Volume 95, Issue 14

The Fordham Ram Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 Volume 95, Issue 14

FordhamRam.com F dh R

SSeptember b 25 25, 2013

Famed Grad Bronx Ice Rink With ‘Apple Picking’ On the Rise, Security Moves Toward Campus-Wide Digital System Gives Millions to Increase to Writing Chair Local Revenue

ELIZABETH ZANGHI / THE RAM

Fordham Road is one of the most common places where students’iPhones get stolen, according to Fordham Security data.

By KATIE MEYER & CONNOR RYAN ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

At Rose Hill, it has perhaps never been a better time to be a Blackberry owner.

Anthony Carl, FCRH ’16, learned that firsthand one night last year when he joined two other students for a late-night walk to University Pizza on Fordham Road, not far from campus.

He was a few paces ahead of his friends, both of whom were busy texting on their iPhones, when a teenager pedaling a bicycle slowly approached the group.

When the teen dismounted his bike and asked the students for their phones, one of Carl’s friends fled.

Frustrated, the teen pulled out a gun and Carl’s other friend quickly volunteered his iPhone.

“What kind of phone you got?”

Carl recalled the teen asking him.

Without taking his Blackberry out of his pocket, he said: “You’re not going to want it. You won’t get more than 55 cents.”

The teen took him at his word, shrugged in agreement and took off on his bike.

Carl took a deep breath, called the police from his — happily untouched — Blackberry and the students reported the incident to Fordham Security.

And while the benefits of the Blackberry are not frequently spoken of around campus, the stories of students getting iPhones stolen this semester have been heard and repeated again and again.

One week after Apple released two new phone models and a software upgrade, the iPhone remains more popular than ever at Rose Hill.

But off campus, where boozy nights and instances of pure oblivion often package themselves into secu-

rity alert emails, the phone is an easy item to snatch and sell for profit.

So far this year, from Jan. 1 to Sept. 24, 23 security alerts have been sent out to Rose Hill students — 13 of which pertained to iPhone theft.

During the same period last year, 13 alerts were sent to students — six of which pertained to iPhone theft.

“It’s been a problem for a number of years, and it has kind of only escalated,” John Carroll, associate vice president of safety and security, said in an interview. “The theft of iPhones has moved up. The rest of the incidents have stayed stagnant, so there really hasn’t been an increase in crime, per se, there's been an increase in iPhone theft.”

But “apple picking,” a phrase media organizations have coined referring to the theft of iPhones and other Apple products, is not a localized problem.

In 2012, the New York Police De-

By KATIE NOLAN

By KRIS VENEZIA

COPY CHIEF

BRONX CORRESPONDENT

Looking around campus, it is clear that Fordham students are an artistic bunch. The theatre, music and comedy scenes are obviously present here at Rose Hill, but, quietly, in dorm rooms, in classrooms and in the basement of Rodrigue’s, another arts scene is flourishing.

Creative writing is alive and well among students, and changes in the creative writing program will soon reflect that. Currently, Fordham students of any major can minor in creative writing, and students majoring in English can use creative writing classes to count toward their major.

Recently, the program received a gift from famed mystery writer Mary Higgins Clark, FCLC ’79, to create the Mary Higgins Clark Chair, which will allow the program to bring a prominent author to teach graduate and undergraduate classes, hold workshops and be a visible presence both at Rose Hill and at Lincoln Center.

The Bronx is on its way to getting a rink just a short bus ride from the Fordham University Rose Hill campus.

A local government committee has approved a proposal to turn the Kingsbridge Armory, located near 195th Street and University Avenue, into the Kingsbridge National Ice Center with nine rinks and a 5,000 seat arena.

Community Board 7 voted 20 to five in favor of the plan to create the world’s largest skating center. The initiative now needs the approval of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and the City Council.

In 2010, a group got together to put a plan in place to convert the Kingsbridge Armory into a megamall. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg put his approval behind the plan, citing that it would create an economic boom for the area.

The City Council saw the situation differently, striking down

SEE CLARK, PAGE 3

SEE SKATING, PAGE 3

New Chair Encourages Passion in Communication Majors

SEE SECURITY, PAGE 2

Recent Graduates to Play Role in Sodexo’s Future

By ANDREW MORSE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The last few years have seen a lot of criticism and controversy surrounding Fordham’s on-campus dining.

A lot of time and effort has been invested to make changes that will satisfy students. Involved in this process are a few Fordham alumni, who now in this issue

Opinion Page 5 Our Digital Library is the Future

Arts

Page 9

Mary Higgins Clark Donates $2 Million for Creative Writing Chair

Sports

Page 24

Fordham Defeats Columbia in Homecoming Weekend

work for Sodexo and have had the opportunity to assess the situation from both sides.

Michael Yanez, Justin LaCoursiere, Michael Martin, Jessica Farrenkopf and Artie de los Santos are five recent Fordham graduates who have found jobs with the school’s food service provider.

This week Farrenkopf, CBA ’09, de los Santos, GSB ’12, and resident district Manager of Rose Hill, John Azzopardi spoke about the relationship between Fordham students and the school’s food service provider.

Farrenkopf, de los Santos and Azzopardi all agreed that involvement and leadership on campus helped them realize that Sodexo would be a good fit.

“We are looking for qualified and diverse candidates,” Azzopardi said.

“Fordham has a strong talent pool and gives its students a leg up.”

Farrenkopf has been involved with Sodexo for almost seven years. During her time at Fordham, she was an active member of the Student Culinary Council and served as the council’s first president. She is now

the catering supervisor for Sodexo at Rose Hill.

She took some time away from the Bronx campus to work in Sodexo’s business and industry sector in California.

De los Santos is the unit marketing coordinator at Rose Hill and has served in that capacity for almost a full year. As a student, he was the president of the Commuter Student Association, a New Student Orientation coordinator and a part of the CAB comedy committee.

The skills he demonstrated both as a leader and an event coordinator contributed greatly to his position with Sodexo. In conversation one word came up repeatedly: community.

“Interacting with students and staff, planning events and the longevity of my involvement has helped me to blend both the Fordham and Sodexo communities,” Farrenkopf said when asked what she has found rewarding about both working for Sodexo and in close proximity with Fordham. “Bridging the gap helps SEE SODEXO, PAGE 2

MICHAEL REZIN / THE RAM

Reich is excited to work with Fordham students in the classroom and in WFUV.

By MICHAEL CAVANAUGH STAFF WRITER

This fall, Fordham welcomes Jacqueline Reich as the chair of the communication department.

Prior to coming to Fordham, Reich spent 18 years at Stony Brook, a SUNY university.

“I liked it very much there,” Reich said of Stony Brook. “It was a wonderful group of students, very multiculturally diverse, very challenging.”

When asked why she left Stony Brook, Reich said that she had not been looking to leave but took the position with Fordham’s communication department because of the value that the university places on a liberal arts education, rather than on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) as

many state universities do.

“There is a kind of erosion, in many ways, of the liberal arts core that Jesuit curriculums emphasize,” Reich said.

Reich said that she was attracted to the idea of being at Fordham, knowing the role that the university plays in the community.

She was also very excited for the opportunity to join a department that works so closely with Fordham's radio station, WFUV, which she has been following avidly for the past 20 years.

Having now spent time among the Fordham students, Reich has experienced a very different type of classroom environment from the one she had become accustomed to at Stony Brook.

“I used to teach film history to SEE COMMUNICATIONS, PAGE 4

NEWS

Page 2

SECURITY BRIEFS Sept. 17 Murphy Field 8:20 p.m.

While playing intramural football, a male student was struck on the head and began feeling dizzy. FUEMS was notified and they responded by transporting the injured student to St. Barnabas Hospital.

Sept. 18 Fordham Parking Garage 3:20 p.m.

While exiting the parking garage, a female student drove into a parked car, breaking its rear fender. The student waited for the owner of the other car, a visitor to Fordham, to return, and the two exchanged information.

Sept. 20 Lombardi Fieldhouse 7 p.m.

While playing basketball, a male student left his bag unattended on the floor in Lombardi. When he returned for the bag an hour and 15 minutes later, he discovered that his wallet, containing a driver’s license, debit card, ID and $80, was missing.

Sept. 21 Loschert Hall 12:35 p.m.

A female Loschert resident began hyperventilating in her residence hall Saturday afternoon and passed out.

When a security employee, who was also an Emergency Medical Technician, responded to the scene, the student was pale and confused, and said that she may have taken too much of her prescribed depression medication. The employee requested that the paramedics be called immediately, and the student was transported to St. Barnabas Hospital. The patient is in stable condition.

Sept. 21 Fordham Prep Pathway 4:45 p.m.

A student jumped on the wall of Fordham Prep with his skateboard and fell to the ground, striking his right ankle. Security responded and observed that the student’s ankle was visibly distorted. He was taken to Montefiore North Hospital, where he said that he was intoxicated and had been acting recklessly.

Sept. 21 Walsh Hall 5:40 p.m.

Nine people, both parents and students, were stuck inside a Walsh elevator for 20 minutes. The elevator company initially could not give a response time, so FDNY released the people without injury.

Sept. 21 Jogues Hall 10 p.m.

A Resident Assistant observed two male students smoking marijuana in front of Jogues Hall and confronted them, confiscated their marijuana and reported the incident to security.

The students, both of whom are residents of Jogues, will meet with the dean of students to discuss penalties and sanctions.

—Compiled by Katie Meyer, Assistant News Editor

September 25, 2013

Carroll: iPhone Theft a Problem, ‘Not Epidemic’ FROM SECURITY, PAGE 1

partment launched a special smartphone and tablet squad when an increasingly large number of gadgets were reported stolen.

Paul Browne, a former spokesman for the NYPD, said that New York City’s overall crime rate increased by 3 percent in 2012. But, “if you subtracted just the increase in Apple product thefts, we would have had an overall decrease in crime in New York,” Browne told CNN in February.

Carroll concedes that the statistics are a problem, but he said that Fordham students often make themselves easy targets by ignoring their own instincts.

“I really believe we all have a sixth sense,” he said. “I know when I talk to some kids who are victims they’ll tell me or my supervisors, ‘Hey, I know this wasn’t good. I saw these guys on the street and I knew I shouldn’t walk past them, but I did it anyway.’”

Still, Carroll is not panicking. He says the reported crime could be worse.

“Out of 4,000 kids, I’m not saying that anybody getting ripped off of their iPhone is OK, but if it’s one phone or two phones … it’s not like it’s an epidemic or crime wave,” he said.

As phone theft appears to be on the rise, administrators have recently begun a slow upgrade of Rose Hill’s security system. But the two have not been directly linked.

The on-campus security transition is largely represented by new

digitally programmed identification cards, which were issued to students this year.

Currently, the cards allow for students to access their respective residence halls. Similar card readers, in the form of two metallic posts, will become operational at each walk-in entrance around campus by June, Carroll confirmed.

The main benefit of the new system is that the microchips of the nearly 900 ID cards that become lost each year can be deactivated and unauthorized persons’ access to campus closed, according to Carroll.

Card readers at the entrance gates will function similarly to those in the residence halls. Students will scan their IDs before entering campus, and their photos will appear on the computer screen in the nearby guard’s booth.

Luke Homer, FCRH ’14, vice president for safety and security for Rose Hill’s United Student Government, maintained that the tap-in system would be quick and convenient. Even the busiest gates, like the one outside Faculty Memorial Hall, would not get backed up between classes, Homer said.

“You just tap it once and that’s all it takes,” he said. “It will be a constant flow.”

As part of the system, Fordham’s security staff is able to keep a digital log of timestamps when students enter residence halls, and soon, when they step onto campus.

The question of whether Rose Hill’s new system could impact students’ privacy seemed to hit a nerve

ELIZABETH ZANGHI/THE RAM

Identification card readers will be set up at each Rose Hill entrance by June.

with Carroll.

“Why would Fordham do anything that would not serve our students? Makes no sense,” he said in an email. “It would be a serious disservice to our students to suggest anything negative about upgrading technology that has been designed to better serve the community.”

Jason Benedict, executive director of Fordham’s Information Security Office, said the transition to digital security has been in the planning stages for 10 years, but was not implemented earlier because of a lagging student demand.

“Most recently we found that the student population really wanted it,” Benedict said. “In the last couple of years, we’ve seen through surveys

and our interaction with students that [a new ID system] is something they desired and we’ve tried to put it in as quickly as we could.”

Fordham Road and 189th Street, which runs parallel to Rose Hill’s campus, have been where most iPhone thefts have occurred, according to the alerts that have been sent to students this semester.

Carroll says, ultimately, he wants to keep the Fordham community safe, while still respecting students’ freedom to enjoy the neighborhood.

“I know you don’t want us out there with you,” Carroll said with a laugh. “You never invite us out to party with you or anything like that, but we’re there and we’re only there to help.”

Graduates Help Bridge Gap Between Employees and Students

CHRISTINA FEREINI / THE RAM

The Fordham alumni working with Sodexo are largely impressed with dining.

FROM SODEXO, PAGE 1

everyone to communicate, like one big family.”

De los Santos brought up the opportunity to “be a student leader and then later still be able to help the University and help the people who helped my development as a person.”

Farrenkopf and de los Santos

agreed that their ability to communicate with students as peers has been a great asset, as students are more willing to give them feedback.

“It’s a lot of fun to be a part of Fordham, a part of the community, and a part of the Fordham family,” Azzopardi said.

As an outside contractor, he said it

is sometimes difficult to feel in-touch with the environment you have been brought in to help, but at Fordham he does not feel that way at all.

Inevitably, the million dollar question had to be asked: What do you think of the on campus dining experience now in comparison to when you were a student?

Both alumni agreed that their biggest problem with the food had not been the quality, but lack of variety.

De los Santos has always been a fan of “cafe food” and said, “the increased variety has come from the student feedback we have received. It’s all about going with the trends and getting students involved with what they want on campus.”

That problem has been addressed, with dramatic changes coming to campus from last year to this year.

New dining options, like ZeBi in Faculty Memorial Hall, Così in

Campbell Hall, Auntie Anne’s in Queen’s Court and Panda Express in the McGinley Center have impressed students thus far.

Improvements have also been made to dining staples such as the Grille, the Marketplace and Subconnection.

These improvements have ranged from new items on the menu, to improved food presentation, to the remodeling of Dagger Johns in the basement of the McGinley Center.

Both de los Santos and Farrenkopf are happy with the changes that have been made and are excited for the improvements that are still on the way.

They hope that current students will be excited and be vocal with the changes they want to see on campus.

De los Santos made sure to add in that his favorite, the buffalo chicken wrap from the Grille, is one thing that will not change.

This Week at Fordham Thursday Sept. 26

Thursday Sept. 26

Friday Sept. 27

Ice Cream Social

Life of a Creative Idea

Catholics in Connecticut

Dagger John’s, 5:30 p.m.

Lowenstein Center, 7 p.m.

Lowenstein Center, 6 p.m.

The ice cream social, organized by the Commuting Students Association, Commuting Student Services and Fordham Dining, will feature crafts, music, group games and prizes. Students are welcome to make their own picture frames and take pictures in a photo booth.

This lecture will feature Peter Ryan, Sponsored by the Fordham Univera litigation lawyer and independent sity Creative Writing Program, the scholar of the history of colonial panel will feature author Nalini Jones, intolerance. Ryan will explore the film director Joshua Marston and Ludlow Code, which was used by the journalist Joshua Phillips. The discusPuritans to uphold their position as sion will focus on how writers can God’s elect and to deny legal rights to overcome their writing blocks and those of different faith traditions. follow through with their goals.

For more campus events, visit FordhamRam.com

Saturday Sept. 28 Autism Speaks Walk/ Run McGinley Center, 2 p.m.

The walk/run is an event organized to help spread autism awareness and help raise funds for the cause. The goal of this event is to motivate others to be advocates for those living with autism.

NEWS

September 25, 2013

Bronx Aims to Become Figure Skating Hub

Page 3

FORDHAM IN THE BRONX

Got Bronx? How Fordham Markets the Borough

Experience Key for New RHA Leaders

FROM SKATING, PAGE 1

the shopping center almost unanimously in a 45-1 vote. Diaz also fought against the plan.

Both the City Council and Diaz were against the proposal because they felt it was not going to produce enough jobs for comunity members. Diaz said he wanted the developers to ensure that a living wage would be paid to local residents.

Proposals have estimated that the ice center will provide more than $1.5 billion for the community, and supporters of the project argue it will bring jobs to the neighborhood.

New York Rangers fans will be familiar with one of the main players working to transform the Kingsbridge Armory into a place for hockey and figure skating. The team’s former star Mark Messier has been named the CEO of the ice center.

The Kingsbridge National Ice Center would also be a short Bx9 ride away for Fordham students, making the ice sheets much closer than the rinks at Central Park and Bryant Park.

Luigino Alosco, GSB ’15, grew up in Bergen County, N.J. and has been skating every winter since he was in elementary school.

“I’ve already gone down to Central Park, and if [The Kingsbridge National Ice Center] is closer, I’d obviously go to that,” Alosco said.

He would go with friends occasionally to the Ice House in Hackensack, N.J., for casual skating.

Alosco still remembers the early days of gliding around with pals.

“I was a little wobbly, and it took a while before I could hold my ground. But then once I got the hang of it, it was an enjoyable thing to do,” Alosco said.

Ross Garlick, GSB ’15, has been paying attention to the developments of the Kingsbridge Armory and is excited to see an ice palace rather than a mega-mall.

“I love [the plan],” Garlick said.

“It was a demonstration of people overcoming politics where people in charge wanted to put a shopping mall there. Now democracy is in action and people have re-evaluated it and put together a center for the community.

Garlick spent his younger days in Manchester, England, before coming to Fordham. He first laced up the blades at 13 years old when attending a birthday party at the Alterincham Ice Center. He said he would go to the Kingsbridge National Ice Center especially during the holidays.

“Between Thanksgiving and Christmas I would enjoy going there,” Garlick said.

Bloomberg has publicly backed the plan to convert the Kingsbridge Armory into the world’s largest ice house, just as he did with the last proposal.

The founder of the ice center is Kevin Parker, and he is continuing to point out the economic benefits the center could bring to the community.

He said the goal is to get approval from the City Council and get the Kingsbridge National Ice Center up and running in 2017.

