Volume 101 Issue 21

The Fordham Ram Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 Volume 101, Issue 21

FordhamRam.com

November 20, 2019

College Political Groups Debate

Angel Fund Invests in Student Businesses

By JULIA AGOS

By HELEN STEVENSON

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

While the rest of the world has their eyes glued to cable news coverage of impeachment proceedings, the Fordham College Democrats and Republicans managed to steer clear of the topic during their twice-annual debate. Instead, they swapped ideas on issues like climate change, Brexit, immigration and the Senate filibuster.

The last 20 minutes of the debate were dedicated to a “bipartisan issue”: the filibusters allowed on the Senate floor. Debaters took their places, one member from the College Republicans and one member from College Democrats on either side of the stage.

Fordham College Democrat President Michael Fissinger, FCRH ’21, said the groups decided to address the fillibuster in an effort to debate a traditionally bipartisan issue.

SEE DEBATE, PAGE 7

NEWS EDITOR

JENNIFER HOANG/THE FORDHAM RAM

The College Democrats hosted Ben Rhodes for a speaker event in Keating First last Thursday.

Ben Rhodes Discusses Tenure as Senior Advisor to President Obama

By SOPHIA GIATZIS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The College Democrats hosted Ben Rhodes on Thursday, Nov. 14, for a speaker event in Keating First.

Rhodes spoke about the international order outside of the United States, relating it to American democracy and

the House impeachment hearings into President Donald J. Trump this week.

Rhodes worked as a senior advisor to President Barack Obama, beginning as a speechwriter in 2007 and serving as his deputy national security advisor for two presidential terms. In 2018, he published his New York Times bestselling book, “The World as It Is,” dis-

cussing the most important moments of Obama’s presidency.

He is currently a regular political commentator for MSNBC and cohosts a podcast, Pod Save the World. Rhodes, along with his cohost, Tommy Vietor, discuss foreign policy and global issues.

SEE RHODES, PAGE 7

Tax Data Reveal Economic Mobility

By ERICA SCALISE and KRISTEN McNERNEY

JESSICA PELAYO/THE FORDHAM RAM

Jeffrey Pelayo, FCRH ’21, represented FUPAC in the annual Mr. Philippine-Island pageant and won.

FUPAC, Jeffrey Pelayo Wins Annual Mr. Philippine-Islands Pageant

By MAGGIE ROTHFUS COPY CHIEF

On Sunday, Nov. 17, at Columbia University’s Roone Arledge Auditorium, Fordham University Philippine-American Club (FUPAC) won the annual Mr. Philippine-Islands

(PI) pageant through Jeffrey Pelayo, FCRH ’21. The annual event hosts Philippine-American clubs from 20 New York–New Jersey schools in the third district of Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue (FIND), a nonprofit that unites Filipino American students.

The competition celebrates Filipino culture and includes three categories: the Barong walk, culture and talent. Following the three main events is a question and answer portion for the top five contestants.

The show opens with an introductory SEE MR. PI, PAGE 6

Analysis based on millions of anonymous tax records by the Upshot, The New York Times’ data subsite, found that Fordham students are, on average, wealthier when entering the university than they are later in life. Upon entering Fordham, the average student is in the 78th income percentile in New York state and in the 72nd income percentile as a postgraduate, around age 34.

The study is part of a larger analysis on economic diversity and student outcomes which recognized Fordham as a university with one of the highest mobility rates, a ranking that measures the chance a lower income student has to become a higher income adult and whether recent graduates’ income brackets will surpass their parents’.

A similar report by the Chronicle for Higher Education ranked Fordham number 10 of 40 private four-year instiSEE MOBILITY, PAGE 6

The university has dedicated $100,000 to the Fordham Foundry for the Fordham Angel Fund (FAF), an organization that will provide graduate and undergraduate students with a source of funds to grow their businesses.

The Foundry will make individual investments of up to $25,000 exclusively for active student entrepreneurs at the university.

According to Albert Bartosic, executive director of the Fordham Foundry, FAF uses a traditional venture-capital process, in which student businesses are evaluated by a team of investment committee professionals from outside the university. This team consists of five venture capital professionals, including Vipin Chamakkala, Bronson Lingamfelter, Kevin McQuillan, Donna Redel and Jerome Wong.

“What we want to offer students is a real ‘venture capitalist’ experience,” Bartosic said. “So, if you want to get funding from a venture capitalist, there are certain steps you will need to take.

You have to have a business, you need a pitch, you need to go to an investment committee and you need to convince them about the efficacy of your business.”

Bartosic said the FAF has the ability to recreate this process and allows students to obtain funding for their business while building Fordham’s ecosystem around entrepreneurship.

The FAF accepts applications on a rolling basis with no formal deadline, but the first meeting of the investment committee will be in January 2020. The first group of potentially investable companies will go before the committee in February. FAF is looking to make its first investments in March and seeks to invest in one to four companies.

SEE FAF, PAGE 5

in this issue

Opinion

Page 9 Why Indigenous Peoples Day and Columbus Day are Irreconcilable

Sports

Page 24

Women's Basketball Stands 3-0

Culture

Page 18

The Jetes Prepare for Their Fourth “Nutcracker”

NEWS

Page 2

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS Nov. 12 McGinley 8:35 a.m.

A student reported the loss of his wallet and keys that he had placed in a locker at the Fitness center. Public Safety is investigating.

November 20 2019

Michael Bloomberg Takes Steps Toward 2020 Former New York City Mayor Considers Bid

By ELIOT SCHIAPARELLI ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Current New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio dropped out of the Democratic primary in September, but now his predecessor Michael Bloomberg is taking steps to join the 2020 race.

Much like President Donald Trump did before his run in 2016, Bloomberg has toyed with the idea of a presidential run in the past, particularly in 2008 and 2016.

However, for the first time, he has taken concrete steps toward running. Although Bloomberg ran for mayor in New York City as a Republican, the recent reports of his run came when he dispatched staffers to gather signatures to be added to the Democratic ballot in Alabama. Around the same time, he contacted major Democratic donors and influencers, and even more recently has apologized for some of his controversial actions as mayor.

“I can’t change history. However, today I want you to know that I realize back then I was wrong and I’m sorry,” Bloomberg said.

He made his apology for the controversial Stop-and-Frisk policing policy at the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn on Nov. 17. Opinion sections from local New York papers were divided on whether the apology was necessary or sincere. One opinion piece in The New York Times titled “Bloomberg’s Bogus, Belated Mea Culpa” accused the former mayor of pandering with his apology for the so-called racist policy.

Another New York Times column argued the policy was necessary for Bloomberg’s White House aspirations. Titled “Bloomberg Apologizes for Stop-and-Frisk at Just the Right Time,” the article detailed the mayor’s comments on the policy both while he was mayor and after.

Stop-and-Frisk was not the only high profile policy Bloomberg enacted during his tenure as New York City mayor from 2002 to 2013. He helped ban smoking in bars, restaurants and other public spaces, made policy to curb obesity and was a major proponent of Citi Bike in New York.

More recently, as he prepares for a possible presidential run, Bloomberg pledged $500 million to his “Beyond Carbon” initiative, which is working toward switching the United States from relying on coal and natural gas in favor of renew-

able energy.

Brianna Lyman, FCRH ’20, who identifies as a Republican, said should Bloomberg go head-to-head with Donald Trump in a general election, there is no way she would vote for him. Lyman explained that she believes Bloomberg has wavered too much on certain issues which would hinder him on the debate stage.

“I don’t see him as a centrist option. I also see Stop-and-Frisk - he just apologized for it,” said Lyman. “I think that when it comes to a debate stage, Trump will throw that back in his face and all the other Democratic candidates will do the same.”

Natalie Migliore, FCRH ’20, often covers New York City politics for Fordham’s on campus NPR affiliate, WFUV. She self-identifies as an independent and said Bloomberg has a chance in a way de Blasio never did.

“I say go Bloomberg — he’s going to give Trump a run for his money and he runs a successful business,” she said. “The city, as far as I know, was thriving — he did have a tough Stop-and-Frisk policy that everyone keeps using against him but honestly, I say he can handle it. The only thing I’m not sure about is how often he’s switched parties.”

When he first became mayor in 2002, Bloomberg ran as a Republican, but when he ran for his third term he switched his affiliation to be an independent. Last year, he switched his party affiliation to become a registered Democrat, a move that also sparked rumors that he was planning to jump into the presidential race.

Brianna Wagner, FCRH ’21, who identifies as a Democrat and often attends College Democrats meetings, said so far she favors Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren in the primary.

“A lot can change, but right now, I don’t see Bloomberg having a chance with my demographic,” said Wagner. “We’re energized by these strong female candidates, and he has not yet done anything to differentiate himself from other older, wealthy male candidates.”

Bloomberg has a net worth of $53.6 billion, making him the ninth richest person in the world, according to Forbes’ list of billionaires.

Many Democrats are concerned that he would funnel a lot of that money into his campaign at a time when many Democrats are trying to turn to grass roots funding and plan to tax the rich.

Another main concern with Bloomberg’s candidacy is its timing. Given how late he would have to start campaigning in comparison with other Democrats, his advisors say he would skip the early primary states.

An op-ed for New York Times, entitled “Why N.Y.C. Mayors Have White House Dreams (and Voters Dash Them),” contended that New York City mayors are rarely able to trade Gracie Mansion for the White House. In 2008, Rudy Guiliani was unable to convert his political success in New York into a successful bid for president, and, in 1972, John Lindsay failed to win the nomination. The article claimed that different talents are necessary for each job.

In 2009, while he was mayor, Bloomberg gave Fordham’s commencement address and was given an honorary degree by the university. He referenced Mugz’s, frequently visited by Fordham undergraduates, and reminded students to call their mothers no matter where they ended up in life.

The Fordham College Democrats e-board refused to make a statement specifically on Bloomberg’s candidacy given that he has not officially announced his run and that they do not release opinions on candidates before the primary.

They did say that anyone who plans to vote in the primary should attempt to learn everything they can about each candidate so that they can make a well-informed decision.

Olivia Ingrassia, FCRH ’21, vice president of College Republicans, said she thinks it is unlikely that Bloomberg would get the nomination if he ran.

“We feel that Trump will succeed against any of the Democrats they are putting up, we haven’t really seen (Bloomberg) yet and we don’t really know how he’ll fare against the other primary candidates so it’s too early to tell,” said Ingrassia.

“He's more moderate than Elizabeth Warren and some of the other people on the left so it seems as if the party is heading toward a further left faction, so I don’t know if he'll gain much traction. ” Ingrassia said no matter who gets the nomination, almost all the members of their club plan to vote for Donald Trump.

Thursday Nov. 21

Friday Nov. 22

Friday Nov. 22

Saturday Nov. 23

Saturday Nov. 23

Quiz Bowl Movie Trivia

Up 'til Dawn Hoops for Hope Lombardi Field House 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Satin Dolls Fall Concert

Fordham Prep 8:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.

Fordham Debate Tournament Keating Hall 8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.

Fall Concert Fordham Orchestra

Leonard Theater, Fordham Prep 8:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.

Quiz Bowl is hosting a trivia night with movie themed questions. The event will be in Keating Third on Thursday, Nov. 21 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Students can test their knowledge at this trivia night in both fun and competitive setting.

Up ’til Dawn is hosting a 3v3 basketball tournament to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The club holds fundraising events for the hospital throughout the year. The event is in Lombardi Field House.

In their end of semester showcase, the Satin Dolls will preform all the songs and numbers they have prepared over the past few months. The Satin Dolls are Fordham's all female acapella group. They host annual concerts in both the Spring and Fall

Fordham Debate Society is hosting a tournament with roughly 350 competitors from various colleges and universities. The two day event is all day on both Saturday and Sunday. It will be in Keating Hall on Nov. 23 and 24.

In its fall concert the Fordham Orchestra will perform selections from Schubert’s Rosamunde Overture and George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. The event is in the Fordham Prep Theater and is open to the public.

Nov. 15 Public Safety Office 1:00 p.m.

A student reported that he lost his wallet. He told Public Safety he dropped it on campus the previous evening and when he found it the next morning his identification was there but he was missing $20 in cash.

Nov. 17 Duane Library 2:00 a.m.

Public Safety received a call for a fire alarm in Duane Library.

The issue that caused the alarm was in the boiler room, and the panel was reset.

Nov. 18 White Castle 12:00 a.m.

A recent alumnus reported that he was the victim of an assault.

He was walking past White Castle when a group of kids threw his hat on the ground and began to hit him. The attack caused a cut to his eye and bruising.

Nov. 18 Duane Library 2:30 p.m.

The fire alarm was activated in Duane Library for the second time in a week. The building was evacuated and the source of the alarm was found to be condensation.

— Compiled by Sarah Huffman

Follow us on Twitter! @TheFordhamRam

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg may enter the Democratic Primary relatively late in the race.

This Week at Fordham

Keating Third Auditorium 7:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.

NEWS

November 20, 2019

Page 3

Fordham Changes Insurance Policy After ACA Revision

By MARISA VALENTINO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Fordham University has implemented changes to the student health insurance policy, effective Aug. 23. With the current plan, all full-time undergraduate students and graduate students taking six or more credits must have health insurance. Those who are not what the university considers “adequately” covered by external policies are required to pay for the university plan provided by Aetna, which costs a yearly premium of $3,073.

Additionally, the policy is now opt-out instead of opt-in. Previously, in order to obtain health insurance from the university, a student would have to request it. Now, to opt-out of university health insurance, one must complete a yearly waiver with proof of adequate insurance.

Gregory J. Pappas, assistant vice president for Student Affairs, said the university implemented the new insurance plan after changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) prior to the academic year. ACA no longer requires citizens over the age of 18 to have health insurance, so the university has implemented its own policy that ensures all students are covered in case of medical issues. In addition, Pappas said the mandatory waiver program is necessary because there are no carriers that would underwrite a voluntary plan.

“Ultimately, prior to this year,

students were required by the government-enforced ACA to have some form of health insurance, but now, in order to attend Fordham University, students must have some form of health insurance,” Pappas said.

According to the university website, a student’s insurance plan must be ACA compliant and not require students to pay for treatment out-of-pocket and then be reimbursed in order to opt-out.

All waivers had to be submitted by Sept. 10 to opt-out for the 2019– 20 academic year, and incoming students for the spring semester must submit a waiver by Feb. 23.

Health Insurance Compliance Administrator Maritza RiveraGarcia said the number of waivers submitted for the 2019–20 academic year was 13,545 out of 16,515 undergraduate and graduate students � meaning about 82% of students opted-out.

Rivera-Garcia said that beyond the changes to ACA, student requests for competitively priced healthcare coverage made it necessary for the university to implement a new policy. According to Pappas, the university has been able to maintain its insurance premium and benefits because of the increased participation level of the program.

“The current plan is more beneficial because when you have a higher participation level, you can keep your premium at a more stable cost and you can improve your benefit structure moving forward,” Pappas said. “If you have a

MARISA VALENTINO/THE FORDHAM RAM

Fordham now requires all students to have “adequate” health insurance after change to the ACA.

lower participation level, you won’t have as many healthy students off-setting the expenses of students who have health issues.”

Additionally, Pappas said if a student were to buy a comparative plan on an individual basis on the open market, the premium would be significantly more expensive.

“An opt-out waiver plan is beneficial, as it addresses the needs of all parties, especially by offering a comprehensive bene-

fit package at an affordable annual premium for those students with pre-existing conditions,” Pappas said. “Fordham University understands the importance of offering a variety of comprehensive services, including a student health insurance plan with solid coverage at an affordable price for the entire student body.”

Fordham’s website defines its coverage as including primary care, emergency services, surgical services, hospitalization benefits, ambulatory patient services

and mental health services. The plan also provides coverage for lab work, diagnostic x-rays, physical therapy, chiropractic care and prescriptions. The website says these services are “reasonably accessible,” and in close relation to all school campuses.

Rivera-Garcia said services include doctors, specialists, prescriptions, hospitals, mental health and prevention care. She said the only services not covered are dental and optical — the plan is only for medical coverage.

Mott Haven Welcomes Bronx Kreate Hub Art Gallery

By SARAH HUFFMAN

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Located at 15 Canal Pl. in the South Bronx, there is a colorful, street art-inspired mural on the front of a four story brick building. Crash, a Bronx street artist, created the piece and serves as the curator for The Bronx Kreate Hub’s gallery. The Hub opened on Nov. 1 after two years of preparation.

The building is a space for local artists to rent out studio space for their work. The first floor is in the process of renovating for café and a gallery. The café will be open to the public, and locals are welcome to come, grab something to eat and work in the space. According to Daniel Freeman, property manager, the gallery is an opportunity to showcase local artists, in-house artists and global artists.

According to The Hub’s website, it will accept all kinds of art, including but not limited to works of animation, ceramics, graphic design, filmography, sound engineering, fashion design and writing.

They will be bringing in Wallworks, an established local gallery in the community, to display work in the Kreate Hub space. Freeman said Wallworks has gained a reputation in the community as being at the forefront of certain artistic movements.

“By bringing them in house we have their curating experience and they’re going to put on monthly shows … it'll be an opportunity for the community to discover

some new art,” said Freeman.

The following three floors have studio spaces of various sizes.

There is a variety of shared and private spaces for artists to rent for a monthly fee. There are also conference rooms on each floor.

Kathryn Murphy, FCRH ’21, visited the space and said she has never seen a space like this before.

“Which is why I think it is so necessary,” she said. “Shared work spaces are on the upward trend for office jobs, but before this site, I did not think it was possible for artists to have the same opportunity to simply be around other artists that they are not directly working with.”

Freeman said the idea for the space came after he and his colleagues met the Bronx borough president Ruben Diaz Jr. a number of years ago. He said some of their colleagues had experience doing something similar in another borough and the question arose: Why does the Bronx not have a destination for artists and makers at an affordable price?

“It’s been a big undertaking and we are very excited to get opened,” said Freeman. “We’ve obviously captured the attention of the borough, which is wonderful, and the fact that the gallery and cafe is open to the public is a great thing because all artists want to be seen.”

Bronx Kreate Hub is part of Gov. Cuomo’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, which is a $10 million initiative to make strategic investments in the Bronx. Freeman said its support has been indispensable.

“Without their support, this project would never have seen the light of day,” he said. “They were able to provide the necessary financial support, and they were instrumental in helping us find the perfect space to accommodate our needs.”

Freeman said that the Hub’s perfect location is able to accommodate about 100 different artists from a wide variety of media including painters, photographers and fashion designers.

“There’s really very few limits to what people can do here,” he said. “I think that people who find themselves attracted to this particular space are people who don’t fit into a traditional WeWork co-working space. There are a number of different options for price points for their needs.”

Freeman said that the artists have begun moving in, and they have about 35 so far.

“Being in a building with a hundred creatives, they’ll have the opportunity to network, to collaborate, to inspire each other, so that’s a wonderful thing,” he said The Hub strives to continue to anticipate the needs of its artists as they grow, said Freeman.

According to Freeman, it said wants to give artists an opportunity to create and promote their art. The hope is to attract the attention of the Bronx community and art community at large, he said.

“We are thrilled to be a part

SARAH HUFFMAN/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Bronx Kreate Hub showcases artists from the community.

of this incredible borough,” said Freeman. “It has such a rich cultural history. This opportunity can only help cement its cultural significance for decades to come.”

Murphy said she thinks that the Bronx has always been an artistic hub, but can be neglected because there are not a lot of defined spaces for artists to work in.

“Spaces like Bronx Kreate Hub is exactly what the community needs to finally be recognized for all of the talent it holds and providing artists of every medium with the space and tools that they need to succeed,” she said.

Freeman said once the space has been up and running for a

while, the Hub is interested in community outreach initiatives.

He said the Hub members have discussed creating a mentorship program where certain local students can be paired with artists in a field that is of interest to them.

Freeman said this is a way for students to have an opportunity to see someone following their passions and making a career out of it.

“To have a destination in the borough for these remarkable young artists is to be able to work in the borough and stay in the borough is a good thing for everybody,” said Freeman. “We are excited about having this place full of life and color.”

NEWS

Page 4

November 20, 2019

Research Spotlight

USG Column

Junior Studies Tribal Law in the Middle East Interviews Sheiks While Abroad in Jordan

By HASNA CERAN

By SARAH HUFFMAN

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Over 5,000 miles away, in Jordan, Gregory Hopp, FCRH ’21, is working on a research project that studies the actualities of tribal law in the Middle East.

Hopp wanted to do research since the beginning of his sophomore year, and originally applied to do a project regarding constitutionalism. He quickly realized that that topic was too large and decided to focus on tribes as governments in themselves.

Hopp said he spent last semester reviewing and interpreting literature regarding tribalism to determine if it is appropriate to describe a tribe as a democratic government. He then put the project on hold for the summer.

