Volume 92 Issue 13

EDITORIAL: ADMINISTRATION SHAKEUP - PAGE 9

FOOTBALL BEATS URI 27-25 - PAGE 24

SERVING THE FORDHAM UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY FOR OVER 90 YEARS

1918-2010

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

VOLUME 92, ISSUE 13

University Students Hold Sept. 11 Memorial Service Reshapes Hierarchy

Procession, Ceremonies Commemorate Terrorism Victims in Annual Memorial at Alpha House Lawn, Finlay Garden

By CHRIS GRAMUGLIA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

By PATRICK DEROCHER NEWS EDITOR

Fordham University announced Monday that it has reorganized the upper echelons of its administration while gearing up for the second phase of its Excelsior | Ever Upward | the Campaign for Fordham capital campaign. The plan was executed in a way that allows Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the University, maximum opportunities to encourage potential donors to contribute to the campaign.

Stephen Freedman, Ph.D., previously senior vice president and chief academic officer since coming to Fordham from Gonzaga University in 2007, was named provost. In this position, he will continue his job supervising the University’s graduate and undergraduate schools and also oversee the University Library, Fordham University Press, WFUV, Institutional Research, Prestigious Fellowships and the University’s international education and distance learning efforts.

“This promotion comes in recognition of both the strong record of achievement that Dr. Freedman has compiled in the course of his tenure at Fordham and the centrality of academics in the life of the University,” McShane said in a press release.

Thomas A. Dunne, Esq., who had heretofore been the University’s vice president for government relations and urban affairs, was named vice president for Administration. In addition to his current duties, Dunne will oversee the Office of the Vice President for Lincoln Center and the Office of the Vice President for Facilities Management.

According to a 2005 report by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Fordham University has a past of an unusually high number of administrators and vice presidents reporting directly to the president of the University. As such, this shift in administrative structure brings Fordham’s chains of command closer to those in place at other comparable universities.

Augmenting this change will be a new presidential cabinet, consisting of Freedman, Dunne and four current Fordham vice presidents: John Lordan, senior vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer of the University; Peter Stace, vice president for enrollment; Jeffrey Gray, vice president for student affairs and Roger Milici, interim vice president for development and University relations.

Gray, in addition to his current duties overseeing the offices in the Division of Student Affairs, including the Office of Residential Life, the Office of Student Leadership and Community Development and Food Services, and Athletics, will now also supervise the Office for the Vice President for University and Mission and Ministry.

These administrative changes are effective immediately and the Web site has been accordingly updated.

Last Saturday evening, USG, Campus Ministry and the College Republicans held a memorial service to remember the Fordham alumni, students and family members whose lives were lost on Sept.

11, 2001. In collaboration with the Athletic Department, the event was held at night in order to include as many people as possible. Many people who were there were on their way back from the football game that occurred that night.

There were at least 75 people in attendance who wished to pray, pay their respects and remember those who perished. The event began on Alpha House lawn, which had been decorated earlier with American flags placed in the shape of the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and spelling out “U93,” to remember the passengers on United Airlines Flight 93.

The College Republicans gathered together the afternoon before the memorial service to arrange the flags, and while they were doing so a group of New York City firefighters stopped by to take pictures and offer their gratitude and admiration for the display.

“Seeing a group of 70 plus community members processing south through the darkened campus, candles in hand towards the light from the World Trade Center site was extremely moving,” Sara Kugel said, executive president of United Student Government, FCRH ’11.

Reverend Erika Crawford, protestant chaplain, delivered some deeply touching opening remarks to the group at the display. She spoke powerfully of faith, solidarity, peace and the importance of remembering.

PHOTO BY SIMON SULIT/ THE RAM

The Sept. 11 Memorial in Finlay Garden was the site of some of the more somber moments in Saturday’s memorial ceremony for those Fordham students, alumni and family members lost in the terror attacks.

“We thank you now God, as we assemble together as your children, as we assemble together of many cultures, many faiths and many traditions,” she said.

Leading the procession to the Finlay Memorial Garden with American flags in hand were ROTC cadets Michael Bouffard, FCRH ’12, Alex Deardorff, FCRH ’13, William Olmstead, FCRH ’13, and Greg Scaduto, FCRH ’12. Sean Hickey, FCRH ’13, provided the serene sounds of bagpipes on the walk over. Once at the Finlay Garden, Kugel, who was responsible for organizing the event, distributed candles and flowers to everyone in attendance.

The names of the 39 being remembered were read aloud by Ryan

Adams, FCRH ’11, Michelle Avila, FCRH ’11, John Mantia, FCRH ’13 and Bryan Matis, CBA ’12, and each reader placed four yellow roses on the memorial to represent those students and alumni who were victims of the attacks. Campus Ministry provided both the candles and the roses.

The service ended with a beautiful litany led by Jake Braithwate, CBA ’11 and president of the Residence Halls Association.

“So long as we live, they too shall live, for they are now and forever part of us,” concluded the litany.

The response was, “We remember them.”

USG has organized and held this event every year since 2001 to hon-

or and pray for those members of the Fordham community who were lost. The event emphasized selflessness, reverence, the dire need for peace and, as Reverend Erika put it, “cold hearts to turn warm.”

“Even though many of us were still in grade school at the time, those images and achings are still with us,” Kugel said. “We always remember the profound sense of community we felt in the aftermath of the attack as our fellow Americans comforted one another and stood in unity. I believe it’s this second set of memories which we must always strive to recapture as we reflect on Sept. 11.”

Additional reporting by Patrick Derocher, news editor, and Victoria Rau, assistant news editor.

Delayed Gmail Go-Live to Take Place in October

By PATRICK DEROCHER NEWS EDITOR

After a false start over the summer, the Fordham University Department of Information Technology announced in a Sept. 7 e-mail to the student body that the Gmail Go-Live is now scheduled for Oct. 8 through Oct. 12, when the University will be closed in observation of Columbus Day. “Negotiations went slower than we had planned,” Deridre Dillon, director of Information Technology, said. “We did not have the contract with Google signed at that point, but it is signed now.”

The much-anticipated shift from the Mirapoint system will entail a manual transfer of staff and students’ e-mails to the Gmail system and servers, a process that will be accompanied by detailed instructions from Fordham IT. Additionally, the department will provide staff and students with instructions on how to set up their e-mail accounts to forward to another e-mail account, a mail client like Microsoft Outlook and Apple Mail or a mobile device such as a Blackberry or iPhone.

Buzz, being looked at for potential future expansion of Google services.

All current Fordham staff and students will see their e-mail accounts transitioned in October, in addition to all former students who graduated in May 2010. This is part of an expansion of Fordham e-mail addresses to alumni, who will be allowed to keep their addresses for life after graduation.

Fordham e-mail users will have a two-week window in which to transfer all of their files and e-mails from the Mirapoint system to the Gmail system, which has nearly seven-anda-half gigabytes of storage space, compared to Mirapoint’s 512 megabytes. In the meantime, Dillion and Fordham IT strongly recommend that staff and students utilize the University’s MyFiles application to

store files and promote its use for file storage even after the transition to the Gmail system is complete later in October.

In spite of the potential complexities and difficulties surrounding the shift to the Gmail system, Dillion said that she has “great faith” in the ability of the Fordham University student body to make the transition smoothly. She added that many students have confronted her with questions about the timeframe of the changeover and she sees this as an indicator of eagerness for the new system.

It is recommended that current students check Fordham’s Gmail information page, fordham.edu/gmail, and blog, fordhamgmail.blogspot. com, for further information and news on the transition to Gmail.

Sports PAGE 19

Opinions PAGE 7

Culture PAGE 13

Volleyball goes 2-2 in Rose Hill Classic.

Point-Counterpoint on the validity of college rankings.

Fashion Week takes New York City by storm.

“We don’t want to give out any information before we are 100 percent certain how to do it and communicate to staff and students,” Dillon said, adding that those plans were being finalized for distribution to the University community.

As for the particulars of accessing and utilizing the new mail system, Dillion said that while the interface will remain essentially the same, users will not be able to access it through the normal Gmail domain, mail.google.com. Instead, they will have to log into the University’s Banner portal, as they do now, and access their mail accounts in that manner.

Additionally, the only feature available to Fordham users at the beginning will be basic e-mail capabilities, with the full suite of Google’s applications, such as Google Chat and

INSIDE

NEWS

PAGE 2 • THE RAM • SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

SECURITY

BRIEFS

Sept. 7, Security Office, 7 p.m.

A student reported receiving a text message from her ex-boyfriend who attends another school. She reported continually receiving communications from him since their break-up in June. While she was at security office to report the text message, she received a text saying he was on campus. Security canvassed the area with negative results and advised the student to call the police about these incidents.

Sept. 8, McGinley Center, overnight.

A student reported having lost her Coach purse on Sept. 3, along with her Fordham ID and keys.

The student believes she had left it somewhere in McGinley. She checked the lost and found with negative results. The locksmiths changed her locks.

Sept. 8, O’Hare Hall, 4 p.m.

Fire alarm in O’Hare Hall went off, caused by a faulty smoke detector.

The smoke detector was replaced without incident.

Sept. 8, Walsh Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Security was notified about a fire alarm in Walsh hall, to which they responded. They found that its cause was cooking hamburgers in the kitchen. There was no fire and no injuries reported.

Sept. 10, Salice-Conley Hall, 6:30 p.m.

Smoke from a stove activated a fire alarm in Building Four. The building was evacuated, while the FDNY and Security supervisor responded.

There were no injuries and no fire.

ResLife is calling a meeting to speak about cooking/fire safety in the new dorms.

Sept. 12, Campbell Hall, 10:45 a.m.

Security was notified that the fire alarm was going off in Campbell Hall. The building was evacuated.

Security discovered that the source of the alarm was smoke from someone cooking on the stove.

Sept. 13, Off-Campus, 11:45 p.m.

A student reported that he was attacked when he was walking on Arthur Ave on Aug. 31. He fought back, knocking the would-be assailant out, then called 911 and was transported with the attacker to the hospital. There is no police report at this time. Security is looking into the incident.

Compiled by Patrick Derocher, News Editor.

Student Spearheads Conservation Movement

By VIKRAM BHATIA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A Fordham student attempted to mount a campaign against the decision by the City of New York to remove 87 trees at Pelham Parkway, but she could not find the necessary resources to do so.

Nonetheless, Fordham student Elspeth Velten, FCRH ’11, said she is holding onto hope that there could potentially be at least a small contingent of Fordham students who could speak out against the “horrible” situation together.

“I’m sure that there are more people on campus who would be upset about this, but not sure that many people would be willing to commit to any kind of campaign against the action,” Velten said.

Pelham Parkway has a long history of being the site for an abnormal number of automobile accidents.

Discussions to make changes, such as the installation of guardrails, have been ongoing for 20 years. The various city agencies involved in this process concluded that killing the trees was the best option in early October of last year. However, the process is still ongoing and environmentalists and other activists around New York and across the United States are still trying to save the trees by speaking out against the decision.

A lack of interest on the part of the Fordham community suppressed Velten’s original plan to stage a mean-

ingful campaign against the tree removal. Velten attempted to garner support from various members of the University, but was unable to obtain a significant number of people.

“One other student contacted me, but we weren’t able to make anything happen,” she said.

The tree removal is part of a larger renovation project at Pelham Parkway. The reasoning of the city is that the removal of the trees would create space to insert new guardrails throughout the parkway in order to reduce the risk of transportation accidents. There were 185 accidents in the first half of last year alone.

However, Velten is skeptical of this logic.

“I just don’t know if the new guardrails that are being put in are completely necessary, or if it really is necessary to remove the trees in the process, or just a convenience,” she said.

Velten has been a strong proponent of protecting the environment since childhood.

“I’ve always been fairly passionate about our natural environment because it has given me such enjoyment in life and I want to protect it for future generations to enjoy as well,” she said. “Nature is what keeps the systems of our planet healthy, and this is also important for the future.”

In actuality, city has said that it has plans to replace the trees that it is taking down with about three times as many new ones. According

to Velten, this action does not justify the taking down of trees that have already matured.

“Of course any planting of trees is appreciated, but the point is that the removal is taking away from the environment of Pelham Parkway,” she said.

Velten said that what makes the cutting down of the trees so tough to swallow is not only her intense love for nature, but the fact that areas such as Pelham Parkway are rare in the Bronx. “[Pelham Parkway] is a beautiful green area of the Bronx, where green areas are few and far between,” she said.

Velten has a history of being involved with nature and the environment.

“I have planted many trees in the past in places such as the Pine Barrens of Long Island and Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx,” she said.

According to Velten, these experiences have shaped her attitude towards protecting the environment in an impactful way.

“I think it is important to have green space in urban communities, and I also generally am against the removal of mature, healthy trees,” she said.

Velten recommends that anyone interested in helping her cause join the Facebook group “ Help Save Pelham Parkway Trees in the Bronx!”

The group had 156 members as of Sept. 12.

THIS

week at FORDHAM Wed., Sept. 16 Cinevents: Sex and the City 2, Keating 1st Auditorium, 8:30-11:3- p.m.

Fri., Sept. 17 JAZZ IT UP! Peer Health Exchange Information Tabling, McGinley Center Lobby, 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 18 FET General Meeting, Blackbox Theater, 5 p.m.

Sun., Sept. 19 Expressions Rehearsal, KE B23, 5-11:30 p.m.

Mon., Sept. 20 Pride Weekly Meeting, Music Room, 8-9 p.m.

Tues., Sept. 21 Fordham Jazz Collective Show, Faculty Lounge, 5-10 p.m.

Wed., Sept. 22 Peer Educators E-Board Meeting, McGinley 212, 9:30-10:30 p.m.

Compiled by Abigail Forget, Managing Editor

USG Launches New Web Site, Approves Club Funds

By VICTORIA RAU ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

United Student Government recently launched its new Web site, www.usgrh.com, which Vice President of Information Technology Michael DiTanna, FCRH ’13, unveiled to senators and the executive board at their meeting on Sept. 9.

One prominent new feature of the Web site is that each USG committee has its own page, including the budget committee, whose page went live on Sept. 8 following the committee’s first meeting.

“Although meetings are closed, everything is transparent; you’ll probably see more here than you’d see at an actual meeting,” DiTanna said of the Budget Committee page.

“You can see which clubs got denied, how much money was approved and you can actually go in and see how members voted.”

Aesthetically, www.usgrh.com is very different from its predecessor, usgrh.wordpress.com. There are updated calendars of events, such as Fordham Week, updated contact information and biographies for all USG members in addition to a rotating banner on the homepage displaying different features of the site.

“I’ll be the first to say that our previous USG Web site is terrible, to be honest,” DiTanna said. “It’s not updated, and it’s basically a jungle to get through.”

For this reason, DiTanna decided to start from scratch with the new site, which he hopes will make USG look more professional to outsiders such as prospective students, parents or businesses.

“Your organization is reflected by your Web site,” DiTanna said.

“On the site, you will find full outlines of budget allocations, right down to the very cent,” Sara Kugel,

executive president, FCRH ’11, said.

“As these allocations are made, we will bring you updated information, so you know exactly how the Student Activities Fund is spent.”

USG hopes that the improved functionality of its new site will better serve club leaders in terms of providing senators’ and executive board members’ contact information and in terms of fostering budget transparency.

“Our Web site is supposed to promote communication between students and USG,” DiTanna said.

“This page will not only bring club leaders pertinent information but will serve as a resource for aspiring clubs,” Kugel said. “Liaisons to these groups may now log on to USG’s site and see exactly where their organization is in the process to become an official club.”

Previously, the notion of seeking out an archive of budget appeals would have been nearly impossible, but now the committee page can serve as a resource to any club leader who wants more information on how funds are allocated.

“Any disgruntled club can go there and search the records to find out the percentage of funds granted to each club and submit a complaint if they want,” DiTanna said.

Kugel acknowledged that the budget process is still imperfect in some ways, but said she believes USG has made major strides from last year.

“I hope this shows that USG not only listens to student concerns, but acts on them,” Kugel said.

Initial responses from club leaders to the Web site’s new capabilities have been laudatory.

“The new Web site avoids drama and confusion when the committee denies my funds,” Monkia Zaman, a club leader, FCRH ’12, said. “Before I was troubled, but the new fea-

COURTESY OF UNITED STUDENT GOVERNMENT

USG’s revamped Web site provides students with increased information about the organization’s decisions and operations.

tures addess my concerns as a club leader.”

In other news, USG approved funds for the Fordham University Walk for Breast Cancer. Cara Flynn, the Fordham University Walk for Breast Cancer co-chair, FCRH ’12, represented the committee at the meeting seeking money from USG to help cover T-shirt costs.

The senate motioned to appropriate $400 to the cause, the same amount it approved last year. Caitlin Meyer, executive vice president, FCRH ’12, offered USG support in sponsoring fundraisers and marketing efforts.

“We don’t just want to write a check and be done,” Meyer said.

USG also approved the final commissioner on Chairman Sean Radomski’s, FCRH ’11, election commission. After a brief questioning period, the senate confirmed Paulina Naroznik, FCRH ’11, as the final

commissioner. A third year resident assistant who commuted her freshman year, Naroznik said she would offer a unique perspective, being understanding of the struggles of commuter students.

“I don’t think as commuters we should be treated as outside guests on our own campus,” Naroznik said, in reference to a discussion about guest passes and commuter participation in evening activities that came up during the questioning period.

USG awarded Sandie Habib, vice president of Fordham College, FCRH ’12, a senate commendation for her work in creating the first ever Fordham College Dean’s Council.

“Sandie has done a tremendous job reaching out to Fordham College,” Kugel said. “The Fordham College Dean’s Council is the first ever council for Fordham College, so it’s very impressive, especially how fast she’s put it together.”

NEWS

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 • THE RAM • PAGE 3

Hughes Hall Asbestos Free and Moving Toward Renovation In Spite of Sampling Hassles and Asbestos Testing, Students Safe as Renovations and Plans for Hughes Hall , Queen’s Court and McGinley Move Forward

By PATRICK DEROCHER NEWS EDITOR

In spite of troubling signage, vague information, apparent secrecy surrounding renovation, sampling and asbestos removal work completed over this past summer, students having nothing to be concerned about, Vice President for Facilities Marc Valera assured during an interview with The Ram. “When you have a project that entails working in the structure of the building, you occasionally find asbestos,” he said, adding that an “extensive containment system” and signage were both prudent and necessitated by local and federal laws.

In Queen’s Court, one of the two major buildings from which asbestos was removed, the project was the addition of an emergency exit staircase at the end of St. Robert’s Hall. This particular wing of the building was constructed in 1940, a period during which asbestos was commonly used as electrical insulation and a flame retardant.

The second building with asbestos removal was McGinley Center, which was constructed in 1959 and used the material for similar purposes. In this case, Valera said that the asbestos was discovered and subsequently removed while doing routine maintenance and upkeep. As with the Queen’s Court project, extensive containment and signage systems were used in McGinley Center.

Valera said that similar exploration in other buildings, notably John Mulcahy Hall, did not yield similar findings, and thus no other

asbestos removal was required.

As for another major project that attracted much attention and criticism over the summer, the renovation of Hughes Hall, Valera noted that all sampling, including tests for asbestos, turned out negative.

“As we would expect in a building of that age, we found nothing,” he said. Hughes Hall was built in 1891, years before asbestos became a popular building material in the United States.

Valera assured that at no point were students in danger of any harm, and that Facilities Management, aware that there would be students living in the building over the summer, took measures to ensure that life in the residence hall went as unperturbed as possible during the course of the sampling work.

The sampling was necessary over the summer, Valera said, in order to obtain the permits needed to begin construction on Hughes Hall, which he hopes to have within the next few months in order to keep the renovation project on track for a fall 2012 opening as the new headquarters for the College of Business Administration.

