The Hoya: The Guide: January 27, 2017

the guide FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

ILLUSTRATION BY ESTHER KIM/THE HOYA

FEATURED

GUIDE Theater with a Purpose Actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith brings excerpts of her latest work to Gaston Hall.

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Winter Television Preview As temperatures drop and work piles up, catch up on the best television shows of the season.

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Ethiopian Food Served Fresh Letena in Columbia Heights serves Ethiopian food in a fast-casual setting with a relaxed ambience.

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Foxygen Falls Flat Indie-rock duo Foxygen’s latest studio album, “Hang,” is short, but blessedly so.

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SPORTS Professional Development

The men’s soccer team continued its success in developing players, sending two of them to the MLS. B10

Fear the Beard A coaching change in Houston has ignited James Harden, launching the Rockets to third place in the West.

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the guide

THE HOYA

friday, January 27, 2017

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Every frame of Barry Jenkins’ coming-of-age tale “Moonlight” is vibrant and stunning. Following the three acts of protagonist Chiron’s life from boyhood to adolescence to manhood — portrayed by Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes — the film is a compassionate portrayal of humanity.

Not All That Glitters Is Gold Marina Tian and Eleanor Tolf Hoya Staff Writers

Every year, film aficionados look forward to winter — not just for snow or the holidays but for their moment in the sun. The movie buff’s Super Bowl and the cinephile’s March Madness, the Academy Awards are the denouement of the film awards season that begins in November with the Gotham Awards and culminates with the iconic, coveted gold statuettes awarded at the end of February.

Beginning in 1929 with an audience of fewer than 300 and lasting only 15 minutes, the Oscars has now ballooned to a widely watched and spectacular affair, attracting an audience of millions of viewers worldwide. The tradition of opening a sealed envelope containing the winner’s name was introduced in 1941; the iconic reveal of each category’s winner is matched in hype only by the formal announcement of the nominees.

Preceded by many other hallmark awards ceremonies like the Critic’s Choice Awards, New York Film Critics Circle Awards and the Golden Globes, few of this year’s nominees are surprising, and many are all but certain.

For example, Damien Chazelle’s nostalgic modern musical “La La Land,” which has been heavily awarded, captured a record 14 Academy Award nominations on Tuesday.

The film’s nominations were no surprise given its success thus far on the awards circuit. Although an unexpectedly political speech by Meryl Streep dominated much of the media’s attention after the Golden Globes on Jan. 8, the talk of the night was clearly Chazelle’s film, which won all seven awards for which it was nominated — half of the 14 film award categories overall. Starring the charismatic pair of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, the film broke the previous record of six Globe wins, held by “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” in 1975 and “Midnight Express” in 1978.

This year, the Academy Awards were no exception when it comes to the overwhelming adoration for “La La Land.” Award voters loved the film’s love song to Hollywood, a realistic yet picturesque depiction of the dreams people have and the costs it takes to obtain them.

The film’s 14 nominations tie those of “Titanic” and “All About Eve” for the most in the nominations in Academy Award history.

Significantly, the Academy Awards are moving away from the overwhelmingly white cast of nominees from past years as well as

including a few notable snubs.

The Critics’ Choice Awards, held in December, similarly praised “La La Land,” awarding it with eight prizes, including best picture.

The buzz has not been wholly one-sided, however. For a film that so centrally features jazz, a music form originating from African and black musical culture, there is a surprising dearth of black characters.

The issue of representation is not specific to “La La Land.” Last year in particular, the Academy Awards faced significant public criticism for its dearth of nominations for actors and actresses of color, especially visible was the social media backlash under the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite.

This year, the Academy has taken a conscious step away from last year’s controversy.

A record six black actors — Denzel Washington, Ruth Negga, Mahershala Ali, Viola Davis, Naomie Harris and Octavia Spencer — were nominated and the Best Picture category includes “Hidden Figures,” “Fences” and “Moonlight,” all films highlighting contemporary black culture. This record inclusion, however, overlooks the fact some see these films as interchangeable.

At the Golden Globes, NBC correspondent Jenna Bush Hager and actor Michael Keaton both mistakenly referenced “Hidden Fences.” For many, including associate professor of English and director of the women’s and gender studies program Dana Luciano, Hollywood’s slow progress towards diversity is not enough.

“It continues to be a reflection of how behind the times awards are that that small number indicates a great amount of progress,” Luciano said. “It’s a great thing, yet it’s really disappointing that it’s only six.”

Luciano, who teaches a course on queer cinema, also cautions against this self-congratulatory mentality many have adopted regarding representation in film. “[It] obscures the kind of things like the non-representativeness of the Oscars. The fact that you can pat yourself on the back while continuing to disproportionately represent both the community of filmmakers and the community of film-watchers is problematic,” Luciano said.

In addition, Caetlin Benson-Allott, associate professor in the department of English, posits that Hollywood’s diversity issue reflects deeper symptoms of film audiences.

“The Oscars are a symptom of a wider problem in the racial politics of U.S. cinema, the movies that we choose to see, the stars we choose to venerate,” Benson-Allott said. “If we

all went to movies by and about minorities, and those were the movies that were making the money, Hollywood would get in line, so we can show them a thing or two.”

An indicator of changing consumer film preferences is the overwhelming success of movies like “Moonlight” and “Hidden Figures.” “Hidden Figures,” a film about the black women who worked for NASA, dominated at the box office, and Barry Jenkins’ powerful and vibrant drama “Moonlight,” which won the Best Picture — Drama category at the Globes, is considered biggest competitor of “La La Land” for Best Picture at the Oscars.

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The Oscars are a symptom of a wider problem in the racial politics of U.S. cinema, the movies we choose to see, the stars we choose to venerate.”

CAETLIN BENSON-ALLOTT Associate Professor, Department of English

With nine nominations overall, “Moonlight” has received much public and critical acclaim and enthusiasm. Benson-Allott, who teaches an “Introduction to Film Theory” course, and Luciano both raved about “Moonlight” in interviews with The Hoya. “‘Moonlight’ pretty much obliterated everything else I’d seen in 2016,” Luciano said.

“There are a few movies that change your way of looking, and that was one of them.

I’m suddenly seeing film itself in a different way … It was so beautifully shot and so incredibly acted. The ending was so quietly powerful that I walked away from the theater thinking only about ‘Moonlight.’”

Beyond “La La Land” and “Moonlight,” there were some surprising snubs. “Deadpool,” despite its social media campaign, Globes nominations and wins at the Critic’s Choice Awards, received no nominations.

Also spurned was Martin Scorsese’s religious epic “Silence,” starring Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield, which received only one nomination for its cinematography.

BLACK LABEL MEDIA

Starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as a pair of ambitious lovers, “La La Land” has taken the awards season by storm, with a record-setting seven wins at the Golden Globes and an equally impressive 14 Academy Award nominations.

Perhaps the biggest upset was in the Best Actress category, in which Amy Adams’ performance in “Arrival” was ignored, even though she was originally named in ABC’s list that was prematurely released, which was later redacted with the corrected version. However, “Arrival” was recognized in the Best Picture category.

Notably shut out from all categories was the highly acclaimed period drama “The Birth of a Nation,” which won both the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. After the film’s debut, its director, writer and producer Nate Parker and co-writer Jean McGianni Celestin were embroiled in rape allegations, committed when they were both sophomores at Pennsylvania State University. While Parker was acquitted and Celestin’s conviction later overturned, the controversy effectively halted all possible award nominations for the film.

In contrast, Casey Affleck, against whom two former co-workers filed sexual harassment suits, has been greatly recognized for his work in “Manchester by the Sea.” Similarly, it seems that Hollywood’s 10-year punishment of Mel Gibson for his anti-Semitic comments has finally ended with his nomination for Best Director for his work in war movie “Hacksaw Ridge.” The nominations of both Affleck and Gibson have sparked outrage, igniting discussion on the balance between the value of an artist’s work and the artist’s character and actions outside of their profession.

“What happened to ‘The Birth of a Nation’ as a film because of Parker’s history doesn’t necessarily seem fair,” Benson-Allott said.

“It’s really important that we tell stories about African-American history and about African-American resistance, especially to … show that these are generations of resistance. On the other hand, what Parker did was really reprehensible, and,while he was exonerated by the courts, a lot of us could have a really different interpretation.”

Chad Davis (SFS ’19), president of the Georgetown Independent Film Society, concurred.

“You have to look at it like you look at any art piece, and you do have to separate the two,” Davis said. “Art is the experience between the viewer and the piece of art. Every piece of art interacts with people differently … At the end of the day, the [artist] isn’t serving as themselves, they’re serving to tell a story.”

Much of the difficulty lies in not reducing art works to the actions of one singular person and figuring out how to reward artistic contributions without condoning the actions of the artist. A large contributing factor is audiences’ tendencies toward auteurism, or attributing movies wholly to the vision and character of the director.

“Really reprehensible people sometimes make really good work, and, in many cases, really great people make, you know, not great work,” Luciano said. “If we were less focused on the director as the auteur of a film, we might be able to see a break between the reprehensibility of the individual and their cultural productions.”

Perhaps the awards are not even worth the hype. Awards shows are not always the best indicators of a film’s quality or longevity. Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane” was panned upon release and a commercial flop. Now it is hailed as a seminal film classic, posing questions of the human psyche and the unreliability of memory.

“When a movie engages with a deeper set of questions, as opposed to giving [viewers] a moral, when it asks questions and helps us think something through — artistically, visually and orally as well as in terms of its plot — those tend to be the movies that become classics and remain interesting to watch and study for decades,” Benson-Allott said.

While the Academy Awards may not necessarily award the most important or even the most artistically noteworthy films, they do reveal and reflect the Hollywood and consumer climate. They are, as with many distinctions bestowed upon artistic and cultural creations, not so much paragons of film as much as a picture of the people who create and watch them.

the guide

friday, january 27, 2017

THE HOYA

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Georgetown from afar

Andrew J. Bilden

An Outsider’s Guide to The Hilltop THE BIG MOON

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JEANINE SANTUCCI/THE HOYA

Anna Deavere Smith, best known for her acting work in “Nurse Jackie” and her Pullitzer-nominated play “Fires in the Mirror,” performed excerpts from her latest project, “Doing Time in Education: The School-to-Prison Pipeline,” on Jan. 19.

Compassion as a Catalyst in Theater Jasmine White Hoya Staff Writer

On Jan. 19, the Office of the President hosted actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith in Gaston Hall. Smith, who is currently a professor at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, has starred in shows such as “Nurse Jackie” and “The West Wing.” She has received a number of awards, including the MacArthur Award, the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize and the National Humanities Medal.

