The Hoya: The Guide: October 24, 2014

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the guide FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014

A Budding Movement Ahead of Nov. 4 legalization vote, a look at the history of marijuana in D.C. HUNTER MAIN Hoya Staff Writer

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he headline, although tucked deep within the Oct. 1, 1936 edition of The Washington Post, blared with the frantic, sensationalist urgency of a piece reporting on the apocalypse. “STUDENTS STAGE ORGIES INDUCED BY MARIHUANA; DISTRICT AND U.S. POWERLESS TO SUPPRESS WEED” Although nearly every state government had passed laws harshly regulating the trafficking of marijuana, no federal law existed that dealt with the drug and the problems supposedly stemming from it — meaning that Washington, D.C., still 37 years away from home rule, was only protected from the terrors of “the green goddess” by lax federal pharmaceutical regulations. A drug that had only recently been associated exclusively with immigrants was now being consumed by the “sons and daughters of respectable Washington families,” and there was little D.C. law enforcement could do about it. Then, the District was one of the last places in America to adopt marijuana prohibition laws; today, it is one of the first to take steps to repeal them. If Ballot Initiative 71 passes with a majority on Nov. 4 and Congress doesn’t prevent its implementation, Washington, D.C., will be the first area on the East Coast to legalize marijuana possession. The complex history of marijuana in D.C., inexorably linked to the fed-

eral government, may be the turning point in ending the drug’s century-long prohibition in the United States. ————— Grander, more conspiratorial arguments exist about the primary motivating force behind marijuana prohibition, the most popular being that marijuana demonization was engineered by industrial robber barons afraid of the burgeoning hemp industry. But, the man most responsible for federal marijuana prohibition — and for the characterizations of the drug that have kept this prohibition afloat for almost a century — was undoubtedly Harry Anslinger, the inaugural and longserving commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. The bureau, which was created in 1930, dealt mostly with opiates during its initial years. But because marijuana was not classified as a narcotic on the federal level, the FBN could only aid state and municipal law enforcement in planning and carrying out raids. This changed in 1937, when the Marijuana Tax Act that was drafted by the bureau was passed by Congress and made into law. Because the FBN operated as a division of the Treasury, it used the federal government’s power to tax as its primary weapon. All producers, importers and users of the drug were required to register with the federal governMICHELLE XU/THE HOYA

See MARIJUANA, B2

THIS WEEK CAMPUS FEATURE

LIFESTYLE

Fashion With a Conscience

Student nonprofit Wearable Justice promotes ethical purchases CARLY APAR

Special to The Hoya

The Work Backstage Examined

As on-campus theater season gets underway, take a look at the contributions of the production crews. B3

Modern Art Moves

New exhibit at the Hirshhorn Gallery, “Days of Endless Time,” embraces moving arts that deal with contemporary issues. B4

FOOD & DRINK

French Fancies

La Chaumière delivers exquisite dishes to

satisfy any pallete, making a visit worth the high cost. B5

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Jessie J Returns

The English songstress delivers a powerful new album with mixed success. B7

THEHOYA.COM/ GUIDE @thehoyaguide

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s a freshman, Jacob Maxmin’s (COL ’17) goal was to fill a void that he noticed in the Georgetown culture. Maxmin, now a sophomore, is the founder and CEO of Wearable Justice, a nonprofit organization that is seeing great success in its second semester on campus. Wearable Justice is a student-owned, student-run ethical fashion distribution company that gives students access to ethical fashion at an affordable price. Maxmin’s inspiration stemmed from his work as a campus representative for Bureh Belts and Lallitara apparel, both of which are now two of the eight ethical fashion companies that partner with Wearable Justice. Maxmin originally found convincing students to adopt ethical fashion choices surprisingly difficult. “It was a real challenge for me to market third-party ethical fashion companies and brands on campus,” Maxim said. “I was using social media to get people interested on campus but it wasn’t really working out. My solution to that problem was creating something where you could group a lot of ethical fashion companies in one company, studentrun, student-owned, nonprofit with a lot of social impact and have an effect on campus.” When asked, “Why ethical fashion?” Maxmin made a very accurate analogy. He explained that Georgetown students have access to Safeway and Whole Foods when they need to go grocery shopping. Whole Foods, the organic and more “ethical” option, is also the more expensive option. However, the option is still there. When going shopping for clothes, on the other hand, Georgetown students have H&M, J Crew and the rest of the well-known corporate stores lining the streets just outside of campus. But where is the ethical fashion option? This is where Wearable Justice comes in, and at an affordable price too. The Wearable Justice team works with an ethi-

NATASHA THOMSON/THE HOYA

Khadija Khan (SFS ’17) and Jacob Maxmin (COL ’17) tabling with their array of colorful and ethical accessories from Maxmin’s student-run nonprofit Wearable Justice. cal screen printing company in Wisconsin and buys products wholesale from ethical fashion companies, redistributing them on campus for discount prices. The team is responsible for the custom clothing many of us see around campus such as those of Students of Georgetown, Inc. Wearable Justice is unlike other clothing companies in that it gives customers the easily accessible option to have a say in where and

how our clothes are made, all at an affordable price. Having the option to choose ethical fashion is very appealing, especially for Georgetown students striving to promote social justice. Wearable Justice partners with companies that create products from responsibly sourced materials and with minimal environmental impact. See JUSTICE, B3


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the guide

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, October 24, 2014

FEATURE

The History of Marijuana in the District MARIJUANA, from B1 ment, pay an annual fee and keep detailed records of sales logs in order to allow for further taxation. These burdens weren’t just cumbersome and expensive — they could be used as proof of breaking state narcotics law. Thus, marijuana was essentially made illegal on the federal level. When compared to the modern perception of marijuana, the language used by both Anslinger and the media in the events surrounding the bill’s passage sounds extreme and overwrought. “The deleterious, even vicious, qualities of the drug,” Anslinger said in a congressional hearing on the Marijuana Tax Act, “render it highly dangerous to the mind and body upon which it operates to destroy the will, cause one to lose the power of connected thought, producing imaginary delectable situations and gradually weakening the physical powers. Its use frequently leads to insanity.” A contemporary editorial in The Washington Post in support of the bill’s passage, entitled “The Marijuana

Menace,” extended Anslinger’s argument to American society at large. “It is time to wipe out the evil before its potentialities for national degeneracy become more apparent,” the editorial board wrote on April 17, 1937. The most popular motivation for passage, which is still found in the rhetoric of those opposed to legalization, was that marijuana was increasingly exposed to children, making them more likely to use other narcotics in the future. Rep. Robert Doughton (D-N.C.), who sponsored the Marijuana Tax Act, singled out the idea that marijuana was especially appealing to the young as the main reason for the necessity of federal prohibition. “While the traffic in narcotics always has been restricted primarily to adults,” Doughton told The Washington Post when he introduced the bill in 1937, “marihuana is attacking children of high-school age.” Lurid tales of “heroin rings” exposing high school students to marijuana and then to more addictive drugs were narratives frequently pushed by the FBN. A 1951 story in The Washington Post, which was admittedly sourced almost entirely by one of Anslinger’s bureau officials, relayed how this was done. “Although chances are a teenager started ‘joy clubbing’ with marihuana,” journalists Wendy and Everett Martin wrote, “he soon turns to heroin, or ‘H,’ or ‘horse.’ He hears about the bigger kicks it affords. Almost always a pusher gives him a cap

for a ‘trial run.’” The story goes on to describe the teenagers’ downfall into theft, violence, sexual promiscuity and prostitution, painting this degradation as an inevitable yet common occurrence. —————

Today, those arguing against marijuana legalization don’t point to any sort of resulting hysteria. Kevin Sabet, a former White House adviser under President Obama, leads the anti-legalization organization Project SAM, or Smart Approaches to Marijuana. Some of the arguments that are cited by the organization echo those made by Harry Anslinger — that marijuana stunts the brain development of children and can lead to mental illness if consumed often enough — but others consider more modern concerns. Although Project SAM recognizes the potential medical benefits of marijuana, he argues that smoking marijuana is not an appropriate way to yield its positive effects, as the dispensaries that sell it blur the line between recreational and medical use.

Further, Sabet warns against a commercialized marijuana industry similar to Big Tobacco, which knowingly spread falsehoods about tobacco’s effects in order to keep consumption high. (Sabet could not be reached for comment.) More involved in D.C.’s anti-legalization efforts has been Two Is Enough. The organization argues that two legalized drugs — alcohol and tobacco — have had a negative

societal impact, and the addition of a third would only cause more problems. “The test to see what is going to happen is when we look at two legalized drugs already, alcohol and tobacco, and the use of these is out of control for many areas,” Two Is Enough Founder Will Jones III said. While Sabet and Two Is Enough speak less about the anatomical effects of marijuana consumption and more about its societal effects, legalization advocates take a more wideangled approach concerning why prohibition should be lifted. “This is not about getting high,” said Adam Eidinger, the chairman of the D.C. Cannabis Campaign, which submitted the ballot initiative and has been the primary group campaigning for its passage. Eidinger decries how marijuana is viewed not only by anti-legalization

advocates but also by those who turgidly support the initiative’s passage yet advocate for extremely strict regulation similar to that in Minnesota, where smoking medical marijuana is considered a felony. “When marijuana is regulated more strictly than alcohol,” Eidinger said, “that’s political — that’s not based on science, not based on data.” Eidinger primarily sees marijuana legalization as an issue of civil rights and civil liberties, which is fitting given his background as an activist who — by his own count — has been arrested 16 different times for various causes. The official campaign for the initiative began with a protest in front of the D.C. Superior Courthouse a year and a half ago. Eidinger chose this location because he views the criminal justice system as the primary area in which the consequences of marijuana prohibition have played

out. Eidinger’s arguments focus less on the taxation and business opportunities provided by legalization — although he himself was a co-owner of the now-closed hemp clothing store Capitol Hemp — and more on the inanity of singling out marijuana possession and personal use from that of comparable drugs like alcohol and caffeine. “We distinguish the basic right of personal possession, of home cultivation, the right to buy a smoking device and of the right to give it away to your friends who are of age,” Eidinger said. “The idea that you can’t share it with anyone — people share stuff. People share coffee.” “I’d like to see it sold in Whole Foods, to be honest,” he added. Eidinger also mentioned the racial disparities in drug arrests, which are especially stark in Washington, D.C., as a reason for legalization. The American Civil Liberties Union found that in 2010, blacks in D.C. were eight times more likely to be arrested for marijuanarelated crimes than whites, despite essentially equal usage rates. ————— Despite some regrets and concerns about the initiative’s language — he is unsure if the D.C. City Council will make possession legal for people in the District who are not residents, and he regrets making the legal age of possession 21 instead of 18 — Eidinger is optimistic about and excited for Ballot Initiative 71’s passage. “We aren’t just going to win — whether we win by 65 percent or 75 percent is the question,” he said. “We

want to win with at least 70 percent of the vote.” His confidence certainly isn’t unfounded: Last month, an NBC4 poll

revealed that 65 percent of likely voters would vote “Yes” on the initiative. But, the optimism is surprising when looked at within a historical context, where earlier attempts to chip away at marijuana prohibition have been fraught with conflict. In 1998, the city passed Ballot Initiative 59, which legalized medical marijuana in the District by a landslide. However, Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga.) introduced and passed an amendment that would cut off funding to D.C. if that year’s District of Columbia Appropriations Act went on the books. It took 12 years — and, ironically, an effort lobbied for by the nowlibertarian Barr — for Congress to repeal the amendment, and the City Council passed a law legalizing medical marijuana in 2010. The provisions, however, were uniquely strict. The list of diseases that qualified one for medical marijuana treatment were limited to cancer, HIV/AIDS, glaucoma, intense muscle spasms and other diseases treated by chemotherapy or radiation; potential patients first needed to register with the city’s health department and doctors had much less freedom to prescribe the treatment. In the past year, however, barriers to accessing marijuana have been eliminated at a rapid pace. This spring, the District decriminalized the drug, meaning that anyone caught possessing an ounce or less of marijuana would only have it confiscated and be given a $25 fine. Then, the D.C. City Council struck down the small list of

conditions “approved” to be treated with medical marijuana, allowing doctors to prescribe it whenever they felt it necessary. Therefore, the most recent data show that the number of patients registered to receive medical marijuana in the District has nearly doubled, from 738 to 1,362, according to the D.C. Department of Health. Moreover, Initiative 71, which would legalize limited possession and cultivation of marijuana, was added to the Nov. 4

ballot with 58,000 signatures — more than double the 22,373 required. Eidinger is also optimistic that marijuana legalization is an issue that will bring young people to the voter registration booths and polls, and that neither party in Congress, not looking to isolate a future voting pool, will organize an effort to repeal the law during its mandatory, 30-day Congressional review period — therefore avoiding the delay that plagued the District’s medical marijuana implementation. “It’s an issue that’s becoming the third rail of politics,” he said. But because Washington, D.C., has no federal representation and inevitably votes Democrat in the presidential election, the issue may not be enough to bring the amount of young people, such as the District’s sizable population of college students, to register to vote in D.C., especially considering that D.C. has same-day registration. While Lauren Robin (COL ’18) is both aware of and supports Initiative 71, she is not going to vote in the District on Nov. 4. “I’m still going to vote in my home state of Connecticut because they actually have representatives, which is more important to me than this issue,” she said. Lucas Brooks (COL ’16) is not interested enough in D.C. politics to switch his registration. “I’ll vote,” he said, “but I’ll do it at home in California because I care more about California than D.C.” Svitlana Mykulynska (SFS ’17), on the other hand, will vote — and vote “Yes” — on the issue, despite not hailing from the area. “I’ll probably vote in D.C. instead of my home state because I live here now, don’t I,” she said. ————— If the ballot initiative passes, it is unlikely that The Washington Post will run pieces on increased student orgies or hospitalization in psyche wards, as it did in the 1930s. Instead of focusing on the drug’s scandalous effects, the main story of marijuana in 2014 is that if the initiative passes, the federal government will have to confront its drug policy directly, something that it had

left up to the states beforehand. The Congressional review period for the decriminalization law this summer saw resistance to the bill from just one representative, Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), who later withdrew the bill that was meant to prevent the practice. What happens on the Hill in the 30 days after Nov. 4 if the initiative passes may be a harbinger of national drug policy for decades to come, and if prohibition is curbed in the District, it may be on its way out across the nation.

center stage

Senior Makes a Difference With Microfinance in India Bryan yuen

Special to The Hoya

Not many people consider the slums of Pune, India, to be their desired study-abroad destination. But Juan Gonzalez (COL ’15) had an invaluable experience studying economics in Pune while interning with the microfinance organization Parvati Swayamrojgar. In true Jesuit fashion Juan spent his spring semester as a man for others helping the initiative develop its structure for the upcoming years and learning the ins and outs of the community.