By MARIA PAPPAS STAFF WRITER

JEFFREY COLTIN / THE RAM

Fordham’s approach to marketing itself attempts to address parents’ concerns about the Bronx and Manhattan.

By JEFFREY COLTIN BRONX CORRESPONDENT

Zoo, Botanical Gardens, Arthur Ave. It’s the Bronx trifecta for parents of Rose Hill students.

How many Fordham mothers and fathers have made a day of exploring the Botanical Gardens with their student before an early dinner on Arthur Avenue? How many parents have known the directions to Fordham because they have driven to look at the sealions at the Bronx Zoo before?

That “Bronx trifecta” is invaluable in getting students to attend Rose Hill — and it is all part of the university’s strategy.

Members of Fordham’s Office of Admission as well as university marketing and communications agreed the three attractions are a big part of how they market Rose Hill to prospective students.

“We market Fordham University, we don’t market the Bronx,” said Bob Howe, senior director of communications at Fordham.

“But, you know, it’s close to the Botanical Gardens, it’s close to the zoo… it’s adjacent to Little Italy.”

Marketing is all about getting somebody to buy a product or use a service. When marketing works with admissions at Rose Hill, that product is an education in the Bronx, and usually a residence in the Bronx too.

So if the Bronx is more appealing, then Rose Hill would be con-

sidered more appealing to prospective students and marketing has done its job.

“Urban campuses especially, they are embedded in the community,” Howe said. “And it’s in our interest to have the community thrive as much as we can help it thrive. Whether that’s Midtown, the Bronx, Westchester or even up at the Calder Center.”

While Fordham’s multiple campuses are assets to the university, they can make for some tough decisions in marketing.

Mailings sent out to prospective students cannot just focus on Rose Hill, they also must include pictures and information on Lincoln Center and, to a lesser extent, Westchester.

So if one of those booklets you received in the mail as a high schooler seemed too heavy on Lincoln Center, then Howe isn’t happy. He said they are aiming for a perfect split in marketing, but “if not complete equity, at least have a reasonable balance between the two residential campuses.”

Patricia Peek, Fordham’s director of admission, agreed.

“We send a balanced message about our campus locations, as both boroughs offer opportunities for our students,” Peek said in an email. “Together, Manhattan and the Bronx provide students with a variety of experiences.”

The Bronx and Manhattan may be on equal footing to the University but to many prospective stu-

dents, they are very different.

Peek admitted that some parents still think of the Bronx as it was in the 1970s and ‘80s.

Some “have only those strong memories of the borough,” Peek said. “However, the Bronx and the city as a whole have had a wonderful renaissance in the last two decades and more people are appreciating NYC as a college town.”

Julia Cassano, GSB ’17, knows those worried parents well. Working in Fordham admissions, she fields a ton of questions from mothers, fathers and prospective students.

“They ask, ‘Is it a safe area?’

‘Do people go out at night?’ ‘Do people hang out in the Bronx?’

Basically, is it an okay area?’”

Cassano said she is honest with these callers and admits that the area can be dangerous. But she also talks about the neighborhood’s rich culture, people and many ways to get involved with the community.

No matter what mailers or tour guides tell you, Cassano emphasized that there is nothing like experiencing the Bronx firsthand.

“That was the most impactful moment, when I was actually out and about off campus the first night with my friends and I saw exactly what my surroundings were,” Cassano said. “But there was definitely a lot of prep work done in terms of the school, and I think they did a good job.”

JEFFREY COLTIN / THE RAM

University representatives frequently mention the New York Botanical Gardens when marketing the Rose Hill campus.

Last Thursday, Residental Halls Association (RHA) general board election results were announced.

From freshmen to seniors, residents selected students from their halls to represent them for the school year.

In Salice-Conley Hall, Gino Papa, FCRH ’14, was elected president.

Papa has an expansive resume at Fordham, having served as vice president for Autism Speaks U — Fordham Univ. and as a New Student Orientation captain. He is currently Senior Week senior co-chair.

“Dealing primarily with seniors in Salice-Conley, we have the unique opportunity to throw an exclamation point on the end to what most consider the greatest four years of their lives,” Papa said.

He is also excited to work with his board, because he knows that his fellow board members “are all experienced leaders on campus [who] share my goal to develop an unforgettable experience for our classmates.”

The rest of the Salice-Conley board is comprised of vice president Nicole Jaconetty, FCRH ’14, secretary Roxy Derrington, GSB ’14, treasurer Greg Schiliro, FCRH ’14 and programmer Alexandra McDonald, GSB ’14.

For other upperclassmen, familiarity with RHA and residential life will help the board members in their positions. As president of Walsh Hall, Jackie Gawne, FCRH ’15, along with the other board members, vice president Kristin Brunje, FCRH ’15, secretary Taylor Panico, FCRH ’15, treasurer Brittany Tobin, GSB ’15 and programmers Samantha Nash, FCRH ’15 and Lianna Drobatz, FCRH ’15, represent a majority of the juniors living on campus.

“I think what has prepared me most for this position is the fact that I've lived in housing since the beginning,” Gawne said.

She believes that through living in on campus and attending RHA activities, she has seen RHA improve, though there is room for progress.

“I think there are areas that need to be improved and through experience I know what they are,” she said.

Because her board members have similar experiences, she expects that they will be able to work together to create a community in Walsh, despite the apartment-style living quarters.

Freshmen are just as excited to be taking up their positions. In Alumni Court South, the seats were all highly contested, with 17 students running for the five available positions. Patrick O’Connell, who will take up his role as vice president, hopes to bring South residents closer together.

“I hope that through RHA events our building can get really close,” O’Connell said.

Alumni Court South treasurer, Edward Haarmann IV, also has experience for his position.

“I’ve held money-managing and budgeting positions all throughout high school in various organizations I was affiliated with,” Haarmann said.

President Andrew Hamilton, Secretary Christa Ceconi and Programmer Anne Bradberry comprise the rest of the board.

NEWS

Page 4

September 25, 2013

‘Naked Roommate’ Author Urges Students to ‘Get Uncomfortable’ Reich Plans for a

By REGAN WINTER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This past Friday, as part of Homecoming week, Fordham welcomed Harlan Cohen to Keating. Cohen is a New York Times bestselling author of six books, including The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College, and a nationally syndicated advice columnist.

A frequent speaker at universities, Cohen came to talk about college issues and, more specifically, dating life in college.

After Cohen hopped onstage and enthusiastically introduced himself, he immediately dove into his presentation, targeting the members of the audience who were not in a relationship.

He probed each of the people he singled out, asking questions that caught them off guard about “secret crushes” or what they honestly thought of themselves. He answered questions about roommate problems and used his own roommate experiences to segue into the importance of conquering “uncomfortable situations,” like interpersonal issues with others and rejection.

He urged audience members to embrace rejection and to not let it stop them from doing “uncomfortable things,” or things that challenge who they are, like internships, friendships or relationships. He said that each of us should become comfortable in our own skin, demonstrating this by introducing a “thong” analogy.

Cohen listed three different thongs that had to be mastered for total confidence: physical, emotional and spiritual. The physical thong was simple. We have to look at ourselves and acknowledge the things we do not love. With-

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Cohen’s ‘thong model’ motivated students to handle college issues confidently.

in those things, we must either work to change the things we do not love, as Cohen did with his weight, or learn to tolerate the things we cannot change, as Cohen did with his “oversized” ears.

The emotional thong was a bit more complicated. It dealt with what Cohen called the “Universal Rejection Truth of Dating and Relationships.” This “truth” stated that “thousands of people will want you, but millions will not” and that “not everyone we like will like us back.” However, he said, each of these things is okay.

Rejection is healthy and should not take away from who we are.

Getting comfortable in the emotional thong means realizing this and realizing how much we are worth as individuals, and it is perfectly fine if one person does not see or want that in us.

The final thong, the spiritual one, deals with passions and finding things outside of relationships that make us truly happy and make us live more fully. Cohen

discussed this in regards to his own past long-distance relationship. He said that for the relationships to work, each person needed to be his or her own person and needed to have a life and passions outside of each other. This would make the relationship more full and less codependent.

Cohen finished the talk by singing “My Roommate Stu,” which exemplified some of the tips he had described throughout his speech. Afterwards, many students lingered to speak with Cohen or to discuss their thoughts with each other.

Kim Damone, FCRH ’16, and Becca Elzinga, FCRH ’16, came to the event together after Elzinga read one of Cohen’s books. Both said they found Cohen to be funny and insightful. He offered pieces of advice they could take home to reflect on. Damone appreciated Cohen’s advice on being proactive in getting internships while Elzinga said she felt the thong analogy was relatable to everyone.

Gary Guarnaccia, GSB ’14, who was one of the students singled out by Cohen, said he agrees. He thinks the thong analogy has true value in relationships and said the entire talk covered less common topics that are important to people in their teens and early twenties in order for them to lead successful lives. Guarnaccia attended the event because he is a part of CSA, and he was impressed with how it turned out. He was happy to be singled out because Cohen’s style of presentation needed participation for it to have the impact it did.

Emily Rochotte, GSB ’14, vice president of student life for USG and organizer of the event, was pleased overall with the student response to Cohen. She had had the event planned for two months leading up to it and was inspired

by Cohen’s message of “becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable.” This message, she said, is good to keep in mind even for the most confident people and relates to how Rev. Joseph M. McShane S.J., president of the University urges us to be bothered by life around us.

Though attendance was somewhat low, the students there were instead able to have a more intimate session, and she believes that many left the show challenging their own comfort zones, herself included.

While the idea of becoming comfortable in a “thong” may not be the easiest task to accomplish, students believe it gives insight as to how to think about themselves and the amount of confidence they can possess. Cohen’s talk was thought-provoking and inspiring, and presented lessons that will not be quickly forgotten by those in attendance.

New Department Direction FROM COMMUNICATION, PAGE 1

200 students who couldn't care less because it was a university requirement. Now I'm teaching Intro to Film History to 24 students who all want to be there, and that is fantastic,” she said.

While the class size differs significantly from Stony Brook, Reich attributes the enthusiastic classroom environment to the students themselves. She believes that the organization of the core curriculum, as well as the close contact the faculty has with the student body, allows students to engage in discourse about topics and concentrations about which they are passionate. Despite the prominence of her position as chair of the communication department, Reich remains focused on her role as a member of the faculty team at Fordham.

“I’m really excited to be working [with] the faculty here. It’s not really my direction to take it [the department] — it’s our direction,” Reich said. "But we’re talking about doing a lot of things, and we’re really excited to have such a fantastic group of students to work with.”

Reich went on to say that the faculty intends to explore issues and do more with undergraduate research, as well as work more with the honor society and programs at the graduate level. However, it was Reich’s interest in the students that encourages a new direction of the department.

“One of the things I'm really looking forward to is talking to the students and seeing where they would like to see the major go, and I encourage any student to come talk to me about it,” Reich said.

GSB to Pioneer Business Program at Lincoln Center Fall 2014

By GIRISH SWAMINATH ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Donna Rapaccioli, dean of the Gabelli School of Business (GSB), formally announced the initiation of the Gabelli School of Business on the Lincoln Center campus at the fall GSB Town Hall meeting on Sept. 23. “[The Gabelli School of Business] has experienced tremendous growth in its curriculum, Businessweek rankings and competitiveness in the admissions process, with 440 enrolled freshmen out of the 8,105 students who applied,” Rapaccioli said. “We definitely felt that establishing a program in the Lincoln Center campus was the next step in the growth of the Gabelli School of Business.”

The GSB program at the Lincoln Center campus will be a Bachelor of Science in Global Business with four new concentrations: digital media and technology, global finance and business economics, management with a focus on healthcare and marketing with a focus on consumer insight. The program will share the Integrated Business core, undergraduate core and some common faculty with the Rose Hill campus.

“The [Gabelli School of Business] program at Lincoln Center will be a strong fit with Fordham College at Lincoln Center’s aca-

demic program,” Rapaccioli said. “[The faculty] developed the major, discipline and concentrations based on growing job market opportunities, the higher prevalence of internship programs and faculty expertise and strength.”

The proximity of Lincoln Center to various companies and internship programs was also another driving factor in establishing the GSB program at the Lincoln Center campus. “[The faculty] felt that the Midtown Manhattan setting would open doors to numerous professional opportunities for students, especially with an intensified global focus,” Rapaccioli said. “The program is multidisciplinary, since it ties to the liberal arts program of Fordham College Lincoln Center and is planned to include only approximately 50 students in the first class.”

In the application process for the Class of 2018, students will be able to select their desired campus.

Transferring between campuses within GSB will not be permitted until the program is further developed. As of now, coursework is planned only for the Class of 2018’s freshman year and curricula for future academic years will be incorporated as the program continues.

GSB at Rose Hill will serve as the home of the entrepreneurship pro-

gram and specialty programs, such as the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF), Fair Trade, Value Investing, Sports Business, Alternative Investments and similar programs. It will also be the only campus at which students can pursue a Bachelor of Science in accounting, finance, marketing or business administration.

Rapaccioli mentioned that the development of GSB at Lincoln Center was designed to enhance interaction and involvement among students from the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses. “[GSB] is certainly organizing events and programs in such a manner that Rose Hill students would go to the Lincoln Center campus and vice versa,” Rapaccioli said.

“Organizations like Smart Women’s Securities do that now. We are also hoping to enhance the interaction between the Gabelli students at Lincoln Center and Fordham College at Lincoln Center just as GSB students interact with Fordham College at Rose Hill.”

Student response towards the introduction of the Gabelli School of Business at the Lincoln Center campus has been extremely positive.

“I think it will open up new opportunities for students to get more exposure into the business world,” Maria de Jesus, GSB ’14, said. “Professors will be able to recruit em-

MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM

Rose Hill’s Hughes Hall will no longer be the only home of the Gabelli School.

ployees from major companies in the city to come in and give lectures about their experiences.” “[GSB at Lincoln Center] could give students an edge if they decide to pursue a master’s degree at Fordham itself,” Avanika Kirpalani, GSB ’14, said. “Students will also have more convenience with regards to accessing internships in the city.”

Other developments in the Gabelli School of Business discussed in the Town Hall meeting include the introduction of four new concentrations into the Rose Hill program: alternative investments, international

business, sports business and value investing.

In addition, according to Businessweek rankings, 93 percent of seniors actively seeking full-time employment after graduation were able to successfully obtain employment. Rapaccioli mentioned that improvements were being made to the Fordham Foundry program, wherein student entrepreneurs may apply to receive training to run their own small businesses and have access to microloan opportunities, mentors and office space on Fordham Road.

September 25, 2013

opinion

Page 5

Can Digital Libraries Lead the Way Into the Literary Future?

By MICHERRE MATRAS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In our modern society, many people vehemently argue for the merit of a physical book over its digital counterpart. Readers say that there is something left to be desired in the cold, impersonal text on a tablet screen.

Tablet devotees argue that using paper books is the equivalent of clinging to the nostalgia of a bygone age. Does a printed book have relevancy beyond this?

The recently opened digital library in San Antonio heightens this discussion.

Often, such arguments are generational. With technology playing such a major role in the advancement of our society in the 21st century, tablets represent a transition in the way our youth process information and cannot be ignored for the sake of clinging to tradition.

The current generation has an entirely different capacity for concentration because the Internet inherently fosters an “instant gratification” culture.

This predisposition then becomes a handicap that makes the way previous generations process information obsolete.

Since many schools have begun to heavily integrate technology in their teaching methods, even those who do not have regular access to computers in the upcoming generation are on average quite technologically capable.

“Being a New Yorker and going into public libraries, I’ve often noticed that there are longer lines for computers than there are for the paperback checkout counter,” said Pat McCarthy, FCRH ’15. “I think the access to computers is a very important part of why people go to public libraries now. I think that people often forget that a large portion of our public still do not have regular access to computers.”

Printed literature will always play a necessary role as a bridge to the creative processes of past writers, but the inevitable transition cannot be halted.

Not only is it environmentally desirable, but it will at eventually become spatially necessary to expand outward through the digital frontier.

There are very few resources available to us that are inexhaustible, and the space that the digital plane has offered is one that begs to be capitalized upon. As we make drastic shifts in societal norms in order to encourage more efficiency and environmental responsibility, many traces of outgrown culture have been shed.

While it pains me to say so, printed books must also be shed as we move forward toward a more fluid system of global informational connection.

Because of the convenience this new this new type of “digital-only” library will not only become more commonplace in America and globally as well.

Our peers overseas have been piloting purely digital libraries since the early 2000s, with projects spearheaded separately by the National Science Library, the National Library of China and China’s Department of culture.

This will soon become a global race toward efficiency that we simply cannot afford to ignore.

Micherre Matras, FCRH ’16 is a political science major from Larchmont, N.Y.

By ANDREW SANTIS

“Not only is it environmentally desirable, it will at some point become spatially necessary.”

- Micherre Matras “A library will always be the place to find hard copy novels, biographies, history lessons and scientific facts.”

- Andrew Santis

STAFF WRITER

Do you remember when you got your first library card and took out your first book?

Can you recall borrowing childhood classics written by authors like Marc Brown, Beverly Cleary, Roald Dahl and E.B. White? Can you recall reading their books from cover to cover? Can you remember folding the top corner of a page to indicate where you would resume when you opened the book again?

This is how we read books when we were kids.

But, last week in Bexar County, Texas, an all-digital library, BibloTech, opened its doors to the public. There are 10,000 e-books, 500 e-readers, 48 computers and 20 iPads and laptops at this new library, but there are no books or other printed materials.

Is this the library of the future?

Technological advancements have rapidly taken place in society and have forced libraries to adapt to their patrons’ new needs.

Aside from books, magazines and newspapers, most libraries now have technology centers, and some,

JULIAN WONG/THE RAM

like the New York Public Library and the Queens Library, two of the biggest library systems in the country, started offering patrons the choice of borrowing e-readers and e-books.

Although e-books have not completely replaced hard copy books, they have replaced the actual reading experience. Tapping a cold, dirty screen and then “flipping” through virtual pages is not like holding a real book and feeling its crisp pages. There is a sense of ownership when holding a book, which cannot be felt when holding a device that contains the book.

Then there are the distractions on an e-reader or tablet, like the apps, games and the Internet. Sure, the burden of carrying books around has been resolved, but honestly, how easy is it to navigate a book on a computer with the scroll key, or read the small print on a phone?