The last award was presented to her by former President Barack Obama in 2013.

She also had a week-long residency at Georgetown’s Performing Arts Department in March of 2013.

During the event, Smith performed excerpts from her latest work, “Doing Time in Education: The School-to-Prison Pipeline,” as part of The Pipeline Project. Also known as “Notes from the Field,” the book explores the high rate of incarceration among lowincome minority youth groups.

me to try and convince myself that my humanity has to do with more than just me and mine,” Smith said, when asked about her signature writing style, now coined as “documentary theater.”

Between monologues, Smith lectured on various topics, including poverty, disability and education in particular.

Smith said that after 40 years of teaching, she still finds the gap between incoming college students from wealthy and from low-income backgrounds extremely discouraging.

Smith emphasized how the lack of access to education could lead to a potential “security problem” in the United States because of its key role in civil unrest from low-income minorities.

“Something we have to do [is build] a moral imagination which causes us to come outside of our homes to care about the person around the corner or across the street,” Smith said. “Parents, teachers and principals have to be so focused on what’s right in front of them that it’s hard to imagine what it means to our nation that we leave so many people uneducated.”

The readings from her monologues were followed by a question-and-answer session open to the audience. As for the creative process in her portrayal of these real-life characters, Smith traced much of her inspiration to an old saying of her grandfather regarding words and identity.

“You say it enough, and you become it, and then you start to feel,” Smith said.

She also addressed questions in light of the recent political climate of the United States.

“The revolution will come in the form of grace, kindness and generosity given until it hurts,” Smith said.

She urged the audience, especially college students, to become active in their communities.

“Ultimately what requires the most courage is not the leader but the first follower. Make a leap of faith to try to create new possibilities based on visions that become contagious. This is it. It’s the time,” Smith said.

The Pipeline Project is currently being performed in cities all over the nation. It is not yet available in print.

“The revolution will come in the form of grace, kindness and generosity given until it hurts.”

Georgetown as a school appears both welcoming and imposing.

AnnA Deveare smith Actress, Playwright

According to Smith, this is the result of subjecting these groups to disproportional suspension and/or expulsion in comparison to their middle-class peers.

Smith was quick to clarify that the title does not suggest that schools are somehow solely responsible for this vicious cycle but rather that they play a part in a system powered by racism and elitism.

Much like Smith’s earlier works, including Pulitzer Prize nominee “Fires in the Mirror” and Tony Award contender “Twilight: Los Angeles,” “Notes from the Field” comprises a series of monologues collected from over 250 interviews from four different regions in the United States. Among those interviewed, a standout was Allen Bullock, an arrested teen who damaged police cars at a protest following Freddie Gray’s death.

Another important testimony came from Niya Kenny, of Spring Valley High School. She recorded the now-infamous video of then-16-year-old student Shakara being thrown out of her seat by a cop after she refused to get up.

“I’ve been chasing that which is not

first came to the Hilltop as an eightyear-old and have loved it ever since.

Having a sister in the SFS, I always enter the front gates at 37th and O to visit with great joy. Although I do not attend Georgetown, my family and friends have made me think of it as a special place and a home to great memories.

As a new contributor to The Hoya, I hope to provide an outsider’s perspective on Georgetown through my column.

I have never failed to pick up a copy of The Hoya during my visits to the Hilltop.

I have witnessed the production nights’ frenzied atmosphere, bursting with energy and ideas, resembling the opening of “House of Cards” or the streaming of ferries across the Potomac River.

Georgetown as a school appears both welcoming and imposing. John Carroll, also known as “Father Georgetown,” stands as a steady figure watching over campus and a staple photo location. He sits peacefully above the Hilltop, observing students as they walk to meet their friends or hightail out of the front gates for some late-night of gallivanting. Healy Hall stands behind him, softly lit well into the morning, outshone only by the beautiful scenery of trees, brick-lined paths and silver street lights. Healy Hall PNB ROCK is an historic building that tells the stories of generations.

In an old-modelled classroom, you can find the inspiring mantra, “Look onto the rock whence ye are hewn.” I have learned all of this by surreptitiously joining various Blue and Gray tours, in the hopes of someday starting my own competing service. During these tours, I enjoy comparing SAT scores with rising seniors and attempting to figure out why I cannot order from the campus Starbucks on my smartphone — I am still waiting on my GOCard.

JEANINE SANTUCCI/THE HOYA

ISAAC GRACIE

ILLUSTRATION BY GRACE CHUNG AND MINA LEE/THE HOYA

Georgetown as a town is charming and beautiful. The PNC Bank, with its shimmering gold dome, situates it among D.C.’s prime sites as a shining city on a hill. As you walk along M Street or Wisconsin Avenue under a full moon on a chilly night, you are filled with this warm feeling of freedom — that one is in the heart of the capital of the greatest country on earth. There is nothing but time on those nights, and no better place to be. The restaurants are permanent fixtures that provide glimpsing tastes from around the world along a fun and lively experience. As a general rule, I avoid any store with a line that goes out the door — no matter how delicious its cupcakes are — but local inhabitants love anything in high demand.

Georgetown as a community is warm and welcoming, which visitors like myself appreciate. I feel especially lucky to have my sister and friends from grade school as hosts every time I pay a visit to Georgetown.

Smart, studious and sporting club loyalties like no other, Georgetown kids work hard and work hard some more, often plotting how to rise to the top of their organization. This is perhaps why they love their clubs, which offer an enjoyable social component to what is otherwise a highly academic environment.

Clubs provide them other avenues to debate politics, build connections and express themselves through something about which they are passionate. Moreso, this hardworking-Hoya mentality is why I often spy on students here sporting workout attire — or “athleisure” — while having no intention of actually exercising, but instead keep their glasses on the elliptical at Yates Field House, flipping through an introduction to international relations.

To Hoyas, cura personalis is about as important as supporting local establishments like Saxby’s or having a Tombs night on one’s 21st birthday. This underrated motto also explains why students care so deeply about the nation’s future and the state of the world, why they believe in being men and women for others and why community engagement is so critical to them.

As a final general observation, I am particularly impressed by the work ethic observed at a certain floor of the campus’s main, architecturally-experimental library. I believe it is called “Lau 2,” where you can really tell everyone is hitting the books.

Lau 2 by far truly exemplifies the hardworking Hoya mentality I have come to know and love. Hoya Saxa.

Andrew Bilden is the sibling of a freshman in the School of Foreign Service.

GEORGETOWN FROM AFAR appears every other Friday.

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the guide

THE HOYA

feature

Friday, January 27, 2017

This week’S TOP FIVE

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Top Five Oscars Hosts Whoopi Goldberg (1994, 1996, 1999, 2004)

An Oscars veteran with four gigs under her belt, Whoopi Goldberg’s first time hosting made history. She was the first black woman ever to host the ceremony, as well as the first female to present solo.

Following three consecutive years of Billy Crystal, Goldberg was a breath of fresh air. An elegant, effortless host, Goldberg employed her intense wit and liveliness to great effect.

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2 COURTESY BAILEY BRADFORD

“The Phantom Tolllbooth” employed a gender-neutral casting process, so that talented performers would not be limited in landing certain roles.

The Phantom Tollbooth: A Journey to Wisdom

Dani Guerrero Hoya Staff Writer

From Georgetown’s Theater and Performance Studies Program and the student-led Nomadic Theatre comes the imaginative play “The Phantom Tollbooth,” running from Jan. 26 to Feb. 4 in the Davis Performing Arts Center. Written by Susan Nanus and based on Norton Juster’s 1961 children’s novel, the story follows a young boy, Milo, on his journey into the land of wisdom, where an argument between King Azas and his brother, the Mathmagician, has led to the banishment of princesses Sweet Rhyme and Pure Reason to the land of ignorance.

Afterwards, Milo, played by Carmen Livesay (COL ’17), drives his toy car through a magic tollbooth. There begins his mission to rescue the princesses.

The play is set in an abandoned post-apocalyptic subway station, where Milo takes refuge from whatever is chasing him.

“We wanted to leave it slightly abstract and not geographically rooted, because our aim isn’t necessarily to tell a specific story but more of an ambiguous everyman child’s tale,” student director Mollie Rodgers (COL ’17) said. “By having the constraints of what exists in a subway space, we developed a sort of creativity with limits, which allowed us to craft more depth into this magical world by using props such as a box or an old umbrella to thread the story.”

Even though the play describes itself as family-friendly, many of its elements may spur reflection amongst more mature audiences.

“How we formulate our own stories is paramount. To me, the story’s relevancy comes from the fact that, although this world is formulated from the perspective of the adult, everyone still creates these fantastic narratives to get through everyday life, so in some ways this relates to everyone’s stories,” John Monday (COL ’18), who plays Milo’s mission companion, Tock, said.

The upon which journey Milo embarks is one of self-discovery and learning. Using his own imagination, he attempts to make sense of the broken kingdom in which he has arrived, drawing parallels to fragmented communities that exist around the world today.

“Since the book was written around the Cold War Era, it has that theme of what happens when two different groups of people decide that they are separate and that they will never listen to each other,” Rodgers said. “My hope is for older children, college-aged students and adults to be able to tap into this additional narrative of why this child is going on this journey. How do people who are affected by the processes [that] upper-level politics set in motion react to deal with these conflicts? What does a child do when there is no rhyme and reason in their life?”

One of the play’s most remarkable aspects lies in its gender-neutral casting. Open auditions for all roles ensured that gender did not constrain performers of great talent from landing a specific part. Livesay plays

Milo, an originally male character.

“We wanted to open the casting opportunities to everyone. From our perspective, this character had to be a child and not necessarily a male character. We wanted to let the best actor win the role,” Rodgers said. “Carmen walks a really great line between playing a child and not creating a caricature from it. Children are usually superficially portrayed as running around in high-pitched voices without knowing anything about what is happening around them. She brings a real life and sensitivity to Milo.”

The collaboration between Georgetown’s theater department and a student-run organization like Nomadic Theater translates well into the play’s unique dynamic. This partnership created an incredible mixture of institutional efficiency and fresh perspectives that have enriched the final product.

“It’s been a very rewarding and incredibly useful learning experience, because we are working in conjunction with professionals,” producer Bailey Premeaux (COL ’19) said.

“With such a vast support system, we were all able to make the show better. We certainly learned a lot and can take that and roll that into next productions.”

Through a talented design team, which includes professional set designer Patrick Lord, the play manages to convey both playfulness and thoughtfulness through shifting lights and powerful sounds. The narrative ties the audience to displaced children all around the world, who cope with painful realities they do not fully understand.