VALERIA BALZA FOR THE HOYA

Juan Gonzalez (COL ’15) spent an enlightening semester in India working with microfinance.

What got you interested in microfinance? I went to India to study economics. While I was there, I was able to work with a microfinance organization that was already in place. I think microfinance is the kind of vehicle that impoverished people can use for development and that’s needed to leverage public and private interests. I think that’s why I believe in microfinance — it gives people the opportunity to decide for themselves how they can improve their lives. Can you speak as to why you think it is so critical that microfinance is not viewed as a handout? The loans that were given by the organization were very limited, so it is not like you could take out money to gamble or do random ventures — it’s more specific for education, rebuilding your house or for business. It is tailored to that. That sort of conservative model is why their model is so successful, but I think it is important that microfinance is some sort of repayment loan because it gives some sense of entitlement. It gives people a hold on their present and a hold on their future, whereas a handout most people can take for granted. I know statistically speaking that higher than 90 percent of the world’s poorest people repay their loans at the full (or at least in Pune where I was). It just goes to show that people want an opportunity to move forward and people want that opportunity to develop. Can you speak a little to your day-to-day work in Pune? I worked for seven hours a day. I would need a translator with me because [the clients] only spoke Marati, no English whatsoever. I asked a lot of questions and read a lot of material. I did research for microfinance in India as a whole. I kind of compiled what the organization PSW

was doing and consulted them. In doing that I got to interview around 30 different slum dwellers and got to visit their homes and interact with the families that were recipients of their loans. Did you experience some of the issues associated with microfinance, such as debt accumulation and loan sharking, during your work? What I saw and studied is that it just takes one bad apple to ruin the whole system. India right now as a whole is facing this transition in which they have to make policies that prevent people from exploiting other people. Right now the infrastructure and policy for microfinance in India is very young. There is definitely room for people to exploit impoverished communities in places like that. In your experience, do you find that the caste system is a reflection or reinforcement of the socioeconomic divides within India? From what I learned and what I read I think yes, that is exactly what society is built like. The wealthy people are of the higher castes, and I think it really is just a residual effect of the past. Do you think that helping socioeconomically can help to remove some of the social barriers or issues they have had in the past? Yeah definitely. I think microfinance is one of the most important things for India’s development and for emerging countries as a whole. These populations in the slums represent an enormous amount of India’s population that cannot be served by traditional banking because they do not have documentation. But as it has risen some people have taken it as an opportunity to make money for themselves and some have used it as an opportunity to

genuinely build something that they can pass on to future generations. You have also started to work with an organization called the Mercy Corps. How does that compare with your work back in India? Mercy Corps works on development issues but more through quasi-microfinance initiatives and so far it is that they invest money into key organizers so that people can use that money for themselves. What I saw in my experience with the Mercy Corps was that this was the outside perspective. Because here in India I deal with the people who use the money and the institutions that distribute the money. Mercy Corps applies for grants and projects and implements them around the world to spur economic development and create change from the ground up. Their mission is something that really resonated with me. It was a great summer internship I got to learn a lot. Is there anything else you would like to add? I would encourage everyone to study abroad in less traditional places like India, Africa or the Southeast in general. There is so much more to be learned than from a traditional European experience. The opportunities are out there, sometimes you just gotta ask. It was one of the best times of my life, I made some great friends and learned so much. India with its caste system or the social structures that have been left there although they are eroding they are still in place. The lower castes are still in the category of society where they are still poor. Even if they aren’t oppressed institutionally they are societally because that (the caste system) is still very present. Now these people truly have the opportunity to try to make a move up.


the guide

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014

THE HOYA

B3

THEATER FEATURE

’BAMA ROGUE

Jasmine White

Trials of Adult Life I wasn’t lucky enough to be one of those kids who was raised in one house her whole life. But because I have grown up changing residences every couple of years, it has never really bothered me. However, when my father called me a few weeks ago and told me that we were moving, it felt very different. I felt as if had lost something very important, as if something or someone had died. After we hung up, I went into the bathroom and bawled for almost an hour. I couldn’t cope with the tremendous sense of loss. In the beginning, I assumed I was just upset because I missed my family. I am hundreds of miles away from the people I love, and I won’t get to see any of them until December. But it wasn’t until a couple of days ago that I realized I was homesick, really, really homesick. I missed my bedroom walls. I missed the old wooden stairs that led to the front door. I missed the pink tile on our kitchen counters. I missed the place that I had been calling home for the past seven years. And now I realize that when I went into the bathroom that night and cried, it was because I was in a state of mourning. I cried because losing my home also meant losing something else. The memories I’ve created in my house and in my neighborhood are ones that I will forever cherish. I went through puberty in that house, wrote embarrassing poetry about my first real crush in that house, got ready for my first school dance in that house, put on my high school graduation robe in that house. That house is a part of me, and I feel it always will be just because those walls tell my story. I know how overdramatic this all sounds. In all honesty, a house is a just a house. Home is wherever family is, even if said family is in a tent somewhere in the wilderness. I’ve told myself this over and over again. But for some reason, I remain bothered. So much change has happened in the past few months. Every day I feel overwhelmed, and perhaps it is just that my emotions have reached their peak. Maybe I’ve just kept too much of my feelings inside. Or maybe it’s something else. When I said that I was in a state of mourning, I was not only referring to having to leave the house that I had grown to love but also to having to leave a stage in my life that I had grown very comfortable in. When I left my home state of Alabama, I did not realize how much growth I would need to go through in such a short amount of time. It has begun to dawn on me how big of a change college is. I now see that when I walked across that stage back in May to get my diploma, the thing I had worked all my life for, I was also giving something away. I was saying goodbye to my childhood and walking into a world of uncertainty and responsibility. Suddenly I am an adult, expected to know exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life. Suddenly I am on my own, expected to somehow make it without the people I have been relying on my entire life. They are not here for me to consult with, and phone calls and Skype chats only go so far in making me feel assured of myself. At this very moment, my father may be packing my things into cardboard boxes, storing away years of memories to take off to somewhere new and unknown. I cannot help but feel that he is also packing part of me away as well. I doubt what I am feeling is anything out of the ordinary. After all, I’m not the first person to experience her family moving to a new home, and I’m sure every freshman experiences this sort of crisis. But I cannot help but to continue to feel out of place everywhere I go. And the fact that I will have to go somewhere unfamiliar in December, a place that I do not know as home, makes me feel even more afflicted. Perhaps I am just being overdramatic and soon I will realize how silly I’m being, or maybe I’m still a kid, forever confused by the notion of what it means to grow up. Jasmine White is a freshman in the College. ’BAMA ROGUE appears every other Friday.

MICHELLE XU/THE HOYA

Work is underway for the set of Nomadic Theatre’s production of “boom,” which will open in Walsh Black Box Theatre on Oct. 30. The play is being produced by Suzanne Coles (COL ’17) and has been put together by the hard work and dedication of a student production team.

Behind the Scenes

The experience of theater production crews ALEX MITCHELL

Special to The Hoya

As we finally settle into fall, Georgetown’s campus theater season has launched into full swing. Productions by the Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society and Black Theatre Ensemble have already graced the various stages, making it clear that campus is brimming with on-stage talent. Yet it is easy to forget that the well-executed and well-put-together final production has taken months of work and planning, and that a large portion of this work is executed by a talented production team. Only when the lights go up on opening nights can the production crew see the fruits of their labor for the first time. Spring marks the sowing of the seeds of production. With Mask and Bauble, a young director applies and is chosen by the club’s board of seven to spearhead a show that she wants to do. The club board, in the words of 14-show-veteran Katherine Sisemore (MSB ’15), “guides a [Mask and Bauble] season as a whole.” The director begins work while the club board hires the rest of the directing staff. The producer will report to the board for the next seven months, making sure the play is staffed, on budget and on time. The stage manager takes charge of running all practical aspects on the stage, knowing how each technical item works. Together, this forms the core team. The director writes and distributes a 10-page concept that details his or her vision based on the script. It includes characters, key themes, setting, lighting and outlines of each aesthetic piece of the show. Some designers are hired prior to the summer to begin imagining their work. Cue summer and the brainstorming period. This is the time when designers begin to imagine how they will bring together the many artistic elements of the production. Black Theatre Ensemble music director, Jordan Blackwell (COL ’15) emphasized the importance of achieving this combination.

“In order for the audience to understand the playwright’s message, acting and music have to go hand in hand,” he said. In the case of the company’s recent production of “In the Red and Brown Water,” he had to find a way to match vocals to run atop an existing musical score. A similar brainstorming process took place in the mind of Zoe Novak (COL ’17), the sound designer for Mask and Bauble’s “Inherit the Wind.” She began hunting for music well before classes started in August, looking through countless clips for noises that fill in the space. “Only 40 to 60 percent of the audience will hear something,” Novak said. “I selected the songs before school started, once school began it was only fine-tuning the music to the production.” Now, with fall, comes the theater season. Classes begin again and the productions go into full swing. At the beginning of the year, all four student theater companies, Nomadic, Mask and Bauble, Children’s Theatre and Black Theatre Ensemble, are working on different projects. In August, the tight-knit directing staff looked to recruit freshmen and existing members to work on each department. Actors auditioned and production staff were hired. One such hire is Marnie Klein (NHS ’17), a member of the build team for Mask and Bauble, who maintains that the group dynamic can make or break any production. “The more opinions go in, the better the product,” Klein said. “I don’t know everything. It’s important to have everyone help out.” During the rehearsal process the production staff is hard at work. Each department holds the crucial responsibility of finding a way to execute the designer’s vision. Adam Bacigalupo (COL ’16) worked lighting for “In the Red and Brown Water,” a co-production between the Black Theatre Ensemble and the Theater and Performance Studies program. He worked under a professional lighting designer, learning from the professional’s experience. “You start with a dark space and you can

build anything with light and color,” he said, exuding an easily noticeable enthusiasm. The building continues and the show begins to come together. Sisemore noted the importance of research when designing costumes for Mask and Bauble’s “Inherit the Wind,” including investigating hairstyles from the early 20th century, accruing pictures of Katherine Hepburn and Fred Astaire for inspiration. As tech week approaches, sets and lighting reach their final stages. Nomadic Theatre’s tech director, Leia Alex (SFS ‘16), instructs production staff members as they assemble the final parts of the set late past midnight. “Time sensitivity,” she said about directing the production staff, “That’s the most stressful part. I have to make sure that everything is functional. Lights. Soundboard. Make sure the set is existent. Lights are the biggest push with a crazy plot, it’s a lot to deal with.” The weekly meetings among production teams ramp up. Tech week begins. Sisemore spends hours in the dressing room, talking with the actors as she does their hair, while Bacigalupo is restricted to the lighting box, running cues from what he argues is “the best seat in the house.” Black Theatre Ensemble stage manager Abi Vega (COL ’17) runs around backstage making sure actors are ready for their cues, and checking the props she has purchased. It’s opening night, and the show begins. Blackwell sits in the audience, running over his notes he gave the actors. The curtains open, the stage flushed in color. The two actors enter the stage, perfectly timed. The audience dives into the show while somewhere nestled well behind the scenes, the members of the production crew are still toiling away. The show runs like clockwork and halfway into the first act, the crew can breathe, taking in a moment of unusual calm. The work of the production crews is incessant and exhausting, and may often be forgotten by the audience taking in the final performance. Yet it is clear that it is exactly this work which makes the artistic vision truly come to life.

