the guide FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2014
The Face of Modern Feminism
The conflicting attitudes toward feminism at Georgetown NICOLE JARVIS Hoya Staff Writer
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f you were to ask 10 Georgetown students what feminism is, you would get 10 different answers. The word and its associated movement, even though they have been seen as controversial by some, have inspired generations of women on both sides of the political aisle to become more involved in advocacy and outreach. But, what feminism means has changed since the rise of second-wave feminism in the 1970s. “Before I came to Georgetown, I didn’t identify as a feminist because the only definition that had been presented to me was one of very second-wave, militant, bra-burning, kick-all-the-men-out, very aggressive form of feminism that I don’t think is a very accurate definition of what feminism is today,” H*yas for Choice President Abby Grace (SFS ’16) said. The question of what feminism is today is a difficult one, although the emergence of mainstream feminist celebrities has forced it into the public eye more than ever before. Social media have been inundated with images of powerful and outspoken women both proudly accepting the feminist label — Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Emma Watson — and resoundingly rejecting it — Shailene Woodley, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna. On top of that, the way in which these highprofile women choose to exemplify feminism, whether that be through freely expressing sexuality or showing that women can have demanding careers as well as a family, vastly differs. Despite these differences, many students believe that this increase in publicity can only help the feminist cause. “There’s this expression ‘you can’t be what you don’t see,’ and I think that’s true with feminism, too. If
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you see it being something more accessible, you’re able to start identifying that way,” Erin Riordan (COL ’15) said. ————— Feminism is having a big moment in America and abroad, but what about here at Georgetown? Again, answers vary based on per-
sonal observations and experiences. Riordan, who is a Women Advancing Gender Equity fellow at the Women’s Center, was moved by the perceived toxicity of misogyny on campus to found her blog FeministsAtLarge in July 2012 with Kat Kelley (NHS ’14). While the pair lacked experience in running a blog-based outreach platform, they
soon found a very broad and supportive network of students. “We had 60 authors in six months,” Riordan said. “There were a lot of people who had so many things to say, who really wanted that space and were so excited to have that sort of microphone that we were handing them and really responded. I mean people would come up to us at parties and be
like, ‘Thank you so much for this space.’” ————— While it is clear that plenty of students believe that an acceptance of the feminist movement is growing on campus, many others still feel See FEMINISM, B2
THIS WEEK CAMPUS FEATURE
LIFESTYLE
Film Asks ‘Am I Next?’ Student production prompts review of racial prejudice
JUSTIN KOTWICKI Special to The Hoya
Discovering Arabian Treasures
A new exhibit at the Freer Sackler Gallery lays out numerous intriguing Arabian artifacts from archaeological digs. B4
The Facts Behind the Film
Director Michael Cuesta and lead actor Jeremy Renner discuss the true story behind new thriller “Kill the Messenger.” B3
FOOD & DRINK
Holy Hummus
Hummus company Sabra opened up a pop-up restaurant on Wisconsin Avenue that you won’t want to miss. B5
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Impressive Debut
The debut album by Tove Lo is a fun listen but is let down by flawed production. B7
THEHOYA.COM/ GUIDE @thehoyaguide
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n the days following the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin, LaDarius Torrey (COL ’17) was told by his father, “Honestly, in America, you don’t have to do much besides being a black man to be accused of some horrendous crime, or actually be shot and then portrayed as a criminal.” It scared him then and scared him again when he heard those words uttered this summer. Walter Kelly (COL ’16) also remembers the day he found out what had happened to Michael Brown. “I was speechless,” he said. In the midst of the chaos surrounding St. Louis, Time Magazine released a video titled “Am I Next?” that depicted the transgressions in Ferguson from the perspective of a black teenager partaking in the protests. Shortly before the clip made its debut, Torrey happened to ask himself the same question late one night: “Am I next?” The events in Ferguson, Mo., hit the mainstream media toward the end of the summer, but according to Kelly, back on Georgetown’s campus, “No one was saying anything about it.” The two students thus began working on their own video project which was released several weeks after the university’s first response to the events, a panel of scholars reflecting on Ferguson on Aug. 28. Released on YouTube on Sep. 22, their video that is also entitled “Am I Next?” depicts a group of young men on the steps of Healy Hall standing behind Kelly as he delivers his spoken word poem. There are shots from around the Georgetown campus and surrounding neighborhood with individuals holding up signs that protest common misconceptions of young black males. Torrey had known of Kelly’s experience with spoken word performances and reached out to him in hopes that his idea to bring the Ferguson event to light could
NATE MOULTON FOR THE HOYA
Walter Kelly (COL ’16) stars in the student video “Am I Next?” and uses spoken word to highlight misconceptions about black males in light of the events in Ferguson, Mo. come to fruition with the help of Kelly’s poetry, and that together, the two students would spark conversation within the local community. After all, Cooper’s intention was to get people talking.” The two felt that despite the mass amounts of media coverage, the voices of young black men in America were not being heard, and it was their responsibility to, as Kelly put it, activate those voices. “The victims aren’t the ones telling their
stories,” he said. The pair needed a forum, a community of sorts, to allow their message to be conveyed; it was decided that their message was to be delivered in the form of spoken word. “My living room became our drawing board, and everyone came over, and we were just started spitballing ideas,” Kelly said. Torrey noted the importance of having See NEXT, B3
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the guide
THE HOYA
FRIDAY, October 10, 2014
FEATURE
Definitions of Feminism Vary Across Campus FEMINISM, from B1 the sting of a misogynistic campus culture. “I think the culture at large is really insidiously patriarchal, misogynistic in the small ways that it happens. We have rape culture here and there’s lots of times when I see people — myself included — being slut-shamed,” Riordan said. “I see the backlash in the party culture.” Other students have felt this backlash in much more personal and threatening ways. Haley Maness (NHS ’15), who is involved in a number of organizations focusing on women’s issues including Sexual Assault Peer Educators, Sexual Assault Working Group, Take Back the Night and Are You Ready, is a vocal advocate for feminist issues on campus. “When it comes to social issues, I believe very strongly that the laws of physics apply,” Maness said. “So, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. So, the more people become accepting, the more others become more unaccepting.” In the past, Maness regularly responded to and engaged with her most hateful critics on feminist issues over the Internet. “I used to feel comfortable and get really enthused about engaging all varieties of people in what I considered to be a feminist dialogue because I thought that everyone would be open to engaging with this topic,” Maness said. “And I have found, unfortunately, that that is not the case. People are violently against that idea. And I use the term violently on purpose.” The on-campus response to her public opposition to sexist and derogatory microaggressions and straight-up aggressions quickly escalated, culminating in an anonymous post to the Georgetown Confessions Facebook page on Oct. 5, 2013, that named vocal campus feminists, including Maness, who “should be shot.” “The way that I saw it, they weren’t attacking my world view,” Maness said. “They weren’t necessarily denouncing feminists or feminism. They weren’t denouncing the idea — they were denouncing people who agree with that idea, and I think that is very scary when you start feeling willing to harm the people who associate themselves with an ideology.” But, it was the anonymous nature of the comment and the support it garnered on Facebook through likes and comments from friends and strangers alike that really impacted Maness the most, leading her to change her approach to engaging in feminist dialogues both on campus and online. “I knew people who said that feminists were wrong or worthless, so when I got this confession that said I deserved to be shot and it was anonymous, suddenly it came from everybody in that Georgetown community,” Maness said. “When you see tiny microaggressions everywhere, all of a sudden every person could be capable of that level of hatred.” ————— Frustrations also extend beyond the personal sphere into the university administration’s policies and their impact on student expression
and on-campus activism. Kimberly Blair (COL ’15) is a member of the board of United Feminists, an organization that seeks to foster discussion on various topics within feminism, including intersectionality, politics and gender identity. Stepping into this role for the first time has left her largely disillusioned with the university officials and policies that hinder her group’s ability to grow and foster expanding conversations about feminism on campus. “There is no support for student groups to carry out our work — and it’s work that pertains to cura personalis, that pertains to being men and women for others. There’s a disconnect between the bureaucracy and the student groups, and that’s why you don’t see that radicalism ... many people seem scared of any kind of activism or expressing how they truly feel on this campus,” Blair said. Jayme Amann (COL ’15), another WAGE fellow, agrees. “The administration belittles the rights of groups on this campus because it’s too busy trying to protect their national and religious image, and students get shafted as a result,” Amann said. While criticisms of the administration are common, many of those same critics are hopeful about change through alternate avenues on campus, particularly the Georgetown University Student Association. “I came in as a freshman, and then Clara and Vail won. The first all-female ticket won student body president and vice president, which was a huge change for Georgetown to have two women running the student body,” Amann said. “I think Clara and Vail really started the trend of [sexual assault] activism on this campus, and I think it’s permeated every GUSA administration
ISABEL BINAMIRA FOR THE HOYA, ARIANA TAFTI FOR THE HOYA, MICHELLE XU/THE HOYA
since then, and it sets up the university really well for the future.” ————— Much of the disagreement within and outside the movement comes from the word “feminist” itself. Many students and celebrities object to the historical connotations of the word: its associations with militant, second-wave feminism and exclusionary dominance by uppermiddle-class, white women. “I’m still struggling with the term a little bit because I feel like the word ‘feminist’ isn’t as inclusive as I want it to be,” said Queen Adesuyi (COL ’16), a resident in the Intersectional Feminism Magis Row House and Sexual Assault Peer Educator. “So, sometimes I’ll say ‘black feminist.’ I’m not not a feminist. Just the technicalities of the word are getting to me. . . I happen to be a woman, and I also happen to be a black person, so that intersection — for me feminism needs to cover all of that.” Stephanie Estevez (COL ’16) is also a resident of the Intersectional Feminism House, a Magis Row townhouse in its first year of operation. “Our house is about the intersections of the varying degrees of oppression women face — for example, being a black woman is different from being a white woman and being a disabled, black and poor woman — you have different positions in society, and it’s going to be a journey of reciprocal learning for us in the house throughout the year,” Estevez said. Jimmy Ramirez (COL ’15), the chair of advocacy for Georgetown Scholarship Program and a member of SAPE, confidently labels himself as a feminist, and also recognizes the lack of discussion of intersectionality as part of the feminist dia-
logue on campus. “As a campus we struggle with looking at feminism through the lens of other identities,” Ramirez said. “Race, class, gender identity, sexuality, religion, and ability are all important identities we must continually consider when one wants to be a feminist.” For Adesuyi and Estevez, addressing these various and fluctuating aspects of identity is an integral part of how they engage with advocacy for gender equality. But for those who fall within the white majority of both Georgetown’s student population and the country as a whole, their message can often be seen as a personal insult or attack. What both Adesuyi and Estevez — and many feminists outside the historically dominant “affluent white woman” demographic — struggle with is promoting their brand of gender and identity equity in the face of a threatened majority. “I think the first part of checking your privilege is just listening and recognizing that you have it,” Estevez said. “If you don’t have to deal with that oppression, it doesn’t even cross your mind. You don’t need to go to events that address that because that’s not your life,” Adesuyi said. Yet Estevez is also quick to clarify,:“We hate the privileges, not the people.” Ramirez also noted the importance of finding ways for men on campus to be involved in feminist activism and dialogue, and with Emma Watson’s recent speech at the United Nations for the “HeforShe” campaign exploding over social media, students may hope to see more male students accepting the invitation to be part of the conversation. “When I discuss issues of gender
equality I am incredibly aware of how when I share my ideas, people are more likely to listen than to my female peers,” Ramirez said. “I have learned that acknowledging my position as an active ally is the most meaningful way I can engage.” ————— So where do we, as a campus community, go from here? The general consensus among Georgetown’s feminist groups is that, while progress is being made, the changes are very slow and often hindered by both the harmful learned attitudes of the student body and the inherent conservatism that comes from Georgetown’s treasured Jesuit identity. “I think mainstream campus culture does not feel a lot safer or a lot more welcoming to me,” Riordan said. “I think that the spaces that are safe and the spaces that are safe for feminists are growing and more people are moving into them, and eventually they will have an impact, and that’s exciting and a cool thing to witness.” “It’s easy to get frustrated and want to give up because the change is so slow, but it’s all about encouraging future Hoyas of color and their white allies and their male allies and everyone to continue fighting toward all these different systematic changes,” Estevez said. “I think that inherently because we are a Jesuit university, there’s a lot of things that we cannot directly address. That’s the reality and it sucks. But at the same time, we are so far ahead of other Catholic and Jesuit schools, so that’s great, but we have a long way to go,” GUSA Vice President Omika Jikaria (SFS ’15) said.
center stage
‘In the Red and Brown Water’ on the Hilltop Jess Kelham-Hohler Hoya Staff Writer
A new production of “In the Red and Brown Water,” co-produced by the Black Theatre Ensemble and the Theater and Performance Studies program, opens this week and runs through Oct. 18. This poetic, powerful play written by Tarell Alvin McCraney is directed by Guest Artist and Lecturer in Theater and Performance Studies Isaiah Matthew Wooden (COL ’04). A recipient of the 2014-2015 Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship, Wooden explains the unique nature of this production, a comingof-age story set in the Louisiana bayou that incorporates folk tales along with contemporary work.
COURTESY JASVEEN BINDRA
Professor Isaiah Wooden (COL ’04) directs a collaborative production of “In the Red and Brown Water.”
