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SERVING THE FORDHAM UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY FOR OVER 90 YEARS
1918-2011
NOVEMBER 9, 2011
VOLUME 93, ISSUE 20
Administrators Revise Policy on Play Selection Professor Mimes and Mummers Revise Constitution to Foster Greater Discussion Between Fordham’s Club Leaders and Administrators By EMILY ARATA ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
This fall marks the beginning of talks between the Fordham administration and Mimes and Mummers to change the club’s constitution in order to incorporate more effective dialogue between the two, especially when choosing plays to present on campus. The administration already works with the club on a frequent basis, but the board hopes to include members in the creative process behind shows to a greater degree, according to Mimes and Mummers’ board President Miranda Ossolinski, FCRH ’12. “As with all of the programming that clubs and organizations do, discussions occur with the student leaders about how proposed programs or events fit into both the club’s mission and the University’s mission,” Jennifer Lackie, assistant director for student organizations and programming, said in an email. “As they have in the past, the Mimes and Mummers student leaders will continue to have conversations about how the productions align
with The Ram By CONNIE KIM NEWS EDITOR
in humanitarian issues in general. The lecture was a part of the International Political and Economic Development (IPED) graduate program weekly lecture series, organized by Michelle Virgin, a student in this program. Some undergraduate students also attended, as van Tulleken teaches undergraduate courses for the International Humanitarian Affairs minor. “I’m so excited,” Catherine Paul, FCRH ’13, who is enrolled in van Tulleken’s Humanitarian Action course said before the speech even began. She had reason to be excited, as the approach van Tulleken took to address the issues in Darfur seemed counterintuitive. He argued that humanitarian aid has the potential to do harm as well as good, particularly in a context as complicated as the conflict in Darfur. Van Tulleken suggested that there are two potential problems that can occur in the delivery of humanitarian aid. The first is bad practice by poorly trained aid workers. He gave the example of a badly dug and contaminated well.
The death of Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi on Oct. 20 marked the end of a long struggle for the people of his beleaguered nation. Qaddafi, age 69, was a dictator known for repression and iron-fisted rule, and he embraced many titles. The one he preferred the most was “the leader of the revolution,” but many other leaders referred to him as “the mad dog of the Middle East” and “the crazy Libyan.” He ruled Libya for 42 years and finally met a violent death at the hands of the Libyan forces that drove him from power. The Ram sought insights from politics professor Marcus Holmes to better understand the current situation in Libya and the significance of Qaddafi’s death for the future of the Middle East. “Qaddafi’s death is significant on multiple levels,” Holmes said. “Qaddafi was the leader of Libya for decades and many Libyans are celebrating Qaddafi’s demise for both symbolic and practical reasons. [First of all, his death] means the end of the current governance structure, [which] provides the opportunity for Libyans to plan their own future.” However, his death also means that Libyans will face the tremendously difficult task of figuring out how to create a functioning government in the face of significant challenges. “These challenges include independent militias that will question the legitimacy of the revolutionary forces and new government, regional conflict and the lack of an independent civil society,” Holmes said. Qaddafi’s death is also significant from an international law perspective. “The world will not have the opportunity to put him on trial in The Hague,” Holmes said. Qaddafi’s death definitely has a huge impact on the Middle East — from Egypt and Tunisia, where the promises of the Arab Spring have faded, to Syria and Bahrain, where popular uprisings have thus far failed to drive out despotic rulers. Since Mar. 24, an unprecedent-
SEE DARFUR ON PAGE 3
SEE LIBYA ON PAGE 3
COURTESY OF CAROLINE DAHLGREN
Members and Mimes of Mummers perform their most recent play “The Drowsy Chaperone” in the Black Box Theater.
with the Mimes’ own mission and with the University’s mission. The amendments in the Mimes and Mummers constitution simply reflect the current process that has been occurring for several semes-
ters.” The issue of dialogue between administration and University clubs is usually revisited with every new administration. In the case of Mimes and Mummers,
a vaguely worded constitution from many years ago incited the current executive board to seek increased communication with the Office of Student Leadership SEE PLAY ON PAGE 2
IPED Lecture Evaluates Humanitarian Aid in Darfur By KAREN HILL CONTRIBUTING WRITER
PHOTO BY BRIAN KRAKER/THE RAM
Steven Fox, FCRH ’11, works on a robot used in Dr. Lyons’ research.
CompSci. Dept. Studies Embodied Intelligence By EDDIE MIKUS STAFF WRITER
Imagine the following scenario: you are trapped in a burning building, found by a robot and safely rescued by that robot. While this might sound crazy to most people, Dr. Damian Lyons, associate professor of computer and information science and director of Fordham Robotics and Computer Vision Laboratory, is helping to one day make this a reality. At the Fordham Robotics and Computer Vision Laboratory, Lyons and a group of students are currently developing several robots and software that can be used in search-and-rescue situations.
Talks Libya, Middle East
“The work we do is the theory development and the construction of software prototypes to verify that an autonomous robot, a robot that isn’t guided by some guy with a joystick, that is working on its own, using its own sensors, has a guaranteed particular level of performance,” Lyons said. According to Lyons, the basis for the science of robotics centers on a phenomenon known as “embodied intelligence.” Described simply, this means that a robot can make sense of its surrounding physical world so that it can act in an intelligent fashion. “One thing that’s unique about you and me, for example, is that our intelligence is embodied,” SEE ROBOTS ON PAGE 4
The conflict in Sudan’s Darfur is a subject that has been overshadowed by other news such as Occupy Wall Street and the 2012 presidential elections; however, on Nov. 3, Dr. Alexander van Tulleken’s riveting lecture entitled “The Functions of Humanitarian Assistance: Darfur Case Study,” brought the issue into the light. Van Tulleken, a professor of International Humanitarian Affairs, discussed the worsening situation in the western Sudanese province of Darfur, despite a vast and hugely expensive humanitarian response. “The conflict in Darfur is one of the largest humanitarian operations in history [...] it has undergone much publicity and scrutiny but by almost any metric it has worsened since the conflict began in 2003,” van Tulleken said. Darfur is of particular interest to van Tulleken, because it was the first place he went as a humanitarian aid worker and practicing physician. The majority of the audience had no particular penchant for Darfur, but rather was interested
INSIDE Sports PAGE 20
Opinions PAGE 7
Culture PAGE 11
Football loses seventh straight game at Georgetown.
Fordham is a top Fulbright producer.
Girsa Performs at Rodrigues’ Coffeehouse.
NEWS
PAGE 2 • THE RAM • NOVEMBER 9, 2011
SECURITY
BRIEFS
Nov. 3, Finlay Hall, 2:15 a.m. Burning popcorn in the microwave activated smoke detector in the basement. FDNY responded and the lounge was ventilated without any injury or property damage. Nov. 3, O’Hare Hall, 8:20 a.m. A student placed his clothes in a dryer and left for a run on campus. When he returned, he discovered his wallet, which contained his bank card, was missing from his laundry. Nov. 4, Main Entrance, 2:45 a.m. Multiple people tried to remove the Fordham sign at the main entrance. The guard at the entrance booth observed the suspicious activity and notified the security office. The individuals fled the scene without further incident. Nov. 5, Finlay Hall, 3 a.m. Four individuals who were not students climbed in a basement window of the residence hall. The guard was alerted of the intrusion and he notified the security supervisor. The individuals were discovered on the fourth floor and were escorted off the premises. Nov. 5, Coffey Field, 5 p.m. A Fordham University staff member parked his car near Coffey Field in the morning and returned later that day to discover that someone had sideswiped his car. The police were notified and an accident report was prepared for the incident. Nov. 5, Southern Boulevard, 9 p.m. An individual attending a Fordham Prep game parked his car on Southern Boulevard around 7 p.m. and returned around 9 p.m. and discovered the passenger window of his Jeep was broken and his GPS and iPod were removed from the car. Nov. 6, The Jolly Tinker, 12:30 a.m. A student accidentally bumped into another male at the local bar. The male who was bumped into pushed the first male’s head into a wall, causing a cut on his nose. The injured male was taken to St. Barnabus for medical attention. Nov. 7, Queens Court, 11:15 p.m. Students cooking pancakes on the first floor activated a fire alarm. FDNY responded and the building was evacuated. There was no damage and no injury to the building or students.
COURTESY OF KRISTIN GUERIN
Cast members Kristen Guerin, FCRH ’12 and Dave Cavanaugh, FCRH ’11, perform in the Mimes and Mummers production of “Bat Boy” in the Black Box Theater.
Mimes and Mummers to Revise Constitution PLAY, FROM PAGE 1
and Community Development (OSL&CD). “[Changing the constitution] would probably change the duties of the president and vice president in terms of their communication with the administration,” Ossolinski said. “I don’t think there’s a lot of specific stuff about that in our constitution. It’s very loosely said.” Factors in attaining the rights to plays, as well as selecting directors and creative personnel from the greater New York City community, also contribute to the discussions between the administration and Mimes and Mummers. In the past, the club has hired directors, choreographers, costumers and other creative staff in order to aid with the production of plays. “In order to secure the rights for productions, it is important that decisions are made on which productions the Mimes will produce significantly in advance,” Lackie said. “In order to ensure that all parties are aware of the process and timeline for selecting the productions, it is appropriate to include the process in the constitution.” Ossolinski admits that wires often get crossed in the long process between getting the script approved and actually performing the show onstage. “It’s really difficult when you’ve got Dean Rodgers and we hire directors from outside the school,” Ossolinski said. “We have everyone on the board, the actors, the choreographer — so many people communicating on this one show. So that one person said [in regard to The Wild Party], ‘We want this scene to be this way.’ That was translated to the director in ‘this’ way that was translated to the choreographer in ‘this’ [different] way. It’s so many steps. So we just want to streamline, somehow, that process so that everyone’s happy.” The theatre group hopes to put on a production of Spring Awakening this year, making them one of the first university groups to do
COURTESY OF KRISTIN GUERIN
Members of Mimes and Mummers perform “Rumors” at Fordham University.
“We want to continue being able to do these shows that push the envelope in a really good way.” MIRANDA OSSOLINSKI, FCRH ‘12
so. The rights were only released last year, according to Ossolinski. The controversial rock musical documents the sexual awakenings of a group of German teenagers in the late 19th century. “That would be a show that we would constantly be thinking, ‘How are we putting this on in light of this being a Jesuit university, this being Fordham, and our administration being unsure but still supporting us?’” Ossolinski said. “We want to continue being able to do these shows that push the envelope in a really good way, that make the student body want
to come out to these shows, see something and question it.” OSL&CD has been in talks with the theater group about producing the play, as well as about its creative boundaries, but no official decisions have been made at this time. “The Mimes and Mummers have proposed producing Spring Awakening as one of their musicals,” Lackie said. “Dialogue about the musical is currently ongoing with members of the Mimes and Mummers executive board. The conversations have been very productive so far, and we look forward to continuing those discussions moving forward.” Last spring, when the red curtains closed on Mimes and Mummers’ production of The Wild Party, many questions were brought to light in dialogues between Fordham’s student theater group and the administration. The director and choreographer, hired from outside the community, took the material in an edgy direction. Specific scenes caught the at-
tention of the administration, which had not seen the full show since approving the script weeks before, according Ossolinski. “The outcome of the show was not what the administration thought they were approving, basically,” she said. “There was controversy over a rape scene that was a dance and how that was choreographed. But it wasn’t like, ‘This can’t be in there.’ It needed to be addressed in a very particular way. It wasn’t communicated very well. It was like telephone.” As talks continue, Ossolinski is hopeful about involving administration in the creative process of the Mimes and Mummers’ board to a greater degree. “We will do just about anything to make sure that the administration feel that they’re involved to the right level and that they know what’s going on,” she said. “We want them to feel like they know what’s going on in our theater. We don’t want to hide anything. That’s not what we’re trying to do.”
THIS
week at FORDHAM Thurs., Nov. 10 John Stossel Lecture College Republicans, Keating First, 6-10 p.m. Thurs., Nov. 10 CAB Cinevents! Crazy, Stupid Love, Keating Third, 8:30-11:30 p.m. Mon., Nov. 14 Yoga Keating B-23, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Tues., Nov. 15 Tabling for Pregnancy Resources
McGinley Lobby, 4-6 p.m. Tues., Nov. 15 Open Mic Karaoke Night Alumni House, 7-11 p.m. Tues., Nov. 15 Global AIDS Campaign Keating B-14, 9-10 p.m.
NEWS
NOVEMBER 9, 2011 • THE RAM • PAGE 3
Van Tulleken Elaborates on Challenges of Aid DARFUR, FROM PAGE 1
It is a “poorly regulated field,” van Tulleken said. The second problem is the fundamental impossibility of addressing the root causes of suffering because of the principles of impartiality and neutrality to which humanitarian aid organizations must adhere. “Humanitarian aid is an apolitical response to a political problem [...] which limits what we can achieve,” van Tulleken said. He highlighted other problems as well: For some nongovernmental organizations there are huge financial incentives to remain in Darfur because of the large quantity of donor money available. “Incentives for NGOs to stay working in Darfur are very extreme,” van Tulleken said. “They remain even when it gets too dangerous to do effective work.” While humanitarian aid may not be an effective solution to the conflict in Darfur, some form of help is needed. Oppressive governments such as those in Sudan and Burma are sophisticated in their ability to manipulate their populations and the international communities attempts to assist these populations. Governments like the administration in Khartoum are able to undertake gross abuses against their people and cause chaos, without ever using physical force, according to van Tulleken. For example, the government can take resources away, so its citizens starve on their own. The government also has the power to cover up and skew facts, creating a
“A fundamental question of humanitarianism is what to do once you’ve saved someone’s life.” DR. ALEXANDER VAN TULLEKEN
cloud of confusion and blurring the public’s perception of the extent of harm done. One camp in Darfur that van Tulleken referred to was Kalma Camp, which houses about 100,000 refugees whose villages have been burned. NGOs come to Kalma Camp to help and provide resources. Van Tulleken displayed an image of Kalma camp and an area surrounding Lincoln Center, showing the drastic difference between the dusty-red land of Kalma camp juxtaposed to the green and lively New York City. Van Tulleken then compared the activity of NGOs in Kalma Camp to emergency room doctors. “In the E.R., you patch up the drug addicts and homeless people and you send them back to the streets,” he said. “As an emergency room doctor you’re not able to address root causes; you leave that to other people.” “A fundamental question of humanitarianism is what to do once you’ve saved someone’s life,” van Tulleken said. “Aid is not a substitute for political action [...] you can’t stop a genocide with doc-
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA
Professors and students discussed problems faced in Darfur, including war and the lack of clean food and water.
tors.” Van Tulleken invited the audience to think as if they were the leaders of an abusive government, considering how they might manipulate the humanitarian agencies and the population. The students reached an agreement that the government would pit the various stakeholders against each other by withholding resources from some and offering peace talks to others.
The government would cause violence in the camp, leading to the NGOs ultimate evacuation. With this in mind, after the lecture, graduate student Dominic Monley, GSAS ’12, expanded upon van Tulleken’s analogy. “People from the outside of the hospital are trying to stop peace and [...] other forces are not on your side,” he said. To view humanitarian aid as a
more complex phenomenon than simple charity, but as a force with the capacity for harm as well as good, and as an endeavor that is essentially limited, is initially mind boggling, but van Tulleken’s argument familiarizes this idea. “I found this to be a more balanced and realistic view of aid which is not something that will solve all your problems,” IPED student Katie Jajtner, GSAS ’12, said.
Politics Professor Discusses Middle East Conflict LIBYA, FROM PAGE 1
ed coalition of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Allies and non-NATO contributors have been protecting civilians under threat of attack in Libya, enforcing an arms embargo and maintaining a no-fly zone. The single most important result of NATO’s intervention in Libya is that it stopped Qaddafi from carrying out a mass slaughter of civilians who had risen up in protest against his regime. “Qaddafi’s death and the NATO intervention in Libya will likely have significant effects on the Middle East, though it is very difficult to predict what will occur and when,” Holmes said. “It is very clear that protest movements around the world, particularly in the Middle East, watched Libya very closely and will likely [be] inspired by Libya. This creates a tricky situation for the United States and other major players. Syrians, for example, should not expect an intervention just because one occurred in Libya, and in fact the United States has been quite clear in suggesting that they should not expect one.” The history of Libya-United States relations goes as far back as 1951 when the U.S. supported the UN resolution providing for Libyan independence. This time, the United States, as one of the members of NATO, has been involved with the Libyan conflict
“Qaddafi was the leader of Libya for decades and many Libyans are celebrating Qaddafi’s demise for both symbolic and practical reasons.” DR. MARCUS HOLMES
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA
Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, the erratic and violent dictator of Libya, was brutally killed by the Libyan forces on Oct. 20.
by providing military action in Libya since this March with other members of NATO to act with urgency to end violence against civilians in Libya.
There are mixed views regarding the involvement of United States in Libyan situation, however. “The response to Qaddafi’s
death in the United States has been mixed,” Holmes said. “Some have praised Obama for undertaking a significant humanitarian intervention and freeing Libyans
from what many consider to be a ruthless dictator and terrorist. Others have questioned why this intervention was necessary, by pointing out the hypocrisy of U.S. foreign policy, which often chooses to intervene in some humanitarian crises but not others. Many of these disagreements fall along the party line in the United States, though not exclusively so. In the end, it does seem that the intervention achieved a number of objective goals, including preventing a massacre in Benghazi and ridding Libyans of the current regime. The legal justification and how much this will affect latent democratic movements in the Middle East are a lot less clear.”
