dish generously with parmesan cheese to bring out all the full favor of the dish and make it that much better. My Italian friend tried pasta too, opt-

ing for the cannelloni di ricotta e spinachi, and has now officially given this restaurant her seal of approval. My other friend chose a more simple option, ordering the tacchino sandwich, a mix of meat and salad on toasted wheat bread.

The best, however, had to be the daily special: burrata, a creamy Italian cheese served with a salad of arugula, avocado and tomato.

She could not stop raving about its taste.

It’s the triumphant victory of good food when you leave feeling as if your spirit has been renewed and you have the strength to face another week of classes and Leo’s chum. As the cold winds and rains of fall approach and the need for hot comfort food increases, put Sette Osteria at the top of your list for guaranteed happiness and culinary joy. You won’t be disappointed.

HAPPY HOUR MUD SLIDE

allrecipes.com For a post-midterm celebration, indulge in a frozen mudslide, a strong and sweet chocolate and coffee-flavored milkshake. Paired perfectly with a night in and a Netflix binge, the drink can be made more decadent by substituting vanilla ice cream for ice cubes or chocolate syrup drizzled down the side of the glass before the final mixture is poured in. Recipe serves four.

In a blender, combine 4 cups crushed ice, 1 1/2 fluid oz. vodka, 1 1/2 fluid oz. coffee-flavored liqueur and 1.5 fluid oz. Irish cream liqueur. Drizzle on 2 tbps. chocolate syrup. Blend until smooth. Serve with whipped cream garnish.

SPIKED APPLE CIDER COCKTAILS

foodnetwork.com For a more adult take on Starbucks’ classic spiced cider, mix rum and cinnamon schnapps with the seasonal beverage. A warm and relaxing drink, this apple cider is great for unwinding and, because it can easily be made in large quantities, ideal for large gatherings. For a sweeter twist, add caramel.

Mix together 1/2 cup dark rum, 1/4 gallon apple cider and 1/2 cup cinnamon schnapps in a large pitcher. Add 1 Granny Smith apple (peeled and cut into large chunks) to a small bowl and toss it with lemon juice. Thread the diced apples onto skewers. Pour spiked apple cider over ice and then garnish with an apple skewer and serve.

CAITLIN DESANTIS/THE HOYA

El Centro’s authentic Mexican food, like its short rib cazuela paired with autumn root vegetables and corn tortillas, is rich and flavorful.

bestbets ‘PAINTERS AND PIRATES’

on campus

Tired of more serious productions? Children’s Theater is putting on a sea-faring adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” where Viola pretends to be the captain of a pirate ship to assist her friend and must survive misadventures amid a motley crew of pirates. Although the performance is intended for a younger audience, all are invited to attend the production.

‘THE HANGOVER PART III’ SHOWING

If you missed the The Hangover Part III in theatres, Georgetown Program Board is bringing it to campus this weekend. In the wake of a family tragedy, Doug goes missing again and the trio must combine their mental energies to save him from the nefarious Mr. Chow. Alan’s antics have put his friends in danger, but it just wouldn’t be The Hangover if it happened any other way.

LATE NIGHT TRUCKAROO

TASTE OF GEORGETOWN SCAVENGER HUNT

WHERE: McNeir Auditorium WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m.

INFO: GU Children’s Theater PRICE: Free

WHERE: ICC Auditorium WHEN: Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.

INFO: Georgetown Program Board PRICE: Free

WHERE: In front of Copley Hall WHEN: Friday, 10 p.m.

INFO: What’s After Dark PRICE: Prices vary

WHERE: Red Square WHEN: Saturday, 3 p.m.

INFO: Georgetown Program Board PRICE: Free

Satisfy your late night munchies with food from well-known food trucks including Snack Shack, BBQ Bus, Doug the Food Dude, and Captain Cookie and the Milkman. With great variety including pulled pork sandwiches, coconut almond chip ice cream and Caribbean-roasted pork, there’s something for everyone. For those with food allergies, Doug the Food Dude offers gluten-free options.

Running out of time to shuttle your parents around to all the delicacies Georgetown and D.C. have to offer this weekend? Hit up the Taste of Georgetown Scavenger Hunt to face off with other families in a competition of trivia knowledge, athleticism and endurance. Be sure to participate because Baked and Wired and Georgetown Cupcakes will be involved.

the guide

friday, OCTOBER 18, 2013

music

THE HOYA

B5

movies

movies

Savage Depiction Folk-Rock WikiLeaks Thriller Band Blows Explores Assange’s Past Of Slavery Shocks 12 years a slave Fans Away  the fifth estate   magpie and dandelion The Avett Brothers Breanna Moret Hoya Staff Writer

As a fan of the Avett Brothers, I have been following their career for a while now. They’ve got the folk-rock combination down pat and their eighth studio album, Magpie and the Dandelion, is a great addition to their already impressive repertoire. The latest venture for the North Carolina trio stands in stark contrast to last year’s Grammy-nominated album, The Carpenter, which was more serious and cynical.

The album opens with “Open Ended Life,” an upbeat and hopeful tune that features an impressive harmonica solo that no doubt brings to mind the childlike quality the band was aiming for. Channeling their pop side, it’s a fun way for the Avett Brothers to kick off the 15-song album, which includes demo tracks. The first single is “Another Is Waiting,” which features bluegrass influences and the classic Avett Brothers lyrical choices that seem hokey but somehow always fit the array of both traditional and unexpected instrument pairings. Midway through, the album takes a more somber turn with “Apart From Me,” a gorgeous acoustic number that reflects on an ended relationship and its lasting effects.

Whether upbeat and more pop or dour and more bluegrass, the Avett Brothers’ aesthetic of folk-rock always has a calming effect. The sometimes-talking, sometimes-singing voices of Scott and Seth Avett seem to have that effect no matter what genre they’re channelling. “Vanity” showcases a little bit of wailing with singing, and its repetitive nature — just one verse and one chorus — really lets the piano, drums and bass line shine as they take center stage to the lyrics. Piano is also a major player on “Good To You,” with only vocal harmonies and the timely use of a tambourine keeping its beautiful simplicity, making the song a success. The song tells the story of putting work and other commitments over loved ones and is especially poignant when the narrator is a father looking at his grown-up daughter, having missed out on her entire childhood.

My favorite song on the album is the banjo-filled “Skin and Bones.” The lyrics paint pictures for listeners with their vivid imagery, and the laid-back sound of the brothers’ voices creates an emotional connection with the main sentiment of the song.

Part of the Avett Brothers’ appeal is their ability to take the listener on a ride throughout the entirety of an album.

