The Hoya: The Guide: November 22, 2013

the guide FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013

THIS WEEK LIFESTYLE

Contemporary Shakespeare

Addison Williams (COL ’14) starred in the Theatre and Performance Studies Program’s recent production, “Hamlet.” B2

The Other Side of History

The National Gallery is performing “Foreward 54th,” the story of black regiments in the Civil War. B3

FOOD&DRINK

French Delicacies

Bistrot du Coin offers a variety of delectable Belgian and French cuisine at reasonable prices. B4

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

BY ANY OTHER NAME Dan Snyder's team has social justice activists seeing red. The press is making sure we notice.

PAT CURRAN

Hoya Staff Writer

Sequel on Fire

“Catching Fire,” the sequel to “The Hunger Games,” exceeds expectations. B5

Simple America

“Nebraska” explores the simpler side of life as a son and his father travel across the country to collect a lottery prize. B5

NEW RELEASES ‘ALL BAD’ JUSTIN BIEBER   

ISLAND RECORDS

“All Bad” by Justin Bieber is most likely a response to the negative media attention he has been receiving lately. He is definitely not the teenybopper we remember from a few years ago, but there are no excuses for this song. The lyrics are repetitive and juvenile because of Bieber’s penchant for perfect rhyming. While his voice has matured beautifully and the song has a straightforwardly pleasing beat, this track is not one to remember.

‘THE ART OF LETTING GO’ MARIAH CAREY 

ISLAND RECORDS

Mariah Carey’s new ballad, “The Art of Letting Go,” is bittersweet. At first, it seems a bit melancholy, but the pure, minimally synthesized vocals give the song strength. For a modern pop song, it’s a bit of a surprise.

There are no lewd references, the vocals sound authentic and there’s a nice melody.

Some say that Carey has lost her way, but it is refreshing to hear honesty and a deviation from her usual blaringly loud style.

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As the last burgundy and gold leaves cling desperately to the treetops of the nation’s capital, and D.C. residents watch the sun set on another Indian summer, the city’s NFL team finds itself, once again, mired in irrelevance.

Washington is the owner of a 3-7 record and the fourthplace spot in the NFC East, the weakest team in what is widely considered the league’s weakest conference. That comes as no surprise. With the exception of two brief but glamorous runs during the Roosevelt and Reagan administrations, Washington has been at best an NFL afterthought and at worst a laughingstock.

While the squad has languished on the field, media coverage has focused on an increasingly loud debate off the field. A small group of

American Indian leaders — most p r o m i n e n t l y, members of the Oneida Nation suing to abolish the team’s trademark — have renewed their efforts to force a change in the team’s name.

The media are beginning to notice: For a last-place team, Washington is finding its name in the headlines with alarming regularity. But more often than not, it’s to announce that the name will, quite literally, no longer appear in headlines.

W AS HI NG TO N

TIM ES

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THEATER

Imaginative Snippets Go Back in Time Students showcase their talent in the Donn B. Murphy One Acts Festival JOSEPH KUPERSCHMIDT Hoya Staff Writer

At the Donn B. Murphy One Acts Festival, audiences will be reminded that old-fashioned theatre is anything but stale. This annual event run, by the Mask & Bauble Society, showcases fresh talent in the Georgetown community and gives actors, playwrights and directors the opportunity to hone their skills in front of a live audience. This weekend, these young artists, who have earned valuable experience through creating the production, will bring life to two pieces deeply rooted in the past.

The night begins with How to Succeed with Dolls, a new musical written and composed by Tim Lyons (COL ’15). Every spring, writers can submit their work to a panel of judges and the top three works are selected. The director of the festival then chooses which of the three he would like to workshop. Luckily for Lyons, his musical tied for first place with the judges and director Caleb Lewis (COL ’16) decided to pursue it for performance.

Knowingly grounded in cliche, See FESTIVAL, B3

ERICA WONG/THE HOYA

Devon Gerzof (COL ’16) (left) and Connor Joseph (COL ’16) perform a comic scene together in “How to Succeed With Dolls,” a musical written by Tim Lyons (COL ’15).

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the guide

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013

FEATURE

Washington Football: A New Arena for Social Justice WASHINGTON, from B1 Washington City Paper stopped using the name last fall.

It was a contentious move, but not a shocking one. A free alternative weekly with a liberal bent and a focus on the local arts scene, City Paper was an ideal candidate to lend a prominent nameplate to the growing chorus of progressive voices calling for the team to change its name.

“There wasn’t a whole lot to it other than a recognition that the name had been a problem for a while,” City Paper editor Mike Madden said. “The fact that our culture seems to be so comfortable with using Native Americans as mascots for so long shows the extent to which Native Americans have been marginalized over the centuries.”

Unlike the Kansas City Star, whose editorial policy of referring to the team simply as “Washington” inspired City Paper’s decision, the local weekly elected to find a replacement name. “Pigskins” eventually won out in a reader poll, presumably for its reference to an actual football and for its compatibility with “Skins” and “Hogs,” two colloquial names for the team.

“Rather than just writing around it, we thought it would be more fun to come up with something that both avoids being a racial slur and avoids awkward formulation,” Madden said.

City Paper’s decision garnered headlines in sports and media blogs, but it hardly seemed like the harbinger of an uprising against the team’s name. It’s one thing for a local alt-weekly with limited sports coverage like City Paper — or other regional papers like the Star and San Francisco Chronicle, which cover the team only rarely — to take a stand. It’s another entirely for The Washington Post or ESPN to follow suit.

But modern journalists are expected to do more than report the facts in the style that their editors approve. They have personal brands to maintain and express their own opinions through TV and radio appearances or on their own Twitter accounts. Many have come out against the team name, and in doing so they have garnered na-

tional attention for the issue while bypassing the need for top-down organizational policy change.

editorial during Sunday Night Football. “It’s an insult, a slur, no matter how benign the present-day intent.”

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Washington Post sports columnist Mike Wise has spoken out against offensive American Indian mascots since holding a conversation early in his career in journalism with Phil St. John, a Minnesota Sioux who convinced 39 high school teams to change their mascots and went on to protest the 1992 Super Bowl.

“It’s not just a name,” St. John told Wise while detailing an encounter that he and his 5-year-old son had with an Apache-themed mascot.

“It destroys my kid’s self-image of who he is. He thinks he’s in a John Wayne rerun for his whole life.”

Wise then wrote a memorable feature on the University of Illinois’ Chief Illiniwek for The New York Times in 2003. Since coming to the capital, he’s been one of the most outspoken critics of the football team’s name, which was a perilous position to take less than a decade ago.

“When I first went to my editor [in 2005] saying I wanted to write a column about this, he said, ‘Dude, do you really want to be that guy?

You’re going to lose some readers,’” Wise said. “But every year since then, I’ve tried to write a column on it and put a slightly different spin on it.”

His efforts went largely unheralded until the last year or so, as there has been a major upswing in opposition to the name. Today, Wise is just one of many high-profile journalists and sports personalities to hold a once-controversial opinion. The Post’s Charles Krauthammer, Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, NBC’s Cris Collinsworth, The Los Angeles Times’ Bill Plaschke, ESPN’s Gregg Easterbrook and author John Feinstein have all spoken out strongly against it.

This October, NBC Sports anchor Bob Costas issued perhaps the most notable journalistic critique thus far. “[The name] can’t possibly honor a heritage or noble character trait, nor can it possibly be considered a neutral term,” he said in a halftime

As the debate has migrated from the back pages of local papers to the national airwaves, it has drawn serious attention in the political world for the first time.

In January, Washington Mayor Vincent Gray said he would insist on the discussion of a name change if the team were to consider a move back into the District from its current stadium in Landover, Md. The D.C. Council passed a resolution — albeit a powerless one, given the team’s location outside the city — condemning the team name.

The feds aren’t letting local officials hog the name-shaming spotlight. In March, non-voting House Del. Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa) and 19 co-sponsors — including Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) — introduced a bill that would void any trademarks that disparaged American Indian culture, specifically citing the football team’s name.

Two months later, 10 members of Congress addressed a letter in protest of the name to FedEx CEO and prominent team sponsor Fred Smith, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and each of the league’s 32 team owners, including Washington’s owner, Dan Snyder. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) did not sign, though she voiced her opposition to the name as well.

Finally, in an October interview with the Associated Press, President Obama said that he would “consider changing the name” if he owned the team.

“I don’t know whether our attachment to a particular name should override the real legitimate concerns that people have about these things,” Obama told the AP. Federal action against the team, though unlikely, would not be without precedent. The Kennedy administration threatened to end Washington’s lease on its D.C. stadium when former owner George Preston Marshall refused to desegregate the team in 1962. Obama is highly unlikely to take a similar tack, however, as a federally forced

name change would be both legally questionable and politically unpopular.

Therein lies perhaps the strangest aspect of a movement that has made its way into the White House itself: its widespread unpopularity.

------------------------------Hop on a D.C. city bus on an average Monday morning, and you’re likely to hear discussion of quarterback Robert Griffin III’s play the previous day. You may hear criticism of Mike Shanahan’s coaching decisions, or possibly an update on the NFC East playoff picture.

What you won’t hear is a raging debate on underlying racism in sporting mascots or a discussion of the government’s authority to force a private business to change its name. For all the outrage and calls for change on the airwaves and in the halls of government, popular opinion on the issue generally wavers between apathy and adherence to tradition.

“Most people don’t feel strongly about it one way or the other, which probably helps support the status quo,” Madden said.

A May AP poll revealed that 79 percent of Americans support retaining the name. Locally, the numbers are nearly as striking: Two-thirds of respondents to a Washington Post local poll conducted in June indicated that they support the team’s current name, although a majority recognize that it is offensive to American Indians.

American Indian advocacy groups are doing their part to change D.C.-area opinion. The Oneida have aired radio spots in opposition to the name and recruited scores of local clergymen to their cause, in hopes that bringing the debate to the ultra-local level will help them gain ground within the team’s fanbase.

Madden speculates that any major change in fan opinion — and buyer behavior — might eventually prompt Snyder to change the name, though the owner’s public comments indicated he won’t be budging anytime soon.

“I assume there’s a cost-benefit analysis he’s going through,” Madden said of Snyder. “If at some point

he decides that changing the name rather than not changing it would earn more money, he may [change it].”

Snyder’s relationship with the team’s fanbase plays a strange role in the name debate. Constant personnel missteps and the team’s perennial mediocrity have earned him derision from fans in his 13 years at the team’s helm, and his attempts to suppress criticism by banning signs from FedEx Field and suing reporters for libel haven’t helped.

In the name-change debate, he’s finally found an issue where he and most fans are on the same page.