A large part of the information that Facilities Management obtained through sampling in Hughes Hall pertained to the building’s structure and foundation, information that was necessary in order to ascertain what measures would have to be taken to reconstruct the building’s frame.

“The prints do not match up,” Valera said, noting that the building has undergone numerous

PHOTO BY STEPHEN MOCCIA/ THE RAM

Highly visible signage and containment were part of the requirements of asbestos discovery and abatement that students on campus saw over this past summer.

renovations in its nearly 120-year history, rendering its original 19thcentury plans nearly useless in the current renovation.

Valera went on to describe the renovation in greater detail, starting by saying that the first step will be to gut the building entirely and replace the aging timber structure with a steel one. The plan has been in the works for quite some time, likely since before the project was announced or students were assigned to live there over the summer.

According to more recent plans prepared by architects from HLW

International, the firm responsible for Google’s offices in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, the layout has changed somewhat from what was initially announced. Instead of a single entrance facing Dealy Hall and the Administration Building, Hughes Hall will also be accessible from the side facing Alpha House and the McGinley Center.

The building, which will feature a new mechanical plant on the roof, to be airlifted in as one of the earlier construction phases, will have its current green copper roof replaced by a more contemporary one made of either glass or a re-

flective metal. On the inside, it will have classrooms, a trading floor, study lounges and a multi-purpose room on the lower floors, in addition to a space dedicated to the Global Business Honors Program, while the upper levels will feature office space for CBA faculty and administrators.

Finally, regarding the new student center that has long been an integral part of Fordham University’s plan for the near future, Valera said that, pending further fundraising, no plans had been finalized or permits obtained for its construction.

West Wing ILC Officially Kicks off Programming

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRACY OU

Greer Jason, dean of residential life at Rose Hill, spoke to members of the West Wing Integrated Learning Community as part of the organization’s inauguration ceremony on Sept. 7.

By REBECCA HORNE STAFF WRITER

It may not house the president of the United States or serve as the set for a television drama, but O’Hare Hall’s new Integrated Learning Community the West Wing saw plenty of action last

Tuesday night. On Sept. 7, 2010, the wing held its official opening ceremonies, complete with a reception and ribbon-cutting in the presence of numerous campus dignitaries.

“Something that I think is really extraordinary about this ILC is that it was completely devised

by students,” O’Hare’s Resident Director Danielle Gennaro said, “It’s really exciting to finally see it all come together.”

Since its birth last year as the brainchild of Rose Hill College and CBA students, the West Wing has grown into a full-fledged residential community on the third

floor of O’Hare Hall, complete with academic requirements and professional mentorship. Officially entitled “The West Wing Integrated Learning Community for Ignatian Leadership & Civic Service,” the wing was created to meet students’ interests in politics, business and ethics, regardless of their area of study at Fordham.

Each semester, residents will participate in the wing’s threestep program: “Knowledge, Reflection and Action.” First, they will attend a series of faculty guest lectures, and then the students will reflect upon what they have learned from those seminars. Finally, their knowledge will be put into action with a related service project on Fordham’s campus, in the Bronx community, or beyond.

“We want to make sure that you’re moving from the theoretical to the practical,” Robert Parmach, FCRH dean of freshmen, said, regarding the program’s academic and service components.

During Tuesday’s reception in Tognino Hall, Director of Global Outreach Paul Francis spoke about the responsibility now resting on the ILC’s first residents.

“Service will be a big part of what you’re doing, but take it a step further,” Francis urged the residents. “See it not just as service but as solidarity. It’s about realizing that you’re a part of the

problem and a part of the solution.”

To answer that call to service, the West Wing has already partnered with the Dorothy Day Center for Service and Justice, participating in the International Day of Service on Sept. 11, 2010, and planning numerous service outings in the future. Sandra Lobo-Jost, director of the Dorothy Day Center, was also present at the opening ceremonies to discuss the “two feet” of the center’s work: service and social change. Jobin Varghese, FCRH ’13 the wing’s residential assistant, best summarized the theme of the event when he exhorted his residents, “Go forth and set the world on fire!”

After speeches from Residential Life staff and distinguished Fordham faculty, West Wing residents left Tognino Hall to witness the official ribbon-cutting of their new home. With the ribbon finally cut and a full year’s planning finally rewarded, excitement ran high for what the rest of the year could hold for the West Wing.

“It’s not just about doing things,” Parmach said of the values behind the wing. “It’s about being transformed.”

Now that the newest ILC is finally open, it is up to the residents themselves to continue in the West Wing’s already-ambitious and student-led tradition.

PAGE 4 • THE RAM • SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

Fordham Mourns Nicole Ayres The University community mourns the loss this week of Nicole Ayers, a 22 year-old former Fordham Lady Ram softball player, who was found dead of stab wounds in a field in Southampton, New Jersey on Sept. 13.

“This is a shocking and terrible loss,” Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the University, said in a press release. “I cannot imagine the grief Nicole’s family must be feeling today, a grief intensified by the death of someone so young. Today the University community’s hearts and prayers are with Nicole’s family, friends and loved ones.”

The New Jersey State Police announced on Sept. 14 that they arrested Stephen Headley, a 28 year-old Florence, New Jersey resident for the murder of Ayres. Headley is currently in the hospital in Trenton, New Jersey, being treated for injuries including a broken back that he incurred when he ran out of his mother’s house into the middle of the street and was hit by a truck. He is due to appear in court upon his release from the hospital.

Ayres was an award-winning athlete during her softball career at Fordham, including a rookie-of-the-year award as a freshman in 2007. Born in Westfield, New Jersey, Ayres played softball at Deptford High School.

“We are absolutely stunned to hear

NEWS

Fordham in Brief

about Nicole,” Fordham softball head coach Bridget Orchard said in a press release. “It’s a sad day for us and the players who knew her. Our prayers and thoughts go out to her family and friends in this extremely difficult time.”

Fordham Mourns George McCauley, S.J. The University community mourns the loss of George McCauley, S.J., a former faculty member in the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education, who taught theology and religious education from 1971 to 1987 as an associate professor.

An author, editor and lifelong theologian, McCauley specialized in sacramental theology. He received the GRE’s Founder’s Award at their 2007 Sapientia et Doctrina Celebration.

Following his teaching career, McCauley served as the hospital chaplain at the Jewish Home and Hospital in the Bronx. He also worked with student Eucharistic ministers distributing communion to sick people in hospitals.

McCauley has written five books of poetry, including background music that he composed for two of them, and more recently published a novel called Eddie’s Dream. Group relations fascinated McCauley, who studied these interactions and organized Tavistock Group Relations Conferences

in addition to other group-process experiences.

A visitation was held on Sept. 10 from 3 to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Rose Hill Campus’ Loyola Hall Chapel. The funeral services occurred in the University Church on Sept. 11 at 10:30 a.m.

Fordham Raises $59.7 Million in Fiscal Year 2010 In the third most successful fundraising year in University history, Fordham raised $59.7 million during fiscal year 2010 in the form of new gifts and pledges.

“The continued support for Fordham, even in this struggling economy, is very telling,” Roger Milici, interim vice president for development and University relations, said in a University press release.

Excelsior | Ever Upward | The Campaign for Fordham had raised $337.6 million as of June 30, less than $200 million shy of the $500 million goal.

“Our trustees, alumni, parents and other members of the University community are speaking with their wallets—and from their hearts,” Milici said. “What they’re saying is that Fordham is important; its mission is important; and now especially it is crucial to support the University. I must also say that in this campaign, we are blessed with peerless trustee

volunteers and professional staff, without whom we would not have reached $337.6 million.”

In the second year of the campaign’s public phase, fundraising has exceeded expectations in terms of several important statistics.

Cash payments, in the form of gifts and pledges, increased 26.5 percent over fiscal year 2009 to $41.2 million.

University trustees surpassed their previous fundraising total of $100 million, contributing $101.8 million this year.

Undergraduate alumni giving rose to 27 percent from 24 percent, while the combined giving of graduate and undergraduate alumni improved to 21 percent from 18 percent. Eightysix percent of the senior class contributed to the senior class gift in fiscal year 2010 compared with 64 percent in 2009.

In the coming fiscal year 2011, the University has a fundraising goal of $60 million.

Former Football Ram Hall of Famer Dies at 64 On Sept. 10, Richard B. Marrin, FCRH ’67 and LAW ’70, passed away at 64 years of age, a loss that will certainly not pass unnoticed by the Fordham Univeristy community. Marrin, a two year starting football player, is an Athletic Hall of Famer and a benefactor of the Fordham football program

throughout the years.

“Rich Marrin was a true man of Fordham,” Frank McLaughlin, executive director of athletics, said. “His involvement with the University and especially his mentoring positively impacted the lives of hundreds of our student-athletes and their families.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Marrin family for their loss.

Rich was a significant supporter of Fordham athletics and his presence will be greatly missed.”

Marrin played under Hall of Fame coach Jim Lansing and was part of the 1965 squad that was named the number one club team in the nation. In a successful athletic career that spanned several sports, Marrin earned four varsity letters in squash and three in tennis, under Bob Hawthorn who was also a Hall of Fame coach.

A Bronx resident, Marrin was instrumental to the formation of the Fordham Gridiron Club, a network of former players, alumni and friends that started with the purpose of bolstering support for the football program, its coaches and its players in their developmental efforts. For 20 years, he served as president of this organization.

Marrin’s wake will take place on Sept. 15 from 4 to 8 p.m. at John Day Funeral Home in Red Bank, New Jersey. The funeral mass is scheduled for Sept. 16 at 10 a.m. at the Holy Cross Church in Rumson, New Jersey.

Nation & World COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

In spite of their Senate majority, Democrats face an uphill battle in November’s elections

House Majority: A Look at the Numbers

By CHRIS CILLIZZA WASHINGTON- It’s no secret that House Democrats are headed for a very tough election.

But Democratic strategists are privately hoping that amid the large-scale seat losses they are nearly certain to endure, the volatile national political climate and distaste with the goingson in Washington will allow them to pick off just enough Republican-held seats to narrowly hold the House majority heading into the 112th Congress.

Polling does suggest the electorate’s disgust is not isolated to Democrats, although the majority party will feel its effect more acutely as the side in charge of all three levers (White House, House and Senate) of political Washington.

In a Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted earlier this month, 34 percent of registered voters said Democrats deserved to be reelected this fall, while 31 percent said the same of Republicans. Asked which party they trust to better handle the issues of the day, 40 percent of registered voters named Democrats and 38 percent chose Republicans.

Those numbers, along with others like them in various national polls, are regularly cited by Democratic

strategists as evidence that there may be some silver linings in the ominous electoral clouds building on the horizon.

Here’s a look at seven of Democrats’ best pickup opportunities this fall: - California’s 3rd district: Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Calif., is a rare species these days: a Republican member of Congress from California. After failing to break 50 percent in his 2008 re-election, Lungren is a major target for Democrats who are touting the candidacy of physician Ami Bera. The Sacramento-area district is a partisan jump ball; President Barack Obama won it by 1,592 votes out of more than 329,000 cast in 2008.

- Delaware’s at-large seat: As Rep. Mike Castle, R-Del., battles perennial candidate Christine O’Donnell in Tuesday’s Republican Senate primary, the seat he leaves behind is a major Democratic opportunity. Former Lt. Gov. John Carney, a Democrat who lost a run for governor in 2008, is the heavy favorite in the fall.

- Florida’s 25th district: An open seat occasioned by the retirement of 21st district Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., and the decision of his brother, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., to leave the 25th for the more friendly confines of the 21st gives Democrats a chance in this heavily Hispanic, South Florida seat. Joe Garcia, a Democrat who nearly upset Mario Diaz-Balart in 2008, is running again, this time against state Rep. David Rivera, a Republican.

- Hawaii’s 1st district: Rep. Charles Djou, R-Hawaii, won this race in a May special election. State Sen. Colleen Hanabusa, a Democrat, is the preferred choice in a district that is not only the one Obama calls home but also where he won 70 percent in 2008.

- Illinois’ 10th district: Democrat

Dan Seals twice tried to unseat Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., from this affluent suburban Chicago district where Obama took 61 percent in 2008. But, with Kirk now running for the Senate, Seals is a slight favorite against businessman Bob Dold, a Republican.

- Louisiana’s 2nd district: Rep. Joseph Cao, R-La., was a lone bright spot for Republicans in 2008, knocking off Rep. Bill Jefferson, D-La., in this New Orleans district. But, the heavily Democratic nature of the seat coupled with state Democratic Rep. Cedric Richmond’s convincing primary victory makes Cao the most endangered GOP incumbent in the country.

- Pennsylvania’s 15th district: For the last several election cycles, Democrats tried to lure Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan into the race for this Allentown-area seat. He finally said yes this time around, and Democrats think his Bethlehem base and outsider profile give them a shot to upset Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa., in a district Obama carried by 13 points in 2008.

Iran to Release One of Three Detained U.S. Hikers

By THOMAS ERDBRINK TEHRAN- Iranian judicial authorities on Sunday said they would free an American woman on $500,000 bail after earlier scuttling a governmentorganized release ceremony that had been set for Saturday.

Sarah Shourd, 32, one of three Americans being held here on charges of illegal entry and spying, will be released and will be free to leave the country once the bail money is paid, Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi told Iranian media. He said Shourd is sick, which led to the deci-

sion to free her.

“Based on reports and the approval of the relevant judge about the sickness of Ms. Shourd, her detention was converted to $500,000 bail, and if the bail is deposited, she can be released,” the official Islamic Republic News Agency quoted Dolatabadi as saying.

Shourd’s mother has said her daughter has been denied treatment for serious health problems, including a lump in her breast and precancerous cervical cells.

The reversal by prosecutors comes after what appeared to be a struggle between the government and Iran’s independent judiciary. The initial decision to cancel Shourd’s release had been seen as an embarrassment for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who had intervened to arrange for Shourd to go free in what was billed as a gesture of goodwill for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

The bail is likely to be arranged through the U.S.-interests section of the Swiss Embassy, since the United States does not have an embassy of its own in Tehran. Iranian law does not prevent suspects from leaving the country during their bail period.

There has been no announcement on when Shourd will be freed, but her attorney said it would not be longer than a couple of days.

“She could be freed within two or three days. I am now waiting for the embassy to confirm the bail money is ready,” said Masoud Shafii, the attorney.

In an appearance Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” senior White House adviser David Axelrod said the news from Iran was encouraging, “but there have been starts and stops in this before.”

Axelrod said he would not comment on prospects of getting the two men released, “because we’re at a sen-

sitive stage here.”

At the State Department, spokesman P.J. Crowley said, “We continue to hope and work for the release of all three hikers.”

Shafii said he had met Sunday with Shourd and her two friends Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal in the prison where they have been held since their arrest in July 2009. Shourd was doing “okay, under the circumstances,” Shafii said.

The detentions of Bauer and Fattal have been extended for another two months, the prosecutor said, adding that the court case against the three Americans is nearly finished and all are indicted on charges of spying.

“The suspects did not confess, but we have enough reasons in hand for their spying charges,” Dolatabadi said.

Critics of Ahmadinejad denounced the decision to release Shourd. Senior lawmaker Ahmad Tavakoli said the move had humiliated the independence of the judiciary and was an insult to the nation. He said Ahmadinejad had acted by himself in announcing Shourd’s release.

“When America receives such signals and reactions from us, they will get a false impression that pressures, severe threats, together with such kind of behaviors (as the possible release of Shourd) will be useful, and they will increase their pressures day by day,” Tavakoli told the semi-official Fars news agency.

Iranian authorities say the Americans deliberately crossed into Iranian territory, but family members say the group was hiking in the Kurdish mountains and may have accidentally entered Iran. Relatives have denied that the three are spies.

Staff writer Robert Barnes contributed to this report.

All articles copyright 2010 The Washington Post.

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PAGE 7

Point-Counterpoint: Looking at the Rankings

RAM ARCHIVES

Fordham’s recent jump in the rankings may affect students’ perception of the University, and might attract numerous donors and increased numbers of prospective students applications to the school.

College Rankings Are Important Because People Think That They Do Matter

By CHRISTINE BARCELLONA OPINIONS EDITOR

It seems impractical to look at hundreds or thousands of institutions and expect to be able to rank them. The ranking exercise is frivolous but also essential; with so many colleges in the country, it helps for people to see how they stack up against one another based on certain factors.

The rankings are not hard-and-fast facts.

They are the opinions of the staffs of different publications, which have different goals and expertise. Despite the inaccuracies and flaws in the practice of ranking schools, Fordham’s continual rise in the U.S. News and World Report rankings is good news because so many prospective students, possible donors and members of the general public put a lot of stock in the rankings. For better or for worse, rankings are important because most people think they are.

The rankings system clearly does have flaws. There is no way to look at every dimension of all these different universities and expect to level them out in a way that makes comparison possible. Different schools have different specialties, and it is clear that the No. 1 school on one list may not be right for a student looking for an institution with a different set of values. Harvard is ranked No. 1 on U.S. News and World Report’s list of national universities, but its No. 1 ranking might not interest someone who wants to attend a purely liberal arts school in a rural setting.

However, Harvard’s No. 1 ranking is important to the thousands, if not millions, of people in the United States and around the world who dream of attending the legendary institution. Its lofty status is important to everyone who picks up a Princeton Review book and sees it top the charts in different categories. Its high ranking does not mean it is the best, but it means that an important number of people think it is the best University. That perception is invaluable and drives up the number of applicants, donors, press attention, prestigious faculty members and even tourists to the campus.

In the same way, Fordham’s leap in the U.S. News and World Report rankings, from number 84 in 2002 to number 56 this summer, affects people’s perception of the school.

Suddenly, people notice that this little school in New York City has tied Boston University in the rankings, and all the people who es-

teemed Boston University suddenly wonder what is so great about Fordham.

There is a reason why Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J., president of the University, constantly mentions when Newsweek named Fordham the “Hottest Catholic School in America.” One of Fordham’s goals is to become more regionally diverse; while the University is well respected in the northeastern United States, many high schoolers around the country have never heard of Fordham.

With the Newsweek ranking, suddenly people all over the country read a description of this exciting school in an exciting city. Prospective students spend a few moments picturing themselves in New York City at this urban oasis.

While rankings might not be completely accurate measurements of a school’s merit and value, most organizations comment on their methodology of ranking and explain what was important to them. Oftentimes, large factors are donations and endowments, which do skew the rankings, because schools can have a lot of money but spend it in ways that do not help students. However, when organizations say why they put schools where they do on the rankings, they help to legitimize rankings as school evaluation tools.

Smart prospective students do glance at methodologies, which help them understand whether or not that particular list has much to do with their own priorities.

Whether they are accurate or not, rankings are what prospective students turn to when they first start their college search. They peruse lists to see what names stand out. Though there are dozens of factors that go into a prospective student’s decision-making process, there are often fewer factors that go into choosing what the student’s “dream schools” are. They are the universities a person has heard of, and many of those are famous ones like Harvard, which top the rankings.

Ironically, much of a university’s name recognition springs from its place on the rankings, and often a university’s name recognition goes into evaluating it for the rankings.

However, that circular logic does not affect the importance of college rankings. For as long as people care about college rankings, it will be right for Fordham to pay attention to and emphasize them.

Christine Barcellona, FCRH ’12, is an English major from Dallas, Texas. She can be reached at cbarcellona@fordham.edu.

Rankings Fail to Examine Colleges from Every Angle, Oversimplify Aspects

By ISABEL BROWN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

When I walk into a Barnes and Noble in mid-July, I can’t help noticing the thick sheaves of Newsweek and Kaplan reports on the “100 Best” and “200 Best,” respectively, of undergraduate and graduate schools in the nation. For $10 a pop, I can purchase How to Get in to College 2010 and presumably be educated on a campus replete with autumn foliage and, dare I say it, ivy climbing up the walls soon thereafter.