As a Middle East Studies major, Hopp found himself in Jordan this semester and thought about how he could make the most of his time there. One of his professors there has a brother who is a Sheik, a leader of an Arab tribe, and the opportunity to interview Sheiks and dive into the world of Arab tribes presented itself, he said.

He had the desire to understand this intricate system but decided not to look at it in a purely cultural way, he said. Instead, he decided to view it as someone who is studying law and wanted to put it in a concrete context.

“Because if we are able to see it as a real legal system and not just cultural, there is real potential for real integration of the tribes into the government for stability,” said Hopp.

He said his goal is to compile a code of law that people outside of the tribal system can understand.

He said he also hopes to find a relationship between tribal law and the government in Iraq.

For now, Hopp is working on gaining contacts with other Sheiks and setting up interviews

Photo of the Week:

USG Meets Without President

COURTESY OF GREGORY HOPP

Hopp is studying abroad in Jordan at the moment. In this photo, he is in As-salt, the old capital of Jordan.

with them.

Hopp said he has been awaiting approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB), which is an ethics review board for research, which has put his project on pause. While he waits, he has been speaking with Sheiks informally, gathering other contacts and reading about tribal law.

“The hope is that I will be able to do a few [interviews] the rest of this semester,” he said. “For the moment, it’s getting my toe in the water and talking to whoever I’m allowed to talk to.”

The worst-case scenario is that he has to do interviews over video chat when he returns to the United States, he said.Hopp’s interviews have a specific set-up, including questions in roughly four areas. He said three of the categories are more vague and experiential, such as how they were raised and trained. He also

asks about personal views on the role of the tribe as a governing body and as a social group.

He said he hopes to also ask some of these questions to people with a lower status in the tribe to confirm if the Sheik’s answers are true or if they contain bias.

The final and most important part of the interview is about case law, according to Hopp. He plans to bring specific cases to the Sheiks. One case is marital, one is about divorce, one is a nonfamilial issue within the tribe (business or harassment) and one is extra tribal (a dispute between members of two different tribes).

The next step is to take these cases, spend time with them, form hypothetical laws about them and follow up with the Sheiks in an email to confirm whether or not the laws are true.

Hopp said even professors who study tribal law would not be able to confirm the hypothetical laws

HANNAH GONZALEZ/THE FORDHAM RAM

Fordham celebrated its annual homecoming weekend on Saturday, Nov. 16. Alumni and seniors were invited to celebrate in the tent on Edward’s Parade. The football team played Holy Cross on Saturday afternoon.

because the way they are interpreted is so ingrained in cultural understanding. According to Hopp, it is more effective to compare and contrast case answers from different Sheiks.

“Effectively, much of Arab society in general, especially the Jordanian/Iraqi/Syrian region, is based on tribes and strict on family ties through the male line,” he said.

The tribes are the governing rule, but center more around family ties rather than land possession, Hopp said. The tribes used to be more violent, and wars and revenge were carried out on the tribal level. However, Hopp said they have recently been more peaceful, but each country is different.

“It’s a weirdly fluid social group that’s also a pseudo-government at the same time,” he said.

Hopp said that the tribal system is extremely culturally ingrained in the Middle East, but is very difficult for foreigners to understand. He said the lack of understanding about the system is an issue for foreign policy.

For example, he said a census has not been conducted in 10 years and the tribes do not seem to want one. Hopp said the moment they conduct one, then the United States has a way to find out information about the county.

He said tribes are the main obstacle for American foreign policy because as long as Americans do not understand how their society works, the United States can’t have an effective foreign policy.

“My hope is I can build into something worthwhile to read on foreign policy when voting,” Hopp said.

Once he gathers all of the information he needs from interviews, he will continue the process of analysis. He said he hopes he can do five times the amount of work in America that he can do in Jordan and is looking forward to continuing with the project.

On Thursday, Nov. 14, the United Student Government (USG) held its weekly meeting without President Kaylee Wong, GSB ’20, and Vice President Ashley Qamar, GSB ’20, as they were called out for other business.

Vice President of Operations, Olivia Quartell, FCRH ’21, stood in as Vice President and Matthew Schumacher, FCRH ’20, acted as President Pro-Tempore.

USG addressed public concerns about the inability of clubs and other organizations on campus to use the popular mobile payment services Venmo and Cash App for fundraising purposes.

Many students have argued in favor of letting clubs fundraise through these services, due to the fact that they are more convenient for the student body. However, the Senate collectively does not intend to allow clubs to use mobile payment apps soon.

Additionally, despite complaints about Aramark throwing out excess food left over after events, the practice seems unlikely to change in the near future.

Chair of the dining committee, Domenic Setaro, FCRH ’20, said students should take food with them at the end of events to prevent a large amount of food waste.

During the delegate updates, a delegate for the Campus Activities Board (CAB), Isabella Albani, GSB ’20, advertised the upcoming Holiday Week, which will take place immediately after Thanksgiving. Holiday Week is currently planned to include events such as a bingo game, the Holiday Fair and a viewing of “The Polar Express.”

During the cabinet reports, Quartell stated that the Operations Committee is currently compiling a list of clubs that have the potential to be defunct. She said that if the leaders of these soon-to-be-defunct clubs fail to take action, it is possible that these clubs will stop existing on campus indefinitely.

The Office for Student Involvement at Rose Hill (OSI) spoke about the Fordham Fall Festival and President’s Ball, as well as the upcoming Thanksgiveaway event on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 6 p.m.

Thanksgivaway is an annual fundraising event hosted by Commuting Students Association (CSA).

The Senate discussed the date of the Fordham Food Run, which will be held in the Campbell Multipurpose Room on Dec. 6 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Fordham Food Run is an event in which students use their extra meal swipes and DCB to purchase food to donate to Part of the Solution (POTS).

Finally, during the Open Floor, in which representatives can bring up any issues they want, Senator Nicholas Abbazio, GSB ‘21, said he had lost his planner.

He described the missing planner as light grey, with a blue clip marking the current date. If it is found, Abbazio said he is offering a reward of one dollar and “his gratititude.”

NEWS

November 20, 2019

Page 5

Fordham Foundry to Invest $100,000 in Student Businesses FROM FAF, PAGE 1

Investment Committee funding decisions will be made based upon the businesses’ merits. Bartosic said the committee will be looking for a business idea with a unique approach to solve a specific problem, as well as one that will attract a sustainable target market.

Bartosic said the committee will also look into the businesses’ potential scale, the competitive market and its developmental stages. Beyond the actual product, the committee will also look at the current state of the applicant’s business team as well as their reception to input from outside sources.

The Foundry will continue to offer this opportunity in the future.

“This is just the start of it,” said Bartosic. “We are looking at this as something of an ongoing activity that we are applying to students.”

According to the Foundry’s website, the process can be helpful whether or not a founder ultimately receives funding.

“Making the choice to apply for FAF funding is the best decision a student founder at Fordham can make as the FAF will require founders to take a deep look into their company and discover roadblocks to future success as well as opportunities for success,” said the statement. “Many times a business is not at the point where funding is required and in those

cases student founders should reapply again after six months if funding becomes appropriate.”

The Foundry also provides resources prior to the application process. Christian Pankovcin, GSB ’20, a FAF fellow, is part of a team of five Fordham students who seek out applicants for the fund. He said after he locates possible investments, he works with the business to identify what their funding needs are and what steps they need to take for approval from the Investment Committee.

“The Fordham Angel Fund gives the Fordham Foundry, Fordham’s Entrepreneurship Incubator, another way to assist students on their path to changing the world,” he said.

FAF was created by the Gabelli School of Business (GSB) but is open to all members of the student community. The fund lists preferred businesses on its FAF application, addressing a wide range of industries from food and beverage to biotechnology.

Fordham student Alex D’Andrea, GSB ’22, founder of Green Coin Recycling, said the business decided to apply to FAF after being contacted by Pankovcin.

Green Coin Recycling is a waste management firm created by D’Andrea and fellow students in the required GSB class Ground Floor. The business is focused on bringing “reverse vending machines,” a ma-

ANNA DIGIUSEPPE/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Fordham Angel Fund seeks to provide business opportunities and advice outside of Hughes Hall classrooms.

chine that accepts used beverage containers in exchange for 5¢, to college campuses. They hope to implement an app to track any donations, therefore eliminating paper waste and making it easier for consumers to get their financial rewards.

D’Andrea and the team met with Pankovcin to discuss future business strategies for Green Coin

Recycling.

“One thing I really liked about [Pankovcin] and the Angel Fund was that he wasn’t just asking questions. He gave us a couple of ideas to make the business better than it already is,” D’Andrea said.

“I felt it was more helpful than just an investor.”

According to D’Andrea, the application process is straight-

forward in how students should apply and present business information. He said he feels FAF is a great resource that Fordham is providing, and there are many things that the Investment Committee can help with.

“I’m sure if the investment committee is anything like [Pankovcin], they will be extremely helpful,” he said.

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Visit fordham.edu/msha to learn more.

NEWS

Page 6

November 20, 2019

Jeffrey Pelayo, FCRH ’21, Wins Mr. PI for FUPAC FROM MR. PI, PAGE 1

walk by each representative wearing the traditional Filipino Barong. The cultural segment afterward highlights important aspects of Filipino and Filipino American life as well its potential issues.

“I enjoyed seeing performances that catered towards celebrating Filipino culture whether it be acknowledging Christmas traditions, exposing corrupt politicians, or emphasizing personal issues that other Filipinos might relate to,” stated Ina Patrice Gonzales, FCRH ’21 and president of FUPAC, who also represented the club in Ms. PI 2018.

Pelayo’s performance in the cultural portion revolved around serious problems facing the Philippines.

Julia Gayanelo, FCRH ’21 and FUPAC representative for Ms. PI 2019 said she particularly resonated with the message against cultural appropriation in American society.

“It was very impactful,” stated “He portrayed the struggles many Filipino Americans undergo, and he was very real about the sex trafficking and overseas worker issues in the Philippines.”

Josh Castillon, FCLC ’20, emphasized the creativity involved in each year’s pageant in expressing important topics. Castillon competed in the pageant on behalf of Columbia’s club Liga Filipina, because Fordham’s Lincoln Centercampus does not have a Philippine American club.

“Every year shows that there is always an issue out there that has never been showcased, a story that

hasn’t had the spotlight yet and something that has never been done before, and nevertheless we continue to reinvent and innovate,” he said.

However, the talent segment was the favorite of Pelayo and Castillon.

According to Pelayo, that portion allows contestants to express themselves for who they really are. Castillon agreed.

“It really is an opportunity to show what makes you, essentially you,” he said. “For my talent portion, … I showcased coding as my talent and I coded an interactive, generative program that took visual information from a webcam and spliced it to refresh bottom to top.”

Yet all of the categories receive the excitement of the audience. Pelayo said that audience members attending for the first time are normall surprised at how intense the pageant can be.

“It’s a great time and it’s a crowd like no other,” he said.

In October, FUPAC hosted auditions for its Mr. PI representative.

Once chosen, Pelayo immediately got to work rehearsing and said it was worth the time put in.

“I would meet with my back up dancers and entourage every Sunday for a month, along with five other practices the week of the pageant,” he said. “Most of our practices took about 1.5 hours each.”

Events like Mr. PI and Ms. PI are opportunities for Filipino and Filipino American students to share their culture.

Pelayo said it iss important for the university community to know

CAMRYN SCHUMACHER/THE FORDHAM RAM

The FUPA executive board supported Pelayo during the pageant, and celebrated his win as Mr. PI.

about these pageants to recognize a culture that isn’t always represented every day on Fordham campus.

“As a person of color, especially as an American son of a Filipino immigrant, keeping my culture alive is more important now than ever before,” he said. “I have to continue the legacy of those that came before me, and by participating in shows like these, I am supporting my fellow Filipino brothers and sisters, promoting our rich culture, and learning to embrace myself and my heritage.”

Currently, Castillon is working to get an LC-based Fillipino

American club approved.

“It’s important that Filipino and Filipino-American students at both campuses at Fordham have a space to come together as a community and as a family,” said Castillon. “That’s the whole reason that I’ve been in the process to start FLOW (Filipinos of LC Offering Welcome), the inaugural Filipino club of Lincoln Center.”

Ultimately, Mr. PI, Ms. PI and FUPAC are open communities for Fordham students to share or to learn about Filipino culture.

“We are a social group focused on fostering the community and spreading our loving culture to everyone,” said Gonzales. “You do not have to

be Filipino to join FUPAC, you just have to be open to anything and willing to learn.”

The winner of Mr. PI chooses a charity to which most of the proceeds go to. Pelayo has yet to choose a charity but would like to donate to one that is LGBTQbased, or one that helps kids in the Philippines.

“I’m still shocked that I won because I am a person that constantly doubts himself all the time,” said Pelayo. “Sometimes, it’s hard for me to believe that I am capable of being great, but this pageant helped me to relearn who I am and who I can be.”

Students Wealthier When Entering College than Later in Life

Data Study Recognizes Fordham for High Mobility Rates FROM MOBILITY, PAGE 1

tutions in 2017 which led among the nation’s 28 Jesuit universities.

Among private universities, The New York Times reported that of the share of students from the bottom fifth of incomes who move to the top fifth as adults, Fordham ranks 12 out of 71 highly selective private colleges in the U.S. “This reflects Fordham’s longstanding commitment to foster upward mobility,” said Bob Howe, assistant vice president for communications and special advisor to the president.

According to Howe, this is a major accomplishment for an institution that is outperformed by many private colleges in terms of endowment. He cited Fordham’s recent commitment to a $175 million financial aid campaign as evidence of providing opportunity to lower income students.

The number of Fordham students eligible for federal Pell Grants is 18%, according to Howe. Unlike standard loans, Pell Grants, which are awarded solely based on financial need, do not need to be paid back. This is consistent with Columbia University, where 17% of students receive Pell Grants, and slightly under New York University’s (NYU) 22%.

The National Center for Education Statistics reports that an average of 89% of the university’s beginning students who are enter-

JENNIFER HOANG/THE FORDHAM RAM

About 89% of the univerisity’s beginning students who enter post-secondary education receive financial aid.

ing post-secondary education for the first time receive financial aid.

Despite the university’s commitment to offering financial aid and its trend in upward mobility, the university still has few students from families who make about $20,000 or less per year.

The average number of students

entering Fordham in the top 20% and the top 10% income brackets has increased among Fordham students born between 1980 and 1990. In analyzing whether these graduates’ income brackets will surpass that of their parents, the average Fordham student’s median

family income is $151,800, and 64% come from the top 20%. Median parent incomes of students at Fordham rank 23 out of the 71 private colleges, and eight out of 173 colleges in New York State, higher than Cornell University, Columbia University and NYU, according to The New York Times.

The Upshot, which based its data on today's 25-year-olds, generally graduates of the class of 2013, excludes international students or students who could not be linked to their parents' tax returns in their analysis.

According to the study, the median individual income for a Fordham graduate at age 34 is $63,300, sitting among the highest of colleges in New York state, colleges in the Atlantic 10 Conference, and highly selective private colleges in the U.S. Though this could be attributed to the high rate of students who already arrive in the top 10% and top 20%, a study conducted by experts at the Lumina Foundation, an outreach organization to expand access to student education, found the income gap, at 7.2%, is quite small between rich students earning more after graduation than poor students.

Roger A. Milici Jr., vice president for development and university relations, suggested that the character of the university might foster this economic mobility.

“We do this because of our deep commitment to remaining a place where talented students can get a world-class Jesuit education regardless of their socioeconomic background. This education, we see again and again, propels our students and alumni forward and helps them fulfill the American Dream.”

NEWS

November 20, 2019

Page 7

College Dems and Reps Debate Ideological Differences FROM DEBATE, PAGE 1

“Bipartisan debates are hard to come by. But we thought a more institutional issue might be an area with more wiggle room,” he said.

“We knew we would tackle issues like climate change and immigration, but we wanted to try to juxtapose that with something that was not as expected,” said College Democrats Vice President Samantha Hardy, FCRH ’21.

But the bipartisan spirit was not carried through the entire debate.

Participants tackled the question of whether or not the United States should remain in the Paris Climate Accords.

“Climate change is a real threat that demands immediate action, but solid domestic policy is the real way to change this, not through a toothless international agreement that ultimately has no real power to keep its provisions implemented,” said Dane Salmon, FCRH ’21, of the College Republicans.

But Chantz Kouveras, FCRH ’22, argued the United States has a duty to the international community.

“Accountability to the international community is a large part of what makes the climate accords successful … Inevitably we are connected to every other country on the planet,” he said.

When pressed by an audience member about the Trump ad-

JENNIFER HOANG/THE FORDHAM RAM

Chantz Kouveras, FCRH ’22, and Dane Salmon, FCRH ’21, debated on aspects of the Paris Climate Accord.

ministration’s loosening of greenhouse gas regulations, Salmon said the United States could do more at home.

“I don’t think President Trump is necessarily the best when it comes to climate policy,” he said.

“I’d very much like to see the Trump administration step up.”

The debate turned to immigration, a contentious point for Republican and Democrats nation-

ally. The debate was over whether or not migrants who are detained at the border should be granted refugee status.

Anthony Nunez, FCRH ’20, a member of the audience, challenged Mikael Zarett, FCRH ’23, from the College Republicans over the United States’ policy on weapons trade in Central America. Nunez argued that the U.S. gun makers are sending weapons

to Central American countries, making the refugee crisis worse.

Zarrett turned to the moderator for clarification on the question.

Professor Boris Heersink, Ph.D., explained, if people are fleeing violence that the United States is making worse, should they not be receiving asylum?

Zarett said he did not disagree that some migrants should receive refugee status, but he said Ameri-

can interest should be first.

“I think we both agree that we should increase spending on regulating the ports of entry,” he said.

When asked about the issue of guns moving outside the United States, Zarett had no response.

Nunez and Zarett caught up with each other after the debate concluded. Nunez said he wanted to bring attention to issues that the media does not always bring forward.

“I feel like most of the debates on immigration are just surface level,” he said. “And the more controversial things like gun control that affects immigration are things that are not really spoken about.”

“I think if [Nunez] hadn’t raised this question, no one would have,” Zarett said. “I didn’t even know that was a problem.”

He agreed that by the end of the debate they both had learned something from each other.

“I think debates often highlight the fact that there is much more that binds us together than what divides us,” Fissinger said. “I hope that not only the debaters but also the audience members will be able to leave the debate feeling like they learned something and realize that there are points of agreement between the two sides.”

As for impeachment, Fissinger said, “it is just too divisive.”

“There wouldn’t be much space to find common ground,” he said.

College Democrats Host Ben Rhodes in Keating First FROM RHODES, PAGE 1

President Michael Fissenger, FCRH ’21, said his club contacted Rhodes through the Harry Walker speaker agency. He said the College Democrats ultimately chose him to speak because they thought he would provide club members with insight into the political world and working in politics.

“I think his time in the Obama administration was extraordinary,” said Fissinger of Rhodes’ experience. “Being the only senior advisor to serve all eight years of the administration and work on cool projects like the normalization of our relationship with Cuba and the implementation of the Iran Nuclear Deal are exceptional legacies to leave behind.”

Rhodes said he noticed two trends that were evolving before President Trump started campaigning for the 2016 elections: that China was asserting themselves as a leading world power and that the U.S. was no longer the big player in international politics. Rhodes pointed out that though China was this emerging power, they did not want to mobilize diplomatic forces to deal with international issues.

“What we found is that the United States is still kind of the cornerstone of the capacity to mobilize other countries around collective action on a challenge, like climate change or global economy or migration, technology, which we’re dealing with now,” said Rhodes. “But you know, given the changing world

JENNIFER HOANG/THE FORDHAM RAM

Ben Rhodes served as Deputy National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama during his two terms in office.

that means it’s more important than ever that democracies, countries that share a common set of values, work together.”

He discussed Russian President Vladimir Putin and how the “strong leader” trope was appealing to right-wing groups in both Europe and the United States.

He said these trends were happening before the 2016 elections, and thus, it is not impossible to return back to a democracy that accurately reflects the values of the people.

Rhodes said President Barack Obama warned Chinese officials of the possibility Trump would start a trade war with them. He recalled what Obama had said to him after that meeting.

“He said, ‘We’re about to find out how resilient our institutions are at home and around the

world,’” said Rhodes. “And that’s exactly where we find ourselves.

And that is ultimately what this impeachment process is about.

Whether the institutions of American democracy are more resilient than a strong leader, and whether the world is going to go down this kind of divisive and dangerous road plowed by a ‘strong-man’ like Putin — or I’d say, Trump.”

Rhodes asked if Americans really want to live in a country where the U.S. president uses foreign assistance as leverage to pressure foreign companies to investigate political policies.