Some libraries’ e-book collections have a very limited amount of titles available to borrow. Jane Suda, a reference librarian at the Walsh Family Library, agrees. “In this current information environment, I can’t imagine all information can be delivered electronically,” adding, “at some point you won’t be able to get what you want electronically.”

A librarian since 1993, Suda mentioned working with people who did not know how to use a table of contents or an index.

“Society can be crippled if it isn’t exposed to physical books at all,” she said. Suda still prefers reading a physical copy of The Atlantic because she cannot feel the glossy pages or see the same pictures on an iPad. In 2002, the Tucson-Pima Public Library system in Arizona opened a branch without books. A few years later, printed material was brought into the library at the demand of its patrons. Linda LoSciavo believes that there is a chance this will happen to BiblioTech simply because “there is still a large portion of the population that is more comfortable reading a hard copy.”

To me, a library will always be the place to find hard-copy novels, biographies, history lessons and scientific facts. A library would not be a library without them.

Andrew Santis, GSB ’16 is an undeclared major from Flushing, N.Y.

With a digital library opening up in San Antonio, the future of libraries in the 21st century remains in the hands of readers.

American Exceptionalism Prevails, Not With Might, But Mind

By JOSEPH CLINES CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The idea of “American exceptionalism” is one of the more polarizing concepts in modern American political discussions.

The term is extremely loaded.

Those that subscribe to the idea believe anyone rejecting its jingoistic overtones is unpatriotic, even if one is merely implying that America does not possess a birthright to the supremacy that the “manifest destiny” ideology had suggested. The once proud notion of “American exceptionalism” has divulged into a witch-hunt, seeking to incriminate detractors of the belief as radical left-wingers bent on the demise of

America as the preeminent power in the world (as was the case in Mitt Romney’s campaign during the 2012 Presidential election). Romney vehemently rejected what he saw as an “apology tour” carried out

by President Obama shortly after his first term’s inauguration.

Although Romney’s comments contained an overtly pejorative tone, I do agree with Romney’s assertions that Obama was looking to right the foreign policy misdoings of former administrations. A move that I, for one, would certainly deem beneficial, especially juxtaposed with the gun slinging “you’re with us, or against us” foreign policy message of the Bush administration. Barack Obama addressed his stance on

“American exceptionalism” in 2009, stating that he believed in the idea as much as the British believe in “British exceptionalism” and the Greeks believe in “Greek exceptionalism.”

The comment, made in passing, took on a life of its own and became the “gotcha” moment Republicans needed to expose what they perceived as Obama’s hidden socialist agenda and his true vision for America’s place on the world stage.

The debate on “American exceptionalism” is not one of black and white. Even those who take into account the wishes of the rest of the world do agree that America is an “exceptional” nation in many aspects. Across the political spectrum, few would argue that America

shines brighter than other nations and represents the proverbial “City on a Hill,” alluded to by Senator Rand Paul in terms of freedoms and liberties for its citizens. America owes its exceptional position to the principles the nation was founded upon and the prudent decisions we have made since. It is critical to realize, in the present day, that we must continue to make exceptional choices in crises that will inevitably arise and that we cannot rely solely on historical success as a means of remaining the world’s beacon of prosperity and liberty.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed frustration at “American exceptionalism” and described the dangers of people viewing them-

selves as particularly exceptional. In an op-ed in The New York Times, he wrote “It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation. There are big countries and small countries, rich and poor, those with long democratic traditions and those still finding their way to democracy.”

These feelings are certainly influenced by the historical precedence of extreme nationalism marring the face of the European continent for the better part of the 19th and 20th centuries. The inevitable ties of “American exceptionalism” to jingoistic fervor has accounted for a great deal of missteps in American SEE EXCEPTIONALISM PAGE 7

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OPINION

September 25, 2013

From the Desk of Jack MacGregor, Asst. A&E Editor Right now, something rather frightening is taking place in this country that has, thus far, received very little media attention. Numerous boards of education have recently decided to ban several books that they feel could have a negative impact on youth. A glance over this list, however, reveals that this is not a typical moral crusade, but a blatant attempt at censorship typically only heard of prior to 1948 and dating back to the Middle Ages. What do these incidents have in common? They are rooted in Christian movements.

In 1559, Pope Paul IV first instituted a ban of this nature with the Index Librorum Prohibitorum, a collective list of all the literary works not suitable for reading by any Catholic. Over time, the list expanded to include publications of scientific knowledge, such as Johannes Kepler’s Epitome astronomiae Copernicianae, which dealt with the then-unpopular notion of a heliocentric universe, and works of philosophy and morality that could be perceived as contrary to church teachings, like Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason.

The intent of the list, according to its provisions, was to protect the faith and its adherents from immorality and “theological error,” which

would include any ideas that ran contrary to church teachings of the day. What is shocking, however, is the fact that the Index was regularly published until 1948, and was not even officially abolished until after Vatican II, in 1966, by Pope Paul VI. This is not meant to be another entry in the long list of knocks against the Catholic Church, but rather to contextualize what is happening today. It should also be noted that this new controversy does not involve the Catholic Church, or really any one church for that matter.

Rather, this movement seems to be almost entirely socio-political, as it involves state governments rather than clergymen and ecumenical councils. The problem here is that these board members are using their own religious backgrounds as a springboard for the ban. Rather than clarifying exactly why they are against the content itself, they have used a blanket response anchored in conservative Christrian morality. They usually call controversial material “unnatural” or “blasphemous.” A closer examination of the import of these texts reveals that this is simply not true.

In Randolph County, N.C., the local B.O.E. has decided to ban Ellison’s classic “Invisible Man,” a

brutally powerful account of racial discrimination. Why has a novel of such historical import been prohibited, you ask? One parent complained to the board, citing “sexual content” and a “lack of innocence.”

The board passed the measure 5-2, with one member, Gary Mason, claiming he “didn’t find any literary value.” Why a book about racial discrimination might not be popular in North Carolina I leave up to interpretation.

The classic children’s series Tarzan has also gotten the axe, interestingly enough in the state of California, which is known for its progressive tendencies. The reasoning here? There is no evidence that Jane and Tarzan were married before cohabiting in the treetops.

In reality, there is a passage in the book that features Jane’s father, an ordained minister, marrying the two. Apparently thats not good enough.

The worst offense I came across happened in Alabama, where the State Textbook Committee decided to ban The Diary of a Young Girl, the story of Anne Frank and her family’s survival and eventual detainment at the hands of the Nazis. Anyone who has taken basic literature courses has come to understand the impact this work has

had, not only on modern literature, but also on our historical perspectives of World War II and the Holocaust. According to the committee, the book needed to be banned, quite simply, because it was “a real downer.”

As George Costanza once said, “I am speechless; I am without speech.”

So, what can we do about these literary atrocities? Unfortunately, not much short of getting elected to these respective Boards of Education can reverse these decisions.

But we all know it will never be as simple as that. The current crisis in American education does not need to be exacerbated by reducing the exposure our youth get to the world they are inheriting. Hopefully, the crisis will reach a breaking point, one way or the other, and we can move past the ignorance of our forefathers.

EDITORIAL: Pope Makes Way For Tolerant Future Pope Francis has set a number of precedents — he is the first non-European pope in 1,300 years, he is the first pope from Latin America and he is the first member of the Society of Jesus to become pope. His recent remarks, ranging from the history of the Jesuits to prayer, have also set a precedent and finally given the world a positive reason to pay attention to the Catholic Church and its leader.

This month, in an interview published in 16 Jesuit journals, Pope Francis provided the most insight into his radical identity and ideas thus far. (Radical, that is, in the Jesuit tradition, meaning to move towards the root of a particular matter.) In the 12,000 word interview, he liberally shared much of his personal story, his perspective on the church and his experience in the Society of Jesus.

His polarizing remarks, regarded issues such as abortion, contraception and same-sex marriage.

He deviated from his predecessor in moving away from these controversial issues to focus on what he sees as more demanding matters.

“The church’s pastoral ministry cannot be obsessed with the transmission of a disjointed multitude of doctrines to be imposed insistently,” the pope told his interviewer, Rev. Antonio Spadaro.

We, at The Fordham Ram, regardless of religious affiliation, embrace Pope Francis’ words and his message. While the church continues to condemn certain practices in doctrine and in practice, Pope Francis’ words offered a muchneeded attentiveness to balance, acceptance and, most radically, progress — all of which play a role in achieving the church’s “understanding of truth.”

Pope Francis, most importantly, added that we cannot be “obsessed” with these issues when there are more pressing issues the Church can tackle, such as lov-

ing and welcoming marginalized members of society.

“I see the church as a field hospital after battle. It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugars”, said the pope. “You have to heal his wounds. Then we can talk about everything else.”

His passion lies not in being the one to judge Catholics, but to love these members and to “heal” them.

Such a message has been absent in much of the Vatican’s recent history. Pope Francis, in a tone of humility and in the voice of sanity, is offering a redirection of the Church. His focus, moreover, is not to be the one who judges, but to be the one who welcomes with open arms, eager to heal. Without progress in a time when it is most necessary, people will turn their backs on a church they see as nothing but inflexible and unloving.

The Church has focused too

much energy on doctrines regarding sexuality. Meanwhile, poverty and hunger plague many areas of the world and marginalized citizens are wrongfully pushed to the boundaries of our societies. It seems of little use in today’s secular world to remain as rigid as the Church today. There are many more Catholics today that liken themselves to Pope Francis than to Pope Benedict, who spent much of his time sidestepping scandals and monitoring Church members.

Pope Francis understands the Church as a field hospital whose job is to heal wounds.

If this is so, why has the Church insisted on keeping so many of its members out on the battlefield?

Editorial Policy The Fordham Ram’s editorials are selected on a weekly basis, and are meant to reflect the editorial board’s view on a particular issue.

DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION ABOUT ONE OF OUR ARTICLES? SEND US A LETTER FORDHAMRAMLETTERS@GMAIL.COM

OPINION

September 25, 2013

Conor Fucci

In Reality, Physical Appearance Plays An Ugly Role

By JENA JOHANSEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Can’t We Get Along?

I have been writing about the failures of the federal government for two years now and I am proud to say that I will still have a job for many years, at the expense of the continuing failure of the federal government.

I am proud to say that the American people are staring down the barrel of a full government shut down. Now, don’t assume this is the first time, because it isn’t. Not even close. The government threatening itself with imminent shut down has become an almost weekly event. I have gotten to the point where I look forward to shutdowns like a little tale of the apocalypse that I listen to oh so frequently.

One of the most disappointing parts of these frequent threats is that I really feel like no one knows what they are all about. I’m not going to say that this is the death knell of the United States as we know it, but this budgeting failure isn’t something that should be taken lightly.

The gridlock and disagreement that have taken hold in the senate and house reached the point where it was pathetic and embarrassing about four years ago. It is a shame that the American people have to fall victim to these petty disagreements that will not even affect most people.

The fact that there are still people calling for the repeal of “Obamacare” is just unbelievable.

I mean, the United States almost went to war in Syria and people have their heads so far up their bottoms they can’t see that we have bigger problems. I feel like Americans’ priorities haven’t been in check for at least 12 long years.

I strongly believe that the American people, especially America’s youth, need to become educated and develop a fresh set of ideas.

The people in power need to listen to the next generation who will eventually replace those currently in power. I for one do not want to be left with a country plagued by unnecessary wars, crippled by poor economic foresight, ravaged by a lack of respect for its fellow human and ruined by poor environmental management.

I hope by the time we realize that there is something rotting away at the foundation of our society it isn’t too late to make a difference.

Even with all that negativity, I do have faith that people will step forward to lead our great nation into the brightest of futures.

Hopefully they won’t be as silver tongued as the rest of them.

I know this appears as a rant, but I want to see an end to this partisan political garbage. It is as unappealling as it is un-American and putting petty partisan brands aside is the first step.

I want to live in a place where politicians actually work for the people instead of squabbling over their self-interests.

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Imagine you were in a position to hire someone for your company and you came across the resumes of two candidates with identical qualifications and experience.

But, there is a catch: out of those two options, one person is attractive and the other is not. Who do you think you would be more inclined to hire?

To put it simply, reality is ugly.

We live in a world where the sad truth is that the more physically attractive a person is, the easier life in most areas becomes.

We have no control over whether we are lucky enough to win the genetic lottery, but this can have a huge impact on the way others view us. Despite what we want to believe, looks are important to the way that others perceive us and we can absolutely benefit in life from looking the right way.

Studies conducted about this subject by the American Psychological Association have found that the average lifetime earning difference between attractive versus unattractive persons is $230,000.

This same study has also found that there is a 72.32 percent chance that an attractive person will receive a callback after an interview versus the 62.02 percent chance that an unattractive person will have a callback after an interview.

This preferential treatment starts early. Cute children get more attention from teachers and attractive employees get more attention from bosses. I do not think that the employers making these subconscious choices are the ones to blame, however, nor do I think that this means that employers are shallow.

From a young age, we are practically hardwired to believe that we are not fit enough, tall enough or

attractive enough. If I were to ask a room of people whether they were 100 percent happy and comfortable with their appearance, I am sure very few people would feel confident raising their hands.

This is because our society is completely surrounded by images.

Now that images are airbrushed to promote unattainable ideals, the subconscious bias we may hold towards unattractive people is much more prevalent. Today, we look at ourselves in comparison to these airbrushed advertisements with technology that allows us to morph our bodies with an endless amount of surgeries that claim to make us more perfect.

Although society has recently become aware that these images are altered drastically, it still feeds into this obsession with appearance.

“Practically all phones have photo editing features now, especially with apps like Instagram because everyone always feels like they need to edit their pictures in order to look better,” said Katy Joy, FCRH ’15.

Even the controversy with the recent Miss America Pageant shows this beauty bias in full effect. “It seemed like everyone was angry Miss New York won over Miss Kansas because Miss Kansas is the picture of “American beauty,” said Joy. “But in reality, with her blonde hair, blue eyes and perfect figure, how many people actu-

“We have no control over whether we are lucky enough to win the genetic lottery.” ally look like this?”

On the other side of the argument, people may say that appearance is not the only criterion that matters. This is correct. Of course, attractiveness is not the only thing that might get a person promoted, hired or treated more favorably.

However, stating that looks do not matter at all does not account for this bias in society.

Even biologically speaking, we are attracted to symmetrical faces,

hourglass figures for women, and impressive physiques for men.

People may also say that attractive people are not taken seriously.

However, beauty is associated with confidence and confidence leads to success in the workplace.

Attractive people are known to bring in more money for the company, which results in the cycle of bias toward hiring unattractive people.

While I am not convinced that looks matter regarding every single job choice, I am convinced it has a drastic effect in many fields and affects the ability of a person to attain a job more quickly. When we are exposed to images that constantly make us think a certain way, we think it is normal to be that way.

Whether this makes us all want to change our LinkedIn pictures or not, this is a type of discrimination that has always occurred and will continue to occur unless we are able to look past outwardly appearance.

Jena Johnson, FCRH ’16 is a polticial science major.

ELIZABETH ZANGHI/THE RAM

Research has shown physical attractiveness can be an advantageous asset in social and professional settings.

Colleges Restricting Athletes on Social Media Reduces Risk

By MICHERRE MATRAS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

We live in an age of hyperexposure. This is a fact that many people laud as bringing people together in a way that has never before been possible. There are also however many drawbacks to our media-driven generation of social norms. With sites like Twitter and Facebook becoming increasingly popular, in old and new generations alike, there has come to be an unspoken expectation concerning participation.

As more time is spent behind a screen, it has become increasingly difficult for people to communicate with one another in person. This, in turn, makes us more likely to use social media platforms as a crutch when we come up short in real life. There is a clear huge social advantage to taking part in what is quickly becoming mandatory for cultural assimilation however, but a question that needs to be asked is whether or not a person’s online presence can or should be within the realm of required evaluation by larger institutions such as busi-

nesses and universities.

Two recent examples show this issue taking shape in the real world. In March 2012, the symptom of the problem arose: job applicants were being asked to log into their Facebook page at their interview and peruse their information while the interviewer watched. Of course, companies are not allowed to go into your private information, that is, unless you give them permission. This legal blind spot first came before public scrutiny in Maryland, but soon spiraled into a nationwide debate over where the interests of the person and the interests of the company break their unspoken impasse.

Much like this example, we are now faced with the question of where student-athletes fall on the spectrum of basic rights as outlined by the constitution, versus the rights our country’s laws guarantee franchises, even if the franchise is the very school the athlete attends.

Simply put: if you don’t like the rules, stay off the court. Now, I do not mean this to come across as literal. Many would say that

a person’s right to speak freely comes above all; however, there are many instances in which this is set aside for the sake of general welfare.

For example, if one believes a radical movement of mass destruction is the most appropriate way for one to express one’s displeasure over the way our country is being led, most would agree with the government in not allowing that to escalate into actuality.

Perhaps this example is a bit extreme, but it stands to be argued that the same tenet of thought can be applied across the conceptual board. This protection ought very much to extend to companies.

Simply put, it is the company’s prerogative if they choose to vet candidates through highly invasive tactics. If a person chooses to apply to this company, they may need to prepare for such an interrogation. Otherwise, they can simply choose not to apply to said company.

The parallel to college sports is evident: a school that values its athletic reputation, and propagates it as a strong asset of their

institution, has every right to request that students who participate in sports under the name of the school limit, or at least lessen, their public presence.

The closest set of competing ideas that comes to mind is that of companies that require drug testing and those that are prejudiced or racist. The latter is an atrocious misuse of personal information for the sake of furthering a personal belief that has nothing to do with the company itself and the former is simply protection.

It is protection for the company, or school, from getting into a situation that will potentially ruin their standing. It is inappropriate to limit individuals frivolously; however, it is equally inappropriate to put industries in chains for the sake of giving people the key to the shackles. In a society so heavily based on progress, we must be willing to give institutions the power to excel, even if it is occasionally frightening to allow things to go partially unchecked.

Micherre Matras, FCRH ’16 is a political science major from Larchmont, N.Y.

OPINION

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September 25 2013

With A Gap Year Comes Recuperation, Reflection

John Castonguay

By KATHERINE BASE STAFF WRITER

To break or not to break, that is the question. It is one answered best when there is in ample time to peruse available options. So why not start thinking now?

With another Fordham class beginning their final year as undergraduates, many questions are raised about what lies ahead for these post-grads. Should they rush right in to their next level of schooling, or should they give themselves a mental break after a tedious four years?