They not only shift tempos between upbeat and weepy but also bring in elements of pop, folk, rock and bluegrass, allowing the listener to travel through different genres while keeping an expressive lyrical quality that threads itself through each and every song.

starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender

starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl, Anthony Mackie

Charlotte Glasser

Joseph Kuperschmidt

Special to The Hoya

Special to The Hoya

Only Benedict Cumberbatch could be commanded not to take a role by the man he portrays in a film and still play him to perfection. The Fifth Estate, directed by Bill Condon, depicts the story of Julian Assange and WikiLeaks’ meteoric rise to notoriety.

Cumberbatch captures Assange perfectly, down to his mannerisms and attitudes: He’s arrogant, he’s eccentric and he may even be crazy, but he’s always the smartest person in the room. The audience is privy to information about Assange’s traumatic childhood through flashbacks. Overall, The Fifth Estate is entertaining, surprisingly witty and thought provoking. It has all the makings of a great movie; however, viewers should be aware that it is not an expose of Assange or WikiLeaks. Its value falls entirely within the realm of entertainment and not in a detailed account of the WikiLeaks saga.

The movie begins with clips of moments in history and the media to illustrate the meaning of its title. WikiLeaks is sometimes hailed as the most revolutionary media source in the world.

The Fifth Estate is one step above “the fourth estate,” a traditional nickname for the press as a whole.

As soon as the opening credits end, the film dives into a chase scene. From that point on, the fast-paced action captivates the audience. By painting Assange and his actions in a controversial light, the film embodies the tension of the high-stakes situations that make up the plot. Intriguing chronology and flashbacks also help to convey the thought processes of every decision Assange makes and the widespread effect his decisions have on the global flow of information.

The Fifth Estate shows issues from the perspective of WikiLeaks and the organizations WikiLeaks exposes, while also illustrating the power struggles as they emerged within the organization.

The relationship between Assange and his second-in-command, Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Daniel Brühl), is reminiscent of the relationship between Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin in The Social Network. Like Saverin, Berg’s main

Watching 12 Years a Slave, the new film from Steve McQueen, I sensed a kind of familiarity. Less than a year ago, Django Unchained and Lincoln brought me to similar setting: a divided, mid-19th century America in which slavery refuses to die. Released so soon after these two acclaimed films, 12 Years a Slave is neither redundant nor derivative. While Django and Lincoln revealed the time period’s brutality and racism, they did not focus solely on the institution of slavery.

McQueen’s new film unflinchingly examines the inhumanity of slavery like no other film I’ve seen.

Startling, poignant and authentic, 12 Years a Slave triumphs, not only as a snapshot of this country’s darkest time but also as an outstanding cinematic achievement.

The film follows Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a black violinist who is kidnapped and taken away from his home, family and freedom in New York. He protests, explaining his right to be free, but his captors force upon him the new identity of Platt, a Georgia slave. Sold into slavery and unable to prove his freedom, Solomon learns he must hide his true self if he wants to survive.

What’s perhaps most gripping

WALT DISNEY STUDIOS

The Fifth Estate illustrates the birth and repercussions of WikiLeaks. goal is to temper his impulsive leader.

The tense dynamic between Berg and Assange leaps off the screen mainly due to Brühl’s skill as an actor. He plays equal parts conflicted revolutionary and cubicle worker, and the audience will adore him for it. The comparison between Berg’s humanity and Assange’s intense focus is the main device utilized by filmmakers to raise the debate asked in the movie’s tagline: hero or traitor?

A huge part of the film’s appeal is its use of media — social and news media.

Superimposing a Twitter feed, news clips and headlines over movie shots makes for the perfect balance between fact and fiction. These tweets and headlines show what a huge global impact WikiLeaks’ information had as its power grew. While The Fifth Estate follows many small plot lines as WikiLeaks starts to break bigger stories, the culmination of the plot comes with the release of secret U.S. military logs covering the war in Afghanistan. These logs, which feature details of violence against civilians, made WikiLeaks a force to be reckoned with. Here, the pace accelerates as the ethical debate opens up.

The various power struggles highlighted in The Fifth Estate open the forum for ethical debate as Assange must decide just how far across the line he wants to leap, while his friend Berg tries to hold him back.

Thrilling, suspenseful, The Fifth Estate is definitely worth your time, especially for fans of The Social Network.

As an interesting and well-made movie, The Fifth Estate is a home run.

FOX SEARCHLIGHT

12 Years a Slave will inspire and awe audiences with its realism.

about the film is how it captures the savageness of slavery. There are gruesome scenes of torture, but there are also some scenes in which the brutality occurs in the background or even right outside the frame. In both cases, the camera remains still, sometimes for extended periods, as if it is unaffected by the cruelty outside of the screen. This choice by McQueen creates an extremely unsettling effect for viewers, who transform from moviegoers into helpless witnesses.

Much of the film’s success can also be credited to its cast. At the helm of the film is Ejiofor, a threetime Golden Globe nominee, who gives Solomon immense moral strength and emotional complexity. Lupita Nyong’o, making her American film debut, shines as Patsey, a young slave who suffers alongside Solomon. Michael Fassbender, who plays their sinister owner Edwin Epps, gives a chilling performance and strengthens those of Nyong’o and Ejiofor. With his complete lack of humanity, Fassbender’s Epps builds the audience’s compassion for Solomon and Patsey.

The rest of the supporting cast is packed with famous faces, from Brad Pitt — who also produced the film — to Benedict Cumberbatch and even, briefly, Paul Giamatti. All give excellent performances, but are outshined by Ejiofor, Nyong’o and Fassbender.

At this moment, a tremendous amount of Oscar buzz surrounds 12 Years a Slave, and nearly all of it is well deserved. In his direction, Steve McQueen opts to document slavery rather than dramatize it.

He takes a risk in discomforting audiences, and it is one that pays off. In addition to McQueen’s direction, the cast has no weak link, and its strengths are formidable. The screenplay is solid with moving dialogue. All of these elements combine into just over two hours of film that feel real. And it’s the tangibility of the characters, the surroundings and the pain that makes 12 Years a Slave a must see.

girl meets world

Imagining More Authenticity in Pop Culture

A

sk old people about our generation — that of the evil, narcissistic millennials — and they’ll tell you that we’re vain and incapable of meaningful connections. We’re too busy on social media or drinking or interning or something along those lines. There’s something to that, though. Maybe it’s all generations and not just our own, but meaningful connections seem hard to come by. People are rarely willing to open up.

That’s why I’m so impressed by what Donald Glover — also known as Childish Gambino — did Monday night. He posted on Instagram one of the most compelling things I’ve read in a while. Scrawled on seven pieces of notepaper from his hotel room is an open letter to his fans. It touches briefly on his decision to leave the television show “Community,” but is mostly a list of some of his deepest fears and anxieties.

“I’m afraid of the future. I’m afraid my parents won’t live long enough to see my kids. … I’m scared I’ll never reach my potential. I’m scared she’s still in love with that dude.

“I feel like I’m letting everyone down. I’m afraid people hate who I really am. I’m afraid I hate who I really

am. … I’m afraid I’m here for nothing. and cloying — maybe it’s the autotune, but she seems disconnected from the I’m afraid this will feel pretentious.