How did you come to choose this play? I’ve wanted to direct “In the Red and Brown Water” since first reading the play in American Theater Magazine in 2008. As a director, I’m always looking for projects that will allow me to flex critical and creative muscles. The play’s beautiful mixing of myth, music and the mundane landed it a spot on the top of my list of dream projects. Thus, when discussions began between the Theater and Performance Studies Program and Black Theatre Ensemble last year about a collaborative production, I offered it as the play I’d most like to direct. I thought it would resonate powerfully with the Georgetown community. Undoubtedly, it is one of the most compelling 21st century theater texts.
investments in notions of progress. Oya, the play’s central character, is a seeming emblem of “bad timing.” What I hope her inability to come to the “right” decision on time will invite audiences to consider are the rich possibilities for life and living outside of those rigidly constructed notions of success that cannot account for change. The play reminds that change happens — resistance is futile.
What do you think is the most striking aspect of the production? Audiences will find McCraney’s lush, poetic language and vivid storytelling most striking, I think. As a way to help remind [them] of the communal aspects and functions of theater and to create the sense that we — performers and spectators — are all journeying together, McCraney has each character in the play announce their stage directions. This creates a unique experience for playgoers; it presents theater as storytelling.
How did you get the cast to prepare for their roles? I always try to create space in the rehearsal room for experimentation — that is, for performers to make bold choices and to stay present to any discoveries. We play. A lot of what audiences will see on stage emerged from improvisations in the rehearsal room. We were able to host the playwright Tarell McCraney for two days early in our process. He was extremely gracious and generous and answered the many questions we had about the play. He also offered tips on how the performers might address some of the challenges that the play poses.
Why do you think that this is an important play for the Georgetown community to see? Perhaps what I love most about this play are the ways it throws into question our
How did you go about casting for this production and is there anything special about this cast? We had a pretty typical casting process. However, because of the way the play engages music and dance, I was especially looking for actors who could sing and move.
What were the challenges you faced in
putting on this production? We’ve had a pretty challenge-free production process. Of course, I always long for more time. As the first theater production opening on campus this season, our rehearsal process was slightly truncated. Accordingly, we have been rehearsing fairly intensively for the past four weeks. Thankfully, we had an amazing group of performers who were game. How does directing this play compare to your previous directing experience at Georgetown? To be sure, the opportunity to work with the bright, generous students at Georgetown again is a gift. What made this project especially wonderful was the ensemble. They’re bringing so much energy and life to these characters. Have you found that African-American playwrights are under-recognized? At Georgetown, in particular, there is a strong commitment to presenting the work of a diverse range of artists. I have directed four works by AfricanAmerican playwrights on campus in recent years and have been impressed by the ways the community has supported each one of them. Of course, in the larger world, institutional structures do exist that constrain possibilities for the work of black artists (and, indeed, artists of color more generally) to receive full hearings and/or viewings. This is, in part, why I try to hold up that work any chance that I get.
the guide
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2014
THE HOYA
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LIFESTYLE FEATURE
’BAMA ROGUE
Jasmine White
Racial Identity Limits Us F
or decades, many members of my family have attended the historically black Tuskegee University, so it is not surprising that my cousins and I also expected to follow in this tradition. While many of my cousins did attend historically black colleges and universities, I did not. When I began the college application process a year ago, I knew from the beginning that I would not be applying to any HBCUs. I also knew that it was unlikely that I would be studying in my home state of Alabama. When I told my father this, he asked if it was because I was uncomfortable around black people. This question seemed ridiculous to me — of course I don’t feel uncomortable. Half of my friends are black. I’m black, and I am definitely not uncomfortable with myself or other members of my race. I had just never been able to picture myself attending a majority black school. The main reason I chose not to attend an HBCU is because I felt that I wouldn’t fit in. Since I was little, I have been perceived by fellow African-Americans as “talking white.” In elementary school, a black boy told me I was cute, but said that he couldn’t date me because of my speech. Once while I was in middle school, I went to a doctor’s office where the majority of the employees and patients were black. The nurse heard me speak once, and decided that I must’ve been raised “sheltered.” Such comments have sometimes made me feel like an outcast in the African-American community. It’s ironic that as a race that often has to fight so hard against preconceptions and stereotypes, we limit our acceptance of individuality. The notion that race is someone’s only defining characteristic is absolutely ludicrous. However, this does not mean that I am not observant of black culture. It exists. It affects our society, and it is important to us as a people. However, it in no way determines everything about a person. I think one of the biggest issues in the black community is the issue of identity and black experience. For some reason, we’ve begun to put ourselves into boxes, and we’ve decided that only if we’ve grown up in a certain place with a certain type of people doing certain types of things can we truly be classified as “black.” While I appreciate the family-like aspect of the black community and the feeling that we all need to look out for each other, we still must recognize that every individual’s experience is exclusive to themselves and not to their respective race identity. Making assumptions about each other based on what we perceive to be “black” is obstructive to the battle we’ve tried for the last 60 years to win. This in no way is meant to say that only people who attend HBCUs are those who have these kinds of ideals. I am only saying that the acceptance of these ideals and the experiences that I’ve had have contributed to my lack of desire to go to a majority black institution. I feel that many African-Americans, though not all, will judge me because I do not fit into the mold of a “typical” black woman. Last year during my senior year of high school, I had a very similar discussion with a fellow AfricanAmerican student about HBCUs. I told her I didn’t think I was “black enough” to attend one. She laughed after I said that, but it was clear that she understood what I meant, and that in itself says something. Perhaps it is not entirely our fault. For centuries we have been told who we are and how to act. I guess eventually, when you’re taught to believe something for so long, it becomes difficult to deny it. However, it is our fault if we continue to let such ideas be sold as truth. As a generation, we cannot complete this journey that our elders embarked on decades ago without first adjusting our mindsets. How can we as a people ever truly attain equality if we ourselves don’t actually believe we deserve it? Jasmine White is a freshman in the College. ’BAMA ROGUE appears every other Friday.
TEASER-TRAILER.COM
Jeremy Renner stars as journalist Gary Webb in the new thriller “Kill the Messenger,” directed by Michael Cuesta. Both director and actor were on campus recently to discuss how they approached the true story about a journalist pursuing a story on the origin of the U.S. drug epidemic.
Media Create a Martyr Director speaks on truth after tragedy
OGECHI NWODIM Hoya Staff Writer
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s racial tensions in Ferguson, Mo., come to a boil, many topics regarding the events of the Michael Brown incident are being examined and scrutinized. Some scholars, such as professor Michael Eric Dyson, believe the underlying cause of the conditions in Ferguson and the militarization of the police force to be the war on drugs. There is no doubt that the war on drugs has had disparaging effects on the black community and the motives provided by the government for this war have been hotly debated. In August 1996, a small-town journalist named Gary Webb, who wrote for the San Jose Mercury News, posted a groundbreaking three-part series online called “Dark Alliance.” In this series, he accused the CIA of allowing Nicaraguans to smuggle crack cocaine into the country in order to use the profits to back the Contras, a rebel political group of Nicaragua. His claims were especially astounding after he posted the government files associated with his accusations onto his website. The website was said to have received over 1.3 million hits per day and news media around the country began to broadcast his story. However, the CIA was one not to be reckoned with, and as result, he and his family received death threats. Furthermore, although Webb provided decent evidence to support his claims, news sources such as The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune felt slighted due to the fact that they did not break such a large story themselves. In retribution, many large news sources discredited Webb. The accrual of
bad publicity forced his local newspaper to remove support from his project. They also desired a retraction of his accusations. Webb refused, resigned and never wrote for another news source again. A mere six years after his resignation, he committed suicide. A few years later, the CIA admitted to the allowance of crack cocaine into the inner city of Los Angeles. “Kill the Messenger,” the film starring two-time Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner as Webb, explores the complete persona of Webb. Out in theaters in the beginning of October, this small film is already receiving rave reviews. The film as a whole is less about the tragic events that occurred to Webb and more about the contrasting nature of a brilliant, yet sometimes selfdestructive human spirit. In a roundtable interview, Michael Cuesta, the film director, and Renner unfolded the secrets to his successful portrayal of Webb. Cuesta first explained his reasons for choosing to direct the film. “It was because of Gary. I relate to the guy. I really believed in his passion,” Cuesta said. Instead of creating a simple tragedy, Cuesta emphasized the importance of conveying the personality of Webb and his relationship with his family. “This was more of a personal story, not about this man’s death, but about his journey as a father,” Cuesta said. This was readily apparent in the film. Though the dilapidation of his work life was certainly devastating, the loss of trust from his family, specifically his wife and oldest son, became overwhelming. Renner’s portrayal of Webb’s intricate character highlighted the love for his fam-
ily, his strengths and weaknesses, in a way that made Webb distinctly human. “It was the flaws of Gary Webb that made him heroic in my mind,” Renner elucidated. “A lot of his strengths were his ultimate weakness: his pigheadedness, stubbornness and self-righteousness. All of these things made him great and also sort of crippled him. To accept all those things is quite heroic.” “He was an easy target for those specific reasons,” Cuesta replied. Webb’s martyrdom was not a result of the validity of the story that he told, but the bravery of even finding and releasing such a story. As a result, his death was less of a tragedy and instead became the story of a martyr for truth. “He carried the burden of knowledge and truth. His death highlights his credibility. His death was symbolic. It became almost a Christ-like death. His death meant something,” Cuesta explained. Even his resignation from the newspaper, which was one of the last scenes in the film, only added to the dignity and sincerity of his character. “He did it with great nobility. Jeremy did a great job with that,” Cuesta said. “There is a great responsibility because you are playing someone that was in fact alive. The challenge to playing him is there is information that you are limited to. The picture is sort of half painted and I just have to fill in the details. I can’t veer too far from the truth. My job as an actor is to be mindful of human condition and seek to find the truth in human behavior,” Renner said. Renner’s depiction of Webb in “Kill the Messenger” certainly achieved this.
LIFESTYLE FEATURE
After Ferguson, Student Video Resonates NEXT, from B1 Kelly use his spoken word talent to get across the message of the video. “Even though I had the idea, I just knew that I could not express it the way that I felt that it should be expressed, which is why I reached out to Walter originally,” Torrey said. Yet this project was not like most things Walter had done in the past — there was no live audience, no crowd to elicit a reaction from. “I had to hone in on my perfor-
mance skills,” he said, as a consequence. Both were surprised by the number of students who came out in spite of the Saturday morning filming time. Kelly said that this was when they realized “that this message meant something to everyone else.” The actual process of planning, shooting and editing the film went much more smoothly than they expected, driven by their passion and inspiration from the group of young
MICHELLE XU/THE HOYA
LaDarius Torrey (COL ’17) decided to take action and engage the student body through a viral video following the Ferguson case.
men around them. However, when asked about the film’s positive response on YouTube and on social media, Torrey measured its success in the conversations it sparked in the audience instead of popular reviews. “The idea as a whole was to actually get people thinking,” Torrey said. “So, I don’t get joy out of, I don’t get excitement out of, you know, people telling me the video was powerful. I’d rather people actually have meaningful impact. Just to get people to think, because a lot of these microagressions that are discussed in the video though the statements, they don’t happen intentionally. …It is just something that people do, so if I can get people to think about their intentions and think about their actions before they do it, that’s the goal of the piece as a whole.” As a result, Torrey feels that progress will be achieved when the film reaches and resonates with a wider audience. To him, progress can be measured by those who are currently ignorant of the crisis at hand. “Once we reach those people, I think progress will definitely be made,” he added. One of the duo’s largest concerns was whether or not the events in
Ferguson would actually cultivate progress in the right direction. In particular, Torrey felt that President Barack Obama’s unveiling of his My Brother’s Keeper initiative in 2013 was steering the response to the movement in the wrong direction, and that blame was being put on the individual and not on the system, which he believed was the true perpetuator of the problem. “If we have to change ourselves rather than the structure which is where the issues originate, we are missing the bigger picture,” he said. A Georgetown-organized trip to Ferguson has been scheduled for Friday, Oct. 10, and both Torrey and Kelly highlighted the importance of individual action, including being parts of events such as this. “There is power in numbers, and when I say that, I mean that there is a community at Georgetown that will support you,” Torrey said. Both Torrey and Kelly know they couldn’t have put together such a piece without each other, and they were quick to emphasize the importance of support. There will be individuals who share similar frustrations, and both feel that it is up to the individual to seek out these people because success follows those who seek change.
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the guide
THE HOYA
Friday, October 10, 2014
APPS
exhibit review
SLEEPIO Free
COURTESY AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE STUDY OF MAN
The “Unearthing Arabia” exhibit at the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art chronicles the prolific work of prominent explorer and archaeologist Wendell Phillips from his trip to South Arabia 1950-51.
Arabian Treasures Unveiled Elsa Givan
Special to The Hoya
From 1950s Dodge Caravans bumping their way over sand dunes to spiders the size of human hands and jawdropping artifacts, the “Unearthing Arabia” exhibit at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery has its fair share of Indiana Jones-like qualities. The exhibit chronicles the archaeological work of prolific American explorer Wendell Phillips and his 1950-51 expedition to South Arabia (present-day Yemen). So why settle for watching “Raiders of the Lost Ark” when you can use that spare time to see genuine, unfamiliar and exciting relics in person at the Smithsonian? A few years prior to the South Arabia expedition, Phillips took a research trip to Africa with the University of California. “He got the [archaeology] bug there,” said Massumeh Farhad, who is the chief curator of Islamic art at the Sackler Gallery.” After that, it was the great passion of his life.” In 1950, Phillips set off to excavate two old cities, Timna and Marib, home to the Queen of Sheba and a legendary incense trade. Before Phillips’ expedition, neither Timna nor Marib had been significantly excavated. His subsequent discoveries shaped much of the modern archeological field. “He was adamant about scientifically recording everything and making sure that there were photographs and films and notes, [which] is really critical for understanding this area,” Farhad said.