Rhodes said he feels that Republicans are well aware of Trump’s actions, but they simply do not care — which he said is the most concerning aspect.

“But the one thing I learned in

years in politics is, it’s not worth being in politics if you’re not committed to doing what you think is right,” said Rhodes. “And if you look like you’re just trying to do what your opponents might tell you to do, you look like you’re calculating your every move for the political advantage. You look like you aren’t acting on what you actually believe because you’re afraid of what the other side is going to say. You’re going to lose anyway.”

Rhodes then discussed the 2020 elections and pointed out how much a president can accomplish with an extra four years.

In Obama’s second term, Rhodes said the administration implemented Obamacare, restored relations with Cuba and legalized gay marriage.

Rhodes said he has hope that

having a Democratic president in the next year will return affairs to a calm state. However, Rhodes said if Trump remains in power, people around the world and Americans in the future will wonder if they were okay with such a corrupt president. Though Rhodes presented these two drastically different outcomes, he said that he has hope and shared a text conversation that he had with Obama after the 2016 election.

“I said, ‘Progress doesn’t move in a straight line,’” said Rhodes.

“It was all I could think about, and he wrote back immediately, he said, ‘History doesn’t move in a straight line, it zigs and zags.’”

Rhodes said he wanted to leave the audience with a message that the Democrats — especially the younger generation — can reject disinformation and attempts at dismantling the Democratic party, and prevent the message of hate from defining their values with sheer numbers and agency.

He recalled the days when he was working with Obama in Iowa, describing a young group who thought they could change the world — and, he said, they did.

“Most people are fundamentally decent but they need an example,” said Rhodes. “We are going to have to mobilize in a way that I think we haven’t in recent years. We’re going to have to demand that institutions, politics and cultures around us are going to have to reflect our values and not the values that are currently being imposed on us.”

OPINION

Page 8

November 20, 2019

The Fordham Ram

Michael Bloomberg: Republicans’ Ace in The Hole

By NOAH OSBORNE

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

At a time in which America couldn’t be more polarized in terms of party lines, the 2020 presidential election is shaping up to be a big one.

It is apparent that there is much at stake for both political parties, particularly the Democratic Party, which experienced one of the largest political upsets in recent memory in its stinging defeat by thenRepublican presidential candidate, Donald Trump.

A notable common motif among the candidates for Democratic president is the shared belief that the Democratic front-runner must be a candidate who is capable of defeating Donald Trump.

However, one potential Democratic candidate will irrefutably change the democratic landscape during the 2020 presidential election: Michael Bloomberg.

Recent reports have suggested what appears to be a bid for the 2020 presidency by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg as a Democratic candidate. Although it seems to be a late entry, such a move is not necessarily an unprecedented one, as notably, Robert F. Kennedy began his run for president in midMarch of 1968.

What seems to be the first sign that Bloomberg is going to be a game-changer in terms of the Democratic field of candidates is that he has oddly decided not to contest primaries in key states such as Iowa

and New Hampshire, which seemingly leaves him at a disadvantage.

By making moves like this that put him at a significant disadvantage, Bloomberg is not likely to win the presidency. Therefore, trying to differentiate himself from other candidates would appear almost fruitless.

After all, polls reveal 4% of voters support the former mayor. Although this number is abysmal, it actually hurts the Democratic Party significantly more than it would hurt Bloomberg with his expansive wealth.

These disastrous results for Bloomberg reflect poorly on the Democratic Party. Bloomberg’s strange running decisions and detrimentally low-polling conveys a message to American voters that the Democratic Party is ineffective in terms of the strategy needed to run the country and overall lacks support, as low polls reflect that the American populous does not want a Democratic president.

Other candidates, such as Joe Biden, are doing well in terms of polling. However, Bloomberg’s actions thus far in the election do not bode well for the image of the Democratic Party, especially at a time where a victory is crucial to rebound from the loss suffered in 2016.

In this respect, what the Democratic Party may see as a hindrance to its prospects of securing a victory in 2020, Republicans see as an opportunity of which to take advantage.

Thanks to the predominantly negative reception Bloomberg would get if he declared himself an official candidate of the Democratic Party, the Republican Party would be able to use what harms the Democratic Party as something that can benefit their prospects of a Republican victory in 2020.

The combination of Bloomberg’s low polling and late entry into the race would even serve another niche. Surely, Bloomberg’s 4% polling is dismal, but from the perspective of Democrats, that 4% is critical. That 4% of votes can be pivotal in terms of votes necessary to decide a democratic front-runner, or moreover, be the deciding factor in the election. Bloomberg’s holding of this 4% of votes in the polls signifies “vote stealing,” the deduction of votes from other candidates who have more potential in the races than one who participates in the stealing of votes.

By stealing 4% of the vote, Bloomberg is taking away not only support given to the Democratic Party for such a high-stakes race, but also giving possible leverage for the Republican Party to secure votes necessary to have a Republican president, such as current U.S. President Donald Trump.

This raises many queries about the current state of our election process. The fact that now would be considered “late” into the election is quite baffling, as we do not elect the president until November of 2020.

Bloomberg’s entry is not late at all. What Bloomberg’s entry as

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Mayor Bloomberg is expected to run for the Democratic nomination.

“late” says about our democratic process, is that it is not emphasizing that we as a nation need a lot of time to make such substantial decisions about who to task with the responsibility of running the United States.

Undoubtedly, Bloomberg’s decision to officially run for president would be a controversial one with regard to the Democratic Party, and the 2020 election as well. In fact, by announcing a bid for president as a Democratic candidate I believe it intentionally places more pressure on the Democratic Party, as Bloomberg has the potential to steal votes necessary to inch the possibility of a Republican victory closer to fruition. Much discussion transpires today about the sanctity of our election process, and I see Bloomberg’s candidacy as a Democrat perpetuating those discussions.

If Bloomberg were to run as a Republican, he would minimize the

probability that other democratic candidates lose necessary votes, and would maybe even be better off as a Republican in the polls. In this respect, everyone wins, and maybe our polarized country wouldn’t have to debate the sanctity of our elections so much.

Time will tell if Bloomberg makes the decision to run for president as a Democrat.

Additionally, time will tell how his official bid will shake up the current state of the Democratic Party. However, if Bloomberg were to proceed, Republicans are likely to be ecstatic about it. One thing is certain: Bloomberg is a gamechanger in every sense of the word.

Only time will tell how he will play into the grand scheme of things in this high-stakes election.

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

Solidarity with Evo Morales

By JACK McCLATCHY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Bolivia is the poorest nation in South America, but it closed 2018 with the highest GDP growth in all of Latin America that year.

Did it achieve this growth through neoliberal reforms, such as opening its natural gas and lithium reserves to international firms so Western shareholders could reap the benefits of Bolivia’s wealth in natural resources?

No, instead it had a left-wing president, Evo Morales, who for the past decade has led Bolivia to over 4.2% GDP growth while the rest of South America achieved only 1.2% growth, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Now, the nation of Bolivia stands in intense national strife, with indigenous activists threatening civil war over an alleged coup d’etat against Morales. What happened?

In October of this year, Morales sought a fourth term. What made this move controversial was that Morales was the first indigenous president in a country that is majority indigenous, and that he had sought to avoid term limits in a national referendum in 2016, but lost the vote by 51.3% to 48.7% (a smaller margin than the Brexit referendum that same year).

The Morales Administration then appealed to the Supreme Tribunal of Justice to challenge the result of the referendum. The Tribunal, with justices elected directly by the people, repealed term limits saying that they infringed on Morales’ human rights

to run for a fourth term, citing the American Convention on Human Rights.

Now, if this sounds absurd, just remember how absurd the 2000 United States presidential election sounded to an outside observer. There was no clear victor to that election thanks to “hanging chads” in Florida, and the Supreme Court ruled that the recount there violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

The Supreme Court had no place in deciding in election rulings where the state government of Florida had supreme jurisdiction, according to Article 1, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution, which places state governments, and not the Supreme Court, in charge of administering federal elections. This gave the electoral victory to George W. Bush, while if there had been a full statewide recount of ballots would have been given to Al Gore.

Email records also show that Jeb Bush, George’s brother, thanked future Chief Justice John Roberts for his “input on [his] role in this unique and historic situation” and “recused himself from any involvement in what happened after Nov. 7, 2001, [but] he did not recuse from his role as a brother,” according to the Des Moines Register.

Now, imagine if Evo Morales’ brother had thrown the election in favor of his brother in violation of the Bolivian constitution. The entire Western world would be calling for Morales’ resignation.

Luckily, the West didn’t need such

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President Evo Morales of Bolivia was forced from office by the Bolivian military following a disputed election.

a brazen violation of the constitution to call for a coup. Instead, the West, through the front Organization of American States, alleged that there was electoral fraud in the October general election. It claimed that because there was a pause in the unofficial quick count of votes, the Morales administration tampered results to give Morales the needed 10% margin of victory to avoid a runoff election.

With the trend that the votes were headed, the fact that the remaining votes to be counted came from rural areas that form the base of Morales’ support, and that the official counting of ballots never stopped meant that tampering was unlikely.

That didn’t stop the immediate claims of electoral fraud from the right-wing opposition, which immediately took to the streets to dispute the claims of the election. Fueled by reports from organizations like the

Organization of American States, which takes over 50 million of its 85 million dollar budget from the United States, the Bolivian right wing felt empowered enough to depose Morales through the military.

Make no mistake, when the military requests that the democratically elected leader of a country step down and that leader complies for fear of his life and takes asylum in another country, that is a military coup. Anyone who says otherwise is either being willfully obtuse about the meaning of a military coup or the history of U.S.-backed military coups in Latin America.

This doesn’t even acknowledge that the now “interim” President of Bolivia, Jeanine Añez Chavez, declared herself president without a quorum in the Bolivian Parliament, wished for a Bolivia free from “satanic indigenous rituals,” marched into the Presidential

Palace claiming that “the Bible had returned to the Palace,” or had basically issued a license to kill to the military to put down protests from Moralessupporting demonstrators.

While Morales has not been a perfect leader, to see Bolivia come under the violent leadership of a rightwing Christian fundamentalist with support from the military and the ideological backing of a U.S.-funded organization should be seen as a loss for democracy worldwide. Americans who would rather debate whether or not Morales made the right decision to run for a fourth term ignore the fact that the indigenous of Bolivia are dying as they read this column and ignore that their government supports this bloodshed.

Jack McClatchy, FCRH ’21, is a political science major from Wayne, Penn.

OPINION

November 20, 2019

Page 9

Why Indigenous Peoples Day and Columbus Day are Irreconcilable

By MIA BEVERLY

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

While I want to respond to Dane Salmon’s op-ed as an opinion piece, I feel obligated also to correct some misrepresntations, point out some dangerous word use and demystify the legend of Christopher Columbus. My goal in writing this piece is not only to explain why Columbus Day is racist, dangerous and sanitizing of a genocidal history, but also to extend the conversation to Italian Americans and confirm why it is harmful for not only indigenous people but for all American citizens as well.

Firstly, “contributions” is a strong and misleading word for Christopher Columbus’s actions.

Columbus was from present-day

Italy, a nation that didn’t even exist until 1861. Columbus Day was an empty gesture of apology towards Italian Americans in the wake of American history’s biggest lynching, which took the lives of 11 Italian Americans in New Orleans.

U.S. President Benjamin Harrison declared it a one-time national holiday as a diplomatic move to squash outrage from the Italian community, a move to prevent war between the United States and Italy, and part of a process that made Italian Americans “white” after decades of racialized bigotry toward the 20th-century wave of immigrants.

Frankly, Italian Americans have rich history and heritage from which they could find worthier heroes, including Giuseppe Garibaldi, Victor Emmanuel II, Matilde Serao or

Maria Montessori. It’s an insult to Italians and Italian Americans to be celebrated only once a year and be represented by a homicidal maniac who started the first transatlantic slave trade. For all that they’ve contributed to this country and for all that they’ve received in return, it only exasperates the hidden wounds.

Second, you cannot compartmentalize genocide. If only we could separate the murderer from Columbus, but the indigenous people of South America and the Caribbean were not given such a privilege.

When you think of the Spanish ships Niña, Pinta and the Santa María, you think of the birth of America. I think of the Arawak women who were kidnapped and brought to those ships to be sexually assaulted and sold as slaves. I think

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Christopher Columbus is also the namesake of several landmarks in New York City, including Columbus Circle.

of their babies he threw to dogs to be eaten. I think of the people he killed, dismembered and displayed in parades for all to see. As a descendant of the Arawak, I cannot say that Columbus was anything more than his crimes.

There is also a misconception that Columbus was exalted by his Spanish sponsors. After receiving reports back about the atrocities he committed against the Christian Queen’s vessels for conversion, he was ordered back to Spain, removed of his gubernatorial titles and put into chains. He was an outright criminal.

So don’t be “saddened” when you think of indigenous people. Be grateful and overjoyed because we survived hell. Columbus failed to do exactly what he meant to do and that was to extinguish us.

As you could see from the Native American Festival held on campus just this past weekend, we are far from extinct.

One of the biggest misconceptions about indigenous people is that they are completely static historical figures, “extinguished and lost to the ages, relegated to a page in the history books or an impoverished reservation,” but actually we are alive and well. A majority of us live off reservations with a large population in New York City, including the Taino.

Finite language use of the words “extinguished” and “lost” is dangerous because it implies all indigenous people are extinct, historical players rather than real people still fighting against colonialism.

And how could we be lost? We are the first people of this land; we

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are exactly where we are supposed to be. Your language is also divisive since I, as a mixed race indigenous person, do not see Columbus or the other colonists as “our” European forefathers of white America today. I see them as criminals who killed and robbed my ancestors, who were not thinking of you or their descendants’ political security. They set up a network in which a vaguely identified dominant group could continuously benefit from colonialism today.

Part of the way for Americans to fix and heal from that is to recognize the indigenous story as not a tragedy but a triumphant story of resilience and strength.

Not only should Indigenous Peoples Day replace Columbus Day, but America should let Christopher Columbus die. His time may be over, but mine is just beginning. America’s founder wasn’t Columbus, it was the colonial lower-class citizens and indigenous people who fought the Revolutionary War for the elites.

It was the Haudenosaunee, from whose government Benjamin Franklin was inspired. It was the waves of immigrants who came and built on what was started. Let Columbus die so that we can heal as a nation from the literal blood spilled on Turtle Island.

While I want to applaud you for praising Indigenous Peoples Day, that is the very least you could do, and you can’t even quite manage that.

Mia Beverly, FCRH ’20, is a history major from Washington D.C.

OPINION

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

Website FordhamRam.com Email Address theram@fordham.edu

Editor in Chief Aislinn Keely Managing Editor Hannah Gonzalez Business Director Donald Dugan Operations Director Briana Scalia Editorial Director Lindsay Grippo Executive Editor Colette Nolan Copy Chiefs Vanessa DeJesus Maggie Rothfus News Editor Helen Stevenson Projects Editor Erica Scalise Assistant News Editors Eliot Schiaparelli Sarah Huffman Opinion Editors Briana Scalia Collin Bonnell Culture Editors Rachel Gow Kieran Press-Reynolds Sports Editor Jimmy Sullivan Assistant Sports Editors Andrew Posadas Dylan Balsamo Digital Producers Kristen Egan Katherine Morris Photo Editor Julia Comerford Assistant Photo Editor Hunter Benegas Visual Director Bojeung Leung Faculty Advisor Jessica Baldwin-Philippi Editorial Page Policy

The Fordham Ram’s editorial is se-

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

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

November 20, 2019

From the Desk | Hannah Gonzalez

Becoming a Writer at the Ram

To this day, I’m not entirely sure what possessed me to sign up for the news email list at my freshman year club fair. In part, I can blame former Editor-in-Chief Theresa Schliep for her encouraging words as I eyed the sign-up sheet. But it’s probably also my fault for thinking, “I’m a writer, so I can totally do this.” And, though my stories at the time typically centered on such weighty topics as magical aliens and people who transform into plants, I assumed the Ram would be a natural extension of what I already knew.

That same month, coasting off the blind optimism only a firstsemester freshman could offer, I signed up to profile a law professor who was running for Congress.

My first email to the news editor opened with a glowing “To be honest, I’m not really sure what I’m doing.” The candidate ignored me, her PR team declined to comment and I ended up cobbling together an article out of student quotes and desperation. Overall, it was a fitting introduction to the Ram. In the entirety of my freshman year, I wrote a grand total of threeand-a-half articles. My sophomore year, I took on the research column (alongside current News Editor Helen Stevenson). I would contin-

ue to be ignored, rebuffed and corrected. At multiple points, I wondered whether I was meant to write at all. Why was the Ram so hard, despite my lifelong love of words?

Why didn’t writing short stories about aliens — or any other kind of writing I’d done, for that matter — prepare me for this?

I wanted to escape news. Instead, I was offered a position as an assistant news editor on Volume 100. I chose to face my demons: weekly deadlines, fickle interviewees, constant self-questioning and, scariest of all, talking to strangers on the phone.

My first year on staff held all that and more. Key figures declined to comment. Sources abruptly stopped responding to my emails.

I broke down doors to demand information and articles would still fall through. I struggled to meet deadlines, felt overwhelmed and wanted to quit. Yet the difficult weeks taught me to trust both in myself and in others. Pushed beyond my comfort zone, I found I could handle more than I ever believed I could. On days when I faltered, my staff was there to prop me up and soothe my spirit.

Writing, I have discovered, isn’t simply the constellation of words you connect on the page. Writing is

the grumble of your stomach in the library as you type up an article and try to remember the last substantial meal you had. It’s your sweat as you rush into an interview and the tremor in your voice as you ask questions of people far more intelligent and important than you. It’s neon yellow “suggested edits” and the blood-red copy corrections and the mortifying ordeal of being read.

It’s late nights in a dank basement every Tuesday night for years.

But writing is also joy. It’s the satisfaction of seeing your words in print. It’s the courage to seek connections with strangers. It’s learning from the editors who came before and those who work alongside you. It’s being forgiven and accepted even when you fall short.

It’s bursting with laughter in a dank basement all night, every week. It’s both contributing to a legacy and cultivating your own voice. It’s a blessing.

In short, being a writer means giving all of yourself. I never knew how much I had to give until I gave the past two years of my life to the Ram. Thank you to Theresa, the editor who welcomed me into the fold and encouraged me to be better with every article.

Thank you to Helen, Joergen

and Erica for laboring and learning alongside me throughout Volume 100.

Thank you to Aislinn, the best captain and copilot I could have hoped for — we’ve journeyed together from copy table to news desk to our current state of shared nocturnality, fueled by 4 a.m. Big Texas cinnamon rolls, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Thank you to the staffs of volumes 100 and 101, the smartest, funniest and kindest people I know, who have offered acceptance and community during times of pain and confusion. You have each taught me to be a listener, a bellylaugher, a truth-seeker, a printer troubleshooter, an editor and, of course, a writer.

Editorial | Ethical Reporting

Student Journalism is Journalism and Should Be Treated as Such Earlier this month, the Northwestern University’s student-run journal of record, The Daily Northwestern, garnered criticism for its reporting of an on-campus protest occurring in conjunction to a Northwestern University College Republicans event featuring former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

In response to these concerns, the Daily published an editorial addressing its coverage and apologizing for what the editorial board described as contributing harm to NU students. In its statement, the Daily apologizes for posting photographs of event participants to the publication’s Twitter page and for acquiring potential source contact information using the Northwestern directory.

The Daily was well-intentioned with its apology but off-base from its responsibilities as a newspaper and, therefore, disconnected from the gravity such a role entails. In kowtowing to external critique on what were otherwise ethically sound reporting decisions, the publication temporarily sacrificed its journalistic credibility and divorced itself from the realm of responsible reporting.

The Ram does not fault the publication for attempting to rectify a nuanced situation in the way it best saw fit.

As fellow student journalists, we cannot emphasize enough how upsetting it is to make decisions with good intentions, only to see them have negative impacts.

That being said, journalists of all kinds have a difficult job to do.

Student journalists might lack the experience of senior figures in the

industry and, therefore, work on a learning curve, but as aspiring figures in an increasingly discredited field, they should and must be held to the universal moral standards the position inherently requires.

Protests are events specifically designed to garner publicity and increase community dialogue surrounding a particular issue. As such, protests entail no expectation of privacy for their participants. Journalists not only have a right but a responsibility to thoroughly cover these types of events.

Similarly, cold contacting has been a predominant facet of the journalistic process since phonebooks were the main suppliers of contact information. It is unrealistic and unnecessary to expect journalists to get in touch with potential sources without such unsolicited outreach.

It is clear the staff at the Daily had the best interests of its general community in mind when it issued its editorial and altered its coverage.