“You’re always allowed to be better. words she’s saying, especially once she You’re always allowed to grow up. If admitted the tears she shed in the music video were real. For her dog. you want.”

Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, I was floored when I read it. Glover is a comedian and a rapper — two pro- Phillip Phillips and countless other fessions in which it’s not necessarily pop stars are the same way — there’s acceptable to cut yourself open like some sort of generic feeling that we’re this. A comedian hides behind jokes supposed to connect with or pay attention to, but it doesn’t that usually conceal more resonate. Most pop culture than they enlighten. On does this; it’s meant to the music front, only the dazzle and entertain but best rappers ever get into is ultimately empty unsomething actually deep. derneath. Creators make But that’s the best stuff — the authentic. It’s Victoria Edel situations so generic that anyone can connect, but getting at something personal, something grounded in experi- this also makes them meaningless.

I don’t want fake anymore. I want ence, even if it’s fiction. It’s something people can connect to and isn’t meant pop culture that illuminates real experiences. I want Demi Lovato talking just for attention or image.

Meanwhile, the inauthentic is bor- openly about her battle against her ing. It gives you nothing to grab on eating disorder. I want Conan O’Brien to. Miley Cyrus is pop culture’s lazi- speaking candidly during his graduest target, but she’s not compelling ation speech at Dartmouth about because everything she does is fabri- how awful it was to lose “The Tonight cated. “Wrecking Ball,” which is sup- Show.” I want Amy Poehler explainposed to be an emotional look at her ing how difficult heartbreak is in her failed relationship, is covered in layers Smart Girls YouTube videos. I want of attention-grabbing stunts and filled television shows and movies that with cliches. The lyrics are nonspecific don’t focus on spectacle or pretty peo-

ple or special effects, but on the stories and humans that underpin it all.

Donald Glover is probably not in the best emotional place right now, but I am impressed by the courage it takes to admit he’s not OK in a world in which we’re socialized to say that everything is fine all the time and in which celebrities are supposed to hide their flaws — unless they’re building up to an Oscar run. When Glover cuts himself open like this, he allows for people he doesn’t know to connect in a meaningful way.

It’s only in this raw place that lasting stuff can be made. Adele turned heartbreak into one of the greatest albums of the decade. J.K. Rowling turned failure into the Boy Who Lived.

F. Scott Fitzgerald turned a horribly turbulent marriage into the Great American Novel. Being vulnerable doesn’t guarantee greatness, but it’s more likely that you can make something lasting that way than if you refuse to attempt connection.

I love that Donald is being vulnerable and authentic. Even if it hurts.

Victoria Edel is a senior in the College. GIRL MEETS WORLD appears every other Friday in the guide.

AMERICAN RECORDINGS

charlotte glasser & Kelly Lui Special to The Hoya & Hoya Staff Writer

around town international horror film festival DISTRICT FLEA Get in the mood for Halloween by catching the last days of D.C.’s international horror festival. Spooky Movie 2013 brings to us some of the best horror films of the year, which have been screened at top festivals. The festival runs throughout the week, and the schedule of program can be found on the website. Bring your friends and huddle together as you enjoy the spooky movies.

District Flea is a new addition to D.C. brought to life by Brooklyn Flea and local vendors. The market opened Sept. 14 and was originally scheduled to close Oct. 19 but has been extended to Nov. 30 due to its popularity. The market features antiques, furniture, vintage clothing, food and everything else you would expect to find at a flea market. Be sure to come while the weather is still nice.

WHERE: AFI Silver WHEN: Friday and Saturday INFO: spookyfests.com PRICE: $12

WHERE: 945 Florida Ave. NW WHEN: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

INFO: districtflea.com PRICE: Free

gilt warehouse sale

snallygaster

WHERE: 1234 Ninth St. NW WHEN: Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m.

INFO: giltcity.com PRICE: $10 or free with the guide

WHERE: 1309 Fifth St. NW WHEN: Saturday, 1 to 6 p.m.

INFO: showclix.com PRICE: $10

Get excited, shopaholics and fashionistas over 21: Clothing site Gilt.com is hosting a warehouse sale that offers discounts of up to 90 percent off designer brands. Enjoy a well-stocked bar and Special K snack stations in between trips from the racks to the dressing room at this exclusive event. Tickets are limited and available online, but bring this page of the guide and get in for free from 3 to 5 p.m.

For those who are 21 and above, Oktoberfest has found its way to the District. Snallygaster is an allafternoon beer festival held in Union Market. The festival features over 200 select craft beers, both local and imported, along with D.C. food trucks, music and entertainment. Revenue from tickets will be devoted to supporting Arcadia, a nonprofit that advocates for sustainable local food system in D.C.

B6

Sports

THE HOYA

friday, october 18, 2013

football

women’s soccer

Kempf Benched in 34-12 Loss GU Beats St. Johns 4-0, Falls to Marquette 0-4 FOOTBALL, from B8

back Carlton Koonce to 25 yards on 14 carries. Prior to Saturday’s game, Koone was averaging 125 rushing yards on 22 carries per game. Meanwhile, Fordham’s junior quarterback Mike Nebrich led the passing attack for the Rams, throwing for 405 yards and a touchdown on 35-of-45 passing.

“I was proud of the way we played in the second half against Fordham,” Kelly said.

“We executed better in all three phases of the game, and that will give us something to build on against Lehigh.”

The Blue and Gray will look

to rebound tomorrow when they travel to Bethlehem, Penn. to take on No. 16 Lehigh (5-1, 0-0 Patriot League). The only blemish on the Mountain Hawks record is a 52-34 loss at the hands of two weeks ago.

Most recently, Lehigh defeated Columbia 24-10 in New York last weekend.

Despite putting up seemingly impressive numbers against Columbia, Lehigh did not play its best offensive game. The Mountain Hawks managed 440 yards, while their season average has been 485 yards a game. Additionally, Lehigh scored 24 points, far below their season average of just

CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA

Senior quarterback Isaiah Kempf has struggled so far this season and went 4-of-8 with one interception against Fordham.

over 33 points a game.

Facing their second consecutive top-20 opponent, the Hoyas will once again be up against a team with a highpowered offense. Senior quarterback Brandon Bialkowski leads the Lehigh passing attack, throwing for an average of 362 yards per game and almost three touchdowns per game. Bialkowski’s favorite target is senior wide receiver Lee Kurfis. Kurfis has had seven consecutive games of over 100 yards receiving dating back to last season.

Although the Mountain Hawks boast a 5-1 record, they have not been dominating teams thus far this season.

Four of their five wins — all except the Columbia game — have been one-possession games including a one-point victory over Princeton and a double overtime victory against Central Connecticut.

Lehigh is outscoring opponents by about two points a game.

The weak spot on the Lehigh team is its defense, which allows an average of 465.8 yards of total offense to opponents.