NEWS
PAGE 4 • THE RAM • NOVEMBER 9, 2011
Computer Science Department Studies Embodied Intelligence ROBOTS, FROM PAGE 1
Lyons said. “We know how to move things. We know how to move around in space. In robotics, we’d argue that makes it a very special kind of intelligence.” Lyons stated that regular artificial intelligence, where data is stored on a computer, is referred to as “disembodied intelligence.” He described a simple metric to tell whether or not an embodied intelligence “understands” its world: how the machine reacts when faced with a human situation. Robots with disembodied intelligence are unable to function as humans. “If you see a car coming at you, what would you do?” Lyons asked. “If the robot does the same thing, then you say it understood. Whereas, if it didn’t do the right thing, if it got run over, you can say it didn’t understand.” Lyons also used IBM’s supercomputer Watson as an example of an attempt at artificial intelligence that does not fully simulate the human mind. “People will still argue that Watson was just printing analysis, that it’s not real intelligence, that it was just searching through data, because there’s no real action and response there,” Lyons said. Working with embodied intelligence does, however, present certain unique challenges. “An embodied intelligence, for example, in order to move from one side of the room to the other, has to solve a very, very compli-
PHOTO BY BRIAN KRAKER/THE RAM
Dr. Lyons displays one robot his team uses to study embodied intelligence.
cated geometric problem,” Lyons said. “That’s a tough thing to do, but in fact, any bug can solve that problem. So how hard can it be, if any bug can solve that problem?” The trick to solving this problem is special pieces of equipment called sensors and actuators that enable the robots to interact with its surroundings. “If we don’t give it sensors and actuators, then it’s disembodied, rather than embodied, intelligence,” Lyons said. For example, some of the robots are equipped with stereo-camera eyes, which allow them to extract
depth from their surroundings and thus contribute to their autonomy. Most robots today are controlled in a tele-operated system, where a driver manually guides them. However, the field of view in such cases is extremely restricted, which leads to slower reaction times from the robots, according to Lyons. The autonomous robots that Lyons is building have human-like reflexes in order to best adapt to their situations. Lyons said he envisions his robots being used as a tool to assist
first responders in the process of search and rescue. “For first responders, those rescue personnel who are the first at the scene of a disaster, moving around a disaster site is as dangerous as it is if they were in the disaster,” Lyons said. “If you were one of those guys who were unlucky enough to be caught in that disaster, that’s a very dangerous situation. But for those first responders who have to go in and find where are the sick people, it’s just as dangerous.” To be prepared for their function as a first-response tool, the robots need the ability to navigate autonomously and map out terrain. This is one of the important research areas that the Fordham Robotics and Computer Vision Laboratory investigates. Lyons and his research group also develop the theory and software to produce what are known as performance guarantees for the robots. These are measures of how well a particular robot will perform in a specific situation. He gave the example of having to choose between sending a robot with a 70 percent success rate, an 80 percent success rate and a robot with a 90 percent success rate into a building in which an explosion had taken place. Confidence in the guarantees that the Fordham software produces stems from the fact that the robots are also tested according to the rules of the National Institute for Standards and Technology,
an organization that oversees the testing of these robots. Lyons partners with a robotics lab at Georgia Tech in Atlanta and also has several students working with him on the project. “It’s been a great opportunity,” Emir Ogle, FCRH ’14, the laboratory’s technician, said. “I’ve been able to learn new things that I wouldn’t be able to do in classes, because when I got here last year, I didn’t know anything about robotics or programming.” While the majority of students who work with Lyons are graduate students, he is willing to accept interested undergraduate students and has occasionally worked with high school students. The Computer and Information Science Department offers many interesting courses on or related to robotics including courses on information fusion, data mining and video game design. Lyons said he feels that popular culture has given robots a bad reputation. “I don’t think most science fiction movies that have robots are about robots,” Lyons said. “I think they’re more about providing a plot device for the movie, or about our fear of technology we don’t understand. If you think about it, what real robot do you know that’s ever done anything wrong?” Instead, he said he believes that robots will be tools that will help humanity, fulfilling many of the difficult jobs that humans are currently required to perform.
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PAGE 7
Fordham Named a Top Fulbright Producer By RICKY BORDELON STAFF WRITER
“One of the best measures of a university’s stature is the achievements of its students,” Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J., president of the University, said in response to Fordham being named one of the top Fulbright producers in the country. This honor shows that Fordham has continually educated students who are, academically, very competitive with students from across the nation. This rising prestige can be attributed to the values of Jesuit education and the Fordham’s commitment to educating students about the world as a whole. The Fulbright Fellowship was founded in 1946 with the passing of the Fulbright Act, signed by President Harry Truman. These scholarships enable students who have just graduated to conduct research, study or teach English abroad for one year. The program also sponsors international students to study in the United States for a year after graduating. The Fulbright fellowship is considered one of the premier scholarships given to college graduates. Fordham students received nine Fulbright awards for both research and English teaching this year. Fordham is one of
only three Jesuit colleges and universities to be named a top Fulbright producer, the others being Boston College and Georgetown University. The maxim of Fordham is “New York is my campus, Fordham is my school,” and I believe that this is one of the reasons why Fordham succeeds in national scholarship competitions. The University is known for its Jesuit education; it requires its students to take many different classes in various disciplines, including fine arts, English, foreign languages, philosophy, theology, mathematics and sciences. This type of education leads to well-rounded, academically strong students. The knowledge gained from a widespread, interdisciplinary curriculum is very appealing to many national college graduate scholarships, including the Fulbright scholarship. Another important aspect that distinguishes Fordham students is the school’s location. New York provides opportunities that allow students to learn global perspectives on issues, an important facet of the Fulbright scholarship’s goal. It also provides the possibility for incredible learning experiences from the many cultures and organizations that present in New York.
RAM ARCHIVES
Fordham’s Office of Prestigious Fellowships is located in Thebaud Hall; it helps students earn awards like the Fulbright.
Fordham’s location in New York City, combined with its commitment to the philosophies of Jesuit education, help to enhance its students’ competitiveness in national scholarship competitions. The Fulbright program also emphasizes global ideas and a global worldview. Recently, Fordham has emphasized this facet of education with many new programs and speakers, including the new minor in inter-
national humanitarian affairs. This emphasis also helps Fordham in a number of other scholarship competitions such as the Truman, Marshall and Rhodes scholarships. The naming of Fordham as a top Fulbright producer also shows the rising prestige of the University. Recently, Fordham rose on the US News & World Report’s ranking of the top U.S. universities from number 56 to no. 53. The combined efforts of
the students, faculty, administration and staff have contributed to this rising ranking. Combining Jesuit education, a location in New York City and an emphasis on global ideas, Fordham certainly helps its students become well-rounded and excellent candidates for numerous prestigious scholarships and awards. Ricky Bordelon, FCRH ’15, is a political science major from New Orleans, La.
Finding Ways to Lighten the Tuition Burden
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA
Seton Hall plans to offer promising prospective students tuition discounts.
By JUAN GABRIEL P. GARCIA CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Getting into one’s college of choice is a goal that most teenagers look to achieve. It can be a lifelong dream for some, or it can be a goal that comes about in one’s adolescent years. Many people view college as a valuable investment. Competition and money, however, are two hindrances that prevent students from reaching their collegiate goals. The former is an issue that many students face because of the sheer number of applicants. Money, the second hindrance, is a more crucial issue. Some students are qualified, but they just don’t have the means to actually study in a college because of a lack of financial support. While some schools
offer merit and need-based scholarships, they are often not sufficient to make the price of tuition significantly less. Seton Hall, a Catholic university in South Orange, N.J., is now setting its sights on top applicants. The University is looking for students who succeed academically, and are a worthwhile investment. Next year, it plans to implement a two-thirds tuition reduction for students who apply early admission, are part of the top 10 percent of their graduating class and have a combined SAT score of at least 1200 in the Critical Reading and Mathematics portions of the test, with no score lower than 550. This differs from a traditional scholarship in that it is a significant reduction in tuition, and even if tu-
ition rises, it appears that it would still be discounted by two-thirds. In contrast, many scholarships at Fordham and other institutions offer a specific amount per year that pays for a progressively smaller fraction of college costs, as tuition rises. The policy would bring out the best in a lot of students, because it would give them a specific academic goal and an incentive to work harder. There is a better chance that students who hope to qualify for Seton Hall’s program will value school work and will construct a solid foundation of study habits in high school, because many students just need that extra motivation to work hard. In addition, the program gives striving students with a small amount of financial support another option, so they will not have to rely solely on need-based aid. In addition, state schools will not be one of their only affordable options if more private schools like Seton Hall offer these kinds of policies. It can only get better from here if more policies like these are implemented by other institutions. Other colleges also have implemented discounts in tuition. The University of the South, a liberal
arts school in Sewanee, Tenn., cut its total annual bill for students by 10 percent, effective this fall, while Georgia State University has been giving full scholarships to in-state students with A and B averages until just this year. Policies like those and at Seton Hall help strengthen universities because they increase visibility. It creates an edge which sets one university apart from another, and it increases the number of academically competative students. Ideally, a policy similar to Seton
work harder and get better grades,” Gregory Victorio, FCRH ’15, said. Students would work harder than they normally would, which would benefit them in the long run. “For me, Fordham would be much more appealing,” Lizzy Zanghi, FCRH ’15, said. “I truly feel that the Fodham’s tuition is a deterrent for many students. I am only a first-semester freshman, and I am already stressing about how I am going to pay my college loans.” Many students end up borrowing money to pay for tuition. If Fordham were to introduce a policy similar to Seton Hall’s, fewer students would have to worry about money; it would not be as big a burden as it is now. In addition, international students would benefit significantly, as they currently do not receive any form of need-based aid. The international population at Fordham has increased considerably over the years; it is now six percent of the total Fordham population. It may continue to rise in the coming years, however, if Fordham brings about a policy that would help students with the burden of tuition. Juan Gabriel P. Garcia, GSB ’15, is a finance major from Manila, Philippines.
“Next year, [Seton Hall] plans to implement a two-thirds tuition reduction for students who apply early admission, are part of the top 10 percent of their graduating class and have a combined SAT score of at least 1200 in the Critical Reading and Mathematics. ” Hall’s would be implemented by Fordham. One of the major concerns of Fordham students is the substantial cost of tuition. Many students receive some form of financial aid or scholarships, but the tuition that students are paying is still substantial. As tuition rises, many scholarships decline in relative value, because they cover a smaller fraction of tuition costs. “It would motivate students to
OPINIONS
PAGE 8 • THE RAM • NOVEMBER 9, 2011
The Ram Serving campus and community since 1918. The Ram is the University journal of record. The mission of The Ram is to provide a forum for the free and open exchange of ideas in service to the community and to act as a student advocate. The Ram is published and distributed free of charge every Wednesday during the academic year to the Rose Hill, Lincoln Center and Westchester campuses with a readership of 12,000. The Ram office is located in the basement of the McGinley Center, room B-52.
www.theramonline.com Advertising: (718) 817-4379 Executive: (718) 817-4380 Publishing: (718) 817-4381 Editorial: (718) 817-4382 Newsroom: (718) 817-4394 Fax: (718) 817-4319 theram@fordham.edu Fordham University - Station 37 Box B Bronx, NY 10458 Editor-in-Chief Nick Carroll Executive Editor Celeste Kmiotek Managing Editor Victoria Rau Design Editor Stephen Moccia Business Editor Lindsay Lersner News Editor Connie Kim Brian Kraker Assistant News Editor Emily Arata Opinions Editor Christine Barcellona Assistant Opinions Editor Sarah Ramirez Culture Editor Sandy McKenzie Assistant Culture Editor Scharon Harding Sports Editors Dan Gartland Erik Pedersen Copy Chief Mary Alcaro Copy Team Tara Cannon Patrick Derocher Abigail Forget Taylor Engdahl Tom Haskin Olivia Monaco Veronica Torok Hussein Safa Anisa Arsenault Cas Black Hadley Brochy Colleen Chambers Connor Ryan Photo Editor Nora Mallozzi Web Editor Kelly Caggiano Faculty Advisor Beth Knobel Opinions Policy The Ram appreciates submissions that are typed and saved on a disk in *.rtf, *.txt or *.doc formats, or sent to the staff via e-mail at fordhamramletters@gmail.com. Commentaries are printed on a space available basis. The Ram reserves the right to reject any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Ram and will not be returned. The Ram reserves the right to edit any submissions. The opinions in The Ram’s editorials are those of the editorial board; those expressed in articles, letters, commentaries, cartoons or graphics are those of the individual author. No part of The Ram may be reproduced without written consent.
From the Desk of Victoria Rau, Managing Editor Sometimes, when I tell people that I work on my college newspaper, they are surprised and think that such heavy involvement in student journalism seems out of context for someone who studies international political economy rather than communications. Frequently, people stare at me, mouths agape, when I explain my responsibilities as managing editor and the fact that they include spending close to 12 hours in the office on Tuesday nights. Why anyone would want to proofread articles and make meticulous changes to the pages before they go to print at three, four, five in the morning (we know it is a bad night when athletes are reporting to practice as we are leaving the office) is beyond comprehension for most sane, rational people. I started college with every intention of becoming a journalist. It has been a wild ride since then, during which I have experienced moments of great clarity and my aspirations have fluctuated with the seasons. The Ram has been an integral part of my journalism roller coaster ride and of my Fordham experience. The truth is that, though nothing sounds appealing about sitting in an office with no windows that is always overheated while editing and writing for no class credit and no
salary (some schools pay their student newspaper staffs), we love it, or at least we continue to show up every week. Not every minute is exhilarating, inspiring or gratifying; in fact, some moments are frustrating or downright miserable, like when a file refuses to convert to a PDF at 4 a.m. and my alarm is set so I can get up in five hours to finish an assignment before class. Something about a stuff y room full of relatively well-adjusted people-turned-crazy-grammar-fiends in the wee hours of the morning produces some of the most entertaining conversations to which I have ever been party, however. Never does the phrase “you had to be there” ring truer than when I am trying to explain a hilarious newspaper moment to my roommates. These are often the kinds of moments that seem absolutely hysterical at the time, but we can never quite remember why we laughed so hard once it is daylight again and we have actually slept. Camaraderie is the best word to describe this particular phenomenon, and it is the best way to describe why I fell in love with journalism in the first place. While much of the camaraderie that exists in journalism goes beyond the physical place of the “newsroom,” the increasingly wireless, paperless network that
characterizes journalism models of the future undeniably changes interactions between reporters and editors, between reporters and sources or amongst journalists. For this reason, camaraderie (or its decline) may cause me to choose a career outside of journalism. Journalism occupies a precarious position in our society — with even traditional, stalwart news sources forced to reevaluate their business models because of continued demand for news content in conjunction with decreased willingness to pay for it. The evolving fate of journalism, which future journalists will determine, fascinates me, excites me and terrifies me. As longer, investigative pieces and traditional, collaborative newsrooms fall out of favor, replaced by superficial blurbs circulated through 140-word social media blasts and freelance journalists working through a digital network, I do not question whether journalism has a future — it does — but whether I want to be a part of it. I have many doubts, and yet, I have experienced many truly inspiring moments as a student journalist for The Ram. When I interviewed New York Times financial columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin (not to be confused with “West Wing” creator
Aaron Sorkin), it reignited my passion for journalism, partly due to the romantic notion of how he started working for The Times while he was still in high school and partly because it was exciting to meet someone who actually makes a living by writing and who believes in the future of print journalism. Moments of true synergy when the whole staff is on the same page represent another source of inspiration. Those instances in which the staff bands together behind a particular editorial or course of action are what validate all the sleep-deprived, tense moments and all the clashes of personalities or egos that can happen on a staff of talented, ambitious individuals. On that note, I want to thank everyone with whom I have had the pleasure of working on The Ram, particularly the departing seniors. Thank you for the laughs, for the moments that inspired me, for the moments that tested my patience or my resolve and, most of all, for the camaraderie.
EDITORIAL: Supporting Education through Grants About two weeks ago, the entire Fordham community received an email from Lesley Massiah, associate vice president for government and urban affairs. In the email, students were urged to support federal funding for Pell Grants and Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants (SEOG), which were just barely spared massive cuts as part of the Budget Control Act of 2011. The Act was passed mere hours before the United States nearly defaulted on its considerable loans in August. “Unfortunately, we are not out of the woods yet,” the email opines, and indeed Pell and SEOG are far from safe. One of the provisions of the Act was the establishment of a 12-member “Super Committee,” comprising of equal numbers of senators and representatives from both sides of the aisle. This committee was then given the task of finding some $1.5 trillion in additional deficit decreases, through a combination of tax increases and spending cuts. If it fails to do so by Nov. 23, $1.2 trillion in
spending cuts will automatically take place. Under these circumstances, it is quite possible that the Committee will cut Pell and SEOG funding significantly. Fordham University students are major beneficiaries of such funding, which is considered the backbone of need-based financial aid at American colleges and universities; 1,799 Fordham students received in excess of $7.9 million in Pell Grants during the 2010-2011 academic year, and an additional 1,248 students received more than $2.1 million in SEOG funds. Pell Grants assist some 9.6 million American students in funding their increasingly necessary college degrees every year. We at The Ram stand by financially disadvantaged students around the country and join the University administration in calling for the protection of these crucial grants. Though the country is in dire financial straits, cutting Pell Grants is an ineffective solution that will do more harm than good, stunting
the growth of the American workforce while failing to make any real progress on deficit reduction. For the 2012-2013 reward year, which is currently being budgeted, the United States Department of Education estimates that Pell Grants will cost the federal government some $36.1 billion. While this is an unimaginable number to most people, it comprises a tiny sliver of of the National Debt, just about 0.2 percent of the nearly $15 trillion deficit. Trying to cut the deficit by cutting Pell Grants is akin to trying to take down a large tree by snapping off a couple twigs. Where does all the deficit come from? The largest contributors are defense and entitlement spending, especially healthcare programs. If real budget reform is to take place, the defense budget will need to be trimmed in a way that preserves national security, while programs like Social Security and Medicare will need to be reformed in a way that does not harm current beneficiaries of such programs.
This is where we come in. Today’s students are tomorrow’s taxpayers, and we will be inheriting massive debts with which we will need to somehow deal. This generation’s voice is one that should be heard insofar as we will be the ones shouldering inconceivable amounts of debt. Changing government, fixing debt and preserving Pell Grants are all goals that require knowledge — knowledge such as the names of the people controlling our budgetary future, the fiscal state of the country and those at Fordham who are our liaison with these government entities. Protecting Pell Grants and the future of higher education in this country are extraordinarily important. So is participating in our democracy and being aware of its current situation. Editorial Policy The Ram’s editorials are selected on a weekly basis, and are meant to reflect the editorial board’s view on a particular issue.