That the Daily apologized for engaging in such standard journalistic practices, however, severely puts into question its commitment to the larger ethical motives such methods serve. Accepted journalistic practices are followed not merely because they are standardized but rather because they ensure communities remain wholly informed, accurately represented and the utmost democratic.

Harvard University’s daily student newspaper, The Crimson, recently garnered similar outrage after reporting on a rally organized by campus group Act on a Dream that called for

the abolition of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

More than 650 people signed an online petition condemning the Crimson’s coverage of the event due to reporters’ contacting of ICE for a comment on the criticisms of the agency. The Crimson then issued an editorial explaining that the editorial board stood by its actions and detailed why it did.

It is critical that modern publications continually reassess their internal moral compasses and realign their missions with that of greater journalistic purpose. These types of decisions should not rest entirely on outside voices, nor should they cling to antiquated traditions.

Such balance is difficult to achieve but crucial to maintain. The Crimson did a commendable job of addressing concerns with transparency while maintaining an adherence to ethical guidelines, and in doing so, reinforced readers’ confidence in its reputability.

In an evolving media landscape, technology can add a layer of nuance to the conversation surrounding ethical reporting. Ultimately, however, contemporary moral questions prove not to be so different from the ones our predecessors found themselves asking in the past.

A university newspaper has a duty to report on students who rally in a public space with the intent to attract attention to a certain oncampus cause. Modern coverage of these types of events can and should include digital components, such as pictures or videos.

Reporters also have a duty to reach out to those involved in the event to offer an opportunity for comment. Sending a text message to numbers found through an online directory is a credible way to do so.

It is admirable that the Daily would amend its actions in an attempt to best serve those in the NU community, but in doing so, the publication incidentally failed to align itself with the greater mission it aims to serve.

The Ram has been fortunate enough to produce meaningful coverage on pressing issues that has both opened and contributed to valuable dialogue on our campus and beyond. It is because we maintain a professional approach to the job that we are able to tackle such difficult topics successfully.

That being said, we have made our share of mistakes, as all outlets inevitably do, and sympathize with the position in which the staff of the Daily currently finds itself. University papers are a place for young journalists to learn by doing, and occasionally, we do things wrong.

In the face of criticism, it is worth reconsidering if standard journalistic practices as we know them now best serve the communities in which they are implemented, but only within a deep understanding of and steadfast adherence to the core journalistic tenants of accuracy, objectivity and transparency.

We encourage all outlets to continue attempting to navigate the delicate balance between empathy and journalistic rigor, and we will continue to join you.

CULTURE

November 20, 2019 “Black Mirror” (2011-) Inspired by “The Twilight Zone,” this anthology by satirist Charlie Brooker critiques humanity’s flaws, magnified in unique episodes through technology’s exploitation.

The show shocks audiences into reflection and, often, fear of the future if the status quo does not change.

“Broad City” (2014-2019) Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer created and starred in the series that explores the lives of two 20-somethings figuring it out in New York City. Each episode is its own chaotic adventure, from Lil Wayne concerts to odd jobs at Soulstice. As much as it is a tribute to the fantastically weird microcosm of NYC, the stars also demonstrate the unbreakable bond between best friends.

“Big Mouth” (2017-) “Everything is so embarrassing,” complains Andrew (John Mulaney) in the pilot episode. This sentence captures the essence of Netflix’s animated series “Big Mouth,” created by Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin. The show is composed of hilariously awkward early puberty moments, and creates an open space for questions to be asked.

Page 11 “Orange Is the New Black” (2013-2019) This show changed television forever, creating binge-watching culture as one of Netflix’s first original shows.

More importantly, without traditional restrictions from cable networks, Jenji Kohan’s powerful storytelling opened the door to tell women’s stories. Queer and transwomen, people of color, immigrants, those with mental illness and battling addiction and assault survivors have a voice in this series, which explores the lives of the inmates of a women’s prison.

“Pose” (2018-) “Pose” centers on the black and Latino LGBTQ and gender nonconforming ballroom scene in New York City in the late 80s and early 90s. It made history with the largest regular cast of trans and LGBTQ actors.

Too often, cis people have been cast as trans characters. This show has helped to break the binary.

“Veep (2012-2019)” What TV often fails to include in political dramas is not hypocrisy, but rather the ridiculousness of it all.

In many ways, “Veep” set the stage for the 2016 election. The real-life parallels paired with sharp profanity and cutting insults made the show immensely successful. The truth underlying the show is that power causes corruption, and all we can do is cynically laugh as Julia LouisDreyfus and her absolutely terrible, incompetent team plunder through each questionable decision.

“The Good Place” (2016-) In an era dominated by streaming, the legendary sitcom creator Michael Schur, known for “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation,” brought his lovably flawed characters into the late 2010s. “The Good Place,” unlike Schur’s previous shows, is ambitious in the way it brilliantly ties humor to difficult subjects like philosophy. He asks whether people can change for the better, especially in our world, where bad news seems incessant.

“Schitt’s Creek” (2015-2020) Thanks to its meme-ability and a boost from Netflix, the Canadian cable show took off in the United States. The story follows a megawealthy family that loses everything except for a town that Johnny Rose bought his son, David, as a joke. The Roses must figure out how to make it in this town which, at first glance, they don’t fit into.

“Game of Thrones” (2011-2019) HBO struck gold with the epic drama “Game of Thrones.” Besides the sheer magnificence of the show’s production, its significance is upheld by fans, who come from all cultures, ages and places. Television is no longer about simply sitting down in front of a screen, but rather an active experience — for example, live tweeting.

“Breaking Bad” (2008-2013) Though it started in 2008, the show’s epic finale in 2013 solidified its legacy in the 2010s. In each episode, creator Vince Gilligan ended with suspense that kept viewers coming back for more. And even though the story of chemistry-teacher-turnedmeth-kingpin Walter White was in no way fast-paced, it was the slow burn that hooked audiences.

REWIND THE 2010 s TELEVISION: STREAMING CHANGES THE GAME WRIting BY KATIE SCHULTE; photos courtesy of facebook

“Insecure” (2016-) With the increasing prevalence of shows like “Girls” and “Broad City,” the stories of 20-something women finding themselves became a landmark of popular culture. However, none of them centered around the experience of a black woman. “Insecure” narrates black womens’ lives in a multifaceted, complex light. The normalcy of the characters is groundbreaking in our prime television realm, which previously only granted this privilege to white women.

“Atlanta” (2016-) Donald Glover’s “Atlanta” is an experimental exploration of race, class, gender, relationships and the entertainment industry. Even during absurd moments, such topics are effortlessly intertwined in the plot.

Thanks to its versatility, the show continuously surprises audiences with its hilarious and brutally honest points about humanity. “Atlanta” deftly eludes genre, mixing dark comedy, horror, coming of age and drama.

“Fleabag” (2016-2019) Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s “Fleabag” is a tour de force in dramedy. The audience feels Fleabag’s inner turmoil as she confesses to the camera what she can’t tell the people in her life, who assume she is greedy and depraved, as she believes herself to be. Over the two seasons, she struggles to express her feelings and resorts to self-sabotage. By the finale, Fleabag still is not perfect. She has a chance for redemption, though, which gives the audience hope for themselves too.

“The Americans” (2013-2018) “Stranger Things” (2016-) Everything about “Stranger Things,” the hair, clothes and Starcourt mirrors the 1980s perfectly. The supernatural thriller created a world inspired by the 80s but still manages to be enthralling and relevant in today’s society. It appeals to the whole family, from young kids to adults who grew up in the 80s playing Dungeons and Dragons themselves.

“The Americans” is a textbook example of perfect realistic fiction in the way it captured the essence of spycraft during the Cold War. Aside from the production quality and stellar acting on behalf of protagonists Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys, the show’s legacy rests on the haunting sense of familiarity and the cyclical nature of world conflict. It matches the fear and suspicion of the past era with that of the new technological era, asking who is watching now.

“Big Little Lies” (2017-) The star-studded series gives us a look beyond the fairytale façades of wealthy Monterrey families. Based on Liane Moriarty’s novel, the show highlights the experiences of women that must be silent in the face of their abuse and assault and the power dynamics that encompass this community. The second season captures the #MeToo movement — Celeste (Nicole Kidman) and Jane’s (Shailene Woodley) credibility is repeatedly questioned.

“Key and Peele” (2012-2015) “Rectify” (2013-2016) The depiction of a wrongly convicted man escaping death row is especially poignant when men like Rodney Reed have barely done so in real life. Rather than looking at the trial that created the issue, “Rectify” examines life after the traumatic effects of being imprisoned, the analysis of the family unit in the face of such and moreover, a failing system.

This duo explores race, gender, relationships and everything in between in their Comedy Central series. They used comedy not only to make important commentary on American politics, but also to provide an escape. Their brilliant performances and production of the show served as a precursor for the later success Jordan Peele would have as director and producer of the groundbreaking films “Get Out” and “Us.”

“BoJack Horseman” (2014-) Following major Netflix dramas like “Orange Is the New Black,” “BoJack Horseman” seemed inconsistent with the platform’s original content.

The protagonist, voiced by Will Arnett, is a depressed, alcoholic horse who starred in a 1990s sitcom. The poignant comedy doesn’t shy away from difficult topics, delving into the dark side of Hollywood by highlighting the vanity and depression pervasive in celebrity culture.

“Rick and Morty” (2013-) “Nobody exists on purpose, nobody belongs anywhere, everybody’s gonna die.” Despite the creators’ intentions to make a show without regard for any success, the hilariously crass and nihilistic series has become a cult classic among its millennial audience. Rick, a mad scientist, and his grandson, Morty, who doubles as a sidekick, go on cosmic adventures in a unique blend of sitcom and sci-fi that explores the loneliness of genius.

FORDHAM LOOKS FORWARD

Page 12

November 20, 2019

Middle Eastern Students Association Promotes Culture on Campus

By KRISTEN McNERNEY STAFF WRITER

The Fordham Ram sat down with the Middle Eastern Students Association to discuss their recent club status, events and plans for the future.

KM: You recently hosted Taste of the Middle East. What was this event like?

MESA: The event was exceptional, in my very unbiased opinion.

We did what we could with what we were given: our budget, resources, members, etc and it was a huge success. We tabled the entire week leading up to the event and we had an amazing turnout with over 100 people in attendance. Everything went smoothly and we had amazing performances from both the Ramblers and Candela as well as delicious catered food that everyone enjoyed.

KM: What other exciting events are you planning this year?

MESA: We’re actually planning a collab with MSA and FUSE right after Thanksgiving, which is going to be new and exciting because we haven’t collaborated with any cultural clubs on campus. Besides that event, for the Fall semester we’re just planning on having our biweekly meetings ranging from educational jeopardy to fun meetings to allow our club members to get to know each other. For the Spring semester, we’re planning our Middle Eastern Festival which we actually did last year but this one, fingers crossed, will be a lot more phenomenal. We will hire a belly dancer or a different Arabic performer and cater different kinds of Middle Eastern food.

This event is always super exciting because it allows Fordham students to get to immerse themselves into a different culture even if it’s just for the night.

KM: The club is fairly new. What was the start-up like?

MESA: Getting accepted as a legitimate club on campus was a long process of going back and forth to explain why MESA is a cultural club that isn’t represented on campus and as of this year we are finally a Fordham club!

KM: In what ways are you able to bring together the vast cultures of the Middle East?

MESA: Our goal is to bring together as many Middle Eastern students on campus, both dormers and commuters, to ensure a space where they can get to know one another, especially since it’s hard to find Middle Easterns on campus. The club isn’t just for Middle Easterns, we want everyone to know that is an accepting cultural club! We have a lot of members that are not Middle Eastern and we think that’s a lot of fun especially when they attend meetings and events! We want this club to not only represent Middle Easterns on campus but also to allow people to

get to know our culture!

KM: Are there any spiritual aspects to the club?

MESA: We try not to include any spiritual, religious or faith related aspects to the club to ensure it’s as accepting and comforting to our many different members. The Middle East is composed of a vast number of faiths and we thought it would be best to keep faith out of the club but everyone is always welcome to discuss whatever they feel like.

KM: What types of programming do you do with other organizations either at Fordham or outside the university?

MESA: That’s a really good question! Since we are so new we are trying to build ourselves as a club before we necessarily link with other clubs on campus; we want students to know what MESA stands for and our mission rather than pair us with an already known club. But seeing that our Taste of the Middle East

was a success we are thinking about collaborating with numerous culture clubs such as MSA and FUSES. We also got the Ramblers to perform as well as Candela which was super cool!

KM: Are there any misconceptions that students might have about the Middle East and what is the most important thing they should know about your organization?

MESA: I think some students might not understand what the goal of our club is or lump MESA with other religious clubs on campus but we want it to be known that our club is accepting of all cultures and nationalities; our goal is to enhance Fordham student’s knowledge on the culture, food, music, performances, writing, language, etc of the Middle East. The Middle East is composed of so many beautiful countries and we just want to be able to share that with everyone on campus!

COURTESY OF MIDDLE EASTERN STUDENTS ASSOCIATION

Members of the Middle Eastern Students Association attend the Taste of the Middle East (top). Students admire the large spread of Middle Eastern food at the MESA event (bottom).

November 20, 2019

FORDHAM LOOKS FORWARD

Page 13

COURTESY OF MIDDLE EASTERN STUDENTS ASSOCIATION

The Fordham Ramblers sang during a performance at Taste of the Middle East. The Ramblers and Candela Latina performed for a crowd of over 100 students at the event.

COURTESY OF MIDDLE EASTERN STUDENTS ASSOCIATION

Students embrace their Middle Eastern culture by posing with the flags of Lebanon and Jordan (top). Candela, Fordham’s Latinx Dance Club, performing a dance at Taste of the Middle East (bottom).

CULTURE

Page 14

November 20, 2019

Youngster Kyle Lux Makes Waves

By ALEXANDRA LANGE COLUMNIST

Twenty-year-old South Carolina native and current University of Southern California pop-music student Kyle Lux grew up singing in his church’s choir and has loved music since a young age. Over the years, he has crafted his own unique style, blending classic R&B with alternative genres to create a soulful sound that he describes as “autumn transitioning into winter.”

From gospel to jazz to rap influences, Lux charters into new sonic territory. His lush R&B vocals blend the upbeat pop groove of Khalid with the honest storytelling of Frank Ocean and are as smooth and nostalgic as they are raging and powerful.

Catching the attention of Lyrical Lemonade, Complex and Ones to Watch, Lux’s debut single, “Rollin’ Stone,” has amassed near one million Spotify streams and has helped him gain a loyal fanbase of almost 6,000 Instagram followers (@kylelux_).

Last Friday, he released his debut EP, “No Roof Access,” a project that places listeners inside his subconscious and is inspired by his struggles with love. He compares his inner battles to being stuck in a stairway with no roof access. It doesn’t have a locked door that keeps you from going up — the door just isn’t there, leaving you with nowhere higher to

go and no chance to experience the feeling of flying that he believes is love.

The Fordham Ram spoke with Kyle Lux about the inspiration behind his music and his life as an artist.

Q: Who are some of your biggest inspirations? Why? A: Solange, for her ability to fuse comfort and empowerment in her music. Frank Ocean for obvious reasons. James Blake because everything he releases pushes new boundaries.

He has his own unique sound and still manages to expand that with every release. Gabriel Garzon-Montano because his music and melodies are amazing. There’s so much to explore there.

Q: What’s your creative process like? How do you write and record?

A: I normally work in sessions with producers, writing songs from scratch. I start with the first line and build on top of that. I never really head into the song knowing what it’s gonna be about but rather understand it as it manifests itself.

Q: What are your thoughts on collaborating with other artists?

A: I think it’s the best way to work honestly, at least for the period of artistry that I’m in right now. Having other people to bounce ideas off of really strengthens the product and makes the process more enjoyable.

Q: What do you think is the best song you’ve ever made?

A: It’s an unreleased song I wrote and produced named “Tears That Don’t Fall.”

Q: How’d you get started making music?

A: I begged my mom to buy me a Sound Electronics recording bundle from Sweetwater one Christmas, and she made it happen because she’s amazing. So that gave me the means to record and flesh out my ideas which I started doing in my room while in high school. I actually made “Tears That Don’t Fall” like that.

Q: Do you play any instruments?

Are there any others you would want to learn?

A: Piano. I’d want to learn cello. I feel like it’d help me understand my voice better.

Q: What would you say has played the biggest role in developing yourself as an artist?

A: Believing in myself. As cheesy as it seems, nothing I was doing was intentional before I started doing that.

Q: What would you consider the biggest milestone in your music career so far?

A: Definitely dropping my debut EP “No Roof Access” which just dropped last Friday. Releasing it feels like closing a chapter of my life so I’m really excited for this next one.

Q: Where do you see your career going in the next few years?

A: I’d wanna drop an album within the next three years. That’s the only

expectation I have for my career right now.

Q: What’s your dream venue or festival to play?

A: The Met Museum because the architecture is insane or Flog Gnaw Festival.

Q: Who’s your dream collab?

Dream artist to open a show for?

A: James Blake or Solange. I would love to open for Frank.

Q: Do you have an all-time favorite song or artist?

A: It changes but it’s consistently “Lindisfarne I” by James Blake. Recently I’ve really been into Khruangbin.

Q: What was your first concert?

A: Chance the Rapper at the Fill-

more in Charlotte, NC. Q: What do you do when you’re not making music?

A: I mainly just do the whole being-a-student shebang — classes rehearsal, work. But I’m in school for music so it never really ends ...

Q: A fun fact about yourself?

A: I used to eat Kraft cheese squares as meals as a kid.

Q: Is your real name Kyle Lux? A: Yes .. no it is not. It is Bartholomew.

Q: Who are some other under the radar artists we should be listening to in your opinion?

A: Chase Ceglie (his Instagram is @chaseceglie), Hether (his Instagram is @paulishether) and Kid Hastings (his Instagram is @kidhastings).

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Kyle Lux, an aspiring musician, just released his debut EP, “Roof Access.”

Editor’s Pick | Books

Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles Thrills

By VANESSA DeJESUS COPY CHIEF

Growing up in suburban New Jersey amid toxic masculinity and avid white privilege, I found my escape from the unsavory opinions of my peers with my nose in any book I could get my hands on. My public library card was my ticket out of my shockingly ordinary reality and into the gothic, horror filled fantasies of Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles — each more exciting than the last. I drank Rice’s work down slowly, savoring the enchanting worlds that she creates out of New Orleans in the 1790s and 1920s, Paris in the 1700s, San Francisco in the 1980s and ancient Egypt.

Rice’s vampires are a metaphor for lost souls — captivating and original. She practically invented the brooding, sexy vampire trope that “Twilight” and “The Vampire Diaries” capitalize so heavily on.

Their physical features are enhanced with a preternatural air to the individual’s fullest aesthetic potential, without changing their physiognomy completely, and they remain in that heightened stage for their eternity. Her vampires are statue-like in appearance, with white, almost translucent skin that gains color if the vampire has recently fed.

Their nails are long and manicured, looking more like glass than fingernails. They never age, and if one cuts their hair, it simply grows back in seconds to match its previous state exactly.

Her vampires differ from the pre-

established Dracula-esque trope in that they are unaffected by crucifixes, garlic and holy water. However, like Dracula, sunlight and flames burn their skin, and if they are trapped in either, they burn up and disintegrate into a fine dust.

One of the most memorable traits of Rice’s vampires is that they are overtly brooding, sensual, emotional and prone to dwell on aesthetic.

Most of them also have homosexual relations.

Despite its occasional sexual deviance and homoerotic overtones, it is not erotica.

Rice’s vampires have incredible memories and are masters at imitation, which lend to their excellence in painting, music, singing and, of course, writing.

The trilogy of a lifetime begins with “Interview with the Vampire,” the spellbinding confessions of a vampire, Louis de Pointe du Lac, who recounts the story of his life to an unnamed reporter, who evades death by asking to interview who he thought was just a very lonely man. The reporter happens upon and publishes the story of several lifetimes.

His series was intended to be on the untold stories of life in San Francisco in the late 1920s. What he learns from Louis in a run-down motel room above the bustling streets was the story that serves as the first installation of The Vampire Chronicles. All instillations of The Vampire Chronicles exist as published works in Rice’s universe and are referenced frequently.

Louis tells of how Lestat found him in a state of mourning and turned him into a vampire to create a companion to live out eternity with.

Louis becomes resentful of being ripped from life and tied to a bloodthirsty monster such as Lestat. In hopes of enticing Louis to stay, Lestat creates a vampire child, Claudia, out of a young orphaned girl. The three live as a happy, deranged family for 60 years, until chaos ensues, and the three part ways for good.