What, exactly, determines whether a school is among the “best”? After poring over these periodicals as a high school junior, I could probably recite the median standardized test scores of Amherst or Fordham’s 2008 freshman classes, but as for the types of professors there, I could not describe a thing. In the mad rush to get into a nationally recognized school, and to give your parents the pleasure of slapping a ritzy-sounding bumper sticker on their cars, the growing “admissions industry” has overlooked no small number of crucial factors that define a student’s college experience.

Amid a dizzying grid of graduation rates, ACT/SAT scores, tuition rates (for the especially comprehensive) and, of course, the ominously skewed ratio of admitted students to applicants, it is rare that you will stumble upon an average class size or whether your instructor has a doctorate or is simply a teaching assistant. In calculating rankings based on how well freshmen did in high school (quite a different pond, academically speaking, than college) and matriculation, these Web sites and magazines ignore what a college is actually like.

With millions of dollars to be made on the nervousness of high school students already panicking about their adult lives, the companies who determine rankings know that this demographic is more likely to ignore crucial information about a college’s actual atmosphere in favor of virtually meaningless data.

While most colleges favor a very general range of accomplishment level and scores in making their decisions, the numbers that, for example, students in 2008 had might not get them into the same school today, even if those are the scores listed on the rankings for this year’s admission season.

Branding, too, plays an overblown role in rankings. Tens of thousands of students apply to schools based on the veritable “title” of hav-

ing attended a well-reputed institution. With minimal, if any, research into what the culture of that school is like, they dive into applications, overjoyed by the idea of going there.

Or, more likely, the impression it will make on every person they tell about where they went to college. When they arrive for their first day of class—if they get in—and are sitting somewhere in the middle of a 500-student lecture, the divide between what Kaplan promised and what Yale or Harvard delivered can be overwhelming.

A Rose Hill freshman living in Tierney described her own reactions to the application season as exhausting.

“I was excited about college, until the applications,” she said. “Then, I decided that I didn’t care that much about what happened with them.”

After years of cautious preparation, the rush to fill out glowing applications to schools I thought I had my heart set on seemed to lose its thrill. I shipped off what I felt were rote packages of essays and scores that announced the same message as everyone else: Take me!

I’m a good person! I want to have a comfortable future and appear educated, despite really being thousands of dollars in debt.

Chris Nascone, FCRH ’14, took a slightly more relaxed attitude when it came to his applications.

“I just kind of chilled and waited until the last moment to fill everything out,” he said. “So far, it’s good, and I really have no complaints.”

Students here seemed to say that, for all their stress in the years leading up to college application season, the influence rankings held on where they applied was scant. As a Fordham freshman, I have been pleasantly surprised. I am still waiting to take an overcrowded lecture course, and I haven’t had a single class with a teaching assistant. Granted, I’m only in my first semester. My naïveté, and luck, is pretty obvious.

College rankings are there to measure the type of person who begins his or her education at a particular college. The gaping hole that needs to be filled in those pages, however, is the type of person who comes out of it.

Isabel Brown, FCRH ’14, is an undeclared English major from Newingtown, Conn.

Staff Poll: When The Ram was polled, 12 staff members said rankings factored into their college decision, while 7 staff members said rankings were not their main focus.

OPINIONS

PAGE 8 • THE RAM • SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

The Ram Serving campus and community since 1918.

The Ram is the University journal of record. The mission of The 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 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 12,000. The Ram office is located in the basement of the McGinley Center, room B-52.

www.theramonline.com Editorial: (718) 817-0873 Production: (718) 817-4381 Newsroom: (718) 817-4394 Advertising: (718) 817-4379 Fax: (718) 817-4319 theram@fordham.edu Fordham University - Station 37 Box B Bronx, NY 10458 Editor-in-Chief Mark Becker Managing Editor Abigail Forget Design Editor Stephen Moccia Business Editor Caroline Dahlgren News Editor Patrick Derocher Assistant News Editor Victoria Rau Opinions Editor Christine Barcellona Assistant Opinions Editor Brian Kraker Culture Editor Celeste Kmiotek Assistant Culture Editor Jen Cacchioli Sports Editors Danny Atkinson Nick Carroll Assistant Sports Editor Jon Smith Copy Chief Claire Borders Copy Team Mary Alcaro Tara Cannon Melissa Dulebohn Tom Haskin Sean McGonigle Sandy McKenzie Olivia Monaco Jillian Minihan Jenna Petronglo Sarah Ramirez Hussein Safa Nicki Torok Ryan Vale Annie Zutz Photo Editor Simon Sulit Operations Editor Mike Burkart Web Editor Kelly Caggiano Assistant Web Editors Tracy Fan Ou Cara Stellato Faculty Advisor Beth Knobel Opinions Policy The Ram appreciates submissions that are typed and saved on a disk in a *.rtf, *.txt or *.doc formats, or sent to the staff via e-mail at RamLetters@fordham.edu. Commentaries are printed on a space available basis.

The Ram reserves the right to reject any submission for any reason, without notice.

Submissions become the exclusive property of The Ram and will not be returned.

The Ram reserves the right to edit any submissions. The opinions in The 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 Ram may be reproduced without written consent.

From the Desk of Danny Atkinson, Sports Editor I have found myself fascinated by the debate over the Park51 Community Center in Lower Manhattan.

It has engaged me completely and caused me significant frustration over the direction in which public discourse is going in this country. I am no expert, but it is hard to get any intelligent ideas across in the debate over the project when they are all drowned out by vitriol.

The actual facts behind the proposed community center have largely been obscured behind the daily blasts of anger and fear from forces who loudly oppose it. The center will be located two blocks from the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan and will not be visible from Ground Zero. While some vocal opponents of the project seem to act as if the site will just be a giant mosque in the middle of Manhattan that symbolizes hatred of American values and support for terrorism, the mosque is actually a very small part of the community center, which will include an auditorium, a fitness center and a culinary school.

Opponents of the project conveniently seem to have forgotten that there are similar religiously affiliated community centers in Manhattan and that there were Muslim religious facilities which existed at the World Trade Center before the attacks. The Park51 project will do much more

good for its area of Lower Manhattan than harm.

America was founded on the principle of freedom of religion. It has always protected those who were shunned or prosecuted because of their beliefs and the Constitutional right to freedom of religion is practically inviolate. The fact that freedom of religion is being attacked in New York City, the cultural melting pot of the world, is especially galling. Park51 will hopefully contribute to stronger relations between the United States and the Islamic world. It will be a beautiful representation of our nation’s religious tolerance and freedom and the Muslim world’s friendship with the United States. The community center will serve as a symbol of religious and cultural tolerance, peacefulness and education. The sponsors of Park51 are supportive of our nation’s beliefs and the beliefs of our friends. Americans themselves, particularly in our media, are the ones who are shutting the door that has been opened in global faith.

Many of the center’s opponents have not wanted to have an honest debate on the merits of its location.

They have instead used fear mongering tactics to try to defeat the building of the center, thereby hurting the image of New York City and the United States. You only have to turn on Fox News or read the musings of out-of-

touch conservative columnists to find media figures who are portraying the issue falsely and irresponsibly. The community center has been painted as a symbol of hatred for America and a reminder of the terrorism perpetuated on Sept. 11, even though it is absolutely meant to be a symbol of our bounds with the Muslim world and religious understanding. The men and women behind the funding of Park51, especially Iman Feisal Abdul Rauf, have been painted as anti-American and as supporters of terrorism despite past history indicating their business deals with American companies. Rauf also has made numerous statements, including on live TV, that he has no connection to nefarious interests and that he is 100 percent opposed to the message of Hamas and their acts of terror.

The vitriol displayed by the conservative media has destroyed the chance for the message of Park51’s importance to get out. The mainstream media has ignored important truths in the debate like Rauf’s vehement opposition to Hamas or the fact that Muslim facilities were once housed at the World Trade Center.

Many of our best, most diligent reporters have been very lukewarm or opposed in one way or another to the community center from fear of facing vicious attacks. As a result, many of the American people do not

know enough about Park51’s merits to make an informed decision. As someone who wants to work in the media, I am ashamed of how it has failed the American people and the entire Park51 project by not reporting the truth clearly and professionally. They have clouded an issue that should be clear.

You may be opposed to the building of the Park51 community center in Lower Manhattan, may think that it is disrespectful to the victims of Sept. 11 and their families and that it will hurt relations between the U.S. and the Islamic world. However, I completely disagree. I strongly support Park51 and believe it will be a symbol of strengthened relations and religious tolerance. Over time, Americans will come to realize that the community center is good for New York, good for America and good for the world. Time heals all wounds, and Park51 will allow us to rebuild what was broken on that fateful day in 2001.

Summer Classes a Credit to Fordham Students

By ARIANA FEDORA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Are you interested in catching up or getting ahead in your classes?

Are you looking to take a class with a specific professor? Does focusing on one class in a small amount of time interest you? Are you trying to graduate early? Fordham’s summer session offers students these opportunities, continuing their education well after their last final has been turned in.

Taking summer classes can help you get ahead of your classmates or catch up with necessary credits.

They are fantastic because they allow you to focus on only one or two subjects without having other classes to worry about. Summer session also provides students a limited course load, registering for only one or two courses. Without the other responsibilities of the normal school year, such as commitments to teams, clubs, and social life, students are allotted suffi-

cient time to concentrate on their class. Classes condense a semesterlong course into five weeks and extend each meeting to three hours, allowing students to earn credits faster.

Summer classes maintain the routine established by the structured schedule of the school year, minimizing the adjustment period when students are presented with a full course load in September. Taking classes in the summer forces you to stay in the groove of maintaining a schedule, going to class and studying. The classes are usually very small, allowing the classroom to have an intimate environment and great access to the professor. This makes it very easy for students to meet new people and to help each other throughout the short, dense course. Although there are exceptions, professors of summer classes are generally more lenient and hope to make the class more enjoyable and interesting, as they are aware that there are many

Are your friends tired of hearing you complain? Write for The Ram opinions section. We want to hear from you.

E-mail us at: fordhamramopinions@gmail.com If you have an opinion about something you saw in this week’s issue of The Ram, send us a Letter to the Editor at: ramletters@fordham.edu

Attention all new and returning writers: We will hold an Opinions writing workshop on Thursday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. in McGinley B-52.

other ways for students to spend their summer time.

Both Rose Hill and Lincoln Center offer an array of classes in the summer, which are divided in two sessions, Session I in June and Session II in July. Fordham offers courses in a majority of majors, including introductory and upperlevel classes, although most classes are core requirements.

This past summer, I took part of Fordham College at Rose Hill’s English Core requirement at Lincoln Center, a class called Texts and Contexts: America in Black and White. The class met on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in June from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. While Texts and Contexts moved at a fast pace, it was great because I had so much time to become immersed in the work for this one class. Do not let the pressure of the condensed class sway you; if you are committed to the class, then you will have plenty of time outside of the classroom to accomplish the work and perform

well. Professor Kohl was extremely accessible and welcomed students to attend office hours for help with assignments. Taking Texts and Contexts in June allowed me to maintain a certain amount of momentum throughout the summer, which made the start of this school year very easy. My professor was truly moving, and I am grateful for having taken a class with her. The subject material and lectures were interesting, making the graded work easier to understand.

The University has established a summer program that successfully condenses the academic experience of a semester into a month.

For a student looking to fulfill a core requirement or attempt a double major, Fordham’s summer classes are the best choice for students with college on their mind, even after the academic year has ended.

Ariana Fedora, FCRH ’13, is an English and Spanish major from Brooklyn, NY.

AA at Rose Hill:Get sober, Stay sober.

Thurs 1-2 pm starting 9/16, Spellman Hall, lower entrance.

For info please call Gerard at x5392.

Admin Shake-Up

By CHRISTOPHER KENNEDY STAFF WRITER

For the first time in its 169-year history, a priest will not, in essence, be the head of Fordham’s administration, in a series of shake-ups bringing major changes to the hierarchy.

According to a press release issued on Sept. 13, 2010, Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J., president of the University, and the Board of Trustees have “elected to streamline Fordham’s administrative structure so that [McShane] can devote more of his time and energy to fundraising.”

What does this mean for Fordham? Hopefully, very little except for a stronger push for fundraising in order to achieve the goals of the Excelsior Campaign. Anyone who knows anything about McShane knows that one of his strengths is, and has been, fundraising. With an endowment much smaller than our aspirant institutions, Fordham will be well served by McShane in this role.

However, this administrative shake-up raises some obvious questions. For one, the hierarchy in the press release, at least according to this writer, seems somewhat convoluted. While naming Senior Vice President/Chief Academic Officer Stephen Freedman as provost makes sense, as his new title accurately reflects his added roles in curricular and budget planning, who exactly is in control of the other aspects of the University remains unclear.

For example, Thomas Dunne, currently vice president for government relations and urban affairs, will assume the position of vice president for administration. His new portfolio includes the office of the vice president for Lincoln Center and the office of the vice president for facilities management.

However, both of those offices are filled by Dr. Brian Byrne and Marc Valera, respectively.

It might sound simplistic, but one must ask how, in order to “streamline” operations, a vice president can be above another vice president. Moreover, does anyone remain at the top, in essence?

If a dispute arises, say, about an issue concerning library facilities at Lincoln Center, the resolution would be in the hands of Freedman, the provost and the overseer of the University Library; Dunne, whose portfolio now includes Facilities management; Valera, vice president for facilities; and Byrne, VP for Lincoln Center. Keeping track? That’s the provost and three

vice presidents. Previously, McShane, well known as a hands-on administrator, could be counted on to resolve any issues concerning multiple departments. Now, however, like a boat without a captain to right the ship, Fordham’s administration seems at risk of falling into chaos.

This is not to say, though, that Freedman and Dunne are not competent or should not be trusted with additional authority. Freedman, as chief academic officer, has done wonders in improving academics here at Fordham, an (obviously) important part of increasing our prestige. Dunne, in his role, has worked with the city to get the regional parking facility and new residence halls built, and has thus far ensured that the Lincoln Center expansion will proceed as planned.

I merely mean to point out that efforts to “streamline” the administration, as the press release stated, seem to make it more complicated.

Yet another issue concerns the Office of Mission and Ministry.

This office will remain headed by Monsignor Joseph Quinn. However, according to the press release, the office will now fall into the portfolio of Jeffrey L. Gray, vice president for student affairs. Again, we have an issue of two vice presidents being on an unequal footing. Gray already oversees several departments; among them being athletics, Residential Life and Hospitality and Dining Services. Monsignor Quinn, however, oversees Campus Ministry, the Dorothy Day Center, the GO! program and the Fordham Center on Religion and Culture.

With those four departments seemingly running very smoothly, why, again in the effort to “streamline” would the hierarchy change?

Among students, several of the offices in the Division of Student Affairs are said to have issues with red tape; I for one would hate to see Campus Ministry and the Dorothy Day Center be afflicted with these issues due to an extra layer of bureaucracy.

While I trust that McShane and the Board of Trustees have acted in a way that they feel is best for the smooth operation of the University, I remain very curious about the lack of a singular acting head of all of Fordham’s departments and the additional, and seemingly unnecessary, oversight of the Office of Mission and Ministry. Perhaps, however, I would best be served by putting aside my befuddlement and proclaiming “Ever Upward!”

Christopher Kennedy, FCRH ’12, is a theology major from Mystic, Conn.

Issue of the Week:

Midterm Elections A Look at the World Outside of Fordham from the Perspective of Professional News Bloggers

See what commentators from the Left and the Right have to say about mideterm elections.

OPINIONS

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 • THE RAM • PAGE 9

Orientation Makes Up For Early Chaos

PHOTO COURTESY OF BOBBY SKODA

Among other things, upperclassmen helped make move-in less stressful for freshmen by unloading baggage from cars.

You check to make sure you have unloaded everything out of the van into which you seemed to have packed your entire life. Your parents look around your new home one last time before giving tearful goodbyes full of well-wishes to you and your roommate, whom you have just met. Your parents walk out the door, and you watch them as they drive away from the curb.

You turn back into your dorm, sad to see one stage of your life end, but grateful for the chance to start anew. High school is merely a distant memory at this point, for you are now a college student.

I was not afforded all of these seminal, necessary moments when I moved in to Fordham a week before everyone else to train for my work-study job, driving the Ram Van. Though I was promised a group to help me move, what I instead received was an alternate room from my own assignment, as I found an Orientation Leader sleeping in mine. My parents and I moved my possessions in across the hall, knowing I would have to move everything again within two days’ time. Yes, my parents gave me the teary, heartfelt goodbye, but they left in a fit of anger directed toward the Office of Residential Life. No one, besides my RA , was in my dormitory, and I could not help but feel that the university to which I had been granted residence early had abandoned me.

By the time orientation weekend began with the sound of the movein group helping other freshmen move into my dormitory the following Sunday, I was ahead of the

game. I had been here for a week, I knew where everything was and I was ready to do whatever was necessary to win as many free Tshirts as possible. At this point, I felt as though orientation would merely be a formality, a roadblock between myself and my classes, when I would finally learn whatever I needed to make that highly sought-after first million by 21. I did not look forward to orientation or any of its activities beyond the aforementioned T-shirts and the chance to interact with other freshmen, an opportunity that had largely eluded me during the week of training.

Between the free bagel brunch on Alpha House Lawn and the accompanying jazz band, the first few hours of Sunday were an astounding success for me. My roommates seemed nice enough, and though the powers-that-be placed us in a forced triple, we felt we could deal with this issue. When I went to the Welcome Mass on Sunday evening, I finally felt fully confident in my decision to attend Fordham University. I had turned down a full scholarship to a college in my home state for this opportunity and had allowed myself to question that decision many times in the first week, but now I felt better. At Mass, when a fellow freshman asked me, rather timidly, “Aren’t you even a little bit scared?” I knew in my heart of hearts that, really, I was not scared.

She began to cry, and her roommate and I did our best to console her. I can tell you that she seems to be doing quite well right now, the homesickness having long been cured.

Nevertheless, after families left I felt a little intimidated at the pros-

pect of attending mandatory small group sessions. However, my small group leaders, Liz and Alie, alleviated my fears and made me actually want to go to small group meetings on Monday and Tuesday. They were down-to-earth and knowledgeable, the two traits anyone could hope for from orientation leaders. The freshman candlelight ceremony on Sunday night gave me the conspicuous feeling that I belonged, as cliché as that sentence may seem.

From the candlelight ceremony to the floor meetings to the mentor group activities to the multiple welcome addresses from deans we did not even know existed, I recall the following two days as mostly a blur of people speaking to fellow classmates and me, CBA and otherwise, essentially making the same points repeatedly. I understand that it is necessary to have all of these discussions, but that does not mean I have to enjoy them.

I commend Fordham University and all of the people with whom I came in touch over that weekend for attempting to make orientation as fun, exciting, and easy as possible. Next year, however, I would hope that incoming freshmen do have to experience what I did. Every student deserves the opportunity to have the storybook college beginning, and though, my work-study training forced me here a week early, I humbly ask that next year, should someone find themselves in my shoes, Fordham at least move them into the correct room. Perhaps another free T-shirt would ease the pain.

Rory Masterson, CBA ’14, is an business administration major from Fort Mill, S.C.

Steve Lombardo, The Huffington Post

Ed Morrissey, Hot Air

Will Rodgers, humorist

“The political pendulum has swung far toward the Republicans. The oil leak dominated headlines for nearly three months…[signaling] to voters that President Obama and the administration were not as competent as previously thought.”

“The GOP looks to be rolling towards a huge midterm victory, but they should take nothing for granted. Republicans need to keep tying individual Democrats to their party leadership, including the debacle of the Obama-Pelosi-Reid agenda.”

