Volume 102, Issue 5

The Fordham Ram Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 Volume 102, Issue 5

FordhamRam.com

February 19, 2020

Krispy Kreme Opens in Bronx

CSM Supports Calls 4 Justice

By NIKOLAS STANOVIC

By KRISTEN McNERNEY

After anticipation and unexpected construction delays, Krispy Kreme is scheduled to open a location on Fordham Road on Mar. 24 as one of six new locations opening in the New York City area. This expansion stems from a nationwide campaign that will see 45 new locations throughout 2020, according to Business Insider.

With the new location underway, some students and local residents expressed excitement.

“It will add a bit more variety to food around campus as there [isn’t] any dining area that offers fresh pastries aside from Auntie Anne’s,” said Matt Pagano, PCS ’22.

Emma Paolini, FCRH ’21, said doing Krispy Kreme fundraisers is really popular among clubs, and having one so close to Fordham will make those fundraisers a lot easier.

Jacqueline Kaiser, FCRH ’21, said she was always taught to leave a positive impact on the world. So when the junior was exiled to her messy room one day in high school to clean it, she discovered an opportunity to manifest that ideal with a handful of old cell phones that were lying around in her dusty drawers.

Cell phones go out of style so quickly that there is not much use for one after a few years, but Kaiser said she wanted to do something creative with these otherwise useless phones. After she started googling ways to donate them, she discovered the concept of a “lifeline.”

Committee on Sexual Misconduct (CSM) co-chair Emma Budd, FCRH ’20, described a lifeline as an emergency phone for those experiencing domestic violence to call the police or a helpline in the event of danger.

Budd said that often in abusive relationships, an abuser tracks their partner’s cell phone use, which makes it difficult for the victim to seek help.

Budd was a fellow student of Kaiser’s at Fairfield Warde High School in Connecticut, having worked with her through a program called Raising Abuse Awareness for Teens. She said this kind of community engagement supplemented Kaiser’s drive to create her own program.

With the knowledge of a lifeline and a goal in mind, Kaiser contacted the Center for Family Justice, a multi-service organization for victims of domestic and sexual abuse, and set out to start a phone drive at Fairfield Warde.

What came to be known as “Calls 4 Justice” had enormous success in her hometown of Fairfield, and was later recognized

by The Foundation for Gender

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

SEE KREME, PAGE 3

PIA FISCHETTI/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Students purchased sheets of 25 raffle tickets for $20 at the auction. They could buy as many sheets as they wanted.

Fordham Dance Marathon's Annual Auction Raises $13,000

By SOPHIA GIATZIS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This past Wednesday, Feb. 12, Fordham Dance Marathon (FDM) held its annual auction in the McGinley Ballroom. FDM brought in over $13,000 total from the sale of raffle tickets and the live auction,

with $6,000 of the total coming from the live auction itself.

The event aided FDM and the Residence Hall Association’s (RHA) mission of raising funds for The Andrew McDonough Be Positive (B+) Foundation.

The foundation provides funds towards curing pediatric cancer,

raises awareness and provides financial and community support for the children and their families. FDM has raised over $450,000 for the foundation since it was formed by the RHA Philanthropic Committee in 2013.

SEE AUCTION, PAGE 3

Poll Shows 2020 Thoughts

By ABBEY DELK

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

COURTESY OF RAM ARCHIVES

CAB brought students to Pugsley’s to make love pies the Saturday after Valentine’s Day. Sal helped each pair make their pie.

Student Clubs Celebrate Valentine's Day at Fordham

By HASNA CERAN

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Valentine’s Day here at Fordham University was about more than chocolates and flowers.

Multiple clubs took the opportunity to reach out to the student

body for activities ranging from fundraising to good times.

St. Jude Up ’til Dawn at Fordham University held a Valentine’s Day-themed No More Cancer Rally between 5 to 7p.m. on Feb. 12 in the McGinley Lobby in which club members raised money in order to

send to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Katelyn Cody, FCRH ’20, executive director of the Fordham University chapter of St. Jude Up ‘til Dawn, said that the rally being held on Valentine’s Day helped encourage Fordham students to participate.

SEE VALENTINE, PAGE 6

Bernie Sanders is the most popular candidate in the Democratic primary, according to a national poll by YouGov and The Economist. He is also the most popular with Fordham students, according to a survey conducted by the Ram. Last week, the Ram created an anonymous poll for students to provide their views on the 2020 primary. The results from a sample of 119 Fordham students provided an insight into which candidates students support, as well as the issues they find most important.

With ten candidates to choose from, Fordham students were split on who they supported. However, Bernie Sanders took the top spot with 29.4% of respondents, while Elizabeth Warren followed in second place with 18.5%. Pete Buttigieg came in third place with 15.1%.

These results differ slightly from the results of the New SEE PRIMARY, PAGE 6

SEE CSM, PAGE 5

in this issue

Opinion

Page 7

The Reality of Age in the Presidential Election

Sports

Page 24

Women’s Basketball Wins 5th Straight Game

Culture

Page 17

No Relation Vintage Has All the Essentials

NEWS

Page 2

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS Feb. 13 Salice-Conley Hall 8:20 p.m.

A Fordham student notified Public Safety that a delivery man walked into Salice-Conley Hall and remained in the building after delivering the food. He was seen walking towards the laundry room instead of leaving. Shortly after, the delivery man exited the building. Public Safety identified and arrested the man, and he is no longer allowed on campus.

Feb. 14 Hoffman Street and E.190th Street 3:15 p.m.

An employee at Fordham reported that her car, which was parked on Hoffman Street and E. 190th Street, was broken into.

The rear window was was broken and a bag with personal belongings was missing. NYPD is currently investigating.

Feb. 14 E. 188th Street 7:15 p.m.

A student reported to Public Safety that he was the victim of a robbery. While the student was walking and using his phone, he was approached by two men who asked him if they could use his phone. When he refused, stating that his battery was low, the men pushed him up against a wall.

One produced a red switchblade and took the student’s phone.

The two men fled, and the student was not injured. NYPD is currently investigating.

Feb. 15 Martyrs’ Court 11:50 p.m.

The fire alarm in Martyrs’ Court was activated and the building was evacuated. It was determined that it was a false alarm caused by a faulty pull station that went off on its own.

February 19, 2020

Student Sells “Calamity Cookies” On Campus Fortune Cookies Predict Unfortunate Events

By SARAH HUFFMAN NEWS EDITOR

Three years ago, Liam Leahy, FCRH ’22, helped his group win their summer camp’s “Shark Tank” contest. The prize winning product? Misfortune cookies.

This year, Leahy returned to that original idea and launched his company Calamity Cookies, a misfortune-telling gag gift available to everyone.

During the summer of 2017, Leahy was attending a pre-law summer camp at the University of Pennsylvania. The campers were challenged to come up with a product idea and present it to the judges. Leahy said his group loved the idea of a misfortune cookie.

The group made the cookies by going to a local Chinese restaurant, getting as many cookies as they could and changing out the fortunes for their own misfortunes by hand. He said they went door to door selling the cookies for $1, and people loved them.

An example of a misfortune is “a good feeling you have will soon pass.”

A few years after this, Leahy said he felt like he had enough time to return to the idea and make it into a reality.

With the help of his close friends, Leahy launched his company before Valentine’s Day to try and get his product out there for the big gift-giving holiday. He said that in the future, he would like to come out with more themed cookie packs for holidays such as Christmas and Easter.

According to the Calamity Cookies website, a calamity cookie is a cookie with a less than fortunate fortune inside.

“They can be given as a gift or,

SARAH HUFFMAN/THE FORDHAM RAM

Liam Leahy, FCRH ‘22, launched Calamity Cookies to sell ironic misfortune cookies. He writes the misfortunes himself.

if you’re a little sadistic, you can get them for yourself,” the website reads.

“The fortunes are sure to amuse or upset the recipient, making them a great gift for a friend or friendly rival.

Get them for that person in your life who you wish would be a little less lucky or who you just want to knock down a peg or two.”

Leahy writes all of the misfortunes himself then sends them to an online custom fortune cookie manufacturer.

“I have a giant document with over 100 (misfortunes) now,” he said. “I go through them with my friends and I’m like, is this funny?”

He said, eventually, if the business becomes lucrative enough, he’d like to improve the product and make the fortune cookies himself.

After receiving the custom cookies, he packages them in Chinese take out boxes with crinkle confetti inside to protect the cookies.

The cookie packs come with five fortune cookies and cost $12, but Fordham students can use the code “Fordham” to get $4 off and have the cookie pack hand-delivered to their dorm. He said anyone can order the cookies, but right now they mostly serve Fordham students.

“The goal is to eventually grow past being just a Fordham business and becoming a cool gag gift, novelty thing that anyone can buy,” he said.

Annika Fagerstrom, FCRH ’21, said she thought they might be a bit disheartening to hand out all the time, but thinks they’re a fun, well-

— Compiled by Hasna Ceran

Follow us on Twitter! @TheFordhamRam SARAH HUFFMAN/THE FORDHAM RAM

Calamity Cookies have fortunes of a different kind; every calamity cookie is guaranteed to feel a little unlucky.

made gag gift for friends.

Dylan Hakim, FCRH ’23, said he was initially surprised because he did not know it was not a normal fortune cookie.

“I realized the whole gimmick of these cookies was that they were supposed to be bad fortunes, and I got a good laugh out of it,” he said.

Hakim said he probably would not go out of his way to buy them, but could see their main customer base being small restaurants who might want to pull a joke on their patrons.

Leahy said his goals going forward are to sell all of his inventory, turn a profit and see where the business goes. He said that if it turns out that people are not interested in buying the product, he wants to pivot and see what else he can do along the lines of misfortunes.

“What else can these be turned into that people might enjoy more than fortune cookies,” he said.

Leahy said he initially started the company as a way to make extra money on the side, but also as a fun passion project that challenges him creatively.

“It’s been a really fun experience.

I’ve had a great time,” he said. “My friends are behind me and in the super basic way, it’s just fulfilling, regardless of how much money I’m making. If people continue to buy and show interest and get these as gifts for whoever and people enjoy them, that’s excellent.”

This Week at Fordham Thursday Feb. 20

Thursday Feb. 20

Friday Feb. 21

Friday Feb. 21

Saturday Feb. 22

Brunch at Rodrigue’s Coffee House

“Pippin” with Mimes and Mummers Collins Auditorium 8:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.

Being Black at Fordham Panel

Campbell Multipurpose Room 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

“Hadestown” with Flipside

Walter Kerr Theatre 8:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.

Steele, The Bounce and student opener Jadeworm

Join the Commuter Student Services for a free and delicious bunch in Rodrigue’s Coffee House. Students can attend to have a pleasant time with their fellow Fordham students over various brunch staples.

Mimes and Mummers will be presenting their performance of the musical “Pippin” in Collins Auditorium. Show dates will be from Feb. 20 to Feb. 23. All performances will be in Collins Auditorium.

ASILI, the Black Student Alliance at Fordham, will host a panel discussion on the reality of being a black student at Fordham University. The panel will feature three students and a faculty member or administrator.

Flipside, a special interest club that provides non-alcoholic activities for students to enjoy on the weekend, invites you to enter a raffle for Hadestown. The musical won eight Tony awards in 2019.

Join the Campus Activities Board at Rodrigue’s Coffee House to hear an eclectic mix of local and independent bands and musicians.

Admission is free for anyone who wants to attend.

Rodrigue’s Coffee House 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.

Rodrigue’s Coffee House 8:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.

NEWS

February 19, 2020

Page 3

Krispy Kreme to Open New Location on Fordham Road FROM KREME, PAGE 1

“My GO! project did a Krispy Kreme fundraiser last year and it was a huge hassle to go all the way to Penn Station,” she said.

“Hopefully, they will be receptive to doing some kind of deal with Fordham’s clubs that makes fundraising mutually beneficial.”

Another student, Julia Corbett, FCRH ’20, said she is excited for the new Krispy Kreme opening, but wishes that it had happened earlier.

Locals have also expressed their desire for the freshly made donuts, with passersby of the storefront offering up unsolicited feedback as well as questions about the grand opening date.

Representatives at Krispy Kreme are expecting a high turnout for the grand opening. “(We are) prepared for at least one week of out the door and around the corner lines,” said Gerald, an employee at the 1-800 customer service line for Krispy Kreme.

Customer service representatives said that the opening date being pushed back from February to Mar. 24 due to construction delays has resulted in a barrage of calls and inquiries to their customer service phone number, as well as their nearby locations.

Gerald also recommended students sign up on their website for rewards, as promotions for in-store discounts will begin one week prior to the grand opening.

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Krispy Kreme is opening a new location on Fordham Road later this spring. The opening is part of a larger plan to add six new locations in New York City.

Krispy Kreme is no stranger to expansion. The company saw rapid growth with double digit returns in the early 2000s, until the mid-2000s, according to fortune.com. Since then, the com-

pany has realigned its structure to become a subsidiary of parent company JAB Holdings.

JAB Holdings, a German conglomerate, which “includes investments in companies operat-

ing in coffee and fast food,” rivals Nestlé, one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world.

JAB Holdings owns several major companies such as Pan-

era Bread, Au Bon Pain, Pret A Manger, Peet’s Coffee and more, successfully leading the takeover of Krispy Kreme in 2016 — taking the company private shortly thereafter.

FDM Auctions Off Over 90 Prizes to Raise Money for B+ FROM AUCTION, PAGE 1

Operations Director Theresa Amoruso, FCRH ’22, said that the planning for the event started as early as July.

“Our Auction and Fundraising Director Jacklyn Onody, GSB ’20, has been working tirelessly since the summer to make this event a success,” said Amoruso.

“Over the last few months, she

has reached out to hundreds of businesses to ask for donations.

Because of her hard work, we had more raffle items this year than we have ever had.”

The raffle portion of the evening lasted from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Students bought raffle tickets and explored the numerous prizes that were laid out across the room. The raffle items ranged

PIA FISCHETTI/THE FORDHAM RAM

All of the residence halls donated themed baskets to the auction.

from Ram Van passes to a family membership at the Bronx Botanical Gardens. The two highest anticipated raffle items of the night were Harry Styles and Post Malone concert tickets, which Onody said explained the large crowd that attended the auction.

“You had to be at the event in order to claim the tickets,” said Onody. “We think this helped with attendance.”

After the raffle ticket winners were revealed, the live auction began. The first item up for auction was a signed Jonas Brothers CD, starting at $25. The battle for the CD erupted between two students, who quickly went back and forth until Lauren Casella, FCRH ’21, bid $105.

“I’m very excited,” said Casella.

“My sister is a really big fan and I didn’t get her a Christmas gift. It’s my whole paycheck!”

Other auction items ranged from VIP Spring Weekend passes donated by CAB that went for $170 to a four-day general admission pass to the Lollapalooza Festival that immediately shot up to $700. The highest and final live auction prize of the night was the first housing time slot, which was donated by the Office of Residential Life. The slot went for $1,750.

Executive Co-Director of FDM Collette Campbell, FCRH ’23, said she was proud of the effort that her team put into the event.

“We had started the day at 33% of our goal, and by the end of the night, we were at 41%,” said Campbell. “To see that change keep going up throughout the night was absolutely one of the

PIA FISCHETTI/THE FORDHAM RAM

This year’s auction raffled off over 90 items, more than ever before.

best feelings. Everyone that worked throughout the night had put in so much time and dedication to FDM, and it was so visible. I really couldn’t keep a smile off of my face.”

Campbell said that the event would not have been successful without the collaborative and familiar environment the club provides.

“There is a ton of behind the scenes work that goes on for this one specific day that I think a lot of people don’t see,” said Campbell. “This is a family that I am absolutely so proud to be a part of. Everyone has worked so hard, and I truly hope that not only the Fordham community recognizes

it, but the FDM family recognizes it.”

FDM is gearing up for the dance marathon itself, which will take place on Mar. 7 at 2 p.m. in the Lombardi Field House. FDM will be holding many other fundraisers these next few weeks leading up to the event, as well as personal fundraisers on the club’s social media.

To keep up with FDM’s fundraising efforts, follow them on Instagram @fordhamdancemarathon or Facebook “Fordham Dance Marathon.” If you’d like to contribute to their fight to end pediatric cancer and to support B+ heroes, go to their website and click on the “Donate” button.

NEWS

Page 4

February 19, 2020

Research Spotlight

USG Column

Psychology Major Researches Food Insecurity

Finds Lack of Healthy, Affordable Foods

Clubs Update USG

By CARMEN COLLINS

By KRISTEN McNEAREY

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Psychology major Erinne Benedict, FCRH ’20, is researching the effects of food insecurity in the Bronx.

Benedict started researching food insecurity as a research assistant for Assistant Professor of Psychology at Fordham Natasha L. Burke, Ph.D. When Benedict was a sophomore, Burke created a study called “Food Availability, Body Mass Index, and Eating Behaviors in Children and Adolescents.” The study looks at the effects of food insecurity in the Bronx and how its relation to weight and eating behaviors.

There are two parts to this study, according to Benedict and Burke. The first is a baseline visit where participants aged 8 to 18 come in, fill out questionnaires and get the metric measurements of their height, weight and waist circumference. This includes participants going into a machine called a “Bod Pod,” which calculates a person’s body fat and lean mass.

“It is a machine that basically takes very accurate measures of body mass,” said Benedict.

“It basically can calculate certain components of body mass, including muscle mass and all these other cool measures.”

Burke said that for the second part of the study, they collect data from the children over the course of the week using smartphones. They measure their mood, stress and eating habits outside of the lab.

Benedict said she is proud to have been part of the study with

The United Student Government (USG) Senate meeting on Thursday Feb. 13 touched on an array of recent and upcoming campus events along with several topics involving official student business. President pro tempore Luke Morgan, GSB ’22, led the meeting in the absence of Vice President Ashley Qamar, GSB ’20.

Campus Activities Board (CAB) delegate Isabella Albani, GSB ’20, spoke about a successful Valentine’s Day week, with activities ranging from partner trivia to dating profile shoots and a blind date competition.

Albani said that at a CAB retreat over the weekend, next year’s president was selected.

Commuting Students Association (CSA) also held a retreat over the weekend which included an activity at Skyzone, according to CSA delegate and senator Alex Chavez, GSB ’23.

Representing the Residence Hall Association (RHA), Senator Liam Leahy, FCRH ’22, spoke about Fordham Dance Marathon’s progress in reaching its goal for this year. Leahy said the group is already 43% of the way there after the auction Wednesday night helped secure some funds.

FDM plans to do Insomnia Cookie sales prior to the main event on Mar. 6.

Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) delegate Sydney Snow spoke about the success of “Breakfast of Champions,” an event that recognizes student athletes who are high academic achievers.

In addition to delegate updates, Senator David D’Onofrio, FCRH ’22, discussed his initiative to put roofing over campus shuttle stops.

D’Onofrio said that in a meeting with John Carroll, vice president of Public Safety, the two agreed the roofing was needed next to the parking garage and by the Metro North station.

Vice President of Student Life, Kevin McSorley, GSB ’20, talked about the Beacon Exemplar Award process. McSorley said all students can fill out an online form to nominate any faculty or staff member on campus who shows exemplary work.

The House Committee will decide who receives the honor, but all nominees are invited to a ceremony on Apr. 14.