The second book in The Vampire Chronicles, “The Vampire Lestat,” is structured as an autobiography of the antagonist in the first book, Lestat de Lioncourt, who wakes up after a 50-year hibernation in 1984 to the sounds of the 21st century.

He quickly happens upon a copy of “Interview with the Vampire,” and discovers that Louis’ life story has been published, which paints him in an unflattering light.

Lestat then writes his life story in full. He leaves no stone unturned and he came with receipts to debunk “Interview with the Vampire,” save his reputation and become a famous rockstar in the process. Lestat divulges all the secrets of his life and immortality that he refused to share with Louis or Claudia.

He is particularly captivated with the sounds of rock music and happens across a band practicing nearby.

He infiltrates this band and takes the role of the lead singer, as he is a natural performer from his mortal and early preternatural life. When he claims that he is a vampire named Lestat, the band assumes he is im-

personating.

Lestat is an incredibly self-involved and boastful narrator, and several key events seem to contradict each other — they are never reconciled — so it’s up to the reader to decide how reliable Lestat is in the telling of his life. The book ends with a major cliffhanger, as Lestat’s debut into the modern world sparks chaos among the supernatural and natural worlds.

The third and “final” book of the original trilogy is “The Queen of the Damned” which is also written from Lestat’s perspective. It picks up right where the previous book leaves off, and features jumps in perspective between an array of new characters, a mix of mortals and vampires. Each recounts their experiences directly leading up to the climax of the second novel — the details of which Lestat claims to have acquired by his newly developed psychic ability.

In a fight to stop the impending wrath of the mysterious Queen of the Damned, the series divulges into mythology, lore and worldbuilding as to the origin of Rice’s vampires that dates back to ancient Egypt.

Such depth and breadth are otherwise unparalleled in modern fiction.

Rice took almost a decade off from writing about vampires to write a series about witchcraft called Mayfair Witches, with the same skill of prose as she presents in The Vampire Chronicles.

Then, for reasons I still don’t understand, she decided to bridge the two series in a crossover series consisting of three novels.

But she didn’t stop there. Rice continued to write a series of spin-off novels that featured the lives of minor and major characters introduced in “The Queen of the Damned.” Rice wrote a total of 15 novels about her vampires, the earliest published in 1978 and the latest in 2018.

My love for the original trilogy makes me want to say that she is still going strong and creating content that is as captivating as ever, but that simply isn’t the case.

Rice has diluted her franchise to the point where even its main character Lestat is unrecognizable to the reader.

If reading isn’t your game, check out the 1994 film “Interview with the Vampire,” directed by Neil Jordan and starring Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and a young Kirsten Dunst.

Rice was involved in production and wrote the screenplay for this one, so it is far superior to the sequel made without her help titled “The Queen of the Damned,” directed by Michael Rymer where the last two books are combined into one narrative that spans only an hour and 45 minutes … it didn’t go too well.

Recently, Hulu picked up The Vampire Chronicles and is looking for a showrunner to begin production with Rice’s son, Christopher Rice, as creative director.

However, I do encourage anyone who is interested in gothic horror or fantasy to pick up The Vampire Chronicles, but do yourself the favor of stopping at “The Queen of the Damned,” it is the last true Rice masterpiece.

November 20, 2019

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Page 15

A “Victorious” Return of a Nickelodeon Classic

By TAYLOR MASCETTA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

It has been nearly seven years since the iconic program “Victorious” concluded its run on Nickelodeon, and millions have longed for its return ever since.

To the joy of many, in early November, streaming giant Netflix added “Victorious” to its evergrowing catalog.

The show, which ran from 2010 to 2013, follows high school sophomore Tori Vega’s (Victoria

Justice) career at Hollywood Arts, a prestigious theater school.

After performing in place of her uptight sister, Trina Vega (Daniella Monet), during a showcase at Hollywood Arts, Tori is accepted into the school in the first episode. Tori’s beautiful voice blows the entire audience away, which leads the school to offer her a spot.

At first, Tori struggles to find her place, believing she’s almost too “normal” for the eccentric student body. However, with the

help of musical sensation André Harris (Leon Thomas III), who becomes Tori’s confidant, she meets a great group of friends and goes on a journey of self-discovery towards inner confidence. Over the course of three seasons, Tori and her friends find themselves involved in endless shenanigans.

While audiences at the time mostly enjoyed Tori’s storyline, today’s generation is far more curious about her friends. Jade West (Elizabeth Gillies), the emo “mean” girl who constantly

COURTESY OF TWITTER

The hit Nickelodeon television show “Victorious,” starring Victoria Justice as Tori Vega, has been added to on Netflix.

clashes with Tori, stands out as one of the most popular characters. Writers intended Jade to be the antagonist of the show, but her snarky attitude feels relatable today, perfectly fitting the gothic Billie Eilish type.

Her relationship with beloved “Victorious” heartthrob Beck Oliver (Evan Jogia) served as one of the brightest points of the show.

Their on-and-off relationship gave the audience a couple they could not help but root for.

The presence of the endlessly bubbly Cat Valentine (Ariana Grande) lightened up the show and provided laughs.

Both Robbie Shapiro (Matt Bennett), who cannot be found without his sarcastic puppet Rex, and Trina, who has an interesting and often frustrating set of skills, are also highlights.

“Victorious” cemented itself in pop culture history with its unique storylines and humorous dialogue.

The most humorous bits include Trina’s one-woman production of “Chicago,” Robbie’s brief tenure as chief of “Robarazzi,” André’s grandma’s fear of the entire world and Cat’s addiction to “Bibble.” The sheer ridiculousness of “Victorious” shaped an entire generation’s sense of humor.

Humor aside, the music of “Victorious” is just as strong. The songs aren’t generic pop melodies. “Make It Shine,” performed

by Tori herself during the pilot, serves as the theme song and re-

mains a catchy bop. Jade, Cat and Tori also perform multitudes of empowering anthems throughout the show, including “Beggin’ on Your Knees,” “Take a Hint” and “Freak the Freak Out.” The music played throughout “Victorious” found a home in thousands of teenagers’ playlists.

“Victorious,” however, isn’t just a musical comedy, it taught important, valuable lessons and shaped an entire generation’s childhood including mine.

When I was younger, I was a huge fan of everything Nickelodeon had to offer — whenever an upcoming episode of “Victorious” appeared on TeenNick, I would sprint to my television and watch for hours. When Netflix released the episodes, I found myself curled up in my room, watching them back-to-back once again.

A rewatch of “Victorious” served as a long-awaited trip down memory lane, bringing me back to the good old days of my childhood. Thousands of teenagers, all the way from middle school to college, watch “Victorious” as an escape to their childhood.

Along with its nostalgic aura, “Victorious” has always been a tale of pursuing your dreams and never giving up. All of the characters, especially Tori, pursue their goals with intensity and ambition.

Tori always follows her passions and knows that she will turn out okay in the end. This is a mantra that all children should maintain.

Lil Peep’s “Everybody’s Everything” Is Raw

By ALEXANDRA LANGE COLUMNIST

Posthumous albums almost always result in mixed reactions.

While some fans are grateful that their favorite artists can live on in music, others feel that these releases are unethical and exploit the artist’s legacy.

This debate is especially relevant in the case of Lil Peep. Before his life was tragically cut short by an accidental drug overdose at age 21, Lil Peep took an independent approach to stardom and opted to release his music without much help from the industry. For this reason, many fans were critical of the decision of his label, Columbia Records, to release his first posthumous album a year after his death in 2018. Despite the controversy over this first release, Lil Peep’s second posthumous album, “Everybody’s Everything,” was released on the second anniversary of his death, Nov. 15.

While last year’s release centered around Lil Peep’s dark, depressive thoughts about death and self-destruction, the main theme of “Everybody’s Everything” is unrequited love. This more tender, vulnerable side of Lil Peep offers a new direction of the late rapper’s typical style of emo rap, the genre he pioneered during his short lifetime. His trademark blend of Nirvana-type rock riffs, disaffected lyrics and auto-

tuned rap is still evident throughout the album, though, and reminds listeners of the trailblazing musician’s legacy.

The album may sound largely familiar to many of Lil Peep’s devout fans, while still surprising them with a few unheard tracks. Former SoundCloud hits such as “ghost boy,” “cobain,” “white tee” and “witchblades” are now available on all streaming services, harking back to the debate over the money-grabbing approach of posthumous releases.

Many of the previously unreleased tracks, such as “RATCHETS,” fall short of Lil Peep’s full potential, sounding more like rough demos and relying on uninspired clichés.

“AQUAFINA,” especially, lacks Lil Peep’s refreshing self-awareness, as it is driven by trite drug references and generic production. These unreleased songs are supported by Rich the Kid, Gab3, Diplo and Lil Tracy, yet the featured guests fail to provide many memorable moments and instead feel as if they are just there to take up space on Peep’s short demos.

A few of these new songs, however, do provide glimpses of Lil Peep’s brilliance. “PRINCESS,” for example, combines Lil Peep’s soulful lyrics with unique production from long time collaborator Cold Hart under his producer name Jayyeah. On the sublime track, Lil Peep croons, “I don’t know what I’d do without you / Lonely sunsets with-

out my princess / Send me one text, so I can get some rest.” “Text Me” also beautifully blends rap and raw emotion with one of the project’s most touching features from Young Era. The original version of “I’ve Been Waiting,” a collaboration with iLoveMakonnen, is also one of the album’s strong points and is a definite upgrade from the previously released version of the song featuring Fall Out Boy. The album’s true highlight is the acoustic version of “walk away as the door slams,” which lends an even stronger air of desperation to the emo song. Set against an urgent guitar instrumental, Lil Peep reminds listeners why they fell in love with his music in the first place, as he taps into the universal pain and agony of existence.

“I just wanted to help, now I’m going to hell,” Lil Peep sings about his own pain, tapping into hurt, hope and confusion. When the production is stripped away, all that is left is Lil Peep’s bare voice, cracks and all.

Nothing is more satisfying than moments like “walk away as the door slams” in which Lil Peep’s voice is showcased in its rawest form. “Everybody’s Everything” offers only a few of these captivating moments and leaves listeners clinging on to the fleeting mastery of Lil

Peep’s unmatched artistry.

However, the lackluster moments on the album do not tarnish Peep’s legacy. Rather, they make the sad yet beautiful moments on the album stand out even more. In releasing more music, Lil Peep’s

estate must focus more on honoring his legacy rather than tacking on sub-par features for monetary gain.

Despite its shortcomings, “Everybody’s Everything” ultimately proves what Lil Peep was capable of as an artist and is a reminder of the immense stardom he could have achieved.

TEMPLATE COURTESY OF FACEBOOK KIERAN PRESS-REYNOLDS/THE FORDHAM RAM

“Everybody’s Everything” is Lil Peep’s second posthumous album.

CULTURE

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November 20, 2019

Athletes Get Real About Their Mental Health

This month, NBC Sports released “HEADSTRONG: Mental Health and Sports,” a documentary featuring several famous athletes who detail their struggles with mental health during their careers. The project highlights the shame surrounding mental health in the world of sports.

The stigma has been around practically as long as the sports themselves, but professional athletes have finally made the decision to combat the stigma. They have come forward to pave the way for a new outlook at athletes’ “hidden opponent”: mental health.

Recently, several professional sports organizations have made headlines for improving the mental health resources available to athletes.

One of these initiatives, and perhaps the cutest of all, was the adoption of Zoë, the one-year-old French Bulldog who acts as an emotional support dog for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers.

The team’s Director of Player Engagement, Austin Moss, adopted the dog in October of last year. Since then, the players have welcomed Zoë with open arms, demonstrating their love for the dog in the multitude of photos posted on the dog’s official Instagram page (aptly titled @the49ersfrenchie, which I highly recommend following). Moss explained that Zoë helps the team to relieve stress and express their emotions openly.

The NBA has instituted new rules

CHRIS CAPUANO FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

Michael Phelps, Olympic, gold medalist, has begun speaking out about mental

for the 2019–2020 season, requiring the attendance of team executives at a meeting with mental health and wellness providers. The new rules require teams to have at least one full-time mental health professional in the team’s crew, a licensed psychiatrist and a “written action plan” for mental health emergencies.

These changes were all motivated by athletes revealing their own struggles. Kevin Love, an NBA all-star playing on the Cleveland Cavaliers, suffered a panic attack mid-game in 2017 and opened up about it in a poignant essay titled “Everyone is Going Through Something” for The Player’s Tribune.

Love highlights a key problem with the understanding of mental health in the world of sports. Unfortunately, men still dominate professional sports in the mainstream media and are hailed as the embodiment of the ideal masculine hero, saving the day with stoic strength.

Love explains, “You learn what it takes to ‘be a man.’ It’s like a playbook: Be strong. Don’t talk about your feelings. Get through it on your own.”

Unfortunately, these ideas lead men to avoid seeking help or even talking about their emotions. This is far from limited to the realm of sports.

The NBA’s implementation of these mental health policies is a huge step in the right direction. Professional sports present many unique issues that affect mental health, including a busy travel schedule, high-stakes games, public notoriety and a constant stream of fan criticism. In baseball especially, players have spoken out about being the target of verbal

attacks from fans in the stands while on the field.

New York Yankees reliever Adam Ottavino, who made several highstakes appearances in this year’s American League Division Series and American League Championship Series, told The New York Times that he has made journaling a key part of his daily routine. In his “little black notebook,” he writes positive affirmations about himself to stay motivated.

Ottavino’s openness set a precedent for his teammates to be open about their own mental health. Zack Britton, another reliever for the Bronx Bombers, said in response to Ottavino’s habit, “I’m not the only weirdo that keeps a log.”

Ottavino and Britton hold perhaps the most stressful and highpressure positions on the team. They are called in to protect the team’s lead and to prevent the opponents from scoring. If they make a mistake, the responsibility will fall squarely onto their shoulders, especially in the eyes of fans. This pressure plays a huge role in the mental game of pitching.

If a player misses a shot, a pitcher gives up a walk-off home run, or a quarterback misses a catch, they will likely be berated on a multitude of sports talk shows the next day. Often, players must meet with the media immediately after the game in the locker room.

After a tough loss, this can be especially stressful. While these pressures are largely unavoidable, measures to assist players in their mental health can mitigate the larger negative consequences.

The better players are able to cope,

the better they will perform in the game. More than that, it is important to remember that athletes are people like the rest of us, who deserve to be happy regardless of performance.

Twenty-three-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps seemed like a freak of nature for his unmatched abilities in the pool. Phelps recently chose to take on the role of activist.

He has been incredibly open about his story of dealing with anxiety and depression. While some may think that one as successful as Phelps could never feel depressed or suicidal, he proves that athletes are human too, as he has struggled with these very issues himself.

Mental health affects everyone, and this issue causes us to see athletes as not invincible super-humans, but instead individuals who struggle with many of the same problems as everyone else. One player speaking out often leads to a domino effect, in which other players are given the confidence to speak out themselves and become their own advocate.

Their work has contributed to these initiatives that will help future generations of athletes still to come.

As Kevin Love wrote, choosing to seek help was “one seemingly little thing that turned out to be a big thing.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, do not hesitate to contact the following resources: Fordham University Counseling and Psychological Services (RH): 718-817-3725 Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The Fordham Ram Crossword: This One Is Ruff 1. Japanese hunting dog 6. Shellfish 10. “Bust _ ___” (Laughing uncontrollably) 14. Coffee break time 15. Streaming service 16. One of the Simpsons 17. Figure skating jump 18. Stock purchase plan acronym 19. Alpine goat 20. Common police dog

24. Time zone, abbr.

25. More, in Spanish 26. “The Incredibles” suit designer 27. Student-athlete football, abbr.

28. Cash machine 29. Louisiana tigers 32. Fabio, for one 37. Defined as between, among or within 39. “This __ __ outrage!”

40. Peripheral 42. Confused for sweet pota-

toes 43. Raises 45. Dining area 47. “The Jungle Book” python 48. Antlered animal 50. Trendy 51. Texter’s “carpe diem” 53. NBA star Gasol 54. Payroll service co.

57. Large breed of retriever, fa vorite for disability assistance 61. Wagers 62. Biblical kingdom 63. Memento ____ 64. Buddy, in the UK 65. Hotel amenity 66. Garfield’s middle name 67. One of the five Ws 68. Additionally 69. Australian wild dog

ANSWERS IN ISSUE 22

Across

Down

ANSWERS TO ISSUE 20

1. Put on a show 2. Voodoo spells 3. Sluggish, unmoving 4. Ointment 5. “I think, therefore I __” 6. Strategic board game 7. Luxurious 8. Medicinal plant 9. Kermit or Fozzie 10. Unfamiliar 11. Rock at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula 12. Exhausted 13. Tariff 21. Radio button 22. Jar Jar Binks’ home planet

CREATED BY KEVIN DINEEN

23. TV cable 27. Abe’s coin 28. First Hebrew letter 30. Big rig, colloquially 31. ____ Major (bear constella tion) 32. Got ___?

33. Largest continent 34. Youngest major general in U.S. history 35. Water bird 36. Estimated arrival time abbr.

38. Russian refusal 41. Restoration center

44. Vend 46. Circuit 49. Oompa-______ 52. Mary-Kate or Ashley 53. “Backyardigans” penguin 54. Decorate 55. Hair cover 56. Top-quality 57. Slangy assent 58. Winter wear 59. Cambodia neighbor 60. Prefix meaning “both” 61. German auto company 66. Promo, abbr.

November 20, 2019

CULTURE

Page 17

Milky Chance Benefits and Suffers From Nostalgia

By GRACE ROBINSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

When I hear Milky Chance, I can’t help but think about high school. I was a freshman when their first album “Sadnecessary” came out in 2014 and found myself constantly listening to tracks like “Stolen Dance” and “Flash Funked Mind.”

During my senior year, their second album, “Blossom,” was released. These two albums never disappeared from my playlists during the course of my teen years. Now, I have a third album to add to my library: “Mind the Moon,” which dropped on Nov. 15.

Milky Chance, which consists of the German duo of Clemens Rehbein and Philipp Dausch, first began in 2012. They are known for their combination of electronic production, acoustic guitar and range of unique vocals influenced

by Bob Marley and Jack Johnson.

These influences are clearly present in Milky Chance’s lighthearted, reggae-inspired songs that still have a unique flavor.

When I first listened to the album, the songs felt completely new and out of character.

For example, “Fado,” the first track, begins with a single beat, which sets the tone for the rest of the album. Each track following presents its own unique beat to

introduce the song.

At first, I felt like this was refreshingly modern for Milky Chance. However, the moment Rehbein’s vocals emerged, it became very familiar and I was taken back to my high school memories.

While the band explores new dimensions on “Mind the Moon,” with a stronger emphasis on electronic beats, Milky Chance’s signature reggae-electro, pop-folk sound persists.

Some tracks left me very nostalgic, as they recall the lightheartedness of “Blossom.” For example, the second track, “Oh Mama,” felt instantaneously sentimental, despite me having never

COURTESY OF TWITER

German duo Clemens Rehbein and Philipp Dausch make up pop duo Milky Chance and just dropped their third album.

heard it before.

Milky Chance has mastered this feeling of déjà vu, making it almost into a formula, which many of their songs seem to fit into.

For example, “Stolen Dance” is one of my all time favorite songs, even though it clearly resembles many other Milky Chance tracks that contain a catchy chorus and repetitive lyrics.

Regardless, I think I was drawn into this album because of how natural and familiar each track feels. While many of the tracks flash a modern spin on a reggae sound, not a single track appears out of place. When tied together, the album creates an exceptional emotional experience.

While tracks like “The Game” make me feel light and full, “Eden’s House,” for example, does the opposite. The album tells a unique story to every listener.

As much as I love listening to Milky Chance albums, I have always wished the band would collaborate with other artists more frequently. “Sadnecesary” did not feature any collaborative tracks, and “Blossom” included only one.

I was thrilled to see three collaborations on “Mind the Moon” and especially excited to see Milky Chance collaborate with Tash Sultana on the track “Daydreaming.”

Sultana’s hit song “Jungle” has been a favorite of mine since 2016, and while I never directly associated Sultana with Milky Chance, the feature works per-

fectly.

Accordin g t o a n i n t e r v i ew with Interview Magazine, Milky Chance hopes to continue to diversify their sound through collaborations and has hinted at working with up-and-coming female hip hop artists.

It would be interesting to see the band work with artists like Doja Cat, Lizzo or Tierra Whack, all of which currently dominate the music scene and would push Milky Chance further out of their comfort zone, allowing them to unlock even further potential.

With such unique vocals, Milky Chance’s sound is distinct from their pop competition.

However, a problem Milky Chance has faced with their music is the similarity between tracks.

With the first two albums especially, each song seemed to blend into the next, with vocals that felt repetitive and uncompromising.