“We always want the best man to win an election. Unfortunately, he never runs.”

By RORY MASTERSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Compiled by Brian Kraker

Follow The Ram at twitter.com/ thefordhamram.

PAGE 10 • THE RAM • SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

OPINIONS

Proposed Fordham Plaza Beautification Plans

PHOTO BY SIMON SULIT/THE RAM

Fordham Plaza, which hosts various vendors as a busy commuter terminal, will soon see renovations and grassy parks.

By BRIAN KRAKER ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR

Fordham is not a traditional university nestled in a pristine college town. School flags do not adorn Main Street, nor does the whole community drape itself in maroon and white to commence the start of an athletic season. Fordham is a city school, a Gothic oasis in the midst of an urban desert. The atmosphere produced from a collegiate campus juxtaposed with the Bronx is unlike any university. Yet, this contrast may not be as stark in the coming years, with New

York City’s announcement of a renovation project for Fordham Plaza.

According to the New York Daily News, the city is considering a new report, which “envisions farmers’ markets, movie showings, concert series and other radical changes for the plaza.” A study conducted by WKY Architecture and Urban Design suggests streamlining the 12 bus routes that currently stop in Fordham Plaza’s vicinity, providing easier foot traffic and increased consumer potential.

Other proposed changes include solar paneled buildings, an

“iconic” Metro-North entrance and artificial turf. The proposed renovations are estimated to cost $26 million, with $7.5 million already secured by city officials, according to the Bronx Times.

These renovations would undoubtedly bring a boom to the Fordham Plaza community.

While $439 million was spent in the area last year, marketing research suggests that the onemile radius surrounding the plaza contains more than $1 billion in spending potential, according to the Bronx Times. While they need additional student loans for the small fortune they

spend shopping in Manhattan, most Fordham students pass by the Bronx shops on their trips to the D train. In the past few years, several major chains, including Applebee’s, Best Buy and Sears, have opened locations on Fordham Road.

These improvements to the area will only encourage more businesses to open new branches.

Fordham Road will not replace Park Avenue, but this construction will keep Fordham students, and their parents’ checkbooks, in the Bronx.

These renovations will also serve as a recruiting tool for potential students. The majority of high school students arrive at Fordham with misconceptions of the Bronx as the prodigal son of the five boroughs. With over protective mothers swaddling their children in bubble wrap over the thought of sending their darlings away to college, when presented with the culture shock of Fordham Road, many hesitate to apply to the Bronx school.

Yet, after the renovations, when visiting families exit the subway station, the Bronx will greet them with recreational parks and bike routes, rather than the culture shock of the city. This immaculate environment will ease anxieties of muggings and safety, presenting prospective students the cozy college atmosphere they expect to accompany Fordham’s immaculate campus.

With these renovations comes the demolition of the character

that sets the Fordham section apart from other New York City schools. From advertisements blaring over loudspeakers and outlet stores that offer clothing that fits the flavor of the borough, Fordham Road embodies the character of the Bronx.

That short trip from Walsh gate to the D stop provides students a glimpse into a world that is far beyond the confines of their white picket fence upbringing. Living in the Bronx, not the proposed Greenwich Village knockoff, provides students with experiences no university can encapsulate into a core curriculum.

While these improvements will provide Fordham Plaza with a much-needed facelift, these renovations come at the cost of the Bronx’s character. These designs present a façade to visitors of Fordham Road, masking the Bronx behind a veil of solar panel draped buildings and artificial turf. The Bronx and Fordham Road are deserving of construction which improves the outward appearance of buildings and attracts business, but not one that compromises the personality of the borough. While Fordham Plaza gets a clean-cut Manhattan makeover, Fordham Road’s untamable persona will be looking a little more Fordham Prep.

Brian Kraker, FCRH ’12, is an English and computer science major from Pompton Lakes, N.J. He can be reached at kraker@fordham.edu.

WikiLeaks Besmirches Journalistic Ethics

COURTESY OF WIKILEAKS

A Web site which provides browsers confidential information, WikiLeaks has caused controversy with its articles.

By PATRICK DEROCHER NEWS EDITOR

If you had not heard of the Web site WikiLeaks before July, chance are you certainly know what it is by now. Created in 2006 by Australian activist Julian Assange, a former hacker, computer programmer and student of physics and math, the site is dedicated to publishing otherwise inaccessible documents pertaining to political, economic and social matter. WikiLeaks made big splashes with the film “Collateral Murder,” which was

released in April, and the Afghan War Diaries, which was released in July.

WikiLeaks has been the subject of a flurry of criticism and commentary, receiving praise from The Economist, New York Daily News and Amnesty International amongst others while being lambasted and even censored by the governments of Thailand, Germany and the United States.

It would seem that opposition to and support of WikiLeaks has fallen along distinct lines: those who criticize the site generally see it as a group of troublesome meddlers doing more harm than good, while those who support it tend to champion the intrepid journalistic spirit that they see in Assange and his compatriots.

This second group of people, the journalists, is wrong about WikiLeaks and Julian Assange.

The attitude that the journalism community tends to take is that WikiLeaks is doing invaluable work in revealing government cover-ups, conspiracies and general mischief. To a certain extent, they have a point; April’s “Collateral Murder” video of a lethal airstrike on July 12, 2007 was valuable in two ways. First, and perhaps more obviously, there is the revelation that, American military force has been used in inappropriate, even criminal ways in Afghanistan. Clearly this is a problem, and clearly something needs to be done about it.

This brings me to the second and perhaps more important point regarding the United States Army’s response to the incident: arresting Private First Class Bradley Manning and doing nothing about the people responsible for the depicted massacre. However egregious Manning’s transgressions are, those of the U.S. soldiers in the video are almost definitely worse and should not be ignored by the Army.

It would appear that this is where WikiLeaks’ utility ends.

This is not the Web site of investigative, muckraking journalism Assange & Co. would have you believe so much as a borderline sensationalist attention grabber.

Keep in mind that these are the same people who brought you such Earth-shaking documents revealing proof that Scientology is “wacky,” the British National Party’s membership list and the contents of Sarah Palin’s Yahoo account, though I imagine this last one must be highly amusing.

Before April 2010, most of what WikiLeaks posted was utterly trite and/or revealed nothing new to the world, unless you were under the impression that Somalia had a functionally peaceful government or that being held at Guantánamo Bay was fun.

With the release of the “Collateral Murder” video, WikiLeaks began to move in the direction of a legitimate investigative or-

ganization. On the horizon was a release of documents that promised untold revelations about the war in Afghanistan. The Afghan War Diaries were (and still are) touted as a latter-day Pentagon Papers.

Brief history lesson: The Pentagon Papers, released by the New York Times beginning in June 1971, was a survey of U.S. military actions between 1945 and 1967. Contained in its 47 volumes was the revelation that the American people and media had been systematically lied to by presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson as the war had secretly been expanded to Cambodia and Laos, with an intensified assault on North Vietnam. President Johnson even went so far as to attribute his plans for bombing North Vietnam to Senator Barry Goldwater. The Pentagon Papers were instrumental, even directly responsible, for the American public turning against the Vietnam War once and for all, leading eventually to our abandonment of that conflict.

What did the Afghan War Diaries tell us? Did President Bush lie to us about the presence of the Taliban in Afghanistan? Were we lied to about the expansion of the war? Did President Clinton have anything to do with the War in Afghanistan? The basic point of the War Diaries was that the war is not going well for the

United States, that civilians are dying unnecessarily and that Iraq and Pakistan, to whom the United States is funneling mountains of aid money, may be supporting Afghan insurgencies.

This is tantamount to claiming that the statements “Sodexo is serving us bad food” and “Sodexo is serving us Subway rats disguised as beef ” carry the same weight. Not only is Assange conflating his actions with something far weightier, but his revelations are also painfully obvious to anyone with six active brain cells.

At this point, with all of its self-promoting, WikiLeaks cannot be seen as a valuable journalistic source so much as an attention junkie that needs to justify its own self-importance; it is less Jacob Riis than Spencer Pratt.

That all being said, it must be admitted that the site has done good work in releasing the “Collateral Murder” video. However, what change has this brought about? Sure, we have evidence of some troubling actions and priorities on the part of the United States Army, but it seems unlikely that this is going to change. All that has changed is the employment and employability of a 22 year-old PFC from Maryland.

Patrick Derocher, FCRH ’12, is an international political economies and economics major from Loudonville, NY. He can be reached at derocher@fordham.edu.

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SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

PAGE 13

One Fashionista’s View of Fashion Week JENNIFER CACCHIOLI ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR

It’s that time of year again, when beautiful people swarm the city and designers reveal their long-awaited creations. Spanning from Sept. 9 to 16, New York Fashion Week for the spring/summer 2011 season makes its home this year in a new location, Lincoln Center, leaving its old domain within the tents at Bryant Park. While the setting may be different, the preceding hype was just as great, if not heightened by the immensely popular Fashion’s Night Out, held throughout the city last Friday.

I have always known that this an extremely crazy time for fashion magazines, which depend on these collections to fill their monthly spreads, but now that I have actually seen a bit of the frenzy up-close, it is admittedly a bit unbelievable.

As a Teen Vogue intern in my second week, I haven’t yet set foot near a show, but within the walls of the fashion closet, the intensity of work jumped from a mediocre four to a high nine. Running garment bags all over the city, tending to the staff ’s Fashion Week needs and making sure every show is in lookbook form are just some of nearly

one million things that have to be accomplished in the course of one day.

An aspect of the industry that I am happy to see is actually true is how passionate everyone is about what they do and the designers they respect. One designer for whom it seems everyone has a passion every year is Marc Jacobs. While Fashion Week is not yet over, it has probably reached its high point and realized its defining trend with his highly anticipated show, which unfolded at the New York Armory Monday night. A strong vibe of ’70s disco glamour permeated from the runway as gold satin hotpants, dramatically frizzed-out hair and vibrant splashes of red and orange appeared on models. One ensemble featuring a midriff-bearing tie top, oversized sunglasses and an enormous hat perfectly evoked the nostalgic ‘70s feeling Jacobs seemed to hone in on.

Diane von Furstenburg received vast praise for her collection, whose bold yellow and green prints suggested the same trend Marc Jacobs was going for. This collection was a great example of the designer’s unmatched talent for mixing unique patterns that might seemingly clash, though end up fit-

ting together seamlessly.

Budding designer Alexander Wang, who is currently one of the most buzzed-about figures in the fashion crowd, ushered in a much different look for the spring/summer season. In a palette of soft, neutral colors with touches of light green and brown, Wang’s designs consisted of light, simply cut layers along with oversized sheer silks and an array of matching jackets.

The absence of dark colors and outfits made for the nightlife is somewhat surprising, considering that this look was the designer’s claim to fame.

This softer direction was mirrored in a number of other shows, such as Rag & Bone. Their collection featured a similar oversized, sheer fabric amongst its looks, adding more constructed tops with silver details and bolder colors than Wang’s designs.

Though the photographs have yet to be revealed, Tom Ford held a small, private debut for his own collection, which is already garnering accolades from those lucky enough to have witnessed the show. Ford, who seems to be successful in everything – from designing for Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent to directing films like the A Single Man – has

not made womenswear in quite some time. Therefore, this long-anticipated collection will most likely make a lasting effect when the images are released, not to mention the likes of Beyoncé and Julianne Moore apparently walked the runway in Ford’s designs.

With a few days left of Fashion Week, it is still too early to tell what all the major trends of the season will turn out to be. There is a good

Day” rule; white is crisp, clean and very elegant. While the runways were snow-blinding at times, color was not always absent. Gold, acid green and dusty rose broke up the sometimes monotonous hoards of white-clad models.

Remember the retro floral prints that everyone was wearing this past spring? Well, forget them because geometric prints are entirely in this year. Everything from Alhambra knots to ’60s mod, to tribal prints and anything in between showed up on the runways. However, the patterns never took on the kitschwall-paper look of last year’s floral prints. Most of the patterns were done in neutrals or just black and white.

As for shapes, high-waisted

pants and shorts are here to stay, but the lengths have somewhat changed. Shorts are a little longer, giving in to the overall classier feel of this year’s shows. Not everyone can pull off a pair of high-waisted pants; the proportion is difficult and sometimes unflattering (think Jessica Simpson), but everyone can find the right-shaped skirt that flatters. The dramatic A-line is back as well as the pencil, and the odd bellshaped banded skirts have left.

While many of the trends centered around extremely tailored looks, some designers managed to incorporate a romantic feel in their collections with the use of cut-outs of see-through material, or just letting the skin show like in Thakoon Panichgul’s show–I doubt he will

be dressing the first lady in any of these more risqué designs. Overall, though, the looks were still polished.

It is not surprising that many designers either cited past eras for their inspiration, or were compared to them.

Marc Jacobs discussed Studio 54 and its many personalities as his inspiration while Carolina Herrera’s show looked like Holly Golightly (Breakfast at Tiffany’s) met up with some Far East influences. While Vera Wang said her show was inspired by Kill Bill, the looks were equally as tailored and sophisticated as any of the designers who took past decades as inspiration.

Additionally, Wang incorporated some Far Eastern designs like the obi belt, and she was certainly not alone.

Easily the show with the most buzz was that of Tom Ford, who returned after six years without a women’s fashion show. In addition to having mostly celebrity models, Ford’s show is so discussed because it is inaccessible for the public. He did not post pictures or videos of his show online and says he will not do so until December because, as he put it: “I want fashion to be fun again, like it was in the ’60s.”

This mostly sums up many of the designers’ spring 2011 collections; they are fun, glamorous and chic.

Making all of these trends work for you can sometimes be a daunting task, especially if you are under the impression that you have to start from scratch when spring arrives. Beginning to incorporate the new trends into your fall wardrobe can ease the transition. Also, beside

chance, though, that standouts like the ’70s glamour and neutral minimalism will appear again this week on the runway. Closely watched names like Rodarte, Proenza Schouler, Anna Sui, Calvin Klein and Michael Kors have yet to show.

While you can expect more surprises from these designers, the similarities between collections will inevitably take shape as our spring/summer trends are born.

TODD PLITT - DELARENTA/KRT

Gold clothing was a mainstay of many designers during Fashion Week.

Wondering What to Wear: Fashion Week Sets the Trends

By CLARA ENNIST STAFF WRITER

As the weather changes in fall and everyone is looking to put on their sweaters and boots, it is time for the annual Mercedes Benz Fashion Week to roll in to New York City and give everyone something to look forward to for springtime.

Fashion Week not only sets the trends for clothing, but also for hair and beauty. This year, tailoring is going to be key when picking out spring clothing. The saggy romper and sack dress are not cutting it anymore; it is time for sophistication and simple, clean lines. Everyone should be happy to know that white is still in. Forget the whole “no white after Labor

KIRK MCKOY-LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT

Tribal prints made an appearance on designers’ runway shows for the spring of 2011, though in a more subtle manner.

the few key pieces that any woman over 20 should own (trench coat, pencil skirt, black suit etc.), there is not a need to purchase an entirely new wardrobe. First, look at what you have. You may already own some gorgeous tailored pieces that you stopped wearing often, or you may have packed up all your white clothing because it is past Labor Day. The easiest way to incorporate trends into your lifestyle is by looking at the colors and patterns that are most prevalent. When looking at clothing, try to buy things with a more geometric pattern, especially a tribal pattern.

One of the easiest ways to incorporate new trends in your overall look is in hair and makeup. While there were a few instances of the “I slept in my makeup last night and never washed it off ” look, most of the shows had models with a more natural look. The eyebrows are bolder this year, but the lips have been toned down to a natural, more subtle look. Jewel-toned or black nail polishes were almost entirely missing. Most of the models had neutral nail color which went quite well with their fresh faces.

Overall, fashion week is bringing style back to a time when people dressed for dinner and the idea of jeggings would mortify even the most casual girl. The runway looks are tailored and neat, reminding women, young and old, that being sloppy is not fashionable. There is, however, still room for fun. Pairing graphic tees with pencil skirts or wearing sophisticated dresses in ironic prints breathes more life in to the somewhat rigid spring 2011 collections.

CULTURE

PAGE 14 • THE RAM • SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

That’s So Po

Dining Out: The Bar and Grill at the Lightship Frying Pan

MARY PORPORA Week 2: Slow Walkers Whenever someone asks me what my biggest pet peeve is, I usually struggle to answer. However, this afternoon as I was walking through Manhattan, I discovered what I can now claim to be my biggest pet peeve – slow walkers.

I am by no means an athletic person. In fact, I am repulsed by many physical activities. There is nothing I hate more than running.

I can safely say that the phrase “I’m going to go out for a quick run” has never left my lips. In my opinion, running is terrible and the fact that there is an entire sport dedicated to it makes me want to cry. With that being said, if I can manage to walk around busy streets at a somewhat quickened pace, anyone can.

I am not suggesting that everyone should start speed walking through the streets; I would just appreciate it if there could be a slight rise in the universal walking pace. I do not like passing you on the street, but if your speed matches that of a glacier, there is really nothing else I can do.

There are times when I understand that a slow pace is necessary, like if you are old, injured or with a small child. Do not get me wrong; I will still pass you. I just will not be angry about it. If the molasses walking in front of me is roughly the same age, then there is really no excuse. Either walk faster or invest in some sort of wheeled device.

Being stuck behind a stranger who is using the sidewalk as a stage for his snail impression is rough. When a member of the group I am walking with is a slow walker, I try to compromise, but I always feel trapped. Do I rudely walk at my own pace ahead or do I give in and walk slowly? The answer usually lies in the destination. If we are headed to some sort of food establishment or something fun, such as a carnival, I will usually take the rude route. If we are going towards something less exhilarating, I will normally hang back and resist the urge to pass my slow walking friends.

When I do pass people, I try not to be pushy about it. There is no need for a heavy sigh or an aggressive “Excuse me!” A simple detour around these slow walkers is perfectly efficient. Not only am I freeing myself from the pain of being caught behind my largest pet peeve, but I am also eliminating the chance of stepping on someone’s heels. Everybody wins.

I think the reason I dislike slow walkers is because I really hate being late. My mother has instilled in me her obsession with being on time. Maybe my promptness and my fast walking are linked to an untapped desire to be first. Maybe because I do not participate in sports this need to be first can only manifest itself through my walking. Or maybe I am just rude.

Whatever it may be, I can definitely say that being caught behind a slow walker is a huge pet peeve of mine.

Slow walkers, now that’s so (not) Po!

PHOTO BY STEPHEN MOCCIA/ THE RAM

Delicious Maine lobsters will quell any New Englander’s homesickness.

By STEPHEN MOCCIA DESIGN EDITOR

The Bar and Grill at the Lightship Frying Pan is one of the most interesting eating venues I have tried in my lifetime. Located on 26th Street and the Hudson River (literally on the Hudson), this floating dining space at Pier 66 offers a unique experience to its customers.

Once you make your way past the West Side Highway and the busy bike path in Hudson River Park, a few steps lead down to an old railroad car float with two ships connected to the barge. Aboard the floating vessel, the first thing you might notice is the old caboose that stands in the entrance way.

This interesting piece of décor reflects the nature of the venue as a whole, offering an extremely unique experience to its visitors. On the immediate left of the entrance is the actual Lightship Frying Pan, a ship that sank in the Chesapeake Bay, was submerged for three years, ultimately raised and restored, made its way up the East Coast and is now open for visitors at Pier 66.

The newest addition, the 130-foot retired FDNY fireboat John J. Harvey, is docked behind the Frying Pan. This vessel served from 1931 to 1994 and was capable of pumping up to 18,000 gallons of water per minute. On Sept.