“There are two layers to the play. The first is the reality where only Milo exists, and the upper one is the imaginative world. Younger children will get cued into the imaginative world through the play’s swirling colors or the funny hats characters wear,” Rodgers said. “A lot of the objects are transformed from this realistic level into the imagination layer.

The realistic portion relates to the world we live in right know, where a lot of children in certain places are being forced to deal with very adult themes that they haven’t created but by which they are burdened.”

The production’s well-crafted characters and enthralling story is bound to allure both children and adults. There is plenty for any age group to discover as they embark on this journey with Milo.

“We want children to come see it, but we also want to have an adult audience to appreciate the nuances of a play that speaks of very relevant subjects for both groups,” Premeaux said.

By the time Milo reaches the conclusion of the play, his attitude towards learning and life is forever transformed — members of the audience may find that they, too, have learned a little something.

“The Phantom Tollbooth” is showing until Feb. 4th in Davis Performing Arts Center’s Devine Studio Theatre. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $8 for students.

To order, visit performingarts.georgetown. edu or call 202-687-ARTS (2787) Monday through Friday, 3-6 p.m.

Billy Crystal (1990-1993, 1997-1998, 2000, 2004, 2012)

Billy Crystal transformed the Oscars into the entertainment empire it is today. With his first three times as host, he managed to rescue a slowly decaying franchise with his shameless, piercing persona. Although his last few turns as host turned slightly stale, Crystal gets a spot for reinventing the hosting gig altogether. Crystal’s cheerful humor has never stopped him from making equally shrill remarks.

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Chris Rock (2005, 2016)

Chris Rock is not afraid to bruise a few egos in the room to get a good laugh.

With real bite, his opening monologue in the 2016 ceremony was as sharp as it was brutal. While many did not appreciate his poorly considered joke about Asian-Americans, Rock’s astute, biting observations about the lack of black nominees that year was a bit of crucial industry selfawareness. His critical drubbing might hurt a few feelings, but usually also rouse massive waves of laughter.

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Ellen DeGeneres (2007, 2014)

Dependable Oscars hosts are hard to find, but Ellen DeGeneres is always a steadfast pick. With an easygoing style, she makes sure everyone has a good time.

Although she is not the most shocking presence onstage, DeGeneres has delivered her fair share of epic moments from viral all-star selfies to serving pizza to hungry, dressed-up celebrities. There is nothing wrong with playing it safe, as long as it ensures a smooth, lighthearted night.

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Steve Martin (2001, 2003, 2010)

Steve Martin is one classy, smart host.

Having hosted the ceremony three times, including one with his pal, Alec Baldwin, he remains a solid presenter of astounding wit. An effortless performer, Martin knows how to set the right tone for every situation. Even when his 2003 gig aired days after the beginning of the Iraq War, Martin managed to lighten the mood in a truly enjoyable ceremony.

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Photo of the Week | Descending Steps

COURTESY BAILEY BRADFORD

“The Phantom Tollbooth” appeals to young children as well as more mature audiences, which will appreciate the production’s thoughtful message and universal theme.

JOHN CURRAN/THE HOYA

the guide

friday, January 27, 2017

THE HOYA

Restaurant WEEK Preview

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bake my day

Nina Young

Can Hoyas Sustain the Paleo Diet?

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JULIA ANASTOS/THE HOYA

The Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week has returned for the 2017 winter season, offering set meals for less than $40 at some of the District’s most high-end restaurants, including the neighborhood favorite 1789 Restaurant.

Fine Dining for a Fine Price Mary Cate Whelan Hoya Staff Writer

It is that dull, bitter time at the end of January when most people have already given up on unattainable New Year’s resolutions to eat more healthily or save money. The home line at O’Donovan Hall has already started repeats, and not even the promise of “Taco Tuesday” or “Chicken Finger Thursday” can get students out of the dumps.

The glimmer of hope for all broke and hungry college students across Washington, D.C., is finally arriving: the Winter Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week. The Winter Restaurant Week is hosted by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. From Jan. 30th to Feb. 5th, patrons can indulge in a three-course prix-fixe meal at over 100 of D.C.’s most prestigious restaurants. Brunch and lunch are set at $22 and dinner at $35 per person. There is little excuse for anyone not to take advantage of this opportunity, given the incredibly low prices, the quality and volume of food and the wide range of participating restaurants.

The list of restaurants participating in this winter’s Restaurant Week is overwhelming, so here are a few highlights and unique restaurants to check out.

Jaleo Jaleo, owned by D.C.’s renowned chef and restaurant titan José Andrés, is a must-try stop during this Restaurant Week. The original restaurant, located in Penn Quarter, now has four franchise locations across North America. Jaleo prides itself on a diverse assortment of tapas, which are traditional Spanish small plates. The restaurant also offers a range of savory paellas, trendy desserts and fresh sangrias. For $35, restaurant-goers can choose one plate from each of the four sections that make up the menu.

Traditional tapas classics, such as patatas bravas — fried potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and aioli — make an appearance. The dessert “Flan

al estilo tradicional de mamá Marisa con espuma de crema catalana,” a Spanish custard with cream and oranges, also figures on the menu.

The restaurant’s modern and festive decor creates a casual and lively atmosphere. José Andrés’ distinct flavors will give diners the taste of Spain without having to splurge on the typically expensive dishes.

Rasika Rasika, D.C.’s most popular Indian restaurant, is also getting in on the Restaurant Week action. For lunch only, the always swarming and always flavorful restaurant opens its doors to hungry Indian food fanatics. All a foodie needs is $22 to order one of each of Rasika’s most popular appetizers, entrees and desserts. Crowd favorites like the palak chaat, a surprisingly delicious crispy spinach with cool yogurt sauce, feature on the diverse menu. Rasika also offers its take on an Indian classic: chicken tikka masala.

Both Rasika locations, in Penn Quarter and West End, are featured in this Restaurant Week. Typically, one entree at Rasika hovers around $22, so make your reservations soon to take advantage of this affordable opportunity. Tables at Rasika are coveted, and you will not want to miss the chance to finally try this D.C. classic.

The Equinox This mid-Atlantic-inspired, locally sourced restaurant should be at the top of any Restaurant Week dining list. The “elegant and sophisticated, yet comfortable and unpretentious” restaurant is the perfect location for college students looking for a more upscale dining experience. Executive Chef Todd Gray is a frontrunner of the sustainable and seasonal food movement, which ensures that each dish is crafted with the freshest possible ingredients. Typically, The Equinox offers three courses for $60, five courses for $75 and seven courses for $85, but the

RAMW Winter Restaurant Week guarantees three courses for $35. The Restaurant Week menu offers something for every customer.

The six-hour braised beef short rib with fontina cheese grits will definitely please meat lovers, while the plant-based cauliflower tempura with fresh pomegranate vinaigrette or the homemade buccatini with truffled white bean bolognese seem like perfect selections for a vegetarian crowd. To end the meal, The Equinox offers four sweet course options including a pineapple upside-down cake and a novel PB&J cake. The unique and fresh options available at The Equinox should send Georgetown students running for its doors as Restaurant Week approaches.

1789 Restaurant The final mandatory stop for this year’s Restaurant Week is the 1789 Restaurant in Georgetown. While the restaurant is a mere two blocks from Georgetown University’s main gates, few students can claim to have eaten at the fancy establishment. The typical prix-fixe dinner is $85 for four courses, $97 for five courses, and $109 for six courses: jaw-dropping prices typically reserved for special outings with parents. But for $35, a humble Georgetown student can finally afford the luxury of the restaurant that borders our grounds. The Restaurant Week menu includes three courses, with many of the restaurant’s signature dishes available. To begin the meal, 1789 offers a truffle celeriac soup, beet salad and a small pasta dish, garnished with pancetta and tomatoes. Patrons have the choice of short ribs, pork tenderloin or salmon for a second course. To end the extravagant feast, diners can choose between a spiced buttermilk panna cotta or a flourless chocolate tarte.

A full list of restaurants participating in the Winter Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week can be found on its website.

Restaurant REVIEW

Ethiopian Flavors Meet Fast-Casual Letena

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3100 14th St. N.W. | Cuisine: Ethiopian | $ Vera Mastrorilli Hoya Staff Writer

Rich Ethiopian flavors are worth the trek to Letena Ethiopian Restaurant, a no-frills eatery in the commercial area of Columbia Heights, Washington, D.C. Thick, flavorful stews, tibs — grilled or stir-fried meat — and coffee are staples at the Zagat-rated restaurant, which uses fresh ingredients and healthy cooking methods to prepare traditional Ethiopian dishes.

Owner Yamrot Ezineh, who has worked in the culinary field in both Ethiopia and the United Kingdom, brought her experience to D.C. when she opened the restaurant in October. The restaurant’s name, which means “for health” or “to health,” is reflective of its culinary vision. Letena’s clean lines and tastefully minimal decor reflect the modern architecture of Columbia Heights’ commercial area, while authentic Ethiopian artifacts lend interest to an otherwise neutral space.

Letena offers lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, and is set to serve breakfast on weekdays, according to its website. Customers order, pay and receive their drinks at the front counter, then seat themselves in the main dining room or the more intimate corridor that adjoins it. Though the restaurant seats up to 80 guests, only a few tables are filled on a Sunday evening. The server brings a basket of complimentary injera, a sourdough flatbread typical of Ethiopian cuisine, to the table. Within five minutes, he delivers the main order — impressively quick service.

Letena’s combination platters provide the opportunity to try several dishes. The meat sampler ($18.50), which offers four pre-set meat dishes and two vegetable dishes or salads of the diner’s choice, arrives in six square dishes. Though the plates are small, the sampler’s rich selection provides enough food for two to share. As is customary in Ethiopian cuisine, diners forgo utensils and scoop the entrees with pieces of injera. However, to accommodate all customer preferences, Letena offers entrees pre-wrapped in injera, substitutes rice or bread for injera and provides

letena

In Letena’s fast-casual environment, where fresh ingredients are combined with healthy cooking methods, the quality of its Ethiopian dishes remains a priority. utensils upon request.

Vibrantly colored and shiny with oil, the meat stews feature distinctive, potent flavors. The slightly sour, yeasty flavor of the injera cuts the stews’ saltiness to prevent it from overwhelming the palate. The deep redbrown sauce dominates the doro wot, a dark meat chicken stew. An initial tomato-like flavor reminiscent of British or French beef stew gives way to a spicy kick, while the chicken flavor is more subtle.

The decadent dark red color of the kay siga wot, a spicy beef stew, matches the intensity of its sweetness. The hearty flavor of the beef cuts the otherwise cloying sauce, and the dish’s underlying spiciness adds dimension.

Oil sticks to the lips as diners savor the yellowbrown alicha siga wot, a beef stew with a thin, mild curry sauce. The beef is tender and has a distinct, but more delicate, flavor than that of the kay siga wot.