According to Wise, that might prevent him from taking action.

“For the first time, he’s getting across-the-board admiration from his fans on an issue,” Wise said.

“That’s all he ever wanted, but he can’t get it with his lousy team.”

------------------------------The future of the Washington football team’s name remains uncertain, to say the least. Wise estimates a change is inevitable but will take three to five years; Madden believes it will take at least that long to sway fan opinion. The end result notwithstanding, the debate over the name makes a compelling case that the power of the pen is still very much alive.

The nation remains split on the issue, but the continued existence of an apathetic majority makes mass public outcry seem unlikely. Unsatisfied with this lack of appetite for social change, some writers and commentators have taken it upon themselves to amplify the voices of a historically marginalized group — simply by refusing to use a certain word. Their efforts have helped move the debate from an obscure Indian reservation into the office of the leader of the free world.

This may represent either a heroic movement on the part of the fourth estate or an abuse of the bully pulpit, depending on your perspective. This reporter, for one, hopes that the Georgetown student media — in keeping with the ideals of social justice and respect for fellow man on which our university was founded — join in D.C.’s silent protest.

TECH TALK

LIFESTYLE Trying to Innovate the Hearing From Hamlet Himself Land of Manufacturing

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echnological innovation is often seen as a measure of international economic vitality. From the airplane to the iPhone, inventions have long been a source of pride for Americans. But looking to the future, what could be in store for the world’s second-largest economy?

China’s explosive economic growth has drastically changed its influence in the international business spheres. The country is mostly known as the “factory of the world,” and the Chinese government has been looking to reverse this trend by increasing the percentage of its GDP dedicated to research and development, increasing its number of patent applications and decreasing its dependence on foreign technology. And yet the Chinese face massive competition and enormous barriers to domestic innovation. Apple’s iconic iPhone is made in China but designed in California, clearly illustrating where the two nations currently sit in the innovation chain of command. The question that remains is whether or not the Chinese government Henry can allow for every step of technological production — including the cost intensive research and development stages — to occur in China.

The biggest roadblock for technological innovation in China stems from the issue of control over intellectual property.

The current Chinese model for economic growth relies on using innovation generated by expensive research and development done elsewhere and then using the nation’s colossal manufacturing capabilities to create products on a massive scale at a low cost. The problem with this is that it creates a strong disincentive for Chinese firms to innovate. The overwhelming majority of firms are not willing to accept the risk of failure by trying something new when they know they can duplicate something that already works.

So far, this method has proven itself to be a smart model for a country that wants to use a comparative advantage found in cheap labor to achieve maximally efficient economic growth. Research and development is expensive and is much more developed in other countries. While China developing in this way is not necessarily a bad thing,

JESS KELHAM-HOHLER

the lack of copyright law in the country means many tech companies are simply unwilling to send the latest innovations to China. Companies know that once their ideas arrive, they diffuse and are copied by Chinese companies. This trend is slowly beginning to change, though, as economic development in China has given rise to some enormous companies that spend large amounts on their own research and face legal consequences in overseas markets should they be accused of intellectual property theft.

Anyone who observes the brands of technology people use in Asia will note the obvious prevalence and market share of Chinese tech firms like Huawei and Lenovo. Phones from these Chinese firms approach iPhone-like levels in terms of number of devices in circulation. So if there are profitable tech companies with high sales, quarterly growth and a significant chunk of their budget spent on research and development, why is there still an innovation problem?

The answer stems from the fact that these big companies are following the Parrott same model that has driven economic growth in China since the dawn of the modern nation: produce cheaper, faster and (more recently) better than the competition. Huawei’s enormous list of products do not really bring anything new to the table, they just offer already-existing products at a lower price. Furthermore, it is actually in the short-term economic interests of each company to do just that.

Huawei is a name that many Americans might not even recognize. But looking into the future, if the economic giant can find a way to protect intellectual property and get rid of their skewed incentives against domestic innovation, it is very possible that we will see China pump out innovative products. How this will affect the world remains to be seen, but coming from the nation that brought you paper and gunpowder, I have a great deal of faith in the Chinese people to innovate and create products that the whole world can benefit from.

Henry Parrott is a junior in the School of Foreign Service. This is the final appearance of TECH TALK this semester.

Hoya Staff Writer

Addison Williams (COL ’14) starred as the title role of the Theater and Performance Studies Program’s production of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” directed by professor Derek Goldman. A government major and theater minor with numerous theater experiences, Williams took on the iconic character to stretch his acting abilities and pay appreciation to the great playwright.

As a government major, how did you get involved in theater?

I’ve done theater my whole life.

My dad was a director in New York for a little bit. I didn’t do a lot of theater in high school, because I played sports more, and then I came back to theater in college.

Now that it’s all over, how do you feel “Hamlet” went?

It was probably my favorite thing I’ve done at Georgetown. It was exhausting and stretching and fun and hard and everything. And I think we did an awesome job. I was proud of that show. We’re usually fighting for people to be

MICHELLE/THE HOYA

Hamlet was Addison Williams’ favorite role at Georgetown.

in the seats at Georgetown theater, and for this we sold out every single evening performance, which is unheard of, so that was pretty cool. I don’t know what that was — if it was good publicity or word of mouth — but it was just fun. Really, really fun.

How did you prepare for the role of Hamlet?

I started by learning what he was saying. I went through and tried to understand why Shakespeare was using the particular language that he did. I mean, he’s a very brilliant stage director through his prose. He didn’t give you many stage directions, so you can figure out exactly what the character is thinking if you understand the language. Then, once I knew the language, I started memorizing, which took two months. Then, just running the scenes every day, you start to figure out what Hamlet is thinking, why he makes the choices that he does, and once you figure out his intentions, then you have his character.

What did you think about the decision to do a modern interpretation?

When [Goldman] first said it, I freaked out. I had all kinds of reservations; I thought it would be terrible. I just always have qualms about fiddling with Shakespeare and such, but I’m really glad that he did it. I think it worked out really, really well. I’m taking the Hamlet seminar class alongside the show, and we read this piece

by Jan Kott called Shakespeare: Our Contemporary and he describes “Hamlet” as a sponge, that it can take on whatever atmosphere, whatever political ongoing of the day and shape it and make it work to kind of reflect that back to people.

Do you think Shakespeare has relevance today with our generation?

Totally. He’s the man. He’s universal. Those stories cross cultures, they cross generations, [and] they cross all sorts of borders that other things in life can

set up. I think Shakespeare — and theater in general, but Shakespeare especially — can cross those. So, yes.

What was your highlight of the experience?

That’s really tough because there were a lot of highlights.

Derek was really great at working through some of the scenes, so I guess having those moments where it clicks or all of a sudden makes sense. We were working on the “to be or not to be” speech, and Derek turned off the lights, and they just had me repeat each word, say almost each letter of each word and just had me totally understand it. Once I had that realization of what he was going through — that was a highlight.

But also, on the last night, taking a bow with the whole cast to 200 people standing and clapping; I mean, that’s something I will never forget.

Do you have any future plans for your acting career?

I’d truthfully never considered acting as a profession, because I didn’t think it was possible. Not even that really — I just never considered it; it was never in my thoughts. As I said, I’ve been acting my whole life; I’ve loved doing it. But this show kind of catalyzed or solidified my intention to go on and do it next year.

I don’t know where, or how, or who with, but it’s going to happen. Or, I’m going to try to make it happen.

Do you have any tips for any aspiring Georgetown student actors?

Go audition! It’s one of the nicest communities on Georgetown’s campus, very open, very inclusive. But I think people get very intimidated by it. I can say it now as a senior: Time here is short — go do it! And if you don’t think you’re talented, you probably actually are because nobody thinks they’re talented, and then you go out there and you try it and figure out you actually can do it. So go audition.

the guide

friday, NOVEMBER 22, 2013

THEATER

Social Battles in the Civil War Hoya Staff Writer

ERICA WONG/THE HOYA

Clockwise from top right: Connor Joseph (COL ’16), Devon Gerzof (COL ’16), Jordanna Hernandez (COL ’15), Sydney Bolling (COL ’16) and Will Redmond (COL ’16).

Celebrating Original And Classic Scenes Lyons’ musical — the first he’s ever written — follows a naive boy desperately in love, a pair of smooth-talking gamblers and a friendly bartender who helps see the action along. The piece takes inspiration from the simple, lighthearted musicals of the mid-20th century, particularly classics like Guys and Dolls and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

“They’re so cliched, but at the same time, that’s really what makes them work. You know what’s coming, and you’re relieved and delighted when it does finally come,” Lyons said, while reflecting on his works of reference.

Lyons achieves this in How to Succeed With Dolls, frequently cluing the audience in on what to expect to the extent that even the characters get the message. Following one of the more emotional numbers, Johnny, one of the gamblers, mentions that he anticipated the sentimental ballad. With the accompaniment of only a piano, the songs sound sweet, and they are filled with the same platitudes as the dialogue.

“The show is partly a parody of them but partly homage,” said Lyons.

In the second act, audiences are transported further back in theatrical time with a collection entitled Famous Duos of William Shakespeare, which was selected by Lewis to follow How to Succeed With Dolls. The piece takes scenes that feature only two actors from both the Bard’s tragedies and his comedies, and the selections provide an intriguing mix of character relationships and themes.

To start the audience off with something familiar, the collection opens with the famous balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet. Because the play is one that audiences will be familiar with, it allows them to easily adjust to Shakespeare’s language. From there, actors perform powerful scenes from less popular plays like The Tempest, Richard III and Othello.

Lewis, a huge fan of Shakespeare, wanted to not only remind theatergoers of Shakespeare’s best-known work but also expose them to some other equally complex and entertaining plays.

“I wanted to show scenes that people heard about or thought they

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Kaley Beins

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THE HOYA

knew, but I also wanted to show scenes from Shakespeare plays that are lesser known. A lot of people don’t really like Shakespeare. Something I wanted to do was try and make Shakespeare likeable,” Lewis said.

Although he has experience as an actor, Lewis had a huge undertaking as a first-time director in overseeing both pieces. For him, the time and effort spent reaped many rewards.

“It was very challenging at times because as a director, you have to all the answers,” Lewis said. “But I learned so much not only about directing, but about acting, about design, about everything by doing this.”

The festival is extremely rewarding for the actors as well. Will Redmond (COL ’15) became very involved with the production, taking on the roles of Ronnie the bartender in How to Succeed with Dolls and both Richard III and Prospero in Famous Duos of William Shakespeare. Of all of his duties, he admits playing Richard III in his scene with the character Anne is the most challenging.