Knowing graduation and the “real world” are less than two semesters away has gotten my anxiety clock ticking. While I want to carry out the high expectations set for me by my parents as a Fordham alum, there is one thing I want more: a break. And I think most students can agree on this point.

After three years of sleepless nights trying to ace midterms and finals, all while tackling Fordham’s core, I am absolutely exhausted. Students need a year off to work and to take their heads out of their textbooks. A year off will provide clarity to a student and give him or her time to make certain his or her next level of schooling or career choice is what really suits him or her best.

A reliable online tool called Internships.com supports taking a gap year after graduation. Studies show that with this slow economy, the smartest thing to do is to find work and not to rush in to another level of schooling. A gap year is beneficial in a few ways. “Trying new things and meeting new people can be enlightening and a positive experience where you can also take some time to reflect on your personal strengths, interests and skills that could lead you to your first full-time job,” reads internships.com.

Many students also tend to panic with graduation right around the corner because they lack a clear idea

Media Misrepresents Pope

KATE DOHENY/THE RAM

To break or not to break is a question many college students face upon graduating with a bachelors degree.

of what they want to do. In this case, a year off would help them spread their wings and really find themselves and their passion. Then there are those college graduates who lack internship experience, which will be detrimental to their job search after graduation. A year will give those post-grads time to find an internship that they are interested in and help them build their resumes. Some pessimists like to claim that if you take a year off from school, it will be extremely challenging to get yourself back in to the swing of things once in grad school or law school. I disagree with this statement completely because if you are driven enough, you will work to achieve your goals, no matter the circumstance.

Honestly, what is the hurry to “get started” on a career path and become the next Bill Gates? You have your

whole life for that, literally. Step back for a second, and rid yourself of the external pressures to get your career started. Whether those pressures be your parents, lack of money or the weight of responsibility, you should really ask yourself what it is you want to do. Are you living the life you want to live, or following the path that others have drawn out for you?

Niki Devaris, FCLC ’13, is a theology major who is excited to graduate.

She thinks a gap year is very beneficial and in a graduate’s best interest.

“My brother and my sister both took a gap year, and both really benefitted from it,” Devaris said.

She said her brother took the year off to backpack through Europe, completely on his own. “He discovered new things not only about the places he visited, but also about what he liked,” Devaris said.

She also talked about her sister, who took a gap year after she graduated college to figure out exactly what she was passionate about. “She worked for the New Jersey Environmental Federation, which only solidified her ambition to change the world,” Devaris said. She is currently getting a masters degree in environmental policy.

A postgraduate hiatus might, to some, look like a complete waste of a year. But to the contrary, it has its advantages. Nothing is wrong with taking a year off to find your true passion and to give yourself a mental break. As long as you keep in touch with previous employment contacts and keep those connections, a year off will only work to your advantage to strengthen your resume.

Katherine Base, FCRH ’14 is a English major from Manhassat, N.Y.

American Exceptionalism Remains Strong and Steady FROM EXCEPTIONALISM, PAGE 5

history. An exceptional American does not reject the cooperation of the international community in order to police parts of the world that affect American interests.

As Senator Paul notes, America has acted exceptional regarding the Syrian crisis. Its system of checks and balances, which serves as a model for a world slowly embracing democracy, has been successful in halting aggressive intervention in the interest of a more

such feelings. Barack Obama’s understanding of “American exceptionalism” differs greatly from the likes of George W. Bush and John McCain, because he recognizes that our exceptionalism could be diminished through repeated mistakes and ill-conceived interventions into other nations. This

notion, while alien to the conservative right, is a matter of fact and must be embraced going forward, in the interest of continued “American exceptionalism.”

An exceptional America does not “go it alone” and disregard the wishes of the rest of the world.

An exceptional America does

not prove itself as such through continually flaunting its military might. It proves itself as a pragmatic leader alongside the other members of the international community.

Joseph Clines, FCRH ’14, is an economics major from Hempstead, N.Y.

“Few would argue that America shines brighter than other nations.” diplomatic solution.

Senator Paul’s rebuttal of Vladimir Putin’s comments regarding “American exceptionalism” also illuminates how sensitive the subject is to many on the right.

While Paul is correct in many of his assertions, especially in highlighting the Russian government’s hypocrisy in dealing arms to the Assad regime, it remains a dangerous proposition to uphold “American exceptionalism” in the face of a world that so strongly despises

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Following an op-ed written by Vladimir Putin, America’s “exceptionalism” remains a topic of international debate.

Last week, America magazine published the text of an unprecedented, lengthy interview with Pope Francis and everyone has an opinion. Conducted by Antonio Spadaro, S.J., editor-in-chief of La Civiltà Cattolica, the interview covers a broad range of topics including why the Pope entered the Jesuit Order his thoughts on the Roman Curia and his stance on the role of women within the Church.

Many within the mainstream media seem to focus on upon one particular aspect of his remarks concerning social issues: “We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods…We have to find a new balance; otherwise even the moral edifice of the church is likely to fall like a house of cards, losing the freshness and fragrance of the Gospel.”

Though I think it was wise of Pope Francis to shift the rhetorical emphasis in order to actively engage the modern world, I do not believe that this represents a major doctrinal shift. I am also skeptical of the ability of the mainstream media to accurately and thoroughly report a message with a decreased emphasis on abortion, contraception and gay marriage. The common usage of the above quote by various media outlets serves as evidence of the media’s continued obsession with reporting on these issues. The first New York Times article to appear after the release of the interview was entitled, “Pope Says Church Is ‘Obsessed’ With Gays, Abortion and Birth Control.” Most of the commentary seems to center on whether the statements by Pope Francis represent a shift in the Church’s teachings, as well as clerical celibacy and women’s ordination.

Most Americans do not bother to go directly to the source to acquire their information and instead rely on the filters that the mainstream media provides. As a result, most people heard that Pope Francis said in a previous interview, “Who am I to judge?” However, they did not hear the clause that preceded it: “If they accept the Lord and have good will.”

If I relied solely on secondary sources, rather than reading this most recent interview personally, I would have missed a lot of the Pope’s comments. Some of the topics he discussed were his personal leadership style, his preferred method of prayer, his understanding of the Church as a military field hospital, his emphasis on loving and healing wounds and, most important, the context of faith that characterizes the entirety of his remarks. The mainstream media largely misses the depth and nuance by relying on his propensity for producing sound bite ready remarks.

It is naïve to think that they will suddenly change their style and focus, because of Pope Francis’ desire to change the way that the Church presents itself. National political agendas will continue to taint the public representation of the Church in America. The Pope may be changing the focus of the Church, but Americans are unlikely to witness this shift by listening to reporting from the mainstream media.

Arts & Entertainment

September 11, 2013

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Mary Higgins Clark Donates $2 Million for Creative Writing Chair FROM CLARK, PAGE 1

The selection process to choose the first chair is underway, and will be announced in spring of 2015.

The chair represents a significant expansion for an already vibrant program.

The creative writing program is also experiencing other changes in the future. Professor Sarah Gambito, director of creative writing, acknowledged a real shift in the way creative writing happens in society today that must be reflected in the program here at Fordham.

“I feel like how we are reading and writing and disseminating the written word is changing right before our eyes, and I think what creative writing wants to do is stay on the cutting edge of that,” Gambito said. The program has shifted to offering classes on how to wield new media as a tool in creative writing and will offer at least one class a semester on the topic.

Of the program, Gambito said, “We are situated at the center of the world in New York City, and so how do we [the creative writing program] own that and the whole idea is staying at the cutting edge of technology, of the very best faculty that we can get our hands on and offering students a palette of how they can express themselves; and I think that is really happening across both campuses.”

To that end, the program runs Cura, Fordham’s literary maga-

zine, published online and available in print through Amazon.

All publication proceeds go to the Doe Fund, a charity organization created to help the homeless. Cura takes submissions from around the world and is one of the only literary magazines in the country to integrate literary publication with social justice. A new version of Cura with a redesigned website will be launched in October. The new version will also incorporate a Tumblr and involve students with an action blog that will allow them to engage with the magazine on a more informal basis. Besides Cura, creative writing sponsors events throughout the year, including having a hand in Poets Out Loud, which brings poets to Lincoln Center for readings throughout the year, and creative writing prizes. Students interested in staying abreast of everything going on in the program can check the calendar on fordham. edu as well as follow the department’s Facebook page and Twitter account.

Beyond the classroom, Fordham boasts a student-run literary scene as well. Of the scene, Gambito said, “It’s really lively. What I love is the bi-campus richness of publications that we have here on campus.”

The most prominent creative writing publication here at Rose Hill is by far The Ampersand. Jon Rooke, FCRH ’15, president of The Ampersand, said the club’s

goal is “to generate an entirely student produced literary magazine once a semester as well as fostering a literary community here at Fordham.”

The club holds meetings in Rodrigue’s every Wednesday at 8 p.m. to offer workshops and writing prompts in addition to the more formal editorial process of putting out the literary magazine. The club has grown significantly over the past four years, and its numbers have swelled to around 25-30 active members. Jon also noted that the number of submissions for the magazine has increased since his freshmen year; he estimated that the club received around 200 submissions and accepted around 40 for the magazine last semester.

“Having more submissions is a wonderful problem to have…the quality of the work overall that made it into the magazine was better,” Rooke said.

He also thinks the club offers something unique and different from what Cura and the creative writing program offer.

“We feel it [the creative writing program] is really centered downtown,” Rooke said, but The Ampersand attempts to be a grassroots, Rose Hill-based outlet for creative writing at Fordham. Rooke especially wants to reach out to students of all majors who may not be able to explore creative writing in a formal classroom setting.

“We try to reach out to everybody that writes because you

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Mary Higgins Clark, FCLC ’79, is a successful suspense novelist.

wouldn’t be surprised how many people write as a hobby on a college campus…and this is just an outlet for this.” Rooke said. “We kind of hope we have this community built up that helps student writers.”

The club sponsors events including poetry readings and open mics in conjunction with Rodrigue’s. The Ampersand’s submis-

sion deadline for the fall semester is Oct. 16 to ampersand.submissions@gmail.com.

Whether formally or informally, it is clear that Fordham students have a lot to say. the creative writing scene is a diverse and active scene that deserves to be noticed, and the addition of another creative writing chair is a big step in increasing its profile on campus.

Among Upsets, Wins for ‘Breaking Bad,’ ‘Modern Family’

By JOHN BONAZZO STAFF WRITER

As expected, “Breaking Bad” and “Modern Family” won the top honors of Best Drama and Best Comedy at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards, but the many upsets in the acting categories were the biggest stories of the night.

Arguably the biggest surprise was when Jeff Daniels of “The Newsroom” beat heavy hitters Bryan Cranston, Damian Lewis and Kevin Spacey to take the troph for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama. Bobby Cannavale also upset in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama category with his win for “Boardwalk Empire.”

The winners of the women’s races were more expected, as Claire Danes won her second consecutive Emmy in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama category for playing Carrie Mathison on “Homeland” and Anna Gunn won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama for “Breaking Bad.” The award for Outstanding Writer for a Drama Series went to the late Henry Bromell for “Homeland.” David Fincher won best direction of a drama series for “House of Cards,” the only Netflix series that won.

CHRIS PIZZELLO/AP

For the second consecutive year, Claire Danes won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama for her role in “Homeland.”

On the comedy side, Jim Parsons won his third Emmy for playing lead Sheldon Cooper on “The Big Bang Theory.” Julia Louis-Dreyfus took home Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy for “Veep,” tying Lucille Ball with her fourth Emmy win (before this, she had one each for “Veep,” “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and “Seinfeld”).

For the first time in three years, no actor on “Modern Family”

won in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy category. Tony Hale won the award for “Veep” and Merrit Wever received the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy award for “Nurse Jackie.”

“Modern Family” won an additional prize as Gail Mancuso took home the award for comedy directing. Tina Fey and Tracey Wigfield won Outstanding Writer for a Comedy Series for the se-

ries finale of “30 Rock.”

The movie and miniseries categories were dominated by Behind the Candelabra. The film won Outstanding Miniseries/Movie and Michael Douglas won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Movie or Miniseries for his portrayal of Liberace in the movie. Steven Soderbergh also won Outstanding Director for a Miniseries/Movie for the film.

The other movie and minise-

ries categories spread the wealth.

Laura Linney won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries/ Movie for “The Big C: Hereafter.” James Cromwell received Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries /Movie for “American Horror Story: Asylum.” Ellen Burstyn took home Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries/Movie for “Political Animals.” Finally, Abi Morgan won Outstanding Writer for a Miniseries/Movie for the British series “The Hour.”

There were first-time winners in both the reality competition and variety categories. “The Voice” bested perennial winner “The Amazing Race” in the reality competition category. Meanwhile, “The Colbert Report” ended the 10-year reign of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” as the Outstanding Variety Show.

Host Neil Patrick Harris performed several song-and-dance routines centered on the nominees. The nominated choreographers also performed a dance number tribute to the year in television The night featured remembrances of many television stars who passed away in the past year, including James Gandolfini, Cory Monteith, Jean Stapleton, Gary David Goldberg and Jonathan Winters.

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September 25, 2013

Dining Out: Umai Fusion

By Devon Sheridan ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Fordham University loves to boast about its close proximity to Arthur Avenue. Locals and New York foodies refer to the street and the surrounding area as the “original little Italy” or “the little Italy of the Bronx.” Myriad highquality Italian cafés, delis and restaurants decorate Arthur Avenue, just waiting for well-off parents to spend a little extra cash on their college kid (who deserves the meal, of course). All the boasting, prestige and quality of these Italian-style establishments goes hand-in-hand with higher prices; and many students on an average college budget simply cannot afford a daily meal at Enzo’s or Mario’s. Furthermore, people grow weary of monotonous food options and the complaint of lack of diverse cuisine is not unfounded.

Look closely, however, and you will find a few scrumptious nonItalian establishments in which both your taste buds and wallet will have no problem indulging.

Umai Fusion, a Japanese-style sushi house located on Arthur Avenue, is one of these places, but you have to look closely to find it.

Tucked between Estrellita Poblana III (a fantastic Mexican spot, speaking of non-Italian fare on Arthur Avenue) and a cigar shop between 187th and 186th streets, Umai Sushi looks more like it belongs somewhere on the Upper East Side than on Arthur Avenue.

Some students may be familiar with Umai as a solid choice for delivery. If you are already a fan of Umai’s cuisine, then do not ignore the sit-down experience

DEVON SHERIDAN/THE RAM

Wallets rejoice! Umai Fusion offers an array of specials, including %50-off rolls and lunch specials (pictured above.).

that it offers when you are looking for a good place to eat with friends or go on a date. The decor is clean and minimalistic, reminiscent of really any Japanese restaurant ever. Lanterns hang from the ceiling and bathe the indoor seating in dark red. The dining area, which runs straight from front to back with one side lined with booth seating, looks especially dark from the outside, but the lack of light is not nearly as noticeable once you are inside. I must stress that the dining area is very small. My dining partner and I wagered the place’s capacity to be around 40 people. Each table, finished in rich mahogany, seats four to six people, and the chairs and booths are very comfortable.

We ate at noon on a weekday,

and it took about 10 minutes for our waiter to take our order.

Other than that, the waiter was very amicable in the way that many foreign waiters are. Funnily enough, it took shorter time for him to bring our food than for him to come take our order. But I am nitpicking.

This place is very good in terms of the price-to-quality ratio. For lunch (11 a.m. — 4 p.m.), Umai offers a special: three rolls (24 pieces) for $9.95. The lunch special, and all of the other specials from what I could tell, includes salad or miso soup.

After much debate over what to order (which is half the fun of ordering sushi), we ordered the Spicy Shrimp Roll, the Mango Tuna Roll and the Spicy Tuna

Roll. The latter choice was not ours but, upon our request, the suggestion of the waiter. Personally I was disappointed with the suggestion; I wanted him to tell us to try the Eel and Avocado or some other exotic option.

We were first drawn to and tempted to try the aesthetically beautiful Mango Tuna Roll. The roll included mango slices and fresh tuna (the roll’s name says everything) wrapped in rice and seaweed, and the chef doused the roll with a cream-based, yellow mango sauce which was very sweet and rich. It was closer to a dessert style sushi roll than an entree roll. The unique sweet sauce paired with the tuna appealed more to me than it did to my dining partner. He thought the taste

did not mesh well with the other two rolls, while I thought it made for a nice contrast from the typical sushi flavor.

The other two rolls looked very similar; however, the Spicy Shrimp Roll was superior. Mostly, saying Spicy Shrimp Roll is just tons of fun. Both rolls were traditionally wrapped (rice on the outside, seaweed on the inside), and, other than wasabi and soy sauce, were devoid of any garnish.

Speaking of garnish, the ginger dressing which topped the romaine, red cabbage and carrot salad, was extra, well, gingery. I personally like ginger, but could easily see how it can overwhelm the appetizer salad.

The only thing strange we noticed was the music. It was all house music, but the remixes were very weird. At one point we noticed that the annoying bass beat in the background belonged to a remix of the TLC song “No Scrubs.” Fitting enough I suppose, because when it comes to finding a nearby spot for an inexpensive but very good meal that will not involve pasta sauce, Umai Sushi is indeed “no scrub.”

Additional reviewing by Jack MacGregor Overall Location Food Quality Atmosphere Hospitality Price $ (Out of 4

’s)

Interested in writing restaurant and food reviews? Email: fordhamramculture@gmail.com

How We Watch: The Continuing Saga of Netflix and Internet TV

By JACK MACGREGOR ASSISTANT A & E EDITOR

As it turns out, Gil Scott-Heron was on target when he wrote that “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” The revolution, however, has to do with television itself: its business model, its format and its future.

Over the past several years, Netflix, Amazon and other similar companies have been rapidly expanding their libraries of both television shows and movies, as many of us are aware. It has become a new norm for viewers to watch exactly what they want, when they want it, as opposed to the rigid programming and timing of traditional television broadcasting.

Rather than patiently waiting each week to see a new episode of a favorite series, people are now able to watch at their own leisure, prompting some to “binge” on these shows, watching episode after episode in a row to their heart’s content.

Consumers could not be happier, but some companies, primarily those tied to the more traditional television set, are not quite as satisfied. The reaction to this new media environment on the part of both the older and newer broadcasting companies is extremely

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Multiple shows aired on Netflix have received popular and critical acclaim.