They have been especially susceptible to the run, giving up over 220 rushing yards per game.

“We’ve practiced better the last couple weeks and guys are starting to get healthy,” Kelly said. “We’ve overcome some adversity and there is more of a sense of optimism. We know that these next five games are the ones that count and it starts with Lehigh on Saturday.”

The Hoyas will look to end their four-game losing streak tomorrow in Bethlehem, Pa. Kickoff against the Mountain Hawks is set for 12:30 p.m.

Down to the wire

The Facts About Playoff Defense I n each of the first three games of the American League Championship Series, the Detroit Tigers held the Boston Red Sox to zero hits through the first four innings.

Such a statistic shows that pitching is king, which plays into the popular belief that pitching and defense are more important in the playoffs than in the regular season. In other sports as well, you’ve probably heard the cliche “offense wins games, defense wins championships.” Is this cliche true?

In looking back on recent years, I tried to verify this saying using basic logic and actual evidence, because it seems like something would have to explain why the mighty Red Sox offense failed to produce against the Tigers’ pitching.

With football and basketball, it’s important to reference the Sports Illustrated piece “What’s Really Behind Home Field Advantage” by Tobias Moskowitz and L. Jon Wertheim. They proved that home field advantage really comes down to the calls that a referee makes. As it relates to football and basketball, a team’s home field advantage generally has the biggest impact on the outcome of the game, as it’s important to remember that the majority of the calls that a ref can make against a team are on defense. If the ref is more likely to swallow his whistle for a certain team when it is on defense, and if the team is more likely to win in part because of the home field advantage itself, it makes sense that we associate winning teams with better defenses. Other reasons also apply, such as how the NFL playoffs are played in the heart of winter, with the inclement weather sometimes inhibiting offensive production.

In baseball’s playoffs, the cliche doesn’t revolve around defense in fielding, but defense in terms of pitching, like the impressive performances by the Tigers’ starters in the first three games of the ALCS. With all of the off-days in the playoffs, teams can pitch their three best starters six times in a seven game series — when it’d usually take 10 games to get six starts out of the same guys — and teams can also throw their best

bullpen arms more frequently.

Finally, in hockey, the prevailing phrase isn’t just that defense is key, but that a “hot goalie in the playoffs” is the only path to success. This claim also has merit because a team can play its top goalie every game without having to use its backup, as there are very few back-to-back games come springtime. Similar to football and basketball, the majority of penalties in hockey will be called when a team is on defense, so it benefits defensive powerhouses when the refs don’t call penalties. Therefore, the prevailing thoughts of defensive importance pass the unscientific test in all four sports.

Of course, nothing is proven without evidence. In 2012Miami Heat, the eventual cham-

Tom Hoff

Do strong defenses win titles? pions, gave up 92.5 points per game in the regular season, while giving up 90.2 in the playoffs. In 2013, the repeat champs surrendered 95 ppg, while allowing just 90.7 in the playoffs. Many of the best teams over the past few years have been built on defense, such as Kevin Garnett’s Celtics, Tom Thibodeau’s Bulls and the Big Three’s Heat. Also, the vintage Spurs of the last decade were known for defense.

Of course, we must remember that the Heat wouldn’t have succeeded without their ridiculous offensive firepower, and many champions like the 2010 Lakers were better offensively in the postseason, according to the team efficiency ratings of former NBA analyst for ESPN John Hollinger.

Defensive NFL teams have also seemed to fare better in the postseason, with the Patriots winning three Super Bowls with defensive-led teams, while losing two others with offensive star power against

the Giants — who had fearsome pass rushes. The Ravens and the Packers, the last two nonGiants teams to win the Super Bowl, also had strong defensive units. But the theory isn’t perfect, as we must remember that the Ravens wouldn’t have won without Joe Flacco putting up what was almost the best postseason performance by a quarterback of all time.

Additionally, the Saints and the Packers won a few years ago with high-powered offenses led by the two best QBs in the league at the time, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers.

As far as the MLB goes, the Giants and the Tigers reached the World Series last year behind amazing pitching staffs that carried them to the Fall Classic, despite the teams scoring 4.3 and 3.2 runs per game in the postseason, respectively.

It should also be noted that Cliff Lee was instrumental in getting his 2009 Phillies and 2010 Rangers to the World Series. Yet while the 2010 Rangers only scored 4.3 runs per game, Lee’s 2009 Phillies scored 5.5, which is strong for a National League team. The Yankees, who beat the Phillies in that series, averaged a similar 5.4 runs per game. Finally, the 2007 Red Sox, who won it all, averaged a whopping 7.1 runs per game.

In the NHL, the 2013, 2012 and 2011 Champions — the Blackhawks, the Kings and the Bruins — all had red-hot goalies who were vital to their teams’ successes. But the 2010 Blackhawks had a goalie who was so amazing that they let him go for nothing in the offseason. The 2009 Penguins also beat the Red Wings after losing to them in the Stanley Cup Finals the previous year, but their goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury, had a save percentage that was actually 2.5 percent higher in 2008 than in 2009.

The overall takeaway here is that, while the popular belief that “defense wins championships” does seem to be more true than false, it’s not nearly as absolute as you’re supposed to believe.

Tom Hoff is a junior in the McDonough School of Business.

Down to the Wire appears every Friday.

Tom Schnoor Hoya Staff Writer

Fresh off a three-game road trip, the No. 15 Georgetown women’s soccer team returned to Shaw Field Thursday afternoon for a match against St. John’s. The trip concluded Sunday in Wisconsin, where the Hoyas (12-1-2, 4-1-1 Big East) suffered a 4-0 defeat to No. 20 Marquette (12-3-0, 5-0-0 Big East) in a rematch of last year’s Big East tournament final. It was the first loss of the year for the Blue and Gray.

The four goals were the most a Georgetown defense had conceded since a 6-0 loss to Stanford last year, and the result dropped the team from sixth to 15th in the national rankings, so it was crucial for the Hoyas to bounce back against the Red Storm (7-4-3, 1-3-2 Big East).

On paper, at least, that is exactly what they did. The Hoyas scored twice in each half en route to a 4-0 win over the Red Storm. Head Coach Dave Nolan, who concentrates more on his team’s performance than its result, did not see the victory in such a positive light.

“We played much better in the Marquette game than we did today,” Nolan said. “I’m honestly surprised. I thought we’d really come out and give it to [St. John’s], but we didn’t.”

It certainly appeared that Georgetown was experiencing a bit of a hangover from the disappointment of the Marquette loss in the opening minutes of the match. The Red Storm’s offense, spearheaded by the country’s leading scorer, sophomore forward Rachel Daly, was aggressive from the starting whistle.

Daly’s talent was immediately apparent. The sophomore probed the Hoyas’ defense with precision, creating numerous chances that required Georgetown redshirt sophomore goalie Emma Newins to come up with several quality saves.