11, 2001, she stopped ferrying evacuees and was reactivated to pump water, as damaged water mains left rescue crews in need of water. This historic ship

is now docked at Pier 66 as well.

In the midst of the all the historic sea vessels is a seasonal bar and grill that offers a vast selection of food. Somewhat reminiscent of a beach snack bar, as there is no table service and a number board that indicates when your order is ready, this bar and grill serves somewhat fancy foods at decent prices.

From crabcakes, calamari, shrimp cocktail, mussels and clams to beef skewers, burgers, salads, pizzas and ribs, the kitchen churns out a wide array of dishes that will suit every appetite.

I started with the chilled jumbo shrimp cocktail with horseradish tomato-chile sauce ($11.99). A generous portion of large, firm shrimp were nestled carefully in a bed of fresh greens. The shrimp were perfectly chilled and there were enough to leave you satisfied. They were a decent size and were incredible with the super tangy cocktail sauce that accompanied them.

The portion was good considering the cost, making it a decent value which is not always the case when it comes to shrimp cocktail.

Next I tried the grilled Hebrew National beef hot dog ($2.76) and got a side of Old Bay garlic fries ($3.69) and the red potato salad ($3.69). The hot dog was what you would expect – nothing to write home about – but the seasoned fries were spectacular. I love ketchup on my fries, but these have so much flavor that I easily finished them as they were. They are perfectly crispy, covered in seasonings and Overall simply will leave you craving more.

Location The red potato salad, however, did Food Quality not leave me craving more. The chunks Atmosphere Hospitality of potato seemed almost undercooked Price $$ and were tough to chew, and the only other ingredients appeared to be some (Out of 4 ’s) diced celery, mayonnaise and an overwhelming amount of dill. It tasted as if I were eating a pickle, as the dill flavor was that strong and the texture of the potatoes was that hard.

The steamed live Maine lobster is a great option for those New Englanders who miss the fresh catch of home (1.5 pounds for $23 in this case, though the menu indicates that the price will be whatever the current market price is). Though a bit pricey for a college student, it was cooked to perfection.

For those who have never had lobster, those who love it cannot seem to get enough. Here it was accompanied by a half-ear of corn-on-the-cob and some roasted potatoes, both of which were cooked to perfection and, as they should be, smothered in butter. While the corn was clearly not as fresh as I would have hoped, it went really well with the lobster.

For those over 21, this location offers a fun night out at a cool location.

On weeknights, the pier is flooded with young professionals who just got out of the office, making it difficult to find a seat to eat (there are no reservations, so sometimes the massive bar crowd will make it hard to sit to eat an actual meal). The release of the work crowd also coincides with the sunset, making it a really busy time of day on the pier.

While the food is alright and the prices are somewhat outside the college budget, it is definitely a neat place to check out at least once. Bring some friends, enjoy the view and grab some decent grub, but make sure you get there soon because it will close in mid-October and won’t reopen again until May.

Editor’s Pick: ShopStyle.com

By CAROLINE DAHLGREN BUSINESS EDITOR

In light of fashion week, I have found myself often buzzing about the pages of Style.com and even scouting out the tents at Lincoln Center. I know, I know, many of you may be frustrated by the idea that you have to take an extra early Ram Van to dodge the Lincoln Center mayhem, but I assure you from a macro perspective it is all worth it. Think of it as your small contribution to the world of fashion. Although they may not have contained a dress made out of 40 pounds of raw meat, the spring 2011 ready-to-wear collections are still certainly something to talk about. From Marc Jacobs to Derek Lam to Carolina Herrera the runway this season was truly a display of magnificent works of art.

No matter how much I love looking at the aforementioned designers’ clothes, handbags and shoes, realistically speaking, what college student can afford to spend several thousand dollars on a new wardrobe every season? I know I can’t (yet). However, this has never deterred me from being the shopping and brand junkie that I am. In fact, I am rather convinced that all you

need are a few key pieces to add to your wardrobe each season in order to look stylish and pulled together.

These, mixed with basics, can keep your look updated.

Though I love to peruse, well, pretty much any retail environment, nothing is better than finding exactly what you had in mind, in your size, in the correct color, and perhaps best of all – at the right price. Recently I happened to be searching for a pair of shoes on Google.com, when I stumbled upon another link to a site called ShopStyle.com. This sparked my interest and I decided to check it out. What I found was perhaps the most interesting shopping forum I have ever seen.

Literally a “search engine for fashion” ShopStyle.com allows the user to search for an item such as “brown boots,” and in turn it pulls up in all the major retailers on the web with products that fit this description. Nearly 4,000 results match the search for “brown boots” and include retailers such as Net-a-Porter, Forever 21, Coach and Target. The shopper can sort these several thousand results by brand name, price point, color, size or store, making it simple to narrow it down to precisely what they

are looking for. I have also discovered the ShopStyle.com iPhone app, which is perfect of comparing prices on the spot when shopping in the city or in a mall. Even if you do not know exactly what you are looking for, ShopStyle.com has a blog (Style Notes), written by fashion trend setters, which can help any shopping expedition.

Another impressive feature of ShopStyle.com is Sale Alerts which allow the shopper to receive an e-mail alert when their favorite brands go on sale. In addition, celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Sarah Jessica Parker and Cameron Diaz have their own “Style Books”

which allow shoppers to take a look at what their favorite celebrities are shopping for and wearing. “Community Looks” allows ShopStyle. com users to compile their favorite items found on the site, which can then be shared with the entire ShopStyle.com community. This comparative shopping tool allows for the consumer to cross-shop everything from the lowest end products to the highest couture merchandise. Whether you are looking for ideas of what to add to your wardrobe or know precisely what you want to purchase, it can undoubtedly be found on ShopStyle.com.

SHOPSTYLE.COM

Make sure to hit up Shopstyle.com next time you need retail therapy.

CULTURE

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 • THE RAM • PAGE 15

Get Your Spicy Fix at Planet Wings

By JONATHON SMITH ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

To many people, chicken can seem like a boring food. There is not much color, it can be bland and it just does not deliver the same rich flavor that a portion of beef has. Fortunately for Fordham students, a local restaurant has found a cure. Planet Wings, located on Belmont Avenue, is quickly making chicken enthusiasts out of many Fordham students and, in its own words, is, “winning awards and taking names!”

As a self-proclaimed food connoisseur, it is hard for me to find a food that I do not enjoy. Planet Wings is no exception to this. It offers something for every lover of American bar and sports fare, and while there are many restaurants that specialize in this food, only one has the high-quality, taste and delivery options of Planet Wings.

The menu includes burgers, gyros and basic fried foods, but what stands above the rest of the items are the wings and the cheese steak.

Planet Wings puts its own twist on the cheese steak and does a great job. What attracts me to the cheese steak is a high-quality rib-eye cut beef, and unlike many cheese steaks that seem to have wet, sloppy shaved beef, at Planet Wings it is evident that the restaurant has put time into selecting a choice cut for the steak. Second, they give you a choice of what cheese you want.

Coming from Vermont, I am all about natural cheese, and nothing beats a generous helping of cheddar on a cheese steak.

While purists may believe that cheese steak should have American or cheese-whiz on it, giving customers the option to choose, solidifies Planet Wings as the premier cheese steak outlet for Fordham students. What makes the cheese steak even more special is that it add an uncommon ingredient– teriyaki sauce. The teriyaki adds a sweet flavor that perfectly complements the melted cheese. It trans-

forms the sandwich from a regular cheese steak to an original creation that leaves the customer fully satisfied.

While there are many tasty options on the menu, the restaurant is called Planet Wings for a reason.

With 24 different flavors, including mild buffalo, Montero ranch, leapin’ lizard, suicidal buffalo and, my favorite, smoky mountain barbeque, there are options for even the most experienced wing eater.

The sauces are thick and full of flavor, and despite getting knocked on my butt by the suicidal Buffalo wings, I have yet to meet a flavor that I did not thoroughly enjoy.

Not only are the sauces great, but the chicken is fresh, hand-cut

and never frozen. Planet Wings offers boneless and original wings.

While the rule of thumb is that meat on a bone is usually tastier than boneless meat, the boneless wings are full of flavor. You can actually taste the chicken and not just skin and breading, which is where many wings often lose my interest.

The wings are plump, very reasonably priced and come in generous portions; an order of 10 usually includes 11 or 12, which is a sign of great customer service.

Overall, Planet Wings is one of the top delivery options for Fordham students who are looking for extreme flavor. The prices are reasonable, the food is excellent and the service is hard to beat.

what’s

Going

Know “what’s going on” on campus or in NYC?

16

?

On

Send tips, event listings, or comments to theram@fordham.edu.

THURSDAY Ninth Annual Cannoli Eating Competition Grand St. at Mott St. Kick off the Feast of San Gennaro by watching contestants eat as many of these desserts as they can in six minutes.

17

FRIDAY Free Bike Fridays Battery Maritime Building 20 South St. Enjoy the beginning of autumn with free, one-hour bike rentals on Governor’s Island.

18 19 20

SATURDAY Latinbeat Film Festival Walter Reade Theater 70 Lincoln Center Plaza The Film Society of Lincoln Center is bringing films from eight different countries this year, five of which are making their U.S. debut.

SUNDAY “Mad Men” Screening Tribeca Grand Hotel 2 Ave. of the Americas Dress up (yes, costumes are encouraged), and enjoy the drama of 1965.

MONDAY Horseback Riding at Prospect Park E. Fourth St. Enjoy a reasonably priced day riding horses at the last remaining stable in Prospect Park.

21

TUESDAY Blue Man Group Astor Place Theatre 434 Lafayette St. Never seen the now-famous group? Make sure you catch at least one of their shows; it is worth it.

22 ED HAUNDETROIT FREE PRESS/MCT

WEDNESDAY Free Classic Salsa Radisson Lexington Hotel 511 Lexington Ave. Expand your dance repertoire with this free, weekly class, which runs from 7-9 p.m. -Compiled by Celeste Kmiotek

Planet Wings will be sure to satisfy any cravings during a football game.

Ram Reviews ALBUM

BOOK

BOOK

DAVID GRAY: FOUNDLING

5TH AVENUE, 5 A.M.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER

David Gray released his ninth album, entitled Foundling, containing 11 tracks in the U.K. version and an extra eight previously released tracks in the extended edition. Admittedly, I still have “Full Steam” from Draw the Line on my iTunes “Top 25 Most Played” songs (No. 4 to be exact), but since the album is only a year old, it’s interesting to see the differences a year makes in music styles. In this album, Gray seems to have explored a whole spectrum of instruments while maintaining his signature voice.

Instead of focusing on himself as a musician, Gray seems to put a lot more spotlight on the band playing behind him.

There are no doubts that this album is graceful in every way possible.

Everyone knows the classic movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s but not many know of the fascinating story behind its creation. In the book Fifth Avenue, 5 a.m., Sam Wasson artfully weaves together the individual accounts of all the major people involved with the film, including actress Audrey Hepburn, writer Truman Capote, designer Givenchy and “Moon River” composer Henri Mancini. This book is definitely an enjoyable, light read, filled to its end with anecdotes and insights into these figures’ private lives, which coalesced to form one of the most beloved films.

Even if you are not a fan of the movie, Wasson’s book is still a fast, interesting read, with unexpected details that are sure to surprise you.

In Seth Grahame-Smith’s novel, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, the life of President Lincoln is so close to what we know to be the truth that it does not bother American-history buffs such as myself that history is bent to allow Lincoln to travel the South hunting vampires in his spare time.

Other great aspects of this book are the illustrations that come along with it. Images that look like old photographs and newspaper cutouts appear on several pages.

I recommend this book not just to the history buffs looking for a new take on the history they’ve already studied over and over again, but to any fellow student looking for a break from monotonous classroom reading to something that can educate and entertaining.

ALBUM

ALBUM

BRUNO MARS

SARA BAREILLES KALEIDOSCOPE HEART

IT’S BETTER IF YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND It’s Better If You Don’t Understand is a good four-song sampler of Mars’ diverse style. Although best known for his collaborative works, his individual style shines through on the EP, providing a good look into his musical and songwriting range. No two songs sound the same as he provides a wide variety of sounds and style, without compromising his identity.

While no particular song stands out as a hit, It’s Better provides a good preview and sample of what we can expect this October when his album Doo-Wops & Hooligans (Elektra) hits the shelves. If his debut effort is anywhere as good as his EP, anchored by his smash hit “Just the Way You Are,” then Mars is looking at a solid album that should impress a lot of people.

More than three years after her debut album Little Voice, Sara Bareilles is back with Kaleidoscope Heart (Epic Records). Three years seemed to be enough time as she delivers 13 solid tracks filled with emotion and of course, her incredible voice.

Though each song on the album is very well made and a good listen, nothing pops out as a massive hit that could possibly replicate the success of “Love Song.”

Fans of Bareilles will not be disappointed with this effort. Three years of waiting is well worth it.

Bareilles is at her musical and songwriting best, and looks to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump. Kaleidoscope Heart is an excellent effort for her, and should be a good addition to anyone’s music library.

TO READ THESE REVIEWS IN THEIR ENTIRETY, VISIT THERAMONLINE.COM AND CLICK ON “CULTURE” ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HOMEPAGE.

CULTURE

PAGE 16 • THE RAM • SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

See T.V. Outdoors By Stalking These Local Spots

ROB KIM-LANDOV/MCT

“Law and Order: SVU” is one of several crime shows filmed in New York City.

By HOLLY LEMANOWICZ STAFF WRITER

While many hit television shows film interior shots on Hollywood lots and at production facilities, shows that have sets near or that are based in New York City are taking it to the streets, literally. Shooting exterior on-location scenes is often more reasonable for production because it creates a more realistic backdrop for television shows.

In addition, it is often cheaper to shoot on location than for the production group to construct an entirely new set.

“30 Rock,” for example, shoots its exterior scenes at Rockefeller Center due to the plotline and content of the show. “Gossip Girl” also shoots out and about in Manhattan,

including such locations as Henri Bendel, The New York Palace Hotel, Grand Central Station and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Both the shows are most noted, however, for filming on the streets of New York. For these shows, recreating the city atmosphere would be more than difficult to do on a set or at production facilities. New York City provides a vital environment and backdrop.

Other shows including “Damages,” “The Good Wife,” “Blue Bloods,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Royal Pains,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Law & Order: Trial By Jury,” “Rescue Me” and “White Collar” have used New York City streets and parks to create the realistic setting.

While there is no specific “hot spot” for television shows on location filming, Central Park has been the site of numerous scenes from “Law & Order,” Riverside Park has been utilized for scenes in both “Gossip Girl” and “CSI: New York,” Madison Square Park has been frequented by the cast of “White Collar,” and most recently, “The Good Wife” has filmed outside the Plaza Hotel. Most of the time however, these shows choose to film on the streets in a variety of areas.

If you are looking to scope out a major film shoot, visit www. onlocationvacations.com for information about filming locations and other celebrity-driven appearances. Keep an eye out for flyers or postings in areas that notify the local community as to what is occurring regarding filming. Finally, keep up with your favorite shows and fan pages on social media sites; typically, dedicated fans will keep others updated by posting the whereabouts of the cast and where they have been seen filming.

In the Studio Late night, daytime and talk shows also film in New York City.

Most of the time you can attend tapings of these shows for free.

Shows such as “The Today Show,” “The Early Show,” “Good Morning America,” “Live! With Regis and Kelly,” “The View,” “The Martha Stewart Show,” “Late Show with David Letterman,” “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” “The Colbert Report,” “Saturday Night Live” and many more all tape in or around the city, and have very accessible studios.

What is great about these events is that you get to be part of the studio or live audience, sometimes spot a celebrity guest and even appear on TV. Recently I had the opportunity to attend a taping of a daytime talk show. It was interesting to see how a show is actually produced and taped. What goes on behind the scenes is sometimes

even more interesting than the final product. To be an audience member, most of these shows merely require that you register online or send an e-mail to a production assistant who will contact you with regards to your ticket, what to wear and other expectations.

At Fordham Keep your eyes peeled (and

check your Fordham e-mail) for shows filming on Fordham’s Rose Hill campus. Last year, there were numerous celebrity appearances due to television and movie tapings, including an episode of “White Collar.” Fordham has set the bar high in the past and has had great exposure due to such events on campus.

ROBERT PITTS-LANDOV/MCT

Catch “Gossip Girl”’s Blake Lively and Penn Badgley shooting in the city.

WHO’S THAT KID? Matthew Spelman A MEMBER OF CBA ‘11, MAJORING IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION WITH A DUAL CONCENTRATION IN FINANCE AND MARKETING AND G.L.O.B.E. CONCENTRATION MINORING IN SPANISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE FROM SAYVILLE, N.Y. Where have we seen you?

In the Lombardi Center Gym, running around campus or at Fordham College Republicans’ debates. Also, I hit a half-court shot at MSG during the Fordham v. Dayton game last year.

Favorite childhood show and favorite current show?

“Batman” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

Who would play you in a movie and why?

Matt Damon because he played Jason Bourne in The Bourne Identity, and I think I would be great playing an action hero.

If you could have a dinner

with any historical person, who would it be and why?

John D. Rockefeller, because I would certainly like some business advice from the wealthiest person in American history.

What would your ideal day in Manhattan consist of?

Wandering around Central Park early in the morning, grabbing lunch near Union Square Park, an afternoon at MoMA, walking around Mott or Spring Street for dinner and then seeing a concert at Roseland Ballroom.

If you could be anywhere and doing anything right now, what would it be?

I would love to be back in Eu-

rope, walking around Las Ramblas in Barcelona and surfing in Mundaka, Spain.

How do you blow off steam?

I usually go for a run or drive to the ocean.

Favorite class at Fordham and favorite professor?

Marketing Principles, taught

by Dr. Marcia Flicker. I took this class at the Fordham London Centre over the summer of 2009, and it reinvigorated my interest for marketing.

We traveled to a JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s office in London as well as to Tiffany & Co. Dr. Susan Greenfield is my favorite Fordham professor thus far.

She challenged me every class and was instrumental in helping me to improve my writing.

What is the biggest misconception people have about you?

That I’m quiet. I would say once you get to know me, you will realize that I can certainly carry on a lengthy conversation.

Stuck on an island, what would you need?

Flint, dental floss, knife, satellite phone, Robinson Crusoe.

What is your dream job?

CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Facebook.

COURTESY OF MATTHEW SPELMAN

CULTURE

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 • THE RAM • PAGE 17

Idealist Directors Battle Audiences Over 3-D Movies

By CELESTE KMIOTEK CULTURE EDITOR

Twelve years ago, most of us were barely old enough to see the megahit Titanic, James Cameron (along with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet) was skyrocketing to fame and glory and 3-D movies were generally reserved for the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids attraction at MGM Studios.

Now, James Cameron is back with Avatar, which marked one of the first 3-D movies that was taken seriously - so seriously that it was

nominated for an Oscar. Director after director and special effects guru after special effects guru is jumping on the bandwagon, with the results ranging from the liked (Toy Story 3), to the ridiculed (Piranha 3-D), to the downright weird (Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore).

Theaters are racing each other to keep up with the demand for 3-D screens, trying to reap the profits that the pricey tickets are racking up and, lucky for them, Hollywood executives are still pushing the new technology. Directors, nota-

bly Cameron, have found that they missed large segments of their ideal audience when they first released their 3-D films because not enough theaters had the technology at the time of their movies’ releases.

“There was a relatively small ecosystem of 3-D screens at the time that Avatar was released,” Cameron said in an interview with The Boston Globe. “Currently, we’re at about double the number of 3-D screens we were at then.”

Cameron has decided to rerelease Avatar, hoping to catch the rest of the audience he felt was

KIRK MCKOY-LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT

After the success of Avatar, James Cameron is hoping to attract larger audiences now that new 3-D screens have been built.

cheated. The audiences, however, may not be as eager to experience the 3-D version as he thinks. Despite all the excitement at the top, recent box office trends show that the craze may not be as strong as executives believe.