The palate blossoms with cardamom upon the first bite of the kifto, beef cooked to taste with hot chili powder and spiced butter. The most potently flavored and uniquely textured meat on the sampler platter, the ground beef

is grainy and chewy — a notably different texture from the dense chunks of stew meat in other dishes.

The bright, mild sweetness of the kik, a yellow split pea compote seasoned with garlic and ginger, provides relief from the intense spices and rich texture of the meat dishes. Its flavor is so light, in fact, that the slight sourness of the injera is noticeable in each bite.

While the flavor of the mushrooms is evident in the mushroom dulet — a medley of finelydiced vegetables and garlic in olive oil — garlic dominates the dish. The smooth mushrooms serve as a pleasant contrast to the bright crunch of the jalapeño, creating a dynamic combination of textures.

Despite the restaurant’s fast-casual setup, servers inquire about the quality of the food and offer injera throughout the meal. Having paid beforehand, diners need not wait for a check, and can enjoy Letena’s simple ambience. With hearty Ethiopian flavors sure to satisfy appetites, Letena has an eclectic menu that promises another compelling culinary experience upon return to Columbia Heights.

he Hilltop and unconventional dietary plans do not always mix well. Students who are vegetarian, vegan, diabetic, allergic to nuts or living with celiac disease, among many other dietary restrictions, can find it difficult to navigate Georgetown while trying to keep track of nutritional concerns.

No one can deny that food is important.

Physical and mental health often hinge on the variety and quality of the food one eats.

It is not only what you put in your body but also why you do so and how you expect the food to benefit you. A doughnut may brighten my day, and baby spinach may boost my metabolism, but, for many students, finding a sweet snack or energy-producing alternative is not easy. That is why, starting this semester, I plan to delve deep into the world of food that exists on and off campus, attempting different diets and sharing my findings.

The most recently-acclaimed apotheosis of dietary plans is the highly-publicized paleo diet. This is also the diet I decided to tackle for the first two weeks of school. Despite its popularity, the paleo diet has been met with strong criticism, as many contest the diet’s long-term effectuality and sustainability.

Whether it was due to some nutrient deficiency or a general longing for pasta, by the end of the first two weeks of the threeweek diet, I found myself with all-consuming cravings.

There are many variations on the paleo diet, but the version I decided on is the Primal Blueprint’s “21-Day Total Body Transformation.” This dietary plan advocates stripping down food intake to bare essentials and pairing this painful process with a healthy dose of exercise and sleep. The website and blog that hosts the challenge, Mark’s Daily Apple, claims it is “a method for rejuvenating your health and revitalizing your metabolism.” Participants should “eat real food,” primarily lean meats, “avoid sugar, grains [and] unhealthy fats” and “align [their] carb intake with … [sustained] activity levels.” Taking into consideration my regular running habits, I decided to level my carb intake at around 100-150 grams.

Beginning the plan involved some unconventional shopping (recommended strongly by the website), primarily through the online platform Thrive Market, which offers a plethora of alternative, organic food options almost entirely unavailable in the D.C. area otherwise. Unfortunately, although I placed my order a week early, Thrive Market’s carriers had a hard time locating the Arrupe Hall RHO, and, hence, Trader Joe’s became the new, sole resource for the diet. Grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s limited my options considerably.

All of my primal shopping for the following two weeks amounted to approximately $95. A little disappointed at the nearly three-digit price tag, it was easy for me to see why many criticized the diet as unsustainable. Despite this, the diet proved fairly easy to manage when shopping off campus. A douse of extra virgin olive oil made for great grilled chicken, and eggs for breakfast never really get old!

As far as on-campus food options goes, the paleo diet was much pricier. I could eat virtually nothing at Epicurean and Company, and Vital Vittles’s raw food section packs a significantly heftier price than nearby grocery stores. Another downfall of this diet centers on college students’ typical caffeine consumption habits — no coffee allowed. Highly caffeinated drinks are frowned upon, given the diet’s claim to revitalize energy.

Quality kitchens were also a must-have for this diet, so, unless you live in an apartment or townhouse, you might be spending a lot of time in your common room sink, digging out dishes from a pile of a floormate’s old spaghetti. That being said, because everything is bought raw on the diet, a major portion of my day was spent cooking — a luxury many busy college students cannot afford and a considerable challenge to the sleep portion of the plan.

Despite never feeling particularly hungry, I found it difficult to feel satisfied. Whether it was due to some nutrient deficiency or a general longing for pasta, by the end of the first two weeks of the three-week diet, I found myself with all-consuming cravings. It eventually devolved into a Kafka-esque weekend in which food cravings left me with little choice but to claim my diet marked to die, throw my honor and pride to the side and sever my ties with all things Paleo. At least I now have more time to study.

So is a paleo diet at Georgetown sustainable?

Probably not.

Nina Young is a sophomore in the School of Foreign Service. BAKE MY DAY appears every other Friday.

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THE HOYA

the guide

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

TV PREVIEW

NETFLIX

Based on the hugely popular children’s book series by Lemony Snicket, Netflix has another winner in “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” a dark comedy drama depicting the tragic lives of the three Baudelaire orphans after having been sent to live with Count Olaf, played with aplomb by Neil Patrick Harris.

Hottest Television Selections of the Winter MEENA RAMAN Hoya Staff Writer

As temperatures drop and classes pick up, Georgetown students may find themselves searching for comfort from the cold weather in the wake of a dearly missed syllabus week.

Luckily, the beginning of the second semester perfectly coincides with the start of a highly anticipated winter television season. As hit shows, new and old, begin to grace our screens, viewers can already see signs of promise for the new year in entertainment.

Fan favorites returning this season include three critically acclaimed ABC dramas: “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal” and “How to Get Away with Murder.” Produced by Shonda Rhimes, founder of TV-production company Shondaland, these shows share several commonalities both in structure and theme, all reflecting their creators’ clear and purposeful vision.

Rhimes’ productions feature diverse, largely female casts — “Grey’s Anatomy,” in particular — with strong female leads. Like the characters she develops, Rhimes has been deemed by many as a “feminist heroine,” especially for women of color.

Also central to Rhimes’ legacy is her unparalleled ability to create plot twists and love triangles — essentially, to create pure, addictive fun. However, with “Grey’s Anatomy” on

Gold

its 13th season, some fans question if Rhimes has little left to add, having already explored so many plotlines with the medical drama’s ever-shrinking cast of characters. Many hope that she keeps her creative focus on new developments instead —“How To Get Away With Murder,” for example, now on its third season, continues to attract new viewership.

Those looking for the romantic drama of Shondaland in a more light-hearted setting should certainly consider watching “New Girl” or “The Mindy Project,” both also returning this season. Filled with will-they-or-won’t-they couples and loveable — if, at times, gimmicky — sidekicks, both sitcoms also star feisty female leads. Zooey Deschanel and Mindy Kaling, playing Jess Day and Mindy Lahiri, respectively, perfectly fit their roles as quirky underdogs lost in love. Both actresses, too, possess natural talents for both humorous and heartfelt delivery.

For fans of more eccentric comedic fare, “Portlandia” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” constitute other options well-suited for the binge watch. Having recently returned this January, they each follow the hilarious misadventures of classic “gangs of misfits.”

“Portlandia” is uniquely shot in a sketchcomedy style. Starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, an incomparable duo, the show is the source of iconic, viral humor. The critical hit was recently renewed for its eighth and final season. “It’s Always Sunny,” a more

traditional sitcom, also packs a punch in just 22 minutes, with Frank — the show’s offbeat father figure, played by Danny Devito — often stealing the spotlight.

Quite a few shades darker is AMC’s apocalyptic horror-drama, “The Walking Dead,” which kicks off next month. Having garnered a major cult following over the past few years, “TWD” is sure be met with excitement by fans, especially those hoping upcoming episodes will redeem the “gratuitously gory” first half of the seventh season. The midseason premiere is scheduled for Feb. 12.

That same day, HBO hit “Girls” will also return for its sixth and final season. Chronicling the personal and professional lives of four young women, “Girls” has consistently generated buzz with culturally relevant, at times controversial, storylines. Although the show is not as popular as it once was, loyal fans are still likely to tune in to see how the fates of their favorite characters unfold.

Also a successful member of the comedydrama genre is NBC’s unexpected hit, “This is Us,” which first debuted in September of 2016. Starring former teen-drama actors Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore, the show has an underlying sense of millennial nostalgia, as well as an emotional family feel. Already a critic’s pick, “This Is Us” has the definite potential to dominate TV screens at least for the present month.

Many Georgetown students may also remember reading “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” which achieved celebrity in the realm of children’s fiction in the early 2000s, and was later adapted as a feature film in 2004. Now adapted to the small screen, Netflix’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events” stars a sensational Neil Patrick Harris in the role of Count Olaf, who emerges as the primary antagonist of the series. With a dry sense of humor reminiscent of his character on “How I Met Your Mother,” Harris expertly establishes himself in the hilariously sinister role, distinguishing the character from that of Jim Carrey, who played the role in the poorly reviewed 2004 movie.

Satirical news junkies have plenty to look forward to in the weeks to come in light of the seasonal returns of “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee,” “Real Time with Bill Maher” and “Last Week Tonight with Jon Oliver.” Following a tumultuous political cycle, we can expect these TV hosts to deliver powerful bits of extra compelling and comedic commentary.

As the winter TV season unfolds, critics and avid fans alike are eager to see which shows will deliver on their producers’ promises and which will fall short of viewers’ righteous expectations. After a year characterized by major cultural and sociopolitical change, audiences should look forward to seeing what thematic forces take hold of the television in 2017.

MOVIE REVIEW

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Patrick Massett Directed By: Stephen Gaghan

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MATEO GARNICA Hoya Staff Writer

Matthew McConaughey’s recent spate of critically acclaimed and commercially lucrative performances has led several enthusiasts to dub the actor’s career revival “the McConaissance.” His rash of successful roles in films such as “True Detective” and ”Interstellar,” as well as a notable cameo in “The Wolf of Wall Street,” culminated in an Oscar win for his role as an AIDS-afflicted pharmaceutical pioneer in “Dallas Buyers Club.”

However, the actor has faced negative reviews of his most recent roles in films such as “Free State of Jones” and “The Sea of Trees.”

Director Stephen Gaghan’s “Gold” was meant to launch McConaughey’s triumphant return to the big leagues. Despite his best efforts, the film’s overall weaknesses dampen McConaughey’s performance.