Lastly, why the title “Mind the Moon”? It’s about being able to see the moon from any place, at any time. While the world around us continues to change, the moon remains constant.

In a similar way, while these new tracks on the album appear modernized and technically advanced for Milky Chance, they maintain a unique and classic sound that feels genuine and authentic.

Even though Milky Chance will always evoke nostalgia for my teenage years, “Mind the Moon” proves that their sound will continue to grow as I do.

Who’s That Kid? | It’s Evan Manafort, GSB ’20!

Senior Takes Life’s Lemons and Makes a Buisness

By TREY DUGAN

BUSINESS DIRECTOR

Family tradition is rooted in various aspects of our lives, whether it be holiday customs, customary recipes or historical events your family has endured.

For Evan Manafort, GSB ’20, his family has both influenced his personality and introduced him to countless Italian traditions that have accompanied his family for generations.

In particular, Manafort has taken a keen interest in one of these family traditions, the process of making limoncello.

Limoncello is an Italian lemon liquor produced in Southern regions of the country, including Reggio Calabria, where the family originates. For Manafort, his exposure to limoncello began as a way to spend time with his family, which he describes as “the most important thing to him.”

His nonno, or grandfather, took a leading role in teaching both Manafort and his siblings the process behind this craft. As Manafort grew older, however, the production of the liquor took a more important role in his family dynamic.

The Manaforts’ commit a “wine day” each October to the creation of limoncello and in celebration of last year’s product.

While the process is extensive and complicated, taking between one and three years to properly age, it makes the final product even more special.

During a family trip to Italy, Manafort visted his relatives’ massive gardens, including many Sorrento lemon trees, the primary ingredient used in the creation of limoncello.

He flirted with the idea of bringing some of these lemon trees back to his summer home in Old Lyme, Conn. and producing this drink on his own. When his grandparents surprised him with a lemon tree for his birthday, he was able to begin the process.

After four years of waiting for the tree to sprout, Manafort was finally able to create the first batch of his own limoncello. He then began to realize the potential behind his craft. Not only were the lemons his tree was producing delicious, but the demand for his drink was rapidly increasing.

As the reputation behind Manafort’s Limoncello grew, he began to tease the idea of building a business. With the help of his nonno and uncle, Manafort began to market his product and create his brand, Manafortcello.

Although Manafortcello is in the beginning stages of development, Manafort has entertained various business deals with win-

eries and bottling companies.

He recently met with Salvatore Ferragomo Jr., a part-owner of the beloved Pugsley Pizza. Mr. Ferragomo also is an owner of a winery in Italy, il Borro, located in Tuscany, Italy. Manafort hopes to continue to grow this relationship and facilitate an official partnership down the line.

In addition, Manafort has set up both a website (Manafortcello.com) and an Instagram (@ Manafortcello) to expand his network and to provide additional information to those who seek it.

Going forward, Manafort has high hopes for his brand despite his hectic schedule.

With the backing of his family and friends, he hopes to create Manafortcello into a fully functional business once his internship and commitments to the Fordham community are completed. He wants to extend his thanks to everyone who has supported him throughout this process and continue to support him going forward.

For other students interested in starting a business, Manafort recommends “try[ing] new things and to not be afraid of the judgment of their peers or failure.” He emphasizes the fact that “the cost of failure in college is basically zero.

“Start something new. Bounce

COURTESY OF TREY DUGAN

Evan Manafort, GSB ‘20, grows his own lemons to make limoncello.

ideas off your friends. Talk to people. Share perspectives.

Go out into NYC an explore.

It’s an amazing microcosm for the world and great for generating business ideas,” he says.

Page 18

CULTURE

November 20, 2019

“Marriage Story”: A Look at Divorce’s Tribulations

By GREG MYSOGLAND CONTRIBUTING WRITER

There are three scenes in “Marriage Story” that feature some of the most dynamic acting in film this year, probably the last several years. The first is when Nicole Barber (Scarlett Johansson) explains the history of her relationship with her soon-to-be-ex-husband Charlie (Adam Driver). Next, is her lawyer, Nora’s (Laura Dern) monologue about inherent sexism in American relationships and the family court system that is simultaneously hilarious and poignant in its accuracy.

Lastly, there’s Nicole’s and Charlie’s failed attempt to settle affairs without lawyers, finally exploding in a back and forth of frustration, disagreement, lingering affection and regret. These are the scenes you’ll remember most, but they’re far from the only good things about the film.

Their success allows the rest of the story to play out in a more subdued way. These kinds of memorable moments don’t come about that often, a reality about divorce “Marriage Story” captures well. Both big and small moments have impact on families and their deterioration.

Writer and director Noah Baum-

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver star in “Marriage Story,” a raw look at the emotional turmoil caused by divorce.

bach is determined to avoid making either of the Barbers a villain, and to that end, the film gracefully moves between Nicole and Charlie’s perspectives. Still, while Nicole and Charlie have strengths and weaknesses as spouses and parents to their son, Henry (Azhy Robertson), Charlie does ultimately come across as more problematic.

The theater director’s intensity and opinionated nature cause him to de-

velop a subtle selfish streak that leaves Nicole feeling controlled and unseen.

Driver is the perfect actor to bring the vast intellectualism, emotional naiveté and subconscious egocentrism to life.

It’s a testament to his charisma that the viewer retains a great deal of sympathy for Charlie, even as his uglier sides come out. Nicole is revealed to have a couple of ugly qualities herself but remains the more plainly likable character throughout, which is not to

diminish Johansson’s work in favor of Driver’s.

On the contrary, she creates a character just as complex and well-defined as his, with a little less material (the balance of screen time does eventually swing to his favor). Johansson does some of the best work of her career here, and the openhearted vulnerability she brings to the role is the core of the film.

Dern steals her scenes, but other

than that there’s little to talk about in terms of supporting cast or subplots.

Ray Liotta and Alan Alda provide some extra humor and wisdom, respectively, as Charlie’s dichotomous lawyers, and there’s some good tension between Liotta and Dern in a court-heavy section in the third act.

Ultimately, the film stays razorfocused on the constantly shifting dynamic between Nicole and Charlie and the toll the proceedings are taking on them and Henry, and with that material the film soars.

Again, “Marriage Story” values realism over theatricality, emotional subtlety over grand drama and that applies to the end of the film and the resolution of its dramatic arcs as well.

In the end, some things get better (by the time the credits roll you get the sense Charlie has at least a bit more of a handle on his ego), and some get worse (Nicole becomes a bit elitist and feels regret over how nasty the legal battle got).

Some wounds will heal, others won’t. That’s life. The success of “Marriage Story” in provoking those genuinely mixed emotions is, along with the performances, what makes it one of the best films of the year. Maybe the best.

The Jetés Prepare For Their Fourth “Nutcracker”

By RACHEL GOW CULTURE EDITOR

The Jetés operate with a sense of controlled chaos. The Fordham ballet club is preparing for its fourth annual showing of “The Nutcracker” on Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. and Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. On stage, ballet is prized for its precision: expertly sleeked buns, perfectly bent plies and weightless leaps. But the Jetés demonstrate the equally beautiful artistry of the backstage.

At their Nov. 14 dress rehearsal there is an eager energy that permeates the room. Tutus blanket the redplush chairs like a stand-in audience as the club members weave skillfully about one another. Buns are pinned in three woman conga lines, leotards sewed with steady fingers and costumes ruffled and plucked until they fall neatly around toned legs. The backstage is a dance of its own.

While the dress rehearsal requires the attention and intense energy of the Jetés club members, it is only a glimpse into the dancers’ preparation. To learn and polish all of the dances in “The Nutcracker,” the Jetés host rehearsals every weekday as well as some Saturdays and Sundays.

The rehearsals are specific to different numbers in the performance.

Most club members are in three or four dances and therefore must attend three or four rehearsals, each lasting at least a couple of hours, throughout the week. During tech week, the week prior to the show, the Jetés have rehearsal from 6 p.m. to almost midnight Monday through Friday.

While this aspect of the preparation is physically demanding, the Jetés must also exercise their creative muscles. Unlike professional productions, these college performers are responsible for all aspects of the show. They are not simply ballerinas

BOJEUNG LEUNG/ THE FORDHAM RAM

The Jetés fit hair pieces into their buns before their dress rehersal.

but seamstresses, set engineers and costume designers as well.

“The Nutcracker” — a whimsical ballet about Clara, a girl whose nutcracker comes to life on Christmas Eve and battles a human-sized rodent, The Mouse King — requires an equally whimsical set. The Jetés decorated a Christmas tree, wrapped presents and even made the chair that Clara and the King sit in.

At the dress rehearsal, they steamed fake snow that showered the set and floated delicately from extended pointe shoes. Afterwards, they worked collectively to sweep and vacuum the stage clear again.

The costumes, put together by Jetés, include an intricate mouse head, layered tutus and delicate head pieces. Some are entirely handmade, while others are purchased and significantly altered. Xenia Danylyszyn, FCRH ’20, the club’s “costume mistress,” makes a lot of the props for “The Nutcracker,” but all club members help.

The Jetés put on “The Nutcracker” every winter, as is customary in many ballet companies to perform the show during this time. The Je-

tés put on a very traditional version of “The Nutcracker,” closely aligned with George Balenchine’s rendition.

The Jetés stressed that the club is an intense time commitment and that it can be difficult to balance ballet with a college course load and various other extra-curriculars.

“It is definitely a challenge and it means having to decide what your priorities are.” said Samantha Basilone, FCRH ’20. It means giving up some nights going out and maybe joining some other clubs“It’s practicing. Just a lot of practicing.”

Despite the sacrifices, there is an overwhelming sentiment among the dancers that participation is worthwhile.

“All of us are here because we love (the Jetés), and we couldn’t live without it,” Basilone said. “It is definitely worth it.”

Annie Muscat, FCRH ’22, a member of the Jetés’ cast, said that dance, while requiring a lot of her time, allows her to relax from the stresses of other responsibilities.

“I work two jobs and have four classes, so it can be a lot,” said Muscat. “But, at the end of the day, I love

JULIA COMERFORD/ THE FORDHAM RAMI

The Jetés are performing “The Nutcracker” at the end of this month.

this. It is an exhale after a long day.”

The calming powers of the Jetés may be due in part to the welcoming atmosphere the club maintains, according to Muscat.

“You are in such an empowering environment,” said Muscat. “Everyone is so encouraging and supportive, so you feel beautiful and strong when you dance.”

This is especially significant considering the sometimes harmful pressures in the ballet world. Ballerinas have been known to struggle with body image issues and eating disorders as a result of the sports fixation on lean physiques, according to BBC News.

The success of the Jetés in avoiding this mindset is largely due to the tenets on which the club was founded, according to Danielle Dixon, FCRH ’17. She started the Jetés in 2016,first wanted to put on a shortened version of “The Nutcracker” for local Bronx kids as a part of the Circle K club.

While this initiative ended up falling through, many people had expressed interest in pursuing ballet at Fordham, and Dixon decided to

begin a dance club dedicated to the art form. She recognized that “Ballet can often be an art that fosters intense competition between dancers” and “wanted the club to be a place where dancers felt challenged but encouraged by their peers.”

Many of the Jetés’ members have been dancing for their entire lives and were excited to find an outlet to continue pursuing the art form after high school.

Taylor Davis, FCRH ’22, has been doing ballet since she was three years old but thought her career would end after graduating high school.

She was happy to find the Jetés and continue dancing.

“The Jetés are kind of exactly what I used to do all throughout my life,” Davis said. “I thought I was kind of missing something without dance so I joined.”

For those who have never seen “The Nutcracker,” Muscat recommend coming to the show with a “childish mindset.”

“It’s absurd, it is fantastical and surreal,” Muscat said.

“There’s a lot of imagination at play. That’s what makes it so fun.”

SPORTS

November 20, 2019

Football Allows Huge Fourth Quarter in Loss to Holy Cross

By DYLAN BALSAMO

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

This past Saturday, Fordham welcomed current and former members of the university to celebrate its annual homecoming. The day was so blisteringly cold that this reporter is still recovering from dried out knuckles and ridiculously chapped lips.

However, the main event of the day, held on Jack Coffey Field, was the Ram-Crusader Cup, the annual Patriot League conference football matchup between the Rams and the Holy Cross Crusaders. If you left before the fourth quarter, the final result may be quite surprising.

At the end of the game, the score was 49–27 in favor of Holy Cross.

The score was 14–0 Rams at halftime, and at the end of the third, the game was tied at 14. The final 15 minutes of the game spelled disaster for a Fordham squad that now has a 1–4 conference record to go along with its 3–8 record overall. Meanwhile, the Crusaders not only claimed the RamCrusader Cup, but they also stand at 6–5 overall and 4–1 in the conference, with a chance to win the 2019 Patriot League title next weekend.

After the game on Saturday, Fordham head coach Joe Conlin had few words to say regarding the loss, and it is hard to blame him.

After all, the first half saw perhaps the team’s best football this season.

The Rams defense was absolutely exceptional during the first quarter in particular, as the four Crusader possessions all resulted in punts, with the first three coming in the form of three-and-outs. Fordham did not allow Holy Cross to have much time with the ball. As Holy Cross would prove much later on in the afternoon, when it has time to score, it gets the job done quite effectively.

Unfortunately, while Fordham held onto the ball for both more plays and more time in the quarter, all four of its possessions also ended in punting the ball away, so the first 15 flew away scoreless. In the opening drive of the second quarter, however, the Rams were able to put points onto the board, as Zach Davis ended an 80-yard drive with an eight-yard run into the end zone, giving the Rams a 7–0 lead.

Before the half was over, the Rams made it into the end zone once more.

Capitalizing on a 42-yard one-handed catch by freshman wide receiver Dequece Carter that was reminiscent of Odell Beckham Jr., the Rams made the score 14–0 after Carter’s one-yard catch with just six seconds on the clock in the second quarter.

As the teams went to the locker room for the half, Fordham held onto a 14–0 lead over the Crusaders.

Once the second half was set to commence, the temperature had dropped and the Rams’ fate suddenly shifted.

The third quarter began with Fordham kicking the ball off and almost winning it back after a Holy Cross fumble. The initial call of a Fordham ball was eventually overturned, however, and that was just the first of many things in the half to go wrong for the Rams.

About halfway through the quarter, Holy Cross finally scored in the form of a 57-yard run from running back Domenic Cozier, cutting Fordham’s lead down to one scoring play.

The next three drives would see the Rams going three and out, the Crusaders missing a field goal, and then the Rams going three and out again.

It was in response to that second three and out that Holy Cross evened up the score. They needed just two plays to go 40 yards, thanks to receiver Spencer Gilliam’s 36-yard catch from a throw by quarterback Connor Degenhardt. The score was 14 all.

On the next drive, the Rams had a chance to reclaim the lead when junior kicker Andrew Mevis took a 48-yard field goal attempt, but it was blocked by the Crusaders. With that play the third quarter came to an end. It was not a disaster yet, but the lead Fordham had worked so hard to maintain had vanished.

On their next possession, beginning the fourth, Fordham took back the lead. In just 43 seconds, the Rams went 90 yards in three plays and scored with sophomore quarterback Tim DeMorat’s 32-yard pass to his junior receiver Hamze El-Zayat.

The score was 21–14 in favor of Fordham. It looked like the disaster had been averted. But, what soon became very clear was that on this day, disaster was unavoidable.

On three straight drives, Holy

Cross scored three touchdowns, and they scored them quickly.

Degenhardt scored the equalizer on a three-yard end zone trot, Cozier scored his second of the day to take the lead, and Peter Oliver scored an insurance touchdown on a 45yard run of his own. In the spaces between these three possessions, Fordham went three and out twice.

After Oliver’s run, the Rams took the ball back, and on the third play of their drive, DeMorat’s pass was intercepted and returned 42 yards

by John Smith for another Crusader touchdown. Then, Fordham drove again, and after four plays, DeMorat was intercepted again, this time by Chris Riley. Two plays later, Degenhardt ran the ball for a four-yard TD. Before you could think, or even dare to look at the scoreboard, Holy Cross led the game 49–21 with just over a minute to play.

The walls had come crashing down to leave Fordham in the freezing cold on Homecoming Saturday. The Rams would score one more touchdown on the final play of the game on a 13yard catch by Carter, but they did not even bother to try and get the extra point, leaving the final score 49–27.

Coach Conlin’s expression in the postgame was one of disbelief. You could sense his emotions, a combination of dumbfoundedness over what had just happened and knowing disappointment as to why and how it had happened.

“We didn’t tackle well at all,” he said. “I actually don’t think we tackled well the whole game, but it was more of a factor in the second half.”

Conlin also said that ultimately, it was their “inability to stop the running game” that lost them the game. That inability is why Cozier finished with 170 rushing yards and Oliver secured a 45-yard run. The Crusaders only had the ball for 26:10. That was all they needed.

The Rams now have one final game left: it’s this coming Saturday afternoon at Jack Coffey Field at 1:00 p.m., hosting the Bucknell University Bison.

The 2019 season has been a rough ride for Fordham football, and Saturday definitely showed it.

ALEXANDER WOLZ/THE FORDHAM RAM

Fordham Football has one last chance for a positive record in conference when they face Holy Cross this Saturday.

Page 19

Beyond the Scoreboard: Signs of the Apocalypse

By JIMMY SULLIVAN SPORTS EDITOR

Folks, the Houston Astros are back in the public eye again.

An investigation by The Athletic has found Houston guilty of stealing signs, a baseball practice as old as peanuts and crackerjack. According to “The Cheater’s Guide to Baseball,” the first known interception of baseball signals came courtesy of the National Association’s Hartford Dark Blues … in 1876. Ulysses S. Grant was the president of the United States.

But this time, things are different.

The MLB has recently instituted new restrictions on where teams can film games electronically, so as to reduce this practice, which is an attempt to find out what the pitcher is throwing so that the batter can better time his swing. The Astros did this two years ago and — evidently — did so a little too well.

According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich, the Astros electronically stole signs in 2017, the year they won the World Series. The system was simple: the team rigged its center-field camera to a video feed in the tunnel just steps from its dugout. When team officials had deciphered that a breaking ball was coming, one would loudly bang a trash can underneath the television. This information was relayed to Rosenthal and Drellich by A’s pitcher Mike Fiers, who left the team after the season and alerted his new teams — the Tigers and A’s — as to what was happening.

If you find his story utterly preposterous, just remember that baseball is the most ridiculous sport in America and quite possibly the world. Unwritten rules exist for the sole purpose of old heads keeping the game’s new guard in line, while teams like the Astros violate the written rules.

However, when you get past the total absurdity of baseball — there are many other things I could get into here — what the Astros did is no different than what players and teams do in other sports. Everyone who plays the games is trying to win — unless you’re carefully observing “the process” — and to do so, teams will do certain things. Players are the same way, especially when money and incentives are on the line.

Countless players, especially in baseball, have taken performance-enhancing drugs to improve their performance. This practice wasn’t illegal until 2004 in the sport. In 2007, Sen. George Mitchell was the lead investigator of two eponymous reports that ripped the lip off the “secret” we already knew: Players like Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmeiro and others were taking steroids. After the Mitchell Report, big names like Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun, Nelson Cruz and Bartolo Colon were implicated in a scandal that

alleged they obtained performanceenhancing drugs, including human growth hormone, from a clinic called Biogenesis in Florida.

From a team perspective, though, every team is looking for a small advantage to win. As soon as the Astros story broke, sanctimonious fans of other teams broke out of their Twitter egg existences to rip the organization to shreds. To be clear, what Houston did is a problem, and this incident is the latest embarrassment for an organization that has clearly established that it only thinks in the form of crunching numbers. But the problem with this criticism is that, according to this excerpt from Rosenthal and Drellich, the Astros are not alone.

“To this point, the public’s understanding of sign stealing mostly rests on anonymous second-hand conjecture and finger-pointing. But inside the game, there is a belief which is treated by players and staff as fact: That illegal sign stealing, particularly through advanced technology, is everywhere.”

Everywhere is a fairly large space to exist in. That begs the question: Why was the public so shaken to its core to hear of this story?

The reason why is that it represents an intersection of a hated villain (the Astros) and a practice that, though hated in baseball circles, is incredibly common in a sport that is supposed to clamp down on these things. Ten percent of all current MLB managers were in the Astros’ clubhouse on a daily basis (Houston manager A.J. Hinch, Red Sox manager Alex Cora and Mets manager Carlos Beltran) that year, and Cora and Beltran could face discipline for their actions. But the only thing separating the Astros from the rest of baseball, in this instance, is that they have been caught.