“But that also makes him the most fun,” Redmond said. “He’s willing to do just about anything for power. What makes Richard difficult is balancing the truthfulness of what he’s saying to Anne with the wheels of his plan going on in the back of his head.”

While he finds the complexity of Richard’s character enjoyable, he also delights in being a part of How to Succeed With Dolls.

“It’s a lot of fun doing something that harks back to the heyday of musical theater when it was really rising,” Redmond said. “Tim has just done a fabulous job putting this show together. The show is very much pure fun, but it’s very cleverly written as well.”

Although modern theater has a lot to offer, this year’s One-Act Festival seeks to remind theatergoers of the treasures found in the past. At the same time, the theatrical artists of the present and the future have been given the chance to shine. While applause from satisfied audiences will certainly be gratifying, those who took part in the festival have also been able to find tremendous satisfaction in the entire process of putting the festival together.

The murmur of voices echoes softly off the marble walls as people gather in the East Garden Court of the National Gallery of Art. Despite the tangles of plants that erupt from every corner of the room and the gurgling fountain in the middle, the audience has instead fixed its eyes on the entrance to Gallery 65 that functions as a stage. As the gray light filters in from the glass ceiling, music begins and the actors enter. Mary Hall Surface’s play, “Forward 54th,” had commenced.

“Forward 54th” was inspired by “Tell It with Pride: The 54th Massachusetts Regiment and Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ Shaw Memorial,” a display in the National Gallery honoring the soldiers of the 54th Regiment 150 years after the Battle of Fort Wagner. The “Tell It with Pride” display includes the enormous bronze plaster “Shaw Memorial” by Augustus SaintGaudens as well as photographs, letters and historical artifacts, such as Shaw’s sword. The National Gallery of Art commissioned Mary Hall Surface to write a show based on the display, and she wrote and directed “Forward 54th.” “[“Forward 54th”] is particularly exciting for me because it combines my love of history, visual art and sitespecific theater,” Surface said.

The show itself is extremely powerful, relying on just four actors and one musician to tell the story of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, one of the first African American regiments to fight for the Union during the Civil War. The play centers on Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (David Mavricos), a white northerner whom the Massachusetts governor asked to lead the 54th. However, it also touches on the stories of important members of the 54th, such as Alex Johnson (Stanley A. Jackson III), Sergeant William Carney (Jamar Brown) and Susie King Taylor (Mary Miller). The cast is extremely talented and brought the

show to life in its own way. Mavricos’ performance as Colonel Shaw was especially important, as his pensive internal monologues humanized the conflicts of war. Brown’s stoic, serious depiction of Sergeant Carney demonstrated the seriousness of the play and the history without allowing the heaviness of the topic to overwhelm his character. Miller’s sass and cando attitude as Taylor foreshadows the future fight for women’s rights, while her portrayal of Taylor’s own difficulties keeps the audience focused on the civil rights struggle at hand. Yet Jackson’s energy and naive enthusiasm as 16-year-old Johnson made him the pivotal cast member. From the second he strode onto stage, alternating between speaking and vocally imitating a drumbeat, he captured the audience’s full attention.

As brilliant as the acting was however, the show would not have been complete without period music played by Ginger Hildebrand. Hildebrand, a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory, played four instruments throughout the show, seamlessly switching between them for each scene. The actors told the story, but Hildebrand transported the audience to the era.

Surface wrote “Forward 54th” to appeal to children, but the room held both old and young faces. The cast said children often talk to them after the show, but that some adults had come up to them crying, saying how much the show affected them. The important thing, the cast agreed, was to bring history to life. “[The purpose of this show is] to educate people on things they don’t know. The information stays with you better than if you read it in a book,” Jackson said.

“It’s a lot of information to take in. [The play] is a great way to learn,” Miller said.

The play could stand by itself, but it becomes even more powerful when coupled with the “Tell It with Pride” exhibition. Mavricos explained that

NATIONAL GALLERY

Talented actors tell the story of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment. some of the best reactions to the show were kids being able to reference swords and what they see in the exhibits, and Brown emphasized the importance of theater in education and how the exhibit’s location was a great draw for the show.

“Being in D.C., this is where people come from all over the world,” Brown said.

From the actors’ voices booming throughout the East Garden Court to the soft strains of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, this 30-minute show will stick with you. “Forward 54th” affords students the opportunity to get off campus and experience more of what D.C. has to offer. “[There is an] emphasis at Georgetown on theater that’s about contemporary global issues, but it’s also important to look at history. We can’t know where we’re going if we don’t know where we’ve been,” said Surface.

There will be three more performances on Dec. 7, Feb. 2, and Feb. 23.

The “Tell It with Pride” exhibit will be at the National Gallery until Jan. 10, but the Shaw Memorial itself is on extended loan to the National Gallery.

AUTUMN DAYS Homestead Farms, Md. — eugene ang

HEALTHY HOYA

From Your Future Self: Putting College in Perspective

F

inal exams don’t really matter in the grand scheme of life.

Reread that last sentence. Mull it over. Let it sink in. You’re probably shaking your head.

No, this isn’t a joke. I’m serious.

Putting finals in their place is the only way to keep your cool during this stressful time. Keeping all of your papers, tests and presentations in perspective is crucial to being happy and staying sane. You can eat your vegetables and jog every once and a while, but if you don’t have mental well-being, you aren’t very healthy after all. Finals are already traumatic enough.

Lau becomes a pressure cooker of frantic students; don’t even get me started on the anxiety-ridden searches for an open cubicle. Why add to the stress?

This semester, I’m giving finals something my mom affectionately calls the “one-year test.” Whenever something bothered me growing up, she would ask, “Will this matter to you in a year?” I found, as I grew older, that it is quite a powerful question.

Yes, our overall performance at Georgetown will matter in a year.

Getting a B-plus instead of an Aminus, however, will not. Take my word for it: It really won’t matter.

I’m a hard worker, and I am by no means advocating slacking off. I understand as well as the rest of us that our academic careers now affect internship opportunities, graduate school selection and our long-term goals. That being said, please just do your best and be happy with that. Knowing my fellow students, your best is prob-

ably really great. We should study hard for finals but not place our self worth on a letter grade. We need to stop getting so worked up and hung up on minute details and instead turn our focus to-

Kylie Mohr wards the grander scheme.

Back to the original question: “Will this matter to you in a year?” My mom’s favorite piece of advice used to make me roll my eyes. I cringed whenever she proposed the idea. Why? Because she was always right. If I defiantly retorted, “Yes, it will!” she would

say, “What about in five?” I never had much to say after that.

I can’t say I follow all of her advice now, but I’m trying to adopt this outlook, and I think you should too. Out of maturity or out of the desperation brought about by college exams, her advice is more important to me now than it ever was. Putting things in perspective is an important life skill.

Asking myself this question got me through college rejections, a bad breakup and countless other bumps along the way. It’s comforting to know that in a year, or at least five, you won’t still be bothered, worried or stressed about whatever you are now.

What will matter in a year from now is how you live your life and the habits you develop as a result. How much have you learned

about prioritizing tasks, staying organized and keeping your commitments? Having values and skills like these will matter the most in the long run. Knowing how to take time for yourself, realizing the importance of sleep and being kind to others even when you’re frazzled — these matter, too. It’s healthy to remember that one so-so grade isn’t going to kill you and is definitely not a reflection of you as a person. It’s healthy to know that a research paper isn’t worth a nervous breakdown. Perhaps we should all take my mother’s advice: It’s healthy to give finals the one-year test.

Kylie Mohr is a sophomore in the McDonough School of Business.

This is the final appearance of HEALTHY HOYA this semester.

B4

the guide

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013

RESTAURANTS

RECIPE BOX

Affordable French Fare Worth the Indulgence

ITALIAN BRUSCHETTA

This simple dish is perfect if you are in the mood for some Italian cuisine but don’t want to load up on a heavy meal of spaghetti and meatballs. Using only a few ingredients, bruschetta is easy and quick to make and perfect for either a snack or a light dinner. Although the recipe calls for an oven to toast your bread, a toaster will work just as well. Grab fresh basil when doing your shopping for this recipe: It gives the meal a refreshing taste and complements the tang of the balsamic vinegar nicely.

INGREDIENTS

BISTROT DU COIN

8 fresh basil leaves, chopped 1 garlic clove 1 pinch of salt and pepper

4 medium tomatoes 1 loaf of bread or 1 baguette 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Slice bread into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. If using an oven, line a baking sheet with foil and place the slices an inch apart or simply use a toaster.

Chop your tomatoes into small cubes and put them in a bowl. Chop your basil and add them to the bowl. Add 2 tbsp. of light olive oil, 2 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper to the bowl and mix.

Scoop and serve onto slices of lightly browned bread.

RESTAURANTS

Chipotle-Style Greek Grill Proves Simple Is Better Special to The Hoya

Just like Mexican food has its Chipotle, pasta has its Noodles and Company and Asian has its Shophouse, easy, convenient and delicious Mediterranean food has found a home in Cava Mezze Grill. The chain restaurant is open at five locations around D.C., including lively Columbia Heights and Tenleytown near American University. All locations are easily accessible by Metro or bus.

Walk inside the dimly lit interior of Cava Mezze Grill, and you can feel yourself relaxing. The interior is paneled with dark wood with sleek black paneling and is full of nestle-worthy booths. Like Chipotle, you order and pay at the counter where you can decide between the full array of choices splayed out on the counter in front of you. The first choice is the vessel for your meal, either a pita ($7.25), a mini-pita with soup ($7.25), a rice bowl ($8.50) or a salad bowl ($8.50). You can then decide between spreads such as spicy roasted red pepper hummus or refreshing tzatziki. Next comes a choice from proteins like falafel balls, chicken or braised lamb. Finally, you can pile on as many toppings as you can justify fitting into your mouth. The result is a colorful bowl overflowing with pickled cabbage, quinoa and cucumbers. Even with all of the choices, the prices are perfect for a college student and nothing on the menu will run you more than $9. Throw in some lentil soup or pita chips and hummus as a side, and you might not even break the $10 mark.

 CHARLOTTE GLASSER Hoya Staff Writer

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

JACQUELINE KIMMELL

1738 Connecticut Ave. NW cuisine: French price: $$$$

CAVA MEZZE GRILL

 3105 14th St. NW cuisine: Mediterranean price: $$$$ While my whole experience up to this point had been quite like other healthy fast food restaurants I had tried before, my first bite of Cava Mezze Grill elevated it far beyond its contemporaries. The pita was warm and chewy, the falafel was spicy but not too fried and the sauces blended together in a combination that can only be described as amazing. I wanted to eat it as slowly as possible in order to savor every bite. The lentil soup was even more incredible. It was perfect for the rainy night, with its filling array of vegetables and a spicy kick. You know a meal is good when you can’t help yourself from smiling between bites. And I wasn’t the only one smiling; everybody at the table agreed that the meal was better than most fancy Greek restaurants we had been to.