According to data published on the entertainment Web site TheWrap.com, Avatar made over $80 million in 3-D box office revenues.

This was followed by How to Train a Dragon, which made $29.7 million. Profits rose for a while, reaching another peak with Toy Story 3, which made $66.1 million. Profits then fell again, and no movie since has made more than $25.3 million from its 3-D ticket sales. Looking at the percentage of a movie’s box office revenue that came from 3-D ticket sales is even more telling: it is a steady decline, starting with 70 percent for Avatar and finishing at a dismal 45 percent for Despicable Me. These statistics are verbally backed up by movie-goers who are grumbling about the benefits, or lack thereof, balanced against the exorbitant prices.

“I think 3-D movies are overrated,” Molly Thompson, FCRH ’12, said. “The effects are not that impressive for the amount of extra you have to pay for the ticket.”

“I think 3-D movies are great for action-packed films like Avatar,” Katie Corrado, FCRH ’12, said. “A film like that was made for 3-D, but for movies like Toy Story 3, using 3-D just doesn’t seem necessary. It’s a great technology, but if it’s overused, I think it’ll become a novelty that will get old very quickly.”

Things may not be looking great for the future of tickets that come with the ubiquitous glasses, but technology experts are still hopeful, and are pushing even more new technology to prolong the trend. In June, Sony began releasing HDTVs that were 3-D compatible, and similar Blu-ray devices were released in July. According to CNN.com, Panasonic, LG, Vizio and Toshiba are following suit.

At-home systems have their own sets of problems, however, as the prices tend to be high, especially in consideration of the special glasses, which can cost up to $149 per pair.

There have also been reports, now reflected in a warning page on Samsung’s Web site, highlighting the risks of 3-D televisions, including “altered vision; lightheadedness; dizziness; involuntary movements such as eye or muscle twitching; confusion; nausea; loss of awareness; convulsions; cramps; and/or disorientation.”

So, does any of this matter? For average college students, it probably does not. For these students, the movie industry is in a flux, Avatar is back and someday, when they are not living off ramen noodles and selling organs in order to buy books, they can buy a 3-D television set (at their own risk, of course).

It is, however, another tweak to the communications and entertainment industry, and something to keep an eye on. 3-D technology may turn out to be a minor blip in what will appear on an episode of “I <3 2010,” but it may also be the new talkie film.

Put Down Your Books and Celebrate at One of NYC’s Festivals

By LAUREN HATHAWAY STAFF WRITER

Want to get off campus and explore the streets of New York City this month? One of the best ways to see our city is by going to its many festivals and street fairs. From bigger cultural events to smaller blocks full of food and shopping vendors, New York has plenty of fun festivals to enjoy this month.

This past weekend, our very own neighborhood was buzzing with excitement as Italians and nonItalians alike celebrated Ferragosto, an Italian summer holiday, when friends and family come together to enjoy good food, entertainment and relaxation. Arthur Avenue was blocked off as pedestrians strolled past tents full of Italian souvenirs, cookbooks, CDs and (most of all) food – sausage, cheese, pizza, bread, cannoli, gelato, Italian ice and more! Crowds of people gathered in front of a stage just off the main road to enjoy Italian singing and music, and when the Italian National Anthem began, all the action seemed to slow down as hundreds of people sang the song of their homeland in unison.

Sarah Teyssen and Theresa Herbert, both FCRH ’13, were just two of Fordham’s many students who could be spotted among the crowd enjoying the day’s festivities.

“I loved getting connected with the people and the history of the community,” Teyssen said, as she walked back to Fordham with a

box of goodies from the festival.

“I enjoyed seeing the neighborhood really come to life,” Herbert added, noting that the Ferragosto festival showed her a whole side of the community she had never before seen.

Students who missed Ferragosto should not be too disappointed, as there are still many other festivals and fairs in New York to enjoy this month. One of New York’s biggest and longest September festivals is the San Gennaro Festival, which runs from Sept. 16 to Sept. 26 in the heart of Manhattan’s Little Italy. The festival, though of religious nature, is known for its festive ambience and includes free entertainment every day – live music, food demonstrations, book signings, eating competitions, processions, parades and more. For cannoli lovers up for a bit of challenge, check out the cannoli-eating competition on September 16 at 2 p.m., where the winner will be declared “The World’s Champion Cannoli Eater.”

Throughout the week, musicians such as Tre Bella, John Ricci and Alfio will be performing. Also, do not miss the festival’s two great parades, Sept. 19 at 3 p.m. and Sept.

25 at 2 p.m., when the statue of San Gennaro is carried through the streets of Little Italy. For more information on this festival, visit www.sangennaro.org.

This month also marks the seventh annual “Celebrate Mexico Now” festival from Sept. 16 to 30.

Mexican restaurants in the city offer special menus during the festi-

val, and throughout the neighborhoods of New York, there are movie screenings, concerts, lectures and other events. Film buffs will enjoy a screening of Mexico’s awardwinning short films from the 2009 Morelia International Film Festival on Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.. For lovers of literature, there are a number of book readings throughout the week, such as a reading by Paco Ignacio Taibo II of his anthology of short mysteries on Sept. 16. Mexican pop stars are also in store for the week, notably Grammy winner Natalia Lafourcade, Ely Guerra and Juan Pablo Villa. Visit www.mexiconowfestival.org for more information about these great events.

Students with a passion for the arts should head to the East Village in Manhattan for the HOWL! festival, a month of poetry, art, music, dance and more. Although the festival is halfway through, the second half of September is still packed with plenty of artsy events.

Sept. 18 and19 at Theater 80 St. Marks is “Urban Word: Verbal Fire,” a poetry showcase featuring award-winning young poets, including Regie Cabico, who was recently named in a review “The Lady Gaga of Poetry.” Sept. 25 and 26, Rosie’s Broadway Kids will be performing “Once on this Island,” a one-act musical retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. Rosie’s Broadway Kids includes students from grades six to 12, most of whom are from lowincome families. To find out more about dozens of events still to come

this month from the HOWL! festival, visit www.howlfestival.com.

Another great festival to check out is the Lexington Avenue Fall Festival, Sunday, Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. From 34th to 42nd streets along Lexington Avenue, over 400 exhibitors will be lined up offering ethnic foods, arts and crafts, jewelry and other merchandise, and like any other good festival, there will also be entertain-

ment. Similar vendors will also be at the 8th Avenue Fall Festival this month, Sept. 19, on Eighth Avenue from 42nd to 57th streets.

Be sure to take advantage of New York City this month and all that its streets and people have to offer. Whether eating cannoli at the San Gennaro festival or browsing the vendors on Lexington Avenue, there is always something to do in New York City this September!

STEVE RINGMAN-SEATTLE TIMES/MCT

Go to a poetry reading at HOWL! festival in the East Village all month.

PAGE 18 • THE RAM • SEPTEMBER15, 2010

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Katie Chandler is finding balance as the legal guardian of her teenage sister, her busy life and her promising career.

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Feed your future at www.pwc.tv © 2010 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved. “PricewaterhouseCoopers” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (a Delaware limited liability partnership) or, as the context requires, the PricewaterhouseCoopers global network or other member firms of the network, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity. We are proud to be an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

PAGE 19

Volleyball Finishes Third at Rose Hill Classic

By DANNY ATKINSON SPORTS EDITOR

It is never promising when you finish third in your own annual tournament. However, there were a number of bright spots in Fordham volleyball’s play in the Rose Hill Classic this past weekend, where the Lady Rams split their collection of games and finished third out of five teams in the tournament.

Fordham swept an impressive opening match against Harvard in which every set was close and the team pulled out wins in two sets when it was losing late. Against Rider in their third match, the Lady Rams again swept while earning unexpected contributions from a number of players. These fortifying victories were tempered by a sweep at the hands of Syracuse and a disappointing loss to Stony Brook, who came into the match with a record of 3-7.

The Lady Rams’ loss to the Sea Wolves highlighted their inconsistent play so far on the season and certain deficiencies of team. The Rose Hill Classic was a case of one or two steps forward by the Lady Rams, followed by one or two steps back.

Fordham opened its portion of the 10th annual Rose Hill Classic on Sept. 10 with a sweep over Harvard. Final set scores were 25-22, 29-27 and 25-23. The Lady Rams won the match largely due to the brilliance of senior outside hitter Kailee May. Despite the Crimson recording more blocks and fewer errors than its opponents, the team was unable to ever gain an advantage over Fordham in the three sets due to May’s dominance.

Seemingly covering the court like a jackrabbit, she earned a .260 hitting percentage for the Lady Rams in the match on the strength of 19

PHOTO BY MARK BECKER/THE RAM

Senior Kailee May had a strong showing, earning her a spot on the All-Tournament team for her efforts last weekend.

kills against six errors, while also getting 12 digs. It seemed as if May earned every important point for Fordham, as she broke a tie at 27-all in the second set to win the set for Fordham and also put away Fordham’s final three points of the match. May was complemented in the match by freshman setter Maria Rodenberg, who recorded 19 digs of her own. With the win, the Lady Rams improved to 5-3 overall, while Harvard fell to 1-3 on the year.

“The girls showed a lot of internal strength against Harvard,” Head Coach Ken Volkert said. “We did a great job of limiting any runs by them and keeping composure, and that’s how you win.”

May’s 19 kills and 12 digs gave her 1,007 career kills and 1,003 digs, making Mays only one of three Lady Rams to reach the 1,000-1,000 milestone.

“I’m so excited to reach this milestone,” May said following the match. “It’s great, but there’s no way I would have reached it without the great play and support of my teammates.”

Just as soon as Fordham gained some momentum with its hard-

fought morning victory, the team ran into a brick wall in the undefeated Syracuse Orange on Friday evening. Syracuse, who would go on to win the Rose Hill Classic, completely overwhelmed the Lady Rams in winning the sets by scores of 25-15, 25-11 and 25-20. The Orange had an insane .444 percentage as a team and committed only four errors.

While Syracuse had much more talent than Fordham up and down its lineup, the match again raised questions about the Lady Rams’ lack of depth and relative inexperience.

Only four players had more than two kills and only two had more than two digs.

Fordham was led by senior middle hitter Katie Wells, who earned nine kills and recorded a .538 hitting percentage.

After their slaughter at the hands of Syracuse the previous night, the Lady Rams’ impressive sweep of Rider on Saturday afternoon was important in bringing renewed confidence to the team. Knowing he was playing a weaker opponent, Volkert used the match, which Fordham won by scores of 25-11,

25-16 and 25-21, as an opportunity to showcase some less-experienced players and to see what they could do on a big stage. He observed some great performances from players getting their first real chance to show what they could do.

Freshman outside hitter Lisa Hipp, making her first career start, had a season-high nine kills and a .368 hitting percentage and fellow freshman setter Maria Diamentidis had a remarkable 33 assists.

While she did not play much in the match, Wells still recorded six kills in the first set and became the ninth Ram to reach 1,000 career kills, joining May as the second Fordham player to reach the milestone during the classic.

“It was great to see everybody contribute to this match,” Volkert said. “We had some surprising performances and playing everybody gave me more of an opportunity to see how I would set my lineup for the rest of our season.”

The final set of the Rose Hill Classic saw the Lady Rams and Stony Brook going back and forth before the Sea Wolves were able to eke out a significant victory over Fordham by scores of 17-25, 25-

21, 24-26, 25-18 and 23-21. The loss was hard to swallow for the Lady Rams, as they had late leads in both the second and fifth sets before allowing Stony Brook to surpass them. While Fordham recorded more kills and digs in the set than the Sea Wolves, its hitting percentage was poorer and May, Wells and senior middle hitter Christi Griffiths were again forced to carry much of the load for their team. Following the match, Stony Brook had a 4-7 record on the season while Fordham stands at 6-5.

Overall, Syracuse won the Rose Hill Classic with a perfect 4-0 record. Placing in second was Stony Brook with a 3-1 record while Fordham finished third with a record of 2-2. Harvard finished fourth with a record of 1-3, while Rider brought up the rear with a winless record of 0-4. May made the All-Tournament team for the Lady Rams while Syracuse’s Noemie Lefebvre took home the Tournament MVP. While Fordham was looking to win its final game of the tournament and earn a second-place finish at the Rose Hill Classic, team members said they were generally happy with their performance on the weekend.

The Lady Rams showed toughness and chemistry in their closest matches and received noticeable contributions from a few unsung heroes whose development could go a long way towards building a more balanced Fordham team.

May said the the Rams have to gain momentum in the last few games of their out of conference schedule, which includes a match against St. John’s and then the Columbia Invitational.

“We have to push ourselves to stay focused,” May said. “These weekends get long, but as a team we need to encourage each other and play effectively.”

Men’s Soccer Drops Two Tough Games Against Big East Opponents

By RICH HOFMANN STAFF WRITER

The Fordham men’s soccer team headed into its Midwest road trip knowing it was in for two difficult games. More than anything, the Rams were trying to prove that they could play against two teams from the strong Big East Conference.

After two hard-fought games, the Rams (1-3-0) had nothing to show for their effort, losing both games.

On Friday, they lost at Louisville by a score of 2-0 and 1-0 at Cincinnati on Sunday.

“This weekend we played two good yet very different teams,” junior defender Phil Ferrantello said.

“Both oppositions were a great challenge for us being that both games were on the road in environments that are difficult to play in.”

Fordham faced a stiff test on Friday when the team traveled to play against No. 11-ranked Louisville in the Cardinals’ home opener. It would be a game where the Rams played them close for a half and

then allowed the game to get away early after halftime.

The scoreless first half was tightly contested and even though the Rams were outshot 4-1, they probably had their best chance of the game.

After Louisville junior goalkeeper Andre Boudreaux punched the ball away from goal, Fordham junior midfielder Matt Courtenay sent a header back on goal that a diving Boudreaux was able to stop.

Two minutes into the second half, senior midfielder J.T. Murray scored for Louisville, and the game ended at 2-0 after Louisville freshman midfielder Dylan Mares tacked another goal on later in the game.

After the Louisville loss, the Rams traveled to play Cincinnati, a very different team from the Cardinals. While not as highly regarded as Louisville, the Bearcats provided their own challenge.

“Louisville was a more organized and tactical team, while Cincinnati was more athletic and aggressive,”

Ferrantello said.

Despite outshooting the Bearcats 13-5, Fordham was held off the scoreboard again. An early goal by junior midfielder Matt Bahner stood up as Fordham could not find a way to score.

Early season offensive struggles are nothing new for Fordham, which experienced similar problems at the start of last season as well. Through four games, the Rams have scored only one goal.

“We had trouble finishing in front of goal,” Courtenay said. “We need to be more active in the final third and bring more energy when attacking.”

The strength of the team has been its defense, as all 11 players are expected to pitch in on that end of the field. The same needs to happen for the offense to be more productive.

“Right now, the team overall is very strong as a defensive core, however, we are struggling to get shots on net and inevitably score goals due to a lack of hunger and

PHOTO BY SIMON SULIT/THE RAM

Junior defender Phil Ferrantello savored the opportunity to play the Big East.

desire in the final third,” Ferrantello said. “That comes from a team effort and not just the forwards.”

Next for the Rams are two nonconference games at home against New York rivals Columbia and Hofstra, on Wednesday and Sunday, respectively. Both games will be back in the more comfortable surroundings of Jack Coffey Field.

Even though the two losses came

against tough opponents, the players said they were disappointed that they did not play better on the weekend.

“The teams we played were both very good but our team is at a point that just competing with Big East teams is not enough,” Courtenay said. “We should be getting positive results against them, but we’re going to be fine.”

PAGE 20 • THE RAM • SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

SPORTS

Water Polo Goes 2-2 at Princeton Invitational Against Top Competition

By CHESTER BAKER STAFF WRITER

In the opening tournament of the season, Fordham’s squad came away with a respectable 2-3 record. However, the weekend was headlined by missed opportunities to take down Navy and Bucknell, two nationally ranked teams.

While the Rams will not have an opportunity to garner any sort of revenge on either of those squads, they had the chance to avenge their other loss, which came at the hands of Johns Hopkins. The chance came last weekend in the Princeton Invitational in Princeton, N.J. However, before its marquee matchup against the Cardinals, Fordham had to go up against two more nationally ranked teams, No. 18 Princeton and No. 13 Santa Clara.

In their first match of the tournament against Princeton, the Rams were down 5-2 after the first half and trailed the entire way. The match would end in a 9-5 loss, the biggest margin of defeat this season.

In the loss, graduate student two-meter man Ali Arat continued his dominant play with

PHOTO BY MARK BECKER/THE RAM

Senior Mikey Edwards had another big weekend for Fordham, highlighted by three goals in a win over George Washington.

another two goals, while senior two-meter man Mikey Edwards, junior driver Andrew McKernin and senior utility man Martin De Jong all chipped in with a goal each. Senior two-meter man defender Victor Bautista Medina led the defense three steals for the Rams.

In the night-cap of the first day

of the tournament, Fordham had its third consecutive upset bid against a ranked team fall just short. The Rams pushed Santa Clara to overtime, but were unable to keep pace with a thin bench and fell 13-9. Fordham had few substitutes during the overtime, due in large part to several foul outs throughout the game.

Cross Country Finishes Respectable Third and Fifth at Fordham Fiasco

By CELESTE KMIOTEK CULTURE EDITOR

Fordham’s men’s and women’s cross country teams opened their season on Sept. 11 by hosting the annual Fordham Fiasco at Van Cortlandt Park. The men’s team came in third out of 13 teams with 93 points, while the women came in fifth out of 18 teams with 132 points. University of Pennsylvania’s men’s and women’s teams both won, with 39 points and 45 points, respectively.

Rider senior Christian Gonzalez came in first in the men’s eightkilometer race, while Fordham senior Kerri Gallagher won the women’s five-kilometer race.

“The results of the meet were very exciting for us,” sophomore Julian Saad said. “We ran well as a team.”

“It’s exciting to see the team run so well this early in the season,” senior Casey Barrett said. “This is definitely the best we’ve performed at an opening meet during my time at Fordham and I think it’s a sign of good things to come. We showed Saturday that there is a tremendous amount of depth on this team.”

“I was happy with how everyone ran on Saturday,” Gallagher said.

“Everyone is very motivated. We started off the season on a great foot.”

Gonzalez finished in 25:50.27, followed by Rider senior Michael Soroko in 25:07.41 and East Stroudsburg junior Greg Laraia in 26:25.93.

Fordham freshman Michael Belgiovine came in fourth with 26:27.98, which is one of Fordham’s fastest times from a fresh-

man.

Also for Fordham, Saad came in 19th (27:07.62), Barrett came in 21st (27:10.37), freshman Brian Walter came in 23rd (27:17.51) and senior Patrick McDonough came in 28th (27:25.79).

The other Fordham men included freshman Kevin Harvey (32nd in 27:35.19), junior Matt Collins (34th in 27:38.57), junior Sam Stuart (35th in 27:39.07), senior Thomas Kelly (38th in 27:48.07), freshman James Doran (39th in 27:50.38), sophomore Nick Synan (44th in 28:03.47), junior Kevin Fitzgerald (54th in 28:23.66), junior Rich Grandelli (60th in 28:34.47), junior Andrew Roddin (61st in 28:38.53), freshman Tim Kazanjian (72nd in 29:01.70), junior Christopher Chung (76th in 29:18.08), freshman Joe Hartnett (77th in 29:18.56), senior Tim Hutchinson (78th in 29:21.94), senior Michael Walsh (83rd in 29:42.55) and junior Stephen Donnelly (101st in 30:56.22).