In fact, there’s evidence that the Astros are still doing it. The Yankees complained of a high-pitched whistling sound during this year’s ALCS when their pitchers were on the mound, and MLB confirmed that this was taking place, without confirming who was doing it. A more recent, informal investigation by well-known Twitter personality Jomboy — who has found himself at the center of this discussion with video breakdowns demonstrating how the Astros got away with this — found that someone in or around Houston’s dugout was whistling during Game 2, with Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman on the mound, to signal an impending breaking ball.

Over the course of the past five years, the Astros went from striking out the most in the American League to striking out the least. Part of the reason why was because they knew exactly what was coming from opposing pitchers.

And that, my friends, is why signstealing won’t be going away without significant intervention from Major League Baseball.

COURTESY OF FLICKR

The sign-stealing scandal continues to unfold for the Houston Astros.

SPORTS

Page 20

Men’s Soccer Falls to Rhode Island in A-10 Semifinals

November 20, 2019

Surprises Abound at Brazilian Grand Prix

By ANDREW POSADAS

By MICHAEL HERNANDEZ

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Despite being the lowest seed remaining in the Atlantic 10 Championship, the fifth-seeded Fordham Men’s Soccer team enjoyed one distinct advantage going into Friday’s matchup against the topseeded University of Rhode Island.

This year, the A-10 Championship was being hosted by Fordham at Jack Coffey Field.

And behind a raucous homecrowd, Fordham would give URI everything it could handle and more for 110 minutes before ultimately losing to Rhodey in a penalty kick shootout 7–6.

From the onset, head coach Carlo Acquista had his squad in a defensive-oriented formation, showing respect to a URI offensive attack that put three goals in the back of the net against Fordham on Oct. 5 in Kingston. This time, Fordham enjoyed the home-field advantage and looked to use that not only to avenge the regular season loss, but also to punch its ticket into Sunday’s A-10 final.

However, the Rams in maroon suffered a huge loss just minutes into the contest when senior captain defender Joergen Oland sustained an injury that would force him to miss the rest of the match.

His replacement, freshman defender Conrado Duhour, played admirably in Oland’s place. In the 19th minute, Duhour had the match’s best scoring chance up to that point off of a corner kick, but his header veered just outside the left post.

URI saw its best opportunity to get on the scoreboard just be-

Although the drivers and constructors championships were already decided, there was still a lot to play for during the Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix which occurred on Nov. 17. For most of the weekend, it seemed as though it would be a fight between the top three teams for the victory: Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.

When it came to Qualifying, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen got his second ever pole, with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel qualifying second, and the reigning champion from Mercedes Lewis Hamilton qualifying in third, with Vettel’s teammate Charles Leclerc in 4th, Hamilton’s teammate Valteri Bottas in 5th, and Verstappen’s teammate Alex Albon in 6th.

However, due to Leclerc changing components of his engine, he received a grid penalty and started in 14th place, moving Bottas and Albon up one position. Toro Rosso driver Pierre Gasly qualified 7th, but with the Leclerc penalty, he moved up to 6th for the race. McLaren driver Carlos Sainz did not set a qualifying lap and started last.

When the race went green, Verstappen held the lead with Hamilton passing Vettel in the first corner. From then on, the top five remained as they were while Leclerc was slicing his way through the midfield and was up to 6th place by lap 10. Then on lap 21, Hamilton entered the pits and committed to a two stop strategy, which Verstappen responded to by entering the pits on the next lap. When Verstappen left the pits, he nearly crashed in the pit lane with William’s Robert Kubica and lost the position to Hamilton.

However, within one lap, Verstappen retook the lead from Hamilton on track. Vettel and Albon also went to a two stop while Leclerc and Bottas attempted a

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

The Fordham Men’s Soccer season ends on penalty kicks against Rhode Island.

fore halftime in the 43rd minute.

Rhodey midfielder Ludvik Benco ripped a shot on goal, which looked primed to break the scoreless tie, but graduate student goalkeeper Konstantin Weis had other ideas.

Weis was able to just get a hand on the shot, tipping it over the crossbar to keep URI from taking the lead. The teams went into halftime still scoreless with 45 remaining minutes to decide who would be moving on to Sunday’s final.

Just six minutes into the second half, Fordham had arguably the two best scoring opportunities of the match. Graduate student forward Tomer Zloczower received a wonderful cross into the 18-yard box in the 51st minute but failed to capitalize on the open shot by striking it high and hitting the crossbar.

Four minutes later, junior midfielder Sameer Fathazada looked to have been fouled inside the box, but no call was made by the referee. Fathazada was still able to find senior Johannes Pieles with a great pass, but Pieles was unable to cash

in with his shot on goal.

Both teams went back and forth until the horn sounded, as 90 minutes was not enough. The two overtime periods saw a defensive struggle with 110 minutes proving not to be enough to decide a winner. In penalty kicks, URI would ultimately prevail after Fordham sophomore midfielder Jack Murphy missed his shot and URI forward Simon Trcka put his shot past Weis to give Rhodey the dramatic win and Fordham the heart-breaking loss.

URI won 7–6 in penalty kicks, making it the deepest shootout in A-10 Men’s Soccer Championship history, with the previous mark being nine goals which was accomplished on multiple occasions. URI ultimately went on to win Sunday’s final and repeat as A-10 champions. As for Fordham, its season ends at 7–10–3, but the team could have easily seen itself in the final, and coach Acquista will be proud of the performance his team put on against an NCAA Tournament team in URI.

Squash Splits Local Weekend

By JIMMY SULLIVAN SPORTS EDITOR

Fordham Squash has gotten off to an excellent start in the 2019– 20 season, winning seven of its first nine matches. The Rams came into this year with high expectations, having won last year’s Chaffee Cup at the Collegiate Squash Association Championship. This year’s team, heading into this weekend, picked up right where last year’s left off.

The Rams started the weekend with a Friday evening matchup against Stanford. The meeting would be the first home contest for head coach Sahel Anwar’s team this season, and the Rams kicked off their home slate in electrifying fashion, with a dominating performance in which each Fordham player won his individual match.

The only close call was sophomore Patrick Rodden’s match against Stanford’s Chris Peisch, which went to five sets. Despite dropping the fourth set, Rodden buckled down to win the fifth set and maintain Fordham’s momentum.

However, Fordham’s Friday victory did not carry over into Saturday morning’s contest with California. Fordham senior and leadoff player William Douglass won his match to start the day against Cal’s Charlie Love in five sets. But Douglass would be the only winner on the day for the Rams, as the Golden Bears took the next eight individual contests to win

one stop strategy, but the one stop was ineffective, which led to both Bottas and Leclerc both pitting again and ruining their chances of winning the race. At this point it seemed that either Hamilton or Verstappen would win.

Then on lap 52, it all changed.

Bottas retired due to an engine problem, which led to a safety car being called out. The safety car effectively neutralized the race by causing all of the drivers to slow down, which bunched everyone up. Using the safety car, Verstappen entered the pits for a 3rd time and came out behind Hamilton.

When the safety car left, the order was Hamilton, Verstappen, Vettel, Albon, Leclerc, Gasly and Sainz in 8th.

Once racing resumed, Verstappen cruised past Hamilton on fresher tires, with Albon also passing Vettel as well. But then on lap 66, the Ferrari teammates crashed into each other, which brought out the safety car once again, which caused Hamilton to enter the pits to get new tires and dropped him down to 4th. When the safety car left the order was Verstappen, Albon, Gasly, Hamilton and Sainz in 5th.

When racing resumed, Hamilton passed Gasly, but on lap 70, Hamilton collided into Albon, causing the Red Bull driver to fall to 14th. This allowed Gasly to move up to 2nd place with Hamilton still in 3rd . When they crossed the line, the order was Verstappen, Gasly, Hamilton then Sainz.

However, after the race, due to Hamilton’s incident with Albon, he was given a five-second penalty, which demoted him to 7th place and meant that Sainz got promoted to 3rd. This was the first podium for both Gasly and Sainz. This race always has some exciting moments. and this time it did not disappoint. And with the final race in 2 weeks time in Abu Dhabi, fans are hoping that it will be as exciting as this one was.

ALEX WOLZ/THE FORDHAM RAM

Fordham Squash was inconsistent in its first home matches of the season.

the match 8–1. The score belied how competitive some of the individual matchups were, as freshman Jacob Bennett, junior Justin Deckoff, sophomore Dylan Panichello and freshman Caleb Schumaker all took their opponents to five sets before ultimately falling.

In the afternoon, though, the Rams bounced back with a resounding 7–2 victory over Northeastern. The Rams were particularly strong on the back end, as they took the final five matches to down the Huskies and move to 9–3 on the season. But once again, inconsistency plagued Fordham on Sunday, as the Rams fell 9–0 to Columbia to finish the weekend with a split.

Statistically speaking, several players have begun to distinguish themselves in the early going of the season. Junior Justin Deckoff

has helped fill the void left by Justin Esposito, who graduated after last season. Deckoff has won 10 of his first 12 matches to start the year and has the best individual record on the team. His fellow junior, Griffin Fitzgerald, is not far behind with a 9–3 mark, while freshman Jacob Bennett has put up the same record in an impressive start to his Fordham career. Bennett is one of three freshmen on the Rams, with Justin George and Caleb Schumacher as the others.

The other two first-year players are also off to good starts, with George at 5–1 and Schumacher at 7–3.

Fordham Squash will be in action this weekend with home matches against Washington University of St. Louis, Bard College and New York University. The matches kick off at 9 a.m. Saturday on the Lombardi Squash Courts.

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Max Verstappen came out victorious in the Brazilian Grand Prix.

SPORTS

November 20, 2019

Kutch Advances to NCAA Regionals for Cross Country

Page 21

Water Polo Splits Against League Foes

By JIMMY SULLIVAN

By SABRINA BOYD

Not many things can stop Fordham senior and cross country superstar Ryan Kutch. Evidently, not even a foot of snow can do so, either.

Last Friday’s NCAA Northeast Regional Championship was scheduled to be held at the Audubon Golf Course. However, Mother Nature had other ideas, dumping nearly a foot of snow in upstate New York between Monday and Tuesday. Because of the conditions and extensive cleanup necessary to make the golf course passable for competition, the event was moved from the golf course to a local road course, where conditions would be more favorable for the runners.

As it turned out, the quick change and abbreviated preparation time had no ill-effects on Kutch’s performance.

Kutch was able to finish this 10K course in a blazing 28:52.5, which was good enough for fourth place and an automatic bid into the NCAA’s 2019 Cross Country Championship. Kutch made history, as no Fordham runner has taken part in the NCAA Championship since 1977. His run of historic feats continues, as he will compete on a national stage to conclude his collegiate career.

Kutch’s outstanding top-five finish also helped his team, which finished 14th overall in the event.

There were four other Ram run-

Fordham Water Polo closed out their regular season on Saturday, coming out with one loss and one win against a pair of conference opponents. The Rams fell to #15 ranked Bucknell in their first game but secured a victory against LaSalle in their second match, ending Senior Day in the Bronx on a positive note. Fordham finishes their regular season with a 23–6 overall record and a 9–3 record in conference play. The Rams finish in second place in the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference for regular season standings.

In the first match, Fordham took on the Bucknell Bisons.

Bucknell is ranked first in the MAWPC and had a score to settle after falling to Fordham earlier in the season. The Bisons took an early lead against the Rams, with the score 5–1 by the end of the half. Bucknell continued to maintain their advantage, leading by five goals early in the fourth quarter at 9–4. The Rams fought back in the dying minutes of the game, bringing the score within three, but ultimately were unable to come up with the win.

Sophomore Dimitris Koukias netted two goals for Fordham.

Senior Jake Miller-Tolt tallied one goal, three assists, two steals and four blocks. Other goal scorers for the Rams included senior Tristen Knoflick, senior George Maltby and freshman Sebastian Zapatero. Sophomore goalkeeper Bailey O’Mara had ten saves and two steals. The final score was 9–6 in favor of Bucknell.

Fordham faced off against La-

SPORTS EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Cross Country will compete at the ECAC/IC4A Championships this Saturday.

ners who scored on the day: senior Nicholas Raefski (80th — 30:22.6), sophomore Brandon Hall (87th — 30:30.6) and freshmen John McGovern (93rd — 30:32.9) and Colin Flood (164th — 31:50.3). Two other competitors for Fordham were freshman Jack Craven (198th — 31:00.4) and senior Sean Sullivan (208th — 32:57.4).

For his part in leading Fordham to a 14th-place finish at regionals, Kutch was named to the NCAA’s All-Northeast team for the 2019 fall season. Kutch’s stellar performance is just the latest in a long line, highlighted by last year’s individual Atlantic 10 Championship and this year’s second-place finish at the conference tournament. Kutch has been one of the

standard-bearers for the Fordham track and cross country teams over his four years in the Bronx, and his presence has been particularly important this season, as the team deftly handled the transition from former head coach Thomas Dewey — who retired over the summer after 39 years at the helm — to current coach Brian Horowitz, who used his knowledge of the team as an assistant and applied it to a head coaching role.

Next up for Kutch is the NCAA Cross Country Championship Saturday in Terre Haute, Indiana.

The forecast calls for sunshine and chilly temperatures in the low-40s. It does not call for snow.

Even if it did, though, it wouldn’t have too much of an effect on Ryan Kutch.

Swim & Dive Perform Strongly

By JACK ROCHE

Salle in their second Senior Day match. It was a closely fought contest between the two teams, but ultimately the Rams were able to hang on to a one-goal lead in the fourth quarter. Dimitris Koukias led the team with four goals for the game, while junior Phillip Wang came in behind him with two. Jake Miller-Tolt, Sebastian Zapatero, Tristen Knoflick, junior August Weyandt and freshman Quinn Wagner also put points up on the board for Fordham. In net, Bailey O’Mara had a stellar performance, tallying sixteen saves along with three steals and an assist. Bailey O’Mara currently has 328 saves for the year, setting a new Fordham record for the most saves in a single season. The end result was an 11–10 win for Fordham.

Overall, the Rams played two strong games to close out the regular season. The Senior Day matchups featured well-rounded play from both the upper and underclassmen. Fordham now heads into the MAWPC Championships, which will be held at Bucknell in Lewisburg, Penn. The tournament will take place Nov. 22 through Nov. 24. The Rams have secured the second seed slot going into the Championships and will take on the seventh seeded Gannon University in Game 3 on November 22nd for their first match.

The game begins at 6:00 p.m. The winner of Game 3 will proceed to play the winner of Game 4 on November 23rd at 6:00 p.m. The loser of Game 3 will play the loser of Game 4 on November 23rd at 3:00 p.m. to determine the overall championship rankings.

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

For the first time since the opening meet of the season, both the men’s and women’s swim and dive had a spotless record, as they traveled north to Fairfield on Wednesday. The men picked up their first victory since Oct. 18, with a 162– 75 win. The women maintained their pristine season, capturing their fifth triumph in just as many meets (175–67).

The men finally put it all together, touching first in all but one event. Ethan Murray, a freshman from Ridgefield, Connecticut, lead the way for the Rams with a pair of wins. He lead the pack in the 200 SCM freestyle in 1:56.71, as well as in the 400 SCM freestyle in 4:13.50.

This was an overall team effort from the men, with eight other individuals taking home a first-place finish. Some of these winners included junior Bryce Bollesen (50 SCM freestyle — 23.83), sophomore Spencer Clarke (200 SCM IM — 2:10.48) and Max Asnis (200 butterfly — 2:11.75).

They also were able to deliver in the relays, touching first in the 400 SCM medley relay behind Clarke, junior Patrick Wilson, senior Casey Sawyer and sophomore Josh Stegen in 3:54.26. The 200 SCM freestyle relay of Stegen, Bollesen, senior Kevin Berry and Wilson also finished first in 1:35.36.

The men will look to maintain this momentum, as they challenge a 4–2 NJIT squad at home this Friday at home at 5 p.m.

JULIA COMERFORD/THE FORDHAM RAM

Fordham Swimming and Diving turned in a strong performance this week.

The women, in typical fashion, cruised past the Stags. Natalie Ortof, the sophomore diver from Bayside, was the only multi-event winner for Fordham, scoring 254.10 on the one-meter board and 255.90 on the three-meter board.

Seven other Rams touched first against Fairfield, including junior Kate Magill in the 800 SCM freestyle (9:28.80), senior Amelia Bullock in the 200 SCM freestyle (2:07.61) and senior Theresa Mullen in the 50 SCM freestyle (27.32).

Kiara Norris, a sophomore from Collierville, Tennessee, remarked on the differences in scheduling from last year to this current season despite similar results.

“Last year, the women’s team was also undefeated in dual meets,” she emphatically commented, “but a majority of the swim meets were at

home. While home meets are obviously super convenient, the away meets are always in a new location which brings a different type of energy.”

The women also found team success in the relays. The group of Bullock, freshman Alison Lin, junior Michelle Martin and junior Caitlin McNary placed first in the 400 SCM medley relay in 4:30.11.

Additionally, the team of sophomore Kiara Norris, freshman Clare Culver, senior Catherine Alabanza and Mullen finished ahead of the pack in the 200 SCM freestyle relay in 1:49.47.

The women also are back in action on Friday, as they host the Stony Brook Seawolves at the Col. Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center at 5 p.m. hoping to keep their perfect season alive.

JULIA COMERFORD/THE FORDHAM RAM

Water Polo beat La Salle and lost to Bucknell over the course of the past week.

November 20, 2019

Volleyball Wraps Up Season

By GIGI SPEER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Fordham Rams ended their 2019–2020 season on an emphatic note, winning their last three games, each in five sets.

This ending is symbolic of their passion throughout their 12–14 season, which was filled with career-bests, five-set victories and energetic comebacks.

The Rams defeated #4 George Washington on Friday, Nov. 15, taking the fifth set 17–15. After the Colonials came out hot on their home court, the visiting squad won the first point of the second set and continued to drive forward with stellar offense and defense.

Sophomore setter Makaela Tanaka hammered two aces, senior middle blocker Elise Benjamin racked up three kills and a block and senior outside hitter Kaitlin Morley notched four kills.

In the third, the Rams gave up the first point on a service error, and the Colonials capitalized on errors and fought with a strong offense of their own, finishing 25–18.

In the fourth set, the Rams won the first point and eventually won the set 25–23 to send the match to five.

Despite losing the first point in the fifth on a kill, the Rams held

true to the talent and grit built up all season and rallied to keep the game even.

Redshirt junior Olivia Fairchild earned the first point for the Rams on her kill, then her second kill of the set made the score 3–2 before the Colonials evened it up on an attack error. Fairchild added two more kills throughout the set and was joined by Benjamin and junior McKenna Lahr in scoring.

Overall, Morley led the way with her 13 kills, freshman middle blocker Aria De La Rosa followed with 11 kills and six blocks and Fairchild with 10 blocks. Defensively, Morgan Williams continued an exceptional performance with 26 digs, and Tanaka and first-year Megan Brzozowski split setting duties, tallying 25 and 22 respectively.

On Saturday, the squad lost the first two sets, yet rallied to win the next three and finish their season on a high note.

Seniors Williams, Benjamin, Morley and Fairchild all ended their careers in a positive way as well. Williams finished as an alltime great with the most career digs in history. Morley finished 10th overall in kills per set, Benjamin fifth all-time in block assists and Fairchild first in per-set kills.

These seniors are sure to be

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Despite a strong finish, Fordham Volleyball didn’t make it to the A-10 Tournament.

SPORTS

Page 22

By ANDREW POSADAS ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

In its first real efforts to help former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick get back into the league, the National Football League arranged a private tryout for Kaepernick to be held in Atlanta over the weekend. However, it felt as if the NFL was throwing Kaepernick the proverbial bone by constructing this impromptu workout out of the blue.

And in response, Kaepernick took that bone and rifled it back towards the shield, just as he was rifling passes to his wide receivers at an hour long workout organized by his representatives on a high school football field roughly 60 miles away from Atlanta, in Riverdale, Ga. Kaepernick put his accuracy and arm strength on display for the seven teams who made the hour drive from the Atlanta Falcons training facility in Flowery Branch to Charles Drew High School.

Afterwards, Kaepernick addressed the media and made it abundantly clear that even after being three years removed from playing a snap in the NFL, he is still waiting for one of the 32 teams to give him a chance.

“I’ve been ready for three years. I’ve been denied for three years. We all know why,” he said emphatically, while adding that, “We’re waiting for the 32 owners, the 32 teams, Roger Goodell, all of them to stop running.

Stop running from the truth, stop running from the people.”

In the aftermath of Kaepernick’s workout, many criticized him for canceling the tryout set up by the NFL, concluding that Kaepernick doesn’t really want to play anymore and is more concerned with being a martyr than a potential starting quarterback. However, considering how his tryout ultimately came to fruition and the terms constructed by the NFL, you cannot blame the 32-year old Kaepernick for continuing to have distrust in the league he believes colluded against him in the three years since he has played.