While not as convenient as some other similar restaurants, the grill makes up for its location with the ease of ordering, the low price of dishes and the flavorful food.

If you want Mediterranean food that will satisfy and delight, Cava Mezze grill is the place.

Next time you’re in Dupont Circle and craving a good meal, stop by Bistrot du Coin on Connecticut Avenue. The classic French and Belgian food will hit the spot without breaking your budget. The intimate atmosphere of this local cafe is incredibly inviting, and even though the service is a little slow, it’s only because there are so many people enjoying a delicious meal in the same place.

It would be sinful to stop by Bistrot du Coin without trying one of its mussel dishes.

There’s a variation for everyone regardless of whether you’re a mussel veteran or not: mussels in white wine sauce, mussels in cream sauce, mussels with pesto and even mussels in Thai sauce. We started with the moules Normandes.

The Normandy-inspired dish included a bowl full of warm mussels in cream sauce with celery, leeks, potatoes, mushrooms and bacon. The mussels are priced respectively as either an appetizer ($11.50) or as an entree ($20.95). Whatever you decide, you can’t go wrong with the generous portions, the rich sauce, the tender vegetables or just shamelessly dipping the remaining contents of the breadbasket into the sauce.

Choosing an entree was a difficult task. Between the mini ravioli (with either gruyere and cream sauce or lobster filled), pan seared fish, scrumptious sandwiches or one of the many savory stews, I was in over my head. In the end, I opted for the tournedos poele, sauce aux poivres ($23.50). This filet is coated in peppercorn with a side of french fries. To say I was pleased would be an understatement. I asked for medium rare; I was served up a huge portion of still-pink steak. The french fries were thick, crispy, and warm.

The fries also served as the perfect vessel for scraping all the pepper cream sauce off of the plate. This is also high praise coming from me as I never eat french fries. In

CHARLOTTE GLASSER/THE HOYA

Among other delicacies at Bistrot du Coin, the peche melba is a delicious concoction of poached peach and ice cream. my experience, fries just aren’t worth the calories because they are either overcooked, soggy or somehow a combination of the two. I’m pleased to announce that the french fries at Bistrot du Coin break the mold. It is unlikely that you’ll find other restaurants that serve a high quality steak for such a competitive a price.

Looking for a lighter meal?

Try the tartine Parisienne ($7.95).

This open-faced sandwich contains French ham, gruyere cheese and what I consider to be the best part of French food: bechamel sauce. The sauce was creamy and rich without drowning the entire sandwich. The bread had a satisfying crunch to it, a testament to the perfect sauce-to-bread sogginess ratio.

The sandwich was accompanied by a nice little salad to round out the meal.

For those still capable of rational thought after these huge, delectable portions, Bistrot du Coin offers several amazing dessert options. Brioche and chestnut mousse both sounded heav-

enly, but I was unable to resist the allure of the peche melba ($8.95). I considered this a bit of a risk. Ordinarily, unless a dessert contains chocolate, I don’t see the point. In this case, though, the risk came with reward. The combination of poached peach with strawberry and vanilla ice cream, almonds and berry coulis was an excellent way to end the meal. The idea of so many fruit flavors all rolled together made me nervous at first — surely it would be far too sweet — but Bistrot de Coin’s trend of defying my expectations continued. I loved the whole dessert.

There may even have been a bit of friendly competition for who got to eat the last bite, but I’m not telling.

In short, Bistrot de Coin offers high quality French cuisine for a competitive price. The ambience is cozy and crowded. The only drawback is the slightly inattentive service. Whatever they lacked in attention, however, they more than made up for in friendliness.

HAPPY HOUR CANDY CANE COCKTAIL

marthastewart.com Celebrate your favorite winter flavors with this delicious cocktail made for the holidays. With a hint of peppermint, this cocktail is perfect as a holiday celebration starter or after-dinner treat.

Crush one candy cane and place the crushed pieces on a small plate. Wet the outside rim of a chilled martini glass with water. Holding the glass by the stem, rotate the rim to coat it with candy. In a cocktail shaker, combine 2 oz. of strawberry vodka, 4 dashes of white creme de menthe, 2.5 oz. of cranberry juice and ice. Shake until well mixed.

Strain into prepared glass, garnish with a candy cane, serve immediately and enjoy.

MULLED WINE

gimmesomeoven.com For your next gathering with friends and hearty food, try this recipe that puts a rich spin on plain red wine.

With cinnamon and other comforting flavors, you can treat yourself and your guests with the the perfect drink to warm up a chilly night.

Combine one bottle of red wine, one sliced orange, 1/4 cup of brandy, 1/4 cup of honey or sugar, 8 whole cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks and 2 star anise in a non-aluminum saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for at least 15 minutes. Strain the solid ingredients from the mixture and serve warm.

JACQUELINE KIMMEL FOR THE HOYA

Cava Mezze Grill is relatively inexpensive and includes delicious Mediterranean food, like its warm and satisfying pita and falafel sandwiches.

bestbets

on campus

TURKISH TEA AND DESSERTS

AN EVENING WITH BONNIE ‘PRINCE’ BILLY

SCREENING OF ‘ELF’

INTERFAITH THANKSGIVING BANQUET

WHERE: SFS Dean’s Office WHEN: Friday, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

INFO: Office of International Programs PRICE: Free

WHERE: Gonda Theater WHEN: Friday, 8 p.m.

INFO: GU Music Program PRICE: $10 students, $25 general

WHERE: ICC Auditorium WHEN: Friday & Saturday, 8 & 11 p.m.

INFO: Georgetown Program Board PRICE: Free

WHERE: Copley Formal Lounge WHEN: Monday, 6 to 8 p.m.

INFO: campusministry.georgetown.edu PRICE: Free

The SFS Dean’s Office and the Office of International Programs will offer the opportunity to taste authentic Turkish tea and desserts.

The event will also provide the chance to discuss the possibility of doing a semester abroad in Alanya, Turkey, in the fall semester. There will be returnee students from that program at the event to answer questions.

Called by The New Yorker “one of the country’s most celebrated singer-songwriters,” the man who sings under the name of Bonnie “Prince” Billy will be giving a public concert this Friday. Along with the performance, he will also be speaking about his unique take on songwriting and performing, and there will also be performances by students in the Music Program.

This weekend, get into the holiday spirit with this festive classic. The film follows the story of Buddy (Will Ferrell), a human who is mistakenly brought up in the North Pole with the Christmas elves and thinks he is one of them.. Setting off on a whirlwind journey in New York City to find his real father, Buddy’s ensuing journey is a hilarious and familyfriendly way to get in the mood for Christmas.

Want to celebrate two Thanksgivings? This Monday, Campus Ministry will be hosting an interfaith Thanksgiving dinner to bring together all of Georgetown’s campus, regardless of religious affiliation. The evening will include delicious Thanksgiving food, holiday blessings and giving of thanks for those of any faith.

the guide

friday, NOVEMBER 22, 2013

MOVIES

starring: Bruce Dern, Will Forte

Franchise Fires Off Another Success CATCHING FIRE



starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson

DELiVERY MAN

VICTORIA EDEL

Kim Bussing

Hoya Staff Writer

Hoya Staff Writer

starring: Vince Vaughn, Chris Pratt

Sometimes when I talk on the phone with my mother, she’ll tell me stories of weird things my grandmother — and other elderly people she knows — has done. I’ll often laugh, and my mother will remind me, “It’s funny now, but it wasn’t funny at the time.”

I couldn’t help but think of those conversations with my mother while watching Nebraska, an incredible new film by Alexander Payne. It stars Bruce Dern as an old, slightly senile Montana man who’s convinced he’s won a million dollars and Will Forte as his son David who reluctantly agrees to drive him to Lincoln, Neb., to collect it.

Dern’s performance as the stubborn, stoic and alcoholic Woody carries the film. For 110 minutes, he’s not an actor but rather the perfect embodiment of a tired, confused and sad Korean War veteran. His realistic portrayal is emblematic of a film that’s obsessed with representing what the people and places of Middle America are really like.

They filmed on location in four different states, but the characters seem just as authentic as the scenery. Woody’s wife, Kate, played by June Squibb, is the sassy old woman who lost her filter years ago. As Woody and David travel back to Woody’s hometown, they encounter more old people than I can ever remember seeing on screen, people who are limpy and wrinkly and a little lumpy — decidedly not Hollywood. It feels like the film crew invaded a small town and stuck its residents in front of the camera.

The people in this film felt like people I know — David’s ex-girlfriend doesn’t look like a model, Dern’s hair sticks out at odd angles; his beard is uneven and family members sit around a television in silence, watching “The Golden Girls” while drinking beer. That realism is what enables Payne to so artfully toe the line between comedy and drama.

At some of the saddest moments in the film, you can’t help but laugh at the absurdity, and it keeps the film from becoming too saccharine.

Forte, best known for his humorous turns on “Saturday Night Live,” at first seemed like risky casting; how could the man best known for playing MacGr-

Sustaining the momentum of an internationally acclaimed franchise after a successful first installation is a difficult task. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins faced this same issue. Although the books may have begun to falter with Catching Fire, the film sequel doesn’t only ride on its predecessor’s global success but earns its own merits with an outstandingly talented cast, riveting special effects and a revitalization of the plot that secures its position in the rare ranks of a movie that’s better than the book.

Catching Fire revisits the postapocalyptic world of Panem, where District 12 Hunger Games winners Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) are departing on their Victory Tours. However, after various districts begin to devolve into riots as a result of Katniss’ actions in the previous games, the malicious President Snow (Donald Sutherland) plots to dispose of Katniss without losing control of Panem by pitching her and 23 other Hunger Games victors into another round of the deadly game.

Francis Lawrence, who was the mastermind behind Water for Elephants and I Am Legend, among others, took over as director of this difficult film adaptation. Since both Catching Fire and The Hunger Games primarily take place in an arena, Francis Lawrence and

Allison Hillsbery Special to The Hoya

After watching trailers for The Delivery Man, I was prepared for a lowbrow comedy about the familiar character of a clueless middle-aged man. I assumed it would be a typical, feel-good, funny film with cheap jokes. While the movie did include the obligatory comedic one-liners, they were well written and existed in tangent with a surprisingly deep plotline.