Vice President of Sustainability, Maggie Tattersfield, FCRH ’22, said there will be a clothing collection on Wednesday, Feb. 19 in McGinley from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. A clothing pop-up will also be held Wednesday in Martyrs’ Court. Tattersfield announced that Mock Trial would be attending regionals in Washington D.C. Executive President Kaylee Wong, GSB ’20, said that all of the women’s restrooms excluding one in the McGinley Center have free feminine products. She explained that Facilities Management will implement one machine in every building on campus this summer. Wong also announced that Public Safety vehicles will become hybrids in the near future.

Advisor Dean Arcuri reminded the senate of a text system implemented for the Office of Student Involvement for any students with general questions.

COURTESY OF ERINNE BENEDICT

Erinne Benedict, FCRH '20, is researching the psychological effects of food insecurity on children and adolescents.

Burke, which she has been a part of since its infancy. The two other original research assistants are Nia Johnson, FCRH ’20, and Batool Abdelhafez, FCLC ’21, who have also assisted Burke since she came to Fordham in 2018.

“I’ve also done previous re-

search and paid positions (at) other facilities in the Bronx, and I think it’s really important that we are gathering data and helping the population that we are a part of here at Fordham,” Benedict said.

The hypothesis of the study is that “food insecurity, the inabil-

CHRIS CAPUANO/THE FORDHAM RAM

Photo of the Week: Kew Gardens is a botanical garden in London that holds a large variety of plant species. This ivy-covered brick construct is Kew Gardens’ Ruined Arch, an classic mock-ruin folly, or ornamental building, built to look decrepit.

ity to have healthy meals and pay for your meals, and maybe not knowing where your food is coming from contributes to obesity, in the sense that most people who are incapable of paying for the food tend to only have unhealthy options,” said Benedict.

Burke added that people who may not have food on a regular basis might take part in unhealthy eating behaviors because of food insecurity. She said the study is still in data collection, and the data will be analyzed later this year.

“It is really interesting seeing the range of people who are able to come in,” said Benedict. “We do have a range of between 8 to 18 year olds. So we definitely have a good breadth of participants that are coming in.”

Benedict also uses the data from this study to help write her senior thesis. Her working title is “Food Insecurity and the Association between Anxiety and Depression Symptoms among Children and Adolescents.”

“My thesis looks at (how) people who again don’t have fair access to food are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression symptoms,” said Benedict.

For most of Benedict’s undergraduate career, she said research has proved to be an integral part of her experience. She said researching under Burke has been essential for her career in psychology.

“I think it’s been a phenomenal experience, especially since I am furthering my education and eventually getting my doctorate,” Benedict said. “So it’s been a really amazing opportunity for me to work in the field that I want to be pursuing.”

NEWS

February 19, 2020

Page 5

CSM and Sanctuary For Families Partner with Calls 4 Justice FROM CSM, PAGE 1

Equality. Kaiser was able to develop a relationship with its cofounder Jill Fitzburgh, who served as a mentor for her advocacy work against domestic violence.

When Kaiser started at Fordham, she said she was looking for ways to continue to make an impact, and Fitzburgh’s help led her to reach out to Sanctuary For Families.

The New York City — based organization provides a variety of services, including crisis counseling, legal assistance, shelter and advocacy. Its website says one in four women will be subject to domestic violence at some point during their lifetime.

CSM was then able to help facilitate this partnership.

“Jackie saw her program as an opportunity for community engagement that would allow us to connect Fordham students to residents of NYC on a very real, very crucial issue,” said Budd.

The committee has led phone drives on campus just like those held at Kaiser’s high school. Budd described the process.

“It begins with phones being donated to drop-off points,” she said.

These drop-off points are located in every residence hall, as well as in the IT office in McGinley.

Budd said the phones are collected and shipped to a cell service provider at the end of each semester.

The provider wipes them of data and uploads free minutes on to each. At this point, the phones are

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Committee on Sexual Misconduct installed an initiative to collect cell phones and donate them to Sanctuary For Families as part of the Calls 4 Justice program.

shipped to Sanctuary For Families and are distributed under its discretion.

Sanctuary For Families not only provides the phones, but accepts these calls as well.

Lisa Mueller, director of Development and Communications, says that when someone calls, their level of danger must first be

determined. If it is an emergency, the caller is told to call 911.Mueller said if they are coping and looking to begin the process of leaving their partner staff will help the survivor create a safety plan, complete an intake to judge their needs and refer them to appropriate programs.

CSM continues to put on programming about relationship vio-

START PLANNING TO HAVE A GREAT SUMMER NOW!

lence awareness and prevention.

This includes working with Resident Assistants in their Campus Assault and Relationship Education (CARE) and hosting various training sessions around campus.

“Our hope is that if any member of the Fordham community is experiencing an abusive relationship or has a friend who is in one, they

know what their options are and how to find help,” Budd said.

She added that CSM recognizes financial, academic and psychological abuse as prominent problems in the lives of students.

Kaiser said she has always been passionate about the advancement of technology, and she saw the magic in a cell phone to save a life.

SESSION I: MAY 26–JUNE 25 SESSION II: JUNE 30–AUGUST 4 ONLINE: MAY 26–AUGUST 4

• More than 200 classes • Internship placement assistance • Study abroad options • Housing available To learn more, visit

fordham.edu/summer.

NEWS

Page 6

February 19, 2020

CAB Among Clubs to Celebrate Valentine’s Day FROM VALENTINE, PAGE 1

“Our club decided that for this semester we wanted to format our rally as a Valentine’s Day-themed tabling event in McGinley as a way to maximize the number of students we reached with the event,” Cody said.

Fordham students were able to purchase cookies and candy just in time for dinner and participate in making Valentine’s cards that would be sent to children currently in the hospital.

Autism Speaks U held a Valentine’s Day-themed bingo on Feb. 15 where Fordham students could get together in a safe space in order to play bingo and enjoy food with people on the autism spectrum.

Club President Emily Bates, FCRH ’20, said that the event was a huge success.

“Our Valentine’s Bingo was not the first Bingo event we have hosted, but it was our biggest, with 80 attendees,” Bates said. “The night went well with all food enjoyed, friendly competition and a gaggle of kids in our sensory space playing with sensory toys. We are very happy with how Bingo went and look forward to planning events for a larger audience as our reach becomes wider.”

The Fordham Ramblers’ Ramblergram tabling is a yearly event where students and faculty can purchase Ramblergrams, short songs to be performed by the Ramblers on Valentine’s Day in

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Various Fordham clubs held events to celebrate Valentine's Day, including CAB, and the Ramblers are just a few.

front of a person of the buyer’s choice.

Ramblers’ President Teddy Berg, FCRH ’20, said that the Ramblergram tabling and subsequent delivered Ramblergrams were a huge success. “...the tabling went very well,”

he said. “We divided the day into 15 minute intervals beginning at 9 and ending at 7. We ended up selling all of these slots, and were busy going delivering Ramblergrams all day on Valentine’s Day. We also sold a number of Ramblergrams via

email. The event itself was a great time, like it is every year”.

Fellow Ramblers member Ryan Corr, FCRH ’21, echoed the sentiment.

“Tabling went really well this year, and we had a great turnout,” Corr said. “We were all excited,

so there was tons of energy all week, and I think that energy helped us on Valentine’s Day too. I’m really happy how it all turned out and very thankful to be part of such a tradition.”

Additionally, Valentine’s Day at Fordham would not be complete without the Campus Activities Board’s scheduled activities for Valentine’s Week. This year’s lineup included a Secret Valentine’s Delivery, where students could write anonymous Valentine’s cards for other students and have them delivered.

Win a Date! was a blind date competition where a student had to find a special connection with volunteer contestants by asking the volunteers questions without seeing them. CAB also hosted a Valentine’s Waffle and Stuffed Animals giveaway, where students could get free, freshly made waffles and buildyour-own stuffed animal kits.

Finally, there was a Love Pies at Pugsley’s Pizza event with the Weekend Activities Committee.

Lily Ochs, FCRH ’20, attended the Love Pies event at Pugsley’s Pizza and said she truly did feel the love.

“Each pair made their love pie one by one with Sal, so we waited in line for a while, and then eventually got to make our lovely pizza,” Ochs said. “It was very interactive and we truly did put our hearts into it. (It was a) perfect date-sized za to share. And shaped like a kooky little heart.”

Fordham Students Polled About 2020 Election Candidates Results Show Climate Change as Most Concerning Issue FROM PRIMARY, PAGE 1

Hampshire primary held on Feb. 11. Sanders came out on top in New Hampshire but by a much closer margin, earning 25.7% of total votes, with Buttigieg finishing just after with 24.4%, according to Politico. Amy Klobuchar also did much better in New Hampshire than at Fordham. She received 19.8% of votes in New Hampshire but only 0.8% of votes from Fordham students, according to Politico.

The rest of the candidates received considerably fewer votes, with Andrew Yang and Donald Trump tying at 6.7%. The poll was created before Andrew Yang dropped out of the race on Feb. 11. He tweeted that he was proud

of his campaign despite not winning in New Hampshire.

Joe Biden finished in the Ram’s poll with 5%. The percentage of students who responded that they either supported a candidate not listed in the survey or preferred not to say who they supported was 13.4%.

Professor Boris Heersink of Fordham’s political science department provided his insight into how a large field of candidates, especially on the Democratic side, affects the dynamics of the primary elections.

“If enough candidates stick around long enough, it might be hard for one candidate to get a majority of the delegates, which could get messy,” he said.

JENNIFER HOANG/THE FORDHAM RAM

30.3% of poll participants said climate change was the most important issue.

However, Heersink also said the high number of candidates might be a positive thing. He said he thought voters felt they did not have enough choice during the last presidential election in 2016.

However, one student said on the survey they felt the options in the 2020 primary are “not great.” Several other respondents said they were concerned that the Democratic nominees would be unsuccessful.

“I just really don’t want Trump to win,” one student wrote.

Another student expressed concern that they were unsure of how to choose a candidate in the 2020 election cycle.

“I really feel like I need to do more research before I pick a candidate for sure, but I don’t know where to get reliable information,” the student said.

When it comes to the issues, Fordham students were most concerned with climate change; 30.3% said they considered it the most important issue. Health care came in second place with 19.3% of the votes. The economy came in third and gun policy finished in fourth, with 16.8% and 13.4% respectively. Taxes received just 5.9% of votes and immigration received only 5%.

At the very least, Fordham students are paying attention to the primary election coverage this year, with 31.1% of respondents paying very close attention

JENNIFER HOANG/THE FORDHAM RAM

70.6% of poll participants said they would vote in the primaries.

to the primaries, 26.1% paying close attention and 30.3% paying some attention.

The respondents were also more left-leaning overall, with 59.7% of students identifying as Democrats; 25.2% said they considered themselves independent, while only 6.7% identified as Republican. The percentage of participants that said they would prefer not to provide their political leaning was 8.4%.

When asked whether they planned to vote in the 2020 primaries, 70.6% of students said they would and 16% responded that they were still unsure, while 13.4%

said they did not plan to vote.

Vice President of Fordham College Democrats Sam Hardy said she would definitely vote in her state’s primary election on Super Tuesday.

“I’m very excited,” she said. “I requested my absentee ballot.”

She also said she thought every Fordham student should vote in the primary elections, regardless of their political beliefs.

“If you don’t vote, the process is still there, and people are still going to be making decisions,” Hardy said. “If you want input, you’ve got to have your voice heard and get involved.”

February 19, 2020

OPINION

Page 7

The Fordham Ram

The Reality of Age in the Presidential Election

By TAYLOR HERZLICH STAFF WRITER

Would you rather elect the oldest presidential candidate in history, or the youngest? This question seems to reflect the conflict present amongst current Democratic candidates. Bernie Sanders, 78, and Joe Biden, 77, would be the oldest presidents elected into office by a substantial amount, seeing as the oldest president ever inaugurated is the current president, Donald Trump, who was 70 years old when he first entered office. On the flip side, Pete Buttigieg, at 38 years old, would be the youngest president elected, replacing Theodore Roosevelt, who was 42 years old when he assumed his position as president.

The topic of age has become somewhat of a political tool, with older candidates teasing younger candidates for their lack of experience and younger candidates discrediting older ones as being unrelatable.

One would assume that age would play a heavy role in the election because of the prevalent frustration amongst Democrats who feel unrepresented in political roles. One of the most frequently lamented comments nowadays is that those in office don’t truly represent the people. Congress and other governmental positions seem to be chock-full of infamous “old white men,” lacking the diversity and representation that young

America craves. That is why it would make sense that Democratic voters would find older candidates unfavorable. However, this is not the case.

Although people claim to be upset with the amount of older white men in positions of power, young voters are more than ready to elect yet another one into office.

It is extremely ironic that Sanders’ fan-base is made up of younger voters, seeing as they are voting for the opposite of what they say they want. This goes to prove that many people do not really care about a candidate’s own qualities, but about what they speak for and represent. Many of Sanders’ voters don’t really care about his age, his race or any of his other personal demographics, but about the causes he supports.

This provokes a new question of whether or not voters should care about age in the presidential election. After all, there are certain risks that come with electing an older president. Sanders, for example, would be at least 82 years old after a first term of presidency. Could he even do a second term? It is difficult to talk about this issue because there is a fine line between brutal honesty and ageism. But, with two candidates running who would be the oldest inaugurated presidents to date by a good eight years, these questions need to be asked. In fact, even the Constitution must be questioned at this point. There is a minimum age for running for presi-

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Age is a hot topic in selecting a Democratic nominee for president.

dent, assumedly to ensure that candidates gain enough experience before succeeding to the presidency, yet there is no maximum age. Why not? If America elects Sanders at 78, what will stop Americans from electing an 80 year old as president?

Or a 90 year old?

Frankly, it becomes irresponsible after a certain point. I don’t say this out of contempt towards Sanders, but from a purely logistical standpoint. After all, it is not like Sanders’ voters can argue he is the pinnacle of health, especially after the heart attack he suffered during his campaign in 2019. Biden, who has had some issues with his heartbeat and cholesterol levels, demonstrates otherwise fine health, with his doctor stating that he is a “healthy, vigorous, 77-year old,” which sounds a bit oxymoronic to me. The fact remains that both of these men are in their late seventies, and will be

well into their eighties after just one term as president.

The public ignores these facts because Sanders does not act as old as he is. He is sprightly and energetic.

He knows how to excite his crowd and is backed by plenty of people who adore him as a candidate. His rallies are thrilling and make voters feel like they are part of a special movement. It becomes much easier for voters to forget that Sanders is an old man when he doesn’t act like one. However, does this justify voters’ actions? It is excusable for voters to knowingly vote an aging man into office simply because he puts on a lively show?

The same cannot be said for Biden. As a self-proclaimed “old guy,” Biden has mentioned that the top quality he is looking for in a vice president is someone who could quickly step in, because of his old age. It is evident that Biden is

attempting to use humor to deflect criticism, but it only further deepens the disconnect between himself and voters, such as when he called a student a “lying, dog-faced pony soldier,” a reference so outdated that it remains older than most of his own voters.

Age has often played a role in past presidential elections, such as during the televised debate between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy, which ultimately led to Kennedy’s success. Nixon had turned down an offer to practice with the stage pre-production, and had refused to wear makeup, downplaying the importance of looks in an election. This backfired, making Nixon seem old and sickly and leading voters to deem him unfit to be president.

The opposite seems to be happening today. Voters are more than happy to vote another old, white man into office as long as he does not act like one. America does not seem to truly care if the candidates are healthy, as long as they put on a convincing facade of health and vigor. One can only hope that this method does not have an adverse effect. The presidency is a difficult, tiresome position, being both mentally and physically draining. The responsibility lies on the people to vote someone into office who can sustain it.

Taylor Herzlich, GSB ’23, is a buisness administration major from Mt. Sinai, N.Y.

Sustainable is the New Black

By JILLIAN KENNY

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world, second only to the fossil fuel industry. We live in the era of fast fashion, a business that encourages consumption of low-quality items for low prices.

Marketing these clothing items to consumers allows companies to make more money because of how short a life-span these items have. Think of your latest trip to the mall; stores like Forever 21, American Eagle and Zara change their inventory every week, maybe even every day. Each time you enter a store like this, it is never the same: they are constantly bringing in new items of clothing deemed “trendy.”

The reality of this fast fashion method is jarring. In order to keep up with the latest trend, companies deplete natural resources, release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, degrade natural habitats, pollute the air and water and violate human rights. These are steep prices to pay in order to have a new outfit every week.

If we think about fashion, it is inherently unsustainable. The idea that an item of clothing is either “in” or “out” creates in-

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Sustainability in fashion does not have to mean spending more money.

siders and outsiders: those who can afford to fit in and those who cannot. By making fast fashion cheap and accessible to the average consumer, it makes everyone feel like an outsider if they don’t buy the newest trend. This leads to more production, more consumption and more pollution: a feedback loop that causes more harm and degradation to the environment.

While many issues related to the environment feel as though the consumer is powerless, fashion is not one of them. Fashion is an industry that responds to consumer interest. If an item is suddenly deemed fashionable or “in,” suddenly we can find that item everywhere. Once that item

is “out,” though, it mostly goes into landfills. There are currently 13 million tons of clothing in U.S. landfills.

The fashion industry is constantly changing and adapting.

If consumers suddenly stopped buying new clothes, companies would be scrambling to change their methods in order to sell again. By using consumer power to advocate for improved recycling processes and more humane factories, companies would have to change their methods. This industry is a highly reactive one, and the consumer needs to make a change so that the companies will change as well. By supporting sustainable brands and buying used clothes, many more clothing

companies may follow their lead to begin changing their practices as well.

As consumers, we do not need to succumb to fast fashion in order to be fashionable. There are really two options for a consumer that wants to shop for sustainable clothes: buying from sustainable brands or thrift shopping. There are different tools on the internet that consumers can use to determine if a clothing brand is sustainable or not, such as Good On You and Done Good. Additionally, vintage and thrift shopping are becoming increasingly popular, especially among young people. More people now consider it “trendy” to have unique, recycled items that they know no one else will have. Some of my favorite items of clothing I own include a brown suede jacket, a green wool sweater and a pair of Levi’s jeans: all from thrift shops and all under $30. Sustainable doesn’t need to mean expensive. Anyone can participate in sustainable shopping.

It is undeniable that an individual can only do so much. One person vowing to never buy a new article of clothing will not change much; however, if everyone becomes more aware of the companies to which they give their money, it will prompt fast fashion companies to rethink their

decisions. The problem is a vast one, but the solution has an easy catalyst: stop buying new clothes from unsustainable brands.

In order to make the fashion industry more sustainable, we need to think about the choices we make. Every morning when you put on your clothes, think about the ecosystems sacrificed and people impacted just to make that item. If you saw the impact in front of your eyes, maybe you would not have bought that tshirt you will probably wear once and never think about again.

I was watching a TED Talk with a friend recently about creative ways to make the fashion industry more sustainable.

The man giving the talk made many suggestions: changing the stitching to recycle easier, using natural dyes on your clothes, composting old items, you name it. My friend reacted with, “or you could just buy less clothes.”

While not everybody can just give up buying new clothes altogether, becoming conscious about buying clothes that you don’t need can change the entire fashion industry.

Jillian Kenny, FCRH ’21, is an international studies and environmental studies major from Bridgewater, N.J.