Letter to the Editor Dear Editor: In the wake of the article “Dead Carriage Horse a Tragedy, but Not a Call to Action” (The Ram, V. 93, i. 19), the issue to ban horse drawn carriages from the streets of New York has garnered even more support with the second collapse of a horse this season on Nov. 4. After the news was announced, the petition created by New Yorkers for Clean, Livable & Safe Streets saw a dramatic increase in the number of electronic signatures in favor of the ban. Charlie, the horse that succumbed on Oct. 23, was not a healthy horse, according to a report released from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) on Oct. 31. In fact, an autopsy confirmed that
the 15-year-old horse suffered from stomach ulcers and a fractured tooth, and was in severe pain leading up to his death. Mayor Michael Bloomberg argued that there was no evidence that Charlie had been abused, but Susan Wagner, president of Equine Advocates, believed he would still be alive if a veterinarian performed a standard evaluation. This would have showed that the horse was not healthy for a career in the urban carriage horse business. The city is not an environment appropriate for horses. They are meant to be in open areas with fresh air; instead, they are forced to do hard, physical labor all day, every day, regardless of weather conditions. They are led into dangerous traffic, where they develop respiratory problems from inhal-
ing exhaust fumes and debilitating leg problems from endless pounding on the pavement. After hauling tourists around the city all day, the horses must make their way through traffic and climb up steep ramps to reach the top floors of the multi-story midtown “stables,” which are rundown buildings that were never designed to house horses . . . A recent poll from the Wall Street Journal shows that 76.8 percent are in favor of banning horsedrawn carriages, whereas a mere 23.2 percent are opposed. Alternatives have been proposed over the years. As students at a Jesuit university, we are instilled with the idea to go and make a difference in the world. Likewise, we learn in Philosophical Ethics that as rational human beings, we must intervene in a situa-
tion that is unjust or unethical. It is time to put the two together. We cannot continue to selfishly utilize them in this dangerous industry because they are a “staple of the New York City landscape.” This socalled “classic institution of the city” would not be destroyed by removing carriages, but rather updated to a more rational approach if the electric car proposal is passed. In the words of Lea Michele, “Horses in the carriage industry are deprived of everything that makes their lives worth living. Don’t get taken for a ride; boycott horse drawn carriages and help make a difference.” Thank you, Sean Cantwell, FCRH ’13 To read the full version of this letter, visit theramonline.com.
OPINIONS
H Homeland Insecurities Ins
Guest Pass Policy Hinders Commuters By SARAH RAMIREZ ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR
Isabel Brown Stop Groping My Executives In the past week, the uproar over Herman Cain’s alleged sexual harassment, and the reactions of the mainstream media, has left an evertightening knot in my stomach. It’s not just that it took 10 years for the woman to speak up, or that Cain pretends he doesn’t know what she’s talking about. The media’s portrayal of the accusations in a petty he-said, she-said rendition makes harassment an acceptable, trivialized practice. More sickening still, Cain is still up in the polls among Republican primary voters. I now understand so much more thoroughly the baseness of what Slate calls “GOP base voters.” When the immediate response to Cain’s claims is a debate over whether the woman was lying — before the question of why voters should support someone with yet another demerit on their record is broached — I am disgusted. Her public castigation sends a message to the millions of other women and girls in the United States who deal with harassment and worse crimes every year to shut up and accept mistreatment. If the right-wing media are allowed to debate whether harassment is even a real problem, we as a society continue to wallow in regressive thought, especially compared to other, more egalitarian nations. The tradition of questioning a possible victim’s honesty must end now if the United States wants to keep up with the rest of the world. Why, I ask, are conservatives so reluctant to acknowledge sexual harassment and so keen to patronize women? What incredible threat to the almighty dollar, the sanctity of capitalism that drives them, does gender equality pose? Right-wing pundits still disregard harassment claims by women as childish whining — but at what point in anyone’s childhood would their complaint of leers and gropes from an adult be dismissed the way that grown women’s are in the workplace? It’s become clear that women are taking over science classes and boardrooms. They’ve made it into the highest echelons of business and academia, but evidently, politics is a region where progress is a menace akin to the people across the aisle. Women are smart enough to realize the difference between being charmed and being harmed. It’s the backwards attitudes of conservative men, still employing the archaic argument that women should “appreciate” these “compliments,” who are still frustratingly trapped in a pile of Mesozoic mud. When media pundits still dwell on the legitimacy of even making a sexual harassment claim, social progress is quickly diminished. Other first-world powers are capable of treating their women with a modicum of respect for the hurdles they’ve overcome in history. Some go so far as to pay men and women equal wages. I suppose here, in the United States, the struggle to keep potentially valuable groups downtrodden must always take precedence to maintaining status as a prominent modern state.
NOVEMBER 9, 2011 • THE RAM • PAGE 9
Fordham’s guest policy is a constant cause of frustration among residents and commuters alike. It is encouraging to see United Student Government and Student Life Council seeking feedback from students about certain aspects of the guest policy. One area that these governing bodies should not neglect is how the guest policy applies to commuters, and how to change the policy to better suit commuters’ needs. Commuters are an integral part of the Fordham community, with almost a quarter of the freshman class of 2015 residing off-campus or commuting. These students, however, face a unique set of obstacles that often impede their ability to participate fully in campus life. “[Commuting] does make it very difficult [to get involved],” Chris Cepeda, FCRH ’13 and executive director of public affairs for the Commuting Student A ssociation, said. “Some clubs meet late at night and sometimes you have GO! meetings at night, and these are all things that prevent a commuter from taking advantage of opportunities.” “I was having these ridiculous long days, with classes in the morning and clubs later on in the day,” Joseph Taliercio, FCRH ’13 and a former commuter, said. “I’d have to be on campus [for] 12 hours.” Commuters have limited options as to where they can spend their time waiting around before club meetings. “Other than the ‘commuter lounge’ and library, there’s not much else where a commuter can go,” Cepeda said. Neither location is open 24 hours. In addition, some commuters have found other social areas on campus are residentdominated, which some commuters find intimidating, according to Cepeda. This is just one reason why some commuters would like
more open spaces on campus, including residential halls. Residents and commuters have both publicly expressed their grievances with the visitation policies, including the requirement that residents sign guests into the dorms after 5 p.m. and sign them out by 3:30 a.m. The overnight policy is a particular topic of contention. According to the Office of Residential Life Handbook, “Students must request guest passes at least 24 hours before the guest arrives.” “We have the 24-hour guest policy for overnight guest passes so we can communicate to security and are able to have our records up-to-date in advance,” Elizabeth Amico, assistant director for housing operations, said. “[The policy is] also for students, so hopefully with the 24-hour guest policy you’re requesting it in advance so that you know whether or not your guest can stay.”
impossible to meet like that, go home and go to sleep and be on campus five hours later to beat rush hour traffic.” “It makes it very, very difficult to finish that [group] project,” Cepeda said. “The commuter can’t stay over because they didn’t get the guest pass so far in advance.” In case of an emergency, such as a weather-related event, it is possible for a commuter to stay on campus overnight. “If there is an emergency, then they [commuters] would be able to work with the RD on duty, but it’s not a specific policy,” Amico said. “If a commuter student, or any student, had an emergency and needed to stay on campus, I don’t think that we would be opposed to being flexible with that.” Although this is not an ideal alternative, commuters should be made more aware of these emergency provisions. I hope that, with the support of resident students, USG can work with ResLife to find a solution that offers same-day guest passes to any Fordham student, commuter or not (provided that students comply with the untouchable same-sex policy). Understandably, there should not be an unlimited quantity of same-day guest passes for Fordham students, and special events, such as Homecoming and Spring Weekend should continue to follow modified rules. In these situations, according to Amico, dorms cap the amount of available guest passes at ten percent of a hall’s population. Overall, however, a change in the guest policy that eliminates the 24-hour time-frame for all Fordham students will benefit both residents and commuters. “I would like to see the guest policy move forward because it builds the community,” Cepeda said. “It just allows commuters to be more a part of the campus and also give commuters a better experience.” Sarah Ramirez, FCRH ’13, is an American studies major from Weston, Fla.
“Other than the ‘commuter lounge’ and library, there’s not much else where a commuter can go.” Since commuting students may need to spend the night on campus on short notice, however, the 24-hour policy is far from practical. “Obviously, there are specific rules in place with being in the dorms and it is a privilege,” Cepeda said. “But it [changing the guest policy] is a way for commuters to be involved on campus.” “Being able to get a guest pass at night [would be] really helpful,” Taliercio said. Aside from extracurricular and social reasons, commuters may also need last-minute guest passes because of academic commitments, including group projects. “If I was [still] a commuter, I would not know how I would get [group projects] done,” Taliercio said. “[Last year,] we would meet from 10 at night until maybe one, or two in the morning two times a week. If I had to commute it would be
RAM ARCHIVES
Commuter students often find it hard to get involved on campus, because they have nowhere to stay if events run late.
The Sweat at off w the Brow Harry MacCormack Thoughts on Israel It seems that every few months I hear something about Israel building more settlements in Jerusalem, and by now I am pretty fed up. Israel has served as the West’s arm in the Middle East since its inception and, for much of that, has been happy to serve its role as a well-armed puppet state. In recent years, however, Israel has rather boldly shown that it has no interest in listening to anyone. While this would not be an issue for most nations, Israel has the unique postion of being directly tied to the West, so when Israel does poorly, everyone looks bad. At a time when relations with the Middle East, particularly with Arabs feeling disenfranchised, are absolutely critical, all Israel has done is exacerbate the problems in the Middle East by routinely mistreating the Palestinian population. Between the constant acts of aggression against a relatively disarmed Palestine and its constant expansion into the West Bank, Israel has made it very clear that it has no intention of making peace. My biggest problem with this is that the United States sends $3 billion to Israel in guns, bombs, tanks, planes and general economic aid every year. The American taxpayer pays for 20 percent of Israel’s defense budget. It is because of the United States that Israel can survive in the Middle East. Common wisdom states you should not bite the hand that feeds you. The U.S. feeds Israel every year and Israel keeps biting every time it antagonizes the Palestinians. I am happy to see my tax money go to Israel if it serves my American dollar right. In the past, Israel kept its aggression limited to self-defense, but now Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu seems to think he can continue to prod and poke the Arabs and expect no repercussions. I propose that we cut Israel off. Let’s see how long Israel lasts on the international stage without the United States to back it up. Israel has grown far too comfortable riding on America’s shoulders. That is the whole reason Netenyahu got elected in the first place. Likud, a political party in Israel which is firmly against Palestinian relations and of which Netenyahu is the chairman, has gained power as of late as Israel has grown over-confident of its right to the region it occupies. Maybe if Israel had to fight its own battles and pay for its own weapons, it might think twice about actively angering an entire ethnic group, which surrounds it on all sides. Maybe someone like Ariel Sharon will be elected again, and maybe the Israelis can find peace, and so can the rest of us, since we are all inexorably tied to Israel and its self-destructive policy.
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PAGE 10 • THE RAM • NOVEMBER 9, 2011
The Gabelli School of Business 2010-2011 Dean’s List The Gabelli School of Business is proud to recognize the students who earned Dean’s List honors for the Fall 2010-Spring 2011 academic year. Alexandra Adamo Ryan Aguas Michael Alaburda Derek Albin Steven Alessio Murtaza Ali Kelley Alpaugh Natalie Amato Elizabeth Andelora Brandon Anderson Paul Anderson Andriana Antonucci Matthew Anuszkiewicz Benjamin Arland Francis Austin James Avedesian Saisandeep Avuthu Robert Aydin Clara Baker Michael Baluyut Miguel Bantigue Andrew Bedell Jonathan Belford Philip Bellissimo Valentina Berisha Conor Berkery Brett Biestek Chadi Bitar Trevor Blass Matthew Blough Zamane Bodini Jonathan Bonin Craig Boyarsky Kimberly Bozzo Katharine Brady Margaret Brain Carson Braun Kyle Brengel Jason Brewer Frank Brigante Kristina Brindisi Rebecca Brown Rosario Brunello Alissa Brunetti Katherine Buckle Molly Buckley Alex Burdi Stephen Buschman Ryan Byrne Caitlin Byrnes Griselle Cabrera Robert Caiati Anthony Capparelli Samantha Carey Anthony Cassiere Jonathan Castaldo Jessica Castano Ryan Castro Kathryn Celli Jennifer Chan Jesse Chan Ying Chen Patrick Cheung Christopher Chi Kyle Chuber Anthony Ciena Michelle Ciesielska Steven Cirincione Brendan Colby Matthew Collins Eugene Colucci Mark Condon Robert Connell Anthony Conroy Michael Coppola David Corrini Erica Coston Paul Cunningham Michael Cuomo Salvatore Cusumano Daniel D’Agustino Bridget Dalton Madeline Danza Sara Davis Rebecca Davison Victoria De Rosa Jesse DeBiase Nicoletti DePaul Juliane Desforge Yari Diaz Daniel DiDomenico Bradley Dikun Michael Dilecce DeAnna DiNapoli Amanda D’introno John Donovan Kevin Donovan
Catherine Dunn Nicholas Durante Humza Elahi Anthony Errante Nicholas Errichetti Kimanie Farquharson Christopher Farra Jennifer Fazzolari Joseph Feghali Lauren Femia Domenick Ferrera Joseph Ferrone Steven Ferry Jessica Figa Laura Fiorenza Christine Fitzsimmons Kimberly Foley Carlos Fonseca Gerard Friscia Chiara Furfaro Allison Galbally Matthew Galici Andrew Gatian Jeremy Gentile Rose Germano Peter Ghaly Mojdeh Ghanbarian Kimberly Gifford Rachel Girty Sime Glavan Steven Goncalves Kacper Grabinski Matthew Grandchamp Christopher Grande Jordan Grangard Jeffery Greer Michael Grippaldi Matthew Grover Robert Gubin Taryn Guerrera Ingrid Gutierrez Christina Hankin Douglas Hanly Pranvera Hasanaliaj Daniel Hegarty Kelly Heimrich Christopher Hendrix Dylan Henne Patrick Herlihy Sarah Hill Charles Holman Gregory Holman Cahill Hooker Kevin Horan Rebecca Horne Junpeng Hou Wenyi Hu Tanja Hughes Tyler Igielski Lauren Iorio Nodar Janashia Rosa Jiminian Bradley Johnson Aldo Juraidini David Kallman Emmanuel Kalognomas Sara Kalwarski Rahul Kamal Avni Kastrati Amanda Kawczak Jonas Kelletshofer Eileen Kelly Matthew Kelly Christina Kennedy Gabriella Kennedy Matthew Kennedy John Ketcham Daniel Keyes Joshua Kim Drew Kinnen Alexander Kipel Daniel Klimkowski Douglas Knickrehm Adam Kostrinsky Tammy Kwok Emilio Lamanna Joseph Lauberth Charles Lazo Daniel Leavey John Ledva Matthew Lee Michael Leithead Lindsay Lersner Stephanie Leso Andrew Lewenec Stephanie Lezama Conan Li
Hanhua Li Hoi Andy Lin Jinshu Lin Zheng Lin Marcus Lindberg Erika Loberg Jordan Lobiak Emily Lombardo Timothy Lynch John Mahar Brendan Mahoney Kyle Mahony Brian Mallon Devin Maloney Andrew Maniscalco Stefanie Manna Mary Mantell Joseph Marble Gregory Marchese Christopher Margiotta Bruna Marietto Alyssa Marino Travis Marmara Katarina Martinez Michael Martinez Nicholas Martucci Bryan Matis Brian McAllister Sean McChesney John McConnell Daniel McGinty Sean McGuire Christina Mederos Brendan Melanophy David Metsch Catherine Migueis Zachary Milewski Evangelia Minadis Christopher Minutoli Celine Marie Montalla Oscar Montero Robert Morgan Ryan Moroni Andrew Morrissey Michael Mouro Robert Muller Owen Murray Patrick Murray James Murtha Justin Nader Vesna Naidoo Tyler Nash Gabrielle Nastri Ngoc Ngo Khanh Thomas Niemczyk John Baptist Niyonsaba George Njarakunnel Thomas Nolan Michael Noll Sonja Nuhic Danielle O’Boyle James O’Brien Sandra Olech Leah Olverd Randi Orzano Gerard O’Toole Tracy Ou Andreas Pafitis Monica Palaia Jon Ross Parisi Carolyn Passaro Sindy Paulino Patricia Penuela Mark Perazella Victor Perretta Mario Perricone Anthony Perrone Anthony Pesanello Hallie Petersen Razvan Petric Michael Piccolo Sean Pinckney Julia Therese Pineda Steven Pisciotta Eli Plangger Luke Pontier Maggie Popovich Khary Powell Luke Power Katherine Price Dorina Puchinskaya Raymond Purgert Lena Puschra Wenchang Qian Zhihan Qiu Richard Ragusa Martha Rakowicz
Arianna Rallis Ian Ramos Danielle Rapaccioli Edward Rapp Anton Rayetskyy Kathryn Raynor Siobhan Reidy Norman Reilly Sean Reilly John Renda Natasha Rimba Anton Risteski Cesar Rizo Clinton Rodriguez Anastasia Romanova Michael Rossi Giavanna Russo Alexandra Sadinsky Jenna Salandra Catherine Salerno Timothy Salmon Kivanc Sanli Muhammad Sarwar Alexander Schillaci Robert Schmidt Jeffrey Schoenfeld Justin Schultz Steven Schwartz Gloria Scrocco Kaitlyn Scuderi Rachel Segrest Rushi Shah Kenta Shirafuji Margot Sikorski Gaurav Singh Harpreet Singh Matthew Sinise Celeste Sipherd Ciaran Slattery Claire Smith Megan Smith Christina Sotto Sarah Stanley Craig Staub Louis Steadman John Stine John Sullivan Matthew Sullivan Michael Sullivan Rachel Suther Michael Sutton SiHua Tan Francis Taylor IV Rachel Theofield Heather Thomas Jeremy Thomas Sean Tice Erin Tierney Samantha Timmerman Bisera Todorovic Julia Tomei Christopher Trerotola Jeffrey Trimmer Jack Truong Evangelos Tsevdos Jack Vanderaarde Ola Velund Zachary Venditto Molly Visgilio Silviu Vladescu Ronika Vyas Matthew Wachtel Garret Wade Katherine Wah Mengjiao Wang Andrew Weinzoff Melanie White Jennifer Whitford Alexandra Wiggins Vincent Winting Michael Wolff Emily Wong Fanny Wu Jiayi Xu Zhao Yang Christos Yerolemou Louis Yeung Kevin Yevchak Frank Yodice Mohamed Zakaria Christopher Zaloom Peter Zar Lu Zhang Chen Zheng Xinchen Zhou Sulijiang Zhu
2011-2012 WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW
MEN’S BASKETBALL WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SQUASH SWIMMING & DIVING TRACK & FIELD
PAGE 2 • THE RAM • NOVEMBER 9, 2011
SPORTS
Women’s Basketball Begins First Season under Gaitley By MATT ROSENFELD STAFF WRITER
A new era is ready to dawn for Fordham women’s basketball. With the hiring of new Head Coach Stephanie Gaitley, Fordham is looking to turn over a new leaf this winter. The team struggled last year, with an overall record of 12-19, finishing 10th in the Atlantic 10 conference. After such an inconsistent year, Gaitley is trying to teach her team to act just the opposite. “The key to being a good team is consistency,” Gaitley said. After losing six seniors four of whom started last season, consistency is a very scarce commodity. “We’ll have two good practices, then one bad one,” Gaitley said about her young team. The new coach is very optimistic, though, and feels the team is adjusting to the coaching change quite well. This year’s squad returns its leading scorer and only senior guard Becky Peters. Peters has played a significant amount each of the three years she has been here, and in all 31 of the Lady Rams’ games last year, starting in 30 of them. Peters is expected to have a very strong season as the leader of the younger Fordham team. “Becky is a strong point,” Gaitley said. “We know what we’re getting from her every time and that’s important.” The rest of the team has plenty of promise, despite its youth. A junior class that includes guards Arielle Collins, Ranait Griff, Erin Rooney and Charlotte Stoddart will be an important group in deciding how the Lady Rams fare this season. “The junior class is important,”
Gaitley said. “A lot of girls need to step up and fill in where we lost starters.” Other young players expect to play key roles this year, too. Sophomore guard Abigail Corning and freshman forward Christina Gaskin are going to see minutes and also help the team throughout the year. “Abigail’s been doing a great job since the day before she got here,” Peters said of her teammate. The big change this year besides
the influx of youth is the addition of Gaitley to lead the team as coach. Having a new coach can be a difficult thing to which a team must adjust; however, the women on this year’s team have taken to Gaitley tremendously. “She’s awesome,” Peters said of her new coach. “She’s very honest, what you see is what you get. If you’re doing a bad job, she’ll let you know. If you’re doing well, she’ll let you know. We appreciate that as a
team.” It is up to the few veteran leaders to help develop their younger teammates so that the team succeeds. “You definitely can’t teach experience,” Peters said. “The returners are trying to teach as much as possible to the younger girls about doing the little things, the details that make a difference.” There is a lot of excitement among the players about the team’s upcoming season and their new coach.