The Delivery Man tells the story of an unmotivated 40-something living without any true purpose until he receives some shocking information from a fertility clinic that he once donated to for a tidy sum of $24,000. It turns out that David Wozniak (Vince Vaughn), a struggling meat truck driver, had donated sperm over 600 times and, consequently, fathered 533 children. Legal counsel from the clinic informs Wozniak that 142 of his children are filing a class action lawsuit against the institution in order to find out the identity of their biological father.

The plot is novel, if marked with some blatant logical fallacies. Why are all these children suddenly consumed by a desire to know their father? Why do they all just conveniently happen to live in New York City? Director Ken Scott does not address these obvious improbabilities, but he does provide the audience with a quality comedy that is refreshingly sentimental.

The first 10 minutes seemed to confirm my initial judgments. The action was slow, the relationships confusing and the humor forced. However, the film quickly improved as Wozniak embarked on his quest to meet some of his children. Scott expertly captures these unconventional relationships, managing to convey a sense of uncertainty, affection and belonging.

Perhaps most touching is the developing relationship between Wozniak and his mentally handicapped son, Ryan (Sébastien René.) At first unsure of how to approach Ryan, David ultimately vows to remain a strong presence in his life.

Chris Pratt, provides comic relief as Woznaik’s best-friend Brett. An exhausted, disillusioned dad, he volunteers to be Wozniak’s pinch-hitting lawyer, eager to get back into the law game. He is arguably the best-written character, and his hilarious bluntness alleviates some of the heavier moments in the film.

While the Wozniak-offspring and Wozniak-best friend relationships definitely contribute to the film but the connection between David and his girlfriend Emma (Cobie Smulders) seemed half-baked and detracted from parts of the film.

All in all, The Delivery Man was a pleasant surprise. It was funny and inspiring, even in its slightly unrealistic premise, and has redeeming qualities, it might still be better to wait to watch it until it’s released on Redbox.

TOUCHSTONE PICTURES

In his new comedy, Vince Vaughn unknowingly fathers 533 children.

B5

MOVIES

MOVIES

Delivering a Grayscale Journey New Type of Captures Simple Joys Love Story  NEBRASKa 

THE HOYA

FILM NATION ENTERTAINMENT

A young man and his father embark on a trip to collect lottery winnings. uber pull off his first dramatic role? But he manages to do it with humor, brightness and a depth that I didn’t expect at all. David grounds the film, playing the straight man who notices that everyone around him is a little insane but can’t help get caught up in it all. When he and his brother Ross, played by Bob Odenkirk, pull a prank to stand up for their father, you can’t help but cheer for their childish shenanigans.

In addition to casting a comedian as his dramatic leading man, Payne took another risky move: He shot the entire film in black and white. Thus, the sweeping landscapes and open skies of Nebraska were viewed in a completely unexpected way. And it’s beautiful.

Payne really takes his time with shots as well. The camera lingers on clouds, farm tools, houses and signs, exhibiting a dedication to submerging the viewer in his world.

The thing that really elevates the film is that it never makes moral judgments about its characters. Woody is an alcoholic who either took from everyone or was destroyed by how much he gave.

His marriage might be loveless or, as the pair has grown, it’s full of mutual respect. David should stop enabling his father or he should support him more.

He should get back together with his girlfriend or let the relationship die. The questions linger long after the film’s end, and that ambiguity makes it a lot more compelling than if good and bad were obvious. Instead, the film is concerned with what love, family and loyalty look like, at their best, at their worst and in between.

LIONSGATE

Katniss Everdeen faces new challenges in this sequel.

the rest of the production staff were tasked with keeping true to the story without making the arena scenes seem like a rehashing of those in the first movie. And they succeeded. The arena is threaded with fast-paced action, gruesome deaths and calculating improvisations, yet still manages to make clear relationships between characters, especially Katniss and Peeta, while subtly hinting at secret alliances.

Although considered a popcorn movie, Catching Fire offers more than just pure entertainment. It’s a hypercritical presentation of celebrity culture, a view enforced by the grayscale scenes of the Districts juxtaposed to the almost uncomfortably garish Capitol.

President Snow goes to extreme lengths to prevent Panem from realizing that revolts are spreading like wildfire throughout the districts, first by capitalizing upon the frenzy over Katniss and Peeta’s relationship, and then by staging the Victor-only Games.

Overall, what truly solidifies the film as a success is both the talent of the actors and the chemistry between them. Jennifer Lawrence is at her finest, layering Katniss with a tough, rebellious exterior that serves to protect the terrified and haunted girl at her core.

Hutchinson exudes a sense of comfort and confidence and keeps his calm, even while being attacked by killer monkeys. The entire cast manages to thread an element of tension into their characters as all of them, from Gale (Liam Hemsworth) to President Snow, realize the world they have known is on the brink of destruction.

The finished product is an impressive feat, championing both its film predecessor and the books that inspired it. Whether going for the entertainment value, Jennifer Lawrence pre-Kate Gosselin haircut or the themes lurking beneath the surface, Catching Fire is the one movie you don’t want to miss, whether you’re a newcomer to the franchise or a seasoned fan.

GIRL MEETS WORLD

Fighting to Unite the Modern World of Nerds

D

uring the 2012 Olympics, British gymnast Jennifer Pinches flashed a hand sign that means nothing to most people. She separated her fingers on both hands in the style of “Star Trek’s” Spock and then crossed her arms. To a small, though constantly growing, segment of the Internet, she did one of the coolest things ever: She announced to the world that she’s a nerdfighter.

A “nerdfighter” is a fan of John and Hank Green, two brothers who make YouTube videos. In one video, a nerdfighter is defined as “a person who, instead of being made of bones and skin and tissue, is made entirely of awesome.”

You might recognize John’s name because he’s a bestselling novelist: 2012’s The Fault in Our Stars was Time magazine’s Book of the Year.

Hank runs the environmental blog Ecogeek. Together on their YouTube channel, Vlogbrothers, they’ve made hundreds of videos.

It started in 2007 when they embarked on a project called Brotherhood 2.0. They realized their communication was limited to infrequent phone calls, emails and instant messages, so they decided to make public

videos to each other every day for a you like and make cool stuff with whole year. In that year, a community them. In the end, at least in my expeof nerdy fans whose rallying cry is rience, what you do isn’t going to be DFTBA — Don’t Forget to Be Awesome nearly as important as who you do it — was born. At the end of the year, with.” When I first watched this video, they decided to keep going, though it was exactly the advice I needed to no longer on a daily basis. hear, and it got me hooked on John Since then, they’ve branched out. and Hank’s incredible videos, which They run a conference — VidCon — for are full of humor, wisdom and unthe videomakers of YouTube. They abashed nerdiness. have a YouTube channel, John has a video where CrashCourse, where they he answers romantic questeach history, literature tions, and most of his adand science, and another vice involves him yelling, channel, SciShow, where “Use your words!” — the Hank talks about updates perfect romantic advice. in science. And there are Victoria Edel There’s one where Hank projects they don’t do speaks frankly about how together. Hank is part of the team hard it is to live with ulcerative colitis, behind “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries,” a a video that made my friend who sufweb series that sets Pride and Preju- fers from a similar illness cry because dice in the present day, and is current- someone else understood. There’s one where John talks about how terrifying ly in the middle of adapting Emma.

In one of my favorite videos, John the years after college were, another answers the question: “I’m a college where he talks about being depressed freshman. How the hell do I figure out at 24 and how watching the movie what to do with my life?” John chal- Harvey helped him sort things out. lenges the question itself; adulthood, (You should go watch it. It’s the perfect he says, isn’t doing one thing forever. way to start to break a rut.)

His advice? “Study broadly and Often, we complain that the Interwithout fear … but most importantly, net is putting barriers between us try to surround yourself with people and keeping us from connecting with

each other, and sometimes it is. But John and Hank are basically the opposite of that. They’re using the Internet to connect with people in authentic, interesting ways.

John once said, “When people call people nerds, mostly what they’re saying is, ‘You like stuff,’ which is just not a good insult at all. Like, ‘You are too enthusiastic about the miracle of human consciousness.’” That’s what John and Hank are — they’re nerds who are spreading that enthusiasm to anyone with an Internet connection.

In The Fault In Our Stars, John wrote, “Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” This is not only the way I feel about The Fault In Our Stars, but also the way I feel about Vlogbrothers videos. If you’re feeling great, if you’re feeling awful — watch a four minute video and you’ll see things a little differently.

Victoria Edel is a senior in the College. This is the final appearance of GIRL MEETS WORLD this semester.

JESS KELHAM-HOHLER Hoya Staff Writer

around town ‘President kennedy has been shot’

randy thompson & dave kitchen band

‘WHITE RABBIT, RED RABBIT’

‘AMERICAN VOICES’

WHERE: 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW WHEN: Friday, 1 p.m.

INFO: newseum.org PRICE: Free

WHERE: 3401 K St. NW WHEN: Saturday, 8 p.m.

INFO: gypsysallys.com PRICE: $10 in advance, $12 at the door

WHERE: 545 Seventh St. NW WHEN: Saturday, 8 p.m.

INFO: chaw.org PRICE: $15 at the door

WHERE: 2700 F St. NW WHEN: Sunday, 6 p.m.

INFO: kennedy-center.org PRICE: Free

The Newseum presents a screening of the 2003 CNN documentary about the assassination of President Kennedy on Friday, the 50th anniversary of his death. Produced and directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Gerardine Wurzburg, it features interviews with over 30 journalists who witnessed the attack.

Gypsy Sally’s is hosting several nights of folk music. Lovers of raw, country-tinged tones and singer-songwriters should head down this weekend to hear the local bands featured at this new music club and restaurant. Artist Dave Kitchen has often been compared to Paul McCartney, so his performance is sure to give audiences a night to remember.

No rehearsals. No director. No set. A different actor reads the script cold for the first time at each performance. Will you participate? Presented by the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, the Theater Alliance is performing a production of this new kind of play. This is the last of three performances, which have been well reviewed for their impressive improvisation.

Come hear actress Erin Driscoll and singer Jon Carroll (the musician that brought us “Afternoon Delight”) perform musical theater numbers in a free performance at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage free performances. This show is part of a three-day festival to celebrate the nation’s top vocalists. Every night there’s a different act, and no ticket is necessary.

B6

Sports

THE HOYA

friday, november 22, 2013

Volleyball

Women’s Basketball

GU to Finish at Creighton Against Tigers, Hoyas Must Limit Turnovers Juliana Zovak Hoya Staff Writer

The Georgetown volleyball team has had its ups and downs this season, notching thrilling wins and suffering heartbreaking defeats. And while sometimes they were outhit, outblocked or just outsized, they were rarely outhustled.