For the Georgetown defense, it took a while to grow accustomed to the tactics they were using to mark Daly.

“Before the game, [Nolan] assigned me to follow [Daly] to whatever side of the field she was on,” senior defender Emily Menges said. “I think after the first five minutes, we started to handle her a little better.”

Indeed, it was the Hoyas who got on the board first in the 20th minute with a bit of quality passing in the offensive third of the pitch. Senior defender Colleen Dinn played a hard ball on the ground from outside of the 18-yard box to senior forward Kaitlin Brenn, who was at the corner of the six-yard box. Brenn slid the ball across the front of the goal to senior midfielder Kailey Blain, who put it in the back of the net.

Five minutes later, Georgetown would add another when a cross hit by Brenn found sophomore midfielder Marina Paul at the penalty spot. Paul headed the ball past Freshman Red Storm goalie Diana Poulin to put the Hoyas up 2-0 heading into halftime.

“I was very disappointed with our first half performance. I thought we were fortunate to be up at all in the game,” Nolan said. “I thought they were better in the first half. Emma made a couple of key saves for

CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA

Senior defender Colleen Dinn helped the Hoyas to another shutout over St. Johns. us, and Emily made a few last-ditch tackles.”

In the second half, the Hoyas seemed to settle down and find their rhythm. Junior forward Audra Ayotte scored one of the team’s best goals of the season on a powerful volley in the 63rd minute, and leading scorer Daphne Corboz added a fourth goal on a free kick with 30 seconds remaining in the match.

Apart from the dicey opening minutes, the Georgetown defense largely shut down Daly. After the match, Nolan had praise not only for the Red Storm forward but also for his senior defender, Menges.

“Daly is a very special player, but Emily is a very special player, too,” Nolan said.

“Any time [Emily] did get in trouble, there was always a second defender around to help her. I think, unfortunately for Daly, any time she got past Emily, she was by herself.”

Nolan was not the only one to notice Daly’s lack of support on offense. Daly herself became more and more visibly frustrated as the minutes ticked by, which only spurred the Hoya defense on.

“It was definitely satisfying,” Menges said of seeing Daly’s reactions. “I think she was more frustrated with her team not playing off of her than anything we were doing.”

Daly was held to only two shots on net and was eventually subbed out of the game in the 69th minute. For Newins and the Georgetown defense, the shutout — their seventh of the season — was especially satisfying coming on the heels of allowing four goals to Marquette.

“It’s great that we scored four goals,” Menges said. “But defensively, we needed this shutout.”

The victory assured that the Hoyas would remain in second place in the Big East behind Marquette. Creighton is next up for Georgetown in a match that is slated to kickoff at 1 p.m. Sunday on Shaw Field.

men’s soccer

With Yaro Out, GU Looks To Bench to Down Butler of healthy bodies on.”

The staunch Georgetown defense will everything right; you have to have every- look to get back on track against Butthing perfect. It felt like just one of those ler despite missing Yaro, whom Wiese nights,” Wiese said. calls “maybe the best defender in the During the rest of the season, injuries Big East.” The next shutout recorded by could play a major role for the Hoyas. the Hoyas will tie the school record at On Monday, freshman defender Joshua 10, improving a number that is already Yaro had surgery for a broken arm and the best in Division I soccer. This year, did not travel with the team. The start- freshman forward David Goldsmith has ing center back should be back in the scored nine times for the Bulldogs, inlineup before the end of the season, cluding the game-tying and game-winbut no timetable for ning goals against Indihis return exists for “The goal ... was one ana. Freshman forward now. Neumann suffered Jeff Adkins leads the a concussion against of the most amazing, team with seven assists.

Xavier and could not Both will look to break continue playing. His fluky things you will down a Hoya defense status for the match to- ever see.” that is averaging half a morrow will be a gamegoal allowed per game time decision. A pair of this season.

Brian Wiese senior defenders, Ted Butler, on the other Men’s Soccer Head Coach Helfrich and Nick Van hand, has given up 15 Hollen, will bring key depth to the back goals in just 13 games. Georgetown’s line this Saturday in their first game offense, led by Allen and Neumann, back. They both suffered concussions should have opportunities against a against Seton Hall.

Butler defense that has asked its goalAt 1 p.m. on Saturday, Georgetown keepers to make 60 saves this season. will play the Butler Bulldogs (9-3-1, 3-1- If Neumann’s concussion keeps him 0 Big East) on Shaw Field. No. 18 Butler out of the game, then the starting is also 9-3-1 this season but has a supe- lineup could include junior midfielder rior 3-1-0 record in the Big East. Key wins Tom Skelly or freshman forward Brett this season include games against No. Campbell.

7 Louisville and Indiana, the defending Wiese knows that, with the season national champion. In its game against winding down, a win against Butler Indiana, Butler scored twice during the bears increasing significance for postlast five minutes to force overtime. season play.

“It is as formidable a game as we will “They’re two points ahead of us in the have seen on our schedule so far,” Wiese [Big East] table, so that’s all you have to said. “It’s one we hope we have a good set know.”

XAVIER, from B8

sports

friday, october 18, 2013

THE HOYA

volleyball

B7

crew

Hoyas Earn First Big East GU Limited by Shutdown Wins in Weekend Sweep CREW, from B8

VOLLEYBALL, from B8 outside hitter Lauren Saar, junior middle blocker Dani White and junior outside hitter Alex Johnson. Saar had 18 kills and 19 digs, and Johnson followed closely with 17 kills, while White had 12. All three players also posted double-digit kill totals against Seton Hall the next night. Georgetown will need their continued production to keep seeing success on the court.

“I think that they just have some confidence now that we can do this. It’s hard work, and they know that, but now it’s ‘we can do this,’ and they’re just going to go to work,” Williams said.

White was named to this week’s Big East Honor Roll for her performance. She totaled 12 kills and six blocks two nights in a row to earn the mention.

For Williams, facing the two teams they just beat is a double-edged sword. On one hand, the team knows they can succeed against them and understands what worked well. However, St. John’s and Seton Hall will return not only with knowledge of the Blue and Gray’s capabilities but with a desire for revenge. “[St. John’s is] going to come in here, and they know that they can’t sleep on us now, so we are going to get their best from point one,” Williams said. “They’re going to come in ready to show us that, ‘Hey, that was a fluke,’ and we have to show them that, ‘No, it wasn’t.’”

Seton Hall had a tough time getting into a system against Georgetown, and it will be looking to avenge its straight-set loss.

“They just started out slow and could never find their rhythm, so they’ll come in with a different mentality,” Williams said.

Georgetown will have to watch out for Seton Hall’s junior setter Shelbey Manthorpe, who recorded a triple-double last week against Villanova, and St. John’s junior outside hitter Aleksandra Wachowicz, who led the team in kills per set at 5.78 and points per set at 6.44 last weekend. Both were also named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll.