CAMPUS FEATURE

Students Given Ethical Consumer Choices JUSTICE, from B1 Workers for these companies receive fair wages and sustainable careers, unlike many other well-known fashion companies. To create even more of a social impact, these companies donate profits to charity and work to “enhance the lives of their workers,” according to their website. Thus, not only can you feel good wearing their clothes, but you can also feel good about where these clothes came from and how they were made.

The ultimate goal of the venture is to implement ethical fashion into Georgetown culture, but also work toward a long-term goal of using the profit to donate to a Washington, D.C. charity at the end of every school year. Yet another long-term and ambitious goal is for Wearable Justice to not only be a success and make a social impact here at Georgetown, but also to spread the social impact throughout the District. “This is something we’re hoping to bring to other D.C. based schools,”

NATASHA THOMSON/THE HOYA

Some of the colorful bags sold by Wearable Justice on campus, made by workers for companies that promise fair wages.

Maxmin said While this may be an ambitious goal, Wearable Justice has already exceeded the team’s expectations of success in its second semester on campus and is certainly on the road to making an even greater impression. “We’ve been really successful. Our first month operating on campus,our sales were much better than we had originally forecasted for our opening month,” Maxmin said. “Monetarily and fiscally we have been doing really good, which has been really exciting. So we’re placing really big orders, winter scarves and stuff like that.” Vice Presdient of marketing, Natalia Peña (COL ’17), sees the organization’s support only increasing in the future. “When speaking to individuals who stop by our table to browse products, I find that they are very interested by our cause.,” Peña said. ‘What I want to achieve is this interest on social media platforms as well, to help expand our brand and our message that ethical fashion does indeed matter to the everyday Georgetown student.” The company is also looking to host a lecture series on conscious consumers in ethical fashion, for which they already have Georgetown professor Sarah Stiles from the department

of sociology as well as various other CEOs committed to speak. In order to maximize its accessibility and outreach, Wearable Justice delivers anywhere for Georgetown students or faculty members. Customers can customize clothes or purchase items found on the website. The team is consistently looking to increase volume of clothing, so there are currently new arrivals pouring in for winter, on top of the already available scarves, tops, backpacks, purses and belts, among others. Wearable Justice is looking for new members to get involved. They table at the Farmer’s Market in Red Square every Wednesday or in Red Square on Fridays. Starting in early November, Wearable Justice team members can be found Tuesdays through Fridays in the Healey Family Student Center. Maxmin credits the extensive student support for the non-profit’s ongoing success. “I am so impressed and I think my whole team is with how responsive and supportive the Georgetown community has been with what we’re trying to do,” Maxmin said. The nonprofit ethical fashion distribution company is on its way to much success and will certainly make an impressive difference on the Georgetown campus and beyond.


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the guide

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014

APPS

LEVEL MONEY Free

SMITHSONIAN

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden’s exhibit, “Days of Endless Time,” features modern movement pieces that play off of themes of solitude, simplicity, meditation and modern transcendentalism.

New Exhibit Comes to Life EMILY WELCH

Special to The Hoya

I

n a world plagued by a constant onslaught of information and social media activity, it is hard to stand still. Stillness, in fact, triggers boredom, which recent studies show is a more uncomfortable reality than being in physical pain for many people. Artists counter the ephemerality of today’s digital age and the culture of hyper connectivity in “Days of Endless Time,” currently on show at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., through April 17, as part of the gallery’s yearlong celebration of its 40th anniversary. The exhibit serves as a benchmark for modern transcendentalism, filled with hauntingly tranquil imagery and pieces selected to emphasize themes of solitude, simplicity and meditation. Works such as Eija-Liisa Ahtila’s “Horizontal,” a six-channel moving image of a giant Scandinavian spruce tree, invoke the sublimity of the natural world. “Horizontal” also defies the Cartesian notion of a single vantage point. The tree is filmed in vertical sections then realigned horizontally to form an arresting, beautiful wall-length image. The motion of the virtual and tender wind seems to give the tree human breath as it melodically swishes the leaves. Yet, not all works are as restful — “DeadSee,” a piece in which Israeli artist Sigalit Landau floats naked in

an unwinding spiral of watermelons, many of which are gashed or spilling red juice that evokes carnage, comments on the political unrest in the Middle East in a surprising and evocative way. Although diverse, all the works in the exhibit are underscored by the cyclical visualization of time and the relationship between man and nature. Guido van der Werve’s performance-based work, “The Day I Didn’t Turn With the World,” is a time-lapse video that captures van der Werve’s tenacity as he stood at the North Pole for 24 hours, spinning slowly against the Earth’s rotation. Melissa Chiu, the museum’s new director, cites this genre of moving art as foundational to today’s art. “Video and film are cornerstones of the art of our time. As the Hirshhorn enters its next decade, movingimage art remains an important focus,” Chiu said in a recent interview for the Smithsonian’s Newsdesk. The only embellishment in the gallery is the art itself, which has both a jarring and calming effect. It is one of those exhibits where you can almost feel the churning of everyone’s brooding minds, as they are forced further into their inner psyche by each piece. The slow and uncomplicated nature of the pieces cast a chilling aura of introspection throughout the halls of the exhibit, one that is hard to pin down. Even though many of the images are aesthetically pleasing, there is a sense of unease that lingers

in between synth soundtracks and bubbling brooks. Arguably, the most bizarre piece in the collection is Hans-Peter Feldmann’s “Shadowplay,” a backlit display of 10 spinning platforms artistically featuring typically mundane objects. One platform presents a naked and disfigured Barbie doll, half of a toy cow, a crawling baby doll and a toy soldier, with a pink hairbrush as the centerpiece. These moving silhouettes showcase the German art of scherenschnitte, an art form of papercutting. The projection and eerie shadows of childlike objects are intended to remind viewers of the timeless enchantment of bedtime stories. There is something for everyone to ponder in “Days of Endless Time.” Even Lady Gaga makes a cameo in a video-portrait by Robert Wilson, which debuted at the Louvre last fall. This piece is a fragment of one of Gaga’s most subdued and intriguing artist collaborations to date. The work is an interpretation of “Mademoiselle Caroline Riviere,” painted in 1806 by the French neoclassical artist Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres and depicting a 15-year-old girl dressed in a virginal white mousseline dress who exudes sensuality through her full lips and winding boa. The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is open from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day. While there to see “Days of Endless Time,” check out the stunning garden and gallery displays, which are free of charge to the public.

DAMSEL IN DENMARK

Danish Food Market Bursts With Flavor

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very Wednesday at approximately der one (well, two), roofs. On my first 5:30 p.m., I get a Facebook notifi- go around, it took me over an hour to cation reminding me that the decide where I would eat and I ended Georgetown University Farmers’ Mar- up only getting a pastry from what I ket starts in 30 minutes. Although later found out to be a chain bakery. I have greatly missed all of the free On the plus side, the free samples led samples and the fresh smell of crepes to a greater understanding of which walking to my classes in the ICC, I have ones would let you pass by a few times found a consoling refuge in Copenha- without giving you dirty looks. On my gen at Torvehallerne KBH. second trip, I went on a fresh produce With more than 60 stalls split be- mission, only to find out that basil will tween the two glass buildings, Torve- die if you leave for a week, so I left with hallerne, better known as “the glass just a few apples. market,” is the biggest food market in The third time was the charm. I had Copenhagen. The incredible market at- reinforcements, my two friends, on tracts more than 60,000 vistitors each this mission: lunch. We walked around week with its array of tempting treats. all morning and needed lunch stat. In Hall 1, there are mainly As it was their first time to savory foods while most of Torvehallerne, it was manthe sweets and cafes can be datory that we go through found in Hall 2. In between both halls before deciding the halls are farmers selling where to eat. After passing their fresh, organic produce by rød twice, we had made and the occasional pop-up our decision. restaurant. Rød is a kind of Danish Fortunately for me, but porridge that can be eaten somewhat unfortunately for Christina Wing as a meal, snack or dessert. my wallet, I bike past TorveIt has the same consistency hallerne every day on my commute to as oatmeal but a heartier texture. The and from classes. On my early morning taste largely depends on which bowl bike ride, the shops are just opening you choose since the porridge itself and the fresh roast of Coffee Collective, doesn’t have much of a flavor. I chose arguably some of the best coffee in Co- the Indian-style rød, which consisted penhagen, can be smelled from across of chickpeas and greens in curry sauce the street. In the early evenings, things with a yogurt topping. The combinaare in full swing. Crowds of people are tion of the spicy and cool sauces atop shopping for dinner, meeting friends the warm, hearty rød and chick peas for drinks and standing right in the was perfection. It was exactly what I middle of the bike lane (to add to the needed to warm up and it was much stress of my rush hour commute). more filling than soup. I have greatly exercised my willpowI can now proudly say that I have aler by not stopping every day and lim- most mastered the glass market. I have iting myself to one weekly trip. Each a “go-to” fish place and regular rapport time that I enter, I find myself still with some of the farmers about the mesmerized at all of the amazing op- best tomatoes. I even found a non-chain tions. I could easily go every day from bakery to get my pastries. It might now until the end of my semester and have taken me three trips for a “sucstill not get bored with my choices. By cessful” trip to the glass market, but now, I have gotten my technique down as with everything else during study on how to properly walk around the abroad, it is all a learning experience, glass market, savory hall and then the and I’m just here for the (bike) ride. sweets hall, and for the most part, how to time things just right, mid-after- Christina Wing is a junior in the Mcnoons on weekdays. Donough School of Business studying My weekly trips have allowed me to abroad in Copenhagen. DAMSEL IN DENexpand my culinary experiences all un- MARK appears every other Friday.

This new app is a great resource for college students. It analyzes your bank accounts to let you know just how much you can spend to stay within your budget. It has the ability to track income, bills and savings to display a spendable amount. In addition, it tracks transactions and categorizes them in an easy, color-coded interface that makes finances painless. Supported by over 2,000 banks, Level Money links to your bank account so you do not need to enter anything manually. This app effectively displays how much you can spend and is invaluable in keeping your finances on track.

SPRING Free Ever find yourself at Yates without a good playlist to match your workout? With this new app, this is no longer a problem. With upbeat songs picked by artists and friends alike, Spring makes it easy to change the tempo of your music to match the intensity of your exercise activity. It even synchronizes movement to different songs so users never find themselves listening to a song that is too slow. The app works as a more specialized version of Spotify, as its social media integration allows users to share playlists and rate other songs to add to their own playlists.

SKYPE QIK Free The issue of group video messaging on a mobile format is no more with this new app, which allows users to easily create group chats and record and share videos. A unique aspect is the ability to delete messages from the chat which erases them from the conversation. The minimalist design makes it easy to navigate, and there are no login, usernames or passwords to remember. Similar to SnapChat, this app creates a new way to send locationbased messages and videos to individuals or groups.

LIFESTYLE TIP

WINE CORK BULLETIN BOARD

savedbylovecreations.com Do you enjoy your wine and hate throwing away the corks? This easy DIY cork board is the perfect weekend project for you. You will need a large picture frame with raised edges, enough wine corks to fill this frame (approximately 80 to 150), a utility knife and a hot glue gun. First, remove the glass from the picture frame so only the wood or cardboard backing remains. Next, decide on a pattern for your corks. You can keep it simple by lining them up in rows, or you can look online for a cool chevron or zigzag pattern. Then, starting in the center of the frame, use the hot glue gun to attach the corks to the frame. Continue until you get close to the edges, where you may need to cut the corks into halves or smaller pieces to fit them in. You’ll be left with a classy and practical display board!.