“Unearthing Arabia” contains three central components: artifacts discovered on the expedition, artifacts of the expedition itself and video footage. “We wanted to give a sense of what it was like to be on the expedition,” Farhad said. This vantage point gives the viewer much more content to absorb than the average exhibit. You are not only witnessing the amazing artifacts but also the photos, journals, cameras and footage straight from the archeologist and his accompanying team. The exhibit begins to feel like an expedition in itself as the viewer continues to uncover additional treasures, from alabaster busts to intricately decorated gold necklaces. The records and remnants of Phillips’ historic travels are just as mesmerizing as the ancient artifacts he uncovered, many of which are still in mint condition. The exhibit also focuses on the inscriptions of numerous artifacts that were subsequently decoded by Fr. Albert Jamme during the expedition. Such inscriptions adorn necklaces, tools and sections of decoratively carved walls throughout “Unearthing Arabia.” The presence of this ancient South Arabic script on the artifacts, which is undeniably beautiful, also holds important implications for modern understandings of the Arabic language. “[Phillips] has really laid the groundwork for subsequent expeditions in the whole Arabian Peninsula, [for example] the study of inscriptions, which are really important in that area because there are so many different lan-
Damsel in Denmark
In Europe, Finding the Real Drinking Culture
P
rost! I might not know how to of champagne to sip while we walked say “hi, how are you” in German, around the different rooms of the opbut, after a successful weekend at era house and people watched from the Oktoberfest, I have definitely mastered outdoor terrace. “cheers.” Surrounded by the chandeliers, After a week of travel across Buda- gowns and adults who paid much pest, Vienna and Munich, I can proudly more than 10 euros for their ballet ticksay that I a) survived, b) appreciate ets, I felt instantly classier holding my maps more than anything and c) ex- champagne glass. I was a part of the perienced new cultures, especially society that was around me, combat through food and drink. boots and all. Since being abroad, my culinary exFor the last part of our trip, we met periences have expanded, partly thanks up with five of our other Georgetown to a lower drinking age. I instantly feel friends for Oktoberfest. It was a much more adult when I order my meal and different scene than the pub in Budaask the waiter for his recommendation pest and the Vienna State Opera House, on a good red wine to match, but this but just like the other two, it was a culprovides great experiences for tural experience. cultural enrichment as well. We awoke at the crack In Budapest, at every resof dawn to line up outtaurant I passed, I saw a sign side of Hofbrauhaus, for palinkas. I don’t know a one of the better-known tents, at least among word of Hungarian, but at my Americans. The doors final dinner in the country, I opened promptly at 9 decided that I would just go a.m. and what followed for it and order one. My waiter suggested a pear flavor and Christina Wing were the most adrenaline-filled five minutes of showed up with two shot glasses for my friend Megan and I. We had my life, as we simultaneously rushed no idea that these were shots but the to find a table and tried not to lose our next thing we knew, we were throwing exit buddy. The seven of us set up camp them back as our waiter “cheers-ed” us. at a standing table and got our first The taste was fruity but the drink had round of steins. Prost was said all around, pictures an unusual aftertaste, as if the pear inwere taken and pretzels were shared. fusion was fermented. After doing a bit of research I learned More steins and pretzels were had that palinka dates back to the Middle throughout the day and we eventually Ages and is only found regionally in Eu- found some space with other Georgerope. It’s a type of fruit-infused brandy town students. The fight song was sung and is consumed especially at times of and promises were made that we would celebration. I think my last night in Bu- all be Seniors Eating At Leos because we dapest was a suitable occasion for such were really over-cooking for ourselves. In retrospect, sipping on each of these celebration. As we headed toward Vienna, the cities’ drinks of choice opened my eyes city of music, we already had plans to to new cultures and traditions. Overgo to the Vienna State Opera House to all, they share in the “European” way see the opening of a new ballet for the of drinking: casual and not too out of fall season. Thanks to my lack of Ger- hand. People drink to have a good time, man knowledge, I accidentally bought but not to get obliterated, even at Oktwo seats that were in completely differ- toberfest. To quote Wale and Kid Cudi, ent boxes on different floors. When in- “I’m just here to have a good time.” termission rolled around, Megan and I were ready to partake in all of the classi- Christina Wing is a junior in the Mcness — even if I was wearing combat Donough School of Business studyboots. We made a beeline for the food ing abroad in Copenhagen. DAMSEL IN and drink line and ordered two glasses DENMARK appears every other Friday.
guages and scripts,” Farhad said. On the longest continuous wall of the exhibit space, footage from the expedition tells the tale from start to finish. Instead of the usual museum video, which can be a bit dry, the Phillips footage plays like a movie. Even though it’s from the 1950s, the film was pristinely preserved so that the quality is incredible. It’s especially exciting to see the camera pan over piles of artifacts in the excavation site in 1950 South Arabia before turning around to see those very artifacts mounted on the opposite wall. The use of original footage in “Unearthing Arabia” breaks the typical barrier in museums between the artifact and everything that led up to its presence in the exhibit. It makes the alabaster statues from the first century seem accessible and understandable in a way that is both fantastical and factual. The significance of Phillips’ contributions to modern understandings of archaeology cannot be understated. According to Farhad, “Nothing could be done without referring back to the work of Wendell Phillips and his team.” The structure of the exhibit as an expedition itself, combined with the sheer magnitude of Phillips’ discoveries, creates a singular artistic experience. “Unearthing Arabia” meets the viewer at the intersection of history, art, religion and adventure. The gravity of Phillips’ explorations truly leaves a lasting impression and undoubtedly inspires the Indiana Jones in all of us.
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SNAP BY GROUPON Free Groupon is a popular app that provides coupons to countless stores, and their new addition Snap makes shopping even more beneficial by providing cashback rewards every time you use the app. All you have to do is browse the offers, use the coupons and send a photo of the receipt to receive the cashback in your account after purchasing. It even has features such as a builtin shopping list to combine all your grocery shopping needs into one place. The simple user interface makes it very easy to send a picture of your receipt and receive the money back within a few days.
SMARTNEWS Free When there just isn’t enough time to read the entire newspaper or gather all the facts from a particular story, this app comes in handy to provide the most relevant details of current events in a simple-to-use layout. It is divided into categories such as business, lifestyle, world and sports. Its biggest hook is that there is no loading time, so the news stories are ready to read as soon as they are opened. Push notifications are also available to send headlines as soon as they come out, up to three times per day, so users are always in the loop. In our fast-paced world, this app comes in handy to keep in the know without using too much time to rifle through a paper.
Lifestyle tip
DIY Cosmetics Organizer
huffingtonpost.com If you have a few spare dishes in your cabinet, then you have all the material you need to make a new cosmetics organizer or cake stand. To start, find a large plate, a slightly smaller plate, a candlestick and some gorilla glue. Turn the candlestick upside down, glue the top side of the larger plate to the small end of the candlestick, and let the pieces dry for 10 minutes. Then, glue the larger end of the candlestick to the bottom side of the smaller plate and let dry for 10 minutes. You can use this new item to organize make-up in the bathroom or to display pretty desserts the next time friends come over.
VIEW FROM THE ALHAMBRA | GRANADA, SPAIN
NATASHA THOMPSON/THE HOYA
the guide
friday, october 10, 2014
THE HOYA
B5
RESTAURANt review
Pop-Up Hummus Restaurant Pleases With Variety Sabra hummus house
1254 Wisconsin Ave. NW Cuisine: Mediterranean $$$$ Jiwon noh
Hoya Staff Writer
My favorite late-night snack by far is a big scoop of hummus with a comparatively miniscule bite of pita bread. My expertise in hummus however, is limited to just that: A delicious snack that I sneak in late at night when I’m scrambling to do my homework. When I was given the opportunity to sample some of the more exciting varieties of hummus at the pop-up Sabra Hummus House on Wisconsin Avenue, I jumped at the chance. For an amateur hummus fanatic such as myself, the Sabra Hummus House was quite the treat. Sabra is one of the most popular hummus brands, and the restaurant boasts a quiet but still very sociable ambiance. The atmosphere is very casual, perfect for a fun meal out with friends. The Sunday dinner crowd seemed to consist mostly of small groups of college students or couples in their 20s. Water was served in little mason jars, which added a charming touch to the rustic decor of the restaurant. Most of the tables there were for groups of two or four. To accommodate my group of five, our waitress seated us at the communal table, which can seat about 15. We were later joined by a group of four, who occupied the other half of the table.
Although we were seated at the same table, their conversation did not interfere in the slightest with ours. If anything, it was a rather enjoyable experience to sneak peeks at the dishes the other group had ordered. The waitress was very patient despite my group spending nearly 15 minutes debating the merits of each item on the menu. Although the menu was short, it boasted an impressive variety of hummus dishes. Three of the five in my group were vegetarian, and they each expressed their delight at having so many appetizing, vegetarian-friendly choices to select from. I had the chef’s special stuffed pita ($12), which replaced the hummus anini on the menu for the night. The chef’s special, as described by our server, is a warm pita bread stuffed with citrus grilled chicken, red pepper hummus, feta cheese and mixed greens, with tzatziki on the side. The pita was perfectly wrapped, so I didn’t have to worry about all of its contents spilling out as I ate. The chicken did not have the lemony taste that its name implied but it was nonetheless cooked to perfection and very satisfying. It was flavorful and tender; dressed with the red pepper hummus, I very easily forgot that it was described as “citrus grilled chicken.” The feta cheese
added the perfect creaminess, and the mixed greens delivered a slight crunch to each bite. The tzatziki was creamier and thicker than I was accustomed to, but it was nevertheless an exquisite addition to the overall dish. Each of the components of the stuffed pita was splendid; if there was one flaw it was that all the ingredients were stacked, meaning that I often got alternating bites of the different fillings instead of an even mixture of each. The stuffed pita came with two pickles on the side. The pickles served here are not your standard dills; they were crunchy, lightly salty and sweet instead of the slightly sour, fermented variety that comes from jars. Two of my companions shared the hummus plate ($12), one of the Sabra signature menu items. This dish came with a huge plate of hummus, topped with chickpeas and tahini, a sesame seed paste that is a main component of hummus. On a second platter was guacamole, roasted red peppers and pita chips. The hummus was delectable, as expected — this is, after all, a restaurant that exclusively specializes in the Middle Eastern spread. The platter also came with one six-inch, round pita bread, which was undoubtedly the highlight of this experience. The pita bread was served warm, just out of the oven. It was the ab-
RESTAURANT review
Vintage Pharmacy Space Swaps the Classic Malt for a Modern Brunch Tonic at Quigley’s bar and grill
JIWON NOH FOR THE HOYA
Sabra, the well-known hummus brand, has opened a temporary restaurant on Wisconsin Avenue. Hurry in to try dishes like the hummus plate. solute fluffiest, most exquisite pita bread I have had the pleasure of sinking my teeth into. The first piece of pita bread disappeared instantaneously. We were ecstatic to learn, however, that you can request more pita bread at no extra cost. While we certainly would have gone for a third round, all the hummus had disappeared at that point and it was getting rather late. Overall, my experience at the Sabra Hummus House was delightful. The servers were wonderfully
friendly and accommodating, even when we asked belatedly if we could split the bill. If you are not a fan of hummus, then this restaurant’s limited variety in other types of foods may be frustrating. My friends and I however, who all happen to be hummus enthusiasts, found the variety of hummus choices to be a welcome treat. The Sabra Hummus House will only be around until Oct. 26 , so make sure you get your hummus fix while you still can.