Williams and the team will continue to make adjustments to keep their success going against the two conference rivals.

“We played pretty well all weekend, but there were a few areas that we were deficient in, so we need to make sure that we address those areas,” Williams said. “We need to continue to perform at a high level.”

The massive momentum swing they’ve had since winning those two games will help the Hoyas this weekend. In one weekend, they doubled their conference wins from last year, and two consecutive road wins have boosted their confidence.

“It’s like coaching a whole different team.

They are just so excited,” Williams said. “I went into the locker room after St. John’s, and I have never heard them that loud. The energy is just amazing, their focus is amazing, their attention to detail, holding themselves and each other accountable; I mean they’re just super thrilled, super confident and the energy in our gym is phenomenal.”

The Hoyas play at 8 p.m. on Friday in McDonough Arena, and Williams is excited for the home crowd, especially on Friday’s Dig Pink night.

“Friday night is Dig Pink. So let’s make sure we get some fans in the stands to help us not only try to defeat Seton Hall but increase education and awareness for breast cancer,” she said.

cross country

for success in the sport.

After spending many years pumping away on the machines in Yates, the University granted the crew teams a room in the basement of the Leavey Center for their ergometers last year. As a result, instead of the pristine, postcard-worthy beauty of the Potomac, the teams have been stuck working out in Leavey’s dungeon as the indie rock hits of Uncommon Grounds echo faintly above. Some team members have even complained that the humidity caused by the activity in the room has caused some of the chemicals from wall paint to release into the air.

“It’s super depressing because we’ve had to go into winter training mode — which is the worst time of the year — early. Everybody wants to be on the river and in nature,” redshirt senior and team leader Ben Holtzmuller said. “The way a boat meshes together is really important, and the best way to develop that team togetherness is to be out on the water and row continuously. We’ve not been able to do that.”

Luckily for the Georgetown rowing program, there is plenty of experience among the student athletes and the coaching staff. In fact, Johnson is in his 18th year with the program, and this was not the first time he has had to endure a government shutdown

while coaching at Georgetown.

“I remember ’95, and that was not as hard on us because they did not shut the buildings down like they did this time,” Johnson said. “We were not locked out of our boathouse, so it was not the same in that sense.”

“We have a broad base of leadership throughout the senior class with four very capable captains,” said women’s Head Coach Miranda Paris, who is only in her first season on the Hilltop. They have certainly been impressive in leading the charge, and they’ve proven to be a really resilient group. I was apprehensive at first, but now I am extremely pleased with how they responded and chose to have a positive outlook.”

More than any other team members, the coxswains were harmed the most by the inability to practice on the water. It is their job to coordinate the strokes of the rowers and steer the boat — two things that cannot be simulated on dry land.

“Everyone was affected pretty severely by this situation, but the coxswains have literally been unable to do their entire job,” Holtzmuller said.

“Rowing machines don’t float.

They can definitely benefit from practicing steering on the water now.”

“Nothing compares to the feeling of being on the water.

It’s no fun being stuck in the basement of Leavey,” junior

In Pre-NCAA Meets, GU To Size Up Competition Madeline Auerbach Special to The Hoya

After weekends of rest for the Georgetown men’s and women’s cross country teams, both nationally ranked groups will race in their most competitive meets of the 2013 season so far. The women’s team is heading to the Pre-National Invitational at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Ind., while the men are traveling to Madison, Wis., for the Wisconsin Adidas Invitational.

Though the weather conditions in Indiana and Wisconsin should be ideal for racing, both of these meets represent difficult matchups for the Blue and Gray against other top cross country teams in the nation. The No. 5 women’s team will be racing against teams including No. 2 Florida State, No. 4 Washington, and No. 11 Stanford.

This Pre-National Invitational for the women’s team is a simulation of the national meet, Women’s Head Coach Michael Smith explained.

“Not only are we going run the same course that we’ll run at the national meet, but we’re going to replicate what that’s going to feel like with a couple hundred people on the starting line,” Smith said.

The women’s team has performed extremely well in its first two meets of the season, moving up from sixth to fifth in the national rankings. It won the Dartmouth Invitational and pulled off an exciting first place finish against 46 other teams at the Paul Short Invitational.

Though their performance thus far is impressive, Smith emphasized that those races mean little in comparison to this Pre-National Invitational.

“As of right now we’re ranked fifth but those are just polls, just people’s opinions. Really this meet is our first test, and the team knows that,” Smith said.

The Pre-National Invitational is also a chance for the Hoyas to finally get a clear view of their competitors.

“Of the teams I mentioned, I’m interested in how our no. 1, 2 and 3 girls will line up with their runners and how that will fall into place.

Those other teams have runners who we’re finally going to get a chance to see,” Smith said.

In this particularly competitive meet, Smith is pushing the Hoyas to continue improving upon what the team places significant focus

on throughout the season.

“Something we’re really trying to make a theme is constantly talking about racing for Georgetown and racing for each other, and not having a mentality of worrying too much about individual performances,” Smith said.

“Instead, we want to just think of Georgetown’s result as all of our runners’ contributions. It’s a different mindset of seven individuals running out there or one team made up of seven individuals.”

The No. 24 men’s team will be at the Wisconsin Adidas Invitational, a challenging race for the Hoyas.

“The Wisconsin Invitational is probably the most competitive invitational in the country, so I think that there are about 15 or 16 teams ranked in the top 25,” Assistant Coach Brandon Bonsey said. “We tend to view it as a precursor to the NCAA meet because we get to race against a lot of the teams that we’ll race against there.”

Though the Blue and Gray will certainly be keeping their eyes out for other strong teams, they want to mostly focus on what they can personally do to be better. This includes altering the strategy used at the Navy and Paul Short invitationals to a new frame of mind in Wisconsin.

“For the early season meets we really worked on getting used to being uncomfortable early, so we’ve gone out pretty fast in these first two meets and in practice also. We’ve worked on getting ready for different paces and being uncomfortable early on,” Bonsey said.

Instead of creating situations that will prepare them for future meets, the Hoyas will change their approach at the Wisconsin Invitational.

“This will be the first meet when we’re really trying to run well on that day. We’re just saying, ‘Hey, let’s have a race plan focused on how we can run our best on this day,’ whereas at Paul Short and at Navy it was more like, ‘Let’s go out really hard because that will help us later in the season.’ Then, it wasn’t really about the results on that day,” Bonsey said.

As they have for the entire season, the Blue and Gray’s standout runners in senior Bryan King and graduate student Andrew Springer are expected to post fast times in Wisconsin.

They men’s races will begin at 11:00 a.m. and the women’s races will begin at 11:40 a.m.

COURTESY GU HOYAS

After a two-week hiatus caused by the government shutdown, the crew team can now return to the Potomac.