His turn in “Gold” as modern mining prospector Kenny Wells showcases his ability to portray the American everyman. Whether it is as an inveterate alcoholic, a sleazy businessman or a desperate individual weighed down by the imminence of his own death, McConaughey’s layered performances display his overwhelming talent.

McConaughey captures neurosis and despair in a manner that evokes empathy, understanding and visceral shock.

His physical transformation to a portly prospector serves to illustrate the character’s personal compulsions and nuances. The character’s pervasive sweat, crooked yellow teeth, balding combover and protruding gut depict his status as an outsider in the traditional clean-cut businessman crowd.

Despite his unseemly physical appearance, McConaughey brings his characteristic charm and charisma to the role. Ultimately, his enactment of Kenny Wells is a continuation of his calling card as a portrayer of enigmatic and sociable figures.

Gaghan provides notable direction along the course of the character’s development, but he does not adequately expand the other areas of the film which would have led to a more cohesive final product.

A veteran craftsman of harrowing narratives, as seen in his script for Steven Soderbergh’s “Traffic,” Gaghan focuses intently on both the man and entrepreneur behind Wells.

With close-framed shots and exquisitely presented physical changes, he manages to capture the intensity of Wells’ fervor as well as his

BOIES/SCHILLER FILMS

Starring an immensely entertaining Matthew McConaughey, “Gold” tells the story of Kenny Wells, a businessman down on his luck who joins geologist Michael Acosta, played by Édgar Ramírez, on a quest to find gold deep in the Indonesian jungles. deep angst throughout the course of the film.

The majority of the film is a close observation of McConaughey’s character, which deprives other elements of the film of sufficient progression. Cinematography, plot development and supporting character narratives are not provided ample space to develop.

The range of locales encountered in “Gold” are never reach their full cinematographic worth. Although Gaghan contrasts Reno’s kitschy suburbs with the lush, verdant jungles of Indonesia and New York’s haughty environs, the director never really takes advantage of these regions from a scenic perspective. The camerawork appears generic and misses an opportunity to provide a multifaceted perspective on the characters through the environment around them.

The plot has a litany of underdeveloped sequences, quickly-resolved conflicts and a cast of

unmemorable characters. The scriptwriters for “Gold” evidently pushed in the direction of creating a corporate profile piece that straddles the line between comedic corporate thriller and American heartland drama without ever committing properly to either. Although McConaughey brings his gravitas as a character actor, the plot fails to use the environment and characters around him to accentuate his persona.

He is neither the no-holds-barred eccentric corporate leader nor the inspiring and persevering small-time entrepreneur, but a shallow caricature in between. Although McConaughey’s performance succeeds, the overall development of Wells’s narrative falls short.

Aside from McConaughey, no character develops a sufficiently captivating personal arc. The excessive amount of attention Gaghan grants McConaughey prevents Bryce Dallas How-

ard’s and Edgar Ramirez’s performances from reaching their true potential. Instead, their characters ring hollow, relying on formulaic dramatic artifices.

“Gold” fails to capture viewers’ attention with shocking scenes, which its R-rated status would have certainly allowed it to craft.

Gaghan dedicates an overwhelming amount of time to the singular abilities of Matthew McConaughey, which inevitably stifles any other artistic expressions in the film.

This strategy of placing the onus on McConaughey to deliver a performance that can cover the apparent deficiencies does work in certain places. It is difficult to state whether the film would have been better had McConaughey not been the main point of focus in the film or if he was the only redeeming quality it had, but, ultimately, his performance, unlike the rest of the movie, is captivating.

the guide

friday, January 27, 2017

THE HOYA

MUSIC

album review

New Releases

Hang Foxygen

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John Miller Hoya Staff Writer

Bold, theatrical and, at times, melodramatic, “Hang” is the grandiose fifth album by indie-rock duo Foxygen. At just over 30 minutes, the album is a whirlwind journey, cycling between excessive, operatic, string-laden arrangements and familiar pop tunes that pay a Broadway-infused homage to the theatrical excess of ‘70’s glam rock that feels both histrionic and overdone.

“Hang” is a departure from Foxygen’s 2014 Todd Rundgren-influenced “…And Star Power,” instead featuring a collaboration with Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips and a 40-piece orchestra. The result is an album that sees lead singer Sam France maintain his trademark vocal dynamic — an approach similar to David Bowie and Lou Reed — while instrumentalist Jonathan Rado focuses on capturing the elaborate sound of Elton John and Billy Joel.

The album’s opening track, “Follow the Leader,” recalls the group’s fervent adoration of Rundgren, with an introduction hauntingly similar to his immortal 1972 hit “I Saw the Light.” Although the track does not chart new territory for the band, its gentle introduction of brass and orchestral elements eases the listener into an instrument-heavy aesthetic that becomes a characteristic theme throughout the album.

Replete with backing vocals, the first section of “Avalon” feels as if it was pulled from a Broadway musical. An instrumental interlude morphs the song into an up-tempo jazz vamp before returning to a sing-along finale.

The third track, “Mrs. Adams,” begins with the Billy Joel-esque “Here I am / In this Hollywood bar / Press my face against the glass /Can’t you see I’m making reservations?” before turning decidedly dark, with the morbid line “What you doing now with your gun in your mouth?”

The album begins its descent into absurdity with “America,” a track with an orchestral arrangement, lyrical theme and vocal approach that drifts beyond homage and into the realm of parody. Atop a whimsical wash of strings, France croons “America” in a somewhat choked tone as the track, at times, mirrors Supertramp’s “Breakfast in America,” with mixed results. Although the melody feels familiar, the lyrics “If you’re already there /

COLUMBIA

Jagjaguwar

Indie-pop duo Foxygen serves a combination of familiar pop tunes and histrionic arrangements in its latest 30-minute album, “Hang.”

Then you’re already dead / If you’re living in America / Our heroes are bred / They just got nothing to lose / Because they’re all living in America” adopt an apathetic tone toward the future of America — ironic for an album released concurrently with the inauguration of President Donald Trump on Jan. 20.

“On Lankershim” is without a doubt the album’s climax, employing bygone songwriting conventions to great effect. With vocals that feel pure and unadulterated by an attempt to deliver an over-the-top Broadway performance, France’s heartfelt message of love and hope will hit home for listeners.

This song, moreso than any other on the album, feels like honest representation rather than overdone imitation. Although its intro feels like Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer,” the track’s vocal harmony channels the best moments of The Eagles, and its final verse could just as easily have been recorded by David Bowie.

Musically, the addition of a saxophone draws upon an essential, though often forgotten, aspect of the classic rock vocabulary.

More than any one feature, the track’s ability to unify theme, tone and instrumentation is singular among the album’s eight songs.

The album’s close is not nearly as strong as its start. On “Trauma,” a track on which

France sings the word “trauma” 23 times before devolving into a serenade that makes mention of flamingos, it feels as if the group ran out of material. Although the closing track “Rise Up” features a high-energy arrangement accented by heavily distorted guitar, it still comes across as a lackluster finale — a drift into oblivion rather than an exclamation point. The track’s energy is captured neither in its production nor in its vocals, resulting in a tune that feels like music playing in an empty room rather than to a standing ovation.

What is most refreshing about the album is its diverse array of influences. It incorporates elements that could be heard on a “Greatest Hits of the 1970s” album, alongside snippets more at home in a dusty thrift store bargain bin than in a modern, alt-rock album. Unfortunately, the album takes this pastiche too far, feeling bloated with unnecessary interludes between unoriginal and cliche lyrics.

Despite its brief length, the album somehow manages to be overwhelming. Foxygen’s departure from its successful formula of the past — fuzz-cloaked psychedelia — succeeds in creating an album whose complexity and scope is often easier to acknowledge than to enjoy, an album acting as a spectacle whose influence fails to extend beyond its exhibit.

Album review

Oczy Mlody The Flaming Lips

Peyton Tempel Hoya Staff Writer

The Flaming Lips have become something of an eccentric American rock staple since 1983, the band has produced more than 25 albums and EPs. Last October, Wayne Coyne, lead guitarist and vocalist, announced that the band was beginning to work on yet another album, which was released this year on January 13.

“Oczy Mlody” delivers exactly the kind of psychedelic, dreamy pop-rock expected from the band but not much more.

The Flaming Lips hail from Oklahoma City, Okla., where the band members first met in the early 1980s and continue to record their records. Since the band’s inception, it has garnered attention for its brilliant, over-the-top live performances — and for the impacts the band has had on its hometown, Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City has become an unlikely haven for artists and dreamers, especially since the opening of Coyne’s favorite party venue, the Womb.

Coyne co-started the Womb in the center of Oklahoma City’s bustling and bright Midtown in 2011. Painted and designed to resemble its namesake, the arts complex boasts visits from

 well-known alternative artists all over the globe, such as Coyne’s friend and collaborator Miley Cyrus. The main murals around the Womb and so-called “womb room” inside are the brainchild of artist Maya Hayuk, another friend of the band. Coyne’s vision of a city of artists and a community in an inflatable dream-space, complete with giant disco balls and life-sized dancing rainbows, has taken root in the city.

“Oczy Mlody” is a testament to, if nothing else, The Flaming Lips’ ability to reinvent and experiment in its work.

“Oczy Mlody” reflects the band’s growing friendship with Cyrus, who is featured in the dense and fairytale-like headlining track, appropriately titled “We a Family.” Cyrus and the band’s relationship has indeed grown to resem-

WARNER BROS. RECORDS

Blending sentimental lyrics with psychedelic pop-rock tunes, Flaming Lips has proven itself again as the leading pole for eccentric expressions of American rock music.

ble a familial bond. The band toured with her as part of her “Dead Petz” project last year.

In 2014, the musicians collaborated on an updated take on a track from the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” fittingly titled, “With a Little Help from My Fwends.” The reinvention of the 1960s hit featured not only Cyrus and The Flaming Lips but also rock band Dr. Dog, indie-rock duo Foxygen and pop duo Tegan and Sara, among others.

In true Flaming Lips fashion, the album embodies the induced psychedelic sound of classics like “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” to the extreme. Cyrus solidified her role as somewhat of a muse for the band, their physical “girl with kaleidoscope eyes,” after “Fwends” was released.

On the homepage of The Flaming Lips website is a video of Wayne Coyne explaining the new title “Oczy Mlody.” He says that the phrase is Polish and translates to “the eyes of the young”.

“The name of our album, as far as I know, is called ‘Oczy Mlody.’ I’ve never heard an actual Polish person say it yet. Perhaps it’s wrong,” Coyne said. He explains that he liked the idea of young eyes and that “Oczy Mlody” sounded like oxycodone, which is why the group picked it.