RECIPES
2036 G St. NW | Cuisine: American | $$$$ Nick biggs-Chiropolos Hoya Staff Writer
When one of my high school friends happened to be in Washington, D.C. last Sunday, a few of us who go to Georgetown decided to catch up over a sit-down brunch. We settled on a restaurant in Foggy Bottom called Tonic at Quigley’s Pharmacy because the menu looked good, reviews were positive and the food was not very expensive. Tonic’s historic setting was also an attraction. The original pharmacy was opened by Lucien Quigley in 1891, who had graduated from The George Washington University with a degree in pharmacy science. Quigley’s was a typical old-school pharmacy and soda fountain that served the community by filling the prescriptions of local residents and serving as a social-gathering spot for GWU students. Tonic Restaurant took over the building in 2007 but retained much of the decor of a traditional pharmacy. From the outside still bearing a “Quigley’s Pharmacy” sign, to the dark-wood and brick interior and old-fashioned menus, it all feels very vintage. It is worth noting that Tonic’s brunch is not a buffet, so it differs from the typical all-you-can-eat champagne Sunday brunch experience. That said, the a la carte portion sizes are easily large enough to fill anyone up. The menu also features several side options and
typical “Brunchtails,” such as bloody marys and mimosas. We arrived a bit early for our 11:30 a.m. reservation but were greeted warmly and seated immediately at one of the few open tables in the upstairs area. Our server was very friendly and pleasant, although seemingly a bit inexperienced, as he struggled to remember our order and dropped our credit cards, which led to a slight payment mix-up at the end. It took a while for our food to reach the table as the kitchen was apparently much busier than usual due to a private event. That said, my friends and I enjoyed the extra time to see each other, and I want to emphasize the affability of the staff in the rest of their service and in apologizing for that delay. I ordered a coffee, which included bottomless free refills. It was a typical cup of drip coffee, but very smooth and not at all bitter, so I enjoyed three cups of it. My older friend decided to try the bacon bloody ($8.50), which is a bloody mary garnished with two pieces of bacon. She said the bacon was the best part, thick and crispy and infused with the drink’s tomato flavor. She did complain that the cocktail itself was too peppery and didn’t finish all of it. To eat, I ordered the biscuits & gravy dish ($12). The dish comes with eggs of any style, so I opted for sunny side up. The oozy eggs mixed with thick sausage gravy and doughy biscuits to create a
NICK BIGGS FOR THE HOYA
The restaurant Tonic serves up a solid brunch for a great price in a historic venue. The much-lauded tater tots are worth a try.
nice and messy mixture of breakfast tastes. I enjoyed the different flavors of thick, soft biscuits, savory gravy and eggs. I managed to eat my entire dish, but I was very full after. I was very satisfied with the taste, size and value. I made sure to choose tater tots as my side, as I had read rave reviews about them online and my friend’s parents had said that tater tots at Tonic are the best they had ever had. I was actually disappointed, as I honestly thought they tasted the same as any frozen ones I could make at home. However, my friends all agreed that they were incredible, so I would recommend diners to choose the famous tater tots as a side option so that they may decide for themselves whether or not the hype is justified. Another notable item that one of my friends ordered was the foboyo parfait ($10). Unlike a typical parfait that is served in a cup, this dish was delivered as a large plate of granola with a smaller bowl of yogurt and a few berries on top in the middle. The presentation was very impressive, both for the clean arrangement of yogurt in the middle of a round plate of granola, and because the dish was by far the most granola I have ever seen in one helping of parfait. She described the granola as being sweet, crunchy and quite good, although it apparently “did not taste homemade.” Enjoying her side of tater tots, she finished at most half of the dish, so the size was excessive. Tonic was a very enjoyable place to have Sunday brunch. The setting, service and good prices were slightly more memorable than the food, although we still had good things to say about that as well. Foggy Bottom is a little bit of a trek for Georgetown students, but Tonic is definitely more casual — and probably friendlier — than any equivalent establishments in Georgetown. While you won’t gorge yourself at a buffet, the menu items provide filling breakfast and lunch dishes that offer better size and quality than a quick diner breakfast and better prices than a fancy Sunday brunch. With a range from French toast to bagels and lox to blackened salmon Caesar, as well as the cocktail options, the menu offers something for everyone. As a bonus, it all comes at a very reasonable price, which is always nice to find in the city.
Cinnamon baked apples
allrecipes.com A perfect, autumn afternoon snack to enjoy with the brisk weather, these simply delicious apples will keep you warm inside no matter what the weather looks like outside. Plus, they make the entire room smell incredible while they are baking.
INGREDIENTS
1 tsp. butter 2 tbsp. brown sugar 3 tsp. vanilla sugar 3 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg 6 large apples — peeled, cored and sliced 3 1/2 tbsp. water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large baking dish with the butter. Mix brown sugar, vanilla sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Layer about 1/3 of the apples in prepared baking dish; sprinkle with 1/3 of the sugar mixture. Repeat layers twice more. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Pour water over apples and continue baking until tender, about 15 minutes more. Serve warm.
Smoked apple cider
foodnetwork.com This perfect autumn cocktail is great for any occasion. Amazing served both hot and cold, cider is an exquisite compliment to any alcohol.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 gallon apple cider 1/2 cup dark rum 1/2 cup cinnamon schnapps 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into large chunks 1/2 lemon, juiced Mix together the cider, rum and schnapps in a large pitcher. Add the apples to a small bowl and toss them with the lemon juice. Thread the diced apples onto skewers. Pour the spiked cider into glasses filled with ice, then garnish with an apple skewer and serve.
Chateau Grand Carretey Sauternes
totalwine.com This French wine is not only known for its sweet taste, but also for the amber color it turns with age. Originating in the region south of Bordeaux, this wine’s popularity has remained constant despite the ever-fluctuating demand for sweet wines. The versatility of Sauternes is unique in that it can go with a wide variety of fruits and dairy products. With hints of fruit and a crisp finish, this wine is a perfect accompaniment for your next night in with friends.
B6
the guide
THE HOYA
Mulaney
TELEVISION REVIEW
Starring: John Mulaney Fox | Sundays, 9:30 p.m. BRYAN YUEN
Hoya Staff Writer
Even though at first glance “Mulaney” seems to be a new comedy with a lot of potential, it falls flat. “Mulaney” is not like other sitcoms stylistically and while the attempt at a new sitcom scripting style is admirable, it unfortunately cripples the overall result. The show, created by and starring John Mulaney (COL ’04), begins with and jumps to scenes of Mulaney doing stand-up comedy throughout the show. Even though Mulaney is a funny stand-up comedian, the choppiness with which the scenes are inserted is jarring and takes away from the viewer’s ability to absorb the show. The best way to describe “Mulaney” is as an attempt to be a new, young “Seinfeld.” Just like “Seinfeld,” “Mulaney” features a young comedian living in New York City with his comedic friends. The show also intentionally follows the “Seinfield” co-creator Larry David’s rule of “no hugging, no learning” in an attempt at pure farce. However, this proves to be problematic for
“Mulaney” because none of the characters are compelling nor do their plotlines keep the viewer interested. For instance, the main storylines of the first episode include Jane, played by Nasim Pedrad from “Saturday Night Live,” doing crazy things to her ex-boyfriend and Mulaney dealing with his crazy boss. The events of the plot themselves are so superficial they are more likely to be seen on Nickelodeon. The lack of compelling plotlines would not be such a big deal if the show was such good farce that it was comparable to Seinfeld, but as of now the writing and acting are not even close to the standard necessary to make the show worth watching. As far as writing goes, Mulaney seems to be set up for a comedic home run; he was a longtime writer on “SNL” and has former cast members Pedrad and Martin Short at his disposal. However, Mulaney tries too hard to put too many jokes in the script. While he does have some clever wordplay and some smart humor woven into the dialogues, the script is just too choppy and unnatural. The script has so many jokes fit into such a short amount of
FOX
New sitcom “Mulaney” seemed to be poised for success but ended up disappointing with poor timing and forced humor.
ALBUM REVIEW dialogue that the acting is forced and unbelievable. Pedrad and Mulaney struggle to have honest acting performances while delivering incredibly unnatural dialogue. They both look like they are still acting on “SNL” in a sketch comedy situation, rather than adapting to a more organic sitcom mentality. The show definitely lacks a human element in its acting and feels more like every character is constantly trying to do stand-up comedy independent of plotlines or interactions. Structurally, the show jumps from scene to scene and plotline to plotline abruptly without much rhyme or reason. It even adds a seemingly useless scene that lasts less than 30 seconds just to set up a mediocre situational comedy moment a few seconds later. The constant cuts would be okay if the quick scene jumping was done for comedic juxtaposition, but instead, the viewer is just left with short superficial scenes jam-packed with jokes. The show does not pace itself or flow like most shows, and viewers will certainly have to get used to the unique style if they want to continue watching (assuming it is not cancelled within the next few episodes). But more surprising is that even though John Mulaney is a brilliant comedy writer who has been writing sketch comedy for years, the show even struggles with the fundamentals of sketch comedy. Instead of starting out with something grounded in reality and heightening comedy to the absurd for comedic effect, many scenes tend to be packed with random jokes (some of which are admittedly clever) without any regard for the pacing of the comedy. The poorly paced humor is best demonstrated by Short’s character, Lou Cannon. Short is once again playing a crazy guy, but the craziness is not grounded in anything. The insanity of Lou Cannon never builds from a base background — it is just random intermittent craziness. One moment he is yelling nonsense and in another he is firing a money cannon. Instead of heightening comedic beats for laughs, every single thing Lou Cannon does classifies as absurd behavior. He seems more like a crazy person from a kid’s show rather than the product of an intelligent and sophisticated comedian like Mulaney. John Mulaney is undoubtedly a clever writer, and he is definitely surrounded by funny people on the show, but the farce falls flat. It appears that “Mulaney” is more than likely to squander the potential of what seems to be a funny cast and a potentially funny premise.
THE BEAT
Band Knocks at the Door of Success
T
he beginning of school is a hectic time for us all. Classes are starting up again, the bookstore suddenly turns into a warzone and moving in to our respective housing is awful. However, this year we students had a chance decompress over the Labor Day weekend because The Knocks were coming to town. Courtesy Students of Georgetown, Inc., the student body this year was able to enjoy Kickback, Georgetown’s inaugural music and arts festival over Labor Day weekend. Both professional and student acts were scattered throughout the day with the event culminating in a performance by the nu-disco duo, The Knocks. The band is an emerging group that is comprised of James Patterson and Ben Ruttner, who also go by “JPatt” and “B-Roc,” respectively. I had heard the group a few years back when they released “Dancing with the DJ” and “Make It Better,” two songs that have been on my iPod for years now. The band has become part of the nu-disco scene that is sweeping the nation — especially large cities. They started in New York City producing remixes of songs by already extremely famous artists such as Rihanna, Ellie Goulding and Theophilus London. As their career progressed, they turned to their own style of music and left remixes in the past. Their music has been influenced by all types of genres from funk music to hip-hop to indie rock. In a 2012
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2014
interview with Music Feeds, James Patterson stated, “As a production team, we were exploring other options besides hip-hop, we started doing more indie stuff.” This statement certainly rings true today — the duo’s newest release, a song called “Classic” (an RAC remix), has a strong indie-rock sound with its
Bryson Greene up-tempo sounds and summertime vibe. The Knocks’ music is contagious throughout the club or venue and that was definitely the case Sunday, Aug. 31, when the group played somewhat of a pop-up show at Rhino Bar and Pumphouse. Rhino is a local favorite among Georgetown students, and I’m sure many Hoyas have their own Rhino stories with overlapping themes. However, the bar rarely hosts live music and performers, which is something I think almost all of us would welcome in the future. On the night of Aug. 31, Rhino allowed The Knocks to take over the first floor and they really made it their own. Since I was not able to make it to the festival The Corp had set up for the following day, it was
imperative that I made it to Rhino that Sunday night. I could hear the music as I turned onto M Street a block away, which was a sign of good things to come. As I walked in, the duo had the whole first floor packed and dancing as if the bar was a nightclub. They had set up in the back left corner and from there to the front door people were dancing to the sound of The Knocks. They rattled off the songs, “Modern Hearts” and “Comfortable” and from there moved on to “Dancing with the DJ” and “Make It Better” (I’m going to keep repeating these so you go home and download them). The Knocks made a huge impression on Georgetown that weekend, not only because it was the kickoff to the school year but because it is not often the school brings in an up-andcoming band to play strictly to the student body catering to our taste in music. The Knocks will be back at it here in D.C. on Nov. 25 and 26 with the band St. Lucia at the 9:30 Club, and I highly recommend this concert to anyone who will be around the area over Thanksgiving break. Event Rating: A Songs to listen to: “Dancing with the DJ,” “Make It Better,” “Modern Hearts” Bryson Greene is a senior in the College. THE BEAT appears every other Friday.
BEST BETS
AECCO
The Irish band has said it is returning to its root sound with this album, which may ultimately limit its success.
No Sound Without Silence
The Script CARLY APAR
Special to The Hoya
The Script’s “No Sound Without Silence” album touches upon love, heartbreak, struggles and living life to its fullest. How does this differ from the band’s previous albums? It doesn’t. The Script’s newest album proves to be very characteristic of its sound; if you are a regular listener of the Irish trio’s well-known songs such as “Nothing,” “Break Even” and “For the First Time,” then The Script has certainly delivered again. But for those who do not find the band’s pop-rock type of music appealing, beware that these newly released songs offer nothing novel. The album opens with an explosion of instrumental background music and powerful lyrics in “No Good in Goodbye,” a single released earlier in July, that centers around heartbreak and painful breakups. The song is slightly more synthetic and dreamy than most of The Script’s music, resembling Coldplay’s mix of ambient sounds and deep vocals. Although it deals with “the ache from heartbreak,” the track’s strong beats, piano and mixed instrumentals combine to create an ultimately hopeful feeling. Just as relatable but much more catchy, “Superheroes,” the second track, is easily the most appealing one on the album. The melodious song, destined to be a hit, counteracts and transforms any pessimism you felt after hearing “No Good in Goodbye.” It begins with a short introduction of string instruments and a faint piano riff that builds anticipation through Danny O’Donoghue’s soft, soothing vocals. The chorus offers that satisfying instrumental explosion at which the Script is famously adept. The track then continues this balance between louder, more complex musical sections and simpler, softer verses to produce a catchy and inspirational whole. Following the theme of suffering, “Man on a Wire” compares getting over an ex to walking a tightrope — the only thing to do is to move on in order to keep from falling. While the comparison is certainly accurate and resonates with many listeners, the upbeat music too closely resembles the first track and causes them to blend together into one vague sound in one’s mind. “We’ve only one life to live. So love what you do.” Sound familiar? Upon hearing this line and lines similar to this throughout The Script’s “It’s Not Right for You,” I immediately thought back to the much too similar single, “Live Like We’re Dying,” which the band performed in 2009. Having loved the catchy tune, I found “It’s Not Right for You” to be a cheap imitation. Right alongside this, “The Energy Never Dies” never shows enough originality to stand on its own two feet. With its relaxing guitar melody and powerful beats, this song is the type you might find people belting, but it is not necessarily the most memorable song on the album.