That’s why this team is so fun to watch. It’s sophomore outside hitter Lauren Saar pumping her fist after a momentum-changing kill. It’s the combination of freshmen Caitlin Brauneis and Ashlie Williams setting up hits. It’s sophomore Emily Gisolfi serving aces from so far off the line she’s almost outside the gym. It’s veterans Dani White, Alex Johnson and MacKenzie Simpson doing the hard work one game after another.

For one last game, they’ll do the same.

Tonight, Georgetown (1018, 4-11 Big East) will face No. 12 Creighton (19-7, 10-4) in its final conference game of the 2013 season, hoping to snap a five-game losing streak and end the year on a high note.

When the Blue and Gray played host to Creighton earlier this month, they surprised the Blue Jays with a first set win, 25-18, and came close in each of the next three sets, only to fall 3-1.

“When we played Creighton here, we started out really strong, we served extremely tough and we know that we’ll have to do that [again],” Head Coach Arlisa Williams said.

The difference came down to the defenses, with the Blue Jays out-blocking the Hoyas 19-7 in their previous meeting.

“There are some areas

FILE PHOTO: ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Sophomore defensive specialist Emily Gisolfi’s 185 digs this season has helped the Hoyas stay competitive.

that we have focused on this week with our blocking that I think will help us as well.

Creighton is a great blocking team, so I think that’s an area [in which] we need to make sure we are closing the gap a little bit,” Williams said.

Over the weekend, Creighton lost to Seton Hall, a team that Georgetown defeated earlier this season. Depending on which team shows up in Nebraska, the Hoyas could scratch out a victory.

Georgetown’s inconsistency has resulted in some tough losses, and an emphasis on the details has been Williams’ mantra all season long.

“We’ve been in so many matches this year and have just come up short, so how do we fine-tune those things these last few days so that we can get a win this weekend?”

Williams said.

After being picked last in the preseason Big East poll, the Hoyas started the season with something to prove.

Now, with one game left, they’re ending it the same way.

Creighton will be Georgetown’s last opponent of the season, as the Blue and Gray did not qualify for the Big East tournament. But for the Hoyas, this game still bears significance.

“We have two practices left, and they’re still leaving it out on the floor every single practice. It’s just a work-hard team that is learning what it means to play with grit,” Williams said.

Grit was something the Hoyas never lacked, even against their toughest opponents, and it just might give them the boost over Creighton, who has secured its berth in the conference tournament and will have to face both Georgetown and Villanova this weekend, splitting their prep time.

“This team has a whole lot of heart. They really care about our program, and they will do everything that it takes to try to help us be successful,” Williams said.

Down to the wire

Leagues Prioritize Offense ‘I

did not think the changes would be this dramatic.”

That quote was from Keith Dambrot, head coach for the Akron men’s basketball team. Dambrot was speaking in reference to the new NCAA rules cutting out all hand-checking on the perimeter and almost cutting out all charges, but what’s most interesting about his quote is that he is actually on the NCAA rule committee. That’s right, a guy who is partly responsible for the new rules is surprised by just how much they favor team offenses.

This past Monday night, Ray Lewis offered to pay half of San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brook’s impending fine for a seemingly harmless tackle on Drew Brees. Lewis exclaimed that he was offended that the NFL wasn’t treating defensive players like men, and many fans and analysts agree with his outrage.

While these two situations differ in sport, they are related in significance. Everyone knows that the biggest concern in the NFL involves strict defensive rules that stem from its fear of concussions (or, more accurately, the lawsuits that come with head injuries), but it is also because major sports leagues desire to increase offense in their games.

Offensive plays make up the vast majority of the highlights that you’ll see on “SportsCenter,” so it’s logical for leagues to want to market their product with what sells best. Therefore, it’s only fair to ask: Are the leagues’ desires for more offense legitimate reasons to attempt to change the games?

As far as basketball goes, I actually like the rule changes in the NCAA. Of course, it’s always possible to go too far, but removing hand checks and charges doesn’t take much away from the actual game of basketball, and it should improve scoring. Does anyone remember Georgetown’s 37-36 nationally televised win over Tennessee last year? The Hoyas also beat Towson 46-40 and lost to Marquette 49-48. I don’t think I’m

going out on a limb by saying that many NCAA basketball teams could use a little more offense.

Also, does anyone like how strictly charges are called at the collegiate or pro levels? In the NBA, games can be swung when a player establishes position a nanosecond before the offensive player gets there, which is way too late for anyone driving the lane — much less anyone as fast as a professional basketball player — to stop his momentum. I would love it if the NBA followed college basketball and cut down on its charging rates by either moving the hemisphere — in which a player cannot draw a charge — further

Tom Hoff

Leagues change rules for more offense. from the basket or by expanding the amount of time that a player needs to have his position established before taking a charge. It’s also a minor issue from a player safety standpoint because, last time I checked, it’s not safe to have incredibly fast, huge professional athletes colliding at top speed.

The NFL, on the other hand, is going too far. As Steve Young pointed out following Ray Lewis’ take on defensive penalties, the NFL seems to penalize and fine players for plays that merely look bad. Ahmad Brooks made contact with Drew Brees’ shoulders and upper chest but avoided his head and neck … and he was fined.

When former offensive players like Young are saying that the rules are unfair for defensive players, you know it’s bad.

Hockey might be the most interesting sport for this situation.

Scoring in the NHL has been declining even as its revenues keep growing, and yet fans generally want more scoring. I’m skeptical that merely widening the goal — a popular suggestion — would really help. The NHL just mandated that goalies must have smaller pads than last year, and I’m fine with the rule, but I don’t think it gets at the heart of the problem.

If you ask any hockey fan what his or her favorite game in recent years has been, there’s a decent chance that he or she will name a low-scoring playoff game that went into at least one overtime period. Why? The rush of these games is incredibly entertaining, even if there’s little excitement.

It’s hard to prove, but I think that this signifies that the real draw for NHL fans is not the number of goals, but the number of quality scoring chances. Speaking for myself, watching two teams have unsuccessful quality scoring chance after unsuccessful quality scoring chance, with one finally resulting in a sudden-death OT goal, might give me a heart attack someday, but it’s maybe the most entertaining rush in sports. Because of that, I think that the NHL should expand the size of its ice surfaces to make them similar to that of European arenas. More open space to skate will result in more scoring chances, and, of course, a few more goals. But the fact that teams score on a low percentage of their quality chances is actually a huge draw in hockey, and the league shouldn’t forget that when trying to add in more offense.

From college basketball to the NFL to the NHL, leagues are trying to increase not only player safety but also highlight-reel-worthy offensive chances. The latter desire is worthy in many cases, but it is important that striving for Sportscenter highlights doesn’t ruin the integrity of the games.

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

Down to the Wire appears every Friday.

Carolyn Maguire Hoya Staff Writer

Heading into the season’s third week of action, the Georgetown women’s basketball team (1-2) is hoping to put recent losses and offcourt drama behind it. After losing two consecutive games and dealing with the unexpected transfer of freshman forward Shayla Cooper, the Hoyas will look to overcome these setbacks when they play host to Princeton on Saturday.

After the first three games this season, Georgetown’s weaknesses are obvious. The Hoyas have struggled to maintain possession, averaging more than 24 turnovers a game.

“We need to take care of the basketball,” Head Coach Jim Lewis said. “It is against good teams, and no disrespect to those teams, but some of the turnovers have been unforced or have been because of our poor decisions. Those numbers need to go down.”

The Blue and Gray have also struggled on defense. Thus far this season, the Hoyas’ opponents have averaged 77 points per game.

“We need to focus on … defense overall, but particularly our transition defense and our interior defense,” Lewis said. “Teams have scored too many points in transition and at the bucket. … [We need] to become a better overall rebounding team on both ends of the floor.”

Georgetown will look to improve in these areas against Princeton, though downing the Tigers will be no easy task for the Hoyas. Last season, Princeton finished the season with a 22-7 record and won the Ivy League championship for the fourth consecutive season; it is the favorite to win it again this year.

Princeton is coming off of a victory over Rider on Tuesday. Led by guard Blake Dietrick, who had 15 points, the Tigers established an early lead over the Broncos and never looked back as they cruised to their 75-62 win.

“Princeton is a great program,” Lewis said.

“It is not that they are just a good team; overall, they are a good program that competes for championships each year. We know that and we have a lot of respect for them. They play very intelligent basketball with good athletes and are well coached.”

Georgetown will turn to freshman center Natalie Butler to lead the team against a small Princeton team. In her first three collegiate games, Butler has dominated, averaging 16.3 points and 13.7 rebounds per game. Her performances against South Dakota State and California earned her Big East rookie of the week honors.

“She sets high standards for herself, and … she works towards accomplishing them,” Lewis said. “Her attitude, her effort and her leadership as a freshman are outstanding. We have set some goals for her and she continues to set an example. … I wouldn’t be surprised if

FILE PHOTO: ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Freshman center Natalie Butler has recorded three double-doubles in each of the Hoyas’ first three games. at the end of the year she leads the nation in field goal percentage, as well as rebounding.”

Georgetown will look to take advantage of her presence by using Butler more in the low post. Giving more touches to Butler in the post will give her more opportunities to score and will also open the court up for the other Hoyas, according to Lewis.

“We run most of our offense through Natalie, but it is not just [her] shot attempts that dictate success of a team,” Lewis said. “If you throw the ball to Natalie and you cut, you will probably get a layup. She has a good sense of finding cutters and weak side shooters. The more touches Natalie has, the better our team will be.”

With the departure of Cooper, who decided to transfer from Georgetown, Lewis expects freshmen Jade Martin and Faith Woodard to have increased roles.

“Faith Woodard and Jade Martin will successfully play the wing position that they are naturally suited for,” Lewis said. “The beauty of [Martin and Woodard] is that they give us a different dimension. Between the two, we have an excellent young duo of wing players, and I like their tenacity on defense as well.”

Woodard, Martin and the rest of the Hoyas will look to get back on track against the Tigers at McDonough Arena. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.

cROSS cOUNTRY

No. 6 Women’s Team Heads To NCAA Championships Maddie aUERBACH

“We’ve got some of our seniors — Rachel Schneider, Madeline Chambers — who have been in meets like this before and can keep The Georgetown women’s cross country cool under pressure. They know how to stay reteam ran the course in Terre Haute, Ind., earli- laxed and still do their jobs. That’s something er this season at the Pre-NCAA meet on Oct. 19. we’ve talked about all season — being in a high Now, the team returns — but this time, for the pressure environment and focusing on their NCAA Championship. After clinching a bid in jobs and running for each other — and runthe Mid-Atlantic Cross Country Regional on ning for Georgetown,” Smith said.