A LEOPARD IN SINGITA SABI RESERVE | SOUTH AFRICA

ISABEL BINAMIRA FOR THE HOYA


the guide

friday, october 24, 2014

THE HOYA

B5

RESTAURANt review

Quality French Cuisine Is Well Worth the Expense La chaumière

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2813 M St. NW Cuisine: French $$$$ Sarah Hour Staff Writer

Last weekend was Parents’ Weekend, which really only meant one thing: Hoyas were out and about dining on their parents’ dime. Instead of grabbing a hot chick at Wisey’s, my roommates and I ate a nice meal at La Chaumière, a small French restaurant located at 2813 M St., courtesy of my parents. The restaurant immediately gave off a cozy vibe as we walked in. It felt like we had been transported to a French countryside inn, with its white stucco walls, brown wooden beams and stone fireplace. There were lights strung along the top of the wall and a vase of sunflowers at each table, further emphasizing the comfortable and warm atmosphere of the restaurant. We were seated on the second floor of the restaurant, which was smaller but more intimate than the main floor. The menu at La Chaumière offers a wide variety of dishes and includes a “Daily Specials” section, which changes depending on the season and availability of fresh local meats and produce. The menu also offers an assortment of wines that are produced predominantly in France and the United States. Our server helped us decide on several starters for the table. We ordered saumon fume (Atlantic

smoked salmon, $11), palourdes farcies a la provencale (baked clams, $8.95) and moules farcies a la bourguignonne (baked mussels, $8.25). The baked clams and mussels were phenomenal. Both were cooked in the same type of sauce, which tasted like a mixture of olive oil, pesto and garlic among other ingredients. The sauce was so decadent that we dipped our leftover bread in it, just to have more. The salmon was also enjoyable. The flavorful fish was served atop buttery toast, and the combination melted in my mouth. Next, we ordered our entrees. I decided to try the fricassee du pecheur ($22.95), a fish stew filled with clams, shrimp, mussels and scallops seasoned with an aioli emulsion. The soup was exactly what I needed after a long week of school and a shift into colder autumn weather. It was filled with more than enough fresh seafood; whenever I thought I had finished the seafood in my soup, I would find another hidden piece of scallop or fish. One of my friends ordered saumon marine en croûte (marinated salmon puff pastry, champagne and dill sauce, $24.00). The puff pastry was buttery but also light. I also stole a bite of my dad’s dish, magret de canard (marinated duck breast in black currant sauce,

$24.00), and it was wonderfully cooked. My two other roommates ordered dishes that they also were very impressed by: the scalopines de veau a la francaise, (veal piccato, veal jus and lemon butter, $23.00) and St. Jaques provencale, (sea scallops with garlic and tomatoes, $24.50). Everyone finished every last bite of their dishes, which suffice it to say, demonstrates that the food was wonderful. Finally, we ordered two types of souffles — Grand Marnier and chocolate ($11 each). I’ve never had a souffle before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Our server pierced the top of each souffle and then poured a white sauce over both. The souffles were the perfect way to end the dinner — they were light and airy, but also sweet and satisfying. My dad declared that I needed to learn how to make them for Thanksgiving, which I’m pretty sure is easier said than done. Overall, the dinner was great. The service was fast, and the servers were helpful, pleasant and attentive. If you ever want to go to a French restaurant that has a variety of seafood options, then this is the place. La Chaumière is open from Monday to Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch, and it is open from Monday to Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. for dinner.

RESTAURANT review

Foggy Bottom Deli Disappoints With Sandwiches and Service FoBoGro

SARAH HOUR/THE HOYA

French restaurant La Chaumière serves high quality, delicious cuisine including the Atlantic smoked salmon (top) and garlic scallops (bottom).

RECIPES

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2140 F St. NW | Cuisine: American | $$$$ Nick Biggs-Chiropolos Special to The Hoya

“Cheap and close to campus” were the two criteria for restaurants that two of my friends who attend The George Washington University gave me when I decided to meet up with them for dinner one night. I did a quick online search and found a deli with an intriguing menu called FoBoGro, which is a contraction for Foggy Bottom Grocery. FoBoGro is a local grocery-deli located on the GWU campus near several of the dorms. The top floor is a small grocery and convenience store, and the bottom floor is a deli. I automatically drew a parallel to Wisemiller’s Grocery and Deli here at Georgetown as both are studentfriendly locations and offer an array of college necessities. I was surprised to find that this deli had a well-designed website that gave some history of FoBoGro. It has existed in its present location for over 60 years but was bought by three GWU alumni and reopened in 2009. The menu listed interesting items such as a grilled cheese deluxe” and a PBJB (peanut butter and jelly sandwich with granola and banana). Clearly the owners had put a lot of thought into their menu and tried to offer interesting meals and a user-friendly website, so I had high expectations for FoBoGro. At 5 p.m., FoBoGro was hardly

crowded, which gave us time to browse the menu and order our sandwiches. I got the avocado BLT ($6.29) since I love the classic BLT but figured avocado would make it even better. One of my friends ordered the FoBoGro margherita ($6.99) and the other ordered The Wellesley ($8.49). I also saw a basket of homemade brownies ($2.75) next to the cash register, so I decided to try one of those as well. they were tiny but nearly three dollars each, so I expected the brownie to be something special. Instead, mine was dry and hard with no distinct flavor. Although there was only one other person in the deli and we could see several staff members, my friends and I had to wait for around ten minutes next to the deli counter after ordering, which was a very long time for some sandwiches, particularly at a seemingly quiet time of day. Finally, they gave us the avocado BLT and the FoBoGro margherita. We waited five minutes more, and then my friend asked about his Wellesley sandwich, and it turned out they had forgotten his order, so we had to wait a while longer for them to make it. Since FoBoGro does not have space for seating, one has the option to either eat on a few benches right outside on the street or at the very small public park right next to the building. The park provided us a

NICK BIGGS-CHIROPOLOS FOR THE HOYA

FoBoGro offers great convenience to GWU students but fails to impress with its mediocre food and ingredients and slow service.

nice setting to enjoy our meals. Unfortunately, my avocado BLT was not as enjoyable as I had hoped. Its thin white bread was dry and gave little substance to the sandwich. The sandwich is described as being a classic BLT with avocado and chipotle mayo. While I ordered it hoping that the avocado would add a nice flavor to the bacon sandwich, the spicy chipotle flavor completely took over. It drowned out the taste of the avocado and the other vegetables, which sadly appeared somewhat less than fresh. There was so little bacon that I barely even realized it was there. My friend who ordered the FoBoGro margherita was similarly disappointed. It was a classic mozzarella, tomato and basil sandwich with the addition of roasted red peppers. However, he felt that the flavor of the peppers overpowered the rest of the ingredients, so he pulled them out. He said that the bread was very soggy in some parts, despite having just been made, while otherwise being very dry. Nevertheless, he was happy that the sandwich had a lot of mozzarella cheese and complimented the salty, fresh flavor of the basil pesto. My other friend, who ate The Wellesley, was generally satisfied with his sandwich but felt that it hadn’t been worth the wait. The sandwiches did not come with any sides, so we all finished very quickly. Adding insult to injury, I felt my stomach churning and grumbling just a few hours later, which exacerbated my disappointment in the meal. My friends concluded that they hadn’t been particularly impressed with FoBoGro but would nevertheless be convinced to go back due to its convenient location for those at GWU. However, the convenience factor certainly doesn’t exist for Georgetown students, and there are several other similarly priced but better options in Foggy Bottom, so I see no reason to return myself. Overall, I was impressed by the concept of FoBoGro but not the attention to detail. The sandwich menu had interesting ideas, but the small portion sizes and bland ingredients did not provide the meal that I had hoped for. Additionally, the long wait and the staff forgetting one of our sandwiches made the service a disappointment as well. With enthusiastic owners, I think FoBoGro has potential to be a very good deli, but it is just not there right now.

Butternut Squash Soup

bbcgoodfood.com Now that fall is most definitely here, it’s finally acceptable to move from summer salads to warmer soups and stews. This recipe is quick for hard-pressed college students but still delicious and satisfying on a cold autumn day.

INGREDIENTS

1 butternut squash, peeled and deseeded 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 tbsp. butter 2 onions, diced

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced 2 mild red chiles, deseeded and finely chopped 850 ml. hot vegetable stock 4 tbsp. creme fraiche, with extra for serving

First, heat the oven to 390 F. Cut the squash into large cubes around 1 1/2 inches across, then toss them into a large roasting tin along with half the olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes, until they look golden and are soft. Meanwhile, melt the butter with the rest of the oil in a large saucepan, then add the onions, garlic and 3/4 of the chili. Cover it all and cook on a very low heat for 15 to 20 minutes until the onions are soft. Now add the squash to the pan, along with the stock and the creme fraiche, then blend it all together until smooth. Return the mix to the pan, gently reheat, and finally season. Serve the soup in bowls with swirls of creme fraiche and a scattering of the remaining chopped chili.

English harvest Cocktail

foodandwine.com Although this doesn’t sound like a cocktail, its sweet combination of almond and apple flavors make it the perfect autumn drink.

INGREDIENTS

1 oz. London dry gin 3/4 oz. bonded apple brandy 3/4 oz. dry vermouth 3/4 oz. unfiltered apple juice 1/4 oz. orgeat (almond-flavored syrup) 3 drops of Angostura bitters 1 spiral-cut orange twist, for garnish Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all ingredients except the garnish and shake well. Strain the mix and garnish with the orange twist to serve.

Bebame el dorado county red 2011

nytimes.com This Californian red from El Dorado County complements the sweeter notes of the butternut squash soup without being overpowering. It is said to be fitting for fall too, as it has a distinctive streak of thyme to it. The wine is also relatively low in alcohol content, allowing the red fruit flavor to come through instead. Another plus is that it is very affordable at under $20.


B6

the guide

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014

ALBUM REVIEW

MOVIE REVIEW

Sadnecessary

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Milky Chance ELLIE GOONETILLAKE Special to The Hoya

The chances are that if you have heard of Milky Chance, it has been because of “Stolen Dance.” The song now has almost 80 million views on YouTube and is a party staple. It also acted as the means by which Milky Chance broke into the American alternative market this year. “Sadnecessary” is the debut album of the alternative-electronica duo from Kassel, Germany, and “Stolen Dance” is the biggest hit from it, having peaked at number one in 15 countries worldwide. Although “Stolen Dance” is definitely the standout song from the album, it would be unfair to say that Milky Chance is a one-hit European wonder. In fact, it have the potential to be the next big pop duo, in the model of Daft Punk. It definitely has the electro, synthpop beat and catchiness that the French robotic pair mastered. Even songs such as “Loveland” are impossible to get out of your head after just one play. What makes Milky Chance different is its ability to bridge over multiple musical genres, to make a sound that is definitively its own. The duo cites Bob Marley and the Red Hot Chili Peppers as its musical influences and claim that their goal is to combine the singer-songwriter style with an electronic sound. This is apparent on the second single from their album, “Down by the River,” which has all the

raspy vocals of Marcus Mumford but the fast tempo of a club classic. This is also easy to see on the track “Stunner” which combines sluggish, slowly sung vocals with a reggae guitar riff in the background. In the world of repetitive club beats and dance music, songs like “Stolen Dance” are also refreshing in being catchy without being reliant on a bass drop, in the same way that “Get Lucky” was. Milky Chance tackles the pop world in a more subtle way, without following the musical trends of the time in a copycat manner. The album does have its flaws. It is at times repetitive, with songs like “Fairytale” echoing the same lyrics and failing to go anywhere. Songs like “Sweet Sun,” which are more alternative-rock than the folk-pop combo of “Down by the River,” don’t really give the listener anything new. Despite its attempt at combining multiple musical genres, the album also manages to be bland at times. There are songs that seem to run into each other and are somewhat interchangeable. The title track “Sadnecessary” uses the same soaring vocal harmony as “Becoming,” and neither of the two songs stands out on the album. Having said this, the album manages to tackle the mixture of musical influences, which may have been its Achilles’ heel, with great success. Instead of being lost in the different mu-

FLUX FM

Alternative-electronica German duo Milky Chance broke the American charts with ‘“Stolen Dance” and looks set to continue its success.

LICHTDICHT RECORDS

sical genres, Milky Chance still maintains a strong identity, in part because of to the distinctive voice of the lead singer, Clemens Rehbein. Songs like “Running” juxtapose the upbeat sentiment of “Stolen Dance” by adopting a darker, moodier sound, with a menacing undertone. Here, the lyrics are stronger, and Rehbein sings “And what about you, you drunken soul, is that your own will to go?” showing that Milky Chance doesn’t rely just on catchy melodies alone. Another strength that Milky Chance has is, despite its success in the alternative market, the fact that all of its songs have the elusive quality of being danceable, and of course, catchy. Milky Chance must also be applauded for its total lack of reliance on gimmicks, and despite its somewhat obscure roots and subversion of a typically “pop” image, it manages to not be pretentious. How successful Milky Chance will be in the future remains to be seen. The Billboard charts at the moment are dominated by marketable, young female pop stars — Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Jessie J to name a few. Duos rarely do well in the U.S. pop charts, with the exception of course of Daft Punk. What’s more, is that Milky Chance is composed of two scruffy, bearded men who rarely give interviews — a far cry from the men dominating the pop charts today, not to mention the members of popular boy bands. Nevertheless, it has built a solid fan base in Europe, where its album has been out for almost a year and a half, but whether it can translate this into American chart success is unknowable for now. What is on Milky Chance’s side is its confidence in blending musical influences: it seems to be the first act to so boldly use electro-dance beats with the sound of an acoustic guitar, and to have it work so well.