OPINION

Page 8

R

Serving the Fordham University campus and community since 1918 The Fordham Ram is the university journal of record. The mission of The Fordham Ram is to provide a forum for the free and open exchange of ideas in service to the community and to act as a student advocate. The Fordham Ram is published and distributed free of charge every Wednesday during the academic year to the Rose Hill, Lincoln Center and Westchester campuses with a readership of over 12,000 and a web readership of over 300,000. The Fordham Ram office is located in the basement of the McGinley Center, room B-52.

Website FordhamRam.com Email Address theram@fordham.edu

Editor-in-Chief Helen Stevenson Managing Editor Andrew Posadas Editorial Director Kelly Christ Multimedia Director Kristen Egan Business Director James Rosato Operations Director Robert (Max) Quintas Production Editor Vanessa DeJesus Copy Chiefs Emma Butler Erica Weidner News Editor Sarah Huffman Projects Editor Joergen Ostensen Assistant News Editor Hasna Sena Ceran Opinion Editors Kelly Christ Emma Lipkind Culture Editors Rachel Gow Kieran Press-Reynolds Sports Editor Jimmy Sullivan Assistant Sports Editors Dylan Balsamo Alexander Wolz Digital Producer Katherine Morris Visual Director Hunter Benegas Photo Editor Jennifer Huang Graphics/Illustrations Pia Fischetti Faculty Advisor Jessica Baldwin-Philippi Editorial Page Policy

The Fordham Ram’s editorial is se-

lected on a weekly basis and reflects the editorial board’s view on a campus issue.

Opinions Policy The Fordham Ram appreciates submissions to fordhamramopinions@ gmail.com. Commentaries are printed on a space available basis. The Fordham Ram reserves the right to reject any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Fordham Ram. The Fordham Ram reserves the right to edit any submissions. The opinions in The Fordham Ram’s editorials are those of the editorial board; those expressed in articles, letters, commentaries, cartoons or graphics are those of the individual author. No part of The Fordham Ram may be reproduced without written consent.

February 19, 2020

From the Desk | Emma Butler

Acing the Leadership Quiz As a self-identified BuzzFeed fanatic, I can confidently say that I’ve taken more personality quizzes than I can count. Most are about silly, random topics that don’t have much basis in reality (i.e, what kind of bread are you?), but often times these quizzes ask a pretty loaded question: how would you describe yourself?

The options are normally fairly generic, and every time I tend to choose something like “friendly” or “introverted.”

Though my responses to this question have varied over the years, I have always steered clear of answers like “ambitious,” “outgoing” and definitely “leader.”

My feelings towards leadership have always been a bit rocky. I see myself as a hard worker, but leading others never came naturally to me. I always felt too introverted, too quiet, too conflict avoidant. I never wanted to rock the boat or be responsible for something that could potentially fail if I messed up. In short: being a leader felt paralyzing to me.

However, things began to change when I found myself sitting in the office of The Fordham Ram for the very first time. When I first joined the Ram as a copy editor on Volume 101, I honestly didn’t think very much of it. I knew I liked to edit and wanted to get more involved on campus,

so I figured it would be a good fit. What I discovered was that I really had a passion for editing, and sitting around the copy desk every Tuesday night until 1 a.m. gave me a real sense of community.

Still, I never saw myself as more than a copy editor. That is until the end of my first semester on the Ram, when Volume 101’s two copy chiefs, Maggie Rothfus, FCRH ’20, and Vanessa DeJesus, FCRH ’21, suggested that I apply for their position next volume.

Unsurprisingly, I went back-andforth for months over whether I should apply and only decided to submit my application at the last possible moment.

When I found out that I actually got the position as one of the two copy chiefs for the Ram, I was so excited to get started and proud of myself for going out of my comfort zone but as the first night on the job got closer and closer, all the doubts I’d had about my ability to lead came creeping back in.

By the time the first production night came around, I almost felt too anxious to function. Still, I pushed through and decided on using the “fake it till you make it” approach. Maybe if I acted like I knew exactly what I was doing, nobody would notice that I was suddenly feeling very unquali-

fied.

Yet, I eventually came to realize that I didn’t even need to act that way to lead our new group of copy editors. Sure, I was nervous and things got hectic at times, but at the end of the day, the newspaper was still released on time, and I’d survived my first week as a leader of the copy team.

As the weeks have gone on, being a copy chief has started to come more naturally to me, mainly due to the fact that I’ve stopped caring about being the type of leader that I always thought I should be. Instead, I act as a leader in my own way.

There’s no one formula to being a good leader. I had always thought that since I wasn’t the most assertive or most charismatic person in a room, I didn’t have the right personality to be

in charge. But leaders come from all walks of life, and just because you don’t feel like a natural born leader doesn’t mean that you can’t become one.

Like most people, leaders are formed through passion and practice. For people like me, who see themselves as more comfortable in the background than at the forefront, the biggest step can often be gaining the confidence to realize that you are qualified enough to step up and take charge. At the end of the day, anybody can be a leader, as long as they have the right attitude and the will to try.

From now on, I’m going to start checking off the box for “leader” on those personality quizzes. Just because I can’t see it at times doesn’t mean it isn’t true.

Editorial | Media

Continuing to Combat Sexual Assault Stigma after #MeToo In October 2017, news headlines were dominated by allegations of sexual abuse against Harvey Weinstein, a notable film producer in Hollywood. Each woman who came forward seemed to give another the strength to tell her own story, and the cycle continued from there.

The allegations gave momentum to the #MeToo movement, which originally began in 2006 to empower survivors of sexual harassment and assault to speak out about their experience.

With such high-profile accusers and accused, the movement spread through Hollywood like wildfire. Three years later, the aftermath are still being felt as Harvey Weinstein currently faces trial in Manhattan.

The #MeToo movement was more than just calling out specific individuals for acts of sexual misconduct or abuse — it was meant to address the systemic issues that allow this misconduct and abuse to happen.

Unfortunately, these problems continue to permeate the entertainment industry and beyond.

Even though the trial is less prominent in the media than when the allegations first surfaced, we must continue to talk about the systemic changes it necessitates and the issues it continues to shed light on.

The legal processing of sexual

assault trials are often incredibly difficult for the survivors to endure. While undergoing the repeated questioning about the details of the incident, victims are often painted in a manner which makes them appear either attention-seeking or somehow responsible for the assault, whether it be through promiscuous clothing or an intoxicated state during the assault.

Weinstein has the constitutional right to a defense. In a court of law, he is innocent until proven guilty — but not at the cost of dignity to those making the allegations.

The methods used by the defense team are perpetrating the notions that allowed Weinstein’s actions to go unchecked for so long.

The New Yorker highlighted the “sick logic of the Weinstein affair” that has persisted in the trial –– in which women are expected to flirt with powerful men, but when this turns into sexual assault, it is the woman’s fault for having “asked for it.”

These ideas play an important role on college campuses today.

Sexual assault is prevalent among college students, with approximately one in five women and one in 16 men experiencing sexual assault during college.

The stigma facing survivors of sexual assault often causes them to hesistant reaching out to on-

campus resources and reporting the assault.

Recent examples have shown the difficulties that survivors face in getting justice for their trauma, even after going to on- and offcampus resources. In 2016, Stanford University student Brock Turner was indicted on three counts of sexual assault. He was sentenced to six months in jail but was released after just three.

The trial’s judge, Aaron Persky, worried that jail would have a “severe impact” on Turner.

The stories of sexual assault that are being told during the Weinstein trial may be embdedded in the glamour of Hollywood, but they represent a very real problem in our society. Though progress has been made, work still must be done to refute common biases towards victim-blaming.

Many college students, especially females, who are survivors of sexual assault are questioned about their behavior at the time of the incident. Their answers are then often used to justify their assault, with a belief that women who were intoxicated and engaged in the “party culture” of college are to blame for their own sexual assault.

Fordham University has made great strides in fighting sexual assault on campus. Rodrigue’s Coffee House holds a “Speakout”

about halfway through each semester that provides an opportunity for survivors to open up about their experience in a safe environment. Last semester, the United Student Goverment’s Committee on Sexual Misconduct (CSM) held a Week of Action consisting of seven events.

These included “Stick Up for Survivors” programs in residence halls and the clothesline project, in which students share messages of support for survivors of sexual assault on t-shirts to be displayed outside of the McGinley Center.

The Ram would like to encourage readers to attend these events and to take advantage of the resources that Fordham University has for survivors of sexual assault, should they be necessary.

Some of these resources include, but are not limited to Campus Assault and Relationship Education (CARE), Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS), and University Health Services.

Just as we did in 2017, we at The Fordham Ram continue to condemn any perpetrator of sexual abuse, whether it be in Hollywood or on our very own campus. The trial of Harvey Weinstein brings about complicated feelings, but they remain the heart of a crucial discussion. We must fight against victim-blaming and promote empathy above all else.

OPINION

February 19, 2020

Page 9

Privacy Risks are Worth the Price of Safety

By NOAH OSBORNE STAFF WRITER

With technology’s influence on our everyday lives becoming increasingly apparent, its capabilities continue to evolve as well.

After multiple school massacres, including the event at Columbine High School in 1999 and at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Parkland, Florida in 2018, extensive precautionary measures have been taken to ensure that the student’s safety is of the utmost priority. While technology has come under scrutiny at times, it is now being used to complete a task that all of the country can unanimously agree on the importance of: ensuring the safety of America’s youth.

In the Lockport, New York school district, facial recognition is being implemented to monitor who enters school property. Such a decision is pivotal in maintaining safety in America’s schools,

concerning facial recognition we as a nation move one step closer to effectively addressing what it means to maintain a safe school environment.

However, some people argue that such a means of ensuring school safety does nothing to address the overarching problem of violence in schools. Instead it perpetuates invasive encroachment on the liberties of students.

Among those who argue this is Stefanie Coyle, deputy director of the Education Policy Center for the New York Civil Liberties Union. She stated, “Subjecting 5-year-olds to this technology will not make anyone safer, and we can’t allow invasive surveillance to become the norm in our public spaces.”

Indeed, student’s freedom should be ultimately respected.

America cannot afford to gamble with the lives of innocent students because some individuals believe

facial recognition technology is an infringement on their privacy.

Objections like Coyle’s are reminiscent of the question of surveillance in America like the polarizing Edward Snowden questioning and national exposure of the National Security Agency’s surveillance methods on the lives of the American public, foreign allies and adversaries.

This created a firestorm where battle lines were drawn between support for Snowden’s whistleblowing and resentment of these actions, as he was viewed by some people as a traitor to the nation.

With such deep-rooted divisions, America cannot lose focus regarding its fundamental promise to its citizens: maintaining the safety of all. Political division is not in our national interest, but the safety of future generations is.

Students should not feel as if their freedoms are being violated.

Surveillance in schools should be

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Facial recognition technology in schools promote saftety but may pose additional risks to student privacy.

a part of ensuring safety. Doing so is tantamount to not only the success of students and of the school system, but is indicative of the upholding of the nation to keep students safe as they strive to be educated.

Arguing for the use of surveillance in schools, Robert LiPuma, the Lockport City School District’s director of technology, referred to the Parkland shooting, saying “You had an expelled student that would have been put into the system, because they were not supposed to be on school grounds. They snuck in through an open door. The minute they snuck in, the system would have identified that person.” Such a statement indeed begs the question of how many lives could have been saved from school shootings around the country.

Perhaps if schools like Columbine and Stoneman Douglas had such technology available, the horrors that were the gun violence attacks they endured perhaps never would have occurred and lives would have been saved.

Clearly this approach is effective as Stephen Abbot, chief of the Lockport Police Department, says “If a human monitor confirmed a gun that Aegis had detected, an alert would automatically go to both administrators and the Police Department.” Not only can the facial recognition technology filter select who has access to enter school property, but it detects what has indelibly risked the safety of American students: guns.

Those complaining that their freedoms are being restricted as a result of the implementation of such technology should not see the incorporation of facial recognition as an obstruction, but rather as

something executed in their favor.

After all, facial recognition is used on a daily basis, including every time students use social media apps, access their laptops and even use their cellphones. Yet, no complaints are made in this respect even though it’s the same concept.

However, facial recognition in schools is not used to feebly entertain students, but to execute something far more profound: save their lives. To those who object to the measures of Lockport, I pose these questions: was it a violation of your privacy when you spent hours lethargically accessing your iPhone? Is your freedom only violated when you fail to realize that school safety in America is a larger issue than your own desires for a freedom you would lose should you fall victim to school violence?

If no action is taken to defend the lives of America’s youth in schools, freedom and lives will be in jeopardy in the wake of school violence.

In a nation where political divides are beginning to take precedence over national interest, and battles for gun laws are being arduously waged, Lockport provides hope to all those advocating for safer school environments.

Perhaps, this will even serve as the precursor to legislation tantamount to stricter gun laws to prevent future violence like the shootings America has had to witness. However, one thing must always be clear: there is no price too high to pay to ensure the safety of students in America. Without safety, there is no freedom.

Noah Osborne, FCRH ’23, is a journalism major from Harlem, N.Y.

MTA Protest Demands are Unreasonable

By SEAN FRANKLIN

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Jan. 31, hundreds of protestors took to the streets of New York City to object to the policing in the subways. Protestors jumped turnstiles, poured glue into MetroCard readers and smashed video screens in subway stations in acts of outrage. The protests, organized by a group called “Decolonize This Place,” demanded free transit and the complete removal of police from the city’s transit system.

While the protestors’ main concern — police brutality in the subways — is a valid one, their methods and goals are questionable.

The spark that ignited this new wave of protests was Governor Andrew Cuomo’s decision to hire 500 new police officers to be deployed in the subways. This, coupled with a few recent high-profile subway policing controversies, raised fears about a police crackdown.

However, the rationale behind the hirings makes sense. For one thing, assaults against transit workers rose 39% in 2019, a fact that is straining ongoing contract negotiations between the Transit Workers’ Union and the Mass Transit Administration. The additional officers are intended in large part to combat that increase.

Of course, the bigger issue that the new officers are meant to tackle is rampant fare evasion. The MTA, as we all know, is in dire financial straits. They are projected to face a $1 billion operating budget deficit by 2023. Turnstile jumpers cost the agency an estimated $300 million every year, revenue that the ailing subway desperately needs.

The MTA has numerous sources of revenue, from government subsidies to bridge and tunnel tolls to advertisements in the transit system. In spite of all that, fares remain its biggest source of revenue, accounting for 38% of the agency’s annual earnings.

This is why the protestors’ main demand — free transit — simply isn’t feasible. The revenue stream that comes from those fares is one that the MTA cannot afford to lose.

Even if it was, it’s not even clear if making transit free would accomplish anything.

Numerous cities around the world have experimented with making public transit free, usually with disappointing results. The main result is an increase in ridership driven by people who were previously walking or biking — or who were simply drawn to the system by the fact that it’s free, a phenomenon known as “induced demand.” Free transit doesn’t do

The protests against the policing of New York City subways are not feasible in their demands of the city.

anything to get people out of their cars or taxis. All it does is place increased stress on the transit system without removing any from the rest of the transportation network. One look at Grand Central during rush hour should show you that this is not a good idea.

Even if intended to be an antipoverty measure, making transit free is an incredibly blunt tool to use. Many middle and upper-class New Yorkers ride the subways along with the city’s marginalized populations. Making transit free gives them a free ride as well. Removing fares from the entire system is a poorly targeted measure if the goal is to make it easier for lowincome people to get around.

Furthermore, the MTA already has a number of programs in place

to make the transit system more accessible to low-income or otherwise disadvantaged New Yorkers.

City residents over 65, as well as those with disabilities, are eligible for half-price fare for subways and local buses. And, as of last year, so are city residents below a certain income threshold, through the “Fair Fares” program.

All of this makes the protestors’ demands seem misguided at best.

For them, free transit is framed as an equity issue. But making transit free would create more problems than it solves and ignores the programs that already exist to aid lowincome mobility. Removing police from the subway entirely would likewise create new problems. Fare evasion would surely skyrocket, denying the cash-strapped MTA

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from even more of its revenue. The subway is not as dangerous now as it was in the 80s and 90s, but crime still occurs, and a police presence is necessary to deter it. The recent rise in assaults on transit workers shows that.

The subway is a resource that almost every New Yorker depends on. The fare is the price we pay to have a functional subway, a common resource that we can all use.

These protestors, by evading the fare and vandalizing the system, have shown they do not care about maintaining that resource. If we want to continue to have a subway, we have to treat it with respect.

Sean Franklin, FCRH ’21, is an urbanism major from Alexandria, V.A.

OPINION

Page 10

February 19, 2020

The Reconciliation of Facts and Faith

By ERICA SCALISE

PROJECTS EDITOR EMERITA

This past week The New Yorker, in its usual promotionary fashion, began sharing a nine month old article on its Instagram and Twitter entitled, “If God Is Dead, Your Time Is Everything.” In it, staff writer and literary critic James Wood critically examines Swedish philosopher Martin Hägglund’s most recent case for atheism in Hägglund’s latest book, “This Life: Secular Faith and Spiritual Freedom.”

As expected, the Instagram post’s comments section was ruthless, strangely adopting an entirely new argument pitting religion against journalism. Readers largely criticized the book for marketing “cynicism masquerading as intellectualism” and critiqued the magazine for consistently publishing pieces critical of organized religion, to which one reader earnestly shot back, “it’s just a book review.”

In the article, Wood outlines Hägglund’s arguments, and where they often collapse on themselves, almost seamlessly; I should know — I’m already halfway through the book after a bout of insomnia left me virtually sleepless this past week. Hägglund, making the case for atheism, argues that an eternal life is both unattainable and undesirable so long as it eliminates the care and passion that is simply wrought from living. Rather than exist in anticipation for the promise of something better, the worship of the here and now is right here, to stay. Ac-

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The industry of journalism can sometimes conflict with organized religion.

cording to Hägglund, it is up to us to seize and sustain it, sowing the seeds of today instead of preparing for the improbable afterlife of tomorrow.

Though Hägglund’s deepest undertakings are nothing short of regurgitated philosophy — Marx’s “economy of time” is Hägglund’s cri de coeur — I found the text resonated with me on several fronts. Hägglund authors something digestible, unmarked by the usual ostentation of secularist authors and garners the hottest of deconstructed takes: religiosity itself is a kind of committed secularism.

I’ve spent most of my days walking away from organized religion at an institution I chose, partly based on its commitment to religiosity. As a second semester senior, it’s only recently that I’ve come to accept this. I’ve pored over religious texts in philosophical ethics, contemplated the existence of God over beers at Clinton Hall and teared up in the back of the University Church when I realized it

was no longer a place I felt at home.

When I began covering clerical sex abuse for The Fordham Ram, all of my attempts to reconcile any semblance of a faith basis I had once had seemed futile. By the end of my junior year, I began openly identifying as agnostic.

Despite all of this, I never stopped worshipping. As I watched the sun come up this past Sunday, I supplemented my exhaustion for something I haven’t quite felt since a four day religious retreat I partook in during senior year of high school — the realization that I am still filled up with the presence of faith.

According to Wood, “the real measure of value,” Hägglund says, “is not how much work we have done or have to do (quantity of labor time) but how much disposable time we have to pursue and explore what matters to us (quality of free time).”