PHOTO BY AARON MAYS/THE RAM
Junior Arielle Collins has appeared in more than 20 games in each of her first two seasons at Rose Hill, starting twice.
“We definitely need to work on some things, improve in a lot of areas, but we’re going to be alright,” Peters said. “We’re excited to play.” The Lady Rams open up their season on Friday, Nov. 11 at home against Albany at the Rose Hill Gymnasium.
2011-12 Women’s Basketball Schedule 11/11 vs. Albany 11/16 vs. Cleveland St. 11/19 at Holy Cross 11/25 at UCF 11/26 vs. TCU 11/30 at Manhattan 12/3 vs. San Diego St. 12/6 at Bucknell 12/8 at Rutgers 12/11 at Stony Brook 12/17 vs. Winthrop 12/29 vs. Navy 1/2 vs. Cornell 1/4 at Delaware St. 1/7 at GWU 1/11 at LaSalle 1/14 vs. Rhode Island 1/18 at St. Joe’s 1/21 vs. Dayton 1/25 vs. Charlotte 1/28 at UMass 2/1 vs. LaSalle 2/4 at Temple 2/11 vs. Xavier 2/15 vs. Duquesne 2/19 at Richmond 2/22 at St. Bonaventure 2/26 vs. St. Louis 3/3-3/5 A-10 Tourney
Swimming Looks for Repeat of Successful 2010-11 Season By TIM DEROCHER CONTRIUBING WRITER
The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have plenty of success on which to build as they head into the heart of their season. Last season, the women placed second at the Atlantic 10 championship a year after taking home the title. They also held a 7-1 dualmeet record last season and are on track to simulate similar success, having started out their season 2-0. The men’s side posted a 3-4 dual meet record last year and are 1-1 this season thus far. With freshmen already winning events in just the first three meets, and with a strong core of sophomores who are doing equally well, it should be no surprise to see them converge with the experienced upperclassmen to improve upon last season. In terms of invitational meets, each team attended two last year and are attending two this year. With the UConn Invitational it can be said that the men’s team came out a little better this season with the same amount of individual wins but more top-five finishes among the whole team. The same can be said for the women, who came out with the same amount of individual wins this season, but had more topfive finishes this season.
Freshmen Zachary Jacobsen and Patrick Militti have started their collegiate careers well, being part of seven event wins in just two dual meets between them. Sophomore Shintaro Noguchi has already proved that he is a force worth reckoning with in the A-10, having not only five dual-meet event wins to his name but also an A-10 Swimming & Diving Performer of the Week award for his performance against the Fairfield Stags. Noguchi, along with sophomores Ben Dwyer and Michael GrimmettNorris, led a well-rounded sophomore squad. One of the men’s better performers so far has been sprint specialist junior Devon Morris. With six dual meet wins and plenty more scores in both dual meets and in the UConn Invitational, he has provided the team with a solid sprinting anchor. Teammate and fellow junior Thomas Yi has also consistently contributed in the relays and individuals. Senior captain Chris Schneck has played a crucial role in the relays so far and has also scored in his individual events. Senior captain Courtney Collyer has led the women’s side so far. In two weeks of competition, she has been awarded back-to-back Atlantic-10 Swimming & Diving Performer of the Week. With her five
dual-meet wins, her four individual wins at the UConn Invitational and her double A-10 accolades, Collyer has led the womens team to an impressive start. Her fellow senior teammates Kelly Bunster and Alexandra Wessel have also started out their seasons well with multiple event wins and a constant scoring threat. On the diving side of things, seniors Andrea Krok and Elizabeth Dorger have won multiple dives, scoring points for the Lady Rams. The women also have a junior sprint threat of their own in Brienne Ryan. With four individual and three relay wins in dual meets, her impact has been immediate and strong. Her fellow junior Kellie Lyver has also made a solid impact as a member of the relays and a regular scorer. In the underclassman spectrum, Kara Field is making her name known with her double win day against Fairfield, along with her other scoring swims so far this season. The men’s team is setting its expectations to improve upon itself and last year’s performance. “With a lot of terrific young swimmers coming in to support our team, [they are] definitely wanting to improve upon last year’s finish,” Head Steve Coach Potsklan
RAM ARCHIVES
Senior Courtney Collyer has won A-10 Performer of the Week twice this year.
said. The women’s side is equally optimistic, as hopes for second their A-10 Championship in three years are very much in their minds. “As long as we continue to be in the top two we’re going to be able to challenge,” Potsklan said. Through the three meets in which the Rams have competed this year, it can be surmised that they are in a slightly better and more winning direction than last year due to depth and versatility within the team as a
whole. With plenty of dual meets left and the Bucknell Invitational to go before the A-10 Championships in late February, it should be interesting to see if and how much the men’s team can improve and see how close the women get to another A-10 title. “We’re going to use these early meets as a starting point to see what improvements we need to make over the next few weeks as we get closer to the Championship,” Potsklan said.
SPORTS
PAGE 3 • THE RAM • NOVEMBER 9, 2011
Indoor Track Hopes Underclassmen Can Replace 2011 Class By KELLY KULTYS STAFF WRITER
As the cross-country season draws to a close, the members of the Fordham men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams are ready to get their season started. “Our goal every year is to improve from last year,” Head Coach Tom Dewey said. “We’re a part of two conferences: the Atlantic 10 and the Metropolitan. Both have tremendous competition, especially with some of the Big East teams, but we usually fare pretty well.” The men’s team looks to do exactly what their coach wants, as the Rams plan to build off many of last year’s impressive finishes, including their dramatic finish at the A-10 Championships, where the team rebounded from ninth place to finish third overall. Additionally, the men’s 4x800 relay was one of the most successful events of the year, winning at the Metropolitan Championship and setting a school record of 7:26:00 at the ECAC/IC4A Championship, where its second place finish earned the runners All-East honors. “Our men’s team is always strongest in the middle distances from the 400 meters to the mile, because we have so many guys at those distances,” Dewey said. “This year, though, we have two sophomore transfers, one high jumper and one hurdler, which will help
improve them all around.” This year, the team loses graduates Augustus Gleason and Brian Schmidt, two of its top performers from last year. Schmidt was a key member of the men’s 4x800 relay team, as well the school’s record holder for the 800 meter dash. The team will also miss multi-event competitor Gleason, who holds the school’s top records for the high jump, shot put and heptathlon. Still, the men’s team looks to be in good shape, as many of its top performers from last year return, including sophomore Sam Houston, a Junior Nationals qualifier; senior Kevin Fitzgerald, who placed first in the 1,000-meter run at the ECAC/IC4A Championship two years ago; junior Sean Atkinson, who had the top time for the 400-meter dash last year; junior Julian Saad, who held the Rams’ top time in both the 3,000and the 5,000-meter runs; and senior Nick Delgattin and junior John Cosgrove, who were both members of last year’s 4x400 relay team that broke the school record, which was in place for over 40 years. The women’s team, meanwhile, will rely on several newcomers. “On the women’s side we had an excellent recruiting offseason, bringing in freshmen such as Amanda Higgins and Kristen Stuart,” Dewey said. “We have a few sophomores returning from injuries last year, so if they’re up to
full strength, we’re expecting big things. I think if everyone stays healthy, we could be the most improved team in the conference.” “The freshmen have already made huge contributions to the team during cross-country season, and I hope they continue to work hard and perform well throughout the track season,” sophomore Shannon McKenna said. The women’s indoor track and field team looks to achieve these goals by building off its strong season last year. This year, though, the Lady Rams will be attempting to do so without last season’s top performer, Kerri Gallagher. Gallagher won many events last year, including the mile and the 1,000-meter run at the Metropolitan Championship, and placed second in the finals at the ECAC/ IC4As. In addition, Gallagher was a part of the women’s distance medley relay team that set a school record at the Valentine Day’s Classic and placed second in the finals at the ECAC/IC4As. Despite that loss, the women have many top team members returning, including sophomore Anisa Arsenault, a qualifier for Junior Nationals last year; senior Elizabeth Warren, who has the team’s top marks for high jump and triple jump and who was a member of the record-breaking distance medley relay; senior Kelly Connolly, another member of the record-breaking distance medley relay team and the holder
of the top time for the 500-meter dash; and sophomore Titi Fagade, who is one of the promising sophomores returning from injury. “As a team we are hoping to perform well at both the Metropolitan Championships and the Atlantic 10 Championships, the two biggest meets of the season,” McKenna said. “Individually, ev-
eryone has been working really hard so it would be wonderful to see everyone have some personal records this season.” Both the men’s and women’s winter track seasons open on Dec. 2 at 3 p.m. in the Lombardi Fieldhouse.
2011-2012 Indoor Track Schedule Dec. 2 Dec. 9 Jan. 6 Jan. 7 Jan. 14 Jan. 27-28 Feb. 3-4 Feb. 4 Feb. 10 Feb. 17-18 Feb. 24 Mar. 3-4 Mar. 8-10
FORDHAM SEASON OPENER CHRISTMAS CLASSIC Metropolitan Coaches Invitational Rutgers Invitational Yale Invitational Metropolitan Championships New Balance Collegiate Invitational Charles Torpey Invitational Valentine’s Day Classic Atlantic 10 Championships Last Chance Invitational ECAC/IC4A Championships NCAA Championships
Squash Looks to Continue Improvement From Last Season By ERIK PEDERSEN SPORTS EDITOR
Last year, the squash team took a step forward under new Head Coach Bryan Patterson, finishing with an 8-11 record after going 2-12 the year before. The team’s performance was good enough to move Fordham into the top 50 in the national rankings. With only two graduated seniors, the Rams will look to build on last year’s results. “We’re hoping to improve on last year,” senior Andrew Grosner said. “We have a lot of guys returning, so that should help. We expect, especially in the middle toward the end of our [line-up], to do well.” One of the graduated seniors who will have to be replaced is last year’s No. 1 player, Colin Corbett. Patterson said that the team recruited a highly-regarded freshman, Karim Amir, to replace Corbett, but Amir decided he was not ready to go to college and took a year off from school instead. As a result, senior Andriy Kulak will be the team’s No. 1 going into the season. “Andriy is also a tennis player,” Patterson said. “He played for us last year at No. 2. It’s going to be tough to him, but I’m sure he’ll relish playing the matches [against top opponents].” Behind Kulak in the line-up will be junior Jack O’Brien, Grosner and senior Eli Plangger. O’Brien and Grosner will both face significantly tougher opposition this year, after spending most of last season in the fourth and fifth spots, respectively. “The top three or four are going to have some really tough matches,” Patterson said.
“We’re trying to get better and just keep on improving,” Grosner said. “We’re all in good shape, but we just have a disadvantage because a lot of the other teams’ top players have been playing squash their whole life.” Sophomore Raymond Chen at No. 5, senior Chris Souther at six, junior Alex Williams at seven and junior Ethan Brooks at eight will comprise the middle of the lineup. Both Williams and Brooks are former tennis players who are new additions to the team. “We have a decent team,” Patterson said. “I think it’s stronger at the bottom than last year, but losing our No. 1 is crucial. Adding Alex and Ethan should make us stronger at the bottom.” Several players are expected to rotate in the ninth and final spot in the order, including freshman Matthew Ieraci and juniors Robert O’Reilly and Donald Carey. This season will be the first time that the team can truly take advan-
tage of Fordham’s renovated squash courts. The improved courts debuted late last season during the Rams’ only home match, against Vassar, but this year Fordham will have four chances to play at the Lombardi Center Squash Courts. “The new courts are wonderful,” Grosner said. “Thanks [go] to City Squash for the renovations.” Patterson hopes that the team can use its increase in overall depth to maintain its position from the previous season. “My expectation would be to finish as high as last year,” Patterson said. “If we can squeeze up a few places that would be good. It’s going to be another one of those seasons where we may win matches, we may lose matches, some of them may be close, but if we can finish in the top 50 that would be great.” The team debuted last weekend at a tournament hosted by Navy in Annapolis, Md. The Rams’ first home match is Wednesday, Dec. 7 against NYU.
RAM ARCHIVES
Raymond Chen will move from seventh to fifth in the lineup this season.
2011-2012 Squash Schedule Nov. 4-5 Nov. 13 Dec. 2-4 Dec. 7 Jan. 28 Feb. 5 Feb. 17-19 Mar. 2-4
Navy Round Robin at Vassar Bard (at Vassar) Wesleyan Round Robin NYU CONNECTICUT COLLEGE MIDDLEBURY VASSAR CSA Team Championship CSA Individual Championships
Team Lineup 1. Andriy Kulak 2. Jack O’Brien 3. Andrew Grosner 4. Eli Plangger 5. Raymond Chen 6. Chris Souther 7. Alex Williams 8. Ethan Brooks 9. Ieraci/O’Reilly/Carey
NOVEMBER 2, 2011
PAGE 4
Men’s Basketball Expects Turnaround in Pecora’s Second Year By NICK CARROLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
game of football like a safety that is in on every play. He rebounds the ball, he pressures the ball, he gets in on loose balls. He does everything.” Smith, who averaged 28 points per game at Midwood High School in Brooklyn, will provide a scoring touch. As a senior, he earned First Team All-City from the NY Daily News and was a New York State First Team All-Class A selection. “Bryan Smith’s just a sweet shooter,” Pecora said. “He’s born to score the ball. He’s powerfully built, and he’s better at putting it on the ground than people think for a guy who scores like he does.” Zivkovic will provide versatility to the Rams’ forwards. His great asset is his outside shot, something that Fordham was lacking from its big men. “Luka is going to be more a specialist for us this year as a screenand-pop front court player,” Pecora said. At 6’9”, Canty will provide frontcourt depth behind senior center Kervin Bristol and sophomore forward Marvin Dominique. When Short returns, he is expected to be a scorer as well. At John F. Kennedy High School in the Bronx, Short averaged 28.7 points per game last season, a year after leading New York City high school players in scoring. “He expects and scores like we breathe,” Pecora said. “It just comes naturally to him and he scores in so many different ways.” Part of the reason expectations are higher this year is because of the amount of sophomores who are expected to improve on impressive freshman campaigns. Sophomore guard Branden Frazier was third on the team in scoring last year and shot 34 percent from three, second on the team.
“He got bigger and stronger, put on about 15 pounds since last season of muscle,” Pecora said. “He’s better at taking the ball to the rim now and finishing plays after there’s contact made.” Samuell, who joined the team in January when he was cleared to play, led the team in assists per minute. “He’s gotta be a catalyst, get people shots and defend well on the ball,” Pecora said. Forward Marvin Dominique, who missed the final eight games of the season due to a shoulder injury, was third on the team in rebounding. Despite the Rams’ impressive freshman class and various improvements, the team will have to make its dreams a reality in a competitive A-10. Over the past three years Fordham has only two conference wins. Xavier is the preseason favorite to win the A-10 and is ranked 15th nationally in the coaches’ poll. Temple also received votes. Richmond, who won the conference last year, lost its three leading scorers and two leading rebounders. “The A-10 lost a lot players on other teams so [we’ve] got a shot of beating a whole bunch of new teams,” Gaston said. “Everybody in the A-10’s good, so you can’t really have a goal of how many teams you’re gonna beat.” Before debuting at Rose Hill against Binghamton on Friday, Nov. 18, Fordham will have a chance to show the world how much it improved when it opens at No. 5 Syracuse on Saturday, Nov. 12. “That’s a big game for us,” Gaston said. “If we come out with a win in that game it’s gonna be a big thing for us, so we’re all going there with a good mindset, we all wanna go out there and get that win.”