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“House of Cards” won this year’s Emmy for Best Direction of a Drama Series.

interesting.

Though Netflix is widely considered to be the spark that ignited this revolution, it has wisely chosen not to resist changes to its own, thus far successful business model. It had been profiting entirely from content that was not its own for the first few years of its existence. This often created dif-

ficult situations when it came to negotiating the rights to the programming, a change noticed by many when their favorite shows and movies, such as “South Park” and Pulp Fiction, began disappearing and reappearing sporadically in the catalogs. Their parent companies, realizing the dependent nature of their relationship

with Netflix, often opted to raise their rates and enforce these contract dates in order to stem the tide. What they did not seem to account for was the capital that Netflix was slowly amassing for the sake of its endgame: creating original programming designed to compete directly with cable TV. In 2012, Netflix finally began to roll out its own content in the form of new original series.

Thus far they have churned out “Lilyhammer,” a drama about a former mobster sent to Norway for witness protection, “Hemlock Grove,” a thriller about medical experiments in a sleepy Pennsylvania town, “House of Cards,” another drama about the behindthe-scenes action in Congress and “Orange is the New Black,” a dramedy about a young woman sent to prison for a minor crime she committed several years earlier. So far, Netflix has seen great returns on its investments, earning several Emmy nominations and widespread critical acclaim, particularly with regard to “Cards” and “OITNB.” Netflix tried yet another experiment related to new development in the form of a revival. Based on the outstanding numbers and repeat viewership of the cult com-

edy “Arrested Development,” the company decided to offer its former cast and crew the chance to return to their former roles and seemingly “avenge” Fox’s decision to cancel the show six years earlier.

That the young gun came to the aid of a victim of broadcast television’s often ruthless business model was a particularly fascintating move. The experiment was considered by-and-large to be successful, satisfying fans and generating both revenue and buzz for the company. “Arrested” lives to see another day, and Fox certainly missed out on an opportunity.

So what happens next? As these stories demonstrate, it is incredibly difficult to predict what moves (and countermoves) Netflix and the cable companies will make in the coming months and years, though it is undeniable that the ball is in old TV’s court. If networks are not quick to update their services, change their pricing and options and significantly overhaul their view of the marketplace, then we may be among the generations who will be able to say that we saw the demise of the once-great television set. Whatever happens, everything seems to be in the consumer’s favor.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

September 25, 2013

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Editor’s Pick: Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan

By KATIE NOLAN

Global Citizen Fest with Stevie Wonder, Kings of Leon, Alicia Keys and John Mayer When: Saturday, Sept. 28 What time: 3 p.m.

Where: The Great Lawn in Central Park Price: Free w/ tickets; VIP seating available This weekend the Global Citizen festival returns to NYC with a lineup sure to cater to several different musical tastes.

In addition to being an awesome event in itself, Global Citizen doubles as a massive charity event aimed at involving young people in eradicating extreme poverty within the next 30 years.

If you do your part, you’ll feel both rewarded and entertained!

COPY CHIEF

Ian McEwan is currently my favorite author. Granted, this title changes regularly, but after reading his latest novel, Sweet Tooth, I can give him that distinction.

Sweet Tooth follows Serena Frome, a recent graduate from Cambridge University recruited to MI5 in 1972. She gets tapped to participate in a program called “Sweet Tooth” designed to secretly fund authors to write anti-communist books. Serena’s task is to offer a grant to a talented up-andcoming writer, Tom Haley, and monitor his writings to ensure he is writing anti-communist literature without letting him know he is being funded by MI5.

In the process, she falls in love and wonders how to tell Haley about her real life without destroying his trust. Sweet Tooth is a book for book-lovers. Serena devours literature of all genres and her love for Tom is inextricably tied up with her love of his work.

Anyone who has ever loved a novel can understand the pull the literary world has over Serena, especially when she finds the world of espionage not quite as glamorous as she first imagined.

I am always hesitant to give a plot summary for anything McEwan writes, because the basic plot, never seems to do his work justice. He is a complete master of the slow build, and simple, seemingly boring plots build to an emotional fever pitch in a genius way. The real reason McEwan is my favorite author of the moment is his ability to take my expectations and subvert them with his shocking endings. I know that when I pick up one of his books I will not know what I am really dealing with until the last 50 pages or so of the work.

McEwan is best known for his 2001 novel Atonement.

His best-known novel, Atonement, is a great example of how McEwan totally twists a novel to make it something much smarter and more sophisticated than it appears at first glance (I won’t give it away for anyone who has not picked up the book or seen the equally excellent movie).

I have come to think of myself as something of a jaded reader.

Three years into my English major and just under a decade of near-constant reading have gotten me to the point where things can rarely surprise me. I like to play this game with books where I try and call the ending within the first 100 pages. McEwan is one of those authors that makes me remember why I love reading

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in the first place. He shocks me, makes me cringe, makes me cry and makes me love his characters because they feel so human. His books are the types of books that I will find myself thinking about for days, weeks and months after I have finished them.

They have a subtle way of sneaking up on me, and I find myself in awe of how just plain smart they are. They also have that rare ability to be incredibly enjoyable without making me feel like I am doing the literary equivalent of a junk food binge with my free reading. Anyone who has not had the pleasure of spending time in one of McEwan’s books on a cold Sunday afternoon needs to run to Walsh Library right this second.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Rock and Roll Poster Bowl When: Sunday, Sept. 29 What time: 12-5 p.m.

Where: The Brooklyn Bowl, 61 Wythe Avenue Price: Free This Sunday, DJ Uncle Mike, Moonset Gallery and Concertposterauction.com are presenting the First annual “Rock and Roll Poster Bowl.” According to the event posters, the Poster Bowl will feature artists and dealers who will be putting on display thousands of posters from the past 50 years of Rock and Roll history. In addition to perusing the impressive collection, attendees will be able to purchase from a wide variety of images and posters. Best of all, entrance is free!

— COMPILED BY JACK MACGREGOR ASSISTANT ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Send tips, event listings or comments to fordhamramculture@gmail.com.

F.E.T. Preparing For A Boat on the Shore

By TALIA BOYER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“Good theater is when you forget you’re watching a scripted performance — getting lost in the story and relationships of the people onstage. This show has that potential,” Justin Clark, FCRH ’14, said in regards to the upcoming Fordham Experimental Theater show A Boat on the Shore.

The straight-play, co-written

by Ryan Creamer, FCRH ’14, and Steve Tyson, FCRH ’14, tells the story of two very distinct brothers. Clark plays Chris Harnett, a socail but unsuccessful 26-yearold who, after he is kicked out of his parents house, is forced to move in with his awkward little brother, played by Joe Gallagher, FCRH ’15. The brothers’ relationship grounds the show and gives the play its uniquely realistic perspective.

“A lot of times in families, you have siblings who you would never be friends with in the real world,” co-writer Steve Tyson said, “but, that is kind of the beauty of being family with someone

ELIZABETH ZANGHI/THE RAM

Joe Gallagher (left) and Justin Clark star in FET’s first slot show of the year, written by Ryan Creamer and Steve Tyson.

who is different from you. You grow as a person because they are different from you.”

“Steve and Ryan have something really special with this script,” Clark says. “The relationship between the two brothers… is grounded and real. There is a perfect combination of real-life problems and comedic relief

[that] makes the play come alive in a way I never expected. Sometimes a play will pick one or the other, [but] real life never chooses between the two. We can laugh in times of hardship and be down when everything seems to be going right. Steve and Ryan managed to capture that balance that exists in the real world. Nothing

is forced, everything is natural.”

Such believability in the show’s storyline proved to be a key goal that came naturally to the duo as they wrote the script.

“We started with a different idea: a show that was a lot more silly—kind of nonsense funny—but we decided to change it to [be] a little more dramatic,”

said Creamer. “We wanted to do something different, because FET has done great comedies, but one thing that hasn’t been done in FET [is] a dramatic, student-written, realistic piece.”

“People will expect it to be funny, because they know us as goofballs—and that’s not a bad thing—but there’s something to be taken from material that’s vulnerable,” Tyson said. “We tried to establish a sense of realism.”

In the end, the team agrees that everyone should go see the show, as it is “a relatable story” that will serve as proof that “drama is not this cinematic difficult thing. It’s transcribing reality to the stage.”

The play is a show that you will not want to miss. Remember to head down to Rose Hill’s Black Box Theatre to see Clark and Gallagher along with Julia Webb, FCRH ’16, Marisa Schmidt, FCRH ’15, David Portmore, FCRH ’14, Devin Prefonchowske, FCRH ’14 and Jamie Flanagan, FCRH ’14.

A Boat on the Shore, premiers on Oct. 17 and runs thru Oct. 18, Oct. 19 and Oct. 20. All shows are at 8 p.m.

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September 25, 2013

Homecoming 2013

DREW DIPANE

On a day full of bonding and remembering, winning was the icing on the cake.

Photos compiled by Elizabeth Zanghi

MICHAEL REZIN

KELLY SIMPKINS

DREW DIPANE

DREW DIPANE

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September 25, 2013

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MICHAEL REZIN

MICHAEL REZIN

DREW DIPANE

MICHAEL REZIN

MICHAEL REZIN

MICHAEL REZIN

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Page 14

WHO’S THAT KID? JOHN LETO A MEMBER OF GSB ‘14 MAJOR: ACCOUNTING MINOR: PHILOSOPHY HOMETOWN: JACK, NJ Describe yourself in a couple of sentences for the readers.

I am a people person. I am very outgoing and love to have a good time. I would say I’m the perfect mix between being a goofball and being compassionate/having a big heart. Clear eyes, full heart, can’t lose!

What is your favorite aspect of Fordham and why?

The people. I have been blessed to meet some incredible people who are not only friends but also family to me. I would not trade them in for the world. Also, the community in general is awesome.

I just love Fordham.

If there was one thing about Fordham you could change what would it be?

I don’t like to bash Fordham because it really is the best thing to ever happen to me. However, people sometimes tend to have too much of a sense of entitlement at Fordham and I’d like to see much less of it.

What show, food, artist or movie would you consider your “guilty pleasure”?

“Game of Thrones,” Pugsley’s, The Avett Brothers and the Lion King. BOOM.

my cartilage. I had the full Jersey swag. Facebook stalk me; it was a weird time. Also, I speak my own language, but you wouldn’t get it.

What is your favorite movie and why?

Remember the Titans. It is such a classic, epic, quotable movie. I love football, played all four years of high school and love all football movies.

Remember the Titans is my favorite because it transcends football to have a deeper meaning.

What is your favorite class at Fordham?

I am going to say a class that I am in right now, Philosophy as a Way of Life. I have Professor Grimm, who is great, and the class discussions are even better. Applying philosophy to our everyday life is extremely interesting stuff.

What is your favorite album released in 2013?

I am just going to say Magpie and the Dandelion by The Avett Brothers. It doesn’t come out till Oct. 15, but it will most definitely be my favorite album of the year. That’s really biased; they’re just my favorite band.

What is a personal goal you would like to accomplish over your four years here?

I really want to try to get a chance to go into Keating bell tower.

Do you have plans, career or otherwise, for post-college life?

I plan on applying to grad school (five-year Accounting program) to get my M.S. in tax and work for an accounting firm thereafter.

September 25, 2013 What activities, clubs, projects or organizations are you involved with at school?

I am currently an RA and a USG senator. I also have played and still play various intramurals from softball to football to volleyball. I have previously been an NSO leader, was on GO! NOLA, worked for Security (drove the swag-mobile), and have been involved with Campus Ministry in various senses.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring with you?

Friends, family and food. Good people, good food: That’s all you need in life.

If you could go back to your first day at Fordham, what advice would you give yourself?

Get involved earlier in my Fordham career and not to sweat the small things. There are so many opportunities to meet new people and try new things at Fordham and I wished I had gotten more involved earlier. Also, college is a journey and it has its ups and downs; it’s not worth worrying about things you can’t control.

What is your favorite thing to do in New York City?

I love going to sports events. I am a huge Yankees and Knicks fan.

(Shout out to the Devils and Giants too — Jersey represent) The atmospheres at MSG and Yankee Stadium are unprecedented. I also love Christmastime in the city. So cliche.

What is something about you that not many people know?

I used to have both my ears pierced in high school as well as

MIKE REZIN/THE RAM

John Leto, an accounting major and senior from Jack, N.J., enjoys his favorite aspect of Fordham: the people.

Beware the Premature Oscar Predictions

By JOHN BONAZZO STAFF WRITER

Every year Oscar predictions are made earlier and earlier. Every week between September and December, some prestigious new picture opens and is instantly crowned the clear favorite.

This seemed to reach its apex last year, when films like Lincoln, Les Misérables and Zero Dark Thirty were all touted as the obvious Best Picture winner, before Argo swooped in and earned the top prize.

This year, however, the jockeying for awards has been even more premature than usual. A large number of films received stellar reviews at the recent Toronto Film Festival and now are all being called Best Picture contenders. The awards tracking site Gold Derby is already predicting that Rush, Gravity, Captain Phillips and 12 Years a Slave will all be nominated for the big prize. To say that four Best Picture nominees are certain in September when only five to 10 total nominees will be announced in January is a risky proposition.

12 Years a Slave, in particular, has received critical hosannas and frontrunner status. Adam B. Vary, critic for

JONATHAN SHORT/AP

A worker reserves seats for last year’s Academy Awards Ceremony.

Buzzfeed, gives a typical response: “12 Years a Slave is the must-see movie of the year, and should win all the Oscars…no other film can compete.”

Mark Harris of Grantland sounds a welcome note of caution. These predictions of Slave’s dominance are based on the assumption that the Academy wants to make a statement about race, a narrative that Harris says “has gotten very loud, very early.”

Also, the mindset that the winner must be picked now is unfair to films coming out later in the year and could

“lead to months of defensive posturing,” according to Harris. Each film deserves its own shot at the gold, so this warning should be heeded.

Throughout history, movies released early in the year with no festival fanfare have done well at the Oscars.

The Silence of the Lambs was released in February 1991 and was a sleeper hit, winning five Oscars including Best Picture more than a year later at the 64th Academy Awards.

More often, however, it is not until the winter that a winner can be pre-

dicted with any degree of certainty whether or not it is a festival entrant.

For example, the 2012 Best Picture winner The Artist had just one showing at the Cannes Film Festival before quietly opening in New York and Los Angeles at Thanksgiving. The film then gradually expanded across the country. By January, critics and much of the public had the film fresh in their minds, securing its wins at the Golden Globes and Oscars.

People are more likely to root for the most recent film they saw; this is true of both casual moviegoers or Academy members. With few exceptions, an Oscar has been awarded to a great film released in the last months of the year over a rapturously reviewed indie darling from the summer or fall (were there any Oscars for Beasts of the Southern Wild?).

The Oscars are six months away.

Neither critics nor the public have seen many of the films vying for attention. Professionals and armchair pundits should tread carefully when declaring favorites.

Think twice before calling the Best Picture Oscar now for 12 Years a Slave, because there is a good chance that in 12 weeks it will find itself a loser.

Karen Hill We take our friends’ advice on what shoes to wear, what beer to drink and what music to listen to, but maybe it is time to take their dating advice a little more seriously as well.

Sure, you got me, The Ramantic, but your friends know you a little better than I do.

One thing we all close our ears to is our friends’ respective decisions to tell us that they don’t like who we’re dating. Maybe your friend is subtle and ignores your beau when he or she is around, or maybe it is more of a blatant “I don’t like him/her.” Your first reaction is probably to get mad at your friend and call him or her jealous. Your first reaction, however, should be to re-evaluate your relationship.

As a party outside of the relationship, friends have a clearer perspective of your relationship that your love — or infatuation rather — blinds. That same blindness may distort your perspective of the intentions of your protective friends. One friend of mine went so far as to say I was jealous and couldn’t be happy for her because I couldn’t even be happy for myself. Well, that was a null argument because for as many of my friends’ boyfriends I haven’t liked, there have been twice as many I did like. Do not assume your friend is jealous, they are probably just looking out for you.

You probably think you are happy, because you have been in that relationship, and it is all you know. Maybe something doesn’t feel right, but it might feel even worse to have to let go of your relationship. You don’t have to break up right away because of what your friends say, but try to understand where your friends are coming from.

As happy as you think your boyfriend or girlfriend makes you, don’t you remember how happy your friends make you, too? Do you not miss those fun memories that have been eroded by tension?

If your friends think your girlfriend is a psychopath, she is probably a psychopath. If your friends think you can do better, you can do better! Do not settle in a relationship that is going to amount to nothing. I mean, if it does amount to something, you are going to have one short guest list at your wedding, and no bridesmaids or groomsmen standing on either side of you at the altar.

Maybe I’m a bit of a jerk, but I do not think you have to be supportive of your friend’s relationships. I am never going to support a relationship in which I know my friend could do better and be happier. I am also not going to support a relationship that has obvious flaws. Some faults are less obvious, but still apparent. It takes the special X-ray goggles called “friendship” to reveal these subtle flaws.

This dilemma is the ultimate decision, as it comes down to choosing your lover or your friends. Do not make any drastic choices just because your friend says so, but do not avoid the subject with your friend, either.

If you think your guy or gal really is swell, prove it. Have your beau hang around and prove him or her worthy.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

September 25, 2013

Page 15

Ram Reviews “Brooklyn NineNine” Season 1, Ep. 1 “Pilot”

Television Review

Television Review

By NICOLE HORTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The genial, well assembled cast of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (8:30 p.m.

ET Tuesday, Fox) looks to add a comedic flair to the typical crime drama television shows, such as “Criminal Minds,” “NCIS” and “The Mentalist.”

Andy Samberg stars as Jake Peralta, a wacky and sarcastic, yet bright and efficient, detective. Detective Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero, “Gossip Girl”) serves as a foil to Peralta. She keeps him in line with her tough attitude and respectable work ethic, and their dissimilar, yet highly competitive personalities generate witty banter. There appears to be an underlying sexual tension between the two partners which may be explored in future episodes.

Captain Ray Holt (Andre Braugher, “City of Angels”) is the new boss of the precinct. He looks to improve the precinct and establish his own set of rules and code of conduct, which puts wisecracking Detective Jake Peralta under scrutiny. While on a stakeout with Peralta and Santiago, Holt reveals that he is gay. His stern attitude serves as a contrast to the stereotypical sassy, flamboyant gay characters that generate laughter in television comedies. His sexual orientation also sheds light upon the challenge of rising in the ranks as an openly gay law enforcement officer.

Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio, “Reno 911!”) is a dorky, bumbling detective who divides his time between

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solving cases and clumsily trying to make advances on no-nonsense Detective Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz, “Modern Family”). Sensitive, good natured Sergeant Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) is on administrative leave after becoming a father to twin girls and losing his edge as a cop.

The array of characters at the precinct generate an amusing office place dynamic, similar to that in “The Office.” Peralta and Santiago’s partnership mirrors that of Detective Kate Beckett and the charming writer Richard Castle in the television drama “Castle.” Like Beckett, Peralta is a strong, hardworking female who keeps her male counterpart in line, yet she knows that he is an asset for the precinct. As evident in his longtime stint on “Saturday Night Live,” Andy Samberg’s strength is in portraying goofy, affable characters, so this is an ideal role for him as one of the central characters of the show.

There are several challenges that lie ahead for “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” if it wants to maintain solid ratings after a respectable premiere audience of six million viewers. “Brooklyn NineNine” has a half-hour time slot, so it may be a struggle for the detectives to wrap up cases in an effective yet timely matter. The show must inject emotional depth into both the characters and future plot lines so it is not merely a vehicle for funny, static characters to tell jokes, like a “Saturday Night Live” skit. This begins with Andy Samberg’s character Peralta, who had his share of funny moments in the pilot, including stripping down to a speedo while doing paperwork. The audience will tire of watching the same silly antics each week, and it will be interesting to see how the writers will add depth to the concept of the show and create multidimensional characters that serve this well-assembled, talented cast of actors.

Music Review

Yours Truly - Ariana Grande

By JOE VITALE OPINION EDITOR

Stepping into a Nickelodeon star’s debut album is, to say the least, unfamiliar territory for me. Blooming child stars often find themselves reaching far beyond their niches, whether in musical ambition or lyrical content.

Being constrained by contracts and networks for so long, they have a newfound freedom that can often be more dangerous than becoming.

Ariana Grande, known as the cute and quirky character Cat on “Victorious,” recently flipped this notion on its head with her debut album Yours Truly. Coming in at around 46 minutes, each of the 12 tracks keep things fresh and surprisingly vigorous. After hearing the rhythmically and lyrically accessible first single, “The Way,” featuring Mac Miller, the expectation was 11 more tracks of, well, that.

On track after track, however, Grande boasts a powerful voice reminiscent of Mariah Carey’s younger days and filled with a satisfying helping of confidence and passion. She is capable of quick pitch change and appealing falsettos. There are only a handful of moments when her talent fails to surprise with intriguing reshaping and restyling, all within the confines of one or two songs.

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Bolstered by a glistening and glossy production, courtesy of producer and songwriter Babyface, her bubbly voice is rarely overshadowed by the progressive pop instrumentation.

One of the most accessible and upbeat tracks, “Lovin’ It,” is as energetic as it is playful. It is an example of Grande’s balance of ambition and caution. She not only knows when to change up the game with some flaunting and flirtatious vocals and production, but also knows when to pull the reins. Another favorite is the album’s opener, “Honeymoon Avenue,” where airy production and pleasing back-up vocals help build up to one of

the catchiest and funkiest choruses on the album.

This debut album is as playful as her personality, both in and out of the studio. Grande’s focus on clean and slick production is detailed, and it complements, rather than overwhelms, her voice. It is a solid effort which will result in satisfied fans and surprised newcomers, like myself.

Whether any tracks other than “The Way” will make it to a radio rotation remains uncertain, but if not this time, then next time for sure. “Yours Truly” is a sign of bigger and better things to come, and that is saying a lot given this record’s magnetic personality.

“Breaking Bad” Season 5, Ep. 15 “Granite State”

By JACK MACGREGOR ASSISTANT A & E EDITOR

Aside from last week’s heart-breaking, epic installment, “Ozymandias,” I have never had more difficulty in reflecting upon an episode of “Breaking Bad” than I have with this past week’s “Granite State.” To see the characters who we have come to know (and possibly love, depending on whom we are speaking of) plunged so deeply into the depths of misery and despair has not been easy to watch, and this week things have somehow gotten worse.

The episode picks up almost immediately where the story left off, with the vacuum salesman’s minivan still traveling the roads of Albuquerque. However, we quickly learn that it is not transporting our antihero, but rather everyone’s favorite “criminal” lawyer, Saul Goodman. As he contemplates his now-ruined life and prepares to receive a new identity in Nebraska, Saul gets a glimpse of his malefactor Walter White, a scene which serves as an accurate representation of almost everyone’s state of mind at this point in the series.

On a CCTV feed, we find Walt alone in a room, kicking and screaming because his world has come crashing down in the blink of an eye. After Saul elaborates on how irreparable the damage is (and his pathetic hopes of maybe managing a Nebraskan Cinnabon), we begin to see the cogs turning as Walt tries to muster his “Heisenberg” persona once more to intimidate Saul into coming with him and plotting revenge on the Neo-Nazis.

But in a fitting turn, Walt cannot do it. He is interrupted by a particularly nasty coughing fit, reminding us of his rapidly-impending mortality. In what may have been Saul’s (very fitting) last line of the series, he grabs his bags, heads for the door and offers one last comment, completely devoid of that charming Goodman sarcasm: “It’s over.”

Unfortunately for Jesse, the hell in which he has now been living for weeks seems like it will never end.

His meth cooks with Todd have been producing “Heisenberg” levels of purity, and even Lydia has reconsidered ending her relationship with Jack’s gang because of it. This bleak set of circumstances seemed to finally be changing, however, when Jesse uses the paperclip attached to the photo

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of Brock and Andrea to escape his underground cage. The excitement is palpable as Jesse runs for the fences and finally seems to be out of the hole (literally). But just as Vince Gilligan gives us an inch, he takes a mile. A camera catches the escape, and Todd and the gang stop Jesse him before he can even get out of the compound; It seems like Jesse may finally be put out of his misery when he begs not to cook for “you psycho f****” anymore.

But, that would not “Break Bad” enough. As I said before, it seemed to be impossible for this story to get any darker, improbable for any more lives to be ruined. I was wrong. Competing with last week’s family fight, the most awful thing to watch on “Breaking Bad” thus far is Todd, that “pie-eyed psychopath,” leading Andrea out to the porch as calmly as ever, just so she can be executed before Jesse’s eyes.

At least Todd has the decency to add, “This is nothing personal,” before gunning her down. However, things have never been more personal, and I’m getting the feeling that Todd will rue the day he met Jesse Pinkman.

Unlike last week’s episode, “Granite State” does not descend much further into violent chaos, as it seems Gilligan and company are funneling everything into next week’s series finale. We see Walt transported to the purgatorial New Hampshire, where he lives alone in a cabin, visited only by the man who helped him disappear. He still takes chemo, but knows the inevitability of his death. Several months pass, and a withered Walt finally decides to make a last ditch effort to get some of his “life’s work” to his family. He manages to get on the phone with Flynn to give him instructions for receiving money, only to be rebuffed for the last time. Flynn heartbreakingly asks him why he has not died yet, which seems to be the last straw for Heisenberg. Walt hangs up, calls the DEA and prepares to be taken in to answer for his crimes.

It is only when he sees the Schwartzes on “Charlie Rose” that he has a change of heart. Gretchen claims that, “The Walter White I knew is dead and gone,” just after discrediting everything he did in helping to form Gray Matter, their chemical company.

It seems this is too much of a knock on Walt’s pride, for just before the police arrive he disappears, headed for Albuquerque, where this train will finally crash into the station.

I do not know where these characters will ultimately end up, but I know it will be messy, tragic and, as many of the actors have commented, “unapologetically ‘Breaking Bad.’” Hold on tight, fellow viewers.

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September 25, 2013

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September 25, 2013

Sports

Volleyball Loses Momentum Going Into Conference Play

By TARA SLEDJESKI STAFF WRITER

The Central Connecticut State University Invitational was the Fordham volleyball team’s last chance to work on some things before Atlantic-10 Conference play begins this Friday, Sept. 28 at home against Rhode Island. Unfortunately for the Rams, their last regular season tournament did not go as planned, and they now head into conference play with a 7-8 record.

Coming off of a 3-0 loss at St. John’s University last Tuesday, Sept.

17, the Rams traveled to New Britain, Connecticut on Friday, Sept. 20 to take on NJIT in the first game of the CCSU Invitational. The weekend started off on the right foot for the Rams, as they beat NJIT 3-0.

The Rams beat NJIT in straight sets in convincing fashion, winning the sets 25-19, 25-11 and 2512. Outside hitter Lisa Hipp had a strong game for the Rams, picking up a team leading 12 kills. Libero Emily Atwood also had a good game with her team leading 14 digs. Setter Sara Konkel led the team in assists with 40.

On the second day of the tournament, Saturday, September 18th, the Rams played two matches against

Hartford and host CCSU and the results were not as favorable as a day earlier. They lost the first game 0-3 to Hartford before putting up a fight to CCSU only to lose 2-3.

In the Hartford game, the Rams struggled to get anything going with set scores of 25-17, 25-15 and 25-14.

Hipp once again led the team with eight kills while Konkel had a team leading 21 assists. Atwood also led the digs category with 12.

The CCSU game was closer than the Hartford game, but produced the same result for the Rams. After losing the first set 25-19, the Rams bounced back in the second set by the same score. The third set was another close one with CCSU emerging a 25-23 winner. The fourth set once again went in favor of the Rams by a score of 25-20. CCSU took the fifth and final set 16-14 to win the game.

The CCSU game did not provide the Rams with the result they wanted before the start of A-10 play, but it did provide setter and libero Maria Rodenberg with a game to remember. Rodenberg set the Fordham record for digs in a match with 38.

Outside hitter Brianna O’Neil led the team in kills against CCSU picking up 18 while once again Konkel led in assists with 55.

Not only do the Rams have A-10 play to look forward to, but after playing just one home game so far this season, they will stay in the Rose Hill Gym for five straight games.

Their first opponent will be Rhode Island, who recorded a 6-7 record prior to conference play.

George Mason then comes to town on Saturday, Sept. 28 as an A-10 opponent for the first time

after starting their season off 4-10.

Then on Tuesday, Oct. 1, the American East Conference Stony Brook Seawolves will come to the Bronx with their 5-10 record.

The Rams were ranked eighth out of nine teams in the A-10 to start the season. The top six teams in the conference will play in the conference tournament in November in Washington D.C.

ALLY WHITE/THE RAM

Brennan Delsing recorded 14 kills in Fordham’s loss to Central Connecticut.

Men’s Soccer Loses Third Straight Match, 3-2, to Stony Brook

By MAX PRINZ ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

In a back and forth game full of momentum swings, the Fordham men’s soccer team was unable to end its losing streak, falling to the Stony Brook Seawolves 3-2. A third consecutive loss drops the Rams to 2-4 on the year.

“The last two games we struggled to create a lot of attacking opportunities,” head coach Jim McElderry said. “Today we did that well enough, but we made a couple of crucial mistakes on their goals.”

The Rams entered the game missing two key defensemen. Freshman Andrew Hickey and sophomore Ryan Cupolo were unavailable for the match against Stony Brook, forcing senior Nathaniel Bekoe to forego his usual role as a vocal leader in the middle of the field and play defense.

“Any time you have injured guys out it affects the match a little bit, but that’s just what you have to deal with,” McElderry said. “I thought for long stretches of the game we played quite well, but when we made a couple of mistakes we got punished for them.”

The injuries did not seem to hinder the Rams at first, as they came out ready to play. They worked the ball around the back line, and a long Bekoe outlet pass led to the first corner kick just four minutes into the game. The early minutes of the game were filled with crisp passes, patient play and chances for the Rams.

Though they had a number of early chances, the Rams were unable to break through and score.

The Seawolves took advantage. A Stony Brook counterattack pushed the ball down the field. The Seawolves’ stopped the Rams’ attempt at a clearance and Stony Brook’s Will Casey netted the first goal of the

ELIZABETH ZANGHI/THE RAM

Fordham has a few more non-conference games left before the start of A-10 play on Oct. 11 against Saint Louis.

game to put the Seawolves ahead in the 40th minute.

The first half scoring did not stop there. Casey would get his second goal of the game just two minutes later, off a cross from teammate Alejandro Fritz. With a 2-0 lead late in the first half, Stony Brook appeared to have all of the momentum.

The Rams refused to give in. The Rams took the ball on the ensuing kickoff and began an attacking push.

Freshman T.J. Hughes made a run down the left side and got out in front of the Stony Brook defense. He attempted a cross which deflected off a Stony Brook defender and into the back of the net. The own-goal made the score 2-1, with all three goals coming within three minutes of each other. Calling the first half wild would be an understatement.

The Rams came out in the second half looking for an equalizer. They would get it in the form of a spectacular goal from senior Jack Bouchard.

Bouchard’s goal was a bullet from 25 yards out that ignited the crowd and, more importantly, tied the score.

The Rams were unable to capitalize on the momentum from Bouchard’s goal. The Seawolves pushed back and drew a foul on Bekoe that led to a free kick from only 24 yards out. The Seawolves scored on the set piece that followed and their 3-2 lead would hold up for the rest of the match. “ I thought the effort from our group was really good, but we made our lives difficult,” McElderry said.

“We went down two goals and I was proud of the way we fought back, but then we conceded a set piece and it was a disappointing end. “

All match long, the Rams were unable to capitalize on a number of chances. The team could not convert chances that came after momentum swings, nor could it make something of its 8-4 corner kick advantage.

“I thought we earned a lot of set pieces and had more corners than any other game so far,” McElderry said. “Our service was just a little short. We never really put enough pressure on the goalkeeper and that let them off the hook a little bit.

We just got to get better at it. I was happy with the amount of chances we earned, but the execution in that last pass or last little service just let us down.”

The Rams will look to improve their execution in their next match when they go on the road to face Temple on Sept. 25.

Page 17

Women’s Tennis Sweeps Manhattan

By TARA CANGIALOSI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Fordham women’s tennis team played its first and only home match of the season this past Saturday, defeating cross-town rival Manhattan College 7-0.

As Fordham students, teachers and alumni geared up for homecoming weekend, the Rams took the Hawthorne/Rooney Courts by storm with strong performances in both singles and doubles play.

The Rams opened the match in doubles play, where they won all three matches. Juniors Sarah Ali and Elliesa Ball teamed up at first doubles to beat Brianna Turano and Gabriella Leon, 8-1.

“We had a great first match back,” Ball said, in an email. “It started off slightly difficult, as it hasn’t been windy whilst we’ve been practicing recently, but thankfully we all managed to brave through it.”

In second doubles, the juniorsenior combination of Julie Leong and Angelika Dabu was also victorious, defeating Alyssa Rosello and Salua Pizano, 8-3. Anika Novacek and Bella Genkina also had a strong showing, blanking Caitlin Bricketto and Catharine Clark at third doubles, 8-0.

In the singles matches, the Rams were also successful, sweeping all six matches in straight sets.

Ball carried her dominating performances in doubles play to the singles court, where she defeated Turnano at the first position, 7-5, 6-2. Ali followed suit in the second singles, beating Leon, 6-4, 6-2.

Dabu then bested Bricketto, 7-5, 6-0, in the third spot.

Novacek played in the fourth spot, where she grabbed the match over Pizano, 6-0, 6-2. Leong only lost one game to Rosello at fifth singles, winning the match 6-0, 6-1. Freshman Destiny Grunin also played well in the sixth position, beating Clark by a score of 6-1, 6-1.

The match against Manhattan was the team’s only dual match of the season, while the rest of the fall season focuses on larger invitationals. In this match, players had the opportunity to better their skills for the tougher competition they will face later on.

In the upcoming weeks, the Rams will face a number of challenging competitors at the Eastern Championships next weekend and USTA College Invitational held from Oct. 11-13. As they enter these invitationals, focused, hardnosed play will be crucial for the Rams.

Coach Bette-Ann Liguori will need her players to step up within the next few weeks to guarantee their places at the ITA Regionals, held from Oct. 17-22 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

“I would like to get as many players there as possible,” Liguori said. “But it’s not easy to get into the Regional tournament, so these tournaments all leading up to it will help to qualify for it.”

With Liguori’s goals in mind, the Rams will continue to improve both individually and as a team, hoping to continue their positive start to the season.

SPORTS

Page 18

NFL BLOG

Defense of the Offense

By ERIC MOLLO STAFF WRITER

It seems like the NFL is just waiting to give Ndamukong Suh a time out. The Lions’ star defensive tackle is facing a $100,000 fine for his low block on Vikings’ offensive lineman John Sullivan in Week 1.

The fine would be the largest ever handed down by the league without suspension.

I don’t necessarily question the league’s decision to fine Suh considering his history. He was suspended two games for stomping on the leg of Evan Dietrich-Smith on Thanksgiving in 2011, and was fined $30,000 for what seemed to be an intentional kick to the groin of Houston quarterback Matt Schaub. But, I do question why Suh is getting fined so heavily. A bad reputation can only justify so much before Suh starts looking like a victim.

To be clear, I don’t advocate Suh’s behavior and attitude, both of which must improve, but I do think he’s become the poster boy of a pseudo-disciplined league.

The NFL is using Suh as an example to show that it does not tolerate misconduct and violence, but they are handing down its harshest punishments to the wrong players for the wrong reasons. The league is targeting defensive players to try to create an image as a “safe” and “disciplined” game, neither of which the NFL is achieving.

This point becomes clear when looking at the “dirtiest” players in football. What constitutes “dirty?”

A player is a dirty player if his goal is not to win, but to take revenge or intentionally hurt an opponent by hitting them in areas where they are vulnerable to injury. Suh is considered one of the league’s most vicious and dirtiest players.

But, when looking at other players who are considered “dirty,” a strange trend starts to form. Hines Ward, Kevin Mawae, Harvey Dahl and Richie Incognito were considered four of the dirtiest players of the last decade in a poll conducted

by Sports Illustrated. All four of these players lined up on the of-

fensive side of the ball, Ward at receiver and the other three as linemen. No matter how “dirty” their blocks were, or how many cheap shots they took at defensive players’ knees, not one of them faced suspension. On the other hand, Cortland Finnegan, Roy Williams and Albert Haynesworth, three of the dirtiest players according to the same poll, have all faced suspension for on field conduct at some point during their careers. It’s a strange pattern, and it’s worth wondering why defensive players are facing punishment for unsportsmanlike conduct while offensive players’ behavior is slid under the rug.