Since advancing in pursuit of a career in journalism, I’ve put faith into

miniscule facts and inconvenient truths, pursuing what matters most to me, despite how banal, tedious or unrewarding it may have seemed at the time. I’ve called sources over and over again, been escorted out of buildings, scrapped entire stories at 1 a.m., felt pride when the reporting was done, cried when it wasn’t and mentally quit in the middle of crafting sentences. If the road to faith is rooted in struggle, the secular enterprise of journalism has become the one I’ve traveled, and it has made all the difference.

Where I once struggled to find myself amidst a vast vacuum of claims and questions surrounding organized religion, I’m able to make sense of what and why I worship when I place faith in facts. Similar to the presence of a higher power, there will always be news to wake up to in the morning, that day’s ethical dilemmas to recount at night and the promise of something potentially beautiful, a story, in the days to follow.

As a journalist, I’ve had the privilege to bear witness to the everyday miracles of news — the last minute email responses, the almost, but never quite perfect ledes, the late night phone calls that turn to early morning wake-ups. Just like a church parishioner at Sunday morning mass, I may zone out from time to time, it’s possible the host might be stale and sometimes I might want to skip altogether, but somehow, I always find myself coming back.

Messages surrounding faith today

have become widely misconstrued.

With 84% of people ascribing to religious groups, the gleam of organized religion may have worn, but faith and worship seem to be eternally in fashion.

In an article entitled, “Journalism is Itself a Religion” for The Revealer, an online publication by New York University’s Center for Religion and Media, journalism professor and media critic Jay Rosen argues in favor of the intersection of journalistic fact and faith. Rosen predicted a future of journalism using religious jargon — a field marked by schisms, tumult, division and, evidently, large scale changes that would lead to problems we’re now falling witness to today.

Like organized religion, it’s no secret that the field of journalism is suffering. Despite grim numbers in local reporting layoffs and steep declines in funding and readership, the existence of facts in pursuit of larger truths, like those of faith and worship, are not going anywhere. The problems that come with worshipping journalism and worshipping religion remain scarcely similar. Worship in anything is often tumultuous, unsexy, without guarantees and requires work without the promise of a reward after all is said and done. It is in those moments of genuine devotion, that we might just experience real acts of faith.

Erica Scalise, FCRH ’20, is a journalism major from Chicago, Ill.

Bernie Bros Prefer Bullying Over Bloomberg

By LINDSAY GRIPPO

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR EMERITA

The supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders have a reputation for being quite enthusiastic about his cause.

In a recent tweet, Sanders posted a video in which he says the lack of passion garnered by former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg’s campaign cannot be made up for with his multi-billionaire budget, or even be enough to win the Democratic nomination, let alone the presidency.

In response, Bloomberg tweeted a video compilation presenting online harassment from various Bernie supporters, as well as clips from articles that appear to condemn such behavior. The video ends with Sanders urging everyone to “engage in a civil discourse,” regardless of their political views.

No one should face abuse over the internet. During a time of rising suicide rates and increasingly worse mental health conditions, the spewing of online venom, for whatever purpose, is not only divisive but also dangerous.

However, the adverse effects of such criticisms — even from the most biting of Bernie bros — are marginal in comparison to the systemic oppression faced by marginalized communities under this country’s many classist and racist frameworks.

Bernie supporters, in all their passionate fervor, are committed to changing the course of this nation by pushing it towards a future that finally begins to take care of society’s most vulnerable.

Part of why these individuals are so unforgiving to those who do not hold this same vision of the future is because they are fed up with the unequal distribution of our country’s

resources and care. Their critiques — that can sometimes border on bullying — are aimed at the individuals preventing the nation from progressing past the unethical structures it was built upon. Within the context of such radical change, radical action becomes understandable. American leftists are no longer tolerating “good enough” from the politicians that hope to represent them and are instead requiring, however militantly, that they do better.

Herds of internet-savvy young people are rallying under the unifying messages of Sanders — utilizing a particular blend of passion, wit and encyclopedic meme knowledge — because they truly believe he is the key to a more equitable America.

And in contrast, most of his opposition is not.

In a recently resurfaced audio clip from 2015, Bloomberg claims the best way to reduce gun violence

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Bernie Sanders’ dedicated fanbase is nothing if not passionate, but sometimes its members can cross the line.

among minority communities in New York City is to “throw them up against the wall and frisk them.”

Though Bloomberg (mayor of New York City from 2002-2013) inherited the controversial Stop-and-Frisk policy from his predecessor, Rudy Giuliani, he nonetheless bolstered its impact on the city.

Over 685,000 people were subjected to targeted police stops and street interrogations during the policy’s peak in 2011, an overwhelming percentage of whom were black or Latinx individuals. However, nearly nine out of 10 stopped-and-frisked New Yorkers have been completely innocent, according to a 2019 report by the New York Civil Liberties Union.

The policy was a blatantly racist tactic, one that encourages the NYPD, under the law, to specifically target black and brown bodies in an attempt to stoke fear among minority communities.

It is unsurprising that voters who want more for America than institutionalized fear-mongering aimed at marginalized groups would be skeptical of a candidate with Bloomberg’s track record. For the former mayor to spin their criticisms into a spectacle of impassioned hectoring shows just how out of touch he is with the very people he is trying to win over.

In response to the audio clip resurfacing, Bloomberg has said his words “don’t reflect the way that I’ve governed, or the way that I run my company or the way that I live.” Though he has lamented on not changing the policy “faster and sooner” in an official statement, he claims “This issue

and my comments about it do not reflect my commitment to criminal justice reform and racial equity.”

Many Americans — Sanders included — believe an important aim of the 2020 election is to defeat Donald Trump. “Vote Blue No Matter Who” is a common sentiment among liberal thinkers hoping to rid the country of the current president and the classist, racist, xenophobic, homophobic, transphobic and ableist ideologies he stands for.

But many Bernie supporters believe that party affiliation comes second to the ideals a candidate commits to fighting for. American leftists do not want another president who will enact racist policies or pass laws that continue to disenfranchise our country’s most vulnerable.

Bernie bros are fighting for a better future, and they’re fighting in the ways they know how: with wit, consistency and purpose. Their mission includes the defeat of our current president, but it is by no means driven solely by this step.

On Tuesday, Bloomberg tweeted: “Young voters will help decide this election … If you want to beat Trump, join us.”

However, young people are realizing that Trump is a symptom of an inherently broken system, not the cause of its rupture. And what many Bernie supporters already understand is that it will require a particularly formidable candidate to begin work on a new one.

Lindsay Grippo, FCRH ’20, is an English major from Long Island, N.Y.

February 19, 2020

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February 19, 2020

Tame Impala’s “The Slow Rush” Lives Up to the Insane Hype high expectations, it’s easy to wonder if “The Slow Rush” was worth the wait.

For half a decade, music fans have To put it simply: yes, it was. “The been wondering what Tame Impala Slow Rush” is the apex of Tame Imwill do next. The 2015 album “Curpala’s genre-blending. It takes inspirents” cemented mainman Kevin ration from rock, disco, synthpop, Parker’s status as one of the biggest hip-hop and more. It continues their rock acts on the festival scene. It not trajectory away from overt John Lenonly gained rave reviews from nearly non worship and acid-trip guitar riffs every publication, but was also nomiand pushes toward a different brand nated for a Grammy and named one of psychedelia in its airy pop and the decade’s best albums. dance beats.

Pressure began mounting for The intricacy of the production on Tame Impala’s next album as soon “The Slow Rush” is a marvel in itself. as “Currents” was released and only Parker’s angelic vocals float above grew stronger each year a new album manicured synth textures, soul melwas not released. With dizzyingly odies and disco, funk and hip-hop beats. Tame Impala’s signature layering of instrumentation flourishes, with the sheer number of keyboard sounds Parker uses being almost as impressive as what he actually does with them.

Every sound is obsessively considered. Hi-hats are given just as much attention as lead melodies, AutoTune is repurposed as a sonic effect rather than a vocal concealer and cathedral reverb gives Parker’s voice an otherworldly aura. The retro-futuristic production is both an ode to the past and a symbol of the future, PHOTOS COURTESY OF FACEBOOK as it echoes ’80s Fleetwood Mac as much it resembles the EDM Pictured: Kevin Parker of Tame Impala.

By ALEXANDRA LANGE STAFF WRITER

vibe of Daft Punk. “The Slow Rush” never feels overly cluttered or too composed; the psychedelic swirl is truly an organic blend.

Tame Impala’s production style is even more impressive when considered in light of the current generation’s emphasis on sampling and mega teams of producers. Parker doesn’t need to sample or rely on other producers to coach his sound. He is able to make loops that sound as if they are sampled from classic rock or soulful R&B of the past. The immense amount of talent and musical genius needed to craft such a sound makes it seem as if a team of music powerhouses is behind the effort. However, Tame Impala is a one-man band. As the credits read, “All music written, performed, and mixed by Kevin Parker.”

Parker’s complete artistic control over “The Slow Rush” continues with his introspective lyrics. He continues to create albums revolving around an overarching theme. Whereas the theme of “Currents” was transformation, “The Slow Rush” is fixated on the passage of time.

This theme manifests itself on the album through songs about the way falling in love makes you consider the impermanence of things. Parker, a self-proclaimed loner, emphasizes seizing the day and focusing on the present in the midst of love. He

shares his own experience with overwhelming emotion on the album’s opener “One More Year.” Comparing lovestruck bliss to a panic attack about spending forever with another person, Parker sings, “I never wanted any other way to spend our lives / I know we promised we’d be doing this until we die / And now I fear we might.”

Tame Impala continues the theme of a more mature type of love throughout the beginning of the album. On songs like “Instant Destiny,” Parker declares he’s “about to do something crazy.” “We can get a home in Miami / Go and get married / Tattoo your name on my arm,” he croons.

He showcases his euphoric vision of love on “Breathe Deeper,” assuring, “If you need someone to tell you that you’re special / Believe me, I can.”

Parker also reflects on the death of his father on “The Slow Rush.” He confronts the complexity of coping

with loss on “Posthumous Forgiveness,” one of his most brilliantly intimate songs to date. A mournful guitar frames Parker’s emotional lyrics as he cycles through anger, blame, longing and despair on the six-minute track.

Since he lost his father before achieving superstardom, the song is a confessional from a son to his father. He mournfully admits, “Wanna tell you ’bout the time / I was in Abbey Road / Or the time that I had / Mick Jagger on the phone.”

The beauty and essence of Tame Impala’s genius are at their peak on “The Slow Rush” thanks to Parker’s self-contemplation. Even as he filters through his most private demons, upbeat psych-synths and ethereal vocals take listeners on a transcendent trip.

Despite the long wait, the sonic euphoria of the “The Slow Rush” proves Parker deserves all the time he needs to keep us dancing, even if it is with tears in our eyes.

Kiley Reid’s “Such a Fun Age” When Kiley Reid’s debut novel “Such a Fun Age” burst onto the literary scene in December, publishers, critics and readers everywhere agreed that the author had cemented herself as a strong voice in contemporary American fiction. Even before publication, Reid’s novel was

selected by Reese Witherspoon for her book club and by Lena Waithe for TV development. The novel, which is based upon Reid’s own experiences, is timely, poignant and thought-provoking, making it a truly fun novel.

Dancing through the aisles of a

supermarket and entertaining the 3-year-old child she has babysat for months, 26-year-old Emira is suddenly racially profiled and accused of kidnapping the child. It’s 2016 in Philadelphia, and the entire incident is recorded on camera by a concerned white man in the crowd. The white onlookers beg Emira to post the video but, hoping to avoid the unwanted attention and added humiliation, she asks the man to email her a copy of the video and delete it from his phone. And so he does.

The looming presence of this video seems to travel into every word Reid writes. After hearing about the incident, the child’s mother Alix, who is white and a fervent Hillary Clinton supporter, jumps into action and begs Emira to publish the video.

Even Emira’s boyfriend, Kelley, a white man who feels comfortable using the N-word in front of his mostly black friends, asks her to send the video to a news outlet. The video itself seems to loom over Emira’s consciousness with a constant fear that it will somehow be released and create a world of discomfort for her.

Reid’s precision in articulating Emira’s situation is chilling, and she carefully expresses the damaging effects of black women being ignored for

white comfort. The one thing that relieves this tense situation is Briar, the 3-year-old Emira babysits, who Emira loves wildly. Briar acts as a point of comfort and humor throughout the novel. His innocence illuminates the absurdity of his mother’s actions to comfort Emira as she tries to return to normal life. What Alex sees as being helpful only adds to Emira’s pain.

Gripping and relevant, Reid carefully guides the reader through this experience in new and profound ways, one of which being Alix’s perspective. These masterful chapters cut into the psyche of liberal America, offering a wake-up call to the self-centric views of white feminism through the absurdity of Alix’s thoughts. The keen precision Reid offers in these chapters is not shocking or foreign but completely familiar, making Alix feel like a girl you may walk by on campus.

This familiarity makes Reid’s writing so poignant. There is no high language or extreme biases; she is just articulating a real-life situation in the terms that they exist in. Her prose is precise and easily digestible, making “Such a Fun

Age” a novel that welcomes reality as an ally. It is this reality that drives conversations about race in Reid’s novel. Alix’s white, upper-class mentality makes the reader cringe while also making them empathize, creating a reading experience unlike most similar novels.

As a debut, “Such a Fun Age” has created a name for Kiley Reid, and made me — and many readers both across campus and the country — interested in what she has to say. You can pick up a copy of “Such a Fun Age” at your local bookstore.

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Pictured: Kiley Reid’s “Such a Fun Age.”

CULTURE

February 19, 2020

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Editor’s Pick | Sports

Pace of Play: the New Face of the Game

By JAMES ROSATO BUSINESS DIRECTOR

As a lifelong supporter, fan and player of baseball for the last twenty years, it is hard for me to believe that America’s Pastime has seen a consis-

tent dip in viewership since the start of the 21st century. Although I fell in love with the game with my first steps on the field, I recognize that some of the rules and procedures of Major League Baseball (MLB) are outdated and quirky.

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Business Director James Rosato writes about how baseball is changing.

Growing up in New York, I was able to watch some of the all-time greats, such as Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Alex Rodriguez. While some of my heroes of the 2000s have moved on from baseball, or become the first unanimous hall of fame electee, the legacy of these players is still felt amongst their followers. However, this unfortunately has not been enough to persuade a younger group of fans to keep watching baseball, thus leaving MLB’s front office with no choice but to shake things up.

The perpetual changes of fans’ preferences and players’ requests have brought us to where we are today. After failing to connect with the younger generation for the better half of a decade, commissioner Rob Manfred and the Player’s Union agreed to enforce the following rule changes, effective immediately, for the 2020 season. I will focus on the two significant rule changes and why they should matter to you.

The Three Batter Minimum: This is one of the most dramatic changes to the game that baseball fans have seen since the designated hitter was introduced in the 1970s. Before this rule, managers were able to bring in a pitcher from the bullpen to face one

batter. Now, the pitcher must face a minimum of three batters unless it is the end of an inning. The term “lefty specialist” was quickly adopted from this method, as coaches would often make a call to the bullpen if a lefty batter were up to bat because a lefty pitcher has a significant advantage over a lefty batter. This rule changes the strategy of the game, as pitchers must now focus their careers on being more than just a “lefty specialist.”

What is the point? The MLB has been trying to boost viewership, and nobody has time to sit down and watch a three-hour game anymore.

Over the last few years, MLB has enforced minor rules to change the pace of play and make the game faster, but this will have the most substantial impact. The goal of this rule change is to speed up the game and impact decision-making amongst managers and players alike.

Roster Size: A less dramatic switch up than the aforementioned three batter minimum, the MLB has vowed to both expand and reduce roster sizes. While that sounds counterintuitive, roster sizes will increase from 25 to 26 men during the regular season, to 28 men come September. Previously, the MLB allowed teams to add

up to 40 men to their roster in September, cutting that number down by 12 with this rule change.

Why are they doing this? Well, why would you play a game of baseball from June to August with only 25 men, but then add 15 men come September? That is inherently imbalanced, so this change from the MLB hopes to even the playing field.

This rule is congruent with the three batter minimum rule, as this will discourage teams from overloading their rosters with pitchers, thus making pitching changes happen less frequently, which improves the pace of play. It will be interesting to see how this rule affects the playoff hopes of 30 teams come September.

There are a few other rule changes that the MLB announced it will be making at the start of Spring Training, but these two are ones that stood out to me. They stand out because, while the integrity of baseball is still there, the game is changing right before my eyes.

These changes will hopefully boost viewership and playership amongst the younger generation, turning around the unfortunate path towards which America’s Pastime has been heading.

“The Moth” Shares Raw Human Experiences

By AVA ERICKSON

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“The Moth” is a podcast that appeals to almost everyone.

It features individuals from all walks of life telling stories. Sometimes the stories are scary, sometimes they are sad and sometimes they are funny. Anything goes on “The Moth.”

People tell live stories on Moth events, with no notes, in front of crowds of strangers in cities all over the world. These events started in 1997, and in 2008 the organization decided to make a podcast featuring their favorite stories.

An episode of “The Moth,” called “The Moth Radio Hour,” is released weekly. They usually feature four to five stories.

Sometimes they all have a similar theme, and other times they are a random assortment, but without fail they always make you laugh, cry or smile.

The stories in the podcast tackle massive issues like addiction, racism and domestic violence, just to name a few. The podcast is organized in an accessible way because after a very sad story you will usually hear an uplifting or funny one.

Since there is such a massive variety of stories, “The Moth” appeals to pretty much every type of person: young or old, male or female.

I can vividly remember some of the stories that I have heard on the podcast, and they genuinely impacted the way I live my life. For example, one of my favorite stories was one told by Sofija Stovanic. The story takes place when she was 5 years old at a Singapore airport. Her family was fleeing socialist Yugoslavia to start a new life

in Australia in fear of impending war.

Stovanic describes how sad and scared she was to leave her life in Yugoslavia, but how all that changed when she was introduced to the world of capitalism in a Singapore airport during a layover.

Stovanic quickly became fascinated by an advertisement for one of those fuzzy worms that you

can move around with an invisible string, and her mother bought it for her.

She explains the excitement and joy she felt having the worm. Her anxiety about starting a new life, in a language she didn’t know, melted away. Years later, she googles the magic fluffy worm and is disappointed to realize the worm is not nearly as wonderful as she remem-

bers, so she calls her mother in distress. Her mom responds that she must be looking at the wrong worm because the worm she got in Singapore was wonderful.

At this moment she realizes how difficult it must have been for her mother too, and how the worm allowed them to see the world as a magical place, not a frightening one. This story really touched me

because the storyteller was able to tackle the massive difficulties she and her family faced in a simple, yet heartwarming story.

That was a story that stuck with me, but I can guarantee that everyone will be able to find a story that resonates with them in some way on “The Moth.” The stories are raw, beautiful and encapsulate human nature perfectly.

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The podcast “The Moth” releases weekly episodes called “The Moth Radio Hour,” which share a variety of interesting and diverse stories about lots of different people.

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February 19, 2020

The Guide to Fordham Slang

By TAYLOR MASCETTA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Fordham University deserves its own edition of “Urban Dictionary.”

Students across all three campuses refer to many different locations, traditions and general things with their own curated language and some New York dialect sprinkled in. Whether you’re a freshman enduring your first semester or a senior who’s been here for years, Fordham “slang” can, at times, be hard to understand.

Here is the guide to Fordham slang.

THE CAF: It may be formally named “the Marketplace,” yet Rose Hill’s cafeteria will forever be known as the beloved “caf.”