THE BEAT

Elusive Band Has Potential for Fame

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his week I decided to throw it back a bit and write about a group that visits the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore area frequently during their tours. The Naked and Famous are a rapidly rising indie/alternative rock band from Auckland, New Zealand, and I can almost guarantee that you have heard at least one of their songs whether you realize it or not. They are the type of band to have one of their upbeat hits plastered all over commercials aimed at the millennial generation in order to promote some new high-tech device. If you have seen the commercial for the Canon EOS DSLR camera or the recent Trident Gum Tropical Twist advert, then you have experienced the celebrated hit “Young Blood.” The song has that distinct electro sound that has been making a comeback in recent years, as well as the synth-pop beat that I have alluded to in the last couple of columns. According to Nick Ward of The Nelson Mail, the song contains “the spirit of the youth,” and that could not be truer, especially after watching the music video. The video emphasizes rebellion and experiencing life through the eyes of today’s youth. In fact, the group’s other knockout single, “Punching in a Dream,” embraces almost that same sound of today’s generation with its similar synth-pop genre that is echoed in the keyboards and drums of members Aaron Short and Jesse Wood, respectively. The Naked and Famous are one of those bands that play music that should only be listened to at a high volume or, if possible, live, because the

experience becomes that much better. A few weeks ago I wrote on Chance The Rapper and his performance at Governor’s Ball in New York City. The reason I wanted to attend the festival was purely based around the fact that The Naked and Famous were playing mid-day and I could not stand to miss it. This would be my second time see-

Bryson Greene ing the group, and it became my favorite show to date. Last fall I was able to finagle tickets to their show at the 9:30 club. However, because of the limited capacity of the venue, I felt there was a lack of volume and amplification of the band’s sound, therefore they did not reach their full potential. However, being outside for the second performance was incredible due to the shattering noise of the bass drum and the high-pitched scream of the keyboards. When it comes down to it, and if you have a choice, you should really see the group perform in an open-air venue. The Naked and Famous have been my favorite band, indisputably, for the last several years now, and they are only improving. The next song is always even better than the last. There are few bands out there that

can play their set list and outperform their own music until the climatic spike at the end of the concert when we arrive at the presentation of “Young Blood.” The group has a distinct sound to their music, which I believe is why they have developed such a strong following not only here in the United States but all over the world at different venues and festivals each time. Despite having a large fan base, the group hasn’t yet taken off as I thought they would have at this time last year or even two years ago. Their shortage of success may be attributed to the lack of banter and fan interaction during performances, something I wish they could do more. Interaction with a fan base speaks volumes for a group; it makes the fans believe that they are being appreciated and a part of a group’s rise to fame. Nevertheless, The Naked and Famous are still an ascending band, hungry for success and hopefully their stock will continue to rise. Whether it be the miraculous voice of lead singer Alisa Xayalith or the power of lead guitarist Thom Powers (pun not intended), I am positive we will all know who The Naked and Famous are soon enough. Indoor Concert Grade: B+ Outdoor Concert Grade: A Songs: “All of This,” “Rolling Waves,” “Young Blood” Bryson Greene is a senior in the College. THE BEAT appears every other Friday.

BEST BETS

SCREENSLAM.COM

Michael Keaton returns to the big screen in “Birdman” as an actor haunted by his past superhero roles in an original production.

Birdman

 Starring: Michael Keaton Directed by: Alejandro González Iñárritu NICOLE JARVIS Hoya Staff Writer

“Birdman” is the story of Riggan Thomson, a washed-up film actor best known for his role as the titular superhero Birdman, a franchise that peaked more than 20 years ago. His career has been stagnant since he turned down “Birdman 4” and in a last-ditch attempt to salvage both his acting career and his personal self- worth, he is funding, writing, directing and starring in an adaptation of Raymond Carver’s novel “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” on Broadway. Along with a noteworthy cast including Emma Stone and Naomi Watts, Thomson is played with aplomb by superhero film veteran Michael Keaton, who is most well-known for his performance as Batman in Tim Burton’s 1989 adaptation. And perhaps it is this personal similarity between the character and the actor that allows Keaton to bring Riggan to life so vividly, capturing the angst and drive of a man hell-bent on earning the respect he believes he has always deserved, but has never been given. Just like Keaton has never really been able to move fully beyond Batman, Riggan is haunted by his past as Birdman. But unlike Keaton, Riggan is literally haunted by Birdman, who exists in this world as a dark and threatening voice in Riggan’s head. This specter loudly and regularly forces the main character to consider his bleak fortunes and his failures as an actor, director, husband and father. In other words, the Birdman in Riggan’s head makes him face the reality that he’s a terrible person. When Mike Shiner, a new egomaniacal co-star (played by the ever-present Edward Norton) steps in and steals the positive public attention Riggan so craves just days before the premiere, Riggan and the voice inside his head become even more embroiled in maintaining the balance of sanity, depression, ego and the impending opening night performance, not to mention the subsequent New York Times review that will guarantee either financial success or ruin. As a film, “Birdman” is an excellent introduction to the concept of magical realism. Popular in Spanish literature, the genre blends elements of the fantastic and unexplained into an otherwise familiar reality. Director Alejandro González Iñárritu certainly does

not shy away from injecting the film with both fantastic and disorienting aspects. From the first shot, Riggan is shown to possess psychic powers — levitation and telepathy — though as the film progresses it becomes more apparent that these abilities are not real, but are rather a manifestation, like Birdman’s constant presence, of Riggan’s clearly unstable mental health. And in a particularly memorable scene, the world of his Birdman past blends into Riggan’s real world as a massive battle rages around him that looks very familiar because it could be from literally any big-budget blockbuster of the last eight years. Iñárritu makes beautiful films, but many of his techniques are designed to throw off the audience, to make them hyper-aware of their role as a viewer and to make them uncomfortable. He does this with a technique called the “long take,” where extended periods of action and dialogue are captured in a single sweeping take. This can mean extended close ups of actor’s faces while they exchange dialogue or a frantic walk-and-talk that swings through the small backstage corridors of the Broadway theater where the majority of the film takes place. It can mean dizzyingly fluid shifts of perspective or a single shot lingering on an empty hallway for enough time to make the viewer wonder, “What is happening that I can’t see?” This film asks some very big questions about what it means to be loved and respected, about the fallacy of both the big-budget superhero film industry and the selfcongratulatory nature of Broadway and stage performance in general. One calls itself art, while the other knows it’s not even close. Neither are what they market themselves to be. The same is true of the flawed and broken people that populate the film: Riggan and the voice in his head; his daughter Sam (played by Emma Stone), who is fresh out of rehab; Shiner and his pursuit of honesty in his craft but not with his wife and co-star Lesley (Naomi Watts). Everyone who lives in the world of Birdman is a terrible person. But what’s worse: being a terrible person, or masking that with personal conviction that you are right and just and that everyone around you is a spineless hack? “Birdman” is a movie that I will be thinking about for a long time. If early award season buzz is to be believed, it is one we will be hearing about for a long time as well.

ON CAMPUS

TRADITIONS DAY

BIG HUNT

ENVISIONING KOREAN UNIFICATION

HOYAS ON THE HILL BREAKFAST

WHEN: Today, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. WHERE: Copley Lawn INFO: facebook.com PRICE: Free

WHEN: Saturday, 9 a.m. WHERE: Starts on campus, all over D.C. INFO: guevents.georgetown.edu PRICE: Free

WHEN: Tuesday, 2:30 to 4 p.m. WHERE: ICC 302-P INFO: guevents.georgetown.edu PRICE: Free

WHEN: Tuesday 8 to 9:30 a.m. WHERE: Career Center, Seminar Room 1 INFO: careercenter.georgetown.edu PRICE: Free

Kick off Homecoming Weekend with some real Hoya spirit. Come hangout on Copley Lawn and learn about Georgetown traditions while enjoying free GUGS burgers and T-shirts. Student groups will be performing throughout the day, and Jack the Bulldog will make an appearance. It’s the perfect day to celebrate all you love about life on the Hilltop and why you’re proud to call Georgetown home.

Want to bond with some new floormates or meet new friends while also getting to know D.C.? Bring your competitive spirit and sign up for the Big Hunt. This scavenger hunt that starts on campus and takes you throughout the city on a mission of being the best firstyear team is the ideal opportunity to branch out and explore D.C. while spending time making new friends.

Join Victor Cha, director of Asian studies; Michael Marshall, editor of “The Korean Dream: A Vision for Korean Unification” and Jin Shin, president of the Institute for Peace Affairs and professor at Chungnam National University in South Korea for an interesting conversation regarding the potential for a single Korean state given the history of conflict in the region.

It’s no secret that many Hoyas are hoping to get involved in the political sphere both now and after graduation. To help these students get to that place, the Career Center will be hosting a breakfast with Georgetown alumni who have made their careers on the Hill. Make sure to attend for good food and great conversation about what your future could look like.


the guide

friday, october 24, 2014

Movie Review

John Wick Special to The Hoya

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“John Wick” never pretends to be more than it is: a simple, sleek and exciting action shooter. Playing the titular character, Keanu Reeves is back to his gunslinging ways — and he delivers mightily. Chad Stahelski, Reeve’s “Matrix” stunt double, co-directs and proves that fight scenes are truly his strong suit. This exciting team succeeds in creating one of the most entertaining assassin films in years. John Wick is a retired contract killer, enjoying life as a family man in a beautiful (murder-fund-

ed) home with his wife. The movie’s first scenes show her passing away and leaving John a dog in her memory. Soon, Russian thugs kill the dog, and Mr. Wick returns to his former assassin career, bloodthirsty for revenge. It’s a very simple, short story without a real “good” guy. There is no attempt to portray any kind of depth in the screenplay, but this allows viewers to enjoy the film for what it is. It’s all surface-level, but, granted, this surface is mesmerizingly cool. The film exudes neo-noir with a predominantly gray-scale color schematic. Every car is black, every suit Wick wears is black and just about every scene has a black

TEASER-TRAILER.COM

New action movie “John Wick” entertains with shooting, stunts and a fast-moving plot, though the film lacks emotional depth.

Sweet Talker

Jasmine White Special to The Hoya

English singer Jessie J first began to receive attention back in 2011 with powerhouse tracks such as “Do it Like a Dude” as well as the eternally catchy “Price Tag.” Now she’s back with her third full album “Sweet Talker,” which, for the most part, hits the mark. With tracks ranging from pseudo-elec-

overcast. It’s ominous. The only real break from this is the pervasive splatter of blood. This neo-noir aura is accentuated by the set and costume designs, which are consistently very sleek and modern. Wick’s home is large, white and furnished with expensive block-like furniture. His beloved muscle car is dark and polished. Aside from the white Tshirt he wears in his house, John is always decked out in completely black attire with slicked-back hair. The rest of the characters are similarly smooth and elegant in their dress. John is a man of few words, but that’s no problem for Keanu Reeves, who doesn’t seem to have any trouble being a silent killer. Striking with “Matrix”-reminiscent precision, Reeves never lets up in this film. He is back to his old ways, and this is just the role his career needed. Not only is he near perfect for this type of character, but it will also undoubtedly reshape his own image which has practically fallen off the map in the past decade. Viewers have been waiting patiently for another Keanu box-office killer, and I expect “John Wick” has given them just that. Reeves is also receiving an enormous amount of support from a high-profile cast in “John Wick.” Willem Dafoe plays Marcus, John’s only friend, and — no surprise — he plays a fellow assassin. Dafoe delivers his work the way many have come to expect: awesome, with a little bit of crazy. As the Russian leader deathly afraid of Wick, Michael Nyqvist also executes his role well, sharing his character’s

sense of calculated calmness. Playing his son Alfie Allen is Iosef Tarasov. His acting range is impressive, especially because most will associate him with his role as Theon Greyjoy in “Game of Thrones.” His young-looking face makes it easy for him to play an immature, child-like character. The last notable role is that of rival assassin Ms. Perkins, portrayed by Adrianne Palicki. She does a commendable job, never betraying her character’s nihilistic greed while beaming of overconfidence at all the seemingly inappropriate times. Due to the lack of intricate characters, nobody stands out as particularly amazing in his or her role. However, nobody jumps out as terrible either, which is crucial because it does not detract from the on-screen excitement. The fight scenes and the cinematography that records them are just as slick as the film’s other aspects. The camera shot always follows the action smoothly and tends to pan out wide enough so the audience can track the entirety of the sequence. John Wick’s movements mirror the fluidity of a video game without player control. Of course, Wick is pinpoint accurate the vast majority of the time and possesses a seemingly divine intuition that allows him to progress through hordes of Russian thugs. And we get to get see exactly how he does it. There’s not much intellectual substance within the plot of “John Wick.” Once you accept this, the film is entertaining. Stuntmen-turned-directors David Leitch and Chad Stahelski impress in their debut, creating a film that tops lists of great action flicks. The fight sequences never fall prey to the common strategy of using chaotic sensory overload to induce an audience’s exhilaration. Instead, the film is portrayed smoothly and cleanly. “John Wick” is an hour and a half of quality “shoot ‘em up” scenes, and it’s an exceptional comeback for Keanu Reeves.

Album Review

Jessie J

MTV

British singer Jessie J impresses with several catchy tracks on her album, “Sweet Talker,” but doesn’t experiment much with style.

New Releases ‘Drown’ Bring me the horizon  The British metalcore band has put itself on the punk-metal music radar with this new single. Lead singer Oliver Syke demonstrates his talent as a singer with his abrupt transitions between smooth, serenading vocals and the signature coarse screams of the genre. While its prominent and fast-paced guitar and drum parts set up the foundation for metalcore moshing, the distant chorus contrasts these elements and lends a dreamier, less harsh feeling to the song. The accompanying music video is hilarious, including several seconds of a random jazz music intermission that continues the melody of the song while an exorcism supposedly takes place.