It seems like the NFL may be protecting their playmakers, or as one could call it their “paymakers” (pun intended, though not a very good one). People love offense.

The game has become pass-happy and offensively minded over the past 15 years and teams and individual players are setting offensive records which were never thought possible. As a result, it’s much harder for the league to take their offensive stars off the field when they’re filling the seats. Just as home runs fill the seats in baseball, the Hail Mary brings fans to the stadium in football.

I’m suspicious guys like Suh are taking the heat as a result. The league has been under the microscope with its embarrassingly high arrest and DUI rate and its questionable handling of head injuries and concussions. The best thing it could do is show that it is a “disciplined “and “safe” league by targeting and suspending the players who make the most conspicuous hits on the field: defensive players.

By suspending a defensive star like Suh, the league wins in two ways.

It creates a safe and disciplined image while also keeping its moneymakers, the offensive players, on the field. It’s not unfair to label Suh as a dirty player, but I don’t give the league a free pass so easily when it can certainly benefit from the absence of its star defensive players for an occasional and convenient one or two game suspension.

September. 25, 2013

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Varsity Scores & Stats

Football Columbia 0 0 0 7 7 Fordham 7 3 28 14 52 (COL) R. Flannery 108 yds TD (FOR) C. Koonce 158 yds 2TDs Men’s Soccer Stony Brook 2 1 3 Fordham 1 1 0 Goals: W Casey (SBU) 39’, 41’ TEAM (FOR) 42’ J. Bouchard 67’ A. Fritz 69’ Women’s Soccer Fordham 1 1 0 0 2 Providence 0 2 0 0 2 Goals: N. Natale (FOR) 26’ A. Walton (PC) 47’ A. Shea (PC) 64’ K. Carballeira (FOR) 68’

Volleyball Fordham 13 20 21 0 St. John’s 25 25 25 3 (FOR) B. O’Neil 10 kills (STJ) K. Palgutova 16 kills

Women’s Tennis Manhattan 0 Fordham 7

Water Polo Fordham 5 Harvard 15 Fordham Brown

5 17

Fordham MIT

11 10

NJIT 19 11 12 2 Fordham 25 25 25 3 (NJIT) F. Edmondson 5 kills (FOR) L. Hipp 12 kills

Fordham 15 Conn. College 10

Hartford 25 25 25 3 Fordham 17 15 14 0 (UH) D. Kirton 12 kills (FOR) L. Hipp 8 kills Central CT 25 19 25 20 16 3 Fordham 19 25 23 25 14 2 (CCSU) H. Trueman 14 kills (FOR) B. O’Neil 18 kills

Athletes of the Week Each week The Fordham Ram’s Sports editors honor one male athlete and one female athlete for their on-field performance as its “Athletes of the Week.”

Carlton Koonce

Maria Rodenberg

Senior

Senior

Football

Volleyball

Koonce rushed for 158 yards on 27 carries and scored two touchdowns in Fordham’s 52-7 win over Columbia on Saturday. It was his second consecutive 100-yard game.

Rodenberg was named to the CCSU Invitational All-Tournament team after breaking the school record for digs in a five-set match. Her 38 digs topped Christine Barkley’s 21 year old record.

News & Notes

COURESTY OF WIKIMEDIA

Defensive players like Ndamukong Suh face harsh punishments from the NFL.

• The latest FCS Coaches’ Poll has Fordham football ranked No. 16 in the country, five spots higher than last week.

• Senior defensive back Ian Williams was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week. Williams recorded two sacks and two pass deflections.

• Saturday’s 52-7 victory over Columbia drew the first sell-out crowd since 2007.

• The Collegiate Water Polo Association named sophomore Patrick Lenihan Northern Division Player of the Week. Lenihan recorded eight goals and three steals at Bucknell’s Bison Invitational last weekend.

• On Thursday, the Atlantic 10 conference announced that the 2014 women’s basketball conference tournament will be held at the Richmond Coliseum in Virginia. The annual conference tournament will be held in Virginia for the next three years.

• Irish Junior National Team rower Fiona Murtagh will join the Fordham rowing team for the 2013-14 season.

September 25, 2013

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September 25, 2013

Back-to-Back Twelfth Cross Country Splits Squad For Two Races Place Finishes for Golf Teams Divided For Iona Meet of Champions and Father Leeber Invitational

By BRYAN KIEL

By DREW CASEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

After a one-week hiatus from competition, the Fordham golf team took to the links to play in two 54hole tournaments over a seven-day period. The team participated in the Adams Cup in Middletown, R.I. on Monday, Sept. 16 and Tuesday, Sept.

17 and played in the Cornell Invitational in Ithaca, N.Y. on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 21 and 22.

At the Adams Cup, held at Newport National Golf Club, the team was led by junior co-captain Jeff Hogan.

Hogan, a Watertown, Conn. native, opened play with a six-over-par 78, but improved as the tournament went on. He tallied a 76 in the second round and recorded a threeover-par 75 on Tuesday. Hogan’s tie for 26th individually was impressive amongst the premier southern competition in the field.

Senior co-captain Brandon Nolan was second best for the Rams at the Adams Cup and posted impressive rounds of 78 and 75 on Monday.

Nolan turned in an 83 on Tuesday, which was good for a tie for 49th.

Fernando Morett, Ben Alcorn and Ryan Donahue, with cumulative scores of 22, 23 and 28 over par, respectively rounded out the team.

Junior Brian Engstrom played as an individual and made his season debut for the Rams. He tied for 68th place despite a bothersome injury.

“I struggled all weekend,” Engstrom said. “I scraped together a pretty good first round, but have been dealing with a back injury that has been affecting my play.”

Overall, the team placed 12th out of 16 teams at the Adams Cup. The University of Central Florida took home the team title with a score of eight under par, while Ryan Fricker of Bethune-Cookman College captured the individual championship with a score of 11 under par.

After returning to campus, the team had very little time to regroup before the Cornell Invitational.

Playing 108 holes on top of a practice round in a seven-day period is very taxing.

“It’s tough and you have to be well rested,” Nolan said. “It’s just harder mentally than it is physically because 54 holes is so much and [to] do it twice in a week is extremely difficult.

Never mind the fact that you have to adjust to a totally new golf course.”

Aside from the quick turnaround, the Cornell Invitational at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club also provided another challenge for the Ram golfers. Rain halted play on Saturday, forcing the second round to be completed on Sunday before the scheduled third and final round. This was a huge change for junior transfer and California native Drew Dufresne.

“Nothing compared to what I saw this weekend,” Dufresne said.

“You’re forced to readjust your club yardages and distances. It was tough for me to make some of those adjustments this weekend.”

Despite the less-than-ideal weather conditions, Nolan was able to record an impressive score of 12 over par for the weekend to lead the Rams. Hogan posted 22 over par while Alcorn, Morett and Dufresne shot 23, 31 and 34 over par, respectively.

The team’s cumulative score of 935 was good for another 12th place finish. Towson University took home the team championship, and Christopher Crawford of Drexel University captured the individual title with a score of three under par.

The team will next be in action at the Yale Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 5 and Sunday, Oct. 6, and is looking forward to improving.

“We all know that we have more talent than we’re showing,” Engstrom said. “We [just] can’t seem to put it all together for 18 holes.”

The players believe that Yale might be the place for them to turn in their best performance of the season.

“I am really looking forward to Yale, a tournament we play well at,” said Nolan. “I think we can turn it around and get off this streak of lackluster performances.”

Hogan agrees.

“Yale puts on a great event with a great field of teams,” Hogan said.

“Hopefully we can put up our best finish in two weeks.”

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Fordham cross country team enjoyed success at two different meets this past Saturday with strong showings from both the men and women. The women ran eight runners at Iona Meet of Champions at Van Cortlandt Park, placing eighth overall, while running 13 girls in the Father Leeber Invitational in Fairfield, Conn., placing third. The boys, who ran their top seven in the Iona Meet of Champions, placed ninth while the eight runners at Fairfield placed second overall.

The Iona Meet of Champions differed somewhat for the women, as the course was six kilometers in length, as opposed to the typical five. This did not stop Fordham’s top runner, senior Anisa Arsenault, from placing 29th overall in a very competitive field. Her time of 23:45 helped give Fordham the edge over Northeastern for eighth place.

Shanna Heaney, Fordham’s top freshman, came in second among the Rams and 39th overall with a very impressive time of 24:02, her first collegiate race at Van Cortlandt. Ariana Bottalico and Brianne Roche, the two other freshman girls who ran at the Iona Meet, placed 58th and 65th overall, with junior Sarah Glockenmeier and senior Christina Vivenetto rounding out the top six for the Rams. The meet saw the tough competition of many teams from up and down the East Coast, especially from Iona’s 1-2 punch, in sophomore Kate Avery and freshman Maya Rehberg,

the top two runners overall.

Veterans led the Fordham women at Fairfield, with junior Melissa Higgins and senior Kerry Sorenson placing 11th and 12th for the Rams, placing within .5 seconds of each other. Sophomore Suzanne Forlenza came in seven seconds later, with a time of 20:09. Fordham, the only team outside of Connecticut, ran against very strong Fairfield and Sacred Heart teams, still placing in the top three without their top runners.

The Fordham men also ran against very competitive teams in the Iona Meet of Champions, placing ninth overall against Division I rivals. Iona, who also won the men’s competition handily over the likes of Yale and Navy, placed five runners in the top 12. This strong finish can be attributed to Iona’s reliance on staying as a pack throughout the race, a tactic Fordham has been trying to replicate. “[Iona and Navy] focus on staying in a pack as long as possible and keying off of each other,” said sophomore Quincy O’Connor. “That is something that we have been making a point to do this year, and have had some success with.”

O’Connor, who placed third overall for Fordham with a time of 26:57, followed junior Jonathan Annelli and sophomore Michael Turi, who both placed in the top 50 out of 207 runners. Annelli finished 26th, with a time of 26:18, while Turi finished with a time of 26:44.

Freshman Adam Schwenzfeier ran a 27:31, with fellow freshman Jake Duckworth following behind

with a time of 28:01. Though just 30 seconds apart, and just three minutes from the leader, sophomore Mike Biwott of American International, Schwenzfeier and Duckworth placed 101 and 138 respetively, a clear indication of the tough competition at the Iona Meet of Champions. Still, the two seemed optimistic about their times, their role as freshmen, and the season ahead.

“Our team has a lot of depth this year,” Duckworth said. “Any time we race, everyone has an opportunity to contribute in a big way.”

One major change for freshman is the difference in distance.

“It is definitely a big change to go from running 5k’s in high school to 8k’s now but I think as the season goes on, all of us freshmen will become more experienced with the distance and will only get better,” Schwenzfeier said.

Freshmen and veterans alike also showed off their colors in Fairfield, placing second among the six teams. Despite injuries from senior James Doran and freshman Devin Rocks, Fordham got strong contributions from seniors Patrick Burke and Joe Hartnett, who finished within two seconds of each other, snagging ninth and 10th place. Coming in strong were freshmen Ryan McGann, with a time of 27:31 for 14th place, and Randall Turner, with a time of 28:05 for 17th place.

The men and women will not run again until the Metropolitan Championship, which will take place on Oct. 11 at Van Cortlandt Park.

Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/theram_sports

Club Sports Briefing: Hockey The 2013-14 Fordham hockey team has just started up again over the past few weekends with stellar results.

The Rams swept N.J.I.T. in a home-and-home series the weekend of Sept. 13-15 with two one-goal victories, 5-4 at home and 3-2 at the Amerihealth Pavilion in Newark, N.J. Last weekend, the Rams finished with a 1-1-2 record in the Iceworks Pre-Season College Showcase held in Aston, Pa. The teams skated four games in a span three days. The weekend was highlighted with a 5-5 tie against Alvernia College, who was ranked 3rd in the Atlantic region last year.

For more information on the team, visit our home page at www. fordhamramshockey.com.

— Andrew Mola, director of operations, Fordham Hockey

Are you involved in a club sport?

Have your leader email fordhamramsports@gmail. com with a summary of what your team did over the past week by Tuesday morning to have it published in The Ram’s new Club Sports Briefing.

SPORTS

September 25, 2013

Kearns’ Kickoff On Sunday, one of the weekend’s more intriguing games occurred when the New York Jets edged the Buffalo Bills 27-20. Two of the NFL’s starting rookie quarterbacks squared off at the Meadowlands, and E.J. Manuel and Geno Smith did not disappoint. They were the first two quarterbacks picked in a thin 2013 draft, and experts did not expect either passer to accomplish great things. However, each had already led his team to dramatic wins and showed more potential than sophomore starters Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder in the process. While some viewed it as a battle to avoid the AFC East cellar, I was intrigued to see the development of these rookies.

Jets starter Geno Smith impressed me with 331 yards passing and three total touchdowns (one rushing), including a tie-breaking 69-yard touchdown to Santonio Holmes. To be fair, the Bills also picked Smith off twice, yet Geno has earned respect around the country for his fearlessness in big situations.

Sometimes his eagerness costs the Jets, as evidenced by three painful fourth quarter picks against the Patriots in Week 2, one of which cost New York a game-tying field goal attempt. But in his two other starts, Smith has pulled victory from the jaws of defeat. If nothing else, the rookie from West Virginia has made the Jets an entertaining team for both homers and casual fans alike. Geno already has the mental toughness that separates the men from the boys. If this type of execution on the field continues, I expect to see him develop into a viable NFL starter.

E.J. Manuel knew he would have a tough time topping his gamewinning 80-yard touchdown drive in Week 2 against Carolina, but the rookie from Florida State held his own against a stingy Jets defense.

He ended this game with 243 passing yards, one touchdown pass and no major mistakes. Unfortunately, Buffalo’s offensive line did little to protect Manuel and the aggressive Jets pass rush dropped E.J. for eight sacks. Manuel was the beneficiary of shady refereeing in the fourth quarter when the officials missed his apparent fumble.

But luck favors the prepared, and the ex-Seminole found Scott Chandler for a 33-yard score moments later. Buffalo runs a more conservative offense than the Jets, which limits Manuel’s ability to take over a game with phenominal playmaking. But after three games, E.J. has an admirable stat line of 689 yards passing with four TD passes and just one interception.

The Bills may have lost this game, but Manuel is winning support from Bills fans for his steady improvement and steely demeanor.

The Bills and Jets are both longshots to make the playoffs this season, but if their rookie investments can mature into seasoned playmakers there could finally be an intrastate divisional rivalry worthy of Broadway hype. Here is hoping there are plenty more duels between E.J. Manuel and Geno Smith, and that the future will be brighter for both teams.

— Dominic Kearns

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Senior Profile: Kelsey Dougherty Howard Deuce’s

Wild

ELIZABETH ZANGHI/THE RAM

Kelsey Dougherty Howard missed last season after suffering an injury in the season opener at Michigan.

By BETSY BOEHLER STAFF WRITER

Senior Kelsey Dougherty Howard has been a key player for the Fordham women’s soccer team since the beginning of her college career. From being one of three freshmen to start in all 19 games and back-to-back Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll titles, to a season-long injury, to captain, she has done it all.

The Fordham Ram: What made you choose Fordham?

Kelsey Dougherty Howard: I knew I either wanted to stay in Florida or come to the Northeast.

I called Fordham to come scout me at a game and when I visited the school I knew it was the perfect mix of academics and location.

a freshman versus starting as a senior?

KDH: I’m much more comfortable than I was freshman year; I have more of a sense of urgency on the field now. I’ve learned that the more time and energy you invest in what you love, the more you achieve.

TFR: You were injured all of junior year. What was it like to go from the bench last year to captain this year?

KDH: Being forced to sit on the bench for a season gives you a very different perspective on how much it meant to play and how much I liked playing. I am very honored and excited to be a captain of such a great group of girls.

TFR: What are some of the team’s goals for the season?

TFR: What is it like starting as

KDH: To make the A-10 conference tournament is our goal every season. Then, making it all the way to the championship is a nextlevel goal. Once you’re in the tournament, anything can happen.

TFR: What was your favorite moment at Fordham?

KDH: Definitely when we beat Maryland last year. I didn’t even play, and it was still so exciting from the bench. It wasn’t even necessarily our skills that won the game. It was more our hearts.

TFR: Any plans for after graduation?

KDH: Well, since I was injured last year I have another year of eligibility. I’ll play here next fall and take some bio graduate classes. After that I’d really like to go to law school and study environmental law.

Water Polo 2-2 Over Four-Game Homestand

By BETSY BOEHLER STAFF WRITER

Men’s Water Polo kicked off the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) conference games at Fordham with a 2-2 record this past weekend. It was a bit of a rough start on Saturday with a 15-5 loss against Harvard followed by a 17-5 loss against No. 17, Brown. Coach Bill Harris seemed disappointed yet unfazed by the losses saying they were “rather predictable.”

With five starters injured and two talented teams to face, the Rams put up a valiant effort in both games.

On Sunday, however, three of the five injured players returned and the team improved significantly. The morning game against MIT was a nail-biter to the very end. After a lot of back and forth scoring, MIT secured a one-goal lead with just two minutes to play.

A last minute time out and play drawn up by assistant coach Brian Bacharach, however, led to a gametying goal scored by Ben Clinkinbeard that forced overtime. For two overtimes both teams tried and failed to secure the lead, taking the game into sudden death overtime. The third overtime also went scoreless. Finally, in yet another

last minute play, senior Nick Allen scored off of a penalty shot with 28 seconds left to bring in the victory for the Rams.

“The win against MIT was a big win for us,” Harris said. “We needed those points for the standings.”

In the following game, against Connecticut College, the Rams seemed to have lost some energy.

Though exhausted from the MIT game, the Rams never surrendered their lead to Connecticut. It seemed as though everyone got a piece of the action: Allen tied his career high of six goals, followed by sophomore Andrew Gonzalez with three and Clinkinbeard, freshman R.J. Simmons, senior Dan Kearney and sophomores Bobby Wurtz, Davis

DeFontes and Patrick Reyes each with one. Although Harris was “preparedly sure of the win,” he reminded the team, as every good coach does, not to take the game for granted. The Rams heeded their coach, won the game 15-10 and pulled out their second victory of the day.