For starters, Kaepernick himself did not find out about Saturday’s workout until Tuesday afternoon.

According to ESPN’s Howard Bryant, Kaepernick’s team did not receive the usual 36 hours to accept or decline the offer. Instead, sources tell Bryant that Kaepernick was given

just two hours to consider the NFL’s offer, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. or else lose out on the opportunity.

Kaepernick ultimately accepted the offer, but other components of the NFL’s tryout presented themselves in the following days.

The most confusing issue is the fact that the NFL chose for the event to be held on a Saturday. NFL tryouts for prospective players are done on Tuesdays, when top decision makers like head coaches and general managers have time to fly out and attend a particular workout. From all accounts, none of the 25 original NFL teams scheduled to watch Kaepernick throw on Saturday sent any of its coaching staff or GMs to Atlanta.

And why would they, knowing that Saturday may be the most inconvenient day of the week for an NFL team, as a majority of them must have worried about the week’s games being played the very next day?

Yet, when Kaepernick proposed doing the workout the following Tuesday, the NFL quickly dismissed rescheduling and essentially told Kaepernick “take it or leave it.”

Then, the NFL tried to get Kaepernick to sign a waiver, unlike the standard ones given to free agents, which would give up his employment right to take any further legal action against the league. Why is that important?

Primarily because the NFL also declined Kaepernick the ability to have an independent camera record his workout. Only the NFL would be in charge of what was recorded in Kaepernick’s workout and, given the fact that the NFL could literally do any-

thing with the footage before sending it to all 32 teams, potentially compromising what teams would see.

The NFL also wanted it to be a private workout with no media whatsoever, only fueling the notion that the league was looking to control every aspect of the narrative encapsulating Kaepernick’s tryout. Instead, he decided to set the terms himself by working out elsewhere for the entire public to witness and allowing all 32 teams to see the raw footage of the raw talent Kaepernick still possesses, despite having lost three years of his prime.

However, Kaepernick is not absolved of blame in this situation. He did agree to the originally scheduled workout. When the disagreements came into the mix, he should not have snubbed the NFL’s workout last minute for another workout location 60 miles away. Had he shown up to the facilities in Flowery Branch, shed light on the superfluous terms given to him in front of media members there and told all 25 teams he was moving his working out elsewhere, all of the pressure and criticism would be on the NFL to “stop running” from Kaepernick’s truth.

Now, the NFL and Kaepernick stand exactly where they stood roughly three years ago, having made no progress in his attempt to be a professional football player again. What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? Exactly what has happened in this situation: absolutely nothing.

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Colin Kaepernick participated in a workout last weekend, demonstrating his abilities.

Varsity Calendar HOME AWAY Water Polo

Follow us on Twitter at @theram_sports

Men’s Basketball

Thursday Nov. 21

Saturday Nov. 23

Friday Nov. 22

Squash

Cross Country

Tuesday Nov. 26

Wednesday Nov. 27

U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. Charlotte 1 p.m.

Stony Brook/ NJIT 5 p.m.

Fairfield 5 p.m.

Washington/ Bard

9 a.m./12:30 p.m.

Football

Monday Nov. 25

Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Championship Lewisburg, Pa.

Women’s Basketball Swimming & Diving

Sunday Nov. 24

NYU 12:30 p.m.

Bucknell 1:00 p.m.

ECAC/IC4A Championships 9:30 a.m

SPORTS

November 20, 2019

Alex Wolz The Art of Sports Fandom “My team is the best.” “We killed it in the draft.” “You’ll see us in the playoffs.” Sports fans say things like this almost every day, reveling in their team’s success and berating its failures, identifying as part of the teams themselves. This sense of inclusivity is not exclusive to sports, but sports are perhaps the best example of the extent of fandom. Fans become invested in teams: buying apparel, memorizing players’ names, following the latest news and packing stadiums for games.

Sports are a source of drama, and people like nothing more than the latest gossip. Beyond that, people have a natural need for companionship, and sports form strong groups among fans and players. The power of sports cannot be denied, as there is something precious about watching the Olympics or the World Cup and seeing the entire globe come together in the spirit of sports. It is an act of unity where people unite to play games they love and support teams they follow. While that explains the significance of sports, it does not do the same for its fandom.

Even as a fan myself, I must admit the concept of people caring sbout sports this much is quite strange.

What is it about sports, or really anything in general, that drives people to these extreme levels of fandom?

What makes people depend on an outcome with no real-world consequences? Pouring time, effort and money into something that can produce nothing in their lives. Regardless of what happens on the field, fans will still have the same responsibilities in life and players will continue with their careers, and what was so important becomes completely irrelevant.

This lack of real-world effects is the misconception that shows why sports are so influential. In a world where most people are not athletes, the purpose of fandom lies in that moment of victory, the triumph that is often lacking and all the struggles to reach that point. Just like we cheer for the good guys to win in the movies and for a happy ending to fantasy novels, we cheer for our favorite sports teams and the feeling of satisfaction that comes with victory. Sports are a relationship. Fans dedicate much of what they have to the team, and when they succeed, the fans feel this success, feeling like they have won something themselves. I avoid saying things like “we” or “my team” when discussing sports, but I understand why people do.

For me, sports are about greatness. Hearing the stories of those with troublesome backgrounds finding a road to success through sports.

Seeing the most talented players dominate and become inspirations for people across the world. A franchise winning a championship after decades of suffering and enlivening a team, city, perhaps an entire nation.

While it may seem to be defined by failure, sports are a story of success.

With how powerful and prosperous of a world it can be, it only makes sense that fans strive to obtain that feeling themselves.

Page 23

Chris Hennessy

Varsity Scores & Stats Football Holy Cross 49 Fordham 27 (FOR) DeMorat: 346 YDS, 3 TD, 2 INT Women’s Basketball Villanova 73 Fordham 66 (FOR) Cavanaugh: 23 PTS, 7 FG, 2 3PT Men’s Basketball Marist Fordham (FOR) Ohams: 13 PTS, 6 FG

41 58

Men’s Soccer Rhode Island Fordham (Rhode Island wins 7-6 in PK) (FOR) Ricupati: 4 SH, 2 SOG Women’s Volleyball Fordham George Washington (FOR) Morley: 13 K

0 0

3 2

Fordham George Mason (FOR) Lahr: 12 K, 3 Ace, 2 Tot

3 2

Women’s Swimming & Diving Fordham 175 Fairfield 67 (FOR) Magill: 800 SCM freestyle - 9:28.80 - 1st

Men’s Water Polo #15 Bucknell #16 Fordham (FOR) Koukias: 2 G

Men’s Swimming & Diving Fordham Fairfield (FOR) Murray: 200 SCM - 1:56.71 - 1st

La Salle 10 #16 Fordham 11 (FOR) O’Mara: 16 SV, 3 STL, AST

162 75

9 6

Men’s Squash Fordham 9 Stanford 0 (FOR) Douglass: 11-6, 11-2, 1--4 Fordham 1 California 8 (FOR) Douglass: 11-9, 6-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-8 Fordham Northeastern (FOR) Rodden: 11-6, 11-7, 11-7

Dequece Carter

Aria De La Rosa

Freshman

Freshman

Football

Volleyball

In two games played this week against George Washington and George Mason, De La Rosa recorded 11 kills in each game, also having 10 blocks, a team-high. Her efforts won her Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week honors.

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

News & Notes • Murray and Lin Both Honored

Two Fordham freshmen members of the swimming & diving teams, the men’s Ethan Murray and the women’s Alison Lin, were named the Atlantic 10 conference’s Men’s and Women’s respective Rookie of the Week awards, the league announced on Monday. While it is Lin’s first honor of the season, this award is the second of the year for Murray. In a dual match weekend at Fairfield this weekend, Murray won two events, the 200 SCM freestyle at 1:56.71 and the 400 SCM freestyle at 4:13.50, and Lin took home the win in a 400 SCM freestyle at 4:30.11, while also placing third in the 200 SCM freestyle at 2:09.03.

• De La Rosa Does It for Volleyball

Volleyball freshman middle blocker Aria De La

Rosa was named by the Atlantic 10 this week as their Rookie of the Week, as was announced on Monday. This is Forhdam volleyball’s fifth weekly award of the 2019 season, as the first four all came from Morgan Williams winning Defensive Player of the Week. A first time winner of this award or any weekly award, De La Rosa earned the honor, securing 22 kills over two matches, while also hitting a team-high .339 and recording a teamhigh of 10 blocks. With the help of De La Rosa, the Rams ended their regular season on a threematch winning streak.

• Kutch On All-Regions

The 2019 NCAA Division I Cross Country All-

Region teams were announced on Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coach’s Association (USTFCCA), and Fordham senior Ryan Kutch was among the 225 men named among nine different regions, meaning he was one of the top 25 in the Northeast region. the honor for Kutch comes as a result of his performance at the NCAA Northeast regional in Buffalo, where he completed the 10K course in 28:52.5, just 10 seconds behind first and good for fourth place.

He will be the first Ram to appear at the National Cross Country Championships since 1977.

• Carter Wins Football Award

While Fordham football may have lost in disap-

pointing fashion to Holy Cross 49–27 on Saturday, freshman receiver Dequece Carter was named the Patriot League’s Rookie of the Week, the conference announced on Monday. carter scored two touchdowns against the Crusaders and had 120 yards to go with his seven receptions, but the most memorable part of his day was the one-handed catch he made for 42 yards that led up to his 1-yard touchdown catch a few plays later.

Long Island: Part III

Women’s Cross Country NCAA Individual Regionals Individual Results Only (FOR) Thomas: 6K - 22:06.9 - 147th

Athletes of the Week

Carter’s two touchdowns, seven catches and 120 receiving yards in a 49-27 home loss to Holy Cross were just side notes on his day. His onehanded 42-yard catch that set up a touchdown ended up on ESPN’s “Saturday’s Best” reel.

John Tavares Returns to

Men’s Cross Country NCAA Northeast Regionals Individual Results Only (FOR) Kutch: 10K - 28:52.5 - 4th

—Compiled by Dylan Balsamo

7 2

John Tavares stepping onto the Nassau Coliseum ice will never be just another game. That more than anything was proven on Wednesday night, when JT and the Maple Leafs came to the Island for the third time in the 18 months since he left the Islanders.

Last year, the Islanders took the season series 2–1, splitting the two games at the Coliseum. This year, they travel north of the border twice, with Wednesday being their only home game against the former Captain. They won again, this time by a score of 5–4. Tavares scored his second goal against the Islanders in the four meetings. Last year’s affairs went the way of the Islanders for the most part, as did regular-season standings position and playoff finish.

The 4–0 late-December victory was, for me, the moment the tides changed for the Islanders last season.

Mat Barzal’s hat trick and the 36-save shutout for Robin Lehner on Hockey Night in Canada proved to the world what Islander fans had come to find out through the first three months of the season: They didn’t need John Tavares.

Fast forward to Feb. 28, a game that was circled on calendars across Long Island since the game got moved from the Barclays Center to Nassau before the season. The boos were loud, plastic snakes were flying and the Islanders rolled 6–1. The events were a major talking point the next day, whether fans took it “too far” or were “unfair” to their former captain. The tribute video was drowned out by boos, and only the Islander players were applauding by the end of it.

Then Apr. 1 rolled around. The Isles had already clinched a playoff spot, something Toronto had yet to do. JT brought his boys back to the Coliseum to a chorus of boos, not as loud as the first night but loud enough. I was in the building that night, and it was obvious every time he got on the ice. Tavares scored, the Leafs won 2–1 and clinched a playoff spot that night. Pretty much the worst-case scenario for the Isles, but in the end it didn’t really matter.

The Islanders had done so well that year without him. They went out and clinched home ice five days later against Washington.

Tavares and the Leafs went out in seven games to Boston in the first round, while his former squad swept the Penguins, but were knocked out of the second round by Carolina.

This season, both teams wanted to improve on their playoff finishes from last year. Tavares was named captain of the Maple Leafs, the Islanders made some minor changes and all geared up to make playoff runs once more.

Honestly, I hope there’s a day when Tavares gets a full, genuine standing ovation from the Coliseum (or Belmont) faithful. It’s okay to hate him. I still do too. But to not appreciate what he brought to a lost and depressed franchise would be short-sighted. The Islanders do not need John Tavares to succeed; they’ve proved that over the last 100 games without him. They have a team that can compete and defeat his new team; they’ve proved that by taking three of the first four matchups against him. John Tavares is long out of the mind of the Islander players and coaches. But for the fans, the wound is still fresh, and they’re going to let him know throughout the rest of his career.

SPORTS

Page 24

November 20, 2019

The Fordham Ram

Men’s Basketball Improves to 3–0 After Locking Down Marist

By ANDREW POSADAS

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Head coach Jeff Neubauer admitted that he doesn’t usually “break a season down into segments” when talking post-game after Friday’s 58–41 win over Marist College. But considering that the team’s first three games this season have been at home and against similar opponents, Neubauer wanted his team to focus on playing stout defense. Through three games, the Rams have been suffocating on that end of the court.

After defeating Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) with some late-game heroics by senior guard Antwon Portley last Wednesday, the Rams had three days to regroup before welcoming the Marist Red Foxes on homecoming weekend. However, Fordham’s slow start to begin the game kept the contest much closer than it should have been.

Neither team shot particularly well from the field, with the Rams and Red Foxes combining for just 24 points through 10 minutes of regulation. The game was tied at 17 all with over six minutes remaining when Jalen Cobb’s stealand-fastbreak layup gave Fordham the lead and all of the momentum.

From there, the Rams out-

ALEXANDER WOLZ/THE FORDHAM RAM

Despite shooting under 40% from the field, Men’s Basketball was able to beat Marist College handily 58–41. scored the Red Foxes 12–3 over those final six minutes. Marist guard Michael Cubbage, the team’s leading scorer, scored the final basket of the half as the Rams took a 29–20 lead into the locker room. Cubbage came into Saturday evening’s matchup averaging 16 points per game. However, after locking down FDU’s Jahlil Jenkins, the Rams held Cub-

bage to just two points on one of nine shooting from the field.

In the second half, an early basket by redshirt junior Chuba Ohams gave the Rams an 11-point lead, and the home team never relinquished that double-digit lead.

Fordham would lead by as many as 21, despite shooting under 40% from the field and making just three shots from beyond the arc.

Instead, its defense contested Marist shots constantly, limiting the Red Foxes to shooting a woeful 27% throughout the night. Marist only had 10 turnovers through its first two games this season, but the Rams defense proved to be a level up in competition as the Red Foxes uncharacteristically committed 12 turnovers.

Ohams led all scorers with 13

points, while finishing one rebound shy of a double-double.

As for fellow frontcourt mate and sophomore forward Onyi Eyisi, he was able to earn his first career double-double by amassing 15 rebounds and scoring 10 points. Sophomore guard Jalen Cobb powered Fordham’s defense with four steals and two blocks, setting the tone for a stellar defensive performance, which limited Marist to only 41 points on the night.

With the win, the Rams improved to 3–0 this season, but coach Neubauer believes there is still room for improvement with his squad. “This is a growing process and every game is going to be a little different, but I’m happy with the team’s performance heading into the Jam,” said Neubauer.

The Jam Neubauer is referring to is the 2019 Paradise Jam, which begins this weekend in St. Thomas on the Virgin Islands. Fordham’s first opponent will be the University of Nevada, an NCAA Tournament team from last season, with the Rams and Wolfpack meeting for the first time ever on the hardwood. That game will be on Friday, Nov. 22, with tipoff scheduled for 3:15 p.m. and figures to be Fordham’s most competitive matchup in its relatively easy non-conference portion of its schedule this season.

Women’s Basketball Falls to 0–4 After Losses to Penn State, Villanova

By JIMMY SULLIVAN SPORTS EDITOR

Fordham Women’s Basketball is coming off one of the best seasons in its history. The Rams went to last year’s NCAA Tournament after defeating VCU 62–47 in the A-10 title game. The game was a showcase of the Rams’ identity, with a steely defensive performance and timely shots to lead Fordham to a conference crown.

That game, played on March 10 of this year, is also the last game Fordham has won, to date.

The Rams’ issues starting the 2019–20 season continued this week, with two losses to Penn State — by a score of 72–59 — and Villanova, by a final of 73–66.

In last Wednesday’s trip to State College, the Rams fell behind halfway through the first quarter and couldn’t get the lead back for the rest of the night. Fordham lost to Penn State last season by a score of 72–55 and could only fare marginally better this time around.

Penn State got a 72–59 win behind a 25–47 shooting performance (53.2%) from the field. The Nittany Lions shot over 65% (15–22) in the second half. Particularly concerning for Fordham’s defense was allowing 28 points in the paint to the Rams’ 14, and Penn State also earned 16 fast-break points to just six for Fordham.

There were some positive signs for the Rams. Junior Kendell Heremaia continued to show her improvement from last season, with 19 points, including a 5–11 performance from beyond the arc. Sophomore Kaitlyn

Downey was on a minutes restriction with concussion-like symptoms, but she was able to make four threes and score 14 points in just 21 minutes. Outside of these two, though, Fordham shot 10–37 (27%) from the field.

With the loss, Fordham started a season 0–3 for the first time since the 2007–08 season. Fordham finished that season 0–29. Head coach Stephanie Gaitley’s team looked to correct that on Sunday afternoon against Gaitley’s alma mater, Villanova, but, despite the Rams’ best efforts, their defensive struggles continued.

Entering the game, Fordham made a change to its starting lineup.

Downey reentered the starting five after staying healthy following the Penn State game, and freshman guard Sarah Karpell stayed in the lineup, moving redshirt sophomore Vilisi Tavui to the bench. Tavui started the first three games at center but Gaitley made the move to go smaller and quicker. The decision gave her team a better chance to defend against a Villanova offense that showed a propensity to shoot from the outside and work around screens and long passes.

Tavui would not appear in Sunday’s game.

Once the game started, the Wildcats attacked inside the painted area and exploited its height advantage over the Rams.

To do so, Villanova coach Harry Perretta — in his 41st and final season at the helm — turned to freshman Madison Siegrist. In her first career start, Siegrist scored 15 points in the first quarter, with 12 of those coming in the paint. Villanova carried a 20–14 lead into the second quarter,

with all but four of those points coming from inside. In an encouraging sign for Fordham, junior Bre Cavanaugh — who shot just 24% in her first three games of the season — started the game by attacking the rim and getting to the line early on. Cavanaugh scored 23 points and, as has been the wont of her and Gaitley, played all 40 minutes for the third time in the Rams’ first four games.

The Wildcats expanded the lead into the half, and Siegrist and senior Mary Gedaka combined for 26 of Villanova’s 31 first-half points. In the third quarter, Fordham began to come back with more explosive offense and improved defense. The Rams got out to a 14–4 run to start the second half to tie the game at 35 on a Cavanaugh three just over four minutes into the third quarter. But Villanova had yet another answer, and threes from Siegrist and freshman Brooke Mullin — the niece of St. John’s and NBA great Chris Mullin — led Villanova to a six-point lead heading into the fourth.

Again, Fordham responded. The Rams cut the lead to two when Heremaia’s three-pointer gave Fordham a one-point lead with 4:47 to play. But Siegrist and Mullin came through with back-to-back baskets, and foul trouble for both Downey and Heremaia hampered their play down the stretch. Siegrist’s three with 2:39 to go put Villanova up by eight points, and the Wildcats ultimately won by seven.

“You can’t decide to play when you want to,” Gaitley told WFUV on Sunday. “I thought they were the much tougher team.”

Fordham’s defense was especially

ALEXANDER WOLZ/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Rams have started 0–4 for the first time since the 2007–08 season. porous inside. The Rams allowed 44 points in the paint, and breakdowns presented themselves all game. Foul trouble did not help, but Fordham’s defense struggled mightily even without that consideration.

Fordham is 0–4 for the first time in 12 years, and the last time this happened, Fordham didn’t win a game all year. Fordham will win this year, and it will likely come sooner rather than later. However, the team must correct its early-season issues, as the Rams have now allowed 70 or more points in three straight games, a feat virtually unheard of for a Fordham program that prides itself so much on defense.

Next up for Fordham is a Wednesday night home matchup with Northeastern, a team the Rams lost to on

the road last season. Tip-off from the Rose Hill Gym is at 7 p.m. This will be Fordham’s last opportunity to win at home until Dec. 8, as the Rams will travel to Charlotte, the Bahamas and Manhattan College in the meantime.

If Fordham wants to get that first victory, it will have to beat a Northeastern team that also enters the game winless. One team will exit with its first win of the year. Northeastern, like Fordham, has played a difficult schedule to date.

Fordham’s tough schedule has reared its ugly head so far this year.

The Rams will try to learn from their missteps so far, but Fordham will have to raise its level of play if it wants to improve its results.