‘living without you’ TULISA  Tulisa is a woman of many talents, and her newest single is a testament to her strength as a singer-songwriter. The intro begins with an impressive display of sultry vocals that culminates in an abrupt shift to synthetic beats. It is a welcome change that brings back ’60s disco vibes, and Tulisa’s lyrics pick up the pace to add to this playfulness. The bubbly synth layers complement her voice without overwhelming it, and the song is a great sing-along song for clubs or dance parties. Overall, the single wonderfully shows off Tulisa’s powerful, flexible voice, a feature that is usually lost in the safe, restrictive melodies of other pop songs.

‘Baby don’t lie’ gwen stefani 

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tric dance tunes to romantic ballads, the singer shows off her ability as a diverse and flexible artist. The first four opening tracks “Ain’t Been Done,” “Burnin’ Up,” “Sweet Talker” and the hugely popular “Bang Bang” featuring Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj are consistent with Jessie’s trademark style. They are bold, confident and entirely conscious of the apparent arrogance in both the lyrics and

B7

MUSIC

Starring: Keanu Reeves Directed by: David Leitch, Chad Stahelski Michael Fiedorowicz

THE HOYA

the composition of the beats. “Burnin’ Up” could have arguably been stronger if rapper 2Chainz had not been featured. With inane lyrics like “Me and my homie on the damn floor/ White girl in the middle, looking like an Oreo,” his part very much downgrades the song and significantly detracts from Jessie’s powerful female voice. The following tracks, “Fire” and “Personal,” are softer and focus more on Jessie’s vocal ability than anything else. They reveal a much more romantic side of the singer than has been previously seen and are demonstrative of her ability to evolve as a vocalist. “Seal Me with a Kiss” is a standout track, as it features a surprising yet entertaining hint of a retro groove. The track incorporates part of De La Soul’s ’80s track “Me Myself and I,” which samples from the ’70s band Funkadelic’s song “(Not Just) Knee Deep.” The pulsing rhythm is complementary to the singer’s voice, which, with its raspy soulfulness, perfectly mixes with the instrumental’s era. Sadly, the latter half of “Sweet Talker” somewhat falls flat, more as a result of poor production than fault in Jessie’s vocal ability. “Said Too Much” is heavily overproduced, especially during the chorus. The beats of the song seem to be in competition with Jessie’s voice rather than harmonizing with it. Part of this is a result of the producer’s choice to stack the singer’s already powerful vocals, which consequentially makes the whole track sound messy and excessive. Despite being enjoyable to listen to, tracks “Loud” and “Keep Us Together” are rather forgettable. Had

both tunes been left out of the album, not much would be missed but a padding of the album with what sounds just like any other standard pop song. They are disappointingly predictable tracks to be added to what could otherwise have been a largely intriguing and experimental album. I would consider “Your Loss I’m Found” to be one of the weakest songs out of the entire album. It is trite in composition, and frankly it is just boring to listen to. Even Jessie’s incredible vocal range is not enough to salvage this one. “Strip,” another classic sassy and fun dance tune, is oddly placed in the track list. It would have been much more fitting for it to have been introduced earlier with the first four opening tracks. The fact that it precedes “You Don’t Know Me,” the final song of the album, which is much more vulnerable in subject matter and simple in sound, makes its location seem even more extrinsic. However, even though “Sweet Talker” has a number of faults, the album as a whole is fairly solid, mostly because there are a number of really good songs that have the potential to become timeless. Jessie J is never stale in her creativity, and she has established herself as an artist who continues to make hits and stay relevant by allowing herself to develop both as a vocalist and as a writer.

It seems that Gwen Stefani has fallen into the trap of formulated pop music. She sacrifices her normally sassy, unwavering singing style for a bizarre tune that consistently changes from deep, yet tolerable vocals to a high-pitched squeak. While the synthetic beats are catchy and creative, Stefani’s weak melody and superficial lyrics fail to match their adventurous mood. The song transitions into an unnecessary section where Stefani gives a short speech accompanied by a strong bass that is supposed to build up and release tension in the following chorus but falls markedly short. Stefani has succeeded in imitating the beat-focused pop music of today, but at the cost of what made her rebellious songs like “Hollaback Girl” so famous.

‘Welcome to new york’ Taylor Swift  This is the third single Swift has released in anticipation for her upcoming album “1989,” which will be released next week. The song begins with prominent claps and a buzzing synth pulse. Swift then takes over with her energetic falsetto voice which is subtly harmonized to produce a more unique effect. The song doesn’t incorporate her country roots, and it continues to follow the conventional layout of her recent pop hits. While the lyrics aren’t very symbolic, they have a catchy, rhythmic flow that makes it an easy and enjoyable listen. Whether you’re a fan of Swift or not, one way or another you’ll somehow find yourself knowing all the words and singing along to this one.

AROUND TOWN Afghan Treasures Trunk Show

Drive-In Movies at Union Market

SEA CATCH SAMPLER

Night of the Living Zoo

Where: 1507 Connecticut Ave. NW When: Friday to Sunday, times vary Info: beadazzled.net Price: Free

Where: Union Market, 305 Fifth St. When: Friday, 8 to 10 p.m. Info: unionmarketdc.com Price: Free

Where: 1054 31st St. When: Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Info: seacatchrestaurant.com Price: Free

Where: National Zoo When: Thursday, 6:30 to 10 p.m. Info: ticketmaster.com Price: $30

Located close to the DuPont Metro stop, this three-day trunk show offers an array of exotic and beautiful treasures from Afghanistan. From rugs to antique jewelry and textiles to gemstones, this trunk show deserves a thorough exploration. A unique opportunity to get your hands on some examples of beautiful Afghan craftsmanship, this should not be missed.

Travel back in time with Washington D.C.’s own drive-in movie event with “Remember the Titans,” the sports drama starring Denzel Washington. The parking lot opens at 6 p.m., and reservations are recommended. The event is open to those without a car too, with a charming picnic spot for you to sit back, relax and enjoy the film.

Head down to the Sea Catch in Canal Square to sample some of its great cuisine for free as part of Georgetown’s Fashion, Art and Design event taking place this weekend. Light hors d’oeuvres and samples of wine will be served, while a DJ plays to make it the perfect afternoon. Keep an eye out for sales at other Canal Square stores during the event.

Get in the Halloween spirit Thursday and head to the National Zoo for a truly exciting and terrifying event. The annual Halloween party features spookily themed performance art, including palm readers, fire eaters, talking bats and illusionists, food and drink, a cosume contest and live music. You won’t want to miss this once-a-year event.


B8

Sports

THE HOYA

Friday, october 24, 2014

Men’s Soccer

CREW

FILE PHOTO: ERIN NAPIER/THE HOYA

This year’s heavyweight men’s crew team will look to improve on last season’s fourth-place finish at the IRA Championships.

Freshmen Set for Princeton Debut PRINCETON, from B10 FILE PHOTO: JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA

Sophomore midfielder Bakie Goodman has four assists this season in 14 games. Goodman is an important part of a midfield that has scored six goals and has assisted nine more. Last year, Goodman tallied four goals and three assists.

Big East Test Crucial in Title Chase CREIGHTON, from B10 ganized team — very athletic and will possess the ball,” Wiese said. “We won’t generate quite as many good chances, so we have to be opportunistic with the ones we get. … We’ll have to be resourceful, we’ll have to be opportunistic, we’ll have to be tight as a group and we’re going to have to have some guys make some plays.” While the Hoyas retain an impressive 4-1-1 road record, playing at Morrison Stadium presents a steep challenge. Constructed in 2003, the impressive facility features grandstands, upper-level suits, press boxes and a video scoreboard. Its maximum capacity is 6,000, nearly four times the size of Shaw Field on the Hilltop. Wiese likened Morrison to a “mini EPL [English Premier League] stadium,” and said that it offers Creighton an

“unbelievable home-field advantage and a great environment.” However, even coming off consecutive losses, the Hoyas do not lack confidence. “We think that if we get our team right, we’re capable of beating anyone in the country on a given day,” Wiese said. “We’ve been spending a lot of time this week just trying to get the guys back to the basics on a couple of things, and trying to remember what it is that we do really well, and make sure that we are doing those things really well. It continues to be just as much about us as it is about Creighton.” Though they have struggled of late, Georgetown remains one of the deepest and most talented teams in the country. Even during their recent skid, the Hoyas have remained a stout defensive club. Anchored by recent Big East Defensive Player of the Week and

junior co-captain Keegan Rosenberry, along with senior co-captain Tomas Gomez, the Hoyas’ defense has surrendered a mere 0.64 goals per game. “We value the shutout,” Wiese said. “It’s really good to make [it] hard for teams to generate against us. We are very good if all 11 players are really dialed-in to what’s needed and are playing as a group and playing together.” The Hoyas defense has been able to force seven shutouts this season, but the ability to do that for 90 minutes is very tricky. “If one piece of that group isn’t on the same page or isn’t focused on the job, then we go from becoming a very powerful team to a very vulnerable team. … A lot of it is just saying ‘let’s be ready, for 90 minutes, to be really good,’” Weise said. Georgetown and Creighton will kick off tomorrow at 8 p.m. in Omaha, Neb.

Coach Miranda Paris said. “I thought we were extremely aggressive in the second half of the race. Our goal for this upcoming race is to maintain that aggression in the second half to see if we can up the boat speed for this coming weekend,” Paris said. Implementing the Hoyas’ second-half aggression into the first-half of the race has been one of their main focuses in practice. As the team raced very tightly with high-level teams in the second half of the Head of the Charles, they see a greater degree of aggression in the first half as a medium of overtaking some of those boats in later stages of the course. “Based off of our Head of the Charles race, we’re trying to really get after it in the first half, so I think that’s something that we’re looking to execute well,” senior openweight rower Keara Schmeiser said. As Georgetown’s rowing program is in the Patriot League, elite teams including Brown and host-school Princeton will be

SUDOKU

Field hockey

Hoyas Aim to Outsmart Temple Owls Tanner Garrity

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Georgetown’s field hockey team (59, 0-3 Big East) is eager for an upset as it gears up for Friday’s matchup against the talented No. 16 Temple University (11-5, 2-1 Big East). Fresh off a 3-0 victory last weekend over the Colgate Raiders, which snapped a five-game losing streak, the Blue and Gray are intent on securing their first Big East triumph — no matter the strength of the opponent. “It’s a chip-on-the-shoulder mentality. We know they’re fast and that they’re going to be skilled and physical and fit, but so are we. At the end of the day, we focus on our game,” sophomore defender Devin Holmes said. The victory over Colgate University could not have come at a better time for the Hoyas, as the team’s five-game losing streak culminated in a devastating 2-1 loss to the Villanova Wildcats. Against the Raiders, sophomore forward Aliyah Graves-Brown tallied her fifth goal of the season, an accomplishment that she acknowledges coincides with both her personal approach as well as the needs of the team. “As a forward in general, I approach every game with an intention to score. That’s my job. I’m always trying to tie up a couple more goals because I know it’ll help my team,” Graves-Brown said. This attack mentality is shared by her teammate, junior midfielder Emily Weinberg, who scored two goals in last Sunday’s win. Weinberg made headlines earlier this week when she was named to the Big East Honor Roll for her outstanding offensive exploits on the field. In fact, Graves-Brown and Weinberg have quite a bit in common, as both have now earned Honor Roll status (Graves-Brown was named to the list in the week of Sept. 1) and are now tied for the scoring lead at five goals apiece. Still, Weinberg leads the Hoyas in total points at 13, thanks to her impressive assist totals.

Georgetown’s main competitors. Meeting with Princeton boats every year has crafted a history between the two teams, and senior lightweight rower Sarah Arcos sees that trend being perpetuated even more in this race. “With Princeton, we’ve kind of over the years gone back and forth a little bit with who’s faster, and last year they beat us, so I think this year we’re going to try to come back on them and have a few wins,” Arcos said. This race holds a special significance for Georgetown’s freshmen rowers, as this will be their debut on the college scene. Though some of them raced in the Head of the Potomac Regatta in late September, the Princeton Chase represents a real beginning to their competitive collegiate rowing career. There will be three walk-on rowers on the men’s teams competing in the race. “That is definitely baptism by fire,” Agnini said. “That’s when you sort of just cross yourself and hope everyone else makes it back.”

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Last issue’s solutions FILE PHOTO: JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA

Sophomore defender Devin Holmes has one goal and two assists in 14 starts. Holmes has two of the team’s six defensive saves. “Emily Weinberg plays right in front of me, and she’s just my rock. Really fit, very vocal, great leader. On and off the field,” Holmes said. Georgetown’s overtime loss to Villanova was quickly brushed away by the team’s victory over Colgate, which has been the seed to a sense of consistency that the Hoyas desperately crave. With a knack for shaking off losses and refocusing for upcoming opponents, Georgetown field hockey is even more confident after a proud win. Temple, a perennial field hockey contender, features the league’s highest scorer, senior forward Amber Youtz, who is averaging over a goal each game. It is up to the defense to limit Youtz as well as the rest of Temple’s scoring attack. “Always in my mind is [getting a] shutout. If we can hold them, the offense will do the rest,” Holmes said.