While the Atlantic 10 preseason poll does not expect different results from Fordham, projecting the Rams to finish in last for the fourth straight season, Fordham expects to be a much different team than in years past. “I think we can have some success and really surprise some people,” Head Coach Tom Pecora said. “Everybody’s here looking forward to coming out here and winning games,” junior forward Chris Gaston said. “Everybody has a different mindset, everybody wants to win.” Fordham made significant improvements last season. After winning two games in 2009-10, the Rams won seven, including a stunning upset win over St. John’s in December. Additionally, the team notched its first conference win since 2009 when it closed out its season with a 77-73 win over Massachusetts. PHOTO BY NORA MALLOZZI/THE RAM The Rams expect to build on last Kervin Bristol and Chris Gaston will anchor the Rams’ frontcourt this season. season’s improvements. Brenton roster that features seven freshmen. McMillan, a Brooklyn native, is Butler, who was second on the team Pecora has made it known that they a 5’10” point guard who will see in scoring last year with 14.6 points will play. playing time in Pecora’s three-guard per game, is gone, but the team “You have to be prepared for your system and is competing with sophbrings in a large freshman class and role to change at the drop of a hat,” omore Lamount Samuell to start at brings back most of its key contribuPecora said. “At this stage there is gopoint guard. Before his year at prep tors from last season, including Gasing to be a lot of minutes to be had, school, he led his high school team ton, who was named Second Team and I think a lot of the freshmen are to the Class AA state championship Preseason All-Atlantic 10; he led the gonna play a lot semifinals. team in scoring of minutes. We “Fatty McMillan, I think, is a prowith 15.9 points 2011-12 Men’s only have four totypical New York guard,” Pecora per game and finBasketball Lineup* veterans. We said. “He’s very tough, physical, can ished fourth in the have nine underget into the lane, guards the ball well, nation in reboundStarting Five classmen that are is a good enough shooter to keep ing, hauling in C- Kervin Bristol gonna get a lot of people honest but can really wreak 11.3 rebounds per F- Chris Gaston minutes.” havoc on the court. He’s someone game. With so much who can be involved in every play. I The team also G- Branden Frazier of last year’s team compared him the other day, when I brings back three G- Devon McMillan returning and so was talking to my staff about, in the seniors. Senior G- Alberto Estwick many incoming guards Alberto freshmen, FordEstwick, who led Bench ham has the best the Rams in threedepth it has had point shooting, in years. and Ryan Hage, C- Ryan Canty “I think the as well as center F- Marvin Dominique difference this Kervin Bristol, G- Jared Fay year is, obviously are expected to G- DC Gaitley there’s a great provide the team deal of youth, but with leadership for G- Ryan Hage I think our talent Fordham’s seven G- Khalid Robinson base is deeper, freshmen. G- Lamount Samuell and I think we’re “[Bristol, EstG- Jeffery Short more physically wick, Gaston and G- Bryan Smith gifted,” Pecora Hage] have done said. “We have a great job of being G- Luka Zivkovic the ability to good leaders and play with greater motivating these Head Coach- Tom Pecora depth and I guys every day to Asst. Coach- David Duke know, compared come out and pracAsst. Coach- John Morton to last year, we’re tice hard and that’s how they’re going Asst. Coach- Michael Kelly going to be able to play eight, nine to get better,” Pec*Projection based off starting lineup players this year ora said. “When used in exhibition against Northwood where that wasn’t you’re young, the the case.” hardest transition The freshmen will contribute in a coming from high school to college variety of ways. Guards Devon “Fatis understanding how competitive ty” McMillan and Bryan Smith, as every day in practice is and how hard well as forwards Luka Zivkovic and you have to play on every possesRyan Canty are expected to play imsion.” mediately. Guard Jeffrey Short, who “I think we need to lead [the freshhad an arthroscopy last week to clean men] on and off the court, tell them up his meniscus, will miss the beginabout the A-10, that it’s not so easy, ning of the season and is expected to and work hard,” Bristol said. be back to form by mid-December, At worst, the Rams will be a differPHOTO BY AARON MAYS/THE RAM according to Pecora. Branden Frazier averaged 11 points per game last year and will be the main scoring threat for the Rams this season. ent team. Fordham has a very young
NOVEMBER 9, 2011
PAGE 11
Girsa Performs in Rodrigues’ Coffee House By CODIE LANDSMAN STAFF WRITER
This past Saturday, Nov. 5, The Gaelic Society sponsored a performance by all-female traditional Irish band Girsa, which drew a crowd that packed Rodrigue’s Coffee House to overflowing capacity. One of the band members, Bernadette Flanagan, FCRH ’13, had the opportunity to showcase her talents for Fordham classmates. Girsa consists of eight young women, predominently from Pearl River, N.Y., who have been creating music together from a very young age. Their Irish tone coated with hints of folk and bluegrass makes for a traditional, yet still unique band. The instruments they play include the fiddle, whistle, accordion, bodhran and piano, accompanied by vocals and some occasional Irish step dancing. “Our influences range from a wide variety of music,” Flanagan said. “As for Irish music, I’d say we are influenced by Lunasa, Solas, Cherish the Ladies and much more. We have also gone a little more folksy and bluesgrass-y with our new CD.” Flanagan and her bandmates started small, but have become quite an established group. “We have been playing together since we were about 12,” Flanagan said. “We would frequently play in pubs in order to raise money to go compete in Ireland. I remember one St. Patrick’s Day starting the night off busing into Port Authority and getting to more than five bars that night. It was incred-
COURTESY OF GIRSA
Students packed Rodrigue’s on Saturday for a performance by Girsa,which includes Fordham junior Bernadette Flanagan.
PHOTO BY CODIE LANDSMAN /THE RAM
The eight women of Girsa have been playing traditional Irish music together since they were around 12 years old.
ible and so much different from what anyone our age was doing at that time,” she added. Since its earlier days, Girsa has been performing at a mul-
titude of venues in the tristate area. The women enjoyed playing at the three biggest Irish festivals last summer: Milwaukee Irish Fest, Kansas City Irish
Fest and Dublin Irish Festival in Ohio. This past summer they performed at Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival, Chicago Gaelic Park and Irish Fest – Lacrosse in
Wisconsin. Most recently, the women even had the opportunity to play in San Francisco, Calif. As some band members near college graduation or enter the working world, they always make time for Girsa, despite their busy schedules. To say that their performance at Fordham was well-received would be an understatement. Cheers and applause could be heard ringing through the freshman dorms that surround Rodrigues’. “I was very impressed,” Claire Sullivan, GSB ’13, said. “Only five out of the eight girls could make it, and they performed without skipping a beat.” “I have seen Girsa a few times now and would definitely recommend them to my friends,” Emily Kunsman, FCRH ’13, said. “In fact I already do. I talk up Girsa everywhere I go.” “It was nice to play at school while everyone is here, so my friends could see us play,” Flanagan said. “We got a big crowd, and it seemed like everyone was having a great time. During the break everyone got to mingle and hang out, and I was so happy to see that no one left and even more people came in.” Songs performed at the event, such as “There is a Time,” “Galway Girl” and “Immigrant Eyes,” can be purchased from Girsa’s debut CD on girsamusic.com or cdbaby.com. “We had an awesome time playing at Fordham, and would all love to come back and do it again,” Flanagan said. “The rest of the girls are really jealous that I go here – just saying.”
Lambda Pi Eta Inducts Students for the First Time in Decades By CONNOR RYAN COPY EDITOR
Lambda Pi Eta, the communication honor society on campus, lost its name and place of recognition after years of neglect and a history that has dumbfounded even the society’s current presidents – that is, until Sara Kugel, FCRH ’11 and last year’s United Student Government president, and Dr. Margot Hardenbergh, undergraduate associate chair, inspired Katie Corrado, FCRH ’12, and Alison Daly, FCRH ’12, the society’s co-presidents, to reignite the tradition. “I volunteered to help start Lambda Pi Eta because I wanted to make a lasting impression on campus and give back to the department that has done so much for me,” Daly wrote in an email. “We want to recognize students of high academic standing for their hard work and dedication to the communication field.” The society’s first induction in years took place on Thursday, Oct. 27 in Tognino Hall of Duane Library and welcomed the current 37 students that make up this year’s collection of the communication department’s finest. Dr. Michael Schudson of Columbia Univer-
sity, Dr. Michael Latham, dean of Fordham College Rose Hill and Dr. Lance Strate, a professor in the department, offered words of wisdom and personal experience at the intimate ceremony, which was attended by prestigious members of the administration, in addition to students and their families. “The comments by Dr. Lance Strate were an inspiration, and it was a great honor for Fordham to have a distinguished scholar like Columbia’s Dr. Michael Schudson address the group,” Latham wrote in an email regarding the ceremony’s speakers. Lambda Pi Eta stems from the National Communication Association, and Fordham represents one of more than 400 chapters spread across the country. With the strength and popularity of the communication and media studies department on campus, students feel that an honor society dedicated to the major would be popular – and with effort, successful. “As a school with a very reputable communication department, it only seems right to have the presence of an equally reputable honor society on campus,” Corrado said. “Many of the students within the department have completed internships
at some of the biggest media companies, have consistently done well in the classroom and are genuinely passionate about graduating from Fordham and making positive contributions to the media industry.” While the society represents high academic achievement and perhaps a powerful networking tool down the road, Latham said that the society also provides an invaluable opportunity for students to create meaningful relationships with professors in the field. “More broadly, they [honor societies] also help create a culture in which students and faculty can have valuable exchanges about personal goals, careers and values outside the classroom,” Latham said. “Honor societies like these give students an important goal to aspire to and set a standard for excellence.” With the induction ceremony in the rearview, the society is looking to host more internal events dedicated to connecting Lambda Pi Eta to communication industries in New York. For example, the society had a private meeting with “Jeopardy” host Alex Trebek when he came to campus last month. “By the time [this article] gets published, we’ll have held our first event with Jeffrey Salgo, longtime
COURTESY OF EUGENE DALY
Fordham’s newly inducted chapter of Lambda Pi Eta is part of the National Communication Association (NCA).
director of CBS,” Corrado said. Besides the joy of being a part of the society, the private events and specialized attention are what draws most students to Lambda Pi Eta. In order to gain admission into the society, students whose first major is communication and media studies must complete an application that is released in the spring and meet specific minimum culmulative and major GPA requirements. Students who are admitted
into the society are those who show dedication to the communication industry through course work and extracurricular activities. Hardenbergh is the honor society’s faculty advisor. “The biggest perk is knowing that you are among the elite of students within the communications field in this country,” Corrado said. “Academically, being in Lambda Pi Eta says a lot, and I think employers will recognize that when we graduate.”
CULTURE
PAGE 12 • THE RAM • NOVEMBER 9, 2011
Cooking With Clara CLARA ENNIST
Dining Out: Restaurant El Centro
Corn Pudding The name itself is somewhat odd and perhaps not entirely appealing: corn pudding. It is not a sweet dish, but a savory one that is part of the American harvest traditional menu. While I did not know of corn pudding’s existence until recently, it is a dish that is fairly common in the South – especially the Southeast. Hasty pudding is a variation on corn pudding. Hasty pudding is made from ground corn while corn pudding contains both ground corn and whole corn kernels. This week, I wanted to try a side-dish that was somewhat different from what I am used to cooking. When I found this recipe, which looked like it would produce a dish that was a cross between a starch and a vegetable, I was ready to give it a go. I am a fan of all things corn: cornbread, corn on the cob, corn tortillas, corn cakes, corn salsa, creamed corn and candy corn. Well, the last one is not technically corn, but you get the picture; if there is corn in it, I will eat it. I was surprised, and even a little disappointed, to find out that there was a use for corn, a relatively famous one, that I had never heard about before. The ingredients were simple, too: frozen corn, corn meal, milk, margarine, sugar, water, salt and baking powder. What is the catch? It takes nearly an hour on a double boiler to make and an hour of diligently watching so it does not scald, while also adding water when necessary. I have a double boiler. I am lazy. Rather than spend an hour waiting for my corn pudding to finish steaming, I decided to use the microwave. Normally, I try not to sully the recipes in my column by using the same machine I employ to make frozen dinners and burritos; yet, the results were surprisingly amazing. While I had the microwave set to 30 percent power for seven minutes and then 90 percent power for four minutes, I think that the same results could be achieved by microwaving the dish on full power for 10 minutes, stirring the dish every five minutes. We tend to ignore side-dishes when we eat; they compliment the main course, but they are regularly forgettable. There are times, however, when a side-dish becomes the best part of the meal – this typically occurs when the appetizer, main dish and/or dessert is so horrific that you are look for anything palatable. I recall one time when I went to a family friend’s house for dinner. The dish was some horrible chicken served with cheese and a sauce made from canned fruit cocktail – apparently, the woman who had cooked the meal was trying to incorporate all of the food groups. Despite my aversion to McDonald’s hash browns and stuffed squid, that bastardized chicken dish remains the single most disgusting thing placed before me on a table. I still remember wondering how and why anyone would ever serve such a thing. If only there had been a side-dish there to salvage the night (and my appetite). If only there had been some corn pudding. For the recipe, visit theramonline.com
PHOTO BY MARY PORPORA/THE RAM
El Centro’s menu choices include grilled chicken chilaquiles and chicken burritos.
PHOTO BY MARY PORPORA/THE RAM
El Centro, which is located at 824 Ninth Ave., also has an option for delivery.
By MARY PORPORA STAFF WRITER
Recently, my friend and I decided slowly to make our way through all of the Mexican restaurants on Ninth Avenue by Lincoln Center. If you have ever walked down Ninth Avenue, you know that this is no easy feat. So far in our journey, my favorite restaurant has been El Centro. Located at the corner of 54th Street, El Centro is a short walk
away from the Fordham Lincoln Center campus. The first thing that attracted me to this restaurant was the décor. From the outside, the most intriguing part was the crowns that are on display in every window. I did not know why, exactly, there were crowns, but I wanted to find out. When I finally made my way inside, the décor was just as appealing. The space is small but cozy. Unfortunately, the restaurant does not take reservations and the bar
chicken quesadillas and a chicken is quite small, so waiting on a busy burrito. As for drinks, El Centro night is inevitable and a little unhad both regular and frozen margacomfortable. ritas with a variety of fruit flavors. El Centro does try to take advanFor those customers of age, I would tage of its small space by packing in highly recommend these drinks. as many tables as it can. There is a I had a frozen coconut margarita, booth along one of the walls lined which was quite tasty. with two-person tables. I usually While deciding what to eat and like booths, but the tables were very drink was easy, ordering was a bit close together. The wall behind the tougher. It seemed as though El booth was decorated with colorful Centro was understaffed, especially iron fixtures. The fixtures are shiny for a busy Friday night. When our and whimsical, but not obnoxious. waiter finally arrived, Adding to the Overall he was extremely whimsy were the Location nice and did not chandeliers lined Food Quality laugh at my poor atwith full bottles of Atmosphere tempt to pronounce Corona. The tables Hospitality “chilaquiles.” Thankkept up with this Price $$ fully while we waited south-of-the-border (Out of 4 ’s) for our food, they beverage theme, as provided us with they were decorated chips and salsa. It was a small baswith Corona bottle caps underket, but shortly after we finished the neath a piece of glass. While I was chips, our food arrived. commenting on these small touchMy chilaquiles was delicious. es, my Spanish-speaking friend said They were basically chips covered she liked how they maintained the in cheese, salsa, chicken and fresh crown theme. When I questioned avocado, almost like glorified naher further, I discovered that cochos. I have an astonishingly low rona means crown in Spanish and, tolerance for spice, so I was happy thus, the mystery of the window to discover that at first my dish was crowns was solved. on the milder side. When it came time to order My friends also enjoyed their food, I wanted to try something difmeals. The quesadillas were small ferent. I looked through their small yet hearty. The chicken burrito was but affordable menu, and stumbled rather large but also quite satisfyupon the grilled chicken chilaquiles, ing. which is a “homemade corn tortiOther than the slow waitstaff, I lla casserole topped with avocado, enjoyed my time at El Centro. The queso blanco, crema fresca and food was well-priced. Everything pico de gallo.” I was not quite sure was less than $20. Overall, I enwhat a “tortilla casserole” was, but joyed my meal, as did my friends. I the words “avocado” and “queso” would only suggest going early beimmediately appealed to me. cause this small space gets crowded My friends decided, however, to very quickly. stick with the classics and ordered
Editor’s Pick: FreeRice.com Study Break By SCHARON HARDING ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR
I have spent an absurd and depressing amount of time doing schoolwork over the years. The only way I can make it through mountains of essays and seemingly infinite minutes of memorization is by rewarding myself with study breaks. It is nice to take a break from Microsoft Word and PDF files to use my computer for something a little bit more entertaining. These days, most students resort to Facebook, Twitter and StumbleUpon for their Internet digression. I discovered a new, more productive way of wasting time in FreeRice.com. FreeRice features games in a variety of subjects in the humanities, geography, math, foreign languages and English, which contains my favorite game, vocabulary. Once you pick your subject, you are given a question like “What country is this flag from?” or “Gumshoe means what?” as well as four answer choices. If you select the right answer, 10 grains of rice are donated to the hungry through the UN World Food Programme. The rice is sent to countries suffering from chronic hunger, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Uganda, Myanmar, Nepal and Haiti. Often the rice is purchased within these countries, helping to stimulate their economy while making distribution more efficient. The Web site is completely non-profit and pays for the rice through sponsored ads that appear at the bottom of the
screen when a question is answered correctly. John Breen founded FreeRice in 2007 and donated it to the UN World Food Programme in 2009 with the hopes of increasing its impact and spreading its influence. In addition to feeding the hungry, FreeRice’s goal is to “provide education to everyone for free.” The games are designed to teach its users. Each game has levels that get increasingly difficult. The difficulty ranges from suitable for schoolchildren to challenging for CEOs. Three right answers allows you to progress to the next level, while a wrong answer bumps you down a level. If you get a question wrong, FreeRice re-asks the question several turns later in order to emphasize the correct answer. This Web site is a worthwhile study break for many reasons. In intense work sessions, a study break has the potential to be detrimental. Therefore, I like to keep my brain somewhat active during breaks so that when I return to work I do not have to completely re-situate my mind into “thinking mode.” FreeRice keeps my mind engaged with academic questions, which prevent my brain from turning into mush. Though I am a fan of StumbleUpon and understand the allure of Facebook, FreeRice is a more efficient distraction. Realistically, you are not going to want to play vocabulary games for too long, so when you play, you actually stand a chance of returning to your work. On the other hand, I can “stumble” until
COURTESY OF FREERICE.COM
the end of time, and Facebook always leads me to a random girl’s page from a college I have never heard of with pictures of her in a club that I cannot stop clicking through — very inefficient. Also, if you happen to have an unhealthy obsession with words and grammar like I do, or any of the other subjects FreeRice offers, these games are actually fun. The best part about FreeRice is that it is a Web site totally dedicated to the honest, genuine goal of helping people in need. The animated bowl that fills with rice on the side of the page provides a visual reminder of your contribution. It is one of the most simple, quick, fun and inexpensive ways to give back that I have ever encountered. If one click can help nour-
ish your brain and also alleviate the suffering of one child, refugee, mother or natural disaster victim by even the slightest percent, it makes any other Web site seem silly in comparison. FreeRice makes it justifiable to waste your time — a good deed even. The Web site also features tons of information about the UN World Food Programme, world hunger, important charities and endless additional ways to donate. According to FreeRice, a gram contains about 48 grains of rice and the average recipient needs about 400 grams of rice a day. That is a lot of questions to answer correctly, but it is a much better use of time than reading some kid from your high school’s thoughts on Kim Kardashian’s divorce.