The clip epitomizes Coyne’s attitude toward the album. It is nostalgic, and it is asking to be more hip and in-line with Cyrus’s era than a 56-year-old Coyne can muster — even if he had all the life-sized plastic bubbles and confetti in the world. In trying to be something it just cannot, The Flaming Lips lose most of that in which the group excels. The band has not really been a rock band since “At War with the Mystics” in 2006. The Flaming Lips rose by mixing rock and whimsy, but “Oczy Mlody” adds perhaps too much whimsy, covering its signature groove with dense electronica.

Tracks “The Castle” and “Sunrise (The Eyes of the Young)” stand out in “Oczy Mlody.” They are much less cluttered and tangled than the rest of the songs on the nearly hour-ong album. Both reflect bittersweet themes about youth and innocent love. You can almost see Cyrus as Coyne sings, “Her eyes were butterflies / Her smile was a rainbow / Her hair was sunbeam waves.”

The most popular of the album, “We a Famly,” was written with Cyrus separately, over a year before “Oczy Mlody” was even a twinkle in Coyne’s eye. It sounds decidedly separate, a refreshing quality on “Oczy.” Though the chorus echoes old Flaming Lips work, synthesized, endlessly repeated lyrics like “We a family, we a family” are a nod to Cyrus and a slower electronic sound.

“Oczy Mlody” is a testament to, if nothing else, The Flaming Lips’ ability to reinvent and experiment in its work and as artists. It is lyrically sentimental and fundamentally goofy, all reasons why fans of the band keep coming back for more. It is why we return to their concerts in the hundreds and why someone, invariably, wears an orange wig in the front row. Wayne Coyne is nostalgic, but so are we.

And “Oczy Mlody” is a perfect manifestation of it.

John Mayer ‘You’re Gonna Live Forever in ME’ John Mayer is at his finest when in touch with his emotions, and, on “You’re Gonna Live Forever in Me,” he is certainly in no shortage of sentiment. The sweet, melodic ballad is a new release of the songwriter’s upcoming album, “The Search for Everything,” which promises to deliver a repertoire of slow, poetic pieces. With only simple piano accompaniment, “You’re Gonna Live Forever in Me” keeps the listener focused on Mayer’s trademark husky voice.

GOOD

Big sean ‘Halfway Off the balcony’ Rapper Big Sean delves into complex musical and thematic territory with his latest single, “Halfway Off the Balcony.” He delivers his verse in a measured pace, with soft flute and snap sounds that enhance the track’s minimalism. Big Sean reflects on his career and personal life, noting in his hook: “I’m hangin’ halfway off the balcony / Overthinkin’ ‘cause my job is way more than a salary / Everything around me gold like I just practiced alchemy/I realized when it comes to girls / That chemistry means way more than anatomy.”

MATADOR RECORDS

Spoon ‘Hot thoughts’ Austin-based indie-rock group Spoon will drop its ninth studio album, “Hot Thoughts,” this coming March. Its recently released title track provides fans with a glimpse into the band’s refined sound. A foray into the world of pop rock, “Hot Thoughts” captures the band’s ability to employ cohesively different instrumental elements. It opens with a haunting string arrangement, before diving into the catchy body of the track. Lead vocalist Britt Michaels lends a subtle sense of energy to the track with stellar vocals.

SHY GIRLS

shy girls ‘what if i can’ An emerging artist in the alternative-R&B genre, singer-songwriter Shy Girls just released his debut album, “Salt,” a 10-piece collection of short, sultry songs. Hit track “What if I Can” stands out on the song list, developing an intimate, shadowy atmosphere with soft, cascading synthesizers and Shy Girls’ smooth, whispering voice.

“What if I Can” opens with muted sound effects and breathy vocals but gradually builds tension — both with provocative lyrics and a climactic bridge.

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sports

THE HOYA

At the buzzer

friDAY, january 27, 2017

commentary

D’Antoni Ignites Houston Ambiguity Shrouds Program

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y all accounts, the Houston Rockets are not supposed to be where they currently are. The team meandered through a subpar 2015-16 season, one plagued by uncertainty at the head coach position, an egotistical center on the decline and a star shooting guard wasting away his prime years in a conference that included a 73-win team. Unsurprisingly, the Rockets made a firstround exit as the No. 8 seed.

The 2016 offseason did little to clear the ominous cloud of mediocrity in Houston. The nightmare with center Dwight Howard was over, but his departure left a gaping hole to be filled by then-second-year center Clint Capela.

The Rockets subsequently spent most of their remaining cap space on two former New Orleans Pelicans sharpshooters, guard Eric Gordon and forward Ryan Anderson, in addition to signing veteran forward Nene Hilario from Washington. The team was destined for another fridge playoff appearance based on roster talent alone.

Yet, with the All-Star break quickly approaching, the Rockets currently sit in third place in the Western Conference — only five-and a-half games behind the super-team Warriors. In my opinion, this is attributable to three major factors that have helped guide Houston to its improbable success.

Harden’s move to the one has been nothing short of spectacular.

The first major piece was the hiring of Head Coach Mike D’Antoni. The former Phoenix Suns coach is renowned for his offensive mind but garnered questionable reactions for a team lacking in defensive discipline. The 2015-16 NBA season saw the Rockets fin-

ish with the ninth-worst defense in the league on the heels of questions surrounding guard James Harden’s lack of effort on the defensive end.

Evan Couture

This team has overcome poor defense and play at a faster pace than any other team in the league.

Despite the uncertainty of the D’Antoni hiring, his first roster change contributed to much of the team’s success. In Phoenix, D’Antoni ran a fast-paced system that was often dubbed “seven seconds or less.” The offense was dependent on guard Steve Nash’s ability to create space, both for forwards on the pickand-roll and the shooters on the wing. Wanting to implement a similar style of offense on a team lacking such a floor general, D’Antoni moved Harden from his shooting guard spot to an unconventional yet natural position: point guard, pairing him with newcomer Eric Gordon to complete the backcourt.

Harden’s move to point guard has been nothing short of spectacular for Houston. A lineup of Harden, Gordon, forward Trevor Ariza, Anderson and Capela is a nice nod to D’Antoni’s days in Phoenix. The Rockets offense is simple, featuring high-screens from Capela, which allow Harden to drive and either dish the

ball to one of the three shooters spotting up, hit Capela on the roll or take it to the rim.

As both an elite passer and finisher, this kind of system has allowed Harden to thrive, leading the league in assists per game with 11.6, well above his career average of 5.5 per game.

The final reason Harden and the Rockets’ offense is so successful is because of the rise in play of Houston’s role players. Gordon, Ariza and Anderson are shooting 39 percent, 40 percent and 37 percent, respectively, from deep, and Capela is shooting 63 percent from the floor.

Often left to create their own offense in New Orleans behind forward Anthony Davis, Gordon and Anderson have both carved a niche in Houston, receiving many benefits from Harden’s uncanny ability to create space and pass the ball. Houston attempts 40 three-pointers per game and converts on a staggering 37 percent of three-point attempts.

While nobody truly anticipated the success Houston has realized, there are still questions surrounding the team.

They currently give up the seventh most points per game to opponents and do not feature a deep bench.

D’Antoni has a history of poor playoff coaching, and the Rockets still play in the same conference as the San Antonio Spurs and Warriors.

Regardless, this team, more so than any other team in the league, has the firepower to overcome poor defense and play at a faster pace than anybody.

No one will favor them against Golden State or San Antonio, but with the leading MVP candidate at the helm, Houston is only a few three-pointers away from being serious title contenders.

Evan Couture is a junior in the McDonough School of Business. At The buzzer appears every other Friday.

A

fter a season-ending ACL tear, and stultified offense that resulted, all but ended dreams of a Final Four run, fifth-year point guard Maurice Watson, Jr., is set to leave Creighton emptyhanded. A team that radiated promise one week ago has now lost two in a row, leaving its future mired in uncertainty.

The No. 16 Blue Jays (18-3, 5-3 Big East) fell Wednesday night, 71-51, to a Georgetown team with a similarly uncertain future.

While the Hoyas (11-10, 2-6 Big East) have just three players graduating after this season — graduate students guard Rodney Pryor and center and captain Bradley Hayes and senior forward Reggie Cameron — the team may also lose second-leading scorer L.J. Peak if he decides to test the professional waters following the end of the season.

Peak ranks No. 11 in the DraftExpress top juniors and is No. 76 overall on the site’s Top 100 Prospects. While Peak’s NBA future is also uncertain, a long professional career overseas is almost guaranteed, especially given the success of past Hoya guards in Europe — namely Markel Starks (COL ’14) and Jason Clark (COL ’12).

The junior guard’s play this season, a two-way threat of consistent man-to-man defense and inside-out offense, is an improvement from his past two years — a combination of the natural gifts and work ethic that brought him to the Hilltop as ESPN’s No. 31 best high-school recruit in the Class of 2014.

However, if Peak leaves, the team would be markedly depleted. In the Hoyas’ win against the Blue Jays, Pryor — the team’s leading scorer this season — and Peak combined for 38 points. Hayes provided defense and rim protection down low, a skillset that sophomore center Jessie Govan has yet to develop.

Govan, in the wake of Hayes’ graduation, would enter the 2017-18 season as the team’s only center with starting experience. Moreover, the hypothetical departure of Peak would leave Govan with sophomore forward Marcus Derrickson and freshman guard

Jagan Mosely as the team’s leaders.

With Tremont Waters, ESPN’s No. 32 best high school recruit in the Class of 2017, set to arrive next year alongside three-star recruit Antwan Walker, developments from Govan, Derrickson and Mosely are critical for Georgetown’s long-term future.

Paolo Santamaria Govan finished Wednesday’s win with 15 points and seven rebounds, including some key finishes off Princeton offense cuts. However, Govan has been inconsistent in both scoring and defense this season. In addition, Govan’s turnover problems — he recorded four in his last outing — have yet to remedy themselves.

While Georgetown has waded through inconsistent play from every other scorer this year, Derrickson has excelled in 2017. In the forward’s last seven games, he has averaged 12 points per game and shot 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from deep. Derrickson has also pulled down 4.1 rebounds per game and recorded 2.4 assists per game in that time span.

More striking than his statistical efficiency is Derrickson’s skill and footwork. Entering Georgetown as a shooter, the sophomore has since developed a post-game that features spin moves, up-and-unders and a deft quickness in the post.

As for Mosely, the former St. Anthony’s standout has been up and down. A starter for every game except the last, the freshman has impressed with superior ball control and a knack for avoiding mistakes: Mosely averages just 1.3 turnovers per game in 19.8 minutes per game.

Derrickson’s consistency, efficiency and skill — not to mention his natural talent and

athleticism — all point toward gradual improvement and an expectation of increased production in his final two years.