“I’m heading to the caf” just rolls off the tongue so much easier than “I’m going to the Marketplace.”

From waiting on the long line immediately following a night class to poking through the interest-

ing food selections and wasting countless hours debating nonsense with your friends, the caf forever remains an integral part of Fordham.

DOCKING: The scariest phrase any freshman (or upperclassman, for that matter) can hear is the classic “You’ve been docked.” This usually occurs after a group of underaged students are caught drinking alcohol by an RA, but occasionally loud noises and disruptive messes also lead to a docking. The period following the dock involves letters, meetings and that fateful, dreaded call to your parents.

FUEMED: “FUEMS,” or Fordham University Emergency Medical Service, is a student-run organization that provides 24/7 EMS service. Around campus, they are known for treating inotixcated students. They provide immediate help to anyone dealing with dangerous levels of intoxication.

Admitting you’ve been FUEMed

once or twice isn’t the best story to tell on a first date.

RAM VAN: The Ram Van services are lifesavers for anyone searching for an easy way to the Lincoln Center campus from Rose Hill, and vice versa. The Vans run until 4 a.m. on weekends, and round trips only cost $7. Many non-Fordham students often snicker at the fact that the vans are called “Ram Vans.”

BARNYARD: No, there isn’t an actual barnyard near the Rose Hill campus. If you want to see animals, head to the Bronx Zoo. When people ask if you’re heading to Barnyard, they are typically referring to Barnyard BBQ, a popular place for students to visit during the weekend.

DCB: DCB stands for “Declining Cash Balance,” and it is a reference to the amount of dining dollars you have until the semester’s closure. At the beginning of the semester, students can choose the amount of DCB to pay for based

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Contributing Writer Taylor Mascetta, FCRH ‘23, outlines some of Fordham University’s most ubiquitous slang.

on the meal plan. They have to spend all of it before the end of the semester. No refunds! Students with excessive amounts of DCB left at the end of the semester often splurge at on-campus dining locations and share snacks with their friends.

PUGSLEY’S: Pusgleys, often shortened to “Pugz,” is a small pizzeria located in the heart of 191st Street, tucked behind a gas station. Its convenient location and fun atmosphere make it a go-to spot for all Fordham students, and the pizza is top-tier. The penne vodka pizza is a Fordham classic, and banging the gong found inside the kitchen is university tradition.

RAMS/BEST ARGUMENT: When these two words are used together, students are probably referencing one of the most popular debates on campus — which is better: Rams Deli or Best Deli?

Both stores are located right off campus on Fordham Road and sell a variety of yummy snacks and necessities.

POD: If your mind immediately drifted to Juul pods, you’re wrong. However, the Provisions on Demand (POD) Market — located underneath Queen’s Court — might be just as addictive. The store is where DCB goes to die: a variety of fruits, ice cream pints, sandwiches, candy and more are sold here. Many students looking to spend the rest of their DCB at the end of the semester often come here to splurge. By May, POD’s inventory is a ghost town.

RIDING THE RAM: This is a long-standing tradition where Fordham students “ride” the Ram statue located near Hughes Hall before the end of their freshman year. This consists of students climbing onto it very late at night to snap some pics because they

have nothing better to do.

DAGGER JOHN’S: Dagger John’s is not a pirate that lives on campus. It’s a secret mini-cafeteria located in the basement of the McGinley Center. There are three hidden eateries located: Chopsticks, Sambazon Acai Bowls and BKG Coffee.

FMH: Not to be confused with “FML,” FMH refers to “Faculty Memorial Hall.” This is a classroom building located right off campus near the parking garage.

For freshmen and those living in Salice, Campbell or Conley, the journey to FMH from their dorms is a long, difficult trek.

EDDIE’S: Officially known as Edward’s Parade, Eddie’s is the famous field located right in front of Keating Hall. Orientation, club fairs and senior tailgates often occur here.

THE CITY: When Fordham students say “I’m heading to the city today,” they’re referring to a trip into Manhattan.

MAD: While this still means angry, many Fordham students and New Yorkers use it in a way that means “very.” As in, “this food is mad delicious!”

FORDHAM PREP: This is Fordham University, but the “high school, just for boys” edition. The all-boys institution, located on campus near the University Church, was founded in 1841.

You can spot Fordham Prep students in tall suits hanging around Cosi or POD or driving past the McGinley construction site with their parents every morning.

GABELLI BROS: They uphold the long-standing tradition of Vineyard Vines, loafers and, in the warmer months, wearing pastel shorts that end well above the knee.

$uicideboy$ Goes Through Identity Crisis on “STOP STARING AT THE SHADOWS”

By ED LUCANO

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The boys are back with a brand new, full-length LP to kick off the new decade. Following the Louisiana duo’s debut studio album “I Want To Die in New Orleans,” vocalists Ruby da Cherry and $crim of $uicideboy$ have certainly solidified their reputation in the horrorcore scene over the past couple of years. Despite my affinity for their previous breadth of work, “STOP STARING AT THE SHADOWS” serves as an anticlimactic departure from their trademark sound and dynamic lyricism. I guess a part of them did die in New Orleans, after all.

Do not get me wrong, this LP does not make me any less of a $uicideboy$ fan. However, it is definitely odd for rappers of this caliber to hit a sophomore slump this far into their career. The way I see it, this new album is their effort to adapt to the viral popularity of the mumble rap scene.

The charts do not lie: SoundCloud

rap sells. Between the catchy hooks, muffled beats and TikTok trends that have caught the world by storm, modern relevance in hip-hop is more about blending in than standing out.

Apparently, Ruby and $crim wanted a piece of the action themselves.

Not even three tracks into the album comes their clout manifesto titled “I Wanna Be Romanticized,” in which Ruby boasts about private planes, expensive cars and fancy homes. No matter the content, any group of lyrics can be manipulated by unique vocal dynamism and production value, but the entire song sounds like something off of a Trippie Redd project, boasting ironically upbeat instrumentals, heavy pitch shifting and depressed undertones.

Seven tracks later is “Bizarro,” which is pretty much a glorified love letter to 21 Savage. Although its slightly darker undertones and various innuendos about sex and codeine are subjectively fun to listen to, $crim might as well talk about how many M’s he has in his bank account,

because his voice and flow sound exactly like 21 Savage.

Much to my surprise, there is actually a silver lining to this album’s sense of emulation. “…And To Those I Love, Thanks For Sticking Around” and “That Just Isn’t Empirically Possible” sound just like Lil Peep, but their history of collaboration and shared roots in emo rap make these songs sound like a nod to an old friend rather than a couple of copycat tunes.

Whether or not this was intentional, the creative decisions that led up to these two tracks seem to be their saving grace.

Despite the inherent flaws, “STOP STARING AT THE SHADOWS” is a single, unified project. I still have high hopes for the future of $uicideboy$.

Their impressive track record is nothing to shake a stick at, so if the byproduct of several years of iconic, original music is 26 minutes of $crim and Ruby trying to find themselves in their music again, all I can do is sit back and listen.

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$uicideboy$’s new project, “STOP SHARING AT THE SHADOWS,” falters.

February 19, 2020

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Who’s That Kid?| It’s Matt Fisher, FCRH ’21

Junior Takes Passion for Helping Others to FDM

By KRISTEN EGAN

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

Matt Fisher, FCRH ‘21, understands the importance of putting a smile on someone’s face. As executive co-director of Fordham Dance Marathon (FDM), this is something he makes his mission every day to complete, and something he always achieves, whether he’s making one of FDM’s six sponsored B+ heroes smile or making a member of his team smile with his electric personality. Fisher loves to make people take their mind off their troubles because a quick laugh can go a long way.

Fordham Dance Marathon is a 10-hour event that supports the fight against pediatric cancer, but Fisher and his team spend the entire year tirelessly fundraising with innovation for the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation. The charity funds research to find cures for childhood cancer and advancements in treatment protocol, and also provides financial assistance to families of children with cancer.

Fisher said he remembers the first time he was introduced to FDM when he attended the dance marathon his freshman year.

“I ended up meeting one of the NYU Dance Marathon heroes named Joshua,” he said. “I hung out with him all night, and that was when I realized how much FDM

would mean to me and how important it was to people on campus that were a part of it, especially because of all the work they were doing.”

He quickly gained his stripes and after one year in his position of hero chair he is now co-leading Fordham’s initiative to spread the B+ message that, “It’s not a grade. It’s an attitude,” alongside Collette Campbell, FCRH ’22.

Fisher’s chipper attitude and the devotion he puts into FDM is reflected in the work he produces and the team he manages. He is always putting in his best work, and in turn his chairs and directors give him and Campbell the same passion right back.

Fisher gives credit to his biggest motivators, the Fordham B+ Heroes and the whole team working together to make Fordham Dance Marathon a year-long fundraising effort.

“They are truly the most dedicated people I’ve ever seen,” he said. From working hard not only in their own personal lives but in terms of FDM and fundraising, I’ve never seen a group of people who are more dedicated, who are more kindhearted, who are more loving, who are more energetic and funny. FDM truly just takes on its own form throughout the year and becomes something that is so amazing and so grand. So anybody on FDM is just top-notch in my book.”

As a biology major and bioethics

minor, Fisher has a heavy workload, but he believes that his leadership experience on FDM has equipped him with the time management skills to stay focused and prioritize.

“Sometimes, you have to put academics before certain work with FDM, but then it’s a tradeoff, like you want to do work for FDM before academics,” he said. I always find that there’s a balance that I sometimes walk, the fine line between doing work and doing things for FDM.” Fisher’s biggest takeaway of balancing his busy schedule is that he “wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Because of Fordham’s social culture and lack of Greek life, Fisher said you have to genuinely seek out these types of organizations on Fordham’s campus. “You get the most dedicated and the most passionate people, which is fantastic. There’s no secondguessing that,” he said.

During his time as a member of the team that works on FDM, Matt has also found his passion for improving the lives of other people as much as you can.

“I think through the work that FDM does and specifically the B+ Foundations’ work as well, it just really opens up a person’s eyes to how many things people are going through and the work that you can do,” he said. Whether it’s big or small, whatever scale it’s on, the amount of work that you can do to help someone’s life and truly make a difference

is one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned here. FDM has truly taught me that no matter what you do, there’s some kind of impact.”

To anyone looking to get involved with FDM, Fisher suggests following them on Instagram @fordhamdancemarathon and keep an eye

out for their applications for next year, which will be coming out in the spring.

Fordham Dance Marathon will be taking place from 2 p.m. - 12 a.m on March 7th in Lombardi Field House, so make sure to come and see Matt Fisher do what he does best .

MATT FISHER/THE FORDHAM RAM

Matt Fisher, FCRH ’21, is co-director of Fordham Dance Marathon.

Justin Bieber Celebrates Life on “Changes”

By SAM HADELMAN STAFF WRITOR

The other day, one of my best friends and I had a discussion about whether an artist can make an album that can be intriguing yet overtly positive with a happy outlook on life. This weekend, Justin Bieber answered that question.

Justin Bieber is a seminal act in modern music history and has been since his formative years.

Though his path to success has been turbulent, he still finds himself as a superstar in today’s music ecosystem.

Bieber went through a slew of legal and behavioral issues in past years, which is nothing but expected for any child star, especially one who held such a high position in the music world. Bieber was a victim of the times, being one of the first pop acts to be fully exposed to the strong arm of both internet fandom and hate. Before people knew what “clout” was, hating Justin Bieber was an easy move for any rising star looking for validation from the entertainment industry at the time.

Still, Bieber has had an excellent career thus far. “Journals” and “Purpose” were two incredibly successful records.

Going into this album, I felt the same way I felt about Kanye West during his eras “ye” and “Jesus Is King.” Here is an artist who’s no longer in the process of creating a legacy of his career, since it has already been solidified. Justin

Bieber is not suffering from the same demons he was when making “Journals” and “Purpose;” therefore, my expectations were not in line with those works. I went in with a completely blank slate, especially after the release of the singles “Yummy” and “Get Me.” Though the Internet had a field day with “Yummy,” I really enjoyed it, except for the part where he said the word yummy. As for “Get Me,” that was pinnacle R&Bieber, with his voice floating perfectly over the gorgeous production and only elevated by a great Kehlani feature. I didn’t really know what to expect, but based on the singles, I had an inkling I’d enjoy the album.

The album’s greatest strength is its focus. The themes of the record rotate between God, Hailey Bieber and his path to unadulterated happiness. Throughout the album, he sticks to those subjects in his writing and it makes the album flow smoothly and effectively. Though these concepts become overdone at points, and lyrically they are quite baseline, like Bieber thanking Hailey Bieber’s parents for making her, it speaks to the core of the album. It’s an unfiltered celebration of Bieber’s rejuvenation.

The intimacy of the album also breaks down the barrier between Bieber and his fans, and this results in Bieber opening the window to his inner workings. “Changes” is extremely cohesive, which might

account for the criticism some fans made that it all sounds the same. If an artist has one singular sound for an album and works with a handful of in-house producers like Pooh Bear, naturally the music is going to sound extremely similar.

I actually prefer for artists to stick to their sound if that is what is going to result in the most quality aspects of the album.

One of the issues for me is the album’s features. Though some of them match perfectly with the aesthetic of the record, others weigh it down. Quavo, Travis Scott and Lil Dicky don’t add much flair to their respective tracks, with their contributions not flavoring the al-

bum enough to leave a good taste in your mouth. This album was about Justin Bieber and his own struggles, so any other contributions that weren’t outstanding, like Post Malone was, were not necessary.

The album is also bereft of cuts that are meant to be smash hits, as we have seen with his other records, which adds to the intimacy of the project yet may cause issues with regard to its longevity in the pop world.

As for more shining moments on the album, Justin Bieber’s vocals were as celestial as ever. He is one of those artists that is so naturally talented that even their

worst performances outrank most artists’ best moments.

The handful of beats picked for the album match the energy Bieber was giving out quite well as a pairing, and we see him thrive on most songs on the album.

Justin Bieber had nothing to prove on “Changes,” yet the statement that bleeds through is that he is happy in life and nothing will disrupt that. He is not beholden to the standards of keeping up with the innovations of the industry like other artists, and for better or worse, we saw that distinctively on the album. Bieber has indeed changed, and based on this album, it’s for the better.

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Justin Bieber’s new album “Changes,” which dropped on Valentine’s Day, expresses the artist’s love for his wife.

CULTURE

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February 19, 2020

The Academy Can’t Keep Up With Hollywood

By GRACE ROBINSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

If you’re a movie geek like me, then you wait all year for the Oscars. I love gazing at the red carpet looks, seeing the familiar faces of the movie industry and casting my predictions for winning nominations. The Oscars have been around for 92 years, so we rarely question this annual tradition.

We have grown up with this ceremony, choosing winners based on an academy. The show operates completely through the Hollywood elite, and with few exceptions, has shown little progress in its many years of airing.

In the last decade, the lack of diversity in the Oscars, and in the Academy itself, has diminished my excitement. As diversity in film is increasing, the Academy continues to present awards to an overwhelming majority of white, male nominees. This year’s Oscars brought exciting nominations such as “Parasite,” “Little Women” and “Hair Love,” choices that recognized foreign films, female directors and people of color, respectively. Yet there remains a long list of underrepresented directors and movies that the Academy failed to notice.

Representation in film is so important, and within the last five years, the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite has called out the Academy on its lack of diverse winners. The Oscars have praised themselves this year with “Parasite,” the first foreign film to ever take the top prize.

“Parasite” ended the night with four Oscars, most notably for Best Picture and Best Director.

It has been 16 years since a foreign film has taken the big prize of Best Picture, and Bong Joon-Ho’s big win restores my faith that the realm of foreign films is not being ignored.

While I am thrilled “Parasite” is rightfully gaining recognition, the Oscars still continues to lack representation among non-whites, women and queer individuals.

Choosing to only celebrate this accomplishment is ignorant.

If there is a film and director that I feel the most inspired by, it is “Little Women,” directed by Greta Gerwig. Yet, unsurprisingly, “Little Women” took home only one Oscar, for Best Costume Design.

It speaks volumes when the only

female-directed film brought to attention in the Oscars is given the prize for the best costume The Best Director nominations did not even include Gerwig, one of the strongest female directors of our time.

Another disheartening fact of the Oscars is the demographics of the Academy itself. With 94% of the voters being white, and 77% male, should we be surprised that white males continue to dominate the nominations and awards?

In 2017, the Oscars had 18 black nominees, while 2020 only had five. While Joon Ho’s sweep at the Oscars may lead us to believe the Academy has become more inclusive, there are an overwhelming number of people who do not see themselves depicted in the annual award show.

A few exceptions of the night

included Janelle Monaé’s opening performance and “Hair Love” winning the Best Animated Short Film. Monaé, a queer black artist, prepared a performance Hollywood needed but was definitely not worthy of.

Her musical piece showcased the growing number of women and people of color in the film industry, films that were not particularly recognized by the Academy including “Us,” “Midsommar,” “Little Women” and “Dolemite is My Name.”

I am thankful for Monaé’s performance. Without it, these films and directors would have gone unnoticed on film’s biggest night.

One of the biggest disappointments was the overlook of Jordan Peele’s “Us” and its lead actress Lupita Nyong’o. This incredible film,

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Joaquin Pheonix, who won Best Actor for his role in “Joker” criticized the dairy industry in his Oscars speech.

featuring an all-black cast, was not recognized at all by the Academy, but thankfully was by Monaé.

I am also thankful for the 45-second speeches given by the award winners that manage to often touch on the most relevant political issues. These 45 seconds, often cut out by the intensifying music, leave us reflecting on our purpose in life just as much as the movies that brought us to the Oscars.

Joaquin Phoenix, who won Best Actor for “Joker,” pled for animal rights and social inequalities by expressing the need for love and peace as our top values. Phoenix also gave praise to the stunt team, a field which goes highly unrecognized by the Academy. These are people who risk their lives every day for the production value we expect.

Another memorable speech was given by Matthew Cherry after receiving an award for “Hair Love,” in which he expressed the need for representation in animation, and how this is the first step in normalizing “black hair.”

Although this is an award show I grew up watching, it should not be the same as when I was a child.

When the camera casts itself on the audience, I should not only see Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt and the other white men that have been recognized time and time again.

I should see Gerwig, Nyong’o and the new faces of the film industry. With or without the Academy, I believe the underrepresented films will be appreciated by the strong support of true movie lovers.

“Sonic the Hedgehog” Is a Strange Take

By MATT DILLON STAFF WRITER

Things have been hard for Sonic the Hedgehog, the iconic superfast jokester. Sega’s answer to Nintendo’s Mario rushed onto the scene in the ’90s, and the blue hedgehog starred in a series of popular video games.

However, that didn’t work out in the long run, as Sonic’s multimedia empire crumbled away over the years.

These days, it’s a struggle to get halfway decent Sonic media.

Even so, goodwill for Sonic hasn’t completely dried up. He still has a concerningly dedicated fanbase and

some mainstream influence. Unfortunately, it seemed like the deathblow had finally arrived when the live action movie “Sonic the Hedgehog” was announced.

The first trailer featured a Sonic design so horrific it garnered almost universal mockery if not outright disgust. The film was delayed to give animators time to “fix” it, and now the end product has arrived.

As embarrassing as the initial design might have been, it might have worked in the film’s favor. The uncanny-looking creature brought a lot of attention to a standard fare kids movie.