COLUMBIA RECORDS
While the album certainly is stereotypical of The Script’s usual songs, there is one exception. “Flares, — initially meant to be just another love song — took a dark, but meaningful turn when O’Donoghue’s mother experienced a brain aneurysm. The event brought a deeper sentiment to the song, a dramatic track punctuated by the moving piano playing in the background. The Script’s usual guitar and bass instrumentals are largely scaled back, and the song relies instead on the piano riff and a buildup of string instruments alongside a faint chorus. By some great miracle, the lead singer’s mother pulled through, inspiring the heart-wrenching lyrics and passionate, ranged vocals. This song is truly uncharacteristic of The Script and proved to be an emotional and well-executed piece. Another out-of-the-box song worth listening to is “Without Those Songs.” O’Donoghue’s pitch is slightly deeper than in the most of the album’s tracks and is accompanied by a guitar, string instruments and later a rhythmic drumbeat. A touch of harmonizing vocals makes it a perfect song for a day on the beach or a night around the campfire. The lyrics are not altogether memorable, and the track falls short of the Script’s ordinary big-hit material. The final song is “Howl at the Moon,” leaving the album on a surprisingly more slow-paced and mellower note. O’Donoghue’s deep voice is again showcased here, yet it is contrasted by a much more highpitched chorus and violins that add dimension to the sound. The song keeps a steady rhythm that subtly builds in intensity before breaking into the chorus for one last ambient journey through the night. For the most part, the Script seems to fall back on a pop-rock script that’s been heard too many times over. The majority of the tracks are boringly characteristic of The Script — they’re cute and catchy, but not creative or varied enough to be deemed noteworthy. Although the album is disappointingly homogenous, it still proves to be a thoughtful collection with meaning embedded in its songs and title, which is something not often considered in our generation’s popular music, “No Songs Without Silence” may not be the most entertaining listen from beginning to end, but anybody can relate to the strong message of love, loss and recovery that permeates the entire album.
ON CAMPUS
CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE TALK
MOBILE SOUP KITCHEN
BACK FROM FERGUSON
SHABBAT ON THE LAWN
WHERE: Gaston Hall WHEN: Friday, 12 p.m. INFO: guevents.georgetown.edu PRICE: Free
WHERE: Lau steps/Franklin Square WHEN: Saturday, 1:30 p.m. INFO: guevents.georgetown.edu PRICE: Free
WHERE: ICC 105 WHEN: Monday, 7 p.m. INFO: facebook.com PRICE: Free
WHERE: Healy Lawn WHEN: Friday, 6 p.m. INFO: guevents.georgetown.edu PRICE: Free
The African Society of Georgetown will be hosting Nigerian writer and feminist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. She will be speaking and answering some student-submitted questions. Students and faculty must bring GU ID, and those not affiliated with Georgetown must bring some form of photo ID. Doors open at 10:45 a.m. and close at 11:45 a.m. Seating is first-come, first-serve.
Interested in community service? Student organization H.O.P.E will be meeting at the Lau steps at 1:30 p.m. and then driving to Franklin Square where they will be serving soup from Leo’s to the homeless. This is an amazing opportunity for students to give back to the wider D.C. community. Participants can expect to return to campus around 3:30 p.m.
The Black Leadership Forum, Center for Social Justice and Program on Justice and Peace will be hosting a conversation led by Dr. David Ragland of Bucknell University. Georgetown students who have returned from participating in the St. Louis protests will also be speaking. A light dinner will be served to all students who attend.
This week is the Jewish holiday of Sukkot and to celebrate, the Jewish community at Georgetown is constructing a traditional sukkah (shelter) on Healy Lawn. This year’s sukkah is designed to call attention to the problem of homelessness in our community. Several members of Georgetown Ministries will offer their thoughts.
the guide
friday, october 10, 2014
The Judge
MOVIE REVIEW
murder and needs the best attorney money can buy. The trial that Special to The Hoya follows is a whirlwind of pride and In theory, the lawyer and the prejudice that takes place more judge are both tightly bound by between the judge and the lawyer their role in interpreting and doing than the defendant and the jury. justice under the law as they stand The obvious and most intriguing on opposite sides of the wooden aspect of the movie was the fatherplatform in a courtroom. They are son dynamic between Hank and certainly polar opposites in many the judge. The judge is a classic old ways, yet at the same time they are codger: a stickler for accuracy with similar — just as long as you don’t a strong predilection for justice. He forget who sits higher up. wants to leave behind a legacy con“The Judge” puts this theory into sistent with those values, despite his practice and explores the very hufast-paced, city slicker son wanting man dynamics behind our legal him to squeeze his way out of jail system. time, as all the rest of his “guilty” The star-studded cast, which inclients do. The clash of old and new cludes Robert Downey Jr., Robert traditions is especially evident. Duvall, supporting actor Billy Bob In some ways Hank and his father Thornton and a cameo by Leighton are polar opposites: the judge versus Meester, comes together to produce the lawyer, the honest versus the a powerful narrative about a slickcity shameless. However, the two have lawyer and a hardened old judge, but more in common than meets the more notably about a father and his eye: both are stubborn as mules, fight son. hard for what they want, and are Downey Jr. plays Hank Palmer, a acutely self-aware almost to a fault. defense attorney with an impressive It is the similarities in personality and behavior that they share, along with their differences, that make their relationship so fascinating. One minute they are at each other’s throats ready to fight, and the next they are having frank conversations about the past or chuckling about the utter ridiculousness of their circumstances. They are similar in so many ways that they simply cannot coexist without somehow finding a compromise. The movie relied heavily on classic Hollywood cliches to develop its story. A decent chunk of the lines were so predictable I could mouth them before they were even said, and much of the plot was similar to that of classic legal movies such WARNER BROS as “A Few Good Men.” It follows a Robert Downey Jr. plays attorney Hank Palmer and Robert Duvall major trial full of supposedly unstars as his father, a well-respected judge who is accused of murder. expected twists and turns with an law degree from Northwestern but a less than stellar distant past. After he learns of his mother’s passing from cancer, he is obligated to return to his home in the predictable, yet charming small town setting of Carlinville, Ind. Upon his arrival, Hank faces not only his haunting past, but even more terrifyingly, his family. Hank’s verbal prowess and inside knowledge of law make him a dynamic lawyer. His home life however, is not nearly as put together: his wife is sick of his ridiculous work schedule and his 11-year-old daughter Laura craves her father’s attention. Although the plotline is fairly cliche, Downey Jr.’s performance makes it realistic as he speeds out of his driveway and into the landscape of his past. It is reminiscent of Downey’s role as the infamous Tony Stark, a careless know-it-all who must learn to use his intelligence with wisdom and sympathy. But what Hank doesn’t foresee is that his father, a well-respected judge of 42 years, is accused of
even more improbable yet completely predictable verdict. In addition to some anticipated and seemingly forced insertions of humor, the film also fell victim to other cheesy Hollywood sentiments like the rekindling of a high school romance between Hank and his small-town ex-girlfriend Samantha and a violent hurricane during which Hank and the judge finally hash out the reasons for their estrangement between screams of insults. Even with “The Judge’s” shortcomings, I still felt as though I had seen something truly complex. Each character’s role was well-developed and added dimension to their stereotypical selves. Duvall is the perfect intimidating old man who is stuck in his ways and obsesses over the preservation of his life’s work. Robert Downey Jr. gave one of the best performances of his career: Quick, smart and sarcastic, he brought the nuanced yet lovable character of Hank Palmer to life in an impeccably believable way. As the credits rolled at the end of the film screening, director David Dobkin made a brief appearance to answer a few questions. Interestingly enough, Dobkin is from Bethesda, Md., making him a regular hometown hero. He used his own experience to inspire parts of the film, such as Leighton Meester’s character Carla, who attends Georgetown University and even some of the father-son issues, though he chuckled saying that his relationship with his father was “nothing nearly as bad as the judge’s with his son.” Prepare yourself for 141 minutes of ups and downs, nuanced humor and a family with even more problems than your own, because “The Judge” is all of that and more, and definitely worth the watch.
ALBUM Review
Queen of the Clouds Tove Lo
Michael Fiedorowicz Special to The Hoya
Tove Lo may have began her career writing songs for other artists, but her debut album, “Queen of the Clouds,” has finally thrust the Swedish singer out from behind the curtains and onto center stage. With Tove Lo’s smooth voice and honest, clever ideas, the 26-yearold’s first album is an impressive launch to a promising musical career. Tove Lo breached the mainstream when producers Hippie Sabotage remixed her 2013 single “Habits” and turned it into a European hit by the name of “Stay High.” Both songs stand out in the album as particularly strong (“Stay High” is only available in the Deluxe Edition). The song opens with a cheery beat, while the first lyrics sharply contrast this with an
off-hand line in which she sings: “I eat my dinner in my bathtub.” The lyric leaves you wondering whether you should laugh or be severely concerned. From there, it ramps into an honest exploration of the chaotic realm of post-relationship periods and self-medication that’s likely to strike some familiar feelings with its audience. Tove Lo’s strongest point is undoubtedly her writing ability. The album is comprised of 15 tracks, of which three are intermediary cuts. These cuts, called “The Sex,” “The Love” and “The Pain,” designate clear thematic groups for the songs that follow them. Keeping in mind that the whole album is about romantic relationships, it’s not tough to figure out what the thematic distinctions are. The album’s organization is nice and tidy, but what’s really striking and
THE SNIPE
Tove Lo’s debut album explores powerful themes of love and loss.
B7
MUSIC
Directed by: David Dobkin Grace Wydeven
THE HOYA
New Releases ‘awkward’ the ordinary boys Originally broken up in 2008, the English indie-rock band has released its first single since the 2007 song “I Luv U.” While the melodic chorus flows well with the prominent guitar and drum parts, the shorter solo verses become overwhelmed by this repetitive and overplayed section. After returning from such a long hiatus, the band is ultimately unable to show off the talent of its individual singers. The voices blend together and drown beneath their weaker unified vocals and a background of blasting music.
‘glow’ ella henderson “Glow,” the follow up to Ella Henderson’s debut single, “Ghost,” mesmerizes with its dynamic indie melody. Henderson was a finalist on the UK’s “The X Factor,” and she continues to dazzle with her passion and enchanting indie sound. Part of her upcoming debut album, “Chapter One,” the single builds to a powerful chorus in which Ella Henderson channels both her impressive vocal range and her Ellie Goulding-like vibe. Those who enjoy artists like Lana Del Rey or Florence and the Machine will especially love “Glow,” but the song is appealing to anybody looking for an inspirational pick-me-up and some soulful vocals.
‘dangerous’ David guetta
invigorating is how blunt her lyrics are. The songs that follow the “The Sex” explore physical attraction and focus more on the other half of her relationships. In “Like Em Young,” she has no qualms revealing that she’s more interested in younger men. These surprising choices of what she chooses to reveal and the open way in which she does this makes her far more admirable than many of her more uninteresting pop contemporaries. In “The Love” section, she shares more about the way she views herself when in a relationship. Listeners are given more of a first-person view into Tove Lo’s introspective process. “The Way That I Am” explains her personal hopes for a relationship: “Falling in love/ And I hope that you want me/ The way that I am.” This part of the album seems to be a collective reflection of the conclusions she has come to about herself. The final portion, “The Pain,” takes the listeners on a darker trek through all of the more difficult experiences that come with relationships and their conclusions; This peaks in “Habits” but is present throughout. “Thousand Miles” touches on the first signs of a breakup as Tove Lo runs through all her speculations about what her partner is thinking and feeling. Tove Lo also has the benefit of a strong yet mellow voice. This positions her perfectly among many other successful women pop singers — Lana Del Rey, in particular, comes to mind often when listening to Tove Lo. She rarely tries to push her vocal chords to their ex-
ISLAND RECORDS
tremes, but this doesn’t come off as a fault. Rather, her restricted use of tonal range seems to accentuate the moments in which she does stretch herself. The production seems to be the only flaw with the album, but it is unfortunately a major one. The whole album seems to be packed with colorful, smooth tunes ֫— but there’s far too few “wow” moments that could draw listeners back in if one started to lose interest. The only truly impressive production work is displayed in the remix of “Habits,” but the originals leave something to be desired. There is little variety in the music and its style, which detracts somewhat from the poignant thematic areas that the lyrics touch on. The unchanging positive tone of the music creates an unnecessary tension with the lyrics, which often dip into dark and less happy-go-lucky areas. Tove Lo has done what she needed to do with this album — get herself on the map. With a good start, she has all she needs to delve into a strong career: lyrics that can carry her past others in her field and a voice that can match many. The one major concern that the album faces is that the music itself feels monotonous and oftentimes simply boring. Fortunately, this flatness is not enough to entirely hamper Tove Lo’s obvious talent.