CULTURE
WHO’S THAT KID? Claire Cumberland A MEMBER OF FCRH ’13 MAJORING IN COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA STUDIES FROM PHILADELPHIA, PA. In what campus organizations are you involved? I am the editor-in-chief of HerCampus Fordham (hercampus. com/Fordham), an online magazine for “collegiettes.™” We publish articles about health, style, beauty, love, life and career for Fordham girls. We also feature praiseworthy Fordham students on the Web site. We only started about a year ago, so it’s still getting off the ground. We’re extremely proud of the work that’s gone into it and we’re looking forward to seeing where the Web site goes from here. I’m an anchor for Fordham Nightly News on Thursday nights. This is my second year of FNN, and I absolutely love it. I’m also a proud member of the brand-new communications honor society, Lambda Pi Eta. I am also the co-secretary for Right to Play, [which is] the Fordham chapter of the non-profit organization Right to Play, which uses sport and play to enhance the lives of children in developing countries. I also was a New Student Orientation leader this year.
Run in Philadelphia in May of this year. It’s a 10-mile run down one of the most prominent streets in my hometown. What is your favorite aspect of Fordham? Why? I’m totally stealing this answer from the very wise Rose Puntel (FCRH ’13), but I love the idea of being “bothered” by my education here. I’ve learned a lot in my classes and in my life here at Fordham that has really gotten under my skin; Fordham has opened my eyes to a lot of things about the world that I believe we have the power to change. What is your favorite class and who is your favorite professor at Fordham? Why? My favorite class was History of Rock & Pop Music after WWII with Dr. Elizabeth Keenan. It was a total elective gift to myself. We learned about pop music like Bob Dylan, the Beatles, The Clash, etc. in a historical context. It was surprisingly eye-opening and endlessly fascinat-
ing. Plus, the teacher was hilarious and our homework was literally to attend whatever pop music concert we wanted. I wrote a term paper on Regina Spektor. It was beyond awesome. What is your favorite memory while attending Fordham? I had the privilege of going on a phenomenal Global Outreach trip to the Adirondacks. It was a trip that focused on environmental issues, especially sustainable agriculture and the food industry. In addition to it changing my entire view of the world, I also met 11 of the greatest, most inspiring friends I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. What is your favorite thing to do in NYC? How often do you go into the city? Without question, my favorite thing to do in NYC (and the cheapest) is people-watch. There are some surreal characters in Manhattan, and you really get to see people from all walks of life. Plus, the clothes are to die for. Sometimes I feel like a trip to the city is like a fashion magazine come to life. I could literally watch people’s outfits for hours and hours — it’s my own personal form of street art. I go to the city every chance I get. What are your plans for after college? Graduate school is certainly on the horizon, but I have to figure out a lot of things before then.
what’s Know “what’s going on” on campus or in NYC?
Going
10
?
On
Send tips, event listings, or comments to theram@fordham.edu.
THURSDAY Fordham Anti-War Coalition Presents: “Generation Kill” Rodrigue’s Coffee House 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. HBO’s miniseries is about a Rolling Stone reporter living with Marines during the Iraq war.
11
FRIDAY The Wild Ones Party White Noise (225 Ave. B) 11 p.m. This rock & roll party is hosted by DJs Samuel Valentine and Michael T.
12
SATURDAY BLACKFISH New York Live Arts (219 W. 19th St.) 9 p.m. The band freestyles, creating spontaneous, unique and layered sounds.
13
SUNDAY Peter Woytuk public art projections Broadway between 59th St. and 168th St. 12 a.m. - 12 p.m. Stroll down Broadway and examine Woytuk’s animal sculptures.
14
MONDAY de Kooning: A Retrospective The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) 11 W. 53rd St.
Enjoy seven decades of the abstract expressionist’s work.
15
Please describe yourself in a couple of sentences. I have an appetite for life and an unyielding desire to squeeze every experience possible out of my four years here at Fordham. I love meeting new people and have an insatiable curiosity about the world around me. I love clothes, reading, writing, my dog, my roommate and thrift stores. Please describe something about yourself that not many people know. I’m training to do the Broad Street
NOVEMBER 9, 2011 • THE RAM • PAGE 13
TUESDAY “Peace, Love and Rockets” Center for Book Arts (28 W. 27th St.) 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. The exhibit presents examples of music as more than sound by transforming items like CDs into art.
16 PHOTO BY NORA MALLOZZI/THE RAM
WEDNESDAY Up ‘Til Dawn Letter Writing Event McGinley Second 6: 30 p.m. - 12 a.m. Write letters requesting donations for St. Jude’s Children Hospital while enjoying entertainment.
To read the full interview, please visit theramonline.com.
— COMPILED BY SCHARON HARDING
Ram Reviews BOOK The Help
By CONNOR RYAN COPY EDITOR
The Help – Kathryn Stockett’s fantastic, but tired, story of racial conflict in the south circa 1960 – appeared on the coveted New York Times bestseller list this weekend for the 36th time (more if you look at the e-book list) since its publication in February of 2009. Amazon.com reports that the book has sold over three million copies and sales have continued to grow thanks to DreamWork’s recent film adaptation starring Emma Stone (Crazy, Stupid, Love) and Viola Davis (Doubt). With the holiday season fast approaching, Stockett and her marketing team have given themselves a little insurance that The Help will be a holiday seller (once again) by putting it back on the hardcover table – only this time, as a deluxe edition. In the novel, Stockett takes on not
only the voice but also the persona of three very different people. It is through her mastery of voice that the reader can dive into the subconscious of the narrative and come away with a greater appreciation for each of the protagonists’ unique struggles. The narrators, Skeeter Phelan, Aibileen Clark and Minny Jackson, speak with a surprisingly authentic dialect with which it takes a few chapters to get aquatinted. Phelan is a recent graduate of a local southern college and seems not to fit into the social mold to which her friends and parents are pressuring her to conform. Perturbed and troubled by the divide between her friends and their maids (whom Phelan has always seen as part of the family), she decides to write a book exploiting the inner workings of the Southern household. To do so, she calls upon maids to talk about her friends and finally liberate the truth. Clark is much more of a mother figure than a maid, having raised 17 white children and receiving punish-
ment for every time she connects with the children she is employed to dress and feed. Clark’s twang is meant to pull at the heartstrings of the reader and add a touch of sympathy to the book. The final narrator is a lively character, who provides frequently needed bits of comic relief. Jackson is unafraid of her white female superiors and with this fearlessness, the reader feels a sense of exhilaration and levity, but also a sense of fear. Hilly Holbrook, a Southern belle who follows societal regulations to the tee and pressures Phelan to follow suit, has a rickety (and at some points explosive) relationship with Jackson, ultimately culminating in the form of a pie – I won’t give it away. While this glossed hardcover looks like a brand new and timeless gift, the unfortunate truth is that, despite the fancy binding and fine pages, the content is a tired story we have been hearing about for the past two years. It may be too soon to define this novel as a classic worthy of a satin ribbon marker.
TELEVISION “Homeland”
By CHRISOTPHER WILLIAMS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Halfway through its first season, Showtime’s “Homeland” has already proven itself to be the best new drama this fall. The series follows CIA operations officer Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes, The Family Stone) as she goes under the radar to prove her suspicions that recently released prisoner of war Sergeant Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis, Your Highness) has been turned by Al-Qaeda. While conducting unauthorized operations in Iraq, Carrie received intel that an American soldier had been turned. Once back in the states, she receives word that Sergeant Brody had been released after eight years in captivity. While Carrie believes that Brody is the prisoner her asset had told her about, the entire nation (including her boss) views Brody as an American war hero. Carrie is fully
aware that she will be unable to convince her boss (David Harewood, Blood Diamond) of her suspicions, so she sets up an unauthorized surveillance of Brody. Like Carrie, the audience is left guessing as to whether Brody has betrayed his country. The show balances out this dense plot with great character drama. Danes does a great job of playing the many different sides of Carrie while still making her feel like one person. Equally impressive is Lewis’ work as the damaged and mysterious Sergeant Brody. After having been in captivity for eight years, Brody returns home to his wife (Morena Baccarin, Serenity), who has been unfaithful, and two children, one of whom barely remembers him. Brody finds adjusting back into home life to be difficult, while his time in captivity is hinted at through vague flashbacks. For now, the storyline is intense and compelling, but even if the show is unable to satisfactorily wrap up this season, it is still worth watching for the great performances and writing.
TO READ THESE REVIEWS IN THEIR ENTIRETY, VISIT THERAMONLINE.COM AND CLICK ON “CULTURE” ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HOMEPAGE.
NOVEMBER 9, 2011
PAGE 15
Men’s Soccer Clinches First Regular Season Atlantic 10 Title By KARA SCAGLIOLA STAFF WRITER
The Fordham men’s soccer team clinched a share of the Atlantic 10 regular season title for the first time in team history last weekend, defeating Saint Joseph’s, 2-1, on Friday night and Temple, 1-0, in double overtime on Sunday. The Rams finished in a tie with George Washington, but Fordham is ranked No. 1 in the upcoming A-10 Championship, after holding the tie-breaker over the Colonials. The Rams took the lead early on Friday against the Hawks. Freshman midfielder Jack-Tim Murphy scored after a shot by sophomore midfielder Nathaniel Bekoe bounced off the goal post and landed right by Murphy’s feet, setting him up for an easy score past Hawks sophomore goalie Michael Moulton. The goal gave Fordham the lead in only the 10th minute. In the 29th minute, the Rams struck again, as senior midfielder Tim Richardson blasted a shot past Moulton from 20 yards out, giving Fordham a 2-0 lead. This score remained until the end of the first half, with the Rams at a comfortable lead. Fordham had already outshot the Hawks 10-1 and had doubled them in corner kicks (2-1). The beginning of the second half started shakily for the Rams, as senior goalie Ryan Meara was yellow carded for committing a foul in the box, giving the Hawks a penalty kick in the 61st minute. Freshman midfielder Jake Nelson capitalized on the penalty for St. Joe’s, making the score 2-1. This was the only shot on goal the Hawks would get for the rest of the game, however, as Fordham picked up the victory. The Rams similarly dominated the stats, as they outshot St. Joseph’s 19-5, with multiple shots from senior forward Matt
RAM ARCHIVES
John McHugh scored his second golden goal of the season on Sunday to help the Rams clinch a tie for first in the A-10.
Courtenay (three), senior forward Aaron Markowitz (two) and sophomore midfielder Michael Stalker (two). Fordham also had four corner kicks to the Hawks’ one. This win brought Fordham’s record up to 10-6-1, overall and 6-2 in the A-10. The Rams also clinched a spot in the A-10 tournament with the victory, but their seed depended on the outcome of Sunday’s game against Temple. Fordham headed into this game knowing that a win would award the Rams first place in the A-10, and thus a bye for the first round of the playoffs. The first half was especially slow for the Owls, with only four shots on goal in total. Fordham had three attempts on goal in the first 20 minutes by Bekoe, junior midfielder Andre Seidenthal and sophomore midfielder Casper Gimand, but all were blocked by Temple sophomore goalie Bobby Rosato. The second half was a goalie faceoff, as Meara and Rosato each held the
opposing teams scoreless leading into overtime. The first overtime was unproductive for both teams, as each took only one shot on goal. Meara had a career-high 12 saves in the game. The score remained 0-0 until the 107th minute. Senior midfielder John McHugh took a pass from Richardson and drove the ball past Rosato to end the game victoriously for Fordham with a score of 1-0. The goal was McHugh’s second overtime winner of the season. With this nail-biting win, the Rams capped off the regular season with an overall record of 116-1 and an impressive A-10 record of 7-2. This win gave them the No. 1 seed heading into the A-10 Championship in St. Louis on Thursday. The Rams will be making their fourth playoff appearance in the last five years. Head Coach James McElderry, who coached the Fordham team to a record 11 wins for the 2011
season, commented on his satisfaction with the way the team performed this weekend, and how it has a solid game plan for the playoffs. “I was very proud of the way our team handled the last weekend on
the road,” McElderry said. “Both games were difficult, as there was a lot on the line, but the players followed our game plan well. We relied a lot on our senior leadership this weekend and will continue to lean on our seniors the rest of the way. We are very excited to be heading out to St. Louis for the A-10 Tournament, especially since we are the regular season co-champions of the conference and hold the No. 1 seed. We will continue to train the same way we have all year. I am confident our team will remain focused on our next match. We understand that our game will be very difficult regardless of the opponent as all the teams we can potentially play have had good seasons.” As the Rams head to St. Louis on Thursday, they have a leg up in some sense, but clearly are still working hard for a title. Fordham will face the lowest remaining seed on Friday, while the championship game would be held on Sunday afternoon. The winner of the A-10 Championship receives an automatic bid to the 48-team NCAA tournament. This year’s tournament begins on Thursday, Nov. 17.
RAM ARCHIVES
Tim Richardson scored the second of the Rams’ two goals on Friday night.
Women’s Rowing Begins Training for Spring Season By JONATHAN PETIX STAFF WRITER
After many successes, Fordham crew has officially ended its fall racing season. Last weekend, the Lady Rams were only able to compete in one of their two scheduled regattas. On Saturday, Oct. 29 they raced at the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta; however, only one of Fordham’s Novice 8+ was able to race, because the regatta was called off midday due to the bizarre and unseasonal blizzard-like conditions. The Novice 8+ finished in fourth place, just seconds shy of third. The following day, on Sunday, Oct. 30, the Lady Rams were ready to defend their title as Metropolitan Champions at the Fall Metropolitan Championship Regatta. This regatta was canceled due to the weather, ending the fall rowing season early. The Lady Rams were left to reflect on the strides they made toward hoisting
the A-10 championship trophy in the spring. “I really feel like this past season was different,” senior coxswain Abigail Paparo said. “We have developed a different mindset towards training. We went to practice every day, ready to work from the minute we stepped on the dock. It made all the difference during the races. It’s imperative that we carry that mental toughness over to winter training.” This serious attitude did indeed pay dividends throughout the entirety of the fall season. The Lady Rams brought home several medals and placed well at every regatta. Starting back in early October at the Head of the Housatonic in Shelton, Conn., the Novice 8+, stroked by freshman Ashleigh Aitchison, finished in third place with an official time of 18:56.2. That same day, the Varsity 8+, stroked by Maureen White, placed 10th in a tight field of competi-
tion with a time of 17:36.5. The second Varsity 8+ finished in 13th place with a time of 18:32. The following day, at the Pope Island Regatta in New Bedford, Mass., the Novice 8+ that took home the bronze medal at the Housatonic finished in first place, capturing a gold medal. After the Pope Island Regatta, the Rams competed at the Head of Connecticut Regatta in Middletown, Conn. This regatta took place on a day when the wind was blowing at speeds of close to 50 mph and producing four-foot waves on an enclosed course; however, the wind and waves were no match for the lightningfast Lady Rams. The Novice 8+ finished in second place, and the first Varsity 8+ took fourth, while the second Varsity 8+ finished in sixth. The next week Fordham Crew traveled to Cambridge, Mass. to compete at the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta. In spite of
the national level of competition the Lady Rams faced, they posted excellent results. The Club 4+, stroked by freshman Alix Azizi, finished in seventh place in a field of 45, while the Championship 8+, stroked by Aitchison, finished in 36th place with an official time of 18:07.35. The Lady Rams were pleased with their results from the Charles and from the other regattas, but they are not satisfied. “It is important that we don’t get complacent,” sophomore Maureen White said. “In order to build on our success that we’ve had this fall, we are going to need to put a lot of time in on the ergs. We have to take each stroke as an opportunity to get better.” Over the next couple of weeks, the Lady Rams will continue to train outdoors at the Peter Jay Sharp Boat House on the Harlem River until Thanksgiving break. Come December, the winter weather will force the Lady Rams to move indoors. For the several
weeks leading up to Christmas break, the women will train six times a week on the indoor rowing ergometers to build up their cardiovascular fitness, in addition to lifting several times a week to build strength. Over the Christmas holiday, the Rams will spend seven days training in Miami, Fla., rowing out of the Thompson Rowing Center. “The Miami trip has always been vital to our success during the spring,” Assistant Head Coach Nick Dawe said. “It gives us the opportunity to squeeze about three weeks of water time into a seven-day training program. This bolsters our fitness, technique and also gives the girls an important and much needed break from the monotony of rowing indoors.” The Lady Rams finished in fifth place overall last year at the A-10 Championship Regatta. They are focused and ready to train with a purpose this winter: to bring home an A-10 Championship.