At my showing, teenagers and 20-year-olds outnumbered the target audience by at least 3 to 1. They were probably expecting a computer-generated, high speed disaster, like I was. I imagine they were also embarrassed they got so worked up over such a forgettable, mediocre film.

“Sonic the Hedgehog” is not good, by any means. But it’s not “Cats” either. The film makes the bizarre decision to drop Sonic in the real world, away from his traditional supporting cast and the franchise’s more memorable visuals. Sonic has his usual quick-talking, “too cool”

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

“Sonic the Hedgehog” features the beloved cartoon Sonic and tries to explore mature topics such as war and terrorism.

personality, but now it’s underlined by a trauma brought on from years of isolation in a strange world.

It doesn’t feel true to the character, and Ben Schwartz’s performance aggravates the problem. Sonic feels more obnoxious than likable, and having him angst like this is a bizarre decision.

On the other hand we have Jim Carrey as Sonic’s nemesis, mad scientist Doctor Robotnik. Carrey channels the source material through the lens of his ’90s comedy stylings, which are so unchanging they might as well be stuck in amber.

He brings an intensity that almost feels inappropriate at times.

Still, he might be more invested in “Sonic the Hedgehog” than anyone else in the world. The usual tired “Carreyisms” are all here, but he is still the only one to get real, consistent laughs with his antics. Of course, that might be the relief of seeing something so genuine in such a generic product.

Carrey makes the film, but even he can’t sidestep its strange interpretation of Sonic. Robotnik is still an egomaniacal, misanthropic robotics extraordinaire. But here he’s built up his reputation from operating in the Middle East with his high-tech drones, now leading an anti-terrorism unit seeking the “alien” Sonic.

The film offers overt criticism of post-9/11 America, as Sonic flees from a government trampling over

liberties with the tenuous excuse of combating “terrorism.” It’s not developed, nuanced or even delivered in a way kids can understand.

The War on Terror commentary might be the most confusing part of “Sonic the Hedgehog” but it’s also the most unique aspect of the film.

American blockbusters rarely strike out against the status quo, failing to properly identify corrupt systems of power, much less confront their abuses. “Sonic” mishandles the issue, but it at least tries to point out there’s something deeply wrong with our country without tripping over itself too much.

That’s more than you can say for the similarly ineffective efforts of “Captain Marvel,” which were totally countered by blatant calls for viewers to join the U.S. Air Force. That goes for any other blockbuster that contradicts its already meek calls to action.

Aside from that, there’s nothing to say about “Sonic.” It is a standard kids movie in every respect, with competent but forgettable execution on every level. Heavy-handed product placement and cringey pop culture references remind us that the film is itself a product.

Maybe Sonic was always just a way to sell game consoles with a marketable idol. But I still think he has more soul than this film gave him. Sonic warranted something more memorable, for better or for worse.

CULTURE No Relation Vintage Has All the Essentials

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February 19 2020

$30 In My Pocket| Katie Schulte

New York is a shopping capital with no shortage of major brands, online pop-ups and small businesses. When you’re shopping on a budget and trying to be more eco-conscious, thrift and vintage stores are the best places to look.

However, thrifting isn’t a simple task; it requires sifting through seemingly endless colorcoded racks and depending on the area you’re in, sifting through crowds of locals and tourists alike on the hunt for the perfect deal. To find the perfect pieces, you must first a find good store.

With so many options, Yelp can begin to feel more like Netflix’s homepage. Unfortunately, Yelp can’t help you narrow down stores based on what type of pieces you’re after — so I’ll explore stores in NYC and give you the rundown. In each column, I will try to find an outfit for $30 and share my results.

This week, I found a great store if you’re looking for the essentials. Hop on the downtown 4 train, get off at Union Square and head down to 204 1st Avenue to No Relation Vintage in the East Village.

As a part of the L Train Vintage thrift stores in Manhattan and Brooklyn, No Relation is dedicated to honest prices: “the vintage shop that’s not related in price to any other vintage boutique in NYC.” The store is no-nonsense at its core. Its décor is the clothing itself. The store is organized by clothing type and framed by the unique jackets and crewnecks

that hang from the ceiling. On their two floors it has everything from fur coats, Carhartt cargos, vintage Coach shoulder bags and, of course, denim. When you walk in the store, you’ll be greeted by a sea of denim jackets followed by bright windbreakers that are perfect for a ’90s-’00s look.

There are more denim jackets, dress shirts and leather goods on the left side of the store. Downstairs the store has more shirts, sweats and denim in addition to an entire collection of army jackets and pants dowstairs.

For this outfit, we need basics like t-shirts and jeans. If you’re in the market for a t-shirt from Harley Davidson, Nike or a high school in Ohio (Go Lancers!), this is the go-to. No Relation sources from around the country, which is why I found the aforementioned t-shirt from my hometown of Cincinnati, while my friend found one from hers in San Francisco.

Aside from t-shirts, the store carries essentials like Ralph Lauren polos and flannels, available in a variety of different colors from neutral to neon. The shop has a collection of crewnecks from places like Planet Hollywood and the Hard Rock Café, alongside more athleisure looks from brands like Nike and Adidas. The prices for tops typically run anywhere from $6 to $25, with the sweatshirts being at the more expensive end.

After picking out your top, you can check out the huge selection of vintage Levi’s, Lees, Wranglers and more. There are a few racks

COURTESY OF KATIE SCHULTE FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

No Relation Vintage, a part of the L Train Vintage Thrift Store, is located in the East Village.

upstairs, but if you don’t find your size there, head downstairs where there are plenty more. The price range for jeans is similar to the tops: from $8 to $15. For anyone looking ahead to spring break, the vintage jean shorts are the same price (and brands).

Jeans aren’t the only option for pants. If you are going for a Sporty Spice look, you can pair some Adidas track pants with a matching sweatshirt for a set. If not, a graphic t-shirt is also a solid match.

For my outfit, I found a yellow, oversized Ralph Lauren polo for $8 and a pair of Levi’s for $10. I could go over budget and splurge on a pastel pink, lined Carhartt jacket that’s listed at $25. This

would bring my total look to $43.

Without the jacket, the outfit was under $20, which is perfect if you need to stock up on the basics.

You could also easily substitute the jacket for another pair of jeans, a pair of sneakers or a new purse. The shop has lots of mini shoulder bags that are dripping in 2000s nostalgia (calling all vintage Coach lovers!). The faux fur coats are also a great splurge, starting around $30, for those who are sick of wearing the same black puffer for the fifth week in a row like me. Looking good will keep me warmer than a frumpy coat will, right?

What is great about No Relation is that most of its selection does not exceed $50. You can still

find great vintage pieces without paying the vintage mark-up price.

Its selection guarantees you will find something you like, but you do have to put in the time to search for it, as there are so many clothes. Besides having a huge selection, what is available changes every day because L Train stores’ monthly shipments allow their stores to be updated at least three times a week.

Of the many thrift stores in Manhattan, even in the East Village alone, No Relation remains one of the most affordable places.

Check out its Instagram @ltrainvintage to see its newest additions and head downtown to shop the looks yourself — maybe you’ll find a t-shirt from your

“Portrait of a Lady on Fire” Paints a Beautiful and Symbolic Love Story

By GRACEY ZOSTANT CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“Portrait of A Lady on Fire” is a quiet yet captivating story of star- crossed lovers in 18th century France. As the winner of the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay, among several other awards and nominations, this independent film lives up to the divinely aesthetic camera shots and poetic storyline typical of its genre.

It all begins when a troubled Héloïse (Adèle Haenel), still mourning the death of her sister, is fated to be married off to a man in Milan whom she has never met.

Her mother hires Marianne, a female painter, to create a portrait of Héloïse without her knowing.

She rejects the marriage and the idea of posing for a portrait that seems to seal her fate.

The film takes a slow pace at its beginning with drawn-out scenes of the two women walking the charming coastline with little to no dialogue. There are primarily shots of the painter stealing glances at the elusive beauty, unhappy in this somber state of life.

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

“Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” originally released in France, stars Adèle Haenel (left) and Noémie Merlant (right).

The film does a great job of adding symbolism that is important later on in the movie.

The first 20 minutes may fail to hold your attention. However, there is a turning point once Marienne begins to reveal her observations of Héloïse. In return, Héloïse points out the habits of Marianne, and thus the audience then understands, just as the painter has been observing the painted, so has Héloïse been studying her visitor.

There is a brilliant use of symbolism throughout the movie, fire and the coastline being the primary ones, that make the film’s slow pace worth it in the end. It is at the coast where Héloïse finally feels liberty, and where the two find freedom together. Fire is a symbol of the attraction between the pair, demonstrating its beauty and destructiveness. The relationship between the women is parallel to how the film uses fire as a chaotic but symbolic element.

The innocent story of love between Héloïse and Marianne was refreshing and heartbreaking at the same time. The directors did not over sexualize the same sex relationship as has been done with other love stories between two women. The two were simply free-spirited and learned and taught one another throughout the film.

Feminine strength, determination and the capacity for passion shines through in this story. This

is especially notable in the narrative of Marianne, who was kicked out of school as a young girl for drawing in class and then went on to become a true artist.

She defies standards for women of the time, remarking how she still paints nude models of both sexes even though it is prohibited for women. Her determination to destroy pieces until she can find the right angle is an inspiring characteristic that a more actionpacked film may have neglected to focus on.

Closing the movie is a scene where Héloïse is watching an orchestra in the future in an epic catharsis, listening to the piece that reminds her of Marianne and their time together.

Haenel’s acting is extremely moving and emotional, and it is an extraordinary way to end the film as the viewer is given time to listen and reflect on the emotions of the story at the same time as Héloïse.

There is a satisfying ending to this story. All of the subtle symbols that hinted towards their connection throughout the movie are tied up in a perfect package for a dramatic ending.

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February 19 2020

SPORTS

February 19, 2020

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Beyond the Scorebard: Take Some Notes, Major League Baseball

By ANDREW POSADAS MANAGING EDITOR

Baseball players and fans alike vehemently believe the punishment did not fit the crime in regards to the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal. Considering what was recently done to England’s Manchester City for violating the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) financial fair-play rules, Major League Baseball (MLB) may need to re-evaluate its position on Houston’s current punishment.

The Astros became sports’ biggest villain when an investigation revealed the team engaged in sign-stealing during the 2017 season, which ultimately resulted in a World Series Title. To make matters worse, the reaction from Astros owner Jim Crane, along with prominent players like allstars Carlos Correa and José Altuve, have displayed half-hearted contrition for the biggest scandal the MLB has seen since the “steroid era” that ran rampant from the late 1980s through the mid2000s.

However, various current players and baseball fans of all cities are responding with outrage to the punishment handed down from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. Last month, it was announced that general manager Jeff Luhlow and manager A.J. Hinch would be suspended for the 2020 season. Houston also forfeited four draft picks and was fined $5 million.

Ideally, a punishment that includes suspensions, loss of draft picks and a fine should satiate baseball’s constituents. But when put under the proverbial microscope, it is easy to discern Manfred’s discipline as nothing more than an innocuous slap on the wrist. For starters, Luhlow and

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UEFA’s severe punishment for Manchester City set a precedent that the MLB should follow with the Astros.

Hinch were immediately fired from the team following MLB’s announcement. The loss of four draft picks? While some organizations may find this to be a backbreaker in building a contender, the Astros are one of the few teams that will endure it.

Houston’s core players, led by the aforementioned Correa and Altuve, are in their mid to late 20s.

With the team’s best players still in their respective primes, Houston will be expected to contend for the foreseeable future, essentially rendering the four lost picks as nothing more than “throwaway” late-round selections that may hit or miss. As for the $5 million fine? Merely chump change for Crane, who has a net worth of approximately $2.5 billion.

In an interview with ESPN, Manfred was asked why the MLB did not take the punishment a step further and consider stripping Houston of their 2017

World Series title. Manfred justified his decision by saying, “The idea of an asterisk or asking for a piece of metal back seems like a futile act. People will always know that something was different about the 2017 season, and whether we made that decision right or wrong, we undertook a thorough investigation, and had the intestinal fortitude to share the results of that investigation, even when those results were not very pretty.”

When the commissioner refers to the most coveted trophy in his sport as “a piece of metal,” it gives baseball fans caution to pause and begin speculating whether Manfred is the ideal person for such a valuable position.

While Manfred’s decision-making has undergone criticism, those enamored with soccer saw one of Europe’s most prominent soccer clubs severely punished by UEFA for a different form of cheating.

Manchester City of England was found guilty of several violations relating to financial fair-play rules and club licensing. The rules were originally intended by UEFA to diminish the increasing disparity in European leagues between rich and poor soccer clubs.

In its statement, UEFA stated that City was “overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the break-even information submitted to UEFA between 2012 and 2016.”

By funneling money through sponsorship agreements with companies such as Etihad, the club avoided the fair-play regulations set by UEFA. Now, City finds itself on the receiving end of a two-year ban from the Champions League, Europe’s most prestigious club tournament, and was also fined 30 million euros, which translates to roughly $32.5 million.

When putting both Houston

and Manchester City’s crimes side to side, there is no doubt the Astros committed the bigger infraction in terms of compromising the integrity of its respective sport. What City did was use financial loopholes in its pursuit of building the best club possible, something every prominent sports franchise looks to manipulate in order to maintain success.

And for that violation, City is going to be fined over $27 million more than the Astros and unless they win an appeal, they won’t participate in arguably the biggest soccer tournament outside of the World Cup for two years. Imagine if the MLB banned Houston from qualifying for the next two postseasons and fined the Astros that amount of money.

However, that is not what MLB players and fans are asking for. Instead, the Astros should have to relinquish the 2017 World Series trophy. Individual players should not be suspended, and it is too late to explore that option now since Manfred gave them immunity for their cooperation.

Instead, stripping them of the sole championship in franchise history would ultimately nullify the 2017 season and officially erase Houston from that section of the record book. Even though we are witnesses to their World Series win, we did not know how it ultimately came into fruition.

Blatant cheating occurred on the Astros part, and sufficient punishment needs to be swiftly dealt with to ensure the game’s integrity against any form of deception in sports.

Baseball Swept by FIU to Start Season

By JIMMY SULLIVAN SPORTS EDITOR

Fordham Baseball is coming off of one of its best seasons ever, with an Atlantic 10 title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament serving as the highlights. The team played its best baseball toward the end of the season despite a challenging start against top-notch competition.

That is what this year’s Fordham baseball team is trying to repeat, and, so far, things are off to a difficult start.

The Rams visited Florida International University this weekend for a three-game series. In Miami, the host Panthers ran Fordham out of the building, outscoring Kevin Leighton’s team 46-9 en route to a three-game sweep.

To be fair to Fordham, the Rams are at an inherent disadvantage this time of year; teams like Florida International, which play in a warm climate, have the luxury of practicing outdoors all year round while teams like Fordham, in colder climates, do not have this working in their favor.

The series kicked off Friday night with a commanding 20-7 victory from FIU.

The Panthers led 10-1 after three innings and cruised to a victory after scoring at least once each inning. Fordham’s starter, junior pitcher Matt Mikulski, conceded eight runs in two innings of work, but just two of those runs were earned.

The defense behind Mikulski was largely responsible for an absolute mess in the second inning; Fordham committed three errors as six unearned runs came home for FIU. The game was 2-1 after Fordham junior infielder Jake MacKenzie’s home run in the top of the second, but the bottom of the inning doomed Fordham for the rest of the night.

The Rams’ fortunes did not change for the rest of the weekend.

On Saturday evening, Fordham’s bats couldn’t get going as the specter of rain hung over Infinity Insurance Park all evening.

Junior and defending A-10 Pitcher of the Year John Stankiewicz kept Fordham in it, allowing two runs — one earned — over four innings of work.

However, FIU was able to get to Fordham’s bullpen as sophomore pitcher Gabe Karslo allowed two runs in the next two innings and

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

It was not a pretty weekend, but a long season lies ahead and the chance to hit the win column against LIU.

freshman pitcher and infielder Jack Popolizio allowed four runs in the seventh inning while only managing to get one out. With the Panthers up 8-0 after seven innings, the skies opened, and the rest of the game was called off. Because it was already an official game, FIU earned a victory and moved one step closer to a season-opening sweep.

On Sunday, that became a reality. FIU jumped all over Fordham junior pitcher Joseph Quintal in the first inning, tagging him for seven runs before he left with two outs in the bottom frame. Fordham’s relief options did not fare

overly well either; senior pitcher Brian Weissert gave up three runs in 3.1 innings, sophomore pitcher Cory Wall allowed four runs in two innings and sophomore pitcher Garrett Crowley did the same.

Despite the lopsided numbers and consecutive losses, Fordham can take some positives from the weekend. Senior outfielder Jake Baker went 4-8 from the plate while MacKenzie and sophomore infielder and outfielder Jason Coules each hit a home run.

Stankiewicz showed signs that he can stay at the enormously high level with which he finished 2019.

Most importantly, the season has just started; Fordham has plenty of time to work out its kinks. Seasons are not decided in the first weekend of play, and Fordham should be thankful they are not. This is not time to panic for the Rams, but Fordham does have plenty to work on as out-ofconference play continues.

Next up for Fordham is its first home game of the season against Long Island University Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Houlihan Park.

After their midweek contest, Fordham will take on Cal State Northridge for two games this Friday and Saturday.

SPORTS

Page 20

February 19, 2020

Women’s Soccer’s Etienne Finds Success With Haiti

By ALEX WOLZ

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Look down the roster that took the field for the 2020 Haitian women’s soccer team at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying and you will find just one United States college player: Danielle Etienne, freshman midfielder at Fordham.

After helping lead Haiti to a spot in the Qualifiers this past year, Etienne was called up once again to the Haitian Senior National Team and will take the field later this month in the CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship.

Etienne may be a new face at Fordham, but her soccer career has been many years in the making. Like many others, Etienne first picked up a soccer ball in her early years, at age 4 to be exact. “Of course during this time I was excited about soccer and wanted to play professionally, but I don’t think I completely understood at the time,” Etienne said.

That excitement may have been from her surroundings, as Etienne has soccer in her blood. Her father, Derrick Ettiene, is a former footballer, and her brother Derrick Ettiene Jr. is a midfielder with the Columbus Crew SC of Major League Soccer. Both also played for the Haitian national team.

However, while Etienne is no stranger to soccer, her decision to pursue it professionally was all her own, charting a path for herself in the women’s game both at Fordham and internationally.

Head coach of Fordham Women’s Soccer Jessica Clinton first saw Etienne play a few years ago with the New York City Football Club Developmental Academy and was immediately impressed. “They moved her all over the place, playing in the back

and central midfielder, and wow, this kid was versatile … tactically smart.”

Not only was she versatile, but technical, with the ability to explode and keep up with the intense speed of play. Clinton saw a player who would fit right into the Fordham system and possibly become a “core player in the A-10,” boding well for Etienne and where she wanted to go in the future.

In the early stages, that future was not entirely known. “Sometimes you know players are going to be professionals,” Clinton said. “At the time there was a couple of call-ups, but it wasn’t on our radar.” As the recruiting process continued, things would begin to take shape.

For Etienne, middle school was likely the “time that I was 100% sure wanted to take soccer as far I could go, collegiate, professional and national team.” Fordham was a great place to make that happen, both on and off the field. Thanks to those like Clinton, teammates, advisors and more, Etienne has “felt accepted into the team and truly a part of the Ramily.”