For the women’s race, Gallagher finished in 18:17.64, followed by Penn sophomore Leslie Kovach in 18:26.51 and Rowan University sophomore Jen Rawls in 18:31.25.

From Fordham, freshman Anisa Arsenault finished ninth with 18:58.68, junior Nako Nakatsuka finished 43rd with 20:38.69, senior Johanne Sterling finished 48th with 20:47.24 and junior Mairin O’Connor finished 58th with 21:13.16.

Junior Kelly Heimrich (65th with 21:27.07), freshman Christina Vivinetto (69th with 21:35.41), sophomore Kim Naples (70th with 21:36.51), sophomore Christina Machado (73rd with 21:41.58),

freshman Tara Kinnaugh (91st with 21:57.59), freshman Diane Bain (92nd with 21:59.84), junior Fallon France (97th with 22:05.77), freshman Juanita Caldwell (105th with 22:25.79) sophomore Ashley Davis (120th with 22:54.31), junior Claire Nielsen (131st with 23:46.27) and junior Siobhan Cooney (133rd with 23:57.77) rounded out Fordham’s competitors.

Though still adjusting their training for the start of the season, the teams are looking forward to performing well in future meets.

“This team has potential to be a deep team, not to mention we are fairly young,” Saad said. “We are all starting to increase our weekly mileage as well as the intensity of our workouts. Cross country is a long season, so while we are all ambitious, our increases must all be steady. Van Cortland Park is probably the most rigorous course we run and starting out on this note really was a good spark to the season. We just need everyone to keep healthy so that we can perform, train and succeed together. I look forward to what is ahead this season.”

“There are things we all need to work on, but that is what these meets are all about,” Gallagher said. “Everyone ran hard and we are all looking forward to an exciting and competitive season ahead.

The transition from summer training, which is mostly mileage, to in-season training with workouts is different but we are adjusting well.”

Both teams will next compete on Saturday, Sept. 18 in the C.W. Post Invitational in Brookville, N.Y.

The Broncos were able to use some fresh legs to score four times in the extra period. Arat and Edwards continued to lead the offensive strike for the Rams with a pair of goals each, while junior goalie Christian Flessner anchored the defense with 10 stops.

Flessner finished the day with 19 saves to his name.

The second day featured two rematches of last weekend’s tournament. Fordham was able to get its third win of the season and second win over George Washington in the first match. The Rams lead the entire way, much like their first matchup of the season, and held on for an 8-6 win.

Edwards and Arat racked up three more goals apiece, and are proving to be one of the premier tandems in the league.

Sophomore driver Daniel Barron notched his first goal of the tournament in the win, and senior utility man Ryan Hultman also scored for the Rams.

In the second game, Fordham finally got the opportunity to match up against Johns Hopkins for the second time, and took advantage of its second chance against the Cardinals with an 8-5 win. Hopkins had been receiving votes to be nationally ranked prior to the defeat.

“It was great feeling to beat a team that beat us last week,” sophomore utility man Cashel Barnet said. “Any time a team gets the best of you, you want a second chance to beat them. Luckily we got that chance and were able to capitalize.”

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The Brilliance of Doc

By DANNY ATKINSON SPORTS EDITOR

Men’s Soccer

Volleyball

URI 25-27 Fordham

Louisville 0-1 Fordham

Fordham 3-0 Rider

1 2 URI 0 14 FOR 0 7

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 • THE RAM • PAGE 21

3 7 7

4 F 4 25 13 27

URI FOR First Downs 19 26 Total Yards 359 434 Rushing 135 212 Passing 224 222 Comp-Att-Int 26-41-1 23-38-1 Punt Returns 3-21 2-3 Kickoff Ret. 4-67 3-70 Punts 7-264 6-225 Time of Poss

29:01

30:09

Individual Statistics PASSING-Rhode Island, Probst 26-41-1 Fordham, Wayne 23-37-1 RUSHING-Rhode Island, Isijola 16-64-0 Fordham, Martin 16-97-1 RECEIVING-Rhode Island, Johnson-Farrell 6-70-0 Fordham, Caldwell 11140-1

Women’s Soccer Fordham 1-2 LIU LongIsland Sexton Dolmetsch Calderon Morgan Carter Schandelmayer Bock Meadows Spicer Smith Martinez Subs Roelant Hoak Labo Egan Totals

Sh 0 0 5 4 0 2 0 0 0 4 0 a 0 0 0 0 15

GK Sexton

Min GA Sav 90:00 1 1

Fordham Zieman Alpaugh Carballeira Wah Bergin Solimine Ancelj Walker NowakowskiL McDermott Ingram Subs Dougherty NowakowskiC Romano Abrams Brady Totals

Sh 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

SOG 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

G 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 1 0 1 5

0 0 0 0 0 2

0 0 0 0 0 1

0 0 0 0 0 0

GK Zieman

Min Ga Sav 90:00 2 3

LIU Fordham

1 1 1

Stats, Schedules, Video and Post-Game Stories Coming Soon to theramonline.com/sports!

2 1 0

SOG 0 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 a 0 0 0 0 7

F 2 1

G 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 a 0 0 0 0 2

A 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 a 0 0 0 0 2

Fordham Meara Ferrantello Jolly Bekoe Niyonsaba Richardson Curran Axelsson Gimand Stalker Nagel Subs Murray Valencia Vigliotti McHugh Courtenay Seidenthal DesRoches Corrao Hanly Gomez Totals GK Meara

Sh 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

SOG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1

G 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Min GA Sav 90:00 2 2

Louisville Boudreaux Campbell Delpiccolo1 Rolfe Rodgers Deleon Knight Granger Walker Murray Berry Subs Smith Farrell Tufty Horton Lipka Mares Totals GK Boudreaux

Sh 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0

SOG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0

G 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

A 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 1 0 0 1 8

0 0 0 0 0 1 4

0 0 0 0 0 1 2

0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Min GA Sav 90:00 0 1 1

2

F

Fordham 0 0 0 Louisville 0 2 2

Fordham 0-1 Cincinnatti Fordham Meara Ferrantell Jolly Bekoe Niyonsaba Richardson Curran Axelsson Gimand Stalker Nagel Subs Valencia McHugh Courtenay Seidenthal DesRoches Corrao Hanly Totals GK Meara

Min 90:00

Cincinnati Williams Dwyer Thompson Konitsch Stelmak Klosetrman Mitchell Shelton Bhaner Hadley Albert Subs Myton Andoh Millay Sharpe Patterson Watson Stull Totals GK Williams

Sh 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 5

SOG 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 3

G 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 1 1 1 0 0 0 13

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 7

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

GA 1

Sav 2

Sh 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0

SOG 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0

G 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 5

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Min 90:00

GA 0

Sav 7

1 Fordham 0 Cincinatti 1

2 0 0

T 0 1

Rider K PCT DIG BS BA BE PTS Thompson 2 -.10 1 0 0 0 2.0 Piccolini 0 .000 2 0 0 0 1.0 Love 4 .071 0 0 3 0 7.5 Wallace 1 .000 3 0 1 0 1.5 Nagy 4 -222 0 0 0 0 4.0 Knott 9 .350 3 1 2 0 11.0 Wilson 0 .000 5 0 0 0 1.0 Gassmuck 0 -.50 7 0 0 1 0.0 Cook 4 .167 2 0 0 0 5.0 Gajewski 0 .000 1 0 0 0 0.0 Chapla 3 .250 1 0 0 0 3.0 Bartsc 0 .000 0 0 0 0 0.0 Totals 27 .065 25 1 6 1 36.0 Fordham K PCT DIG BS BA BE PTS Hart 3 .286 0 0 0 0 3.0 Hipp 3 .500 6 0 1 0 3.5 May 9 .368 2 0 0 0 9.0 Diamantidis 1 .000 5 0 1 0 3.5 Wells 6 .625 1 0 1 0 6.5 Griffiths 0 .000 0 0 0 0 0.0 Friede 3 .167 7 0 2 0 4.0 Arend 0 .000 2 0 0 0 1.0 Thompson Atwood 0 .000 1 0 0 0 1.0 Moore 0 .000 1 0 0 0 1.0 Ewing 1 -.40 0 0 2 1 2.0 Totals 37 .325 40 0 16 1 50.0 1 2 3 RID 11 16 21 FOR 25 25 25

www.theramonline.com

Quick, who’s the best pitcher of this generation? CC Sabathia? Johan Santanna? Mariano Riveria?

What about the Philadelphia Phillies’ Roy Halladay? While he might not be the first name the average fan thinks of, Halladay is the best pitcher of his generation, and it’s not even close. The statistics speak for themselves, but there’s so much more than statistical brilliance that makes Doc Halladay such an intimidating, well-rounded pitcher. Halladay’s talents might not be as flashy as some of his contemporaries but they’re every bit as powerful.

Even though Halladay’s statistics mostly speak for themselves, what do they mean? Halladay’s stats are remarkable and speak to his greatest strengths as a pitcher: his amazing durability and ability to excel at every factor of the game a pitcher can control. In an era where most hurlers struggle to go more than six innings, Halladay is a reminder of a time when pitchers finished their starts. He’s thrown at least 220 innings in seven of the last nine years and gone at least seven innings in every start this year, with eight complete games. Perhaps the most telling stat speaking to Halladay’s excellence is his career complete game total of 57, which are eight games ahead of the next-highest active pitcher.

Halladay’s numbers are all over the active leader boards. Doc’s ranked first in his league in bases on balls per nine innings the last two years and his BB/9 is ranked second for active pitchers at 1.91.

While Halladay’s never been a straight strikeout pitcher, he’s placed in the top 10 of his league for strikeouts five times and led it in K/BB percentage four times.

Halladay’s ability to locate and avoid throwing excess pitches, along with staying away from costly home runs (Halladay’s ranked seventh in active pitchers for homers per nine innings) has allowed him to be the most economical pitcher in the game.

Halladay’s career ERA is 3.33 despite pitching every season but one in the ultra-competitive American League East and his xFIP, a stat which measures and neutralizes fielder independent pitching, is 10 ticks lower at 3.23. WAR, or Wins Above Replacement, perhaps the best pure number sabremetric stat for measuring current players, finds Halladay with a career total of 54.1, again the highest among active pitchers. Halladay’s recorded five straight seasons of 16 wins or more, has 166 career victories and is well on his way to more than 200 career

wins and a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Any way you cut it, Halladay’s accomplishments signify all-time greatness.

Sorry about that. I said I wouldn’t get wrapped up in Roy Halladay’s numbers and then I spent three paragraphs talking about how awesome they are. If all that distinguished Halladay was his stats, however, there’s no way I would find him nearly as interesting. Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Felix Hernandez; all can be just as dominant, yet it’s Halladay who most fascinates me and strikes fear into my heart. As a Red Sox fan, I can attest that no other starter was more intimidating than Halladay. You knew that any game against him would be an automatic win for the Toronto Blue Jays and extremely frustrating to watch, as Halladay would use his three-plus pitches to challenge hitters constantly and never waste pitches, as even the best pitchers do. I’ve never seen another pitcher who could so thoroughly dominate a game and yet make that domination look so easy. A typical Halladay start finds the viewer looking up to realize six innings are gone and Doc’s already struck out five while having thrown only 80 pitches and allowed only three hits. ( Just look at the line from Halladay’s perfect game back in May: 115 pitches, 11 K’s, 8 GB’s, no line drives. Insane.) Halladay’s consistent excellence over the last decade is remarkable, especially because so much of it came in the AL and against the Yankees and Red Sox. He’s been so effective in every aspect of pitching and his best skill (durability) is so much rarer in today’s MLB that Halladay has managed to be overlooked for a number of years. The lack of attention he’s gotten as the best pitcher of his era is embarrassing.

So what will it take for Roy Halladay to get the attention and accolades he deserves? Halladay’s relative lack of anonymity made a small amount of sense when he was toiling away in the Great White North on a succession of thirdand fourth-place teams. Now that Halladay’s on a team that’s won two straight National League pennants and is gunning for a third, there’s no excuse for him going unnoticed. Doc’s having possibly his best season, as he’s 18-10 with a 2.44 ERA , and the opportunity for him to make postseason starts is significant. If Halladay comes up with some performances for the ages, maybe the media and the average fan will remember just how effective he is and Halladay will be able to cement his status as an alltime great. I hope that’s the case, and I look forward to watching and covering Halladay in the weeks to come.

SPORTS Football

PAGE 22 • THE RAM • SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

MATT MANUSZAK

The Smush Parker Project For football fans, this past weekend was like an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord: you had the Ohio State vs. Miami game and the Penn State vs. Alabama game as a pair of killer hors d’oeuvres, the NFL’s opening weekend as the main course, and the Monday night matchup between the Ravens and the Jets as a “goddamn snack.”

The FIBA World Basketball Championships also took place this weekend in Istanbul, Turkey, and in between watching the Cleveland Browns tank and the Philadelphia Eagles lose half their offensive starters to injury, I watched the finals between Team USA and Turkey, a game that the Americans won 8164 with an incredible display of effort and skill.

The players representing Team USA were very different from those who brought home the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

At times derisively referred to as the “B-Team,” this American team didn’t have LeBron, Kobe, Wade, ‘Melo, Dwight or CP3. For many writers, they weren’t even favored.

Spain, even without all-world center Pau Gasol, was widely picked to win before the tournament.

Even with all the NBA basketball I watch, this tournament stood out to me for three main reasons: the tournament’s energy, the idea of “big-game reps” and Kevin Durant.

The most popular argument I hear when others attempt to make the case that college basketball is superior to the NBA is that effort and energy seems so much more tangible in college basketball. At times, I have to agree. The NBA season is nearly three times as long as the college basketball season, and players have learned to conserve energy during the season so as to not run out of gas for the stretch run and/or playoffs. Even within the games themselves, many scorers employ a strategy that I was rather fond of about four years ago, back when the size difference between my brother and I was most pronounced; many players will put forth tremendous effort on the offensive side of the ball in an attempt to break free from their defender, get to the rim, draw a foul, etc. Then, they play a sort of free safety role on defense in an attempt to conserve energy (as a side note, my brother is now about 6’ 1”, and my size advantage is no more).

The defensive intensity employed by Team USA in the tournament was certainly noticeable.

While many teams in international play often employ a zone defense against the Americans, Team USA played an all-out, extremely intense brand of man-to-man D that led to a lot of steals and easy baskets. Using their superior speed and athleticism (though not size, as the USA really had only one true center on the roster), the American players trapped all over the court, furiously fighting through screens

and closing out on shooters.

The crowds certainly helped; many remarked that the games had a soccer feel, as cheering (supplemented at times by air horns and Thunder Sticks) was constant and pervasive, particularly in the finals with the Turkish crowd supporting their team. One commentator remarked that for the Turkish fans, the matchup felt not so much like a basketball game as like an event in the country’s history.

In addition, as noted by ESPN blogger Henry Abbott, the fact that there are fewer timeouts called in FIBA play helped keep the energy level high and allowed the momentum of the game to keep building.

Finally, the support Team USA showed for each other was truly a spectacle. It sounds sort of lame, but one of my favorite parts of March Madness and the NBA playoffs is how freaking nuts the players on the bench go when their team is doing well – to see NBA stars like Derrick Rose, Andre Iguodala and Tyson Chandler acting like kids on the bench, jumping and yelling and laughing – it was pretty cool.

Popular ESPN writer and (now more of a) podcaster Bill Simmons often refers to a point he made in a column about a year back about repetitions, or reps. Simmons’s point is that athletes benefit tremendously from “big-game reps”; that is, playing in important games and being forced to perform in high-pressure situations forges a player’s crunch-time abilities and makes them more of an asset in future pressurized games. These games certainly qualified as highintensity, and one glance at the team’s roster shows that most of this Team USA hadn’t played a meaningful game in their NBA careers.

Only Lamar Odom and Chauncey Billups have rings, and only Tyson Chandler had been past the first round; no one else on the team had even sniffed the finals (or was over the age of 26). This tournament was huge for these young players to adjust to big-game situations.

There were certainly more-decorated NBA players who could have used this experience (cough Chris Bosh cough), but these budding superstars will certainly be reaping the rewards of this tournament for the rest of their careers.

Finally, I want to say a brief something about the force of nature that is Kevin Durant. As the youngest scoring champion of all time and the runner-up MVP last year, Durant was the de facto leader, go-to guy and crunch time scorer. He smartly conserved energy in the preliminaries and ratcheted up his intensity for the three final games, slapping up 33 points against Russia in the quarters, 38 points against Lithuania in the semis and 28 points against Turkey in the finals, all on 57 percent shooting. Everyone deferred to him in big moments, and at one point in the finals, after hitting his third consecutive three, Durant was seen shouting at Turkish fans courtside and making “three” motions with his hands.

While it is a bit early to crown Durant as the best player in the world (as many are doing in the wake of Team USA’s triumph), the Durantula certainly has established himself as being on par with LeBron and Kobe atop the pyramid of the NBA elite.

SPORTS

Senior Profile: Stephen Skelton

By DANNY ATKINSON SPORTS EDITOR

Senior tight end Stephen Skelton has been an essential member of the team’s passing offense since his sophomore year. Skelton, who has received preseason All-American honors from a number of publications, has made his mark as arguably the most successful tight end in Rams history. His 63 receptions in 2009, the most ever for a Fordham tight end, were complemented by six touchdowns. Skelton ranked fourth in the Patriot league with receptions per game at 5.7. Just like his brother John, NFL scouts are already looking seriously at Stephen.

The Ram: You received a number of preseason All-American honors in the past few months leading up to the preseason. How did you feel about all the attention?

Stephen Skelton: I’m honored by the attention, but it doesn’t really mean anything. The preseason awards are mostly just a bunch of beauty contests. I want to get the same type of attention at the end of the season.

TR: What type of leadership role have you had to take on in the offense as a senior, especially now that your brother John is gone?

SS: I don’t consider myself a vocal leader at all, but I’ve tried to speak up this year and help people when they need it. [Redshirt senior receiver] Jason Caldwell has really helped me to learn how to speak up more. But I still mostly consider myself a leader by example on our team.

TR: How will Blake Wayne and the other quarterbacks on the team who are just getting their first opportunities to really play be able to develop a rapport with the receiving core this season?

SS: Blake is a very talented QB. He just needs to develop a feel with

PHOTO BY MARK BECKER/THE RAM

Senior tight end Stephen Skelton has high expectations for his final season.

myself and the other receivers, where us and him always know what each other is planning to do. You can already see that happening at times and I don’t think we’re going to have any problems.

TR: What is your assessment of Fordham’s performance in your season opener versus Bryant?

SS: I thought we came out completely flat against Bryant and took a long time to get any momentum.

We have to come out strong in every game and never let up if we want to have a strong season.

TR: What are your expectations for the season, both as a team and personally?

SS: As a team we have the same expectations we always do, which is to win every game. It’ll be hard, but the team just needs to execute and be ready for every game 100 percent. Personally, I just want to become a better player. I want to be more effective at blocking and all the important roles I need to fill at tight end while also recording more catches.

TR: With Fordham going to

scholarships for football and making a number of improvements to the program such as building a new locker room, how strong of a football program do you think can be built at Rose Hill in the next few years?

SS: I believe we can be a Division 1-AA [Editor’s Note: The league is now known as the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).] power. With our location and history there’s no reason this can’t be a great program. With all these moves you’ve named and the schedule Fordham’s starting to play, I think this program is definitely on the way to becoming big-time.

TR: It’s believed that you have a strong shot at getting drafted and playing in the NFL. How much are you thinking about your NFL chances?

SS: I can’t pretend that I don’t think about it with the scouts that come around to look at us and the fact that my brother is in the league, but I don’t let the attention overwhelm me. I just make sure my teammates and I have the best seasons we possibly can, and everything will fall into place.