Bethany Biszko, coxswain for the men’s heavyweight boat said. “When we first heard the government was shutting down, nobody was super excited to be on land. A lot of us are studying government or politics, so it was ironic that we study this while being directly affected in our day-to -ay lives.”

Normally, the crew team practices on the water six days a week from 6:45 a.m. to 9 a.m. During the shutdown, they have been able to load up the vans and make a few trips to row on the waters of the Anacostia River, but not more than twice a week. The lack of a proper practice facility, however, has not affected each coach’s high expectations for the team.

“Ask me again on Monday, but with the crew that I have, I think [we] will do fine,” Johnson said. “Sure, the ability of our crews to perform has been hampered, but we’ll find out just how tough we are over this fall season.”

The deal reached by Congress to fund the government means the crew teams can go back to practicing on the water, at least until the autumn weather turns frigid. But with the culture of brinkmanship so prevalent in our national politics, another shutdown isn’t unlikely. For the Georgetown rowing program, there is one sure-fire way to become shutdown-proof – a boathouse of its own.

“We are actively trying to build a boathouse, We’ve been at it for a long time,” Johnson said. “The National Park Service controls the land, so we have to deal with them. Their view would be that they have to be aware of a lot of different factors; our view is they’re slow. We’ve been at it for years, and we thought we were closet to that 10 years ago.”

For now, the crew teams are looking forward to returning to the Potomac where they can focus on working together as a team, while just a few miles away, our country’s leaders try to figure out how to do the same thing.

more than a game

Fox Takes On Status Quo

S

ince its launch in 1979, ESPN has lived up to its title as the “Worldwide Leader in Sports.” Today, the media giant has a virtual monopoly on the sports broadcasting industry. Popularized by its flagship “SportsCenter” program, ESPN has become synonymous with sports media; for many fans, watching the channel has become a daily routine. In the morning, they flip to ESPN to catch the latest news and last night’s scores. On the way to work or class, they tune into ESPN Radio to listen to the bickering of “Mike & Mike” or the hilarious rants of Colin Cowherd. After a long day, they flop on the couch and watch expert analysis on “Pardon the Interruption” or “SportsNation.” Later that evening, they rush back to watch a primetime football game and stick around for the post-game coverage.

Sure, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But where else do sports fans go for news and entertainment at home? There are plenty of competitors scattered across the channels, but none equal the consistent and comprehensive coverage of ESPN. While ESPN generates an incredible $5.54 of revenue per subscriber per month, NBC — its closest competitor — earns a paltry 33 cents. ESPN reaches over 100 million households; “SportsCenter” averages almost 900,000 viewers. Forbes estimates ESPN’s worth at $40 billion.

Other networks play a supporting role, filling the niches that ESPN fails to cover. NBC usually puts on a good show during its “Sunday Night Football” programming; it attracts other viewers by covering the

Olympic Games, tennis, golf and Notre Dame football.

NFL Network has tried to energize typically quiet Thursday nights with weekly NFL matchups. TBS gets attention during the MLB playoffs and March Madness, while TNT excels during the NBA playoffs.

As successful as these programs might be, their appeal is irregular since they focus on certain sports seasons and air just a few days every week. Although ESPN has its own problems, these smaller

Nick Fedyk

ESPN has set the standard for sports news. networks face more of an uphill climb when battling revenue and viewership issues. This year, NFL Network has struggled with decreased viewership of its Thursday night games. Similarly, NBC was criticized for delaying its coverage of the 2012 Olympic Games; and TBS baseball viewership faces tough competition from primetime football.

In contrast, ESPN excels because it has focused not only on games and big events but also on hourly news and analysis. This genre is not always exciting, since daily programming can get stale and repetitive. We even receive the same, redundant news through multiple channels – our iPhone notifications, the company web-

site, the radio and ESPN’s four major TV channels.

But, perhaps the monopoly can be broken. This past August, FOX launched “Fox Sports 1,” a 24-hour cable channel that reaches some 90 million households. Like ESPN, it focuses on news coverage; it is the most recent challenge to ESPN’s “SportsCenter” behemoth.

Imitating the colorful personalities of its competitor, Fox has hired Canadians Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole to anchor “FOX Sports Live,” the network’s flagship show, airs 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekday nights. Regis Philbin is the host of “Crowd Goes Wild,” and “Fox Football Daily” features analysis from the likes of newly retired NFL stars such as wide receiver Randy Moss and linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Because the Big East’s broadcasting contract with ESPN expired last year, FOX Sports 1 will even be televising conference basketball games this year. This includes the new “Basketball Tip Off,” a revamped version of the traditional Midnight Madness event.

Perhaps Fox can shake up the sports broadcasting market, but I have my doubts.

Consumer viewership patterns will be hard to break, and the incredible diversity of ESPN programming is difficult to match. But Fox, at the very least, will pressure ESPN to innovate. There will be new hires, new show ideas, new humor and more entertainment. In the end, it might not work out for Fox. But for us viewers, it is a winwin situation.

Nick Fedyk is a senior in the College. More Than a Game appears every Friday.

SPORTS

Women’s Soccer Georgetown vs. Creighton Sunday, 1 p.m.

Shaw Field

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2013

CROSS COUNTRY

TALKING POINTS

“

This weekend’s meets will be the first real tests for both nationally ranked teams.

NUMBERS GAME

85 ”

I was very disappointed with our first half.

Women’s soccer Head Coach Dave Nolan on the Hoyas’ 4-0 win over St. John’s

See B7

FOOTBALL

The number of teams the women’s cross country team will face in Saturday’s meet.

CREW

Shutting Down the House As Congress sat in deadlock, Georgetown rowers were stranded on land DILLON MULLAN Hoya Staff Writer

Now that the government shutdown has finally ended, federal workers are returning to their posts, tourists are again making plans to visit the Capitol and the panda cam has been turned back on at the National Zoo. At George-

town, the end of the government shutdown means a return to normality.

From a makeshift Vietnam memorial on Healy lawn to local news reporters asking for student opinions at the front gates and precious Capitol Hill internship experiences being put on hold, the effects of the shutdown reverberated around

JULIA HENNRIKUS FOR THE HOYA

Subbing in for redshirt senior quarterback Isaiah Kempf, freshman Tim Barnes threw his first collegiate touchdown pass.

Second-Half Surge Falls Short CAROLYN MAGUIRE

and Gray trailed the Rams 310. But in the final 24 minutes of the game, Georgetown outGeorgetown football head scored Fordham 12-3. coach Kevin Kelly does not beOffensively, freshman quarlieve there are any moral vic- terback Tim Barnes, making tories in football, but George- his first collegiate appearance, town’s most recent loss to No. led the Hoyas. Barnes replaced 9 Fordham is at least encour- senior quarterback Isaiah aging. The Hoyas (1-5) fell to Kempf in the last series of the the Rams (7-0) 34-12 last Sat- first quarter and proceeded urday. Heavy underdogs, the to throw for 124 yards on 16Blue and Gray held the Rams’ 31 passing. With just over offense to a season-low 26 a minute remaining in the points. fourth quar“There are “We executed better. ter, Barnes no moral d r o p p e d victories, we ... That will give us back into the need to score pocket and more points. something to build completed a We need to touchon against Lehigh.” 15-yard keep the opdown pass, posing team his first career KEVIN KELLY out of the end to u c h d ow n , Football Head Coach zone and we to senior wide need to start fast and finish receiver Michael Cimilluca. strong,” Kelly said.