DJ David Guetta is at it again after hits like “Without You” and “Titanium” with his new single, “Dangerous,” featuring Sam Martin. The synths of “Dangerous” produce a high-energy melody that makes your heart beat with every chord. Even those who are not normally fans of electronic music will appreciate the highquality electric guitar sound of the synthesizers. Sam Martin’s auto-tuned vocals are the perfect complement to the synths and help bring personality to a dynamic electric song. While this isn’t anything wildly new for Guetta, it still manages to hit the spot.
‘make me wanna’ thomas rhett Rhett is no stranger to the country scene, and his new song “Make Me Wanna” is a testament to his flexibility as a singer and songwriter. Although he keeps the vocals filled with a country twang and the lyrics follow the stereotypical country love theme, Rhett experiments with instrumentals to produce a unique and appealing song. The typical banjo, fiddle and harmonica are exchanged for a fast disco-synth beat. In the slower section this disparity works against the song, as Rhett’s signature country voice doesn’t mesh well with the more prominent electro beat. However, overall, this contrast provides a bizarre yet somehow interesting combination. While the lyrics will satisfy loycal country fans, the modern twist gives it a satisfying update.
AROUND TOWN Spooky Film Festival
The festival presents more than 40 horror works at the AFI Silver Theatre. Anticipated films include the final in the trilogy “V/H/S Viral” and “Exists.” Check out Spooky Fest if you’re looking for a night of scares from the odd and quirky to old-school horror.
Where: AFI Silver Theatre When: Oct. 9 to Oct. 18 Info: spookyfest.com Price: $12 General Admission; $80 All Fest Pass
Taste of D.C. 2014
More than 40 of D.C.’s best restaurants and food trucks on Restaurant Row will be offerring four menu items, including a “taste of” item for $3 or less, for Taste of D.C. Ben’s World Chili Eating Championship will also feature the legendary Joey Chestnut.
Where: Pennsylvania Ave. NW; between 9th and 14th St. When: Saturday and Sunday, 12 to 7 p.m. Info: thetasteofdc.org Price: $10
Hispanic Heritage Month at the National Gallery of Art
Columbus Day Ceremony
The National Gallery of Art is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15th to Oct. 15th. Displays include Royal Armor from Imperial Spain, Diego Rivera’s Cubist paintings and Picasso features.
Union Station will be hosting its annual ceremony on Columbus Day at the base of its Columbus Memorial Fountain and Statue. Since the dedication of the statue in 1912, these celebrations have included presentations of divisions from the Knights of Columbus (who host the event), Army and Navy.
Where: National Gallery of Art When: Through Oct. 15 Info: hispanicheritagemonth.gov/collections Price: Free
Where: Union Station When: Columbus Day, 10 a.m. Info: http://www.kofc8600.org/ Price: Free
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Sports
THE HOYA
Friday, october 10, 2014
orioles vs royals
Baltimore Brings Unique Flair to October Baseball
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illiam “Wild Bill” Hagy was a cab driver from Dundalk, Md., who sported a straw cowboy hat, sunglasses, a big beer belly and an even bigger personality. An original super fan, Wild Bill was an institution at Orioles games in the 1970s and ’80s. Known for leading the crowd in cheers from section 34 of the upper deck of old Memorial tadium, he caught the attention of the newspapers, met with presidents and eventually even earned a spot in the Orioles’ Hall of Fame. But for his eccentric persona, Hagy was an ordinary man, doing an extraordinary thing, just like the players themselves. In a city that’s more grit than glitz, the Baltimore Orioles were, and continue to be, the people’s team. The kind of team that frequents local neighborhood bars like everyone else; the kind of team that takes postgame pies to the face almost as seriously as the game itself; the kind of team that recognizes the devotion of a loud-mouthed cabbie. The Baltimore Orioles’ relationship with Wild Bill is a snapshot of the team’s interactions with the fans and with the city, but Orioles baseball is much, much more. Orioles baseball is Friday college night cheap seats and Clancy the beer guy and staking claim to Babe Ruth (He was born in Baltimore and got his start with the O’s, so you’re welcome, Yankees). Baltimore baseball is Cal Ripken Jr. worship and drinking Natty Bohs and yelling “O” during the national anthem. Orioles baseball is Boog’s barbeque, which — owned by former Oriole great, legendary first baseman Boog
field hockey
29-Year Drought Ends in Dramatic Fashion in KC
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Powell — is not only the best ballpark ansas City sports fans have food in the business but comes with been spoiled as of late. Sportits own history lesson. ing Kansas City won the Orioles baseball is remembering 2013 Major League Soccer Cup. The Ripken’s record-breaking 2,131 conChiefs of the NFL broke the Guinsecutive games (I was only 2 years ness World Record for the loudest old on this legendary night, but the indoor stadium at 142.2 decibels in story has been recounted to me so their 41-14 trouncing of the Patriots many times that the memory is alon “Monday Night Football”. The most my own) and it’s hoping to see University of Kansas men’s basketa home run smash a window in the ball team is a perennial contender, iconic warehouse bordering Camboasting two of the top three picks den Yards. in the 2014 NBA Draft. But most of all, Orioles baseball However, all of this pales in comis loyalty. The last time the Orioles parison to the end of 29 years of won a World Sepostseason futilries was 1983. The Royals and the Orioles ity that the RoyThe last time als have endured. bring energy and smallthey made an I was born in American League 1995, 10 years reChampionship market charm to an unex- moved from that series appearance pected ALCS matchup. Game 7 World Sewas 1997. And ries victory over for all the dismal losing seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals. By the time the last 17 years, the fans have stuck I was 10 years old, the franchise had with their team, just as the team has sold its star outfield of Johnny Dastood behind its city. mon, Jermaine Dye, Carlos Beltran As the O’s prepare to play in game and Raul Ibanez, and would emone of the ALCS tonight against the bark on several 100-loss seasons. Kansas City Royals, another of baseIt was the classic sob story of a ball’s long suffering franchises, we small-market team in a league withremember everything that has made out a salary cap. Baseball fans in Orioles baseball what it is and look Kansas City became used to ignorahead to what it could become. As ing the standings beginning in earthe second postseason appearance in ly August, because it was too painful as many years for the birds, we hope to see us at the bottom of the divithis marks a new golden era. sion. Until this year, I thought that Wild Bill died in 2007, but if he the season ended in September. were alive today, you can bet he’d But this year is different. be up there in the stands leading When I flew back to Kansas City the crowd in an O-R-I-O-L-E-S cheer, for Game 3 of the ALDS against the because if there’s one thing Orioles Los Angeles Angels, Kauffman Stafans understand, it’s loyalty. dium was filled to the brim with 40,000 fanatical supporters, many Laura Wagner is a senior in the of whom sported gear from the College. 1985 World Series. It was my first
sold-out game. Led by a young homegrown core of first baseman Eric Hosmer, left fielder Alex Gordon and catcher Salvador Perez, the Royals were playing loosely and confidently against the team with the league’s best regular-season record and possibly the MLB’s Most Valuable Player, Mike Trout. The Angels didn’t stand a chance on that night. After an 8-2 dismantling of Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton and Trout to finish off a series sweep, I remained in disbelief. Although the team had added key veterans in second basemen Omar Infante and starting pitcher James Shields, something larger had changed: the mentality of the city. How can anyone outside Kansas City truly understand this new, foreign feeling of strength, pride and fate? This is a feeling of a team with nothing to lose, with no ceiling. Once the team showed a bit of promise, Kansas City threw its full weight behind the Royals. The Royals not only convinced the city to believe in them, they convinced the entire country with their base-stealing, hard-throwing style. Experts project that this could be the start of an era of success for the Royals, but all that I care about is this year, this magical year that still doesn’t seem quite real. Whether the season ends with a loss to the Orioles or with the franchise’s second World Series title, Kansas City has had its patience and loyalty rewarded and its belief restored for good. Sam Abrams is a sophomore in the School of Foreign Service.
cardinals vs giants
Path to World Series Goes Bay Area Bruisers Bring Through Gateway City Experience, Grit to NLCS
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he St. Louis Cardinals clinched a spot in their fourth consecutive National League Championship Series on Wednesday night. For those who are counting — and as an avid Cardinals fan, I am — that makes nine NLCS appearances since 2000. To put that number in perspective, the only other teams to have reached four straight championship series are the 1971-1975 Oakland Athletics, the mid-’90s Atlanta Braves and the legendary Yankees teams from 1998 to 2001. As someone who grew up while Albert Pujols was the best hitter in the game, these successes are even more impressive because the roster includes no true superstars. St. Louis is not dominating with an all-time great pitching staff, as the Braves did, and it is not full of big-name, top-dollar stars like the A’s and the Yankees. The Cardinals’ answer to Reggie Jackson and Vida Blue is Matt Holliday and Adam Wainwright. Instead of Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, I’ve watched Matt Carpenter and Trevor Rosenthal. That plainness, that lack of flash or a big-name signing, is what makes the Cardinals simultaneously harder to appreciate and more worthy of that appreciation. This year is not the result of the triumph of star players, but the triumph of a process: develop young talent, limit risky trades and contracts, rinse and repeat. The media, and especially ESPN broadcasts, like to refer to St. Louis fans as the best fans in baseball. In reality, we are the most spoiled fans
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in baseball. I can count on one hand he day after the Giants won how many times I have only been the World Series in 2010, I able to watch 162 games, and noremember going to HOPE body can accuse the players of being Services, a community center in my “mercenaries” or the team of buying hometown of San Jose, Calif., as part rings with huge team salaries. There of a class field trip. As we got close is even enough young talent in the to the facility, our supervisor on the system to promise even more suctrip told us that every time he’d viscess in the future. Life is good for St. ited for the past five years, one of the Louis supporters. clients at the facility asked him how But those fans who will tune in to the Giants game had gone the night watch Adam Wainwright start game before. As predicted, when we enone of the NLCS need only look tered, a blind man in a wheelchair down I-70 or up to their rival Chicame up to him and asked how the cago Cubs fans to Giants did last be reminded just Rematch of 2012 NLCS night. how fickle the “They won the sport of baseball reunites two proud and World Series.” can be. There was a Will it be 106 vocal baseball fan bases. pause as he proyears (and countcessed the news ing) before St. Louis wins another for a second. World Series? Probably not. Playoff “Are you f-----g kidding me?” baseball has begun to seem commonIt seems unfathomable now that place at Busch Stadium, and I expect the Giants, winners of their last sevto see a great comeback or three every en postseason series, were ever the October. Nevertheless, the city should team of misfits and underachievers, take a moment to think about how but for the first 56 years of their exspecial the playoffs are. Kansas City istence in San Francisco, the team rejoiced at the thought of a wild-card just couldn’t win the big one. Deplay-in game after 29 years of futilspite legends like Willie Mays, Juan ity. San Diego, Houston and the New Marichal and Barry Bonds roving York Mets would just like to see a winthe field, San Francisco came up ning season. empty time and again. Through the So as St. Louis enjoys yet another late 2000s, the main attraction was run at a pennant, all Cardinals fans, not the team on the field but scenic me included, reflect on how winAT&T Park itself, located on the edge ning in the playoffs has become part of the San Francisco Bay. of the team’s baseball tradition. We The ballpark is still a wonder, are truly lucky. but the past two postseasons have changed the view of the Giants in Andrew May is a sophomore in the Bay Area and across the counthe School of Foreign Service. try. While their recent success is
still surprising and exciting in 2014, the magic of 2010 — when the team broke its long drought — and 2012 — when they staved off elimination in five straight games — is difficult to recapture, especially in comparison to the real underdog stories in this year’s American League Championship Series. But these Giants aren’t your traditional villains: They’re still a band of castoffs and misfits, winning the National League Divisional Series behind the pitching rotation of Jake Peavy, Tim Hudson and Ryan Vogelsong, who are a combined 109 years old. Injuries have affected pretty much everyone, throwing rookie second basemen Joe Panik and defensive wizard Gregor Blanco into the fire at the top of the batting order. The faces of the franchise have changed without injured veterans Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum: now leadership rests on the homegrown shoulders of catcher Buster Posey, third baseman Pablo Sandoval and starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner. As the postseason unfolds, I’m not going to ask you to be a Giants fan the other stories are too compelling. But if you’re a fan, take this opportunity to marvel at Posey’s pristine swing, Bumgarner’s snot bubbles and quirky right fielder Hunter Pence’s … everything. And keep hoping this winning era of Bay Area baseball doesn’t end anytime soon. Kshithij Shrinath is a sophomore in the School of Foreign Service.
men’s soccer
DePaul Field Conditions Pose Challenge DEPAUL, from B10 a soccer ball when we played there a couple weeks ago … It feels like a cage match,” Head Coach Brian Wiese said. In part because of its unique home-field advantage, DePaul has a significant home-away split. The Blue Devils are 3-1-1 at Wish Field but are a much worse 1-4-1 on the road. Georgetown should be careful to not underestimate a conference opponent in its element. Marquette made that mistake at DePaul last season. The Golden Eagles needed a win away at DePaul in order to clinch the Big East regular-season title but fell 2-1, opening the door for Georgetown to unexpectedly win the conference. While the Hoyas will be sure to treat their opponent as a serious threat, they will likely also carry a good amount of confidence into Saturday. DePaul has played a much weaker schedule than Georgetown, yet it has had little success so far this season. The Blue Devils have lost to teams such as
Western Michigan University (63-2), the University of WisconsinMilwaukee (3-7-2, 0-2-1 Herizon League) and suffered a 4-0 defeat to Villanova (6-4-1, 1-1 Big East). Georgetown, meanwhile, is in the midst of a four-game shutout streak. The backline has allowed just six goals this season, and senior goalkeeper and captain Tomas Gomez has presided over six total shutouts. “All of those goals [that Georgetown has allowed] were Keystone Cops stuff. It was not like: ‘Boy, what a great play that was by Indiana …’ Instead it was: ‘what did we just do to concede that goal?’ We have ironed that stuff out, which is good,” Wiese said. The lack of a midweek game will also play to the Hoyas advantage. Georgetown has had a large number of weekday games this season, especially during nonconference play. This week, the offdays have allowed the coaches to work with players and the players to work on getting healthy. For the first time in several weeks, no
FILE PHOTO: JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA
Senior goalkeeper and co-captain Tomas Gomez has six shutouts this season in 11 starts. The all-Big East keeper is a four-year starter. players will be limited because of injury. Seiler and Campbell, who have been nursing foot injuries, will both be available Saturday. Seiler will likely start for the first time since Sept. 21’s game against William and Mary. The recuperating players definitely appreciated the extra days of rest, but Rudy believes that the off week has helped the entire team.