Etienne recalled some of her favorite moments from this past season, “going from classes to training and traveling for games, the thrills of winning, even the disappointment from losses, and building bonds on and off the field with truly amazing young women.” Etienne’s off the field fun has come with on-field improvement, as Clinton’s biggest concern with Etienne was defense.

Due to the success of her club team, that was never really much of a need.

The same could be said for physicality, something that plays a significant role at the collegiate level. Etienne has adjusted to both.

“There is a major jump to the college game, but she has learned to defend pretty well. Physicality took her

by surprise, but she had been training with boys, timing her tackles and handling people going after her … we’ve been lifting a little more too,” Clinton said.

Clinton now feels a sense of comfort playing through Etienne in the midfield, something that will only improve with future years as she develops into a leader. There is perhaps no place better to get that experience than playing on an international stage and against the reigning World Cup champions: the United States of America.

“We would joke in training sessions, how are you going to prep for Julie Ertz,” Clinton said. The national team would take care of Etienne tactically, and all coach Clinton had to do was keep her healthy and ready to play on the big stage both mentally and physically.

Perhaps the toughest test came in that first game against the U.S., as Etienne was tasked with guarding the 6’0” Sam Mewis, a challenge for the 5’3” Etienne.

Against the world’s best, Haiti stayed strong, trailing by just one goal with 25 minutes remaining and even having one of their own rescinded — with the referees on call later being sanctioned — ultimately falling 4-0.

Coach Clinton would know because she was there herself, making the trip to Houston not only to support Etienne but also build a scouting report of those at the top of the sport.

Etienne could do the same, providing Clinton with her experiences on the field and analysis of the speed of the play, which will certainly benefit Fordham as they strive to play against premier squads themselves.

Haiti would ultimately fail to qualify for the Olympics but still ended its run with a 6-0 victory over Panama and an invaluable journey

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Danielle Etienne has made her mark at Fordham and internationally.

for Etienne.

“I can honestly say that I have learned so much from my experiences with the Haitian National Team. I value every aspect of being with the team,” she said.

One moment in particular stands out to Etienne: team initiation, where each player stands before the squad and sings and dances.

“I definitely value this experience because it gives players the opportunity to laugh and enjoy being brought into the team,” Etienne said.

Along with the memories of camaraderie came an essential set of life lessons.

“Take advantage of every opportunity to play because you never know when that opportunity will no longer exist. The way you conduct yourself does not only reflect on yourself but your family, your team and your country,” Etienne said.

Etienne will carry these experiences forward and back onto the Rose Hill campus, where she recently re-

turned before the U-20 Championship. For Clinton, the time with Haiti was equally essential for one of her most experienced, although youngest, players.

“In a CONCACAF interview, she spoke about going into training sessions as if they were going into a final every game … mentality can get lost in the college game, but this is the goal for the future,” the Fordham coach says.

Coach Clinton finished by saying, “Our players are proud of Dani.” Etienne also has much to be proud of herself for, but even so, she looks to continue to improve.

“I will take these experiences and lessons and apply them both in my soccer career and in my life, taking advantage of every opportunity I am given and giving my best,” Etienne said.

That next opportunity will be at the CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Championship kicking off this weekend and come fall time, as one of

Proposed ISU Changes Attempt to Promote Artistry

By MAGGIE ROTHFUS COPY CHIEF EMERITA

On Feb. 13, NBC Sports reported on a proposed change to competitive figure skating. The International Skating Union (ISU) will be considering the proposal, which comes from ISU’s singles and pairs technical committee, at its biennial congress in June. While the full proposal won’t be publicized until April, its focus is to balance artistry and athleticism within the sport.

The current idea is to make the short and free skate programs both three minutes and 30 seconds long and to make the former — now simply called “technical” program — emphasize the technical element scores (TES) and the free skate to emphasize the program component scores (PCS), according to NBC Sports.

This raises questions and skepticism concerning both sides of the figure skating world. Philip Hersch, figure skating reporter for NBC, highlighted some of the issues this proposal could fix: The United States’ Jason Brown could “make global podiums” more easily; Russian teenagers would not monopolize women’s singles podiums with quadruples and triple axels; and young women’s health would not have to be compromised by aiming for such jumps.

A part of me says yes — Jason Brown deserves more recognition for his programs with all their

COURTESY OF FLICKR

The International Skating Union (ISU) technical board has proposed a series of recent changes. magnetism. However, he did just win silver at the Four Continents Championships (4CC) without any special treatment and without any quad jumps. Arguably, if a skater like Nathan Chen had competed at 4CC, Brown perhaps would not have won second place. Is that what this new change would be about? Handicaps for skaters without quads?

Perhaps not. Brown is known for his infectious performances, and while other skaters like Chen and Yuzuru Hanyu are similarly charismatic, such a new rule would force the latter two to put just as much work into their PCS as they do for their TES. It reminds people that figure skating is an art as well as a sport.

It also isn’t as though those

who can perform quads will be held back in any way by potential new rules, but that remains to be seen, since the technical committee’s main motivation behind this is the amount of skaters increasing their revolutions in jumps.

I hesitate to agree with the committee if the basis is on fairness, but equality between TES and PCS seems reasonable at this

point. Brown can do just fine without landing a quad, but if getting these changes implemented will stop commentators and reporters from bringing up his quadless status, then make it happen.

On the basis of health, however, it appears less clear. Hersch mentioned in his article that Russian coaches have worried over young Russian teenaged girls jumping quads and triple axels, but others may disagree. Two years ago, The Philadelphia Inquirer posted an article on Chen, aka “King Quad.” It, too, posed the question of health and revolutions, and David Wang, clinical director of Elite Sports Medicine, responded to the Inquirer saying that no, increasing revolutions should not negatively impact one’s health.

This doesn’t have to pertain to just men. Alysa Liu, 14, who won the 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Championships with her triple axel and quad lutz, told The Wall Street Journal last month that her experience as a skater has only improved her physical health.

However, now that more women continue to incorporate more quads and triple axels into their routines, there might be more health repercussions that will come to light later. A report that first seemed rooted in a defense of artistry begs the question: How far are skaters willing to go for a record-breaking TES?

SPORTS

February 19, 2020

Softball Suffers Frustrating Weekend at Fresno State

By EMMANUEL BERBARI

Page 21

Women’s Tennis Looking to Find Stride

STAFF WRITER

It’s always dark before dawn.

Fordham Softball knows what it’s like to compete against the best, fall down and rise stronger than ever.

Whether the rise occurs in 2020 remains to be seen, but the Rams will be following a familiar model.

With a winless weekend at the Fresno State Kickoff Classic, dominated by a combined 34-7 over five games, the seven-time defending conference champs fell to 1-9 on the young season.

The pitching staff allowed an average of seven runs per game, falling twice to Fresno State and once to California University, California Polytechnic State and Saint Mary’s College, with senior ace Madie Aughinbaugh surrendering 20 hits and 20 runs (eight earned) across three starts and 13 total innings.

“Augie and Devon (Miller) gave us chances to stay in the game, but unfortunately, there were a few key moments where if we made a few more defensive plays then we would have gotten out of those big innings,” head coach Melissa Inouye said. “Cal is a dynamic lineup because of all of the lefty hitters, and I think Fresno State was the most potent and balanced offensive lineup we faced so far this year.”

California thwarted the Rams 8-0 in five innings, and Fresno State bested Aughinbaugh and freshman Devon Miller, who permitted six hits and seven earned runs in 5.1 shaky innings on Friday. Cal Poly tagged junior Anne Marie Prentiss for eight hits and five earned runs over 2.1 frames in a 6-1 decision.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Women’s Tennis had a difficult weekend, but now they’re looking to right the ship.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

This weekend was an unexpected flop for Fordham Softball at Fresno State.

The Rams’ dynamic one-two punch gained some much-needed momentum at the end of the weekend, as Miller finished the Cal Poly loss with 4.2 innings of one-run ball, fanning three, before Aughinbaugh took the tough luck 2-1 loss to Saint Mary’s despite six stellar innings, allowing just one earned run.

While the pitching staff can be blamed for the goose egg, overpowered by powerful lineups, through two weekends, the lineup has not provided a spark.

“We always ask our pitchers to give us a chance to win, and Augie did just that in our last game,” Inouye said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t executive offensively to give us enough run support.”

Fordham averaged a tick over one run in the 0-5 weekend.

The Rams were one-hit by Cal, five-hit by Cal Poly, scattered four base knocks in the second Fresno State loss and registered seven hits, yet only one run, against Saint Mary’s.

“Hitting is one of the hardest things to do, as you fail seven out of 10 times,” Inouye said. “I don’t think we were seeing the ball partic-

ularly well this weekend, but we will keep getting better with each game.”

Through nine games, the maroon and white are posting three runs a contest and hitting .224 as a unit.

Freshman catcher Amanda Carey has two of the team’s three home runs.

In terms of finding alternate solutions, a 14-for-14 effort on the base paths last weekend was undone by only 1-for-2 on the west coast.

“We just need to do a better job of finding a way on base by having quality at bats, stringing things together and execute when runners are on base,” Inouye said. “Hitting is contagious, and so we just need to find more consistency in our hitting line up.”

Last year, Fordham started 5-11.

In 2018, 0-8 and 2-11 left no room for doubt.

The caliber of opponents is fierce, preparing the Rams for Atlantic 10 battles.

“It was a frustrating weekend for sure as we just didn’t play complete games,” Inouye said. “We know were so close, and it’s just a matter of time before things start to come together more consistently.”

By GIGI SPEER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Junior Arina Taluyenko continued her success coming off Atlantic 10 Athlete of the Week honor, clinching one of two points for the Rams on Wednesday in Philadelphia.

The Women’s Tennis squad fell at Temple University, losing 2-4 as Taluyenko and sophomore Valeriya Deminova were the only winners in their respective singles matches.

Taluyenko won 6-3, 6-3 in first singles, Deminova won 7-5, 6-4 in the number two spot, while senior Maia Balce dropped third singles 7-5, 6-2 and freshman Weronika Pociej lost the first game of fourth singles 6-4 and got an early lead in the second before the game was retired.

Freshman Avery Aude dropped fifth singles in straight 6-0, 6-4, and sophomore Genevieve Quenville won her first game 7-5, lost the second 2-4, and the tiebreaker remained unfinished.

In first doubles, Taluyenko and Pociej were not enough together, and dropped the game 6-1. Sophomores Nicole Li and Valeriya De-

minova lost 6-2 in third doubles, and the Aude-Quenville squad finished a close 7-5, unable to secure a win.

On Friday, the team hoped to bounce back as they hosted Marshall University in its first home match of the season, yet the day did not go as it wanted, losing 7-1.

Changing up the doubles pairing proved unsuccessful. In first doubles, Aude and Quenville lost 4-6, while Li and Deminova dropped their match 5-7, and Taluyenko and Balce lost 4-6.

In singles, Taluyenko put up a strong fight in the number one spot, yet went down 6-7, 4-6.

Deminova in second singles lost 0-6, 4-6, Balce 1-6, 3-6, and Avery Aude earned the lone point in her fourth singles spot, defeating Marshall’s Hansewyck 2-6, 2-6. Quenville came up short in fifth singles, 4-6, 5-7, and Li lost sixth singles 3-6, 0-6.

The Rams will take on Seton Hall University this Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2:30 p.m. in Providence, New Jersey, before heading downtown to battle Washington State University on Monday, Feb. 24 at 11 a.m.

Track Has Two Days of Individual Standouts and Success at Boston U’s Valentine Invitational

By DYLAN BALSAMO

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Valentine’s Day weekend is a very intimate one for each and every person, as we are all called upon by the holiday to spend cherished time with those we truly love.

For student-athletes, their love in life is their game, and that’s why Fordham Track & Field spent the weekend of Feb. 14 leaving it all on the field at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational at the BU Track & Tennis Center at Boston University.

The winter track season is heating up as it winds down, so the Rams had to deliver on the weekend. And they did, on both days.

The weekend’s proceedings began on Friday, where most of the Fordham competitors were from the women’s side.

The top star of the day for Fordham was junior Kathryn Kelly, who placed in the top ten in two separate events on Friday. In the 60 meter dash, Kelly finished in 7.76 seconds, good for fifth place, and in the long jump, her mark of 5‘3“ earned her a ninth place finish.

There were a few other impressive performances by the women

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham Track had shining performances from the likes of Kelly and Reardon.

of the Rams on Friday, namely from freshmen Alexandra Thomas and Radha Dooley. While Dooley came in a tie for 16th place in the long jump with a season-best mark of 5’3”, Thomas had a 14th place finish in the 3,000 meter run at 9:54.24, good enough to qualify her for the ECAC Championship.

While these three women were the ones who stood out for Fordham on Friday, there were a slew of other competitors who put up solid finishing numbers. In the 500 meter, the Rams were represented by sophomore Dominique Valentine, who had a time of 1:19.03 and came in 36th place. In the 1,000 meter, fellow sophomore Helen Connolly came in 71st overall with her time of 3:06.57. In the 200 meter dash, freshmen Kyla Hill and

Ruby Avila both ran, with Hill finishing 65th at 25.54 and Avila coming in 230th at 27.26, just 1.72 seconds behind Hill.

Senior Gabrielle Schrieb came in 143rd in the 400 meter dash at a time of 1:01.43. Meanwhile, sophomore Jilli Jones and freshman Mary Kathryn Underwood both competed in the 800 meter event, as Jones finished in 2:19.44 for 125th place, and Underwood crossed the finish line at 2:29.97, good for 224th.

To finish out the day, four Rams competed individually in the mile run: senior Sydney Snow, freshman Taylor Mascetta, sophomore Bridget Alex and freshman Nicoleta Papavasilakis. Snow was the first Fordham runner to finish, as she came in 134th with a time

of 5:10.15, and Mascetta was directly behind her with a time of 5:10.21 to come in 135th. Alex came in 140th with her finish at 5:11.56, and Papavasilakis finished at 5:29.49 to come in 227th.

The last day included one final event for the women, as the quartet of Snow, Valentine, Connolly and Alex came in 12th place in the distance medley relay.

Then for the rest of Saturday, it was the men’s turn.

The top performer of the day was junior jumper Nikolas Reardon, who in his two events, the high jump and the long jump, came in fourth (6’6 3/4”) and 12th (22’9”), respectively. The only other competitor in field events on the day for Fordham was senior Andrew Byrne, who did the pole vault and tied for 32nd at 12’9 1/2 ”.

Then it was on to the track events: freshmen Colin Flood and Nick Lundberg ran the 3,000 meter unseeded, coming in at 8:33.78 (6th) and 8:54.64 (83rd), respectively. Next came the 800 meter run, which included five Fordham competitors. The Rams’ top two finishers, sophomore Jeremiah LaDuca and junior Chris-

topher Strzelinski, both put up IC4A Championship-qualifying lines, as they came in 41st (a season-best time of 1:53.07) and 46th (1:53.36), respectively. Also running in that race were sophomore Zalen Nelson (1:54.8678th), freshman Erik Brown (1:55.72-105th) and junior Arthur Gooden Jr. (1:58.26-174th).

Along with an assortment of other events on the day in which Fordham finished around the middle of the pack, the final race of the day was the 2,000 meter run, which brought Fordham two more IC4A qualifiers. Graduate student Nicholas Raefski ran a time of 8:15.03, a career-best mark that put him in 68th place, while sophomore Brandon Hall came in at 8:27.41 to come in 130th.

It was not a bad weekend for the Rams.

Up next for both the men’s and women’s squads: the Armory College Last Chance Meet at New York’s Armory Track & Field Center, kicking off this coming Friday.

The Atlantic 10 Championship begins the following weekend.

Last chance indeed.

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Page 22

February 19, 2020

Student-Athlete Column: Dealing With Losses

By GIGI SPEER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Perhaps the most important stat for a team is wins and losses. We aim to be undefeated, then to finish above .500 and then to do what we can to win a championship. These numbers directly reflect the team playing, yet are not a be-all-end-all limiting factor when it comes tournament time.

The 2016 Champion Cavaliers defeated a 73-9 Golden State as they were coming off a four-game win streak heading into the playoffs.

Cleveland posted a meager 57-25 record and lost a game as they prepared to play the Pistons in the first round.

Although wins are great, sometimes other teams are more talented; losses are inevitable. People can be faster, stronger or more skilled, and one team’s “all” might not be enough facing off against them. However, sports are a combination of preparation and luck, and the gods controlling the games may be more in favor of one team over the other.

That might sound crazy, but think of the Cavs and how much the win meant to LeBron James and the city of Cleveland. His and Kyrie Irving’s 40-point performances could easily be chalked up to their greatness, yet there were so many factors that went into their great comeback. Referees, injuries and emotions swayed the momentum one way or another, and, at times, the game was out of the control of the people in possession of the ball.

The same can be said for our daily lives. The weather may not be great, your schedule may be stressful or your coffee may be too hot to drink. Uncontrollables can affect our mood, yet they should not affect the way we work and carry ourselves.

Just like a defeat, a bad day is inescapable, and we are bound to mess up. Yet, as Fordham’s favorite, Vince Lombardi, once said, “Success rests not only on ability, but upon commitment, loyalty, and pride.” Staying committed to the cause (whatever yours may be) is essential, and you must still hold your head high as you would on the best day of your life.

The past two weekends, Fordham Softball has only won one game out of 10 played on the road, yet we’ve learned to stay confident and work hard. We’ve learned to control what we can and not to let a team out-work us. Heading into this next weekend of play in Florida, we are looking to get the wins we earn and rely on ourselves — not on good calls, errors on the other team or feeling 100%. Even on a bad day, we are learning to play with pride for the school written on our jerseys, and not to let the losses define us.

To truly believe that adversity makes us stronger and that “God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers” is essential for a happy and fulfilled life even outside of sports. Accepting tough times, deaths, breakups and even the smallest negative moments and learning from them can help us heal and unlock our potential. A life without challenges may be appealing for its ease, yet lack of experience with hardship can turn us into ignorant people as boring as Normal SpongeBob. The rough edges, imperfections and “losses” that we’re so often scared of should be embraced, as they turn us into people with actual character and understanding. Great stories like the 2016 Cavs wouldn’t be possible or nearly as interesting without struggle.

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Championship teams often go through struggles before reaching the top.

By ALEX WOLZ

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Recently, a friend asked me to accompany him to Brooklyn to watch the Warriors take on the Nets. Despite the troublesome year it has been for the Warriors, it was nice to see one of my favorite teams in action.

While I certainly had an enjoyable time, if I am honest, the game was not all that exciting. On the court, the biggest stars were probably D’Angelo Russell — playing what would be his final game with Golden State in his return to Brooklyn — and Spencer Dinwiddie of the Nets. While I have my frustrations with Kyrie Irving, I would have loved to see him in action because that is what the Naitonal Basketball Association and professional sports thrive on: stars.

The game ended in a blowout and was certainly no exception to that rule. The most engaging part of the game, not just for me but for most in the stadium was Stephen Curry conducting his warmup routine, a half-hour before tipoff. I have seen it on social media: the three-pointers from the logo, the high-arcing floaters, the quick ball-handling — but in person, it is a different experience. It gives an appreciation for the talent of the league’s top players and reaffirms what the NBA is all about.