Nov. 15, the Hoyas earned a spot in the NCAAs Both Georgetown and Providence enter and the opportunity to compete against the the meet poised to win. Providence finished country’s top teams and runners. as runner-up to Oregon last year, and GeorgeNo. 6 Georgetown cruised throughout the town is seeking what would be its second season with three first-place victories and two NCAA Championship in three years. second-place finishes. Among Georgetown’s Though the Georgetown men’s cross country competitors at the NCAAs is Villanova, the team did not qualify for the NCAAs after finishonly team that finished ahead of Georgetown ing third in the Mid-Atlantic meet last weekend, at the Mid-Atlantic Regionals. Providence, Ari- graduate student Andrew Springer will travel zona, and Arkansas — the top three teams in to Terre Haute as an individual competitor. A the country — will also be participating at the two-time All-American, Springer performed championship. at an astonishing level this “The best team in the season as the top finisher “The best team in country is the team that for the Blue and Gray in four beat us at Big East, and the country ... beat out of their five meets. that’s Providence,” WomHe approaches the meet us at Big East, and en’s Cross Country Head rested and with a set stratCoach Michael Smith said. egy in mind. Running two that’s Providence.”

“They have three low-state 10-kilometer races in the scorers and a great fourth span of eight days is no michael smith runner.” small feat; nonetheless, Women’s Cross Country Head Coach No. 4 Florida State, like Springer’s experience as a Providence, has impressive top runners, but runner and preparation over the course of the also has a larger spread. No. 2 Arizona and No. week leaves him primed for a strong perfor3 Arkansas, on the other hand, have a small mance. spread of runners, similar to Georgetown.

“He’ll start two or three seconds behind the Defending champion Oregon received an at- group and then try and catch them throughlarge bid for the NCAAs but is not considered a out the intervals,” Men’s Assistant Coach Branthreat, as the Ducks graduated its top runners don Bonsey said. “Between the regional meet in the class of 2013. and national meet it’s all about getting restThe Hoyas are counting on their race plan to ed… He’s definitely going to be mentally and win this meet, a consistent strategy which they physically ready to go on Saturday.” have executed successfully in all of their meets.

While Springer competes at the NCAAs, the “We’re going to do the same kind of running rest of the men’s team will travel to the Bronx, we’ve been doing all season, which means N.Y., for the IC4As. This meet provides the runkeeping that spread as small as possible,” ners who didn’t make the Big East or Regional Smith said. “Our question is going to be how squad an opportunity to compete. The team high up can we place our top athletes. That’s is optimistic about its chances, as it won the what it’s really going to come down to.” meet last year with its B team.

Although the pressure is on for the Blue The entire Georgetown cross country proand Gray, the experience of older runners and gram is bound for an exciting and possibly unmental toughness of the entire team could lift predictable weekend. the Hoyas above the stress of such a high-stakes “In cross-country, weird stuff happens,” meet.

Smith said. “You have to be ready for anything.”

Hoya Staff Writer

sports

friday, NOVEMBER 22, 2013

men’s SOCCER

THE HOYA

B7

Football

Mediocre Season Ends Matt Raab

Hoya Staff Writer

FILE PHOTO: ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Sophomore forward Brandon Allen was named first team all-Big East. Allen leads the Hoyas with 11 goals and is ranked fourth in the Big East in points.

GU Faces Old Dominion In Second Round

forward and captain Steve Neumann to reserves like senior defender Nick Van Holfinals. Senior forward Tim Hopkinson scored len, the postseason has left a lasting impact the opening two goals for the Monarchs, and on all those who will be playing their final junior forward Ivan Militar had three assists. games.

“There is nothing like it,” Dillon said. “It’s After the disappointing loss to Providence in the Big East semifinals, the Hoyas are anx- a different atmosphere playing in the touriously awaiting their next opportunity. The nament. It’s definitely the best part of the nine-day break in between games will be the season.”

Georgetown will have longest the team has seen its entire 31-man roster all year. Some of its biggest “At this stage, available next Sunday for games are right around the its opening tournament corner, and the entire roster everyone is either game on Shaw Field at 1 will certainly face a range of a champion or very p.m. From top to bottom, emotions. it will need every player to “At this point everyone is good or both.” mostly excited and wants to be performing at his best from the opening kickoff get out there and start playBrian wiese to the final minute of the ing. Sure there will be some Men’s Soccer Head Coach nerves early on in the games, last game. Wiese emphabut overall, everyone is excited to get going,” sized the lack of room for error in the single elimination tournament.

Dillon said.

“There’s no one part that will be more imDillon is one of six seniors on the team who will be entering the tournament for portant than the others,” Wiese said. ”Every the final time. They have played the NCAAs part has to be working and working well. … three times but will look to finish their ca- All the parts have to be good. All the parts reers with a championship. From star senior have to be sharp.”

TOURNAMENT, from B8

WOmen’s soccer

A season filled with disappointment and frustration will come to an end this Saturday for the Georgetown football team when it travels to face Holy Cross (3-8, 1-4 Patriot League) in the Patriot League’s last week of regular season play. For the Hoyas (1-9, 0-5 Patriot League) the matchup is the last — and probably best — chance for the team to snap its eight-game losing streak, which began in September.

But for a team that has struggled to take advantage of opportunities and stay competitive all season, positive results are far from guaranteed.

The last time Georgetown visited Holy Cross, in November 2011, the team was fighting to retain control of its destiny in the Patriot League championship race, ultimately grinding to a 19-6 win in the midst of a blinding snowstorm that deposited a foot and a half of snow. The win set up a championship matchup with Lehigh that the Hoyas would lose. Now, the teams meet on a combined 12-game losing streak, and Georgetown is fighting for its first conference win. But Saturday’s weather report for Worcester,

with temperatures in the 30s and 40s and likely precipitation, threatens to draw at least some comparison between the two games. Coming off of a relatively successful performance against Bucknell, where the unit only allowed 17 points, all in the second quarter, Georgetown’s defense could be bolstered by precipitation and the resulting dependence on the rush for a Holy Cross offense disposed toward the pass.

“They spread you out, use more personnel groups, that kind of thing, to help with the pass rush,” Head Coach Kevin Kelly said. “I’m hoping that we can hold — that’s our job, to keep them out of the end zone, so that’s what I hope happens. And we might get … some snow and rain, so that might be a factor.”

Despite the season’s solidified character, this game holds significance for a football team that wants to avoid giving an extra nine months of life to its losing streak, and a group of seniors who compose a third of the roster and wants to end their football careers on a positive note.

“Number one, you want the seniors to go out with a win,” Kelly said. “[You want to] feel good about the last win of the

FILE PHOTO: ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Head Coach Kevin Kelly maintained a positive attitude despite his team’s disappointing 1-9 overall record.

season and it helps you in the offseason.”

The seniors’ final practices at MultiSport Facility were not passed without some recognition of what the end of the season will mean for a good deal of the team.

“They’re starting to really feel that this is actually the end of their football career.

A lot of them have been playing a long time,” Kelly said.

“Four years of college goes by very quickly. I’m sure they’re looking back to the good old days.”

If the Hoyas are able to move forward and build on their success from the last game, Holy Cross represents a prime target for a victory.

Kelly felt that last week’s defensive performance was highly successful, and is satisfied with the way the team has been practicing.

“On defense, we played our best game, our best effort game. Offensively, we still sputtered, but the guys are practicing hard,” he said. “A coach was watching us last week and he said you wouldn’t know we were a 1-8 team the way we were practicing, so that’s a credit to our kids.”

But Georgetown has not displayed an ability to capitalize on previous success, and has put on widely varying performances throughout the season. Issues have plagued the team on both sides of the ball, and the Hoyas have not been able to consistently remove them from both sides for the duration of the game.

Last week the team avoided some of the penalty problems that had been troubling it and was stout on defense. At the same time, Georgetown could only muster 22 yards of rushing on offense, an area that could define Saturday’s game if inclement weather does arrive. However, the offense has displayed ability on the ground at other points in the season. The presence of this run game and the defense’s ability to make stops will be critical factors in Georgetown’s performance against a team that has struggled to succeed against the same competition.

Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at Fitton Field in Worcester, Mass.

Hoyas Draw Tough More than a game Matchup in Second Round Mystery Injury Puzzles Fans S

VIRGINIA, from B8

close ones.”

Driving Nolan’s optimism is his belief in the quality of his players, and their ability to matchup with a similarly talented Virginia side.

“The good thing is that they play good soccer and we always do well against teams that play soccer, because we play good soccer, too,” Nolan said.

Georgetown does indeed play good soccer.

Seniors Kailey Blain and Emily Menges and junior Daphne Corboz were named FirstTeam all-Big East. Menges won the conference award for defensive player of the year and Corboz won the trophy for midfielder of the year.

It has been a record-breaking year for Georgetown. The Hoyas’ 2-0 victory on Sunday over La Salle in the first round of the NCAA tournament cemented their spot as the winningest team in program history.

The Hoyas have also set a school record for goals scored in a season with 58.

Individual accolades and numbers are well and good, but right now Georgetown is zeroed in on beating Virginia and either Wake Forest or Penn State in the third round on Sunday. If it can manage that, the team will return to the Elite Eight for the second time in program history.

The six seniors on the Georgetown roster were freshmen when that first happened in 2010.

That tournament run is of importance to the Hoyas not only for its success, but also for its similarities to the current postseason.

After suffering a disappointing 1-0 loss to USF in the quarterfinal of the Big East Tournament, Georgetown backed into the NCAA tournament in 2010. This year’s Hoyas also lost their first Big East Tournament game 1-0, a semifinal match against DePaul. In both seasons the Hoyas easily dispatched their first round NCAA opponent. In 2010 it was a 5-1 win over Sienna, and on this year it was a 2-0 victory over La Salle on Sunday.

The catalyst of that 2010 Elite Eight run came in the second round, when the Hoyas shocked then No. 1 Maryland in penalty kicks. Georgetown is hoping that history

FILE PHOTO: ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Senior defender Emily Menges was named first team all-Big East. will repeat itself on Friday night in Charlottesville.

“I told the girls after the [La Salle] game that in 2010 we knocked off the number one seed, Maryland, and had a great run to the Elite Eight after that,” Nolan said. “I’m kind of looking at it like maybe it’s a little deja vu.”

everal weeks into the NBA season, Georgetown alumnus Otto Porter is still sitting on the sidelines at Verizon Center. Since being drafted third overall last year by the Washington Wizards, Porter sustained two injuries that have kept him off the floor: a strained right hamstring in mid-July and a strained right hip flexor in mid-September.