PAGE 16 • THE RAM • NOVEMBER 9, 2011
ADVERTISING
SPORTS
NCAA Basketball Preview By BRITTANY BATTEN STAFF WRITER
Even though NBA players find themselves stuck on the bench this season, college players are ready to start in full-swing this coming week. While it seems like just yesterday that we watched UConn cut down the nets in Houston last April, the offseason is over and the 2011-2012 season has begun. So who should you be watching? Which schools will be playing on the big stage this coming year? Topping the charts this year are the reigning National Champions UConn, along with North Carolina, Ohio State and Kentucky. This is a typical pre-season list, but many are predicting some interesting storylines during this upcoming season. One major question among fans is whether or not the Tar Heels can pull off an undefeated season. While such a feat has not been accomplished since the 1970s, a weak ACC presents quite an opportunity for North Carolina. With sophomore Harrison Barnes leading a starting five with potential to top the list of draft picks this upcoming year, the Tar Heels may be the first team in over 40 years to have a perfect season. Their biggest competitors include out-of-conference games against Kentucky, Michigan State and Wisconsin, along with their traditional ACC games against rival Duke. Another major plot line in the 2011-2012 season is the future of the Big East. With powerhouses like Syracuse, Pittsburgh and West Virginia all entering new conferences in the fall of 2012, this may be the last year of the Big East as we know it. Enjoy the tournament this year, because it may never be the same. Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski looks to make history this coming season as he is on the quest for the most wins by any Division I coach in history. Currently, he is at 900 wins, just two behind current leader Bob Knight. While the major contenders were listed above, don’t write off any of the underdogs of the league. Butler looks to make it to its third-straight title game, after shocking fans everywhere the past two seasons. Other underdogs looking to make their mark this year include Memphis, Xavier and Gonzaga. All of these programs have had impressive runs the last couple
years and keep inching their way into the top tier of powerhouses in the NCAA. It’s teams like these that keep the season interesting. So we know who the major contenders are, but which league is said to be the strongest this year? With a weak ACC and Pac-10, many are suggesting that the Big Ten will find itself on top this year. Followers say that nine of the 12 Big Ten teams have high hopes of making the NCAA tournament, which would make it the deepest conference in the country. The Big 12 and SEC are not far behind, with each having multiple Final Four contenders. The SEC hopes to finally land a spot in the championship, having experienced a drought since Florida’s appearance in 2007. The Big East has been demoted from its title as the toughest conference. The league seems to be full of questions this year, with many possible powerhouses, but none guaranteed. The ACC could be extremely weak this year, with only North Carolina and Duke appearing to be formidable. The Pac-12 finds itself in the top six, yet still will not be too powerful. While making improvements from last year, the league still appears to be weak overall. Enough with teams and conferences, let’s move on to the powerhouse players to watch this year. With UConn forward Kemba Walker departing for the NBA, the spot of college basketball king is open for the taking. Sophomores Jared Sullinger of Ohio State and Barnes from North Carolina should prove to be the big names this year. Not far behind these two young stars are UConn sophomore Jeremy Lamb, Pittsburgh senior Ashton Gibbs and Kentucky sophomore Terrence Jones. The recruiting class is predicted to be quite strong this year as well. These first-year students are expected to have quite an impact on their programs from the beginning. Freshmen to look out for include Kentucky’s Anthony Davis, UConn’s Andre Drummond, Arizona’s Josiah Turner, Duke’s Austin Rivers and Oregon’s Jabari Brown. The year ahead should be an interesting one. With a new recruiting system being put into place, along with more rigorous academic standards, the college basketball scene is definitely going to be one to follow. New faces, new teams and a new year lie ahead with great promise for yet another intriguing season.
Visit theramonline.com for sports blogs covering NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, College Sports and EPL.
NOVEMBER 9, 2011 • THE RAM • PAGE 17
Football Fordham 13-30 Georgetown 1 6 10
FOR GU
2 0 3
3 4 F 0 7 13 7 10 30
Volleyball Temple 1-3 Fordham Temple
Connatser First Quarter GU Brett Weiss 38 yd field goal, 9:18 GU Nick Campanella 4 yd run(Weiss kick), 8:13 FOR Michael Mirando 41 yd field goal, 5:45 FOR Michael Mirando 34 yd field goal, 1:31 Second Quarter GU Brett Weiss 40 yd field goal, 11:56 Third Quarter GU Patrick Ryan 26 yd pass from Scott Darby(Weiss kick), 8:28 Fourth Quarter FOR Carlton Koonce 1 yd run(Mirando kick), 14:33 GU Brett Weiss 18 yd field goal, 12:20 GU Jeremy Moore 75 yd interception return(Weiss kick), 10:42
Iacobini Burkert Wallace Frazer Matautia Prang Tupuola Totals
Diaz-Vazquez Konkel Daulton Hipp Thompson Ewing Arend Capicotto Diamantidis Ritchie Atwood Totals
Temple Fordham
Men’s Basketball Northwood (FL) 76 Fordham 71
1 25 22
K PCT BS BA 8 .273 0 5 2 1.00 0 0 6 .038 0 1 15 .154 0 4 7 .385 0 4 10 .231 0 7 0 .000 0 0 6 .312 0 1 0 .000 0 0 3 .286 0 0 0 .000 0 0 57 .219 0 22
DIG BE 2 0 14 0 17 1 14 2 2 0 0 1 8 0 1 0 11 0 0 0 2 0 71 4
2 24 26
3 23 25
4 17 25
reb tp a
Agne
3-7 2-5 0-0 1 8 4
Davis
1-4 0-0 7-8 3 9 6
Dunn
9-16 4-6 5-5 0 27 4
Keeton
4-9 2-6 2-2 2 12 1
Parks
3-5 2-2 1-1 5 9 0
Konkel Daulton Hipp Thompson
Mitchell 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 2 0 0-1 0-0 1-2 0 1 0
Doroshkov 2-5 0-0 0-0 4 4 0 Totals 25-59 10-21 16-18 24 76 15
Blocks - Agne
Ewing Arend Capicotto Rodenberg
Steals - Dunn (4), Davis (2), Agne, Keeton, Derland
Diamantidis
Turnovers - Dunn (4), Keeton
Ritchie
(2), Agne, Davis Fordham
fg
3pt ft reb tp a
Gaston
8-12 2-2 5-7 13 23 1
Bristol
4-6 0-0 2-2 7 10 1
Atwood Totals
McMillan 3-8 2-4 0-1 6 8 6 Estwick
1-4 0-2 0-0 2 2 2
Samuell
0-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Dominique 0-2 0-0 0-0 3 0 0 Smith
1-6 0-4 0-0 3 2 2
Canty
0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 28-55 8-18 7-11 40 71 14
Krabacher Marten Campbell Hannan Selsky Brown
Blocks - Bristol (6), Frazier
Vargas
Steals - Gaston, Estwick Turnovers - Frazier (5), Mc-
Jones
Millan (5), Gaston (4), Samuell
Morey
(3), Estwick (2), Bristol 1
2
F
Northwood
45
31
76
Fordham
31
40
71
K PCT BS BA 6 .235 0 3 0 -1.0 0 0 8 .042 0 0 1 -.44 0 0 2 .222 0 1 2 -.23 0 2 0 .000 0 0 3 .143 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 -1.0 0 0 1 -.33 0 0 0 .000 0 0 23 -.07 0 6
DIG BE 0 0 6 0 5 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 5 0 6 0 0 0 3 0 33 0
K PCT BS BA 10 .241 0 5 5 .267 0 1 7 .462 0 7 3 .750 0 4 4 .375 0 0 4 .222 0 5 1 1.00 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 .000 0 0 1 .000 0 0 35 .313 0 22
DIG BE 6 0 7 0 1 0 0 0 7 0 0 1 11 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 35 1
2 12 25
3 14 25
Dayton
Frazier 11-15 4-6 0-1 4 26 2
Campbell Totals
Fordham Dayton
1 9 25
Fordham Player Ferrantello Curran Bekoe Gimand Niyonsaba Richardson Markowitz Stalker Murphy Courtenay Substitutes McHugh Caputo Gulbins Seidenthal Totals Gk Meara
Sh 1 0 1 1 1 5 2 2 1 3
G 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0
A 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 0 0 19
0 0 0 0 2
0 0 0 0 1
Min Ga Sav 90:00 1 0
Saint Joseph’s Player Sh Brooks 0 Brennan 0 Macey 0 McGlynn 1 Reilly, B 0 Glazer 1 Smart 1 Levengood 0 Nelson 2 Rom 0 Substitutes McPaul 0 Reilly, C 0 McFadden 0 Galati 0 Widerman 0 Reilly, J 0 Rumel 0 Totals 5 Gk Moulton
G 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Min Ga Sav 90:00 2 7 1 2 0
Fordham Saint Joe’s
2 0 1
F 2 1
Fordham 1-0 Temple
Fordham
Horstmann 2-11 0-2 0-0 5 4 0
Totals
DIG BE 15 1 0 1 13 0 7 0 2 1 8 0 4 0 15 0 64 3
Fordham 0-3 Dayton Diaz-Vazquez
Derland
K PCT BS BA 2 .667 0 3 1 .000 0 3 11 .119 0 0 9 .029 0 0 5 .231 1 3 22 .259 0 3 0 .000 0 0 0 .000 0 0 50 .157 1 12
Fordham
FOR GU First Downs 23 19 Total Yards 446 376 Rushing 59 177 Passing 387 199 Punt Returns 1-6 0-0 Kickoff Ret. 6-115 3-98 Comp-Att-Int 35-53-3 18-30-0 Punts 2-37.5 4-37.8 Time of Poss. 26:51 33:09 Individual Statistics PASSING- Fordham, Higgins 35-53-0 Georgetown, Darby 18-30-1 RUSHING- Fordham, Koonce 8-28-1 Georgetown, Logan 13-50-0 RECIEVING- Fordham, Wetzel 11-118-0 Georgetown, Ryan 3-44-1
Seahawks fg 3pt ft
Men’s Soccer Fordham 2-1 Saint Joseph’s
Fordham Player Ferrantello Curran Bekoe Gimand Niyonsaba Richardson Markowitz Stalker Courtenay Seidenthal Substitutes Jolly Valencia Nagel Jerome McHugh Gomez Gulbins Murphy Bouchard Totals Gk Meara
Sh 1 0 3 1 1 5 3 2 4 2
G 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
2 0 0 0 4 1 0 4 0 33
0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Min Ga Sav 90:00 0 12
Saint Joseph’s Player Sh Kappock 2 Bransdorfer 0 Witmer 3 Calafiore 3 Bradbury 0 Hemmer, N 1 Zuleta 0 Hemmer, S 0 Spurrier 4 Friedman 0 Substitutes Lister 0 Dodds 2 MacWilliams 0 Rodriguez 1 Chalfant 0 Carroll 2 Totals 18 Gk Rosato
Fordham Temple
G 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Min Ga Sav 90:00 1 14 1 0 0
2 0 0
OT 1 0
F 1 0
PAGE 18 • THE RAM • NOVEMBER 9, 2011
NICK CARROLL The New England Patriots have been the unquestioned gold standard of the NFL for the past decade. After winning three Super Bowls from 2001-2004 and posting the NFL’s second undefeated regular season, the Pats established themselves as one of the NFL’s elite dynasties. Bill Belichick has been at the center of the Patriots’ allure. From getting the most out of a seemingly overmatched defense and turning a sixth-round pick into one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, to shutting down Marshall Faulk and the Greatest Show on Turf in Super Bowl XXXVI, Belichick earned and deserved all of his accolades and his place atop the hierarchy of NFL head coaches. Now, with several heartbreaks in Foxboro, without a playoff win since January 2008, it’s time to reconsider everything with which we credited the Patriots. No game personified the Patriots more than a 2003 regular season game against the Indianapolis Colts. The high-flying Colts, playing on the fast turf of the RCA Dome, gouged the Pats’ gritty defense to the tune of 34 points, but, when the Pats needed their defense to step up, they stopped the Colts on the 1-yard line as time expired to preserve a 38-34 win. The Patriots aren’t that team anymore, and the lack of toughness is strikingly clear. Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi, Richard Seymour, Ty Law, Willie McGinest and Mike Vrabel all played their hearts out for Belichick. Is there anyone on the current team who carries a fraction of the weight any of those guys did? Belichick deserves a lot of the blame. As general manager and head coach, he’s controlled the draft for the past decade. As anyone who follows the draft knows, the Patriots always have a ton of picks; however, Belichick has failed to develop any good defensive players at all, and it’s not like they haven’t used high picks to address their defense, either. The Pats used the 10th overall pick to take Jerrod Mayo in 2008. It’s not like Mayo is a bad player, but he has not lived up to the lofty expectations many had for him when the Patriots drafted him. It gets worse for the Patriots, though. In 2007, New England wasted its first round pick on Brandon Meriweather, who struggled for playing time before being let go prior to this season. At least he lasted longer than Darius Butler, a cornerback the Pats took in the second round in 2009 and who only lasted two disappointing seasons in New England. Safety Patrick Chung, who was last seen helplessly playing the ball
instead of the receiver when Eli Manning threw directly into traffic, was also a second-round pick who came with great expectations but has failed to make much of a difference. Long story short, the Patriots have failed to replace the defensive stalwarts who helped them win Super Bowls earlier in the decade. They still haven’t even replaced Asante Samuel, a shutdown cornerback who’s been gone for four years now. This couldn’t have been more obvious than during the Giants’ come-from-behind win on Sunday, when the Patriots defense let New York drive 80 yards in the final minute and a half for the win. Usually, credit should be given to the offense for its execution, but watching New England take two pass interference penalties on “wounded ducks” thrown up by Eli Manning makes that hard. Manning gave the Patriots numerous opportunities to make plays and seal off the win, but the Pats were incapable. Belichick earned acclaim as the New York Giants’ defensive coordinator in the late ’80s and then as the driving force between the dominant Patriots defenses that won Super Bowls; however, now he should earn blame for a Patriots defense that has struggled mightily this season (ranked last in the NFL in yards allowed), as well as the past few seasons. In a league that is clearly defined by passing, the Patriots can’t rush the passer or cover anyone, rendering their defense worthless. If their coach is supposed to be a defensive guru, he has to be held accountable. When the Patriots used to be successful, and by successful I mean winning Super Bowls, Belichick made a habit of beating more talented teams with a unique combination of toughness and intelligence. It didn’t matter how many more gifted players the Colts had, they could never take down the Pats. Since 2008, New England has not been the same team. On offense, the Patriots have been remarkably more talented. On paper, suddenly they do not seem like they are in an athletic mismatch. Despite this, Belichick has had less success. Following their abysmal performance in Super Bowl XVII, the Pats have lost two home playoff games. In both 2007 (when the team’s only loss came in the Super Bowl) and 2010, New England entered the playoffs with the league’s best record, but failed to live up to the promise and win the Super Bowl. Belichick deserves the blame for his teams coming up small over the past few seasons. Taking all of this into account, it is clear that the Patriots are not the same blue-collar juggernaut they were when they were winning Super Bowls. Perhaps even more interestingly, Belichick can no longer be considered the premier architect in building a Super Bowl team, and with Rex Ryan’s recent playoff success, he may not even be the best coach in the AFC East. It has certainly become cliché to credit Belichick for being a true mastermind of the game, but after years of letdown, it is time to re-think both the Patriot way and Belichick.
SPORTS
Senior Profile: Andrew Grosner By ERIK PEDERSEN SPORTS EDITOR
Andrew Grosner has been in the squash team’s starting line-up throughout his four years at Fordham. After starting out ninth in the line-up during his freshman year, Grosner is now up to third on the ladder. In high school, he lettered in cross country and baseball along with squash. Originally from Williamsville, N.Y. (outside of Buffalo), Grosner is a mathematics and computer science major. The Ram: How did you get into squash growing up?
PHOTO BY ERIK PEDERSEN/THE RAM
Grosner now enters his fourth season as a starter for the Fordham squash team.
Andrew Grosner: I tried it out in eighth grade at my middle school. There were a lot of good players there, and I continued playing in high school. TR: What specifically made you choose squash? AG: Originally I was actually going to play hockey, but I found out you couldn’t do ski club with it, so instead of that I wanted to snowboard and do a sport. I chose squash because it was very relaxed and it wasn’t time-consuming. TR: What is your favorite squash moment at Fordham? AG: Probably when we played Vassar last year. It came down to the final match. [Current senior] Eli Plangger, our No. 3 last year, won his match in five games, but the best moment was when the Vassar guy lost, he smacked his racket off the side wall, it hit off the front wall and landed on the
ground. If you hit the ball that way, it’s called a boast, so he basically boasted his racket off the wall. We ended up winning the match 5-4, and we still talk about the Vassar guy’s reaction today.
good players right now, and we hope to continue to build on that success in the future.
TR: How about your favorite non-squash moment?
AG: My favorite place would probably be the Lincoln Center area. It has great restaurants and a great nightlife.
AG: The [Fordham vs.] St. John’s basketball game last year. It was the best time ever, we were down so much and we came all the way back. It was great running on the court [after the game]; I’d never had an experience like that at Fordham. TR: What do you think about the future of Fordham squash? AG: I think we have a really bright future, as long as we keep getting opportunities to bring in new players. We can’t just rely on [walk-ons], we need to bring in players who are known to be good. We have a great coach and
TR: Do you have a favorite place to go in the city?
TR: What are your personal and team expectations for the season? AG: My personal expectation is to not lose every single match this season now that I’ve moved up the ladder. Our team expectation is to come out on top of whatever division we enter for the CSA Championships. TR: What are your plans for after graduation? AG: I’m going to be a graduate student here in the computer science master’s program.