That is precisely why NBA All-Star Weekend is one of my favorite times of the season. To see players from all teams and skillsets take the stage for a weekend of festivities is always tremendous fun. With this year’s rule changes and innovations, there were high expectations for All-Star Weekend to return to its former glory, and it certainly did.

For the first time in many years, I watched a vast majority of Friday night’s Rising Stars, featuring the freshman and sophomore talents of the NBA. The league’s future faces are brighter than ever before, with the flashiness of Trae Young, the powerful dunking of MVP Miles Bridges, the ever-enchanting Luka Doncic and of course, the man who was all the talk for destabilizing a rim — and will be for many years to come — Zion Williamson. College — or in many cases, international — years often go either too quickly or unnoticed in today’s basketball economy.

For the first time, with all the league’s upcoming stars together, the talent,

both as players and entertainers, has me very excited for the future.

All-Star Saturday Night: the chance for unknown underdogs to make a statement in the national spotlight. Over the years, this has been the source of some of my finest memories of the NBA. Every year around this time, I head into the archives to watch old Slam Dunk Contests, awing over Vince Carter’s 2000 reverse windmill, Jason Richardson’s two-footed power or the unforgettable duel between Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine in 2016.

As the NBA has changed, the Three-Point Contest has become arguably the most coveted event. No subjectivity, no controversy: shooters shoot, and the best shooter wins.

Even the Skills Challenge, a relatively mundane affair, has added a spark of energy with the addition of big men. Luckily, this year’s competition played into the best aspect of all three.

In the Skills Challenge, forget about the guards: it was all big men in the final round. Bam Adebayo was crowned the champion. Who would have thought Buddy Hield would down Devin Booker and Davis Bertans in the Three-Point Contest? And who expected another dunk-off in Aaron Gordon’s controversial loss to Derrick Jones Jr.? Saturday night was exciting and surprising with the stars of the league on full display.

The real catalyst for this piece, though, stems from Sunday night’s All-Star Game. With the passing of Kobe Bryant came an overhaul of the game’s rules to honor his legacy. The intent was to make the game more competitive and provide an initiative to win the game with donations to Chicago charities. Again, it was largely a success.

On the court, the exhibition style, defensive-void contests that would approach 200 points in previous

years were nowhere apparent, especially in the final quarter. Instead there was an intense showdown where both teams wanted to take home the victory. Never have I seen players in the All-Star Game out of breath and drenched in sweat as if it was the playoffs.

When it comes to charity, Team LeBron — the champions — took home $400,000 for the Chicago Scholars while Giannis Antetokounmpo and his teammates earned $100,000 for After School Matters.

The kids cheered from the sidelines as Anthony Davis secured $200,000 with the winning bucket in one of the most valuable moments of the night.

Equally important were the tributes to Bryant and late commissioner of the NBA David Stern. Jennifer Hudson delivered a pregame tribute, a stunning video headlined by Dr. Dre. All of Team Giannis wore number 24 and Team Lebron number 2, those of Kobe and his daughter Gianna. Each jersey featured a patch of nine stars to honor each victim of the crash and a black armband for commissioner Stern. Kawhi Leonard received the newly denoted Kobe Award, and most importantly, the competition of the game and its MVP were befitting of the “Mamba Mentality” itself.

The NBA has a cultural connection and concerns much more than the play itself. Stars are the incentive to watch games.

Years from now, Chicago’s NBA All-Star 2020 will be remembered as one of the league’s very best, not solely for the important changes made to the game, but for all it represented and accomplished outside of it. The NBA has set the stage for All-Star competitions and set a benchmark for other leagues to reach by reinforcing what makes the NBA special and displaying its reach beyond the lines of the court.

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Kobe Bryant epitomized what the All-Star Game should be all about.

Varsity Calendar HOME AWAY

Thursday Feb. 20

Friday Feb. 21

Dayton 1 p.m.

Siena 12:30 p.m.

Seton Hall 2:30 p.m.

Women’s Basketball Men’s Tennis Women’s Tennis Baseball Softball Track Swimming

Sunday Feb. 23

Monday Feb. 24

Tuesday Feb. 25

Cal State Northridge 4 p.m.

CSU/ Grand Grand Canyon Canyon 4 p.m./8 p.m.

4 p.m.

S. Illinois/ Harvard/ Michigan State Fla. Gulf Coast UMass-Lowell 4:45 p.m./7 p.m. 9 a.m./1:30 p.m. 11:15 a.m.

Armory College Last Chance 3:00 p.m.

Atlantic 10 Championships Kingston, R.I.

Wednesday Feb. 26

Rhode Island 7 p.m.

UMass 4 p.m.

Men’s Basketball

Follow us on Twitter at @theram_sports

Saturday Feb. 22

Duquesne 7 p.m.

Washington State 11 a.m.

SPORTS

February 19, 2020

Anthony Cardone No Sympathy for the Devils The winter is usually a cold time for Major League Baseball, but leading up to the 2020 season, MLB players have been hot after the Houston Astros’ cheating scandal.

Last week, the owner of the Astros, Jim Crane, and a couple of players, José Altuve and Alex Bregman, had a press conference apologizing after cheating during the 2017 season. The apology was as fake as could possibly be, and it had the attitude of “we just want to get this over with” written all over it.

Jim Crane wasn’t making any sense throughout the press conference, saying the cheating “didn’t impact the game whatsoever” despite the fact that he fired his general manager and his manager a few weeks ago. He claims that the players shouldn’t be punished and that they should be able to keep their World Series title.

What these past few days have taught me is that these players don’t have any respect for the game. To them it’s just a big joke, as they make up excuses why they didn’t celebrate a certain way or why they didn’t cheat at all in the first place.

To stand up there as the owner of the Houston Astros and say “I should not be held accountable for these actions” is absolutely insane.

As a baseball fan, this just makes me upset, and it feels like players don’t care enough about the sport anymore. They just want the massive contracts and the recognition. Now that doesn’t go for every player, but the owner said he wasn’t apologizing for “cheating the game;” he was apologizing for “breaking the rules.”

To me, that shows you don’t care and don’t want to face the consequences. You got caught, and you now have to deal with the shame.

Altuve and Bregman appeared lost and nervous, and they looked like they didn’t want to be there. There should be no sympathy at all for these players that cheated.

Now the Astros came out and said they didn’t want other opponents and players upset about it anymore. Are you kidding me?

They cost people a title, money and jobs. Worst of all, they made a mockery of the game of baseball and the respect of baseball fans.

“Yeah ... Kinda …” was the response from José Altuve, the 2017 MVP and leader of this club when asked if he knew what he did was wrong. The apology was weak, it was short and it was the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever seen from a professional sports organization.

I would never wish any type of injuries for any of the Astros next season, but opposing teams are not going to take this lightly. There will be fighting in Astros games, and there is going to be a lot of trash talking. It’s going to be an ugly season for the Astros, and the pressure is on them to earn the respect back from baseball fans. You know what, they don’t deserve anything but pressure in 2020. Good luck, but no sympathy.

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Chris Hennessy

Varsity Scores & Stats Women’s Basketball Davidson 46 Fordham 47 (FOR) Cavanaugh: 20 PTS, 8 FG

Men’s Basketball Duquesne 59 Fordham 54 (FOR) Portley: 16 PTS, 3 3PT

Fordham 64 Richmond 47 (FOR) Heremaia: 29 PTS, 5 3PT

Men’s Track & Field Valentine Invitational Individual Results Only (FOR) Reardon: High jump - 6’6 ¾” - T4th

Baseball Fordham FIU W: Allen (1-0) L: Mikulski (0-1) (FOR) Vazquez: 2-5, R

Women’s Track & Field Valentine Invitational Individual Results Only (FOR) Kelly: 60m dash - 7.76 - 5th

7 20

Fordham FIU W: Casey (1-0) L: Stankiewicz (FOR) Baker: 2-3, SB

0 8

Fordham FIU W: Saxton (1-0) L: Quintal (0-1) (FOR) Godrick: 1-3

2 18

Women’s Tennis Fordham 2 Temple 4 (FOR) Taluyenko: 6-3, 6-3 Marshall Fordham (FOR) Aude: 6-2, 6-2

6 1

Softball California Fordham W: Perez (4-1) L: Aughinbaugh (0-3) (FOR) Miller: 1-2

4 8

Cal Poly Fordham W: Allman (3-1) L: Prentiss (0-2) (FOR) Taffet: 2-3, R

6 1

Fordham 1 Fresno State 10 W: Orme (2-0) L: Aughinbaugh (0-4) (FOR) Aughinbaugh: 1-2, RBI Fordham St. Mary’s W: Earle (2-0) L: Aughinbaugh (0-5) (FOR) Taffet: 2-4, RBI

Kendell Heremaia

Nikolas Reardon

Junior

Junior

Women’s Basketball

Men’s Track & Field

On the Saturday proceedings of Boston University’s Valentine Invitational, the men of Fordham Track & Field took centerstage, and Reardon led the way, tying for fourth in the high jump at 6’6 3/4” and coming in 12th in the long jump at 22’9”.

Each week, The Fordham Ram’s sports editors honor two Fordham athletes for their on-field performances as their “Athletes of the Week.”

News & Notes • Heremaia Has Career Day Sunday

Fordham Women’s Basketball came home from a road matchup with the University of Richmond Spiders with a commanding 6447 win on Sunday, and the star for the Rams was their junior guard Kendell Heremaia.

Heremaia had 29 points for Fordham in the game, setting a career-best mark for herself in doing so. Having scored at least five points in all four quarters, Heremaia spent 36 minutes on the court against Richmond, making 12 field goals and five three-pointers, meaning more than half of her points came from beyond the arc. Up next for the Rams will be another road game against Saint Louis University Wednesday at 12 p.m.

• Baseball is Home Wednesday

Fordham Rams Baseball will play their first home game of the 2020 regular season on Wednesday against Long Island University at 2 p.m. at Houlihan Park on the Rose Hill campus in the Bronx. The Rams are coming off a very difficult trip down to Florida International University where they were swept in three games by FIU, having been outscored 46-9. The Fordham starting pitcher is slated to be freshman Ben Kovel, making his collegiate debut throwing against LIU right-hander Nick DeSalvo.

8 0

Fordham Fresno State W: Dolcini (2-0) L: Miller (1-1) S: Lung (1) (FOR) Carter: 2-4, R

Athletes of the Week

In a triumphant 17-point victory on the road against Richmond, Heremaia was the difference for Fordham Women’s Basketball. Her 29 points were a career best and led the way for the Rams. Heremaia scored five three-pointers and had at least five points in every quarter.

Andy Greene and Blake

—Compiled by Dylan Balsamo

1 2

Coleman The NHL’s trade deadline is on Monday Feb. 24, and the Devils are making more moves ahead of that day. Remember back to December when they traded Taylor Hall to Arizona and then fired general manager Ray Shero a few weeks later. When interim general manager Tom Fitzgerald was appointed, the main question was if he would be active as the deadline approached.

On Sunday, it was proven that he would be flipping valuable players for assets, as the general manager of a rebuilding team should.

The first trade that went down was trading 14-year veteran and captain Andy Greene across the river to the Islanders in exchange for prospect David Quenneville and a second-round pick in 2021.

This fills a need for the Islanders, who are dying for a defenseman who can play the left side after they lost Adam Pelech for the season due to an Achilles injury. They didn’t give up too much to fill that need, leaving a lot of other assets for their needs at the forward positions. In terms of New Jersey, this is somewhat of an unceremonious ending for the long-time captain’s career, but a rebuilding team would much rather have the draft pick and a young prospect, the 21-year-old defensemen Quenneville, to start in their farm system.

The second trade broke just a few hours later, and it involved a goal scorer. Blake Coleman was shipped to Tampa Bay for prospect Nolan Foote and a 2020 first round pick, which will most likely be at the end of the round considering Tampa’s resurgence as of late. Fitzgerald said that he was not actively shopping Coleman, but when the calls came, he assessed his options and determined it was time to trade the 28-year-old left winger. They got another prospect back, one who has a much higher celling than Quenneville. Nolan Foote is only 19 years old and still playing in the Western Hockey League. He was Tampa’s first round pick just a year ago and has performed well as the captain of the Kelowna Rockets, notching 33 points in 26 games thus far. He played on Canada’s gold medal winning World Juniors squad in December.

Tom Fitzgerald might not get the permanent job, but he is certainly making his presence known across the league in his interim term. Trading two of the key pieces of the squad Shero put together shows that the organization is moving on from him and looking ahead to this offseason, where there will be multiple free agents available, including Hall (it’s unlikely he will come back, but it’s certainly possible), Chris Kreider and others. Most importantly, in Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes the Devils have two young stud forwards to build around. These two will provide a base for the rebuild that Fitzgerald and advisor Martin Brodeur are putting together.

As for the Isles, the trade fills a need, but it cannot be the only thing Lou Lamoriello does this week. There seems to be much more rustling around the front office this time around as opposed to last year, when not a peep was heard until Lamoriello stood up and said “We stood pat.” Greene is a good start for the Isles, but he cannot be the only piece added this week.

SPORTS

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February 19, 2020

The Fordham Ram

Heremaia’s Career Day Leads Fordham Past Richmond

By JIMMY SULLIVAN SPORTS EDITOR

At this stage of the season, teams will take wins any way they come. However, as the fight for postseason positioning reaches a crescendo, a team also wants to be playing its best basketball as the season nears its conclusion.

Fordham Women’s Basketball did that last season, and the Rams are doing the same so far in 2020.

Fordham notched its fifth straight victory on Sunday with a 64-47 win over the University of Richmond. The story of the afternoon was the play of junior forward Kendell Heremaia, who scored a career-high 29 points to go along with 10 rebounds on 1217 shooting from the field.

“We went to mass today at 7:30 and I said, ‘Kendell, did you pray to God to stay calm and slow down?’ and she just laughed,” Fordham head coach Stephanie Gaitley joked. “That’s how good Kendell can be, and that’s why I’m on her so hard, because that’s what she’s capable of doing.”

Heremaia has emerged as one of the best players in the Atlantic 10 Conference and one of Fordham’s most important players of the season. Her performance on Sunday, which led Fordham through a competitive first half in which Richmond kept the game close, helped carry the Rams on a day in which other offensive weapons struggled from the field.

Another significant storyline for Fordham, and one that should encourage the team, has been its strong defense as of late.

MACKENZIE CRANNA /THE FORDHAM RAM

With a game-winning buzzer beater from Cavanaugh and remarkable road showing from Heremaia, it is an exciting time to be a Ram. Sunday’s game was the fourth out of five in which Fordham held an opponent to 50 points or fewer, and after dealing with some problems early in the season, the team has appeared to work out its issues on the defensive end.

“I think this team is based on team defense,” Gaitley said. “I think that team (last year’s A-10 championship team) had some great individual defenders. I think Sarah (Karpell) does a great job individually, but I think it’s defense by committee with this team.”

That team defense was in full force on Sunday. The Rams forced 27 turnovers on a Richmond offense that averaged over

18 turnovers per game entering the day.

Fordham ended the day with 22 more shots than Richmond, and while the teams shot the ball equally well, Fordham emerged with a blowout victory in part because they valued possession far more than their opponents.

Fordham outscored Richmond by 15 points in the second half and held the Spiders to just 31 points in the final 30 minutes of game action. Richmond led 16-15 after one quarter, but the Rams got it together after that and played one of their best defensive games of the season.

“I thought the defense was terrific,” Gaitley said. “I actually

thought from the second quarter on it was good. I was disappointed in the first quarter, but I thought the second quarter was great, and from then on, I thought we did a terrific job.”

Fordham is now 9-3 in A-10 play and 17-8 on the season. The team is trying to earn a top-two seed in the A-10 Tournament in March, which would entail a first-round bye. Right now, Fordham is tied with Virginia Commonwealth University for second place, but VCU holds the tiebreaker for the second seed because they beat Fordham 62-52 on Jan. 29.

Still, Fordham is once again playing its best basketball at the

perfect time. Fordham has not lost a regular-season game in February or March since 2018, and the Rams look primed for their title defense.

That being said, a tough test awaits Fordham over the next few games. The Rams travel to Saint Louis University for a 12 p.m. game on Wednesday before hosting the University of Dayton on Saturday; Dayton leads the conference with an undefeated 12-0 record. After that, Fordham will take on Duquesne University and Saint Joseph’s University to close out the season before the A-10 Tournament kicks off in the first week of March.

Men’s Basketball Drop Sixth Straight After Loss to Duquesne

By ANDREW POSADAS MANAGING EDITOR

After their first encounter went into overtime last month, Fordham Men’s Basketball battled Duquesne University down to the wire again in a game that saw the lead change nine times.

Ultimately, Duquesne was able to beat Fordham 59-54 in the Rose Hill Gymnasium and sweep the season series.

Sunday’s contest saw two squads who both boast staunch

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

The Rams fought but ultimately lost the season series to the Dukes. defenses, unafraid of utilizing a methodical style and comfortable playing in a low-scoring game.

The Rams and Dukes entered the weekend ranked first and fourth, respectively, in scoring defense amongst Atlantic 10 conference teams.

However, solid defensive play has yielded different results for the two teams.

For the Dukes, it has resulted in the team’s best start through 23 games since the 1971-72 season and Duquesne now finds itself in contention for a potential topfour seed come A-10 Conference tournament time.

Unfortunately, similar success continues to elude Fordham this season, with head coach Jeff Neubauer’s Rams having lost five straight and 10 of 11 games in

A-10 play thus far.

Stellar defensive effort was on full display in the first half, with neither team able to get into a consistent rhythm on offense.

The Rams suffocated Duquesne into shooting just 31% from the field in the first 20 minutes of regulation. As for the Dukes, their defense was able to make life difficult for Fordham, holding the home team to 32% shooting in return.

Fordham led for nearly 11 minutes of the first half, but went back into the locker room down 27-25 at halftime. In the first five minutes of the second half, Duquesne knocked down a pair of three-pointers on its way to taking a 34-29 lead.

Fortunately, Fordham’s offense finally woke up and responded by outscoring the Dukes 16-7 in a seven-minute span. A threepointer by junior transfer guard Josh Colon gave the Rams a 4541 advantage with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation.

Knowing a loss to Fordham would put a serious dent in Duquesne’s NCAA tournament hopes, head coach Keith Dambrot’s team answered the bell by going on a quick 7-0 run and securing the lead for good.

Guard Lamar Norman Jr. scored all 11 of his points in the second half after being held scoreless in the previous half.

Reigning A-10 Sixth Man of the Year guard Tavian Dunn-Martin added 15 points, sinking huge free throws down the stretch to seal Duquesne’s 18th win this season.

With Sunday’s loss, Fordham drops to 7-17 on the season and sits alone in 13th place at 1-11 during conference play.

Senior guard and captain Antwon Portley scored a game-high 16 points off the bench, also grabbing six rebounds in his best game offensively since returning from injury. Sophomore Ty Perry netted 15 points and added three steals, but missed the potential game-tying three-point shot with nine seconds remaining in regulation.

The Rams have now lost six games by single digits during A-10 play, showing signs of gumption against superior teams in-conference but still lacking consistency in closing out games down the stretch.

Fordham Men’s Basketball is back in action this Wednesday at 8 p.m. when they go on the road to face La Salle University.

The Explorers took the first meeting this season 66-60 at the Rose Hill Gym, with the Rams poised to return the favor at Tom Gola Arena. Wednesday’s game can be heard on WFUV 90.7 FM and seen exclusively on ESPN+.