“We needed a long rest. It came at a great time in the season,” Rudy said. “We played Maryland and then turned around and played Marquette, two pretty grueling games. Schoolwork and exams are starting to pick up right now, too … It will definitely be an advantage. We needed it.” Kickoff in Chicago will be at 1 p.m.
FILE PHOTO: JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA
Junior midfielder Emily Weinberg has three goals in 10 starts. She has 16 shots over the course of the season.
GU Hopes To Silence Friars
Claire schansinger Special to The Hoya
After a two-game losing streak, the Georgetown field hockey team (4-6, 0-1 Big East) will compete against Providence (8-5, 0-1 Big East) on Saturday and non-conference opponent Saint Joseph’s (6-6, 2-2 Atlantic 10) on Sunday. The Hoyas suffered a 6-0 loss against Connecticut (7-2, 1-0 Big East) in their first Big East game last Sunday and an 8-1 loss against Columbia (6-4, 2-1 Ivy League) the previous week. Undeterred by the tough losses, first year Head Coach Shannon Soares is optimistic about what her team has accomplished so far. “After coming back from UConn, we were able to look at plenty of film and, for us, what was really glaring was our ability to execute in counterattack situations. That is what our primary focus was on in training this week. I’m proud of our players’ ability to fight and see the big picture and believe in the process this season.” The Friars have won six out of their last eight games, with decisive victories over Quinnipiac (4-7) and Columbia. The five straight victories are the most by any Big East team this season and are the most by the Friars since matching that mark in the 2012 season. After losing to Providence 5-2 during the 2012 season and 5-0 during the 2013 season, the Hoyas know just how stiff the competition will be. “Providence is a really athletic and skilled team. They’ve had a great start to their season and have knocked off some talented teams and games they have played against top-level programs have been really close,” Soares said. Saint Joseph’s has won three out of its last 4 games, including a 6-1 win against Appalachian State (2-10, 0-2 Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference) and a 2-1 win against VCU (1-9, 0-4 Atlantic 10). The last time the Hoyas and the Hawks met was in 2011 when the Hoyas suffered a tough 1-0 loss. Even with the Hawks’ significant momentum leading into this weekend, the Hoyas are hopeful they can notch a win. “Saint Joseph’s is just as dangerous, and I think it is a very athletic and gritty team. They have battled all season and they are playing under a first-year head coach as well. Lynn Farquhar has a great mind in the hockey world and I already think she has done a fantastic job shaping up the program in terms of a new identity,” Soares said. The weekend’s slate will be the first games in three weeks the Hoyas will play on the Hilltop, and they will use the home-team advantage to their benefit. “We are just excited to be able to play at home and walk out of the locker room on to our field. I’ve said this multiple times this year, but it is something we do not take for granted. We also appreciate all the support we have at games, as we had over 500 fans at our last home game, which was huge for us,” Soares said. Junior midfielder Emily Weinberg had the only two shots on goal during the Connecticut game and is one of the many leading scorers with three goals recorded so far this season. “We’ve been focusing a lot on having a fighter mentality, especially when we have been working on a lot of forward moving and the attacking line to be able to score more goals,” Weinberg said. The Blue and Gray’s last win was a 1-0 victory against Siena (0-10), and Weinberg is confident the team can replicate that success. “In the Siena match, we focused on playing our game and our momentum,” Weinberg said. “We have been focusing on playing on our level and not a lower team’s level, which is important to remember for our next two games.” Sophomore goalkeeper Rachel Skonecki recorded a career-high 10 saves against the Connecticut Huskies and has earned the trust of her teammates. “Rachel has been a really strong force, is great in communication and we rely on her to communicate where our defenders are,” Weinberg said “She’s a solid force in the back.” Following what is sure to be an intense weekend, the Hoyas will begin preparations to face Villanova in Philadelphia at 7 p.m. Saturday.
sports
FRIDAY, october 10, 2014
Women’s Soccer
THE HOYA
B9
Saxa synergy
Crucial Marquette Southampton Defies Low Budget Match Draws Near A
Chris Balthazard Hoya Staff Writer
The Georgetown women’s soccer team (8-2-3, 3-0-1 Big East), will take on Marquette (7-5-2, 3-0-1 Big East) on Sunday at 1 p.m. on Shaw Field in a crucial matchup of two Big East powerhouses. Marquette and Georgetown are tied with St. John’s (7-5-1, 3-0-1 Big East) and DePaul (11-0-2, 3-0-1 Big East) at the top of the Big East table with 10 points each after four conference games, and this game presents the winner with a chance to pull away. The Hoyas are still smarting from last season’s crushing defeat in Milwaukee. They came into the match undefeated at 11-0-2 and lost 4-0, their only defeat of the 2013 regular season. Sophomore midfielder Emily Morgan believes the team will be more prepared for the matchup than last year. “I didn’t play in the game [last year], but it was pretty eye-opening for our team. And we’re definitely going to come out, knowing our result last year, very fired up. It’s the only game of our weekend and we’ve been spending the entire week preparing for it,” Morgan said. As the two major recent powers in the conference, Georgetown and Marquette have been fiercely competitive in recent seasons. “In 2012 we lost the Big East conference final to Marquette up in Hartford in the last minute of regulation,” Head Coach Dave Nolan said. “And since then, we’ve built up a good rivalry with them. And certainly with the changing of the guard in the conference, I don’t think anyone would ever argue that ourselves and Marquette … have been the two best programs.” Though Marquette is having a down year by its standards, with five losses to its record already, the team will still pose problems for the Hoyas. Sophomore forward Liz Bartels, with 10 points this season, will challenge a Georgetown defense that underwent several changes before the start of this season. “We’ve basically reconstructed our entire back line and our defensive center mid[fielder]s,” Morgan said. “So we’ve worked a lot on that transition between the back line and the defensive center mid[fielder]s, and I think we’ve gotten a lot better throughout the year with moving forward.” Additionally, this year Nolan believes Marquette does not have the depth of previous years when they
subbed in eight to 10 players per game, which may have limited squad rotation. “The strength of their team is probably centered around team ethic, team work rate, team chemistry and just physical strength,” Nolan said. “In particular [senior midfielder] Mary Luba and [sophomore defensive midfielder] Morgan Proffitt are two very good central players for them. They play a different kind of system. They play a three-back, which we haven’t faced very much this year.” But Georgetown’s team has changed significantly, too, and after scoring 58 goals in 21 matches last year for a 2.76 goals per game ratio, offense production has dipped this season to 2.15 goals per game (28 goals in 13 matches). Nolan says that he must be realistic in his year-to-year expectations, especially due to more teams sitting back in defense this year to check the Hoya attack. “I think our goals per game is around 2.25, which most teams would be doing cartwheels if they got,” he said. “I have to keep pinching myself to say that we’re not going to score 58 goals every year.” While Sunday’s game is important in the context of a budding rivalry with Marquette, it is also vital to Georgetown’s hopes of winning the regular season Big East title. “The top four, between us, Marquette, DePaul and St. John’s, it’s going to be who takes the most points off each other in that pot of four,” Nolan said. “And then it’ll probably be Villanova, Providence, Creighton and Butler fighting for the last two spots [in the Big East tournament]. … So when you play these games, they almost become six-pointers. Because if you lose them, not only do you lose the points, but you lose the opportunity to gain the points.” Among that top four, Georgetown has already tied DePaul, and Marquette has tied St. John’s, leaving the top of the conference very tight. Georgetown knows a win will go a long way toward winning the Big East, and Morgan hopes the team stays totally focused despite the season’s challenges. “Together, I think we need to work on not becoming complacent,” Morgan said.“We need to keep ourselves motivated moving forward. It gets tough for any team going into the season, as you go through it. People get hurt, things change. But I think it’s important to keep our motivation going and keep the main goal in mind.”
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In the case of Southampton, Shaw and Lallana are just the two most recent stars. Southampton has also produced and trained current Arsenal stars Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. All four players are members of the current English national team. Additionally, the Saints Academy has produced veteran defender Chris Baird and a certain Welshman named Gareth Bale, who would go on to star for Tottenham before moving to Real Madrid in 2013 for a reported $136 million in transfer fees alone. In almost any case, we would consider
Paolo Santamaria
The Saints are a better team despite selling stars in the offseason. a team losing so many top players in one offseason to be doomed for the next season, but the opposite has been true for the Saints. With a youth system that consistently produces top-quality players and has for many years, it only makes sense that they can rebound after such great losses. More than that, its investments and transfer acquisitions were top notch. After receiving $142.4 million in transfer money for its want-away stars, the St. Mary’s club brought on replacements for nearly $51.8 million less, leaving them with excellent leftover spending money for the January transfer window. Surprisingly, that money may now be spent on a run for a top-four spot — and consequently a Champions League berth — rather than a battle against relegation.
Not only is Southampton’s model for success efficient and effective, their team play is a joy to watch. With so many youth players and manager Ronald Koeman, who gets the most out of his players, Southampton exemplifies synergy. With eight players on the first team squad averaging more than 40 passes a game, it is safe to say that ball movement and a fluid offense is key to the Saints’ success. Before a hard-fought 1-0 loss to Tottenham on Oct. 5, Southampton had won five games in a row, including a 4-0 stomping of Newcastle United and an impressive 2-1 win against perennial title challengers Arsenal in a Capital One Cup tie. In the game against Newcastle, Southampton completed 10 more long passes against its opponents, creating many more scoring opportunities. More than that, the individual skill of their players helped create opportunities for more accurate passes and goal-scoring opportunities, as seven of their 10 shots were on target, as opposed to four out of nine for Newcastle. It is debatable if Southampton will finish in the top four in May. However, one thing is for certain; the Saints have already impressed with their offseason transfer strategy and willingness to play an open, fast-paced style of soccer. With intelligent investing and an elite youth system, Southampton can manage to reload year in and year out. Their team play, combined with the individual skill of the newcomers, as well as Clyne and French international midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, far outshines many EPL teams that are too reliant on one part of the team to carry them. In a world where spending exorbitant amounts of money increasingly seems to determine the success of a club, Southampton remains a model of investing time and money into a cause that eventually pays off. While the rest of the Saints’ season is shrouded in uncertainty, one thing is for sure: they are what is right with soccer. Paolo Santamaria is a freshman in the College. SAXA SYNERGY appears every other Friday.