Golf Finishes Third in Weekend Tournament

By JOHN DEMARZO STAFF WRITER

After a highly successful fall 2009 season that saw the Fordham University men’s golf team capture the ECAC Championship, the Rams opened their fall season on Sept. 11 and 12 at the Colgate Invitational, held at the Seven Oaks Golf Club in Hamilton, N.Y. Participants in the tournament were host Colgate, Fordham, Bucknell, Daemen, Laval, LeMoyne, Niagara, Ottawa and Roberts Wesleyan.

After Saturday’s play, the Rams sat just three strokes behind Bucknell for second place, with a team score of 305, 17 over par.

Fordham was four strokes ahead of seventh-place Niagara and 14 strokes ahead of eighth-place LeMoyne.

Leading the way for the Rams and building on his impressive freshman campaign was sophomore Jason Del Rosso, who shot a one-under-par 71, tying him for third overall on the day with Daemen’s Kyle Kapturowski. Sophomore Connor Monaghan and ju-

nior Devon O’Rourke, the second and third scorers for Fordham, both shot 76, while sophomore Brody Nieporte and freshman Brandon Nolan rounded out the scoring for the Rams with an 82 and 91, respectively. Also participating were sophomore Nick Polvino (81), freshman Evan DeLuca (84) and sophomore Pat Herlihy (85).

On Sunday, Fordham held position, finishing the tournament in third place with a two-day total of 615, nine behind winner and host Colgate (606) and five shots behind Laval (610).

Colgate’s Will Delano defeated Kapturowski on the first playoff hole, finishing the tournament oneunder-par with a two-day score of 143. Del Rosso was the Rams’ first finisher, finishing in third place overall with a two-day score of 145 (71-74) after shooting a 74 on Day 2. O’Rourke shot a 79 to finish with a total of 155 (76-79), while Nieporte shot a 76 to finish with a total of 158 (82-76). Monaghan shot an 84 to finish with a total of 160 (76-84) and Nolan (91-81) finished with a 172 to round out

the team’s scoring. Polvino (8181) finished with a 162, Herlihy (85-84) a 169 and DeLuca (8486) a 170 to account for the Rams’ complete contingent.

Nieporte acknowledged room for improvement but was high on the team’s future.

“It was a good start to the year,” he said. “We did not play to our full potential, but once we do, it could be very exciting. We have a very promising team this year that we feel could be very successful in competing to win tournaments and being competitive in the Atlantic 10.”

Polvino praised the team’s toughness despite difficult conditions.

“The weather is always an obstacle at the Colgate Invitational, but I think our team, especially Jason del Rosso, did a great job managing the challenging course despite the weather conditions,” he said.

The golf team will next be in action on Saturday, Sept. 17 and Sunday, Sept. 18, as the squad will travel to Bucknell Golf Course in Lewisburg, Pa. for the Bucknell Fall Invitational.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 • THE RAM • PAGE 23

SPORTS

Women’s Soccer Struggles in Two Over the Weekend

By NICK CARROLL SPORTS EDITOR

PHOTO BY MARK BECKER/THE RAM

Sophomore goalkepper Rachel Suther let in three goals over the two losses.

By ERIK PEDERSEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Offense continued to be a problem for the Fordham women’s soccer team as it lost both of its matches this weekend, falling 2-0 at Columbia on Friday and 2-1 to Long Island at Rose Hill on Sunday afternoon. Only a penalty-kick goal from senior midfielder Katie McDermott on Sunday prevented the Lady Rams from being shut out for the weekend.

Friday’s game started poorly for the Lady Rams, with Columbia taking the lead only five minutes into the game. Freshman midfielder Beverly Leon headed a shot past sophomore Fordham goalkeeper Rachel Suther to give the Lady Lions an early lead.

Forced to play catch-up for the rest of the game, Fordham did manage to outshoot Columbia 15-9 for the game, with seven of those shots on goal, but the Lady Rams could never get anything past junior goalkeeper Lillian Klein, who recorded her third consecutive shutout.

Sophomore forward Annie Worden led the Lady Rams with four shots.

Columbia would finish out the scoring 18 minutes into the second half, with junior forward Ashlin Yahr hitting one past Suther for her second goal of the season. Fordham increased the pressure afterward, with several corner kicks and five late shots, but was unable to break through.

Columbia won its third straight game to move to 3-1 on the season.

“The only encouraging thing Friday was the last 25 minutes were the best of the season,” Head Coach Ness Selmani said. “I hoped it would carry over [to Sunday] but it didn’t and we paid the price.”

Fordham did get off to a good start on Sunday against Long Island, as the team returned home after three straight road games. However, despite having the majority of the possession, the Lady Rams struggled to get many true scoring opportunities.

Their best chance came 27 minutes in, when freshman forward

Kelley Alpaugh played a ball to senior midfielder Michelle Ancelj down the left side. Ancelj then centered a cross to junior midfielder Mariella Romano, but her free header went just wide of the net.

Long Island, who outshot the Lady Rams 9-4 in the first half despite not having much of the ball, was able to take the lead five minutes before halftime, as junior forward Ariana Calderon found space just inside the box and fired a shot past sophomore goalkeeper Sarah Zieman for a 1-0 lead.

Fordham quickly responded four minutes later when freshman midfielder Kelsey Dougherty Howard was taken down in the box for a penalty kick, which McDermott was able to convert.

“I didn’t see the penalty call, but I thought overall [Long Island] was the dirtiest team I’ve seen in 16 years of coaching,” Selmani said.

“We are a clean team, and it was hard to adjust to their style.”

The match remained tight at the beginning of the second half, but Long Island took the lead in the 65 minute, with senior forward Kayleigh Morgan sending a shot that went right through the hands of Zieman to give the Blackbirds a 2-1 lead.

“It never should have been a goal,” Selmani said. “It happens, but its inexcusable.”

Zieman was making her first start of the season in goal.

Fordham never seemed to recover from the goal, as the Lady Rams failed to record a shot in the last 37 minutes of the game.

They have now lost four straight games, dropping their record to 3-4, while Long Island moved to 4-1-1.

The Lady Rams will travel to Florida next weekend for games against Miami and Florida Atlantic before returning home on Sept.

26 to face Army. Fordham has now scored only two goals in the last four games.

“We have a lot of forwards not getting a break,” Selmani said. “But at some point you need to make your own breaks.”

Recently, it’s hit me hard that I am probably going to Hell. I didn’t believe it when a homeless man told me I was after I told him I was broke when he asked for some change; I didn’t believe it when my assistant, Jonathon, told me I was after exchanging some crude jokes at a local establishment last weekend; but, after yelling in support of Eagles quarterback Michael Vick all day on Sunday, I finally believe it.

I would like to think that I am a pretty fair person. I try to give people chances and I try not to judge others, especially considering my own imperfections (after all, I am destined for Hell). However, I cannot watch Vick without thinking about what he’s done.

As you’ve probably realized by now, I’m not referring to the plethora of highlight reel plays or even the shockingly successful record as a starter; rather, I cannot forget about his dark side, specifically his history in dogfighting.

Now, it doesn’t sound bad on paper that I was accepting of Vick, especially considering the way he almost brought the Eagles back in their 27-20 loss last weekend.

However, the intensity of my support is borderline disturbing.

It was only three years ago that Vick was a national disgrace. He was, and by most still is, looked at as an athlete blessed with all the talents in the world who threw everything away.

On top of the obviously disturbing criminal offenses with his dogfighting ring, he has shown a lack of development as a football player and a general immaturity.

Now, when I was finished with the Kevin Kolb era after 10 minutes and had it mercifully end after he left the game due to injury, Vick stepped in and almost saved the day.

After every first down, after every play he extended, after every

big run, I was loudly voicing my support for Vick, as if nothing ever happened; only I know a lot had. Even though there is a strong stigma surrounding Vick and I am constantly reminded of his history, I put this aside and selfishly root for the flawed hero leading the way.

At some point I stopped caring about his history; I just cared about what Vick could provide the Eagles with, and, in the process, embraced the man who I seriously questioned over the past few years.

Now, this has me seriously questioning my priorities. I religiously follow sports; I can honestly say that it becomes personal when I root for players. Sometimes, it can be okay. A man-crush on Chase Utley, while immature and overthe-top, can be justified. The guy has a personality that perfectly fits in Philadelphia and, while I realize he does not know or care about me, it becomes a personal fan connection.

However, the other side of the coin features the bad guys. After years of watching Brett Myers act like an immature idiot, even sinking so low as to striking his wife in the streets of Boston, I overlooked all of his glaring faults to root for him as a person and eventually celebrated him as a part of a World Championship.

This brings me to Vick. I know that if Vick played on any other team or gained his publicity in any other way than professional sports, I would never give him this kind of free pass. Even after his dogfighting issues, trouble still followed him to his outrageously public 30th birthday party this past summer. Now, I am not going to automatically assume that he is guilty of the most heinous crimes, but I do not think I would be giving him this kind of pass.

The same thing works for other teams around the league. How can anyone take Ben Roethlisberger seriously anymore? Even if he won in court, he has still been identified as

a bona fide creep. Not being a Steelers fan, I know I’ll never get past what he “allegedly” did. I have little respect for the man and will find it hard to ever pull for him (unless it’s against the Cowboys), even if it’s only a game.

This creates an embarrassing double standard. As I laugh about my roommate showing me a “Free Mike Vick” shirt online and even consider naming fantasy teams after the convicted felon, it brings me back to my priorities. Do I care about this stuff too much? Is it really okay to dismiss something as disgusting as what Vick did just because he put on one hell of a show and almost gave me a reason to be excited about football season? If I am being completely objective, it can’t be.

However, I can’t help it. As Vick led the Eagles back, I found myself berating Kolb as if he was the one who has the sketchy history. Sometimes it can be hard to realize, but it is just a game. As hard as it is for me to see, and even harder to admit, I, along with many others, do take sports too seriously.

To be a fan of the way an athlete plays is understandable, but anything past that is probably ridiculous. We don’t know these people, and really, we should not have opinions of them as people. They are there to perform and entertain us; those are all we can ask for or expect. Like Sonny LoSpecchio said in A Bronx Tale, “Mickey Mantle don’t care about you. Why care about him?” It sounds harsh, but it’s the truth. As much as I love Utley, there is a difference between being a fan and having my appreciation for him as a ballplayer become personal. Sadly, in harmless instances like Utley and in deeper, more philosophical instances like Vick, I cross that line very frequently.

Rooting for Vick probably will not send me to Hell (at least I hope not), but it makes me realize the lack of perspective I and many sports fans sometimes have.

Upcoming Varsity Schedule CAPS=HOME lowercase=away

Thursday Sept. 16

Friday Sept. 17

Saturday Sept. 18

Football

at Columbia 12:30 p.m.

Cross Country

C.W. Post Invitational 10:30 a.m.

Golf

Water Polo

Volleyball

Tuesday Sept. 21

Wednesday Sept. 22

HOFSTRA 4:00 p.m. at Florida Atlantic 12:00 p.m.

at Miami 7:00 p.m.

ST. PETER’S 11:00 a.m.

Men’s Tennis

Women’s Tennis

Monday Sept. 20

Bucknell Fall Invitational Lewisburg, Pa.

Men’s Soccer

Women’s Soccer

Sunday Sept. 19

Quinnipiac Invitational Hamden Conn.

2010 ECAC Championship Cambridge, Mass. at Columbia 7:00 p.m.

F. Dickinson 1:30 p.m.

Bucknell 5:00 p.m.

NJIT 3:30 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

PAGE 24

Fordham Steals Win in Battle of the Rams

By NICK CARROLL SPORTS EDITOR

Coming off of last week’s poor performance at Bryant, Fordham needed to turn things around. The special teams were a mess and the defense was porous. Unfortunately, these problems were not completely fixed.

However, fortunately for Fordham, the team was able to come away with a comeback win in its home opener against Rhode Island, 27-25.

When the game was on the line, it was not offensive or defensive skill that saved the game for Fordham, it was actually conditioning.

Fordham refrained from huddling on offense, playing at a fast, unpredictable tempo and wearing down URI. After a scoreless first quarter, which was highlighted by senior running back Xavier Martin fumbling at the URI 48 on third down, the game began to open up.

Early in the second quarter, junior quarterback Steve Probst worked URI into field goal range.

However, junior kicker Louis Feinstein missed a 47-yard field goal wide left, keeping the game scoreless. On the drive, Fordham was initially flagged for unnecessary roughness after mocking junior wide receiver Anthony Baskerville out of bounds. However, the penalty was rescinded and URI went on to miss the field goal.

Fordham quickly responded with a barrage of screen passes to redshirt senior wide receiver Jason Caldwell. The All-American came through for Fordham, coming up with 41 yards on the drive, including a touchdown catch to put the Rams on top, 7-0.

Caldwell had a huge day for Fordham, finishing with 11 catches for 140 yards and the touchdown.

However, the lead did not last for long. After the ensuing kickoff went out-of-bounds, Probst quickly led URI down the field. First, he did so with a 19-yard scamper to the Fordham 41, then completed a 21-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Billy Morgan. Soon after, Probst finished the drive with a 9-yard touchdown to Baskerville to tie the game at seven.

On the following Fordham drive, sophomore quarterback Blake Wayne finally showed his inexperience. After two Fordham plays lost three yards, Wayne fired a pass right to URI redshirt freshman safety David Zocco.

It did not take long for URI to capitalize. On the first play after the interception, Probst found sophomore wide receiver Tyquan Bynum wide open along the right sideline for a 31-yard touchdown.

After trading punts, Fordham had one last chance to get on the board before halftime. For the first time all evening, the Fordham offense was opened up for Wayne, who had mostly been throwing a variety of screens and bubble screens. He began the drive with an 8-yard completion to senior

PHOTO BY STEPHEN MOCCIA/THE RAM

Sophomore quarterback Blake Wayne finished the comeback with an 8-yard touchdown to put Fordham ahead late.

tight end Stephen Skelton, which proved to be his only catch.

For the second week in a row, Skelton had a minimal impact on the game, partially due to an injury he sustained in Week 1 against Bryant. The team is optimistic that he will heal in time for Saturday’s game at Columbia. “[Skelton]’s hurting,” Masella said. “We have to get him healthy; he’s not 100 percent.”

Wayne officially put Fordham in scoring range with a 16-yard pass to Caldwell, leaving Fordham on the URI 36. After picking up four yards on a completion to Martin, Fordham was forced to try a lastsecond 49-yard field goal, which sophomore kicker Patrick Murray narrowly missed, striking the left upright.

At halftime, it was apparent that Fordham did not correct many of its defensive problems. Probst completed 11 of 15 passes for 94 yards, as well as throwing two touchdowns. URI also accumulated 91 yards on the ground on 16 carries. Despite the poor defense, Fordham remained in striking distance at halftime and took advantage of it.

After forcing a three-and-out to start the second half, Martin helped get Fordham back into the game with a 48-yard run on thirdand-1, taking Fordham to the 11.

On the next play, Wayne kept the ball for an 11-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game at 14.

However, the game did not remain tied for long. Probst continued to pick apart the Fordham defense, eventually getting URI to the Fordham 3. Probst finished the aerial assault with a 3-yard fade to Bynum, who, despite being interfered with, came down with the ball in the back corner of the end zone to put URI up, 21-14.

The two teams traded punts before Fordham’s disastrous special teams came back to hurt it.

After picking up a first down, URI created havoc in the Fordham backfield, forcing two plays for negative yardage, including a sack to knock Fordham back six yards. On the ensuing punt, senior cornerback Jarrod Williams broke

past the Fordham protection and blocked Murray’s punt. The ball proceeded to bounce out of the back of the end zone, giving URI a 23-14 lead early in the fourth quarter on the safety.

However, the momentum soon turned in Fordham’s favor. After the free punt, URI was unable to gain any yards on the following two plays. On third-and-10, Probst finally slipped. He forced a ball into a Fordham defense that dropped eight men into coverage and senior linebacker Nick Magiera came up with a diving interception.

“They dropped eight,” Probst said. “It was a bad read by me. I threw the pick, there’s nothing else I can say. You can’t turn the ball over.”

The shift in momentum was felt immediately. Wayne came out and completed a pass to senior wide receiver Patrick Miller for nine. Junior running back Darryl Whiting followed this up with a run for nine more. Wayne then ran for 15 to the URI 40 as Fordham was starting to gain control. The Fordham nohuddle offense was finally starting to pay dividends, as URI appeared too fatigued to keep up with the fast-paced Fordham offense.

URI used a timeout but it had no effect. Fordham continued to run all over URI and eventually finished off the drive with a Martin run from inside the 1-yard line to bring Fordham within two.

“We ran out of gas in the fourth,” Rhode Island Head Coach Joe Trainer said.

“We had a very fast tempo; they got tired,” Caldwell said.

On the ensuing kickoff, Morgan let the ball take a bounce before trying to return the kick. However, the ball bounced backward, allowing Fordham junior running back Jamir Livingston to get in on the play and eventually recover the fumble.

However, despite the golden opportunity, Fordham failed to cash in. After setting up Murray for a 24-yard field goal, the sophomore pushed the kick wide right, and Fordham remained behind.

“We were disappointed because he’s a good kicker,” Masella said.

“We were down a bit, but we knew we had to make a stop.”

When faced with a similar situation last week, the Rams failed, eventually giving up an insurance touchdown and losing to Bryant.

This week, Fordham came through with a big stop, getting the ball back for the offense with 4:20 remaining in the game.

After what appeared to be a quick three-and-out, Fordham was bailed out by a pass-interference penalty, where senior linebacker Joseph Harris interfered with Caldwell well short of the first down marker; nonetheless, the call extended the drive, giving Fordham new life.

Finally, Fordham capitalized on an opportunity.

On the following play, Wayne threw yet another screen to Caldwell, who made a defender miss and took the ball 43 yards to the URI 23. Just four plays later, Wayne rushed off the right tackle for eight to put Fordham on top. “[Caldwell] is an All-American,” Masella said. “He’s a great player.

We have to find more ways of getting him the ball.”

After Caldwell dropped the twopoint conversion, the score was 27-23.

“The play of the game was the pass interference,” Trainer said.

“They score and momentum shifted.”

Despite the dire situation, URI was not finished. After taking the short kickoff 30 yards to the Fordham 48, their offense, once again, went to work. After picking up a first down and stopping the clock in the process, it looked like another Fordham defensive collapse was in the making. However, the Rams were able to come up with three straight stops, pressuring Probst and not allowing him to get the ball past the line of scrimmage.

On 4th-and-10, however, the Rams took the pressure off Probst, who defeated the three-man rush by going through his progressions and firing a strike to sophomore wide receiver Brandon JohnsonFarrell for a first down at the 12.

Probst hit Johnson-Farrell for another five on the following play, and then two plays later found Bakersville for three, setting up a game-deciding fourth-and-2 from the Fordham 3.

Once again facing a three-man rush, Probst went through his reads and found a man open. However, he failed to lead Johnson-Farrell to the left corner, allowing senior linebacker Bryson Wilson to break up the pass ensuring the win.

Fordham finished the game by safely snapping the ball through the back of the end zone to kill off the remaining second and ice the 27-25 victory.

The win puts Fordham at 1-1 on the season, setting the Rams up for a showdown with the Columbia Lions next week at the tip of Manhattan in the annual bout for the Liberty Cup. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. in what will be Columbia’s season opener, as usual.

Last season Columbia took back the Liberty Cup from the Rams, who held it for the previous two seasons. This came despite quarterback John Skelton throwing for a career-high 383 yards and four touchdowns. With that win, Columbia leads the all-time series 12-6.

PHOTO BY SIMON SULIT/THE RAM

Senior linebacker Nick Magiera gave Fordham momentum with an interception.