In the loss, the Georgetown Although Fordham is a Pa- defense had one of its best pertriot League opponent and formances of the season. After NCAA eligible, this game will three consecutive games of alnot count in the Blue and lowing more than 43 points, Gray’s conference record be- the Hoyas defense allowed cause the Rams gave athletic only 26 points; Fordham’s merit aid to their Class of third touchdown came on a 2014, which made them in- Kempf pick-six. This feat is imeligible to compete in this sea- pressive considering the highson’s Patriot League. powered Rams offense has avDespite the seemingly lop- eraged 40.6 points per game. sided loss, the Hoyas actually Most notably, the Hoyas won the second half. After a limited Rams senior running Fordham field goal early in the third quarter, the Blue See FOOTBALL, B6

Hoya Staff Writer

ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Because Thompson Boathouse was closed during the government shutdown, the crew teams’ racing boats sat unused on the team’s trailer.

BASKETBALL

B.o.B to Perform At Basketball Tip Off LAURA WAGNER Hoya Staff Writer

On Wednesday, Georgetown announced that performing artist B.o.B will be headlining Basketball Tip Off, the event formerly known as Midnight Madness.

Basketball Tip Off, which rings in the start of each basketball season, traditionally features exhibitions by student groups, free giveaways and plenty of basketball. A performance by a musical guest has also become part of the draw, and the draw this year will be bigger than ever as Georgetown welcomes such a high profile artist.

“We got the contracts signed on Tuesday,” senior director of marketing Pete Kirschner said. “Obviously we’ve been talking to him for a little while, but we didn’t want to announce it until we had everything sealed.”

Kirschner said that B.o.B will be

performing at the end of the night after student performances, featuring GU Step Team; GU Dance Team; GU Jawani; Groove Theory; student Sang Woo Kim (MSB ’15), who recently won Superstar K, South Korea’s version of “America’s Got Talent;” and the introduction of the basketball teams. B.o.B will perform for at least 20 minutes according to Kirschner.

Last year’s Midnight Madness featured Doug E. Fresh, and in 2011, Georgetown substituted a musical performance with the return of famous Georgetown basketball alumni, like NBA stars Roy Hibbert, Jeff Green and Patrick Ewing. In 2010, D.C. native Wale performed at Midnight Madness, before he reached his current level of stardom.

Fox Sports 1 will also be on site to televise the event. Basketball Tip Off is open to students only, and admission is free with GoCard. The event begins at 7:30 p.m.

Hampered by Injuries, Hoyas Fall 2-1 ANDREW MAY Hoya Staff Writer

COURTESY ANDREW MATSUSHITA

See CREW, B7

VOLLEYBALL

MEN’S SOCCER

Junior midfielder Tyler Rudy, left, recorded one shot in the loss.

Georgetown’s politically inclined campus. For the most part, however, everyday business went on as usual — classes were taught, Leo’s food was served and midterms were survived.

One student group, however, was unable to avoid the consequences of the shutdown: the men’s and women’s rowing teams. The crew teams practice at the Thompson Boat Center, a public facility operated by the National Park Service, which went dormant while Congress labored for weeks to strike a deal to fund the government. Consequently, swift Potomac’s lovely daughters (as the fight song goes) were prevented from training on their usual swath of river.

“We were all keenly aware that people do this sport because they like to row. It was awful that we could not be out on the water,” men’s rowing Head Coach Tony Johnson said. “It was certainly different than what our normal is, but you can ask any varsity rower, we spent a lot of time on some serious land training, and that was not a bad thing.”An ergometer is a machine used to simulate the action of rowing as a treadmill does for running. It is both a rower’s best friend and worst enemy; the idea of a long winter with no other place to practice haunts them, but the machine is necessary

On Saturday, Georgetown battled injuries against Xavier (6-52, 2-2-0 Big East) but was unable to find a win in Cincinnati. Two unanswered goals, both by junior midfielder Will Walker, led Xavier to a 2-1 win over No. 11 Georgetown (9-3-1, 2-1-1 Big East).

The Hoyas’ lone goal was scored by sophomore forward Brandon Allen midway through the first half.

Georgetown seemed to have the advantage in the opening 45 minutes, winning four corner kicks and forcing three saves from Xavier’s goalkeeper. After 30 minutes of scoreless play, Allen put

the Hoyas on top with a hard shot to the lower right for his teamleading eighth goal of the season.

Senior captain and forward Steve Neumann left the game shortly afterward, playing for only three minutes during the rest of the match. The score looked like it would hold until the half, but a long pass from junior defender Garrett Halfhill found Walker, who touched the ball past junior goalkeeper Tomas Gomez for the equalizer.

“The goal they scored right before the first half was one of the most amazing, fluky things you will ever see,” Head Coach Brian Wiese said. “And suddenly, it’s 1-1 going into halftime.”

Xavier dominated the second

CASEI LA TOUCHE/THE TORCH

Junior Dani White was named to the Big East Honor Roll for her efforts in the games.

GU Turns The Corner, Wins Two JULIANA ZOVAK Hoya Staff Writer

half as Georgetown struggled to find its groove on offense. The Hoyas looked tame; they took only one shot, compared to seven by the Musketeers and did not win a single corner kick. In the 74th minute, a series of quick passes inside the 18-yard box resulted in Walker’s second goal. The home team limited Georgetown to just one shot, which was easily saved by senior goalkeeper Eric Osswald during the last 16 minutes of the game. The loss dropped Georgetown to a fourth place tie with No. 12 Creighton with five conference games left on the schedule.

“It’s such a difficult task to get wins on the road. You have to have

The Georgetown volleyball team got its first two wins in the Big East last weekend on the road against Seton Hall and St. John’s and will be looking for two more against those very same teams this weekend at McDonough Arena.

The Hoyas (8-10, 2-3 Big East) will be facing both Seton Hall (8-10, 1-4 Big East) and St. John’s (13-8, 2-3 Big East) again this weekend after upsetting both teams on the road.

“It was a really good weekend for us,” Head Coach Arlisa Williams said. “[The team] played so hard, showed a lot of fight. Nobody was expecting us to get either one of them, and we just went out, and we passed dimes, and it was just amazing how in system we were all weekend.”

Georgetown defeated St. John’s in five sets, led by its offensive trio of sophomore

See XAVIER, B6

See VOLLEYBALL, B7

Visit us online at thehoya.com/sports