However, the departures of Paul White and Isaac Copeland this season remain cautionary tales.

There is every chance Derrickson fails to become the leader the team may desperately need next season.

While the reasons for White leaving for Oregon and Copeland for Nebraska are almost entirely dissimilar, the transfers do feature a common thread: There is an objective lack of improvement from top recruits who were expected to reinvigorate the Georgetown program.

It is easy to point toward cases like Henry Sims (COL ’12) and even Hayes as emblems of hard work, but top recruits have recently failed to become the players most expected them to be. Either the player development regimen is lacking, or the players simply do not want to put in the work to get better.

And while critiques of many aspects of the Georgetown basketball program garner disparate amounts of validity, training regimen should not be one of them. With the Thompson Athletic Center’s state-of-theart weight room, training facilities and dedicated basketball courts, there is no excuse for a player’s inability to train around-the-clock.

The onus, then, is on players to develop their own games and in part on the coaches to recruit for work ethic and dedication. With Derrickson, Govan and Mosely most likely returning next season, along with the addition of Waters and Walker, Georgetown could find its core and avoid rebuilding in the aftermath of the departures of Pryor, Hayes, Cameron and potentially Peak.

But even then, even with the right player in the right system and all cylinders clicking, uncertainty can still exist beneath even the most promising of seasons.

Just ask Creighton.

Paolo Santamaria is a junior in the College. He is the Executive Editor of The Hoya.

TENNIS

Hoyas Open Spring Play Against Dragons, Quakers Madeline Auerbach Hoya Staff Writer

After a nearly three-month hiatus from competitive play, both the Georgetown men’s and women’s tennis teams kick off their spring campaigns in a series of matches this weekend.

Both teams begin the weekend against Drexel University on Friday in Philadelphia, followed by a quick turnaround for the men’s team as it plays against the University of Pennsylvania the following day.

“It’s good for them, especially playing Penn on Saturday, which is a rivalry for us,” Head Coach Gordie Ernst said of the team’s upcoming matches.

“We’ve lost to them 4-3 three times since I’ve been here.

They’re good though, so it’ll be interesting.”

The last time either of the teams entered competitive play was at the beginning of November, when the women traveled to California for the Jack Kramer Invitational and the men played in the Navy Invitational in Annapolis, Md. The Jack Kramer Invitational was an individual tournament in which several Georgetown athletes notched impressive wins. Sophomore Sydney Goodson defeated the tournament’s No. 3 seed in the Round of 32 in a 7-5, 6-1 finish. Goodson fell in the Round of 16 but advanced the furthest out of all of the Hoyas. Sophomore Risa Nakagawa, junior Sara Swift and senior Victoire Saperstein won matches at the invitational. Meanwhile, junior Mac Rechan and freshman Ian Witmer won their flights at the Navy Invitational, while junior Marco Lam tallied a 2-1 record on the weekend.

Both the Drexel men’s team (2-0 Colonial Athletic Association) and women’s team (3-0 Colonial Athletic Association) are coming off strong showings in recent weeks. The men’s side defeated St. Francis (2-3 Northeast) and La Salle (2-2 Atlantic 10) on Jan. 21 by 4-0 and 5-1, respectively. The Drex-

el women’s team also rides momentum heading into its matchup against Georgetown.

Most recently, Drexel downed Fordham (1-1 Atlantic 10) in a 6-1 decision. Like the men’s team, the women’s side also captured victories over St. Francis (0-3 Northeast) and La Salle (0-2 Atlantic 10).

“We’ve had some of the best practices this week, meaning that they’re ready.”

GORDIE ERNST HEAD COACH

“We’ve had some of the best practices this week, meaning that they’re ready,” Ernst said of the women’s team’s preparation for its match against Drexel. “I always compare them to January in previous years and . . . we’ve never had girls playing this well at this time of year.”

Following its matchup against Drexel, the men’s team will challenge the University of Pennsylvania (2-1 Ivy League).

Most recently, the Quakers fell in a 6-1 decision to the Vanderbilt Commodores (5-1 Southeastern) on Jan. 22. Previously, the University of Pennsylvania defeated Middle Tennessee State University (2-2 C USA).

In preliminary spring play, Georgetown is set to embark on its goal to become as competitive a team as possible before the Big East tournament. The men’s team finished last season with an 11-9 record, boasting a 2-1 record in conference play.

However, the team struggled at the Big East Championship Tournament last year, falling in the first round to Xavier (0-1 Big East) in a 4-0 decision.

The women’s team had one of its most impressive seasons in recent history, tallying a 15-5 regular season record and 2-3 Big East record. The team de-

feated No. 5 seed Marquette in a 4-1 finish but lost to top seed DePaul 4-0 last spring at the Big East Championship Tournament in Cayce, S.C. This season, each team welcomes a handful of new athletes from a variety of different backgrounds. The women’s team brought on freshman and Michigan native Anna Short while also welcoming University of San Diego transfer junior Drew Spinosa. At USD, Spinosa tied for the most singles wins in her sophomore season, claiming 11 victories.

The men’s team, on the other hand, added freshman and Florida native Ian Witmer. This season, the Hoyas’ roster is dominated by upperclassmen, with 10 of 13 roster spots being occupied by junior and seniors.

Since Georgetown only had one key athlete graduate on the men’s side, Daniel Khanin (SFS ’16), its team is relatively intact. Similarly, the women’s team only lost two athletes — Liselot Koenen (NHS ’16) and Mimi Lynham (COL ’16), the older sister of current sophomore Cecilia Lynham. Khanin, Koenen and Lynham played integral roles in the success of Georgetown’s program, but the identical nature of both teams’ rosters puts the Hoyas in a favorable position.

“It’ll definitely help us,” Ernst said. “They’ve been there. The nerve portion of this time of year, they’ve done it.”

Following Georgetown’s matches this weekend, the men will faceoff against Boston College (0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) on Feb. 4, while the women will compete against Harvard (0-2 Ivy League) on Feb. 5.

“This is a time of year, remember, this isn’t the Big East tournament, this is all stuff getting us ready for it,” FILE PHOTO: JULIA HENNRIKUS/THE HOYA Ernst said in reference to early season play. “It is all great Senior Jordan Portner is one of five seniors on the men’s tennis team. The men’s experience.” team will travel to Philadelphia for matches against Drexel and Pennsylvania.

SPORTS

friDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Hoyas Host Conference Rival VILLANOVA, from B10

attempts, White grabs 5.2 rebounds per game and creates scoring chances for her teammates, dishing out 2.9 assists per game.

This weekend, the Hoyas must contain sophomore guard Adrianna Hahn, who was named to the preseason All-Big East first team. Hahn caused problems for Georgetown’s defense, scoring 23 points and shooting 5-of-11 from beyond the arc in the first game between the Big East

foes.

“Hahn is a phenomenal player in this league,” Adair said. “She’s someone that when she steps on the court, she’s open.

We have to recognize that.

We should know that.”

Hahn received support from three other Wildcats who scored in doubledigits. Junior forward and guard Jannah Tucker contributed 12 points, and junior center Megan Quinn and freshman guard Kelly Jekot contributed 10 points apiece.

“We were a step slow,”

Adair said of her team’s attempts to contain Hahn in the first game. “So that’s been a focus and that will be the focus up until the time we play them.”

Adair believes the team must clean up its defensive play and hold the Villanova offense under its 62 points per game total.

“That’s not us. That’s not how we want to play, that’s not what we emphasize,” Adair said of the team’s defensive performance in the first game.

The game comes at a critical time for Georgetown.

THE HOYA

B9

Men’s soccer

The Hoyas struggled in the beginning of conference play, going 0-4, but have since improved to 4-5 in the Big East. A win against the Wildcats can help the Hoyas maintain their momentum as the season moves toward the Big East tournament in March.

“I feel like we are back in sync,” Adair said. “We want to get out, and we want to play the right way in hope of getting that win here at home.”

The game is set to tip off at 1 p.m. in McDonough Arena.

FILE PHOTO: JENNA CHEN/THE HOYA

Former junior midfielder Arun Basuljevic signed a Homegrown contract with the New York Red Bulls.

Program Succeeds In Player Growth SOCCER, from B10

FILE PHOTO: STANLEY DAI/THE HOYA

Senior forward Faith Woodard grabs 8.3 rebounds per game to go along with her 14.4 points per game on 45.2 percent shooting from the floor. Woodard has started all 19 of Georgetown’s games this season.

because he wasn’t a big, physical, traditional athlete,” Wiese said. “But his soccer was always the thing that drew him to us as a recruit, meaning he was just very good on the ball, made very good decisions, and I think as he settled into Georgetown, you very quickly realized that the kid is just incredibly hard to dispossess. He’s just a slippery player.”

Wiese believes that his team has had success at the next level by providing them with tough competition outside of Big East play. If the Hoyas continue to schedule games against the best teams in the nation, soccer fans will like-

ly see more Hoyas in MLS in the future.

“We make a conscious effort to make a hard schedule,” Wiese said.

“Now, we’re not trying to put a schedule together to make pros, we’re putting a schedule together to get to the NCAA Tournament, and have success in the NCAA Tournament.

But the byproduct of that is that you’re playing against good teams.”

Despite the disappointing losing season, Georgetown remains successful in professional development for its players. Goodman and Basuljevic are not the first to make the MLS from Georgetown, and most certainly will not be the last.

THE ANALYST

Drunk Fan, Owner Make Up for Boring Postseason ANALYST, from B10

about that is neither a boring recap of the playoff season, nor an overly analytic attempt to pinpoint what formula could propel the Falcons to a Super Bowl victory.

Those who made headlines regarding the Patriots organization — whether members or fans — have given us at least a week’s worth of events to laugh at, as the most interesting stories last week occurred off the field. They happened hours before the

AFC championship game early Sunday morning and immediately following the Patriots’ decisive win.

This week will not be remembered as a week of great football. It will be remembered as the week where both fans and members of the Patriots’ organization got notably drunk.

Let’s begin chronologically: Early Sunday morning, 25-year-old Bostonian and self-proclaimed Patriots fan Dennis Harrison pulled a fire alarm at the

Pittsburg Steelers’ team hotel, presumably robbing the Steelers of a restful night’s sleep before the big game.

The incident was even floated as a potential contributing factor to the Steelers’ demise during the game, as they seemed incapable of completing passes, converting on third-downs and establishing any sort of momentum.

According to Yahoo Sports, Harrison allegedly admitted, “I’m drunk. I’m stupid. I’m a Pats fan,” to

Massachusetts State Police.

No analysis needed; I am just going to leave this here.