The Rams will have a solid week of rest under their belts before next Tuesday’s game against Iona. With a 2-2 record for the conference thus far, the Rams are tied in the standings with the Gaels, who defeated Connecticut College and Harvard, but lost to MIT and Brown. With the split in wins for both Fordham and Connecticut, the game on Tuesday, Oct. 1, should be a highly competitive match.

ALLY WHITE/THE RAM

Fordham hosts Iona on Tuesday before starting a six-game California road trip.

Is this Tony Romo’s year? It very well might be.

The Cowboys are 2-1, the rest of the NFC East is 1-8 and things aren’t exactly looking up for the rest of the division.

The Giants look awful. They’ve relied for years on a heavy passing attack and pass rush, but outside of that they have usually been unspectacular. Ahmad Bradshaw was good, but he was not Tiki Barber. What does it say about the rest of the defense if fans miss Chase Blackburn this much?

Jason Pierre-Paul and Justin Tuck aren’t performing like stars, and although Eli Manning has been decent, he’s already thrown eight interceptions and the league’s worst rushing offense isn’t helping out. You can be pretty sure they won’t win the NFC East.

The Redskins don’t look much better. RGIII has been forced to be a pocket passer and he can’t handle it. This season he has rushed just 15 times for 62 yards. On top of that, he has also fumbled four times.

Both New York and Washington stand at 0-3, a record only five teams in history have overcome to make the postseason.

The Eagles won their opener against the Redskins but have stumbled the last two weeks. What’s more, their high-speed offense appears to have negative side effects.

The door is open for the Cowboys.

It’s not like Romo is a bad QB by any means; he’s statistically elite. He’s had over 4,000 yards in his last three healthy years, and while he led the league in interceptions last year, it’s an outlier if you look at his numbers since 2008. Also, nine of those came in two games, so other than a couple of bad weeks Romo was pretty sturdy.

He’s always been a high-end quarterback on paper, but as we all know he has a knack for cracking under pressure.

His athleticism and toughness aren’t questions at this point. He is able to scramble around and create plays with his feet. The talent and statistics are there, but can he put his late-game demons behind him and march into the late months of the season?

Together with playmakers DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant, and a defense ranked in the top 10 through three weeks, Dallas has the tools to win the NFC East this year and they’re already looking like a team that can pull out at least 9 or 10 wins.

Though the Cowboys dropped a close one to the Chiefs, an impressive Opening Night performance against the Giants and only one interception by Romo should give you all the faith you need.

It’s almost as if he was cursed from the beginning, falling just a yard and a half shy of scoring on a botched hold back in 2006. No one will give him credit for nearly erasing his mistake.

Instead, his error lived in infamy, and the ghosts of that moment still haunt him today.

Only time will tell if the 11-year veteran can shake his past and put together a productive season, but it’s certainly looking like a very real possibility at this point. All I can say is: Tony Romo, I’m rooting for you.

— Kenny Ducey

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Page 22

September 25, 2013

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THE FORDHAM RAM

September 25, 2013

Men’s Tennis Competes at USTA Invitational in Queens

SPORTS

By MAX PRINZ ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

RAM ARCHIVES

The Rams will host NYIT and Adelphi in a home doubleheader on Sept. 28.

By NICOLE HORTON STAFF WRITER

The Fordham men’s tennis team competed in the USTA College Invitational held at the National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens from Sept. 20-22. Seniors Matty Najfeld and Kuba Kowalski and juniors Max Peara, J.J. Tauil, Michael Puntillo, Peder Gram and Jan Krouham participated in the elite men’s singles competition.

Krouham would go on to be the top Fordham finisher, making an impressive run to the semifinals in the D flight singles and the C flight doubles finals. In his first singles match, Krouham made a stellar comeback against Victor Theorin of Youngstown State after dropping the first set 6-4. He went on to take the second set 7-5 and finished with a tiebreaker win, 10-5.

“It was a great win for me because I wasn’t doing well at all in the first set and the beginning of the second set,” Krouham said. “I had a couple match points against me and he was serving for the match, but he made a few mistakes that kept me in the game. I got pumped up and it made me want to fight harder and be more consistent.”

In the first round of the A flight, Najfeld fell to Bryant’s Dana Parziale 6-3, 6-0. For the B flight’s first round, Kowalski won the first set against Boston College’s Jonathan Raude 6-3, but dropped the second 6-1 and finished with a 10-7 tiebreaker loss.

In C flight singles, Tauil won the first set 7-5 against Monmouth’s Daniel Ginsburg, but lost the second 7-5 and the tiebreaker 10-6.

In the D flight singles, Puntillo won his first round match in the D flight, as Oliver Bellomi retired in the first set, but then fell to Boston College’s Matt Wagner, 6-0, 6-1.

Peara and Gram each fell in the first round by identical 6-4, 6-0 scores Peara to Monmouth’s Brant Switzler and Gram to Dmitriy Borodkin from Morgan State.

In Krouham’s third match, he defeated Bucknell’s Jon De Francesch

in the second round, 6-0, 6-1.

“I made a lot of adjustments from the first match,” Krouham said. “You’ve played two matches already and tested every single shot on the courts with the weather.

Some might think that it’s a disadvantage because you might get tired, but I find it more advantageous because you can adjust from your previous matches.”

Krouham was knocked out of the tournament by top-seeded Mateo Guidici of Marist, 6-3, 6-2.

Krouham was paired with Nick Cameron from NJIT in the C doubles flight. Krouham and Cameron won their first match against Marist’s Guidici and Joe Motta, 8-4, following that with an 8-5 victory against Boston College’s Alexander Aziz and Alexandre Thirouin in the second round. In the semifinals, they defeated John Bogdanovic and Kevin Budranowich from Sacred Heart, 8-6. Due to Cameron’s injury, they chose to default the finals match against Youngstown State’s Max Schmerin and Victor Theorin.

When asked about adjusting to a new doubles partner, Krouham said, “You have to get to know him as fast as possible, try to ask him a couple of key questions like what side he likes to play, if he likes to serve or volley a lot. I think we got very lucky because our styles matched perfectly. He was a great server and volleyer, and I’m better with groundstrokes from the back.”

In other doubles play, Najfled and Kowalski teamed up in the A flight, falling in a very competitive first round match to Boston College’s Michael McGinnis and Phil Nelso 9-8 (10-7). In the B flight, Peara and Tauil were bested in the first round by St. Francis’ Lawson Barter and Rodrigo Tico, 8-4.

Gram and Puntillo were upended

by Max Schmerin and Victor Theorin from Youngstown State, 8-2 in the C flight.

The Rams make their home debut on Saturday, Sept. 28, as they host New York Tech at 12:00 p.m., followed by Adelphi University at 4:00 p.m.

Dear Derek Jeter, I am writing to you, following the ceremonies honoring Mariano Rivera, to thank you for not announcing your retirement just yet.

I enjoyed the ceremonies. Mariano is an important part of baseball history, a modern sports hero and he should be remembered for a long time. I found myself thinking, however: What will Derek Jeter’s next move be?

It seems as if you have gotten a little lost in the shuffle. Have Yankee fans forgotten their captain? As an Orioles fan, I have spent many hours belittling your accomplishments, claiming your defense was overrated and saying you would never be as good as Cal Ripken Jr. Yankee fans have always defended you. Watching the ceremony on Sunday, I was reminded how important you are to Yankee baseball.

You are at least as big a Yankee icon as Rivera is, and I would argue you’re even bigger. Rivera belongs to baseball. That is why he was named MVP of the All Star Game this year despite not getting a save. You belong, rightfully, to Yankee fans alone.

Yankee fans need to be given the chance to thank you, Mr. Jeter. You deserve it. You have gotten lost in the honors surrounding Mariano and the disappointing season your team is having and it is unfair to you.

You cannot follow Rivera into retirement. You must come back for one more season.

I cannot imagine how hard this past season must have been for you.

Since I am not a Yankees fan, there is a small part of me that is glad the Yankees have missed the leadership, clutch-hitting and other intangibles you bring with you to the ballpark every day. You deserve a better final season however, than the one Mariano Rivera is currently receiving, one where the Yankees might miss the playoffs. You cannot make this injury-plagued season your last.

I understand the temptation to

Page 23

hang up your jersey. You have put in a great deal of hard work. You’ve brought New York five championships. You’re the Yankees’ all-time leader in not only hits, but also in games played, stolen bases and at bats. You’ve handled the intrusive New York media almost flawlessly.

Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte, your “core four” colleagues, will all have retired and enjoyed their goodbyes. Why shouldn’t you join them at this moment? Why shouldn’t you ride off into the sunlight?

Look at the farewell tour Rivera is getting. He was honored at the All-Star game. Sports Illustrated put him on the cover one last time to say goodbye. The Yankees retired his jersey on Sunday and made him the first active player to be honored in Memorial Park. Metallica performed the song no opposing team wants to hear, “Enter Sandman.”

Did you know the Yankees even gifted him a chair partially made out of bats? Even the Red Sox threw him a celebration on his last regular season visit to Fenway.

All of the honors bestowed upon Rivera were appropriate. He is the greatest closer of all-time. But shouldn’t you get a farewell tour all your own?

This last season was definitely a lost one. It hurt watching you struggle through just 17 games, but I greatly admired your effort and dedication. No one will be able to say that you quit on your team. Your

effort was valiant, but the images of this season should not be the last ones Yankee fans see.

Baseball fans everywhere deserve one last look at you, Mr. Jeter. You are widely regarded as a hero and your farewell should not end in disappointment. You should get to lead the team into one last October. You should get your own standing ovation at the All-Star Game and your own plaque in Memorial Park. You have inspired a generation of baseball fans, and you deserve recognition from them.

I will admit that it is difficult to imagine a world where you do not play shortstop for the New York Yankees. I have been as certain about longitude and latitude as I have been about your space occupying the left side of the infield. It has been that way for my entire adult life. The side of me that is an Orioles fan will be happy to see you go, but the baseball fan will be deeply saddened.

Mr. Jeter, the legend is that former Yankee manager Buck Showalter saw your potential for greatness when you were first starting out.

He insisted that you be given No. 2 because all the truly great Yankees (Gehrig, Ruth, DiMaggio, Mantle) wear single digit numbers.

Showalter was right. You are a truly great Yankee. Give us baseball fans one last chance to remind ourselves of that. Do not let the Yankee fans forget you. Come back for one more year.

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Derek Jeter is the 14th captain in New York Yankees franchise history.

Upcoming Varsity Schedule Home games in CAPS

Thursday Sept. 26

Friday Sept. 27

Saturday Sept. 28

Sunday Sept. 29

Monday Sept. 30

Tuesday Oct. 1

at St. Francis (Pa.) 12 p.m.

Football

Men’s Soccer

COLUMBIA 12 p.m.

Women’s Soccer

URI 1 p.m.

at Manhattan 2 p.m.

at Eastern Championships All Day

Women’s Tennis

NYIT/ADELPHI 12 p.m/4 p.m.

Men’s Tennis Cross Country Water Polo

IONA 7:30 p.m.

Golf Volleyball

Wednesday Oct. 2

at URI 7 p.m.

GEO. MASON 7 p.m.

STONY BROOK 7 p.m.

Sports

Page 24

September 25, 2013

Fordham Crushes Columbia, 52-7; Wins Fourth Straight Liberty Cup

By DAN GARTLAND EXECUTIVE SPORTS EDITOR

Columbia head coach Pete Mangrian summed it up perfectly.

“When you play a good team that’s explosive, it can get out of hand quickly,” he said. “And that’s what happened.”

How explosive? Fordham gained an average of 6.9 yards per play and none of the Rams’ seven touchdown-scoring drives lasted longer than 2:30.

Despite the lopsided final score, the game was not a rout from the beginning. Fordham led only 10-0 after the first half, despite outgaining the Lions 338-111.

“We just weren’t capitalizing on opportunities in the red zone — we were turning the ball over,” Fordham head coach Joe Moorhead said of his team’s first half performance.

The second half was an entirely different story. One dramatic play early in the third quarter changed the feel of the game.

After a Fordham fumble brought an abrupt halt to a good Rams drive, Columbia had possession at its own 16. Two plays later, though, Fordham senior defensive back Ian Williams came on a blitz and got to Columbia quarterback Brett Nottingham untouched. Williams launched into him at full speed before Nottingham even saw him coming, sending the ball careening into the end zone where senior defensive lineman Brett Biestek pounced on it for a touchdown that put the Rams up 17-0.

Moorhead called the play a “turning point”. It began a streak of five straight possessions on which Fordham scored touchdowns.

Fordham redshirt sophomore quarterback Michael Nebrich, who is now fourth in the FCS in yards of total offense, led the charge offensively for Fordham. He was was brilliant on Saturday afternoon, completing 32 of 38 passes (an 84.2 percent completion rate) for 347 yards, and

DAVID MEYERS/THE RAM

Wearing special uniforms to honor the victims of Sept. 11, Fordham overwhelmed Columbia in the annual Liberty Cup rivalry game on Saturday afternoon.

three touchdowns. He also recorded 85 yards rushing on 12 carries. The only blemishes on his stellar day were three lost fumbles.

“Michael is a tremendously gifted player who can beat you with his arm and beat you with his feet,” Moorhead said.

The Lions entered the game expecting big things from their quarterback as well. Nottingham, a former four-star recruit who transferred to Columbia from Stanford, made his much anticipated debut. A Sept.

21 article in the Columbia Spectator called Nottingham’s arrival “one of the most significant events of Pete Mangurian’s short tenure as head coach”.

Fordham’s ferocious defense turned Nottingham’s first collegiate start into a nightmare. He completed only 12 of 23 passes for 144 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. He was also sacked four times, including the strip sack that turned into a Fordham touchdown.

And to top it all off, Nottingham learned on Sunday that he will miss the remainder of the season after a wrist injury he sustained in the game required surgery.

Mangurian said he saw “nerves, rust” from Nottingham, but also “flashes of what he can be.”

Moorhead said he was aware of Nottingham’s talent and made a point of making sure he was unable to get comfortable in the pocket.

“I’m fired up about the way our defense is playing,” Moorhead said.

The difference between Nottingham’s performance and Nebrich’s was that Nebrich thrived when forced to leave the pocket, whereas Nottingham panicked.

“You better keep him in the pocket, because when he gets out of the pocket, he’s a different cat,” Mangurian said of Nebrich. “When he got out, that’s when he wreaks havoc on everybody, throwing the ball and running with it.”

Nebrich was also outstanding

passing the ball in the pocket, something he and Moorhead said he worked diligently to improve this offseason.

Nebrich’s outstanding afternoon overshadowed another strong game from senior running back Carlton Koonce. Koonce had 158 yards rushing on 27 carries with two scores, in addition to seven receptions for 38 yards. He is now ranked seventh in the FCS with 499 rushing yards this season. Koonce, Nebrich and freshman Kendall Pearcy (who relieved Koonce in the fourth quarter when the game was out of reach) combined for 259 rushing yards.

“It’s unacceptable for anyone to have 260 yards rushing on us,” Columbia senior linebacker Zach Olinger said.

The one area where Fordham was less than dominant was against the run. Columbia running back Marcorus Garrett had 89 yards rushing on only 15 carries (an average of 5.9 yards per rush). But, because

they had five sacks (which in college count against a team’s rushing total), the Rams allowed only 31 net yards rushing.

Fordham’s decisive victory impressed the FCS pollsters, as the Rams rose to No. 16 in both the coaches’ poll and The Sports Network poll, after being ranked 21st last week.

This week Fordham will play Saint Francis University of Pennsylvania on the road. The Red Flash enters the game at 1-2, having lost to Georgia Southern and James Madison before beating Division II Lincoln (Pa.) last week.

Fordham is seeking to start 5-0 for the first time since 1988, when the Rams began the season on a sixgame winning streak.

According to Moorhead, the team expects big things this season.

“Last year, I think our kids believed they could compete,” he said.

“And the difference this year is our kids believe they can win.”

Women’s Soccer Battles Providence to 2-2 Tie; Conference Play Begins Next Week

By JAKE GROGAN STAFF WRITER

The Fordham women’s soccer team improved to 2-4-2 with a 2-2 tie against the Providence Friars last Friday, as they move one game closer to opening up conference play. The tie ended a three game road trip during which the Rams posted a 1-1-1 record.

Fordham would open and close the scoring against the Friars, as freshman forward Nicol Natale tallied her second goal in as many games to put the Rams up 1-0. Natale beat the defense and put the ball in the lower left corner of the net past Providence goalkeeper Kristyn Shea, in the 27th minute of the game.

Providence’s Allison Walton then netted her second goal of the year in the second half, beating junior goalkeeper Ally White to tie the game at one early in the second.

Alexia Shea gave the Friars the lead in the 65th minute off an Amanda Webster corner kick, setting up a 2-1 advantage that only lasted four minutes and 16 seconds.

Senior defender Kaitlyn Carballeira headed in her first goal of the season off of sophomore midfielder Victoria Camaj’s corner kick, tying the game at two.

The score remained that way until the final whistle, the second tie of the season for the Rams. White made five saves in goal while the Friars’ Kristyn Shea had three.

“I was really proud of the team’s performance on Saturday because we never gave up,” said Camaj. “To go from leading in a game to losing so quickly can really discourage a team, but we stayed focused and knew that the game wasn’t over.”

The Rams have one more game before they enter the Atlantic 10 portion of their schedule. They will open up against Rhode Island, a 5-5 team, at home. They will next travel to Philadelphia to take on La Salle, a 6-2 team that currently stands atop the conference.

“We had a somewhat slow start to the season but now I feel that we’ve adjusted and it’s had a positive effect on our play,” Carballeira said when asked about the offensive success the team has been experiencing lately. “We start A-10

DAVID MEYERS/THE RAM

Fordham fell to Princeton, 3-1, on Tuesday night in the Bronx. The Rams open A-10 play on Oct. 4 against La Salle.

games next week and I can’t wait to see what this team will do!”

“I think we will perform well in conference and we finally have a familiar system that everyone is comfortable with,” Camaj said.

The Rams have reason to be optimistic. With the exception of La Salle, the A-10’s best teams are only, at best, one game over .500. If the Rams can put together a winning streak similar to the one they

experienced at the end of September last season, during which they put together four consecutive wins to reach a .500 win percentage, they will be there with the conference’s top teams.