Squash Opens Season at Navy Round Robin By MATT DAVIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The Fordham squash team made its way down to Annapolis, Md. this past weekend to begin its muchanticipated season. Having been ranked as high as no. 48 in the nation last year, the Rams are hoping to retain their previous ranking or finish better. The Rams found their first opponents of the season in a round robin that included Navy, Bucknell, Washington (St. Louis) and Drexel. Their expectations were high, but anything can happen on any given day. “Matches will be tough regardless of rank,” Head Coach Bryan Patterson said during the preseason. “Having lost our No. 1 player is crucial. There are a couple of tennis players that have joined the team within the last few days. But our goal is the same, which is to finish top 50 in the nation, and without him, it might be bit of a challenge.” Patterson held an optimistic view toward the weekend matches, however. Before heading into the weekend, the Rams knew they would meet a strong competitor in Navy. Unfortunately, this opponent turned out to be too much, as the Rams lost all their matches against the Midshipmen. James Kacergis of Navy defeated senior Andrew Grosner in
the closest match, winning 11-5, 113, 11-5. “Even though I lost, I felt pretty good,” Grosner said. “I was playing one of the top players in the country. I held a 5-4 lead in game one and a 4-3 lead in game three.” The Rams then took on Bucknell, where they found little relief. The most exciting match featured sophomore Raymond Chen, where it took an extra point to decide the winner. Although Chen lost his match 13-11, it was certainly a good one to watch. The closest matches took place against Washington of St. Louis where junior Alex Williams forced five games out of his opponent, Lawrence Liu. His five games broke down to 11-6, 11-4, 7-11, 8-11, 7-11. “Williams had a stand out performance in the match against Washington where he took the two first games,” Patterson said. “It was a terrific performance, given that he has just joined the team and has not played squash for long.” In addition, senior Andriy Kulak put up a great fight against his opponent, Sheldon Pariser, but came up short in his games, which played out to 11-6, 11-9, 11-9. Having lost all of their matches in the round robin to Navy, Bucknell and Washington, the Rams were striving for a win against their last
opponent, Drexel. Grosner knew their best chance for a win would be against Drexel, although the Rams once again came up short of victory. “My best match of the weekend came against Drexel,” Grosner said. This was evident as he won his first game against Ben Bevan 1311. Grosner started out strong and determined against Drexel, but fell short in the rest of the games, losing 11-6, 11-4, 11-8. The Rams fell to every opponent by default this past weekend, but put up a good fight while doing so. Even though the Rams failed to win a match in this round robin, their hopes and expectations are high for their upcoming season. “The potential is there,” Grosner said. “The team as a whole just needs some work because we have some players that have recently joined the team.” “Although Ethan Brooks didn’t win any games this weekend, he still played well enough to suggest that he will become a very good player in the future,” Patterson said. “The matches were tough but all the Fordham players gave their best,” Patterson added. “They played some good squash that bodes well for the coming matches. With Vassar and Bard being the next matches, these were certainly good matches to get the players into gear.”
Volleyball Falls to Dayton, Fails to Qualify for A-10’s By DAN GARTLAND SPORTS EDITOR
The Fordham volleyball team began the past weekend still in the hunt for a spot in the Atlantic 10 playoffs. After splitting two weekend matches, however, the Lady Rams are left on the outside looking in. At the same time Fordham was taking on Temple in the Rose Hill Gym on Friday night, Rhode Island, holder of the sixth and final playoff spot, was hosting LaSalle. If the Lady Rams hoped to remain in the playoff picture, they would need to beat Temple and hope for some help from LaSalle. Fordham was playing without sophomore Krissy Buongiorno, who was held out with an injury, causing Head Coach Peter Volkert to shuffle his lineup. Freshmen Rose Diaz-Vazquez and Lindsay Ritchie saw increased playing time, and sophomore Carina Thompson, who usually plays exclusively in the front line, saw some time in the back line. “I definitely felt comfortable in the back row, because even though I have been playing right side a lot this year, I was always trained as a middle, so having to serve and play back row for one rotation is not a new concept for me,” Thompson said. Fordham held up its end of the bargain, topping Temple in four highly competitive sets. Neither team was able to establish an advantage in the early going of the first set. Temple eventually developed a 17-12 lead, at which point Volkert called his first timeout. Coming out of the timeout, Fordham rallied to tie the score at 18 and later took the lead 21-20. Fordham’s last lead of the set came at 22-21, before Temple scored the set’s final four points and won the set, 25-22. The second set was much like the first, with the score remaining close throughout; neither team led by more than three at any point in the set. Fordham led 23-20 before Temple reeled off four straight points to give the Owls set-point at 24-23. A kill by Fordham senior Lisa Hipp
tied the score at 24. An attack error by Temple and a kill by senior Brittany Daulton then gave the Lady Rams a 26-24 victory, tying the match at one set apiece. Fordham jumped out to an early 8-3 lead in the third set. Temple then called a timeout. The Lady Rams stretched their lead to 17-9, but Temple began to slowly erase the deficit. Fordham called timeouts as Temple closed the gap 1713, and later 21-19. The Owls ultimately tied the score at 23. A pair of blocks (the first by Diaz-Vazquez and junior Randi Ewing, the second by Thompson and Hipp) gave Fordham a 25-23 victory. Fordham was in control from the start of the fourth set. In fact, the Lady Rams took the lead 1-0 and never looked back, eventually closing out the set 25-17 and winning the match, 3-1. Unfortunately for Fordham, Rhode Island beat LaSalle, and Fordham was unable to gain any ground in the playoff race. Rhode Island then beat Temple on Saturday, meaning Fordham would have to beat Dayton on Sunday to stay alive in the playoff hunt. The Flyers are the A-10’s top team and had already beaten Fordham at the Rose Hill Gym on Oct. 22. Dayton ended up sweeping Fordham 3-0, holding the Lady Rams to a -.074 hitting percentage for the match while hitting .313. Fordham committed 30 attack errors to only 23 kills, with just three blocks. With the loss, Fordham was eliminated from playoff contention. “It’s really disappointing not making A-10s, but we put ourselves in that position,” Thompson said. “We did not dominate enough in the beginning of the season, which left us in a tough spot as we went on in the season.” The team still has two games left to play, this coming Friday and Saturday against Charlotte and George Washington. Though the team will not qualify for the playoffs, these two matches are far from meaningless, according to Thompson. “We still want to get the highest ranking possible and show other teams that we are a contender in the A-10, so we definitely want to win our last couple of matches,” she said.
NOVEMBER 9, 2011 • THE RAM • PAGE 19
SPORTS
By ERIK PEDERSEN SPORTS EDITOR
LSU vs. Alabama was hyped in the media last week as the “Game of the Century.” The actual game, however, was nowhere close to living up to the buildup, and under no circumstance should there be a rematch in the National Championship game. Alabama had plenty of chances, but the Crimson Tide could not overcome four missed field goals and a fourth quarter interception deep in LSU territory, and the Tigers escaped with a 9-6 win in overtime. The two teams combined for four turnovers and 129 yards in penalties. Despite all of its missed opportunities, Alabama dropped only one spot in the BCS standings. While Oklahoma State is comfortably in second place, the Crimson Tide remains ahead of undefeated Stanford and Boise State. How is this possible? Stanford has had a relatively easy schedule this year, but aside from a triple-overtime win over USC, the Cardinal have won every game by at least 25 points. This is also largely the same team, led by likely future No. 1 draft pick Andrew Luck, which dominated its schedule last year, with its only loss coming on the road against eventual National Championship runner-up Oregon. Boise State has had a similarly successful season. The Broncos have won every game by a double-digit margin, including a two-touchdown win on the road against Georgia, which is currently ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press poll. Georgia is the only ranked team on Boise State’s schedule this season, but the Broncos are already established as a legitimate national threat. Boise State has a 38-2 record going back through the 2008 season. One of those two losses came against Nevada last year, in a game in which senior kicker Kyle Brotzman missed two field goals inside 30 yards toward the end of the game, while the other came against TCU in a 2008
bowl game. Led by Heisman-candidate quarterback Kellen Moore, the Broncos have a terrific chance to run the table in the regular season for the third time in four years. Both Stanford and Boise State should be ranked ahead of Alabama if all three teams manage to win out. Alabama had home-field advantage in its much-anticipated game against LSU, and though none of its four missed field goals were chip-shots (all were over 40 yards) the Crimson Tide had multiple opportunities to put the game away. Why should Alabama be rewarded with a second chance if there are other worthy undefeated teams? This argument will not be necessary if LSU and Oklahoma State remain undefeated. If only two teams can have a chance to play for a National Championship (a scenario which will not change any time soon as the NCAA continues to ignore calls for a playoff system), the Tigers and Cowboys have the two most difficult schedules out of the remaining unbeaten teams and they would deserve to be ranked atop the BCS. What if one of these teams loses, though? If Alabama did not fall below Stanford or Boise State after its loss, it is hard to imagine LSU falling below third in the BCS if it were to lose to No. 8 Arkansas or in the SEC Championship game. Oklahoma State likely does not
PHOTO BY WALLY SKALIJ/MCT CAMPUS
Led by quarterback Andrew Luck, Stanford is in the national title picture.
Upcoming Varsity Schedule CAPS=HOME lowercase=away
Thursday Nov. 10
Friday Nov. 11
Men’s soccer
ALBANY 8 p.m.
Volleyball
CHARLOTTE 4 p.m.
Tuesday Wednesday Nov. 15 Nov. 16
CLEVE. ST. 7 p.m. GWU 5 p.m. NCAA Regionals at Vassar vs. Bard
Squash Swimming
Monday Nov. 14
at Syracuse 4 p.m.
Women’s Basketball
PHOTO BY MICHAEL REZIN/THE RAM
Sunday Nov. 13
2011 A-10 Championships
Men’s Basketball
Cross Country
Saturday Nov. 12
BUCKNELL 1 p.m.
Football
Following a loss to Dayton on Sunday, Fordham was elimated from playoff contention. The Lady Rams will close out their season at home this weekend.
have as much margin for error, but a loss to No. 6 Oklahoma would probably keep the team at least above Boise State in the standings. A loss to either Texas Tech or Iowa State, the Cowboys’ two remaining road games, would certainly take them out of consideration for the title game. None of this would be up for debate if the NCAA switched to an eight-team playoff system, however. There would still be a team left out, but the team ranked ninth at the end of the season does not have as much room for complaint. A playoff system could also allow a team like Houston, the fifth and final remaining unbeaten team in the FBS, to have a shot against the top teams. The Cougars are led by future NFL quarterback Case Keenum. Keenum has thrown for 3,626 yards with 34 touchdowns and only three interceptions, leading his team to a 9-0 record. Houston is currently ranked 11th in the AP and USA Today polls, but if the Cougars remain undefeated, they will likely move up a few spots. It seems as if the BCS generates controversy every season. There is still plenty of time for this year’s situation to work itself out during the regular season, but no system that relies on teams to lose can be considered a model way to determine a National Championship game. Hopefully the NCAA will realize this someday.
vs. BU and Texas A&M in Boston
NOVEMBER 9, 2011
PAGE 20
Football Falls at Georgetown, Finishes Winless on the Road By NICK CARROLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Despite going to Georgetown with a 1-7 record, Fordham did have a few positives to fall back on this season. Since junior quarterback Ryan Higgins took over the offense, it has seemingly moved the ball with ease, aside from the Army blowout. However, when Georgetown dropped Fordham, 30-13, the offense was the focal point of the team’s problems. Fordham’s offense outgained the Hoyas 446-376, but it also turned the ball over four times on the day. “When you’re not winning football games, those things kind of bite you in the ass, and certainly Saturday they bit us,” Head Coach Tom Masella said. Junior running back Carlton Koonce fumbled on the team’s first play from scrimmage, which gave the Hoyas the ball at the Fordham 10. They took advantage when sophomore running back Nick Campanella ran it in from four yards out to give Georgetown a 10-0 lead. “We didn’t secure the ball on the first play of the game on offense,” Masella said. “Carlton Koonce wasn’t carrying it all that loose, but they ball hawked it pretty good and ripped it out of there.” Higgins, who threw for 387 yards on 53 attempts, threw three interceptions on the day, all of them coming in Georgetown territory. He threw the first pick in the second quarter with Fordham down 13-6, ending a drive at the Georgetown 31. After a 37-yard completion to junior wide receiver Greg Wil-
PHOTO BY BRIAN KRAKER/THE RAM
Carlton Koonce scored the Rams only touchdown on Saturday afternoon.
son, who had a career-high 11 catches and 118 yards, got the Rams to the Georgetown 22 with Fordham down 10, Higgins threw his second pick of the day, and it was returned for a game-breaking touchdown by junior defensive back Jeremy Moore. “The second one was not Ryan’s fault,” Masella said. “We ran a bubble screen, and we have to secure the edge with our receiver. We did not block it, and the kid stepped in front and went the other way for a touchdown.” Higgins ended his day with his final interception at the George-
town 29, sealing the Hoyas’ 30-13 win. Fordham also failed to score twice when having the ball inside the 10. After being stopped at the Georgetown 5-yard line, freshman kicker Michael Mirando missed a 22-yard field goal wide left, after already missing a 45-yard field goal late in the first half. Then, down 14 in the third quarter, the Rams missed another opportunity when they failed to convert a fourth-and-one from the Georgetown 6-yard line, as Higgins misfired on a pass intended for junior wide receiver Blake
Wayne. “We’re having a hard time running the football when we have to,” Masella said. “We had a firstand-goal on the two and lost three yards, and then later on we were in the red zone, we had a third-andone, didn’t get it. Fourth-and-one, we decided to read it, it should have been handed off [...], we’re struggling. I think some of that is we’re young up front and some of that is that we make mistakes.” Fordham’s offensive shortcomings were not limited to turnovers. After dominating the Georgetown defense for 318 rushing yards last season and 281 in 2009, Fordham struggled on the ground, averaging a mere 2.3 yards per rush on 26 carries (including 12 yards lost on two sacks), for only 59 yards. “Running backs don’t trust [the offensive line], and at times we don’t get enough push up front to create that yard we need,” Masella said. “When you have to be able to run it, or need to be able to run it, we’ve had a hard time.” While not spectacular, the defense showed improvements from previous weeks. Even though Fordham surrendered 30 points for the sixth straight week, seven were scored by Georgetown’s defense, and another seven were scored following a fumble deep in Fordham territory. Georgetown only entered the red zone twice and converted on only six of 15 third downs. “I think our kids on defense played hard,” Masella said. “They had one pick for a touchdown and recovered a fumble and ran it back to the 10, but overall I thought our defensive kids played hard. It wasn’t a winning effort, but it was better than it’s been, and I think
that kids are fighting and battling.” With the win, Georgetown improves to a surprising 8-2 and snaps Fordham’s five-game winning streak against the Hoyas. Georgetown is also 3-1 in the Patriot League, good for second in the conference. It plays Lehigh this weekend with a chance to surpass the conference-leading Mountain Hawks. Georgetown has not finished above .500 since 1999, when it competed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Rams fall to 1-8 on the season with the loss. After playing seven of its first nine games on the road, Fordham returns home for its final two games of the season. “I’m sure our players are relieved that we’re not on a bus again, and I’m certainly relieved,” Masella said. “It was a long nine weeks to start the season, being on the road seven times. It’s part of being young that you don’t handle the road very well, and we certainly didn’t handle it, we went 0-7.” This Saturday Fordham will host Bucknell, coming off a 39-13 win at Lafayette. The Bison are 5-4 on the season and 2-2 in the Patriot League. “We have to do a good job of protecting the football,” Masella said of Bucknell, who leads the Football Championship Subdivision with a plus-23 turnover differential. “They’re pretty good against the run, and they’re efficient on offense. They don’t turn the ball over; they make plays. We have to go out and play well, we gotta be able to throw the ball, we gotta be able to run it, but we gotta protect the football more than anything else,” he said.
Maroon and White Benefits Boomer Esiason Foundation By DAN GARTLAND SPORTS EDITOR
The Fordham men’s basketball team welcomed a pair of special guests to the Rose Hill Gym for their Maroon and White scrimmage. Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton of WFAN’s “Boomer and Carton in the Morning” served as guest coaches, with Boomer leading the White side to a victory over Carton’s Maroon by a score of 61-50. Students were admitted free of charge, and general admission tickets went for $10 with all proceeds going to benefit the Boomer Esiason Foundation. Esiason, a former NFL quarterback with the Bengals and Jets, established the foundation after his son Gunnar was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening disease characterized by chronic lung infections. “My son is a junior at Boston College now, and when he was diagnosed in 1993, they told us then that we could hope for college,” Esiason said. “It was a dream that he could go to college. As he got older and we raised money for
different drugs that he’s benefiting from, that dream became a reality. He’s doing great, doing all the things that a college kid should do and enjoying the sports, and the academics and I think the girls too.” Esiason said it was Fordham Head Coach Tom Pecora who had the idea for the event. “Tom Pecora and I have had a long-standing relationship,” he said. “He called me up and asked if Craig and I would like to be a part of the Maroon and White. He said, ‘We’ll make a donation to your foundation if you guys come out here and promote it.’ I said, ‘Alright, we’re in.’ Tommy’s a good guy. He’s really into Fordham, and I can understand why. It’s a beautiful place, and it’s a great place to play basketball.” The White team was led by junior forward Chris Gaston and sophomore guard Branden Frazier. Gaston recorded a doubledouble, registering a game-high 22 points and 13 rebounds. Frazier had 15 points, including two three-pointers. Senior center Kervin Bristol and sophomore forward Marvin
Dominique were the top players for Carton’s Maroon. Bristol had 11 points and nine boards while Dominique had 15 points, two blocks and three steals. “I think I was outmanned,” Carton joked. “I think my coaching was top-of-the-line. I think I could do this for a profession if radio doesn’t work out.” Freshman guard Devon McMillan of the White squad had 10 points, five assists and five steals. The crowd held its collective breath at the end of the first half when McMillan went down with an apparent leg injury. It proved to be only a cramp, and McMillan was able to come out and start the second half. The Maroon team wowed the spectators late in the second half, when senior guard Ryan Hage connected with Bristol on an impressive alley-oop. The White team had attempted an alley-oop of its own in the first half. Frazier and McMillan had a 2-on-0 fast break. Frazier then threw the ball off the backboard for McMillan, who was unable to finish. At halftime, Carton and Esiason squared off in a free throw shoot-
PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR
Boomer and Carton were on hand Wednesday to support Esiason’s foundation.
ing contest. The loser would have to donate $500 to the other’s favorite charity. Carton came out on top, beating the former high school varsity basketball player Esiason by a single shot. Both Carton and Esiason said they would be interested in doing
similar events in the future. “Whether it be here, or at my alma mater, the University of Maryland, or go up to Craig’s at Syracuse. It could be a lot of fun,” Esiason said. “Anytime Coach calls, we’ll be here for sure,” Carton said.