Capitals Hill
Have the Nationals Hit Their Ceiling? LITKE, from B10
all the more baffling for some. However, whether you side with Williams or not, this series was not lost based on one relief pitching decision; this was a collective dud of a performance by the Nationals. While a pitching miscue may have been the nail in the coffin for Washington, it was a lackluster offense that got them in trouble in the first place. Right fielder Jason Werth, Washington’s highest-paid player, mustered only one hit in 17 at-bats during the series. Meanwhile, lead-off hitter Denard Span went just 2-for-19 and cleanup hitter Adam LaRoche went a paltry 1-for-18. Harper’s strong hitting and his ultimately futile heroics were the lone bright spots for the Nationals’ offense. The team looked frustrated and disengaged as they failed to produce runs, and contributed to the squad’s abysmal combined .164 batting average. In fact, Barrett’s wild pitch would not have been fatal had the Nationals been able to create more offense earlier in the game and the series. The typically offensively-gifted Nationals had 18 innings to produce a timely run in game 2, which they failed to do in front of a sold-out home crowd. Impressive starting pitching by Jordan Zimmermann
managed to hold the Giants at bay in the marathon game, only allowing one run until San Francisco first baseman Brandon Belt homered the deciding run after over six hours of play. The team seemed to lack focus and drive, as the series was filled with other avoidable mistakes. In Game 4, with the season on the line, starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez gave up two runs after back-to-back mistakes. The left-hander first failed to turn a double play and then in the next atbat, Gonzalez interfered with his own player trying to field a ball, leading to a pair of crucial runs for the Giants. In addition, Williams didn’t even get to see the end of the 18 inning classic after his ejection in the 10th inning. The Nationals manager defended shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera who argued with the umpire about the strike zone, an argument that can only end with an ejection of either the player or coach. In light of all of these miscues, Williams’ decision to play Barrett in the crucial moment of Game 4 still stands out as a glaring mistake. Although it is easier to criticize Williams in hindsight, it does not excuse the mistake of calling upon an inexperienced pitcher to contribute with the season on the line, especially when trusted veterans were at the manager’s disposal. D.C. fans are stuck wondering what could have been, particularly
given that star starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg was available to pitch in relief in addition to the regular bullpen stalwarts. Nationals fans may now doubt if the team has what it takes to win in the playoffs. The loss brings up memories of the 2012 National League Division Series.. Coming off of a promising regular season, the top-seeded Nationals were taken down by the St. Louis Cardinals. Washington was excused for that loss due to an inexperienced squad and the excitement over the franchise’s first playoff birth since 1981. But a similar loss just two years later has fans worrying about the resolve of their team, and whether the Nationals possess championship-caliber leaders and decision makers. After two underwhelming postseason performances, the pressure is on for the Nationals in 2015. Next fall, Washington will be expected to win and will not have the benefit of being considered newcomers. Instead, they will face high expectations as they try to reverse their reputation as playoff underperformers. But perhaps a sense of pressure is the missing ingredient for a team that appeared to lack composure and urgency during this year’s short playoff run. Daniel Litke is a senior in the School of Foreign Service. Capitals Hill appears every Friday.
swimming & dIVING
Cooper-Vespa Cruises to Record DIVING, from B10
Last issue’s solutions
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lmost a quarter of the way into the English Premier League season, the perennial middle-of-the-table Southampton is third in the standings, behind only deep-pocketed Manchester City and Chelsea. Its astounding performance, with 13 points and a positive sixgoal differential over seven games is impressive, especially given how it lost many of its top players to Champions League contenders in this summer’s transfer market. With defender Luke Shaw at Manchester United and midfielder Adam Lallana and forward Rickie Lambert bolting to last season’s league runner-up Liverpool, and promising young defender Calum Chambers leaving for Arsenal, Southampton seemed unlikely to finish better than its eighth-place run last season. In fact, predictions of relegation flew heading into the start of play. Although seven games out of a 38-match season do not perfectly reflect how the rest of the campaign will unfold, the Saints’ play has followed the textbook formula for non-elite teams to thrive in the world’s most competitive league. Southampton quickly brought on new talent over the summer with money acquired from the Lallana and Shaw transfers. Italian forward Graziano Pelle, acquired from Dutch Eredivisie club Feyenoord Rotterdam, has already scored five goals, while Serbian midfielder Dusan Tadic, formerly of Eredivisie side Twente, has contributed four key assists. Young Senegalese forward Sadio Mane, formerly a leader for Salzburg in the Austria Bundesliga, has rounded out a productive group of newcomers. With an improving team and an impressive homegrown defensive player in Nathaniel Clyne, Southampton looks to improve even further. While not one of the top EPL teams in terms of wealth, Southampton has perhaps the most prestigious youth development system in the entirety of English soccer. For those not familiar with a youth system, a club essentially runs an academy and teams for younger players so that they may develop their skills against other highly touted youth players.
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fun. “I guess, I want to get the 1m record now. My goals are just to break the 300-point barrier on 1m, as well as get some harder dives. But I think diving, as well as all sports, can get really stressful sometimes so I want to keep it fun,” he said.“[Tober] does a great job pushing us but also keeping it fun. He gets that we’re students first but also he wants to push us as far as we can go as athletes.” Tober sees Cooper-Vespa as continuing to anchor the diving program moving forward. “He’s strong, he’s quick and he looks good in the air,” Tober said. “Those are three of the most important attributes. Consistency is the only thing he needs to get better on and, as exhibited by the last meet, if he’s talented and consistent then he’s going to put up scores indicative of that. Then he’ll continue to score really well.” Cooper-Vespa and the Georgetown swimming and diving team will look for their first win of the season when they face Towson University this Saturday.
MICHELLE LUBERTO FOR THE HOYA
Sophomore diver Jared Cooper-Vespa earned a silver and a bronze medal in the Big East diving championships in his freshman season.
SPORTS
Field Hockey Providence (8-5) vs. Georgetown (4-6) Saturday, 12 p.m. MultiSport Facility
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2014
TALKING POINTS
The Hoyas will look to extend their unbeaten home record against Marquette Saturday. See B9
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WOMEN’S SOCCER
The women literally hit a train with a soccer ball. ... [DePaul’s field] feels like a cage match.
MEN’S SOCCER
Men’s Soccer Head Coach Brian Wiese
NUMBERS GAME
7
The number out of the last eight conference games that the Georgetown football team has lost.
SWIMMING & DIVING
Cooper-Vespa Makes History The sophomore diver set the 3-meter Georgetown record RUSSELL GUERTIN Special to the Hoya
FILE PHOTO: JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA
Senior midfielder and co-captain Tyler Rudy has two goals on the season and has started all 11 games. He has helped the Hoyas to six shutouts.
Hoyas Favored in DePaul Away Match ANDREW MAY Hoya Staff Writer
The No. 5 Georgetown men’s soccer team (6-1-4, 1-0-1 Big East) will go on the road to play the DePaul Blue Demons (4-5-2, 1-1-0 Big East) on Saturday, in what will be its third of nine Big East games this season. After tying Marquette 0-0 last Saturday, the Hoyas will look to get back on the winning path by replicating last year’s performance against DePaul when they routed the Blue Demons 6-0. Then-senior forward Steve Neumann had a hat trick in that game, with the remaining goals scored by junior defender Cole Seiler, sophomore forward Brett Campbell and senior midfielder and co-captain Tyler Rudy. This year’s game will mark the first time that any current member of the team has travelled to Chicago to play DePaul.
Rudy is wary of the challenging playing conditions at Wish Field. “I think [the hardest part will be] the atmosphere and their use of their home field,” Rudy said. “We are not used to the turf and [the field] being that small. I have never played at DePaul in my career so I know none of the guys have. That will be the biggest challenge: getting used to playing at their home stadium.” Wish Field is an artificial turf field, a surface to which most college soccer players are not accustomed, and it is smaller in dimensions than Georgetown’s Shaw Field. The field is also surrounded by tall buildings and a train track, which pose potential distractions for the players. “It is a different venue. It is in the city, there is the L train that goes right next to it. I think the [Georgetown] women literally hit a train with See DEPAUL, B8
Last Saturday, Hoya history was made when sophomore diver Jared Cooper-Vespa set a record in the men’s 3-meter dive during the first meet of the season against the University of Delaware. The team lost the meet 176-117, but CooperVespa’s record-breaking success, which earned a score of 300.30, was the silver lining of the match. “It feels good. Actually, it feels great,” Cooper-Vespa said of his record. “It’s been a goal of mine to break the 300-point barrier for a while so to do it and also break the record at the same time is kind of like a double bonus. I was able to break the record on the first meet of the season so it’s definitely made me realize I can go even further. I thought that 300 would be my max, but hitting it this early in the season makes me want to just keep pushing and see how far I can go, do harder dives.” Cooper-Vespa first began diving in his hometown of Orange, Conn., and continued diving competitively at The Hopkins School in New Haven, Conn. “My parents worked a lot so they needed me to do something during the summer,” Cooper-Vespa said. “They signed me up for swim lessons and I hated swimming but I saw the divers next to us and it looked pretty cool so I wanted to give it a try. I fell in love with it from there.” A successful high school diving career positioned him as a highlytouted recruit for the Hoyas. “Jared was third in the New Eng-
MICHELLE LUBERTO FOR THE HOYA
Sophomore diver Jared Cooper-Vespa earned a record-setting score of 300.30 in the first meet of the season against Delaware. land Prep School Diving Championships,” Head Swimming and Diving Coach Jamie Holder told GU Hoyas prior to Cooper-Vespa’s arrival on campus for his freshman year. “He is a very talented diver with a great work ethic. Jared is not afraid to challenge himself to do difficult dives, which will help raise the bar for everyone on the team. We are excited to see him develop as a Hoya.” Cooper-Vespa set a high bar indeed as a freshman, earning all-Big East honors on the back of a stel-
lar performance at the 2013 Big East championships. Cooper-Vespa placed second in the 3m dive and third in the 1m dive. “He fit in from day one. He’s a hard worker, he lifts weights hard and he trains hard,” Head Diving Coach Michael Tober said.“He’s a model pupil. You know, he’s good and it’s good to see. He’s been a nice pleasant surprise.” This year, Cooper-Vespa looks to continue to improve while having
CAPITALS HILL
FOOTBALL
Hoyas Look for 1st Conference Win in Pa. AIDAN CURRAN
Special to The Hoya
The Georgetown football team (2-4, 0-1 Patriot League) travels to Easton, Pa., to take on the reigning 2013 Patriot League champion Lafayette College Leopards (2-3, 0-1 Patriot League) on Saturday, resuming league play. After losing to Harvard 34-3 last Saturday at MultiSport Field, the Hoyas enter right back into the Patriot League portion of their schedule, looking to take down an opponent who averages an impressive 27.2 points per game this season and is led by senior running back Ross Scheuerman. Under the leadership of Frank Tavani, in his 15th season at the helm of the Lafayette football team, the Leopards are an experienced and dangerous team. Coach Rob Sgarlata is moving on past the Harvard game and looking ahead with confidence toward Saturday’s showdown with Lafayette. “It’ll be a great atmosphere this weekend. Our kids have played well up there. We’ve had great defensive performances,” Sgarlata said. The Hoya defense is charged with stopping Scheuerman, the focal point of the Lafayette offense, their leading rusher and one of their top pass-catching targets. Scheuerman is a three-time all-Patriot League second team honoree and was selected as a 2014 preseason all-Patriot League pick. Last year, in his junior campaign, Scheuerman rushed for 1,113 yards and had four touchdown catches to go along with his 14 rushing scores. After Harvard running back Andrew Casten ran rampant over the Georgetown defense last week, the Hoyas will have to execute better on defense in order to keep Scheuerman under control. Georgetown let Casten run for 139 yards on 19 carries. Senior defensive lineman Alec May made particular note of stop-
ping Scheuerman. “The biggest key is stopping the running back,” May said. “I think he gets touches on 40 to 50 percent of their plays, so it’s going to mean stopping him in the running game and the passing game and getting pressure on the quarterback.” The Lafayette defense is now under the direction of new defensive coordinator Art Link, who employs a 4-2-5 defensive scheme. Lafayette lost three starters from last year to graduation, but return an experienced secondary featuring junior cornerback Matt Smalley and senior strong safety Jared Roberts. Both players were selected as allPatriot League honorees, and Smalley is a 2014 preseason all-Patriot League selection. This season, however, Roberts has been moved from safety to cornerback. The Lafayette defense has allowed the lowest number of first downs in the Patriot League this year, which figures to present a challenge to a Georgetown offense that struggled to convert third downs at home against Harvard. Junior wide receiver Jake DeCicco and the rest of the Georgetown receiving corps have their work cut out for them against such an experienced secondary. DeCicco said that making improvements on third down and in the red zone will be the most important aspect of the game. “We’ve definitely shown signs that we can be really good at times. We have to do better in the red zone. Overall it’s been a building process. We have to focus on the little things, like finishing drives and really picking up third downs,” DeCicco said. Sgarlata agreed with DeCicco’s assessment, and emphasized creating consistency as a major goal. “For us on offense, it’s all about consistency; we’ve been moving the ball really well between the 20 [yard lines]. We worked a lot on our red zone stuff. It’s about being able to
See DIVING, B9
Daniel Litke
Season End Disappoints Nationals
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FILE PHOTO: JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA
Junior wide receiver Jake DeCicco leads the Hoyas in catches with 27, receiving yards with 269, and yards per game with 44.8 through six games. string long drives together and finish,” Sgarlata said. Sgarlata has not lost confidence in his offense despite the unit not scoring a touchdown over the last two games, both double-digit losses. “[I am] very confident we have talented players. We have a talented group. [I am] very confident in [junior starting quarterback] Kyle Nolan and our receiving crew. I think we have a lot of weapons,” Sgarlata
said. Among those weapons is senior running back Danny Wright, who will return from injury Saturday. For the Hoyas to emerge triumphant over Lafayette on the road, they will need to execute better on offense and be able to consistently keep their defense off of the field with key third-down conversions. Kickoff in Pennsylvania is at 3:30 p.m.
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he Washington Nationals entered this year’s postseason boasting a National League best of 96 wins. Winning eight of their last 10 games, the Nationals were poised for a strong postseason and World Series contention. However, it took just four games and a wild pitch to unravel the dreams of a city. The Nationals had their chance in game four of the National League Division Series. In the top of the seventh inning, trailing the San Francisco Giants two games to one in the best of five series, Washington left fielder Bryce Harper hit a deep solo home run that tied the game at 2-2 and appeared to give the Nationals some hope. But that hope would be lost just moments later. In the bottom of the seventh inning with the bases loaded, Nationals rookie pitcher Aaron Barrett threw a pitch in the dirt. The wild pitch, which bounded past catcher Wilson Ramos, resulted in the series-deciding run as Giants second baseman Joe Panik scampered home from third base. The play and early postseason exit incited a firestorm of criticism directed at Nationals manager Matt Williams. The Nationals’ deep and experienced bullpen was part of their winning formula all season long, which makes Williams’ decision to play Barrett, a rookie, See LITKE, B9