This offense is led by Weinberg and Graves-Brown and has run drills all week to simulate the defense they will face from the Owls. “Preparation from week to week is always tended to our next opponent. We’ve set up the same press and run against their corners. We never go in blind,” Graves-Brown said. Except for Georgetown’s young freshmen, the entire team has played Temple before. Last year, the Hoyas traveled to Philadelphia and lost a hard 5-1 fight. Establishing consistency and maintaining focus regardless of the other team’s ranking is the Hoyas’ main objective heading into the Temple matchup. The Hoyas will be tested in what is sure to be an intense bout against the Owls on Friday at 1 p.m. at the MultiSport Facility.

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sports

FRIDAY, october 24, 2014

saxa synergy

THE HOYA

B9

Women’s soccer

Ronaldo Needs World Hoyas Ready for Senior Day Cup Glory for Legacy S Chris Balthazard Hoya Staff Writer

tatistically, Real Madrid for- nows North Korea. Losing to evenward Cristiano Ronaldo is one tual champion Spain in the second of the two best players in the round, Portugal put up no fight world right now, and quite possi- after David Villa’s goal in the 63rd bly the greatest to ever to play the minute. Ronaldo also stayed quiet as a game. With 394 goals in 581 appearances for club teams, Ronaldo, 21-year-old in the 2006 World Cup, also known as CR7, has attained scoring just once as Portugal atmore accolades than I can possibly tained fourth place, its highest list, most notably winning the Eng- finish since Ronaldo joined the nalish Premier League withManches- tional team in 2003. In all that makes just three World ter United three times, La Liga once Real Madrid, as well as bringing Cup goals in 13 overall matches for home the UEFA Champions League the world’s best player. Unlike Messi, who carried Argentina within trophy twice. The Portuguese winger has al- seconds of a World Cup victory in ways been a world-class talent, but 2014, Ronaldo has not taken his his dominance has been especially country deep into the World Cup — though admitevident these past tedly Messi has a few years. After bemuch better suping bought in 2009 porting cast. as the most expenThe greatest sive player in the players of all history of soccer time are not (a roughly $132 just legendmillion transfer ary because of fee with a contract their statistical buyout of over $1 dominance or billion), Ronaldo raw talent, but has scored 271 also because goals in 258 apPaolo Santamaria of the legacy pearances. In just and pride they 13 appearances bring to their for Real so far this season, Ronaldo The Real Madrid star has country. Ronaldo, a has netted a stagstruggled to match his talent that we gering 20 goals ,including three club form for Portugal. may never see again, has dishat tricks. With appointed his two Ballon d’Ors under his belt, the world clearly ap- country on the world’s greatest stage, diminishing his legacy. preciates Ronaldo’s talents. Forget the likes of Pele, Gerd MülRonaldo’s individual success is especially impressive given that he has ler, Diego Maradona and Lionel to share the spotlight with a whole Messi. How is Ronaldo supposed to host of superstar teammates at Real. compete with the modern internaThe likes of winger Gareth Bale, tional legacies of Dutchman Arjen striker Karim Benzema, midfield- Robben, Spaniard David Villa, Gerers James Rodriguez, Toni Kroos, man Miroslav Klose and even Braand Luka Modric, and arguably the zil’s young captain, Neymar? The latter list of names are at a world’s best defender in Sergio Ramos are all playmakers in their own lower level when it comes to club right, but Real Madrid lives off of team performance and overall talRonaldo’s dominance, and his skills ent, but the point is that they all shone during the World Cup and are simply a class above the rest. Despite all of his success at the are responsible for their countries’ club level, Ronaldo has struggled a incredible success, something that Ronaldo has been unable to deliver bit for Portugal in World Cups. Portugal came into the 2014 for Portugal. It is clear that Ronaldo is one of World Cup having barely qualified for the tournament, as the Seleção the most talented and special playneeded a win in the final game ers to ever play the game, that his club performances for Man U and against Sweden to clinch its spot. In a group where it was favored to Real are unprecedented and that advance along with Germany, Por- he will retire with a plethora of trotugal embarrassed themselves by phies and almost every scoring renot even advancing past the group cord imaginable. But it is also clear stage, with a third-place finish.. Its that unless Ronaldo can elevate the collapse featured a crushing 4-0 de- play of his countrymen during the feat to eventual champion Germa- 2018 World Cup, it will be imposny, a draw against the United States sible to call Ronaldo a true legend. and a close win against a desperate CR7 will be 33 when the summer Ghana squad. Ronaldo scored his tournament begins in Russia, and only goal of the tournament in the it may well be his last chance to achieve glory for his country and 2-1 win over the Black Stars. Its performance at the 2010 cement his legacy as the best who World Cup also left much to be ever played. desired. Ronaldo only scored one of Portugal’s seven total goals in Paolo Santamaria is a freshman in the competition, all of which came the College. SAXA SYNERGY appears in a 7-0 group stage win over min- every other Friday.

CAPITALS HILL

NHL Wary of Teams Tanking for McDavid LITKE, from B10

lottery will give the NHL team with the lowest amount of points from the regular season the greatest chance of winning. As a result, there have been concerns about teams losing on purpose, or “tanking” in order to increase their chances of drafting the precocious center. The Buffalo Sabres had the worst record in the league last year by a significant margin and to the delight of many Sabres fans, most expect a similar performance this year. With a mostly unchanged roster and the 26th lowest payroll in the 30-team NHL, the Sabres look like strong contenders in the sweepstakes, if not on the ice. Sadly for Buffalo and other teams in contention for the worst spot in the league like the Winnipeg Jets, the NHL recently announced revised odds for the lottery. Prior to the 2015 Draft Lottery, the team with the lowest amount of points had a 25 percent chance of scoring the first overall pick. For the 2015 edition, those odds will drop to 20 percent. Similarly, the second-worst team will see its odds drop from 18.8 percent to 13.5 percent. Teams five through 14 in the lottery will see their odds marginally raised. The NHL claims the adjustment was made “to more appropriately reflect the current state of competitive balance in the league.” However, the timing would suggest there are legitimate concerns about teams deliberately losing for

McDavid, another sign of just how talented the teenager is. Yet hope is not lost for teams who lose out on McDavid. The secondranked prospect, Jack Eichel, is also expected to be a star at the highest level of professional hockey. Eichel is considered to be the best American prospect since Mike Modano, who holds the all-time lead in goals and points for an American player. Eichel is also 17 and just began his freshman year at Boston University. After one game he leads the team with four points. The hype surrounding McDavid is akin to the high expectations Crosby faced entering the NHL. Also known as “The Next One,” Crosby faced relentless media attention from a young age, and is now regarded as arguably the best hockey player in the world. Like Crosby, who was amid attention and pressure, McDavid has not faltered. He has put up remarkable numbers in junior hockey leagues and has improved every year. It remains to be seen if McDavid can bring his dominance to the NHL but all signs suggest that he will. No matter where he is drafted, Connor McDavid is poised to make an immediate impact on the NHL. At 6 feet 1 inch and 190 pounds, he has an NHL-ready build to go along with his exceptional speed, skill and intelligence. “The Next One” is ready to take the next step. Daniel Litke is a senior in the School of Foreign Service. Capitals Hill appears every Friday.

The Georgetown women’s soccer team (10-3-3, 5-1-1 Big East) faces Villanova University (5-8-3, 3-3-1 Big East) on Shaw Field on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the last home match of the season and Senior Day for the team’s eight seniors. Georgetown currently sits tied for second in the Big East with St. John’s University (9-6-1, 5-1-1 Big East), one point behind DePaul University (13-0-3, 5-0-2 Big East), while Villanova is attempting to hold off Butler for the sixth and final place in the conference tournament. “At this point in the season, all the teams in the conference bar three are still fighting and jockeying for position,” Head Coach Dave Nolan said. “And this seems to be a game that the Villanova kids get up for. The rivalry between Villanova and Georgetown is probably a bit greater than the rivalry of Georgetown towards Villanova,” Nolan said. Villanova has played its opponents very closely this season, with 12 of their 16 matches this season decided by a goal or less. In a rivalry game full of emotion and postseason implications, Nolan is not making the mistake of underestimating the Wildcats, a team that the Georgetown coach is very familiar with. “One of their better attacking players is a girl called [senior attacking midfielder] Vic[toria] Gersh, who actually played for me on my local Bethesda club team … she’s a very talented player,” Nolan said. “They have an outstanding center back in [junior] Emily Damstrom, who we know and we had looked at in the recruiting process. And they have another lively attacking player called [sophomore] Caitlin Forte,” Nolan said. Tactically, Nolan does not yet know what to expect out of Villanova; many teams this year have tried to stay in a defensive shell and counterattack against the Georgetown, but Creighton University (9-7-1, 1-51 Big East) surprised Georgetown on Sunday with a more aggressive offensive strategy. The Hoyas still managed to emerge with a 1-0 road victory. As for his own team’s lineup, Nolan expects to roll out his typical 4-2-3-1 formation (four defenders, two defensive midfielders, three attacking midfielders, and a striker). “Certainly for the last five or six years, we’ve always been a team that has worried about doing things our way, and not changing what we do

FILE PHOTO: NATE MOULTON FOR THE HOYA

Junior forward Sarah Adams has two goals and an assist in 16 starts. She started in Georgetown’s 1-0 win over Creighton last Sunday. to try to cater to another team,” Nolan said. “This year, we’ve tried to be a team that controls the ball, that keeps the ball,” Nolan said. Georgetown’s tactics express a desire to break teams down both through high possession and intense attacking as well as through tiring out other teams who are forced to chase the ball on defense. The lone striker position is filled by one of the senior forwards, Vanessa Skrumbis, who has eight goals on the season, or Audra Ayotte, who has two winning goals in 1-0 Hoya victories. “The other two attacking players out wide, [junior] Sarah Adams and [freshman] Rachel Corboz, I’m not asking them to run in behind teams,” Nolan said. “I’m asking them to get on the ball and run at teams, which is what they’re pretty good at. And then [senior] Daphne [Corboz] obviously gets a pretty free rein to read what’s in front of her and do what she sees fit.” Nolan has adapted his tactics based on the skills of the players in his squad, and not based on the strengths of the opposition. Even when Georgetown visited No. 3 Virginia (14-1-0, 6-1-0 ACC) in early September, the Hoyas stayed with their normal shape. Different players give the Hoyas various styles of play even within the same position in the Georgetown formation. “A lot of it, too, will be based on the tendencies of the players on the field. So, [sophomore forward] Grace Damaska will play a left-sided winger position a lot different from how Rachel Corboz would.” When the Hoyas want to throw a different look at an opponent, as they did with great tactical success in the last 15 minutes against St. John’s on Oct. 16, they switch from

the 4-2-3-1 to a 3-5-2, with [senior] Jessie Clinton and Adams as defensive wing-backs. This system enabled them to get in behind the St. John’s defense, creating several chances which almost led to a late equalizer. Though playing with only three outright defenders seems risky, the most famous system of women’s collegiate soccer is No. 5 North Carolina’s 3-4-3 formation, with which the Tar Heels (10-2-1, 7-0-0 ACC) have won 21 of 32 NCAA tournaments. “[North Carolina] predicated that [success] off a 3-4-3 system which involves a constant press of your team,”Nolan said. “And they were fortunate in that they were able to get 20 top-quality athletes, so they were able to press you for 90 minutes because they could bring the same quality kids off the bench that they had who started,” Nolan said. With an increase in parity, and four different national champions in the past four seasons, teams seem to have figured out the 3-4-3, and strong squads such as No. 4 Stanford (12-1-2, 4-1-1 Pac-12) and Virginia have subsequently switched to a 4-3-3. But Nolan says the 4-2-3-1 that he employs is now very common, too, and reflects a broader change in the game’s style of play. “The game has become far more about counter attacking. The game has become more about, in that moment of transition when the ball turns over, which team is going to use that turnover to best effect,” Nolan said. So far this season, Georgetown has been very strong in controlling those turnovers and using them to their advantage. The Hoyas hope to continue Sunday against Villanova. Kickoff at Shaw Field is set for 1 p.m.