Hours later, during the AFC Championship postgame celebration on the Gillete Stadium field, a visibly intoxicated Patriots owner Robert Kraft stepped to the CBS microphone, bleary-eyed and wobbly, to deliver a simple yet slurred speech, encouraging his team to “go and win one.”

No one is criticizing Kraft for his blatant and

perhaps excessive celebration — after all, it only took one quarter to see which team would move on to Houston.

Regardless, the speech was hilarious and social media exploded in a frenzy of tweets, video clips and short articles asking whether anyone else had noticed Kraft’s drunken state, a story that seemed to eclipse all talk of the game’s actual outcome.

So, while the Steelers’ fan base might not be thanking Dennis Harrison for pulling the fire alarm,

the rest of the NFL fans should be thanking those related to the Patriots for providing what little amount of notable entertainment took place last Sunday.

After all, if the Patriots gave us something to laugh about, maybe in the next couple weeks leading up to the Super Bowl we can all hate them a little less.

Amanda Christovich is a sophomore in the College.

THE ANALYST appears every Friday.

Men’s basketball

GU Attempts to String Together Consecutive Wins BUTLER, from B10

Kamar Baldwin, who dropped 16 points in the previous matchup. Baldwin averages 10.1 points per game, and the Hoyas hope that Mosely, as well as the star guards in the Creighton win, can give them the edge they need on the perimeter.

“That’s the beauty of the Big East.

Plenty of opportunity in front of us.”

John thompson III Head Coach

Junior forward Kelan Martin leads the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounds with 16.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. As a team, Butler shoots 47.7 percent from the f loor — slightly higher than Georgetown’s 45.8 percent.

The Hoyas surely have

their hands full with the Bulldogs, who have won six of their last seven games. In that stretch, the team defeated previous No. 1 Villanova (19-2, 7-2 Big East) and current No. 24 Xavier (14-5, 4-3 Big East). Butler also is 17-0 at home this year, using its home advantage to the full extent.

The Hoyas now go into the matchup with a second conference win under their belt as they try to build momentum and climb in the Big East standings.

Butler has played well and is hoping to continue its success to secure one of the top seeds in the NCA A Tournament.

However, with the previous matchup being so within Georgetown’s reach, this meeting has potential to be another pivotal win for the team.

“That’s the beauty of the Big East. Plenty of opportunity in front of us,” Thompson said in a conference call Thursday.

Tipoff is set for this Saturday at 8 p.m. in Indianapolis. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network and can be heard locally on 106.7 FM.

FILE PHOTO: GENEVIEVE GRESSER/THE HOYA

Freshman guard Jagan Mosely scores 4.8 points per game and averages 2.5 assists per game. In Georgetown’s first meeting against Butler, Mosely finished with a career-high 20 points.

Sports

Women’s Basketball Georgetown (12-7) at Villanova (10-8) Saturday, 1:00 p.m. EST McDonough Arena

friday, january 27, 2017

talkING POINTS

tennis The Georgetown men’s and women’s tennis teams kick off their spring seasons this weekend.

See B8

“

NUMBERS GAME

We want to play the right way in hope of getting that win here at home.”

HEAD COACH NATASHA ADAIR

woMen’s basketball

2

The number of players on last season’s Georgetown men’s soccer roster who signed with an MLS team.

Men’s Basketball

Hoyas Attempt To Avoid Sweep Matt sachs

Hoya Staff Writer

FILE PHOTO: Stephanie yuan/THE HOYA

Sophomore guard Dionna White leads the team with 15.9 points per game this season. White scored 18 points and finished with five steals in 40 minutes in Georgetown’s first meeting against Villanova earlier this month.

GU Seeks Revenge Against Villanova Allie Babyak

Special to The Hoya

A 19-point loss to Villanova remains fresh in the minds of the Georgetown faithful as they await a rematch against the rival Wildcats Saturday.

The Blue and Gray (127, 4-5 Big East) begin the second leg of conference play, as they host a Wildcats’ team riding a fivegame winning streak.

Both teams enter the game with momentum from stringing together consecutive conference wins. The Hoyas have won three straight games, two of which came on the road, this past weekend.

Georgetown beat Xavier

(10-10, 2-7 Big East) on Friday in a close overtime win 69-64 and defeated Butler (5-15, 2-7 Big East) 58-52 on Sunday.

Villanova (11-9, 6-3 Big East) currently sits at fourth place in the Big East standings. The Wildcats are coming off a dominating 72-47 road win against Butler, a game in which they scored 24 points off three-pointers.

In the last meeting of the two teams, the Blue and Gray lost to the Wildcats 70-51 at Villanova on Jan. 4. The game was only tied for 2 minutes and 21 seconds, and Georgetown never held the lead.

“I felt like we just didn’t lock in defensively,”

The analyst

Georgetown Head Coach Natasha Adair said of her team’s efforts during the first contest. “We have to have more of a defensive focus and just get back to playing Georgetown basketball.”

At the end of the first quarter, the Hoyas trailed 12-5. The Hoyas missed several jumpers and layups in the first, shooting only 20 percent from the floor. Throughout the game, Georgetown struggled to shoot consistently, while Villanova shot above 46 percent in three of the four quarters.

Two Hoya starters reached double-digit point totals, and both played all 40 minutes;

JOHN THOMPSON III Head Coach

“Everyone who comes in is a good player,” Thompson said of Butler’s bench depth.

“Everyone is effective and produces.”

The overtime loss was a breakout game for Georgetown freshman guard Jagan Mosely, who scored a careerhigh 20 points. On Saturday, Mosely matches up with Butler freshman guard See BUTLER, B9

Team Sends 2 More Players to MLS Hoya Staff Writer

Amanda Christovich

Patriots Franchise Adds Excitement

T

See VILLANOVA, B9

“We were paying attention to the details, and hopefully we can keep that going.”

Men’s Soccer

Darius IRAj

hey have arrived: the two weeks between the NFC/AFC Championship week and the Super Bowl when the only football to watch is the Pro Bowl — two weeks of analyzing every possible outcome of the Super Bowl.

So, how should we best fill this long, drawn-out period in which the most anticipated game of the year is still two weeks away?

One way to start would be to prepare ourselves for two weeks dominated by the one professional team hated equally, if not more than, the New York Yankees: the New England Patriots.

It is easy to hate the Patriots because they are great. It is easy to hate the Patriots because NFL fans are bored of watching them win. It is easy to

sophomore guard Dionna White led the team with 18 points and five steals while junior guard Dorothy Adomako added 14 points and eight rebounds. However, in the overtime win against Xavier, Adomako, senior forward Faith Woodward, senior guard Mykia Jones and White all had 12 or more points.

White remains Georgetown’s offensive catalyst, leading the team in scoring with 15.6 points per game, which ranks third in the Big East. Along with her impressive three-point shooting — converting on 36.4 percent of three-point

The Georgetown men’s basketball team looks to knock off its second top25 opponent of the week as the team heads to Indianapolis, to rematch the surging No. 11 Butler Bulldogs.

After a slow shooting start against No. 16 Creighton (183, 5-3 Big East), Georgetown (11-10, 2-6 Big East) caught fire and cruised to a decisive 71-51 victory. For the game, the Hoyas shot 47.5 percent and assisted on 20 of its 29 baskets. After the initial offensive lull, Georgetown took the lead and stayed in front for the majority of the game, shooting well and contesting most of Creighton’s shots.

“We just started making shots and attacking the basket and getting to the free throw line, not settling for threes like coach said,” sophomore center Jessie Govan said following Wednesday’s victory. “It was just an allaround team effort.”

Georgetown found great guard play centered around junior guards Jonathan Mulmore and L.J. Peak and graduate student guard Rodney Pryor.

Peak tied for a game-high 20 points and eclipsed 1,000 career points in the win, becoming the 46th Hoya to do so.

The Hoyas outrebounded Creighton by 11 with Govan chipping in seven to go along with his 15 points. Govan and the rest of the team’s big men will need to continue this type of play to keep pace with Butler (18-3, 7-2 Big East) and junior forward Kelan Martin, who outrebounded Georgetown in the last

matchup. Martin had a double-double, with 13 points and 10 rebounds. “[Against Creighton] we were paying attention to the details, and hopefully we can keep that going,” Georgetown Head Coach John Thompson III said.

In the last meeting with the Bulldogs, Georgetown fought hard for 40 minutes but struggled in overtime. Butler led the entire extra period, thanks to 13 made free throws and the Hoyas’ 3-of-11 shooting from the field in this stretch.

Five Bulldogs reached doubledigit point totals in the first matchup, two of which came off the bench.

hate the Patriots because of “Deflategate” regardless of your opinion on the matter, as the overblown coverage of the story was reason enough to loathe even the mention of the team.

Contrary to what you may think, this column is not about bashing the Patriots’ franchise in anticipation of yet another Super Bowl featuring Gisele’s husband.

Rather, it is a column to thank the hated organization.

This week in football was just as boring and predictable as the rest of the playoffs — a phenomenon I addressed in last week’s column. So this week, I would like to thank the Patriots for giving football fans something to smile See ANALYST, B9

In a two-week span, the Georgetown men’s soccer team has sent two players to Major League Soccer this offseason. Co-captain and midfielder Bakie Goodman (MSB ’16) was drafted with the 56th pick in the MLS Super Draft by the Seattle Sounders. Junior midfielder Arun Basuljevic was signed by his hometown team, the New York Red Bulls, to a Homegrown contract this week.

The entrance of these two key Hoya players to MLS continues an impressive trend from last year.

In 2016, the Blue and Gray sent seven players to the professional level, including Philadelphia Union defender Keegan Rosenberry, an MLS All-Star starter and New York Red Bulls starting midfielder Alex Muyl.

These departures come after the Blue and Gray’s first losing season in nine years. Georgetown finished seventh in the Big East with a record of 6-9-2 (3-4-2 Big East), narrowly failing to make the Big East tournament and missing the NCAA Tournament.

Goodman finished the season starting all 16 games, taking 19 shots,

recording one assist and scoring zero goals. Basuljevic ended his third year with 49 shots, two assists and two goals.

According to GUHoyas, Goodman graduated in December with a degree in marketing from the McDonough School of Business.

“We make a conscious effort to make a hard schedule.”

Brian Wiese Head Coach

Standing at 5-foot-9, Goodman has succeeded despite his small stature.

Head Coach Brian Wiese believes that the key for Goodman to be successful is for him to fill whatever role that the Sounders need him to fill.

“Bakie was always a little bit of a question mark because he was an undersized player. I think a lot of people look past him See SOCCER, B9

Visit us online at thehoya.com/sports

COURTESY GUHOYAS

Former senior midfielder Bakie Goodman was drafted by the Seattle Sounders in this year’s MLS Super Draft.