Anxiously anticipating his return, D.C. basketball fans have endured a long, frustrating waiting game.

The hardest part about Porter’s situation is the ambiguity of it all. He has been listed as “day-to-day” for what seems like an eternity, as days of riding on the training bike have turned into weeks and months of sitting and watching on the bench. We know that his hip and hamstring are strained, but we do not really understand the severity of the injuries. Are the Wizards keeping something under wraps? Is it worse than it sounds?

Porter’s young NBA career has been nothing but ominous.

On July 17, he left a summer league game against the Denver Nuggets with a tight right hamstring. For the rest of the summer, he did more bike riding than dribbling or shooting, with little positive news coming out of the front office. Then, on Sept. 28, Otto hurt himself again after slipping during a pickup game. Though he traveled with the team to Brazil in early October, he still had not returned to practice and even after meeting with doctors in mid-October, there was still no update. In fact, the most telling indication of Porter’s situation came Oct. 29, when Head Coach Randy Wittman admit-

ted that he didn’t know who Porter was, as he has had no chance to coach him yet.

Fittingly, a reporter asked, “Is it a muscle thing, like, what the hell is it?” Indeed, that is the question. No one seems to know, and if anyone does, they are certainly not telling us.

Meanwhile, “I don’t know” is the only thing that we are hearing. Wittman has been at a loss for words, constantly playing mum and referring to his lack of knowledge when fielding questions from radio hosts and

Nick Fedyk

Wizards fans await Otto Porter’s return with anticipation. reporters. Four months after Porter’s initial injury, there is still no timetable for his return.

All we do know is that the pain is still “lingering.” Sometimes, it sounds much worse than that — as of late October, Porter was not even able to shoot standing still.

That is definitely not what we want or expected to hear.

When he left Georgetown two years shy of graduation, hopes were high that Otto could be the Hoyas’ latest NBA star, following in the footsteps of Jeff Green, Roy Hibbert and Greg Monroe. He had no serious injury concerns while playing at Georgetown and was able to endure the big, physical play of Big East basketball.

In addition to their expectations for Porter as an individual, fans are hoping the Wizards can be competitive this season. Believe it or not, the Wizards actually have a shot at being halfway decent this year. They certainly have a young and exciting roster capable of putting together some wins. Drafted first overall in 2010, Kentucky standout John Wall is running the point, averaging 17 points and eight assists per game over the past three seasons.

The Wizards acquired veteran forward Nene Hilario in 2011 and drafted guard Bradley Beal third overall in 2012.

Although the team is off to a disappointing 3-7 start this season, they have played close games against Philadelphia, Miami and Brooklyn while barely losing to Oklahoma City in overtime.

The NBA has a long season ahead, and if Otto can be anywhere near as good as Georgetown fans know he can be, the Wizards may defy expectations. Heck, I may even buy some tickets if I can watch Porter play at the professional level. Two weeks ago, the Wizards encouraged Georgetown fans when they ran a full-page ad in The Hoya to promote student ticket discounts that featured Porter’s smiling face in the background.

The day Porter steps onto the court cannot come soon enough. But for now, all we can do is wait and hope that his injury is just as temporary as the Wizards’ front office wants us to believe.

Nick Fedyk is a senior in the college. more than a game appears every Friday.

SPORTS

MEN’S SOCCER Georgetown vs. Old Dominion Sunday, 1 p.m.

Shaw Field

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP TALKING POINTS The No. 6 women’s team heads to Indiana for the national meet.

See B6

“

NUMBERS GAME

” 15

This team has a whole lot of heart.

Volleyball Head Coach Arlisa Williams ahead of her team’s last game of the season.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

PARADISE LOST

FILE PHOTO: ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

In Puerto Rico, GU blows early lead to lose 63-56 to Northeastern EVAN HOLLANDER Hoya Staff Writer

Georgetown (1-2) built an early lead but could not withstand a furious rally from Northeastern (2-2) in the final minutes of the game, losing 63-56 in the quarterfinals of the Puerto Rico TipOff on Thursday afternoon.

Georgetown headed into the game a 13.5-point favorite in Las Vegas over a team that had struggled to throughout the start of its season. Prior to Georgetown, Northeastern had dropped games to Boston University and Stony Brook before stealing a win from Central Connecticut.

The Hoyas began the game with a 9-0 run, punctuated with a three-pointer from senior guard Markel Starks.

Sophomore guards Stephen Domingo and D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera also nailed treys in the first half, and solid interior play from senior forward Nate Lubick gave Georgetown a 36-25 lead headed into the intermission.

Northeastern clamped down on junior center Joshua Smith at the beginning of the second half, limiting his opportunities to grab the ball around the post with an aggressive zone defense.

Georgetown was initially able to handle the added pressure and extended its lead to 40-26 with just over 17 minutes left in the game.

The wheels came off the wagon in the seven minutes that followed, as the Huskies increasingly overwhelming zone defense — and the Hoyas’ inability to adjust — led to a series of ugly turnovers and badly missed long jump shots.

Stringing together a 14-0 run on the back of redshirt junior forward Scott Eatherton and sophomore guard David

MEN’S SOCCER

Hoya Staff Writer

For the second straight year, the Georgetown men’s soccer team has advanced to the NCAA tournament.

The draw for the tournament, which was announced Monday afternoon, granted the team (13-4-2, 6-2-2 Big East) the No. 6 seed and a bye in the first round. Should the No. 8 Hoyas advance beyond their first match against Old Dominion, likely opponents include No. 3 Notre Dame (12-1-6), No. 12 Wake Forest (9-5-5) and No. 14 Michigan State (12-5-3). The bye and the high seed were expected for the team, which has been consistently ranked in the top 10, but coaches and players are not taking either for granted.

“We are really happy to be a seeded team, and the bye is massive,” Head Coach Brian Wiese said. “Just to get to

FILE PHOTO: ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Senior midfielder Joey Dillon says the team has improved immensely.

Walker, Northeastern closed the gap and tied the game with just over 10 minutes left in the second half. Georgetown missed seven shots in the same 10-minute span.

The Hoyas and Huskies traded baskets for the next few minutes, although Georgetown was playing for much of the time without an exhausted Smith, who was particularly lackluster defensively as the game went on.

Starks, too, struggled mightily in the game’s waning minutes and ended with nine points on 2-for-12 shooting from the field.

Although Georgetown reclaimed a 54-51 lead with under four minutes remaining when Smith-Rivera nailed a two-point jumper, Northeastern responded immediately and managed to tie the game up after grabbing the rebound off a missed Starks threepointer.

The Hoyas were scoreless in the game’s final two minutes, as Northeastern poured it on and pulled away, with leading scorer Reggie Spencer’s dunk at the buzzer punctuating a 63-56 Georgetown loss.

The Blue and Gray finished the afternoon just 3-for-16 from beyond the arc, and all three treys ca me in the first half. All told, Georgetown missed 13 three-pointers and committed 18 turnovers, while making only nine assists.

The loss was even more disheartening because it means Georgetown will face neither VCU nor Michigan, two highly-ranked participants in the TipOff who would have boosted the Hoyas’ strength of schedule.

Instead, Georgetown will match up with Kansas State, who lost to Charlotte on Thursday morning, at noon today.

The game will be televised on ESPNU.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Sixth-Seeded Hoyas Earn First-Round Bye ANDREW MAY

The number of seasons since the men’s basketball team started 1-2.

the round of 32 without having to kick a ball is nice.”

The Hoyas will play their first game of the tournament Nov. 24 against the Old Dominion (10-5-1). The Monarchs are one of a trio of representatives from Conference USA. New Mexico and Charlottle also will represent C-USA, and both earned a first round bye. The Monarchs defeated Charlotte in overtime but fell 3-0 against New Mexico.

The matchup will favor Georgetown, but even the most favorable matchups don’t guarantee an easy game.

“At this stage, everyone is either a champion or very good — or both.

You’re playing teams that are used to winning and every team has got some good weapons at this level,” Wiese said.

Old Dominion is 0-1 against the Big East after losing a matchup against Creighton 2-1 in two overtimes. Old Dominion and Georgetown have already met once this season in an exhibition match played on Aug. 18, with the Hoyas falling 2-1. That meeting was the season opener, meaning that key freshmen players such as defender Joshua Yaro and midfielders Bakie Goodman and Alex Muyl had no college experience. The team has played 1,678 minutes of soccer over three months since the preseason and has improved immensely.

“It’s night and day since then,” senior midfielder and captain Joey Dillon said. “We’ve gotten a lot better, and I’m sure they have as well.”

Old Dominion handled the Drexel Dragons easily in the first round, going up three goals by the half en route to a 5-1 win. The result was expected against a team that made the tournament after upsetting No. 22 William and Mary in the Colonial Athletic Assosciation See TOURNAMENT, B7

FILE PHOTO: ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Junior midfielder Daphne Corboz won the Big East midfielder of the year award for her seven goals and 13 assists so far this season. The Hoyas will need Corboz to be at her best to beat No. 1 UVA.

Underdog Hoyas Face No. 1 UVA TOM SCHNOOR Hoya Staff Writer

There was a time a few years ago when the Big East was one of the top women’s soccer conferences in the country, but recent conference realignment has changed the equation slightly. Gone are traditional powerhouses like Louisville, Notre Dame, UConn and West Virginia. In their place are several less established programs such as Butler, Creighton and Xavier. As a result of all the movement, No. 20 Georgetown has played a far less demanding schedule this season than in past years. In fact, the Hoyas have not faced one team all season that was ranked in the

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NSCAA Poll at the time of the match.

That will change on Friday night when Georgetown (16-2-2, 7-1-1 Big East) travels to Charlottesville, Va. to take on No. 1 Virginia (21-1, 13-0 ACC) in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The Cavaliers are without a doubt the best team the Hoyas will play this year. Virginia enters the match having coasted through the first round, beating St. Francis 5-0, and winning every game it played in the regular season. Playing in the ACC, a conference that boasts seven of the 32 teams remaining in the NCAA tournament, Virginia outscored its opponents by a combined 34-6; at one point it

recorded six straight shutouts.

“Obviously they’re the No. 1 seed,” Head Coach Dave Nolan said. “They’re having a great season.”

But all of that is not to say the Cavaliers are unbeatable. In the ACC tournament semifinals, Virginia was upset 4-2 by No. 4 Virginia Tech, and Nolan is confident that his team can repeat the feat.

“It’s not going to be easy,” Nolan said. “But we’ve played them down there enough times where we’re comfortable and familiar with the field. We’ve played well against them on occasion, we’ve tied them a couple times and we’ve lost a couple of See VIRGINIA, B7