volleyball

Johnson Reaches 1,000 Kills, Digs Tyler Park

Hoya Staff Writer

The Georgetown University volleyball team (8-14, 2-7 Big East) suffered a difficult 3-1 setback to St. John’s University (15-9, 4-5 Big East) last Sunday, Oct. 19, in McDonough Arena. However, one of the Hoyas reached a major milestone in the loss, as senior outside hitter Alex Johnson recorded her 1,000th career dig to become one of the few players in Georgetown volleyball’s history to record both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. The statistic “kill” represents an attacking shot that is not returned, and immediately results in a point for the attacking player’s team. A “dig” is a successful return of an attacking shot. Because kills are an offensive statistic and digs are a defensive statistic, it takes a very unique player to be able to record significant totals in both categories. Johnson is an extremely versatile player who is comfortable in both the front and back row, and her allaround abilities have allowed her to have a very successful and impactful career, as reflected by this milestone. “The position I play requires that [I] play all around the court. I’m lucky

to be a versatile player, and I don’t like coming off the floor, so playing both front and back row has been great for me,” Johnson said. While her four years at Georgetown have been filled with individual success, her career has not been without its struggles. In the beginning of her senior season, Johnson was a part-time player, primarily playing in the back row rather than in her usual all-around role. As a result, she only recorded 21 kills in the team’s first 11 games. However, Johnson has earned her way back into the Hoyas’ full-time starting lineup, and has registered 149 kills in her last 11 games. “As the season evolved, Alex worked really hard to get back on the court, and we’ve been able to juggle some things so that she can be on the court,” Head Coach Arlisa Williams said. Throughout her career, Johnson has shown great improvement in a number of areas. She acknowledges that when she entered the school as a freshman, she was stubborn and not as mature as she is now. This led to a rocky beginning to her relationship with Williams. “Alex and I had a good relationship during the recruitment process, but

FILE PHOTO: MICHELLE XU/THE HOYA

Senior outside hitter Alex Johnson had 16 kills and 15 digs in Georgetown’s 3-1 loss to St. John’s last Sunday at McDonough Arena.

then once she entered the program and expectations were raised, it caused some conflict. Alex and I just had to learn to work through the conflict,” Williams said. After the two got past their initial disagreements, player and coach have formed a strong partnership. “Now, we have a good relationship. I can talk to her about anything. I take what she says to heart, and I know that she’s looking out for me,” Johnson said. Although Johnson has already collected a number of impressive achievements during her four years as a Hoya, she still has a number of aspirations and goals to reach before she completes her senior season. Her ultimate goal is to lead her team to the Big East tournament, and she is willing to do whatever it takes to reach that goal. Only the top four teams from the regular-season standings of the 10-team league will reach the tournament, which will be held at Marquette University in Milwaukee. The Hoyas are four games behind fourth-place Butler with nine conference games remaining. “I want to have no regrets, and I want to know that I did everything I could to help us get to the Big East tournament,” Johnson said. Johnson will leave Georgetown as an integral member of an impressive senior class that includes senior libero Mackenzie Simpson and senior middle blocker Dani White. She is quick to credit her teammates for helping her reach these individual milestones. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates, especially the seniors who have been there with me for four years. Dani [White] also has 1,000 kills, and Mac [Simpson] has 1,000 digs, so it’s really special that we have all reached these milestones together,” Johnson said. Williams credits Johnson for not only being a great player, but also a great teammate. True to form, Johnson’s focus is firmly on helping lead the Hoyas to important team goals as she closes out her senior season. Whether or not the team succeeds in their uphill climb to reach November’s Big East tournament, there is no doubt that Johnson has already left her mark on the Hilltop.


SPORTS

Football Georgetown (2-5) vs. Bucknell (5-1) Saturday, 2 p.m. MultiSport Facility

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014

TALKING POINTS

VOLLEYBALL

All the teams in the conference bar three are still fighting and jockeying for position.

Senior outside hitter Alex Johnson broke the career 1,000 mark for kills and digs. See B9

Women’s Soccer Head Coach David Nolan

NUMBERS GAME

1

The number of wins for the Georgetown football team against the Bucknell Bison in the last six seasons.

CREW

MEN’S SOCCER

No. 2 Bluejays Rebound Needed at Princeton Await GU on Road MADDIE AUERBACH Hoya Staff Writer

PETER HIGGINS

Special to The Hoya

After a pair of gut-wrenching losses, the No. 17 Georgetown men’s soccer team (7-34, 2-2-1 Big East) faces one of its toughest challenges of the year — a clash with first-place conference rival Creighton (111-2, 4-0-1 Big East). The game will be played under the lights at Creighton’s Morrison Stadium on Saturday night. Head Coach Brian Wiese is wary of the No.2 Bluejays’ threat. “Creighton is a legitimate top team,” Head Coach Brian Wiese said. “They are as good as anybody in the country, so our challenge is whether we can find a way to get a result.”

FILE PHOTO: JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA

After entering the year as one of the top-ranked teams in the country, Georgetown has faltered of late. Losses to No. 23 Providence (8-2-2, 3-0-2 Big East) and Seton Hall (4-6-3, 1-3-1 Big East) have caused the Hoyas’ ranking in the national coaches poll to plummet from three to 17. Prior to the losses, Georgetown had lost just twice in its previous 16 games. “It’s the Big East,” Wiese said. “It doesn’t matter who you are playing in the league, it doesn’t matter if you play home or away — they are all really good games. That’s the fun of the league.” While the loss to the Friars was a bit disappointing, the loss to the lowly Pirates must have come as a bit of a shock to the Hoyas. Prior to their meeting, Seton Hall was winless in Big East play. Their victory over the Hoyas marked the highest ranked opponent to fall to the Pirates in over two years. In both games, Georgetown struggled to produce goals, losing by final scores of 2-0 to Providence and 1-0 to Seton Hall. To have a shot at winning, Georgetown must find the spark to reignite its offense. “Creighton’s a really well or-

Junior defender David Witkoff.

See CREIGHTON, B8

The Georgetown University men’s and women’s rowing teams will travel to Princeton, N.J., this weekend to compete in the Princeton Chase, just a week after their low finishes at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, Mass., last weekend. The Georgetown men’s heavyweight team placed 24th out of a 36-crew pool in its Championship Eight race at the Head of the Charles. Meanwhile, the men’s lightweight team placed 15th in its 17-crew pool. “I was happy with the overall approach,” Men’s Head Coach Luke Agnini said. “They [the heavyweight team] had an aggressive race. They fell off in the third quarter and that’s where they lost about eight places, so that was the disappointing part. They were in a good spot halfway through — next checkpoint, they tapered off and it was just enough to where six or seven seconds meant six or seven spots.” Adjusting its performance in the third quarter of the race has been Georgetown’s main focus during practice this week. Awareness in the boat is also key to race success, as Agnini noted. “There’s not much to fix in one week — you can’t make people too much fitter, however you can make them aware,” Agnini said. “I think awareness is a big thing with these guys, especially since there’s no coach in the water. It’s not just awareness about rowing and the speed of the boat but awareness about their own confidence and what they’re capable of doing,” Agnini said. Though the Princeton Chase presents similar pools of teams every year, strat-

FILE PHOTO: NATE MOULTON FOR THE HOYA

Senior midfielder Daphne Corboz assisted all four goals. FILE PHOTO: ERIN NAPIER/THE HOYA

The heavyweight men’s crew team finished in 24th place out of 36 teams in the field in last week’s Head of the Charles with a time of 15:15.739. egy tends to vary based off of the current progress of Georgetown’s teams and their own competitive nature this early in the season. However, possessing a high level of enthusiasm is a constant necessity. “Enthusiasm is always the same. … Why back off the gas pedal when so much preparation and time has been devoted to that goal?” junior heavyweight rower Graham Miller said. “Strategy definitely changes. Our skill level and endurance is getting better so that enables us to have different moves, have different calls and different capabilities during the race course.”

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Comolli Named Woman of Year Finalist ELIZABETH CAVACOS Hoya Staff Writer

When former Georgetown tennis player Kelly Comolli (COL ’14) arrived at the Hilltop in January 2012, she had no idea that adjusting as a transfer student would be just one of several major transitions that would define her Georgetown experience. The former Academic All-Ivy Team member at Cornell University undoubtedly made an impact on the court as a new Hoya. But her legacy of leadership, service and academics would be equally as important in leaving her mark at Georgetown, setting her apart as one of the top 30 finalists for the 24th annual NCAA Woman of the Year Award. Comolli remembers being nervous as a new member of the Georgetown team, but she was quickly and seamlessly incorporated into the team dynamic. “It couldn’t have been easier,” Comolli said. “The girls on the team were unbelievable. I think that was a huge part of making the transition easier.” Head Coach Gordie Ernst, who had been recruiting Comolli when she was in high school, says that he was surprised at how effortlessly she transitioned into her different roles on the team as an active contributor early on and as a captain during her senior year. “I did know of her and of her ability and athleticism. But in terms of fitting in with the team and then transitioning to being a leader of the team, I honestly didn’t think it was going to be even near what happened,” Ernst said. “She became such a centerpiece of the team.” As a senior, Comolli was 13-15 in singles play and 8-12 in doubles

with her co-captain Madeline Jaeger (COL ’14), who had been one of the first team members to welcome Comolli as a sophomore. Partnering with Jaeger was a special way for Comolli to wrap up her final season of Georgetown tennis. However, in October 2013, an unexpected phone call suddenly opened up a brand new chapter of her athletic career. Comolli was in a psychology class when she stepped outside to receive a phone call from Ernst. Jim Lewis, the interim coach of the women’s basketball team, needed players, and Ernst asked her if she was interested. Comolli laughs remembering running over to McDonough Arena after tennis for her first practice with the basketball team. “I walked in with my tennis hat and my tennis shorts and my racket, and everybody had already started practicing,” Comolli said. “[But] those girls were just as welcoming as GORDIE ERNST the tennis team Tennis Head Coach was when I first transferred. I think that’s just a characteristic of Georgetown and the type of student athletes here. … it was a very, very cool opportunity. I had forgotten how much I missed basketball.” Ernst says one of the assets that made Comolli stand out as a recruit was the sheer athleticism that is inherent to a multisport athlete. He thought that returning to the basketball court, where Comolli was a four-year letter winner at Phillips Exeter Academy, would help her get better results on the tennis court — and he was right. “I thought it would keep it fresh for her during her senior year,” Ernst said. “She put so much into both of her sports. She could handle it — she knows how to budget

“In terms of fitting in with the team and then trasitioning to be a leader of the team ... she became such a centerpiece of the team.”

The Georgetown women’s rowing team will also compete in the Princeton Chase at Lake Carnegie on Sunday. Reviewing both the openweight and lightweight teams’ strengths and weaknesses during the Head of the Charles has assisted in their preparation in practice. At the Head of the Charles, the openweight team placed 24th in a 34-crew race. In the Lightweight Fours race, the Hoyas placed ninth out of 13 boats. “I really liked how we rowed, I think we rowed with length and aggression which was our goal,” Women’s Head See PRINCETON, B8

CAPITALS HILL

Daniel Litke

Hockey Preps For Next Star A

COURTESY COMOLLI FAMILY

Georgetown alumna Kelly Comolli was named a finalist for the NCAA’s Woman of the Year Award. She played both tennis and basketball. her time.” On the basketball court, Comolli primarily served as a practicedepth player, appearing in one game in December for the Hoyas in a tough 11-21 season. Amid all the changes and transitions during her Georgetown career, Comolli says that her faith and her family helped her pull through. Comolli became a Christian around the time she transferred to Georgetown, which has impacted all parts of her life. “Whether it’s tough times like staying up late to study after a few practices, just relying on God through that was a huge factor for me,” Comolli said. “My family and my faith have kept me grounded and kept pushing me when I didn’t want to go anymore.” Comolli’s faith also tied into her extracurricular life at Georgetown; she was a part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and gave back to the community through Campus Outreach and Team Impact, an organization

that matches children facing lifethreatening chronic illnesses with local college athletic teams. Sunday in Indianapolis, Comolli was recognized alongside fellow finalists at the NCAA Woman of the Year Award Dinner for achievements in athletics, academics, leadership and service. Comolli attended the dinner with Ernst, Athletic Director Lee Reed and members of her family. “This isn’t an honor about me, it’s more about the Georgetown community and my family. So, for them to be there was really special for me,” Comolli said. Spending the weekend with the other finalists — 10 each from Division I, II and III — was also a particularly moving experience for Comolli. “[This weekend] was really motivating for me,” Comolli said. “It just got me fired up for the future. We have such an opportunity as college students at Georgetown, especially as student athletes, to serve and impact people’s lives.”

Visit us online at thehoya.com/sports

t just 17 years, Connor McDavid is already being tabbed for greatness. Touted as the best National Hockey League prospect since Sidney Crosby, “The Next One,” as he is becoming known, will likely be selected first overall during the 2015 NHL Draft. McDavid has grown accustomed to these lofty expectations, having garnered international attention for many years now. He first turned heads at the age of 13 when he impressed NHL legend Bobby Orr at a hockey camp. In 2012, the 15-year-old McDavid was granted exceptional player status to play in the Ontario Hockey League a year before he was eligible. The OHL is one of Canada’s premier junior leagues and has been a breeding ground for NHL stars. McDavid was only the third player in OHL history to earn this exception. McDavid dominated the OHL immediately. He scored 66 points in 63 games playing for the Erie Otters en route to being named OHL rookie of the year. Since his impressive rookie campaign, McDavid has not slowed down. He has scored 190 points in 128 career games, including 25 points in just nine games this season. McDavid’s performance in the OHL has NHL scouts and fans eagerly anticipating the 2015 Draft Lottery, or what many are referring to as the “Connor McDavid Sweepstakes.” The See LITKE, B9


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